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Introduction: Light, “lekki” and fit products appear increasingly more often on the Polish market, and food producers, although they are obliged to include information on the labels of products with a reduced energy value and appropriate markings, do not always do it correctly. The lack of strict legal regulations on the naming of low-energy products gives food producers the opportunity to market products whose name may mislead consumers in terms of their nutritional and health values. The aim of this study is to assess the consumption of light, “lekki” and fit products among students of dietetics. Material and methods: An anonymous survey was conducted using an original questionnaire, in which 117 students of dietetics took part. The results were compiled using an Excel spreadsheet. Results: From the analysis of the results, people with normal body weight most often consume light products several times a month (34.9%), with excessive body weight 2–3 times a week (41.2%), and those underweight less than once a month (28.6%). Conclusions: Regardless of their degree and place of residence, students of dietetics most often consume light, “lekki” and fit products several times a month. People with a normal body weight, as well as those who pay attention and control their body weight, consume these products several times a month.

Introduction and objective Acne vulgaris is a common, chronic and inflammatory skin disease of the folliculopilosebaceous unit. According to the literature, acne affects 85% adolescents and 50% adulthood, with an increasing tendency. The symptoms of acne are skin lesions such as comedones, pustules, papules as well as nodules and they generally appear on face, shoulders, chest and back. Based on its severity acne can be divided into following categories: mild, moderate and severe. The pathogenesis of acne is multivariate. Significant importance is attributed to hormonal changes, the role of Cutibacterium acnes bacteria and the balance between C. acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, keratinization disorders, excessive sebum production, circadian rhythm disorders, a lot of stress in life and improper nutrition as a result of imbalanced diet. Finding the cause of acne is necessary to cure the disease. The study shows that supplementation seems to be a good solution in the case of acne vulgaris. The aim of the study was to present the most commonly used substances in supplements for acne skin, their properties and possibilities in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The intention of the authors was to draw attention to the possibilities of supplementing dermatological acne treatments with supplements. Pharmacists are often the first point of contact for acne vulgaris patients looking for a way to improve their skin condition. Review methods The PubMed database was reviewed for the most commonly used substances in therapy of acne skin. Publications from the period 2010-2022 were analyzed in terms of the following keywords: „vitamin D”, „omega acids”, „antioxidants”, „berberine”, „lactoferrin” and „inositol” in collocation with „acne”. A review of 31 articles on the possibility of acne supplementation were reviewed. Supplementation of vitamin D, omega acids, antioxidants, berberine, probiotics, inositol and lactoferrin is discussed. Abbreviated description of the state of knowledge The effectiveness of taking supplements containing antioxidants, omega acids, berberine, probiotics, lactoferrin, inositol and vitamin D was discussed. Summary 1. Deficiencies of vitamin D3, vitamins A and E are often noted in patients with acne. 2. Supporting dermatological acne treatments with supplementation with omega acids and probiotics alleviates the side effects of treatment. 3. In the analyzed studies, there were no differences in the effectiveness of omega-3 acids compared to omega-6 acids in supplementation in patients with acne. 4. Multi-component preparations seem to be a better solution than supplements containing only one active ingredient. 5. More research is needed to be able to assess the real effectiveness of individual substances and determine their appropriate dosage.

Introduction. Adequate nutrition combined with physical activity is the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. Recreational sportspersons should know how to adjust their nutrition to physical activity in order to benefit their health. The aim of the study was to assess the nutritional knowledge of recreationally active people and to assess the influence of BMI and gender on the level of nutritional knowledge. Material and methods. The study was conducted with the use of 200 participants aged 15-55 years living in the city of Katowice. The respondents were physically active at least 3 times a week for at least 1 hour. Nutritional knowledge was assessed through a self-administered questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed by means of the BMI index, and for its assessment, the ranges recommended by the World Health Organization were adopted. Results. Most of the respondents - 33.5% (n=77) declared that they practiced weight training, 15.5% (n=31) attended group fitness classes, 14.5% (n=29) practiced running, fewer people practiced team sports and cycling. The nutrition knowledge of the majority of the respondents was at a sufficient level (n=136), 44 respondents had good nutrition knowledge and 22 respondents had insufficient nutrition knowledge. None of the respondents had very good nutrition knowledge. More than 70% of respondents had normal BMI (n=142), more than 25% (n=51) were overweight, and 7 subjects had BMI values below normal. Conclusions. There was no relationship between gender, BMI, and level of nutritional knowledge. The study shows that there is a need for nutritional education for recreational sportsmen.

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.

Background. The problem of the 21st century both in Poland and around the world is overweight and obesity, and diabetes. Due to the increased incidence of these diseases, the consumption of intense sweeteners, which are used as substitutes for sucrose, has increased. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sweet taste intensity of selected sweeteners in comparison with the benchmark - beet sugar. Methods. The material for the study consisted of four sweeteners: sugar, xylitol, stevia, and cane sugar. The substances were subjected to dilution in an infusion of black tea. This tea was then divided into 4 portions and each portion was sweetened with a different sweetener at a rate of 20g per 1l of infusion. The samples were coded with 3-digit codes, and the paired method was used for sensory evaluation. A total of 78 people participated in the study. Results. Differences in the intensity of sweet taste between beet sugar and the substitutes used were confirmed. Cane sugar and xylitol were characterized by a lower intensity of sweet taste, but these substitutes were preferred compared to beet sugar. Stevia is characterized by greater sweetness than beet sugar, while survey respondents strongly preferred beet sugar. Conclusions. Consumers, participating in the survey, prefer products with a less intensely sweet taste. Learning about consumers' preferences for sweet taste will allow the use of appropriately preferred substances in the production of food and dishes. This will have a positive effect on the sugar content of the daily ration and its overall consumption.

„Obrona Kultury” to czasopismo społeczno-kulturalne, które ukazywało się w Warszawie w latach 1938–1939. Początkowo wychodziło jako tygodnik, a następnie dwutygodnik. Redaktorem pisma był Adam Szczepanik. Celem artykułu jest ukazanie efemerycznego czasopisma z okresu dwudziestolecia międzywojennego jako źródła informacji o ówczesnym rynku książki. Ogółem zidentyfikowano na łamach pisma 270 tekstów związanych z tematem. Wyodrębniono następujące grupy tematyczne: ruch wydawniczy, bibliotekarstwo, księgarstwo, czytelnictwo, publikacje, pisarze, prasa, wystawy, varia. Najczęściej na łamach pisma pojawiały się różnego rodzaju omówienia publikacji – książek, czasopism. Kolejną grupę stanowiły teksty, które podejmowały tematykę związaną z firmami wydawniczymi, zarówno zawodowymi jak i nieprofesjonalnymi. Często publikowano informacje dotyczące twórców oraz sytuacji bibliotek. Teksty mogą być znakomitym uzupełnieniem źródeł bibliologicznych i przyczynić się do nakreślenia pełniejszego obrazu rynku książki w dwudziestoleciu międzywojennym.

Introduction The computer has become a common device and an indispensable tool not only in office but also in everyday life. As a consequence of working at the computer, Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) may develop. The prevalence of CVS is estimated from 64% to 90% among computer users. Symptoms of the syndrome may be divided into ocular, visual and musculoskeletal. Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of CVS symptoms among dentistry students and to determine the factors associated with the syndrome. Material and methods The study involving 62 students from the dentistry of Medical University was conducted. Students were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding socio-demographic data and CVS-related questions. Results Among dentistry students, most often CVS symptoms are headache, eye strain and neck pain. Headache, double vision and shoulder pain was significantly associated with gender. Conclusion Dentistry students suffer from CVS. Due to the increase of computer use in the last few years the syndrome is at risk of becoming a major public health issue. Treatment of the syndrome focuses primarily on prevention, which is the modification of the computer environment and user education.

In the paper the evaluation of efficiency of the use of machines in the selected production company was presented. The OEE method (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) was used for the analysis. The selected company deals with the production of tapered roller bearings. The analysis of effectiveness was done for 17 automatic grinding lines working in the department of grinding rollers. Low level of efficiency of machines was affected by problems with the availability of machines and devices. The causes of machine downtime on these lines was also analyzed. Three basic causes of downtime were identified: no kanban card, diamonding, no operator. Ways to improve the use of these machines were suggested. The analysis takes into account the actual results from the production process and covers the period of one calendar year.

Europe is facing great social and economic challenges now, being a result of the ageing process progressing faster than ever. This, however, might be perceived also as an opportunity for innovation, as well as an additional impulse for the so-called “Silver Economy”. To address these new needs and opportunities, the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) was initiated by the European Commission in 2012. After three years of its activity, it has proved to be a strong movement of European stakeholders committed to innovation, with its overarching target to increase the average healthy lifespan by two years by 2020. The ‘Triple Win’ strategy for Europe is based on the concepts of enabling the EU citizens to lead healthy, active and independent lives while ageing, improving the sustainability and efficiency of social and health care systems, and boosting and improving the competitiveness of markets for innovative products and services. Now, the EIP on AHA opens new calls that enable new stakeholders to become partners of this collaboration. This provides a unique opportunity to Polish institutions, as well as scientists. In order to help them use this opportunity effectively, the history, aims, structure and achievements of the EIP on AHA are shortly described in this paper.

Słowniczek wyrazów dotyczących pokrewieństwa i powinowactwa. An Unknown Manuscript by Jan Łoś The paper discusses Jan Łoś’s Słowniczek wyrazów dotyczących pokrewieństwa i powinowactwa z zabytków językowych do końca XVI w. (‘A dictionary of kinship and affinity terms from monuments till the 16th century’) whose manuscript is stored in the collections of the Silesian Library in Katowice. The article contains a physical description of the unit and a metalexicographic analysis of its microand macrostructure, contrasted with Łoś’s conception of Słownik staropolski (‘Old Polish dictionary’). Furthermore, the paper indicates content and source relationships between the analysed work and another text by Łoś (Nazwy stopni pokrewieństwa i powinowactwa w dawnej Polsce ‘Names of degrees of kinship and affinity in old Poland’) and draws attention to the lack of reception of the manuscript in later linguistic works. The article also presents the history of the manuscript, so far as it could be reconstructed. It ends with conclusions about the significance of the manuscript for linguistics, in times when it was written, and currently.

The paper presents the current state of dogmatic analysis in relation to the issue of the so-called subjective components: act, unlawfulness and circumstances excluding unlawfulness. First of all reconstructive remarks concerning the current state of research on the subject matter of subjective components in the structure of the act, unlawfulness and circumstances excluding unlawfulness were presented. On the basis of the outlined dichotomy of the conceptual and objective perspectives presented in the Polish criminal law theory, some areas have been outlined for analysis and verification of concepts relating to the function and meaning of subjective components within the framework of criminal legal actions, unlawfulness and circumstances excluding unlawfulness. Referring to the theoretical, normative, dogmatic and structural levels, the advantages and disadvantages of competing concepts are presented. The summary contains an offer of objectivized recognition of consciousness as one of the properties described in the Behavior Act, constituting a possible direction of solving the paradoxes immanently combining with the previously presented in the Polish literature competing perspectives of the analyzed issue.

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Background. Football is one of the most popular sports at both amateur and professional levels. The discipline is constantly evolving. At the same time, an increase in physiological demands can be observed. Players are exposed to significant energy expenditure. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure an adequate level of nutrition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diet and eating habits of football players training in sports clubs in the Żywiec district. Methods. The survey was conducted among football players who were players of football clubs in the Żywiec district. Only men were considered, and the study group consisted of 205 athletes. A questionnaire, which was made available as an electronic form, was used to obtain the results. The questionnaire used questions from the KomPAN questionnaire and the author's questions, which accounted for the bulk of the 35 questions. Results. The dietary quality of football players from the Żywiec district was found to be low. This is noticeable in the diet used on a daily basis, as well as considering nutrition around training or matches. Conclusions. Poor nutrition quality involves many aspects that require attention. This applies to both the frequency of consumption of certain foods and the eating habits practiced. Attention should be paid to improving match-day and training-day nutrition. Nutrition education in clubs should be emphasized.

Athletes belong to a group with special nutritional needs. Strenuous physical activity causes an imbalance of oxidation reduction. The purpose of the study was to assess the frequency of consuming antioxidant-rich food products among amateurs and professionals practicing selected sports. A total of 119 athletes were included in the study. The study group consisted of amateur bodybuilders and Cross- Fit athletes, as well as professional football and handball players. A validated original questionnaire assessing the frequency of consumption of selected high-antioxidant products was used. The highest frequency of consuming raw fruits among amateur athletes was 5-6 times a week (40.68%, n = 24). Sport professionals usually reported 1 serving a day (26.67%, n=16). The highest frequency of consumption of raw vegetables was 2-4 portions a week (37.29%, n=22) in amateurs group, and 5-6 portions weekly (33.33%, n = 20) in professionals group. In addition, we evaluated the intake of red wine. Most of the amateurs (47.46%, n = 28) and professionals (41.67%, n = 25) did not consume wine. All the respond- ents consumed food products containing antioxidants in quantities that were much lower than those recommended. The obtained findings indicate the need to develop dietary recommendations on anti-oxidant-rich food products for athletes, as well as appropriate nutritional education.

Introduction: The fermented milk drinks include: yogurt, kefir, fermented milk, acidophilic milk, koumiss and new generation dairy products. The high nutrient content of yogurt is related to the composition of the milk it is made of. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the sensory quality of selected natural yoghurts available on the Polish market.Material and methods: The research material consisted of 8 natural yoghurts available on the Polish market. Natural yoghurts were purchased in supermarkets in the Silesian Voivodeship. The intensity of the examined features (color, taste, smell, consistency, general appearance) was assessed using a proprietary card for evaluation on a five-point scale (5 - very good quality, 1 - disqualifying quality). Results: The results of the sensory evaluation using the 5-point method: The highest mean was obtained by the yoghurt code: 125 - 4.34 (± 0.47) and the worst by the respondents was the yogurt with the code: 596 - 3.54 (± 0.77). The results of the sensory evaluation carried out by the scheduling method: the highest scores were obtained for natural yoghurts with the codes 133 and 189.Conclusions: The evaluation of the sensory quality of selected natural yoghurts carried out using the five-point method showed that the highest overall score was obtained by yogurt containing: milk, powdered milk, milk proteins, calcium, live cultures of yoghurt fermentation bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5® i Bifidobacterium BB-12®.The evaluation carried out by the ranking method showed that yoghurts with the following compositions were best evaluated by the respondents: milk, milk proteins, live yoghurt bacteria cultures and milk, live bacteria cultures, selected lactic acid strains of Bifidobacterium BB-12®, 0% fat.The lowest score of respondents in the sensory evaluation with the use of both methods was obtained by natural yoghurt with the following composition: milk, live bacteria cultures.

Introduction. The incidence of obesity has continued to rise over the years, a problem that is driving increased consumer interest in agents that can replace sucrose. Sweet taste is linked to feelings of pleasure and happiness. For this reason, among others, substances that are alternatives to sugar have received increasing attention over the past few years. The aim of the study was to assess consumer awareness and sweetener consumption habits of dietetics students. Material and methods. The study included 201 participants aged 18-27 years studying nutrition. Nutritional status was assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI). A proprietary validated survey questionnaire was used to assess consumer awareness and assess eating habits Results. The subjects' nutritional status was examined by assessing their BMI. Most of the respondents had a BMI described as normal. Respondents mostly sometimes focused attention on the amount of calories consumed during the day, with 64.68% (N=130) of respondents giving this answer. Respondents cited health benefits (28.36%; N=57), energy value (20.40%; N=41), and taste (17.91%; N=36) as the most influential factor in choosing a particular sweetener. The study group's nutritional knowledge of sweeteners was unsatisfactory. Conclusions. Dietetics students' knowledge of sweeteners is alarmingly low. Most of the respondents had a BMI described as normal. In view of the low level of knowledge of the respondents, additional measures should be introduced resulting in an increase in the awareness of students in the described field, for example, increasing the number of lectures covering the above topics.

This paper investigates the variation of track geometrical parameters that lead to a local increase of specific dynamical quantities of a railway vehicle, possibly beyond their acceptable values. In particular, the changes of track geometry are investigated near track points where the running safety or ride comfort are significantly decreased during the vehicle motion due to track irregularities. The investigated dynamical quantities include the lateral and vertical forces at the wheel-rail contact as well as the acceleration of the vehicle body. The vehicle motion has been simulated using a non-linear model of a passenger car moving along a nominally tangent stiff track with random geometrical irregularities. The relationship between the local track condition and the maxima of the dynamical quantities was investigated with the statistical method proposed by the author. The performed analysis clearly identifies the characteristic variation of track irregularities that leads to a large increase of the investigated dynamical quantities at some track points.

Przedmiotem niniejszego tekstu jest międzynarodowy mechanizm ochrony mniejszości narodowych pod rządami tzw. ładu wersalskiego. Cezurą, do jakiej w praktyce ogranicza się problem są lata 1920‒1939, tj. od wejścia w życie Traktatu wersalskiego konstytuującego Ligę Narodów do wybuchu II wojny światowej. Formalnie Liga Narodów istniała do 1946 roku, lecz z dniem 1 września 1939 światem rządziło już prawo wojny (wcześniej również agresja przewyższała ład międzynarodowy, czego jaskrawym przykładem były polityka appeasementu wobec Hitlera czy przyzwolenie na ustawiczne łamanie prawa międzynarodowego czyniły Ligę Narodów mniej istotną aniżeli wynikało to z przepisów traktatowych). Autor przedstawił wspomniane zagadnienie osobno w wymiarze ogólnoeuropejskim, osobno względem Polski, łącząc oba spojrzenia. Przywołane zostały również fakty, ilustrujące tendencje konfliktowe w międzywojennej Europie i związane z tym wykorzystywanie instrumentów ochrony mniejszości narodowych do wprowadzania destabilizacji w stosunkach międzypaństwowych. Tekst podzielony został na wstęp, część merytoryczną oraz zakończenie

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, causes and forms of the use of legal highs in Poland., Methods: The study was based on an original questionnaire and was carried out through the Internet before banning of the legal highs in Poland., Results: The study covered 3013 people, aged 24.7 +/- 6.9, of which 9.3% admitted to use legal highs (6.5% ofwomen, and 14.7% ofmen, P < 0.01). The highest percentage of legal highs users was in the age groups 19-25 years (10.6%). Most people taking legal highs did so less than 1 time per month (71.8%). The most common reasons for taking legal highs were curiosity (46.4%), the desire to have fun (26.8%), and to improve the well-being (10.7%). Legal highs were most often used during meetings with friends (68.9% of cases), and social events (52.1%). The majority of their users adopted other risky behaviors: 56.4% took them with alcohol, 86.4% tried narcotics at least once, and 13.9% decided to try narcotics after trying legal highs., Conclusions: 1. Among the respondents of the online survey 9.3% admitted to use legal highs. 2. A typical profile of a legal high user is a young man, using them out of curiosity, to improve the well-being or just for fun, usually in social situations. 3. Initiatives undertaken to reduce the use of legal highs have to consider the social context.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of this phenomenon among patients being treated for selected chronic conditions., Material and Methods: As many as 63,221 patients treated for hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Alzheimer disease, depression, schizophrenia, and memory loss were enrolled to this multicenter, questionnaire-based open study The primary outcome measure was patient adherence assessed with 4-item Morisky questionnaire. Only those respondents who gave negative answers to all questionnaire questions were assumed adherent., Results: Out of respondents, 83.8%--in different ways--were nonadherent, and only 16.2% were adherent. Significant differences in adherence were observed with different diseases (p < 0.05), asymptomatic versus symptomatic nature of disease (asymptomatic diseases--81.5%, versus symptomatic diseases--84.7%, in average, p < 0.05), as well as psychiatric, versus organic disease type (nonadherence in 85.6, and 82.1% patients, p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Study proved very high prevalence of non-adherence in patient treated for chronic conditions. Patients are non-adherent particularly often in a case of psychiatric conditions.

Background: Hypertension is one of the most common disorders in adults. Although it may be already present in children and adolescents, it is usually undetected. There is a lack of data on the prevalence of hypertension in this age-group in Poland., Aim: To assess the prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents, residents of the city of Łódź., Methods: Children and adolescents aged 9-14 years, attending one primary and one secondary school, were examined. Blood pressure (BP) was measured three times with the use of a mercury sphygmomanometer. Systolic BP was determined by the first Korotkoff sound, and diastolic BP - by the fifth Korotkoff sound. Hypertension was diagnosed when the value of systolic and/or diastolic BP exceeded the 95th percentile of normal values, taking into account height, gender and age., Results: In total, 637 children and adolescents (349 girls and 288 boys) were examined. The first BP measurements revealed abnormal values in 13.2% of examined subjects, slightly more often in girls than in boys (14.6% vs 11.4%, NS). Triple BP measurements revealed the presence of hypertension in 3.3% of examined subjects (2.9% of girls and 3.8% of boys, NS). Hypertension was diagnosed by triple measurement in a significantly lower proportion of subjects than by a single screening examination (p<0.05)., Conclusions: Hypertension is present in a significant proportion of children and adolescents who live in the city of Łódź, which shows the need for a systematic screening. A proper detection of hypertension requires repeated BP measurements.

Unlabelled: Non-compliance is one of the leading reasons of therapy failure in case of antibiotherapy of respiratory tract infections in children. The organoleptic characteristic of the antibiotic suspension has strong influence on compliance in children. The aim of the present study was to compare taste and the other organoleptic factors of commonly prescribed antibiotics in order to find which of them are palatable to the extent which may positively influence patient compliance., Methods: 13 antibiotic suspensions were arbitrary chosen for the comparison. These drugs were blindly evaluated by 25 volunteers as to the appearance, smell, texture, taste and aftertaste compared to amoxycillin (Amotaks) as a reference dug. The overall score was calculated, as well. In the statistical analysis Duncan's test was used., Results: The important diversity of scores of assessed antibiotics was observed in every category. In most cases clindamycin and macrolides obtained the lowest scores, penicillins and co-trimoxazol--medium ones and cephalosporins--the best scores. Among penicillins, amoxicillins with clavulanic acids were scored lower than pure amoxicillins. In overall score, different preparations of the same substance obtained similar scores, statistically non-different, with one exception for clarithromycin, in which Klacid was characterized by better palatability., Conclusion: Observed differences in organoleptic characteristics of studied drugs may significantly influence patient compliance and therefore should be taken into consideration in the case of antibiotic selection for the treatment of infection in children.

Non-compliance frequently occurs during outpatient antibiotherapy of respiratory tract infections. The most frequent form of non-compliance in such circumstances is omittion of single doses. Patient non-compliance during antibiotherapy is of practical importance. It leads to therapy failure, need of additional health services, growth of direct and indirect therapy cost and development of resistant strains. This paper summarises the methods of evaluating compliance and the results of research on compliance during antibiotherapy of respiratory tract infections. The reasons of patient non-compliance as well as the factors influencing this phenomenon are reviewed. Practical methods of augmenting compliance are suggested with particular stress on the relationship between dosage frequency and compliance. It should be remembered that when the antibiotic is needed for respiratory tract infections treatment, once daily dosing ensures the best possible compliance.

The study was conducted to evaluate patient compliance to antibiotic therapy in respiratory tract infections. The main aim of the study was to establish whether dosing frequency (1 vs 2 or 3 times daily) and other factors influence compliance. Patients aged 18 and over attending selected primary health facilities in Lódź region were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to receive ceftibuten, 400 mg once daily or other antibiotic on physician's choice with 2 or 3 times daily dosing. On the 5th day during the home visit the questionnaire study was performed and the compliance was measured by a pill count. Four hundred and six patients (205 in ceftibuten and 201 in other antibiotics group, respectively) were fully evaluable. Overall compliance was 76.6% with 97.6% for ceftibuten, 66.0% for antibiotics with b.i.d. dosing and 23.5% for antibiotics with t.i.d. dosing. Using a logistic regression analysis with a stepwise variable selection, dosing frequency was found to be a major variable associated with patient compliance (p = 0.00000, odds ratio 0.09, 95% confidence interval 0.057-0.165). Non-compliance with antibiotics is a common phenomenon in respiratory tract infections therapy. Once-daily antibiotic dosing leads to the best possible compliance in such circumstances. Due to its once-daily dosing and rare side effects, ceftibuten ensures nearly perfect compliance in respiratory tract infections therapy.

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with characteristic neonatal hypotonia, followed by obesity, low height, hypogonadism and mental retardation. In this paper a case of 22-year-old man suffering from Prader-Willi syndrome is described.

Patient non-compliance is a phenomenon which physician meets in his every-day practice. It covers different aspects of patient behaviour, but the most important role plays non-compliance with medication. Medication non-compliance is common among patients, with no respect to kind of disease or its severity. The consequences of non-compliance are serious. The inefficacy of conducted treatment, patient health status deterioration, additional hospitalisations or even deaths are some of them. Another negative influence of patient non-compliance is the increase of health system expenses. Nevertheless, numerous physicians are not fully conscious of this problem and its consequences, although in many instances treatment failure is caused by lack of patient adherence to medication. Many useful methods of compliance improvement are attainable in every physician work. Their broader use may lead to better therapy effectiveness.

Patient non-compliance with medication leads to disadvantageous medical consequences and contributes to the rise of expenses of the health care system. Nevertheless, patient non-compliance is an ubiquitous problem. In such circumstances there is a need to apply activities leading to the enhancement of patient compliance. The useful methods are described in this paper. Most of them is widely available and may be applied by physicians, particularly by general practitioners.

Patient non-compliance is a phenomenon which leads to less effective and more expensive therapy, particularly in general practice conditions. One of the most common problem of out-patients care are respiratory infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of patient non-compliance among out-patients treated with short-time antibiotic for respiratory tract infections and to find factors associated with patient adherence. Two methods of compliance measurement were used: the questionnaire method and pill count. The study group consisted of 154 out-patients with respiratory infections. The pill count method revealed that 46.8% of patients did not take their antibiotics as prescribed, and only 9.7% stated that in inquiry. Patient compliance was associated with such factors as being married, subjective estimation of health state as lower then peers, present chronic diseases, present ischemic heart disease, subjective estimation of disease as "serious", localisation of infection in lower respiratory tract, dosage schedule, the number of drugs taken at examination > 2, the number of drugs doses taken at examination > 6 and the number of drugs taken longer then a week > 2. Age, gender, education and professional activity did not influence the level of compliance. The study points out usefulness of both inquiry and pill count method in revealing patient non-compliance in conditions of general practice.