STUDIES ON THE EVOLUTION OF APPLE FRUITS QUALITY DURING THE PRESERVATION PERIOD IN COLD STORAGE FACILITIES

The apple fruits harvest maturity is very brief and does not coincide with the consumption maturity. The process of ripening continues after fruit harvesting, and the consumption maturity is achieved earlier or later in the storage period. Present paper highlights the evolution of some apples characteristics (penetration resistance, chlorophyll fluorescence), in the storage period,the characteristics that define the quality fruits consumption. The study was carried out at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti-Maracineni where the fruits of two apples varieties ('Dalinred', and 'Goldrush') that have been harvested in October and stored in cold storage. After four months of storage (January) and after five months of storage (February), determinations of penetration resistance and chlorophyll fluorescence were carried out. The results obtained have shown that penetration resistance of the 'Goldrush' fruits variety in January had higher values than penetration resistance of the 'Dalinred' fruits variety and the values of resistance decrease with increasing storage period. Regarding chlorophyll fluorescence, the values have the same tendency as well as those of penetration resistance, a small decreasing of values, with the increasing storage period. Both, the penetration resistance values as well as the chlorophyll fluorescence values, proved a good duration for maintaining fruit quality, and the decreasing values in the two periods of determination (January and February), was insignificant

DIAGNOSIS OF DISMINERALOSES IN CATTLE BY DETERMINATION OF SOME MINERALS IN HAIR. METHODS AND REFERENCES VALUES

In order to elaborate the work technology and establish reference values of some minerals in hair, 50 hair samples were drawn from cows in two farms with best production and reproduction parameters and good sanitary veterinary state. The following parameters were determinated in hair: ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, cupper, manganes, zinc. Analyses were performed by colorimetric and complexometric methods. Zinc was determined by spectrophotometry in atomic absorbtion. The following reference values for minerals in cattle hair were established: ash 1000-2600 mg/100g; calcium 100-230 mg/100g; phosphorus 13-19 mg/100g; magnesium 40-85 mg/100g; iron 30-107 ppm; copper 10-18 ppm; manganes 6-40 ppm; zinc 92-120 ppm. The values of mineral in cattle hair were compared and analyzed with those in blood serum (serum mineral prophile). Key words: dismineraloses, cattle, hair analyses

Failure in Medical Practice: Human Error, System Failure, or Case Severity?

The success rate in medical practice will probably never reach 100%. Success rates depend on many factors. Defining the success rate is both a technical and a philosophical issue. In opposition to the concept of success, medical failure should also be discussed. Its causality is multifactorial and extremely complex. Its actual rate and its real impact are unknown. In medical practice, failure depends not only on the human factor but also on the medical system and has at its center a very important variable—the patient. To combat errors, capturing, tracking, and analyzing them at an institutional level are important. Barriers such as the fear of consequences or a specific work climate or culture can affect this process. Although important data regarding medical errors and their consequences can be extracted by analyzing patient outcomes or using quality indicators, patient stories (clinical cases) seem to have the greatest impact on our subconscious as medical doctors and nurses and these may generate the corresponding and necessary reactions. Every clinical case has its own story. In this study, three different cases are presented to illustrate how human error, the limits of the system, and the particularities of the patient’s condition (severity of the disease), alone or in combination, may lead to tragic outcomes There is a need to talk openly and in a balanced way about failure, regardless of its cause, to look at things as they are, without hiding the inconvenient truth. The common goal is not to find culprits but to find solutions and create a culture of safety

Therapeutic Perspectives for Microbiota Transplantation in Digestive Diseases and Neoplasia—A Literature Review

In a mutually beneficial connection with its host, the gut microbiota affects the host’s nutrition, immunity, and metabolism. An increasing number of studies have shown links between certain types of disease and gut dysbiosis or specific microorganisms. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is strongly advised for the treatment of recurrent or resistant Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) due to its outstanding clinical effectiveness against CDI. The therapeutic potential of FMT for other disorders, particularly inflammatory bowel diseases and malignancies, is currently gaining more and more attention. We summarized the most recent preclinical and clinical evidence to show the promise of FMT in the management of cancer as well as complications related to cancer treatment after reviewing the most recent research on the gut microbiota and its relationship to cancer

Outcomes of Diabetic Retinopathy Post-Bariatric Surgery in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Bariatric surgery is an emerging therapeutic approach for obese type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, with proven benefits for achieving target glucose control and even remission of diabetes. However, the effect of bariatric surgery upon diabetic retinopathy is still a subject of debate as some studies show a positive effect while others raise concerns about potential early worsening effects. We performed a systematic review, on PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases regarding the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy in obese T2DM patients who underwent weight-loss surgical procedures. A total of 6375 T2DM patients were analyzed. Most cases remained stable after bariatric surgery (89.6%). New onset of diabetic retinopathy (DR) was documented in 290 out of 5972 patients (4.8%). In cases with DR at baseline, progression was documented in 50 out of 403 (12.4%) and regression in 90 (22.3%). Preoperative careful preparation of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, and lipidemia should be provided to minimize the expectation of DR worsening. Ophthalmologic follow-up should be continued regularly in the postoperative period even in the case of diabetic remission. Further randomized trials are needed to better understand the organ-specific risk factors for progression and provide personalized counseling for T2DM patients planned for bariatric surgery

Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis in Diabetic Retinopathy—Current Knowledge and Future Therapeutic Targets

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the major causes of blindness today, despite important achievements in diagnosis and therapy. The involvement of a gut–retina axis is thought to be a possible risk factor for several chronic eye disease, such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, and, recently, diabetic retinopathy. Dysbiosis may cause endothelial disfunction and alter retinal metabolism. This review analyzes the evidence regarding changes in gut microbiota in patients with DR compared with diabetics and healthy controls (HCs). A systematic review was performed on PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for the following terms: “gut microbiota” OR “gut microbiome” AND “diabetic retinopathy”. Ultimately, 9 articles published between 2020 and 2022 presenting comparative data on a total of 228 T2DM patients with DR, 220 patients with T2DM, and 118 HCs were analyzed. All of the studies found a distinctive microbial beta diversity in DR vs. T2DM and HC, characterized by an altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, a decrease in butyrate producers, and an increase in LPS-expressing and pro-inflammatory species in the Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria phyla. The probiotic species Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus were decreased when compared with T2DM. Gut microbiota influence retinal health in multiple ways and may represent a future therapeutic target in DR