Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for nutrient status identification in rapeseed plants

In natural conditions, plants growth and development depends on environmental conditions, including the availability of micro- and macroelements in the soil. Nutrient status should thus be examined not by establishing the effects of single nutrient deficiencies on the physiological state of the plant but by combinations of them. Differences in the nutrient content significantly affect the photochemical process of photosynthesis therefore playing a crucial role in plants growth and development. In this work, an attempt was made to find a connection between element content in (i) different soils, (ii) plant leaves, grown on these soils and (iii) changes in selected chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, in order to find a method for early detection of plant stress resulting from the combination of nutrient status in natural conditions. To achieve this goal, a mathematical procedure was used which combines principal component analysis (a tool for the reduction of data complexity), hierarchical k-means (a classification method) and a machine-learning method-super-organising maps. Differences in the mineral content of soil and plant leaves resulted in functional changes in the photosynthetic machinery that can be measured by chlorophyll a fluorescent signals. Five groups of patterns in the chlorophyll fluorescent parameters were established: the ‘no deficiency’, Fe-specific deficiency, slight, moderate and strong deficiency. Unfavourable development in groups with nutrient deficiency of any kind was reflected by a strong increase in F_{o} and \DeltaV/\Deltat_{0} and decline in \phi_{Po}, \phi_{Eo} \delta_{Ro} and \phi_{Ro}. The strong deficiency group showed the suboptimal development of the photosynthetic machinery, which affects both PSII and PSI. The nutrient-deficient groups also differed in antenna complex organisation. Thus, our work suggests that the chlorophyll fluorescent method combined with machine-learning methods can be highly informative and in some cases, it can replace much more expensive and time-consuming procedures such as chemometric analyses

Changes in antioxidative properties of honeys during their fermentation

Celem pracy było zbadanie czy proces fermentacji (na różnych jego etapach) miodu wpływa na jego właściwości antyoksydacyjne. Ponadto zbadano wpływ różnych dodatków (moszczy owocowych i ziół) na nie. Aby móc przedyskutować mechanizm tych zmian pomiary odniesiono do rodników różnej mocy (hydroksylowych i DPPH), a także do pomiarów amperometrycznych (w układzie przepływowym, HPLC). Wyniki te skorelowane zostały m.in. z całkowitą zawartością polifenoli. Aby przedyskutować korelacje otrzymane różnymi technikami zbadano dodatkowo stężenie etanolu i cukrów w badanych próbkach.The aim of the paper was to investigate whether the fermentation process (at its various stages) affects honey’s antioxidant properties. The effect of various additives (herbs and fruit musts) on them has been also examined. The measurements were performed with reference to various radicals (DPPH and hydroxyl radicals) as well as to amperometric measurements in a flow system (HPLC). This allows a better understanding of the mechanism of the antioxidant interactions. The obtained results were correlated with the concentration of ethanol and sugars and total polyphenol content in the sample

New photocatalyst for decomposition of humic acids in photocatalysis and photo-Fenton processes

Humic acid Leonardite IHSS standard was decomposed on TiO2 and TiO2 modifi ed by FeC2O4 via the photocatalysis and photo-Fenton processes under UV irradiation. Humic acid (HA) were favorable adsorbed on TiO2 surface and followed decomposition during UV irradiation faster on TiO2 than on the modifi ed samples. However, when H2O2 was added to the solution, the photo-Fenton process occurred on the prepared TiO2 samples, contained iron together with photocatalysis and high acceleration of HA decomposition was observed. In this case the mineralization degree was much higher than in the applied photocatalysis only, around 75% HA (with concentration of 18 mg/L) was mineralized after 3 h of adsorption and 5 h of UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2 and modifi ed TiO2 whereas on TiO2 mineralisation of HA occurred in around 45% only. The measured fl uorescence spectra of HA solutions showed that in the presence of H2O2 polycyclic aromatics were rapidly oxidized to the lower size products such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids, what accelerated the process of HA decomposition

New photocatalyst for decomposition of humic acids in photocatalysis and photo-Fenton processes

Humic acid Leonardite IHSS standard was decomposed on TiO2 and TiO2 modifi ed by FeC2O4 via the photocatalysis and photo-Fenton processes under UV irradiation. Humic acid (HA) were favorable adsorbed on TiO2 surface and followed decomposition during UV irradiation faster on TiO2 than on the modifi ed samples. However, when H2O2 was added to the solution, the photo-Fenton process occurred on the prepared TiO2 samples, contained iron together with photocatalysis and high acceleration of HA decomposition was observed. In this case the mineralization degree was much higher than in the applied photocatalysis only, around 75% HA (with concentration of 18 mg/L) was mineralized after 3 h of adsorption and 5 h of UV irradiation in the presence of H2O2 and modifi ed TiO2 whereas on TiO2 mineralisation of HA occurred in around 45% only. The measured fl uorescence spectra of HA solutions showed that in the presence of H2O2 polycyclic aromatics were rapidly oxidized to the lower size products such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids, what accelerated the process of HA decomposition

Key Legislative and Jurisprudential Developments of Polish Antitrust Law in 2012

This article has two objectives. First, it presents the most important developments of Polish antitrust legislation of 2012. These include recent amendments to legal provisions on judicial antitrust proceedings contained in the Code of Civil Procedure, and some novel issues in the area of non-binding guidelines of the Polish NCA, the UOKiK President. Second, the article introduces key developments in Polish competition law jurisprudence of 2012. It characterises selected rulings delivered by the Polish Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals in Warsaw and the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection. Judgments are divided according to their subject matter.Cet article a deux objectifs. Premièrement, il présente les développements les plus importants de la législation antitrust polonais de 2012. Il s'agit notamment de récentes modifications apportées à des dispositions juridiques en matière de procédure antitrust judiciaires qui se trouve dans le Code de procédure civile, et quelques nouvelles questions dans le domaine des lignes directrices non-contraignantes de l'Autorité natinale du contrôle polonaise, le président de l’Organe pour la protection de la concurrence et des consommateurs (UOKiK). Deuxièmement, l'article présente les développements principaux en matière de jurisprudence de 2012 relative à la loi polonaise de la concurrence. Il caractérise des jugements sélectionnés prononcés par la Cour suprême polonaise, la Cour d'appel de Varsovie et la Cour de la concurrence et de la protection des consommateurs. Les jugements sont présentés selon les sujects qu’ils concernent

Usage of geodetic materials in multistage landscape revitalization project process of Strzelce Wielkie village

Country revitalization is a long-term multistage process which needs consideration of historic and contemporary determinants. In the process of landscape revitalization in Strzelce Wielkie village (Szczurowa commune) performed within the frames of a programme based on international cooperation, Polish and German experiences in such investments realization as well as owned output in the range of theoretical elaborations were used.1 Revitalization of Młynówka stream flowing previously through the whole place was accepted as the most important project challenge and at the same time future investment purpose emphasizing among others diversity of surrounding landscape in its upper, middle and lower flow. The first research already revealed great variety of forms in the elaborated area and existence of numerous historical elements both vegetal and architectural ones. Usage of geodetic materials contributed to localize and include in documentation particular landscape forms, enabled to perform multi-range in situ researches of country landscape and even recreating of 19th century spatial solutions2 . Such  elaboration made with use of maps and geodetic plans allowed to preserve elements that are important from the cultural heritage point of view and also to use them in prepared project conception of the place’s spatial development

Photocatalytic mineralisation of humic acids using TiO2 modified by tungsten dioxide/ hydrogen peroxide

TiO2 of anatase structure was modified by tungsten dioxide and H2O2 in order to obtain WO3-TiO2 photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic activity under both, UV and artificial solar light irradiations. WO2 was dissolved in 30% H2O2 and mixed with TiO2 in a vacuum evaporator at 70°C. Such modified TiO2 was dried and then calcinated at 400 and 600°C.The prepared samples and unmodified TiO2 were used for the photocatalytic decomposition of humic acids (Leonardite standard IHSS) in the aqueous solution under irradiations of both, UV and artificial solar light. Modification of TiO2 with tungsten dioxide and H2O2 improved separation of free carriers in TiO2 which resulted in the increase of OH radicals formation. Calcination caused an increase of anatase crystals and higher yield in OH radicals. The uncalcined samples showed high abilities for the adsorption of HA. Combination of adsorption abilities and photocatalytic activity of photocatalyst caused that the uncalcined TiO2 modified with WO2/H2O2 showed the shortest time of HA mineralisation. The mineralisation of HA under the artificial solar light was much lower than under the UV. It was proved that, although OH radicals are powerful in the decomposition of HA, adsorption can facilitate the contact of the adsorbed molecules with the photocatalyst surface and accelerate their photocatalytic decomposition

Zastosowanie HPLC do oznaczania wolnych rodników, antyoksydantów oraz całkowitego potencjału antyoksydacyjnego

W pracy przedstawiono podstawowe informacje o wolnych rodnikach, ich wytwarzanie, oddziaływanie z podstawowymi składnikami organizmów żywych, udział w wielu stanach chorobowych, a także starzeniu organizmu. Ponadto omówiono metody oznaczania wolnych rodników, antyoksydantów oraz całkowitego potencjału antyoksydacyjnego za pomocą HPLC