Recent publications
We study the interaction of views, queries, and background knowledge in the form of existential rules. The motivating questions concern monotonic determinacy of a query using views w.r.t. rules, which refers to the ability to recover the query answer from the views via a monotone function. We study the decidability of monotonic determinacy, and compare with variations that require the “recovery function” to be in a well-known monotone query language, such as conjunctive queries or Datalog. Surprisingly, we find that even in the presence of basic existential rules, the borderline between well-behaved and badly-behaved answerability differs radically from the unconstrained case. In order to understand this boundary, we require new results concerning entailment problems involving views and rules.
In this study, we examine the thermal properties of the medium formed in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions at chemical freeze-out using a thermal model. We utilize experimental data on various hadron species from 0% to 5% most central Au+Au collisions at sNN=7.7GeV from the STAR BES program to analyze the thermal properties, namely, chemical freeze-out temperature, baryon chemical potential, and strangeness chemical potential. We employ a χ2 minimization technique to obtain these thermal properties. Furthermore, we also obtain thermal properties with strangeness conservation condition and at zero potentials μB∕T=μS∕T=0. We compare particle ratios from the thermal model with the experimental data. The thermal model describes particle ratios within ±2.5 standard deviations and χ2∕NDF between 1–2. We also discuss the collision energy dependence of thermodynamic properties of the medium at freeze-out and compare results with the published STAR results and other thermal model calculations.
The introduction of fluorine atom has attracted considerable interest in molecular design owing to the high electronegativity and the resulting polarization of carbon–fluorine bonds. Simultaneously, sterically‐hindered N‐heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) have received major interest due to high stabilization of the reactive metal centers, which has paved the way for the synthesis of stable and reactive organometallic compounds with broad applications in main group chemistry, inorganic synthesis and transition‐metal‐catalysis. Herein, we report the first class of sterically‐hindered, fluorinated N‐heterocyclic carbenes. These ligands feature variable fluorine substitution at the N‐aromatic wingtip, permitting to rationally vary steric and electronic characteristics of the carbene center imparted by the fluorine atom. An efficient, one‐pot synthesis of fluorinated IPr*F ligands is presented, enabling broad access of academic and industrial researchers to the fluorinated ligands. The evaluation of steric, electron‐donating and π‐accepting properties as well as coordination chemistry to Au(I), Rh(I) and Se is presented. Considering the unique properties of carbon–fluorine bonds, we anticipate that this novel class of fluorinated carbene ligands will find widespread application in stabilizing reactive metal centers.
Life-limiting conditions often cause children to be overlooked as participants in everyday activities. For parents child development should lead to independence in daily living activity. For parents of children who are disabled, independence is a step to a better quality of a child’s life. The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of functional intervention of self-service activities in children with life-limiting conditions at the age of 3–6 years of life. 32 children aged 3–6 years (N = 32, girls and boys) were followed for two years. The Progress Assessment Chart of Personal and Social Development (PPAC) H.C Gunzburg according to Witkowski inventory was used to assess. After two years of functional intervention, statistically significant improvement in everyday activities was observed in examining group. The control group showed less progress than the study group, even though the children in the control group were older. Functional intervention allows for effective work with a patient with life-limited conditions. Better progress was observed in the younger group, subjected to therapy for the existence of developmental potential occurring in children with limitations in intellectual development.
Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to transient changes in autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning and development of paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) syndrome. Clinical manifestation of ANS disorders may be obscured by therapeutic interventions in TBI. This study aims to analyze ANS metrics and cerebral autoregulation in patients with PSH syndrome to determine their significance in early prognostication.
This single-center retrospective study investigated the relationship between changes in ANS metrics, cerebral autoregulation, and PSH syndrome. Arterial blood pressure and intracranial pressure signals were monitored for 5 days post TBI. ANS metrics included time and frequency domain heart rate variability (HRV) metrics. Cerebral autoregulation was assessed using the pressure reactivity index.
Sixty-six patients with severe TBI (median age 33 [interquartile range 26–50] years) were analyzed, and PSH was confirmed in nine cases. Impairment of cerebral autoregulation was observed in 67% of patients with PSH and 72% without the syndrome. Patients with PSH had higher HRV in the low-frequency range (LF; 253 ± 178 vs. 176 ± 227 ms2; p = 0.035) and lower heart rates (HRs; 70 ± 7 vs. 78 ± 19 bpm; p = 0.027) compared to those without PSH. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that HR (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.73, p = 0.006) and HRV in the LF (AUC = 0.70, p = 0.009) are moderate predictors of PSH. In the multiple logistic regression model for PSH, diffuse axonal trauma (odds ratio (OR) = 10.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.70–68.98, p = 0.012) and HR (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.84–0.98, p = 0.021) were significant factors.
Elevated HRV in the LF and decreased HR may serve as early predictors of PSH syndrome development, particularly in patients with diffuse axonal trauma. Further research is needed to investigate the utility of the cerebral autoregulation–ANS relationship in PSH prognostication.
An abstract characterization of weakly monotone -algebras, namely the concrete -algebras generated by creators and annihilators acting on the so-called weakly monotone Fock spaces, is given in terms of (quotients of) suitable Exel–Laca algebras. The weakly monotone -algebra indexed by is shown to be a type-I -algebra and its representation theory is entirely determined, whereas the weakly monotone -algebra indexed by is shown not to be of type I.
In the standard category of directed graphs, graph morphisms map edges to edges. By allowing graph morphisms to map edges to finite paths (path homomorphisms of graphs), we obtain an ambient category in which we determine subcategories enjoying covariant functors to categories of algebras given by constructions of path algebras, Cohn path algebras, and Leavitt path algebras, respectively. Thus, we obtain new tools to unravel homomorphisms between Leavitt path algebras and between graph C*‐algebras. In particular, a graph‐algebraic presentation of the inclusion of the C*‐algebra of a quantum real projective plane into the Toeplitz algebra allows us to determine a quantum CW‐complex structure of the former. It comes as a mixed‐pullback theorem where two ‐homomorphisms are covariantly induced from path homomorphisms of graphs and the remaining two are contravariantly induced by admissible inclusions of graphs. As a main result and an application of new covariant‐induction tools, we prove such a mixed‐pullback theorem for arbitrary graphs whose all vertex‐simple loops have exits, which substantially enlarges the scope of examples coming from noncommutative topology.
How did the government justify aggressive, and, at times, violent police actions against demonstrators during the pandemic? We use a biopolitical framework to empirically explore how leading members of Poland’s government justified protest policing. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Poland’s PiS-led government, like others across Europe, implemented social distancing measures that curtailed the right to peaceful assembly. The government justified aggressive crowd control tactics such as kettling to ‘protect’ society from what they perceived as illegal and unruly protestors who seek to cause indirect mass harm, e.g. spread the virus via street protesting, or cause direct harm to police officers through physical acts of protester aggression. The government argued that protesters, instead of being whom the state must keep safe from biological harm, actually threaten a vulnerable police force and other institutions. The government projected their own vulnerability to cast protesters as biological threats to the nation and, thus, as dangerously norm-breaking ‘others,’ in order to justify surveillance of demonstrators and aggressive police tactics.
The reactivity of dimethylamine borane (DMAB) towards amines and nitroarenes was investigated in the presence of the CO2 and Pd/PVP (PVP=polyvinylpyrrolidone) nanocatalyst. The formation of borane formate, Me2NH.BH2(OCHO), by the insertion of CO2 into the B−H bond was evidenced by NMR. The reaction of DMAB with CO2 also produced a second product, DMF, formed via self‐formylation. In the presence of aromatic or aliphatic amines corresponding N‐formamides were formed efficiently. Under the same conditions nitroarenes were hydrogenated to anilines or to azoxyarenes in the absence of CO2. In both reactions very high TOF values, up to 30 min⁻¹, were obtained. Applying a higher excess of DMAB enabled the transformation of nitroarenes to N‐formamides. The Pd/PVP catalyst was used in 7 consecutive cycles of N‐methylaniline formylation with excellent selectivity and a total TON equal to 4700.
To understand how particular post-translational modifications (PTMs) affect the function of a target protein, it is essential to first prepare and investigate the target with the modification at the desired position. This drives the continuous development of site-specific protein modification technologies. Here, we present the chemical synthesis and application of the biarsenical linker SrtCrAsH-EDT2, which has dual labeling functionality. This linker, containing a sortase A recognition motif, can be conjugated with any protein containing the LPXTG motif at the C-terminus, such as ubiquitin and the SUMO tag, and then attached to a protein of interest (POI) containing a terminal or bipartite (intramolecularly placed) tetracysteine motif. This modification of the POI facilitates the straightforward and rapid incorporation of PTMs, which are further highlighted by the fluorescent biarsenical probe. Consequently, this directly correlates proteins' physical properties and cellular roles under various physiological conditions or in disease states. The proposed one-pot labeling methodology can be utilized to explore the effects of PTMs on proteins, affecting their structure, function, localization, and interactions within the cellular environment. Understanding these effects is crucial for uncovering the complex mechanisms that regulate cellular function and dysfunction.
The skillful combination of luminescent thermometry and optical heating has enabled the development of luminescent optical density meters. However, developing such sensing materials with predefined sensing performance requires an understanding of which material parameters play a dominant role in the optical response of the system. In this study, a systematic investigation is conducted on the influence of host material composition and crystal field strength affecting the Cr³⁺ ions on the sensing performance of the ratiometric optical density meter based on the ²E→⁴A2 to ⁴T2→⁴A2 luminescence intensity ratio (LIR) in Y3Al5‐xGaxO12:Cr³⁺. As shown, the LIR reveals thermal variation according to the Boltzmann distribution in these materials over the 160 to 500 K range. However, at higher temperatures, monotonic changes in LIR are still observed. This has enabled the development of optical density meters with high sensitivity, operating over a wide range of power densities (<5500 W cm⁻²). The maximum sensitivity is found for Y3Al3Ga2O12:Cr³⁺, reaching 0.086% W⁻¹ cm² at 2 W cm⁻², which is the highest value reported to date among all ratiometric Cr³⁺‐based optical density meters. It is demonstrated that a strong crystal field favorably influences the thermal sensitivity of the analyzed systems, thereby achieving high sensitivity in the low optical power density range (<1000 W cm⁻²). However, it also limits the operating range of the sensing material. Conversely, to extend the operating range of the optical density meter, materials with intermediate or low crystal field strengths are preferred.
The text presents an analysis of the transformation of hydrographic network in the JeleniaGóra Basin from the late 18th century to 2015.At the beginning of this period, the total length of watercourses was estimatedat 553.25 km, with the highest density observed in the southern, southeastern, andwestern parts of the basin. The landscape was dominated by natural, meandering wa-tercourses. In the early 20th century, the length of watercourses increased to 697.9 kmdue to significant human interventions. These interventions included the creation of rec-tilinear canals for agricultural and industrial purposes, such as mills. The western partof the basin had the highest concentration of watercourses, primarily in the catchmentsof rivers like Kamienna, Wrzosówka, and Podgórna. During the era of the RzeczpospolitaPolska (1983-1984), the total length of watercourses expanded to 894.1 km, which rep-resents a substantial increase of 28% over 50 years. This growth was particularly evidentin the proliferation of regular, straight drainage ditches, which were developed to supportagricultural activities and the flood control system established in the late 19th and early20th centuries. The Podgórzyn farm ponds and the Cieplice dry retention reservoir havebecome focal points for dense watercourse networks. However, by 2015, the total lengthof watercourses had decreased to 811.94 km, indicating a decline of 9% compared to thesecond half of the 20th century. Despite this reduction, certain areas, particularly in thesouthwestern part of the basin, have seen an expansion of water bodies, such as farmponds and dry retention reservoirs. Moreover, smaller regions within the basin showedhigher concentrations of watercourses, especially in agricultural areas between JeleniaGóra and Mysłakowice, and between Kowary and ŚcięgnyDuring the late 18th century, the Jelenia Góra Basin had an extensive network of wa-ter reservoirs covering 7.62 km2, which played crucial roles in the economy, protection,and aesthetics of the area.Notable among these were the ponds managed by the Cistercian Order and thoseowned by the King of Prussia. These reservoirs were instrumental not only for agriculturaland industrial purposes but also for enhancing the ornamental beauty of the landscape,especially in park settings established by affluent individuals. Zmiany sieci hydrograficznej na obszarze Kotliny Jeleniogórskiej od XVIII w.However, during the first half of the 20th century, the total area of water reservoirssignificantly declined to 1.78 km2. This reduction can be attributed to various factors,including urbanization, changes in land use patterns, and alterations in hydrological sys-tems. Despite this decline, new water reservoirs emerged, particularly on private estates,showcasing a shift in ownership and management patterns.In the latter half of the 20th century, the total area of standing waters increasedto 2.06 km2, mainly due to industrial processes requiring the creation of new reservoirs.However, some reservoirs disappeared during this period due to urban development pro-jects and industrial expansions.By 2015, there was a significant resurgence in the total area of reservoirs, expandingto 3.23 km2, representing a 57% increase since the mid-20th century. The growth men-tioned above was characterised by the emergence of large-scale reservoirs, such as the‘Sosnówka’ reservoir, which signalled significant environmental modifications. Further-more, the rehabilitation of pond complexes and the creation of new private fishpondscontributed to the revitalisation of the basin’s water landscape.In essence, the analysis underscores the dynamic interplay between human activities,industrialization, and environmental conservation in shaping the hydrographic networkof the Jelenia Góra Basin over several centuries, reflecting the complex socio-environ-mental dynamics inherent to such landscapes.
GDP-fucose is synthesised via two pathways: de novo and salvage. The first uses GDP-mannose as a substrate, and the second uses free fucose. To date, these pathways have been considered to work separately and not to have an influence on each other. We report the mutual response of the de novo and salvage pathways to the lack of enzymes from a particular route of GDP-fucose synthesis. We detected different efficiencies of GDP-fucose and fucosylated structure synthesis after a single inactivation of enzymes of the de novo pathway. Our study demonstrated the unequal influence of the salvage enzymes on the production of GDP-fucose by enzymes of the de novo biosynthesis pathway. Simultaneously, we detected an elevated level of one of the enzymes of the de novo pathway in the cell line lacking the enzyme of the salvage biosynthesis pathway. Additionally, we identified dissimilarities in fucose uptake between cells lacking TSTA3 and GMDS proteins.
The synthesis of [2]rotaxanes stoppered with one or two dipyrromethane groups has opened a route for the construction of mechanically interlocked molecules incorporating various porphyrinoid stations. The exploitation of those precursors allowed the creation of [3]rotaxanes and [2]catenanes based on the calix[4]phyrin motif, presenting intriguing molecular dynamics. The intrinsic flexibility of the porphyrinoid allowed the introduction of a new type of molecular motion within the rotaxanes, termed fluttering. The latter involved a bending of the axle, interconverting two angular‐shaped stereoisomers of the rotaxane through a planarised transition state. Simple chemical transformations, i.e. methylation and (de)protonation of the [3]rotaxane and [2]catenane allowed controllable transformations within the conformationally flexible calix[4]phyrin‐incorporated mechanically interlocked porphyrinoids.
Crownphyrinogens and crownphyrins constitute a group of macrocycles that combine the structural facets of porphyrinoids and crown ethers. The dual‐nature cavity embedded in their molecules enables reactivity involving two structurally distinct parts of the macrocyclic ligand. Upon Ni(II) and Pd(II) insertion, coordination compounds are produced wherein the metal is incorporated into the porphyrinoid‐like pocket, resulting in monomeric or accordion‐like dimeric products, depending on the oxidation level of the macrocycle and metal cation. The reactions with Na(I) and K(I) resulted in the formation of complexes where only the crown ether segment of the molecule is involved in metal binding, yielding remarkable dimeric species. The exploitation of a crownphyrin large enough to accommodate two metal cations allowed the synthesis of an alkali/transition metal binuclear complexes wherein the macrocycle demonstrated the Janus reactivity with one cavity acting as a porphyrinoid and the other mimicking the crown ether.
Myocarditis after the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the important adverse events following immunization, observed mainly after mRNA-based vaccines. Importantly, post-vaccination myocarditis was less common than myocarditis after SARS-CoV-2 infection, as it was scored at 19.7 per 1,000,000 doses and 2.76 per 1000 infections. Predominantly, its course was benign and, compared with the myocarditis after COVID-19 infection, significantly fewer patients developed heart failure or died among patients with post-vaccination myocarditis. The group at highest risk of myocarditis related to COVID-19 vaccination were young males who received a second dose of an mRNA vaccine. It was observed that, among mRNA vaccines, specifically mRNA-1273 was associated with a higher risk of myocarditis. The mechanism underlying myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination is still under investigation and certain processes are being considered. Currently, some follow-up assessments of patients who developed vaccine-induced myocarditis are available and suggest a favorable prognosis. The aim of this review is to discuss the most recent data on myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination considering its epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, management, relative risk of myocarditis compared with SARS-CoV-2 infection, potential underlying mechanism, and follow-up data of patients who developed post-vaccination myocarditis.
The growing psychology of magic field explores how spectators understand, appreciate, and experience this ancient performing art. The present research explored how skeptical, superstitious, and paranormal beliefs predict the enjoyment of magic. A sample of American adults ( n = 292) completed a measure of magic attitudes (the Loathing of Legerdemain Scale) along with many measures of (1) skeptical and rational beliefs (e.g., critical thinking and trust in science), and (2) superstitious and paranormal beliefs (e.g., luck, conspiracy theories, and paranormal topics like astrology, psi, witchcraft, and spiritualism). Random forests identified the most important unique predictors of magic attitudes within this large, intercorrelated predictor set. Consistent with past research and with magicians’ experiences, enjoying magic was marked by seemingly opposing clusters of beliefs—one marked by higher critical thinking, and another marked by higher superstitious and paranormal beliefs—highlighting the variety of psychological underpinnings for the enjoyment of magic.
Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) enables the assessment of tissue characteristics of the myocardium. Changes in the extracellular volume (ECV) and fibrosis volume (FV) of the myocardium are sensitive and early pathogenetic markers and have prognostic significance. The aim of the study was to assess ECV and FV of left ventricular myocardium in T1 mapping sequence in patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering vaccination status against COVID-19. The study group consisted of 97 patients (52.54 ± 8.31 years, 53% women and 47% men). The participants were divided into three subgroups: A) patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, unvaccinated against COVID-19 (n = 39), B) patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, with a full vaccination schedule against COVID-19 (n = 22), and C) persons without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection constituting the control subgroup (C, n = 36). All patients underwent 1.5 T cardiac magnetic resonance. In subgroup A compared to subgroups B and C, both the ECV whole myocardium and ECV segments 2, 5–6, 8, and 10–11 were statistically significantly higher. In addition, the ECV segment 16 was statistically significantly higher in subgroup A than in subgroup C. Also, the FV whole myocardium was statistically significantly higher in subgroup A in comparison to subgroups B and C. There were no significant differences in ECV and FV between subgroups B and C. In summary, unvaccinated against COVID-19 patients with a history of symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection have higher myocardial ECV and FV values in the T1 mapping sequence, compared to those without COVID-19 and those suffering from COVID-19, previously vaccinated with the full vaccination schedule.
Inhibition of glycogen phosphorylase (Pyg) – a regulatory enzyme of glycogen phosphorolysis – influences memory formation in rodents. We have previously shown that 2-week intraperitoneal administration of a Pyg inhibitor BAY U6751 stimulated the “rejuvenation” of the hippocampal proteome and dendritic spines morphology and improved cognitive skills of old mice. Given the tedious nature of daily intraperitoneal drug administration, in this study we investigated whether a single dose of BAY U6751 could induce enduring behavioral effects. Obtained results support the efficacy of such treatment in significantly improving the cognitive performance of 20-22-month-old mice. Metabolomic analysis of alterations observed in the hippocampus, cerebellum, and cortex reveal that the inhibition of glycogen phosphorolysis impacts not only glucose metabolism but also various other metabolic processes.
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Wrocław, Poland
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prof. dr hab. Przemysław Wiszewski
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