Serological detection of antibodies to Ehrlichia canis and Borrelia burgdorferi S.L. in urban household dogs from Iași

Canine tick-borne diseases are an emerging problem within Romania and also throughout the European Countries. This threat comes not just from Lyme disease which is endemic in our country, but also from other tick-borne diseases as well as ehrlichiosis. The present study consisted in screening of IgG class antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia canis on 92 urban household dogs (48 females and 44 males) from Iași. The sampling took place during March to June 2021, in three veterinary clinics. The results of the serological testing revealed four positive dogs: one for IgG anti-E. canis and three for IgG anti-Borrelia burgdoferi s.l. Although the proportion of the sampled dog sex was almost equal, all positive animals were adult females. Our results highlight the silent circulation of the two pathogens in the studied area. These tick-borne pathogens are a significant medical concern to canine health. Changing tick distributions, pet travel and nonspecific clinical signs can make identifying infected pets challenging, so is very important to keep all dogs on appropriate, effective tick prevention year-round

Determinarea caracteristicilor senzoriale ale unor probe de distilat de prune obţinute în regiunea bazinului pomicol Argeş

Plum distillate is an alcoholic drink obtained by the fermentation and distillation of plums. Its quality is determined by many factors, such as climate characteristics, soil, plum varieties and technological process. The aim of this study was to analyze the sensorial characteristics of plum distillate samples produced through an authentic manufacturing process in Argeş region, Romania (purchased from different producers). A total of 26 samples were analyzed. A sensory analysis was done by qualified professional tasters, according to the method of positive scoring. Each sample was marked from 0 to 5, the average representing the intensity level of each item. The analyzed characteristics may constitute a basis for the identification and authentication of the quality of these products

Determinarea caracteristicilor senzoriale ale unor probe de distilat de prune obţinute în regiunea bazinului pomicol Argeş

Plum distillate is an alcoholic drink obtained by the fermentation and distillation of plums. Its quality is determined by many factors, such as climate characteristics, soil, plum varieties and technological process. The aim of this study was to analyze the sensorial characteristics of plum distillate samples produced through an authentic manufacturing process in Argeş region, Romania (purchased from different producers). A total of 26 samples were analyzed. A sensory analysis was done by qualified professional tasters, according to the method of positive scoring. Each sample was marked from 0 to 5, the average representing the intensity level of each item. The analyzed characteristics may constitute a basis for the identification and authentication of the quality of these products

Cardiotoxicity Associated with Chemotherapy Used in Gastrointestinal Tumours

Cardiotoxicity is a well-recognised side effect of cancer-related therapies with a great impact on outcomes and quality of life in the cancer survivor population. The pathogenesis of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with gastrointestinal cancers involves various molecular mechanisms, and the combined use of various chemotherapies augments the risk of each drug used alone. In terms of cardiotoxicity diagnosis, novel biomarkers, such as troponins, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), myeloperoxidases and miRNAs have been recently assessed. Echocardiography is a noninvasive imaging method of choice for the primary assessment of chemotherapy-treated patients to generally evaluate the cardiovascular impact of these drugs. Novel echocardiography techniques, like three-dimensional and stress echocardiography, will improve diagnosis efficacy. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) can evaluate cardiac morphology, function and wall structure. Corroborated data have shown the importance of CMR in the early evaluation of patients with gastrointestinal cancers, treated with anticancer drugs, but further studies are required to improve risk stratification in these patients. In this article, we review some important aspects concerning the cardiotoxicity of antineoplastic drugs used in gastrointestinal cancers. We also discuss the mechanism of cardiotoxicity, the role of biomarkers and the imaging methods used in its detection

Effects of Colchicine in a Rat Model of Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemia

Inflammation and hyperlipidemia play an essential role in the pathophysiology of endothelial dysfunction as well as atherosclerotic plaque formation, progression and rupture. Colchicine has direct anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting multiple inflammatory signaling pathways. The purpose of our study was to evaluate colchicine activity in an animal model of hyperlipidemia induced by diet. A total of 24 male rats (wild type, WT) were divided into three groups: group one fed with a basic diet (BD) (WT + BD, n = 8), group two fed with a high-fat diet (HFD) (WT + HFD, n = 8)), and group three which received HFD plus drug treatment (colchicine, 0.5 mg/kg, i.p., daily administration). Total cholesterol, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were determined. In addition, plasma transaminases, inflammation of oxidative stress markers, were measured. Tissue samples were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin and red oil stain. At the end of the study, rats presented increased serum lipid levels, high oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory markers. The aortic histopathological section revealed that HFD induced signs of endothelial dysfunction. Colchicine treatment significantly resolved and normalized these alterations. Moreover, colchicine did not influence NAFLD activity score but significantly increased ALT and AST levels, suggesting that colchicine amplified the hepatocellular injury produced by the diet. Colchicine reduces plasma lipid levels, oxidative stress and inflammation markers and leads to more favorable histopathologic vascular and cardiac results. However, the adverse effects of colchicine could represent an obstacle to its safe use

Liver Injury and Elevated FIB-4 Define a High-Risk Group in Patients with COVID-19

Liver involvement in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been widely documented. However, data regarding liver-related prognosis are scarce and heterogeneous. The current study aims to evaluate the role of abnormal liver tests and incidental elevations of non-invasive fibrosis estimators on the prognosis of hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the impact of elevated liver tests, non-invasive fibrosis estimators (the Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), Forns, APRI scores, and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) ratio), and the presence of computed tomography (CT)-documented liver steatosis on mortality in patients with moderate and severe COVID-19, with no prior liver disease history. A total of 370 consecutive patients were included, of which 289 patients (72.9%) had abnormal liver biochemistry on admission. Non-survivors had significantly higher FIB-4, Forns, APRI scores, and a higher AST/ALT ratio. On multivariate analysis, severe FIB-4 (exceeding 3.25) and elevated AST were independently associated with mortality. Severe FIB-4 had an area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.73 for predicting survival. The presence of steatosis was not associated with a worse outcome. Patients with abnormal liver biochemistry on arrival might be susceptible to a worse disease outcome. An FIB-4 score above the threshold of 3.25, suggestive of the presence of fibrosis, is associated with higher mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients