Experimental researches of magnetoreological elestomers stiffness changes under external magnetic field

Abstract Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) belong to the group of so-called smart materials which respond to an external stimulus by changing their viscoelastic properties. Magnetorheological (MR) material can be fluid, gel or solid material like elastomer. The mechanical properties of the MR materials undergo a change when subjected to an external magnetic field. The MREs are interesting candidates for the active stiffness and vibration control of structural system

Tear Film – Physiology and Disturbances in Various Diseases and Disorders

The tear film is a thin fluid layer covering the ocular surface. It is responsible for ocular surface comfort, mechanical, environmental and immune protection, epithelial health and it forms smooth refractive surface for vision. The traditional description of the tear film divides it into three layers: lipid, aqueous and mucin. The role of each layer depends on the composition of it. Tear production, evaporation, absorption and drainage concur to dynamic balance of the tear film and leads to its integrity and stability. Nonetheless, this stability can be disturb in tear film layers deficiencies, defective spreading of the tear film, in some general diseases and during application of some general and/or topical medications. Dry eye disease is the result of it. In this review not only physiology of the tear film is presented. Moreover, we would like to discuss the influence of various diseases and conditions on the tear film and contrarily, spotlight tear film disorders as a manifestation of those diseases

New sporocarpic taxa in the phylum Glomeromycota : Sclerocarpum amazonicum gen. et sp. nov. in the family Glomeraceae (Glomerales) and Diversispora sporocarpia sp. nov. in the Diversisporaceae (Diversisporales)

Of the nearly 300 species of the phylum Glomeromycota comprising arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), only 24 were originally described to form glomoid spores in unorganized sporocarps with a peridium and a gleba, in which the spores are distributed randomly. However, the natural (molecular) phylogeny of most of these species remains unknown. We found unorganized sporocarps of two fungi-producing glomoid spores: one in the Amazonian forest in Brazil (tropical forest) and the second in a forest of Poland (temperate forest). The unique spore morphology of the two fungi suggested that they are undescribed species. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the small subunit–internal transcribed spacer–large subunit nrDNA region and the RPB1 gene confirmed this assumption and placed the Brazilian fungus in a separate clade at the rank of genus, very strongly divergent from its sister clade representing the genus Glomus sensu stricto in the family Glomeraceae (order Glomerales). The Polish fungus was accommodated in a sister clade to a clade grouping sequences of Diversispora epigaea, a fungus that also occasionally produces spores in sporocarps, belonging in the Diversisporaceae (Diversisporales). Consequently, the Brazilian fungus was here described as the new genus and new species Sclerocarpum gen. nov. and S. amazonicum sp. nov., respectively. The Polish fungus was described as D. sporocarpia sp. nov. In addition, the supposed reasons for the low representation of sporocarpic species in the Glomeromycota were discussed and the known distribution of sporocarp-producing Glomeromycota was outlined. © 2019, The Author(s)

CAR-T cell therapy – toxicity and its management

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy is an effective new treatment for hematologic malignancies. Two anti-CD19 CAR-T products, namely axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel, have been approved for the management of relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two lines of systemic therapy. Additionally, tisagenlecleucel is indicated for refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia in pediatric patients and young adults up to 25 years of age. CAR-T cells are undoubtedly a major breakthrough therapy in hematooncology resulting in up to 90% response rate with durable remissions in population with refractory high-risk disease. However, there are serious side effects resulting from CAR-T therapy, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). Manifestations of CRS mostly include fever, hypotension, hypoxia, and end organ dysfunction. Neurologic toxicities are diverse and include encephalopathy, cognitive defects, dysphasia, seizures, and cerebral edema. Since the symptoms are potentially severe, practitioners need to familiarize themselves with the unique toxicities associated with these therapies. In this article, we present a practical guideline for diagnosis, grading and management of CRS and CAR-T neurotoxicity. In addition, infectious complications and late toxicities including prolonged cytopenias and hypogammaglobulinemia are discussed

Rola równowagi oksydacyjno-antyoksydacyjnej w etiopatogenezie bielactwa nabytego

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the etiopathogenesis of acquired vitiligo. In patients with this disorder, impaied performance of the antioxidant system leads to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in their skin. Under physiological conditions, they play the role of mediators and regulators of many cellular processes. Their excess, however, leads to the destruction of structural and functional elements of dye cells. Previous studies clearly indicate the share of free radicals in the progression of lesions. The use of antioxidant defense elements, including antioxidants, may prove to be an important element of effective therapy of this disease

Novel Approaches to Treatment of Advanced Melanoma: A Review on Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy

The incidence of malignant melanoma is increasing. The majority of patients are diagnosed in early stages when the disease is highly curable. However, the more advanced or metastatic cases have always been a challenge for clinicians. The poor prognosis for patients with melanoma is now changing as numerous of promising approaches have appeared recently. The discovery of aberrations of pathways responsible for intracellular signal transduction allowed us to introduce agents specifically targeting the mutated cascades. Numerous clinical studies have been conducted to improve effectiveness of melanoma treatment. From 2011 until now, the U.S. FDA has approved seven novel agents, such as BRAF-inhibitors (vemurafenib 2011, dabrafenib 2013), MEK-inhibitors (trametinib 2013), anti-PD1 antibodies (nivolumab 2014, pembrolizumab 2014), anti-CTLA-4 antibody (ipilimumab 2011), or peginterferon-alfa-2b (2011) intended to be used in most advanced cases of melanoma. Nevertheless, clinicians continue working on new possible methods of treatment as resistance to the novel drugs is a commonly observed problem. This paper is based on latest data published until the end of January 2015

Books in files in Poland – characteristics and dynamics of development

Niniejsza praca licencjacka została napisana w celu zapoznania się z ważnymi kwestiami dotyczącymi charakterystyki i dynamiki rozwoju książek w plikach w Polsce. Przeanalizowano najważniejsze zjawiska kierujące rynkiem e-książek oraz opisano działalność wydawniczą i dystrybucyjno-sprzedażową. Starano się znaleźć problemy, które hamują rozwój tej branży. Podczas prowadzenia badań odwołano się do opinii i preferencji użytkowników książek w plikach, co posłużyło do opisu stanu e-czytelnictwa w Polsce. Opisano również przebieg procesu digitalizacji w instytucjach naukowo-kulturalnych, takich jak biblioteki publiczne czy ośrodki edukacyjne. Rozważając coraz szybszy postęp cyfryzacji placówek państwowych starano się odpowiedzieć na pytanie, czy jest to właściwa tendencja. Końcowym wnioskiem pracy jest stwierdzenie, że książki w plikach nie wyprą całkowicie wersji papierowej , lecz z biegiem czasu będą miały coraz większy udział w rynku e-publikacji.This bachelor's thesis has been written in order to get acquainted with the important issues concerning the characteristics and the dynamics of the books' development in files in Poland. The most important phenomena leading the e-books market were analyzed as well as the publishing, distribution and sales activities were described. Many attempts have been made to find problems that restrain the development of this industry. While conducting the research, the reference to the opinions and preferences of users of books in files had been made in order to examine the state of e-reading in Poland. The process of digitalisation in scientific and cultural institutions, such as public libraries and educational centers, has been described as well. Considering the increasing progress of the digitisation of state institutions, efforts were made to answer the question whether this is the proper tendency. The final conclusion of this bachelor's thesis is that books in files will not completely replace the paper edition, but in the course of time they will have an increasing importance in the e-publication market