Fungi inhabiting the aboveground organs of downy willow (Salix lapponum L.) and swamp willow (Salix myrtilloides L.)

The species of downy willow (Salix lapponum) and swamp willow (Salix myrtilloides) are extremely rare relicts among all members of the genus Salix. In Poland, they occur only in the eastern part of the Karkonosze Mountains, Masurian Lake District, and Polesie Lubelskie area. A huge threat to both species is the drainage of peat bogs and their excessive exploitation as well as diseases caused by bacteria and fungi. The present study aimed identify fungal species colonizing the aboveground organs of plants with disease symptoms and to indicate which species may pose a threat towards S. lapponum and S. myrtilloides growing under natural conditions. This research was conducted in Polesie National Park as a part of a research project by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Plant health assessments were carried out in natural habitats, while aboveground organs with disease symptoms were collected for laboratory mycological analysis. Colletotrichum salicis (teleomorph Glomerella salicis), Coniothyrium concentricum, Cylindrosporium salicinum, Phomopsis spp., Truncatella angustata, and Cytospora chrysosperma (teleomorph Valsa sordida) were the fungal species most frequently isolated from leaves and shoots of both willow species. The above-mentioned fungi are dangerous plant pathogens from the family Salicaceae. There were no obligatory parasites or monophagous pathogens on the aboveground organs of downy or swamp willow. Obligatory parasites may indicate a markedly low population of host plants in Polish conditions

Estimation of the antifungal activity of some preparations against Diaporthe eres under in vitro conditions

Six fungicides from various chemical groups and two natural products, i.e., Biosept Active (grapefruit extract) and Beta-Chikol (chitosan) were tested in vitro against Diaporthe eres isolated from the shoots of fruit trees. The preparations were incorporated in PDA medium to provide final fungicide concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 g cm−3. Biosept Active concentrations of 0.05%, 0.075%, and 0.1%, and Beta-Chikol concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 2.5%, respectively. The antifungal activity of the preparations was evaluated based on mycelial growth of D. eres strains after 4 and 8 days of culture and changes in the morphological structures of the fungus. The highest antifungal activity was registered for thiophanate-methyl at all tested concentrations, followed by thiram, which showed the same activity but only at 100 g cm−3. Among the preparations of natural origin, Beta-Chikol was more effective against D. eres than Biosept Active. The effects achieved by the former preparation were comparable with those achieved by some of the most effective fungicides tested against D. eres

Czysto ludzka sprawa? Archeologiczne przywracanie pamięci o trudnej przeszłości przez tropienie naturo-kulturowych przemian cmentarzy wojennych

In this article the outcomes of historical, archaeological, spatial and anthropological research concerning material remnants of the war cemeteries left by the Great War in Central Poland, in the area of Rawka and Bzura are presented. On the example of one of the four communes (Nowa Sucha) subjected to research under the project Archaeological Revival of Memory of the Great War (ARM), the processes of creation, transformation, decay, destruction and re-making present the resting places of the soldiers fallen between December 1914 and July 1915 are shown. In the first part, we sketch the output atmosphere that accompanied the primary context in which war cemeteries were established and place the war cemeteries in the network of social, formal and legal determinants. In the second part, we frame the historical and social contexts in which the resting places of the fallen soldiers of the German and Russian armies were massively created. Than, we show the difficulties associated with locating particular war cemeteries and signal strengths and obstacles in correlating results of archival research and use of remote sensing and archaeological methods in order to restore the memory of war cemeteries and establish their current and future condition as material warnings. Also we stress the looping of cultural and natural factors both in the process of protecting and destroying material condition of war cemeteries. Finally, on the example of one of the cemeteries we show how slow and arduous but at the same time  promising can be the process of transformation from a forgotten/plowed cemetery into a place of/in memory, and as an agent struggling with the continuous nature-cultural transformations.In this article the outcomes of historical, archaeological, spatial and anthropological research concerning material remnants of the war cemeteries left by the Great War in Central Poland, in the area of Rawka and Bzura are presented. On the example of one of the four communes (Nowa Sucha) subjected to research under the project Archaeological Revival of Memory of the Great War (ARM), the processes of creation, transformation, decay, destruction and re-making present the resting places of the soldiers fallen between December 1914 and July 1915 are shown. In the first part, we sketch the output atmosphere that accompanied the primary context in which war cemeteries were established and place the war cemeteries in the network of social, formal and legal determinants. In the second part, we frame the historical and social contexts in which the resting places of the fallen soldiers of the German and Russian armies were massively created. Than, we show the difficulties associated with locating particular war cemeteries and signal strengths and obstacles in correlating results of archival research and use of remote sensing and archaeological methods in order to restore the memory of war cemeteries and establish their current and future condition as material warnings. Also we stress the looping of cultural and natural factors both in the process of protecting and destroying material condition of war cemeteries. Finally, on the example of one of the cemeteries we show how slow and arduous but at the same time promising can be the process of transformation from a forgotten/plowed cemetery into a place of/in memory, and as an agent struggling with the continuous nature-cultural transformations

Wpływ wojennych wydarzeń dziejowych (res gestae) i relacji o nich (historie rerum gestarum) na kondycję materialnych pozostałości po tych wydarzeniach. Studium przypadku na temat dziedzictwa konfliktów zbrojnych jako wyzwania poznawczego i społecznego

In the article we consider the relationship between the poor condition of material remains of the Great War on one of the former Eastern Front’s battlefield’s in the Rawka and Bzura region with the long term attitudes of the local population towards the soldiers of Russian and German armies, fighting and killed there. For this purpose, we have analyzed written sources and witnesses accounts, as well asartifacts from archaeological research. We assume that recognizing situation of the local population during the events of 1914–1915 and after the war may bring us closer to answering the questions posed herein. Thus, we suppose, that loss of property, extremely difficult conditions of everyday life, illnesses and suffering, fear of military authorities and soldiers, of epidemic factors and infectious diseases, death of lovedones also those enlisted in the armies of the occupiers – these types of traumatic experiences – conditioned the attitude of the local population towards soldiers of the Great War. Some lasting consequences of this can be observed till today – in the form of fading traces of the material heritage of the Great War. Focusing on the material and discursive dimensions, we analyze the relationships between the primary (res gestae) and consequential/secondary processes (rerum gestarum histories and narrations) and observe a kind of causative “breaking the continuity” between them. Using the methods of historical archaeology, archaeology of recent past, memory studies, history etc., creates interesting, but so far poorly used, research possibilities. Most importantly, it can contribute to shaping attitudes characterized by historical and archaeological sensitivity and the will to understand the value of a difficult heritage (including resting places of fallen soldiers) and to prompt active care for it.In the article we consider the relationship between the poor condition of material remains of the Great War on one of the former Eastern Front’s battlefield’s in the Rawka and Bzura region with the long term attitudes of the local population towards the soldiers of Russian and German armies, fighting and killed there. For this purpose, we have analyzed written sources and witnesses accounts, as well asartifacts from archaeological research. We assume that recognizing situation of the local population during the events of 1914–1915 and after the war may bring us closer to answering the questions posed herein. Thus, we suppose, that loss of property, extremely difficult conditions of everyday life, illnesses and suffering, fear of military authorities and soldiers, of epidemic factors and infectious diseases, death of lovedones also those enlisted in the armies of the occupiers – these types of traumatic experiences – conditioned the attitude of the local population towards soldiers of the Great War. Some lasting consequences of this can be observed till today – in the form of fading traces of the material heritage of the Great War. Focusing on the material and discursive dimensions, we analyze the relationships between the primary (res gestae) and consequential/secondary processes (rerum gestarum histories and narrations) and observe a kind of causative “breaking the continuity” between them. Using the methods of historical archaeology, archaeology of recent past, memory studies, history etc., creates interesting, but so far poorly used, research possibilities. Most importantly, it can contribute to shaping attitudes characterized by historical and archaeological sensitivity and the will to understand the value of a difficult heritage (including resting places of fallen soldiers) and to prompt active care for it

Health behaviours of the students of Taiwan origin studying in Poland

Cultural diversity become to be more and more common phenomenon at Poland. Because of the migration of the society, nurses more often need to care about patients from other cultures, as from Taiwan. People from Taiwan care about health in a different way than Poles. Understanding of different point of view on provided care (which is influenced by the culture) and health behaviors is very useful skill for nurses. The goal of that work is better understanding of health behaviors in group of young people from Taiwan. The study was conducted with the use of a diagnostic questionnaire and such research tools as: a questionnaire concerning health behaviour designed by the authors and the Self-Efficacy Scale (Schwarzer, Jerusalem). The study was made on group of 60 people from Taiwan. 40 of them are students of Silesia Medical Academy at Katowice and rest of them are studying at Taiwan. Study shown that 39% of male Taiwanese, which study at Poland have overweight and 12% of female Taiwanese have underweight. Most frequently consumed products were fruits and vegetables. Males drink approximately 1 liter of alcohol per month and females half less. 11% of females and 21% of males smoke cigarettes. Most of female Taiwanese don't use contraception. Males use protection more often but also admits to casual sex. Most of them prefer to spend free time in both, active and passive way. Half of the respondents had a high level of self-efficacy. Subjects with low self-efficacy show a more frequent risk behaviors as smoking cigarettes and "casual sex". Taiwanese adhere to Polish principles of healthy life-style. Males demonstrates bad life-style behaviors more often than females. Change in alteration of health behaviors because of change of environment was not observed

Genes and structure of selected cytokines involved in pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common skin disease involving 1-4% of human population worldwide, of strong genetic background. The following cytokines are directly involved in psoriasis: TNF, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-15, IL-18, IL-19, IL-20, IL-23 whereas IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 as well as IL-11, IL-17 and IFN-gamma are rather indirectly engaged. This work is a review of some genetic factors and structure of selected cytokines and receptors and their genes location

From focal epilepsy to Dravet syndrome – Heterogeneity of the phenotype due to SCN1A mutations of the p.Arg1596 amino acid residue in the Nav1.1 subunit

Objective The aim of this study was to analyze the intra-/interfamilial phenotypic heterogeneity due to variants at the highly evolutionary conservative p.Arg1596 residue in the Nav1.1 subunit. Materials/participants Among patients referred for analysis of the SCN1A gene one recurrent, heritable mutation was found in families enrolled into the study. Probands from those families even clinically diagnosed with atypical Dravet syndrome (DS), generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+), and focal epilepsy, had heterozygous p.Arg1596 His/Cys missense substitutions, c.4787G>T and c.4786C>T in the SCN1A gene. Method Full clinical evaluation, including cognitive development, neurological examination, EEGs, MRI was performed in probands and affected family members in developmental age. The whole SCN1A gene sequencing was performed for all probands. The exon 25, where the identified missense substitutions are localized, was directly analyzed for the other family members. Results Mutation of the SCN1A p.1596Arg was identified in three families, in one case substitution p.Arg1596Cys and in two cases p.Arg1596His. Both mutations were previously described as pathogenic and causative for DS, GEFS+ and focal epilepsy. Spectrum of phenotypes among presented families with p.Arg1596 mutations shows heterogeneity ranged from asymptomatic cases, through FS and FS+ to GEFS+/Panayiotopoulos syndrome and epilepsies with and without febrile seizures, and epileptic encephalopathy such as DS. Phenotypes differ among patients displaying both focal and generalized epilepsies. Some patients demonstrated additionally Asperger syndrome and ataxia. Conclusion Clinical picture heterogeneity of the patients carrying mutation of the same residue indicates the involvement of the other factors influencing the SCN1A gene mutations’ penetrance

The effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking on the output of salivary immunoglobulin A

It was investigated the effect of chronic alcohol intoxication and smoking, on the output of salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA). In the study participated 37 volunteers: 17 male smoking patients after chronic alcohol intoxication (AS) and 20 control nonsmoking male social drinkers (CNS). The DMFT index (decayed, missing, or filled teeth), gingival index (GI) and papilla bleeding index (PBI) were assessed. Levels of IgA were determined by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent method. There were significantly decreased salivary flow (SF) and IgA output in AS, when compared to the CNS. There were no significant correlations between amount of alcohol/cigarettes as well as  duration of alcohol intoxication/smoking, and SF or IgA output, and between IgA and SF. Gingival index was significantly higher in AS than in CNS, and inversely correlated with IgA. It is more probable that SF and IgA decrease, are the result of ethanol action than smoking. Worse periodontal state in smoking alcohol dependent persons than in controls, may be the result of lower IgA protection of the oral cavity due to its decreased output