SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre in Krakow, Poland

The SOLARIS synchrotron located in Krakow, Poland, is a third-generation light source operating at medium electron energy. The first synchrotron light was observed in 2015, and the consequent development of infrastructure lead to the first users’ experiments at soft X-ray energies in 2018. Presently, SOLARIS expands its operation towards hard X-rays with continuous developments of the beamlines and concurrent infrastructure. In the following, we will summarize the SOLARIS synchrotron design, and describe the beamlines and research infrastructure together with the main performance parameters, upgrade, and development plans

The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Invertebrates as bioindicators for assessing state of the environment

W poniższej pracy przedstawiono metodę biomonitoringu służącą do oceny stanu środowiska naturalnego - zwrócono uwagę na szerokie zastosowanie tej metody oraz jej rolę w walce z zanieczyszczeniem środowiska. Bioindykatorami uwzględnionymi w pracy zostały wyłącznie zwierzęta bezkręgowe, w obrębie których wyróżniono trzy następujące grupy: •bioindykatory wrażliwe, których obecność lub brak jest uzależniony od stopnia zanieczyszczenia środowiska•bioindykatory właściwe reagujące na zanieczyszczenia zmianami w morfologii ciała •akumulatory – organizmy mające zdolność kumulowania związków toksycznych w swoim cieleDo bezkręgowców (bioindykatorów) wrażliwych, których obecność lub brak jest uzależniona od stopnia zanieczyszczenia środowiska należą: Dendrocoelum lacteum (wypławek biały), Polycelis nigra (wielooczka czarna), Ancylys fluviatilis (przytulik strumieniowy), Lymnaea stagnalis (błotniarka stawowa), Gammarus pulex (kiełż zdrojowy), Daphnia magna (rozwielitka), Astacus astacus (rak szlachetny) oraz larwy chruścików, jętek i widelnic. Wszystkie wymienione powyżej organizmy występują w wodach o wysokiej klasie czystości.Następnie opisano bezkręgowce, które są bioindykatorami wrażliwymi służącymi do biomonitoringu ekosystemów lądowych: niektóre chrząszcze oraz motyle z rodziny (Lycaenidae). Wśród organizmów wskaźnikowych reagujących na zanieczyszczenia zmianami w morfologii ciała (bioindykatorów właściwych) opisano wykorzystywany w monitoringu czystości wód pitnych gatunek Unio tumidus (skójka zaostrzona). W przypadku środowiska lądowego jako przykład bioindykatora właściwego opisano motyla Biston betularia (krępak nabrzozak), u którego występuję związane z zanieczyszczeniami industrialnymi zjawisko melanizmu przemysłowego. Opisanymi w pracy przykładami bezkręgowców akumulujących substancje toksyczne w swoich ciałach są: Mytilus trossulus, Pomacea canaliculata (złoty ślimak jabłkowy), kolcogłowy, Eisenia fetida (kompostowiec różowy), mrówki oraz Apis mellifera (pszczoła miodna). Celem niniejszej pracy było przedstawienie metody bioindykacji przy użyciu bezkręgowców żyjących w różnych środowiskach.The following paper presents a biomonitoring method used to assess the condition of the natural environment - attention was drawn to a wide application of this method and its role in combating environmental pollution. The bioindicators included in the work were only invertebrate animals, within which the following three groups were distinguished:• sensitive bioindicators whose presence or absence depends on the degree of environmental pollution • bioindicators appropriate responding to contamination changes in their morphological scructure • batteries - organisms that have the ability to accumulate toxic compounds in their bodiesSensitive invertebrates (bioindicators) whose presence or absence is dependent on the degree of environmental pollution include: Dendrocoelum lacteum, Polycelis nigra, Ancylus fluviatilis, Lymnaea stagnalis, Gammarus pulex, Daphnia magna, Astacus astacus, and some insect larvae of caddisflies (Trichoptera), mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and stoneflies (Plecoptera). All of the above-mentioned organisms occur in high purity waters. The paper subsequently describes invertebrates, which are bioindicators that are used to biomonitoring terrestrial ecosystem: some beetles and butterflies from the Lycaenidae family. Among indicator organisms pesented which react to pollution by changing their body morphology (bioindicators) are species of molluscs, used in monitoring the purity of drinking water: Unio tumidus. Regarding terrestial environment the phenomenon of industrial melanism occurring in the Biston betularia butterfly associated with industrial pollution is described.The examples of invertebrates accumulating toxic substances in their bodies described in the work are: Mytilus trossulus, Pomacea canaliculata, acanthocepohala, Eisenia fetida, ants and Apis mellifera.The purpose of this work was to present a bioindication method using invertebrate organisms living in different environments

HBK-15, a Multimodal Compound, Showed an Anxiolytic-Like Effect in Rats

Anxiety is a common mental disorder, and its prevalence has lately increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the available anxiolytics are often ineffective, and most possess addictive potential. Thus, searching for novel compounds is essential. In our previous studies, we selected a multimodal compound, HBK-15, which showed a fast antidepressant-like effect in animal models of depression. HBK-15 demonstrated a high affinity for serotonin 5-HT(1A) receptors and moderate for 5-HT(7), dopamine D(2), and α(1)-adrenoceptors. Based on the receptor profile and preliminary studies, we aimed to investigate the anxiolytic potential of HBK-15 using the conditioned-response rat model of anxiety, i.e., the Vogel drinking test. We performed hot plate and free-drinking tests to exclude false positive results in the Vogel test. Using radioligand binding studies, we also investigated the affinity of the compound for the selected biological targets, which play a role in anxiety. Our experiments revealed that HBK-15 showed an anxiolytic-like effect in rats (5 mg/kg) without influencing the pain threshold or the amount of water consumed in the free-drinking test. Furthermore, the tested compound did not show a significant affinity for the selected biological targets, which suggests that its anxiolytic-like mechanism of action could be connected with the interaction with other receptors. This study indicates that multimodal compounds with a receptor profile similar to HBK-15 could be an attractive therapeutic option for patients with a generalized anxiety disorder. However, more studies are required to determine the exact mechanism of action of HBK-15 and its safety profile