Holes in the skies over NATO's Central European member states. OSW Commentary No. 119, 22.10.2013

Over the past few months, four Central European states have made decisions which will determine the shape of their air forces over the next decade. On 11 October, Romania signed a contract under which it will buy twelve used US F-16A/B multi-role fighter aircraft from Portugal. In August, Slovakia signed contracts with Russia’s MiG for repairs and the limited modernisation of its twelve MiG-29 fighter aircraft currently in service. The Czech Republic entered into a preliminary agreement in July with Sweden on extending the lease of fourteen JAS-39 Gripen multi-role fighter aircraft (the new Czech government will hammer out the details following the parliamentary election). Bulgaria, which has been facing financial problems and political instability, in June postponed the purchase of new (non-Soviet) combat aircraft at least until the end of this year. If Sofia decides to buy any within the next few years, these will be not more than twelve relatively old and worn-out machines (most likely F-16A/B from Portuguese or Dutch army surplus). Given the fact that Hungary in 2012 made the same decision regarding its fourteen Gripen aircraft as the Czech Republic, there are good grounds to claim that the capabilities Central European NATO member states have to take action in airspace are durably limited. The region’s saturation with combat aircraft is the lowest when compared to the entire continent (with the exception of the Baltic states). Furthermore, the machines to be used in the coming decade will be the oldest and the least advanced technologically (all of them belong to the so-called “fourth generation”, the roots of which date back to the 1970s). The problem with gaining full interoperability within NATO has not been resolved in its Central European member states. By modernising its MiG-29 aircraft, Slovakia is to say the least postponing the achievement of interoperability once again. Bulgaria will gain interoperability by buying any Western combat aircraft. However, it is very unlikely to introduce new machines into service earlier than at the end of the present decade. Since the introduction of new fifth generation multi-role combat aircraft or transitional 4+ generation machines in the region’s air forces is unrealistic, the defence of the airspace of NATO member states in Central Europe can be termed an ever more porous sky

Order Management System Interoperability Guideline

The document describes the current architecture of the Marketplace Order Management System and provides guidelines for integration options for the providers and communities

Order Management System Interoperability Guideline

The document describes the current architecture of the Marketplace Order Management System and provides guidelines for integration options for the providers and communities

Order Management System Interoperability Guideline

The document describes the current architecture of the Marketplace Order Management System and provides guidelines for integration options for the providers and communities

Early depression independently of other neuropsychiatric conditions, influences disability and mortality after stroke (research study-part of PROPOLIS study)

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is the most frequent neuropsychiatric consequence of stroke. The nature of the relationship between PSD and mortality still remains unknown. One hypothesis is that PSD could be more frequent in those patients who are more vulnerable to physical disability, a mediator variable for higher level of physical damage related to higher risk of mortality. Therefore, the authors’ objective was to explore the assumption that PSD increases disability after stroke, and secondly, that mortality is higher among patients with PSD regardless of stroke severity and other neuropsychiatric conditions. We included 524 consecutive patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack, who were screened for depression between 7–10 days after stroke onset. Physical impairment and death were the outcomes measures at evaluation check points three and 12 months post-stroke. PSD independently increased the level of disability three (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.31–2.87, p = 0.001), and 12 months post-stroke (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.14–2.48, p = 0.009). PSD was also an independent risk factor for death three (OR = 5.68, 95% CI 1.58–20.37, p = 0.008) and 12 months after stroke (OR = 4.53, 95% CI 2.06–9.94, p = 0.001). Our study shows the negative impact of early PSD on the level of disability and survival rates during first year after stroke and supports the assumption that depression may act as an independent mediator for disability leading to death in patients who are more vulnerable for brain injury

Closing the gap? Military co-operation from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. OSW Report, December 2012

The contracting defence budgets in Europe, the difficulties in developing the EU’s security policy, NATO's transformation, the reorientation of US security policy and the problems experienced by European defence industries – all together have in recent years created an increased interest in political, military and military-technological co-operation in Europe.It has manifested itself in concepts of closer co-operation within NATO and the EU (smart defence and pooling&sharing), bilateral and multilateral initiatives outside the structures of NATO and the EU (such as the Nordic Defence Co-operation or the Franco-British co-operation) and debates about the prerequisites, principles and objectives of bilateral, multilateral and regional security and defence co-operation. The present report aims to analyse the potential for security and defence co-operation among selected countries in the area between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, i.e. the Nordic states (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), the Baltic states (Lithuania Latvia and Estonia), Poland's partners in the Visegrad Group (the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia) as well as Romania and Bulgaria. The authors were guided by the assumption that those states are Poland's natural partners for closer regional military co-operation. It may complement ‘the Western’ direction of Poland's security and defence policy, i.e. relations with the partners from the Weimar Triangle and the US. Its goal is not to replace the existing security structures but rather to strengthen military capabilities in the region within NATO and the EU

Comparison of myocardial damage following crystalloid and blood cardioplegia in patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement

Wstęp: Kardioplegina jest środkiem używanym do tymczasowego zatrzymywania czynności elektromechanicznej serca w zabiegach kardiochirurgicznych. Jest to roztwór o wysokiej zawartości jonów potasu podawany do tętnic wieńcowych w postaci zmieszanej z krwią pacjenta z oksygenatora (kardioplegina krwista) lub w postaci roztworu krystaloidowego (kardioplegina krystaloidowa). W dotychczasowych badaniach w większości wykazano wyższość kardiopleginy krwistej nad krystaliczną w operacjach pomostowania aortalno-wieńcowego (CABG). Celem niniejszego badania było sprawdzenie, czy u pacjentów poddanych izolowanemu zabiegowi wymiany zastawki aortalnej (AVR), podobnie jak w przypadku pacjentów poddanych CABG, rodzaj zastosowanej kardiopleginy może wpływać na uszkodzenie mięśnia sercowego. Materiał i metody: Przeprowadzono retrospektywną analizę danych 203 pacjentów poddanych operacji AVR. Porównano pooperacyjne stężenie troponiny I (TnI) we krwi pacjentów, częstość migotania komór (VF) po odklemowaniu aorty, frakcję wyrzutową lewej komory (LVEF) oraz śmiertelność 30-dniową w grupie pacjentów otrzymujących kardiopleginę krystaloidową i w grupie pacjentów otrzymujących kardiopleginę krwistą. Wyniki: W badaniu wykazano, iż pooperacyjne stężenie TnI jest o 41% wyższe w grupie pacjentów operowanych z użyciem kardiopleginy krystalicznej, a ryzyko względne wystąpienia migotania komór po odklemowaniu aorty w tej grupie wynosiło 1,5. Wnioski: Rodzaj zastosowanej kardioplegii może wpływać na organiczny i funkcjonalny stan mięśnia sercowego po operacji kardiochirurgicznej. U pacjentów poddanych AVR kardiopleginę krwistą można uznać za lepszy czynnik protekcyjny mięśnia sercowego i układu bodźcotwórczo-przewodzącego w porównaniu z kardiopleginą krystaloidową.Introduction: Cardioplegia is a procedure used for inducing temporal electromechanical cardiac arrest prior to cardiosurgical procedures. It is a solution characterized by a high potassium concentration that is introduced directly into coronary arteries in two possible forms: mixed with the patient’s oxygenated blood (blood cardioplegia) or as a crystalloid solution (crystalloid cardioplegia). Studies conducted so far have shown the superiority of blood cardioplegia in comparison with crystalloid solution in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The purpose of this study was to assess whether the type of administered cardioplegia influences the extent of myocardial damage in individuals who underwent an isolated, aortic valve replacement (AVR), similarly to CABG-patients. Matrial and methods: This is retrospective analysis of 203 post-AVR patients, who received either blood or crystalloid cardioplegia. The parameters compared between the two groups included: post-operative troponin I (TnI) levels, the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation (VF) after aortic cross clamp release, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 30-day mortality. Results: Our study has shown that the post-operative TnI concentration is 41% higher in the group with crystalloid cardioplegia and the relative risk of VF occurrence was 1,5 in this group. Conclusions: The type of administered cardioplegia may influence the organic and functional condition of the myocardium following a cardiosurgical procedure. In comparison to crystalloid cardioplegia, using blood cardioplegia should be considered a better cardioprotective approach in terms of myocardial injury and conductive system damage

Effects of blood flow restriction on mechanical properties of the rectus femoris muscle at rest

Introduction: This study examined the effects of blood flow restriction (BFR) and reperfusion on the mechanical properties of the rectus femoris muscle at rest (frequency and stiffness).Methods: Fourteen trained men (body weight = 81.0 ± 10.3 kg; BMI = 25 ± 3.0 m/kg2; height = 181 ± 4 cm; training experience = 6.0 ± 2.2 years) participated in an experimental session involving their dominant (BFR) and non-dominant leg (control). Muscle mechanical properties were measured using Myoton’s accelerometer at the midpoint of the rectus femoris muscle at five time points. In the BFR leg, an 80% arterial occlusion pressure was applied by a cuff for 5 min. No cuff was applied in the control leg. Femoral Myoton measurements were taken from both legs 2 and 4 min after the start of BRF as well as 30 s and 2 min after the end of the occlusion period.Results: The two-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant interaction effect for stiffness and frequency (p < 0.001; η2 > 0.67). The post hoc analysis showed that both stiffness and frequency increased during BFR compared with rest and then dropped to the resting levels post BFR period. Also, stiffness and frequency were higher than control only during the BFR period, and similar during rest and post BFR.Conclusion: These results indicate that the application of BFR at rest leads to significant changes in mechanical properties of the rectus femoris muscle

Endocrine Responses to Physical Training and Tribulus Terrestris Supplememtation in Middle-Age Men

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of steroidal saponin supplementation on blood concentration of T, GH and IGF-1. The research involved 14 men between the age of 45 and 60 years. The duration of the experiment was 12 weeks. There were two series of laboratory tests. Independent tests were conducted at the beginning and after 12 weeks of the intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant effect of the intervention on the following variables: T-Ch (η2 = 0.542), HDL-Ch (η2 = 0.522), LDL-Ch (η2 = 0.587), T (η2 = 0.603), IGF-1 (η2 = 0.512) and GH (η2 = 0.621). Thus, FFM significantly increased while TBF and BM decreased in comparison to pre-intervention levels. The analyzed results indicate that treatment or supplementation of individual hormone deficiencies can be a successful form of counteracting the aging process. Nevertheless, the effects of TT supplementation on the concentration of T as well as GH and IGF-1, requires further studies, especially in middle-aged and older subjects, along with different exercise programs. The analyzed results indicate that treatment or supplementation of individual hormone deficiencies can be a major form of counteracting the aging process