MODERN CONCEPTS OF RECOVERY and REHABILITATION-CNS AFFECTIONS (MIRROR SYSTEM)

The concept of mirror therapy is an interactive phenomenon, studies reveal that identical sets of neurons can be activated in an individual given that it is only a witness in an action performed by another person, sometimes activation of these neurons is the expression of emotions or conduct

PUCIOASA HEALTH RESORT

Pucioasa resort is located in Wallachia Subcarpathians Ialomita on Ialomita river valley, a region of hills, about 21 km from Targoviste, altitude ranging from 390 to 450 m. City was formed around 1760 by merging settlements Serbanesti (documented in 26 September 1538) with Podurile de Jos and Podurile de Sus (documentary mentioned in 1461) and Zărăfoaia village. In 1791, the area shown on a Austrian map and in Russian one in 1835. After 1828, developed as a resort balneoclimateric, taking the name Pucioasa because of concentrated sulfuric mineral waters from here, called popular brimstone. Main economic industry is tourism balneary town having a balneoclimateric resort status. The main hotels are "Ceres" and "Tourist"

Assessment tools of disability status after stroke

Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. The global incidence of stroke has increased in recent years, although low and middle-income countries have been heavily affected. Because of the complicated and diversified physical and emotional disruption, stroke survivors are likely to face a variety of difficulties in daily life activities. Because of the wide impact of a stroke on all body structures and functions, there is no gold standard instrument to evaluate impairment and all elements of recovery after a stroke, and there is no single scale that can capture all the effects of a stroke. The International Classification of Impairments, Disability, and Handicaps (ICIDH) categorized the consequences of the diseases into three categories: impairment, disability, and handicap. Using the biopsychosocial model in 2001 WHO defines and classifies disability by using International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF). The ICF divides the impairment into three categories: body function and structure, activity, and participation. This article aims to review the most important tools that are reliable and valid in assessing the disability left after a stroke: The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Barthel index (BI), The modified Rankin scale (mRS), Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), The Functional Independence Measure (FIM), The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0). The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire is validated in several countries and it would be useful to be validated, also, in our country

The therapeutic effect of carbogaseous natural mineral waters in the metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome) is a complex of metabolic disturbances that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Entity includes: dyslipidemia (altered lipid profile, with increasing levels of serum triglycerides and low serum levels of HDL-cholesterol, which promotes the development of atherosclerosis), high blood sugar (diabetes type II) or increased insulin resistance, hypertension, abdominal obesity syndrome, proinflammatory, prothrombotic syndrome. In the last 20 years, there was a continuous increase in individuals suffering from this syndrome, the cause remains unknown, but several studies also claim that it is a complex interaction between genetic, metabolic and environmental factors. Of environmental factors, diet low in micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium and potassium seems to be an essential contributor element (Feldsein et al, 2007, Cidalia Pereira et al, 2011). Decreased intake of sodium and increased intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium, proposed by Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - DASH diet (Van Leer et al 1995, Meigl et al 2008) leads to optimized blood pressure. Even in the absence of increased sodium intake, low levels of magnesium in the blood and cells can induce in some conditions, hypertension, diabetes, insulin resistance or completely metabolic syndrom.Among the methods proposed to correct dietary intake of micronutrients, natural mineral water, often very complex in terms of chemical composition and versatile in terms of the intended effect is one handy, safe and simple.Although used in order to preserve the health from ancient times, scientific studies proving natural mineral water effects on the human body takes place only since the twentieth century. Carbonated mineral waters are the result of deep water filtering through volcanic soils, which contain CO2, carbon dioxide, thus obtained, will help dissolve other elements contained in the soil layers through which water, like calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, chlorides, ATC bromides, so finally carbonated water will have a complex and varied composition

SPELEOTHERAPY EFFECTS ON WISTAR RATS REFLECTED BY PULMONARY AND DERMAL FIBROBLASTS CULTURES

Abstract: Speleotherapy – a special kind of climatotherapy, uses the certain conditions of caves and salt mines to cure several diseases, especially respiratory and skin diseases. Atmospheric dust could cause allergic reactions or asthmatic attacks.The cave air is very low on dust. This fact reduces any kind of irritation. In this way, the symptoms of the diseases are reduced or eliminated completely, while the patient is in the cave. But that does not explain how it should have a longer lasting effect. Curing asthma involves spending 2-3 hours a day underground in subterranean caves or salt mines over a 1-2 month period. An old study describes a speleotherapy course, which was 4 hours a day for 6-8 weeks, with 100 COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) and asthma patients and reported improvement that lasted 6 months to 7 years (Skulimowski, 1965). Our objectives were to explore the effects of speleotherapy on cellular morphology and physiology of pulmonary and dermal fibroblasts obtained from tissues of Wistar rats, in normal and Ovalbumin challenged, “asthmatic” conditions. 60 Wistar rats of 75-100 g weight were divided in two lots: control and ovalbumin challenged animals. Ten animals of each lot were send to Cacica, Turda and Dej Salt Mine for 14 days and maintained in the salt mine medium, as in speleotherapy treatment. Pulmonary and dermal fibroblasts cultures were prepared from Wistar rat lung and respectively dermal tissue. Trying to identify the biological mechanisms of speleotherapy, our experimental design was made for cell morphology, physiology and biochemical evaluation of cells in cultures obtained from animals that were treated by speleotherapy. The complex picture of results was analysed and explained through biological mechanisms comparing to the control cell cultures obtained from healthy, untreated Wistar rats. In this article we describe the supposed biological mechanisms that explain the protective effects of speleotherapy. Conclusion: Speleotherapy induces changes on the morphology and protein expression of pulmonary and dermal fibroblasts in vitro, and these changes - by comparing with ovalbumin sensitised animals, supports the beneficial effects of speleotherapy

Research strategy of the therapeutic quality of mud and salty water from Ursu(Bear) Lake, Sovata,

Infertility (sterility) is a health problem affecting 15% of couples of reproductive age. Today only a few are known about causes and treatment options involved in the pathology of infertility, while a number of issues remain unknown. Currently natural therapeutic factors from Sovata are used, based on experience over the years, for the following causes of infertility: tubal obstruction, laparoscopic postneosalpingostomiei recovery treatment (prevention of restenozations), sequelae after pelvic inflammatory disease, peritonitis, post-inflammatory adhesions; secretory ovarian dysfunction (estrogen, progesterone), polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, infertility induced by stress

Paracetamol-Induced Hypothermia in Rodents: A Review on Pharmacodynamics

Paracetamol can induce hypothermia in humans and rodents. The study’s aim is to review the mechanisms of paracetamol-induced hypothermia in rodents or the results issued from in vitro studies on the same species’ tissues (in doses that do not produce hepatic impairment) using the latest developments published in scientific journals over the last 15 years. Available human studies are also analysed. An extensive search in PubMed databases exploring the hypothermic response to paracetamol was conducted. 4669 articles about paracetamol’s effects on body temperature in mice or rats were found. After applying additional filters, 20 articles were selected for review, with 9 of them presented in tabular forms. The analysis of these articles found that the hypothermic effect of paracetamol is due to the inhibition of a cyclooxygenase-1 variant, is potentiated by endothelin receptor antagonists, and can be mediated through GABAA receptors and possibly through transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily A member 1 via N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine in the central nervous system. Human studies confirm the in vivo and in vitro experiments in rodents regarding the presence of a hypothermic effect after high, non-toxic doses of paracetamol. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms behind paracetamol’s hypothermic effect in humans

Diagnostic challenges in neuroinfections: case report and literature review

Meningitis and encephalitis are a group of neuroinfectious diseases that require both correct and early diagnosis and etiopathogenic treatment, because their potential for severe evolution, is often being associated with sequelae. In addition to the detailed anamnesis and clinical examination, it is important to know the specific neurological manifestations at the beginning in order to decide properly the indication to perform the lumbar puncture for identifying an etiopathogenic agent in order to administer a targeted treatment. We present the approach both in terms of diagnosis and treatment, in case of an elderly patient with a favourable evolution, towards healing, without associating neurological sequelae. At the same time, we present a synthesis of the novelties of diagnostic and treatment methods in infectious meningitis and encephalitis

Safety of Electrotherapy Treatment in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis and Cardiac Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety of electrotherapy applied in the knee area in patients with known atrial arrhythmias or ischemic heart disease, as it is not known whether this treatment induces or aggravates arrhythmias during or immediately after therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The analytical and transversal study involved 46 patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis (OA), with or without cardiac diseases, from the Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital inpatient center, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. All patients underwent a 10-day physical therapy program for knee OA (electrotherapy, massage and kinesiotherapy). Heart rate and the total number of ventricular and supraventricular extrasystoles were evaluated before and after treatment, by 24 h Holter ECG monitoring. RESULTS: There was no significant increase in heart rate or in the number of ventricular or supraventricular extrasystoles before or after electrotherapy treatment, regardless of the positive or negative history of arrhythmia or ischemic heart disease (all p > 0.05). Mean values during day 1 were: 35.15 (95% CI [9.60–60.75]) for ventricular ones extrasystoles and 91.7 (95% CI [51.69–131.7]) for supraventricular ones, which during day 2 were 38.09 (95% CI [3.68–72.50]), 110.48 (95% CI [48.59–172.36]), respectively. CONCLUSION: One of the most important things to consider when dealing with an OA patient is that they are most likely older than 65 years, which increases the chance of having a cardiac disease. This raises the need for viable interventions regarding the management of this disease in patients that probably have multiple comorbidities, and where pharmacological and surgical management are not possible, limited or have multiple side effects. Electrotherapy used for treating knee OA did not cause a significant increase in heart rate or number of ventricular and supraventricular extrasystoles in this category of patients