Acute Cholecystitis as a Complication After Colonoscopy: A Case Report and Literature Review

Acute cholecystitis after colonoscopy is a rare event, with less than 10 cases described in the literature. We report the case of a male patient with silent gallstones who underwent colonoscopy for follow-up of his Crohn’s disease. The colonoscopy revealed erosions in the terminal ileum, from which biopsies were taken. A sessile polyp 4 mm in diameter at the recto-sigmoid junction was also removed. Less than 24 h after the colonoscopy, the patient complained of upper right quadrant pain, nausea and vomiting. Based on the clinical findings, laboratory data and ultrasonography, we diagnosed acute cholecystitis and excluded any complication after the colonoscopy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed and the patient was discharged

Microbioma intestinal y peso corporal – revisión

The link between gut microbiota and insulin resistance has an important clinical impact, people affected by dysbiosis having a predisposition for developing: obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, cancers, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Dysbiosis may lead through chronic inflammation to obesity and metabolic syndrome. We carried out a systematic review of the studies dedicated to the role of gut microbiota in weight gain and obesity. A systematic literature search of recent data published in electronic databases, was performed, using as search phrase: "gut microbiome and body weight and obesity". Studies that contained no data about the influence of gut microbiota changes on obesity were excluded. Western diet, antibiotic use in childhood, excessive maternal pre-pregnancy weight, Cesarean delivery, and testosterone deficiency are triggers of the alteration of microbiota and subsequently the appearance of obesity. Predominance of Firmicutes and anaerobic genera, changes in the mycobiome and viral intestinal population are implied in the etiology of obesity. Prebiotics, polyphenols, different herbs, medication (antidiabetics, calcium), physical exercise, rich fibre intake and bariatric surgery are the most important therapeutic options. Personalized dietary treatments, antiviral agents and mycobiome manipulation would represent the new target in treating obesity. Any change of the quantitative and qualitative composition of microbiota has influence on the components of metabolic syndrome, so any management strategy for the treatment or prevention of obesity in children and adulthood should have the microbiome as target.La relación entre la microbioma intestinal y la resistencia a la insulina tiene un impacto clínico importante dado que la gente afectada por disbiosis tiene predisposiciones para desarrollar la obesidad, la diabetes mellitus tipo 2, la enfermedad de hígado graso no alcohólico, cánceres, enfermedades cardiovasculares, neurodegenerativas y psiquiátricas. La disbiosis puede convertirse en una inflamación crónica, obesidad o síndrome metabólico. Hemos hecho una revisión sistemática de los estudios dedicados al papel de la microbioma intestinal para el aumento de peso y la obesidad. Una búsqueda sistemática de datos recientes publicados en las bases de datos electrónicas se ha llevado a cabo usando la frase “gut microbiome and body weight and obesity”. Se ha excluido a los estudios que no contenían informaciones sobre la influencia de los cambios de la microbioma intestinal en la obesidad. La dieta occidental, uso de los antibióticos en la niñez, peso excesivo antes del embarazo, parto por cesárea y deficiencia de testosterona provocan la alteración de la microbioma y por consiguiente la apariencia de la obesidad. El predominio de firmicutes y géneros anaeróbicos, cambios en el microbioma y populación intestinal viral están implícitos en la etiología de la obesidad. Prebióticos, polifenoles, diferentes hierbas, medicamentos (antidiabéticos, calcio), ejercicio físico, consumo de fibras y cirugía bariátrica son las opciones terapéuticas más importantes. Tratamientos dietéticos personalizados, agentes antivirales y manipulación de la microbioma representarían nuevas metas en el tratamiento de la obesidad. Cada cambio en la composición cuantitativa o cualitativa de la microbioma influye en los componentes del síndrome metabólico, así que todas las estrategias para el tratamiento o prevención de la obesidad en niños o adultos deberían tener microbioma como su meta

Giant gastric polyp mimicking a duodenal tumor

Inflammatory fibroid polyps are very rare gastrointestinal tumors. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman with severe anemia and a giant gastric polyp which had intermittent duodenal intussusception. Ultrasonography showed increased gastric wall thickness and suspected an ampulloma, as revealed also by endoscopy and computed tomography. Ultrasonography reassessment showed later the intragastric mass, which was confirmed by endosonography: giant pediculated hypervascular polyp suggesting malignancy. Challenging phenomena at different investigation methods were due to intermittent protrusion into the first duodenal segment mimicking an ampulloma, but without gastric outlet syndrome or a malignant component, despite the severe anemia. Abnormal US aspect of the stomach in clinical context of anemic syndrome, requires EUS with biopsies in order to confirm underlying lesions. The particularities of this case are the: discordance between imaging aspects and the protrusion into the first duodenal segments with consecutive cholestasis mimicking an ampulloma and the lack of gastric outlet syndrome

Pasteurised eggs - a food safety solution against Salmonella backed by sensorial analysis of dishes traditionally containing raw or undercooked eggs

This study evaluates the potential of pasteurised eggs to be used as a replacement for raw eggs in recipes where eggs remain uncooked or undercooked. Sensory tests were performed by 178 untrained panellists (143 from Portugal and 35 from Romania) using a 9-point hedonic scale. The tested recipes were tiramisu, chocolate mousse, eggnog, hollandaise sauce, and condensed milk mousse (Baba de camelo). While in Portugal the colour and texture of the chocolate mousse prepared with pasteurised and unpasteurised eggs differed significantly, no significant differences in regards to the organoleptic attributes were recorded in Romania. Nonetheless, the results revealed comparable distribution scores regarding the overall acceptability for all the recipes indicating an agreement among panellists for both raw and pasteurised eggs dishes in both countries. The regression analysis showed that the main drivers of consumers’ acceptance of dishes made with pasteurised eggs are flavour and texture. This research demonstrates that five dishes prepared with liquid pasteurised eggs are accepted by consumers as they cannot clearly be distinguished from their counterparts prepared with raw eggs. As Salmonella-contaminated eggs are the most frequent cause of salmonellosis, pasteurised eggs can be used as a safer ingredient to substitute shell eggs in raw egg-based dishes without significant reduction of the sensory quality of the dish. Since liquid pasteurised eggs are already widely used, especially by industry and restaurants, we provide reasons supporting pasteurisation of eggs in shell as a more convenient solution for consumers. Pasteurised eggs, either liquid or in shell, constitute a way to reduce the burden of foodborne diseases by diminishing the number of cases of salmonellosis associated with cooking at home. Researchers and food safety authorities can use our results as a starting point for future studies or intervention strategies.CC BY-NC-NDinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Psycho-cognitive syndrome, blindness and tetraplegia after severe traumatic brain injury in polytraumatic context (road acc.) with favorable recovery of cognitive and motor deficits

Introduction The impact of accidents is important both for younger and older people. We live in a multisensory environment and the interaction between our genes and the environment shapes our brains. Cortical blindness as a result of head trauma (to the brain's occipital cortex) is a rare phenomenon and can be a total or partial loss of vision in a normal-appearing eye. How patients will adjust to the loss of vision and its consequences might be a challenge let along if they have mobility imparement (tetraplegia) as well. Adaptation and reintegration of patients into society after motor recovery in the context of visual sensory deficit. TBI survivors themselves and their families are likely more interested in quality-of-life outcomes, such as reintegration into the community, successful return to work or school, and functional capacity in everyday life. Cognitive and behavioural changes, difficulties maintaining personal relationships and coping with school and work are reported by survivors as more disabling than any residual physical deficits. As with all rehabilitation, the goal is to help the person achieve the maximum degree of return to their previous level of functioning. Case presentation Having the patient and TEHBA Bioethics Committee aproval, we will present the evolution of a case with postraumatic spastic tetraplegia post severe traumatic brain injury, blindness post traumatic bilateral occipital lesions and psycho-cognitive syndrome. Clinical and paraclinical aspects will be discussed (patient history and clinical examination, results of imaging and laboratory tests, the neuromioartrokinetic exam, specific rating scales, both medical and kinetotherapeutic treatments).We will address the case in terms of particularities and treatment approach (neurorehabilation of a motor deficit in the context of a major sensory deficiency) and evolution during hospitalization. Conclusions Trauma has been known to result in cortical blindness but the exact pathophysiology remains unknown and remains a matter of continued debate. Cortical blindness may occur after trauma, however, most cases regardless of etiology, are reversible and have no long term sequelae. While TBI can cause long-term physical disability, it is the complex neurobehavioural sequelae that produce the greatest disruption to quality of life. As with all rehabilitation, the goal is to help the person achieve the maximum degree of return to their previous level of functioning. In the setting of polytrauma, a careful ophthalmologic and neurologic examination of the trauma patient, together with a high index of suspicion, is necessary for the diagnosis of this condition. Heightened awareness of the causes should be followed with appropriate imaging and management

Artificial Intelligence as a Substitute for Human Creativity

Creativity has always been perceived as a human trait, even though the exact neural mechanisms remain unknown, it has been the subject of research and debate for a long time. The recent development of AI technologies and increased interest in AI has led to many projects capable of performing tasks that have been previously regarded as impossible without human creativity. Music composition, visual arts, literature, and science represent areas in which these technologies have started to both help and replace the creative human, with the question of whether AI can be creative and capable of creation more realistic than ever. This review aims to provide an extensive perspective over several state-of-the art technologies and applications based on AI which are currently being implemented into areas of interest closely correlated to human creativity, as well as the economic impact the development of such technologies might have on those domains

Cross-contamination of lettuce with Campylobacter spp. via cooking salt during handling raw poultry

Campylobacter spp. are the most common bacterial pathogens associated with human gastroenteritis in industrialized countries. Contaminated chicken is the food vehicle associated with the majority of reported cases of campylobacteriosis, either by the consumption of undercooked meat or via cross- contamination of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods during the handling of contaminated raw chicken parts and carcasses. Our results indicate that cooking salt (used for seasoning) is a potential vehicle for Campylobacter spp. cross-contamination from raw chicken to lettuce, through unwashed hands after handling contaminated chicken. Cross-contamination events were observed even when the chicken skin was contaminated with low levels of Campylobacter spp. (ca. 1.48 Log CFU/g). The pathogen was recovered from seasoned lettuce samples when raw chicken was contaminated with levels ≥ 2.34 Log CFU/g. We also demonstrated that, once introduced into cooking salt, Campylobacter spp. are able to survive in a culturable state up to 4 hours. After six hours, although not detected following an enrichment period in culture medium, intact cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy. These findings reveal a "novel"indirect cross-contamination route of Campylobacter in domestic settings, and a putative contamination source to RTE foods that are seasoned with salt, that might occur if basic food hygiene practices are not adopted by consumers when preparing and cooking poultry dishes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Kitchen layouts and consumers’ food hygiene practices: Ergonomics versus safety

Our paper emphasizes the importance of the kitchen layout in facilitating consumers' food hygiene practices. A significant correlation was found between the sink placement (inside or outside the kitchen) and hygienic practices during food handling based on a survey performed on consumers from ten European countries, indicating that those who had the sink in the kitchen were more likely to perform proper hygiene practices than those who have not. The self-reported practices were supported by observed practices in 64 households from five European countries. The observational study combined with the examination of kitchen layouts revealed that the kitchen work triangle with its apexes represented by the kitchen sink, cooking stove and refrigerator, which is recommended for ergonomic reasons by architects and designers, did not necessarily support food hygiene practices in kitchens. Cross-contamination events were associated with the sink – countertop distances longer than 1 m. Based on this, a new kitchen triangle with its apexes represented by the kitchen sink, working place (usually countertop) and cooking stove, with the distance between the sink and the working place less than 1 m is proposed to be used as norm in kitchen designs for combining ergonomics with safety. This triangle is proposedly named the food safety triangle and is aimed to mitigate the risks of foodborne illnesses by creating an arrangement that facilitates hygiene practices. This study is the first to highlight the importance of implementing the concept of food safety in the kitchen design based on significant correlations between kitchen equipment placement and consumers’ food safety practices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Food Stories: Bread, Religion, and Identity : An IPA study in the multi-cultural area of Brasov, Transylvania

The paper follows and compares the narratives around sacred bread in four religious communities within the multicultural Transylvanian area of Brasov: Orthodox Christianity, Lutheran Christianity, Romano-Catholic, and Judaic. Information regarding the practice of bread making during key religious celebrations was gathered via six semi-structured interviews and analysed by interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA), thus providing a summary of what unites and what distinguishes the four religious communities and also indicating a few directions for the common ground in building an inclusive multi-narrative perspective.  The study approaches a field less scrutinized, that of comparative studies regarding similarities, differences, and influences between various religious communities in basic life situations – like food and symbolism associated with religious celebrations

Food Stories: Bread, Religion, and Identity : An IPA study in the multi-cultural area of Brasov, Transylvania

The paper follows and compares the narratives around sacred bread in four religious communities within the multicultural Transylvanian area of Brasov: Orthodox Christianity, Lutheran Christianity, Romano-Catholic, and Judaic. Information regarding the practice of bread making during key religious celebrations was gathered via six semi-structured interviews and analysed by interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA), thus providing a summary of what unites and what distinguishes the four religious communities and also indicating a few directions for the common ground in building an inclusive multi-narrative perspective.  The study approaches a field less scrutinized, that of comparative studies regarding similarities, differences, and influences between various religious communities in basic life situations – like food and symbolism associated with religious celebrations