Vote of Confidence in the 1949 Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany and in the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of Poland in the context of both states’ parliamentary system’s rationalization

Artykuł zawiera porównawczą analizę aktualnie obowiązujących przepisów dotyczących wotum zaufania w Republice Federalnej Niemiec i Polsce. Cel stanowi ocena poziomu zaawansowania racjonalizacji systemu parlamentarnego w obu tych państwach w zakresie obejmującym analizowaną instytucję prawną. Racjonalizacja parlamentaryzmu rozumiana jest przez autora artykułu jako dążenie za pomocą odpowiednio ukształtowanych środków prawnych do stabilności i efektywności ustroju poprzez wzmacnianie rządu kosztem legislatywy. Wielofunkcyjny charakter niemieckiego wotum zaufania, a zwłaszcza brak obowiązku dymisji kanclerza w razie porażki w głosowaniu nad wnioskiem o wotum zaufania, sprawiają, że niemiecka wersja tej instytucji pełniej niż jej polski odpowiednik realizuje koncepcję parlamentaryzmu zracjonalizowanego.The article contains a comparative analysis of the provisions concerning the vote of confidence currently in force in Germany and Poland. The aim of the article is to evaluate the level of the parliamentary system’s rationalization in both countries, as far as the aforementioned legal institution is concerned. The concept of the rationalization of parliamentarism is construed by the author as aiming at political stability and effectiveness by means of properly formed legal tools, through strengthening of the government at the expense of the legislative power. The multifunctional character of the German vote of confidence and, especially, the lack of the chancellor’s obligation to dismiss in case of defeat at the voting on the motion in the parliament, justify the conclusion that the German version of the analyzed institution fulfills the concept of the rationalized parliamentarism more accurately than its Polish counterpart

Recepcja konstruktywnego wotum nieufności. Artykuł 67 Ustawy zasadniczej Republiki Federalnej Niemiec w konfrontacji z rozwiązaniami ustrojowymi Hiszpanii, Belgii, Słowenii, Węgier i Polski

The 1949 Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany is the first constitution establishing the so-called constructive vote of no confidence as a procedure of execution of government’s parliamentary responsibility. This legal institution was later engrafted into constitutions of several states. The article contains a comparative analysis of the German prototype and its counterparts in Spanish, Belgian, Slovenian, Hungarian and Polish constitutions. Analyzing similarities and differences of these regulations enables the author to answer the question of the optimal model of reception. An additional aim of the article is to rate the Polish version in the light of regulations from the other states. The author concludes that although several elements of Polish provisions should be assessed positively, generally they contain drawbacks, weakening the main objective of the constructive vote of no confidence – stability of the government. Especially individual motions of no confidence voted on singular ministers are a danger for minority cabinets.Ustawa zasadnicza RFN z 1949 roku to pierwsza konstytucja, która wprowadziła tzw. konstruktywne wotum nieufności jako procedurę egzekwowania odpowiedzialności parlamentarnej rządu. W późniejszym czasie w kilku innych państwach nastąpiła recepcja tej instytucji prawnej. Artykuł zawiera komparatystyczną analizę niemieckiego pierwowzoru i jego odpowiedników w konstytucjach Hiszpanii, Belgii, Słowenii, Węgier i Polski. Wskazanie podobieństw i różnic pomiędzy poszczególnymi regulacjami umożliwia próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie o optymalny model recepcji. Dodatkowy cel artykułu stanowi ocena wersji polskiej na tle rozwiązań obowiązujących w pozostałych analizowanych państwach. Autor konkluduje, że mimo pewnych szczegółowych zalet polskiej regulacji, rodzime przepisy zawierają też mankamenty, uderzające w cel konstruktywnego wotum nieufności jako instytucji stabilizującej gabinet. Za błąd uznaje on zwłaszcza utrzymanie możliwości wyrażania indywidualnego, zwykłego wotum nieufności członkom rządu

Assessing soil C stock and C to N ratio of soil organic matter under mixed pine-beech forests at different scales

Producción CientíficaHealthy soils are the second C sink on Earth, and this sink could last for hundreds or even thousands of years as stable soil organic matter (SOM). Forest soils, in particular, have the potential to store significant amounts of C, however, the amount of C sequestered and the carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of soil organic matter (SOM) depend on the vegetation influencing the soil. In the last decades, mixed stands have aroused great interest among the scientific community, but it is still necessary to intensify research on its effect on soils and their C storage capacity. In this study, we assess soil C sequestration potential in soil and litter of mixed and pure stands of Scots pine and beech (Pinus sylvestris–Fagus sylvatica). Three triplets (9 forest plots), two located in Southern Poland and one in Southern Germany were studied. A total of 40 circular subplots of 5 m radius were selected within the triplets, covering a wide range of species mixture, and soil and litter were sampled. Data were analyzed at two scales (plot-level and microsite-level) to determine which option is more appropriate when studying the mixing effect on SOM. Cstock in forest floor ranged between 2.5 and 11.1 Mg C ha−1 and in mineral soil between 39.6 and 337.8 Mg ha−1. According to our findings, the percentage of species mixture primarily impacted the forest floor rather than the mineral soil. On the forest floor, stands with 25–50% pine in the mixture were found to have a C/N ratio between 20 and 30, which indicates an equilibrium state between mineralization and immobilization. In the mineral soil, total organic C was the only variable affected by mixture percentage (p < 0.1). Finally, microsite-level scale proved to be the most appropriate when studying tree stand composition effect on SOM, as the plot-level scale diluted or masked some effects.Junta de Castilla y León - projects "Servicios ecosistémicos de los suelos bajo masas forestales mixtas versus masas puras. Efecto del tipo de masa en la fertilidad edáfica, retención de agua y secuestro de carbono" (REF. V096G19), (CLU-2019-01) and (CL-EI-2021-05)Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación - project “IMFLEX: gestión forestal integrada por gradientes de complejidad”(FPU 2016-BOE 17-01-2017)Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCLEEuropean Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no.77832

Impact of disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow on survival and disease progression in patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer

Introduction Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) are a subset of circulating tumor cells that migrate to the bone marrow. Colorectal cancer is a heterogeneous disease depending on the site of the primary tumor. Objectives We aimed to assess the association between the presence of DTCs in the bone marrow and tumor characteristics as well as long‑term treatment outcomes in patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer. Patients and methods This prospective study included 91 patients with left‑sided colorectal cancer (37 with colon cancer and 54 with rectal cancer) treated between 2007 and 2012 in a single tertiary center. Fifteen patients had stage I cancer; 26, stage II; 26, stage III; and 24, stage IV. Overall survival and cancer relapse rates were compared between patients with different cancer stages and DTC status. Results Bone marrow DTCs were identified in 42 patients (46.1%). The prevalence of DTCs was not related to tumor infiltration depth, nodal involvement, distant metastasis, tumor stage, or primary tumor site. The 5‑year overall survival rates were 59.5% and 53% in the DTC‑positive and DTC‑negative groups, respectively (P = 0.19). There was a notable trend favoring survival in patients with DTCs with stage II and III disease (both separately and when combined). The number of metachronous distant metastases was significantly lower in DTC‑positive patients. Conclusions The presence of DTCs in the bone marrow is not associated with primary tumor characteristics and seems to reduce metastasis formation in left‑sided colorectal cancer. There is also a trend for improved overall survival in DTC‑positive patients. These results are intriguing and warrant further confirmation

Biokinetics of ^{131}I after endogenous and exogenous stimulation of TSH in patients with DTC

BACKGROUND: The effective radioiodine treatment of patients with DTC is possible only after raising the TSH value over 30 μUI/ml. This effect might be obtained by either endogenous or exogenous stimulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in 131I biokinetics of selected regions of interest (ROIs) in cases of endogenous and exogenous stimulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two groups of 50 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients were treated with 3.7 GBq of 131I; the first group after thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), the second group after rhTSH administration (rhTSH). On the basis of post-treatment images, the uptake ratios over selected ROIs (thyroid remnants, mediastinum, liver, stomach, abdomen, and whole-body) were compared between groups. RESULTS: In the case of uptake over the whole-body and the liver, statistically significant higher values were received for the THW group. For the remaining regions, the differences between groups were statistically insignificant, but uptake ratios in the rhTSH group were generally numerically lower compared to the THW group. CONCLUSIONS: The revealed difference in radioiodine biokinetics after thyroid hormone withdrawal or administration of recombinant human TSH may influence many important aspects of patients with DTC treatment, such as the choice of proper therapeutic scheme, the cost of therapy, and the dose assessment

Biokinetics of 131I after endogenous and exogenous stimulation of TSH in patients with DTC

BACKGROUND: The effective radioiodine treatment of patients with DTC is possible only after raising the TSH value over 30 &#956;UI/ml. This effect might be obtained by either endogenous or exogenous stimulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in 131I biokinetics of selected regions of interest (ROIs) in cases of endogenous and exogenous stimulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two groups of 50 patients were enrolled in the study. All patients were treated with 3.7 GBq of 131I; the first group after thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), the second group after rhTSH administration (rhTSH). On the basis of post-treatment images, the uptake ratios over selected ROIs (thyroid remnants, mediastinum, liver, stomach, abdomen, and whole-body) were compared between groups. RESULTS: In the case of uptake over the whole-body and the liver, statistically significant higher values were received for the THW group. For the remaining regions, the differences between groups were statistically insignificant, but uptake ratios in the rhTSH group were generally numerically lower compared to the THW group. CONCLUSIONS: The revealed difference in radioiodine biokinetics after thyroid hormone withdrawal or administration of recombinant human TSH may influence many important aspects of patients with DTC treatment, such as the choice of proper therapeutic scheme, the cost of therapy, and the dose assessment. Nuclear Med Rev 2010; 13, 2: 55&#8211;5