Arid areas are particularly susceptible to soil erosion due to long dry periods and sudden heavy downpours. This study investigates the aggregate size distribution and aggregate stability of twelve tilled fallow areas of Hyderabad district, Sindh, Pakistan. This study determined aggregate size distribution by dry sieving to evaluate the seedbed condition and aggregate stability using wet sieving to assess the susceptibility of tilled fallow areas to soil erosion. The aggregate size distribution of the soils of the selected areas was highly variable. Gulistan-e-Sarmast had the largest number of clods (51.0%) followed by Kohsar (49.0%), Latifabad # 10 (41.10%) and Daman-e-Kohsar (39.0%). Fazal Sun City, the left side of the Indus River, the Village Nooral Detha and the left side of the Abdullah Sports city had a greater number of large (>8.0 mm) and small aggregates (<0.5 mm). The optimum aggregate size distribution was found in the left side of the channel, which had the largest number of aggregates (50.50%) in the 0.5–8.0 mm sieve size range. Maximum aggregate stability (AS) was found in Gulistan-e-Sarmast (46%), Kohsar (42%) and Latifabad # 10 (34%), while all other soils had minimum aggregate stability (<14%). The minimum aggregate stabilities demonstrate that the tilled fallow areas of Hyderabad district are highly susceptible to erosion. Therefore, the present study suggests investigating potential ways to enhance the aggregate stabilities of soils.

Soil contamination with pesticide and biogenie compounds is a serious problem. The following compounds are detected most often and in largest quantities: lindan, DDT (not used for many years now), Simazine, Atrazine, Chlorfenvinphos and Fenitrothion. The presence of pesticides in surficial waters in the Żuławy Wiślane region has been described many times. Additionally, my own research con finned the presence of pesticides in superficial waters in Podlasie. This paper presents the results of the concentrations determination ofphenoxyacetic herbicides , biogenics and other pollutants in the Białka river. The samples were collected over a period of one year, from April 2000 to March 200 I. The analysis was carried out by reverse phase HPLC and TLC chromatography and colorimetric and spectrophotometric methods by HACH apparatus.

The material was sampled in the dam reservoir ,,Przeczyce" (the Silesian Upland, rnesoregion of the Garb Tarnogórski) and in 9 fish-culture ponds in the Gatine Region (Department Deux-Sevres) in west-central France. The dam reservoir in Przeczyce is a drinking water reservoir for inhabitants of the northern part of the Upper-Silesian Industrial Region. The surveyed ponds were utilized for extensive fish culture. A total of 218 tench, at the age of 1-6 years, were sampled from the dam reservoir, while 247 fish of the same species, representing the same age groups, were caught from the fish ponds studied. Prevalence of Ergasilus sieboldi in examined tench populations was respectively 42.1 % in the dam reservoir, and 42.4% in the ponds. No significant differences in the body weight and standard length were found between infected and non-infected fish representing the dam reservoir and the ponds with complete array of fish species. In those ponds where predatory fish were eliminated, as a result of the interventional fishing, infected tench were significantly (p < 0.01) lighter and shorter in comparison to non-infected individuals. A significant (p < 0.01), although relatively weak, positive con-elation was observed between infection intensity of Ergasilus sieboldi and the body weight and the standard length of the fish infected (r = 0.5956 and r = 0.7398, respectively). No significant relationship was found between intensity of the infection and the condition factor (K= 100*W*L'', where: W - body weight, L- standard length) in fish examined.

One of the main problems of multivariable cost functions in model predictive control is the choice of weighting factors. Two finite control set model predictive control algorithms, applied to the three-phase active rectifier with an LCL filter, are described in the paper. The investigated algorithms, i.e. PCi_cu_c and PCi_gi_cu_c, implement multivariable approaches applying line (grid) current, capacitor voltage and converter current. The main problem dealt with in the paper is the choice of optimum values of the cost function weighting factors. The values of the factors calculated using the method proposed in the paper are very close to the values represented by the lowest THDi of the line current. Moreover, simulations verifying the equations used in the prediction of controlled values, i.e. line current, capacitor voltage and converter current, are presented. Both simulation and experimental results are presented to verify effectiveness of the investigated control strategies under change of the load (P = 5 kW and 2.5 kW), during transient states, under unbalanced and balanced line voltage.

Aortic stenosis is the most common acquired valvular heart disease. Aortic stenosis has growing prevalence in people older than 75 years and natural course of disease is characterized by high mortality rate. According to epidemiological data all patients with aortic stenosis will die after 2–5 years from the first signs of disease if not undergo aortic valve replacement. However, even 40% of patients do not have surgery because of comorbidities related to advanced age. This was the main reason why in 80- and 90-ties of XX century there were intensive attempt to developed an alternative, less invasive treatment methodology for people with aortic stenosis and comorbidities and at high surgical risk. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was introduced by Dr Alain Cribier in February 2nd, 2002 in Rouen, France. Since that day different aortic transcatheter bioprostheses were used in many randomized clinical trials comparing their safety and effectiveness versus surgical aortic valve replacement. Gradually, it became clear that in all older patients in all risk groups TAVI was equally or even more safe and effective than surgery. Complications after TAVI are relatively rare, but some of them are life-threatening. Heart Team plays a key role in patients selection to TAVI.