Alternative interpretations of grain-size data from Quaternary deposits

Several possibilities to present and to interpret the results of granulometric analyses of Quaternary fluvial, aeolian, glacial and wash-out slope deposits were investigated. Attention is paid particularly to the cumulative curves at a probability scale and the frequency curves, and it is shown how these curves can help to determine the sedimentary environment. The inclination of the cumulative curves in the part of the maximum proportion of a particular grain size appears significant. It appears possible to obtain information on the density and dynamics of the transporting medium from the course of the cumulative curves (inclination and spread of grain size). The examination of textural parameters allows to draw regression lines characteristic of both deposits from various sedimentary environments and deposits from one single environment but with different histories as to their transport dynamics

The significant impact of age on the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic appendectomy : results from the Polish Laparoscopic Appendectomy multicenter large cohort study

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical emergency and can occur at any age. Nearly all of the studies comparing outcomes of appendectomy between younger and older patients set cut-off point at 65 years. In this multicenter observational study, we aimed to compare laparoscopic appendectomy for AA in various groups of patients with particular interest in the elderly and very elderly in comparison to younger adults. Our multicenter observational study of 18 surgical units assessed the outcomes of 4618 laparoscopic appendectomies for AA. Patients were divided in 4 groups according to their age: Group 1- 8 days. Logistic regression models comparing perioperative results of each of the 3 oldest groups compared with the youngest one showed significant differences in odds ratios of symptoms lasting >48hours, presence of complicated appendicitis, perioperative morbidity, conversion rate, prolonged LOS (>8 days). The findings of this study confirm that the outcomes of laparoscopic approach to AA in different age groups are not the same regarding outcomes and the clinical picture. Older patients are at high risk both in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative period. The differences are visible already at the age of 40 years old. Since delayed diagnosis and postponed surgery result in the development of complicated appendicitis, more effort should be placed in improving treatment patterns for the elderly and their clinical outcome

Risk factors for serious morbidity, prolonged length of stay and hospital readmission after laparoscopic appendectomy : results from Pol-LA (Polish Laparoscopic Appendectomy) multicenter large cohort study

Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) for treatment of acute appendicitis has gained acceptance with its considerable benefits over open appendectomy. LA, however, can involve some adverse outcomes: morbidity, prolonged length of hospital stay (LOS) and hospital readmission. Identification of predictive factors may help to identify and tailor treatment for patients with higher risk of these adverse events. Our aim was to identify risk factors for serious morbidity, prolonged LOS and hospital readmission after LA. A database compiled information of patients admitted for acute appendicitis from eighteen Polish and German surgical centers. It included factors related to the patient characteristics, peri- and postoperative period. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for serious perioperative complications, prolonged LOS, and hospital readmissions in acute appendicitis cases. 4618 laparoscopic appendectomy patients were included. First, although several risk factors for serious perioperative complications (C-D III-V) were found in the univariate analysis, in the multivariate model only the presence of intraoperative adverse events (OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.32-12.65, p = 0.014) and complicated appendicitis (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.74-7.61, p = 0.001) was statistically significant. Second, prolonged LOS was associated with the presence of complicated appendicitis (OR 2.8, 95%CI: 1.53-5.12, p = 0.001), postoperative morbidity (OR 5.01, 95% CI: 2.33-10.75, p < 0.001), conversions (OR 6.48, 95% CI: 3.48-12.08, p < 0.001) and reinterventions after primary procedure (OR 8.79, 95% CI: 3.2-24.14, p < 0.001) in the multivariate model. Third, although several risk factors for hospital readmissions were found in univariate analysis, in the multivariate model only the presence of postoperative complications (OR 10.33, 95% CI: 4.27-25.00), reintervention after primary procedure (OR 5.62, 95% CI: 2.17-14.54), and LA performed by resident (OR 1.96, 95%CI: 1.03-3.70) remained significant. Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe procedure associated with low rates of complications, prolonged LOS, and readmissions. Risk factors for these adverse events include complicated appendicitis, postoperative morbidity, conversion, and re-intervention after the primary procedure. Any occurrence of these factors during treatment should alert the healthcare team to identify the patients that require more customized treatment to minimize the risk for adverse outcomes

Constraining long-term denudation and faulting history in intraplate regions by multisystem thermochronology: An example of the Sudetic Marginal Fault (Bohemian Massif, central Europe)

The Rychlebské hory Mountain region in the Sudetes (NE Bohemian Massif) provides a natural laboratory for studies of postorogenic landscape evolution. This work reveals both the exhumation history of the region and the paleoactivity along the Sudetic Marginal Fault (SMF) using zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe), apatite fission track (AFT), and apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) dating of crystalline basement and postorogenic sedimentary samples. Most significantly, and in direct contradiction of traditional paleogeographic reconstructions, this work has found evidence of a large Cretaceous sea and regional burial (to >6.5 km) of the Carboniferous-Permian basement in the Late Cretaceous (~95–80 Ma). During the burial by sediments of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin System, the SMF acted as a normal fault as documented by offset ZHe ages across the fault. At 85–70 Ma, the basin was inverted, Cretaceous strata eroded, and basement blocks were exhumed to the near surface at a rate of ~300 m/Ma as evidenced by Late Cretaceous–Paleocene AFT ages and thermal modeling results. There is no appreciable difference in AFT and AHe ages across the fault, suggesting that the SMF acted as a reverse fault during exhumation. In the late Eocene–Oligocene, the basement was locally heated to <70°C by magmatic activity related to opening of the Eger rift system. Neogene or younger thermal activity was not recorded in the thermochronological data, confirming that late Cenozoic uplift and erosion of the basement blocks was limited to less than ∼1.5 km in the study area

A Sociologist in the Wardrobe: Presentation of a Tool Suitable for Studying Clothing as a Social Action

W tekście przedstawione jest narzędzie badawcze opracowane z myślą o badaniu ubierania się jako działania społecznego. Celem artykułu jest szczegółowy opis techniki (zwanej w artykule „moja szafa”), która stanowi połączenie wywiadu i obserwacji dotyczących zawartości szafy i sposobów użytkowania znajdujących się tam ubrań. Technika ta, poprzez specyficzny dobór materiałów zastanych (ubrania w szafie) oraz etapowy scenariusz badania, umożliwia inny niż tylko dzięki zastosowaniu samego wywiadu dostęp do rzeczywistości społecznej, która toczy się bez udziału badacza. W wyniku jej zastosowania wiedza spekulatywna badanych dotycząca znaczenia ubrania zostaje skonfrontowana z wiedzą pragmatyczną wynikającą z doświadczenia użytkowania ubrań.In this article I present a research tool which was designed to study clothing as social action. The article describes a technique called “my wardrobe”, which consists of a “wardrobe elicited interview” and observation of existing materials (clothes in the wardrobe). A distinctive feature of this technique lies in the fact that a researcher can get access to social action (clothing) which can hardly be observed otherwise. What is important, the technique allows for the confrontation of speculative and pragmatic knowledge – this is knowledge which comes from lived experience of wearing clothes

Cuting operation modeling

W artykule omówiono znane modele obliczeniowe naprężeń niszczących materiały pochodzenia organicznego oraz przeprowadzono analizą modeli obliczeniowych sił ich ciecia. Wskazano na ograniczenia wynikające z przyjęcia energii jako wskaźnika charakteryzującego opór materiału przeciwko cieciu oraz przedstawiono nowy sposób modelowania sił cięcia, oparty na charakteryzującej opór materiału mocy cięcia.The paper presents known theories of cellular and fibrous materials size reduction and analysis of cutting force prediction models. Their analysis indicated that models for calculating cutting force are, for various reasons, either inapplicable or only applicable to a very narrow range of calculations. In this work basing on theoretical mechanic, the following hypotheses was formulated: the power of the cutting operation of a given fibrous and cellular materials with a knife of defined geometric parameters is a constant value