ECO-Bio-Management of Global Risks - A Necesity in a World of Vulnerabilities where Eco-Bio-Economy is Required to Accomplish Eco-Sano-Genesis

Abstract: The Vision of the Eco-Bio-Economy is to sustain development of the humankind welfare in all forms, through an economy of future dedicated to human life through the rational use of the environmental resources. This paper tries to convey the issues facing humanity that is at the beginning of a new global economic paradigm. Meet the minimum point of the financial crisis started in 2008, the final years of declining phase of the long-term global economic cycle. Feeling played through work is the lack of vision from governments, improvisation, passive reaction, type seeing and doing. However, in the economic sense the global economy is tired, with a sick system operated by trouble recovering. Perception, not far from the harsh reality is that national competition is focused to minimize losses caused by the financial crisis and use that type beggar thy neighbor policies similar to the exit from the crisis on the backs of others

The Interaction of Tungsten Dust with Human Skin Cells

In this chapter, we evaluate the tungsten (W) nanoparticle toxicity with respect to the normal human skin fibroblast cell. Tungsten dust formation is expected in the tokamak-type nuclear fusion installations, regarded as future devices for large-scale, sustainable, and carbon-free energy. This dust, composed of tungsten particles of variable size, from nanometers to micrometers, could be harmful to humans in the case of loss of vacuum accident (LOVA). In order to undertake the toxicity studies, tokamak-relevant dust has been deliberately produced in laboratory and afterward analyzed. Following that, cytotoxicity tests were performed using normal human skin fibroblast cell lines, BJ ATCC CRL 2522. Our study concludes that, at a low concentration (until 100 μg/mL), no cytotoxic effect of tungsten nanoparticles was observed. In contrast, at higher concentrations (up to 2 mg/mL), nanometric dust presents toxic effects on the cells

Nitric oxide synthetic pathway and cGMP levels are altered in red blood cells from end-stage renal disease patients

Red blood cells (RBCs) enzymatically produce nitric oxide (NO) by a functional RBC-nitric oxide synthase (RBC-NOS). NO is a vascular key regulatory molecule. In RBCs its generation is complex and influenced by several factors, including insulin, acetylcholine, and calcium. NO availability is reduced in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and associated with endothelial dysfunction. We previously demonstrated that, through increased phosphatidylserine membrane exposure, ESRD-RBCs augmented their adhesion to human cultured endothelium, in which NO bioavailability decreased. Since RBC-NOS-dependent NO production in ESRD is unknown, this study aimed to investigate RBC-NOS levels/activation, NO production/bioavailability in RBCs from healthy control subjects (C, N = 18) and ESRD patients (N = 27). Although RBC-NOS expression was lower in ESRD-RBCs, NO, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), RBC-NOS Serine1177 phosphorylation level and eNOS/Calmodulin (CaM)/Heat Shock Protein-90 (HSP90) interaction levels were higher in ESRD-RBCs, indicating increased enzyme activation. Conversely, following RBCs stimulation with insulin or ionomycin, NO and cGMP levels were significantly lower in ESRD- than in C-RBCs, suggesting that uremia might reduce the RBC-NOS response to further stimuli. Additionally, the activity of multidrug-resistance-associated protein-4 (MRP4; cGMP-membrane transporter) was significantly lower in ESRD-RBCs, suggesting a possible compromised efflux of cGMP across the ESRD-RBCs membrane. This study for the first time showed highest basal RBC-NOS activation in ESRD-RBCs, possibly to reduce the negative impact of decreased NOS expression. It is further conceivable that high NO production only partially affects cell function of ESRD-RBCs maybe because in vivo they are unable to respond to physiologic stimuli, such as calcium and/or insulin

AWARENESS AND MOTIVATION IN CROSS-CULTURAL LANGUAGE TEACHING

The focus in language education in the twenty-first century does no longer fall on grammar, memorization and learning from rote, but rather on using language alongside with cultural knowledge as a means to communicate and connect to other people all over the world. Our learners are going to become part of today’s intercultural communication network and they will need to use both their language and cultural skills for real life communication. Therefore, teachers themselves should be ready to assume the responsibility of teaching their learners how to become culturally competent. To do this properly and successfully, practitioners need to build and develop their own awareness of and motivation for an intercultural approach. The current paper will present and analyze some recent research findings on higher education practitioners’ motivation to adopt a cross-cultural approach in their classrooms

PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN THE EARLY POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOME OF ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA. THE EXPERIENCE OF A TERTIARY CENTER OVER A 5 YEARS PERIOD

Purpose. The aim of this study was to determine the infl uence of prognostic factors on the postoperative outcome of esophageal atresia patients, taking into consideration loco-regional particular features. Methods. A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 28 patients diagnosed with esophageal atresia was conducted, using a logistic regression model. Patients had been admitted in our hospital between 2009-2014. The survival rate was recorded separately from the independent factors, such as demographic features, weight at birth, the timing of surgical treatment, co-morbidities, postoperative prognosis and management of complications. Results. According to the Spitz prognostic classifi cation, there were 21 patients in group I (birth weight over 1500 g with no major anomaly), 3 patients in group II (birth weight less than 1500 g or major cardiac anomaly) and 4 patients in group III (birth weight less than 1500 g plus major cardiac anomaly). The mortality rate was 33% in group I, 100% in group II and 100% in group III. The mean birth weight was 2282 g ±2SD, and the mean gestational age was 31 weeks. The age at initial presentation was over 24 hours in 15 patients, with fatal outcome in 13 of them. The cardiac malformations presented as the associated anomalies with the highest risk. Surgical treatment was as follows: primary anastomosis in 21 cases, cervicostomy and gastrostomy in 6 cases, and Foker technique in 1 case. Conclusions. The analysis of this series indicated a low survival rate for this pathology in our center. Besides the prognostic factors cited in literature (low birth weight and age at birth, associated cardiac malformations), we include, as risk factors for the increased mortality, the delayed diagnosis and presentation at our tertiary center. The further refi nement of a multidisciplinary approach towards this pathology would contribute to a higher survival rate and an improved result of the therapeutic management

FACTORI PROGNOSTICI ÎN EVOLUŢIA POSTOPERATORIE PRECOCE A ATREZIEI ESOFAGIENE. EXPERIENŢA UNUI CENTRU TERŢIAR ÎNTR-UN INTERVAL DE 5 ANI

Scop. Studierea factorilor prognostici care pot infl uenţa evoluţia postoperatorie a pacienţilor cu atrezie de esofag, ţinând cont de particularităţile loco-regionale ale problemei. Metode. S-a efectuat o analiză retrospectivă a documentelor medicale pentru 28 de pacienţi diagnosticaţi cu atrezie esofagiană între 2009-2014 în centrul autorilor, utilizând ca instrument de prelucrare a datelor regresia logistică. Supravieţuirea a fost considerată variabilă dependentă, iar detaliile demografi ce, greutatea la naştere, vârsta intervenţiei chirurgicale, anomaliile asociate, evoluţia postoperatorie şi managementul complicaţiilor au fost studiate ca şi variabile independente. Rezultate. Aplicând clasifi carea prognostică propusă de Spitz, grupul I cu greutatea la naştere (G.N.) ≥ 1.500 g, fără malformaţii cardiace majore, a cuprins 21 de nou-născuţi cu o mortalitate de 33%. Pentru 3 copii încadraţi în grupul II (G.N.≤1.500 g sau malformaţii cardiace majore) şi, respectiv, 4 copii din grupul III (G.N.≤1.500 g şi malformaţii cardiace asociate), mortalitatea a fost de 100%. Greutatea medie la naştere a fost de 2.282 g ±2DS, iar vârsta gestaţională medie de 31 de săptămâni. Vârsta la internare a fost de peste 24 de ore în 15 cazuri, cu deces în 13 dintre situaţii. Malformaţiile asociate cu cea mai mare pondere au fost cele cardiace. Tratamentul chirurgical a constat în: anastomoză primară (21 de cazuri), cervico- şi gastrostomie (6 cazuri), tehnica Foker (1 caz). Complicaţia postoperatorie cea mai frecventă a fost dezunirea anastomozei (la 6 pacienţi, cu deces în 4 situaţii). Concluzii. Analiza seriei studiate indică o rată de supravieţuire scăzută pentru această patologie în centrul autorilor. În plus, faţă de factorii de prognostic citaţi în literatură (greutatea şi vârsta mică la naştere, anomaliile congenitale asociate), întârzierea diagnosticului şi, implicit, a internării într-un centru terţiar, au contribuit la creşterea mortalităţii în lotul studiat. Rafi narea abordării multidisciplinare a acestei patologii ar putea determina în viitor o supravieţuire mai mare şi o îmbunătăţire a rezultatelor managementului terapeutic

EVENTRAŢIA DIAFRAGMULUI – FACTOR DE RISC PENTRU INFECŢIILE RESPIRATORII. PREZENTARE DE CAZ

Eventraţia diafragmului este o anomalie congenitală sau dobândită, cu o incidenţă de 1 la 10.000 de copii. Presupune ascensiunea anormală a domului diafragmatic, datorată înlocuirii fi brelor musculare cu un ţesut fi broelastic în exces. Simptomatologia este variată, putând fi absentă sau sub forma unor acuze respiratorii ce pot merge până la detresă respiratorie. Infecţiile respiratorii recurente sunt cele mai frecvente manifestări. Autorii prezintă cazul unui pacient în vârstă de 3 ani de sex masculin, spitalizat în repetate rânduri pentru infecţii respiratorii, „dextrocardie“ aparentă, datorate unei eventraţii diafragmatice stângi, pentru care s-a realizat cu succes plicatura diafragmului

EVENTRATION OF THE DIAPHRAGM, A RISK FACTOR FOR RECURRENT RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION – A CASE REPORT

Eventration of the diaphragm, congenital or acquired, represents a rare condition (1 to 10,000 live births), in which the dome of the diaphragm is abnormally elevated, due to an excessive amount of fi bro-elastic diaphragmatic tissue. The child may be asymptomatic or present with respiratory symptoms as aggressive as life threatening respiratory distress. Recurrent pulmonary infections are the commonest presenting complaints. We present the case of a 3 years old boy with recurrent chest infections and apparent “dextrocardia”, both caused by a left eventration of the diaphragm, successfully treated by plication

Clinicopathological Analysis of Complicated Colorectal Cancer: A Five-Year Retrospective Study from a Single Surgery Unit

Patients with primary colorectal cancer can present with obstructions, tumor bleeding, or perforations, which represent acute complications. This paper aimed to analyze and compare the clinical and pathological profiles of two patient groups: one with colorectal cancer and a related complication and another without any specific complication. We performed a five-year retrospective study on colorectal cancer patients admitted to a surgery unit and comparatively explored the main clinical and pathological features of the tumors belonging to the two groups. A total of 250 patients with colorectal cancer were included in the analysis. Of these, 117 (46.8%) had presented a type of complication. The comparative analysis that examined several clinical and pathological parameters showed a statistically significant difference for unfavorable prognosis factors in the group with complications. This was evident for features such as vascular and perineural invasion, lymph node involvement, pathological primary tumor stage, and TNM stage. Colorectal cancers with a related complication belonged to a group of tumors with a more aggressive histopathologic profile and more advanced stages. Furthermore, the comparable incidence of cases in the two groups of patients warrants further efforts to be made in terms of early detection and prognosis prediction of colorectal cancer