On stationarity of Lagrangian observations of passive tracer velocity in a compressible environment

We study the transport of a passive tracer particle in a steady strongly mixing flow with a nonzero mean velocity. We show that there exists a probability measure under which the particle Lagrangian velocity process is stationary. This measure is absolutely continuous with respect to the underlying probability measure for the Eulerian flow.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/105051604000000945 in the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Towards a Rehabilitation of a woman writer : Elena Ion, "Femeia fără chip : pe urmele Soranei Gurian" [The faceless woman : on the trail of Sorana Gurian]

This paper aims to discuss the strategies that Elena Ion uses to bring Sorana Gurian and her literary work back into cultural discourse. Firstly, I will recapitulate existing research and the way her writings were received after her death in 1956. I will then present the main objectives and results of Elena Ion’s study, as well as the importance of the new sources she has identified for further research into the work of Sorana Gurian

USE OF MODERN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN MICROBIOLOGICAL LABORATORY

In today’s world, the utilisation of modern information technology is becoming increasingly common in educational process – not only at primary and secondary school level, but most of all, at university level. The present article is a proposition of the implementation of information technology as a complement of microbiological laboratories. These classes are, most of all, practical, so a tweak of programs and simulations forms a prominent challenge for an academic. A student, who participates in laboratories, achieves specified abilities, however, he or she does not always have an opportunity to preserve them. In the thesis, there is presented a proposition of innovations, implemented into the educational process, which are a result of a long-time educational practice in terms of educating on the university level. Inasmuch as a complex process of teaching and learning (complete with concurrent components, which qualify its didactic effectiveness) is a subject matter of general didactics, the utilisation of information technology may form an excellent complement of laboratories. The utilisation of such solutions helps students to preserve the practical skills, which they acquire in laboratories. The emphasis is on simulation programs, and the open-source learning management system Moodle, which are considered as educational tools which have a relevant impact on the tenor of learner’s cognitive processing. Taking into consideration the advantages of these tools, and the commonness of modern information technology, the authors indicated a large universality of this medium, and its usefulness in the problem and empirical teaching. The presented group of software may bring a significant contribution to the development, the desirability, and the increase of absorption in vocational training. The ponderations are based on the basis of the cognitive theory and the idea of constructive education

Web Pages Content Analysis Using Browser-Based Volunteer Computing

Existing solutions to the problem of finding valuable information on the Websuffers from several limitations like simplified query languages, out-of-date in-formation or arbitrary results sorting. In this paper a different approach to thisproblem is described. It is based on the idea of distributed processing of Webpages content. To provide sufficient performance, the idea of browser-basedvolunteer computing is utilized, which requires the implementation of text pro-cessing algorithms in JavaScript. In this paper the architecture of Web pagescontent analysis system is presented, details concerning the implementation ofthe system and the text processing algorithms are described and test resultsare provided

Treatment of Arterial Hypertension during Rapid Economic and Political Transition in Poland

Leczenie nadciśnienia tętniczego, z uwagi na jego rozpowszechnienie i powikłania, stanowi w większości krajów poważny problem zdrowotny, społeczny i ekonomiczny. W Stanach Zjednoczonych narodowy program prewencji nadciśnienia wprowadzony w latach 70. spowodował po 25 latach zdecydowaną poprawę wykrywalności i skuteczności leczenia nadciśnienia z równoczesnym obniżeniem śmiertelności z powodu choroby wieńcowej i udarów mózgu. W związku z istotnie pogarszającą się sytuacją epidemiologiczną w krajach Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej istnieje potrzeba wprowadzenia w tych krajach zdecydowanych działań na rzecz lepszej kontroli nadciśnienia. W artykule omówiono potencjalne sposoby poprawy sytuacji w kontekście skomplikowanych zmian społecznych i ekonomicznych zachodzących od 1990 roku w Polsce i krajach sąsiednich.Hypertension, due to its prevalence and serious complications, constitutes a major public health problem and implies a great economical and social cost. In the U.S., "The National High Blood Pressure Education Program" was developed and implemented in early seventies. Subsequently, improved levels of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension were demonstrated, coincident with continued declines in coronary heart disease mortality and striking declines in stroke mortality. At present, in the eastern part of Europe where cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are on the increase, there is a particulary urgent need for more vigorous public health action against hypertension. The potential activities that should be undertaken are discussed in this paper in the context of a rapid transformation into a market economy, which followed the collapse of the former economic and political system. This process, being in itself a unique psychological and social experience for our populations, presents a source of many difficulties to adjust to new economic conditions, progress in medical knowledge and new mechanisms at the pharmaceutical market

Influence of QRS duration and axis on response to cardiac resynchronization therapy in chronic heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction: A single center study including patients with left bundle branch block

Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate QRS duration and axis as predictors of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in order to reduce the proportion of non-responders.Methods: Retrospective single-center study including 42 CRT recipients, with left bundle branch block (LBBB), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40%, in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class ≥ II. Response to CRT was declared as NYHA class improvement ≥ 1 (symptomatic) and LVEF improvement by ≥ 10% (echocardiographic) > 6 months post implantation.Results: Symptomatic responders had longer pre- (172.3 ± 17.9 vs. 159.0 ± 18.3 ms; p = 0.027) and postimplantation (157.2 ± 24.1 vs. 136.7 ± 23.2 ms; p = 0.009) QRS duration. Preimplantation QRS < 150 ms predicted poor response (odds ratio [OR] for response vs. lack of response 0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.001–0.74). Predictors of symptomatic response included: postimplantation QRS > 160 ms (OR 7.2; 95% CI 1.24–41.94), longer QRS duration before (OR for a 1 ms increase 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.08) and post implantation (OR for a 1 ms increase 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.07). Area under the curve (AUC) for pre- and postimplantation QRS duration was 0.672 (95% CI 0.51–0.84) and 0.727 (95% CI 0.57–0.89), respectively, with cut-off points of 178.5 ms and 157 ms. For post implantation QRS axis, AUC was 0.689 (95% CI 0.53–0.85), with cut-off points of –60.5° or –38.5°. Preimplantation QRS axis was the only predictor of echocardiographic response (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96–1.00), with AUC of 0.693 (95% CI 0.54–0.85) and a threshold of –36°.Conclusions: Marked pre- and postimplantation QRS prolongation and preimplantation negative QRS axis deviation are moderate predictors of response to CRT

Skuteczność skojarzonego i wspomagającego leczenia temozolomidem u chorych z glejakiem wielopostaciowym. Wieloośrodkowe badanie z randomizacją

Background and purpose The common treatment in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme is the ultimately radical surgical removal of the tumour combined with radiotherapy. This study compared safety and efficacy of radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy combined with temozolomide (TMZ) given before, during, and after radiotherapy. Material and methods The patients operated on for glioblastoma multiforme during the first 21 postoperative days were randomly assigned to the group treated with radiotherapy alone (involved-field radiotherapy in 2 Gy fractions daily five times a week up to the total of 60 Gy over 6 weeks of treatment) or to the group treated with radiotherapy and TMZ, initially in the dose of 200 mg/m2 during 5 postoperative days and after 23 days followed by 75 mg/m2 of body surface area daily, 7 days a week (from the first to the last day of radiotherapy). On completion of radiotherapy, five complementary courses of TMZ were introduced (150–200 mg/m2 for 5 days, repeated every 28 days). The primary outcome measure was overall survival. Results Fifty-eight patients from 3 centres were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 55 years and all the patients underwent a surgical procedure of glioblastoma removal. The mean overall survival in the group treated with TMZ was 16.0 months, whereas in the group with radiotherapy alone the overall survival reached 12.5 months. 24-month survival reached 23% in patients treated with TMZ and 6.7% in those who received radiotherapy only. Haematological complications of third or fourth degree were present in 10% of patients treated with radiotherapy and TMZ. Conclusions The introduction of TMZ before, during and after radiotherapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme gives clinically and statistically significant improvement of survival with unremarkably increased toxicity of the treatment.Wstęp i cel pracy U chorych z nowo rozpoznanymi glejakami wielopostaciowymi ogólnie przyjętym postępowaniem jest maksymalnie radykalne operacyjne usunięcie guza uzupełnione napromienianiem. W przedstawionym badaniu porównywano radioterapię jako jedyną metodę leczenia z radioterapią skojarzoną z temozolomidem podawanym przed napromienianiem, w jego trakcie i po zakończeniu radioterapii, oceniając bezpieczeństwo i skuteczność obu metod terapeutycznych. Materiał i metody Pacjentów operowanych z powodu glejaka wielopostaciowego w ciągu 21 dni po zabiegu przydzielano losowo do grupy, w której stosowano wyłącznie radioterapię (napromienianie na pola wydzielone we frakcjach po 2 Gy dziennie 5 razy w tygodniu do całkowitej dawki 60 Gy w ciągu 6 tygodni leczenia), lub grupy leczonej napromienianiem i temozolomidem, początkowo w okresie pooperacyjnym 200 mg/m2 przez 5 dni, następnie po 23 dniach dawką 75 mg/m2 powierzchni ciała dziennie przez 7 dni w tygodniu (od pierwszego do ostatniego dnia radioterapii). Po zakończeniu napromieniania prowadzono pięć uzupełniających kursów leczenia temozolomidem (150–200 mg/m2 przez 5 dni powtarzanymi co 28 dni). Główną miarą wyniku leczenia był całkowity czas przeżycia. Wyniki Do badania włączono 58 chorych z 3 ośrodków. Mediana wieku pacjentów wynosiła 55 lat, wszyscy chorzy byli operowani z powodu glejaka wielopostaciowego. Mediana czasu przeżycia w grupie otrzymującej temozolomid wyniosła 16 miesięcy, natomiast wśród otrzymujących radioterapię 12,5 miesiąca. Przeżycie 24-miesięczne osób w grupie skojarzonego leczenia wyniosło 23%, natomiast w ramieniu kontrolnym – 6,7%. Powikłania hematologiczne 3. lub 4. stopnia pojawiły się u 10% otrzymujących radioterapię łącznie z temozolomidem. Wnioski Podawanie temozolomidu przed radioterapią, w jej trakcie i po radioterapii u chorych na nowo rozpoznanego glejaka wielopostaciowego w istotny klinicznie i statystycznie sposób wydłuża przeżycie przy niewielkim zwiększeniu toksyczności leczenia

Skuteczność skojarzonego i wspomagającego leczenia temozolomidem u chorych z glejakiem wielopostaciowym : wieloośrodkowe badanie z randomizacją

Background and purpose: The common treatment in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme is the ultimately radical surgical removal of the tumour combined with radio therapy. This study compared safety and efficacy of radiotherapy alone with radiotherapy combined with temozolomide (TMZ) given before, during, and after radiotherapy. Material and methods: The patients operated on for glioblastoma multiforme during the first 21 postoperative days were randomly assigned to the group treated with radiotherapy alone (involved-field radiotherapy in 2 Gy fractions daily five times a week up to the total of 60 Gy over 6 weeks of treatment) or to the group treated with radiotherapy and TMZ, initially in the dose of 200 mg/m2 during 5 postoperative days and after 23 days followed by 75 mg/m2 of body surface area daily, 7 days a week (from the first to the last day of radiotherapy). On completion of radiotherapy, five complementary courses of TMZ were introduced (150-200 mg/m2 for 5 days, repeated every 28 days). The primary outcome measure was overall survival. Results: Fifty-eight patients from 3 centres were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 55 years and all the patients underwent a surgical procedure of glioblastoma removal. The mean overall survival in the group treated with TMZ was 16.0 months, whereas in the group with radiotherapy alone the overall survival reached 12.5 months. 24-month survival reached 23% in patients treated with TMZ and 6.7% in those who received radiotherapy only. Haematological complications of third or fourth degree were present in 10% of patients treated with radiotherapy and TMZ. Conclusions: The introduction of TMZ before, during and after radiotherapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme gives clinically and statistically significant improvement of survival with unremarkably increased toxicity of the treatment