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Background This study provides a detailed analysis of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and immunity levels against influenza and SARS-CoV-2 among soldiers and military personnel in Poland. Owing to their unique service environments, this occupational group is at high risk. During deployments, they often face adverse physical conditions, close living quarters, and exposure to both local and endemic pathogens. It particularly increases their susceptibility to RTIs, which remain a leading cause of illness worldwide. Methods The study cohort included 379 participants aged between 19 and 60 years. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques to detect 34 common respiratory pathogens and analyzed blood serum samples to assess the degree of immunity against the influenza A, B, and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. In 78.10% of the participants, at least one respiratory pathogen was detected. Results Human rhinovirus (HRV) was the most common (8.71%), followed by SARS-CoV-2 (4.75%) and influenza A (H1N1) sw (2.90%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent bacterial pathogen (18.47%), with significant occurrences of Haemophilus influenzae (14.24%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.76%). Additionally, 52.3% of those with coinfections had combinations of bacterial and viral pathogens, highlighting the complexity of diagnosing and managing these infections. We also assessed immunity levels, which focused on antibodies specific to influenza A/B and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. For all the results obtained, statistical analyses were performed. A weak positive correlation between age and levels of anti-influenza antibodies was observed, suggesting a slight increase in antibody levels with age. A total of 81.53% of the participants had received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. A significant correlation between the number of vaccine doses and higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies was observed, indicating stronger immunity with more vaccinations. Conclusions This study underscores the importance of specialized health monitoring and preventive measures such as vaccinations to protect military personnel from RTIs and maintain their operational readiness. The detailed analysis of pathogen prevalence and immunity levels offers valuable insights into this occupational group's health risks and needs. Clinical trial number : Not applicable.

Routine monitoring and wastewater-based bio-surveillance represents a strong supporting tool for following and understanding SARS-CoV-2 endemicity or epidemic dynamics in society. The main objective of the research was a two-year qualitative and quantitative monitoring program of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage in a model urban agglomeration (the capital city), including the development of an algorithm for action in this area and a joint evaluation of procedures with a water and sewage company (public administration sector). To resolve problems, we continuously investigated inflows and outflows of four wastewater treatment plants and raw sewage of the whole catchment (including healthcare units, airport and military areas) within the Warsaw capital city for SARS-CoV-2, during two waves of COVID-19 in 2023 and 2024. The screening was performed by RT-qPCR (N1, N2, E probes) and NGS metagenomics analysis. The average cumulative load of the virus in sewage for the whole tested period was 3.5 × 10 genomic copies per litre. The highest load was found for wastewater inflows and the lowest one was found for housing estates and wastewater outflows. Higher viral concentrations in the wastewater than expected in medical records suggested a higher number of undiagnosed COVID-19 infections within the community. The obtained genotypes segregated within 11 clades (21I to 24 F), making '23 and '24 waves distinguishable. We consider our results and methodological approaches hold significant potential for public health, with particular emphasis on the needs of the Directive (EU) 2024/3019 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Military operations involve the global movement of personnel and equipment, increasing the risk of spreading infectious pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. Given the continuous engagement of the Polish Armed Forces in overseas operations, an active surveillance program targeting Variants of Concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2 was implemented among military personnel. Screening using RT-qPCR tests was conducted on 1699 soldiers between November 2021 and May 2022. Of these, 84 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples met the criteria for whole genome sequencing analysis and variant identification. Whole genome sequencing was performed using two advanced next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies: sequencing by synthesis and nanopore sequencing. Our analysis revealed eleven SARS-CoV-2 lineages belonging to 21K, 21L, and 21J. The predominant lineage was BA.1.1 (57% of the samples), followed by BA.1 (23%) and BA.2 (6%). Notably, all identified lineages detected in post-deployment screening tests were classified as VOC and were already present in Poland, showing the effectiveness of the Military Sanitary Inspection measures in mitigating the COVID-19 spread. Pre-departure and post-mission screening and isolation successfully prevented SARS-CoV-2 VOC exportation and importation. Proactive measures are vital in minimizing the impact of COVID-19 in military settings, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and response strategies.

The 21st century is considered the age of malnutrition resulting in the unprecedented frequency of civilization diseases. Among these disorders, obesity is particularly distinguished and considered an epidemic-scale disease. For this reason, conducting studies on obesity and counteracting this phenomenon is essential. Research from recent years indicates a problem of excessive body weight among officers of uniformed services, who should be characterized by good health and fitness level due to the specificity of the work. As the problem of obesity affects every fourth Pole, research in uniformed services seems to be essential from health and national security perspectives. The presented study aimed to determine the elements of nutritional status in 289 students of Polish police schools and police training centers. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and bone calcification assessment was conducted by the DXA densitometric method. Based on BMI and body fat content, body weight disorders were found in 31.8% of all examined students. Densitometric test results showed changes in bone calcification of varying severity in 26.6% of the total number of respondents. The presence of obesity in students of police schools and training centers proves that the present nutrition model is energetically unbalanced, while the demonstrated disorders of bone calcification indicate an improper condition of mineral nutrition.

Millions of Ukrainians displaced by war have sought refuge in Poland, posing challenges for cancer care. Determining whether these refugees present with more-advanced breast cancer is crucial for guiding resource allocation. To evaluate the associations between Ukrainian refugee status and clinical presentation of breast cancer compared with Ukrainian permanent residents in Poland and the general Polish population. This retrospective cohort study was conducted between February 2021 and February 2024 at a single tertiary oncology center (Lower Silesian Oncology, Pulmonology, and Hematology Centre, Wrocław, Poland) and included adult women with a diagnosis of stage 0 to IV breast cancer, regardless of treatment intent. Participants were categorized as Ukrainian permanent residents (UPRs), Ukrainian war refugees (UWRs), or general Polish population (GPP). War refugee status (UWR) vs permanent residence (UPR) vs general Polish population (GPP) and a diagnosis of breast cancer. Primary outcomes were clinical stage (0-IV) at diagnosis, tumor grade (G1-G3), and age at presentation. Stage distributions and odds ratios (ORs) were evaluated using weighted logistic regression, adjusting for age and time period (before the war, first war year, and second war year). Of 3259 patients, 44 were in the UWR group (mean [SD] age, 52.9 [13.5] years), 72 were in the UPR group (mean [SD] age, 49.9 [11.4] years), and 3143 were in the GPP group (mean [SD] age, 59.5 [12.6] years). Stage III to IV disease occurred in 19 patients (43.2%) in the UWR group vs 849 patients (27.0%) in the GPP group. Adjusted analysis showed that refugees had a 2.00-fold increased odds (95% CI, 1.06-3.76; P = .03) of stage III to IV disease and 2.42-fold increased odds (95% CI, 1.29-4.55; P = .006) of grade 3 tumors. In this retrospective cohort study, war refugee status was associated with a higher prevalence of aggressive tumor grades and more-advanced stage disease at diagnosis. Although aggressive breast cancer subtypes are more common in younger women, the disproportionate burden of advanced disease in this cohort highlights the impact of health care access barriers and delayed presentation. These findings underscore the need for tailored strategies, such as accessible screening and early diagnostic interventions, to improve outcomes among Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

Titanium dioxide layers are the most popular electron transport layer (ETL) in perovskite solar cells. However most studies focuses on mesoporous structure and application with organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite. In this study, the topic of ETL in planar structure of inorganic CsPbBr 3 perovskite solar cells was tackled, the presented approach will reduce production costs and improve cell stability, which is the greatest drawback of perovskite cells especially organic–inorganic perovskite. The potential application of these technology are greenhouses and building integrated PV sector. Here, the two TiO 2 precursors titanium(IV) ethoxide in ethanol and titanium(IV) bis(acetylacetonate) diisopropoxide (Tiacac) were investigated, optimized and compared. TiO 2 layers were deposited on high roughness FTO, without the use of a mesoporous layer, by spin coating method. The correlation between stock solution concentration and thickness of manufactured layers was tracked for both precursors as well as their difference in morphology of the final films and other properties. In particular, conformality and optical properties are better for Tiacac. Slightly lower refractive index of Tiacac-based titania reduced the reflective losses from 7.3 to 6.9% effectively. The obtained layers were used for inorganic solar cells of CsPbBr 3 perovskite to finally settle the issue of optimal thickness and precursor. It is interesting that despite the supremacy in investigated properties of commonly used of the precursor Tiacac, the results of the cells pointed to the Tieth. The efficiency of the champion cell is 6.08% for Tieth, while 5.62% is noted for Tiacac. Trying to figure out this riddle, we shed a new light on the phenomena going on the ETL/inorganic perovskite interface investigating nanoroughness.

This work aimed to produce a low resistive copper oxide nanolayer with potassium admixture by a simple spray coating technique. The different concentration of dopant (2–20 wt%) was tested. It was found that 14 wt% of potassium reduced the resistivity of copper oxide from 21 Ω cm for reference layer to 5 Ω cm for doped thin film. The phase composition as well as the optical, and electrical properties of manufactured oxides were studied. It was found that potassium admixture affects the phase composition of manufactured thin film which turns from CuO to Cu 2 O. This is accompanied by a widening of the optical band gap energy of the oxide. The roughness of the layer also increased. The photovoltaic properties of produced copper oxides were tested in n–i–p heterojunction with n-type Cz-Si and as a final product the solar cells with open circuit voltage of 296 mV and short circuit current density of 0.78 mA/cm 2 was fabricated. Graphical Abstract

Background The subject of this research was to investigate the level of expression of genes encoding protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) in cultivars and lines of wheat with different baking value of flour. PDI plays a key role in the formation of disulfide bonds in newly formed proteins. Each of cultivars and lines had a specific set of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS). Based on the presence of individual subunits, the potential baking value is predicted. Sometimes this value is not confirmed during technological analysis. Since there are cases where flour has a better or worse value than expected on the basis of the genotype, the expression of PDI genes was considered as a potential cause for discrepancies mentioned. Results Analysis focused on three stages of grain development. The expression level of PDI genes was compared between wheat cultivars and lines with different genotype-phenotype combinations, which means diversified sets of HMW-GS combined with diversified qualitative classification. The highest expression level of PDI was noticed at early stage of grain development, which is consistent with the function of PDI. The expression level was evaluated by the real-time PCR technique. Conclusion Results obtained in this work did not allow for a clear statement of decisive significance of PDI in the context of shaping the final baking value. The results of this work contribute to an ever more in-depth understanding of the mechanisms governing baking value, and thus to the progress of the selection of new varieties with more beneficial properties.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the evolution of surgical approaches in the management of endometrial cancer in Polish tertiary referral hospitals, comparing the use of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and laparotomy in 2023 versus 2013. Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed data from tertiary referral centers in Poland. All surgeries performed for apparently early-stage endometrial cancer in 2013 and 2023 were included. Results: A total of 1062 patients were analyzed, with 417 undergoing operations in 2013 and 640 in 2023. In 2013, 92.6% (386/417) of patients underwent laparotomy. By 2023, 80.1% (513/640) of patients were treated using minimally invasive approaches, including laparoscopy (56.2%, 362/640), robotic-assisted laparoscopy (21.7%, 139/640), and vaginal surgery (1.9%, 12/640). No conversions to laparotomy were recorded in 2013. In 2023, 22 conversions occurred—21 in the laparoscopy group (5.8%, 21/362) and one in the vaginal surgery group (8.3%, 1/12). No conversions were reported in the robotic-assisted group. Intraoperative complications were observed in 2.2% (8/362) of laparoscopic cases, and postoperative complications in 4.4% (16/362). In the robotic-assisted group, one intraoperative complication (0.7%) was reported, with no postoperative complications. Conclusions: Over the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the surgical management of endometrial cancer in Poland, with a growing preference for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The rate of conversion from MIS to laparotomy remains below 6%. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery may offer additional benefits, particularly for obese patients.

This work presents a detailed description of a bonding zone of explosively welded Ti/steel clads subjected to stress relief annealing, applied in order to improve the plasticity of the final product. The typical joint formed by the welding process possesses a characteristic wavy interface with melted regions observed mainly at the crest regions of waves. The interface of Ti/steel clads before and after annealing was previously investigated mostly in respect to the melted regions. Here, a sharp interface between the waves was analyzed in detail. The obtained results indicate that the microstructure of a transition zone of that area is different along the width. After the heat treatment at 600 °C for 1.5 hours, titanium carbide (TiC) together with α-Fe phase forms at the interface in local areas of relatively wide interlayer (~ 1 µm), while for most of the sharp interface, a much thinner zone up to about 400 nm, formed by four sublayers containing intermetallic phase and carbides, is present. This confirms that carbon diffusion induced by applied heat treatment significantly influences the final microstructure of the Ti/steel interface zone. Side bending tests confirmed high plasticity of welds after applied heat treatment; however, the microhardness measurements indicated that the strengthening of the steel in the vicinity of the interface had not been removed completely.