Trajectories of the demographic development of Poland after 1989

One of the major problems of contemporary Poland is its increasingly difficult and complicated demographic situation. This makes the identification of demographic trends of the recent years an important research task. The article presents an assessment of Poland's demographic situation after 1989, i.e. after the change of the country's socio-political system, using the graphic method of trajectories. It is one of the possible, though less popular, methods of studying time series, offering a new perspective on various processes, here demographic ones. The article has two aims: cognitive and methodological

Integrated planning of the development of a city in terms of the diurnal activity of its residents

The change in Poland's systemic conditions and its membership of the European Union make it necessary to take a new look at the organisation, structure and operation of the Polish planning system. In place of two, not always well coordinated, types of planning: socio-economic, now called strategic, and physical, integrated planning is proposed which seeks to combine those two categories into a single stream and treat the objects of planning as a functional whole. This type of approach is recommended by international organisations of urban planners (the New Athens Charter) and academic planners. Integrated planning of urban development is also written in the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities, an EU urban policy document. However, each planning procedure requires the adoption of certain initial assumptions on which to base the conception of an integrated plan of the socio-economic and spatial development of a city that would accommodate its natural, social and economic spheres. The special character of a city as a living environment (a large population number, high population density, many social structures, etc.) demands giving the assumptions an anthropocentric orientation, i.e. with human beings as the addressees of the planned measures. This means that human needs should figure most prominently in the formulation of the assumptions of urban development. And since man's diurnal activity is one of the best indicators of articulated needs, an analysis of this activity can provide a basis for the formulation of development assumptions. In this paper we present a general model of integrated planning of the development of a city formulated primarily in terms of the diurnal activity of its residents, but also employing other factors

Spatial structure of a city and the mobility of its residents: functional and planning aspects

In the latest conceptions of urban development planning, special attention is paid to the resident. This is reflected especially in the increasingly popular idea of creating 'a city for people'. This somewhat banal slogan has got an increasingly sensible and justified theoretical support, as well as examples of practical solutions. The idea of planning urban development to meet human needs (a city for people) underlies many conceptions of urban development, especially those the basic goal of which is to limit suburbanisation unfavourable from a general social point of view and to rationalise the mobility of city residents. It has long been known that their mobility reflects the spatial structure of a city, and that their ever more intensive movement is not favourable from the ecological, social and economic points of view. In this situation it is necessary to shape the spatial-functional structure of the city in a way that will, first, restrict this mobility and, secondly, that will change the ways and means by which residents move. However, in order to make changes in the existing spatial structures in a rational way, it is necessary to know the mobility of city dwellers, its causes, directions, distances covered, and duration. What we shall present in this paper are structural and functional conclusions resulting from an analysis of the mobility of residents relevant for planning. Although our reflections will be primarily theoretical in nature, in many cases they will be backed up by empirical studies, mostly concerning Poznań.

Eotaxin in serum of patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: relationship with eosinophil cationic protein and lung function.

This study was undertaken to investigate the correlation between the serum ECP and the serum eotaxin level, and disease activity as evaluated with pulmonary function in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 20 patients with stable asthma and 15 patients with COPD, and 15 subjects of the control group took part in this study. The analysis of ECP was performed according to the manufacturer's directions (Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, Uppsala, Sweden). The ELISA test was used to measure eotaxin levels in sserum (kits from R&D, USA). The levels of ECP were 16.9+/-6.3 microg/L in patients with asthma, 15.1+/-9.3 microg/L in patients with COPD and 11.8+/-6.2 microg/L in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the asthma ECP level compared with the ECP level in COPD. There was a significant difference between the ECP plasma level in asthma compared with the ECP plasma level in the control group (p<0.05). The levels of eotaxin were 175.8+/-49.3 pg/mL in the control group. There was a correlation of ECP and the eotaxin level in asthma patients (r=+0.5, p<0.05). The percentage fall in FEV1 correlated with eotaxin level in asthma (r=-0.3, p<0.05) and with the eotaxin level in COPD (r=-0.5, p<0.05). Serum outcomes of eotaxin and ECP levels appear to be a useful indicator of atopic asthma, and might provide complementary data disease monitoring. Therefore, further investigations are required to clarify whether serum eotaxin measurements have a role in the clinical evaluation in COPD

Long-term spatiotemporal stability and dynamic changes in the haemoparasite community of spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus) in four montane wadis in the St. Katherine Protectorate, Sinai, Egypt

Background: Long-term field studies of parasite communities are rare but provide a powerful insight into the ecological processes shaping host-parasite interactions. The aim of our study was to monitor long-term trends in the haemoparasite communities of spiny mice (Acomys dimidiatus) and to identify the principal factors responsible for changes over a 12 year period. Methods: To this end we sampled four semi-isolated populations of mice (n= 835) in 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 in four dry montane valleys (wadis) located in the Sinai Massif, Egypt. Results: Overall 76.2 % of spiny mice carried at least one of the five haemoparasite genera (Babesia, Bartonella, Haemobartonella, Hepatozoon, Trypanosoma) recorded in the study. Prevalence of haemoparasites varied significantly between the sites with the highest overall prevalence in Wadi Tlah and the lowest in W. El Arbaein, and this changed significantly with time. In the first two surveys there was little change in prevalence, but by 2008, when the first signs of a deepening drought in the region had become apparent, prevalence began to drift downwards, and by 2012 prevalence had fallen to the lowest values recorded from all four sites over the entire 12-year period. The overall mean species richness was 1.2 ± 0.03, which peaked in 2004 and then dropped by more than 50 % by 2012. Species richness was highest among mice from Wadi Tlah and peaked in age class 2 mice (young adults). Site was the most significant factor affecting the prevalence of individual parasite species, with Trypanosoma acomys and Hepatozoon sp. occurring mainly in two wadis (W. Tlah & W. Gharaba). In four of the five genera recorded in the study we observed a significant drop in prevalence or/and abundance since 2004, the exception being Hepatozoon sp. Conclusions: During the 12-year-long period of study in the Sinai, we observed dynamic changes and possibly even cycles of prevalence and abundance of infections which differed depending on parasite species. Although the exact reasons cannot be identified at this time, we hypothesize that the effects of a 15-year-long scarcity of rainfall in the local environment and a fall in host densities over the period of study may have been responsible for a drop in transmission rates, possibly by a negative impact on vector survival

Public service media in the age of SVoDs: A comparative study of PSM strategic responses in Flanders, Italy and the UK

Netflix and other transnational online video streaming services are disrupting long-established arrangements in national television systems around the world. In this paper we analyse how public service media (PSM) organisations (key purveyors of societal goals in broadcasting) are responding to the fast-growing popularity of these new services. Drawing on Philip Napoli’s framework for analysing strategic responses by established media to threats of competitive displacement by new media, we find that the three PSM organisations in our study exhibit commonalities. Their responses have tended to follow a particular evolution starting with different levels of complacency and resistance before settling into more coherent strategies revolving around efforts to differentiate PSM offerings, while also diversifying into activities, primarily across new platforms, that mimic SVoD approaches and probe production collaborations. Beyond these similarities, however, we also find that a range of contextual factors (including path-dependency, the role and status of PSM in each country, the degree of additional government support, cultural factors and market size) help explain nuances in strategic responses between our three cases

Strategic Transformations in the Media

Digital technologies have transformed the way many media organisations have conducted their business over the past two decades. This transformational context raises a number of important questions for media management researchers. Firstly, how have media firms adapted their strategies, resources and capabilities in response to the challenges presented by an increasingly digital environment? Secondly, how have these adaptive practices affected their corporate financial performance? This paper advances our theoretical understanding of media firm transformation by using a multi-disciplinary approach that draws on knowledge from corporate strategy, dynamic capabilities and firm performance. This integrated approach provides a more holistic view of strategic business transformation by understanding the strategic arguments that compel firm’s to reconfigure their resources and capabilities in a dynamic business environment

Quantum mechanical studies of lincosamides

Lincosamides are a class of antibiotics used both in clinical and veterinary practice for a wide range of pathogens. This group of drugs inhibits the activity of the bacterial ribosome by binding to the 23S RNA of the large ribosomal subunit and blocking protein synthesis. Currently, three X-ray structures of the ribosome in complex with clindamycin are available in the Protein Data Bank, which reveal that there are two distinct conformations of the pyrrolidinyl propyl group of the bound clindamycin. In this work, we used quantum mechanical methods to investigate the probable conformations of clindamycin in order to explain the two binding modes in the ribosomal 23S RNA. We studied three lincosamide antibiotics: clindamycin, lincomycin, and pirlimycin at the B3LYP level with the 6-31G** basis set. The focus of our work was to connect the conformational landscape and electron densities of the two clindamycin conformers found experimentally with their physicochemical properties. For both functional conformers, we applied natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and the atoms in molecules (AIM) theory, and calculated the NMR parameters. Based on the results obtained, we were able to show that the structure with the intramolecular hydrogen bond C=O…H–O is the most stable conformer of clindamycin. The charge transfer between the pyrrolidine-derivative ring and the six-atom sugar (methylthiolincosamide), which are linked via an amide bond, was found to be the dominant factor influencing the high stability of this conformer

Using Robson's Ten-Group Classification System for comparing caesarean section rates in Europe: an analysis of routine data from the Euro-Peristat study.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked DownloadObjective: Robson's Ten Group Classification System (TGCS) creates clinically relevant sub-groups for monitoring caesarean birth rates. This study assesses whether this classification can be derived from routine data in Europe and uses it to analyse national caesarean rates. Design: Observational study using routine data. Setting: Twenty-seven EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the UK. Population: All births at ≥22 weeks of gestational age in 2015. Methods: National statistical offices and medical birth registers derived numbers of caesarean births in TGCS groups. Main outcome measures: Overall caesarean rate, prevalence and caesarean rates in each of the TGCS groups. Results: Of 31 countries, 18 were able to provide data on the TGCS groups, with UK data available only from Northern Ireland. Caesarean birth rates ranged from 16.1 to 56.9%. Countries providing TGCS data had lower caesarean rates than countries without data (25.8% versus 32.9%, P = 0.04). Countries with higher caesarean rates tended to have higher rates in all TGCS groups. Substantial heterogeneity was observed, however, especially for groups 5 (previous caesarean section), 6, 7 (nulliparous/multiparous breech) and 10 (singleton cephalic preterm). The differences in percentages of abnormal lies, group 9, illustrate potential misclassification arising from unstandardised definitions. Conclusions: Although further validation of data quality is needed, using TGCS in Europe provides valuable comparator and baseline data for benchmarking and surveillance. Higher caesarean rates in countries unable to construct the TGCS suggest that effective routine information systems may be an indicator of a country's investment in implementing evidence-based caesarean policies. Tweetable abstract: Many European countries can provide Robson's Ten-Group Classification to improve caesarean rate comparisons. Keywords: Caesarean birth; Europe; Robson classification; Ten-Group Classification System; health information systems; perinatal health indicators.InfAct Joint Action Bridge Health Project, Public Health Programme, Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (CHAFEA