The use of energy looping between Tm3+^{3+} and Er3+^{3+} ions to obtain an intense upconversion under the 1208 nm radiation and its use in temperature sensing

The upconversion phenomenon allows for the emission of nanoparticles (NPs) under excitation with near-infrared (NIR) light. Such property is demanded in biology and medicine to detect or treat diseases such as tumours. The transparency of biological systems for NIR light is limited to three spectral ranges, called biological windows. However, the most frequently used excitation laser to obtain upconversion is out of these ranges, with a wavelength of around 975 nm. In this article, we show an alternative – Tm$^{3+}$/Er$^{3+}$-doped NPs that can convert 1208 nm excitation radiation, which is in the range of the 2$^{nd}$ biological window, to visible light within the 1$^{st}$ biological window. The spectroscopic properties of the core@shell NaYF$_4$:Tm$^{3+}$@NaYF$_4$ and NaYF$_4$:Er$^{3+}$,Tm$^{3+}$@NaYF$_4$ NPs revealed a complex mechanism responsible for the observed upconversion. To explain emission in the studied NPs, we propose an energy looping mechanism: a sequence of ground state absorption, energy transfers and cross-relaxation (CR) processes between Tm$^{3+}$ ions. Next, the excited Tm$^{3+}$ ions transfer the absorbed energy to Er3+ ions, which results in green, red and NIR emission at 526, 546, 660, 698, 802 and 982 nm. The ratio between these bands is temperature-dependent and can be used in remote optical thermometers with high relative temperature sensitivity, up to 2.37%/°C at 57 °C. The excitation and emission properties of the studied NPs fall within 1$^{st}$ and 2$^{nd}$ biological windows, making them promising candidates for studies in biological systems

The Smolensk Disaster and the Dynamics of Death-Related Thoughts Accessibility

The article describes a study concerning death-related thoughts following the crash of the Polish Tu-154M plane with the Polish president and other members of an official Polish delegation on-board. In the study, the DRT (Death Related Thoughts) scale was used. The results showed that thoughts about death in a sample of Polish students (N=120) increased immediately after the plane crash, and after a few weeks the level measured was even higher. The obtained results also show a relatively strong positive correlation between the results of the DRT scale and the amount of information about the presidential plane crash presented in the massmedia

Social norms concerning financial liability for various indebtedness experiences and borrowing plans : evidence from Poland

PURPOSE: This study examines the relationship between social norms and credit use.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Analysis of variance and Chi squares were used to analyze the data collected in the survey.FINDINGS: In the survey, model borrowers present the highest level of internalization of norms, along with thoughtfully incurred liabilities that they pay back on time. They treat loans as a standard form of financing that does not involve negative emotions. Unreliable debtors internalize more strongly the norms, thus not paying loans on time or spending more than they earn while acknowledging they will have issues with debt repayment because living with debt is the norm for them. Non-borrowers would only take a loan as a last resort because of the psychological burden. Repaying all liabilities on time is their absolute priority. They would not be able to function normally with debt. People planning loans in the near future treat both the borrowing itself and the failure to repay all loans on time as the norm. Those who do not plan to borrow internalize the norms of avoiding loans, especially those they could not repay, and have a negative association with loans.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Sharing social norms can explain credit use behaviors and may be helpful both for lenders and debt collection companies.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Our study has shown significant relationship between social norms and credit use.peer-reviewe

Structural, spectroscopic and cytotoxicity studies of TbF3@CeF3 and TbF3@CeF3@SiO2 nanocrystals

Terbium fluoride nanocrystals, covered by a shell, composed of cerium fluoride were synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Their complex structure was formed spontaneously during the synthesis. The surface of these core/shell nanocrystals was additionally modified by silica. The properties of TbF3@CeF3 and TbF3@CeF3@SiO2 nanocrystals, formed in this way, were investigated. Spectroscopic studies showed that the differences between these two groups of products resulted from the presence of the SiO2 shell. X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the trigonal crystal structure of TbF3@CeF3 nanocrystals. High resolution transmission electron microscopy in connection with energy- dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed a complex structure of the formed nanocrystals. Crystallized as small discs, ‘the products’, with an average diameter around 10 nm, showed an increase in the concentration of Tb3+ ions from surface to the core of nanocrystals. In addition to photo-physical analyses, cytotoxicity studies were performed on HSkMEC (Human Skin Microvascular Endothelial Cells) and B16F0 mouse melanoma cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of the nanomaterials was neutral for the investigated cells with no toxic or antiproliferative effect in the cell cultures, either for normal or for cancer cells. This fact makes the obtained nanocrystals good candidates for biological applications and further modifications of the SiO2 shell

Is Product Placement Really Worse Than Traditional Commercials? Cognitive Load and Recalling of Advertised Brands

Considering the large number of adverts inundating the average consumer every day, the marketing industry is seeking methods to reach clients in a more subtle manner than traditional marketing messages. One such tool is product placement. The article addresses issues of effectiveness of product placement in comparison to a traditional commercial. The objective of the study was to check how participants would recall the content of persuasive messages in conditions of artificially inducted cognitive load (in conditions of traditional advertisement and product placement). Two studies were conducted – a pre-study intended to assess the usefulness of the selected stimuli, and the main experiment. The experiment devoted to this question was planned using an ANOVA scheme 2 (Type of advert: traditional vs. product placement) × 2 (neutral conditions vs. cognitive load). It turned out that the commercial was better retained in neutral conditions than in conditions of cognitive load. The traditional commercial was remembered better than product placement. From the perspective of the study’s ecological validity, of importance is also comparison of retention of brands viewed in a traditional commercial in conditions of cognitive load with retention of brands in conditions of product placement without load. These comparisons indicate the superiority of product placement – brands presented in this manner were more frequently recalled by viewers

Metody i narzędzia zapisu i udostępniania danych

Praca recenzowana / Peer-reviewed paperPrzekazujemy czytelnikowi kolejną monografię wydaną w ramach serii „Informatyka”, zawierającą publikacje pracowników związanych z Wydziałem Zarządzania i Komunikacji Społecznej Krakowskiej Akademii im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego z obszaru problemów optymalizacji, systemów informacyjnych oraz kształcenia zdalnego. Wśród autorów niniejszej publikacji znajdują się głównie pracownicy Studium Informatyki Krakowskiej Akademii i Katedry Informatyki Stosowanej. Opublikowane artykuły są wynikiem współpracy w zespołach z pracownikami innych krakowskich uczelni. Tematyka monografii koncentruje się na metodach optymalizacji, zastosowaniach systemów informatycznych, oraz kształcenia zdalnego. Całość tematyki podzielona jest na trzy wzajemnie powiązane części. Pierwsza część zawiera trzy podrozdziały, w których podjęto kwestie kształcenia zdalnego. Druga część monografii, ujęta w kolejnych trzech podrozdziałach, prezentuje wybrane narzędzia i modele optymalizacji. Ostatnia, trzecia – przedstawia problematykę związaną z zastosowaniem systemów informatycznych w firmie

4C Mortality Score correlates with in-hospital functional outcome after COVID-19-associated ischaemic stroke

Aim of the study. The 4C Mortality Score was created to predict mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and has to date been evaluated only in respiratory system disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate its application in patients with COVID-19-associated acute ischaemic stroke (AIS).Clinical rationale for study. COVID-19 is a risk factor for AIS. COVID-19-associated AIS results in higher mortality and worse functional outcome. Predictors of functional outcome in COVID-19-associated AIS are required.Materials and methods. This was a retrospective observational study of patients with AIS hospitalised in seven neurological wards in Małopolska Voivodship (Poland) between August and December 2020. We gathered data concerning the patients’ age, sex, presence of cardiovascular risk factors, type of treatment received, and the presence of stroke-associated infections (including pneumonia, urinary tract infection and infection of unknown source). We calculated 4C Mortality Score at stroke onset, and investigated whether there was a correlation with neurological deficit measured using the National Health Institute Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge.Results. The study included 52 patients with COVID-19-associated AIS. The 4C Mortality Score at stroke onset correlated with mRS (rs = 0.565, p < 0.01) at discharge. There was also a statistically significant difference in the mean 4C Mortality Score between patients who died and patients who survived the stroke (13.08 ± 2.71 vs. 9.85 ± 3.47, p = 0.04).Conclusions and clinical implications. 4C Mortality Score predicts functional outcome at discharge in COVID-19-associated AIS patients

Synthesis and photophysical properties of nanomaterials doped with lanthanide(III) ions

Wydział Chemii: Zakład Ziem RzadkichW niniejszej pracy przedstawiono rezultaty badań nad syntezą i właściwościami fotofizycznymi badanych nanomateriałów (tlenofluorki, tlenek cerowo-strontowy oraz fluorki) domieszkowanych jonami pierwiastków ziem rzadkich. W wyniku zastosowanych znanych, a także nowych metod syntezy otrzymano materiały o strukturze nanokrystalicznej. Opracowano sposoby otrzymywania omówionych w pracy nanomateriałów, charakteryzujące się możliwością uzyskania związków o wysokiej czystości i jednorodności. Stwierdzono, iż zarówno właściwości strukturalne jak i spektroskopowe otrzymanych produktów w dużym stopniu zależą od rozmiaru nanokrystalitów. Szereg zastosowanych metod syntezy nanomateriałów, potwierdził także wpływ sposobu otrzymywania na morfologię i w efekcie, na luminescencję otrzymanych nanoluminoforów. Badania nad właściwościami spektroskopowymi zsyntetyzowanych materiałów ujawniły nowe, dotychczas nieznane dla tych związków, właściwości spektroskopowe. W celu otrzymania efektywnej luminescencji, w wielu nanomateriałach wykorzystano procesy przeniesienia energii pomiędzy jonami pierwiastków ziem rzadkich uzyskując wielobarwną emisję.This thesis presents studies on a synthesis and photophysical properties of nanomaterials based on oxyfluorides, fluorides and cerium-strontium oxide, doped with rare earth ions. Several techniques of nanomaterials analysis, like X-Ray diffraction, Rietvield refinement and transmission electron microscopy has been used to confirm structure and morphology of the prepared products. As a result of the well-known and new methods of the synthesis, obtained materials were nanocrystalline with average size of crystals in the most cases, not exceeding 100 nm. Nanomaterials synthesized by described in the thesis developed methods were pure and homogeneous. It has been found that the structural and spectroscopic properties of the products depend on the size of nanocrystals. Several of the methods, used for synthesis of nanomaterials, also confirmed influence of the preparation conditions on the morphology and, consequently, luminescence of the obtained nanophosphors.Studies on the spectroscopic properties of the synthesized materials revealed new, previously unknown, spectroscopic properties for these compounds. In order to obtain efficient or multicolor luminescence of nanomaterials, energy transfer phenomena, between rare earth ions has been used