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In stroke patients, the NDT – (Bobath – Neurodevelopmental Treatment) and PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) methods are used to achieve the main objective of rehabilitation, which aims at the restoration of maximum patient independence in the shortest possible period of time (especially the balance of the body).

The study provides a comparative analysis of the quality of sewage discharged from selected sewerage systems. The analyzed data were collected from 10 agglomeration sewerage systems discharging sewage into collective wastewater treatment plants (WTP). The investigated pollution indicators included BOD5, CODCr, total suspended solids and biogenic indicators such as total nitrogen and total phosphorus. These results were compared with the outcomes reported in commonly available research papers on sewage disposal. Considering the concentration of individual pollution indicators, more detailed categories of sewage pollution were adopted in this work. The sewage was divided into five basic groups: I – highly concentrated, II – concentrated, III – moderately concentrated, IV – diluted, and V – highly diluted. The sewage categories accounted for the following pollution indicators: BOD5, CODCr, total suspended solids, total phosphorus and total nitrogen. Mean BOD5, CODCrand total suspended solids in raw sewage were higher than average values reported in the referenced literature. Contrary to that, concentration of total phosphorus in raw sewage was significantly lower than reported by other authors. The outcomes of this study suggest that the predictions concerning pollution degree of raw sewage made at WTP design stage should not be based exclusively on general values provided in literature reports.

IMPORTANCE: Although some countries have implemented widespread colonoscopy screening, most European countries have not introduced it because of uncertainty regarding participation rates, procedure-related pain and discomfort, endoscopist performance, and effectiveness. To our knowledge, no randomized trials on colonoscopy screening currently exist. OBJECTIVE: To investigate participation rate, adenoma yield, performance, and adverse events of population-based colonoscopy screening in several European countries. DESIGN, SETTING, AND POPULATION: A population-based randomized clinical trial was conducted among 94 959 men and women aged 55 to 64 years of average risk for colon cancer in Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden from June 8, 2009, to June 23, 2014. INTERVENTIONS: Colonoscopy screening or no screening. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Participation in colonoscopy screening, cancer and adenoma yield, and participant experience. Study outcomes were compared by country and endoscopist. RESULTS: Of 31 420 eligible participants randomized to the colonoscopy group, 12 574 (40.0%) underwent screening. Participation rates were 60.7% in Norway (5354 of 8816), 39.8% in Sweden (486 of 1222), 33.0% in Poland (6004 of 18 188), and 22.9% in the Netherlands (730 of 3194) (P < .001). The cecum intubation rate was 97.2% (12 217 of 12 574), with 9726 participants (77.4%) not receiving sedation. Of the 12 574 participants undergoing colonoscopy screening, we observed 1 perforation (0.01%), 2 postpolypectomy serosal burns (0.02%), and 18 cases of bleeding owing to polypectomy (0.14%). Sixty-two individuals (0.5%) were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 3861 (30.7%) had adenomas, of which 1304 (10.4%) were high-risk adenomas. Detection rates were similar in the proximal and distal colon. Performance differed significantly between endoscopists; recommended benchmarks for cecal intubation (95%) and adenoma detection (25%) were not met by 6 (17.1%) and 10 of 35 endoscopists (28.6%), respectively. Moderate or severe abdominal pain after colonoscopy was reported by 601 of 3611 participants (16.7%) examined with standard air insufflation vs 214 of 5144 participants (4.2%) examined with carbon dioxide (CO2) insufflation (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Colonoscopy screening entails high detection rates in the proximal and distal colon. Participation rates and endoscopist performance vary significantly. Postprocedure abdominal pain is common with standard air insufflation and can be significantly reduced by using CO2. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00883792

To evaluate the effect of social crowding stress on the CRH and vasopressin-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) response, both those neuropeptides were administered intracerebroventricularly and intraperitoneally to rats crowded for 3 days. Crowding stress did not affect the corticosterone response to CRH given by either route (1 μg i.c.v. or 2 μg/kg i.p.) but totally abolished or considerably diminished the response to vasopressin given i.p. (5 μg/kg) or i.c.v. (5 μg), respectively. Social crowding stress considerably impairs central vasopressin but does not change the CRH-system involved in the HPA stimulation.

In this paper we present the development of mid-infrared GaAs/AlGaAs QCLs technology and discuss basic characteristics of lasers fabricated at the Institute of Electron Technology. We also show that reliable simulation methods which can deal with the complicated physical phenomena involved in the quantum cascade lasers operation are necessary to predict the behaviour of new structures and optimize their performance. The developed lasers show the record pulse powers of 6 W at 77 K and up to 50 mW at 300 K. This has been achieved by careful optimization of the epitaxial process and by applying a high reflectivity metallic coating to the back facet of the laser. The devices have been successfully used in prototype ammonia detection system working in ppb range.

We report on the study of the temperature influence on optical and electrical performance of the mid-IR GaAs/AlGaAs QCLs. The temperature dependence of the threshold current, output power, slope efficiency, wall-plug efficiency, characteristic temperatures T0and T1, and waveguide losses is investigated. In addition, the influence of different mesa dimensions on the QCL parameters is analyzed. Experimental results clearly indicate that among the examined geometries the 25m wide mesa devices exhibit the best operational parameters i.e., the highest Tmaxand T0, highest wall-plug and slope efficiency, as well as a small temperature increases and the smallest thermal resistivity in the active area. The knowledge of the above parameters is crucial for designing GaAs/AlGaAs-based devices for high temperature operation.­¬«

We report on detailed investigation of thermal performance of AlGaAs/GaAs quantum cascade lasers (QCL) emitting at wavelength of 9.4 ìm, with a particular emphasis on the influence of different mounting options and device geometries, which are compared in terms of their influence on the relative increase of the active region temperature. The spatially resolved thermoreflectance (TR) is used to register temperature distribution over the facet of pulse operated QCLs. The devices' thermal resistances are derived from experimental data. Thermal resistances of 15 ìm devices are the highest among the investigated device widths. By combining the experimental and numerical results, an insight into the thermal management in QCLs is gained. The thermal design focuses on optimization of heat dissipation in the device, improving the thermal behavior of QCLs. This is essential in order to increase the maximal operation temperature to further progress the applications of QCLs.

We present self-consisted approach for calculating output characteristics of quantum cascade lasers. Presented model is based on the analysis of 1½ period of the structure. The model solves self-consistently Schrödinger equation, Poisson equation and a full rate equations including electron-phonon scattering, electron-electron scattering, spontaneous emission and stimulated emission. Results of calculation are in good agreement with experimental data which shows validity of the model.

Cooperative relations between Washington and Moscow do not necessarily generate security throughout Wider Europe. Much depends on Moscow's goals and vulnerabilities of Russia's neighbors. The Barack Obama administration has been criticized for neglecting the national interests of East European, South Caucasian, and Central Asian states in order to obtain Moscow's collaboration in arms control, Iranian sanctions, and maintaining a supply corridor to NATO troops in Afghanistan. Such an approach emboldens Russia's leaders to press their former Soviet subordinates into closer dependency relationships that limit their sovereignty. One major shortcoming of Obama's foreign policy is a failure to clearly articulate U.S. security interests and strategic goals in the Wider European and Central Asian regions. These include preventing regional insecurity, precluding the emergence of a regional hegemony that challenges broader American interests, and involving a diverse array of states to assist Washington in combating common threats stemming from the broader Middle East and South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the meeting of U.S. President Barack Obama and other government leaders from Central Europe regarding the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) nuclear weapons treaty in Prague, Czech Republic. It elaborates the implication of the treaty and the U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) policies. It reports on the plan of NATO's military maneuvers for Latvia in October 2010, the implication of the influential impact of NATO's defence commitments, the longevity and effectiveness of the agreement and NATO's strategic concept regarding the role of the Alliance.

Recent case reports provided alarming signals that treatment with bortezomib might be associated with cardiac events. In all reported cases, patients experiencing cardiac problems were previously or concomitantly treated with other chemotherapeutics including cardiotoxic anthracyclines. Therefore, it is difficult to distinguish which components of the therapeutic regimens contribute to cardiotoxicity. Here, we addressed the influence of bortezomib on cardiac function in rats that were not treated with other drugs. Rats were treated with bortezomib at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg thrice weekly. Echocardiography, histopathology, and electron microscopy were used to evaluate cardiac function and structural changes. Respiration of the rat heart mitochondria was measured polarographically. Cell culture experiments were used to determine the influence of bortezomib on cardiomyocyte survival, contractility, Ca2+fluxes, induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress, and autophagy. Our findings indicate that bortezomib treatment leads to left ventricular contractile dysfunction manifested by a significant drop in left ventricle ejection fraction. Dramatic ultrastructural abnormalities of cardiomyocytes, especially within mitochondria, were accompanied by decreased ATP synthesis and decreased cardiomyocyte contractility. Monitoring of cardiac function in bortezomib-treated patients should be implemented to evaluate how frequently cardiotoxicity develops especially in patients with pre-existing cardiac conditions, as well as when using additional cardiotoxic drugs.

In the present work, we use spatially resolved thermoreflectance (SR TR) to measure temperature distribution over the facet of pulsed operated quantum cascade lasers. The laser beam probes the change in the refractive index caused by current-induced heating of working device. The technique has a spatial resolution of about ∼1 μm and temperature resolution better than 1 K. It gives an insight into distribution and relative importance of heat sources within the laser. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Examines the implications of the electoral loss of former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic in October 2000 to the United States (U.S.). Interests of the U.S. in Yugoslavia; Situation in Serbia prior to the loss of Milosevic; Territorial issues.

Oxygen contamination is the main source of free electrons in bulk GaN grown at high-pressure. We used erbium as a promising getter/compensation center to reduce the electron content in GaN. Both optical and electrical measurements indicate the reduction of electron concentration from the initial 6 × 1019cm-3 down to 1 × 1019cm-3. A photoluminescence study proves that erbium is incorporated into the GaN host lattice, and emits light at ∼ 1.5μm.

Objectives:This study was designed (1) to evaluate the influence of plasma obtained from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting on L-selectin, CD11b, and CD18 expression on human neutrophils and (2) to determine the influence of the use of crystalloid or blood cardioplegia during bypass grafting on plasma-mediated expression of adhesion molecules on polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Patients and methods:Patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were divided into 2 groups to receive crystalloid or blood cardioplegic solutions. Peripheral vein, radial artery, and coronary sinus blood samples were drawn at aortic crossclamping, aortic crossclamp release, and 30 minutes after reperfusion. Human neutrophils were incubated with patients’ plasma, and the expression of CD11b, CD18, and L-selectin was determined with flow cytometry. Results:In patients receiving crystalloid cardioplegic solutions, plasma samples collected from the coronary sinus at aortic clamp release and 30 minutes thereafter induced significantly higher expression of neutrophil CD11b and CD18 than plasma samples obtained from a peripheral vein or artery at the same time points. The expression of L-selectin on polymorphonuclear neutrophils was significantly reduced with plasma obtained 30 minutes after reperfusion as compared with samples collected at aortic crossclamp release. In the group receiving blood cardioplegia, no significant differences in CD11b, CD18, or L-selectin expression were found. Conclusions:(1) Ischemia/reperfusion after coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with the release of factors capable of neutrophil activation from myocardium into the circulating blood. (2) The release of soluble stimuli for neutrophils during bypass grafting may be modified by the cardioplegic solution. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:1270-7)

We discuss some problems of molecular beam technology (MBE) technology of planar microcavities based on GaAs, AlGaAs and InGaAs compounds. This technology needs specific methods of in situ control and postgrowth characterization. One of the crucial problems is that of controlling the substrate temperature and the growth rate with very high accuracy. We demonstrate the usefulness of substrate temperature oscillations observed by infrared pyrometry for both the temperature and the growth rate control. For studying the perfection of layers and interfaces the cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy has been used. To optimize the optical characteristics of the microcavities, several experimental methods have been applied. The Bragg reflectors were investigated by optical reflectivity. For selective excitation of a quantum well (QW) in a cavity active layer, the Ti-sapphire tuneable laser have been used. The fine tuning between the QW emission and the cavity Fabry–Perot resonance has been investigated by photoluminescence for varying temperature of the sample.

Myocardial ischaemia followed by reperfusion during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is known to result in the activation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). The activation of PMN during ischaemia/reperfusion may be a result of their direct contact with activated endothelial cells and/or an effect of stimuli released from ischaemic myocardium. Increased expression of adhesion molecules on the PMN surface, after activation, leads to coronary capillary plugging with a subsequent decrease in blood flow. The purpose of the study was to evaluate plasma-mediated stimulation of PMN adhesion during CABG and to verify if endothelin-1 (ET-1), known to be a potent stimulus for PMN, is involved in stimulation of neutrophils adhesion mediated by integrins.

Deals with the role of individual leaders in eastern Europe and their involvement in the democratization and free-market transformation process after the collapse of communism. Categories of leaders; Behavior and policies implemented by leaders; Former communist leaders who have turned into autocrats and nationalists; Accomplishments of Czechoslovakian President Vaclav Havel and Hungarian President Arpad Goncz.

Analyzes the conflict in Kosovo, Serbia. Factor that intensified the conflict; Political propaganda launched by Belgrade; Stand of Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic on the conflict; Purpose of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization mission.

General Jaruzelski's regime assists Moscow's polemical offensive against the West by claiming that Poland is a victim of political subversion. The imposition of martial law in December 1981 and the suppression of democracy are elaborately justified by Warsaw with reference to political foes conspiring to destroy socialism in the country. Four scapegoats are regularly attacked—domestic opposition, previous administrations, the West, and Polish society itself—in order to attain four objectives: self-justification, diverting responsibility, crisis management, and ideological packaging. Propaganda campaigns against political scapegoats, and the implementation of policies to combat them, are important mechanisms for liquidating independent movements and extending government controls over society.

Adhesion of activated leukocytes to the endothelial cells as a result of myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion during open chest coronary artery surgery has been shown to be involved in the development of tissue damage. Activated leukocytes adhere to endothelium via adhesion molecules expressed by both cell types, resulting in the impairment of coronary capillary flow. Upon cell activation, adhesion proteins may be released in the soluble form to circulating blood. The purpose of our study was to verify whether myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion occurring during coronary artery bypass grafting results in release of the soluble adhesion molecules VCAM-1, ICAM-1, E-selectin and L-selectin into the circulation.

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InxGa1—xAs/GaAs heterostructures of various thicknesses of InxGa1—xAs layer and various indium contents were grown by means of molecular beam epitaxy on a (100)-oriented GaAs semi-insulating substrate in a Riber 32P set-up. Structural perfection of the heterostructures were determined using transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The purpose of this paper is to understand how the geometry of heterostructure and the indium content in the InxGa1—xAs layer influences the lattice perfection of the heterostructure. From the wide range of thicknesses and contents only those having practical application in devices were selected. The formation of dislocations in InxGa1—xAs/GaAs heterostructures with thin InxGa1—xAs layers, InxGa1—xAs multilayers grown on GaAs substrates and in index-graded InxGa1—xAs (x = 0.01 to 0.53) layers was studied. Conditions of the formation of defects were discussed. A mechanism of dislocation formation in index-graded InxGa1—xAs layers was proposed.

Putative involvement of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH, 1 μg/kg i.p.)- and vasopressin (AVP, 5 μg/kg i.p.)-induced ACTH and corticosterone secretion was investigated in both non-stressed and crowded rats. The NO synthase blocker Nω-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA, 2 mg/kg i.p.) significantly augmented the AVP-induced ACTH and corticosterone secretion in control and stressed rats, but it increased the CRH-induced ACTH response only in control rats. Crowding stress did not affect the l-NNA evoked increase in AVP-induced hormone responses, but it abolished the CRH-induced ACTH response.

This paper describes nonlinear dynamic inversion as an alternative design method for flight controls. The method is illustrated with super-manoeuvring control laws for the F-18 high angle-of-attack research vehicle.