EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FROM POLAND’S VIEWPOINT. SELECTED ISSUES

It has been ten years since Poland joined the European Union in May 2004. Integration with the EU structures resulted in considerable economic, social and political advantages. On the other hand membership in the EU created new challenges for Poland, the Polish companies and the Polish citizens. The paper reviews selected issues of Poland’s integration with the European Union with special focus on net financial effect of membership, competitiveness of Polish goods on single European market, participation in Common Regional Policy/New Cohesion Policy, as well as the development of migration tendencies. Additionally it presents the changes in the position of Poland in the enlarged European Union with respect to socio-economic development

Analysis of collision possibility in auxiliary railway transportation

Transport kopalniany materiałów i przewóz osób w podziemnych wyrobiskach górniczych prowadzony jest z wykorzystaniem kopalnianej kolei podziemnej, kolejek spągowych oraz kolejek podwieszonych. Zwiększające się gabaryty i masy transportowanych maszyn i urządzeń wymagają projektowania systemów transportowych w oparciu o analizy istniejących tras, pod względem możliwości wystąpienia kolizji z obudową oraz wyposażeniem wyrobisk korytarzowych, co wiąże się również z właściwym doborem zastosowanych urządzeń transportowych. W artykule przedstawiono komputerową metodę analizy możliwości wystąpienia kolizji, dla kolejek spągowych oraz podwieszonych, za pomocą autorskiego oprogramowania, opracowanego w ITG KOMAG. Omówiono założenia metody i jej implementację w środowisku programu AutoCAD. Przedstawiono integrację opracowanego oprogramowania z systemem Safe Trans Design (STD), wdrożonym w kopalniach JSW S.A. Zaprezentowano przykłady analiz kolizyjności w przypadku transportu sekcji obudowy zmechanizowanej kolejką podwieszoną.Mine transportation of materials and people in underground workings is performed by the use of mine railway system, floor-mounted railway and suspended monorail. The increasing size and weight of the transported machines and equipment require planning the transportation system based on analyses of the existing transportation routes as regards the possibility of collision with roof support and with roadway equipment to select properly transportation machines. Computer method of collision analysis for floor-mounted railway and suspended monorail with the use of the author’s computer program, developed at KOMAG, is presented. Assumption of the method and its implementation in AutoCAD software environment is discussed. Integration of the developed computer program with Safe Trans Design (STD) system, implemented in JSW S.A. mines, is presented. Examples of collision analyses in the case of transportation of powered roof support by suspended monorails are described

Neurological occupational diseases in Poland

Znaczenie neurologicznych chorób zawodowych (zwłaszcza przewlekłych chorób obwodowego układu nerwowego wywołanych sposobem wykonywania pracy) w ostatnich latach rośnie. Sumaryczna liczba rozpoznanych chorób zawodowych w latach 2003-2008 uległa zmniejszeniu o 18,8%. Największy spadek liczby stwierdzonych chorób zawodowych (o 28,3%) obserwowano w latach 2003-2006. Natomiast liczba stwierdzonych zawodowych, przewlekłych chorób obwodowego układu nerwowego wywołanych sposobem wykonywania pracy w omawianym okresie uległa zwiększeniu o 79,8%. Dlatego też spróbowano przedstawić w obecnym artykule choroby zawodowe mające podłoże neurologiczne.In recent years the significance of neurological occupational diseases (especially work-related chronic diseases of the peripheral nervous system) nas been growing. The total number of diagnosed occupational diseases in 2003 - 2008 decreased by 18.8%. The biggest decrease in the number of diagnosed occupational diseases took place in 2003-2006. However, the number of diagnosed chronic occupational diseases of the peripheral nervous system in the same period increased by 79.8%. That is why this article discusses the problem of occupational diseases of the peripheral nervous system

Molecular comparison of Gasterophilus intestinalis and Gasterophilus nasalis from two distinct areas of Poland and Italy based on cox1 sequence analysis

In this study, Gasterophilus intestinalis and Gasterophilus nasalis collected from horses in northeastern Poland and southern Italy were genetically compared. The cox1 sequences of the Polish and Italian G. nasalis larvae revealed a higher degree of geographic genetic diversity, with an intra-specific variation rate of 1.27%, than the G. nasalis specimens collected in Poland (intra-specific variation rate: 0.49%) and those collected in Italy (intra-specific variation rate: 0.58%). However, the level of genetic homology of the Polish and Italian G. intestinalis specimens (intra-specific variation rate: 1.27%) was similar to that of the G. intestinalis larvae collected in northeastern Poland (intra-specific variation rate: 0.94%) and those collected in southern Italy (intra-specific variation rate: 1.16%). Analysis of the restriction enzyme sites in the coxI gene of G. nasalis and G. intestinalis showed that the nucleotide polymorphism (NP) at position 1050 of this gene determines cleavage by MnlI only in G. nasalis, making it possible to differentiate the two species using PCR-RFLP. Interestingly, comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the PCR-amplified coxI gene fragments from the Italian specimens of G. nasalis with other analyzed cox1 genes revealed an additional NP at position 1236 of cox1 gene, recognized by MnlI. The present study shows that G. nasalis specimens from different geographical areas display a level of genetic diversity which can influence PCR-RFLP analysis

The influence of 9-day trekking in the Alps on the level of oxidative stress parameters and blood parameters in native lowlanders

Background. The stimuli acting on a person in a high mountain environment (such as hypobaric hypoxia with subsequent reoxygenation, physical exercise) can significantly increase oxidative stress, stimulate erythropoiesis, lead to changes in the blood count and participate in the development of altitude sickness. Objective. The aim was to investigate changes in haematological parameters, indicators of oxidative stress (malondialdehyde – MDA) and antioxidant defences: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the plasma of young, healthy people after a 9-day expedition in the Alps. Materials and method. A total of 5 patients (4 men and 1 woman), members of the Wrocław Mountaineering Club, aged 24–26 years. Collection of blood samples was carried out immediately before departure and 3 days after the end of exposure to high-altitude conditions. During the expedition, the subjects were exposed to heights: 2,050–4,165 m.a.s.l., and exercise associated with climbing. Results. Trekking in the Alps neither caused significant changes in the parameters of red blood cells nor increased the level of oxidative stress parameters in plasma. CAT activity increased, the ratio of SOD / CAT decreased. There was also a decrease in the total number of leukocytes, mainly monocytes and basophils. Conclusions. 9-day exposure to high-altitude conditions is not a substantial burden for the organism of young, physically active people. The increase in antioxidant capacity is sufficient to stop oxidative processes, which are severe in these conditions, and to prevent the occurrence of significant oxidative stress. Discontinuation of exposure to allergens and dust pollution clears the airways, which is indicated by the reduction in the number of monocytes and basophils

Intensive voice treatment (LSVT®) for patients with Parkinson's disease: a 2 year follow up

OBJECTIVES—To assess long term (24 months) effects of the Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT®), a method designed to improve vocal function in patients with Parkinson's disease.
METHODS—Thirty three patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease were stratified and randomly assigned to two treatment groups. One group received the LSVT®, which emphasises high phonatory-respiratory effort. The other group received respiratory therapy (RET), which emphasises high respiratory effort alone. Patients in both treatment groups sustained vowel phonation, read a passage, and produced a monologue under identical conditions before, immediately after, and 24 months after speech treatment. Change in vocal function was measured by means of acoustic analyses of voice loudness (measured as sound pressure level, or SPL) and inflection in voice fundamental frequency (measured in terms of semitone standard deviation, or STSD).
RESULTS—The LSVT® was significantly more effective than the RET in improving (increasing) SPL and STSD immediately post-treatment and maintaining those improvements at 2 year follow up. 
CONCLUSIONS—The findings provide evidence for the efficacy of the LSVT® as well as the long term maintenance of these effects in the treatment of voice and speech disorders in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease.