Podkarpackie Voivodeship Research Articles

Improvement Options and Directions for Crisis Management Exercises Organised by Local Governmental Administration on the Example of Podkarpackie Voivodship — Theoretical Assumptions

Aim: The objective of the presented analysis is to offer theoretical assumptions for the research work of the team appointed for the purposes of the Voivodship Crisis Management Team exercises organised by the Voivode of Podkarpackie. The authors present the basis for developing the methodology of the project aiming at defining the options and methods for improving the exercises organised by local governmental administration. Introduction: The analyses conducted by the above-mentioned team aimed at finding sources of knowledge and information related to the organisation of exercises by local governmental administration and determination of the practical usability of the related scientific theories. The works conducted involved such specific problems as: definition of the essentials of the organisation of crisis management pratice activities by local governmental administration, identification of organisation improvement needs related to crisis management by local governmental administration and definition of the conditions and perspectives for the improvement of the organisation of the subject exercises. The adopted assumptions indicated that the options of improvement of the organisation of exercises by the local governmental administration of Podkarpackie Voivodship should be sought in the emerging new organisational solutions and access to the preparation and completion analytics and efficiency assessment tools. Methodology: The authors focused on the review of the methodological assumptions of exercises and the applicable regulations and documents used in the public administration office serving the Voivode and local government bodies of Podkarpackie Voivodship Conclusions: The above-mentioned review confirmed the belief in the importance of exercises for the crisis operations improvement process. It is crucial for the preparation of the local communities for emergencies. Above all, it enables the practical application of crisis management plans, which enables identifying deficiencies and areas to improve. Those operations may be improved by preparing a scientific approach to the organisation and assessment of exercises and selection of appropriate legal and scientific bases. The next stage in the works of the authors team will consist in the analysis of local exercises and drawing comprehensive conclusions.

Nfrastructure of Protective Structures – Inventory of Existing Facilities, Safety Assessment, Threat Scenarios, and Response Capabilities and Needs for the City and Municipality of Dębica, Based on Experiences from the Conflict in Ukraine

Abstract: War threats associated with escalating geopolitical tensions pose a serious danger to the civilian population, compelling the authorities of the Republic of Poland to undertake protective measures. This paper analyzes the state of security and the level of public awareness regarding crisis management, using the city and municipality of Dębica in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship as a case study. The research encompasses protective structures and local territorial units, identifying key issues within the region. The findings indicate deficiencies in the infrastructure of protective buildings and crisis management systems, which undermine the community's capacity to respond effectively to threats. Residents demonstrate insufficient knowledge regarding the locations of protective structures and the necessary skills for crisis management. This paper emphasizes the importance of education and public awareness in the context of civil protection, presenting recommendations aimed at enhancing the safety of local communities. These recommendations serve as a foundation for future actions at both the regional and national levels. Key words: Crisis management, Protective structures, Radar systems, Military security, War in Ukraine

The Diatomite Grinding Technology Concept for the Protection of Diatomite Shells and the Control of Product Grading.

Diatomite deposits in Poland are located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, and the only active deposit is in Jawornik Ruski. Therefore, it is a unique material. Improved rock processing methods are constantly in demand. In the research presented here, we have used research methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), particle shape analysis, and appropriate sets of crushing machines. Diatomite comminution tests were carried out on test stands in different crushers (jaw crusher, hammer crusher, high-pressure roller press, ball mill) using different elementary crushing force actions: crushing, abrasion, and impact, occurring separately or in combination. The machines were tested with selected variable parameters to obtain products with a wide range of grain sizes ranging from 0 to 10 mm. The ball mill (yield 87%, system C3) and the hammer crusher with HPGR (high-pressure grinding roller) (yield 79%, system D2 + D3) have the greatest impact on diatom shell release and accumulation in the finest 0-5 μm and 5-10 μm fractions. For commercial purposes, it is important to obtain very fine fractions while keeping the shells undisturbed.

Unemployment in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Wielkopolskie Voivodeships – a Comparative Analysis

Unemployment is a phenomenon that has significant consequences for society as well as for the economic development of a country, as it is a problem that manifests in both economic and social dimensions. Notably, there are significant differences in the extent of this phenomenon based on age, gender, place of residence, education, and spatial distribution. The lowest unemployment rate in Poland is observed in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship, while one of the highest is found in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship. These differences arise from the distinct demographic, production, and infrastructural structures of these regions. However, the scale of these differences changes over time and may vary across different age groups or gender divisions. In light of the above, the aim of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the total unemployment and unemployment by age and gender in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie and Wielkopolskie voivodeships. The analysis covers the period from 2012 to 2022, based on data from the Central Statistical Office. The conducted research shows that the unemployment rate in the years 2012-2022 (except for 2020) decreased in both voivodeships. In 2022, the unemployment rate in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship was the lowest in the country, while the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship was in the penultimate position in this respect, right after the Podkarpackie voivodeship. In all the years analyzed, in both regions, a higher share of unemployed people in the number of working-age population was recorded in the case of women, although a downward trend was also noted in this respect. The conducted analyses also showed that throughout the entire period under review, the lowest unemployment in both analyzed voivodeships occurred among the age group of 35-44 years. Interestingly, in 2022, in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship, the highest unemployment occurred among people aged 18-24, while in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodeship in the age group of 25-34 years.

Determination of the rabies virus variants circulating in Poland in 2021-2023 and their phylogeny with analysis of the strains in the Mazowieckie and Podkarpackie voivodeships.

Rabies is endemic in Europe and red foxes are the vector and reservoir of the rabies virus (RABV). Based on classification established in the early 1990s, four variants of the rabies virus have been distinguished in Europe. Rabies broke out in January 2021 in the Mazowieckie voivodeship in central north-eastern Poland. The virus spread rapidly, reaching the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship in the central southern part and the Lubelskie voivodeship in the eastern part in the next months. Nine rabies cases were reported in the Podkarpackie voivodeship in south-eastern Poland between 2021 and 2023, mainly in red foxes but also in dogs and wildcat. The aim of the study was the identification of RABV variants in wildlife and domestic animals in Poland between 2021 and 2023. The study involved 157 animal brains tested positive for rabies using a fluorescent antibody test. From 10% w/v brain homogenates, RNA was isolated and full-length RABV genomes were high-throughput sequenced with an RABV-enriched approach. Complete genomes of RABV isolates were phylogenetically analysed and the variants were estimated. Molecular and phylogenetic studies revealed 147 (93.6%) of the RABV strains out of 157 which had rapidly spread in the wildlife of the Mazowieckie, Świętokrzyskie and Lubelskie voivodeships to be Central European strains. Nine RABVs (5.7%) detected in foxes, a wildcat and a dog in the Podkarpackie voivodeship were identified as North-Eastern European. A vaccine-induced rabies case was detected in a red fox in the Lubelskie voivodeship in May 2023. Central European and North-Eastern European RABVs were circulating in Poland between 2021 and 2023.

Catalogue of stuffed birds with atypical colouration and developmental anomalies deposited in the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv, Ukraine

Birds with atypical colouration and developmental anomalies very rarely occur in the wild, and museum collections of such specimens have been formed over centuries. Today, their scientific importance is growing due to the emergence of new opportunities in genetic research, and distribution of information on the collections of this kind is a useful thing. The digitization of collections becomes especially important in times of war, because currently none of the museum collections in Ukraine have guarantees against possible losses. The collection of stuffed birds with atypical colouration and developmental anomalies, deposited in the State Museum of Natural History, NASU includes 157 specimens of 44 species. It was collected from 1850 to 1930. Later, only one stuffed bird was received in 2012. The collection was formed both as a result of the activities of museum staff (hunting, buying at markets) and the receipt of numerous gifts to the museum's founder, Volodymyr Didushytskyi. Among the species, the most numerous are the house sparrow Passer domesticus L., 1758 – 24 spec., the grey crow Corvus cornix L., 1758, the rook Corvus frugilegus L., 1758 and the village swallow Hirundo rustica L., 1758, presented by 11 spec. each, and the grey partridge Perdix perdix L., 1758 – 9 spec. Some 117 specimens were collected from the present territory of Ukraine, 28 spec. from the present territory of Poland, and the place of collection of the remaining 12 specimens is unknown. In Ukraine, most specimens were collected in Lvivska province (89); the rest – in Ternopilska province (15), Ivano-Frankivska province (12) and Volynska province (1). In Poland, 12 specimens were collected in the Podkarpackie voivodeship, 11 spec. in the Małopolskie voivodeship, 2 spec. in the Lubelskie voivodeship and 1 spec. in the Lódzkie voivodeship. Among all localities, the largest number of specimens was collected from Lviv City and its environs – 24, form the village of Peniaky, Zolochivskyi district, Lvivska province – 12, and from Kraków City and its environs – 11. At the end of 2023, the entire collection was digitized as a part of the project "Crisis Inventory and Leap to Digitalization of Museum Records" Tustan NGO, “Tustan” State Historical and Cultural Museum, NeMo: Ukrainian Heritage Monitoring Lab and the NGO “Centre for Museum Development” with the financial support of the European Union. Each exhibit was photographed in six projections: front, left and right sides, back, bottom, and in the most favourable exhibition position. The catalogue was prepared within the framework of the project "Methodological principles of expert evaluation of the scientific potential of natural history collections" of the Department of Applied Museology of the State Museum of Natural History, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, state registration No.0122U001440.

Salmonellosis in Poland in 2021.

The aim of the article is to present and assess the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2021, in relation to previous years. The assessment of the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland was made on the basis of individual data on salmonellosis cases, entered by sanitary-epidemiological stations into the EpiBaza System, data on outbreaks caused by Salmonella bacilli from the Registry of Epidemic Outbreaks System (ROE), as well as on the basis of aggregated data published in the annual bulletins "Infectious Diseases and Poisoning in Poland" (NIPH NIH - NRI, GIS, Warsaw), including information sent by laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations, data from the article on the epidemiological situation of salmonellosis in Poland in 2020 and data from the Demographic Research Department of the Central Statistical Office. In 2021, in Poland sanitary-epidemiological stations registered 8,294 cases of salmonellosis - 8,014 cases of intestinal salmonellosis and 280 extra-intestinal salmonellosis, including 190 cases of salmonellosis septicemia. The incidence rate for total salmonellosis was 21.7/100,000 population, for intestinal salmonellosis 21.0, for salmonellosis septicemia 0.50, and 0.23 per 100,000 population for other extra-intestinal infections of salmonellosis etiology. The reported 7,988 cases were classified as confirmed and 306 as probable. There were 5,127 hospitalizations due to salmonellosis, mainly children and the elderly. The peak of the incidence was registered in July. The highest incidence rate of salmonellosis in 2021 was recorded in the Podkarpackie voivodeship (39.8/100,000 population), the lowest in the Świętokrzyskie voivodeship (10.7/100,000 population). The highest incidence of intestinal salmonellosis was registered in the age group 0-4 years, accounting for 44.2% of the total number of cases. Among extra-intestinal infections, almost 62% of cases occurred in people aged 60+. In 2021, sanitary-epidemiological stations were detected and reported 229 outbreaks of food poisoning caused by Salmonella bacilli, 75% of them was Enteritidis serotype. In 2021, the most frequently isolated serotypes were S. Enteritidis 72%, S. Typhimurium (2%) and S. Infantis (0.5%). The serotype was not determined in 24.3% of cases. There were 24 imported cases of salmonellosis from different regions of the world. Due to Salmonella infection 11 people died in 2021. Laboratories of sanitary-epidemiological stations performed 438,183 tests for the presence of Salmonella and Shigella bacilli among humans, 92% of these tests concerned people working in contact with food. In 2021, there was an increase in the number of salmonellosis cases in Poland, compared to 2020. It can therefore be concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a long-term impact on reducing the number of Salmonella infections. At the same time, despite the increase, the situation of salmonellosis in Poland has not fully returned to the state before the COVID-19 pandemic.The area where we observe a significant difference, is the percentage of hospitalizations, which is the lowest in 2021 since 1998. It can be assumed, that one of the reasons for this, could be a stricter qualification of people with milder symptoms for hospital treatment, in favour of outpatient care.

Telemedical Intervention and Its Effect on Quality of Life in Chronic Heart Failure Patients: The Results from the Telemedicine and e-Health Solution Pilot Program.

(1) Background: Heart failure (HF) is not only a common cardiovascular disease with a poor prognosis. Its prevalence in developed countries equals 1-2% of the general population of adults, while in Poland HF, patients constitute 3.2% of the total population. Modern heart failure treatment should be focused not only on reducing the risk of death and the number of readmissions due to HF exacerbation but quality of life as well. Telemedicine has been suggested as a viable tool for enhancing HRQL. Therefore, we present the results of telemedical intervention in a group of HF patients and its effect on quality of life in chronic heart failure patients from a pilot study dedicated to reducing social inequalities in health through the use of telemedicine and e-health solutions. (2) Method: The project was a multicenter, open, non-controlled trial conducted by the University of Rzeszów, Poland. The data points were collected in the June 2023-December 2023 period from fourteen primary care units from five voivodeships, mostly considered social exclusion areas. A total of 52.7% of the patients recruited were Podkarpackie Voivodeship inhabitants. The result and discussion are presented based on the Chronic Heart Failure Questionnaire (CHFQ) and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQVAS). (3) Results: During the program, a total of over 100,000 telemedicine examinations were conducted in the form of body weight measurement, heart rate, blood pressure tests, and 7-day Holter or 14-day event Holter assessment. Over the course of this study, coordinating the pilot program medical staff has ordered 570 changes in the patient's pharmacotherapy, confirming the positive impact on quality of life in the study group. (4) Conclusions: A comprehensive telemedical intervention can contribute to an improvement in the quality of life of patients with HF beyond what was achieved with the basic standard of care in the group of HF patients from the social exclusion region. It is now unclear if the result of the basic telemedical intervention would be constant after discontinuation of the mentioned pilot program.

CONTEMPORARY DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES IN RURAL AREAS OF PODKARPACIE

The unfavorable phenomena accompanying demographic processes in the 21st century have serious social and economic consequences. They are spatially diverse, and their negative effects are particularly felt in regions characterized by low population concentration. Such regions include rural areas of Podkarpacie. The aim of the research was to identify the main threats accompanying demographic transformations in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship and to recognize the resulting challenges. The factors analyzed were those that determine the demographic potential of a given territory, i.e. those that contribute to the actual increase and decrease in population and those that determine the degree of population aging. Special attention was paid to selected powiats classified as peripheral, least populated in the region. Comparative-descriptive, tabular and graphic methods were used to analyze and present the materials; the data covered the years 2000-2022. On the basis of structure and dynamics indicators, changes in demographic potential were assessed and the problems and challenges resulting from them were identified. Research has shown that the region’s population is declining and its age structure is deteriorating. The continuing negative natural growth and negative migration balance constitute a major threat resulting from the process of population aging and depopulation. Depopulation particularly threatens sparsely populated areas of the region, especially border gminas neighboring war-torn Ukraine.

Fatigue based on the subjective feeling of people representing selected medical professions.

Fatigue can be the result of overexertion and overload. It occurs when the burdened body does not have enough time for regeneration and biological renewal. The aim of this study was analysis of fatigue based on the subjective feeling in physiotherapists, nurses, and paramedics. The research covered 193 women and 107 men aged 30-60 years, including 100 physiotherapists, 100 nurses and 100 paramedics with higher education, employed in clinics and hospitals in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, Poland. The research tool of choice was 30-item Research Committee on Industrial Fatigue Fatigue Scale, adapted into the Polish language by Paluch. The data were analyzed based on ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation. Values determining frequency of decrease in activity were higher in nurses than in physiotherapists (p < 0.001) and paramedics (p = 0.005). Physiotherapists and nurses showed statistically significant positive associations of all fatigue indices with age and seniority. Sex-related differences in the frequency of physical fatigue symptoms have been noted (p = 0.044). Among people working in outpatient clinics and hospitals there were statistically significant differences in the frequency of decrease in activity (p = 0.001) and general level of fatigue (p = 0.031). In nurses and physiotherapists, the frequency of experiencing ailments increases with age and work experience. This suggests that in the case of these professions it is important to quick identification of signs of fatigue and taking actions to prevent its worsening. Women experience fatigue more often, so they especially need to take steps to prevent and, if necessary, treat this condition. Hospitals should be an area of special involvement in the process of implementing programs to counteract fatigue of employees in the medical services sector. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(1):72-83.

Inventory of historical polychrome using photogrammetric methods

The inventory of a historic monument is carried out to create documentation that provides information on the up-to-date condition of the object. Preserving its original form and materials requires a minimally invasive approach to data acquisition. The implemented research project included an analysis of the possibilities of using photogrammetric methods in the inventory of wall paintings in the historic wooden Greek-Catholic Church of the Protection of the Holy Mother God in Miękisz Stary (Jarosław County, Podkarpackie Voivodeship). The research object is a wooden church from the 17th century with a three-part layout – sanctuary, nave, gallery – and a wide nave in an almost square plan. Inside, the walls and ceilings are decorated by numerous polychromes. Unmanned aerial vehicles (DJI Phantom 4 Pro) and a photographic camera (Canon EOS 1200D) were used for photogrammetric measurements of the polychromes. The results of the photogrammetric measurements were digital photos, which were used for photogrammetric processing. The photographic work involved generating high-resolution images in the Agisoft Metashape Professional software. A point cloud obtained from terrestrial laser scanning was used to render the geometry in the process of creating orthophotoplans. The results of photogrammetric work are orthophotoplans of polychromes with high resolutions. Two orthophotoplans of wall paintings were generated based on drone photos, while ceiling paintings and one of the walls were generated based on high-resolution photos taken with the Canon EOS 1200D camera. The obtained results demonstrated that measurements made using UAVs and digital photos processed with photogrammetric methods enable a comprehensive inventory of wall paintings for historic objects.

THE MANUFACTURING COMPANY MICROWORLD AS A STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT TOOL. THE EFFICIENCY IN ORDER FULFILLMENT

The main objective of the research was to assess the usefulness of manufacturing company simulators as tools supporting leadership in strategic management. A management simulator was built on the convention of the Systems Dynamics method. The research was carried out in three production companies located in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship in Poland. Through meetings with leaders and workers, a simulation model of the system of basic processes of a manufacturing company was built. The resulting model was the basis for developing the architecture of the manufacturing company simulator (microworld). While working with the simulator, the main focus was on efficiency in order fulfillment. The research shows that it is possible to identify the norms controlling the system that directly affect changes in the above aspect of strategic management.

Accessibility of Public Sector Institutions for People with Special Needs in Polish Regions

Social inclusion is one of the important conditions for sustainable socio-economic development. However, one of the paths leading to social inclusion is to ensure a high level of accessibility of institutions for people with special needs. The study described in the present paper examined the accessibility of Polish public sector bodies based on data from government reports (comprehensive study). Accessibility is a feature that should be offered as a complementary service offered to both individuals and legal entities during epidemic emergencies and beyond. The limited accessibility of public institutions is a significant obstacle to the full well-being of the population. Indicating differences in the spatial dispersion of this phenomenon in Poland was the basis for undertaking research for this article. Three areas of accessibility were tested: physical (architectural) accessibility, digital (web) accessibility, and ICT accessibility. A synthetic measure of accessibility was constructed for the study and used to rank Polish voivodeships (provinces, NUTS 2) from highest to lowest. Clustering was used to identify similar regions. The highest- and lowest-scoring regions were the Mazowieckie voivodeship (capital city—Warsaw) and the Podkarpackie voivodeship (capital city—Rzeszów), respectively. Legal accessibility requirements are the biggest driver of further accessibility improvements for voivodeships.

MOTIVES AND BARRIERS TO INNOVATIONS IMPLEMENTATION IN CATTLE FARMS

The implementation of innovations into agricultural practice depends on many factors. These include, among others, farmers’ individual predispositions, especially the internal processes occurring in the human psyche, including predispositions, creative activity, willingness to take risks and motivations. The aim of the research is to determine the motives and barriers to introduce innovations in farms engaged in cattle breeding. The study was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023. Purposeful selection of the sample was used, and the farms engaged in cattle production, both milk and meat production, were selected for the study. The research was carried out in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. The auditorium survey method was used in the research. The sample of 329 respondents was analysed. The research found that the youngest, best-educated farmers and those running large farms were more motivated to introduce innovations than others. Farmers’ motives to implement innovative solutions were mainly related to the desire to improve management efficiency, the quality of production, the conditions in which production takes place, and reduce the negative impact on the natural environment.

What people remember, but history does not see. Resettlement of Carpathian Roma during Operation Vistula

This article pertains to the resettlement of the Carpathian Roma during Operation Vistula and their successive relocation to the Western and Northern Territories of post war Poland. The story of their displacement is absent from narratives regarding the sub-deportation social landscape in post-1947 Poland, just as there is very little information about their subsequent resettlement in the present-day Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

PO-PiS agreement in the 2002 local government elections on the example of the podkarpackie voivodship

The cognitive objective of the article was to analyse the agreement concluded between PO and PiS before the local government elections on a macro level (as a general concept of agreement between two political entities) and micro level (related to the sphere of influence of this coalition in the Podkarpackie voivodeship). Taking these levels into account made it possible to determine the way in which the coalition was concluded, together with all its consequences, while at the level of the voivodeship in question it was used to determine the course of the negotiation process and the effects of the local elections on PO-PiS.

SUBSISTENCE MINIMUM AND SOCIAL MINIMUM LEVELS BY AREA IN POLAND IN 2022

The article presents the results of estimates of the subsistence minimum (ME) as well as social minimum baskets (MS) in 2022. Both indicators are important for assessing the well-being of households.The subsistence minimum (ME) sets the model for meeting needs at the minimum level below which there is a biological threat to life. The social minimum (MS), in turn, represents the model cost of living for households that are beginning to be threatened by the sphere of deprivation. Between these two extremes, the sphere of deprivation spreads, in different facets.At the regional level, the value of the subsistence minimum in 2022 for a family with two children was highest in the Dolnośląskie Voivodeship (+5.3 p.p. in relation to the national average) and lowest in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship (-5.5 p.p.). With high inflation (14.4% for Poland), the values of the subsistence minimum in 2022 increased from 13.3 p.p. (Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship) to 18.5 p.p. (Pomeranian Voivodeship). The spreads between the extreme values in the voivodeships oscillate similarly to the previous one (10.8 p.p.). For one-person households, however, the spreads were higher (16.2 p.p. at working age and 17.2 p.p. at retirement age).Across city categories of towns, there was little variation in ME values. In the largest agglomerations with more than 500,000 inhabitants, the ME value for a family with two children was 3.9 p.p. higher, and in cities with 50,000 to 100,000 people, ME values were only 1.3 p.p. lower.In the period under study, the lowest values of the social minimum were observed in the Lubelskie voivodeship (-3.8 p.p.) and the highest - in the Dolnośląskie voivodeship (+4.3 p.p.). The spread between regions with extreme values was 8 p.p. (compared to 7 p.p. in 2021 and 8.2 p.p. in 2020). The scale of the spread could be considered small, especially when the level of variation in real household expenditure (the results of the latest CSO survey concern 2021) was more than five times higher. In the cross-section of city classes, the differences in the value of the social minimum were not large. Its amount in the largest agglomerations was higher than the average by only 2.8 p.p. (in 2021, it was 3.4 p.p.). The lowest value of the social minimum occurred in cities with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants: it was lower than the average by only 1.6 p.p.

No evidence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among pet cats and dogs, and low seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus among pet rabbits in Poland

The seroprevalence of Paslahepevirus balayani genotype 3 (hepatitis E virus genotype 3 – HEV-3; Hepeviridae family, genus Paslahepevirus) in pet cats, dogs and rabbits was evaluated. Samples from cats and dogs were collected from three veterinary practices from various parts of Poland: Poznan (wielkopolskie voivodeship), Przemysl (podkarpackie voivodeship) and Lublin (lubelskie voivodeship). Samples from rabbits were collected in Poznan. In total, serum samples from 90 cats, 82 dogs and 71 rabbits were selected and tested for specific anti-HEV-3 immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies using a commercial ELISA test. Pathogen seroprevalence among rabbits was calculated at a 95% confidence interval (CI) for each gender, age (up to 12 months, 1–3 years, 4–7 years and over 8 years), symptoms group (healthy, gastrointestinal disorders, other disorders) and compared with a chi-squared test. No anti-HEV-3 IgG antibodies were detected in any of the samples from cats and dogs. Anti-HEV-3 IgG antibodies were detected in 2.82% of the serum samples from rabbits (2/71; 95% CI: 0.78–9.70). No significant correlations between seropositivity and gender, age, and symptoms (p > 0.05) were observed in rabbits. Our findings indicate that pet rabbits in Poland are exposed to HEV-3, develop humoral response due to infection and might constitute a source for HEV-3 transmission to humans.

Physical activity of urban and rural residents over 65 years of age

Introduction. Physical activity has a significant impact on increasing independence and self-reliance, and thus improves the quality of life of the elderly. The aim of this study was to compare the physical activity of urban and rural residents over 65 years of age. Material and metods. The study covered 135 people living in the urban environment (81 women; 54 men) and 19 rural residents (63 women and 56 men) in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. Age of the subjects ranged from 65 to 74 years. Research tools constituted the IPAQ. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the results. Results. Physical activity related to cycling (p &lt; 0.001), vigorous physical activities in the garden or yard (p = 0.031), recreation in leisure-time, consisting of walking and moderate activity (p &lt; 0.001) were statistically significantly lower in people from the urban environment. Conclusions. There is a need for promote physical activity and take care of seniors, especially from the urban environment, as well as to create educational programs regarding the possibilities and ways of undertaking physical activity in order to maintain the process of successful aging at an optimal level.

ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL PRECIPITATION TRENDS IN THE PODKARPACKIE AND LUBUSKIE VOIVODESHIPS

The type of precipitation is one of the factors taken into consideration when deciding on the most optimal drainage system. Drainage systems are used to prevent the landslides caused by water erosion. Rainfall affect the rate of infiltration and the intensity of surface runoff and thus the occurrence, course and effectiveness of erosion processes [1, 2, 3]. Knowledge of local precipitation trends will help to apply precautions and thus minimise the risk of adverse events such as landslides. What is more it can help more effectively manage projects risks and costs. The aim of this study was to analyse more than 30 years of data from daily rainfall measurements from the Podkarpackie Voivodeship and to check whether the occurrence of precipitation is a random event or whether it indicates long-term trends that may affect changes in ground stability. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and correlation test were used for the analysis.