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As the sustainability of the environment is a very much concerning issue for developed countries, the drive of the paper is to reveal the effects of nuclear, environment-friendly, and non-friendly energy, population, and GDP on CO2 emission for Italy, a developed country. Using the extended Stochastic Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) framework, the yearly data from 1972 to 2021 are analyzed in this paper through an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) framework. The reliability of the study is also examined by employing Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegration Regression (CCR) estimators and also the Granger causality method which is used to see the directional relationship among the indicators. The investigation confirms the findings of previous studies by showing that in the longer period, rising Italian GDP and non-green energy by 1% can lead to higher CO2 emissions by 8.08% and 1.505%, respectively, while rising alternative and nuclear energy by 1% can lead to falling in CO2 emission by 0.624%. Although population and green energy adversely influence the upsurge of CO2, they seem insignificant. Robustness tests confirm these longer-period impacts. This analysis may be helpful in planning and developing strategies for future financial funding in the energy sector in Italy, which is essential if the country is to achieve its goals of sustainable development.

The main purpose of this review is to present justification for the urgent need to implement specific prophylaxis of invasive Staphylococcus aureus infections. We emphasize the difficulties in achieving this goal due to numerous S. aureus virulence factors important for the process of infection and the remarkable ability of these bacteria to avoid host defense mechanisms. We precede these considerations with a brief overview of the global necessitiy to intensify the use of vaccines against other pathogens as well, particularly in light of an impasse in antibiotic therapy. Finally, we point out global trends in research into modern technologies used in the field of molecular microbiology to develop new vaccines. We focus on the vaccines designed to fight the infections caused by S. aureus, which are often resistant to the majority of available therapeutic options.

Knowledge of the influence of factors determining energy consumption in buildings is very important for the possibility of effective energy saving. This article describes the results of an original study on the analysis of the annual energy demand for heating (QH;nd), cooling (QC;nd), and annual usable energy demand (QH/C;nd = QH;nd + QC;nd) assumed as objective functions of a designed single-family building, which can be classified as a typical representative of currently built houses in Poland. It was assumed that the object of study was located in the climatic conditions of north-eastern Poland. The study takes into consideration three groups of selected parameters: architectural/spatial, structural, and physical properties of windows. The research was carried out in a single-family building, as energy consumption in residential buildings accounts for a significant part of the total energy consumption in buildings. In the group of architectural/spatial parameters, the height of rooms in the building (h) and the window area change coefficient (k) were taken into consideration. The design parameters pertained to the solutions of building components: the density of the material of the inner layer of the external walls (ρ1), the density of the material of internal walls (ρ2), and the thickness of internal walls (d). In the third group of parameters, the heat transfer coefficient of the glazing (Ug) and the total solar transmittance of the glazing (g) were considered. Deterministic mathematical models of these dependencies were developed on the basis of the results of a computational experiment, obtained by performing a simulation with the use of the DesignBuilder software, based on the EnergyPlus computational engine. The models allowed the authors to estimate the degree and nature of the influence of the examined factors on the building’s energy demand. As a result of the optimization of parameters according to the energy criterion, the contribution of each of the three groups of parameters to energy saving was determined. Deterministic numerical optimization using MATLAB was applied. It turned out that the factors from the first group played the most important role in energy savings (40.0%), and the factors from the third group contributed slightly less (25.7%). The contribution of the characteristics from the second group was 4.2% of the total value of energy saving. This information can be useful to scientists, as well as engineers and policymakers, in making correct decisions when designing new residential buildings.

Due to low efficacy of classic antimicrobial drugs, finding new active preparations attracts much attention. In this study an innovative, cost-effective and environmentally friendly method was applied to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using filamentous fungi Metarhizium robertsii biomass waste. It was shown that these NPs possess prominent antifungal effects against C. albicans, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis reference strains. Further detailed studies were performed on C. albicans ATCC 90028. AgNPs kill curve (CFU method and esterase-mediated reduction of fluorescein diacetate); fractionally inhibitory concentration index (FICI) with fluconazole (FLC); effect on fungal cell membrane permeability (propidium iodide (PI) staining), membrane lipids profile (HPLC-MS), yeast morphotypes and intracellular reactive oxygen species level (H2DCFDA probe) were investigated. Anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm properties of AgNPs (alone and in combination with FLC) were also tested. Biosafety of AgNPs use was assessed in vitro in cytotoxicity tests against L929 fibroblasts, pulmonary epithelial A549 cell line, and red blood cells. Significant reduction in the viability of yeast cells treated with AgNPs was shown within 6 h. The proportion of C. albicans PI-positive cells increased in a dose and time-dependent manner. Changes in the qualitative and quantitative profile of cell membrane lipids, including significant decline in the quantity of most phospholipid species containing C18:2 and an increase in the amount of phospholipids containing C18:1 acyl species were observed after yeast exposure to AgNPs. CLSM images showed an enhancement in ROS intracellular accumulation in C. albicans treated with biogenic nanosilver. C. albicans transformation from yeast to hyphal forms was also reduced. AgNPs decreased adhesion of yeast to abiotic surfaces, as well as acted synergistically with FLC against sessile population. At fungicidal and fungistatic concentrations, they were non-toxic to mammalian cells. Obtained results confirm suitability of our \"green synthesis\" method to produce AgNPs with therapeutic potential against fungal infections.

Motivation: Knowledge is a collection of reliable information on the reality with the ability to use it. Information on the other hand is a set of communication messages, including beliefs of individuals, their views and ideas, scientific laws and theories as well as art and subjective opinions. Information has always constituted a material and form of experiencing humanity. It is necessary for making decisions.Aim: The purpose of the article is to: (1) define key terms included in the study, (2) present the role of information in a modern company on the example of municipal management entities in correlation with information needs of stakeholders from this sector.Results: Defining the stakeholders of municipal management entities and information policy of these entities as well as indicating key tools of this policy. Presenting the findings of the research on information needs of municipal sector stakeholders in the light of making decisions by society.

Various methods can be used to reduce energy consumption in buildings. One of them is the tightening of energy requirements, which, like other methods, cannot result in a worsening of the indoor environmental quality. The article presents a study on the impact of changes in the thermal insulation of the building envelope on the energy demand, heating costs, and emissions. Mathematical models of the dependence of the index of annual usable energy demand for heating (EUH) of a residential house on the thermal transmittance coefficients (Ui) of selected building elements were developed. Values of Ui were adopted at three levels, corresponding to the maximum required values—as approved in Polish law for the periods from 2014, 2017, and 2021. The analyses were conducted for the location of the building in three of the five climate zones of Poland. It turned out that the differences in the energy demand in various locations in Poland amount to 32.6%. The change in Ui in the analyzed period causes a decrease of EUH by almost 27%. Financial savings and a reduction of emissions strongly depend on the fuel used in the building. Increasing the level of thermal insulation of walls increases the perceptible temperature in rooms by 1.2–1.5%.

Many buildings have considerable thermal bridges at the junction of balcony slabs with walls. To achieve the new EU directive targets related to energy efficiency, greater attention should be paid to such design details. This study analyzes the efficiency of traditional balcony slab modernization methods, the use of modern insulation materials and a new alternative system: an added self-supporting light balcony system (LKBD) in retrofitted large-panel buildings. The main objective was to capture cost-effective renovation methods from both the heat loss reduction perspectives and risk of surface condensation. The analyses, carried out in four buildings, have shown that at current costs, the thermal modernization of balconies is not economically efficient (SPBT > 98.4 years). However, it is necessary because leaving the balcony slabs without insulation or only insulating them from the bottom carries the risk of surface condensation. The most cost-effective renovation method is to insulate the balcony slabs from below and above with the thickest possible XPS layer (SPBT = 98.4 years; 107.4 years). Replacing XPS with modern material increases SPBT by almost 50%, for the LKBD system, SPBT = 269.2–281.5 years. More favorable energy and economic effects related to the reduction of balcony thermal bridges were achieved in the wall with lower insulation.

The aim of the conducted research was to develop a classification of relevant/sustainable information by indicating the links between relevant information and the various functions of forests, and to obtain information on the value of specific sustainable forestry information for users of reporting information. The specific objectives include indicating the weight of information regarding sustainable development contained in the 2030 Forestry Strategy. The research was carried out using the example of the State Forests of Poland in correlation with the actions and initiatives of the European Green Deal, identifying the enduring functions of sustainable forestry, and attempting to relate them to the relevant information disclosed in mandatory reporting. The research problem was formulated as the question: which information disclosed in reporting, including statistical data, is considered by information users to be the most useful? The study was implemented through the development of survey questionnaires aimed at examining the information needs of information users. The study employed the triangulation method, in particular: a literature analysis and critique, a logical analysis and construction, and the snowball sampling method. Triangulation ensures the reliability of the research approach as well as the acquisition of comprehensive and contextual knowledge about the given phenomenon. The results of the empirical research indicated which pieces of information disclosed in the reporting on the activities of the State Forests are particularly useful for internal stakeholders and which do not necessarily provide value and therefore may be omitted in reporting. The study presented in the article constitutes the first empirical study of its kind in Poland, conducted in the context of understanding and defining relevant information from the perspective of sustainable forestry. The study illustrates individual behaviors in the context of the information currently disclosed in correlation with their usefulness.

Mosses are mainly the object of ecological and taxonomic research. This group of plants are still underestimated by scientists in other aspects of research. Recent research has shown that these plants contain remarkable and unique substances with high biological activity. Five species of mosses from a large urban ecosystem were identified for present study. In order to determine their biological potential, multifaceted studies were carried out, including: total phenolics content, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial and antifungal study, cytotoxicity evaluation, and scratch assay to assess pro-regenerative effect in the context of their possible use as the ingredients of biologically active cosmetics. Additionally, determination of individual phenolic compounds in selected extracts of the tested mosses was made. Research showed that Ceratodon purpureus and Dryptodon pulvinatus extracts had the greatest potential as antioxidants and antimicrobial activity. The cytotoxicity assessment indicated that the extracts from Dryptodon pulvinatus and Rhytidiadelphus squarossus exerted the strongest negative effect on mouse fibroblast line L929 viability at higher concentrations. While, the extract from Tortulla murali s best stimulated human foreskin fibroblast line HFF-1 proliferation and wound healing. The research on individual phenolic compounds content in the extracts tested indicated over 20 peaks on UPLC chromatograms. The conducted study has shown that mosses, especially so far unexplored species of open ecosystems, and e.g. epilytic habitats, may be a valuable source of biologically active substances and thus may constitute important medical and cosmetic possibilities.

This paper aims to identify the determinants of the decarbonisation processes in Poland within the scope of energy transformation. The purpose of the study is to identify how the public perceives decarbonisation determinants in order to develop a sustainable energy strategy for Poland. The transition of the energy market to low-carbon technology is a policy challenge. Governments must implement policies that are environmentally friendly, cost-effective, but, most of all, socially acceptable. Social acceptance risk plays a significant role in Poland, influencing the decarbonisation process. In Poland’s case, the coal share is decreasing, but it is still the most important fuel for electricity production. This process of decarbonisation is a fundamental influence on the transformation of the energy sector in Poland. The social perception of solutions that can be applied was examined. The Polish natural environment is poisoned. Poles suffer from diseases related to the burning of coal for energy production. Societal awareness, how people perceive the government’s actions, and what they expect in this regard is crucial.