From concepts to practical tools of support: Development of the creative sector in Warsaw

Warsaw is a metropolitan city with great creative potential. All the national media as well as editorial offices of most newspapers and periodicals of national circulation are located here. Mass media, educational institutions, and cultural institutions along with a community of educated and affluent people make Warsaw a leading cultural centre both in terms of potential in creative activities and as a market for products coming from the creative sector. Although the creative sector seems to be treated as an important part of the economic base of Warsaw’s development, creative potential located in the city seems to be underused. The goal of this paper is to present the support of city authorities for the development of the creative sector in Warsaw. The evaluation of problems and bottlenecks articulated by representatives of the creative sector will be confronted with the opinions of representatives of the City Hall

Czy wodór może być magazynem i nośnikiem energii w budownictwie?

W artykule scharakteryzowano podstawowe warianty wykorzystania wodoru jako magazynu i nośnika energii, a także ogniw paliwowych w energetyce rozproszonej. Przedstawiono możliwości integracji rozwiązań technologii wodorowych i ogniw paliwowych z odnawialnych źródeł energii w systemach niezależnego zasilania dla budownictwa. Wodór wytwarzany w procesie elektrolizy może być magazynowany w skalowalnych zbiornikach wysokociśnieniowych (200–350 barów) oraz w niskociśnieniowych magazynach wodoru, a następnie wykorzystany do produkcji energii elektrycznej z ogniw paliwowych. Interesującą opcją jest również wykorzystanie alternatywnych paliw (np. metanolu) jako nośników wodoru do budowy pomocniczych układów zasilania w budownictwie. Kolejną ważną cechą rozważanych układów rozproszonych jest możliwość uzyskania wariantowego ciepła, zarówno z ogniw paliwowych, jak i w procesach wodorowych

Subtypes of interictal depressive disorders according to ICD-10 in patients with epilepsy

Background and purpose The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of interictal depressive symptoms and different subtypes of depressive disorders according to 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria in patients with epilepsy and its association with the type of epilepsy. Material and methods 289 outpatients with epilepsy (169 females, 120 males) aged 18–82 years completed Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Subjects who scored >11 in BDI were further evaluated by the psychiatrist according to the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Results 41.9% (121) of the 289 participants scored >11 in BDI. 104 (85.9%) patients who scored >11 in BDI had comorbid mental disorders according to ICD-10 criteria. The most common were organic mood disorders (F06.3 – 31.4%), depressive episode (F32 – 22.3%) and dysthymia (F34.1 – 9.1%) There were no differences in the prevalence of depression and subtypes of depression in patients with certain epilepsy types. Depression was diagnosed before entering the study in only one third of patients with final diagnosis of depression. Conclusions Our results confirm the prevailing view that interictal depression is common in epilepsy patients. Depression remains underrecognized and undertreated in patients with epilepsy

Subtypes of interictal depressive disorders according to ICD-10 in patients with epilepsy

Background and purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the frequency of interictal depressive symptoms and different subtypes of depressive disorders according to 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria in patients with epilepsy and its association with the type of epilepsy. Material and methods: 289 outpatients with epilepsy (169 females, 120 males) aged 18-82 years completed Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Subjects who scored >11 in BDI were further evaluated by the psychiatrist according to the ICD-10 diagnostic criteria. Results: 41.9% (121) of the 289 participants scored >11 in BDI. 104 (85.9%) patients who scored >11 in BDI had comorbid mental disorders according to ICD-10 criteria. The most common were organic mood disorders (F06.3 – 31.4%), depressive episode (F32 – 22.3%) and dysthymia (F34.1 – 9.1%) There were no differences in the prevalence of depression and subtypes of depression in patients with certain epilepsy types. Depression was diagnosed before entering the study in only one third of patients with final diagnosis of depression. Conclusions: Our results confirm the prevailing view that interictal depression is common in epilepsy patients. Depression remains underrecognized and undertreated in patients with epileps

Evaluation of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) Reagents for Application in Biomedical Diagnostic Device Development

Introduction: The most commonly used test for monitoring heparin therapy is the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT). The response of available aPTT reagents to heparin varies significantly. The aim of this study was to highlight the differences between aPTT reagents stored in a dried format to select the most suitable formulations to be used for the development of point-of-care diagnostic devices used for monitoring of unfractionated heparin dose response. Methods: Ten reagents were analysed in terms of their performance in liquid and in dried form after storage for 24 h and 14 days. Performance was assessed by measurement of the clotting time (CT) as evidenced by the onset of thrombin formation using a chromogenic thrombin substrate in plasma samples activated with these formulations. Results: Reagents in all of the three forms tested (liquid, 24 h and 14 days) resulted in significant shortening of CTs in comparison with the nonactivated plasma CT. Liquids returned more rapid CTs in comparison with dried reagents. Most of the reagents were more sensitive to heparin in dried, rather than in liquid form. Dried reagents based on kaolin as a surface activator were notably more effective in achieving short CT than others, while dried reagents composed of silica and synthetic phospholipids were the most sensitive to heparin. Conclusion: Two reagents, namely aPTT-SP and SynthASIL both of which are based on synthetic phospholipids and silica, were identified as promising candidates for incorporation into point-of-care diagnostic device platforms as dried reagents

Suicidality and its determinants among Polish patients with epilepsy

Background and purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of suicidal ideation among Polish patients with epilepsy and to assess the potential determinants of suicidality in this cohort. Material and methods The study comprised 301 patients with epilepsy seen in the tertiary epilepsy clinic. Patients’ characteristics included demographic variables, epilepsy-related variables, as well as occurrence of comorbidities, ongoing use of any other medications, family history of epilepsy and/or depression. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive symptoms, and question no. 9 of BDI was specifically used to reveal suicidality. Results Mean age of subjects was 35.5 years. 113 (37.5%) had frequent seizures and 96 patients (31.9%) had remission. BDI score>11 points (suggestive for depression) was found in 127 subjects. Suicidal ideation has been revealed in 30 (10.0%) out of 301 studied patients. Patients with suicidal ideation were older and more commonly reported frequent seizures. Almost all of them (93.3%) had clinically significant depressive symptoms (BDI score>11). Multivariate analysis revealed that severity of depressive symptoms (OR=1.16 per one-point increase in BDI score, 95% CI: 1.10–1.22, p<0.001) and the use of potentially depressogenic medication (OR=3.04, 95% CI: 1.04–8.89, p=0.04) were independent determinants of suicidality among studied patients. Conclusions Suicidal ideations were revealed by about 10% of studied epileptic patients who visited tertiary center for epilepsy. Independent predictors of suicidality among studied patients included depression itself and the use of potentially depressogenic medication