Project-based work and sustainable development : a comparative case study of cultural animation projects

Currently, a growing interest in the issues related to sustainable development can be observed, with the role of culture in stimulating this development increasing simultaneously. Nevertheless, the function and meanings of culture for sustainable development, as well as culture in the context of sustainable development, have so far remained under-emphasised and under-theorised. For this reason, in this paper we will look at practical examples of culture and sustainable development combined. The undertaken research problem explores the project-based work in the field of cultural animation, and its impact on the pursuit of the objectives of sustainable development at the local level. Two case studies of Polish organisations involved in cultural animation activities have been analysed herein. Based on the research results, we showed that cultural animation is an important tool for enabling local communities to achieve sustainable development. What is also important is the fact that cultural animation activities often take the form of project-based work, which significantly affects the methodology and extent of their implementation. Therefore, in this article we also point to the relationship between the management of animation projects and the idea of sustainable development, emphasising both advantages and disadvantages thereof

Multifocal intracerebral haemorrhage in case of staphylococcal sepsis in patient with myasthenia gravis and risk factors for cerebrovascular disease

W pracy przedstawiono przypadek chorego z miastenią, obciążonego czynnikami ryzyka udaru mózgu, u którego rozwinęła się posocznica gronkowcowa z zapaleniem wsierdzia. W przebiegu choroby wystąpił ciężki, wieloogniskowy udar krwotoczny, co wywołało zgon. Zwrócono uwagę na szczególne zagrożenie powikłaniami infekcyjno-naczyniowymi u osób w starszym wieku, obciążonych czynnikami ryzyka udaru mózgu, leczonych immunosupresyjnie w warunkach szpitalnych.The authors present a case of patient with myasthenia gravis, with coexisting risk factors for cerebrovascular disease, who developed staphylococcal sepsis complicated with endocarditis. In the course of the disease multifocal intracerebral haemorrhage emerged, which caused the patient's death. Special attention was drown to risk of infectious and vascular complications in elderly patients with factors predisposing to cerebrovascular disease and treated with immunosupressive agents during their stay in hospital

Novel inflammatory biomarkers may reflect subclinical inflammation in young healthy adults with obesity

Introduction: Obesity is often accompanied by low-grade inflammation. In recent years a few blood-based inflammatory markers — neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyteto-monocyte ratio (LMR), and monocyte-to-high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) — have been identified. They have been proven to correlate well with established inflammatory markers such as hsCRP and have a prognostic value among others in patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and malignancies. The aim of the study was to find markers associated with obesity in young heathy adults. Material and methods: The study group included 321 young healthy adults aged 18-35 years (210 males and 111 females). Partial least squares regression analysis was used to find variables associated with body mass index (BMI). Analysed variables included complete blood count, lipid profile, sex hormone levels, acute-phase protein levels, and blood-based inflammatory markers. Results: Variables with the strongest association with BMI in the group of men were HDL% and apolipoprotein B, and in the group of women, HDL, HDL%, triglycerides, and MHR. Novel inflammatory markers were not associated with BMI, except MHR. We found significant (p < 0.001) correlations between novel biomarkers (NLR, dNLR) and hsCRP and fibrinogen levels in the group of subjects with obesity. Conclusions: Blood-based inflammatory markers significantly correlate with hsCRP and fibrinogen in young healthy adults with obesity, which may reflect the subclinical inflammation in this group of individuals

Application of Metal Nanoparticles for Production of Self-Sterilizing Coatings

Metal nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly being used in many areas, e.g., industry, pharmacy, and biomedical engineering. NPs can be obtained through chemical and biological synthesis or using physical methods. AgNPs, AuNPs, CuNPs, FeNPs, MgNPs, SnO2NPs, TiO2NPs, and ZnONPs are the most commonly synthesized metal nanoparticles. Many of them have anti-microbial properties and documented activity supported by many tests against some species of pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi. AgNPs, which are used for the production of commercial self-sterilizing packages, are one of the best-explored nanoparticles. Moreover, the EFSA has approved the use of small doses of silver nanoparticles (0.05 mg Ag·kg−1) to food products. Recent studies have shown that metal NPs can be used for the production of coatings to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused the global pandemic. Some nanoparticles (e.g., ZnONPs and MgONPs) have the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status, i.e., they are considered safe for consumption and can be used for the production of edible coatings, protecting food against spoilage. Promising results have been obtained in research on the use of more than one type of nanometals, which prevents the development of pathogen resistance through various mechanisms of inactivation thereof

Analysis of Transport Conditions for Frozen Food on the Way from the Shop to Home

The transport of temperature sensitive products takes place under special conditions defined by specific agreements and international standards. The only exception to this rule is consumer transport. This transport is carried out by the consumer and takes place on the way home from the shop. The study examined consumers' awareness of the consumer transport of frozen food and analysed this type of transport in terms of the continuity of the cold chain. Such situation affects the deterioration of frozen food quality especially in case of its later storage in the home freezer. It was found that the average distance that customers cover from shop to home was 4.98 km. They usually used a car and covered this distance in an average of 12.85 minutes. During the summer months, this time is sufficient to partially thaw a package of frozen vegetables. Only 33% of the respondents used insulated bags to protect frozen food on the way home. When analysing the transport of frozen raw material carried out by consumers in real conditions, the use of insulated bags was found to be justified. These bags are able to keep the temperature of the packed raw material below −5°C. It was found that the legal imposition of the necessity to use such bags or the introduction by the manufacturer of frozen food of appropriate packaging protecting the food against transport at inappropriate temperatures in the summer months is necessary

Debata publiczna nad ustawą Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym - sprawozdanie i próba analizy

The systemic transformation after 1989 and the progressing European integration opened a completely new context for higher education in Poland. As a result, massification, internationalisation and marketization soon brought about problems that Polish universities had to struggle with. The need for strategic reforms became clear, in particular an amendment to the Higher Education Act, in force since 1990, whose regulations were increasingly incompatible with the reality of university life. Work on the new law began on 10 December 2002, when president Aleksander Kwaśniewski appointed an expert team, and closed on 22 January 2005, when the draft Higher Education Act was adopted. In parallel, a public debate was going on and it flared up again after the draft law was announced. The article is designed as an account of that debate. An attempt has been made to analyse various statements published in leading Polish dailies and weeklies and on some Internet sites. The article refers to a few most discussed issues i.e. incorporation of the Bologna process in the new draft law, employment status available for researchers, the phenomenon of polyemployment, academic career paths (habilitation and professor titles bestowed upon by the president of the Republic of Poland), tuition for higher education and autonomy of universities.Transformacja ustrojowa po 1989 r. oraz postępujący proces integracji europejskiej stworzyły w Polsce zupełnie nowy kontekst funkcjonowania szkolnictwa wyższego. W wyniku działania takich procesów jak umasowienie, umiędzynarodowienie i urynkowienie w krótkim czasie pojawiły się problemy, z którymi polskie uczelnie radziły sobie na ogół z dużymi trudnościami. Stało się jasne, że niezbędne są reformy strategiczne, a przede wszystkim - zmiana obowiązującej od 1990 r. Ustawy o szkolnictwie wyższym, której regulacje w coraz mniejszym stopniu przystawały do realiów funkcjonowania uczelni. Prace nad projektem nowej ustawy rozpoczęły się 10 grudnia 2002 r,, wraz z powołaniem przez prezydenta Aleksandra Kwaśniewskiego zespołu ekspertów, a zakończyły 22 stycznia 2005 r. przyjęciem projektu ustawy Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym. Równolegle toczyła się publiczna debata, która rozgorzała z nową siłą po ogłoszeniu projektu ustawy. Niniejszy artykuł jest relacją z tej debaty: próbie analizy poddano wypowiedzi różnych osób, publikowane na łamach czołowych polskich dzienników i tygodników oraz na niektórych stronach internetowych. Autorki odnoszą się do kilku najszerzej dyskutowanych problemów, tj. uwzględnienia w projekcie nowej ustawy założeń procesu bolońskiego, form zatrudnienia pracowników naukowych, ich wieloetatowości, ścieżek kariery akademickiej (habilitacja i belwederskie tytuły profesorskie), kwestii odpłatności za studia oraz zagadnienia autonomii uczelni

Public Debate on the Higher Education Act: An Account and Attempt at Analysis

Transformacja ustrojowa po 1989 r. oraz postępujący proces integracji europejskiej stworzyły w Polsce zupełnie nowy kontekst funkcjonowania szkolnictwa wyższego. W wyniku działania takich procesów jak umasowienie, umiędzynarodowienie i urynkowienie w krótkim czasie pojawiły się problemy, z którymi polskie uczelnie radziły sobie na ogół z dużymi trudnościami. Stało się jasne, że niezbędne są reformy strategiczne, a przede wszystkim - zmiana obowiązującej od 1990 r. Ustawy o szkolnictwie wyższym, której regulacje w coraz mniejszym stopniu przystawały do realiów funkcjonowania uczelni. Prace nad projektem nowej ustawy rozpoczęły się 10 grudnia 2002 r,, wraz z powołaniem przez prezydenta Aleksandra Kwaśniewskiego zespołu ekspertów, a zakończyły 22 stycznia 2005 r. przyjęciem projektu ustawy Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym. Równolegle toczyła się publiczna debata, która rozgorzała z nową siłą po ogłoszeniu projektu ustawy. Niniejszy artykuł jest relacją z tej debaty: próbie analizy poddano wypowiedzi różnych osób, publikowane na łamach czołowych polskich dzienników i tygodników oraz na niektórych stronach internetowych. Autorki odnoszą się do kilku najszerzej dyskutowanych problemów, tj. uwzględnienia w projekcie nowej ustawy założeń procesu bolońskiego, form zatrudnienia pracowników naukowych, ich wieloetatowości, ścieżek kariery akademickiej (habilitacja i belwederskie tytuły profesorskie), kwestii odpłatności za studia oraz zagadnienia autonomii uczelni.The systemic transformation after 1989 and the progressing European integration opened a completely new context for higher education in Poland. As a result, massification, internationalisation and marketization soon brought about problems that Polish universities had to struggle with. The need for strategic reforms became clear, in particular an amendment to the Higher Education Act, in force since 1990, whose regulations were increasingly incompatible with the reality of university life. Work on the new law began on 10 December 2002, when president Aleksander Kwaśniewski appointed an expert team, and closed on 22 January 2005, when the draft Higher Education Act was adopted. In parallel, a public debate was going on and it flared up again after the draft law was announced. The article is designed as an account of that debate. An attempt has been made to analyse various statements published in leading Polish dailies and weeklies and on some Internet sites. The article refers to a few most discussed issues i.e. incorporation of the Bologna process in the new draft law, employment status available for researchers, the phenomenon of polyemployment, academic career paths (habilitation and professor titles bestowed upon by the president of the Republic of Poland), tuition for higher education and autonomy of universities

Application of Iron Nanoparticle-Based Materials in the Food Industry

Due to their different properties compared to other materials, nanoparticles of iron and iron oxides are increasingly used in the food industry. Food technologists have especially paid attention to their ease of separation by magnetic fields and biocompatibility. Unfortunately, the consumption of increasing amounts of nanoparticles has raised concerns about their biotoxicity. Hence, knowledge about the applicability of iron nanoparticle-based materials in the food industry is needed not only among scientists, but also among all individuals who are involved in food production. The first part of this article describes typical methods of obtaining iron nanoparticles using chemical synthesis and so-called green chemistry. The second part of this article describes the use of iron nanoparticles and iron nanoparticle-based materials for active packaging, including the ability to eliminate oxygen and antimicrobial activity. Then, the possibilities of using the magnetic properties of iron nano-oxides for enzyme immobilization, food analysis, protein purification and mycotoxin and histamine removal from food are described. Other described applications of materials based on iron nanoparticles are the production of artificial enzymes, process control, food fortification and preserving food in a supercooled state. The third part of the article analyzes the biocompatibility of iron nanoparticles, their impact on the human body and the safety of their use

Focal dystonia ischemic stroke

W pracy przedstawiono przypadek młodego mężczyzny z niedokrwiennym uszkodzeniem torebki wewnętrznej i jąder podkorowych, u którego kilka lat po udarze rozwinął się zespół dystonii ogniskowych o zróżnicowanym i zmiennym w czasie obrazie klinicznym.The authors present a case of the young man with internal capsula and basal ganglia ischaemic lesion. In a few last years the focal dystonia with variable and changeable clinical picture has developed in our patient