On Monotonic and Nonnegative Solutions of a Nonlinear Volterra-Stieltjes Integral Equation

We study the existence of monotonic and nonnegative solutions of a nonlinear quadratic Volterra-Stieltjes integral equation in the space of real functions being continuous on a bounded interval. The main tools used in our considerations are the technique of measures of noncompactness in connection with the theory of functions of bounded variation and the theory of Riemann-Stieltjes integral. The obtained results can be easily applied to the class of fractional integral equations and Volterra-Chandrasekhar integral equations, among others

(Nie)mobilność pionowa studentów UW. Analiza efektów wdrażania Procesu Bolońskiego

Horizontal (im)mobility at University of Warsaw. Evaluating effects of Bologna Process implementation One of the basic goals of Bologna Process is to promote students mobility. Transforming five-year studies in two-cycle structure gave students the opportunity of horizontal mobility – chance to change the institution of higher education or faculty after completing first cycle. This paper presents results of the research on the students’ educational paths and on their horizontal mobility after becoming bachelor in 2010 at University of Warsaw. It is the first research on this issue based on data collected by University’s administration and stored in two related systems that collect the data: web-based central admission system (IRK) and University Study-Oriented System (USOS)

An effectiveness evaluation of the palmar fascia irradiation of patients suffering from Dupuytren’s disease

Introduction. Dupuytren’s disease (DD) is a fibroproliferative disorder of an unknown etiology manifested by a progressive contracture of fingers. The basic method of the treatment is surgery. Among non-surgical treatments, radiotherapy (RT) represents a relevant method. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of palmar fascia irradiation in patients with Dupuytren’s Disease. Material and methods. The research included a group of 117 patients with Dupuytren’s disease irradiated in the Department of Radiotherapy in the Maria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Center and Institute of Oncology in Gliwice. Patients’ medical records from the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice and the Provincial Hospital of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery in Piekary Śląskie have been analysed retrospectively. The following were assessed: smoking history and the subjective evaluation of the effect of the therapy and its side effects before irradiation and check-up visits. All patients were irradiated to a total dose of 21 Gy given in 7 fractions. Results. After the RT, 35% of patients showed an improvement, in 58% of patients the disease progress stopped, whereas 7% of patients reported a deterioration. During the observation period, 7.5% of patients noted a deterioration of the contracture or the topical condition, in 35% stagnancy was observed, and 57.5% of patients showed a reduction of the contracture and an improvement in the topical condition. After the RT, 87.5% of patients had no side effects, in 7.5% there was a slight skin erythema, 2.5% had superficial epidermis exfoliation, and 2.5% reported dry skin. Conclusions. The obtained results allow one to conclude that palmar fascia irradiation is an effective method of treatment for patients with Dupuytren’s disease and it is characterised by a low proportion of complications

Zastosowanie modeli czynnikowych do konstrukcji barometru koniunktury na podstawie badań ankietowych

This paper presents a new business cycle indicator of the Polish economy based on survey data from the Research Institute for Economic Development and the Motor Transport Institute. In order to deal with large number of series the factor model approach (FM) is used. Models are estimated using three different methods. The unobserved factor from these models represents a composite indicator. It is compared with the RIED business cycle indicator. The results suggest that the former performs only slightly better than the latter as far as their ability to indicate changes in GDP is concerned. Further research is needed to improve qualities of the proposed business cycle indocator. (original abstract)W opracowaniu przedstawiono syntetyczny wskaźnik aktywności gospodarczej w Polsce (barometr koniunktury), zbudowany na podstawie danych ankietowych Instytutu Rozwoju Gospodarczego SGH i Instytutu Transportu Samochodowego. Do oszacowania barometru koniunktury zastosowano podejście wykorzystujące modele czynnikowe, w tym dynamiczne. Estymacje przeprowadzono trzema alternatywnymi metodami. Oszacowany na ich podstawie nieobserwowalny czynnik potraktowano jako syntetyczny wskaźnik aktywności gospodarczej. Dla odniesienia analizą objęto również barometr koniunktury IRG SGH, konstruowany wg podejścia tradycyjnego. W świetle przeprowadzonych badań zastosowanie modeli czynnikowych do estymacji wskaźnika aktywności gospodarczej opartego na danych ankietowych nieznacznie poprawia użyteczność tego typu wskaźników w monitorowaniu wahań zmiennej referencyjnej (PKB). Prezentowane podejście wymaga dalszych analiz, które pomogą poprawić jakość diagnostyczną barometru koniunktury. (abstrakt oryginalny

Pomoc materialna dla studentów a decyzje kandydatów na studia na Uniwersytecie Ekonomicznym w Poznaniu i Uniwersytecie Warszawskim

Artykuł stanowi próbę odpowiedzi na pytanie, na ile pomoc materialna oferowana przez uczelnie jest istotnym czynnikiem przy wyborze uczelni oraz kierunku studiów. Analiza danych dotyczących zakresu oraz skali wsparcia finansowego dla studentów w Polsce poprzedzona została przeglądem badań na temat uwarunkowań decyzji edukacyjnych. Sugerują one, że status społeczno‑ekonomiczny oraz wyobrażenia o przyszłych perspektywach zawodowych odgrywają szczególnie silną rolę w decyzjach kandydatów na studia. Potwierdzają to wyniki badania ankietowego przeprowadzonego wśród kandydatów na studia na Uniwersytecie Ekonomicznym w Poznaniu oraz Uniwersytecie Warszawskim. Wskazują one także na to, że nawet kandydaci o gorszej pozycji społecznej, dokonując wyboru kierunku i uczelni, w niewielkim stopniu biorą pod uwagę pomoc materialną oferowaną przez uczelnię

2D/3D ultrasonography for endometrial evaluation in a cohort of 118 postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleedings

Objectives: 2D/3D transvaginal ultrasonography in evaluation of endometrium in postmenopausal women with abnormal uterine bleedings (AUB). Material and methods: 2D/3D transvaginal ultrasonography (TVU) was performed in 118 menopausal women with AUB. Endometrial volume and thickness, uterine volume and endometrial vascularity were evaluated. Complete histologic evaluation of the endometrium was obtained through dilatation & curettage (D&C) and/or hysteroscopy. Accordingly, patients were divided into 3 groups: controls (no endometrial pathology, n = 49), GI (benign endometrial pathology, n = 37), GII (endometrial carcinoma, n = 32). Results: GII had greater thickness and volume of the endometrium, compared to GI and controls. The presence of arterial vascular flow was identified only in GI and GII (51.35% and 93.75%, respectively). Endometrial volume merged together with uterine volume measurements (TVU-3D) showed a strong, statistical significance between GI and GII, allowing differentiation of begin and malignant endometrial pathologies in postmenopausal women. Conclusions: In TVU diagnostics of postmenopausal women with AUB the following play the most significant role: 1) endometrial thickness (TVU-2D); 2) endometrial volume (TVU-3D); 3) uterine plus endometrial volume (TVU-3D); 4) vascularization within the endometrium, allowing to differentiate between pathological and normal endometrium (TVU-2/3D). Evaluation of the endometrial vascularity, both in TVU-2D and TVU-3D technique, does not allow for reliable differentiation between benign lesions and endometrial cancer

There is no Place Like Home. Analysis of the Decisions of First-Degree Graduates Concerning Continuing Education Based on Registers of the University of Warsaw

The aim of the paper is to analyse decisions of first degree graduates concerning continuation of their education on second-degree programmes. One of the changes introduced by the Bologna process was a division of university programmes for the first-degree (bachelor’s degree) and second-degree (master’s degree) programmes. As a result, a new educational threshold has appeared in the course of higher education and at that threshold students decide whether to continue education and if so, which university and programme to choose. All choices involve various costs and benefits, both to be experienced immediately, as well as those that students plan to achieve or incur in the future. The article presents data on the decisions regarding the continuation of studies in the context of the assumptions of rational choice theory: methodological individualism and rationality of actors. The analysed data come from registers of the University of Warsaw. The most common decision of first-degree graduates at the University is not to change anything: either the programme or mode of study. This result will be explained in the context of assumptions about the preferences of the students.4230933219Studia Edukacyjn