Oak pollen in the air of Poland in 2017

The aim of the study was to compare the pollen season of oak in the cities of Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Katowice, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in 2017. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Hirst type pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 98% of the annual total catch occurred. The pollen season of oak started first in Szczecin, on the 1st April, and lasted till the end of May. At the latest pollen season ended in Olsztyn on the 1st June. However, in the most of other cities the season lasted till the end of May. The differences of pollen seasons duration were considerables from 28 to 56 days. The highest, record airborne concentration of 342 pollen grains/m3 was noted in Warsaw on the 17th May. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count occurred between of 11th and 20th May. The highest oak pollen allergen hazard occurred in 2017 in Piotrkow Trybunalski, Lublin and Warsaw

External vs Internal Determinants of Firm Technology Strategy: Evidence from the Polish Services Sector

The authors use the insights from strategy research and innovation studies to address two principal questions regarding the technology strategy of a firm: what are the distinct elements of technology strategy and what are the strategy determinants? Equipped with Zahra's (1996) concept of measuring technology strategy, we analyze data from two runs of the Community Innovation Survey for Polish service firms. They propose a set of indicators reflecting four principal fields of technology strategy: pioneer-posture, R&D efforts, technology portfolio, and monitoring activities. Interactions between the strategic variables are analyzed and their determinants are assessed. The results suggest that technology strategies are determined by both factors external to the firm, and by the hitherto less stressed in the CIS-based empirical literature, internal factors. The role of internal factors increases with the macroeconomic environment becoming less favourable

Innovation and the Growth of Service Firms: The Polish Case

Differences in the growth of firms remain a major topic in economics and strategy research. In this paper we investigated the link between innovation performance and employment growth. First we discuss the problem from the theoretical point of view and then we analyze the relationship between innovation performance and the dynamics of employment in the Polish service firms in 2004-2009. Firms that introduced new services or marketing techniques experienced stronger growth. Process innovations contributed to employment reduction. Tellingly, this effect could only be observed in 2008-2009, a subperiod which saw the lowest levels of aggregate demand. This conclusion yields support to the presumption formulated by Pianta (2005) that the impact of innovation on employment growth depends on the macroeconomic situation

Effects of traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder on Alzheimer's disease in veterans, using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common problems resulting from military service, and both have been associated with increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia resulting from Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other causes. This study aims to use imaging techniques and biomarker analysis to determine whether traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or PTSD resulting from combat or other traumas increase the risk for AD and decrease cognitive reserve in Veteran subjects, after accounting for age. Using military and Department of Veterans Affairs records, 65 Vietnam War veterans with a history of moderate or severe TBI with or without PTSD, 65 with ongoing PTSD without TBI, and 65 control subjects are being enrolled in this study at 19 sites. The study aims to select subject groups that are comparable in age, gender, ethnicity, and education. Subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia are being excluded. However, a new study just beginning, and similar in size, will study subjects with TBI, subjects with PTSD, and control subjects with MCI. Baseline measurements of cognition, function, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers; magnetic resonance images (structural, diffusion tensor, and resting state blood-level oxygen dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging); and amyloid positron emission tomographic (PET) images with florbetapir are being obtained. One-year follow-up measurements will be collected for most of the baseline procedures, with the exception of the lumbar puncture, the PET imaging, and apolipoprotein E genotyping. To date, 19 subjects with TBI only, 46 with PTSD only, and 15 with TBI and PTSD have been recruited and referred to 13 clinics to undergo the study protocol. It is expected that cohorts will be fully recruited by October 2014. This study is a first step toward the design and statistical powering of an AD prevention trial using at-risk veterans as subjects, and provides the basis for a larger, more comprehensive study of dementia risk factors in veterans

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

Determination of the shear modulus of mineral and organic soils by dilatometer tests DMT and SDMT

Niniejszy artykuł poświęcony jest analizie warunków geotechnicznych oraz wyznaczeniu zależności, pozwalających na obliczenie modułu ścinania Go dla gruntów mineralnych i organicznych obiektów zlokalizowanych na terenie kampusu SGGW i osiedla Stegny. We wstępie przedstawiono opis badań standardowym dylatometrem Marchettiego i sejsmicznym dylatometrem SDMT oraz sposób interpretacji uzyskanych wyników. Zaprezentowano także ogólny opis teoretyczny badań sejsmicznych wraz z charakterystyką fal poprzecznych, podłużnych i powierzchniowych, wykorzystywanych w geotechnice. Ponadto omówiono budowę geologiczną i warunki hydrogeologiczne oraz scharakteryzowano parametry geotechniczne na terenie wyżej wymienionych obiektów. Ostatnia część artykułu to propozycja nomogramów klasyfikacyjnych dla gruntów mineralnych i organicznych oraz możliwości wykorzystania modułu ścinania w interpretacji wyników badań SDMT.The paper is devoted to the analysis of the geotechnical conditions and determination of relationships allowing to estimate the shear modulus of mineral and organic soils for sites located in SGGW campus and in Stegny site in Warsaw. In the literature overview there have been presented description of Marchetti Dilatometer test and Seismic Dilatometer test (SDMT) as well as the methodology of these tests and parameters evaluation. Also there have been shown a theoretical description of seismic tests with characteristics of transverse, longitudinal and surface waves used in geotechnics. Furthermore there have been presented geological and hydrogeological structure as well as geotechnical conditions of sites mentioned above. In the last stage of this work there have been proposed relationships and classification charts of mineral and organic soils and the possibilities of using shear modulus

Means of optimizing coal combustion product utilization

The frequency of fl y ash and other Coal Combustion Products (CCPs) utilization is owed to those who work in the national power industry research and implementation centers and the users of CCPs. The statistics have also been infl uenced by the new system of CCP utilization, which encompasses not only the transportation of CCPs but also the development of new, state- -of-the-art technologies of ash benefi ciation and refi ning. Another signifi cant reason for increased utilization of coal combustion products, fl y ash in particular, is the fact that our scientists have conducted in-depth analyses of their physiochemical properties and are now able to take advantage of these properties when designing new products. When optimizing the process of burning coal-based fuels and co-combusting coal and biomass, as well as other products, it is necessary to research the infl uence that introduced changes have on the usability of fl y ash and its environmental impact. Publishing the data, assessments and results of implementation is no less important. To improve on CCP utilization, we need to consider using it on a mass scale to produce classifi ed, activated and hydrophobic fl y ash. In order to design new, high quality products, it is necessary to improve on the production of cenospheres from dry fl ue gas desulfurization, ore concentrates, as well as micro- and nanofi lls and carriers. Since the utilization of fl y ash from landfi lls increases, it is possible to make profi t from a comprehensive depletion of the lode. The following paper discusses the issue