Paper discusses integrated assessment methodology of air pollution and greenhouse gases mitigation. RAINS/CiAINS model developed at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is described. Its use in policy-relevant analysis is discussed with particular locus on studies for the development of policies of the European Union and under the lJN/ECF: Convention on Long-Range Transhoundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). Importance of interactions and synergies het ween air pollution and greenhouse gases policies is stressed. Integrated assessment has proven to be an important tool for preparation of air pollution control legislation in Eurore. Although most prominent applications of integrated assessment referred to international policies, recently these methods have been applied in several national studies lor in-depth analyses at subnational regional level. It is advisable to further disseminate applications of the methodology and software tools lor regional assessment.

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Plants under attack of herbivores can emit increased amounts of volatile compounds from their leaves. Similarly, mechanically-injured plants can emit volatile chemicals that differ both quantitatively and qualitatively from undamaged plants. In this experiment, mechanical injury increased the release of the secondary metabolites linalool (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol) and linalool oxide (5-ethenyltetrahydro-2-furanmethanol) by wheat plants. The amounts released varied significantly with injury type and the period of time after injury. The time interval for the volatile collection within the photophase also influenced the amount collected for each day. The increased emission of these compounds, as a result of injury, may be explained as a defense mechanism against wounding. The role of these plant volatiles can be further investigated in the context of plant response to mechanical injury, within the broader context of all types of injury.

The fixation of CO2 in the form of inorganic carbonates, also known as mineral carbonation, is an interesting option for the removal of carbon dioxide from various gas streams. The captured CO2 is reacted with metal-oxide bearing materials, usually naturally occurring minerals. The alkaline industrial waste, such as fly ash can also be considered as a source of calcium or magnesium. In the present study the solubility of fly ash from conventional pulverised hard coal fired boilers, with and without desulphurisation products, and fly ash from lignite fluidised bed combustion, generated by Polish power stations was analysed. The principal objective was to assess the potential of fly ash used as a reactant in the process of mineral carbonation. Experiments were done in a 1 dm3 reactor equipped with a heating jacket and a stirrer. The rate of dissolution in water and in acid solutions was measured at various temperatures (20 - 80ºC), waste-to-solvent ratios (1:100 - 1:4) and stirrer speeds (300 - 1100 min-1). Results clearly show that fluidised lignite fly ash has the highest potential for carbonation due to its high content of free CaO and fast kinetics of dissolution, and can be employed in mineral carbonation of CO2.

Contemporary Arabic literature is slowly approaching a local production of the “fantasy” genre through attempts that can be considered an important starting point for this new genre still being defined in the Arab world. During the last decades the influence exerted by Western countries on the production of this literary genre, that reaches the Arab world around the twentieth century, has been evident mainly through the translations of Western fantasy novels. Among the various genres of fantasy novels which still enjoy international fame and have been translated into Arabic we find: The Lord of the Rings (1954–55) by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien; A Song of Ice and Fire (1996–2005) by Raymond Richard Martin and Harry Potter (1997–2007) by Joanne Kathleen Rowling. The delay in the introduction of the fantasy genre in the Arab countries has begun to be overcome in recent years, in fact many Arab authors have tried to write new fantasy novels. The fantastic tradition of Arab Islamic civilization is also an important part of drawing on the creation of original fantasy works. The study shows a general propensity of the contemporary Arab world to create a local fantasy, in which the Arab authors try to put the accent on the characteristic elements of Middle Eastern culture, though also drawing on the Western fantasy tradition.