Search

Alexandr Ceasovschih,1,2,* Victorita Sorodoc,1,2 Annabelle Shor,1,* Raluca Ecaterina Haliga,1,2,* Lynn Roth,3 Catalina Lionte,1,2 Viviana Onofrei Aursulesei,4,* Oana Sirbu,1,2,* Nicolae Culis,5 Albina Shapieva,6 Mohammed AR Tahir Khokhar,1 Cristian Statescu,7 Radu A Sascau,7 Adorata Elena Coman,1 Alexandra Stoica,1,2 Elena-Daniela Grigorescu,1 Maciej Banach,8 Costas Thomopoulos,9 Laurentiu Sorodoc1,2 1Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, 700115, Romania; 2 2nd Internal Medicine Department, Sf. Spiridon Clinical Emergency Hospital, Iasi, 700111, Romania; 3Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium; 4Department of Cardiology, Clinical Emergency Hospital “Sfantul Spiridon”, Iasi, 700106, Romania; 5Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen’s Medical Center, Nottingham, NG72UH, UK; 6Cardiac Electrophysiology Department, Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery, Moscow, 119991, Russia; 7Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Diseases Institute “Prof. Dr. George I.M. Georgescu”, Iasi, 700503, Romania; 8Department of Preventive Cardiology and Lipidology, Medical University of Lodz (MUL), Lodz, 93338, Poland; 9Department of Cardiology, Elena Venizelou General Hospital, Athens, GR-11522, Greece*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Victorita Sorodoc, 2nd Internal Medicine Department, Sf. Spiridon Clinical Emergency Hospital, Independentei 1 Street, Iasi, 700111, Romania, Tel +40232 240 822, Email vivisorodoc@yahoo.com Lynn Roth, Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium, Email lynn.roth@uantwerpen.beAbstract: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was declared in early 2020 after several unexplained pneumonia cases were first reported in Wuhan, China, and subsequently in other parts of the world. Commonly, the disease comprises several clinical features, including high temperature, dry cough, shortness of breath, and hypoxia, associated with findings of interstitial pneumonia on chest X-ray and computer tomography. Nevertheless, severe forms of acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are not limited to the respiratory tract but also may be extended to other systems, including the cardiovascular system. The bi-directional relationship between atherosclerosis and COVID-19 is accompanied by poor prognosis. The immune response hyperactivation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection causes an increased secretion of cytokines, endothelial dysfunction, and arterial stiffness, which promotes the development of atherosclerosis. Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, access to healthcare amenities was reduced, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality in patients at risk. Furthermore, as lockdown measures were largely adopted worldwide, the sedentary lifestyle and the increased consumption of processed nutrients or unhealthy food increased, and in the consequence, we might observe even 70% of overweight and obese population. Altogether, with the relatively low ratio of vaccinated people in many countries, and important health debt appeared, which is now and will be for next decade a large healthcare challenge. However, the experience gained in the COVID-19 pandemic and the new methods of patients’ approaching have helped the medical system to overcome this crisis and will hopefully help in the case of new possible epidemics.Keywords: vascular diseases, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, arterial stiffness, vaccines

Around 60% of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) remain undiagnosed after comprehensive genetic testing, primarily of protein-coding genes1. Large genome-sequenced cohorts are improving our ability to discover new diagnoses in the non-coding genome. Here we identify the non-coding RNA RNU4-2 as a syndromic NDD gene. RNU4-2 encodes the U4 small nuclear RNA (snRNA), which is a critical component of the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP complex of the major spliceosome2. We identify an 18 base pair region of RNU4-2 mapping to two structural elements in the U4/U6 snRNA duplex (the T-loop and stem III) that is severely depleted of variation in the general population, but in which we identify heterozygous variants in 115 individuals with NDD. Most individuals (77.4%) have the same highly recurrent single base insertion (n.64_65insT). In 54 individuals in whom it could be determined, the de novo variants were all on the maternal allele. We demonstrate that RNU4-2 is highly expressed in the developing human brain, in contrast to RNU4-1 and other U4 homologues. Using RNA sequencing, we show how 5 splice-site use is systematically disrupted in individuals with RNU4-2 variants, consistent with the known role of this region during spliceosome activation. Finally, we estimate that variants in this 18 base pair region explain 0.4% of individuals with NDD. This work underscores the importance of non-coding genes in rare disorders and will provide a diagnosis to thousands of individuals with NDD worldwide.

Introduction. Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICCs) play a critical role in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility and have been implicated in various functional gastrointestinal disorders. Recent research indicates a possible association between ICCs and the tumor risk of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs). This research aims to examine the clinical, histopathological, and biomolecular characteristics of ICCs and their relevance in assessing GIST risk. Materials and Methods. This study examined fourteen GIST patients who underwent surgical intervention at the Surgery Department of Carol Davila Nephrology Hospital in Bucharest. Parameters including age, gender, tumor location/ dimensions were scrutinized. Immunohistochemistry employing markers CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 was employed to ascertain the presence of ICCs and GISTs. Results. The GIST risk stratification revealed distribution with 35.71% very low-risk, 21.42% low-risk, 14.28% intermediate-risk, and 28.57% high-risk categories. Predominantly, 57.14% of cases fell within the very low-risk and low-risk categories. Positive immunoreactivity for CD117 and DOG-1 was noted in 92.86% of patients, while CD34 exhibited positivity in 85.71% of cases. Gastric GISTs manifested heightened marker expression. Notably, immunohistochemistry unveiled robust positivity for CD117, DOG-1, and CD34, illustrating a positive correlation between elevated ICC levels and high-risk GISTs. Conclusions. The findings propose an association between ICC levels and high-risk GISTs, accentuating the diagnostic utility of CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 markers in GIST assessment.

Abstract In this community effort, we compare measurements between 34 laboratories from 19 countries, utilizing mixtures of labelled authentic synthetic standards, to quantify by mass spectrometry four clinically used ceramide species in the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) human blood plasma Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1950, as well as a set of candidate plasma reference materials (RM 8231). Participants either utilized a provided validated method and/or their method of choice. Mean concentration values, and intra- and inter-laboratory coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated using single-point and multi-point calibrations, respectively. These results are the most precise (intra-laboratory CVs ≤ 4.2%) and concordant (inter-laboratory CVs < 14%) community-derived absolute concentration values reported to date for four clinically used ceramides in the commonly analyzed SRM 1950. We demonstrate that calibration using authentic labelled standards dramatically reduces data variability. Furthermore, we show how the use of shared RM can correct systematic quantitative biases and help in harmonizing lipidomics. Collectively, the results from the present study provide a significant knowledge base for translation of lipidomic technologies to future clinical applications that might require the determination of reference intervals (RIs) in various human populations or might need to estimate reference change values (RCV), when analytical variability is a key factor for recall during multiple testing of individuals.

Introducere. Sindromul metabolic (SM) reprezintă o asociere de alterări metabolice independente cu risc cardiovascular crescut. Receptorii activați de inductorii proliferării peroxizomilor-alpha (PPARα), membri ai superfamiliei receptorilor nucleari cu rol de factori de transcripţie , sunt implicați în reglarea metabolismului lipidic și inflamație în diferite tipuri de celule și reprezintă una din țintele terapeutice în SM. Am analizat expresia PPARα în leucocitele pacienților cu SM, îndreptându-ne spre implicarea PPARα în această patologie. Material și metoda. Studiul s-a desfășurat pe un număr de 57 pacienți adulți recrutați după semnarea consimțământului informat, investigați pentru evidențierea SM conform criteriilor Federației Internaționale de Diabet (IDF) și care au fost grupați în două loturi: lotul SM (26 pacienți) și lotul de control, fără SM (31 subiecți). Au fost determinați parametrii clinici și de laborator utilizați curent în evaluarea SM. În populațiile de leucocite circulante ale pacienților au fost evaluate nivelurile de expresie a două molecule, PPARα și CD36, printr-o metodă optimizată de citometrie în flux . Semnificația diferențelor dintre valorile parametrilor măsurați a fost stabilită prin analiza statistică, utilizând programul SPSS și teste statistice simple (Pearson, t-Student, Chi-test). Rezultate și discuții. Când am comparat nivelul de expresie a PPARα în eozinofile, am obținut a reducere semnificativă a intensității medie de fluorescență (p

This review aims to streamline the approach to assessing the most used valorization methods for fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) that are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and sustainable within a circular economy framework. Green processing technologies for the extraction of bioactive compounds from FVW, their applications, and the technico-economical assessment of FVW’ biorefinery to support circular economy are highlighted. Important value-added products generated by FVW include bioactive compounds, pectin, protein isolates, such as soy, natural pigments such as anthocyanins, quinones, carotenoids, betalains, and chlorophyll. At this time, the prospects of using FVW have increased in the food supplements, bioactive and edible food packaging, agriculture, energy, and water purification fields. The findings report that proper management of FVW not only minimizes their addition to landfills in the absence of composting, but also promotes the efficient utilization of resources for the development of innovative materials with a wide range of beneficial applications. Implementing the possible solutions described in this paper would not only reduce environmental impact, but also open up new economic opportunities through the valorization of FVW.

Since 2018, the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) on board the Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P) has provided unprecedented images of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) tropospheric columns at a relatively high spatial resolution with a daily revisit. This study aims at assessing the potential of TROPOMI–PAL data to estimate the national to urban NOx emissions in France from 2019 to 2021, using the variational mode of the recent Community Inversion Framework (CIF) coupled to the CHIMERE regional transport model at a spatial resolution of 10 km × 10 km. The seasonal to inter-annual variations in the French NOx emissions are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the current capability to quantify strong anomalies in the NOx emissions at intra-annual scales, such as the ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic, by using TROPOMI NO2 observations. At the annual scale, the inversions suggest a decrease in the average emissions over 2019–2021 of −3 % compared to the national budget from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service regional inventory (CAMS-REG) for the year 2016, which is used as a prior estimate of the national-scale emissions for each year by the Bayesian inversion framework. This is lower than the decrease of −14 % from 2016 to the average over 2019–2021 in the estimates of the French Technical Reference Center for Air Pollution and Climate Change (CITEPA). The lower decrease in the inversion results may be linked in large part to the limited level of constraint brought by the TROPOMI data, due to the observation coverage and the ratio between the current level of errors in the observation and the chemistry-transport model, and to the NO2 signal from the French anthropogenic sources. Focusing on local analysis and selecting the days during which the TROPOMI coverage is good over a specific local source, we compute the reductions in the anthropogenic NOx emission estimates by the inversions from spring 2019 to spring 2020. These reductions are particularly pronounced for the largest French urban areas with high emission levels (e.g., −26 % from April 2019 to April 2020 in the Paris urban area), reflecting reductions in the intensity of vehicle traffic reported during the lockdown period. However, the system does not show large emission decreases for some of the largest cities in France (such as Bordeaux, Nice and Toulouse), even though they were also impacted by the lockdown measures. Despite the current limitations for the monitoring of emissions at the national scale, or for some of the largest cities in France, these results open positive perspectives regarding the ability to support the validation or improvement of inventories with satellite observations, at least at the local level. This leads to discussions on the need for a stepwise improvement of the inversion configuration for a better extraction and extrapolation in space and time of the information from the satellite observations.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is a rare congenital anomaly defined by double discordance – atrioventricular and ventricular-arterial. ccTGA frequently has associated lesions, which influence long-term survival.

Abstract When antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB) and genes (ARGs) reach novel habitats, they can become part of the habitat’s microbiome in the long term if they are able to overcome the habitat’s biotic resilience towards immigration. This process should become more difficult with increasing biodiversity, as exploitable niches in a given habitat are reduced for immigrants when more diverse competitors are present. Consequently, microbial diversity could provide a natural barrier towards antimicrobial resistance by reducing the persistence time of immigrating ARB and ARG. To test this hypothesis, a pan-European sampling campaign was performed for structured forest soil and dynamic riverbed environments of low anthropogenic impact. In soils, higher diversity, evenness and richness were significantly negatively correlated with relative abundance of >85% of ARGs. Furthermore, the number of detected ARGs per sample were inversely correlated with diversity. However, no such effects were present in the more dynamic riverbeds. Hence, microbiome diversity can serve as a barrier towards antimicrobial resistance dissemination in stationary, structured environments, where long-term, diversity-based resilience against immigration can evolve.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is a multiorgan disorder with increased vulnerability to cancer. Despite this increased cancer risk, there are no widely accepted guidelines for cancer surveillance in people affected by A-T. We aimed to understand the current international practice regarding cancer surveillance in A-T and agreed-upon approaches to develop cancer surveillance in A-T. DESIGN/METHODS: We used a consensus development method, the e-Delphi technique, comprising three rounds. Round 1 consisted of a Delphi questionnaire and a survey that collected the details of respondents professional background, experience, and current practice of cancer surveillance in A-T. Rounds 2 and 3 were designed based on previous rounds and modified according to the comments made by the panellists. The pre-specified consensus threshold was ≥75% agreement. RESULTS: Thirty-five expert panellists from 13 countries completed the study. The survey indicated that the current practice of cancer surveillance varies widely between experts and centres. Consensus was reached that evidence-based guidelines are needed for cancer surveillance in people with A-T, with separate recommendations for adults and children. Statements relating to the tests that should be included, the age for starting and stopping cancer surveillance and the optimal surveillance interval were also agreed upon, although in some areas, the consensus was that further research is needed. CONCLUSION: The international expert consensus statement confirms the need for evidence-based cancer surveillance guidelines in A-T, highlights key features that the guidelines should include, and identifies areas of uncertainty in the expert community. This elucidates current knowledge gaps and will inform the design of future clinical trials.

In addition to the infectious disease, the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an infodemic that worsened the outbreak. Increased digital health literacy (DHL) skills and information-seeking behaviors are crucial for accessing, understanding, and evaluating online health information, especially during a pandemic, where misinformation imposes immediate health consequences. This study explores the predictors of DHL among Romanian students and their information-seeking behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through a cross-sectional study design over 3 months (December 2020–February 2021) and a self-reported web-based questionnaire from 1,381 university students from Romania assessing DHL and information-seeking behaviors. We used descriptive statistics, Cronbach Alpha coefficients, and univariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions to explore DHL’s predictors in the Romanian sample. Results showed that overall, the study sample had high levels of DHL. However, almost half of the respondents reported having problems assessing whether the information searched related to coronavirus is reliable or not, and 95% shared someone else’s private information online. Age, subjective social status, gender, and chronic diseases were identified as predictors for DHL. Students’ DHL skills need to be strengthened using tailored educational programs and interventions emphasizing the quality, accuracy, and timely provision of online information on official public health platforms. Additional actions include fostering collaborations between educational institutions and public health authorities, alongside developing smartphone applications for real-time guidance on health topics. It is of the utmost importance to address the spread of the infodemic through different strategies, to combat misinformation among university students.

The rapid increase in lipidomic studies has led to a collaborative effort within the community to establish standards and criteria for producing, documenting, and disseminating data. Creating a dynamic easy-to-use checklist that condenses key information about lipidomic experiments into common terminology will enhance the field's consistency, comparability, and repeatability. Here, we describe the structure and rationale of the established Lipidomics Minimal Reporting Checklist to increase transparency in lipidomics research.

Populist governments aim to fundamentally challenge the EU, raising the question of when and how backsliding populist governments disrupt decision-making in the Council of the EU (hereafter Council). Due to their anti-elite and strong anti-EU stance, along with their opposition to core values of liberal democracy, I argue that these governments are more inclined to resort to unpolitics, understood as “unsettlement.” Analysing the behaviour of the Hungarian Fidesz government in the Council, the article demonstrates that populist governments resort to unpolitics but use an à la carte approach. Populist backsliding governments selectively oppose the Council’s formal and informal decision-making rules. Looking at the voting behaviour in the Council since 2009, the article shows that the Fidesz government preserves the norm of consensus. However, over time, it has become the government that has most often broken with this norm. Conversely, when it comes to “backsliding-inhibiting competences,” the Fidesz government challenges both formal and informal rules through a wide range of strategies, i.e., systematically contesting the legality of procedures and decisions, embracing a confrontational approach and diplomacy, self-victimisation, bending the truth, and accusatory rhetoric. To illustrate them, the article focuses on decisions related to the dismantlement of the rule of law in the country, such as Article 7 TEU, the application of Regulation 2020/2092, and the disbursement of Cohesion funds.

IntroductionIn a globalized and constantly evolving employment environment, it is imperative that organizations cultivate effective employer branding strategies to maintain competitiveness and attractiveness. These would allow them to obtain unique advantages in the market but also support for the internal employer brand. Despite the critical role of employer branding in attracting and retaining top talent, there remains a gap in understanding its relationship to HRM practices and employee perceptions of those practices. The purpose of this research was to investigate the correlation between human resources management practices and employer branding measured through organizational attractiveness and seen from the employees’ perspective. Additionally, to find out if there is a significant difference between the private and public sector in terms of the perception of HRM practices influencing organizational attractiveness.MethodsA questionnaire was applied to 800 respondents, employed in various positions in private and public sector organizations in western Romania. Two scales were applied to evaluate human resources management practices and the employer’s attractiveness from the employees’ perspective.ResultsFindings indicate a direct and positive relation between HRM practices and organizational attractiveness, with particular emphasis on performance appraisal practice, training and development, and work-life balance practices. When it comes to private sector, the significant practices influencing organizational attractiveness are performance appraisal, safety, and work-life balance practices, whereas in the public sector we have training-development and performance appraisal practices.DiscussionThese results underline the role of human resource management in strengthening internal support for the employer brand and increasing overall employer attractiveness. The more appropriate human resource management practices are in the perception of employees, the more attractive the organization is perceived as an employer.

This study aims at analyzing how fundamental rights and individual freedom interfere with privacy issues for transgender people. The main purpose is to identify the legal and social challenges faced by this community in the process of legal recognition of gender identity. To achieve these objectives, the research uses a mixed methodology, which combines comparative legal analysis of legislation from different jurisdictions with relevant jurisprudence and public policy, highlighting exemplary practices and legislative gaps. The results of the study indicate the existence of a gap between the principles of human rights agreed at the international level and their implementation at the national level. Despite significant progress in some countries, many transgender individuals still face bureaucratic obstacles and discrimination when claiming their rights.Therefore, is obvious the need for legislative reform to facilitate the recognition of gender identity in a way that respects personal autonomy and privacy. The study recommends the development of policies and practices that promote social integration and respect for human rights for transgender people, emphasizing the crucial role of a rights-based approach in achieving equality and non-discrimination.

The main objective of the present study was to characterize the extracts obtained from the bark of three oak species in order to assess their use in potential cosmetic products.

We report 3 cases of patients with a history of extra-mammary cancer who presented with breast nodules, leading to diagnostic challenges and occasional misleading imaging findings. These cases highlight the significance of radiologists considering breast metastases as a potential component of the differential diagnosis when assessing patients with a history of cancer who exhibit palpable breast nodules. Furthermore, these cases underscore the importance of integrating various imaging techniques with histological and immunohistochemical analyses of the lesions to achieve precise diagnoses, ultimately ensuring the highest quality of care for these patients.

This review aimed to bring a comprehensive analysis of key clinical strategies for enhancing reproductive efficiency in buffaloes, a species that exhibit low reproductive performance under conventional reproductive management compared to that exhibited by cattle. It considers key ART techniques including estrus synchronization for artificial insemination, and ovulation induction, highlighting their role in improving fertility and overall herd productivity. However, it also addresses common postpartum inflammatory and functional reproductive disorders, discussing their diagnosis and treatment protocols, stressing their impact on the overall reproductive outcome in buffalo farming.

Environmental and genetic factors contribute to the etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but their interaction is less well understood. Mothers that are genetically more stress-susceptible have been found to be at increased risk of having a child with ASD after exposure to stress during pregnancy. Additionally, the presence of maternal antibodies for the fetal brain is associated with a diagnosis of ASD in children. However, the relationship between prenatal stress exposure and maternal antibodies in the mothers of children diagnosed with ASD has not yet been addressed. This exploratory study examined the association of maternal antibody response with prenatal stress and a diagnosis of ASD in children. Blood samples from 53 mothers with at least one child diagnosed with ASD were examined by ELISA. Maternal antibody presence, perceived stress levels during pregnancy (high or low), and maternal 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms were examined for their interrelationship in ASD. While high incidences of prenatal stress and maternal antibodies were found in the sample, they were not associated with each other (p = 0.709, Cramér's V = 0.051). Furthermore, the results revealed no significant association between maternal antibody presence and the interaction between 5-HTTLPR genotype and stress (p = 0.729, Cramér's V = 0.157). Prenatal stress was not found to be associated with the presence of maternal antibodies in the context of ASD, at least in this initial exploratory sample. Despite the known relationship between stress and changes in immune function, these results suggest that prenatal stress and immune dysregulation are independently associated with a diagnosis of ASD in this study population, rather than acting through a convergent mechanism. However, this would need to be confirmed in a larger sample.

BackgroundSynovial fluid (SF) is often used for diagnostic and research purposes as it reflects the local inflammatory environment. Owing to its complex composition, especially the presence of hyaluronic acid, SF is usually viscous and non-homogeneous. The presence of high-molar-mass hyaluronan in this fluid gives it the required viscosity for its function as a lubricant. Viscosity is the greatest major hydraulic attribute of the SF in articular cartilage.MethodsEmpirical modeling of previously published results was performed. In this study, we explored the flow of a non-Newtonian fluid that could be used to model the SF flow. Analyzing the flow in a simple geometry can help explain the model’s efficacy and assess the SF models. By employing some viscosity data reported elsewhere, we summarized the dynamic viscosity values of normal human SF of the knee joints in terms of time after injecting hyaluronidase (HYAL) at 25°C. The suggested quadratic behavior was obtained through extrapolation. For accurate diagnosis or prediction, the comparison between three specific parameters (ai, t0, and ln η0) was made for normal and pathological cases under the same experimental conditions for treatment by addition of HYAL and for investigation of the rheological properties. A new model on the variation of viscosity on the SF of knee joints with time after injection of HYAL with respect to normal and postmortem samples at different velocity gradients was proposed using data previously reported elsewhere.ResultsThe rheological behavior of SF changes progressively over time from non-Newtonian to a Newtonian profile, where the viscosity has a limiting constant value (η0) independent of the gradient velocity at a unique characteristic time (t0 ≈ 8.5 h). The proposed three-parameter model with physical meaning offers insights into future pathological cases. The outcomes of this work are expected to offer new perspectives for diagnosis, criteria, and prediction of pathological case types through comparisons with new parameter values treated under the same experimental conditions as HYAL injection. This study also highlights the importance of HYAL treatment for better intra-assay precision.

The use of citrus essential oils nano-emulsions (CEO-NE) plays a crucial role in enhancing food safety. This is achieved through various mechanisms such as the enhancement of organoleptic properties, increased bioavailability of bioactive components from essential oils, controlled release of key compounds for long-term efficacy, and extension of the shelf life of food and beverages (antioxidant and antimicrobial activity). In this work, CEO-NEs, formulated with different types of citrus essential oils, Tween 80, and alcohol, were obtained by magnetic stirring combined with ultrasound method. The main component of CEO-NEs was D-limonene (31.37 % bergamot-loaded nano-emulsions, 48.81 % tangerine-loaded nano-emulsions, 87.82 % orange-loaded nano-emulsions, 87.09 % grapefruit-loaded nano-emulsions, 48.53 % lemon-loaded nano-emulsions). The selected formulations demonstrated a mean droplet diameter of 47.285 nm. The nano-emulsions were stable even after 30 days of storage (except tangerine nano-emulsions). The bergamot-loaded nano-emulsion had the highest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, while Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes seemed to be more resistant to citrus nano-emulsions.

This article refers, on the one hand, to the laborious activity of Eugen Simion in the field of criticism and literary history from his debut until 1989, materialized in the series Romanian Writers of Today (1974-1989), and, on the other hand, aims to reveal the passionate manner in which Eugen Simion was involved, from the date mentioned above, in several visionary projects, among which are the facsimilation of Eminescu’s Notebooks, the Chronology of the Romanian Literary Life (1944-2012), the General Dictionary of Romanian Literature (8 vols) and the coordination of the Fundamental Works collection (also known as the Pléiade Collection) from which over 300 volumes appeared. Last but not least, the author of this article extracts from the work of Eugen Simion a series of memorable quotes, which he considers, in a symbolic way, “badges on the lapel of his books”.

Polyphenols were extracted from Thuja occidentalis L. bark and characterized in terms of phytochemical composition and biological activity. The optimization process investigated the impacts of extraction duration, ultrasound amplitude, and ethanol concentration on the total phenolic content in the extract. The antioxidant capacity was examined using DPPH and ABTS assays, and anti-enzyme activity against alpha-glucosidase, alpha-amylase, lipase, acetylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase was determined. The experimental model revealed optimal extraction parameters: a hydroethanolic solvent with 44% v:v ethanol, a 15-minute extraction time, and a 40% ultrasound amplitude. These parameters were validated and confirmed by reaching the target Total Phenolic Content (TPC) predicted by MODDE software. The resulting lyophilized extract exhibited a high polyphenolic content (161.84 ± 23.48 mg GAE/g dry extract) and demonstrated strong antioxidant properties. Notably, it showed significant inhibition of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase, suggesting potential antidiabetic effects, though its inhibition of tyrosinase activity was relatively weak. These findings provide a foundation for further investigations to confirm the qualitative and quantitative presence of specific polyphenolic metabolites in the extract and elucidate the mechanisms underlying its bioactive properties.

Background: It is well known that periodontitis affects the gums and surrounding connective tissue. The chronic inflammatory response induced by bacteria in the gingival tissue leads to the loss of the collagen connection between the tooth and the bone and ultimately to bone loss. Methods: In this context, the aim of this research was the obtaining and characterization of a drug release supports in the form of sponges based on collagen, hyaluronic acid as a support and metronidazole as an antibiotic for the treatment of periodontitis. The sponges were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, water uptake, contact angle, SEM microscopy, in vitro metronidazole release analysis from sponges and data modeling. Results: The results showed that all the sponges had a porous structure with interconnected pores, the pore sizes being influenced by hyaluronic acid and metronidazole; the spongious structure became much more dense for samples with metronidazole content. All metronidazole-loaded sponges showed good surface wettability and an adequate swelling capacity for a suitable antimicrobial release at the periodontal pocket. The porous structures allow a controlled release, fast in the first hour, essential to control the initial microbial load at the periodontal level, which continues slowly in the following hours to ensure an effective treatment of periodontitis. Conclusions: Correlating all physical–chemical and bio-pharmaceutical results obtained, a promising solution for periodontitis treatment could be a met-ronidazole–collagen–hyaluronic system consisting of 1% collagen, 1.5% metronidazole and 0.8% hyaluronic acid, and in vitro and in vivo tests are recommended to continue studies.

Aims: Research on probiotics for constipation management is still growing, and plays a crucial role in the definition of a management strategy for bowel wellbeing, constipation, and related outcomes. The present systematic review and meta-analysis of the beneficial effects of the SYNBIO® blend, to consolidate the data from various clinical trials, was conducted. Methods: A literature search using PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases was conducted. The search was limited to clinical trials that used the SYNBIO® blend, either as dietary supplements or probiotic-enriched foods. Independently, two reviewers evaluated the trial’s quality and extracted all data. A 95% confidence interval (CI) of a weighted mean difference (MD) was used to pool continuous data. For the analysis, Review Manager version 5.4 was used. Results: Seven clinical trials involving a total of 1095 subjects were included in the analysis. Overall, the SYNBIO® blend significantly improved constipation relief by 0.75 (95% CI: 0.31 to 1.19; p = 0.0008) in 52% of the subjects, and significantly increased intestinal regularity by 1.90 compared to the placebo (95% CI: 1.02 to 2.78; p < 0.0001) in more than 60% of individuals. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The SYNBIO® blend was found to significantly improve overall constipation, intestinal regularity, abdominal pain, and intestinal cramping. This suggests that people with these specific symptoms could benefit from this probiotic combination.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the predictive factors associated with transient urine incontinence (TUI) following holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on a prospectively maintained database containing the first 149 consecutive HoLEP cases between June 2022 and December 2023. The study recorded several patient characteristics, and preoperative data such as IPSS score, total gland volume, preoperative catheterization, Qmax, and PVR volume were collected. During the operation, data on total operating time, enucleation time, morcellation time, and weight of enucleated tissue were recorded. Finally, postoperative data were also documented. TUI refers to a patient’s complaint of urine leakage, irrespective of type. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors that predict TUI. Results: The study included 119 patients with BPH. Nineteen (15.96%) of them experienced postoperative TUI. Of those 19 patients, 15 (78.94%) recovered within three months from the date of the surgery. In the multivariate regression analysis, increased age (odds ratio [OR], 3.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56~7.78; p = 0.002), prostate volume ≥ 100 mL (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.54–2.13; p = 0.001), preoperative PVR volume ≥ 250 mL (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.10–1.32; p = 0.02), preoperative catheterization (OR, 0.56; 95% CI 0.34–0.78; p = 0.003), increased operation time (OR, 3.87; 95% CI 1.62–4.19; p = 0.002), and resected tissue weight ≥ 40 g (OR, 1.032; 95% CI, 1.015–1.048; p = 0.002) were found to be independent predictors of TUI. Conclusions: The incidence of TUI following HoLEP was found to be 15.96% in patients, with a recovery rate of 78.94% within three months post-surgery. Predictive factors for TUI included age at surgery, prostatic volume, preoperative catheterization, high PVR, longer operative time, and resected tissue weight.