Informacije i raspon baza podataka koje se koriste za pomorsko prostorno planiranje i za integrirano upravljanje obalnim područjem - primjer slučaja u Poljskoj, Baltičko more

Intensive exploitation of coastal and maritime areas, together with climate changes, natural hazards and erosion, have increased pressure on coastal and maritime resources. They require integrated and consistent management in order to ensure sustainable development and to preserve coastal and marine ecosystems for future generations. Spatial development planning for maritime areas is commonly understood to denote an open process of analysis, planning and temporal distribution of components of human activity, which results in accomplishment of economic, social and environmental goals. Such actions require a wide range of information. The main objective of the study was to identify the range of data used in maritime spatial planning, integrated coastal zone management in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea and the possibility of acquiring such data. A high degree of generalisation prevents a lot of available data for MSP and ICZM from being used. An analysis of information resources (databases, registers, information systems) for the Polish Baltic zone and the coastal area has shown it to be dispersed and incomplete. However, considering the rapid development of the sector and the commitment of the stakeholders, one can predict that the new tools and projects will fill the gaps in this regard.Intenzivna eksploatacija obalnih i morskih područjima, zajedno s klimatskim promjenama, prirodnim nepogodama i erozijom, čine povećan pritisak na obalne i pomorske resurse. Ovi resursi zahtijevaju integrirano i konzistentno upravljanje kako bi se osigurao održivi razvoj, te omogućilo očuvanje obalnih i morskih ekosustava za buduće generacije. Planiranje prostornog razvoja pomorskih područja obično podrazumijeva otvoren proces analize, planiranja i vremenske raspodjele dijelova ljudskog djelovanja, što rezultira provođenjem ekonomskih, socijalnih i ekoloških ciljeva. Takvi postupci zahtijevaju širok raspon informacija. Glavni cilj našeg istraživanja bio je utvrditi raspon podataka koji se koriste u pomorskom prostornom planiranju, integriranom upravljanju obalnim područjem u poljskom dijelu Baltičkog mora, kao i mogućnost stjecanja takvih podataka. Visok stupanj generalizacije sprječava korištenje većine raspoloživih korisnih podataka za MSP i ICZM. Analiza informacijskih izvora (baze podataka, registri, informacijski sustavi) za poljski dio Baltičke zone i obalnog područja pokazala je da su podaci raspršeni i nepotpuni. Međutim, s obzirom na brzi razvoj sektora i predanost sudionika, može se predvidjeti da će novi alati i projekti doprinjeti rješavanju problema s podacima

The potential of natural conditions in juxtaposition with land consolidation – case study of Lubelskie voivodship (Lublin Region)

In Poland, land consolidation works are mainly carried out in the southern part of the country. In three administrative regions (voivodships): Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and Małopolskie, in the years 2004–2013, a large number of land consolidation projects were carried out compared to the national average, namely, above 20 thousand hectares in each of the regions. In other three regions (Warmińsko-Mazurskie, Zachodniopomorskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie) there have been no land consolidation projects, although research shows (Jędrejek et al., 2014) that the need for consolidation works is found in all regions. According to Woch and Głażewski (2014), one of the reasons for this is the difficulty in the implementation of land consolidation projects resulting from the need to preserve the valuable natural qualities of the environment in protected areas. The aim of the article is to analyse and assess the natural potential of individual municipalities, as well as to juxtapose the calculated indices against the area size of the already completed land consolidation works. In the article, we attempt to answer the following questions: Is there a relationship between the natural conditions of the municipalities where the consolidation work on agricultural land was carried out, and the area size of the implemented consolidation projects in the studied area? Is the impact of the natural potential of municipalities positive or negative in relation to the on-going land consolidation projects? What are the environmental conditions of the municipalities in which the consolidation of agricultural land was carried out? The study involved the query of literature on the subject. Analysis and evaluation of natural conditions was made on the basis of research following a spatial-statistical approach. The potential of the natural environment has been analysed in terms of valorisation of the agricultural production space, analysis of the forest cover (afforestation) index, and the index of protected areas. A synthetic assessment of the natural environment potential index was made, and then Pearson’s correlation coefficient was calculated between the calculated environmental potential index, and the area size of the completed consolidation projects. The research area comprised the Lublin region (Lubelskie voividship). Administrative unit of the municipality served as the primary entity under assessment. The units in which land consolidation projects were carried out in the years 2004-2013 were analysed in detail. Research has shown that the potential of the natural environment in the majority of municipalities in the Lublin region has been determined on the medium level. It has also been shown that there is correlation dependence between the area size of the completed land consolidation projects and the level of the potential of natural conditions. The quality of the natural environment in rural areas is potentially threatened by the intensification of agricultural production, because economic expansion may affect the disappearance of natural habitats and reduce biodiversity. Therefore, preservation of natural potential is antagonistic to simultaneous actions aimed at improving the conditions of agricultural production. On the other hand, the threat to forms of nature protection comes from the lack of modernization of infrastructure in rural areas, including sewage and waste management, which are inseparable activities in the implementation of the land management and agricultural works

Application of botulinum toxin in the treatment of bruxism

Bruxism is a commonly reported functional para-function of the oral cavity. Its symptoms are quite characteristic and include, above all, excessive clenching and grinding of the teeth. (2) Other complaints most frequently reported by patients are headaches, pain in the temporomandibular joint, excessive tooth abrasion, damage to dentures, waking up at night, visual effect - the so-called "square jaw". The etiology is multifactorial therefore it is difficult to treat its symptoms.  Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin produced by the anaerobic bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Its mechanism is based on the reversible inhibition of acetylcholine release in neuromuscular junctions. Intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin is one of the treatments of bruxism. So far, this method is used off-label. Looking at the promising results of randomized studies on the use of botulinum toxin in bruxism, this may change in the near future. As shown by previous studies, it is not an ideal method, but nevertheless it is one of the most effective and the best for the patient. The downside to the use of botulinum toxin in the treatment of bruxism symptoms are, inter alia, contraindications to the use of this drug and the duration of its action - 3-6 months. This systematic review of selected articles and studies aims to examine the available literature in order to determine the effectiveness of the use of botulinum toxin in the treatment of bruxism and to assess whether it is currently the most effective method.  Pubmed and Google Scholar were searched for literature

The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection after the arthroplasty of knee joint

Total knee replacement is one of the most widely performed surgeries. It is stated as the most efficient method of treating end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee joint.  Due to the aging of the population and the prevalence of osteoarthritis, the number of arthroplasties is increasing every day.  Such extensive surgical procedures are associated with a large number of postoperative complications, one of which is periprosthetic joint infection. The reported prevalence of PJI out to 2 years after knee replacement is 1.55 %. Misconceptions in the management of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) can compromise the treatment success. The aim of the following article was to provide an overview of the medical knowledge on the periprosthetic joint infection after the arthroplasty of knee joint. Infections are caused by microbes that can enter the joint, which are most often coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Staphylococcus Aureus, Streptococci, Enterococci and Gram-negative bacteria. Fungal infections are much less common. The diagnostic process requires the involvement of a large group of medical personnel, which is why protocols with algorithms have been created to facilitate and standardize the diagnosis in the direction of periprosthetic joint infections. Mainly used tests from the patient's serum, synovial tests and histology. The positive results of the above tests are taken into account in the assessment of the fulfillment of the major and minor criteria to assess the likelihood of the occurrence of periprosthetic infection. This research paper aims to analyze the latest medical reports on the PJI diagnostic algorithm, laboratory and imaging studies of their effectiveness. This article was written based on analyzing data available in publications in Pubmed and Google Scholar database

Monkeypox - new epidemiological threat? Review of the current literature

The mokeypox is zoonotic disease caused by an orthopoxvirus, which was first isolated and identified in 1959 among captive monkeys transported to Copenhagen, Denmark from Africa for research purposes. Monkeypox in humans was initially diagnosed in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and then it has spread to other regions of Africa. The monkeypox cases in Africa were neglected by the scientific community for past decades till 2022, when thousands of cases were reported  from nonendemic countries around Europe and in the western hemisphere. Therefore monkeypox has recently been labelled as a public health emergency of international concern by the WHO. Monkeypox virus is believed to have several modes of transmission, all of which are associated with direct or indirect contact with infected animals or infected humans. The diagnosis of monkeypox infection is based on the history, clinical symptoms and laboratory tests such as PCR.The illness begins with nonspecific symptoms such as fever, lethargy, lymphadenopathy, myalgias and then it occures the rash first on the face and then across the body which lasts for 2–4 weeks. Most cases of monkeypox are mild and self-limited disease, which require only supportive treatments. However in very severe cases antiviral medications such as tecovirimat may be administered.  Smallpox vaccination has been estimated to provide 85% cross-protection against monkeypox infection. The main problem is there is a huge population born only after the discontinuation of the smallpox vaccination campaign with  lack of cross-protective immunity. The question is - the monkeypox is only old neglected foe or a new epidemiological threat

Skin cancer’s prevention in the light of current medical knowledge

Among all diagnosed malignancies, skin cancers account for more than 30-50%. Caucasian patients have a lifetime risk of more than 20%. The incidence increases with the age of patients. In 2017, there were over 14,000 new cases in Poland. It can be expected that these results are underestimated due to incomplete registration of new cases in the National Cancer Registry.(1,2)The most common skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma - over 80% of cases. In second place is squamous cell carcinoma - 15-20%. Other types are less common.(1)The appearance of a new mole or a change in the appearance of an existing one is often missed at the beginning, and even if it is noticed, it is underestimated by the patient. Therefore, detection rate of skin cancer, including melanoma at an early stage, is unfortunately relatively low.The incidence of skin cancer is constantly increasing, which is an important epidemiological problem of modern medicine.(2)Patient education should focus on behaviors that the patient can influence and modify, including: regular visits to a dermatologist and undergoing a dermatoscopic examination, the use of sunscreen with a high UV factor, the use of special protective clothing, sunglasses, covering head when under sun’s exposure, moderate overall sun exposure, avoiding sunburn, not using a tanning bed.The purpose of this review was to assess the current literature on the impact of educating the public and promoting sun protection as a necessary method to directly reduce the incidence of skin cancer.The literature was searched in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy – review of current literature

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) also known as broken heart syndrome is acute cardiac disease, which is characterized by reversible ventricular motion abnormalities, in the absence of justifying coronary artery disease. The clinical entity was first described in Japan in 1991. The word “Takotsubo” is a container used by the Japanese to catch octopus, which has a narrow neck and a relatively wide base, which resembles the heart's shape in TTS. The cardiomiopathy predominantly affects postmenopausal women and is often preceded by emotional (death of close family member, domestic abuse) or physical (external injury, severe pain) stress. The exact pathophysiological mechanism has not yet been fully clarified. Inordinate amount of catecholamines released into bloodstream after stress attack plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of TTS. Symptoms of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy such as chest pain and dyspnea are similar to acute myocardial infarction due to it TTS requires careful diagnosis. The main tools for making diagnosis are echocardiography, coronary angiography, ECG, cardiac biomarkers and cardiac magnetic resonance. The syndrome is usually reversible, nevertheless number of patients may develop complications such as cardiogenic shock, arrhythmias, heart failure. Treatment is mostly supportive including Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACEi) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), which may reduce the likelihood of recurrent episodes. Generally patients with TSS have favourable prognosis, although some deaths are reported. This article is a review of current medical knowledge about Takotsubo syndrome based on available publications in Pubmed and Google Scholar databases

Sexual activity in terms of cardiac rehabilitation after cardiovascular incidents

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still the leading cause of death. Environmental factors such as smoking, low physical activity and poor diet have the greatest impact on the incidence of the disease. For patients after a cardiovascular incident, cardiac rehabilitation is the key to recovery. One possible path of rehabilitation is sexual activity (SA). Sexual activities are similar to mild/moderate physical activity during a short period. Most patients are recommended to involve in sexual activity after prior comprehensive evaluation of physical condition. Before involving in sexual activity the general condition of the patient needs to be checked.  A useful method for this is a stress testing. The patients with stable cardiac symptoms and good functional capacity are at a low risk of recurrent cardiovascular events, and others require treatment or improvement of heart function. The most efficient way to provide SA is a sexual counseling. Evidence suggests that relatively few cardiac patients receive sexual counseling, which can result in negative outcomes ranging from psychological, physical, and quality of life. Sexual problems and concerns are prevalent, including patient and partner fear of causing another heart attack. It is because people still believe that sexual activity is too risky and they cease all of it. Sexual counseling is needed across health care settings to ensure that patients receive information to safely resume SA