The plant Nudix hydrolase family.

Nudix hydrolases are a family of proteins defined by a conserved amino-acid sequence GX(5)-EX(7)REUXEEXGU, where U is a hydrophobic residue. These enzymes are widely distributed among all classes of organisms and catalyze, with varying degrees of substrate specificity, the hydrolysis of a variety of nucleoside diphosphate derivatives: nucleoside di- and triphosphates and their oxidized forms, dinucleoside polyphosphates, nucleotide sugars, NADH, coenzyme A and the mRNA cap. Nudix proteins are postulated to control the cellular concentration of these compounds. The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana contains 29 genes coding for putative Nudix hydrolases. Recently, several Arabidopsis Nudix genes have been cloned and their products characterized. This review summarizes current knowledge on these plant enzymes and discusses their possible cellular functions

A theoretical framework for consumer Willingness to Adopt Novel

This study gives more insight in motives and barriers, i.e. positive and negative drivers, for European fruit consumption, as a basis to meet consumer requirements in developing new types of fruits and fruit products and to develop interventions. For that purpose, focus group discussions were held in Spain, Greece, Poland, and The Netherlands. Consistent with existing literature, healthiness, (sensory) pleasure, and (lack of) convenience emerged as major drivers of fruit consumption, with appearance, habit, and price as additional drivers. Talking about fruit, participants have fresh, unprocessed fruit in min

Treatment of Bio-Oil Refinery Stormwater by a Simulated Constructed Wetland: A Sustainable Management Alternative

Contaminated stormwater discharge is a major concern in the United States due to a steady increase of harmful pollutants entering fresh water sources. The many congressional mandates that require local governments to reduce the impact of storm water discharge on the natural ecology have greatly increased the need for economically and environmentally viable solutions to pollution reduction. One such solution is that of constructed wetlands. Previous research conducted at the Sustainable Bio-products Department at Mississippi State University demonstrated the feasibility of kenaf fiber and wood shavings to remove toxins and crude oil from the bio-oil process water. This study proposes to amend contaminated storm water runoff from a biomass to bio-oil conversion facility through a simulated constructed wetland. The constructed wetlands were contaminated with varying dilution levels of bio-oil process water in a series of six phases. It was hypothesized that the contaminated rainwater can be remediated by constructed wetlands and safely released back into the native waterways. This study concluded that there was a significant decrease in biological oxygen demand (BOD) and micro-toxicity over a ten day cycle within the constructed wetlands for the lower levels of contaminated stormwater. A comparative screen of the bacterial community within the wetlands during the contamination process showed a similar trend in species richness and composition for the first three Phases of contamination. There was a shift in richness and diversity for the final three Phases of contamination after ten days within the constructed wetlands. The constructed wetlands were successful at lowering BOD and toxicity levels and achieving permissible pH levels when the concentration of contaminated stormwater was less than or equal to 400x dilution. Much of the BOD reduction was due to volatilization of the contaminated wastewater. When the concentration of contaminated water exceeded 300x dilution, the constructed wetland were only successful at achieving permissible pH discharge levels. Better results may be achievable with longer residence time in the wetlands

Allegories of the Campus in Polish Academic Narratives

[full article and abstract in English] In the paper, two Polish academic narratives Krzysztof Zanussi’s movie “Camouflage” (“Barwy Ochronne”) of 1976, and Wit Szostak’s novel “A Hundred Days Without Sunshine” (“Sto dni bez słońca”) of 2014 are discussed from the perspective of the use of the campus space as an image of the state. Drawing from the tradition of the British and American campus novel – a literary genre that developed in the 1950s and reached the peak of its popularity in the 1990s, the two narratives, created in two different political realities, make use of the absence of academic campuses in Poland and offer the campus as a miniature of the social space of the state in which conflicting ideas and ideologies clash, revealing the mechanisms of meritocratic privileging and hierarchization of positions. Such elements as imagery, the presentation of characters, forms of narration, literary / film techniques, use of language are analysed in order to show that they are used by the authors to stress an allegorical meaning in the analysed narratives.[straipsnis ir santrauka anglų kalba

Guidelines for stimulating consumer innovative behaviour

This report presents an overview of the Deliverable 1.3.1 to 1.3.9 of WP1.3 and, from their conclusions, derives guidelines for stimulating consumer innovative behaviour with respect to novel fruit products. First every deliverable is briefly introduced. Second the methods used in every deliverable are described and discussed. Third, some major conclusions from the different deliverables are summarized. Finally, lessoned learned from the research in WP1.3 and overall policy recommendations for future product development of fresh fruits and fruit products and communication strategies are formulated

Treatment of Bio-Oil Refinery Stormwater by a Simulated Constructed Wetland: A Sustainable Management Alternative

Contaminated stormwater discharge is a major concern in the United States due to a steady increase of harmful pollutants entering fresh water sources. The many congressional mandates that require local governments to reduce the impact of storm water discharge on the natural ecology have greatly increased the need for economically and environmentally viable solutions to pollution reduction. One such solution is that of constructed wetlands. Previous research conducted at the Sustainable Bio-products Department at Mississippi State University demonstrated the feasibility of kenaf fiber and wood shavings to remove toxins and crude oil from the bio-oil process water. This study proposes to amend contaminated storm water runoff from a biomass to bio-oil conversion facility through a simulated constructed wetland. The constructed wetlands were contaminated with varying dilution levels of bio-oil process water in a series of six phases. It was hypothesized that the contaminated rainwater can be remediated by constructed wetlands and safely released back into the native waterways. This study concluded that there was a significant decrease in biological oxygen demand (BOD) and micro-toxicity over a ten day cycle within the constructed wetlands for the lower levels of contaminated stormwater. A comparative screen of the bacterial community within the wetlands during the contamination process showed a similar trend in species richness and composition for the first three Phases of contamination. There was a shift in richness and diversity for the final three Phases of contamination after ten days within the constructed wetlands. The constructed wetlands were successful at lowering BOD and toxicity levels and achieving permissible pH levels when the concentration of contaminated stormwater was less than or equal to 400x dilution. Much of the BOD reduction was due to volatilization of the contaminated wastewater. When the concentration of contaminated water exceeded 300x dilution, the constructed wetland were only successful at achieving permissible pH discharge levels. Better results may be achievable with longer residence time in the wetlands

Nowa Biała and Sromowce Niżne : Late Palaeolithic Central Carpathian sites with arched-backed points

This article may be viewed as an attempt of summarizing research results of two Late Palaeolithic sites from the Central Western Carpathians located in the following places: Sromowce Niżne on the Dunajec river in the Pieniny Mts. and Nowa Biała on the Białka in the Podhale region. The discovery of these sites in the late 70s and 80s of the last century changed the common view that mountains areas located north of the Tatras were settled relatively late and that the settlement began in the Late Medieval. Both sites were excavated shortly after having been discovered. Although rich inventories of stone remains obtained during excavations are typical for technocomplex with arched-backed points but they differ with respect to stone processing technology, typology and raw materials structure. A thesis about the existence of very classical relations between them and the so-called Witów-complexes as well as typical connections with the Federmesser enviroment is proposed in this article

Consumer acceptance of novel fruits and fruit products

This report presents results of the consumer survey that was conducted in November, 2009, in four European countries – Poland, the Netherlands, Greece and Spain within WP 1.3 of ISAFRUIT Project. In the current deliverables (D1.3.5 and D1.3.8), the authors first focused on the influence of personal characteristics of the respondents, the evaluation of general fruit product characteristics, product evaluations of specific novel fresh fruits and fruit products and demographics on consumers' acceptance of fruit innovations. Furthermore, they identified cross cultural consumer segments, who each value different product characteristics. Moreover, these consumer segments differ in demographics, their willingness to accept fruit innovations and their personal characteristics. Policy recommendations for future product development of fresh fruits and fruit products and communication strategies were formulated, based on the results of the consumer survey and the identified cross cultural consumer segments

Magdalenian figurine from Obłazowa Cave

Obłazowa Cave was first excavated in 1985, and is best known for the discoveries of remains of settlement from the time of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. The traces of most recent settlement in the cave, found in the uppermost part of the stratigraphy can be attributed to Magdalenian settlement. Results of latest excavation brought more precise date this occupation face. In years 2016 and 2017 in layer III of the cave a series of artifacts, and a small sandstone female figurine were found

Role of product characteristics for the adoption of fruit and fruit product innovations

The aim of this study was the identification of those product characteristics that are important for the adoption of fruit and fruit product innovations by consumers. Sixteen focus group discussions were held in four European countries (Greece, The Netherlands, Poland, and Spain). Different aspects of six innovative fruit products were discussed, revealing those characteristics that were important for the adoption of each of them. It was observed that the participants did not perceive fruit innovations as a homogenous group, but assigned them to different groups, which led to a number of categories of fruit innovation. Three categories concerned the level of preparation of fruit. These were fresh, prepared, and processed fruit product innovations. Another two categories, radical and evolutionary innovations, related to the level of novelty of the fruit innovation. Characteristics important for the adoption of each of these categories are given.The results will be used for further, more quantitative, research