Until the early 1990s, the domestic power industry was a natural monopoly. This was caused by the specificity of the operation of the electricity transmission and distribution sub sectors, technical challenges of coordinating the operation of generating units and transmission networks, requirements regarding long-term forecasting of the industry development, and returns to scale. In view of the above, the objective of the presented paper is to assess the economic situation of energy companies operating in a competitive electricity market. The article analyses the main areas of activity of the energy companies, i.e.: the areas of production, transmission, distribution, and sales. In addition, the market shares of the various energy companies, in terms of generating capacity and the amount of the energy produced, were analyzed. Furthermore, the technical and economic situation of enterprises operating in the power sector was also subjected to analysis. The mentioned analysis has revealed that the profit received from the main activity of the enterprises (i.e. the sale of electricity) has decreased in recent years. What is more, the energy sector must adapt to legal and regulatory changes related to the intensification of the decarbonization policy pursued by the European Commission. Therefore, national energy should focus on developing skills in the areas of innovation, such as: electro mobility, energy storage, energy management, etc.

In this paper, numerical results of modeling of acoustic waves propagation are presented. For calculation of the acoustic fluctuations, a solution of the full non-linear Euler equation is used. The Euler equations are solved with the use of a numerical scheme of third-order accuracy in space and time. The paper shows a validation process of the described method. This method is suitable also for an aerodynamic noise assessment on the basis of unsteady mean flow field data obtained from a CFD calculations. In such case this method is called a hybrid CFD/CAA method. The proposed method is numerically decoupled with CFD solution, therefore the information about the mean unsteady flow field can be obtained using an arbitrary CFD method (solver). The accuracy of the acoustic field assessment depends on the quality of the CFD solutions. This decomposition reduces considerably the computational cost in comparison with direct noise calculations.

The presented Euler acoustic postprocessor (EAP) has been used for modeling of the acoustic waves propagation in a cavity and in the flow field around a cylinder and an aerodynamic profile.

This paper addresses the issue of language and belonging in the transnational context of migration. It draws on two research projects with first-generation children of Polish labour migrants in Scotland. The paper examines the role that language plays in fostering multiple ways of being and belonging, and in understanding how children make sense of their identity. It suggests that language should take a more central place in debates about cultural connectivity and transnational migration. Findings point to the need for a more holistic approach to supporting migrant children, including the explicit recognition of family cultural and language capital in the host society.

Geometry of the fluid container plays a key role in the shape of acoustic streaming patterns. Inadvertent vortices can be troublesome in some cases, but if treated properly, the problem turns into a very useful parameter in acoustic tweezing or micromixing applications. In this paper, the effects of sinusoidal boundaries of a microchannel on acoustic streaming patterns are studied. The results show that while top and bottom sinusoidal walls are vertically actuated at the resonance frequency of basic hypothetical rectangular microchannel, some repetitive acoustic streaming patterns are recognised in classifiable cases. Such patterns can never be produced in the rectangular geometry with flat boundaries. Relations between geometrical parameters and emerging acoustic streaming patterns lead us to propose formulas in order to predict more cases. Such results and formulations were not trivial at a glance.

Since silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used as nanofungicides and nanopesticides in agriculture, the toxicity of AgNPs as well as AgNO3 must be determined. Besides this, we evaluated the combined effects of salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) on responses of Phlomis tuberosa plants to Ag-induced stress. The results of growth parameters together with measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) indicated that exposure to 1000 mg L–1 of AgNPs or AgNO3 exerted more toxicity, which was closely associated with the over– accumulation of ROS and the reduction of photochemical functioning. However, SNP (NO) and SA addition successfully alleviated adverse impact of AgNPs on Phlomis seedlings. Maximum amelioration of Ag-induced stress was found by combined treatments of SA+NO. Phlomis plants primed with SA+NO exhibited higher synthesis of chlorophyll b and carotenoid pigments to ameliorate AgNP-induced adverse effects on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. SA+NO led to high levels of proline under both AgNPs and AgNO3 treatments. A further increase in antioxidants (phenolic compounds) was observed in NO-primed plants under AgNPs- induced stress, which was attendant with the high level of CAT and APX activities. Increase in total Ag translocation into shoot organs and cell survival were also enhanced by SA+NO under AgNPs stress. We concluded that SA+NO mitigated the inhibitory effects of AgNPs stress on the photosynthetic apparatus by increasing the phenolic compounds and carotenoids as well as by regulating accumulation of Ag, ROS and antioxidants. The present findings provide important knowledge to design strategies that minimize the negative impact of AgNPs and AgNO3 on crops.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess long-term outcomes and complications associated with conservative and operative treatment of distal radius fractures and to determine if restoration of radio-graphic parameters influences functional outcomes.
Introduction: Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are common injuries associated with many complica-tions. Numerous studies suggest that operative treatment with anatomic reduction and restoration of radiographic parameters leads to better functional outcomes than nonsurgical treatment.
Materials and Methods: We enrolled 207 patients with isolated DRF (mean age 64 ± 17.9 years, women 150 (72.5%)) to our retrospective, single-center study (101 treated operatively, 106 treated non-operatively). There were no significant differences in sex, age, AO type fracture between study groups. After 3.9 ± 1.6 years (mean ± SD) clinical, functional and radiological assessment was conducted using Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE), 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), grip and pinch strength tools.
Results: We found higher rates of malunion in nonoperative group (p <0.0001) and worse radiologic parameters such as volar tilt (p <0.0001), teardrop angle (p <0.0001) versus operative cohort. Nevertheless radiological parameters were not correlated with DASH and PRWE results. Moreover, patients aged 50 years and above treated operatively had similar functional outcomes (DASH, PRWE) to those treated nonoperatively.
Conclusions: Restoration of anatomic and thus radiologic parameters of radius may not be obligatory to achieve satisfactory functional outcome in patients with DRF aged 50 years or above. Patient is the most important ‘factor’ in determining appropriate and successful treatment method of distal radius fractures.