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

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

Evaluation of clothing for use in an explosive atmosphere zone

W artykule omówiono metodę badania do pomiaru zaniku ładunku oraz uregulowania prawne i zasady oceny materiałów, a także odzieży antyelektrostatycznej przeznaczonej do użytkowania w strefie zagrożenia wybuchem.This article discusses a test method for measuring charge decay. It also presents regulations and criteria of classification of antielectrostatic materials and protective clothing for use in explosive atmosphere

Protective anti-electrostatic clothing - requirements

W artykule opisano wymagania normatywne odnoszące się do antyelektrostatycznej odzieży ochronnej oraz przepisy aktów prawnych jej dotyczących. Wyjaśniono kwestię przestrzeni zagrożonych wybuchem, atmosfery wybuchowej, podano wymagania konstrukcyjne wobec odzieży antyelektrostatycznej. Udzielono też odpowiedzi na najczęściej zadawane pytania odnośnie do wymagań wobec odzieży antyelektrostatycznej przy ocenie typu WE.This article describes normative requirements related to antielectrostatic protective clothing as well as related legal acts. It discusses the problems of explosion endangered areas and explosive atmosphere and the technical requirements for anti-electrostatic protective clothing. Frequently asked questions related to the requirements for this kind of clothing in light of CE evaluation are answered

Variable-Thermoinsulation Garments With a Microprocessor Temperature Controller

This paper presents the concept of active variable thermoinsulation clothing for users working in low temperatures. Those garments contain heating inserts regulated by a microprocessor temperature controller. This paper also presents the results of tests carried out on the newly designed garments

Reduction of occupational hazards in the vicinity of electromagnetic field sources (3) - review of barrier's materials

Umieszczenie między źródłem pola a chronionym obiektem materiału barierowego, rozpraszającego lub pochłaniającego pole elektromagnetyczne, jest kluczowym elementem zarówno ekranowania lokalizującego i osłaniającego, jak i konstruowania ubioru chroniącego pracownika przed nadmiernym oddziaływaniem pola elektromagnetycznego. W artykule omówiono materiały i technologie wytwarzania materiałów barierowych, możliwe do wykorzystania w celu ochrony przed ekspozycją na pola elektryczne lub magnetyczne różnych częstotliwości. Szczególną uwagę zwrócono na materiały o właściwościach przydatnych do konstrukcji odzieży ochronnej.The presence of barrier's structure (reflecting or absorbing) between electromagnetic field source and protected object is the basic element for localizing shielding and covering shielding, as well as design of protective cloths against excessive exposure of workers to electromagnetic fields. Materials of barrier's structures, useful for protection against exposure to electric or magnetic fields of various frequencies were presented. Special attention was paid on materials of properties useful for design of protective clothes

Medication adherence in the older adults with chronic multimorbidity: a systematic review of qualitative studies on patient’s experience

Purpose: Medication non-adherence represents a socially relevant challenge, particularly when interlinked to multiple chronic diseases and polypharmacy. Non-adherence rates affect treatment efficacy and increase health care costs. The aim of the study was to identify factors influencing medication adherence in the older adults through a systematic review of qualitative studies on patients’ experience. Methods: Two electronic databases were searched for qualitative studies on medication adherence in chronic diseases (hypertension, heart disease, COPD, asthma) involving people aged 65 +. The systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA statement guidelines, employing theoretical frameworks of the ABC Taxonomy of patient adherence and Three Factor model of determinants of behaviour. Results: The initial database search identified 1234 records, of which 39 studies were considered eligible. Most of the studies focused on hypertension and were conducted in English-speaking countries. According to the ABC Taxonomy, Persistence and Implementation were the most often considered phases. Considering the Three Factor model, the most often reported themes were Information and Strategies upon being adherent. Stemming from the review findings and the patients’ narratives, a new integrated model was proposed. It reports the patient’s decisional flowchart describing barriers and facilitators (personal, social and environmental) to adherence. Conclusion: Medication adherence is a complex and multifaceted process. The implementation of theoretical frameworks along with a patient-centred perspective may provide clinicians with useful suggestions for clinical practice, enhancing the patient’s ability to adhere

Polypharmacy Management in the Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Available Interventions

Background: Polypharmacy paves the way for non-adherence, adverse drug reactions, negative health outcomes, increased use of healthcare services and rising costs. Since it is most prevalent in the older adults, there is an urgent need for introducing effective strategies to prevent and manage the problem in this age group. Purpose: To perform a scoping review critically analysing the available literature referring to the issue of polypharmacy management in the older adults and provide narrative summary. Data sources: Articles published between January 2010–March 2018 indexed in CINHAL, EMBASE and PubMed addressing polypharmacy management in the older adults. Results: Our search identified 49 papers. Among the identified interventions, the most often recommended ones involved various types of drug reviews based on either implicit or explicit criteria. Implicit criteria-based approaches are used infrequently due to their subjectivity, and limited implementability. Most of the publications advocate the use of explicit criteria, such as e.g. STOPP/START, Beers and Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI). However, their applicability is also limited due to long lists of potentially inappropriate medications covered. To overcome this obstacle, such instruments are often embedded in computerised clinical decision support systems. Conclusion: Multiple approaches towards polypharmacy management are advised in current literature. They vary in terms of their complexity, applicability and usability, and no “gold standard” is identifiable. For practical reasons, explicit criteria-based drug reviews seem to be advisable. Having in mind that in general, polypharmacy management in the older adults is underused, both individual stakeholders, as well as policymakers should strengthen their efforts to promote these activities more strongly