Field Arrangement Research Articles

Patient-Free Simulation: Analysis of Hospitalized Patients Treated without CT Simulation

Palliative radiation therapy (RT) can be a necessary element of treatment for hospitalized cancer patients who may be critically ill. We have implemented patient-free simulation machine starts using existing diagnostic imaging for treatment planning, eliminating the need for simulation. We hypothesize machine starts reduce time in the department without detriment to clinical outcomes. An IRB-approved database of patients receiving RT was queried for hospitalized patients treated with a machine start. Variables including time on machine and in department, and clinical outcomes were collected. A binary clinical endpoint variable indicated whether the goal of RT was achieved (extubation, hemostasis, etc.). A similar cohort of inpatients receiving CT simulation and mediastinal RT was compared with the machine start group. Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between groups. Hypothesis testing for proportions was used to compare patients meeting clinical endpoints. A total of 23 patients were treated with 25 machine starts. The median age was 65 (range 43-82) and median KPS was 50. A total of 15 patients were in the intensive care unit of which 12 were mechanically ventilated (MV). The most common histology was NSCLC (14). RT was most commonly 8-10 Gy in 1 fraction (88%, range 7-30 Gy in 1-10 fractions). Field arrangement was equally weighted AP/PA fields in 84%. Treated sites were mediastinum (17), bone (3), abdomen/pelvis (2), neck (2), and brain (1). Diagnostic CT of the treatment area was obtained a median of 6 days prior to RT (0-57 days). Machine starts within 4 days of admission were significantly more likely to meet the intended clinical endpoint (87% vs 47%, p = 0.02). On day of machine start, patients' median time in the department was 32 minutes (10-141 min). Of machine starts with treatment times available (22), median time in the LINAC vault was 15 minutes (5-31 min). The median shifts from the initial CBCT were 0.9 cm in the superior-inferior direction (0-2.7 cm), left-right 0.9 cm (0-5.9 cm) and anterior-posterior 0.5 cm (0-3 cm). One patient required repeat CBCT after initial shifts. In a similar cohort of patients who underwent CT simulation followed by RT to the mediastinum, the average time in the department was 122 minutes, compared with 45 minutes for machine start patients treated to the mediastinum (p = 0.02). Primary clinical endpoint was achieved in 65% of machine starts. 61% of patients clinically improved and were stable for discharge. Of the MV patients, 42% were successfully extubated and 58% were discharged. Of patients who died (74%), average time to death was 53 days after RT (4-126 days). Among the MV subgroup, 83% died an average of 49 days from RT (4-126 days). Machine starts are a timely and accurate alternative to traditional planning with CT simulation that results in approximately 60% less time in the department. This is an acceptable RT planning technique for a population that demands greater medical attention and resources.

Evaluation of Peer Review Practice in Radiation Oncology Treatment Planning: Single Institution Experience

Pretreatment Peer review meeting at our radiation oncology department is a weekly meeting, where the initial radiation treatment (RT) planning process for every patient is discussed including: Computed Tomography (CT) simulation and treatment planning. In this study, we are aiming to evaluate our peer review process and to report the compliance to the suggested modifications. All RT plans for all patients indicated for radiotherapy accepted by the primary radiation oncology team then presented in our weekly peer review meeting for final approval. A minimum of two radiation oncologists reviewed each plan and their suggestions documented then suggested modifications are classified as changes in: field arrangement, clinical target volume (CTV), dose and fractionation. Compliance to suggested modification also recorded as: applied and not applied with or without documented justification. Atotal of 1779 radiation treatment plans were discussed in our regular weekly peer review meetings for a period of 3 years. 67.5% of them were treated with radical intent while 32.5% treated with palliative intent. The most common technique used was three-dimensional conformal (3DCRT) followed by intensity modulated RT (IMRT) (70.6% and 29.4%, respectively). The most frequently reviewed sites were: breast (38%), Gastrointestinal (11.9%) and head and neck (9.3%).1592 plans (89.48%) were labeled as: approved, 162 (9.1%) labeled as: modified and only 25 (1.4%) plans labeled as: hold. The frequency of modifications was significantly greater in breast (39.5%) than Gastrointestinal (17.9%) followed by gynecological cancers (14.2%) (P value <0.001). Modifications were more predominant with radical plans (64.2%) than palliative ones (35.8%) (P value <0.001) and statistically greater using 3DCRT (64.2%) than IMRT (35.8%) (P value <0.001). CTV recorded as the most frequent variable suggested for modifications (34.6%), followed by dose and fractionation (24.7%) (P value = 0.035). 72.2% of recommended modifications were applied by the consultant of primary team and 22.2% of non-applied modifications were justified and documented. There was 100% compliance rate to all plans labeled as hold. The practiceof peer review in radiation oncology specialty is very challenging. Its role in quality assurance of the radiotherapy process is highly accepted by radiation oncologists at our radiation oncology department. It is reflected in their high compliance rate to the suggested modifications. We recommend its implementation routinely at any radiation oncology department to enhance the quality of RT plans.

Investigating the feasibility of using Ethos generated treatment plans for head and neck cancer patients.

The Varian Ethos treatment platform is designed to automatically create complex RT treatment plans, reducing both workload and operator variability in plan quality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of Ethos-generated head and neck (H&N) treatment plans. Ethos plans were created for ten previous H&N patients and these were compared with the original clinical plans generated in Eclipse. Ethos automatically creates several plans with different field arrangements for each patient. All plans were compared quantitatively using: dose-volume metrics; dose conformity; dose heterogeneity and monitor units (MU). In addition, two H&N Oncologists assessed the clinical acceptability of the Ethos plans. Consultant 1 judged there to be at least three clinically acceptable Ethos plans for 9 out of 10 patients reviewed. Consultant 2 approved of at least two Ethos plans for 5 out of 5 patients reviewed. The Ethos plans' average dose metrics were comparable to the clinical plans. The average plan MU was similar for Eclipse and Ethos VMAT plans. The average plan MU for Ethos IMRT plans was larger with respect to all VMAT plans. The Ethos Treatment Planning system is capable of automatically creating good quality treatment plans for a range of H&N cancer patients.

Kajian Luasan Petak Sawah untuk Perencanaan Konsolidasi Lahan Persawahan

Land consolidation in Indonesia, one of which needs to be done on paddy fields, this is because Indonesia is a rice barn country where the majority of people consume rice and make rice a staple food. The arrangement of paddy fields can have an impact on the effectiveness and productivity of the land. The condition of small plots is a burden for the management and construction of rice field plots with optimum area. This research was conducted to analyze existing agricultural infrastructure in the village of Bojongpicung District, Cianjur Regency. The analysis was carried out by observing and calculating the shape and size of paddy fields through digitization in the ArcGIS application using the sampling method, then testing the uniformity of paddy plot sizes to plan the rearrangement of paddy fields and analyzing existing agricultural infrastructure. The results showed that there were 5,359 paddy fields with a total area of ​​254.63 hectares with an average paddy field size of 0.0475 hectares. The shape of the rice field plots varies and is dominated by 60% square shape. The paddy field uniformity index shows an overall 2.23%, meaning it is not uniform.

Effects of external magnetic field arrangements on thermomagnetic convection in ferrofluid around heated Micro-wire

Thermomagnetic convective cooling of a heated micro-wire in quiescent ferrofluid is experimentally investigated under various non-uniform external magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets. In the past studies, in most of the cases for this geometry the external magnetic field is applied under forced convection conditions. This work provides the first published data set of heat transfer from a microwire in quiescent ferrofluid (free convection conditions) under various arrangements of external magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets. For the different arrangements, magnetic flux density and Kelvin body force density are calculated to aid discussions of the observed effects. The experiment tracked the transient temperature rise of a heated micro-wire, highlighting effects of applied magnetic field orientation, symmetry, and strength. The results showed that greater non-uniformity in radial magnetic field could enhance the cooling effects with up to 7% reduction in the heated wire temperature rise. A magnetic field aligned with the heated wire axis produced only a minor enhancement of 3% in heat transfer in contrast to application of radial magnetic fields. Surprisingly, a stronger external magnetic field did not always result in better heat transfer. Magnetophoresis of ferro-particles induced by the external magnetic field was found to be an important consideration when using permanent magnets for ferrofluid applications.

DInSAR Data Reveal an Intriguing Contemporaneous Onset of Deep Deflation below Vesuvio and the Ongoing Campi Flegrei Uplift

Campi Flegrei and Vesuvio volcanoes are only about 25 km apart, located on opposite sides of the densely inhabited area of Naples (Italy). Since neighbouring volcanoes may influence each other’s activity, it is of great interest to identify signs of any mutual interaction between Campi Flegrei and Vesuvio, or at least note coincidences in their recent deformation dynamics. After a large uplift, Campi Flegrei was generally subsiding from 1985 to 2001, while it has been uplifting—probably driven by deep magma inflation—at an accelerating rate since then. Here, we analysed the ground displacement in the whole Vesuvian area and its surroundings around the early 2000s using 1993–2010 ERS/ENVISAT ascending- and descending-orbit line-of-sight displacements obtained through the Small BAseline Subset Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry technique. Although ground deformation is slow—a few millimetres per year—Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis shows a sudden trend change around 2001. Pre-2001 velocity maps confirm previously published results: subsidence mainly occurred inside the caldera rim—probably because of the sliding and compaction of young incoherent materials—and in a few spots around 10 km from the summital crater; eastward displacement occurred in a lobe east of Vesuvio, and westward displacement occurred in a lobe west of Vesuvio, as in the case of the spreading of the volcanic edifice and/or extensional tectonics. We attribute the subsidence spots to the previous high local number of new buildings per year. Post-2002 velocity maps provide evidence of a very different scenario: general subsidence in the whole Vesuvian area, westward displacement in a lobe east of Vesuvio, and eastward displacement in a lobe west of Vesuvio. This last arrangement of the ground displacement field is made even clearer by subtracting the post-2002 velocity from the pre-2001 value. The results of our analyses are consistent with the deflation of a deep pressurised source. Additionally, Vesuvio’s deep seismicity decreased at the beginning of 2002. The coincidence between the transition from deflation to inflation at Campi Flegrei and the onset of deflation below Vesuvio may suggest the possible transfer of magma and/or magmatic fluids between the two plumbing systems.

A mechanical-free designing method for tailoring nonlinearity in bi-stable piezoelectric energy harvesters

This paper presents a mechanical-free method for providing and tailoring the nonlinear force in bistable piezoelectric energy harvesters (BPEHs). The nonlinear force can be tailored to obtain a lower threshold for inter-well motions, or for the harvester to operate at various excitation levels and frequencies without changing the mechanical structure or the overall assembly. In BPEHs, the nonlinear force is tailored to match a specific excitation level and frequency, and the mechanical structure is designed to achieve higher strain (and thus higher output power). The design of nonlinearity can be separated from the design of the mechanical structure by using magnetic interactions. Hence, the design of nonlinearity is the arrangement of the external magnetic field of the harvester. In this paper, arranging the external magnetic field is achieved by arranging the magnetization distribution of one external magnet. With the locally demagnetizing technique, a uniformly magnetized permanent magnet can be locally demagnetized with desired patterns. The external magnetic field is provided by a locally demagnetized permanent magnet (LDPM). The nonlinear force can be tailored by simply altering the properties of the LDPM. This method converts the design of providing and tailoring the nonlinear force into the design of the LDPMs. For demonstration, we show that without increasing the distance between magnets, the potential barrier of the bistable system is dramatically reduced by using LDPMs. Melnikov’s method is utilized to show that the energy harvesters with LDPMs possess a lower threshold for homoclinic tangency than energy harvesters with a normal magnet. The influence of the parameters of the LDPMs on the energy harvesting performance is studied via simulations and experiments. Results show that without violating the mechanical part, changing the locally demagnetizing patterns can effectively change the harvester’s working frequency and excitation threshold.

Rotating magnetic field configuration for controlled particle flux in material processing applications

Abstract Plasma technology has been an integral part of the semiconductor industries, especially to achieve the desired etch and selectivity of the outcome. These outcomes depend on various factors including the confinement of the charged particles of the plasma source. One of the widely employed confinement schemes is the multipole arrangement of magnetic fields, also known as a multicusp. Such arrangement provides minimum-B field value near the plasma axis and plays significant role in plasma-based ion sources for material processing and in plasma thrusters for spacecraft applications. In the present work, a novel rotating multicusp about its axis is studied to investigate its effect on the confinement of electrons present within it. The multicusp is allowed to rotate with a finite rotational speed, in the range of 0–107 rotation per second, thus inducing an axial electric field. It will lead to a directed axial flux of the electrons, determined by the rotational speed of the multicusp. The dynamics of the electrons enclosed within a rotating multicusp have been studied to explore its radial confinement. The results are of significance for semiconductor industries and others where downstream or afterglow plasmas are utilized for material applications.

High-rate deposition of ultra-thick silver film by hollow cathode magnetron sputtering

The deposition of high-performance micro-sized ultra-thick silver films is a critical issue. Hollow cathode magnetron sputtering is one of the promising techniques for depositing ultra-thick silver films. A novel cylindrical “three-dimensional magnetron sputtering” (3-DMS) magnet pack presented here was developed based on a conventional hollow cathode magnet pack to deposit high-performance ultra-thick silver film at a high rate. A stable process condition at the average power of 4 kW is realized by the new cylindrical “3-DMS” magnet pack's 137.5 mm diameter targets and a specially designed cooling well. Comparison of deposition rates with different power supplies and at different average power levels are discussed. The behavior of electrons on the target surface in this magnetic field arrangement is investigated using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The composition, topography, mechanical properties and residual stress of the ultra-thick silver film deposited by different sputtering modes (DCMS, HIPIMS, and Pulsed DCMS) are also discussed.

Using model simulation to evaluate soil loss potential in diversified agricultural landscapes

AbstractAgricultural production is facing a challenging transition through changing political framework conditions and climate change. Innovative field use and land management through temporal and spatial diversification measures support the political efforts to achieve the European Green Deal. However, increasing precipitation intensities through climate change are leading to an increased risk of soil erosion by water. To mitigate such risk, soil erosion should be taken into account when redesigning fields and landscapes. This paper aims to assess the present erosion risk situation in the innovative on‐farm field experiment “patchCROP” with several implemented spatio‐temporal crop diversification measures (field size, flower strips, crop rotation), using the physically‐based Erosion 3D simulation model at the field scale. The modelling results showed that field reshaping from one large field into smaller field segments had the potential to reduce soil erosion. Flower strips reduced the sediment discharge to approximately half of that of small field segments without flower strips. However, as model results indicated, heterogeneous landscapes showed complex erosion and deposition patterns. To identify these, making use of physically based soil erosion models in new field arrangements is a critical future task.Highlights Evaluation of a physically based soil erosion model that can be integrated into field re‐design. Patch crop systems promise to enable higher spatial field diversification. Equal consideration of minor site‐specific topography and modified field design needed to prevent soil erosion. Physically based soil erosion models offer a powerful tool to optimise design of future cropping systems.

Optimization design method of excitation magnetic field in motion induced eddy current magnetic field testing

In the process of production or long-time use of a thin metal plate, micro defects (micro particles or pores) will be produced in its interior. The number and size of these micro defects determine the quality of the thin metal plate, affecting its service life and factor of safety. Therefore, quantitative and accurate characterization of micro defects is a necessary to ensure the quality and safety of thin metal plate products. In this work, we study the application of motion induced eddy current magnetic field testing in electromagnetic testing to detect defects in conductive material and nonmagnetic material. The simulation results show that when the lift-ff distance and the surface remanence of the permanent magnet are determined, the size of the permanent magnet is positively correlated with the amplitude of the defect detection signal. The main reason is that in a motion induced electric field without defects, the amplitude of defect detection signal is linearly related to the current density mode at each point on the defect motion path. Increasing the size of the permanent magnet can effectively improve the current density mode. As a continuation of the above results, an optimization method for excitation magnetic field in motion induced eddy current magnetic field detection is proposed. The two types of permanent magnet arrays generated by this method generate larger amplitude defect detection signals than that by simple permanent magnets with the same volume and surface residual magnetism. The experimental results show that the excitation magnetic field arrangement designed by the above optimization method increases the signal amplitude by 80%–90% compared with that by traditional method. This optimization method conduces to improving the sensitivity of motion induced eddy current magnetic field detection methods.

Diversification improves the performance of cereals in European cropping systems

In the face of climate change, cropping systems need to achieve a high performance, providing food and feed and adapting to variable environmental conditions. Diversification of cropping systems can support ecosystem services and associated biodiversity, but there is little evidence on which temporal field arrangement affects the performance of crop yields (productivity and stability), partly due to a lack of long-term data and appropriate indicators. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of cropping system diversification on yield stability, environmental adaptability, and the probability of diversified systems to outperform less diverse cereal-based systems in Europe. Spring and winter cereal yields were analyzed from long-term field experiments from Sweden, Scotland, and France. We investigated diversification through (i) introduction of perennial leys, (ii) increasing the proportion of ley in the rotation, (iii) varying the order in which crops are positioned in the rotation, (iv) introduction of grain legumes, and (v) introduction of cover crops. The results showed that cereal crops within cropping systems incorporating perennial leys outperformed systems without leys in 60–94% of the comparisons with higher probabilities at low fertilizer intensities. The yield stability of oat did not differ, but mean yields were 33% higher, when grown directly after the ley compared to oat grown two years later in the crop sequence under similar management. Durum wheat grown in a cropping system with grain legumes had higher yields in lower-yielding environmental conditions compared to rotations without legumes. Diversification with cover crops did not significantly affect yield stability. We conclude that diverse cropping systems can increase cereal productivity and environmental adaptability and are more likely to outperform less diverse systems especially when introducing perennial forage legumes into arable systems. Effects of diversification on cereal yield stability were inconsistent indicating that higher productivity is achievable without reducing yield variability. These novel findings can support the design of more diverse and high-performing cropping systems.

Design and Analysis of Spider Bionic Flow Field for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a portable and clean power generation device. The structural arrangement of the flow field has a significant influence on the delivery efficiency of PEMFC. In this article, a new bionic flow channel is designed based on the inspiration of a spider shape. The branch channel width and branch corner are studied as the focus, and its simulation is carried out by the method of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The results show that when channel width/rib width and corner of the branch are 1.5 and 130°, respectively, it is the best numerical combination and the cell comprehensive performance is excellent. The final model using this numerical combination is compared with the traditional flow channel model to verify the advancement of this scheme.

Investigation of the optimum design of magnetic field arrangement to enhance heat transfer performance of Fe3O4-water magnetic nanofluid

In this study, numerical simulations were conducted to explore the best possible magnetic field arrangement that can maximize the heat exchange performance of Fe3O4-water magnetic nanofluid. Orientation of magnets poles, number of magnets, and the distribution of magnetic field intensity over the flow path are studied to obtain the optimum design which is then tested at various values of magnetic nanoparticles volume fraction, magnetic flux density, and Reynolds number. Results indicated that the optimum design is achieved by placing magnets with N–N orientation and adjusting the magnetic flux density to increase by a rate of 100% between each two successive magnets along the path of the flow. Results also revealed that the average Nusselt number and pressure drop increase when the magnetic flux density is increased. Furthermore, it was found that the effect of increasing magnetic nanoparticles volume fraction on the heat transfer performance is higher at low Reynolds number. An increase of the average Nusselt number in the range of 16.44%–24.46% compared to the design without magnetic field was achieved when using the optimum design with an average magnetic flux density of 1000 Gauss, and magnetic nanoparticles volume fraction of 4%.

Ecologo-economic assessment of burial technologies for greenhouse gas emissions in underground geological spaces

In view of the available essential storage resources and capacities to reduce carbon footprint, Russia considers prospects for application of projects and technologies connected with burial of greenhouse gas emissions in underground geological spaces as low-carbon economy develops. The scope of the analysis embraces approaches and technologies on reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, including enhancement of energy efficiency of economy, use of renewable energy sources, utilization of solid domestic waste in power generation and arrangement of carbon fields for carbon dioxide sorption by forests and landscapes. The prerequisites and constraints of using the CCUS technologies are identified. Regarding burial of greenhouse gas emissions, the constraints include high expenses and the absence of the effective maintenance and control. For the assessment of the attractiveness and efficiency of carbon emission management projects, the article discusses benefits of increased oil recovery due to reservoir performance stimulation by carbon dioxide injection, greenhouse emission quotas and imposition of carbon tax. The ecological and economic efficiency of carbon emission management and burial project is illustrated in the context of climate change and energy transition. It is suggested to measure carbon footprint per economy sectors connected with greenhouse gas emissions (power generation, metallurgy, mining, etc.) with a view to promoting carbon neutrality of production on the basis of specific cost of reduction and management of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as from calculation of possible loss and damage because of greenhouse gas emissions and climate changes.&nbsp; The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 21-18-00500 Institutional Engineering of Monotowns in the Arctic&mdash;Modernization and Sustainable Development.

Magnetostrictive biomechanical energy harvester with a hybrid force amplifier

Vibrating energy harvesters, capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy, have attracted unprecedented interest in both academia and industry because of their great potential for harvesting energy induced by human activity and energy around the body, and to drive low-power wearable biosensors and electronics, micro-robots, and implantable biomedical devices. In this paper, based on the magnetostrictive inverse effect, we propose a magnetostrictive vibration harvester using Terfenol-D, which generates electrical energy when subjected to human movement. A hybrid force amplification frame is integrated in this harvester to amplify weak biological movements. The detailed mathematical model of the multi-stage force amplification process is established, the hybrid force amplifier is also designed in detail, and its structural dimensions are optimized. The position and form of the bias magnetic field arrangement based on the Terfenol-D harvester is systematically analyzed. The experiment shows that 4.13 V peak voltage and 426.4 mW peak power are generated when the harvester is fully compressed. The output power is 213.16 mW and 371.43 mW at an average acceleration of 2.5 g for slow walking and 4 g for jogging, respectively. The results of this study suggest that the combination of rod Terfenol-D and force amplification mechanisms can be used to design bio-vibrational energy harvester with excellent performance, which is especially suitable for self-powered wearable electronic devices.

Usability of information systems: Experiences of outpatient physicians, outpatient nurses, and open care social welfare professionals from three large cross-sectional surveys in Finland

BackgroundMany European countries are integrating healthcare and social welfare services; some also include joint information systems (ISs) in this process. Despite this, large national survey studies examining and comparing the experiences of the major professional groups regarding the usability of their health (HISs) and client information systems (CISs) are lacking. MethodsWe combined the responses from three national cross-sectional surveys conducted among physicians and nurses in 2017, and social welfare professionals (SWPs) in 2019 in Finland. We selected the responses of 1,826 physicians and 774 nurses working in outpatient clinics in specialized and primary care, and 669 social workers and other SWPs working in open services. The questionnaires were adjusted from a validated instrument. In this study, we analyzed 11 usability-related statements. ResultsThe healthcare professionals (HPs) were more critical of the stability and responsiveness of their ISs than the SWPs (27–48% vs 58–65% agreed). The physicians were most dissatisfied with IS support for routine tasks (24–26% agreed). Less than half of all respondents agreed with statements concerning the ease of documentation, arrangement of fields, and terminology. While the HPs were satisfied with IS support for collaboration and information exchange between professionals in the same organization, all professional groups were dissatisfied with cross-organizational support and communication with patients and clients. Almost half of the HPs considered that HISs improve the quality of care, but 80% of the SWPs disagreed that CISs help improve the quality of services. ConclusionsOverall, the physicians, nurses, and SWPs were dissatisfied with the usability of their HISs and CISs. Based on our findings, ISs should be further developed to support routine tasks, inter- and cross-organizational collaboration, and information exchange. ISs for the integration of care and services should be designed to accommodate various professional groups’ different work contexts and needs.

Fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide on silica optical fiber with nanopore channels oriented off surface normal

AbstractAluminum coating on silica optical fiber was anodized by applying an electric field off‐axis to surface normal of the fiber coating with simulation of the electric field lines between angularly positioned anode and cathode as a guide. The nanostructure features, including nanopore orientation, of the resultant anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. This unique off‐axis electric field arrangement enabled the formation of AAO with uniformly tilted nanopore channel arrays. Nanopore channels with tilting angles around 10°–20° relative to surface normal of AAO were obtained. These results are in general agreement with the simulated electric field lines between the anode and cathode.

Influence of Long-Term Mine Activity on Hydraulic Relations between Separate Hydrogeological Units—New Aspects of Regional Water Circulation Assessment

In the course of the documentation works aimed at updating exploitable resources of the groundwater intake, an unexpected change in hydrodynamic field arrangement was observed in a fragment of the area. In relation to the observations made so far, lasting several decades, the groundwater table switched its slope, indicating the flow in the opposite direction than originally. Initially, in the range of the surveyed hydrogeological structure, no object was identified whose draining character could cause such an effect. No significant groundwater extraction or drainage points were documented within a radius of several kilometers. It was only the extended scope of spatial analysis that made it possible to identify the probable cause of a local change in the water table position as a mining pit located in the neighboring hydrogeological structure. The two adjacent hydrogeological structures treated separately so far revealed an experimentally confirmed hydraulic connection. An in-depth analysis of the problem showed the necessity of modifying the existing model of the structure in order to map the observed interactions. An additional simulation module of General-Head Boundary type was applied. The quantity of lateral groundwater exchange between two hydrogeological structures was estimated using mathematical modeling at 3.4 thousand m3/d (reconstructed current state, after model calibration). Further work should aim at treating reservoirs as hydraulically connected after exceeding limiting parameters.

Thematic structure of the verbal borrowings going out of use in the New Polish period

The subject matter of this paper is the thematic structure of the verbal borrowings going out of use in the New Polish period. An extensive material (of 760 positions) was collected based on SJPD (Doroszewski’s Dictionary of Polish) and encompasses lexical units designated with chronological labels. The foreign origin of the words was verifi ed in dictionaries of foreign words. The text presents the quantitative and qualitative arrangement of lexical and semantic fi elds. The research has shown that nearly a half of the analysed material, i.e. the borrowed verbs going out of use, belonged to the fi eld «human being in a society», and primarily to the following sub-fi elds: ‹interpersonal relationships› and ‹social relationships›.