Integrated care for HIV/AIDS infected patients. The Romanian experience

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) targets the body’s immune system and, if left untreated, may result in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. (AIDS). HIV’s pathogenesis entails the gradual destruction of CD4+ T cells, which lowers the immune system and leaves the body more susceptible to co-infections and other diseases. HIV has been highlighted as a global public health concern, and since the first instances were recorded in the early 1980s, it has caused extensive morbidity and mortality. The HIV epidemic is still impacting millions of individuals throughout the entire globe, even though available antiretroviral therapy (ART) has transformed HIV infection from an almost universally fatal disease into a controllable chronic medical condition. The magnitude of the HIV epidemic varies between areas and countries. In 2021, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) projected that 38.4 million individuals worldwide were living with HIV. The HIV integrated care approach highlights the significance of early diagnosis, care coordination, and medication adherence. This strategy incorporates a multidisciplinary team of medical specialists, including physicians, pharmacists, social workers, nurses, and mental health professionals. In addition to medication management, mental health counseling, drug addiction treatment, and peer support, HIV-integrated care includes additional therapies such as behavioral health counseling. HIV integrative care is a holistic approach to HIV infection management that addresses patients’ medical, interpersonal, and emotional requirements. It has been demonstrated that this form of treatment improves health outcomes, reduces stigma, and increases community involvement in combating HIV infections

Nutrigenetics: unravelling the genetic contributions to obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus

In this review, we aim to explore the field of nutrigenetics and its potential impact on obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes mellitus. Current dietary approaches in nutritional science often overlook the individual’s genetic profile, limiting the effectiveness of personalized diets. Nutrigenetics aims to incorporate genetic data into nutritional interventions to optimize disease prevention and treatment strategies. Regarding obesity, genetic factors, including multiple genes and alleles, influence body weight and predisposition to obesity. The FTO and MC4R genes, for example, have been linked to weight gain and appetite regulation. Similarly, genetic variations in the APO-A and APO-E gene families affect lipid metabolism and susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases. Genetic variations in genes such as MTHFR and PPAR-γ2 have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, while dietary factors, such as the consumption of fruits and vegetables, can reduce the likelihood of developing these diseases. In diabetes mellitus, both type 1 and type 2, genetic factors also play a significant role. Genes like IGF2BP2 and PRKAA2 impact insulin resistance and glucose metabolism. Although nutrigenetics is still a developing field, it has the potential to revolutionize personalized nutrition plans and improve health outcomes

The impact of non-nutritive sweeteners on isolated and purified microbial cultures derived from probiotics

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are a well-known substitute for table sugar with great implications in the management of various pathologies, mainly in Diabetes or Obesity. Previous studies have successfully shown that these substances are safe for human consumption, but one concern that remains is that of the impact on gut microbiota, mainly due to the complexity and diversity of the microbiome in humans. Keeping in mind that the gut microbiota contains numerous of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces species, we simulated the microbiome by obtaining isolated microbial cultures of Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus reuteri, which we obtained two over the counter (OTC) probiotic supplements. We evaluated the bacteriostatic effect of three sweeteners (Sucralose, Saccharin, Stevia), using the successive dilution method and disc-diffusimetry on solid medium. What we sought to determine was a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each non-nutritive sweetener

COVID-19-Current Therapeutical Approaches and Future Perspectives

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) stimulated an unprecedented international collaborative effort for rapid diagnosis, epidemiologic surveillance, clinical management, prevention, and treatment. This review focuses on the current and new therapeutical approaches, summarizing the viral structure and life cycle, with an emphasis on the specific steps that can be interfered by antivirals: (a) inhibition of viral entry with anti-spike monoclonal antibodies; (b) inhibition of the RNA genome replication with nucleosidic analogs blocking the viral RNA polymerase; (c) inhibition of the main viral protease (Mpro), which directs the formation of the nonstructural proteins. An overview of the immunomodulatory drugs currently used for severe COVID-19 treatment and future therapeutical options are also discussed