Unhealthy lifestyle and the risk of metabolic syndrome- the Romanian experience

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a clustering of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Many studies have shown the influence of an unhealthy lifestyle on the risk of MetS, yet some aspects remain controversial. Aim of the study: to investigate the relationship between an unhealthy lifestyle and the risk of MetS. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using a sample of 181 patients, 54 (29.8%) males and 127 (70.2%) females, aged 59.95±10.8 years. The baseline survey involved the completion of structured questionnaires and clinical examination. Results. Rural environment, lower education level, past smoking, the absence of fruit/vegetables in the diet, carbonated soft drinks, and the consumption of significant amounts of alcohol were risk factors for the MetS. Conclusion. A precise etiology for the MetS remains unclear, but it is known to result from a complex interaction of genetic, metabolic, and socio-economic and environmental factors

Effect of Curcumin on Oxidative Stress in a Model of Turpentine Induced Acute Experimental Inflammation

Curcumin, a natural phenolic compound is an anti-tumor agent with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The aim of this research was to evaluate oxidative stress levels, the antioxidant activity and Curcumin concentrations by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in an acute experimental inflammation induced by Turpentine oil (intramuscular 0.6 mg kg-1 body weight) and to compare a prophylactic versus a therapeutic regimen of Curcumin (oral suspension of 150 mg Curcumin kg-1 rat weight). Sixteen adult male Wistar rats were assigned to four groups: Control, Group I (Curcumin only), Group II (Curcumin administration, then induced inflammation after 1 hour) and Group III (induced inflammation then Curcumin administration after 2 hours). Oxidative stress was assessed by measuring serum malondialdehide and carbonylated proteins, while systemic and local total antioxidant capacity was determined by ABTS. Local tissue changes (muscle, kidney, liver) were analysed using histopathology. Results showed that acute inflammation significantly increased lipid peroxidation in Groups II and III compared to Control and Group I. A significantly reduced total antioxidant capacity (ATBS) was present in serum and kidney in Group II, also in muscle and kidney in Group III. ABTS levels were significantly increased only in the liver tissue of the animals in Groups II and III with induced inflammation as compared to Group I. This study proved the potential of Curcumin in reducing oxidative stress in both prophylactic and therapeutic regimens

Unhealthy lifestyle and the risk of metabolic syndrome- the Romanian experience

Background. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) represents a clustering of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Many studies have shown the influence of an unhealthy lifestyle on the risk of MetS, yet some aspects remain controversial. Aim of the study: to investigate the relationship between an unhealthy lifestyle and the risk of MetS. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using a sample of 181 patients, 54 (29.8%) males and 127 (70.2%) females, aged 59.95±10.8 years. The baseline survey involved the completion of structured questionnaires and clinical examination. Results. Rural environment, lower education level, past smoking, the absence of fruit/vegetables in the diet, carbonated soft drinks, and the consumption of significant amounts of alcohol were risk factors for the MetS. Conclusion. A precise etiology for the MetS remains unclear, but it is known to result from a complex interaction of genetic, metabolic, and socio-economic and environmental factors

Vegan Diet Advice Might Benefit Liver Enzymes in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: an Open Observational Pilot Study.

Background and Aims: The Western diet is rich in saturated fats, refined sugars and meat consistent with a high-energy load and secondary risk of increased metabolic diseases including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, no data are available on potential benefit of vegan diets in NAFLD and/or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to study prospectively the effect of a vegan diet, excluding all animal products on liver chemistry in a group of consecutive NAFLD patients. Methods: This was a prospective, pilot study run on 40 consecutive patients affected by NAFLD. Eight subjects refused to join the study for poor diet palatability, leaving 32 patients (19 males, mean age 50 years), with abnormal measures of liver function who agreed to adhere to a vegan diet for six months. The caloric intake was tailored by the dietitian to obtain a weight loss ≥5% of body weight in overweight patients [body-mass index (BMI) ≥25] and ranged from 1500 Kcal to 1800 Kcal. Patients were contacted monthly by phone to reinforce diet and lifestyle advice and were seen at the gastrointestinal clinic when doubtful about diet advice. Results: At six-month follow-up, 6 subjects did not attend the clinic leaving only 26 patients for data analysis. Initial anthropometric values were mean weight 78 kg (range 52-95), mean body mass index (BMI) 26.8 Kg/m2 (range 20.3-31.2). Liver function tests showed mean ALT value 99 U/L (SD±45), mean AST value 54 U/L (SD±44), mean GGT value 160 U/L (SD±122), pre-treatment. After six months mean body weight was 73 Kg (range 52-87), mean BMI was 25.2 Kg/m2 (range 20.3-29.7) (p<0.001 compared to baseline for both parameters). Liver enzymes improved to a mean of ALT value 36 U/L (SD±21), AST value 27 U/L (SD±10) and GGT value 55 U/L (SD±57), respectively (p<0.001 compared to baseline for all enzymes). Normalization of liver function tests as a whole was observed in 20/26 patients (76.9%). A loss of ≥ 5% of body weight was observed in 12 patients (46.1%), but it did not correlate with the normalization of liver function tests (p=0.5). Conclusions: Our data provide preliminary evidence of improved liver enzymes in NAFLD patients with a strict vegan diet and although our study sample is limited, decreased body weight did not seem critical to the outcome

Artificial Intelligence as a Substitute for Human Creativity

Creativity has always been perceived as a human trait, even though the exact neural mechanisms remain unknown, it has been the subject of research and debate for a long time. The recent development of AI technologies and increased interest in AI has led to many projects capable of performing tasks that have been previously regarded as impossible without human creativity. Music composition, visual arts, literature, and science represent areas in which these technologies have started to both help and replace the creative human, with the question of whether AI can be creative and capable of creation more realistic than ever. This review aims to provide an extensive perspective over several state-of-the art technologies and applications based on AI which are currently being implemented into areas of interest closely correlated to human creativity, as well as the economic impact the development of such technologies might have on those domains

Complement-Activating Capacity of Autoantibodies Correlates With Disease Activity in Bullous Pemphigoid Patients

Background: Bullous pemphigoid is a subepidermal blistering skin disease, associated with autoantibodies to hemidesmosomal proteins, complement activation at the dermal-epidermal junction, and dermal granulocyte infiltration. Clinical and experimental laboratory findings support conflicting hypotheses regarding the role of complement activation for the skin blistering induced by pemphigoid autoantibodies. In-depth studies on the pathogenic relevance of autoimmune complement activation in patients are largely lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the pathogenic relevance of complement activation in patients with bullous pemphigoid. Complement activation by autoantibodies in vivo as measured by the intensity of complement C3 deposits in the patients' skin and ex vivo by the complement-fixation assay in serum was correlated with the clinical disease activity, evaluated by Autoimmune Bullous Skin Disorder Intensity Score (ABSIS) and Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Area Index (BPDAI), as well as, with further immunopathological findings in patients with bullous pemphigoid.Results: Complement-activation capacity of autoantibodies ex vivo, but not deposition of complement in the perilesional skin of patients, correlates with the extent of skin disease (measured by ABSIS and BPDAI) and with levels of autoantibodies.Conclusions: Our study provides for the first time evidence in patients for a pathogenic role of complement activation in bullous pemphigoid and should greatly facilitate the development of novel diagnostic tools and of more specific therapies for complement-dependent autoimmune injury

Fecal microbiota transplantation in recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: the first prospective study of 30 patients in Romania

Introduction: The infection with Clostridium difficile has increased in incidence worldwide and it raises many problems with regard to therapy, resistance to treatment and especially recurrence. Recurrence is frequent in patients treated for Clostridium difficile infection, requiring vancomycin by mouth, with limited alternatives. The literature shows that one of the most efficient treatment methods in Clostridium difficile infection is the transplantation of gut microbiota, also known as fecal microbiota transplantation. Aim: We present our results following FMT performed in patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, and propose a simple and effective protocol for fecal microbiota transplantation. Study design: The study was prospective. The phases of the FMT procedure: assessment of patient eligibility, patient’s consent, identification and screening of donors, discontinuation of antibiotics (vancomycin, metronidazole) 3 days prior to the procedure. Methods: Between 2013 and 2015, FMT was performed in 30 patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, by direct infusion of extensively processed donor fecal matter via colonoscopy. We followed up the patients for 12 months. Results: Immediate post-transplantation outcome in what concerns stool frequency during the follow-up period (7 days) was encouraging in 93.33% of patients. The donors were healthy individuals (53% 1st degree relatives), previously screened for possible infections and infestations. This result was sustained at 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Post-transplantation recurrence occurred in 6.67% (2 patients), which responded well to treatment and did not require a new vancomycin course. Conclusions: Fecal microbiota transplantation via colonoscopy is effective, safe, easy to perform, it yields lasting results and is therefore a good option for recurrent or treatment-resistant Clostridium difficile infection

A VigiBase Descriptive Study of Fluoroquinolone-Associated Peripheral Nervous System Disorders

Background: Recent drug safety concerns described fluoroquinolone (FQ)-induced peripheral nervous system reactions. The objective of this study was to characterize such reports from VigiBase. Methods: The analysis included FQ-induced peripheral nervous system disorder adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports (up to July 2019). We looked into the disproportionality data in terms of proportional reporting ratio (PRR) and information component (IC) values, and descriptive analysis was performed for FQ-ADRs positive associations (ADRs, suspected FQs, potential risk factors, such as associated therapy and underlying disease). Results: Disproportionality analysis revealed 4374 reports (3531 serious) with peripheral nervous system ADRs associated with at least three FQs (neuropathy peripheral, 5492; neuralgia, 481; polyneuropathy, 220; sensory loss, 99; peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy, 39). Among these, both time-to-onset and duration of reaction were mostly between 1–7 days and ≥30 days. Most of the ADRs were not recovered/resolved at the time of reporting. Conclusion: The results augment the existing data on FQ safety concerns, specifically their potential effect on the nervous system