Intercultural Education in Poland: Experiences, Problems and Prospects

The study presents an assessment of the achievements and problems of intercultural pedagogy as an important educational (sub)discipline, which has been developing intensively in Poland—particularly since the 1990s. Against the background of a crisis of multicultural education, a new suggestion was presented aimed at overcoming its drawbacks in the form of the theoretical assumptions and practical solutions of intercultural education. However, understanding and accepting intercultural education depend on many factors, for example, historical experiences, the developmental level of societies and the sociopolitical system. This necessitates presenting the essence of intercultural education as well as formulating its message both in Poland and worldwide

Patrick Kavanagh – A (Non) Romantic Poet

Celem niniejszego artykułu jest opisanie romantycznych cech w poezji Patricka Kavanagha oraz ustalenie, w jaki sposób owe cechy ukształtowały jego styl tworzenia dzieł literackich. Kiedy w dobie rozsądku i logiki nauka nie jest w stanie wyjaśnić wszystkich wątpliwości pojawiających się w umyśle poety, powstaje przestrzeń, którą wypełnia on na powrót wyobraźnią, duchowością i mistycyzmem, definiując w ten sposób swoje poetyckie ja. Zwrócenie się Kavanagha ku romantycznym ideałom było ucieczką bądź alternatywą w stosunku do otaczającej go rzeczywistości. Przez analizę wierszy Kavanagha autorka eseju próbuje ustalić, jaki wpływ miał romantyzm na wiersze poety, a także dlaczego niektóre cechy tej epoki zostały wskrzeszone w jego poezji, podczas gdy inne zostały odrzucone. Co sprawiło, że XX-wieczny poeta wyrzeka się współczesnych ideałów i zwraca się ku swoim przodkom? Artykuł ten jest próbą odpowiedzi na te pytania

The Realization and Fulfillment of Life Aspirations by Children and Youth from the Polish-Czech Borderland

What is discussed in the presented study are the transformations in the realization and fulfillment of life aspirations of children and youth from the Polish-Czech borderland. This is done in reference to Carol S. Dweck’s concept of motivation and life aspirations, according to which they are fulfilled in two different ways depending on how the nature of human abilities and the reaction to difficulty and failure are understood. The studies conducted in 1990 – 1991 and 2014 – 2015, with the application of the strategy of longitudinal comparisons based on the time criterion, enabled both the recognition of some factors which affected the fulfillment of life aspirations by the young, and the presentation of the relative dynamics of the change and capturing the mechanisms which determine it

Intercultural Education in Poland: Current Problems and Research Orientations

The study presents an assessment of the achievements and problems of intercultural pedagogy as an important educational (sub)discipline, which has been developing intensively in Poland – particularly since the 1990s. Against the background of a crisis of multicultural education, a new suggestion was presented aimed at overcoming its drawbacks in the form of the theoretical assumptions and practical solutions of intercultural education. However, understanding and accepting intercultural education depends on many factors – e.g., historical experiences, the developmental level of societies and the socio-political system. This necessitates presenting the essence of intercultural education as well as formulating its message both in Poland and worldwide

Vascular Tissue Development and Regeneration in the Model Plant Arabidopsis

Development of vascular tissue is a remarkable example of intercellular communication and coordinated development involving hormonal signaling and tissue polarity. Thus far, studies on vascular patterning and regeneration have been conducted mainly in trees—woody plants—with a well-developed layer of vascular cambium and secondary tissues. Trees are difficult to use as genetic models, i.e., due to long generation time, unstable environmental conditions, and lack of available mutants and transgenic lines. Therefore, the use of the main genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., with a wealth of available marker and transgenic lines, provides a unique opportunity to address molecular mechanism of vascular tissue formation and regeneration. With specific treatments, the tiny weed Arabidopsis can serve as a model to understand the growth of mighty trees and interconnect a tree physiology with molecular genetics and cell biology of Arabidopsis

Chapter Vascular Tissue Development and Regeneration in the Model Plant Arabidopsis

Development of vascular tissue is a remarkable example of intercellular communication and coordinated development involving hormonal signaling and tissue polarity. Thus far, studies on vascular patterning and regeneration have been conducted mainly in trees—woody plants—with a well-developed layer of vascular cambium and secondary tissues. Trees are difficult to use as genetic models, i.e., due to long generation time, unstable environmental conditions, and lack of available mutants and transgenic lines. Therefore, the use of the main genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., with a wealth of available marker and transgenic lines, provides a unique opportunity to address molecular mechanism of vascular tissue formation and regeneration. With specific treatments, the tiny weed Arabidopsis can serve as a model to understand the growth of mighty trees and interconnect a tree physiology with molecular genetics and cell biology of Arabidopsis

HMGB1 inhibition during zymosan-induced inflammation : the potential therapeutic action of riboflavin

Sepsis, also known as systemic inflammatory response syndrome, is a life-threatening condition caused by a pathogenic agent and leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. One of the factors responsible for the excessive intensification of the inflammatory response in the course of inflammation is high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1). HMG-1 is a nuclear protein which, after being released to the intercellular space, has a highly pro-inflammatory effect and acts as a late mediator of lethal damage. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the anti-inflammatory action of riboflavin is accompanied by inhibition of HMGB1 release during peritoneal inflammation and zymosan stimulation of macrophages. Peritonitis was induced in male BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice via intraperitoneal injection of zymosan (40 mg/kg). RAW 264.7 macrophages were activated with zymosan (250 µg/ml). Riboflavin (mice, 50 mg/kg; RAW 264.7, 25 µg/ml) was administered 30 min before zymosan, simultaneously with, or 2, 4, 6 h after zymosan. Additionally, mRNA expression of HMGB1 and its intracellular and serum levels were evaluated. The research showed that riboflavin significantly reduces both the expression and the release of HMGB1; however, the effect of riboflavin was time-dependent. The greatest efficacy was found when riboflavin was given 30 min prior to zymosan, and also 2 and 4 h (C57BL/6J; RAW 264.7) or 4 and 6 h (BALB/c) after zymosan. Research showed that riboflavin influences the level of HMGB1 released in the course of inflammation; however, further study is necessary to determine its mechanisms of action

The Social and Cultural Tendencies in the Environment of Contemporary Youth. A Polish-Ukrainian Comparative Study of the Structure of Axiological reality

The theoretical and methodological framework of the undertaken issue is indicated by basic notional categories – culture, value and valuing orientations. While analyzing the philosophical and educational context, assumptions of social and cultural anthropology were applied (with a special focus on its anthropocentric-cultural current), (phenomenologically orientated) axiology and cognitive psychology (with the use of its cognitive-developmental theories). Assumption was also made concerning the exploration of youth’s image of the axiological world and the valuing orientations manifested by them, that make it possible to learn the way(s) rooted in culture and experience, in which learners understand themselves, Others and the world. Referring to the results of the studies conducted in 2001–2018 in a few selected cultural borderlands of Poland with European countries (Austria, Germany, Czech Republic) and Ukraine, the undertaken discussion draws attention to the problem of shaping the multidimensional identity of young Poles and Ukrainians, as well as the individual structure of the axiological reality

Romantic legacy in non-romantic times : two different-similar approaches to searching for self-identity

Wiele prac wskazuje na znaczący wpływ, jaki romantyczne dziedzictwo ma na twórczość współczesną. Dwudziestowieczni poeci i filozofowie żyjący w tych jakże nieromantycznych czasach mimo wszystko deklarowali swoje przywiązanie do romantycznych idei. Celem niniejszego artykułu jest skonfrontowanie dwóch podejść do tworzenia poezji, poszukiwania odrębności i pracy nad rozwojem intelektualnym i poetyckim. Robert Graves i Patrick Kavanagh to nie tylko poeci, ale i wielcy filozofowie poezji. Kavanagh czerpał z mistycyzmu, wyobraźni, z tego co nieodkryte i niepoznane. Graves podkreślał rolę wizji sennych, katartyczny charakter poezji i jej magiczne pochodzenie. Twórcy Ci reprezentują więc różne a zarazem i podobne podejście do poszukiwania tożsamości

The time-course of antioxidant irisin activity : role of the Nrf2/HO-1/HMGB1 axis

The production of free radicals is one of the basic mechanisms giving rise to the antimicrobial activity of macrophages; however, excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can lead to cell damage, cell death, and release of the highly proinflammatory alarmin high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). This study aimed to evaluate the kinetics of antioxidant properties of the adipomyokine irisin administered shortly before or after macrophage activation to assess its effect on the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/HMGB1 pathway. The studies were performed on RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages treated with irisin (0, 25, and 50 nM) 2 h before or after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The effectiveness of respiratory burst and the expression of key factors of the antioxidant pathway, such as HO-1, Nrf2, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD-1), SOD-2, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase-9 (Cat-9), and HMGB1, were assessed. Irisin (50 nM) effectively reduced the free-radical production by macrophages. Furthermore, in both models, irisin altered the kinetics of expression of key factors of the downstream Nrf2/HO-1/HMGB1 pathway, leading to the increased production of Nrf2 and HO-1 and significantly reduced expression and release of HMGB1. In conclusion, irisin is a modulator of the Nrf2/HO-1/HMGB1 pathway and shows antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects when administered both before and shortly after the activation of inflammatory mechanisms in mouse macrophages