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The obtained results indicate that ORG- and CONV-produced beetroots and fermented beetroot juices have different chemical properties and different impacts on cancer cells. It is necessary to continue research on this topic in order to confirm and understand the achieved results.

The ability to induce a defense response after pathogen attack is a critical feature of the immune system of any organism. Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs) are key players in this process and perceive the occurrence of nonself-activities or foreign molecules. In plants, coevolution with a variety of pests and pathogens has resulted in repertoires of several hundred diverse NLRs in single individuals and many more in populations as a whole. However, the mechanism by which defense signaling is triggered by these NLRs in plants is poorly understood. Here, we show that upon pathogen perception, NLRs use their N-terminal domains to transactivate other receptors. Their N-terminal domains homo- and heterodimerize, suggesting that plant NLRs oligomerize upon activation, similar to the vertebrate NLRs; however, consistent with their large number in plants, the complexes are highly heterometric. Also, in contrast to metazoan NLRs, the N-terminus, rather than their centrally located nucleotide-binding (NB) domain, can mediate initial partner selection. The highly redundant network of NLR interactions in plants is proposed to provide resilience to perturbation by pathogens.

The main objective of the paper is to do a critic study of the use of typology methodologies within pasture-based farming systems (PBFS), especially those situated in less favoured areas, showing in each case the more relevant variables or indicators determining the farming system classification. Another objective is to do an overview of the most used farming system typology methodologies in general. First some considerations about the concept of farming system and approaches to its study have been done. Next, the farming system typology methodologies have been showed in general to different farming systems, but addressed preferably to PBFS. The different tools integrated in these methodologies have been considered: sampling methods, sources of data, variables or indicators obtained from available data and techniques of analysis (statistical or not). Methods for farming system classification have been presented (expert methods, analytical methods or a combination of both types). Among the statistical methods, the multivariate analysis has been overall treated, including the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis. Finally, the use of farming system typology methodologies on different pasture-based farming systems has been presented. The most important aspects considered are following: the main objective of the typology, the main animal species, the employed methods of classification and the main variables involved in this classification.

Together with the growing availability of data from electronic records from healthcare providers and healthcare systems, an assessment of associations between different environmental parameters (e.g., pollution levels and meteorological data) and hospitalizations, morbidity, and mortality has become possible. This study aimed to assess the association of air pollution and hospitalizations using a large database comprising almost all hospitalizations in Poland. This time-series analysis has been conducted in five cities in Poland (Warsaw, Białystok, Bielsko-Biała, Kraków, Gdańsk) over a period of almost 4 years (2014–2017, 1255 days), covering more than 20 million of hospitalizations. The hospitalizations have been extracted from the National Health Fund registries as daily summaries. Correlation analysis and distributed lag nonlinear models have been used to investigate for statistically relevant associations of air pollutants on hospitalizations, trying by various methods to minimize potential bias from atmospheric parameters, days of the week, bank holidays, etc. A statistically significant increase of respiratory disease hospitalizations has been detected after peaks of particulate matter concentrations (particularly PM 2.5 , between 0.9 and 4.5% increase per 10 units of pollutant increase, and PM 10 , between 0.9 and 3.5% per 10 units of pollutant increase), with a typical time lag between the pollutant peak and the event of 2 to 6 days. For other pollution parameters and other types of hospitalizations (e.g., cardiovascular events, eye and skin diseases, etc.), a weaker and ununiform correlations were recorded. Ambient air pollution exposure increases are associated with a short-term increase of hospitalizations due to respiratory tract diseases. The most prominent effect was recorded with the correlation of PM 2.5 and PM 10 . There is only weak evidence indicating that such short-term associations exist between peaks of air pollution concentrations and increased hospitalizations for other (e.g., cardiovascular) diseases. The obtained information could be used to better predict hospitalization patterns and costs for the healthcare system and perhaps trigger additional vigilance on particulate matter pollution in the cities.

The aim of this paper is to establish a farm typology according to the dairy farming systems in the western part of the Podlasie province. Data of 39 variables was collected by a survey to owners of 123 family farms. A two-stage multivariate analysis was conducted in order to determine farm typology. Three principal components were detected, explaining 80.4% of the total variance. The cluster analysis identified five groups of farms. In two groups the cow productivity is the biggest in the area. A third group contains the smallest and lowest cow productivity farms, with high proportion of non-agricultural activities. One of the two remaining groups has better soil quality and medium cow productivity. The other group has low or medium soil quality but cow productivity is higher than in the fourth group. The SWOT analysis shows different weaknesses and strengths for different groups, as well as those common to a larger number of groups. Weaknesses are related to small farm size, large number of workers, low or medium soil quality and low or medium level of technology. Strengths are related to a large share of fodder crops, low livestock density, diversification of agrarian activities and acceptable cow productivity. On the other hand, general opportunities are linked to the EU-CAP evolution and to the presence of cooperatives in the region, whereas general threats derive from a hypothetic increase of feed prices and quantity of milk produced in the EU, which could lead to a fall in milk prices.Additional key words: cattle density; farming diversification; multivariate analysis. Resumen Explotaciones lecheras familiares de la provincia de Podlasia (Polonia): clasificación de las explotaciones según los sistemas agrariosEl objetivo de este trabajo es establecer tipologías de sistemas lecheros en el oeste de Podlasia (Polonia). Se analizaron 39 variables a partir de encuestas realizadas a propietarios de 123 explotaciones. Tras el análisis multivariante en dos etapas (factorial y cluster) se encontraron tres componentes principales que explican el 80,4% de la varianza total y se obtuvieron cinco grupos de explotaciones. En dos de los grupos la productividad de las vacas es la mayor de la zona. Un tercer grupo tiene las granjas más pequeñas y menos productivas, con una mayor proporción de actividades no agrarias. El cuarto tiene los suelos de mejor calidad y una productividad de las vacas media y el quinto tiene suelos de calidad media o baja pero una productividad de las vacas superior. En general, las debilidades están relacionadas con una escasa dimensión de las granjas, un elevado número de trabajadores, una baja o media calidad de los suelos y un bajo o mediano nivel de tecnología. Las fortalezas están relacionadas con la abundancia de cultivos forrajeros, una carga ganadera baja, una aceptable diversificación agraria y una aceptable productividad de las vacas. Las principales oportunidades están ligadas a la evolución de la PAC de la UE y a la presencia de cooperativas para la comercialización de la lech...

In view of modern worldwide research carried out in the context of broadly understood soil chemistry and monitoring of the natural environment, the methods of assessing the risk of Zn contamination in soil and agricultural crops based on the analyses of Zn concentration in the soil solution have gained more recognition. Accordingly, research on the evaluation of the effects of selected soil properties on changes in solid/solution partitioning coefficient (K d ), the total concentration and activity of zinc in the soil solution was undertaken in this study. The study was based on the microplot field experiment. Investigated soil factors were as follows: soil texture, pH, organic carbon content and the degree of Zn contamination. The results indicated that zinc activity in the soil solutions was very high and comparable to the total concentration of zinc. The investigated soil properties significantly influenced the K d , the total concentration of zinc, as well as the concentration of Zn 2? in the soil solution. The total concentration and activity of zinc in the soil solution increased with increasing Zn content in the soil and rising soil acidity, while they decreased with increasing the content of organic carbon and clay particles. The values of K d increased significantly with rising soil pH and total Zn content and decreased with increasing soil organic content. Observed K d values were significantly higher in soil with 13 % clay than in soil with 7 % clay.

The effect of marine calcite (containing calcium and silicon mainly) foliar fertilization on the sugar beet root yield and technological quality relative to the control (treatment 0) was investigated. Study was conducted in 2011-2012 in the southeastern region of Poland, in Sahryń (50°41'N, 23°46'E). The cultivar of sugar beet was Danuśka KWS. Two treatments of foliar fertilization: (1) treatment (in the stage of 4-6 sugar leaves -262.0 g Ca/ha, 79.9 g Si/ha, and three weeks later -524.0 g Ca/ha, 159.8 g Si/ha); and (2) treatment (in the stage of 4-6 sugar leaves -524.0 g Ca/ha, 159.8 g Si/ha, three weeks later -524.0 g Ca/ha, 159.8 g Si/ha). Calcium and silicon foliar fertilization resulted in increases of: (1) the root yield (average for both treatments about 13.1%; (2) the leaf yield (about 21.0%); (3) the biological sugar yield (about 15.5%), and (4) technological yield of sugar (about 17.7%) compared with the control treatment. At the same time a positive effect on the roots technological quality was found. It was a significant reduction of alpha-amino-nitrogen content and tended to reduce the content of potassium and sodium.