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Introduction and objective. Although the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is common with Polish cancer patients, little is known about cancer patients’ methods of using CAM and how it correlates with their health behaviour. The aim of the study was to determine the scope of application of complementary and alternative medicine methods among patients treated by oncology and to compare the health behaviours of patients who use alternative medicine with those who do not use these methods. Materials and method. The studies were conducted from August 2019 – January 2020 in an Oncology Centre in south-eastern Poland. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a group of 208 oncological patients. The authors’ own questionnaire and the standardized Health Behaviour Inventory were used. Results. Most of the patients (85.09%) declared that they used complementary and alternative medicine methods. 45.19% of the respondents had a high rate of health behaviours. It was observed that there was no communication related to the use of CAM among the patients and healthcare staff. Patients using CAM demonstrated more positive health behaviours than those who were not using these methods (p<0.001). Conclusions. The majority of the surveyed patients suffering from cancer used complementary and alternative medicine and declared that it was very or slightly effective in strengthening the immune system and helpful in fighting cancer. The patients who used CAM exhibited a higher level of health behaviours than those who did not use these methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Depressive disorders are one of the most common psychiatric disorders. Recognition of signs of mental health disorders is not always easy, hence the availability of simple and accurate tools for assessing them is very important in the practice of primary care. Objective. The aim of the study is to assess the theoretical accuracy and reliability of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in Polish conditions, when applied to general population studies for adults aged between 35–64. Materials and method. The study comprised a population of 4,040 people. Women constituted 59% of the research population and people living in the countryside 65%. The average age of participants was 53.45±7.05 years. According to PHQ-9, 727 people (18.0%) had moderate, moderate to severe or severe depression. PHQ-9 showed a significant positive internal cohesion (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.77), and factor charges oscillated between 0.43–0.63, and the R² coefficients of determination were in the range of 0.21–0.40. Conclusions. The Polish version of PHQ-9 is a valid tool for diagnosing depression in the general population aged 35–64. Good psychometric properties and compactness make the PHQ-9 a useful clinical and research tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objective. Deficits of vitamin resources constitute a significant public health problem, especially among the elderly population. The aim of the research was to determine the level of vitamin 25 (OH) D and vitamins from group B in the chronically ill elderly in domiciliary care, depending on functional capacity and coexisting diseases. Materials and method. The pilot study included 137 patients staying in long-term domiciliary care. Samples of the participants’ venous blood was obtained for laboratory tests. Centrifuged serum was used to determine the level of the following biochemical parameters: vitamin 25 (OH)D, B12, folic acid and total protein, albumin, triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol. Assessment of the functional status of patients was made by using the Barthel scale. Results. More than ¾ of the patients with functional deficit (according to Barthel’s score 0–85 points) were deficient in vitamin 25 (OH)D, while folic acid values were below the reference values in more than half of the patients. Respondents with lower functional efficiency were characterised by a reduced average value of vitamin 25 (OH)D and folic acid. Conclusions. The studied group of the chronically ill elderly was characterised by a deficiency of vitamin D3 and folic acid. Subjects with a functional impairment deficit show a reduced mean value of vitamin 25 (OH)D and folic acid in the blood serum, compared to the group of patients with higher mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beatability, strength, structural and optical properties of bleached kraft pulps from blends of birch or pine with hemp stalks in a proportion of 80/20 weight % were studied. It was found that these pulps generally have comparable properties to those of bleached pulps from birch and pine. The properties of bleached pulps produced from 80/20 weight % blends of pine or birch with hemp woody-core such as the breaking length, burst, and light scattering proved to be comparable or better than those of bleached pulps from wood. However, the replacement of a part of birch or pine with hemp-woody core negatively affected their bulk, air-resistance, and tearing resistance. Taking into consideration the results presented in Part I and Part II of the study, it can concluded that hemp stalks are better fibrous raw material for the manufacturing of papermaking intermediates partially free of wood fibres than hemp woody-core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the paper, results of the kraft pulping of blends of birch or pine with hemp stalks or a hemp-woody core composed of 80% wood and 20% hemp fibrous raw materials are presented. The unbleached kraft pulps produced were then subjected to oxygen delignification and bleaching in order to obtain bleached kraft pulps. The research performed made it possible to compare the final yield and viscosity of the bleached kraft pulps from raw material blends with those of kraft pulps from birch and pine. The effect of replacing 1/5 of birch or pine with hemp fibrous raw materials on the content of individual fractions of fibres in the bleached pulps, the relative content of fines in them, the average length and width of fibres, its coarseness and the fibres' deformation indices was also determined. From the study it follows that better effects of replacing a part of wood in the process of production of bleached kraft pulps are achieved with hemp stalks. Blends of wood with this fibrous raw material give a higher final yield of pulps, lower content of fines and higher average fibre length than using blends of wood and a hemp woody-core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absorption of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and acetate taken from commercial packaging was studied by means of UV-VIS and infrared spectroscopy with some differences observed. Further research showed that heating both 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride and acetate alone, as well as in the presence of wood pulp, causes the darkening of these ionic liquids. Changes in the colour of ionic liquids associated with a variation in the absorption characteristics of pure ionic liquids and wood solutions in these liquids in UV and visible light are expressed primarily in the widening of the absorption bands. The presence of coloured products formed during their heating, as well as dissolution of the chemical components of wood in ionic liquids, had relatively little effect on the position of individual absorption bands in the spectrum obtained by the FT-IR method. The small differences in the absorption of spruce groundwood solutions in ionic liquids in IR as compared to pure ionic liquids suggest that strong chromophore groups in ionic liquids are created without serious reconstruction of their structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional nursing education in Poland began in 1911 in Kraków. Since then, the nursing education system has continued to change. From the establishment of the first professional nursing school, Poland experienced partition, war and the German occupation, short-lived independence, the Soviet regime and the regaining of its freedom, as well as the development of democracy processes. All of these events impacted on nurses' education. The current state of nursing training is determined by the requirements of the Council of the European Communities. Today, the challenge for nursing education in Poland is the permanent process of the country's education system's adjustment to the European Higher Education Area to ensure the quality of education and to support the mobility of students and academic teachers. Additionally, new competencies pertaining to nurse prescribing, which have been in force in Poland since 2016, will cause new changes to the under- and postgraduate programmes of nursing education. The aim of this study is to present the development of nursing education in Poland in the context of socio-political changes in the country and from the perspective of current nursing challenges worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. During feeding, the tick sucks blood from the host along with the pathogens that are in the blood, simultaneously exchanging its own pathogens with the host. Humans can also be a host. It is important to understand the most typical circumstances in which people might become infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. This knowledge will help to prepare health education programmes aimed at the prevention of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Objective. The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, depending on the circumstances of getting bitten. Materials and method. The research material consisted of ticks acquired from people who had been bitten, and questionnaires completed by these people. 510 ticks were acquired from 257 females and 253 males. Following delivery of a tick for testing, the stage of its development was determined and a molecular assay of Borrelia burgdorferi DNA performed. Results. A positive result of the nested-PCR test was obtained in 78 ticks, which represents 15.30% of all ticks. The infected ticks were collected from male (41 ticks - 52.56%) and female subjects (37 ticks - 47.44%). The biggest number of infected ticks were collected in autumn (54 ticks - 69.23%) and from people who had been into forests (44 ticks - 56.41%). Among the people from whom the infected ticks were acquired, the dominating group included persons over 16 years of age (53 persons - 67.95%) and children aged 0-5 years (16 persons - 20.51%). One in four infected ticks were acquired from the southwestern (20 ticks - 25.64%) and eastern regions of Poland (21 ticks - 26.92%). Conclusion. Infestation of ticks infected with Lyme disease spirochete in this study proved to be variable and depend on the season, the area of tick attack and the region in Poland. The results of the study clearly show that ticks infected with Borrelia burgdorferi inhabit all regions of Poland. The results are consistent with National Institute of Hygiene data which indicates that Lyme disease cases are recorded in all regions of Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strength, structural, optical and water absorption properties of bleached pulps from unprinted, low and high kappa number old corrugated containers (OCC) were determined. The results were compared with the properties of bleached birch pulp and pine pulp. It was found that old corrugated containers pulps show higher Shopper-Riegler freeness, distinctly lower tensile strength, and lower maximum short-span compressive strength (SCT) than birch and pine pulps. However, they also show quite good tear resistance, optical properties, bulk and water absorption. In order to explain the differences in the properties of bleached OCC pulps and birch and pine pulps, they were evaluated using image analysis. This study showed that OCC pulps contain both long softwood and short hardwood fibres, with a predominance of the former. An analysis of the lower tensile strength of OCC pulps was also made. It was established that it is mainly caused by the lower degree of polymerisation (DP) of cellulose and the higher degree of damage of OCC fibres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Civilization changes of the environment shaping the psychosocial resources from rural to urban influence human health. Aim. The study aimed to identify the differences due to the place of residence (rural, urban) as far as health resources are concerned (social support, sense of coherence, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentration in plasma) and health in examination stress situations. The study also determined the concentration of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (health resource) and Cortisol (stress indicator). Material and methods. The psychosocial variables were assessed using the scales: ISEL-48v. Coll., SOC-29, SF-36v.2™ oand analogue scale (perception of examination stress). The study included, based on a stratified sampling (year of study) and purposive sampling (written examination, major), 731 students representing the six universities in Lublin, south-east Poland. Among the respondents, 130 students were rural residents. Results. Health resources of students living in rural and urban areas generally differ statistically significantly in social support and the subscales of availability of tangible support, availability of appreciative support, the availability of cognitive-evaluative support and a sense of resourcefulness. The study recorded a sstatistically significantly larger network of family ties among students living in rural areas. The demonstrated diversity of resources did not substantially affect the perceived health, with the exception of pain sensation. Examination stress assessed by subjective opinion of the respondents and plasma Cortisol levels vary relative to the place of residence. Students residing in rural areas showed significantly lower Cortisol levels values, but subjectively perceived the situation of examation as more stressful. Conclusions. Differences in health resources and their mechanism of impact on health, to a limited extent, were conditioned by the place of residence, but they are so important in the light of human choices that they require further analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Care is seen as something that is peculiar to the medical sciences but its meaning and status tor physicians and nurses differs. Objectives. The aim of this research was to learn how nursing and medical students understand and define care, and how their definition and views on their practice of caring change as they advance through their studies. Material and methods. The study was conducted among two groups of students: before and after their first practicum (n=102). Analysis of the students' answers was carried out using Colaizzi's phenomenological descriptive methodology, which means that a qualitative approach was used. Results. The qualitative analysis shows that the medical and nursing students define care in the same way, using 9 main categories: compassion, commitment, competence, confidence, conscience, communication, patience, courage and support. The nursing students viewed their caring to be within both practical and emotional dimensions and this was a core feature of their identity as nurses. Medical students, on the other hand, viewed the practical dimension of care as an additional activity. All the students in the study underlined the importance of having time to care and showed that, for them, 'time' in this context has a moral meaning. What was interesting to the research team centered on the initial attitudes to 'caring' from both medical and nursing students. Conclusions. We found that students of both nursing and medicine do not begin their studies with different attitudes and concepts of care. However, after their initial exposure to practical placements a process begins which forges different identities around the concept of care. This implies trends in the division of professional roles during their initial education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Journal of Cardiology / Polski Przeglad Kardiologiczny is the property of Cornetis SP. Z.O.O. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bleached kraft pulps made from 30 cm long hemp stalks, uncut hemp bast, and uncut hemp wood were prepared. Then the properties of these pulps and their fibres were analysed using the computer image analysis method. The results gave more exact knowledge of the fractional composition and fibre attributes of this raw material and also allowed its suitability for papermaking to be evaluated. Furthermore bleached kraft pulps from hemp stalks cut into 3 - 6 mm segments and hemp bast fibres cut into approx. 3 mm segments were analysed by the same method. The results obtained were analysed and compared with the attributes of bleached birch and pine pulps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen delignification of unbleached kraft pulps produced from industrial hemp stalks and hemp 'wood' was studied, as well as the susceptibility of such pulps to bleaching. Hemp stalk and wood pulp showed comparable susceptibility to delignification with oxygen in alkaline media and good bleachability in the elemental chlorine free (ECF) and the total chlorine free (TCF) bleaching processes. Good bleachabili3ty was also shown by hemp bast fibre pulp. The final yield and intrinsic viscosity of bleached pulps produced from industrial hemp were also determined and compared with the properties of pulps produced from tree wood. It was found that the final yield of bleached hemp stalk pulp was higher than that of conventional bleached birch- and pine papermaking pulps. However, the retention of high intrinsic viscosity in hemp pulps can be achieved by varying the conditions of the oxygen delignification and bleaching processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research was conducted into obtaining fibrous semi-manufactured products for subsequent bleaching from industrial hemp stalks, hemp wood, and hemp bast fibres. The course of delignification of these kinds of fibrous raw materials in the kraft pulping process was investigated. It was found that there are differences in this process due to significant differences in the chemical composition of hemp stalks, hemp wood, and hemp bast fibres. In the case of hemp bast fibres, an attempt at oxygen delignification was made with the omission of the pulping process. Attempts were also made to carry out the joint pulping of industrial hemp and wood. It was shown that when industrial hemp and wood are pulped together, they are delignified similarly to that during separate processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Introduction: The social and political transition taking place in Poland during the last decade has resulted in changes in the system of education. The results of empirical studies indicate that both the system of education and the period of its transition exerted an influence on the qualifications of nurses. Aim: The focus of the study was the relationship between the selected education factors and the occupational experience of nurses. Methods: The study was conducted by the method of a diagnostic survey with the use of the authors’ version of a questionnaire form. The variables were tested by means of chi-square test and Spearman’s correlation test. The investigations covered a group of 324 occupationally active nurses in area of the city of Lublin. Conclusions: The analysis indicates that among many variables concerning education and occupational improvement, only the type of education (1st and 2nd level of occupational differentiation) has a statistically significant effect on auto-defining of nursing in the the nature of occupational activities performed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, a method of cultivation and characteristics of obtained bacterial cellulose is presented. It was stated that the greatest increase in the weight of bacterial cellulose takes place after 7 - 8 days of breeding Acetobacter xylinum at a temperature of 30 °C, using a Herstin-Schramm nutrient medium. The highest degree of polymerisation exists in bacterial cellulose synthesied with glucose and mannitol average degree of polymerisation (approx 1700), and xylose (approx. 1050), as a carbon source. In the photograph showing the structure of cellulose (taken under an AFM microscope), one can clearly see long, smooth and oriented fibrils and fibril bundles which have a width varying from 70 to 200 nm. Bacterial cellulose exhibits considerable thermal stability. The quick drop of a sample weight leading to its decomposition begins at a temperature of approx. 300 °C, and the maximum of this transformation occurs at 350 - 370 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effect of the conditions of the oxygen delignification of birch kraft pulp with kappa number 18 on pulp properties. The investigation refers in particular to the effect of the amount of NaOH added, as well as the time & temperature of oxygen delignification process on the kappa number, yield and strength properties of pulp, as well as what effect the pre-treatment of pulp with peracetic acid has on these indices. It has been stated that the oxygen delignification of birch kraft pulp with kappa number 18 with oxygen alone in aqueous alkali to a kappa number below 10 (the level of extended oxygen delignification) requires an increased amount of NaOH to be added, higher temperature and a longer process time, resulting in the deterioration of the pulp yield. The pre-treatment of pulp with peracetic acid in the amount of 0.33 or 0.66% A.O. (to oven-dried pulp) enables this pulp to be delignified to kappa number 7 and 5 with a higher yield than that of pulp delignified with oxygen alone. Pulp delignified with oxygen using the peracetic acid pre-treatment also restores higher viscosity and tear index, as well as higher fibre strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research deals with the issue of how the conditions of the oxygen delignification process (that is, the removal of residual lignin from pulp fibres with oxygen in alkaline medium) affect pulp properties. The investigation refers in particular to the effect of the amount of added NaOH, the time and the temperature of the oxygen delignification process of normal pine sulphate pulp (kappa number 31.5) on its kappa number, yield and the strength properties of the pulp. Similarly, we investigated the effect on these indices of the initial and inter-stage pulp treatment with peracetic acid, depending on its amount and the pH of the medium. It has been stated that delignifying pine kraft pulp with oxygen only to the level of kappa number <10 is difficult and results in an excessive decrease in pulp yield. Initial treatment of this pulp with peracetic acid in amounts of 0.33 and 0.66% A.O. prior to pulp treatment with oxygen in alkaline media enables it to be delignified to kappa number 7.5-9, with the yield higher by 0.5-1.4 % than that of pulp delignified with oxygen alone. Pulp delignified with oxygen and using the peracetic acid pre-treatment also restores higher viscosity, tear index, and fibre strength in comparison with pulp delignified with oxygen alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Fibres & Textiles in Eastern Europe is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The possibility of modifying the structure and properties of fibrous papermaking pulps with bacterial cellulose was investigated. For this purpose, three ways of obtaining specific composites were developed. The first one consisted in making the biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose in Acetobacter xylinum culture in the presence of fibres of papermaking semiproducts; the second one involved the addition of suitably disintegrated bacterial cellulose film to different papermaking pulps; and the third one consisted of joining semi-product paper sheets with bacterial cellulose film by putting the bacterial cellulose film on a sheet of paper and drying it in laboratory apparatus of the Rapid-Koethen type. The most important structural and strength properties of fibrous semi-products and their composites with bacterial cellulose were determined and compared. It was observed, among others, that composites produced according to the first two methods (i.e. in acetobakter xylinum culture and as a result of the addition of bacterial cellulose to a fibrous semi-product) in general show higher static and dynamic strength indices than semi-products used for composite production. The joining of sheets of two kinds of cellulose (i.e. fibrous semi-product and bacterial cellulose) gives a two-layered composite characterised above all by higher static strength properties than unbeaten pulps and, at the same time, a higher tear resistance in comparison with bacterial cellulose. Joining bacterial cellulose with pulp fibres, irrespective of the joining method, increases the apparent density of the semi-product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]