Western Ledge Reef Wreck: The Analysis and Reconstruction of the Late 16th-Century Ship of the Spanish Empire

The Western Ledge Reef Wreck, discovered and later excavated in Bermuda between 1989 and 1991, is a prime example of Iberian shipbuilding within a broader Atlantic context. Operating during the late 16th-century, arguably one of the most fascinating periods of Spanish maritime history, the ship epitomizes the culture and technology identified with the celebrated fleets of the Carrera de Indias. By combining the new and previously unavailable data with that of the original reports, this dissertation outlines the structural details of this small utilitarian vessel which plowed the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and the Spanish America. Regarded as one of the better preserved Iberian shipwrecks in the New World, the hull timbers were disassembled and raised to the surface for detailed recording and analysis; the most comprehensive being the study and reconstruction presented in this dissertation. This data not only illustrates the transition from late medieval ship construction founded on the unempirical and intuitive style of local shipwrights to that of the geometrically- and scientific-rooted Renaissance design philosophy, but also to a frame-led assembly sequence. The hull remains and associated cultural material excavated from the site prove to be an important 16th- and 17th-century collection of Spanish and New World origin, which collectively reinforce the notion that the Western Ledge Reef Wreck was on its homebound course when it sunk among treacherous Bermuda reefs sometime between 1560 and 1600

Exploration and Empire: Iconographic Evidence of Iberian Ships of Discovery

This dissertation research project focuses on maritime exploration during the Age of Discovery and the vessels that were the technological impetus for this dynamic era that ultimately led Christopher Columbus to the New World and Vasco da Gama to India. Little is known about the caravel and the nau, two ships which defined this era of global expansion; archival documents provide scant information regarding these vessels and to date there are only a few known archaeological examples. The caravel and the nau became lasting symbols of the bourgeoning Portuguese and Spanish maritime empires and are featured prominently in contemporaneous iconography. This dissertation bridges the gap between the humanities and sciences through the statistical analysis of the caravel, galleon, and nau in the iconographic record. As one of the first intensive uses of iconography in nautical archaeology, the study analyzed over 500 images using descriptive statistics and representational trends analysis in order to explore the two research questions posed, Are the ships represented in the iconography accurate? and Can iconography provide information on constructional characteristics of these vessels that will determine typology, evolution, and design changes? Gauging the accuracy of the ship representations was fundamental to establishing this study’s validity. The artists creating these images were not shipwrights or mariners and thus this research was not limited to the technological and constructional aspects alone. The dissertation addressed technology as a cultural symbol in order to understand how and why cultures attach such powerful and important symbolism to technology and adopt it as an identifying feature. On a broader level, this dissertation proved that iconography is a viable data source within nautical archaeology. The representational trends and general construction proportions analyzed in the iconographic record did provide an ample amount of information about the different ship types to greatly assist in the reconstruction of a caravel, galleon, or nau. The vast quantities of new data generated using these methodologies have the potential to significantly advance the study of these three ship types when paired with current and future archaeological evidence

Forearm radiocephalic fistula for dialysis

Przetoki tętniczo-żylne wytworzone z naczyń własnych na przedramieniu powszechnie uznaje się za najlepszy pierwotny rodzaj dostępu naczyniowego wykorzystywanego do dializoterapii. Mimo najlepszych wyników drożności spośród dostępów dializacyjnych wytworzenie przetoki na przedramieniu obarczone jest istotnym ryzykiem wystąpienia powikłań, takich jak brak prawidłowego dojrzewania, powstawanie zwężeń i zakrzepic. W pracy przedstawiono zasady kwalifikacji do wytworzenia przetok dializacyjnych na przedramieniu, badań przedoperacyjnych, wykonania operacji oraz opieki pooperacyjnej. Acta Angiol 2011; 17, 2: 117–140Arteriovenous fistula created from native vessels in the forearm are renowned as the best primary vascular access for haemodialysis. Despite best outcomes for fistula patency among all the access routes for dialysis, the procedure of forearm fistula creation carries a significant risk of complications including failure of spontaneous maturation, stenoses, or thrombosis. This publication presents principles of patient qualification for forearm fistula creation, preoperative workup, and postoperative care. Acta Angiol 2011; 17, 2: 117–14

RCMV increases intimal hyperplasia by inducing inflammation, MCP-1 expression and recruitment of adventitial cells to intima

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been associated with accelerated transplant vasculopathy. In this study, we assessed the effects of acute rat CMV (RCMV) infection on vessel remodeling in transplant vasculopathy, focusing on allograft morphology, inflammation and contribution of adventitial cells to intimal hyperplasia.Infrarenal aorta was locally infected with RCMV and transplanted from female F344 rats to male Lewis rats. Graft samples were collected 2 and 8 weeks after transplantation and analyzed for intimal hyperplasia, collagen degradation and inflammation. Transplantation of aorta followed by transplantation of RCMV infected and labeled isogenic adventitia were performed to study migration of adventitial cells towards the intima.Intimal hyperplasia was increased threefold in infected allografts. RCMV induced apoptosis in the media, expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2, and decreased collagen deposits. Macrophage infiltration was increased in the infected allografts and resulted in increased production of MCP-1. RCMV-infected macrophages were observed in the adventitia and intima. Cells derived from infected adventitia migrated towards the intima of the allograft.RCMV enhances infiltration of macrophages to the allografts, and thereby increases MCP-1 production and inflammation, followed by recruitment of adventitial cells to the intima and accelerated intimal hyperplasia

Host-Derived Smooth Muscle Cells Accumulate in Cardiac Allografts: Role of Inflammation and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1

Transplant arteriosclerosis is characterized by inflammation and intimal thickening caused by accumulation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) both from donor and recipient. We assessed the relationship between clinical factors and the presence of host-derived SMCs in 124 myocardial biopsies from 26 consecutive patients who received hearts from opposite-sex donors. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the patients' medical records. Host-derived SMCs accounted for 3.35±2.3% of cells in arterioles (range, 0.08–12.51%). As shown by linear regression analysis, an increased number of SMCs was associated with rejection grade (mean, 1.41±1.03, p = 0.034) and the number of leukocytes (19.1±12.7 per 20 high-power fields, p = 0.01). The accumulation of host-derived SMCs was associated with an increased number of leukocytes in the allografts. In vitro, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) released from leukocytes was crucial for SMC migration. After heart allotransplantion, mice treated with MCP-1-specific antibodies had significantly fewer host-derived SMCs in the grafts than mice treated with isotypic antibody controls. We conclude that the number of host-derived SMCs in human cardiac allografts is associated with the rejection grade and that MCP-1 may play pivotal role in recruiting host-derived SMCs into cardiac allografts

A High Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Predicts Failure of Arteriovenous Fistula

In hemodialysis patients, a native arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred form of permanent vascular access. Despite recent improvements, vascular access dysfunction remains an important cause of morbidity in these patients. In this prospective observational cohort study, we evaluated potential risk factors for native AVF dysfunction. We included 68 patients with chronic renal disease stage 5 eligible for AVF construction at the Department of General and Vascular Surgery, Central Clinical Hospital Ministry of Internal Affairs, Warsaw, Poland. Patient characteristics and biochemical parameters associated with increased risk for AVF failure were identified using Cox proportional hazards models. Vessel biopsies were analyzed for inflammatory cells and potential associations with biochemical parameters. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors of AVF dysfunction were the number of white blood cells (hazard ratio [HR] 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24 to 2.25; p<0.001), monocyte number (HR 0.02; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.21; p = 0.001), and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) (HR 1.44; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.78; p<0.001). RDW was the only significant factor in receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (area under the curve 0.644; CI 0.51 to 0.76; p = 0.046). RDW>16.2% was associated with a significantly reduced AVF patency frequency 24 months after surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed CD45-positive cells in the artery/vein of 39% of patients and CD68-positive cells in 37%. Patients with CD68-positive cells in the vessels had significantly higher white blood cell count. We conclude that RDW, a readily available laboratory value, is a novel prognostic marker for AVF failure. Further studies are warranted to establish the mechanistic link between high RDW and AVF failure

„Całemu miastu nadać odpowiednie obramowanie” — analiza tekstów prasowych na temat przygotowań do Wystawy Ziem Odzyskanych

“To provide the right frame for the whole city”. An analysis of press articles devoted to the preparations for the Recovered Territories ExhibitionThe article is an attempt to provide a systematic description of journalistic narratives associated with the preparations for the Recovered Territories Exhibition which took place in Wrocław in 1948. In the first part of the article the author examines issues relating to the propaganda of Poland’s post-war authorities, providing a historical introduction to the following discourse analysis. He enumerates the most import­ant reasons why the Polish Workers’ Party was interested in the Recovered Territories as well as the most frequently cited arguments in favour of the “Polishness” of the territories incorporated into Poland after the end of the Second World War. In the second part of the article the author discusses the results of his analysis of pieces published in the Słowo Polskie daily. The texts have been divided — on the basis of the type of linguistic means used in them — into two overlapping categories. The first concerns the obligation to prepare Wrocław for the Recovered Territories Exhibition by giving the city the right Polish appearance. The second encom­passes articles treating the Exhibition as an opportunity to assess the process of re-Polonisation of the Lower Silesian metropolis as the capital of the Recovered Territories.</jats:p