Attitudes towards physical education lessons in students at different levels of education

School physical education consists in interactions between teachers and students. It is important that each of those present in the classroom feel satisfied with their own results, but also with the way in which the required contents are taught. The aim of the study was to determine the attitudes of students towards physical education classes at different levels of education. The survey was conducted in September 2016 in a group of 157 students from the sixth grade of a primary school, third grade of a junior high school, and from a high school. The results of the survey were analysed separately for each level of education and each sex, and then girls and boys were compared between age groups. Schools from Bielsko-Biała which have similar conditions in terms of equipment and place of teaching classes were selected for the survey. The survey questionnaire by S. Strzyżewski and K. Górna (1989) was used in the study. The results showed that many elements of the lesson remain to discourage the student from practising. Insignificant differences were found depending on the level of education. The youngest girls and boys at every level of education like attending classes, but this tendency is not observed in the oldest girls

Adiposity, fat depots and the prediction of stroke

Background: Despite the progress in research, the utility of clinical assessment for the prediction of stroke is limited. The aim herein, was to evaluate the predictive values of major ultrasound indexes of carotid artery and fat depots for stroke in patients with high and  very high cardiovascular (CV) risk. Methods: The study group included 364 patients (age: 61.3 ± 7.2 years old) with typical CV risk factors scheduled for elective coronary angiography (2012–2013). A comprehensive baseline assessment included the following ultrasound indexes: carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), extra-media thickness (EMT), epicardial (EFT) and pericardial fat thickness (PFT), abdominal subcutaneous (ASF) and visceral fat (AVF) and combined Periarterial Adipose Tissue Intima Media Adventitia (PATIMA) index. Afterwards, all patients were followed for 80.9 ± 7.1 months. Results: There were 23 strokes and 25 cases with new-onset atrial fibrillation during follow-up. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis showed, that selected clinical parameters (age, waist circumference [WC], waist hip ratio [WHR]) and ultrasound indexes (EFT: area under curve [AUC] 0.672, p < 0.01 and PATIMA index: AUC 0.658, p < 0.01) were predictive for stroke. However, their predictive values showed no significant differences (p = NS). The baseline body mass index (BMI) was the only parameter, which showed a prediction for new-onset atrial fibrillation (BMI > 33 kg/m2: sensitivity 65%, specificity 76%).   Conclusions: It was found that age, WC and echocardiographic EFT revealed significant predictive values for stroke. Both WC and EFT showed a very high NPV suggesting that they should be implemented into the clinical practice as a tool affirming a very low risk of stroke

Superficial temporal artery aneurysm

Introduction: The superficial temporal artery (STA), an end branch of the external carotid artery, is a major artery of the head. Due to its location, where skin and fat tissue remain the only protection of the artery, it can be easily damaged while head injury, causing an aneurysm to form. So far around four hundreds of cases of STA aneurysms have been described in the literature. Material and methods: We present a 37-year-old woman with a painless pulsatile mass of approximatelyone centimeter above the left ear and headaches in the left temporal area. In the past, she was a victim ofdomestic violence with a few head trauma. Results: The STA aneurysm was confirmed in ultrasound imaging. The patient did not meet the criteria for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. She was presented for a vascular surgery consultation and qualified for surgical resection of the aneurysm. In addition, the patient was diagnosed with hepatic hemangioma and mild aortic and mitral valve regurgitation. Conclusions: According to the available literature, STA aneurysms have mostly been reported as post--traumatic. The gold standard for STA aneurysm treatment is surgical resection. The procedure was reported as safe, as well as a low grade of recurrence or complications during the procedure was shown in the literature

Raumwirksamkeit der Digitalisierung

Digitalisierung bedarf konkreter räumlicher Steuerung, und hierbei spielt die Regionalplanung und -entwicklung eine zentrale Rolle. Die Arbeitsgruppe "Raumwirksamkeit der Digitalisierung" der LAG Baden-Württemberg hat zentrale Empfehlungen erarbeitet, die die Bereiche "Steuerung des Ausbaus der digitalen Netze", "Daseinsvorsorge und Gleichwertigkeit der Lebensverhältnisse" und "Datenverfügbarkeit und Planungsprozesse" adressieren und unterlegt diese mit Impulsen für die Regionalentwicklung selbst, für politische Rahmenbedingungen und für die Planungswissenschaften.Digitalization is a matter of specific spatial governance. Regional planning and development play a key role here. The working group entitled "Digitalization and its spatial implications" of the LAG Baden-Württemberg has developed key recommendations that address the areas of "Controlling the Expansion of Digital Networks," "Provision of Public Services and Equivalence of Living Conditions", and "Data Availability and Planning Processes". The working group underpins these with impulses for regional development, for political framework conditions and for planning science

A Comparative Analysis of Thermoelectric Modules for the Purpose of Ensuring Thermal Comfort in Protective Clothing

In recent times, more and more workers are exposed to thermal stress due to climate changes and increased ambient temperature. Demanding physical activities and the use of protective clothing are additional sources of thermal load for workers. Therefore, recent research has focused on the development of protective clothing with a cooling function. Phase change materials, air or liquid, were mainly used for this purpose; only a few publications were concerned the use of thermoelectric modules. This publication analyzes the influence of such factors as supplied current, ambient temperature, and the type of heat sink on the amount of heat flux transferred by a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) and the electric power consumed by it. In the course of laboratory tests, a flexible thermoelectric module and three heat sink variants were tested. For this purpose, a polymer TEGway heat sink, a metal one, and a self-made one based on a superabsorbent were used. The research showed that at a temperature of 30 °C and above, the amount of the heat flux transferred by a TEC with a total area of 58 cm2, and an active area of 10 cm2 should be expected to be from 1 W to 1.5 W. An increase in ambient temperature from 20 to 35 °C caused a significant reduction in the heat flux by about 1 W. The results obtained indicated that the type of heat sink affects the heat flux drawn by the TEC to a statistically significant extent. The heat sink using the evaporation effect turned out to be the most efficient

Evaluation of Performance and Power Consumption of a Thermoelectric Module-Based Personal Cooling System—A Case Study

Thermoelectric (TE) technology is promising for reducing thermal discomfort of workers during their routine professional activities. In this manuscript, a preliminary evaluation of a newly developed personal cooling system (PCS) with flexible TE modules is presented based on an analysis of cooling efficiency and power consumption. For this purpose, tests with human participation were performed involving the monitoring of local skin temperature changes and electrical parameters of the controller. Thanks to TE cooling, a significant reduction of local skin temperature was observed at the beginning of the experiment, reaching as much as 6 °C. However, the observed effect systematically became weaker with time, with the temperature difference decreasing to about 3 °C. Cooling efficiency stayed at the same level over the ambient temperature range from 25 °C to 35 °C. The obtained results showed that a proper fitting of the PCS to the human body is a crucial factor influencing the PCS cooling efficiency

Analysis of Efficiency of Thermoelectric Personal Cooling System Based on Utility Tests

Thermoelectric modules can find practical application in clothing with a cooling function. A personal cooling system using Peltier modules integrated with clothing was developed and tested with the participation of a person. A dedicated electronic controller was designed that enabled the power or temperature to be controlled and recorded. In the research, the influence of heat sinks and the method of controlling the operation of the module on the cooling efficiency was assessed. The research was aimed at selecting the operating mode of the controller and choosing the arrangement of modules comparing cooling efficiency. The research showed that by selection of appropriate controlling mode, the electric power used can be reduced while keeping the cooling efficiency at the same level. The location of Peltier modules in places where they can tightly adhere to the body increases their performance

Arterial Stiffness Assessment by Pulse Wave Velocity in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components: Is It a Useful Tool in Clinical Practice?

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is not a single disease but a cluster of metabolic disorders associated with increased risk for development of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Currently, the definition of MS published in 2009 is widely used, but there are more versions of the diagnostic criteria, making it difficult to conduct scientific discourse in this area. Increased arterial stiffness (AS) can predict the development of cardiovascular disease both in the general population and in patients with MS. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), as a standard method to assess AS, may point out subclinical organ damage in patients with hypertension. The decrease in PWV level during antihypertensive therapy can identify a group of patients with better outcomes independently of their reduction in blood pressure. The adverse effect of metabolic disturbances on arterial function can be offset by an adequate program of exercises, which includes mainly aerobic physical training. Non-insulin-based insulin resistance index can predict AS due to a strong positive correlation with PWV. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the review of the literature concerning the relationship between MS and its components, and AS assessed by PWV, including clinical usefulness of PWV measurement in patients with MS and its components

Endothelial Function Assessment by Flow-Mediated Dilation Method: A Valuable Tool in the Evaluation of the Cardiovascular System

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in the course of atherosclerosis are one of the most critical public health problems in the world. Endothelial cells synthesize numerous biologically active substances involved in regulating the functions of the cardiovascular system. Endothelial dysfunction is an essential element in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, the assessment of endothelial function in people without overt CVD allows for a more accurate estimate of the risk of developing CVD and cardiovascular events. The assessment of endothelial function is primarily used in scientific research, and to a lesser extent in clinical practice. Among the tools for assessing endothelial function, we can distinguish biochemical and physical methods, while physical methods can be divided into invasive and non-invasive methods. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is based on the ultrasound assessment of changes in the diameter of the brachial artery as a result of increased blood flow. FMD is a non-invasive, safe, and repeatable test, but it must be performed by qualified and experienced medical staff. The purpose of this paper is to present the literature review results on the assessment of endothelial function using the FMD method, including its methodology, applications in clinical practice and research, limitations, and future perspectives

Novel Formulations Containing Fluorescent Sensors to Improve the Resolution of 3D Prints

Three-dimensional printing in SLA (stereolithography) and DLP (digital light processing) technologies has recently been experiencing a period of extremely rapid development. This is due to the fact that researchers recognise the many advantages of 3D printing, such as the high resolution and speed of the modelling and printing processes. However, there is still a search for new resin formulations dedicated to specific 3D printers allowing for high-resolution prints. Therefore, in the following paper, the effects of dyes such as BODIPY, europium complex, and Coumarin 1 added to light-cured compositions polymerised according to the radical mechanism on the photopolymerisation process speed, polymerisation shrinkage, and the final properties of the printouts were investigated. The kinetics of the photopolymerisation of light-cured materials using real-time FT-IR methods, as well as printouts that tangibly demonstrate the potential application of 3D printing technology in Industry 4.0, were examined. These studies showed that the addition of dyes has an effect on obtaining fluorescent prints with good resolution