Governance models and the socio-ecological role of community gardens in post-socialist Krakow

Community gardens are increasingly recognized as critical nodes for socio-ecological learning and innovation, particularly in post-socialist cities navigating historical legacies and contemporary urban challenges. This study investigates how governance models -bottom-up, top-down, and hybrid - influence the inclusivity, ecological adaptability, and long-term sustainability of community gardens in Krakow, Poland. Drawing on qualitative research conducted across three distinct sites - a grassroots initiative (Salwator), a municipally-led project (Pychogród), and a hybrid model (Jagiellonian University Campus) - this paper explores the interplay between governance arrangements and socio-ecological outcomes. Ethnographic observations, semi-structured interviews, co-design workshops, and action research were employed to capture governance dynamics and the evolving role of gardens as transformative infrastructures. Findings reveal that grassroots initiatives foster strong community ownership and flexible ecological practices, yet face challenges related to resource instability and volunteer fatigue. Conversely, top-down models provide structural security and institutional support but risk alienating participants by limiting local agency. Hybrid approaches, exemplified by the Jagiellonian University Campus garden, blend institutional legitimacy with participatory processes, fostering inclusive decision-making and ecological experimentation, although they grapple with sustaining engagement amidst transient populations. The results underscore the necessity of adaptive governance frameworks that balance institutional support with community agency, particularly in post-socialist urban contexts characterized by fragmented social trust and uneven civic engagement. By conceptualizing community gardens as socio-ecological infrastructures, this study contributes to understanding how urban food systems can integrate sustainability goals with local cultural and environmental specificities. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and practitioners aiming to harness the transformative potential of community gardens to address broader sustainability challenges

An archaeal family-B DNA polymerase variant able to replicate past DNA damage: occurrence of replicative and translesion synthesis polymerases within the B family

A mutant of the high fidelity family-B DNA polymerase from the archaeon Thermococcus gorgonarius (Tgo-Pol), able to replicate past DNA lesions, is described. Gain of function requires replacement of the three amino acid loop region in the fingers domain of Tgo-Pol with a longer version, found naturally in eukaryotic Pol zeta (a family-B translesion synthesis polymerase). Inactivation of the 3'–5' proofreading exonuclease activity is also necessary. The resulting Tgo-Pol Z1 variant is proficient at initiating replication from base mismatches and can read through damaged bases, such as abasic sites and thymine photo-dimers. Tgo-Pol Z1 is also proficient at extending from primers that terminate opposite aberrant bases. The fidelity of Tgo-Pol Z1 is reduced, with amarked tendency tomake changes at G:C base pairs. Together, these results suggest that the loop region of the fingers domain may play a critical role in determining whether a family-B enzyme falls into the accurate genome-replicating category or is an errorprone translesion synthesis polymerase. Tgo-Pol Z1 may also be useful for amplification of damaged DNA

(Re)greening transition of academic green spaces as a response to social and environmental challenges : the role of bottom-up initiatives

While university campuses provide a substantial and diverse array of green areas, their development usually contributes to the adverse effects of urbanisation on ecosystems. However, academic green spaces may contribute to socio-ecological transitions, and higher education institutions can use their educational and scientific potential to implement sustainable development strategies. Our study explores the (re)greening transition of a university campus in Central Europe. Specifically, we aim to identify the role of grassroots university activism in this process, the driving forces behind it, and the challenges encountered. We understand the (re)greening transition as a multifaceted shift that includes changes in landscaping practices, the implementation of nature-based solutions, and the reduction of impermeable surfaces wherever possible. We identified three stages of the transition: green opposition, green acupuncture with collaborative projects, and patchworked palimpsest with the institutionalisation of bottom-up initiatives. These stages constitute a response to an earlier period of top-down ‘terraformation’ that destroyed semi-natural habitats and implemented traditional landscaping. While the (re)greening transition cannot fully restore pre-construction habitats, the academic green spaces on campus now serve a wider range of functions, including aesthetic, social, regenerative, ecological, educational and scientific roles, thereby enhancing the cultural, regulating and provisioning ecosystem services provided by these spaces

Cellular Radiosensitivity: How much better do we understand it?

Purpose: Ionizing radiation exposure gives rise to a variety of lesions in DNA that result in genetic instability and potentially tumorigenesis or cell death. Radiation extends its effects on DNA by direct interaction or by radiolysis of H2O that generates free radicals or aqueous electrons capable of interacting with and causing indirect damage to DNA. While the various lesions arising in DNA after radiation exposure can contribute to the mutagenising effects of this agent, the potentially most damaging lesion is the DNA double strand break (DSB) that contributes to genome instability and/or cell death. Thus in many cases failure to recognise and/or repair this lesion determines the radiosensitivity status of the cell. DNA repair mechanisms including homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) have evolved to protect cells against DNA DSB. Mutations in proteins that constitute these repair pathways are characterised by radiosensitivity and genome instability. Defects in a number of these proteins also give rise to genetic disorders that feature not only genetic instability but also immunodeficiency, cancer predisposition, neurodegeneration and other pathologies. Conclusions: In the past fifty years our understanding of the cellular response to radiation damage has advanced enormously with insight being gained from a wide range of approaches extending from more basic early studies to the sophisticated approaches used today. In this review we discuss our current understanding of the impact of radiation on the cell and the organism gained from the array of past and present studies and attempt to provide an explanation for what it is that determines the response to radiation

Binding of the human nucleotide excision repair proteins XPA and XPC/HR23B to the 5R-thymine glycol lesion and structure of the cis-(5R,6S) thymine glycol epimer in the 5′-GTgG-3′ sequence: destabilization of two base pairs at the lesion site

The 5R thymine glycol (5R-Tg) DNA lesion exists as a mixture of cis-(5R,6S) and trans-(5R,6R) epimers; these modulate base excision repair. We examine the 7:3 cis-(5R,6S):trans-(5R,6R) mixture of epimers paired opposite adenine in the 5′-GTgG-3′ sequence with regard to nucleotide excision repair. Human XPA recognizes the lesion comparably to the C8-dG acetylaminoflourene (AAF) adduct, whereas XPC/HR23B recognition of Tg is superior. 5R-Tg is processed by the Escherichia coli UvrA and UvrABC proteins less efficiently than the C8-dG AAF adduct. For the cis-(5R, 6S) epimer Tg and A are inserted into the helix, remaining in the Watson–Crick alignment. The Tg N3H imine and A N6 amine protons undergo increased solvent exchange. Stacking between Tg and the 3′-neighbor G•C base pair is disrupted. The solvent accessible surface and T2 relaxation of Tg increases. Molecular dynamics calculations predict that the axial conformation of the Tg CH3 group is favored; propeller twisting of the Tg•A pair and hydrogen bonding between Tg OH6 and the N7 atom of the 3′-neighbor guanine alleviate steric clash with the 5′-neighbor base pair. Tg also destabilizes the 5′-neighbor G•C base pair. This may facilitate flipping both base pairs from the helix, enabling XPC/HR23B recognition prior to recruitment of XPA

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

Background: We previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15–20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in ~ 80% of cases. Methods: We report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded. Results: No gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5–528.7, P = 1.1 × 10−4) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR = 3.70[95%CI 1.3–8.2], P = 2.1 × 10−4). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR = 19.65[95%CI 2.1–2635.4], P = 3.4 × 10−3), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR = 4.40[9%CI 2.3–8.4], P = 7.7 × 10−8). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD] = 43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P = 1.68 × 10−5). Conclusions: Rare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old

E-participation in mapping and typology development : community gardens in Krakow and Brussels

This study compares community gardens in Brussels and Krakow through a mixed-method, participatory approach combining digital mapping, surveys, and qualitative interviews. It develops a typology based on emergence drivers, governance models, spatial patterns, and socio-ecological functions. Findings reveal context-specific governance: Brussels is dominated by bottom-up initiatives facing sustainability challenges, while Krakow features more hybrid municipal–community models. Spatially, gardens cluster in dense, lower-income areas in Brussels and in high-density, mixed-housing districts in Krakow. Participatory mapping proved crucial in reconciling official data with on-ground realities. The typology offers a practical tool for planners to design context-sensitive strategies integrating gardens into resilient urban systems