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Moldavian dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) is a plant endemic to Asia where it has been used for centuries for the production of essential oils. With the constantly growing demand for vegetable fats it is necessary to find new methods of ensuring their high quality from the moment of production until their eventual purchase by the consumer. Correct assessment of the quality of oleaginous products is therefore one of the intensively explored scientific problems that stimulates the development of innovative methods of analysing such substances. One of the newer and, most importantly, faster alternatives in the context of analysing the quality of oil and the changes it undergoes during storage is offered by FTIR spectroscopy (Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy). By measuring the relevant FTIR spectra, we were able to observe clear discrepancies in the intensity of bands characteristic of the aging processes taking place in the oleaginous samples due to the oxidation of their fat fractions. The chemometric analysis of FTIR spectra confirmed the high quality of the analysed oils. It is noteworthy that the analysed samples of Moldavian dragonhead oil did not show particularly extensive changes in terms of their FTIR spectra during long-term storage. It confirms their high durability and usability in food production as an excellent product. This is valuable information in order to make progress in the use of Moldavian dragonhead oil in food products.

The aim of the paper was to determine the production costs and profitability of biomass production from Virginia mallow including various harvesting technologies. The paper covered theoretical calculation of the production costs of biomass form Virginia mallow with the use of the computer application “Biocalculator”. Calculations were made for a plantation with the surface area of 5 ha and four technologies of harvesting and the product form (pressed straw, chaff). The paper determines the profitability of production of biomass from Virginia mallow for four variants of sale prices of biomass at the level of 100, 120, 140 and 150 PLN∙t-1. In case of T1 technology all assumed prices of sale of Virginia mallow biomass with the obtained production costs were profitable. On the other hand, in T3 and T4 technology, the scope of sale prices from 120 to 150 PLN∙t-1 caused that the biomass production was profitable. While, the least profitable was application of T2 technology where only at the assessment of biomass sale 150 PLN∙t-1 production was profitable and in the remaining price options the profit was not obtained.

Workstations are organizational units defined in a system, which deter-mine where and when production operations must be performed. Thus, they have de-fined loads, and operations performed thereon are evaluated based on the information to which places, where costs are formed, and to which types of activities they are ascribed. Workstations may include machines, people, production lines etc. The aim of the paper was to define effectiveness of operation of particular working stations which constitute a line for production of bread. The scope of the research covered the production line in a production establishment, namely a bakery. Based on the work schedule developed for particular workstations and documentation provided by the production site, a production capacity of the said line and its use and loading of particular workstations was defined. Analysis showed that the load of workstations was from 80 to 88%. A low level of variability of the load proves high mutual relations between particular workstations which are characteristic for continuous lines.

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI), which describes the efficiency of using technical resources. The index allows improving the efficiency of the production process, and also reflects the potential of the unused production capacity. In the presented case, new possibilities were proposed for the application of this model in public transport. First, the theoretical foundations of machine reliability, as well as the principles of comprehensive maintenance were presented. This discussion presents how to implement the OEE index to assess the effectiveness of vehicle use in a public transport company. Weaknesses were identified in the use of vehicles and changes were proposed to improve the OEE index.

The paper focuses on computer modeling of the reliability of technical systems using FlexSim simulation software. It presents the theoretical foundations of machine reliability and principles of describing this phenomenon. The discussion demonstrates how to estimate the main parameters of reliability analysis - MTBF and MTTR. The end result was designing a simulation model and assessing the impact of machine failure on the productivity and performance of a technical system.

The article presents an outline of the issue concerning formulation of a marketing strategy and the possibility of using the knowledge on consumers' preferences for organic development of farms and their products on the example of southern Poland. The paper analyses the distribution process of organic food in the aspect of developing innovative marketing strategies. The studies were performed in 50 organic farms and on the example of 100 respondents from the region of southern Poland. In the opinion of the surveyed representatives of the organic food producers, a competitive advantage of their offer depends the most on the health values, brand, reputation, and taste. Moreover, information on products and the form and place of their sale are significant. The analysis shows that the knowledge is the most eagerly obtained from the Internet. Thus, producers should publish their profiles and pages on social media and business portals.

Raspberry plants need intensive anti-fungal protection. A solution to this problem could be the application of an ozonation process. For this purpose, a technical solution was proposed and implemented in raspberry plant production. The proposal suggests replacing 25% of standard fungicide treatments with ozonation. It was demonstrated that the use of ozone under the proposed conditions made it possible to maintain stable parameters of chlorophyll content and fluorescence (no significant differences), but the intensity of gas exchange was increased. The greatest differences were observed in the second measurement period (T2), when the plants were in the stage of most active development. Additionally, the content and profile of low-molecular-weight antioxidants and the microbial load were determined in the collected fruits. In periods T2 and T3, the proposed method caused a reduction reaching ~2 log cfu g -1 in the microbial content of raspberry fruits. It was shown that ozone treatment intensified the biosynthesis of low-molecular-weight antioxidants in fruit (increasing the total polyphenol content by more than 20%). The proposed scheme allows a 25% reduction in standard fungicide treatments while maintaining the health of cultivated raspberry plants. The reduction in fungicide use aligns with the EU regulations and produces fruit with better quality.

There is an observable scarcity of comprehensive research results comparing the environmental damage associated with both the production of windows and their subsequent operation. The environmental impact of the operation of windows depends on their thermal insulation parameters, and thus the amount of heat that must be generated to heat the building. The type of heating system and, above all, the type of fuel used to generate heat are also not without significance. Unfortunately, in Poland, a significant proportion of single-family houses operate on the fossil fuel heating system, including on coal and fuel oil. It is therefore important to present an environmental balance sheet of both the production and operation of windows for different variants of building heating. The purpose of the study was to determine: to what extent the manufacturing of windows of different construction and different insulation parameters affects the environment, to what extent does the negative environmental impact of the process of manufacturing with greater insulation compensate by the lower environmental impact related to savings on fuel (gas, coal, fuel oil) used to generate heat during the operation of windows. Three types of windows were selected for a detailed analysis: a triple-glazed aluminum construction, a double-glazed PVC construction and a triple-glazed PVC. The research results show that in the case of all impact categories, the greater environmental losses related to the improvement of the thermal insulation parameters of the windows at the production stage are fully compensated at the stage of their useful life, regardless of the type of fuel used to heat the buildings. Double-glazed PVC windows should be phased out of production due to significant environmental footprint associated with their operation., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Soils enriched with biochar are recommended as a cultivation grounds, especially in case they contain significant amount of sand. However, the interactions between biochar and plants, as well as the influence of the biochar on water retention, cultivation and air properties of soils, are still not obvious. The present study aimed to determine the impact of various biochar doses on soils used for soya cultivation, in comparison to soils maintained as black fallow soil, on their water retention and productivity, for the period of two years. Sunflower husk biochar (BC1) and biochar of leafy trees (BC2), in doses of 0, 40, 60, 80 t·ha -1 , were used for field experiments. The water retention was investigated with porous boards in pressure chambers by a drying method. No differences in the hydrological properties of the soils that were differently managed (black fallow soil, crop) were observed following biochar application. Addition of BC1, in the amounts of 40, 60, and 80 t·ha -1 , caused an increase in the plant available water capacity (AWC) by 15.3%, 18.7%, and 13.3%, respectively, whereas the field capacity (FC) increased by 7.4%, 9.4%, and 8.6% for soils without biochar. Application of BC2 analogously resulted in higher AWC, by 8.97, 17.2%, and 33.1%, respectively, and higher FC by 3.75, 7.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. Increasing the doses of BC1 and BC2, both on black fallow soils and soils enriched with soya, caused a rise in total porosity (TP) and drainage porosity (DP), and a decrease in soil bulk density (SBD). Biochar with a higher total area and higher porosity (BC1) applied to soils with soya cultivation resulted in lower reductions in AW and FC than BC2 in the second year of investigation.

Raspberry fruits are a valuable source of bioactive compounds. The study used the modification of the substrate (coconut fibre), consisting of the use of various organic and mineral additives, in the soilless cultivation of raspberries. The additives influenced the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds in the raspberry fruits by modifying the sorption properties and the abundance of the substrate. The influence of the additives on the content of polyphenols was determined as well as their profile (UPLC-MS), antioxidant potential (ABTS), vitamin C content, and the activity of selected enzymes that are markers of stress and resistance to abiotic factors. In the study, a significant effect of these additives was observed on the biosynthesis of polyphenols in raspberry fruit. The highest increase in the content of these compounds in relation to the control sample (substrate-100% coconut fibre), namely 37.7%, was recorded in the case of fruit produced on coconut substrate enriched with sheep wool. These fruits were also characterised by a significantly different profile of these compounds. These changes were caused by readily available ammonium nitrogen and free amino acids in the decomposition of proteins contained in the sheep wool. This was confirmed by the recorded content of chlorophyll SPAD in the plant leaves and the activity of selected enzymes, which proves a low level of stress and good condition of the plants.

BACKGROUND During the current Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, falls have been identified as a potential presenting symptom in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection; however, data on factors increasing fall risk in this patient population are limited. This study aimed to examine the factors that may predispose hospitalized COVID-19 disease patients to falls. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this retrospective observational study, hospitalized COVID-19 disease patients were examined for fall incidence, as well as demographics, comorbidities, and clinical and laboratory data. Patients were stratified according to their fall status and their characteristics were compared using Fisher's exact test or Mann-Whitney U test. A total of 312 hospitalized COVID-19 disease patients were enrolled (median age, 75 years; males, 51.3%), of whom 11 (3.5%) fell. RESULTS There was a greater prevalence of falls among patients who experienced arrhythmias than those that did not (28.6% vs 1.7%; P<0.001). Additionally, a significantly greater proportion of those that were discharged to the internal ward and to the intensive care unit fell (10.3% and 10.0%, respectively) compared to those that were discharged home (1.6%, P=0.008). Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was significantly elevated in patients who fell (5.3 vs 0.97 µIU/mL, P=0.013), while alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was significantly lower in those who fell (17.1 vs 33.5 IU/L, P=0.041). CONCLUSIONS Arrhythmias may be an important predisposing factor for falls in COVID-19 disease patients and fall prevention programs should prioritize interventions directed at this vulnerable patient population.

Crop fertilization with sulfur is an important part of agricultural practices, as is the systematic increase in soil organic matter content. Materials of waste origin constitute a source of plant-available sulfur, as well as soil organic matter. The study was to verify the hypothesis assuming that combining waste sulfur pulp and its mixtures with organic materials enables simultaneous soil enrichment with readily available sulfur and organic matter. A 240-day incubation experiment was conducted, on two soils: very light and heavy; with two sulfur doses applied to each soil (20 and 40 mg S/kg d.m. for very light soil, and 30 and 60 mg S/kg d.m. for heavy soil). The sulfate sulfur content in the incubated soil material, treated with the addition of sulfur pulp and its mixtures with organic materials, increased significantly up to day 60 and then decreased. The application of these materials significantly increased the content of available sulfur and decreased the pH value of the incubated material. The effect of the introduced materials on dehydrogenase activity depended on soil granulometric composition (the impact of the applied materials on the activity of these enzymes in very light soil was small, and in heavy soil, their activity was usually limited by the presence of introduced materials). Application of the studied materials had little effect on the total organic carbon content in the incubated soil material (a significant change in the value of this parameter, in relation to the control soil, was recorded in some treatments of heavy soil).

The study relates to the use of automated plant protection systems in agriculture. The article presents a proprietary automated mobile platform with an aerosol generator of hot mist. Furthermore, the cause of the loss of a chemical preparation in the spraying of plant protection products on the tree crown was determined in the course of field research. A statistical analysis of the results of experiment was carried out and the effect of droplet size on leaf coating density was determined. The manuscript presents a diagram of the degree of penetration of the working solution as it drops into the crown of the tree, as well as a cross-sectional graph of the permeability of the spray from the projection of the fruit tree crown. The most effective modes of operation of the automated mobile platform for spraying plant protection products with a mist generator aggregate were established. Analysis of the results shows that the device meets the spraying requirements of the procedure for spraying plant protection products. The novelty of this research lies in the optimal modes identified by movement of the developed automated mobile platform and the parameters of plant treatment with protective equipment when using a hot mist generator. The following mode parameters were established: the speed of the automated platform was 3.4 km/h, the distance to the crown of the tree was 1.34 m, and the flow rate of the working fluid was 44.1 L/h. Average fuel consumption was 2.5 L/h. Effective aerosol penetration reduced the amount of working fluid used by up to 50 times.

As global water resources are decreasing and the demand for it is constantly increasing, the problem of proper water management is becoming more pressing. Poland is one of the largest producers of vegetables in Europe, including carrots, with significant exports. However its freshwater resources are relatively small. The paper presents the results of research on the water footprint (WF) life cycle assessment (LCA) in conventional and organic carrot production. The methodology of calculating WF was used in accordance with PN-EN ISO 14046. It was found, e.g., that WF for organic production of carrot (WF = 1.9 m 3  ha -1 ) is over five times lower, as compared to conventional production (WF = 10.4 m 3  ha -1 ). In the case of conventional production, the fertilization process (67.0-67.7%) has the greatest impact on the shaping of WF in the individual impact categories, i.e. Human Health, Ecosystem Quality and resources. In organic production, the WF-shaping factor is carrot harvesting (41.9-43.1%). The research can be used to develop pro-ecological carrot production technologies, as well as to shape sustainable development plans in agricultural areas. It can also be used to outline policy directions regarding foreign trade in water-consuming agricultural products., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

There is a potential for using sulfur waste in agriculture. The main objective of this study was to design a granular fertilizer based on waste elemental sulfur. Humic acids and halloysite were used to improve the properties and their influence on soil properties. This is the first report on the use of proposed materials for fertilizer production. The following granular fertilizers were prepared (the percentage share of component weight is given in brackets): fertilizer A (waste sulfur (95%) + halloysite (5%)), fertilizer B (waste sulfur (81%) + halloysite (5%) + humic acids (14%)), fertilizer C (waste sulfur (50%) + halloysite (50%)) and fertilizer D (waste sulfur (46%) + halloysite (46%) + humic acids (8%)). Basic properties of the obtained granulates were determined. Furthermore, the effect of the addition of the prepared fertilizers on soil pH, electrolytic conductivity, and sulfate content was examined in a 90-day incubation experiment. Enrichment with humic acids and the higher amount of halloysite increased the fertilizer properties (especially the share of larger granules and bulk density). In addition, it stabilized soil pH and increased the sulfur content (extracted with 0.01 mol·L -1 CaCl 2 and Mehlich 3) in the soil.

Creating and maintaining the microclimate in livestock buildings is associated with numerous engineering and technical challenges. Together with adequate feeding, the microclimate determines the health, reproductive ability, and production potential of the animals (obtaining a maximum amount of high-quality products). One of the deciding steps in improving the parameters of microclimate, i.e., temperature and humidity in agricultural facilities, particularly in livestock buildings, is to develop reliable and highly efficient air curtains in the vestibules. The objective of the manuscript is to investigate the parameters of the microclimate in livestock buildings using the air curtain, supported by automation and ICT technologies for rational operating modes. The presented theoretical and experimental studies on improving the microclimate parameters in livestock buildings were carried out using an innovative air curtain system. Its power is calculated based on the dimensions of the room, and the flow rate of warm air near the floor level is three times lower than at the installation site. The use of air curtains reduces consumption of thermal energy needed to maintain an optimal microclimate for livestock by 10-15%. Furthermore, the use of an automated digital control system maintains an optimal microclimate in the building. The developed energy-saving system for creating an optimal micro-climate in livestock buildings using air curtains was tested in a pigsty of the Research and Training Farm "Vorzel" of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, located in the Kiev region. The developed automated microclimate system using air curtains significantly improves the microclimate parameters and significantly reduces power consumption. The system can be further developed by adding remote control based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

Natural products have always enjoyed great popularity among consumers. Wild tea is an interesting alternative to tea from intensive plantations. The term "wild tea" is applied to many different varieties of tea, the most desirable and valued of which are native or indigenous tea plants. Special pro-health properties of wild tea are attributed to the natural conditions in which it grows. However, there are no complex studies that describe quality and health indicators of wild tea. The aim of this research was to evaluate the quality of wild and cultivated green tea from different regions of China: Wuzhishan, Baisha, Kunlushan, and Pu'Er. The assessment was carried out by verifying the concentration of selected chemical components in tea and relating it to the health risks they may pose, as well as to the nutritional requirements of adults. Wild tea was characterized by higher micronutrient concentration. The analyzed teas can constitute a valuable source of Mn in the diet. A higher concentration of nitrates and oxalates in cultivated tea can be associated with fertilizer use. The analyzed cultivated tea was a better source of antioxidants with a higher concentration of caffeine. There were no indications of health risks for wild or cultivated teas.