Gdansk University Research Articles

Transanal Endorectal Pull-Through for Hirschsprung's Disease: Complications and Lessons from Our Practice and the Literature.

Hirschsprung's disease (HD) is a congenital disorder characterised by the absence of ganglion cells in the distal bowel, resulting in functional obstruction. The transanal endorectal pull-through (TEPT) procedure, a minimally invasive approach, aims to treat HD by removing the aganglionic segment. This study assessed the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of single-stage TEPT in paediatric patients, focusing on postoperative complications, bowel function, and quality of life. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 150 children who underwent single-stage TEPT from January 2005 to December 2023 at the Medical University of Gdansk. Data were collected from medical records, including demographics, preoperative assessments, surgical details, postoperative management, and follow-up outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel 365 and the programming language Python 3.12. The mean age at surgery was 13 months, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.75:1. The mean operative time was 129 min, and the mean hospital stay was seven days. Postoperative complications included anastomotic leak (4%), wound infections (15%), and enterocolitis (26%). Redo surgeries were required in 18% of cases due to persistent constipation and obstructive symptoms. This article includes a comprehensive review of the literature. TEPT demonstrates a favourable safety profile and efficacy in treating HD, though significant concerns include complications such as enterocolitis and the need for additional surgeries. Surgical expertise and thorough preoperative and postoperative management are crucial to optimising patient outcomes.

Evaluating the Impact of Gamification on Learning Effectiveness in Technical Vocabulary Instruction

With the rise of digital education, the integration of gamified elements has emerged as a potential strategy to enhance student engagement and comprehension in various academic disciplines. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of gamification on learning effectiveness in the domain of technical vocabulary instruction during an online course. A mixed-methods approach was employed, involving data collection from students enrolled on an online technical vocabulary programme offered by the Language Centre at Gdansk University of Technology. A quantitative analysis of placement test scores, the frequency of using course material and final grades was conducted to understand their impact on learning outcomes, and data from surveys provided insights into students' perceptions and experiences with gamified activities. The findings indicate that the incorporation of gamification positively influenced learning effectiveness during the online course. Participants demonstrated higher levels of motivation, active participation, and a deeper understanding of technical terminology achieved through gamified interactions. The study's outcomes contribute to the growing body of research on gamification's potential benefits in online learning environments, especially in the context of technical vocabulary instruction, and offer valuable implications for educators and course designers seeking innovative approaches to optimize learning experiences in virtual settings.

Experimental test results of an automatic voltage regulator with independent phase voltage controller

The growing number of distributed renewable energy sources and dynamic constant-power loads (e.g. electric vehicle charging stations) pose new challenges for network operators. These changes result in alterations to network load profiles and load flows, leading to greater voltage volatility. One effective solution to these problems can be the use of automatic voltage regulators (AVRs), which stabilize and symmetrize voltage output, whether at distribution transformers (DTs) or elsewhere in the distribution network. The device developed by the authors consists of two bidirectional power converters and three single-phase transformers connected in series to the low-voltage grid as a stabilizer. The proposed control system provides accurate and fast regulation of the AVR’s output voltage (within the range of ±10% of the nominal grid voltage), with each phase being independently adjusted, regardless of the type of power load. The article includes test results demonstrating selected functionalities of the developed AVR. The physical model of the device discussed in the article is a research component of the LINTE2 laboratory of the Gdansk University of Technology.

Retrospective EPR dosimetry in glass and tooth enamel – The methodology and results of MUG group in RENEB 2021 inter-laboratory comparison

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) is recognized method in retrospective dosimetry, based on detection of stable paramagnetic centres induced by radiation in biological materials, like enamel, bones, nails, or artificial materials, like glasses and other. EPR dosimetry in glass and enamel were included, in addition to several biological dosimetry tests, in the recent intercomparison project RENEB ILC 2021 as one of the physical dosimetry methods potentially applicable for dose assessment in radiation accidents. EPR group from Medical University of Gdansk (MUG) was one of participants in this intercomparison. The participants reconstructed doses in three blinded samples of watch glass, Gorilla Glass from phone screens and in enamel irradiated with 0 Gy, 1.2 Gy and 3.5 Gy (these doses were revealed after reporting the final results by all participants). For reconstruction of doses in the glass samples the respective calibration samples were provided by organizers of the ILC project. For dosimetry in enamel the participants used their own calibration data. The doses reconstructed by us in the blinded samples (in terms of kerma in air) were: in watch glass: −0.05 Gy, 1.03 Gy, 3.16 Gy, in Gorilla Glass: −0.03 Gy, 1.20 Gy, 3.44 Gy, in enamel: 0.1 Gy, 1.3 Gy, 3.1 Gy. The differences between the reconstructed and the nominal doses were small and the accuracy was sufficient for triage of irradiated people at the level of 1–2 Gy. The small sample mass of the enamel, suitable rather to Q-band EPR dosimetry and potentially available without whole tooth extraction, allowed to obtain satisfactory accuracy of EPR dosimetry also in the X-band measurements.

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

European Journal of Geography (Year 2023): Reviewer Appreciation & Publication Recap

Electrochemistry and Electronic Structure of the Deuterium-Grown Boron-Doped Diamond Interfaces

Integration of the first principles quantum mechanical simulations with electrochemistry represents a difficult research area due to the complexity and large size of real systems and computational limitations. On the one hand it is highly desirable to be able to predict electrochemical properties of materials and systems from simulations to limit the money expenditure for experimental work and accelerate applications [1]. On the other hand, utilization of ab-initio simulations to understand the experimentally observed phenomena is also required to embed them into a solid theoretical framework.To fulfill this task, several multiscale approaches are used with the density functional theory (DFT) being fundamental tool for investigation of electronic structure. DFT results can be further extended to build forcefields used in molecular dynamics (MD) [2] for larger scale simulations and non-equillibrium Green's functions for investigations of electronics and spintronics of nanodevices [3]. Semiconductor electrochemistry is one of the most important areas to explore this experiment-theory interface because of the necessity to develop new materials for photovoltaics, photoelectrochemistry, energy storage and conversion. The purpose of the following talk is to show the power of this paradigm by elucidation of the deuterium-grown boron doped diamond (BDD-D) material [4].A brief introduction to the material synthesis, chemical and physical properties is provided exploiting the synchrotron data of X-Ray absorption spectroscopy and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Then, a strong emphasis is put into merging the (photo)electrochemical data with the first principle results for better understanding of charge transfer phenomena in the nanoscale. Specifically, DFT calculations of projected local density of states clearly show the presence of highly occupied surface states on the (111) plane of BDD-D in contrast to its standard hydrogen-grown counterpart (BDD-H). The resulting surface states are capable of photocurrent generation in the visible light, which is strongly magnified in BDD-D. Moreover, photoelectrochemical measurements evidenced that photocurrents can be positive or negative depending on the bias - despite BDD being a p-type semiconductor. These confirm a profound role of surface states in the semiconductor electrochemistry and capability of photoinduced charge transfer in the modified materials. The proposed picture shines some new light on the commonly established paradigm of band bending as the key factor driving surface properties of the nanodiamond surfaces [5]. Figure. SEM images of a) BDD@D and b) BDD@H; c) grain size distribution among two samples; d) XRD patterns of the diamond films deposited in the D2/CH4 and H2/CH4 gas mixtures. Reflections at 2θ around 44°, 75°, and 91° correspond to the (111), (220), and (311) diamond lattice planes, respectively. Doubling of the reflections is related to the presence of Kα1 and Kα2 wavelengths in the X-ray radiation [4]. Acknowledgements: M.S., M.B., and M.F. thank Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) for the allocation of synchrotron radiation beamtime at HZB (Germany). M.S. gratefully acknowledges the financial support of these studies fromthe Gdansk University of Technology through the DEC-02/2021/IDUB/ II.1/AMERICIUM grant under the Americium – “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program. R.B. acknowledges the funding from the National Science Centre, Poland under the OPUS call in the Weave programme (Project number: 2021/43/I/ST7/03205).

Publication Activity of Public Higher Education Institutions in Poland Corresponding to the Idea of Sustainable Energy Development – Results of a Cluster Analysis

Abstract Objective The aim of the article is to present the involvement of public Higher Education Institutions in Poland in popularizing the idea of sustainable development within the framework of their publishing activities. Methodology In this study, agglomerative clustering approach, which is a representative of the hierarchical method, was used. The distance between selected public Higher Education Institutions in Poland was determined based on the Squared Euclidean Distance. In turn, to estimate the distance between clusters, the Ward method was used. The study used three parameters, constructed from data taken from SciVal: (1) total number of publications, (2) citation count, and (3) field-weighted citation impact. Findings Three groups of Polish public HEIs were distinguished as a result of the cluster analysis that was performed (based on: the total number of publications, the citation count, and the field-weighted citation impact). The most publication-productive were seven technical universities, i.e., Warsaw University of Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, Silesian University of Technology, AGH University of Science and Technology, Lodz University of Technology, Poznan University of Technology, and Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. The publications prepared by the employees of the universities of technology were also characterized by the highest number of citations. Value Added This article is one of the first to present (in quantitative terms) the involvement of universities in popularizing sustainable energy development concept. The methodology used in it can be applied to the other Sustainable Development Goals. Recommendations Given the increasing importance of the concept of sustainability in the functioning of universities, it seems necessary to create tools to measure the degree of their involvement in popularizing this idea. Among other things, universities are obliged to share their knowledge in this area. Bibliometric data provided by the SciVal system may be helpful in this regard. It is necessary to conduct research taking into account both domestic and foreign universities.

Fatty acid analysis in serum of patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular disease undergoing lipoprotein apheresis

Fatty acid analysis in serum of patients with elevated lipoprotein(a) and cardiovascular disease undergoing lipoprotein apheresis

Photos and rendered images of LEGO bricks

The paper describes a collection of datasets containing both LEGO brick renders and real photos. The datasets contain around 155,000 photos and nearly 1,500,000 renders. The renders aim to simulate real-life photos of LEGO bricks allowing faster creation of extensive datasets. The datasets are publicly available via the Gdansk University of Technology “Most Wiedzy” institutional repository. The source files of all tools used during the creation of the dataset were made publicly available via GitHub repositories. The images, both photos and the renders were annotated with the unique brick ID and category from the official LEGO catalog. The proposed datasets are stored in easy-to-read formats and are labeled via directory structure allowing easy manipulation and conversion of metadata to other formats.

Authoritative and Class-Sensitive Parents: Parental Identities Shaped through Personal and Political Transitions

Memories that support our identity usually appear in narratives that we produce. This article presents research findings based on the analysis of biographical narratives of parents involved in the project entitled Parents, school and educational transition in Poland: 1989–2009 (University of Gdansk, 2006–2009). The parents told stories about their childhood (and school education in the former system) and about their parenthood by which they experienced the new social order (and their children’s school education). Being interested in identity work in the light of memory processes, the author analysed parts of interviews that reflect a specific type of influential memory. It resulted in a descriptive reconstruction of the parental identity, strongly informed by the parents’ recollections of their own school experience. On the one hand, memories seem to shape parents’ approaches to the teaching staff and the school. On the other hand, they show what parents learned throughout their transition from childhood to parenthood. Some aspects of identity remain the same, regardless of changing social and political contexts and regardless of personal educational transition. Still, parental identity, based solidly in the past, may determine the future of school education, particularly in terms of family – school partnerships.

Anxiety and coping during COVID-19. Investigation of anxiety management types in a German and Polish sample.

The study aimed to assess the differences in anxiety management types between German and Polish samples. The research was conducted in the context of health-related variables and anxiety management types during the period of March to April 2020. The research project was approved by the Ethical Committee at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Gdansk, Poland. German Sample: Consisted of 323 subjects with an average age of 46 years. 73% were females, and 26% were males. Polish Sample: Included 100 subjects with an average age of 42 years. 73% were females, and 27% were males. The study collected data on various health-related variables and anxiety management types using specific measurement procedures. There were significant differences in the frequency distribution of anxiety management types between the Polish and German samples (p < .001). In the Polish sample, 60% showed negative anxiety management types (Sensitizer, Repressor, Highly anxious), compared to the German sample with 52%. 40% of the Polish and 48% of the German sample showed positive expressions. There were stronger significant differences in both samples regarding health-related variables, with the Polish sample being at a disadvantage. The study provides a comprehensive insight into the anxiety management types between German and Polish samples, revealing distinct differences in their responses. The Polish sample exhibited a higher prevalence of negative anxiety management types compared to the German sample. These disparities can be attributed to a myriad of factors, including historical traumas, transgenerational experiences, and the influence of dominant religions in each country. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural, historical, and religious contexts when assessing and addressing mental health and coping mechanisms across different populations. Further research with larger samples and diverse groups could offer a more nuanced understanding of these patterns and their underlying causes.

Comparison of knowledge and awareness of epilepsy between medical students of two universities in Poland

BackgroundEpilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders. As a chronic disease, associated with long-term treatment with antiseizure medication, it can have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life. Moreover, patients are faced with a significant psychosocial burden associated with the stigma surrounding epilepsy. Medical professionals should be well educated and free of prejudices in order to provide adequate care for patients with epilepsy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of epilepsy among medical students of years 1–6 in Poland and examine if certain personality traits influence students’ view of epilepsy. MethodsThe study was conducted using snowball sampling of 166 Polish medical students from Medical University of Gdansk and Medical University of Warsaw. Participants completed a survey which consisted of their subjective assessment of knowledge of epileptology, actual knowledge of epileptology, and their view of stereotypes about epilepsy. In addition, students completed the IPIP-BFM-20 personality questionnaire. ResultsPolish medical students have sufficient basic knowledge about epilepsy (mean scores of students from both universities is 14 out of 25 points). There is still room for improvement, especially in the field of epidemiology, semiology, factors provoking seizures, antiseizure medications, and most importantly about first aid during seizure (e.g., 7% of respondents believed it is necessary to put something between teeth of a patient during seizure). Age and the year of study were well correlated with knowledge score (p = 0.008) and level of awareness of the stereotypes. We found that most personality traits do not have a strong impact on the level of knowledge about epilepsy. ConclusionsMost students have a satisfying level of knowledge about epilepsy. Academic teachers should put more emphasis on first aid during seizures and awareness of psychosocial challenges associated with the disease. It is crucial for future physicians to not only possess sufficient theoretical knowledge, but also establish an empathetic doctor–patient relationship in order to provide better care for patients with epilepsy and other chronic diseases.

Assessment of Cytological Changes in the Oral Mucosa in Young Hematological Patients Treated with Systemic Chemotherapy

The primary objective of the undertaken study was to determine the morphological changes that occur within the oral epithelium in children undergoing chemotherapy following a diagnosis of hematological malignancies. The study group consisted of 18 patients diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma undergoing treatment with chemotherapy. Swabs (liquid-based cytology) were collected from the oral cavity for microscopic evaluation at baseline, during the chemotherapy cycle with oral mucositis symptoms present, and upon completion of the cycle. Both the neutrophil count and oral mucositis (OM) were registered using the WHO (World Health Organization) scale. The control group included 41 children who were generally healthy. All samples underwent microscopical analyses at the Department of Pathology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. A total of 190 cytological preparations were evaluated. The baseline preparations revealed similar cytological images, and the superficial cells of the epithelial layers were seen. A significant (p < 0.01) increase in the number of cells in the intermediate layer of the oral epithelium, as well as a decrease (p < 0.01) in the volume of cells in the superficial layers, was observed in further stages of cytostatic treatment. A decrease in the percentage of superficial epithelial cells with a corresponding increase in the number of intermediate epithelial cells is considered to be a result of toxic damage to the oral mucosa during chemotherapy.

Microbiota-derived metabolites in colorectal cancer patients in preoperative period.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are microbial derived metabolites, which have multiple beneficial properties. The amount of SCFAs depends on several factors, such as age, diet (mainly intake of dietary fiber), and overall health condition. The normal proportion between SCFAs is 3:1:1 for acetate, proprionate and butyrate, respectively. In colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, microbiota alterations have been shown. Consequently, metabolome within the gut might change to a large extent. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the content of SCFAs and the proportion between SCFAs in the stool obtained from CRC patients in preoperative period. This study included 15 patients with CRC in preoperative period. The stool samples were taken and stored at -80°C in the Fahrenheit Biobank BBMRI.pl, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. The analysis of SCFAs from stool samples was conducted by means of gas chromatography. This study included mainly males (66.67%, n=10). In all patients, there was abnormal proportion between SCFAs. The extremely higher concentration of butyrate was noted in 2 samples (13.33%) compared to the rest of patients. However, based on normal proportion between SCFAs, the results <1 for butyrate were noted in 93.33% of patients. SCFAs pool is altered in CRC patients, among others characterized by low level of butyrate. It should be considered to administer butyrate supplementation to CRC patients especially prior to surgery to support an appropriate preparation to this treatment.

Center for East Asian Studies of the University of Gdańsk (2007–2022)

The article presents the activities of the Center for East Asian Studies, which was established at the University of Gdansk in 2007.

The author’s method of painting dialogues as an example of action research. Report of a project carried out with students at the University of Gdansk

As it is widely known, through art we can pour our emotions onto paper, we can paint our fear, our sense of loss, emptiness, suffering, lack. Viewing paintings or creating them has a self reflective and self therapeutic dimension. In a sense, because we are creative beings, our lives can become a work of art. We just must take a brush or pen in our hand and start creating. This is the essence of life the release of creation that can give us a sense of power or emotional stability. In this article I describe the author’s method of painting dialogues that I created in 2016. Initially, the project involved working with Gdansk artists, but over time, in my pedagogical practice, I have noticed that it also has a developing, therapeutic and creative impact on groups such as tutors, university teachers, early childhood education teachers, kindergarten teachers, parents, but also pre school, early childhood and children with disabilities (e.g., autism). In this article, I will present the method of painting dialogues implemented as an action research with pedagogy students of the University of Gdansk (a group of twenty five people, both women and men) in 2021–2022.

Tak i nie

Is writing – something that evades answers – always dead? Do we betray the literary text by abandoning interpretation, understood as “the desire to merge”? Or – to put it brutally – do we kill that text? Is the alternative only a mournful lamentation over the “graveyard of signs”? Michal Pawel Markowski is unshakably sure of his point: “Interpretation means that the mourning has been successfully completed, that the interpreter has gained distance from the lost text, that he has already cut himself off from the umbilical cord that connected him to it. Conversely, as long as the reader persists in mourning, he nullifies the chance for interpretation.” Agata Bielik-Robson also has no doubts when she refers to me as a “logophobic author”: “Someone who writes lightly and reluctantly at the same time; who can undoubtedly turn words around, but does not believe in their effectiveness; an author for whom words are certainly not as strong as death.” And if, as Markowski argues, a “unifying” interpretation is only possible outside the rhythm of mourning, its absence would have to be considered the perpetuation of a condition that in turn is dangerously close to the death drive. The lack of interpretation is an “apologia for dissipation.” And this, according to Markowski and Bielik-Robson, is a traumatic celebration of loss, a poisoning of Freudian melancholy. I’ll admit that I find it hard to agree with such a depiction of literature. Reading texts in this way resembles a rather mechanical surgical procedure. As if there is no way to be differently, affirmatively engaged with texts that do not lend themselves to a “merging” interpretation. Literature, however, shows that it is sometimes possible. Of course, a literature conceived not as a “land of strong interpretations” or an “agonistic legacy”, but precisely that literature which stands on the side of the dispersed, disturbed writing, not oriented towards “merging” answers – in this sense, non-responsive. Let’s call it not so much a “lesser “ but a “weaker literature.” For such literature – and criticism – the subject is not the most important thing. Because also the alternative to the subject is nothing. It is nothing – itis something. And sometimes – everything. That which is irreducible. A certain dynamic state. For example, in Schulz. The father’s face at five o’clock in the morning. The scent of Adela with which Joseph is intoxicated. Delicate human bodies in embarrassing photographs. The cat that washed in the sun. An intensity that doesn’t need a subject to exist.The text was read on October 26, 2022 in the Council Hall of the Faculty of Philology at the University of Gdansk. It is an attempt to respond to the reviews by Agata Bielik-Robson, Michał Paweł Markowski, and Józef Olejniczak.

Ciała Schulza

Bruno Schulz’s first body was flesh and blood. Like any body, it was a place of existence. The events of which it became part can be written out in a calendar. We see them in motion – in birth, in dying, in fatigue, in sex and laughter. The other body of the writer is present in his work. It is the body created by Schulz, reproduced and represented – dispersed in words and images. It is largely published. It becomes an object of aesthetic reflection. It seeks form for itself in the concrete corporealities of the represented world, but also in the unveiling of the style itself – in the heterogeneous, delicate expressions of sexuality and gender. The writer’s first and second bodies do not exist separately. They are not opposites, nor are they fully identical. One does not attempt to cannibalistically devour the other. Rather, they must be seen as two bodies always facing each other, touching, rubbing against each other, differentiating. The essay is taken from a Ph.D. dissertation on Schulz, Differentiating. The First and Second Body of the Writer, defended at the University of Gdansk on October 26, 2022, whose theme was the erotic and mournful bodies of the author of Cinnamon Shops.

Meet the Editors

Meet the Editors

History of osteosynthesis in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Medical University of Gdansk, based on examination of surgical instruments withdrawn from the operating theatre

Based on the analysis of surgical instruments withdrawn from the operating theatre, it was decided to briefly present the history of osteosynthesis in the orthopaedic department in Gdansk, Poland. Boxes with orthopaedic instruments withdrawn from the operating theatre were obtained. The instruments were grouped, numbered, photographed and catalogued. Not all obtained instruments were used in orthopaedics; the boxes contained several instruments typically used in other fields of surgery. Attempts have been made to divide orthopaedic instruments into several groups, depending on their use in bone fixation. Some specific instruments are used only in one method. The most interesting tools are discussed in detail, with attention to their features and role in shaping modern orthopaedics. Some of the obtained equipment could have been made in the Orthopaedic Workshop in the hospital. They are specific exhibits related to the development of orthopaedics in this hospital that required preservation.