War rape in the face of heroic narrative : the case of Polish cinema

War rape seals the status of women as passive victims and excludes them from heroic narratives. Despite women's suffering and their active resistance against the invaders, film representations reduce their subjectivity through a narrative of shame based on silence, exclusion, or the removal of women from the real course of events, all of which dominate in Polish cinema. Phenomena that are highlighted in the text-talking about rape on one's own terms, using it as self-defence, bearing resulting offspring, active resistance or creating an approving community-may become a way to the empowerment of heroines and reformulation of the traditional symbolic field

Transforming Growth Factor-Beta (TGF-beta) Signaling in Paravertebral Muscles in Juvenile and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Most researchers agree that idiopathic scoliosis (IS) is a multifactorial disease influenced by complex genetic and environmental factors. The onset of the spinal deformity that determines the natural course of the disease, usually occurs in the juvenile or adolescent period. Transforming growth factors (TGF-s) and their receptors, TGFBRs, may be considered as candidate genes related to IS susceptibility and natural history. This study explores the transcriptional profile of TGF-s, TGFBRs, and TGF- responsive genes in the paravertebral muscles of patients with juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (JIS and AIS, resp.). Muscle specimens were harvested intraoperatively and grouped according to the side of the curve and the age of scoliosis onset. The results of microarray and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed significantly higher transcript abundances of TGF-2, TGF-3, and TGFBR2 in samples from the curve concavity of AIS patients, suggesting a difference in TGF- signaling in the pathogenesis of juvenile and adolescent curves. Analysis of TGF- responsive genes in the transcriptomes of patients with AIS suggested overrepresentation of the genes localized in the extracellular region of curve concavity: LTBP3, LTBP4, ITGB4, and ITGB5. This finding suggests the extracellular region of paravertebral muscles as an interesting target for future molecular research into AIS pathogenesis

Haunted films and demonic women of power

Artykuł poddaje analizie sposób przedstawiania kobiet władzy w trzech zrealizowanych w drugiej dekadzie XXI wieku polskich filmach: Idzie (2013) Pawła Pawlikowskiego, Obcym ciele(2014) Krzysztofa Zanussiego oraz Zaćmie(2016) Ryszarda Bugajskiego. Bohaterki filmów współtworzące aparat represji w okresie stalinowskim są z jednej strony wzorowane na konkretnych postaciach historycznych, z drugiej zaś posiadają właściwości przynależne sferze metafizycznej. Obecny w omawianych dziełach kontekst religijny koresponduje z zaproponowanym w artykule ujęciem widmologicznym. W każdym zanalizowanych filmów decydującą rolę odgrywa bowiem motyw nawiedzenia bohaterek przez duchy zmarłych lub demony, co prowadzi do ontologicznego rozchwiania rzeczywistości bądź usytuowania bohaterek w przestrzeni quasi-infernalnej. Demoniczne kobiety władzy przynależne zarówno rzeczywistości historycznej, jak i wymiarowi metafizycznemu, stają się idealnym medium wyrażenia lęku oraz bezsilności poznawczej bądź etycznej wobec złożonych zdarzeń rozgrywających się w przeszłości.The article analyses the way women of power are presented in three Polish films produced in the second decade of 21stcentury: Paweł Pawlikowski’s Ida(2013), Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body (2014) and Ryszard Bugajski’s Blindness (2016). On the one hand, the films’ heroines, co-authors of the machine of repression in Stalinist times, are based on specific historical figures, on the other hand, they have characteristics belonging to the realm of the metaphysical. The religious context present in the works discussed corresponds to the hauntological approach proposed in the article. Because in every analysed film the decisive role is played by the motif of the heroines being haunted by ghosts of the dead or by demons, which leads to ontological instability of reality or placing the heroines in a quasi-infernal space. Demonic women of power, pertaining both to historical reality and metaphysical dimension, become the perfect medium to express fear and cognitive or ethical helplessness in the face of complex events that took place in the past

Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor-X2 (MRGPRX2) in drug hypersensitivity reactions

The human ortholog MRGPRX2 and the mice ortholog, Mrgprb2 are activated by basic secretagogues and neurokinins. A number of commonly used small-molecule drugs (e.g., neuromuscular blocking agents, fluoroquinolones, vancomycin) have been recently shown to activate these receptors under in vitro experimental conditions, what results in mast cell degranulation. The above drugs are also known to cause IgE-mediated anaphylactic reactions in allergic patients. The new findings on mechanisms of drug-induced mast cell degranulation may modify the current management of drug hypersensitivity reactions. Clinical interpretation of mild drug-provoked hypersensitivity reactions, interpretation of skin test with a drug of interest or further recommendations for patients suspected of drug allergy are likely to be reconsidered. In the paper we discussed future directions in research on identification and differentiation of MRGPRX2-mediated and IgE-dependent mast cell degranulation in patients presenting clinical features of drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions

Rheological investigations of pharmaceutical emulsions prepared with modified lecithin

In this paper the results of rheological investigations of pharmaceutical microemulsions prepared using modern lecithine derived emulsifiers has been prevented out. High stability of obtained systems and wide possibilities of controlling rheological parameters were found

In Vivo Anti-inflammatory Activity of Lipoic Acid Derivatives in Mice

Background: In mammals lipoic acid (LA) and its reduced form dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) function as cofactors for multienzymatic complexes catalyzing the decarboxylation of α-ketoacids. Moreover, LA is used as a drug in a variety of diseases including inflammatory diseases. The aim of the study was to examine anti-inflammatory properties of LA metabolites.Material/methods:The present paper reports the chemical synthesis of 2,4-bismethylthio-butanoic acid (BMTBA) and tetranor-dihydrolipoic acid (tetranor-DHLA). BMTBA is one of the biotransformation products of LA, while tetranor-DHLA is an analogue of DHLA. Structural identity of these compounds was confirmed by 1H NMR. These compounds were assessed for their anti-inflammatory activity in mice. For this purpose, the zymosan-induced peritonitis and the carrageenan-induced hind paw edema animal models were applied.Results/conclusions: The obtained results indicated that the early vascular permeability measured at 30 min of zymosan-induced peritonitis was significantly inhibited in groups receiving BMTBA (10, 30, 50 mg/kg). The early infiltration of neutrophils measured at 4 hours of zymosan-induced peritonitis was inhibited in the group receiving BMTBA (50 mg/kg) and tetranor-DHLA (50 mg/kg). The results indicated that the increase in paw edema was significantly inhibited in the groups receiving BMTBA (50, 100 mg/kg) and tetranor-DHLA (30, 50 mg/kg). In summary, the present studies clearly demonstrated that both BMTBA and tetranor-DHLA were able to act as anti-inflammatory agents. This is the first study examining in vivo the anti-inflammatory properties of LA metabolites

The molecular level characterization of biodegradable polymers originated from polyethylene using non-oxygenated polyethylene wax as a carbon source for polyhydroxyalkanoate production

There is an increasing demand for bio-based polymers that are developed from recycled materials. The production of biodegradable polymers can include bio-technological (utilizing microorganisms or enzymes) or chemical synthesis procedures. This report demonstrates the corroboration of the molecular structure of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) obtained by the conversion of waste polyethylene (PE) via non-oxygenated PE wax (N-PEW) as an additional carbon source for a bacterial species. The N-PEW, obtained from a PE pyrolysis reaction, has been found to be a beneficial carbon source for PHA production with Cupriavidus necator H16. The production of the N-PEW is an alternative to oxidized polyethylene wax (O-PEW) (that has been used as a carbon source previously) as it is less time consuming to manufacture and offers fewer industrial applications. A range of molecular structural analytical techniques were performed on the PHAs obtained; which included nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). Our study showed that the PHA formed from N-PEW contained 3-hydroxybutyrate (HB) with 11 mol% of 3-hydroxyvalerate (HV) units.This research was funded by the Research Investment Fund, University of Wolverhampton, Faculty of Science and Engineering, UK. This work was also partially supported under the EU 7FP BIOCLEAN Project, Contract No. 312100, “New biotechnological approaches for biodegrading and promoting the environmental biotransformation of synthetic polymeric materials

Effect of forced physical activity on the severity of experimental colitis in normal weight and obese mice : involvement of oxidative stress and proinflammatory biomarkers

Inflammatory bowel diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders represented by two major phenotypic forms, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Cross talk between adipokines and myokines, as well as changes in intestinal microcirculation, was proposed in pathogenesis of these disorders. C57BL/6 male mice were fed ad libitum for 12 weeks a standard (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD). After the adaptation period, two groups of animals fed SD or HFD were subjected to 6 weeks of the forced treadmill exercise and the experimental colitis was induced in both groups of sedentary and exercising mice fed SD and HFD by intra-colonic administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The disease activity index (DAI), colonic blood flow (CBF), the weight of animals, caloric intake, the mesenteric fad pad, the colonic oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and intestinal expression and protein content of proinflammatory markers were evaluated. Macroscopic and microscopic colitis in sedentary SD mice was accompanied by a significant fall in CBF and exacerbated in those fed a HFD. The contents of MDA, GSH, and SOD activity were significantly increased in both SD and HFD fed mice with treadmill exercise as compared with sedentary mice. In sedentary HFD mice a significant increase in the intestinal oxidative stress parameters and mucosal expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17, IFNγ, IL-6, and IL-10 protein were observed and these effects were aggravated in mice subjected to forced treadmill exercise. The mucosal expression of mRNA for TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, COX-2, SOD-1, SOD-2, GPx mRNAs, and the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein expression were upregulated in colonic mucosa of treadmill exercising HFD mice with colitis compared with those without exercise. We conclude that forced treadmill running exacerbates the severity of colonic damage in obese mice due to a fall in colonic microcirculation, an increase in oxidative stress, and the rise in expression and activity of proinflammatory biomarkers

Central blood pressure and nighttime blood pressure in patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease

Introduction. Arterial hypertension is a well-known risk factor of both cardiovascular complications and faster progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). There is growing evidence that central blood pressure (BP) and nighttime BP may have an advantage in predicting the risk of cardiovascular complications and the progression of CKD in comparison with the traditional office BP measurements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the central BP and nighttime BP in non-diabetic CKD patients with no, or only mild proteinuria i.e. autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) or IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Material and methods. Forty patients with CKD stage 3 or 4 were enrolled into the study. In each patient the measurement of peripheral and central BP was conducted, as well as the assessment of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Results. Despite the lower office and central BP values in patients with IgAN in comparison to patients with ADPKD, both studied groups did not differ in the mean BP in the 24-hour ABPM. In the entire studied group a significant positive correlation was found between the augmentation pressure and age, as well as between the augmentation index - AIx% and age. Moreover, a significant positive correlation between the decrease of nighttime BP and eGFR was observed. Additionally, a significant positive correlation between PWV and age was found. Conclusions. 1. Patients with ADPKD and IgAN, despite the differences in office and central BP do not differ in respect of the mean BP in the 24-hour ABPM. 2. In both groups of patients vascular stiffness increases with age and deteriorating kidney function. 3. Lower decrease of nighttime blood pressure is related to the worse kidney function in patients with non-diabetic CKD.