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This article presents a study on the potential role of physical, sporting, recreational and tourism activities as elements of occupational therapy conducted in Social Welfare Centres (OPS) in Poland. The aim of the study was to assess the benefits that may arise from these activities offered to clients of OPS (various groups of excluded people) and their impact on improving the well-being of people using social welfare. A selection of programmes and projects offered by centres providing a variety of physical, sporting, recreational and tourism activities are presented. The results of the research show the numerous benefits of participation in activity classes for the excluded, who indicate an improvement in both their physical and mental health, while experiencing a sense of social belonging that then promotes the development of social skills and their social integration. It is important for Social Welfare Centres to continue and develop further projects and programmes in the future that would include these activities as effective and efficient therapeutic tools, aimed at the reintegration and social inclusion of people affected by exclusion.

The main purpose of this paper, which takes the form of an essay, is an attempt to answer the question of the limits of artificial intelligence (AI). In the introductory section, we present the key milestones in AI development, both historical and future projections, in which two terms – Artificial Human (AH) and Artificial ‘god’ (AG) – play a special role. In the second section, we clarify the question of the limits of AI by indicating the hypothetical goal of AI development. The third section develops the argument proposed by C. F. Weizsäcker, originally formulated for cybernetics. The conclusion of this argument is optimistic about limitations to the possibilities of cybernetic simulations. We apply this argument to AI and subject it to a critique which ultimately undermines the legitimacy of its conclusion. We base the critique on two well-known results: the theorem of the unsolvability of the halting problem and Gödel’s first incompleteness theorem, and we formulate two objections interpreted without adopting Church’s thesis. In the crucial fourth section, we present a third objection in the form of a hypothesis for which we argue that AI (AH), understood as a subject, will always be solipsistic.

The adulteration of wax foundation is, for many reasons, a growing problem of modern beekeeping not only in Europe but also around the world. Wax foundation contaminated with stearin addition leads to a brood die-off, while paraffin addition negatively affects the strength of combs. It is tenable that such adulterated wax foundation reduces bees’ immunity. The aim of the study was to determine the activities of two bee immune enzymes, lysozyme and phenoloxidase, in the haemolymph of worker bees which had emerged from combs with wax foundations contaminated with stearin or paraffin.

Low interest rates were introduced in the global economy to support the weak economic growth that followed the global financial crisis. In the real estate sector, low interest rates usually lead to a boom in investment and prices. This boom, however, is not spread throughout the economy, but rather concentrated in major cities. We demonstrate this phenomenon on the example of the office market in Warsaw (Poland). While it would be beneficial for the Polish economy to develop office space in smaller cities that have an insufficient supply of modern office space, investors have focused mainly on the capital. This has not only led to an increase in the cost of building land and construction, but has also pushed some relatively new existing office buildings off the market. We call such behaviour uncreative destruction and explain why it was possible.

This study aimed to design a cartographic visualization for mobile navigation applications around indoor spaces, including metro stations, with persons with special needs in mind. The visualization will be used in a dedicated application for mobile devices supporting the navigation of people around the Warsaw metro. The app was developed for any metro users and includes functions that help persons with special needs navigate the metro. It is not possible to meet the needs of persons with every type, degree, or complexity of disability, but the methodology has been developed based on the principles of designing cartographic presentations, accessibility guidelines and existing solutions, taking into account the needs of persons with special needs and the specifics of metro navigation. As a result, it differs significantly from the visualizations that currently exist in the Warsaw metro. The developed methodology was tested by designing a map of the Świętokrzyska metro station and subjected to user testing, including persons with special needs. The types of special needs included mobility disabilities, colour vision deficiency, and persons, who often travel with baby strollers. The results obtained allowed to improve the proposed solution.

Ari Pelcovits,1,2 Thomas A Ollila,1,2 Adam J Olszewski1,2 1Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; 2Division of Hematology-Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USACorrespondence: Adam J Olszewski, Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, George Building, Ste 310, 593 Eddy St, Providence, RI, 02903, USA, Tel +1-401-444-2269, Fax +1-401-444-4184, Email adam_olszewski@brown.eduAbstract: Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) is a heterogenous disease that consists of distinct clinicopathologic entities and presentations requiring a unique and expert approach to management. The most common subtype is mycosis fungoides, in which local disease has an excellent prognosis and is often managed with topical therapy alone. More extensive cutaneous involvement as well as involvement of lymph nodes and the peripheral blood (Sezary syndrome) require systemic therapies. Recent years have brought an expansion of therapeutic options, specifically with immune-based approaches that were developed using the knowledge gained regarding the biology and molecular pathology of CTCL. Previous systemic therapies such as retinoids, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and chemotherapeutic agents come with significant toxicity and only short-term response. Newer agents such as mogamulizumab and brentuximab vedotin use a targeted immune-based approach leading to longer periods of response with less systemic toxicity. While still in its infancy, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab appears promising, and while their current clinical application is limited, early data suggest possible future areas for research of immune manipulation to treat CTCL. Herein, we review these novel immune-based treatment strategies, their superiority over prior systemic options, and the ongoing need for further research and clinical trial enrollment.Keywords: cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Sézary syndrome, immunotherapy, brentuximab vedotin

Mariola Borowska,1 Anna Augustynowicz,1,2 Paweł Olszewski,3 Urszula Religioni2 1Department of Economics of Health and Medical Law, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 2School of Public Health Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 3Lazarski University in Warsaw, Warsaw, PolandCorrespondence: Mariola Borowska, Department of Economics of Health and Medical Law, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 02-091, Poland, Email mariola.borowska@wum.edu.plBackground: Implementation of the patient’s statutory right to information is one of determinants the quality and safety of medical services. The patients’ opinions survey is an element of patient-centric care, which is now one of the most important things in modern healthcare. The main aim of the work is to examine patients’ opinions on the observance of patients’ right to information in the hospital and quality of healthcare in the hospital. A secondary objective was to examine the impact of socioeconomic variables on patients’ opinions.Materials and Methods: The study was based on the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) questionnaire, carried out in March 2022. The sample included 801 persons. Respondents were patients hospitalized within a maximum of 12 months. The questionnaire contained closed questions about the quality of medical care, observance of the patient’s right to information.Results: Probability of referral was measured using the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Respondents answered the question about the recommendation on a scale from 0 to 10. People who rated the hospital ward at 10 and 9 are promoters, people who rated the hospital ward at 8 and 7 are neutral people. In turn, people who rated the hospital ward at 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 or 0 are critics, ie people who will not recommend the hospital to their relatives. Most patients in hospital wards were the detractors (37%). The percentage of promoters was only 1% lower (36%) than that of the detractors. Patients was rated medical and nursing staff at a similar level with regard to the observance of the patient’s right to information.Conclusion: Most statistically significant differences in the assessment of medical care in the hospital ward were associated with such sociodemographic variables as age and income. People aged 55– 64 and 65+ rated most of the analyzed aspects better.Keywords: patients’ rights, right to information, health care quality, patient, patient experience

Diverse forms of environmental pollution arise with the introduction of materials or energy that exert adverse effects on human health, climate patterns, ecosystems, and beyond. Rigorous emission regulations for gases resulting from fuel combustion are being enforced by the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), directed at maritime sectors to mitigate emissions of SOx, NOx, and CO2. The IMO envisions the realisation of its 2050 targets through a suite of strategies encompassing deliberate reductions in vessel speed, enhanced ship operations, improved propulsion systems, and a transition towards low and zero-emission fuels such as LNG, methanol, hydrogen, and ammonia. While the majority of vessels currently depend on heavy fuel or low-sulphur fuel oil, novel designs integrating alternative fuels are gaining prominence. Technologies like exhaust gas purification systems, LNG, and methanol are being embraced to achieve minimised emissions. This study introduces the concept of a high-power combined ship system, composed of a primary main engine, a diesel engine, and a steam turbine system, harnessing the energy contained within the flue gases of the main combustion engine. Assumptions, constraints for calculations, and a thermodynamic evaluation of the combined cycle are outlined. Additionally, the study scrutinises the utilisation of alternative fuels for ship propulsion and their potential to curtail exhaust emissions, with a specific focus on reducing CO2 output.

Tomasz Kryczka,1,* Anna Jedynak,2,3,* Adam Olszewski,3,4 Lidia Sierpinska,5 Paula Kuzniarska,6 Dorota Sulejczak7 1Department of Development of Nursing and Social & Medical Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 2Department of Military Medical Service, Ministry of National Defence of Poland, Warsaw, Poland; 3Military Center of Blood Donation and Haemotherapy, Warsaw, Poland; 4Garrison Medical Outpatient Clinic, Modlin, Poland; 5Independent Public Health Care Unit, Military Teaching Hospital with Polyclinic, Lublin, Poland; 6Military Center of Blood Donation and Haemotherapy, Gdansk, Poland; 7Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tomasz Kryczka, Medical University of Warsaw, Department of Development of Nursing and Social & Medical Sciences, ul. Ciołka 27, Warsaw, 01-445, Poland, Tel +48 604315103, Email kryczka.tomasz@gmail.comIntroduction: On 24 February 2022, the Russia–Ukraine military conflict unfolded just across the eastern border of the European Union. It made everyone realize how important it is to secure blood supplies to health-care units in the event of an armed conflict. This paper presents the principles of functioning of the Military Blood Donation Service and the Military Center for Blood Donation and Hemotherapy in Poland.Methods: The study used data collected in the “Military Blood Bank” information processing system and data from annual reports (2010– 2021) sent to the Minister of Health of the Republic of Poland. The reports concerned, among others: demographic data on donors, reasons of permanent disqualifications, numbers of complete and incomplete donations, etc.Results: Since 2005, the number of donors registered in military blood donation centers ranged between 15 and 35 thousand/year. The most dramatic declines in donors were observed in 2010 and 2020. Successful donations accounted for more than 98% of all donations/year (except 2015), and their number varied between 20 and 32 thousand/year. Among the blood donors, men always predominated and the dominant age group (except for 2010) was 25– 44 years. The reasons for permanent disqualification have varied over time: their proportions decreased for viral hepatitis and cardiovascular disease, and increased for respiratory and endocrine/metabolic diseases. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/2021, these proportions have sometimes been reversed.Discussion: The Military Blood Donation Service has been functioning in Poland for several decades. It is specialized in supplying blood and blood products to the Armed Forces. Unfortunately, it was not possible to refer to the functioning of similar institutions in other countries. Therefore, when evaluating the functioning of Polish military blood donation, we had to rely on numerical values (eg, number of donors/year, donor profile, etc.), which prove a very good organization of blood donation centers. However, it should be noted that, as in other countries, a more active promotion of blood donation in the media is advisable in order to encourage as many young people as possible to donate blood.Keywords: blood donors, blood donation, military blood donation

The economic problems of mortgage takers, especially in light of the global financial crisis, is a very important issue, both from the point of view of housing policy and the stability of the banking sector. The analysis of the situation of mortgagors is usually limited to determining the percentage of mortgages in default. We compared the revealed mortgage repayment problems among Poles (arrears) with the unrevealed ones (such as high housing cost burden, inability to bear unexpected expenses), which we defined as housing cost stress. Next, we compared these problems with those of tenants at market rates. We found that, although we observe only a small percentage of mortgagors who are in arrears with their housing costs in Poland (about 3%), a large proportion of borrowers (about half of them) are in a difficult financial situation. At the same time, we noticed that their situation is still better than that of market rent tenants, because only one in five renters did not experience problems with covering housing costs. Among tenants, singles were much more likely to suffer from housing cost stress.

In 2011, the authors published a synthesis of the psychological literature available in English related to giftedness, talent, eminence, high performance, and creativity. This synthesis led to the development of the Talent Development Megamodel, which is an evolving tool to promote policies and practices that support giftedness in domains such as academics, the arts, sport, and the professions. The model focuses on seven principles and has recently added an eighth. The principles include: (1) giftedness is malleable and manifested in domains; (2) opportunities must be offered to develop abilities into competencies, expertise, and sometimes eminence; (3) different domains begin, peak, and end at different times; (4) opportunities to develop talent must be offered inside of school, outside of school, and beyond the school years; (5) opportunities have to be taken by talented individuals; (6) mental skills like screening out distractions can be taught and become increasingly important in the talent development process; (7) social skills like being able to promote oneself tastefully become increasingly important in the talent development process; (8) if talent development and gifted education are to become more equitable, accessing insider knowledge associated with the process of talent development needs to be widely available to all schools and families.

Thomas A Ollila,1,2 Adam J Olszewski1,2 1Department of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; 2Division of Hematology-Oncology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI, USACorrespondence: Adam J OlszewskiDepartment of Medicine, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, 593 Eddy St., Providence, RI, 02903, USATel +1 844-222-2881Fax +1 401-444-8918Email adam_olszewski@brown.eduAbstract: Many patients with follicular (FL) or marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) are not eligible to receive immunochemotherapy due to advanced age or comorbidities. Recent innovations in the treatment of these indolent lymphomas provide options for multiple lines of chemotherapy-free management. More research is needed to determine which older patients are best served by a chemotherapy-free approach in the context of geriatric vulnerabilities. In the first line, regardless of disease burden, rituximab monotherapy can provide high rates of disease control with minimal toxicity, while judicious use of brief maintenance extends the duration of response. Radioimmunotherapy using ibritumomab tiuxetan is an effective and safe post-rituximab consolidation for older patients who have < 25% bone marrow involvement. The combination of rituximab and lenalidomide, although “chemotherapy-free”, does not improve tolerability over immunochemotherapy. However, studies support lower doses and shorter duration of lenalidomide exposure as a means to improve safety without materially compromising efficacy for older individuals. Extranodal MZL can often be effectively controlled with low-dose radiation therapy, and splenic MZL has excellent outcomes with rituximab monotherapy. For many patients with relapsed FL/MZL, simple retreatment with anti-CD20 antibodies will prove sufficient. Other currently available options for relapsed/refractory disease include ibritumomab tiuxetan, lenalidomide with rituximab, umbralisib as a potentially less toxic PI3K inhibitor, ibrutinib (for MZL), and tazemetostat (for FL, especially with EZH2 mutation). Emerging data with novel forms of immunotherapy (antibody-drug conjugates like polatuzumab vedotin or loncastuximab tesirine; T-cell-engaging bispecific antibodies like mosunetuzumab or epcoritamab; and chimeric antigen receptor CAR T-cells like axicabtagene ciloleucel) suggest that immune-directed approaches can produce very high and potentially durable responses in FL/MZL with limited toxicities, further obviating the need for chemotherapy.Keywords: follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, geriatric oncology, lenalidomide, ibritumomab tiuxetan, bispecific antibodies

The article analyses the role of Church’s Thesis (hereinafter CT) in the context of the development of hypercomputation research. The text begins by presenting various views on the essence of computer science and the limitations of its methods. Then CT and its importance in determining the limits of methods used by computer science is presented. Basing on the above explanations, the work goes on to characterize various proposals of hypercomputation showing their relative power in relation to the arithmetic hierarchy.

Nowadays, cell cultures are a standard tool in animal biotechnology, but the problem with honeybees is the constant lack of appropriate cell lines to be used in in vitro research. Until the imperfections of bee tissue cultures are resolved, researchers have to conduct experiments on bees in laboratory cage tests (LCTs).

At the beginning of the year 2016, the representatives of the Polish Radon Centre decided to organize proficiency tests (PTs) for measurements of radon gas and radon decay products in the air, involving radon monitors and laboratory passive techniques. The Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity of the Central Mining Institute (GIG), Katowice, became responsible for the organization of the PT exercises. The main reason to choose that location was the radon chamber in GIG with a volume of 17 m3, the biggest one in Poland. Accordingly, 13 participants from Poland plus one participant from Germany expressed their interest. The participants were invited to inform the organizers about what types of monitors and methods they would like to check during the tests. On this basis, the GIG team prepared the proposal for the schedule of exercises, such as the required level(s) of radon concentrations, the number and periods of tests, proposed potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) levels and also the overall period of PT. The PT activity was performed between 6th and 17th June 2016. After assessment of the results, the agreement between radon monitors and other measurement methods was confirmed. In the case of PAEC monitors and methods of measurements, the results of PT exercises were consistent and confirmed the accuracy of the calibration procedures used by the participants. The results of the PAEC PTs will be published elsewhere; in this paper, only the results of radon intercomparison are described.

Hereby the possible applications of oxide nanoparticles in the cancer diagnostics and therapy are presented. Cancer diseases are nowadays one of the most common causes of death in the highly-developed countries. Discussed will be the current clinical cancer detection methods with their shortcomings. The role of nanomedicine in cancer medicine and the potential applications of nanoparticles debated in the literature will be critically evaluated. In the second part, the most common methods for the nanoparticle synthesis will be discussed. Finally, the system for cancer detection based on the enhanced permeation-retention of multimodal high-k oxide nanoparticles doped with lanthanides will be proposed for both for themagnetic resonance imaging (non-gadolinium contrast agents) and for fluorescence guided biopsy and surgery.

For more than forty years, laboratory cage tests (LCTs) have been used in honeybee research. These tests facilitate the control of elements of the environment present in the laboratory, which allows the minimization of the impact of the changing environmental conditions and conditions in the bee colony nest on the studied features. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the content of the genetic component of a particular trait and to assess the impact of a specific substance or tested agent on the traits of bees.

In the design process of offshore steel structures, it is typical to employ commercial calculation codes in which simulation and evaluation of results are performed on the basis of the available standards (e.g. API, DNV, Lloyds). The modeling and solution rely on finite element methods and cover the simulation of the structure’s properties along with the influence of the marine environment – sea currents, wave and wind loading, as well as the influence of vibrations, buoyancy and accompanying mass of water. Both commercial and open source mathematical modeling software which is available nowadays allows for cost effective and flexible implementation of advanced models for offshore industrial structures with high level of credibility and safety. The models can be built to suit task-specific requirements and evaluated on the basis of the selected criterial system best suited to the needs of the customer. Examples of methodology for environmental and structural model development are presented, along with simulation results covering a wide scope of data, ranging from stress and deformation to resonant characteristics and issues of technological feasibility.

Temperatures of worker- and drone-brood rearing in various hive locations were compared in both colonies kept on small-cell combs (4.90 mm) (SMC) and standard-cell combs (5.50 mm) (STC) in two seasons. Temperatures close to the worker-brood comb placed near the rightmost storage-comb were lower than those near the worker brood in the nest centre but equal to those near the outskirt drone-brood comb (34.37-35.24°C) regardless of the month and the comb-cell size. Temperatures of the brood rearing in the SMC did not differ from those in the STC, independently on the location (center-periphery) and the brood type (drone-worker). Occasionally, they were even higher in the STC near the peripheral drone-brood comb and in the nest centre. We concluded that the drones which are involved in colony reproduction could affect its thermoregulation. The peripheral drone brood can be heated just as well as the worker brood, if the colony is strong enough and has the proper drone-worker ratio. Therefore, it is doubtful whether a higher temperature near the worker brood in the SMC limit the development of the V. destructor population. A lower temperature may not be a factor in encouraging V. destructor females to prefer trap-drone-combs for reproduction in the SMC. Strong field colonies may be especially prone to such behaviour. Therefore, temperature cannot be considered a mechanism of effective Varroa control in SMC.

This article analyzes the spread of market phenomena, market tensions and trends between real estate markets on the global scale. At the theoretical level, the main aim of the study was to determine the nature of the relationships between housing markets throughout the world. The main research goal was to identify and describe the strength of the correlations between the real estate markets of the world’s 10 largest economies (countries with the highest GDP). The analyses were conducted with the use of Pearson’s correlation tests, Granger causality tests and graphs. Our results revealed strong correlations between most of the markets; however, we did not find strong evidence for causality. In a globalizing world, national economies will become increasingly interconnected, which will indirectly influence the housing market.

The article describes the result of theoretical research aimed at assessing the loads and operating conditions of a Coiled Tubing pipeline injecting water, suspended to the mining platform of Lotos Petrobaltic. For this purpose, appropriate calculation models have been developed using the Finite Element Method (FEM), taking into account the nature of the analyzed object and its loads. The analyzes were carried out for two pipes (previously operated and newly proposed) differing in geometrical and strength parameters. The research was carried out for selected directions of load on the pipeline (originating from sea waves) and various variants of attaching the suspended pipeline to the mining platform.

This work is interdisciplinary as it lies at the crossroads of three disciplines: philosophy, theology, and logic. The article attempts to discuss the way in which sentences (judgements) are accepted and rejected within theology. First, the role of the argument of authority in theology is discussed. Subsequently, the most important types of theorems with certain degrees of theological certainty were identified. Finally, censorship was presented as a means of rejecting theorems in theology. Finally, censorship was indicated as a model for philosophical-logical research on denial.

The article presents the analysis, project, and experimental examination of an original rigid riser for Coil Tubing Pipes. The principle of riser operation is based on the use of friction forces. The research included the FEM analysis of the designed riser, calculations of the required bolt tensions, and checking the effect of the clamping force on stress distribution in the pipeline. The results of computer simulation were verified on a specially designed test rig. The described riser design was implemented on the LOTOS Petrobaltic platform, thus eliminating the need for purchase and installation of expensive elastic risers.

In the introduction to the volume on negation, first the source ways of understanding it from antiquity to modern times are presented, as well as the basic points of contention connected with it. Subsequently, the works contained in this volume are briefly presented in the order in which they appeared.

The paper presents a new concept of overall ship motion modelling for application to total ship operability. The delivered model is a multi-phase and includes both submerged part of ship’s hull and the surrounding water as a unique body. The Discrete Finite Element Method is applied. The model is successfully examined and illustrated for a selected AHTS

This paper presents optimization of selected combined diesel engine-steam turbine systems. Two systems: the system combined with waste heat one-pressure boiler only and its version containing additionally low-pressure boiler proper feeding degasifier and the system of two-pressure cycle, were taken into considerations. Their surplus values of power output and efficiency associated with utilization of waste heat contained in piston engine exhaust gas were compared to each other. For the considerations two high-power low-speed engines were taken into account. The main engines of comparable power of about 54 MW produced by Wartsila and MAN Diesel & Turbo firms, were selected.

In this research, we studied the magnetic phase transition by Mössbauer spectroscopy and using vibrating sample magnetometer for amorphous Fe86-xZr7CrxNb2Cu1B4 (x = 0 or 6) alloys in the as-quenched state and after accumulative annealing in the temperature range 600-750 K. The Mössbauer investigations were carried out at room and nitrogen temperatures. The Mössbauer spectra of the investigated alloys at room temperature are characteristic of amorphous paramagnets and have a form of asymmetric doublets. However, at nitrogen temperature, the alloys behave like ferromagnetic amorphous materials. The two components are distinguished in the spectrum recorded at both room and nitrogen temperatures. The low field component in the distribution of hyperfine field induction shifts towards higher field with the annealing temperature. It is assumed that during annealing at higher temperature, due to diffusion processes, the grains of α-Fe are created in the area corresponding to this component. Both investigated alloys show the invar effect and the decrease of hyperfine field induction after annealing at 600 K for 10 min is observed. It is accompanied by the lowering of Curie temperature.

The ship operability can be understood and analysed in different manners, and its quality is described using different indexes by different authors. Practically, there is no general and widely accepted description of total ship operability in the literature, nor in the rules of classification societies, which would include both seakeeping and manoeuvrability characteristics of a ship, and simultaneously take into account all ship subsystems and, what is most important, comfort and safety of people on board. The aim of this paper is to propose a general definition of total ship operability and name, adjust, describe and justify criteria which should be considered in the ship operability analysis, as well as to provide a relevant algorithm paving the road for further investigation on total ship operability determination.

The problem of poor quality of traffic accident data assembled in national databases has been addressed in European project InDeV. Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and moped riders) are especially affected by underreporting of accidents and misreporting of injury severity. Analyses of data from the European CARE database shows differences between countries in accident number trends as well as in fatality and injury rates which are difficult to explain. A survey of InDeV project partners from 7 EU countries helped to identify differences in their countries in accident and injury definitions as well as in reporting and data checking procedures. Measures to improve the quality of accident data are proposed such as including pedestrian falls in accident statistics, precisely defining minimum injury and combining police accident records with hospital data.

The aim of the study was to determine the radon permeability coefficient of insulating building materials. Eleven insulating materials were tested. A research setup was developed and it was as follows: a tested material was tightly set on the receiver box’s hole and placed into the radon chamber. The measurements showed that for various insulating materials, radon permeability coefficient varies from 1.26 × 10−10 m2/s for film-like materials to 9.95 × 10−8 m2/s for roofing papers. According to our calculations of all insulating materials, the foil-type insulating materials to ensure the best protection against radon flow from the ground. Comparison of different types of building materials shows that the insulating building materials ensure better radiological protection than regular building constructions materials.

The identity of cartography is determined by the manner of defining and interpreting the concept of “map”. However, the term has not been unequivocally articulated as yet. There are many different definitions of maps available in literature – from those viewing map as a scaled-down, planar, graphic representation of geographical space, to those that equate a map to a specific model that is independent of the form of its presentation. Interestingly enough, the basis of such universal treatment of the map concept can be found already in the scientific works from the 1960s. Although contemporary definitions do not limit a map to a single form of presentation, such over-simplification still persists.

An 27Al magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study of nominally pure and Cr-doped yttrium-aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12 and Y3Al5O12:Cr) crystals is reported. It has been shown that the doping by Cr of the Y3Al5O12 crystals leads to the variation of the occupation by Al atoms both octahedrally and tetrahedrally coordinated sites of the garnet lattice.

We examined the influence of curcumin-supplemented feeding on worker lifespan, Nosema resistance, key enzyme activities, metabolic compound concentrations and percentage of the global DNA methylation. Two worker groups (Apis mellifera) were set up: 1) control group; workers were fed ad libitum with sucrose syrup; 2) workers were fed with the syrup with the addition of curcumin. Dead workers were removed every two days and the Nosema spp. infection levels were assessed. Hemolymph was taken from living workers for biochemical analyses. The global DNA methylation level was analysed using DNA from worker heads and thoraces. The bees that consumed curcumin lived longer and were less infested with Nosema spp. The curcumin-treated workers had higher concentrations of proteins, non-enzymatic biomarkers (triglycerides, glucose, cholesterol, Mg2+ and Ca2+), uric acid and creatinine, as well as elevated activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD , GPx, CAT , GST ), neutral proteases, protease inhibitors, enzymatic biomarkers (AST , ALT , ALP ). The concentrations of albumin and urea, and the activities of acidic and alkaline proteases were higher in the control group. Curcumin decreased global DNA methylation levels especially in older bees in which the natural, age-related level increase was observed. Most of the parameters increased over the apian youth and adulthood, and decreased in older bees. The decrease was markedly delayed in the bees fed with curcumin. Curcumin appeared to be an unexpectedly effective natural bio-stimulator, improving apian health and vitality. This multifactorial effect is caused by the activation of many biochemical processes involved in the formation of apian resistance.

The paper presents findings from research project Mobis which is aimed at developing a method of assessing safety of unsignalised pedestrian road crossings using video image analysis. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic has been recorded at selected zebra crossing sites in Warsaw and Wrocław, before and after installation of active signage systems SignFlash and Levelite. Speeds of approaching vehicles were measured and drivers’ behaviour was classified using video analysis.

Thermal treatment, undertaken at just below the crystallization temperature, has led to nanocrystallization and has had a significant impact on the shape of the hyperfine field induction distributions of Fe62Co10Y8B20 alloy and on its soft magnetic properties. In the amorphous ferromagnetic alloys, it is possible to indirectly determine the effect of the structure stresses, resulting from the presence of structural defects, on the soft magnetic properties of these materials. It has been found that a change in the parameters associated with the presence of structural defects affects the shape of the hyperfine field distributions of 57Fe.

Mössbauer spectra and thermomagnetic curves for the Fe86−xMxZr7Nb2Cu1B4 (M = Co, Ni, CoCr, and Cr, x = 0 or 6) alloys in the as-quenched state and after the accumulative annealing in the temperature range 600–800 K for 10 min are investigated. The parent Fe86Zr7Nb2Cu1B4 amorphous alloy is paramagnetic at room temperature, and substitution of 6 at.% of Fe by Co, Ni, and CoCr changes the magnetic structure – the alloys become ferromagnetic, whereas replacing 6 at.% of Fe with Cr preserves the paramagnetic state. After the heat treatment at 600 K, the decrease of the average hyperfine field induction, as compared to the as-quenched state, is observed due to the invar effect. After this annealing, the Curie temperature for all investigated alloys decreases. The accumulative annealing up to 800 K leads to the partial crystallization; α-Fe or α-FeCo grains with diameters in the range of 12–30 nm in the residual amorphous matrix appear.

The hyperfine fields and atomic ordering in Ni1−xFexMnGe (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) alloys were investigated using X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy at room temperature. The X-ray diffraction measurements show that the samples with x = 0.2, 0.3 crystallized in the hexagonal Ni2In-type of structure, whereas in the sample with x = 0.1, the coexistence of two phases, Ni2In- and orthorhombic TiNiSi-type of structures, were found. The Mössbauer spectra measured with x = 0.2, 0.3 show three doublets with different values of isomer shift (IS) and quadrupole splitting (QS) related to three different local surroundings of Fe atoms in the hexagonal Ni2In-type structure. It was shown that Fe atoms in the hexagonal Ni2In-type structure of as-cast Ni1−xFexMnGe alloys are preferentially located in Ni sites and small amount of Fe is located in Mn and probably in Ge sites. The spectrum for x = 0.1 shows the doublets in the central part of spectrum and a broad sextet. The doublets originate from the Fe atoms in the paramagnetic state of hexagonal Ni2In-type structure, whereas the sextet results from the Fe atoms in orthorhombic TiNiSi-type structure.

As revealed by Mössbauer spectroscopy, replacement of 10 at.% of iron in the amorphous Fe70Mo5Cr4Nb6B15 alloy by cobalt or nickel has no effect on the magnetic structure in the vicinity of room temperature, although the Curie point moves from 190 K towards ambient one. In the early stages of crystallization, the paramagnetic crystalline Cr12Fe36Mo10 phase appears before α-Fe or α-FeCo are formed, as is confirmed by X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. Creation of the crystalline Cr12Fe36Mo10 phase is accompanied by the amorphous ferromagnetic phase formation at the expense of amorphous paramagnetic one.

The paper presents results of microstructure and magnetic properties studies of Nd8.5Tb1.5Fe83Zr1B6 ribbons obtained by melt-spinning technique. The samples were produced using the rapid cooling of liquid alloy on the copper wheel, by applying three different linear velocities 20, 30, and 35 m/s. The microstructure of obtained ribbons was examined using X-ray diffractometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements were performed using LakeShore vibrating sample magnetometer. The microstructure measurements were used for quantitative and qualitative analysis of phase composition. Basing on results of structure studies combined with magnetic measurements, the influence of phase composition on hysteresis loop behavior was described.

Aim – Previous studies of the association between polydrug use and other risk behaviours have generally been limited to specific substances and a small number of behaviours. The aim of this study is to obtain better insight into polydrug use (comprising legal and illegal substances: tobacco, alcohol, tranquillisers/sedatives, cannabis, and other illegal drugs) and its association with co-occurring problem behaviours drawn from various broad domains (sexual, aggressive, delinquent, school achievement, relationships) among European adolescents. METHODS – Data were obtained from 101,401 16-year-old students from 35 European countries participating in the 2011 ESPAD survey. Associations between polydrug use and other problem behaviours were examined by multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses. RESULTS – Tranquillisers/sedatives appeared among the commonest combinations in the polydrug use pattern, especially for females. A strong trend was found between levels of involvement with polydrug use and other problem behaviours for both genders. The highest associations with polydrug use were for problems with the police, risky sexual behaviour and skipping school. Gender differences showed higher prevalences among boys than girls of problem behaviours of aggressive, antisocial type, while girls prevailed over boys in relationship problems. CONCLUSION – An incremental relationship exists between the level of involvement with polydrug use and the co-occurrence of problem behaviours. Preventative interventions should consider the misuse of tranquillisers/sedatives within the context of polydrug use by adolescents and expand their target groups towards multiple problem behaviours.

Body-surface chemical compounds were studied in 1-day-old nest workers and foragers both in Buckfast and Caucasian bees. The workers of these two age-castes were sampled twice in each of two consecutive years. Body-surface lipids were determined by means of gas chromatography, with a GCQ mass spectrometer. Protein concentrations and activities on the body surface were examined in bee cuticle rinsings obtained from worker bees according to the methods of Lowry, of Anson, and of Lee and Lin. Protease and protease inhibitor activities were determined. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed. Caucasian bees, particularly foragers, had more lipids, but Buckfast bees (two age-castes) had more proteins on their body surfaces. A total of 17 alkane types (C17 - C33), 13 alkene types (C21 - C33), 21 esters (C12 - C32), and a phenol (C14) were detected in both races. Alkene C33 was detected only in Caucasian bees. More alkanes, esters, and phenols were found in Caucasian 1-day-old nest workers and foragers than in these age-castes of Buckfast bees. The protein concentration and protease inhibitor activities were lower in Caucasian bees that had higher protease activities. These values corresponded with specific numbers and widths of the electrophoretic bands.

Trzem grupom pszczół w klatkach podawano syrop cukrowy (grupa kontrolna), syrop cukrowy z dodatkiem amfoterycyny B (AmB) w dawce 0,5 mg/ml oraz syrop cukrowy z AmB w dawce 0,25 mg/ml. AmB wpływała na skrócenie długości życia pszczół oraz obniżała poziom globalnej metylacji DNA w porównaniu do grupy kontrolnej, jednocześnie zwiększała stężenie białek na powierzchni ciała. AmB odkładała się w jelicie tylnym pszczół. Pszczoła miodna okazała się użytecznym modelem dla badań efektów ubocznych terapii antygrzybiczej z zastosowaniem AmB. Między innymi, za efekty uboczne takiej terapii uważa się zmiany epigenetyczne i przyspieszenie procesów starzenia.

Ulrike Olszewski, Ernst Ulsperger, Klaus Geissler, Gerhard HamiltonLudwig Boltzmann Institute of Clinical Oncology and Photodynamic Therapy, Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster of Translational Oncology, Vienna, AustriaAbstract: Platinum(IV) coordination complexes like oxoplatin (cis,cis,trans-diammine-dichlorido-dihydroxido-platinum[IV]) show high stability and therefore can be utilized orally for outpatient care. Although oxoplatin is capable of binding directly to DNA after prolonged incubation, platinum(IV) agents are considered to be largely inert prodrugs that are converted to highly cytotoxic platinum(II) compounds by reducing substances, enzymes, or microenvironmental conditions. Reaction of oxoplatin with 0.1 M hydrogen chloride mimicking gastric acid yields cis-diammine-tetrachlorido-platinum(IV) (DATCP[IV]), which exhibits two-fold increased activity. The presence of chlorides as ligands in the axial position results in a high reduction potential that favors transformation to platinum(II) complexes. In this study, the intracellular effect of the highly reactive tetrachlorido derivative was investigated in comparison with an equipotent dose of cisplatin. Genome-wide expression profiling of NCI-H526 small cell lung cancer cells treated with these platinum species revealed clear differences in the expression pattern of affected genes and concerned cellular pathways between DATCP(IV) and cisplatin. Application of DATCP(IV) resulted in extensive downregulation of protein and ATP synthesis, cell cycle regulation, and glycolysis, in contrast to cisplatin, which preferentially targeted glutathione conjugation, pyruvate metabolism, citric acid cycle, and the metabolism of amino acids and a range of carbohydrates. Thus, the oxoplatin metabolite DATCP(IV) constitutes a potent cytotoxic derivative that may be produced by gastric acid or acidic areas prevailing in larger solid tumors, depending on the respective pharmaceutical formulation of oxoplatin. Furthermore, DATCP(IV) exhibits intracellular effects that are clearly different from the expected reduced product cisplatin(II). In conclusion, activation of the platinum(IV) complex oxoplatin seems to involve the generation of a cytotoxic six-coordinate species, dependent on prevailing conditions, and its effects need to be considered in addition to the effects of the potential final platinum(II) product.Keywords: platinum, oxoplatin, metabolites, small cell lung cancer, cell line, gene expression, microarray

In the research work environmental pollution information and idea of solution of this problem through renewable energy sources were presented. The methods of solar energy coversion as well as methods of its storage in lithium batteries were described. The work presents an analysis of energy system: solar panel and energy bank in households. The ecological aspect of this solution was studied. For this purpose, the costs of new single-family house connection to the energy grid and photovoltaic system connection with a modern lithium battery were calculated. Electricity consumption cost estimation within ten years was made and then it was compared to the expenses for connected photovoltaic system with lithium battery. Aim of the study was realized based on the cost of connection to the energy grid and the costs of photovoltaic system connection with Tesla batteries. From the above data one can see that after about 7 years with lower solar exposure level costs of the installation based on renewable energy sources installation will pay off and after that one can only record a profit from storing and producing electricity.

Although traffic safety situation in general is improving, the numbers of pedestrians and cyclists hit when crossing a road have not significantly decreased recently. Based on police accident records for years 2010-2014, some 735 pedestrians and 505 cyclists were hit by motor vehicles in Warsaw. Investigation reported in this paper is a part of the European project InDeV. One aim of the project is to find correlation between accidents and traffic conflicts and thus provide a solid base for using surrogate safety measures as safety diagnostic tools. Three typical signalised intersections in Warsaw were selected for video recording. Relevant encounters between motor vehicles and vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) were identified and analysed using programs RUBA and T-Analyst. The paper describes the semiautomatic video data processing and problems regarding some technical and methodological aspects of conflict detection. Based on video analysis of 24 hours of recording for each intersection, preliminary characteristics of encounters between pedestrians/cyclists and motorised vehicles have been developed. Statistical distributions of encounter parameters such as time-to-collision (TTC) and post-encroachment time (PET) are presented. These will be used in the development of appropriate safety indicators.

The electrocatalytic activity of Pt3Ru2/C nanocatalyst toward the electro-oxidation of bulk CO was examined in acid and alkaline solution at ambient temperature using the thin-film, rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. The catalyst was characterized by XRD analysis. The XRD pattern revealed that the Pt3Ru2/C catalyst consisted of two structures, i.e., Pt-Ru-fcc and Ruhcp (a solid solution of Ru in Pt and a small amount of Ru or a solid solution of Pt in Ru). Electrocatalytic activities were measured by applying potentiodynamic and steady state techniques. The oxidation of CO on the Pt3Ru2/C catalyst was influenced by pH and anions from the supporting electrolytes. The Pt3Ru2/C was more active in alkaline than in acid solution, as well as in perchloric than in sulfuric acid. Comparison of CO oxidation on Pt3Ru2/C and Pt/C revealed that the Pt3Ru2/C was more active than Pt/C in acid solution, while both catalysts had a similar activity in alkaline solution.

Paper presents new mathematical model for air flow velocity distribution in rounded rectangular ducts and its experimental verification. In papers [1, 2] an mathematical model based on modified Prandtl equation for power power-law velocity profile was determined. It works very well for smaller cross sections. During the study of larger cross sections new phenomena in flowing air have been observed, it forced the search for a new model. The new model is based on a rounded rectangular division into two parts: slot and rounded square.

The paper presents the results obtained during the preliminary studies of circular and rectangular ducts before testing the properties elements (elbows, tees, etc.)of rectangular with rounded corners ducts. The fundamental problem of the studies was to determine the flow rate in the ventilation duct. Due to the size of the channel it was decided to determine the flow rate based on the integration of flow velocity over the considered cross-section. This method requires knowledge of the velocity distribution in the cross section. Approximation of the measured actual profile by the classic and modified Prandtl power-law velocity profile was analysed.

In large Polish cities like Warsaw, pedestrians constitute almost 60% of road fatalities. Although traffic safety situation in general is improving, the numbers of pedestrians hit when crossing a road have not significantly decreased over the last six years. A negative binomial model was estimated for predicting accidents at unsignalised pedestrian crossings based on accident data from 52 crossings in Warsaw. A total of 58 pedestrian accidents were recorded at these crossings during the last seven years. The model shows that the number of accidents is less-than-proportional to both pedestrian and motorised traffic daily volumes. Other risk factors affecting pedestrian safety are: higher proportion of heavy vehicles and location in a mixed land use area. The model can be used with the Empirical Bayes method for an unbiased identification of high risk locations.