Direct payments versus subsidized crop insurance in agriculture

W artykule przedstawiono rodzaje dotowanych ubezpieczeń upraw w rolnictwie. Celem opracowania było omówienie zmian powierzchni ubezpieczonych upraw w latach 2009-2015, a także pokazanie związku pomiędzy wprowadzeniem Ustawy o ubezpieczeniu upraw a faktycznym poziomem zawieranych umów ubezpieczenia przez rolników. W artykule starano się odpowiedzieć na pytanie, czy zasada przymusowości ubezpieczeń związana z otrzymywaniem płatności bezpośrednich zwiększyła zainteresowanie rolników ubezpieczeniami dotowanymi z budżetu państwa. Podstawą analizy były dane pochodzące z Roczników Statystycznych GUS, sprawozdań zakładów ubezpieczeniowych składanych do MRiRW, ARiMR oraz systemu rachunkowości rolnej FADN za okres 2009-2015.The article presents types of subsidized crop insurance in agriculture. The purpose of the study was to discuss changes in the area of insured crops in 2009-2015 and to show the link between the introduction of the crop insurance law and the actual level of insurance contracts concluded by farmers. The study attempted to answer the question whether, the principle of compulsory insurance connected with the receipt of direct payments increased the interest of farmers in state-subsidized insurance. The article used data from Statistical Yearbooks of Central Statistical Office, reports of insurance companies submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network). The analysis covered detailed FADN agricultural accounting data for 2009-2015

Is socio-economic status associated with adverse birth outcomes in Poland?

Introduction. Low birth weight (LBW) is an important indicator of the healthy of the population and reflects the living conditions, health and health behaviours of pregnant women. Objective. To assess the relationship between Gross Enrollment Rate at the Tertiary Education Level, average salary, Gross Domestic Product per capita, unemployment, housing area, urbanization and low birth weight in Polish sub-regions. Materials and method. An ecological study was undertaken using data on socio-economic and demographic features and LBW in 2005–2014. The units of observation were 66 Polish sub-regions according to the NUTS-3 classification. Two models were used to assess the influence of SES variables on LBW incidence rate in a 10-year study period. The first was the Poisson regression model adjusted for density of population, which was followed by the multivariable model using the GEE method of model parameters estimation. Results. In Poland, significant slow changes in the LBW incidence rate were observed in 2005–2014 (AAPC = –0.44%/year). In model 1, the increase in LBW was associated with an increase in unemployment (1.005) and decrease of average salary (0.987), GERTEL (0.990) and housing area (0.991). In model 2, an unfavorable association was detected between the density of population (1.068) and a still existing relationship with unemployment (1.004), average salary (0.990) and GERTEL (0.991). Conclusion. Protective factors for newborns’ health were a higher level of education and income. The results indicate the need to take actions to reduce the risk factors of LBW among pregnant women living in densely populated areas

DNA methylation patterns of the S100A14, POU2F3 and SFN genes in equine sarcoid tissues.

Genetic and epigenetic alterations in the equine sarcoid, a locally invasive skin tumour of equids, are still poorly characterized. Numerous studies have provided reliable evidence for the relationship between the development of cancer and the loss of function of a number of tumour suppressor genes. In the present study, we assessed methylation levels in the promoter region of SFN, S100A14 and POU2F3 genes in sarcoid samples to clarify whether DNA methylation may be associated with previously identified changes in the expression level of these genes during the course of tumour progression. Using bisulfite sequencing and clone sequencing, we detected that lesional samples had a significantly higher rate of DNA methylation in the analyzed S100A14A region than the corresponding normal skin tissue. A frequent methylation of the SFN and POU2F3 promoter sequences were observed in both the tumour samples and the control skin tissues. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of aberrant methylation in sarcoid progression and to understand the mechanisms involved in reduced expression of SFN, S100A14 and POU2F3 genes in the lesional tissues

Determination of coordinates of control points in the Wieruszów District area

W pracy przedstawiono metodykę pomiaru i opracowania osnowy szczegółowej GPS III na obszarze powiatu wieruszowskiego. Pomiary 988 punktów wykonano metodą statyczną w ciągu dziesięciu dni z wykorzystaniem 12 odbiorników GPS Ashtech Z-XII, Z-Surveyor, Z-Xtreme. W pracy przedstawiono także analizy wyrównania i transformacji z układu ETRF-89 do państwowych układów współrzędnych: "1965" i "2000". Z uwagi na liczne zasłony drzew nad wyznaczanymi punktami, obserwacje GPS powtórzono na około trzydziestu punktach, aby uzyskać wymaganą dokładność i niezależną kontrolę pomiarów. Dodatkowo przy takiej liczbie odbiorników bardzo skuteczne okazały się analizy zamknięć przyrostów w trójkątach jak również warunki geometryczne nieoznaczoności pomiarów fazowych stosowane przy rozwiązaniach multistacyjnych.The paper presents the methodology of GPS measurements and data elaboration for control points in the Wieruszów District area. GPS measurements of 988 points were executed with the use of static method during ten days of measurements and twelve GPS receivers of Ashtech company i.e. Z-XII, Z-Surveyor, Z-Xtreme. The results and analyses of adjustment and transformation from ETRF-89 to the national coordinate systems: ,,1965" and ,,2000" were also presented. Due to bad observational conditions of GPS measurements there were about thirty points on which GPS measurements were repeated in order to achieve reliable and accurate results. Additionally, loop closures of baselines and geometric conditions of ambiguity network solutions were successfully useful before final adjustment

Results of the first GPS measurement campaign for the determination of absolute vertical and horizontal deformations in the Main and Old City of Gdansk

The results of GPS static measurements, conducted in the first measurement campaign at the reference and check points should be adopted as the values of reference for future observation results. The measurement procedures, developed for the first campaign, should be followed in further measurements. The measurement equipment (pole for forced centring of a GPS aerial, GPS aerial, GPS receiver) assigned to each point during the first campaign, should be used each time at the check points. The same calculation procedure should be followed in the analysis of the GPS observation data in future measurement campaigns. If the need to change the calculation procedure is justified, the calculations from previous measurement campaigns should be absolutely redone