Jakub Kazik

Bio: Jakub Kazik is an academic researcher from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. The author has contributed to research in topics: Oxidative stress & Medicine. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 5 publications receiving 6 citations.

Metal allergy after the Nuss procedure for pectus excavatum: a review

Abstract: Minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE) technique (the Nuss procedure) is a minimally-invasive method that is commonly used in the treatment of pectus excavatum. An allergic reaction to the metal alloy bar that is implanted in the thorax during the procedure is a reported complication. We briefly review current literature concerning epidemiology, mechanisms and research results of allergic reactions after Nuss bar implantation. This allergic reaction occurs in approximately 2.7% of patients and is caused by metals used in the medical implant. The most common symptoms include fever and skin lesions such as allergic dermatitis. Elevated levels of C-reactive protein is a frequent finding in laboratory tests. In order to minimize the risk of such complications, taking a detailed allergy-based medical history and conducting allergy tests, i.e. patch test are required. Allergic reactions can be managed with conservative treatment such as general or topical glucocorticosteroid therapy and antihistamine agents. Severe allergic reactions can be addressed by implant revision, replacement of the steel bar with a titanium substitute or removal of the stabilization at all. Although the risk of an allergic reaction to titanium is smaller it still exists, the titanium substitute is not routinely used due to its higher cost and lesser plasticity which has a negative impact on matching a stabilizing bar during the surgery. Surgeons treating pectus excavatum should remember about the possible allergic reactions after implantation of the metal bar and be familiar with methods of diagnosis and treatment of those complications.

Cardiac amyloidosis: a review

Abstract: Cardiac amyloidosis is a type of amyloidosis in which one of the affected organs is the heart. The disease is characterized by the formation of protein aggregates between the cells of the organ, namely amyloid, which disables its function. The following types of amyloidosis can be distinguished: systemic senile amyloidosis (wild-type ATTR), light chain amyloidosis (AL) and hereditary transthyretin-related amyloidosis. The symptoms include, e.g., systolic dysfunction or arrhythmia. The treatment is focused on the therapy with melphalan and, additionally, stem cells transplant and chemotherapy with dexamethasone or cyclophosphamide. In the advanced stage of the disease, a heart transplant is necessary. The diagnosis is made on the basis of laboratory testing, electrocardiogram changes, and echocardiography.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii in irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract: Abstract Probiotics are organisms which belong to the fungi or bacteria groups and affect e.g., bacterial flora in the intestinum or inflammation site by reduction of the condition. They are applied in many cases, such as food allergies, diarrhea, autoimmunologic disorders, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that affects 10% of the world population. Due to the lack of proper pharmacological treatment which would result in complete remission, probiotic preparations which lead to a reduction of the symptoms are one of the most often used drugs. Among them, Saccharomycces cerevisiae var. boulardii has a high efficacy of IBS treatment. There are three main mechanisms of action of this probiotic: antimicrobial activity (direct or anti-toxin), trophic activity, and anti-inflammatory activity. 1. Introduction. 2. Irritable bowel syndrome. 3. History. 4. Morphology. 5. Mechanism of action. 5.1. Luminal action. 5.2. Trophic action. 5.3. Anti-inflammatory action. 6. Taxonomy. 7. Probiotics. 8. Summary

Metallo-Beta-Lactamases: NDM

Abstract: New Delhi, an enzyme belonging to the Metallo-beta-lactamases and Carbapenemases group, is most commonly found in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. It determines these bacteria resistance to the majority of known antibiotics. NDM-1 was discovered in 2008 in a man treated in New Delhi for E. coli infection. Since the first appearance, 17 subtypes of this enzyme have been discovered. Its occurrence has been reported in Europe (Great Britain, France, Belgium where even a national alert has been

Genistein in the Treatment of Hypertension: A Review.

Abstract: Genistein, a natural compound, belonging to the group of isoflavones has a confirmed positive effect in such diseases like hormone-dependent cancers, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular diseases, including arterial and pulmonary hypertension. The multiway hypotensive effect is based on vasodilation with simultaneous inhibition of vasoconstriction, and RAA interference. It impacts both vascular smooth muscles and endothelium due to its influence on many molecular pathways and peptides; among them: protection against oxidative stress, RhoA/Rho pathway inhibition, enhancing cAMP activation, modification of cellular calcium influx, and the increase of eNOS concentrations. Despite little research on genistein effect on pulmonary hypertension, it seems that the natural compound reduces harmful hypoxia effects, and, consequently, inhibits vessels remodelling. In our review, we present mechanisms of lowering blood pressure and juxtapose in vivo research on both animal and human models. On the basis of our results, it might be deduced that the abovementioned isoflavone seems to be a safe and effective hypotensive drug. Its impact on arterial and pulmonary hypertension should be further estimated, both in monotherapy, and in combination treatment.

Inclisiran—Safety and Effectiveness of Small Interfering RNA in Inhibition of PCSK-9

Abstract: Dyslipidemia is listed among important cardiovascular disease risk factors. Treating lipid disorders is difficult, and achieving desirable levels of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) is essential in both the secondary and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. For many years, statins became the basis of lipid-lowering therapy. Nevertheless, these drugs are often insufficient due to their side effects and restrictive criteria for achieving the recommended LDL-C values. Even the addition of other drugs, i.e., ezetimibe, does not help one achieve the target LDL-C. The discovery of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) discovery has triggered intensive research on a new class of protein-based drugs. The protein PCSK9 is located mainly in hepatocytes and is involved in the metabolism of LDL-C. In the beginning, antibodies against the PCSK9 protein, such as evolocumab, were invented. The next step was inclisiran. Inclisiran is a small interfering RNA (siRNA) that inhibits the expression of PCSK9 by binding specifically to the mRNA precursor of PCSK9 protein and causing its degradation. It has been noticed in recent years that siRNA is a powerful tool for biomedical research and drug discovery. The purpose of this work is to summarize the molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics of inclisiran and to review the latest research.

Microbiomes in Medicine and Agriculture

Abstract: One of the major challenges facing modern medicine is how to apply the growing knowledge derived from microbiome research to prevent and treat diseases and increase health. Probiotics, including fecal transplantation, prebiotics, synbiotics, fecal transplantation, and phage therapy are all applied aspects of the hologenome concept. There is now considerable evidence that, under appropriate conditions, each of these four methods can prevent and treat certain diseases in plants, animals, and humans. Probiotics are live microorganisms, which confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotic technology involves the introduction of specific bacteria to improve the health of the host. Some of these may be novel microorganisms adding new genetic material to the hologenome. Prebiotics are dietary supplements that result in specific changes in the composition and/or activities of the natural gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefits upon host health. Synbiotics are a powerful tool because they combine probiotics and prebiotics in a synergistic manner. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a specific form of probiotics, involves the administration of the entire microbial community from a healthy donor stool into the recipient’s intestinal tract to normalize or modify intestinal microbiota composition and function. FMT has had excellent success in treating diarrhea caused by antibiotic-resistant Clostridium difficle. Phage therapy—the eradication of specific bacterial pathogens by lytic phages was shown to be successful in the treatment of certain diseases as early as the beginning of the twentieth century. It was abandoned in the West with the discovery and development of antibiotics. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of phage therapy research in the West, largely because of the development of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The major advantage of phage therapy is its specificity; the selected phage attacks the pathogen but not beneficial bacteria.

A Review of Tafamidis for the Treatment of Transthyretin-Related Amyloidosis

Abstract: Transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloidosis (ATTR) is a devastating disease which affects a combination of organs including the heart and the peripheral nerves, and which has a fatal outcome if not treated within a average of 10 years. Tafamidis, or 2-(3,5-dichloro-phenyl)-benzoxazole-6-carboxylic acid, selectively binds to TTR with negative cooperativity and kinetically stabilizes wild-type native TTR and mutant TTR; tafamidis therefore has the potential to halt the amyloidogenic cascade initiated by TTR tetramer dissociation, monomer misfolding, and aggregation. The first tafamidis trial, Fx-005, evaluated the effect of 18 months of tafamidis treatment (20 mg once daily) on disease progression, as well as assessing its safety in TTR-FAP Val30Met patients. The secondary objective of this trial was to study the pharmacodynamic stabilization of mutated TTR. Tafamidis proved effective in reducing the progress of neuropathy, and in maintaining the nutritional status and quality of life of stage 1 (able to walk without support) Val3OMet TTR-FAP patients. Furthermore, TTR stabilization was achieved in more than 90% of patients. An extension study, Fx-006, was conducted to determine the long-term safety and tolerability of tafamidis and to assess the efficacy of the drug on slowing disease progression. No significant safety or tolerability issues were noticed. Taken together, the results from both trials indicated that the beneficial effects of tafamidis were sustained over a 30-month period and that starting treatment early is desirable. Results are expected from an extended open-label study but data that have already been presented show that long-term use of tafamidis in Val30Met patients is associated with reduced progression in polyneuropathy. Tafamidis was initially approved for commercial use in Europe in 2011 and has since been approved for use in Japan, Mexico, and Argentina where it is used as a first-line treatment option for patients with early-stage TTR-FAP. Patients should be carefully followed at referral centers to ascertain the individual response to treatment. In cases of discontinuation, liver transplantation and enrollment in clinical trials of novel drugs aimed mostly toward suppression of TTR production are options.

Analysis of antibiotic resistance genetic conditioning of Enterobacteriaceae NDM-1 family members and the related epidemiological threat in Poland

Abstract: Antibiotic resistance is an extremely serious threat to the modern world. Since 2008, Gram-negative rods from the Enterobacteriaceae family gained the possibility of b-lactam degradation using NDM-1 carbapenemase, encoded by the blaNDM gene. It often occurs in the genome of Klebsiella pneumoniae and can occur on both bacterial chromosome and plasmids. This creates a very high risk due to the widespread occurrence of bacteria from this family both in the environment and in human microflora. Lack of sensitivity to popular b-lactam antibiotics is especially dangerous for patients hospitalised for a long time with reduced immunity. In Poland, since 2011, the number of registered NDM+ isolates and related infections are constantly increasing, reaching 1780 cases in 2016. Bacilli showing the presence of the blaNDM gene are registered very often in the Mazowieckie and Podlaskie regions, while the number of such cases is the lowest in the Opolskie region. Inhibiting the growing number of infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae NDM+ is extremely difficult, and one of the methods to reduce this phenomenon is strict compliance with hygiene rules.

Amyloidoza pierwotna AL z zajęciem serca

Abstract: Amyloidozą (skrobiawicą) nazywa sie calą grupe chorob, w ktorych dochodzi do pozakomorkowego odkladania sie w tkankach nierozpuszczalnych bialek nazywanych amyloidem. Amyloidoza pierwotna AL powstaje w wyniku odkladania sie lancuchow lekkich immunoglobulin, co prowadzi do postepującej dysfunkcji narządow. Najcześciej dochodzi do zajecia nerek, wątroby, śledziony, ukladu pokarmowego, nerwowego oraz serca. Zajecie serca zazwyczaj powoduje niewydolnośc serca z zachowaną funkcją skurczową.