Wyznaczanie korytarzy przewietrzających przy użyciu metody morfometrycznej dla wybranego fragmentu miasta Łodzi

The aim of the paper was an indication of potential ventilation paths which affect proper functioning of the cities aerial system. The research was conducted using the most popular method – morphometric for the sake of low cost data gathering and high precision of final results. Due to the wind’s dominant direction, an analysis covered a windward part of Lodz. The first part of the research included an analysis of the basic roughness parameters such as: roughness length (zo), zero plane displacement height (zd) and porosity of the urban canopy layer (P). Based on the obtained results and taking into account ventilation paths criteria eight areas were designated which provide a free flow of air to the city.W pracy podjęto próbę wyznaczenia terenów stanowiących potencjalne korytarze przewietrzające warunkujące prawidłowe funkcjonowanie systemu aeracyjnego miasta. Badanie zostało przeprowadzone przy użyciu jednej z najpopularniejszych metod – morfometrycznej, ze względu na niski koszt pozyskania danych oraz wysoką precyzję otrzymywanych wyników. Z uwagi na dominujący kierunek napływu wiatru, analizami objęto dowietrzny fragment miasta Łodzi. Pierwszy etap opracowania objął analizę podstawowych parametrów szorstkości terenu, tj. chropowatości podłoża (zo), przemieszczenia płaszczyzny zerowej (zd) oraz porowatości w obrębie warstwy dachowej (P). Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników oraz przyjętych kryteriów prawidłowego funkcjonowania korytarzy przewietrzających wyznaczono osiem obszarów swobodnego napływu powietrza do miasta

Fabrication and dielectric properties of modified calcium (Pb0.75Ba0.25)(Zr0.7Ti0.3)O3 ceramics

The aim of the present work is to report investigations concerning the influence of homovalent modificators on relaxor properties of PBZT 25/70/30 ceramics. The selection of the proper homovalent additive was very important. Literature reports as well as data taken from the periodic table indicated, that calcium ions substitute themselves for lead ions with high likelihood of occurrence. The investigations showed that the substitution significantly changed the microstructure of ceramics – with grains of calcium modified ceramics decreasing and density increasing. The XRD measurements indicate that the pure PBZT ceramics as well as calcium dopant were characterised by tetragonal structure with space group I4/mmm. Addition of calcium leads to a slight decrease in the lattice constant and crystal structure. The calcium modification also changes the dielectric properties. The temperature characteristic of the dielectric constant achieved a broadened maximum at temperature Tm, which decreases with increasing Ca content. The properties typical for ferroelectric relaxors weaken with increasing calcium dopant

Przygotowanie studentów i nauczycieli wychowania fizycznego do pracy z dziećmi z chorobą nowotworową

Introduction: A physical education teacher in a modern school should have many competences to work with a student with chronic illness, including a student after anticancer therapy. The role of physical activity for cancer survivors is enormous. Therefore, this student should not be released from participation in school physical education, but every effort should be made to make physical activity an element of his lifestyle until late old age. Material and methods: The aim of the research is to diagnose the level of preparation of students and teachers of physical education to work with children with cancer. The group of respondents was 172 physical education teachers and 672 students completing physical education studies. The research used the author’s questionnaire. Results: Respondents do not feel prepared to work with a child after cancer and almost everyone wants to expand their knowledge in this area. Half of the respondents do not know what is the role of physical activity in the life of cancer survivors, about 30% do not know whether children after cancer treatment can participate in physical education. Conclusions: Changes should be introduced in the process of educating physical education teachers to prepare them for work with a child after cancer treatment. It is necessary to create an offer of trainings raising the competences of physical education teachers to work with children with chronic disease.Nauczyciel wychowania fizycznego we współczesnej szkole powinien posiadać szereg kompetencji do pracy z uczniem z chorobą przewlekłą, w tym z uczniem po zakończonej terapii przeciwnowotworowej. Rola aktywności fizycznej dla ozdrowieńców z choroby nowotworowej jest ogromna. Dlatego też uczeń ten nie powinien być zwalniany z uczestnictwa w szkolnym wychowaniu fizycznym, ale należy dołożyć wszelkich starań, aby aktywność fizyczna stała się elementem jego stylu życia do późnej starości. Celem badań jest diagnoza stanu przygotowania studentów i nauczycieli wychowania fizycznego do pracy z dzieckiem po zakończonym leczeniu przeciwnowotworowym. Grupę badanych stanowiło 172 nauczycieli wychowania fizycznego oraz 672 studentów kończących studia wychowania fizycznego. W badaniach posłużono się autorskim kwestionariuszem ankiety. Respondenci nie czują się przygotowani do pracy z dzieckiem po chorobie nowotworowej i niemal wszyscy chcieliby poszerzać swoją wiedzę w tym zakresie. Połowa badanych nie zna roli aktywności fizycznej w życiu ozdrowieńców, a około 30% nie wie, czy dzieci po zakończonej kuracji przeciwnowotworowej mogą uczestniczyć w wychowaniu fizycznym. Należy wprowadzić zmiany w procesie kształcenia nauczycieli wychowania fizycznego, aby przygotować ich do pracy z dzieckiem po chorobie nowotworowej. Należy stworzyć ofertę szkoleń podnoszących kompetencje nauczycieli wychowania fizycznego do pracy z dzieckiem z chorobą przewlekłą

Assessment of effectiveness of selected adaptation actions to climate change. The example of the New Centre of Lodz.

The increasing average annual temperature value is observed in many cities around the world. More and more often, not only the Southern Europe inhabitants, but also those from the Central and Northern Europe are exposed to thermal stress. Nature Based Solutions (NBS) play a key role in mitigation, i.e. the process of alleviating the negative effects of climate change in highly urbanized areas. The main objective of this study is to answer the question whether the planned spatial activities involving the use of NBS solutions in the New Centre of Lodz contribute to the improvement of the urban spaces’ microclimate and the thermal comfort of people in the external environment. The subject of the work is the microclimate of urban spaces, understood as a climatic conditions set, in particular thermal conditions, in a given, small area. The spatial scope of the work covers a 30-hectare part of the New Centre of Lodz limited by the following streets: Kilińskiego, Narutowicza, Piotrkowska, Tuwima, which is currently undergoing a large-area revitalization process. In order to determine the microclimate conditions and thermal comfort, numerical simulations conducted in the ENVI-met program were used

Over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements consumption among academic youth in Poland

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and dietary supplements are increasingly popular in Poland, potentially improving overall health but also posing a threat to public health. The study goal is to characterize and assess behaviors related to use of OTC medicines and dietary supplements among Polish university students. A questionnaire-based survey was performed with students divided into groups (gender, subjects studied, period of studies). The majority of students declared using the products, significantly more females and younger students in their early years. Females tended to be more attentive to product information. Students with a background in biological or medical sciences were also more attentive and less influenced by advertising. We conclude that the differences between the defined groups of students should be utilized in tailored educational activities, aiming to rationalize high consumption of OTC medicines and dietary supplements. Targeting other, especially poor and less-educated groups, should follow

Main influencing factors and health-related quality of life issues in patients with oesophago-gastric cancer : as measured by EORTC tools

AIM OF THE STUDY: To assess influencing factors and main health-related quality of life (HRQoL) issues in patients with cancers of the oesophago-gastric region using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) quality of life questionnaire Core 30 (QLQ-C30) and its oesophago-gastric module (QLQ-OG25). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients were qualified for this study based on the histological confirmation of oesophageal, oesophago-gastric or gastric cancers. Each patient filled out the Polish version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, the QLQ-OG25 module and a personal questionnaire. Patients were divided into groups based on gender, age, treatment intention, tumour localization, working status and level of education. RESULTS: Our study included 112 patients – 39 women (35%) and 73 men (mean age ± SD; 60.2 ±10.9). Thirty-five patients (31.3%) completed the questionnaires twice. Eighty-four (75%) patients had gastric cancer (GC), twenty-six (23.2%) oesophageal cancer (OC) and two (1.8%) cancer of the oesophago-gastric junction (OGJC). Eighty (71.4%) patients underwent surgical treatment prior to either chemo-, radio- or chemoradiotherapy. The Global Health Status scale of the QLQ-C30 inversely correlated with all the other QLQ-C30 and QLQ-OG25 symptom scales (r = –0.26 to –0.61; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The main HRQoL problems of Polish OC, OGJC and GC patients are fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and appetite and weight loss. Older age, receiving palliative treatment, having gastric cancer, being on retirement and having lower education are factors associated with higher symptom scores (worse symptoms) and thus poorer HRQoL

Severe degenerative aortic stenosis with preserved ejection fraction does not change adipokines serum levels

Background: The role of the adipokines in the pathogenesis of aortic stenosis (AS) is not well established. The aim was to evaluate the relationship between adipokines and clinical characteristics as well as echocardiographic indices and noninvasive markers of vascular remodeling in patients with severe AS with preserved ejection fraction (EF). Methods: Sixty-five patients (F/M: 38/27; age: 68.3 ± 9.0 years; body mass index [BMI]: 29.6 ± 4.3 kg/m2) with severe AS with preserved EF: 33 patients with paradoxical low-flow low-gradient AS (PLFLG AS) and 32 patients with normal flow high-gradient AS (NFHG AS) were prospectively enrolled into the study. Twenty-four subjects (F/M: 14/10; age: 65.4 ± 8.7 years; BMI: 29.6 ± 4.3 kg/m2) who matched as to age, sex, BMI and coronary artery disease (CAD) constituted the control group (CG). Clinical data and markers of vascular remodeling were related to the serum adipokines. Results: There were no differences in the adipokines concentrations in the AS/CG. Patients with AS and coexisting CAD were characterized by decreased serum adiponectin (9.9 ± 5.5 vs. 12.7 ± 5.8 μg/mL, p = 0.040) and leptin (8.3 ± 7.8 vs. 21.6 ± 17.1 ng/mL, p &lt; 0.001) levels compared to subjects without CAD. There were no differences in the serum adipokines concentrations between patients with PLFLG AS and NFHG AS. Systemic hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia or markers of vascular remodeling did not discriminate adipokines concentrations. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that age (F = 3.02; p = 0.015) and E/E’ index (F = 0.87, p = 0.032) were independent predictors of the adiponectin level in the AS group. Conclusions: The presence of AS with preserved EF did not change the adipokine serum profile. Adipokines levels were modified by coexisting atherosclerosis but not the typical cardiovascular risk factors or the hemodynamic type of AS

Migotanie przedsionków czy przetrwały otwór owalny — gdzie leży przyczyna nawracających udarów niedokrwiennych mózgu?

Ischemic stroke is one of the major causes of death and disability in high-developed countries. Closure of PFO is recommended if other causes of ischemic stroke, like atrial fibrillation, were excluded, especially in young patients. We present a case report of a 75-years-old female patient with five ischemic strokes in her medical history and newly diagnosed patent foramen ovale. Atrial fibrillation was detected 25 years after first ischemic event. Implementation of anticoagulation therapy has prevented new ischemic strokes in our patient. According to emerging meta-analyses such treatment is sufficient not only in AF, but also in PFO related ischemic strokes. The patient had another risk factors for paradoxical embolism such as varices, post-thrombotic syndrome of lower limbs and the Eustachian valve, so it is unclear whether AF has been the major cause of all ischemic stroke in present case. Significant bleeding from limb varices during anticoagulation treatment occurred and required urgent surgical intervention. Because of the high risk of recurrent haemorrhages (HAS-BLED Score – 4 points), the patient was considered to two percutaneous procedures: occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) and consecutively second - PFO closure as additional prevention of stroke. This is an illustrative case that opens discussion on necessity and timing of cardiac interventions once possible cardiac sources of ischemic strokes are found and new facts arise.Ischemic stroke is one of the major causes of death and disability in high-developed countries. Closure of PFO is recommended if other causes of ischemic stroke, like atrial fibrillation, were excluded, especially in young patients. We present a case report of a 75-years-old female patient with five ischemic strokes in her medical history and newly diagnosed patent foramen ovale. Atrial fibrillation was detected 25 years after first ischemic event. Implementation of anticoagulation therapy has prevented new ischemic strokes in our patient. According to emerging meta-analyses such treatment is sufficient not only in AF, but also in PFO related ischemic strokes. The patient had another risk factors for paradoxical embolism such as varices, post-thrombotic syndrome of lower limbs and the Eustachian valve, so it is unclear whether AF has been the major cause of all ischemic stroke in present case. Significant bleeding from limb varices during anticoagulation treatment occurred and required urgent surgical intervention. Because of the high risk of recurrent haemorrhages (HAS-BLED Score – 4 points), the patient was considered to two percutaneous procedures: occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) and consecutively second - PFO closure as additional prevention of stroke. This is an illustrative case that opens discussion on necessity and timing of cardiac interventions once possible cardiac sources of ischemic strokes are found and new facts arise