פרסומים

This introduction considers the perhaps unorthodox pairing of secularism and poetry and explores their relationship during the 19^th century. It surveys the Forum’s five essays, which consider how secularism’s multiplicities were negotiated in 19^th-century poetry and how the formal affordances of poetry itself contributed to secularist beliefs, emphasizing national cultural differences as well as points of connection.

The 2023 Nobel Prize awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus, and Alexei Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots” (QDs) marks a milestone in the field to which I devoted the past 30-years of my career. In this perspective, I reflect on key concepts and directions in my research journey. I began by exploring the “artificial atom” nature of QDs while advancing the development of III-V QDs. Shape control, particularly in rods, captured my attention due to its impact on dimensionality related properties. I also discovered semiconductor-metal hybrid nanocrystals and uncovered synergetic effects, highlighting their transformative role in photocatalysis and heavy doping. My work extended to QD applications in displays and, more recently, to forming coupled QD molecules, continuing the artificial atom theme. I conclude by outlining future directions and challenges, envisioning a bright future for this vibrant field at the intersection of materials and physical chemistry.

Stereolithography printing of ceramics and glass relies on compositions containing dispersed particles in photopolymerizable solutions. A new approach based on utilizing sol–gel precursor solutions has been introduced in recent years, which overcomes challenges in particle-based printing compositions, such as light scattering, particle sedimentation, and high viscosity. Following sol–gel and photopolymerization processes’ combination, this paper presents the methodologies for the 3D printing of complex ceramics and glass structures. This combination allows precise structure control, enabling dense or porous objects, transparent forms, and simple doping. These advantages are presented through the fabrication of porous γ-alumina, transparent silica glass, and chromium-doped α-alumina.

Stereolithography printing of ceramics and glass relies on compositions containing dispersed particles in photopolymerizable solutions. A new approach based on utilizing sol–gel precursor solutions has been introduced in recent years, which overcomes challenges in particle-based printing compositions, such as light scattering, particle sedimentation, and high viscosity. Following sol–gel and photopolymerization processes’ combination, this paper presents the methodologies for the 3D printing of complex ceramics and glass structures. This combination allows precise structure control, enabling dense or porous objects, transparent forms, and simple doping. These advantages are presented through the fabrication of porous γ-alumina, transparent silica glass, and chromium-doped α-alumina.

Optimization of glycosylation temperatures is essential for automated solid phase glycan assembly. Constructing a reliable optimization system that mimics key reaction components is crucial for increasing the atom economy and the energy efficiency of the process. Although glycosyl acceptors play a pivotal role in glycosylation, evaluating their effect on glycosylation efficiency is nontrivial. While screening various glycosyl acceptors for optimization is impractical, compromising for simple alkyl acceptors produces results of dubious relevance. We demonstrate that optimization with a modified trans-4-aminocyclohexanol-based acceptor accurately reflects the optimal glycosylation temperature of several glycosyl acceptors, overcoming previous limitations. The contextual use of both n-alkyl and glycan-mimetic acceptors for automated optimization enabled translation of optimized glycosylation temperature to highly efficient solid phase synthesis of disaccharides.

The link between Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and reduced quality of life (QoL) has been well established. The current study examines the role of procrastination in explaining this link, providing a new focus for research and therapy. This study examines the involvement of procrastination in accounting for ADHD-related reduced QoL. Adult participants (N= 132) completed an online survey consisting of validated scales to assess ADHD symptoms, procrastination levels, and QoL. An indirect pathway between ADHD and quality of life through procrastination was examined. Higher levels of ADHD symptoms correlated with higher procrastination and lower quality-of-life scores. Indirect pathways between ADHD symptoms and poor QoL through levels of procrastination were identified. These results shed further light on ADHD and its association with reduced QoL and account for this link by the negative impact of procrastination on day-to-day functioning. Future research is warranted to design effective interventions for consumers with ADHD-related procrastination, targeting different aspects of quality of life.

In recent years one has observed the rise of new forms of (self-)life-storying, not only as a means of expressing one’s dissatisfaction with the turn-of-the-21^st-century auto/biographical boom but also as a manifestation of the crisis of both the auto/biographical self and form. These new self-narratives ostensibly resist the canonical “laws” of auto/biographical writing yet eagerly embrace real events from the authors’ lives. This article discusses one of the most acclaimed examples of 21^st-century (self-)life-storying, Rachel Cusk’s “Fay” trilogy — Outline (2014), Transit (2016), and Kudos (2018). Drawing on Cusk’s archival records, it focusses on the way Cusk’s auto/biographical authorial self becomes first fictionalized and then compartmentalized into the series’ fictional characters. By referring to Clair Bishop’s Artificial Hells (2012), this essay argues that Cusk’s trilogy should be recognized as employing the strategy of “delegated performances,” where the narrativization of the self is dependent on “outsourcing” the authorial self. This strategy is here seen as a signpost of new autofiction.

 

December 2024.  Robert Kusek (Ph.D, D.Litt) is Associate Professor at the Department of Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture, Faculty of Philology, as well as Head of Research Centre for Transnational Literary Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. His research interests include life writing genres, the contemporary novel in English, queer heritage, as well as a comparative and transnational approach to literary studies. He is the author of two monographs and several dozen articles published in books and academic journals. He was a researcher in a number of Polish and international projects – currently he is a principal investigator in the National Science Centre funded project entitled “(Un)accidental Tourists: Polish Literature and Visual Culture in South Africa in the 20th and 21st Centuries.”