„Niech się połączą niebiosa i ziemia…”: w poszukiwaniu (nowej) astronomii w Antoniuszu i Kleopatrze Williama Shakespeare’a

Shakespeare appears to be one of the most intensely studied authors exemplifying mutual influence of literature and science. Significantly enough, astronomical references deserve a particular attention due to the spectacular change of paradigm resulting from the replacement of the concept of the geocentric cosmos with the concept of the heliocentric universe. Starting from some general remarks concerning the methodological assumptions of such analyses and the specificity of Shakespeare canon, the paper offers an in-depth study of Anthony and Cleopatra  as one of the most representative plays with regard to the number, suggestiveness and interpretative potential of astronomical references. The paper exemplifies the way in which the play combines traditional astronomical and astrological allusions with some unconventional images, usually featuring imaginative hyperboles, which inscribe the fate and feelings of the characters into a cosmic framework. These references repeatedly trigger some fascinating and yet risky interpretations which strive to present Shakespeare as part of the scientific revolution of the age. Refraining from any value judgment, the paper highlights the overall importance of reading Renaissance literature, and Shakespeare in particular, against the background of the history of science in a way which allows for precise identification of contemporary sources of astronomical knowledge as well as for the reconstruction of the actual paths of dissemination of such ideas.Shakespeare appears to be one of the most intensely studied authors exemplifying mutual influence of literature and science. Significantly enough, astronomical references deserve a particular attention due to the spectacular change of paradigm resulting from the replacement of the concept of the geocentric cosmos with the concept of the heliocentric universe. Starting from some general remarks concerning the methodological assumptions of such analyses and the specificity of Shakespeare canon, the paper offers an in-depth study of Anthony and Cleopatra  as one of the most representative plays with regard to the number, suggestiveness and interpretative potential of astronomical references. The paper exemplifies the way in which the play combines traditional astronomical and astrological allusions with some unconventional images, usually featuring imaginative hyperboles, which inscribe the fate and feelings of the characters into a cosmic framework. These references repeatedly trigger some fascinating and yet risky interpretations which strive to present Shakespeare as part of the scientific revolution of the age. Refraining from any value judgment, the paper highlights the overall importance of reading Renaissance literature, and Shakespeare in particular, against the background of the history of science in a way which allows for precise identification of contemporary sources of astronomical knowledge as well as for the reconstruction of the actual paths of dissemination of such ideas

Quality of life in patients with psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease. It is characterized by the occurrence of periods of exacerbation and remission. Symptoms appear in the second or third decade of life. There are many types of psoriasis, such as plaque, inverse, erythroderma psoriasis and specific parts of the body. Another form of pustular psoriasis is. There is also psoriatic arthritis, which is manifested by inflammation of the articular tissues. Various methods of treatment that are dependent form of the disease and location of lesions. Additionally, to relieve lesions uses physical procedures. Psoriasis as a chronic disease can affect quality of life. Aim of study: The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of psoriasis on quality of life and overall spheres such as psychology, physical fitness and meeting the social roles of patients. Materials and methods: The study included 466 people with psoriasis including 370 women and 96 men. The sample was classified by adults, regardless of place of residence and time since diagnosis. 70% of respondents were in the group of 18-40 years. Anonymous diagnostic survey conducted over the internet using a questionnaire SKINDEX-29. Results: Patients assessed their quality of life as good. Variables such as gender, age, BMI or the time of diagnosis does not differentiate the assessment of quality of life. Patients assessed their worst quality of life in the psychological aspect. During the analysis did not show any statistical significance in the comparison of the data obtained. Conclusions: Psoriasis does not reduce the overall quality of life of patients and has no significant impact on the various aspects: psychological, physical, psychosocial functioning. There is no relationship between gender, age, BMI, duration of the disease and the overall quality of life. Used a questionnaire is not a reliable method for testing the quality of life of patients with psoriasis

Wartości i interesy a prawo pracy. Wokół encykliki „Laborem exercens” Jana Pawła II

Encyklika Jana Pawła II „Laborem exercens” jest poświęcona aksjologicznym problemom prawa pracy. Po przeszło trzydziestu latach od opublikowania papieskiego tekstu autorzy opracowań, składających się na zbiór pt. „Wartości i interesy a prawo pracy” poszukiwali w nim odniesień dla krytycznej oceny szczegółowych rozwiązań prawnych, kształtujących status osób zatrudnionych. Problematyka poszczególnych rozdziałów jest różnorodna, powiązana zwykle z tematami badań własnych, prowadzonych przez ich autorów. Zakres i zróżnicowanie podejmowanych zagadnień wskazuje, jak szerokie i znaczące może być oddziaływanie „Laborem exercens” na kształtowanie treści relacji zachodzących pomiędzy podmiotami występującymi na wszystkich płaszczyznach społecznych i prawnych stosunków zatrudnienia. Wartości, będące punktem odniesienia dla Jana Pawła II w „Laborem exercens” stanowią bowiem nieprzemijające kryteria, w świetle których oceniać można stan społecznych stosunków zatrudnienia, ich regulację prawną, ale także sposoby jej interpretacji, a przez to także stosowanie tego prawa. Zamieszczone w tomie opracowania dowodzą zasadności powyższej tezy. Na podkreślenie zasługuje także inny, bardzo istotny kontekst publikacji zamieszczonych opracowań. Otóż, zdecydowana większość autorów to niemal rówieśnicy „Laborem exercens”, dla których spotkanie z Encykliką zdarzyło się na początku kariery naukowej. To pozwala sformułować przypuszczenie, że opisane w tym dokumencie wartości staną się trwałym elementem tworzonego przez nich w przyszłości dorobku, zaś sama „Laborem exercens” będzie nadal żywotnym źródłem dla polskiej nauki prawa pracy.Publikacja dofinansowana przez Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego

Ants inhabiting stumps on clearcuts in managed forest in western Poland

We studied ant communities living in stumps left on clearcuts. The clearcuts were located in a managed forest in western Poland. Depending on the study site, 10-80% of the stumps were inhabited by ant colonies. Lasius platythorax was the dominant of the community. We found the diameter of the stump to be positively related with the occurrence of some ant species. In general, oak and pine stumps were inhabited in a similar proportion. Formica fusca, however, showed a distinct preference for oaks. All species avoided each other with exception of F. fusca which preferred all species other than L. platythorax. We did not find the presence of red wood ants to significantly affect the occurrence of ant colonies in these stumps. The results of our investigations indicate that stumps left on clearcuts are convenient nest site for ants. Leaving stumps affects positively the growth of the L. platythorax population

The 2014 primary health care reform in Poland: Short-term fixes instead of a long-term strategy

AbstractAt the end of 2013, the Minister of Health started legislative changes directly and indirectly affecting primary health care (PHC). The reforms were widely criticised among certain groups of medical professionals, including family medicine physicians. The latter mainly criticised the formal inclusion of specialists in internal diseases and paediatrics into PHC within the statutory health care system, which in practice meant that these two groups of specialists were no longer required to specialize in family medicine from 2017 in order to enter into contracts with the public payer and would be able to set up solo PHC practices—something over which family medicine physicians used to have a monopoly. They argued that paediatricians and internists did not have the necessary professional competencies to work as PHC physicians and thus assure provision of a comprehensive and coordinated PHC. The government’s stance was that the proposed measure was necessary to assure the future provision of PHC, given the shortage of specialists in family medicine. Certain groups of medical professionals were also supportive of the proposed change. The key argument in favour was that it could improve access to PHC, especially for children. However, while this was not the subject of the critique or even a policy debate, the proposal ignored the increasing health care needs of older patients—the key recipients of PHC services. The policy was passed in the Parliament in March–April 2014 without a dialogue with the key stakeholders, which is typical of health care (and other) reforms in Poland. The strong opposition against the reform from the family medicine specialists, represented by two strong organisations, may jeopardise the policy implementation in the future

Program nauczania historii i społeczeństwa dla klas IV-VI dla II etapu edukacyjnego

Program nauczania przedmiotu historia i społeczeństwo w ramach II etapu edukacyjnego z uwzględnieniem wymagań reformy programowe

The dimensions of the digital economy and society

The chapter looks at the problem of proper understanding and defining the digital economy and society which is becoming a main competitiveness factor for developed countries. A precise understanding of digitalization allows the creation of more effective innovation policies which support higher productivity growth. First, the authors analyse the creation and evolution of the term in literature with focus on a number of publications in different research areas and the main keywords. Next, the authors define areas where digitalization makes the radical change, what brings the core determinants of the digital economy, e.g., digital platforms, information and communication technology and IT sector, and virtual data usage on a big scale using computer networks. This brings the authors to the conclusion that the digital economy phenomenon should be analysed in four dimensions: technological, regulatory, social and economic