Transcriptional responses of winter barley to cold indicate nucleosome remodelling as a specific feature of crown tissues

We report a series of microarray-based comparisons of gene expression in the leaf and crown of the winter barley cultivar Luxor, following the exposure of young plants to various periods of low (above and below zero) temperatures. A transcriptomic analysis identified genes which were either expressed in both the leaf and crown, or specifically in one or the other. Among the former were genes responsible for calcium and abscisic acid signalling, polyamine synthesis, late embryogenesis abundant proteins and dehydrins. In the crown, the key organ for cereal overwintering, cold treatment induced transient changes in the transcription of nucleosome assembly genes, and especially H2A and HTA11, which have been implicated in cold sensing in Arabidopsis thaliana. In the leaf, various heat-shock proteins were induced. Differences in expression pattern between the crown and leaf were frequent for genes involved in certain pathways responsible for osmolyte production (sucrose and starch, raffinose, γ-aminobutyric acid metabolism), sugar signalling (trehalose metabolism) and secondary metabolism (lignin synthesis). The action of proteins with antifreeze activity, which were markedly induced during hardening, was demonstrated by a depression in the ice nucleation temperature

Zmiany barwy kwiatów tulipana w procesie przekwitania [Changes of colour in tulip flowers during ageing]

Changes in the amount of total anthocyanin and flavonol pigments were estimated in three development stages of the flower: bud, full bloom, fading. The varieties taking on a bluish hue are characterized by a predominance of flavonols over anthocyanins. The varieties with a stable colour contain both pigments in almost the same amount. The colour change depends also on the amount and kind of anthocyanins

Barumiki antocyjanowe u Iris germanica [Anthocyanin pigments in Iris germanica L.]

Anthocyanin pigments occurring in the flowers of Iris germanica were investigated in five varieties: Rota, Wedgewood, Empress of India, Deputate Nomblot and Joanna. The relation between the colour of the flower and the amount of the pigment was studied. The pigments were extracted from the dry plant material with 1% hydrochloric acid in methanol. Paper chromatography and colorimetric determinations were used for identification of the pigments and their quantitative determination. The results allow the following conclusions: 1. The varieties investigated were characterized toy the occurrence of delphinidine glycoside; 2. The colour intensity is dependent on the anthocyanin pigments; 3. The colour spectrum of Iris sp. flowersis greatly extended by yellow copigments

Application of MCDA/MCDM methods for an integrated urban public transportation system – case study, city of Cracow

The paper presents the application of the Multiple Criteria Decision Aid/Making (MCDA/MCDM) methodology in the assessment of the development of different scenarios for an urban public transportation system (UPTS). This methodology allows considering several conflicting objectives and performing the evaluation process in a comprehensive manner. This approach also corresponds to the holistic philosophy: different aspects (economic, technical, social etc.) and interest groups – stakeholders (operators, passengers, city government etc.). The MCDA/MCDM methodology is specifically customized to the real life case study – urban public transportation system in the city of Cracow (Poland). A family of 10 criteria is proposed to evaluate several solutions (W) for a UPTS in terms of their usefulness and attractiveness for different stakeholders. These criteria take into account: travel time and standard, effectiveness of the fleet use, environment friendliness, the level of integration and reliability of the UPTS, safety and security, the profitability and availability of the UPTS, investment costs. Considering the possible solutions, the 6 alternatives were designed heuristically and compared with the current state (denotation of alternative W0). Based on the analysis, for the final considerations compared with the current alternative, 7 new solutions of the integrated urban public transportation in Cracow were adopted, denoted as: W1 (bus/rail alternative: integration of high-speed agglomeration rail with bus transportation), W2 (rail/tram/bus alternative: integration of high-speed agglomeration rail with tram and bus transport system), W3 (alternative with the underground: integration of the underground with high-speed agglomeration rail and with tram and bus transport system), W4 (tram/rail alternative: integration of high-speed agglomeration rail with tram transport), W5 (Tram alternative: integration of tram transport with bus transport), W5A (tram alternative: sub-alternative to the alternative W5, integration of tram transport), W6 (dual-mode tram alternative: integration of dual-mode tram transport). The variants of the scenarios for the urban public transportation system were generated by VISUM computer macro-simulation software. The computational experiment was carried out with the practical application of different Multiple Criteria Decision Aid/Making methods: AHP (Expert Choice program) and Electre III (software package Diviz)