Play in the theory and practice of art

This thesis focuses on the notion of play in the theory and practice of art in the 20th and 21st centuries. I approach play both as an internal element of the concept of art (following the philosophical tradition) and as the external model for the creative process (as applied by modern and postmodern artists). The main purpose is to produce an interpretation of play that would span various, often contradictory, features of this concept and would serve to reinterpret the notion of artistic representation, traditionally linked with the vocabulary and approaches coming from the domain of work (production, mastery, preconceived outcomes, fixity, and the nature/culture dichotomy). My thesis defends representation, however, supplemented with the notion of play. In my project of highlighting the role of play in the discourse of art and aesthetics, I draw on Jacques Derrida's reading of Kant and Plato. Derrida s analysis of the logic of supplementarity in Western thought and terms such as parergon, pharmakon and undecidable, help me to argue that the ambivalence of play and the movement in between the opposites allow us to understand play as a condition of artistic representation. I also use Mihaly Spariosu's distinction between the interpretations of play as rational or prerational to inscribe play into the argument between representation and non-representation in the theory and practice of art. In terms of practice, I link the emergence of the strategy of play with the rhetorics of primitivism in modern avant-gardes from Dada to Fluxus. I analyse play as a tool of transgression and an attractive supplement of the creative process a way to activate the public and change the traditional proper function (ergon) of art. I trace the assimilation of play in recent participatory (relational, dialogic) art intended to go beyond representation. I argue that play has become a commonly used tactic and an undercurrent of today's artistic and social network. In the final discussion I reinterpret the notions of work (ergon, essence) and play (parergon, supplement) in the light of the 20th century artistic revolution. Using vocabulary and approaches coming from the domain of play (and specifically Role-Playing Game) I attempt to overcome the prejudice against the notion of representation

Wystawa studentów wzornictwa

Zimna, Katarzyna : Opiekunka galerii Jutro - Wydział Technologii Materiałowych i Wzornictwa Tekstyliów - Politechnika ŁódzkaArtykuł zamieszczony jest w : Życie Uczelni : biuletyn informacyjny Politechniki Łódzkiej nr 151, marzec 2020W galerii JUTRO na Wydziale Technologii Materiałowych i Wzornictwa Tekstyliów PŁ odbył się wernisaż wystawy 3D_użytkowe i artystyczne formy przestrzenne – prace studentów wzornictwa

Exogenous lipoid pneumonia induced by nasal instillation of paraffin oil

Lipoid pneumonia is a rare pulmonary disease, classified in terms of the source of lipid exposure into two variants: exogenous and endogenous. We present a patient with exogenous lipoid pneumonia, acquired after chronic exposure to paraffin oil-containing nasal drops. The diagnosis was established by demonstration of lipid-laden macrophages in bronchoalveolar lavage, chest computed tomography results and a history of lipid exposure

Modulators of CFTR protein function in the treatment of cystic fibrosis - a literature review

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multi-system genetic disease with an autosomal recessive inheritance mechanism. The breakthroughs in the therapy of patients with CF turned out to be modulators of CFTR protein function. These small-molecule substances, influencing the basic pathogenetic defect, became a model example of precise targeted therapy, thus showing a significant advantage over symptomatic treatment. For modulators of CFTR protein function, numerous therapeutic benefits have been demonstrated with an acceptable safety profile - improved lung function and reduced frequency of pulmonary exacerbations, reduced hospitalization rate, and disease-related improvement in quality of life. The use of these drugs changes the perception of CF from a fatal pediatric disease significantly shortening the life expectancy of patients into a chronic disease in young adults. The subject of further research interest is the development of alternative therapeutic strategies based on new modulators and gene therapy. The publication is a review of the literature and summarizes the current scientific reports on the effectiveness of the use of modulators of CFTR protein function in the treatment of cystic fibrosis

An insight into the stages of ion leakage during red blood cell storage

Packed red blood cells (pRBCs), the most commonly transfused blood product, are exposed to environmental disruptions during storage in blood banks. In this study, temporal sequence of changes in the ion exchange in pRBCs was analyzed. Standard techniques commonly used in electrolyte measurements were implemented. The relationship between ion exchange and red blood cells (RBCs) morphology was assessed with use of atomic force microscopy with reference to morphological parameters. Variations observed in the Na+, K+, Cl−, H+, HCO3−, and lactate ions concentration show a complete picture of singly-charged ion changes in pRBCs during storage. Correlation between the rate of ion changes and blood group type, regarding the limitations of our research, suggested, that group 0 is the most sensitive to the time-dependent ionic changes. Additionally, the impact of irreversible changes in ion exchange on the RBCs membrane was observed in nanoscale. Results demonstrate that the level of ion leakage that leads to destructive alterations in biochemical and morphological properties of pRBCs depend on the storage timepoint

Trends in biomedical analysis of red blood cells – Raman spectroscopy against other spectroscopic, microscopic and classical techniques

Application of modern and innovative spectroscopic and microscopic approaches to biomedical analysis opens new horizons and sheds new light on many unexplored scientific territories. In this review, we critically summarize up-to-date Raman-based methodologies for red blood cells (RBCs) analysis used in biology and medicine, and compare them with both classical, as well as other spectroscopic and microscopic approaches. The main emphasis is placed on the advantages, disadvantages and capabilities of each technique for detection of RBC deteriorations and RBC-related diseases. Although currently used classical techniques of medical analysts serve as a gold standard for clinicians in diagnosis of erythropathies, they provide insufficient insight into RBC alterations at the molecular level. In addition, there is a demand for non-destructive and label-free analytical techniques for rapid detection and diagnosis of erythropathies. Their recognition often requires multimodal methodology comprising application of methods including sophisticated spectroscopy-based techniques, where Raman-based approaches play an important role

Land use change in three Carpathian communities (Niedźwiedź, Szczawnica and Trzciana) in the second part of the 20th century

Celem niniejszej pracy jest określenie kierunków zmian użytkowania ziemi w ostatnim trzydziestoleciu XX wieku, w Karpatach, na przykładzie trzech gmin (Niedźwiedź, Szczawnica i Trzciana). Materiałem źródłowym dla przeprowadzanych badań były czarno-białe zdjęcia lotnicze (lata 70.) i ortofotomapy (rok 2003). Przeprowadzone analizy wykazały wzrost powierzchni leśnej, nieużytków z obszarami porzuconymi oraz obszarów zabudowanych i infrastruktury technicznej a także spadek powierzchni obszarów użytkowanych rolniczo. Największą dynamiką zmian charakteryzowały się obszary poniżej 600-700 m n.p.m. na stokach o nachyleniach poniżej 10C.The aim of this paper is to analyse the main trends in land use change in the last thirty years of the 20th century in the Carpathians, based on the assessment of change in three communities: Niedźwiedź, Szczawnica and Trzciana. The research focused on two points in time; the 1970s and the year 2003. The sources of information about land use in the periods analysed period were aerial photographs (1970s) and orthophotomaps (2003). The results show an increase in forest cover, the abandonment of land and built-up areas, and a decrease in agricultural land. The most dynamic changes occurred in the areas below 600-700 m a.s.l. and on slopes below 10C

Pulmonary amyloidosis mimicking interstitial lung disease and malignancy - A case series with a review of a pulmonary patterns

Background: Amyloidosis is an uncommon condition, which results from accumulation of misfolded extracellular insoluble protein in tissues and organs of the body, causing its damage and dysfunction. Histologically, after staining with Congo red, the amyloid deposits show an apple-green birefringence under polarized light microscope. Amyloidosis can affect all organ systems and is classified into hereditary or acquired, localized or systemic. Respiratory involvement occurs in 50% of the patients with amyloidosis and it may take tracheobronchial, nodular parenchymal, diffuse alveolar septal and lymphatic forms. Methods: We report four cases of pulmonary amyloidosis. A female patient with localized form of tracheobronchial and nodular parenchymal pulmonary amyloidosis, which was initially misdiagnosed as sarcoidosis. A male patient who was referred to our department for further evaluation of multiple tumors in lungs accompanied by mediastinal lymphadenopathy, liver and peritoneal tumors. A male patient with suspect of lung malignancy. A male patient with diagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and the possibility of malignancy. Results: All the diagnoses were established by demonstration of amyloid protein in tissue specimens obtained in transbronchial or open lung biopsies. Conclusions: Due to its nonspecific clinical and radiological findings, amyloidosis can often mimic other diseases and should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses. In order to confirm the diagnosis, proving the presence of amyloid deposition with positive Congo red staining in respiratory specimen is mandatory

pNiPAM-Nanoparticle-Based Antiapoptotic Approach for Pro-Regenerative Capacity of Skeletal Myogenic Cells

The biocompatibility of pNiPAM (Poly N-isopropylacrylamide) copolymers has been examined and they did not exert any cytotoxic effects. Their properties and vulnerable temperature characteristics make them candidates for use in medical applications. We synthesized a well-characterized nanoparticles-based cargo system that would effectively deliver a biological agent to human skeletal myogenic cells (SkMCs); among other aspects, a downregulating apoptotic pathway potentially responsible for poor regeneration of myocardium. We confirmed the size of the pNiPAM based spheres at around 100 nm and the nanomeric shape of nanoparticles (NP) obtained. We confirmed that 33 °C is the adequate temperature for phase transition. We performed the dynamics of cargo release. A small amount of examined protein was detected at 10 min after reaching LCTS (lower critical solution temperature). The presented results of the test with BSA (bovine serum albumin) and doxorubicin loaded into nanoparticles showed a similar release profile for both substances. SkMCs incubated with NP loaded with antiapoptotic agent, BCB (Bax channel blocker), significantly diminished cell apoptosis (p < 0.01). Moreover, the lowest apoptotic level was detected in SkMCs treated with camptothecin and simultaneously incubated with pNiPAMs loaded with BCB. Application of nanoparticles loaded with BCB or subjected to BCB alone did not, however, diminish the amount of apparently necrotic cells

An Unfavorable Outcome of M. chimaera Infection in Patient with Silicosis

Mycobacterium chimaera is a slow-growing, nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). It was identified as a unique species in 2004. Since 2013 it has been reported as a cause of disseminated infection in patients after cardiac surgeries. Only a few cases associated with underlying lung diseases have been noted. M. chimaera infection is characterized by ambiguous symptoms. There is no treatment with proven effectiveness, and it has a poor prognosis. Silicosis is a disease that can predispose to mycobacterial infection. Silica damages pulmonary macrophages, inhibiting their ability to kill mycobacteria. We present a case of M. chimaera infection in a patient with silicosis and without other comorbidities. To our knowledge, it is the first case of silicosis associated with M. chimaera disease. A 45-year-old man presented with a persistent low-grade fever. Based on the clinical and radiological picture, positive cultures, and histological examination, the nontuberculous mycobacterial disease was diagnosed. First, multidrug therapy according to the treatment guidelines for MAC was implemented, then antibiotics were administrated, based on drug sensitivity. Despite the treatment, eradication was not achieved and the patient died. The analysis of M. chimaera infection cases could contribute to developing recommendations and thus improve the prognosis