The economic function of land use and its selected ecosystem services

PURPOSE: The article aims to indicate the essence of land use in the context of its economic functions and selected ecosystem services, mainly generated by agriculture. The dilemmas surrounding the issues mentioned above are the subject of the following study. The essence of the perception of the land and its ecosystem services was indicated, primarily in sustainable development, which requires clarification and in-depth discussion in the literature.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Bearing in mind that cognitive activity, like practical activity, contributes to the development of knowledge specialization and an in-depth study of phenomena, the article uses theoretical research methods, mainly based on hypothesis and concretization.FINDINGS: The considerations show that the essential element of shaping the present and future structure of land use and its ecosystem services is a rational ecological policy and environmental protection. The management of rural areas must be carried out following the principles of sustainable development. It is important to monitor local potential environmental threats closely related to land use and its services.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The article contains much valuable information, which may constitute the base material and reference further research conducted by scientific specialists studying the agricultural land market or agricultural property management institutions of the Agricultural Property Stock of the State Treasury.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Theoretical considerations complement the research conducted so far in shaping the functions of the land and its ecosystem services and may become a valuable resource of valuable knowledge in the preparation of dissertations in the field of economic use of the environment.peer-reviewe

Analysis of the agricultural land market in selected poviats of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship

Purpose: The research aimed to identify the regularities in the dynamics and structure of phenomena occurring on the agricultural land market, emphasizing treasury real estate. The transactions came from the primary market in 1996-2001 and 2014-2019. The seller was the Agricultural Property Agency of the State Treasury, later transformed into the Agricultural Property Agency. Design/Methodology/Approach: In the scope of processing the collected data, the methods of inductive and deductive reasoning, descriptive and monographic, and statistical methods, were used. The research methodology was based on statistical measures in the field of structural analysis and changes over time. The structural analysis was carried out for the characteristics "price per ha" and "area" of agricultural land, for which empirical distributions were built and selected descriptive parameters were calculated. Findings: The conducted research shows that the price of 1 ha of arable land is determined primarily by the location rent. The highest unit prices were achieved by land with an area of up to 0.5 ha located near the Szczecin agglomeration, which is confirmed in both analyzed periods. The dynamics of agricultural land prices in 1996-2001 showed no clear development tendency, which proves an unstable market was transforming, susceptible to the external environment's influence, including the shaping of demand. Practical Implications: The article contains a lot of valuable information that may constitute a base material and a reference to further research carried out by scientific specialists researching the issues of the agricultural land market or agricultural property management institutions of the Agricultural Property Stock of the State Treasury. Originality/Value: The results of the comparative analysis and theoretical considerations supplement the research conducted so far in the field of prices on the agricultural land market in Poland and may become a valuable resource of knowledge useful in the preparation of dissertations in the field of agricultural property management.peer-reviewe

CSF proteomics of patients with hydrocephalus and subarachnoid haemorrhage

The pathophysiology of brain injury following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is associated with numerous mediators. The aim of the study is to analyse protein changes after SAH in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using mass spectrometry (MS)

Towards Sustainable Innovation in the Bakery Sector—An Example of Fibre-Enriched Bread

This study aimed to examine the drivers and types of sustainable product innovations undertaken in bakeries with a particular focus on fibre-enriched bread. This type of bread contributes to a healthy diet due to its increased content of dietary fibre, which is an essential but deficient component of the diet, especially in modern consumption patterns in affluent countries. The study was carried out using the Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) method on a sample of 402 companies operating in the Polish baking industry. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) using Burt tables was used to analyse the results. Four groups of companies were identified according to the number of new products introduced to the market: non-innovative, poorly innovative, moderately innovative, and sustainable innovative companies. The results show that the development of a “new formula” was the most frequently mentioned type of innovation in all groups of companies. Other types of product innovation were also identified among the highly innovative companies: a new product for the company, a new product for the consumer, and new packaging. The basic motivation for launching innovative products on the market was to follow new trends and meet consumer expectations. Therefore, the results indicate that a consumer approach to innovation prevailed. The surveyed bakeries perceived fibre-enriched bread as a product with high nutritional value and environmental benefits. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of sustainable innovation in the food industry and have some practical implications for bakery companies seeking competitive drivers based on sustainable innovation. The study showed that capturing the voice of the customer is important in developing product innovations in bakeries. A consumer-oriented strategy is a win-win strategy, as it will result in an increased range of products suitable for a healthy sustainable diet and environmental benefits using fibre waste from food processing

Endotoxin-induced inflammation disturbs melatonin secretion in ewe

Objective The study examined the effect of intravenous administration of bacterial endotoxin—lipopolysaccharide (LPS) —on the nocturnal secretion of melatonin and on the expression of enzymes of the melatonin biosynthetic pathway in the pineal gland of ewes, taking into account two different photoperiodic conditions: short-night (SN; n = 12) and long-night (LN; n = 12). Methods In both experiments, animals (n = 12) were randomly divided into two groups: control (n = 6) and LPS-treated (n = 6) one. Two hours after sunset, animals received an injection of LPS or saline. Blood samples were collected starting one hour after sunset and continuing for 3 hours after the treatment. The ewes were euthanized 3 hours after LPS/saline treatment. The concentration of hormones in plasma was assayed by radioimmunoassay. In the pineal gland, the content of serotonin and its metabolite was determined by HPLC; whereas the expression of examined genes and protein was assayed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western Blot, respectively. Results Endotoxin administration lowered (p<0.05) levels of circulating melatonin in animals from LN photoperiod only during the first hour after treatment, while in ewes from SN photoperiod only in the third hour after the injection. Inflammation more substantially suppressed biosynthesis of melatonin in ewes from SN photoperiod, which were also characterised by lower (p<0.05) cortisol concentrations after LPS treatment compared with animals from LN photoperiod. In the pineal gland of ewes subjected to SN photoperiod, LPS reduced (p<0.05) serotonin content and the expression of melatonin biosynthetic pathway enzymes, such as tryptophan hydroxylase and arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase. Pineal activity may be disturbed by circulating LPS and proinflammatory cytokines because the expression of mRNAs encoding their corresponding receptors was determined in this gland. Conclusion The present study showed that peripheral inflammation reduces the secretion of melatonin, but this effect may be influenced by the photoperiod

Interactive impact of childhood maltreatment, depression, and age on cortical brain structure: mega-analytic findings from a large multi-site cohort.

BackgroundChildhood maltreatment (CM) plays an important role in the development of major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of this study was to examine whether CM severity and type are associated with MDD-related brain alterations, and how they interact with sex and age.MethodsWithin the ENIGMA-MDD network, severity and subtypes of CM using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were assessed and structural magnetic resonance imaging data from patients with MDD and healthy controls were analyzed in a mega-analysis comprising a total of 3872 participants aged between 13 and 89 years. Cortical thickness and surface area were extracted at each site using FreeSurfer.ResultsCM severity was associated with reduced cortical thickness in the banks of the superior temporal sulcus and supramarginal gyrus as well as with reduced surface area of the middle temporal lobe. Participants reporting both childhood neglect and abuse had a lower cortical thickness in the inferior parietal lobe, middle temporal lobe, and precuneus compared to participants not exposed to CM. In males only, regardless of diagnosis, CM severity was associated with higher cortical thickness of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex. Finally, a significant interaction between CM and age in predicting thickness was seen across several prefrontal, temporal, and temporo-parietal regions.ConclusionsSeverity and type of CM may impact cortical thickness and surface area. Importantly, CM may influence age-dependent brain maturation, particularly in regions related to the default mode network, perception, and theory of mind