Jarlmanns saga og Hermanns: A Translation

Agnete Lothʼs edition of the longer version of Jarlmanns saga og Hermanns included an accompanying English paraphrase (by Gillian Fellows Jensen), but there has never been a full translation into English, much less of the shorter version as edited by Hugo Rydberg. We rectify that omission here, providing a normalized text of Rydbergʼs edition with an English translation alongside in the hopes of making this entertaining saga more accessible to a wider audience

The current situation and future of biofuels used in Member States transport in the light of the EU regulations

Celem pracy jest rozpoznanie stanu obecnego regulacji prawnych warunkujących sposób funkcjonowania sektorów biopaliw transportowych Państw Członkowskich do 2020 r. oraz przedstawienie najnowszych propozycji ustanawiających ramy promowania wykorzystania odnawialnej energii w transporcie w perspektywie do 2030 r. W związku z tym w pracy przedstawiono dyrektywy Unii Europejskiej (UE) oraz stopień ich implementacji do polskiego prawodawstwa w zakresie produkcji i wykorzystania biopaliw transportowych w latach 2003-2016. Ponadto przedstawiono najważniejsze rozwiązania związane z biopaliwami zaproponowane w opublikowanym pod koniec 2016 r. wniosku dotyczącym dyrektywy w sprawie promowanie stosowania energii z odnawialnych źródeł. Dokumenty strategiczne UE, które obligują Państwa Członkowskie do realizacji wynikających z nich celów, wskazują na rosnącą rolę zaawansowanych biopaliw, przy jednoczesnym ograniczaniu dalszego wykorzystania biopaliw konwencjonalnych. Aby cele te osiągnąć konieczne będą znaczne nakłady inwestycyjne oraz współpraca między krajami UE.The aim of the work is to identify the current state of regulations determinate the functioning of the Member States transport biofuels by 2020 and present the latest proposals establishing a framework for promoting the use of renewable energy in transport in the perspective of 2030. Thereupon, the directives of the European Union (EU) and the degree of their implementation to the Polish legislation relevant to the production and use of transport biofuels in the years 2003-2016 were presented. In addition, the most important solutions for biofuels presented in the proposal for a directive on the promotion of use of energy from renewable sources (published in late 2016) were showed. EU strategic documents, which oblige Member States to meet their goals, point to the growing role of advanced biofuels and limiting use of conventional biofuels. In order to achieve these goals, substantial investment and cooperation between EU countries will be necessary

Triggering anti-GBM immune response with EGFR-mediated photoimmunotherapy

BACKGROUND: Surgical resection followed by chemo-radiation postpones glioblastoma (GBM) progression and extends patient survival, but these tumours eventually recur. Multimodal treatment plans combining intraoperative techniques that maximise tumour excision with therapies aiming to remodel the immunologically cold GBM microenvironment could improve patients’ outcomes. Herein, we report that targeted photoimmunotherapy (PIT) not only helps to define tumour location and margins but additionally promotes activation of anti-GBM T cell response. METHODS: EGFR-specific affibody molecule (Z(EGFR:03115)) was conjugated to IR700. The response to Z(EGFR:03115)-IR700-PIT was investigated in vitro and in vivo in GBM cell lines and xenograft model. To determine the tumour-specific immune response post-PIT, a syngeneic GBM model was used. RESULTS: In vitro findings confirmed the ability of Z(EGFR:03115)-IR700 to produce reactive oxygen species upon light irradiation. Z(EGFR:03115)-IR700-PIT promoted immunogenic cell death that triggered the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) (calreticulin, ATP, HSP70/90, and HMGB1) into the medium, leading to dendritic cell maturation. In vivo, therapeutic response to light-activated conjugate was observed in brain tumours as early as 1 h post-irradiation. Staining of the brain sections showed reduced cell proliferation, tumour necrosis, and microhaemorrhage within PIT-treated tumours that corroborated MRI T(2)*w acquisitions. Additionally, enhanced immunological response post-PIT resulted in the attraction and activation of T cells in mice bearing murine GBM brain tumours. CONCLUSIONS: Our data underline the potential of Z(EGFR:03115)-IR700 to accurately visualise EGFR-positive brain tumours and to destroy tumour cells post-conjugate irradiation turning an immunosuppressive tumour environment into an immune-vulnerable one. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12916-021-02213-z

The Egyptian Predynastic and State Formation

When the archaeology of Predynastic Egypt was last appraised in this journal, Savage (2001a, p. 101) expressed optimism that “a consensus appears to be developing that stresses the gradual development of complex society in Egypt.” The picture today is less clear, with new data and alternative theoretical frameworks challenging received wisdom over the pace, direction, and nature of complex social change. Rather than an inexorable march to the beat of the neo-evolutionary drum, primary state formation in Egypt can be seen as a more syncopated phenomenon, characterized by periods of political experimentation and shifting social boundaries. Notably, field projects in Sudan and the Egyptian Delta together with new dating techniques have set older narratives of development into broader frames of reference. In contrast to syntheses that have sought to measure abstract thresholds of complexity, this review of the period between c. 4500 BC and c. 3000 BC transcends analytical categories by adopting a practice-based examination of multiple dimensions of social inequality and by considering how the early state may have become a lived reality in Egypt around the end of the fourth millennium BC

Metabolic syndrome is associated with similar long-term prognosis in non-obese and obese patients. An analysis of 45 615 patients from the nationwide LIPIDOGRAM 2004-2015 cohort studies

Aims We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and long-term all-cause mortality. Methods The LIPIDOGRAM studies were carried out in the primary care in Poland in 2004, 2006 and 2015. MetS was diagnosed based on the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) and Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. The cohort was divided into four groups: non-obese patients without MetS, obese patients without MetS, non-obese patients with MetS and obese patients with MetS. Differences in all-cause mortality was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results 45,615 participants were enrolled (mean age 56.3, standard deviation: 11.8 years; 61.7% female). MetS was diagnosed in 14,202 (31%) by NCEP/ATP III criteria, and 17,216 (37.7%) by JIS criteria. Follow-up was available for 44,620 (97.8%, median duration 15.3 years) patients. MetS was associated with increased mortality risk among the obese (hazard ratio, HR: 1.88 [95% CI, 1.79-1.99] and HR: 1.93 [95% CI 1.82-2.04], according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria, respectively) and non-obese individuals (HR: 2.11 [95% CI 1.85-2.40] and 1.7 [95% CI, 1.56-1.85] according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria respectively). Obese patients without MetS had a higher mortality risk than non-obese patients without MetS (HR: 1.16 [95% CI 1.10-1.23] and HR: 1.22 [95%CI 1.15-1.30], respectively in subgroups with NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria applied). Conclusions MetS is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in non-obese and obese patients. In patients without MetS obesity remains significantly associated with mortality. The concept of metabolically healthy obesity should be revised

Cohort profile. the ESC-EORP chronic ischemic cardiovascular disease long-term (CICD LT) registry

The European Society of cardiology (ESC) EURObservational Research Programme (EORP) Chronic Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease registry Long Term (CICD) aims to study the clinical profile, treatment modalities and outcomes of patients diagnosed with CICD in a contemporary environment in order to assess whether these patients at high cardiovascular risk are treated according to ESC guidelines on prevention or on stable coronary disease and to determine mid and long term outcomes and their determinants in this population