Economic and legal instruments of local senior policy in the level of municipalities

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to diagnose and evaluate the local senior policy undertaken by Polish municipalities in the face of the progressing process of population aging. Both legal and economic instruments currently used in public social policy for older people were analyzed. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study uses a group of methods typical of social sciences, such as empirical cognition methods, and in particular observation. Descriptive analysis and deductive and inductive reasoning were used. Moreover, in the area of legal regulations analysis, the legal-dogmatic method was applied. Findings: The analysis of the instruments used by municipalities in Poland in the framework of senior policy allows us to conclude that they are not always adequate and able to keep up with the growing needs of the rapidly growing number of seniors. Senior policy in Poland is a relatively new phenomenon. Therefore, there is a lack of experience which would allow to develop long-term legal and economic solutions. This would provide a basis for municipalities to develop stable plans and to take measures for the benefit of the elderly. Municipalities should be provided with sources of funding for the growing needs of seniors. Practical Implications: The results of the conducted analysis may serve as a basis for the verification of legal regulations and economic instruments used by municipalities, relating to social policy towards the elderly, and may also become an inspiration for further scientific research in this area. In the final part of the study, guidelines/suggestions were formulated in this respect. Originality/Value: So far, the literature has dealt mainly with the topic of the silver economy in the context of factors influencing economic processes and the use of the potential of older people, taking into account their needs. This article is an attempt at instrumental approach to senior policy (legal and economic instruments) used by municipalities in Poland. The study indicates that the pool of instruments used is extremely poor and incoherent, and it is difficult to speak of a coordinated, comprehensive senior policy implemented by municipalities, in the absence of appropriate legal solutions at the central level.peer-reviewe

Biochemical evidence for conformational variants in the anti-viral and pro-metastatic protein IFITM1

Interferon induced transmembrane proteins (IFITMs) play a dual role in the restriction of RNA viruses and in cancer progression, yet the mechanism of their action remains unknown. Currently, there is no data about the basic biochemical features or biophysical properties of the IFITM1 protein. In this work, we report on description and biochemical characterization of three conformational variants/oligomeric species of recombinant IFITM1 protein derived from an E. coli expression system. The protein was extracted from the membrane fraction, affinity purified, and separated by size exclusion chromatography where two distinct oligomeric species were observed in addition to the expected monomer. These species remained stable upon re-chromatography and were designated as “dimer” and “oligomer” according to their estimated molecular weight. The dimer was found to be less stable compared to the oligomer using circular dichroism thermal denaturation and incubation with a reducing agent. A two-site ELISA and HDX mass spectrometry suggested the existence of structural motif within the N-terminal part of IFITM1 which might be significant in oligomer formation. Together, these data show the unusual propensity of recombinant IFITM1 to naturally assemble into very stable oligomeric species whose study might shed light on IFITM1 anti-viral and pro-oncogenic functions in cells