Enhanced Detection of Suspicious Breast Lesions: A Comparative Study of Full-Field Digital Mammography and Automated Breast Ultrasound in 117 Patients with Core Needle Biopsy

BACKGROUND This retrospective study from a single center aimed to compare the performance of full-field digital mammography (FFDM) vs automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) in the identification and characterization of suspicious breast lesions in 117 patients who underwent core-needle biopsy (CNB) of the breast. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study involved a group of 301 women. Every patient underwent FFDM followed by ABUS, which were assessed in concordance with BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) classification. RESULTS No focal lesions were found in 168 patients. In 133 patients, 117 histopathologically verified focal lesions were found. Among them, 78% appeared to be malignant and 22% benign. ABUS detected 246 focal lesions, including 115 classified as BI-RADS 4 or 5 and submitted to verification, while FFDM revealed 122 lesions, including 75 submitted to verification. The analysis revealed that combined application of both methods caused sensitivity to increase to 100, and improved accuracy improvement. Margin assessments in these examinations are consistent (P<0.00), the lesion's margin type with both methods depends on its malignant or benign character (P<0.03), lesion margins distribution on ABUS depends on estrogen receptor presence (P=0.033), and there was significant correlation between malignant character of the lesion and retraction phenomenon sign (P=0.033). ABUS obtained higher compliance between the size of the lesion in histopathology compared to FFDM (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results shows that ABUS is comparable to FFDM, and even outperforms it in a few of the analyzed categories, suggesting that the combination of these 2 methods may have an important role in breast cancer detection.

The Role of Victim's Resilience and Self-Esteem in Experiencing Internet Hate

Despite the growing prevalence of research on Internet hate, little is still known about the psychological factors that differentiate those who are negatively affected by being subjected to Internet hate and those who are not affected at all or only to a small degree. In the present studies, we aimed to verify if resilience and self-esteem could be predictors of such responses. A total of 60 public figures (politicians, athletes, and artists; 46.7% women) and 1128 ordinary Internet users (25.1% women) participated in the study. Participants completed The Brief Resilience Scale, The Self-Esteem Scale, and The Internet Hate Concern Scale, which was created for this study, and determined how often they experience hate online. The results showed that the public figures experience Internet hate more often but were less concerned with it than the ordinary Internet users, who received online hate less often, but were more worried about it. In both groups, high self-esteem and high resilience were negative predictors of greater concern with received online hate. Our study is the first step to understanding what makes the difference between people who cope well and are not particularly concerned, and people who are greatly affected by received Internet hate.

Defining Online Hating and Online Haters

According to a view widely held in the media and in public discourse more generally, online hating is a social problem on a global scale. However, thus far there has been little scientific literature on the subject, and, to our best knowledge, there is even no established scholarly definition of online hating and online haters in the first place. The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a new perspective on online hating by, first, distinguishing online hating from the phenomena it is often confused with, such as trolling, cyberstalking, and online hate speech, and, second, by proposing an operational definition of online hating and online haters based on ethnographic interviews and surveys of the existing scholarly literature.

Stress and self-efficacy as specific predictors of safety at work in the aviation sector

BACKGROUND

The article addresses the issue of attitudes towards safety at work in the context of subjective variables such as psychological stress and the subjective self-efficacy of workers in the aviation sector. The research was exploratory in nature. It focused on capturing the individual experiences of ground handling staff at Polish and Slovak airports. Among the 326 people surveyed were engineers, firefighters, mechanics and electricians - a crew that works in difficult and threatening working conditions on a daily basis, often experiencing unexpected accidents and breakdowns. The psychosocial factors in industry 4.0 and this branch of industry itself are - according to the authors - verified empirically quite poorly. Taking care of safety at work and strengthening a positive attitude towards safety seems to be a key aspect of management in such units.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The Polish Questionnaire of Attitude towards Safety by M. Znajmiecka-Sikora, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale and the Plopa and Makarowski Stress Feeling Questionnaire were used in the research.

RESULTS

The statistical analyses carried out, including regression analyses and a model of analysis of mediation between variables, have indicated that this sense of effectiveness is a key positive predictor of every aspect related to strengthening attitudes towards safety (a cognitive aspect [β = 0.21, p < 0.001], an affective aspect [β = 0.15, p = 0.001] and a behavioral aspect [β = 0.15, p = 0.002]), as well as the overall level of attitude towards safety (β = 0.19, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The sense of effectiveness is an important mediator between the level of perceived stress and attitudes towards safety, which means that as the subjectively perceived sense of self-efficacy increases, the level of experienced stress decreases and thus the positive attitude towards safe actions and behaviors in the workplace is strengthened. Med Pr. 2021;72(5):479-87.

Three-dimensional high-resolution anorectal manometry: cut-off values for diagnosis of dyssynergic defecation in children

OBJECTIVE

Dyssynergic defecation (DD) may be one of the most important causes of constipation, but its diagnostic criteria have not been formally validated in children. This study aims to evaluate constipated children with 3DHRAM (three-dimensional high-resolution anorectal manometry) and determine a new pediatric cut-off for DD variables.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

205 patients diagnosed with functional constipation (FC) based on Rome III criteria were prospectively enrolled. Data were compared to a historical control group (C). Initially, the diagnosis of DD was based on adult criteria and divided into 4 types. A new cut-off value for percent anal relaxation was determined based on ROC curve analysis.

RESULTS

The FC group presented significantly lower values of percent anal relaxation during straining compared to the C group (9.5% vs. 20%, respectively, p=0.03). Based on adult criteria, DD was found in 53% of the FC group and 46% of the C group (p=0.3), with type II occurring most frequently (35.8%). New cut-off value of 31% for percent anal relaxation in children was derived based on the ROC curve analysis. Based on this new cut-off value, DD was diagnosed in 69.3% of constipated children, with type IV occurring most frequently (28.9%). The analysis of segmental pressure showed significant influence of segments at the locations of the puborectalis muscle and external anal sphincter.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that during bear down maneuver the percent anal relaxation variable significantly differed between patients and controls. The higher cut-off value should be used when 3DHRAM and the standard four-type classification are used to diagnose DD in children.

Predictors of the feeling of stress in the aviation industry

BACKGROUND

Employees in the aviation sector constitute an especially interesting professional group due to a lack of empirical data on their psychological functioning, and the fact that this industry is currently experiencing a phase of dynamic development. However, taking into consideration the automation and specific qualities of the sector, human resources should be given much more attention as they are constantly challenged and face diverse difficulties at work while cooperating in various organic and non-organic teams.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 326 employees of Pyrzowice (Poland), Szymany (Poland), and Košice (Slovakia) airports (however, people employed at the Polish airports were predominant, N = 250). The average age of the participants was 39.3 years, and the sample was predominantly male (N = 278, 85.3%). During the research procedure, the following questionnaires were used: the Feeling of Threat in the Workplace Questionnaire, the Feeling of Stress Questionnaire, the 10-Item Personality Inventory, and the Mini-COPE Stress Inventory.

RESULTS

The regression analysis indicated that personality variables did not allow for predicting the level of stress. However, the helplessness-oriented style (β = 0.191, p = 0.004), avoidant behaviors (β = 0.244, p < 0.001), and the feeling of threat (β = 0.147, p = 0.009) were significant predictors of the feeling of stress, and their high level corresponded with a higher level of stress. The final model explained 23% of the total variance in the feeling of stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results, practical recommendations should concern developing employees' skills related to monitoring stressors and strengthening proactivity in difficult or threatening situations. Such proactive strategies may decrease the tendency to use avoidant and helplessness-oriented behaviors that may cause a higher level of stress perceived by employees. Also, the authors recommend providing training and support using some cognitive behavioral techniques because it seems that the regular application of those methods supports the development of agency and control while facing challenging situations. Med Pr. 2021;72(5).

Quantitative determination of spin-orbit-induced magnetic field in GaMnAs by field-scan planar Hall measurements

Spin-orbit-induced (SOI) effective magnetic field in GaMnAs film with in-plane magnetic anisotropy has been investigated by planar Hall effect measurements. The presence of SOI field was identified by a shift between planar Hall resistance (PHR) hystereses observed with positive and negative currents. The difference of switching fields occurring between the two current polarities, which is determined by the strength of the SOI field, is shown to depend on the external field direction. In this paper we have developed a method for obtaining the magnitude of the SOI fields based on magnetic free energy that includes the effects of magnetic anisotropy and the SOI field. Using this approach, the SOI field for a given current density was accurately obtained by fitting to the observed dependence of the switching fields on the applied field directions. Values of the SOI field obtained with field scan PHR measurements give results that are consistent with those obtained by analyzing the angular dependence of PHR, indicating the reliability of the field scan PHR method for quantifying the SOI-field in GaMnAs films. The magnitude of the SOI field systematically increases with increasing current density, demonstrating the usefulness of SOI fields for manipulation of magnetization by current in GaMnAs films.

Multiple probabilistic traveling salesman problem in the coordination of drug transportation-In the context of sustainability goals and Industry 4.0

Improving the effectiveness of route planning, especially in road transport deliveries is a challenge we need to face in the context of advancing climate change and the sustainable development goals. The main aim of the paper is to demonstrate the above average and utilitarian significance of the multiple probabilistic traveling salesman problem (MPTSP) in the coordination and modeling of sustainable product transportation, which is a novelty at the theoretical, conceptual, methodological and empirical level. We propose a new, hybrid algorithm of solving MPTSP instances (it connects harmony search, k-means and 2-opt), which can be successfully used in economic practice for coordination and modeling of Industry 4.0. The effectiveness of proposed approach is tested using a case study of drugs distribution services and datasets obtained from the transportation enterprise located in Poland. The study focuses on the issue of planning routes, with particular emphasis on the changing demand of customers. It should be stressed that this work may be of interest to researchers but also to management practitioners. The value added of this research lies in the innovative modeling the coordination of sustainable drug transportation as an instance of MPTSP and proposing an effective method to solve it. The main research results confirm that proposed method contributes to overall sustainability of studied supply chain.

Two--year prognosis of patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure in a district general hospital

BACKGROUND

Patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) exacerbation tend to have a poor prognosis. Most previous studies were performed in large clinical centers and detailed analyses of patients with HF hospitalized in district general hospitals are lacking.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes of patients admitted with HF exacerbation to a district general hospital.

METHODS

We retrospectively enrolled patients hospitalized for HF exacerbation in the years 2010 to 2011 (191 patients) and 2016 to 2017 (203 patients). The primary and secondary endpoints were all‑cause mortality and rehospitalization due to HF exacerbation, respectively, within a 2‑year follow‑up.

RESULTS

Compared with patients hospitalized from 2010 to 2011, those hospitalized from 2016 to 2017 had more favorable clinical parameters and more appropriate pharmacological treatment; however, the rate of implantable cardioverter‑defibrillator and resynchronization device use remained low. The overall mortality decreased from 44% between 2010 and 2011 to 33% between 2016 and 2017 (P = 0.03), but the number of rehospitalizations increased from 26% to 41%, respectively (P <0.001). Male sex, low systolic blood pressure, symptoms of right HF, and renal dysfunction were independent risk factors for the primary endpoint. Symptoms of right HF, renal dysfunction, left ventricular ejection fraction below 24%, and low systolic blood pressure independently predicted the secondary endpoint.

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of patients hospitalized for decompensated HF in a regional district hospital was poor. Despite some improvement in pharmacological treatment, which probably led to reduced all‑‑cause mortality, there was a low rate of implantable electronic device use and a high rate of rehospitalizations due to HF exacerbation, which needs further elucidation.

Exchange bias in ferromagnetic bilayers with orthogonal anisotropies: the case of GaMnAsP/GaMnAs combination

We report the observation of exchange bias in a ferromagnetic Ga0.94Mn0.06As0.77P0.23/ Ga0.94Mn0.06As bilayer, in which the easy axis in one layer is oriented out-of-plane, and in the other in-plane. Magnetization reversal in this system is explored using planar Hall effect (PHE) measurements under various initial conditions and with various field-cooling orientations. Our results show that the two magnetic layers are ferromagnetically exchange-coupled, and that such coupling results in pronounced exchange-bias-like shifts of magnetic hysteresis loops during reversal of in-plane magnetization. The presence of exchange bias in this system can be understood on the basis of magnetic closure domains formed in the layer with the out-of-plane easy axis.

Judgment of the morality of an individual responsible for a fatal workplace accident involving subordinates

Background

The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that additional information about the perpetrator responsible for the death of subordinates at the workplace may influence the assessment of morality. The article contains the results of an empirical study conducted among young adult working Silesians (N = 262), who were asked to evaluate the morality of the person responsible for the decision, in line with which miners had started working on 6th October 2014. On that day miners died following an explosion in the “Mysłowice-Wesoła” methane mine in the Polish Silesia region.

Material and Methods

The study explored the stories’ method (from the moral psychology domain) as well as a short questionnaire. The respondents received information about the behavior of the perpetrator as well as emotions (socially desirable and undesirable) and (socially desirable and undesirable) views in the form of brief descriptions (stories). They were asked to evaluate the perpetrator’s morality.

Results

The socially desirable views of the evaluated perpetrator (lack of acceptance for the situation) and the socially desirable emotions (guilt) significantly increased the level of morality according to participants. A single piece of information about the socially desirable emotions didn’t significantly increase the perceived level of perpetrator’s morality; neither did a single piece of information about socially desirable views.

Conclusions

Results indicate the important role of additional information about emotions and views of the perpetrator in the process of assessing morality. It is worthwhile to implement the practical implications of this study in similar crisis situations at the workplace. Med Pr 2018;69(3):261–267.

[Assessment of work environment vs. feeling of threat and aggravation of stress in job of a high risk - An attempt of organizational intervention]

BACKGROUND

The main purpose of this article was to examine, whether and to what extend an assessment of work environment and feeling of threat are associated with stress at work performed in health- and life-threatening conditions. Previous studies of the determinants of occupational stress have been carried out in relation to representatives of different occupational groups that are not, however, representatives of one organization. The research was also meant to provide practical guidance for a particular employer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was carried out in the factory of explosives. It involved 95 randomly selected employees of the production departments. Subjective evaluation of work was performed by the examined persons in the Areas of Worklife Survey. It allows to assess the functioning of the employee in the workplace and to recognize the discrepancies between the requirements of the organization and the needs, aspirations and abilities of the examined person. Feeling of insecurity at work was defined by using the Feeling of Danger at Work Survey. The level of stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10).

RESULTS

The workload and feeling of danger are relevant to the stress felt by the employees. The workload is also the mediator of the relations between the sense of danger and the stress felt by the examined employees.

CONCLUSIONS

At the level of manufacturing process management in an organization, there is a need to reduce the negative impact of physical and mental strain associated with haste and uncertainty. Med Pr 2018;69(1):45-58.

Controlling the Curie temperature in (Ga,Mn)As through location of the Fermi level within the impurity band

The ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As has emerged as the most studied material for prototype applications in semiconductor spintronics. Because ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As is hole-mediated, the nature of the hole states has direct and crucial bearing on its Curie temperature T(C). It is vigorously debated, however, whether holes in (Ga,Mn)As reside in the valence band or in an impurity band. Here we combine results of channelling experiments, which measure the concentrations both of Mn ions and of holes relevant to the ferromagnetic order, with magnetization, transport, and magneto-optical data to address this issue. Taken together, these measurements provide strong evidence that it is the location of the Fermi level within the impurity band that determines T(C) through determining the degree of hole localization. This finding differs drastically from the often accepted view that T(C) is controlled by valence band holes, thus opening new avenues for achieving higher values of T(C).

Origin of magnetic circular dichroism in GaMnAs: giant zeeman splitting versus spin dependent density of states

We present a unified interpretation of experimentally observed magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) in the ferromagnetic semiconductor (Ga,Mn)As, based on theoretical arguments, which demonstrates that MCD in this material arises primarily from a difference in the density of spin-up and spin-down states in the valence band brought about by the presence of the Mn impurity band, rather than being primarily due to the Zeeman splitting of electronic states.

Magnetic scattering of spin polarized carriers in (In, Mn)Sb dilute magnetic semiconductor

Magnetoresistance measurements on the magnetic semiconductor (In, Mn)Sb suggest that magnetic scattering in this material is dominated by isolated Mn2+ ions located outside the ferromagnetically ordered regions when the system is below T(c). A model is proposed, based on the p-d exchange between spin-polarized charge carriers and localized Mn2+ ions, which accounts for the observed behavior both below and above the ferromagnetic phase transition. The suggested picture is further verified by high-pressure experiments, in which the degree of magnetic interaction can be varied in a controlled way.

Monitoring statistical magnetic fluctuations on the nanometer scale

Statistical fluctuations of the magnetization are measured on the nanometer scale. As the experimental monitor we use the characteristic photoluminescence signal of a single electron-hole pair confined in one magnetic semiconductor quantum dot, which sensitively depends on the alignment of the magnetic ion spins. Quantitative access to statistical magnetic fluctuations is obtained by analyzing the linewidth broadening of the single dot emission. Our all-optical technique allows us to address a magnetic moment of only approximately equal 100 micro(B) and to resolve statistical changes on the order of a few micro(B).

Dynamical spin response in semimagnetic quantum dots

The dynamical response of a paramagnetic spin system to the exchange field of quasi-zero-dimensional electron-hole pairs in semiconductor quantum dots is investigated by time-resolved spectroscopy. The spin response time is extracted from the transient spectral shift of the photoluminescence signal caused by the dynamical spin alignment of magnetic ions incorporated in the crystal matrix. The formation of this ferromagnetically aligned spin complex is demonstrated to be surprisingly stable as compared to bulk systems, even at elevated temperatures and high external magnetic fields.

Evidence for 2D precursors and interdiffusion in the evolution of self-assembled CdSe quantum dots on ZnSe

The evolution of self-assembled CdSe quantum dots deposited on (and subsequently capped by) ZnSe was investigated on a series of samples grown by molecular beam epitaxy, with CdSe coverages from 0.5 to 2.6 monolayers. The samples were investigated by cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy, as well as macro- and microphotoluminescence. The results clearly indicated a coexistence of 2D ZnCdSe platelets and 3D islands, showing clearly that the platelets act as precursors for the formation of the 3D islands.

[Kniest syndrome associated with eye abnormalities]

Development anomalies are described in a child involving the osteoarticular system and organ of vision. They were compared with the abnormalities described by other authors. The observed sings were recognized as belonging to the syndrome described in the literature as Kniest disease.