Do Outpatient Rehabilitation Interventions Improve The Functional Capacity And Quality Of Life Of Colorectal Cancer Survivors?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity representing a major public health problem. Globally, it is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in male patients and the second in female ones. Internationally, its incidence is characterized by a wide geographical variation, with almost 55% of the cases being diagnosed in Western countries. In contrast, the incidence and the number of new deaths in Bulgaria, 28.5 and 2,687 (14.04), respectively, are still among the highest in Balkan countries and EU countries as well. Adenocarcinomas originating from epithelial cells of the colorectal mucosa comprise more than 90% of all CRCs. Other types of CRCs include neuroendocrine, squamous cell, adenosquamous, spindle cell, and undifferentiated carcinomas. Recently, the surgical treatment of CRC has made great progress. However, about 50% of patients relapse after treatment, indicating that improving the treatment of CRC with several rehabilitation interventions is still necessary. Rehabilitation is defined as the secret weapon in the holistic management of patients with cancers, aiming to restore mental and/or physical abilities, which might have been lost due to injury or disease, so that the individual is able to lead a normal or near-normal life. Cancer survivors and patients with terminal diseases are highly dependent on rehabilitation in order to optimize quality of life (QoL) and still preserve their dignity. Rehabilitation is an immanent team process that should be integrated throughout the oncology care continuum and delivered by a dedicated physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) team. There is an increased demand for a patient-centered approach, tailored to the CRC survivor’s individual needs and wants, which will allow optimal physical, psychological, social, and professional functioning within the limits imposed by cancer and its treatment, as well as maximize the independence and QoL

Methoden zur Bewertung der Ermüdungsbeständigkeit von Asphaltmischgut mittels 4-Punkt Biegebalken

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit ist eine Literaturrecherche im Bereich der Methodik zur Beurteilung der Ermüdungsbeständigkeit von Asphalt unter Laborbedingungen, mit Hilfe der 4-Punkt Biegeprüfung. Die Diplomarbeit hat als Ziel den Ermüdungsprozess bei Asphalt zu beschreiben und die die wichtigsten Einflussparameter darzustellen, die auf den Ermüdungsprozess einwirken. Es werden dabei die konventionellen Kriterien zur Ermittlung der Ermüdungsresistenz von Asphalt dargestellt, sowie auch moderne alternative Methoden zur Einschätzung des Ermüdungsprozesses. In dem Einleitungskapitel werden kurz der Anwendungsbereich und die Bedeutung von Asphalt für den Strassenbau erwähnt, die Voraussetzungen für die Entwicklung und Anwendung von gebrauchsverhaltensorientierten Prüfungen vorgestellt. Innerhalb von dem zweiten Kapitel ist die Natur von Asphalt als Baustoff, sowie das mechanische Verhalten dieses Materials dargestellt. Schwerpunkt dieses Kapitels ist die analytische Herleitung der Materialparameter, die das Ermüdungsverhalten von Asphaltmischgütern charakterisieren und die Erklärung des Ermüdungsmechanismus bei Asphalt. In dem dritten Kapitel werden die wichtigsten Material- und Versuchsparameter zusammengefasst, die auf das Ermüdungsverhalten von Asphalt einwirken und die auf die Ermüdungsprüfung Einfluss nehmen. In dem vierten Kapitel wird die theoretische Begründung und die praktische Anwendung der 4-Punkt Biegeprüfung als Prüfungsanordnung zu der Untersuchung des Ermüdungsverhaltens von Asphaltmischgüter unter Laborbedingungen dargestellt. In dem fünften Kapitel werden die Kriterien zu der Beurteilung des Ermüdungseintritts behandelt. Es werden die Nachteile der Phänomenoligischen Ermüdungskriterien erläutert und die Möglichkeiten zu der alternativen Einschätzung des Ermüdungprozesses behandelt.8

ON THE ASSESSMENT OF MATHEMATICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SOLVING NON-LINEAR EQUATIONS

The process of learning and acquiring mathematics by students is inextricably linked with the need to measure the achieved level of their knowledge and skills at each stage of education. The aim of the study is to propose a methodological approach for evaluating students’ mathematics competencies in engineering degrees, developed in accordance with the results of the European Erasmus+ project Rules_Math. A competency assessment model is presented that includes three main components: multiple-choice test, tasks to solve and a small practical project on a topic from the curriculum for first-year students. The multiple-choice test aims to assess students' understanding of the basic notions, concepts, and methods in the field. Solving problems should measure the level of knowledge and skills acquired. The practical project could evaluate the students’ ability to apply what has been learned to solve practice-oriented tasks. It is recommended to use mathematical software. The approach is demonstrated with a specific example of assessing mathematical competencies for solving non-linear equations of a single variable. Answers and solutions are also provided. The presented methodology can be used by professors and tutors in higher education institutions to update the assessment of students' competencies in mathematics

An Unprecedented Arctic Ozone Depletion Event During Spring 2020 and its Impacts Across Europe

International audienceThe response of the ozone column across Europe to the extreme 2020 Arctic ozone depletion was examined by analysing ground-based observations at 38 European stations. The ozone decrease at the northernmost site, Ny-Ålesund (79°N) was about 43% with respect to a climatology of more than 30 years. The magnitude of the decrease declined by about 0.7 % deg-1 moving to south to reach nearly 15% at 40°N. In addition, it was found that the variations of the ozone column at each of the selected stations in March-May were similar to those observed at Ny-Ålesund but with a delay increasing to about 20 days at mid-latitudes with a gradient of approximately 0.5 days deg-1. The distributions of reconstructed ozone column anomalies over a sector covering a large European area show decreasing ozone that started from the north at the beginning of April 2020 and spread south. Such behaviour was shown to be similar to that observed after the Arctic ozone depletion in 2011. Stratospheric dynamical patterns in March to May 2011 and during 2020 suggested that the migration of ozone-poor air masses from polar areas to the south after the vortex breakup caused the observed ozone responses. A brief survey of the ozone mass mixing ratios at three stratospheric levels showed the exceptional strength of the 2020 episode. Despite the stronger and longer-lasting Arctic ozone loss in 2020, the analysis in this work indicates a similar ozone response at latitudes below 50°N to both 2011 and 2020 phenomena