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The paper aims at exploring further the potential of organic agriculture by increasing the knowledge about consumers’ perceptions of organic products. The United States (Florida) and Poland are interesting examples in which the level of organic market development varies and this allows us to test whether consumer perceptions of organic food products vary with market development. A survey was conducted amongst students at the University of Florida (United States) and at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW (Poland). The results obtained from an online survey were analysed through econometric modelling. The model used for this study was the ordered probability model, which was used to compare the frequency of organic consumption between the United States and Polish students. The findings indicate that students from the two countries have different perceptions of organic products. The less the market is developed (such as in Poland), the more important is basic knowledge about the products. With a higher level of market development (for example in the United States), consumers already have this basic knowledge about the products, such as origin or organic label, and are more focused on their qualities, such as taste or variety. These differences should be taken into account by states when developing policies on organic agriculture and healthy eating generally, and during the formulation of marketing strategies by companies interested in the growth of the organic market.

Background Surgical treatment of odontoid fractures with posterior C1/C2 fusion always leads to severe limitations in mobility of the cervical spine and head. Purpose To assess the mobility of the cervical spine in patients treated with various surgical methods after an axis body fracture. Material and methods A group of 61 subjects receiving surgical treatment in a group of 214 subjects treated for odontoid fractures at one ward of neurosurgery at a regional hospital. Studies also included odontoid peg and Hangman fractures. The range of motion of the head was compared to standards by the International Standard Orthopedic Measurements (ISOM) and to head mobility in a control group of 80 healthy subjects without any pathologies or complaints associated with the cervical spine. Ranges of motion were measured with the CROM goniometre with regard to flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion and right and left rotation. The functional status was evaluated with Neck Disability Index (NDI) standard questionnaires indicated for patients with cervical spine pain. Results Except for flexion and extension, patients after odontoid fractures had a statistically significantly smaller range of motion of the cervical spine in all planes compared to the control group and ISOM standards. Conclusions Odontoid fractures lead to limitations in mobility of the cervical spine even after treatment with methods that in theory should preserve the C1/C2 mobility.

The author discusses the principles and role of frameless image-guided surgery in operative treatment of brain and spine. Short overview of the method is presented in a way comprehensible for medical professionals from outside neurosurgical and orthopaedic fields. The author presents the importance of image-guided technologies in development of minimally invasive and less destructive surgery of brain and spine.

The paper is an attempts to assess the state of development of the knowledge based bio- economy in Ukraine. It also aims to evaluate how the current development complies in line with the concept of innovation diffusion model based on quadruple helix, and through, identify the most important factors strengthening and limiting this development. It was found that Ukraine has significant potential of production factors, in particular biomass, which so far is in limited scale used for the needs of a knowledge-based bioeconomy that is in infancy. The main reason is the low level of diffusion of innovation, mainly in the field of biotechnology. The current development in a low degree is based on the concept of quadruple helix, which on other hands also represents a high potential of growth for the coming years. Adequately oriented economic policies would greatly affect the development of a knowledge-based bioeconomy in Ukraine. / Synopsis. W artykule podjęto próbę oceny stanu rozwoju sektora biogospodarki opartej na wiedzy na Ukrainie. Jednocześnie dokonano oceny na ile obecny rozwój wpisuje się w koncepcję systemu dyfu- zji innowacji opartą na modelu poczwórnej helisy, oraz wskazano na najważniejsze czynniki sprzyjające i ograniczające ów rozwój. Stwierdzono, iż Ukraina posiada znaczący potencjał czynników wytwórczych dla produkcji biomasy, który dotychczas wykorzystywany jest na potrzeby biogospodarki opartej na wiedzy w znikomym stopniu, czego główną przyczyną jest niski stopień dyfuzji innowacji, głównie w zakresie biotechnologii. Obecny rozwój w niskim stopniu oparty jest na koncepcji poczwórnej helisy, co jednocześnie stanowi o dużym potencjale wzrostu na najbliższe lata. Właściwie ukierunkowana polityka gospodarcza może w znacznym stopniu wpłynąć na rozwój biogospodarki opartej na wiedzy na Ukrainie.

Introduction/Background The aim of the article is to evaluate kinetic efficiency of a cervical spine taking into consideration the range of active motion as well as to assess the relation of movability range of the cervical spine since the day of wearing the Philadelphia collar, as well as the level of the strength of pain, and age. Material and method Forty-one individuals surgically or conservatively treated at the Neurosurgery Ward and subjected to a post-hospital observation at the Neurosurgery Outpatient Clinic of Provincial Hospital in Tarnow participated in the study. The control group consisted of 41 individuals without a clinically diagnosed cervical spine disease. The study of the range of motion of the spine in the cervical section was performed by means of Multi Cervical Unit (MCU) appliance. The strength of the pain was evaluated by means of VAS - the Visual Analogue Pain Scale. Results The individuals after the odontoid vertebra fracture are characterised by a limited motion range in case of all types of motion, except for bending and extension. In the study extremely significant differences of the range of motion of the study group in comparison with the control group were discovered. In case of the time of wearing the orthopedic collar, statistically significant negative correlations related to entire motion apart from side bending. The strongest correlation was obtained for rotation (r = −0.36). Conclusion The patients after the odontoid vertebra fractures have statistically significant limitations of the range of active motion of the cervical spine. Age, strength of the spine ache as well as the time of wearing the Philadelphia collar are negatively correlated in a significant manner with the movability range of the cervical section of the spine of individuals after the odontoid vertebra fracture.

Spine surgery is a continuously evolving field. Traditional posterior midline approaches to the lumbar spine are associated with muscle injury. Common mechanisms of injury include ischemia, denervation, and mechanical disruption of tendinous attachments of lumbar muscles. Muscle injury may be documented with chemical markers (creatinine kinase, aldolase, proinflammatory cytokines), by imaging studies, or with muscle biopsy. Minimally disruptive surgical approaches to the spine have the potential to minimize the trauma to muscular structures and thus improve the outcomes of surgery. The impact of minimally invasive spinal surgery on long-term clinical outcomes remains unknown. State-of-the-art pathophysiology of minimally invasive spine surgery is presented in this review.

The concept of bioeconomy focuses on clustering different socio-economic processes of both traditional and innovative sectors of economy that focus on the use of renewable resources, and by applying knowledge and innovative technologies, and delivering products and services that are important from private and public points of view. Such an approach requires utilization of resources that differ from classical economic classification of production factors. The paper argues that instead of land, labor, capital and entrepreneurship, from the bioeconomy point of view it is more important to look at: renewable resources such as biomass sources, investments in research and development activities and people engaged in such activities as well as innovations, which could be considered as production determinants. Based on the latest Eurostat data for the year 2011, the paper presents the state of these determinants in the European Union’s main bioeconomy sectors.

The coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based agricultural supply chains is an economic institution that defines rules of the games, the objectives of which are set more broadly than economic rationality and efficiency. Institution of coexistence covers the formal rules as well as informal constraints devoted principally to identity preservation and segregation, and the ways how they are imposed and enforced in the GM and non-GM based supply chains from agri-food sector. They applies to the dynamic process of formulation, selection and adaptation of behaviors and rules, which form the institutional orders in local, regional and international dimensions, under the circumstances of constant changes in the socio-economic systems. The paper is an attempt to describe the coexistence as an economic institution in the light of New Institutional Economics. Using the results of foresight technique it also examine how the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership under negotiation between the European Union and the United States could re-define both legal regulations and market-based standards of coexistence. In the Delphi method panels participated stakeholders from both GM and non-GM based agri-food supply chains, who forecasted that the institution of coexistence will be re-defined by the rules that TTIP would set up.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the deadliest cancers which lie in the incidence of morbidity in second place. Intensive research is to determine and confirm the genetic basis of this disease, which is believed may have a direct relationship with the reduced efficiency of DNA repair systems.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of APEX gene polymorphism Ile64Val on increasing the risk of colorectal cancer in the Polish population.Material and methods. The blood samples collected from 150 patients diagnosed with colon cancer was used. The control group consisted of 150 healthy subjects. Genotyping was performed by TaqMan method.Results. The results indicate that genotype Ile Val is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer (OR 2.069; 95% CI 1,205-3,552; p = 0.008).Conclusions. Based on these results, we conclude that the APEX gene polymorphism Ile64Val may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

The paper aims to present the importance that institutional arrangements play in the economic systems beyond the scope of one country. The authors attempts also to evaluate impact that the institutional arrangement of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy plays for the development of agriculture and rural areas in Poland. The paper argues that institutional arrangement of mechanisms and instruments of CAP, especially of single market and financial solidarity, leads participants of this system to obtain additional value not only in form of financial benefits, but also in form of economic profits resulted from uncertainty avoidance of free market.

The paper aimed to analyse the process maturity of short food supply chains. Process orientation has been recognized as a basic concept of the chains functioning. Based on developed Model of Process Maturity of Short Food Supply Chains, which was used to analyse 35 short food supply chains, it was found that the shorter the chain is and the less people are involved in it, the higher maturity of processes could be observed that is govern by the institution of trust. The researchers identified also the shortage gap and overgrowth gap in the process maturity, which influence the sustainable extension of the short food supply chains.

The paper aims at exploring further the potential of organic agriculture by increasing the knowledge about consumers’ perceptions of organic products. The United States (Florida) and Poland are interesting examples in which the level of organic market development varies and this allows us to test whether consumer perceptions of organic food products vary with market development. A survey was conducted amongst students at the University of Florida (United States) and at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW (Poland). The results obtained from an online survey were analysed through econometric modelling. The model used for this study was the ordered probability model, which was used to compare the frequency of organic consumption between the United States and Polish students. The findings indicate that students from the two countries have different perceptions of organic products. The less the market is developed (such as in Poland), the more important is basic knowledge about the products. With a higher level of market development (for example in the United States), consumers already have this basic knowledge about the products, such as origin or organic label, and are more focused on their qualities, such as taste or variety. These differences should be taken into account by states when developing policies on organic agriculture and healthy eating generally, and during the formulation of marketing strategies by companies interested in the growth of the organic market., http://dx.doi.org/10.7896/j.1302

International audience; The intention of this document is to identify and quantify the costs and benefits of traceability and co-existence systems for GM food and feed from the seed level to the final product at the retail stage. Our analysis includes several countries and supply chains that respect the 0.9% threshold for labelling of GM food. The production and processing stages of eligible crops like wheat, sugar, rapeseed, soy, and maize, along with complex final food and feed products like frozen pizza, chocolate, and compound feed are analyzed with respect to cost structures arising from the organization of co-existence and segregation measures between GM and non-GM supply chains. The multi-country analysis of several supply chains with partly differing final products allows a comparison of the economic and technical impacts of co-existence on the different stakeholders along the supply chains.

Chapitre 10; In this chapter, we analyse the organization of different supply chains and identify sensitive points and processes with respect to GMO and non-GMO admixture. We also study traceability measures. The analysis looks at seven commodity supply chains in countries both inside and outside the EU: soybean, maize, sugar beet, rapeseed, wheat, fresh tomato, and potatoes. The empirical analysis of coexistence was derived from supply chain analysis and stakeholder interviews. We briefly outline the methodology and clearly define segregation, identity preservation, and traceability. Strategies to cope with supply chain coexistence can be adapted from existing traceability and segregation systems in other domains. Therefore, we describe and compare several relevant case studies: Flint maize in Argentina, non-GM maize for starch production in France, and soybean production and use in chicken feed in Argentina and Brazil. We discuss different tools and prerequisites, strengths, and weaknesses of the alternate strategies that can be used to cope with coexistence. Furthermore, we highlight the differences between strategies adopted by the food and feed supply chains.

The cooperation between university, business, and public sectors in development and implementation of biotechnological applications in agriculture and food industry is becoming very important worldwide. Such applications that focus on innovations are of the key factors determining the growth of agriculture-based bio-economy. The paper deals with application of triple helix model as a tool that enables implementation of biotechnology based projects, as well as their management thanks to network relations - a mechanism for cooperation, sharing knowledge and information. The triple helix model is used for the analysis of development and implementation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in agriculture and food industry under two different strategies represented by the EU and the USA. It shows different compromises reached among the government, industry, scientific, and public sectors with regard to GMO application in order to ensure the development of agriculture-based bio-economy.

The perfect segregation of the different agricultural production types, namely conventional, organic or based on genetically modified organisms is not possible in practice. But the side by side functioning of this systems in agricultural production and further on of the products on the shelves requires suitable measures during cultivation, harvest, transport, storage, and processing to ensure co-existence. Consumers, food and feed industry, as well as wholesalers and retailers in European Union, including Polish ones demand a reasonable degree of choice between GMO and non-GMO derived products. Accordingly the ability to maintain different agricultural production and processing systems is a pre-requisite for providing a high degree of consumer choice. As the organic production grows in Poland and on other hand there is observed increase of the GMO importance in food and feed chains the rivalry between organic and GMO sector rises and the competition between products coming from this sectors is increasing on the market too. What are then, the advantages of organic sector that qualifies them over GMO competitors and might constitute as a basis for the competitive strategy? This is the perception of organic products by the consumers, which is much favorable comparing to GMO. Then the developing organic sector increases the availability of organic products and forces the competition to provide products meeting consumers requirements. Finally low capital requirements, subsidies and opportunities for market increase gives organic sector in Poland an unique advantage to expand not only domestically but also abroad. A key factor in the competitive strategy of the organic sector should be therefore the broad information about the advantages of organic nutrition. The advertising and sale forces, which are elements of the communication with the consumers, would be appreciable contributors to organic sector’s development, and accordingly threat to GMO products. In this context the co-existance brings the biggest results to the economic and market issues, placing the consumer attitude as a key factor for development of the market competitive advantages, especially for organic sector in Poland.

The paper takes one significant element of the agriculture production – use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) – and considers it in relation to the production pattern in Polish farms. It asks if under the ceteris paribus conditions the use of GMO plants in Polish farms will have influence on the cropping structure. To answer this question only a scientific and theoretical assumption has been applied that GMO cultivation is permitted without restrictions in Poland. The approach combines both the very short experience of the new biotech based system of agricultural production and a modeling, which builds up and aggregates the impacts of individual farm responses under assumed situations.

The authors present the diagnostic methods and basic surgical procedures used in treatment of spinal neoplasms. Both metastatic and primary spinal tumours lead to instability and loss of the protective function. Spinal cord can be damaged by compression or increased mobility of the vertebral column. Pain is reported as common symptom. Investigations include: plain X-ray films, myelography, radioisotope bone scan, CT, MRI and needle biopsy. The goal of surgery is to improve the quality of life with preservation of neurological function, reduction of pain and assured spinal stability. Indications for surgery are related with patient's general condition, grade of neoplasmatic disease, neurological symptoms and spinal involvement. Curative surgery include total removal of the tumour with affected vertebral body, followed by spinal stabilization. Palliative surgery as partial tumour removal, partial removal of the vertebral body or laminectomy are performed for spinal decompression. In the majority of cases surgery is combined with radiotheraphy, chemiotheraphy and treatment of pain.br /Main goal of surgery in the treatment of spinal metastatic lesions are: tumor removal (cytoreduction), protection of the spinal cord and spinal stabilization. The choice of surgical treatment depends on spinal involvement and neurological status.

Objective The authors present a new method of minimally invasive surgical management of lumbar burst fractures through the posterior approach. The method includes minimally invasive corpectomy and interbody fusion, both of which are performed through a keyhole approach, and percutaneous pedicle screw fixation of the fracture. The technique of the posterior keyhole corpectomy presented in this report is a novel and original concept of the first author (AM). The percutaneous pedicle screw stabilization is performed with the use of a percutaneous instrumentation system (Sextant; Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN). The Sextant system has been dedicated and used in nontrauma degenerative cases; the novel aspect of this system is its application in spine fractures. Indications for the method include Denis classification subtype B or Magerl subtype A.3.1 burst fractures. Both subtypes represent fractures with failure and retropulsion of the upper part of the vertebral body. Methods The clinical experience of this study includes four cases of burst fractures with significant retropulsion and occlusion of the spinal canal. Long-term results were assessed at a minimum follow-up period of 1 year (maximum, 3.5 yr). The follow-up assessments included: 1) the quality of decompression and reconstruction of the spinal canal (computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scanning); 2) the stability of the operated segment (dynamic x-rays); 3) the quality of interbody fusion (computed tomographic scanning and dynamic x-rays); and 4) correction of the fracture kyphosis and its postoperative loss (measurements of Cobb angles for the assessment of sagittal plane deformity). The minimum armamentarium requirements for this method include a typical micro lumbar discectomy retractor set; a surgical microscope; two-plane intraoperative fluoroscopy; and a system for percutaneous pedicle screw stabilization (Sextant). "Posterior keyhole corpectomy" indicates corpectomy of the posterior upper half of the vertebral body or removal of the retropulsed bone fragment via two keyhole skin incisions on both sides of the spinous process (each skin incision measures 2 to 3 cm long). Exposure of the retropulsed fragment (the posterior upper part of the vertebral body) is achieved by medial or complete facetectomy along with complete or medial resection of the pedicle. This has to be performed bilaterally. Percutaneous stabilization requires four additional stab skin incisions. Results We observed no surgery-related complications (neurological, hardware, dural tears, or deep or superficial wound infections); there was perfect decompression and clearance of the spinal canal (confirmed by computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scanning); and there was solid stability at the affected segments (confirmed by dynamic x-rays). Healed fusion was noted in all patients but one. The latter patient had no clinical symptoms of spinal instability. Kyphotic deformity was corrected and reversed into lordosis in three patients. Loss of deformity correction was noted in all patients; however, all patients retained lordotic alignment of the affected segment. Conclusion The advantages of this method include sparing the posterior elements (lamina, spinous process, supraspinous and interspinous ligaments, and paravertebral muscles), safety of the decompression provided by the use of a surgical microscope, and perfect illumination of the operating field. The drawbacks of the method include limitation to certain types of burst fractures, the method is surgically demanding, and the method requires development of a special retractor system to eliminate the cumbersome alternate insertion and the reinsertions of the typical microdiscectomy retractor set.

This volume of proceedings, available both as hard copy and pdf, is an edited compilation of selected contributions to the IAMO Forum 2007, which will be held in Halle (Saale), Germany, at the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe from 27 to 29 June 2007. We would like to thank all those persons and organisations who contributed to the realisation of the IAMO Forum 2007 and the volume in hand. First of all, we thank all lecturers, whose commitment and papers made both the conference and the publication possible. Furthermore, we appreciate the financial support provided by the Federal Ministry of, Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection and the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt. The conference would not be successful without the active engagement of such a large number of colleagues from IAMO, that we cannot mention them here. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to all of them. For improving the book languagewise and supporting us in its technical production our thanks go to JAMES CURTISS and SILKE SCHARF.

The perfect segregation of the different agricultural production types, namely conventional, organic or based on genetically modified organisms is not possible in practice. But the side by side functioning of this systems in agricultural production and further on of the products on the shelves requires suitable measures during cultivation, harvest, transport, storage, and processing to ensure co-existence. Consumers, food and feed industry, as well as wholesalers and retailers in European Union, including Polish ones demand a reasonable degree of choice between GMO and non-GMO derived products. Accordingly the ability to maintain different agricultural production and processing systems is a pre-requisite for providing a high degree of consumer choice. As the organic production grows in Poland and on other hand there is observed increase of the GMO importance in food and feed chains the rivalry between organic and GMO sector rises and the competition between products coming from this sectors is increasing on the market too. What are then, the advantages of organic sector that qualifies them over GMO competitors and might constitute as a basis for the competitive strategy? This is the perception of organic products by the consumers, which is much favorable comparing to GMO. Then the developing organic sector increases the availability of organic products and forces the competition to provide products meeting consumers requirements. Finally low capital requirements, subsidies and opportunities for market increase gives organic sector in Poland an unique advantage to expand not only domestically but also abroad. A key factor in the competitive strategy of the organic sector should be therefore the broad information about the advantages of organic nutrition. The advertising and sale forces, which are elements of the communication with the consumers, would be appreciable contributors to organic sector’s development, and accordingly threat to GMO products. In this context the co-existance brings the biggest results to the economic and market issues, placing the consumer attitude as a key factor for development of the market competitive advantages, especially for organic sector in Poland.