Genetic variability of some Italian and Polish duck breeds

This study is aimed to estimate and compare the inter- and within-breed variability of duck populations under genetic conservation programmes. The following four duck breeds were analysed: Germanata Veneta (AGV) and Mignon (AMG) from Italy, Pekin Krajowy (33P) and Pomniejszona (2K) from Poland. The characterisation of the four populations was carried out through a panel of 23 microsatellite markers. The analysis involved 180 individuals: 39 for AGV, 41 for AMG, 50 for 33P and 50 for 2K. An average of 11.36 alleles per locus was identified. Twenty-two loci showed high values of polymorphism information content from 0.575 to 0.912, while CAUD136 was monomorphic for the Italian breeds. The breeds showed relatively high heterozygosity: higher for the Polish populations (0.6920 for 33P and 0.6521 for 2K), and lower for the Italian (0.4497 and 0.3718 for AGV and AMG, respectively). The inbreeding coefficient was higher for the Italian breeds, AMG in particular (0.133, 0.097 and 0.121), as well as the differentiation index (0.253). The Nei’s minimum distances (DM) and Reynolds distances (DR) were low between the Polish populations (0.131 and 0.088, respectively); these were associated to AGV (DM = 0.191 and DR = 0.259 for 33P; DM = 0.174 and DR = 0.226 for 2K). Finally, AGV was distant from AMG (DM = 0.259 and DR = 0.317). The molecular coancestry, or mean kinship was higher for the Italian breeds compared to Polish populations. The Italian populations showed intermediate values. The obtained results can be perceived as an important tool for the applied genetic conservation programmes

No-shows among female patients aged 18-35

Introduction. Patients’ failure to keep medical appointments or to cancel them is becoming an increasing problem for the health care system. The phenomenon of missing medical appointments refers to patients of both public and private healthcare facilities. It has a negative impact on the functioning of the health care system, by contributing to longer waiting times for health services and generating financial losses. Aim. The aim of the study was to analyze no-shows in female patients aged 18-35. Material and method. The research tool used in the study was a survey that was conducted among 705 women aged 18-35. The survey questionnaire had been developed by the authors of the study and consisted of particulars and five thematic areas. The first area concerned cancellation of medical appointments and the reasons behind it. In the second area, patients’ punctuality was assessed. The third area focused on preferred methods of arranging and cancelling medical appointments. In the fourth area, women’s opinion on the idea of spreading lists of negligent patients among medical facilities was examined. The fifth area referred to patients’ solutions to the problem of not keeping medical appointments. The obtained data was subjected to statistical analysis using the ² test, where p < 0.05 was considered to be a statistically significant. Results. The study shows that nearly 75% of women have canceled their medical appointment at least once. The phenomenon of not keeping appointments and not cancelling them concerned in particular women aged 29-35 (33%). In each of the three age groups, the most frequent reasons for not attending an appointment and not cancelling it were forgetfulness, recovery from a health condition, other more important errands and personal situation. Over a quarter of respondents declared having been late for an appointment at least once (28%). Nearly half of the respondents inform medical facilities about the fact of being late (46%). Conclusions. It is necessary to monitor patients’ failure to keep medical appointments, introduce a general system of reminding patients about medical appointments and educate patients about the obligation to inform medical facilities about cancelling appointments

The influence of various pressures in pneumatic tyre on braking process of car with anti-lock braking system

In this article has been presented the influence of various pressures inpneumatic tyre of passenger car Fiat Panda 1.3 JTD with anti-lock braking system on chosen parameters of braking process: course of braking deceleration, maximum value of deceleration, braking distances

Aerogel insulation materials for industrial installation : properties and structure of new factory-made products

In this article the comparisons of two new factory-made Chinese aerogel products with the Pyrogel® product, all available on the market, are presented. The aerogel products are in a flexible blanket form and all products are dedicated for high temperature applications. The properties of the samples such as their dimension stability, water vapour transmission and water absorption are also described. Additionally the microstructure and chemical composition of the products are analysed using SEM/ EDS (scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy). The differences in the maximum service temperature are presented. The internal self-heating of the aerogel samples is described and is compared to a similar effect observed in mineral wool samples. The results in the change of the thermal properties in a wide range of temperatures (+ 10–600°C) are shown. The obtained results are correlated with the mineral wool data. The correlation shows an advantage in a highefficiency thermal performance of aerogel products compared to other insulation materials at high temperatures

Estudio del perfil emprendedor de los administradores de las micro y pequeñas empresas de la región sureste de México

La ciudad de San Andrés Tuxtla, en el estado de Veracruz, se caracteriza por que la actividad comercial y de servicios la constituyen micros y pequeñas empresas lideradas por un solo individuo con dos o tres empleados. El presente trabajo, muestra los resultados de un estudio del perfil emprendedor de los administradores de las micros y pequeñas empresas en la región de San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, con el propósito de establecer qué habilidades y características los han mantenido en una economía competitiva en dicho municipio. La metodología aplicada para el desarrollo del trabajo fue de tipo descriptivo-cuantitativo al realizar un diagnóstico que permitiera conocer el giro comercial de las empresas en estudio, así como la aplicación de una encuesta a 212 administradores empresariales. Entre los resultados obtenidos destacan que, de las 212 empresas estudiadas, 155 pertenecen al giro comercial y 57 al de servicios; la edad promedio de los empresarios oscila entre los 31 y 40 años; de igual manera se puede concluir que el perfil emprendedor de las micro y pequeñas empresas en la región de San Andrés Tuxtla, son personas jóvenes orgullosas con la actividad que desempeñan, creativas, con interés, capaces, persistentes, motivadas y asumidoras de riesgos. El estudio propone sugerencias para que los dirigentes adopten aspectos que puedan fortalecer las habilidades emprendedoras para la obtención de mayores resultados en su labor empresarial

Driver safety in relation to the post–accident vehicle reparation

The paper presents the basic criteria for estimation of the post-accident reparation of a vehicle body. The article made reference to deceleration during an impact, to deformation of the vehicle body (as a result of a collision) and to the coefficient of restitution that describes such a collision

W fotelu recenzenta i na paradyzie: o krytyce teatralnej Kornela Makuszy\u144skiego

Klasyfikacja tematyczna: Monografie pisarzy: Kornel Makuszy\u144ski; Historia krytyki literackiej i nauki o literaturze; Sztuka widowisk scenicznyc

Paleoceanographic variability on the Agulhas Plateau during the past 150 kyr BP

This thesis presents the results of a multi-proxy analysis of two sediment cores recovered from within the Indian-Atlantic Ocean Gateway (I-AOG). The main focus of this study was on sediment core MD02-2588 which was recovered from the southern Agulhas Plateau. This core was used to produce reconstructions of the paleoceanographic variability of the deep and surface ocean during the past 150 kyr BP. Preliminary paleoceanographic records spanning the past 50 kyr BP are also presented from sediment core CD154-23-16P, recovered off southern Africa. To reconstruct the history of mid-depth ocean circulation on the southern Agulhas Plateau during the past 150 kyr BP, a range of physical and chemical bottom water parameters were derived from the stable isotope, elemental ratio and grain size data from core MD02-2588. These data suggest that, during glacial stages, the southern Agulhas Plateau and the wider mid-depth South Atlantic Ocean came under increased influence of southern-sourced deep waters and experienced an increase in the storage of respired carbon, as CO2 was sequestered from the glacial atmosphere. The associated decrease in the relative volume of northern-sourced deep waters bathing the MD02-2588 core site appears to be counterbalanced by the lower nutrient content of northern-sourced water masses during glacial stages resulting in an overall reduction of nutrient concentrations in the mid-depth South Atlantic. The glacial lowering of seawater nutrient concentration in the mid-depth South Atlantic was possibly also affected by an increase in the formation of lower-nutrient mid-depth waters by open ocean convection in polynyas within the expanded circum-Antarctic sea ice zone. During glacial terminations, mid-depth nutrient concentrations within the I-AOG reach their highest values of the past 150 kyr BP. These increases are interpreted as resulting from the upward mixing of nutrient-rich bottom waters from the deepest and most isolated layers in the Southern Ocean following the deglacial breakdown of stratification in the ocean interior. The increases in mid-depth nutrient concentration recorded during deglaciations occur in tandem with increases in the bottom water carbonate saturation state on the southern Agulhas Plateau and increases of pCO2 in Antarctic ice cores. The covariation of these parameters supports the premise of increased out-gassing of carbon from the deep Southern Ocean during deglaciations. This thesis also examines how the position of the subtropical front (STF) within the I-AOG migrated over the past 150 ky BP and considers how these changes may have impacted the nutrient supply to the surface waters of the southern Agulhas Plateau. The record of bulk sediment nitrogen isotope composition (δ15NBulk) from sediment core MD02-2588 suggests that the northward migration of the STF during glacials is associated with increases in nutrient supply relative to interglacial levels. Enhanced nutrient supply to the surface waters of the southern Agulhas Plateau is thought to be caused by increased northward advection of relatively nutrient-rich Subantarctic surface waters to the MD02-2588 core site, along with weaker upper ocean stratification which facilitated vertical mixing of nutrients from the thermocline. The likeness of the δ15NBulk record from MD02-2588 with analogous records from the eastern equatorial Pacific may suggest that the temporal variability of the isotopic composition of ocean nitrate within these two regions is linked on glacial-interglacial timescales, possibly as a consequence of changes in the position of the Southern Ocean fronts. New data from a set of core-top samples collected around New Zealand were used to assess the utility of the deep-dwelling planktonic foraminifera species Globorotalia truncatulinoides as a recorder of the isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon in seawater. The downcore record of carbon isotopes in this planktonic foraminifera from MD02-2588 displays a correlation with the Antarctic ice core records of the isotopic composition of carbon in the atmosphere during the past 150 kyr BP. The correlation of these records demonstrates the importance of carbon transfer between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere. Preliminary results of the bulk elemental composition and foraminiferal stable isotope records spanning the past 50 kyr BP are presented from sediment core CD154-23-16P, recovered from the Mallory Seamount off southern Africa. These records are used to reconstruct the terrestrial hydroclimate of southeastern Africa and the hydrography of the Agulhas Current