The analysis of plantain pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2011

Praca przedstawia analizę sezonu pylenia babki w wybranych punktach pomiarowych w Polsce w 2011 roku. Badania wykonano metodą objętościową przy wykorzystaniu aparatów firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. Pierwsze ziarna pyłku babki pojawiły się w powietrzu atmosferycznym w pierwszej dekadzie maja. Najwyższe stężenie pyłku babki, wynoszące 28 z/m3, odnotowano w Krakowie w dniu 8 czerwca 2011 roku.This paper presents the course of plantain pollination season in selected cities of Poland in 2011. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard, Lanzoni) was implemented. The highest daily pollen count, that reached the level of 28 plantain pollen grains/m3, was recorded in Krakow in 08 June 2011

The analysis of alder pollen count in Poland in 2012

W pracy przeanalizowano przebieg sezonu pyłkowego olszy w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Lublinie, Łodzi, Krakowie, Olsztynie, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze w 2012 r. Badania prowadzono metodą objętościową przy wykorzystaniu aparatu typu Burkard i Lanzoni. Początek i koniec sezonu pyłkowego wyznaczono metodą 95% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku. Początek sezonu pyłkowego olszy w Sosnowcu w 2012 r. nastąpił 26 lutego, w Drawsku Pomorskim, Krakowie, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze miał miejsce w pierwszej dekadzie marca, a w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Lublinie i Olsztynie w drugiej dekadzie marca. Najwyższe dobowe stężenie (1344 ziarna w 1 m3 powietrza) stwierdzono 28 marca w Białymstoku. Indeks SPI obliczony jako suma średnich dobowych stężeń ziaren pyłku w danym sezonie był najwyższy Lublinie (4449), Białymstoku (4401) i we Wrocławiu (4150).The paper presents the course of alder pollination season in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Krakow, Lublin, Lodz, Olsztyn, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in 2012. The research was conducted by means of the volumetric method using a Burkard and Lanzoni-type spore trap. The start and end of pollen season was determined by means of the 95% method. Pollen season of alder in Sosnowiec started in 2012 on February 26. The beginning of pollination season of alder took place in the first decade of March in Drawsko Pomorskie, Krakow, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Zielona Gora and in the second decade of March in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Lublin and Olsztyn. The highest daily concentration reaching 132 grains per m2 was recorded on March 21. Seasonal pollen index (SPI), estimated as annual sum of daily average pollen concentration, was the highest in Lublin (4449), Bialystok (4401) and Wroclaw (4150)

The analysis of hazel pollen count in Poland in 2012

W pracy przedstawiono analizę sezonu pylenia leszczyny w 2012 r. w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Krakowie, Lublinie, Łodzi, Olsztynie, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze. Sezon pylenia leszczyny w 2012 r. w Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze rozpoczął się w drugiej i trzeciej dekadzie stycznia, a w Białymstoku, Krakowie, Lublinie i Sosnowcu w pierwszej dekadzie marca. Różnice w poziomie stężenia pyłku leszczyny między poszczególnymi latami spowodowane są przede wszystkim oddziaływaniem czynników pogodowych.The paper presents the course of hazel pollen season in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Krakow, Lublin, Lodz, Olsztyn, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in year 2011. The beginning of pollination season of hazel started at the second and the third decade of January in Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Zielona Gora and in the first decade of March in Bialystok, Krakow, Lublin, Sosnowiec. The differences between level of hazel pollen grains in the air in individual year are caused by meteorological factors

The analysis of birch pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2012

Celem pracy była analiza przebiegu sezonu pylenia brzozy w 2012 r. w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Krakowie, Lublinie, Łodzi, Olsztynie, Opolu, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze. W badaniach wykorzystano aparaty pomiarowe firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. Długość sezonu pyłkowego wyznaczono metodą 95%. Najwyższe dobowe stężenie ziaren pyłku brzozy zanotowano w Piotrkowie Trybunalskim 28 kwietnia (7986 z/m3), następne w kolejności (7200 z/m3) zanotowano 22 kwietnia w Łodzi. W większości miast zarejestrowano znaczną liczbę dni ze stężeniem przekraczającym stężenie progowe dla brzozy, tj. 75 z/m3 (14–29 dni).In the present study, birch pollen season patterns in Poland in 2012 have been compared. Airborne pollen counts were made in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrków Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wrocław and Zielona Góra. The investigations were performed using the volumetric method as well as the Burkard and Lanzoni traps. The highest diurnal birch pollen count was recorded in Warsaw in 28 April (7986 grains/m3) in Piotrkow Trybunalski and in 22 April in Lodz (7200 grains/m3). In all the cities, a large number of days was recorded with a concentration exceeding the threshold concentration for birch (14–29 days)

Very high grass pollen in the air of selected Polish cities in 2011 : prelimary report

Praca przedstawia wstępną analizę przebiegu sezonu pylenia traw w wybranych punktach pomiarowych w Polsce w 2011 roku. Badania prowadzono metodą objętościową przy wykorzystaniu aparatów firmy Burkard i Lanzoni. W 2011 roku zaobserwowano zwiększone nasilenie objawów chorobowych u osób z nadwrażliwością na alergeny pyłku traw. Sezon pylenia traw w 2011 roku charakteryzował się długimi ciągami dni z wysokim i bardzo wysokim stężeniem ich pyłku, co przełożyło się na większe nasilenie objawów chorobowych u osób uczulonych na alergeny pyłku traw.The paper presents preliminary analysis of grass pollen season of 2011 in selected measuring sites in Poland. The season was characterised by very intensive allergy symptoms in patients suffering from grass pollen allergens. Many days with high and very high pollen counts very noted

The analysis of mugwort pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2009

W pracy przedstawiono przebieg sezonu pylenia bylicy w 2009 roku. Badania prowadzono w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Łodzi, Olsztynie, Sosnowcu, Warszawie, we Wrocławiu i w Szczecinie, z zastosowaniem metody wolumetrycznej przy użyciu aparatów typu Burkard i Lanzoni. Najwyższe stężenia pyłku bylicy, wynoszące 364 z/m3, zanotowano w Łodzi 4 sierpnia oraz 172 ziarna/m3 w Lublinie w dniu 8 sierpnia.This paper presents the course of mugwort pollen season in selected cites of Poland in 2009. The measurements were performed in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Sosnowiec, Warszawa, Wrocław and in Szczecin, use of volumetric method with Burkard and Lanzoni Spore Trap. The highest daily pollen count, that reached the level of 364 mugwort pollen grains/m3, was recorded in Łódź on the 04 of August and the level of 172 mugwort pollen grains/m3 , was recorded in Lublin on the 08 of August

Extracellular MMP-9-Based Assessment of Ocular Surface Inflammation in Patients with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose. Objective assessment of dry eye disease (DED) severity and ocular inflammation using the InflammaDry® test for extracellular matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and the impact of antiglaucoma eye drops in people with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods. Overall, 90 adults (180 eyes) were included: 60 had been diagnosed with POAG and were treated with prostaglandin analogue monotherapy and 30 were suspected of having POAG but did not receive any treatment (control group). Of those treated with prostaglandin eye drops, 30 received a preservative-free formulation (tafluprost) and 30 were treated with a formulation containing the preservative benzalkonium chloride (BAK) (latanoprost). Measurement of extracellular MMP-9 levels (InflammaDry test) provided a marker for ocular surface inflammation. Further assessments of disease severity and inflammation comprised Goldmann applanation tonometry for intraocular pressure (IOP), Schirmer’s test with anesthesia, ocular surface staining with unpreserved fluorescein (Oxford scale index), tear breakup time (TBUT), McMonnies questionnaire, and the Ocular Surface Disease index (OSDI). Results. Clinically significant MMP-9 levels (>40 ng/mL) were detected in tear film from 46.7% of subjects treated with BAK-containing medication. In contrast, only 16.7% of subjects treated with preservative-free medication or untreated individuals demonstrated similar MMP-9 levels. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). MMP-9 results correlated with other indicators of inflammation and disease severity. BAK-containing medication was associated with rapid TBUT (<5 seconds) in 50% of cases, while only 10% of untreated subjects and individuals using preservative-free medication demonstrated comparable TBUT results. Conclusion. Measurement of ocular surface MMP-9 level provides a useful marker for inflammation and DED in POAG. Use of a preservative-free topical prostaglandin formulation results in lower levels of ocular inflammation, compared with BAK-containing medication

Retinal Photoreceptors and Microvascular Changes in Prediabetes Measured with Adaptive Optics (rtx1™): A Case-Control Study

Background. Patients with prediabetes are at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular events, and microvascular complications. The rtx1 (Imagine Eyes, France) permits early detection of changes in the retinal photoreceptors and vessels. Objective. Cone parameters and retinal microvasculature were analyzed with the rtx1 in 12 prediabetic patients and 22 healthy subjects. The analysis was based on cone density (DM), interphotoreceptor distance (SM), cone packing regularity, and retinal vessel parameters: wall thickness, lumen diameter (LD), wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR), and cross-sectional area of the vascular wall. Results. DM in the prediabetic group was not significantly lower than that in the control group (18,935 ± 1713 cells/mm2 and 19,900 ± 2375 cells/mm2, respectively; p=0.0928). The LD and WLR means differed significantly between the prediabetic and the control groups (LD 94.3 ± 10.9 versus 101.2 ± 15, p=0.022; WLR 0.29 ± 0.05 versus 0.22 ± 0.03, p<0.05). A multivariate regression analysis showed that the WLR was significantly correlated with BMI and total cholesterol. Conclusions. Abnormalities found in rtx1 examinations indicated early signs of arteriolar dysfunction, prior to impaired glucose tolerance progressing to diabetes. The rtx1 retinal image analysis offers noninvasive measurement of early changes in the vasculature that routine clinical examination cannot detect

Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Unipolar Depression: A Placebo-Controlled Study and Review of the Importance of Dosing and Magnesium Status in the Therapeutic Response

Animal studies using tests and models have demonstrated that magnesium exerts an antidepressant effect. The literature contains few studies in humans involving attempts to augment antidepressant therapy with magnesium ions. The purpose of our study was to assess the efficacy and safety of antidepressant treatment, in combination with magnesium ions. A total of 37 participants with recurrent depressive disorder who developed a depressive episode were included in this study. As part of this double-blind study, treatment with the antidepressant fluoxetine was accompanied with either magnesium ions (120 mg/day as magnesium aspartate) or placebo. During an 8-week treatment period, each patient was monitored for any clinical abnormalities. Moreover, serum fluoxetine and magnesium levels were measured, and pharmaco-electroencephalography was performed. The fluoxetine + magnesium and fluoxetine + placebo groups showed no significant differences in either Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores or serum magnesium levels at any stage of treatment. Multivariate statistical analysis of the whole investigated group showed that the following parameters increased the odds of effective treatment: lower baseline HDRS scores, female gender, smoking, and treatment augmentation with magnesium. The parameters that increased the odds of remission were lower baseline HDRS scores, shorter history of disease, the presence of antidepressant-induced changes in the pharmaco-EEG profile at 6 h after treatment, and the fact of receiving treatment augmented with magnesium ions. The limitation of this study is a small sample size