Ecological and morphological characteristics of Steinernema kraussei (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae): comparison of nematodes isolated from the natural environments and originated from the commercial pesticide

Biological activity and morphometric characteristics of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema kraussei, isolated from the Świętokrzyski National Park were studied. The results have shown that S. kraussei has slower, but more efficient invasiveness than nematodes originated from the bio-pesticide. Morphometric comparative analysis did not show any significant differences between nematodes isolated from natural environment and those from control sample. It was also shown that the reproduction rate of isolates collected from the soil was 45% higher than the reproduction rate of nematodes originated from the commercial pesticide

Effectiveness of selected strains of entomopathogenic nematodes in peat substrate in container breeding

Pest control in urban green areas is particularly difficult due to the limitation of pesticide use. Using efficient methods for biological control of herbivores there may be a good solution. Planting plants growing in the forest container breeding have a better growth and better root system comparing to the seedlings produced in traditional forest nurseries. Such plants are not subject to significant shock when replanted, however, they are still exposed to pests living near plantings. Our research assessed using entomopathogenic nematodes to be introduced into the soil used for plantings in order early protect seedlings against their pests. Nematodes isolated from the natural environment as well as, for control samples, from biopreparations were used in the study. The research was conducted on the soil substrate in containers with seedlings. During the experiment were taken the following parameters: insect mortality, nematode invasion extensity, migration time of invasive larvae, number of migrating larvae, and their survival. The results showed that entomopathogenic nematodes isolated from various provinces in Poland were effective, but characterized by a diverse insecticidal activity in a peat substrate

Canonical Phase Diagrams of the 1-D Falicov-Kimball Model at T=0

The Falicov-Kimball model of spinless quantum electrons hopping on a 1-dimensional lattice and of immobile classical ions occupying some lattice sites, with only intrasite coupling between those particles, have been studied at zero temperature by means of well-controlled numerical procedures. For selected values of the unique coupling parameter $U$ the restricted phase diagrams (based on all the periodic configurations of localized particles (ions) with period not greater than 16 lattice constants, typically) have been constructed in the grand-canonical ensemble. Then these diagrams have been translated into the canonical ensemble. Compared to the diagrams obtained in other studies our ones contain more details, in particular they give better insight into the way the mixtures of periodic phases are formed. Our study has revealed several families of new characteristic phases like the generalized most homogeneous and the generalized crenel phases, a first example of a structural phase transition and a tendency to build up an additional symmetry -- the hole-particle symmetry with respect to the ions (electrons) only, as $U$ decreases.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures (not included

Stripe phases in the two-dimensional Falicov-Kimball model

The observation of charge stripe order in the doped nickelate and cuprate materials has motivated much theoretical effort to understand the underlying mechanism of the stripe phase. Numerical studies of the Hubbard model show two possibilities: (i) stripe order arises from a tendency toward phase separation and its competition with the long-range Coulomb interaction or (ii) stripe order inherently arises as a compromise between itinerancy and magnetic interactions. Here we determine the restricted phase diagrams of the two-dimensional Falicov-Kimball model and see that it displays rich behavior illustrating both possibilities in different regions of the phase diagram.Comment: (5 pages, 3 figures

Student Fieldwork Training in St Petersburg (2006

Zgodnie z umową o współpracy zawartą pomiędzy Uniwersytetem Łódzkim i Rosyjskim Państwowym Hydrometeorologicznym Uniwersytetem w Sankt Petersburgu, w dniach od 3 do 15 lipca 2006 r. studenci III roku geografii turyzmu i hotelarstwa wzięli udział w specjalizacyjnych ćwiczeniach terenowych w Federacji Rosyjskiej. Grupa składała się z pięciu studentów i dwóch pracowników Katedry Geografii Miast i Turyzmu. Ćwiczenia odbyły się już po raz czwarty, ponieważ współpraca naukowo- dydaktyczna obu uczelni rozpoczęła się w 2002 r., a coroczna wymiana studentów to jeden z jej ważniejszych elementów

Pulmonary actinomycosis complicated by fistula of the chest wall

Actinomycosis is a rare disease caused by Actinomyces spp. The clinical and radiological picture of the disease is uncharacter-istic, which delays the diagnosis and can lead to complications. We present a case of pulmonary actinomycosis complicated by a chest wall fistula in a 43-year-old man with advanced tooth decay. The patient was admitted to our Department due to a chest wall fistula with bloody discharge. A few months earlier, he was treated with antibiotics for pneumonia. Since then, weakness, exertional dyspnoea, and weight loss had been observed. On admission, increased inflammatory markers were found in laboratory tests. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed right-sided encapsulated pleural fluid collection containing gas bubbles, pleural thickening, anterior thoracic wall soft tissues thickening and subcutaneous fat stranding. CT suggested an empyema or a breast either pleural malignancy. The picture suggested a breast or pleural tumour to differentiate with an empyema. Videothoracoscopy was performed, the histological examination of the collected samples revealed granulation tissue and bacterial colony of a morphology corresponding to Actinomyces spp. Pulmonary actinomycosis was diagnosed. Antibiotic therapy according to the guidelines was initiated and dental treatment was recommended. Healing of the fistula and significant regression of lesions in the right lung were achieved. Although it is a rare disease, actinomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any chronic infiltrative lung lesions

Trafficking in Human Beings for Forced Labour. Contemporary Trends and Threats

The article is devoted to the issue of human trafficking in legal and criminological terms, with particular emphasis on the exploitation of victims of the crime for work or forced services. The author introduces the essence of forced labour by reaching for many of its legal definitions contained in legal acts in the rank of conventions, as well as ordinary laws. At the same time, it highlights the factors that characterize the type of work indicated and allow to distinguish it from other types of violations, including violation of employee rights. The phenomenon of human trafficking is shown through the prism of its current evaluation tendencies, both globally and regionally (European, and especially EU). To this end, the author presents statistical data collected in recent years by, inter alia, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Labour Organization, the International Organization for Migration and the European Commission. She emphasizes, however, that the actual scale of the aforementioned crime remains unknown. A significant part of the discussion focuses on the issue of human trafficking in modern Poland, showing the scale of the dealings in question, diagnosed in recent years by law enforcement agencies. A lot of attention is also paid to the spectrum of crime threats on the Polish labour market from the perspective of foreigners. Thus, with particular care, she considers the problem of violating the employment rights of Ukrainian citizens as the largest group of foreigners illegally employed in Poland. She also shows the legal situation in this area of the citizens of Belarus, Moldova, India and Russia. She discusses this issue in the context of activities of the National Labour Inspectorate included in the audit report for 2017. The author further scientific interest includes the issue of criminalization of human trafficking in selected countries around the world. In this respect, it refers primarily to legal regulations contained in the Latvian, Hungarian, Swiss, Finnish, Ukrainian and Liechtenstein penal codes. The author’s ambition was to present the indicated issues in a concise manner, while also taking into account its most important aspects

Rola organów ścigania w przeciwdziałaniu I zwalczaniu zbrodni handlu ludźmi

Przedmiotem niniejszego opracowania jest charakterystyka polskich organów ścigania w zakresie ich kompetencji w obszarze zapobiegania i zwalczania zbrodni handlu ludźmi. Autorka zwraca uwagę, że na gruncie obowiązujących w Polsce regulacji prawnych główny ciężar związany z działalnością prewencyjną oraz ściganiem tego rodzaju przestępczości spoczywa na prokuraturze, Policji i Straży Granicznej. Artykuł został tym samym poświęcony zwięzłej charakterystyce wskazanych podmiotów ocenianych pod kątem posiadanych przez nie instrumentów prawnych, dzięki którym możliwa jest skuteczna realizacja ustawowo nałożonych na te instytucje zadań i obowiązków. W ocenie autorki kluczową rolę w tym systemie odgrywa prokurator, który jest jedynym organem uprawnionym do podejmowania decyzji o wszczęciu śledztwa oraz powierzania go, celem przeprowadzenia w całości lub wskazanym zakresie, innym organom, a przede wszystkim Policji lub Straży Granicznej. Szczególna rola prokuratora wynika również z faktu, że wyłącznie on jest uprawniony do sporządzenia i popierania przed sądem aktu oskarżenia w sprawach dotyczących handlu ludźmi. Niemniej jednak, zdaniem autorki, to na Policji i Straży Granicznej spoczywa w praktyce główny ciężar przeprowadzania czynności procesowych i operacyjnych w tej kategorii spraw. Autorka podkreśla, że polski system organów ścigania posiada aktualnie odpowiednie instrumenty — zarówno na poziomie prawnym, jak i instytucjonalnym, zarówno do efektywnego zapobiegania, jak i zwalczania zbrodni handlu ludźmi. Mając jednak na uwadze, że zjawisko handlu ludźmi ma co do zasady wymiar transgraniczny, w artykule zaznaczony został aspekt współpracy międzynarodowej pomiędzy odpowiednimi instytucjami powołanymi do wykrywania i ścigania rzeczonych przestępstw