Methodological aspects concerning sampling and determination of total selenium and selenium species in geothermal waters

The work presents the results of geothermal water sample analysis with respect to the determination of total selenium concentration. For this purpose, geothermal water (GT) samples were collected from three different intakes (GT-1, GT-2, GT-3) with similar temperatures of about 85ºC. Tests were carried out to see if the methodology of sample preparation influenced total selenium concentration during analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Samples (raw and filtered) were preserved with nitric acid (HNO3) and mineralised in the laboratory. From the data obtained it was found that there is no significant difference between total selenium concentration in raw and filtered samples. Following mineralisation, the concentrations in the samples were below the limit of detection or limit of quantification. While different analytical steps or procedures are applied, the results of total selenium concentration can vary. Furthermore, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ICP-MS was used for the identification of selenium species. The results revealed that hexavalent selenium – Se(VI) – in the geothermal water was found only in samples collected from the GT-2 and GT-3 intakes

Metrology in Albania, CARDS 2003 Programme, EuropeAid/117815/85154/C/SV/AL. 5th interim report

In this report, detailed description of the activities realised within the CARDS project "Albania metrology" in the fifth reporting period from 1 September 2006 to 28 February 2007 is given. The report includes description of each task, its objective, methodology used to achieve its objective, as well as indicators, such as number of expert days, number of people trained and expert working days. In the second part of the report, activities for the next reporting period from 1 March 2007 to 8 August 2007, when the project ends, are described. Additionally, complementarily with other related projecs (The World Bank, German funded project) are described as well. As a conclusion, an overall evaluation of the project's progress is given and possible risks for the planned actions are identified.JRC.D.4-Isotope measurement

Treatment of chronic pain in oncology: cooperation between the oncologist and psychooncologist

The aim of this work is to present the problem of chronic pain in neoplastic disease as a situation requiring diagnosis and interdisciplinary treatment. The phenomenon of chronic pain, its types, and causes are discussed. A discussion was held on appropriate scales for measuring pain intensity. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy were primarily presented among the discussed treatment methods, and issues related to other methods of interactions related to the treatment of patients with chronic pain in the course of neoplastic disease were discussed. The key aspect of the article is to draw attention to the implementation of multi-specialist treatment of chronic pain, including personalised solutions and the accommodation of the most favourable form of therapy and the methods of its implementation.Celem pracy jest przedstawienie holistycznego modelu diagnostyki i leczenia bólu przewlekłego w chorobie nowotworowej. Omówiono zjawisko bólu przewlekłego, jego rodzaje oraz przyczyny. Specyfikę tematyki uzupełniono o dyskusję nad metodologią oceny natężenia bólu. Wśród metod leczenia zaprezentowano przede wszystkim farmakoterapię i psychoterapię oraz przedstawiono zagadnienia wymagające postępowania interdyscyplinarnego. Kluczowym aspektem artykułu jest zwrócenie uwagi na konieczność wdrożenia wielopłaszczyznowego sposobu leczenia bólu przewlekłego z uwzględnieniem rozwiązań spersonalizowanych oraz dostosowania optymalnej terapii do możliwości jej realizacji

Титриметричні методи визначення катіонних поверхнево-активних речовин

Aim. To generalize and systematize information on titrimetric methods for determining quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).Results and discussion. The review summarizes and systematizes information on the properties of surfactants, provides their classification, shows the main ways of use in the national economy, and their role in pharmacy and medicine. Currently known titrimetric methods for determining cationic surfactants (СS), in particular quaternary ammonium compounds, which are widely used in medicine and pharmacy, are described and summarized.Conclusions. As a result of the study, the main directions of developing methods for determining QACs by titrimetry methods have been summarized; the disadvantages and advantages of each of the methods described have been shown. In the future, it can be the basis for developing new and more effective methods of analysis.Мета. Узагальнити та систематизувати інформацію про титриметричні методи визначення четвертинних амонійних сполук.Результати та їх обговорення. В огляді узагальнено й систематизовано інформацію про властивості поверхнево-активних речовин (ПАР), наведено їх класифікацію, окреслено основні шляхи використання в народному господарстві та їх роль у фармації і медицині. Описано й узагальнено відомі нині титриметричні методи визначення катіонних поверхневоактивних речовин (КПАР), зокрема четвертинних амонійних сполук (ЧАС), що їх широко застосовують у медицині та фармації.Висновки. У результаті проведеного дослідження окреслено основні напрями опрацювання методик визначення четвертинних амонійних сполук методами титриметрії, розглянуто недоліки й переваги кожного з описаних методів, що в подальшому може стати основою для опрацювання нових, більш ефективних способів проведення аналізу

DEPRESSION, SLEEP DISTURBANCES AND ANXIETY IN PATIENTS WITH RELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A LONGITUDINAL COHORT OBSERVATION

Background: Depression, sleep disturbances and anxiety may affect almost half of the population of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and they are major determinants of poor quality of life in young adults. The aim of our study was to assess their incidence in patients with MS in Poland, and whether they change during longitudinal observation in routine clinical practice. Subjects and methods: We included 53 consecutive patients with relapsing-remitting form of MS in this prospective study, who were treated in our department. All patients were examined at the entry to the study and after at least three or more years after study start with 4 standardized questionnaires and clinical scales that were validated in Polish patients: Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The data from the two time-points were compared. Results: At the entry to the study daytime sleepiness, nighttime insomnia, depression episodes and anxiety were observed in 11.3%, 13.2%, 11.3% and 28.3% of patients, respectively. At the end of the study higher proportion of patients reported any form of drowsiness, depression, insomnia or anxiety, however, the differences were not statistically significant. Except for anxiety, higher proportion of patients reported definite disorders, with the rise from 3.8% to 13.2% having depression and rise from 9.4% to 15.1% having insomnia. Moderate or pathological drowsiness was not reported initially, but it was reported in 5% and 2.5% patients, respectively, at the study end. Conclusions: The incidence of sleep and mood disturbances in polish patients with MS is quite high, and it is comparable to other studies in patients with MS. Possible mood changes or sleep disturbances in individual patients should be routinely monitored by clinicians

TrainMiC®: Providing a Tool for the Inter-Calibration of Technical Assessors in Europe in the Area of Chemical Measurements

The TrainMiC® (Training in Metrology in Chemistry) programme is a European programme for Life-Long Learning in metrology in chemistry, which is a truly unique system operational across many parts of Europe (19 countries) via national teams. It uses shareware pedagogic tools and the learning content has been harmonised at the European level by a joint effort of many experts across Europe working via an Editorial Board. This paper gives an overview of the activities within the TrainMiC® programme where there is an interaction with national accreditation bodies and the European Cooperation for Accreditation. It is the responsibility of the accreditation bodies to ensure that outcome of the assessments is reliable and transparent and is meeting the relevant requirements. The paper explains the potential of TrainMiC® in providing a tool for accreditation bodies to ensure a harmonised level of knowledge in a specific sector of those who are involved in technical assessments for accreditation in the field of chemical measurements. Some use the word inter-calibration to describe this process

Leczenie bólu przewlekłego w onkologii — współpraca onkologa z psychoonkologiem

Celem pracy jest przedstawienie holistycznego modelu diagnostyki i leczenia bólu przewlekłego w chorobie nowotworowej. Omówiono zjawisko, rodzaje i przyczyny bólu przewlekłego oraz uzupełniono temat o dyskusję nad metodami klasyfikowania bólu. Wśród metod leczenia zaprezentowano przede wszystkim farmakoterapię i psychoterapię oraz przedstawiono zagadnienia wymagające postępowania interdyscyplinarnego. Kluczowym aspektem artykułu jest zwrócenie uwagi na konieczność wdrożenia wielopłaszczyznowego leczenia chorych z bólem przewlekłym z uwzględnieniem rozwiązań spersonalizowanych oraz dostosowania optymalnej terapii do możliwości jej realizacji

Tobacco Smoke Exposure During Pregnancy Increases Maternal Blood Lead Levels Affecting Neonate Birth Weight

To assess the effect of lead exposure from cigarette smoke on fetal growth, blood lead concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 150 healthy pregnant women. Mean lead concentrations in plasma and whole blood were significantly higher in the smoking group compared with the nonsmoking group in each trimester of pregnancy (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed the highest impact of the number of cigarettes smoked per day for serum lead concentration (β = 0.238; p < 0.05), while in whole blood, it was duration of smoking before conception (β = 0.297; p < 0.001). Birth weight of the smoking mothers' infants was significantly lower (mean ± SEM, 3,192 ± 50.8 and 3,569 ± 49.6 g, respectively; p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with lead levels in plasma (r = −0.38; p < 0.001) and in whole blood (r = −0.27; p < 0.001). Therefore, it is suggested that smoking during pregnancy increases lead concentrations in maternal blood. Fetal exposure to low doses of lead in utero may be a serious risk factor causing lower birth weight