In this work the combinations of commercial lactic acid bacteria starters and acetic acid bacteria strain were used for production of fructans in substrate, both with and without sucrose additive, and studied their potential in maintaining technological properties of yoghurt and fermented milk. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of fructans producing starter cultures on milk coagulation technique, the amount of secreted fructans and viscosity of fermented milk samples. An amount of fructans synthesized by starter cultures and Gluconobacter sp. B35, pH and viscosity of samples were measured using appropriate standards and analytical methods. Results showed that the addition of acetic acid bacteria did not influence the pH dynamics of fermented milk samples. Increasing sucrose concentration in samples significantly influences fructans production potential. The application of such technology in fermented dairy product production would have potential from microbiological exopolysaccharides increasing position with the aim to promote functionality of dairy foods and to substitute commercial stabilisers etc. The addition of acetic acid bacteria in milk showed negative impact on viscosity of the evaluated samples. The viscosity was liquid in all analyzed samples with acetic acid bacteria, the addition of sucrose helped to make the consistency of yoghurt and fermented milk more liquid. We concluded that the structure of synthesized fructans could not help to improve the textural properties of fermented dairy products. From this point of view, the studied acetic acid bacteria strain should have the potential as prebiotic.

This article presents the results of a comparative evaluation of preventive treatment of udder with probiotic agents: ‘Dipal’ (manufacturer DeLaval - Sweden), ‘Zorka’ (manufacturer «NPP Farmaks» - Russia). We have received data on the effects of probiotic preparation on quality of milk and number of somatic cells in milk. Research has been conducted in two dairy farms of Almaty region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Lactobacillus acidophilus 05ch - isolated from shubat (South Kazakhstan region, Turkestan). Lactococcus lactis 010k - isolated from three-day kumys (Zhambyl region, Merke). These probiotics are used as a means for sanitary treatment of the udder of cows. Thus, the procedure of determining the antagonistic activity revealed their high activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms, notably Staphylococcus aureus (10-13 mm), Escherichia coli (12 mm), Proteus vulgaris (10-14 mm), Salmonella abortus ovis (11-13 mm). Significant changes in the milk indices can be found in the experimental group: 9.1% rise of lactose, and 7.2% reduction of protein. The level of protein increased by 4.1% , whereas the amount of lactose, on the contrary, went down 1.6%, which may be indicative of the increase in the content of serum protein when the udder is inflamed. The examination of the milk obtained from the cows of the control and experimental groups showed a nearly double reduction in the number of somatic cells from 488.00 down to 178.000 thousand, which was caused by the daily treatment of cows by probiotic cultures during 2 weeks.

The article presents the comparative, descriptive statistics analysis of the changes of the Baltic Sea coast in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania. This paper analyzes the Baltic Sea coast measurements taken during the period between 2008 and 2015. The formation of the strip of the Northern breakwater - Giruliai during this period was influenced by the Hurricane Felix on January 10 of 2015. Describing the Baltic Sea coast strip dynamics trends, the Baltic Sea coastline change during the period between 2008 and 2015 was selected and calculated on the basis of the measurements results. Analysis of the erosive and accumulation processes of the 4 km long strip from the Northern breakwater to Giruliai strip was provided. The carried out data of the Baltic Sea coast changes analysis show that seacoast limits are constantly changing. The replenishment of the Baltic seacoast spatial data set during the period between 2008 and 2013 with the revised spatial data of the period between 2014 and 2015 showed that during the months of January during the period between 2008 and 2015 the 4 km long strip of the Baltic Sea coast decreased by 3.7075 ha, in the 1st Melnrage area, the 0.7 km long strip of coastline has moved more than 30 m inland. It was found that in the southern half of the researched section erosion processes prevailed, while in the northern part – both erosion and accumulative ones.

Development of tourism, understood as the result of human activity aimed at adapting space to the needs of tourism, requires a variety of specific spatial determinants recognized from the viewpoint of multi-dimensionality of tourist space. One of the major determinants of tourism intensity in an area are landscape values, including natural values. Natural elements of the environment (including the terrain, water reservoirs, and natural forms of land cover), sustainable landscape, or the unique cultural objects are the basis for long-term development of tourist activities. These values are characteristic of the so-called naturally valuable areas, including areas under the national and international law of different forms of nature protection. The paper aims at examining the relationship between the existing natural determinants affecting the development of tourism and the intensity of tourist movement as well as tourism intensity and the level of development of tourist facilities in the gminas of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship. The overall objective will be implemented in three stages. The first one will be to identify the existing natural determinants for the development of tourism in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship. The second phase will consist of an examination of the intensity of tourist movement and the level of the development of tourism by designating Schneider’s, Baretje’s and Defert’s indicators and the share of recreational areas. The final step will be to identify relationships between the variables obtained in the process of obtained in the two previous stages.

Each year, natural disasters affect various regions of the world. This is a profound problem, which leads to growing financial and human losses. It is believed that natural catastrophes are caused mainly by greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, deforestation, desertification, urbanization and land use. In rural areas, losses associated with natural disasters can also be exacerbated by local factors. These factors have caused the division of the area of research on subpopulations that showed homogeneous groups of factors. Areas covered by extensive forests, farmland, meadows, marshes and water bodies are more susceptible to financial losses in agriculture than territories with average share of those land features. Spatial attributes that are important determinants of agricultural production, including soil quality, climate, water availability and land relief, do not alleviate the negative consequences of extreme weather events. Spatial planning systems should be developed for managing high-risk areas in a way that minimizes the resulting losses.

Pollution of surface (rain) wastewater forming in the production territory of a pig-breeding enterprise was investigated in the period 2007–2011. The surface water is collected from the production territory from yards with a hard covering and from roofs, enters the rain sewerage, and is released untreated into the natural environment. The aim of this work is to find out what influence on the environment is exerted by surface wastewater released into the natural environment from the production territory of pig-breeding enterprises. Surface wastewater pollution indices and the research frequency were identified according to the requirement to carry out surface water monitoring: surface wastewater samples are collected three times per year. Because of the uneven rainfall distribution during the year, less surface wastewater runoff occurred during the cold period; however, concentrations of indices were higher compared to the end of the warm period (TSS – 18 %, BOD7 – 39 %, Ntotal – was unchanging, oil products – 12.5 %). Only Ptotal concentrations were higher in the end of the warm period in 14 %. The organic pollution in surface wastewater was increased by total suspended solids. The increased concentrations of TSS and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD7 ) were related to a higher precipitation level. The indices’ TSS, BOD7 , Ntotal, Ptotal and oil products concentrations in the surface wastewater runoff from the pig breeding enterprise‘s production territory complied with the requirements for surface water which is collected from this area and released into the environment.

Deformations occurred in natural and regulated stream change beds lateral and longitudinal profiles. This is particularly evident in regulation furrows, where their initial state is known. Research showed that landslips of the upper slopes in regulated watercourses is the most common deformation (72.8% of studied cases), and the largest deformation occurs in the lower part of the slope (63.4%), where the accumulation of the moved silt and soil is. It was found that the deformation changes the bed plan as well. 59.1% of regulated streams distort furrows and make meanders due to deformation effects. The analysis of river beds widths and depths ratio relationship with discharge of channel running flow observed that ratio B/H increases with increasing flow evenly in regulated beds, while the above-mentioned ratio varies unevenly in the natural watercourse. Cross-sectional shape also varies in regulated and natural beds: heterogeneous form beds dominated in natural beds, while parabolic cross section shape is approaching during the deformation in regulated beds, what is more favourable for the living environment.

The article deals with the research results of the household electric energy usage trends impact on the electric power supply grid power factor. The amount of household appliances has increased tremendously during the last 20 to 30 years, substantially raising the electric energy consumption in private sector. As a serious technological development of household appliances took place, for example, LED lamps, inverters for power supply of TV sets and computers, the introduction of microcontrollers and automated systems, as well as efficiency requirements increase for the devices used in household have led to a reduced specific energy consumption per device and increased overall energy consumption. Analytic and experimental research assured that all these changes have a substantial impact on electric grid quality, particularly on the power factor value. Filed research data proved the theoretical analysis results that there is a trend from minor inductive power factor towards considerably high capacitive power factor, thus reducing power supply grid quality. This trend must be considered seriously by the electric grid operators in order to keep high quality of energy supplied to the end users.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the information literacy of people as essential competencies required for the generation of social capital and use of social capital in sharing and obtaining information, which in its turn, is considered to be an important resource in the community’s development. The paper analyses the terms: social capital, information literacy and their mutual influence, as well as describes the research where informational literacy of the population of Latvia, its levels and the determined groups of knowledge and skills, which need to be improved in order to contribute to the generation and use of the social capital, through various methods (population surveys, focus group discussions, information literacy knowledge assessment questionnaires and performing practical tasks) were assessed. The research is based on the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Competency Matrix and UNESCO MIL Assessment Framework. The main conclusions of research are the following: information literacy is an important competence for developing social capital; but based on the completed research there are skills of information literacy – processing of information, critical assessment of information resources, legally correct use of information sources, as well as effective use of information technologies – which should be improved. The research was conducted within the framework of the European Social Fund project ‘Development of Innovative Diagnostic Instruments for Regional Growth’ (No.2013/0057/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/13/APIA/VIAA/065).

In the research evaluation of the ecosystem services provided by riparian forests in Latvia has been studied. The aim of this research is to investigate the methods and indicators for assessing the value of ecosystem services of riparian forests and to establish the most appropriate methods of ecosystem service valuation in the case of Latvia. The study is based on analysis of scientific publications, special literature and reports of international organizations, studying results of previously performed qualitative and quantitative research methods in the field of ecosystem service evaluation. The results of this study revealed several methods that could be applied for evaluation of ecosystem services provided by riparian forests, taking into account that the set of available data may be limited and considering the costs and span of time that may be necessary to collect the missing data. The results also show that the majority of ecosystem service evaluation indicators can be applied if appropriate earlier studies have been performed and feasible data for similar territories or conditions are available. The knowledge of the methods and indicators for evaluation of ecosystem services is a crucial factor in the decision making process, when decisions on economic development or sustainable management of ecosystem services are made.