76 FR 76384 - U.S. Education Mission to Poland and Czech Republic Warsaw, Poland and Prague, Czech Republic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-07

... streamline the education process. The changes are expected to raise the standards for access to free-of... sectors indicated in the mission description). Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing references to partisan political activities (including political contributions) will be removed...

`New insight into statistical hydrology' preface to the special issue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kochanek, Krzysztof

2018-04-01

Statistical methods are still the basic tool for investigating random, extreme events occurring in hydrosphere. On 21-22 September 2017, in Warsaw (Poland) the international workshop of the Statistical Hydrology (StaHy) 2017 took place under the auspices of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences. The authors of the presentations proposed to publish their research results in the Special Issue of the Acta Geophysica-`New Insight into Statistical Hydrology'. Five papers were selected for publication, touching on the most crucial issues of statistical methodology in hydrology.

"Eurotrain for Training." Proceedings of a European Congress on Continuing Education and Training (4th, Berlin, Germany; Warsaw, Poland; Prague, Czechoslovakia; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria, October 5-9, 1992).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisser, Ulrike, Ed.; Grootings, Peter, Ed.

1992-01-01

A "travelling" congress was conducted in five European cities (Berlin, Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, and Vienna) to promote a mutual exchange of views between east and west. The participants stressed the growing European Community interest in current examples of cooperation with neighbors in central and eastern Europe. In addition to…

[Activity of sanitary surveillances/offices in Warsaw at the time of the second republic of Poland].

PubMed

Berner, Włodzimierz

2006-01-01

At the time of the Second Republic of Poland, Warsaw, the capital of the rebirth country, was a neglected town as regards sanitary conditions. The genesis of this situation dates back to the period of the national bondage by the Russian partitioner, and since 1915 by the German invader who did not care about the problems associated with public health. The sanitary and hygienic conditions worsened significantly in 1916, after incorporating into Warsaw large out-of-town regions whose housing was of the rural character with numerous wooden cottages, field roads, without any sanitary sewage system. Poor municipal sanitary-maintenance conditions and infectious diseases spreading in Warsaw made the Town Authorities implement preventive action and entrust sanitary surveillances with this difficult task. These surveillances were set up at the time of the First World War, and after 1920 were changed into sanitary offices. Their duties included control of acute infectious diseases, sanitary inspection of living quarters, sites of production and selling of food articles, plants, service outlets, shops of a different character, as well as surveillance of food purchased by the inhabitants. In each sanitary office a doctor was employed who supervised the work of one, two or three sanitary inspectors.

Electron beam technologies in Poland state of the art and possibilities of development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wojcicki, S.

1994-12-31

The recent state of high energy electron beam /EB/ used for metals melting and welding in Poland has been presented. Some typical construction of EB furnaces and EB welding machines designed and constructed in Institute of Vacuum Technology in Warsaw are shown. The examples of their application has also been described.

Implementation and Research on the Operational Use of the Mesoscale Prediction Model COAMPS in Poland

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-30

COAMPS model. Bogumil Jakubiak, University of Warsaw – participated in EGU General Assembly , Vienna Austria 15-20 April 2007 giving one oral and two...conditional forecast (background) error probability density function using an ensemble of the model forecast to generate background error statistics...COAMPS system on ICM machines at Warsaw University for the purpose of providing operational support to the general public using the ICM meteorological

Impact of urban environmental pollution on growth, leaf damage, and chemical constituents of Warsaw urban trees

Treesearch

Waldemar Chmielewski; Wojciech Dmuchowski; Stanislaw Suplat

1998-01-01

In the last 10 years, 3.5 percent of the tree population died annually in PolandÕs largest and most polluted cities, which is a problem of economic importance. Dieback of streetside trees in Warsaw is a long term process. It is an effect of biological reactions of trees to unfavorable conditions in the urban environment, particularly air and soil pollution and water...

Translations on Eastern Europe Scientific Affairs, Number 532

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-01-05

18 Computerization Over Past Decade Outlined (Andrzej Targowski; INFORMATYKA , Apr 76) 30 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS CZECHOSLOVAK-SOVIET SCIENTIFIC...29 POLAND COMPUTERIZATION OVER PAST DECADE OUTLINED Warsaw INFORMATYKA in Polish Vol 11 No 4, April 1976 pp 25-29 [Article by Andrzej Targowski...Poland has played, we shall leave this problem in the background, since it has already been discussed exhaustively in articles printed in INFORMATYKA

Validation of new satellite aerosol optical depth retrieval algorithm using Raman lidar observations at radiative transfer laboratory in Warsaw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawadzka, Olga; Stachlewska, Iwona S.; Markowicz, Krzysztof M.; Nemuc, Anca; Stebel, Kerstin

2018-04-01

During an exceptionally warm September of 2016, the unique, stable weather conditions over Poland allowed for an extensive testing of the new algorithm developed to improve the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieval. The development was conducted in the frame of the ESA-ESRIN SAMIRA project. The new AOD algorithm aims at providing the aerosol optical depth maps over the territory of Poland with a high temporal resolution of 15 minutes. It was tested on the data set obtained between 11-16 September 2016, during which a day of relatively clean atmospheric background related to an Arctic airmass inflow was surrounded by a few days with well increased aerosol load of different origin. On the clean reference day, for estimating surface reflectance the AOD forecast available on-line via the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) was used. The obtained AOD maps were validated against AODs available within the Poland-AOD and AERONET networks, and with AOD values obtained from the PollyXT-UW lidar. of the University of Warsaw (UW).

Genetic Identification of Communist Crimes' Victims (1944-1956) Based on the Analysis of One of Many Mass Graves Discovered on the Powazki Military Cemetery in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Ossowski, Andrzej; Diepenbroek, Marta; Kupiec, Tomasz; Bykowska-Witowska, Milena; Zielińska, Grażyna; Dembińska, Teresa; Ciechanowicz, Andrzej

2016-11-01

As the result of the communist terror in Poland, during years 1944-1956 more than 50,000 people died. Their bodies were buried secretly, and most places are still unknown. The research presents the results of identification of people buried in one of many mass graves, which were found at the cemetery Powązki Military in Warsaw, Poland. Exhumation revealed the remains of eight people, among which seven were identified genetically. Well-preserved molars were used for the study. Reference material was collected from the closest living relatives. In one case, an exhumation of victim's parents had to be performed. DNA from swabs was extracted with a PrepFiler ® BTA Forensic DNA Extraction Kit and organic method. Autosomal, Y-STR amplification, and mtDNA sequencing were performed. The biostatistical calculations resulted in LR values from 1608 to 928 × 10 18 . So far, remains of more than 50 victims were identified. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Piotrowska, Anna

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2012. About 2 500-3 000 cases of meningitis and/or encephalitis of viral or bacterial etiology are recorded in Poland every year. Assessment of the epidemiological situation of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2012, was based on the results of analysis of epidemiological reports sent to the NIZP-PZH by the Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012" and "Preventive immunizations in Poland in 2012" (Czarkowski MP. et al., Warsaw, 2013, NIZP-PZH, GIS). In 2012 in Poland 3 088 cases of meningitis and/or encephalitis were recorded. More than 50% of these were viral infections. The epidemiological situation of inflammatory meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2012 compared to 2011 did not change significantly.

[Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Poland--the aim and current experiences].

PubMed

Kaleta, Dorota; Kozieł, Anna; Miśkiewicz, Paulina

2009-01-01

Poland is one of the countries, where smoking is widely spread and smoking-induced diseases have become a significant health and socio-economic issue. Since 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in cooperation with partner organizations have been working on the implementation of the global control system known as the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS). This system expands the opportunities of individual countries in the area of designing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive anti-tobacco programs. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) has been incorporated into the GTSS system in 2007. The aim of the work is to explain and promote the objectives of GATS and the process of its implementation in Poland based on current experiences of the WHO Country Office for Poland. GATS concentrates on monitoring of tobacco use by adults (aged over 15 years). It is a representative, national survey of households, standardized on a global scale. GATS is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies as a part of the Bloomberg Global Initiative to Reduce Tobacco Use. Two executive agencies, the M. Skłodowska-Curie Institute of Oncology, Warsaw and the Warsaw Medical University, have been assigned to implement the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Poland. The prepatory works for pre-testing and further stages of the survey implementation are currently under the final phase. Data gathered by GATS will enable us to learn more about the use of tobacco by the adult population in Poland. They will also indicate the most effective methods of the tobacco control in our country.

Occurrence of antidepressant residues in the sewage-impacted Vistula and Utrata rivers and in tap water in Warsaw (Poland).

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Nałęcz-Jawecki, Grzegorz

2014-06-01

Antidepressants, even at low concentrations, can reveal some adverse effects on aquatic life due to disturbing homeostasis throughout the central and peripheral nervous system both in vertebrates and invertebrates. To date there have not been any reports regarding the presence of these pharmaceuticals in surface and tap waters in Eastern Europe. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine the presence of 21 antidepressant pharmaceuticals at specific points of the main Polish river - the Vistula, a smaller river of the Warsaw region - the Utrata, as well as in tap water samples of Warsaw. Samples were collected twice at one month intervals and analysed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) technique coupled with the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometer (LC-MS/MS) method operated under the multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM). This is the first study where active compounds such as moclobemid or trazodone in the environment have been investigated. Environmental risk assessment of antidepressants in Poland was estimated on the basis of annuals sale data extracted from the NFZ (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia-National Health Service) base of reimbursed pharmaceuticals(1). Predicted environmental concentration (PEC) of target pharmaceuticals were compared with their measured concentration (MEC). Moreover, the application of the EMEA/CHMP guideline for environmental risk assessment of the antidepressants was discussed. The highest concentration of antidepressants was observed in the small river Utrata. In tap water only trace amounts of antidepressants including citalopram (up to 1.5ng/l), mianserin (up to 0.9ng/l), sertraline (<3.1ng/l), moclobemid (up to 0.3ng/l) and venlafaxine (up to 1.9ng/l) were detected. However this highlights their inadequate elimination in the drinking waste treatment facility. The presence of antidepressants in drinking water and the aquatic environment could have long-term effects even at low exposure level, especially since synergy amongst pharmaceutical pollutants may occur. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Jewish psychiatric hospital, Zofiówka, in Otwock, Poland.

PubMed

Seeman, Mary V

2015-03-01

The T4 euthanasia programme within Nazi Germany has been well researched, but much less is known about the extermination of psychiatric patients in Nazi-occupied territories during the same period. In Poland 20,000 mentally ill patients were deliberately killed during the German occupation. This paper traces the history of one psychiatric hospital, Zofiówka, in Otwock, south-east of Warsaw. The hospital once served the Jewish population of Poland and was the largest, most prestigious neuropsychiatric centre in the country. It is now in ruins and said to be haunted by ghosts. © The Author(s) 2014.

Warsaw Pact: The Question of Cohesion. Phase II, Volume 2. Poland, German Democratic Republic and Romania,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

integrated with the other members of the system. AccA ~zsiorj For -TAB -. f tion Ile r Cods mt/ori 2// ,a ft1 ___"-.- i ’ ,:,, un:ocl [] R9SUM9 Le...4. 100 Eugeniusz Walczuk, "Oficerowie, Polityka, 29 April 1972, pp. 1, 4-8. 101 Hinterhoft, "Armia Rokossowskiego." 102 Karel Kaplan , Rada vzajemne...and L.S. Kaplan , eds., The Warsaw Pact: Political Purpose and Military Means (Wilmington, Del.: Scholarly Resources, Inc., 1982), p. 149. 4 The

Screening for major cardiovascular risk factors among Members of Polish Parliament as a continuation of health marketing for effective cardiovascular prevention in Poland. Warsaw, May 2006.

PubMed

Rutkowski, Marcin; Zdrojewski, Tomasz; Bandosz, Piotr; Wierucki, Lukasz; Piwoński, Jerzy; Piwońska, Aleksandra; Narkiewicz, Krzysztof; Opolski, Grzegorz; Drygas, Wojciech; Korewicki, Jerzy; Wyrzykowski, Bogdan

2007-05-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of mortality in Poland. To improve the situation in this area, a national cardiovascular preventive project is necessary, and it can be done by close cooperation between medical and political agencies. To present the current epidemiological situation in Poland to political and key opinion leaders and also to assess individual cardiovascular risk among Members of Polish Parliament. The Project was carried out on 23-24 May 2006 in the residence of the Polish Parliament. Anthropometric, blood pressure and cholesterol measurements and a short questionnaire were performed. Survey and educational programme were carried out on 310 out of 460 Members of the Polish Parliament (females 59, males 251). Awareness of one's own blood pressure was declared by 70% of subjects, 39% declared earlier detected arterial hypertension, 21% had new detected elevated blood pressure, 31% declared earlier detected elevated cholesterol level and 32% had new detected elevated cholesterol level. Obesity was found in 40%, smoking was declared by 16.5%. The results were compared with those obtained in corresponding age-groups in the general population. 1. The results of screening survey in the Polish Parliament in 2006 indicate that, in comparison with nationwide adult population and Parliament Members examined in the year of 2000, present Parliament Members are more often diagnosed with obesity. However, they present with a better awareness of their own blood pressure and better control of arterial hypertension, as well as much lower percentage of those who admit smoking cigarettes. 2. Drawing Parliament Members attention to the problem of high prevalence and insufficient control of cardiovascular risk factors should result in positive outcome of future legislation process and make the battle with the epidemic of heart attacks and strokes in Poland more successful.

The Polish Armed Forces: Warsaw Pact Reliability in Question.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

December 1983 Thesis Advisor: R. Looney Approved for public release distribution unlimite |i ( I’ jUN 0 )84 L 84 06 01 037 SECURITY CLASMICATION OF THIS...Edward Duffy Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy B.A., College of the Holy Cross, 1971 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for ...Poland has little choice in the matter. Poland is the most important piece of real estate vital to the security of the Soviet Union. The words of

Global War Game: Second Series, 1984-1988

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-08-01

Poland Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg 14°6° 48° 52° R hine Schleswig- Holstein Kiel Canal Denmark E lbe Elbe W eser Bremerhaven Frankfurt Fulda...consolidation continued on D+11, and two Polish armies pushed into Schleswig- Holstein , cutting off Denmark from the rest of NATO. The Warsaw Pact offensive...Switzerland Liechtenstein Italy Austria Czech Republic Poland Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg 14°6° 48° 52° R hine Schleswig- Holstein Kiel Canal Denmark FRG

Reconstruction of gas distribution pipelines in MOZG in Poland using PE and PA pipes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Borowicz, W.; Podziemski, T.; Kramek, E.

1996-12-31

MOZG--Warsaw Regional Gas Distribution Company was established in 1856. Now it is one of six gas distribution companies in Poland. Due to steadily increasing safety demands, some of the pipelines will need reconstruction. The majority of the substandard piping is located in urban areas. The company wanted to gain experiences in applying reconstruction technologies using two different plastic materials polyethylene and polyamide. They also wanted to assess the technical and economic practicalities of performing relining processes. A PE project--large diameter polyethylene relining (450 mm) conducted in Warsaw in 1994/95 and PA projects--relining using polyamide pipes, projects conducted in Radom andmore » in Warsaw during 1993 and 1994 are the most interesting and representative for this kind of works. Thanks to the experience obtained whilst carrying out these projects, reconstruction of old gas pipelines has become routine. Now they often use polyethylene relining of smaller diameters and they continue both construction and reconstruction of gas network using PA pipes. This paper presents the accumulated knowledge showing the advantages and disadvantages of applied methods. It describes project design and implementation with details and reports on the necessary preparation work, on site job organization and the most common problems arising during the construction works.« less

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 23 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-22

ISS023-E-050542 (22 May 2010) --- Widespread flooding along the Vistula River in southeastern Poland is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station. The Vistula River is a major river in Poland that originates in the western part of the Carpathian Mountains (specifically the western slopes of the mountain Barania Gora) in southern Poland. The river winds its way northward for 1,047 kilometers, through major cities such as Krakow and Warsaw, to Gdansk Bay on the Baltic Sea. Several towns have been completely or partially inundated including Gorzyce, Sokolniki and Trzesn in addition to large numbers of agricultural fields (normally green as visible at top and bottom right). While the flooding illustrated here is extensive, it represents but a small “snapshot” of conditions that have developed in Eastern Europe over the past two weeks. Spring flooding of rivers is not an uncommon occurrence in Poland but this event is being called the most serious flood in several decades. Severe floods were recorded in 1570, 1584, 1719, 1891, and 1997, with the first records of local embankments for flood control dating from the thirteenth century. By 1985, 370 rivers in Poland (including the Vistula) had been completely or partly embanked along a total length of 9,028 kilometers for some degree of flood mitigation. Heavy rains caused high waters in the Vistula River first in southern Poland. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated as the river level rose and broke through water-logged dikes and embankments. The flood surge then moved northward through Warsaw and continues towards the Baltic Sea.

Amoco unit acquires two blocks covering 2. 7 million acres in Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1992-10-12

This paper reports that an Amoco Production Co. unit has signed the first agreement by a western company for conventional petroleum exploration rights in Poland. The agreement between Amoco Poland Ltd. and Poland's Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, and Forestry calls for Amoco to make an initial $20 million investment to conduct seismic surveys and drill wildcats on two blocks. Block A is a 1,695,750 acre spread southwest of Warsaw in the heart of the Polish trough. Block B covers about 979,000 acres southeast of Lublin on the Polish-Ukrainian border. The state has an option to acquire as muchmore » as 30% interest in future hydrocarbon development.« less

PLASMA-2013: International Conference on Research and Applications of Plasmas (Warsaw, Poland, 2-6 September 2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadowski, Marek J.

2014-05-01

The PLASMA-2013 International Conference on Research and Applications of Plasmas was held in Warsaw (Poland) from 2 to 6 September 2013. The conference was organized by the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, under the auspices of the Polish Physical Society. The scope of the PLASMA conferences, which have been organized every two years since 1993, covers almost all issues of plasma physics and fusion research as well as selected problems of plasma technology. The PLASMA-2013 conference topics included: •Elementary processes and general plasma physics. •Plasmas in tokamaks and stellarators (magnetic confinement fusion). •Plasmas generated by laser beams and inertial confinement fusion. •Plasmas produced by Z-pinch and plasma-focus discharges. •Low-temperature plasma physics. •Space plasmas and laboratory astrophysics. •Plasma diagnostic methods and applications of plasmas. This conference was designed not only for plasma researchers and engineers, but also for students from all over the world, in particular for those from Central and Eastern Europe. Almost 140 participants had the opportunity to hear 9 general lectures, 11 topical talks and 26 oral presentations, as well as to see and discuss around 120 posters. From about 140 contributions, after the preparation of about 100 papers and the peer review process, only 74 papers have been accepted for publication in this topical issue. Acknowledgments Acting on behalf of the International Scientific Committee I would like to express our thanks to all the invited speakers and all the participants of the PLASMA-2013 conference for their numerous contributions. In particular, I wish to thank all of the authors of papers submitted for publication in this topical issue of Physica Scripta . Particular thanks are due to all of the reviewers for their valuable reports and comments, which helped to improve the quality of many of the papers. International Scientific Committee Marek J Sadowski, NCBJ, Otwock, Poland—Chairman Dimitri Batani, Universite Bordeaux, France Sergio Ciattaglia, ITER, Cadarache, France Michael Dudeck, UPMC, Paris, France Igor E Garkusha, NSC KIPT, Kharkov, Ukraine Zbigniew Kłos, CBK PAN, Warsaw Giorgio Maddaluno, ENEA Frascati, Italy Andrea Murari, EFDA JET, Culham, UK Józef Musielok, University of Opole, Poland Svetlana Ratynskaia, RIT, Stockholm, Sweden Karel Rohlena, IP CAS, Prague, Czech Republic Valentin Smirnov, Rosatom, Moscow, Russia Francisco Tabares, CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain Lorenzo Torrisi, University of Messina, Messina, Italy Jerzy Wołowski, IFPiLM, Warsaw, Poland Urszula Woźnicka, IFJ PAN, Cracow, Poland Local Organizing Committee Jerzy Wołowski—Chairman Paweł Gąsior—Secretary Zofia Kalinowska Ewa Kowalska-Strzęciwilk Monika Kubkowska Anita Pokorska Ryszard Panfil Joanna Dziak-Beme Conference website: http://plasma2013.ipplm.pl/

CAP2013 - Communicating Astronomy with the Public 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robson, I.

2014-01-01

The highly successful and very popular Communicating Astronomy with the Public conference series held its fifth event (CAP2013) at the Copernicus Science Centre and the Warsaw University of Technology in Poland, from 13 to 17 October. This review gives a summary of the event proceedings.

Kazakhstan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-22

Ethnicity: 63.1% are Kazakh and 23.7% are Russian (2009 Kazakh census). Other ethnic groups include Uzbeks , Tatars, Uighurs, and Germans. Gross...the September 30-October 8, 2010, Review Conference held in Warsaw, Poland .36 According to many observers, the December 1-2, 2010, OSCE Summit

[The role of Wacława Moszyński in the development of the Polish School of Machine and Mechanism Theory].

PubMed

Kisiel, Janusz; Pylak, Konrad; Schabowska, Krystyna

2005-01-01

The end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries saw the emergence and intensive development of many disciplines in the technical sciences, and the laying of a groundwork for those disciplines in their current form. In Poland, a country deprived of independent statehood until 1918, this was additionally a period when native research centres and scientific schools came into being, and when Polish-language specialist literatures emerged as well. Many of the eminent personages whose activities contributed to those trends have already been described in biographical notes and articles. There are still, however, not enough studies dealing with the substance of their scientific and professional achievements. One of the personages in question was Wacława Moszyński, professor of the Warsaw Technical University, a pioneer of machine construction and mechanism theory, author of the first academic textbook in the field to be published in Poland. The current article discusses Moszyński's contribution to the development of mechanism and machine theory. The first part of the article gives an outline of the history of the discipline until 1945, presents the context of the after-war activities of the author, and evaluates his influence on the development of machine and mechanism theory in Poland; it also carries a short biography of Moszyński. The rest of the article is devoted to Moszyński's scientific achievements, and describes his approach to matters of structure, kinematics and dynamics, with special focus on those of his formulations and solution to problems that appear particularly innovative and original. The article also points out those proposals by Moszyński which made him a precursor of other disciplines, such as vibroacoustics, biomechanics and ergonomics. The paper also presents the role of Moszyński's work as a foundation for the development of the Warsaw research-and-teching centre in the field. The achievements and methods of the Warsaw school combined with the those of other centres in Poland, which based on the earlier Lwów tradition, thus leading to very significant research and educational accomplishments.

Signing of ESO-Poland Accession Agreement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-12-01

An agreement was signed by Professor Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education, and the ESO Director General Tim de Zeeuw in Warsaw on 28 October 2014 that will lead to the country joining ESO. The signing of the agreement followed its unanimous approval by the ESO Council during an extraordinary meeting on 8 October 2014. Poland will be welcomed as a new Member State, following subsequent ratification of the accession agreement by the Polish Parliament. Tim de Zeeuw’s speech at this ceremony is reproduced below.

‘Other’ Posts in ‘Other’ Places: Poland through a Postcolonial Lens?

PubMed Central

Mayblin, Lucy; Piekut, Aneta; Valentine, Gill

2016-01-01

Postcolonial theory has tended to focus on those spaces where European colonialism has had a territorial and political history. This is unsurprising, as much of the world is in this sense ‘postcolonial’. But not all of it. This article focuses on Poland, often theorised as peripheral to ‘old Europe’, and explores the application of postcolonial analyses to this ‘other’ place. The article draws upon reflections arising from a study of responses to ethnic diversity in Warsaw, Poland. In doing so we conclude that postcolonialism does indeed offer some important insights into understanding Polish attitudes to other nationalities, and yet more work also needs to be done to make the theoretical bridge. In the case of Poland we propose the ‘triple relation’ be the starting point for such work. PMID:26877557

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, sociological, and Military Affairs. Number 1314.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-11-02

8217 as Determinant of Democracy, Patriotism (Andrzej Burda; IDEOLOGIA I POLITYKA, Sep 76) 32 Cardinal Wyszyniski’s Trip to Rome Noted (SLOWO...CSO: 2600 31 POLAND ’STATE CONSCIOUSNESS’ AS DETERMINANT OF DEMOCRACY, PATRIOTISM Warsaw IDEOLOGIA I POLITYKA in Polish No 9, Sep 76 pp 7-15

Poland action plan for water and wastewater: Bielsko-biala and Warsaw, Poland. Export trade information

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The Goczalkowice Reservoir in the Katowice voivodeship in the Upper Silesia area of Poland. It serves as a major source of water for the population of the Upper Selesia region. In 1987 a major shift took place in the ecology of the reservoir. The shift resulted in major algae blooms which caused problems at the water treatment plant. The primary purpose of the study was to more specifically define the water quality problem of the Goczalkowice Reservoir, to determine it causes and to develop a set of recommendations leading to a solution. The report would then become the basis formore » proposals for financing of one or more projects needed to implement its recommendations.« less

Be Healthy as a Fish Educational Program at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Goś, Daria; Szymańska, Ewelina; Białek-Wyrzykowska, Urszula; Wiweger, Małgorzata; Kuźnicki, Jacek

2016-08-01

The purpose of the Be Healthy as a Fish educational program that is organized by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) in Warsaw, Poland, is to educate children about the ways in which zebrafish can be used as a model organism to help scientists understand the way the human body works. We introduce Be Healthy as a Fish workshops to children in fourth to sixth grades of primary school (9-11 years old), together with two kinds of materials under the same title: a book and a movie. We focus on the field of biology in a way that complements the children's classroom curriculum and encourages them to broaden their interests in biology in the future. The Be Healthy as a Fish educational program was inaugurated in 2014 at the Warsaw Science Festival. As of October 31, 2015, 526 primary school students participated in 27 workshops. Approximately 2000 people have received the book and nearly 1700 people have watched the movie. Be Healthy as a Fish: Origin of the Title There is a popular saying in Poland that someone is "healthy as a fish" meaning that one enjoys good health. Does this imply that fish are really that healthy? Obviously, some fish may not be healthy. Just like other animals and humans, they can and do get sick. However, this common and deceptive impression of "healthy fish" results from the fact that people hardly ever have an opportunity to observe a fish that is sick. Why does our educational program have such a possibly misleading title that may not always be true? We took advantage of this provocative title and commonly known expression and assigned to it a completely new meaning: fish can get sick, but they are important for human health. Notably, this catchy sentence intrinsically combines two keywords-health and fish-which, in our opinion, makes it a good title for a successful educational program.

Salmonellosis in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Sadkowska-Todys, Małgorzata; Czarkowski, Mirosław P

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was evaluation of epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2012 compared to the previous years. The main source of data for this study are statistical overviews contained in the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases in Poland in 2012" (NIZP-PZH, GIS, Warsaw 2013), reports from investigations obtained from the sanitary epidemiological stations. Information on deaths due to infectious and parasitic diseases registered in Poland in 2012 and earlier years is based on the data from the Department for Demographic Research of Central Statistical Office. For the purpose of surveillance cases were classified according to the case definition. In Poland in 2012, it was reported a total of 8 444 cases of zoonotic salmonellosis including 8 267 cases of intestinal salmonellosis and 177 of extraintestinal one. The incidence was 21.9/100 000. The criteria for a confirmed case met more than 94% of cases. The number of reported cases was lower than in 2011, reflecting the continued downward trend in the number of cases of salmonellosis in Poland. A very high percentage (69.4%) hospitalizations of people infected with zoonotic Salmonella remains. In outbreaks proportion of hospitalizations accounted for one third of the cases. Predominated children under the age of 5 years. Seven people died of salmonellosis. In 2012, it was reported 181 outbreaks caused by Salmonella in which 1 511 people still. They were mostly small family outbreaks. The most common etiological agent of salmonellosis in Poland is S. enteritidis, but slightly increases the percentage cases, for which no serologic type was determined. In 2012 it stood at 14%. This proportion was highest in the Pomorskie province and amounted to 58%. Keeping up for more than 10 years in the percentage of salmonellosis hospitalization rate at 70%, indicates underreporting of the disease in the country and mostly detection of the cases requiring hospital treatment. Growing proportion of Salmonella that are not serotyped, reaching in some regions more than 30% indicates problems with laboratory diagnostics salmonellosis.

[THE PROFESSORS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS OF THE SCIENCES OF WARSAW (1800-1832)].

PubMed

Daszkiewicz, Piotr

2015-01-01

The National Museum of Natural History played a crucial role in the formation of Polish scientific elites in the 19th century. Many Polish students were attending in Paris natural history, botany, zoology, chemistry and mineralogy courses. The Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning was the largest scientific society and one of the most important scientific institutions in Poland. It had also an impact on the political and cultural life of the country, occupied and deprived of freedom at that time. Amongst its founders and members, could be found listeners to the lectures of Lamarck, Haüy, Vauquelin, Desfontaines, Jussieu. Moreover, seven professors of the National Museum of Natural History were elected foreign members of the Warsaw Society of Friends of Learning: Cuvier, Desfontaines, Haüy, Jussieu, Latreille, Mirbel, Vauquelin. The article analyses this choice and underlines the relationship between these scientists and Warsaw's scientists. The results of this research allow to confirm that the National Museum of Natural History was the most important foreign institution in the 19th century for Polish science, and more specifically natural sciences.

SEM (Scanning-Electron-Microscopy) Studies of Magnetic Domains in Amorphous Metals.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-31

magnetic fields, and applied fields were demonstrated. Results were * related to magnetic and magnetomechanical properties. D D I JORM 1473 EDITION OF INOV ...Academy of Sciences, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland . * Fig. 1. Magnetic domain structure in Co7 0 . 3Fe 4 . 7 S11 5Bl 0 ribbomn annealed to * produce a

Adult Careers: Does Childhood IQ Predict Later Life Outcome?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firkowska-Mankiewicz, Anna

2011-01-01

The author's plenary address at the 3rd International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities-Europe Conference in Rome, Italy (October 2010), provided a retrospective overview of a longitudinal study conducted with a cohort of pre-teens (11 and 13 years of age) residing in Warsaw, Poland, in the 1970s. The intent was to…

Reconstruction of War Damaged Buildings - A Problem that Still Stands. The Case of the National Economy Bank in Warsaw Restored During the Second World War

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łotysz, Sławomir

2016-12-01

The Polish national historiography remains silent on the reconstruction of damaged towns and cities that was undertaken by the German administration after capturing Poland in September 1939. This paper, on the war-time restoration of the National Economy Bank's headquarters in Warsaw, is an attempt to at least partially fill the gap. Designed by celebrated architect Rudolf Świerczyński in the late 1920s in accordance with contemporary air raid defence regulations, it was bombed and nevertheless seriously damaged during the September Campaign. Under the German management of the bank, the building was reconstructed and even modernized by commissioned Polish engineers.

[François Girardot (1773-1831) the surgeon of Light - Cavalrymen Regiment of Napoleon I Guard].

PubMed

Witczak, W

1996-01-01

The paper is the first wider biographic study presentif life and activity of François Girardot (1773-1831), a French physician, a surgeon of Polish light-cavalrymen regiment of Napoleon I guard for many years; since 1816 permanently domiciled in the Congress Kingdom of Poland, in Warsaw and Opinogóra, as a family doctor of Krasińskis family. There are his relations with Poland recalled, started in 1798 already, there are shown some famous patients of Girardot - Klementyna Hoffman of Tańskis, Zygmunt Krasiński and Fryderyk Chopin. There is also the attention drawn to his medical activity among poor population of Warsaw. The fact is underlined, that Girardot as the only physician was made by Napoleon the baron of Empire at the battle field (Craonne, 7th March, 1814), directly after injury, the effect of which there was an amputation of leg. It is also indicated, that despite unquestionable military merits, confirmed by numerous awards and the title of baron granted, and also medical merits of Girardot, he is still remaining a personage not well known to the historians of Napoleonic period.

Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-12-31

The Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency (FEWE) was established in Poland at the end of 1990. FEWE, as an independent and non-profit organization, has the following objectives: to strive towards an energy efficient national economy, and to show the way and methods by use of which energy efficiency can be increased. The activity of the Foundation covers the entire territory of Poland through three regional centers: in Warsaw, Katowice and Cracow. FEWE employs well-known and experienced specialists within thermal and power engineering, civil engineering, economy and applied sciences. The organizer of the Foundation has been Battelle Memorial Institute - Pacificmore » Northwest Laboratories from the USA.« less

"East side story": on being an epidemiologist in the former USSR: an interview with Marcus Klingberg.

PubMed

Klingberg, Marcus

2006-01-01

Marcus Klingberg was born on 7 October 1918, in Warsaw, Poland, into a Hasidic, rabbinical family. After the Nazi invasion of Poland, he escaped to the USSR where he trained and worked as an epidemiologist from 1939 to 1945. For 35 years after the war, he continued his professional work in Israel. The harsh conditions within the Soviet Union during World War II provided a challenging setting for epidemiologic work-a setting that has remained largely hidden from Western view. In this interview, Klingberg describes his work as an epidemiologist in the USSR and his subsequent encounter with Western epidemiology.

Local-scale analysis of temperature patterns over Poland during heatwave events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krzyżewska, Agnieszka; Dyer, Jamie

2018-01-01

Heatwaves are predicted to increase in frequency, duration, and severity in the future, including over Central Europe where populations are sensitive to extreme temperature. This paper studies six recent major heatwave events over Poland from 2006 through 2015 using regional-scale simulations (10-km grid spacing, hourly frequency) from the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model to define local-scale 2-m temperature patterns. For this purpose, a heatwave is defined as at least three consecutive days with maximum 2-m air temperature exceeding 30 °C. The WRF simulations were validated using maximum daily 2-m temperature observations from 12 meteorological stations in select Polish cities, which were selected to have even spatial coverage across the study area. Synoptic analysis of the six study events shows that the inflow of tropical air masses from the south is the primary driver of heatwave onset and maintenance, the highest temperatures (and most vulnerable areas) occur over arable land and artificial surfaces in central and western Poland, while coastal areas in the north, mountain areas in the south, and forested and mosaic areas of smaller fields and pastures of the northwest, northeast, and southeast are less affected by prolonged periods of elevated temperatures. In general, regional differences in 2-m temperature between the hottest and coolest areas is about 2-4 °C. Large urban areas like Warsaw, or the large complex of artificial areas in the conurbation of Silesian cities, are also generally warmer than surrounding areas by roughly 2-4 °C, and even up to 6 °C, especially during the night. Additionally, hot air from the south of Poland flows through a low-lying area between two mountain ranges (Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains)—the so-called Moravian Gate—hitting densely populated urban areas (Silesian cities) and Cracow. These patterns occur only during high-pressure synoptic conditions with low cloudiness and wind and without any active fronts or mesoscale convective disturbances.

Microscopic Optical Characterization of ZnO Bulk Crystals, Free Standing III-Nitride Substrates and III-V Structures for Non-Linear Optics

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

concentration (M.R. Phillips, M.Wagner, O.Gelhausen, V.Coleman, J.B. Brady, C. Jagadish, E. Malguth, A. Hoffmann, E.M. Goldys , J.J. Rusell; E.MRS...Malguth, A. Hoffmann, E.M. Goldys , J.J. Rusell; E.MRS Fall meeting, Symp. F, (Warsaw, Poland, 2004)); it suggests that the shift towards the red of

Understanding and Harnessing the Power of Ideas, Persuasion, and Trust

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-17

thought leaders from across the behavioral, social, political, anthropological and computer sciences to aid in the identification of current knowledge...engagement of over 40 global thought leaders from across the behavioral, social, political, anthropological and computer sciences to aid in the...Chair: RTO Symposium on the Role of Humans in Automated 2002 Systems. Oct 2002; Warsaw, Poland .  Member, NATO Technical Group on Battle Space

Language Learning over 50 at the Open University in Poland: An Exploratory Study of Needs and Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klimczak-Pawlak, Agata; Kossakowska-Pisarek, Sylwia

2018-01-01

This exploratory, retrospective study, which focuses on the needs, attitudes, and emotions of learners attending English as a foreign language courses at the Open University of the University of Warsaw is part of a larger scale project which aims at answering calls voiced, among others, by Boulton-Lewis (2010) to gather more data from older adults…

Be Healthy as a Fish Educational Program at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Poland

PubMed Central

Szymańska, Ewelina; Białek-Wyrzykowska, Urszula; Wiweger, Małgorzata; Kuźnicki, Jacek

2016-01-01

Abstract The purpose of the Be Healthy as a Fish educational program that is organized by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) in Warsaw, Poland, is to educate children about the ways in which zebrafish can be used as a model organism to help scientists understand the way the human body works. We introduce Be Healthy as a Fish workshops to children in fourth to sixth grades of primary school (9–11 years old), together with two kinds of materials under the same title: a book and a movie. We focus on the field of biology in a way that complements the children's classroom curriculum and encourages them to broaden their interests in biology in the future. The Be Healthy as a Fish educational program was inaugurated in 2014 at the Warsaw Science Festival. As of October 31, 2015, 526 primary school students participated in 27 workshops. Approximately 2000 people have received the book and nearly 1700 people have watched the movie. Be Healthy as a Fish: Origin of the Title There is a popular saying in Poland that someone is “healthy as a fish” meaning that one enjoys good health. Does this imply that fish are really that healthy? Obviously, some fish may not be healthy. Just like other animals and humans, they can and do get sick. However, this common and deceptive impression of “healthy fish” results from the fact that people hardly ever have an opportunity to observe a fish that is sick. Why does our educational program have such a possibly misleading title that may not always be true? We took advantage of this provocative title and commonly known expression and assigned to it a completely new meaning: fish can get sick, but they are important for human health. Notably, this catchy sentence intrinsically combines two keywords—health and fish—which, in our opinion, makes it a good title for a successful educational program. PMID:27028803

Results from a first production of enhanced Silicon Sensor Test Structures produced by ITE Warsaw

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergauer, T.; Dragicevic, M.; Frey, M.; Grabiec, P.; Grodner, M.; Hänsel, S.; Hartmann, F.; Hoffmann, K.-H.; Hrubec, J.; Krammer, M.; Kucharski, K.; Macchiolo, A.; Marczewski, J.

2009-01-01

Monitoring the manufacturing process of silicon sensors is essential to ensure stable quality of the produced detectors. During the CMS silicon sensor production we were utilising small Test Structures (TS) incorporated on the cut-away of the wafers to measure certain process-relevant parameters. Experience from the CMS production and quality assurance led to enhancements of these TS. Another important application of TS is the commissioning of new vendors. The measurements provide us with a good understanding of the capabilities of a vendor's process. A first batch of the new TS was produced at the Institute of Electron Technology in Warsaw Poland. We will first review the improvements to the original CMS test structures and then discuss a selection of important measurements performed on this first batch.

Microbeam X-ray analysis in Poland - past and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusinski, J.

2010-02-01

The article provides an overview of the development of electron beam X-ray microanalysis (EPMA) in Poland. Since the introduction by Prof. Bojarski of EMPA over 45 years ago, tremendous advances in methodologies and in instrumentation have been made in order to improve the precision of quantitative compositional analysis, spatial resolution and analytical sensitivity. This was possible due to the activity of Applied Crystallography Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences, as well as the groups of researches working in the Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy (Gliwice), the Technical University of Warsaw, the Silesian Technical University (Katowice), the AGH-University of Sciences and Technology (Krakow), and the Institute of Materials Science and Metallurgy Polish Academy of Sciences (Krakow). Based on the research examples realized by these teams, conferences, seminars and congresses organized, as well as books and academic textbooks issued, the evolution of electron beam X-ray microanalysis in Poland is demonstrated.

Implementation and Research on the Operational Use of the Mesoscale Prediction Model COAMPS in Poland

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-30

participated in EGU General Assembly , Vienna Austria 13-18 April 2008, giving a poster presentation. Bogumil Jakubiak, University of Warsaw...participated in EGU General Assembly , Vienna Austria 13-18 April 2008, giving two posters presentation. Mikolaj Sierzega, University of Warwick – participated...model forecast to generate background error statistics. This helps us to identify and understand the uncertainties in high-resolution NWP forecasts

A Guide to the World's Training Facilities in Documentation and Information Work [Prepared by the] Central Institute for Scientific, Technical and Economic Information, Warsaw, Poland. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebesny, Felix, Ed.; Ostrowska, Krystyna, Ed.

This guide presents up-dated information, on a world-wide basis, on training facilities in documentation and information work. Only data relating to the formal training of documentalists, information workers and special librarians are included, except for those countries in which only short courses or seminars are available. Forty-seven countries…

Personality of Teacher in Advanced Socialist Society. Collection of Papers from the Conference of Educationalists of Socialist Countries (3rd, Warsaw, Poland, June 1977).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tmej, K., Ed.; Petracek, S., Ed.

A need for concerted efforts in devising a more profound socialist education for the younger generation, and a strengthening of ideological ties joining the socialist nations was revealed in conference papers on: (1) the conference's significance (K. Tmej); (2) inaugural address (J. Kuberski); (3) Marxism-Leninism on the task of schools and…

Poland: Lone Eagle over Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-17

found himself surrounded by enemies. To complicate matters, the Treaty of Versailles and the Paris Peace Conference left many unanswered questions...reported Russian forces 75 miles from Warsaw and laying siege to the fortresses of Lomza and Brest -Litovsk along the Bug River.80 Like Pilsudski’s drive...territories granted by the Treaty of Versailles and the Paris Peace Conference.124 With the possibility of war, the Poles turned their nation’s military

Monitoring environmental pollution in Poland by chemical analysis of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles.

PubMed

Dmuchowski, W; Bytnerowicz, A

1995-01-01

Maps of the distribution of environmental pollution by sulfur (S), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As) for the territory of Poland and the Warsaw (Warszawa) district were developed on the basis of chemical analysis of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles collected from randomly selected sampling points during 1983-1985. The maps show deposition zones for the studied elements and can help in identification of sources and directions of air pollution dispersion. This study indicated that vegetation in Poland is greatly endangered by sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and other sulfurous air pollutants, whereas Zn, Cd, Pb, and As do not pose an immediate threat to vegetation in most of the country's territory. However, in the urban-industrial agglomeration of Katowice-Cracow, very high pollution with Z, Cd, Pb and As could limit growth and development of some sensitive plant species. Higher than normal levels of As in some areas of Poland (Upper Silesia, Glogow-Lubin Copper Region, and areas close to the Russian border near Braniewo) might affect the health of humans and animals. Results of this study indicated that Poland's environment was not contaminated with Cu.

History and status of embryology and developmental biology at Polish Medical Faculties and Schools.

PubMed

Bartel, Hieronim

2008-01-01

In Poland, medical embryology (both scientific research and teaching of the subject) has traditionally involved Chairs of Histology and Embryology rather than Obstetrics and Gynecology. Before World War II, the most buoyant centers for embryological research among the five universities at the time (in Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Lvov and Vilnius), were the Chairs of Embryology and Histology at Medical Faculties of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow and the University of Vilnius. After World War II, eleven Medical Academies (Universities of Medicine) came into being (Warsaw, Krakow, Poznan, Lodz, Gdansk, Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Szczecin, Wroclaw, Katowice and Lublin). They conduct scientific research on normal development of the human embryo as well as teratology studies. In the XX century, eminent medicine-related embryologist included professors Emil Godlewski Jr., Stanislaw Hiller and Stefan Baginski.

[Chickenpox in Poland in 2010].

PubMed

Głuchowska, Małgorzata; Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona

2012-01-01

Chickenpox is a common childhood disease. It occurs sporadically in persons over the age of 15. Regardless of the fact that chickenpox is considered to be a disease of benign course, it may cause complications of different severity levels and with necessity of hospitalization. Since 2004, a high incidence of chickenpox is observed in Poland. The aim of the present article was to analyze the epidemiological situation of chickenpox in Poland in 2010 with its comparison to the situation observed in the previous years. The epidemiological situation ofchickenpox in Poland in 2010 was analyzed on the basis of aggregated data on infectious diseases published in the annual bulletins, i.e.: "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010" (Czarkowski MP. et al., Warsaw, NIPH-NIH, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate) and "Vaccinations in Poland in 2010" (Czarkowski MP. et al., Warsaw, NIPH-NIH, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate). In the present article the authors also referred to the Polish Immunization Programme for 2010 (annex to the statement of the Chief Sanitary Inspector of 22 October 2009). The data on the number of hospitalized persons and complications due to the chickenpox was derived from the Department - Centre for Monitoring and Analyses of Population Health Status and Health Care System (NIPH-NIH). In 2010, 183 446 cases of chickenpox were reported. The highest number of chickenpox cases was registered in mazowieckie voivodeship, the lowest--in podlaskie voivodeship. The incidence was estimated at 480.04 per 100 000 population and was significantly higher than the incidence observed in 2009 (367.2). The highest chickenpox incidence, which amounted to 4298.4 per 100 000, was reported in children aged 5-9 years. The highest number ofchickenpox cases (the peak) was reported in the period from January to June. The lowest number of cases was registered in September. The chickenpox incidence was higher in men than women and in the inhabitans of villages (498.6 per 100 000) than in persons residing in towns (468.8). The highest incidence was observed in towns with the number of inhabitants ranging from 55 to 99 thousands (532.2 per 100 000), while the lowest incidence was reported in towns over 100 thousand inhabitants (439.1 per 100 000). Overall, 1007 persons were hospitalized due to the chickenpox. A total of 31 540 persons were vaccinated, of whom 30 513 persons belonged to the age group 0-19 years. Since 2004, an increase in the number of reported chickenpox cases is observed in Poland. It is a consequence of improvement in chickenpox registration.

Lyme disease in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Chrześcijańska, Irena

2014-01-01

In Poland registration of all cases of Lyme disease is conducted by the Epidemiological Unit of National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene. Most cases of Lyme disease occur in the North- East region of Poland; however, it is important to note that the disease is no longer solely a problem of this region of Poland. The aim of this work is to assess the epidemiological situation of Lyme disease in Poland in 2012 as compared to the situation in the previous years. Assessment of the epidemiological situation of Lyme disease in Poland was made on the basis of an analysis of individual notifications of suspected Lyme disease submitted to NIZP-NIH by the Provincial Sanitary- Epidemiological Stations; as well as data from "Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland in 2012" bulletin, and "Vaccinations in Poland in 2012" bulletin (MP Czarkowski and Co, Warsaw 2013, NIPH-NIH, NCI). In 2012 there were 8 782 registered cases of Lyme disease and it is 4.3% higher than in the previous year. The overall incidence in the country amounted to 23.8 per 100 000 people. The highest incidence rate was recorded in Podlaskie province - 75.5 per 100 000 people. 2 063 people were hospitalized due to Lyme disease. In 2012 incidence rate of Lyme disease was gradually dropping down. The registered number of cases was reduced by 4.1% in comparison to the previous year. There is still a fairly low percentage of cases detected with diagnostic test called Western blot method.

Burden of Mortality and Disease Attributable to Multiple Air Pollutants in Warsaw, Poland

PubMed Central

Kałuszko, Andrzej; Nahorski, Zbigniew

2017-01-01

Air pollution is a significant public health issue all over the world, especially in urban areas where a large number of inhabitants are affected. In this study, we quantify the health burden due to local air pollution for Warsaw, Poland. The health impact of the main air pollutants, PM, NOX, SO2, CO, C6H6, BaP and heavy metals is considered. The annual mean concentrations are predicted with the CALPUFF air quality modeling system using the year 2012 emission and meteorological data. The emission field comprises point, mobile and area sources. The exposure to these pollutants was estimated using population data with a spatial resolution of 0.5 × 0.5 km2. Changes in mortality and in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated with relative risk functions obtained from literature. It has been predicted that local emissions cause approximately 1600 attributable deaths and 29,000 DALYs per year. About 80% of the health burden was due to exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Mobile and area sources contributed 46% and 52% of total DALYs, respectively. When the inflow from outside was included, the burden nearly doubled to 51,000 DALYs. These results indicate that local decisions can potentially reduce associated negative health effects, but a national-level policy is required for reducing the strong environmental impact of PM emissions. PMID:29117145

Impact of selected personal factors on seasonal variability of recreationist weather perceptions and preferences in Warsaw (Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindner-Cendrowska, Katarzyna; Błażejczyk, Krzysztof

2018-01-01

Weather and climate are important natural resources for tourism and recreation, although sometimes they can make outdoor leisure activities less satisfying or even impossible. The aim of this work was to determine weather perception seasonal variability of people staying outdoors in urban environment for tourism and recreation, as well as to determine if personal factors influence estimation of recreationist actual biometeorological conditions and personal expectations towards weather elements. To investigate how human thermal sensations vary upon meteorological conditions typical for temperate climate, weather perception field researches were conducted in Warsaw (Poland) in all seasons. Urban recreationists' preference for slightly warm thermal conditions, sunny, windless and cloudless weather, were identified as well as PET values considered to be optimal for sightseeing were defined between 27.3 and 31.7 °C. The results confirmed existence of phenomena called alliesthesia, which manifested in divergent thermal perception of comparable biometeorological conditions in transitional seasons. The results suggest that recreationist thermal sensations differed from other interviewees' responses and were affected not only by physiological processes but they were also conditioned by psychological factors (i.e. attitude, expectations). Significant impact of respondents' place of origin and its climate on creating thermal sensations and preferences was observed. Sex and age influence thermal preferences, whereas state of acclimatization is related with thermal sensations to some point.

Impact of selected personal factors on seasonal variability of recreationist weather perceptions and preferences in Warsaw (Poland).

PubMed

Lindner-Cendrowska, Katarzyna; Błażejczyk, Krzysztof

2018-01-01

Weather and climate are important natural resources for tourism and recreation, although sometimes they can make outdoor leisure activities less satisfying or even impossible. The aim of this work was to determine weather perception seasonal variability of people staying outdoors in urban environment for tourism and recreation, as well as to determine if personal factors influence estimation of recreationist actual biometeorological conditions and personal expectations towards weather elements. To investigate how human thermal sensations vary upon meteorological conditions typical for temperate climate, weather perception field researches were conducted in Warsaw (Poland) in all seasons. Urban recreationists' preference for slightly warm thermal conditions, sunny, windless and cloudless weather, were identified as well as PET values considered to be optimal for sightseeing were defined between 27.3 and 31.7 °C. The results confirmed existence of phenomena called alliesthesia, which manifested in divergent thermal perception of comparable biometeorological conditions in transitional seasons. The results suggest that recreationist thermal sensations differed from other interviewees' responses and were affected not only by physiological processes but they were also conditioned by psychological factors (i.e. attitude, expectations). Significant impact of respondents' place of origin and its climate on creating thermal sensations and preferences was observed. Sex and age influence thermal preferences, whereas state of acclimatization is related with thermal sensations to some point.

Development of laser technology in Poland: 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jankiewicz, Zdzisław; Jabczyński, Jan K.; Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

2016-12-01

The paper is an introduction to the volume of proceedings and a concise digest of works presented during the XIth National Symposium on Laser Technology (SLT2016) [1]. The Symposium is organized since 1984 every three years [2-8]. SLT2016 was organized by the Institute of Optoelectronics, Military University of Technology (IO, WAT) [9], Warsaw, with cooperation of Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) [10], in Jastarnia on 27-30 September 2016. Symposium Proceedings are traditionally published by SPIE [11-19]. The meeting has gathered around 150 participants who presented around 120 research and technical papers. The Symposium, organized every 3 years is a good portrait of laser technology and laser applications development in Poland at university laboratories, governmental institutes, company R&D laboratories, etc. The SLT also presents the current technical projects under realization by the national research, development and industrial teams. Topical tracks of the Symposium, traditionally divided to two large areas - sources and applications, were: laser sources in near and medium infrared, picosecond and femtosecond lasers, optical fiber lasers and amplifiers, semiconductor lasers, high power and high energy lasers and their applications, new materials and components for laser technology, applications of laser technology in measurements, metrology and science, military applications of laser technology, laser applications in environment protection and remote detection of trace substances, laser applications in medicine and biomedical engineering, laser applications in industry, technologies and material engineering.

[Scarlet fever in Poland in 2010].

PubMed

Staszewska, Ewa; Kondej, Barbara; Czarkowski, Mirosław P

2012-01-01

Assessing the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in 2010. The analysis was based mainly on data published in the bulletin, "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010" (Warsaw 2011, NIPH-NIH , CSI). Since 2004, Poland is observed epidemic growth in the number of scarlet fever cases. However, incidence level is much lower than in previous epidemic periods. There were 13,940 cases registered in 2010 in total and the incidence was 36.5 per 100,000 population ranging from 18.1 in łódzkie voivodeship to 47.5 in mazowieckie voivodeship. Cases among children and adolescents of less than 15 years of age accounted for 97.0% of all cases. The highest incidence was observed among 4 years old children (603.1) and 5 years old children (624.9). Incidence in men (41.8) markedly exceeded the incidence in women (31.6) and incidence in urban areas (41.3) and in rural areas (29.0). Approximately 1.2% of all cases were hospitalized. Due to scarlet fever there were no deaths in Poland in 2010. Favourable epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland is largely a result of demographic changes--reducing the involvement of children in society. In terms of disease prevention and control is necessary to increase the proportion of cases in which clinical diagnosis is confirmed by the result of bacteriological tests.

How accurate are the weather forecasts for Bierun (southern Poland)?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gawor, J.

2012-04-01

Weather forecast accuracy has increased in recent times mainly thanks to significant development of numerical weather prediction models. Despite the improvements, the forecasts should be verified to control their quality. The evaluation of forecast accuracy can also be an interesting learning activity for students. It joins natural curiosity about everyday weather and scientific process skills: problem solving, database technologies, graph construction and graphical analysis. The examination of the weather forecasts has been taken by a group of 14-year-old students from Bierun (southern Poland). They participate in the GLOBE program to develop inquiry-based investigations of the local environment. For the atmospheric research the automatic weather station is used. The observed data were compared with corresponding forecasts produced by two numerical weather prediction models, i.e. COAMPS (Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System) developed by Naval Research Laboratory Monterey, USA; it runs operationally at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling in Warsaw, Poland and COSMO (The Consortium for Small-scale Modelling) used by the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management. The analysed data included air temperature, precipitation, wind speed, wind chill and sea level pressure. The prediction periods from 0 to 24 hours (Day 1) and from 24 to 48 hours (Day 2) were considered. The verification statistics that are commonly used in meteorology have been applied: mean error, also known as bias, for continuous data and a 2x2 contingency table to get the hit rate and false alarm ratio for a few precipitation thresholds. The results of the aforementioned activity became an interesting basis for discussion. The most important topics are: 1) to what extent can we rely on the weather forecasts? 2) How accurate are the forecasts for two considered time ranges? 3) Which precipitation threshold is the most predictable? 4) Why are some weather elements easier to verify than others? 5) What factors may contribute to the quality of the weather forecast?

The Maritime Security of the Baltic Approaches. NATO and the Warsaw Pact.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

the last of which was transferred in 1970 when Poland received a SAM Kotlin class destroyer. They have also received several coastal patrol craft...conscripts). 4 W-class submarines. I Kotlin destroyer with two Goa SAM. 13 Osa FAC(M) with Styx SSM. 17 FAC(T): 4 Pilica, 10 Wisla, 3 P-6. 23 large...cruisers CG (Kara, Kresta, Kynda) 2 2 - Light cruisers CL (Sverdlov, Chapaev 4 5 2 Guided missile destroyers DDG (Kashin, Kilden, Kanin, Kivak, Kotlin (SAM

Entropic Elastic Processes in Protein Mechanisms. Part 2. Simple (Passive) and Coupled (Active) Development of Elastic Forces,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

al., 1985; Pethig, 1979; Zana and Tondre, 1972; Schneider, et al., 1969; Cho, et al., 1985). Interestingly an increase in ultrasonic absorption has...Health Hazards of Microwave Radiation (Czerski, P., ed.), Polish Medical Publishers, Warsaw, Poland, pp. 152-159. Senior, R. M., Griffin, G. L., Mecham...and Oosawa, F. (1985). Nature 316, 366-369. Zana , R. and Tondre, C. (1972). J. Phys. Chem. 76, 1737-1743. Figure Legends: Figure Primary structure of

[Prof. Włodzimierz Kuryłowicz (MD) (1910-1991)--100th anniversary of birthday].

PubMed

Kurzatkowski, Wiesław; Staniszewska, Monika; Madaliński, Kazimierz; Juśkiewicz, Ewa

2010-01-01

The death of Professor Włodzimierz Kuryłowicz on February 21, 1991 at the age of 80 was a great loss that is especially felt by all those who have been involved in the research of antibiotics. He is remembered as one of pioneers of the antibiotic era. Prof. W. Kuryłowicz was born September 26, 1910 in Lvov. He received his MD from the Jan Kazimierz University in Lvov. Following posts as an Associate Professor of Microbiology at Lvov and as a research bacteriologist at the National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw he became a Professor of Microbiology at that Institute. He was Director of the Institute from 1964 to 1980. More than 270 of this works regarded such topics as: antibiotic biogenesis and biosynthesis, numerical taxonomy of Streptomyces spp., evaluation of BCG and microbial fine structure. Prof. W. Kuryłowicz was a recipient of the National Prize Award for scientific guidance in construction of the first antibiotic industry in Poland, and the National Prize Award for the co-authorship of the monograph "Antibiotics - Origin, Nature and Properties". He was also recipient of Doctorates honoris causa of: Nicolas Copernicus Medical University in Poland; University of Oslo; University of Lille; Medical University of Debrecen, Hungary; University of Liège, Belgium; Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil; University of Quèbec, Canada; University of Münster, Germany.

Occurrence of cardiovascular drugs in the sewage-impacted Vistula River and in tap water in the Warsaw region (Poland).

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Stankiewicz, Albert; Wroczyński, Piotr; Nałęcz-Jawecki, Grzegorz

2016-12-01

In recent years, cardiovascular diseases were the second most common cause of death worldwide. Therefore, the consumption of drugs used to treat cardiovascular diseases is high. So far, there were no such comprehensive reports regarding the presence of cardiovascular drugs in surface and tap waters, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The aim of our study was to determine the presence of 30 pharmaceutically active compounds and some of their metabolites, at specific points of the Vistula River and in tap water samples in the Warsaw region. The analysis was performed using the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method, coupled to solid-phase extraction. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first time where the presence of ciprofibrate in the environment was investigated. Cardiovascular drugs found at the highest concentrations (reaching 1 μg/L or higher) in surface water were beta-blockers, sartans and diuretics. In tap water samples, trace amounts of pharmaceuticals were detected, for almost all target compounds. This highlights their inadequate elimination by the treatment facility used in the Warsaw region. The presence of cardiovascular compounds in the aquatic environment could have a long-term effect even at a low exposure level, since synergy effects amongst pharmaceuticals may occur.

Alcohol and cigarette use among Warsaw adolescents: Factors associated with risk and resilience

PubMed Central

Pisarska, Agnieszka; Eisman, Andria; Ostaszewski, Krzysztof; Zimmerman, Marc A.

2016-01-01

Background Youth in Poland are at notable risk for substance use. Guided by resiliency theory, we examine if developmental risk and promotive factors are associated with substance abuse risk. Objectives We examined the association between adolescent cigarette and alcohol use and related risk and promotive factors including maternal support, neighbours’ informal social control, friends’ acceptance of substance use, and alcohol and cigarette use by nonparental adults. Method Data were collected from a random sample of 13–14-year old students attending Warsaw middle schools (N=3029). We used hierarchical regression models and examined compensatory and protective models of resilience, controlling for sociodemograhic factors. Results Our results indicated that friends’ acceptance of substance use and perceived drug use among nonparental adults was associated with increased risk cigarette and alcohol use among youth. We found that maternal support moderated the relationship between friends’ acceptance of substance use and cigarette use (protective model of resilience). Thus, maternal support buffered the negative effects of friends’ acceptance of use on youths’ cigarette use. Neighbor’s informal social control and maternal support were associated with reduced risk of alcohol use (compensatory model of resilience). Conclusion Collectively, results of the study support compensatory and protective models of resilience in a large representative sample of Warsaw adolescents. PMID:27223142

Schmallenberg virus antibodies detected in Poland.

PubMed

Kaba, J; Czopowicz, M; Witkowski, L

2013-02-01

Between 24 and 30 July 2012 230 adult goats from three western provinces of Poland bordering on Germany (Western Pomerania, Lubuskie and Lower Silesia) were blood-sampled and tested for antibodies to Schmallenberg virus (SBV) using indirect immunoenzymatic test (ID Screen® Schmallenberg virus indirect, IDvet Innovative Diagnostics). The ELISA test identified 21 seropositive goats - 15 in Western Pomerania (16% of all goats tested in this province), five in Lubuskie (6%) and one in Lower Silesia (2%). Our study demonstrates for the first time the presence of antibodies to SBV in Poland. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Defining Democracy and the Terms of Engagement with the Postsocialist Polish State: Insights from HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

This article explores the history of HIV activism in Poland from the socialist period through the early 1990s transformation as a means of examining the reconfiguration of rights, obligations, and responsibility as Poland redefined itself as a market democracy. Drawing on archival materials, in-depth qualitative interviews with current and former HIV activists, and participant observation at HIV prevention organizations in Warsaw, Poland, I sketch the ways in the socialist system’s failures to protect the health of its subjects led to the terms through which state-citizen engagement were defined in the postsocialist period. Uncertainties and anxieties surrounding who was responsible for protecting the health and well-being of citizens in the newly democratic Poland gave rise to a series of violent protests centered on HIV prevention and care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Resolution of these political and social crises involved defining democracy in postsocialist Poland through claims to moral authority, in alliance with the Catholic Church, and an obligation by multiple stakeholders to disseminate technical/scientific knowledge. By comparing the responses to the epidemic by diverse institutions, including the government, the Catholic Church, and the fledgling gay rights movement, this analysis reveals the ways in which democracy in postsocialist Poland tightly links science, democratic reform, and moral/religious authority, while at the same time excluding sexual minorities from engaging in political activism centered on rights to health and inclusion in the new democracy. PMID:20190876

Current status of Polish Fireball Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiśniewski, M.; Żołądek, P.; Olech, A.; Tyminski, Z.; Maciejewski, M.; Fietkiewicz, K.; Rudawska, R.; Gozdalski, M.; Gawroński, M. P.; Suchodolski, T.; Myszkiewicz, M.; Stolarz, M.; Polakowski, K.

2017-09-01

The Polish Fireball Network (PFN) is a project to monitor regularly the sky over Poland in order to detect bright fireballs. In 2016 the PFN consisted of 36 continuously active stations with 57 sensitive analogue video cameras and 7 high resolution digital cameras. In our observations we also use spectroscopic and radio techniques. A PyFN software package for trajectory and orbit determination was developed. The PFN project is an example of successful participation of amateur astronomers who can provide valuable scientific data. The network is coordinated by astronomers from Copernicus Astronomical Centre in Warsaw, Poland. In 2011-2015 the PFN cameras recorded 214,936 meteor events. Using the PFN data and the UFOOrbit software 34,609 trajectories and orbits were calculated. In the following years we are planning intensive modernization of the PFN network including installation of dozens of new digital cameras.

A report from Poland: treatment and non-treatment of defective newborns.

PubMed

Szawarski, Zbigniew

1990-04-01

The author and his colleagues surveyed pediatricians in Warsaw, Poland, to determine the doctors' attitudes toward treating infants with severe handicaps. They used a questionnaire originally designed by Australian researchers to survey pediatricians and compared their findings with those of the Australian study. Szawarski notes important differences between the approaches of Australian and Polish doctors to the treatment of handicapped newborns. Polish physicians tend to display an unconditional respect for life, a paternalistic attitude toward decision making, and an unwillingness to distinguish between ordinary and extraordinary means of prolonging life. Half the Polish respondents would be willing to preserve the lives of severely handicapped infants at all costs. Szawarski discusses six factors that may help to explain why Polish physicians have a different approach from that of their Western colleagues to the question of selective treatment of handicapped newborns.

[Tetanus in Poland in 2010].

PubMed

Zieliński, Andrzej; Rudowska, Jolanta

2012-01-01

Epidemiological assessment of the incidence of tetanus in Poland in 2010 was based on the analysis of aggregate data provided by the State Sanitary Inspection and published an annual newsletter: Infectious diseases and intoxications in Poland in 2010, compiled by MP Czarkowski, E Cielebak, B Kondej, E Staszewska, Warsaw in 2011 and based on an annual newsletter: Vaccinations in Poland in 2010, compiled by MP Czarkowski, E Cielebak, B Kondej, E Staszewska, Warsaw 2011. A more accurate characterization of disease was based on the individual reports sent to the Department of Epidemiology, NIPH-NIH. In the last decade the incidence of tetanus has remained below 0.08/100 000 inhabitants. The average annual incidence was lower than in the previous decade, but within the last ten years to the annual variation is difficult to assign a distinct incidence tendency. Rather, they correspond to random fluctuations. In 2010, 16 cases were reported, including which occurred in 2009. All cases was reported as probable--diagnosis based on clinical signs and information about injuries. Overall incidence was 0.042/100 000, which was small and not significanty different from incidence in 2009 (0.05/100 000). All cases in 2010, were over 59 years of age, which is a strong expression of the trend observed for years that the disease is present in older age groups where the level of vaccination against tetanus is particularly low. Among people infected, there were three men and 13 women. Four cases ended with deaths. Three of these were women, among whom mortality was 23.1%, and one death occurred in a man, mortality 33.3%. Three deaths occurred among the 6 cases in people over 79 years of age, mortality 50%. The incubation period of the disease in 3 cases was less than 7 days, in 4 cases 8-14 days, in 4 cases 15-21 days, in 2 cases 22 days and more. Portals of entry of infection in 7 cases accounted for abrasion or laceration, in 6 cases the puncture wound in one it was bitten wound, and in 2 cases, the gates of infection remained unknown. In 3 cases involved people getting vaccinated, and 13 were not given information about the vaccination. No case has not occurred in a person with a documented vaccination. High degree of vaccination of children and adolescents against tetanus makes the tetanus, in these age groups almost completely eliminated, and the few cases occured in people in older age groups. But this is not a disease that can be eliminated from the environment and the risk of non-vaccinated people will always be in the case of injury with rupture of skin and contamination of the wound. Therefore it is important to maintain the current level of children and adolescents vaccinated against tetanus and pay attention to vaccination after injuries and adequate supply of injuries. This is particularly true of the elderly population.

Chickenpox in Poland in 2011.

PubMed

Lipke, Małgorzata; Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona

2013-01-01

A number of chickenpox cases which occur in children indicate the rationality of the use of preventive vaccination. In Poland since 2002, chickenpox vaccination is recommended. The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological situation of chickenpox in Poland in 2011 and to compare with the situation in the previous years. Assessment of the epidemiological situation chickenpox in 2011 in Poland was based on analysis of the data published in the annual bulletins: "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011." and "Immunization Safety in Poland in 2011 (Czarkowski MP. Et al., Warsaw, NIPH-NIH, GIS). In addition, on data from the "Immunization Program for 2011" (Annex to the Statement of the Chief Sanitary Inspector on Oct. 28, 2010). In 2011. 172 855 registered cases of chickenpox were registered in Poland n 2011. Incidence was 448.7/100. It was lower than in 2010. (480.4/100,000). Highest incidence was in Mazowieckie, the lowest in Podlaskie. Across the age groups the highest incidence (3708.7/100,000) was reported in age group 5-9. The incidence of chickenpox in men (472.3/100,000) was higher than in women (426.5/100,000). In inhabitants of rural areas it was higher (473.5) than among urban residents (432.7/100,000). Number of hospitalized cases was 1 016. Number of people vaccinated against chickenpox amounted to 38 943 people. In 2011 there was small decrease in the incidence of chickenpox. But the rising trend is continuing in Poland since 2004. It can be partly be explained by improved surveillance of the disease. Overall high incidence of chickenpox brings problem of widespread vaccination of children.

Burden of disease caused by local transport in Warsaw, Poland

PubMed Central

Tainio, Marko

2015-01-01

Transport is a major source of air pollution, noise, injuries and physical activity in the urban environment. The quantification of the health risks and benefits arising from these factors would provide useful information for the planning of cost-effective mitigation actions. In this study we quantified the burden of disease caused by local transport in the city of Warsaw, Poland. The disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated for transport related air pollution (particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), cadmium, lead and nickel), noise, injuries and physical activity. Exposure to these factors was based on local and international data, and the exposure-response functions (ERFs) were based on published reviews and recommendations. The uncertainties were quantified and propagated with the Monte Carlo method. Local transport generated air pollution, noise and injuries were estimated to cause approximately 58,000 DALYs in the study area. From this burden 44% was due to air pollution and 46% due to noise. Transport related physical activity was estimated to cause a health benefit of 17,000 DALYs. Main quantified uncertainties were related to disability weight for the annoyance (due to noise) and to the ERFs for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution and walking. The results indicate that the health burden of transport could be mitigated by reducing motorized transport, which causes air pollution and noise, and by encouraging walking and cycling in the study area. PMID:26516622

Health Impacts of Active Transportation in Europe.

PubMed

Rojas-Rueda, David; de Nazelle, Audrey; Andersen, Zorana J; Braun-Fahrländer, Charlotte; Bruha, Jan; Bruhova-Foltynova, Hana; Desqueyroux, Hélène; Praznoczy, Corinne; Ragettli, Martina S; Tainio, Marko; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J

2016-01-01

Policies that stimulate active transportation (walking and bicycling) have been related to heath benefits. This study aims to assess the potential health risks and benefits of promoting active transportation for commuting populations (age groups 16-64) in six European cities. We conducted a health impact assessment using two scenarios: increased cycling and increased walking. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality related to changes in physical activity level, exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution with a diameter <2.5 μm, as well as traffic fatalities in the cities of Barcelona, Basel, Copenhagen, Paris, Prague, and Warsaw. All scenarios produced health benefits in the six cities. An increase in bicycle trips to 35% of all trips (as in Copenhagen) produced the highest benefits among the different scenarios analysed in Warsaw 113 (76-163) annual deaths avoided, Prague 61 (29-104), Barcelona 37 (24-56), Paris 37 (18-64) and Basel 5 (3-9). An increase in walking trips to 50% of all trips (as in Paris) resulted in 19 (3-42) deaths avoided annually in Warsaw, 11(3-21) in Prague, 6 (4-9) in Basel, 3 (2-6) in Copenhagen and 3 (2-4) in Barcelona. The scenarios would also reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the six cities by 1,139 to 26,423 (metric tonnes per year). Policies to promote active transportation may produce health benefits, but these depend of the existing characteristics of the cities. Increased collaboration between health practitioners, transport specialists and urban planners will help to introduce the health perspective in transport policies and promote active transportation.

Violations of the international code of marketing of breast milk substitutes: prevalence in four countries

PubMed Central

Taylor, Anna

1998-01-01

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of violations of the international code of marketing of substitutes for breast milk in one city in each of Bangladesh, Poland, South Africa, and Thailand. Design: Multistage random sampling was used to select pregnant women and mothers of infants ⩽6 months old to interview at health facilities. Women were asked whether they had received free samples of substitutes for breast milk (including infant formula designed to meet the nutritional needs of infants from birth to 4 to 6 months of age, follow on formula designed to replace infant formula at the age of 4 to 6 months, and complementary foods for infants aged ⩽6 months), bottles, or teats. The source of the free sample and when it had been given to the women was also determined. 3 health workers were interviewed at each facility to assess whether the facility had received free samples, to determine how they had been used, and to determine whether gifts had been given to health workers by companies that manufactured or distributed breast milk substitutes. Compliance with the marketing code for information given to health workers was evaluated using a checklist. Setting: Health facilities in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Warsaw, Poland; Durban, South Africa; and Bangkok, Thailand. Subjects: 1468 pregnant women, 1582 mothers of infants aged ⩽6 months, and 466 health workers at 165 health facilities. Main outcome measures: Number of free samples received by pregnant women, mothers, and health workers; number of gifts given to health workers; and availability of information that violated the code in health facilities. Results: 97 out of 370 (26%) mothers in Bangkok reported receiving free samples of breast milk substitutes, infant formula, bottles, or teats compared with only 1 out of 385 mothers in Dhaka. Across the four cities from 3 out of 40 (8%) to 20 out of 40 (50%) health facilities had received free samples which were not being used for research or professional evaluation; from 2 out of 123 (2%) to 21 out of 119 (18%) health workers had received gifts from companies involved in the manufacturing or distribution of breast milk substitutes. From 6 out of 40 (15%) to 22 out of 39 (56%) health facilities information that violated the code had been provided by companies and was available to staff. Conclusion: Violations of the code were detected with a simple survey instrument in all of the four countries studied. Governmental and non-governmental agencies should monitor the prevalence of code violations using the simple methodology developed for this study. Key messages A simple multistage random sampling procedure can be used to interview women and health professionals to assess whether violations of the international code of marketing of substitutes for breast milk are occurring 3050 women and 466 health professionals were interviewed at 165 health facilities in Bangladesh, Poland, South Africa, and Thailand 97 out of 370 mothers in Bangkok reported receiving free samples of breast milk substitutes, infant formula, bottles, or teats compared with only 1 out of 385 mothers in Dhaka. In Bangkok health workers reported that 20 out of 40 health facilities had also received free samples. Most free samples were distributed by health facilities In Warsaw 56% of facilities surveyed were found to have information available for health workers that had been provided by manufacturers or distributors of breast milk substitutes in contravention of the code; 18% of health workers in Warsaw had received free gifts from manufacturers PMID:9552947

Fertility in four regions spanning large contrasts in serum levels of widespread persistent organochlorines: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Toft, Gunnar; Axmon, Anna; Giwercman, Aleksander; Thulstrup, Ane Marie; Rignell-Hydbom, Anna; Pedersen, Henning Sloth; Ludwicki, Jan K; Zvyezday, Valentina; Zinchuk, Andery; Spano, Marcello; Manicardi, Gian Carlo; Bonefeld-Jørgensen, Eva C; Hagmar, Lars; Bonde, Jens Peter

2005-01-01

Background Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) may interfere with reproductive function but direct evidence in humans is very limited. Methods Fertility was examined in four regions with contrasting blood levels of POPs. Pregnant women and their partners in Warsaw (Poland), Kharkiv (Ukraine) and Greenland were consecutively enrolled during antenatal visits. Swedish fishermen and their spouses were recruited separately and independently of current pregnancy. Lipid adjusted serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (DDE) were available for both partners. Time to pregnancy interviews were obtained among 2269 women and 798 men provided a semen sample. Results Inuits had high levels of both POP markers, Swedish fishermen were high in CB-153 but low in DDE, men from Kharkiv were high in DDE and low in CB-153 while men from Warsaw were low in CB-153 and had intermediate DDE levels. Compared to Warsaw couples, fecundability was reduced among couples from Kharkiv [adjusted fecundability ratio (FR) 0.64 (95% CI 0.5–0.8)] and elevated in Swedish fishermen families [FR 1.26 (95% CI 1.0–1.6)]. Adjusted geometric means of sperm counts and morphology did not differ between regions while sperm motility was higher in men living in Warsaw. Conclusion We observed regional differences in time to pregnancy and sperm motility that may be related to regional differences in POP blood levels, but other interpretations are also plausible. In particular, differences in access to safe contraception and in the prevalence of contraceptive failures are most likely to bias comparisons of time to pregnancy. PMID:16280075

Malgorzata Kasperska Henryk Bunka

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

The MarCo Engineering Company Ltd. has its registered seat at Gdynia and was established in 1990. We are the exclusive representative for Poland of the world`s renowned manufacturers of heat distribution network products; Through six subsidiaries (Gdynia, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Cracow, Gliwice and Lublin) and our dealers` network all over Poland the following products and services are offered: (1) automatic control systems for heating and air conditioning; (2) a supervisory remote control system for heat distribution centers; (3) compensating devices for central heating and household hot water installations; (4) radiator thermostatic valves; (5) Meinecke water meters; (6) thermal energy counters; (6)more » a remote calorimeter data reading system SIOX; (7) an electronic central heating costs sharing system - GT-15; (8) compact thermal stations; and (9) compact and pipe exchangers. The modern, high standard devices offered have achieved much success on the Polish market.« less

Prevalence of ESBL-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates in Warsaw, Poland, detected by various phenotypic and genotypic methods

PubMed Central

Róg, Patrycja; Smolińska-Król, Katarzyna; Ćmiel, Milena; Słoczyńska, Alicja; Patzer, Jan; Dzierżanowska, Danuta; Wolinowska, Renata; Starościak, Bohdan; Tyski, Stefan

2017-01-01

Knowledge of the prevalence of ESBL enzymes among P. aeruginosa strains compared to the Enterobacteraiceae family is limited. The phenotypic tests recommended by EUCAST for the detection of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are not always suited for P. aeruginosa strains. This is mainly due to the presence of other families of ESBLs in P. aeruginosa isolates more often than in Enterobacteriaceae, production of natural AmpC cephalosporinase and its overexpression, and co-production of metallo-β-lactamases. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of ESBLs in P. aeruginosa isolated from patients from hospitals in Warsaw, to evaluate the ESBL production of these isolates using currently available phenotypic tests, their modifications, multiplex PCR and molecular typing of ESBL-positive isolates by PFGE. Clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected in 2000-2014 from four Warsaw hospitals. Based on the data obtained in this study, we suggest using three DDST methods with inhibitors, such as clavulanic acid, sulbactam and imipenem, to detect ESBL-producing P. aeruginosa strains. Depending on the appearance of the plates, we suggest a reduction in the distance between discs with antibiotics to 15 mm and the addition of boronic acid at 0.4 mg per disc. The analysed isolates carried genes encoding ESBL from the families VEB (69 isolates with VEB-9), GES (6 with GES-1, 1 GES-5, 5 GES-13 and 2 with GES-15), OXA-2 (12 with OXA-15, 1 OXA-141, 1 OXA-210, 1 OXA-543 and 1 with OXA-544) and OXA-10 (5 isolates with OXA-74 and one with OXA-142). The most important result of this study was the discovery of three new genes, blaGES-15, blaOXA-141 and blaOXA-142; their nucleotide sequences have been submitted to the NCBI GenBank. It is also very important to note that this is the first report on the epidemiological problem of VEB-9-producing bacterial strains, not only in Poland but also worldwide. PMID:28658322

Copper and cadmium in bottom sediments dredged from Wyścigi Pond, Warsaw, Poland--contamination and bioaccumulation study.

PubMed

Wojtkowska, Małgorzata; Karwowska, Ewa; Chmielewska, Iwona; Bekenova, Kundyz; Wanot, Ewa

2015-12-01

This research covered an evaluation of the copper and cadmium concentrations in bottom sediments dredged from one of the ponds in Warsaw. The samples of sediments, soil, and plants were analyzed in terms of Cu and Cd content. The research concerned the heap of dredged bottom sediments from Wyścigi Pond, Warsaw, Poland. Two boreholes were made to obtain sediment cores with depths of A 162.5 cm and B 190.0 cm. The cores were divided into 10 sub-samples with a thickness of about 15-20 cm. A control sample of soil was taken from the horse racecourse several hundred meters away from the heap. The vegetation was sampled directly from the heap. The predominating plants were tested: Urtica dioica, Glechoma hederacea, Euonymus verrucosus, and Drepanocladus aduncus. A control sample of U. dioica taken outside of the heap was also tested. The commercial PHYTOTOXKIT microbiotest was applied to evaluate the influence of heavy metal-contaminated sediments (used as soil) on germination and growth of the chosen test plants. The analyses of cadmium and copper concentrations revealed that the metal concentration in sediments was diverse at different depths of sampling, probably reflecting their concentration in stored layers of sediments. Moreover, the metal content in core A was four to five times lower than that in core B, which reveals heterogeneity of the sediments in the tested heap. In core A, the copper concentration ranged from 4.7 to 13.4 mg/kg d.w. (average 8.06 ± 0.71 mg/kg d.w.), while in core B, it ranged from 9.2 to 82.1 mg/kg d.w. (average 38.56 ± 2.6 mg/kg d.w.). One of the results of the heavy metal presence in soils is their bioaccumulation in plants. Comparing plant growth, more intensive growth of roots was observed in the case of plants growing on the control (reference) soil than those growing on sediments. The intensive development of both primary and lateral roots was noticed. During this early growth, metal accumulation in plants occurred.

National Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplant Registry in Poland: Nationwide Internet Reporting System and Results.

PubMed

Łęczycka, A; Dudkiewicz, M; Czerwiński, J; Malanowski, P; Żalikowska-Hołoweńko, J; Danielewicz, R

2016-06-01

History of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations in Poland begins in early 1980s; the 1st bone marrow allotransplantation was performed in 1983 in the Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy in Warsaw. Following years brought the 1st autologous stem cell transplantations. Ten years later, unrelated bone marrow transplantation was performed for the 1st time by the team of the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Unit in Katowice. Since then, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation developed to be standard procedure and one of the most important therapies applied in leukemia treatment. The number of allotransplantations in Poland has grown significantly in the past 2 decades, which generated new needs and problems. In 2005, based on a new Transplant Law, a National Transplants Registry was created. Its main role is to collect data (registration of procedures and follow-up data) related to every transplantation case for stem cells and tissues as well as for organs. We present statistics concerning stem cell transplantations performed in Poland, as collected in the National Transplants Registry in the years 2006-2014. There are 18 centers transplanting hematopoietic stem cells in Poland. The total number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations performed in 2006-2014 was 3,537, with allotransplantations from relatives accounted for 1,491 and from unrelated donors for 2,046. The main indication for allotransplantation in past years was acute leukemia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Knowledge of physical and rehabilitation medicine among physicians and medical students in Poland].

PubMed

Tederko, Piotr; Krasuski, Marek; Nyka, Izabella; Denes, Zoltan

2015-01-01

Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) since 1959 has been a basic medical specialty in Poland. Recently PRM is practiced by around 1,12% of professionally active physicians in Poland. Due to specificity and unfavorable health care regulations PRM may be inadequately perceived by the medical profession in Poland. Evaluation of basic knowledge of PRM in PRM trainees, non-PRM specialists and medical students in Poland. 500 respondents (225 non-PRM specialists--NPRMS, 61 PRM trainees--PRMT and 214 medical students who accomplished undergraduate education in PRM--MS) underwent testing with an anonymous questionnaire elaborated at Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary and modified at Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. SELECTED RESULTS: 404 (80,8%) respondents (88.3% MS; 68.9% NPRMS and 98.3% PRMT) perceived PRM as a basic medical specialty. 49.1% of MS, 47.1% of NPRMS and 73.4% of PRMT noticed the leading role of a PRM physician in comprehensive rehabilitation of persons with exemplary disabilities. 408 (81.6%) participants (77.6% MS, 82.2% NPRMS and 93.4% PRMT) knew who was eligible to refer a patient to PRM physician. Rate of disabled persons in Poland was properly reported by 330 (66%) participants (63.1% MS; 69.3% NPRMS and 63.9% PRMT). Correct definition of disability was given by 256 (51.2%) respondents (65%) MS, 33.8% NPRMS and 67.2% PRMT), whereas 200 (40%) participants (43.5% MS; 31.1% NPRMS and 60.7% PRMT were familiar with the definition of PRM. Poor knowledge of PRM role in health care system among MS and NPRMS and Low awareness of cardinal PRM issues among PRMT reflects inadequate undergraduate and postgraduate education in PRM, disadvantageous healthcare system solutions and misleading information in mass media in Poland. Education on PRM role in a contemporary healthcare should be urgently improved.

GEM detectors for WEST and potential application for heavy impurity transport studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazon, D.; Jardin, A.; Coston, C.; Faisse, F.; Chernyshova, M.; Czarski, T.; Kasprowicz, G.; Wojenski, A.

2016-08-01

In tokamaks equipped with metallic walls and in particular tungsten, the interplay between particle transport and MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD) activity might lead to impurities accumulation and finally to sudden plasma termination called disruption. Studying such transport phenomena is thus essential if stationary discharges are to be achieved. On WEST a new SXR diagnostic is developed in collaboration with IPPLM (Poland) and the Warsaw University of Technology, based on a triple Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detector. Potential application of the WEST GEM detectors for tomographic reconstruction and subsequent transport analysis is presented.

The International Workshop on Flame Chemistry (1st) Held in Warsaw, Poland on 28-29 July 2012

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

National Lab, USA) Frederick L. Dryer (Princeton University, USA) 12:15 – 13:30 Lunch Session 3: Uncertainty Quantification... Dryer , and Ju, CF 2010 N-decane Toluene 0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 -2.00E-04 -1.50E-04 -1.00E-04 -5.00E-05 0.00E+00 5.00E-05 1.00E-04 1.50E-04...diffusion flames 0.1 mm Won, Sun, Dooley, Dryer , and Ju, CF 2010 H Diffusion loss High pressure hydrogen kinetics: ignition and flames 0.00 0.20

Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craciun, Valentin; Sánchez, Florencio

2016-09-01

The present issue contains a collection of representative papers presented in the Symposium L, "Towards Oxide-Based Electronics: growth and applications of oxide thin films and heterostructures", organized during the E-MRS Fall Meeting, 15-18 September 2015 in Warsaw, Poland. The Symposium L was organised and sponsored by the COST Action MP1308 "Towards oxide-based electronics" (TO-BE), a four-year EU project that started in June 2014. Over 100 participants from different countries all over the world presented new results on oxide thin films epitaxial growth, on emergent functionalities at oxide interfaces, and on applications of oxides in the fields on nanoelectronics, energy, sensing and actuation.

Bayesian evidence synthesis to estimate HIV prevalence in men who have sex with men in Poland at the end of 2009.

PubMed

Rosinska, M; Gwiazda, P; De Angelis, D; Presanis, A M

2016-04-01

HIV spread in men who have sex with men (MSM) is an increasing problem in Poland. Despite the existence of a surveillance system, there is no direct evidence to allow estimation of HIV prevalence and the proportion undiagnosed in MSM. We extracted data on HIV and the MSM population in Poland, including case-based surveillance data, diagnostic testing prevalence data and behavioural data relating to self-reported prior diagnosis, stratified by age (⩽35, >35 years) and region (Mazowieckie including the capital city of Warsaw; other regions). They were integrated into one model based on a Bayesian evidence synthesis approach. The posterior distributions for HIV prevalence and the undiagnosed fraction were estimated by Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. To improve the model fit we repeated the analysis, introducing bias parameters to account for potential lack of representativeness in data. By placing additional constraints on bias parameters we obtained precisely identified estimates. This family of models indicates a high undiagnosed fraction [68·3%, 95% credibility interval (CrI) 53·9-76·1] and overall low prevalence (2·3%, 95% CrI 1·4-4·1) of HIV in MSM. Additional data are necessary in order to produce more robust epidemiological estimates. More effort is urgently needed to ensure timely diagnosis of HIV in Poland.

Evaluation of vitamins A, C and E content in diets of adolescents living in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Dybkowska, Ewa; Waszkiewicz-Robak, Bozena; Piekot, Edyta

2014-01-01

Antioxidant vitamins such as alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and beta-carotene (provitamin A), play a significant role in protecting the body from an excess of free radicals. The vitamin content of the diet is thus very important. To assess whether the dietary intake of vitamins A, C and E is adequate in a selected group of adolescents living in Warsaw. The mean vitamin consumption was estimated using three-day dietary records whilst vitamin contents of selected foodstuffs were obtained from Food Composition Tables. Both were related to Polish nutrition standards applied to adolescents; i.e. EAR (Estimated Average Requirement) for vitamins A and C and AI (Adequate Intake) for vitamin E. Dietary vitamin C in adolescents and vitamin E in girls were around 18-25% lower than that recommended. Diets that were deficient in vitamins C and E were recorded in 47% to 67% adolescents. It is therefore necessary to increase the consumption of vegetables and fruit which provide a valuable dietary source for these vitamins.

[Is Władysław Ołtuszewski a creator of modern phoniatrics in Poland?].

PubMed

Kierzek, A

1995-01-01

In 1880 Władysław Ołtuszewski founded the faulty articulation infirmary, which was functioning until 1892. He was also working (1884-1892) at the department of Dr Heryng, one of the pioneers of Polish laryngology. He was involved in a welfare work in Warsaw Charity Society. He supported his interest in physiopathology of speech with studies in foreign centres in Germany and France. In 1892 he founded the "Warsaw Therapeutic Institution for persons stricken with speech deviations". It was the first phoniatric infirmary. He was delivering lectures, talks and he published tens papers in field of speech physiopathology. He was indicating the connection of dysphasia with psychiatric disorders. The author has presented in his article the main assumptions of the most valuable book by Ołtuszewski: Study of the science on speech and its deviations, and speech hygiene, published in 1905, pointing out that compared with the books by foreign authors the contents of this one was much ampler and more modern. He has also presented the comprehensive picture of Ołtuszewski's scientific output and wide non-scientific interests.

Silesia Dryvit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Presz, K.

1995-12-31

MT International, as a manufacturer and distributor for of US company named Dryvit Systems is focused on weatherization techniques as well as on facade and external wall finishing. The materials manufactured by Dryvit for building and construction purposes (plaster masses, building binders, insulating materials, reinforced fabric, etc.) are used at many sites. The consistent and well-selected composition of these materials guarantees highest quality of facade finishing in building structures of any type. The first implementation of Dryvit system in Warsaw was completed in 1974 and it remains the first exampled of professionally weatherized building in Poland. Different versions of Dryvitmore » system have been elaborated for various plaster base types. Consequently the assembling procedure differs, too. The main classification includes methods used directly on-site by a specialized contractor as well as prefabrication systems in which the ready-made elements prefabricated in a central plant or in a moveable unit are mounted on the walls. Distribution of materials and systems is based upon a network of branch offices and plaster mass mixter plants located in Warsaw, Szczecin, Lublin, Gdansk and Zabrze.« less

Severe COPD cases from Korea, Poland, and USA have substantial differences in respiratory symptoms and other respiratory illnesses.

PubMed

Kim, Woo Jin; Yim, Jae-Joon; Kim, Deog Kyeom; Lee, Myung Goo; Fuhlbrigge, Anne L; Sliwinski, Pawel; Hawrylkiewicz, Iwona; Wan, Emily S; Cho, Michael H; Silverman, Edwin K

2017-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by irreversible airflow obstruction, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, geographic differences in the clinical characteristics of severe COPD patients have not been widely studied. We recruited a total of 828 severe COPD cases from three continents. Subjects in Poland were enrolled by the Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Warsaw; subjects in Korea participated at several university hospitals in Korea; and subjects in USA were enrolled at two clinics affiliated with academic medical centers. All subjects were over the age of 30 with at least 10 pack-years of cigarette smoking history. Cases manifested severe to very severe airflow obstruction with post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) <50% predicted and FEV 1 /forced vital capacity <0.7. All subjects completed a detailed questionnaire and underwent standardized pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator spirometry. Subjects with known tuberculosis (TB)-associated lung parenchymal destruction were excluded. Univariate and multivariate assessments of the impact of the country of origin on respiratory symptoms and respiratory illness were performed. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, a history of TB (38.7%) and physician-diagnosed asthma (43.9%) were significantly more common in subjects with severe COPD from Korea than USA or Poland, while attacks of bronchitis (64.2%) were more common in subjects with severe COPD from Poland. COPD subjects from Poland had more severe dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council 3.3±1.0) and more frequently reported symptoms of chronic bronchitis (52.2%). A history of TB was also more common in Poland (10.8%) than in USA (0.3%) severe COPD patients. Respiratory symptoms and other respiratory illnesses associated with severe COPD differed widely among three continents.

[Lyme borreliosis in Poland in 2010].

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Chrześcijańska, Irena

2012-01-01

Lyme borreliosis is an animal, affecting multiple systems infectious disease transmitted to humans by the ticks (vector) belonging to the genus Ixodes. The incidence of Lyme borreliosis is conterminous with the ticks habitat and covers the Northern Hemisphere. The Department of Epidemiology of National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene (NIPH-NIH) is liable for the registration of Lyme borreliosis since 1996. The highest incidence of Lyme borreliosis is observed in the north-east region, but it should be noted that the disease is not only restricted to the aforesaid area of Poland. The aim of the present article is to analyze the epidemiological situation of Lyme borreliosis in Poland in 2010 with its comparison to the situation observed in the previous years. The epidemiological situation of Lyme borreliosis in Poland was analyzed on the basis of case-based questionnaires for Lyme borreliosis sent to Epidemiology Department NIPH-NIH by the Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations and the data from the bulletin--"Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2010" (MP Czarkowski et al., Warsaw 2011, NIPH-NIH, Chief Sanitary Inspectorate). In 2010, 9005 Lyme borreliosis cases were registered in Poland, which constitutes a 13% decrease in the number of reported cases and incidence (23.6 per 100 000 population) in the comparison with the previous year. The highest incidence, accounting for 76.0 per 100 000 population, was reported in podlaskie voivodeship. 2318 persons were hospitalized due to Lyme borreliosis. In 2010, for the first time in eight years, an increased tendency of the number of registered Lyme borreliosis cases was not observed. An approximately 13% decline in the number of notified cases was reported in comparison with the previous year. There is still a low number of Western blot tests performed to confirm the disease.

Short Communications Prepared for the Second Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Mental Deficiency (Warsaw, 1970).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. Inst. of Defectology.

Presented are 24 brief papers prepared by members of the Institute of Defectology in the Soviet Union for a congress on the scientific study of mental deficiency held in Warsaw in 1970. Major papers have the following titles: "Principal Directions of the Study of Anomalous Children in the U.S.S.R.", "Etiopathogenesis and…

Spatial Distribution and Conservation of Speckled Hind and Warsaw Grouper in the Atlantic Ocean off the Southeastern U.S.

PubMed Central

Farmer, Nicholas A.; Karnauskas, Mandy

2013-01-01

There is broad interest in the development of efficient marine protected areas (MPAs) to reduce bycatch and end overfishing of speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi) and warsaw grouper (Hyporthodus nigritus) in the Atlantic Ocean off the southeastern U.S. We assimilated decades of data from many fishery-dependent, fishery-independent, and anecdotal sources to describe the spatial distribution of these data limited stocks. A spatial classification model was developed to categorize depth-grids based on the distribution of speckled hind and warsaw grouper point observations and identified benthic habitats. Logistic regression analysis was used to develop a quantitative model to predict the spatial distribution of speckled hind and warsaw grouper as a function of depth, latitude, and habitat. Models, controlling for sampling gear effects, were selected based on AIC and 10-fold cross validation. The best-fitting model for warsaw grouper included latitude and depth to explain 10.8% of the variability in probability of detection, with a false prediction rate of 28–33%. The best-fitting model for speckled hind, per cross-validation, included latitude and depth to explain 36.8% of the variability in probability of detection, with a false prediction rate of 25–27%. The best-fitting speckled hind model, per AIC, also included habitat, but had false prediction rates up to 36%. Speckled hind and warsaw grouper habitats followed a shelf-edge hardbottom ridge from North Carolina to southeast Florida, with speckled hind more common to the north and warsaw grouper more common to the south. The proportion of habitat classifications and model-estimated stock contained within established and proposed MPAs was computed. Existing MPAs covered 10% of probable shelf-edge habitats for speckled hind and warsaw grouper, protecting 3–8% of speckled hind and 8% of warsaw grouper stocks. Proposed MPAs could add 24% more probable shelf-edge habitat, and protect an additional 14–29% of speckled hind and 20% of warsaw grouper stocks. PMID:24260126

Scarlet fever in Poland in 2011.

PubMed

Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Kondej, Barbara; Staszewska, Ewa

2013-01-01

Assessment of the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in 2011 MATERIALS AND MATHODS: The evaluation was performed by analysing the data published in the bulletin, "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011" (Warsaw 2012, NIPH-NIH, CSI) and also in bulletins from previous years. Since 2004 in Poland has been observed epidemic increase in the number of scarlet fever cases. However, the growth rate is significantly slower and incidence is considerably lower than in previous epidemic periods. In 2011, in the country a total of 18 267 cases were registered and incidence was 47.4 per 100,000 population (in provinces: from 23.4 in Łódzkie to 68.0 in Slaskie). The highest incidence was notified in 5-year-old and 6-year-old children (782.4), whereas the incidence of children and young people up to 15 years accounted for 96.9% of all cases. The incidence of men 53.7 by almost 30% was higher than the incidence of women (41.6). The incidence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas and was 53.3 (in rural area 38.3). 1.1% of patients were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. An impact on the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in the last two decades have i.a. demographic changes--decline in the population of children, i.e. in group which is particularly vulnerable to infection. In order to raising the reliability of surveillance data, it is recommended a prominent heightening of the percentage of cases which clinical diagnosis would be confirmed by the result of bacteriological examination.

Physicians and abortion: provision, political participation and conflicts on the ground--the cases of Brazil and Poland.

PubMed

De Zordo, Silvia; Mishtal, Joanna

2011-01-01

Two qualitative studies have been conducted between 2002 and 2009 in Poland and Brazil, two different geopolitical settings in which the Catholic Church has had a significant political influence and where abortion is highly restricted. In both countries, struggles for abortion rights have played an important role in challenging the current restrictive policies and bringing attention to the plight of women unable to obtain abortions. This article examines the political role that physicians play in these contestations, drawing on some findings of two larger qualitative studies. In Poland semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 physicians in Warsaw and Krakow and with 55 women aged 18 to 45 in Gdańsk. In Brazil questionnaires were administered and semi-structured interviews conducted with 22 obstetrician-gynecologists and 23 health professionals in two public maternity hospitals in Salvador da Bahia. This article argues that gynecologists' perspectives and practices not only reflect or heed religious precepts on reproductive rights, but are also deeply influenced by inadequate medical training and by the fear of being prosecuted or stigmatized, especially in Brazil. The political non-engagement of physicians in Poland is driven by the lack of abortion rights discourse in the public arena, poor links with women's rights groups, and the lack of political unity within the medical community. Comparisons between Brazil and Poland ultimately suggest that strong liaisons between physicians and the feminist movement influence physicians' attitudes and political engagement and are most promising in abortion rights advocacy efforts. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Knowledge of the Concept of Encephalic Death: Is This an Obstacle in the Acceptance of Donation and Transplantation of Organs Among Students of Nursing at the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland?

PubMed

Mikla, M; Rios, A; Lopez-Navas, A; Gotlib, J; Kilanska, D; Martinez-Alarcón, L; Ramis, G; Ramirez, P; Lopez Montesinos, M J

2016-09-01

The knowledge and acceptance of the concept of brain death among future health professionals is essential. The objective of this study was to analyze the knowledge of the concept of brain death among nursing students at the Medical University of Warsaw and determine the factors that affect it. Academic year 2011-2012, nursing students of the University of Poland. Sampling points in 5 compulsory-attendance nursing courses with a completion rate >80%. Validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO Rios), anonymous and self-administered. The completion rate was 96% (793/828); 71% (n = 561) knew the concept of brain death, 22% (n = 178) did not know it, and 7% (n = 54) did not know that it implies the death of the patient. Variables related to the correct knowledge: 1) to be studying in 4th year compared with 1st year (85% vs 60%; P ≤ .001); 2) discuss the subject with family (76% vs 61%; P ≤ .001); 3) discuss with friends (73% vs 63%; P = .009); and 4) having a favorable attitude toward organ donation (74% vs 65%; P = .011). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that remained independent were studying in 4th year (odds ratio [OR], 3.809; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.006-5.823; P ≤ .001) and discussed with family concerning donation and transplantation (OR, 1.718; 95% CI, 1.241-2.381; P ≤ .001). One-third of the nursing students were unfamiliar with the concept of brain death. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factors Affecting Attitude Toward Organ Donation Among Nursing Students in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Mikla, M; Rios, A; Lopez-Navas, A; Gotlib, J; Kilanska, D; Martinez-Alarcón, L; Ramis, G; Ramirez, P; Lopez Montesinos, M J

2015-11-01

The opinion of future nursing professionals can influence the number of transplants. The objective of this study was to analyze the attitude of nursing students at the Medical University of Warsaw in the center of Poland toward organ donation and determine the factors that affect this attitude. The study was conducted in the 2011 to 2012 academic year. The study population consisted of nursing students. Type of sampling consisted of sampling in points of compulsory attendance, in the 5 nursing courses with the higher degree of fulfillment of 80%. Measuring instrument used was the validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO Rios). The questionnaire was completed anonymously and was self-administered. The completion rate was 96% (793 of 828). Of the students surveyed (n = 793), 69% (n = 547) were in favor of organ donation and transplantation, 25% (n = 201) were undecided, and 6% (n = 45) were against. This attitude was related to being in favor of donating the organs of a relative (OR = 3.174; P < .001); discussion of the subject with the family (OR = 2.188; P < .001); positive attitude toward donation and transplantation of the father (OR = 3.039; P = .001); considered to having good information on the subject (OR = 8.695; P < .001); being a regular donor blood (OR = 3.597; P = .001); not worried by the possible mutilation of the body after donation (OR = 6.802; P < .001); and accepting other treatment options of the body such as the burial (OR = 1.683; P = .015). More than 30% of the nursing students are not in favor of organ donation, but this attitude is conditioned by several psychosocial factors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Józef Heller-one of organizers of Polish biochemistry in 1942-1973].

PubMed

Zarebska, Zofia

2011-01-01

The article commemorates the activity of Józef Heller starting in 1921 with Jakub Parnas's group in Lvov which investigated the phosphorolysis of glycogen. The unknown events of His biography were disclosed, like military service in the Piłsudski's Legions at the rebirth of the Polish State and, subsequently, during the Nazi occupation of Poland--participation in the clandestine teaching of medical students. In the post-war times Józef Heller undertook teaching of medical students in Wrocław and next in Warsaw. In 1954 He begun to organize the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences--it now continues its activity. Professor Heller initiated the publication in Poland of three major biochemical journals, including Postepy Biochemii (1954). Thanks to His leadership the first Polish Medical Dictionary was published (1981). The article summarizes the pursuit of Józef Heller in various branches of academic life, which were and still are appreciated by subsequent generations of Polish biochemists.

Preface: LCS 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaminskii, Alexander; Hreniak, Dariusz; Ueda, Ken-ichi; Strek, Wieslaw

2015-12-01

The beginning of this century was marked by achievements of ceramists in obtaining high-clarity garnet oxide ceramics. Designed by this time new power semiconductor pumping sources helped demonstrate their laser potential. It became really obvious that originated a new and promising research field in material science and laser physics, which we now call the laser ceramics. Ten years ago, clearly understanding of its scientific value and practical appeal of this complex scientific direction, we as witnesses and active participants in its development, we found it necessary to organize an international symposium where all the concerned scientists, PhD students and students assemble to discuss current aspects of this problem. The first Laser Ceramic Symposium was successfully held in Poland at the end of 2005 in Warsaw. After 10 years and organizing the Symposium in turn, in Japan, France, P.R. China, Spain, Germany, Singapore, Russia, and South Korea, the anniversary, 10th Symposium has been organized again in Poland, in the city of Wroclaw.

The 14th European Immunology Meeting--EFIS 2000. 23-27 September 2000, Poznañ, Poland.

PubMed

Wysocki, P J; Nawrocki, S; Mackiewicz, A

2001-01-01

The 14th European Immunology Meeting--EFIS 2000, held in Poznan, Poland on 23-27 September 2000, was the last major meeting of European immunologists in the second millennium. This conference was intended to summarise past achievements and to present future prospects in immunology. The philosophy of the scientific program was to fuse fundamental and clinical immunology and give a chance for basic scientists and clinicians to discuss mutual topics in a general view. There were eight state-of-art lectures, 12 'meet an expert' sessions, 20 plenary sessions and 46 workshops. More than 900 works were presented. Significant interest was focused on several aspects of cancer immunology and immunotherapy. EFIS 2000 was accompanied by six pre-congress satellite symposia held in various Polish cities. The topics were, 'Heat shock proteins: immune, stress response and apoptosis' (Gdansk), 'Infectious immunity and vaccines' (Kazimierz Dolny), 'Mononuclear phagocytes in basic and clinical immunology' (Cracow), 'Immunology of reproduction' (Poznan), 'Primary immunodeficiencies' (Warsaw) and 'Glycoimmunology' (Wroclaw).

Rabies in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Sadkowska-Todys, Małgorzata; Kucharczyk, Bożena

2014-01-01

Evaluation of the epidemiological situation of rabies in Poland in 2012. Evaluation was based on the analysis of data from questionnaires sent by the Epidemiological-Sanitary Stations. The data are from questionnaires of persons who were administered vaccine against rabies following exposure in Poland and beyond its territory and data from annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012"(Czarkowski MP et al., Warsaw, NIH and CSI) and epizootic data provided by the General Veterinary Inspectorate. In 2012, a total of 257 animal rabies cases were registered in Poland, i.e. nearly 60% more compared to 2011. More than 83% of these cases were reported in Podkarpackie province. Compared to 2011, more than 3.5 increase was noted there. One rabid dog was reported in Śląskie province where one rabies infection in fox was noted there a year ago. Rabies infections in terrestrial animals were also reported in the following provinces: Małopolskie, Lubelskie, Warmińsko-mazurskie and Podlaskie. Single rabies infections in bats were registered in other regions of Poland. In 2012, a total of 7,753 persons were vaccinated against rabies, including 315, i.e. more than 4% due to the exposure to animals infected with rabies virus. Of persons vaccinated due to contact with a rabid animal, nearly 40% and more than 44% were vaccinated following contact with rabid fox and domestic animal, respectively. As with the previous years, humans were vaccinated mostly due to contact with dogs and cats in which rabies could not be excluded - 5,974 persons (77%). A reason for concern is an increase in the number of animal rabies cases reported in 2012, especially in Podkarpackie province. Epizootic situation in Poland affects slightly the number of persons vaccinated against rabies who had contact with an animal which potentially is a source of rabies virus. Since many years, this number remains stable, amounting to 7-8,000 annually.

Extreme Precipitation in Poland in the Years 1951-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinowska, Miroslawa

2017-12-01

The characteristics of extreme precipitation, including the dominant trends, were analysed for eight stations located in different parts of Poland for the period 1951-2010. Five indices enabling the assessment of the intensity and frequency of both extremely dry and wet conditions were applied. The indices included the number of days with precipitation ≥10mm·d-1 (R10), maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD), maximum 5-day precipitation total (R5d), simple daily intensity index (SDII), and the fraction of annual total precipitation due to events exceeding the 95th percentile calculated for the period 1961-1990. Annual trends were calculated using standard linear regression method, while the fit of the model was assessed with the F-test at the 95% confidence level. The analysed changes in extreme precipitation showed mixed patterns. A significant positive trend in the number of days with precipitation ≥10mm·d-1 (R10) was observed in central Poland, while a significant negative one, in south-eastern Poland. Based on the analysis of maximum 5-day precipitation totals (R5d), statistically significant positive trends in north-western, western and eastern parts of the country were detected, while the negative trends were found in the central and northeastern parts. Daily precipitation, expressed as single daily intensity index (SDII), increased over time in northern and central Poland. In southern Poland, the variation of SDII index showed non-significant negative tendencies. Finally, the fraction of annual total precipitation due to the events exceeding the 1961-1990 95th percentile increased at one station only, namely, in Warsaw. The indicator which refers to dry conditions, i.e. maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD) displayed negative trends throughout the surveyed area, with the exception of Szczecin that is a representative of north-western Poland.

Flood Frequency Analysis using different flood descriptors - the Warsaw reach of the river Vistula case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karamuz, Emilia; Kochanek, Krzysztof; Romanowicz, Renata

2014-05-01

Flood frequency analysis (FFA) is customarily performed using annual maximum flows. However, there is a number of different flood descriptors that could be used. Among them are water levels, peaks over the threshold, flood-wave duration, flood volume, etc. In this study we compare different approaches to FFA for their suitability for flood risk assessment. The main goal is to obtain the FFA curve with the smallest possible uncertainty limits, in particular for the distribution tail. The extrapolation of FFA curves is crucial in future flood risk assessment in a changing climate. We compare the FFA curves together with their uncertainty limits obtained using flows, water levels, flood inundation area and volumes for the Warsaw reach of the river Vistula. Moreover, we derive the FFA curves obtained using simulated flows. The results are used to derive the error distribution for the maximum simulated and observed values under different modelling techniques and assess its influence on flood risk predictions for ungauged catchments. MIKE11, HEC-RAS and transfer function model are applied in average and extreme conditions to model flow propagation in the Warsaw Vistula reach. The additional questions we want to answer are what is the range of application of different modelling tools under various flow conditions and how can the uncertainty of flood risk assessment be decreased. This work was partly supported by the projects "Stochastic flood forecasting system (The River Vistula reach from Zawichost to Warsaw)" and "Modern statistical models for analysis of flood frequency and features of flood waves", carried by the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences on the order of the National Science Centre (contracts Nos. 2011/01/B/ST10/06866 and 2012/05/B/ST10/00482, respectively). The water level and flow data were provided by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW), Poland.

Physics olympiad

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Five high school physics students will represent the U.S. at the 20th International Physics Olympiad, July 14-25 in Warsaw, Poland. The Olympiad has been held annually since 1967; this is the fourth year the U.S. will compete. The American Association of Physics Teachers administers the U.S. program; AGU is a principal sponsoring organization of the Olympiad, as is the American Institute of Physics.The students are Derrick Bass, North Miami Beach High School, Miami Beach, Fla.; Steven Gubser, Cherry Creek High School, Englewood, Colo.; Jason Jacobs, Baldwin Senior High School, Baldwin, N.Y.; Jessica Millar, West High School, Madison, Wise; and James Sarvis, Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Va.

[Role of the European Scientific Work Group on Influenza in the battle against influenza].

PubMed

Brydak, Lidia B; Machała, Magdalena

2004-03-01

The European Scientific Working group on Influenza (ESWI) was established in 1992. Its main task is to reduce impact of influenza in Europe by increase of awareness about influenza, dangers, methods of its prevention among physicians and in the society, stimulation of scientific studies, organizing of conferences, including those on the preparedness plans for the next pandemic. Infections, and in some cases also deaths, caused in humans by avian influenza viruses A(H5N1) in 1997 and 2003, A(H9N2) in 1999 and A(H7N7) in 2003 show that the outbreak of the next pandemic is a matter of time. Considering the above facts ESWI prepared a pilot study to introduce in Poland, Germany and Sweden. The main aim of this project is to achieve a better and more effective control of influenza by an increase of knowledge about influenza, promoting of vaccinations and new antiinfluenza drugs--neuraminidase inhibitors. In Poland project is coordinated by the National Influenza Center located at the National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw. This is only one center in Poland and one of 112 similar centers in 83 countries of the world participating in the international program of influenza surveillance in cooperation with WHO, ESWI and European Influenza Surveillance Scheme.

Protection of Children's Human Rights and Health: A Legacy of Julian Kramsztyk, Janusz Korczak, and Ludwik Rajchman.

PubMed

Woltanowski, Piotr; Wincewicz, Andrzej; Sulkowski, Stanisław

2018-01-01

Tutor of generations of Warsaw medical doctors, Julian Kramsztyk (1851-1926) was son of Rabbi Izaak Kramsztyk, Polish patriot and fighter for independent Poland. Julian Kramsztyk graduated in medicine from Warsaw University in 1873 to soon work as a supervisor of the Internal Diseases Department of Bersohns and Baumans Children's Hospital from 1878 to 1910, and despite of refusing professorship from Imperial Warsaw University, he worked as a lecturer of pediatric disorders from 1880 with strong association of his medical practice with scientific and editorial tasks as well as engaging in charity. This article focuses on selective retrieval of biographical data of social and scientific achievements of followers of Julian Kramsztyk: his student, pioneer of children human rights, and pioneer of healthy patterns of nutrition of children, pediatrician Janusz Korczak (Henryk Goldszmit; 1878 or 1879-1942); and a skilled bacteriologist and a brilliant epidemiologist who was a prominent activist of the League of Nations (later United Nations Organization), cofounder of the UNICEF (United Nations Children's Emergency Fund), and the first chairman of the Organization from 1946 to 1950, which was primarily dedicated to "provide emergency food and health care to children in postwar time," Ludwik Rajchman (1881-1965). Janusz Korczak works laid foundation for international recognition of children rights to health, respect, education, privacy, and all the other human rights to be included in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In 1989, nutrition and vaccination issues were the main medical interests of these medical doctors and still remain major fields of UNICEF actions.

Hepatitis C in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Parda, Natalia; Henszel, Lukasz; Stępień, Małgorzata

2014-01-01

In Poland, an estimated 2 000 HCV infections are reported annually, of which chronic stage of infections predominates (>95%). It is estimated that seroprevalence of anti-HCV and prevalence of active infections in the general population amount to ca 0.95% (more than 320 000 persons) and 0.6% (230 000 persons), respectively. The alarming finding is that approximately 90% of persons diagnosed with HCV infection are unaware of the condition and consequently hepatitis C virus may be transmitted to their contacts. The objective of the present article is to determine the epidemiology of HCV infections in Poland in 2012 comparing to the preceding years. The assessment of epidemiological situation of HCV infections in Poland was based on the analysis of aggregated data from the State Sanitary Inspection, published in "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012" (Czarkowski MP et al. "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012" Warsaw, NIPH-NIH and CSI). The data on mortality due to hepatitis C, which was obtained from the Demographic Surveys and Labour Market Department of Central Statistical Office, were also employed. In 2012, Poland reported 2 292 HCV infections, meeting 2005 definition (incidence 5.95), of which 1.4% were co-infections with HCV and HBV (33 cases). Compared to the data of 2011, the incidence was slightly lower (2 338; 6.07). Given 2009 definition, a total of 2 265 cases were reported (5.88), which constituted an increase of 3.5% compared to the data from the previous year (2 241; 5.82). Overall, 217 fatal cases due to hepatitis C were reported in 2012, of whom only 9 (4%) were due to acute stage of infection. Compared to the data from 2011, the epidemiological situation of hepatitis C in Poland has not changed significantly. The alarming fact is the increasing number of deaths due to hepatitis C. Probably, it suggests delayed diagnosis of HCV infections. Thus, it is a necessity to promote early diagnosis of HCV infections which can prevent life and health-threatening sequelae of hepatitis C.

PREFACE: Microparticles in Stokes Flows: Symposium in Honor of François Feuillebois' 65th Birthday

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekiel-Jeżewska, Maria L.

2012-12-01

Microparticles in Stokes Flows - Symposium in Honor of Françcois Feuillebois' 65th Birthday was held from 21-24 August 2011 in Warsaw, Poland. There were 43 participants from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Tunisia, United Kingdom and the USA. They presented 5 invited lectures, 25 contributed talks and 9 posters. The abstracts can be found at microparticles2011.ippt.pan.pl. The subjects were divided into three parts and 13 sessions, listed below. Part I. A variety of particles. Sessions: sedimentation at non-Brownian time scale, Brownian and hydrodynamic interactions of non-spherical particles, active particles, permeable particles, deformable particles and biosystems. Part II. Particles and interfaces. Sessions: confined multiparticle systems, hydrodynamic interactions in confined systems, single particle under confinement, particle-interface interactions, slip at interfaces, slip in suspensions. Part III. Stokes flows and beyond. Sessions: inertial effects, texture and self-assembly. At the end of each session, presentations were followed by extensive discussions (two thirds of the presentation time). Also, two round-table general discussions took place, Methods of solving the Stokes equations - which when? and Challenges in microhydrodynamics. This volume contains both original contributions and reviews. There were at least two referees per paper: one participating in the conference, and the other not. I would like to thank all the referees for their work, the Polish Academy of Sciences, Centre national de la recherche scientifique and the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences for supporting in part the conference, Anna Myłyk, Agnieszka Słowicka and Krzysztof Zembrzycki for the weeks spent organizing the symposium, and all the conference participants for their presentations and discussions of the highest scientific quality. Conference photograph Happy Birthday, Françcois Feuillebois! This volume of Journal of Physics: Conference Series is dedicated to our friend and colleague Françcois Feuillebois. The symposium Microparticles in Stokes Flows was organized to celebrate his 65th birthday. Françcois presented a special lecture, entitled Influence of wall slip in dilute suspensions [1], which was followed by a birthday dinner, with an after-dinner speech given by John Hinch. The symposium participants, and those who could not join the meeting, all wish Françcois all the best for his 65th birthday, and thank him for sharing with us his knowledge, and motivating us to solve interesting problems related to motion of particles in fluid flows. An illustration of Françcois's scientific interests was shown on the conference poster. Conference poster The conference participants could participate in a contest, by submitting a written answer to the question ``What system is shown on the conference poster (equations, boundary conditions)?''. Francois was in charge of evaluating the answers to this quiz, and providing the explanation [3]. Transworld Research Network kindly provided the rewards: copies of the book co-edited by Francois [2]. The winners were Maciej Lisicki and Eric Climent. A third copy of this book was awarded to John Hinch, who (according to majority of the participants) had asked the most insightful questions during the conference. Maria L Ekiel-Jeżewska (Editor) Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawi\\'nskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland Email: mekiel@ippt.pan.pl References [1] Feuillebois F, Ghalya N and Sellier A 2012 Influence of wall slip in dilute suspensions J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 392 012012 [2] Feuillebois F and Sellier A, eds., 2009 Theoretical Methods for Micro Scale Viscous Flows (Transworld Research Network, Kerala) [3] Feuillebois F 2012 The quiz J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 392 011002

Developments at Polish Seismological Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiejacz, P.; Debski, W.; Lizurek, G.; Rudzinski, L.; Suchcicki, J.; Wiszniowski, J.

2009-04-01

Polish Seismological Network of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, currently consists of 9 stations. Six of these stations are broadband. In 2008 one of the broadband stations has been moved from Warsaw city center out to a quieter site at the Central Geophysical Observatory at Belsk, thus the data has become useful for automatic data processing. Currently broadband seismic stations are spaced out to provide information from all of the territory of Poland. Automatic Seiscomp-2.5 detecting, locating and alerting system has been set up. Earthquakes that have taken place in 2004, namely the Kaliningrad and Podhale events, have caused concern about effectiveness of the network and quality of the recording. As result, the digitizer of the seismic station NIE - near the Podhale region - has been replaced in 2005, bringing the station up to the 24-bit standard and latest plans call to have the station upgraded to broadband. In the north, a new seismic station has been organized at Hel, however the site has proven to be extremely noisy. A broadband station is planned to be deployed in the north but an alternate location must be found. Further development plans call for establishment of a new 6-station short period subnetwork in and around the Upper Silesian Coal Basin to observe and readily locate local mining-induced seismic events. The ultimate goal is to provide ready and reliable information on all recorded seismic events and particularly those events from the territory of Poland. Reaching the goal requires however that a local seismic subnetwork be organized in and around the Lubin Copper Basin while the seismic station NIE be complemented by at least two stations in the immediate area where local seismicity takes place.

Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference and the Warsaw Declaration - a comprehensive meeting report.

PubMed

Kowalska, J D; Oprea, C; de Witt, S; Pozniak, A; Gökengin, D; Youle, M; Lundgren, J D; Horban, A

2017-05-01

The objective of this paper is to summarize the outcomes of the Euroguidelines in Central and Eastern Europe (ECEE) conference held in Warsaw in February 2016. The main aim of this conference was to facilitate a discussion on European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines implementation across the region and neighbouring countries and to present the current obstacles in benchmarking HIV care in Europe. During a 2-day meeting, there were country-based presentations using a predefined template so as to make the data comparable and focus the discussion. Areas covered were country epidemiology, surveillance, national strategy for treatment and prevention, standards of care, access to care and treatment availability. Each participant filled in a questionnaire investigating HIV guidelines usage per country. In total, 16 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and neighbouring countries were represented at the conference: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Turkey. EACS guidelines version 7.1 were used in 14 (87%) countries. In 11 (69%) countries, national guidelines were available, of which eight had been recently updated. Half of the countries declared that they use World Health Organization (WHO) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, over one-third the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) HIV testing guidelines and one in five the International Antiviral Society-USA (IAS-USA) Panel guidelines from 2012. Participants declared their will to promote the widespread use of EACS guidelines for HIV infection in the CEE region and neighbouring countries by signing the Warsaw Declaration. They also emphasized the need to increase publishing of data from national cohorts in that region. © 2016 British HIV Association.

Protection of Children’s Human Rights and Health: A Legacy of Julian Kramsztyk, Janusz Korczak, and Ludwik Rajchman

PubMed Central

Woltanowski, Piotr; Wincewicz, Andrzej; Sulkowski, Stanisław

2018-01-01

Tutor of generations of Warsaw medical doctors, Julian Kramsztyk (1851-1926) was son of Rabbi Izaak Kramsztyk, Polish patriot and fighter for independent Poland. Julian Kramsztyk graduated in medicine from Warsaw University in 1873 to soon work as a supervisor of the Internal Diseases Department of Bersohns and Baumans Children’s Hospital from 1878 to 1910, and despite of refusing professorship from Imperial Warsaw University, he worked as a lecturer of pediatric disorders from 1880 with strong association of his medical practice with scientific and editorial tasks as well as engaging in charity. This article focuses on selective retrieval of biographical data of social and scientific achievements of followers of Julian Kramsztyk: his student, pioneer of children human rights, and pioneer of healthy patterns of nutrition of children, pediatrician Janusz Korczak (Henryk Goldszmit; 1878 or 1879-1942); and a skilled bacteriologist and a brilliant epidemiologist who was a prominent activist of the League of Nations (later United Nations Organization), cofounder of the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund), and the first chairman of the Organization from 1946 to 1950, which was primarily dedicated to “provide emergency food and health care to children in postwar time,” Ludwik Rajchman (1881-1965). Janusz Korczak works laid foundation for international recognition of children rights to health, respect, education, privacy, and all the other human rights to be included in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In 1989, nutrition and vaccination issues were the main medical interests of these medical doctors and still remain major fields of UNICEF actions. PMID:29383326

[History of the control of acute infectious diseases in Poland after the World War I--until the year 1924 (including big cities)].

PubMed

Berner, Włodzimierz

2008-01-01

Acute infectious diseases of high intensity, i.e. typhus fever, typhoid fever, dysentery, followed by scarlet fever, measles, malaria, relapsing fever, whooping cough, diphtheria, smallpox and Asiatic cholera spreading after the World War I in Poland posed one of the most significant problems in the reviving country. Their incidence resulted not only from bad living conditions of the population but also from poor personal and environmental hygiene and lack of access to bacteriologically healthy drinking water. The Polish-Bolshevik war (1919-1920) as well as repatriation of war prisoners and the Polish population from Russia (its territory was a reservoir of numerous infectious diseases) and the return of large groups of displaced people contributed to spread of epidemics. Morbidity rate of acute infectious diseases was the highest in the big Polish cities, especially in Warsaw, Lodz, Lvov, Cracow and Vilnius. The Bureau of Chief Emergency Commissar for fighting against epidemics, which closely cooperated with other Polish sanitary institutions and international organisations, rendered the greatest service to the control of infectious diseases. Until the year 1924, the largest foci of diseases were controlled and their incidence decreased, what was possible after formation of sanitary posts along the eastern border of Poland, organisation of infectious disease hospitals, bath and disinfection centres in the country, and implementation of protective vaccinations.

Problems of elimination of low emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stepniowski, A.

1995-12-31

The Cracow Municipal Gas Distribution Enterprises is subordinated to the Carpathian Regional Gas Engineering Plant in Tarnow, which - in turn - is a part of Polish Oil Mining and Gas Engineering with its seat in Warsaw. The required quick development of power engineering in Poland needs harmonized development of all branches of power engineering, including the gas production and distribution industry which constitutes an element of technical infrastructure of Poland influencing the direction of development. After World War II, the gas engineering industry was transformed from a typical communal service to a big industrial structure which covers the entiremore » territory of the state and has considerable technical and material measures at its disposal. Programming of the gas industry development ranges from development of installation of gas-supply arrangements for communal purposes including modification of local gas generators - to the development of gas transportation, storage and purification system. At present gas is taken from following sources: import, own natural gas deposits (high-methane content gas and high-nitrogen content gas within Polish Lowland); cokeries, and local gas generators. Gas sorts obtained in these sources have differentiated physico-chemical properties and they are distributed by three independent transmission systems assigned for high-methane natural gas, high-nitrogen natural gas, and coke-oven gas. Taking into consideration the forecast demand and potential capacity of natural gas production in Poland, the required import of natural gas is estimated.« less

Physical Pain and History of Suicidal Behaviors in Alcohol-Dependent Patients Entering Treatment in Poland.

PubMed

Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Ashrafioun, Lisham; Ilgen, Mark; Kopera, Maciej; Klimkiewicz, Anna; Krasowska, Aleksandra; Solowiej, Malgorzata; Brower, Kirk J; Wojnar, Marcin

2016-08-23

Individuals with alcohol use disorders have been shown to be at increased risk for suicidal behaviors and chronic pain. The aim of this study was to conduct initial analyses of the association between current physical pain and the likelihood of suicidal behavior history in alcohol-dependent patients entering treatment in Poland. A sample of 366 (73.5% men and 26.5% women) participants were recruited from alcohol treatment centers in Warsaw, Poland. Information was obtained about a history of lifetime suicidal behavior, past 4-week pain level, demographics, social functioning, childhood abuse, depressive symptoms, severity of alcohol and sleep problems. A total of 118 individuals (32.2%) reported at least one suicidal behavior during their lifetime. In unadjusted analyses, there was a significant association between a history of lifetime suicidal behavior and a moderate or greater experience of physical pain during the last four weeks. Other variables that were significantly associated with suicidal behaviors were: younger age, history of childhood abuse, depressive symptoms, sleep problems, consequences of drinking, and lower social support. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only experience of moderate or greater pain, age, and depressive symptoms remained significantly associated with a history of suicidal behavior. The experience of physical pain is significantly associated with a lifetime history of suicidal behavior in alcohol-dependent patients. Clinicians should be aware of these associations when conducting assessments and treating alcohol use disorders.

Global Explosive Ordnance Disposal Conference and Exhibition Held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on April 27-30, 2010

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-30

POLICY 24 Kagan ASP Response  21 Jul 08- ARCENT notified by Defense Attaché .  Uzbeks requested three types of equipment: land mine detectors...2 pax) on site.  21 Aug 08- the Training Team (5 pax) with equipment arrived in Uzbekistan.  28 Aug 08 all Uzbek / USEMB objectives were met...Slovakia, Spain, Poland Romania, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey Albania, Croatia Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Czech Latvia, Lithuania

Contrasting academic and tobacco industry estimates of illicit cigarette trade: evidence from Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Stoklosa, Michal; Ross, Hana

2014-05-01

To compare two different methods for estimating the size of the illicit cigarette market with each other and to contrast the estimates obtained by these two methods with the results of an industry-commissioned study. We used two observational methods: collection of data from packs in smokers' personal possession, and collection of data from packs discarded on streets. The data were obtained in Warsaw, Poland in September 2011 and October 2011. We used tests of independence to compare the results based on the two methods, and to contrast those with the estimate from the industry-commissioned discarded pack collection conducted in September 2011. We found that the proportions of cigarette packs classified as not intended for the Polish market estimated by our two methods were not statistically different. These estimates were 14.6% (95% CI 10.8% to 19.4%) using the survey data (N=400) and 15.6% (95% CI 13.2% to 18.4%) using the discarded pack data (N=754). The industry estimate (22.9%) was higher by nearly a half compared with our estimates, and this difference is statistically significant. Our findings are consistent with previous evidence of the tobacco industry exaggerating the scope of illicit trade and with the general pattern of the industry manipulating evidence to mislead the debate on tobacco control policy in many countries. Collaboration between governments and the tobacco industry to estimate tobacco tax avoidance and evasion is likely to produce upward-biased estimates of illicit cigarette trade. If governments are presented with industry estimates, they should strictly require a disclosure of all methodological details and data used in generating these estimates, and should seek advice from independent experts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Lightning activity and radar observations of the multicell thunderstorm system passing over Swider Observatory (Poland) on 19 July 2015 and its dynamic and electric charge structure obtained from the WRF_ELEC model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubicki, Marek; Konarski, Jerzy; Gajda, Wojciech; Barański, Piotr; Guzikowski, Jakub; Kryza, Maciej

2017-04-01

In this work we present preliminary results on the thunderstorm event at IG PAS Swider Geophysical Observatory (52.12°N, 21.25°E, geomagnetic latitude 50.5°N, near Warsaw, Poland) on 19 July 2015. The storm was caused by the abrasion of the warm front that stretched almost latitudinaly and cold front moving from the west to the east. Warm continental-tropical arrived at southern and eastern part of the country and the rest was covered by cool polar-maritime airmass. The storm had the squall-line character of approximately 100 km length and consisted of several cells, and the height of the cumulonimbus (Cb) cloud base was 1 km and top was 14 km, as inferred from the analysis of CAPPI (Constant Altitude Plan Position Indicator), CMAX (Column Maximum Display), MLVCUT (Multiple-Line Vertical Cut) radar map products from POLRAD observations at Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute (IMWM-NRI), Legionowo station. In our paper we have discussed the obtained results of the post-time analysis of lightning activity and radar observations of the extended multicells thunderstorm system passing over IG PAS Swider Geophysical Observatory, on 19 July 2015 together with its dynamic and electric charge structure obtained from the WRF_ELEC model. We have used the archive data from the Polish National Lightning Location and Detection System PERUN (provided by IMWM-NRI) together with radar data obtained from the Doppler meteorological radar METEOR 1500C at Legionowo. Additionally, during the approach, passing over and moving away phase of the thunderstorm system, we have gathered the simultaneous and continuous recordings of E-field, the electric conductivity of air and the independent supplementary reference lightning detections delivered by the Swider measuring station of the Local Lightning Detection Network (LLDN) operated in Warsaw region. These data have given us a new possibility to acquire many valuable information about the characteristic type of the particular lightning flashes that were initiated by different adjacent thunderstorm cells developed in this time. On the other hand, the recorded E-field signatures of the lightning strokes by the LLDN measuring station have enabled us to differentiate between the variety of their types indicating the complex electric charge structure of the particular thunderstorm cells which developed in this storm system. Moreover, on the base of the supplementary numerical simulations of the considered thunderstorm episode by applying the WRF_ELEC model to the post-time analysis we were able to obtain the more detailed picture with more thermodynamic parameters not only about the specific electric charge structure of the considered thunderstorm cells, and how their thermodynamic pattern created the suitable conditions to initiate the observed lightning stroke types. Atmospheric electricity observations at Swider have been supported within the statutory activities of Institute of Geophysics, PAS, grant No. 3841/E-41/S/2016 and 3841/E-41/S/2017 of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.

Health Impacts of Active Transportation in Europe

PubMed Central

Rojas-Rueda, David; de Nazelle, Audrey; Andersen, Zorana J.; Braun-Fahrländer, Charlotte; Bruha, Jan; Bruhova-Foltynova, Hana; Desqueyroux, Hélène; Praznoczy, Corinne; Ragettli, Martina S.; Tainio, Marko; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.

2016-01-01

Policies that stimulate active transportation (walking and bicycling) have been related to heath benefits. This study aims to assess the potential health risks and benefits of promoting active transportation for commuting populations (age groups 16–64) in six European cities. We conducted a health impact assessment using two scenarios: increased cycling and increased walking. The primary outcome measure was all-cause mortality related to changes in physical activity level, exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution with a diameter <2.5 μm, as well as traffic fatalities in the cities of Barcelona, Basel, Copenhagen, Paris, Prague, and Warsaw. All scenarios produced health benefits in the six cities. An increase in bicycle trips to 35% of all trips (as in Copenhagen) produced the highest benefits among the different scenarios analysed in Warsaw 113 (76–163) annual deaths avoided, Prague 61 (29–104), Barcelona 37 (24–56), Paris 37 (18–64) and Basel 5 (3–9). An increase in walking trips to 50% of all trips (as in Paris) resulted in 19 (3–42) deaths avoided annually in Warsaw, 11(3–21) in Prague, 6 (4–9) in Basel, 3 (2–6) in Copenhagen and 3 (2–4) in Barcelona. The scenarios would also reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the six cities by 1,139 to 26,423 (metric tonnes per year). Policies to promote active transportation may produce health benefits, but these depend of the existing characteristics of the cities. Increased collaboration between health practitioners, transport specialists and urban planners will help to introduce the health perspective in transport policies and promote active transportation. PMID:26930213

Occurrence of immunosuppressive drugs and their metabolites in the sewage-impacted Vistula and Utrata Rivers and in tap water from the Warsaw region (Poland).

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Nałęcz-Jawecki, Grzegorz

2016-04-01

Immunosuppresive therapy following organ transplant frequently includes treatment with tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid derivatives. These pharmaceuticals may enter the environment through wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and may have a potentially harmful effect on aquatic biota. Tacrolimus, mycophenolic acid and their metabolites were measured at specific points of a large Polish river (Vistula), a smaller river (Utrata) and in tap water samples from the Warsaw region. Analysis was performed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, after solid phase extraction for water samples, or QuEChERS extraction for sediments. Residues of tacrolimus were below quantitation limits in both water and sediment samples. However, in water samples mycophenolic acid concentrations were measured at up to 180 ng L(-1) downstream of WWTP outfalls. No immunosuppressive drugs were detected in tap water. Concentrations of mycophenolic acid exceeded the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) value in some Polish surface water, and risk calculations predicted at least twice higher concentrations in some other countries of the European Union. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of these immunosuppressive drug concentrations in the environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The problems of food adulteration in the publications of a Warsaw pharmacist Alfons Bukowski (1858-1921)].

PubMed

Trojanowska, Anna

2014-01-01

In the second half of the 19th century, the economic changes, industrial development and migration of the population from rural to urban areas in Europe, there was an increasing demand for cheap foodstuffs, which contributed to the growth of mass food production, as well as to the increase in adulteration of foodstuffs. In the Kingdom of Poland, the research on this problem was conducted by a Warsaw pharmacist and chemist, Alfons Bukowski (1858-1921), the author of the first Polish textbook on bromatology Podrqcznik do badania pokarmów (1884) ("A manual for food testing"). The methods and results of his research were published in magazines, among others, in "WiadomoSci Farmaceutyczne" ("Pharmasist News"), "Zdrowie" ("The Health") and "Czasopisma Towarzystwa Aptekarskiego" ("Journals of the Pharmasist Association"). He paid attention to the social noxiousness of the adulterations, indicating that it is especially the poor people, who buy the cheapest products that are particularly vulnerable to adulteration of foodstuffs. In this paper, there have been presented selected issues related to adulteratibn of food products, issues to which Bukowski paid particular attention, and which were significantly affected by contemporary development of food chemistry, among other the development of methods of chemical and microscopic analysis and the generation of new surrogates, which replaced the natural food products.

Jakub Penson and his studies on acute renal failure during typhus epidemics in Warsaw Ghetto.

PubMed

Rutkowski, Boleslaw

2004-01-01

In the Warsaw Ghetto established by the German Nazis as a special district for Polish Jews in 1940 there were two typhus epidemics. Many patients affected by this disease (1500 during the first and 6500 during second epidemic) were treated at The Department of Infectious Disease of Czyste Hospital headed by Dr Jakub Penson--a Polish physician of Jewish origin. A heroic group of 20 physicians not only treated patients in these tragic circumstances, but also performed in defiance of Nazi prohibition, scientific studies on the clinical course of typhus with special attention on hyperazotemia and renal complication. The results of their observations were presented in 1941-42 during clinical meetings in Czyste Hospital and later published by Penson in 1946 in the Polish Physicians Weekly. Among other clinical statements a description of acute renal failure of extrarenal origin, caused by dehydration and toxic influence of primary disease seems the most important one. It has to be taken into account that acute renal failure appearing during Crush Syndrome was described by Bywaters in 1941. Jakub Penson survived the German Nazi occupation and later become a head of the Internal Medicine Department in Gdansk Medical University and one of the precursors of clinical nephrology in Poland.

Solving "Smart City" Transport Problems by Designing Carpooling Gamification Schemes with Multi-Agent Systems: The Case of the So-Called "Mordor of Warsaw".

PubMed

Olszewski, Robert; Pałka, Piotr; Turek, Agnieszka

2018-01-06

To reduce energy consumption and improve residents' quality of life, "smart cities" should use not only modern technologies, but also the social innovations of the "Internet of Things" (IoT) era. This article attempts to solve transport problems in a smart city's office district by utilizing gamification that incentivizes the carpooling system. The goal of the devised system is to significantly reduce the number of cars, and, consequently, to alleviate traffic jams, as well as to curb pollution and energy consumption. A representative sample of the statistical population of people working in one of the biggest office hubs in Poland (the so-called "Mordor of Warsaw") was surveyed. The collected data were processed using spatial data mining methods, and the results were a set of parameters for the multi-agent system. This approach made it possible to run a series of simulations on a set of 100,000 agents and to select an effective gamification methodology that supports the carpooling process. The implementation of the proposed solutions (a "serious game" variation of urban games) would help to reduce the number of cars by several dozen percent, significantly reduce energy consumption, eliminate traffic jams, and increase the activity of the smart city residents.

Search for New Superconductors for Energy and Power Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-21

superconductors, borides , carbides, silicides, and chalcogenides. In addition, a number of thin film systems have been explored: A15s, superlattices, arrays of...YBa2Cu3O7 Bi2Se3 Eu-Si-C ErRh4B4 Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (UD, OD) Sb2Se3 V-Si-C (Ga,Mn)As CuO ZrSe2 Sm-Si-C Hf(FeCo)P Y1-xCaxCrO3 Fe-Te-Se BORIDES Hf-Fe-C-P...Physics, Warsaw, Poland Table III New superconductors, discovered by UCSD MURI team. BORIDES Tc (K) Nb0.9Zr0.1B 11.2 ZrNbxB 9.0 ZrVxB 9.0

Cumulative ventilation air drying potential as an indication of dry mass content in wastewater sludge in a thin-layer solar drying facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krawczyk, Piotr

2013-12-01

Controlling low-temperature drying facilities which utilise nonprepared air is quite difficult, due to very large variability of ventilation air parameters - both in daily and seasonal cycles. The paper defines the concept of cumulative drying potential of ventilation air and presents experimental evidence that there is a relation between this parameter and condition of the dried matter (sewage sludge). Knowledge on current dry mass content in the dried matter (sewage sludge) provides new possibilities for controlling such systems. Experimental data analysed in the paper was collected in early 2012 during operation of a test solar drying facility in a sewage treatment plant in Błonie near Warsaw, Poland.

The Digital Von Fahrenheid Pyramid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bura, M.; Janowski, J.; Wężyk, P.; Zięba, K.

2017-08-01

3D Scanners Lab from Digital Humanities Laboratory at the University of Warsaw initiated the scientific project, the purpose of which was to call attention to systematically penetrated and devastated pyramid-shaped tomb from the XVIII/XIX century, of family von Fahrenheid in Rapa in Banie Mazurskie commune (NE Poland). By conducting a series of non-invasive studies, such as 3D inventory using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), thermal imaging, georadar measurements (around and inside the tomb) and anthropological research of mummified remains as well - the complete dataset was collected. Through the integration of terrestrial (TLS) and airborne laser scanning (ALS) authors managed to analyse the surroundings of Fahrenheid pyriamid and influence of some objects (like trees) on the condition and visibility of the Pyramids in the landscape.

Scarlet fever in Poland in 2012.

PubMed

Staszewska, Ewa; Kondej, Barbara; Czarkowski, Mirosław P

2014-01-01

Assessment of the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in 2012. The evaluation was performed by analysing surveillance data published in the bulletin, "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012" (Warsaw 2013, NIPH-NIH, CSI) and also in bulletins from previous years, and unpublished data collected under Statistical survey program of official statistics. In the last 15-20 years in Poland has been observed more than 2-fold lengthening of scarlet fever epidemic cycle, slowdown in the decline and slower growth rate in epidemic curve and decrease in average annual incidence. In 2012, in the country a total of 25 421 cases were registered and incidence was 66.0 per 100 000 population (in voivodeships: from 25.8 in łódzkie to 114.2 in pomorskie). The highest incidence was notified in 5-year-old (1094.7) and 6-year-old children (877.3), however, the incidence among children and young people up to 15 years accounted for 95.6% of all cases. The incidence of men (74.8) was higher by almost 30% than the incidence of women (57.6). The incidence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas and was 72.7 (in rural area 55.7). 0.9% of patients were hospitalized. No deaths related to the disease were reported. Distinct changes in the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in recent decades are related to, i.a., aging of the Polish population and decline in the number of children, group particularly vulnerable to infection. In order to improve accuracy of surveillance data, it is recommended significantly increase percentage of cases in which clinical diagnosis will be confirmed by the result of bacteriological examination.

Associations and foundations in the field of health care and their role in the health system of Poland.

PubMed

Piotrowicz, Maria; Cianciara, Dorota

2013-01-01

The article presents data on associations and foundations active in health care field in Poland, on the basis of a review of research done by Klon/Jawor Association and the Central Statistical Office. The article also applies to the issue of cooperation between NGOs and governmental adminstration in the health area and identifies lacking information that is necessary for better planning of national health policy. In Poland there are about three thousand associations and foundations whose main focus is the health care. In 2010, they accounted for about 7% of all non-governmental organizations. Results of representative nationwide surveys from 2008 and 2010 indicate that the NGO's active in the field of health care have, in most cases, legal form of associations. Almost half of the organizations declared national or international scope of action. Headquarters of most organizations were mainly in the cities, and only, one in twenty in the village. Most organizations were located in the mazowieckie province and a significant fraction of them was in Warsaw itself. Organizations were stood out by a relatively large number of personnel on the background of the entire NGO sector. Half of the organizations employed paid workers, the majority also collaborated with volunteers who were not members of the organization. More than a third of organizations dealt with the rehabilitation, therapy and long-term care, and about 1/3 dealt with prevention, health promotion and education, and blood donations. World Health Organization indicates the need for systematic collection of data about the role of the nongovernmental sector in health. In Poland, legal regulations require the public institutions and organizations to cooperate with NGOs to achieve health objectives. In spite of relevant data on NGOs in the field of health care in Poland, the necessary information to assess their potential are still lacking. Recognition of the capacity and limitations ofNGOs could enable better planning of national health policy.

Radiological and archaeological investigation of a mummy from Roman Egypt curated in the National Museum of Lithuania.

PubMed

Piombino-Mascali, Dario; Jankauskas, Rimantas; Snitkuvienė, Aldona; Rutkauskas, Tadas; Sutherland, M Linda

2016-01-01

Among the collections belonging to the National Museum of Lithuania at Vilnius, resides an ancient Egyptian coffin containing a mummified human body. The coffin and its occupant are believed to have belonged to the King of Poland and to have been located in his palace at Warsaw. At the turn of the last century, Egyptologists dated the coffin to the end of the 21st dynasty (1070 BC-945 BC), and described the item as coming from Thebes, belonging to Hori, priest of Amun-Ra. However, no investigation was ever carried out on the human body associated with the coffin. Within the framework of the Lithuanian Mummy Project, the preserved human remains underwent computed tomographic investigation in order to reconstruct the biological profile of the subject and to determine the embalming method employed. This led to the identification of a young adult male. Additionally, the mummy shroud was stylistically assessed in order to determine the mummy's chronology in Egyptian history. Interestingly, the body could be ascribed to the Roman period of Egypt (30 BC-395 AD) due to analogies with the burial shrouds of the Soter group. This indicates a reuse of the coffin at some point in history.

THE SCIENCE OF SCIENCE (NAUKOZNAWSTWO) IN POLAND: THE CHANGING THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AND POLITICAL CONTEXTS--A HISTORICAL SKETCH FROM THE 1910S TO 1993.

PubMed

Kokowski, Michał

2015-01-01

The article sketches the history of naukoznawstwo (literally meaning the science connoisseurship or the science of science or science studies) in Poland from the 1910s to the end of the Cold War (1991), and the recovery of full political independence in 1993. It outlines the changing research perspectives of this interdisciplinary field of knowledge in Poland against a background of changing political conditions caused by the reconfigurations of the political order. The first part of the article concerns the period from the 1910s, when Poland was occupied by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, through the regaining of independence by Poland in 1918, the reconstruction of the state in 1918-1939; the second part--World War II; the third part--the period from the initial period of Soviet dominance (1944-1954) in Poland and simultaneously the beginnings of the Cold War (1947-1954), the period 1955-1956 (when the Polish state was liberated from Sovietization), through the different political crises in October 1956, March 1968, December 1970, and June 1976, to the emergence of the Independent Self-governing Trade Union Solidarity in September 1980, the end of the Cold War (1991), and the recovery of full political independence in 1993. The article outlines the fundamental achievements of prominent Polish scholars (among others K. Twardowski, M. Ossowska, S. Ossowski, T. Kotarbiński, K. Ajdukiewicz, S. Michalski, F. Znaniecki, B. Suchodolski, L. Fleck, M. Choynowski, Z. Modzelewski, S. Amsterdamski), politicians (among others B. Bierut, E. Krasowska), politicians and scholars (H. Jabłoński, S. Kulczyński), as well as committees (among others the Academic Section of the Józef Mianowski Fund, The Science of Science Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences), schools of thought (among others the Lvov-Warsaw School of Philosophy), and academic units (among others the Science of Science Seminar in Kraków, the Department for the History of Science and Technology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and The Department of Praxeology and Science of Science at the Institute for the Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences).

Spiritual Awakening Predicts Improved Drinking Outcomes in a Polish Treatment Sample

PubMed Central

Strobbe, Stephen; Cranford, James A.; Wojnar, Marcin; Brower, Kirk J.

2014-01-01

Purpose This study examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between two dimensions of affiliation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)—attendance and spiritual awakening—and drinking outcomes among adult patients who were in treatment for alcohol dependence in Warsaw, Poland. In a study conducted at four addiction treatment centers, male and female patients (n = 118) with a DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence were assessed at baseline (Time 1 or T1), one month (T2), and 6 to 12 months post-baseline (T3) for AA meeting attendance, various aspects of AA affiliation, and alcohol use. AA meeting attendance and alcohol consumption were measured using the Timeline Followback (TLFB) interview. Self-report of having had a spiritual awakening was measured using a modified version of the Alcoholics Anonymous Involvement (AAI) scale. Results There were no cross-sectional or longitudinal associations between AA meeting attendance and improved drinking outcomes. In contrast, self-report of a spiritual awakening between T2 and T3 was significantly associated with abstinence (OR = 2.4, p < .05) and the absence of any heavy drinking (OR = 3.0, p < .05) at T3, even when demographic and clinical characteristics were statistically controlled. Conclusions Self-reports of spiritual awakening predicted improved drinking outcomes in a Polish treatment sample. PMID:24335767

PREFACE: Proceedings of the 11th European Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-07-01

This volume of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering contains papers from the 11th Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis which took place from 10-14 May 2009 in the Hotel Faltom, Gdynia, Poland. The primary aim of this series of workshops is to assess the state-of-the-art and reliability of microbeam analysis techniques. The workshops also provide a forum where students and young scientists starting out on careers in microbeam analysis can meet and discuss with the established experts. The workshops have a very distinct format comprising invited plenary lectures by internationally recognized experts, poster presentations by the participants and round table discussions on the key topics led by specialists in the field. For this workshop EMAS invited speakers on the following topics: EPMA, EBSD, fast energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, three-dimensional microanalysis, and micro-and nanoanalysis in the natural resources industry. The continuing relevance of the EMAS workshops and the high regard in which they are held internationally can be seen from the fact that 69 posters from 16 countries were on display at the meeting and that the participants came from as far away as Japan and the USA. A number of participants with posters were invited to give short oral presentations of their work in two dedicated sessions. As at previous workshops there was also a special oral session for young scientists. Small cash prizes were awarded for the three best posters and for the best oral presentation by a young scientist. The prize for the best poster went to the contribution by G Tylko, S Dubchak, Z Banach and K Turnau, entitled Monte Carlo simulation for an assessment of standard validity and quantitative X-ray microanalysis in plant. Joanna Wojewoda-Budka of the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Krakow, received the prize for the best oral presentation by a young scientist for her talk entitled Application of focussed ion beam technique for TEM multilayer materials examination. This volume contains the full texts of 5 of the invited plenary lectures and of 24 papers on related topics originating from the posters presented at the workshop. All the papers have been subjected to peer review by a least two referees. January 2009 Acknowledgements On behalf of the European Microbeam Analysis Society I would like to thank all the invited speakers, session chairs and members of the discussion panels for making the meeting such a great success. Special thanks go to Michal Zelechower and Luc Van't dack who directed the organisation of the workshop giving freely of their time and talents. As was the case for previous workshops, the EMAS board in corpore was responsible for the scientific programme. I am particularly grateful to the exhibiting companies and sustaining members for their generous support of the workshop. In this context I would like particularly to mention: Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice Gdansk University of Technology Polish Society for Microscopy (PTMi), Krakow Polish Academy of Sciences - Materials Science Committee, Warsaw Polish Academy of Sciences - Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Krakow Polish Academy of Sciences - Institute of Physics, Warsaw AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow Warsaw University of Technology Below is a combined list of the exhibiting companies and sponsors of the workshop: Ametek GmbH (Germany) Blackwell Publishing Ltd (UK) Bruker AXS Microanalysis GmbH (Germany) Cameca SA (France) Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH (Germany) COMEF Aparatura Naukowo-Badawcza (Poland) EU-JRC: Inst. for Transuranium Elements (Germany) FEI Company (The Netherlands) IfG - Institute for Scientific Instruments GmbH (Germany) Jeol (Europe) SAS (France) John Wiley & Sons (UK) Olympus Soft Imaging Solutions GmbH (Germany) Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis Ltd (UK) Probe Software, Inc. (USA) Roenalytic GmbH (Germany) Target-Messtechnik (Germany) Thermo Fisher Scientific BV (The Netherlands) Clive T Walker EMAS President János L Lábár Research Institute for Technical Physics and Materials Science, HAS, Konkoly-Thege M. u. 29-33, HU-1121 Budapest, Hungary Clive T Walker European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements, P.O. Box 2340, DE-76125 Karlsruhe, Germany Michal Zelechower Silesian University of Technology, Department of Materials Science, ul. Krasinskiego 8, PL-40019 Katowice, Poland Pawel Zieba Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, ul. W. Reymonta 25, PL-30059 Krakow, Poland

Treatment persistence in the use of basal insulins in Poland and Germany
.

PubMed

Rathmann, Wolfgang; Czech, Marcin; Franek, Edward; Kostev, Karel

2017-02-01

To compare short-term basal insulin therapy persistence and its predictors in Poland and Germany. Persistence was defined as proportions of patients remaining on the initial basal insulin (analogs: Poland: n = 6,889, Germany: n = 454,067; neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulins: Poland: n = 50,761, Germany: n = 226,064) over 2 years based on nationwide prescription databases (LRx; IMS Health) in Poland and Germany from 2013 to 2015. Persistence was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier curves (log-rank tests). Risk of discontinuation of initial basal insulin was investigated using Cox regression models adjusting for age, sex, comedication with other glucose-lowering agents and baseline or comedication with antihypertensives, lipid-lowering drugs, antidepressants, and antiepileptics. In Poland, 2-year persistence was 83.0% in analog insulin and 73.3% in NPH users (p < 0.001). In Germany, persistence was also higher in patients with analog insulins (92.6% vs. 79.0%; p < 0.001). Analog insulin users were less likely to discontinue basal insulin compared with NPH users (adjusted hazard ratio (95%CI): Poland: 0.73 (0.67 - 0.79); Germany: 0.27 (0.27 - 0.28)). Higher age (> 75 vs. ≤ 60 years: Poland: 1.24 (1.16 - 1.33), Germany: 1.09 (1.07 - 1.11)) and GLP-1 receptor agonist use (Poland: 2.76 (1.38 - 5.53), Germany: 1.21 (1.16 - 1.26)) were related to higher risk of discontinuation. Male sex, metformin, sulfonylurea, thiazolidinedione, and short-acting insulin prescriptions as well as antihypertensive, anti-epileptic, and lipid-lowering drug use were associated with lower risk of discontinuation in both countries (all p < 0.05). This real-world study shows that both in Poland and Germany treatment persistence of newly-prescribed basal insulin is influenced by type of insulin (analog vs. NPH) and by glucose-lowering and other comedications.
.

History of HgTe-based photodetectors in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.

2010-09-01

In Poland, the HgCdTe studies began in 1960 at the Institute of Physics, Warsaw University. The material processing laboratory was created by Giriat and later by Dziuba, Gałązka, and others. Bridgman technique with sealed thick wall quartz ampoules was used to grow material suitable for research and experimental devices. Among the first papers published in 1961 and 1963 there were the Polish works devoted to preparation, doping, and electrical properties of HgCdTe. Infrared detector's research and development efforts in Poland were concentrated mostly on uncooled market niche. At the beginning, a modified isothermal vapour phase epitaxy has been used for research and commercial fabrication of photoconductive, photoelectromagnetic and other HgCdTe devices. Bulk growth and liquid phase epitaxy were also used. Recently, the fabrication of infrared devices relies on low temperature epitaxial technique, namely metalorganic vapour phase deposition. At present stage of development, the photoconductive and photoelectromagnetic (PEM) detectors are gradually replaced with photovoltaic devices which offer inherent advantages of no electric or magnetic bias, no heat load and no flicker noise. Potentially, photodiodes offer high performance and very fast response. However, conventional photovoltaic uncooled detectors suffer from low quantum efficiency and very low junction resistance. The problems have been solved with advanced band gap engineered architecture, multiple cell heterojunction devices connected in series, and monolithic integration of the detectors with microoptics. In final part of the paper, the Polish achievements in technology and performance of HgMnTe and HgZnTe photodetectors are presented.

Analysis of fire deaths in Poland and influence of smoke toxicity.

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Rużycka, Monika; Wroczyński, Piotr; Purser, David A; Stec, Anna A

2017-08-01

Dwelling fires have changed over the years because building contents and the materials used in then have changed. They all contribute to an ever-growing diversity of chemical species found in fires, many of them highly toxic. These arise largely from the changing nature of materials in interior finishes and furniture, with an increasing content of synthetic materials containing higher levels of nitrogen, halogen and phosphorus additives. While there is still a belief that carbon monoxide is the major lethal toxic agent in fires, the hydrogen cyanide and acid gases released from these additives are now well-recognised as major contributory causes of incapacitation, morbidity and mortality in domestic fires. Data for the total number of 263 fire death cases in the Mazowieckie region (mainly Warsaw area) of Poland between 2003-2011 for dwellings fires were obtained from pathologists, forensic toxicologists, fire fighters and analysed. Factors contributing to the death such as the findings of the full post mortem examination (age, sex, health status, burns), the toxicological analysis (carbon monoxide, alcohol etc.), and a thorough investigation of the scene (fire conditions, fuel, etc.) were taken into account and are summarised. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ticks and the city - are there any differences between city parks and natural forests in terms of tick abundance and prevalence of spirochaetes?

PubMed

Kowalec, Maciej; Szewczyk, Tomasz; Welc-Falęciak, Renata; Siński, Edward; Karbowiak, Grzegorz; Bajer, Anna

2017-11-21

Ixodes ricinus ticks are commonly encountered in either natural or urban areas, contributing to Lyme disease agents Borreliella [(Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato)] spp. and Borrelia miyamotoi enzootic cycles in cities. It is an actual problem whether urbanization affects pathogen circulation and therefore risk of infection. The aim of the study was to evaluate main tick-borne disease risk factors in natural, endemic areas of north-east (NE) Poland (Białowieża) and urban areas of central Poland (Warsaw), measuring tick abundance/density, prevalence of infection with spirochaetes and diversity of these pathogens in spring-early summer and late summer-autumn periods between 2012 and 2015. Questing I. ricinus ticks were collected from three urban sites in Warsaw, central Poland and three natural sites in Białowieża, NE Poland. A total of 2993 ticks were analyzed for the presence of Borreliella spp. and/or Borrelia miyamotoi DNA by PCR. Tick abundance was analyzed by General Linear Models (GLM). Prevalence and distribution of spirochaetes was analyzed by Maximum Likelihood techniques based on log-linear analysis of contingency tables (HILOGLINEAR). Species typing and molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the sequenced flaB marker were carried out. Overall 4617 I. ricinus ticks were collected (2258 nymphs and 2359 adults). We report well established population of ticks in urban areas (10.1 ± 0.9 ticks/100 m 2 ), as in endemic natural areas with higher mean tick abundance (16.5 ± 1.5 ticks/100 m 2 ). Tick densities were the highest in spring-early summer in both types of areas. We observed no effect of the type of area on Borreliella spp. and B. miyamotoi presence in ticks, resulting in similar prevalence of spirochaetes in urban and natural areas [10.9% (95% CI: 9.7-12.2%) vs 12.4% (95% CI: 10.1-15.1%), respectively]. Prevalence of spirochaetes was significantly higher in the summer-autumn period than in the spring-early summer [15.0% (95% CI: 12.8-17.5%) vs 10.4% (95% CI: 9.2-11.6%), respectively]. We have detected six species of bacteria present in both types of areas, with different frequencies: dominance of B. afzelii (69.3%) in urban and B. garinii (48.1%) in natural areas. Although we observed higher tick densities in forests than in maintained parks, the prevalence of spirochaetes was significantly higher in the latter [9.8% (95% CI: 8.6-11.0%) vs 17.5% (95% CI: 14.4-20.5%)]. Surprisingly, a similar risk of infection with Borreliella spp. and/or B. miyamotoi was discovered in highly- and low-transformed areas. We suggest that the awareness of presence of these disease agents in cities should be raised.

Immunosuppressive therapy in glomerular diseases: major accomplishment of Tadeusz Orłowski and his school.

PubMed

Smogorzewski, Mirosław J; Lao, Mieczysław; Gradowska, Liliana; Rowińska, Danuta; Rancewicz, Zofia

2009-05-01

Glomerulopathies are the third most common cause of end-stage renal failure. Immunosuppressive treatment of glomerulonephritis in a systematic way was introduced in Poland by Professor Tadeusz Orłowski in the early 1960s. The studies were conducted at the First Department of Medicine and at the Transplantation Institute of the Medical Academy in Warsaw in the years 1962-1988. This paper critically reviews the results of studies on the use of combined, triple-drug (prednisone/chlorambucil/azathioprine), immunosuppressive protocol in various pathological forms of glomerulopathies. We conclude that immunosuppressive protocols pioneered by Tadeusz Orłowski continue to be the backbone of the treatment of glomerulonephritis, especially the one with nephrotic syndrome, progressive impairment of kidney function and poor prognosis.

Genome-based insights into the resistome and mobilome of multidrug-resistant Aeromonas sp. ARM81 isolated from wastewater.

PubMed

Adamczuk, Marcin; Dziewit, Lukasz

2017-01-01

The draft genome of multidrug-resistant Aeromonas sp. ARM81 isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Warsaw (Poland) was obtained. Sequence analysis revealed multiple genes conferring resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams or tetracycline. Three different β-lactamase genes were identified, including an extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene bla PER-1 . The antibiotic susceptibility was experimentally tested. Genome sequencing also allowed us to investigate the plasmidome and transposable mobilome of ARM81. Four plasmids, of which two carry phenotypic modules (i.e., genes encoding a zinc transporter ZitB and a putative glucosyltransferase), and 28 putative transposase genes were identified. The mobility of three insertion sequences (isoforms of previously identified elements ISAs12, ISKpn9 and ISAs26) was confirmed using trap plasmids.

1990 Hydrology Prize awarded

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The International Association of Hydrological Sciences awarded its 1990 International Hydrology Prize to Z. Kaczmarek of Warsaw, Poland. The award was presented on March 16 in Paris, France, during Unesco's Commemorative Symposium on 25 Years of the International Hydrological Decade/International Hydrological Program.The IAHS International Hydrology Prize, a silver medal, was first approved in 1979 as an annual award to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to hydrology and gives the candidate universal recognition of his international stature. The IAHS national committees give nominations to the IAHS Secretary General for consideration by a nominating committee, which consists of the IAHS president, the first and second vice presidents and representatives of Unesco and the World Meteorological Organization. The citation for the award to Kaczmarek, which was given by IAHS president Vit Klemes, follows.

PM Origin or Exposure Duration? Health Hazards from PM-Bound Mercury and PM-Bound PAHs among Students and Lecturers

PubMed Central

Majewski, Grzegorz; Widziewicz, Kamila; Rogula-Kozłowska, Wioletta; Rogula-Kopiec, Patrycja; Kociszewska, Karolina; Rozbicki, Tomasz; Majder-Łopatka, Małgorzata; Niemczyk, Mariusz

2018-01-01

This study assessed inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM1)-bound mercury (Hgp) and PM1-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among university students. For this purpose, simultaneous indoor (I) and outdoor (O) measurements were taken from two Polish technical universities (in Gliwice and Warsaw) located in distinct areas with respect to ambient concentrations and major sources of PM. The indoor geometric mean concentrations of Hgp were found to be 1.46 pg·m−3 and 6.38 pg·m−3 in Warsaw and Gliwice, while the corresponding outdoor concentrations were slightly lower at 1.38 pg·m−3 and 3.03 pg·m−3, respectively. A distinct pattern was found with respect to PAH concentrations with estimated I/O values of 22.2 ng·m−3/22.5 ng·m−3 in Gliwice and 10.9 ng·m−3/11.12 ng·m−3 in Warsaw. Hazard quotients (HQs) as a result of exposure to Hgp for students aged 21 ranged from 3.47 × 10−5 (Warsaw) to 1.3 × 10−4 (Gliwice) in terms of reasonable maximum exposure (RME). The non-cancer human health risk value related to Hgp exposure was thus found to be below the acceptable risk level value of 1.0 given by the US EPA. Daily exposure values for lecture hall occupants, adjusted to the benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) toxicity equivalent (BaPeq), were 2.9 and 1.02 ng·m−3 for the Gliwice and Warsaw students, respectively. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) values with respect to exposure to PM1-bound PAHs during the students’ time of study were 5.49 × 10−8 (Warsaw) and 1.43 × 10−7 (Gliwice). Thus, students’ exposure to indoor PAHs does not lead to increased risk of lung cancer. PMID:29439524

Reference Values for TSH and Free Thyroid Hormones in Healthy Pregnant Women in Poland: A Prospective, Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Kostecka-Matyja, Marta; Fedorowicz, Anna; Bar-Andziak, Ewa; Bednarczuk, Tomasz; Buziak-Bereza, Monika; Dumnicka, Paulina; Górska, Maria; Krasnodębska, Małgorzata; Niedźwiedzka, Beata; Pach, Dorota; Ruchała, Marek; Siewko, Katarzyna; Solnica, Bogdan; Sowiński, Jerzy; Szelachowska, Małgorzata; Trofimiuk-Müldner, Małgorzata; Wachowiak-Ochmańska, Katarzyna; Hubalewska-Dydejczyk, Alicja

2017-04-01

The diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases in pregnant women remains a challenge. Various medical associations recommend establishing the reference intervals for thyroid hormones by a local laboratory. Considering differences within geophysical, socioeconomic conditions, and iodine prophylaxis in various populations, it is advisable to assess reference intervals for thyroid hormones specific to a region of residence. The objective was to assess trimester-specific reference intervals for TSH, fT 3 , and fT 4 for pregnant women in the Polish population. We conducted a prospective study in 4 centers representing different regions of Poland (Krakow, Warsaw, Poznan, and Bialystok). Our study included consecutive, healthy pregnant women (172 patients), with an age range of 27-47 years. All women had a negative history for thyroid diseases, normal thyroid peroxidase antibody levels, and proper iodine prophylaxis. All newborns had TSH levels in the appropriate reference range. Serum TSH, fT 3 , fT 4 , and thyroid-peroxidase antibodies were measured in each trimester. The reference intervals were calculated using the percentile method, as recommended by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry. The reference values calculated were 0.009-3.177, 0.05-3.442, and 0.11-3.53 mIU/L for TSH; 3.63-6.55, 3.29-5.45, and 3.1-5.37 pmol/L for fT 3 ; and 11.99-21.89, 10.46-16.67, and 8.96-17.23 pmol/L for fT 4 in consecutive trimesters of pregnancy. Reference intervals for pregnant women when compared to the general population showed a lower concentration of TSH in every trimester of pregnancy and lower fT 4 in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Using appropriate trimester-specific reference intervals may improve care of pregnant women by preventing misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment.

Rabies in Poland in 2011.

PubMed

Sadkowska-Todys, Malgorzata; Kucharczyk, Bozena

2013-01-01

To assess epidemiological situation of rabies in Poland in 2011. The assessment was based on the results of the data analysis from questionnaires (People vaccinated against rabies post-exposure surveys in Poland and people vaccinated against rabies after exposure in other countries) submitted by the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations and data from the annual newsletter "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2011" (Czarkowski MP et al., Warsaw, NIZP-PZH and GIS) and epizootic data provided by the General Veterinary Inspectorate. In 2011, in Poland, 160 cases of rabies (in 2010 - 152 cases) were reported. Animal cases occurred primarily in the Malopolska province, where an increase in animal rabies cases has been observed since September 2010 and in Podkarpackie province. A single case of fox rabies was reported in Silesia, where there was no disease for many years. Rabies among terrestrial animals also occurred in the provinces ofLubelskie, Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Podlaskie. In other regions of the country there were recorded only isolated cases of bat rabies. In 2011, number of people vaccinated against rabies was 7 543 (in 2010 - 7,243), of which 300 (4%) due to exposure to the animals that were confirmed to have rabies. Among those vaccinated because of contact with the rabid animal, 68 people (over 22%) were vaccinated after contact with fox. As in previous years, people were mainly vaccinated after exposure to dogs and cats in which rabies could not be ruled out - 5 874 persons (78%). The number of registered animals with confirmed rabies remains at the same level and the disease epizootic situation is good. This is a consequence of the implementation of the oral vaccination of wild animals introduced in the country in 1993. Epizootic situation in the country has a small influence on the number of people vaccinated against rabies who have come into contact with the animal potentially infected with the rabies. Serum is given in a few cases, including a few people at contact with rabid animals or deeply wounded by animals in which rabies cannot be excluded.

NRT Atmospheric Water Vapour Retrieval on the Area of Poland at IGG WUELS AC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplon, Jan; Bosy, Jaroslaw; Sierny, Jan; Hadas, Tomasz; Rohm, Witold; Wilgan, Karina; Ryczywolski, Marcin; Oruba, Artur; Kroszczynski, Krzysztof

2013-04-01

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are designed for positioning, navigation and amongst other possible applications it can also be used to derive information about the state of the atmosphere. Continuous observations from GNSS receivers provide an excellent tool for studying the neutral atmosphere, currently in near real-time. The Near Real-Time (NRT) neutral atmosphere and water vapour distribution models are currently obtained with high resolution from Ground Base Augmentation Systems (GBAS), where reference stations are equipped with GNSS and meteorological sensors. The Poland territory is covered by dense network of GNSS stations in the frame of GBAS system called ASG-EUPOS (www.asgeupos.pl). This system was established in year 2008 by the Head Office of Geodesy and Cartography in the frame of the EUPOS project (www.eupos.org) for providing positioning services. The GNSS data are available from 130 reference stations located in Poland and neighbour countries. The ground meteorological observations in the area of Poland and neighbour countries are available from ASG-EUPOS stations included in EUREF Permanent Network (EPN) stations, airports meteorological stations (METAR messages stations), and stations managed by national Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (SYNOP messages stations). Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics (IGG) of Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences had created permanent NRT service of ZTD (Zenith Total Delay) estimation for the area of Poland from GPS observations called IGGHZG. The first part of the paper presents the methodology of NRT GNSS data processing for ASG-EUPOS stations for ZTD estimation and its comparison to the results coming from EPN ACs and Military University of Technology in Warsaw AC (MUT AC). Second part covers the procedure of IWV (atmospheric Integrated Water Vapour content) estimation at IGG from IGGHZG product and ZHD (Zenith Hydrostatic Delay) derived from Saastamoinen formula (1972) and meteorological observations from ASG-EUPOS stations, SYNOP (synoptic stations network) and METAR (airport meteorological stations). Paper presents comparison of IWV with the results from NWP (Numerical Weather Prediction) models HIRLAM (via EGVAPII - http://egvap.dmi.dk) and COAMPS (via MUT AC) as well.

Antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance and genetic characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Poland, 2010-2012

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In Poland, gonorrhoea has been a mandatorily reported infection since 1948, however, the reported incidences are likely underestimated. No antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data for Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been internationally reported in nearly four decades, and data concerning genetic characteristics of N. gonorrhoeae are totally lacking. The aims of this study were to investigate the AMR to previously and currently recommended gonorrhoea treatment options, the main genetic resistance determinant (penA) for extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs), and genotypic distribution of N. gonorrhoeae isolates in Poland in 2010-2012. Methods N. gonorrhoeae isolates cultured in 2010 (n = 28), 2011 (n = 92) and 2012 (n = 108) in Warsaw and Bialystok, Poland, were examined using antimicrobial susceptibility testing (Etest), pyrosequencing of penA and N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). Results The proportions of N. gonorrhoeae isolates showing resistance were as follows: ciprofloxacin 61%, tetracycline 43%, penicillin G 22%, and azithromycin 8.8%. No isolates resistant to ceftriaxone, cefixime or spectinomycin were found. However, the proportion of isolates with an ESC MIC = 0.125 mg/L, i.e. at the resistance breakpoint, increased significantly from none in 2010 to 9.3% and 19% in 2012 for ceftriaxone and cefixime, respectively. Furthermore, 3.1% of the isolates showed multidrug resistance, i.e., resistance to ciprofloxacin, penicillin G, azithromycin, and decreased susceptibility to cefixime (MIC = 0.125 mg/L). Seventy-six isolates (33%) possessed a penA mosaic allele and 14 isolates (6.1%) contained an A501V/T alteration in penicillin-binding protein 2. NG-MAST ST1407 (n = 58, 25% of isolates) was the most prevalent ST, which significantly increased from 2010 (n = 0) to 2012 (n = 46; 43%). Conclusions In Poland, the diversified gonococcal population displayed a high resistance to most antimicrobials internationally previously recommended for gonorrhoea treatment and decreasing susceptibility to the currently recommended ESCs. The decreasing susceptibility to ESCs was mostly due to the introduction of the internationally spread multidrug-resistant NG-MAST ST1407 in 2011. It is essential to promptly revise the gonorrhoea treatment guidelines, improve the gonorrhoea laboratory diagnostics, and implement quality assured surveillance of gonococcal AMR (ideally also treatment failures) in Poland. PMID:24502606

Level and Contamination Assessment of Soil along an Expressway in an Ecologically Valuable Area in Central Poland

PubMed Central

Radziemska, Maja; Fronczyk, Joanna

2015-01-01

Express roads are a potential source of heavy metal contamination in the surrounding environment. The Warsaw Expressway (E30) is one of the busiest roads in the capital of Poland and cuts through the ecologically valuable area (Mazowiecki Natural Landscape Park). Soil samples were collected at distances of 0.5, 4.5 and 25 m from the expressway. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were determined in the soils by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry method (FAAS). Soils located in the direct proximity of the analyzed stretch of road were found to have the highest values of pH and electrical conductivity (EC), which decreased along with an increase in the distance from the expressway. The contents of Cd, Cu and Zn were found to be higher than Polish national averages, whereas the average values of Ni and Pb were not exceeded. The pollution level was estimated based on the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and the pollution index (PI). The results of Igeo and PI indexes revealed the following orders: Cu < Zn < Ni < Cd < Pb and Cu < Ni < Cd < Zn < Pb, and comparison with geochemical background values showed higher concentration of zinc, lead and cadmium. PMID:26512684

Level and Contamination Assessment of Soil along an Expressway in an Ecologically Valuable Area in Central Poland.

PubMed

Radziemska, Maja; Fronczyk, Joanna

2015-10-23

Express roads are a potential source of heavy metal contamination in the surrounding environment. The Warsaw Expressway (E30) is one of the busiest roads in the capital of Poland and cuts through the ecologically valuable area (Mazowiecki Natural Landscape Park). Soil samples were collected at distances of 0.5, 4.5 and 25 m from the expressway. The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn) were determined in the soils by the flame atomic absorption spectrometry method (FAAS). Soils located in the direct proximity of the analyzed stretch of road were found to have the highest values of pH and electrical conductivity (EC), which decreased along with an increase in the distance from the expressway. The contents of Cd, Cu and Zn were found to be higher than Polish national averages, whereas the average values of Ni and Pb were not exceeded. The pollution level was estimated based on the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), and the pollution index (PI). The results of Igeo and PI indexes revealed the following orders: Cu < Zn < Ni < Cd < Pb and Cu < Ni < Cd < Zn < Pb, and comparison with geochemical background values showed higher concentration of zinc, lead and cadmium.

Characteristics of lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS) and its effect on the degree of spinal deformity in idiopathic scoliosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Ireneusz M.; Palko, Tadeusz; Pasniczek, Roman; Szarek, Jozef

2009-01-01

Clinical studies were carried out in the period of 2003-2006 at the Provincial Children's Rehabilitation Hospital in Ameryka near Olsztyn (Poland). The study involved a group of children and youth exhibiting spinal deformity progression in idiopathic scoliosis (IS) of more than 5° per year according to the Cobb scale. Four hundred and fifty patients between 4 and 15 years of age were divided into three groups (n = 150). Group I and group II received 2-hour and 9-hour lateral electrical surface stimulation (LESS), respectively, whereas group III (control) was treated only with corrective exercises for 30 minutes twice a day. LESS was performed with the use of a battery-operated SCOL-2 stimulator manufactured by Elmech, Warsaw, Poland. The effectiveness of this method was confirmed in the treatment of spinal IS in children and youth, especially when the initial spinal deformity did not exceed 20° according to the Cobb scale. A short-duration electrostimulation (2 hours daily) was found to produce results similar to those obtained after overnight (9 h) electrostimulation. Moreover, the analysis of the Harrington prognostic index F confirms the positive effect of LESS in both groups of patients (2 h and 9 h of LESS).

Optimization of the level and range of working temperature of the PCM in the gypsum-microencapsulated PCM thermal energy storage unit for summer conditions in Central Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łapka, P.; Jaworski, M.

2017-10-01

In this paper thermal energy storage (TES) unit in a form of a ceiling panel made of gypsum-microencapsulated PCM composite with internal U-shaped channels was considered and optimal characteristics of the microencapsulated PCM were determined. This panel may be easily incorporated into, e.g., an office or residential ventilation system in order to reduce daily variations of air temperature during the summer without additional costs related to the consumption of energy for preparing air parameters to the desired level. For the purpose of the analysis of heat transfer in the panel, a novel numerical simulator was developed. The numerical model consists of two coupled parts, i.e., the 1D which deals with the air flowing through the U-shaped channel and the 3D which deals with heat transfer in the body of the panel. The computational tool was validated based on the experimental study performed on the special set-up. Using this tool an optimization of parameters of the gypsum-microencapsulated PCM composite was performed in order to determine its most appropriate properties for the application under study. The analyses were performed for averaged local summer conditions in Warsaw, Poland.

The analysis of tobacco consumption in Croatia--are we successfully facing the epidemic?

PubMed

Padjen, Ivan; Dabić, Marina; Glivetić, Tatjana; Biloglav, Zrinka; Biočina-Lukenda, Dolores; Lukenda, Josip

2012-03-01

Tobacco is the largest cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to analyse several health and economically related indicators of tobacco consumption: smoking prevalence, standardized death rates (SDRs) from lung cancer and the proportion of GDP spent on tobacco in Croatia and other transitional countries--the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, and Bulgaria. The overall smoking prevalence in Croatia decreased by 5.2% during 1994-2005, more among females (-9.9%) than males (-0.3%). There is no significant difference in the smoking prevalence between Croatia (27.4%) and other countries. However, 33.8% of Croatian males smoked during 2002-2005, more than in Romania and the Czech Republic, and less than in Hungary and Poland. The prevalence of female smoking (21.7%) in Croatia is similar to the female smoking prevalence in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, but male smoking is predominant in all countries. The proportion of smokers among youth is above 20% and it is the highest in the Czech Republic (29.7%), followed by Hungary (26.7%), Slovenia (24.9%), Croatia (24.1%), and Poland (21.5%). The proportion of smokers among girls is higher than among boys in Slovenia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Croatia, contrary to Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Poland where boys smoke slightly more. There is no significant difference between the prevalence of smoking among girls in Croatia and Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia. According to the SDR from lung cancer in males (70.3/100,000), Croatia is ranked high assuming the 3rd place, after Hungary (99.7) and Poland (72.0). With a SDR of 15.9/100,000 for females, Croatia is ranked slightly better--5th place. Tobacco consumption continues to be a major public health problem in transitional countries. Croatia conducted several campaigns and programmes in the past. However, results reveal that current anti-tobacco strategies are ineffective in reducing the smoking prevalence among men and youth. Men do not smoke less than a decade ago and, despite the observed decline among women, increasing trends are observed among teenage girls. Croatia should apply a comprehensive approach that would include raising awareness of health risks, restriction of smoking in public places, higher taxing, implementing stricter bans on advertising and promotion of tobacco as well as supporting smoking cessation. This last measure is believed to bring about some results in the medium term in targeted population groups, provided that it is supported by all health professionals. Otherwise, we may expect progress at the population level in the field of social stigmatization of smoking and wider intolerance to second-hand smoke. The full impact of smoking on the population health is yet to be seen and in the future it will undoubtedly remain one of the major contributors to the poor public health situation in Croatia.

Effective Application of a Quality System in the Donation Process at Hospital Level.

PubMed

Trujnara, M; Czerwiński, J; Osadzińska, J

2016-06-01

This article describes the application of a quality system at the hospital level at the Multidisciplinary Hospital in Warsaw-Międzylesie in Poland. A quality system of hospital procedures (in accordance with the ISO system 9001:2008) regarding the donation process, from the identification of a possible donor to the retrieval of organs, was applied there in 2014. Seven independent documents about hospital procedures, were designed to cover the entire process of donation. The number of donors identified increased after the application of the quality system. The reason for this increase is, above all, the cooperation of the well-trained team of specialists who have been engaged in the process of donation for many years, but formal procedures certainly organize the process and make it easier. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Middle Miocene of the Fore-Carpathian Basin (Poland, Ukraine and Moldova)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wysocka, Anna; Radwański, Andrzej; Górka, Marcin; Bąbel, Maciej; Radwańska, Urszula; Złotnik, Michał

2016-09-01

Studies of Miocene sediments in the Fore-Carpathian Basin, conducted by geologists from the University of Warsaw have provided new insights on the distribution of the facies infilling the basin, particularly in the forebulge and back-bulge zones. The origin of the large-scale sand bodies, evaporitic deposits and large-scale organic buildups is discussed, described and verified. These deposits originated in variable, shallow marine settings, differing in their water chemistry and the dynamics of sedimentary processes, and are unique with regard to the fossil assemblages they yield. Many years of taxonomic, biostratigraphic, palaeoecologic and ecotaphonomic investigations have resulted in the identification of the fossil assemblages of these sediments, their age, sedimentary settings and post-mortem conditions. Detailed studies were focused on corals, polychaetes, most classes of molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms, and fishes.

Certification of biological candidates reference materials by neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabanov, Denis V.; Nesterova, Yulia V.; Merkulov, Viktor G.

2018-03-01

The paper gives the results of interlaboratory certification of new biological candidate reference materials by neutron activation analysis recommended by the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (Warsaw, Poland). The correctness and accuracy of the applied method was statistically estimated for the determination of trace elements in candidate reference materials. The procedure of irradiation in the reactor thermal fuel assembly without formation of fast neutrons was carried out. It excluded formation of interfering isotopes leading to false results. The concentration of more than 20 elements (e.g., Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Ce, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Ta, Th, Tb, Yb, U, Zn) in candidate references of tobacco leaves and bottom sediment compared to certified reference materials were determined. It was shown that the average error of the applied method did not exceed 10%.

The discovery of radium in 1898 by Maria Sklodowska-Curie (1867-1934) and Pierre Curie (1859-1906) with commentary on their life and times.

PubMed

Mould, R F

1998-12-01

This review celebrates the events of 100 years ago to the month of publication of this December 1998 issue of the British Journal of Radiology, when radium was discovered by the Curies. This followed the earlier discovery in November 1895 of X-rays by Röntgen, which has already been reviewed in the British Journal of Radiology [1] and the discovery in March 1896, by Becquerel, of the phenomenon of radioactivity, which introduces this review. This is particularly relevant as Marie Curie was in 1897 a research student in Becquerel's laboratory. Marie Curie's life in Poland prior to her 1891 departure for Paris is included in this review as are other aspects of her life and work such as her work in World War I with radiological ambulances (known as "Little Curies") on the battlefields of France and Belgium, early experiments with radium and the founding of the Institut du Radium in Paris and of the Radium Institute in Warsaw. Wherever possible I have included appropriate quotations in Marie Curie's own words [2-4] and each section is related in some way to the life and work of Maria or Pierre. This review is completed with details of the re-interment of the bodies of Pierre and Marie on 20 April 1995 in The Panthéon, Paris.

Scarlet fever in Poland in 2013.

PubMed

Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Staszewska, Ewa; Kondej, Barbara

2015-01-01

Assessment of the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland in 2013 in comparison with previous years. MATERIALS AND MATHODS. The evaluation was performed by reviewing surveillance data published in the bulletin, "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2013" (Warsaw 2014, NIPH-NIH, CSI) and also in bulletins from previous years, and unpublished data collected under Statistical survey program of official statistics. In 2013 did not change the general view of the epidemiological situation of scarlet fever in Poland. Analysed data did not indicate the possibility of shortening an epidemic cycle of scarlet fever, nor suggest growing rate of epidemic curve or increase of average annual incidence which was observed in last twenty years. In 2013, in the country a total of 25 115 cases were registered with corresponding incidence 65.2 per 100,000 population (in voivodeships: from 22.9 in Łódzkie to 111.1 in Pomorskie). The highest incidence was notified in 5-year-old (949.2) and 4-year-old children (916.6), and the cases among children and young people up to 15 years accounted for 87.0% of all cases. The incidence among men (78.8) was higher over 50% than incidence among women (52.5). The incidence was higher in urban areas than in rural areas and was 68.7 (in rural area 59.9). 1.04% of patients were hospitalized. No deaths related to this disease were reported. A sudden increasing incidence among men, especially in the 15-19 age group and growing proportion of cases among adults in comparison to the notified in previous years, according to authors' opinion, can be associated with compensatory epidemic of rubella (!). It is estimated, that about 10% scarlet fever cases reported to surveillance in a year are misclassified and could be unrecognized cases of rubella. Therefore, it is important to enhance specificity of epidemiological surveillance of scarlet fever. Additionally, it will give a better opportunity to monitor and supervise measles and rubella elimination program.

Raman lidar water vapor profiling over Warsaw, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stachlewska, Iwona S.; Costa-Surós, Montserrat; Althausen, Dietrich

2017-09-01

Water vapor mixing ratio and relative humidity profiles were derived from the multi-wavelength Raman PollyXT lidar at the EARLINET site in Warsaw, using the Rayleigh molecular extinction calculation based on atmospheric temperature and pressure from three different sources: i) the standard atmosphere US 62, ii) the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) model output, and iii) the WMO 12374 radiosoundings launched at Legionowo. With each method, 136 midnight relative humidity profiles were obtained for lidar observations from July 2013 to August 2015. Comparisons of these profiles showed in favor of the latter method (iii), but it also indicated that the other two data sources could replace it, if necessary. Such use was demonstrated for an automated retrieval of water vapor mixing ratio from dusk until dawn on 19/20 March 2015; a case study related to an advection of biomass burning aerosol from forest fires over Ukraine. Additionally, an algorithm that applies thresholds to the radiosounding relative humidity profiles to estimate macro-physical cloud vertical structure was used for the first time on the Raman lidar relative humidity profiles. The results, based on a subset of 66 profiles, indicate that below 6 km cloud bases/tops can be successfully obtained in 53% and 76% cases from lidar and radiosounding profiles, respectively. Finally, a contribution of the lidar derived mean relative humidity to cloudy conditions within the range of 0.8 to 6.2 km, in comparison to clear-sky conditions, was estimated.

The possibility of establishing causes of death on the basis of the exhumed remains of prisoners executed during the communist regime in Poland: the exhumations at Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw.

PubMed

Szleszkowski, Łukasz; Thannhäuser, Agata; Szwagrzyk, Krzysztof; Jurek, Tomasz

2015-07-01

This study presents the results of the analysis of forensic examinations of the remains of 194 prisoners exhumed at Powązki Military Cemetery in Warsaw. In all probability, most of those buried there were judicially sentenced to death by firing squad or hanging in connection with activities of the Polish independence underground in its struggles with the postwar communist regime. Forensic medical research focussed on determining causes of death and reconstructing the mechanisms of injury leading to death. Most probable causes of death were found in 108 of 194 cases; of these, 76 were isolated gunshot wounds to the head, mostly directed to the occipital region. In 29 of 194 cases, only extensive skull fractures were observed, making it impossible to determine the mechanism of injury. The condition of these skulls do not permit the exclusion of injuries due to gunshots, which were very likely given the historical context of the studied location. In one case, it is assumed that the cause of death could be blunt force trauma to the head. In 86 of 194 cases, it was not possible to determine the cause of death. Of these cases, 20 skeletons were in such poor condition that erosive changes could have completely obliterated even very extensive head injuries leading to death. No injuries were observed that could be associated with execution by hanging.

PREFACE: International Conference on 'Quantum Control, Exact or Perturbative, Linear or Nonlinear' to celebrate 50 years of the scientific career of Professor Bogdan Mielnik (Mielnik50)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bretón, N.; Fernández, D.; Kielanowski, P.

2015-06-01

The International Conference on 'Quantum Control, Exact or Perturbative, Linear or Nonlinear', took place in Mexico City on 22-24 October 2014. It was held with the aim of celebrating the first fifty years of scientific career of Bogdan Mielnik, an outstanding scientist whose professional trajectory spans over Poland and Mexico and who is currently Professor Emeritus in the Physics Department of Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (Cinvestav) in Mexico. Bogdan Mielnik was born on May 6th, 1936 in Warsaw, Poland. He studied elementary and high school until 1953. In the autumn of 1953 he started the studies in the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Warsaw, and at the end of 1957 he did his master work under the direction of Professor Jerzy Plebański. In 1962 he was invited to the newly opened Research Center of IPN (Cinvestav), in Mexico, as an assistant and PhD student of Jerzy Plebański. On October 22nd, 1964, he submitted to Cinvestav his PhD Thesis entitled ''Analytic functions of the displacement operator'', marking the offcial beginning of his scientific career. It is worth mentioning that Bogdan Mielnik is the first PhD graduate of the Physics Department of Cinvestav, so with this Conference our Department was also celebrating an important date on its calendar. A more detailed information can be found in the website http://www.fis.cinvestav.mx/mielnik50/. It was our great pleasure to see that many collaborators and former students of Bogdan Mielnik attended this Conference. The articles collected in this volume are the written contributions of the majority of talks presented at the conference. They have been organized according to the research subjects that Bogdan Mielnik has been involved in. Thus, the articles of JG Hirsch, L Hughston, G Morales-Luna, O Rosas-Ortiz and G Torres-Vega deal with Fundamental Problems in Quantum Mechanics. On the other hand, the papers by F Delgado, H Hernández-Coronado, G Herrera Corral, F Rojas, KB Wolf and M Znojil belong to the subject of Quantum Control and Dynamical Manipulation, while the articles of D Bermudez, A Contreras-Astorga, E Díaz-Bautista, JC González, V Hussin and VS Morales-Salgado are related with Factorization Method, Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics and Coherent States. Finally, the papers of S Cruz y Cruz, M Enríquez, A Jaimes-Nájera and R Kerner address some Interdisciplinary Problems in Quantum Mechanics. We would like to conclude by thanking for the support of the Physics Department of Cinvestav, the Academic Affairs Offce of Cinvestav, and the Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt, projects 152574 and 166581). Without their support, neither the Conference would have been held nor this Conference Volume would have been published.

Estimation of the Probable Maximum Flood for a Small Lowland River in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banasik, K.; Hejduk, L.

2009-04-01

The planning, designe and use of hydrotechnical structures often requires the assesment of maximu flood potentials. The most common term applied to this upper limit of flooding is the probable maximum flood (PMF). The PMP/UH (probable maximum precipitation/unit hydrograph) method has been used in the study to predict PMF from a small agricultural lowland river basin of Zagozdzonka (left tributary of Vistula river) in Poland. The river basin, located about 100 km south of Warsaw, with an area - upstream the gauge of Plachty - of 82 km2, has been investigated by Department of Water Engineering and Environmenal Restoration of Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW since 1962. Over 40-year flow record was used in previous investigation for predicting T-year flood discharge (Banasik et al., 2003). The objective here was to estimate the PMF using the PMP/UH method and to compare the results with the 100-year flood. A new relation of depth-duration curve of PMP for the local climatic condition has been developed based on Polish maximum observed rainfall data (Ozga-Zielinska & Ozga-Zielinski, 2003). Exponential formula, with the value of exponent of 0.47, i.e. close to the exponent in formula for world PMP and also in the formula of PMP for Great Britain (Wilson, 1993), gives the rainfall depth about 40% lower than the Wilson's one. The effective rainfall (runoff volume) has been estimated from the PMP of various duration using the CN-method (USDA-SCS, 1986). The CN value as well as parameters of the IUH model (Nash, 1957) have been established from the 27 rainfall-runoff events, recorded in the river basin in the period 1980-2004. Varibility of the parameter values with the size of the events will be discussed in the paper. The results of the analyse have shown that the peak discharge of the PMF is 4.5 times larger then 100-year flood, and volume ratio of the respective direct hydrographs caused by rainfall events of critical duration is 4.0. References 1.Banasik K., Byczkowski A., Gładecki J., 2003: Prediction of T-year flood discharge from a small river basin using direct and indirect methods. Annals of Warsaw Agricultural University - SGGW, Land Reclamation, No 34, p. 3 - 8. 2.Nash J.E., 1957. The form of the instantaneous unit hydrograph. Publ. IAHS, nr 59, p.202-213. 3.Ozga-Zielińska M. & Ozga-Zielinski B., 2003. The floodgenerativity of rivers as a measure of danger for hydrotechnical structures and determination of flood protection zones (in Polish with English summary). Gospodarka Wodna, no 1, p. 10-17. 4.Shalaby A.,I., 1995. Sensitivity to probable maximum flood. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Vol. 121, No. 5, p. 327-337. 5.USDA-SCS (Soil Conservation Service), 1986. TR-55: Urban hydrolgy for small watershed. Wasington, D.C. 6.Wilson E.M., 1993. Engineering hydrology. MacMillan, London.

Estimation of the Probable Maximum Flood for a Small Lowland River in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banasik, K.; Hejduk, L.

2009-04-01

The planning, designe and use of hydrotechnical structures often requires the assesment of maximu flood potentials. The most common term applied to this upper limit of flooding is the probable maximum flood (PMF). The PMP/UH (probable maximum precipitation/unit hydrograph) method has been used in the study to predict PMF from a small agricultural lowland river basin of Zagozdzonka (left tributary of Vistula river) in Poland. The river basin, located about 100 km south of Warsaw, with an area - upstream the gauge of Plachty - of 82 km2, has been investigated by Department of Water Engineering and Environmenal Restoration of Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW since 1962. Over 40-year flow record was used in previous investigation for predicting T-year flood discharge (Banasik et al., 2003). The objective here was to estimate the PMF using the PMP/UH method and to compare the results with the 100-year flood. A new relation of depth-duration curve of PMP for the local climatic condition has been developed based on Polish maximum observed rainfall data (Ozga-Zielinska & Ozga-Zielinski, 2003). Exponential formula, with the value of exponent of 0.47, i.e. close to the exponent in formula for world PMP and also in the formula of PMP for Great Britain (Wilson, 1993), gives the rainfall depth about 40% lower than the Wilson's one. The effective rainfall (runoff volume) has been estimated from the PMP of various duration using the CN-method (USDA-SCS, 1986). The CN value as well as parameters of the IUH model (Nash, 1957) have been established from the 27 rainfall-runoff events, recorded in the river basin in the period 1980-2004. Varibility of the parameter values with the size of the events will be discussed in the paper. The results of the analyse have shown that the peak discharge of the PMF is 4.5 times larger then 100-year flood, and volume ratio of the respective direct hydrographs caused by rainfall events of critical duration is 4.0. References 1.Banasik K., Byczkowski A., Gładecki J., 2003: Prediction of T-year flood discharge from a small river basin using direct and indirect methods. Annals of Warsaw Agricultural University - SGGW, Land Reclamation, No 34, p. 3 - 8. 2.Nash J.E., 1957. The form of the instantaneous unit hydrograph. Publ. IAHS, nr 59, p.202-213. 3.Ozga-Zielińska M. & Ozga-Zielinski B., 2003. The floodgenerativity of rivers as a measure of danger for hydrotechnical structures and determination of flood protection zones (in Polish with English summary). Gospodarka Wodna, no 1, p. 10-17. 4.Shalaby A.,I., 1995. Sensitivity to probable maximum flood. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. Vol. 121, No. 5, p. 327-337. 5.USDA-SCS (Soil Conservation Service), 1986. TR-55: Urban hydrolgy for small watershed. Wasington, D.C. 6. Wilson E.M., 1993. Engineering hydrology. MacMillan, London.

Buried paleo-sedimentary basins in the north-eastern Black Sea-Azov Sea area and tectonic implications (DOBRE-2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starostenko, Vitaly; Stephenson, Randell; Janik, Tomasz; Tolkunov, Anatoly

2014-05-01

A number of independent but inter-related projects carried out under the auspices of various national and international programmes in Ukraine including DARIUS were aimed at imaging the upper lithosphere, crustal and sedimentary basin architecture in the north-eastern Black Sea, southern Crimea and Kerch peninsulas and the Azov Sea. This region marks the transition from relatively undisturbed Precambrian European cratonic crust and lithosphere north of the Azov Sea to areas of significant Phanerozoic tectonics and basin development, in both extensional as well as compressional environments, to the south, including the eastern Black Sea rift, which is the main sedimentary basin of the study area. The wide-angle reflection and refraction (WARR) profile DOBRE-2, a Ukrainian national project with international participation (see below), overlapping some 115 km of the southern end of the DOBREfraction'99 profile (that crosses the intracratonic Donbas Foldbelt) in the north and running to the eastern Black Sea basin in the south, utilised on- and offshore recording and energy sources. It maps crustal velocity structure across the craton margin and documents, among other things, that the Moho deepens from 40 km to ~47 km to the southwest below the Azov Sea and Crimean-Caucasus deformed zone. A regional CDP seismic profile coincident with DOBRE-2, crossing the Azov Sea, Kerch Peninsula and the north-eastern Black Sea southwest to the Ukraine-Turkey border, acquired by Ukrgeofisika (the Ukrainian national geophysical company) reveals in its inferred structural relationships the ages of Cretaceous and younger extensional and subsequent basin inversion tectonic events as well as the 2D geometry of basement displacement associated with post mid-Eocene inversion. A direct comparison of the results of the WARR velocity model and the near-vertical reflection structural image has been made by converting the former into the time domain. The results dramatically demonstrate that there are major, rift-like, sedimentary basins underlying the area of the Azov Sea and the inverted north-eastern margin of the Black Sea. It can be speculated that one of these basins may represent the previously unknown western prolongation of the Jurassic-aged Greater Caucasus back-arc basin and that the other may be the legacy of earlier - Late Palaeozoic-Triassic - extensional tectonics in this area. Individuals (in alphabetical order) from each institution involved scientifically in DOBRE-2 (listed alphabetically according to country) include: H. Thybo (Department of Geography and Geology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark); A. Dannowski and E. Flüh (IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel, Germany); W. Czuba, A. Guterch and P. Środa (Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland); M. Grad (Institute of Geophysics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland); D. Gryn, K. Kolomiyets, O. Legostaeva, D. Lysynchuk, V. Omelchenko and O. Rusakov (Institute of Geophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv); M. Pobedash, N. Polyvach, G. Sydorenko and Z. Voitsytskyi (Ukrgeofisika, Kyiv, Ukraine); as well as the named co-authors of this presentation.

Inter-population variations in concentrations, determinants of and correlations between 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE): a cross-sectional study of 3161 men and women from Inuit and European populations

PubMed Central

Jönsson, Bo AG; Rylander, Lars; Lindh, Christian; Rignell-Hydbom, Anna; Giwercman, Aleksander; Toft, Gunnar; Pedersen, Henning S; Ludwicki, Jan K; Góralczyk, Katarzyna; Zvyezday, Valentyna; Spanò, Marcello; Bizzaro, Davide; Bonefeld-Jörgensen, Eva C; Manicardi, Gian Carlo; Bonde, Jens Peter; Hagmar, Lars

2005-01-01

Background The study is part of a collaborative project (Inuendo), aiming to assess the impact of dietary persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) on human fertility. The aims with the present study are to analyze inter-population variations in serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE), to assess inter-population variations in biomarker correlations, and to evaluate the relative impact of different determinants for the inter-individual variations in POP-biomarkers. Method In study populations of 3161 adults, comprising Greenlandic Inuits, Swedish fishermen and their wives, and inhabitants from Warsaw, Poland and Kharkiv, Ukraine, serum concentrations of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE, were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results The median serum concentrations of CB-153 were for male and female Inuits 200 and 110, for Swedish fishermen 190 and their wives 84, for Kharkiv men and women 44 and 27, and for Warsaw men and women 17 and 11 ng/g lipids, respectively. The median serum concentrations of p,p'-DDE were for Kharkiv men and women 930 and 650, for male and female Inuits 560 and 300, for Warsaw men and women 530 and 380, and for Swedish fishermen 240 and their wives 140 ng/g lipids, respectively. The correlation coefficients between CB-153 and p,p'-DDE varied between 0.19 and 0.92, with the highest correlation among Inuits and the lowest among men from Warsaw. Men had averagely higher serum concentrations of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE, and there were positive associations between age and the POP-biomarkers, whereas the associations with BMI and smoking were inconsistent. Dietary seafood was of importance only in the Inuit and Swedish populations. Conclusion CB-153 concentrations were much higher in Inuits and Swedish fishermen's populations than in the populations from Eastern Europe, whereas the pattern was different for p,p'-DDE showing highest concentrations in the Kharkiv population. The correlations between the POP-biomarkers varied considerably between the populations, underlining that exposure sources differ and that the choice of representative biomarkers of overall POP exposure has to be based on an analysis of the specific exposure situation for each population. Age and gender were consistent determinants of serum POPs; seafood was of importance only in the Inuit and Swedish populations. PMID:16283941

A Comparative Analysis of Selected Demographic Parameters for Evaluating Parity of Women in Poland, Spain, England and Wales for the Period 1996-2011.

PubMed

Strama, Agnieszka; Heimrath, Jerzy; Dudek, Krzysztof

2016-01-01

The Central Statistical Offices in Europe indicate an increase of women's parity age and extramarital births. The aim of this study was to analyze the chosen demographics of parity in European countries of Poland, Spain, England and Wales in 1996-2011. Statistical packet: women's average age at the time of their first and subsequent births, newborns' average body weight in relation to the age of mother; live marital and extramarital births. The age of mothers giving birth to their first and subsequent children in 1998-2011 in all of the researched countries is presented, and next compared in 1999, 2005 and 2011. An analysis of the births of children in marital and extramarital relationships as well as the body weight of live newborns is presented in detail in 1996-2006, and next in 6 year periods: 1999, 2005 and 2011. The average age of the mother giving birth to her first baby in 1996-2011 oscillates around: 26-27 years in England and Wales, 28-30 years in Spain and 23-26 years in Poland. In Poland, the highest average children's body weight, 3394 g, was achieved by children born by mothers at the age of 25-29. In Spain, however, at the mothers' age of 20-24, it was 3317 g. In England and Wales, at 30-34 years, it was 3262 g. The number of extramarital births in comparison to marital births is increasing. England and Wales has the lowest percentage of marital births, whereas Poland, the highest. In Spain, England and Wales we can observe an increase of extramarital births, while in Poland this number is stable at around 21.3%. The age of women having their first baby, the parity of later children, and extramarital births are increasing. In Poland, infant body weight is significantly bigger than in Spain, England and Wales.

Violent behavior and driving under the influence of alcohol: prevalence and association with impulsivity among individuals in treatment for alcohol dependence in Poland.

PubMed

Klimkiewicz, Anna; Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Wnorowska, Anna; Klimkiewicz, Jakub; Bohnert, Amy; Ilgen, Mark A; Brower, Kirk J; Wojnar, Marcin

2014-01-01

Driving while intoxicated or under the influence (DUI; for the purposes of this paper, we use the following terms synonymously: driving under the influence, driving while intoxicated, and drunk driving) and engaging in interpersonal violence are two injury-related problems of high public health importance that have both been linked to alcohol consumption. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of DUI and violence in a sample of individuals in treatment for alcohol dependence in Poland. Patient characteristics associated with DUI and violence involvement, with a particular focus on impulsivity, were examined. Three hundred and sixty-four patients consecutively admitted to four alcohol treatment programs in Warsaw, Poland participated in this study. Questions concerning history of interpersonal violence as well as those about DUI were derived from the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. Impulsivity level was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11, the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and the stop-signal task. Among all participants in the study, 148 (40.1%) had been arrested in the past for DUI, and 196 (55%) reported involvement in a fight under the influence of alcohol (FUI). The DUI group had a significantly earlier onset of alcohol problems, a longer period of heavy alcohol use, and fewer women in comparison to participants without a DUI history. FUI patients were significantly younger, with a younger average age of onset of drinking problems, longer period of heavy drinking, and lower percentage of women than the non-FUI group. Both of the self-reported measures of impulsivity indicated a higher level of impulsivity among participants from the FUI group than those from the non-FUI group. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evolution of Organ Transplantation in Poland 1966 to 2014: Dates and Numbers.

PubMed

Czerwiński, J; Czapiewski, W; Danielewska, E; Milaniak, I; Milecka, A; Patrzałek, D; Sekta, S; Saucha, W; Danek, T; Zając, K; Ostrowski, K; Malanowski, P

2016-06-01

Several events inspired us to collect data on organ transplantation in Poland (2016: the 50th anniversary of the first transplantation and the 20th anniversary of Polish Transplant Coordinating Center Poltransplant). The paper aims at presenting comprehensive data on all organ transplants, beginning with the first in 1966 (deceased kidney) until the end of 2014. Source documents were reports published in Poltransplant Bulletin, a website registry managed by Poltransplant, reports by the Transplantation Council and by the Transplantation Institute of Warsaw. A source data enabled us to establish a preliminary report, presented for verification during the 12th Congress of the Polish Transplantation Society. By the end of 2014, the total number of organ transplants was 26,691. Kidney transplantation is the most common (total number = 19,812). The number of living kidney transplants is low, about 50 per year. The number of liver part transplants from living donors is relatively high, 20 to 30 annually. The program of deceased liver transplantation results in more than 300 transplants yearly. The first heart transplantation was in 1985, but the number of these procedures has been decreasing. No significant increase in the number of lung transplantations was noted. The number of organ transplantations from deceased donors places Poland in the middle among European countries. The number of living donor kidney transplants is lower than in other countries; therefore a living donor liver transplantation program belongs to leading programs. Progress of lung transplantation has been slow. The development is highlighted by vascularized composite tissue transplantations of the hands and face. The strength of the report lies in its reliability and completeness. Numbers are the unique source of information to be used and referred to in the literature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occurrence of antimicrobial agents, drug-resistant bacteria, and genes in the sewage-impacted Vistula River (Poland).

PubMed

Giebułtowicz, Joanna; Tyski, Stefan; Wolinowska, Renata; Grzybowska, Wanda; Zaręba, Tomasz; Drobniewska, Agata; Wroczyński, Piotr; Nałęcz-Jawecki, Grzegorz

2018-02-01

Antimicrobial agents (antimicrobials) are a group of therapeutic and hygienic agents that either kill microorganisms or inhibit their growth. Their occurrence in surface water may reveal harmful effects on aquatic biota and challenge microbial populations. Recently, there is a growing concern over the contamination of surface water with both antimicrobial agents and multidrug-resistant bacteria. The aim of the study was the determination of the presence of selected antimicrobials at specific locations of the Vistula River (Poland), as well as in tap water samples originating from the Warsaw region. Analysis was performed using the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method. In addition, the occurrence of drug-resistant bacteria and resistance genes was determined using standard procedures. This 2-year study is the first investigation of the simultaneous presence of antimicrobial agents, drug-resistant bacteria, and genes in Polish surface water. In Poland, relatively high concentrations of macrolides are observed in both surface and tap water. Simultaneous to the high macrolide levels in the environment, the presence of the erm B gene, coding the resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin, was detected in almost all sampling sites. Another ubiquitous gene was int1, an element of the 5'-conserved segment of class 1 integrons that encode site-specific integrase. Also, resistant isolates of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis and Gram-negative bacteria were recovered. Multidrug-resistant bacteria isolates of Gram-negative and Enterococcus were also detected. The results show that wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are the main source of most antimicrobials, resistant bacteria, and genes in the aquatic environment, probably due to partial purification during wastewater treatment processes.

Identification of needs and requirements defined by services subordinated to the Minister of the Interior and Administration in key technology and user interfaces to develop a concept of the Video Signals Integrator (VSI) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukowiecka, Danuta; Tyburska, Agata; Struniawski, Jarosław; Jastrzebski, Pawel; Jewartowski, Blazej; Pozniak, Krzysztof; Kasprowicz, Grzegorz; Pastuszak, Grzegorz; Trochimiuk, Maciej; Abramowski, Andrzej; Gaska, Michal; Frasunek, Przemysław; Nalbach-Moszynska, Małgorzata; Brawata, Sebastian; Bubak, Iwona; Gloza, Małgorzata

2016-09-01

Preventing and eliminating the risks of terrorist attacks or natural disasters as well as an increase in the security of mass events and critical infrastructure requires the application of modern technologies. Therefore there is a proposal to construct a tool that integrates video signals transmitted by devices that are a part of video monitoring systems functioning in Poland. The article presents selected results of research conducted by the Police Academy in Szczytno under the implemented project for national defense and security on "Video Signals Integrator" Acronym - VSI. Project Leader: Warsaw University of Technology. The consortium: Police Academy in Szczytno, Atende Software Ltd., VORTEX Ltd. No. DOBBio7/ 01/02/2015 funded by the National Centre for Research and Development.

Relationship Between Emotional Processing, Drinking Severity and Relapse in Adults Treated for Alcohol Dependence in Poland

PubMed Central

Kopera, Maciej; Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Suszek, Hubert; Glass, Jennifer M.; Klimkiewicz, Anna; Wnorowska, Anna; Brower, Kirk J.; Wojnar, Marcin

2015-01-01

Aims: Growing data reveals deficits in perception, understanding and regulation of emotions in alcohol dependence (AD). The study objective was to explore the relationships between emotional processing, drinking history and relapse in a clinical sample of alcohol-dependent patients. Methods: A group of 80 inpatients entering an alcohol treatment program in Warsaw, Poland was recruited and assessed at baseline and follow-up after 12 months. Baseline information about demographics, psychopathological symptoms, personality and severity of alcohol problems was obtained. The Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence (EI) Test and Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) were utilized for emotional processing assessment. Follow-up information contained data on drinking alcohol during the last month. Results: At baseline assessment, the duration of alcohol drinking was associated with lower ability to utilize emotions. Patients reporting more difficulties with describing feelings drank more during their last episode of heavy drinking, and had a longer duration of intensive alcohol use. A longer duration of the last episode of heavy drinking was associated with more problems identifying and regulating emotions. Poor utilization of emotions and high severity of depressive symptoms contributed to higher rates of drinking at follow-up. Conclusions: These results underline the importance of systematic identification of discrete emotional problems and dynamics related to AD. This knowledge has implications for treatment. Psychotherapeutic interventions to improve emotional skills could be utilized in treatment of alcohol-dependent patients. PMID:25543129

Assessment of water intake from food and beverages by elderly in Poland

PubMed

Drywień, Małgorzata E; Galon, Katarzyna

Fluid intake in elderly is more important than in younger individuals, because compromised homeostatic mechanisms such as loss of the thirst sensation can result in dehydration. The aim of the present study was the assessment of water intake from food and beverages by free-living elderly in Poland. The study was conducted on 138 volunteers (women and men) at the age of 60 to 90, recruited from Warsaw and Płock Universities of the Third Age and different informal groups from the same cities. Food and beverages consumption data were collected using the method of records for 3 days, including two weekdays and one week-end day, in the period April – June 2012. Average values of total water intake in the present study indicated that women meets of the European Food Safety Agency recommendations (2000 mL/day), but men did not (less about 200 mL/day than the recommended 2500 mL/day). Taking into account the criterion of water per energy intake (mL/kcal) 51% of women and 75% of men did not meet the recommendation. Continuation of the careers and/or participation in Universities of the Third Age contributed to less intake of water from beverages, what in turn affected the total water intake. The elderly leading an active life (working, studying) may be a risk group vulnerable to dehydration, so monitoring is needed.

Medicinal mosses in pre-Linnaean bryophyte floras of central Europe. An example from the natural history of Poland.

PubMed

Drobnik, Jacek; Stebel, Adam

2014-05-14

The paper presents information about the earliest botanical work from Poland, Warsavia physice illustrata which takes bryophytes into account. It was elaborated by a German physician Christian Heinrich Erndtel and issued in 1730 in Dresden. That time understanding of bryophytes was imprecise and in many cases they were confused with lichens and club mosses. Bryophyte taxa polynomials (18 names) were identified using pre- and post-Linnaean botanical monographs from years 1590 to 1801. Their current names and pharmacological value are provided, as well as the old ethnobotanical data about bryophytes (cited from 18th-century sources). Altogether 18 bryophyte species were identified from the vicinity of Warsaw (17 mosses and 1 liverwort). Some of them are still abundant in this area (for example Climacium dendroides, Plagiomnium undulatum and Polytrichum juniperinum) while some other are rare or extinct (for example Neckera crispa and Rhodobryum roseum). Despite the technical ability to observe specific microscopic differences among bryophytes, physicians of 18th century were hardly interested in using any of them as medicinal stock. It may be concluded that the competences in pre-Linnaean bryology did not put into practice using moss-derived materia medica of 18th century (the only exceptions were Fontinalis antipyretica and Polytrichum spp.). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rabies in Poland in 2013 and 2014

PubMed

Sadkowska-Todys, Małgorzata; Kucharczyk, Bożena

Evaluation of the epidemiological situation of rabies in Poland in 2013 and 2014 in comparison to the previous years. The evaluation was based on analysis of the data from individual report sent by the Epidemiological-Sanitary Stations. The data are from questionnaires of persons who were administered vaccine against rabies following exposure in Poland and beyond its territory, data from annual bulletin “Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2012-2014”(Czarkowski MP et al., Warsaw, NIH and CSI) and epizootic data provided by the General Veterinary Inspectorate. Number of animal rabies cases reported in Poland in 2013 and in 2014 was 204 and 105, respectively. This was 30% and 60% less compared to 2012. In 2013 more than 59% of animal rabies cases occurred in Podkarpackie veivodeship and more than 28% in Malopolskie. In 2014 more than 77% of rabid animals were found in the Małopolskie veivodeship, but Podkarpackie accounted for less than 9%. Rabies in terrestrial animals in 2013-2014 was also found in Lubelskie, Podlaskie and Świętokrzyskie veivodeships. In other regions of the country there were reported only single cases of rabies in bats. In 2013, a total of 7 317 people were vaccinated against rabies in 2013 and 7 679 in 2014 including 295 (4%) and 145 (1.9%) persons vaccinated due to exposure to the animals with confirmed rabies, respectively. Among those vaccinated after contact with rabid animal 26% and 29% were vaccinated after contact with a fox in 2013 and 2014, respectively and 64% and 57% as a result of exposure to the domestic animals with confirmed rabies. As with the previous years, people were vaccinated mostly due to exposure to dogs and cats, in which rabies could not be excluded - 5 725 people in 2013 (88%) and 6 057 (87%) in 2014. After the increase in the number of animal rabies cases that occurred in 2012, in the next two years there has been a gradual decline in its number. In 2014 the number of animal rabies cases was lower than in the 2011 and in the 2010. Epizootic situation in the country has inadequate impact on the number of people vaccinated against rabies who had contact with an animal which potentially is a source of rabies virus. This number for many years is consistently stable, amounting to 7 000 vaccinated individuals per year.

Effects of visitor pressure on understory vegetation in Warsaw forested parks (Poland).

PubMed

Sikorski, Piotr; Szumacher, Iwona; Sikorska, Daria; Kozak, Marcin; Wierzba, Marek

2013-07-01

Visitor's access to understorey vegetation in park forest stands results in the impoverishment of plant species composition and a reduction in habitat quality. The phenomenon of biotic homogenisation is typical in urban landscapes, but it can proceed differently depending on the scale, a detail that has not been observed in previous studies. This research was carried out in seven Warsaw parks (both public and restricted access). Thirty-four forested areas were randomly selected, some subjected to strong visitors' pressure and some within restricted access areas, free of such impacts. The latter category included woodlands growing in old forest and secondary habitats. Public access to the study areas contributed to the disappearance of some forest species and their replacement by cosmopolitan non-forest species, leading to loss of floristic biodiversity in areas of high ecological importance at the city scale. Some human-induced factors, including soil compaction and changes in soil pH, moisture and capillary volume, were found to cause habitat changes that favoured native non-forest plants. Despite changes in species composition, the taxonomic similarity of understorey vegetation in both categories--public access and restricted access--was comparable. In a distance gradient of measurements taken around selected individual trees, there was found to be significant variation (in light, soil pH and compaction) affecting the quality and quantity of understorey vegetation (including rare species). In conclusion, the protection of rare forest species could be achieved by limiting access to forested areas, particularly in old forest fragments, and we highly recommend its consideration in the proposal of future park restoration plans.

Аnticonvulsant effects of citicoline and diazepam at their combined application on model of the acute generalized convulsions induced by pentylenetetrazole in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Kuznetsova, L V; Karpova, M N; Zinkovski, K A; Klishina, N Yu

2016-01-01

Studying of efficiency of the combined application of the citicoline possessing nootropic and anticonvulsive action and antiepileptic drug of diazepam on the acute generalized convulsions (AGC) caused by a convulsant pentylentetrazole (PTZ). Experiments are executed on the male Wistar rats (n = 68) weighing 160-190 g on the AGС model caused by of PTZ in a dose of 80 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.). For studying of efficiency of the combined use of drugs determined the minimum anticonvulsive action of a citicoline (Tserakson, «Nicomed Ferrer Internacional, S.A.») and diazepam (Relanium, Warsaw pharmaceutical plant of Polf AO, Warsaw, Poland). For this citicoline were administered i.p. in doses 500 and 300 mg/kg 1 hour before the PTZ and diazepam - in doses of 0,5 and 0,25 mg/kg 30 min before administration of PTZ. Control animals were injected with saline to the same extent and under the same experimental conditions. It is shown that the combined administration of a citicoline and diazepam in minimum active doses (300 and 0.25 mg/kg respectively), increases anticonvulsive properties of both drugs. The combined administration of citicoline with diazepam in minimally active doses enhances anticonvulsant properties of both drugs, thereby reducing the risk of development of side effects. In addition, the research may serve as experimental justification for the use of drugs in case of convulsions for the purpose beneficial effect on cognitive function and delays of progressing of neurodegenerative processes.

Cross-infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis attending the Warsaw Centre.

PubMed

Milczewska, Justyna; Wołkowicz, Tomasz; Zacharczuk, Katarzyna; Kwiatkowska, Monika

2015-01-01

1. To assess the prevalence of cross-infections with P. aeruginosa in order to evaluate the epidemiological situation of this infection in patients with cystic fibrosis attending our centre; 2. To correlate the clinical features of the patients carrying a potentially transmissible strain with the entire study group in order to determine the risk factors and possible effects of its acquisition. 170 Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains obtained from the respiratory tract of 75 cystic fibrosis patients attending the Warsaw Centre in 2011 and 2012 were typed using restriction enzyme analysis-pulsed field gel electrophoresis (Spe I restriction enzyme was used). Simultaneously, the information concerning contacts between patients, as well as several clinical data regarding the course of the disease were collected. Twenty four clusters of strains were detected. The main cluster included 49 isolates derived from 21 patients. The other detected clusters included 2 to 12 isolates derived from 1 to 7 patients. Three clusters comprised the isolates derived from three pairs of siblings. There were 15 clusters containing 2 to 7 strains belonging to the same patient. The remaining 24 patients were infected with their own strains, not fitting any clonal group. Several clinical parameters showed that the 21 patients whose strains constituted the main cluster, were in worse clinical condition than the other patients in the study group. Moreover, the total duration of their hospitalizations in order to perform intravenous antibiotic treatment was longer. 1. Frequent hospitalizations of CF patients with a more severe course of the disease seem to be a risk factor of cross-infections with P. aeruginosa. 2. Intensification of measures to prevent cross-infection, such as hygienic precautions, patient segregation, introduction of home intravenous antibiotic therapy programme, as well as further education of patients and their parents should lead to the improvement of the epidemiological situation in our centre. .

BODY MASS INDEX VALUES IN THE GENTRY AND PEASANTRY IN NINETEENTH AND EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY POLAND.

PubMed

Czapla, Zbigniew; Liczbińska, Grażyna; Piontek, Janusz

2017-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of social and occupational status on the BMI of the gentry and peasantry in the Kingdom of Poland at the turn of 19th and early 20th centuries. Use was made of data on the height and weight of 304 men, including 200 peasants and 104 gentlemen, and 275 women, including 200 from the peasantry and 75 from the gentry. Gentlemen were characterized by a greater body height than peasants (169.40 cm and 166.96 cm, respectively), a greater body weight (67.09 kg and 60.99 kg, respectively) and a higher BMI (23.33 kg/m2 and 21.83 kg/m2, respectively). Landowners and intelligentsia had a greater BMI than peasants (23.12 kg/m2 and 24.20 kg/m2 vs 21.83 kg/m2, respectively). In the case of women, there were no statistically significant differences in mean height, weight and BMI by their social position, and in BMI by occupational status. Underweight occurred less frequently in the gentry and more frequently in the peasantry (0.97% and 2.04%, respectively). Overweight was five times more common in gentlemen than in peasants (26.21% and 5.10%, respectively). Differences in the BMI of gentlefolk and peasants resulted from differences in diet and lifestyle related to socioeconomic status.

Changing mortality patterns in East and West Germany and Poland. II: Short-term trends during transition and in the 1990s

PubMed Central

Nolte, E.; Shkolnikov, V.; McKee, M.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To examine trends in life expectancy at birth and age and cause specific patterns of mortality in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Poland during political transition and throughout the 1990s in both parts of Germany and in Poland.
METHODS—Decomposition of life expectancy by age and cause of death. Changes in life expectancy during transition by cause of death were examined using data for 1988/89 and 1990/91 for the former GDR and Poland; examination of life expectancy changes after transition were based on 1992-97 data for Germany and 1991-96 data for Poland.
RESULTS—In both the former GDR and Poland male life expectancy at birth declined by almost one year during transition, mainly attributable to rising death rates from external causes and circulatory diseases. Female life expectancy in Poland deteriorated by 0.3 years, largely attributable to increasing circulatory mortality among the old, while in East German female rising death rates in children and young adults were nearly outbalanced by declining circulatory mortality among those over 70. Between 1991/92 and 1996/97, male life expectancy at birth increased by 2.4 years in the former GDR, 1.2 years in old Federal Republic, and 2.0 years in Poland (women: 2.3, 0.9, and 1.2 years). In East Germany and Poland, the overall improvement was largely attributable to falling mortality among men aged 40-64, while those over 65 contributed the largest proportion to life expectancy gains in women. The change in deaths among men aged 15-39 accounted for 0.4 of a year to life expectancy at birth in East Germany and Poland, attributable largely to greater decreases from external causes. Among those over 40, absolute contributions to changing life expectancy were greater in the former GDR than in the other two entities in both sexes, largely attributable to circulatory diseases. A persisting East-west life expectancy gap in Germany of 2.1 years in men in 1997 was largely attributable to external causes, diseases of the digestive system and circulatory diseases. Higher death rates from circulatory diseases among the elderly largely explain the female life expectancy gap of approximately one year.
CONCLUSIONS—This study provides further insights into the health effects of political transition. Post-transition improvements in life expectancy and mortality have been much steeper in East Germany compared with Poland. Changes in dietary pattern and, in Germany, medical care may have been important factors in shaping post-transition mortality trends. 


Keywords: mortality trends; Germany; Poland; transition PMID:11076985

Does growing up with a physician influence the ethics of medical students' relationships with the pharmaceutical industry? The cases of the US and Poland.

PubMed

Makowska, Marta

2017-08-10

Medical schools have a major impact on future doctors' ethics and their attitudes towards cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry. From childhood, medical students who are related to a physician are exposed to the characteristics of a medical career and learn its professional ethics not only in school but also in the family setting. The present paper sought to answer the research question: 'How does growing up with a physician influence medical students' perceptions of conflicts of interest in their relationships with industry?' An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 451 medical students from four Philadelphia medical schools and 554 medical students from Warsaw Medical University during 2013. Medical schools in these two cities were chosen because they are both university cities with similar population sizes. Students who had and who did not have a family member working as a physician were compared using chi-square analysis. Data were analysed for each country separately. For both the US and Poland, there were statistically significant differences (p < .05) between medical students with a physician as a family member and other students with respect to views regarding relationship with the pharmaceutical industry. In both groups, this difference occurred for three important dimensions: students' relationship with the pharmaceutical industry; students' views on physicians' rights to cooperate with the pharmaceutical industry; trust in the pharmaceutical industry. In the US, students related to a doctor were characterized by more restrictive opinions on all three dimensions than other students (e.g., 27.8% of the former students vs. 31.4% of the latter students thought doctors had unrestricted rights to cooperate with the industry). However, the contrary was observed in Poland: students with a physician in the family had less strict views than their colleagues (e.g., 56.8% of the former vs. 39.7% of the latter thought that doctors should have unrestricted rights of cooperation). In Poland, a former communist country, physicians transmit a more liberal approach towards collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry to their student relatives than those in the US.

Nasolabial esthetics in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate after 1- versus 3-stage treatment protocols.

PubMed

Fudalej, Piotr; Katsaros, Christos; Bongaarts, Catharina; Dudkiewicz, Zofia; Kuijpers-Jagtman, Anne Marie

2009-08-01

Facial esthetics play an important role in social interactions. However, children with a repaired complete unilateral cleft lip and palate usually show some disfigurement of the nasolabial area. To date, few studies have assessed the nasolabial appearance after different treatment protocols. The aim of the present study was to compare the nasolabial esthetics after 1- and 3-stage treatment protocols. Four components of the nasolabial appearance (nasal form, nasal deviation, mucocutaneous junction, and profile view) were assessed by 4 raters in 108 consecutively treated children who had undergone either 1-stage closure (Warsaw group, 41 boys and 19 girls, mean age 10.8 years, SD 2.0) or 3-stage (Nijmegen group, 30 boys and 18 girls, mean age 8.9 years, SD 0.7). A 5-grade esthetic index of Asher-McDade was used, in which grade 1 indicates the most esthetic and grade 5 the least esthetic outcome. The nasal form was judged the least esthetic in both groups and graded 3.1 (SD 1.1) and 3.2 (SD 1.1). The nasal deviation, mucocutaneous junction, and profile view were scored from 2.1 (SD 0.8) to 2.3 (SD 1.0) in both groups. The treatment outcome after the Warsaw and Nijmegen protocols was comparable. Neither overall nor any of the 4 components of the nasolabial appearance showed intercenter differences (P > .1). The nasolabial appearance after the Warsaw (1-stage) and Nijmegen (3-stage) protocols was comparable. The technique of lip repair (triangular flap in Warsaw and Millard rotation advancement in Nijmegen) gave comparable results for the esthetics of the nasolabial area.

Conceptions of Inclusion and Inclusive Education: A Critical Examination of the Perspectives and Practices of Teachers in Poland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starczewska, Ania; Hodkinson, Alan; Adams, Gill

2012-01-01

This small-scale study details the development and execution of a system of inclusive education in 20th and 21st century in Poland. A detailed review of the literature and employment of in-depth semi-structured interviews aimed to establish how inclusion is defined and operationalised in Poland. In addition, the study sought to establish how the…

Methodologies used by Warsaw Pact countries (except USSR) in obtaining US technologies. Student report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheeseman, R.J.

1987-04-01

The Warsaw Pact countries obtain U.S. technologies by legal and illegal means. Methods of collection include espionage, overt collection, acquisition by scientific and educational exchange participants, and illegal trade activities. Examples of methods used by the Warsaw Pact countries (except the USSR) are provided. The US faces barriers to preventing loss of its technologies. Among these are resistance from US business interests, insufficient cooperation between US government agencies and overseas allies, lack of US counterintelligence personnel, and the openess of American society. The study concludes that the Warsaw Pact's countries have narrowed NATO's qualitative lead in weaponry as a resultmore » of the Warsaw Pact's acquisition effort.« less

Courage under Adversity: Luba Bielicka-Blum (1906-1973) and the Nursing School of the Warsaw Ghetto.

PubMed

Ben-Sefer, Ellen; Shields, Linda

2016-01-01

The Warsaw Ghetto was a place where Jews were kept until deportation to Nazi death camps. It contained a nursing school, run by Luba Bielicka-Blum. We explore the contribution of Luba Bielicka-Blum to nursing and specifically, the nursing school of the Warsaw Ghetto by using primary sources of Bielicka-Blum's daughter's archive held by Yad Veshem, supported by secondary sources. We conclude that, despite extreme hardship and abject horror, the nursing school in the Warsaw Ghetto continued to provide the highest level of nursing education possible. The relatively unknown story of Luba Bielicka-Blum and her determination to continue the education of nurses in the Warsaw Ghetto demonstrates the courage of a nursing leader during dreadful times.

Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

PubMed

Wierzba, Waldemar; Sliwczynski, Andrzej; Pinkas, Jaroslaw; Jawien, Arkadiusz; Karnafel, Waldemar

2017-09-01

The publication is a polemical response to reports that present data that diabetes reduces the risk of rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The study analyzed all cases of developing AAA in patients with and without diabetes in 2012 in Poland. Data for the analysis were obtained with a unique and complete resources of the National Health Fund (NFZ) and population data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS). In Poland during 2012 2,227,453 patients with diabetes were treated, 975,364 males and 1,252,089 females. The incidence of AAA without rupture in patients without diabetes calculated per 100,000 of the non-diabetes general population was 25.0 +/- 9.0 in males and 5.6 +/- 2.3 in females. The incidence of ruptured AAA in the general population without diabetes was 3.6 +/- 0.9 in males, and 0.6 +/- 0.3 in females calculated per 100,000 of inhabitants without diabetes. The incidence of AAA without rupture in patients with diabetes was 184.897 +/- 70.653 in males and 35.364 +/- 24.925 in females calculated per 100,000 of patients diagnosed with diabetes. The incidence of ruptured AAA in patients with diabetes was 21.090 +/- 6.050 in males and 5.170 +/- 3.053 in females calculated per 100,000 of patients diagnosed with diabetes. The incidence rate for ruptured AAA in 2012 in Poland is statistically higher both in females and males in the population with diabetes. The incidence rate for AAA without rupture in 2012 in Poland is statistically higher in patients diagnosed with diabetes.

Current determinants of early retirement among blue collar workers in Poland.

PubMed

Szubert, Zuzanna; Sobala, Wojciech

2005-01-01

The current demographic trend in Poland indicates a progressive ageing process, which will result in a decreased number of persons at the age of work capability. Thus it is essential to find out the reasons for the diminished occupational activity of elderly workers. The aim of the project was to identify the factors that significantly contribute to early retirement during the period of socioeconomic transformation in Poland. The analysis concerned 637 workers, aged over 45 years, but before reaching the age of retirement (60 years for women and 65 years for men) who were employed in selected industrial enterprises at technological or production-related departments. The study group was recruited from the population of former workers who quit their employment between 1996 and 2000, before they reached the age of retirement. The reference population, matched for age (+/- 3 years) and gender, comprised workers at similar workposts. The following groups of variables were found to be significant risk factors for early retirement: variables describing the conditions of work (piecework system, OR = 7.00, 95% CI: 2.01-24.37; heavy lifting at work OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.20-4.17) and variables related to the household characteristics (shortage of leisure time, OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.16-4.67), health condition (disability, OR = 1.87, 95%CI: 1.09-3.21; increased rate of sickness absence, OR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.52-3.17), and alcohol abuse (OR = 3.19, 95% CI: 1.33-7.64). The data analysis revealed a spectrum of factors that either contribute to or decrease the risk for early retirement. These may be used as a reference in taking on activities aimed at preventing this adverse trend and stimulating occupational activity of elderly workers.

Development of small solid rocket boosters for the ILR-33 sounding rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowakowski, Pawel; Okninski, Adam; Pakosz, Michal; Cieslinski, Dawid; Bartkowiak, Bartosz; Wolanski, Piotr

2017-09-01

This paper gives an overview of the development of a 6000 Newton-class solid rocket motor for suborbital applications. The design configuration and results of interior ballistics calculations are given. The initial use of the motor as the main propulsion system of the H1 experimental in-flight test platform, within the Polish Small Sounding Rocket Program, is presented. Comparisons of theoretical and experimental performance are shown. Both on-ground and in-flight tests are discussed. A novel composite-case manufacturing technology, which enabled to reach high propellant mass fractions, was validated and significant cost-reductions were achieved. This paper focuses on the process of adapting the design for use as the booster stage of the ILR-33 sounding rocket, under development at the Institute of Aviation in Warsaw, Poland. Parallel use of two of the flight-proven rocket motors along with the main stage is planned. The process of adapting the rocket motor for booster application consists of stage integration, aerothermodynamics and reliability analyses. The separation mechanism and environmental impact are also discussed within this paper. Detailed performance analysis with focus on propellant grain geometry is provided. The evolution of the design since the first flights of the H1 rocket is covered and modifications of the manufacturing process are described. Issues of simultaneous ignition of two motors and their non-identical performance are discussed. Further applications and potential for future development are outlined. The presented results are based on the initial work done by the Rocketry Group of the Warsaw University of Technology Students' Space Association. The continuation of the Polish Small Sounding Rocket Program on a larger scale at the Institute of Aviation proves the value of the outcomes of the initial educational project.

Photonics applications and web engineering: WILGA Winter 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romaniuk, Ryszard S.

2016-09-01

Since twenty years, young researchers form the Institute of Electronic Systems, Warsaw University of Technology, organize two times a year, under only a marginal supervision of the senior faculty members, under the patronage of WEiTI PW, KEiT PAN, SPIE, IEEE, PKOpto SEP and PSF, the WILGA Symposium on advanced, integrated functional electronic, photonic and mechatronic systems [1-5]. All aspects are considered like: research and development, theory and design, technology - material and construction, software and hardware, commissioning and tests, as well as pilot and practical applications. The applications concern mostly, which turned after several years to be a proud specialization of the WILGA Symposium, Internet engineering, high energy physics experiments, new power industry including fusion, nuclear industry, space and satellite technologies, telecommunications, smart municipal environment, as well as biology and medicine [6-8]. XXXVIIth WILGA Symposium was held on 29-31 January 2016 and gathered a few tens of young researchers active in the mentioned research areas. There were presented a few tens of technical papers which will be published in Proc.SPIE together with the accepted articles from the Summer Edition of the WILGA Symposium scheduled for 29.05-06.06.2016. This article is a digest of chosen presentations from WILGA Symposium 2016 Winter Edition. The survey is narrowed to a few chosen and main topical tracks, like electronics and photonics design using industrial standards like ATCA/MTCA, also particular designs of functional systems using this series of industrial standards. The paper, summarizing traditionally since many years the accomplished WILGA Symposium organized by young researchers from Warsaw University of Technology, is also the following part of a cycle of papers concerning their participation in design of new generations of electronic systems used in discovery experiments in Poland and in leading research laboratories of the world.

Microphysical characterization of long-range transported biomass burning particles from North America at three EARLINET stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Amezcua, Pablo; Guerrero-Rascado, Juan Luis; José Granados-Muñoz, María; Benavent-Oltra, José Antonio; Böckmann, Christine; Samaras, Stefanos; Stachlewska, Iwona S.; Janicka, Łucja; Baars, Holger; Bohlmann, Stephanie; Alados-Arboledas, Lucas

2017-05-01

Strong events of long-range transported biomass burning aerosol were detected during July 2013 at three EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) stations, namely Granada (Spain), Leipzig (Germany) and Warsaw (Poland). Satellite observations from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) instruments, as well as modeling tools such as HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) and NAAPS (Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System), have been used to estimate the sources and transport paths of those North American forest fire smoke particles. A multiwavelength Raman lidar technique was applied to obtain vertically resolved particle optical properties, and further inversion of those properties with a regularization algorithm allowed for retrieving microphysical information on the studied particles. The results highlight the presence of smoke layers of 1-2 km thickness, located at about 5 km a.s.l. altitude over Granada and Leipzig and around 2.5 km a.s.l. at Warsaw. These layers were intense, as they accounted for more than 30 % of the total AOD (aerosol optical depth) in all cases, and presented optical and microphysical features typical for different aging degrees: color ratio of lidar ratios (LR532 / LR355) around 2, α-related ångström exponents of less than 1, effective radii of 0.3 µm and large values of single scattering albedos (SSA), nearly spectrally independent. The intensive microphysical properties were compared with columnar retrievals form co-located AERONET (Aerosol Robotic Network) stations. The intensity of the layers was also characterized in terms of particle volume concentration, and then an experimental relationship between this magnitude and the particle extinction coefficient was established.

Mobile Laser Scanning Systems for Measuring the Clearance Gauge of Railways: State of Play, Testing and Outlook

PubMed Central

Mikrut, Sławomir; Kohut, Piotr; Pyka, Krystian; Tokarczyk, Regina; Barszcz, Tomasz; Uhl, Tadeusz

2016-01-01

The paper contains a survey of mobile scanning systems for measuring the railway clearance gauge. The research was completed as part of the project carried out for the PKP (PKP Polish Railway Lines S.A., Warsaw, Poland) in 2011–2013. The authors conducted experiments, including a search for the latest solutions relating to mobile measurement systems that meet the basic requirement. At the very least, these solutions needed to be accurate and have the ability for quick retrieval of data. In the paper, specifications and the characteristics of the component devices of the scanning systems are described. Based on experiments, the authors did some examination of the selected mobile systems to be applied for measuring the clearance gauge. The Riegl (VMX-250) and Z+F (Zoller + Fröhlich) Solution were tested. Additional test measurements were carried out within a 30-kilometer section of the Warsaw-Kraków route. These measurements were designed so as to provide various elements of the railway infrastructure, the track geometry and the installed geodetic control network. This ultimately made it possible to reduce the time for the preparation of geodetic reference measurements for the testing of the accuracy of the selected systems. Reference measurements included the use of the polar method to select profiles perpendicular to the axis of the track. In addition, the coordinates selected were well defined as measuring points of the objects of the infrastructure of the clearance gauge. All of the tested systems meet the accuracy requirements initially established (within the range of 2 cm as required by the PKP). The tested systems have shown their advantages and disadvantages. PMID:27187400

Analysis of annual fluctuations in the content of phenol, chlorophenols and their derivatives in chlorinated drinking waters.

PubMed

Michałowicz, Jaromir; Stufka-Olczyk, Jadwiga; Milczarek, Anna; Michniewicz, Małgorzata

2011-08-01

Chlorophenols are widely represented, toxic, and persistent environmental pollutants. In this work, we analyzed annual fluctuations in the content of phenol, guaiacol, chlorophenols, chlorocatechols, and chlorinated methoxyphenols in drinking water collected in Warsaw and Tomaszów Mazowiecki (Poland). Moreover, the effect of dissolved organic matter content on the occurrence of phenolic compounds in drinking water was studied. The compounds were adsorbed on octadecyl C18 solid-phase discs, separated by the use of gas chromatography, and analyzed using mass spectrometry. The content of organic matter was evaluated by the analysis of UV absorption at 254 nm by water samples. In Warsaw, raw water (derived from infiltration intakes situated in the Vistula River) and treated water (subjected to coagulation, filtration, and disinfection with chlorine dioxide) were collected in order to analyze phenols. In Tomaszów Mazowiecki, raw water (taken directly form the river) and treated water (subjected to coagulation, sand filtration, ozonation, and disinfection with gaseous chlorine) were taken to determine phenolic substances. The obtained results showed the occurrence of phenol, guaiacol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP), tetrachlorophenol (TeCP), and pentachlorophenol in drinking water of both cities. Occasionally, in the waters studied, the appearance of chloroguaiacols, 3-chlorosyringol, and some chlorocatechols were noted. It was also observed that the content of dissolved organic matter in river waters may have contributed to the formation of some phenols, e.g., phenol, guaiacol, 2,4,6-TCP, and TeCP in drinking water. Finally, it was found that there were no annual (seasonal) fluctuations in phenolic compounds contents in drinking waters examined.

[Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)--similarities and differences of the study group participating in the project of National Center for Research and Development project "Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)--systemic disease, the biggest threat of XXI century"].

PubMed

Rubinsztajn, Renata; Przybyłowski, Tadeusz; Karwat, Krzysztof; Maskey-Warzęchowska, Marta; Chazan, Ryszarda

2015-12-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant clinical problem wich is dependent on many environmental factors. of the study was to present a characteristic of examined group in the moment of including into the project. Based on data obtained from studies conducted in six medical universities in Poland we present the characteristics of 445 patients (M-69%), median age 66.2 years, suffering from COPD with median disease duration 7.7 years. The analysis included: age, education, risk factors, exacerbations and hospitalizations, comorbidities, severity of the disease, drug use and the results of selected tests and the quality of life of patients in relation with their place of residence. Some differences were found among the participating centers. The youngest patients came from Wrocław and the oldest from Katowice. The largest number of patients with higher education were from Warsaw, while the lowest number was noted in Poznań; patients with primary education were most numerous in Lublin. Patients from Warsaw had the highest number of pack-years, smoking history was least relevant in patients from Wrocław. The highest values of spirometrical parameters were observed in Gdańsk, while the lowest--in Poznań. COPD treatment mainly comprised of long-acting beta2 agonists, followed by anticholinergic agents, more than 50% of patients were treated with inhaled glucocorticosteroids. The most common comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases. The study group showed characteristics similar to those of other cohorts of patients with COPD described in the literature, but we found some differences between patients from different centers which participated in the study. © 2015 MEDPRESS.

[Doctor of medicine Jerzy Dobrzanski (1889-1970), physician, social activist, independence fighter].

PubMed

Heimrath, T

1999-01-01

Dr. Jerzy Dobrzanski was born in Warsaw in 1889. He attended grade school and graduated from high school there. He began medical studies and graduated from the Jagiellonian University in Krakow in 1914. He served as a surgeon in the Russian Army during World War I. He passed his final medical degree examination in 1921. He specialized in gynecology and obstetrics at Wilno University. From 1923 to 1939, he was head of the obstetrics and gynecology department of the Railway Hospital in Wilno. He became actively involved in social issues and the independence cause as a young pupil, for which he was persecuted. During World War II, he was one of the leaders of the Polish underground resistance movement in the Wilno region. He was sentenced to hard labor in the Soviet gulag, where he stayed from 1945-1956. Upon his return to Poland, dr. Jerzy Dobranski lived and worked as a gynecologist for the Polish Railway in Wroclaw. He died in 1970.

Integration of Point Clouds from Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Image-Based Matching for Generating High-Resolution Orthoimages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salach, A.; Markiewicza, J. S.; Zawieska, D.

2016-06-01

An orthoimage is one of the basic photogrammetric products used for architectural documentation of historical objects; recently, it has become a standard in such work. Considering the increasing popularity of photogrammetric techniques applied in the cultural heritage domain, this research examines the two most popular measuring technologies: terrestrial laser scanning, and automatic processing of digital photographs. The basic objective of the performed works presented in this paper was to optimize the quality of generated high-resolution orthoimages using integration of data acquired by a Z+F 5006 terrestrial laser scanner and a Canon EOS 5D Mark II digital camera. The subject was one of the walls of the "Blue Chamber" of the Museum of King Jan III's Palace at Wilanów (Warsaw, Poland). The high-resolution images resulting from integration of the point clouds acquired by the different methods were analysed in detail with respect to geometric and radiometric correctness.

75 FR 27613 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “The Holocaust (Warsaw...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-17

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7009] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``The Holocaust (Warsaw Ghetto)'' SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the following determinations... Holocaust (Warsaw Ghetto),'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of...

The first large geological map of Central and Eastern Europe (1815)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigelis, Algimantas; Wójcik, Zbigniew; Narębski, Wojciech; Gelumbauskaitė, Leonora Živilė; Kozák, Jan; Czarniecki, Stanisław

2008-01-01

The first large geological map of Central and Eastern Europe was compiled by Stanisław Staszic in the early 19th century. The map is based on the geological survey that Staszic performed in different parts of Poland and adjacent areas. In 1814, Staszic presented his ideas on the geology and mineral sources of Poland and Lithuania. In 1815, he completed the book-length descriptive analysis O ziemorodztwie Karpatów i innych gór i równin Polski przez Stanisława Staszica, which was published in Warsaw and complemented by a large geological map of Central and Eastern Europe. His later studies were compiled in a historico-philosophical treatise titled Ród ludzki (1819-1820). The complete edition of Staszic's works, Dzieła, which also included these publications, appeared over 1816-1820. The geological field survey that he performed over several years, and his study of social-economic problems enabled Staszic to draw in great detail a geological map of the Carpathians, the Central Polish Highlands, Volhynia (modern Ukraine) and the Eastern Alps, as well as the areas of the Polish-Lithuanian Lowlands, the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, Polesye (modern Belarus), Moldova, Transylvania, and Hungary. Staszic was interested in the exploration of mineral deposits, particularly in Poland, which had rock salt, copper and iron ores, and coal. In his monograph and map, he adopted a stratigraphic subdivision based on types of rock contents and organic fossils, which was a slightly modified version of Werner's classification system. The lithological legend sets five classes and 135 different types of rock, and 15 types of ore deposits, using the French names for these. In general, Staszic was an advocate of Werner's paradigm; however, he did not follow exactly the ideas of the German geologist. Staszic's fundamental work recapitulates his views on geological history of Central and Eastern Europe, and brings to an end the Enlightment period in the geology of that part of Europe.

Beyond Containment and Deterrence: A Security Framework for Europe in the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-02

decades of the 21st Century in Europe, and examines DDO FJoA 1473 E. T1O. Of INOV 65 IS OBSOLETE Uaf eSECRIT CUnclassified SECURITY CLASSIFICATION’ OF THIS... Poland , and parts of France and Russia, but it did not truely unify Germany. Bismarck unified only parts of Germany which he could constrain under...Europe, Central Europe, the Balkans, and the Soviet Union. Central Europe includes Vest Germany, East Germany, Austria, Czechoslavakia, Poland , and

Sport and Other Motor Activities of Warsaw Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biernat, Elzbieta

2011-01-01

Study aim: To assess the engagement of students of Warsaw university schools in sports and in recreational motor activities. Material and methods: A cohort (n = 1100) of students attending B.S. or M.S. courses at 6 university schools in Warsaw were studied by applying questionnaire techniques. The questions pertained to participation in…

[Implementation of vaccinations in Chechen refugees' children in Poland].

PubMed

Hartmann, Piotr; Jackowska, Teresa

2010-01-01

Poland is a destination country or temporary living place for many refugees from Chechnya. Refugees are provided with full, free of charge, health care including the vaccination programme according to the present National Vaccination Programme (NVP). To assess the implementation of vaccinations in Chechen refugees' children in Poland. The group comprised 310 children from the Centre for Foreigners in Warsaw-Bielany. The mean age of the examined children was 7.5 years. The investigations were performed three times during the study--the first was conducted in a group of 220 children in June, the second one in 303 children in August and the third in 310 children in October 2008 (the differences in the numbers resulted from the changes in the size of the Chechen population living in the Centre). The vaccination records were assessed paying special attention to the implementation of vaccinations. During the consecutive two examinations the implementation of vaccination recommendations was analyzed as well as the availability of this information in the records. At every visit the history was obtained on the reasons for not having the vaccination programme implemented. The information on vaccination programme implementation was available in 19, 30 and 45%, of analyzed records from the Centre at the first, second and third visit, respectively. The majority of the obtained data regarded the implementation of vaccinations in children in the first year of life (85%), while the least data was on vaccinations in children over 12 years of age (30%). Similar results were obtained when analyzing a group of 168 children at the all three visits (18, 32 and 48%, respectively). The reasons for non-implementation of vaccinations were as follows: (a) low parents' awareness of the necessity of vaccinations; (b) lack of self-discipline (every other child did not report for a scheduled appointment); (c) relocation of refugees to other Centres; (d) exceedingly frequent postponing of vaccinations (in every fourth child). Substantially better implementation of vaccinations was found in refugees' children born in Poland. On account of the differences in the Polish and Chechen vaccination programmes and the low awareness among the Chechen parents' regarding the need of vaccinations, implementation of health care programmes and monitoring of the sanitary-epidemiologic situation in the Centres for Foreigners is necessary in order to prevent local outbreaks of an epidemic.

Evaluation Of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Symptoms Amongst Warsaw University Students.

PubMed

Niemyjska, Sylwia; Ukleja, Anna; Ławiński, Michał

2015-05-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) belongs to functional gastrointestinal disorders and is characterized by abdominal pain and change in stool consistency and/or bowel habits. Etiological factors include gastrointestinal peristalsis disturbances, visceral hypersensitivity, chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane, dysbacteremia, intestinal infections, psychosomatic and nutritional factors. Gastrointestinal motility disturbances in case of IBS are manifested by the inhibition of the intestinal passage, which favors the development of constipation or occurrence of diarrhea. The aim of the study was to evaluate IBS symptoms and demonstrate the relationship between physical activity and place of residence amongst Warsaw University students. The study was conducted in march, 2014 using a specific questionnaire, amongst Warsaw University students. The study group comprised 120 female patients, aged between 19 and 27 years (M=23.43; SD=1.29). The chi-square test was used for analysis, p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The BMI of investigated patients ranged between 16.30-31.22 kg/m2 (M=21.27; SD=2.71). The majority of respondents (76.6%) weighed within the normal limits. Abdominal pain or discomfort occurred more frequently in the group of students who considered their physical activity as low. In case of respondents with a low physical activity bowel movement disorders and stool continence changes occurred more often, as compared to those with moderate physical activity. The most common symptom was rectal tenesmus, the least common-presence of mucous in the stool. Analysis showed that students with low physical activity were more frequently absent from school/work, due to abdominal symptoms. The respondents with moderate activity more often considered their abdominal symptoms, being associated with stress. IBS symptoms are common amongst Warsaw University students. In case of respondents with low physical activity, abdominal pain or discomfort occurred more often. It has been demonstrated that diet and stress might contribute to the occurrence of abdominal symptoms, being evidence of IBS.

Eye healthcare services in eastern Europe: Part 2. Vitreoretinal surgical services.

PubMed

Kocur, I; Resnikoff, S; Foster, A

2002-08-01

To describe vitreoretinal surgical services in 1998 in 12 eastern European countries and to identify ways for their further improvement. All inpatient eye departments in the 12 countries received a standardised questionnaire; the data obtained were processed at the international study coordinating centre in Prague. All 458 eye departments in the region were involved. The number of retinal detachments treated by extraocular surgery, or pars plana vitrectomy, per one million inhabitants respectively, were as follows: Belarus (52; 6), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (21; 2), Bulgaria (39; 19), the Czech Republic (78; 40), Estonia (60; 17), Hungary (81; 88), Latvia (82; 36), Lithuania (68; 6), Trans-Dniester Region of Moldova (6; -), Poland (70; data not available), Romania (24; 25), and Slovakia (67; 55). The number of people per one retinal laser was assessed (in millions): Belarus (1.26), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.23), Bulgaria (0.59), the Czech Republic (0.22), Estonia (0.24), Hungary (0.23), Latvia (0.41), Lithuania (0.62), Poland (0.36), Romania (2.25), and Slovakia (0.14). Conditions for posterior eye segment surgery in the central and eastern European region vary substantially. Underserved regions require (1) more eye doctors trained in surgical and laser retinal treatment; (2) improvement in screening for diabetic eye complications and retinopathy of prematurity; (3) technical equipment for places in need.

Eye healthcare services in eastern Europe: Part 2 Vitreoretinal surgical services

PubMed Central

Kocur, I; Resnikoff, S; Foster, A

2002-01-01

Aim: To describe vitreoretinal surgical services in 1998 in 12 eastern European countries and to identify ways for their further improvement. Methods: All inpatient eye departments in the 12 countries received a standardised questionnaire; the data obtained were processed at the international study coordinating centre in Prague. Results: All 458 eye departments in the region were involved. The number of retinal detachments treated by extraocular surgery, or pars plana vitrectomy, per one million inhabitants respectively, were as follows: Belarus (52; 6), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (21; 2), Bulgaria (39; 19), the Czech Republic (78; 40), Estonia (60; 17), Hungary (81; 88), Latvia (82; 36), Lithuania (68; 6), Trans-Dniester Region of Moldova (6; –), Poland (70; data not available), Romania (24; 25), and Slovakia (67; 55). The number of people per one retinal laser was assessed (in millions): Belarus (1.26), Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (2.23), Bulgaria (0.59), the Czech Republic (0.22), Estonia (0.24), Hungary (0.23), Latvia (0.41), Lithuania (0.62), Poland (0.36), Romania (2.25), and Slovakia (0.14). Conclusions: Conditions for posterior eye segment surgery in the central and eastern European region vary substantially. Underserved regions require (1) more eye doctors trained in surgical and laser retinal treatment; (2) improvement in screening for diabetic eye complications and retinopathy of prematurity; (3) technical equipment for places in need. PMID:12140201

Mapping the maintenance stage of recovery: a qualitative study among treated and non-treated former alcohol dependents in Poland.

PubMed

Klingemann, Justyna Iwona

2012-01-01

The study provides an in-depth qualitative understanding of the maintenance stage when recovering from alcohol dependence with a focus on the broader social context of change of addictive behaviour. It explores the recovery as a subjective process within the abstinence-oriented Polish treatment system organized on the basis of the Minnesota model and is probes for group differences between treated and non-treated populations. The study is based on qualitative data from a media-recruited sample of 29 treated and non-treated former alcohol dependents (ICD-10) in Warsaw/Poland 2006/2007. They reported a recovery time of at least 2 years (M(recovery) = 11, SD = 9). In-depth, semi-structured interviews were analysed according to the problem-centred interview method using ATLAS.ti software. A wide range of maintenance strategies potentially contributing to the stabilization of recovery from alcohol dependence was identified. However, from the respondents' point of view, the change process is contingent upon the subjective weighing of specific maintenance factors and the importance attributed to their interplay. This includes time management as well as one's ability to invest available resources and strengths in shaping and pursuing personal goals. More commonalities than differences can be observed between groups during the maintenance stage, regardless of respondents' type of the pathway out of addiction. However, when confronting professional concepts of recovery with subjective accounts, only a subgroup conforms to the invasive, potentially normative definitions of recovery, while others do not link their recovery with identity transformation.

A cross-sectional study of growth, nutritional status and body proportions in children and adolescents at a medical center specializing in the treatment of cystic fibrosis in Poland.

PubMed

Sands, Dorota; Umławska, Wioleta; Zielińska, Anna

2015-03-16

Malnutrition, delayed growth and delayed puberty are commonly seen in children with cystic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, nutritional status and body proportions in children and adolescents suffering from cystic fibrosis. The evaluation was based on 19 somatic measurements and indices calculated from these measurements. Somatic development was evaluated in relation to several factors connected to the clinical picture or the course of the disease. Anthropometric data were extracted from the medical histories of 41 boys and 48 girls diagnosed and treated at the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw (Poland). Mean values for somatic parameters and body build indices for the children suffering from CF were compared to those for the reference group. The results revealed that growth in these children was significantly delayed in comparison to that seen in the healthy population (Z-score = -0.56, p < 0.001). Nutritional status was also adversely affected (Z-score = -0.85, p < 0.001). The children suffered more from a deficit in muscularity than in adiposity (Z-score = -0.75 and Z-score = -0.34, p < 0.01, respectively). This was especially true for boys. The children had infantile body proportions and defects in trunk and chest structure. The factors that most affected somatic development were infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the time at which the disease was diagnosed. Chronic infection by P. aeruginosa and type of CFTR mutation were the factors that most affected pulmonary function parameters.

A retrospective study of clinical signs and epidemiology of chronic valve disease in a group of 207 Dachshunds in Poland

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Chronic mitral valve disease is frequently seen in the Dachshund. Dachshunds (n=207) made up 11.73% of the dogs admitted to the Cardiology Service at the Small Animal Clinic, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland (first visits only). Results Of these, 35 dogs had no clinically detectable heart disease while 172 had chronic valve disease with the mitral valve affected most often (130 dogs), both mitral and tricuspid valves infrequently (39 dogs) and rarely the tricuspid valve (3 dogs). Males were affected more frequently than females and the average age of dogs with chronic valve disease was 11.9 years for females and 11.3 years for males. A majority of the diseased Dachshunds were classified as ISACHC 2 (79), followed by ISACHC 1 (60). Most frequent clinical signs noted by owners included coughing, exercise intolerance, dyspnea and tachypnea. Heart murmurs were generally louder with increased disease severity; however there were 20 dogs in the ISACHC 1 group with no audible heart murmurs. The most frequent electrocardiographic abnormalities included an increased P wave and QRS complex duration, increased R wave amplitude and tachycardia. With increased disease severity, echocardiography revealed an increase in heart size. A higher ISACHC class was related to increased heart size (based on echocardiography) and increased percentage of patients exhibiting enlargement of both left atrium and left ventricle (based on radiography). Conclusions The Dachshund is often affected by chronic mitral valvular disease with a late onset of associated clinical signs and few cardiac complications. PMID:23844824

Characteristics of the regional human milk bank in Poland - donors, recipients and nutritional value of human milk

PubMed

Barbarska, Olga; Zielińska, Monika; Pawlus, Beata; Wesołowska, Aleksandra

In case of shortage of breast milk despite proper lactation care or the poor state of the mother’s health, breast milk from human milk bank is recommended for feeding preterm infants This study retrospectively evaluated the first year of the operation of the Regional Human Milk Bank Data concerning donors was collected in the human milk bank during the cooperation. The clinical characteristics of the recipients was made on the basis of medical documentation from the Holy Family Hospital in Warsaw, Poland. Analysis of nutritional value was performed with the human milk analyzer (MIRIS AB) In the first year of activity, 45 voluntary donors established cooperation, donating from 650 to 32030 ml of human milk. The content of nutrients in milk provided by donors was variable - protein 0.4-1.5 g / 100 ml, fat 1.1-7.4 g / 100 ml, carbohydrates 6.3-7.9 g / 100 ml. The average length of using donated human milk was 4 days and the average volume of milk for one infant was 282 ml The donor profiles have a significant impact on the milk composition form HMB. The nutritional value can be improved by recruitment donors from mothers that gave birth prematurely and by beginning donation at earlier stages of lactation as soon as lactation is stabilized. In case of shortage of mothers own milk the immediate implementation of donors milk as a short-term support can significantly reduce the food intolerance incidence in the group of prematurely born infants

Elemental concentrations in tropospheric and lower stratospheric air in a Northeastern region of Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braziewicz, Janusz; Kownacka, Ludwika; Majewska, Urszula; Korman, Andrzej

Element concentrations of K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Sr and Pb as well as the activity of natural radionuclides 210Pb and 226Ra in air were measured. The aerosol samples were collected during tropospheric and stratospheric aircraft flights over the Northeastern region of Poland, which is mostly an agricultural and wooded area. The air volumes were filtered using Petrianov filters at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 km above the ground level by special equipment attached to a jet plane. Aircraft flights were provided from September 1997 to August 1998 in 5 separate sampling runs. The long sampling distances served as a good representation of mean aerosol composition and distribution. Concentrations of the same elements were also measured using stationary equipment near the ground level at the outskirts of Warsaw. The vertical profiles of element concentration were obtained and the elemental compositions for the tropospheric and stratospheric aerosols were compared with those from the near-ground level. Contribution of K, Ca, Ti and Fe, which are the main components of soil, in total mass of all detected ones was estimated. Relative concentrations of all measured elements, which show any differences in the composition of the aerosol were calculated. The results obtained confirm the fact that the stratospheric reservoir is observed in the bottom stratosphere. The XRF method based on molybdenum X-ray tube was used as an analytical tool in the determination of aerosols trace elements. The altitude distributions of radioactivity of 226Ra and 210Pb were determined using radiochemical methods.

Fatty acid profile of new promising unconventional plant oils for cosmetic use.

PubMed

Bialek, A; Bialek, M; Jelinska, M; Tokarz, A

2016-08-01

Oils have been used on the cosmetic application since antiquity. With the growing interest in cosmetic formulation of strictly natural origin there has been also an increased interest in the use of alternative oils obtained from nuts, herbs, fruit and vegetable seeds. Due to lack of good scientific reports on the cosmetic plant oils available in Poland, the aim of our research was to characterize fatty acids (FA) profile and oxidative quality of selected unconventional plant oils, which are used as cosmetics or potential cosmetic ingredients. Oils were purchased from cosmetic health shops in Warsaw (Poland); FA profile was analysed by gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection. Peroxide index (PI), content of hydroperoxides (PV) and free fatty acids (AV) were also determined. Oxidative quality and FA composition of examined oils varied widely among analyzed oils. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters. Clusters S1 and S3 include only one oil (Perilla and sea buckthorn, respectively). Perilla oil is characterized by relatively small content of both saturated FA (8.5%) and monounsaturated FA (14.2%) and much higher amount of polyunsaturated FA (73.5%) whereas in sea buckthorn these proportions are opposite (saturated FA and monounsaturated FA - 33.5% and 51.0% respectively, and the lowest amount of polyunsaturated FA - 5.2%). In cluster S2 two sub-clusters were distinguished and the content of linoleic (p = 0.0015), α-linolenic (p = 0.0092) and oleic (p = 0.0015) acid caused this distinction. PI ranged from 8.9 in sea buckthorn oil to 135 in Perilla oil. Perilla oil and raspberry seed oil were also characterized by the highest PV (225 ± 14.9 mEq O/kg oil and 232 ± 13.8 mEq O/kg oil, respectively), whereas the lowest PV was determined for walnut oil (0.82 ± 0.18 mEq O/kg oil) and carrot seed oil (0.87 ± 0.21 mEq O/kg oil) oils. FA composition of cosmetic oils in combination with data concerning their oxidative quality, is very important for determining their safe and effective use. It is very important to standardize and test the FA content in commercially available oils of cosmetic use. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Individual dose monitoring of the nuclear medicine departments staff controlled by Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection.

PubMed

Szewczak, Kamil; Jednoróg, Sławomir; Krajewski, Paweł

2013-01-01

Presented paper describes the results of the individual doses measurements for ionizing radiation, carried out by the Laboratory of Individual and Environmental Doses Monitoring (PDIS) of the Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection in Warsaw (CLOR) for the medical staff employees in several nuclear medicine (NM) departments across Poland. In total there are48 NM departments in operation in Poland [1] (consultation in Nuclear Atomic Agency). Presented results were collected over the period from January 2011 to December 2011 at eight NM departments located in Krakow, Warszawa (two departments), Rzeszow (two departments), Opole, Przemysl and Gorzow Wielkopolski. For radiation monitoring three kinds of thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLD) were used. The first TLD h collected information about whole body (C) effective dose, the second dosimeter was mounted in the ring (P) meanwhile the third on the wrist (N) of the tested person. Reading of TLDs was performed in quarterly periods. As a good approximation of effective and equivalent dose assessment of operational quantities both the individual dose equivalent Hp(10) and the Hp(0.07) were used. The analysis of the data was performed using two methods The first method was based on quarterly estimations of Hp(10)q and Hp(0.07)q while the second measured cumulative annual doses Hp(10)a and Hp(0.07)a. The highest recorded value of the radiation dose for quarterly assessments reached 24.4 mSv and was recorded by the wrist type dosimeter worn by a worker involved in source preparation procedure. The mean values of Hp(10)q(C type dosimeter) and Hp(0.07)q (P and N type dosimeter) for all monitored departments were respectively 0.46 mSv and 3.29 mSv. There was a strong correlation between the performed job and the value of the received dose. The highest doses always were absorbed by those staff members who were involved in sources preparation. The highest annual cumulative dose for a particular worker in the considered time period was 4.22 mSv for Hp(10)a and 67.7 mSv for Hp(0.07)a. In 2011 no case of exceeding the allowed dose limits was noted.

The impact of iodine prophylaxis on thyroid 131-iodine uptake in the region of Krakow, Poland.

PubMed

Huszno, B; Hubalewska-Hoła, A; Bałdys-Waligórska, A; Sowa-Staszczak, A; Szybiński, Z

2003-01-01

Iodine prophylaxis was introduced in Poland in 1935. It was interrupted twice, the first time between 1939 and 1947 (due to the Second World War and its aftermath), and then between 1980 and 1986, due to the economical crisis in Poland at that time. A voluntary model of iodine prophylaxis (20 +/- 10 mg/kg of household salt) introduced in Poland in 1986, was followed by a mandatory model, implemented at the beginning of 1997, with 30 +/- 10 mg/kg of household salt. In the early sixties, in our Department of Endocrinology 24-hour iodine uptake test was introduced as a routine procedure for evaluating the thyroid gland. The reference value of this test increased in 1986 after discontinuation of iodine prophylaxis, and decreased in 1998, two years after re-implementation of the mandatory model of iodine prophylaxis. In 167 patients (147 with endemic goiter and 20 with no thyroid disturbances) examined between 1998 and 2000 the mean value of 24-hour iodine uptake was 27.3 +/- 10.4%, as compared to the mean value of 45,7 +/- 6.6 % in 1986. In patients with thyrotoxicosis the mean value of iodine uptake was 41.9% +/- 16.2 in 1999 (no.=614), 42.4% +/- 16.9 in 2000 (no.=644) and 37,7% +/- 17.2 at the beginning of 2001 (no.=328). The mean value of iodine uptake in patients with thyrotoxicosis before implementation of iodine prophylaxis was over 60%. The 24-hour thyroid radioiodine uptake test proved to be a useful indicator of changes of iodine intake in a iodine-deficient population. The data presented in this study confirm the importance and efficacy of the iodine prophylaxis introduced in Poland.

Area Handbook Series: East Germany: A Country Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

annexation of Schleswig- Holstein , then used Austria’s rejection as a pretext for war. The Seven Weeks’ War, which was won by Prus- sia, resulted in the...northern Schleswig- Holstein , and all overseas colonies; and the Allied Reparations Commission was established and charged with 24 Historical Setting...lands under foreign administration. However, the Mos- cow and Warsaw treaties, signed by West Germany in 1970, for- mally confirmed the Oder.-Neisse line

Dependence of viscosity of suspensions of ceramic nanopowders in ethyl alcohol on concentration and temperature

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

This work presents results of measurements of viscosity of suspensions including yttrium oxide (Y2O3), yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12) and magnesium aluminum spinel (MgAl2O4) nanopowders in ethanol. Nanoparticles used in our research were either commercially available (Baikowski) or nanopowders newly developed in the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials in Warsaw, Poland. The study was conducted in a wide range of shear rates (0.01 to 2,000 s−1) and temperature interval from -15°C to 20°C. A Haake Mars 2 rheometer from Thermo Fisher, Germany, was used in the Biophysics Laboratory at Rzeszów University of Technology. Most of the samples show a non-Newtonian behaviour. It was confirmed with a Rheo-NMR system from Bruker that 10% by weight of Y2O3 suspension is a non-Newtonian fluid. In this work, we also report an unexpected behaviour of the viscosity of some samples (Y2O3 and Y3Al5O12) due to sedimentation effect. PMID:22824064

VizieR Online Data Catalog: R light curves of MN Dra (Bakowska+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakowska, K.; Olech, A.; Pospieszynski, R.; Swierczynski, E.; Martinelli, F.; Rutkowski, A.; Koff, R.; Drozd, K.; Butkiewicz-Bak, M.; Kankiewicz, P.

2017-03-01

The observational data of MN Dra presented here were collected throughout three observation campaigns. The first data were obtained during 6 nights from 2009 October 12 to October 22, in the Skinakas Observatory, Greece. At that time, the star was in a quiescent state. The second campaign was conducted during 15 nights from 2013 July 09 to September 10. On that occasion, data were gathered in Poland, at the Borowiec station of the Poznan Astronomical Observatory, at J. Kochanowski University in Kielce, and at the Ostrowik station of theWarsaw University Observatory. During the 2013 campaign we detected two superoutbursts of MN Dra. The longest campaign was organized in 2015, from June 4 to December 18. Data covering 84 nights of observations were collected at the Borowiec Station, in Pisa in Italy, at Antelope Hills Observatory and at the MDM Observatory in the USA. Once again, two superoutbursts inMN Dra were observed. R broad-band photometry of MN Dra was obtained in three runs organized in 2009 (table 2009.dat), 2013 (table 2013.dat) and 2015 (table 2015.dat). (3 data files).

[Islet transplantation as a treatment for complications of type I diabetes].

PubMed

Wszoła, Michał; Kwiatkowski, Artur; Berman, Andrzej; Górski, Łukasz; Chmura, Andrzej

2013-09-01

Reduced physical activity and high calories up-take along with carbohydrates based diet are considered to be a leading cause of diabetes mellitus rise in western countries. Together with rise in DM morbidity, increase of complicated diabetes is also observed. Pancreas transplantation occurred to be a milestone in diabetic patient management. Guine pig pancreatic islets isolation performed for the first time by Moskalewski in 1965 and updates of his method have given an opportunity to introduce allogenic isolated islets transplantation to clinical usage. For the first time in Poland clinical allotransplantation of isolated pancreatic islets took place in Department of General Surgery and Transplantology of Medical University of Warsaw in 12's June 2008. Unfortunately, unsatisfying results of islet transplantation, specially short period of insulin independence after successful transplantation related with multifactor islet function lost, reduce clinical indications. In this publication we have analyzed known and potential factors of islet lost and we have tried to find way to prevent them, with a long period insulin-independence after transplantation as a main goal.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skladnik-Sadowska, E.; Malinowski, K.; Sadowski, M. J.

The paper concerns the monitoring of high-current pulse discharges and the determination of the plasma concentration within the dense magnetized plasma by means of optical spectroscopy methods. In experiments with the large PF-1000 facility operated at IPPLM in Warsaw, Poland, attention was paid to the determination of the operational mode and electron concentration under different experimental conditions. To measure the visible radiation (VR) the use was made of the MECHELLE registered 900-spectrometer equipped with the CCD readout. The VR emission, observed at 65 deg. to the z-axis, originated from a part of the electrode surfaces, the collapsing current-sheath layer andmore » the dense plasma pinch-region (40-50 mm from the electrode ends). Considerable differences were found in the optical spectra recorded for so-called 'good shots' and for cases of some failures. Estimates of the electron concentration, which were performed with different spectroscopic techniques, showed that it ranged from 5.56x1018 cm-3 to 4.8x1019 cm-3, depending on experimental conditions. The correlation of the fusion-neutron yield and the plasma density was proved.« less

Let's dance--feel better! Mood changes following dancing in different situations.

PubMed

Zajenkowski, Marcin; Jankowski, Konrad S; Kołata, Daria

2015-01-01

In the present study, we examined mood changes following dancing. Previous works suggested that contextual factors may influence affective states; it has been shown that changes in mood following competition differ from those following recreational exercise. The study has been conducted in Warsaw, Poland. Mood was assessed before and after dance activity in three groups of ballroom dancers: recreational (n = 32) and competitive (n = 38) dancers doing ordinary training and competitive dancers taking part in a dance competition (n = 35). We observed a moderately positive change in recreational dancers doing ordinary training; they reported higher energetic arousal (EA) and hedonic tone (HT) and lower tense arousal (TA) after dance activity. In comparison dancers taking part in a competition were higher on TA before dancing and felt less pleasure after dancing than recreational and competitive dancers doing ordinary training; HT, TA and EA moderately decreased during competition. In general, the current study suggests that dance can elicit changes in mood; however, situational context has to be taken into consideration when explaining the influence of dance on mood.

Laryngologist Leon Zamenhof--brother of Dr. Esperanto.

PubMed

Wincewicz, Andrzej; Sulkowska, Mariola; Musiatowicz, Marcin; Sulkowski, Stanislaw

2009-06-01

To reconstruct the biography of the Polish otorhinolaryngologist Leon Zamenhof (1875-1934), a brother of Ludwik Zamenhof, who is famous for invention of the international language Esperanto. Biographical information was collected from pre-World War II resources. Zamenhof developed several important new forms of treatment to help the hearing impaired. Zamenhof was especially interested in the education of deaf children and the therapy necessary to facilitate their integration into society. His significant achievements were a phonetic method of therapy for the hearing impaired and an automatic device for ear insufflation that was considered indispensable in the management of pyorrhea. In addition, Zamenhof initiated various forms of social support among physicians within the medical community of Warsaw, Poland; made health care available to children with hearing impairments; and organized a Jewish school for deaf children. Zamenhof tried to change public attitudes toward deafness, working to promote the integration of the deaf into wider society. He also translated Polish literature into Esperanto. With similar aims to his brother Ludwik, Leon Zamenhof strived to enhance and broaden communication among people who could not hear and to persuade people to change their attitudes about deafness.

Variability in the microcanonical cascades parameters among gauges of urban precipitation monitoring network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licznar, Paweł; Rupp, David; Adamowski, Witold

2013-04-01

In the fall of 2008, Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company (MWSSC) in Warsaw began operating the first large precipitation monitoring network dedicated to urban hydrology in Poland. The process of establishing the network as well as the preliminary phase of its operation, raised a number of questions concerning optimal gauge location and density and revealed the urgent need for new data processing techniques. When considering the full-field precipitation as input to hydrodynamic models of stormwater and combined sewage systems, standard processing techniques developed previously for single gauges and concentrating mainly on the analysis of maximum rainfall rates and intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves development were found inadequate. We used a multifractal rainfall modeling framework based on microcanonical multiplicative random cascades to analyze properties of Warsaw precipitation. We calculated breakdown coefficients (BDC) for the hierarchy of timescales from λ=1 (5-min) up to λ=128 (1280-min) for all 25 gauges in the network. At small timescales histograms of BDCs were strongly deformed due to the recording precision of rainfall amounts. A randomization procedure statistically removed the artifacts due to precision errors in the original series. At large timescales BDC values were sparse due to relatively short period of observations (2008-2011). An algorithm with a moving window was proposed to increase the number of BDC values at large timescales and to smooth their histograms. The resulting empirical BDC histograms were modeled by a theoretical "2N-B" distribution, which combined 2 separate normal (N) distributions and one beta (B) distribution. A clear evolution of BDC histograms from a 2N-B distribution for small timescales to a N-B distributions for intermediate timescales and finally to a single beta distributions for large timescales was observed for all gauges. Cluster analysis revealed close patterns of BDC distributions among almost all gauges and timescales with exception of two gauges located at the city limits (one gauge was located on the Okęcie airport). We evaluated the performance of the microcanonical cascades at disaggregating 1280-min (quasi daily precipitation totals) into 5-min rainfall data for selected gauges. Synthetic time series were analyzed with respect to their intermittency and variability of rainfall intensities and compared to observational series. We showed that microcanonical cascades models could be used in practice for generating synthetic rainfall time series suitable as input to urban hydrology models in Warsaw.

Neutronics, steady-state, and transient analyses for the Poland MARIA reactor for irradiation testing of LEU lead test fuel assemblies from CERCA : ANL independent verification results.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garner, P. L.; Hanan, N. A.

The MARIA reactor at the Institute of Atomic Energy (IAE) in Swierk (30 km SE of Warsaw) in the Republic of Poland is considering conversion from high-enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel assemblies (FA). The FA design in MARIA is rather unique; a suitable LEU FA has never been designed or tested. IAE has contracted with CERCA (the fuel supply portion of AREVA in France) to supply 2 lead test assemblies (LTA). The LTAs will be irradiated in MARIA to burnup level of at least 40% for both LTAs and to 60% for one LTA. IAE may decidemore » to purchase additional LEU FAs for a full core conversion after the test irradiation. The Reactor Safety Committee within IAE and the National Atomic Energy Agency in Poland (PAA) must approve the LTA irradiation process. The approval will be based, in part, on IAE submitting revisions to portions of the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) which are affected by the insertion of the LTAs. (A similar process will be required for the full core conversion to LEU fuel.) The analysis required was established during working meetings between Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and IAE staff during August 2006, subsequent email correspondence, and subsequent staff visits. The analysis needs to consider the current high-enriched uranium (HEU) core and 4 core configurations containing 1 and 2 LEU LTAs in various core positions. Calculations have been performed at ANL in support of the LTA irradiation. These calculations are summarized in this report and include criticality, burn-up, neutronics parameters, steady-state thermal hydraulics, and postulated transients. These calculations have been performed at the request of the IAE staff, who are performing similar calculations to be used in their SAR amendment submittal to the PAA. The ANL analysis has been performed independently from that being performed by IAE and should only be used as one step in the verification process.« less

Detection of mesoscale zones of atmospheric instabilities using remote sensing and weather forecasting model data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winnicki, I.; Jasinski, J.; Kroszczynski, K.; Pietrek, S.

2009-04-01

The paper presents elements of research conducted in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy of the Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland, concerning application of mesoscale models and remote sensing data to determining meteorological conditions of aircraft flight directly related with atmospheric instabilities. The quality of meteorological support of aviation depends on prompt and effective forecasting of weather conditions changes. The paper presents a computer module for detecting and monitoring zones of cloud cover, precipitation and turbulence along the aircraft flight route. It consists of programs and scripts for managing, processing and visualizing meteorological and remote sensing databases. The application was developed in Matlab® for Windows®. The module uses products of COAMPS (Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System) mesoscale non-hydrostatic model of the atmosphere developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory, satellite images acquisition system from the MSG-2 (Meteosat Second Generation) of the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) and meteorological radars data acquired from the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW), Warsaw, Poland. The satellite images acquisition system and the COAMPS model are run operationally in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy. The mesoscale model is run on an IA64 Feniks multiprocessor 64-bit computer cluster. The basic task of the module is to enable a complex analysis of data sets of miscellaneous information structure and to verify COAMPS results using satellite and radar data. The research is conducted using uniform cartographic projection of all elements of the database. Satellite and radar images are transformed into the Lambert Conformal projection of COAMPS. This facilitates simultaneous interpretation and supports decision making process for safe execution of flights. Forecasts are based on horizontal distributions and vertical profiles of meteorological parameters produced by the module. Verification of forecasts includes research of spatial and temporal correlations of structures generated by the model, e.g.: cloudiness, meteorological phenomena (fogs, precipitation, turbulence) and structures identified on current satellite images. The developed module determines meteorological parameters fields for vertical profiles of the atmosphere. Interpolation procedures run at user selected standard (pressure) or height levels of the model enable to determine weather conditions along any route of aircraft. Basic parameters of the procedures determining e.g. flight safety include: cloud base, visibility, cloud cover, turbulence coefficient, icing and precipitation intensity. Determining icing and turbulence characteristics is based on standard and new methods (from other mesoscale models). The research includes also investigating new generation mesoscale models, especially remote sensing data assimilation. This is required by necessity to develop and introduce objective methods of forecasting weather conditions. Current research in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geodesy concerns validation of the mesoscale module performance.

Maria Skłodowska-Curie, her life and work - the 150 anniversary of her birthday

PubMed

Dobrzyńska, Małgorzata M.

Maria Skłodowska was born on November 7, 1867 in Warsaw (Poland). Her parents were teachers. Maria’s mother has died in 1878 of tuberculosis. In 1893 and 1894, respectively, Maria was awarded master’s degrees in physics and in mathematics from the Sorbonne University. In 1895 Maria married Pierre Curie. In 1897 their daughter Irene was born. Maria investigated rays emitted by uranium salts. She hypothesized that the radiation come from atom and called this phenomenon “radioactivity”. In 1898, Maria and Pierre discovered new radioactive elements polonium and radium. In 1902 she isolated pure radium chloride and defined radium atomic mass. In June 1903, Maria supervised by Professor Lippmann was awarded her doctorate in physics from the Sorbonne University of Paris after presentation of the thesis “Investigation of radioactive bodies”. In December 1903, Maria was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, along with her husband Pierre and Henri Becquerel, for their work on radioactivity. In 1904, the daughter Eve was born. On 19 April 1906, Pierre was killed in a road accident in Paris. In 1910 Maria isolated radium as a pure metal. She also defined an international standard for radioactive emissions (curie), published her fundamental results on radioactivity and textbook of radiology. She also defined the international pattern of radium. In 1911, she won her second Nobel Prize, this time in Chemistry, for her discovery of radium and polonium. In 1914 she was appointed director in the Radium Institute in Paris. During World War I, Maria became the director of the Red Cross Radiology Service and set up France’s first military radiology centre. In May 1932 she has attended the official opening ceremony of the Radium Institute in Warsaw. On 4 July 1934, Maria Skłodowska-Curie has died aged 66 years in Sancellemoz sanatorium (France) of aplastic anemia.

On an improvement of UV index forecast: UV index diagnosis and forecast for Belsk, Poland, in Spring/Summer 1999

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krzyścin, J. W.; Jaroslawski, J.; Sobolewski, P.

2001-10-01

A forecast of the UV index for the following day is presented. The standard approach to the UV index modelling is applied, i.e., the clear-sky UV index is multiplied by the UV cloud transmission factor. The input to the clear-sky model (tropospheric ultraviolet and visible-TUV model, Madronich, in: M. Tevini (Ed.), Environmental Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation, Lewis Publisher, Boca Raton, /1993, p. 17) consists of the total ozone forecast (by a regression model using the observed and forecasted meteorological variables taken as the initial values of aviation (AVN) global model and their 24-hour forecasts, respectively) and aerosols optical depth (AOD) forecast (assumed persistence). The cloud transmission factor forecast is inferred from the 24-h AVN model run for the total (Sun/+sky) solar irradiance at noon. The model is validated comparing the UV index forecasts with the observed values, which are derived from the daily pattern of the UV erythemal irradiance taken at Belsk (52°N,21°E), Poland, by means of the UV Biometer Solar model 501A for the period May-September 1999. Eighty-one percent and 92% of all forecasts fall into /+/-1 and /+/-2 index unit range, respectively. Underestimation of UV index occurs only in 15%. Thus, the model gives a high security in Sun protection for the public. It is found that in /~35% of all cases a more accurate forecast of AOD is needed to estimate the daily maximum of clear-sky irradiance with the error not exceeding 5%. The assumption of the persistence of the cloud characteristics appears as an alternative to the 24-h forecast of the cloud transmission factor in the case when the AVN prognoses are not available.

[WHO child growth standards for children 0-5 years. Percentile charts of length/height, weight, body mass index and head circumference].

PubMed

Woynarowska, Barbara; Palczewska, Iwona; Oblacińska, Anna

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper was to present the growth standards for children aged 0-5 years - which is a new tool for the assessment of health, growth and nutritional status recommended by WHO for use all over the world. These standards were elaborated in 2006 on the basis of the results of the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study (a longitudinal and cross-sectional survey) carried out between 1997-2003 in Brazil, Ghana, India, Norway, Oman and the USA. An innovative approach to developing growth reference was applied. Healthy children living under conditions allowing them to achieve their full genetic potential were the sample of children under study. The results showed that the growth pattern of children in their early childhood in different countries, ethnic groups and of different socioeconomic status was the same when their health and care needs were met. The new standards indicate how children should grow in all countries, rather than merely describing how they grew at a particular place and time. The WHO Child Growth Standards for Children 0-5 years were adapted and used in over 100 countries. Activities designed to adapt WHO standards in Poland were undertaken in 2009. The comparison between the growth reference for Warsaw children and WHO standards showed no differences, or very small ones. Following discussion with the participation of many experts, in 2011 recommendations concerning the implementation of these standards were signed by the Committee of Human Development and the Committee of Anthropology of the Polish Academy of Science, the Main Board of the Polish Anthropological Society, the Institute of Mother and Child, and the Institute of Food and Nutrition. The percentile charts were adapted to the set of percentiles hitherto used in Poland.

Preface: phys. stat. sol. (a) 202/7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollak, Fred H.; Misiewicz, Jan; Sitarek, Piotr

2005-05-01

We have recently observed a growing interest in using the powerful technique of optical modulation spectroscopy. These applications are related mostly to the characterization of low dimensional semiconductor structures and devices based on them.The International Workshop on Modulation Spectroscopy of Semiconductor Structures (MS3) at the beginning of July 2004 gathered in Wrocaw (in the southwest part of Poland) almost 40 participants, half of them from abroad. The 8 invited and 16 contributed talks were presented by the leaders of research teams from the USA, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Russia, Lithuania and Poland. Part of the MS3 workshop was held at the Laboratory of Advanced Optical Spectroscopy, Institute of Physics, Wrocaw University of Technology, where discussions on technical matter of the modulation spectroscopy were carried out in a relaxing atmosphere over a cup of coffee.The topics of the MS3 workshop included: advantages of photoreflectance, electroreflectance, contactless electroreflectance, thermoreflectance, differential reflectance and wavelength-modulated surface photovoltage spectroscopy. The applications of the above methods to investigate transistor, diode and laser structures including VCSELs, low dimensional structures of both wings of the spectrum, i.e. wide band gap materials like GaN, AlGaN, ZnO and low band gap materials such as GaInN(Sb)As, InAs, InSb, and FeSi2 were demonstrated.It is our great pleasure to publish the most interesting of the MS3 workshop presentations in this issue of physica status solidi (a).The organizers acknowledge Wrocaw University of Technology, the Center of Exellence CEPHONA from the Institute of Electron Technology in Warsaw and the Polish Committee for Scientific Research for financial support of the workshop.

A cross-sectional study of growth, nutritional status and body proportions in children and adolescents at a medical center specializing in the treatment of cystic fibrosis in Poland

PubMed Central

Sands, Dorota; Zielińska, Anna

2015-01-01

Introduction Malnutrition, delayed growth and delayed puberty are commonly seen in children with cystic fibrosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate growth, nutritional status and body proportions in children and adolescents suffering from cystic fibrosis. Material and methods The evaluation was based on 19 somatic measurements and indices calculated from these measurements. Somatic development was evaluated in relation to several factors connected to the clinical picture or the course of the disease. Anthropometric data were extracted from the medical histories of 41 boys and 48 girls diagnosed and treated at the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw (Poland). Mean values for somatic parameters and body build indices for the children suffering from CF were compared to those for the reference group. Results The results revealed that growth in these children was significantly delayed in comparison to that seen in the healthy population (Z-score = –0.56, p < 0.001). Nutritional status was also adversely affected (Z-score = –0.85, p < 0.001). The children suffered more from a deficit in muscularity than in adiposity (Z-score = –0.75 and Z-score = –0.34, p < 0.01, respectively). This was especially true for boys. The children had infantile body proportions and defects in trunk and chest structure. Conclusions The factors that most affected somatic development were infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the time at which the disease was diagnosed. Chronic infection by P. aeruginosa and type of CFTR mutation were the factors that most affected pulmonary function parameters. PMID:25861303

[Malaria in Poland in 2009].

PubMed

Stepiń, Małgorzata

2011-01-01

In Poland in 2009 were reported 22 malaria cases confirmed according to the EU case definition for the purposes of routine surveillance system. All of them were imported, including 1 case of recrudescence, 86% from Africa. In 18 cases P falciparum etiology was confirmed and in 2--P vivax, in 1--P ovale and 1 P malariae. Most cases occurred in the age group 21-40 years, there were 21 cases in males and 1 in female. Common reasons for travel to endemic countries were work-related visits (14 cases) and tourism (6 cases), one person who visited the family and in one case unknown reason for travel. Three persons used chemoprophylaxis during their travel but only one of them appropriately, relevant information was missing in 5 cases. Clinical course was severe in 7 cases of P falciparum malaria and medium-severe in one case. In 2009, there were no malaria deaths in Poland. Education on the prevention of malaria and pretravel health advising is still greatly needed.

About study of radiation flux carried out on the stand, which is designed for testing of space ultraviolet polarimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevodovskiy, P. V.; Vidmachenko, A. P.; Geraimchuk, M. D.; Ivahiv, O. V.

2016-08-01

In the Main Astronomical Observatory of NAS of Ukraine, National Technical University of Ukraine "KPI" and National University "Lviv Polytechnic" over the many years has accumulated considerable experience of work on the design and development of polarimeters, and created a working model of compact an onboard ultraviolet polarimeter (UFP) [1-6]. For debugging, research and testing as the entire layout of UFP and its individual parts we have created a special stand with complex equipment that allows carrying the following works. The structural construction of the stand allows obtaining characteristics as a whole unit, and its individual parts; obtaining spectral dependences and counting characteristics signal of the light radiation, and of dark signal; carry out the polarization measurements and more. For this stand developed a number of special techniques to study various parameters of all UFP appliance and its individual parts. Thus, for control - characteristics and calibration of elements of photo-detector system of electro-optical equipment, must use the reference emitters. But they are complicated and expensive. Therefore for simplified calibration and configuration of optical devices, it is expedient to use cheap and small in size, but specially selected LEDs. For this, developed for testing of UFP stand, has been modernized. Thus, the selection was carried out, and then carefully studied the sources of radiation, that will be used for calibration of polarimeters. More information on this work expounded in the report. References. 1. P. Nevodovskyi, O. Morozhenko, A. Vidmachenko, O. Ivakhiv, M. Geraimchuk, O. Zbrutskyi. Tiny Ultraviolet Polarimeter for Earth Stratosphere from Space Investigation // Proceedings of 8th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications (IDAACS'2015). 24-26 September 2015, Proceedings. Warsaw, Poland. Vol.81, p. 28-32. 2. Nevodovsksiy P. V., Morozhenko A. V. Studies of stratospheric ozone layer from near-earth orbit utilizing ultraviolet polarimeter // Acta Astronautica. 2009, vol. 64, no. 1, p. 54-58. 3. Nevodovskij P. V. Kvantakons and optimization of their parameters for astronomical observations // Kinematika i Fizika Nebesnykh Tel. 2001, vol. 17, no. 3, p. 279-288. 4. A. P. Vid'machenko, P. V. Nevodovsky. A cooled photomultiplier with an InGaAs photocathode developed for the spectropolarimetry observations // Kinematika i Fizika Nebesnykh Tel. 2000, Suppl. 3, p. 283-285. 5. P. Nevodovsky! i, A. Morozhenko, A. Vidmachenko, M. Geraimchuk, A. Zbrutskyi,! Yu. Kur eniov, V. Sergunin, Yu. Hirniak, O. Ivakhiv. Ultraviolet Polarimeter for Studying the Aerosol Component in the Earth Atmosphere // International Symposium on Atmospheric Radiation and Dynamics. Session 1. "Satellite sounding of atmosphere and surface". ISARD - 2013. June 24-27 2013. Peterhof, St Petersburg, Russia. P. 21.

Feasibility studies and pre-design simulation of Warsaw's new wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Oleszkiewicz, J A; Kalinowska, E; Dold, P; Barnard, J L; Bieniowski, M; Ferenc, Z; Jones, R; Rypina, A; Sudol, J

2004-12-01

The proposed transfer of wastewater from the western part of Warsaw, across the Wisla (Vistula) River for joint treatment at the existing eastern side "Czajka" wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) will result in combined winter flows of approx. 580,000 m3 d(-1). One-year of pilot-scale studies defined the COD characteristics and kinetics of nitrogen removal and VFA production from primary sludge. BioWin simulation was used to size and price the optional processes and pointed to the Westbank process as the most cost-effective. The process consists of a sequence of a RAS pre-denitrification zone followed by an anaerobic, anoxic and aerobic zone. Some 100-150 t d(-1) of 10% methanol would be needed to remove 2-4 mg l(-1) of NO3-N above the recommended effluent level TN = 10 mg l(-1). Applying the principle of annual average 80% TN removal, and allowing for use of daily composite samples (rather than grab) could annually save the municipality over 1.5 million Euro on external carbon source.

Gonorrhoea in 21st century--international and Polish situation.

PubMed

Serwin, Agnieszka Beata; Koper, Marta; Unemo, Magnus

2014-01-01

Gonorrhoea, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) estimates in 2008, is the most frequent bacterial sexually transmitted infection globally, accounting for 106.1 million new cases among adults. Of those cases, 3.4 (3.2%) million were in the WHO European Region. In the European Union and European Economic Area, the incidence of reported cases was 12.6 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2011. The highest incidences were noted in the United Kingdom (37.1), Latvia (24.4) and Ireland (18.6). However, in Poland from 2000 to 2011 the reported incidence declined and was only 0.8-0.9 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2011, that might indicate a suboptimal diagnostics and incomplete case reporting and epidemiological surveillance. A study surveying the diagnostics for gonorrhoea and the case reporting system, including the local and national epidemiological surveillance, in Poland is recommended. The high resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to nearly all antimicrobials introduced for treatment of gonorrhoea is an exceedingly serious problem globally. A few years ago the first extensively-drug resistant N. gonorrhoeae strains with high-level resistance to ceftriaxone, the last remaining option for first-line empirical monotherapy, were reported. Due to this emergent situation, in 2012 the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) launched a global action plan and regional response plan, respectively, to combat the spread of multidrug resistant N. gonorrhoeae. Additionally, an updated European guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea, recommending treatment with ceftriaxone together with azithromycin, was published in 2012. Worryingly, no antimicrobial susceptibility data for N. gonorrhoeae strains circulating in Poland have been internationally reported in several decades. It is imperative to implement some regular and quality assured antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance for N. gonorrhoeae in Poland and the official Polish treatment guidelines (from 1970s) recommending penicillin G as first-line treatment for gonorrhoea need to be promptly revised.

Hermann Mooser, Typhus, Warsaw 1941.

PubMed

Lindenmann, Jean

2002-01-01

Hermann Mooser (1891-1971), a Swiss rickettsiologist, sent his friend Peyton Rous (1879-1970) of the Rockefeller Institute (New York) a telegram on November 3, 1941, asking for financial help for the manufacture of typhus vaccine in Zurich for the Warsaw Ghetto. His explanatory letter from November 4 reached Rous too late to have any influence on the negative decision (by the Rockefeller Foundation and the American Red Cross) in this matter. Contrary to Weindling's affirmation Mooser was neither in Warsaw in 1941, nor was he a member of the Swiss Sanitary Missions to the eastern front.

The Polish Interventional Cardiology TAVI Survey (PICTS): adoption and practice of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in Poland.

PubMed

Parma, Radosław; Dąbrowski, Maciej; Ochała, Andrzej; Witkowski, Adam; Dudek, Dariusz; Siudak, Zbigniew; Legutko, Jacek

2017-01-01

Few studies have assessed the development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in Poland since its introduction in 2008, and data on current TAVI activity or practice are missing. To assess the dynamics of TAVI adoption in Poland and to detect differences among Polish centres in TAVI practice and decision-making. The Polish Interventional Cardiology TAVI Survey (PICTS) was approved by the Polish Association of Cardiovascular Interventions and presented to all 21 national TAVI centres. Between 2008 and 2015 the cumulative number of TAVI performed in Poland was 2189. The annual number of TAVI rose from 8 in 2008 to 670 in 2015 (0.21 to 17.4 implants per million inhabitants, respectively). The median TAVI experience per centre was 80 procedures (95% CI: 38.1-154.6). In 2015 the TAVI penetration rate reached 5.12% of the estimated eligible Polish population. Inoperable and high-risk patients are treated with TAVI in all centres, with 52% of Heart Teams also qualifying medium-risk patients. The rate of transfemoral implantations increased to 83.2% of all procedures in 2015, while transapical implantations decreased to 12%. The frequency of subclavian, direct aortic or transcarotid routes in 2015 was below 3% each. The PICTS survey observed a positive but slow rate of adoption of TAVI in Poland. When compared to Western European countries, our findings highlight a significant treatment gap in high or prohibitive surgical risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. Remarkable variations in TAVI practices among Polish TAVI centres warrant publication of joint national guidelines and recommendations.

Demographic and settlement transformations in peripheral regions (based on the example of eastern Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miszczuk, Andrzej; Wesołowska, Monika

2012-01-01

The aim of this article is to show specific demographic processes and accompanied transformations of settlement structure in eastern Poland at the turn of the 21st cent. Eastern Poland, covering Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeships, acquired the features of peripheral area in terms of communication and socio-economic aspects as a result of long-lasting historical processes. Unfavourable demographic processes can be observed in eastern Poland. They are accompanied by changes in settlement structure. Depopulation has significant social and economic consequences. The process increases social polarization between different regions in the country and between rural and urban areas. Moreover, the outflow of young and most active population to other regions or abroad is an important barrier for economic revival in peripheral regions. Consequently, unfavourable socio-economic structure in these areas is consolidated or even strengthened. This primarily concerns Lubelskie and Podlaskie voivodeships.

Different routes of demographic changes in former Eastern bloc states at the turn of the 21st century based on the examples of Poland and Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flaga, Małgorzata

2012-01-01

The article concerns the most important demographic processes that took place in two post-communist countries, Poland and Ukraine, after 1990. These countries differ in terms of economic changes that they have gone through so far. In case of Poland we may consider it as a success in reforming the economy, despite the fact that it caused certain negative social phenomena, e.g. large unemployment. On the other hand, in Ukraine, economic crisis was not stopped, but it is also deepening and its results have become significant modifiers of population processes. The changes in population number, natural growth and migration in both countries are the subjects of detailed analyses. They were presented in the context of the "secondary demographic transition", which Poland and Ukraine entered rapidly at the beginning of 1990, along with economic transformation and social changes.

Polymorphisms in chemokine and receptor genes and gastric cancer risk and survival in a high risk Polish population

PubMed Central

Gawron, Andrew J.; Fought, Angela J.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Ye, Weimin; Zhang, Xiao; Chow, Wong-Ho; Freeman, Laura E. Beane; Hou, Lifang

2010-01-01

Objective To examine if genetic variations in chemokine receptor and ligand genes are associated with gastric cancer risk and survival. Methods The study included 298 cases and 417 controls from a population-based study of gastric cancer conducted in Warsaw, Poland in 1994–1996. We investigated seven single nucleotide polymorphisms in a chemokine ligand (CXCL12) and chemokine receptor (CCR2, CCR5, CX3CR1) genes and one frameshift deletion (CCR5) in blood leukocyte DNA in relation to gastric cancer risk and survival. Genotyping was conducted at the NCI Core Genotyping Facility. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were computed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Survival analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results Gastric cancer risk was not associated with single chemokine polymorphisms. A CCR5 haplotype that contained the common alleles of IVS1+151 G>T (rs2734648), IVS2+80 C>T (rs1800024) and minor allele of IVS1+246 A>G (rs1799987) was associated with a borderline significantly increased risk (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0–2.2). For gastric cancer cases, there was a greater risk of death for carriers of the minor alleles of CCR2 Ex2+241 G>A (rs1799864) (HR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–2.1) and CCR5 IVS2+80 C>T (rs1800024) (HR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–2.1). Carriers of the CCR5 minor allele of IVS1+151 G>T (rs2734648) had a decreased risk of death compared to homozygote carriers of the common allele (HR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6–1.0). Conclusions Our findings do not support an association between gastric cancer risk and single chemokine genetic variation. The observed associations between cancer risk and a CCR5 haplotype and between survival and polymorphisms in CCR2 and CCR5 need replication in future studies. PMID:21091093

50 CFR 622.181 - Prohibited and limited-harvest species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Federal waters. (3) Speckled hind and warsaw grouper. Speckled hind and warsaw grouper may not be... than two cubera snapper measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, per day in the South Atlantic EEZ...

50 CFR 622.181 - Prohibited and limited-harvest species.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

....e., in state or Federal waters. (3) Speckled hind and warsaw grouper. Speckled hind and warsaw... than two cubera snapper measuring 30 inches (76.2 cm), TL, or larger, per day in the South Atlantic EEZ...

[Scarlet fever in Poland in 2007].

PubMed

Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Kondej, Barbara

2009-01-01

The 2007 was another year when the scarlet fever incidence in Poland increased. In total there were 10,740 cases registered and the incidence was 28.2 per 100,000 population ranging from 11.4 in zachodniopomorskie voivodeship to 54.1 in lubelskie voivodeship. Cases among children and adolescents of less then 15 years of age accounted for 92.1% of all cases. The incidence peaked among 5 years old children (433.4). Incidence in men (32.7) markedly exceeded the incidence in women (24.0) and incidence in urban areas (31.3) that in rural areas (23.2). Approximately 1.6% of all cases were hospitalized and there were no deaths due to scarlet fever in Poland in 2007.

[Scarlet fever in Poland in 2008].

PubMed

Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Kondej, Barbara

2010-01-01

The 2008 was another year when the scarlet fever incidence in Poland increased. In total there were 11,179 cases registered and the incidence was 29,3 per 100,000 population ranging from 11.5 in podkarpackie voievodeship to 53.0 in opolskie voievodeship. Cases among children and adolescents of less then 15 years of age accounted for 93.1% of all cases. The incidence peaked among 5 years old children (435.9). Incidence in men (33.9) markedly exceeded the incidence in women (25.1) and incidence in urban areas (32.5) that in rural areas (24.4). Approximately 1.7% of all cases were hospitalized and there were no deaths due to scarlet fever in Poland in 2008.

Kyrgyzstan’s Closure of the Manas Airbase: Context and Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-05-04

agreement with the United States, after the United States had criticized the Uzbek government for repressive actions against civilians. Some of the...Zealand, Norway, Poland , South Korea, Spain, and Turkey. Among the few legislators who opposed closing the airbase, Bakyt Beshimov, the leader of the...With Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Krakow, Poland , February 20, 2009. 24 Saban Kardas “Will the Closure of Manas Airbase Strengthen U.S

Stress-strain behaviour analysis of Middle Polish glacial tills from Warsaw (Poland) based on the interpretation of advanced field and laboratory tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bąkowska, Anna; Dobak, Dobak; Gawriuczenkow, Ireneusz; Kiełbasiński, Kamil; Szczepański, Tomasz; Trzciński, Jerzy; Wójcik, Emilia; Zawrzykraj, Piotr

2016-09-01

The selected parameters of the Wartanian and Odranian tills, with relation to their spatial occurrence, grain size distribution, mineralogical composition, matric suction and other physical characteristics, are presented. The assessment of the lithogenesis and stress history on the microstructure is attempted. The comparison of the compression and permeability characteristics from field and laboratory tests has been performed. Laboratory consolidation tests carried out with up to 20MPa vertical stress, revealed two yield stress values, one in the range of a couple hundreds kPa, the other in the range of a couple thousands kPa. Based on those results, the reliability of the soil preconsolidation assessment, with the use of the two different methods is discussed. The aspect of the triaxial strength reduction under the dynamic loading of diverse frequency and amplitude is raised. The research results depict a variety of possible geological-engineering characteristics, under the divergent constraints scenarios, of compression or strength weakening origin. The effects of the specialized research program will widen the possibilities of physio-mechanical and structural characterization of soils for geological-engineering purposes.

To touch the science through the experiment!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Słowik, Grzegorz

2016-04-01

To touch the science through the experiment! Grzegorz P. Slowik, Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora, Poland Our School - Gymnasium No. 2 in Zielona Gora - where pupils' age is 13 -16, has for many years organized a lot of exciting events popularizing science among Zielona Gora children and young people, in particular experimental physics and astronomy. The best known in our town is the regular event on physics, - called the physical Festival of Zielona Gora, of which I am the main initiator and organizer. The Festival is directed to students of the last classes of Zielona Góra primary schools. During the Festivities their shows have also physicists and astronomers, from cooperating with us in popularization of science Zielona Gora University. At the festival the students from our Experimental School Group "Archimedes". Presented their own prepared themselves physical experience. With considerable help of students of Gymnasium No. 2 interested in astronomy, we organize the cyclical event, named "Cosmic Santa Claus," where I share with the students the knowledge gained through my active annual participation in the Space Workshop organized by the Science Centre in Warsaw. We all have fun and learn in a great way and with a smile, we touch real science that reveals its secrets!

Laser micro-structuring of surfaces for applications in materials and biomedical science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarzyński, Antoni; Marczak, Jan; Strzelec, Marek; Rycyk, Antoni; CzyŻ, Krzysztof; Chmielewska, Danuta

2016-12-01

Laser radiation is used, among others, for surface treatment of various materials. At the Institute of Optoelectronics, under the direction of the late Professor Jan Marczak, a number of works in the field of laser materials processing were performed. Among them special recognition deserves flagship work of Professor Jan Marczak: implementation in Poland laser cleaning method of artworks. Another big project involved the direct method of laser interference lithography. These two projects have already been widely discussed in many national and international scientific conferences. They will also be discussed at SLT2016. In addition to these two projects in the Laboratory of Lasers Applications many other works have been carried out, some of which will be separately presented at the SLT2016 Conference. These included laser decorating of ceramics and glass (three projects completed in cooperation with the Institute of Ceramics and Building Materials), interference structuring medical implants (together with the Warsaw University of Technology), testing the adhesion of thin layers (project implemented together with IFTR PAS), structuring layers of DLC for growing endothelial cells (together with IMMS PAS), engraving glass for microfluidic applications, metal marking, sapphire cutting and finally the production of microsieves for separating of blood cells.

Progress in neutron-, X-ray- and VIS spectroscopic diagnostics of large-scale plasma focus experiments at ICDMP

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schmidt, Hellmut

Substantial progress has been made in various diagnostics for investigating results of experiments during the last years performed with the PF1000 device at IPPLM, Warsaw, Poland. In addition to standard diagnostics of the electrical characteristics of up to 1 MJ discharges in a Mather type plasma focus geometry, such as high speed photography, X-ray, fast electron beam and time-integrated neutron measurements, there have been made among others at least three quite successful efforts recently: 1) Setting up of a neutron time-of-flight line with up to five scintillation detectors including optical fibre based data collection equipment, 2) Use of a Mechellemore » spectrometer with CCD registration and possibility to take time-resolved spectra with resolutions down to 100 ns and 3) Setting up and using pinhole cameras equipped with solid state nuclear track detectors for the detection of fusion generated protons. Correlations of emission events as well as plasma and electrical current dynamics are investigated. Neutron emission characteristics and fusion products production mechanisms are discussed considering a generalized beam target model, called Gyrating Particle Model.« less

The Warsaw Ghetto: A Shattered Window on the Holocaust.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burstin, Barbara Stern

1980-01-01

Reviews literature about the Warsaw ghetto uprising in April, 1943, in which Jewish resistance fighters fought to the last against the Nazi war machine. The author notes that history textbooks at both high school and college levels give virtually no mention of the revolt. (Author/KC)

Worldwide Report, Arms Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-28

NACHRICHTEN , 18 Oct 85) 39 Presummit Polish Reporting on SDI Issues (Warsaw RZECZPOSPOLITA, 19-20 Oct 85; Warsaw ZYCIE WARSZAWY, 15 Oct 85) 42...28 February 1986 SDI AND SPACE ARMS MEETING REVEALS SOME SUPPORT FOR EUREKA LINK TO MILITARY Puesseldbrf VDI NACHRICHTEN in German 18 Oct 85 p 10

Streptococcus suis in invasive human infections in Poland: clonality and determinants of virulence and antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Bojarska, A; Molska, E; Janas, K; Skoczyńska, A; Stefaniuk, E; Hryniewicz, W; Sadowy, E

2016-06-01

The purpose of this study was to perform an analysis of Streptococcus suis human invasive isolates, collected in Poland by the National Reference Centre for Bacterial Meningitis. Isolates obtained from 21 patients during 2000-2013 were investigated by phenotypic tests, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), analysis of the TR9 locus from the multilocus variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) scheme and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI-digested DNA. Determinants of virulence and antimicrobial resistance were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analysed by sequencing. All isolates represented sequence type 1 (ST1) and were suggested to be serotype 2. PFGE and analysis of the TR9 locus allowed the discrimination of four and 17 types, respectively. Most of the isolates were haemolysis- and DNase-positive, and around half of them formed biofilm. Genes encoding suilysin, extracellular protein factor, fibronectin-binding protein, muramidase-released protein, surface antigen one, enolase, serum opacity factor and pili were ubiquitous in the studied group, while none of the isolates carried sequences characteristic for the 89K pathogenicity island. All isolates were susceptible to penicillin, cefotaxime, imipenem, moxifloxacin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, gentamicin, linezolid, vancomycin and daptomycin. Five isolates (24 %) were concomitantly non-susceptible to erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracycline, and harboured the tet(O) and erm(B) genes; for one isolate, lsa(E) and lnu(B) were additionally detected. Streptococcus suis isolated in Poland from human invasive infections belongs to a globally distributed clonal complex of this pathogen, enriched in virulence markers. This is the first report of the lsa(E) and lnu(B) resistance genes in S. suis.

The PONS study and its place in the strategy of health gain in Poland.

PubMed

Zatoński, Witold A

2011-01-01

After 30 years (1960-1990) of adult health decline, since the beginning of the political and economic transformation in the early 1990s.a dramatic reversal of health trends is being observed in Poland, In contrast, in the countries of Western Europe, a significant, steady health gain has been observed already since the end of World War II. At the beginning of the 21 st century one in three men in Poland still do not reach the age of 65, which dramatically contrasts with the one-digit premature mortality in Western Europe (EU15). In Poland very high proportion of this mortality (men ~30%, women ~15%) occur in working age population hampering social and economic development. Non-communicable diseases and risk factors (smoking, drinking, obesity) are major cause of heath inequality and contribute to poverty. This health gap, leading to an over-proportional loss of human capital in Eastern Europe, is one of the most crucial challenges for the European Union during the period of economic crisis.

"Not Bread Alone": Clandestine Schooling and Resistance in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kardos, Susan M.

2002-01-01

In the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust, clandestine schooling became a form of resistance to Nazi attempts to eradicate Jewish culture. A variety of community groups provided schooling that attempted to give a sense of normalcy as well as hope. (Contains 144 endnotes.) (SK)

Infectious diseases in Poland in 2014

PubMed

Sadkowska-Todys, Małgorzata; Zieliński, Andrzej; Czarkowski, Mirosław P

The aim of the study is to assess epidemiological situation of infectious and parasitic diseases in Poland in 2014, and an indication of the potential health risks from communicable diseases occurring in other areas of the globe. This paper is a summary of the analysis and evaluation of the results of epidemiological surveillance of infectious diseases in Poland in 2014, and those elements of European and global epidemiological background, which in this period had an impact on the epidemiological situation in Poland or constituted a threat. The main source of data for this study are statistical reports included in annual bulletins “Infectious diseases and poisoning in Poland in 2014” and “Immunizations in Poland in 2014” (NIPH-PZH, GIS, Warsaw 2015) and the data contained in the articles of „Epidemiological chronicle” presented in the Data on deaths are based on the statement of the Department for Demographic Research and Labour Market CSO presenting numbers of deaths from infectious and parasitic diseases registered in Poland in 2014, and in the previous years. Upper respiratory tract infection classified as “suspected flu and the flu season” in the since many years are the largest position among the diseases subject to disease surveillance. In the last decade, particularly large increase in the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection was reported in the flu season 2013., when the increase in comparison to the median of years 2008-2012 amounted to 189.8%. In 2014. Number of reported cases was 3 137 056 which represented a nonsignificant decrease of 0.8% compared with the previous year. However, compared to the median of the years 2008-2012 it was an increase of 187.4%. Better then based on calendar year is a picture obtained by examining the incidence of seasonal periods in the annual, but counted from 1 September to 31 August of the following year. In such a setup, in the 2012/2013 season were recorded 3 025 258 of cases, and in the season 2013/2014 recorded number was 2 780 945. In such a way in the 2013/2014 season decrease in the number of cases as compared to the season 2012/2013 was 8%. Another group of infections with a high incidence are intestinal ones. In 2014. Incidence of intestinal infections with Salmonella etiology increased in comparison with the previous year by 10.8%, but in relation to the median of 2008-2012 was lower by 7.3%. Incidence of an important group of intestinal infections, which are diarrhea cases in children under 2 years, increased in 2014. in the category of infections of viral etiology and a decreased among bacterial ones. In 2014. upward trend of intestinal infections caused by viruses persited. Among these infections dominated rotavirus infections in children. Number of reported foodborne infections of viral etiology was 51 561 (134.0/100 000). Most of them were caused by rotavirus: 33 789 (87.8/100 000). Number of cases of whooping cough reported in 2014 was 2 101 (5.5/100 000), it was a decrease of incidence as compared with the previous year by 3.7%. After the epidemic increase in cases of rubella in 2013. there has been a decline in the incidence of the disease by 84.7%. No single case of congenital rubella was reported. In 2014. it were reported 110 cases of measles (0.29 / 100 000). In 2014. Number of cases of invasive diseases caused by H. influenzae was 41, incidence: (0.11 / 100 000). This was an increase of 64.1%, as compared with the previous year. Among them, the number of sepsis cases increased by 150% from 10 to 25. None of these cases was fatal. The number of invasive diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 2014. amounted to 704. In comparison with 2013. This was an increase of 30.4%, but as compared with the median of the 2008-2012 period it was 91.9%. Among the cases of invasive S. pneumoniae infections 59 were fatal. The downward trend in the incidence of tuberculosis in total (all forms of TB) is clearly sustainable. In 2014. Incidence of this disease has decreased in comparison with the previous year from 18.8 / 100 000 to 17.4 and pulmonary tuberculosis from 17.8 to 16.4 / 100 000. In 2014. There were reported 1 157 cases of newly diagnosed HIV infections (3.01 / 100 000). And it was not a significant increase in the incidence of 4.5%, as compared with the previous year. The number of reported new AIDS cases decreased by 8.6%. In recent decades, there were no indiginus cases of malaria in Poland. Registered cases of malaria apply to persons who acquired it abroad in endemic areas. 19 such cases were reported in 2014. In 2014. there were no cases of diphtheria, poliomyelitis, rabies and viral haemorrhagic fevers with exception of dengue, of which 15 cases acquired in endemic areas were reported. Total number of deaths due to infectious and parasitic diseases in 2014 in Poland. was 2 169. The share of deaths from these causes in reference to the total number of deaths was 0.58%, and mortality due to infectious diseases was 5.6 per 100 000. Most deaths (24.6%) were caused by tuberculosis and its consequences.

Asymmetry of price returns—Analysis and perspectives from a non-extensive statistical physics point of view

PubMed Central

Bil, Łukasz; Zienowicz, Magdalena

2017-01-01

We study how the approach grounded on non-extensive statistical physics can be applied to describe and distinguish different stages of the stock and money market development. A particular attention is given to asymmetric behavior of fat tailed distributions of positive and negative returns. A new method to measure this asymmetry is proposed. It is based on the value of the non-extensive Tsallis parameter q. The new quantifier of the relative asymmetry level between tails in terms of the Tsallis parameters q± is provided to analyze the effect of memory in data caused by nonlinear autocorrelations. The presented analysis takes into account data of separate stocks from the main developing stock market in Europe, i.e., the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) in Poland and—for comparison—data from the most mature money market (Forex). It is argued that the proposed new quantifier is able to describe the stage of market development and its robustness to speculation. The main strength is put on a description and interpretation of the asymmetry between statistical properties of positive and negative returns for various stocks and for diversified time-lags Δt of data counting. The particular caution in this context is addressed to the difference between intraday and interday returns. Our search is extended to study memory effects and their dependence on the quotation frequency for similar large companies—owners of food-industrial retail supermarkets acting on both Polish and European markets (Eurocash, Jeronimo-Martins, Carrefour, Tesco)—but traded on various European stock markets of diversified economical maturity (respectively in Warsaw, Lisbon, Paris and London). The latter analysis seems to indicate quantitatively that stocks from the same economic sector traded on different markets within European Union (EU) may be a target of diversified level of speculations involved in trading independently on the true economic situation of the company. Our work thus gives indications that the statement:” where you are is more important than who you are” is true on trading markets. PMID:29190696

Asymmetry of price returns-Analysis and perspectives from a non-extensive statistical physics point of view.

PubMed

Bil, Łukasz; Grech, Dariusz; Zienowicz, Magdalena

2017-01-01

We study how the approach grounded on non-extensive statistical physics can be applied to describe and distinguish different stages of the stock and money market development. A particular attention is given to asymmetric behavior of fat tailed distributions of positive and negative returns. A new method to measure this asymmetry is proposed. It is based on the value of the non-extensive Tsallis parameter q. The new quantifier of the relative asymmetry level between tails in terms of the Tsallis parameters q± is provided to analyze the effect of memory in data caused by nonlinear autocorrelations. The presented analysis takes into account data of separate stocks from the main developing stock market in Europe, i.e., the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) in Poland and-for comparison-data from the most mature money market (Forex). It is argued that the proposed new quantifier is able to describe the stage of market development and its robustness to speculation. The main strength is put on a description and interpretation of the asymmetry between statistical properties of positive and negative returns for various stocks and for diversified time-lags Δt of data counting. The particular caution in this context is addressed to the difference between intraday and interday returns. Our search is extended to study memory effects and their dependence on the quotation frequency for similar large companies-owners of food-industrial retail supermarkets acting on both Polish and European markets (Eurocash, Jeronimo-Martins, Carrefour, Tesco)-but traded on various European stock markets of diversified economical maturity (respectively in Warsaw, Lisbon, Paris and London). The latter analysis seems to indicate quantitatively that stocks from the same economic sector traded on different markets within European Union (EU) may be a target of diversified level of speculations involved in trading independently on the true economic situation of the company. Our work thus gives indications that the statement:" where you are is more important than who you are" is true on trading markets.

Acne prevalence and associations with lifestyle: a cross-sectional online survey of adolescents/young adults in 7 European countries.

PubMed

Wolkenstein, P; Machovcová, A; Szepietowski, J C; Tennstedt, D; Veraldi, S; Delarue, A

2018-02-01

Although acne vulgaris is a common skin disorder, limited epidemiological data exist specifically for European populations. To determine the prevalence of self-reported acne among young people in Europe and evaluate the effect of lifestyle on acne. We conducted a cross-sectional population-based online survey in representative samples of individuals aged 15-24 years in Belgium, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Italy, Poland and Spain (n = 10 521), identified by a quota sampling method based on age, geographic location and socio-professional category. The overall adjusted prevalence of self-reported acne was 57.8% (95% confidence interval 56.9% to 58.7%). The rates per country ranged from 42.2% in Poland to 73.5% in the Czech and Slovak Republics. The prevalence of acne was highest at age 15-17 years and decreased with age. On multivariate analysis, a history of maternal or paternal acne was associated with an increased probability of having acne (odds ratio 3.077, 95% CI 2.743 to 3.451, and 2.700, 95% CI 2.391 to 3.049, respectively; both P < 0.0001), as was the consumption of chocolate (OR 1.276, 95% CI 1.094 to 1.488, for quartile 4 vs. quartile 1). Increasing age (OR 0.728, 95% CI 0.639 to 0.830 for age 21-24 years vs. 15-17 years) and smoking tobacco (OR 0.705, 95% CI 0.616 to 0.807) were associated with a reduced probability of acne. The overall prevalence of self-reported acne was high in adolescents/young adults in the European countries investigated. Heredity was the main risk factor for developing acne. © 2017 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Childhood asthma prevalence and risk factors in three Eastern European countries--the Belarus, Ukraine, Poland Asthma Study (BUPAS): an international prevalence study.

PubMed

Brozek, Grzegorz; Lawson, Joshua; Shpakou, Andrei; Fedortsiv, Olga; Hryshchuk, Leonid; Rennie, Donna; Zejda, Jan

2016-01-14

The prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases among children living in Eastern is not well described. Our objective was to estimate and compare the prevalence of asthma, respiratory symptoms and allergic diseases in children in Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland as well as to identify risk factors for these conditions. We also sought to profile and compare children with asthma between locations. Data were collected as a part of an international, multicenter, cross-sectional study of childhood asthma: The Belarus Ukraine Poland Asthma Study (BUPAS). Subjects were children aged 7-13 years attending primary and secondary schools in the urban and surrounding rural area of Grodno (Belarus), Ternopil (Ukraine) and Silesia Region (Poland). Physician-diagnosed respiratory diseases and symptoms as well as allergic diseases were ascertained using the ISAAC questionnaire completed by the parents. In total there were 4019 children from Belarus (rural: 2018, urban: 2001), 4493 from Ukraine (1972; 2521), and 4036 from Poland (2002, 2034). The overall response rate was 76.7%. Groups were similar in case of gender and age (p > 0.05). Almost all analyzed respiratory and allergic conditions differed significantly between countries including asthma [Poland (rural, urban): 3.5%, 4.1%; Ukraine: 1.4%, 2.1%; Belarus: 1.4%, 1.5%], spastic bronchitis (Poland: 2.7%, 3.2%; Ukraine: 7.5%, 6.5%; Belarus: 6.4%, 7.9%), and chest wheeze in the last year (Poland: 4.8%, 5.2%; Ukraine: 11.5%, 13.0%; Belarus: 10.7%, 10.0%). These differences remained after adjustment for potential confounders. Risk factor associations were generally similar between outcomes. Symptom characteristics of children with asthma between countries were not consistent. The ratio of current wheeze:diagnosis of asthma differed by country: (Rural areas: Belarus: 10.9:1, Ukraine: 17.3:1, Poland: 2.4:1; Urban areas: Belarus: 8.1:1, Ukraine: 7.3:1 Poland: 1.9:1). The findings show large between-country differences and relatively low prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases in children of Western Belarus and Ukraine. There is evidence for underdiagnosis of asthma in these regions.

Mental health of patients from different cultures in Germany.

PubMed

Wittig, U; Lindert, J; Merbach, M; Brähler, E

2008-01-01

Empirical studies on migration and mental health of migrants are still rare. In Germany they are often characterised by low sample sizes and are limited to certain diseases and geographical areas (old federal states). The comparability of their results is limited. Nonetheless, the assessment of migrants' health is necessary for adequate medical and psychosocial care for this target group. To provide data on mental health of migrants from Poland and from Vietnam in Germany. We have assessed a random sample of migrants from Poland (n=140) and from Vietnam (n=88) using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List - 24 (GSCL-24) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Additionally we asked migrants about their knowledge of health care institutions in case of psychosocial problems, their demands and the existing barriers to health care utilisation. Migrants from Poland and Vietnam have a higher general score of complaints of physical ill-health and higher anxiety and depression values than Germans. Psychosocial and medical institutions are visited less. Further analytical studies are needed to clarify health differences between these groups. Migrants are a heterogeneous group and only group-specific investigations will clarify associations between countries of origin, health status and use of health care institutions.

Trends in Adolescent Substance Use: The Mokotow Study 1988-2004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostaszewski, Krzysztof; Pisarska, Agnieszka

2008-01-01

This study, conducted every 4 years since 1984, is aimed at monitoring alcohol, tobacco, tranquillizers and illegal drug-use trends among 15-year-olds from Warsaw. The self-report data are taken from a representative sample of students attending schools in three districts of Warsaw (sample size ranged from 1461 to 3918 in the different study…

Hospital-based Clostridium difficile infection surveillance reveals high proportions of PCR ribotypes 027 and 176 in different areas of Poland, 2011 to 2013.

PubMed

Pituch, Hanna; Obuch-Woszczatyński, Piotr; Lachowicz, Dominika; Wultańska, Dorota; Karpiński, Paweł; Młynarczyk, Grażyna; van Dorp, Sofie M; Kuijper, Ed J

2015-01-01

As part of the European Clostridium difficile infections (CDI) surveillance Network (ECDIS-Net), which aims to build capacity for CDI surveillance in Europe, we constructed a new network of hospital-based laboratories in Poland. We performed a survey in 13 randomly selected hospital-laboratories in different sites of the country to determine their annual CDI incidence rates from 2011 to 2013. Information on C. difficile laboratory diagnostic testing and indications for testing was also collected. Moreover, for 2012 and 2013 respectively, participating hospital-laboratories sent all consecutive isolates from CDI patients between February and March to the Anaerobe Laboratory in Warsaw for further molecular characterisation, including the detection of toxin-encoding genes and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-ribotyping. Within the network, the mean annual hospital CDI incidence rates were 6.1, 8.6 and 9.6 CDI per 10,000 patient-days in 2011, 2012, and 2013 respectively. Six of the 13 laboratories tested specimens only on the request of a physician, five tested samples of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea or samples from patients who developed diarrhoea more than two days after admission (nosocomial diarrhoea), while two tested all submitted diarrhoeal faecal samples. Most laboratories (9/13) used tests to detect glutamate dehydrogenase and toxin A/B either separately or in combination. In the two periods of molecular surveillance, a total of 166 strains were characterised. Of these, 159 were toxigenic and the majority belonged to two PCR-ribotypes: 027 (n=99; 62%) and the closely related ribotype 176 (n=22; 14%). The annual frequency of PCR-ribotype 027 was not significantly different during the surveillance periods (62.9% in 2012; 61.8% in 2013). Our results indicate that CDIs caused by PCR-ribotype 027 predominate in Polish hospitals participating in the surveillance, with the closely related 176 ribotype being the second most common agent of infection.

The intensity and correlates of the feelings of loneliness in people with psychosis.

PubMed

Chrostek, A; Grygiel, P; Anczewska, M; Wciórka, J; Świtaj, P

2016-10-01

Loneliness is an established risk factor for numerous negative health outcomes. The aims of the present study were to compare the levels of loneliness between patients with psychotic disorders and members of the general population and to identify factors independently associated with loneliness in psychosis. A total of 207 patients with psychotic disorders recruited between February 2013 and February 2015 from inpatient and day wards and an outpatient clinic of the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology (IPN) in Warsaw (Poland) were included in this cross-sectional study. They were administered the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) and a set of instruments assessing three types of explanatory variables: socio-demographic, psychosocial and psychiatric (clinical). The comparison group was a random sample of 20,000 inhabitants of Poland who took part in the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS-PL) conducted in 2011. The two groups were matched for socio-demographic characteristics. The patient sample proved to be significantly lonelier than the general population sample. The higher level of loneliness in people with psychotic disorders was most strongly related to psychosocial factors, particularly more severe internalized stigma and lesser social support, followed by worse interpersonal competence and smaller social network. After adjusting for socio-demographic and psychosocial variables, the only clinical variable significantly associated with more intense feelings of loneliness turned out to be the greater number of psychiatric inpatient admissions. The findings did not lend support to the view that socio-demographics play a major role in explaining variation in loneliness in psychosis. People with psychotic disorders are predisposed to experiencing elevated levels of loneliness. To counteract the pernicious effects of this on their health and well-being, there is a need for comprehensive therapeutic programs targeting self-stigma, enhancing social support networks and improving social skills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influenza immunization rates in children and teenagers in Polish cities: conclusions from the 2009/2010 season.

PubMed

Kuchar, Ernest; Nitsch-Osuch, Aneta; Zycinska, Katarzyna; Miskiewicz, Katarzyna; Szenborn, Leszek; Wardyn, Kazimierz

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine influenza vaccine coverage among children aged 0-18 years in inner city practices in Poland in the 2009/2010 season and factors that might have influenced low vaccination coverage. A retrospective review of 11,735 vaccination charts of children aged 0-18 from seven randomly selected general practices in the capital city of Warsaw and one large practice in the city of Wroclaw was performed. We calculated the numbers of children who were vaccinated in the 2009/2010 season and analyzed the age distribution of vaccinated children. We also reviewed the vaccination history in patients who were vaccinated against influenza including: previous influenza vaccinations, modification (widening) of standard immunization scheme, and a proportion of children who completed the recommended two-dose schedule of vaccination. In the calculations, 95% confidence intervals were used. Out of the total of 11,735 children surveyed, 362 (3.1%, CI: 2.8-3.4%) were vaccinated against influenza in the 2009/2010 season. For 115 of these 362 (31.8%, CI: 27.0-36.6%) children it was their first vaccination against influenza. The mean age of a vaccinated child was 6.0 ± 4.3 years. Children aged 2-5 were most commonly vaccinated (153/362, 42.3%, CI: 37.2-47.4%), while infants (aged 6-12 months) were vaccinated rarely (15/362, 4.4%, CI: 2.2-6.2%). In the group of children younger than 8 years (86/362 children) who were vaccinated for the first time in their life only 29/86 (33.7%, CI: 23.7-43.7%) completed the recommended two-dose schedule. In conclusion, the importance of vaccinating children against influenza is hugely understated in Poland. General physicians should actively recommend annual influenza immunization of children. Recommendations of National Immunization Program concerning influenza vaccine should be clearer, simpler, and easier to implement.

[Development of the chemical industry in the Kingdom of Poland till 1914].

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Rafał

2010-01-01

The chemical industry in the Kingdom of Poland developed on the turn of the 19th century. Earlier, in the field of industry in the Kingdom one could observe only two lines of the chemical industry: aliphatic and soap, and gas-producing and coal gas. The beginnings of the first mentioned line appeared on the turn of the 18th century, and the second branch--in the half of the 19th century. The development of chemical industry was stimulated by foreign capital expenditure, mainly by German capital. A significant impact on foreign capital expenditures within chemical industry on territories of Russian Empire, and also in the Kingdom as the most industrialized part of Empire, had tariffs. Thanks to the direct capital expenditures in the Kingdom foreign investors got an access to the receptive Russian market using the potential and technological thought of their establishments--'mother' firms. In 1913 a share of foreign capital in chemical industry in the Kingdom was 20, 30%. By dint of foreign capital expenditures in the years 1900-1913 production's value in chemical industry rose from 12 to 40 millions and 900 thousands roubles. The foreign capital, however, used to invest only in the most industrialized provinces of the Kingdom--Warsaw and Piotrków. And the greatest concentration of chemical industry could be observed just in the above-mentioned provinces. In the years 1904-1913 a number of establishments fluctuated there from 88.09 to 81.18%, and the employment--from 91.83 to 91.09%. This tendency could be observed till the outbreak of World War I. The Polish and Jewish capital that invested in chemical industry, did not have such financial resources. The investors' establishments were not large and technologically under-developed. However, the Polish and Jewish capital invested in the local market, particularly in agricultural provinces of the Kingdom.

The occurrence of nematodes of the genus Trichinella in wolves (Canis lupus) from the Bieszczady Mountains and Augustowska Forest in Poland.

PubMed

Bień, Justyna; Moskwa, Bożena; Goździk, Katarzyna; Cybulska, Aleksandra; Kornacka, Aleksandra; Welc, Mirosław; Popiołek, Marcin; Cabaj, Władysław

2016-11-15

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves (Canis lupus) in two regions in Poland. Muscle samples were collected from 21 wolves between 1999 and 2015 and processed by artificial digestion. In two cases, the muscle larvae (ML) were obtained and stored in alcohol. ML were detected in 12 wolves and genotyped by multiplex PCR. Trichinella britovi was confirmed in 12 wolves (54.5%). The larval burdens in infected animals ranged from 0.009 to 27 larvae per gram. The high prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves might suggest that this predator is a significant reservoir of Trichinella species in the sylvatic cycle in Poland. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Palaeotemperature estimation in the Holsteinian Interglacial (MIS 11) based on oxygen isotopes of aquatic gastropods from eastern Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szymanek, Marcin

2017-12-01

For quantitative estimation of past water temperature of four Holsteinian (MIS 11) palaeolakes from eastern Poland, the oxygen isotope palaeothermometer was applied to shells of the aquatic gastropods Viviparus diluvianus and Valvata piscinalis. The δ18O composition of their shells demonstrated the average growth-season water temperatures during the mesocratic stage of the interglacial (Ortel Królewski Lake), during its climatic optimum - the Carpinus-Abies Zone (Ossówka-Hrud, Roskosz and Szymanowo Lakes), and in the post-optimum (Szymanowo Lake). The calculation was based on δ18OShell values and the δ18OWater assumed for the Holsteinian from the modern oxygen isotope composition of precipitation and the expected amount of evaporative enrichment. The mean oxygen isotope palaeotemperatures of Ortel Królewski lake waters were in the range of 18.1-21.9°C and were uniform for the Taxus and Pinus-Larix zones. Ossówka-Hrud and Roskosz Lakes had mean temperatures of 17.4-21.0°C during the climatic optimum, whereas the temperature of Szymanowo lake waters was estimated at 20.6-21.7°C at that time. These values are concordant with the pollen-inferred July air temperatures noted during the Holsteinian in eastern Poland. Relatively high values of 25°C in the post-optimum noted at Szymanowo were connected with the presence of a shallow and warm isolated bay indicated by pollen and mollusc records.

Involuntary psychiatric holds - the structure of admissions on the example of Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw.

PubMed

Markiewicz, Inga; Heitzman, Janusz; Gardyńska-Ziemba, Ewa

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyse the structure of involuntary psychiatric holds in Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, throughout the year. Our research interests included socio-demographic profiles of the patients, time of admissions (time of a day/night/ season), type of diagnoses at admission and suicide attempts preceding the admission. We also analysed the normative aspect of involuntary admissions, i.e. which Articles of the Polish Mental Health Act constituted the basis for these patients admission, and if the choice of articles was justifiable by a diagnosis of the mental disorder. The primary research tool consisted of an original questionnaire allowing for the collection of relevant data. The material was submitted to statistical analysis, using primarily simple percentage methods. Involuntary psychiatric holds constituted 15.8% of the total number of admissions to the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology (3,498 persons) in 2012. 522 persons with mental disorders were subject to involuntary admission on emergency basis (292 women and 260 men). Majority of patients was over 40 years old. The number of patients admitted to the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology on emergency basis without the consent ranged from 38 to 62 people per month. Season did not differentiate significantly the number of admitted persons, majority of patients was admitted during the day (82%). Among the diagnosed patients, paranoid schizophrenia was the most frequent illness (43%), delirium tremens (7%), bipolar disorders (6%), dementia (5%), other psychotic disorders (5%), paranoid syndrome (5%), schizoaffective disorder (5%), other diagnoses (less than 1%). 4% of admissions to the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology were due to attempted suicide. 37% of patients were admitted to the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology under Article 23.1 of the Mental Health Act, 34% under Article 22.2, in accordance with Article 24.1 - only 7% of patients. Invoking Article 28 of the Mental Health Act by doctors referred to 14% of patients admitted without consent. Involuntary psychiatric admissions are common practice not only in Poland but in the world. The structure of involuntary admissions in the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in 2012 did not differ from data from other European countries. However, while quantitative measures describing the phenomenon of involuntary admissions are comparable, knowledge of each country's legal rules in relation to medical conditions is crucial for truly adequate comparisons. From the point of view of the Polish legal system it is essential for doctors, who decide on the admission of the patient against his will, to adequately evaluate the patient's condition in relation to statutory requirements that point to the need of such an admission. Involuntary hospitalisation and treatment first and foremost serve the welfare and protection of chief values of life and human health.

Aerosol residence times and changes in radioiodine-131I and radiocaesium-137 Cs activity over Central Poland after the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear reactor accident.

PubMed

Długosz-Lisiecka, Magdalena; Bem, Henryk

2012-05-01

The first detectable activities of radioiodine (131)I, and radiocaesium (134)Cs and (137)Cs in the air over Central Poland were measured in dust samples collected by the ASS-500 station in the period of 21(st) to 24(th) of March, 2011. However, the highest activity of both fission products, (131)I and (137)Cs: 8.3 mBq m(-3) and 0.75 mBq m(-3), respectively, were obtained in the samples collected on 30(th) March, i.e.∼18 days after the beginning of the fission products' discharge from the damaged units of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The simultaneously determined corrected aerosol residence time for the same samples by (210)Pb/(210)Bi and (210)Pb/(210)Po methods was equal to 10 days. Additionally, on the basis of the activity ratio of two other natural cosmogenic radionuclides, (7)Be and (22)Na in these aerosol samples, it was possible to estimate the aerosol residence time at ∼150 days for the solid particles coming from the stratospheric fallout. These data, as well as the differences in the activity size distribution of (7)Be and (131)I in the air particulate matter, show, in contrast to the Chernobyl discharge, a negligible input of stratospheric transport of Fukushima-released fission products.

Ludwik Zamenhof: a major contributor to world culture, on the 150(th) anniversary of his birth.

PubMed

Grzybowski, Andrzej

2010-01-01

More than 200 universal languages have been proposed to replace the nearly 3,000 existing languages. Esperanto, developed by the Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist Ludwik Zamenhof in 1887, became the most widely used artificial language of the 20(th) century. It is estimated that between one million and 15 million people in the world can speak or read Esperanto. Zamenhof was nominated 14 times for the Nobel Peace Prize, and also received the French Legion of Honor, and the Medal of Isabelle of Spain the Catholic. Ludwik Zamenhof started his professional training in ophthalmology at the Jewish Hospital in Warsaw, later spent several months in Vienna, and finally started a private ophthalmology practice in Warsaw, where he remained for most of his life. His son Adam was an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Warsaw and head of ophthalmology in the Jewish Hospital in Czyste, the biggest and most modern hospital in Warsaw at that time. Some lesser known aspects of Zamenhof's life and work drawn from the original 19(th) century Russian and 20(th) century Esperanto documents are described. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Stanisława Adamowiczowa--first editor in-chief of Journal "Przeglad Epidemiologiczny"].

PubMed

Gromulska, Marta

2010-01-01

First issue of Epidemiological Review was published in 1920. First editor in chief was Stanisława Adamowiczowa, PhD (1888-1965), who had worked in National Central Epidemiological Institute since 1919, and later, for period of 45 years, interrupted by breaks resulting from political situation, worked in National Institute of Hygiene. In this jubilee article, we present scientific resume of S. Adamowiczowa which focuses on her achievements in infectious diseases epidemiology, and particularly in analysis and evaluation of current epidemiological data distribution in Poland and worldwide in the period. She was the pioneer in systemic organization of registries of new cases of diseases in the highly populated Polish cities; she initiated use of statistical methods in this field. As editor in chief of Epidemiological Review, she started publishing Epidemiological Chronicle, which is continuously added as a supplement to every second issue, each year. Name of S. Adamowiczowa is associated with Ludwik Rajchman--director of Hygiene Section in League of Nations, with Witold Chodźko PhD--she led courses in National School of Hygiene in Warsaw, with prof. Marcin Kacprzak--as co-author and co-editor of books on hygiene and epidemiology. A brief list of scientific publications of S. Adamowiczowa is also presented.

Characteristics of selected elements of the air quality management system in urban areas in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sówka, Izabela; Kobus, Dominik; Chlebowska Styś, Anna; Zathey, Maciej

2017-11-01

Most of Europeans living in cities are exposed to concentrations of air pollutants in excess of the thresholds given in the WHO guidelines and EU legislation. Due to this fact, for the urban air quality systems, the mechanisms of proper information and warning of the inhabitants as well as legal, economic and spatial planning instruments should be improved. The analysis of Polish air quality management system and its' selected components (exemplary measures, information-spreading methods, spatial planning instruments) in four selected Polish cities (Wroclaw, Warsaw, Poznan and Cracow) indicated the need to develop effective solutions, among others, in terms of: emission requirements for combustion of fuels of power of up to 1 MW; admission of high emission fuels on the market; legal and coordination issues at the level of implementation of the area development policy and coordination of activities covering issues within the scope of the structure of planning documents including mainly: ambient air protection programs, spatial developments plans in communes and voivodeships, low emission economy plans, plans of sustainable development of public transport, plans of providing heat, electric power and gas fuels to communes, acts of regional parliaments, introducing limitations based on the Environmental Protection Act and strategies of voivodeship.

The Network of Excellence 'Knowledge-based Multicomponent Materials for Durable and Safe Performance'

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreno, Arnaldo

The Network of Excellence 'Knowledge-based Multicomponent Materials for Durable and Safe Performance' (KMM-NoE) consists of 36 institutional partners from 10 countries representing leading European research institutes and university departments (25), small and medium enterprises, SMEs (5) and large industry (7) in the field of knowledge-based multicomponent materials (KMM), more specifically in intermetallics, metal-ceramic composites, functionally graded materials and thin layers. The main goal of the KMM-NoE (currently funded by the European Commission) is to mobilise and concentrate the fragmented scientific potential in the KMM field to create a durable and efficient organism capable of developing leading-edge research while spreading themore » accumulated knowledge outside the Network and enhancing the technological skills of the related industries. The long-term strategic goal of the KMM-NoE is to establish a self-supporting pan-European institution in the field of knowledge-based multicomponent materials--KMM Virtual Institute (KMM-VIN). It will combine industry oriented research with educational and training activities. The KMM Virtual Institute will be founded on three main pillars: KMM European Competence Centre, KMM Integrated Post-Graduate School, KMM Mobility Programme. The KMM-NoE is coordinated by the Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IPPT) of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.« less

The genetic evidence for human origin of Jivaroan shrunken heads in collections from the Polish museums.

PubMed

Piniewska, Danuta; Sanak, Marek; Wojtas, Marta; Polanska, Nina

2017-05-01

Advances in forensic identification using molecular genetics are helpful in resolving some historical mysteries. The aim of this study was to confirm the authenticity of shrunken-head artifacts exhibited by two Polish museums. Shrunken heads, known as tsantsas, were headhunting trophies of South American Indians (Jivaroan). A special preparation preserved their hair and facial appearance. However, it was quite common to offer counterfeit shrunken heads of sloths or monkeys to collectors of curiosities. We sampled small skin specimens of four shrunken-head skin from the museum collection from Warsaw and Krakow, Poland. Following genomic DNA isolation, highly polymorphic short tandem repeats were genotyped using a commercial chemistry and DNA sequencing analyzer. Haplogroups of human Y chromosome were identified. We obtained an informative genetic profile of genomic short tandem repeats from all the samples of shrunken heads. Moreover, amplification of amelogenin loci allowed for sex determination. All four studied shrunken heads were of human origin. In two ones, a shared Y-chromosome haplogroup Q characteristic for Indigenous Americans was detected. Another artifact was counterfeited because Y-chromosome haplogroup I2 was found, characteristic for the Southeastern European origin. Commercial genetic methods of identification can be applied successfully in studies on the origin and authenticity of some unusual collection items.

A Distributed Data Acquisition System for the Sensor Network of the TAWARA_RTM Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontana, Cristiano Lino; Donati, Massimiliano; Cester, Davide; Fanucci, Luca; Iovene, Alessandro; Swiderski, Lukasz; Moretto, Sandra; Moszynski, Marek; Olejnik, Anna; Ruiu, Alessio; Stevanato, Luca; Batsch, Tadeusz; Tintori, Carlo; Lunardon, Marcello

This paper describes a distributed Data Acquisition System (DAQ) developed for the TAWARA_RTM project (TAp WAter RAdioactivity Real Time Monitor). The aim is detecting the presence of radioactive contaminants in drinking water; in order to prevent deliberate or accidental threats. Employing a set of detectors, it is possible to detect alpha, beta and gamma radiations, from emitters dissolved in water. The Sensor Network (SN) consists of several heterogeneous nodes controlled by a centralized server. The SN cyber-security is guaranteed in order to protect it from external intrusions and malicious acts. The nodes were installed in different locations, along the water treatment processes, in the waterworks plant supplying the aqueduct of Warsaw, Poland. Embedded computers control the simpler nodes, and are directly connected to the SN. Local-PCs (LPCs) control the more complex nodes that consist signal digitizers acquiring data from several detectors. The DAQ in the LPC is split in several processes communicating with sockets in a local sub-network. Each process is dedicated to a very simple task (e.g. data acquisition, data analysis, hydraulics management) in order to have a flexible and fault-tolerant system. The main SN and the local DAQ networks are separated by data routers to ensure the cyber-security.

Extraterrestrial organic chemistry: from the interstellar medium to the origins of life. Part 2: complex organic chemistry in the environment of planets and satellites.

PubMed

Raulin, F; Kobayashi, K

2001-01-01

During COSPAR'00 in Warsaw, Poland, in the frame of Sub-Commission F.3 events (Planetary Biology and Origins of Life), part of COSPAR Commission F (Life Sciences as Related to Space), and Commission B events (Space Studies of the Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System) a large joint symposium (F.3.4/B0.8) was held on extraterrestrial organic chemistry. Part 2 of this symposium was devoted to complex organic chemistry in the environment of planets and satellites. The aim of this event was to cover and review new data which have been recently obtained and to give new insights on data which are expected in the near future to increase our knowledge of the complex organic chemistry occurring in several planets and satellites of the Solar System, outside the earth, and their implications for exobiology and life in the universe. The event was composed of two main parts. The first part was mainly devoted to the inner planets and Europa and the search for signatures of life or organics in those environments. The second part was related to the study of the outer solar system.

Obituary: Bohdan Paczynski, 1940-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spergel, David

2007-12-01

Bohdan Paczynski, Lyman Spitzer, Jr. Professor of Astrophysics, died at home in Princeton, New Jersey, on April 19, 2007. Born in Wilno, Poland (now Vilnius, Lithuania) on February 8, 1940, Paczynski's first encounter with astronomy was in 1954 when he visited Warsaw Astronomical Observatory in Ostrowok. Soon after his visit, he began a program of observing variable stars that led to his publishing his first paper, "Minima of Eclipsing Variables in 1954-56" at age 18. The study of binary star evolution would be a life-long interest. His highly cited 1971 review paper on "Evolutionary Processes in Close Binary Systems" still provides our framework for understanding binary stars. In his final year, Pacyznsk returned to his beloved variable stars and coauthored a paper with Warsaw University Observatory colleagues on "A Model of AW UMa," which has just appeared in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. In 1957, Pacyznski began studies at Warsaw University, where he worked with Stefan Piotrowski. After completing his Master's Degree, he traveled to the United States to become a night assistant at Lick Observatory. After his year in California, he returned to Poland to defend his PhD thesis in 1964 and to marry Hania Adamska, his lifelong companion. During the subsequent decade, Pacyznski's work had a profound impact on our understanding of stellar evolution. In between 1965 and 1967, Paczynski wrote a series of papers, "Evolution of Close Binaries I-V", that describe how nearby neighbors alter the evolution of stars. These papers were the basis for his doctor habilatus, a higher degree remarkably earned at age 27. He then spent a year as a Fellow at the University of Colorado's Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics. Primarily during his year in Boulder, he developed "The Paczynski Code". Using this code, Paczynski wrote a series of papers that showed that the cores of stars between 3 and 7 times the mass of the Sun converge to similar behavior. These stars end their life as planetary nebulae and leave behind cooling white dwarfs. This code was made publicly available and was widely used by the international community. The code is still in circulation—most recently, it was made available as a CD in Carl Hansen, et al's 2004 book on Stellar Interiors. In 1969, Paczynski returned to the Institute of Astronomy as an assistant professor. He would be promoted to associate in 1974 and to professor in 1979. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Paczynski and his collaborators wrote a number of influential papers on the properties of accretion disks around black holes. These papers showed that geometrically thick disks of gas could radiate at super-Eddington rates. These "polish donut" models are important tools in our understanding of quasars and accreting X-ray sources. In December 1981, martial law was declared in Poland. Paczynski and his family were visiting the California Institute of Technology at the time, where he was spending the year as a Fairchild Fellow. Faced with the decaying political situation in Poland, Pacynski decided to stay in the United States. He quickly received offers from many leading universities. In 1982, he joined the Princeton faculty as a Professor in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences. In 1989, Paczynski became the first Lyman Spitzer, Jr. Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics. While not able to visit Poland until the collapse of communism in 1989, Paczynski invited many of his Polish colleagues to visit Princeton and the USA. Throughout his career, he was a vital link between US and Polish astronomy and was an important mentor for many Polish and US astronomers. At Princeton, Pacynski's interests turned to gravitational lensing and its astrophysical applications. The nature of the dark matter that makes up more than 80% of the mass of our Galaxy is one of the great mysteries of astronomy and physics. Many astronomers suspected that low mass stars could be the dark matter. Paczynski recognized that these stars would act as foreground gravitational lenses and amplify the light from background stars. In a subsequent paper with Princeton graduate student Shude Mao, Paczynski noted that planets would produce a distinctive microlensing signal. Paczynski's gravitational-lensing papers inspired a host of projects that used large CCDs to study the variable universe. Working with colleagues at Warsaw University and the Carnegie Institution, Paczynski and his Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) collaborators detected the first microlensing events towards the galactic bulge. While the microlensing surveys detected the expected number of events when looking toward the galactic center, very few events were seen in the direction of the Magellanic Clouds. This low event rate implies that "Jupiters" or low mass stars do not make up most of the mass of our Galaxy and strengthens the case that a new subatomic particle makes up most of the dark matter. Last year, the OGLE collaboration produced its most dramatic result: the first detection of terrestrial planets around another star. Searches using other techniques have only been able to detect Jupiter-like planets and have not been sensitive enough to detect rocky planets like our own Earth. By following up on OGLE detections in nearly real time with other telescopes, Paczynski and his collaborators made a major step along the path towards find a planet like Earth around a nearby star. Their initial results imply they are common and that many nearby stars harbor rocky planets. OGLE's variability survey has also uncovered a host of exciting astronomical objects. OGLE discoveries include transiting planets, RR Lyrae stars, and eclipsing binaries. Paczynski recognized the potential value of eclipsing binaries for establishing the distance scale and for testing stellar models. Paczysnki was a very early, persistent, and effective advocate of the idea that Gamma Ray Bursts were extragalactic. This idea ran counter to conventional wisdom and implied that the energy released in gamma-ray bursts greatly exceeded the energy released in optical light in supernova explosions. Many high-energy astrophysicists found Paczynski's proposal absurd; however, Paczynski emphasized that the astronomical evidence all pointed towards these powerful explosions coming from outside our Galaxy. With improved data from a new generation of high-energy satellites, observers were able to confirm the extragalactic nature of gamma-ray bursts. Paczynski's heresy has become our firmly established understanding. The astronomy community recognized Bohdan Paczynski with many honors and awards. The American Astronomical Society awarded him the Heinemann Prize and its highest honor, the Russell Prize in 2006. The Royal Astronomical Society recognized his contributions with the Eddington Medal (1987), the George Darwin Lectureship (1996), and its Gold Medal (1999). He won the Astronomical Society of Pacific's Bruce Gold Medal (2002). He was a member of the Polish Academy of Sciences and a foreign member of both the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Academy of Sciences. Diagnosed three years ago with inoperable brain cancer, Paczynski bravely fought on and continued his intellectual activities. With his life prolonged by an experimental treatment, he spent his valuable time with his family, his students, and his colleagues. He continued to be a regular presence at department coffee, where he offered wise and witty insights into a wide range of topics in astrophysics. Paczynski is survived by his wife, Hanka, his daughter, Agnieszka, his son, Martin, and a grandchild. Paczynski was generous with his time and his thoughts, and colleagues and students sought his scientific insight and personal wisdom. His good spirits during his final struggle was an inspiration to all around him. His conduct as a scientist and as a human being was distinguished by unfailing politeness, good sense, and personal integrity. I would like to thank Bruce Draine and Jeremiah Ostriker for their assistance in writing this obituary. The photograph is by Robert P. Matthews, Princeton University (1989).

Characteristics of Refractive Errors in a Population of Adults in the Central Region of Poland.

PubMed

Nowak, Michal S; Jurowski, Piotr; Grzybowski, Andrzej; Smigielski, Janusz

2018-01-08

Background : To investigate the distribution of refractive errors and their characteristics in older adults from a Polish population. Methods : The study design was a cross-sectional study. A total of 1107 men and women were interviewed and underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations, 998 subjects underwent refraction. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent (SER) refraction ≤-0.5 dioptres (D) and hyperopia was defined as SER ≥+0.5 dioptres (D). Results : Among those who were refracted the distribution of myopia and hyperopia was 24.1% (95% CI 21.4-26.7) and 37.5% (95% CI 34.5-40.5), respectively. Myopia decreased from 28.7% in subjects aged 35-59 years to 19.3% in those aged 60 years or older and hyperopia increased from 21.8% at 35-59 years of age to 53.3% in subjects aged ≥60 years. Multiple regression analysis showed decreasing age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00), female gender (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.18-2.95) and presence of cataract (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.24-4.63) were independent risk factors associated with myopia. Conclusions : The distribution of refractive errors found in our study is similar to those reported in other Caucasian populations and differs from Asian populations. Myopia was positively associated with younger age, female gender and presence of cataract.

75 FR 59690 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife; Notice of 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List Warsaw Grouper...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

... Warsaw Grouper as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) AGENCY: National Marine... authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated... practicable, that within 90 days of receipt of a petition to list a species as threatened or endangered, the...

Do pregnancy, postpartum period and lactation predispose to recurrent toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis?

PubMed

Brydak-Godowska, Joanna; Borkowski, Piotr Karol; Rabczenko, Daniel; Moneta-Wielgoś, Joanna; Kęcik, Dariusz

2015-02-23

The aim of the study was a statistical analysis of the possible effects of pregnancy, postpartum period, and lactation on increased risk for reactivation of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis. A retrospective study was undertaken of the clinical records of 661 patients referred with the diagnosis of acute toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis to the Department of Zoonoses and Tropical Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw and to the Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Warsaw in the years 1994-2014. This group of inpatients consisted of 213 women of child-bearing age (18 to 40 years). Reactivation of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis was observed in 24 women aged 15 to 39 years who were pregnant, in the postpartum period, or lactating. To compare the rate of the relapses in pregnant/lactating patients vs. non-pregnant/non-lactating patients, the Fisher exact test was used. Calculations were performed with WinPepi software (Abramson JH (2004) WINPEPI (PEPI-for-Windows) for epidemiologists. Epidemiologic Perspectives & Innovations, 2005, 1: 6). A total of 28 reactivations of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis were observed (16 episodes in pregnancy, 4 in the postpartum period, and 8 during lactation) in 24 women aged 15 to 39 years. In 3 women, multiple episodes were reported (in early pregnancy and the postpartum period in 2 women, and during 2 pregnancies and lactation in 1 woman). Statistical analysis showed that the risk of an episode of toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is 7.4-fold higher in pregnancy compared to the non-pregnant/non-lactating women (p<0.0001). Women of childbearing age with toxoplasma ocular lesions should be informed by their doctors about possible active recurrences during pregnancy and should be followed carefully by an ophthalmologist when pregnant.

The content of trace elements in the diet of adolescents in Warsaw.

PubMed

Dybkowska, Ewa; Swiderski, Franciszek; Waszkiewicz-Robak, Bozena

2011-01-01

The aim of the study is to assess the contents of iron, zinc and copper in the diet among of adolescents living in Warsaw. The intake ofselected trace elements was estimated on the basis of three-day dietary records. Microelement contents in the diet were calculated using Food Composition Tables. The percentage of the RDA realization for the safe level was calculated on the basis of standards for Polish population, developed by National Food and Nutrition Institute. It was demonstrated that adolescents living in Warsaw had 50-60% copper-deficient diets. The content of iron and zinc in the diet of adolescents was about 10-40% lower than recommended. Deficiency of iron in the body causes anaemia and influences learning process, therefore the content of this element in the diet of young people is especially important.

Waulsortian mound development in Warsaw at Broughton field, Ill.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whitaker, S.T.

1995-04-17

Oil production in the Lower Mississippian Ullin (Warsaw) limestone was first established in Illinois over 40 years ago. Exploration for hydrocarbons in this zone, however, was limited until recently due to a lack of a suitable explanation for reservoir development in this interval. The theory that Waulsortian mound development may explain many of these reservoirs was first presented in 1990. Research effort led by Zakaria Lasemi at the Illinois State Geological Survey has since established an excellent model for the generation of these bioherms. Lasemi performed numerous examinations of outcrops, cores, and well cuttings to develop his theory on themore » development and evolution of these biohermal features. This article presents an application of Lasemi`s model to an oil field in the Illinois basin. Similar applications could improve exploration and development success in Warsaw reservoirs.« less

Vaccine Effectiveness against Influenza in 2015/16 in Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Facilities: Polish Results of the European I-MOVE+ Multicenter Study.

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Korczyńska, Monika R; Cieślak, Katarzyna; Kowalczyk, Dorota; Szymański, Karol; Brydak, Lidia B

2018-01-01

Influenza vaccination is the best measure available to prevent seasonal influenza infection. The majority of studies on vaccine effectiveness in the 2015/16 season conducted in the European I-MOVE+ Project, show that a match between the circulating influenza strains in the general public and those included in the vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere was low to moderate. As part of I-MOVE+, Poland has implemented a case control negative study design and molecular biology methods, such as real time RT-PCR, to assess the vaccine match and effectiveness. The research described herein consisted of two major influenza vaccine effectiveness investigations conducted in Poland in the 2015/16 season. The general practice part of the study included 228 cases consisting of 159 type A, 65 type B, and 4 coinfections (types A + B), and 312 negative control cases. The hospital study part included 26 cases consisting of 21 type A, 2 type B, and 3 coinfections, and 13 negative control cases. The data were collected from patients of all ages recruited by 46 volunteering doctors in 15 Poland's provinces and three hospitals, respectively. In both study parts, only were seven patients and 12 control subjects vaccinated. Low vaccine coverage, a major limitation of the Polish study, makes the calculation of vaccine effectiveness for the Polish population hardly applicable statistically. Despite the crudeness of data, they were included into the common European analysis. The overall vaccine effectiveness amounted to 21.0% (95% CI: 74-122). It was somehow better for type B virus: 53.9% (95% CI: 47-87) and type A virus: 23.6% (95% CI: 83-185). A larger sample size is needed to achieve a desired interpretation of results on influenza vaccine effectiveness in Poland.

Unconventional forms of popularization of science - festivals 'Science on Stage" in Poland.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mika, Aneta

2010-05-01

Are natural sciences popular these days? There is no obvious and straight answer to this question. On the one hand, students discouraged with the effort which they must put into learning science, avoid choosing such subjects for matriculation exams and also are reluctant to choose courses related to these areas. On the other hand, a well-chosen activating method can infect plenty of students with enthusiasm for studying natural science. One of such method is the festival "Science on Stage", which has been periodically held at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Department of Physics. By 2008 six such festivals were held. The first three of them were run under the name "Physics on Stage", and the other three as "Science on Stage". Every year the festivals were attended by over 200 teachers and students of all school types (from kindergartens to universities), until 2008, when the event attracted over 400 participants from all over the country. This shows an increasing popularity of such projects. Participants in the festival could present their ideas "on stage" in three basic categories which included: • Experiments such as "Water - a cycle of experiments", " Two elements - Smoke on the Water", Diffraction and fractals" ,"Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation", " Wind-propelled vehicles moving against the wind". • Performances such as "The musical physics or the sounds around us", "The laws of physics and the human body", "The Piglet and the shadow or on the violation of the laws of physics in children stories" and "In the stream of light". • Multimedia presentations such as "Thermonuclear fusion - the energy of the future", "The phenomena on the Sky and Earth which the philosophers have not dreamed of", "Galvanic batteries - small electric power plants", "System PSR B1257 12", "Physics and Chemistry in the kitchen". The festivals were accompanied by photo and painting exhibitions covering the topic of natural sciences. The visitors could enter the show rooms and had an opportunity to try their hand at carrying out experiments prepared for them beforehand. All presentations were evaluated by a jury consisting of research workers of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Warsaw University, University of Silesia and members of the Polish Physical Society. Within each category three best presentations were selected, and their authors then represented Poland at the international festival. From many years the chairman of the National Organizing Committee of the festival has been professor Wojciech Nawrocik, the winner of the prestigious competition "Propagator of Science", organized by Polish Press Agency and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Each festival was inaugurated with a performance prepared by the youngest participants of the festival - kindergarten children, who are outside of the competition. The theme of the last one was: "Preschoolers also are waiting for the Higgs particle!". Next edition of "Science on Stage 4" festival will be held on 24-25 September 2010, also at the Department of Physics at the University of Poznań. Its aim is to show the contribution of physics, other natural and technical sciences in solving energy problems of the world and Poland, and also finding new solutions in power engineering, which will meet a rapidly rising demand for clean and cheap energy.

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-16

Rajch; place and date not given: "The Road to Security "] [Text] [Rajch] It is a truism that lately European rela- tions have been experiencing profound...destabilizing European security ? [Nowak] The North Atlantic Treaty Organization alli- ance is a sound, effective, and efficient and organism. It has...Warsaw Pact could participate in the dialogue on European security . Thus, the Warsaw Pact should change so as to provide a platform for countries

Tuberculosis in Poland in 2014

PubMed

Korzeniewska-Koseła, Maria

To evaluate the main features of TB epidemiology in 2014 in Poland and to compare with the data on the same phenomena in EU/EEA countries. Analysis of case- based data on TB patients from National TB Register, data on anti-TB drugsusceptibility testing results in cases notified in 2014, data from National Institute of Public Health- NationalInstitute of Hygiene on cases of tuberculosis as AIDS-defining disease, data from Central Statistical Office ondeaths from tuberculosis based on death certificates, data from ECDC report „ European Centre for DiseasePrevention and Control/WHO Regional Office for Europe. Tuberculosis surveillance and monitoring in Europe 2016. Stockholm: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2016”. 6 698 TB cases were reported in Poland in 2014. The incidence rate was 17.4 cases per 100 000, withlarge variability between voivodeships from 9.3 to 26.5 per 100 000. The mean annual decrease of TB incidence in 2010- 2014 was 2.1%. 6 066 cases had no history of previous treatment i.e. 15.8 per 100 000. 632 cases i.e. 1.6 per 100 000 – 9.4% of all registered subjects were relapses. The number of all notified pulmonary tuberculosis cases in 2014 was 6311 i.e. 16.4 per 100 000. Pulmonary cases represented 94.2% of all TB cases. In the presented year 387 extrapulmonary TB cases were reported. Children with TB (70 cases) accounted for 1.0% of all cases notified in Poland. The incidence of tuberculosis increases with age from 1.2 per 100 000 among children to 30.4 per 100 000 among patients 65 years old and older. The incidence among men i.e. 24.6 per 100 000 was 2.3 times higher than among women i.e. 10.7 per 100 000. The biggest difference in the TB incidence between the two sex groups occurred in persons aged 45 to 49 years – 40.4 vs. 9.3. The TB incidence in rural population was lower than in urban, respectively 17.0 per 100 000 and 17.7 per 100 000. The number of all registered culture positive TB cases, including relapses, was 4 781. Culture-confirmed cases constituted 71.4% of all TB cases and 72.9% of all pulmonary TB cases. The number of smear-positive pulmonary TB cases reported in 2014 was 2800 i.e. 7.3 per 100 000 respectively what constituted 44.4% of all pulmonary TB cases. TB was initial AIDS indicative disease in 13 persons. In Poland in 2014 there were 35 cases with MDR-TB (including 7 patients of foreign origin) and 97 patients with resistance to isoniazid only, constituting respectively 0.8% and 2.2% of cases with known DST results (DSTs were done in 93.3% of all culture-confirmed TB cases). In 2014, there were 49 foreign-origin TB cases reported in Poland. There were 532 deaths due to tuberculosis reported in 2013 – 1.4 per 100 000; 518 and 14 from extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Mortality among males – 2.2 per 100.000 – was 3.6 X higher than among females – 0.6. 38,5% of all TB deaths were cases 65 years old and older – 3.7 per 100 000. There were no deaths from tuberculosis in children. TB was cause of death in one adolescent. TB mortality in 2013 constituted 0.14% of total mortality in Poland and 27.1% of mortality from infectious diseases. In Poland in 2014 the incidence of tuberculosis was higher than the average in EU/EEA countries. The highest incidence rates occurred in older age groups. The incidence in men was more than 2 times higher than in women. In Poland, unfavorable phenomena as tuberculosis in children, tuberculosis in persons infected with HIV and MDR-TB are less common than in EU/EEA countries.

Characteristics of large thermal energy storage systems in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwierzchowski, Ryszard

2017-11-01

In District Heating Systems (DHS) there are significant fluctuations in demand for heat by consumers during both the heating and the summer seasons. These variations are considered primarily in the 24-hour time horizon. These problems are aggravated further if the DHS is supplied by a CHP plant, because fluctuations in heat demand adversely affect to a significant degree the stable production of electricity at high overall efficiency. Therefore, introducing Thermal Energy Storage (TES) would be highly recommended on these grounds alone. The characteristics of Large (i.e. over 10 000 m3) TES in operation in Poland are presented. Information is given regarding new projects (currently in design or construction) that apply TES technology in DHS in Poland. The paper looks at the methodology used in Poland to select the TES system for a particular DHS, i.e., procedure for calculating capacity of the TES tank and the system to prevent water stored in the tank from absorbing oxygen from atmospheric air. Implementation of TES in DHS is treated as a recommended technology in the Polish District Heating sector. This technology offers great opportunities to improve the operating conditions of DHS, cutting energy production costs and emissions of pollutants to the atmosphere.

Factors Associated With Quitting Among Smoking Pregnant Women From Small Town and Rural Areas in Poland.

PubMed

Balwicki, Lukasz; Smith, Danielle M; Pierucka, Magdalena; Goniewicz, Maciej L; Zarzeczna-Baran, Marzena; Jedrzejczyk, Tadeusz; Strahl, Marzena; Zdrojewski, Tomasz

2017-05-01

Smoking rates among women in Poland are high, and access to specialized smoking cessation services in rural areas are limited. The aim of this study was to assess factors related to quitting among pregnant women who smoke in rural areas of Poland. Data were collected during interviews conducted by midwives among 4512 women at various stages of their pregnancy. The interviews took place in small towns with populations having less than 8000 residents, located within 12 out of 16 voivodships (provinces). We used exhaled carbon monoxide to verify self-reported smoking status. Overall, 38% of women interviewed (n = 1578) smoked before they found out they were pregnant. Among these women, 33% quit just after they had become aware of their pregnancy. The main predictors of early quitting were: higher educational attainment among pregnant women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.81-5.68), secondary educational attainment among their partners (AOR 1.63; 95% CI = 1.06-2.48), and not having children (AOR 1.71; 95% CI = 1.31-2.24). The main barriers to early quitting were: living with at least one current smoker (AOR 0.55, 95% CI = 0.39-0.76), being single (AOR 0.45; 95% CI = 0.29-0.71), and having both parents smoke cigarettes (AOR 0.67; 95% CI = 0.46-0.97). A modest proportion of women included in this study quit after they became aware of their pregnancy. However, women faced multiple barriers to quitting, including the smoking status of their family members. The factors identified in the study can inform the design of tailored interventions for pregnant women in rural areas. Smoking rates among women in Poland are high, and access to specialized smoking cessation services in rural areas are limited. This study found that women were motivated to quit smoking, and many quit after they had become aware of their pregnancy. However, women faced multiple barriers to quitting, including the smoking status of their family members. The factors identified in the study can inform the design of tailored interventions for pregnant women in rural areas. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Public Transport Systems in Poland: From Bialystok to Zielona Góra by Bus and Tram Using Universal Statistics of Complex Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sienkiewicz, J.; Holyst, J. A.

2005-05-01

We have examined a topology of 21 public transport networks in Poland. Our data exhibit several universal features in considered systems when they are analyzed from the point of view of evolving networks. Depending on the assumed definition of a network topology the degree distribution can follow a power law p(k) ˜ k-γ or can be described by an exponential function p(k) ˜ exp (-α k). In the first case one observes that mean distances between two nodes are a linear function of logarithms of their degrees product.

[Studies on the determinants of energy drinks intake by students].

PubMed

Kopacz, Agnieszka; Wawrzyniak, Agata; Hamułka, Jadwiga; Górnicka, Magdalena

2012-01-01

Energy drinks are among the most popular functional products. They contain bioactive substances which may produce beneficial effects on the body, but excessive consumption of energy drinks or use them in accordance with their intended use may be dangerous to health. The aim of the study was to assess determinants and circumstances of energy drinks consuming in selected group of students, their opinion and knowledge on energy drinks. The study was conducted in March 2011 in Warsaw and included 92 students from Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS) and from University of Physical Education (UPE). The data was collected using diagnostic survey. Energy drinks consumed 67% of the respondents. The most common reason for drinking energy drinks was to stay awake (45.2%). They most often drank them during the examination session (21.0%) and afterwards they experienced stimulation (72.9%), but also palpitations (32.2%) and insomnia (25.8%). Students who consumed energy drinks confirmed that they are effective (88.7%) and tasty (41.9%), but dangerous for health (43.5%). Majority of all users of energy drinks (80.7%) mixed them with alcohol. Every fourth respondent did not read the composition of the consumed beverages. Energy drinks have been a popular food product among students. After energy drinks consumption students often felt agitated but also experienced negative symptoms. Young people have to pay attention to the composition of energy drinks, what proves their consciousness.

Colorectal cancer morbidity in Poland and Japan in the years 1999–2006 – a comparison

PubMed Central

Miśkiewicz, Marta; Mik, Michał; Dziki, Adam; Utada, Mai; Kempińska-Mirosławska, Bogumiła

2014-01-01

Introduction The frequency of colorectal cancer (CRC) is dependent on sex and age. The illness more often affects men than women, and a considerable increase in morbidity is noted after 65 years of age. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of various risk factors on CRC morbidity, statistical data from countries varied in cultural, socioeconomic and biological terms need to be studied. Poland and Japan can serve as examples of such contrasts. Material and methods The basis for the analysis of CRC morbidity was statistical data from Poland and Japan gathered in the period 1999–2006. They were expressed in absolute numbers and were related to the total morbidity, as well as morbidity according to sex and age. Results In the years 1999–2006, the total morbidity in Japan was on average 2.3 times higher than in Poland. The value was 2.5 times higher among men and 2.1 times among women when compared to Poland. In both countries morbidity is closely related to age and it reaches a peak between 65 and 74 years of age. Although the change in morbidity over the period was the same for Poland and Japan, there are considerable differences concerning the sex of the patients. Conclusions There is a substantial increase in CRC morbidity in both countries, especially among elderly people, which may point to the predominant influence of environmental factors and population aging in both countries. The much higher increase in morbidity among Polish men when compared to Polish women, not observed in the Japanese population, requires further study. PMID:25097579

The Warsaw Pact Baltic Fleet.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

Some analysts have concluded that the Warsaw Pact already controls the Baltic Sea. As Marian K. Leighton wrote, .. .the USSR, assisted by its East German...Naval Institute Proceedings, January 1981. Baird , Gregory C., "Glavnoe Komandovanie: The Soviet Theater Command," Naval War College Review, v. 32, no... Marian K., The Soviet Threat to NATO’s Northern Flank, National Security Information Center, Inc., 1979. 128 Libbey, Miles A., "The Missing Link," U. S

Beyond the Warsaw Pact: Russian Foreign Policy in East Central Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

Western Overview." Problems of Communism 37 (May/August 1988): 56-60. 134 Brzezinski , Zbigniew. "East-West Relations and Eastern Europe...A Special...Bonn Press EC Superpower Role." Times (London), 17 October 1991, 10. Brzezinski , Zbigniew. "A Common House, a Common Home." The New York Times, 15...December 1990): 27. Aleksandrowicz, Piotr . "October Economic Performance Indicators Reported" (text). Warsaw Rzeczvospolita in Polish, 10-11 November

Recent Naval Postgraduate School Publications.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-01

An appli-cation of calculus --o linguistics IN UMAP (Undergraduate Math. Aplications Proj ect) Instructional modulez (Un-it 334) , Sept., 1§81, p.1...and national mobilization in Romania: A Warsaw Pact country faces the Warsaw Pact threat Southeastern Reqional Conf. of the Inter-Univ. Seminar on Arme...and Social Sci., vol. 463, p. 69-83, (Sept., 1982). Burke D P Defense and mass mobilization in Romania Armed Forces and Soc., p. 31 etc., (Fall, 1980

The use of the Hurst exponent to predict changes in trends on the Warsaw Stock Exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domino, Krzysztof

2011-01-01

The local properties of the time series of the evolution of share prices of 126 significant companies traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange during the period between 1991-2008 have been investigated. The analysis was applied to daily financial returns. I have used the local DFA to obtain the Hurst exponent (diffusion coefficient) while searching for negative correlations by which changes of long-term trends would be effected. A certain evidence, proving that after the signature of anti-correlation-the drop in the Hurst exponent-the change in the trend and in the return rate of an investment is probable, was pointed out. Hence after further investigation this method may be useful as a part of an investment strategy. As the Warsaw Stock Exchange is relatively smaller and younger than other significant world Stock Exchanges-and as the developing market is less efficient-the generalization for others markets needs further investigation.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Stellar populations in the Magellanic bridge (Skowron+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skowron, D. M.; Jacyszyn, A. M.; Udalski, A.; Szymanski, M. K.; Skowron, J.; Poleski, R.; Kozlowski, S.; Kubiak, M.; Pietrzynski, G.; Soszynski, I.; Mroz, P.; Pietrukowicz, P.; Ulaczyk, K.; Wyrzykowski, L.

2017-05-01

The current, fourth phase of the OGLE survey (OGLE-IV) started in 2010 March with the commissioning of a large new-generation 256 Megapixel 32 chip mosaic camera. The Galactic bulge and disk, the Magellanic Clouds, and the Magellanic Bridge, including vast areas around them, are the primary observing targets for the OGLE-IV survey. Regular monitoring of the selected sky regions by the OGLE survey is carried out with the 1.3 m Warsaw telescope located at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile (operated by the Carnegie Institution for Science). The field of view of the camera is 1.4 deg2 with a pixel size of ~0.26''. The magnitude range of the standard OGLE survey is approximately 12-21 mag in the I band and 12.5-21.5 mag in the V band. (1 data file).

Methodologies Used by Warsaw Pact Countries (Except U.S.S.R.) in Obtaining U.S. Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

SOURCE OF FUNDING NUMBERS PROGRAM ELEMENT NO. PROJECT NO. TASK NO WORK UNIT ACCESSION NO. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification...in March 196’/. In 1970 he attended Southwest Texas State University under the Airman Education and Commissioning Program CAF1T). Major Cheeseman...critical U. S. technologies. Chapter One INTRODUCTION THE THREAT-AN OVERVIEV The United States is faced with loss of its technologies to the Warsaw

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-18

AND LA W supplement) in Polish 13 Aug 92 p VII [Article by lawyer Piotr Miodowski: "The Small Consti- tution: Revelatory, Compromising, or a...waived or replaced with a new constitution. Assessment of Claims Filed Against Iraq 92EP0648A Warsaw RZECZPOSPOLITA (ECONOMY AND LA W supplement...11.8 8.6 12.6 16 Finance Official on Importance of Wage Tax 92EP0637A Warsaw RZECZPOSPOLITA (ECONOMY AND LA W supplement) in Polish 6 Aug 92 p VIII

Konrad Bajer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-10-01

These Proceedings are dedicated to our co-editor Konrad Bajer, who carried the lion's share of the work involved until his sudden and untimely death from cancer on 29th August 2014. Konrad was one of the key Organisers of the program "Topological Dynamics in the Physical and Biological Sciences" held at the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge from July to December 2012. During that time, he was on leave from the University of Warsaw, and held a Visiting Fellow Commonership at Trinity College, Cambridge. He had particular responsibility for the satellite workshop Tangled Magnetic Fields in Astro- and Plasma Physics, held at ICMS, Edinburgh, in October 2012. Konrad graduated in Physics from the University of Warsaw in 1980, and took his PhD in Fluid Dynamics at DAMTP, Cambridge, 1984-89. He was active in EUROMECH, having been a principal organiser of the European Turbulence Conference (ETC13) in Warsaw 2011, and the meeting Turbulence: the Historical Perspective that followed it. He has been equally active in IUTAM; his distinction was recognised by his very recent election to the Congress Committee of IUTAM. Konrad's research interests were in magnetohydrodynamics and vortex dynamics in classical and quantum systems; also in problems of gasifcation, in which he played a coordinating role at the University of Warsaw. He impressed all with his exceptionally warm and friendly personality, and will be greatly missed in the whole scientifc community.

Reexamination of the State of the Art Cloud Modeling Shows Real Improvements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muehlbauer, Andreas D.; Grabowski, Wojciech W.; Malinowski, S. P.

Following up on an almost thirty year long history of International Cloud Modeling Workshops, that started out with a meeting in Irsee, Germany in 1985, the 8th International Cloud Modeling Workshop was held in July 2012 in Warsaw, Poland. The workshop, hosted by the Institute of Geophysics at the University of Warsaw, was organized by Szymon Malinowski and his local team of students and co-chaired by Wojciech Grabowski (NCAR/MMM) and Andreas Muhlbauer (University of Washington). International Cloud Modeling Workshops have been held traditionally every four years typically during the week before the International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation (ICCP) .more » Rooted in the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) weather modification program, the core objectives of the Cloud Modeling Workshop have been centered at the numerical modeling of clouds, cloud microphysics, and the interactions between cloud microphysics and cloud dynamics. In particular, the goal of the workshop is to provide insight into the pertinent problems of today’s state-of-the-art of cloud modeling and to identify key deficiencies in the microphysical representation of clouds in numerical models and cloud parameterizations. In recent years, the workshop has increasingly shifted the focus toward modeling the interactions between aerosols and clouds and provided case studies to investigate both the effects of aerosols on clouds and precipitation as well as the impact of cloud and precipitation processes on aerosols. This time, about 60 (?) scientists from about 10 (?) different countries participated in the workshop and contributed with discussions, oral and poster presentations to the workshop’s plenary and breakout sessions. Several case leaders contributed to the workshop by setting up five observationally-based case studies covering a wide range of cloud types, namely, marine stratocumulus, mid-latitude squall lines, mid-latitude cirrus clouds, Arctic stratus and winter-time orographic clouds and precipitation. Interested readers are encouraged to visit the workshop website at http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~andreasm/workshop2012/ and browse through the list of case studies. The web page also provides a detailed list of participants and the workshop agenda. Aside from contributed oral and poster presentations during the workshop’s plenary sessions, parallel breakout sessions focused on presentations and discussions of the individual cases. A short summary and science highlights from each of the cases is presented below.« less

Characteristics of Refractive Errors in a Population of Adults in the Central Region of Poland

PubMed Central

Jurowski, Piotr; Grzybowski, Andrzej; Smigielski, Janusz

2018-01-01

Background: To investigate the distribution of refractive errors and their characteristics in older adults from a Polish population. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional study. A total of 1107 men and women were interviewed and underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations, 998 subjects underwent refraction. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent (SER) refraction ≤−0.5 dioptres (D) and hyperopia was defined as SER ≥+0.5 dioptres (D). Results: Among those who were refracted the distribution of myopia and hyperopia was 24.1% (95% CI 21.4–26.7) and 37.5% (95% CI 34.5–40.5), respectively. Myopia decreased from 28.7% in subjects aged 35–59 years to 19.3% in those aged 60 years or older and hyperopia increased from 21.8% at 35–59 years of age to 53.3% in subjects aged ≥60 years. Multiple regression analysis showed decreasing age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96–1.00), female gender (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.18–2.95) and presence of cataract (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.24–4.63) were independent risk factors associated with myopia. Conclusions: The distribution of refractive errors found in our study is similar to those reported in other Caucasian populations and differs from Asian populations. Myopia was positively associated with younger age, female gender and presence of cataract. PMID:29316688

[Causes of death in children and adolescents aged 1-19 in poland in the light of international statistics since 2000].

PubMed

Mazur, Joanna; Malinowska-Cieślik, Marta; Oblacińska, Anna

2017-01-01

Analyses of children and young people mortality continue to be an important component of health monitoring of this population. Such analyses provide the basis to assess the overall trends, the structure of the causes of death over longer periods, and the differences between Poland and other countries. The purpose of the current study is to present the current status and the direction of changes since 2000 with regard to the level and underlying causes of mortality in children and adolescents aged 1-19 years in Poland on the background of statistics for leading European countries. Interactive databases available online: the National Demographic Database provided by the Central Statistical Office and the International WHO-MDB Database were used. Poland, constantly belonging to Eur-B category, was compared with the combined group of 27 leading countries, classified as a very low total mortality group (Eur-A) according to WHO. Linear trends of overall and cause-specific mortality in 2000-2013 were estimated. The causes of death have been presented according to the main classes of the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). External and other causes were adopted as the two principal categories. In 2015, 1471 deaths of persons aged 1-19 were recorded in Poland (19.9 per 100 000, 25.4 and 14.2 for boys and girls, respectively). Changes in children and adolescents mortality by age have a non-linear nature (U-shaped), and the lowest level is recorded at the age of 5-9 years. According to 2014 data, 50.2% of deaths of children and adolescents aged 1-19 years occurred due to external causes, including non-intentional and intentional ones. This percentage increased from 18.4% in the 1-4 age group to 68.6% at the age of 15-19 years. Apart from external causes, the dominating causes of death are malignant neoplasms, congenital defects, or nervous system and respiratory system diseases. The ranking of those causes of death changes in successive age groups and over time. When age is considered, a higher proportion of congenital defects and respiratory system diseases was found in mortality younger children and a higher proportion of circulatory system diseases and undefined cases in mortality of adolescents. When trends were studied, a continuing elimination of infectious diseases was observed together with growing impact of rare diseases in all age groups. The excess mortality of Polish population at age 1-19 by comparison to Eur-A countries increased from 21% in 2000 to 56% in 2013, mainly due to unfavourable trends in adolescents. The rate of decline in the mortality of young children (1-4 years) was greater than in Eur-A countries, both in case of external and other causes. In the age group 5-14 years the higher rate of change was sustained only with regard to external causes. Among adolescents and young adults, the distance between Poland and Eur-A countries increased during the studied period. The shape of trend in the 15-24 age group was unfavourable for Poland, mainly with respect to external causes. This observation could be in part explained by increasing suicide trend in Poland since 2008, coexisting with rather constant level in Eur-A countries. The mortality rate among the population aged 1-19 years in Poland is systematically decreasing, but it still exceeds the average level recorded in leading European countries, particularly in relation to adolescents. When assessing the ability to reduce mortality in Poland to the level of Eur-A countries, attention must be paid to the causes considered as avoidable. Further studies ought to focus on the trends and international comparisons only foreshadowed in this study with regard to individual diagnoses, discussing possible preventive measures. Introduction of an ICD-11 classification will enable more accurate coding of causes of death, including a more precise analysis of the burden of rare diseases, which are an increasing challenge to public health in the population at the developmental age.

[Smoking among patients of selected specialist clinics of Miedzylesie Specialist Hospital in Warsaw].

PubMed

Pytka, Dorota; Doboszyńska, Anna

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study is to examine the issue of smoking among patients of selected clinics of the Miedzylesie Specialist Hospital in Warsaw, assessment of nicotine addiction of smokers and motivation to give up smoking. The survey was carried out in June and July 2009 after obtaining the consent of the Director of Miedzylesie Specialist Hospital in Warsaw. The survey was participated in by 100 patients of selected specialist clinics. The survey was carried out on the basis of a questionnaire consisting of 7 questions. Furthermore, the "Test of motivation to give up smoking" (Schneider's test) and the "Assessment of nicotine addiction level" (Fagerström's test), published in the "Consensus regarding recognition and treatment of nicotine addiction", were used. When processing data, the descriptive statistics were applied. Those surveyed included 53 former cigarette smokers 47 active smokers and. In the group of former smokers, 19 people still were exposed to passive smoking. In the past, the problem regarded 41 people. Thirty former smokers smoked cigarettes among non-smokers, including young children (18 people) and when pregnant and breastfeeding (2 people). Also 30 respondents smoked despite medical contraindications and bad conscience. For 27 people, expenditures on cigarettes constituted a considerable burden of their respective household budgets, and 20 said that it was a significant item in their expenditures. Smokers have been smoking cigarettes for 30 years, on average 20 cigarettes a day. Those patients began to smoke at the age of 20. Thirty one active smokers exposed other people to passive smoking and 38 respondents smoked cigarettes despite medical contraindications and with bad conscience. For 22 people, expenditures related to smoking are a considerable burden of the household budget and for 21 people, it is a significant expenditure. Almost one half of the patients smoke cigarettes although they should brake off smoking for medical reasons. Most of those surveyed (32 people) are motivated to brake off smoking. Those people are highly (13 people) and extremely (9 people) addicted to nicotine.

Gunshot wounds (resulting from execution) of exhumed victims of the communist regime in Poland.

PubMed

Szleszkowski, Łukasz; Thannhäuser, Agata; Szwagrzyk, Krzysztof; Kawecki, Jerzy; Jurek, Tomasz

2014-07-01

This study presents the results of the analysis of the remains of 23 executed male individuals aged between 21 and 63 years, recovered from Osobowicki Cemetery in Wroclaw (Poland), field 83B, in 2012. In 1948 and 1949, prisoners sentenced to death by firing squad--most of them associated with the post-war anti-communist underground independence movement in Poland--were buried there. The aim of the study was to analyse fatal wounds and the method of execution, and to compare the results to data from archival documents. The results were also compared with studies concerning executions during a later period, i.e. 1949-1954. The research on the method of execution during this period of history carried out during the exhumations in Osobowicki Cemetery was the first conducted on such a scale in Poland. Forensic analysis revealed a wide variety of gunshot wounds inflicted during executions, revealing both gunshots to the head, especially single shots to the back of the head, and cases corresponding to the use of a firing squad, probably equipped with machine guns. The results of the research indicate that capital punishment by shooting was carried out in ways both similar to those the specified in the regulations and completely different. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing patients' attitudes towards dietary supplements.

PubMed

Wierzejska, Regina; Jarosz, Mirosław; Siuba, Magdalena; Rambuszek, Michał

2014-01-01

There is currently many over the counter products on the market that exert nutritional or physiological effects on the human body. The differences between dietary supplements and non-prescription drugs are however poorly understood by the average consumer and may thus affect their expectations as to the desired effect produced on the body. To evaluate patients' knowledge and attitudes towards dietary supplements as compared to non-prescription drugs. Subjects were 335 patients of the Mazowiecki Voivodeship Hospital in Warsaw, Poland. The data were collected from a face-to-face interview using a single and multiple choice questionnaire with 10 questions on dietary supplements. Statistical analysis used the Chi-square (χ2) test. The majority of respondents were found to be familiar with the term 'dietary supplements', but had difficulties in classifying these products into appropriate categories. Over 55% do not consider dietary supplements to be foodstuffs and more than 40% considered such products to be drugs. Most respondents thought that the main purpose of taking dietary supplements is to improve nutrition, but over one third expected them to also treat disease. Over 70% declared taking notice to which category the non-prescription products they bought belongs to ie. whether non-prescription drugs (medicinal products) or dietary supplements. Many patients mistakenly believe that dietary supplements are drugs and can be used to treat disease and health disorders. dietary supplements, opinion on dietary supplements, nutrition, dietary supplement vs. medicinal product.

How have the Eastern European countries of the former Warsaw Pact developed since 1990? A bibliometric study.

PubMed

Kozak, Marcin; Bornmann, Lutz; Leydesdorff, Loet

Did the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991 influence the scientific performance of the researchers in Eastern European countries? Did this historical event affect international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries with those of Western countries? Did it also change international collaboration among researchers from the Eastern European countries? Trying to answer these questions, this study aims to shed light on international collaboration by researchers from the Eastern European countries (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia). The number of publications and normalized citation impact values are compared for these countries based on InCites (Thomson Reuters), from 1981 up to 2011. The international collaboration by researchers affiliated to institutions in Eastern European countries at the time points of 1990, 2000 and 2011 was studied with the help of Pajek and VOSviewer software, based on data from the Science Citation Index (Thomson Reuters). Our results show that the breakdown of the communist regime did not lead, on average, to a huge improvement in the publication performance of the Eastern European countries and that the increase in international co-authorship relations by the researchers affiliated to institutions in these countries was smaller than expected. Most of the Eastern European countries are still subject to changes and are still awaiting their boost in scientific development.

On the development of a magnetoresistive sensor for blade tip timing and blade tip clearance measurement systems.

PubMed

Tomassini, R; Rossi, G; Brouckaert, J-F

2016-10-01

A simultaneous blade tip timing (BTT) and blade tip clearance (BTC) measurement system enables the determination of turbomachinery blade vibrations and ensures the monitoring of the existing running gaps between the blade tip and the casing. This contactless instrumentation presents several advantages compared to the well-known telemetry system with strain gauges, at the cost of a more complex data processing procedure. The probes used can be optical, capacitive, eddy current as well as microwaves, everyone with its dedicated electronics and many existing different signal processing algorithms. Every company working in this field has developed its own processing method and sensor technology. Hence, repeating the same test with different instrumentations, the answer is often different. Moreover, rarely it is possible to achieve reliability for in-service measurements. Developments are focused on innovative instrumentations and a common standard. This paper focuses on the results achieved using a novel magnetoresistive sensor for simultaneous tip timing and tip clearance measurements. The sensor measurement principle is described. The sensitivity to gap variation is investigated. In terms of measurement of vibrations, experimental investigations were performed at the Air Force Institute of Technology (ITWL, Warsaw, Poland) in a real aeroengine and in the von Karman Institute (VKI) R2 compressor rig. The advantages and limitations of the magnetoresistive probe for turbomachinery testing are highlighted.

On the development of a magnetoresistive sensor for blade tip timing and blade tip clearance measurement systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomassini, R.; Rossi, G.; Brouckaert, J.-F.

2016-10-01

A simultaneous blade tip timing (BTT) and blade tip clearance (BTC) measurement system enables the determination of turbomachinery blade vibrations and ensures the monitoring of the existing running gaps between the blade tip and the casing. This contactless instrumentation presents several advantages compared to the well-known telemetry system with strain gauges, at the cost of a more complex data processing procedure. The probes used can be optical, capacitive, eddy current as well as microwaves, everyone with its dedicated electronics and many existing different signal processing algorithms. Every company working in this field has developed its own processing method and sensor technology. Hence, repeating the same test with different instrumentations, the answer is often different. Moreover, rarely it is possible to achieve reliability for in-service measurements. Developments are focused on innovative instrumentations and a common standard. This paper focuses on the results achieved using a novel magnetoresistive sensor for simultaneous tip timing and tip clearance measurements. The sensor measurement principle is described. The sensitivity to gap variation is investigated. In terms of measurement of vibrations, experimental investigations were performed at the Air Force Institute of Technology (ITWL, Warsaw, Poland) in a real aeroengine and in the von Karman Institute (VKI) R2 compressor rig. The advantages and limitations of the magnetoresistive probe for turbomachinery testing are highlighted.

Comparison of torsional and longitudinal modes using phacoemulsification parameters.

PubMed

Rekas, Marek; Montés-Micó, Robert; Krix-Jachym, Karolina; Kluś, Adam; Stankiewicz, Andrzej; Ferrer-Blasco, Teresa

2009-10-01

To compare phacoemulsification parameters of torsional and longitudinal ultrasound modes. Ophthalmology Department, Military Health Service Institute, Warsaw, Poland. This prospective study evaluated eyes 1, 7, and 30 days after phacoemulsification with an Infiniti Vision System using the torsional or longitudinal ultrasound (US) mode. Cataract classification was according to the Lens Opacities Classification System II. Nucleus fragmentation was by the phaco-chop and quick-chop methods. Primary outcome measures were phaco time, mean phaco power, mean torsional amplitude, and aspiration time. Total energy, defined as cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) x aspiration time, and the effective coefficient, defined as aspiration time/phaco time, were also calculated. Four hundred eyes were evaluated. The CDE was statistically significantly lower in the torsional mode for nucleus grades I, II, and III (P<.001) but not for grade IV (P>.05). Aspiration time was statistically significantly shorter in the torsional mode than in the longitudinal mode for nucleus grades III and IV (P<.05). Total energy was significantly lower in the torsional mode for all nucleus densities (P<.05). The effective coefficient was significantly lower in the longitudinal mode except for nucleus grade I (P<.05). Torsional phacoemulsification was more effective than longitudinal phacoemulsification in the amount of applied fluid and the quantity of US energy expended. With the torsional method, it was possible to maintain a constant ratio of amount of fluid flow to quantity of US energy used, regardless of nucleus density.

Centrifuge training program with "push-pull" elements.

PubMed

Mikuliszyn, Romuald; Zebrowski, Mariusz; Kowalczuk, Krzysztof

2005-05-01

Pilots of fighter aircraft are often exposed to maneuvers that produce negative acceleration (-Gz) immediately followed by positive acceleration (+Gz). This sequence has been found to reduce tolerance to +Gz, a phenomenon known as the "push-pull" effect. We devised a centrifuge training program to demonstrate this phenomenon to pilots. The centrifuge of the Military Institute of Aviation Medicine in Warsaw, Poland, was modified in 1996 to allow active positioning of the gondola during rotation. Head-down position of -6 degrees to -40 degrees were used to produce relative -Gz (r-Gz) in a range down to 0.2. As a side effect, this produces Gy acceleration between -1.3 Gy and -1.6 Gy. Pilots completed normal centrifuge training, including a relaxed, gradual-onset run and three rapid-onset runs. They were then exposed to a profile that included a series of push-pull exposures where r-Gz was followed by +Gz with stepwise increases in the latter from +2.5 to +5 Gz. The final profile was a simulated aerial combat maneuver with push-pull elements. The trainees expressed surprise at the push-pull effect, which forced them to begin an anti-G straining maneuver at lower levels than normal. They complained about the presence of the Gy, which rarely occurs in aircraft. This type of profile appears useful for training pilots about the push-pull phenomenon. After collection of additional data, the profiles may be refined.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland

PubMed Central

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. PMID:25993468

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland.

PubMed

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. © L. Witkowski et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2015.

[Prospective health care workers' opinions of effectiveness of anti-tobacco policy in Poland].

PubMed

Kalinowski, Paweł; Jedrzejewska, Barbara

2002-01-01

Limitation of tobacco use in Poland is one of the goals of state health policy. The effectiveness of anti-nicotine policy is influenced not only by law, but the way it is how introduced and obeyed, too. The aim of the paper is to present of opinions of future health service workers on effectiveness of anti-nicotine law that has been passed in Poland. Two-hundred and ninety-seven students of the Medical University of Lublin participated in the study--145 of the Medical Faculty and 152 of the Nursing Faculty. Standardized interview method using interview questionnaire was applied. Among the analysed students 24% were smokers, 16%--former smokers and 60%--non-smokers. As much as 87% believed that information on harmful effects of tobacco smoking included on cigarette packets had no influence on tobacco smoking habit. At the same time 44% postulates complete prohibition of advertising tobacco products, 32%--considerable limitation, while according to 24% such advertisements do not encourage to take up smoking. According to 32% of the respondents anti-nicotine campaign in media are unconvincing, and in the opinion of 24% there are too few spots on the existing campaigns. The ban of selling tobacco to juveniles is judged effective only by 2% of the students. The improvement in its effectiveness may be due to checking the age of buyers of cigarettes according to 57%, and due to introduction of license for selling cigarettes--30%. Medical faculties students believe that the anti-tobacco policy is ineffective, mainly because the laws are not obeyed, and there are too few actions promoting lifestyle without a cigarette.

Americans on Target: U.S. Army Tank Gunnery Excellence Canadian Army Trophy Competition 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-01

CAT 󈨛 and future Canadian Army Trophy competitions is you, the Warsaw Pact! The leadership of the Allied armies has long recognized the value of CAT...relative allied military strength versus the Warsaw Pact that does not fully exist today -- but could exist in the future, if the NATO allies continue...training program is long and grueling for the contestants--the winners and the others. Consequently, CAT may have positive or negative effects--and the

Organizing for Coalition Warfare: The Role of East European Warsaw Pact Forces in Soviet Military Planning

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

1:1 ’Came described in Table 17."Sovist/Warsaw Pact divisions facing AFCENT forces plus Danish forces and the Scleawik- Holstein Command include 92...8217Osvoboditel’naia missiia Sovetskikh vooru- zuimnykh sil v Evtope vo Vtoroi Mirovoi Voine," Dokumenty i materialy, Voenizdat, Mos- cow , 1985. "All...illustrative NATO forces: the 1st German Corps, the joint German/Danish troops of the Allied Land Forces Schleswig- Holstein and Jutland, the joint forces of

The Bear and the Foxes Understanding Soviet Policy in the Warsaw Pact.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

view was challenged by some Western critics, and labeled as a "lost opportunity", there is every reason to believe that Stalin was seeking a tactical...fraternal friendship between free and equal Nations." (171, C. EARLY STRUCTURE The language of the Warsaw Treaty itself, while similar to its NATO...the soldiers of the fraternal armies speak in different languages , but they think in the same way. In this regard they are like brothers ... and

13. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTACORLISS CROSSCOMPOUND ENGINE, FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTA-CORLISS CROSS-COMPOUND ENGINE, FOR 40" BLOOMING MILL. THIS VIEW HIGHLIGHTS THE CRANK AND 24' DIAMETER FLYWHEEL. - Republic Iron & Steel Company, Youngstown Works, Blooming Mill & Blooming Mill Engines, North of Poland Avenue, Youngstown, Mahoning County, OH

How Can We Improve the Detection of Alpha1-Antitrypsin Deficiency?

PubMed Central

Trevisan, Maria Teresa; Dresel, Marc; Koczulla, Rembert; Ottaviani, Stefania; Baldo, Raffaele; Gorrini, Marina; Sala, Giorgia; Cavallon, Luana; Welte, Tobias; Chorostowska-Wynimko, Joanna; Luisetti, Maurizio; Janciauskiene, Sabina

2015-01-01

The Z deficiency in α1-antitrypsin (A1ATD) is an under-recognized condition. Alpha1-antitrypsin (A1AT) is the main protein in the α1-globulin fraction of serum protein electrophoresis (SPE); however, evaluation of the α1-globulin protein fraction has received very little attention. Serum Z-type A1AT manifests in polymeric forms, but their interference with quantitative immunoassays has not been reported. Here, 214 894 samples were evaluated by SPE at the G. Fracastoro Hospital of Verona, Italy. Patients with an A1AT level ≤ 0.92 g/L were recalled to complete A1ATD diagnosis. In parallel, to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize A1AT, sera samples from 10 PiZZ and 10 PiMM subjects obtained at the National Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases in Warsaw, Poland, were subjected to non-denaturing 7.5% PAGE and 7.5% SDS-PAGE followed by Western blot. Moreover, purified A1AT was heated at 60°C and analyzed by a non-denaturing PAGE and 4–15% gradient SDS-PAGE followed by Western blot as well as by isolelectrofocusing and nephelometry. A total of 966 samples manifested percentages ≤ 2.8 or a double band in the alpha1-zone. According to the nephelometry data, 23 samples were classified as severe (A1AT ≤ 0.49 g/L) and 462 as intermediate (A1AT >0.49≤ 1.0 g/L) A1ATD. Twenty subjects agreed to complete the diagnosis and an additional 21 subjects agreed to family screening. We detected 9 cases with severe and 26 with intermediate A1ATD. Parallel experiments revealed that polymerization of M-type A1AT, when measured by nephelometry or isolelectrofocusing, yields inaccurate results, leading to the erroneous impression that it was Z type and not M-type A1AT. We illustrate the need for confirmation of Z A1AT values by “state of the art” method. Clinicians should consider a more in-depth investigation of A1ATD in patients when they exhibit serum polymers and low α1-globulin protein levels by SPE. PMID:26270547

FOREWORD: 7th Symposium on Vacuum-based Science and Technology (SVBST2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulbiński, W.

2014-11-01

These are the proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Vacuum based Science and Technology organized in Kołobrzeg (PL) on November 19-21, 2013 by the Institute of Technology and Education, Koszalin University of Technology and the Clausius Tower Society under auspices of the Polish Vacuum Society (PTP) and the German Vacuum Society (DVG) and in collaboration with the BalticNet PlasmaTec and the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC). It was accompanied by the 12-th Annual Meeting of the German Vacuum Society. The mission of the Symposium is to provide a forum for presentation and exchange of expertise and research results in the field of vacuum and plasma science. After already six successful meetings organized alternately in Poland and Germany our goal is to continue and foster cooperation within the vacuum and plasma science community. This year, the Rudolf-Jaeckel Prize, awarded by the DVG for outstanding achievements in the field of vacuum based sciences, was presented to Dr Ute Bergner, president of the VACOM Vakuum Komponenten & Messtechnik GmbH and a member of our community. The full-day course organized in the framework of the Educational Program by the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) and entitled: An Introduction to Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Processes was held on November 18, 2013 as a satellite event of the Symposium. The instructor was Prof. Ismat Shah from Delaware University (US). The Clausius Session, already traditionally organized during the Symposium was addressed this year to young generation. We invited our young colleagues to attend a series of educational lectures reporting on achievements in graphene science, scanning probe microscopy and plasma science. Lectures were given by: Prof. Jacek Baranowski from the Institute of Electronic Materials Technology in Warsaw, Prof. Teodor Gotszalk from the Wroclaw University of Technology and Prof. Holger Kersten from the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel. The Symposium was accompanied by an industry exhibition attended by the representatives of leading companies offering vacuum equipment, complete solutions for plasma based technology as well as advanced research equipment. Witold Gulbiński Michael Kopnarski Frank Richter Jan Walkowicz

Aplication of LIRIC algorithm to study aerosol transport over Belsk, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietruczuk, Aleksander; Posyniak, Michał

2015-04-01

In this work synergy of measurements done by of a LIDAR and a sun-sky scanning photometer is presented. The LIdar-Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) was applied to study periodic events of increased values of the aerosol optical depth (AOD) observed at Belsk (Poland). Belsk is a background site located in a rural area around 50 km south from Warsaw. Events of increased AOD occur mainly during spring and they coincide with events of elevated concentrations of particulate matter (PM10). This phenomenon is observed in all eastern Europe, e.g. in Minsk, and is caused by long range aerosol transport. Our previous work showed aerosol transport from the border between Belarus, Ukraine and Russia in the planetary boundary layer (PBL), and from north Africa in the free troposphere. The LIRIC algorithm, which uses optical and microphysical properties of the aerosol derived from photometric measurements and LIDAR profiles, was applied to study vertical distribution of fine and coarse modes of aerosol. The analysis of the airmass backward trajectories and models results (DREAM and NAAPS)was also used to determine a possible aerosol type and its source region. This study proved our previous findings. Most of events with increased AODs are observed during spring. In this season the fine mode aerosol is mainly present in the PBL. On the basis of the trajectory analysis and the NAAPS results we presume that it is the absorbing aerosol originating from the regions of seasonal biomass burning in eastern Europe, i.e. the area mentioned above. The events with increased AODs were also found during summer. In this case the fine mode aerosol is transported in the PBL a like to spring season. However, our analysis of trajectories and model results indicated western Europe as a source region. It is probably urban/industrial aerosol. The coarse mode aerosol is transported mainly in the free troposphere as separate layers. The analysis of backward trajectories indicates northern Africa as a possible source region regardless the season. DREAM and NAAPS results suggest presence of mineral dust in this case over Belsk.

Mitigation of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants from Residential Coal Heating and Combined Heating/Cooking Stoves: Impacts on the Cryosphere, Policy Options, and Co-benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chafe, Z.; Anenberg, S.; Klimont, Z.; Kupiainen, K.; Lewis, J.; Metcalfe, J.; Pearson, P.

2017-12-01

Residential solid fuel combustion for cooking, heating, and other energy services contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution, and creates impacts on the cryosphere. Solid fuel use often occurs in colder climates and at higher elevations, where a wide range of combustion emissions can reduce reflectivity of the snow- and ice-covered surfaces, causing climatic warming. Reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), such as black carbon (BC), could have substantial climate and health co-benefits, especially in areas where emissions influence the cryosphere. A review of existing literature and emissions estimates, conducted as part of the Warsaw Summit on BC and Other Emissions from Residential Coal Heating Stoves and Combined Cooking/Heating Stoves, found little nationally-representative data on the fuels and technologies used for heating and combined cooking/heating. The GAINS model estimates that 24 million tonnes of coal equivalent were combusted by households for space heating globally in 2010, releasing 190 kilotons (kt) BC. Emissions from combined cooking/heating are virtually unknown. Policy instruments could mitigate cryosphere-relevant emissions of SLCPs from residential heating or cooking. These include indoor air quality guidelines, stove emission limits, bans on the use of specific fuels, regulatory codes that stipulate when burning can occur, stove changeout programs, and voluntary public education campaigns. These measures are being implemented in countries such as Chile (fuelwood moisture reduction campaign, energy efficiency, heating system improvements), Mongolia (stove renovation, fuel switching), Peru (improved stove programs), Poland (district heating, local fuel bans), United States (stove emission regulation) and throughout the European Community (Ecodesign Directive). Few, if any, of these regulations are likely to reduce emissions from combined cooking/heating. This research team found no global platform to create and share model standards, policies, regulatory instruments, or fiscal approaches that could reduce cryosphere impacts. There has been little coordination between the cookstove and heating stove communities; better communication and success sharing could harmonize efforts and lead to greater mitigation of cryosphere-relevant emissions.

Laplace deep level transient spectroscopy: Embodiment and evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peaker, A. R.; Markevich, V. P.; Hawkins, I. D.; Hamilton, B.; Bonde Nielsen, K.; Gościński, K.

2012-08-01

This paper is to commemorate the work of Leszek Dobaczewski who devoted much of his life to the development and application of high resolution DLTS. Under good experimental conditions Laplace DLTS provides an order of magnitude higher energy resolution than conventional DLTS techniques. This has had a profound effect on electrical defect spectroscopy enabling the effect of external probes, such as uniaxial stress, and internal perturbations, such as the proximity of atoms isovalent with the host, to be quantified in terms of electronic behaviour. Laplace DLTS provides a synergy with other techniques that was difficult or impossible to achieve previously. In this paper we present an overview of the development of LDLTS and illustrate some of its uses by describing its application in a number of key areas of defect research. Leszek Dobaczewski was born on 25th December 1954. He received his education in Warsaw taking his PhD in 1986 with Jerzy Langer at the Institute of Physics on “Recombination Processes at defects with the large lattice relaxation”. He held a research position at the institute in Warsaw until he came to Manchester in 1990 and thereafter alternated between Manchester and Warsaw. He worked primarily on the development and application of high resolution DLTS. He was awarded the degree of DSc in 1994 for his work on DX centres and held an appointment as full professor in Warsaw with Visiting Professor posts at Manchester and Aarhus. Professor Leszek Dobaczewski died in April 2010.

Spectrum of Physics Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blasiak, W.; Godlewska, M.; Rosiek, R.; Wcislo, D.

2012-01-01

The paper presents the results of research on the relationship between self-assessed comprehension of physics lectures and final grades of junior high school students (aged 13-15), high school students (aged 16-18) and physics students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland (aged 21). Students' declared level of comprehension was measured…

Faust and the Padshah Sphinx: Reshaping the NATO Alliance to Win in Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-24

Afghanistan is one of the most complex environments to combat. Its history, independent tribes, diverse ethnicities (Hazaaras, Pashtuns, Uzbeks and...reporting this statistic to the CJ2. 20 This occurred at the SHAPE Afghanistan Intelligence Conference, Krakow, Poland , May 2008. 21 Anders Fogh

Prevalence and incidence of multiple sclerosis in central Poland, 2010-2014.

PubMed

Brola, Waldemar; Sobolewski, Piotr; Flaga, Stanisław; Fudala, Małgorzata; Szczuchniak, Wiktor; Stoiński, Jan; Rosołowska, Anita; Wójcik, Jacek; Kapica-Topczewska, Katarzyna; Ryglewicz, Danuta

2016-08-11

Comprehensive epidemiologic data for multiple sclerosis (MS) in Poland are limited. The aim of this cross-sectional population-based study was to determine the incidence and prevalence of MS in the Swietokrzyskie Region (central Poland). This study identified MS cases every year between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. The study area population on the prevalence day (December 31, 2014) was 1,263,176 (646,506 women and 616,670 men). A total of 1462 patients with a clinically definite diagnosis of MS according to McDonald's criteria (2005), recorded in the Polish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, were considered for estimation of crude, age- and sex-specific prevalence, and incidence. The overall crude prevalence rate of confirmed MS patients was 115.7/100,000 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 111.2-121.4). A significantly higher prevalence was recorded in females (159.6/100,000; 95 % CI, 151.1-165.3) than in males (69.7/100,000; 95 % CI, 62.4-77.3) (P < 0.001). Age-adjusted rates for the Polish and European Standard Population were 109.8/100,000 (95 % CI, 105.4-114.8) and 106.6/100,000 (95 % CI, 101.1-111.2), respectively. The female/male ratio was 2.4. The mean annual incidence was 4.2/100,000 (95 % CI. 3.7-4.4). The incidence and prevalence of MS in the Swietokrzyskie region confirm that central Poland is a high risk area for MS. Compared with previous epidemiologic studies from Poland, the prevalence of MS has increased during recent years.

Organization and Development of Bone Marrow Donation and Transplantation in Poland.

PubMed

Filipiak, Jagoda; Dudkiewicz, Małgorzata; Czerwiński, Jarosław; Kosmala, Karolina; Łęczycka, Anna; Malanowski, Piotr; Żalikowska-Hołoweńko, Jolanta; Małkowski, Piotr; Danielewicz, Roman

2015-10-01

This paper describes bone marrow donation and transplantation in Poland in terms of its history, current state, and information on the quality control system. Based on data gathered from the informatics systems of the Polish Central Unrelated Potential Bone Marrow Donor and Cord Blood Registry and the Polish transplant registries, as well as World Marrow Donor Association statistics, we performed an overview study to collect and compare numbers on hematopoietic stem cells donations and transplantations in Poland in the years 2010-2014. In the last 5 years, the number of registered potential hematopoietic stem cells donors in Poland increased by more than 4 times, from about 146,000 to over 750,000. During the same period, the number of patients qualified to hematopoietic stem cells transplantation from unrelated donor increased from 557 in 2010 to 817 in 2014. We observed a striking change in the percentage of transplantations performed in Polish centers using material collected from national donors--from 24% to 60%. This shift was also evident in the number of search procedures closed with acceptation of Polish donors--from 27% in 2010 to 58% in 2014. Another consequence of Polish registry growth is the increasing number of donations from Polish donors for international patients. Between 2010 and 2014, the percent of donation for non-national patient increased from 33% to 76%, placing Poland in 6th place in the ranking of the HSC "exporters" worldwide. Growth of transplantation rates involves standardization process, which is a natural way of development for national organizations in the field of HSCT because of its international character.

Mapping of Dermacentor reticulatus expansion in Poland in 2012-2014.

PubMed

Mierzejewska, Ewa J; Estrada-Peña, Agustin; Alsarraf, Mohammed; Kowalec, Maciej; Bajer, Anna

2016-02-01

Rapid expansion of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius) has been reported in many European countries. In Poland its range was limited to the area on the eastern side of the Vistula River up until the 1990s. However, new foci were recently discovered, while the centre of the country and mountain regions are believed to be free of this tick and are known as "the gap". A few unconfirmed factors, like unfavourable weather conditions, changes in land cover and absence of competent hosts have previously been reported as possible reasons for the absence of D. reticulatus in this area. Since D. reticulatus plays an important role for the maintenance and the circulation of tick-borne pathogens, we (1) determined its actual range in Poland, (2) monitored its expansion in 2012-2014 and (3) correlated abiotic conditions on its known range. Dragging was conducted in the area between the Vistula River and the western border of Poland in 2012-2014, along the three major Polish rivers and their tributaries. Temperature and humidity on the ground were recorded 4 times a day at a total of 32 sites. D. reticulatus was found in 21 new locations on the western side of the Vistula River and in 22 locations in western Poland. The presence of this tick species was confirmed for the first time in Wielkopolskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Łódzkie voivodeships. Existence of 'the gap' was confirmed on a strip of land along the northwest-southeast axis (an area of approximately 151000km(2)), that extends between Zachodniopomorskie and Pomorskie in the North, and the mountain areas with foothills in the South, in Opolskie, Śląskie, Małopolskie and Podkarpackie voivodeships. This gap divides the tick population in Poland into two separated populations - Western and Eastern. The lowest abundance of ticks was found in the newly established foci in central and western Poland. Our study showed the need for the monitoring of the D. reticulatus expansion. Early detection of new foci is crucial for taking proper prevention measures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

[The otorhinolaryngological achievements of surgeon Hipolit Korzeniowski (1827-1897)].

PubMed

Kierzek, Andrzej

2006-01-01

The professional and scientific activities of Hipolit Korzeniowski (1827-1879), an eminent Varsovian surgeon, his thorough medical education in various European centries is shortly outlined. He was a head of the surgical ward especially at the Infant Jesus Hospital in Warsaw and at the medical schools in Warsaw. Korzeniowski's succesful surgical treatment of rhinolaryngological diseases, such as scarlet fever of ear, treatment of deaf-mutism, sinusitis paranasales, operations of jaws, plastic reconstruction of the palate, foreign bodies of larynx, tracheotomy in the tuberculosis of larynx, are described in some more detail.

Final Environmental Assessment for National Air & Space Intelligence Center and US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Field Training Activities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-14

characteristics in many locations and consequently most of the base has been mapped as disturbed urban land complexes. Major soil complexes represented...at WPAFB include: Warsaw-Fill land complex, Sloan-Fill land complex, Miamian- Urban land complex, Fox- Urban land complex, Linwood Muck, Westland- Urban ...land complex, and Warsaw- Urban land complex. 3.6.1 Proposed Action The project area for the alternative includes approximately 3.7 acres of property

The fate of the Warsaw Ghetto Medical Faculty.

PubMed

Weisz, George M; Grzybowski, Andrzej; Albury, William Randall

2012-04-01

The Warsaw Ghetto, in existence from 1940 to 1943, was the largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe. The 400,000-500,000 Jews incarcerated within its walls were deprived not only of food and medicine but also of education. Nonetheless, Jewish physicians served the community as befits their profession, and against all odds obtained permission to conduct a course on sanitary measures to combat epidemics, which they transformed into a veritable, clandestine medical school. This review follows the fate of the school faculty, with an emphasis on the achievements of the survivors.

Knowledge Exchange between Poland and Vietnam in Mining and Geology - the Status Quo and Future Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Nga; Pham, Nguyet

2018-03-01

From the beginning of the 21st century, knowledge exchange between Poland and Vietnam in mining and geology has been focusing in technology, education and training. Since years, Polish academic and commercial partners have been developing a close collaboration with Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited. Major outcomes of the collaboration are installations and operation of mining equipments and machines in Vietnamese mining companies, and excellent training programs for graduate and post graduate students and mining staff for both countries, etc. From aspects of knowledge management in globalization, the article highlights the outstanding outcomes of knowledge exchanges between the two countries, outlines cultural and economic challenges for the exchange and proposes some improvement in the future.

Developing competitive and sustainable Polish generic medicines market.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven

2009-10-01

To descriptively analyze the policy environment surrounding the Polish generic medicines retail market. The policy analysis was based on an international literature review. Also, a simulation exercise was carried out to compute potential savings from substituting generic for originator medicines in Poland using IMS Health pharmaceutical intelligence data. Poland has a mature, high-volume, low-value generic medicines market, primarily driven by the establishment of the reference price at the price of the cheapest medicine in combination with pricing regulation and the low level of medicine prices. The practice of discounting in the distribution chain implies that the National Health Fund and patients do not capture the potential savings from a generic medicines market where companies compete on price. This high-volume market has benefited in the past from the limited availability of originator medicines and a short data exclusivity period, even though there are no incentives for physicians to prescribe generic medicines and a financial disincentive for pharmacists to dispense generic medicines. Increased generic substitution would be expected to reduce public expenditure on originator medicines by 21%. To develop a competitive and sustainable market, Poland needs to consider moving away from competition by discount to competition by price. This could be achieved by replacing maximum distribution margins by fixed margins. Also, Poland may wish to raise reference prices as a temporary measure to boost market entry for medicine classes with few generic medicines.

[Personal experience with VP-16 in the treatment of malignant lymphomas at the Chemotherapy Clinic of the Oncology Center--M. Skłodowskiej-Curie Institute in Warsaw].

PubMed

Pałucka, A; Walewski, J; Siedlecki, P; Zborzil, J

1990-01-01

Eighteen patients with advanced malignant lymphomas who had progressed with previous chemotherapy were treated with LEPP (chlorambucil, VP-16, procarbazine, prednisone). One complete response and 5 partial remissions were observed, yielding an overall response rate of 33%, with median response duration of about 2 months. Twenty three patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease all who had progressed with previous chemotherapy (MOPP and ABVD) and 19 of them also after radiation therapy were treated with third line salvage chemotherapy consisting of OPEC (VP- 16, chlorambucil, vincristine and prednisone). Two complete response and 3 partial remissions were obtained for overall response rate of 21% with median duration of about 9 months.

Prevalence of general and abdominal obesity and overweight among adults in Poland. Results of the WOBASZ II study (2013-2014) and comparison with the WOBASZ study (2003-2005).

PubMed

Stepaniak, Urszula; Micek, Agnieszka; Waśkiewicz, Anna; Bielecki, Wojciech; Drygas, Wojciech; Janion, Marianna; Kozakiewicz, Krystyna; Niklas, Arkadiusz; Puch-Walczak, Aleksandra; Pająk, Andrzej

2016-08-18

INTRODUCTION There are limited data on the current prevalence of overweight and obesity as well as its changes with time in Poland. OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of general and abdominal obesity and overweight in Polish adults in the years 2013-2014, and to compare it with the prevalence in the years 2003-2005. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study was conducted in 2 independent, representative samples of the Polish population, comprising 14 537 persons (aged 20-74 years) examined in the years 2003-2005 and 6164 persons (aged ≥20 years) examined in the years 2013-2014. Anthropometric measurements were done by trained nurses. RESULTS In the years 2013-2014, the age-standardized prevalence of obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) was 24.4% in men and 25.0% in women. The prevalence of overweight (BMI, 25.0-29.9 kg/m2) was 43.2% in men and 30.5% in women. Abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥102 cm in men or ≥88 cm in women) was noted in 32.2% of men and 45.7% of women. Abdominal overweight (waist circumference, 94-101.9 cm in men or 80-87.9 cm in women) was present in 27.2% of men and 21.7% of women. Since the years 2003-2005, the distribution of body mass according to the BMI category had shifted to higher values, and an increase in the prevalence of obesity was observed in men. The percentage of adults with normal waist circumference decreased significantly in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS Every fourth inhabitant of Poland is obese, and during the last decade, the prevalence of obesity has increased, particularly in men. Abdominal obesity is observed in every third man and nearly every second woman, and an excess of abdominal fat has increased in both sexes.

Socioeconomic inequalities in the non-use of dental care in Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Oral health is an important component of people’s general health status. Many studies have shown that socioeconomic status is an important determinant of access to health services. In the present study, we explored the inequality and socioeconomic factors associated with people’s non-use of dental care across Europe. Methods We obtained data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions survey conducted by Eurostat in 2007. These cross-sectional data were collected from people aged 16 years and older in 24 European countries, except those living in long-term care facilities. The variable of interest was the prevalence of non-use of dental care while needed. We used the direct method of standardisation by age and sex to eliminate confounders in the data. Socioeconomic inequalities in the non-use of dental care were measured through differences in prevalence, the relative concentration index (RCI), and the relative index of inequality (RII). We compared the results among countries and conducted standard and multilevel logistic regression analyses to examine the socioeconomic factors associated with the non-use of dental care while needed. Results The results revealed significant socio-economic inequalities in the non-use of dental care across Europe, the magnitudes of which depended on the measure of inequality used. For example, inequalities in the prevalence of non-use among education levels according to the RCI ranged from 0.005 (in the United Kingdom) to −0.271 (Denmark) for men and from −0.009 (Poland) to 0.176 (Spain) for women, whereas the RII results ranged from 1.21 (Poland) to 11.50 (Slovakia) for men and from 1.62 (Poland) to 4.70 (Belgium) for women. Furthermore, the level-2 variance (random effects) was significantly different from zero, indicating the presence of heterogeneity in the probability of the non-use of needed dental care at the country level. Conclusion Overall, our study revealed considerable socioeconomic inequalities in the non-use of dental care at both the individual (intra-country) and collective (inter-country) levels. Therefore, to be most effective, policies to reduce this social inequality across Europe should address both levels. PMID:24476233

[Frequency of hypotrophic births in the Warsaw population].

PubMed

Pawlus, Beata; Wiśniewski, Andrzej

2010-01-01

Newborn's reduced body mass and length are regarded as an important symptom. The diagnosis requires careful observation of the individual's course of growth and metabolic condition. Various criteria are used to diagnose hypotrophy; 3rd, 5th or 10th percentile body mass are the most common, although others recommend using a value of -2.0 SDS body mass and length. To define the frequency of body mass and length deficiency in newborns in the Warsaw population. 4096 children born in single deliveries in 2009 at one Warsaw hospital. Body dimensions at birth were compared against the following standards, taking gestation period and sex into consideration: 1. Usher and McLean (UML). 2. A standard generally used in Warsaw maternity wards, drawn up by the Mother and Baby Institute (IMiD). 3. A standard drawn up in Wielkopolska (WLKP). Hypotrophy was diagnosed retrospectively on the basis of -2.0 SDS body mass and/or body length and 10th percentile body mass criterion. Regardless of sex and the standard being applied, at least one of the analysed body dimensions fell at or below -2.0 SDS in approximately 1% of all children. In newborn boys hypotrophy was diagnosed significantly less frequently using the UML standard than using the national ones, while in newborn girls it was diagnosed less frequently using the IMiD standard than UML or WLKP. Birth mass below the 10th percentile was found in approximately 7% and in just over 3% of all newborns using the IMiD and WLKP standards respectively. The absence of national standards for body length at birth makes the -2.0 SDS criterion difficult to use, while basing the diagnosis purely on evaluating body mass results in too few diagnoses of hypotrophy. Using the 10th percentile criterion allows for diagnosing hypotrophy in a few percent of newborns, while the Warsaw and Wielkopolska standards result in more diagnoses. Taking population trends into account, we postulate the need to prepare new national standards of body dimensions of newborns based on the gestation period.

Estimates of stroke incidence and case fatality in Zabrze, 2005-2006.

PubMed

Wawrzyńczyk, Maciej; Pierzchała, Krystyna; Braczkowska, Bogumiła; Mańka-Gaca, Iwona; Kumor, Klaudiusz; Borowski, Daniel; Grodzicka-Zawisza, Lucyna; Zejda, Jan

2011-01-01

Epidemiological rates for stroke obtained in the United States and Western Europe indicate a decrease in incidence and case fatality. Data published for Poland, as for other Central-Eastern European countries, reported unfavourable results, but this was based on data from the 1990s. The authors evaluated current stroke rates in a population study of the southern Poland city of Zabrze. A retrospective registry of all stroke cases treated in Zabrze, southern Poland, in 2005-2006, was established, based on data from the National Health Fund. Cases were identified by verifying patient files. Epidemiological rates were calculated and standardized to the European population in both groups: all stroke patients, including recurrent (all strokes, AS), and patients with first-ever stroke (FES) in their history. We registered 731 strokes, including 572 FES cases (78.3%) and 159 recurrent strokes (21.7%). There were 385 strokes in men (52.7%), and 346 in women (47.2%); 88.6% were ischaemic strokes (IS), and 11.4% were intra-ce-rebral haemorrhages (ICH). The standardized incidence rate for AS patients was 167/100 000 (211 for men, 130 for women), and in the FES group 131/100 000 (161 for men, 104 for women). Twenty-eight day case fatality for the AS group was 18.3% (15.4% for IS, 41% for ICH), and 16.6% for FES (13.4% for IS, 40.9% for ICH). Incidence rates in this southern Poland city are comparable to those reported previously for Poland. Early case fatality decreased, compared to previous data, probably as a result of improved management of acute stroke and hospitalizing all stroke patients.

Education for Persons with Special Needs: Polish and Russian Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valeeva, Roza A.; Kulesza, Ewa M.

2016-01-01

The beginning of the 21st century is marked by systemic, economic and social transformations in Poland and Russia, that significantly affected the education system, including the education for persons with special needs. This paper is an attempt to present synthetically the changes relating to persons with disabilities. The current state of the…

[The scientific conference: Konstanty Janicki (1876-1932): Professor of Warsaw University, eminent zoologist and protistologist, creator of the Polish parasitological school].

PubMed

Moskwa, Bozena; Siński, Edward; Kazubski, Stanisław L

2005-01-01

The conference was organized for celebrating the memory of professor Konstanty Janicki, one of the most important Polish zoologist, protistologist and parasitologist. Professors Joanna Pijanowska, Edward Siński and Maria Doligalska were the hosts of the meeting at the Warsaw University. Four lectures were given during the conference. Professor Leszek Kuźnicki presented professor Janicki's life and followers who continued his research. Professor Stanisław Kazubski reminded the main topics of the parasitological studies conducted by professor Janicki. That lecture was illustrated by coloured diagrams taken from original papers published by Janicki. In the next lecture, professor Teresa Pojmańska reminded "the theory of the cercomer". She viewed some polemics and discussions made by the opponents of the theory. Professor Alicja Guttowa presented a paper on the history of the exploration of the D. latum life cycle and the main scientific researches carried out on each life stages of the broad tapeworm. Afterwards the lectures, professor Kazubski showed several pictures taken inside and outside of the Main School of the Warsaw University at the time when professor Janicki had been working there. The professor's students were also seen in these pictures. Next, associate professor Bozena Moskwa, the President of the Polish Parasitological Society presented the Konstanty Janicki Medal, awarded for outstanding activities for the benefit of parasitology. Up to data, 17 scientists and one school: the Warsaw Uniwersity was honored with this Medal. After the conference, participants visited the Powazki Cementary, where the renovated sepulchral monument of professor Konstanty Janicki was uncovered.

[Measles in Poland in 2003].

PubMed

Stefanoff, Paweł; Czarkowski, Mirosław P

2005-01-01

In Poland 48 measles cases were registered in 2003 (0.13 per 100,000 population)--of which 65% were cases imported from Chechnya and Afghanistan. Measles outbreaks occurred in 3 centers for immigrants. In total, 31 cases were reported, of which 96.8% were unvaccinated, and 93.5% were under 15 years of age. Of 17 local cases, 5 (29.4%) cases occurred in unvaccinated persons, 3 (17.6%) in persons vaccinated with one dose and 7 (41.2%) in those vaccinated with two doses of measles vaccine (administered at the age of 13-15 months and 7 years). Among 12 vaccinated cases only one 2-year old child was recently vaccinated. The remaining cases were in the 3-7 and 10-24 age ranges. The most affected were infants (incidence 0.57 per 100,000), 1-year old (0.28) and 2-year old children (incidence 0.27). Cases among adolescents and adults over 15 years of age increased from 23.5% in 2002 to 47.1% in 2003. The increasing age of locally-acquired cases, together with constantly high immunization coverage indicates high effectiveness of vaccinations in Poland. Out of all reported cases 13 (38%) were hospitalized. There were no deaths due to measles in Poland in 2003. Poland participates in the WHO Measles Elimination Strategy. Presently, the most important is the maintenance of a sensitive and timely surveillance of measles and measles-compatible cases, with serologic confirmation of one rash-like illness per 100 000 population. The performance of the surveillance system is insufficient with only 55 measles-compatible cases reported in 2003 (15% of expected reports). Serologic confirmation of cases was also insufficient, with 22 cases (40.0%) confirmed by IgM ELISA test. These results indicate the need to maintain the high immunisation coverage and improve measles surveillance system.

Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection in pregnant women in the healthcare system in Poland: Is it worth the effort?

PubMed

Walewska-Zielecka, Bożena; Religioni, Urszula; Juszczyk, Grzegorz; Czerw, Aleksandra; Wawrzyniak, Zbigniew; Soszyński, Piotr

2016-07-01

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is globally recognized as a serious public health concern. Current statistics indicate that approximately 2% of people worldwide and 1.9% of people in Poland suffer from HCV infection.This study was conducted to assess the anti-HCV seroprevalence in pregnant women in Poland and subsequently provide recommendations on the rationale for obligatory screening.A total of 42,274 women participated in our study, of which 16,130 were pregnant. We were granted access to their health data stored in the form of electronic medical records kept by the network of outpatient clinics throughout Poland.The lowest rate of positive anti-HCV test results was found in women ages 25 to 34 (0.73%); however, younger and older age groups had similar rates (15-24 = 0.86%; 35-44 = 0.84%). Additional analysis of data from the period between 2011 and 2014 revealed a downward trend in the proportion of positive anti-HCV tests among pregnant women (mean positive anti-HCV = -0.001 × year + 1.9451; R = 0.7274). Regardless of the gradual increase in the number of female patients undergoing screening between 2004 and 2015, there has been a constant decrease in the rate of positive cases. The rate of pregnant women potentially infected with HCV was twice as lower than that in a control group of women undergoing tests for other medical circumstances: 0.76% vs 1.67% (P < 0.0001).Analysis of real-world data of female patients in Poland provides evidence that screening based on an individual's medical history and behavioral risk factors in clinical circumstances would be more effective than obligatory testing of all pregnant women.

The use of the Hurst exponent to investigate the global maximum of the Warsaw Stock Exchange WIG20 index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domino, Krzysztof

2012-01-01

The WIG20 index-the index of the 20 biggest companies traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange-reached the global maximum on 29th October 2007. I have used the local DFA (Detrended Functional Analysis) to obtain the Hurst exponent (diffusion exponent) and investigate the signature of anti-correlation of share price evolution around the maximum. The analysis was applied to the share price evolution for variable DFA parameters. For many values of parameters, the evidence of anti-correlation near the WIG20 maximum was pointed out.

Dr Adam Zamenhof (1888-1940) and his insight into ophthalmology.

PubMed

Wincewicz, Andrzej; Sulkowska, Mariola; Lieberman, E James; Bakunowicz-Lazarczyk, Alina; Sulkowski, Stanislaw

2009-02-01

Adam Zamenhof was greatly influenced by his father, Ludwik Zamenhof, who designed the international language Esperanto. Like his father, he became an ophthalmologist and joined the Esperanto movement. He published in the field of ophthalmology and was soon chosen as head of an ophthalmology department. He subsequently became Chief of the Orthodox Jewish Hospital at Czystem in Warsaw. He was active in the leadership of the Bialystok-Warsaw Chamber of Medical Doctors. He perished in the Nazi Holocaust (Shoah) but all Zamenhof's ideals that Adam served as a doctor and social activist remain still alive.

[The risk of malaria during travel, observations in the department of infectious diseases in Cracow from 1996 to 2010].

PubMed

Kalinowska-Nowak, Anna; Bociaga-Jasik, Monika; Leśniak, Maciej; Mach, Tomasz; Garlicki, Aleksander

2012-01-01

Actually in Poland malaria is not present as an endemic disease, but is one of the most common "imported" diseases. In its mild form it is an awkward illness with recurring fever, whereas the more severe form, which is caused by Plasmodium falciparum can be life-threatening. Epidemiological and clinical analysis on malaria-infected patients hospitalized in the Department of Infectious Diseases in Cracow from 1996 to 2010. Interview, physical examination, laboratory tests and usg of the abdomen were performed among all patients. Diagnosis was performed by malaria parasites detection in direct microscopic observation of thick and thin blood films. Patients were treated with antimalarial drugs according to parasites species and previously used prophylaxis. 33 people with malaria, 26 men (79%) and 7 women (21%), aged 24-71 years were hospitalized. Annually 1 to 4 patients were treated, but in year 2008 - 7 patients. 18 persons (54%) were travelling as a tourists to the endemic regions, including 15 persons on short trips (up to 1 month). 15 persons (46%) were involved in business-trips and missions with over 2 years stay. Most patients visited Africa (25 persons), 4 travelled to Oceania, 3 to Asia and 1 to South America. Only 3 patients (9%) used recommended antimalarial prophylaxis. Symptoms of malaria usually appeared a few days after returning to Poland, 1 woman presented the symptoms after 1 year, 4 patients were presenting the symptoms already in the tropics. 25 persons (76%) had malaria for the first time. Clinical symptoms among patients were: fever preceded by shivering (100%), sweating (94%), muscles and joints pain (84%), nausea and vomiting (24%), diarrhoea (12%), jaundice (12%), cough (6%), coma (6%), multiorgan failure (6%). 12 persons were diagnosed with hepatomegaly, 21 with splenomegaly, 9 with hemolytic anaemia, 18 with thrombocytopenia and 14 with elevation of liver enzymes. P. falciparum infection was proven in 15 patients (46%), P. vivax in 11 patients (33%), P. ovale in 1 patient (3%), mixed infection (P. falciparum and P. ovale) in 6 patients (18%). In the treatment of P. falciparum infection quinine with doxycycline (18 patients) or mefloquine (2 patients) were used, in other cases chloroquine with following primaquine. 32 patients recovered, 1 patient with cerebral malaria died. Malaria was most commonly diagnosed among tourists staying for short period of time in an endemic area. Travelers did not use accurate antimalarial prophylaxis. Malaria must be excluded as a potential diagnosis among all fever suffering persons returning from the tropics.

Assessment of food intakes for women adopting the high protein Dukan diet.

PubMed

Wyka, Joanna; Malczyk, Ewa; Misiarz, Marta; Zołoteńka-Synowiec, Marzena; Całyniuk, Beata; Baczyńska, Sandra

2015-01-01

Overweight and obesity are metabolic disorders affecting both adults and children. Effective treatment of these conditions is focused on decreasing the body mass, through individually tailored and well balanced diets, along with increasing physical activity. Obese persons often, however, choose high protein diets for losing weight. Recently in Poland, the high-protein Dukan-diet has become very popular. To assess dietary consumption in women adopting the Dukan-diet, including intakes of protein, fat, carbohydrate as well as vitamins and minerals. Subjects were 51 women aged 19-64 years on the Dukan-diet, who were surveyed by individually conducted interview. Women were asked to provide typical menus from each phase of their diets. Quantitative dietary intake assessment was achieved by an officially used 'Photograph album of foodstuffs and dishes' as custom-designed by the National Food and Nutrition Institute (IZZ) in Warsaw. Protein intakes in all subjects were excessive, especially those of animal origin when compared to recommended nutritional standards. In contrast, dietary carbohydrate intakes were low due to poor consumption of fruit and vegetables. Mineral and vitamin intakes revealed high potassium, iron and vitamins A, D and B2, but low vitamin C and folates. Women's average weight reduction after 8-10 weeks of dieting was approximately 15 kilograms. Many nutritional abnormalities were found in women on the high protein Dukan-diet. Adopting this diet in the long-term may pose health threats through acquiring kidney and liver disease, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

The occurrence of dynamic structural disorders in the pharynx and larynx, at rest and during exercise, in horses diagnosed with mild and moderate Equine Asthma (Inflammatory Airway Disease).

PubMed

Wysocka, B; Kluciński, W

2018-03-01

The goal of the present study was to establish the occurrence of structural disorders in the larynx and pharynx during treadmill exercise tests in horses diagnosed with Equine Asthma (EA). Investigation was performed in 29 horses, patients of the Equine Clinic of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences in Poland, admitted with poor exercise performance. Upper and lower airway examinations were performed in all patients revealing both mild to moderate Equine Asthma (13 horses), and no lower airway abnormalities (16 animals). In the group of horses with EA, 11 did not have structural disorders of the pharynx and larynx at rest. During exercise two horses were free of abnormalities, while 11 had structural disorders, eight of them solely in the pharynx, two in the larynx, and one in both the pharynx and larynx. In the non- asthmatic group, 11 horses had no structural disorders during resting endoscopy. Endoscopy performed during exercise revealed disorders of the larynx in 10 horses, of the pharynx in three horses, and in both the larynx and pharynx in the remaining three horses. horses with diagnosed EA frequently have disorders of the pharynx during treadmill exercise tests, while without EA, often have disorders of the larynx. Endoscopy of upper airways during exercise testing is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of poor performance in horses with lower airway inflammatory disease. Copyright© by the Polish Academy of Sciences.

Diagnostic Imaging of Pregnant Women – The Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Bekiesińska-Figatowska, Monika; Romaniuk-Doroszewska, Anna; Szkudlińska-Pawlak, Sylwia; Duczkowska, Agnieszka; Mądzik, Jarosław; Szopa-Krupińska, Martyna; Maciejewski, Tomasz M.

2017-01-01

Summary Background Presentation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in pregnant women in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Institute of Mother and Child, Warsaw, Poland. Material/Methods Forty-three symptomatic pregnant women underwent MRI between 9 and 33 weeks of gestation (mean of 23 weeks). Moreover, we included 2 pregnant women who underwent fetal MRI and had incidental abnormalities. Results In 9 cases, we excluded the suspected brain abnormalities. In 4 cases, we found unremarkable changes in the brain without clinical significance. One patient was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, one with cortical dysplasia, one with pineal hemorrhage and one with a brain tumor. On abdominal MRI, 2 patients had normal findings, one patient had colon cancer with a hepatic metastasis, one patient had a hepatic angioma, one patient had an extraadrenal pheochromocytoma, one patient had an abscess in the iliopsoas muscle, 9 patients had myomas, two patients had ovarian simple cysts, two endometrial cysts, three dermoid cysts, one patient had sacrococcygeal teratoma, one patient had a cystadenofibroma (partial borderline tumor), one patient had an androgenic ovarian tumor and two patients had hyperreactio luteinalis. One patient was diagnosed with transient osteoporosis of the hip and one with a stress fracture of the sacral bone. Conclusions Magnetic resonance imaging is the best imaging modality for pregnant women. Although ultrasonography is the method of choice, doubtful cases as well as structures that cannot be examined with ultrasonography can be non-invasively evaluated with MRI. PMID:28507642

[Parents' unemployment, selected life conditions, adolescents' wellbeing and perceived health].

PubMed

Supranowicz, Piotr

2005-01-01

Unemployment in Poland is one of the most negative outcomes of the economical transformations taking place in the last decade of the XX and first years of the XXI century. Therefore, the study on an influence of parents' unemployment upon adolescents' life conditions and health was undertaken in Health Promotion and Postgraduate Training Department of the National Institute of Hygiene. The data were collected from randomly selected sample of 783 students aged 14-15 years attending to ten private and public secondary schools (gymnasiums) in Warsaw. A part of the questionnaire elaborated in Health Promotion and Postgraduate Department covered information about negative life events, which had occurred in the previous year, also about a loss of the job by father or mother. The self-assessment of health, and physical and psychical wellbeing measured the perceived health. The study showed that significantly higher percentage of the students, whose father or mother had lost a job in the previous year, noticed also occurrence of father and mother health disorders, lack of support from father and mother, frequent quarrels between parents, too much of home duties, worsening a housing conditions, lack of possibilities to travel away on vacation and lack of own money. The differences were higher, if both the parents were unemployed. Moreover, the children of unemployed parents significantly lower assessed their health, and physical and psychical wellbeing. It is necessary to help immediately the students, whose parents are unemployed, with financial and psychological support in frame of the programmes of unemployment overcoming.

Mapping urban porosity and roughness characteristics as a mean of defining urban ventilation corridors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wicht, Marzena; Wicht, Andreas; Osińska-Skotak, Katarzyna

2017-10-01

Cities can be characterized with the roughest aerodynamic boundaries, which results in the enhanced turbulent motion and increased drag effect. This leads to reduced wind speeds and directly increases negative effects of living within urban areas. Urban Heat Island, decreased air quality or densely built-up residential/industrial areas occur in many cities, both in temperate and tropical regions, and are included in these negative effects. This case study investigates Warsaw, the capital of Poland, representing a dense, urban environment, located in the temperate zone. It suffers from immense air pollution levels, as well as Urban Heat Island, and the local government is seeking ways to resolve these issues. Among many mitigation techniques, air restoration and exchange system were suggested as appropriate measures, as they address many of the aforementioned issues. The essential elements of such system are ventilation corridors. This paper describes mapping these corridors utilizing the morphometric methods of urban roughness aided by remote sensing data. We focus especially on the terrain topology and texture of single elements, including high vegetation canopy layer. This study considers DSM and different porosity of obstacles, deriving a new outlook at the morphometric methods as a way to improve them. The mapped areas of low roughness characteristics might be appointed as ventilation corridors and play a crucial role in air restoration and exchange system. They may also be included in further planning processes by the local government as preservation areas.

Effect of Over 10-Year Cryopreserved Encapsulated Pancreatic Islets Of Langerhans.

PubMed

Kinasiewicz, Joanna; Antosiak-Iwanska, Magdalena; Godlewska, Ewa; Sitarek, Elzbieta; Sabat, Marek; Fiedor, Piotr; Granicka, Ludomira

2017-08-28

Immunoisolation of pancreatic islets of Langerhans performed by the encapsulation process may be a method to avoid immunosuppressive therapy after transplant. The main problem related to islet transplant is shortage of human pancreata. Resolution of this obstacle may be cryopreservation of encapsulated islets, which enables collection of sufficient numbers of isolated islets required for transplant and long-term storage. Here, we assessed the ability of encapsulated islets to function after long-term banking at low temperature. Islets of Langerhans isolated from rat, pig, and human pancreata were encapsulated within alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules. Cryopreservation was carried out using a controlled method of freezing (Kriomedpol freezer; Kriomedpol, Warsaw, Poland), and samples were stored in liquid nitrogen. After 10 years, the samples were thawed with the rapid method (with 0.75 M of sucrose) and then cultured. We observed that microcapsules containing islets maintained their shape and integrity after thawing. During culture, free islets were defragmented into single cells, whereas encapsulated islets were still round in shape and compact. After 1, 4, and 7 days of culture of encapsulated islets, the use of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide tests showed increased mitochondrial activity. After they were thawed, the insulin secretion capacity was comparable with that obtained with fresh islets. Cryopreservation and storage of free and microencapsulated islets were possible for about 10 years, although only encapsulated islets retained viability and secretory properties.

Secondhand smoke exposure in hospitality venues in Europe.

PubMed

Lopez, Maria J; Nebot, Manel; Albertini, Marco; Birkui, Pierre; Centrich, Francesc; Chudzikova, Monika; Georgouli, Maria; Gorini, Giuseppe; Moshammer, Hanns; Mulcahy, Maurice; Pilali, Maria; Serrahima, Eulalia; Tutka, Piotr; Fernandez, Esteve

2008-11-01

Although in the last few years some European countries have implemented smoking bans in hospitality venues, the levels of secondhand smoke (SHS) in this occupational sector could still be extremely high in most countries. The aim of this study was to assess exposure to SHS in hospitality venues in 10 European cities. We included 167 hospitality venues (58 discotheques and pubs, 82 restaurants and cafeterias, and 27 fast-food restaurants) in this cross-sectional study. We carried out fieldwork in 10 European cities: Vienna (Austria), Paris (France), Athens (Greece), Florence and Belluno (Italy), Galway (Ireland), Barcelona (Spain), Warsaw and Lublin (Poland), and Bratislava (Slovak Republic). We measured vapor-phase nicotine as an SHS marker. We analyzed 504 samples and found nicotine in most samples (97.4%). We found the highest median concentrations in discos/pubs [32.99 microg/m(3); interquartile range (IQR), 8.06-66.84 microg/m(3)] and lower median concentrations in restaurants/cafeterias (2.09 microg/m(3); IQR, 0.49-6.73 microg/m(3)) and fast-food restaurants (0.31 microg/m(3); IQR, 0.11-1.30 microg/m(3)) (p < 0.05). We found differences of exposure between countries that may be related to their smoking regulations. Where we sampled smoking and nonsmoking areas, nicotine concentrations were significantly lower in nonsmoking areas. Hospitality venues from European cities without smoking regulations have very high levels of SHS exposure. Monitoring of SHS on a regular basis as well as a total smoking ban in hospitality sector would be needed.

Signature inversion / chiral-twin bands in odd-odd Pr nuclei?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fetea, Mirela; Thompson, Sarah

2001-10-01

Over the past few years, sufficient data have been accumulated to enable a meaningful study of the systematic trends of the signature inversion (inversion point shift in spin with increasing proton and neutron numbers in a chain of isotones / isotopes as well as the magnitude of odd-even staggering). Our aim is to understand these systematic features within the framework of particle rotor model including both a residual pn interaction and a γ deformation. Signature inversion is present in the bands of odd-odd nuclei , ^120-130Cs, ^124-132La, ^126-134Pr and ^132-136Pm and having an yrast structure built on π h_11/2ν h_11/2 orbitals. Pr isotopes seem to indicate an inversion decreasing for smaller neutron numbers, trend that is opposite for the Cs nuclei(J.F. Smith et al., Phys. Lett B 406, 7 (1997)). Why? A question that remains to be answered is if there is any relation of signature inversion to chiral twin bands (two ''look alike positive parity'' bands proposed for as in ). The lower band has signature inversion all the way up. Could these effects be related to triaxiality? Can one trust an apparent conclusion suggested by L.L. Riedinger( L.L. Riedinger, talk presented at High) Spin Physics 2001, Warsaw, Poland, February, 2001, to be published in Acta Phys. Pol.: ''signature inversion in an odd-odd band of two quasiparticles pointed along different axes is always associated with the formation of chiral twin bands''?

[Double ritual murder by the Satanist cult members based on the casuistry of the Forensic Medicine Department in Katowice].

PubMed

Chowaniec, Czesław; Jałfoński, Christian; Kabiesz-Neniczka, Stanisława; Kobek, Mariusz; Rygol, Krystian

2006-01-01

In recent years, an increased activity of various sects, especially Satanist ones, has been observed in Poland. This is associated with an increase in the number of various crimes, including offences against life and health. The ideology of Satanism came to Poland in the early eighties of the last century, along with heavy metal music and its variants. In 1999, two cases of the murders of a 21-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man committed by Satanist cult members during their ritual mass were reported at the Forensic Medicine Department in Katowice. In the report, the authors present some issues associated with Satanism, the circumstances of these two murders and the results of medico-legal examinations of the victims.

Post-blasting seismicity in Rudna copper mine, Poland - source parameters analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caputa, Alicja; Rudziński, Łukasz; Talaga, Adam

2017-04-01

The really important hazard in Polish copper mines is high seismicity and corresponding rockbursts. Many methods are used to reduce the seismic hazard. Among others the most effective is preventing blasting in potentially hazardous mining panels. The method is expected to provoke small moderate tremors (up to M2.0) and reduce in this way a stress accumulation in the rockmass. This work presents an analysis, which deals with post-blasting events in Rudna copper mine, Poland. Using the Full Moment Tensor (MT) inversion and seismic spectra analysis, we try to find some characteristic features of post blasting seismic sources. Source parameters estimated for post-blasting events are compared with the parameters of not-provoked mining events that occurred in the vicinity of the provoked sources. Our studies show that focal mechanisms of events which occurred after blasts have similar MT decompositions, namely are characterized by a quite strong isotropic component as compared with the isotropic component of not-provoked events. Also source parameters obtained from spectral analysis show that provoked seismicity has a specific source physics. Among others, it is visible from S to P wave energy ratio, which is higher for not-provoked events. The comparison of all our results reveals a three possible groups of sources: a) occurred just after blasts, b) occurred from 5min to 24h after blasts and c) not-provoked seismicity (more than 24h after blasting). Acknowledgements: This work was supported within statutory activities No3841/E-41/S/2016 of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland.

On testing of the photometer-polarimeter UVP layout using a telescope on Earth's surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nevodovskyi, P. V.; Vidmachenko, A. P.; Morozhenko, O. V.; Zbrutskyi, O.; Ivakhiv, O. V.

2016-08-01

One of the causes of climate change (changing of concentration of stratospheric ozone) - is variations due to aerosol optical thickness in the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. To solve the problem is necessary to make a space experiment to receive polarization observational data. Their analysis will: determine the value of the real part of the refractive index, the size of the stratospheric aerosol, optical thickness of the stratospheric aerosol layer, investigate aerosol's layer horizontal structure and its changes over time. Main Astronomical Observatory of NAS of Ukraine jointly with the National Technical University of Ukraine "KPI" and National University "Lviv Polytechnic" for a long time working on the design of polarimeter to study the stratospheric layer of the Earth from board of artificial satellites. During this time accumulated a great experience in such work, and created a layout of compact board ultraviolet polarimeter UFP [1-4]. For testing of ground variant of layout of UFP, it is installed on the telescope AZT-2 of the Main Astronomical Observatory NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv). Using it we plan to investigate the possibility of determining the degree of polarization of the twilight glow of Earth's atmosphere, and implementation of this technique in the development of space experiment on investigation of the stratospheric aerosol from space. For this purpose we develop a special set of equipment that will adapt the layout for working of UFP with telescope AZT-2, and carry out the above mentioned work (see. in [5-7]). References. 1. P. Nevodovskyi, O. Morozhenko, A. Vidmachenko, O. Ivakhiv, M. Geraimchuk, O. Zbrutskyi. Tiny Ultraviolet Polarimeter for Earth Stratosphere from Space Investigation // Proceedings of 8th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Data Acquisition and Advanced Computing Systems: Technology and Applications (IDAACS'2015). 24-26 September 2015, Proceedings. Warsaw, Poland. Vol.81, p. 28-32. 2. Nevodovsksiy P. V., Morozhenko A. V. Studies of stratospheric ozone layer from near-earth orbit utilizing ultraviolet polarimeter // Acta Astronautica. 2009, vol. 64, no 1, p. 54-58. 3. Nevodovskij P. V. Kvantakons and optimization of their parameters for astronomical observations Kinematika i Fizika Nebesnykh Tel. 2001, vol. 17, no. 3, p. 279-288. 4. A. P. Vid'machenko, P. V. Nevodovsky. A cooled photomultiplier with an InGaAs photocathode developed for the spectropolarimetry observations // Kinematika i Fizika Nebesnykh Tel. 2000. Suppl. 3, p. 283-285. 5. Morozhenko A. V., Vidmachenko A. P., Nevodovskiy P. V., Kostogryz N. M. On the efficiency of polarization measurements while studying aerosols in the terrestrial atmosphere // Kinematics and Physics of Celestial Bodies. 2014, vol. 30, no. 1, p. 11-21. 6. A.V. Morozhenko, A.P. Vidmachenko, P.V. Nevodovskyi. Aerosol in the upper layer of earth's atmosphere // Kinematics and Physics of Celestial Bodies. 2013, vol. 29, no. 5, p. 243-246. 7. Morozhenko A.V. Polarimetry of twilight sky and stratospheric aerosol // Kinematics and Physics of Celestial Bodies. 2010, vol. 26, no. 1, p. 36-38.

Europe's Second Demographic Transition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van de Kaa, Dirk J.

1987-01-01

By 1985, fertility rates in Europe were below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman in all but Albania, Ireland, Malta, Poland, and Turkey, following a steady decline from a 1965 postwar peak well above 2.5 in Northern, Western, and Southern Europe and an erratic trend from a lower level in Eastern Europe. Natural decrease (fewer births…

Research Focus: Reflections on Science Education Research Presentations at ASE 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGregor, Deb; Oversby, John; Woodhouse, Fiona

2012-01-01

The original call for research papers went out in the summer of 2011 and, by September, there were over thirty abstracts returned for review, from many countries including Hong Kong, Nigeria, Poland, Jamaica, Malta, the United States, Japan, Ireland and, of course, Britain. Of the proposals reviewed and accepted, 21 were finally presented at…

Developing Competitive and Sustainable Polish Generic Medicines Market

PubMed Central

Simoens, Steven

2009-01-01

Aim To descriptively analyze the policy environment surrounding the Polish generic medicines retail market. Method The policy analysis was based on an international literature review. Also, a simulation exercise was carried out to compute potential savings from substituting generic for originator medicines in Poland using IMS Health pharmaceutical intelligence data. Results Poland has a mature, high-volume, low-value generic medicines market, primarily driven by the establishment of the reference price at the price of the cheapest medicine in combination with pricing regulation and the low level of medicine prices. The practice of discounting in the distribution chain implies that the National Health Fund and patients do not capture the potential savings from a generic medicines market where companies compete on price. This high-volume market has benefited in the past from the limited availability of originator medicines and a short data exclusivity period, even though there are no incentives for physicians to prescribe generic medicines and a financial disincentive for pharmacists to dispense generic medicines. Increased generic substitution would be expected to reduce public expenditure on originator medicines by 21%. Conclusion To develop a competitive and sustainable market, Poland needs to consider moving away from competition by discount to competition by price. This could be achieved by replacing maximum distribution margins by fixed margins. Also, Poland may wish to raise reference prices as a temporary measure to boost market entry for medicine classes with few generic medicines. PMID:19839067

Foodborne botulism in Poland in 2111.

PubMed

Czerwiński, Michał; Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Kondej, Barbara

2013-01-01

The main objective of this article is to assess the epidemiology of foodborne botulism in Poland in 2011, using national surveillance data. We reviewed surveillance data published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland" from 2005 to 2011, and botulism case reports from 2011 sent to the Department of Epidemiology NIPH-NIH by Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations. In 2011, a total of 35 foodborne botulism cases (including 21 laboratory confirmed cases) was reported, corresponding to the one of the lowest annual incidence rate (0.09 per 100,000 population) since the introduction of botulism as mandatory notifiable disease. The higher incidence rates compared to the previous year were in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie, Mazowieckie and Dolnoślaskie. Incidence in rural areas (0.13 per 100,000 population) was higher than the incidence in urban areas (0.07). Men, had more than 3,5 times higher incidence than women; the highest incidence rate (0.23 per 100,000 population) was observed among men in the age group of 60 + years. Most cases were associated with consumption of commercially canned meat (including pork and other types of meat). Home canned foods containing meats or vegetables and meats were also a common vehicle. Almost all cases were hospitalized (33 cases). One death related to the disease was reported. In 2011, in Poland epidemiology of the foodborne botulism remains stable. From the point of view of national surveillance, it is necessary to increase the percentage of cases investigated with laboratory tests.

Statistical analysis of NWP rainfall data from Poland..

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, Katarzyna; Linkowska, Joanna

2010-05-01

A goal of this work is to summarize the latest results of precipitation verification in Poland. In IMGW, COSMO_PL version 4.0 has been running. The model configuration is: 14 km horizontal grid spacing, initial time at 00 UTC and 12 UTC, the forecast range 72 h. The fields from the model had been verified with Polish SYNOP stations. The verification was performed using a new verification tool. For the accumulated precipitation indices FBI, POD, FAR, ETS from contingency table are calculated. In this paper the comparison of monthly and seasonal verification of 6h, 12h, 24h accumulated precipitation in 2009 is presented. Since February 2010 the model with 7 km grid spacing will be running in IMGW. The results of precipitation verification for two different models' resolution will be shown.

Implementation of the cross-border healthcare directive in Poland: How not to encourage patients to seek care abroad?

PubMed

Kowalska-Bobko, Iwona; Mokrzycka, Anna; Sagan, Anna; Włodarczyk, W Cezary; Zabdyr-Jamróz, Michał

2016-11-01

In October 2014, after over 12 months of delay, Poland finally implemented directive 2011/24/EU on the application of patients' rights in cross-border healthcare. The implementing legislation in the area of cost reimbursement and prior authorization is very restrictive. The goal is to either defer the public payer's expenses into the future or to discourage patients from seeking care abroad or from seeking care altogether. The Polish government and the Ministry of Health, the key stakeholders in the implementation process, seemed to overlook the potential monetary benefits that the implementation of the directive could bring, for example, by promoting Poland as a destination for health tourism. Other stakeholders, such as patients and healthcare providers, had no real influence on the policy process. So far, the number of applications for planned treatment abroad has been very low and the majority of them were actually turned down as they did not meet the formal requirements. This number is likely to remain low in the future as accessing such care is cumbersome and not affordable for many patients. Overall, while the directive does not aim to encourage patients to seek cross-border healthcare, the current national regulations in Poland do not seem to facilitate access to cross-border healthcare, which is the main goal of the directive. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Foodborne botulism in Poland in 2013.

PubMed

Czerwiński, Michał; Czarkowski, Mirosław P; Kondej, Barbara

2015-01-01

The aim of the study is to assess the epidemiology of foodborne botulism in Poland in 2013. We reviewed surveillance data published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2013" and in previous publications, and botulism case reports for 2013 sent to the Department of Epidemiology NIPH-NIH by Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations. In 2013, a total of 24 foodborne botulism cases (including 8 laboratory confirmed cases) was reported, corresponding to the lowest annual incidence rate (0.06 per 100,000 population) since the introduction of botulism as mandatory notifiable disease. The highest incidence in the country was reported in Kujawsko-Pomorskie (0.19). Incidence in rural areas (0.09 per 100,000 population) was more than 2-fold higher than the incidence in urban areas (0.04). Men, had more than 3 times higher incidence than women; the highest incidence rate (0.29 per 100,000 population) was observed among men in the age group of 40-49 years. Most cases were associated with consumption of different types of commercially canned meat. Commercially canned fish was also a common vehicle. All cases were hospitalized. No deaths related to the disease were reported. In 2013, in Poland a downward trend in the incidence of foodborne botulism was maintained. Insufficient laboratory capacity remains a major weakness in national surveillance resulting in disproportionate reporting of cases meeting only clinical criteria and an epidemiological link. This situation clearly speaks for the need to improve laboratory capacity for surveillance.

Evaluation of conducting a screening assessment of nutritional status of hospitalized patients. Presentation of main goals and objectives of the global health project "NutritionDay".

PubMed

Jeznach-Steinhagen, Anna; Ostrowska, Joanna; Czerwonogrodzka-Senczyna, Aneta

2016-01-01

European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) commenced in 2004 a global health project named "NutritionDay" aiming to promote awareness of proper nutritional status of hospitalized patients and to draw attention to the need for early detection of malnutrition among patients. Under the Polish law--pursunat to the regulation of the Minister of Health dated September 15, 2011 (amendment as of 27.12.2013)--a nutritional status of each patient should be assessed at the time of a hospital admission. of this study was to analyze the fulfilment of the mandatory questionnaire assessment of nutritional status at selected wards of one of Warsaw's clinical hospitals. The study included an analysis of medical records of patients hospitalized within 6 months (n = 26375). The correct fulfilment of screening questionnaire assessing nutritional status (NRS 2002 survey) and the information about patients' body weight as well as the results assessment of nutritional status were subject to the analysis. NRS 2002 questionnaire was present in only 67,14% medical records of patients, however 49.24% of them were unfilled. The obtained results confirming low degree of NRS 2002 questionnaires' fulfilment in one of the Warsaw clinical hospitals draws attention to the need for education of hospital personnel in the field of significance of screening of nutritional assessment and its regulations. The "NutritionDay" project is an interesting form to attract attention of the aforementioned problem and its global extent additionally encourage medical units to participate in the project.

Patterns of oral disease in adults with chronic kidney disease treated with hemodialysis.

PubMed

Palmer, Suetonia C; Ruospo, Marinella; Wong, Germaine; Craig, Jonathan C; Petruzzi, Massimo; De Benedittis, Michele; Ford, Pauline; Johnson, David W; Tonelli, Marcello; Natale, Patrizia; Saglimbene, Valeria; Pellegrini, Fabio; Celia, Eduardo; Gelfman, Ruben; Leal, Miguel R; Torok, Marietta; Stroumza, Paul; Frantzen, Luc; Bednarek-Skublewska, Anna; Dulawa, Jan; Del Castillo, Domingo; Bernat, Amparo G; Hegbrant, Jorgen; Wollheim, Charlotta; Schon, Staffan; Gargano, Letizia; Bots, Casper P; Strippoli, Giovanni F M

2016-10-01

Oral disease is a potentially treatable determinant of mortality and quality of life. No comprehensive multinational study to quantify oral disease burden and to identify candidate preventative strategies has been performed in the dialysis setting. The ORAL disease in hemoDialysis (ORALD) study was a prospective study in adults treated with hemodialysis in Europe (France, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain) and Argentina. Oral disease was assessed using standardized WHO methods. Participants self-reported oral health practices and symptoms. Sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with oral diseases were determined and assessed within nation states. Of 4726 eligible adults, 4205 (88.9%) participated. Overall, 20.6% were edentulous [95% confidence interval (CI), 19.4-21.8]. Participants had on average 22 (95% CI 21.7-22.2) decayed, missing or filled teeth, while moderate to severe periodontitis affected 40.6% (95% CI 38.9-42.3). Oral disease patterns varied markedly across countries, independent of participant demographics, comorbidity and health practices. Participants in Spain, Poland, Italy and Hungary had the highest mean adjusted odds of edentulousness (2.31, 1.90, 1.90 and 1.54, respectively), while those in Poland, Hungary, Spain and Argentina had the highest odds of ≥14 decayed, missing or filled teeth (23.2, 12.5, 8.14 and 5.23, respectively). Compared with Argentina, adjusted odds ratios for periodontitis were 58.8, 58.3, 27.7, 12.1 and 6.30 for Portugal, Italy, Hungary, France and Poland, respectively. National levels of tobacco consumption, diabetes and child poverty were associated with edentulousness within countries. Oral disease in adults on hemodialysis is very common, frequently severe and highly variable among countries, with much of the variability unexplained by participant characteristics or healthcare. Given the national variation and high burden of disease, strategies to improve oral health in hemodialysis patients will require implementation at a country level rather than at the level of individuals. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.

Rise in electronic cigarette use among adolescents in Poland.

PubMed

Goniewicz, Maciej L; Gawron, Michal; Nadolska, Justyna; Balwicki, Lukasz; Sobczak, Andrzej

2014-11-01

Despite the potential negative health effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), these devices are increasing in popularity worldwide, especially among youth. We compared data from two cross-sectional studies conducted in Poland among students aged 15-19 years in 2010-2011 and 2013-2014. We tested differences between samples in the prevalence of e-cigarette use, tobacco cigarette smoking, and simultaneous use of both tobacco and e-cigarettes ("dual use") using a multilevel linear mixed model regression. We found that the current use of e-cigarettes among adolescents in Poland was significantly higher in the 2013-2014 sample than the 2010-2011 sample (29.9% vs. 5.5%, respectively; p < .05). Dual use of tobacco and e-cigarettes was also significantly higher (21.8% vs. 3.6%, respectively; p < .05). Interestingly, the prevalence of smoking tobacco cigarettes also increased (from 23.9% in 2010-2011 to 38.0% in 2013-2014; p < .05). Observed parallel increase in e-cigarette use and smoking prevalence does not support the idea that e-cigarettes are displacing tobacco cigarettes in this population. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic of structures in heat and power generating industries with utilization of 3D digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malesa, M.; Kujawińska, M.; Malowany, K.; Siwek, B.

2013-04-01

In the paper we present implementation of 3D DIC method for in-situ diagnostic measurements of expansion bellows in heating chambers. The simultaneous measurements of a supply and a return pipeline were carried out in a heating chamber in Warsaw at the peak of the heating season in cooperation with Dalkia Warszawa. Results of the measurements enabled assessment of the risk of failure of expansion bellows. In-situ measurements were preceded by feasibility tests carried out in the Institute of Heat Engineering of Warsaw University of Technology. Potential implementations and a direction of future works are discussed in conclusions.

Chemical assessment of lead, cadmium, nitrate, and nitrite intakes with daily diets of children and adolescents from orphanages in Krakow, Poland.

PubMed

Pysz, Katarzyna; Leszczyńska, Teresa; Bieżanowska-Kopeć, Renata; Kopeć, Aneta

2016-12-01

The aim of this study has been to measure the level of lead, cadmium, nitrates, and nitrites in the daily diets of children and adolescents from orphanages located in Krakow (Poland). Diets were collected over four seasons of 2009. The content of cadmium and lead was measured with flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. Nitrates and nitrites in diets were measured using the Griess colorimetric method. In all orphanages, the average intake of lead with daily diets, regardless of the season, ranged from 1.11 ± 0.15 to 22.59 ± 0.07 μg/kg bw/week. The average cadmium intake by children and adolescents ranged between 3.09 ± 0.21 and 20.36 ± 2.21 μg/kg bw/week and, for all orphanages, exceeded the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) level. Daily intake of nitrates and nitrites ranged respectively from 27 to 289 % and from 9 to 99 % of the acceptable daily intake (ADI). The youngest children, with lower body mass, were particularly sensitive to the excessive intakes of cadmium and nitrates.

New records of helminth species and their hosts in Poland.

PubMed

Okulewicz, Anna

2011-01-01

Information on species of parasitic helminths native to Poland is provided by the Pasozytnicze helminty Polski. Gatunki. Zywiciele. Białe Plamy. Until the middle of 2007, there were 1205 species of recorded helminths including 126 species of Monogenea, 338 of Trematoda (Digenea), 279 of Cestoda, 427 of Nematoda and 35 of Acanthocephala. They represented 32.9% of the species recorded in Europe (i.e., registered in the Fauna Europaea database). During the following three years up to the middle of 2010, 64 new species of Polish helminths were detected: 7 Monogenea, 15 Trematoda (Digenea), 21 Cestoda, 20 Nematoda and one Acanthocephala. Most hosts of the new helminth species were reported from birds (40 species), but also from fish (13 species) and mammals (10 species). Only one new species of helminth was detected in amphibians.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: New NSVS 14256825 eclipse times (Nasiroglu+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasiroglu, I.; Gozdziewski, K.; Slowikowska, A.; Krzeszowski, K.; Zejmo, M.; Zola, S.; Er, H.; Ogloza, W.; Drozdz, M.; Koziel-Wierzbowska, D.; Debski, B.; Karaman, N.

2018-05-01

In this study, we present 83 new mid-eclipse times of NSVS 14256825 obtained between 2009 August 21 and 2016 November 03 that together with the literature data give 153 eclipses over the time span of 17 years. We combined our new data with the previously published measurements to analyze the orbital period variations of this system. We performed photometric observations of NSVS 14256825 with five different telescopes: the 1.3 m telescope at the Skinakas Observatory (SKO, Creete, Greece), the 0.5 m telescope at the Astronomical Observatory of the Jagiellonian University (KRK, Krakow, Poland), the 0.6 m telescope at the Mt. Suhora Observatory (SUH, Koninki, Poland), the 0.6 m telescope at the Adiyaman University Observatory (ADYU60, Adiyaman, Turkey), and the 1 m telescope at the TUBITAK National Observatory (TUG, Antalya, Turkey). (3 data files).

[Analysis of state costs of the social security benefits provided to the insured presenting with lung cancer and pulmonary diseases caused by external factors].

PubMed

Kuklińska-Janiak, Dorota

2013-12-01

Lung cancer and pneumoconioses constitute two serious problems of contemporary medicine and a public health system. To analyze the costs associated with social security benefits provided to the insured presenting with lung cancer and pulmonary diseases (including pneumoconioses) caused by external factors. The analysis was based on the data obtained from the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Forecasts of the Social Insurance Institution (SlI) in Warsaw. Structural diversity of the costs of the separate benefits available within the national health insurance system has been considered. Based on the data available in Poland costs associated with the incidence of lung cancer and pneumoconiosis were assessed taking into account sex and age of the insured as well as the administrative division of Poland. Additionally, mortality rates from the selected pulmonary diseases were analyzed. Costs of the pensions paid to the insured presenting with lung cancer amount to 81.11% of the total social security costs associated with these diseases, while the sick leave money paid to the insured lung cancer patients equal to 15.5% of the total costs. In the insured women, costs of the pensions paid due to occupational pulmonary diseases (predominantly pneumoconioses) constitute 41.1% and in the insured men--11.5% of the total 'occupational' pensions. Although the maximal incidence of lung cancer occurs in both men and women above their retirement ages the costs of the work incapacity pensions paid to lung cancer patients still exceed 81% of the total social security costs associated with these diseases. In the insured women, the cost of pensions paid due to occupational pulmonary diseases, most of which are pneumoconioses, ranks first among the costs of 'occupational' pensions received by these subjects, while in the insured men the respective cost ranks third (after injuries plus intoxications and cardiovascular diseases) among their 'occupational' pensions. Moreover, the results of the performed analyses indicate that data on the social insurance money allow to comprehensively evaluate the health status of the insured men and women as well as their quality of life and therapeutical, rehabilitational and prophylactic needs. These data can and should, therefore, be utilized in both clinical practice and for accomplishment of the public health tasks.

Exploring the use of Option Grid™ patient decision aids in a sample of clinics in Poland.

PubMed

Scalia, Peter; Elwyn, Glyn; Barr, Paul; Song, Julia; Zisman-Ilani, Yaara; Lesniak, Monika; Mullin, Sarah; Kurek, Krzysztof; Bushell, Matt; Durand, Marie-Anne

2018-05-29

Research on the implementation of patient decision aids to facilitate shared decision making in clinical settings has steadily increased across Western countries. A study which implements decision aids and measures their impact on shared decision making has yet to be conducted in the Eastern part of Europe. To study the use of Option Grid TM patient decision aids in a sample of Grupa LUX MED clinics in Warsaw, Poland, and measure their impact on shared decision making. We conducted a pre-post interventional study. Following a three-month period of usual care, clinicians from three Grupa LUX MED clinics received a one-hour training session on how to use three Option Grid TM decision aids and were provided with copies for use for four months. Throughout the study, all eligible patients were asked to complete the three-item CollaboRATE patient-reported measure of shared decision making after their clinical encounter. CollaboRATE enables patients to assess the efforts clinicians make to: (i) inform them about their health issues; (ii) listen to 'what matters most'; (iii) integrate their treatment preference in future plans. A Hierarchical Logistic Regression model was performed to understand which variables had an effect on CollaboRATE. 2,048 patients participated in the baseline phase; 1,889 patients participated in the intervention phase. Five of the thirteen study clinicians had a statistically significant increase in their CollaboRATE scores (p<.05) when comparing baseline phase to intervention phase. All five clinicians were located at the same clinic, the only clinic where an overall increase (non-significant) in the mean CollaboRATE top score percentage occurred from baseline phase (M=60 %, SD=0.49; 95 % CI [57-63 %]) to intervention phase (M=62 %, SD=0.49; 95% CI [59-65%]). Only three of those five clinicians who had a statistically significant increase had a clinically significant difference. The implementation of Option Grid TM helped some clinicians practice shared decision making as reflected in CollaboRATE scores, but most clinicians did not have a significant increase in their scores. Our study indicates that the effect of these interventions may be dependent on clinic contexts and clinician engagement. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

(90)Sr in King Bolete Boletus edulis and certain other mushrooms consumed in Europe and China.

PubMed

Saniewski, Michał; Zalewska, Tamara; Krasińska, Grażyna; Szylke, Natalia; Wang, Yuanzhong; Falandysz, Jerzy

2016-02-01

The (90)Sr activity concentrations released from a radioactive fallout have been determined in a range of samples of mushrooms collected in Poland, Belarus, China, and Sweden in 1996-2013. Measurement of (90)Sr in pooled samples of mushrooms was carried out with radiochemical procedure aimed to pre-isolate the analyte from the fungal materials before it was determined using the Low-Level Beta Counter. Interestingly, the Purple Bolete Imperator rhodopurpureus collected from Yunnan in south-western China in 2012 showed (90)Sr activity concentration at around 10 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass, which was greater when compared to other mushrooms in this study. The King Bolete Boletus edulis from China showed the (90)Sr activity in caps at around 1.5 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass (whole fruiting bodies) in 2012 and for specimens from Poland activity was well lower than 1.0 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass in 1998-2010. A sample of Sarcodonimbricatus collected in 1998 from the north-eastern region of Poland impacted by Chernobyl fallout showed (90)Sr in caps at around 5 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass. Concentration of (90)Sr in Bay Bolete Royoporus (Xerocomus or Boletus) badius from affected region of Gomel in Belarus was in 2010 at 2.1 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass. In several other species from Poland (90)Sr was at <0.5 to around 1.0 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass. Activity concentrations of (90)Sr in popular B. edulis and some other mushrooms collected from wild in Poland were very low (<1 Bq kg(-1) dry biomass), and values noted showed on persistence of this type of radioactivity in mushrooms over time passing from nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant catastrophe. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of pain, acceptance of illness, adjustment to life with cancer and coping strategies in breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Czerw, Aleksandra; Religioni, Urszula; Deptała, Andrzej

2016-07-01

Breast cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm in women. Over the past 40 years, the number of patients diagnosed with breast cancer quadrupled. Breast cancer is one of the most frequent causes of death in women aged 65 and more in Poland. The purpose of the study was to evaluate coping strategies, pain management, disease acceptance and adjustment to cancer in patients diagnosed with breast cancer and to assess the effect of socioeconomic variables on the above mentioned issues. The study included 193 patients diagnosed with breast cancer during outpatient chemotherapy (classical chemotherapy, hormone therapy, molecularly targeted therapies) at the Center of Oncology, Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute in Warsaw. We applied the Paper and Pencil Interview (PAPI) technique. The questionnaire interview consisted of demographic questions (socioeconomic variables) and the following four psychometric tests: BPCQ (Beliefs about Pain Control Questionnaire), measuring the influence of factors affecting pain management in patients, CSQ (Coping Strategies Questionnaire), designed to evaluate pain coping strategies, AIS (Acceptance of Illness Scale) questionnaire, measuring disease acceptance, and the mini-MAC (Mental Adjustment to Cancer) scale. The results of BPCQ show that breast cancer patients mostly believe that doctors control pain; the mean result for the group was 17.09 and test values were differentiated by education and professional status. The top average score in the pain coping strategies questionnaire was recorded in the positive coping self-statement subscale (mean score = 21.81), whereas the lowest, in the catastrophizing subscale (mean score = 10.60). Here, education and income proved most significant in accounting for the differences recorded. The mean score on the AIS was 28.45, and the key factor differentiating the results was income. As far as the mini-MAC is concerned, we reported the highest score in the fighting spirit subscale (23.43). The average results in the scale were slightly differentiated by socioeconomic variables. Breast cancer patients mostly believe that those who control pain are doctors. Amongst the strategies of coping with pain, the top average score was recorded in the positive coping self-statement subscale. We found out that the level of disease acceptance depends on respondent's income. The higher the income, the greater the acceptance of illness.

[Cervix uteri cancer in Poland--epidemiological opening balance and perspectives].

PubMed

Didkowska, Joanna; Wojciechowska, Urszula; Zatoński, Witold

2006-09-01

Cancer is one of the main causes of death among young and middle-aged females. In case of some cancer sites there is a possibility of undertaking an intervention, which would diminish the risk of death--to this group belongs first of all malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri. The date of beginning first cervix uteri cancer screening in Poland is approaching, therefore presenting epidemiological opening balance and possible scenarios of changes it worthwhile. This work uses data on morbidity and mortality due to malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri cancer in Polish population. Time trends analysis was based on so-called "breakpoint" (joinpoint analysis). Cervix uteri cancer mortality trend is characterized by two breakpoints (1971 and 1993). In the period of 1963-1970 there was an increase of mortality and then after the trend reversed: percentage decline was estimated at the level of 0.8% yearly in 1971-1992 and 2.4% yearly in 1993-2002. Hypothetical scenarios of changes in cervix uteri cancer mortality show, that lack of intervention will cause mortality among Polish females at the level recorded in Finland 25 years ago. Optimistic variant would allow on diminishing mortality in Poland down to the level observed currently in Finland, in around 30 years. Implementing preventive cervix uteri cancer screening is currently the most urgent challenge of public health. If the preventive screening program will still be in the phase of plans and projects, then in 30 years time Poland will be in the point which Finland reached in the end of 1970s, and our civilizing underdevelopment will reach half a century.

Correctable and non-correctable visual impairment among young males: a 12-year prevalence study of the Military Service in Poland.

PubMed

Nowak, Michal S; Gos, Roman; Jurowski, Piotr; Smigielski, Janusz

2009-07-01

To evaluate the prevalence of correctable and non-correctable visual impairment in a representative sample of young males commissioned for Military Service in Poland. Data concerning vision status was retrospectively reviewed in 969 subjects of European Caucasian origin, most of whom live and have lived in Poland. They were selected from the original database comprising 105017 subjects examined in the period 1993-2004. Based on the age of subjects they were divided into two groups; group I aged 18-24 and group II aged 25-34 years. Visual impairment was defined as distance visual acuity of <20/40 in one or both eyes. Non-correctable impairment was defined as that which was not eliminated by refractive correction. A total of 1938 eyes of 969 white males were examined. There was statistically significant association between rates of visual impairment and increasing age (p < 0.001). Visual impairment was found in 128 (13.2%) subjects in at least one eye. Non-correctable visual impairment was found in 12 (1.2%) subjects. Amblyopia was the main cause, accounting for eight cases (66.67%). Correctable visual impairment was found in the remaining 116 (12.0%) patients. Among them myopia was the most common refractive error and accounted for 75.8%. Differences between age-specific rates of refractive errors were statistically significant (p = 0.003). Appropriate refractive correction improves visual acuity in most subjects presenting with visual impairment. There was a relatively low prevalence of non-correctable visual impairment in a population of young adults in Poland, and this was mainly due to amblyopia.

Validation of floral food resources for pollinators in agricultural landscape in SE Poland.

PubMed

Jachuła, Jacek; Denisow, Bożena; Wrzesień, Małgorzata

2018-05-01

Proper management of bee pastures is considered an important activity for diversity of pollinators and conservation of the population size. In the present study, the floral composition and diversity, flowering spectrum and availability of food resources in natural and man-made habitats in four rural municipalities in Lublin Upland, SE Poland were evaluated. The connection between pollinator-friendly biotopes was also determined and some suggestions are made on creation/supplementation of bee pastures adapted to the arable land structure in eastern Poland (mean acreage 7.65 ha). Forage species richness (S) differed among vegetation types: the highest S value was found in field margins, while mixed forests represented the lowest species richness (mean ± standard deviation = 37.8 ± 9.5 vs 16.5 ± 2.3). In all habitats, the most abundant flowering was recorded in May. Then the blooming abundance decreased until a complete decline at the end of summer. The mean distance between pollinator-friendly biotopes is 2.4 ± 1.53 km, which is out of the flying range/foraging distance of most pollinators. Shortages of nectar and pollen resources in the agricultural landscape of SE Poland are evident. Therefore it is assumed that the landscape structure requires support in terms of food niches for pollinators and creation/supplementation of bee pastures is necessary, e.g. six to nine patches of 0.025-0.3 ha each within an area of 100 ha. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Evaluation of the implementation of the Meeting Centres Support Program in Italy, Poland, and the UK; exploration of the effects on people with dementia.

PubMed

Brooker, Dawn; Evans, Simon; Evans, Shirley; Bray, Jennifer; Saibene, Francesca Lea; Scorolli, Claudia; Szcześniak, Dorota; d'Arma, Alessia; Urbańska, Katarzyna M; Atkinson, Teresa; Farina, Elisabetta; Rymaszewska, Joanna; Chattat, Rabih; Henderson, Catherine; Rehill, Amritpal; Hendriks, Iris; Meiland, Franka; Dröes, Rose-Marie

2018-07-01

MEETINGDEM investigated whether the Dutch Meeting Centres Support Programme (MCSP) could be implemented in Italy, Poland, and the UK with comparable benefits. This paper reports on the impact on people living with dementia attending pilot Meeting Centres in the 3 countries. Nine pilot Meeting Centres (MCs) participated (Italy-5, Poland-2, UK-2). Effectiveness of MCSP was compared with Usual Care (UC) on outcomes measuring behavioural and psychological symptoms (NPI), depression (CSDD), and quality of life (DQoL, QOL-AD), analysed by ANCOVAs in a 6-month pre-test/post-test controlled trial. Pre/post data were collected for 85 people with dementia and 93 carers (MCSP) and 74 people with dementia /carer dyads' receiving UC. MCSP showed significant positive effects for DQoL [Self-esteem (F = 4.8, P = 0.03); Positive Affect (F = 14.93, P < 0.00); Feelings of Belonging (F = 7.77, P = 0.01)] with medium and large effect sizes. Higher attendance levels correlated with greater neuropsychiatric symptom reduction (rho = 0.24, P = 0.03) and a greater increase in feelings of support (rho = 0.36, P = 0.001). MCSPs showed significant wellbeing and health benefits compared with UC, building on the evidence of effectiveness from the Netherlands. In addition to the previously reported successful implementation of MCSP in Italy, Poland, and the UK, these findings suggest that further international dissemination of MCSP is recommended. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dosimetry in radiobiological studies with the heavy ion beam of the Warsaw cyclotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaźmierczak, U.; Banaś, D.; Braziewicz, J.; Czub, J.; Jaskóła, M.; Korman, A.; Kruszewski, M.; Lankoff, A.; Lisowska, H.; Malinowska, A.; Stępkowski, T.; Szefliński, Z.; Wojewódzka, M.

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to verify various dosimetry methods in the irradiation of biological materials with a 12C ion beam at the Heavy Ion Laboratory of the University of Warsaw. To this end the number of ions hitting the cell nucleus, calculated on the basis of the Si-detector system used in the set-up, was compared with the number of ion tracks counted in irradiated Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors and with the number of ion tracks detected in irradiated Chinese Hamster Ovary cells processed for the γ-H2AX assay. Tests results were self-consistent and confirmed that the system serves its dosimetric purpose.

Application of instrumental neutron activation and X-ray fluorescence analysis to the examination of objects of art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panczyk, E.; Ligeza, M.; Walis, L.

1999-01-01

In the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology in Warsaw in collaboration with the Department of Preservation and Restoration of Works of Art of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow and National Museum in Warsaw systematic studies using nuclear methods, particulary instrumental neutron activation analysis and X-ray fluorescence analysis, have been carried out on the panel paintings from the Krakowska- Nowosadecka School and Silesian School of the period from the XIV-XVII century, Chinese and Thai porcelains and mummies fillings of Egyptian sarcophagi. These studies will provide new data to the existing data base, will permit to compare materials used by various schools and individual artists.

A novel sterane, 27-nor-24-methyl-5α-cholestane, in sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schouten, Stefan; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Schoell, Martin; de Leeuw, Jan W.

1994-09-01

A novel sterane, 27-nor-24-methyl-5α-cholestane, has been identified in sedimentary hydrocarbon mixtures by coinjection with an authentic standard. The C27 sterane occurs in silica-rich sediments from the Monterey Formation, USA, the Onnagawa Formation, Japan, and the Menilite Shale, Poland, and in bituminous marls from the Vena del Gesso basin, Italy. The compound seems to be biosynthetically related to 24-norcholestanes which co-occurs in sometimes relatively high amounts. The 13C-content of the sterane in the Monterey Formation indicates an algal source similar to other steranes present in this sediment. A diatom or a dinoflagellate source is suggested for this compound.

Being Polish Scientists and Women--between Glorious Past and Difficult Present: The "Reverse Dynamic of Equality Construction"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Izabela; Finkielsztein, Mariusz; Czarnacka, Agata

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the dynamics that animate the situation of women inside academia and the social world of science. Based on a long-term ethnographic study we chose specific cases (scientists educated in Poland) to illustrate the complexity of the career-making process in the 21st century. In this country, in a social and professional…

Infections and mixed infections with the selected species of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in eastern Poland: a significant increase in the course of 5 years.

PubMed

Wójcik-Fatla, Angelina; Zając, Violetta; Sawczyn, Anna; Sroka, Jacek; Cisak, Ewa; Dutkiewicz, Jacek

2016-02-01

In the years 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, 1620 and 1500 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks, respectively, were examined on the territory of the Lublin province (eastern Poland). The presence of three pathogenic species causing Lyme disease was investigated: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii and B. garinii. The proportion of I. ricinus ticks infected with B. burgdorferi sensu lato showed a highly significant increase between 2008-2009 and 2013-2014, from 6.0 to 15.3%. A significant increase was noted with regard to all types of infections with individual species: single (4.7-7.8%), dual (1.2-6.6%), and triple (0.1-0.9%). When expressed as the percent of all infections, the frequency of mixed infections increased from 21.4 to 49.2%. Statistical analysis performed with two methods (by calculating of odds ratios and by Fisher's exact test) showed that the frequencies of mixed infections in most cases proved to be significantly greater than expected. The strongest associations were found between B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. afzelii, and between B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. garinii. They appeared to be highly significant (P < 0.0001) when assessed by two methods for 2013-2014, and for the sum of findings for both time periods. The proportions of the individual species detected in the mixed infections in 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 revealed highly significant increases for B. burgdorferi s. s. and B. garinii (from 33.9 to 71.1% and from 18.2 to 82.9%, respectively), and an insignificant decrease for B. afzelii (from 51.4 to 41.6%). The proportions of the species B. burgdorferi s. s., B. afzelii and B. garinii (with combined single and mixed infections) for 2008-2009 and 2013-2014 were: 51.2/44.0 %, 30.6/24.9% and 18.2/31.1%, respectively. In conclusion, our results seem to indicate the detrimental trend of the increasing infection rate of I. ricinus ticks with B. burgdorferi s. l. in eastern Poland, and dramatic enhancement of mixed infections with individual species, which may result in mixed infections of humans and exacerbation of the clinical course of Lyme disease cases on the studied area.

Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stręk, Wiesław; Zych, Eugeniusz; Hreniak, Dariusz

2017-12-01

We are pleased and proud to present this Special Issue of the Optical Materials with papers presented at the Sixth Excited States of Transition Elements Conference - ESTE2016 organized by Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research Polish Academy of Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry University of Wrocław, and Intech Transfer Technology Centre. The conference was held under the honorary auspices of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of Republic of Poland, dr. Jarosław Gowin. The event had also patronage of Polish Academy of Sciences and Patent Office of Republic of Poland. ESTE2016 was held in Hotel Polanica Resort & Spa in Polanica - Zdrój, Poland in August 21-26, 2016. About 130 scientists from Europe, Asia and both Americas participated in the conference. As usually, in ESTE both experienced, world-wide recognized scientists and young researchers presented their new groundbreaking research achievements which were discussed during the lectures, poster sessions and evening informal discussions. A part of the ESTE2016 conference was devoted to presentations of the participants of LUMINET project - European Network on Luminescent Materials supported by Marie Curie Actions - Initial Training Networks. The scientific level of these presentations proved that through a rigorous, well-executed trainings, and a multidisciplinary research programme, LUMINET strategically positioned the EU with respect to new and improved possibilities and young scientists educated for that purpose.

Intergenerational changes in birth parameters in Kraków (Poland) in the context of socio-economic transformation from 1985-2010.

PubMed

Kryst, Lukasz

2014-01-01

Analyses of birth parameters worldwide reveal relatively high variability over time, often related to socioeconomic factors. The aim was to determine the existence of inter-generational changes in birth parameters in Kraków (Poland) in recent years and factors responsible. This research analysed data on 7800 newborns (e.g. body length and weight) and their parents in the years 1985-2010. The significance of differences was calculated using ANOVA. To examine the potential effect of environmental factors, MANOVA were used. In the case of birth weight no significant changes were observed. A significant decreasing tendency in birth length from the beginning of the 21st century was shown - this observation is quite rare. Accordingly, BMI increased significantly in the 2000s. A decreasing tendency was observed for head circumference. In the analysed period Poland experienced significant socio-economic changes, which could have partly contributed to the observed changes. Some of the observed trends in birth parameters are recent phenomena and it seems necessary to continue the research to confirm if these changes form a steady trend or are only temporary. Tracking any phenomena related to the development is important for the determination of disruptive factors and the reduction of their adverse effects.

Automatic Trading Agent. RMT Based Portfolio Theory and Portfolio Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snarska, M.; Krzych, J.

2006-11-01

Portfolio theory is a very powerful tool in the modern investment theory. It is helpful in estimating risk of an investor's portfolio, arosen from lack of information, uncertainty and incomplete knowledge of reality, which forbids a perfect prediction of future price changes. Despite of many advantages this tool is not known and not widely used among investors on Warsaw Stock Exchange. The main reason for abandoning this method is a high level of complexity and immense calculations. The aim of this paper is to introduce an automatic decision-making system, which allows a single investor to use complex methods of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The key tool in MPT is an analysis of an empirical covariance matrix. This matrix, obtained from historical data, biased by such a high amount of statistical uncertainty, that it can be seen as random. By bringing into practice the ideas of Random Matrix Theory (RMT), the noise is removed or significantly reduced, so the future risk and return are better estimated and controlled. These concepts are applied to the Warsaw Stock Exchange Simulator {http://gra.onet.pl}. The result of the simulation is 18% level of gains in comparison with respective 10% loss of the Warsaw Stock Exchange main index WIG.

Do David and Goliath Play the Same Game? Explanation of the Abundance of Rare and Frequent Invasive Alien Plants in Urban Woodlands in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Obidziński, Artur; Mędrzycki, Piotr; Kołaczkowska, Ewa; Ciurzycki, Wojciech; Marciszewska, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Invasive Alien Plants occur in numbers differing by orders of magnitude at subsequent invasion stages. Effective sampling and quantifying niches of rare invasive plants are quite problematic. The aim of this paper is an estimation of the influence of invasive plants frequency on the explanation of their local abundance. We attempted to achieve it through: (1) assessment of occurrence of self-regenerating invasive plants in urban woodlands, (2) comparison of Random Forest modelling results for frequent and rare species. We hypothesized that the abundance of frequent species would be explained better than that of rare ones and that both rare and frequent species share a common hierarchy of the most important determinants. We found 15 taxa in almost two thirds of 1040 plots with a total number of 1068 occurrences. There were recorded 6 taxa of high frequency-Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Acer negundo, Robinia pseudoacacia, Impatiens parviflora and Solidago spp.-and 9 taxa of low frequency: Acer saccharinum, Amelanchier spicata, Cornus spp., Fraxinus spp., Parthenocissus spp., Syringa vulgaris, Echinocystis lobata, Helianthus tuberosus, Reynoutria spp. Random Forest's models' quality grows with the number of occurrences of frequent taxa but not of the rare ones. Both frequent and rare taxa share a similar hierarchy of predictors' importance: Land use > Tree stand > Seed source and, for frequent taxa, Forest properties as well. We conclude that there is an 'explanation jump' at higher species frequencies, but rare species are surprisingly similar to frequent ones in their determinant's hierarchy, with differences conforming with their respective stages of invasion.

Prostate Cancer in Deceased Liver Donors.

PubMed

Skalski, M; Gierej, B; Ziarkiewicz-Wróblewska, B; Hołówko, W; Krawczyk, M

2016-06-01

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignant tumor (13%) among male subjects in Poland. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of prostate cancer in a group of deceased liver donors. A total of 784 liver procurement attempts from deceased donors were performed in the Department of General, Transplant and Liver Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, from January 1, 2012, to April 1, 2015; 700 grafts were actually used in a liver transplant. A retrospective analysis was performed based on these data. Among male donors (n = 486 [62%]), there were 30 (6.2%) cases of a frozen biopsy of the prostate performed before making the decision regarding liver graft utilization. In the group of 30 donors who underwent prostate examination, 3 (10%) were diagnosed as having prostate cancer of a moderate invasive stage. In 2 other cases, fresh frozen section suggested prostate cancer; however, this fact was not confirmed in routine section. liver transplantation was not performed in these cases of suspicion of prostate cancer (5 of 30 [17%]) in the frozen biopsy specimens. The difference between groups of donors with prostate cancer and benign pathology of the prostate gland according to prostate-specific antigen serum concentration (P = .578) or age (P = .730) was not statistically significant. Increased prostate-specific antigen serum concentrations without a diagnosis of prostate cancer in histopathologic examinations should not be an independent contraindication for performing organ transplantation. Nevertheless, for recipient safety, even when prostate cancer is only suspected in the frozen biopsy sample, the procured organ should not be used for transplantation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Hospitality Venues in Europe

PubMed Central

Lopez, Maria J.; Nebot, Manel; Albertini, Marco; Birkui, Pierre; Centrich, Francesc; Chudzikova, Monika; Georgouli, Maria; Gorini, Giuseppe; Moshammer, Hanns; Mulcahy, Maurice; Pilali, Maria; Serrahima, Eulalia; Tutka, Piotr; Fernandez, Esteve

2008-01-01

Background Although in the last few years some European countries have implemented smoking bans in hospitality venues, the levels of secondhand smoke (SHS) in this occupational sector could still be extremely high in most countries. Objective The aim of this study was to assess exposure to SHS in hospitality venues in 10 European cities. Methods We included 167 hospitality venues (58 discotheques and pubs, 82 restaurants and cafeterias, and 27 fast-food restaurants) in this cross-sectional study. We carried out fieldwork in 10 European cities: Vienna (Austria), Paris (France), Athens (Greece), Florence and Belluno (Italy), Galway (Ireland), Barcelona (Spain), Warsaw and Lublin (Poland), and Bratislava (Slovak Republic). We measured vapor-phase nicotine as an SHS marker. Results We analyzed 504 samples and found nicotine in most samples (97.4%). We found the highest median concentrations in discos/pubs [32.99 μg/m3; interquartile range (IQR), 8.06–66.84 μg/m3] and lower median concentrations in restaurants/cafeterias (2.09 μg/m3; IQR, 0.49–6.73 μg/m3) and fast-food restaurants (0.31 μg/m3; IQR, 0.11–1.30 μg/m3) (p < 0.05). We found differences of exposure between countries that may be related to their smoking regulations. Where we sampled smoking and nonsmoking areas, nicotine concentrations were significantly lower in nonsmoking areas. Conclusions Hospitality venues from European cities without smoking regulations have very high levels of SHS exposure. Monitoring of SHS on a regular basis as well as a total smoking ban in hospitality sector would be needed. PMID:19057698

DR AVRAM JOZEF VINAVER (1862-1915) - PIONEER OF RADIOLOGY IN SERBIA.

PubMed

Babić, Rade Radomir; Stanković Babić, Gordana

2015-01-01

Dr Abraham Joseph Vinaver (1862-1915), a Jew from Poland, was a pioneer of radiology in Serbia. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in Warsaw (1887), but lived and worked in abac (the Kingdom of Serbia) since 1890. Dr Abraham Joseph Vinarev - Career Development. He procured the first X-ray machine and developed radiological service in Sabac five years after the discovery of X-rays. These were the beginnings of radiology in Serbia. He introduced the application of artesian wells. Dr Abraham Joseph Vinarev - a Participant at the First Congress of Serbian Physicians and Naturalists, Belgrade 1904. "The diagnostic importance of X-rays in lung disease, especially in initial tuberculosis" and "Five Years of Treatment by X-Ray Machines" were the first works in the field of radiology in Serbia by this author. Dr Abraham Joseph Vinaver - Reserve Medical Officer in the Serbian Army. During the Balkan Wars, he was a volunteer with the rank of major engaged in military corps and he participated in the First World War as well. He died of malaria in 1915 in Gevgelija. "Dr Avram Vinaver"- Stanislav Vinarev. His dedication to work during the typhus epidemics was put into verses of a poem by his son Stanislav Vinarev. Dr Avram Vinaver Joseph was a noble man with a great heart, who selflessly sacrificed himself for the Serbian people and Serbia. He gave his contribution to the development of health services in Serbia, both in peacetime and wartime conditions. Dr Abraham Joseph Vinaver laid the foundations for today's radiology in Serbia.

Tibiofemoral contact stress and stress distribution evaluation of total knee arthroplasties.

PubMed

Szivek, J A; Cutignola, L; Volz, R G

1995-08-01

The Fuji film (Itochu, Los Angeles, CA) area analysis technique demonstrates that a more accurate assessment of tibiofemoral contact stresses is possible when the film is used at 37 degrees C and at the upper end of its sensitivity range (in this case, a 2,000-N load). An AMK with a regular and Hylamer-M insert (DePuy, Warsaw, IN), an MG II (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN), an Omnifit (Osteonics, Allendale, NJ), an Ortholoc III (Dow Corning Wright, Midland, MI), a PCA II (Howmedica, Rutherford, NJ), and a PFC (Johnson & Johnson Orthopaedics, Raynham, MA) had average contact stresses that varied only 12% at 60 degrees flexion. At 0 degrees, 15 degrees and 60 degrees flexion, stresses ranged from 13 to 25 MPa. Contact area distribution ratios, which were smaller at 37 degrees C than at 24 degrees C, provide a quantitative means of grouping implants according to the shape of the tibiofemoral contact area. The Omnifit, MG II, PCA II, and PFC had small ratios (symmetric areas). The AMK and Ortholoc III had large ratios (asymmetric contact areas). If the impression is reflective of wear, it would be expected to be focal in knees with small ratios and contact areas, and uniform in knees with large ratios and contact areas, whereas large ratios and small areas would imply a linear wear pattern. Calibrated electrical resistance contact stress measurements indicated that the Fuji film measurements underestimated the magnitude of contact stresses. They also provided a means of quantifying the rate of area increase during initial loading of the knees, with the highest area increase noted for the knee with the roughest insert (Ortholoc III) and the lowest area increase for the knee with the smoothest insert (PCA II).

Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion in Warsaw Alcohol High-Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Alcohol Low-Preferring (WLP) rats.

PubMed

Dyr, Wanda; Wyszogrodzka, Edyta; Paterak, Justyna; Siwińska-Ziółkowska, Agnieszka; Małkowska, Anna; Polak, Piotr

2016-03-01

The aversive action of the pharmacological properties of ethanol was studied in selectively bred Warsaw Alcohol High-Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Alcohol Low-Preferring (WLP) rats. For this study, a conditioned-taste aversion test was used. Male WHP and WLP rats were submitted to daily 20-min sessions for 5 days, in which a saccharin solution (1.0 g/L) was available (pre-conditioning phase). Next, this drinking was paired with the injection of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1.0 g/kg), intraperitoneally [i.p.] immediately after removal of the saccharin bottle (conditioning phase). Afterward, the choice between the saccharin solution and water was extended for 18 subsequent days for 20-min daily sessions (post-conditioning phase). Both doses of ethanol did not produce an aversion to saccharin in WLP and WHP rats in the conditioning phase. However, injection of the 1.0 g/kg dose of ethanol produced an aversion in WLP rats that was detected by a decrease in saccharin intake at days 1, 3, 7, and 10 of the post-conditioning phase, with a decrease in saccharin preference for 16 days of the post-conditioning phase. Conditioned taste aversion, measured as a decrease in saccharin intake and saccharin preference, was only visible in WHP rats at day 1 and day 3 of the post-conditioning phase. This difference between WLP and WHP rats was apparent despite similar blood ethanol levels in both rat lines following injection of 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg of ethanol. These results may suggest differing levels of aversion to the post-ingestional effects of ethanol between WLP and WHP rats. These differing levels of aversion may contribute to the selected line difference in ethanol preference in WHP and WLP rats. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

15. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTACORLISS CROSSCOMPOUND ENGINE, FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTA-CORLISS CROSS-COMPOUND ENGINE, FOR 40" BLOOMING MILL. THIS VIEW IS TAKEN FROM THE HIGH-PRESSURE SIDE OF THE ENGINE SHOWING THE HOUSING EXTENSION; TO THE RIGHT, IN THE BACKGROUND, IS THE 24' CAST-IRON FLYWHEEL. - Republic Iron & Steel Company, Youngstown Works, Blooming Mill & Blooming Mill Engines, North of Poland Avenue, Youngstown, Mahoning County, OH

Monthly and seasonally verification of precipitation in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, K.; Linkowska, J.

2009-04-01

The national meteorological service of Poland - the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMWM) joined COSMO - The Consortium for Small Scale Modelling on July 2004. In Poland, the COSMO _PL model version 3.5 had run till June 2007. Since July 2007, the model version 4.0 has been running. The model runs in an operational mode at 14-km grid spacing, twice a day (00 UTC, 12 UTC). For scientific research also model with 7-km grid spacing is ran. Monthly and seasonally verification for the 24-hours (06 UTC - 06 UTC) accumulated precipitation is presented in this paper. The precipitation field of COSMO_LM had been verified against rain gauges network (308 points). The verification had been made for every month and all seasons from December 2007 to December 2008. The verification was made for three forecast days for selected thresholds: 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 mm. Following indices from contingency table were calculated: FBI (bias), POD (probability of detection), PON (probability of detection of non event), FAR (False alarm rate), TSS (True sill statistic), HSS (Heidke skill score), ETS (Equitable skill score). Also percentile ranks and ROC-relative operating characteristic are presented. The ROC is a graph of the hit rate (Y-axis) against false alarm rate (X-axis) for different decision thresholds

Monthly and seasonally verification of precipitation in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starosta, K.; Linkowska, J.

2009-04-01

The national meteorological service of Poland - the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMWM) joined COSMO - The Consortium for Small Scale Modelling on July 2004. In Poland, the COSMO _PL model version 3.5 had run till June 2007. Since July 2007, the model version 4.0 has been running. The model runs in an operational mode at 14-km grid spacing, twice a day (00 UTC, 12 UTC). For scientific research also model with 7-km grid spacing is ran. Monthly and seasonally verification for the 24-hours (06 UTC - 06 UTC) accumulated precipitation is presented in this paper. The precipitation field of COSMO_LM had been verified against rain gauges network (308 points). The verification had been made for every month and all seasons from December 2007 to December 2008. The verification was made for three forecast days for selected thresholds: 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30 mm. Following indices from contingency table were calculated: FBI (bias), POD (probability of detection), PON (probability of detection of non event), FAR (False alarm rate), TSS (True sill statistic), HSS (Heidke skill score), ETS (Equitable skill score). Also percentile ranks and ROC-relative operating characteristic are presented. The ROC is a graph of the hit rate (Y-axis) against false alarm rate (X-axis) for different decision thresholds.

Droughts and floods monitoring in Poland with SMOS, SEVIRI and model data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotarba, A. Z.; Stankiewicz, K.; Słomiński, J.; Słomińska, E.; Marczewski, W.

2012-04-01

Droughts and floods represent the extreme cases of hydrological regime. Both significantly influence ecological processes in the environment as well as socio-economic situation of human activity. Measurements of soil moisture and rainfall is being recognized as fundamental for droughts and floods monitoring. We used Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) L2 soil moisture data and Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) rain rate approximation to evaluate the intensity and extend of droughts/floods events in Poland in 2010 and 2011. SEVIRI Multi-Sensor Precipitation Estimate rain rates were used for calculation of monthly rain accumulation (24 SEVIRI L2 datasets per day), then projected to match SMOS spatial reference. Based on SEVIRI data, monthly sum of precipitation was estimated for each SMOS DGG cell within area of interest (the ROI covers Poland and the closest neighborhood). At the DGG level, SMOS SM and SEVIRI precipitation data were compared for each month since May 2010. Nearly two year series provided a background for droughts and floods events. Final L3 products of SMOS SM and SEVIRI precipitation were compared with operational, traditionally-developed drought risk maps, in order to evaluate the degree of agreement between remotely sensed products and models calculated with surface-based measurements only.

Urinary tract infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa among children in Southern Poland: Virulence factors and antibiotic resistance.

PubMed

Pobiega, M; Maciag, J; Pomorska-Wesolowska, M; Chmielarczyk, A; Romaniszyn, D; Ziolkowski, G; Heczko, P B; Wojkowska-Mach, J; Bulanda, M

2016-02-01

The aim of this study was to analyze antibiotic resistance and virulence patterns in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAR) isolates from urinary tract infections among children in Southern Poland. This study comprised consecutive, non-repetitive PAR isolates sent from two collaborative laboratories. The study group consisted of children aged up to 17 years from Southern Poland with culture-proven PAR UTIs. Relevant information about patients with UTIs, such as age, sex, and type of infection (polymicrobial or monomicrobial), was collected. Isolates were screened for major virulence factors found in uropathogenic PAR strains. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains were defined as strains not susceptible to one antimicrobial in at least three different antimicrobial classes. Extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains were defined as strains susceptible to no more than two antimicrobial classes. The total prevalence of PAR UTIs was 2.1%, and in children <5 years of age it was 3.0%. A total of 26 isolates was tested: 21 from outpatients and five from inpatients. Most infections (80.8%) occurred in children ≤ 4 years of age. The most prevalent virulence gene was exoY (96.2%). The prevalence of other effector proteins was 88.5% for exoT, 92.3% for exoS, and 19.2% for exoU. The gene for LasB was present in 80.8% of isolates; the gene for AprA in 61.5%; the gene for PilA in 19.2%; and the gene for PilB was not detected. The PAR isolates were generally susceptible to beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antimicrobials. All isolates were also susceptible to colistin. A large proportion of isolates were resistant to carbapenems and fluoroquinolones (Fig. 1). No significant differences were found in antimicrobial resistance between males and females or inpatients and outpatients (p > 0.05 for all tested antimicrobials), or in antimicrobial resistance between younger (≤ 5 years old, n = 21) and older (> 5 years old, n = 5) children (p > 0.05 for all tested antimicrobials). Two isolates were classified as XDR and none as MDR. The EDTA test yielded one MBL-positive isolate (3.8%), from a 17-year-old patient in home care. No isolates with genes for the KPC, IMP, or VIM were identified. As data on UTIs in children with Pseudomonas etiology are scarce, this paper provides useful information for clinicians and allows for comparison between Poland and other countries. Our findings have important implications for clinicians treating UTIs empirically, because the success of empiric treatment is based on knowledge of pathogen antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Copyright © 2015 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic geochemistry and petrology of oil source rocks, Carpathian Overthrust region, southeastern Poland - Implications for petroleum generation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kruge, M.A.; Mastalerz, Maria; Solecki, A.; Stankiewicz, B.A.

1996-01-01

The organic mailer rich Oligocene Menilite black shales and mudstones are widely distributed in the Carpathian Overthrust region of southeastern Poland and have excellent hydrocarbon generation potential, according to TOC, Rock-Eval, and petrographic data. Extractable organic matter was characterized by an equable distribution of steranes by carbon number, by varying amounts of 28,30-dinor-hopane, 18??(H)-oleanane and by a distinctive group of C24 ring-A degraded triterpanes. The Menilite samples ranged in maturity from pre-generative to mid-oil window levels, with the most mature in the southeastern portion of the study area. Carpathian petroleum samples from Campanian Oligocene sandstone reservoirs were similar in biomarker composition to the Menilite rock extracts. Similarities in aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon distributions between petroleum asphaltene and source rock pyrolyzates provided further evidence genetically linking Menilite kerogens with Carpathian oils.

The first case of a major avian type C botulism outbreak in Poland.

PubMed

Wlodarczyk, Radoslaw; Minias, Piotr; Kukier, Elibieta; Grenda, Tomasz; Smietanka, Krzysztof; Janiszewski, Tomasz

2014-09-01

Major outbreaks of avian type C botulism have been rarely reported from Central Europe. In this paper, we report the first severe outbreak of avian type C botulism in Poland. In 2011-12, two epizootics caused by Clostridium botulinum took place at Jeziorsko dam reservoir and affected an estimated number of 5500 birds in 2011 and 1600 birds in 2012. In total, 24 species ofwaterbirds were affected, including mainly waterfowl (37.0%), shorebirds (27.0%), rallids (25.7%), and larids (9.1%). Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and coots (Fulica atra) were most commonly represented among all affected species (27.5% and 25.0% of all recorded carcasses, respectively). Laboratory analyses confirmed the presence of type C botulinum toxin in the internal organs of paralyzed birds. This case study from the Jeziorsko dam reservoir demonstrates that this type of shallow-water habitat is especially prone to avian botulism outbreaks in the climatic conditions of Central Europe.

Vitrinite equivalent reflectance of Silurian black shales from the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smolarek, Justyna; Marynowski, Leszek; Spunda, Karol; Trela, Wiesław

2014-12-01

A number of independent methods have been used to measure the thermal maturity of Silurian rocks from the Holy Cross Mountains in Poland. Black shales are characterized by diverse TOC values varying from 0.24-7.85%. Having calculated vitrinite equivalent reflectance using three different formulas, we propose that the most applicable values for the Silurian rocks are those based on Schmidt et al. (2015) equation. Based on this formula, the values range from % 0.71 VReqvVLR (the vitrinite equivalent reflectance of the vitrinite-like macerals) to % 1.96 VReqvVLR. Alternative, complementary methods including Rock Eval pyrolysis and parameters based on organic compounds (CPI, Pr/n-C17, Ph/n-C18, MPI1, and MDR) from extracts did not prove adequate as universal thermal maturity indicators. We have confirmed previous suggestions that Llandovery shales are the most likely Silurian source rocks for the generation of hydrocarbons in the HCM.

Assessment of the footprint and carrying capacity of oil and gas well sites: the implications for limiting hydrocarbon resources.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clancy, Sarah; Worrall, Fred; Davies, Richard; Gluyas, Jon

2017-04-01

The rapid growth of shale gas developments within the United States and the possibility of developments within Europe have raised concerns about the impact and potential environmental cost. In this study we estimated the likely physical footprint of well pads if shale gas or oil developments were to go forward in Europe and used these estimates to understand the impact upon existing infrastructure; the carrying capacity of the environment and how this may limit the proportion of resources that are accessible estimates. Conventional well pads in UK, The Netherlands and Poland were examined. For the existing UK conventional well pads the current minimum setback from a building for a currently producing well was measured. To assess the carrying capacity of the land surface, well pads, of the average well pad footprint, with recommended setbacks, were randomly placed into the licensed blocks covering the Bowland Shale, UK, and the extent to which they would interact or disrupt existing infrastructure assessed. The average conventional well site footprints were: 10800 m2 (1.08 ha) in the UK; 44600 m2 (4.46 ha) in The Netherlands; and 3000 m2 (0.30 ha) in Poland. The average area per well was: 541 m^2/well (0.05 ha/well) for the UK; 2870 m^2/well (0.29 ha/well) for Poland; and 6370 m^2/well (0.64 ha/well) for The Netherlands. Average access road lengths were: 230 m in the UK; 250 m in Poland; and 310 m in The Netherlands. The minimum setback from a building for a currently producing well was 21 m and 46 m from a house, though the mean setback was 329 and 447 m, respectively. When the surface and sub-surface footprints were considered our approach found that the carrying capacity of the sites and the restrictions from infrastructure over the currently licensed blocks covering the Bowland Shale (UK) was between 5 and 42%, with a mean of 26%. Using Cuadrilla's predicted recoverable reserves estimate of 8.5 x 10^11 m3 for the Bowland Basin, the carrying capacity of the surface and the likely maximum accessible gas reserves would be limited by the surface carrying capacity to 2.21 x 10^11 m^3.

Design of the central region in the Warsaw K-160 cyclotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toprek, Dragan; Sura, Josef; Choinski, Jaroslav; Czosnyka, Tomas

2001-08-01

This paper describes the design of the central region for h=2 and 3 modes of acceleration in the Warsaw K-160 cyclotron. The central region is unique and compatible with the two above-mentioned harmonic modes of operation. Only one spiral type inflector will be used. The electric field distribution in the inflector and in the four acceleration gaps has been numerically calculated from an electric potential map produced by the program RELAX3D. The geometry of the central region has been tested with the computations of orbits carried out by means of the computer code CYCLONE. The optical properties of the spiral inflector and the central region were studied by using the programs CASINO and CYCLONE, respectively.

NATO-Warsaw Pact. Force Mobilization

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

DVatxbuftln Unlimited I A R- P-4 90 11 20 0354 NATO-WARSAW PACT FORCE MOBILIZATION Aeo~lu orDTIC "Is WWI LECTEN0V2 119901 L , S~E 1 Distrib~ut i on ...2 G; 06 s1 rJ N%0’ t- N C- W 00 m C7 0 z r4 Mi .0 u ON ~ cm rt ~o rv-n- 0, 0r 2N le 00~% m 0 o Z z ’-0 Z UJ U 2 z< RD R2 6’z z D u 34 SIMON NATO (6.09...debate.’" Some Soviet works completely ignore the issue. Sukhomlinov’s proposal fell victim to rapidly unfolding events and pressure from France on

Observed changes in extreme precipitation in Poland: 1991-2015 versus 1961-1990

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pińskwar, Iwona; Choryński, Adam; Graczyk, Dariusz; Kundzewicz, Zbigniew W.

2018-01-01

Several episodes of extreme precipitation excess and extreme precipitation deficit, with considerable economic and social impacts, have occurred in Europe and in Poland in the last decades. However, the changes of related indices exhibit complex variability. This paper analyses changes in indices related to observed abundance and deficit of precipitated water in Poland. Among studied indices are maximum seasonal 24-h precipitation for the winter half-year (Oct.-March) and the summer half-year (Apr.-Sept.), maximum 5-day precipitation, maximum monthly precipitation and number of days with intense or very intense precipitation (respectively, in excess of 10 mm or 20 mm per day). Also, the warm-seasonal maximum number of consecutive dry days (longest period with daily precipitation below 1 mm) was examined. Analysis of precipitation extremes showed that daily maximum precipitation for the summer half-year increased for many stations, and increases during the summer half-year are more numerous than those in the winter half-year. Also, analysis of 5-day and monthly precipitation sums show increases for many stations. Number of days with intense precipitation increases especially in the north-western part of Poland. The number of consecutive dry days is getting higher for many stations in the summer half-year. Comparison of these two periods: colder 1961-1990 and warmer 1991-2015, revealed that during last 25 years most of statistical indices, such as 25th and 75th percentiles, median, mean and maximum are higher. However, many changes discussed in this paper are weak and statistically insignificant. The findings reported in this paper challenge results based on earlier data that do not include 2007-2015.

The man and the universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolodziejska, Magdalena

2016-04-01

The universe has always aroused people's curiosity. It fascinates and at the same time scares in its vastness. Encourages us to reflect of the meaning of human life. This begs the questions: whether there is a life beyond Earth? Whether is it possible that the man is alone in such a large space? These questions still remain unanswered, and topics concerning "the cosmos" constantly evoke many emotions. It is especially fascinating for the youngest students. Quite often, preschoolers can flawlessly name the planets according to their order of appearance in relation to the sun. They are happy to take the fun inspired by journeys into space. Teaching through action is extremely important for the development of the child-man* (Piaget, 2006). The thinking originates primarily from the action. Therefore, students should undertake independent research activities, perform experiments and conduct observations and thus raise questions about the world, looking for meanings and solutions. Adults (a teacher, a person with a passion) are to be the support in the search for knowledge, its processing and cleaning. Its role is to ensure a proper development of environment that is conducive to research activity. The answer to these requirements was to create in the oldest technical school in Poland (Railway Technical College, now Technical College No. 7) the astronomical observatory, which can be used by pupils of Warsaw's kindergartens and schools. There are organized activities for children and youth in this school, as well as trainings for teachers. Younger students during such an interdisciplinary courses are, among others, the opportunity to get acquainted with the construction of the telescope, they can build their own rockets and organize their racing or create your own star constellations. Older students as a result of observations and experiments may confirm or refute the hypothesis that the universe is within each of us. The classes are enriched using applications on smartphones or iPads in the area of augmented reality that let you see the Earth from space (e.g. Quiver) or chemical elements that occur in space (e.g. Elements 4D). Students are encouraged to conduct their own observations of the sky. Within the organized trainings for teachers, they can refer to different methods and forms of work based on the available educational resources, for example: lesson plans prepared by the Polish branch of the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO). During such workshops, seminars and open lessons, teachers receive information and resources that can help them carry out these activities with their students. The great support for the organizers of these meetings is cooperation with the Polish Society of Amateur Astronomers. * Piaget, J. (2006) How a child imagines the world, Warsaw: PWN Publishing

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in ticks removed from skin of people and circumstances of being bitten - research from the area of Poland, 2012-2014.

PubMed

Gałęziowska, Edyta; Rzymowska, Jolanta; Najda, Nella; Kołodziej, Przemysław; Domżał-Drzewicka, Renata; Rząca, Marcin; Muraczyńska, Bożena; Charzyńska-Gula, Marianna; Szadowska-Szlachetka, Zdzisława; Ślusarska, Barbara; Guty, Edyta

2018-03-14

During feeding, the tick sucks blood from the host along with the pathogens that are in the blood, simultaneously exchanging its own pathogens with the host. Humans can also be a host. It is important to understand the most typical circumstances in which people might become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. This knowledge will help to prepare health education programmes aimed at the prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, depending on the circumstances of getting bitten. The research material consisted of ticks acquired from people who had been bitten, and questionnaires completed by these people. 510 ticks were acquired from 257 females and 253 males. Following delivery of a tick for testing, the stage of its development was determined and a molecular assay of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA performed. A positive result of the nested-PCR test was obtained in 78 ticks, which represents 15.30% of all ticks. The infected ticks were collected from male (41 ticks - 52.56%) and female subjects (37 ticks - 47.44%). The biggest number of infected ticks were collected in autumn (54 ticks - 69.23%) and from people who had been into forests (44 ticks - 56.41%). Among the people from whom the infected ticks were acquired, the dominating group included persons over 16 years of age (53 persons - 67.95%) and children aged 0-5 years (16 persons - 20.51%). One in four infected ticks were acquired from the southwestern (20 ticks - 25.64%) and eastern regions of Poland (21 ticks - 26.92%). Infestation of ticks infected with Lyme disease spirochete in this study proved to be variable and depend on the season, the area of tick attack and the region in Poland. The results of the study clearly show that ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi inhabit all regions of Poland. The results are consistent with National Institute of Hygiene data which indicates that Lyme disease cases are recorded in all regions of Poland.

Herd-level seroprevalence of Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infection in dairy cattle population in the central and northeastern Poland.

PubMed

Kowalczyk, Sławomir J; Czopowicz, Michał; Weber, Corinna N; Müller, Elisabeth; Nalbert, Tomasz; Bereznowski, Andrzej; Kaba, Jarosław

2018-04-17

Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi infections are widespread in cattle population of Europe, however data on their prevalence in Poland are only fragmentary. Therefore, the cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the herd-level seroprevalence of F. hepatica and O. ostertagi infection in dairy cattle population in the central and north-eastern provinces Poland, and to identify basic local risk factors for these infections. In total, 598 herds were enrolled, 394 (65.9%) in the north-eastern province and 204 (34.1%) in the central province. In each herd the questionnaire survey was conducted and bulk-tank milk (BTM) sample was collected and screened using two indirect immunoenzymatic tests. Optical density ratio (ODR) was regarded as the quantitative proxy of exposure to either of the two parasites. Both Fasciola and Ostertagia ELISA ODR in the north-eastern province was significantly higher than ODR in the central province. At the cut-off value of ODR = 0.27 the true herd-level seroprevalence of F. hepatica was 79.6% (95% CI: 74.0%, 84.3%) in the north-eastern province and 13.0% (95% CI: 5.3%, 21.7%) in the central province. At the cut-off of ODR = 0.50151 of 188 herds (80.3%, 95% CI: 74.1%, 85.4%) were seropositive for O. ostertagi in the north-eastern province and only 70 of 136 herds (51.5%, 95% CI: 43.1%, 59.7%) were seropositive in the central province. Location of a herd in the north-eastern province, longer grazing period practiced in a herd and > 50%-share of grazing grass in roughage were all positively related to the increase in exposure to both parasites. Moreover, the use of hay or haylage as main roughage proved to be positively related to the increase in exposure to F. hepatica. F. hepatica and O. ostertagi are widespread in cattle population in Poland, however their occurrence at a herd-level varies between different regions of Poland. This diversity can only partly be explained by different herd management, and appears linked to environmental and climate conditions typical for these regions.

Genetics Home Reference: Warsaw breakage syndrome

MedlinePlus

... helicase. Helicases are enzymes that attach (bind) to DNA and temporarily unwind the two spiral strands (double helix) of the DNA molecule. This unwinding is necessary for copying ( replicating ) ...

Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2013.

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Piotrowska, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2013. In the last three years in Poland, about 3000 cases of meningitis and/or encephalitis of viral or bacterial etiology were recorded annually. Assessment of the epidemiological situation of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2013, was based on the results of the analysis of epidemiological reports sent to the NIZP-PZH by the Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations published in the annual bulletin "Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2013" and "Preventive immunizations in Poland in 2013". In 2013 in Poland 3,116 cases of bacterial meningitis and/or encephalitis were recorded. Almost 50% of these were viral infections. The epidemiological situation of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2013 compared to 2012 did not change significantly.

Law on Geological Exploration in Poland.

DTIC Science & Technology

1961-02-23

control of mining bureaus, as set forth in the mining law and the decree of 21 October 1954 concerning mining enterprises (Dziennik Ustaw, No 47, Poz...meters, unless such work is carried out on mining lane or in a protected mountain mineral sorites area. _Supp.xvis.ion and control over activities...the grounds and the methods of performing tne work defined in paragraph 2, as well as the administration of supervision and control over this work

International trends in health science librarianship: Part 6 Central Europe series.

PubMed

Viragos, Marta

2013-06-01

This is the 6th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship with a focus on Central Europe in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors are from Hungry, Poland and Czech Republic. Future issues will track trends the Middle East and then the Far East. JM. © 2013 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2013 Health Libraries Group.

Health in old age, and patients' approaches to telemedicine in Poland.

PubMed

Buliński, Leszek; Błachnio, Aleksandra

2017-06-07

Polish ageing society still experiences health-related problems and the increasing difficulties in receiving medical care. The initiation of telemedicine programmes can change this situation for better. The question arises if telemedicine is a solution that the elderly are willing to accept and take advantage of in order to raise their quality of life. Questionnaire based research was conducted in 2015 on a sample group of 312 seniors. The respondents completed the Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the subscale of Health States from Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit (FLZ) by Fahrenberg et al. Each participant gave their consent to take part in the research. SWLS presents a relatively stable value in the subsequent decades of being old (60-69 years M=21.93 SD=6.25; 70-79 years M=21.70 SD=5.52; 80+ M=21.38 SD=5.82). The health related quality of life (the FLZ subscale), varied in the analysed subgroups (F=7.783 p=0.000), and was related to comorbidity and polytherapy. A positive attitude towards telemedicine was expressed by 40% of those surveyed. However the seniors' need for telemedical services was more limited and did not exceed the 10%. In Poland in ageing there still dominates the experience of multiple ailments and polytherapy, something which justifies a search for new, easily accessible, and economically sound solutions for health care. Telemedicine is a promising solution although there is a need for concrete steps to be taken to raise willingness amongst geriatric patients to take advantage of telemedicine.

[Frequency of allergic rhinitis in selected regions of Poland. City vs countryside analysis].

PubMed

Tomaszewska, Aneta; Raciborski, Filip; Samel-Kowalik, Piotr; Samoliński, Bolesław

2007-01-01

Study of frequency of allergic rhinitis in selected regions of Poland in cities and countryside. 8913 respondents, from Warszawa, Katowice, Lublin and Zamojszczyzna (countryside), answered a questionnaire based on ECRHS II and ISAAC. The respondents were drawn from PESEL ID numbers. They were divided into three groups: 6-7 years, 13-14 and 20-44 years, both sexes. 21-23% adults living in the city and 12% living in the countryside confirmed some type of sensitization, including allergic catarrh. In children the same symptoms are more frequent and reported in 23-27% of those living in city and 17% of those living in the countryside. Sneezing, running or obstructed nose not related to cold, fever or flu were reported by 22% of the adults living in Zamojszczyzna and 33-42% of those living in the cities. The symptoms are reported in 20% children living in the countryside and 29-39% of those living in the cities. All of results are statistical significant. Study of frequency of allergic rhinitis in selected regions of Poland shows that results are similar with analysis on the world. Connection between urban development and occurrence of allergic rhinitis was confirmed. Allergic rhinitis is more frequently in group of people living in cities than people living on countryside. Probably allergic rhinitis is not integrally examined in adults group.

The nutritional habits among centenarians living in Warsaw.

PubMed

Kołłajtis-Dołowy, Anna; Pietruszka, Barbara; Kałuza, Joanna; Pawlińiska-Chmara, Romana; Broczek, Katarzyna; Mossakowska, Małgorzata

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the preferences and nutritional habits of Warsaw centenarians during their "third period" of life. The study was conducted by a questionnaire method among 29 centenarians. Most of centenarians had general good health condition. Almost 60% of centenarians performed manual labor in the past. Then they drank small amounts of alcohol irregularly. Several percent of centenarians smoked in the past. Before the age of sixty less people then at present snacked between meals. Sweets both now and in the past were preferred products, however, in the past sweets were rarely eaten by centenarians. At the present time centenarians ate more often yogurt, skim curd, fish, lean meat products, plant oils and sweets. The changes in eating habits were probably caused by civilization changes.

Implication of femoral stem on performance of articular surface replacement (ASR) XL total hip arthroplasty.

PubMed

Cip, Johannes; von Strempel, Archibald; Bach, Christian; Luegmair, Matthias; Benesch, Thomas; Martin, Arno

2014-11-01

Taper junctions of large diameter metal-on-metal femoral heads and femoral stems were described as metal ion generator due to accelerated wear and corrosion. However, literature about the Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) total hip arthroplasty (THA) invariably deals with stems manufactured by DePuy Orthopedics (Warsaw, IN, USA). Nothing is known whether different stems with common 12/14 mm tapers affect failure rate or ion release. 99 ASR THA (88 patients) implanted with CoxaFit or ARGE Geradschaft stems (K-Implant, Hannover, Germany) were retrospectively analyzed. After a mean follow-up of 3.5 years revision rate was 24.5%, mostly due to adverse reaction to metal debris (ARMD). CT scan revealed component loosening in 10.3% and pseudotumoral lesions in 12.6%. Elevated ion concentrations (>7 μg/l) were found in 38.6%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determinants of Quality of Life and the Need for Support for the Elderly with Good Physical and Mental Functioning.

PubMed

Talarska, Dorota; Tobis, Sławomir; Kotkowiak, Marta; Strugała, Magdalena; Stanisławska, Joanna; Wieczorowska-Tobis, Katarzyna

2018-03-19

BACKGROUND The ageing of population is the reason that there are various strategies developed to help seniors acquire greater independence and a better quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the elderly peope's need for assistance and assessed quality of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 100 participants who were members of a Seniors Club in Poznań, Poland. The cross-sectional study utilized the following instruments: Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), EASY-Care Standard 2010 questionnaire, (WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. RESULTS Members of the Seniors' Club showed good functional condition. In the AMTS test, they scored near maximum values (average 9.39±0.77 points), somewhat poorer results were found in the IADL scale (average 20.92±3.96 points). In the EASY-Care questionnaire, the study participants usually required partial support in the following areas: Mental health and well-being (59%), Staying healthy (29%), Getting around (22%), and Seeing, hearing and communicating (22%). The average score on Independence was 13.13±18.51, The risk of breakdown in care scale was 4.39±3.21. The risk of falls affected 21 participants (21%). Quality of life study using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire found that the highest scores were achieved in Psychological and Environment domains, and the lowest score in the Physical health domain. CONCLUSIONS Quality of life as well as level of independence, risk of falls, and need for 24-hour care were significantly affected by the following factors: urinary incontinence, difficulties in mobility outside the home, despondency, and forgetfulness.

Presentation and Treatment of Poland Anomaly.

PubMed

Buckwalter V, Joseph A; Shah, Apurva S

2016-12-01

Background: Poland anomaly is a sporadic, phenotypically variable congenital condition usually characterized by unilateral pectoral muscle agenesis and ipsilateral hand deformity. Methods: A comprehensive review of the medical literature on Poland anomaly was performed using a Medline search. Results: Poland anomaly is a sporadic, phenotypically variable congenital condition usually characterized by unilateral, simple syndactyly with ipsilateral limb hypoplasia and pectoralis muscle agenesis. Operative management of syndactyly in Poland anomaly is determined by the severity of hand involvement and the resulting anatomical dysfunction. Syndactyly reconstruction is recommended in all but the mildest cases because most patients with Poland anomaly have notable brachydactyly, and digital separation can improve functional length. Conclusions: Improved understanding the etiology and presentation of Poland anomaly can improve clinician recognition and management of this rare congenital condition.

Surgical Coagulator With Carbon Dioxide Laser For Gynecology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolinski, Wieslaw; Kazmirowski, Antoni; Korobowicz, Witold; Olborski, Zbigniew

1987-10-01

The technical data and parameters of the CO2 surgical laser for gynecology are given. Coagulator was designed and constructed in Institute of Microelectronics and Optoelectronics Warsaw Technical University.

Installation of a stoker-coal preparation plant in Krakow, Poland. Quarterly technical progress report No. 2, August--October, 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rozelle, P.

1996-01-01

This report describes the progress made during the second Quarter of a two year project to demonstrate that the air pollution, from a traveling grate stoker being used to heat water at a central heating plant in Krakow Poland, can be reduced significantly by replacing the unwashed, unsized coal now being used with a mechanically cleaned, double sized stoker fuel and by optimizing the operating parameters of the stoker. It is anticipated that these improvements will prove to be cost effective and hence be adopted in the other central heating plants in Krakow and indeed throughout Eastern European cities wheremore » coal is the primary source of heating fuel. EFH Coal Company has formed a partnership with two Polish institutions -- MPEC a central heating company in Krakow and Naftokrak-Naftobudowa, preparation plant designers and fabricators for this effort. The washability data from a 20mm x 0.5mm size fraction of raw coal from the Staszic Mine were evaluated. The data show that the ash content of this coal can be reduced from 24.4 percent to 6.24 percent by washing in a heavy media cyclone at 1.825 sp.gr.; the actual yield of clean coal would be 76.1 percent. The quest for long-term sources of raw coal to feed the proposed 300 tph stoker coal preparation plant continued throughout the reporting period. Meetings were held with Polish coal preparation equipment suppliers to obtain price and delivery quotations for long lead-time process equipment. Preliminary cost evaluations were the topic of several meetings with financial institutions regarding the cost of producing a quality stoker coal in Poland and for identifying sources of private capital to help cost share the project. The search for markets for surplus production from the new plant continued.« less

COST Action TU1208 - Working Group 4 - Combined use of GPR and other NDT methods & GPR applications in geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajewski, Lara; Solla, Mercedes; Fontul, Simona

2017-04-01

This work aims at presenting the main results achieved by Working Group (WG) 4 "Different applications of GPR and other NDT technologies in civil engineering" of the COST (European COoperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar" (www.GPRadar.eu, www.cost.eu). The main objective of the Action TU1208, started in April 2013 and ending in October 2017, is to exchange and increase scientific-technical knowledge and experience of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) techniques in civil engineering, whilst promoting in Europe the effective use of this safe non-destructive technique. The Action involves more than 150 Institutions from 28 COST Countries, a Cooperating State, 6 Near Neighbour Countries and 6 International Partner Countries. WG4 deals with the use of GPR outside from the civil engineering area, namely in archaeological prospecting and cultural heritage diagnostics, agriculture and management of water resources, investigation of polluted industrial sites, non-destructive testing of living tree trunks, planetary exploration, demining, localization of people buried under avalanches and debris, and more. Furthermore, this WG studies the integration of GPR with other Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods. The most relevant achievements stemming from WG4 will be presented during the 2017 EGU GA. These are: (i) The collection of thorough information on the state-of-the-art, ongoing studies, problems and future research needs on the topics of interest for this WG; (ii) The performance of a plethora of interesting case studies in important sites all over Europe, including well-known historical places such as Stonehenge (United Kingdom), Carnuntum (Austria), the Wawel Cathedral (Cracow, Poland), the Tholos Tomb of Acharnon (Athens, Greece), the Łazienki Royal Palace (Warsaw, Poland), and more; (iii) WG4 contributed to the TU1208 Education Pack, an open educational package conceived to teach GPR in University courses. Additionally, WG4 was very active in offering training activities. In cooperation with the other WGs, the following courses were successfully organised: Training School (TS) "Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar" (Pisa, Italy, September 2014), TS "Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar in urban areas: the sensitive case of historical cities" (Cracow, Poland, May 2015), TS "Applications of GPR to civil engineering and archaeology" (Valletta, Malta, January 2016), and TS "Non-destructive testing techniques for civil engineering" (Barcelona, Spain, March 2016). Finally, WG4 contributed to the organization of a series of national events devoted to fostering the interaction of Action Members with stakeholders, new potential GPR end-users, and interested citizens. During such events, participants could discover what is Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and how this technique can be effectively used in civil engineering works as well as in different fields ("TU1208 GPR Road Show"). Acknowledgement: The Authors are deeply grateful to COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, www.cost.eu), for funding and supporting the COST Action TU1208 "Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar" (www.GPRadar.eu).

An Exemplary Environmental Education Progam in Poland - Walks on the Bolimov Nature Preserve Trails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dabrowska, A. E.

2013-12-01

The Regional Teacher Training Centre in Skierniewice is one of 49 public, accredited institutions in Poland carrying out it statutory goals at the regional level. It has been operating since 1989 and is responsible for organizing of support of schools, institutions, networks of teachers and school managers for cooperation and self-education, organizing and conducting various forms of in-service training, giving methodological councils and disseminating examples of good practice. I present one example of how Environmental Education has been imparted to school students and their teachers through outdoor activities as part of the learning process. An Environmental Education Program, 'On Bolimov Nature Preserve Trails' has been organized regularly since 2001. The Bolimov Nature Preserve is a protected area in central Poland, situated between two agglomerations: capital city Warsaw to the East and industrial city Lodz to the West, covering an area of 231,3 sq kilometers. It was established in 1986 to protect an unique ecosystem on the Rawka River banks from human activity and harmful external factors. Pine tree forests cover more than 60% of the landscape park. Small streams, sloughs, glades are another elements of the park scenery. Walks on the trails in this park are a great opportunity to see many unique species of flora (more than 40 protected species and many endangered species on verge of extinction) and fauna. For teachers and students the Bolimov Nature Preserve offers educational lessons and events in cooperation with other institutions e.g. Regional Teacher Training Centre in Skierniewice. The main activity of the walks is participation of students and teachers in group walk along trails of the park using various tools of orientation: maps, compasses and nowadays GPS. Along the paths they learn recognition of forms of terrain, identification of species of plants and animals (using flora & fauna guides and keys, magnifying glasses), measuring and identification of components of weather (using weather atlases, thermometers an anemometers) as well as preparation of soil profile. Some tasks are prepared by students before the event, at school and then presented as a part of competition e.g. soil profile. A survey is conducted after each such program. A statistical analysis of the survey data reveals that each year more and more students representing all levels of education from primary to upper secondary levels and their teachers are involved in this enterprise. Oral and written evaluations reveal that both students and teachers highly assess participation in this event. Each year the same schools and sometimes more are engaged in the enterprise. Students prepare to participation in event before the date it is organized through gaining knowledge about biodiversity and cultural monuments of the landscape park, preparing research on the topics announced in every year. Their abilities and knowledge are checked during the walk as well as through participation in many competitions. Each year almost 700 - 1000 students and about 100 teachers participate in this ecological learning process. Outdoor education, observations and experimentations are crucial issues of national school curricula referring to all educational levels which is successfully addressed by this program.

Parental Opinions and Attitudes about Children's Vaccination Safety in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland.

PubMed

Braczkowska, Bogumiła; Kowalska, Małgorzata; Barański, Kamil; Gajda, Maksymilian; Kurowski, Tomasz; Zejda, Jan E

2018-04-15

Despite mandatory vaccinations in Poland, the final decision on vaccination in children is taken by their parents or legal guardians. Understanding parents' attitudes and opinions regarding vaccinations is essential for planning and undertaking extensive and properly targeted educational actions aimed at preventing their hesitancy. In 2016, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Silesian Voivodeship (Poland) in 11 randomly selected educational institutions. The authors' self-administered questionnaire contained 24 mixed-type questions. It was distributed among 3000 parents or legal guardians of children aged 6-13 years; prior consent of the relevant bioethics committee had been obtained. The response rate was 41.3% ( N = 1239). Data were analysed using descriptive and analytical statistics, and focused on parental opinions regarding the safety of vaccines. Results of simple and multivariable analyses showed that perceived risk of adverse vaccine reaction (AVR), contraindications and perception of the qualification procedure for vaccination as substandard were significant factors associated with the rating of children's vaccination as unsafe ( p < 0.001). Respondents with a lower level of education, compared with those with higher, more often declared vaccinations to be safe ( p = 0.03); however, results of multivariable analysis did not confirm that effect. AVR occurrence, finding of contraindication to vaccinations and perception of qualification procedure for vaccination were found to be the most important factors responsible for influencing general public opinions in the field of vaccination safety.

The risk of vector-borne infections in sled dogs associated with existing and new endemic areas in Poland. Part 2: Occurrence and control of babesiosis in a sled dog kennel during a 13-year-long period.

PubMed

Bajer, Anna; Mierzejewska, Ewa J; Rodo, Anna; Welc-Falęciak, Renata

2014-05-28

The achievements of sled dogs in competitions depend both on their training and on their health. Vector-borne infections may lead to anemia, affect joints or heart muscles or even cause death. Canine babesiosis is an emerging, quickly spreading tick-borne disease in Central Europe. Over a 13-year period (2000-2012) the occurrence of babesiosis cases was analyzed in one sled dog kennel situated in Kury, a village near Tłuszcz (N 52°24'56.78″, E 21°30'37.55″) in Central Poland. Twenty cases/episodes of babesiosis were noted among the 10-12 dogs living in the kennel. In 2000-2004, no cases of babesiosis were noted; the first two cases were noted in April 2005. Since that time, only one dog remained uninfected; 6 dogs were infected once, 3 dogs demonstrated symptoms of babesiosis twice, one dog was infected three times and one dog had it five times. Babesiosis appeared in Spring and Autumn, despite the application of anti-tick treatment. No fatal cases were recorded, but in one case a splenectomy was performed due to splenomegaly and spleen rupture. Additionally, the abundance of the main Babesia canis vector, the Dermacentor reticulatus tick, was estimated and monitored during a 4-year period (2008-2012) close to the dog kennel. The abundance of questing ticks was high in 2008 and 2009, but dropped by 10-fold between 2010 and 2012, when the abandoned meadow was cut and used as horse pasture by the local farmer. The regular occurrence, typical seasonal pattern and identification of B. canis DNA in questing tick from this locality confirmed the establishment of a new hyper enzootic region for canine babesiosis. The effectiveness and schedule of applied preventive measures were discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Presentation and Treatment of Poland Anomaly

PubMed Central

Buckwalter V, Joseph A.; Shah, Apurva S.

2016-01-01

Background: Poland anomaly is a sporadic, phenotypically variable congenital condition usually characterized by unilateral pectoral muscle agenesis and ipsilateral hand deformity. Methods: A comprehensive review of the medical literature on Poland anomaly was performed using a Medline search. Results: Poland anomaly is a sporadic, phenotypically variable congenital condition usually characterized by unilateral, simple syndactyly with ipsilateral limb hypoplasia and pectoralis muscle agenesis. Operative management of syndactyly in Poland anomaly is determined by the severity of hand involvement and the resulting anatomical dysfunction. Syndactyly reconstruction is recommended in all but the mildest cases because most patients with Poland anomaly have notable brachydactyly, and digital separation can improve functional length. Conclusions: Improved understanding the etiology and presentation of Poland anomaly can improve clinician recognition and management of this rare congenital condition. PMID:28149203

Do David and Goliath Play the Same Game? Explanation of the Abundance of Rare and Frequent Invasive Alien Plants in Urban Woodlands in Warsaw, Poland

PubMed Central

Mędrzycki, Piotr; Kołaczkowska, Ewa; Ciurzycki, Wojciech; Marciszewska, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Invasive Alien Plants occur in numbers differing by orders of magnitude at subsequent invasion stages. Effective sampling and quantifying niches of rare invasive plants are quite problematic. The aim of this paper is an estimation of the influence of invasive plants frequency on the explanation of their local abundance. We attempted to achieve it through: (1) assessment of occurrence of self-regenerating invasive plants in urban woodlands, (2) comparison of Random Forest modelling results for frequent and rare species. We hypothesized that the abundance of frequent species would be explained better than that of rare ones and that both rare and frequent species share a common hierarchy of the most important determinants. We found 15 taxa in almost two thirds of 1040 plots with a total number of 1068 occurrences. There were recorded 6 taxa of high frequency–Prunus serotina, Quercus rubra, Acer negundo, Robinia pseudoacacia, Impatiens parviflora and Solidago spp.–and 9 taxa of low frequency: Acer saccharinum, Amelanchier spicata, Cornus spp., Fraxinus spp., Parthenocissus spp., Syringa vulgaris, Echinocystis lobata, Helianthus tuberosus, Reynoutria spp. Random Forest’s models’ quality grows with the number of occurrences of frequent taxa but not of the rare ones. Both frequent and rare taxa share a similar hierarchy of predictors’ importance: Land use > Tree stand > Seed source and, for frequent taxa, Forest properties as well. We conclude that there is an ‘explanation jump’ at higher species frequencies, but rare species are surprisingly similar to frequent ones in their determinant’s hierarchy, with differences conforming with their respective stages of invasion. PMID:27992516

Changes in melatonin secretion in tourists after rapid movement to another lighting zone without transition of time zone.

PubMed

Wieczorek, Joanna; Blazejczyk, Krzysztof; Morita, Takeshi

2016-01-01

Most of the research in the field of Chronobiology is focused on the problem of the circadian rhythms (CR) desynchronization. In travelers, it results mostly from the changes of surrounding: photoperiod, local climate conditions (radiation and thermal load) and behavior (e.g. type and place of tourism and activity level). Until now, it was not documented whether the changes in melatonin (MLT) secretion occur in effect of mid-distance transparallel travels (TpT), without complications arising due to time-zone transitions (e.g. jet-lag syndrome). To cope with this problem, a special field experiment was carried out. In the experiment, MLT characteristics were examined twice a year in real conditions through a group of young tourists (23-26 years old) at their place of habitual residence (Warsaw, Poland), and at their tourist destination (Tromso, Norway). Transition to circumpolar zone in summer has resulted in insignificant reduction in melatonin peak value (MPV) compared to preflight control (2 days before travel) and the melatonin peak time (MPT) was delayed. However, after traveling southward on the returning flight, MPV was lower compared to control and MPT was advanced. In winter, MPV was insignificantly higher in comparison to preflight control and MPT was almost unchanged. While changes in MPV do not depend on season, flight direction and day of stay after flight than MPT was differentiated seasonally and due to direction of flight. MPV and MPT were significantly modified by characteristics of individual light exposure during daytime and evening. The experiment showed also that in real conditions activity level is an important factor affected melatonin peak in tourists. In winter, greater daytime activity significantly influenced earlier MPT occurrence, both after northward and southward flights.

Verification of the NWP models operated at ICM, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melonek, Malgorzata

2010-05-01

Interdisciplinary Centre for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw (ICM) started its activity in the field of NWP in May 1997. Since this time the numerical weather forecasts covering Central Europe have been routinely published on our publicly available website. First NWP model used in ICM was hydrostatic Unified Model developed by the UK Meteorological Office. It was a mesoscale version with horizontal resolution of 17 km and 31 levels in vertical. At present two NWP non-hydrostatic models are running in quasi-operational regime. The main new UM model with 4 km horizontal resolution, 38 levels in vertical and forecats range of 48 hours is running four times a day. Second, the COAMPS model (Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System) developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory, configured with the three nested grids (with coresponding resolutions of 39km, 13km and 4.3km, 30 vertical levels) are running twice a day (for 00 and 12 UTC). The second grid covers Central Europe and has forecast range of 84 hours. Results of the both NWP models, ie. COAMPS computed on 13km mesh resolution and UM, are verified against observations from the Polish synoptic stations. Verification uses surface observations and nearest grid point forcasts. Following meteorological elements are verified: air temperature at 2m, mean sea level pressure, wind speed and wind direction at 10 m and 12 hours accumulated precipitation. There are presented different statistical indices. For continous variables Mean Error(ME), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) in 6 hours intervals are computed. In case of precipitation the contingency tables for different thresholds are computed and some of the verification scores such as FBI, ETS, POD, FAR are graphically presented. The verification sample covers nearly one year.

Properties of body composition of female representatives of the Polish national fencing team - the sabre event.

PubMed

Jagiełło, Władysław; Marina, Jagiełło; Maciej, Kalina Roman; Jan, Barczyński Bartłomiej; Artur, Litwiniuk; Jarosław, Klimczak

2017-12-01

Fencing is a combat sport whose form of direct confrontation involves hitting the opponent with a weapon. The purpose of the study was to determine the properties of body composition of female representatives of the Polish national fencing team. The study involved 11 female athletes of the Polish national fencing team. Their age was 16-22 years (19±2.32), body weight 52-78 kg (59.7±7.4), body height 158-183 cm (167.46±6.10) and the training experience 7.64±3.47 years. The reference group consisted of 153 students of Warsaw University of Technology (Poland). Twenty basic somatic characteristics were measured. The following indices were calculated: slenderness, Rohrer's, BMI, Manouvrier's, and pelvic-shoulder indices. Density of the body, total body fat, active tissue, the overall profile of body composition and internal proportions of the body were determined. Analysis of internal proportions of factors of the athletes' body composition revealed significant differences in particular groups of features. The total size of the athletes' bodies is due to less-than-average magnitude of the length and stoutness characteristics and a high magnitude of adiposity (M = 0.63) in the Polish female national team of fencers (sabre) calculated from the normalized values for the control group. The proportions of features within the analysed factors revealed a significant advantage of the length of the upper extremity over the lower one and a distinct advantage of forearm musculature. The specific profile of body composition of female athletes practising sabre fencing is most likely due to long-term effects of training as well as the system of selection of persons with specific somatic prerequisites developed in the course of many years of training practice.

Feasibility of a low-cost sounding rockoon platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okninski, Adam; Raurell, Daniel Sors; Mitre, Alberto Rodriguez

2016-10-01

This paper presents the results of analyses and simulations for the design of a small sounding platform, dedicated to conducting scientific atmospheric research and capable of reaching the von Kármán line by means of a rocket launched from it. While recent private initiatives have opted for the air launch concept to send small payloads to Low Earth Orbit, several historical projects considered the use of balloons as the first stage of orbital and suborbital platforms, known as rockoons. Both of these approaches enable the minimization of drag losses. This paper addresses the issue of utilizing stratospheric balloons as launch platforms to conduct sub-orbital rocket flights. Research and simulations have been conducted to demonstrate these capabilities and feasibility. A small sounding solid propulsion rocket using commercially-off-the-shelf hardware is proposed. Its configuration and design are analyzed with special attention given to the propulsion system and its possible mission-orientated optimization. The cost effectiveness of this approach is discussed. Performance calculation outcomes are shown. Additionally, sensitivity study results for different design parameters are given. Minimum mass rocket configurations for various payload requirements are presented. The ultimate aim is to enhance low-cost experimentation maintaining high mobility of the system and simplicity of operations. An easier and more affordable access to a space-like environment can be achieved with this system, thus allowing for widespread outreach of space science and technology knowledge. This project is based on earlier experience of the authors in LEEM Association of the Technical University of Madrid and the Polish Small Sounding Rocket Program developed at the Institute of Aviation and Warsaw University of Technology in Poland.

UAS as a Support for Atmospheric Aerosols Research: Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiliński, Michał T.; Markowicz, Krzysztof M.; Kubicki, Marek

2018-01-01

Small drones (multi-copters) have the potential to deliver valuable data for atmospheric research. They are especially useful for collecting vertical profiles of optical and microphysical properties of atmospheric aerosols. Miniaturization of sensors, such as aethalometers and particle counters, allows for collecting profiles of black carbon concentration, absorption coefficient, and particle size distribution. Vertical variability of single-scattering properties has a significant impact on radiative transfer and Earth's climate, but the base of global measurements is very limited. This results in high uncertainties of climate/radiation models. Vertical range of modern multi-copters is up to 2000 m, which is usually enough to study aerosols up to the top of planetary boundary layer on middle latitudes. In this study, we present the benefits coming from usage of small drones in atmospheric research. The experiment, described as a case study, was conducted at two stations (Swider and Warsaw) in Poland, from October 2014 to March 2015. For over 6 months, photoacoustic extinctiometers collected data at both stations. This enabled us to compare the stations and to establish ground reference of black carbon concentrations for vertical profiles collected by ceilometer and drone. At Swider station, we used Vaisala CL-31 ceilometer. It delivered vertical profiles of range corrected signal, which were analysed together with profiles acquired by micro-aethalometer AE-51 and Vaisala RS92-SGP radiosonde carried by a hexacopter drone. Near to the surface, black carbon gradient of ≈ 400 (\\upmu g/m^3 )/100 m was detected, which was below the ceilometer minimal altitude of detection. This confirmed the usefulness of drones and potential of their support for remote sensing techniques.

Proportion of refractive errors in a Polish immigrant population in Chicago.

PubMed

Allison, Christine L

2010-08-01

This retrospective record review was conducted to investigate the proportion of patients with refractive error in a Polish immigrant population residing in an urban environment. Illinois has more than 1 million people of Polish descent as citizens, and Chicago is considered to have the second largest population of Polish descent in the world, outside of Warsaw, Poland. Six hundred seventy-five records (271 men/404 women) of Polish immigrants were reviewed from a practice with >92% Polish immigrants in the patient base. The patients ranged in age from 3 to 94 years. Refractive status for each eye, and the existence of any strabismus or amblyopia, was recorded. The proportion of myopia [spherical equivalent at least -0.75 diopter (D)] was found to be 35.1%, whereas the proportion of hyperopia (spherical equivalent > or =+0.75 D) was found to be 38.4%. Fifteen percent of the patients exhibited astigmatism > or =1.00 D. Amblyopia was present in 9% of the patients, whereas the prevalence of strabismus was found to be 3%, with 76% of the strabismics exhibiting esotropia. In the 0- to 18-year age range and the 19- to 45-year age range, the most common refractive error was low myopia (43.9 and 36.9%), whereas in the patients >45 years of age, it was low hyperopia (31.2%). Refractive error data are presented for a population base that has not been previously reported, although Polish Americans comprise 3% of the US population. Myopia is more common in young Polish patients than in the general US population. The strong hyperopic shift in older patients may either be normal aging or the product of increased near work in the young. The high rates of amblyopia call for more aggressive education and treatment.

Impulsive suicide attempts predict post-treatment relapse in alcohol-dependent patients.

PubMed

Wojnar, Marcin; Ilgen, Mark A; Jakubczyk, Andrzej; Wnorowska, Anna; Klimkiewicz, Anna; Brower, Kirk J

2008-10-01

The present study was designed to examine the influence of suicidality on relapse in alcohol-dependent patients. Specifically, a lifetime suicide attempt at baseline was used to predict relapse in the year after treatment. Also, the unique contribution of impulsive suicide attempts was examined. A total of 154 patients with alcohol dependence, consecutively admitted to four addiction treatment facilities in Warsaw, Poland participated in the study. Of the 154 eligible patients, 118 (76.6%) completed a standardized follow-up assessment at 12 months. Previous suicide attempts were common in adults treated for alcohol dependence with 43% patients in the present sample reporting an attempt at some point during their lifetime. Additionally, more than 62% of those with a lifetime suicide attempt reported making an impulsive attempt. Lifetime suicide attempts were not associated with post-treatment relapse (chi-square=2.37, d.f.=1, p=0.124). However, impulsive suicide attempts strongly predicted relapse (OR=2.81, 95% CI=1.13-6.95, p=0.026) and time to relapse (OR=2.10, 95% CI=1.18-3.74, p=0.012) even after adjusting for other measures of baseline psychopathology, depression, impulsivity, hopelessness and alcohol use severity. This study is the first to document the relationship between pre-treatment impulsive suicide attempts and higher likelihood of post-treatment relapse in alcohol-dependent patents. Clinicians should routinely conduct an assessment for previous suicide attempts in patients with alcohol use disorders, and when impulsive suicidality is reported, they should recognize the increased risk for relapse and formulate their patients' treatment plans accordingly with the goals of reducing both alcoholic relapse and suicide rates.

Does inclusion of education and marital status improve SCORE performance in central and eastern europe and former soviet union? findings from MONICA and HAPIEE cohorts.

PubMed

Vikhireva, Olga; Broda, Grazyna; Kubinova, Ruzena; Malyutina, Sofia; Pająk, Andrzej; Tamosiunas, Abdonas; Skodova, Zdena; Simonova, Galina; Bobak, Martin; Pikhart, Hynek

2014-01-01

The SCORE scale predicts the 10-year risk of fatal atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), based on conventional risk factors. The high-risk version of SCORE is recommended for Central and Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union (CEE/FSU), due to high CVD mortality rates in these countries. Given the pronounced social gradient in cardiovascular mortality in the region, it is important to consider social factors in the CVD risk prediction. We investigated whether adding education and marital status to SCORE benefits its prognostic performance in two sets of population-based CEE/FSU cohorts. The WHO MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) cohorts from the Czech Republic, Poland (Warsaw and Tarnobrzeg), Lithuania (Kaunas), and Russia (Novosibirsk) were followed from the mid-1980s (577 atherosclerotic CVD deaths among 14,969 participants with non-missing data). The HAPIEE (Health, Alcohol, and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe) study follows Czech, Polish (Krakow), and Russian (Novosibirsk) cohorts from 2002-05 (395 atherosclerotic CVD deaths in 19,900 individuals with non-missing data). In MONICA and HAPIEE, the high-risk SCORE ≥5% at baseline strongly and significantly predicted fatal CVD both before and after adjustment for education and marital status. After controlling for SCORE, lower education and non-married status were significantly associated with CVD mortality in some samples. SCORE extension by these additional risk factors only slightly improved indices of calibration and discrimination (integrated discrimination improvement <5% in men and ≤1% in women). Extending SCORE by education and marital status failed to substantially improve its prognostic performance in population-based CEE/FSU cohorts.

BRITE-Constellation Science Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuschnig, R.

2017-09-01

BRITE-Constellation is a nanosatellite mission designed for stellar astrophysical research in collaboration between Austria, Canada and Poland. A fleet of six spacecrafts was funded, built and launched, two from each country, all designed to perform precise time-series photometry of the brightest stars in the sky. While the spacecrafts have the same basic design, three satellites host an instrument sensitive in a red bandpass, the others, for a blue wavelength range. From the six satellites launched, five are operational. The sixth one did not separate from the upper stage of the rocket and remains idle. The first pair, the Austrian satellites, started to collect science measurements with their wide field (˜24°) cameras in early December 2013. Since then, more than 340 stars were observed during 16 campaigns, the majority for more than 100 days (up to 168 days) continuously. In total, more than 2.1 million measurements have been collected so far. Originally, the limiting magnitude for target stars was set to \\mag(V)=4. However, even stars as faint as \\mag(V)=6.5 have been observed with sufficient precision. This is a review of science operations conducted during the past 3.5 years.

Cooperation within physician-nurse team in occupational medicine service in Poland - Knowledge about professional activities performed by the team-partner.

PubMed

Sakowski, Piotr

2015-01-01

The goal of the study has been to learn about physicians' and nurses' awareness of the professional activities that are being performed by their colleague in the physician-nurse team. Postal questionnaires were sent out to occupational physicians and nurses in Poland. The analysis includes responses from 232 pairs of physician-nurse teams. The knowledge among occupational professionals about tasks performed by their colleagues in the physician-nurse team seems to be poor. Respondents were asked about who performs tasks from each of 21 groups mentioned in the Occupational Medicine Service Act. In the case of only 3 out of 21 groups of tasks, the rate of non-consistence in answers was lower than 30%. A specified number of professionals performed their tasks on the individual basis. Although in many cases their team colleagues knew about those activities, there was a major proportion of those who had no awareness of such actions. Polish occupational physicians and nurses perform a variety of tasks. Occupational nurses, besides medical role, also play important organizational roles in their units. The cooperation between the two professional groups is, however, slightly disturbed by the deficits in communication. This issue needs to be improved for the betterment of operations within the whole system. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

A consistent course of events or a series of coincidences: nursing in Poland from the 19(th) to the 21(st) century.

PubMed

Majda, Anna; Ziarko, Ewa; Zalewska-Puchała, Joanna

2015-12-01

The development of nursing began in Poland much later than it did elsewhere, for instance in the United Kingdom, the United States, or Germany, and it came up against difficult conditions. After a brief twenty-year period of development between 1918 and 1939, it almost stalled during the war (1939-45), only to be followed by nearly twenty years of chaos. Nursing started to come out of this difficult period at the beginning of the 1960s. The turn of the 21st century saw the emergence of extensive professional development and training opportunities for nurses. This change was brought about as much by political, social and economic issues, health care requirements, and the advancement of science, medicine, the birth of humanitarism, the growth of the feminist movement, the European Agreement on the Instruction and Education of Nurses, the WHO European Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery Education, the Bologna declaration, as well as the activities undertaken by the European Union, the International Council of Nurses, the American and Polish Red Cross, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Polish Association of Nurses, and the professional self-governing body. The transformation of nursing into an independent profession was further boosted by physicians deeply involved in the issue and female pioneers of nursing. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Eustachy Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski (1888-1971) chemist].

PubMed

Morawski, Bogdan

2011-01-01

Eustachy Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski was born on April 17, 1888, in Kowle on Volhynia. Having graduated from classical grammar-school in Humań, he began his studies in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science in the University of St. Wlodzimierz in Kiev. His scientific interests in chemistry appeared already during university studies. This fact attracted his teacher's attention--a distinguished organic chemist--professor S. N. Reformatski (1860-1938). The first works he published in the years 1908-1909. In 1910 professor Reformatski appointed him to a post of assistant in laboratory of organic chemistry within Higher Women Classes. In 1913 Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski was employed as an assistant professor, and as a lecturer in chemistry was appointed to a post of professor in Higher Institute of Trade. After professor Reformatski had retired in 1917, Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski was appointed to a professorship and took over a chair in Organic Chemistry Department. In 1925, having moved to Poland, he resigned from academic career. Having returned to Poland, he began to work in Research Institute of Chemical Weapons, in which took up systematic and extensive research works over arsenoorganic compounds, and combinations including fluorine. He worked out an original method of producing an unavailable compound of oxym of phosgene, which later was widely used, and also beyond the army. The combination was available just by dint of the method that was introduced by Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski. In Poland the method of producing oxym of phosgene was concealed, and the compound was produced under a secret name TSD together with sulphuric yperite. Moreover, Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski took up intensive scientific researches on synthesis of halogen derivatives of aliphatic, and aliphatic and aromatic ketones. In the second half of the 1930s, together with the closest co-workers--doctor Adam Sporzyński and Lieutenant MA Jakub Wnuk--he worked out a new method of synthesis of organic-fluoric combinations. The method was kept in the strictest secrecy and was revealed in 1942 to the English by doctor Sporzyński while visiting Great Britain. The results of the Warsaw research works were laid before professor of the University of Cambridge--H. McCombiem, who presented them as his own discovery, and who took a patent for the method. While doing research works in the Institute, Eustachy Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski with an approval of army administration since January, 1929, started to work in Industry and Trade Establishments of Chemistry--L. Spiess & Son. Co-operating with the company for 10 years, he elaborated and applied the modified methods of producing many synthetic remedies, and worked out a program of establishment's production that could easily conform with the modern chemical and pharmaceutical factory. The program in the post-war period was continued almost for two decades. Gryszkiewicz-Trochimowski was the only chemist in Poland, who did his research works over synthetic healers. In the period of occupation he worked for a while in the company "Spiess". In 1943 he was informed of the murder in Katyń of his co-worker--captain doctor Wnuk. A perspective of annextion of Polish territories by the Soviets was for him a serious threat and thus he started making attempts at leaving for the west. He left the country under unknown circumstances and found himself in France. After the end of World War II he published a great many of his works that earlier had been kept in secret. In France he was employed in the military scientific and research institution--Centre d'Etudes du Buchet--and was engaged in works over a French program of defence. Having lived to be seventy nine, died on February 25, 1971, in Brazil.

Novel candidate genes for alcoholism--transcriptomic analysis of prefrontal medial cortex, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens of Warsaw alcohol-preferring and non-preferring rats.

PubMed

Stankiewicz, Adrian M; Goscik, Joanna; Dyr, Wanda; Juszczak, Grzegorz R; Ryglewicz, Danuta; Swiergiel, Artur H; Wieczorek, Marek; Stefanski, Roman

2015-12-01

Animal models provide opportunity to study neurobiological aspects of human alcoholism. Changes in gene expression have been implicated in mediating brain functions, including reward system and addiction. The current study aimed to identify genes that may underlie differential ethanol preference in Warsaw High Preferring (WHP) and Warsaw Low Preferring (WLP) rats. Microarray analysis comparing gene expression in nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus (HP) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was performed in male WHP and WLP rats bred for differences in ethanol preference. Differential and stable between biological repeats expression of 345, 254 and 129 transcripts in NAc, HP and mPFC was detected. Identified genes and processes included known mediators of ethanol response (Mx2, Fam111a, Itpr1, Gabra4, Agtr1a, LTP/LTD, renin-angiotensin signaling pathway), toxicity (Sult1c2a, Ces1, inflammatory response), as well as genes involved in regulation of important addiction-related brain systems such as dopamine, tachykinin or acetylcholine (Gng7, Tac4, Slc5a7). The identified candidate genes may underlie differential ethanol preference in an animal model of alcoholism. Names of genes are written in italics, while names of proteins are written in standard font. Names of human genes/proteins are written in all capital letters. Names of rodent genes/proteins are written in capital letter followed by small letters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 70574 - Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel From China, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-26

...)] Grain-Oriented Electrical Steel From China, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland, and Russia..., Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland, and Russia of grain-oriented electrical steel, provided for in subheadings... Republic, Germany, Japan, Korea, Poland, and Russia. Accordingly, effective September 18, 2013, the...

77 FR 71631 - Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-03

...)] Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine... From Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine AGENCY: United States... Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or...

78 FR 41079 - Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

...)] Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine... from Belarus, China, Indonesia, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to... with respect to Indonesia, Latvia, and Poland. Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson dissenting with respect...

Abnormalities in lung volumes and airflow in children with newly diagnosed connective tissue disease.

PubMed

Peradzyńska, Joanna; Krenke, Katarzyna; Szylling, Anna; Kołodziejczyk, Beata; Gazda, Agnieszka; Rutkowska-Sak, Lidia; Kulus, Marek

2016-01-01

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) of childhood are rare inflammatory disorders, involving various organs and tissues including respiratory system. Pulmonary involvement in patients with CTDs is uncommon but may cause functional impairment. Data on prevalence and type of lung function abnormalities in children with CTDs are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to asses pulmonary functional status in children with newly diagnosed CTD and follow the results after two years of the disease course. There were 98 children (mean age: 13 ± 3; 76 girls), treated in Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Institute of Rheumatology, Warsaw and 80 aged-matched, healthy controls (mean age 12.7 ± 2.4; 50 girls) included into the study. Study procedures included medical history, physical examination, chest radiograph and PFT (spirometry and whole body-plethysmography). Then, the assessment of PFT was performed after 24 months. FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC and MEF50 were significantly lower in CTD as compared to control group, there was no difference in FVC and TLC. The proportion of patients with abnormal lung function was significantly higher in the study group, 41 (42%) vs 9 (11%). 24-months observation didn't reveal progression in lung function impairment. Lung function impairment is relatively common in children with CTDs. Although restrictive ventilatory pattern is considered typical feature of lung involvement in CTDs, airflow limitation could also be an initial abnormality.

Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xinwen; Xiao, Guoqing; Wang, Zhiguang; Gao, Xing

2017-09-01

This issue of Nuclear Instruments and Methods B contains selected papers presented at the 27th International Conference on Atomic Collisions in Solids (ICACS-27) that was held from 24 to 29 July 2016 at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Lanzhou, China. ICACS is a series of biannual conferences, those most recently ones were held in Debrecen, Hungary (2014), Kyoto, Japan (2012), Kraków, Poland (2010), Phalaborwa, South Africa (2008), Berlin, Germany (2006) and Genova, Italy (2004).

Professional Irregular Defense Forces: The Other Side of COIN

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

and Small Powers, 26. 70 Wight, Power Politics, 160. 24 attacked.71 During the Second World War, Nazi Germany, based on its temporary interests...Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990), 721–723. 73 Karsh, Neutrality and Small States, 26...93 VI. THE YUGOSLAV PARTISANS A. BACKGROUND On 1 September 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland and the Second World War began. Following a quick

Meningitis and encephalitis in Poland in 2014

PubMed

Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Piotrowska, Anna

The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2014. In the last three years in Poland, about 3000 cases of meningitis and/or encephalitis of viral or bacterial etiology were recorded annually. Assessment of the epidemiological situation of meningitis and/or encephalitis in Poland in 2014, was based on the results of the analysis of epidemiological reports sent to the NIZP-PZH by the Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations published in the annual bulletin “Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2014” and “Preventive immunizations in Poland in 2014”. In 2014 in Poland 3488 cases of bacterial meningitis and/or encephalitis were recorded. Almost 61.3% of these were viral infections. In 2014, in comparison to 2013, a 1.1% increase in the number of cases of meningitis and/or encephalitis was observed and 91% with viral etiology.

First Global Observations of the Interstellar Interaction from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McComas, D. J.

2009-12-01

The Sun moves through the local interstellar medium, continuously emitting ionized, supersonic solar wind plasma and carving out a cavity in interstellar space, called the heliosphere. The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft has just completed the first all-sky maps of the interstellar interaction at the edge of the heliosphere, by imaging energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) emanating from this region. IBEX all-sky maps and energy spectra provide detailed information about the interaction. Our observations show globally distributed fluxes ordered by the solar wind structure, which are superposed by another, unexpected feature, which is neither seen by the Voyager spacecraft nor predicted by any current model or theory. This talk summarizes the IBEX observations, shares our unexpected results, and discusses some of the possible ideas for what may be missing in our current understanding of the heliosphere’s global interaction. IBEX Science Team: D.J. McComas1,2, F. Allegrini1,2, P. Bochsler3, M. Bzowski4, E.R. Christian5, G.B. Crew6, R. DeMajistre7, H. Fahr8, H. Fichtner9, P.C. Frisch10, H.O. Funsten11, S. A. Fuselier12, G. Gloeckler13, M. Gruntman14, J. Heerikhuisen15, V. Izmodenov16, P. Janzen17, P. Knappenberger18, S. Krimigis7,19, H. Kucharek20, M. Lee20, G. Livadiotis1, S. Livi1,2, R.J. MacDowall5, D. Mitchell7, E. Möbius20, T. Moore5, N.V. Pogorelov15, D. Reisenfeld17, E. Roelof7, L. Saul3, N.A. Schwadron21, P.W. Valek1,2, R. Vanderspek6, P. Wurz3, G.P. Zank15 (1)Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA (2) University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA (3)University of Bern, Physikalisches Institut, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland (4)Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland (5)NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA (6)Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA (7)Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD, USA (8)University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (9)Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Bochum, Germany (10)University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA (11)Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, USA (12)Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA, USA (13)University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA (14)University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA (15)University of Alabama, Huntsville, AL, USA (16) Moscow State University; Space Research Institute (IKI) and Institute for Problems in Mechanics Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia (17)University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA (18)Adler Planetarium, Chicago, IL, USA (19)Office for Space Research and Technology, Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece (20)University of New Hampshire, Space Science Center, Durham, NH, USA (21) Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

[Poland'syndrome and hand's malformations: about a clinic series of 37 patients].

PubMed

Foucras, L; Grolleau, J L; Chavoin, J P

2005-04-01

Poland's syndrome is a rare malformation which associates thoracic anomalies and anomalies of homolateral upper end. We wish to know the frequency of hand's malformations in this syndrome in our clinical experience. We have revised 37 patients who were seen initially for a thoracomammary anomaly. This clinical series from plastic surgery service of Toulouse has been revised to know the importance of hand's malformations. Hand's malformations in Poland's syndrome are rare in your study, they touch only 12% patients. We find only 4 malformations in 33 patients, four were lost. They were only females, we find three brachymesophalangies and a major form. Hand's malformations in Poland's syndrome are less frequent than classically. There is no parallelism between gravity of thoracic malformation and that one of upper end. In this series, we find only one case with syndactyly; originally, Poland's syndrome was named < Poland's syndactyly >. Finally, we think that we can talk about Poland's syndrome without anomaly of homolateral upper end, the major element is musculary agenesia of sternocostal pectoralis major. The search of homolateral upper end has to be systematic in front of suspicious of Poland's syndrome.

A comparative study of contemporary user involvement within healthcare systems across England, Poland and Slovenia.

PubMed

Lichon, Mateusz; Kavcic, Matic; Masterson, Daniel

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore how healthcare-users' engagement is perceived, how it occurs and how these perceptions differ between three European countries: England, Poland and Slovenia, using the concepts of voice, choice and coproduction. This comparative, qualitative study is based on a review of legal documents, academic literature and semi-structured interviews conducted in October and November 2011. A research sample consisted of 21 interviewees representing various stakeholders including healthcare-users, doctors and managers. Primary and secondary data were analysed using theoretical thematic analysis. Emerging themes were identified from the interviews and related to the indicators describing healthcare-users' involvement in the voice, choice and coproduction model. Results of the comparative qualitative research suggest that the healthcare-users' influence is strongly grounded in England where the healthcare system and professionals are prepared to include healthcare-users in the decision-making process. In Slovenia, cultural development of healthcare-users' involvement seems to proceed the institutional development. In Poland, institutions are ready to involve healthcare-users in decision-making process although the cultural desirability of involving users among doctors and patients is lacking. The notion of user involvement is increasingly gaining importance and research attention, yet there is still little known about the way cultural, political, historical differences between various European countries influence it. This paper explores this little known area using the original approach of user involvement (Dent et al., 2011) with input from various stakeholders including patients, healthcare representatives and academics.

[Evaluation of quality of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland].

PubMed

Parczewski, Miłosz; Madaliński, Kazimierz; Leszczyszyn-Pynka, Magdalena; Boroń-Kaczmarska, Anna

2010-01-01

The aim of this work was quality assessment of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland, including human and technical resources as well as laboratory practice. Sixty questionnaires were distributed among diagnostic centers to obtain qualitative data. Basing on the survey data serological control using coded panels of HIV-1/2 samples was performed. Thirty-one filled questionnaires were received (50.8%). Surveyed laboratories perform from 350 to 5500 serological screening tests per year. In most of laboratories fourth generation assays are available, while Blood Donation Centers screen the blood both with serological assays and by HIV-RNA detection. Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations and academic laboratories hold the ISO/IEC 17025 or IS0 9001:2001 accreditation, five of the surveyed centers participate in Labquality assurance and two in Quality Control in Molecular Diagnostics programs. Data of control serological testing were received from 21 centers. In the quality control assessment 194 analyses were performed with 91 true negative, 2 false negative, 96 true positive and 5 false positive results. False negative rate of % and false positive rate of 5.2% was noted for this study. Currently, virtually no guidelines related to the HIV-diagnostics quality assurance and control in Poland are in delineated. Development of the national unified quality control system, basing on the central institution is highly desirable. National certification within the frames of the quality control and assurance program should be mandatory for all the diagnostic labs, and aim at improvement of reliability of the result distributed among clinicians and patients.

Surveillance of Hantaviruses in Poland: A Study of Animal Reservoirs and Human Hantavirus Disease in Subcarpathia

PubMed Central

Niemcewicz, Marcin; Bielawska-Drózd, Agata; Nowakowska, Anna; Gaweł, Jerzy; Pitucha, Grzegorz; Joniec, Justyna; Zielonka, Katarzyna; Marciniak-Niemcewicz, Anna; Kocik, Janusz

2014-01-01

Abstract The first cluster of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Poland was identified in 2007 in the Subcarpathian region. The natural environment of this area is a key habitat for hantavirus vectors. The animal reservoir of existing human HFRS clusters was studied to assess the occurrence of viruses (including Tula virus, Puumala virus, and Dobrava–Belgrade virus) among rodents. We examined 70 suspected human cases with symptoms corresponding to the clinical picture of HFRS. Serological analysis (indirect immunofluorescence assay and immunoblot) confirmed the presence of anti-hantavirus antibodies in 18 patients, which were surveyed with regard to developed symptoms and presumed rodent contact. Seroepidemiological analysis of newly confirmed human cases was performed, putative areas of human exposure were studied, and 194 rodents were subsequently captured from identified areas. Internal organs (lungs, heart, spleen, bladder, and kidneys) were collected from 64 Apodemus flavicollis, 55 Apodemus agrarius, 40 Myodes glareolus, 21 Mus musculus, and 14 Microtus arvalis and tested for the presence of hantavirus RNA by reverse transcription and subsequent real-time PCR. Positive samples were also tested by indirect immunofluorescence. Animal reservoir surveillance enabled the first detection of Puumala virus and Dobrava–Belgrade virus among animals in Poland. Furthermore, some places where rodents were captured correlated with areas of residence of laboratory-confirmed human cases and likely detected virus species. Moreover, three species of hantaviruses coexisting in a relatively small area were identified. PMID:24902039

Residues of chromium, nickel, cadmium and lead in Rook Corvus frugilegus eggshells from urban and rural areas of Poland.

PubMed

Orłowski, Grzegorz; Kasprzykowski, Zbigniew; Dobicki, Wojciech; Pokorny, Przemysław; Wuczyński, Andrzej; Polechoński, Ryszard; Mazgajski, Tomasz D

2014-08-15

We examined the concentrations of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in Rook Corvus frugilegus eggshells from 43 rookeries situated in rural and urban areas of western (=intensive agriculture) and eastern (=extensive agriculture) Poland. We found small ranges in the overall level of Cr (the difference between the extreme values was 1.8-fold; range of concentrations=5.21-9.40 Cr ppm), Ni (3.5-fold; 1.15-4.07 Ni ppm), and Cd (2.6-fold; 0.34-0.91 Cd ppm), whereas concentrations of Pb varied markedly, i.e. 6.7-fold between extreme values (1.71-11.53 Pb ppm). Eggshell levels of these four elements did not differ between rural rookeries from western and eastern Poland, but eggshells from rookeries in large/industrial cities had significantly higher concentrations of Cr, Ni and Pb than those from small towns and villages. Our study suggests that female Rooks exhibited an apparent variation in the intensity of trace metal bioaccumulation in their eggshells, that rapid site-dependent bioaccumulation of Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb occurs as a result of the pollution gradient (rural

Holistic measurement of well-being: psychometric properties of the physical, mental and social well-being scale (PMSW-21) for adults.

PubMed

Supranowicz, Piotr; Paź, Małgorzata

2014-01-01

A holistic approach to health requires the development of tools that would allow to measure the inner world of individuals within its physical, mental and social dimensions. To create the Physical, Mental and Social Well-being scale (PMSW-21) that allows a holistic representation of various dimensions of well-being in such a way as they are perceived by the individuals and how affected their health. The study was conducted on the sample of 406 inhabitants of Warsaw involving in the Social Participation in Health Reform project. The PMSW-21 scale included: headache, tiredness, abdominal pain, palpitation, joint pain, backache, sleep disturbance (physical domain), anxiety, guiltiness, helplessness, hopelessness, sadness, self-dissatisfaction, hostility (mental domain), security, communicability, protection, loneliness, rejection, sociability and appreciation (social domain). The five criterial variables of health and seven of life experiences were adopted to assess the discriminative power of the PMSW-21 scale. The total well-being scale as well as its physical, mental and social domains showed high reliability (Cronbach a 0.81, 0.77, 0.90, 0.72, respectively). The analysis confirmed the construct validity. All the items stronger correlated with their own domain than with the others (ranges for physical: 0.41 - 0.55, mental: 0.49 - 0.80 and social: 0.31 - 0.50). The total scale demonstrate high sensitivity; it significantly differentiated almost all criterial variables. Physical domain showed high sensitivity for health as well as for negative life events variables, while the mental and social domains were more sensitive for life events. The analysis confirmed the usefulness of PMSW-21 scale for measure the holistic well-being. The reliability of the total scale and its domains, construct validity and sensitivity for health and life determinants were at acceptable level.

East Europe Report, Economic and Industrial Affairs, No. 2447

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-14

capitaiper year . The production of eggs also fell by 340 million, that is, by 21 percent. Restrictions on cocoa bean imports caused a drop in the...17,000 tons in 1982. Last year Poland planned to supply to the United States a total of around 120,000 tons of metallurgical items, but it supplied in...than the machines. A tool which should last 10 years sometimes lasts half that time. It is simple—a poor man and a fool buy twice. I would see

U.S. - Russian Second Space Surveillance Workshop, 4-6 July 1996, Poznan, Poland,

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-08-01

Minimum Data, Accounting of the Features of Russian Space Surveillance System ........................................................ 106 V Andrewschenko...the massif of orbital elements accumulated in the Russian Space Surveillance System . This massif was gathered in the year 1989 over the time interval...for matrix Pi/i can be transformed to the form: (I+ ki 0)1 K=-k 12(1 + k1 1)l1 K(c). (21) -k13(1 +’kj- The convenience of application of a system of

Study on changing patterns of reproductive behaviours due to maternal features and place of residence in Poland during 1995-2014.

PubMed

Genowska, Agnieszka; Szafraniec, Krystyna; Polak, Maciej; Szpak, Andrzej; Walecka, Irena; Owoc, Jakub

2018-03-14

The sharp decline in the total fertility rate in Poland coincided with broader socio-economic changes, which resulted in its reduction to the lowest level observed among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate and evaluate the changing patterns of reproductive behaviour in rural and urban areas, depending on the demographic and socio-economic features in Poland. Information about live births in Poland in the years 1995-2014 were obtained from the Central Statistical Office. Registered cases of live births in rural and urban areas were analyzed considering the maternal features (age, marital status, main source of income). To evaluate the changes in fertility and comparisons between rural and urban areas, Joinpoint Regresssion was used. In 1995-2014, a shift in the age of highest fertility from 20-24 years to 25-29 years was observed. This occurred at the same time as a reduction in the fertility rate per 1,000 women aged 15-29 years, more pronounced in rural areas (95.8 to 60.0) than in urban areas (63.4 to 51.5), while in women aged 30-49 years, a faster increase in fertility was observed in urban areas (16.4 to 32.0) than in rural areas (27.5-29.2). Fertility trends between rural and urban areas differed significantly. A significant increase in live births for employed mothers was shown mainly in 2005-2009; later, the growth rate in rural areas was slower and in urban areas the growth trend stopped. The postponement of births and reduction of fertility in women aged 15-29 requires active measures aimed at creating favourable conditions for achieving economic independence for the younger generation, as well as combining work with raising children, especially in rural areas. APC - annual percentage change; AAPC - average annual percentage change; CSO - Central Statistical Office; TFR - total fertility rate.

Neonatal hypothyroid screening in monitoring of iodine deficiency and iodine supplementation in Poland.

PubMed

Ołtarzewski, M; Szymborski, J

2003-01-01

Neonatal hypothyroid screening in Poland is standardised and all newborns screening data are registered in central data base in the National Institute of Mother and Child. About 400,000 newborns are screened per year for hypothyroidism (TSH) and phenylketonuria (PKU). Unfortunately, obstetric clinics still use antiseptics that contain iodine. According to our data 71% of clinics used iodine in 1998 (58% iodine tincture and 13% povidone iodine) and 58.2% (35.4 iodine tincture and 13% povidone iodine) in the year 2000. Presence of iodine resulted in over 3 times increase of a percentage of TSH levels over cut off, increasing the number of false positives in the hypothyroid screening. Analysis of TSH distribution for iodine containing and iodine free hospitals gave totally different estimation of iodine deficiency according to WHO criteria. In the group of iodine free hospitals 24 regions were classified as not deficient, 9 regions were borderline with a fraction of TSH levels over 5 mlU/l of 3-5%. 10 regions could not be analysed because all hospitals declared use of iodine. In the second group all regions were iodine deficient. TSH distribution since 1994 shows significant decrease of percentage of TSH levels over cut off from 2.23% in 1994 to 0.16 in 1997 and to 0.12 in 2000. These changes are most probably connected with successive introduction of iodine supplementation which became obligatory in 1997 and suggest that iodine supplementation covers iodine requirements during pregnancy. Iodine deficiency and iodine supplementation in Poland can be studied using TSH blood spot newborn screening results in correlation with data on interfering factors and in reference to modified criteria for the analytical test and the population. To reduce false positive rate in neonatal hypothyroid screening iodine containing antiseptics, particularly iodine tincture, should be withdrawn from all obstetrics clinics in Poland.

Human Alveolar Echinococcosis in Poland: 1990–2011

PubMed Central

Nahorski, Wacław L.; Knap, Józef P.; Pawłowski, Zbigniew S.; Krawczyk, Marek; Polański, Jerzy; Stefaniak, Jerzy; Patkowski, Waldemar; Szostakowska, Beata; Pietkiewicz, Halina; Grzeszczuk, Anna; Felczak-Korzybska, Iwona; Gołąb, Elżbieta; Wnukowska, Natalia; Paul, Małgorzata; Kacprzak, Elżbieta; Sokolewicz-Bobrowska, Elżbieta; Niścigorska-Olsen, Jolanta; Czyrznikowska, Aleksandra; Chomicz, Lidia; Cielecka, Danuta; Myjak, Przemysław

2013-01-01

Background Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) caused by Echinococcus multilocularis infections is a dangerous old disease in the Northern Hemisphere. The aim of the paper was to collect and analyze data on human AE in Poland in the last two decades. Methodology/Principal Findings The sources of data were both the cases officially registered and detected by an active field and laboratory surveillance. The cases were verified by clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory criteria. Altogether 121 human cases of AE were detected. Among these 83 (68,6%) cases were classified as confirmed, 16 as probable and 22 as possible. During the two decades a continuous increase in detection rate was noticed. The cases were 6–82 years old at the time of diagnosis (mean - 47.7 years). Sex ratio M/F was 0.86/1.0. The AE was fatal in 23 (19%) patients (mean age at death - 54.1 years). Family agglomeration of AE was found in 4 foci, involving 9 patients. Seventy six of the cases were diagnosed in an advanced stage of disease. In all cases the liver was the primary location of AE. In 30 (24.8%) patients a spread to other organs was observed. Ninety four of the patients were treated with albendazole. In 73 (60%) patients a surgical operation was performed, including 15 liver transplantations. Conclusions/Significance The studies confirmed that AE is an emerging disease in Poland, which is the fourth country in Europe with over 120 cases detected. The results also indicate the need of a wider national programme for implementation of screening in the highest AE risk areas (north-eastern Poland) with an effort to increase the public awareness of the possibility of contracting E. multilocularis, and above all, training of the primary care physicians in the recognition of the risk of AE to allow for an early detection of this dangerous disease. PMID:23301116

Ocular findings among young men: a 12-year prevalence study of military service in Poland.

PubMed

Nowak, Michal S; Jurowski, Piotr; Gos, Roman; Smigielski, Janusz

2010-08-01

To determine the prevalence of ocular diseases among young men and to assess the main ocular causes reflecting discharge from military service in Poland. A retrospective review of the medical records of 105 017 men undergoing a preliminary examination for military service during the period 1993-2004. Sample size for the study was calculated with 99% confidence within an error margin of 5%. All of the study participants were White men of European origin, most of whom live or lived in Poland. Data regarding the vision status were assessed in 1938 eyes of 969 participants. Two groups were distinguished based on the age of the participants: group I aged 18-24 years, and group II aged 25-34 years. Presented visual impairment [visual acuity (VA)<20/40)] followed by colour vision defects were the most common ocular disorders, accounting for 13.2%. There were statistically significant differences in uncorrected VA as well as in the rates of particular refractive errors in between the age groups (p<0.05). The prevalence of glaucoma and ocular hypertension was significantly higher in older participants. Six hundred and sixty-seven (68.8%) participants examined medically in the study period were accepted for military service. However, 302 (31.2%) failed their examination and were temporarily or permanently discharged from duty. Fifty-two of them (17.2%) were discharged because of various ocular disorders. The most common causes were high refractive errors, which accounted for 38.5% of all the ocular discharges, followed by chronic and recurrent diseases of the posterior segment of the eye, which accounted for 19.2%. The prevalence of ocular disorders among young men in an unselected military population was closer to the results obtained in other population-based studies comprising both men and women in the same age group. High refractive errors followed by chronic and recurrent diseases of the posterior segment of the eye are important causes of medical discharges from military service in Poland.

Socio-economic status as an environmental factor - incidence of underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents from less-urbanized regions of Poland.

PubMed

Długosz, Anna; Niedźwiedzka, Ewa; Długosz, Tomasz; Wądołowska, Lidia

2015-01-01

Under-nutrition, over-nutrition and obesity incidence in relation to environmental diversity and socio-economic influences in adolescents from less urbanized regions of Poland has not been widely studied. To determine the correlation between socio-economic status and incidence of underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents located in less-urbanized regions of Poland. The study involved 553 adolescents aged 13-18 living in 2 less-urbanized regions of Poland (small towns and villages in the central and north-eastern regions). The sample was randomly chosen. The distinguishing determinants of socio-economic status (SES) included 6 features. The SES index (SESI) was calculated. Low, average and high SESI adolescents were distinguished. Using logistic regression, the odds ratio (OR) of underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2)), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) incidence was calculated after BMI conversion using the international cut-off by Cole et al. (2000, 2007). The reference group were adolescents with low SESI (OR=1.00). 11% of the adolescents were underweight, 14% were overweight and 3% were obese. The odds ratio of underweight incidence for the average SESI adolescent was 0.33 (95%CI: 0.15, 0.73; p<0.01) and in high SESI adolescents - 1.05 (95%CI: 0.78, 1.42; p>0.05). The odds ratio of overweight incidence in the average SESI adolescent was 1.73 (95%CI: 0.93, 3.19; p>0.05) and in high SESI adolescents - 1.14 (95%CI: 0.83, 1.57; p>0.05). The odds ratio of obesity incidence in the average SESI adolescent was 0.70 (95%CI: 0.21, 2.34; p>0.05) and in high SESI adolescents - 0.76 (95%CI: 0.40, 1.44; p>0.05). Adjustments for gender, age or region of residence did not significantly change the ORs values or their interpretation. Underweight incidence in adolescents from less urbanized regions of Poland depended on socio-economic status. An adolescent with average socio-economic status was 3 times less likely to be underweight than an adolescent with low socio-economic status. The correlation between socio-economic status and overweight and obesity was not significant.

Airport Catchment Area- Example Warsaw Modlin Airport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Błachut, Jakub

2017-10-01

The form and functions of airports change over time, just like the form and function of cities. Historically, airports are understood as places of aircraft landing, control towers operation and location of other facilities used for communication and transport. This traditional model is giving way to the concept of so-called Airport Cities, based on the assumption that, in addition to its infrastructure and air services, also non-air services are performed, constituting a source of income. At the same time, their reach and impact on the economy of the areas around the airport are expanding. Idea City Airport appeared in the United States in the late twentieth century. The author is J. D. Kasarda, he believes that it is around these big air ports that airport cities develop. In the world, there are currently 45 areas which can be classified in this category, out of which 12 are located in Europe. Main air traffic hubs in Europe are not only the most important passenger traffic junctions, but also largest centres dispatching goods (cargo). It can be said that, among the 30 largest airports, 24 are the largest in terms of both passenger and freight traffic. These airports cover up to 89.9% of the total freight transport of all European airports. At the same time, they serve 56.9% of all passengers in Europe. Based on the concept of Airport City was developed document THE INTEGRATED REGIONAL POLYCENTRIC DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR THE WARSAW MODLIN AIRPORT CATCHMENT AREA. The plan developed takes into account the findings of the Mazovian voivodeship spatial development plan, specifying the details of its provisions where possible. The development is the first step for the implementation of the concept of the Modlin Airport City. The accomplishment of this ambitious vision will only be possible with hard work of a number of entities, as well as taking into account the former Modlin Fortress, currently under revitalisation, in concepts and plans.

Perspectives of UV nowcasting to monitor personal pro-health outdoor activities.

PubMed

Krzyścin, Janusz W; Lesiak, Aleksandra; Narbutt, Joanna; Sobolewski, Piotr; Guzikowski, Jakub

2018-07-01

Nowcasting model for online monitoring of personal outdoor behaviour is proposed. It is envisaged that it will provide an effective e-tool used by smartphone users. The model could estimate maximum duration of safe (without erythema risk) outdoor activity. Moreover, there are options to estimate duration of sunbathing to get adequate amount of vitamin D 3 and doses necessary for the antipsoriatic heliotherapy. The application requires information of starting time of sunbathing and the user's phototype. At the beginning the user will be informed of the approximate duration of sunbathing required to get the minimum erythemal dose, adequate amount of vitamin D 3 , and the dose necessary for the antipsoriatic heliotherapy. After every 20-min the application will recalculate the remaining duration of sunbathing based on the UVI measured in the preceding 20 min. If the estimate of remaining duration is <20 min the user will be informed that the deadline of sunbathing is approaching. Finally, a warning signal will be sent to stop sunbathing if the measured dose reaches the required dose. The proposed model is verified using the data collected at two measuring sites for the warm period of 2017 (1st April-30th September) in large Polish cities (Warsaw and Lodz). First instrument represents the UVI monitoring station. The information concerning sunbathing duration, which is sent to a remote user, is evaluated on the basis of the UVI measurements collected by the second measuring unit in a distance of ~7 km and 10 km for Warsaw and Lodz, respectively. The statistical analysis of the differences between sunbathing duration by nowcasting model and observation shows that the model provides reliable doses received by the users during outdoor activities in proximity (~10 km) to the UVI source site. Standard 24 h UVI forecast based on prognostic values of total ozone and cloudiness appears to only be valid for sunny days. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Survival rates among Seventh Day Adventists compared with the general population in Poland.

PubMed

Jedrychowski, W; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, B; Olma, A; Gradzikiewicz, P

1985-01-01

The purpose of the work was to test the hypothesis that the survival rate is higher among the Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) than in the general population of Poland, because of the strictly respected customs adhered to by members of this church community, such as abstinence from smoking and from alcohol. The data on life expectancy in the SDA community covered a total of 236 members of this denomination in Kraków (86 males and 150 females). The survival probability rates were estimated by the life table method, for both men and women separately, and were subsequently compared with the corresponding parameters of the Polish Life Tables. Over a period of 10 years, in which these data were studied, there were 11 deaths in males and 24 deaths in females. Mean age at death was 71.9 years among men and 75.1 among women. The survival curves traced over the age groups of both sexes of SDA members were fairly similar, but they were markedly higher than in the general population of Poland. In the general population the survival rates for people over 40 years old were higher in females than in males, whereas no corresponding sex differences in rates concerning SDA members were observed. The greater benefit in life expectancy is gained in the SDA group in comparison with men in the general population. This is attributable to their abstinence from very harmful habits, otherwise more widespread in this sex group.

Knowledge About Legal Regulations Regarding Organ Transplantation Among High School and University Students in Poland.

PubMed

Pawłowicz, E; Nowicki, M

2016-06-01

It has been reported in many studies that although young people have positive attitudes towards organ donation, their knowledge about transplantation is insufficient. This study focused on knowledge about legal regulations regarding organ transplantation in Poland. A 59-item, self-designed questionnaire was administered to 1011 young persons from Central Poland. Among the interviewees were 462 high school students, 184 students of the faculty of medicine, and 365 students from other faculties. The survey was divided into 4 parts: knowledge (basic information, maximum of 17 points; statistics, maximum of 5 points and legal regulations - maximum of 6 points), attitude, personal experience and general characteristics of the interviewees. High school and university students received 1.45 ± 1.24 and 1.54 ± 1.1 (P = .26) out of a maximal score of 6 with respect to knowledge of legal regulations. Medical students scored much higher (4.13 ± 1.23). Only 20 respondents (including 19 medical students) answered correctly all 6 questions. Those who were willing to donate their organs after death achieved better result than those who did not want to donate (1.6 ± 1.22 vs 1.34 ± 1.1; P = .002). Personal experiences did not influence knowledge about transplantation. Knowledge about legal regulations regarding organ transplantation is insufficient among young people. Structured, well-considered education programs at various levels of school and academic education are needed to improve public awareness and attitude. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Sanitation of the health service centre in Warsaw (Samodzielny Zespół Publicznych Zakładów Lecznictwa Otwartego Warszawa-Mokotów). Financial and economic analysis].

PubMed

Buczak-Stec, Elzbieta

2010-01-01

The aim of the financial and economic analysis, conducted in March 2010, was to identify all significant factors that had a positive influence on the restructuring process in the health service centre (Samodzielny Zespół Publicznych Zakładów Lecznictwa Otwartego Warszawa--Mokotów) in Warsaw. Within the framework of the analysis, financial data form time period 1999-2009 were analyzed. Also the managing director and financial director were interviewed. Taking into consideration research results it can be stated that not a single factor but a collection of the purposeful efforts influenced the improvement of the health service centre condition. Apart from received public help, the most significant factors include: rational restructuring process, managing of personnel development, professionally managed financial department, cooperation between departments, good internal communication and use of modern management techniques.

Modification of semiconductor materials with the use of plasma produced by low intensity repetitive laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolowski, J.; Rosinski, M.; Badziak, J.

2008-03-19

This work reports experiments concerning specific application of laser-produced plasma at IPPLM in Warsaw. A repetitive pulse laser system of parameters: energy up to 0.8 J in a 3.5 ns-pulse, wavelength of 1.06 {mu}m, repetition rate of up to 10 Hz, has been employed in these investigations. The characterisation of laser-produced plasma was performed with the use of 'time-of-flight' ion diagnostics simultaneously with other diagnostic methods. The results of laser-matter interaction were obtained in dependence on laser pulse parameters, illumination geometry and target material. The modified SiO{sub 2} layers and sample surface properties were characterised with the use of differentmore » methods at the Middle-East Technological University in Ankara and at the Warsaw University of technology. The production of the Ge nanocrystallites has been demonstrated for annealed samples prepared in different experimental conditions.« less

Chemical composition of vegetation along urbanisation gradients in two European cities.

PubMed

Sæbø, A; Hanslin, H M; Torp, T; Lierhagen, S; Gawronska, H; Dzierzanowski, K; Gawronski, S

2015-03-01

Accumulation of particulate matter (PM) and metals on leaves of three deciduous woody species was studied along urbanisation gradients in Stavanger and Warsaw. Differences between rural and urban sites explained most of the observed variation in leaf chemistry, followed by differences between regions. Highest leaf accumulation of elements was found in Warsaw, but also composition of elements differed between the cities. Overall, species showed similar patterns of element accumulation, but differed in accumulation of specific elements. These differences could in part be explained by differences in epicuticular waxes and PM accumulation. Expected source of elements and their chemical characteristics did not explain the observed accumulation patterns. A better differentiation between elements taken up from soil and air would be required for his. Species specific accumulation of elements has to be taken into consideration using leaf samples for biomonitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

14. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTACORLISS CROSSCOMPOUND ENGINE, FOR ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

14. INTERIOR OF ENGINE ROOM, CONTAINING MESTA-CORLISS CROSS-COMPOUND ENGINE, FOR 40" BLOOMING MILL. THIS VIEW HIGHLIGHTS THE CRANK AND 24' DIAMETER FLYWHEEL. THE ENGINE IS A 7,940 HP MESTA-CORLISS CROSS-COMPOUND STEAM ENGINE ITS BORE AND STROKE ARE 32"X84"X60". NOTE FLY BALL GOVERNOR ON ENGINE. MILL DRIVE SHAFT ATTACHED TO PULLEY ON LOCATED ON CRANK. - Republic Iron & Steel Company, Youngstown Works, Blooming Mill & Blooming Mill Engines, North of Poland Avenue, Youngstown, Mahoning County, OH

The Economic Consequences of an Invasion of Poland by the Soviet Union.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

worker’s salary. Basic food supplies are erratic. Travelers report that at Gorsky, for example, there is no butter, meat, fruit and flour , and that...Lithuanians, Ukranians, Estonians, Georgians, Armenians, Uzbeks and many of the Muslim peoples. One author noted, "With the glue of belief and trust...Forecast," Wall Street Journal , May 18, 1981, p. 31. 56. Daniel Park, "Oil and Gas in Comecon Countries," (London: Kogan Page, 1979) table 24a, p. 41

Productivity losses and public finance burden attributable to breast cancer in Poland, 2010-2014.

PubMed

Łyszczarz, Błażej; Nojszewska, Ewelina

2017-10-10

Apart from the health and social burden of the disease, breast cancer (BC) has important economic implications for the sick, health system and whole economy. There has been a growing interest in the economic aspects of breast cancer and analyses of the disease costs seem to be the most explored topic. However, the results from these studies are hardly comparable. With this study we aim to contribute to the field by providing estimates of productivity losses and public finance burden attributable to BC in Poland. We used retrospective prevalence-based top-down approach to estimate the productivity losses (indirect costs) of BC in Poland in the period 2010-2014. Human capital method (HCM) and societal perspective were used to estimate the costs of: absenteeism of the sick and caregivers, presenteeism of the sick and caregivers, disability, and premature mortality. We also used figures illustrating public finance burden attributable to the disease. Deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the stability of the estimates. A variety of data sources were used with the social insurance system and Polish National Cancer Registry being the most important ones. Productivity losses associated with BC in Poland were €583.7 million in 2010 and they increased to €699.7 million in 2014. Throughout the period these costs accounted for 0.162-0.171% of GDP, an equivalent of 62,531-65,816 per capita GDP. Losses attributable to disability and premature mortality proved to be the major cost drivers with 27.6%-30.6% and 22.0%-24.6% of the total costs respectively. The costs due to caregivers' presenteeism were negligible (0.1% of total costs). Public finance expenditure for social insurance benefits to BC sufferers ranged from €50.2 million (2010) to €56.6 million (2014), an equivalent of 0.72-0.79% of expenditures for all diseases. Potential losses in public finance revenues accounted for €173.9 million in 2010 and €211.0 million in 2014. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust to changes in the model parameters. The productivity losses attributable to BC in Poland were a sizable burden for the society. They contributed both to decreased economy output and to public finance deficit.

Acceptance of, inclination for, and barriers in genetic testing for gene mutations that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers among female residents of Warsaw

PubMed Central

Dera, Paulina; Religioni, Urszula; Duda-Zalewska, Aneta; Deptała, Andrzej

2016-01-01

Aim of the study To check the degree of acceptance of, inclination for, and barriers in genetic testing for gene mutations that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers among female residents of Warsaw Material and methods This study involved 562 women between 20 and 77 years of age, all of whom were patients visiting gynaecologists practising in clinics in the City of Warsaw. The studied population was divided into six age categories. The study method was a diagnostic poll conducted with the use of an original questionnaire containing 10 multiple-choice questions. Results Nearly 70% of the women showed an interest in taking a test to detect predispositions to develop breast and ovarian cancer. More than 10% did not want to take such a test, while every fifth women was undecided. No statistically significant differences between the respondents’ willingness to pay and education were found (p = 0.05). The most frequent answer given by women in all groups was that the amount to pay was too high. Such an answer was given by 52.17% of women with primary education, 65.22% of women with vocational education, 58.61% of women with secondary education, and 41.62% of women with higher education. Conclusions Women with a confirmed increased risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer due to inter alia the presence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations should pay particular attention to 1st and 2nd level prophylaxis. PMID:27095945

Nighttime lidar water vapor mixing ratio profiling over Warsaw - impact of the relative humidity profile on cloud formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Costa Surós, Montserrat; Stachlewska, Iwona S.

2016-04-01

A long-term study, assessing ground-based remote Raman lidar versus in-situ radiosounding has been conducted with the aim of improving the knowledge on the water content vertical profile through the atmosphere, and thus the conditions for cloud formation processes. Water vapor mixing ratio (WVMR) and relative humidity (RH) profiles were retrieved from ADR Lidar (PollyXT-type, EARLINET site in Warsaw). So far, more than 100 nighttime profiles averaged over 1h around midnight from July 2013 to December 2015 have been investigated. Data were evaluated with molecular extinctions calculated using two approximations: the US62 standard atmosphere and the radiosounding launched in Legionowo (12374). The calibration factor CH2O for lidar retrievals was obtained for each profile using the regression method and the profile method to determine the best calibration factor approximation to be used in the final WVMR and RH calculation. Thus, statistically representative results for comparisons between lidar WVMR median profiles obtained by calibrating using radiosounding profiles and using atmospheric synthetic profiles, all of them with the best calibration factor, will be presented. Finally, in order to constrain the conditions of cloud formation in function of the RH profile, the COS14 algorithm, capable of deriving cloud bases and tops by applying thresholds to the RH profiles, was applied to find the cloud vertical structure (CVS). The algorithm was former applied to radiosounding profiles at SGP-ARM site and tested against the CVS obtained from the Active Remote Sensing of Clouds (ARSCL) data. Similarly, it was applied for lidar measurements at the Warsaw measurement site.

Stature of boys post World War II migrants.

PubMed

Hulanicka, B; Gronkiewicz, L; Zietkiewicz, B

1999-01-01

Poland is a country with significant regional differences in socio-economic, demographic and epidemiological phenomena. This is partly due to its history; notably the division of Poland among three different countries and the change of the borders after the second World War. The latter caused massive migratory movements of population. Then from the territory which now constitutes one third of Poland, Germans were evicted and Poles settled. These, then new, Western and Northern Territories of Poland (WNTP) are still the most developed parts of Poland with better roads, better housing and easier access to medical service and schools. On the other hand, some of the statistical data concerning the health and lifestyle of the population of these parts of Poland are worse than the corresponding data concerning the rest of Poland. For example the rate of lung cancer, the rate of divorce, the rate of adolescence pregnancies, the rate of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption are all higher in the WNTP. In 1955, a very comprehensive anthropological nationwide survey of school children was performed. Our findings based on this material exhibit a number of phenomena which might contribute to the explanation of these negative population data. We have observed that the boys born in various regions of pre-war Poland and settled with their parents in the new territories were of different height at the age of 7-18 years than those from the four other regions of Poland whose parents were not resettled. Also the average height of boys, those sons of the migrants who during post-war migration did not go to the west but settled in the central region of Poland, was greater than those who settled in the west of Poland. Our results indicate that among the migrants there was a considerable fraction of people who were physically weaker and less socially adapted in comparison to the rest of the Polish population and that these characteristics have been passed down to the subsequent generation.

Controversies in Poland Syndrome: Alternative Diagnoses in Patients With Congenital Pectoral Muscle Deficiency.

PubMed

Baas, Martijn; Burger, Elise B; Sneiders, Dimitri; Galjaard, Robert-Jan H; Hovius, Steven E R; van Nieuwenhoven, Christianne A

2018-02-01

Poland syndrome was first described as a deficiency of the pectoral muscle with ipsilateral symbrachydactyly. Currently, numerous case reports describe variations of Poland syndrome in which pectoral muscle deficiency is often used as the only defining criterion. However, more syndromes can present with pectoral muscle deficiency. The aim of this review is to illustrate the diversity of the phenotypic spectrum of Poland syndrome and to create more awareness for alternative diagnoses in pectoral muscle deficiency. A systematic literature search was performed. Articles containing phenotypical descriptions of Poland syndrome were included. Data extraction included number of patients, sex, familial occurrence, and the definition of Poland syndrome used. In addition, hand deformities, thoracic deformities, and other deformities in each patient were recorded. Alternative syndrome diagnoses were identified in patients with a combination of hand, thorax, and other deformities. One hundred-and-thirty-six articles were included, describing 627 patients. Ten different definitions of Poland syndrome were utilized. In 58% of the cases, an upper extremity deformity was found and 43% of the cases had an associated deformity. Classic Poland syndrome was seen in 29%. Fifty-seven percent of the patients with a pectoral malformation, a hand malformation, and another deformity had at least 1feature that matched an alternative syndrome. Pectoral muscle hypoplasia is not distinctive for Poland syndrome alone but is also present in syndromes with other associated anomalies with a recognized genetic cause. Therefore, in patients with an atypical phenotype, we recommend considering other diagnoses and/or syndromes before diagnosing a patient with Poland syndrome. This can prevent diagnostic and prognostic errors. Differentiating Poland syndrome from the alternative diagnoses has serious consequences for the patient and their family in terms of inheritance and possible related anomalies. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An assessment of the footprint and carrying capacity of oil and gas well sites: The implications for limiting hydrocarbon reserves.

PubMed

Clancy, S A; Worrall, F; Davies, R J; Gluyas, J G

2018-03-15

We estimate the likely physical footprint of well pads if shale gas or oil developments were to go forward in Europe and used these estimates to understand their impact upon existing infrastructure (e.g. roads, buildings), the carrying capacity of the environment, and how the proportion of extractable resources maybe limited. Using visual imagery, we calculate the average conventional well site footprints to be 10,800m 2 in the UK, 44,600m 2 in The Netherlands and 3000m 2 in Poland. The average area per well is 541m 2 /well in the UK, 6370m 2 /well in The Netherlands, and 2870m 2 /well in Poland. Average access road lengths are 230m in the UK, 310m in The Netherlands and 250m in Poland. To assess the carrying capacity of the land surface, well pads of the average footprint, with recommended setbacks, were placed randomly into the licensed blocks covering the Bowland Shale, UK. The extent to which they interacted or disrupted existing infrastructure was then assessed. For the UK, the direct footprint would have a 33% probability of interacting with immovable infrastructure, but this would rise to 73% if a 152m setback was used, and 91% for a 609m setback. The minimum setbacks from a currently producing well in the UK were calculated to be 21m and 46m from a non-residential and residential property respectively, with mean setbacks of 329m and 447m, respectively. When the surface and sub-surface footprints were considered, the carrying capacity within the licensed blocks was between 5 and 42%, with a mean of 26%. Using previously predicted technically recoverable reserves of 8.5×10 11 m 3 for the Bowland Basin and a recovery factor of 26%, the likely maximum accessible gas reserves would be limited by the surface carrying capacity to 2.21×10 11 m 3 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of clinical profile and management of outpatients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction treated by general practitioners and cardiologists in contemporary Poland: the results from the DATA-HELP registry.

PubMed

Jankowska, Ewa A; Kalicinska, Elzbieta; Drozd, Marcin; Kurian, Beata; Banasiak, Waldemar; Ponikowski, Piotr

2014-10-20

We sought to determine and compare clinical profile and management of outpatients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF) treated by cardiologists and general practitioners (GPs) in Poland. All the 790 randomly selected cardiologists and GPs in the DATA-HELP registry, which included 5563 patients, filled out questionnaires about 10 consecutive outpatients with HFREF. Outpatients managed by GPs were older (69±10 vs 66±12 years), and the prevalence of men was less marked (58% vs 67%). They also had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (38±6% vs 35±8%) and had more pulmonary congestion (63% vs 49%) and peripheral oedema (66% vs 51%), compared with those treated by cardiologists (all p<0.001). Hypertension (74% vs 66%), previous stroke and/or transient ischaemic attack (21% vs 16%), diabetes (40% vs 30%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (14% vs 11%) were more common in outpatients of GPs (all p<0.001). GPs were less likely to prescribe β-blocker (95% vs 97%, p<0.01), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) (56% vs 64%, p<0.001), and loop diuretic (61% vs 64%, p<0.05) or use PCI (33% vs 44%, p<0.001), CABG (11% vs 16%, p<0.001), ICD (4% vs 10%, p<0.001), or CRT (1% vs 5%, p<0.001). Prescription of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (94% vs 94%, p>0.2) and digoxin (20% vs 21%, p>0.2) by GPs and cardiologists was similar. In contemporary Poland, most outpatients with HFREF receive drugs that improve survival and undergo revascularisation procedures, although devices are rare, but the clinical profiles and management of those treated by GPs and cardiologists differ. Outpatients treated by GPs are older and have more co-morbidities. Outpatients treated by cardiologists more commonly receive β-blocker, MRA, ICD, and CRT, and undergo coronary revascularisations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

What do pharmaceutical industry professionals in Europe believe about involving patients and the public in research and development of medicines? A qualitative interview study

PubMed Central

Parsons, Suzanne; Starling, Bella; Mullan-Jensen, Christine; Warner, Kay; Wever, Kim

2016-01-01

Objectives To explore European-based pharmaceutical industry professionals’ beliefs about patient and public involvement (PPI) in medicines research and development (R&D). Setting Pharmaceutical companies in the UK, Poland and Spain. Participants 21 pharmaceutical industry professionals, four based in the UK, five with pan-European roles, four based in Spain and eight based in Poland. Method Qualitative interview study (telephone and face-to-face, semistructured interviews). All interviews were audio taped, translated (where appropriate) and transcribed for analysis using the Framework approach. Results 21 pharmaceutical industry professionals participated. Key themes were: beliefs about (1) whether patients and the public should be involved in medicines R&D; (2) the barriers and facilitators to PPI in medicines R&D and (3) how the current relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, patient organisations and patients influence PPI in medicines R&D. Conclusions Although interviewees appeared positive about PPI, many were uncertain about when, how and which patients to involve. Patients and the public's lack of knowledge and interest in medicines R&D, and the pharmaceutical industry's lack of knowledge, interest and receptivity to PPI were believed to be key challenges to increasing PPI. Interviewees also believed that relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, patient organisations, patients and the public needed to change to facilitate PPI in medicines R&D. Existing pharmaceutical industry codes of practice and negative media reporting of the pharmaceutical industry were also seen as negative influences on these relationships. PMID:26743701

[Myocardial infarction and complications. Longitudinal observation of a population of 280,000 women and men--Project POL-MONICA Krakow. I. Genesis and objectives of the WHO MONICA Project].

PubMed

Pajak, A

1996-01-01

The WHO MONICA Project is a multicentre collaborative study coordinated by The World Health Organization. The aim is to measure trends in cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity and to assess the extent, to which these trends are related to changes in risk factor levels and in medical care measured at the same time in defined communities in different countries. There are 38 participating research centres from 21 countries from 4 continents, including two Polish centres: POL-MONICA Warszawa and POL-MONICA Kraków. Population studied in POL-MONICA Warszawa Project consisted of residents of two districts of Warsaw capital. The interest of the research of the POL-MONICA Kraków focuses on problems of the myocardial infarction in semi-rural population and the population observed consisted of men and women at age 25-64 years residents of one Polish province-Tarnobrzeg Voivodship.

Prevention and control of childhood asthma and allergy in the EU from the public health point of view: Polish Presidency of the European Union

PubMed Central

Samoliński, B; Fronczak, A; Kuna, P; Akdis, C A; Anto, J M; Bialoszewski, A Z; Burney, P G; Bush, A; Czupryniak, A; Dahl, R; Flood, B; Galea, G; Jutel, M; Kowalski, M L; Palkonen, S; Papadopoulos, N; Raciborski, F; Sienkiewicz, D; Tomaszewska, A; Mutius, E; Willman, D; Włodarczyk, A; Yusuf, O; Zuberbier, T; Bousquet, J; Niggemann, Bodo

2012-01-01

The leading priority for the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union was to reduce health inequalities across European societies, and, within its framework, prevention and control of respiratory diseases in children. This very important paper contain proposal of international cooperation on the prevention, early detection and monitoring of asthma and allergic diseases in childhood which will be undertaken by the EU member countries as a result of EU conclusion developed during the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This will result in collaboration in the field of chronic diseases, particularly respiratory diseases, together with the activity of the network of national institutions and NGOs in this area. Paper also contains extensive analysis of the socio-economic, political, epidemiological, technological and medical factors affecting the prevention and control of childhood asthma and allergy presented during Experts presidential conference organized in Warsaw-Ossa 21–22 September 2011. PMID:22540290

Practical Development of Modern Mass Media Education in Poland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedorov, Alexander

2012-01-01

Practical development of modern mass media education in Poland. The paper analyzes the main ways of practical development of modern media education (1992-2012 years) in Poland: basic technologies, main events, etc.

Drug-class-specific changes in the volume and cost of antidiabetic medications in Poland between 2012 and 2015.

PubMed

Śliwczyński, Andrzej; Brzozowska, Melania; Jacyna, Andrzej; Iltchev, Petre; Iwańczuk, Tymoteusz; Wierzba, Waldemar; Marczak, Michał; Orlewska, Katarzyna; Szymański, Piotr; Orlewska, Ewa

2017-01-01

to investigate the drug-class-specific changes in the volume and cost of antidiabetic medications in Poland in 2012-2015. This retrospective analysis was conducted based on the National Health Fund database covering an entire Polish population. The volume of antidiabetic medications is reported according to ATC/DDD methodology, costs-in current international dollars, based on purchasing power parity. During a 4-year observational period the number of patients, consumption of antidiabetic drugs and costs increased by 17%, 21% and 20%, respectively. Biguanides are the basic diabetes medication with a 39% market share. The insulin market is still dominated by human insulins, new antidiabetics (incretins, thiazolidinediones) are practically absent. Insulins had the largest share in diabetes medications expenditures (67% in 2015). The increase in antidiabetic medications costs over the analysed period of time was mainly caused by the increased use of insulin analogues. The observed tendencies correspond to the evidence-based HTA recommendations. The reimbursement status, the ratio of cost to clinical outcomes and data on the long-term safety have a deciding impact on how a drug is used.

Increase of radiocarbon concentration in tree rings from Kujawy (SE Poland) around AD 774-775

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakowski, Andrzej Z.; Krąpiec, Marek; Huels, Mathias; Pawlyta, Jacek; Dreves, Alexander; Meadows, John

2015-10-01

Evidence of a rapid increase in atmospheric radiocarbon (14C) content in AD 774-775 was presented by Miyake et al. (2012), who observed an increase of about 12‰ in the 14C content in annual tree rings from Japanese cedar. Usoskin et al. (2013) report a similar 14C spike in German oak, and attribute it to exceptional solar activity. If this phenomenon is global in character, such rapid changes in 14C concentration may affect the accuracy of calibrated dates, as the existing calibration curve is composed mainly of decadal samples. Single-year samples of dendro-chronologically dated tree rings of deciduous oak (Quercus robur) from Kujawy, a village near Krakow (SE Poland), spanning the years AD 765-796, were collected and their 14C content was measured using the AMS system in the Leibniz Laboratory. The results clearly show a rapid increase of 9.2 ± 2.1‰ in the 14C concentration in tree rings between AD 774 and AD 775, with maximum Δ14C = 4.1 ± 2.3‰ noted in AD 776.

Differentiation of flea communities infesting small mammals across selected habitats of the Baltic coast, central lowlands, and southern mountains of Poland.

PubMed

Kowalski, Krzysztof; Eichert, Urszula; Bogdziewicz, Michał; Rychlik, Leszek

2014-05-01

Only a few studies comparing flea composition on the coast and in the mountains have been conducted. We investigated differences in flea communities infesting small mammals in selected habitats in northern, central, and southern Poland. We predicted (1) a greater number of flea species in the southeastern Poland and a lower number in the north, (2) a greater number of flea species in fertile and wet habitats than in poor and arid habitats, and (3) a low similarity of flea species between flea communities in western and eastern Poland. We found a negative effect of increasing latitude on flea species richness. We suppose that the mountains providing a variety of environments and the limits of the geographic ranges of several flea subspecies in southeastern Poland result in a higher number of flea species. There was a positive effect of increasing wetness of habitat on flea species richness. We found a high diversity in flea species composition between western and eastern Poland (beta diversity = 11) and between central and eastern Poland (beta diversity = 12). Re-colonization of Poland by small mammals and their ectoparasites from different (western and eastern) refugees can affect on this high diversity of flea species.

The bioeconomy in Poland within the context of the European Union.

PubMed

Woźniak, Ewa; Twardowski, Tomasz

2018-01-25

This article outlines the potential of the development of bioeconomy in Poland in the context of the European Union (EU). The analyses take into account the concept of bioeconomy, the overview of documents referring to the bioeconomy in the EU, including policy frameworks and agendas. Many countries including Poland emphasise the importance of bioeconomy, but have not yet developed a complex strategy. The state of bioeconomy in Poland is characterised by the sectors of agriculture, forestry and food production, as well as parts of the chemical, biotechnology and energy industries. In 2014 the global production volume in the Polish bioeconomy amounted to PLN 343 billion with the sector employing almost 3 million staff. However, the structure of the bioeconomy is dominated by traditional sectors, such as agriculture and agro-food industries. This article presents the analysis of research and development activity in Poland from 2009 to 2015. It reports the position of Poland on GMOs and their future development potential. It is worth mentioning that many EU states including Poland have declared themselves as being "GMO-free countries". Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Direct healthcare costs and cost-effectiveness of acute coronary syndrome secondary prevention with ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel: economic evaluation from the public payer's perspective in Poland based on the PLATO trial results.

PubMed

Pawęska, Justyna; Macioch, Tomasz; Perkowski, Piotr; Budaj, Andrzej; Niewada, Maciej

2014-01-01

Ticagrelor is the first reversibly binding oral P2Y12 receptor antagonist designed to reduce clinical thrombotic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Compared to clopidogrel, ticagrelor has been proven to significantly reduce the rate of death from vascular causes, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke without an increase in the rate of overall major bleeding in patients who have an ACS with or without ST-segment elevation (STEMI and NSTEMI) or unstable angina (UA). To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and healthcare costs associated with secondary prevention of ACS using ticagrelor or clopidogrel in patients after STEMI, NSTEMI and UA. An economic model based on results from the PLATO trial was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of one-year therapy with ticagrelor or clopidogrel. The structure of the model consisted of two parts, i.e. the decision tree with one-year PLATO results and the Markov model with lifelong estimations, which exceeded PLATO follow-up data. The model was adjusted to Polish settings with country-specific data on death rates in the general population and direct medical costs calculated from the public payer's perspective. Costs were derived from the National Health Fund (NHF) and the Ministry of Health and presented in PLN 2013 values. Annual mean costs of second and subsequent years after stroke or MI were obtained from the literature. Uncertainty of assumed parameters was tested in scenarios and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. The adopted model allowed the estimation of an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for life years gained (LYG) and an incremental cost-utility ratio for quality adjusted life years (QALY). Total direct medical costs to the public payer at a one year horizon were 2,905 PLN higher with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel. However, mean healthcare costs at a one year horizon (excluding drug costs and concomitant drugs) were 690 PLN higher for patients treated with clopidogrel. In a lifetime horizon, results indicated that ticagrelor was the more cost-effective option compared to generic clopidogrel, with an incremental cost per LYG estimated at 21,566 PLN and an incremental costper QALY estimated at 24,965 PLN. In a lifetime horizon, which should be used when comparing technologies with different impacts on mortality, cost-effectiveness evaluation resulted in more favourable economic outcomes for ticagrelor than for generic clopidogrel, with the cost per QALY well below the recommended willingness to pay threshold in Poland (24,965 PLN vs. 111,381 PLN).

In lieu of an autobiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kestin, J.

1993-07-01

The author recalls some of the issues related to his professional work, first at the Politechnika in Warsaw and at the Polish University College in London and subsequently during his tenure as a professor of engineering at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

A resolution honoring the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising.

THOMAS, 113th Congress

Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD

2014-07-23

Senate - 07/31/2014 Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status Agreed to in SenateHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Transect studies on pine forests along parallel 52° north, 12-32° east and along a pollution gradient in Poland: general assumptions

Treesearch

Alicja Breymeyer

1998-01-01

The responses of pine forest to changing climate and environmental chemistry were studied along two transects following the pollution and continentality gradients in Poland. One axis begins on the western border of Poland, crosses the country along the 52nd parallel, and ends on the eastern border of Poland in the area of Bialowieza National Park, Biosphere Reserve....

Poland: An energy and environmental overview

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Szpunar, C.B.; Bhatti, N.; Buehring, W.A.

1990-10-01

Poland's reliance on coal as its primary source of energy imposes heavy environmental costs on its economy and population. Specifically, many of Poland's air and water pollution problems can be traced to the high energy intensity of Polish industrial production. This overview presents environment and energy information for Poland. Topics discussed include: energy resources, production and use; energy production, trade and use; environmental quality and impacts; and control strategies. 109 refs., 25 figs., 40 tabs.

[Poland's syndrome].

PubMed

Slezak, R; Sasiadek, M

2000-08-01

Poland's syndrome consists of the variable clinical features, but always includes unilateral aplasia of the chest wall muscles and ipsilateral anomalies of upper extremity. The incidence of Poland's syndrome, reported by different authors ranges from 1:10,000 to 1:100,000 and is observed more frequently in males than in females with the right side of the body affected more often than the left. The etiology of this syndrome is still discussed. However most of described cases were sporadic, rare familial incidence of Poland's syndrome were also presented. Therefore different etiologic factors of the Poland's syndrome are taken into account: genetic, vascular compromise during early stages of embriogenesis but also teratogenic effect of environmental xenobiotics (e.g. cigarette smoking by pregnant women). The authors present also the case of 20-years old man with inherited bilateral syndactyly with the right side aplasia of major pectoralis muscle and face asymmetry. The familial history was negative in respect to the features, associated with Poland's syndrome.

Optic disc dysplasia in poland syndrome.

PubMed

Maxfield, Steven D; Strominger, Mitchell B

2014-06-01

To report optic disc dysplasia in a case of Poland syndrome. Non-interventional case report. A 2-year-old boy with Poland syndrome was referred for ophthalmic evaluation after abnormal optic discs were found on exam. Physical exam at birth revealed right-sided aplasia of the pectoralis major muscle, symbrachydactyly, hypoplastic scapula, and an abnormal third rib. On dilated examination the optic nerve heads were dysplastic. The findings included multiple cilioretinal vessels, situs inversus, inferotemporal excavation, and surrounding pigmentary disturbances. Only one case of optic disc anomaly has been reported in Poland syndrome and was described as morning glory syndrome. The optic discs in our patient do not fit well with other optic disc excavation syndromes but are most reminiscent of those in papillorenal syndrome. As both Poland syndrome and papillorenal syndrome share vascular dysfunction as a possible etiology, this case adds to the literature of vascular dysgenesis in Poland syndrome.

Uranium and thorium in the Kupferschiefer formation, Lower Zechstein, Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piestrzyński, A.

1990-05-01

The Kupferschiefer in Poland has an increased U content. The facies high in organic matter are significantly enriched in U. The maximum values of U are mostly in the lower part of the Kupferschiefer sequence. The mean (x) U content in the Kupferschiefer from the Lubin-Sieroszowice district is 61.5 ppm and from the rest of the Polish Zechstein basin is about 26 ppm. Thorium occurs only in small quantities (x) = 1.5 and 5 ppm respectively). The high variance of U and Th in the Kupferschiefer is due to multistage diagenetic processes. The main U carrier is thucholite. The investigated thucholite showed a Th-content below 0.36 ppm. Thucholite with uraninite exolutions showed small (up to 1.0 wt.%) admixtures of U and thucholite without microscopically visible exsolutions (up to 37.85 wt.% U). The phosphates showed significant amounts of U (up to 0.24 wt.). The U content in the Kupferschiefer is significantly lower than in black shales from other part of the world. Uranium in the Lubin district is not economic.

Profile and bioconcentration of minerals by King Bolete (Boletus edulis) from the Płocka Dale in Poland.

PubMed

Frankowska, Aneta; Ziółkowska, Joanna; Bielawski, Leszek; Falandysz, Jerzy

2010-01-01

This study aimed to provide basic data on the composition of metallic elements, including toxicologically important Cd and Hg, in popular and prized wild King Bolete mushrooms. We investigated the importance of soil substratum as a source of these metals. ICP-OES and CV-AAS were applied to determine the profile of Al, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Sr and Zn in caps and stipes of King Bolete mushroom and in the surface layer of soil (0-10 cm) from the Płocka Dale area of Poland. Hg, Cu, Cd, Zn, Mg and K exhibited bioconcentration factors (BCF) > 1. Specifically, Hg, Cu and Cd (mean BCFs for caps were 110, 19 and 16, respectively) were efficiently bioconcentrated by King Bolete, while other elements were bioexcluded (BCF < 1). Cadmium was present in the caps at mean levels of 5.5 ± 2.4 mg kg(-1) dry weight (dw) and mercury at levels of 4.9 ± 1.4 mg kg(-1) dw, both occurring at elevated concentrations in those King Bolete mushrooms surveyed.

A new high-resolution sediment record from Lake Gościąż (central Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonk, Alicja; Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław; Brauer, Achim; Brykała, Dariusz; Gierszewski, Piotr; Kramkowski, Mateusz; Plessen, Brigit; Schwab, Markus; Słowiński, Michał; Tjallingii, Rik

2017-04-01

The varved sediments from Lake Gościąż, located in the Vistula Valley in Central Poland, are an iconic record for palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction (Goslar et al. 2000, Hajdas et al. 1995, Ralska-Jasiewiczowa et al. 1998). Recently, we obtained a set of new sediment cores from Lake Gościąż and established a 21 m long sediment profile. Except of the topmost part of the core, it is continuously laminated down to glacial sands. We aim at applying a comprehensive multi-proxy core analyses combined with monitoring of present-day sedimentation processes. Sediment investigations will include new methods that have been developed or advanced since the previous studies on the Lake Gościąż sediments including continuous micro-facies analyses, μXRF core scanning and tephrochronology. The main aims of our new project are a revision of the existing floating chronology and to synchronise the Lake Gościąż sediment record based on independent isochrones with other European varved lake records like, e.g. Lake Meerfelder Maar, in order to investigate in detail proxy responses to climate change and to decipher regional leads and lags in climate change. Here, we will present (1) the objectives of our new project on this key record of past climate and environmental change and, (2) preliminary results including magnetic susceptibility, μ-XRF core scanning and microfacies images. This study is a contribution to scientific project financed by the National Science Centre, Poland - No DEC-2015/19/B/ST10/03039.

Evaluation of reactivity to Echinococcus spp. among rural inhabitants in Poland.

PubMed

Cisak, Ewa; Sroka, Jacek; Wójcik-Fatla, Angelina; Zając, Violetta; Dutkiewicz, Jacek

2015-09-01

A group of 172 rural inhabitants from eastern Poland (68 males and 104 females, mean age 49.0 ± 12.0 years) was examined for the presence of antibodies against Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. A population of 38 healthy urban dwellers from the city of Lublin (17 males and 21 females, mean age 36.2 ± 9.6 years) were examined as a control group. Sera of 22 rural inhabitants (12.8%) reacted positively to Echinococcus granulosus hydatid fluid antigen in the screening test. A cross-reactivity was observed with two serum samples that tested positive in ELISA for E. granulosus. Three serum samples were tested positive for E. multilocularis using the Em2plus ELISA assay and also positive for Western blot. None of the members of control group showed the presence of a seropositive reaction to Echinococcus spp. The reactivity to Echinococcus spp. among rural inhabitants decreased with age and this correlation was statistically significant (R = -0.197151, p = 0.009535). The percentage of positive findings was the highest (50.0%) in the youngest age group (14-20). No significant correlations were found between responses to interview questions (possession of domestic and farm animals, contact with wild animals, eating unwashed berries, drinking unboiled water) and the presence of seropositive reactions to Echinococcus spp. The presented results seem to indicate that echinococcosis is still a current problem in Poland that should not be neglected and, moreover, indicates the need for improvement in the routine laboratory diagnostics of Echinococcus spp. by standardizing the ELISA and Western blot tests.

The Lyme disease as the increasing health problem in Małopolskie voivodeship compared with Poland in 1998-2014

PubMed

Bandoła, Katarzyna; Koperny, Magdalena; Seweryn, Michał; Żak, Jacek; Bała, Małgorzata M

Lyme disease is one of the most known tick borne diseases in Poland caused by spirochetes of the genus Borrelia burgdorferi. Most cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed in the northeastern Poland and the south of Poland, in Śląskie, Małopolskie, Podkarpackie voivodeship. The aim of the study was to evaluate epidemiological data of Lyme disease in Małopolskie voivodeship and other voivodeships in Poland and frequency analysis of the Lyme disease as an occupational disease. The authors analyzed prevalence from 1998 to 2014. Incidence of the Lyme disease was evaluated through review data from „Choroby zakaźne i zatrucia” Bulletin and Lyme disease as an occupational disease obtained data from the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine in Łódź. It is estimated that the number of Lyme disease cases in Poland increased 18 times between 1998 and 2014 year (2,0 to 36 per 100,000 population), in the same period it was over 35 times of sudden rise in Lyme disease incidence in Małopolskie voivodeship. In years 2005-2014 the number of cases of Lyme disease as an occupational disease fluctuated with a slight upward trend both in Poland and Małopolskie voivoideship. In Poland number of reported cases is systematically increasing. Podlaskie and Warmińsko- Mazurskie voivodeships are areas of high prevalence. Exponential increase in the number of cases is observed in southern Poland, especially in Małopolskie voivodeship from 2013.