O pojęciu czynności konwencjonalnej i jej odmianach

The concept of a conventional act is well-established in Polish legal thought. The aims of this article are to consider the relations between: firstly – the category of conventional acts and the semantic category of signs, and secondly – the conventional acts and the normative systems, especially the legal ones. The author holds the view that conventional acts are a special kind of signs, strictly speaking: more or less complex sings-actions of conventional (non-natural) character. As regards the relations between conventional acts and normative systems the author distinguishes conventional acts in the broader sense, normatively important conventional acts, as well as normative conventional acts. Normative conventional acts are such normatively important conventional acts for which the meaning of the term referring to acts of a given type is – in an important aspect – marked by the fact that a conventional act of this type creates certain normative consequences. The author puts forward the thesis that acts in law under private law (German: Rechtsgeschaeftes) are actually  normative conventional acts important in a legal system.Koncepcja czynności konwencjonalnych jest trwale obecna w polskiej refleksji prawniczej. Celem artykułu jest analiza stosunku pojęcia czynności konwencjonalnej do pojęcia znaku, oraz stosunku czynności konwencjonalnych do systemów normatywnych, w szczególności do systemu prawnego. Autor stawia tezę, że niezależnie od różnego rodzaju powiązań pomiędzy czynnościami konwencjonalnymi a znakami językowymi, czynności konwencjonalne są – mniej lub bardziej złożonymi – znakami szczególnego rodzaju, a mianowicie znakami-czynnościami o charakterze konwencjonalnym, przeciwstawionym znakom naturalnym (oznakom). Autor wyróżnia czynności konwencjonalne sensu largo, czynności konwencjonalne doniosłe normatywnie w danym systemie oraz czynności konwencjonalne normatywne, czyli takie, których znaczenie nazwy danego typu czynności wyznaczone jest, w pewnym aspekcie, przez to, że czynności konwencjonalne tego typu wywołują określone konsekwencje normatywne. Czynnościami konwencjonalnymi normatywnymi są w szczególności czynności prawne prawa prywatnego, zarówno czynności prawne typowe, jak i nietypowe

Blepharitis and Demodex spp. infection

According to the latest reports Demodex mites appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of chronic blepharitis. Demodex mites are cosmopolitan and are present in many species of mammals. In this paper we describe two species that are found in humans: Demodex folliculorum and D. brevis. Infection occurs during direct contact with an affected person and also through contact with dust containing eggs of the parasite, through contact with bed linen, as well as cosmetics used together with an affected person. Treatment of chronic blepharitis caused by D. folliculorum and D. brevis is difficult and time consuming. Some improvement can be achieved after topical application of yellow mercury ointment, sulphuric ointment, camphor oil, crotamiton, cholinesterase inhibitors, sulfacetamide, steroids, antibiotics and antifungal drugs. Good results have been achieved with oral ivermectin and permethrin cream. However, the best results were observed after treatment with metronidazole.

The role of reading, writing, using a computer, or watching television in the development of myopia

INTRODUCTION. The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate in a Polish population the role of reading, writing, using a computer, or watching television in the development of myopia. MATERIALS AND METHODS. In total 5601 students (2688 boys and 2913 girls, 6–18 years of age, mean 11.9 + 3.2 years) were examined. The children examined were Polish students of elementary and secondary schools. In every student cycloplegia after 1% tropicamide was performed. Non-parametric tests were used due to the SE distribution being significantly different from normal distribution in Kolmogorow-Smirnov test. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rs) was used to evaluate the strength of correlation between these variables. General linear model was used for multivariate analysis. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS. It has been established that with the increase in time spent on reading and writing, the spherical equivalent (SE) of the examined students decreases (Rs = –0.16, p < 0.000001). It was observed that an increase in the time spent working on a computer correlates with the decrease of the SE (Rs = –0.11, p < 0.000001). No relationship between watching television and the spherical equivalent of the examined schoolchildren was found (Rs = +0.01, p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS. Reading, writing, or using a computer may lead to the development of myopia. Watching television has no influence on the incidence of myopia

History of myopia research in Szczecin after World War II

In the conducted examinations we determined that the leading center in myopia research after World War II in Poland is the Pomeranian Medical Academy (Pomeranian Medical University). In Szczecin after the World War II, various areas of ophthalmology developed significantly. Particularly intense development occurred in the field of myopia. In the conducted studies, attention was paid to epidemiology, clinical trials, surgical and conservative treatment, as well as the publication of review articles on myopia. The research findings of scientists from Szczecin were published all over the world in many prestigious journals. Their works were mostly known in the field of myopia occurrence, as well as surgical and conservative myopia treatment. The results obtained allowed the development of new methods of myopia management. The Pomeranian Medical Academy (Pomeranian Medical University) was the leading center in Poland conducting research on myopia. The researchers working in this center dealt with epidemiology, pathogenesis as well as the possibilities of surgical and conservative myopia treatment. They also pointed to the potential of using the results of experimental studies in the treatment of progressive myopia. Based on the scientific achievements of researchers of the Polish medical community after World War II, it can be assumed that in the future, scientific research will focus on the pathogenesis and treatment of myopia. The doctors place great hope on genetic treatment in inhibiting myopia progression.

Macular outer plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer thickness on spectral domain optical coherence tomography in central serous chorioretinopathy — a case of two patients

Increased thickness of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the fovea in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) has been previously reported. However, to our knowledge only one paper has given a concrete value of the thickness of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the macula in a patient with unilateral CSC. Here we report the outer plexiform and outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness as measured with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in a patient with acute central serous chorioretinopathy in the left eye, and in a second patient with recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy in both eyes. Both patients received oral eplerenone treatment

Mittendorf’s dot and posterior embryotoxon — incidental findings in a patient with a potentially occludable anterior chamber angle

Mittendorf’s dot and posterior embryotoxon are both congenital abnormalities affecting the anterior segment, which arise during early foetal life. We report of a 36-year-old female patient newly diagnosed as having a potentially occludable anterior chamber angle in the right eye and coexisting Mittendorf’s dot and posterior embryotoxon. The patient elected to undergo prophylactic laser iridotomy in the affected eye. These findings may serve as additional factors to consider in the management of patients with narrow anterior chamber angles

Global variations and time trends in the prevalence of childhood myopia, a systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis: implications for aetiology and early prevention.

The aim of this review was to quantify the global variation in childhood myopia prevalence over time taking account of demographic and study design factors. A systematic review identified population-based surveys with estimates of childhood myopia prevalence published by February 2015. Multilevel binomial logistic regression of log odds of myopia was used to examine the association with age, gender, urban versus rural setting and survey year, among populations of different ethnic origins, adjusting for study design factors. 143 published articles (42 countries, 374 349 subjects aged 1-18 years, 74 847 myopia cases) were included. Increase in myopia prevalence with age varied by ethnicity. East Asians showed the highest prevalence, reaching 69% (95% credible intervals (CrI) 61% to 77%) at 15 years of age (86% among Singaporean-Chinese). Blacks in Africa had the lowest prevalence; 5.5% at 15 years (95% CrI 3% to 9%). Time trends in myopia prevalence over the last decade were small in whites, increased by 23% in East Asians, with a weaker increase among South Asians. Children from urban environments have 2.6 times the odds of myopia compared with those from rural environments. In whites and East Asians sex differences emerge at about 9 years of age; by late adolescence girls are twice as likely as boys to be myopic. Marked ethnic differences in age-specific prevalence of myopia exist. Rapid increases in myopia prevalence over time, particularly in East Asians, combined with a universally higher risk of myopia in urban settings, suggest that environmental factors play an important role in myopia development, which may offer scope for prevention

Six Year Refractive Change among White Children and Young Adults: Evidence for Significant Increase in Myopia among White UK Children

OBJECTIVE:To determine six-year spherical refractive error change among white children and young adults in the UK and evaluate differences in refractive profiles between contemporary Australian children and historical UK data. DESIGN:Population-based prospective study. PARTICIPANTS:The Northern Ireland Childhood Errors of Refraction (NICER) study Phase 1 examined 1068 children in two cohorts aged 6-7 years and 12-13 years. Prospective data for six-year follow-up (Phase 3) are available for 212 12-13 year olds and 226 18-20 year olds in each cohort respectively. METHODS:Cycloplegic refractive error was determined using binocular open-field autorefraction (Shin-Nippon NVision-K 5001, cyclopentolate 1%). Participants were defined by spherical equivalent refraction (SER) as myopic SER ≤-0.50D, emmetropic -0.50D<SER<+2.00 or hyperopic SER≥+2.00D. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Proportion and incidence of myopia. RESULTS:The proportion of myopes significantly increased between 6-7 years (1.9%) and 12-13 years (14.6%) (p<0.001) but not between 12-13 and 18-20 years (16.4% to 18.6%, p = 0.51). The estimated annual incidence of myopia was 2.2% and 0.7% for the younger and older cohorts respectively. There were significantly more myopic children in the UK at age 12-13 years in the NICER study (16.4%) than reported in Australia (4.4%) (p<0.001). However by 17 years the proportion of myopia neared equivalence in the two populations (NICER 18.6%, Australia 17.7%, p = 0.75). The proportion of myopic children aged 12-13 years in the present study (2006-2008) was 16.4%, significantly greater than that reported for children aged 10-16 years in the 1960's (7.2%, p = 0.01). The proportion of hyperopes in the younger NICER cohort decreased significantly over the six year period (from 21.7% to 14.2%, p = 0.04). Hyperopes with SER ≥+3.50D in both NICER age cohorts demonstrated persistent hyperopia. CONCLUSIONS:The incidence and proportion of myopia are relatively low in this contemporary white UK population in comparison to other worldwide studies. The proportion of myopes in the UK has more than doubled over the last 50 years in children aged between 10-16 years and children are becoming myopic at a younger age. Differences between the proportion of myopes in the UK and in Australia apparent at 12-13 years were eliminated by 17 years of age

The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Prevalence of Myopia in Poland

Purpose. In the paper, we describe and discuss the results of epidemiological studies concerning myopia carried out in Poland. Materials and Methods. Results from the examination of 5601 Polish school children and students (2688 boys and 2913 girls) aged 6 to 18 years were analyzed. The mean age was 11.9 ± 3.2 years. Every examined student had undergone the following examinations: distance visual acuity testing, cover test, anterior segment evaluation, and cycloplegic retinoscopy after instillation of 1% tropicamide, and a questionnaire was taken. Results. We have found that (1) intensive near work (writing, reading, and working on a computer) leads to a higher prevalence of myopia, (2) watching television does not influence the prevalence of myopia, and (3) being outdoors decreases the prevalence of myopia. Conclusions. The results of our study point to insufficiency of accommodation contributing to the pathogenesis of myopia

Introduction

Digitalizacja i deponowanie archiwalnych zeszytów RPEiS sfinansowane przez MNiSW w ramach realizacji umowy nr 541/P-DUN/201