Biologia versus kultura. Przegląd bioewolucyjnych i kulturowych teorii wojny w przedpaństwowych społecznościach pradziejowych

The paper’s main aim is to outline the problem of polarisation of contemporary discussion concerning the concept of origins of warfare. Basically, two leading trends can be distinguished: the first one accentuates the biological basis of human violence and places its origins deep into our evolutionary past. The second one recognises conflict as a relatively late and typically cultural phenomenon in human prehistory, which cannot be interpreted in terms of natural selection and evolution. The existence of a sharp ideological border between ‘hawks’ and ‘doves’ enables a comparison of both perspectives and facilitates the analysis of internal dynamics of their development

Video-assisted anal fistula treatment : pros and cons of this minimally invasive method for treatment of perianal fistulas

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to present results of a single-center, nonrandomized, prospective study of the video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT). Methods. 68 consecutive patients with perianal fistulas were operated on using the VAAFT technique. 30 of the patients had simple fistulas, and 38 had complex fistulas. The mean follow-up time was 31 months. Results. The overall healing rate was 54.41% (37 of the 68 patients healed with no recurrence during the follow-up period). The results varied depending on the type of fistula. The success rate for the group with simple fistulas was 73.3%, whereas it was only 39.47% for the group with complex fistulas. Female patients achieved higher healing rates for both simple (81.82% versus 68.42%) and complex fistulas (77.78% versus 27.59%). There were no major complications. Conclusions. The results of VAAFT vary greatly depending on the type of fistula. The procedure has some drawbacks due to the rigid construction of the fistuloscope and the diameter of the shaft. The electrocautery of the fistula tract from the inside can be insufficient to close wide tracts. However, low risk of complications permits repetition of the treatment until success is achieved. Careful selection of patients is advised

Bacteria contamination of touch surfaces in Polish hospital wards

Background: The objective of the study has been to evaluate the pathogenic bacteria contamination of touch surfaces in hospital wards. Material and Methods: Samples were taken from frequently touched surfaces in the hospital environment in 13 units of various types. Culturing was carried out on solid blood agar and in growth broth (tryptic soy broth – TSB). Species identification was performed using the analytical profile index (API) biochemical testing and confirmed with matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) system. Results: The total of 161 samples were taken for the study. Fifty-two of them, after 24 h of culture on a solid medium, demonstrated bacterial growth and further 60 samples had growth after prior multiplication in TSB. Overall, 69.6% of samples exhibited growth of 19 bacterial species. Pathogenic species – representing indicator organisms of efficiency of hospital cleaning – was demonstrated by 21.4% of samples. Among them Acinetobacter spp., Enterocococci spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were identified. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) were predominant. The proportion of various groups of bacteria significantly varied in respective hospitals, and in various types of wards. Disturbing observation is a large proportion of resistance of isolated CNS strains as a potential reservoir of resistance genes. Conclusions: The results show that touch surfaces in hospital units are contaminated by both potentially pathogenic and pathogenic bacterial species. In connection with the reported, also in Poland, frequent omission or incorrect execution of hand hygiene by hospital staff, and probably patients, touch surfaces still constitute important reservoir of pathogenic bacteria. Improving hand hygiene compliance of health-care workers with recommendations is necessary for increasing biological safety of hospital environment. Med Pr 2017;68(3):459–46

Why do Polish medical students resign from pursuing surgical careers? A survey study

Background: In recent years, the interest of Polish medical students in choosing a career in surgical subspecialties has been declining. In the face of a growing demand for surgical procedures it seems essential to find the reasons responsible for that situation. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of interest in pursuing surgical careers among Polish medical students and to identify factors that may influence their decision. Material and methods: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed electronically among students from 11 different Polish medical universities. Results: We surveyed 595 individuals (190 male and 405 female). 48% of them declared interest in choosing surgical subspecialty as a career. The percentage of students who considered it before medical school was higher and reached almost 65%. Slight or no interest in surgery as a field of study (OR = 20.6), self-assessment of surgical predispositions as unsatisfactory (OR = 14.3), feeling unable to enter and accomplish surgical specialty (OR = 5.2), being discouraged by the partner (OR = 3.4), negative past experience with the surgical environment (OR = 3.2), not having a surgeon as a mentor (OR = 2.6), no authorship of journal articles or congress presentations (OR = 1.9) and first contact with the operating theatre >2nd year of study (OR = 1.9) were found to be the independent risk factors of abandoning a surgical career. Conclusions: Most medical students are interested in pursuing a surgical specialty at some time during their education. However, being discouraged by lifestyle issues, surgical training quality or experiencing gender discrimination, they often resign from such a career path