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The article analyzes bird hunting in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the light of such sources as treatises and diaries; some of them have also left their impression on the history of literature. Depending on their subject, hunting as such or merely bird hunting (as its branch) are represented completely or fragmentarily in these sources. Owing to hunting treatises as the main source in the context of this study, it is possible to reconstruct the technical level of development in this area at the time mentioned. These sources are relevant in terms of researching the knowledge about avifauna of the time, habits of its representatives, behavior, breeding season (during that period it was recommended to limit hunting). The latter is a manifestation of a pragmatic attitude to this resource, awareness of its value, which can also be interpreted as a primary manifestation of environmental awareness. A small number of the analyzed sources relate to the Ukrainian lands in particular. However, due to the similarity of landscapes and the conservatism of hunting practices, Polish examples can sometimes be illustrative. In the memoirs of this period hunting is represented from a different angle than that of the treatises – as part of everyday life at that time. Given that hunting chase was considered the best way for elites to hunt as a form of military training, bird hunting was inconspicuous. It was often a craft of poor servants, so it is visible in diaries from another angle – as a source of new gastronomic experiences. Most often we are talking about baked partridges and blackbirds, capercaillie, bustard, quail, etc.; the use of smaller birds is known mainly due to rare mentions. In the diaries, dedicated to the diplomatic missions to other countries and diplomatic receptions, the birds of prey, along with expensive sable furs can often be found in the lists of prestigious gifts. A spin-off manifestation of the popularity of hunting was the emergence of hunting sayings.

Following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russia, millions of refugees have fled Ukraine for safety in neighbouring countries, including Poland. This movement of people has been facilitated by, and has produced, documentation that will have significant afterlives as evidence and memory. The records refugees have carried with them, the records they have made during flight, and the records created in their encounters with states and communities beyond their homeland, will be important in the prosecution of war crimes, the reconstruction of events, the reconstitution of communities and the protection of rights and entitlements. This article sets out the findings of a pilot study into the documentary experiences of Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Interviews conducted by and with Ukrainian refugees consider the removal of records, the documentation of the refugee experience, the documentary requirements of border crossings, and the informational requirements of life beyond the border. Although drawing on a limited study population, the research surfaces some significant issues related to the preservation of memory and culture, exclusionary and hostile government information systems, and research ethics. This article could help to inform archival solidarity with Ukraine; it underscores the need for trauma-informed archival research and practice; and finally suggests the need for a person-centered approach to this work.

High-fat diets are associated with neuronal and memory dysfunction. Berries may be useful in improving age-related memory deficits in humans, as well as in mice receiving high-fat diets. Emerging research has also demonstrated that brain health and cognitive function may be related to the dynamic changes in the gut microbiota. In this study, the impact of Nordic berries on the brain and the gut microbiota was investigated in middle-aged C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed high-fat diets (60%E fat) supplemented with freeze-dried powder (6% dwb) of bilberry, lingonberry, cloudberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, and sea buckthorn for 4 months. The results suggest that supplementation with bilberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, lingonberry, and (to some extent) cloudberry has beneficial effects on spatial cognition, as seen by the enhanced performance following the T-maze alternation test, as well as a greater proportion of DCX-expressing cells with prolongation in hippocampus. Furthermore, the proportion of the mucosa-associated symbiotic bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila increased by 4–14 times in the cecal microbiota of mice fed diets supplemented with lingonberry, bilberry, sea buckthorn, and blueberry. These findings demonstrate the potential of Nordic berries to preserve memory and cognitive function, and to induce alterations of the gut microbiota composition.

The article is devoted to the subjects and symbolism in the hunting heraldry of the Volyn and Kyiv regions in the 16th – early 17th centuries. Among the innovations of this time period is the appearance of atypical imagery in Ukrainian heraldry, namely that of wild animals and hunting horns. The author analyzes the well-known coats of arms associated with hunting, their prevalence and probable reasons for their obscurity in these areas compared to the Kingdom of Poland. In the early modern period, nobility used heraldic signs and legends to emphasize their ancient origins, land tenureship and political influence. The appearance of wild animals on Ruthenian coats of arms was symptomatic of the spread of Western heraldic tradition and hunting culture as such. There were multiple instances of symbiosis between the Ruthenian heraldic tradition and Western templates, the most striking of which is the “Korczak” coat of arms. It is believed that the mantling in the form of a dog of the Hungarian Vizsla breed, depicted sitting in a bowl is of Hungarian origin, but the image of the shield (an "escutcheon") of this coat of arms is actually Ruthenian, interpreted as three belts, logs or rivers. Less prolific than the “Korczak” coat of arms and its variations were the addendum of Western heraldic attributes to the old coats of arms, such as that of hunting horns. Most of the Western-style coats of arms known or relatively known in these areas belonged to those granted to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania nobility in 1413. Many of them were distributed mainly among the small gentry of Polish origin or Galician immigrants. Instead, in the Volyn and Kyiv regions, the gentry preferred their own historical coats of arms, created on the basis of ancient territorial symbolism. Conceivably, their commitment to ancient heraldic tradition was intended to accentuate their Ruthenian identity.

High-fat diets are associated with neuronal and memory dysfunction. Berries may be useful in improving age-related memory deficits in humans, as well as in mice receiving high-fat diets. Emerging research has also demonstrated that brain health and cognitive function may be related to the dynamic changes in the gut microbiota. In this study, the impact of Nordic berries on the brain and the gut microbiota was investigated in middle-aged C57BL/6J mice. The mice were fed high-fat diets (60%E fat) supplemented with freeze-dried powder (6% dwb) of bilberry, lingonberry, cloudberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, and sea buckthorn for 4 months. The results suggest that supplementation with bilberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, lingonberry, and (to some extent) cloudberry has beneficial effects on spatial cognition, as seen by the enhanced performance following the T-maze alternation test, as well as a greater proportion of DCX-expressing cells with prolongation in hippocampus. Furthermore, the proportion of the mucosa-associated symbiotic bacteria