Analysis of the impact of sex and age on the variation in the prevalence of antinuclear autoantibodies in Polish population: a nationwide observational, cross-sectional study

The detection of antinuclear autoantibody (ANA) is dependent on many factors and varies between the populations. The aim of the study was first to assess the prevalence of ANA in the Polish adult population depending on age, sex and the cutoff threshold used for the results obtained. Second, we estimated the occurrence of individual types of ANA-staining patterns. We tested 1731 patient samples using commercially available IIFA using two cutoff thresholds of 1:100 and 1:160. We found ANA in 260 participants (15.0%), but the percentage of positive results strongly depended on the cutoff level. For a cutoff threshold 1:100, the positive population was 19.5% and for the 1:160 cutoff threshold, it was 11.7%. The most prevalent ANA-staining pattern was AC-2 Dense Fine speckled (50%), followed by AC-21 Reticular/AMA (14.38%) ANA more common in women (72%); 64% of ANA-positive patients were over 50 years of age. ANA prevalence in the Polish population is at a level observed in other highly developed countries and is more prevalent in women and elderly individuals. To reduce the number of positive results released, we suggest that Polish laboratories should set 1:160 as the cutoff threshold

Wykorzystanie gazu w źródłach rozproszonych w dużych systemach ciepłowniczych

The aim of an investigation was to examine the heat sources, which can be used as a supplement for providing the heat for the users at the ends of extensive heating networks. The research was based on the technical and economic analysis that also included ecological effects. The integral element of the research was a comparative analysis of such distributed heat sources and the current heating systems regarding their mutual competitiveness factors or supplementation.W pracy zaprezentowano rozważania dotyczące ekonomicznej celowości instalacji zastosowania źródeł rozproszonych w ciepłownictwie. Pomysl zastosowania źródeł rozproszonych w ciepłownictwie podobny jest do tego obecnie szeroko dyskutowanego pomysłu źródeł rozproszonych do produkcji energii elektrycznej. Ze względu na obecne warunki ekonomiczne do rozważań wybrano źródła zasilane gazem ziemnym. Zaproponowano pięć sposób zasilania odbiorców na końcach rozległych sieci ciepłowniczych. Dla przedstawionych wariantów wykonano analizy ekonomiczne, których wyniki przedstawiona w pracy