Italy

Fast growing network of national contacts in the Sino-Italian affairs builds the important layer of subnational bilateral relations. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of paradiplomatical cooperation between Italian and Chinese regions. This paper contains a short overview of bilateral Italian-Chinese relations in political, economic and social terms. Furthermore there is a description of competences of the regions in the Italian foreign policy in term of legal environment for the autonomous activities of Italian regions in the international arena. Moreover this paper contains the analyses of existing links between Italian and Chinese regions on the basis of a survey conducted among regional authorities from all Italian regions. Finally it contains the case of Umbria, as a region that active cooperation with China goes well beyond economic relations.Publication financed by the National Science Centre, Poland. (Project number: 2015/19/B/HS5/02534 entitled “Rola regionów w polityce Unii Europejskiej wobec Chin/ The Role of Regions in the European Union Policy towards China”

Thirty Years of an Uncomfortable Partnership − the Evolution of EU–China Relations

The last 30 years of the European Union’s relations with China have been complex. In the 1990s, Brussels was building a partnership with China by publishing a number of political strategies. The year 2001, i.e. China’s accession to the WTO, brought about a dynamic development of not only political but also economic contacts, which became the most important area of bilateral relations. A similar trend was introduced by the Belt and Road Initiative announced by Xi Jinping in 2013, strengthening EU-Chinese ties at the supranational, national and subnational levels. Also the United States, as a world superpower, is an important point of reference for EU relations with China, which was emphasized by the presidency of Donald Trump. The authorities in Brussels then sharpened their rhetoric towards the Asian partner. Currently, the difficult path of mutual relations is bumpy, although from an economic point of view it is more like a highway: it is wide, it is difficult to change it into another road without feeling loss, and it is very difficult to turn back from it

The Role of Regions in EU-China Relations

More and more regions are cooperating with their Chinese counterparts in many different areas: economy, environment, culture, academic exchange. Although the subnational dimension has started to be a visibly important element of EU-China relations, this trend is not reflected in the academic literature on EU-China relations. Until now, we have not known what the network of contacts with China at the regional level looks like and what the determinants and institutional forms of inter-regional partnerships there are. The present book maps Sino-European relations at the regional level and presents a detailed analysis of subnational contacts in the six analysed EU member states, illustrated by case studies of interesting regions from each country. It shows the rising role of non-state actors in international relations, the growing importance of paradiplomacy, as well as the necessity to look at the EU-China relations as a multi-layer phenomenon, engaging different types of actors on different levels.Publication financed by the National Science Centre, Poland. (Project number: 2015/19/B/HS5/02534 entitled “Rola regionów w polityce Unii Europejskiej wobec Chin/ The Role of Regions in the European Union Policy towards China”

Cooperation of Polish cities with Chinese partners and its place in the Polish foreign policy

European cities are becoming more important actors on the global political scene, as they have significant foreign policy competencies. This is the result of a far-reaching process of globalization and the pluralisation of the international rela-tions. The goal of this study is to present a map of partnerships between Polish cit-ies and their Chinese counterparts and to attempt to characterize this cooperation. The authors will present the results of a survey conducted in 68 Polish cities.Partnerships between Polish and Chinese cities are more common form of diplomacy, particularly used by larger cities centers. Their number has been rapidly growing since 2000, reaching a total of 41 partnerships in 2020. Such cooperation is most often initiated by Polish or Chinese local authorities and focuses on culture, education and economy. Nevertheless, despite the benefits of urban cooperation with the Chinese, its potential is not being used by the gov-ernment. The state’s foreign policy does not seem to consider the growing role of sub-state units and the benefits that city diplomacy offersProjekt "Rola miast w polityce Unii Europejskiej wobec Chin" o numerze 2019/33/B/hs5/01272, finansowany przez Narodowe Centrum Nauki w ramach programu opus-17

Finite element head model for the crew injury assessment in a light armoured vehicle

Purpose: The aim of this paper was the development of a finite element model of the soldier’s head to assess injuries suffered by soldiers during blast under a light armoured vehicle. Methods: The application of a multibody wheeled armoured vehicle model, including the crew and their equipment, aenabled the researchers to analyse the most dangerous scenarios of the head injury. These scenarios have been selected for a detailed analysis using the finite element head model which allowed for the examination of dynamic effects on individual head structures. In this paper, the authors described stages of the development of the anatomical finite element head model. Results: The results of the simulations made it possible to assess parameters determining the head injury of the soldier during the IED explosion. The developed model allows the determination of the parameters of stress, strain and pressure acting on the structures of the human head. Conclusion: In future studies, the model will be used to carry out simulations which will improve the construction of the headgear in order to minimize the possibility of the head injury

Evaluation of the impact of decellularization and sterilization on tensile strength transgenic porcinedermal dressings

The aim of this paper was to evaluate which method of acellularization and sterilization is optimal, in the meaning of which processes have the least impact on the deterioration of mechanical properties of porcine tissues used for xenogeneic applications. Methods: The static tensile probe was conducted for 80 skin specimens obtained from transgenic swine, which are used as a wound dressing for skin recipient. Obtained data were subsequently analyzed with the use of statistical methods. Results: It was found that Young’s modulus for the samples after the sterilization process for the dispase substance and the mixed method (SDS + trypsin) were statistically significantly changed. In the case of dispase, Young’s modulus value before the sterilization process was 12.4 MPa and after the value increased to 28.0 MPa. For the mixed method (SDS + trypsin) before the sterilization process Young’s modulus value was 5.6 MPa and after it was increased to 6.3 MPa. The mixed method (SDS + trypsin) had the slightest effect on changing the mechanical properties of the samples before and after the sterilization process. Conclusions: It was confirmed that different methods of acellularization and the process of sterilization have an influence on the change of mechanical properties of the skin of transgenic swine. In the authors’ opinion, the mixed method (SDS + trypsin) should be recommended as the best one for the preparation of transgenic porcine dermal dressings because it ensures a smaller probability of dressing’s damage during a surgical procedure

Iron-containing phases in fly ashes from different combustion systems

The investigations of iron-containing phases existing in fly ashes were performed using transmission Mössbauer spectrometry. The examined samples of fly ashes were collected from different coal combustion systems, that is, stoker-fired boiler in municipal heating plant and pulverized coal boiler in power plant. Several phases are identified in the samples: iron oxides, paramagnetic aluminosilicate glass with Fe3+ ions and Al2O4-type spinel with Fe2+ ions. It was pointed out that proportions of contents of phases strongly depend not only on the combustion temperature but also on the way of ash collection

Measurement stand and a test participant.

Postural adjustments (PA) occur to counteract predictable perturbations and can be impaired as a result of musculoskeletal and neurological dysfunctions. The most common way to detect PA is through electromyography measurements or center of pressure (COP) position measurements, where analysis in time domain and frequency domain are the most common. Aim of the research was to determine whether a new method of analyzing stabilographic measurements—the COP trend change analysis (TCI) of temporary posture corrections- can expand understanding of changes in balance strategy connected with PA. The study group involved 38 individuals (27women, 11men) aged 23±2.6 years. Measurements were performed using a stabilographic platform placed on a perturbation platform. The tests involved three measurements with forward and backward momentary movements of the platform. Participants were tested in three conditions–knowing the nature, time and direction of perturbation (Tr3), knowing only the nature of perturbation (Tr2) and without any information about the perturbation (Tr1). Statistically significant differences were revealed in the last second of Tr3 for the mean velocity of COP (p</div

Iron-containing phases in metallurgical and coke dusts as well as in bog iron ore

Several samples of dusts from steel and coke plants (collected mostly with electro filters) were subjected to the investigation of content of mineral phases in their particles. Additionally, sample of bog iron ore and metallurgical slurry was studied. Next, the magnetic susceptibility of all the samples was determined, and investigations of iron-containing phases were performed using transmission Mössbauer spectrometry. The values of mass-specific magnetic susceptibility χ varied in a wide range: from 59 to above 7000 × 10−8 m-3·kg−1. The low values are determined for bog iron ore, metallurgical slurry, and coke dusts. The extremely high χ was obtained for metallurgical dusts. The Mössbauer spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns point to the presence of the following phases containing iron: hematite and oxidized magnetite (in coke and metallurgical dusts as well as metallurgical slurry), traces of magnetite fine grains fraction (in metallurgical dusts), amorphous glassy silicates with paramagnetic Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions, traces of pyrrhotite (in coke dusts), α-Fe and nonstoichiometric wüstite (in metallurgical slurry), as well as ferrihydrite nanoparticles (in bog iron ore). For individual samples of metallurgical dusts, the relative contributions of Fe2+/3+ ions in octahedral B sites and Fe2+ ions in tetrahedral A sites in magnetite spinel structure differs considerably

Impact of diaphragm function parameters on balance maintenance.

The diaphragm is well known for its role as the principal muscle of respiration. However, according to previous studies, its role is multifactorial, from breathing through pain perception, regulation of emotional sphere, collaborating in gastroesophageal functions, facilitating the venous and lymphatic return, to an essential role in the maintenance of lumbar spine stability. The purpose of the study was to examine whether diaphragm function parameters (thickness and range of motion) are associated with static balance maintenance. A total of 142 participants were examined and divided into three groups: G1-patients qualified for lung resection due to cancer; G2 -patients after lobe resection; G3 -healthy subjects. Diaphragm thickness and excursion was measured using ultrasonography. Stabilometric parameters of balance were assessed by Zebris FDM-S platform. Greater diaphragm thickening during active breathing and diaphragm thickness fraction were associated with better static balance parameters. Limitation of diaphragm motion during quiet breathing and deep breathing was linked to balance disorders. There was no correlation between diaphragm muscle excursion during sniff maneuvers and balance parameters. Deterioration of diaphragm function observed after thoracic surgery was closely related with deterioration of balance maintenance. Impairment of diaphragm function manifested by decrease of muscle thickness and movement restriction is strongly associated with balance disorders in a clinical sample and among healthy subjects