Economic aspects of fruit production: a case study in Poland

The article discusses the economics of fruit growing in Poland. Poland currently holds leading positions in the cultivation of apples, cherries, raspberries, currants, gooseberries, blueberries, strawberries and mountain ash. In 2017, the area of fruit growing in Poland amounted to 390 570 thousand ha. In this regard, the problem of efficiency arises. The authors analyze the cost structure of apple production as the most important horticultural culture in Poland

Neurotoxicity of cyanobacterial toxins

Eutrophication of marine and fresh waters can lead to excessive development of cyanobacterial blooms, which may contain strains that produce toxins. These toxins are secondary metabolites which can accumulate in the food chain and contaminate drinking water, thus posing a potential threat to the health of humans and aquatic organisms. These toxins include a variety of compounds with different mechanisms; this review focuses on the neurotoxicity of microcystin and other cyanotoxins. Although the hepatotoxic action of microcystins is commonly known, its neurotoxic effects have also been described, e.g. oxidative stress, cytoskeletal changes and changes in protein phosphatase activity. These effects have been partially explained by the discovery in the blood brain barrier of the same membrane transporters involved in microcystins hepatotoxic mechanisms. Additionally, this paper reviews other cyanotoxins that are known or suspected to target cholinergic synapses and voltage gated channels, including anatoxin a, anatoxin a(s), antillatoxins, cylindrospermopsin, homoanatoxin a, jamaicamide, kalkitoxin and saxitoxins. The neurotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the cyanotoxins discussed here are of particular interest because of their pharmacological potential. This review also discusses the potential of these compounds to serve as drugs for cancer and central nervous system failure

Neurotoxicity of cyanobacterial toxins

Eutrophication of marine and fresh waters can lead to excessive development of cyanobacterial blooms, which may contain strains that produce toxins. These toxins are secondary metabolites which can accumulate in the food chain and contaminate drinking water, thus posing a potential threat to the health of humans and aquatic organisms. These toxins include a variety of compounds with different mechanisms; this review focuses on the neurotoxicity of microcystin and other cyanotoxins. Although the hepatotoxic action of microcystins is commonly known, its neurotoxic effects have also been described, e.g. oxidative stress, cytoskeletal changes and changes in protein phosphatase activity. These effects have been partially explained by the discovery in the blood brain barrier of the same membrane transporters involved in microcystins hepatotoxic mechanisms. Additionally, this paper reviews other cyanotoxins that are known or suspected to target cholinergic synapses and voltage gated channels, including anatoxin a, anatoxin a(s), antillatoxins, cylindrospermopsin, homoanatoxin a, jamaicamide, kalkitoxin and saxitoxins. The neurotoxic and cytotoxic effects of the cyanotoxins discussed here are of particular interest because of their pharmacological potential. This review also discusses the potential of these compounds to serve as drugs for cancer and central nervous system failure