Ocena zakresu ruchomości stawu kolanowego i skokowego kończyny niedowładnej u chorych z niedowładem połowicznym po incydentach mózgowo-naczyniowych

B a c k g r o u n d. Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) is one of the most serious health problems in the developed countries. Patients who conclude early stroke rehabilitation (i.e. 2-3 months after the stroke) should be able to walk unassisted or with little help.O b j e c t i v e.  The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of early specialized stroke rehabilitation by means of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), based on the analysis of mobility ranges of knee and ankle joints of the affected limbs in patients after CVA.M a t e r i a l  a n d  m e t h o d s. The study encompassed 30 subjects who had suffered from stroke and participated in PNF rehabilitation at the hospital stroke ward. Among subjects, there were 13 men and 17 women, aged ± 66.1. On average, patients spent 28 days at the ward. The first exam was carried out prior to  rehabilitation , on the admission day, while the follow-up exam was conducted on the day the patient left the ward.R e s u l t s.  Noticeable reduction of deficits in knee and ankle joint motion of the affected limb was observed. The second exam proved significant increase in bending ranges of the affected limb. Range of limb strengthening did not change. Subjects with left-sided hemiparesis displayed greater mobility deficits in motion ranges of knee and ankle joints, compared to right-sided hemiparesis patients.C o n c l u s i o n s. Using PNF in early rehabilitation noticeably improved mobility of the affected limbs in patients after CVA.Wstęp. Udar mózgu jest jednym z najpoważniejszych problemów zdrowotnych społeczeństw z krajów uprzemysłowionych. Chory kończący wczesną rehabilitację poudarową, czyli 2-3 miesiące od udaru powinien chodzić samodzielnie lub z niewielką pomocą.C e l e m   p r a c y była analiza skuteczności wczesnej specjalistycznej rehabilitacji poudarowej, realizowanej metodą PNF, w oparciu o analizę zakresu ruchomości stawu kolanowego i skokowego kończyny niedowładnej u osób po mózgowym incydencie naczyniowym.M a t e r i a ł  i  m e t o d y. Badaniem objęto 30 osób po mózgowym incydencie naczyniowym poddanych wczesnej rehabilitacji metodą PNF na pododdziale udarowym. Grupę badawczą stanowiło 13 mężczyzn i 17 kobiet, o średniej wieku ± 66,1. Czas przebywania chorego na oddziale wynosił średnio 28 dni. Pierwsze badanie wykonano przed rozpoczęciem usprawniania w dniu przyjęcia chorego, a kontrolne w dniu wypisu z oddziału udarowego.W y n i k i. Stwierdzono wyraźną redukcję deficytów w stawie kolanowym i skokowym kończyny niedowładnej. W badaniu drugim wykazano znaczny wzrost zakresu ruchu zginania w kończynie niedowładnej. Wartość ruchu wyprostu pozostała bez zmian. Grupa chorych z niedowładem lewostronnym charakteryzowała się znacznie większymi ograniczeniami zakresów poszczególnych ruchów czynnych stawu kolanowego oraz skokowego górnego i dolnego niż grupa chorych z niedowładem prawostronnym.W n i o s k i. Stosowanie metody PNF we wczesnej rehabilitacji wyraźnie usprawniło funkcjonowanie kończyny niedowładnej chorych po przebytym mózgowym incydencie naczyniowym

Self-healing abilities of cement mortars containing microorganisms produced in the process of sewage sludge treatment

The enormous quantity of sewage water produced each day continues to present a serious challenge for its treatment and management. Sewage water is one of the most abundant sources of biomass, such as bacteria. Concrete, on the other hand, is the second most widely employed substance on the planet, after freshwater. Cracking of concrete is a major factor affecting the strength and durability of the material. The development of a crack pattern can contribute to increasing the permeability of concrete, which is typically associated with a significant decrease in its durability. Under specific circumstances, bio concrete is a self-healing biomaterial. Bacteria have the ability to precipitate calcite in concrete or form a layer of calcite precipitation, which plays a crucial role in the remediation of plastic shrinkage microcracks, thereby enhancing the structural integrity and durability of concrete over the long term. This paper summarises the study of investigating the possibility of using sewage water as a self-healing agent, using bacteria from different stages of treatment to heal cracks in concrete samples, and evaluating the effect of sewage water from different stages of treatment on fresh and hardened concrete properties. Based on the data collected from the experiments. Complete replacement of ordinary tap mixing water with sewage water from the Biological Reactor oxygen Zone achieved cracks healing of a crack width of 200 μm in less than 14 days without compromising the binder and mortar properties such setting time, slump value, compressive and flexural strength when compared to a reference sample made with tap mixing water

Assessment of Impact of Early Stroke Rehabilitation on Hip Joint Mobility of the Affected Leg in Patients after Cerebrovascular Accidents

One of the main priorities of stroke rehabilitation is regaining patients’ independence in basic everyday activities. This paper is aimed at assessing impact of early stroke rehabilitation on hip joint mobility of the affected leg in patients after cerebrovascular accidents. The study included 30 subjects (13 men and 17 women) aged on average ±66.1, with hemiparesis, who were treated at the stroke unit and participated in a 4-week rehabilitation program. Measurements of passive and active motion ranges were conducted with a goniometer in both limbs: healthy and affected ones by stroke. There were statistically significant differences in motion ranges between healthy and affected limbs. Examination I revealed that affected limbs amounted to only 40% of physiological range, while in Examination II, the result reached 73%. The most significant motion limitations were noted in terms of bending, adduction and internal rotation, while the least significant in terms of external rotation and abduction. Exercises used during early stroke rehabilitation of hemiparesis patients considerably increased active motion ranges and maintained passive motion ranges in the hip joint of the affected limb. Patients with right-sided hemiparesis experienced much better improvement in hip joint motion of the affected limb. The 4-week period was insufficient to mobilize patients and help them regain full active mobility in the hip joint of the affected limb. These patients required further physiotherapy, until they fully regained functionality

Effect of Hydration and Carbonation Progress on the Porosity and Permeability of Cement Pastes

This paper presents the results of comprehensive cement paste porosity and gas permeability tests. The tests conducted concerned ordinary Portland cement (OPC) cement pastes with varying water-cement ratios ranging from 0.3 to 0.6. The tests were conducted after the curing of cement paste for 90 days and two years under laboratory conditions. Open porosity was determined using three methods: helium pycnometry, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and water saturation. Permeability was determined using a modified RILEM-Cembureau method. The results obtained demonstrated that permeability does not change significantly over time despite the observed material shifts in open porosity characteristics caused both by further progress in hydration and by the carbonation process that occurs. The results of the tests conducted also permitted the quantitative determination of the impact of the water-cement ratio, age, and the progress of carbonation on open porosity measured using different methods and also on the gas permeability of the pastes

Effect of the amount of river sediment on the basic properties of cement mortars

According to current legal regulations, bottom sediment in watercourses containing heavy metals are considered dangerous to the environment and should be properly managed after extraction. Due to the well-known excellent ability of the products of cement hydration to immobilize heavy metals, the possibility of utilizing this type of waste products in cement composites was preliminary tested. For this purpose, basic research was carried out on the technological and mechanical characteristics of binders containing sediment from one of the rivers located in Lesser Poland. Standard mortars made of Portland cement CEM I and river sediment dried at 105°C were used for the tests. This supplement replaced cement in the amount of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% by weight. The technological properties such as: water demand, setting time, consistency and mechanical properties were verified. Compressive and tensile strength at bending of hardened mortars were tested at different curing periods, i.e. after 14, 28 and 90 days. The obtained test results confirm that the fraction of river sediment in the binder in the amount of 10% generally does not adversely affect the properties of mortars, however, its greater amount is reflected in changes in the technological features and in a clear reduction of mechanical properties of the tested mortars

The Effect of the Type and Amount of Synthetic Fibers on the Effectiveness of Dispersed Reinforcement in Soil-Cements

The paper deals with mechanical properties of soil-cement composites made with non-cohesive soil and reinforced with dispersed fibers. The research was carried out on the basis of three soil-cement matrices whose compositions varied in terms of the volumetric fraction of cement paste and the water-cement ratio. Two types of polypropylene fibers were used as dispersed reinforcement: single fibrillated-tapes polypropylene fibers (SFPF) and bundles of coiled fibrillated-tapes polypropylene fibers (BCFPF). The fibers varied in terms of their length and mass fraction. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of the addition of fibers to soil-cement composites on their flexural tensile strength and on their behavior in the post-critical state. The studies were carried out after 28 days of curing. Bending tests were carried out to determine post-critical stress values σCMODi, stress values at which the matrix is destroyed (limit of proportionality) σLOP, maximum stress values transferred by the fibers σMOR (modulus of rupture), and total fracture energy Gf,tot as well as compressive strength. The test results obtained, and their analysis, indicate the significant impact of the dispersed reinforcement used on the performance of such composites during bending

Influence of Soil-Cement Composition on its Selected Properties

The paper discusses the results of mechanical and technological tests of soil-cement composites made with cohesive soil. The compositions of analysed soil-cement mixtures differed in terms of their cement paste volume fractions and water-cement ratios. Limiting values of these technological parameters that enable the application of the soil-cement mixtures obtained in real life conditions for the purposes of the Deep Soil Mixing (DSM) method were determined. Based on the test results obtained, it was found that mechanical properties of the materials analysed were very sensitive to changes in their compositions. Variations in the volume fraction of cement paste within the range analysed caused mechanical properties to change even by an order of magnitude