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Mihaela-Camelia Vasile,1,2,* Claudiu-Ionut Vasile,2,3,* Anca-Adriana Arbune,4,5,* Alexandru Nechifor,1,* Manuela Arbune1,6,* 1Clinical Medical Department, Medicine and Pharmacy Faculty, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 2Infectious Diseases Department II, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania; 3Psychiatry Department I, Clinic Psychiatry Hospital, Galati, Romania; 4Neurology Department, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania; 5Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research (MIC-DIR), “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 6Infectious Diseases Department I, Clinic Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Claudiu-Ionut Vasile, Email vasilemclaudiu@yahoo.comPurpose: To screen the neurocognitive impairment persistent post-COVID-19.Patients and Methods: We assessed the neuropsychiatric disorders associated with COVID-19 in a prospective study, by “Mini-Mental State Examination” (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaires, applied in the discharge to COVID-19 hospitalized patients for moderate and severe forms of disease. They were followed-up in 6 and 12 months.Results: The tests were performed in the baseline and were reevaluated after 6 and 12 months. Baseline cognitive dysfunction was found in 12.4% of patients, according to the MMSE test and in 19.7% by the MoCA scores. Overall cognitive dysfunction in COVID-19 was returned to normal after 6 months, although some tasks are more severe and persistently impaired, such as attention, concentration, short memory, and execution skills. The male gender and the degree of hypoxia, related to the severity of COVID-19 infection, were related to cognitive dysfunction in the study group.Conclusion: Cognitive domain impairments related to COVID-19 could persist over 6 months post-acute infectious episode requiring systematic screening for early diagnosis of progressive brain pathologies and rehabilitation. Keywords: mental health, MoCA test, MMSE test, cognitive domains, COVID-19

Alin Laurentiu Tatu,1– 3,* Thomas Nadasdy,3,4 Anca Arbune,5,* Valentin Chioncel,6,* Carmen Bobeica,7 Elena Niculet,3,* Alina Viorica Iancu,7 Caterina Dumitru,8 Valentin Tudor Popa,3,9 Nicolas Kluger,10,11 Victor Gabriel Clatici,11 Claudiu Ionut Vasile,2 Cristian Onisor,7 Alexandru Nechifor2 1Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania; 2Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 3Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research (MIC-DIR) [Centrul Integrat Multi disciplinar de Cercetare de Interfata Dermatologica (CIM-CID)], Galați, Romania; 4Dermatology Department, Municipal Emergency Hospital, Timişoara, Romania; 5Neurology Department, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania; 6Neurology Department, “Bagdasar-Arseni” Emergency Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania; 7Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 8Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 9Dermatology Department, Center for the Morphologic Study of the Skin MORPHODERM, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timișoara, Romania; 10Department of Dermatology, Allergology and Venereology, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; 11Apolo Medical Center, Bucharest, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Anca Arbune, Neurology Department, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 258 Fundeni Street, Bucharest, 022328, Romania, Tel +40 21 275 0500, Email anca.arbune@gmail.com Elena Niculet, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, 35 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, Galați, 800008, Romania, Tel +40 74 139 8895, Email helena_badiu@yahoo.comAbstract: The interrelations and sequencing of interleukins are complex (inter)actions where each interleukin can stimulate the secretion of its preceding interleukin. In this paper, we attempt to summarize the currently known roles of IL-4, IL-13, IL-31, and IL-33 from a multi-disciplinary perspective. In order to conduct a comprehensive review of the current literature, a search was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, Medscape, UpToDate, and Key Elsevier for keywords. The results were compiled from case reports, case series, letters, and literature review papers, and analyzed by a panel of multi-disciplinary specialist physicians for relevance. Based on 173 results, we compiled the following review of interleukin signaling and its clinical significance across a multitude of medical specialties. Interleukins are at the bed rock of a multitude of pathologies across different organ systems and understanding their role will likely lead to novel treatments and better outcomes for our patients. New interleukins are being described, and the role of this inflammatory cascade is still coming to light. We hope this multi-discipline review on the role interleukins play in current pathology assists in this scope.Keywords: interleukin cascade, IL-4, IL-13, IL-31, IL-33

Patricia Liana Cristodor,1,2,* Alexandru Nechifor,3,* Silvia Fotea,3,* Thomas Nadasdy,2,4 Yousef Bahloul,2,5 Alin Codrut Nicolescu,6,* Alin Laurentiu Tatu3,4,7,8 1Center for the Morphologic Study of the Skin MORPHODERM, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeș”, Timișoara, TM, Romania; 2Dermatology Department, Spitalul Clinic Municipal de Urgenta Timisoara, Timişoara, TM, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, GL, Romania; 4Multidisciplinary Integrative Center for Dermatologic Interface Research MIC-DIR, Galati, GL, Romania; 5PhD Studies Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babeș” Timișoara, Timișoara, TM, Romania; 6Department of Dermatology, ‘Roma’ Medical Center for Diagnosis and Treatment, Bucharest, Romania; 7Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galati, GL, Romania; 8Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences ReFORM-UDJ, Galati, GL, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Thomas Nadasdy; Yousef Bahloul, Dermatology Department, Spitalul Clinic Municipal de Urgenta Timisoara, str. Ofcea nr.24, Timişoara, TM, 300558, Romania, Tel +40 751609000, Email thomas.nadasdy@gmail.com; dr.yousef.bahloul@gmail.comAbstract: There are a wide variety of disfiguring dermatological conditions whose pathologic substrate is represented by the unwanted deposition of collagen from dermal fibroblasts. Pirfenidone has demonstrated efficiency in the treatment of disordered collagen production when applied topically. Due to a similar mechanism of action, we also hypothesize that a similar medication, nintedanib, might have similar applications. We also propose that a liposomal technology may assist in the penetration of nintedanib and enhance its clinical effects.Keywords: nintedanib, pirfenidone, keloid, scarring, fibroblast

Claudiu Ionut Vasile,1,2 Mihaela Camelia Vasile,1,3,* Monica Laura Zlati,4,5,* Elena Emanuela Herbei,6,* Lorena Lepădatu,7,* Cristina Munteanu,2,* Alexandru Nechifor,8,* Alin Laurențiu Tatu8– 10 1Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, România; 2“Elena Doamna” Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Galaţi, România; 3Infectious Diseases Department, Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva”, Galați, România; 4Business Administration Department, Dunărea de Jos University, Galați, România; 5Accounting, Audit and Finance Department, Stefan Cel Mare University, Suceava, România; 6Department of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Centre of Nanostructures and Functional Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University “Dunărea de Jos”, Galaţi, România; 7“Sf Ap Andrei” Emergency County Clinical Hospital, Galați, România; 8Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, ReFORM-UDJ, Galați, România; 9Dermatology Department, “Sf Cuv Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, România; 10Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC DIR, Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, România*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Mihaela Camelia Vasile; Elena Emanuela Herbei, “Dunărea de Jos”University, 47 Domnească Street, Galați, 800010, Romania, Tel +40724571976 ; +40723015307, Email mihaela272006@yahoo.com; elena.valcu@ugal.roAbstract: Corona virus (COVID-19) is an epidemy of respiratory disease caused by a novel corona virus and it was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be a global health pandemic emergency. Due to the neuropsychiatric manifestation of Covid-19 that have been associated with psychotic disorders, in this paper we choose to present a case from “Elena Doamna” Psychiatric Hospital from Galati, Romania and to correlate it with other cases from literature in a mini review presentation. In our paper, we present the case of a patient of 44-year-old men, with no past psychiatric history whose behavior included psycho-motor agitation, perception and thinking disorders, disorganized behaviour, attempted suicide by stabbing. The last perspectives from the two years of pandemic together with psychiatric disease linked the virus infections with psychosis to the main concern that Covid-19 could determine psychiatric disorders. There were also presented same literature studies of patients with no personal pathological history in the psychiatric field which developed psychiatric disorders after COVID-19 infection. SARS-CoV-2 has a psychological impact on the mental health status of the worldwide and, especially when it is associated with psychotic symptoms and can affect the quality-of-life. In some cases, the virus affected the brain and as a result, the psychosis symptoms could be an emerging phenomenon associated with the corona virus. Based on the DSM V and ICD-10 criteria, the diagnosis was of acute psychiatric disorders with symptoms of schizophrenia (F23.1). The case report and review reliefs that there is a causal link between the SARS CoV-2 infection and mental disorders, which is currently being investigated.Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, psychiatric disorders, DSM V and ICD-10 criteria

Carmen Bobeica,1,* Elena Niculet,1,2 Mihaela Craescu,1 Elena-Laura Parapiru,3,* Carmina Liana Musat,1,* Ciprian Dinu,4,* Iulia Chiscop,5,* Luiza Nechita,3,* Mihaela Debita,6,* Victorita Stefanescu,6,* Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,7,* Alexandru Nechifor,3,* Ana Maria Pelin,8,* Gabriela Balan,3,9,10,* Silvia Chirobocea,11,* Claudiu Ionut Vasile,3,* Alin Laurentiu Tatu2,3,12 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 2Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC-DIR (Centrul Integrat Multidisciplinar de Cercetare de Interfata Dermatologica - CIM-CID), ‘Dunărea de Jos’ University, Galați, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dunărea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 4Dental Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dunărea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 5Clinical Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 6Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dunărea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 7Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children “Sf. Ioan”, Galati, Romania; 8Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 9Department of Gastroenterology, “Sf. Apostol Andrei” County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Galați, Romania; 10Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, “Dunărea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 11Department of Neurology, Municipal Emergency Hospital, Moinești, Romania; 12Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Elena Niculet; Mihaela Craescu, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galați, 35 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, Galați, 800008, Romania, Tel +40741398895 ; +40751869864, Email helena_badiu@yahoo.com; dr.craescumihaela@yahoo.roIntroduction: CREST syndrome is a clinical entity associated with systemic sclerosis, which meets at least three of the five clinical features: calcinosis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility, sclerodactyly, and telangiectasia. Three of these clinical features (Raynaud’s phenomenon, sclerodactyly and esophageal dysmotility) are often present in classical subsets of SSc: limited and diffuse, and their presence in association does not define CREST syndrome. Calcinosis seems to be less common in SSc and its association with other clinical features is characteristic of CREST syndrome. Therefore, it can be appreciated that calcinosis is the key element of CREST syndrome.Methods: This study included a number of 37 candidates with SSc, diagnosed with the help of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) 2013 criteria.Results and Discussions: These three elements (calcinosis, Raynaud’s phenomenon, esophageal dysmotility) were recorded both in the limited subset of SSc, but especially in the subset of diffuse SSc, contrary to the data in the literature.Conclusion: We appreciate that CREST syndrome is a clinical entity that can overlap with both subsets of SSc. Given the divergent views of the authors on the classification of CREST syndrome, future studies may contribute to a reassessment of SSc classification.Keywords: systemic sclerosis, dystrophic calcinosis, CREST syndrome, telangiectasia, Raynaud’s phenomenon, sclerodactyly

Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,2,&ast; Liliana Baroiu,3,4 Sergiu Chirila,5 Magdalena Miulescu,6,&ast; Lucre&tcedil;ia Anghel,3,7 Luiza Nechita,3,&ast; Ciprian Adrian Dinu,8,&ast; Victorita Stefanescu,3 Carmen Bobeica,1,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor,3,&ast; Alin Lauren&tcedil;iu Tatu3,9– 11 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 2Department of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedy, “Sf Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, Galati, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 4Infectious Diseases Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania; 5Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Ovidius University, Constanta, Romania; 6Research Center in the Functional Cardiorespiratory and Neuromotor Exploration, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 7Internal Medicine Department, “sf Andrew the Apostle” County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Galati, Romania; 8Dental Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 9Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Reform-UDJ, Galati, Romania; 10Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galati, Romania; 11Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC DIR, Galati, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Liliana Baroiu, Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, 47 Domneasc&abreve; Street, Galati, 800010, Romania, Tel +40723201241, Email lilibaroiu@yahoo.com Sergiu Chirila, Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Ovidius University, 1 University Alee, Campus B, Constanta, 900470, Romania, Tel +407213320668, Email sergiu.chirila@univ-ovidius.roBackground: The incidence of ovarian cystic lesions (OCLs) in pediatric patients has been increasing in recent years. An early diagnosis is mandatory for a favourable prognosis but it depends on the primary medical care services and on the socioeconomic status of the patient. The present study aims at assessing the prevalence and the age-specific frequencies of pediatric OCLs, as well as identifying disparities between subjects in the urban and the rural areas, in order to explore the extent to which OCLs occurrence, diagnosis, evolution and treatment differ in the case of patients living in rural areas.Methods: A 3-year retrospective study was conducted between 2017 and 2019. All the female patients aged between 0 and 18 with OCLs ≥ 10 mm (N = 488), diagnosed and treated at “Sf.Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children in Gala&tcedil;i were included in the study. The Chi2 test was used for comparing the distributions of frequencies, and the t-Student test was used for comparing the means of any two normally distributed variables. The statistical significance threshold (p) was set at 0.05.Results: The prevalence of OCLs ≥ 10 mm was 14.85%, 47.13% of the subjects originating in rural area (p = 0.62). Different from the urban areas, the rural ones are characterised by a lower proportion of patients with BMI ≥ 25 (p = 0.002), larger OCLs mean size (p = 0.278), a more frequent complex aspect on ultrasonography (p = 0.01), and a smaller number of general physician referrals (p = 0.005). Moreover, a higher proportion of rural patients were intraoperatively diagnosed with OCLs (p = 0.044), had complicated OCLs (p = 0.012) and had their OCLs surgically treated OCLs (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Taking into consideration the socio-economic situation of south eastern Romania, patients living in rural areas have proven exposed to a higher risk of presenting with larger, complex and complicated OCLs, which most often require surgical treatment.Keywords: ovarian cyst, rural population, incidence, body mass index, management, torsion

Carmen Bobeica,1,&ast; Elena Niculet,1,2 Mihaela Craescu,1 Elena-Laura Parapiru,3,&ast; Carmina Liana Musat,1,&ast; Ciprian Dinu,4,&ast; Iulia Chiscop,5,&ast; Luiza Nechita,3,&ast; Victorita Stefanescu,6,&ast; Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,7,&ast; Ana Maria Pelin,8,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor,3,&ast; Gabriela Balan,3,9,10,&ast; Alin Laurentiu Tatu2,3,11 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 2Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC-DIR (Centrul Integrat Multidisciplinar de Cercetare de Interfata Dermatologica - CIM-CID), ‘Dun&abreve;rea de Jos’ University, Galați, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dun&abreve;rea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 4Dental Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dun&abreve;rea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 5Clinical Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 6Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dun&abreve;rea de Jos University, Galați, Romania; 7Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children “Sf. Ioan”, Galati, Romania; 8Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 9Department of Gastroenterology, “Sf. Apostol Andrei” County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Galați, Romania; 10Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 11Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Elena Niculet; Mihaela Craescu, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, 35 Alexandru Ioan Cuza Street, Galați, 800008, Romania, Tel +40741398895 ; +40751869864, Email helena_badiu@yahoo.com; dr.craescumihaela@yahoo.roAbstract: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a collagenosis with a substrate of chronic inflammation, which is determined by autoimmunity. The pathogenesis of this disease involves microvasculopathy (small vessel pathology) followed by excessive cutaneous and visceral fibrosis. Although acoustic and vestibular impairment is not classified as being a secondary pathology of SSc, several studies have identified cases of SSc that associate hearing loss and especially vertigo and tinnitus. This paper presents data from the medical literature that have identified vestibular and auditory symptoms among patients with SSc, associating the clinical case presentation of a patient suffering from SSc, which is associated with hearing loss. The need for additional studies on larger groups of patients is underlined, in order to clarify the impact of vasculopathy and fibrosis on the acoustic and vestibular analyzer in patients with SSc.Keywords: systemic sclerosis, hearing loss, vasculopathy, fibrosis, capillaroscopy

Adela-Ioana Mocanu,1,&ast; Horia Mocanu,2 Cosmin Moldovan,3,4,&ast; Ioana Soare,3,&ast; Elena Niculet,5,6 Alin Laurentiu Tatu,6,7,&ast; Claudiu Ionut Vasile,7,&ast; Daniela Diculencu,8 Paraschiva A Postolache,9,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor7 1Department of ENT & HNS, Polimed Medical Center, Bucharest, Romania; 2Department of ENT & HNS, Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University, Bucharest, Romania; 3Faculty of Medicine, “Titu Maiorescu” University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; 4General Surgery Ward, ‘Witting’ Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania; 5Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 6Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC-DIR (Centrul Integrat Multidisciplinar de Cercetare de Interfata Dermatologica - CIM-CID), “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 7Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania; 8Medical Analysis Laboratory, Clinical Pneumoftisiology Hospital, Iasi, Romania; 9Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine, “Grigore T Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Adela-Ioana Mocanu, Department of ENT&HNS, Polimed Medical Center, Bucharest, Romania, Tel +40 751 209 060, Email adela.ioana.mocanu@gmail.com Elena Niculet, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania, Tel +40 741 398 895, Email helena_badiu@yahoo.comAbstract: Tuberculosis is a disease of global outreach that may affect the entire human body but is most commonly located in the lungs. Otorhinolaryngological manifestations of tuberculosis are rare, mostly occurring secondary to pulmonary disease but nevertheless represent significant diagnostic challenges. Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is rare, representing around 1% of all upper air-way localizations and the most common presentation is in the form of adenoids. Tuberculous glossitis (oral tuberculosis) is even scarcer and may present in various clinical forms, usually mimicking a malignant neoplasm, or, less often, trauma or other infectious lesions. Oropharynx tuberculosis is usually misdiagnosed as hypertrophic chronic tonsillitis. We present four rare cases of ENT tuberculosis, primary adenoiditis and tonsillitis in a 13-year-old girl, a curious case of tuberculous glossitis in a 65-year-old woman, clinically diagnosed as a lingual neoplasm and two cases of tuberculous lymphadenopathy uncommonly located in the submandibular and supraclavicular regions. A comprehensive review of literature follows the case presentations. Tuberculous manifestation in the ear, nose and throat area remains a difficult diagnosis to establish, particularly because of its rarity and non-specific clinical appearance, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of pharynx lesions. An early diagnosis is essential to avoid occurrence of complications.Keywords: case report, tuberculosis, nasopharynx, oral tuberculosis, head and neck, extra nodal

Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,2,&ast; Liliana Baroiu,3,4 Anca-Iulia Neagu,1,5 Dumitru Marius Danila,2,6 Alexandru Nechifor,3,&ast; Magdalena Miulescu,7,&ast; Gabriela Balan,3,8,&ast; Claudiu Ionut Vasile,3,9,&ast; Elena Niculet,1,10 Alin Lauren&tcedil;iu Tatu3,11– 13 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 2Department of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedics, “Sf Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, Galați, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 4Infectious Diseases Department, “Sf Cuv Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, Romania; 5Department of Anatomopathology, “Sf Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children, Galați, Romania; 6Clinical Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 7Research Center in the Functional Cardiorespiratory and Neuromotor Exploration, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 8Department of Gastroenterology, “Sf Ap Andrei” Emergency County Clinical Hospital, Galați, Romania; 9“Elena Doamna” Clinical Hospital of Psychiatry, Gala&tcedil;i, Romania; 10Department of Pathology, “Sf Ap Andrei” Emergency County Clinical Hospital, Galați, Romania; 11Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, ReFORM-UDJ, Galați, Romania; 12Dermatology Department, “Sf Cuv Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, Romania; 13Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC DIR, Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Liliana Baroiu, Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos”University, 47 Domneasc&abreve; Street, Galați, 800010, Romania, Tel +40723201241, Email lilibaroiu@yahoo.com Anca-Iulia Neagu, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, 47 Domneasc&abreve; Street, Galați, 800010, Romania, Tel +40754937354, Email ancazanoschi@gmail.comAbstract: Paraovarian cysts (POCs) develop within the broad ligament of the uterus. POCs are considered to be giant when the threshold of 150 mm is exceeded. Clinical signs and symptoms occur as a consequence of the pressure effect on adjacent organs or due to complications. Abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are useful imaging tools, but most often the exact origin of such voluminous cysts is revealed only by surgical exploration. The review aims to appraise and update the diagnostic, the histological aspects and the treatment of the giant POCs in rare cases. We carried out a systematic search in Medline-PubMed, Google Scholar and ResearchGate electronic databases. Twenty-seven papers fulfilling the selection criteria were included in the review. The data extracted included information about first author, year of publication, country, patient age, size and side of the POCs, symptoms, tumoral markers, imaging methods, preoperative diagnosis, surgical management and histopathological findings. Although not very numerous, all the studies highlighted the low incidence of giant POCs, the impossibility of establishing the origin of the cystic mass by clinical and imaging methods even with advanced technical tools and the low risk of torsion (11.1%). Despite the recognized benign nature of POCs, we found an unexpected high percent (25.9%) of borderline giant POCs. Surgical excision is the only treatment option. Ovarian-sparing surgery was performed in 85.1% of the cases, and minimally invasive techniques were applied in only 42.9% of the patients, which demonstrates the need of a high-level laparoscopic expertise. Knowledge of this pathology, its recognition as a possible etiology of an abdominopelvic cyst, and a higher awareness of the possibility of a borderline histology in giant POCs are required for the proper management of these particular cases.Keywords: paraovarian cyst, paratubal cyst, giant, serous cystadenoma, torsion, management

Elena Niculet,1,2,&ast; Carmen Bobeica,1 Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,3 Ana Maria Pelin,4,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor,2,5,&ast; Cristian Onisor,1,&ast; Alin Laurentiu Tatu2,4,5 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 2Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research MIC-DIR (Centrul Integrat Multidisciplinar de Cercetare de Interfata Dermatologica - CIM-CID), ‘Dun&abreve;rea de Jos’ University, Galați, Romania; 3Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children “Sf. Ioan”, Galati, Romania; 4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 5Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galați, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Carmen Bobeica; Ioana Anca Stefanopol, Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dun&abreve;rea de Jos University, Galați, 800008, Romania, Tel +40744368150 ; +40 744 222 488, Email carmenbobeica1@gmail.com; ancaflorea1969@yahoo.comAbstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with high prevalence and a complex pathophysiology. This relapsing and remitting skin disorder has many negative consequences on the patient’s quality of life and that of his family. Until now, moderate-to-severe AD treatment was a symptomatic one, using skin emollients, topical corticosteroids, phototherapy, antihistamines and systemic drugs – immune suppressants and other systemic treatments (dupilumab). Starting from 2021, abrocitinib, a Janus kinase-1 inhibitor, was approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe cases of AD in Europe, in adults. Multiple phase three studies (JADE MONO-1 [NCT03349060]; JADE MONO-2 [NCT03575871]; JADE TEEN [NCT03796676]; JADE COMPARE; GOODERHAM; JADE EXTEND) have yielded positive results in adults and adolescents suffering from this disease, with efficacy, a good tolerance, safe profile, and with generally mild side effects. The positive results were obtained even starting from the first stages of the oral drug administration. The low frequency of side effects and the advantage of having an orally administered medication makes abrocitinib an important additional tool for the treatment of moderate-to-severe forms of AD.Keywords: abrocitinib, atopic dermatitis, adolescents, JADE, JADE-MONO

Liliana Baroiu,1,&ast; Ana Cristina Lese,2 Ioana Anca Stefanopol,3,&ast; Alina Iancu,3,4,&ast; Caterina Dumitru,4,5,&ast; Alexandru Bogdan Ciubara,3,&ast; Florin Ciprian Bujoreanu,6 Nicusor Baroiu,7,&ast; Anamaria Ciubara,1,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor,1,4,&ast; Lucretia Anghel,1,&ast; Alin Laurentiu Tatu1,4,6 1Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University of Galați, Galati, Romania; 2“George Enescu” National University of Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, Iasi, Romania; 3Departament of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University of Galați, Galati, Romania; 4Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research Center (MICDIR), “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University of Galați, Galati, Romania; 5Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University of Galați, Galati, Romania; 6Dermatology Department, “Sf. Parascheva” Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital, Galati, Romania; 7Manufacturing Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University of Galati, Galati, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ana Cristina Lese, “George Enescu” National University of Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts and Design, No. 29, str. Cuza Voda, Iasi, 700040, Romania, Tel +40232212549, Fax +40232212551, Email analese2000@yahoo.com Florin Ciprian Bujoreanu, “Sf. Parascheva” Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital, No. 343, str., Traian, Galati, 800179, Romania, Tel +40236334477, Fax +40236467752, Email florin.bujoreanu@gmail.comPurpose: The COVID-19 pandemic was noted for the high degree of contagion and the large number of cases, as well as for the various clinical forms, from asymptomatic towards rapid evolution to death. The hospitals limited care capacity imposed the need to identify some markers of unfavorable evolution. The purpose of our study is to identify the parameters correlated with COVID-19 unfavorable evolution and to draw the profile of the patient at risk of unfavorable evolution. This set of parameters will help the doctor in deciding whether to hospitalize a patient and in choosing the treatment.Patients and Methods: We performed a prospective, observational, actively controlled study on 849 patients with COVID-19, hospitalized in the Second Clinic of “Sf. Cuv. Parascheva” Infectious Diseases Clinical Hospital Galati, Romania, between 1.03.2020– 30.11.2020.Results: The parameters statistically significant modified at the admission of the patients with COVID-19 unfavorable evolution were age, oxygen saturation, D-dimers, creatine kinase (CK), troponin, erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR), leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, platelets, hemoglobin (Hb), aspartate transaminase (AST), total and direct bilirubin (TBIL, DBIL), urea, creatinine, serum glucose. Strong correlations were observed between the unfavorable evolution and the admission values of D-dimers, AST, TBIL and between D-dimers and AST, which suggests that D-dimers levels can be considered predictive for the alteration of liver function and for the negative prognosis of the patient.Conclusion: Coagulation disorders and acute respiratory failure are the prevailing causes of death from COVID-19. Together with other parameters that constitute the risk profile for severe COVID-19 evolution, the D-dimers dosing at admission proved to be extremely useful in the management of COVID-19.Keywords: COVID-19, D-dimer, aspartate transaminase, total bilirubin, unfavorable evolution marker

Ioana Anca Stefanopol,1,2,&ast; Liliana Baroiu,3,4 Georgiana Bianca Constantin,1,5 Dumitru Marius Danila,2,6,&ast; Lucre&tcedil;ia Anghel,3,7,&ast; Alexandru Nechifor,3,8,&ast; Alin Lauren&tcedil;iu Tatu3,8– 10 1Department of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 2Department of Pediatric Surgery and Orthopedy, Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children “Sf Ioan”, Galați, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 4Infectious Diseases Department, Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases “St. Parascheva”, Galați, Romania; 5West Clinique Braila, Braila, Romania; 6Clinical Surgical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 7Internal Medicine Department, “St. Andrew the Apostle” County Emergency Clinical Hospital, Galați, Romania; 8Multidisciplinary Integrated Center of Dermatological Interface Research, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, Galați, Romania; 9Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, ReFORM-UDJ, Galați, Romania; 10Dermatology Department, Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases “Sf. CuvioasaParascheva”, Galati, Romania&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Liliana BaroiuClinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, 47 Domneasc&abreve; Street, Galati, 800010, RomaniaTel +40723201241Email lilibaroiu@yahoo.comGeorgiana Bianca ConstantinDepartment of Morphological and Functional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dun&abreve;rea de Jos” University, 47 Domneasc&abreve; Street, Gala&tcedil;i, 800010, RomaniaTel +40749058284Email constantin_bianca2009@yahoo.comAbstract: Undescended ovary (UO) is an uncommon congenital condition characterized by the presence of the adnexa above the common iliac vessels, with an estimated incidence of 0.3– 2%. Because of its rarity, it is usually presented as a case report. A thorough knowledge of the ovarian embryological development is essential for the clinician, who must be warned about the possibility of associated Müllerian and renal malformations. There may be asymptomatic patients, incidentally diagnosed during infertility evaluation, but when symptoms occur, these are unspecific and most often this disorder is misdiagnosed, the accurate diagnosis being established intraoperatory. The malignant potential of an UO is accepted, although no such cases were reported. The role of the UO in infertility is still unclear, despite evidence of its normal function. Complications are linked to the ovary (cyst formation, cyst ruptures or tumors) or to the undescended fallopian tube (ectopic pregnancies). The management should be conservative, but there is no consensus about whether it is necessary to excise the ipsilateral undescended tube. We included a short case presentation of an UO cystadenoma misdiagnosed as a renal cyst, which depicts all diagnostic and management dilemmas and inspired us to write this review. The present literature review includes all the cases reported from the early 20th century to the present, with updated data about epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical and imaging diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis of this rare condition. This paper aims to establish some directions in the diagnosis and management of similar patients and to remind us that, no matter how advanced the imaging investigation techniques might be, a correct preoperative diagnosis may often be missed.Keywords: undescended ovary, ovarian maldescent, undescended fallopian tubes, maldescent fallopian tube, ovarian cyst, ectopic tubal pregnancy

In the present paper, we followed the botanical and phytochemical characterization of the two plants Matricaria Chamomilla and Aloe Barbadensis, known since antiquity. We performed the spectrophotometric analysis of some compounds from the structure of the two plants, we studied the antioxidant activity in order to scientifically validate the therapeutic effects and the subsequent possibility of obtaining pharmaceutical preparations with possible anti-acne, healing, anti-inflammatory actions.

Background: Postural skills are fundamental in motor activities, so far no evidence of a direct relationship has been found, it is therefore recommended to consider the following directions, the higher the level of sports competition, the better the body posture; or better athletes also have a better body posture. Around the age of 11-14 years, it is a period of aggressive development, if the rapid growth of the bone system is not associated and symmetrical with the development of soft tissues serious postural deficiencies may develop in table tennis players. Methods: We used the web camera – photographic method (38) related to the Sensor Medica software that allows the acquisition of images in order to detect postural deficiencies and we considered it necessary to have a clear image of the level of technical-tactical training of female juniors III using 5 tests specific to topspin attack in order to assess the influence of body posture on such tests. Eighteen female juniors III (the mean ± SD age, height and weight were 11.1 ± 0.2 years, 147.7 ± 2.6 cm, 39.0 ± 2.0 kg). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the procedures for establishing the normality of data distribution, Levene's Test for Equality of Variances, the t test for independent samples. The confidence interval was set at 95% (p < 0.05), Results and Conclusions: Since Sig. (2-tailed) or p < α = 0.001 and taking into account that the confidence interval limits for the difference between the sample mean and the reference value (95% CI for the mean difference) do not contain the zero value, it is accepted that there are statistically significant differences between the shoulder inclination for the female athletes in the sample studied and the reference value. We identified that at the level of alignment between anatomical landmarks, the percentage of deficiency of the entire lot of female juniors III in the case of shoulders is 100% and at the level of PSIS is 66%, which validates several studies that stated that in this period of aggressive growth correlated with repetitive unilateral executions specific to the topspin attack lead to postural deficiencies. In terms of the influence of body posture on the quality level, we identified that Group 1 – (without PSIS imbalance) has a higher average overall efficiency of the 5 tests (11.33) compared to Group 2 (8.58), even if from a statistical point of view these differences are not significant.

The study aims to investigate the parameters offered by the baropodometric examination on a group of athletes practicing the martial art Karate Do (20 subjects, 16 girls and 4 boys, average age 13.55 ± 2.74, height 163 cm ± 8.47 , weight 54.50 kg ± 8.84, BMI (body index mass) of 20.46 ± 2.90 and seniority in sports activity of 5.27 years ± 2.74). The purpose of the research is to determine the changes related to the value of the plantar surfaces, the pressures for the dominant and non-dominant lower segments, the positioning of the pressure center in relation to the support polygon and the imbalances in the sole of the foot. The testing was performed using the FreeMed baropodometric platform and the FreeStep by Sensor Medica software, in the last week of February 2021, at the Research Center for Human Performance within the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, “Dunărea de Jos” University from Galați. Results: Placing the maximum pressure point / P.max in the forefoot area is an exception, only one case being reported with this distribution, the rest having P.max located at the rearfoot level. Comparison of the averages between the variables recorded for the left foot vs. the right foot highlights higher values of the dominant / right foot, but these differences are significant only for the values of the plantar pressure in the forefoot area and for the total load on the entire plantar surface / total load (p

This article aims at picturing the image of women as portrayed in Romanian advertising during the 1930s. Torn between forward-looking associations fighting for equal rights and traditionalist tendencies confining the woman to the household, the female image, as captured by adverts, underwent spectacular changes, as a reflection of the mentalities and implications generated by the historical and social background.

This study explores how age and seasonal changes impact semen characteristics and reproductive behavior in Carpatina breed bucks. Males were divided into three age groups: young (14–23 months; L14), adult (3–4 years; L34), and older (5–6 years; L56). Scrotal biometry was determined using a measuring tape, and testicular volume was evaluated by fully submerging the testes in a water-filled container and measuring the displaced water. Semen analysis was conducted on samples collected each season, with volume, color, and acidity being assessed. The evaluation of specific semen characteristics (motility, sperm concentration, normal spermatozoa) was conducted using a Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) system, and testosterone levels were measured in blood samples collected at the start of each season. Behavior and sexual reflexes were evaluated based on mating desire and the bucks’ reaction to the presence of females. Key findings indicate that testicular volume varies significantly with both age and season, with the most pronounced differences between younger bucks and the older groups, especially during autumn. Semen quality parameters such as ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and motility also showed seasonal fluctuations, with younger bucks having lower sperm concentrations. Testosterone levels were observed to increase with age, peaking in autumn. Behavioral observations revealed that younger bucks exhibited less intense sexual activity, although this improved during autumn. Additionally, a significant correlation was identified between body weight and testicular volume in adult bucks (R = 0.942, p-value = 0.016 for L34; R = 0.797, p-value = 0.022 for L56), suggesting that age plays a crucial role in reproductive potential. Our findings highlight that, while bucks are capable of year-round reproduction, autumn provides optimal conditions for semen quality and reproductive performance. This research has valuable implications for optimizing breeding programs, contributing to genetic advancement, and improving management strategies in goat farming, especially within temperate continental climates.

Thorium is a weak radioactive element, but the control of its concentration in natural aqueous systems is of great interest for health, because it is a toxic heavy metal. The present paper presents the recovery of thorium from diluted synthetic aqueous systems by nanofiltration. The membranes used for the nanofiltration of systems containing thorium species are composites containing 4′-Aminobenzo-15-crown-5 ether (ABCE) and sulfonated poly–etherether–ketone (sPEEK). The composite membranes (ABCE–sPEEK) were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X–Ray spectroscopy (EDAX), thermal analysis (TG and DSC), and from the perspective of thorium removal performance. To determine the process performance, the variables were the following: the nature of the composite membrane, the concentration of thorium in the aqueous systems, the rotation speed of the stirrer, and the pressure and the pH of the thorium aqueous system. When using pure water, a permeate flux value of 12 L·m−2 h−1 was obtained for the sPEEK membrane, and a permeate flux value of up to 15 L·m−2 h−1 was obtained for the ABCE–sPEEK composite membrane. The use of mechanical stirring, with a propeller stirrer, lead to an increase in the permeate flux value of pure water by about 20% for each of the studied membranes. Depending on the concentration of thorium and the pH of the feed solution, retentions between 84.9% and 98.4% were obtained. An important observation was the retention jump at pH 2 for the ABCE–sPEEK composite membrane. In the paper, a thorium ion retention mechanism is proposed for the sPEEK membrane and the ABCE–sPEEK composite membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide is present in active or extinct volcanic areas (mofettas). The habitable premises in these areas are affected by the presence of hydrogen sulfide, which, even in low concentrations, gives off a bad to unbearable smell. If the living spaces considered are closed enclosures, then a system can be designed to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide. This paper presents a membrane-based way to reduce the hydrogen sulfide concentration to acceptable limits using a cellulosic derivative–propylene hollow fiber-based composite membrane module. The cellulosic derivatives considered were: carboxymethyl–cellulose (NaCMC), P1; cellulose acetate (CA), P2; methyl 2–hydroxyethyl–cellulose (MHEC), P3; and hydroxyethyl–cellulose (HEC), P4. In the permeation module, hydrogen sulfide is captured with a solution of cadmium that forms cadmium sulfide, usable as a luminescent substance. The composite membranes were characterized by SEM, EDAX, FTIR, FTIR 2D maps, thermal analysis (TG and DSC), and from the perspective of hydrogen sulfide air removal performance. To determine the process performances, the variables were as follows: the nature of the cellulosic derivative–polypropylene hollow fiber composite membrane, the concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the polluted air, the flow rate of polluted air, and the pH of the cadmium nitrate solution. The pertraction efficiency was highest for the sodium carboxymethyl–cellulose (NaCMC)–polypropylene hollow fiber membrane, with a hydrogen sulfide concentration in the polluted air of 20 ppm, a polluted air flow rate (QH2S) of 50 L/min, and a pH of 2 and 4. The hydrogen sulfide flux rates, for membrane P1, fall between 0.25 × 10−7 mol·m2·s−1 for the values of QH2S = 150 L/min, CH2S = 20 ppm, and pH = 2 and 0.67 × 10−7 mol·m−2·s−1 for the values of QH2S = 50 L/min, CH2S = 60 ppm, and pH = 2. The paper proposes a simple air purification system containing hydrogen sulfide, using a module with composite cellulosic derivative–polypropylene hollow fiber membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how age and seasonal changes impact semen characteristics and reproductive behavior in Carpatina breed bucks. Males were divided into three age groups: young (14–23 months; L14), adult (3–4 years; L34), and older (5–6 years; L56). Scrotal biometry was determined using a measuring tape, and testicular volume was evaluated by fully submerging the testes in a water-filled container and measuring the displaced water. Semen analysis was conducted on samples collected each season, with volume, color, and acidity being assessed. The evaluation of specific semen characteristics (motility, sperm concentration, normal spermatozoa) was conducted using a Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) system, and testosterone levels were measured in blood samples collected at the start of each season. Behavior and sexual reflexes were evaluated based on mating desire and the bucks' reaction to the presence of females. Key findings indicate that testicular volume varies significantly with both age and season, with the most pronounced differences between younger bucks and the older groups, especially during autumn. Semen quality parameters such as ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, and motility also showed seasonal fluctuations, with younger bucks having lower sperm concentrations. Testosterone levels were observed to increase with age, peaking in autumn. Behavioral observations revealed that younger bucks exhibited less intense sexual activity, although this improved during autumn. Additionally, a significant correlation was identified between body weight and testicular volume in adult bucks (R = 0.942, p-value = 0.016 for L34; R = 0.797, p-value = 0.022 for L56), suggesting that age plays a crucial role in reproductive potential. Our findings highlight that, while bucks are capable of year-round reproduction, autumn provides optimal conditions for semen quality and reproductive performance. This research has valuable implications for optimizing breeding programs, contributing to genetic advancement, and improving management strategies in goat farming, especially within temperate continental climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foods are complex biosystems made up of a wide variety of compounds. Some of them, such as nutrients and bioactive compounds (bioactives), contribute to supporting body functions and bring important health benefits; others, such as food additives, are involved in processing techniques and contribute to improving sensory attributes and ensuring food safety. Also, there are antinutrients in foods that affect food bioefficiency and contaminants that increase the risk of toxicity. The bioefficiency of food is evaluated with bioavailability which represents the amount of nutrients or bioactives from the consumed food reaching the organs and tissues where they exert their biological activity. Oral bioavailability is the result of some physicochemical and biological processes in which food is involved such as liberation, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (LADME). In this paper, a general presentation of the factors influencing oral bioavailability of nutrients and bioactives as well as the in vitro techniques for evaluating bioaccessibility and is provided. In this context, a critical analysis of the effects of physiological factors related to the characteristics of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) on oral bioavailability is discussed, such as pH, chemical composition, volumes of gastrointestinal (GI) fluids, transit time, enzymatic activity, mechanical processes, and so on, and the pharmacokinetics factors including BAC and solubility of bioactives, their transport across the cell membrane, their biodistribution and metabolism. The impact of matrix and food processing on the BAC of bioactives is also explained. The researchers' recent concerns for improving oral bioavailability of nutrients and food bioactives using both traditional techniques, for example, thermal treatments, mechanical processes, soaking, germination and fermentation, as well as food nanotechnologies, such as loading of bioactives in different colloidal delivery systems (CDSs), is also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]