Changes in disease burden in Poland between 1990–2017 in comparison with other Central European countries: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Systematic collection of mortality/morbidity data over time is crucial for monitoring trends in population health, developing health policies, assessing the impact of health programs. In Poland, a comprehensive analysis describing trends in disease burden for major conditions has never been published. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides data on the burden of over 300 diseases in 195 countries since 1990. We used the GBD database to undertake an assessment of disease burden in Poland, evaluate changes in population health between 1990–2017, and compare Poland with other Central European (CE) countries

Creating of New Value and Meaning of Garden in the Rural Landscape

The authors used three example variants of rural development solutions to present the problem of defining the space of the contemporary countryside gardens of small, local parish communities in the former GDR, taking into consideration its integrative function. The three design subjects pre-sented in the paper (each developed with two variants) concern spatial arrangement of a parish garden as a public space for: community meetings and recreation (example 1 - fig. 1, 2), studying and recreation (example 2 - fig. 3,4), and relaxation/ meditation (example 3 - fig. 5, 6). All of them in the same attempt to organize space of wastelands; areas devastated culturally and naturally, but still important in the spatial structure of the town. The relations between the presented places local their use by local parish communities served as an impulse to define the fundamental, conceptual presumptions that let the presented composition suggestions take into account their timeless role of humanization of open space, with their potential standard of usage. One essential value of the presented examples is their practical potential - expected investment decisions after their public presentation to entire local communities (with declared support)

The severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms in postmenopausal women depending on their Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium and Copper levels

Women, especially in the peri- and postmenopausal periods, undergo many organic and functional changes. Fluctuation and ultimately a decline in the levels of female reproductive hormones is a long-lasting process, potentially leading to regulatory disorders of the autonomic nervous system. In consequence, postmenopausal women experience depressive mood disorders and more severe anxiety symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women in connection with the serum levels of zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), and copper (Cu). The study involved 102 healthy postmenopausal women. It was divided into two parts: the first part was based on a survey performed using standardized research instruments and a questionnaire developed by the authors. The second part involved a biochemical serum analysis, whose aim was to determine the levels of selected elements. The mean level of anxiety as a state was 4.53±1.79, and the mean level of anxiety as a trait was 3.86±2.03. The mean level of depression according to the Beck Depression Inventory was 6.77±6.82. As many as 77.5% of the women had no depressive symptoms. The mean serum levels of the studied elements were as follows: magnesium (19.41±02.81 mg dm-3), zinc (0.94±0.22 mg dm-3), selenium (0.06±0.03 mg dm-3), and copper (0.40±0.57 mg dm-3). No relationship was demonstrated between the levels of selected elements and the development of depressive and anxiety disorders in the studied postmenopausal women