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The objective of the conducted research was to design 2 mm orodispersible minitablets of pediatric doses of hydrocortisone (0.5 mg; 1.0 mg) with desirable pharmaceutical properties and eliminate the sensation of a bitter taste using preparation of solid dispersion by ball mill. Hydrocortisone was selected as the model substance, as it is widely utilized in the pediatric population. ODMTs were prepared by compression (preceded by granulation) in a traditional single-punch tablet machine and evaluated using pharmacopoeial tests, DSC, and FTIR analysis. The methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the taste-masking effect included in vivo participation of healthy volunteers, in vitro drug dissolution and utilization of an analytical device—"electronic tongue". The research employed a preclinical animal model to preliminary investigate the bioequivalence of the designed drug dosage form in comparison to reference products. The study confirmed the possibility of manufacturing good-quality hydrocortisone ODMTs with a taste-masking effect owing to the incorporation of a solid dispersion in the tablet mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory diseases are the most common cause of the child and family practice physicians are one of the main reasons for referral to a specialist clinic and hospital pediatric wards. The severity of respiratory disease in adolescence influenced by various factors, endo- and exogenous. Some of them, especially environmental factors can be eliminated or reduced and thus reduce the risk of developing this disease. The most common source of pollutants in dwellings is tobacco smoke. The aim of this study was to assess exposure to tobacco smoke in three years old children of attending local kindergartens in Białystok and its influence on the type of recovery from acute respiratory infections by the respondents. The study included 313 children from among the 1,200 who attend the local 51-kindergartens in Bialystok. Information on the structure of tobacco use in three-years-old-children's families and respiratory illnesses among random children were obtained, based on anonymous questionnaires completed by their carers. Exposure to tobacco smoke was based on questionnaires and serum cotinine in relation to creatinine in the urine of patients (K/K). In the 150 families surveyed children found 210 smoking people. Every day smoked 37.3% of fathers and 23.6% of mothers. Of the children surveyed--34% of the houses which where there was a prohibition on tobacco use, 35% of the houses which were smoked in enclosed areas, in 31% of homes have not been established no-smoking rules. Children who during the six-month period to attend kindergarten gone lower respiratory tract infection had mean K/K (59.57 ng/mg) higher than the ones that were healthy and underwent upper respiratory tract infection. Used by the parents of the children tested in part to reduce the exposure to tobacco smoke in the home environment was ineffective and did not influence the decrease in the incidence of lower respiratory tract.

Minimal anti-tobacco intervention (MIA) is an efficient and inexpensive method of smoking cessation intervention. The ability for practical use of MIA could be acquired by a majority of physicians-practitioners in Poland and other European Union countries. The objective of the work was to establish a practical knowledge in the scope of anti-tobacco strategies of senior students of the Medical Faculty of the Medical University of Bialystok after six-year education. We also assessed the prevalence of tobacco smoking among students of Medical Faculty. The percentage of tobacco smokers between the last course students of Medical Faculty average at 15% of women and 29% of men. Only 3 of all woman and half of men think they could effectively help in smoking cessation, but most of the assessed students have not acquired sufficient knowledge for an anti-tobacco intervention as well as they don't know practical tools like Fagerstöm Test for Nicotine Dependence or Schneider's Smoker Complaint Scale.

Within the framework of "Schedule of health care, economic and social policy pursuing to reduction of tobacco consumption" involving numerous institutions including universities, educated persons will be responsible for the treatment and prophylaxis of tobacco smoking-evoked diseases. The aim of this study was assessment of the tobacco smoking prevalence among undergraduates of last-year course of Medical Faculty and Nursing Faculty of Medical University of Bialystok and evaluation of theirs attitude in the face of the nicotinism question after 5 years of occupation. The percentage of tobacco smokers on Medical Faculty average out 27.7% and 17.8% on Nursing Faculty. Students of both faculties opined that nicotinism in Poland was a heavyweight issue (8 points in decagrade scale). Our data shown that about one third of assessed students have not to do with a nicotinism theme and were not acquired sufficient knowledge to help tobacco smoking patients. Thus, continuation of nictonism issue education within the framework of seminaries and classes of family medicine course in both faculties will be purposeful action.

In the years 1998-2005 in Poland a National Health Program was being implemented. One of its chief guidelines was to reduce the popularity of tobacco smoking, recognised as a proven, single factor influencing the etiology and the course of many diseases. The objective of the work was to establish whether the program's guidelines were reflected in individual attitudes of senior students of the Faculty of Medicine and of the Division of Public Health of Medical University of Bialystok. The research was conducted with the use of an anonymous questionnaire, filled in by the students before the classes dedicated to the issues of nicotine addiction within the framework of the family medicine thematic block. The analysis of the results did not show a decrease in the number of student smokers in comparison to the previous years; however, it was observed that more than a half of the current smokers had tried and was going to try to give up smoking, and the non-smokers strongly objected to passive smoking.

Exposure to chronic restraint stress in rats and psychosocial stress in humans has been shown to alter cognitive functions such as learning and memory and has been linked to the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders. Antianxiety or sedative agents used in the management of stress have several disadvantages and undesired effects. Therefore, in this study, we investigated efficacy of a natural medicine, the extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGB 761), in prevention and treatment of the post-stress memory dysfunctions. The results showed that chronic restraint stress (2 h for 21 days) or an 'equivalent' dose of exogenous corticosterone (5 mg/kg) impaired nonspatial memory as measured by an object recognition test. In control rats, EGB 761 improved spatial and nonspatial memory in Morris water maze and object recognition tests. Preventive doses of EGB 761 (100 mg/kg) normalized cognitive deficits, seen in rats chronically stressed or treated with corticosterone in object recognition test, and improved memory processes in these rats measured by Morris water maze test. There was no influence of our treatments on locomotor exploratory activity and anxiety measured in open field and elevated 'plus' maze tests, making a contribution of unspecific motor and emotional effects of the used drugs to their performance in the memory tests improbable.

According to the guidelines of the National Health Program, assumed by the Polish Ministry of Health for the years 1996 - 2005, it could be expected that, particularly at medical universities, education of future doctors in the field of problems connected to addiction to nicotine is taken into consideration. However, the research conducted in the form of anonymous survey among the sixth year students of the Faculty of Medicine at the Medical University of Białystok in the academic years 2001/2002 and 2004/2005 does not corroborate those expectations. The survey proves that the future graduates' knowledge of the aforementioned topic is fragmentary and confirms the necessity of including that issue in the educational curriculum in the area of family medicine.