Influence of Agricultural Service Crops on the fluctuations of the soil mineral composition

Usage of organic fertilizers and agricultural service crops (ASC) are the main tools to ensure soil fertility to obtain high quality organic vegetables. The most popular used ASCs are green manure, catch-crop, and living mulch. Efficiency of ASC crops under Latvia agro-ecological conditions for vegetable growing has not been investigated till now. Field trials where established in the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics during the season of 2015/2016 in Dižstende, Latvia with the aim to clarify the influence of ASC application on cabbage and onion crops yield and compare with traditional soil management systems: (i) green manure - in which ASC biomass of winter rye (Secale cereale L.) and winter rape (Brassica napus L.) was incorporated in the soil in the spring, (ii) roller crimper – in which ASC rye and rape was flattened by a roller-crimper before vegetable planting to create a mulch layer. These four ASC treatments were compared with: control 1 (no ASC, with soil tilled before crop planting) and control 2 (cattle manure ploughed into the soil before vegetable planting). There was not stated sharp difference in agrochemical composition between tested soil management variants. More expressed are differences between vegetables – cabbage has reduced nitrate content in the soil, whereas onion has not reduced nitrates content in the soil almost at all. From the one season results we can conclude that ASC crops have some positive influence on the maintenance of mineral nutrients balance in vegetable cropping systems, which has to be investigated for longer time period to find particular regularities

IMPACT OF CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGIES ON SOYBEAN PRODUCTION AND QUALITY

Legumes are considered the second most important food source after cereals. One of high protein legume – soybeans is new species for growing in Latvia. Biochemical composition of soybeans is variable dependent on varieties, and highly affected by environmental factors, including fertilisation and the presence of Rhizobium bacteria. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate a chemical composition of soya (Glycine max L) differently fertilized and grown in different places in Latvia. In this study was evaluated protein, fat, fibre content and yield of soybean variety ’Laulema’ grown at different (F1-F6) fertilisation background in Stende and Vilani. Overall results of a three-year analysis (2018-2020) showed that the protein content of soybean ‘Laulema’ ranged from 31.0 to 38.9%, values of total crude fat ranged from 19.4 to 22.4, but crude fibre 10.5-13.7%. Significant difference was observed among fertilisation background, year and climatic conditions. Soybean productivity depends to a large extent on climatic conditions. Providing favourable conditions for the development of Rhizobium bacteria and the availability of balanced nutrients for plants, soybean yield can reach 2 - 3 t ha-2 also in Latvi

Experience of Vancomycin Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Two Multidisciplinary Hospitals in Latvia

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Background and Objectives: Management of infectious diseases is a huge burden to every healthcare system worldwide. Antimicrobial resistance, including antibacterial resistance, is an increasing problem worldwide; therefore, more new antibiotics are necessary to be discovered. Meanwhile, “old” antibacterial agents are still administered to fight infectious diseases caused by resistant bacteria. One of these antibacterial agents is vancomycin, which is effective in treating serious systemic infections caused by gram-positive bacteria. Thus, it is necessary to perform vancomycin concentration measurements in plasma due to its narrow therapeutic index. Various approaches are implemented for more precise therapy, including therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of vancomycin and with a supervision of a clinical pharmacist. The purpose of the study was to investigate if the TDM practice is improved with a local vancomycin TDM protocol applied in a hospital. The results of TDM in two multidisciplinary hospitals, one with a local TDM protocol implemented and applied and the other with no local TDM protocol implemented and applied, were compared. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was performed in two multidisciplinary hospitals in Latvia. The data were collected for a time period of 4 years (2016–2020) in a hospital without a local TDM protocol and for a time period of 2 years (2018–2020) in a hospital with a local TDM protocol, starting with a period of time when the vancomycin TDM protocol was developed. The data about the patients included in the study were analyzed based on gender, age, body weight, and renal function. Vancomycin therapy was analyzed based on dosing schemes (vancomycin dose and dosing interval), data about loading and maintenance doses, vancomycin concentration, and details about vancomycin concentration (sampling time and concentration level). Results: Differences between the hospitals were found in terms of the initiation of vancomycin administration and concentration sampling. In the hospital with a TDM protocol compared with the hospital without a TDM protocol, more accurate initiation was found, alongside adaption of therapy (97.22% vs. 18.95%, p < 0.001), better performance of administration of a loading dose (22.73% vs. 1.29%, p < 0.01), and reaching of target concentration (55.56% vs. 35.29%, p < 0.01). Concentration sampling in the correct timeframe before the vancomycin dose and vancomycin administration did not show statistically better results in either of the hospitals (4.60% vs. 6.29%, p = 0.786). Conclusions: Better results of adequate adjustments of vancomycin therapy were achieved in the hospital with a TDM protocol. In the long term, sustainable results and regular medical professionals’ training is necessary.publishersversionPeer reviewe

China and India as becoming great powers

Maģistra darba tēma ir “ Ķīna un Indija kā topošās lielvaras”. Šā darba aktualitāti un problemātiku ataino jautājums: kas starptautiskajā sistēmā tiek saprasts ar konceptu lielvara un kādas valstis tiek uzskatītas par lielvarām, jo nepastāv noteikti un definēti lielvaras raksturojošie elementi. Jāatzīmē, ka tikai ar empīriskiem kritērijiem nevar pierādīt, kura valsts ir lielvara un kura nav, ir jāņem vērā arī ar tās politiskais, diplomātiskais un kultūras kapitāls/potenciāls, kas diemžēl nav empīriski izmērāmi lielumi. Līdz ar to centieni definēt lielvaru, balstoties un kvantitatīviem kritērijiem, nav uzskatāmi par objektīviem. Autore darbā centās izprast, kādēļ valstis, jo īpaši lielvaras, tiecas pēc varas, kādi ir to motīvi un intereses; kāda ir starptautiskā sistēma - atvērta vai slēgta, un vai to var uzskatīt par faktoru, kas ietekmē valstis to tieksmē pēc varas? Autore darba ietvaros ieskicē atsevišķas lielvaras un varas definīcijas, kas palīdz izprast šo neviennozīmīgo jēdzienu un atsevišķu pieeju apsvērumus par to. Darba ietvaros tika aplūkots, kādēļ valsts un lielvara tiecas pēc varas, kādi ir lielvaru mērķi un kādas ir pieejamās stratēģijas lielvaru mērķu sasniegšanai. Darbā tika izvirzīta hipotēze - Ķīnas un Indijas lielvaras statuss ir atkarīgs no šo valstu iekšējo faktoru darbības. Ar valstu iekšējiem faktoriem tika saprasta valstu politiskā stabilitāte, ekonomiskā stabilitāte un militārā kapacitāte. Darba ietvaros tika noskaidrots vai Ķīnai un Indijai piemīt politiskā un ekonomiskā stabilitāte, un kāda ir šo valstu militārā kapacitāte. Gadījumā, ja kāds no šiem priekšnosacījumiem nerealizējas, valstis nevar pretendēt uz lielvaras statusu. Darba hipotēze darba gaitā tika pierādīta. Neskatoties uz to, ka abas valstis ir publiski paudušas savu viedokli par iespējamo kļūšanu par lielvarām, tajās ir būtiski iekšējo faktoru ierobežojumi, kas šobrīd liedz valstis uzskatīt par tādām, neraugoties uz to milzīgo iedzīvotāju skaitu un plašajām teritorijām, straujo ekonomisko izaugsmi un lielajiem aizsardzības budžetiem un militārajiem ekipējumiem. Lai valstis kļūtu par lielvarām, tām ir jānodrošina iekšējo faktoru atbilstība lielvaras statusam.The subject of this Master Thesis is „China and India as becoming great powers”. The topicality and problems of the paper interpret following question: what shall be taken to mean the concept “great power” within the international system and when the state is considered as great power. These questions are important due to the lack of specified and defined elements characterizing the great power. The empirical criterions are not enough to prove whether the state is the great power or not. It is necessary to take into account the state’s political, diplomatic and cultural capital/potential, but unfortunately it is impossible to measure these values empirically. Wherewithal, the efforts to define the great power by using only quantitative criterions should not be considered as objective appraisal. The current paper examines how the concept of power is interpreted in some political theory approaches that allow to conceive the concept of great power. This information could be successfully used for approving or disapproving the hypothesis of the paper, because it is possible to evaluate the development of China and India: do these states move forward to the great powers. There are also examined the great power’s goals and the strategies to reach these goals. This information was successfully used in the empirical part of the paper to examine China’s and India’s actions and developments related with both state’s goals and strategies to reach these goals. The empirical part of the paper examines the political and economic stability and military capacity of China and India. The hypothesis set in the paper is: the great power status of China and India depends on the activity of internal factors in these states. The internal factors are considered as political and economic stability and military capacity of these states. The empirical part of the paper examines whether China and India have the political and economic stability and military capacity. In case if only one of these preconditions do not materialize, the state can not qualify for the great power status. The hypothesis of the paper is approved. Although both states are openly expressed their standpoint about the possibility to become great powers, there are important internal limitations that at present hinders to consider them as great powers, notwithstanding their huge population and territory, rapid economic growth and overwhelming defense budgets and military equipments. In order to become great power China and India must provide that the internal factors are in compliance with great power status

Evaluation of the visual identity of the start-up "Ligalio" brand and opportunities for improvement

Starptautiskais mārketings un reklāmaVadība, administrēšana un nekustamo īpašumu pārvaldībaInternational Marketing and AdvertisingManagement, Administration and Real Estate ManagementBakalaura darba “Jaunuzņēmuma “Ligalio” zīmola vizuālās identitātes novērtējums un pilnveidošanas iespējas” mērķis ir pamatojoties uz zinātniskās literatūras analīzi par zīmola vizuālo identitāti un praktisko pētījumu, izstrādāt ieteikumus zīmola “Ligalio” vizuālās identitātes pilnveidošanai. Zīmola vizuālās identitātes veidošana ir nozīmīgs process jebkurā uzņēmumā. Jaunuzņēmumu darbības specifikas ietekmē, jaunuzņēmumiem bieži vien trūkst resursu, kā laiks, cilvēkresursi un monetārie resursi, tāpēc rodas jautājums – kā jaunuzņēmumiem attīstīt spēcīgu vizuālo zīmola identitāti? Lai spētu atbildēt uz šo jautājumu darba pirmajā daļā tiks raksturoti zīmola vizuālās identitātes veidošanas principi un elementi, kā arī jaunuzņēmumu vides specifika saistībā ar jaunuzņēmumu attīstību un zīmola vizuālo identitāti. Darba otrajā daļā tiks raksturota jaunuzņēmuma “Ligalio” zīmola vizuālo identitāte un darba trešajā daļā ar aptaujas palīdzību tiks novērtēta jaunuzņēmuma “Ligalio” vizuālā identitāte un izstrādāti ieteikumi zīmola “Ligalio” vizuālās identitātes pilnveidošanai. Izvērtējot “Ligalio” zīmola vizuālo identitāti, autore izvirzījusi 5 galvenos priekšlikumus saistībā ar padziļinātu konkurentu analīzi, zīmola rokasgrāmatas izveidi, vizuālo materiālu veidošanu un virzību dažādos komunikācijas kanālos, to satura aktīvu veidošanu un pieejamas informācijas nodrošināšana vairākās valodās. Darba pētījuma ietvaros veiktā pētījuma rezultātā, tiek gūtas praktiskas atziņas, kuras varēs pielietot arī tie jaunuzņēmumi, kas vēlas attīstīt spēcīgu zīmola vizuālā identitāti. Šī darba rezultāti būs noderīgi mārketinga speciālistiem, uzņēmējiem un jaunizveidotiem uzņēmumiem, kuri ir ieinteresēti spēcīga un efektīva zīmola tēla veidošanā.The aim of the bachelor's thesis “Evaluation of the visual identity of the start-up company “Ligalio” and opportunities for improvement” is based on the analysis of the scientific literature on the visual identity of the brand and practical research, to develop recommendations for the improvement of the visual identity of the brand “Ligalio”. Building a brand's visual identity is an important process in any company. Due to the specifics of startups, startups often lack resources such as time, human resources, and monetary resources, so the question arises - how do startups develop a strong visual brand identity? In order to be able to answer this question, the first part of the paper will describe the principles and elements of creating a brand's visual identity, as well as the specifics of the start-up environment in relation to the development of start-ups and the brand's visual identity. The second part of the work will describe the visual identity of the start-up company “Ligalio” and the third part of the work will evaluate the visual identity of the start-up company “Ligalio” with the help of a survey and develop recommendations for improving the visual identity of the “Ligalio” brand. Evaluating the visual identity of the “Ligalio” brand, the author put forward 5 main proposals related to an in-depth analysis of competitors, the creation of a brand book, the creation and promotion of visual materials in various communication channels, the active creation of their content and the provision of accessible information in several languages. As a result of the research carried out as part of the work study, practical insights are gained, which can also be applied by those startups that want to develop a strong visual brand identity. The results of this work will be useful for marketers, entrepreneurs and start-ups who are interested in building a strong and effective brand image

Prekybos paslaugų rizikų įvertinimas

The goal of the research is to study types of risks, their identification and classification and assessment possibilities in activities of Latvian trade services enterprises. The authors have created classification of the trade services technological process risks and have carried out a survey of the most important risk factors in the stages of the trade services technological process. Also, the authors have created the trade services technological process risks matrix. The risks matrix is a quantitative assessment of risks. Risks have been arranged by their size of possible losses. The experts’ method for economic risks assessment has been used and a model of enterprises’ risks identification, classification and assessment for the trade services sector of Latvia has been made. The authors have used their own created model of enterprises’ risks identification, classification and assessment to research economic and financial risks by their effect on Latvian trade services sector enterprises’ development. From the year 2004 till the year 2011, the authors studied medium financial indexes of trade services enterprises in Latvia. Based on economic analysis of trade services enterprises’ medium financial indexes, risk-level dynamics assessment has been created, using the special coefficient method.Tyrimo tikslas ‒ ištirti rizikos rūšis, jų identifikavimo ir klasifikavimo bei įvertinimo galimybes Latvijos prekybos paslaugų įmonių veikloje. Autoriai sukūrė prekybos paslaugų technologinio proceso rizikų klasifikaciją ir atlikę svarbiausių rizikos veiksnių prekybos paslaugų technologinio proceso etapuose tyrimą sukūrė prekybos paslaugų technologinio proceso rizikos matricą. Rizikos matrica yra kiekybinis rizikos įvertinimas. Rizikas autoriai suklasifikavo atsižvelgdami į galimų nuostolių dydį. Ekonominėms rizikoms įvertinti pasitelkė ekspertus. Pagal sukurtą įmonių rizikų identifikavimo, klasifikavimo ir įvertinimo Latvijos prekybos paslaugų sektoriuje modelį autoriai nuo 2004 iki 2011 metų nagrinėjo vidutinius finansinius rodiklius turinčias prekybos paslaugų įmones Latvijoje. Remiantis šių įmonių ekonomine analize sukurtas rizikos lygio dinamikos įvertinimo naudojant specialius koeficientus metodas

Risks matrixes – risks assessment tools of small and medium-sized enterprises

The enterprises need to assess the risk dynamic of financial instability and this risk impact on small and medium-sized enterprises’ development, because it is important for enterprises to extend commercial activity and to open a new structural subdivision. The authors have researched types of risks, their identification, classification and assessment possibilities in activities of small and medium-sized enterprises. The authors have used the own created algorithm of identification, classification and assessment of enterprises’ risks. The goal of the research is to study the economic and financial risks impact on small and medium-sized enterprises’ development in Latvia. The authors have carried out the questionnaire of representative small and medium-sized enterprises about the economic and financial risks impact on enterprises’ development in Latvia. The authors have created classification of Latvian services sectors economic and financial risks in the period from 2011 to 2012.Those risks have been included in questionnaire. The risks matrix is a quantitative assessment tool of risks. The authors have created Latvian service sector economic and financial risks matrix. The authors have arranged risks by their size of possible losses for enterprises. For each type of risk has been assessed its probability of realization. The authors have created Latvian accommodations (hotel) and food services technological process risks map. Several parts of the risk map (segments) make it possible to assess each type of the risk separately in its segment. Risk matrix can use to choose enterprise’s strategy of risk management. Enterprise’s strategy of risk management is developed by analysing zones of risk level

Risks Assessment Small and Medium-Sized Services Sector Enterprises in Latvia

The goal of the research is to study the economic and financial risks impact on small and medium-sized enterprises’ development in Latvia. It is important for small and medium-sized enterprises to create an efficient economic activity in both - economic growth and economic slowdown. As well as there is to maintain enterprises’ financial stability. Small and medium-sized enterprises will perform activity optimization for decrease total costs. The enterprises need to assess the risk dynamic of financial instability and this risk impact on small and medium-sized enterprises’ development, because it is important for enterprises to extend commercial activity and to open a new structural subdivision. The authors have carried out the questionnaire of representative small and medium-sized enterprises about the economic and financial risks impact on enterprises’ development in Latvia

Risks Assessment of Accommodation and Food Services Sector: the Case of Latvia

The purpose of this work is to study assessment of risks in accommodation and food services sector on a sample of Latvia. The authors have created the accommodation (hotel) and food services technological process flow map and have carried out a survey of the most important risk factors in the stages of the technological process. The authors have created the algorithm of identification, classification and assessment of enterprises’ risks in the accommodation (hotel) and food services sector. The risks assessment by using the special coefficient method demonstrates that Latvia’s accommodation and food services sector risks dynamic increased in the period from 2006 to 2009. The authors have offered rating of external and internal risks by their affect on the development

Latvian Trade Sector External and Internal Risk Assessment

Target of the work is to study the Latvian trade sector external and internal risks, perform risk identification, classification and assessment. In the work are used scientific research methods – analysis and synthesis methods, economic analysis method of enterprises, the special coefficient method and the risk ranking method. The authors had studied the Latvian trade sector in the period from 2004 to 2010. The authors have created classification of Latvian trade sector economic and financial risks and classification of the trade technological process risks. The authors have created the algorithm