Krajowe Ramy Kwalifikacji: biurokratyczna konieczność czy szansa na poprawę jakości kształcenia w uczelniach

Z wprowadzenia: "Krajowe Ramy Kwalifikacji dla Szkolnictwa Wyższego (stosowany skrót KRK) wprowadzone znowelizowana ustawą - Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym 18 marca 2012 roku i wdrażane od października 2011 roku nie są jeszcze w ustawodawstwie rozdziałem zamkniętym. Niedługo wejdzie w życie kolejna nowelizacja do właśnie znowelizowanej ustawy. Oznacza to, że można założyć z dużym prawdopodobieństwem, że wiele zagadnień i wątpliwości poruszanych w tej monografii, a dotyczących tak różnych paragrafów samej ustawy, jak i rozporządzeń może zostać wkrótce zmienionych bądź uzupełnionych."(...

Wdrażanie Krajowych Ram Kwalifikacji – udręka czy szansa na poprawę szkolnictwa wyższego

Z wprowadzenia: "Krajowe Ramy Kwalifikacji dla Szkolnictwa Wyższego (stosowany skrót KRK) wprowadzone znowelizowana ustawą – Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym 18 marca 2012 roku i wdrażane od października 2011 roku nie są jeszcze w ustawodawstwie rozdziałem zamkniętym. Niedługo wejdzie w życie kolejna nowelizacja do właśnie znowelizowanej ustawy. Oznacza to, że można założyć z dużym prawdopodobieństwem, że wiele zagadnień i wątpliwości poruszanych w tej monografi i, a dotyczących tak różnych paragrafów ustawy, jak i rozporządzeń może zostać wkrótce zmienionych, bądź uzupełnionych. Jednocząca się Europa, otwierające się granice i wędrówki młodych ludzi nie tylko za pracą, ale także chcących poznawać świat i zdobywać wykształcenie w różnych miejscach kontynentu, zmusiły państwa Europy do przyglądnięcia się systemom edukacji w poszczególnych krajach. Celem było poszukiwanie wspólnego mianownika w europejskim systemie kształceniu lub jego stworzenie na bazie istniejących. Miałby on umożliwić usankcjonowanie prawne dyplomów, czy uznawanie dotychczasowo zdobytej edukacji w różnych uczelniach, w różnych europejskich krajach. Aby jednak było to możliwe, należało zdefiniować kwalifikacje, jakie powinien posiadać absolwent, aby móc legitymować się określonym dyplomem. I to właśnie ramy kwalifi kacji dla określonego poziomu kształcenia, czy uzyskania dyplomu jakiegoś stopnia dla każdego studiowanego kierunku- (w każdym kraju) opisują zestaw wiedzy, umiejętności i kompetencji społecznych, których posiadanie jest konieczne, aby ten poziom, czy dyplom uzyskać. Wszystkie te ramy są powiązane. Tak więc kwalifi kacje zdobyte w jednym kraju będzie można odnieść do poziomu edukacji w innym kraju Unii Europejskiej. Będzie zatem jasne jakie kompetencje kryją się za tytułem licencjata, czy magistra danego kierunku studiów, bez względu na to, w którym kraju zostały one osiągnięte. Ułatwi to znacznie - migracje ludzi, wymianę myśli i idei, a tym samym pomoże w sprostaniu wymaganiom jednoczących się rynków ekonomicznych, systemów finansowych i komercyjnych."(...

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Księga poświęcona Profesorowi Hieronimowi Kubiakowi w 75. rocznicę urodzin. Tom ofiarowany przez przyjaciół i uczniów

Raw Cow’s Milk and Its Protective Effect on Allergies and Asthma

Living on a farm and having contact with rural exposures have been proposed as one of the most promising ways to be protected against allergy and asthma development. There is a significant body of epidemiological evidence that consumption of raw milk in childhood and adulthood in farm but also nonfarm populations can be one of the most effective protective factors. The observation is even more intriguing when considering the fact that milk is one of the most common food allergens in childhood. The exact mechanisms underlying this association are still not well understood, but the role of raw milk ingredients such as proteins, fat and fatty acids, and bacterial components has been recently studied and its influence on the immune function has been documented. In this review, we present the current understanding of the protective effect of raw milk on allergies and asthma

Fermented Food in Asthma and Respiratory Allergies—Chance or Failure?

In the last few decades, a dramatic increase in the global prevalence of allergic diseases and asthma was observed. It was hypothesized that diet may be an important immunomodulatory factor influencing susceptibility to allergic diseases. Fermented food, a natural source of living microorganisms and bioactive compounds, has been demonstrated to possess health-promoting potentials and seems to be a promising strategy to reduce the risk of various immune-related diseases, such as allergic diseases and asthma. The exact mechanisms by which allergic diseases and asthma can be alleviated or prevented by fermented food are not well understood; however, its potential to exert an effect through modulating the immune response and influencing the gut microbiota has been recently studied. In this review, we provide the current knowledge on the role of diet, including fermented foods, in preventing or treating allergic diseases and asthma

Metabolites of L-ARG in Exhaled Breath Condensate and Serum Are Not Biomarkers of Bronchial Asthma in Children

(1) Background: L-arginine (L-ARG) and its metabolites are involved in some aspects of asthma pathogenesis (airway inflammation, oxidative stress, bronchial responsiveness, collagen deposition). Published data indicate that lungs are a critical organ for the regulation of L-ARG metabolism and that alterations in L-ARG metabolism may be significant for asthma. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of L-ARG and its metabolites in pediatric patients with asthma in serum and exhaled breath condensate (EBC) by mass spectrometric analysis and compare them with non-asthmatic children. (2) Methods: Sixty-five children (37 pediatric patients with bronchial asthma and 28 healthy control subjects) aged 6–17 participated in the study. All participants underwent a clinical visit, lung tests, allergy tests with common aeroallergens, and serum and EBC collection. The levels of biomarkers were determined in both serum and EBC. Analytical chromatography was conducted using an Acquity UPLC system equipped with a cooled autosampler and an Acquity HSS T3 column. Mass spectrometric analysis was conducted using the Xevo G2 QTOF MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive ion mode. (3) Results: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels in serum and EBC did not differ significantly in asthmatic children and healthy control subjects. We found no correlation between forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and L-ARG and its metabolites, as well as between interleukin-4 (IL-4) serum level and L-ARG and its metabolites. Concentrations of ADMA, SDMA, citrulline (CIT), and ornithine (ORN) were higher in serum than EBC in asthmatics and non-asthmatics. By contrast, concentrations of dimethylarginine (DMA) were higher in EBC than serum. ADMA/L-ARG, SDMA/L-ARG, and DMA/L-ARG ratios were significantly higher in EBC than in serum in asthmatics and in non-asthmatics. (4) Conclusions: Serum and EBC concentrations of L-ARG and its metabolites were not an indicator of pediatric bronchial asthma in our study

Diet Modifications in Primary Prevention of Asthma. Where Do We Stand?

The steep increase in asthma prevalence, observed worldwide in recent decades, has created an urgent need to search for effective methods of its prevention. Among other environmental factors, changes in diet habits and the potential influence of individual food components on immunological processes have been extensively studied as a potential method of intervention in primary prevention of asthma. The preventive role of some nutrients has been confirmed: unpasteurized milk reduced the risk of asthma in epidemiological studies, vitamin D supplementation was effective in preventing the transient forms of wheezing in small children and high maternal intake of fish oil reduced the risk of persistent wheeze and asthma in children. However, not all studies provided consistent results, and many food ingredients are still pending for defining their role in asthma development. Moreover, a novel approach looking not only at single food ingredients, but the whole dietary patterns and diversity has recently been proposed. In this paper, we discuss the current role of nutrients in asthma primary prevention and the reasons for inconsistencies in the study results. We look at single diet components, but also the whole dietary patterns. We describe the proposed mechanisms of action at different stages of life, identify the role of modifiers and delineate future perspectives on the application of nutrients in targeting strategies for asthma primary prevention

Genetic Variants in Epidermal Differentiation Complex Genes as Predictive Biomarkers for Atopic Eczema, Allergic Sensitization, and Eczema-Associated Asthma in a 6-Year Follow-Up Case–Control Study in Children

Atopic eczema is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease of early childhood and is often the first manifestation of atopic march. Therefore, one challenge is to identify the risk factors associated with atopic eczema that may also be predictors of atopic disease progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of SNPs in hornerin (HRNR) and filaggrin-2 (FLG2) genes with childhood atopic eczema, as well as other atopic phenotypes. Genotyping for HRNR and FLG2 was performed in 188 children younger than 2 years of age, previously screened for the FLG null mutations, and followed at yearly intervals until the age of 6. We demonstrated that risk variants of HRNR rs877776[C] and FLG2 rs12568784[T] were associated with atopic eczema, allergic sensitization, and susceptibility to the complex phenotype—asthma plus eczema. These effects seem to be supplementary to the well-known associations for FLG mutations and may be modulated by gene–gene interactions. Additionally, in children with eczema, these genetic variants may also be considered, along with FLG mutations, as predictive biomarkers for eczema-associated asthma. In conclusion, our results indicate that genetic variants in the epidermal differentiation complex gene could contribute to the pathogenesis of atopic eczema and progression to subsequent allergic disease

The Impact of Dietary Intervention in Obese Children on Asthma Prevention and Control

The prevalence of both asthma and obesity in the pediatric population is steadily increasing, and even the obese–asthma phenotypes are postulated. Obese children with asthma experience more asthma symptoms, more frequent exacerbations, and worse response to treatment; they also report a lower quality of life compared with lean asthmatics. Some of the etiological factors for asthma and obesity may overlap. Perhaps asthma and obesity share a common genetic and immunologic origin. Diet is a compelling modifiable factor in obesity and asthma prevention and control, although the relationship between these two diseases is certainly multifactorial. In this article, we analyze the impact of dietary intervention and weight loss in obese children on asthma prevention and control