Image inpainting with gradient attention

We present a novel modification of context encoder loss function, which results in more accurate and plausible inpainting. For this purpose, we introduce gradient attention loss component of loss function, to suppress the common problem of inconsistency in shapes and edges between the inpainted region and its context. To this end, the mean absolute error is computed not only for the input and output images, but also for their derivatives. Therefore, model concentrates on areas with larger gradient, which are crucial for accurate reconstruction. The positive effects on inpainting results are observed both for fully-connected and fully-convolutional models tested on MNIST and CelebA datasets

Taking care of a patient with type 2 diabetes as part of visiting nurse’s work

Introduction. Type II diabetes is a disease whose range of influence is very large. Currently, over 3 million people suffer from diabetes in Poland, of which approximately 2,1 million suffer from type II diabetes. Type II diabetes is a commonly occurring disease and the somewhat responsible lifestyle of the patient is responsible for its development. Her treatment is based not only on pharmacotherapy, which allows to maintain the state of normoglycemia, but also on non-pharmacological methods that enable healthy life. Due to range of influence and the possibility of care in the patient’s environment, the family nurse plays an important role. Her professionalism and preparation of the patient for self-care, can affect the beneficial effect of treatment and adapt the patient to live with the disease at home. Aim of the study. The aim of the study is to duscuss the care problems of a patient with type II diabetes in a home environment, including the care of a family nurse. Case description. The work was based on the individual case method. The data collected about the patient come from own observations, conversations with the patient, analysis of medical records, measurements, and interview with the patient and his family. Discussion. Patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes often feel confused, they do not know where to go for help. It happens that they do not follow the recommendations, especially those regarding the diet. In addition, patients rarely attempt to change behaviors aimed at preventing complications of diabetes. It is also influenced by their fitness level and age. The role of the nurse at this moment is large. Thanks to the observations and methods used, the nurse allows the patient to meet the deficits in self-care. Conclusions. The effort undertaken by the family nurse brought benefits but did not cause immediate results. Although in most cases the patient was willing to change, he required frequent reminding, instruction and control of the activities undertaken

Production of recombinant colicin M in Nicotiana tabacum plants and its antimicrobial activity

Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms causing a life-threatening infection pose a serious challenge for modern science. The rapidly growing number of incidents for which the use of standard antibiotics is ineffective forces us to develop new alternative methods of killing microorganisms. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides (AMPs) can be promising candidates to solve this problem. Colicin-M is one of the representatives of this group and is naturally produced by Escherichia coli acting on other closely related bacterial strains by disrupting their outer cell membrane. This bacteriocin has huge potential as a potent antimicrobial agent, especially, since it was recognized by the FDA as safe. In this work, we present the expression of colicin M in model transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. plants. We demonstrate that purified colicin retains its antibacterial activity against the control Escherichia coli strains and clinical isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Our results also show that plant-derived ColM is not toxic for L929 and HeLa cell line, which allows us to suppose that plant-based expression could be an alternative production method of such important proteins

Enabling planetary science across light-years. Ariel Definition Study Report

Ariel, the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey, was adopted as the fourth medium-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme to be launched in 2029. During its 4-year mission, Ariel will study what exoplanets are made of, how they formed and how they evolve, by surveying a diverse sample of about 1000 extrasolar planets, simultaneously in visible and infrared wavelengths. It is the first mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of hundreds of transiting exoplanets, enabling planetary science far beyond the boundaries of the Solar System. The payload consists of an off-axis Cassegrain telescope (primary mirror 1100 mm x 730 mm ellipse) and two separate instruments (FGS and AIRS) covering simultaneously 0.5-7.8 micron spectral range. The satellite is best placed into an L2 orbit to maximise the thermal stability and the field of regard. The payload module is passively cooled via a series of V-Groove radiators; the detectors for the AIRS are the only items that require active cooling via an active Ne JT cooler. The Ariel payload is developed by a consortium of more than 50 institutes from 16 ESA countries, which include the UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Poland, Spain, Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and a NASA contribution

Implementation of South Korea's Soft Power

Praca podejmuje temat wykorzystania soft power w prowadzeniu współczesnej polityki. Przeanalizowane zostało samo zjawisko miękkiej siły, to jak jest wykorzystywana oraz jakie skutki może przynieść. Zestawiona została ona z hard power oraz przedstawione zostały główne różnice między nimi. Zaprezentowane zostały także argumenty, dlaczego coraz częściej sięga się do zasobów soft power. Następnie przedstawiono prowadzenie polityki soft power na przykładzie konkretnego państwa- Korei Południowej. Skupiono się na czterech głównych płaszczyznach, gdzie widoczne jest jej zastosowanie. Opisano wpływ koreańskiego popu, filmów i seriali, kosmetyków pielęgnacyjnych oraz jedzenia na budowanie wizerunku państwa.This dissertation focuses on the implementation of soft power in contemporary international politics. The phenomenon of soft power has been analysed- how is it used and what consequences it may have. Soft power has been compared to hard power. In addition, the main differences between them have been presented. Arguments why soft power has become more effective have been mentioned. Pursuing a policy has been presented based on South Korea's example. The focus has been put on four main grounds where soft power is implemented. The influence of Korean pop music, films and tv series, cosmetics and food has been described as a way to build country's image

Reinterpretation of the story of biblical Job in Joseph Roth's novels "Die Rebellion" and "Hiob. Der Roman vines einfachen Mannes".

Motywy biblijne są najczęściej używanymi motywami w literaturze. W mojej pracy zajmę się dwoma dziełami Józefa Rotha: "Die Rebellion" (1924) oraz "Hiob. Der Roman eines einfachen Mannes" (1930), gdzie można dostrzec motyw biblijnego Hioba. Mendel Singer stopniowo traci wszystko co ceni i odwraca się od Boga. Andreas Pum natomiast, jako niewinny człowiek, zostaje postawiony przed sądem i z biegiem czasu zaczyna rozumieć, że jego sposób postrzegania świata jest niewłaściwy. Józef Roth dokonuje reinterpretacji tworząc swoich bohaterów na podstawie biblijnego Hioba oraz umiejscawiając ich w teraźniejszości. W obu powieściach, bohaterowie nauczyciel Mendel Singer oraz mieszkaniec Berlina Andreas Pum zostali przedstawieni jako zwykli ludzie, którzy mają zostać poddani próbie.Biblical motives are the most frequently used motives in literature. In my bachelor’s dissertation I deal with two novels "Die Rebellion" (1924) and "Hiob. Der Roman eines einfachen Mannes" (1930) by Joseph Roth, where the motive of biblical Job is to be seen. Mendel Singer gradually loses everything he values and turns his back on God. Andreas Pum on the other hand, as an innocent man is hauled up in front of the court and in the course of time, he begins to understand that his outlook on the world is not the proper one. Joseph Roth makes a reinterpretation in a way that on a basis of biblical Job he creates his characters and sets them in a contemporary world. In both novels, the two main characters that base on the figure of biblical Job are presented as ordinary men: a teacher in a village- Mendel Singer and a citizen of Berlin- Andreas Pum, who are supposed to undergo a test.Die biblischen Motive sind die meist benutzten Motive in der Literatur. In meiner Arbeit befasse ich mich mit zwei Werken von Joseph Roth "Die Rebellion" (1924) und "Hiob. Der Roman eines einfachen Mannes" (1930), wo das Hiobsmotiv sichtbar ist. Mendel Singer verliert nach und nach, was er schätzt, und sagt sich von Gott los. Andreas Pum dagegen wird als ein unschuldiger Mann vor Gericht gestellt, und im Laufe der Zeit beginnt er zu verstehen, dass seine Wahrnehmung der Welt eine falsche Wahrnehmung ist. Joseph Roth bewirkt eine Reinterpretation, indem er seine Hauptfiguren aufgrund der Präfiguration des biblischen Hiobs bildet und sie in die Gegenwart versetzt. In beiden Romanen wurden die auf Hiobsgestalt basierenden Hauptfiguren als zwei einfache Männer dargestellt, der Lehrer auf dem Lande, Mendel Singer und der Stadtbürger, Andreas Pum, die von Gott geprüft oder vom Zufall heimgesucht werden sollen

The level of knowledge of youth on the threshold of adulthood on cancer prevention. Presentation of selected results from the research

Promocja zdrowia jest istotnym zadaniem zarówno dla sektora ochrony zdrowia, jak i instytucji edukacji. Zainteresowane tematem zdrowia członkinie Doktoranckiego Koła Naukowego Socjologii Zdrowia, Choroby i Medycyny zrealizowały badanie: „Poziom wiedzy na temat profilaktyki chorób nowotworowych a zachowania prozdrowotne wśród młodzieży u progu pełnoletności”. W artykule przedstawiono wybrane wyniki z tychże badań, uzyskane na podstawie odpowiedzi udzielonych przez uczniów zielonogórskich szkół ponadgimnazjalnych w okresie od maja do czerwca 2016 r. W artykule zawarto także wprowadzenie do społecznego odbioru tematyki chorób nowotworowych. Autorki postawiły sobie za cel rozpoznanie poziomu wiedzy młodzieży. Skonstruowano kwestionariusz ankiety, który wypełniony został przez 329 uczniów. Zebrane odpowiedzi pozwoliły na analizę empiryczną i wnioskowanie teoretyczne. Wyniki tych analiz przedstawione zostały w prezentowanym artykule. Jak dowiodło badanie, młodzież jest świadoma skali zachorowalności na choroby nowotworowe w społeczeństwie, niemniej jednak ważne jest stałe pogłębianie tej wiedzy w szkole, rodzinie oraz zachęcanie młodzieży do indywidualnych poszukiwań informacji w tym zakresie.Health promotion is an essential task for both the health sector and education institutions. Interested in the topic of health members of the Doctoral Student Research Sociology of Health, Disease and Medicine met the research: “The level of knowledge about cancer prevention and health behaviors among the youth on the threshold of adulthood”. The article presents selected results from these research, obtained on the basis of the answers given by the students of secondary schools Zielona Gora in the period from May to June 2016. The article also provides an introduction to public perception of the subject of cancer. The authors set themselves the objective recognition of the level of knowledge of youth. Constructed questionnaire, which was completed by 329 students. The responses enabled the analysis of empirical and theoretical reasoning. The results of these analyzes are presented in the present article. As the research showed, the youth is aware of the scale of the incidence of cancer in society, but it is important to continuously deepen this knowledge in school, the family and encourage youth to the individual searching for information in this regar

Effect of Mn addition on serrated plastic flow behaviour in high-strength multiphase steels with retained austenite

PING 2019 is organized with the support of funds for specific university research project SVK1-2019-002.The effect of manganese addition (from 3 to 5%) on the serrated plastic flow behavior in medium manganese TRIP steels was investigated in static tensile tests performed in a temperature range of 20-200°C. The Portevin-Le Chatelier (PLC) effect was observed in a steel containing the higher Mn content. The effect of deformation temperature on the critical strain for the serrated flow was noted. The relationships between the manganese content, deformation temperature, mechanical properties and the appearance of serrated flow were characterized

Effect of Deformation Temperature on the Portevin-Le Chatelier Effect in Medium-Mn Steel

Experimental investigations of the plastic instability phenomenon in a hot-rolled medium manganese steel were performed. The effects of tensile deformation in a temperature range of 20⁻140°C on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and flow stress serrations were analyzed. The Portevin⁻Le Chatelier (PLC) phenomenon was observed for the specimens deformed at 60 °C, 100 °C, and 140 °C. It was found that the deformation temperature substantially affects the type and intensity of serrations. The type of serration was changed at different deformation temperatures. The phenomenon was not observed at room temperature. The plastic instability occurring for the steel deformed at 60 °C was detected for lower strain levels than for the specimens deformed at 100 °C and 140 °C. The increase of the deformation temperature to 100 °C and 140 °C results in shifting the PLC effect to a post uniform deformation range. The complex issues related to the interaction of work hardening, the transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, and the PLC effect stimulated by the deformation temperature were addressed

In Vitro Strategy for the Enhancement of the Production of Bioactive Polyphenols in Transformed Roots of Salvia bulleyana

The underground parts of Salvia bulleyana, a rare Chinese plant species, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. The Rhizobium rhizogenes-transformed root culture obtained from this plant might be a promising novel source of valuable phenolics, including rosmarinic acid. The present study identifies for the first time, the optimal growth conditions of S. bulleyana hairy roots regarding production efficiency. The comprehensive optimization comprised cultivation in different basal media (B5, SH, MS, and WP) with full- and half-strength macro- and microelements, different vitamin contents (full, half, one-quarter part, and without) and sucrose concentrations (2, 3, 4, 5%), and under different light conditions: in dark, under blue LED (λ = 430 nm), red LED (λ = 670 nm), mixed blue and red LED (30%:70%), and white LED (390–670 nm). Hairy root growth and bioactive compound accumulation were also detailed every five days over the 50-day culture cycle. The optimal conditions were determined using a technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS). The most efficient combination for root growth and polyphenol content was found to be ½SH liquid medium with half vitamin concentration and 3% sucrose when grown in the dark. The biomass yield during the growth cycle was 6.1 g (fresh weight—FW) and 0.92 g (dry weight—DW) on one Erlenmeyer flask: a 14.3-fold increase in FW and 16.1-fold increase in DW in relation to the inoculum. The highest mean total phenolic content was 93.6 mg/g DW including about 70 mg/g DW rosmarinic acid, reached on day 40 of culture; compared to roots of two-year-old plants grown under field conditions, the total phenolic acid content was four times higher and rosmarinic acid eight times higher. The obtained results place the investigated culture among the best hair root cultures for rosmarinic acid production