Wyłączenia gruntów rolnych z produkcji rolnej a dochody gmin z podatku od nieruchomości

The paper addresses the problem of the elimination of agricultural production only from fragments of lots on which building investments are made. The cost of turning farmland to non-agricultural uses and the difference in the rates of the agricultural tax and the property tax are very often the reasons why the elimination involves only a fragment of a lot, while the remaining part is formally still in agricultural use, even though the owner usually does not conduct any farming activity on it. This situation has serious consequences for commune budgets, and it also makes it very hard to establish the actual area of land in agricultural use. The research has shown that in the case of the Bytkowo district located in Rokietnica commune, nearly one-third of the total area of built-up building lots still figures in the Land and Buildings Register as farmland, and is subject to taxation with the agricultural tax. In 2015 the property tax rate for land in Rokietnica commune is 0.47 zlotys/m2, while the agricultural tax is 255,00 zlotys/ha, or 0.0255 zlotys/m2. As a result of taxing this land with the agricultural tax, the income of the commune will be markedly lower than if the property tax were paid. In the Bytkowo district, where 17,225 m2 of built-up building lots are classified as agricultural land, in 2015 this difference will amount to 7,656.51 zlotys. The difference in those taxes, and thus the loss to the commune budget, can be illustrated even more pointedly on the example of a single lot. In the case of a building lot 865 m2 in area, of which 479 m2 are classified in the Land and Buildings Register as B (residential land), while the remaining 386 m2 are R IIIb (arable land), its owner is going to save 171.57 zlotys yearly by paying the agricultural tax instead of the property tax, thus depriving the income of the commune of this sum. In conclusion, one can state that the rules for taking farmland out of agricultural production have led not only to irrational farmland management, but have also opened up the possibility of paying a low agricultural tax on land that in fact is not used for agricultural purposes.W artykule poruszono problem wyłączenia z produkcji rolnej fragmentów działek ewidencyjnych, na których realizowane są inwestycje budowlane. Koszt wyłączenia gruntu z produkcji rolnej oraz różnica wysokości stawek podatku rolnego i podatku od nieruchomości powoduje, że bardzo często wyłączenie dotyczy jedynie części działki, natomiast pozostały fragment formalnie nadal jest terenem użytkowanym rolniczo, mimo że właściciel najczęściej nie prowadzi na nim działalności rolnej. Taki stan rzeczy ma istotne konsekwencje dla budżetów gmin. Ponadto utrudnia on znacznie ustalenie faktycznej powierzchni gruntów użytkowanych rolniczo. Badania wykazały, że w przypadku położonego w gminie Rokietnica obrębu ewidencyjnego Bytkowo blisko 1/3 łącznej powierzchni zabudowanych działek budowlanych w Ewidencji Gruntów i Budynków jest nadal użytkami rolnymi i podlega opodatkowaniu podatkiem rolnym

Public versus private: Juxtaposing urban allotment gardens as multifunctional Nature-based Solutions. Insights from Seville

Many European countries witness growing interest in allotment gardening. Thus, private allotment gardens (AGs) have been created in some countries, including Spain. As a result, there are places where non-consumptive and commodified allotment gardens coexist. The paper presents an in-depth comparison of public and private AGs through the lens of the nature-based solutions (NBS) concept. First, we assess the importance that gardeners attribute to the spectrum of environmental and socio-economic impacts provided by both types of AGs; we identify differences and similarities in their development and management, and assess the demographic and socioeconomic profile of gardeners. Subsequently, we discuss gardeners' and other stakeholders' opinions on both types of AGs and explore the roles that they can play as solutions for urban policy challenges. Our results show that both types of AGs are nature-based solutions with particularly positive impacts on the health and well-being of their users. These gardens do not compete but complement each other, fostered by their role as multifunctional nature-based solutions. Moreover, the option of cultivating a private or a public AG seems to be more linked to the freedom of cultivation and the freedom of access rather than economic reasons. We conclude that in the current complex scenario, public and private AGs must have territorial, legal and institutional frameworks within all urban policies that explore NBS.Faculty of Human Geography and Planning, Adam Mickiewicz Universit

The quality of life of farmers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Introduction and objective COPD is a medical state characterized by chronically poor airflow, and typically worsens over time. Farmers have an increased risk of COPD because of being exposed to ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, inorganic dust, and organic dust. The quality of life of the ill depends on biomedical as well as psychosocial factors, the impact of which has not been a frequent subject of studies among COPD patients. The aim of the study was to indicate the factors that have negative and positive influence on the quality of life of farmers suffering from COPD. Material and Methods The study was conducted among 84 farmers treated for COPD in the Department of Pneumology, Oncology and Allergology of the Medical University in Lublin, Poland. The differences between the farmers concerned: severity of the disease, level of education and income, frequency of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol, kinds of support they receive from their families, and the level of depression and anxiety experienced by the patients. Results The study revealed that most patients suffered from depressive and anxiety disorders, and the level of depression higher among the patients who smoked more. Lack of family support had significant influence on exacerbation of the patient’s depressive and anxiety symptoms. Patients who had recently experienced a critical situation presented with more severe COPD symptoms, lower quality of life and a higher level of depression. Higher income of the patients had positive influence on their quality of life. Farmers addicted to alcohol suffered from a higher level of anxiety

The quality of life of farmers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Introduction and objective COPD is a medical state characterized by chronically poor airflow, and typically worsens over time. Farmers have an increased risk of COPD because of being exposed to ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, inorganic dust, and organic dust. The quality of life of the ill depends on biomedical as well as psychosocial factors, the impact of which has not been a frequent subject of studies among COPD patients. The aim of the study was to indicate the factors that have negative and positive influence on the quality of life of farmers suffering from COPD. Material and Methods The study was conducted among 84 farmers treated for COPD in the Department of Pneumology, Oncology and Allergology of the Medical University in Lublin, Poland. The differences between the farmers concerned: severity of the disease, level of education and income, frequency of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol, kinds of support they receive from their families, and the level of depression and anxiety experienced by the patients. Results The study revealed that most patients suffered from depressive and anxiety disorders, and the level of depression higher among the patients who smoked more. Lack of family support had significant influence on exacerbation of the patient’s depressive and anxiety symptoms. Patients who had recently experienced a critical situation presented with more severe COPD symptoms, lower quality of life and a higher level of depression. Higher income of the patients had positive influence on their quality of life. Farmers addicted to alcohol suffered from a higher level of anxiety

<i>Pantoea agglomerans</i>: a mysterious bacterium of evil and good. Part IV. Beneficial effects

Pantoea agglomerans , a gammaproteobacterium of plant origin, possesses many beneficial traits that could be used for the prevention and/or treatment of human and animal diseases, combating plant pathogens, promotion of plant growth and bioremediation of the environment. It produces a number of antibiotics (herbicolin, pantocins, microcin, agglomerins, andrimid, phenazine, among others) which could be used for combating plant, animal and human pathogens or for food preservation. Japanese researchers have demonstrated that the low-molecular-mass lipopolysaccharide of P. agglomerans isolated by them and described as ‘Immunopotentiator from Pantoea agglomerans 1 (IP-PA1)’ reveals the extremely wide spectrum of healing properties, mainly due to its ability for the maintenance of homeostasis by macrophage activation. IP-PA1 was proved to be effective in the prevention and treatment of a broad range of human and animal disorders, such as tumours, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, ulcer, various infectious diseases, atopic allergy and stress-induced immunosuppression; it also showed a strong analgesic effect. It is important that most of these effects could be achieved by the safe oral administration of IP-PA1. Taking into account that P. agglomerans occurs commonly as a symbiont of many species of insects, including mosquitoes transmitting the Plasmodium parasites causing malaria, successful attempts were made to apply the strategy of paratransgenesis, in which bacterial symbionts are genetically engineered to express and secrete anti- Plasmodium effector proteins. This strategy shows prospects for a successful eradication of malaria, a deadly disease killing annually over one million people, as well as of other vector-borne diseases of humans, animals and plants. Pantoea agglomerans has been identified as an antagonist of many plant pathogens belonging to bacteria and fungi, as a result of antibiotic production, competition mechanisms or induction of plant resistance. Its use as a biocontrol agent permits the decrease of pesticide doses, being a healthy and environmental-friendly procedure. The application of the preparations of this bacterium efficiently protects the stored pome, stone and citrus fruits against invasion of moulds. P. agglomerans strains associated with both rhizosphere and plant tissues (as endophytes) efficiently promote the growth of many plants, including rice and wheat, which are the staple food for the majority of mankind. The promotion mechanisms are diverse and include fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, production of phytohormones, as well as degradation of phytate and phosphate solubilizing which makes the soil phosphorus available for plants. Accordingly, P. agglomerans is regarded as an ideal candidate for an environmental-friendly bioinoculant replacing chemical fertilizers. It has been documented that the Pantoea strains show biodegradation activity on various chemical pollutants of soil and water, including petroleum hydrocarbons and toxic metals. P. agglomerans prevents the penetration of harmful industrial contaminants into deeper parts of soil by biofilm formation, and has an ability to produce hydrogen from waste. Thus, this bacterium appears as a valuable bioremediator which, in some cases, may be acquired as a cheap form of energy. In conclusion, in spite of the proven pathologic role of P. agglomerans in causing occupational diseases of allergic and/or immunotoxic background and accidental infections, the beneficial traits of this species, and of related species of Pantoea genus, are of great value for potential use in many areas of biotechnology. Hence, any restrictions on the use of these organisms and their products should be declined, providing safety precautions at work with the Pantoea biopreparations are maintained

Age influence on mice lung tissue response to <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> chronic exposure

[b]Introduction and objective[/b]. Exposure to conidia of [i]Aspergillus fumigatus[/i] was described as a causative factor of a number of the respiratory system diseases, including asthma, chronic eosinophilic pneumonia, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. The study investigates the effects of the repeated exposure to [i]A. fumigatus[/i] in mice pulmonary compartment. Our work tackles two, so far insufficiently addressed, important aspects of interaction between affected organism and[i] A. fumigatus[/i]: 1) recurrent character of exposure (characteristic for pathomechanism of the abovementioned disease states) and 2) impact of aging, potentially important for the differentiation response to an antigen. [b]Materials and methods[/b]. In order to dissect alterations of the immune system involved with both aging and chronic exposure to [i]A. fumigatus[/i], we used 3- and 18-month-old C57BL/6J mice exposed to repeated[i] A. fumigatus[/i] inhalations for 7 and 28 days. Changes in lung tissue were monitored by histological and biochemical evaluation. Concentration of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in lung homogenates was assessed by ELISA tests. [b]Results and conclusions. [/b]Our study demonstrated that chronic inflammation in pulmonary compartment, characterized by the significant increase of proinflammatory cytokines (IL1, IL6, IL10) levels, was the dominant feature of mice response to repeated [i]A. fumigatus[/i] inhalations. The pattern of cytokines' profile in the course of exposure was similar in both age groups, however in old mice the growth of the cytokines' levels was more pronounced (especially in case of IL1)

The impact of major warming at 14.7 ka on environmental changes and activity of Final Palaeolithic hunters at a local scale (Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin, Western Carpathians, Poland

There is a widespread belief that the abrupt warming at 14.7 ka had a profound impact on the environment. However, the direct correlation between the global climatic event and changes in local environments is not obvious.We examined faunal succession in an intra-mountain basin of theWestern Carpathians to assess the potential influence of the climatic change between Greenland Stadial-2a and Greenland Interstadial-1e on the local environment.We investigated three vertebrate assemblages (total number of identified specimens = 18,745; minimumnumber of individuals = 7515; 138 taxa) from Obłazowa Cave (western entrance) and a Rock overhang in Cisowa Rock, radiocarbon dated to the period before and after the global warming, between ca. 17.0 and 14.0 ka. Our data revealed that the major abrupt warming that occurred 14.7 ka had little impact on the local environment, which could suggest that ecosystems in Central Europe were resilient to the abrupt global climate changes. The increase in fauna population sizes and species diversities in local biotopes was gradual and began long before the temperature increase. This was supported by the analysis of ancient DNA of Microtus arvalis, which showed a gradual increase in effective population size after 19.0 ka. The results of palaeoclimatic reconstruction pointed out that the compared sites were characterized by similar climatic conditions. According to our calculations, the differences in the annual mean temperatures did not exceed 0.5 °C and mean annual thermal amplitude changed from 22.9 to 22.4 °C. The environmental changes before 14.7 ka had no impact on the activity of Final Palaeolithic hunters in the studied area

Health-related quality of life in patients with fully resected BRAFV600 mutation–positive melanoma receiving adjuvant vemurafenib

Aim of study: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of treatment with adjuvant vemurafenib monotherapy on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with resected stage IIC-IIIC melanoma. Methods: The phase 3 BRIM8 study (NCT01667419) randomized patients with BRAFV600 mutation-positive resected stage IIC-IIIC melanoma to 960 mg of vemurafenib twice daily or matching placebo for 52 weeks (13 28-day cycles). Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) version 3 at baseline, cycle 1 (days 1, 15 and 22), cycle 2 (days 1 and 15), day 1 of every subsequent 4-week cycle, the end-of-treatment visit and each visit during the follow-up period. Results: Completion rates for the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire were high (>80%). There was a mean decline in the global health status (GHS)/quality of life (QOL) score of 17.4 (22.9) and 17.3 (24.1) points at days 15 and 22 of cycle 1, respectively, among vemurafenib-treated patients who recovered to approximately 10 points below baseline for the remainder of the treatment period. A similar trend was observed in all functional scales except for cognitive function (<10-point change from baseline at all visits) and in the symptom scores for appetite loss, fatigue and pain. As observed for the GHS/QOL score, all scores rapidly returned to baseline after completion of planned vemurafenib treatment or treatment discontinuation. Conclusions: The schedule of HRQOL assessments allowed for an accurate and complete evaluation of the impact of acute treatment-related symptoms. Vemurafenib-treated patients experience clinically meaningful moderate worsening in some treatment- or disease-related symptoms and GHS/QOL that resolve over time

Occupancy maps of 208 chromatin-associated proteins in one human cell type

Transcription factors are DNA-binding proteins that have key roles in gene regulation. Genome-wide occupancy maps of transcriptional regulators are important for understanding gene regulation and its effects on diverse biological processes. However, only a minority of the more than 1,600 transcription factors encoded in the human genome has been assayed. Here we present, as part of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project, data and analyses from chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP–seq) experiments using the human HepG2 cell line for 208 chromatin-associated proteins (CAPs). These comprise 171 transcription factors and 37 transcriptional cofactors and chromatin regulator proteins, and represent nearly one-quarter of CAPs expressed in HepG2 cells. The binding profiles of these CAPs form major groups associated predominantly with promoters or enhancers, or with both. We confirm and expand the current catalogue of DNA sequence motifs for transcription factors, and describe motifs that correspond to other transcription factors that are co-enriched with the primary ChIP target. For example, FOX family motifs are enriched in ChIP–seq peaks of 37 other CAPs. We show that motif content and occupancy patterns can distinguish between promoters and enhancers. This catalogue reveals high-occupancy target regions at which many CAPs associate, although each contains motifs for only a minority of the numerous associated transcription factors. These analyses provide a more complete overview of the gene regulatory networks that define this cell type, and demonstrate the usefulness of the large-scale production efforts of the ENCODE Consortium

Occupancy maps of 208 chromatin-associated proteins in one human cell type

Transcription factors are DNA-binding proteins that have key roles in gene regulation. Genome-wide occupancy maps of transcriptional regulators are important for understanding gene regulation and its effects on diverse biological processes. However, only a minority of the more than 1,600 transcription factors encoded in the human genome has been assayed. Here we present, as part of the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project, data and analyses from chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP–seq) experiments using the human HepG2 cell line for 208 chromatin-associated proteins (CAPs). These comprise 171 transcription factors and 37 transcriptional cofactors and chromatin regulator proteins, and represent nearly one-quarter of CAPs expressed in HepG2 cells. The binding profiles of these CAPs form major groups associated predominantly with promoters or enhancers, or with both. We confirm and expand the current catalogue of DNA sequence motifs for transcription factors, and describe motifs that correspond to other transcription factors that are co-enriched with the primary ChIP target. For example, FOX family motifs are enriched in ChIP–seq peaks of 37 other CAPs. We show that motif content and occupancy patterns can distinguish between promoters and enhancers. This catalogue reveals high-occupancy target regions at which many CAPs associate, although each contains motifs for only a minority of the numerous associated transcription factors. These analyses provide a more complete overview of the gene regulatory networks that define this cell type, and demonstrate the usefulness of the large-scale production efforts of the ENCODE Consortium