Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet in the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases as the Epidemic of the 21st century

Non-communicable diseases are known as the epidemic of the 21st century. In Romania, these are responsible for almost 91% of all the deaths. A balanced diet and regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes throughout the day) are the keys to a healthy and long living life. Mediterranean diet is shown to be the optimal diet for preventing non-communicable diseases and preserving good health. The concept of the Mediterranean diet is defined by the food pyramid, which is meant to provide an overall impression of healthy food choices, rather than to define recommended weights of certain foods or proportions of energy obtained from them. In Romania the concept of Mediterranean diet is unknown to most ordinary people. Even in medicine field there are few doctors who really know about this diet and its effects on patients’ health. Our purpose in writing this article was to draw a warning signal about the impact of Mediterranean diet on the health of people, in hope that through media, the importance of a healthy and active life in raising quality of life and decreasing morbidity and mortality can be fully understood.</span

Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet in the Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases as the Epidemic of the 21st century

Non-communicable diseases are known as the epidemic of the 21st century. In Romania, these are responsible for almost 91% of all the deaths. A balanced diet and regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes throughout the day) are the keys to a healthy and long living life. Mediterranean diet is shown to be the optimal diet for preventing non-communicable diseases and preserving good health. The concept of the Mediterranean diet is defined by the food pyramid, which is meant to provide an overall impression of healthy food choices, rather than to define recommended weights of certain foods or proportions of energy obtained from them. In Romania the concept of Mediterranean diet is unknown to most ordinary people. Even in medicine field there are few doctors who really know about this diet and its effects on patients’ health. Our purpose in writing this article was to draw a warning signal about the impact of Mediterranean diet on the health of people, in hope that through media, the importance of a healthy and active life in raising quality of life and decreasing morbidity and mortality can be fully understood.</span

Synthesis of novel profluorescent nitroxides as dual luminescent-paramagnetic active probes

International audienceWe describe herein the synthesis of new profluorescent nitroxides based on 2,5-disubstituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles as fluorescent moieties and the 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl radical (TEMPO) as paramagnetic probes. The synthesis and optical and electronic properties of the oxadiazole-based precursors of the profluorescent nitroxides, as well as the nitroxides and their reduced forms are also described. Physical investigations (i.e. absorption and emission spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry) indicate a different luminescence behaviour function to the oxadiazole substituent. A linear response to reducing agents, i.e. sodium ascorbate, monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy, suggests the possibility of using the synthesized compounds as potent active probes in detection of various analytes of interest

Left atrial dysfunction as a correlate of heart failure symptoms in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) represents a generalized myopathic process affecting both ventricular and atrial myocardium. We aimed to assess left atrial (LA) function by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography and its relation with left ventricular (LV) function and clinical status in patients with HCM. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 37 consecutive patients with HCM and 37 normal subjects with similar age and gender distribution. Longitudinal LV strain (epsilon) and LA epsilon and strain rate (Sr) parameters (systolic, early diastolic, and late diastolic during atrial contraction) were assessed. RESULTS: Peak LAepsilon and LA Sr parameters were significantly lower in patients compared with controls (P </= .001 for all). In patients, all LA function parameters correlated with LVepsilon (P < .003 for all). Indexed LA volume, LA function parameters, and mitral regurgitation degree were the main correlates of New York Heart Association class; late diastolic strain rate during atrial contraction was the only independent predictor of symptomatic status. CONCLUSION: In patients with HCM, LA function is significantly reduced and related to LV dysfunction. Moreover, LA booster pump function emerged as an independent correlate of heart failure symptoms in this setting