BIOTERRORISM EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE IN ROMANIA IMPLICATIONS FOR NATO STRATEGIC CONCEPT

In November 2010, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) adopted a new Strategic Concept that will serve as the Alliance's roadmap for the next ten years, adopting new approaches in international engagement and aiming to further develop its capacity to defend against the threat of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). As the world's leading international security organization, NATO is well-positioned to take a more visible role in combating terrorism and WMD proliferation. However, consideration of such a role also involves addressing the challenges faced by its new Members in terms of meeting the required readiness levels for NATO operations and also their national preparedness goals

The Influence of Diet and Physical Activity on Oxidative Stress in Romanian Females with Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic joint disease, increases in prevalence with age, and affects most individuals over 65. The present study aimed to assess the oxidative status in relation to diet and physical activity in patients with OA. We used a cross-sectional study applied to 98 females with OA. Blood samples were collected to determine oxidative stress markers: malonyl dialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and GSH/GSSG. Diet was estimated with a standardized food frequency questionnaire. We used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to assess the females’ physical activity. Multiple regression analyses were executed to determine the association between the oxidative markers and the intake of vegetables and fruit. The study showed that most patients were overweight or obese (88.8%). The level of physical activity was above the recommended level for adults, mainly based on household activities. The intake of vegetables and fruit was low. The MDA marker was inversely, statistically significantly associated with the consumption of vegetables (p < 0.05). Public health policies must address modifiable risk factors to reduce energy intake and obesity and increase the intake of vegetables and fruit. Higher consumption of vegetables and fruit may provide natural antioxidants that can balance oxidative compounds