Predicting the Probability of Cargo Theft for Individual Cases in Railway Transport

In the heavy industry, the value of cargo transported by rail is very high. Due to high value, poor security and volume of rail transport, the theft cases are often. The main problem of securing rail transport is predicting the location of a high probability of risk. Because of this, the aim of the presented research was to predict the highest probability of rail cargo theft for areas. It is important to prevent theft cases by better securing the railway lines. To solve that problem the authors\u27 model was developed. The model uses information about past transport cases for the learning process of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Machine Learning (ML).The ANN predicted the probability for 94.7% of the cases of theft and the Machine Learning identified 100% of the cases. This method can be used to develop a support system for securing the rail infrastructure

Femtosecond photoswitching dynamics and microsecond thermal conversion driven by laser heating in FeIII spin-crossover solids.

International audienceIn this paper we review time-resolved studies of ultrafast light-induced spin-state switching, triggered by a femtosecond laser flash,and the following out-of-equilibrium dynamics in FeIII spincrossover crystals. The out-of-equilibrium dynamics involves several steps, resulting fromthe ultrafast molecular photoswitchingof low-spin (LS) to high-spin (HS) states in solids. First, the transient HS state is reached within 200 femtoseconds, and mayrapidly decayinto the stable LS state of the system. A second process at longer delay,associated with volume expansion, drives additional conversion to the HS state during the so-called elastic step occurring at nanosecond time scale. Finally,the laser heating process induces a temperature jump in the crystal that may result in a significant thermal population of the HS state on microsecond time scale. The photoswitching mechanism is of local nature and has linear dependenceon the excitation fluence, whereas the heating effect can macroscopically perturb the LS/HS equilibrium. We discuss similarities and differences between photoswitching dynamics in solution and in different crystals for which the thermal spin conversion is of more or less pronounced cooperative nature

Jakość badań densytometrycznych w Polsce : wyniki oceny wstępnej

Background: The quality of measurements is the main problem in clinical diagnostics. Only a well-designed and properly implemented quality control system ensures that real and precise measurement results are obtained. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality of bone mineral density measurements in laboratories in Poland. Material/Methods: 15 laboratories from 9 cities participated in the study. The evaluation was performed on the basis of International Society for Clinical Densitometry recommendations and data from the literature. Part I of the evaluation comprised checking the calibration and stability of the densitometer, the safety of acquisition data, the documentation of services, and the reproducibility of measurements in patients. Part II comprised reproducibility, based on phantom testing, using European spine phantom and anthropomorphic spine phantom. Phantom measurements and analysis were done in a routine manner by native operators. Results: The only activity which was properly and regularly performed in all laboratories was calibration. The other activities were performed properly in less than half of the laboratories, and some of them only in single laboratories. In nearly half of the laboratories the reproducibility error exceeded the tolerance limit. Conclusions: The present study suggests that the quality of bone mineral density measurement in Poland is rather low. Introducing quality control in laboratories and training courses for operators is strongly recommended

Diagnosis of cervical cancer by a urine test

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignant tumor among women in the world. However, 90% of deaths occur in developing countries. Tumor pathogenesis is associated with exposure to high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), most often 16 and 18 strains. The sooner precancerous lesions or cancer are detected, the higher the chance of survival is. That is why prophylaxis is so important in this case. Due to the low turnout of women in cytology, new, alternative methods of prevention are needed. According to the research, women prefer tests in which samples are taken by themselves. Hence, more and more studies on the use of urine in the prevention of cervical cancer. Urine is a material that is easy to pick up. Patients feel comfortable because they can do it by themselves. Still, more research is needed to optimize its collection, transport, or tests used on samples

Sauna in patients with hypertension

Saunas are very popular around the world, especially in some specific regions like Finland. Sitting in a temperature of 45-110°C with intervals often including cold baths influence our bodies in different aspects. Apart from being an addition to asthma or depression treatment, it works well as prevention of heart diseases and hypertension. Sauna is also believed to be able to reduce increased blood pressure values. Because of its safety it can be easily prescribed for all patients without few contraindications

Effect of vitamin d on treatment of malignant tumor

Vitamin D is a group of steroid organic chemicals that are fat-soluble. The most important are two forms of vitamin D, which are ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) occurring naturally in plant organisms as well as yeast and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) found naturally in animal organisms. This vitamin is known primarily for its effects on the skeletal system, where it affects the calcium-phosphate economy, and also constitutes a bone component. As a result, it is mainly used in the prevention and treatment of rickets or osteoporosis. Recent clinical and epidemiological studies suggest that vitamin D has other uses as well. More and more research confirms that its deficiency increases the risk of malignant tumor and is associated with worse prognosis. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation may have an impact on reducing the number of cases and may increase the chances of recovery. It has been found that vitamin D inhibits the proliferation and formation of malignant tumor cells, can induce their apoptosis and has an effect on angiogenesis and metastasis. WHO estimates that in 2018 around 9.6 million people have died of malignant tumors and the number of patients in the world is constantly increasing. Therefore, the use of vitamin D in their treatment can be a breakthrough solution. Its low price, availability, or known and low toxicity speak for its use in the discussed purposes. Still, more research is needed to develop an effective anticancer drug with its participation

Femtosecond optical pump-probe reflectivity studies of spin-state photo-switching in the spin-crossover molecular crystals [Fe(PM-AzA)2(NCS)2]

International audienceWe report here on the ultrafast photo-switching dynamics of a Fe(II) molecular material [Fe(PM-AzA)2(NCS)2]. It undergoes a thermal spin-crossover which can be detected by magnetic measurements or by optical reflectivity. We use here femtosecond optical reflectivity to study the ultrafast photo-switching dynamics. Our results indicate that the HS state is reached from the LS state within less than 100 fs, through an intermediate MLCT state. This ultrafast relaxation from the electronic excited state towards the structurally relaxed HS state is followed by a vibrational cooling of the hot HS molecules within ≈1 ps timescale

Gender differences in body experience - a comparison of people with and without tattoos

Tattooing is a body modification practice that an increasing number of people, regardless of age, education or gender, are opting for. Previous quantitative research on the population of people with tattoos has mainly focused on differences in various personal characteristics, but has not focused on the bodily experience of people with tattoos. The aim of the present study was to examine differences in body image, body schema and body sense in people with and without tattoos. Two hundred and eleven people participated in the study, 108 of whom had at least one tattoo. Respondents completed a set of questionnaires: The Battery of Tests of The Body Self Representations and a demographic questionnaire. Our study showed that there were no significant differences in terms of mental body representations in people with and without tattoos. The main differences in terms of mental body representations were between men and women without tattoos. The present study suggests the need for a deeper understanding of the importance of tattoo for bodily experience

Macrophage activation syndrome in systemic lupus erythematosus - a case report

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening condition that results from the immune system hyperactivation. The primary form of HLH appears mainly in children and is caused by a genetically determined failure of NK and T cells. Secondary (acquired) HLH usually occurs due to insufficiency of these cells caused by other disease entities or drugs. Potential factors that may be responsible for the appearance of this rare condition include: malignancies (especially lymphomas), infections (EBV, CMV, HIV), autoimmune diseases (SLE, Still’s disease). The clinical appearance of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis is dominated by persistent fever, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, pallor of the skin, signs of hemorrhagic diathesis, lymph node enlargement. Characteristic abnormalities in laboratory tests include: hypertriglyceridemia, cytopenia, hyperferritinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia and hypertransaminasemia. One subtype of the secondary form of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, which is associated with rheumatic diseases, is called the macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The following describes a case of a 26-year-old woman with exacerbated systemic lupus erythematosus, who was admitted to a Rheumatology Unit in severe general condition. Clinical presentation of the patient included primarily: long-lasting fever, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Various test were performed during her hospitalization, including laboratory test and a bone marrow biopsy. Finally, the woman was diagnosed with the macrophage activation syndrome. She was successfully treated with ciclosporin and methylprednisolone

Melatonin – a verified remedy for jet lag? Current state of knowledge

Jet lag is a circadian rhythm disorder, affecting plane passengers travelling across multiple time zones. The severity of symptoms is strictly connected with the number of zones crossed. Common symptoms include: insomnia, difficulty concentrating attention, memory loss, anxiety, diarrhea, confusion, dizziness, headache, as well as malaise. Melatonin is a neurohormone, produced by the pineal gland. The hormone is released into the bloodstream and acts on MT1 and MT2 receptors, having the ability to induce sleep. Melatonin is therefore responsible for regulating the human biological clock and, consequently, the rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. Synthetic forms of melatonin have become a potential medication for various circadian rhythm disorders, including jet lag syndrome. Ten scientific reports were analyzed. The characteristics of the subjects, directions of the trips taken, the doses of melatonin, as well as the patterns of its administration, differed among studies. According to most of the reviewed trials, melatonin may have a beneficial effect on alleviating jet lag symptoms. The timing of intake plays a significant role – it has proven most effective when taken days before travel. However, several studies have not confirmed its effectiveness, compared to placebo. Further research seems to be inevitable to objectively reassess the effectiveness of melatonin preparations. Unambiguous determination of the melatonin dosage, the timing of its administration, the time of initiation, and the duration of the treatment would also be advisable. Nevertheless, all of the mentioned trials confirmed that the use of oral melatonin preparations, especially at low doses, turned out to be free of serious side effects