Collaborative Learning and Convergence: Library Strategies and Solutions with an Eye on the USG Information Technology Strategic Plan

The article discusses collaborative learning as a library strategy of the University System of Georgia (USG) Information Technology Strategic Plan 2010 and the role of convergence in fostering it. It is stated that collaborative learning enables people to achieve quality learning by way of efficient technologies and its integration with content and environments that will benefit people and institutions. Convergence reportedly refers to the integration of distinct library services that will support the shared purpose of learning

Effects of different matrix representations and connectivity measures on habitat network assessments

Assessing landscape connectivity is important to understand the ecology of landscapes and to evaluate alternative conservation strategies. The question is though, how to quantify connectivity appropriately, especially when the information available about the suitability of the matrix surrounding habitat is limited. Our goal here was to investigate the effects of matrix representation on assessments of the connectivity among habitat patches and of the relative importance of individual patches for the connectivity within a habitat network. We evaluated a set of 50 × 50 km^2 test areas in the Carpathian Mountains and considered three different matrix representations (binary, categorical and continuous) using two types of connections among habitat patches (shortest lines and least-cost paths). We compared connections, and the importance of patches, based on (1) isolation, (2) incidence-functional, and (3) graph measures. Our results showed that matrix representation can greatly affect assessments of connections (i.e., connection length, effective distance, and spatial location), but not patch prioritization. Although patch importance was not much affected by matrix representation, it was influenced by the connectivity measure and its parameterization. We found the biggest differences in the case of the integral index of connectivity and equally weighted patches, but no consistent pattern in response to changing dispersal distance. Connectivity assessments in more fragmented landscapes were more sensitive to the selection of matrix representation. Although we recommend using continuous matrix representation whenever possible, our results indicated that simpler matrix representations can be also used as a proxy to delineate those patches that are important for overall connectivity, but not to identify connections among habitat patches

Mapping grasslands’ preservation potential : a case study from the northern Carpathians

The grasslands which are an important part of an ecosystem are endangered due to abandonment of traditional forms of land use. Preservation of biodiversity of semi-natural grassland communities is of great importance, therefore it is important to identify threats and prepare a sustainable plan for their protection The goal of this study was to develop an approach to predict threatened grasslands hotspots, basing on multi-factor machine learning analyses. The Gorce Mountains in the Polish Carpathians were chosen as a study area, as it is region partially protected by National Park, surrounded by villages with different socio-economic conditions (agriculture or touristic oriented). The grasslands were identified and classified on Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery. As lack of regular mowing of grasslands was found as main factor promoting forest succession. Therefore, in order to find endangered grasslands areas, support vector machines' algorithm was used to classify them in mowed and unmowed categories. Then the preservation potential of grasslands was modeled with the random forest method, based on the grasslands' mowing classification, digital terrain model, land-use and population statistical data, and the historical forest extent. We found the grasslands above 750 m above sea level to be the most endangered. Also, the tourism activity and ongoing changes in employment structure from agriculture to services has had a negative influence on the grasslands preservation potential. On the other hand, the Gorce National Park's active grassland conservation by mowing and grazing was shown as a positive element in keeping with the high biodiversity of the area

Ocena równowagi utleniająco-przeciwutleniającej w ścianie i skrzeplinie przyściennej

Background. The aim of the study was to evaluate the activity of the key antioxidative enzyme - superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of the lipid peroxidation product - malondialdehyde (MDA) in the wall and mural thrombus of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Material and methods. The studied material consisted of aneurysm walls and mural thrombi obtained during surgery from 36 patients. The aneurysm wall was stratified into the inner layer and the outer part, which was composed of media and adventitia. Mural thrombus was stratified into the external part - adhering to the aneurysm wall and the internal part - being in touch with blood. Aortas from organ donors served as controls. SOD activity was assessed according to Sykes method, whereas MDA content according to HPLC method in tissue homogenates. Results. The lowest superoxide dismutase activity was found in the aneurysm wall. Furthermore, its inner layer showed 50% lower enzyme activity than the outer one. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly higher in thrombus when compared to the aneurysm wall with a particular increase in its internal part. The highest MDA content was found in thrombus (without significant differences between its parts). The inner layer of the aneurysm wall showed more than a twofold higher MDA content than its outer layer. The lowest MDA content was found in the wall of normal aorta. Conclusions. Diminished activity of the key antioxidant enzyme - SOD in the aneurysm wall, particularly in its inner layer, favours free radical generation, oxidative stress development and consequently intensive lipid peroxidation. This process affects structural changes of the aneurysm wall.Wstęp. Celem badań było poznanie aktywności podstawowego enzymu antyoksydacyjnego - dysmutazy ponadtlenkowej (SOD) oraz stężenia produktu peroksydacji lipidów - malonylodialdehydu (MDA) w ścianie oraz skrzeplinie przyściennej tętniaka aorty brzusznej. Materiał i metody. Materiał do badań stanowiły ściany tętniaków aorty brzusznej oraz skrzepliny przyścienne pobrane podczas operacji od 36 chorych. Ścianę tętniaka dzielono na warstwę wewnętrzną oraz część zewnętrzną zawierającą warstwę środkową i zewnętrzną. Od skrzepliny oddzielano część zewnętrzną - przylegającą do ściany tętniaka oraz wewnętrzną, mającą kontakt z krwią. Grupę kontrolną stanowiły aorty pobrane od dawców narządów. W homogenatach oznaczono aktywność SOD metodą Sykesa oraz zawartość MDA, wykorzystując HPLC. Wyniki. Najniższą aktywność SOD stwierdzono w ścianie tętniaka, przy czym w warstwie wewnętrznej ściany zanotowano aktywność o ponad 50% niższą niż w warstwie zewnętrznej. W skrzeplinie aktywność SOD była istotnie wyższa niż w ścianie tętniaka. W warstwie wewnętrznej skrzepliny aktywność SOD była większa niż w warstwie zewnętrznej. Najwyższą zawartość MDA stwierdzono w skrzeplinie przyściennej (bez istotnych różnic między warstwami). Warstwa wewnętrzna ściany tętniaka zawierała ponad 2-krotnie więcej MDA niż warstwa zewnętrzna. Najmniejszą zawartość MDA zaobserwowano w ścianie aorty dawcy. Wnioski. Występowanie obniżonej aktywności kluczowego antyoksydacyjnego enzymu SOD w ścianie tętniaka aorty, zwłaszcza jego warstwy wewnętrznej, sprzyja tworzeniu rodników tlenowych, powstawaniu stresu oksydacyjnego i w konsekwencji - nasilonej peroksydacji lipidów. Wpływa to na zmiany struktury ściany tętniaka

Ocena ryzyka demencji wśród osób starszych w praktyce pielęgniarskiej

Introduction. Among the elderly, a high number of patients suffer from diseases related to their age increase. Currently extended life expectancy allows us to predict that dementia will intensify due to the increase in the number of elderly people.Aim. The aim of the study was to determine the risk of dementia in a group of seniors residing in the home environment.Material and Methods. The research was conducted amongsts 518 elderly people covered by long-term home care in the Lubelskie and Mazowieckie voivodships. The research employed the Nurses’ Observation Scale for Geriatric Patients.Results. When assessing the respondents using the NOSGER scale, their overall evaluation amounted to 80.64 ± 22.39 points. The respondents functioned best in the field of disturbing behavior (8.67 ± 3.04 points), whereas the IADL was rated the lowest (17.41 ± 4.75 points).Conclusions. The examined respondents presented reduced functional efficiency. Simultaneously, they were characterized by a low risk of dementia. Moreover, education significantly differentiated the functional efficiency of examined seniors. (JNNN 2022;11(1):27–30)Wstęp. Wśród osób starszych wzrasta liczba pacjentów chorujących na schorzenia których ryzyko wzrasta wraz z wiekiem. Aktualnie zachodzące procesy demograficzne pozwalają przewidywać, że częstość występowania otępienia będzie wzrastać wraz ze wzrostem liczby osób starszych.Cel. Celem badań było określenie ryzyka demencji w grupie seniorów przebywających w środowisku domowym.Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono w grupie 518 osób w podeszłym wieku, objętych domową opieką długoterminową, na terenie województwa lubelskiego i mazowieckiego. Badania przeprowadzono za pomocą skali NOSGER.Wyniki. Dokonując oceny badanych skalą NOSGER stwierdzono, że wynik oceny kształtował się na poziomie średniej 80,64 ± 22,39 pkt. Badani najlepiej funkcjonowali w zakresie zachowań zakłócających (8,67 ± 3,04 pkt.), a najgorzej oceniono IADL (17,41 ± 4,75 pkt.).Wnioski. Badana grupa osób w podeszłym wieku wykazywała obniżoną sprawność funkcjonalną. Jednocześnie występowało u nich niewielkie ryzyko zaburzeń o charakterze demencyjnym. Wykształcenie istotnie różnicowało sprawność funkcjonalną seniorów. (PNN 2022;11(1):27–30

Uncertainty in historical land-use reconstructions with topographic maps

The paper presents the outcomes of the uncertainty investigation of a long-term forest cover change analysis in the Polish Carpathians (nearly 20,000 km2) and Swiss Alps (nearly 10,000 km2) based on topographic maps. Following Leyk et al. (2005) all possible uncertainties are grouped into three domains - production-oriented, transformation- oriented and application-oriented. We show typical examples for each uncertainty domain, encountered during the forest cover change analysis and discuss consequences for change detection. Finally, a proposal for reliability assessment is presented

Legacies, socio-economic and biophysical processes and drivers : the case of future forest cover expansion in the Polish Carpathians and Swiss Alps

Mountain forest areas are key for providing a wide range of ecosystem services and are hot spots for land use change processes, in particular, increase in forest cover at the expense of mountain pastures and meadows. Mountain forest systems in eastern and western Europe have likely similar future socio-economic situations but significantly different socio-economic history. Using a scenario-based land use modelling approach (Dyna-CLUE framework) we model three scenarios (trend, liberalisation and self-sufficiency) of future land use in the Polish Carpathians and the Swiss Alps, focussing on forest cover change. We find that forest cover increase can be expected to continue in European mountainous regions under all likely scenarios, limited only by relatively strict policy interventions. Biophysical factors, rather than socio-eco- nomic ones, are key for defining the suitability for, and therefore likely locations of future forest cover, but land use legacy plays a very important role in the spatial pat- terns of future forest cover, particularly in eastern Europe