The market of tourism services and its potential for development in the municipalities of Złocieniec and Drawsko Pomorskie (Poland)

High competition in the tourism market services requires conducting marketing activities based on cooperation between entities in a given area. The paper aims to investigate the current state of tourism market services in the municipalities of Złocieniec and Drawsko Pomorskie and to analyze their potential for development. The Sokal-Michner coefficient was used and a review of key strategy papers was provided. The study concluded that Złocieniec and Drawsko Pomorskie municipalities have a very high potential for tourism and that it is not fully realized. Their offer includes sustainable, green as well as qualified tourism. Underdeveloped transport and tourism infrastructure impede tourism development of the municipalities considered. Both municipalities have the necessary potential for tourism development: natural values, geographic location, and cultural values. Tourism provides an opportunity for economic growth for those municipalities

ADAPTACJA ZABYTKÓW ARCHITEKTURY W GDAŃSKU. ZARYS PROBLEMATYKI W ŚWIETLE OBOWIĄZKÓW ORGANÓW OCHRONY ZABYTKÓW

This article discusses the issue of adaptation of immovable historic monument and sites in light of the legal requirements and from the point of view of heritage protection authorities being one of the participants of the adaptation process. The initial aim is to define the concept of monument adaptation and delineate the conditions in which such a process occurs. The article describes a series of initial actions taken prior to the actual preservation and restoration works – as part of the adaptation process. These works include e.g. detailed research on a historic monument or site, including historical (historical-preservation studies), preservation, architecture, and in many cases also archaeological research. The aim of these activities is to acquire a fullest possible picture of the monument. The results of this research then constitute a basis for preparation of project documentation of the intended works. The article underlines importance of assigning an appropriate purpose to the asset undergoing the process of adaptation, which should be merged with a monument or site, i.e. respect all of its historical values and ensure the optimal utility of the asset, avoiding a series of potential negative consequences.The paper then discusses the applicable legal framework concerning protection of immovable monuments and competences of monument protection authorities resulting from the said framework.The paper’s conclusion postulates that the activities of all personnel working on historic monuments and sites should be guided by their inner conviction that monuments need to be looked after and that they have a social duty to maintain them for the sake of future generations. This duty is actually applicable to all citizens, just as the cultural heritage is the primary building block of the nation’s historical identity.This article discusses the issue of adaptation of immovable historic monument and sites in light of the legal requirements and from the point of view of heritage protection authorities being one of the participants of the adaptation process. The initial aim is to define the concept of monument adaptation and delineate the conditions in which such a process occurs. The article describes a series of initial actions taken prior to the actual preservation and restoration works – as part of the adaptation process. These works include e.g. detailed research on a historic monument or site, including historical (historical-preservation studies), preservation, architecture, and in many cases also archaeological research. The aim of these activities is to acquire a fullest possible picture of the monument. The results of this research then constitute a basis for preparation of project documentation of the intended works. The article underlines importance of assigning an appropriate purpose to the asset undergoing the process of adaptation, which should be merged with a monument or site, i.e. respect all of its historical values and ensure the optimal utility of the asset, avoiding a series of potential negative consequences.The paper then discusses the applicable legal framework concerning protection of immovable monuments and competences of monument protection authorities resulting from the said framework.The paper’s conclusion postulates that the activities of all personnel working on historic monuments and sites should be guided by their inner conviction that monuments need to be looked after and that they have a social duty to maintain them for the sake of future generations. This duty is actually applicable to all citizens, just as the cultural heritage is the primary building block of the nation’s historical identity

Adaptation of buildings of historical significance in Gdańsk. The key issues of Regional Heritage Protection Officers’ perspective

This article discusses the issue of adaptation of immovable historic monument and sites in light of the legal requirements and from the point of view of heritage protection authorities being one of the participants of the adaptation process. The initial aim is to define the concept of monument adaptation and delineate the conditions in which such a process occurs. The article describes a series of initial actions taken prior to the actual preservation and restoration works – as part of the adaptation process. These works include e.g. detailed research on a historic monument or site, including historical (historical-preservation studies), preservation, architecture, and in many cases also archaeological research. The aim of these activities is to acquire a fullest possible picture of the monument. The results of this research then constitute a basis for preparation of project documentation of the intended works. The article underlines importance of assigning an appropriate purpose to the asset undergoing the process of adaptation, which should be merged with a monument or site, i.e. respect all of its historical values and ensure the optimal utility of the asset, avoiding a series of potential negative consequences. The paper then discusses the applicable legal framework concerning protection of immovable monuments and competences of monument protection authorities resulting from the said framework. The paper’s conclusion postulates that the activities of all personnel working on historic monuments and sites should be guided by their inner conviction that monuments need to be looked after and that they have a social duty to maintain them for the sake of future generations. This duty is actually applicable to all citizens, just as the cultural heritage is the primary building block of the nation’s historical identity

A cluster of pathogenic mutations in the 3'-5' exonuclease domain of DNA polymerase gamma defines a novel module coupling DNA synthesis and degradation

DNA polymerase gamma (pol g in human, Mip1 in yeast) is the unique DNA replicase found in mitochondria. Pol g plays a key role in fidelity of mtDNA replication through accurate selection of nucleotides and 3’-5’ exonuclease proofreading activity. Defective maintenance of mtDNA leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and disease. More than 150 POLG mutations have been identified in human. Based on the good conservation of the pol g catalytic subunits we have used Mip1 as a model enzyme to generate yeast mutations equivalent to seven human pol g mutations associated with PEO, various neuropathies and Alpers syndrome. Five mutations clustered in a novel subdomain of the 3’-5’ exonuclease are localized in the DNA-binding channel. We have determined the in vivo phenotypes of the yeast mutants and biochemical properties of mutant polymerases. The mip1 mutations increase the frequency of mtDNA point mutations and deletions with generally a good correlation between mtDNA instability in yeast and disease severity in human. Mutations clustered in the novel module result in increased frequency of point mutations and high instability of the mitochondrial DNA in yeast cells, and unexpectedly for mutator mutations, they favour exonucleolysis versus polymerization. This trait is associated with highly decreased DNA binding activity and poorly processive DNA synthesis. Our data show for the first time that a 3’-5’ exonuclease module of DNA polymerase gamma plays a crucial role in the coordination of the polymerase and exonuclease functions and they strongly suggest that in patients the disease is not caused by defective proofreading but results from poor mtDNA replication generated by a severe imbalance between DNA synthesis and degradation.(AGRO 3) -- UCL, 201

Restoration of Świętego Ducha Street in Gdańsk: The reflection on the revitalization of the streets of a historic city

Zagospodarowanie zabytku architektury stanowi jedno z najtrudniejszych zadań z perspektywy konserwatorskiej. Wiąże się ono z utrzymaniem zabytku w dobrym stanie oraz działaniem zmierzającym do zachowania jego wartości. Właściwe użytkowanie obiektu zabytkowego pozostaje w nierozerwalnym związku z doborem i przypisaniem mu odpowiedniej funkcji, ale też ze spełnieniem wymogów nakładanych przez współczesne normy życia i zmieniające się potrzeby. Celem artykułu jest omówienie problematyki przebudowy ulicy Świętego Ducha w Gdańsku jako przestrzeni publicznej oraz zwrócenie uwagi, czy przy tego typu inwestycji możemy mówić o adaptacji zabytku, czy raczej o wprowadzeniu zmian do programu użytkowego przy zachowaniu istniejącej funkcji. Temat zostanie omówiony z perspektywy organu ochrony zabytków i w świetle obowiązujących przepisów. Punktem wyjścia do rozważań będzie odwołanie się do definicji adaptacji zabytku, a następnie omówienie metody i stanu badań oraz formy ochrony konserwatorskiej ulicy Świętego Ducha w Gdańsku. Część analityczną zamknie charakterystyka zakresu robót.The adaptation of an architectural monument is one of the most difficult tasks from a conservation perspective. It is related to keeping the monument in good condition and towards preserving its value. The proper use of a historic structure is inseparable from the selection and assignment of an appropriate function and meeting the requirements imposed by modern living standards and changing needs. The aim of this paper is to discuss the restoration of Świętego Ducha Street in Gdańsk as a public space and to point out whether we can talk about the adaptation of a monument or about introducing changes to the utility program while maintaining the existing function in this type of project. The topic will be discussed from the perspective of the monuments protection authority and in the light of applicable regulations.1 The starting point for the discussion will be a reference to the definition of the monument adaptation, followed by an overview of the method and state of research as well as the form of conservation at Świętego Ducha Street in Gdańsk. The analytical part will end with the description of the scope of work

Different faces of mitochondrial DNA mutators

A number of studies have shown that ageing is associated with increased amounts of mtDNA deletions and/or point mutations in a variety of species as diverse as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, mice, rats, dogs, primates and humans. This detected vulnerability of mtDNA has led to the suggestion that the accumulation of somatic mtDNA mutations might arise from increased oxidative damage and could play an important role in the ageing process by producing cells with a decreased oxidative capacity. However, the vast majority of DNA polymorphisms and disease-causing base-substitution mutations and age-associated mutations that have been detected in human mtDNA are transition mutations. They are likely arising from the slight infidelity of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase. Indeed, transition mutations are also the predominant type of mutation found in mtDNA mutator mice, a model for premature ageing caused by increased mutation load due to the error prone mitochondrial DNA synthesis. These particular misincorporation events could also be exacerbated by dNTP pool imbalances. The role of different repair, replication and maintenance mechanisms that contribute to mtDNA integrity and mutagenesis will be discussed in details in this article. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A cluster of pathogenic mutations in the 3'-5' exonuclease domain of DNA polymerase gamma defines a novel module coupling DNA synthesis and degradation.

Mutations in DNA polymerase gamma (pol g), the unique replicase inside mitochondria, cause a broad and complex spectrum of diseases in human. We have used Mip1, the yeast pol g, as a model enzyme to characterize six pathogenic pol g mutations. Four mutations clustered in a highly conserved 3'-5' exonuclease module are localized in the DNA-binding channel in close vicinity to the polymerase domain. They result in increased frequency of point mutations and high instability of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in yeast cells, and unexpectedly for mutator mutations in the exonuclease domain, they favour exonucleolysis versus polymerization. This trait is associated with highly decreased DNA binding affinity and poorly processive DNA synthesis. Our data show for the first time that a 3'-5' exonuclease module of DNA polymerase gamma plays a crucial role in the coordination of the polymerase and exonuclease functions and they strongly suggest that in patients the disease is not caused by defective proofreading but results from poor mtDNA replication generated by a severe imbalance between DNA synthesis and degradation

Origins of mtDNA mutations in ageing

MtDNA mutations are one of the hallmarks of ageing and age-related diseases. It is well established that somatic point mutations accumulate in mtDNA of multiple organs and tissues with increasing age and heteroplasmy is universal in mammals. However, the origin of these mutations remains controversial. The long-lasting hypothesis stating that mtDNA mutations emanate from oxidative damage via a self-perpetuating mechanism has been extensively challenged in recent years. Contrary to this initial ascertainment, mtDNA appears to be well protected from action of reactive oxygen species (ROS) through robust protein coating and endomitochondrial microcompartmentalization. Extensive development of scrupulous high-throughput DNA sequencing methods suggests that an imperfect replication process, rather than oxidative lesions are the main sources of mtDNA point mutations, indicating that mtDNA polymerase. (POLG) might be responsible for the majority of mtDNA mutagenic events. Here, we summarize the recent knowledge in prevention and defence of mtDNA oxidative lesions and discuss the plausible mechanisms of mtDNA point mutation generation and fixation

Antimutator Alleles of Yeast DNA Polymerase Gamma Modulate the Balance between DNA Synthesis and Excision

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are an important cause of disease and perhaps aging in human. DNA polymerase gamma (pol c), the unique replicase inside mitochondria, plays a key role in the fidelity of mtDNA replication through selection of the correct nucleotide and 39-59 exonuclease proofreading. For the first time, we have isolated and characterized antimutator alleles in the yeast pol c (Mip1). These mip1 mutations, localised in the 39-59 exonuclease and polymerase domains, elicit a 2–15 fold decrease in the frequency of mtDNA point mutations in an msh1-1 strain which is partially deficient in mtDNA mismatch-repair. In vitro experiments show that in all mutants the balance between DNA synthesis and exonucleolysis is shifted towards excision when compared to wild-type, suggesting that in vivo more opportunity is given to the editing function for removing the replicative errors. This results in partial compensation for the mismatch-repair defects and a decrease in mtDNA point mutation rate. However, in all mutants but one the antimutator trait is lost in the wild-type MSH1 background. Accordingly, the polymerases of selected mutants show reduced oligonucleotide primed M13 ssDNA synthesis and to a lesser extent DNA binding affinity, suggesting that in mismatchrepair proficient cells efficient DNA synthesis is required to reach optimal accuracy. In contrast, the Mip1-A256T polymerase, which displays wild-type like DNA synthesis activity, increases mtDNA replication fidelity in both MSH1 and msh1-1 backgrounds. Altogether, our data show that accuracy of wild-type Mip1 is probably not optimal and can be improved b

Tune instead of destroy: How proteolysis keeps OXPHOS in shape

Mitochondria are highly dynamic and stress-responsive organelles that are renewed, maintained and removed by a number of different mechanisms. Recent findings bring more evidence for the focused, defined, and regulatory function of the intramitochondrial proteases extending far beyond the traditional concepts of damage control and stress responses. Until recently, the macrodegradation processes, such as mitophagy, were promoted as the major regulator of OXPHOS remodelling and turnover. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of the OXPHOS system can be greatly modulated by the intrinsic mitochondrial mechanisms acting apart from changes in the global mitochondrial dynamics. This, in turn, may substantially contribute to the shaping of the metabolic status of the cell