Pioneering unquenched desire

The book Twórczość Leśmiana w kręgu filozoficznej myśli symbolizmu rosyjskiego written by Sobieska is a pioneering attempt at combining a discussion on the literary output of the author of Dziejba leśna with the reflection stemming from the tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The book, notwithstanding its shortcomings and self-imposed limitations, comprehensively discusses views and opinions hitherto unknown to the Polish reader, introduces and explains the context of the findings of such thinkers as Soloviov or Biely, compares texts written by Russian symbolists with Leśmian’s poems. Sobieska categorizes the problem issues into subsequent thematic ranges (epiphany insight into the nature of being, musicality and the notion of poetical metre, creative imagination, mystical femininity) in order to point at potential sources of the recontextualization of Leśmian’s poetical sensitivity. The findings, being an example of classic comparatistic studies, have been enhanced by iconological and musicological observations as well as by some additional guiding elements facilitating the understanding of Orthodox theology. The present sketch discusses the book and is complemented with a polemics with some of its methodological solutions

Specter. User’s manual (Tutorial)

The paper’s aim is mainly propaedeutic: to provide the reader with the explanation of basic concepts of Derridean ‘Hauntology’. The first part of the article is based on three concurrent publications: first of all on the Polish translation of Specters of Marx by Jacques Derrida (2016) but also on Widmontologie nowoczesności  by Jakub Momro (2014) and Widmontologia by Andrzej Marzec (2014). It focuses on the concepts of spectralization of being, spectralization of time and the “visor effect”. In the second part of the paper one can find applications of the hauntology to the contemporary cultural critical practice (e.g. to teletechnologies).The paper’s aim is mainly propaedeutic: to provide the reader with the explanation of basic concepts of Derridean ‘Hauntology’. The first part of the article is based on three concurrent publications: first of all on the Polish translation of Specters of Marx by Jacques Derrida (2016) but also on Widmontologie nowoczesności  by Jakub Momro (2014) and Widmontologia by Andrzej Marzec (2014). It focuses on the concepts of spectralization of being, spectralization of time and the “visor effect”. In the second part of the paper one can find applications of the hauntology to the contemporary cultural critical practice (e.g. to teletechnologies)

Poetic Manifestos and Democracy (in Poland after 1989)

A form of poetic manifesto rooted in the avant-garde tradition is construed here as a performative project of the future. This temporal quality links it with the Derridean notion of “democracy to-come”. The presented paper attempts to trace an (im)possible connection between poetic manifestos and democracy in Poland after 1989. In pursuance of this objective, the paper briefly presents the only four 21st‑century Polish manifestos that attracted some critical and/or artistic attention: Meblowanie główww, Manifest Neolingwistyczny v. 1.1, Manifest poezji cybernetycznej and Manifest Rozdzielczości Chleba v. 1.7

Profession. Derrida and the university

This paper is an attempt to recapitulate the main themes in Jacques Derrida’s thought on the university. The author focuses on The University without Condition (presented for the first time in 1998). The paper briefly recounts the philosopher’s involvement in educational institutions (GREPH, Collège International de Philosophie). Next, there is an analysis of the distinction between the future (futur) and the future-to-come (l’avenir), as well as the related opposition between profession (profession) and craft/trades (métier). The strategy of conceiving the university as the topolitical place of resistance is revealed using Derrida’s deconstruction of the repeater figure (agrégé-répétiteur). The paper ends by presenting an analogy between the condition of structural atheism and the obligation of the university to create a possibility for an event (beyond the constative/performative opposition)

Sekrety Zenona Fajfera

Liberature, the literary project created by Zenon Fajfer and Katarzyna Bazarnik, is usually read from the material perspective, which emphasizes the formal qualities of a work. The article tries to choose a different path. Firstly, it constructs the figure of a secret as the unrevealed foundation of Fajfer’s books. Secondly, it proposes to read this secret in the Marano mode. Hence, the secret of Marano, a Jew who has to conceal his own identity, supported by Jacques Derrida’s observations, becomes a departure point for a new hermeneutic model.Liberature, the literary project created by Zenon Fajfer and Katarzyna Bazarnik, is usually read from the material perspective, which emphasizes the formal qualities of a work. The article tries to choose a different path. Firstly, it constructs the figure of a secret as the unrevealed foundation of Fajfer’s books. Secondly, it proposes to read this secret in the Marano mode. Hence, the secret of Marano, a Jew who has to conceal his own identity, supported by Jacques Derrida’s observations, becomes a departure point for a new hermeneutic model

Dziesięć sążni w dół albo dziesięć uwag o płynności i głębi

The text is an interpretation of Stanisław Barańczak’s poem From the introduction to a phrasebook. The reading of the lyric reveals a basic organizing opposition, i.e. the dichotomy of “liquidity” (“shallowness”) and “depth”. The final parts of the interpretation present the role of poetic language (defined through modernistic concepts) as a language that gives the opportunity to counter the aporia inherent in every act of communication

Influence of genetic factors on early hypertensive complications

Choroby układu krążenia są główną przyczyną zachorowalności, zgonów i inwalidztwa w rozwiniętych krajach świata. Najważniejszym czynnikiem ryzyka prowadzącym do rozwoju powikłań narządowych jest nadciśnienie tętnicze. Niniejszy artykuł jest poświęcony głównie powikłaniom naczyniowym (zaburzenia funkcji śródbłonka i przebudowa ściany tętnic) oraz mikroalbuminurii. W pracy opisano aktualny stan wiedzy o wpływie wybranych czynników genetycznych na predyspozycję do rozwoju powikłań nadciśnienia tętniczego. Czynniki te obejmują warianty polimorficzne genów kandydatów, zaangażowanych między innymi w regulację ciśnienia krwi, hemostazę, stres oksydacyjny i proces zapalny. Stwierdzenie predyspozycji genetycznej do rozwoju wczesnych powikłań sercowo-naczyniowych jest niezwykle istotnym czynnikiem ryzyka wystąpienia poważniejszych powikłań — zawału serca czy udaru mózgu — i może zrewolucjonizować metody diagnostyki chorób, oceny ryzyka i prognozowania oraz wyboru terapii. Nadciśnienie Tętnicze 2011, tom 15, nr 2, strony 125–142.Hypertension is the most prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death worldwide, especially in developed countries. Genetic and environmental determinants play important roles in hypertension and its complications. This publication gives a short introduction to the pathogenesis of CVD and summarizes the current findings of the genetic factors involved. This review focuses on a better understanding of the role of candidate genes polymorphisms that play a crucial role in blood pressure regulation, hemostatic processes, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses leading to endothelial damage, and as a result, to vascular remodeling and microalbuminuria. Those gene variants could contribute to inter-individual differences in susceptibility to and outcome of essential hypertension. Therefore, the major challenge in cardiovascular medicine is to find a way of predicting the risk of hypertension complications by genetic markers that, used with imaging techniques, could lead to the development of new and better diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Arterial Hypertension 2011, vol. 15, no 2, pages 125–142

Epilepsy and hypertension: The possible link for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy?

Epilepsy affects about 50 million people worldwide. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the main cause of death in epilepsy accounting for up to 17% of all deaths in epileptic patients, and therefore remains a major public health problem. SUDEP likely arises from a combination and interaction of multiple risk factors (such as being male, drug resistance, frequent generalized tonic-clonic seizures) making risk prediction and mitigation challenging. While there is a general understanding of the physiopathology of SUDEP, mechanistic hypotheses linking risk factors with a risk of SUDEP are still lacking. Identifying cross-talk between biological systems implicated in SUDEP may facilitate the development of improved models for SUDEP risk assessment, treatment and clinical management. In this review, the aim was to explore an overlap between the pathophysiology of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and epilepsy, and discuss its implication for SUDEP. Presented herein, evidence in literature in support of a cross-talk between the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) and sympathetic nervous system, both known to be involved in the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease, and as one of the underlying mechanisms of SUDEP. This article also provides a brief description of local RAS in brain neuroinflammation and the role of centrally acting RAS inhibitors in epileptic seizure alleviation

The effects of heat stress on the behaviour of dairy cows – a review

Heat stress in livestock is a function of macro- A nd microclimatic factors, their duration and intensity, the environments where they occur and the biological characteristics of the animal. Due to intense metabolic processes, high-producing dairy cows are highly vulnerable to the effects of heat stress. Disturbances in their thermoregulatory capability are reflected by behavioural, physiological and production changes. Expression of thermoregulatory behaviour such as reduction of activity and feed intake, searching for cooler places or disturbances in reproductive behaviours may be very important indicators of animal welfare. Especially maintenance of standing or lying position in dairy cattle may be a valuable marker of the negative environmental impact. Highly mechanized farms with large numbers of animals have the informatic system that can detect alterations automatically, while small family farms cannot afford this type of equipment. Therefore, observing and analysing behavioural changes to achieve a greater understanding of heat stress issue may be a key factor for developing the effective strategies to minimize the effects of heat stress in cattle. The aim of this review is to present the state of knowledge, over the last years, regarding behavioural changes in dairy cows (Bos taurus) exposed to heat stress conditions and discuss some herd management strategies providing mitigation of the overheat consequences