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Abstract Short-term exposure to air pollutants may contribute to an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This study assessed the role of short-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) as well as fine and coarse PM (PM10) air pollution in ACS events and the effect of blood groups on this phenomenon. A retrospectively collected database of 9026 patients was evaluated. The study design was a case-crossover using a conditional logistic regression model. The main analysis focused on PM2.5 levels with a 1 day lag until the ACS event, using threshold-modelled predictor for all patients. Secondary analyses utilized separate threshold-modelled predictors for 2–7-days moving averages and for patients from specific ABO blood groups. Additional analysis was performed with the non-threshold models and for PM10 levels. Short-term exposure to increased PM2.5 and PM10 levels at a 1-day lag was associated with elevated risks of ACS (PM2.5: OR = 1.012 per + 10 µg/m3, 95% CI 1.003, 1.021; PM10: OR = 1.014 per + 10 µg/m3, CI 1.002, 1.025) for all patients. Analysis showed that exposure to PM2.5 was associated with increased risk of ACS at a 1-day lag for the A, B or AB group (OR = 1.012 per + 10 µg/m3, CI 1.001, 1.024), but not O group (OR = 1.011 per + 10 µg/m3, CI 0.994, 1.029). Additional analysis showed positive associations between exposure to PM10 and risk of ACS, with 7-days moving average models stratified by blood group revealing that exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with elevated risk of ACS for patients with group O. Short-term exposures to PM2.5 and PM10 were associated with elevated risk of ACS. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 was positively associated with the risk of ACS for patients with A, B, or AB blood groups for a 1-day lag, while risk in O group was delayed to 7 days.

Amyloidosis is a rare disease characterized by an abnormal accumulation of the amyloid protein in tissues. Amyloidosis can be divided into two main subtypes: transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR-CA) and immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL-CA). Accumulation of the amyloid protein in the heart muscle may lead to conduction disturbances, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and consequently, heart failure. The symptoms may include decreased exercise tolerance, shortness of breath, swelling and fainting. The diagnosis is based on laboratory tests, imaging and biopsy. Treatment focuses mainly on slowing the progression of the disease and treating the symptoms.

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is a rare and difficult-to-diagnose condition that leads to conduction disorders, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. Diagnosing CS is extremely difficult because it can be asymptomatic in its early stages and often mimics other conditions. The diagnostic tools used in the diagnosis of CS are: echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography and biopsy of the affected tissue. Treatment involves the use of drugs that suppress the immune system. Some of the arrhythmias and conduction disturbances associated with CS may be reversible, but more often they require protection with devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators. More research is needed to develop more effective diagnostic strategies to improve the detection and treatment of this condition.

Aminoglycosides are natural or semisynthetic antibiotics derived from actinomycetes. They bind to the bacterial ribosome, leading to inhibition of protein synthesis. The spectrum of activity, rapid bactericidal activity, and favorable chemical and pharmacokinetic properties of aminoglycosides make them a clinically useful class of drugs. As aminoglycosides exhibit concentration-dependent killing, peak concentrations (Cmax) and Cmax/MIC ratios have been postulated to be the best predictors of therapeutic efficacy. Conventional and extended interval dosing is used in the administration of these drugs. Conventional dosing refers to weight-based dose divided two to three times daily. Extended-interval therapy also known as once-daily dosing utilizes a higher weight-based dose administered at an extended interval (every 24 hours for those with normal renal function and longer for those with renal dysfunction). The main noted adverse effects of aminoglycosides are ototoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and neuromuscular blockade. Aminoglycoside antibiotics, due to their narrow therapeutic index, numerous side effects and high toxicity, belong to the group of drugs whose blood concentration must be monitored. Because aminoglycosides are primarily renally eliminated, the elimination constant (Kel) is directly related to the creatinine clearance (CLcr). The Cockcroft-Gault formula for estimating creatinine clearance is used to provide a reliable approximation of residual renal function. Aminoglycosides weight-based dosing should be based on ideal, total or adjusted body weight. In the event of renal failure, sepsis, burns, peritoneal dialysis leading to a change in the volume of distribution, the loading dose, maintenance dose and the dosing interval of aminoglycosides should be adjusted to achieve the target maximum and minimum concentrations. This study provides practical methods how to determine this parameters, based on data such as patient weight, creatinine clearance, patient age, comorbid disease, and population pharmacokinetics.

Introduction: Radial access reduces vascular complications compared to femoral access. Various factors may influence the patient's pain during coronary intervention. Aim: To assess what clinical and periprocedural factors affect discomfort and pain intensity during angiography via the radial artery without use of spasmolytics. Material and methods: A group of 238 patients (M/F 142/96, mean age: 67 ±10 years) who underwent coronary angiography and interventions through the radial artery approach was studied. Every patient had ultrasound assessment of the radial artery. Pain was assessed according to the numerical pain rating scale, where mild pain is 1-3, moderate pain is 4-7, and severe pain is above 7. Results: We included 238 patients. Most of the participants had a low pain level (n = 133 (55.88%)), while a smaller number had moderate and severe pain level (n = 88 (36.97%) and n = 17 (7.14%), respectively). We analyzed 38 characteristics of the patients in terms of the possible influence on the pain level during angiography. Conclusions: In our study we analyzed possible factors which may contribute to the severe pain sensation during percutaneous coronary intervention. We found that masculine gender, greater weight and height as well as diabetes mellitus and myocardial infarction diagnosis on admission correlated with lower pain level. Conversely, greater maximal and minimal diameters of the radial artery correlated with stronger pain level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Sentinel-1 constellation provides an effective new radar instrument with a short revisit time of six days for the monitoring of intensive mining surface deformations. Our goal is to investigate in detail and to bring new comprehension of the mine life cycle. The dynamics of mining, especially in the case of horizontally evolving longwall technology, exhibit rapid surface changes. We use the classical approach of differential radar interferometry (DInSAR) with short temporal baselines (six days), which results in deformation maps with a low decorrelation between the satellite images. For the same time intervals, we compare the radar results with prediction models based on the Knothe–Budryk theory for mining subsidence. The validation of the results with ground levelling measurements reveals a high level of resemblance of the DInSAR subsidence maps (−0.04 m bias with respect to the levelling). On the other hand, aside from the explicable exaggeration, the location of the subsidence trough needs improvement in the forecasted deformations (0.2 km shift in location, a deformation velocity four times higher than in DInSAR). In addition, a time lag between DInSAR (compatible with extraction) and prediction is revealed. The model improvement can be achieved by including the DInSAR results in the elaboration of the model parameters.

The paper presents a system created in the Main Institute of Mining. The system called SZKODY ver. 4.0. is a 32-bit version of system allowing very quick calculation of deformations in Windows. Numerous tool programs allow, among others, graphical outlook of the calculated deformations in the areas of the grids of calculation points, assistance in making the timetable of mining, assessment of the amount of deposit, making auxiliary files for maps and graphs, etc. The examples of the application of this system as the support in the forecasting and the analysis of the measured deformations during the building of A4 motorway, especially the distance Wirek junction –Batory junction are given.

Pharmaceuticals are often found in municipal wastewater due to human excretion and disposal of drugs into sewerage systems. Conventional wastewater treatment plants were not designed for pharmaceutical removal and, hence, pharmaceutical concentrations ranging from ng L−1 to μg L−1 are often detected in treated wastewater, with additional treatment required for full removal. This study has investigated the potential of Trametes versicolour laccase enzyme and 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethyl-benzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) mediator system to degrade sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, metronidazole and phenytoin. The best degradation was observed at pH 5 for both sulfamethoxazole (97% in 12 hours) and trimethoprim (44% in 168 hours), using an initial micropollutant concentration of 100 µM, an enzymatic activity between 110–115 U L−1, and an ABTS concentration of 200 µM. Phenytoin and metronidazole were not degraded. Deamination followed by hydroxylation led to the formation of the two major sulfamethoxazole transformation products (TPs), whilst hydroxylation and hydroxylation/demethylation mechanisms formed the majority of the trimethoprim TPs. The sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim TPs observed from the laccase-ABTS system were similar to the TPs obtained from degradation processes such as advanced oxidation or photodegradation. The laccase-ABTS system shows promise for control of emerging contaminants containing electron donating groups (such as amines and methoxy groups) on aromatic rings in wastewater systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite of classic geodetic measurements, which are used in mine surveying at the beginning, more new technology are applied to measure deformation of structures and surface in mining areas. In the article new technologies are described for utilitarian aims based on strain sensors, laser, scanners and drones. The application of new technologies are especially useful when direct access to measured object is impossible using classic methods and in situation where continuous or quasi-continuous measurement is necessary. In Central Mining Institute the research has been conducted to understand the phenomenon of surface deformation induced by underground mining comparing predicted and measured values before and after extraction. In the last 20 years the mining technology has changed and dynamics of structure and surface deformation induced by mining. The second reason of technology development is necessity to instantly inform users of land and structures about changes using for instance the Internet.

The paper presents knowledge acquired during the monitoring of a flue-gas stack, performed as part of technical and scientific surveillance of mining activity and its impact on industrial objects. The chimney is located in an area impacted by mining activity since the 1970s, from a coal mine which is no longer in existence. In the period of 2013-16, this area was subject to mining carried out by a mining entrepreneur who currently holds a license to excavate hard coal. Periodic measurements of the deflection of the 113-meter chimney are performed using conventional geodetic methods. The GIG used 3 methods to observe the stack: landbased 3D laser scanning, continuous deflection monitoring with a laser sensor, and drone-based visual inspections. The drone offered the possibility to closely inspect the upper sections of the flue-gas stack, which are difficult to see from the ground level.