NHEJ protects mycobacteria in stationary phase against the harmful effects of desiccation

The physiological role of the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) was examined in Mycobacterium smegmatis using DNA repair mutants (DeltarecA, Deltaku, DeltaligD, Deltaku/ligD, DeltarecA/ku/ligD). Wild-type and mutant strains were exposed to a range of doses of ionizing radiation at specific points in their life-cycle. NHEJ-mutant strains (Deltaku, DeltaligD, Deltaku/ligD) were significantly more sensitive to ionizing radiation (IR) during stationary phase than wild-type M. smegmatis. However, there was little difference in IR sensitivity between NHEJ-mutant and wild-type strains in logarithmic phase. Similarly, NHEJ-mutant strains were more sensitive to prolonged desiccation than wild-type M. smegmatis. A DeltarecA mutant strain was more sensitive to desiccation and IR during both stationary and especially in logarithmic phase, compared to wild-type strain, but it was significantly less sensitive to IR than the DeltarecA/ku/ligD triple mutant during stationary phase. These data suggest that NHEJ and homologous recombination are the preferred DSB repair pathways employed by M. smegmatis during stationary and logarithmic phases, respectively

Miłość jako teologiczne i filozoficzne pojęcie w koncepcji Jana Pawła II

Humankind has been asking the questin about love during the ages. John Paul II took up the theme of Christian love in depth and based it on the theology of body. Pope brought back its real significance by relating this meaning to the betrothal love between woman and man. In his philosophy person is not a means to an end but an end in itself. This love is marked by the common aim, which biases couple in favour of marriage

Serum levels of IL-6 type cytokines and soluble IL-6 receptors in active B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and in cladribine induced remission.

We have investigated the serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and two IL-6 family cytokines-oncostatin M (OSM) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-in 63 patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and 17 healthy controls using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Simultaneously, we measured the serum levels of the soluble forms of two subunits of the IL-6 receptor complex-ligand binding glycoprotein 80 (sIL-6R) and glycoprotein 130 (sgp130). The cytokines and receptors were evaluated in 25 untreated patients and 38 patients treated with cladribine (2-CdA), as well as in 17 healthy controls. We have correlated the serum levels of these proteins with Rai's clinical stage of the disease, the response to 2-CdA treatment and some hematological parameters. We have also evaluated the correlation of the IL-6 serum level with the concentration of OSM and IL-6 soluble receptors. IL-6 was measurable in 62/63 (98.4%), OSM in 20/25 (80%) of untreated and 14/38 (37.8%) of the treated patients. sIL-6R and sgp130 were detectable in all 63 patients and LIF in none of the CLL patients. IL-6 serum level in untreated patients was not significantly different as compared to its concentration in the control group (P>0.05). However, in the patients treated with 2-CdA the IL-6 level was significantly lower (P<0.02), and the lowest concentration was found in the patients with complete remission (CR; median 1.4pg/ml; P<0.02). The concentration of sIL-6R was significantly higher in untreated (median 61.8 ng/ml) and treated (median 50.1 ng/ml) CLL patients when compared to normal persons (median 41.2 ng/ml; P=0.04; P<0.001, respectively). There was no difference between the sIL-6R levels in the patients with CR and the healthy controls. In non-responders sIL-6R concentration was the highest and similar to its level in the untreated patients. OSM level was higher in the untreated patients (median 1.8pg/ml) than in the normal controls (median 0.0pg/ml; P<0.001) and in the CR patients (median 0.0pg/ml; P<0.03). The serum concentration of sgp130 was similar in the untreated (median 480 pg/ml) and treated (median 470 pg/ml) patients, as well as in the healthy persons (median 420 pg/ml; P>0.05). We have found significant positive correlation between the levels of sIL-6R and the lymphocytes count in CLL patients (p=0.423; P<0.001). In addition, sIL-6R and OSM serum concentrations correlated also with CLL Rai stage. In conclusion, the serum level of IL-6, OSM and sIL-6R, but not LIF and sgp130, are useful indicators of CLL activity

Reconstruction of the Vistula River extreme fl oods passage through the City of Warsaw in natural river conditions

Geomorphology of the Vistula River Valley in Warsaw has been presented, as well as history of flood protective dikes and channel regulation works. From historical sources we have the description of catastrophic flood of 1635. The level of the flood of 1844 has been preserved in the form of high water mark. Using two dimensional hydrodynamic model CCHE2D the simulation of thousand years recurrence flood has been performed. It has been compared the result of the calculations with historical chronic and high water mark. It has been calculated the pattern of flood water flow over Praga district terrace, showing also the possibility of flood flow directly to Narew river through the relive channels leading by a terrain depressions of today's Zeranski Canal and Bródnowski Canal

An evaluation of GIS tools for generating area cartograms

The purpose of this article is to report a study aimed at systematic assessment of the functionality of commercially available software for the automatic generation of area cartograms. The issue of the wide choice of algorithms developed over the years for generating various types of surfaces has also been raised. Cartograms (called also anamorphic maps) are constructed by changing the surface area of each spatial unit in step with the corresponding value of the mapped thematic variable (area cartogram) or changing accordingly the distance between the preselected focal point and other points on the map (distance cartogram). Depending on the shape of mapping units, the following three types of area cartograms can be distinguished: - proportional symbol cartograms were the original shapes of mapping units have been replaced with simple geometric shapes such as squares, rectangles or circles (for example, Dorling Circle Cartograms, square cartogram); - continuous regular cartograms where the shapes of areal units on the map resemble the actual shapes of the mapped units but their boundaries have been geometrized to consist of perpendicular sections; - continuous irregular cartograms where the shapes of areal units on the map resemble the actual shapes of the mapped units but unit boundaries are not straight lines. Cartograms can also be constructed to preserve spatial contiguity (continuous cartograms) or not (noncontinuous cartograms), with the latter often preserving the underlying neighborhood relationships to some degree. While constructing area cartogram, one needs to decide first the type of a surface to be developed, and therefore, the algorithm to be applied. The next step in map construction is the choice of software, where tool selection depends often on the predetermined type of the cartogram. The study surveyed five programs for the construction of area cartograms – all available free of charge. Each of those software tools was used to generate area cartograms portraying data from the 2010 presidential election in Poland. Two groups of area cartograms where generated for the purpose of this study: maps of the entire Poland by voivodships, showing the number of valid votes cast for the two presidential candidates in each voivodship, and maps of the Mazowieckie voivodship by county, portraying the number of valid votes cast for the individual candidates in each county. The subsequent in-depth assessment of surveyed programs took into account eleven criteria including the number of cartogram types that might be developed using each program, availability of tools for the proper legend construction and display, possibility of supplementing the cartogram with complementary choropleth maps, the option for inserting map labels, the type of spatial data that can be used in the software (reference to points, lines, polygons) and so on. The study has demonstrated that the tool included in the ArcGIS (Cartogram Utility for ArcGIS) best met the survey criteria scoring 9 points. The application Scape Toad placed second (7.5 pts.), while MapViewer 7 came third (6.25 pts.). When generating cartograms in the available GIS programs, one should also pay attention to the visual qualities of the generated maps, and in particular, to the resemblance of shapes of spatial units on the map to the their actual geographic boundaries. Since the shape outlines obtained on the map vary depending on the underlying geodetic reference system, the best coordinate system for the mapped area should be selected. However, if such system cannot be used within a given cartogram generating tool, then the obtained cartogram should be exported and refined with some general software package for graphic editing

Map Elaboration in MapInfo Professional 10.5 Using Selected Methods of Cartographic Presentation

W artykule zanalizowano i oceniono możliwości opracowania map z zastosowaniem wybranych form prezentacji kartograficznej w jednym z programów typu GIS - MapInfo Professional. Kolejno omówiono opracowane w programie mapy kropkowe, izoliniowe, sygnaturowe, chorochromatyczne oraz mapy zasięgów. Podjęto próbę zweryfikowania poprawności rozwiązań metodycznych zastosowanych w programie i opisanych w podręcznikach użytkownika programu MapInfo.There is no doubt that the use of GIS type programs is widespread. Almost any computer literate person who wants to experiment with the possibilities of the program is able to make an attempt to create a map or another graphic presentation. In the previous issue of Polish Cartographical Review, choropleth and proportional symbol presentation possibilities of the MapInfo Professional 10.5 program were evaluated. This article discusses and evaluates the remaining methods of cartographic presentation: the dot method, the isoline method, the signature method, the qualitative background method and the ranges method from the point of view of their cartographical correctness. Attempts to create maps in MapInfo have shown that proposed solutions are not fully correct and adequate. Relatively low general evaluation of the program results from its numerous mistakes and missing sections of instructions which often hinder the process of proper map elaboration instead of facilitating it. Despite the fact that MapInfo Professional contains a lot of useful functions, it is not fully developed and sometimes can even mislead the program user. Nevertheless it seems to have considerable potential to become a useful tool in editing correct maps. In order to do it, however, it should comply with the rules of cartography. Although GIS-type programs are supposed to present cartographic data adequately, it should be remembered that in many instances their default automatic options are insufficient. Possibility of creating a software which would allow a non-professional user (with no cartographic skills) to make a correct map is an issue to be considered

State of railway stations before beginning the program of the revitalization on the example of Lower Silesia

Dolny Śląsk jako kraina geograficzna charakteryzuje się bogatą historią związaną z rozległym, jednym z najlepszych w kraju, rozwojem przestrzennym sieci kolejowej. Co się z tym wiąże, długość istniejących kiedykolwiek linii kolejowych wprost przekładała się na liczbę eksploatowanych na tymże obszarze punktów odprawy podróżnych. Ze względu na stale postępujący już od kilkudziesięciu lat regres długości sieci kolejowej (związany przede wszystkim z rozwojem konkurencyjnych form transportu, ale także z zaniedbaniami w bieżącym utrzymaniu infrastruktury kolejowej) zauważalny jest szybki proces przekształcenia pierwotnie założonej funkcji licznych obiektów dworcowych (fot. 1). W artykule przedstawione zostaną wyniki inwentaryzacji obiektów dworcowych, która przeprowadzono w latach 2009-2011, a więc jeszcze przed rozpoczęciem programu rewitalizacji tych obiektów

Dorling cartogram

W artykule przedstawiono niekonwencjonalne możliwości prezentacji kartograficznej - mapy anamorficzne. Szczegółowo omówiono kartodiagram anamorficzny Dorlinga - metodę dość powszechnie stosowaną w kartografii brytyjskiej, która nie doczekała się jeszcze szerszego opisu w polskiej literaturze kartograficznej. Po krótkim rysie historycznym omówiono założenia metody i sposoby konstrukcji takich kartodiagramów. Pokazano przykłady map opracowanych w programie MapViewer oraz przykłady zastosowania tej metody w Wielkiej Brytanii.The world can be presented on maps in an unusual, unconventional way. The commonly known arrangement of continents or countries may be abandoned in order to expose changeability of a presented phenomenon. Such graphic presentations are referred to as anamorphic maps. Areas of presented units (e.g. countries) are proportional to statistical values, e.g. population, gross national product (fig. 2.). The article presents the assumptions and construction modes of one of anamorphic methods - Dorling cartogram. Examples of maps prepared in MapViewer and examples of application of this method in Great Britain are presented. Method of construction of Dorling cartogram is discussed on the example of maps published in A new social atlas of Britain [A1]. Fig. 6 presents two maps: traditional choropleth map showing the population density of Great Britain by electoral constituency in 1:10 000 000 (fig. 6A) and Dorling cartogram (fig. 6B). Constituencies are presented as circles with the area proportional to population. Location is preserved, but coastal line and borders are distorted. Preparation of such maps without a computer is almost impossible. Figures 8, 9 and 10 show Dorling cartograms of the population of Poland prepared in MapViewer 7 in 2002 and 2007. These maps are difficult to interpret, because readers are not used to seeing the world in unfamiliar shapes. Therefore when preparing them one should attempt to keep the shape and vicinity of particular units. It is advisable to help the users by showing ad-ministrative zones or by attaching a 'traditional' map. Skillful users of anamorphic maps can obtain new information from them