Proactivity of students – between diagnostic assumptions and methodical solutions

The aim of this article is to indicate selected possibilities of analysing the construct of proactivity. This goal was achieved by referring to selected definitions and the concepts of proactivity and by discussing a research project aimed at recognizing the proactivity of students towards their professional career. To measure the level of proactivity, the Scale of Proactive Behavior in Career was used, which includes four types of proactivity: general, cognitive, in building a support network and in building psychological comfort. The independent variables in the research were: taking on professional activity during studies, using services offered by a Career Office and a career counsellor. 271 students from four Polish universities took part in the study. The highest mean score was on the general proactivity scale, followed by the proactivity scale in building a support network, the scale of proactivity in building psychological comfort, and the lowest on the scale of cognitive proactivity. These means differ statistically. The conducted analysis also proved that the level of proactivity is statistically significantly differentiated depending on whether the respondents used the Career Office or a career counsellor. The conclusions from the analysis were discussed in two perspectives – diagnostic and methodical

International on-line debate as an educational project

On-line debate is one of many proposals of using new technologies in educational process. Due to it's form, it allows to implement different educational aims. In the assumptions adopted by the authors, on-line debate is understood mainly as sharing different perspectives on analyzed phenomena and processes. The article presents the possibilities of using international on-line debate as educational project in teaching process on the level of higher education. The authors presented both theoretical and practical premises of an effective use of this form of teaching. The attention was drawn to the possibility of using this form of education in relation to the National Qualifications Framework for higher education. Exemplified by the project 'The bridge across the Atlantic', the possibilities of using on-line debate in the process of developing broadly defined students' competencies were presented. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of using on-line debate to develop information literacy, linguistic competencies, intercultural and project management competencies. The article presents experience and conclusions gained in three editions of on-line debate, in which students from Poland, USA and Canada have participated. Also, the stages of preparation, implementation and evaluation of on-line debate in the context of the rules and procedures of project management were indicated

Investigation of off-design characteristics of solid oxide electrolyser (SOE) operated in endothermic conditions

One of the key issues in the energy production sector worldwide is the efficient way to storage energy. Currently- more and more attention is focused on Power-to-Gas (P2G) installations- where excess electric power from the grid or various renewable energy sources is used to produce different kind of fuels- such as hydrogen. In such cases- generated fuels are treated as energy carriers which- in contrast to electricity- can be easy stored and transported. Currently- high temperature electrolysers- based solid oxide cells (SOC)- are treated as an interesting alternative for P2G systems. Solid oxide electrolysers (SOE) are characterized as highly efficient (~90%) and long-term stable technologies- which can be coupled with stationary power plants. In the current work- the solid oxide cell stack was operated in electrolysis mode in the endothermic conditions. Based on the gathered experimental data- the numerical model of the SOC stack was created and validated. The prepared and calibrated model was used for generation of stack performance maps for different operating conditions. The results allowed to determine optimal working conditions for the tested stack in the electrolysis mode- thus reducing potential costs of expensive experimental analysis and test campaigns

Analysis of a Micro-CHP Unit with in-series SOFC Stacks Fed by Biogas

AbstractThis paper presents results of a recent evaluation of a conceptual micro-CHP units in two alternative configurations. Parallel and in-series connections of two identical commercial electrolyte-supported SOFC stacks were under evaluation. In order to achieve high overall fuel utilization in the system enabling high electrical efficiency, both concepts were analyzed with respect to operational regimes typical for SOFC stacks. Numerical analysis included several possible configurations of complete a system with fuel processor, SOFC stacks and BoP components. Evaluation of the in-series connection was performed using experimental setup with a commercial SOFC stack to reproduce operating conditions obtained from the model. Validation of the concept was necessary to qualitatively and quantitatively determine possibility of operating second stack on lean fuel originating from the anodic compartments of the first stack. Results of the comparative analysis presented in this paper were used to aid in defining optimal outline of a micro-CHP power system. Predictions of the models were in agreement with preliminary experiments, proving the concept of in-series stacks configuration viable. Electrical efficiency increases for the system with two in-series stacks, and value of 46%LHV can be achieved in the micro-CHP system with SOFC

Zastosowanie rifaksyminy w przygotowaniu chorych do operacji nowotworów przewodu pokarmowego – badanie retrospektywne (2013–2016)

Rak jelita grubego (w tym odbytnicy ) jest jednym z najczęściej występujących nowotworów pod względem umieralności i w Polsce, i na świecie [1]. Każdego roku rozpoznaje się prawie 16 000 nowych przypadków. Zmiany demograficzne, tj. przyrost odsetka osób w wieku starszym, wzrost przeciętnej długości życia oraz rosnące trendy zapadalności na nowotwory powodują, że epidemiolodzy prognozują dalszy wzrost zachorowań w Polsce na poziomie 25 000 nowych przypadków w 2025 [2]. Zdecydowana większość zgonów z powodu nowotworów złośliwych jelita grubego występuje po 50. roku życia (ponad 80%). Ryzyko zgonu wzrasta z wiekiem, a o skuteczności leczenia decyduje stadium zaawansowania choroby oraz efektywność zastosowanych metod leczenia, z których najważniejsze jest leczenie chirurgiczne. Jest ono jednak obciążone znacznym ryzykiem powikłań, zwłaszcza u osób starszych. Jednym z najważniejszych celów przygotowania chorego do operacji raka przewodu pokarmowego jest profilaktyka powikłań w okresie pooperacyjnym. Istnieje wiele prac oceniających różne sposoby takiego postępowania. Uważa się, że mechaniczne przygotowanie jelita przed operacją jest jednym z ważniejszych czynników zmniejszających ryzyko zakażeń – zmniejsza liczebność jelitowej flory bakteryjnej, pozwala usunąć twarde kawałki stolca, które stanowią mechaniczne zagrożenie dla zespolenia, oraz skraca czas operacji [3]. Brakuje jednak dowodów jednoznacznie potwierdzających skuteczność takiego postępowania [4]. Rifaksymina (ryfaksymina, ang. rifaximin, łac. rifaximinum) to organiczny związek chemiczny, antybiotyk należący do grupy rifamycyn. Jako antybiotyk stosowany doustnie, wchłaniający się w nikłym stopniu z przewodu pokarmowego, wpływający w bezpośredni sposób na rozrost flory bakteryjnej, może w istotny sposób wpłynąć na liczebność powikłań w okresie pooperacyjnym. Pojedyncze szczepy są metabolicznie upośledzone i w szybkim czasie ulegają eliminacji. Nie powstaje również oporność krzyżowa na rifaksyminę. Jest ona antybiotykiem o szerokim spektrum, obejmującym bakterie Gram-ujemne i Gram-dodatnie, zarówno tlenowe, jak i beztlenowe [5], można ją skutecznie stosować cyklicznie. Rifaksymina jest obecnie badana i stosowana na świecie w wielu wskazaniach: w terapii biegunki podróżnych (od ponad 30 lat) [6], encefalopatii wątrobowej [7], chorobie uchyłkowej jelita grubego [8–10], zespole jelita nadwrażliwego [11], rozroście flory bakteryjnej jelita cienkiego SIBO [12–14], profilaktyce antybakteryjnej okołooperacyjnej [15]. W literaturze spotyka się doniesienia, z których wynika, że rifaksymina hamuje uwalnianie mediatorów proangiogennych w komórkach raka jelita grubego zależnego poprzez receptor pregnanu X (PXR), co jest dodatkowym korzystnym czynnikiem, który uzasadnia stosowanie rifaksyminy w okresie okołooperacyjnym [16]. Przedstawiana praca jest retrospektywną analizą własnych doświadczeń okołooperacyjnego stosowania rifaksyminy w profilaktyce powikłań okołooperacyjnych, jak również analizą dostępnej literatury z tego obszaru

The use of rifaximin in pre-operative period of patients with tumors of the gastrointestinal tract – a retrospective study (2013-2016)

Introduction: One of the most important goals of preparing a patient for elective gastrointestinal cancer surgery is to prevent postoperative complications. The literature presents many ways to prepare for surgery, but only few sources suggest that preoperative use of rifaximin provides benefits in the form of fewer perioperative complications and reduced severity of pain during this period. Objective: The presented project is a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness of rifaximin in the prevention of perioperative complications in patients treated at the Department of General Surgery with Orthopedics and Trauma Division and Urology Division of the Ministry of Interior and Administration Hospital in Lublin, and a review of international literature in this subject. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of the results of preoperative use of rifaximin was performed in patients scheduled for rectal and colorectal cancer surgeries at the Department of General Surgery with Orthopedics and Trauma Division and Urology Division of the Ministry of Interior and Administration Hospital in Lublin in the period between 2013 and 2016. Patients undergoing emergency surgeries were excluded from the study. Patients were divided into 2 groups, as follows: The first group consisted of 139 patients operated on for rectal and colorectal cancer in years 2013-2015, in whom rifaximin was not used in the preoperative period. The second group consisted of 42 patients operated on in 2016, in whom rifaximin was used in the preoperative period at the dose of 2 x 2 tablets (400 mg) per day at 12-hour intervals, for 7 days before the scheduled surgery. Additionally, a probiotic was administered for 7 days. Drugs were ordained at the Oncological Outpatient Clinic as part of pre-hospitalization checks. Results: The use of rifaximin in the preoperative period in patients with colorectal cancer shortened the time of postoperative hospitalization and reduced postsurgical pain in comparison with the control group. The analysis revealed no differences in the numbers and the intensity of surgical complications in both groups. Conclusions: No large studies have been published to date on the influence of rifaximin on the development of colorectal cancer. Suggestions that rifaximin has a positive effect on the perioperative period of patients treated for colorectal cancer had been presented in isolated reports; these observations are confirmed by our retrospective analysis