Cancer cells are softer than the normal cells, and metastatic cells are even softer. These changes in biomechanical properties contribute to cancer progression by facilitating cell movement through physically constraining environments. To identify properties that enabled passage through physical constraints, cells that were more efficient at moving through narrow membrane micropores were selected from established cell lines. By examining micropore-selected human MDA MB 231 breast cancer and MDA MB 435 melanoma cancer cells, membrane fluidity and nuclear elasticity were excluded as primary contributors. Instead, reduced actin cytoskeleton anisotropy, focal adhesion density and cell stiffness were characteristics associated with efficient passage through constraints. By comparing transcriptomic profiles between the parental and selected populations, increased Ras/MAPK signalling was linked with cytoskeleton rearrangements and cell softening. MEK inhibitor treatment reversed the transcriptional, cytoskeleton, focal adhesion and elasticity changes. Conversely, expression of oncogenic KRas in parental MDA MB 231 cells, or oncogenic BRaf in parental MDA MB 435 cells, significantly reduced cell stiffness. These results reveal that MAPK signalling, in addition to tumour cell proliferation, has a significant role in regulating cell biomechanics. .

Information management, an important element of which is the information system, has a direct impact on the functioning of a company, including its competitive position. Information management is related to the shape of the organizational culture, represented, inter alia, by the context of trust, relationship, and communication. The shape of the organizational culture, including the functioning of the information system, is particularly influenced by factors (usually external) that appear in a sudden and unpredictable manner. This impact increases with the intensity and scale of their influence. The recent COVID-19 pandemic should undoubtedly be considered such a factor. As a result, many enterprises suddenly had to switch to remote work. The aim of this paper is to analyze the essence and recognize the impact of the forced transition to a remote form of work on trust as a shaping and effective factor in the functioning of the company’s information system. To achieve this goal, the results of qualitative research conducted by the authors during the period March 2020–February 2021 and quantitative research conducted in February 2021 were used. In connection with the conducted research, it was found that trust is a very important factor influencing the efficiency and quality of employees’ work. It was also found that the forced need to switch to remote work mode was a problem for most people. This was influenced by both the time of the pandemic, as well as technical and organizational problems. As a result of observations, own experiences, interviews, and a questionnaire survey, the authors state that the necessity to switch from traditional to remote work resulted in an increase in the costs of functioning of people, including employees.

According to one definition, Smart City is an administrative unit that uses data and digital technology to improve the decision-making processes and well-being of its inhabitants. Smart Cities use modern, intelligent technologies to forecast future changes, optimize city functions, gain a better understanding of current conditions, and deliver solutions. To make the city smart, multiple connected sensors, smartphones and other IoT devices are needed. As part of the research conducted at the Technical University in Vienna, six key dimensions (categories) of smart cities have been identified and characterized: Smart Economy, Smart Mobility, Smart Environment, Smart People, Smart Living, and Smart Governance. The aim of the paper is to present the concept of the smart cities, the implemented innovative solutions and the issue of electricity saving in Smart Cities. The theoretical considerations were expanded of the presentation of selected smart city projects in Polish cities. The considerations were also supplemented with the results of research conducted on a group of respondents living in large and very large cities in Poland in order to their awareness of the concept of smart cities, awareness on smart projects implemented in their cities of residence, and the possibility of using intelligent technologies to achieve savings in electricity consumption.

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