Plomby z Drohiczyna w zbioracy museum arheologicznego w Krakowie

Среди многочисленных артефактов, которые хранятся в фондах археологического музея в Кракове особое внимание привлекают свинцовые пломбы из средневекового города Дорогочин. В статье исследуются вопросы классификации пломб, вопросы их происхождения и интерпретации.Among the many artifacts that are stored in the collections of the Archaeological Museum in Krakow, special attention is drawn to lead seals of the medieval city Dorogochin. The article studies the classification of seals, questions of origin and interpretation

Norovirus infections in children under 5 years of age hospitalized due to the acute viral gastroenteritis in northeastern Poland

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and seasonality of norovirus infection in hospitalized Polish children under 5 years of age, and a secondary aim was to compare the clinical severity of norovirus and rotavirus disease. The prospective surveillance study was carried out from July 2009 through June 2010. Stool samples from 242 children hospitalized due to acute viral gastroenteritis were tested for rotavirus group A and adenovirus with commercial immunochromatographic test and for norovirus with EIA assay. Single norovirus infection was found in 35/242 (14.5%) patients and in a further 5 (2.1%) children as co-infection with rotavirus. Overall, norovirus was detected in 16.5% of stool specimens. Norovirus infections tended to peak from October to November and again from February to March. In autumn months and in February, the proportion of norovirus gastroenteritis cases was equal or even surpassed those of rotavirus origin. Both norovirus and rotavirus infections most commonly affected children between 12 and 23 months of age. The low-grade or no fever was significantly more common in children infected with norovirus (94.3%) compared to rotavirus cases (52.9%). Overall, norovirus gastroenteritis was less severe than rotavirus disease with regard to 20-point severity scale (p < 0.05). Noroviruses have emerged as a relevant cause of acute gastroenteritis in Polish children. There is a great need for introducing routine norovirus testing of hospitalized children with gastroenteritis

Non-Destructive Research on the Medieval Mace

W artykule przedstawiono analizę składu i sposobu produkcji buławy średniowiecznej pochodzącej ze zbiorów Muzeum Archeologicznego w Krakowie. Buława jest bronią obuchową, a także atrybutem władzy. Badania te były ważną częścią prac konserwatorskich, wykonywanych dla tego zabytku. Warunkiem przeprowadzenia badań składu chemicznego na zabytku było zastosowanie metody nieinwazyjnej, w związku z tym wykorzystano spektrometrię fluorescencji rentgenowskiej z dyspersją energii. Badania składu przeprowadzono na kilku etapach prac konserwatorskich: przed podjęciem konserwacji (w celu dobrania odpowiedniego programu konserwatorskiego) oraz po oczyszczeniu powierzchni z nawarstwień korozyjnych (w celu określenia składu czystej powierzchni metalu). Wykazały one, że buława odlana została z brązu ołowiowego. Pod warstwą korozji zachował się dość jednolity skład stopu, pomimo zalegania w niekorzystnym środowisku ziemnym. Wśród opublikowanych badań składu buław brązowych, nie natrafiono na analogiczny stop o podobnych proporcjach zawartości pierwiastków. Brązy te zawierały zazwyczaj dużą ilość cyny z domieszką ołowiu. Omawiany zabytek wyróżnia się więc składem chemicznym stopu. Analizę składu uzupełniono obserwacją makro- i mikroskopową powierzchni obiektu pod kątem stanu zachowania oraz techniki wykonania. Z obserwacji wynika, że zastosowano metodę wytapianych modeli. Na powierzchni zabytku zaobserwowano wady powierzchni surowej oraz uszkodzenia mechaniczne. Prace konserwatorskie zabezpieczyły buławę oraz przygotowały do ewentualnej ekspozycji muzealnej. Dzięki badaniom zabytku, wiedza na temat buław odkrytych na ziemiach polskich została poszerzona o kolejny egzemplarz.The article presents detailed scientific analysis of the chemical composition and way of production of the medieval mace from a collection of the Archaeological Museum in Cracow. This research was an important part of conservation work on the mace head. The main condition for conducting a study of chemical composition of the artifact was to use a non-destructive method, and therefore the piece has been investigated using methods: macro and microscopic analysis and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). The study was carried out during several stages of conservation works: before conservation in order to select the appropriate conservation program and after cleaning the surface from corrosive layers to determine the composition of pure metal surface. The alloy used for the mace head proved to be lead-copper alloy. Underneath the corrosion layer remained quite a homogeneous composition. Published studies on the composition of bronze maces presents bronzes with a different percentage composition of alloy elements. These bronzes typically contain a large amount of tin with added lead. This mace head is distinguished by the chemical composition of the alloy. Macro and microscopic studies of the surface show that in order to produce the mace head the method of lost wax was used. Macro and microscopic studies of the surface revealed some defects and mechanical damage. The conservation work secured the mace and prepared for a museum exposition

Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress

Background: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. Methods: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. Results:: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P = .038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P = .005). TOS was 20% lower (P = .014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P = .037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. Conclusion: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes

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.</p

Metabolic syndrome is associated with similar long-term prognosis in non-obese and obese patients. An analysis of 45 615 patients from the nationwide LIPIDOGRAM 2004-2015 cohort studies

Aims We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and long-term all-cause mortality. Methods The LIPIDOGRAM studies were carried out in the primary care in Poland in 2004, 2006 and 2015. MetS was diagnosed based on the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III) and Joint Interim Statement (JIS) criteria. The cohort was divided into four groups: non-obese patients without MetS, obese patients without MetS, non-obese patients with MetS and obese patients with MetS. Differences in all-cause mortality was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results 45,615 participants were enrolled (mean age 56.3, standard deviation: 11.8 years; 61.7% female). MetS was diagnosed in 14,202 (31%) by NCEP/ATP III criteria, and 17,216 (37.7%) by JIS criteria. Follow-up was available for 44,620 (97.8%, median duration 15.3 years) patients. MetS was associated with increased mortality risk among the obese (hazard ratio, HR: 1.88 [95% CI, 1.79-1.99] and HR: 1.93 [95% CI 1.82-2.04], according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria, respectively) and non-obese individuals (HR: 2.11 [95% CI 1.85-2.40] and 1.7 [95% CI, 1.56-1.85] according to NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria respectively). Obese patients without MetS had a higher mortality risk than non-obese patients without MetS (HR: 1.16 [95% CI 1.10-1.23] and HR: 1.22 [95%CI 1.15-1.30], respectively in subgroups with NCEP/ATP III and JIS criteria applied). Conclusions MetS is associated with increased all-cause mortality risk in non-obese and obese patients. In patients without MetS obesity remains significantly associated with mortality. The concept of metabolically healthy obesity should be revised