The global climate, ecological, and energy crisis has increased the interest in the green economy (GE) concept that aims to resolve environmental problems while promoting economic growth, social stabilization, and creating favorable conditions for sustainable economic growth. The implementation of GE solutions requires an assessment system for evaluating the extent to which business operations are consistent with GE principles. In this study, the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of the quality of life were identified, and agricultural factors were considered to determine the progress in the implementation of GE principles. The correlation between the success of GE implementation and the utilization of environmental funding provided by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was analyzed. A composite GE index composed of 19 variables was developed for this purpose with the use of Hellwig’s taxonomic measure of development. The strength of the correlation between GE implementation and the utilization of green payments under the CAP was evaluated by calculating Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Polish rural areas were analyzed at the level of Local Administrative Units (LAU). The study revealed spatial variations in GE development, and it demonstrated that local projects financed from EU funds had a positive impact on the environment. However, the utilization of EU support schemes differs considerably across Polish regions. The analysis revealed that agri-environmental-climate measures (spending per ha) were most strongly correlated with the economic dimension of the quality of life. Southern Poland and suburban areas differed considerably from Eastern Poland where green payments were less effective in promoting GE development. The results of this study are useful for planning, land management, and the development of socioeconomic development strategies at the municipal, regional, and local level.

Pine-spruce forests are one of the commonest mixed forest types in Europe and both tree species are very important for wood supply. This study summarized nine European studies with Scots pine and Norway spruce where a mixed-species stand and both monocultures were located in an experimental set-up. Overyielding (where growth of a mixed stand was greater than the average of both monocultures) was relatively common and often ranged between 0% and 30%, but could also be negative at individual study sites. Each individual site demonstrated consistent patterns of the mixing effect over different measurement periods. Transgressive overyielding (where the mixed-species stand was more productive than either of the monocultures) was found at three study sites, while a monoculture was more productive on the other sites. Large variation between study sites indicated that the existing experiments do not fully represent the extensive region where this mixed pine-spruce forest can occur. Pooled increment data displayed a negative influence of latitude and stand age on the mixing effect of those tree species in forests younger than 70 years.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHc) defect is a well-known cause of mitochondrial disorders (MD) with at least six responsible genes (PDHA1, PDHB, DLAT, DLD, PDHX, PDP1). The aim of this work was to assess the diagnostic value of biochemical methods in recognition of PDHc defect in Polish patients with suspicion of MD. In the first step, Western blot of the E1α subunit was performed on 86 archive muscle bioptates with suspicion of MD. In the second step, Sanger PDHA1 sequencing was performed in 21 cases with low E1α expression. In the third step, 7 patients with negative results of PDHA1 sequencing were subjected to whole-exome sequencing (WES). This protocol revealed 4 patients with PDHA1 and one with DLD mutations. Four additional probands were diagnosed outside the protocol (WES or Sanger sequencing). The molecular characterization of PDHc defect was conducted in a total of 9 probands: 5 according to and 4 off the protocol. Additionally, two affected relatives were recognized by a family study. Altogether we identified seven different PDHA1 changes, including two novel variants [c.464T > C (p.Met155Thr) and c.856_859dupACTT (p.Arg288Leufs*10)] and one DLD variant. The lactate response to glucose load in the PDHA1 subset was compared to a subset of non PDHc-related MD. Opposite responses were observed, with an increase of 23% and decrease of 27%, respectively. The results show that determining lactate response to glucose load and muscle E1α expression may contribute to distinguishing PDHc-related and other MD, however, WES is becoming the method of choice for MD diagnostics.

The European Union's regional policy aims to strengthen economic, social, and territorial cohesion and equal space development opportunities. It is an action linking UE that emphasises the problem of cohesion in the interregional context. The essence of territorial cohesion is the necessity to eliminate inequalities between the living conditions of the population. The concept of quality of life is ambiguous, multidimensional and interdisciplinary. This problem is of particular importance concerning border areas, i.e. the periphery of countries, which often adversely affects the population's standard of living. The article aimed to assess the living conditions and the direction of changes in those terms on the Polish-German border, an internal border of the EU (former Eastern Bloc countries). The analysis covered the years 2004–2019. The impact of the EU's regional development and cohesion policies for border areas (INTERREG) in improving the analysed regions' living conditions was also determined. The method of aggregation, standardised sums, was used in the analysis. The research showed that the level of living conditions of these border regions' population was spatially diversified, being more favourable on the German side. The analysed border regions had less favourable material and non-material living conditions than the countries' average value. Significant changes in the living conditions of border regions in the years 2004–2019 were established towards equalising the quality of life, which was influenced by the spatial policy of territorial cohesion.

The idea behind the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) project was to provide EU citizens with access to various types of information, including environmental protection and spatial management data. These resources can be viewed (Web Map Service—WMS) and downloaded (Web Feature Service—WFS) online. Cadastral datasets represent one of the 34 spatial data themes in the spatial data infrastructure (SDI). The functionality of the SDI has not yet been fully achieved due to the failure of the WMS and WFS network services. The aim of this article was to assess the completeness of the SDI containing cadastral datasets. The present study has practical implications. The proposed diagnostic tool supports an assessment of the completeness of SDI resources in seven diagnostic groups (technical and legal identifiers, the cadastral information profile, the WMS network service, the WFS network service, source cadastral databases, data validity, and WMS and WFS standardization). The developed assessment methodology enables the identification of websites that publish cadastral data through INSPIRE network services, as well as problematic websites, and it has high development potential. The results of the assessment should be used in the ongoing construction of the SDI. They can also be used to improve the quality of network services and their availability for end users.