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Late blight, caused by the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, is a devastating disease affecting potato production globally, with adverse effects in Africa where limited access to fungicides exacerbates its impact. Outbreaks of late blight lead to reduced yields and substantial economic losses to potato farmers and agricultural systems. The development of resistant potato varieties, tailored to African agroecological conditions, offers a viable solution in mitigating the devastating effects of late blight on potato cultivation. Leading to this study, two consumer-preferred varieties, Victoria and Shangi, with high susceptibility to late blight were targeted for conferring late blight resistance through genetic engineering. This was achieved by inserting R genes from wild relatives of potato displaying resistance to the disease. The intended effect of conferring resistance to the late blight disease has been consistently observed over twenty experimental field trials spanning 8 years at three locations in Uganda and Kenya. In this study, we assessed whether the genetic transformation has led to any significant unintended effects on the nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of potato tubers compared to the non-transgenic controls grown under the same agroecological conditions. The compositional assessments were conducted on commercial-size potato tubers harvested from regulatory trials at three locations in Uganda and Kenya. Statistical analysis was conducted using two-way analysis of variance comparing transgenic and non-transgenic samples. Overall, the results showed that the transgenic and non-transgenic samples exhibited similar levels of nutritional and antinutritional components. Variations detected in the levels of the analysed components fell within the expected ranges as documented in existing literature and potato composition databases. Thus, we conclude that there are no biologically significant differences in the nutritional and anti-nutritional composition of transgenic and non-transgenic potato tubers engineered for resistance to late blight.

The aim of this study is to present the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis in the long-distance coach market in Europe. Firstly, the literature review depicts the dynamic situation of European long-distance transport service providers. It is reiterated that the disruptions to long-distance coach transport triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic are multidimensional. Secondly, 10 econometric panel models, including one spatial and two dynamic panel models, were constructed for 505 or 495 regions (depending on the model) of 26 European countries. The analysis allowed us to draw conclusions about the impact of excess mortality, public sentiment, population density, and infrastructure quality on the number of long-distance FlixBus coach departures. Models indicate that increased anxiety associated with COVID-19 leads to a drop in the number of departures even when mortality anomaly is accounted for. Moreover, the number of departures changed more significantly in response to an increased infection rate in 2021 compared to 2020. This may indicate that long-distance coach companies were encouraged to implement new policies aiming at a lower frequency of trips, thereby increasing certainty that planned departures would not be canceled at the last minute. This can serve as an evidence of a shift in companies’ focus towards greater flexibility of their offers.

The aim of this paper is to assess the association between macroeconomic factors and house prices in selected OECD countries. In this paper, authors describe selected socioeconomic factors, adapt a transparent methodology based on the OECD database and derive results shedding a light on the main drivers shaping the trends of the real estate prices. Two main economic aggregates, inflation and gross domestic product (GDP) were analysed for the OECD member and non-member countries for which complete data have been made available for the period of 1990-2020. The OECD provides data for 60 countries in total, out of which 38 are members of the organization. Nevertheless, due to missing observations in certain countries, the analysis was carried out in 19 of them. The aim of the study was to determine how GDP and inflation dynamics are correlated with changes in property prices. Among the analysed countries, Japan and South Africa could be distinguished as outliers in terms of inflation, whereas in the case of GDP, Italy, Japan, Ireland and Norway stood out. Additionally, 12 representative countries were described in detail. These countries comprised four groups of three countries divided across two dimensions: the first, based on the highest and the lowest correlation coefficient, and the second, based on the measure used to calculate the correlation coefficient (correlation of the house prices with GDP and correlation of the house price with inflation). On the basis of the analyses, it was shown that the association between GDP and house prices is stronger than that between inflation and house prices – in most cases, prices increased at a similar rate as GDP. A particularly high correlation between GDP and house prices was found for Norway, New Zealand and Sweden, indicating a potentially higher marginal housing consumption responsiveness to changes in housing wealth in these highly developed countries, characterised by particularly low housing transaction costs and efficient mortgage market. It was deduced that such characteristics lead to a higher wealth elasticity of demand for new houses.

Introduction and purpose: Poisoning among children and adolescents is occurring on an ever-increasing scale. Women are particularly susceptible to intentional poisoning, and they predominate in the statistics of self-poisoning. The aim of the study is to analyze cases of poisoning in girls under 18 years of age hospitalized in the Clinical Toxicology and Cardiology Department of the Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Regional Hospital in Lublin in 2022, taking into account the type of substance ingested, the place of residence of the patients and comorbidities. Material and methods: The study was retrospective in nature. It used the analysis of medical records of 84 cases of intoxication in girls under 18 years of age. Results: During the time period studied, 84 girls aged 13-18 were hospitalized for poisoning. Most of the cases were urban residents (64.3%). The toxic substances causing poisoning were mainly drugs (63.1%), narcotics (17.9%) and ethanol (17.8%). Poisoning of an intentional nature involved 80 (95.2%) cases, 37 (44%) cases were suicide attempts. In 54 (64.3%) cases, the patient was burdened with a mental illness, the most common being depressive disorders. There were no deaths in the study group. Conclusions: Due to the increasing phenomenon of mental disorders, as well as intentional poisoning among adolescent girls, special emphasis should be placed on psychological care, pedagogical care, of girls in adolescence. This is the time when girls have problems with acceptance of their bodies, with acceptance among peers. Parents and teachers should be made aware of this.

Introduction and purpose: Hirschsprung's disease, also known as congenital aganglionic megacolon, is a rare congenital disorder that affects the large intestine. Due to the absence of ganglion cells, the affected segment of the colon becomes narrow and unable to relax. The disease is present from birth but may not always be immediately apparent. In this paper, we will attempt to present the current state of knowledge regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Hirschsprung's disease, based on the analysis of literature available on the PubMed platform. Description of the state of knowledge: Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR), also known as congenital aganglionosis of the colon, involves abnormal migration, proliferation, and differentiation of neural crest cells, leading to the absence of autonomic nerve ganglia within the colon. HSCR is associated with mutations in several genes, with RET, GDNF, EDNRB and SOX10 being identified as the main causes of the disease. Mutations in the RET gene are associated with the hereditary form of Hirschsprung's disease. Symptoms of HSCR appear in newborns and may include bilious vomiting, diarrhea associated with enterocolitis, failure to pass meconium within the first 24 hours of life, impaired peristalsis, jaundice, feeding difficulties, and progressive abdominal distension. Summary: Diagnosis is typically made based on clinical presentation, imaging studies, and biopsy. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the affected segment of the colon and reconnect the healthy portions. Although postoperative complications are relatively common, long-term studies suggest that the majority of children with Hirschsprung's disease function well in society.

Introduction and purpose: Poisoning in children and adolescents remain a serious medical, psychological and social problem. The aim of the study was to analyse poisonings in patients up to 18 years old admitted to the Clinical Department of Toxicology and Cardiology in Stefan Wyszyński Regional Specialist Hospital in Lublin in 2022. Material and method: The research was retrospective. Medical records of 120 cases of poisoning in patients up to the age of 18 were analysed. Results: In the studied period 120 patients from 13 to 18 years old were hospitalized due to intoxication, 84 (70%) of them were female and 36 (30%) of them were male. Majority of cases came from urban areas (69,2%). The most frequent causes of poisonings were medicaments (55%), drugs (29,2%) and alcohol (28,3%). The intentional intoxications were found in 113 (94,2%) cases, 45 (39,8%) of them were suicide attempt. Mental diseases were found in 71 (59,1%) cases, the most common one was depressive disorder. There were no deaths in the researched group. Conclusions: Because of the relevance of child patients poisoning young people should be provided with psychological care. Female teenagers must get special kind of support. The availability of child psychiatrists and psychologists is still too poor. Prohibition of selling alcohol to minors should be enforced stricly. It seems that acces to OTC drugs is way much too easy for people. There is a necessity of parents’education about children poisoning.

Introduction and aim: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a commonly used analgesics and antipyretics and it is a nonprescription medicine. Improper use of it may lead to accidental or intentional poisoning. The aim of the study was to analyse paracetamol poisonings in children and adolescents admitted to the Clinical Department of Toxicology and Cardiology in Stefan Wyszyński Regional Specialist Hospital in Lublin in 2022. Material and methods: The research was retrospective. Medical records of poisoning cases in patients up to the age of 18 were analysed specifically emphasizing acetaminophen poisonings. Results: In the studied period 120 adolescents were hospitalized due to intoxication, 65 of them due to medications intake, the most commonly used medicine was acetaminophen. There were 20 cases of hospitalization because of acetaminophen intake, 17 (85%) patients were female and 3 (15%) of them were male. Patients were from 15 to 17 years old. In 12 cases (60%) patients came from urban areas. The intentional intoxications were found in 18 (90%) cases, 13 of them were suicide attempt. Majority of cases of attempted suicide were female (92%). The other intoxications were accidental, where patients took acetaminophen as a painkiller. In the researched group there were no deaths. Conclusions: Paracetamol overdosing is always associated with the risk of liver damage.This medicament as a potentially hepatotoxic drug should not be sold over the counter. The availability of paracetamol is too widespread, which poses a risk especially to children and adolescents. The ubiquitous advertising of acetaminophen products as well as their popular use, for example, in menstrual pain, favor their presence in almost every Polish home. Parents and guardians should be educated about the dangers of uncontrolled use of so-called OTC drugs - incorrectly commonly considered safe.

Introduction and purpose: Alcohol has been known for centuries. In recent years, awareness of the effects of its consumption has been growing and acceptance of the drink has been declining. Despite this, there is an increase in young alcohol consumption and a decrease in the age of alcohol initiation. In this work, the problem of alcohol consumption by minors will be reviewed based on the evaluation of hospitalizations in the Clinical Department of Toxicology and Cardiology of the Stefan Cardinal Wyszynski Regional Hospital in Lublin in 2022. The aim of the study is to draw attention to this important, although often downplayed, problem. Material and method: The study was retrospective in nature. It used an analysis of the records of 120 intoxications in people under the age of 18, from which a group of alcohol-poisoned people was distinguished, consisting of 37 cases. Results: Hospitalization of 7 patients aged 13 to 18 years was reported due to alcohol intoxication. Of these, 22 (59.5%) female and 15 (40.5%) male patients were singled out. Most were urban residents 29 (78.4%). Isolated alcohol intoxication was the cause of 18 hospitalizations(48.6%). The remaining cases were accompanied by drug intoxication 11 hospitalizations (29.7%) and drug intoxication 8 hospitalizations (21.6%). All analyzed intoxications were intentional, of which 9 (24.3%) were suicide attempts. In 14 cases (37.9%), patients were burdened with mental illness, the most common of which was depressive disorders. There were no deaths in the study group. Conclusions: Alcohol should be forbidden and unacceptable in the family and young people's environment. Parents and young people should be made aware of the harmful effects, psychological, social and health consequences of its consumption.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS- Premenstrual Syndrome) is a group of cyclic somatic or psychological symptoms occurring during the luteal phase of the cycle and disappearing with the onset of menstruation. The purpose of this work is to draw attention to this important but often underestimated problem, trace its pathomechanism and identify treatment methods. The interaction of many factors and predispositions is responsible for the occurrence of PMS/PMDD (PMDD- premenstrual dysphoric disorder). One of the most important is ovulatory cycles and cyclically repeated changes in ovarian hormone secretion- fluctuations in progesterone, estradiol and prolactin levels during the various phases of the cycle. The association of emotional disturbances, severe stress and disturbances in the neurotransmitter system of the central nervous system, as well as many other factors, mentioned in the article below, is described. Various methods are used to treat PMS/PMSS, ranging from less to more invasive, including lifestyle changes, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and pharmacotherapy and surgical treatment. Currently, SSRIs-serotonin reuptake inhibitors-are considered the main therapy, as well as hormonal treatment-the two-pill. A review of the literature shows that PMS/PMDD is a real problem that reduces quality of life and has a negative impact on family and social relationships. Increased public awareness and interest by physicians of many specialties in this problem will enable faster diagnosis and implementation of effective therapy, thereby minimizing the negative social impact.

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of active and passive labour market policies (ALMP and PLMP) on employment flexibility, measured as the number of life-course job changes by people aged 50 and over. Another goal is to obtain conclusions about the impact of the Employment Protection Legislation (EPL) index, the collective bargaining coverage rate, household income, and the number of years of education received; but also to identify the most important psychological factors influencing employment flexibility. The analysis was carried out using models of the categorical dependent variable, especially the zero-inflated negative binomial model, based on the data from the SHARE database for the EU, Israel and Switzerland. The respective negative and positive impacts of ALMP and PLMP on employment flexibility shows the particular importance of ALMP in striving to improve the functioning of the labour market. The juxtaposition of conclusions related to psychological traits indicated that the enthusiasm for work is crucial in determining life-course employment flexibility. The link between the dependent variable and household income was negative, and the impact of the EPL index and the collective bargaining coverage rate was positive. On the other hand, the relationship between the number of years of education and professional mobility was divergent, indicating the dependence of employment flexibility on the professional specialisation of respondents.

Abstract Background African indigenous vegetables are important for food security and nutrition, and income of the poor farm households. In the era of COVID-19, they are critical for boosting people’s immunity. Unfortunately, both production of and trade in these vegetables is likely to be severely affected by the pandemic. Methods This study examined potential effects of COVID-19 pandemic on production and trade of African indigenous vegetables using a cross-sectional survey of 244 farmers and 246 traders from different regions in Kenya. Results COVID-19 has a negative impact on production and trading of AIVs in Kenya. Findings indicate that 75% of the farmers are experiencing declining production due to reduced access to input, farm labour and output market. Secondly, about 98% of the traders have recorded a drop in sales volumes due to containment measures implemented by the government and personal safety precautions. In particular, farmers’ production and traders’ sales volumes declined by 39 and 65%, respectively, during the first phase of the pandemic. Conclusion The findings indicate that the sub-sector requires targeted interventions which may include input support, careful reopening and control of the open-air markets, reduced taxation and facilitated access to urban markets.

The article analyzes attempts to apply mathematical methods in criminal cases since the times of J. Bentham and indicates the use of algorithms in the activities of law enforcement agencies in the detection process when it comes to the identification of people (based on the image of the face) and vehicles (based on the identification of license plates). The use of algorithms in the practice of criminal justice in the US was also discussed. In the opinion of the author, their use in a criminal trial (in the assessment of evidence and shaping the judgement) will still be only partial and sporadic for some time to come. There is no doubt, however, that their use will cause a lot of controversy. The main reason is the contradiction between the constantly increasing possibilities of collecting and using data about a person (thanks to, among others, algorithms) by law enforcement and judicial authorities and the protection of human rights and freedoms.

Vitamin D plays an important pleiotropic role in maintaining global homeostasis of the human body. Its functions go far beyond skeletal health, playing a crucial role in a plethora of cellular functions, as well as in extraskeletal health, ensuring the proper functioning of multiple human organs, including the skin. Genes from the Grainyhead-like (GRHL) family code for transcription factors necessary for the development and maintenance of various epithelia. Even though they are involved in many processes regulated by vitamin D, a direct link between vitamin D-mediated cellular pathways and GRHL genes has never been described. We employed various bioinformatic methods, quantitative real-time PCR, chromatin immunoprecipitation, reporter gene assays, and calcitriol treatments to investigate this issue. We report that the vitamin D receptor (VDR) binds to a regulatory region of the Grainyhead-like 1 (GRHL1) gene and regulates its expression. Ectopic expression of VDR and treatment with calcitriol alters the expression of the GRHL1 gene. The evidence presented here indicates a role of VDR in the regulation of expression of GRHL1 and correspondingly a role of GRHL1 in mediating the actions of vitamin D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Józef Lustgarten in his memoir of KS Cracovia's 1923 Spanish tour reveals hitherto unknown details of the business dealings of Hans 'Joan' Gamper, a Swiss businessman and founder of FC Barcelona. He also provides insight into 1920s football in Spain where in the absence of a national competition generating sufficient economic resources to sustain a professional team, tours of foreigners such as the Polish one were organized to provide the necessary founding. Three factors from this tour reveal how football turned into mass entertainment and business: the press activity that exceeded mere recounting of events; the construction of greater capacity stadiums that generated higher economic income; and the mergers of local clubs that resulted in competitiveness at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the years monitoring and therapy of diabetes was significantly changing. Undoubtedly, a definite improvement of applied technologies not only increased the average life expectancy of diabetic patients but also influenced their comfort. The purpose of the study was to present the history of methods diagnosis and treatment of diabetes. Additionally, promising modern medical technologies were reviewed. Nanotechnology, modern robots and transplants of pancreatic islets are currently under experiments showing satisfactory results. These technologies enable monitoring of glucose level, prevent hypoglycemia and sustain normoglycemia. Moreover, surgical attempt involving transplantation give a chance to counter the complications followed by diabetes development.

Genes from the Grainyhead-like (GRHL) family code for transcription factors necessary for the development and maintenance of various epithelia. These genes are also very important in the development of many types of cancer. However, little is known about the regulation of expression of GRHL genes. Previously, there were no systematic analyses of the promoters of GRHL genes or transcription factors that bind to these promoters. Here we report that the Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) and the paired box 5 factor (PAX5) bind to the regulatory regions of the GRHL genes and regulate their expression. Ectopic expression of KLF4 or PAX5 alters the expression of GRHL genes. In KLF4-overexpressing HEK293 cells, the expression of GRHL1 and GRHL3 genes was upregulated by 32% and 60%, respectively, whereas the mRNA level of GRHL2 gene was lowered by 28% when compared to the respective controls. The levels of GRHL1 and GRHL3 expression were decreased by 30% or 33% in PAX5-overexpressing HEK293 cells. The presence of minor frequency allele of single nucleotide polymorphism rs115898376 in the promoter of the GRHL1 gene affected the binding of KLF4 to this site. The evidence presented here suggests an important role of KLF4 and PAX5 in the regulation of expression of GRHL1-3 genes.

In our study expression of phospho-(Ser-10)-histone H3 (pH3S10), a marker for the early stage of neurogenesis, and cellular early response genes were investigated using c-Fos protein as an example of a transcription factor in the neurogenic process in rats. Neurogenesis in the adult brain is regulated by endo- and exogenous factors, which influence the proliferation potential of progenitor cells and accelerate the dendritic development of newborn neurons. D-amphetamine, a psychoactive substance, is one of the exogenous factors able to influence the process of neurogenesis. The rats were injected with D-amphetamine at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg/body weight (b.w.) under one administration scheme. Analysis of the pH3S10 and c-Fos expression levels in the group of D-amphetamine administered rats provided evidence of enhanced expression of these proteins in the regions of neurogenesis occurrence in rats. However, conclusions concerning stimulant effects of amphetamine on neurogenesis should be formulated with great caution, taking into account amphetamine dosage and the administration scheme. It should also be remembered that doses of psychoactive substances used in animal models can be lethal to humans.

Introduction: In the past few years, a group of parents avoid mandatory vaccination of children has increased. One of the effects of this action is increasing incidence of measles among unvaccinated people. The knowledge of current trends enables us to design and develop education programs for parents and to deny the distortion inherent myths about vaccinations. Objective: The objective of the research is the analysis of the current epidemiological situation of measles incidence. Material and method: Research material used for the analysis of measles incidence was taken from reports „Choroby zakaźne i zatrucia w Polsce w 2016 roku” and „Szczepienia ochronne w Polsce w 2016 roku” prepared by National Institute of Hygiene. Material was analysed by epidemiological descriptive method. Results: In 2007 measles vaccination coverage in Poland was 99,7% and in 2014 it was only 95,5%. In analysed period percentage of incidence among unvaccinated population was 54%, among vaccinated was 18% and in 28% there was no information about vaccination. Furthermore, the greatest incidence occurs among unvaccinated population of children aged 0-4 years, which one is particularly exposed to severe complications. Conclusion: General trends show that there has been a considerable decrease of measles vaccination coverage in Poland. Moreover, more than half of cases of measles incidence concern unvaccinated population. This indicates the necessity of implementation of new education programs directed to parents and need to intensify efforts to eliminate harmful myths regarding vaccination.

The 18th century was a time of considerable challenges for monastic life, both in general and for specific congregations. Let us recall such events as the abolition of Jesuit reductions in Paraguay, expelling Jesuits from Portugal and Spain, the dissolution of the Society of Jesus, the closure of hundreds of monastic houses as part of Josephine reforms or cruel repressive measures towards clergy during the French Revolution. Despite attempts at questioning the presence of orders in public space, they still played a significant role in many areas of social life, in the realm of culture and education. Despite service appropriate to monastic charismata, there were monks in royal courts, monks with important functions in state administration, in diplomacy, at universities, schools, charitable and cultural institutions. Francesco Arcelli was one of such monks, who combined, with better or worse results, serving God by their involvement in lay, public and state matters. In the early modern era such activity of religious orders was nothing extraordinary, especially among the Spanish Catholic monarchy.