Basic Features Research Articles

Green synthesis of highly fluorescent carbon quantum dots from almond resin for advanced theranostics in biomedical applications

Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) are being used in medical applications, particularly in theranostics. These Carbon Quantum Dots have been gaining more attention lately due to their potential as an effective replacement for hazardous synthetic organic dyes in a variety of biomedical applications, including live cell imaging and diagnostics. In this study, highly fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots by one pot microwave based green route with a size of less than 10 nm, was prepared from commercially available almond resin, Prunus dulcis and conjugated with honey as additional reagent for surface functionalization. They exhibit a deep blue emission on excitation at 350 nm with an elevated quantum yield at 61%. They possess atomic nature and basic features such as high photo-stability, varying fluorescence, greater biocompatibility, and better water solubility. These fluorescent labels exhibit faster cellular invagination without disturbing the cell stability. The CQDs present cell imaging capacity with multi-coloration for visualizing the fine architecture of the nucleus naming, the nuclear membrane and nucleolus, which is linked with their varied, surface structures such as amphiphilic property and higher positive charges. These characteristics with minimal invasion have made carbon quantum dots to become the spotlight in theranostics. They can be used as alternatives to synthetic dyes for fluorescence- related cell-imaging. The intriguing fact about this approach is that it opens the possibility of combining therapy and diagnostics into one unit, which can alter how some diseases are handled and, in turn, transform the field of healthcare.

Fast convergence of trust-regions for non-isolated minima via analysis of CG on indefinite matrices

AbstractTrust-region methods (TR) can converge quadratically to minima where the Hessian is positive definite. However, if the minima are not isolated, then the Hessian there cannot be positive definite. The weaker Polyak–Łojasiewicz (PŁ) condition is compatible with non-isolated minima, and it is enough for many algorithms to preserve good local behavior. Yet, TR with an exact subproblem solver lacks even basic features such as a capture theorem under PŁ. In practice, a popular inexact subproblem solver is the truncated conjugate gradient method (tCG). Empirically, TR-tCG exhibits superlinear convergence under PŁ. We confirm this theoretically. The main mathematical obstacle is that, under PŁ, at points arbitrarily close to minima, the Hessian has vanishingly small, possibly negative eigenvalues. Thus, tCG is applied to ill-conditioned, indefinite systems. Yet, the core theory underlying tCG is that of CG, which assumes a positive definite operator. Accordingly, we develop new tools to analyze the dynamics of CG in the presence of small eigenvalues of any sign, for the regime of interest to TR-tCG.

Immersion in open-world games based on Grounded theory -- A case study of Genshin Impact

In recent years, with the expansion of the game market and the rapid growth of game users, the game market has great potential. At the same time, open world games are loved by the vast majority of users. [Purpose/Significance] Explore the factors that affect the immersion of players in open world games, drive the improvement of the quality of open world games, help improve the industrial ecology, and achieve richer functional values. [Research design/Methods] Taking the open world adventure role-playing game "Genshin Impact" as a case study, semi-structured interview was used to obtain first-hand interview data, and coded research was conducted using grounded theory. Through several processes such as open coding, spindle coding, selective coding and theoretical saturation testing, the corresponding theoretical model is finally formed. [Conclusion/Finding] The results show that the basic feature of immersion performance is concentration. The two factors, the in-game condition and the out-of-game condition, together constitute the pre-factors that produce immersion. After entering the state of immersion, the main performance is to produce tension and emotional resonance. [Innovation/Value] builds a theoretical model for the generation of immersion in open world games, which lays a theoretical foundation for future theoretical model testing and empirical research.

Retinoid X receptor heterodimers in hepatic function: structural insights and therapeutic potential.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are key regulators of multiple physiological functions and pathological changes in the liver in response to a variety of extracellular signaling changes. Retinoid X receptor (RXR) is a special member of the NRs, which not only responds to cellular signaling independently, but also regulates multiple signaling pathways by forming heterodimers with various other NR. Therefore, RXR is widely involved in hepatic glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, cholesterol metabolism and bile acid homeostasis as well as hepatic fibrosis. Specific activation of particular dimers regulating physiological and pathological processes may serve as important pharmacological targets. So here we describe the basic information and structural features of the RXR protein and its heterodimers, focusing on the role of RXR heterodimers in a number of physiological processes and pathological imbalances in the liver, to provide a theoretical basis for RXR as a promising drug target.

Liraglutide Therapy in Obese Patients Alters Macrophage Phenotype and Decreases Their Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Release and Oxidative Stress Markers-A Pilot Study.

Introduction: Obesity is one of the major healthcare challenges. It affects one in eight people around the world and leads to several comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and arterial hypertension. GLP-1 analogs have become major players in the therapy of obesity, leading to significant weight loss in patients. However, benefits resulting from their usage seem to be greater than simple appetite reduction and glucose-lowering potential. Recent data show better cardiovascular outcomes, which are connected with the improvements in the course of atherosclerosis. Macrophages are crucial cells in the forming and progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Previously, it was shown that in vitro treatment with GLP-1 analogs can affect macrophage phenotype, but there is a paucity of in vivo data. Objective: To evaluate the influence of in vivo treatment with liraglutide on basic phenotypic and functional markers of macrophages. Methods: Basic phenotypic features were assessed (including inducible nitric oxide synthase, arginase 1 and mannose receptors), proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, TNFα) release, and oxidative stress markers (reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde) in macrophages obtained prior and after 3-month therapy with liraglutide in patients with obesity. Results: Three-month treatment with subcutaneous liraglutide resulted in the alteration of macrophage phenotype toward alternative activation (M2) with accompanying reduction in the TNFα release and diminished oxidative stress markers. Conclusions: Our results show that macrophages in patients treated with GLP-1 can alter their phenotype and function. Those findings may at least partly explain the pleiotropic beneficial cardiovascular effects seen in subjects treated with GLP-1 analogs.

Early detection of serious but struggling learners in MOOCs using ensemble deep learning

ABSTRACT This study works on the early identification of serious but struggling students in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which facilitates a transition to a hybrid learning format. Firstly, we exclusively utilize basic behavior log features that are universally available across all MOOC platforms. Secondly, we encode each learning activity with a distinct identifier, which helps us utilize the current advances in NLP to address our problem. Thirdly, we seamlessly integrate our LSTM model with a Logistic Regression model, configured as a single dense layer with a sigmoid activation function, within the broader framework of deep learning.

Analysis of the Affixoid "霸" in Modern Chinese

The affixoid is a linguistic unit in modern Chinese that lies in the middle ground between roots and affixes, and research on the ontology of class affixes, a class of class affixes and a specific class of affixes has already yielded some results. In this paper, we have selected "霸", which has received relatively little attention from previous researchers. In the course of the paper, the main methods used are documentary research, combination of description and interpretation, and corpus analysis. The paper begins with a definition of the affixoid "霸" in the light of previous research on the definition of affixes, explaining the basic features of the affixoid "霸" and classifying its derivatives. This is followed by a specific analysis of the class affixoid "霸" and its derivatives in terms of syntax, semantics and pragmatics. The grammaticalization process of the affixoid "霸" is then analyzed in order to show how people's mental states and situations change.

Bones at Home

Remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a range of pedagogical challenges for anthropology laboratory courses. In biological anthropology courses such as Human Osteology, hands-on experience is essential to achieving learning outcomes, including basic bone and feature (i.e., landmark) identification, identification from fragmentary remains, and age and sex estimation. To address the need for training that includes object-based, tactile (haptic) learning in fields such as biological anthropology and archaeology, all Human Osteology students at Mount Royal University and the University of Manitoba took home plastic model skeletons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how well remotely educated undergraduates (REUs) met human osteology learning objectives when supported by plastic model skeletons at home. We present the results of a survey designed to test core osteological skills obtained by REUs in comparison with undergraduates educated with in-person laboratory components (IPUs) and experts in the field (zero to four and five or more years of experience). REU scores did not differ significantly from those of IPU or Junior Experts with less than five years of experience. Students performed well in bone identification but were limited in their ability to apply common sex and age estimation methods and to identify incomplete elements. Our findings reinforce the importance of haptic learning and years of experience in human osteological learning. They support the use of take-home models as valuable resources in both remote and in-person undergraduate teaching. This work is a step toward more inclusive universal instructional design that can be applied across various anthropology laboratory courses.

Song Heritage of “The Beatles” in Academic Musical Interpretations

The purpose of the research. The paper reveals the features of the approaches of academic musicians to the creativity of “The Beatles” and characterises the musical projects created on the basis of the song heritage of the legendary British group. The research methodology consists in the application of historical cultural, comparative and musical analytical methods, which allowed to reveal the academic potential of “The Beatles” music and outline the ways and directions of academisation of their song creativity. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that for the first time academic interpretations of the songs of “The Beatles” group, carried out by L. Berio, J. Bayless and P. Breiner, were characterised, and two approaches to musical transcriptions of the song heritage of the group were outlined – academic and academicized, the type corresponds to all the parameters of academic music, the second gravitates towards classical crossover as a direction of pop music. Conclusions. Among the numerous cover versions, transcriptions and paraphrases of “The Beatles” music, a number of original musical interpretations are attractive, the authors of which turn to the Baroque style. The vocal cycle “Beatles Songs” by L. Berio (1967), the instrumental albums “Bach Meets the Beatles” (1984), “Bach Meets the Beatles. Revisited” (2004) by J. Bayless and “Beatles Go Baroque” (1993) by P. Breiner have already acquired the status of iconic. Their authors, who received a classical musical education, give priority to academic interpretive versions, where the songs of “The Beatles” group are considered as thematic material, which becomes the basis for academic type compositions with classical musical dramaturgy formed in the instrumental music of the Modern period. A number of compositions, in which the basic features of a song are preserved, gravitate towards academicized type interpretations, approaching a classical crossover, and can represent both academic and pop musical creativity.

The Prevalence of Smartphone Addiction and Its Associated Risk Factors among School Students of a Metropolitan City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Smartphone is a term used to distinguish cell phones with advanced features from basic feature phones. Smartphone addiction is a phenomenon that pertains to uncontrollability of smartphone use. The increasing use of smartphones and easy availability of smartphones to school children after Covid-19 Pandemic were the reasons for conducting this study. Aims - To estimate the prevalence of smartphone addiction among school children and its associated risk factors Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on English middle-school students of Mumbai, involving students from secondary section i.e.,6th to 10thgrade. Data were collected by interview using a pre-structured questionnaire, and all the students were asked to fill out smartphone addiction questionnaire i.e. Smartphone Application Based Addiction Scale (SABA). Then, data were entered into Microsoft EXCEL and analysed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of 275 participants, was 13.1, and the prevalence of smartphone addiction in the present study was 45.5%. Addiction was significantly associated with age (P value 0.000), gender (P value 0.004), self-owned phone (P value 0.03), duration of time spent on phone on weekdays(P value 0.000) and weekends (P value 0.000), having social media accounts(P value 0.000),and the time spent on social media (P value 0.042). On applying logistic regression, female gender and the time spent on social media were the major risk factors. Conclusions: The risk factors associated with addiction are age, female gender; owning a smartphone, increased time spent on phones on weekdays and weekends, having social media accounts and excessive time spent on social media applications.

Studi Kriminologi terhadap Kejahatan Prostitusi Online Melalui Aplikasi MiChat Ditinjau dari Perspektif Anomie Theory (Studi Kasus Aplikasi MiChat)

Online prostitution is the practice of prostitution conducted through digital platforms, such as messaging apps or social media, where sexual services are offered and transactions are managed online. Michat is an instant messaging app that allows users to communicate via text, voice, and video. In addition to basic features like private and group chats, Michat also provides options for media sharing and finding new friends. However, this app is sometimes misused for illegal activities such as online prostitution. This study uses a qualitative method with a case study approach to explore how Michat serves as a medium for this crime and how social, economic conditions, and changes in societal values contribute to the phenomenon. The findings of this research suggest that Anomie Theory explains how social disorder and the decline of norms can contribute to the emergence of deviant behavior, including online prostitution. Additionally, the study provides in-depth insights into the causes of online prostitution and offers recommendations for more effective prevention and intervention measures by the government.

Oblique propagation of dust acoustic solitary waves in a magnetized plasma in the presence of cairns-tsallis distributed ions

We investigate the effects of non-extensivity (q), non-thermality (α), obliqueness (l z ), the strength of the magnetic field (ω c ), and dust grain temperature (σ d ) on the basic features (viz., amplitude, width, velocity, and soliton energy) of obliquely propagating dust-acoustic solitary waves (DASWs) in a magnetized dusty plasma, which consists of highly negatively charged dust grains, Boltzmann-distributed electrons, and nonthermal non-extensive Cairns-Tsallis(C-T)-distributed ions. First, we derived the expression of the C-T polarization force and analyzed the combined effects of the ions’ non-extensivity (q) and non-thermality (α) parameters on the magnitude (R) of this polarization force. Our results show that R strongly depends on both the q-parameter and the α-parameter. Specifically, for q < 1, the ions’ non-extensivity and non-thermality weaken the polarization force, whereas for q > 1, R shifts toward higher values. Thus, the obliquely propagating DASWs are more likely to form in a magnetized non-extensive plasma rather than in a magnetized extensive plasma q = 1. Subsequent key findings are as follows: The wave phase velocity increases linearly as the obliquity (l z ) decreases. This implies that a reduced obliqueness results in faster soliton motion and spikier solitary structures. Moreover, the amplitude (width) of DASWs decreases (increases) with increasing l z . An increase in the magnetic field magnitude (ω c ) affects only the width of the DASWs. The amplitude (width) of DASWs decreases (increases) with higher dust grain temperature (σ d ). This indicates that dust temperature significantly affects wave excitation. Specifically, at higher dust temperatures, dispersion dominates over nonlinear effects, resulting in smoother solitary structures. The soliton’s energy increases with α and becomes more pronounced as q decreases (from 1 to 0.75). It increases also with higher ω c and dust temperature (σ d ), especially in the presence of nonthermal energetic particles. This investigation provides valuable insights into the propagation mechanisms of nonlinear DASWs in both space and laboratory plasmas containing non-extensive, nonthermal C-T-distributed ions and dust grains.

How do the elderly perceive their community vitality? Taking old and dilapidated communities (ODCs) in Guangzhou as a case to study

ABSTRACT As urbanisation accelerates and population ageing becomes inevitable, simultaneous ageing of communities and residents becomes prominent. Measuring the vitality of old and dilapidated communities (ODCs) from the perspective of older residents and analysing its influencing factors can help promote ageing-friendly renovation and sustainable urban development. This study used subjective and objective data collected from 53 communities in Guangzhou to measure vitality in three dimensions: population vitality, travel perception and spatial perception. Furthermore, structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the factors influencing the vitality of ODCs from an ageing perspective. The results revealed that spatial service has the most significant positive impact on the vitality of ODCs from the perspective of the elderly, followed by transportation, social behaviour and functional facility, while the basic feature has a less significant impact. Among them, the green landscape ratio, the number of intersections, accessibility, recreation facilities, elevator installation rate, the density of medical institutions and contacts with neighbourhood are influencing factors that have a strong effect on vitality. In addition, the five categories of factors are also influencing each other. This paper concluded by providing suggestions for corresponding vitality enhancement strategies.

Neural representations of beat and rhythm in motor and association regions.

Humans perceive a pulse, or beat, underlying musical rhythm. Beat strength correlates with activity in the basal ganglia and supplementary motor area, suggesting these regions support beat perception. However, the basal ganglia and supplementary motor area are part of a general rhythm and timing network (regardless of the beat) and may also represent basic rhythmic features (e.g. tempo, number of onsets). To characterize the encoding of beat-related and other basic rhythmic features, we used representational similarity analysis. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, participants heard 12 rhythms-4 strong-beat, 4 weak-beat, and 4 nonbeat. Multi-voxel activity patterns for each rhythm were tested to determine which brain areas were beat-sensitive: those in which activity patterns showed greater dissimilarities between rhythms of different beat strength than between rhythms of similar beat strength. Indeed, putamen and supplementary motor area activity patterns were significantly dissimilar for strong-beat and nonbeat conditions. Next, we tested whether basic rhythmic features or models of beat strength (counterevidence scores) predicted activity patterns. We found again that activity pattern dissimilarity in supplementary motor area and putamen correlated with beat strength models, not basic features. Beat strength models also correlated with activity pattern dissimilarities in the inferior frontal gyrus and inferior parietal lobe, though these regions encoded beat and rhythm simultaneously and were not driven by beat alone.

Microstate Analyses to Study face Processing in Healthy Individuals and Psychiatric Disorders: A Review of ERP Findings.

Microstates represent brief periods of quasi-stable electroencephalography (EEG) scalp topography, offering insights into dynamic fluctuations in event-related potential (ERP) topographies. Despite this, there is a lack of a comprehensive systematic overview of microstate findings concerning cognitive face processing. This review aims to summarize ERP findings on face processing using microstate analyses and assess their effectiveness in characterizing face-related neural representations. A literature search was conducted for microstate ERP studies involving healthy individuals and psychiatric populations, utilizing PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PsychInfo, and Scopus databases. Twenty-two studies were identified, primarily focusing on healthy individuals (n = 16), with a smaller subset examining psychiatric populations (n = 6). The evidence reviewed in this study suggests that various microstates are consistently associated with distinct ERP stages involved in face processing, encompassing the processing of basic visual facial features to more complex functions such as analytical processing, facial recognition, and semantic representations. Furthermore, these studies shed light on atypical attentional neural mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), facial recognition deficits among emotional dysregulation disorders, and encoding and semantic dysfunctions in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In conclusion, this review underscores the practical utility of ERP microstate analyses in investigating face processing. Methodologies have evolved towards greater automation and data-driven approaches over time. Future research should aim to forecast clinical outcomes and conduct validation studies to directly demonstrate the efficacy of such analyses in inverse space.

Anesthetic challenges in pediatric robot-assisted surgeries

With the advent of minimally invasive surgeries, robot-assisted techniques have gained popularity because they overcome various shortcomings of standard laparoscopic surgeries. Despite the associated costs and limitations among the pediatric population, surgeon comfort due to the ergonomic design, in combination with enhanced three-dimensional high-fidelity imaging and tissue handling, may offer better surgical and postoperative outcomes. However, robotic surgeries require innovations with regard to patient positioning and the overall arrangement of operative equipment and personnel. Anesthesiologists should become well versed with these changes by learning the basic features of robotic surgical systems to offer appropriate anesthetic care and promote patient safety. In this original case report, we present a 3-year-old child posted for robot-assisted left heminephrectomy and excision of the lower megaureter. It provides instructive significance for anesthesia management, especially taking into account the age of the patient and associated concerns.

EVOLUTION AND IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CHATBOTS

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the world and technology, no longer a futuristic concept but a present reality in our daily lives. Businesses are rapidly adopting AI to automate processes, leading to the creation of intelligent agents known as chatbots. These chatbots have revolutionized business communication and significantly enhanced customer satisfaction. This paper explores the history and development platforms of chatbots, examining their integration into daily life despite often undefined purposes. Chatbots use pattern recognition to generate responses, raising questions about moral issues, security, and legitimacy due to their growing popularity. A key focus is on ChatKanoon, a multilingual AI chatbot designed for the Indian legal system. This study analyzes its impact on the Indian legal framework and its potential to revolutionize legal aid in India and other developing countries. Additionally, the research paper covers the basic features, connectivity, services offered, accuracy, and technology providers of chatbots and virtual assistants implemented by Indian banks.

Indian Summer Monsoon Precipitation Dominates the Reproduction of Circumglobal Teleconnection Pattern: A Comparison of CMIP5 and CMIP6 Models

Abstract The zonal wavenumber-5 circumglobal teleconnection (CGT) pattern is one of the most critical atmospheric teleconnection patterns during boreal summer over the Northern Hemisphere (NH). CGT can exert significant climatic impact across NH including Europe, East Asia, and North America, but how reliable coupled climate models simulate the characteristics of CGT is poorly understood. Here, 20 coupled models with their respective versions in phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) and CMIP6 are selected to evaluate their performance on CGT simulation. We find that while both CMIP5 and CMIP6 models are able to capture the basic features of CGT in multimodel mean (MMM), there are large intermodel discrepancies in the simulation of CGT pattern among CMIP5 and CMIP6 models. High-skill models exhibit strong action center over west-central Asia, coinciding with the pattern derived from reanalysis, while the corresponding action center in low-skill models is weaker. Further analyses demonstrate that high-skill models are capable of simulating more realistic Indian summer monsoon (ISM) precipitation anomalies related to CGT. The resultant anomalous upper-tropospheric divergence over west-central Asia, acting as a Rossby wave source, can therefore excite the abovementioned action center. This high- and low-skill model difference on CGT–ISM relationship is consistent in both CMIP5 and CMIP6. It is also found that high-skill models tend to simulate more realistic CGT–ENSO relationship. The relationship between simulation skills of CGT–ENSO correlation and CGT spatial pattern is attributed to the remote impact of ENSO on CGT wave train through affecting ISM precipitation anomalies.

Peculiarities of evidence in the course of investigation of criminal offences under parts 1, 2 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine

The scientific search for the peculiarities of evidence in the course of investigation of criminal offences under Parts 1 and 2 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is due to the fact that with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, collaborationism at the level of national legislation, scientific doctrine and higher legal education has acquired a fundamentally new meaning. It is also advisable to take into account the fact that the historical basis of collaboration is treason, the normative consolidation of which has its roots in Roman law. Information and psychological operations, dissemination of relevant narratives to the formation of attitudes and orientations among the population, which may later become the basis for committing criminal offences under Parts 1, 2 of Article 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. At the level of changes in the criminal procedure legislation, current trends and approaches to pre-trial investigation, the basic principles and features of pre-trial investigation of collaboration activities have been rethought. It is substantiated that in modern conditions, evidence in the course of investigation of criminal offences under Parts 1, 2 of Art. 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine is inseparable from taking into account the features of modern equipment which can be used for information transmission, analysis of computer information and information from correspondence, channels and groups in social networks containing valuable information, samples of signatures, seals and other details of documents which reflect information about the collaboration activities of individuals and groups. Other relevant features of evidence in the course of investigation of criminal offences under parts 1, 2 of Art. 111-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine include: the need to conduct as many investigative (search) and procedural actions as possible, including specific forensic examinations, of which one of the most common is the technical examination of document details; interaction of pre-trial investigation bodies and the public in the course of exchange of orientation information of investigative and inquiry units with volunteers, local activists, representatives of NGOs, writers, representatives of the scientific and creative intelligentsia, i.e. conscious and patriotic citizens who refused to cooperate with the occupation administration during the occupation and actively resisted it. Such interaction in the specific security conditions of martial law does not necessarily require face-to-face communication. Public messages on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, which may contain information about persons involved in collaboration activities, their relationships with local residents and/or the occupation administration, etc., have significant potential for providing orientation information.

Spatial patterns of electoral support in the 2023 general election in Poland

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This article focuses on identifying the spatial patterns of electoral support for the main political actors, and searching for adequate determinants that explain this distribution of support, based on the results of the 2023 general election in Poland. THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: Is there a relationship between the basic morphological features of the voting space in Poland and the hierarchy of the settlement structure, along with the arrangement of regions associated with the country’s historical and political heritage? The methods used in the study include analysis of descriptive statistics, estimation of spatial autocorrelation, discriminant analysis, and cartographic methods. PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The research process involves a two-stage procedure: 1) identifying a general picture of spatial variation in electoral support for selected groupings, and basic clustering patterns of electoral support; and 2) estimating links between the observed patterns of support and their presumed determinants; that is, the country’s settlement hierarchy and historical-political divisions. RESEARCH RESULTS: The spatial variability of the support indicators is characterised by a distinctive territorial distribution, based on the units of the settlement system and the boundaries of former historical divisions. The nature of this linkage indicates the changing layout of the voting space, associated with the increasing polarisation of citizens’ political preferences. CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The current pattern of urban-rural differentiation is related to the different preferences of metropolitan (over 20,000 inhabitants) and rural or small-town (up to 20,000 inhabitants) communities. The east-west heterogeneity of Poland’s voting space is increasing due to similarities of preferences among the inhabitants of former Austrian and Russian Poland, on the one hand, and Prussian Poland and the Recovered Territories, on the other.