Artificial propagation of the endangered Rumanian endemic warm water rudd (Scardinius racovitzai Müller 1958, Cyprinidae, Cypriniformes) for conservation needs

Scardinius racovitzai appeared to be locally adapted to an extreme high temperature environment (26–35 °C). As a species of conservation concern, due to declining ecological condition of the solitary thermal lake it could be found in (Lake Petea, Oradea, Romania) and eventual near complete abstraction of this lake, 60 adults were saved in 2014. In this study we investigated methods for induced spawning and sperm cryopreservation to aid recovery and reintroduction to restored habitats. Induced spawning was introduced successfully by intraperitoneal induction of dried carp pituitary extract and human chorion gonadotropin. Larvae and juveniles were successfully reared to age 3 months using standard methods for cyprinids. Our experiments on the cryopreservation of S. racovitzai sperm show that the extender consisting 40 mM KCl 200 mM glucose, 30 mM Tris buffered with HCL pH 8.0 is suitable for freezing warm water rudd sperm together with methanol as a cryoprotectant. By rescuing the remaining wild stock into captivity and undertaking propagation research we have prevented extinction of this rare species – more so S. racovitzai will be important in the study of freshwater fishes and how they can adapt to significant warming

"Procedura wyboru rady municypalnej w Królestwie Polskim (1830-1831)"

W dotychczasowych badaniach nad dziejami administracji na ziemiach polskich rzadko poruszana jest problematyka wyborów do samorządu miejskiego w okresie Rządu Narodowego w 1831 r. Z kolei tematyka dotycząca dawnego prawa wyborczego niemal nie dotyka charakterystyki tych wyborów. Prześledzenie tych zagadnień wydaje się potrzebne i to nie tylko dlatego, by uzupełnić pewną lukę badawczą, ale także w celu potwierdzenia funkcji wyborów w społeczeństwie nowożytnym

Processing of personal data on employment in churches and religious associations

In this work authors analyze existing legal regulations in the state and internal (canonical) legal order, concernig processing of personal data on employments in churches and religious associotions. Presented considerations regarding the principles of employment in churches and other religious associatons indicated that from formal side there are no significant differences with respect to other entities appearing in the legal turnover. The right to autonomy allows churches and religious associations in the borders of state law, to determine the rules processing of personal data, in accordance with the assumptions resulting from their specificity

New Challenges Facing the Global Economy

This publication was written for a Global Political Economy course taught in business schools offering undergraduate or graduate levels of education. The textbook focuses on select countries and regions which, in our opinion, will be the most important consumer and export markets in the next two decades

Using social data in strategic environmental assessment to conserve biodiversity

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is increasingly used to assess land use plans in a way that is broader in spatial, temporal and conceptual scope than traditional Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Meanwhile, conservation scientists have recognised that successful biodiversity conservation outcomes rely on information about both biological priorities and the feasibility of undertaking conservation actions. SEA provides a framework for integrating information on the social determinants of conservation feasibility with supporting environmental legislation in order to achieve enhanced conservation outcomes. In this paper we argue that data on the social context of land use plans are vital to ensure effective biodiversity conservation outcomes that result from SEAs. We explore the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) (EPBC Act) as a case example of how the integration of these data can be practically achieved within an existing legal process. While a range of social data is relevant to this type of assessment, we focus on the use of spatially-referenced social data in the context of land use planning. When applied to the design and implementation of land use plans, this type of information can improve the acceptability of conservation actions, enhance environmental stewardship, and minimise land use conflict through taking stock of the values and attitudes (precursors to behaviour) that are relevant to proposed land use change and conservation action. Through exploring the integration of these data into each of the stages of SEA under the EPBC Act, we show that opportunities exist to strengthen the effectiveness of SEA in delivering conservation outcomes without altering existing legal processes. Yet, for this to be done effectively, practitioners need to be cognisant of a range of theoretical and methodological challenges related to the generation and interpretation of these data, as well as the socio-political context in which they are applied

Can we further improve the quality of nephro-urological care in children with myelomeningocele?

Myelomeningocele (MMC) results from a failure of normal neural tube fusion in early fetal development. Retrospective, observational study of medical data of 54 children treated in Pediatric Nephrology and Urology Clinics for five years was performed. The following data were analyzed: serum creatinine, eGFR, urine analysis, renal scintigraphy (RS), renal ultrasound, and urodynamics. Mean age of studied population: 12.3 years, median of eGFR at the beginning and at the end of survey was 110.25 and 116.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 accordingly. Median of frequency of urinary tract infections (fUTI): 1.2 episodes/year. In 24 children: low-pressure, in 30 children: high-pressure bladder was noted. Vesicouretral reflux (VUR) was noted in 23 children (42.6%). fUTI were more common in high-grade VUR group. High-grade VURs were more common in group of patients with severe renal damage. At the end of the survey 11.1% children were qualified to higher stages of chronic kidney disease. Renal parenchyma damage progression in RS was noted in 22.2% children. Positive VUR history, febrile recurrent UTIs, bladder wall trabeculation, and older age of the patients constitute risk factors of abnormal renal scans. More than 2.0 febrile, symptomatic UTIs annually increase by 5.6-fold the risk of severe renal parenchyma damage after five years

Inflammation modulates intercellular adhesion and mechanotransduction in human epidermis via ROCK2

Aberrant mechanotransduction and compromised epithelial barrier function are associated with numerous human pathologies including inflammatory skin disorders. However, the cytoskeletal mechanisms regulating inflammatory responses in the epidermis are not well understood. Here we addressed this question by inducing a psoriatic phenotype in human keratinocytes and reconstructed human epidermis using a cytokine stimulation model. We show that the inflammation upregulates the Rho-myosin II pathway and destabilizes adherens junctions (AJs) promoting YAP nuclear entry. The integrity of cell-cell adhesion but not the myosin II contractilityper seis the determinative factor for the YAP regulation in epidermal keratinocytes. The inflammation-induced disruption of AJs, increased paracellular permeability, and YAP nuclear translocation are regulated by ROCK2, independently from myosin II activation. Using a specific inhibitor KD025, we show that ROCK2 executes its effects via cytoskeletal and transcription-dependent mechanisms to shape the inflammatory response in the epidermis