Późnośredniowieczne krakowskie prognostyki astrologiczne o zdrowiu, chorobach i sposobach leczenia

Late medieval astrological predictive texts (iudicia, calendars, almanacs etc.) are an interesting source of knowledge about the past. The practice of publishing such texts was a result of the development of the so-called Krakow school of astronomy and astrology. The Krakow masters, who held the position of professors at the chair of astronomy and astrology, were obliged to prepare the said predictive texts annually. The publications included astrological predictions based on forthcoming positions of heavenly bodies and concerned almost every sphere of life of the contemporary society. They referred to trade and agriculture, including prognoses of abundant or failed harvests. They covered political issues, but also problems pertaining to marriage, as well as to children and their upbringing. Vast passages were devoted to weather forecasting, that is, astrometeorology. However, special emphasis was put on the medical topics, as health and disease were an issue of key importance for the representatives of all social strata. Astrological predictive texts, indicating the best (from the viewpoint of astrology) time for attempts to maintain or regain health, were meant to interpret theoretical knowledge with recommendations concerning the practice, which was difficult to verify with regard to sources.Późnośredniowieczne prognostyki astrologiczne (iudicia, kalendarze, almanachy, etc.) to ciekawe źródło do poznania przeszłości. Zwyczaj ich publikowania związany był z rozwojem tzw. krakowskiej szkoły astronomiczno-astrologicznej. Mistrzowie krakowscy piastujący funkcję profesorów katedry astronomii i astrologii zobligowani byli do układania rokrocznie prognostyków, w których zamieszczali bazujące na mającym nastąpić układzie ciał niebieskich prognozy astrologiczne dotyczące niemalże każdej płaszczyzny życia ówczesnego społeczeństwa – prognozy odnoszono do handlu, gospodarki rolnej, urodzaju lub nieurodzaju; obejmowano nimi zagadnienia natury politycznej, ale też kwestie małżeństwa, posiadanego potomstwa i jego wychowania; obszerne ustępy poświęcano prognozowaniu pogody, a więc astrometeorologii. Jednakże szczególny nacisk kładziono na zagadnienia medyczne, albowiem kwestia zdrowia i choroby stanowiła kluczowe zagadnienie, które było istotne dla przedstawicieli wszystkich, bez wyjątku, stanów społecznych. Prognostyki astrologiczne natomiast, wskazując odpowiednią, z punktu widzenia astrologii, porę na podejmowanie starań o utrzymanie dobrej kondycji lub powrót do zdrowia, miały stanowić wykładnię wiedzy teoretycznej z zaleceniami dotyczącymi trudnej do zweryfikowania źródłowo praktyki

Planning Around Polarisation: Components of Finding Common Ground Based on Regeneration Projects in London and Gdańsk

Various forms of public participation in urban design and planning - as presented and discussed in literature - have recently been challenged by the needs and expectations of different stakeholders, including those coming from the private sector. This comes with a redefinition of the public good and the roles and responsibilities of municipal authorities in post-liberal times. As a result, contemporary participatory processes need to evolve to accommodate not only the wishes and ideas of the local communities, but also those of institutional stakeholders including investors, developers and land owners. This is also accompanied by the demands, expressed by all partners in this process, associated with having a much stronger influence on the final shape of the development policies and planning regulations. The gradual democratisation of spatial planning results in more engagement of stakeholders in the process. The article focuses on the co-design method as a way to bridge the polarisation of interests and find a consensus. The article focuses on identifying co-design components leading to the successful bridging of divisions and the realisation of large-scale regeneration initiatives that could be replicated. The authors have selected examples of large-scale regeneration areas in London and Gdańsk for a qualitative assessment, given the growing polarisation in both Polish and British societies. The discussion will focus on aspects of inclusivity, partnership working in co-design and political risks associated with co-design

Theatrum Cometicum Stanisława Lubienieckiego młodszego jako przykład zainteresowań astronomiczno-astrologicznych arian.

The Polish Brethren called “Arians” and “Socinians” were members of the Minor Reformed Church of Poland that existed in Poland from 1565 to 1658. Their biggest cultural center was Raków. There was the Racovian Academy founded in 1602 and closed in 1638. The Racovian students were taught Latin, ethics, rhetoric, mathematics, politics and natural science (e.g. cosmology). One of the most prominent representatives of the Racovian Academy was Stanisław Lubieniecki the Younger. He wrote very important work about comets –- Theatrum cometicum, parts 1–3 (1666–1668), in which he described 415 comets from the biblical epoch of the deluge up until 1665. This work is also an interpretation of his views on the so-called cometary determinism. Thanks to Theatrum cometicum, Stanisław Lubieniecki the Younger deserved to be called an “astronomer” although he did not receive astronomical education.Bracia Polscy nazwani „arianami”, „antytrynitarzami” bądź „socynianami” wyodrębnili się latach 1562–1565 jako tzw. zbór mniejszy z Kościoła ewangelicko-reformowanego (kalwińskiego). Ich największym centrum kulturalnym był Raków. To tutaj w 1602 r. założono słynną Akademię Rakowską, która funkcjonowała do 1638 r. Rakowscy studenci pobierali naukę z zakresu łaciny, etyki, retoryki, matematyki, polityki i nauk przyrodniczych (m.in. zgłębiali tajniki kosmologii). Jednym z najwybitniejszych przedstawicieli Akademii Rakowskiej był Stanisław Lubieniecki młodszy. Napisał niezwykle ciekawą i wartościową poznawczo, acz przez lata niedocenianą pracę o kometach – Theatrum cometicum, części 1–3 (1666–1668), w której opisał aż 415 komet, jakie odnotowano, począwszy od biblijnej epoki potopu po rok 1665. Dzieło to odzwierciedla również poglądy Lubienieckiego na tzw. determinizm kometarny, który nierzadko mu przypisywano. To właśnie dzięki tej wyjątkowej „trylogii” Stanisław Lubieniecki młodszy zasłużył na miano „astronoma”, pomimo że wykształcenia astronomicznego nigdy nie uzyskał

Hashimoto disease and hypothyroidism in child-bearing period – essential problem for woman and her child

Choroba Hashimoto jest najczęstszą przyczyną niedoczynności tarczycy u kobiet w wieku rozrodczym. Zarówno bezpośrednio jak i pośrednio może ona wpływać na płodność, przebieg ciąży i rozwój płodu. Wrodzona niedoczynność tarczycy jest jednak rzadko następstwem przewlekłego autoimmunologicznego zapalenia tarczycy. Wprowadzenie przesiewu pourodzeniowego w kierunku wrodzonej niedoczynności tarczycy umożliwia wczesne wdrożenie leczenia tyroksyną i zapobiega nieodwracalnym powikłaniom ze strony ośrodkowego układu nerwowego. Autorzy przedstawili główne problemy związane z obecnością choroby Hashimoto u kobiety w okresie przedciążowym, w czasie ciąży i po jej zakończeniu. Przedstawiono również przyczyny wrodzonej niedoczynności tarczycy, uwzględniając zarówno niedobór jodu jak i jego nadmiar.Hashimoto disease is the most frequent cause of women’s hypothyroidism in the reproductive period. It can, both directly and indirectly, influence the fertility, pregnancy, and fetus development. Nevertheless congenital hypothyroidism is very occasionally the consequence of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis. The neonatal hypothyroidism screening makes the early thyroxin treatment possible and prevents the development of complications from central nervous system. The authors showed main problems of Hashimoto disease in women during pregnancy as well as pregestational and postgestational period. The reasons of congenital hypothyroidism taking into account both iodine deficiency and excess were also presented

Investigating the Effects of Statins on Cellular Lipid Metabolism Using a Yeast Expression System

In humans, defects in lipid metabolism are associated with a number of severe diseases such as atherosclerosis, obesity and type II diabetes. Hypercholesterolemia is a primary risk factor for coronary artery disease, the major cause of premature deaths in developed countries. Statins are inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR), the key enzyme of the sterol synthesis pathway. Since yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae harbours many counterparts of mammalian enzymes involved in lipid-synthesizing pathways, conclusions drawn from research with this single cell eukaryotic organism can be readily applied to higher eukaryotes. Using a yeast strain with deletions of both HMG1 and HMG2 genes (i.e. completely devoid of HMGR activity) with introduced wild-type or mutant form of human HMGR (hHMGR) gene we investigated the effects of statins on the lipid metabolism of the cell. The relative quantification of mRNA demonstrated a different effect of simvastatin on the expression of the wild-type and mutated hHMGR gene. GC/MS analyses showed a significant decrease of sterols and enhanced conversion of squalene and sterol precursors into ergosterol. This was accompanied by the mobilization of ergosterol precursors localized in lipid particles in the form of steryl esters visualized by confocal microscopy. Changes in the level of ergosterol and its precursors in cells treated with simvastatin depend on the mutation in the hHMGR gene. HPLC/MS analyses indicated a reduced level of phospholipids not connected with the mevalonic acid pathway. We detected two significant phenomena. First, cells treated with simvastatin develop an adaptive response compensating the lower activity of HMGR. This includes enhanced conversion of sterol precursors into ergosterol, mobilization of steryl esters and increased expression of the hHMGR gene. Second, statins cause a substantial drop in the level of glycerophospholipids

Tryptophan Scanning Analysis of the Membrane Domain of CTR-Copper Transporters

Membrane proteins of the CTR family mediate cellular copper uptake in all eukaryotic cells and have been shown to participate in uptake of platinum-based anticancer drugs. Despite their importance for life and the clinical treatment of malignancies, directed biochemical studies of CTR proteins have been difficult because high-resolution structural information is missing. Building on our recent 7Å structure of the human copper transporter hCTR1, we present the results of an extensive tryptophan-scanning analysis of hCTR1 and its distant relative, yeast CTR3. The comparative analysis supports our previous assignment of the transmembrane helices and shows that most functionally and structurally important residues are clustered around the threefold axis of CTR trimers or engage in helix packing interactions. The scan also identified residues that may play roles in interactions between CTR trimers and suggested that the first transmembrane helix serves as an adaptor that allows evolutionarily diverse CTRs to adopt the same overall structure. Together with previous biochemical and biophysical data, the results of the tryptophan scan are consistent with a mechanistic model in which copper transport occurs along the center of the trimer