Technical and technological factors and social interaction as a priority in shaping modern university facilities

Present day universities are modern buildings accommodating new functions, facilitating social interactions, supporting learning by means of informal contacts and promoting interdisciplinary cooperation etc

Use of Qualitative Research in Architectural Design and Evaluation of the Built Environment

AbstractErgonomics is everywhere design. Aim of each architect should be the optimization and efficiency of the proposed design solutions, the correct diagnosis and meet the needs of users, the implementation of priority investment objectives as a business, future thinking in terms of sensitivity to changes in object and to anticipate all the consequences of their decisions. In today's world, the basis of all activities is knowledge. Development of the Internet led easy access and transfer of knowledge. At the same time excess and information overload can cause confusion. It is essential to proper diagnosis, which knowledge is valuable and useful. The built environment and its users are a direct source of knowledge for design. In order to acquire this knowledge be used qualitative research (quality: technical, functional, organizational, behavioral, economic), observation, surveys, interviews, way-finding, participations, etc. On the basis of 15 years of experience in the field of qualitative research conducted in many places, their own projects and in the classroom with students of architecture, the authors have developed their own methods of knowledge acquisition from the built environment. These methods are mainly based on a simplified POE (Post Occupancy Evaluation) adapted to Polish conditions. The paper presents selected research projects in the field of architecture conducted at the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology. The Faculty has been involved in quality analyses of the built environment since the nineties of the twentieth century

Cornelia de Lange syndrome with NIBPL mutation and mosaic Turner syndrome in the same individual

Background: Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a dominantly inherited disorder characterized by facial dysmorphism, growth and cognitive impairment, limb malformations and multiple organ involvement. Mutations in NIPBL gene account for about 60% of patients with CdLS. This gene encodes a key regulator of the Cohesin complex, which controls sister chromatid segregation during both mitosis and meiosis. Turner syndrome (TS) results from the partial or complete absence of one of the X chromosomes, usually associated with congenital lymphedema, short stature, and gonadal dysgenesis. Case presentation: Here we report a four-year-old female with CdLS due to a frameshift mutation in the NIPBL gene (c.1445_1448delGAGA), who also had a tissue-specific mosaic 45,X/46,XX karyotype. The patient showed a severe form of CdLS with craniofacial dysmorphism, pre- and post-natal growth delay, cardiovascular abnormalities, hirsutism and severe psychomotor retardation with behavioural problems. She also presented with minor clinical features consistent with TS, including peripheral lymphedema and webbed neck. The NIPBL mutation was present in the two tissues analysed from different embryonic origins (peripheral blood lymphocytes and oral mucosa epithelial cells). However, the percentage of cells with monosomy X was low and variable in tissues. These findings indicate that, ontogenically, the NIPBL mutation may have appeared before the mosaic monosomy X. Conclusions: The coexistence in several patients of these two rare disorders raises the issue of whether there is indeed a cause-effect association. The detailed clinical descriptions indicate predominant CdLS phenotype, although additional TS manifestations may appear in adolescence

The analysis of hazel pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2008

Praca przedstawia przebieg sezonu pylenia leszczyny w wybranych punktach pomiarowych w Polsce w 2008 r. Pomiary wykonywano we Wrocławiu, w Krakowie, Warszawie, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Lublinie, Olsztynie i Bydgoszczy. Badania prowadzono metodą objętościową z wykorzystaniem aparatów firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. Sezon pyłkowy wyznaczono jako okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 95% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku leszczyny. Pylenie leszczyny w 2008 roku rozpoczęło się około 10 dni później niż w 2007 roku. Najwcześniej pyłek leszczyny zarejestrowano we Wrocławiu i Szczecinie (21 i 22 stycznia), a najpóźniej w Lublinie (4 lutego). Najwyższe wartości średniodobowych stężeń pyłku leszczyny odnotowano w Sosnowcu, gdzie 23 lutego zanotowano stężenie 115 z/m3 powietrza.This paper presents the course of hazel pollination season in selected cities of Poland in 2008. The measurements were performed in Wrocław, Kraków, Lublin, Warszawa, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Olsztyn and Bydgoszcz. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard, Lanzoni) was implemented. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the total annual catch occurred. Pollen season of hazel in 2008 started about 10 days later in comparison to 2007. The season started first in Wrocław and Szczecin (21, 22 January). The highest 24-hour average pollen count was recorded in Sosnowiec on 23 February (115 hazel pollen grains/1m3)

Evaluation of the Levels and Quality of Microbial Contamination in Medical Emergency Departments in Comparison to Other Workplaces

Work in Hospital Emergency Departments (HEDs) exposes both the emergency ward staff and patients to infectious and in other way harmful biological agents. The results of this study shows the presence of pathogenic bacteria isolated by three different methods. It revealed 9.8% of pathogens detected by imprint method, 10.5% of pathogens by swabbing method, 17.6% and 22% in HEDs corridors and rooms, respectively, by air sampling method. In control workplaces (offices) pathogenic bacteria reached the level of 6.5% and 14.7% by imprint method and swabbing, respectively. The relatively low level of contamination by bacteria in HEDs may depend on the effectiveness of Standard Protective Precautions in the studied hospitals

Alternaria spores in the air of selected Polish cities in 2008

Celem pracy było porównanie wartości stężeń zarodników grzybów mikroskopowych z rodzaju Alternaria w 2008 r. w powietrzu Szczecina, Warszawy, Sosnowca, Olsztyna, Krakowa, Wrocławia, Białegostoku, Bydgoszczy i Opola. Pomiary stężenia zarodników prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatu Burkard oraz Lanzoni 2000. Za sezon zarodnikowy uznano okres, w którym w powietrzu wystąpiło 90% rocznej sumy zarodników grzybów z rodzaju Alternaria. Sezon zarodnikowy zaczął się najwcześniej w Bydgoszczy, a w ciągu następnych czterech tygodni rozpoczął się w pozostałych miastach. Najwyższe wartości stężeń zanotowano w Szczecinie, Krakowie i Sosnowcu, maksymalne stężenie, wynoszące 903 zarodniki × m-3, zaobserwowano w Szczecinie.The aim of the study was to compare the concentration of Alternaria spores in the cities of Szczecin, Warsaw, Sosnowiec, Olsztyn, Krakow, Wroclaw, Bialystok, Bydgoszcz and Opole in 2008. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen and spores sampler). Alternaria season was defined as the period in which 90% of the annual total catch occurred. The Alternaria season started first in Bydgoszcz on the 25th May and in the other cities it started during the next four weeks. The highest airborne concentration of 903 Alternaria spores × m-3 was noted in Szczecin on the 26th of July

The analysis of birch pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2009

W pracy porównano przebieg sezonu pyłkowego brzozy w Polsce w 2009 roku. Pomiary koncentracji pyłku w powietrzu wykonano w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Olsztynie, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie i we Wrocławiu. Badania wykonano przy zastosowaniu metody objętościowej i aparatów firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. Długość sezonu pyłkowego wyznaczono metodą 98%. Wykazano, że sezon pyłkowy brzozy rozpoczął się w 2009 roku w pierwszej dekadzie kwietnia, podobnie jak w latach 2007 i 2008. Stwierdzono duże różnice w długości sezonu pyłkowego między miastami oraz w dobowych stężeniach ziaren pyłku. Najwyższe dobowe stężenia ziaren pyłku brzozy zanotowano we Wrocławiu (1317 z/m3) i w Szczecinie (1166 z/m3). We wszystkich miastach zarejestrowano dużą liczbę dni ze stężeniem przekraczającym stężenie progowe dla brzozy (17–29 dni).In the present study, birch pollen season patterns in Poland in 2009 have been compared. Airborne pollen counts were made in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Kraków, Lublin, Olsztyn, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw and Wrocław. The investigations were performed using the volumetric method as well as the Burkard and Lanzoni traps. The pollen season duration was determined using the method of 98%. It has been shown that the birch pollen season started in 2009 in the first decade of April, similarly to the years 2007 and 2008. Significant differences were found in pollen season duration between particular cities and in diurnal pollen grain counts. The highest diurnal birch pollen count was recorded in Wrocław (1317 grains/m3) and Szczecin (1166 grains/m3). In all the cities, a large number of days was recorded with a concentration exceeding the threshold concentration for birch (17–29 days)

Cladosporium spores in the air of selected Polish cities in 2008

Celem pracy było porównanie wartości stężeń zarodników grzybów mikroskopowych z rodzaju Cladosporium w 2008 r. w powietrzu Szczecina, Warszawy, Sosnowca, Olsztyna, Krakowa, Wrocławia, Białegostoku, Bydgoszczy i Opola. Pomiary stężenia zarodników prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatu Burkard oraz Lanzoni 2000. Za sezon zarodnikowy uznano okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 90% rocznej sumy zarodników grzybów z rodzaju Cladosporium. Sezon zarodnikowy najwcześniej rozpoczął się w Sosnowcu, a najpóźniej w Szczecinie. Najwyższe wartości stężeń zanotowano w Szczecinie, we Wrocławiu i w Warszawie, maksymalne stężenie, wynoszące 106 836 zarodników × m-3, zaobserwowano w Szczecinie.The aim of the study was to compare the concentration of Cladosporium spores in the cities of Szczecin, Warsaw, Sosnowiec, Olsztyn, Krakow, Wrocław, Białystok, Bydgoszcz and Opole in 2008. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen and spores sampler). Cladosporium season was defined as the period in which 90% of the annual total catch occurred. The Cladosporium season started first in Sosnowiec on the 2nd May and in the other cities it started during the next days. The latest the fungal season started in Szczecin. The highest airborne concentration of 106 836 Cladosporium spores × m-3 was noted in Szczecin on the 29th of June

Yew and juniper pollen in the air of selected Polish cities in 2009 : the influence of meteorological factors and air pollution

Celem pracy było porównanie sezonu pyłkowego cisa i jałowca w 2009 r. w Szczecinie, Wrocławiu, Bydgoszczy, Lublinie, Krakowie, Warszawie i Sosnowcu oraz badanie wpływu warunków pogodowych i zanieczyszczeń powietrza na koncentracje pyłku w Szczecinie. Pomiary stężenia pyłku prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatu Burkard oraz Lanzoni 2000. Sezon pyłkowy wyznaczono jako okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 98% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku. Indeks SPI obliczono jako sumę średnich dobowych stężeń pyłku w danym sezonie. Sezon pyłkowy cisa i jałowca najwcześniej rozpoczął się w Szczecinie i we Wrocławiu, 14 marca, a w pozostałych miastach w ciągu dziesięciu kolejnych dni. Zanotowano znaczne różnice w czasie trwania sezonu. Najwyższe, rekordowe wartości stężeń zaobserwowano w Szczecinie, maksymalne stężenie wynoszące 505 ziaren × m-3 zarejestrowano 31 marca.The objective of the studies was to compare the pollen seasons of yew and juniper in the cities of Szczecin, Wrocław, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Kraków, Warsaw and Sosnowiec in 2009 and to determinate an influence of meteorological parameters and air pollution on pollen concentration in Szczecin. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni 2000 pollen sampler). Pollen season was defined as the period in which 98% of the annual total catch occurred. Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the annual sum of daily average pollen concentrations. The pollen season of yew and juniper started first in Szczecin and Wroclaw on the 14th of March and in the other cities it started during the next ten days. The differences of pollen seasons duration were considerables. The highest, record airborne concentration of 505 pollen grains × m-3 was noted in Szczecin on the 31st of March

Oak blossoming period and the threat to pollen allergens that tree in selected Polish cities in 2009

Praca przedstawia przebieg sezonu pylenia dębu w wybranych punktach pomiarowych większych miast Polski w 2009 r. Pomiary wykonywano we Wrocławiu, w Sosnowcu, Krakowie, Lublinie, Bydgoszczy, Białymstoku, Drawsku Pomorskim, Olsztynie, Warszawie i Szczecinie. Badania prowadzono metodą objętościową przy wykorzystaniu aparatów firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. Sezon pyłkowy wyznaczono jako okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 95% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku dębu. Pylenie dębu w 2009 roku rozpoczęło się z lekkim przyspieszeniem w stosunku do 2008 roku. Najwcześniej pyłek dębu zarejestrowano w Szczecinie, bo już 14 kwietnia. Najpóźniej pyłek tego taksonu pojawił się w Lublinie, dopiero 27 kwietnia. Najwyższe wartości średniodobowych stężeń pyłku dębu odnotowano w Lublinie, gdzie 30 kwietnia wystąpiło stężenie 454 z/m3 powietrza.This paper presents the course of oak pollination season in selected cities of Poland in 2009. The measurements were performed in Wrocław, Sosnowiec, Kraków, Lublin, Bydgoszcz, Białystok, Drawsko Pomorskie, Olsztyn, Warszawa and Szczecin. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard, Lanzoni) was implemented. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the annual total catch occurred. Pollen season of oak in 2009 started ealier in comparison to 2008. The season started first in Szczecin (14 April). The highest 24-hour average pollen count was recorded in Lublin on 30 April (454 oak pollen grains/1 m3)