Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic relapsing disorders whose etiology has not been fully explained. Therefore, available therapeutic approaches for IBD patients are still insufficient. Current treatment strategies are targeted to immune system dysfunctions, often associated with alternations in the microbiota, which contribute to the development of chronic intestinal inflammation. Therapeutics include anti-inflammatory drugs such as aminosalicylates and corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents, antibiotics, and biological agents such as infliximab and vedolizumab. Auxiliary therapies involve a balanced and personalized diet, healthy lifestyle, avoiding stress, as well as dietary supplements. In this review, we discuss the use of bovine colostrum (BC) as a therapeutic agent, including its advantages and contraindications. We summarize our knowledge on well-researched BC constituents and their effects on the gastrointestinal tract as evidenced in in vitro and in vivo studies.

The beneficial effects of long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) in cardioprotection are widely known and generally accepted. In this literature review, we have focused on the known and postulated mechanisms of action of omega-3 PUFAs and their metabolites on various components of the haemostatic system, in particular on blood platelets and endothelium. We have also made an attempt to provide a comprehensive review of epidemiological studies with particular regard to clinical trials. Notably, the results of these studies are contradictory, and some of them failed to report the beneficial effects of taking or supplementing omega-3 PUFAs in the diet. A potential explanation, in our opinion, could be the need to use higher doses of omega-3 PUFAs and a proper ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs. An additional problem which is difficult to solve is the use of a proper neutral placebo for interventional studies. Despite some controversies regarding the beneficial effects of supplementation of omega-3 PUFAs in cardiovascular disease, our review suggests that a promising aspect of future studies and applications is to focus on the anti-thrombotic properties of these compounds. An argument supporting this assumption is the recent use of omega-3 PUFAs as a supporting tool for the treatment of COVID-19 complications.

Background. One of the risk factors responsible for coronary artery disease (CAD) is an inadequate diet that is frequently deficient in anti-inflammatory components, such as polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids. The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) are inflammatory markers that may reflect a diet’s antiinflammatory potential. Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects that CAD patients’ nutrition patterns have on NLR and SII. Material and methods. A retrospective study assessed the dietary habits and inflammatory marker levels in patients with advanced CAD before they underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) (n=101). Patients were divided into subgroups based on their NLR and SII levels. Results. Subgroups with lower NLR and SII levels had consumed significantly more eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (p=0.02). The group with a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids (<4:1) also had lower NLR and SII levels (p=0.007 and p=0.01, respectively). Statistically significant negative correlations were found between EPA and DHA, as well as omega-3 intake, and both NLR and SII values. No statistically significant differences were found between the subgroups with lower and higher NLR and SII values for polyphenol intakes. Conclusions. Inflammatory markers such as NLR and SII may reflect an anti-inflammatory diet consumed by cardiac patients. A simultaneous assessment of dietary habits and inflammatory parameters is beneficial in the possible prevention of adverse cardiovascular incidents after CABG. There is also a need to establish reference values for SII and NLR.

Streszczenie: W artykule podjęto problematykę oceny lokalizacji punktów ładowania samochodów elektrycznych. W szczególności skupiono się na zidentyfikowaniu potencjalnych kryteriów oceny ich sieci. Założono, że wyznaczenie wartości tych kryteriów powinno być możliwe przy wykorzystaniu publicznie dostępnych w Polsce źródeł danych, np. takich które zostały udostępnione przez Główny Urząd Statystyczny, Główny Urząd Geodezji i Kartografii czy też w ramach projektów Urban Atlas lub OpenStreetMap. Ostatecznie zaproponowano zbiór kryteriów oceny, które mieściły się w sześciu kategoriach i pokrywały aspekty: kosztowe, udziału ładowarek dużej mocy, związane z dostępnością przestrzenną, a także integracją sieci ładowarek samochodów elektrycznych z systemem publicznego transportu zbiorowego. Tak opracowany zbiór kryteriów został zastosowany do oceny sieci punktów ładowania w Poznaniu dla stanu obecnego oraz trzech opracowanych przez autorów wariantów predykcyjnych, które spełniają wymagania ustawy o elektromobilności i paliwach alternatywnych.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a negative impact on patients' quality of life and affects their dietary habits. In this cross-sectional study, we focused on the overall variety of food products consumed by IBD patients compared to a group of age-and sex-matched controls; we also investigated the self-reported, most frequently consumed and most avoided foods in relation to anticipated aggravation of IBD symptoms. We recruited 73 IBD patients from Lodz, Poland (56% with Crohn's disease [CD], 44% with ulcerative colitis [UC]); average duration of IBD 118 ± 78 months and 103 healthy volunteers aged 13-59 years, of whom 52 (72% female, 28% male) and 76 (65% female and 35% male), respectively, were enrolled for further analysis. Using a 186-item food frequency questionnaire, we found that the overall reported frequency of food products consumed was lower in IBD patients than in the controls. Patients with IBD reported eating fruits (median: 1.33 vs. 1.86, p = 0.003), vegetables (1.22 vs. 2.06, p < 0.001), wholegrain products (0.63 vs. 1.25, p < 0.001), eggs (1.52 vs. 2.11, p < 0.001), milk and dairy products (1.06 vs. 1.81, p < 0.001), plant oils (1.17 vs. 1.49, p = 0.043), nuts and seeds (0.75 vs. 1.47, p < 0.001), spicy foods (0.81 vs. 1.68, p < 0.001) and confectionery products (1.67 vs. 2.20, p = 0.013), as well as beverages such as coffee (1.38 vs. 2.15, p = 0.005), carbonated drinks (0.85 vs. 1.39, p = 0.007) and alcohol (0.61 vs. 1.02, p = 0.003) less frequently compared to the control group. In contrast, they reported consuming refined grain products (1.72 vs. 1.34, p = 0.004) and animal fats (1.62 vs. 1.28, p = 0.046) more frequently than the control group. When comparing the consumption frequency of the most avoided foods within the IBD group with self-reported actual gastrointestinal symptoms within the past 3 months, a statistically significant positive association was noted only between milk consumption and the occurrence of diarrhoea in patients with IBD. This analysis is one of few studies to evaluate dietary patterns in IBD patients and to indicate the most frequently consumed and the most avoided foods.