Boundary mechanisms in adverts from Silesian Catholic periodicals from the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries

The paper provides an empirical study of semiotic mechanisms of culture. We apply the methodology developed by the Tartu-Moscow School of Semiotics, building also on the criteria of boundary-work dynamics to examine a collected corpus of adverts appearing in Silesian Catholic periodicals (in German and in Polish) from the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. We discuss the cultural implications of the differences and similarities in German and Polish ads and propose functional explanations of the results in terms of the notion of boundary configurations in a region as a particular structuring of cultural codes. The two analytical axes are the social boundary implicated in the use of German vs. Polish on the parameter of 'sacred' (sacrum) reference, and the symbolic border in the use of Fraktur (German script) versus Antiqua (Latin script) (boundary objects)

Культ икон в православной традиции восточных славян: обряды, обычаи и традиции в прошлом и сегодня

Cult of the icons in the East Slavs culture – customs, rituals and religious practices in the past and todayThis article discusses the phenomenon of cult of icons in the East Slavic’s culture. The Slavic culture is ingrained in the orthodox tradition. This fact is reflected in a strong impact of religion on the life of society: customs, rituals and art. The icons are one of the most important elements of Orthodoxy Church and for that reason they are close associated with Russian culture. Despite prolonged atheisation, the Slavic culture is ingrained in the orthodox tradition and cult of the icons. It is noticeable not only in Russian churches, but also in ordinary life of believers. Majority of homes of Orthodox Christian have special space: "beautiful" corner with icons. Moreover, role of the icons emphasize in language: there is a lot of idiom and phrases connected with icons. Kult ikon w kulturze wschodniosłowiańskiej – obrzędy, tradycje i praktyki religijne w przeszłości i dziśNiniejsza praca koncentruje się wokół zagadnienia kultu ikon w kulturze wschodniosłowiańskiej, która od wieków zakorzeniona w tradycji prawosławnej. Znajduje to odzwierciedlenie w silnym wpływie religii na życie społeczne: obyczaje, tradycje czy sztukę. Nieodłącznym elementem prawosławia są zaś ikony i dlatego stały się one jedną z ważniejszych części kultury rosyjskiej. Widać to nie tylko w przestrzeni świątyni, ale również w życiu codziennym wiernych. Świadczy o tym m.in. praktyka wydzielania specjalnego miejsca dla kultu ikony tzw. „krasnogo ugła”. Ponadto, rolę ikon oddaje również język rosyjski, w którym istnieje wiele frazeologizmów związanych z ikonami

AMBIGUOUS HERITAGE: ‘PLASTER SAINTS’, CAST-IRON CHRISTS AND OTHER MOULD-MADE CATHOLIC SCULPTURES FROM THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH AND THE EARLY 20TH CENTURIES

This paper deals with the phenomenon of mould-made religious sculptures, which were bourgeoning in Catholic milieus in the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries. The reported observations are based on research into artistic production in Catholic, or partly Catholic, German areas (such as Bavaria, Rhineland, Silesia) and the Habsburg Monarchy. The study makes use of publicity sources (advertisements, catalogues and price lists) and technological publications, as well as opinions of Catholic art critics and art theoreticians of the period. Extant mould-made Catholic sculptures represent an ambiguous heritage. They are generally assumed to be mass-produced, clichéd artifacts, and not usually considered to be works of art. Nonetheless, as relics of a bygone epoch that spanned over a century, they do deserve protection and preservation, or at least documentary work and research

Oxidative DNA Damage in Blood of CVD Patients Taking Detralex

The main goal of the work reported here was to determine the degree of oxidative/alkali-labile DNA damages in peripheral blood as well as in the blood stasis from varicose vein of (chronic venous disorder) CVD patients. Moreover, determination of the impact of Detralex usage on the level of (oxidative) DNA damages in CVD patients was evaluated as well

Depletion of Mcpip1 in murine myeloid cells results in intestinal dysbiosis followed by allergic inflammation

MCPIP1 (called also Regnase-1) is a negative regulator of inflammation. Knockout of the Zc3h12a gene, encoding Mcpip1 in cells of myeloid origin ($Mcpip1^{MKO}$), has a pathological effect on many organs. The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze pathological changes in the skin caused by Mcpip1 deficiency in phagocytes with an emphasis on its molecular mechanism associated with microbiome dysbiosis. $Mcpip1^{MKO}$ mice exhibited spontaneous wound formation on the skin. On a molecular level, the Th2-type immune response was predominantly characterized by an increase in Il5 and Il13 transcript levels, as well as eosinophil and mast cell infiltration. Irritation by DNFB led to a more severe skin contact allergy in $Mcpip1^{MKO}$ mice. Allergic reactions on the skin were strongly influenced by gut dysbiosis and enhanced systemic dissemination of bacteria. This process was followed by activation of the C/EBP pathway in peripheral macrophages, leading to local changes in the cytokine microenvironment that promoted the Th2 response. A reduced bacterial load inhibited allergic inflammation, indicating the role of intestinal dysbiosis in the development of skin diseases. Our results clearly show that MCPIP1 in phagocytes is an essential negative regulator that controls the gut-skin axis

Organotypic model of the gingiva for studying bacterial and viral pathogens implicated in periodontitis

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) tissue models bridge the gap between conventional two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models. The aim of this study was to develop an organotypic 3D gingival (OTG) model to provide a tool to investigate bacterial and viral pathogens in periodontitis. Methods: The OTG model composed of gingival fibroblasts (GFs) and telomerase- immortalized gingival keratinocytes (TIGKs) was constructed and applied to study infections by Porphyromonas gingivalis and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). Immunohistochemical stain-ing, confocal microscopy, qPCR, titration techniques, and colony-forming unit counts were applied to interrogate epithelial markers expression, monitor P. gingivalis and HSV-1 presence, and evaluate the immune response along with the efficiency of antimicrobial drugs. Results: The OTG model resembled the morphology of the human gingiva. During infection, both pathogens penetrated deep into the tissue and persisted for a few days with P. gingivalis also forming a biofilm on the cell surface. The infection triggered the expression of inflammatory mediators in cells and both pathogens were efficiently eliminated by specific antimicrobials. Conclusions: Presented OTG model constitutes a simple and convenient tool to study the interaction between bacterial and viral pathogens within the gingival tissue, including penetration, persistence and biofilm formation. It is also suitable to examine the efficiency of antimicrobial drugs

The role of Mcl-1 in S. aureus-induced cytoprotection of infected macrophages

As a facultative intracellular pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus invades macrophages and then promotes the cytoprotection of infected cells thus stabilizing safe niche for silent persistence. This process occurs through the upregulation of crucial antiapoptotic genes, in particular, myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1). Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism and signal transduction pathways leading to increased MCL-1 expression in infected macrophages. Live S. aureus not only stimulated de novo synthesis of Mcl-1, but also prolonged the stability of this antiapoptotic protein. Consistent with this, we proved a crucial role of Mcl-1 in S. aureus-induced cytoprotection, since silencing of MCL1 by siRNA profoundly reversed the cytoprotection of infected cells leading to apoptosis. Increased MCL1 expression in infected cells was associated with enhanced NF B activation and subsequent IL-6 secretion, since the inhibition of both NF B and IL-6 signalling pathways abrogated Mcl-1 induction and cytoprotection. Finally, we confirmed our observation in vivo in murine model of septic arthritis showing the association between the severity of arthritis and Mcl-1 expression. Therefore, we propose that S. aureus is hijacking the Mcl-1-dependent inhibition of apoptosis to prevent the elimination of infected host cells, thus allowing the intracellular persistence of the pathogen, its dissemination by infected macrophages, and the progression of staphylococci diseases