Assessment of sensory preference and frequency of carbohydrate bar consumption by physically active people

Introduction: Active lifestyles are causing an increase in interest directed toward foods, many athletes use specially formulated food products that concentrate large amounts of nutrients in a small volume, while also being easily digestible and quickly absorbed. The main objective of the study was to compare selected commercially available products prepared for physically active people with those prepared based on proprietary recipes and natural, commonly available ingredients. Material and method: The material used in the comparative study was energy bars from three sources: popular market bars from the leading manufacturers in the Polish market and available in most grocery stores, specialized bars, and bars made according to the author's recipe in imitation of the above snacks using natural ingredients.  The evaluation of the use of supplements was based on the author's survey questionnaire on consumer preferences and frequency of consumption of carbohydrate products, using energy bars as an example. Results: Bars prepared according to the author's recipe received scores of 2 and 3 for taste and texture and scores of 1 and 2 for the input of basic raw materials. Evaluation of the use of supplements was carried out in a group of 147 people, the study group was dominated by people who train in cycling and running. About 65% of the respondents declared that they use energy bars. Among those who use energy bars, the largest number of respondents declared that they use specialty bars (20%), 15% of respondents use market bars and 8% make the bars themselves. Conclusions: The results of the sensory evaluation of bars prepared according to the author's recipe indicate the need to modify their composition, especially in terms of improving the texture. Carbohydrate supplements are used by respondents, especially if it is justified in the case of practicing endurance and endurance sports characterized by high intensity of training, i.e. cycling and running

Real-life study of dual therapy based on dolutegravir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir in HIV-1-infected treatment-experienced patients

<div><p>Background</p><p>Dual therapy based on dolutegravir and ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DTG/DRV/r) is a combination of well-known drugs with a high genetic barrier to HIV resistance.</p><p>Method</p><p>A retrospective analysis of all HIV-1 infected treatment-experienced patients who switched to DTG/DRV/r from May 2014 till March 2017 in 4 Polish centres–results of a 48-week treatment.</p><p>Results</p><p>The study group consisted of 59 men and 17 women. Median baseline parameters were: age– 42.7 years, CD4 cells count– 560.5 cells/μl, CD4 cells nadir– 150 cells/μl, <i>number</i> of prior antiretroviral <i>regimens–</i> 3. The introduction of dual therapy was primarily due to virologic failure (30 patients), adverse events on previous regimens (17 patients) and therapy simplification (27 patients). At week 48 the treatment <i>was continued</i> in 70/76 of patients and the median CD4 cells count increased from 560.5 to 641.0 cells/μl. The therapy was discontinued in six patients (1 –virologic failure, 1 –decrease of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 1 –myalgia, 3 –lost to follow-up). At week 48 six patients had detectable viremia, but only in one patient viremia was higher than 200 copies/ml. At week 48 the level of serum total cholesterol of the investigated subjects was statistically significantly higher than at the moment of dual therapy introduction (185.8 mg/dl vs. 174.8 mg/dl- p<0.05). However, in patients previously not treated with TDF, there were no changes in lipid parameters during therapy. <i>Proteinuria</i> was observed in 13.2% of patients before the switch to dual therapy and in 7.1% of patients at week 48.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The investigated dual therapy was effective and safe. The observed increase in lipid parameters only concerned the patients who had used a TDF-based regimen prior to analysed dual treatment.</p></div

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - living with chronic pain. Current knowledge of the disease

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of the most common inherited connective tissue disorders. The main symptoms of this syndrome are excessive skin flexibility, joint hypermobility and blood vessels fragility. The diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms, but to confirm the type of EDS, it is necessary to identify the collagen-encoding gene or protein interacting with it. The group of Ehlers and Danlos diseases include fourteen types, the most common are classic, vascular, hypermobile, arthrochalasis, kyphoscoliotic and dermatosparaxis. [15] Connective tissue plays a key role in the process of movement, constituting the main component of bones, joint cartilage, tendons, ligaments and intervertebral discs. In addition, connective tissue is a part of every internal organ including the intestines and parenchymal organs and the cardiovascular system.[19] For this reason, patients with EDS show symptoms of many diseases, including respiratory, muscular, skeletal and vascular. Women suffering from EDS often struggle with complications during their pregnancies. Psychological and emotional issues are also common.[6] However, the most noticeable and debilitating symptom of EDS is pain, which is often severe and chronic. The pain occurs in approximately 90% or more of EDS patients.[8] Successful pain management in patients with EDS is a major challenge for specialists. The treatment involves non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, opioids and physiotherapy. Also marijuana, traditional chinese treatments, herbal remedies are considered to reduce the severity of the symptoms. [9] During the creation of this article, the authors analyzed the clinically relevant knowledge of EDS treatment and management based on research published on Pubmed

When does a healthy lifestyle turn into a disorder? Orthorexia – diagnostic problems, methods of treatment

Introduction: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a common phenomenon. Its prevalence in society ranges from 1% to 60%. Yet, there are no specific diagnostic criteria or effective screening tests. Moreover, orthorexia does not appear in any of the available international psychiatric classifications such as the ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) and DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Due to this fact many people remain undiagnosed, which significantly affects their standard of living, and later puts a strain on the health care system. Material and method: The article is based on a study and analysis of available publications in the last few years, published in the PubMed database. Conclusions: It is crucial to create specific diagnostic criteria for orthorexia. This will enable efficient detection of patients at an early stage of the disorder, which will significantly shorten the diagnostic path. Moreover, specifying potential risk factors will help to reduce new cases

Modern methods of treating marijuana addiction (cannabis use disorders) and its influence on health

Introduction: Worldwide, cannabis is the most widely used illegal psychoactive substance and the third most common drug, after alcohol and tobacco. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) affects approximately 10% of the 193 million cannabis users worldwide. In recent years, cannabinoids have become more and more popular. The CUD is becoming a growing social and health problem. The search for effective forms of pharmacotherapy is still ongoing, and an effective combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy may be crucial for the future of CUD treatment. &nbsp; Material and method: The article was based on a review and analysis of publications and discoveries in recent years, which were available in the PubMed and Google Scholar database. &nbsp; Results: 82 study participants attempted abstinence from cannabis use. In the final primary endpoint analysis, both 400 mg of CBD and 800 mg of CBD were more effective than placebo in reducing cannabis use.&nbsp; 50 people who were addicted to cannabis treated with gabapentin showed a significant reduction in cannabis use and cannabis withdrawal compared to placebo. Moreover, 70 men addicted to cannabis were randomized and those, who used FAAH inhibitors reported fewer cannabis withdrawal symptoms, less cannabis use and lower THC urine levels than placebo users. Conclusions: Gabapentin has been proven to show a reduction in CUD. The use of CBD, FAAH inhibitors and psychotherapy MET/CBT/CM also appear to be effective. In addition, the use of the principles of People-First Language, avoiding slang and idioms, using medical and curing vocabulary, respects the addicted person, and also positively influences the chances of abstinence

Giardia intestinalis - atypical symptoms of infection in the daily practice of various specialists

Giardia intestinalis infection is the most common parasitic infection in the world. The parasite's reservoir is mainly humans and many species of mammals. Giardiasis is a parasitic disease of the duodenum and small intestine. Infection spreads easily through the oral-fecal route. Its most frequent symptom is chronic diarrhea, but it can also be asymptomatic. This article analyzes atypical symptoms of Giardia Intestinalis infection based on available studies in the PubMed database. Observations have shown that giardiasis can manifest in various types of dermatoses such as urticaria, angioedema, atopic dermatitis, erythema nodosum, or Wells syndrome. A relationship between Giardia Intestinalis infection and various allergic syndromes, manifesting as chronic urticaria or angioedema, has also been observed, as well as an increased occurrence of food allergies due to increased exposure to antigens. Studies have also shown that giardiasis can cause polyneuropathy, avitaminosis, and malabsorption syndrome. Even years after infection, chronic fatigue syndrome can still be observe

Divided by a common language : English across national, social, and cultural boundaries

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed publicationZe wstępu: This monographic volume presents ten selected studies exploring the multiple interrelationships between language and the communities of speakers who sustain it, focusing on the various roles that language plays for its users, both native and non-native. On the empirical side of things, the studies included in this volume focus on the English language and its socio-cultural and educational contexts. The multifarious relationships between language and the communities of its users are addressed here from different perspectives and points of view. All the different threads fi nd their synthesis in the ways in which language, a carrier of culture and marker of national, social and cultural identity, refl ects the changes taking place in the communities using it as a tool for interpersonal communication, accumulation, storage and dissemination of information, social interactions, transmission of culture, and many other purposes, which are the focus of this volume. The diverse topics explored by the authors speak to the richness and complexity of the social and cultural meanings of language and the importance of questions of language ownership, language attitudes, and linguistic as well as cultural diversity

Ocena bezpieczeństwa i efektywność jabłczanu sunitynibu w przerzutowych guzach neuroendokrynnych trzustki (NEN G1/G2) w zależności od liczby i rodzaju wcześniejszych linii terapeutycznych — doniesienie wstępne

Introduction: The objective of this paper was to assess the safety and efficacy of sunitinib malate in patients with well-differentiated metastatic pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PNENs) who relapsed on standard therapy.Material and methods: Overall, eight patients with well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours/neoplasm (NET/NEN G1/G2, Ki-67 &lt; 20%), who had relapsed on a standard therapy approach, were treated. All had non-resectable, progressive disease. All received therapy using a standard dose of sunitinib malate. Adverse events were evaluated using NCI-CTC AE v. 3.0.Results: Of the eight patients, seven had non-secretor and single secretor tumour (gastrinoma). Partial remission (PR) was noted in three patients (one after a single therapeutic line, two after two lines), five patients had stabilisation (SD) — including three individuals after three lines, one patient after two lines and another after a single line. Haematological adverse events: leukopenia (25%) — occurred in one patient after three lines and in one patient after two lines; anaemia (25%) — in one patient after three lines and in one patient after one therapeutic line. Mucocutaneous lesions were noted in 37.5% of patients after 2–3 lines of treatment. All of them experienced fatigue syndrome irrespective of the number of therapies. The majority of the patients simultaneously received somatostatin analogues, which did not exacerbate the toxicity profile. The median progression-free survival time (PFS) was 11 months.Conclusions: Sunitinib may be considered as a fairly well-tolerated and effective therapeutic option in progressive non-resectable PNEN patients in the second and subsequent lines of treatment, irrespective of the types of treatment previously applied. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 472–478)Wstęp: Celem pracy była ocena bezpieczeństwa oraz analiza skuteczności jabłczanu sunitynibu u chorych z przerzutowymi wysokozróżnicowanymi guzami neuroendokrynnymi trzustki (PNET) w drugiej i kolejnych liniach leczenia.Materiał i metody: Analizie poddano 8 pacjentów z wysoko zróżnicowanymi guzami neuroendokrynnymi trzustki (NEN G1/G2, Ki-67 &lt; 20%), u których wystąpiła progresja choroby i otrzymali sunitynib. Wszyscy chorzy byli w stadium nieoperacyjnym. Sunitynib był podawany w standardowej dawce. Działania niepożądane oceniono na podstawie kryteriów NCI-CTC AE v. 3.0.Wyniki: Leczono 8 pacjentów; 7 guzów nieaktywnych hormonalnie i 1 o typie gastrinoma. Częściową remisję (PR) uzyskano u 3 chorych (1 po 1 linii terapeutycznej, 2 — po 2 liniach), 5 chorych miało stabilizację (SD) — w tym 3 było po 3 liniach, 1 po 2 liniach i 1 po 1 linii terapeutycznej. Powikłania hematologiczne: leukopenia (25%) — wystąpiły u 1 pacjenta po 3 liniach i u 1 pacjenta po 2 liniach; niedokrwistość (25%) — u 1 pacjenta po 3 liniach i u 1 pacjenta po 1 linii terapeutycznej. U 37,5% chorych wystąpiły zmiany skórno-śluzówkowe po 2–3 liniach leczenia. U 100% chorych obserwowano zespół zmęczenia niezależnie od liczby terapii. Większość chorych jednocześnie otrzymywała SSA, co nie pogorszyło profilu toksyczności. Mediana czasu wolnego od progresji PFS (progression free survival) – wyniosła 11 miesięcy.Wnioski: Sunitynib może być rozważany, jako dość dobrze tolerowana, skuteczna opcja terapeutyczna u chorych z nieresekcyjnymi PNET w drugiej oraz kolejnych liniach leczenia, niezależnie od rodzaju uprzednio zastosowanych metod. (Endokrynol Pol 2014; 65 (6): 472–478

When does a healthy lifestyle turn into a disorder? Orthorexia – diagnostic problems, methods of treatment

Introduction: Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a common phenomenon. Its prevalence in society ranges from 1% to 60%. Yet, there are no specific diagnostic criteria or effective screening tests. Moreover, orthorexia does not appear in any of the available international psychiatric classifications such as the ICD (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) and DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). Due to this fact many people remain undiagnosed, which significantly affects their standard of living, and later puts a strain on the health care system. Material and method: The article is based on a study and analysis of available publications in the last few years, published in the PubMed database. Conclusions: It is crucial to create specific diagnostic criteria for orthorexia. This will enable efficient detection of patients at an early stage of the disorder, which will significantly shorten the diagnostic path. Moreover, specifying potential risk factors will help to reduce new cases

Physico-geographical mesoregions of Poland : verification and adjustment of boundaries on the basis of contemporary spatial data

The programme of identification, cataloguing and evaluation of Polish landscapes, part of the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, has caused an increase in interest in physico-geographical regionalisation over recent years. The commonly accepted regionalisation of Poland developed by J. Kondracki (Kondracki & Richling 1994) is sufficient for work at an overview scale (e.g. 1:500,000), whereas its spatial accuracy is too low to make use of it for the purpose of Polish landscape cataloguing. The aim of this article is to present a more up-to-date and detailed division of Poland into mesoregions, adjusted to the 1:50,000 scale. In comparison with older work, the number of mesoregions has increased from 316 to 344. In many cases, some far-reaching changes in meso- and macroregions were made. Nevertheless, in most cases the previous system of units was maintained, with more detailed adjustment of boundaries based on the latest geological and geomorphological data and the use of GIS tools for the DEM analysis. The division presented here is a creatively developing new work aligning the proposals of the majority of Polish researchers. At the same time, it is a regionalisation maintaining the idea of the work developed by J. Kondracki as well as his theoretical assumptions and the criteria used to distinguish units, which makes it a logical continuation of his regional division