Impact of COVID-19 on the functioning of medical facilities in Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic in Poland lasted from March 2020 to May 2022. As a result of the new strain of the virus, it was necessary to change the way primary health care units work. In order to allow patients to interact with medical staff, teleconsultations were introduced. This was thought to reduce the spread of the virus and reduce the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Many other countries have seen a reduction in in-person visits and an increase in online doctor consultations. The aim of the study was to examine the level of services provided by medical facilities, including efficiency, effectiveness and patient satisfaction. The survey, which included 246 people, showed that most respondents used remote visits during the pandemic and more than 50% of them believe that clinics were not adequately prepared for the epidemiological situation. Despite the rapid development of technology in the medical sector, patients still prefer the traditional form of medical consultation, which they argue is more accurate and insightful for the doctor during this type of visit

The Influence of Shadow Effects on the Spectral Characteristics of Glacial Meltwater

The phenomenon of shadows due to glaciers is investigated in Antarctica. The observed shadow effect disrupts analyses conducted by remote sensing and is a challenge in the assessment of sediment meltwater plumes in polar marine environments. A DJI Inspire 2 drone equipped with a Zenmuse x5s camera was used to generate a digital surface model (DSM) of 6 King George Island glaciers: Ecology, Dera, Zalewski, Ladies, Krak, and Vieville. On this basis, shaded areas of coves near glaciers were traced. For the first time, spectral characteristics of shaded meltwater were observed with the simultaneous use of a Sequoia+ spectral camera mounted on a Parrot Bluegrass drone and in Landsat 8 satellite images. In total, 44 drone flights were made, and 399 satellite images were analyzed. Among them, four drone spectral images and four satellite images were selected, meeting the condition of a visible shadow. For homogeneous waters (deep, low turbidity, without ice phenomena), the spectral properties tend to change during the approach to an obstacle casting a shadow especially during low shortwave downward radiation. In this case, in the shade, the amount of radiation reflected in the green spectral band decreases by 50% far from the obstacle and by 43% near the obstacle, while in near infrared (NIR), it decreases by 42% and 21%, respectively. With highly turbid, shallow water and ice phenomena, this tendency does not occur. It was found that the green spectral band had the highest contrast in the amount of reflected radiation between nonshaded and shaded areas, but due to its high sensitivity, the analysis could have been overestimated. The spectral properties of shaded meltwater differ depending on the distance from the glacier front, which is related to the saturation of the water with sediment particles. We discovered that the pixel aggregation of uniform areas caused the loss of detailed information, while pixel aggregation of nonuniform, shallow areas with ice phenomena caused changes and the loss of original information. During the aggregation of the original pixel resolution (15 cm) up to 30 m, the smallest error occurred in the area with a homogeneous water surface, while the greatest error (over 100%) was identified in the places where the water was strongly cloudy or there were ice phenomena

The Impact of Glacial Suspension Color on the Relationship Between Its Properties and Marine Water Spectral Reflectance

This study enabled us to determine the sources of sediment for glacial catchments and investigate the differences in properties, i.e., suspended sediment concentration (SSC), turbidity measured in the laboratory (TLAB) and in the field (TF), mean particle diameter (MPD), and chemical composition, between two different-colored sediments that flowed from the glacier terminus. Additionally, the relationship between these properties for two types of suspensions and remote sensing reflectance (RRS) was tested, and the factor with the greatest impact on the value of RRS was determined. The results showed that within one catchment area, there were four sediment sources that provide white (S.1) and red (S.2) sediment. Chemical analysis showed that the differences in sediment color may be influenced by the increased content of carbonates in the white sediment (S.1). The S.2 sediment is characterized by mean TLAB, TF, and SSC values higher than 26.6 formazine nephelometric units (FNU), 13.5 FNU, and 50 mg/L, respectively, and the mean MPD was 4.25 lower than that of the S.1 sediment. However, the red sediment had on average 0.1 lower RRS than the white sediment. In addition, the properties of S.1 correlated better with reflectance, reaching a maximum correlation of 0.69 (SSC/RRS 770–810 nm), while S.2 exhibited a negative correlation in 7 out of 12 cases, reaching a maximum correlation of 0.16 (TLAB/SSC/RRS 730–740 nm) and a negative correlation of −0.37 (SSC/RRS 530–570 nm). This result indicated that sediment color may be a key factor in the dependence of glacial suspension properties and spectral reflectance

Analysis of the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency in different age groups - a review of the literature

Introduction and purpose  Vitamin B12 plays an important role in the process of erythropoiesis and the proper functioning of the nervous system. Its source for humans is food, in particular meat, eggs and shellfish. Cobalamin deficiency is a common problem among both geriatric and younger patients. The aim of this review is to analyze the causes of the deficit, to compare its incidence in different age groups and to try to explain potential differences between the groups. A brief description of the state knowledge Cobalamin deficiency can result from many different reasons, such as Addison-Biermer disease, damage to the ileum, use of metformin or proton pump inhibitors, insufficient supply in the diet, and less often genetic disorders. The deficiency phenomenon is more common in the elderly compared to other age groups, especially male patients with multiple comorbidities or in long-term care facilities. On the other hand, among younger people, a higher incidence is observed in the case of high body weight or height. Summary Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common clinical problem, especially among geriatric patients. Most often, cobalamin deficiency may result from reasons related to its improper absorption or deficiency in the diet, while the factors contributing to the deficiency vary depending on the age group. Elderly patients, especially those with additional risk factors, should be carefully monitored for vitamin B12 deficiency

Impact of COVID-19 on the functioning of medical facilities in Poland

KAŹMIERKIEWICZ, Kornelia, SMULEWICZ, Klaudia, WÓJCIK, Alicja and ZIOMKO, Bartłomiej. Impact of COVID-19 on the functioning of medical facilities in Poland. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2023;20(1):140-155. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2023.20.01.014 https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/46054 https://zenodo.org/record/8370984 The journal has had 40 points in Ministry of Education and Science of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of 17.07.2023 No. 32318. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical Culture Sciences (Field of Medical sciences and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of Medical Sciences and Health Sciences). Punkty Ministerialne z 2019 - aktualny rok 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z dnia 17.07.2023 Lp. 32318. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159. Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe: Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu). © The Authors 2023; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 31.08.2023. Revised: 15.09.2023. Accepted: 20.09.2023. Published: 26.09.2023. Wpływ COVID-19 na funkcjonowanie placówek leczniczych w Polsce Impact of COVID-19 on the functioning of medical facilities in Poland Kornelia Kaźmierkiewicz, Klaudia Smulewicz, Alicja Wójcik, Bartłomiej Ziomko Adres do korespondencji: Kornelia Kaźmierkiewicz, [email protected], 537721970 Streszczenie Pandemia COVID-19 w Polsce to okres od marca 2020 roku do maja 2022 roku. W wyniku pojawienia się nowej odmiany wirusa konieczna była zmiana sposobu pracy placówek podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej. Aby umożliwić pacjentom kontakt z personelem medycznym wprowadzono teleporady. Miało być to rozwiązanie zmniejszające rozprzestrzenianie się wirusa oraz zmniejszające ryzyko zarażenia się SARS-CoV-2. W wielu krajach można było zauważyć zmniejszenie wizyt osobistych w sektorach ochrony zdrowia, a zwiększenie liczby konsultacji telefonicznych. Celem pracy było zbadanie poziomu usług świadczonych przez placówki medyczne, w tym efektywności, skuteczności i poziomu zadowolenia pacjentów. Badania, które obejmowały 246 osób wykazały, że większość respondentów w trakcie pandemii korzystało z wizyt zdalnych a ponad 50% z nich uważa, że przychodnie nie były odpowiednio przygotowane do zaistniałej sytuacji epidemiologicznej. Pomimo szybkiego rozwoju technologii w sektorze medycznym, pacjenci nadal preferują tradycyjną formę konsultacji lekarskiej, co argumentują większą dokładnością i wnikliwością lekarza podczas tego rodzaju wizyty. W tym badaniu wartość p dla wszystkich komórek tabeli kontyngencji jest większa niż 0,05. Oznacza to, że nie ma istotnych statystycznie różnic między obserwowanymi a oczekiwanymi wartościami w żadnej z komórek. Na podstawie tych wyników można przyjąć hipotezę zerową. Oznacza to, że nie istnieje istotna statycznie zależność między chorobami przewlekłymi a płcią. Innymi słowy, wyniki badania sugerują, że choroby przewlekłe są równie prawdopodobne u kobiet i mężczyzn. Słowa kluczowe: COVID-19, pandemia, telemedycyna, stan zdrowia, choroby przewlekłe Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic in Poland lasted from March 2020 to May 2022. As a result of the new strain of the virus, it was necessary to change the way primary health care units work. In order to allow patients to interact with medical staff, teleconsultations were introduced. This was thought to reduce the spread of the virus and reduce the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2. Many other countries have seen a reduction in in-person visits and an increase in online doctor consultations. The aim of the study was to examine the level of services provided by medical facilities, including efficiency, effectiveness and patient satisfaction. The survey, which included 246 people, showed that most respondents used remote visits during the pandemic and more than 50% of them believe that clinics were not adequately prepared for the epidemiological situation. Despite the rapid development of technology in the medical sector, patients still prefer the traditional form of medical consultation, which they argue is more accurate and insightful for the doctor during this type of visit. In this study, the p-value for all cells of the contingency table is greater than 0.05. This means that there are no statistically significant differences between the observed and expected values in any cell. Based on these results, the null hypothesis can be accepted. This means that there is no statistically significant relationship between chronic diseases and gender. In other words, the study findings suggest that chronic diseases are equally likely in women and men. Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, telemedicine, health condition, chronic disease

Investigation of Sediment-Rich Glacial Meltwater Plumes Using a High-Resolution Multispectral Sensor Mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

A Parrot Sequoia+ multispectral camera on a Parrot Bluegrass drone registered in four spectral bands (green, red, red edge (RE), and near-infrared (NIR)) to identify glacial outflow zones and determined the meltwater turbidity values in waters in front of the following Antarctic glaciers: Ecology, Dera Icefall, Zalewski, and Krak on King George Island, Southern Shetlands was used. This process was supported by a Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour model from a Zenmuse X5 camera on an Inspire 2 quadcopter drone. Additional surface water turbidity measurements were carried out using a Yellow Springs Instruments (YSI) sonde EXO2. From this research, it was apparent that for mapping low-turbidity and medium-turbidity waters (<70 formazinenephelometricunits (FNU)), a red spectral band should be used, since it is insensitive to possible surface ice phenomena and registers the presence of both red and white sediments. High-turbidity plumes with elevated FNU values should be identified through the NIR band. Strong correlation coefficients between the reflectance at particular bands and FNU readings (RGreen = 0.85, RRed = 0.85, REdge = 0.84, and RNIR = 0.83) are shown that multispectral mapping using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be successfully usedeven in the unfavourable weather conditions and harsh climate of Antarctica. Lastly, the movement of water masses in Admiralty Bay is briefly discussed and supported by the results from EXO2 measurements

Effectiveness of physiotherapeutic techniques in urinary incontinence: a review of the literature

Introduction and purpose : Urinary incontinence is a common condition characterized by involuntary urine leakage from urethra. It particularly affects elderly women and is a serious medical, social and economic problem. As a result of recently observed population ageing, the incidence of this anomaly is expected to rise. Due to multifactorial etiology, several types of incontinence are distinguished. Proper diagnostic procedures lead to diagnosis confirmation and allow appropriate therapeutic intervention. Both conservative and surgical methods are used in management of urine incontinence. In addition to pharmacological therapy, physiotherapeutic methods have an important meaning in conservative approach. The aim of this article is a review presenting the results of recent studies on the effectiveness of physiotherapy procedures in treatment of various types of urine incontinence. Description of the state of knowledge: In the study 33 articles which published physiotherapy techniques in 2004-2021 regarding the role of physiotherapeutic methods in the treatment of urinary incontinence were analyzed. The results of studies assessing the effectiveness of physiotherapy techniques (acupuncture, behavioral therapy, yoga, magnetic stimulation, pelvic floor muscle training, vaginal cones, vibration therapy, kinesiotheraphy techniques, stimulation) in reducing the severity of urinary incontinence symptoms and improving the quality of patients’ life were presented on the basis of analyzed literature. Conclusions: Physiotherapy is an effective method of treatment of urinary incontinence and it supports other types of therapy. Therapy should be interdisciplinary approached and the choice of physiotherapeutic methods should be dependent on the individual needs of the patient

New treatment strategies for bipolar disorder in the elderly

Introduction and objective: The purpose of this paper is to systematically review articles and new research in the context of bipolar geriatric patients. Materials and methods: PubMed searches were completed using the key terms bipolar disorder, bipolar elderly, bipolar depression, bipolar elderly treatment and review articles. In addition, references in these resources were searched. Search dates: 2010 to 2022. Description of the state of knowledge: Mental disorders in the context of the elderly concern all depressive disorders. A problem with other disorders such as bipolar disorder is also increasingly recognized. In the elderly, it is quite rare in the general cross-section of society, but it may have a higher percentage, e.g. in nursing homes and care institutions. This review article shows both the difference and the similarities in the course of this disease in older and younger patients. The most important and common aspect for both age groups is psychotherapy with parallel pharmacological treatment. The greatest difficulty in pharmacotherapy in the elderly is polypharmacy and numerous drug interactions, as well as different pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drugs used compared to younger patients. Attention should also be paid to the differentiation of bipolar disorder from different types of dementia and other cognitive disorders. Therefore, one should strive to carefully assess the patient's need for a given treatment, establish appropriate periodic monitoring of treatment, and assess the risk of taking or not intervening. This article also aims to review new research and drugs that seem promising, while the individualized and interdisciplinary approach to a geriatric patient with BD is the most important finding of this review. Summary: Bipolar disorder in older people, compared to the younger population, should be treated pharmacologically in combination with psychotherapy. The elderly patient population requires a multidisciplinary approach due to the number of drugs used in a large number of diseases

The Effect of Glacier Recession on Benthic and Pelagic Communities: Case Study in Herve Cove, Antarctica

Changes in macrobenthic and pelagic communities in the postglacial, partially isolated, lagoon Herve Cove in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, were investigated 15 years after the first comprehensive studies had been conducted in this region. The bottom area of the cove has enlarged from approximately 12 ha to 19 ha after the retreat of the Dera Icefall. Based on a photographic survey of the benthos and taxonomic composition of zooplankton, ecological succession and the colonization of new species have been observed. Several new species occur such as gastropods, seastars, sea urchins and isopods, and their presence in different parts of the cove, as well as breeding aggregations suggests that they reproduce there. The influence of glacial streams is notable in bottom assemblages. We propose that Herve Cove is a good research area for studies on ecological succession in newly opened areas. The colonization of this lagoon has been recognized to be in its developing stage, and research should be continued

Dispositional optimism in a person diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia - case study

Wstęp:Schizofrenia paranoidalna jest chorobą przewlekłą i zaliczona została do grupy zaburzeń psychicznych, które obejmują objawy osiowe. Odchylenia te powodują zaburzenia myślenia, zachowania i afektu. Jeśli pacjent nie zostanie zdiagnozowany w odpowiednim momencie, może skutkować to ograniczeniem umiejętności jego samodzielnego funkcjonowania w życiu codziennym. Choremu trudno komunikować się z otoczeniem, izoluje się i zamyka w sobie, często ma lęki. Najczęstszym objawami tego typu schizofrenii są urojenia i omamy, mogą się one nasilać pod wpływem różnych czynników, np. pogody, stresu. Leczenie chorego w dużej mierze zależy od stopnia przejawianego optymizmu. Optymizm dyspozycyjny warunkuje lepsze funkcjonowanie w życiu codziennym, ułatwia nawiązywanie kontaktu z innymi i pozwala zrozumieć istotę choroby.Cel pracy: Celem pracy było wykazanie, w jakim stopniu osoba chora na schizofrenię paranoidalną przejawiaja optymizm dyspozycyjny.Materiał i metody: W badaniu została wykorzystana metoda indywidualnego przypadku. Techniką gromadzenia informacji była obserwacja niestandaryzowana, ankieta, analiza dokumentacji medycznej (historia choroby, raporty pielęgniarskie, indywidualna karta zleceń, karta zajęć terapeutycznych). Użyto następujących narzędzi: kwestionariusz ankiety, Test Orientacji Życiowej LOT – R. Badaną osobą była 55 – letnia kobieta z rozpoznaniem schizofrenii paranoidalnej od 15 roku życia.Wyniki: Badana pacjentka przejawia dyspozycyjny optymizm w wysokim stopniu.Wnioski: Przeprowadzone badanie dowiodło, że osoba chora na schizofrenię paranoidalną przejawiająca wysoki poziom dyspozycyjnego optymizmu jest świadoma swojej choroby i występujących objawów, dlatego też lepiej funkcjonuje w życiu codziennym. Przejawia umiarkowaną zdolność w rozwiązywaniu problemów oraz boi się przyszłości, jednak patrzy w nią optymistycznie. Wykazuje pozytywne relacje między członkami rodziny.Introduction:Paranoid schizophrenia is a chronic disease and is classified as a psychiatric disorder which includes axial symptoms. These deviations cause disturbances of thinking, behaviour, and affect. If the patient is not diagnosed at the right time, it can result in a restriction of his or her ability to function independently in everyday life. It is difficult for a person to communicate with the environment, she isolates herself and closes up, often the fears. The most common symptoms of this type of schizophrenia are delusions and hallucinations, which can be aggravated by various factors such as weather and stress. Treatment of a patient depends on a great extent on the degree of optimism. Dispositional optimism determines a better functioning in everyday life, facilitates communication with others and helps to understand the essence of the disease.Objective: The aim of the study is to demonstrate an extent of optimistic disposition by person who is suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Materials and method: The study used the individual case method. The technique of collecting information were non-standardized observation, non-standard, survey, medical documentation analysis (history of disease, nursing reports, individual order card, fever card). The following tools were used: questionnaire survey, LOT - R. The subject was a 55-year-old woman diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia at the age of 15.Results: The patient in question is highly optimistic.Conclusions: The study showed that the paranoid schizophrenic patient with a high level of optimistic aptitude is aware of her disease and symptoms, so she functions better in everyday life. The patient has a moderate ability to solve problems and is afraid of the future, but she looks into it optimistically. The subject demonstrates positive relationships between family members