Ocena poziomu wiedzy osób dorosłych na temat resuscytacji krążeniowo : oddechowej (RKO) i użycia automatycznego defibrylatora zewnętrznego (AED) w miejscach publicznych

Wstęp. Wraz z rozwojem cywilizacji, wzrastającym tempem życia, rośnie liczba wypadków i chorób, zwłaszcza chorób układu krążenia. W Polsce średnia liczba zgonów około wypadkowych jest trzy razy wyższa niż średnia europejska. Wiedza na temat pierwszej pomocy jest bardzo ważna wśród społeczeństwa, które stanowi mocny filar niesienia pierwszej pomocy poszkodowanym w nagłych sytuacjach, które są stanami zagrożenia zdrowia i życia. Cel pracy. Celem pracy była ocena i porównanie wiedzy mieszkańców Kielc i Krakowa z zakresu pierwszej pomocy oraz obsługi i zastosowania Automatycznego Defibrylatora Zewnętrznego (AED). Materiał i metody. Grupę badawczą stanowiło 160 osób, z czego 80 osób było z Krakowa, w tym 45 kobiet i 35 mężczyzn i 80 osób z Kielc, w tym 45 kobiet i 35 mężczyzn. Wszyscy re-spondenci byli pełnoletni. W badaniach posłużono się metodą sondażu diagnostycznego bezpośredniego, losowego wykorzys-tując do tego celu narzędzie badawcze w postaci anonimowego kwestionariusza ankiety, opracowanego na bazie Wytycznych Resuscytacji Krążeniowo- Oddechowej 2005 (RKO). Wyniki. Mieszkańcy Krakowa wykazują lepszy poziom wiedzy, aczkolwiek znajomość i obsługa . Respondenci z Krakowa częściej i chętniej uczestniczą w szkoleniach z zakresu BLS-AED i pierwszej pomocy niż respondencki z Kielc. Wnioski. Poziom wiedzy z zakresu udzielania pierwszej pomocy, a przede wszystkim w zakresie resuscytacji krążeniowo - oddechowej i użycia AED przez społeczeństwo z Krakowa i Kielc jest niezadawalający. Istnieje pilna potrzeba wprowadzenia komplementarnego systemu nauczania zagadnień pierwszej pomocy opartego na międzynarodowych standardach, który zagwarantuje odpowiednią jakość edukacji oraz kształtowanie pozytywnych postaw niesienia pomocy, począwszy od wczesnego etapu edukacji szkolnej.Introduction: The number of accidents and diseases, especially cardio-vascular, is increasing along with the develop-ment of civilization and a growing pace of life. In Poland, the average number of accident fatalities is three times higher than the European average. The knowledge of first aid is very im-portant for society, which is a strong pillar of first aid to victims in emergency situations that are dangerous to health and life. The aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of CPR and first aid in the event of sudden respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest (SCA) and the operation and use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED). Material and methods: The study group consisted of 160 people, among whom 80 were from Kraków, including 45 women and 35 men and 80 people were from Kielce, including 45 women and 35 men. All the respondents were adults. The method of diagnostic survey was applied in the study. The research instrument was an anonymous survey questionnaire created on the basis of the Car-dio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Guidelines 2005 (CPR). Results: Residents of Kraków have better knowledge of first aid, however the knowledge and operation of the AED among both residents of Kraków and Kielce is inadequate. Respondents from Kraków more often and more willingly participate in BLS-AED and first aid training than respondents from Kielce. Conclusions: The level of knowledge of first aid and especially of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and the application of the AED is unsatisfactory among residents of Kraków and Kielce. There is an urgent need for a complementary system of first aid instruction which would be based on international standards, and which would ensure an appropriate quality of education and develop a proper attitude among people, starting with the earliest stage of school education

Electrophoretic deposition of layer-by-layer unsheathed carbon nanotubes - A step towards steerable surface roughness and wettability

It is well known that carbon nanotube (CNT) oxidation (usually with concentrated HNO3) is a major step before the electrophoretic deposition (EPD). However, the recent discovery of the “onion effect” proves that multiwalled carbon nanotubes are not only oxidized, but a simultaneous unsheathing process occurs. We present the first report concerning the influence of unsheathing on the properties of the thus-formed CNT surface layer. In our study we examine how the process of gradual oxidation/unsheathing of a series of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) influences the morphology of the surface formed via EPD. Taking a series of well-characterized and gradually oxidized/unsheathing Nanocyl™ MWCNTs and performing EPD on a carbon fiber surface, we analyzed the morphology and wettability of the CNT surfaces. Our results show that the water contact angle could be gradually changed in a wide range (125–163°) and the major property determining its value was the diameter of aggregates formed before the deposition process in the solvent. Based on the obtained results we determined the parameters having a crucial influence on the morphology of created layers. Our results shed new light on the deposition mechanism and enable the preparation of surfaces with steerable roughness and wettability

Slovakia in the Euro area : costs and benefits

PURPOSE: Examine Slovakia’s path to the euro area, the related costs and benefits, and possible implications for Poland.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A critical review of literature on optimum currency areas and costs and benefits of joining a monetary union. Statistical analysis and econometric modelling are applied as well. An econometric model is constructed and estimated with the least-squares method (LSM). The results of the model estimation are analysed.FINDINGS: The analysis of the model estimation results suggests joining the euro area has had a significant positive effect on economic growth in Slovakia. The EUR variable has a statistically significant and quite considerable impact on GDP fluctuations in Slovakia in the period studied. The following conclusions can be posited, therefore: joining a monetary union is greatly recommended to such a small, highly open economy with an uncompetitive currency, although Slovakia joined the full Economic and Monetary Union at an unfortunate time of a financial and fiscal crisis. The pandemic crisis also had some adverse effect on the cost-benefit relation of the euro area membership. It seems, however, Slovakia has managed to gain some measurable positive effects of its joining the euro area and the benefits can be seen as outweighing the costs.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results may serve to analyse costs and benefits of a small, open economy joining an economic and currency union and to choose an appropriate moment for such an operation. The study can be of use to researchers and political decision-makers.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The paper raises an original problem of a small, open economy and its path to the membership of a currency union. It’s a contribution to the theory of economic and monetary unions which identifies the costs and benefits of joining a currency union using the example of Slovakia.peer-reviewe

Tracking the invasive and euryhaline pikeperch Sander lucioperca in the lower River Thames using acoustic telemetry indicates no movements into areas of relatively high salinity.

Native to Central and Eastern Europe, the euryhaline pikeperch Sander lucioperca can acclimatize to elevated salinity levels (e.g., up to 30‰), but it remains unknown whether their invasive populations use this ability to inhabit and/or disperse through brackish waters, such as estuaries and inshore areas. To test whether invasive pikeperch show a propensity to move into areas of relatively high salinity, their spatial use and movement patterns (e.g., home range, distances moved, and movement rates) were assessed using acoustic telemetry in the upper River Thames estuary, southeast England. Analyses revealed that individual pikeperch were capable of moving relatively long distances in a short time (e.g., speeds up to 70 m min-1), with movement patterns associated more with tidal state and elevation at the water surface (both assumed to relate to changes in salinity) than diurnal changes. There were no recorded movements of any pikeperch into the more saline, downstream waters of the estuary where salinity levels were recorded to over 40‰, with the mean salinity in the most downstream area where pikeperch were detected being 1.39‰ (range of logger: 1.22-1.71). The results suggest that these pikeperch did not use high salinity waters when less saline waters were available, and thus the risk that they will use to move through high salinity areas to expand their invasive range appears low. Accordingly, efforts to minimize risks of the further dispersal of invasive pikeperch populations can focus on control and containment programmes within fresh waters

Red operculum spots, body size, maturation and evidence for a satellite male phenotype in non-native European populations of pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus

Carotenoid‐based pigmentation is a striking feature of many taxa, yet the function, if any, of colour traits is often unclear. Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, a widely introduced freshwater sunfish that exhibits alternative male mating strategies, express a striking, red operculum spot. To investigate the potential function of this red spot as a signal in this species' mating system, we determined the presence and measured the size of red operculum spots in fish collected from 12 populations in five European countries in which pumpkinseed is an established non‐native species. We subsequently related the presence and size of the red spot to body size and mating strategy, based on an analysis of relative gonad size (gonado‐somatic index, GSI), using a mixed modelling approach. The study demonstrated that the presence of a red operculum spot in pumpkinseed is associated with sexual maturation, with GSI frequency distributions suggesting that cuckolders in some non‐native populations comprised both sneaker and satellite males, the latter not having previously been reported for this species. Further, the size of red spot correlated strongly with body size in parental and cuckolder males, although there was no difference in the presence or size of the red operculum spot between male mating strategies. The function of a red operculum spot in females is not clear but may be partly mediated by pleiotropic genetic mechanisms. Red operculum spots appear to function as signals of male maturation and body size in pumpkinseed, irrespective of mating strategy

Trophic consequences of non-native pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus for native pond fishes

Introduced non-native fishes can cause considerable adverse impacts on freshwater ecosystems. The pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus, a North American centrarchid, is one of the most widely distributed non-native fishes in Europe, having established self-sustaining populations in at least 28 countries, including the U.K. where it is predicted to become invasive under warmer climate conditions. To predict the consequences of increased invasiveness, a field experiment was completed over a summer period using a Control comprising of an assemblage of native fishes of known starting abundance and a Treatment using the same assemblage but with elevated L. gibbosus densities. The trophic consequences of L. gibbosus invasion were assessed with stable isotope analysis and associated metrics including the isotopic niche, measured as standard ellipse area. The isotopic niches of native gudgeon Gobio gobio and roach Rutilus rutilus overlapped substantially with that of non-native L. gibbosus, and were also substantially reduced in size compared to ponds where L. gibbosus were absent. This suggests these native fishes shifted to a more specialized diet in L. gibbosus presence. Both of these native fishes also demonstrated a concomitant and significant reduction in their trophic position in L. gibbosus presence, with a significant decrease also evident in the somatic growth rate and body condition of G. gobio. Thus, there were marked changes detected in the isotopic ecology and growth rates of the native fish in the presence of non-native L. gibbosus. The implications of these results for present and future invaded pond communities are discussed

Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns

COVID-19 lockdowns in early 2020 reduced human mobility, providing an opportunity to disentangle its effects on animals from those of landscape modifications. Using GPS data, we compared movements and road avoidance of 2300 terrestrial mammals (43 species) during the lockdowns to the same period in 2019. Individual responses were variable with no change in average movements or road avoidance behavior, likely due to variable lockdown conditions. However, under strict lockdowns 10-day 95th percentile displacements increased by 73%, suggesting increased landscape permeability. Animals' 1-hour 95th percentile displacements declined by 12% and animals were 36% closer to roads in areas of high human footprint, indicating reduced avoidance during lockdowns. Overall, lockdowns rapidly altered some spatial behaviors, highlighting variable but substantial impacts of human mobility on wildlife worldwide.acceptedVersio

Trophic consequences of an invasive, small-bodied non-native fish, sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus, for native pond fishes

Assessments of the trophic consequences of invasive fishes are important for quantifying their ecological impacts on native species more generally. A small-bodied cyprinid fish native to continental Europe and introduced in the 1970s to the U.K, the sunbleak Leuciscus delineatus, has been shown previously to establish closer social associations with native species of similar size than do native species amongst themselves. To assess the potential detrimental trophic consequences of native species associations with L. delineatus, a field-based experiment was undertaken in summer 2015 in six outdoor, artificial ponds containing three native cyprinid species (rudd Scardinius erthrophthalamus, gudgeon Gobio gobio, tench Tinca tinca). Three ponds were controls (no L. delineatus) and three were treatments (L. delineatus present). The results of stable isotope analysis (SIA) of fish tissue samples provided strong evidence that the isotopic niches of both native benthic fishes were reduced in the presence of L. delineatus, although there were no significant effects on the trophic position, body size or condition of two of the three native fish species. Introduced L. delineatus maintained a core isotopic niche that was distinct from the two native benthic fishes, with no overlap detected between native and non-native fishes when including 40 % and 95% of the data. These results indicate that the response of the native fishes to the introduction of L. delineatus was niche constriction via trophic specialisation, with this response sufficient to maintain their growth rates and condition. This result is similar to studies on a range of small-bodied invasive fishes, suggesting the trophic impacts of these invaders are relatively consistent across species and systems