Chitosan Membranes Containing Plant Extracts: Preparation, Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties

The main strategy of this study was to combine the traditional perspective of using medicinal extracts with polymeric scaffolds manufactured by an engineering approach to fabricate a potential dressing product with antimicrobial properties. Thus, chitosan-based membranes containing S. officinalis and H. perforatum extracts were developed and their suitability as novel dressing materials was investigated. The morphology of the chitosan-based films was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the chemical structure characterization was performed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The addition of the plant extracts increased the sorption capacity of the studied fluids, mainly at the membrane with S. officinalis extract. The membranes with 4% chitosan embedded with both plant extracts maintained their integrity after being immersed for 14 days in incubation media, especially in PBS. The antibacterial activities were determined by the modified Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method for Gram-positive (S. aureus ATCC 25923, MRSA ATCC 43300) and Gram-negative (E. coli ATCC 25922, P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853) microorganisms. The antibacterial property was enhanced by incorporating the plant extracts into chitosan films. The outcome of the study reveals that the obtained chitosan-based membranes are promising candidates to be used as a wound dressing due to their good physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties

RECENT TRENDS AND PROSPECTIVE EVALUATIONS ON THE PORK MARKET IN ROMANIA

The scientific paper had the purpose to identify and highlight specific trends of pork market both in Romania and in selected EU member states (Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia). In the Romanian agri-food system, there is a correlation between pork production and purchasing power. Romania's pork consumption is still substantially below that of the European average of 46.4kg per capita. A positive aspect is the lifting of the ban on Romanian pork to the European Union. Therefore, it could be considered a boost of the food industry, as the trade system could be developed, satisfying local and overseas supply and demand. Taking into account the current tendencies for pork production and exchanges in European Union, one could find out that there is a reduction of livestock in the European Union. Pork production depends on country and it is linked to feed prices and reorganization. The analysis is based on statistical data regarding pork production, highlighting its evolution of pork production before and after our country’s accession to the European Union, comparing pork production evolution at national level to the average one of other countries, during the period of time 2001-2012. There were also determined the adjusted values of the chronological series as well as the extrapolated ones for 2013and 201

Lung Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis—A Retrospective Study

The current study aimed to evaluate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) in clinical practice and whether disease characteristics are associated with X-ray and high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) findings. Medical history of RA patients from a tertiary rheumatology clinic was retrieved from its electronic database starting from 1 January 2019 until the study date (8 August 2022) using International Classification of Disease version 10 codes for RA, ILD and exclusion criteria. The study included 78 RA patients (75.6% women, 15.4% active smokers), with average time from RA to ILD of 5.6 years. Regarding chest X-ray findings, men had a higher prevalence of nodules, combined fibrosis and nodules and combined bronchiectasis and nodules, rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive patients had a higher prevalence of fibrosis and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA)-positive patients had a higher prevalence of bronchiectasis. Regarding HR-CT findings, patients actively treated with methotrexate had a higher prevalence of nodules; a combination of fibrosis and nodules; combination of emphysema and nodules; and combination of fibrosis, emphysema and nodules. ILD develops within approximately 5 years from RA diagnosis, and ILD-associated imaging findings on chest X-rays and HR-CT are more prevalent among men with RA, among patients with positive RA serology (RF and/or ACPA) and RA patients on methotrexate

Rheumatoid arthritis overlapping systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease

Lung disease is the second most frequent extra articular manifestation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. It can be present in up to 80% RA cases and represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality. One of the most common types of lung involvement in RA patients is the interstitial lung disease (ILD). Computed tomography studies show evidence of ILD in a large proportion of patients with RA (over 50% in some studies) and it can be clinically symptomatic in 5% of cases. The CT aspect classifies four forms of ILD, listed in order of frequency: usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) - the most common form, non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), organizing pneumonia (OP) and diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) which is the least common form. We present a long-standing case of rheumatoid arthritis overlapping systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease

HEPATITA E – EFECTUL ASUPRA FICATULUI ŞI DINCOLO DE ACESTA

Introducere. Hepatita E este o infecţie acută a ficatului determinată de VHE şi reprezintă o problemă de sănătate publică la nivel internaţional comparabilă cu cea cauzată de alte boli transmisibile. Scop. Scopul acestei lucrări este de a prezenta aspectele epidemiologice, clinico-biologice şi evolutive a infecţie determinată de VHC. Material şi metodă. Anual, în întreaga lume, se înregistrează aproximativ 20 de milioane de infecţii cu VHE. Această boală are o răspândire universală, dar cu prevalenţe mai ridicate în Asia de Sud şi Est, unde se concentrează peste 60% dintre cazuri şi peste 65% dinrte decesele prin HVE. În România, incidenţa HVE în 2009 a fost de 12%, datele privind frecvenţa infecţiilor fiind limitate la studiile de seroprevalenţă ale Ac IgG specifici anti-hepatită E. Rezultate. Transmiterea se realizează preponderent pe cale digestivă (în special prin apă contaminată), dar şi prin sânge, plasmă, transplant de organe. Perioada de incubaţie este cuprinsă între 21 şi 45 de zile. Boala debutează prin tulburări gastro-intestinale (sindrom dispeptic, greţuri, vărsături, inapetenţă), febră, sindrom pseudo-gripal, astenie, erupţie urticariană, scădere în greutate (între 2 şi 4 kg), durere sau disconfort abdominal la nivelul HD, deshidratare. În perioada de stare, bolnavul poate prezenta icter sclero-tegumentar, prurit tegumentar, steatoree, urini hipercrome. În plus faţă de manifestările clasice hepatice, VHE este responsabil pentru tulburări extrahepatice. Acestea includ o serie de sindroame neurologice, leziuni renale, pancreatită şi probleme hematologice. Tratamentul farmacologic al infecţiei cu HVE include Peg-Inf, Ribavirin şi, de asemenea, cei mai noi agenţi DAA. Discuţii. La majoritatea pacienţilor, hepatita E provoacă o boală autolimitată care durează câteva săptămâni. Infecţia acută – în general asimptomatică – este determinată de genotipul 1, care afectează persoanele tinere, genotipurile 3 şi 4 afectând în general imunodeprimaţii. Infecţia cronică este determinată de genotipurile 3 şi 4 la imunodeprimaţi (transplantaţi, pacienţi HIV+, pacienţi hematologici), având incidenţă şi mortalitate inferioare. Evoluţia hepatitei virale E poate fi severă şi fulminantă din cauza insuficienţei hepatice acute. Un vaccin recombinat aprobat şi efectuat în China în 2011 deschide perspective pentru măsurile de prevenire specifice în zonele identificate ca fiind expuse riscului, pentru a limita consecinţele infecţiei cu virusul hepatitei E în populaţia generală şi grupurile expuse. Concluzii. Managementul hepatitei E implică atât terapia pacienţilor cronici sau imunodeprimaţi, cât şi terapia infecţiilor severe acute cu VHE şi a manifestărilor extrahepatic

HEPATITIS E – EFFECT ON THE LIVER AND BEYOND

Introduction. Hepatitis E is an acute liver disease caused by E hepatitis virus (HEV), representing a global public health problem comparable with other transmissible infections. Aim. The purpose of this paper is to present the epidemiological, clinical, biological and evolutive aspects of HEV infection. Material and method. An estimated 20 million infections are annually reported worldwide with higher prevalence rates recorded in South-East Asia (over 60% of infections and over 65% of HEV related deaths). In Romania the incidence of HEV in 2009 was 12%, the frequency of infection being limited to the anti-HEV specific IgG antibodies seroprevalence. Results. HEV transmission is predominantly by digestive tract (especially contaminated water) but also by blood, plasma, organ transplant. The incubation period ranges from 21 to 45 days, onset of gastrointestinal simptoms, fever, influenza-like syndrome, asthenia, skin rush, weight loss, abdominal pain, dehydration. The state period is characterized by sclero-tegumentary jaundice (75% cases), skin pruritus, steathoresis, dark urine and pale stools. HEV can cause extrahepatic manifestations (neurological, renal lesions, pancreatitis and haematological disturbencies). Farmacological treatment of HEV infection includes Peg-Inf, Ribavirin and also newest DAAs agents. Discussions. In most patients hepatitis E causes a self-limited disease that lasts for several weeks. Acute infection is generally asymptomatic and is caused by genotype 1 in young people, while genotypes 3 and 4 generally affect immunosuppressed patients. Chronic infection is caused by genotypes 3 and 4 in immunosuppressed pacients (transplanted, HIV-positive and haematological patients) and has a lower incidence and mortality. Evolution of viral hepatitis E may be severe and fulminant due to acute liver failure. A recombinant vaccine approved in China in 2011 opens up prospects for the specific prevention measures in areas identified as being at risk to limit the consequences of hepatitis E virus infection in the general population and exposed groups. Conclusions. Hepatitis E management involves the therapy of chronic infection in immunosuppressed patients, the extrahepatic manifestations and also acute severe HEV infections

Clinical and Metabolic Particularities of a Roma Population with Diabetes—Considering Ethnic Disparities in Approaching Healthcare Management

The Roma population is Europe’s largest ethnic minority, yet data on the prevalence of non-communicable diseases remain scarce in medical literature. This study aimed to compare the clinical and metabolic particularities of a Roma population with diabetes with a group of non-Roma. We conducted an observational, transversal study and evaluated 808 adult patients with diabetes mellitus, from a tertiary diabetes care hospital. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was high among both groups, 94.3% in the Roma patients and 89.1% in the non-Roma. A slightly higher mean value of the triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index was observed among the Roma group (10.07 ± 0.71 versus 9.71 ± 0.82). Among the non-Roma, variables that were significantly associated with the TyG index were glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein–cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), while among the Roma, HbA1c and HDL-c were correlated with this index. There were no differences concerning myocardial infarction; however, the number of patients with a history of stroke was 2.1 times higher in the Roma group compared to the non-Roma group. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and microvascular complications among the study’s Roma population are quite significant, underscoring the importance of ethnic disparities in approaching healthcare management strategies

The Impact of Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity on the Evolution of Diastolic Dysfunction in Apparently Healthy Patients Suffering from Post-COVID-19 Syndrome

(1) Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a worse prognosis in individuals with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS), who often develop cardiovascular complications that last throughout recovery. (2) Methods: This study aimed to analyze the evolution of diastolic dysfunction (DD), assessed by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), in 203 individuals with and without obesity and/or MS diagnosed with post-COVID-19 syndrome. (3) Results: DD was frequently diagnosed in patients with MS and obesity, but also in those without obesity (62.71% and 56.6%, respectively), in comparison to 21.97% of subjects without MS (p ˂ 0.001). Almost half of the patients with obesity and MS had more severe DD (types 2 and 3). As for evolution, the prevalence and severity of DD, particularly types 1 and 2, decreased gradually, in parallel with the improvement of symptoms, progress being more evident in subjects without MS. DD of type 3 did not show a significant reduction (p = 0.47), suggesting irreversible myocardial damages. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the number of MS factors, the severity of initial pulmonary injury, and protein C levels could explain DD evolution. (4) Conclusions: DD was commonly diagnosed in individuals with post-COVID-19 syndrome, particularly in those with MS and obesity. After 6 months, DD evolution, excepting that of type 3, showed a significant improvement, mostly in patients without MS