Regulation crash-test: applying serious games to policy design

Successful policy solutions rely on policy addressees responding in certain ways. Policy designers need an analytical method that allows them to anticipate impact of a new intervention, while tak- ing into account bounded rationality of policy actors and sociopo- litical complexity. The article proposes using serious games at the stage of policy formulation to test the architecture of a new regulation in a safe environment. It provides a blueprint for using games in policy design, consisting of conceptual framework, design procedure, and techniques for strengthening game valid- ity. The application is illustrated with an example of a draft regu- lation on rural transport in Poland. The case study points out three advantages of game method: (1) revealing mechanisms trig- gered by the architecture of regulation, meaning actors’ initial assumptions, decisions, and feedback loops created by actors’ responses, (2) demonstrating the consequences of mechanisms over time, that in real life would occur with a long delay, and (3) creating a risk-free environment where policy actors can verify their assumptions and experiment with ways of interpreting and responding to new regulation. The article concludes that serious games are a promising method for anticipating impact of complex policy regulation

Struktura militarnego krajobrazu pozycji umocnionej z drugiej wojny światowej na przykładzie wybranych odcinków Pozycji Pomorskiej

The paper presents an attempt of reconstructing the full, original structure of fragments of the Pomeranian Position in its final form from spring 1945, based on available materials and field works. This position in the cultural landscape of Pomerania has a special historical and landscape value due to the close relationship between the course of the Pommernstellung and physiographic conditions and the variety of identifiable relics

Sol-gel synthesis of iron oxide-silica composite microstructures

Spherical silica particles doped with iron oxide have been synthesized via base-catalyzed one-pot sol–gel process using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and iron(III) eth- oxide (ITE) as co-precursors. In the modified Sto ̈ ber pro- cess adopted, depending on the concentration of ITE in the starting composition, materials of various morphologies were observed under a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. The presence of ITE signifi- cantly affected the formation process of particulate silica; the spherical particles were formed accompanied by the co- presence of irregular-shaped finer aggregates. The fraction of the aggregates with rough surfaces increased with an increase of the ITE content in the reaction mixture. Both the spherical particles and irregular-shaped aggregates contained iron hydroxide and they exhibited paramagnetic behavior. The chemical composition and physicochemical properties of the materials were determined using various complementary spectroscopic methods

Treatment of patients with primary cutaneous lymphomas – real-life data

Background. Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCL) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms of mature lymphocytes with skin tropism. Although, by definition, these lymphomas are restricted to the skin at the time of diagnosis, during the course of the disease it may involve also lymph nodes and visceral organs. A close cooperation between a dermatologist and oncologist is required to ensure proper treatment. We present in a real-life data on treatment of patients with PCL between dermatology and oncology department. Material and methods. 104 patients were registered in a joined database of Oncology Department of Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz and Dermatology Department of Medical University in Toruń between 2007 and 2017. Due to different clinical and prognostic features data from MF/SS (44 patients), non-MF/SS CTCLs and CBCLs were presented separately. Results. Median overall survival for patients with MF/SS was 76.7 months. Median follow-up time was 5 years.Background. Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCL) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms of mature lymphocytes with skin tropism. Although, by definition, these lymphomas are restricted to the skin at the time of diagnosis, during the course of the disease it may involve also lymph nodes and visceral organs. A close cooperation between a dermatologist and oncologist is required to ensure proper treatment. We present in a real-life data on treatment of patients with PCL between dermatology and oncology department. Material and methods. 104 patients were registered in a joined database of Oncology Department of Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz and Dermatology Department of Medical University in Toruń between 2007 and 2017. Due to different clinical and prognostic features data from MF/SS (44 patients), non-MF/SS CTCLs and CBCLs were presented separately. Results. Median overall survival for patients with MF/SS was 76.7 months. Median follow-up time was 5 years

Wpływ niewielkiego i zaawansowanego niedokrwienia na przepływ w mikrokrążeniu skórnym u pacjentów z miażdżycowym niedokrwieniem kończyn dolnych

Introduction. The aim of the study was to characterize the changes in the microcirculation in patients with varying severity of atherosclerotic ischaemia of the lower limbs (PAOD). Material and methods. The study included 27 healthy subjects, 79 patients with PAOD category 0 and 1 according to the Rutherford classification, and 137 patients with PAOD category 3 and 4. The study evaluated cutaneous blood flow, flowmotion bonds, percutaneous partial pressure of oxygen and flow-mediated vasodilation. Results. Even mild PAOD exhibits a worse systemic vascular function expressed as a reduction in the scope of flow-mediated vasodilation, and locally in TcpO2 decrease. Increase in local changes in advanced forms of PAOD were observed as further reduction in TcpO2 and a drastic reduction or exhaustion of the functional microcirculatory reserve. Among the evaluated risk factors for atherosclerosis only diabetes and smoking significantly modified perfusion, which resulted in a significant decrease in the values of vasodilation and TcpO2. Conclusions. The study revealed the occurrence of adverse changes in microcirculation, also in patients with poorly discernible signs of limb ischaemia. It can be assumed that these may also occur in the patients who underwent a haemodynamically effective revascularization.Wstęp. Celem badań było scharakteryzowanie zmian w mikrokrążeniu u pacjentów z różnym stopniem zaawansowania miażdżycowego niedokrwienia kończyn dolnych (PAOD). Materiał i metody. Do badania włączono 27 zdrowych osób, 79 pacjentów z PAOD w 0 i 1 kategorii oraz 137 pacjentów z PAOD w 3 i 4 kategorii według klasyfikacji Rutherforda. Oceniano skórny przepływ krwi, pasma flowmotion, przezskórne ciśnienie parcjalne tlenu i wazodylatację indukowaną przepływem. Wyniki. Już w łagodnej postaci PAOD występuje ogólnoustrojowe pogorszenie funkcji naczyń, wyrażone zmniejszeniem zakresu wazodylatacji indukowanej przepływem, a miejscowo zmniejszeniem TcpO2. W zaawansowanych postaciach PAOD obserwowano pogłębienie zmian miejscowych w postaci dalszego obniże­nia TcpO2 i radykalnego zmniejszenia lub też wyczerpania rezerwy czynnościowej mikrokrążenia. Spośród ocenianych czynników ryzyka rozwoju miażdżycy tylko cukrzyca i palenie tytoniu znamiennie modyfikowały perfuzję, istotnie zmniejszając wartości wazodylatacji i TcpO2. Wnioski. W przeprowadzonym badaniu wykazano występowanie niekorzystnych zmian w mikrokrążeniu także u pacjentów ze słabo zaznaczonymi objawami niedokrwienia kończyn. Można przypuszczać, że mogą one występować również u pacjentów po skutecznych hemodynamicznie zabiegach rewaskularyzacji

Treatment of patients with primary cutaneous lymphomas – real-life data

Background. Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCL) comprise a heterogeneous group of neoplasms of mature lymphocytes with skin tropism. Although, by definition, these lymphomas are restricted to the skin at the time of diagnosis, during the course of the disease it may involve also lymph nodes and visceral organs. A close cooperation between a dermatologist and oncologist is required to ensure proper treatment. We present in a real-life data on treatment of patients with PCL between dermatology and oncology department.  Material and methods. 104 patients were registered in a joined database of Oncology Department of Oncology Centre in Bydgoszcz and Dermatology Department of Medical University in Toruń between 2007 and 2017. Due to different clinical and prognostic features data from MF/SS (44 patients), non-MF/SS CTCLs and CBCLs were presented separately.  Results. Median overall survival for patients with MF/SS was 76.7 months. Median follow-up time was 5 years

The perception of the municipal housing manager’s CSR activities in the context of its stakeholders

Purpose: The growing complexity of the environment in which they operate causes modern enterprises, including various types of organizations, to develop competitive management models aimed at meeting the expectations of various groups of stakeholders involved in their activitiesin the long-term perspective. This article focuses on the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the activities of the municipal housing manager in the context of its stakeholders. The study examines how stakeholders (employees, resource residents, entrepreneurs) perceive the city's housing manager's CSR activities. Design/methodology/approach: In this study, in addition to the analysis of the literature on the subject, the results of the survey conducted in the first and second quarter of 2022 among 363 stakeholders of the municipal housing manager were used. In the study, the impartiality test χ2 and the coefficient of T Czuprow convergence were used, with the significance level α = 0.05. Findings: The results suggest that each of the three selected groups of stakeholders perceive the necessity of CSR activities differently. The group that is the most interested in such activities are employees, the inhabitants of resources expect only actions aiming to improve the quality of their lives, and therefore actions within the aspect of local responsibility. Entrepreneurs in turn, are interested in activities in the social, external and environmental aspects. In addition, the results of these studies may contribute to the state of knowledge in the scientific literature by pointing to the importance of CSR activities by entities not focused on maximizing profits. Originality/value: It can be expected that the developed models will help decision makers of city housing managers to gain a perception of the stakeholder's awareness of and attitudes towards the CSR concept

Long-range snake-like robot powered by pneumatic McKibben muscles

Contemporary research on mobile robotics aims at designing robots that will be able to traverse an extremely varied environment. One of the most universal modes of locomotion is the serpentine movement. A majority of modern snake-like robots use electric drives. This study presents a snake-like robot made out of McKibben muscles. Using a pneumatic cable with muscles arranged in series, it is possible to create a robot of any length, limited only by the length of the muscle cables. Because the control system and the body of the robot are separate, the robot can be used for rescue missions involving high risk of explosion of flammable substances and for missions taking place on extremely difficult terrain

Badania właściwości taboru dotyczącej zgodności z systemami wykrywania pociągów

W artykule przedstawiono źródła powstawania zakłóceń elektromagnetycznych mogących wpływać na poprawne działanie urządzeń sterowania ruchem kolejowym. Zestawiono obowiązujące w Polsce dopuszczalne poziomy występowania zakłóceń dla wybranych typów czujników. Badania wykonywane na infrastrukturze kolejowej wymagają odpowiedniego przygotowania zarówno merytorycznego, badanego obiektu jak i stanowiska pomiarowego. Badania wykonuje się zgodnie z przygotowanym scenariuszem uwzględniającym możliwie wszystkie sytuacje, w których badany pojazd może generować zakłócenia powodujące niestabilną pracę czujników, takie jak rozruch czy hamowanie. Przedstawiono przykładowe wyniki pomiarów wraz z kryteriami oraz sposoby przeprowadzania badań, a także szczegółowe wymagania dotyczące aparatury pomiarowej