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Płockie kodeksy liturgiczno-muzyczne stanowią ważne źródło wiedzy do badań monodii gregoriańskiej i pochodnych od niej form postgregoriańskich. Przekazując, obok klasycznych struktur monodii łacińskiej, także twórczość rodzimą w postaci oficjów rymowanych, tropów, sekwencji, hymnów, dramatyzacji liturgicznych, a nawet najwcześniejszych rodzimych pieśni ludowych, dowodzą o wysokim poziomie kultury muzycznej Płocka w okresie średniowiecza. Unikatowy charakter tych źródeł stanowi najbardziej podstawowy etap do podejmowania szczegółowych badań analitycznych nad monodią łacińską ośrodka płockiego i dziejami muzyki liturgicznej w Polsce. Księgi płockie, w których w różnym stopniu odwzorowano dokonania Zachodu, pozwalają uchwycić proces kształtowania się lokalnej tradycji liturgiczno-muzycznej. Artykuł przedstawia wybrane, najbardziej charakterystyczne dla źródeł płockich, śpiewy liturgii mszalnej (wersety allelujatyczne, sekwencje, tropy) i brewiarzowej (oficja rymowane, tropy, hymny, dramatyzacje liturgiczne) oraz tzw. płockie tropy wielkanocne – najstarsze pieśni kościelne oparte na łacińskich hymnach i sekwencjach. Przywołane kompozycje liturgiczne, poprzez swoją specyfikę, świadczą o wysokiej randze ośrodka płockiego. Niniejsze studium jest wyłącznie próbą sumarycznego przedstawienia dotychczas ogłoszonych wyników badań w tym zakresie, ukazujących walory płockich rękopisów liturgiczno-muzycznych.

Abstract Rare earth-based monopnictides are among the most intensively studied groups of materials in which extremely large magnetoresistance has been observed. This study explores magnetotransport properties of two representatives of this group, DyBi and HoBi. The extreme magnetoresistance is discovered in DyBi and confirmed in HoBi. At $$T=2$$ T = 2 K and in $$B=14$$ B = 14 T for both compounds, magnetoresistance reaches the order of magnitude of $$10^4\%$$ 10 4 % . For both materials, standard Kohler’s rule is obeyed only in the temperature range from 50 to 300 K. At lower temperatures, extended Kohler’s rule has to be invoked because carrier concentrations and mobilities strongly change with temperature and magnetic field. This is further proven by the observation of a quite rare temperature-dependence of oscillation frequencies in Shubnikov–de Haas effect. Rate of this dependence clearly changes at Néel temperature, reminiscent of a novel magnetic band splitting. Multi-frequency character of the observed Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations points to the coexistence of electron- and hole-type Fermi pockets in both studied materials. Overall, our results highlight correlation of temperature dependence of the Fermi surface with the magnetotransport properties of DyBi and HoBi.

Road accidents cause considerable losses to road users and to society. The steady increase in the number of vehicles leads to increased traffic volume. Therefore, there is a real need to improve passenger safety by developing passive safety systems. This article presents the results of experimental tests of structures absorbing kinetic energy, which could be used in the front section of a vehicle in order to reduce the consequences of passenger car head-on collisions. A number of crash tests of selected structures were conducted under various load conditions. An analysis was carried out of parameters enabling the authors to assess the level of energy absorption by the absorbers made, and compare these to absorbers available on the market. The tests carried out made it possible to determine energy absorption capability of the crash boxes prepared and to identify a structure exhibiting the most advantageous properties from the point of view of its prospective use. Of all of the absorbers analysed, in the context of energy absorption, it was the absorber made of glass-fibre-reinforced polyphenylene sulphide that produced the most advantageous results. Nonetheless, favourable results were obtained for all of the structures tested.

Pulmonary benign metastasizing leiomyoma (PBML) is a rare condition characterized by the spread of uterine leiomyomas to the lungs, typically observed in premenopausal women with a history of hysterectomy or myomectomy. This report presents a unique case of a postmenopausal woman, aged 65, that emphasizes the clinical, radiological, histologic, and immunohistochemical aspects of the disease. On presentation, the patient suffered from severe pain. On imaging, a sizable lung tumor was found. Histopathological examination and immunoprofiling confirmed PBML. The patient underwent various treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy, illustrating the challenges in managing PBML. A literature review underscores the rarity of PBML and its diverse clinical manifestations. This study provides valuable insights into the complexities of PBML.

This paper discusses hitherto unidentified loose folios of a parchment liturgical and musical book held in the Archdiocesan Archive of Gniezno (Poland), containing the offertory and communion antiphons for the feasts De Trinitate and Corpus Christi. The author provides the codicological description of the leaves (analyzing Latin script, musical notation, ornamentation); identifies the time of their creation (15th century); indicates the type of the liturgical book to which they belong (graduale); seeks a melodic model for them and puts forward provenance hypotheses. He states that the melodics of the antiphons, although closest to the Cistercian tradition, are nevertheless variantly different from the melodic line preserved in foreign and Polish codices. It is possible to narrow down the dating of the leaves thanks to the type of Latin script, the calligraphic ornamentation of the initials and the spelling of certain letters.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks constitute a major threat in the current Internet. These cyber-attacks aim to flood the target system with tailored malicious network traffic overwhelming its service capacity and consequently severely limiting legitimate users from using the service. This paper builds on the state-of-the-art AATAC algorithm (Autonomous Algorithm for Traffic Anomaly Detection) and provides a concept of a dedicated inline DDoS detector capable of real-time monitoring of network traffic and near-real-time anomaly detection. The inline DDoS detector consists of two main elements: 1) inline probe(s) responsible for link-rate real-time processing and monitoring of network traffic with custom-built packet feature counters, and 2) an analyser that performs the near-real-time statistical analysis of these counters for anomaly detection. These elements communicate asynchronously via the Redis database, facilitating a wide range of deployment scenarios. The inline probes are based on COTS servers and utilise the DPDK framework (Data Plane Development Kit) and parallel packet processing on multiple CPU cores to achieve link rate traffic analysis, including tailored DPI analysis.

Replacing the IPv4 protocol with IPv6 on the Internet is currently one of the aims of the European Union policy. The main reason for this replacement is the effeteness of the addresses pool in the IPv4 protocol, which can cause serious complications in the evolution of the Internet and its adaptation in new areas, e.g., in next generation mobile telephony or the so called Internet of Things. Simultaneously, the addressing capabilities of the IPv6 protocol are practically unlimited and its new functionalities increase the attractiveness of its usage. The article discusses the problems connected with the IPv6 deployment on the Internet. Especially, the rules for realization of the IPv6 deployment and rules for cooperation of IPv4 with IPv6 (including cooperation tests) in network infrastructure and in applications are presented. Moreover, the European projects’ results and the activity’s directions of the national project Future Internet Engineering are discussed.

Abstract Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary kidney disease. Defect in cilia-mediated signaling activity is a crucial factor leading to cyst formation. Hence, ADPKD is regarded as a systemic disorder with multiple extrarenal complications, including cysts in other organs, for instance, the liver, pancreas, spleen, or ovaries. Interestingly, loss-of-function of primary cilia has been recently found to contribute to a malignant transformation from degenerated thyroid follicles. However, the increased incidence of thyroid nodules in ADPKD patients has not yet been fully confirmed. Objectives To determine the incidence of thyroid lesions in patients with ADPKD in comparison to previous population studies. Moreover, we aimed to investigate if the pace of the disease progression is associated with a higher prevalence of thyroid lesions. Material and methods In 49 early-stage ADPKD patients recruited from our center, we performed ultrasonography of the thyroid glands, and laboratory evaluation of thyroids function. We compared the results with population studies. Results Twenty-three individuals had solid, cystic-solid, or cystic lesions revealed in the ultrasonography and 2 patients had a positive past medical history for thyroidectomy due to nodular goiter. In 10 patients out of the 23, only minor cysts with no clinical significance were found and 13 out of the 23 patients had solid or cystic-solid lesions, which occurred to be benign based on three years of follow-up or the biopsy of the nodule. Conclusions We found no increased incidence of thyroid gland lesions in early ADPKD patients in comparison to previous population studies. Plausibly, mechanisms other than defective cilia signaling are involved in the risk for focal thyroid lesions formation. Moreover, the rate of progression of kidney function decline seems to be not accompanied by the higher incidence of thyroid pathology.

In the second decade of the 21st century, populism is a very popular issue both in political science and in everyday media discourse. It is associated with crises: economic and liberal democracies, which has led to an increase in the importance of anti-liberal and nationalist forces in the world. Also in Scandinavian countries we are dealing with such a phenomenon, although it should be emphasized that it did not arise there only in the 21st century. This article aims to present some of the postulates and actions of the largest Scandinavian right-wing populist parties and to define what political ideology they are closest to. As anti-immigration rhetoric is the main part of their program, the content of the article emphasizes other aspects that also affect the activities and popularity of these groups. These are economic, moral and environmental issues, as well as the attitude towards international organizations. For the purposes of this article, political programs as well as statements and activities of the more prominent representatives of the party in question were analyzed.

Studium ksiąg liturgiczno-muzycznych dowodzi, iż klasycznego repertuaru gregoriańskiego ważne miejsce zajmują śpiewy postgregoriańskie, a wśród nich m.in. tropy, stanowiące dodatki tekstowe i melodyczne do kompozycji oryginalnych. Podjęte w artykule zagadnienie dotyczy jednego z tego rodzaju śpiewów, zawartego w Missale Paulinorum z początku XVI w. Notuje go hymn Gloria z mszy De Beata Virgine. Jego tropowanie polega na rozbudowaniu oryginalnego tekstu o sześć krótkich fraz. Obecność tego tropu w Mszale Jagiellonów potwierdza jednak fakt, iż tzw. Gloria maryjne było niezwykle popularne. Mimo, iż spotkało się ono ze zdecydowanym zakazem stosowania w liturgii, to jednak jeszcze przez długi czas po Soborze Trydenckim przypominano, iż w święta Matki Bożej nie wolno posługiwać się Gloria maryjnym, tylko przyjętym przez liturgię rzymską. Tego typu średniowieczna monodia stanowi niezbity dowód na to, iż w każdej epoce istniała silna potrzeba tworzenia nowych śpiewów na użytek konkretnej liturgii. Dzięki tego rodzaju twórczości można jednak dziś odtworzyć po części obraz tego, co wykonywano w liturgii późnego średniowiecza, czy jeszcze w następnych wiekach. Mszał Jagiellonów jest w tym zakresie ważnym źródłem wiedzy.

Artykuł przedstawia nieznaną dotąd w piśmiennictwie naukowym tropowaną wersję najstarszej i najbardziej popularnej antyfony maryjnej, jaką jest Salve Regina, zanotowaną w jedynym dotychczas zidentyfikowanym w Polsce rękopiśmiennym psałterzu oliwetańskim. Teksty dodane do oryginalnej postaci tej antyfony, która w swej treści jest przyzywaniem orędownictwa Maryi, by wyjednała u Boga ludziom zbawienie, nazywają Ją Matką Kościoła, Panną łaskawą, Matką Boga i Gwiazdą morza. Tytuły te, stanowiąc litanijne zawołania do Najświętszej Maryi Panny, komentują Jej przymioty: łaskawość, litościwość i słodycz. Rozszerzenie w ten sposób oryginalnej antyfony o nowe treści teologiczne dowodzi, że modlitwa ta cieszyła się szczególną popularnością wśród wiernych zwracających się do Maryi, by wysłuchała ich próśb i otworzyła im drogę do Nieba.

Teksty dramatyzacji stanowią ważne źródło poznania liturgii oraz pomagają określić tradycję liturgiczno-muzyczną. Katalog ten poszerza Missale Paulinorum, zamieszczający mandatum. Przeprowadzone studium pozwala stwierdzić, iż paulińskie mandatum jest zbieżne z franciszkańskim. Z porównania obydwu przekazów wynika, iż redakcja franciszkańska była pierwotna, natomiast jasnogórska mogłaby być jej poszerzeniem. Nie można także wykluczyć jeszcze innego źródła, na którym mógł się wzorować redaktor księgi jasnogórskiej. Podjęcie dogłębnych studiów utrudnia brak w kodeksie paulińskim zapisu muzycznego. Z tego względu wyprowadzone wnioski mają charakter cząstkowy i wymagają dalszego badania.

Artykuł prezentuje w sposób syntetyczny dwa rękopisy liturgiczno-muzyczne z klasztoru oo. Karmelitów w Oborach: antyfonarz i graduał. Autor dokonuje ogólnej charakterystyki źródeł, wskazując na cechy kodykologiczne oraz zawartość. Następnie przedstawia zasób dyferencji psalmowych antyfonarza. Korzystając z kanadyjskiego projektu internetowego Rebekki Shaw (http://differentiaedatabase.ca) ustala, w jakim stopniu terminacje kodeksu oborskiego należą do powszechnie stosowanych schematów euouae, a na ile księga zawiera warianty melodyczne nieznajdujące odpowiednika w tradycji chorałowej.

Until the Second Vatican Council, Gregorian chant was the only type of sacred song classified as the liturgical monody. Currently, the liturgical monody covers various genres of music, from Gregorian chants to contemporary compositions contained in manifold liturgical books. Preserved manuscripts provide a source of knowledge about the epoch, ways of worshipping God and the musical tradition prevailing at that time. A wide range of topics addressed by Polish musicologists include all genres and forms of the liturgical monody that constitute musical tradition of the Church. Studies of historical sources and analytical studies bear testimony to Poland’s substantial contribution to the musical culture of Europe.

Pontificale Plocense from the 12th-century is one of the first Polish pontificals entirely preserved to this day. Among liturgical ceremonials, there is a rhymed officium about St. Catherine of Alexandria. Its music bears some explicitly characteristic features of the late Middle Ages monody. A condensed musical style reveals a departure from the initial esthetic assumptions and it presents another possibility of performing the Gregorian chant. This officium, apart from following the compositional principles prevailing in Europe at that time, provides evidence that the Middle Ages were also an era seeking new forms of expression.

Renal transplantation is now the best treatment for end-stage renal failure. To avoid rejection and prolong graft function, organ recipients need immunosuppressive therapy. The immunosuppressive drugs used depends on many factors, including time since transplantation (induction or maintenance), aetiology of the disease, and/or condition of the graft. Immunosuppressive treatment needs to be personalised, and hospitals and clinics have differing protocols and preparations depending on experience. Renal transplant recipient maintenance treatment is mostly based on triple-drug therapy containing calcineurin inhibitors, corticosteroids, and antiproliferative drugs. In addition to the desired effect, the use of immunosuppressive drugs carries risks of certain side effects. Therefore, new immunosuppressive drugs and immunosuppressive protocols are being sought that exert fewer side effects, which could maximise efficacy and reduce toxicity and, in this way, reduce both morbidity and mortality, as well as increase opportunities to modify individual immunosuppression for renal recipients of all ages. The aim of the current review is to describe the classes of immunosuppressive drugs and their mode of action, which are divided by induction and maintenance treatment. An additional aspect of the current review is a description of immune system activity modulation by the drugs used in renal transplant recipients. Complications associated with the use of immunosuppressive drugs and other immunosuppressive treatment options used in kidney transplant recipients have also been described.

The article relates to the dynamics of change of the grey market of gambling in Poland. The meaning of legal regulations concerning organisation of gambling and gaming tax within the mechanism to prevent shadow economy of gambling constitute the basic research issue. Its purpose is to identify legal solutions that effectively protect public finance. A broad definition of the phenomenon of the grey market of gambling comprising distortion of the market competitiveness mechanism for the business makes allowance for its consequence in the form of tax gap, which is a real loss for the public finance. Multidimensional, complex nature of gambling justifies diversification of test methodology and application of a dogmatic-legal method. The selected model of scientific cognition is based on an intuitive-synthetic assumption that the gambling matter is not completely recognisable due to the dynamics of the occurring processes. The available statistical works that give rise to the conclusions related to the effectives of the adopted legal solutions have empirical value. The efficiency of legal solutions enhancing the attractiveness of legal gambling activities, which guarantee cash flow transparency and ensure safety of gamers has been confirmed. Creating optimal conditions for conducting legal gambling activity is of basic importance when it comes to combating shadow economy of gambling. Decreasing tax rates along with tax bases has a stimulating impact on the increase of the number of entities operating in a legal manner on the gambling market. Prohibitive solutions related to determination of the access to legal gambling services inadequate in relation to the demand fail to comprise efficient counteraction measures for the grey market of gambling. The absence of unambiguous criteria for estimation of the size of the grey market of gambling limits the cognitive possibilities. The available data allow for an optimistic conclusion that the grey market of gambling in Poland is gradually decreased. However, the forecasts exclude the anticipated elimination of the entire phenomenon, making allowance for cross-border nature of games on the Internet, technological progress used by the unfair businesses and difficulties of legislative process in the scope of gambling. The author of the paper hopes that the presented considerations may comprise material helpful in the course of further scientific research.

In this paper numerical analysis of the condensing steam flow in a converging-diverging nozzle is investigated. The ANSYS Fluent results are compared with the results of the in-house academic Computational fluid dynamics code with respect to the capacity for thermodynamic assessment. The “local” real gas equation of state is used as a mathematical complement of flow governing equations in the in-house code. In the Fluent code, the thermodynamic functions as well as the steam and water physical properties are calculated based on the IAPWS formulation with the use of the UDF. The condensation model with the Fuchs and Sutigin correction of the droplet growth equation and nucleation rate with the Kantrowitz correction is implemented in both CFD codes. The CFD results are compared with the obtained experimental data. The experiment was carried out using an in-house steam facility with a transonic steam tunnel. The investigated geometry is a converging-diverging nozzle as adopted under the International Wet Steam Experimental Project with the diverging section expansion rate of 3,000 s−1 and the total throat height of 40 mm.

The article covers the issue of land reclamation of two degraded urban areas: Silesia Park (Chorzów city, Southern Poland) and Górka Rogowska Park (Łódź city, Central Poland). The research raises the subject of vegetation condition, plant succession, and the usage of a given area in terms of recreational functions. The first example of Silesia Park (case study 1) indicates a successful nature and landscape reclamation. The intention of park’s designers was to create a permanent and self-regulating natural system in accordance with the principle that the wider the area of the park and the longer it exists, the more it is ecologically sustainable and the more it affects its surroundings. The second example of Górka Rogowska Park (case study 2) shows that despite numerous sensible design ideas for satisfactory development, the area has not been properly reclaimed. In this location, the conducted works have degraded landscape values and recreational opportunities. Nevertheless, the research showed that this park is an area with high natural potential, and with properly designed decisions and contribution of city’ authorities might become a popular year-round and multi-functional public space offering a various range of recreational activities similar to the Silesia Park. The research led to the conclusion that constant monitoring is necessary to counteract the negative effects of the anthropopression through appropriate care (plant control, elimination of invasive plants) and design (rational development of leisure activities of a given place) decisions on reclaimed urban areas.

Leiomyomas are common lesions that are usually located in the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts. Primary leiomyomas at the skull base are uncommon. They are composed of well-differentiated smooth muscle cells without cellular atypia. The diagnosis of a leiomyoma has to be confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The tumor tissue is immunoreactive for SMA, S100 and cytokeratin. Leiomyomas mainly occur in immunocompromised patients. Most tumor tissues are positive for EBV. The presented case is that of a 56-year-old immunocompetent woman with a tumor on the clivus. The radiological images suggested chordoma or fibrous dysplasia. Transnasal transsphenoidal surgery was performed. The tumor tissue consisted of well-differentiated smooth muscle cells with elongated nuclei. Immunohistochemistry revealed a positive reaction for desmin, SMA and h-Caldesmon and a negative reaction for S100, beta-catenin, PGR and Ki67. The leiomyoma diagnosis was subsequently established. To the best of our knowledge, the case of a primary leiomyoma on the clivus of an immunocompetent patient is the first to be described. We also extensively reviewed the literature on the immunohistopathological and radiological differential diagnosis of clival lesions.

In this work, we investigate the effect of temperature on the electrical characteristics of Al/SiO2/n++-Si RRAM devices. We study the electroforming process and show that forming voltage and time-to-breakdown are well described by Weibull distribution. Experimental current–voltage characteristics of Al-SiO2-(n++Si) structures are presented and discussed at different temperatures. We show that some intermediate resistance states can be observed at higher temperatures. In our analysis, we identify Space Charge Limited Conduction (SCLC) as the dominating transport mechanism regardless of the operating temperature.

L'articolo presenta i risultati della ricerca sul Salterio manoscritto, di provenienza olivetana, conservato nel Museo dell'Arcidiocesi di Łódź. L'autore fornisce una descrizione sintetica del codice, verifica il momento della sua creazione, specifica l'area geografica in cui è stato scritto e indica il luogo ipotetico del suo utilizzo. Alla luce di un'analisi comparativa del Salterio con altri manoscritti olivetani, dimostra che è stato scritto da un olivetano che era anche l'autore delle decorazioni del codice. La parte finale dell'articolo ha un tentativo di spiegare la migrazione del Salterio dall'Italia in Polonia.

Introduction: The risk of obesity in children with Down syndrome is high. Undoubtedly, proper nutrition plays an important role in the prevention of excess body weight and is associated with a reduction of metabolic complications. The aim of the study was to assess the problem of disturbances in the nutritional status and eating habits of children with DS. Methods: A total of 39 patients were included in the study. The nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric tests and Dual X-ray Absorptiometry. Eating habits were assessed using the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire and the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Blood samples were taken to determine the oxidative stress and lipid parameters. Results: Obesity was recognized in 15% of subjects and 23% were overweight. Children that were overweight were characterized by higher levels of triglycerides, atherogenic index of plasma, and apoA2 and apoE levels. Fat mass, fat mass/height2 index, and visceral fat mass correlated with thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and advanced oxidative protein product level. The analysis of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire showed that children struggling with being overweight were more interested in food compared to those with normal body weight. A positive correlation was identified between waist circumference and food interest categories. Insufficient consumption of dairy products, vegetables, whole grain products, as well as fruits, seeds, nuts, and fatty fish was noted. Patients were less likely to consume products that are a good source of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusions: In children with Down syndrome and obesity, disturbances in lipid and oxidative stress parameters are observed. Abnormal eating habits in all children with Down syndrome regardless of their nutritional status were noted. Proper nutritional education, nutritional control, and management of metabolic problems are essential in this group of patients.

Age prediction from X-rays is an interesting research topic important for clinical applications such as biological maturity assessment. It is also useful in many other practical applications, including sports or forensic investigations for age verification purposes. Research on these issues is usually carried out using high-resolution X-ray scans of parts of the body, such as images of the hands or images of the chest. In this study, we used low-resolution, dual-energy, full-body X-ray absorptiometry images to train deep learning models to predict age. In particular, we proposed a preprocessing framework and adapted many partially pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) models to predict the age of children and young adults. We used a new dataset of 910 multispectral images that were weakly annotated by specialists. The experimental results showed that the proposed preprocessing techniques and the adapted approach to the CNN model achieved a discrepancy between chronological age and predicted age of around 15.56 months for low-resolution whole-body X-rays. Furthermore, we found that the main factor that influenced age prediction scores was spatial features, not multispectral features.

Atmospheric air is a commonly used working fluid in turbomachinery. The air typically contains a certain amount of suspended solid particles, as well as water in the form of vapor or droplets. In the current paper, we focus on the numerical modeling of humid air transonic flow in turbomachinery. In this paper we demonstrate a rarely considered, but as presented herein important influence of air humidity, pollution and liquid water content on the performance of the first stage of the gas turbine compressor and turbofan engine fan (NASA rotors 37 and 67). We also discuss the impact of the interfacial heat transfer associated with steam condensation or water evaporation on the distribution of stagnation parameters at the rotor outlet, the rotor performance, and flow conditions, as well as losses. Results demonstrate the impact of the number of pollution particles and water droplets on the compression process in the analyzed rotors, especially on the Mach number distribution in the blade-to-blade channel. In this paper we highlight that the air pollution and liquid water content, together with such physical phenomena as steam condensation or water droplets evaporation, exert a significant influence on work parameters, losses and efficiency, and thus should be considered in high-velocity airflow simulations.

High-pressure abrasive water jet flushing (HPAWJF) is an effective method used to improve coal seam permeability. In this study, based on the theories of gas flow and coal deformation, a coupled gas-rock model is established to investigate realistic failure processes by introducing equations for the evolution of mesoscopic element damage along with coal mass deformation. Numerical simulation of the failure and pressure relief processes is carried out under different coal seam permeability and flushing length conditions. Distributions of the seepage and gas pressure fields of the realistic failure process are analyzed. The effects of flushing permeability enhancement in a soft coal seam on the gas drainage from boreholes are revealed by conducting a field experiment. Conclusions can be extracted that the gas pressure of the slotted soft coal seam is reduced and that the gas drainage volume is three times higher than that of a conventional borehole. Field tests demonstrate that the gas drainage effect of the soft coal seam is significantly improved and that tunneling speed is nearly doubled. The results obtained from this study can provide guidance to gas drainage in soft coal seams regarding the theory and practice application of the HPAWJF method.

It is shown that a simple metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) structure with highly doped silicon substrate can exhibit current–voltage hysteresis effects related to sudden rises and drops in the flowing electric current. Experimental current–voltage characteristics of Al-SiO2-(n++Si) structures are presented and discussed. Their analysis shows that the ohmic and shallow traps assisted space-charge limited conduction (SCLC) are the dominating transport mechanisms. Sudden rises and drops in the flowing current, leading to the current–voltage hysteresis effects, are attributed to tunneling through deep traps in the oxide. Based on inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy (IETS), the energy levels of the deep traps and their position in the oxide are evaluated.

Background/Aims: Chronic kidney disease CKD patients on intermittent hemodialysis IHD are exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and carry a risk of developing severe symptoms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the humoral and cellular immunity induced by two doses of mRNA vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna (mRNA-1273) COVID-19 vaccine. Patients and methods: The study included 281 patients from five dialysis centers in northern Poland. Within 2 weeks prior to the first dose of the vaccine, a blood sample was collected for an evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Thirty to forty-five days after the second dose of the vaccine, a blood sample was taken to evaluate humoral and cellular response. Results: Patients with stage 5 CKD on IHD were characterized by a considerable SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced seroconversion rate. The strongest factors influencing the antibodies AB level after vaccination were a pre-vaccination history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, age, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio NLR, neutrophil absolute count, and the hemoglobin level. Cellular immunity was higher in patients with a pre-vaccination history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cellular immunity depended on the albumin level. Positive cellular response to vaccination was a positive factor reducing all-cause mortality, except for COVID-19 mortality (no such deaths were reported during our follow-up). Cellular immunity and humoral immunity were positively mutually dependent. High levels of albumin and hemoglobin, low neutrophil count, and a reduced NLR, translated into better response to vaccination. Conclusions: Patients with stage 5 CKD on IHD were characterized by a considerable SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced seroconversion rate and a good rate of cellular immunity. The factors that change with exacerbating inflammation and malnutrition (albumin, hemoglobin, neutrophil count, the NLR) affected the efficacy of the vaccination.

The quality of ambient air attracts considerable, widespread interest. Over the last decades, air purification has become an integral part of HVAC systems, process engineering, automotive and respiratory protection. Efficient separation of micro- and nano- particles is solidly linked with the development of new, sophisticated filtrating materials, as well as generating and validating mathematical models of such porous structures. The paper regards the numerical modeling of various filters. The presented work aims to validate four virtual filtrating materials –the fiberglass HEPA filter, the paper filter used in the automotive industry, knitted wire mesh and polyurethane foam. The pressure drop obtained for the filters under investigation was examined. The CFD results were validated against the data available in the literature. The agreement of the results of numerical and experimental studies proves the suitability of the proposed methods. At the same time, the simplifications employed in the simulations leave room for further improvement in future works.

The fabrication processes for silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits evolved from microelectronics components technology—basic processes have common roots and can be executed using the same type of equipment. In comparison to that of electronics components, passive photonic structures require fewer manufacturing steps and fabricated elements have larger critical dimensions. In this work, we present and discuss our first results on design and development of fundamental building blocks for silicon nitride integrated photonic platform. The scope of the work covers the full design and manufacturing chain, from numerical simulations of optical elements, design, and fabrication of the test structures to optical characterization and analysis the results. In particular, technological processes were developed and evaluated for fabrication of the waveguides (WGs), multimode interferometers (MMIs), and arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs), which confirmed the potential of the technology and correctness of the proposed approach.

Introduction. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a condition characterized by disorders of calcium–phosphate metabolism and bone metabolism caused by pathological overproduction of parathyroid hormone (PTH). The diagnosis of overt PHPT is based on the presence of clinical symptoms and laboratory abnormalities typical of this condition: hypercalcemia, hypercalciuria and elevated iPTH levels. Imaging studies are not used for diagnostic purposes; they are performed to localize the parathyroid glands prior to potential surgical treatment. Technetium 99 m sestamibi scintigraphy (Tc99 m-MIBI) is the gold standard in the assessment of pathologically altered parathyroid glands. Other diagnostic options include cervical ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Parathyroid biopsy (P-FNAB) with iPTH washout concentration (iPTH-WC) assessment is still an underestimated method of preoperative parathyroid gland localization. Few studies have reported the utility of US-guided P-FNAB in preoperative assessment of parathyroid lesions. The aim of the study was to present our experience with 143 P-FNAB with iPTH-WC assessment. Material and methods. Laboratory results, US findings, P-FNAB complications and comparison with other imaging techniques were described and analyzed. Results. In 133 (93.0) patients, iPTH washout-to-serum ratio exceeded threshold level 0.5 and were classified as positive results. Median iPTH-WC in this group was 16,856 pg/mL, and the iPTH-WC to serum iPTH ratio was 158. There was no correlation between iPTH-WC and serum PTH, serum calcium, parathyroid gland volume and shape index. In the group of 46 operated patients, 44 demonstrated positive iPTH-WC results, which corresponds to a sensitivity of 95.6%. In Tc99-MIBI, radiotracer retention was found in 17 cases (in 24 MIBI performed), which corresponds to a sensitivity of 52.2%. P-FNAB did not cause any major side effects −92.5% of all patients had no or mild adverse events after this procedure. Conclusions. P-FNAB with iPTH-WC is a reliable method in parathyroid adenoma localization during PHPT. Its sensitivity for diagnosis of PHPT is much higher than that of Tc99-MIBI, and in some situations, P-FNAB with iPTH-WC may even replace that method. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness of iPTH-WC is at least similar to that of Tc99-MIBI. Complications of P-FNAB are mild and we can describe this method as a safe procedure.

The aim of the study was the evaluation of the efficiency of cytological examination of the material obtained by endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) and endoscopic ultrasound bronchoscope-guided fine needle aspiration (EUSB-FNA) methods in the diagnosis of lung carcinoma. The usefulness was also assessed of the material obtained in that way for immunocytochemical and molecular tests in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung carcinoma. The material included cytological preparations obtained by EBUS and EUS methods. It was demonstrated that the technique made it possible to obtain diagnostic material from 94% of patients. A retrospective thorough analysis of those cases was the basis for the discussion of diagnostic difficulties.

Expansion of invasive species can be clearly seen all over Poland. Foreign tree and herbaceous plant species are effectively taking over more and more habitats competing with native vegetation. This phenomenon is strongly pronounced in the areas subject to strong anthropogenic pressure. The presence of invasive plants replacing the native vegetation is a threat for biodiversity and ecological balance. The research carried out by the authors between 2011 and 2017 on selected sites (comparatively: urban and open spaces, including a 600 ha park and a 10 km long forest strip along a river) confirms the pressure exerted by invasive species irrespective of the natural conditions of a particular site or its type – in each case it is most prominent in areas where vegetation is not properly maintained or where it is not maintained at all. The research was based on the dendrological inventories and phytosociological assessments. The inventories were used for a detailed assessment of both the condition and structure of tree-stands, including accounting for invasive species. Phytosociological assessment can, among others, form a basis for forecasting ecological stability of individual plant communities. Uncontrolled expansion of invasive species, especially in the areas of strong anthropogenic pressure, may cause unfavourable natural succession and in consequence – destabilisation of ecological system in a given area.

In this study, the resistive switching phenomenon in Al/SiO2/n++-Si structures is observed and studied by means of DC, small-signal admittance, and complex impedance spectroscopy measurements. Possible transport mechanisms in the high and low resistance states are identified. Based on the results of the applied measurement techniques, an electrical equivalent circuit of the structure is proposed. We discuss the effect of parasitic elements influencing the measurement results and show that a proper model can give useful information about the electrical properties of the device. A good agreement between the characteristics of the proposed equivalent circuit and the experimental data, based on different measurement procedures, confirms the validity of the used methodology and its applicability to the electrical characterization of RRAMs.

Motywacja: Dynamiczny rozwój technologii telekomunikacyjnych i związana z tym zmiana społeczna, tworzą nowe warunki dla funkcjonowania gospodarki. Wiążą się one ze zmianą roli państwa i jego możliwości regulacyjnych. E-gospodarka jest globalnym zjawiskiem, które regulowane jest lokalnie. Z punktu widzenia nauk ekonomicznych, zrozumienie obecnie istniejących zasad jej funkcjonowania, zarówno w kontekście szans, jak i zagrożeń, stanowi podstawę do prowadzenia skutecznych badań i modelowania. Pozwala także zweryfikować dotychczasowe teorie ekonomiczne w nowych warunkach. Jest to punkt wyjścia do badań nad nową rzeczywistością gospodarczą. Cel: Celem artykułu jest przegląd teorii dotyczących regulacji e-gospodarki, a także istniejących obecnie rozwiązań problemu regulacji tego globalnego zjawiska. Na podstawie zebranego materiału podjęto próbę określenia kierunku rozwoju e-gospodarki i możliwości jej regulacji. Wyniki: Obecne rozwiązania w zakresie regulacji e-gospodarki mogą być uznane za niewystarczające. Na podstawie przypadku bitcoina można stwierdzić, że brak jest jednolitego podejścia do e-gospodarki w skali globalnej. Brak jest również jednolitego podejścia do regulacji nowych zjawisk gospodarczych w ogóle. Biorąc pod uwagę dynamiczny rozwój techniki i wysokie prawdopodobieństwo tworzenia kolejnych innowacji rynkowych, koniecznym wydaje się poszukiwanie elastycznych rozwiązań i teorii specyficznych dla e-gospodarki.

Pontificale Plocense z XII w. jest jednym z pierwszych, kompletnie zachowanych rodzimych pontyfikałów. Zawarte w nim obrzędy „Depositio Crucis” i „Visitatio Sepulchri” oraz procesja rezurekcyjna należą do najstarszych misteriów na ziemiach polskich. Wśród 85 obrzędów liturgicznych znajduje się oficjum rymowane o św. Katarzynie Aleksandryjskiej. Jego muzyka nosi wyraźne cechy monodii późnego średniowiecza, o czym świadczą cechy stylu postgregoriańskiego. Skondensowany styl muzyczny zdradza odejście od pierwotnych założeń estetycznych i ukazuje inną możliwość kształtowania chorału gregoriańskiego. Oficjum to stanowi nie tylko odwzorowanie obowiązujących w ówczesnej Europie zasad, ale jest dowodem tego, iż średniowiecze było epoką poszukującą nowych form wyrazu.

Until the Second Vatican Council, Gregorian chant was the only type of sacred song classified as the liturgical monody. Currently, the liturgical monody covers various genres of music, from Gregorian chants to contemporary compositions contained in manifold liturgical books. Preserved manuscripts provide a source of knowledge about the epoch, ways of worshipping God and the musical tradition prevailing at that time. A wide range of topics addressed by Polish musicologists include all genres and forms of the liturgical monody that constitute musical tradition of the Church. Studies of historical sources and analytical studies bear testimony to Poland’s substantial contribution to the musical culture of Europe.

This paper demonstrates the procedure of blade adjustment in a Kaplan-type water turbine, based on calculations of the flow system. The geometrical adjustment of a twisted blade with varying chord length is described in the study. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was used to characterise aerofoil and turbine performance. Furthermore, two turbines, with a different number of blades, were designed, manufactured, and tested experimentally. The numerical model results were then compared with the experimental data. The studies were carried out with different rotational velocities and different stator blade incidence angles. The paper shows a comparison of the turbine efficiencies that were assessed, using numerical and experimental methods, of a flow system with four- and five-bladed rotors. The numerical model results matched up well with those of the experimental study. The efficiency of the proposed turbines reached up to 72% and 84% for four-bladed and five-bladed designs, respectively. These efficiencies, when considered with the turbine’s simplicity, low production and maintenance costs, as well as their potential for harvesting energy from low energy flows, mean that Kaplan turbines provide a promising technology for processing renewable energy.

Background: Vitamin D was studied in regards to its possible impact on body mass reduction and metabolic changes in adults and children with obesity yet there were no studies assessing the impact of vitamin D supplementation during a weight management program in children and adolescence. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of 26 weeks of vitamin D supplementation in overweight and obese children undergoing an integrated 12–months’ long weight loss program on body mass reduction, body composition and bone mineral density. Methods: A double–blind randomized placebo–controlled trial. Vitamin D deficient patients (p = 0.319). Similarly the reduction in fat mass—assessed both using bioimpedance and DEXa was achieved, yet the differences between the groups were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our study ads substantial results to support the thesis on no effect of vitamin D supplementation on body weight reduction in children and adolescents with vitamin D insufficiency undergoing a weight management program.

The disclosing of new diffusion frontiers for wind energy, like deep-water offshore applications or installations in urban environments, is putting new focus on Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs). To partially fill the efficiency gap of these turbines, aerodynamic developments are still needed. This work in particular focuses on the development of a mathematical model that allows predicting the possible performance improvements enabled in a VAWT by application of the Gurney flaps (GFs) as a function of the blade thickness, the rotor solidity and geometry of the Gurney flap itself. The performance of airfoil with GFs was evaluated by means of detailed simulations making use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The accuracy of the CFD model was assessed against the results of a dedicated experimental study. In the simulations, a dedicated method to simulate cycles of variation of the angle of attack similar to those taking place in a cycloidal motion (rather than purely sinusoidal ones) was also developed. Based on the results from CFD, a multidimensional interpolation based on the radial basis functions was conducted in order to find the GF design solution that provides the highest efficiency for a given turbine in terms of airfoil and solidity. The results showed that, for the selected study cases based on symmetric airfoils, the GF positioned facing outwards from the turbine, which provides the upwind part of the revolution, can lead to power increments ranging from approximately 30% for the lower-solidity turbine up to 90% for the higher-solidity turbine. It was also shown that the introduction of a GF should be coupled with a re-optimization of the airfoil thickness to maximize the performance.

Recenzja książki: Ewa Bielińska-Galas, "Introity o świętych w polskiej tradycji średniowiecznej", Lublin 2017