Experimental rig for measuring lubricant film thickness in rolling bearings

Electrical capacitance has been applied in the past for measuring the lubricant film thickness in rolling element bearings. The main difficulty arises from the fact that the measured capacitance is a combination of the capacitances of many rolling elements, which come in contact with both the inner and outer rings. Besides, the capacitance of the Hertzian contact itself and the surrounding area must also be separated. It results in a complex system which, in order to be solved for the film thickness at a particular location on the bearing many approximations have to be made. In the present study the authors use an experimental rig in which the capacitance of a single ball can be isolated. Moreover the capacitance of the ball – inner ring and ball – outer ring contacts can be measured separately

Biochemical histology analysis of tissue samples by Desorption Electrospray Ionization (DESI) mass spectrometry imaging

For over 100 years, the histopathological analysis of cytology, biopsy or resection specimens has been the final step in the process of diagnosing multiple diseases, including cancer. In recent years, standard clinical care is continuously becoming more complex, and as a result, diagnostic pathology workup is also more complex and extensive. Moreover, despite being considered a gold standard in making a diagnosis, histopathological investigations can be timeconsuming. Additionally, an examination of the stained slides is subject to intra-observer error. Therefore, it is evident that some additional techniques are required to complement making a diagnosis. Desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric imaging (DESI-MSI) is an emerging mass spectrometry technique with great potential in tissue analysis, especially in histological settings. DESI-MSI enables visualising the spatial distribution of lipid species across tissue sections allowing a direct correlation of the metabolomic information with the morphological features. However, this technique has always relied on frozen sections, which are not required in routine histopathology settings very often. Moreover, some embedding media, e.g. OCT, a common choice in diagnostic laboratories, have been proven not to be very well suited for MSI. The main aim of this study was to make DESI-MSI more compatible with the standard pathology procedures. Therefore, the first step was to assess OCT's impact on the quality of DESI-MSI data. The acquired data suggested that this embedding medium could be used for histopathological and mass spectrometric analyses. There were no clear polymeric signals causing differences in the negative mode data, but some reduction in intensities might be attributable to polymer-induced ion suppression. In positive mode data, the interferences due to OCT were more overt but could be negated by removing the regular peaks of the various polymeric distributions. As formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples are the gold standard in histopathology laboratories worldwide, the next step was to optimise the pre-DESI-MSI protocol to allow the analysis of specimens that have been processed that way. A new protocol has been adapted and successfully tested on FFPE mouse and human tissue samples for tissue classification. Additionally, DESI-MSI has been used to analyse fresh-frozen and FFPE colorectal samples. 88.5% accuracy for normal samples and 91.7% for tumours was achieved when a batch of 38 fresh-frozen samples was analysed. Tissue microarray (TMA) consisting of 54 cores was used further to test the application of DESI-MSI to FFPE samples. A 10μm thick sections were subjected to analysis in negative and positive modes, and accuracy of over 80% and 92% for tissue prediction was achieved, respectively. Equally good results were obtained for TMA sections which were 5μm thick. This last observation was crucial in the light of making DESIMSI as histology-friendly as possible, as 10μm tissue sections are not routinely prepared in histopathology laboratories. Lastly, a new statistical approach based on ion colocalisation features has been applied to DESI-MSI data acquired for cirrhotic liver diseases. It allowed to identify top correlations of ions, and their distribution within analysed tissue sections was visualised. It is possible that using this approach, some biochemical interactions that are distinguishing the three classes of cirrhotic liver diseases (metabolic, hepatitis and cholangiopathy) could be captured. The colocalisation patterns can potentially be used for data-driven hypothesis generation, suggesting possible local molecular mechanisms characterising the samples of interest.Open Acces

Samoaktywność dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym w okresie izolacji społecznej wywołanej pandemią COVID-19 według deklaracji rodziców

The article analyses the self-activity of preschool children during social isolation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the first part of the article, a literature review was conducted, which made it possible to define self-activity and its significance for the development of the individual. The following part reflects on the potential of self-activity, considered in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The review of literature provided the basis for the development of methodological foundations of the author’s own empirical research. The empirical research was conducted according to a quantitative strategy, by means of a diagnostic survey, with the use of a survey technique and a questionnaire. The article contains the characteristics of the study group. Afterwards, the collected and analysed research material provided the basis for the final conclusions. It was found that, according to parents’ declarations, children often or very often undertook self-activity during social isolation. The predominant types of activity undertaken by the children were identified. It was also determined what nature of creative/reproductive activities dominated the children’s own activity time.W artykule dokonano analizy aktywności własnej dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym podczas izolacji społecznej spowodowanej pandemią wirusa Covid-19. W pierwszej części artykułu dokonano przeglądu literatury, co pozwoliło na zdefiniowanie samoaktywności i jej znaczenia dla rozwoju jednostki. W kolejnej części podjęto refleksję nad potencjałem autoaktywności, rozpatrywanym w kontekście pandemii Covid-19. Przegląd literatury stanowił podstawę do opracowania podstaw metodologicznych autorskich badań empirycznych. Badania empiryczne przeprowadzono według strategii ilościowej, metodą sondażu diagnostycznego, z wykorzystaniem techniki ankiety i kwestionariusza. W artykule zawarto charakterystykę grupy badawczej. Następnie zebrany i przeanalizowany materiał badawczy stanowił podstawę do sformułowania wniosków końcowych. Stwierdzono, że według deklaracji rodziców dzieci często lub bardzo często podejmowały aktywność własną w czasie izolacji społecznej. Określono dominujące rodzaje aktywności podejmowanej przez dzieci. Ustalono również, jaki charakter aktywności twórczej/reprodukcyjnej dominował w czasie aktywności własnej dzieci

Bezrobocie długotrwałe jako problem polskiego rynku pracy

The objective of this study is to analyse the issue of the long-term unemployment and the ways it changes on the Polish labour market. The research problem is based on the answer to the question if the issue of long-term unemployment is equally severe for all regions of Poland. The research results will answer the question whether the issue of long-term unemployment is a problem of the whole country or only some of its regions and, therefore, what kind of action – at central or regional level – should be primarily used to deal with this phenomenon. The data used in the analysis come from GUS (Central Statistical Offie), that is the Polish institution gathering statistical data.Celem opracowania jest analiza bezrobocia długotrwałego oraz sposobu jego zmian na polskim rynku pracy. Problem badawczy opiera się na odpowiedzi na pytanie, czy sprawa bezrobocia długookresowego jest w równej mierze dotkliwa dla wszystkich regionów Polski. Wyniki badań pozwolą odpowiedzieć na pytanie, czy problem długotrwałego bezrobocia jest problemem całego kraju czy tylko niektórych jego regionów, a zatem jakie działania – na szczeblu centralnym lub regionalnym – powinny być przede wszystkim wykorzystywane do radzenia sobie z bezrobociem długotrwałym. Dane zaczerpnięte do badań pochodzą z GUS-u, czyli instytucji państwa polskiego zajmującej się zbieraniem danych statystycznych

Problemy pielęgnacyjne pacjenta po przebytym udarze mózgu — opis przypadku

Introduction. With the advancement of civilization, the number of cerebral strokes in creases, which is a challenge for modern medicine. Reduction of patients’, capacity is reflected in all aspects of a patient’s life. The condition after stroke requires assistance in basic daily activities (washing, dressing, eating, moving, etc.). Family must accept the fact of existing limitations and the need to acquire the knowledge and skills required to cope with a patient immobilized after a stroke. The aim of the study is to identify selected deficits and problems of patients after stroke.Case Report. The case study refers to a 82-year old patient with a stroke. The patient’s condition is defined as average, requiring hospitalization and constant monitoring. The work presents selected problems observed in a patient after a stroke. The patient presented is only a work description of the case of a theoretical patient.Discussion. Condition after stroke is a significant burden for the patients and their families. Problems concern the biological, mental and social spheres. Assistance to the patient and their family should commence when the patient is admitted to hospital and after a stroke has been diagnosed. The patient’s care problems after stroke constitute significant limitations in functioning and in returning to previous conditions. Researchers largely analyze the quality of life in all aforementioned dimensions.Conclusions. Nursing care issues include physical, mental as well as social aspect. The patient in her current state of health requires 24-hour care and full compensation for basic daily activities. Once the patient has been discharged home, she will require further treatment and personalized and comprehensive care. (JNNN 2017;6(1):28–32)Wstęp. Wraz z postępem cywilizacji wzrasta liczba zachorowań na udary mózgu, co stanowi wyzwanie współczesnej medycyny. Zmniejszenie wydolności pacjentów przekłada się na wszystkie aspekty życia pacjenta. Stan po udarze mózgu wymaga pomocy przy podstawowych czynnościach dnia codziennego (mycie, ubieranie, spożywanie posiłków, poruszanie i in.). Rodzina musi pogodzić się z faktem istniejących ograniczeń i konieczności nabycia wiedzy i wypracowania umiejętności wymaganych do opieki nad pacjentem unieruchomionym po udarze mózgu. Celem pracy jest wskazanie wybranych deficytów oraz problemów pacjenta po udarze mózgu.Opis przypadku. Opis przypadku odnosi się do pacjentki lat 82 z rozpoznaniem udaru mózgu. Stan pacjentki określa się jako średni, wymaga hospitalizacji oraz stałego monitoringu. Praca przedstawia wybrane problemy zaobserwowane u pacjenta po przebytym udarze. Przedstawiany pacjent stanowi jedynie Praca stanowi opis przypadku pacjenta teoretycznego.Dyskusja. Stan po udarze mózgu stanowi znaczne obciążenie dla pacjenta i jego rodziny. Problemy dotyczą zarówno sfery biologicznej, psychicznej i społecznej. Pomoc pacjentowi i jego rodzinie powinna rozpocząć się w momencie przyjęcia pacjenta do szpitala i po rozpoznaniu udaru mózgu. Problemy pielęgnacyjne pacjenta po przebytym udarze mózgu stanowią znaczne ograniczenia w funkcjonowaniu i powrocie do stanu sprzed choroby. Naukowcy w znacznej mierze analizują jakość życia we wszystkich wspomnianych wymiarach.Wnioski. Problemy pielęgnacyjne pacjentki obejmują aspekt fizyczny, psychiczny i społeczny. Pacjentka w obecnym stanie zdrowia wymaga całodobowej opieki i pełnej kompensacji podstawowych czynności dnia codziennego. Po wypisaniu pacjentki do domu będzie wymagała dalszego leczenia oraz zindywidualizowanej i całościowej opieki. (PNN 2017;6(1):28–32

Advancing Peacebuilding from the Ground up

For many years, scholars and practitioners have been struggling with problems of local ownership in international organizations-led peacebuilding. Despite the discourse surrounding giving ownership to local communities, top-down approaches prevail in practice and often lead to counterproductive outcomes. Ethnographic fieldwork has proven that international organizsations could achieve a better understanding of local experiential perspectives on conflict and peace. Here, we point to key features of local peace and suggest how international organizations could better incorporate peaceful local agency, cope with power imbalances and advance strategies for peacebuilding from the ground up

Effect of organic farming on soil microbiological parameters

All over the world, including Poland, interest in the organic farming is growing. It is based on an attempt to minimize human impact on the environment while maintaining the natural functionality and productivity of the agricultural system. At the same time, every human activity in the natural environment results in greater or lesser changes in the soil ecosystem. Organic farming also has an impact on physical and chemical parameters and soil biological activity. These changes should be monitored and considered in the context of long-term land management. This review focuses on the impact of the organic farming system on soil biological activity and diversity of soil microorganisms

Improving online machine translation systems

In (Mellebeek et al., 2005), we proposed the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel and modular approach to boost the translation performance of existing, wide-coverage, freely available machine translation systems, based on reliable and fast automatic decomposition of the translation input and corresponding composition of translation output. Despite showing some initial promise, our method did not improve on the baseline Logomedia1 and Systran2 MT systems. In this paper, we improve on the algorithm presented in (Mellebeek et al., 2005), and on the same test data, show increased scores for a range of automatic evaluation metrics. Our algorithm now outperforms Logomedia, obtains similar results to SDL3 and falls tantalisingly short of the performance achieved by Systran