Jagiellonian University

About: Jagiellonian University is a education organization based out in Krakow, Poland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 17438 authors who have published 44092 publications receiving 862633 citations. The organization is also known as: Academia Cracoviensis & Akademia Krakowska.

Research needs in allergy: an EAACI position paper, in collaboration with EFA

Abstract: In less than half a century, allergy, originally perceived as a rare disease, has become a major public health threat, today affecting the lives of more than 60 million people in Europe, and probably close to one billion worldwide, thereby heavily impacting the budgets of public health systems. More disturbingly, its prevalence and impact are on the rise, a development that has been associated with environmental and lifestyle changes accompanying the continuous process of urbanization and globalization. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prioritize and concert research efforts in the field of allergy, in order to achieve sustainable results on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this most prevalent chronic disease of the 21st century.The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is the leading professional organization in the field of allergy, promoting excellence in clinical care, education, training and basic and translational research, all with the ultimate goal of improving the health of allergic patients. The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Associations (EFA) is a non-profit network of allergy, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) patients' organizations. In support of their missions, the present EAACI Position Paper, in collaboration with EFA, highlights the most important research needs in the field of allergy to serve as key recommendations for future research funding at the national and European levels.Although allergies may involve almost every organ of the body and an array of diverse external factors act as triggers, there are several common themes that need to be prioritized in research efforts. As in many other chronic diseases, effective prevention, curative treatment and accurate, rapid diagnosis represent major unmet needs. Detailed phenotyping/endotyping stands out as widely required in order to arrange or re-categorize clinical syndromes into more coherent, uniform and treatment-responsive groups. Research efforts to unveil the basic pathophysiologic pathways and mechanisms, thus leading to the comprehension and resolution of the pathophysiologic complexity of allergies will allow for the design of novel patient-oriented diagnostic and treatment protocols. Several allergic diseases require well-controlled epidemiological description and surveillance, using disease registries, pharmacoeconomic evaluation, as well as large biobanks. Additionally, there is a need for extensive studies to bring promising new biotechnological innovations, such as biological agents, vaccines of modified allergen molecules and engineered components for allergy diagnosis, closer to clinical practice. Finally, particular attention should be paid to the difficult-to-manage, precarious and costly severe disease forms and/or exacerbations. Nonetheless, currently arising treatments, mainly in the fields of immunotherapy and biologicals, hold great promise for targeted and causal management of allergic conditions. Active involvement of all stakeholders, including Patient Organizations and policy makers are necessary to achieve the aims emphasized herein.

Homocysteine and thrombosis: from basic science to clinical evidence

Abstract: Homocysteine is a sulfhydryl-containing amino acid formed during the metabolism of methionine. Rapidly accumulating evidence links elevated homocysteine levels to thrombosis via several mechanisms such as increased tissue factor expression, attenuated anticoagulant processes, enhanced platelet reactivity, increased thrombin generation, augmented factor V activity, impaired fibrinolytic potential, and vascular injury, including endothelial dysfunction. Molecular mechanisms underlying prothrombotic actions of homocysteine are incompletely understood and involve oxidative stress, DNA hypomethylation, and proinflammatory effects. Current evidence from retrospective and prospective studies supports the concept that higher total plasma homocysteine concentration is associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, and venous thromboembolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia is currently considered a relatively weak prothrombotic factor. It is still unclear whether administration of vitamins, that reduce homocysteine levels acting as cofactors of the enzymes involved in the methionine metabolism, may decrease the risk of arterial and/or venous thromboembolic events. Ongoing clinical trials might help clarify this issue.

Crystal and magnetic structure of NiMnGe

Abstract: NiMnGe is investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and magnetometric methods. The orthorhombic distorsion of hexagonal lattice is observed below 470 K. The compound NiMnGe is antiferromagnetic with a Neel temperature TN = 346 K. The jump observed at temperature Tt = 185 K on the temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility points at the change of a magnetic structure. From the analysis of the neutron diffraction patterns the following models of spiral magnetic structure are obtained; at T < Tt the spiral axis is in the bc-plane. The angle between the spiral axis and the b-axis is 45°, magnetic moment at 80 K is 2.75μB; at Tt < T < TN the spiral axis is along the a-axis. The magnetic moment at 295 K is 2.2μB.

Comparison of in vivo acute stent recoil between the bioabsorbable everolimus-eluting coronary stent and the everolimus-eluting cobalt chromium coronary stent: insights from the ABSORB and SPIRIT trials.

Abstract: Objectives: This study sought to evaluate and compare in vivo acute stent recoil of a novel bioabsorbable stent and a metallic stent. Background: The bioabsorbable everolimus-eluting coronary stent (BVS) is composed of a poly-L-lactic acid backbone, coated with a bioabsorbable polymer containing the antiproliferative drug, everolimus, and expected to be totally metabolized and absorbed in the human body. Because the BVS is made from polymer, it may have more acute recoil than metallic stents in vivo. Methods: A total of 54 patients, who underwent elective stent implantation for single de novo native coronary artery lesions, were enrolled: 27 patients treated with the BVS and 27 patients treated with the everolimus-eluting cobalt chromium stent (EES). Acute absolute recoil, assessed by quantitative coronary angiography, was defined as the difference between mean diameter of the last inflated balloon at the highest pressure (X) and mean lumen diameter of the stent immediately after the last balloon deflation (Y). Acute percent recoil was defined as (X − Y)/X and expressed as a percentage. Results: Acute absolute recoil of the BVS and EES was 0.20 ± 0.21 mm and 0.13 ± 0.21 mm, respectively (P = 0.32). Acute percent recoil was 6.9% ± 7.0% in the BVS group and 4.3% ± 7.1% in the EES group (P = 0.25). Conclusions: In vivo acute stent recoil of the BVS is slightly larger but insignificantly different from that of the EES, implying that the BVS may have good radial strength similar to the metallic stent. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.