Mediterranean spotted fever in southeastern Romania.

Although cases of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) have been reported for decades in southeastern Romania, there are few published data. We retrospectively studied 339 patients, diagnosed with MSF at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals" between 2000 and 2011, in order to raise awareness about MSF in certain regions of Romania. According to the Raoult diagnostic criteria 171 (50.4%) had a score >25 points. Mean age was 52.5 years. One hundred and fifty-five (90.6%) patients were from Bucharest and the surrounding region. Almost all patients presented with fever (99.4%) and rash (98.2%), and 57.9% had evidence of a tick bite. There were no recorded deaths. Serologic diagnosis was made by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 171 patients, serology results for R. conorii were available in 147. One hundred and twenty-three (83.7%) of them had a titer IgG ≥1:160 or a fourfold increase in titer in paired samples. MSF is endemic in southeastern Romania and should be considered in patients with fever and rash even in the absence of recognized tick exposure. Since the disease is prevalent in areas highly frequented by tourists, travel-associated MSF should be suspected in patients with characteristic symptoms returning from the endemic area

Clinical Study Mediterranean Spotted Fever in Southeastern Romania

Although cases of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) have been reported for decades in southeastern Romania, there are few published data. We retrospectively studied 339 patients, diagnosed with MSF at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Bals" between 2000 and 2011, in order to raise awareness about MSF in certain regions of Romania. According to the Raoult diagnostic criteria 171 (50.4%) had a score >25 points. Mean age was 52.5 years. One hundred and fifty-five (90.6%) patients were from Bucharest and the surrounding region. Almost all patients presented with fever (99.4%) and rash (98.2%), and 57.9% had evidence of a tick bite. There were no recorded deaths. Serologic diagnosis was made by indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of the 171 patients, serology results for R. conorii were available in 147. One hundred and twenty-three (83.7%) of them had a titer IgG ≥1 : 160 or a fourfold increase in titer in paired samples. MSF is endemic in southeastern Romania and should be considered in patients with fever and rash even in the absence of recognized tick exposure. Since the disease is prevalent in areas highly frequented by tourists, travel-associated MSF should be suspected in patients with characteristic symptoms returning from the endemic area

Contributions to the modernization of fluid power field by integration of intelligent equipment

The article refers to some directions of modernization in the field of hydraulics focusing on digitalization and the transition to intelligent hydraulic equipment and systems. Before exposing the achievements, the authors try to remove some confusion related to digitization and digitalization. The article presents two intelligent equipment designed by IHP, a proportional directional valve and a digital actuator and two intelligent stands, one of servo-valves and one of digital hydraulic cylinders, existing in operation in laboratory and which by the endowment and working procedures represent solutions in the field of intelligent hydraulics.W artykule odniesiono się do wybranych kierunków modernizacji hydrauliki, koncentrując się na cyfryzacji i przejściu na inteligentne urządzenia oraz systemy hydrauliczne. Przed przedstawieniem osiągnięć autorzy artykułu starają się usunąć zamieszanie związane z pojęciami cyfryzacji i digitalizacji. W artykule przedstawiono dwa inteligentne urządzenia zaprojektowane przez IHP, rozdzielacz proporcjonalny i siłownik cyfrowy oraz dwa inteligentne stanowiska, jeden z serwozaworów oraz jeden z cyfrowych siłowników hydraulicznych, stosowane w laboratorium, które ze względu na wyposażenie i procedury robocze są rozwiązaniami inteligentnej hydrauliki

Mechano-hydraulic pumping solutions for reduction off energy losses in agricultural mobile machinery

Hydraulic digital power consists in a hydraulic plant having one or more discreet valued components actively with which we are controlling the system output flow. In this paper authors study a solution of 4 fixed pumps parallel connected. This complex pumping system can achieve 15 flows. The pumping system consists in an electrical single speed motor, 4 fixed pumps, the repartition will achieve with the help of 4 electrohydraulic distributors and an electronic micro-controller. The hydraulic plant was made in our Research Institute in the digital hydraulic laboratory for conducting tests and experiments

Healthcare-associated Clostridioides difficile infection during the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care hospital in Romania

Introduction. Information on healthcare-associated C.difficile infection (HA-CDI) in COVID-19 patients is limited. We aimed to assess the characteristics of HA-CDI acquired during and before the COVID-19 pandemic

An analysis of baffles designs for limiting impact on the directional response for a partially filled tank with agro-food liquids

A directional response for a partially filled tank with agro-food liquids incorporates the motion of the free surface due to roll and longitudinal accelerations into the dynamic tank model. This paper presents an analysis of efficaciousness of different designs of baffles for two different tank, to limit the impact of the response given by the liquid on the tank walls. In this paper modelling of the behaviour of the cross-section circular and ellipsoidal tank with baffles, partially filled with liquids agro-food, was developed, which performs a braking-in-a-turn manoeuver. Two different tank truck models have been used to simulate the sloshing effect of agro-food liquid cargo. Is also studied the two geometric models of the tank was done by using SolidWorks and simulating the behaviour of the tank ANSYS-CFX. In this study, there were simulated and modeled two models of tank-type “X”, respectively type “Y” used for the storage and transport of liquid agro-food products, namely water, for different speeds (v = 14m / s and v = 20m / s) and two filling levels of the tank trucks (40% and 80%). The results obtained were compared the behaviour of the tank partially filled into a braking-in-a-turn manoeuver, in which the total values of the deformations that appear as a result of the impact due to the movement of the liquid inside the tank trucks

Peripheral nervous system involvement associated with COVID-19. A systematic review of literature

There is increasing evidence of both central and peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement in COVID-19. We conducted this systematic literature review to investigate the characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with PNS, including the types and severity of cranial nerves (CN) involvement. We systematically searched on PubMed for studies reporting adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and PNS involvement until July 2021. From 1670 records, 225 articles matched the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1320 neurological events, in 1004 patients. There were 805 (61%) CN, 350 (26.5%) PNS, and 165 (12.5%) PNS plus CN events. The most frequently involved CN were the facial, vestibulo-cochlear and olfactory nerve in 27.3%, 25.4% and 16.1%, respectively. Guillain-Barre syndrome spectrum was identified in 84.2% of PNS events. We analysed 328 patients reported in 225 articles with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN involvement. The patients with CN involvement were younger (mean age 46.2±17.1, p = .003), and were more frequently treated as outpatients (p < .001), mostly with glucocorticoids (p < .001). Patients that had PNS with or without CN involvement were more likely to be hospitalized (p < .001), and to receive intravenous immunoglobulins (p = .002) or plasma exchange (p = .002). Patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN had severe COVID -19 disease in 24.8%, 37.3%, 34.9% respectively. The most common neurological outcome was mild/moderate sequelae in patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN in 54.7%, 67.5% and 67.8% respectively (p = .1) and no significant difference was found between the three categories regarding death, disease severity, time from disease onset to neurological symptoms, lack of improvement and complete recovery. CN involvement was the most frequent PNS finding. All three categories of PNS involvement were rather associated to non-severe COVID-19 but it may be an important cause of hospitalization and post COVID-19 sequelae

Peripheral nervous system involvement associated with COVID-19. A systematic review of literature.

There is increasing evidence of both central and peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement in COVID-19. We conducted this systematic literature review to investigate the characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with PNS, including the types and severity of cranial nerves (CN) involvement. We systematically searched on PubMed for studies reporting adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and PNS involvement until July 2021. From 1670 records, 225 articles matched the inclusion criteria, with a total of 1320 neurological events, in 1004 patients. There were 805 (61%) CN, 350 (26.5%) PNS, and 165 (12.5%) PNS plus CN events. The most frequently involved CN were the facial, vestibulo-cochlear and olfactory nerve in 27.3%, 25.4% and 16.1%, respectively. Guillain-Barre syndrome spectrum was identified in 84.2% of PNS events. We analysed 328 patients reported in 225 articles with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN involvement. The patients with CN involvement were younger (mean age 46.2±17.1, p = .003), and were more frequently treated as outpatients (p < .001), mostly with glucocorticoids (p < .001). Patients that had PNS with or without CN involvement were more likely to be hospitalized (p < .001), and to receive intravenous immunoglobulins (p = .002) or plasma exchange (p = .002). Patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN had severe COVID -19 disease in 24.8%, 37.3%, 34.9% respectively. The most common neurological outcome was mild/moderate sequelae in patients with CN, PNS, and PNS plus CN in 54.7%, 67.5% and 67.8% respectively (p = .1) and no significant difference was found between the three categories regarding death, disease severity, time from disease onset to neurological symptoms, lack of improvement and complete recovery. CN involvement was the most frequent PNS finding. All three categories of PNS involvement were rather associated to non-severe COVID-19 but it may be an important cause of hospitalization and post COVID-19 sequelae

Reaction of 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl with HO•, O2•–, HO– ,and HOO– Radicals and Anions

Using electronic absorption spectra and thin layer chromatography, the reactionof 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) with O2•–, HO•, HO–, and HOO– anions and freeradicals revealed the formation of the para-nitro- and para-hydroxy-derivatives of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazine (DPPH-H) and of DPPH fragmentation products(diphenylamine, tetraphenylhydrazine). The reaction of DPPH with the O2•– anion-radical(from KO2 in benzene solution at room temperature in the presence of 18-crown-6 ether) ispseudo-first-order during the first 25 minutes