DIDACTICS SOLUTIONS IN SEXUAL EDUCATION IN THE LIGHT OF THE CURRICULA (1960-2010), AND THE SOCIO-CULTURAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN POLAND

Research conducted by many specialists confirmed the necessity of working out of good sexual education model in polish school. Ourresearch had two main aims. First was analysis of changes in sexual education tendencies in the years 1960-2010 in Poland, based on content and quantity of synopsis of the school lectures published in periodical "Biology at School". We made an attempt to identify used ways of teaching of issues concerning human sexuality in selected years. The second aim was an attempt to systematize of teachers and biology students interpretations of commercials having sexual innuendos, and recognize how do they notice medial announcements having opinion-forming character with reference to human sexuality. We carried out a diagnostic survey among students of biology and biology teachers. The results of the poll allowed to answer the question, how views of human body shaped by media affect students and teachers attitudes toward human sexuality in comparison with attitudes shaped by school and other sources. We also focused of attention on symbols used in advertisements as factors which have potential implications for sexual education of society. The connection of these two planes allow to determine the relationships between formal and non formal education in biology and human sexuality

Pollution of artesian wells in the urban areas of Krakow, Europe

Artesian wells are sources of water from the late Pleistocene era. They are in common use in Krakow, in southern Poland, where five years ago limited studies were carried out, the results of which disputed the potability of water from some of the wells. This paper presents complex studies carried out at the end of 2012 concerning the pollution and composition of water samples from nine artesian wells. We studied smell and taste, color, turbidity and conductivity, pH levels, hardness, oxygen concentration and demand, total organic content, compound concentrations (NH{_{4}}^{+}, NO{_{2}}^{-}, NO{_{3}}^{-}, Br^{-}, Cl^{-}, benzene, ethylbenzene, xylene, toluene), element concentrations (Al, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Pb, Zn) and the quantity of bacteria. In only on well was water fit for human consumption. In other cases, numerous parameters were above the permissible limits. Most often, the parameters of color, turbidity and concentrations of Fe and NH{_{4}}^{+}, exceeded the acceptable levels. In one well the concentration of benzene also exceeded the maximum permissible level. The significance of the differences in the levels between wells shows that aquifers mix either very slowly or not at all

Relationship between air pollution and metal levels in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues

We aimed to check the relationships between levels of metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg and Zn) in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues and their link to air pollution, expressed as particulate matter (PM) concentrations. The study also examines the influence on metal concentration in the lung tissue of patients' sex and the distance of their homes from the nearest emitter. We found that the general pattern of ascending concentrations in tumor tissue was as follows: Hg < Cd < Cu < Ca < Zn < Fe. In non-affected lung tissue the order of concentrations of Ca and Fe was reversed. With the exception of Cd and Cu, levels of metals were found in higher accumulations in non-cancerous tissue (e.g., Fe 326.423 and Ca 302.730 μg/g d.w) than in tumorous tissue (Fe 150.735 and Ca 15.025 μg/g d.w). Neither the PM10 (PM of a diameter of 10 μm) concentration nor sex revealed any connection with metal concentrations. The shorter the distance from the emitter, the higher the metal concentrations that tended to be observed for almost all metals, but a statistically significant (but weak) relationship was noted only for Cu in tumor tissue (rs: -0.4869)

Structure of the Current Sheet in the 11 July 2017 Electron Diffusion Region Event.

The structure of the current sheet along the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) orbit is examined during the 11 July 2017 Electron Diffusion Region (EDR) event. The location of MMS relative to the X-line is deduced and used to obtain the spatial changes in the electron parameters. The electron velocity gradient values are used to estimate the reconnection electric field sustained by nongyrotropic pressure. It is shown that the observations are consistent with theoretical expectations for an inner EDR in 2-D reconnection. That is, the magnetic field gradient scale, where the electric field due to electron nongyrotropic pressure dominates, is comparable to the gyroscale of the thermal electrons at the edge of the inner EDR. Our approximation of the MMS observations using a steady state, quasi-2-D, tailward retreating X-line was valid only for about 1.4 s. This suggests that the inner EDR is localized; that is, electron outflow jet braking takes place within an ion inertia scale from the X-line. The existence of multiple events or current sheet processes outside the EDR may play an important role in the geometry of reconnection in the near-Earth magnetotail

Studies of Relativistic Jets in Active Galactic Nuclei with SKA

Relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are among the most powerful astrophysical objects discovered to date. Indeed, jetted AGN studies have been considered a prominent science case for SKA, and were included in several different chapters of the previous SKA Science Book (Carilli & Rawlings 2004). Most of the fundamental questions about the physics of relativistic jets still remain unanswered, and await high-sensitivity radio instruments such as SKA to solve them. These questions will be addressed specially through analysis of the massive data sets arising from the deep, all-sky surveys (both total and polarimetric flux) from SKA1. Wide-field very-long-baseline-interferometric survey observations involving SKA1 will serve as a unique tool for distinguishing between extragalactic relativistic jets and star forming galaxies via brightness temperature measurements. Subsequent SKA1 studies of relativistic jets at different resolutions will allow for unprecedented cosmological studies of AGN jets up to the epoch of re-ionization, enabling detailed characterization of the jet composition, magnetic field, particle populations, and plasma properties on all scales. SKA will enable us to study the dependence of jet power and star formation on other properties of the AGN system. SKA1 will enable such studies for large samples of jets, while VLBI observations involving SKA1 will provide the sensitivity for pc-scale imaging, and SKA2 (with its extraordinary sensitivity and dynamic range) will allow us for the first time to resolve and model the weakest radio structures in the most powerful radio-loud AGN.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures; to appear as part of 'Cosmic Magnetism' in Proceedings 'Advancing Astrophysics with the SKA (AASKA14)', PoS(AASKA14_093

Near-Earth plasma sheet boundary dynamics during substorm dipolarization.

We report on the large-scale evolution of dipolarization in the near-Earth plasma sheet during an intense (AL ~ -1000 nT) substorm on August 10, 2016, when multiple spacecraft at radial distances between 4 and 15 R E were present in the night-side magnetosphere. This global dipolarization consisted of multiple short-timescale (a couple of minutes) B z disturbances detected by spacecraft distributed over 9 MLT, consistent with the large-scale substorm current wedge observed by ground-based magnetometers. The four spacecraft of the Magnetospheric Multiscale were located in the southern hemisphere plasma sheet and observed fast flow disturbances associated with this dipolarization. The high-time-resolution measurements from MMS enable us to detect the rapid motion of the field structures and flow disturbances separately. A distinct pattern of the flow and field disturbance near the plasma boundaries was found. We suggest that a vortex motion created around the localized flows resulted in another field-aligned current system at the off-equatorial side of the BBF-associated R1/R2 systems, as was predicted by the MHD simulation of a localized reconnection jet. The observations by GOES and Geotail, which were located in the opposite hemisphere and local time, support this view. We demonstrate that the processes of both Earthward flow braking and of accumulated magnetic flux evolving tailward also control the dynamics in the boundary region of the near-Earth plasma sheet.Graphical AbstractMultispacecraft observations of dipolarization (left panel). Magnetic field component normal to the current sheet (BZ) observed in the night side magnetosphere are plotted from post-midnight to premidnight region: a GOES 13, b Van Allen Probe-A, c GOES 14, d GOES 15, e MMS3, g Geotail, h Cluster 1, together with f a combined product of energy spectra of electrons from MMS1 and MMS3 and i auroral electrojet indices. Spacecraft location in the GSM X-Y plane (upper right panel). Colorcoded By disturbances around the reconnection jets from the MHD simulation of the reconnection by Birn and Hesse (1996) (lower right panel). MMS and GOES 14-15 observed disturbances similar to those at the location indicated by arrows

Wpływ palenia papierosów na parametry noworodka oraz na kumulację kadmu i ołowiu w łożysku kobiet z Górnego Śląska

Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the content of cadmium and lead in different parts of the placenta and fetal membranes of women who were exposed to cigarette smoke. The correlation between the two chemical elements and the impact of the Cd and Pb accumulation on newborn parameters were established. Materials and methods: The study material was collected immediately after delivery from 40 patients of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Katowice. The marginal and central parts of the placenta and fetal membranes (amnion) were taken. The women were divided into two groups: smokers and non-smokers. Metal concentration in placenta was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Bioethical Commission approved of the study. Results: In both studied groups, smokers and non-smokers, the presence of cadmium and lead was detected. Smokers turned out to have accumulated more of the investigated heavy metals in the placenta and fetal membranes. In the analyzed groups of women of smokers and non-smokers, differences in the content of the studied metals were found, but they were not statistically significant. Differences in newborn parameters in the two groups of women occurred, but again they lacked statistical significance. The level of lead increases along with the increase in the amount of cadmium, which proves the existence of a statistically significant correlation between them (p = 0.000). Conclusions: The number of smoked cigarettes increases cadmium content in maternal placenta and fetal membranes. No significant differences in newborn parameters of either smoker or non-smokers were observed, which may indicate women’s adaptation to the environment containing cigarette smoke. The placenta and fetal membranes are biomarkers of the level of toxic exposure for the developing baby.Cel pracy: Celem badań było określenie zawartości kadmu i ołowiu w różnych częściach łożyska oraz w błonie płodowej kobiet narażonych na dym papierosowy. Została określona korelacja pomiędzy badanymi pierwiastkami oraz wpływ kumulacji tych Cd i Pb na parametry noworodka. Materiał i metod: Materiał do badań był pobierany zaraz po porodzie od 40 kobiet z Kliniki Położnictwa i Ginekologii w Katowicach. Od kobiet pobrano część brzeżną łożyska, część centralną łożyska oraz błonę płodową (owodnię). Kobiety podzielono na dwie grupy badawcze: palące oraz niepalące. Koncentrację metali w łożysku określono metodą płomieniowej absorpcyjnej spektrofotometrii atomowej (FAAS). Komisja Biotyczna wyraziła zgodę na przeprowadzenie badań wśród pacjentek. Wyniki: W badanych grupach kobiet: palących i niepalących wykryto obecność kadmu oraz ołowiu. Kobiety palące kumulują zwiększony poziom analizowanych metali ciężkich. Występują różnice w zawartościach badanych metali w poddanych analizie grupach kobiet palących oraz niepalących, ale nie są one istotne statystycznie. Zanotowano różnice w parametrach w badanych grupach kobiet, ale nie są to różnice statystycznie istotne. Wraz ze wzrostem ilości kadmu wzrasta poziom ołowiu, co świadczy o istnieniu wysoce statystycznych korelacji pomiędzy nimi (p=0,000). Wnioski: Wraz z ilością wypalanych papierosów rośnie zawartość kadmu w łożysku oraz w błonie płodowej kobiet. Brak istotnych różnic w parametrach noworodków kobiet palących oraz niepalących może świadczyć o adaptacji kobiet do otoczenia zawierającego w swoim składzie dym papierosowy. Łożysko oraz błona płodowa stanowią biomarker stopnia narażenia na rozwijającego się noworodka na substancje toksyczne

Modeling Kelvin-Helmholtz instability-driven turbulence with hybrid simulations of Alfv\'enic turbulence

Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations of plasma turbulence generated by a Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) event at the Earth's magnetopause are compared with a high-resolution two-dimensional (2D) hybrid direct numerical simulation (DNS) of decaying plasma turbulence driven by large-scale balanced Alfv\'enic fluctuations. The simulation, set up with four observation-driven physical parameters (ion and electron betas, turbulence strength, and injection scale) exhibits a quantitative agreement on the spectral, intermittency, and cascade-rate properties with in situ observations, despite the different driving mechanisms. Such agreement demonstrates a certain universality of the turbulent cascade from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) to sub-ion scales, whose properties are mainly determined by the selected parameters, also indicating that the KH instability-driven turbulence has a quasi-2D nature. The validity of the Taylor hypothesis in the sub-ion spatial range suggests that the fluctuations at sub-ion scales have predominantly low frequencies, consistent with a kinetic Alfv\'en wave-like nature or with quasi-static structures. Finally, the third-order structure function analysis indicates that the cascade rate of the turbulence generated by a KH event in the magnetopause is an order of magnitude larger than in the ambient magnetosheath.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, submitted to The Astrophysical Journa

Energy Partitioning Constraints at Kinetic Scales in Low- Turbulence

Turbulence is a fundamental physical process through which energy injected into a system at large scales cascades to smaller scales. In collisionless plasmas, turbulence provides a critical mechanism for dissipating electromagnetic energy. Here we present observations of plasma fluctuations in low- turbulence using data from NASAs Magnetospheric Multiscale mission in Earths magnetosheath. We provide constraints on the partitioning of turbulent energy density in the fluid, ion-kinetic, and electron-kinetic ranges. Magnetic field fluctuations dominated the energy density spectrum throughout the fluid and ion-kinetic ranges, consistent with previous observations of turbulence in similar plasma regimes. However, at scales shorter than the electron inertial length, fluctuation power in electron kinetic energy significantly exceeded that of the magnetic field, resulting in an electron-motion-regulated cascade at small scales. This dominance should be highly relevant for the study of turbulence in highly magnetized laboratory and astrophysical plasmas