Constructions of fatherhood during the 'transition to the empty nest' stage of parenting

This thesis presents a discursive psychological analysis of the ways in which fatherhood is constructed in a variety of contexts during the transition to the ‘empty nest’. The body of the data used in the study consists of thirty three Internet articles describing parenting challenges related to the event of children leaving home, a hundred and sixty four postings of parents’ online conversations about transition to the ‘empty nest’ as well as nineteen semi-structured interviews with fathers whose children have left, or were in the process of leaving home. This range of data was firstly collected in order to explore the breadth of the fatherhood constructions available in everyday settings. Secondly, the aim of the study was to investigate whether the accounts constructed in different contexts varied and how those discrepancies contributed to the understanding of fatherhood during the ‘empty nest’. Finally, the different types of data were analysed to contribute to current methodological debates about the role of interviews in qualitative research. Each of the 3 empirical chapters presents an analysis of constructions of fatherhood from these separate contexts

EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS AMONG CHARGES FROM EDUCATIONAL CARE CENTRES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF LUBELSKIE VOIVODESHIP)

In times of ongoing changes, schooling and education have become the areas at particular threat since they need to comply with the requirements of time and expectations of both the children and their parents or guardians. Education is perceived as the basic task in the life of each human being, conditioning his or her obtainment of education which determines chances of success in professional activity as well as participation in the social and cultural life. When a child is brought up outside the family environment, thus, in foster custody, the meaning of schooling and education becomes particularly crucial. The research, for the purposes of this publication, was conducted on the territory of Bialski and Krasnostawski districts, which are part of the Lubelskie  voivodeship. Its implementation was planned within the framework of the project "Education, levelling developmental and educational deficits deficiencies of children under the care of family-run children's houses homes as well as the educational care centres  care and educational institutions (on the example of the selected poviats of the Lublin province)". The method of diagnostic survey as well as individual research study were applied in the following research. Within the range of the survey, not only proprietary questionnaire intended for the dependants brought up at educational care facilities and family-type children’s homes but also interview questionnaire dedicated for counsellors employed at both family and institutional facilities were applied. The individual case studies study of individual cases involved the use of an observation sheet and interviews with coordinators of the researched care and educational centres, directors of family-run children’s houses. The subject of the article reads: educational problems among children from educational care centres. The aim of the research was to determine whether the charges of family and institutional facilities exhibit educational difficulties, how are educational gaps compensated, and what factors affect the proper satisfaction of educational needs? The aim of the research was to determine whether the dependants of both family and institutional facilities display educational difficulties. The author also attempted to answer the question how educational deficiencies are compensated and what factors influence the appropriate satisfaction of educational needs. The analysis of the results allowed to conclude that the foster care pupils display numerous educational deficiencies conditioned by previous educational negligence. The greatest problem for them is the acquisition of knowledge in the field of mathematics. A large group of children participating in the research (over 40%) stated that there are no problems with studying at all. However, contrary to the statements of the dependants, educators and guardians argue that the main problem many dependants face are not only falling behind with the schoolwork and negligence, but also lack of regularity, lack of a learning habit as well as inability to organize learning. Among the indicators determining the proper satisfaction of educational needs the following should be mentioned: location of educational care facilities; willingness and motivation to learn, time devoted to learning, dependants’ age, lack of interest in studying, lack of educational-professional aspirations, lack of patterns connected with learning observed at home as well as pretty low level of intellect

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PLANS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THOSE IN CHARGE OF CARE AND EDUCATIONAL CENTRES AND FAMILY-RUN CHILDREN’S HOME (ON THE EXAMPLE OF BIAŁA PODLASKA POVIAT)

Research for the purposes of this publication was carried out in Biała Podlaska poviat, which is part of  Lublin province. Its implementation was planned within the framework of the project "Education, levelling developmental and educational deficits of children under the care of family-run children's homes, also the care and educational institutions (on the example of Biała Podlaska poviat)". The diagnostic survey method and the study of individual cases were applied. The survey was based on the author's questionnaire designed for the charges of care and educational institutions and family-run children’s homes as well as the interview questionnaire with the educators of family and institutional institutions. In turn, the study of individual cases involved the use of an observation sheet and interviews with coordinators of the examined care and educational centres, directors of family-run children’s houses. The subject of the article are educational and professional plans of the beneficiaries of institutional and family facilities. Attention was paid to the currently implemented level of education and future educational and occupational plans of these children. The aim of the research was to determine how the educational and professional plans of the charges of various forms of foster care are shaped and what are they conditioned  by?Among the indicators determining the implementation of educational and occupational aspirations  of the examined subjects were environmental factors, i.e. location of the facility or the family-run children's home; personal: willingness and motivation to learn, time spent on homework and learning, age and sex of children under their care, their siblings; in addition, the type of facility in which the examined person is staying, received support and help from educators

FACTORS AFFECTING EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL PLANS OF FOSTER CARE CHARGES

The objective of a foster care is to ensure that a child who is deprived of the adequate care from the biological family lives in the adequate environment. People who deal with Foster care responsibilities are bound to ensure a proper care to a child as well as prepare this child to future life, including vocational one. Thus, essential are educational and vocational plans of charges since they affect the process of gaining the autonomy by a youngster. The three actions: firstly, analysing the literature, secondly, doing researches in bialski poviat, thirdly, conducting a narrative questionnaire with an educator who simultaneously holds the responsibility for teaching charges autonomy, these three are supposed to identify factors that affect educational and vocational plans that foster care charges have. Factors that play significant role are as follows: a kind of foster care (family-run children houses versus educational care centres), the influence exerted by a subject and people who are supposed to support the process of gaining autonomy (foster care provider, tutor, pedagogue, educator responsible for teaching autonomy), personal characteristics (for example low self-esteem, lack of willingness and motivation to learn, lack of skills) and environmental factors (impact of dysfunctional family environment, peer environment, local environment).

Charakterystyka Kliniczna i Ocena Czynników Prognostycznych Chorych Na Zespoły Mielodysplastyczne Hospitalizowanych w Latach 2008-2012

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by one, two or three systems peripheral cytopenia and a tendency to transform to acute myeloid leukemia. Myelodysplastic syndromes are the most common hematological malignancies in adults. The present study is one of the few retrospective analyses carried out in Poland for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Our study involved 178 patients hospitalized from January 2008 to the end of April 2012 in the Department of Clinical Haematology and Haematological Malignancies Diseases, University Hospital No. 2 in Bydgoszcz. The data were collected retrospectively on the basis of detailed surveys taking into account a number of demographic, clinical and prognostic factors. The analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between MDS and male sex, older age as well as the place of residence in the city. The classification of clinical data, laboratory parameters and prognostic factors showed that the majority of MDS patients represented a low-risk group; about 6% of patients experienced a transformation in acute myeloid leukemia, and the leading causes of death were infectious complications and septic shock. The data collected indicate the need for cytogenetic testing in all patients with MDS to determine the prognosis and indications for treatment.Zespoły mielodysplastyczne (myelodysplastic syndromes - MDS) są heterogenną grupą klonalnych chorób układu krwiotwórczego charakteryzującą się jedno-, dwu- lub trójukładową cytopenią obwodową i skłonnością do transformacji w ostrą białaczkę szpikową. Zespoły mielodysplastyczne należą do najczęstszych nowotworów układu krwiotwórczego u ludzi dorosłych. Prezentowana praca jest jedną z nielicznych retrospektywnych analiz przeprowadzonych w Polsce dotyczących chorych na zespoły mielodysplastyczne. Obserwacją objęto 178 pacjentów hospitalizowanych w okresie od stycznia 2008 roku do końca kwietnia 2012 roku w Oddziale Klinicznym Hematologii i Chorób Rozrostowych Układu Krwiotwórczego Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego nr 2 w Bydgoszczy. Dane zostały zebrane retrospektywnie na podstawie szczegółowych ankiet uwzględniających szereg czynników demograficznych, klinicznych i prognostycznych. Przeprowadzona analiza wykazała znamiennie dodatnią korelację MDS z płcią męską, starszym wiekiem i miejscem zamieszkania w mieście. Klasyfikacja danych klinicznych, parametrów laboratoryjnych i czynników prognostycznych wykazała, że większość chorych na MDS kwalifikowała się do grupy niskiego ryzyka, u około 6% badanych wystąpiła transformacja w ostrą białaczkę szpikową, natomiast główną przyczyną zgonów były powikłania infekcyjne i wstrząs septyczny. Zgromadzone dane wskazują na potrzebę wykonywania badań cytogenetycznych u wszystkich chorych na MDS w celu ustalenia rokowania i wskazań do leczenia

SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL INTERESTS TAKEN UP BY THE DEPENDENTS OF FOSTER CARE FACILITIES (ON THE EXAMPLE OF LUBELSKIE VOIVODESHIP)

The subject of the article are school and after school interests popular among the dependants staying both in institutional care facilities as well as in family custody. A significant problem, which should be taken into consideration, is the fact that the research is not carried out among young people being brought up in their own biological families, but only among the foster care pupils what can also affect the types of activities undertaken in their free time both in the school environment and after classes. The aim of the research was to determine how different school and after school interests are shaped among dependents of various forms of foster care and what they are conditioned by. Among the indicators influencing the type of activities taken up by the pupils participating in the research the following were enumerated: environmental factors, namely: location of the facility or the family-type children's home; personal factors including age and gender of the dependents, or institutional factors such as the type of facility in which the research respondent is staying; obtained support and help from both educators and teachers.The material for the article was created as part of the project "Education, levelling developmental and educational deficiencies of children under the care of family-run children’s houses as well as the educational care centre (on the example of the selected poviats of Lubelskie, Świętokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie voivodeships)". The project was implemented by the Department of Pedagogy of Higher State School in Biała Podlaska. There were used two methods in the research: diagnostic survey and study of individual cases. The following questionnaires were used: proprietary questionnaires for charges, interview questionnaires with educators of educational care centres and family houses, an observation sheet and interviews with coordinators and directors of the examined institutions.  

Clinical Characteristics and Evaluation of Prognostic Factors in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes Treated in 2008-2012

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic disorders characterized by one, two or three systems peripheral cytopenia and a tendency to transform to acute myeloid leukemia. Myelodysplastic syndromes are the most common hematological malignancies in adults. The present study is one of the few retrospective analyses carried out in Poland for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. Our study involved 178 patients hospitalized from January 2008 to the end of April 2012 in the Department of Clinical Haematology and Haematological Malignancies Diseases, University Hospital No. 2 in Bydgoszcz. The data were collected retrospectively on the basis of detailed surveys taking into account a number of demographic, clinical and prognostic factors. The analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between MDS and male sex, older age as well as the place of residence in the city. The classification of clinical data, laboratory parameters and prognostic factors showed that the majority of MDS patients represented a low-risk group; about 6% of patients experienced a transformation in acute myeloid leukemia, and the leading causes of death were infectious complications and septic shock. The data collected indicate the need for cytogenetic testing in all patients with MDS to determine the prognosis and indications for treatment.Zespoły mielodysplastyczne (myelodysplastic syndromes - MDS) są heterogenną grupą klonalnych chorób układu krwiotwórczego charakteryzującą się jedno-, dwu- lub trójukładową cytopenią obwodową i skłonnością do transformacji w ostrą białaczkę szpikową. Zespoły mielodysplastyczne należą do najczęstszych nowotworów układu krwiotwórczego u ludzi dorosłych. Prezentowana praca jest jedną z nielicznych retrospektywnych analiz przeprowadzonych w Polsce dotyczących chorych na zespoły mielodysplastyczne. Obserwacją objęto 178 pacjentów hospitalizowanych w okresie od stycznia 2008 roku do końca kwietnia 2012 roku w Oddziale Klinicznym Hematologii i Chorób Rozrostowych Układu Krwiotwórczego Szpitala Uniwersyteckiego nr 2 w Bydgoszczy. Dane zostały zebrane retrospektywnie na podstawie szczegółowych ankiet uwzględniających szereg czynników demograficznych, klinicznych i prognostycznych. Przeprowadzona analiza wykazała znamiennie dodatnią korelację MDS z płcią męską, starszym wiekiem i miejscem zamieszkania w mieście. Klasyfikacja danych klinicznych, parametrów laboratoryjnych i czynników prognostycznych wykazała, że większość chorych na MDS kwalifikowała się do grupy niskiego ryzyka, u około 6% badanych wystąpiła transformacja w ostrą białaczkę szpikową, natomiast główną przyczyną zgonów były powikłania infekcyjne i wstrząs septyczny. Zgromadzone dane wskazują na potrzebę wykonywania badań cytogenetycznych u wszystkich chorych na MDS w celu ustalenia rokowania i wskazań do leczenia

SUPPORTING THE SPEECH DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN STAYING IN FOSTER CARE

The aim of the article was the analysis of the problem of speech development in care and educational institutions and family-run children’s houses. Speech plays an important role in our life. The ability of speaking properly enables people to form interpersonal communication. Due to our speech, we can express our thoughts, feelings and experience. Thus, it is crucial to stimulate a child’s verbal communication from the earliest years. Speech development, which has a genetical basis and depends on innate attributes, is possible only in the context of the social environment. The aim of the study was the analysis of the problem of verbal communication in care and educational institutions and family-run children’s houses in the Lublin province.The material for the article was created as part of the project "Education, levelling developmental and educational deficiencies of children under the care of family-run children’s houses as well as the educational care centre". The project was implemented by the Department of Pedagogy of Higher State School in Biała Podlaska. There were used two methods in the research: diagnostic survey and study of individual cases. The following questionnaires were used: proprietary questionnaires for charges, interview questionnaires with educators of educational care centres and family houses, an observation sheet and interviews with coordinators and directors of the examined institutions.The occurrence of numerous problems refer to the development of verbal communication both in care and educational centers and family-run children’s houses. This function is performed more advantageous in a family home. 

PET/MR — a rapidly growing technique of imaging in oncology and neurology

INTRODUCTION: The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) has become a subject of interest for researchers in the recent several years. Positron emission tomography in combination with magnetic resonance (PET/MR) is the most recent imaging technique classified in the so called hybrid systems category. AIM: This review briefly discusses the development history of PET/MR scanners, the principle of their operation, of tandem systems, as well as fully integrated devices. Further, it summarizes recent reports on the application of PET/MR scans and their possible future role in oncological and non-oncological diagnostics. CONCLUSIONS: Recent reports regarding the application of PET/MR scanners show huge potential of simultaneously received images, which exceed the advantages of either of those scans used separately. However, the results so far remain uncertain and require further investigations, especially in terms of clinical studies, not only for scientific purposes.      INTRODUCTION: The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance (MR) has become a subject of interest for researchers in the recent several years. Positron emission tomography in combination with magnetic resonance (PET/MR) is the most recent imaging technique classified in the so called hybrid systems category. AIM: This review briefly discusses the development history of PET/MR scanners, the principle of their operation, of tandem systems, as well as fully integrated devices. Further, it summarizes recent reports on the application of PET/MR scans and their possible future role in oncological and non-oncological diagnostics. CONCLUSIONS: Recent reports regarding the application of PET/MR scanners show huge potential of simultaneously received images, which exceed the advantages of either of those scans used separately. However, the results so far remain uncertain and require further investigations, especially in terms of clinical studies, not only for scientific purposes

The diversity of angiogenesis in diabetic vascular complications

Diabetes is one of the major healthcare problems and it is considered a global epidemic of the 21st century. Long lasting hyperglycaemia contributes to the development of vascular diabetic complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy or diabetic foot syndrome (DFS). The pathogenesis of each diabetic complication is multifactorial. Nevertheless, impaired angiogenesis is one potential component that might be common for many diabetic complications. Angiogenesis is a multi-stage process involving the endothelium, growth factors and their inhibitors, cytokines, endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and enzymes. Asfar as angiogenesis is concerned, diabetes is a paradoxical disease. An excessive angiogenesis is noted in retinopathy or nephropathy, while in diabetic foot syndrome the angiogenic response is insufficient