Undisturbed branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) catabolism is necessary for normal heart function. The key enzyme in BCAA catabolism is a multienzyme branched-chain α-keto acid dehydro-genase complex (BCKDH). BCKDH activity is regulated mainly by reversible dephosphorylation (activa-tion)/phosphorylation (inactivation) cycle catalyzed by regulatory enzymes, a specific phosphatase (PPM1K) and kinase (BDK). 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used in the treatment of different types of cancer. 5-FU has the potential to cause a wide spectrum of cardiotoxicity, ranging from asymptomatic electrocardiographic changes to cardiomyopathy and subsequent cardiac failure. We hypothesize that 5-FU modifies BCKDH activity and affects cardiac muscle metabolism. The current study was aimed at the investigation of the in vivo effect of 5-FU on BCKDH activity and mRNA levels for E1, PPM1K and BDK. Wistar male rats were administered with 4 doses of 5-FU, 150 mg/kg b.wt. each (study group) or 0.3% methylcellulose (control group). BCKDH activity was assayed spectrophotometrically. The mRNA levels were quantified by real-time PCR. 5-FU treatment caused an increase in BCKDH activity that appears to result mainly from increased dephosphorylation of the complex and is associated with an increase of PPM1K mRNA level and reduction of BDK and E1 mRNA levels. It is conceivable that 5-FU stimulation of BCKDH is an adaptive reaction with the purpose of enhancing the BCAA catabolism and protecting from toxic effect caused by excessive accumulation of these amino acids in heart.

The main scientific goal of this work is the presentation of the role of selected geophysical methods (Ground-Penetrating Radar GPR and Electrical Resistivity Tomography ERT) to identify water escape zones from retention reservoirs. The paper proposes a methodology of geophysical investigations for the identification of water escape zones from a retention fresh water lake (low mineralised water). The study was performed in a lake reservoir in Upper Silesia. Since a number of years the administrators of the lake have observed a decreasing water level, a phenomenon that is not related to the exploitation of the object. The analysed retention lake has a maximal depth between 6 and 10 m, depending on the season. It is located on Triassic carbonate rocks of the Muschelkalk facies. Geophysical surveys included measurements on the water surface using ground penetration radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) methods. The measurements were performed from watercrafts made of non-metal materials. The prospection reached a depth of about 1 to 5 m below the reservoir bottom. Due to large difficulties of conducting investigations in the lake, a fragment with an area of about 5,300 m 2, where service activities and sealing works were already commenced, was selected for the geophysical survey. The scope of this work was: (1) field geophysical research (Ground-Penetrating Radar GPR and Electrical Resistivity Tomography ERT with geodesic service), (2) processing of the obtained geophysical research results, (3) modelling of GPR and ERT anomalies on a fractured water reservoir bottom, and (4) interpretation of the obtained results based on the modelled geophysical anomalies. The geophysical surveys allowed for distinguishing a zone with anomalous physical parameters in the area of the analysed part of the retention lake. ERT surveys have shown that the water escape zone from the reservoir was characterised by significantly decreased electrical resistivities. Diffraction hyperboles and a zone of wave attenuation were observed on the GPR images in the lake bottom within the water escape zone indicating cracks in the bottom of the water reservoir. The proposed methodology of geophysical surveys seems effective in solving untypical issues such as measurements on the water surface.

In this interview, Kalle Pihlainen discusses the challenges which academic historical writing meets from other ways of using history. The proliferation of these contexts seems to offer numerous new opportunities, but they need to be responded to with advance theoretical reflec-tion. It is important to not fall under the illusion of direct access to reality (historical reality included). Hence, mastery of the constructivist perspective is still needed for doing reliable historical research and theoretical reflection on history. Representation still proves to be one of the most important questions. Pihlainen stands firmly for the narrativist philosophy of history, although one of his main concerns are materiality and embodiment.

The article elucidates the conception of “Concise Ukrainian-Polish dictionary of set expressions: lexical equivalents, phraseologisms, proverbs and sayings” which implements an international Polish-Ukrainian project. The Council of Europe is known to devote much attention to the problems of the development of languages, their improvement and, correspondingly, to the development of linguistics, in particular, its applied branch, which includes lexicography. The dictionary under analysis represents: 1) the status of set expressions which, being widespread in the examined lingual cultures, reflect the mentality of the nation, its history, national specificity etc., 2) principles and procedures of semantic transformations of set stable lingual units by means of the cognate Slavonic language. The conception of the Ukrainian-Polish phraseological dictionary has been realized in the history of Ukrainian and Polish phraseography for the first time. The conception is based on 1) the detailed analysis of the theoretical and practical experience of compiling dictionary of this type; b) thorough outline of the system of headwords with the heterogeneous status of: 1) the representation of the mentality of the nation, its ethnographic features., norms of etiquette, ethics, psychology, theme (ideographic aspect) etc.; 2) structure, semantics and pragmatics; 3) specificity of functions and style. The conception of the dictionary is based on the methodological foundation of anthropocentrism and main phraseographic principles of bilingual dictionaries aiming at the most adequate representation of a corresponding lingual units by means of another language. The dictionary will contribute to the further research in the sphere of contrastive Ukrainian- -Polish linguistics and phraseograpical theory.