Knowledge management in a virtual organization

This article, which also has a nature of a review, presents issues of knowledge management in virtual organizations. The aim of the study was to identify and characterize the most important issues, i.e. the nature, subject, methods, tools, problems and benefits associated with the process of knowledge management in virtual organizations. The analysis of the literature included both Polish and foreign papers published in the twenty-first century, containing the latest theories and research results as well as classic approaches. The first part of the article describes the concept of virtual organizations, while the second contains the definitions, conditions and problems of knowledge management in this type of enterprises. The study shows the important role of knowledge and information technology, their relationships and the impact on virtualization of organization

Areas and forms of operation of academic business incubators alongside startup organizations

Incubators constitute the institutional and organizational support for companies in the early stages of development. One of the categories of incubators are academic business incubators whose activity is examined in this study. Based on the literature analysis the study presents concepts and problems associated with the operation of startups in the knowledge economy and the characterized organizations constituting institutional support for this type of organization. The research will verify the hypothesis that business incubators operating in the academic environment are important for the development of innovative products and services, created within the framework of the startup organizations supported. This is connected with the business model adopted by incubators. It is based on the combination of infrastructure, technology and know-how with the social capital of the academic environment. The diagnosis of the activity and the impact of academic business incubators is part of the analysis of the ecosystem of Polish startups conducted by the author

Activity of Arylsulphatase in Soil Contaminated with Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Abstract An experiment has been performed to deter-mine the activity of arylsulphatase in soil submitted to pressure of four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: naphthalene, phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene, in the amount of: 0, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 mg kg−1 dm of soil. Soil samples were also applied some organic sub-stances, such as: cellulose, sucrose, and compost, in the amount of 0 and 9 g kg−1 dm of soil. The experiment was run under laboratory conditions. It was established on soil which belonged to loamy sand. The soil resis-tance (RS) and resilience (RL) indices were computed. It has been discovered that the PAHs stimulated arylsulphatase activity, with anthracene raising the ac-tivity of the enzyme to the highest degree. The activity of arysulphatase depended significantly on the dose of a PAH, duration of pressure, and type of organic sub-stances added to soil. The highest resistance (RS) was determined in soil exposed to phenanthrene, and the lowest one—in soil polluted with pyrene. Low values of the RL index prove that polycyclic aromatic hydro-carbons cause lasting disorders in the activity of arylsulphatase

The incidence of thyroid diseases in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

WSTĘP: Zespół policystycznych jajników (PCOS) jest najczęstszą przyczyną hiperandrogenizmu i niepłodności u kobiet w wieku rozrodczym. W przebiegu klinicznym tej endokrynopatii należy uwzględniać wpływ zaburzeń tyreologicznych. CEL BADANIA: Ocena częstości występowania chorób tarczycy u pacjentek z PCOS w po­równaniu ze zdrową populacją. MATERIAŁ I METODY: Badaniem objęto 67 pacjentek, hospitalizowanych w Klinice Endokrynologii w Lublinie w latach 2012–2014, w wieku 18–44 lata (średnia wieku 26,5 ± 5,9 r.), u których rozpoznano PCOS według kryteriów rotterdamskich. Analiza retrospektywna dokumentacji medycznej ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem badania podmiotowego, przedmiotowego oraz badań laboratoryjnych. WYNIKI: Choroby tarczycy zdiagnozowano u 21 pacjentek (31,3%), średnia wieku 27,9 ± 7,8 roku, TSH 2,03 ± 0,9 mj./l. Wśród rozpoznań tyreologicznych w badanej grupie chorych dominowało autoimmunizacyjne zapalenie tarczycy u 14 pacjentek (70%), z tego 5 w stadium eutyreozy. Częstość występowania niedoczynności tarczycy na podłożu hipoplazji gruczołu tarczowego wynosiła 15%, wole guzkowe rozpoznano u 10% chorych. U jednej pacjentki nie ustalono etiologii niedoczynności tarczycy. Leczenie substytucyjne preparatami L-tyroksyny stosowano u 65% pacjentek. WNIOSKI: U pacjentek z PCOS częściej niż w populacji ogólnej występują choroby tarczycy, zwłaszcza przewlekłe zapalenie tarczycy o podłożu autoimmunizacyjnym, co wskazuje na konieczność prowadzenia badań przesiewowych w tej grupie kobiet.BACKGROUND: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of hyperandrogenism and infertility among women of childbearing age. The impact of thyroid disorders must be considered in the clinical course of this endocrinopathy. OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of the incidence of thyroid diseases in PCOS patients compared to the healthy population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 67 patients, aged between 18 to 44 years (the mean age 26.5 ± 5.9 years) hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology in Lublin in the years 2012–2014. Retrospective analysis of the medical documentation with a particular emphasis on the interview, physical examination and laboratory studies. RESULTS: The thyroid diseases were diagnosed in 21 patients (31.3%) with the mean age 27.9 ± 7.8 years, TSH: 2.03 ± 0.9 mU/L. Among the thyroid d iagnoses in the study group the autoimmune thyroiditis dominated 14 patients (70%), including 5 at the stage of euthyreosis. The incidence of hypothyroidism on the ground of h ypoplasia of the thyroid gland was 15%, nodular goiter was diagnosed in 10% of the patients. In one patient the etiology of hypothyroidism was unknown. The replacement therapy with the L-thyroxine was used in 65% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The thyroid diseases are more likely to appear in patients with PCOS than in general population, especially the chronic autoimmune thyroiditis, which indicates the necessity of screening tests in this group of women