Agata Stankowska, Żeby nie widzieć oczu zapatrzonych w nic – o twórczości Czesława Miłosza

Lauréat du prix Nobel, traducteur, poète et prosateur, Czesław Miłosz (1911-2004) est une personnalité fondamentale pour tout amateur de la littérature polonaise. Ses œuvres ont joué un rôle primordial tout au long du XXe siècle et leur aspect multidimensionnel impressionne toujours un grand nombre de lecteurs. Agata Stankowska, l’auteure de Żeby nie widzieć oczu zapatrzonych w nic – o twórczości Czesława Miłosza a divisé son ouvrage en deux parties, Myśli i słowa (Pensées et mots) suivi de P..

Precision of scoring radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei by unexperienced scorers

Purpose: Dose assessment plays an important role in case of radiological accidents and can be performed by scoring structural changes of chromosome morphology induced in cells by ionizing radiation. The results of such a test are biased by scorer experience, therefore, simple to learn assays are recommended to be used when fast analysis of a large amount of data is needed. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two radiobiological assays – chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei – by unexperienced scorers with the reference values generated by an expert. Materials and methods: Each participant of an EU-funded two-week radiobiology course was asked to score Chinese hamster ovary cells exposed to gamma radiation up to 4 Gy. The congruence of students’ and expert’s scores at each dose and the coherence of the dose-response curve parameters between the students were investigated. Results: Micronucleus test tended to be faster and easier to learn than scoring chromosomal aberrations. However, both assays carried out by inexperienced students showed reasonable dose-response curves. Conclusions: In the case of a large radiological accident involving many casualties, the unexperienced scorers would support the process of biodosimetric triage by cytogenetic biological dosimetry

A Genome-Wide SNP Scan Reveals Novel Loci for Egg Production and Quality Traits in White Leghorn and Brown-Egg Dwarf Layers

Availability of the complete genome sequence as well as high-density SNP genotyping platforms allows genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in chickens. A high-density SNP array containing 57,636 markers was employed herein to identify associated variants underlying egg production and quality traits within two lines of chickens, i.e., White Leghorn and brown-egg dwarf layers. For each individual, age at first egg (AFE), first egg weight (FEW), and number of eggs (EN) from 21 to 56 weeks of age were recorded, and egg quality traits including egg weight (EW), eggshell weight (ESW), yolk weight (YW), eggshell thickness (EST), eggshell strength (ESS), albumen height(AH) and Haugh unit(HU) were measured at 40 and 60 weeks of age. A total of 385 White Leghorn females and 361 brown-egg dwarf dams were selected to be genotyped. The genome-wide scan revealed 8 SNPs showing genome-wise significant (P<1.51E-06, Bonferroni correction) association with egg production and quality traits under the Fisher's combined probability method. Some significant SNPs are located in known genes including GRB14 and GALNT1 that can impact development and function of ovary, but more are located in genes with unclear functions in layers, and need to be studied further. Many chromosome-wise significant SNPs were also detected in this study and some of them are located in previously reported QTL regions. Most of loci detected in this study are novel and the follow-up replication studies may be needed to further confirm the functional significance for these newly identified SNPs

The GTPase Activating Rap/RanGAP Domain-Like 1 Gene Is Associated with Chicken Reproductive Traits

BACKGROUND: Abundant evidence indicates that chicken reproduction is strictly regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis, and the genes included in the HPG axis have been studied extensively. However, the question remains as to whether any other genes outside of the HPG system are involved in regulating chicken reproduction. The present study was aimed to identify, on a genome-wide level, novel genes associated with chicken reproductive traits. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: Suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH), genome-wide association study (GWAS), and gene-centric GWAS were used to identify novel genes underlying chicken reproduction. Single marker-trait association analysis with a large population and allelic frequency spectrum analysis were used to confirm the effects of candidate genes. Using two full-sib Ningdu Sanhuang (NDH) chickens, GARNL1 was identified as a candidate gene involved in chicken broodiness by SSH analysis. Its expression levels in the hypothalamus and pituitary were significantly higher in brooding chickens than in non-brooding chickens. GWAS analysis with a NDH two tail sample showed that 2802 SNPs were significantly associated with egg number at 300 d of age (EN300). Among the 2802 SNPs, 2 SNPs composed a block overlapping the GARNL1 gene. The gene-centric GWAS analysis with another two tail sample of NDH showed that GARNL1 was strongly associated with EN300 and age at first egg (AFE). Single marker-trait association analysis in 1301 female NDH chickens confirmed that variation in this gene was related to EN300 and AFE. The allelic frequency spectrum of the SNP rs15700989 among 5 different populations supported the above associations. Western blotting, RT-PCR, and qPCR were used to analyze alternative splicing of the GARNL1 gene. RT-PCR detected 5 transcripts and revealed that the transcript, which has a 141 bp insertion, was expressed in a tissue-specific manner. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings demonstrate that the GARNL1 gene contributes to chicken reproductive traits

The Last African Ally: Diplomatic Relations Between the Republic of China and the Kingdom of Eswatini, and Their Future Prospects

Kozik, AlbertKozik, AlbertCieciura, Włodzimier

Study of airflow resistance through beetroot seed bed

W pracy podjęto badania oporów przepływu powietrza przez warstwę nasion buraka. Opory przepływu powietrza przez porowatą warstwę nasion, dla szerokiego zakresu wartości liczby Reynoldsa, opisuje zmodyfikowane równanie Leva. Wyznaczenie współczynnika oporów w zależności od liczby Reynoldsa pozwoli na zaprojektowanie wysokości warstwy w suszarce dla danego wentylatora lub dobrania wentylatora dla założonej wysokości złoża zapewniającego optymalny czas suszenia. Wyznaczono właściwości fizyczne nasion buraka ćwikłowego. Ustalono spadki ciśnienia na poszczególnych wysokościach złoża, co posłużyło do wyznaczana jednostkowego spadku ciśnienia. Zależność jednostkowego spadku ciśnienia i prędkości przepływu powietrza przedstawiono równaniem Erguna. Do opisu zależności między współczynnikiem oporów a liczbą Reynoldsa obliczono stałą K2= 15,03, charakteryzującą nasiona buraka.The paper presents a study on the air flow resistance of beetroot seed bed. Air pressure drop across a porous layer of the seed, within a wide range of Reynolds number values, was described with a modified Levy equation. Determination of coefficient of resistance depending on Reynolds number allows to design a height of the layer in an dryer for a particular fan or to select the fan for the assumed height of the bed, which ensures the optimum drying time. Physical properties of beetroot seeds were determined. Pressure drop in the different heights of the bed were estimated. This allowed to determine the elementary pressure gradient. Relationship between the elementary pressure gradient and airflow velocity was described by Ergun equation. To describe the relationship between the coefficient of resistance and a constant Reynolds number friction K2 = 15.03 was calculated

Application of quinoa seeds for sprouts production

W pracy badano możliwość wykorzystania dostępnych w handlu nasion komosy ryżowej (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) do otrzymywania kiełków konsumpcyjnych. Badania przeprowadzono na kiełkach otrzymanych z nasion komosy ryżowej oraz w celach porównawczych na kiełkach z nasion rzodkiewki odmiany Mila. Przydatność nasion komosy oceniano na podstawie ich jakości siewnej. Ponadto wyhodowane kiełki poddano ocenie organoleptycznej, gdzie w skali pięciopunktowej oceniano m.in. wygląd, zapach, teksturę. W porównaniu z nasionami rzodkiewki, nasiona komosy charakteryzowały się istotnie niższą zdolnością kiełkowania (73%) oraz wyższym współczynnikiem występowania infekcji grzybowych (8%). Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników stwierdzono, że jest możliwe otrzymywanie dobrej jakości kiełków z nasion komosy ryżowej. Kiełki z nasion komosy ryżowej uzyskały w ocenie organoleptycznej podobnie jak kiełki rzodkiewki ogólną ocenę dobrą. Kiełki komosy ryżowej posiadają odmienną barwę, co powoduje, że ich parametry barwy CIE L*a*b* różnią się istotnie statystycznie od parametrów barwy kiełków rzodkiewki. Jednak barwa ta, intensywnie zielona liści i różowa łodyżki i korzonka, może być pożądana i bardzo atrakcyjna dla konsumentów. Dalszych badań wymagają zarówno warunki procesu kiełkowania, jak i przygotowanie do produkcji kiełków nasion komosy ryżowej pochodzącej bezpośrednio z upraw.In this paper the possibility of using commercially available quinoa seeds (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) to receive sprouts was investigated. The study was conducted on sprouts derived from quinoa seeds and, for comparative purposes, of sprouts of radish seeds variety Mila. The suitability of seeds was investigated on the basis of their sowing quality. Furthermore, obtained sprouts were subjected to sensory assessment, were appearance, aroma, texture and more were examined against a five-point scale. In comparison with seeds of radish, quinoa seeds had significantly lower germination capacity (73%) and higher rates of incidence of fungal infections (8%). Based on the obtained results, it is possible to obtain good quality sprouts from quinoa seed. Sprouts obtained from quinoa seeds, like radish seeds, received good overall assessment scores in the sensory test. Quinoa sprouts have a distinctive colour, which means that the colour components of CIE L* a* b*are statistically significantly different from the parameters of the radish sprouts. However, their colour, bright green leaves and pink stems and roots, may be desirable and very attractive to consumers. Further studies on both the conditions of the germination process and on preparation for the production of sprouts of quinoa seeds directly derived from crops are needed

Monte Carlo Modeling of DNA Lesions and Chromosomal Aberrations Induced by Mixed Beams of Alpha Particles and X-Rays

8Środki finansowe, o których mowa w art. 365 pkt. 2 ustaw