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Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the main causes of morbidity associated with antibiotic use, producing both healthcare-associated infections and community infections. This study aims to describe the epidemiological characteristics, the clinical outcomes, previous antibiotic exposure, and other risk factors of hospitalized patients with CDI in a tertiary infectious disease hospital in Bucharest, Romania. We performed a descriptive analysis based on four-year surveillance data, collected in a tertiary infectious disease hospital in Bucharest, Romania. The annual incidence of CDIs varied from 65.1 cases per 10,000 discharges in 2020 to 211.7 cases per 10,000 discharges in 2023, with a continuously ascending trend. Most of the cases were hospital-acquired cases. There was a high share of antibiotic consumption three months before admission (61.3%). Third-generation cephalosporins, β-lactams with inhibitor combination, and carbapenems were the most used antibiotics, with shares of 46.0%, 25.2%, and 18.6%, respectively. Hospitalization in the previous 12 months and contact with a confirmed CDI case were other frequent factors in the study group, the occurrences of which were recorded as 66.2% and 2.4%, respectively. The surveillance data identified that the annual trend in CDIs is very variable, suggesting the need for continuous and multiannual analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This six-year multicentre study investigated acute intentional poisoning with substances of abuse in adolescents to identify changes and patterns in substance use. Data from 562 adolescents were collected from three paediatric poison centres in Romania between January 2017 and December 2022. This study analysed the epidemiological and sociodemographic characteristics of the adolescents, including age, gender, place of residence, history of substance abuse, psychiatric history, and history of institutionalised care. The findings revealed that cannabis and new psychoactive substances (NPSs) are the most commonly implicated substances, each with distinct profiles among adolescents. Cannabis was involved in 46.1% of cases, with a significant association with urban residency. NPSs were identified as the second most prevalent substance, accounting for 39.3% of cases. These were more prevalent in rural areas and among patients with psychiatric disorders. Cannabis and NPSs were also the most commonly implicated substances in acute intentional poisoning cases with substances of abuse. These substances have distinct profiles among adolescents, including age, gender, residency area, history of substance abuse, psychiatric history, and institutional care. These findings underscore the necessity of targeted public health interventions and integrated care approaches to address substance use and related mental health issues in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic healthcare workers (HCWs) acquired immunity by vaccination or exposure to multiple variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Our study is a comparative analysis between subgroups of HCWs constructed based on the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, vaccination, and the dominant variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the population. We collected and analyzed data using the χ2 test and density incidence of reinfections in Microsoft Excel for Mac, Version 16.84, and MedCalc®, 22.026. Of the 829 HCWs, 70.1% (581) had only one SARS-CoV-2 infection and 29.9% (248) had two infections. Of the subjects with two infections, 77.4% (192) worked in high-risk departments and 93.2% (231) of the second infections were registered during Omicron dominance. The density incidence of reinfections was higher in HCWs vaccinated with the primary schedule than those vaccinated with the first booster, and the incidence ratio was 2.8 (95% CI: 1.2; 6.7). The probability of reinfection was five times lower (95% CI: 2.9; 9.2) in HCWs vaccinated with the primary schedule if the first infection was acquired during Omicron dominance. The subjects vaccinated with the first booster had a density incidence of reinfection three times lower (95% CI: 1.9; 5.8) if the first infection was during Omicron. The incidence ratio in subgroups constructed based on characteristics such as gender, age group, job category, and department also registered significant differences in density incidence. The history of SARS-CoV-2 infection by variant is important when interpreting and understanding public health data and the results of studies related to vaccine efficacy for hybrid immunity subgroup populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, influenza vaccination uptake among healthcare workers decreased over time despite access to the vaccine being constantly improved. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the knowledge and attitudes of Dental Medicine and Medicine students towards recommended vaccinations for healthcare workers, focusing on influenza vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the entire 2021–2022 academic year. Data were collected using 2 electronic questionnaires which were applied to the students from the Faculty of Medicine (n = 883) and, respectively, the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania. The questionnaires were offered to 1187 students and completed by 911 students (response rate = 77%). Out of these, 85% (n = 778) identified the influenza vaccine as recommended; 35% (n = 321) reported getting an annual influenza vaccination; and 37% (333) reported getting an influenza vaccination in the previous season. Overall, 45% (n = 222) of the respondents who completed the questionnaires from October 2021 to February 2022 reported that they intend to get vaccinated against influenza in the 2021–2022 season and approximately 8% (n = 39) reported that they had already been vaccinated. The multivariable analysis showed that the habit of getting annually vaccinated against influenza as well as the knowledge that influenza vaccine is recommended for all healthcare workers were associated with a higher probability of intending to get vaccinated. The current study emphasizes the need to raise awareness among medical students regarding influenza vaccination and to involve medical education institutions, public health authorities, and healthcare facilities in promoting this vaccination among students since the influenza vaccine uptake rate among medical students included in this study was suboptimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the neurological manifestation profiles of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection across pandemic waves in pediatric patients. The study collected data on patients aged between 0 and 18 years, diagnosed with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted to a pediatric tertiary hospital between 1 March 2020 and 28 February 2023. This study included 1677 patients. Neurological manifestations were noted in 10% (n = 168) of patients with a median age of 3.2 years (interquartile range: 1–11.92). Neurological manifestations were significantly associated with the pandemic waves (p = 0.006) and age groups (p < 0.001). Seizures were noted in 4.2% of cases and reached an increasing frequency over time (p = 0.001), but were not associated with age groups. Febrile seizures accounted for the majority of seizures. Headache was reported in 2.6% of cases and had similar frequencies across the pandemic waves and age groups. Muscular involvement was noted in 2% of cases, reached a decreasing frequency over time (p < 0.001), and showed different frequencies among the age groups. Neurological manifestations of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibit distinct patterns, depending on the pandemic wave and patient age group. The Wuhan and Omicron waves involved the nervous system more often than the other waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydrogen generator is used in the combined electrolysis catalytic exchange process (CECE) for low-level tritiated water detritiation as a source of H2 (Q2) for the liquid-phase catalytic exchange column(s) within the process. To produce H2, the H2 generator employs an electrolytic process for H2O splitting into H2 and O2, resulting two streams: a hydrogen stream and an oxygen stream. During the detritiation of water, tritium is accumulated in the H2 generator in the form of tritiated water, and the effluent streams (hydrogen and oxygen) show in time an increased tritium concentration in the form of both tritiated water vapors and gas, which need to be recovered. The traditional methods for recovery present a risk of explosion due to the high concentration of hydrogen in oxygen (above 3%, while the explosion limit is 1%). In order to minimize this risk, a microchannel reactor with platinated channels has been developed and tested for the oxidation of tritiated hydrogen from the O2 electrolyzer stream in view of its recovery in a scrubber column and returned as tritiated water to the process. The reactor has been coupled to an electrolyzer and tested with regard to the operating temperature. It has been found that it reaches the highest oxidation efficiency of hydrogen when operated at 200°C. The design of the equipment is presented together with the results of the tests done with the equipment integrated in the CECE process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tritium resulting from separation processes is being stored in metal hydrides. In time, because of radioactive decay, tritium converts into 3He, which accumulates in the storage vessel. The recovery of 3He is a topic of high interest because of its wide range of applications in health care, security, and advanced research. Currently, at ICSI Râmnicu Vâlcea, a method is under development based on gas chromatography, Pd/Ag membrane permeation, and cryogenic distillation for 3He separation and enrichment having as sources both the cover gas of nuclear reactors and tritium storage containers. This paper reports the investigation of using Pd/Ag membranes for helium separation from hydrogen isotopes by experimental determination of the operating performance of the membrane in view of process integration. Tests have been performed at different temperatures in the domain of 100°C to 350°C for different hydrogen partial pressures in the upstream side of the membrane in the domain of 150 to 300 kPa, while the downstream part was continuously purged with a preliminary vacuum pump. The results for the membrane parameters are in good agreement with previous literature reports and will be utilized for the dimensioning and establishing of operating parameters of the membrane used for intermediate separation of helium isotopes from hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study describes the frequency and severity of COVID-19 in HCWs and estimates the dynamic risk of COVID-19-related events. We actively surveyed all HCWs from a tertiary infectious disease hospital from 26 February 2020 to 31 May 2023. Of 1220 HCWs, 62.9% (767) had at least one COVID-19 episode. The under 29 years (p = 0.0001) and 40–49 years (p = 0.01) age groups, nurses (p = 0.0001), and high-risk departments (p = 0.037) were characteristics significantly more frequent in HCWs with COVID-19 history. A higher percentage of boosters (53.2%; p < 0.0001) were registered in the uninfected group. The second episode of COVID-19 was significantly milder than the first. Data regarding clinical outcomes from 31 January 2021 to 31 May 2023 were analyzed in a follow-up study to determine the risk of COVID-19-related events. The Cox regression analysis revealed that HCWs with booster shots had a lower risk of COVID-19 across all events, symptomatic events, and moderate to severe events as adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) were: 0.71 (95%CI: 0.54–0.96), 0.23 (95%CI: 0.12–0.46), and 0.17 (95%CI: 0.07–0.43), respectively. Within the vaccinated subgroup, the HCWs with hybrid immunity and booster had aHR for all followed-up events of 0.42 (95%CI: 0.30–0.58), for symptomatic events of 0.52 (95%CI: 0.36–0.74), and 0.15 (95%CI: 0.03–0.66) for moderate to severe events. The risk of COVID-19 clinical events was lower for HCWs with at least one booster than those completely vaccinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a book review of "Camera Work: The Complete Photographs 1903-1917" by Alfred Stieglitz. The book is a new edition of the original 1997 publication and showcases the photographs published in Stieglitz's avant-garde magazine, Camera Work, which aimed to establish photography as an art form. The book also provides insight into Stieglitz's life and development as a photographer, from his European-influenced style to his focus on capturing the energy and growth of New York City. The review praises the book for bringing together the high-quality photographs from Camera Work and highlighting Stieglitz's work as a publisher. It also acknowledges Stieglitz's efforts to promote photography as an art form and his impact on the field. [Extracted from the article]

"Edvard Munch. Magic of the North" is a book review of a catalogue for an exhibition curated by the Berlinische Galerie. The catalogue explores Edvard Munch's relationship with Berlin and his impact on the city's art scene. It includes research-based texts analyzing different aspects of Munch's work, a biography of the artist, and a section dedicated to the works chosen for the exhibition. The essays discuss key moments in Munch's career, his influence on the Berlin art world, and the role of intellectuals in supporting him. The article also explores Munch's development towards Expressionism, his experimentation with graphic art and photography, and his series of paintings called the Frieze of Life. It concludes by discussing the difficulty of categorizing Munch's work but suggests that he was seen as a figurehead for the Berlin Secession and a forerunner of Expressionism. [Extracted from the article]

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