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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection mainly affected elderly patients in many countries. The care of elderly patients, especially in countries where the percentage of people over 65-years of age is significant, is an important public health problem now during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this review particular attention to the problem of proper nutrition of such patients was paid, which must be preceded by an appropriate assessment of their nutritional status. The important role of physical activity and adequate rehabilitation is highlighted. The care of elderly patients should be in line with the recommendations of the relevant scientific societies and international organizations in this respect.

Caffeine is the most common psychoactive substance available to adults, as well as to children and adolescents. The safety of its use in younger age groups requires further research. The aim of this study was to evaluate caffeine intake, to identify products and drinks that are the main sources of caffeine intake in the diet of the subjects and the risk of excessive caffeine intake with the diet of adolescents, stratified by gender. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 508 adolescents aged 16–18 years from southern Poland. Black tea, cola-based soft drinks and milk chocolate were the most frequently consumed products containing caffeine in the diet of the examined persons. The average caffeine intake was 95.54 mg/day (1.54 mg/kg b.w.). In 12.2% of the subjects the dose of 3 mg/kg b.w./day was exceeded, and in over 41.3% the dose causing sleep disorders was exceeded. The dose causing anxiety was also exceeded in 18.1% of the respondents, significantly more often in girls than boys (p = 0.0487).

The consumption of non-alcoholic beverages and the occurrence of dental erosion among a group of adults visiting dental practices in Krakow

Inadequate eating habits, as well as a low level of physical activity, influence adipose tissue deposition. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of central obesity in upper-secondary students and to determine the factors related to its occurrence. The survey included 309 participants, aged 16 to 18 years from Krakow (Poland). Anthropometric measurements were taken during the periodic assessment of students&rsquo, health status. An anonymous questionnaire was used to assess the nutritional and non-nutritional risk factors of participants. According to different methods of measurement, abdominal obesity (AO) was observed in 15.5% (WC&mdash, waist circumference), 10.7% (WHtR&mdash, waist to height ratio) or 21.7% (WHR&mdash, waist to hip ratio) participants. Abdominal obesity (WC) was significantly associated with family history of excess body weight and higher economic status of the family. The risk of AO (WC) was significantly lower among adolescents who declared higher physical activity. Boys who eat first breakfasts have lower AO risk according to WHtR interpretation. Abdominal obesity in gender group was related to the self-esteem of one&rsquo, s own appearance according to WHtR and WC. Abdominal obesity was associated with the family environment and modifiable lifestyle factors and was dependent on gender.

Introduction. Excessive or inefficient body weight in pregnant women is a serious obstetric problem, associated with an increased risk of complications for the mother and child. Excessive birth weight of an infant carries the risk of emergency obstetric conditions, in turn, low birth weight of an infant may pose a risk of developmental disorders. Objectives. To evaluate the impact of nutritional condition of mothers on anthropometric parameters value of newborns. Material and methods. The study included 247 women and their newborns. The diagnostic survey method was applied. An original questionnaire was used and anthropometric measurements of women and newborns were taken. Results and Conclusions. Statistically significant differences were found in birth weight of newborns depending on the nutritional condition of women prior to pregnancy. The children of mothers with insufficient bodyweight had a significantly lower birth weight (p = 0.0079) than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. It was also demonstrated that the children of mothers with insufficient body weight had significantly lower (p < 0.0001) head circumference than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. The research revealed a correlation between maternal body mass index and neonatal anthropometric parameters. Mothers with insufficient weight gave birth to children with a significantly lower birth weight than the children of mothers with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. Mothers with excessive weight and obesity gave birth to infants with significantly higher birth weight than mothers with normal or insufficient weight before pregnancy. Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (4): 490–495

BACKGROUND Peanuts are one of the main food allergens, occasionally responsible for life-threatening reactions. Thus, many studies have tried to fi nd a connection between peanut allergy prevalence and processes in the peanut chain that may contribute to the peanut allergenicity. To inform this discussion, this paper outlines experiences in peanut cultivation, trade and processing in Europe, focusing on four European countries with different peanut experiences (Poland, Bulgaria, Spain and the UK). MATERIAL AND METHOD Results here are based on documentary analysis and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with 32 experts involved in various stages of the peanut chain, including peanut farmers, processors, traders, food technologists and manufacturers. RESULTS A common peanut chain diagram has been drawn considering shelled and in-shell peanuts. The analysis of each stage of peanut processing has been made in accordance with this peanut chain schema. Thermal and mechanical processes are discussed alongside the resultant end peanut products available for European consumers. The paper also analyses the main trends of peanut trade in Europe. The results suggest that the majority of peanut products in Europe are roasted, implying enhanced exposure of the population to more allergenic peanuts. CONCLUSION The presented schema and related discussion bring together diverse aspects of peanut production, trade and processing. The main factor associated with the increased allergenicity of peanuts appears to be high temperature roasting. Frying and boiling are also thermal processes, but fried and boiled peanuts have been associated with reduce peanut allergenicity. Neither country of origin nor cultivar type appear to be related to differential peanut allergenicity. More research is needed as regards the impact of various additives, such as chocolate (which is also considered an allergen) on the allergenicity of peanut products. The use of peanuts in non-food products also needs more investigation.

Peanuts are extensively cultivated around the world, providing a foodstuff that is both cheap to produce and nutritious. However, allergy to peanuts is of growing global concern, particularly given the severity of peanut-allergic reactions, which can include anaphalaxis and death. Consequently, it is important to understand the factors related to the prevalence of peanut allergy in order to inform efforts to ameliorate or pre-empt the condition. In this article we review evidence for the relevance of factors hypothesized to have some association with allergy prevalence, including both genetic and environmental factors. Although our analysis does indicate some empirical support for the importance of a number of factors, the key finding is that there are significant data gaps in the literature that undermine our ability to provide firm conclusions. We highlight these gaps, indicating questions that need to be addressed by future research.

The analysis included 53 patients (32 men and 21 women) aged 43 to 66 years, who were subjected to radical treatment (surgical or combined) because of stomach (22 patients) or large bowel (31 patients) cancer. All the patients were included in the same model of control examinations, which considered evaluation of the erythrocytes TAS and of the Ca19-9, CEA and AFP concentrations in serum. It was confirmed that in all the patients in whom the recurrence and/or the dissemination occurred of the cancer, the average erythrocytes TAS value increased 5.5 times by comparison with the period before progression and 7 times in comparison with the patients without recurrence and/or dissemination of the cancer. Moreover it was shown that statistically significantly higher TAS values were associated with the progression of the large bowel cancer in comparison with the stomach cancer and that the blood cells TAS positively correlated with the changes of the Ca19-9, CEA and AFP concentrations in patients with progression of the cancer after radical treatment.

A wide set of biochemical and spirometrical parameters was applied to a group of 41 welders. The obtained parameters were analyzed by the pattern recognition method: principal-components analysis (PCA) and mutual contribution analysis (MCA). The aim of the investigation was to find out which of 23 parameters had an influence on the pulmonological indices of COPD. It was found that PCA gave a substantial reduction of dimensionality. The most relevant parameters were Fe, Zn, Cu (all elements in blood, not in hair), FEV1, MEF50, bilirubin, TAS, and SOD. Only the relationships of MEF50, Cu, and TAS were statistically valid.

Introduction. An increase in the number of women with eating disorders such as excessive weight, obesity, or malnutrition has been observed. Pregnancy and childbirth affect the subjective perception of women’s quality of life. Aim of study. Assessment of womens’s quality of life in pregnancy, puerperium and lactation period, depending on the nutritional condition prior to pregnancy. Material and methods. The research included 247 women. The survey was conducted three times: postnatally, six weeks and six months after childbirth. The diagnostic survey method was used, the tools being a standardized questionnaire SF-36v1 (Quality of Life SF-36v1), an original questionnaire and anthropometric measurements of body weight and height, serving to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). Results and conclusions. The study revealed better quality of life in women six weeks and six months after childbirth, compared to the postnatal period. Statistically significant differences were shown in the following scales: Physical functioning (PF) (p < 0.0001), Role limitations due to physical health problems (RP) (p < 0.0001), Body pain (BP) (p < 0.0001), General health perception (GH) (p < 0.0001), Vitality, energy or fatigue (VT) (p = 0.0002) Social functioning (SF) (p < 0.0001), Role limitations due to emotional problems (RE) (p < 0.0001), and in Physical Component Sumary (PCS domain) (p < 0.0001). In the studied group the quality of life was improved in subsequent periods of the surveys. It has been shown that the women with inefficient weight before pregnancy had a significantly higher quality of life indicators compared to women with normal weight, excessive weight and obesity. Nursing Topics 2015; 23 (4): 484–489

The relationship between viral infections, cancers, and alcoholic beverages or alcohol surrogate intake is not well recognized.

The analysis included 46 women after radical breast amputation because of cancer with which lymphoedema occurred in the upper limb, as well as 51 women in whom no lymphoedema occurred during the period of the observation. Both groups were subjected to a comparative analysis as for height, body mass, and weight-height indexes: BMI, Quetelet, Rohrer, and Pignet-Verwaeck. The results show that women with high body mass, obesity (BMI > 30.0), and high values of the Quetelet (>370), Rohrer (>1.59), and Pignet-Verwaeck (>93.1) indexes are threatened to a significant degree with lymphoedema of the upper limbs after cancer-related mastectomy. On the other hand, slim body build and low index values appear to be a factor protecting from the occurrence of lymphoedema of the upper limb.

Thrombophlebitis of the lower limbs is an important clinical and social problem. Despite an ever greater progress in the preven1. Patients and Methods tion, diagnosis and treatment of phlebothrombosis its frequency of occurrence increases constantly. 1.1. Selection of Patients A key role is played by the prevalence of the factors that increase the risk of thrombo-embolic diseases, The analysis included 89 patients (75 women and i.e., overweight, varices of the lower limbs, past 14 men) aged 25–69 years operated on at the Clinic thrombophlebitis, old age, past delivery, and also of General Surgery of the Military Hospital in Crasurgical operations. Complications after intervencow in the period 1996–1998 because of cholelithiations are brought about, among others, by longsis. In 53 patients, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy lasting immobility, pressure on the venous trunks, was carried out; in the remaining 34, a laparotomic and catheterization of the veins [1,2]. Durlach [3] cholecystectomy. underlines, as well, that this type of complications is favored by disturbances in the magnesium me1.2. Diagnosis of the tabolism developing after operations. Because this Thrombo-embolic Complications explanation of the etiopathogenesis of the thromboembolic disease has a great practical importance, The thrombo-embolic complications of the lower permitting a self-prophylacticotherapeutic manlimbs were diagnosed on the basis of an isotopic agement, we carried out studies that were aimed test (fibrinogen labeled with I iodine). The examat determining the extent of disturbance of the ination was dependent on the blocking of the thyroid with potassium iodide, administered with a daily quantity 2 cm during the whole period of Abbreviations: TPLL, trombophlebitis of the lower limbs; FAAS, flame atomic absorption spectrometry. the tests, and a single intravenous administration Corresponding author: Assoc. Prof. Zbigniew Kopanski, Military of 4 mBq of I-fibrinogen. Measurements were Clinical Hospital, Department of Surgery, Wroclawska Str. 1-3, made at the Erb point above the heart and at six 30-901 Krakow, Poland. Tel/Fax: 148 (12) 6543949; E-mail: (M. Schlegel-Zawadzka),mfzawadz@kinga.cyf-kr.edu.pl.. points, as detailed below, of both lower limbs, 2 h

1 Summary The analysis included 48 patients with a gastric ulcer in whom the concentration of N-nitrosamines in the gastric juice was chromatographically determined. The results of the analytical tests were referred to the type of pathological changes in the mucosa of the stomach. It was confirmed that N-nitrosamines are a factor involved in the formation of pathological alterations in that organ but in an uneven way (the relative factors are given in brackets). They most strongly influence the generation of dysplasia (l), affect the presence of the normal mucosa (0.2), influence inflammatory changes (0.15) and atrophic alterations (0.1).

Chromium concentrations in hair were compared in groups of children and students from Southern Poland. There were no statistically significant differences (at p greater than 0.05) between girls and boys. The results are similar to those found by other authors in different countries.