Strategia leczenia ANN w obliczu zagrożeń współczesnego świata

Alergiczny nieżyt nosa (ANN) jest najczęstszą postacią alergii, która dotyczy – jak wykazały badania epidemiologiczne – prawie 25% populacji. ANN wpływa znacząco na jakość życia chorego, a im cięższa postać choroby, tym większe ryzyko rozwoju astmy oskrzelowej. Jednym z czynników wpływających na nasilenie objawów i stopień ich kontroli jest zanieczyszczenie powietrza. U niektórych chorych, mimo właściwego leczenia, obserwuje się utrzymywanie lub tylko częściowe ustąpienie dolegliwości (niekontrolowany alergiczny nieżyt nosa). Może prowadzić to do nasilenia chorób towarzyszących – zapalenia zatok przynosowych, zapalenia ucha środkowego i astmy – zarówno u dzieci, jak i u dorosłych. Postępowanie w alergicznym nieżycie nosa, zgodnie ze standardami, polega na: edukacji chorego, eliminacji z otoczenia alergenu i czynników nasilających przebieg choroby, dobraniu właściwej farmakoterapii oraz swoistej immunoterapii alergenowej. Na wybór stosowanego leku przeciwhistaminowego wpływa wiele czynników, m.in. możliwość bezpiecznego zwiększenia jego dawki

Characteristics of multiwalled carbon nanotubes-rhenium nanocomposites with varied rhenium mass fractions

The purpose of the article is to discuss the process of oxidation of carbon nanotubes subsequently subjected to the process of decoration with rhenium nanoparticles. The influence of functionalization in an oxidizing medium is presented and the results of investigations using Raman spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy are discussed. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes rhenium-type nanocomposites with the weight percentage of 10%, 20% and 30% of rhenium are also presented in the article. The structural components of such nanocomposites are carbon nanotubes decorated with rhenium nanoparticles. Microscopic examinations under transmission electron microscope and scanning transmission electron microscope using the bright and dark field confirm that nanocomposites containing about 20% of rhenium have the most homogenous structure

Spinal cord lesions in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis – Magnetic resonance imaging

Purpose The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of spinal cord lesions revealed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in children and adolescents with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). Material and methods We retrospectively evaluated the spinal cord magnetic resonance examinations in a group of MS patients consisting of 58 children (37 girls and 21 boys) aged from 7 to 17.8 years (mean 13.7 years). All children met the criteria of clinically definite MS and had typical MS lesions revealed in the brain imaging. Results Spinal cord lesions, regardless of localization, were identified in 36 (62%) patients. In 22 of 58 patients (38%) no lesions were observed. The plaques were found in the cervical spinal cord and the thoracic spinal cord in 30 out of 36 (86.1%) and in 31 out of 36 (88.6%) patients, respectively. Contrast enhancement was noticed in 10 out of 36 patients (27.7%) and was not correlated with the number of lesions present. We noticed a tendency to higher EDSS score in patients with lesions in more than 1 spinal cord region. Our study showed that spinal cord lesions are more frequently present in patients with complex neurological disability. Conclusion The prevalence of spinal cord lesions in children and adolescents with MS is high. Therefore, spinal cord MRI should be included in diagnostic program of MS

Cladosporium spores in the air of selected Polish cities in 2015

The aim of the study was to compare the concentration of Cladosporium spores in the cities of Katowice, Cracow, Olsztyn, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Szczecin, Warsaw, and Zielona Gora in 2015. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen and spores sampler). Cladosporium season was defined as the period in which 90% of the annual total catch occurred. The Cladosporium season started first in Zielona Gora on the 27th April and in the other cities it started during the next days. The latest the fungal season started in Szczecin. The number of days with spores count above 2800 spores in 1 m3 ranged from 15 to 63

Evolution of glassy carbon under heat treatment : correlation structure-mechanical properties

In order to accommodate an increasing demand for glassy carbon products with tailored characteristics, one has to understand the origin of their structure-related properties. In this work, through the use of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and electron energy loss spectroscopy it has been demonstrated that the structure of glassy carbon at different stages of the carbonization process resembles the curvature observed in fragments of nanotubes, fullerenes, or nanoonions. The measured nanoindentation hardness and reduced Young’s modulus change as a function of the pyrolysis temperature from the range of 600–2500 °C and reach maximum values for carbon pyrolyzed at around 1000 °C. Essentially, the highest values of the mechanical parameters for glassy carbon manufactured at that temperature can be related to the greatest amount of non-planar sp2-hybridized carbon atoms involved in the formation of curved graphene-like layers. Such complex labyrinth- like structure with sp2-type bonding would be rigid and hard to break that explains the glassy carbon high strength and hardness

Alder pollen season in selected cities of Poland in 2020

This paper presents the course of alder pollination season in Poland in 2020. The measurements were performed in Bydgoszcz, Bialystok, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard, Lanzoni) was implemented. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the annual total catch occurred. The alder pollen season in 2020 started about 10–30 days earlier compared to 2017–2019. The pollen season started first in Szczecin, Opole and Zielona Gora (in the second half of January). In the other cities alder pollen season started in first half of February. The highest daily pollen count was recorded in Lublin (1211 P/m3). In other cities the maximum concentrations ranged from 160 P/m3 in Sosnowiec to 465 P/m3 in Piotrkow Trybunalski. The highest alder pollen concentrations were detected in the first decade of March (March 1st–3rd). Only in Zielona Gora, Wroclaw, Opole and Sosnowiec the maximum concentration was recorded in the third decade of February. The annual pollen sum of Alnus in 2020 was even 5–10 times lower than in years 2019

Artemisia pollen season in southern Poland in 2016

In the paper, mugwort pollen seasons observed in 2016 were compared in six cities of southern Poland, i.e. Cracow, Lublin, Opole, Sosnowiec, Wroclaw, and Zielona Gora. The investigations of airborne pollen concentrations were carried out with the volumetric method using Lanzoni and Burkard devices. In 2016, the earliest onset of the mugwort pollen season was noted in Lublin (13.07) and the latest beginning was reported in Wroclaw (24.07). High daily pollen concentrations were recorded between the third decade of July and the second decade of August. The highest annual pollen count and the greatest risk of development of allergies to mugwort pollen were noted in Opole and Zielona Gora. The highest daily concentrations for the taxon were recorded in all measurement stations in the first half of August. Maximum concentrations were noted in Wroclaw (84 P/m3) and Lublin (79 P/m3)

Alternaria spores in the air of selected Polish cities in 2015

The aim of the study was to compare the concentration of Alternaria spores in the cities of Poznan, Bydgoszcz, Sosnowiec, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Olsztyn, Opole, Warsaw, Zielona Gora, Lublin and Szczecin in 2015. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Hirst). Alternaria season was defined as the period in which 90% of the annual total catch occurred. The Alternaria season started first in Bydgoszcz on the 27th May and in the other cities it started during the next four weeks. The highest airborne concentration of 900 Alternaria spores × m-3 was noted in Lublin on the 4th July

Alternaria spores in the air of southern Poland cities in 2016

This paper presents the course of the spore season of Alternaria in Cracow, Sosnowiec, Opole, Piotrków Trybunalski, Wrocław, Zielona Góra in 2016. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Lanzoni and Burkard). Alternaria spore season was defined as the period in which 90% of the annual total catch occurred. The Alternaria season started first in Opole on the 5th May and lasted till the 22nd June in Cracow and Wrocław. The highest airborne concentration of 1231 Alternaria spores × m-3 was noted in Zielona Góra on the 6th July. The highest annual sum of Alternaria spores (SSI) was observed also in Zielona Góra (17 776 spores)

Oak pollen in the air of Poland in 2017

The aim of the study was to compare the pollen season of oak in the cities of Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Katowice, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in 2017. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Hirst type pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 98% of the annual total catch occurred. The pollen season of oak started first in Szczecin, on the 1st April, and lasted till the end of May. At the latest pollen season ended in Olsztyn on the 1st June. However, in the most of other cities the season lasted till the end of May. The differences of pollen seasons duration were considerables from 28 to 56 days. The highest, record airborne concentration of 342 pollen grains/m3 was noted in Warsaw on the 17th May. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count occurred between of 11th and 20th May. The highest oak pollen allergen hazard occurred in 2017 in Piotrkow Trybunalski, Lublin and Warsaw