Opole University

Background: Caffeine is a well-established ergogenic aid, yet most experimental evidence is based on isolated caffeine, whereas habitual intake in both the general and physically active populations occurs mainly through coffee. This gap between experimental models and everyday practice complicates the interpretation of existing findings. Objective: This review compares coffee and isolated caffeine as ergogenic aids, focusing on biological mechanisms, methodological differences, tolerability, and context-dependent use in sport and exercise. Methods: A narrative review of human studies examining the effects of coffee and isolated caffeine on exercise performance, fatigue, and post-exercise recovery was conducted, with attention being paid to dosing accuracy, bioavailability, inter-individual variability, and the influence of the coffee matrix. Results: Isolated caffeine consistently improves performance under controlled conditions. Coffee can produce similar ergogenic effects, particularly in endurance exercise, although responses are more variable due to differences in caffeine content and individual sensitivity. Emerging evidence suggests that coffee, especially when consumed with carbohydrates, may support post-exercise glycogen resynthesis. Coffee also appears to be better tolerated by many individuals and provides additional bioactive compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Conclusions: Coffee and isolated caffeine should not be viewed as interchangeable ergogenic strategies. While isolated caffeine remains useful in experimental settings, coffee represents a more ecologically relevant and potentially safer source of caffeine in applied practice. Further direct comparative studies are needed to clarify their context-specific roles.

The subject of this study is the issue of the prerequisites (substantive and procedural) for declaring bankruptcy of a cooperative under Polish law. The court hearing a cooperative bankruptcy case applies Polish law. Bankruptcy law is a set of procedural and substantive legal norms. Polish legal tradition treats cooperatives as special types of debtors. Specific rules related to formally declaring bankruptcy of a cooperative are regulated in the Cooperative Law, not the Bankruptcy Law. A cooperative is not a "typical" entrepreneur. Declaring bankruptcy, on the other hand, is based on the membership bond of a cooperative. This study reviews the relevant court case law and presents certain de lege ferenda postulates.

Reliable preclinical models that recapitulate human limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) and provide objective outcome measures are essential for advancing corneal cell therapies. We induced LSCD in four porcine eyes by total corneal epithelial debridement, tracked healing with serial anterior-segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) (preinjury, 0, 5–11, 17, 23, 28 days), and quantified histological changes via computer-assisted digital pathology. OCT confirmed complete epithelial removal and a reproducible stromal edema peak on days 7–9, followed by incomplete regression by day 28. Histology revealed epithelial hyperplasia, keratinization, inflammatory infiltration and neovascularization, whereas cytokeratin-3 staining revealed patchy loss of the corneal phenotype. The automated analysis revealed significant increases in epithelial roughness (p = 0.049), thickness heterogeneity (p = 0.0001), and stromal cellularity (p = 0.0179) in experimental eyes compared with control eyes. These multimodal, bias-free metrics clearly distinguish healthy corneas from LSCD corneas and provide quantifiable end points for preclinical testing of limbal epithelial, iPSC-derived or mesenchymal stromal cell advanced therapy medicinal products. All the data and analysis codes are provided in the Supplementary Information.

This paper explores the structural and ideological parallels between the settler‑colonial foundations of the United States and Israel, situating their political alliance within a postcolonial theoretical framework. The U.S. was built upon the displacement of Indigenous peoples, while Israel’s founding in 1948 resulted in the Nakba and the dispossession of Palestinians – processes rooted in settler colonial logic. Drawing on postcolonial and settler colonial theory, particularly the works of Edward Said, Frantz Fanon, and Homi Bhabha, this study examines how colonial ideologies of land acquisition, militarization, and narrative control continue to shape the nation‑building practices and geopolitical strategies of both states. Through qualitative desk research and critical analysis of primary and secondary sources, the paper argues that the United States’ unwavering support for Israel is not solely strategic but ideologically grounded in shared histories of indigenous erasure and territorial domination. This alliance reflects an enduring structure of settler‑colonial solidarity that sustains spatial fragmentation, economic dependency, and the undermining of indigenous sovereignty in both contexts. Ultimately, the paper interrogates how these intersecting colonial legacies influence contemporary understandings of justice, sovereignty, and human rights, offering a framework to deconstruct the normalization of settler colonialism in modern international relations.

The complex taxonomic history of the moss genus Neckera, whose name was conserved at the Paris Congress in 1954, is reviewed. The issue of typifications of moss generic names by W. Ph. Schimper in 1860 is examined in detail and it is concluded that these typifications comply with the provisions of the "International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants". Schimper was the first to typify Neckera with N. pennata, so it is unnecessary to treat this as a conserved type. The unitary designations of moss species proposed by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart in his exsiccata "Phytophylacium Ehrhartianum", published between 1780 and 1785, are reviewed. It is concluded that two of these designations, Diphyscium and Paludella, are currently in use, having been validly published in the early nineteenth century. The same applies to Rhystophyllum, another of Ehrhart's unitary designations, which was validated as a subsection of Neckera by C. Müller in 1850 and, subsequently, first elevated to the rank of section by Mitten in 1869, rather than Braithwaite in 1905 as listed in "Index muscorum". Finally, E. Britton raised this infrageneric taxon to the rank of genus in 1904. Rhystophyllum is here reinstated from obscurity, since it is homotypic with the generic name Exsertotheca that was recently introduced for a segregate of Neckera. Accordingly, three new combinations are proposed: Rhystophyllum crispum, Rh. intermedium and Rh. baeticum. Neckera subsect. Leiophyllum is regarded as a heterotypic synonym of Alleniella, another recent segregate of the formerly broadly circumscribed genus Neckera.

Background: There is a growing demand for sensitive and accurate screening tools for the early detection of cognitive impairment. The Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) has shown promise in multicultural populations. It may offer advantages over the widely used Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which has limited sensitivity, particularly in assessing executive functions. The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Polish version of the RUDAS and to compare its diagnostic performance with the MMSE in detecting cognitive impairment among patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). Methods: A total of 126 subjects were evaluated, including 37 with AD, 30 with VaD, and 59 healthy controls. All participants were assessed with both the MMSE and RUDAS, and their test results were subsequently compared. Results: A strong correlation was found between total scores on the RUDAS and MMSE (RS = 0.81, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was slightly higher for RUDAS (AUC = 0.94) than for MMSE (AUC = 0.89), suggesting better diagnostic accuracy. At a cut-off score of 25, RUDAS showed a sensitivity of 0.84 and a specificity of 0.87; MMSE showed a sensitivity of 0.74 and a specificity of 0.91. Conclusions: The Polish version of RUDAS demonstrates strong diagnostic utility and may offer a slightly more sensitive alternative to MMSE for dementia screening, especially in its early stages. Further normalization studies on larger and more diverse clinical populations are recommended.

Background and ObjectivesThe number of critically ill patients with haematological conditions is increasing, yet transfusion practices in this population remain poorly defined. This study aimed to compare transfusion strategies in critically ill patients with versus without haematological conditions.Study Design and MethodsThis international, prospective observational substudy of the International Point Prevalence Study of Intensive Care Unit [ICU] Transfusion Practices (InPUT) evaluated transfusion use in ICU patients with and without haematological conditions, including benign or malignant diseases or a history of stem cell transplantation. Outcomes included use of red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, plasma, haemostatic interventions, transfusion indications and thresholds.ResultsOf 3643 ICU patients, 131 (3.6%) had a haematological condition. These patients were more likely to receive RBC (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–2.29) and platelet transfusions (OR 8.32, 95% CI 5.09–13.6), primarily due to low haemoglobin rather than physiological triggers. Platelet thresholds were lower (median 23 × 109/L vs. 64 × 109/L) compared to non‐haematology patients. Both platelet and plasma transfusions were more frequently administered prophylactically rather than for active bleeding. Haemostatic interventions were more often used in haematology patients, at higher doses and typically without viscoelastic testing. Transfused haematology patients had higher 28‐day mortality and longer ICU stays.ConclusionICU patients with haematological conditions receive transfusions differently, particularly regarding platelet and plasma use. These findings underscore the need for prospective studies to define optimal transfusion thresholds in this growing and vulnerable patient population, although the study's limited sample size and lack of diagnostic granularity may affect interpretation.

Background/Objectives: Lead, a toxic heavy metal, is widely recognized as a hazardous environmental contaminant capable of disrupting physiological homeostasis by altering stress response mechanisms and impairing pulmonary function. A comparable detrimental factor is tobacco smoking, which represents one of the most prevalent addictions worldwide. The presented study aimed to evaluate the combined impact of cigarette smoking and occupational lead exposure on selected oxidative stress biomarkers and pulmonary function parameters. Methods: 453 male employees working in a zinc smelter were recruited for participation in the study. Participants were subsequently divided into two groups: current smokers (n = 209) and former smokers (n = 244). Each group was then further subdivided according to blood lead concentration into subgroups with high (>35 μg/dL) and low (<35 μg/dL) lead levels. Venous blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis of oxidative stress parameters, including total oxidant status (TOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein thiol content (PSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the oxidative stress index (OSI). In addition, spirometric evaluation was conducted. Results: Former smokers demonstrated significantly more favorable oxidative stress profiles and superior spirometric outcomes compared with current smokers. No statistically significant associations were observed between lead exposure levels and either biochemical or spirometric parameters. Conclusions: Cigarette smoking appears to exert a stronger adverse influence on oxidative balance and pulmonary function than occupational lead exposure.

IntroductionCopper (II) and zinc (II) ions are essential microelements in the human body, interacting with numerous biologically active molecules, including proteins and peptides. The precise identification of binding sites, complete with the detailed characterization of binding amino acid residues, is of great importance. This is particularly significant in the context of uncovering the mechanisms of diseases associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and consequently, developing effective treatments.MethodsTwo methodological approaches were applied to study the complexation behavior. In the first, ligand and metal ions were mixed at low pH, and complexes formed upon gradual pH increase (via NaOH addition). The formation of different complex forms at changing pH was observed, and stability constants were determined. Spectroscopic data allowed prediction of coordination modes linked to structural changes. The second approach involved complex formation in buffered solutions at fixed pH. Here, metal ion solution was added to partially deprotonated ligands, potentially influencing the complexation behavior compared to the first method.Results and DiscussionThis study highlights the importance of His-131 and Glu-126 residues in Cu2+ and Zn2+ ion binding by peptide fragments of the HSPB1 protein. These residues are essential for both the stability of the complexes and the nature of their interaction with the metal ions. Analytical methods exploring complexation behavior across a pH range of 2–10 and in buffer solutions provide a comprehensive view of the thermodynamic properties of the studied systems. This enables the prediction of their behavior under diverse conditions.