The geotouristic potential of closed quarries in the Czarnorzecko-Strzyżowski Landscape Park

Powstanie i rozwój geoturystyki jest wynikiem ogromnego zainteresowania turystycznego obiektami geologicznymi. Należą do nich również obiekty dziedzictwa górniczego, które do niedawna pozostawały niedocenionym elementem środowiska. W pracy podjęto próbę oceny potencjału geoturystycznego pięciu nieczynnych kamieniołomów Czarnorzecko-Strzyżowskiego Parku Krajobrazowego na Podkarpaciu. Przy charakterystyce obiektów skupiono się na ich walorach przyrodniczych, geologicznych i krajobrazowych oraz na stopniu zagospodarowania turystycznego. Przedstawiono również możliwości wykorzystania badanych stanowisk oraz propozycje ich udostępnienia dla celów geoturystyki. Stwierdzono, że nieczynne kamieniołomy Czarnorzecko-Strzyżowskiego Parku Krajobrazowego prezentują wysokie walory przyrodnicze, geologiczne i krajobrazowe. Potencjał geoturystyczny tych obiektów oceniono na średni (Odrzykoń, Kobyle, Herby) lub wysoki (Wojkówka, Góra Chełm), co w pełni uzasadnia ich wykorzystanie w rozwoju geoturystyki na tym terenie.Creation and development of the geoturism is the result of the increasing interest of geological tourist objects. These interest include mining heritage objects, which until recently remained an underrated part of the environment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the geoturism potential of five closed quarries in the Czarnorzecko-Strzyżowski Landscape Park. The characteristic of this objects is focused on their natural, geological and landscape values, and on the degree of tourist infrastructure. The paper also presents the possibility of making geosites more available for the geoturism puropses. It was found that closed quarries in the Czarnorzecko-Strzyżowski Landscape Park have presented high natural, geological and landscape values. The geotouristic potential of querries in Odrzykoń, Kobyle, Herby estimated as average but in Wojkówka, Góra Chełm highly rated it proves its use in the development of geotourism in the area

Specific heat and magnetocaloric effect in Ho-Er-Co solid solutions

Specific heat measurements have been performed on polycrystalline HoCo2, ErCo2 and their solid solutions Ho1−x Er x Co2 (0.1≤x≤0.5). These compounds were synthesized using high-purity rare-earth metals and cobalt. X-ray diffraction patterns taken at room temperature reveal that all compounds have the C15 cubic Laves phase structure. Heat capacity measurements have been performed in the temperature range of 2–300 K without magnetic field and in a magnetic field of 1 and 2 T. The magnetocaloric effect has been estimated in terms of isothermal magnetic entropy change for all solid solutions in magnetic fields up to 2 T. The effect of increasing Er amount in Ho1−x Er x Co2 on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties will be discussed

Specific Heat of the Tb1−xLaxNi2Tb_{1-x}La_xNi_2 Solid Solutions

Specific heat measurements have been performed on the polycrystalline $TbNi_2, LaNi_2$ and their solid solutions $Tb_{1-x}La_xNi_2$ (x=0.2, 0.3). The Debye temperatures, phonon and conduction electron contributions as well as the magnetic part of the heat capacity were determined and discussed. The magnetocaloric effect was estimated from measurements performed in a magnetic field of 0.42 T for $TbNi_2,$ $Tb_{0.8}La_{0.2}Ni_2$ and $Tb_{0.7}La_{0.3}Ni_2$

Anthropogenic changes in selected elements of the natural environment in the Lisia Gora forest nature reserve in Rzeszow

The paper presents an analysis of selected environment elements, which were subjected to anthropopressure in the Lisia Góra forest nature reserve, located within the city of Rzeszów (SE Poland). The main aim of the study was to indicate the intensity and forms of anthropopressure within the relief, soil and vascular flora. Changes in the relief were shown for the period 2010−2019 using the analysis of geomorphological processes and the mapping of anthropogenic terrain forms. Additionally, the litter in the reserve was examined. Soil studies were performed with standard methods in 2016, and the degree of anthropopressure was shown particularly through the parameters of soil compaction and acidification. Changes occurring within the vascular flora were determined by means of anthropogenic indicators of flora changes in the time horizons 2002 and 2016. The results of the studies indicate degradation processes of the studied environment elements in the reserve

Magnetic Properties and Specific Heat of Laves Phase Tb1−xScxNi2Tb_{1-x}Sc_{x}Ni_2 (x = 0.1, 0.2) Solid Solutions

Magnetic and specific heat measurements have been performed on polycrystalline $TbNi_2,$ $ScNi_2$ and their solid solutions $Tb_{1-x}Sc_{x}Ni_2$ (x = 0.1, 0.2). These compounds were synthesized using high-purity rare-earth metals. It has been found that the magnetic susceptibility of the nonmagnetic ScNi_2 compound exhibits a very weak temperature dependence characteristic of the Pauli paramagnets. $TbNi_2,$ $Tb_{0.9}Sc_{0.1}Ni_2$ and $Tb_{0.8}Sc_{0.2}Ni_2$ are typical Curie-Weiss paramagnets and are ferromagnetically ordered below 36 K. As revealed by room-temperature X-ray powder diffraction all the $Tb_{1-x}Sc_{x}Ni_2$ solid solutions have the cubic Laves C15-type superstructure. The Debye temperature, phonon and conduction electron contributions as well as the magnetic part of heat capacity were determined. The magnetocaloric effect has been studied by means of specific heat measurements in magnetic fields of 0.42 and 1 T. The effect of rare-earth substitution in $ScNi_2$ on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties will be discussed

Chronic exposure of gingival fibroblasts to TLR2 or TLR4 agonist inhibits osteoclastogenesis but does not affect osteogenesis

Chronic exposure to periodontopathogenic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and the products of these bacteria that interact with the cells of the tooth surrounding tissues can ultimately result in periodontitis. This is a disease that is characterized by inflammation-related alveolar bone degradation by the bone-resorbing cells, the osteoclasts. Interactions of bacterial products with Toll-like receptors (TLRs), in particular TLR2 and TLR4, play a significant role in this chronic inflammatory reaction, which possibly affects osteoclastic activity and osteogenic capacity. Little is known about how chronic exposure to specific TLR activators affects these two antagonistic activities. Here, we studied the effect of TLR activation on gingival fibroblasts (GF), cells that are anatomically close to infiltrating bacterial products in the mouth. These were co-cultured with naive osteoclast precursor cells (i.e., monocytes), as part of the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Activation of GF co-cultures (GF + PBMCs) with TLR2 or TLR4 agonists resulted in a weak reduction of the osteoclastogenic potential of these cultures, predominantly due to TLR2. Interestingly, chronic exposure, especially to TLR2 agonist, resulted in increased release of TNF-α at early time points. This effect, was reversed at later time points, thus suggesting an adaptation to chronic exposure. Monocyte cultures primed with M-CSF + RANKL, led to the formation of bone-resorbing osteoclasts, irrespective of being activated with TLR agonists. Late activation of these co-cultures with TLR2 and with TLR4 agonists led to a slight decrease in bone resorption. Activation of GF with TLR2 and TLR4 agonists did not affect the osteogenic capacity of the GF cells. In conclusion, chronic exposure leads to diverse reactions; inhibitory with naive osteoclast precursors, not effecting already formed (pre-)osteoclasts. We suggest that early encounter of naive monocytes with TLR agonists may result in differentiation toward the macrophage lineage, desirable for clearing bacterial products. Once (pre-)osteoclasts are formed, these cells may be relatively insensitive for direct TLR stimulation. Possibly, TLR activation of periodontal cells indirectly stimulates osteoclasts, by secreting osteoclastogenesis stimulating inflammatory cytokines