Effect of high-temperature exposure on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Al5Ti5Co35Ni35Fe20 high-entropy alloy

Effect of high-temperature exposure on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the Al5Ti5Co35Ni35Fe20 High-Entropy Alloy was studied. High-entropy alloys belong to the group of multi-principal element alloys composed of at least five elements with a concentration between 5 and 35 atomic pct. Despite the multicomponent composition, the goal is to achieve a simple solid solution. The alloy was exposed to a temperature range of 650-900 degrees C for 168 h (7 days), after hot rolling and air-quenching. After hot rolling the investigated alloy was not fully supersaturated. The application of air cooling caused gamma' precipitation, which was uniformly distributed within the microstructure. High-temperature exposure caused the growth of gamma' particles. At 700 degrees C and higher, additional continuous and discontinuous precipitation of gamma' was observed. Finally, the microstructure of the investigated alloy consisted of gamma matrix and three types of gamma' precipitates, i.e. spherical gamma' phases with bimodal distribution within the grains and elongated DP gamma' phases present at the grain boundaries. The highest mechanical properties were obtained after exposure to 650 degrees C, which was caused by gamma' precipitation. Further increase in temperature decreased the mechanical properties.Web of Science9155955

The origins of Galium schultesii and Stellaria holostea in the Bieszczady Mts (Eastern Carpathians) : glacial refugium or genetic melting pot?

The aim of the paper was to test the hypotheses on the genetic structure and origins of forest herbaceous plant species, Galium schultesii and Stellaria holostea, in the subalpine zone of the Bieszczady Mts. The species are generally the lowland elements occurred in fertile oak-hornbeam forests. Their extrazonal occurrence in the mountain subalpine zone could be an effect of recent, Holocene migrations from various glacial refugia or the surviving in situ the last glacial maximum (LGM) in cryptic forest refugia. The two hypotheses were tested with the use of AFLP genetic fingerprinting and the patterns of bands distribution were established based on General Linear Models (GLMs) and STRUCTURE analysis. Twenty nine populations of G. schultesii and thirty five population of S. holostea were sampled in the Carpathians, Transcarpathia, Pannonian Basin, Transilvania and Podolia. They were characterized by 200 and 219 AFLP loci, respectively. The Bieszczady’s populations of both species, as a geographical group, were not divergent from the adjoining regions (Analysis of Molecular Variance AMOVA, p > 0.05). In G. schultesii a group of AFLP bands in three populations from the Bieszczady Mts. were found in Transcarpathia and the Piatra Craiului Mts (E Carpathians). In S. holostea a group of AFLP bands were found in four of the Bieszczady’s populations, in the Eastern Romanian Carpathians (the Maramaros and Kelemen Mts.), and the Sandomierz Basin (Niepołomice Forest, north of W Carpathians). Both groups could have reflected a refugial pattern. The putative refugial vs. non-refugial groups had statistically significant between group variation (AMOVA) for both G. shultesii (4,8%, p = 0.006) and S. holostea (11,2%, p < 0.001). Statistical analysis showed that putative refugial group of S. holostea had statistically significantly lower indices of genetic richness FA (p = 0.03) and FAmax (p = 0.01), and higher divergence DW index (p = 0.002), in comparison to the non-refugial group. It could be an effect of the genetic bottleneck. Galium schultesii had significantly higher indices of genetic diversity: PPL (p = 0.008), Nei’s h (p = 0.037), Shannon I (p < 0.001), and divergence DW index (p = 0.007) in the putative refugial group. Probably both forest herbs could have persisted the LGM in the Bieszczady Mts

Shift schedule, work-family relationships, marital communication, job satisfaction and health among transport service shift workers

Objectives: Existing research has documented that shiftwork consequences may depend on the shift system parameters. Fast rotating systems (1-3 shifts of the same kind in a row) and day work have been found to be less disruptive biologically and socially than slower rotating systems and afternoon and night work. The aim of this study was to compare day workers and shift workers of different systems in terms of rotation speed and shifts worked with regard to work-family and family-work positive and negative spillover, marital communication style, job satisfaction and health. Material and Methods: Employees (N = 168) of the maintenance workshops of transportation service working different shift systems (day shift, weekly rotating 2 and 3‑shift system, and fast rotating 3-shift system) participated in the study. They completed the Work-Family Spillover Questionnaire, Marital Communication Questionnaire, Minnesota Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Physical Health Questionnaire (a part of the Standard Shiftwork Index). Results: The workers of quicker rotating 3-shift systems reported significantly higher scores of family-to-work facilitation (F(3, 165) = 4.175, p = 0.007) and a higher level of constructive style of marital communication (Engagement F(3, 165) = 2.761, p = 0.044) than the workers of slower rotating 2-shift systems. There were no differences between the groups of workers with regard to health and job satisfaction. Conclusions: A higher level of work–family facilitation and a more constructive style of marital communication were found among the workers of faster rotating 3-shift system when compared to the workers of a slower rotating 2-shift system (afternoon, night). This may indicate that the fast rotating shift system in contrary to the slower rotating one is more friendly for the work and family domains and for the relationship between them

Daytime effect of monochromatic blue light on EEG activity depends on duration and timing of exposure in young men

Growing evidence suggests an alerting effect of monochromatic blue light on brain activity. Little is known about the moderation of those effects by timing and duration of exposure. The present electroencephalography (EEG ) study examined such moderations on delta, theta, alpha1, alpha2, and beta EEG bands. A counterbalanced repeated-measures design was applied. The 16-hr daytime period was divided into three sessions: 07:00-12:20, 12:20-17:40, and 17:40-23:00 (timing of exposure). Two light conditions comparable in luminance but differing in wavelength were applied, namely polychromatic white light and monochromatic blue light (460 nm). There were two durations of exposure - the shorter one lasting 30 min and the longer one lasting 4 hrs. Thirty male students participated in the study. Four factors analyses of variance (ANOV As, for light conditions, timing of exposure, duration of exposure, and brain area) were performed on each EEG band. Results indicated an alerting effect of short exposure to monochromatic blue light at midday and in the evening, which was demonstrated by a decrease in lower frequency bands (alpha1, delta, and theta, respectively). Long exposure to blue light may have a reverse effect, especially in the morning and at midday, when increases in lower frequency bands (theta in the morning and theta and alpha1 at midday) were observed. It can be concluded that the daytime effect of monochromatic blue light on EEG activity depends on timing and duration of exposure

Estrogen- and Progesterone (P4)-Mediated Epigenetic Modifications of Endometrial Stromal Cells (EnSCs) and/or Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells (MSCs) in the Etiopathogenesis of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common chronic inflammatory condition in which endometrial tissue appears outside the uterine cavity. Because ectopic endometriosis cells express both estrogen and progesterone (P4) receptors, they grow and undergo cyclic proliferation and breakdown similar to the endometrium. This debilitating gynecological disease affects up to 15% of reproductive aged women. Despite many years of research, the etiopathogenesis of endometrial lesions remains unclear. Retrograde transport of the viable menstrual endometrial cells with retained ability for attachment within the pelvic cavity, proliferation, differentiation and subsequent invasion into the surrounding tissue constitutes the rationale for widely accepted implantation theory. Accordingly, the most abundant cells in the endometrium are endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs). These cells constitute a particular population with clonogenic activity that resembles properties of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). Thus, a significant role of stem cell-based dysfunction in formation of the initial endometrial lesions is suspected. There is increasing evidence that the role of epigenetic mechanisms and processes in endometriosis have been underestimated. The importance of excess estrogen exposure and P4 resistance in epigenetic homeostasis failure in the endometrial/endometriotic tissue are crucial. Epigenetic alterations regarding transcription factors of estrogen and P4 signaling pathways in MSCs are robust in endometriotic tissue. Thus, perspectives for the future may include MSCs and EnSCs as the targets of epigenetic therapies in the prevention and treatment of endometriosis. Here, we reviewed the current known changes in the epigenetic background of EnSCs and MSCs due to estrogen/P4 imbalances in the context of etiopathogenesis of endometriosis

Proceedings of the public administration in cases referring to social welfare issues

Wydział Prawa i AdministracjiCelem rozprawy jest uaktualnienie i uporządkowanie poglądów dotyczących postępowania administracyjnego w sprawach z zakresu pomocy społecznej, który to cel jest dopełnieniem jej waloru naukowego. W pracy wykazano zasadność odrębności, ich wpływ na realizację podstawowych celów pomocy społecznej oraz przedstawiono argumentację za dalszymi zmianami. Starano się wykazać, że pośród świadczeń z pomocy społecznej nie ma świadczeń stricte roszczeniowych. Analiza orzecznictwa samorządowych kolegiów odwoławczych, wojewódzkich sądów administracyjnych oraz NSA daje uzasadnione podstawy do stwierdzenia, że interpretacja przepisów prawa z tej sfery nosi znamiona społecznej, ukierunkowanej na ochronę osoby ludzkiej przed sytuacjami czy okolicznościami mogącymi spowodować nieodwracalne skutki. W związku z tym zaproponowano powołanie dodatkowych zasad postępowania, bez których ta sfera prawa administracyjnego nie może osiągnąć postawionych przed nią celów. Praca w sposób bezpośredni postuluje zasadność wprowadzenia do Kodeksu postępowania administracyjnego oraz ustawy o pomocy społecznej umowy administracyjnej, wskazując argumentację przemawiającą za poszczególnymi propozycjami. W ramach metody prawno-porównawczej zestawiono, tytułem przykładu, regulacje polskiego postępowania w sprawach pomocy społecznej z instytucjami proceduralnymi przyjętymi w prawie czeskim.The aim of the dissertation is to update and organize views on administrative proceedings in cases related to social welfare, which is the enhancement to its scientific value. In the thesis, the validity of difference has been proved, its impact on the achievements of basic goals accomplished by social welfare is demonstrated, and arguments for further modifications are presented. An effort has been made to prove that, among the social security benefits, there are no strictly claim benefits. The analysis of judicature of local courts of appeal, voivodship administrative courts, and NSA provides reasonable grounds to believe that the interpretation of the law in this field has all the hallmarks of being social, focused on protection of a human being against situations or circumstances that may cause irreversible effects. In this context, additional rules of conduct were proposed, and without introducing them, this field of administrative law, cannot achieve its set targets. The dissertation, in a direct way, calls for introducing an administrative agreement into both the administrative proceedings Code and the act on social welfare, indicating also arguments raised by the proposals. Using a legal-benchmark, Polish regulations concerning proceedings in cases relating to social welfare and procedural institutions adopted in Czech law were compared as the example

Synthesis and physicochemical characteristics of new W(IV) cyano complexes with NO - and/or OO – donating ligands.

W pracy magisterskiej opisane zostały cztery nowe kompleksy cyjanowe W(IV): (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(brsal)]∙2H2O,(PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(dclsal)]∙H2O, (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(metsal)]∙5H2O, (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(clsal)]∙3H2O. Jako ligandy organiczne stosowano zasady Schiffa na bazie 2-aminoetanolu oraz pochodnych aldehydu salicylowego (aldehydu 5-bromosalicylowego, aldehydu 1,2-dichlorosalicylowego, aldehydu 5-metoksysalicylowego, aldehydu 5-chlorosalicylowego). W przypadku trzech preparatów zasady Schiffa zostały skoordynowane do metalu jako ligandy N,O-donorowe, zaś tylko w jednym preparacie koordynacji uległ sam aldehyd 1,2-dichlorosalicylowy jako ligand O,O-donorowy. Dla każdego kompleksu wykonano szereg badań fizykochemicznych: analizę elementarną, pomiary spektroskopowe (IR, UV-VIS w fazie stałej i w serii rozpuszczalników) oraz woltamperometrię cykliczną. W oparciu o wyniki analizy elementarnej ustalono wzory strukturalne oraz skład procentowy. Wyniki pomiarów spektroskopowych potwierdziły sposób koordynacji ligandów do wolframu oraz dały informację na temat trwałości związków w danych rozpuszczalnikach. Na podstawie wszystkich otrzymanych wyników dokonano porównania z analogicznymi kompleksami Mo(IV) oraz innymi kompleksami typu [W(CN)3O(LL)]n- z ligandami N,O i O,O-donorowymi.Thesis describes four new W(IV) cyano complexes: (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(brsal)]∙2H2O, (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(dclsal)]∙H2O, (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(metsal)]∙5H2O, (PPh4)2[W(CN)3O(clsal)]∙3H2O . Schiff bases based on 2-aminoethanol and salicylaldehyde derivatives (5-bromo-, 1,2-dichloro-, 5-metoxy- and 5-chloro-salicylaldehyde respectively) were used as organic ligands. In case of three samples, Schiff bases were coordinated to metal as NO – donating ligands and in only one sample 1,2-dichlorosalicylaldehyde was coordinated as OO – donating ligand. For each complex, a set of physicochemical measurements have been performed: elemental analysis, cyclic voltammetry, IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy (in solid state and series of solvents).Structural and percentage composition were established based on elemental analysis. Results of spectroscopy confirmed that ligands are coordinating to tungsten and provided information about stability of complexes in specific solvents. Based on given results, comparison with analogous Mo(IV) and other [W(CN)3O(LL)]n- type complexes with NO - and OO - donating ligands has been performed