Usefulness of 3D transperineal ultrasound in severe stenosis of the anal canal : preliminary experience in four cases

Background Organic or functional anal canal stenoses are uncommon conditions that occur in the majority of cases as a consequence of anal diseases. A proper assessment is fundamental for decision making; however, proctological examination and endoanal ultrasound are often unfeasible or very difficult to perform even under local or general anesthesia. We therefore began to use 3D transperineal ultrasound to assess patients. The aim of this study was to compare the results of evacuation proctography and 3D transperineal ultrasound in patients with severe anal canal stenosis. Methods Four consecutive patients with high-grade anal canal stenosis were evaluated using both proctography and 3D transperineal ultrasound with a micro-convex transducer between March and June 2011.Results In all cases, 3D transperineal ultrasound provided detailed information on the length and level of stenosis and on the integrity of the anal sphincters. Conclusions Our preliminary experience suggests that 3D transperineal ultrasound makes it possible to plan optimal surgical treatment

Common incidental findings on sacroiliac joint MRI in children clinically suspected of juvenile spondyloarthritis

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of incidental findings on sacroiliac (SI) joint MRI in children clinically suspected of Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA). METHODS: In this retrospective multi-center study of 540 children clinically suspected of JSpA who underwent MRI of SI joints from February 2012 to May 2018, the prevalence of sacroiliitis and other incidental findings was recorded. RESULTS: In 106/540 (20 %) children MRI features of sacroiliitis were present. In 228 (42 %) patients MRI showed at least one incidental finding other than sacroiliitis. A total of 271 abnormal findings were reported. The most frequent incidental findings were at lumbosacral spine (158 patients, 29 %) and hip (43 patients, 8 %). The most common incidental finding was axial degenerative changes, seen in 94 patients (17 %). Other less frequent pathologies were: simple (bone) cyst in 15 (2,8 %) patients; enthesitis/tendinitis in 16 (3 %) patients; non-specific focal bone marrow edema (BME) away from SI joints in 10 (1,9 %) patients; ovarian cysts in 7 (1,3 %) patients; BME in the course of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) in 4 (0,7 %) patients; muscle pathology in 4 (0,7%) patients; benign tumors in 3 (0,6 %) patients; (old) fractures in 3 (0,6 %) patients; bony apophyseal avulsion in 2 (0,4 %) patients and malignant tumors in 2 (0,4 %) patients. CONCLUSION: Incidental findings are common on MRI of the SI joints in children clinically suspected of JSpA, particularly at the lumbar spine and hips. They are seen even more frequently than sacroiliitis and can be relevant, as some will have clinical significance or require treatment

Imaging assessment of children presenting with suspected or known juvenile idiopathic arthritis : ESSR-ESPR points to consider

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common paediatric rheumatic disease. It represents a group of heterogenous inflammatory disorders with unknown origin and is a diagnosis of exclusion in which imaging plays an important role. JIA is defined as arthritis of one or more joints that begins before the age of 16 years, persists for more than 6 weeks and is of unknown aetiology and pathophysiology. The clinical goal is early suppression of inflammation to prevent irreversible joint damage which has shifted the emphasis from detecting established joint damage to proactively detecting inflammatory change. This drives the need for imaging techniques that are more sensitive than conventional radiography in the evaluation of inflammatory processes as well as early osteochondral change. Physical examination has limited reliability, even if performed by an experienced clinician, emphasising the importance of imaging to aid in clinical decision-making. On behalf of the European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology (ESSR) arthritis subcommittee and the European Society of Paediatric Radiology (ESPR) musculoskeletal imaging taskforce, based on literature review and/or expert opinion, we discuss paediatric-specific imaging characteristics of the most commonly involved, in literature best documented and clinically important joints in JIA, namely the temporomandibular joints (TMJs), spine, sacroiliac (SI) joints, wrists, hips and knees, followed by a clinically applicable point to consider for each joint. We will also touch upon controversies in the current literature that remain to be resolved with ongoing research

Porównanie jakości marchwi uprawianej metodami konwencjonalną, integrowaną i ekologiczną

The experiment was conducted in the years 2006-2008 according to the rules of conventional, integrated and organic methods. Organic cultivation was conducted on a certified organic farm. The investigation focused on carrots 'Flakkee 2' cv. On the basis of average results for the three years of the experiment there was made an assessment of the effect of cultivation method on the quantity and quality parameters of yield, such as average mass of marketable roots, their length and diameter, and content of dry mass, nitrates, soluble sugars, ascorbic acid and carotenoids. The total yield. mass and length of roots were bigger in organic cultivation. Carrot dry mass content did not differ significantly between yields coming from different cultivation systems. Nitrates contents in the analyzed roots were low constituting 25.5-55.8 % of the admissible norm. The highest amounts were noted m the roots from integrated cultivation. Significantly lower soluble sugar content was also revealed in the roots from the integrated system in comparison with carrots from the other cultivation systems. No differences in ascorbic acid or carotenoid content were shown in carrot roots coming from farms using different cultivation methods.Doświadczenie prowadzono w latach 2006-2008 z zachowaniem zasad produkcji konwencjonalnej, integrowanej i ekologicznej. Uprawa ekologiczna prowadzona była w gospodarstwie certyfikowanym. Badaniami objęto marchew odmiany 'Flakkee 2'. Na podstawie średnich wyników z trzech lat doświadczeń oceniono wpływ metody uprawy na ilość plonów oraz ich parametry jakościowe, takie jak: średnia masa korzeni handlowych, ich długość i średnica oraz zawartość suchej masy, azotanów, cukrów rozpuszczalnych, kwasu askorbinowego oraz karotenoidów. Plon ogólny, masa i długość korzeni były największe w uprawie ekologicznej. Zawartość suchej masy marchwi nie różniła się istotnie w korzeniach marchwi pochodzącej z różnych systemów uprawy. Zawartość azotanów w badanych korzeniach była mała i stanowiła 25,5-55,8 % dopuszczalnej normy. Najwięcej azotanów wykryto w korzeniach pochodzących z uprawy integrowanej. Statystycznie istotnie niższy, w stosunku do marchwi z pozostałych upraw, poziom cukrów rozpuszczalnych wykazano w korzeniach marchwi pochodzącej również z tego systemu uprawy. Nie wykazano różnic w zawartości kwasu askorbinowego oraz karotenoidów w korzeniach marchwi pochodzącej z różnych systemów uprawy

Areas from the past as a housing estate of tomorrow

Obecnie projektowane osiedla najczęściej zajmują zewnętrzne strefy miejskie. Tereny takie są słabiej zagospodarowane, a pozwolenie na budowę na nich nie wiąże się ze zmianami planu miejscowego, czyli procedury często trwającej kilka lat. Te i inne zalety obszarów położonych przy granicach miast powodują, że narasta proces suburbanizacji – tereny centralne pulsują życiem w godzinach pracy, a wyludniają się w godzinach wieczornych. Przedsiębiorcy nie są na tyle odważni, by inwestować w obszary kryzysowe śródmieść, jednak w wielu miastach i aglomeracjach europejskich, samorządy zachęcają do odnowy terenów położonych centralnie i same angażują się w proces tworzenia masterplanu lub mikroplanów dla nich. Przeprowadza się proces rewitalizacji, czyli remonty, modernizacje i rewaloryzacje istniejących obiektów połączone z działaniami, prowadzącymi do ożywienia społeczno-ekonomicznego, z uwzględnieniem poprawy życia ludności lokalnej. Takie działania prowadzą do powstania zjawiska „recyklingu przestrzeni”, nadając obszarom zdegradowanym: poprzemysłowym, poportowym, powojskowym, pokolejowym i innym nowe funkcje. Ten „recykling przestrzeni” wiąże się z wprowadzeniem nowych użytkowników, dlatego często przekształca niedziałające już hale, magazyny, hangary, zakłady produkcyjne w budynki mieszkalne oraz uzupełnia puste miejsca w rewitalizowanej przestrzeni nowymi obiektami. Mieszkania w takich obiektach to tzw. lofty, których układy funkcjonalne zdecydowanie różnią się od tradycyjnych lokali, ponieważ są skierowane do konkretnego odbiorcy, który ma możliwość ukształtowania loftu zgodnie ze swoimi potrzebami oraz nowoczesnymi trendami. Dla osób młodych, często prowadzących konsumpcyjny tryb życia, niewierzących w tradycyjny model rodziny, dla tzw. Young Urban Professionals- skrót: Yuppies oraz Double Income – No Kids – skrót: Dinks to właśnie tereny odzyskane stanowią osiedla jutra.Housing estates designer nowadays are usually located on the outside of urban areas. T designed at the present time are mostly situated outside the urban area. Such areas are poorly developed and the permission to build on them, which is a procedure that can be ongoing for several years, is not associated with changes in the local plan. These and other advantages of land located at the boundaries of the cities are the reason for the increase of suburbanization process; central areas are bustling with life during working hours and become deserted in the evening. Entrepreneurs are too cautious to invest in the conflict areas. Nonetheless, governments in many European cities and agglomerations are encouraging the renewal of centrally located areas and become engaged in the creation of master – plans an d micro – plans. The process of revitalization is carried out, which includes repairs, upgrades and re-evaluation of existing facilities and it is connected with activities leading to social and economic recovery, including improvement of life for new users. The result of such actions is the phenomena of area recycling, which introduces new function to degraded post – industrial, post-port, post-military, post – railway buildings. Since this area recycling is associated with the introduction of new users, the already dead halls, warehouses, hangars, factories are transformed into residential buildings and the empty space in the revitalized areas is supplemented with new structures. Apartments in such buildings are called Lofts; their functional systems are radically different from traditional apartments, mainly because they are targeted to specific type of users, who have a possibility to shape the loft according to their needs and recent trends. It is the recovered areas that are the housing estates of tomorrow, especially for so-called Yuppies (Young Urban Professionals) and Dinks (Double Income – No Kids), who most often lead a consumer lifestyle and do not believe in traditional family

Analiza porównawcza kosztów ogrzewania, wentylacji i energii elektrycznej na przykładzie budynku mieszkalnego w standardzie niemal zeroenergetycznym

This article deals with an analysis of the operating costs of a building designed in the “near zero-energy” standard, with various technological solutions for heating and ventilation supported by a photovoltaic system (three technological variants). Following the analysis, a technological variant using an economic criterion based on the minimization of annual operating costs was selected.W artykule przedstawiono analizę kosztów eksploatacji budynku projektowanego w standardzie “niemal zeroenergetycznym”, przy różnych wariantowych rozwiązaniach technologicznych ogrzewania i wentylacji wspomaganych systemem fotowoltaicznym (trzy warianty technologiczne). W następstwie przeprowadzonych analiz zarekomendowano wybór wariantu technologicznego przy zastosowaniu kryterium ekonomicznego opartego na minimalizacji rocznych kosztów eksploatacji

The effect of hydrogen peroxide on seed quality and emergence of carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Infestation with pathogenic fungi is frequently a cause of poor carrot seed quality. The effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment on germination, vigour and health of carrot seeds as well as plant emergence was investigated. Four seed samples were tested. Seeds were soaked in 3, 6, 9 and 12% H2O2 solutions for 10, 30 and 60 min. Controls were untreated seeds, seeds treated with fungicide (a.i. 75% thiram), and seeds soaked in distilled water for 10, 30 and 60 min. The fungi from genera Alternaria and Fusarium were frequently detected on tested seeds and dead seedlings. Hydrogen peroxide treatment, regardless of concentration and treatment time, reduced significantly carrot seed infestation with A. alternata, A. radicina and Fusarium spp., however was not effective in the control of A. dauci. Deterioration of seed germination and vigour was observed mostly if seeds were treated with 9 and 12% H2O2. Treating seeds with 3% H2O2 for 30 min positively affected plant emergence in three of four tested samples, while treatment with 6% H2O2 significantly decreased percentage of healthy seedlings in one of these samples and increased it in two of them