Pollution emission costs in transport : a comparative analysis of different transport modes

PURPOSE: The development of transportation is considered as one of the main elements of the economy development, but on the other hand its negative impact on the environment is noticeable. Based on the observation of the increase in demand for transport, more and more attention is paid to qualitative aspects. These include, among others, efficiency, safety, as well as the continuous efforts to reduce external costs, mainly related to the adverse impact on the environment. The aim of this paper is to calculate the emission of pollutants in road and inland waterway and to estimate the external costs of this emission on a selected route in Poland.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A simplified version of the estimation of external costs of air pollutants was carried out based on establishing external effects expressed in a quantitative form and assigning monetary values to them. Estimation of greenhouse gas emissions (CH4, CO2, N2O) from motor vehicles has been carried out using the COPERT IV program. For inland waterway transport, the emissions were estimated based on studies conducted by PLANCO (PLANCO Consulting GmbH, Germany).FINDINGS: The results presented in this article are a contribution to further research in this field, especially in relation to the currently carried out traffic surveys (GPR), as well as a basis for analysis of the management of transport systems and the implementation of modern technologies to improve environmental transport relations.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This paper uses the method of calculating the quantity of pollutants emitted to the air from road transport and inland waterway on the route Gliwice - Szczecin, identifying the harmful substances influencing the natural environment and estimating the value of external costs of these pollutants emissions based on the quantity of polutants emitted by the means of transport used.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper develops an experimental method for determining the cost of emissions from transportation activities.peer-reviewe

Nanopore direct RNA sequencing maps the complexity of Arabidopsis mRNA processing and m6A modification

Understanding genome organization and gene regulation requires insight into RNA transcription, processing and modification. We adapted nanopore direct RNA sequencing to examine RNA from a wild-type accession of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and a mutant defective in mRNA methylation (m6A). Here we show that m6A can be mapped in full-length mRNAs transcriptome-wide and reveal the combinatorial diversity of cap-associated transcription start sites, splicing events, poly(A) site choice and poly(A) tail length. Loss of m6A from 3’ untranslated regions is associated with decreased relative transcript abundance and defective RNA 30 end formation. A functional consequence of disrupted m6A is a lengthening of the circadian period. We conclude that nanopore direct RNA sequencing can reveal the complexity of mRNA processing and modification in full-length single molecule reads. These findings can refine Arabidopsis genome annotation. Further, applying this approach to less well-studied species could transform our understanding of what their genomes encode

RAM is upregulated during T cell activation and is required for RNA cap formation and gene expression

On T cell activation, upregulation of gene expression produces the protein required for the differentiation and proliferation of effector cell populations. RAM (RNMT-Activating Mini protein/RAMAC/Fam103a1), the cofactor of the RNA cap methyltransferase RNMT (RNA guanosine N-7 cap methyltransferase), is upregulated following activation. Formation of the RNA cap protects RNA during synthesis and guides RNA processing and translation. Using conditional gene deletion, we found that Ram expression stabilizes RNMT protein in T cells and is required for its upregulation on activation. When the Ram gene is deleted in naïve T cells, there are major impacts on activation-induced RNA cap formation and gene expression. Activated T cell proliferation is dependent on increased ribosome production; in Ram knockout T cells, activation-induced expression of ribosomal protein genes and snoRNAs is most severely reduced. Consistent with these changes, Ram deletion resulted in reduced protein synthesis, and reduced growth and proliferation of CD4 T cells. Deletion of Ram results in a similar but milder phenotype to Rnmt deletion, supporting the role of RAM as a RNMT cofactor

Scenarios for the Development of Multimodal Transport in the TRITIA Cross-Border Area

As the demand for transport is growing, more and more attention is being paid to its quality aspects. These include, among other things, efficiency, safety, and a continuous effort to reduce external costs. That is why the transport policies of the EU countries and individual regions are increasingly addressing the issue of sustainable transport development. Multimodal transport, which is seen as a key element to effectively counterbalance the dominant role of vehicle transport in the economic progress of the European Community, plays an important role in these programmes. For consistency and continuity of freight flows, cooperation between neighbouring countries and regions is essential. The future of multimodal freight transport within the cross-border area of Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia is not as evident as the transport policies imply. Therefore, the purpose of the paper is to identify a set of factors determining the development of multimodal transport within the cross-border area of TRITIA (The European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation of the four regional governments of Moravian-Silesian Region (CZ), Opole Voivodeship (PL), Silesian Voivodeship (PL) and Žilina Self-governing Region (SK)) and to develop four scenarios, the execution of which in the 2030 perspective depends on the implementation of cross-border infrastructure and organisational projects and the increasing level of cooperation in the field of multimodal transport. The article contains the methodology for developing scenarios of multimodal freight transport development. The research showed that initiating activities targeted at the development of multimodal transport within the cross-border area requires the involvement of all participants in the process, i.e., all countries (Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia), along with many different stakeholders. The future development of multimodal transport as provided for in the scenarios is not linearly correlated with the increase in cooperation and the number of implemented infrastructure and organisational projects. It is vital for future research to define the role of stakeholders both in terms of cooperation and collaboration development. Document type: Articl

RAM is upregulated during T cell activation and is required for RNA cap formation and gene expression

On T cell activation, upregulation of gene expression produces the protein required for the differentiation and proliferation of effector cell populations. RAM, the co-factor of the RNA cap methyltransferase RNMT, is upregulated following activation. Formation of the RNA cap protects RNA during synthesis and guides RNA processing and translation. Using conditional gene deletion, we found that Ram expression stabilises RNMT protein in T cells and is required for its upregulation on activation. When the Ram gene is deleted in naïve T cells, there are major impacts on activation-induced RNA cap formation and gene expression. Activated T cell proliferation is dependent on increased ribosome production; in Ram knock-out T cells activation-induced expression of ribosomal protein genes and snoRNAs is most severely reduced. Consistent with these changes, Ram deletion resulted in reduced protein synthesis, and reduced growth and proliferation of CD4 T cells. Deletion of Ram results in a similar but milder phenotype to Rnmt deletion, supporting the role of RAM as a RNMT co-factor

Chromosome evolution and the genetic basis of agronomically important traits in greater yam

The nutrient-rich tubers of the greater yam, Dioscorea alata L., provide food and income security for millions of people around the world. Despite its global importance, however, greater yam remains an orphan crop. Here, we address this resource gap by presenting a highly contiguous chromosome-scale genome assembly of D. alata combined with a dense genetic map derived from African breeding populations. The genome sequence reveals an ancient allotetraploidization in the Dioscorea lineage, followed by extensive genome-wide reorganization. Using the genomic tools, we find quantitative trait loci for resistance to anthracnose, a damaging fungal pathogen of yam, and several tuber quality traits. Genomic analysis of breeding lines reveals both extensive inbreeding as well as regions of extensive heterozygosity that may represent interspecific introgression during domestication. These tools and insights will enable yam breeders to unlock the potential of this staple crop and take full advantage of its adaptability to varied environments