In recent years, two developments revolutionized the molecular genetics. The first one is an enormously improved technique of the DNA sequencing. It is now possible to obtain in couple of hours and on the low cost, the full sequence of the human genome. The second one is the invention of the CRISPR-Cas technique, which allows the precise manipulations of genomes of living organisms. This technique was already successfully applied to “repair” human genes responsible for hereditary diseases. To some astonishment, applications of genetic engineering to humans does not bring protests of general public, while similar manipulations pf plants genomes are considered an dangerous. In Poland and in some other countries, parliaments introduced an extremely restrictive laws, which in practice makes cultivation of GM plants outside laboratories impossible. This is caused by the ignorance of the general public and by opposition of catholic church which considers genetic modifications of all organisms as contradictory with Gods will. The most common modification of plants is an introduction into their genomes of the single gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringensis, what make the plant resistant to harmful insects. According to WHO, neither the manipulation mentioned above, nor manipulations of the other kind, do not pose any danger to humans.

Stem cells exist and can do a lot. For several decades, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants containing haematopoietic stem cells have been used in the treatment of blood diseases. Genetic modifications (gene therapy) of such cells help to cure complex immunodeficiencies and severe anaemias. The limbal stem cells taken from the eye and properly multiplied can regenerate the damaged cornea, and the epidermal stem cells help in the treatment of severe burns and some hereditary, severe skin diseases. Promising experimental research is under way on other uses of stem cells. However, these cells are appropriately selected, having real ability to differentiate into specialized cells whose malfunction is the cause of the disease. Therapeutic applications of stem cells are apparently limited to date. Meanwhile, the Internet is full of advertisements for supposedly miraculous treatments for almost any disease. Stem cells have become a modern synonym of the Holy Grail. A wonderful dish, transforming every drink into elixir of health, youth and long life. Stem cells from a single source, e.g., umbilical cord blood, or so-called cells, although without proven properties of stem cells, are offered in commercial private clinics as a panacea for autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, eye diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and dozens other disorders. Without justification for their action in these diseases, without convincing evidence of safety, but for a high fee. This article discusses stem cells and misunderstandings about including any cells among them. It draws attention to the real possibilities and confirmed uses of stem cells and presents the problems, doubts and dangers for patients associated with commercial offers of treatments using “stem” cells. The author cites the positions of scientific institutions and societies warning against premature commercialization of unjustified and potentially dangerous therapies.

The main contradictions, between hypotheses posed by physical anthropologists or geneticists, and the hypotheses put forward by archaeologists or historians, regarding the origin and spread of the Slavs, concerned and still concern the following: (a) the state and biological dynamics of Slavic populations (the capacity for population expansion) , (b) diversity and biological similarity of various groups living in Central Europe at the end of antiquity and in the early Middle Ages, (c) migration movements and their intensity, (d) directions of migration and their importance in the formation of Slavic “ethnos”. On the basis of the results of anthropological research, it can be concluded that: (a) both in the late antiquity period and in the early Middle Ages, the regional diversity of the populations inhabiting the Odra and Vistula basins was maintained, (b) there was a geographical gradient in the variability of morphological features of the skull from west to east of Europe, (c) populations belonging to the Germanic population and populations living in Scandinavia in the Middle Ages clearly differed in terms of morphological features of the skeleton from the population of Western Slavs inhabiting the Odra and Vistula basin. On the other hand, the emergence of a clear geographical gradient in the variability of morphological features of the skeleton, in late antiquity and in the Middle Ages, in Central Europe, allows to conclude that there were no intense migratory movements and the population exchange between late antiquity and the early Middle (d) results of the skeletal morphological features and state and biological dynamics of the population from the Roman period and the Middle Ages indicate a similar level of adaptation of these groups of people to living conditions. This result does not confirm the thesis put forward by some archaeologists and historians that the cultural system of the Slavs was characterized by poverty and a low level of material culture.

This article uses the model of dependency between centers and peripheries of scientific knowledge production to create a theoretical framework for investigating predatory journals. The framework is presented as an alternative to the dominant ways of the problem's characterization. Predatory journals are so far described mostly as a newly emerging phenomenon strongly connected with publishing in Open Access and fraudulent publishers. In this article, I argue that predatory publishers are recognized as illegitimate by the center of knowledge production. This geopolitically situated approach let me look more critically on the ways of assigning this illegitimacy. It also allows me to define the ostensible center and reveal a mechanism for functioning many journals accused of being predatory. The ostensible center is understood as an institution disseminating knowledge that is invisible or illegitimate to the center. However, at the same time some actors see an ostensible center as belonging to the center. The presented terms are analytical tools for further research that might enable us to get a wider picture of a modern global system of knowledge production and point out its antiegalitarian mechanism.

In these remarks I do undertake one more time the attempt to answer the following question: what do agnostics really want? This issue is so complicated that even the agnostics themselves had great trouble in delivering the answer. This is also related to these agnostics, such as the recalled here Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Stephen W. Hawking, who belong to the greatest format of scholars. The agnostics are being distanced from, both the atheists and theists. However they do judge differently their views it is important that as well the first as the latter ones may appreciate what stands behind agnosticism and this might be very variable.

Professor Jan Gliński was born on 4 April 1933 in Pińsk. He graduated from the Lublin Higher School of Agriculture, where he obtained his Master of Engineering Degree in Agriculture. In 1964, ten years after beginning his work at the School at the Soil Science Department, he was awarded a doctoral degree for his Copper forms in soils of the Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lakeland dissertation, and in 1968 he obtained a postdoctoral degree in the field of agricultural sciences on the basis of his thesis Impact of some soil-forming factors on the content and distribution of micronutrients in soil profiles. In 1971 Jan Gliński began his work at the Department of Agrophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS) in Lublin. Three years later he was granted the title of associate professor, and in 1980 he was promoted to full professor. Soon he became the head of the Department, and in 1987 the director of the Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences (in 1986 the Department of Agrophysics, PAS became the Institute of Agrophysics, PAS), the post he held till 2003. Polish Academy of Sciences elected him as a corresponding member in 1991, and in 2002 he became a full member of the Academy. Professor’s scientific achievements consist of over 350 works (i.a. 26 monographs, 220 studies and dissertations, 5 books, 18 patents). His scientific work was focused mainly on the physicochemical soil properties, with particular regard to soil oxidoreductive processes. His soil oxygenation research resulted in two co-authored books: Soil Aeration and its Role for Plants (1985) and Soil Physical Conditions and Plant Roots (1990), published in the US by CRC Press. Professor Gliński was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin (2010) and from the Lviv National Agrarian University in Dublany and the Volodymyr Dahl East-Ukrainian National University (2011). Professor Jan Gliński was a remarkable scientist and scholar, a kind, warm and friendly man, who always stayed willing to serve us with professional advice and support. His colleagues will remember him as their moral and academic authority. Professor died at the age of 86. The funeral service was held on 10 January 2020 at the Lipowa Cemetery in Lublin. Along with the family, numerous representatives of the Polish Academy of Sciences, academic community, local authorities and Professor’s colleagues and friends attended the ceremony.

Stem canker and black scurf of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn are important and epidemic diseases in potato-growing regions worldwide, including Iran. In this study, 120 isolates were retrieved from infected stem canker from six potato- growing regions in Iran (Isfahan, Ardebil, Fars, Hamedan, Kurdestan and Kerman). Out of these, 30 isolates were selected as representatives for genetic and virulence analysis. The isolates were analyzed by one sequence analyzes of the ITS-rDNA region, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR), as well as virulence studies. Based on sequence analysis of the ITS-rDNA region, all 30 isolates were assigned to the anastomosis group (AG) and all were assigned to AG-3 PT. Cluster analysis using the unweighted pair group method with the arithmetic averages (UPGMA) method for both RAPD and ISSR markers revealed that they were divided into three main groups, with no correlation to geographical regions of the isolates. Pathogenicity tests showed that all isolates were pathogenic on potato cv. Agria; however, virulence variability was observed among the isolates. The grouping based on RAPD analysis and virulence variability was not correlated.

Ditylenchus destructor is a serious pest of numerous economically important plants worldwide. The population of this nematode species was isolated from the root zone of Ammophila arenaria on a Baltic Sea sand dune. This population’s morphological and morphometrical characteristics corresponded to D. destructor data provided so far, except for the stylet knobs’ height (2.1–2.9 vs 1.3–1.8) and their arrangement (laterally vs slightly posteriorly sloping), the length of a hyaline part on the tail end (0.8–1.8 vs 1–2.9), the pharyngeal gland arrangement in relation to the intestine (dorsal or ventral vs dorsal, ventral or lateral) and the appearance of vulval lips (smooth vs annulated). Ribosomal DNA sequence analysis confirmed the identity of D. destructor from a coastal dune.

The paper presents a method of measuring deformations of cylindrical samples on the testing machine for free tube hydroforming experiments. During experiments a sample made of a thin-walled metal tube is expanded by the internal pressure of the working liquid and additionally subjected to axial compression. This results in a considerable circumferential deformation of the tube and its shortening. Analysis of the load cases and their impact on the deformations can be helpful in determining e.g. tube material properties or general limiting conditions in the tube hydroforming process. In connection with the above, the value of deformations and knowledge of their course during experiment has become one of the most important problems related to the issue described above.

The development of power industry obligates designers, materials engineers to create and implement new, advanced materials, in which Inconel 617 alloy is included. Nowadays, there are a lot of projects which describe microstructure and properties of Inconel 617 alloy. However, the welded joints from mentioned material is not yet fully discussed in the literature. The description of welded joints microstructure is a main knowledge source for designers, constructors and welding engineers in estimating durability process and degradation assessment for elements and devices with welds of Inconel 617 alloy. This paper presents the analysis and assessment of advanced nickel alloy welded joints, which have been done by tungsten inert gas (TIG). Investigations have included analysis made by light microscope and scanning electron microscope. The disclosed precipitates were identified with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) microanalysis, then it were done X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) phases analysis. To confirm the obtained results, a scanning-transmission electron microscope (STEM) analysis was also performed.

The purpose of the article was to create a comprehensive procedure for revealing the Inconel 617 alloy structure. The methodology presented in this article will be in future a great help for constructors, material specialists and welding engineers in assessing the structure and durability of the Inconel 617 alloy.

Nowadays, Aluminium (Al) based hybrid surface composites are amongst the fastest developing advanced materials used for structural applications. Friction Stir Processing (FSP) has emerged as a clean and flexible solid-state surface composites fabrication technique. Intensive research in this field resulted in numerous research output; which hinders in finding relevant meta-data for further research with objectivity. In order to facilitate this research need, present article summarizes current state of the art and advances in aluminium based hybrid surface composites fabrication by FSP with in-situ and ex-situ approach. Reported literature were read and systematically categorized to show impacts of different types of reinforcements, deposition techniques, hybrid reinforcement ratio and FSP machine parameters on microstructures, mechanical and tribological characteristics of different Al alloys. Challenges and opportunities in this field have been summarized at the end, which will be beneficial to researchers working on solid state FSP technique.

Bacterial adsorption on mineral surface is one of the key steps in bioleaching process. The bacteria adsorb on the mineral surface via the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) layer. In this paper, the behavior of glucuronic acid, one of the key substances in EPS layer, adsorbed on the pyrite surface is studied using DFT and electrochemical methods. Adsorption capacity of glucuronic acid is stronger than that of water. Glucuronic acid adsorbs on pyrite surfaces and it follows a mixed type of interactions (physisorption and chemisorption). Adsorption of glucuronic acid on pyrite surface followed Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm with adsorption standard free energy of –27.67kJ mol–1. The structural and electronic parameters were calculated and discussed.

The subject of the study concerns the enhancement of corrosion and wear resistance of nitrided 42CrMo4 steel by the formation of zinc phosphate top layer. The present work is aimed at the assessment of the effect of increasing thickness of nitrided layer from approximately 2 µm to 16 µm on the morphology and properties of zinc phosphate coating. XRD analysis showed that along with the increase in the thickness of the nitrides layer, a change in the phase composition was observed. SEM/EDS examination revealed that top layer consists of crystalline zinc phosphate coating. The shape and size of crystals does not significantly depend on a thickness of nitrides layer but corrosion resistance determined by potentiodynamic method in 0.5M NaCl increased with an increase of thickness of a “white layer”. Similarily the wear resistance determined by the 3-cone-roll test was also the highest for 16 µm nitride layer.

The half-metallic, mechanical, and transport properties of the quaternary Heusler compound of PdZrTiAl is discussed under hydrostatic pressures in the range of –11.4 GPa to 18.4 GPa in the framework of the density functional theory (DFT) and Boltzmann quasi-classical theory using the generalization gradient approximation (GGA). By applying the stress, the band gap in the minor spin increases so that the lowest band is obtained 0.25 eV at the pressure of –11.4 GPa while the maximum gap is calculated 0.9 eV at the pressure of 18.4 GPa. In all positive and negative pressures, the PdZrTiAl composition exhibits a half-metallic behavior 100% spin polarization at the Fermi level. It is also found that applying stress increases the Seebeck coefficient in both spin directions. In the minority spin, the n-type PdZrTiAl, the power factor (PF) for all the cases is greater in the equilibrium state than the strain and stress conditions whereas in the majority spin, the PF value of the stress state is greater than the other two. The non-dimensional figure of merit (ZT) is significant and is about one in spin down in the room temperature for the all pressure states that it remains on this value by applying pressure. The obtained elastic constants indicate that the PdZrTiAl crystalline structure has a mechanical stability. Based on the Yong (E), Bulk (B) and shear (G) modulus and Poisson (n) ratio, the brittle-ductile behavior of this compound has been investigated under pressure. The results indicate that PdZrTiAl has a ductile nature and it is a stiffness compound in which elastic and mechanical instability increases by applying strain.

The entropy production per unit time is calculated for the regular lamellae -, and for the regular rods formation, respectively. The entropy production is a function of some parameters which define the eutectic phase diagram, coefficient of the diffusion in the liquid, and some capillary parameters connected with the mechanical equilibrium located at the triple point of the solid/liquid interface. Minimization of the entropy production allowed to formulate mathematically the so-called Growth Law for both envisaged eutectic morphologies.

In this research, Co-30 mass% Cr alloys were fabricated by a vacuum hot-press sintering process. Different amounts of submicron cobalt and chromium (the mean grain size is 800 and 700 nm, respectively) powders were mixed by ball milling. Furthermore, this study imposed various hot-press sintering temperatures (1100, 1150, 1200 and 1250°C) and pressures (20, 35 and 50 MPa), while maintaining the sintering time at 1 h, respectively. The experimental results show that the optimum parameters of hot-press sintered Co-30 mass% Cr alloys are 1150°C at 35 MPa for 1 h. Meanwhile, the sintered density reaches 7.92 g·cm–3, the closed porosity decreases to 0.46%, and the hardness and transverse rupture strength (TRS) values increase to 77.2 HRA and 997.1 MPa, respectively. While the hot-press sintered Co-30 mass% Cr alloys at 1150°C and 20 MPa for 1 h, the electrical conductivity was slightly enhanced to 1.79 × 104 S·cm–1, and the phase transformation (FCC → HCP) of cobalt displayed a slight effect on sintering behaviors of Co-30 mass% Cr alloys. All these results confirm that the mechanical and electrical properties of Co-30 mass% Cr alloys are effectively improved by using the hot-press sintering technique.

The progressive development of miniature systems increases the demand for miniature parts. Reducing the size of manufactured components on one hand is a serious challenge for traditional technologies, but on the other hand, mainly by removing the energy barrier opens the possibility of using other unconventional techniques. A good example is the ultrasonic excitation of the punch during the micro-upsetting process. The anti-barreling phenomenon and dependent on the amplitude of vibrations, intensive deformation of the surface layers in contact with the tools at both ends of the sample was noted. Based on the measured strains and stresses, an increase in temperature in the extreme layers to approx. 200°C was suggested. By adopting a simplified dynamic model of the test stand, the possibility of detaching the surface of the punch from the surface of the sample was demonstrated.

The aim of the research was to determine the effect of sonochemical treatments on homogenization of powders as well as phase composition and thermal stability of sinters. The compounds were prepared from Eu2O3 and ZrO2 powders, weighed in the mass ratio 1:1. Initially ultrasound treatment was applied. 750-Watt ultrasonic processor VCX-750 equipped with sealed converter VC-334 and horn 630-0219 with the diameter of 13 mm (Sonics & Materials, Inc.) was used as a source of ultrasound. Applied ultrasound frequency was 20 kHz, power density was controlled in the range from 75 W/cm2 to 340 W/cm2. Investigated compounds were synthesized via solid-state reaction (SSR). The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used in order to investigate the effect of sonochemical treatment on the synthesis of prepared mixtures the powders particle size distribution was analyzed. Ultrasound treatment what wasn’t never been reported before.

The state of the dislocation substructure of meteorite in which the history of phenomena accompanying the meteorite during its passage through the Earth’s atmosphere is recorded remains unused. The main goal of the presented work is a comprehensive analysis of the dislocation structure of the iron meteorite from the Morasko reserve (Poland, Wielkopolska Voivodeship) by TEM methods to determine the conditions and mechanism of its formation. The work is cognitive in the field of phenomena related to the destruction and deformation of the material in extreme conditions: space and terrestrial space. It can also be useful in the research on the creation of the material with specific mechanical properties, as well as a unique reference material for earth experiments with low-temperature deformation, high-speed deformation, recrystallization processes with short thermal pulses and structure relaxation in conditions of very long time periods.

The paper presents the susceptibility of AE44 magnesium alloy to electrochemical corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The evaluation of the intensity of the interaction of the corrosive environment was carried out using the corrosion tests and the Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT). Corrosion tests performed in 0.1 M Na2SO4 solution (immersion in solution and under cathodic polarization conditions) revealed that the layer of corrosion products was much thicker after immersion test. The results of SSRT showed that the AE44 alloy deformed in the solution was characterized by higher plasticity compared to the alloy deformed in the air after immersion in solution. Moreover, the fractures were characterized by different morphology. In the case of an alloy deformed in the solution under cathodic polarization many microcracks on the fracture were observed, which were not observed in the case of the alloy deformed in the air.

The ablation casting technology consists in pouring castings in single-use moulds made from the mixture of sand and water-soluble binder. After pouring the mould with liquid metal the mould is destructed (washed out) using a stream of cooling medium, which in this case is water. The process takes place while the casting is still solidifying.

The following paper focuses on testing the influence of the modified ablation casting of aluminum alloy on casts properties produced in moulds with hydrated sodium silicate binder. The authors showed that the best kind of moulding sands for Al alloy casting will be those hardened with physical factors – through dehydration. The analysis of literature data and own research have shown that the moulding sand with hydrated sodium silicate hardened by dehydration is characterized by sufficient strength properties for the modified ablation casting of Al alloys. In the paper the use of microwave hardened moulding sands has been proposed.

The moulds were prepared in the matrix specially designed for this technology. Two castings from the AlSi7Mg alloy were made; one by traditional gravity casting and the other by gravity casting using ablation.

The conducted casts tests showed that the casting made in modified ablation casting technology characterizes by higher mechanical properties than the casting made in traditional casting technology. In both experimental castings the directional solidification was observed, however in casting made by ablation casting, dimensions of dendrites in the structure at appropriate levels were smaller.

The aim of this work was to present a method of tissue culture research by measuring the impedance of cells cultured in the presence of nichrome. For this purpose, the Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing system was used with a prototype substrate containing comb capacitors made of nichrome. Magnetron sputtering, photolithography and etching processes were used to produce the thin-film electrodes. In the experimental part, cells of mouse fibroblast cell line L929 were cultured according to the instruction manual in complete medium, under controlled growth conditions. Inoculation of arrays was carried out by 300 microliters per well of cell suspension at ~1.2×105 cells/ml. The results of the monitoring cells behavior in tissue culture indicate good cell viability and proliferative potential.

2060-T8 Al-Li alloy was friction stir butt welded under natural and water cooling conditions. Microstructures and mechanical properties of the welding joints were mainly compared and discussed. By spraying water on the top surface of stir zone, the grain size was reduced, attributing to the improvement of microhardness. The maximum tensile strength under the water cooling reached 461.1 MPa. The joint fractured at the stir zone due to the thickness reduction and the joint softening. The fracture surface consisted of many dimples with various sizes, indicating the typical ductile fracture. The strategy to apply the low heat input at the welding stage and high cooling rate at the cooling stage during FSW is necessary to obtain a high-quality FSW joint.

The corrosion inhibition behaviour of 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium-methanesulphonate (EMIM[MS]) and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM[Ac]) on API 5L X-52 carbon steel in 2 M HCl was investigated using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance methods. The corrosion rates of carbon steel decreased in the presence of these ionic liquids. The inhibition efficiencies of the compounds increased with concentration and showed a marginal decrease with a 10°C increase in temperature. Polarization studies showed the compounds to be mixed type inhibitors with stronger anodic character. The adsorption mechanism of both compounds on the metal surface was via physical adsorption and the process obeyed the El-Awardy kinetic-thermodynamic model. The associated activation energy of corrosion and other thermodynamic parameters were calculated to elaborate on the thermodynamics and mechanism of the corrosion inhibition process. EMIM[MS] was found to inhibit the corrosion of carbon steel better than EMIM[Ac] and is attributed to the presence of the highly electronegative sulphur atom in its structure and its larger molecular size.