The effect of thermohydrolysis on biological properties of selected chemical compounds

One of the negative effects of the continuous development of civilization which is observed in recent decades is an increase in the number and variety of pollutants released into the environment. These substances have ecotoxic properties and pose a serious threat to humans and proper functioning of the ecosystem. Their presence in the environment forces the development of new pollution control techniques. One of the latest and very promising methods to destroy organic contaminants using the properties of water which exceeded the critical point is thermohydrolysis in supercritical water. The aim of this study was to investigate thermohydrolysis in supercritical water conditions and to check its suitability for removal of hardly biodegradable organic compounds present in wastewater. Tests for toxicity of these compounds to aquatic organisms such as sewage bacteria, crustaceans and guppy fish were also performed and the degree of their biological decomposition was determined. Biological studies were carried out on starting compounds and after the processes of thermohydrolysis. The research material included p-nitrotoluene sulfonic acid (PNTS), 4,4′-dinitrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DNSDS) and 4,4′-diaminostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid (DASDS). The research leads to the conclusion that the reactions occurring during high-temperature thermohydrolysis of the three tested compounds are extremely complex. Results of biological studies indicate a significant decrease in toxicity and increase in the biodegradability of products obtained after the process of thermohydrolysis

Risk factors of decompression sickness in scuba diving

BackgroundRecreational diving with aqualung can be called an extreme sport because the divers are exposed to physical and psychological risks. A serious danger in diving is the very exposure to a change in pressure underwater, which every diver must deal with. That kind of danger may cause many problems related to any pressure exposure and unfortunately, diving-related illnesses have shown the increasing tendency. Recreational divers are the most numerous group among the people who suffer from decompression sickness (DCS) and alas, similar condition can be expected in future years. Aim of this literature review was to determine the risk factors of decompression sickness after scuba diving.Materials and methodsMaterial for this literature review was found by two independent authors searching PubMed, Cochrane library and ScienceDirect databases by using a combination of keywords: „scuba diving”, „risk factors”, „decompression sickness”, „DCS”. Finally, 4 publications qualified for a review of literature.ResultsMany authors presented factors such as patent foramen ovale, BMI and fat mass, age, diving exposure, heavy exercise, sex, strong current, workload during diving, circulatory right-to-left shunt and the lack of changes in the diving style to have an impact on developing DCS. In the opposite, one study stated that overweight and gender had minor contribution to DSC.ConclusionsRisk factors of decompression sickness  in scuba diving could be: high-grade PFO, age, diving exposure, strong current, heavy exercise, workload during diving, dehydration, repetitive diving, violation of dive profiles, experience in diving, presence of circulatory right-to-left shunt and the lack of changes in the diving style after previous DCS episode. Further research is needed to verify the role of gender and fat mass in developing symptoms of decompression sickness

The significance of performing the OPGs in the detection of dentigerous cyst and mesiodentes - a case report

The article describes a case of a maxillary dentigerous cyst with mesiodens in a 60-year-old patient, which was discovered accidentally on an OPG

Annealing study and thermal investigation on bismuth sulfide thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition in basic medium

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Applied Physics A 124.2 (2018): 166. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-018-1584-7Bismuth sulfide thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition using thiourea as sulfide ion source in basic medium. First, the effects of both the deposition parameters on films growth as well as the annealing effect under argon and sulfur atmosphere on as-deposited thin films were studied. The parameters were found to be influential using the Doehlert matrix experimental design methodology. Ranges for a maximum surface mass of films (3 mg cm-2) were determined. A well crystallized major phase of bismuth sulfide with stoichiometric composition was achieved at 190°C for 3 hours. The prepared thin films were characterized using Grazing Incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Second, the band gap energy value was found to be 1.5 eV. Finally, the thermal properties have been studied for the first time by means of the electropyroelectric (EPE) technique. Indeed, the thermal conductivity varied in the range of 1.20 - 0.60 W m-1 K-1 while the thermal diffusivity values increased in terms of the annealing effect ranging from 1.8 to 3.5 10-7 m2s-1This work was financially supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and by the WINCOST (ENE2016-80788-C5-2-R) project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivenes

Current pretreatment technologies for the development of cellulosic ethanol and biorefineries

Lignocellulosic materials, such as forest, agriculture, and agroindustrial residues, are among the most important resources for biorefineries to provide fuels, chemicals, and materials in such a way to substitute for, at least in part, the role of petrochemistry in modern society. Most of these sustainable biorefinery products can be produced from plant polysaccharides (glucans, hemicelluloses, starch, and pectic materials) and lignin. In this scenario, cellulosic ethanol has been considered for decades as one of the most promising alternatives to mitigate fossil fuel dependence and carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. However, a pretreatment method is required to overcome the physical and chemical barriers that exist in the lignin–carbohydrate composite and to render most, if not all, of the plant cell wall components easily available for conversion into valuable products, including the fuel ethanol. Hence, pretreatment is a key step for an economically viable biorefinery. Successful pretreatment method must lead to partial or total separation of the lignocellulosic components, increasing the accessibility of holocellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis with the least inhibitory compounds being released for subsequent steps of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Each pretreatment technology has a different specificity against both carbohydrates and lignin and may or may not be efficient for different types of biomasses. Furthermore, it is also desirable to develop pretreatment methods with chemicals that are greener and effluent streams that have a lower impact on the environment. This paper provides an overview of the most important pretreatment methods available, including those that are based on the use of green solvents (supercritical fluids and ionic liquids)

Realization of humour and verbal humour in the film adaptation of the novel "The Twelve Chairs" directed by Leonid Gaidai

Niniejsza praca obejmuje zjawiska humoru i komizmu, badając je, jako pojęcia i odnosząc je do realizacji filmowej. Temat pracy: „Realizacja humoru i komizmu w adaptacji filmowej powieści Двенадцать стульев w reżyserii Leonida Gajdaja” odwołuje się do ekranizacji znanej powieści pod tym samym tytułem, autorstwa dwóch pisarzy – Ilji Ilfa i Eugeniusza Pietrowa. Przedmiotem rozważań zawartych w pracy będzie tylko film, nie powieść. Powieść posłuży tu jedynie, lub aż, za źródło, z którego Leonid Gajdaj czerpał natchnienie do wyreżyserowania owej powieści. Moja praca składa się z trzech rozdziałów. Pierwszy z nich, jako część teoretyczna, pomaga zagłębić się w dziedzinę estetyki i kultury humoru i komizmu, aby lepiej zrozumieć omawiane zjawiska. Analizuję kwestie gatunkowe filmu Leonida Gajdaja. Jak powszechnie wiadomo, kształtowanie się humoru w Rosji zaczyna się w twórczości A.P Czechowa, jednak warto podkreślić, iż to lata dwudzieste charakteryzują się szerokim rozwojem humoru. Jest określany, jako twórczość odbiorcza ujmowana w życiu i sztuce w kategoriach komizmu. Uzewnętrznia się w postaci dowcipu i żartu. Przejawia się w zabawnych incydentach. Zaliczany jest do literatury rozrywkowej. Można wydzielić dwa rodzaje humoru. Zalicza się do nich humor słowno-intelektualny oraz komizm sytuacyjny. Warto pokreślić, iż komizm to jedno z najbardziej intrygujących zagadnień estetyki. Wzbudza on jednak ekscytację nie tylko estetyków. Powstaje jednak pytanie, czy można jasno i ściśle sprecyzować, choćby w kilku słowach, – czym jest komizm? Komizm jest jednym z najbardziej wielopłaszczyznowych i złożonych zjawisk estetycznych, tak więc konkretne i krótkie zdefiniowanie owego zjawiska jest niemożliwe. Można podejmować próby określenia komizmu. Awnier Ziś – rosyjski estetyk, uważa, że jeśli śmiech nie służy temu, aby ujawnić ideę dzieła, nie pomaga, nie wzbogaca jego myśli, a wręcz odwraca uwagę widza od najważniejszego celu komedii, to mamy już do czynienia ze śmiesznością, a nie z komizmem. Teoretyk uważa, iż komizm jest zawsze śmieszny, ale śmieszność nie zawsze komiczna. Następnie omówiony zostaje komizm, jako wyznacznik gatunkowy komedii. Pojawia się tu estetyka humoru wraz z różnymi istniejącymi teoriami na temat tego zjawiska. Kolejny aspekt poruszony w tym rozdziale to gatunek filmowy, jakim jest komedia. Zostaje tu nakreślona historia gatunku komedii, jej miejsce w kinematografii, typologia, wyszczególnienie komedii w radzieckiej kinematografii. Komedia wytworzyła się w starożytnej Grecji w związku z obchodzeniem Dionizjów, w czasie których, śpiewano pieśni na cześć Dionizosa podczas pochodów ze wsi do Aten. Komedia filmowa pojawiła się bardzo wcześnie. Jak już wspomniałam, przedmiotem badań mojej pracy jest komedia Двенадцать стульев Leonida Gajdaja, tak więc nieodzownym elementem jest zaprezentowanie świata przedstawionego tego dzieła, a tym właśnie zajmuję się w rozdziale drugim. Przedstawione tu realia historyczne Rosji, czyli czasy, w których osadzona jest fabuła powieści, ma za zadanie zaangażować czytelnika w zapoznanie się z czasoprzestrzenią filmu, charakterystycznymi cechami tychże czasów. Charakterystyka bohaterów i fabuła pomaga dostrzec konkretne humorystyczne sceny, komizm postaci i fenomen całej komedii. Oglądając adaptację filmową książki Ilfa i Pietrowa w reżyserii Gajdaja, nie tylko dostrzegamy komiczność całej fabuły, ale także poznajemy kraj porewolucyjnej Rosji, władzę radziecką i biurokrację. Ostatni – trzeci rozdział niniejszej pracy, został w całości poświęcony technikom wywoływania komizmu i humoru. Unaoczniam je w konkretnych scenach adaptacji filmowej Двенадцать стульев poprzez opis sceny przyporządkowany do konkretnej techniki. Zostały one zobrazowane poprzez zamieszczenie w pracy stopklatek z komedii.SummaryThis study includes the phenomenon of humour and verbal humour, by examining them as a concept and applying them to filmmaking. Study entitled : "Realization of humour and verbal humour in the film adaptation of the novel "The Twelve Chairs" directed by Leonid Gaidai" refers to the filming of the well-known novel of the same title, written by two writers - Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov. Contemplation contained in the study will be just a movie, not a novel. The novel will be used only, or until, for the source from which Leonid Gaidai drew inspiration to direct novel. My work consists of three chapters. First part, as the theoretical, helps to know the field of aesthetics and culture of humour and verbal humour to better understand this phenomenon. I am evaluating the genre issues of the film by Leonid Gaidai.As is well known, the evolution of humour in Russia begins with literary works of Anton Chekhov. However, it is worth to noting, that in 1920s are characterized by a wide range of humour development. Is referred to as work recognized in life and art in terms of verbal humour. Finds its expression in the form of wit and joke, manifested in amusing incidents. Classified as popular literature entertainment. Can distinguish two types of humour : pun and situational humour. It should be mentioned, verbal humour is one of the most intriguing issues of aesthetics. But it arouses interest not only aestheticians. However, should ask, can specify clearly and precisely even in a few words what is verbal humour ? Verbal humour is one of the most multi-faceted and complex aesthetic phenomena, so specific and short define of this phenomenon is impossible. But can attempt to define verbal humour. Russian aesthetics - Awnier Zis - considers that if the laughter is not to reveal the idea works, it does not help, does not enrich his idea, and even turns the viewer's attention from the most important to comedy, then we have to deal with ridicule. Theorist believes that verbal humour is always funny, but the ridicule is not always comic.Next be discussed verbal humour, as an indicator genre of comedy. Presented is aesthetics of humour along with the various existing theories on this phenomenon. Another aspect raised in this chapter, is a comedy as a film genre. Here is shown the history of comedy genre, its position in cinema, typology, description of the comedy in the Soviet cinema. Comedy was begun in ancient Greece in connection with the handling Dionysus festival (also called as City Dionysia or Great Dionysia), at which time, songs were sung in honour of Dionysus during the marches from the villages to Athens. Comedy film was born very early.As I have already mentioned, the subject of my research work is comedy "The Twelve Chairs" by Leonid Gaidai, so crucial is the presentation of the world shown in that movie, and so what do in the second chapter. Presented here the historical realities of Russia, the times in which the storyline is set and characteristic features of these times. This is designed to engage the reader in the introduction to the film-space. Features characters and story helping detect specific humorous scenes, comic form and the whole phenomenon of comedy. Watching the film adaptation of the book written by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov directed by Leonid Gaidai not only perceive humour throughout the storyline, but also get to know the post-revolutionary Russia and also Soviet authority and bureaucracy.The third and the last chapter of this study presents techniques for invoking humour and verbal humour. I show them in specific scenes of the "The Twelve Chairs" movie adaptation, through the description of the scene assigned to a specific technique. They were be illustrated by the inclusion in my research work the still images dropped from comedy

Functioning of a hotel in a historical building – the case study of “Stary Młyn” in Bolesławiec

Conversion of historical buildings into hotel facilities appears as a marked trend in global hotel industry (Milewska, Włodarczyk 2005). This paper, based on author’s Master’s thesis, describes a case study of “Hotel Stary Młyn” in Bolesławiec that exemplifies this global tendency at a local scale. The main aim of this study is to present specific character of the hotel established in a historical building. In particular, this study aims at: – presenting legal restrictions on development of hotel services within a hi-storical building (which is a listed monument); – reconstructing the process of conversion of a historic building into a hotel; – describing the product (hospitality services) offered by the hotel concerned; – defining the influence of the contemporary function of the historical building (regarded as an element of local cultural heritage) on local community’s life. The subject of this study is the “Hotel Stary Młyn” (“The Old Mill Hotel”) in Bolesławiec upon Prosna (province of Łódź). The hotel was established in a wooden 16th-century water mill, which is the oldest monument of this kind in the province of Łódź. Its adaptation for the purpose of hotel & restaurant was part of an ambitious project which was carried out in late 1970s. The project aimed at creating in Bolesławiec a complex of historic buildings and recreational facilities. The mill was then thoroughly restored and adapted for budget accommodation of low standard. In the 1990s it became the property of its present owner, and since then its services have been adjusted to the needs of institutional clients interested in organising seminars, conferences and socializing events for their employees. This paper includes a detailed description of services available in “Stary Młyn”. It was found that there is a bidirectional relation between historic building within which the hotel functions and the product of the hotel. The conversion and re-use of the historic building as a hotel have great influence on its appearance and state of preservation. The historical building clearly determines specific features of the hotel’s product (services). On the other hand, however, some features of the historical building, e.g. architectural barriers, may cause considerable difficulties, which possibly translate into deterioration of the quality of its services. Nevertheless, the case of “Stary Młyn” proves that conversion of a historical building into a hotel represent a unique chance to regain its glory. Included in this paper are also results of a questionnaire survey carried out by the author using a group of 162 local inhabitants. Its purpose was to assess the importance of the “Stary Młyn” hotel for members of the local community. The respondents were questioned about basic facts concerning the hotel, if any changes in their lives were produced by the present function of the historical building, what is their attitude towards commercial re-use of the element of their cultural heritage, if they frequent the hotel and what kind of services they use. The survey reveals that the conversion into a hotel greatly increased the importance of the historical building for the local community. Most of the respondents gave correct answers to the questions about the hotel name, date of conversion and the building’s original function. 119 out of 162 respondents visited the hotel at least once. 70% of those guestioned approved of the idea of re-using the historical building as a hotel. The most common reason they gave to motivate their positive attitude was that this is the only chance to rescue the monument from falling into ruin. The sample noticed numerous changes in their lives which resulted from the conversion of the mill into a hotel. Although both positive and negative changes have been mentioned, the positive ones were predominant. According to those questioned, the most noticeable change consists in the increase of their pride of living in Bolesławiec. Moreover, not only does the function of a hotel add to the prestige of the village, but also it heightens the inhabitants’ awareness of the value of local heritage. The influence of the hotel on local economy is rather insignificant, neverthe-less some inhabitants mentioned its positive role in reducing the unemployment rate. Among negative changes, the most noticeable was the increase of the noise and other environmental pollution. The respondents also suggested other possible ways of re-using this part of their heritage, opting for social, rather than commercial usage

Fairy tale as a form of inspiration for the creators of the selected fields of culture

Baśnie należą do grona opowieści, które towarzyszył człowiekowi od początków jego istnienia. Przechodziły one liczne reinkarnacje, by ostatecznie stać się emblematem literatury dla dzieci. Zawarte w nich informacje tłumaczą dzieciom rzeczywistość i otaczający ich świat. Wyjaśniają sposoby zachowań oraz uczą pożądanych form zachowań. Mimo swego wieku nie tracą swej aktualności. Stanowią fundament naszej kultury i tradycji. Nie są jednak gatunkiem stałym. Podlegają zmianom, szczególnie dzisiaj, w dobie globalizacji. Celem niniejszej pracy jest ukazanie kulturotwórczej roli baśni oraz opis zjawiska jakim jest występowanie motywów baśniowych w różnych dziedzinach sztuki: grafice, fotografii i reklamie. Praca podzielona jest na cztery rozdziały. Rozdział pierwszy zawiera metodologię badań oraz konceptualizację głównych pojęć. Rozdział drugi poświęcony jest baśni jako elementowi kultury. Trzeci rozdział dotyczy baśni w perspektywie globalizacji. Rozdział czwarty zaś jest analizą przeprowadzonych badań. Praca zawiera również aneks, w którym umieszczone zostały reprodukcje zdjęć i grafik z motywami baśniowymi.Fairy tales are among the stories that accompanied man since the beginning of its existence. They passed several reincarnations , to eventually become the emblem of literature for children . Information contained therein explain to children the reality and the world around them . Despite their age does not lose its relevance . They are the foundation of our culture and tradition. However, there are constant genre. Subject to change , especially today , in the era of globalization. The aim of this study is to show the cultural role of fairy tales and description of the phenomenon of the presence of fairy-tale motifs in various fields of art : graphics , photography and advertising. The work is divided into four chapters . The first chapter contains the research methodology and conceptualization of the main concepts. The second chapter is devoted to fairy tales as an element of culture. The third chapter concerns the fairy tale in the perspective of globalization. The fourth chapter is the analysis of the study . The work also contains an annex in which are placed reproductions of photos and prints with motifs of fairy