Coping strategies for exam stress

During the examination period, students experience a state of stress generated both by the exams themselves and by the fear of getting bad grades and implicitly a failure. This problem needs to be taken into consideration, not only because of the high percentage of students who suffer from it, but also because it has a negative effect on academic performance and self-esteem. Through this article, we tried to identify coping strategies used by students to cope with the exam stress (before, during and after the exam). We used the focus group technique on 32 students (divided into 4 groups). The students are from The Bucharest University of Economic Studies and they are enrolled in the pedagogical training module. Following the centralization of the opinions expressed during the discussions, we grouped the coping strategies into four categories: general coping (used during the semester), coping methods used before the exam (in the exam period), coping methods used during the exam itself, and coping methods used after the exam. As a result of this study, we believe that students and teachers have raised awareness of the importance of using positive coping strategies to lessen the stress associated with exams. The initiative to organize student stress management workshops was also launche

Pilot study on urinary incontinence rehabilitation using non-invasive methods

Urinary incontinence affects up to a quarter of the female population at an active age of over 40 years old. The rate increases by 40% for females over 60 years old. Medical rehabili-tation re-garding stress, urge or mixed geriatric urinary incontinence pathologies by using physical, non-invasive methods is poorly reported in literature, even though the obtained results are quantifiable, consistent, durable through continuous and periodic exercise. The objectives of rehabilitation of stress urinary incontinence, urge incontinence and mixed stress and urge uri-nary incontinence are the conscious toning of muscles of the pelvic floor, patient’s awareness of contractions thereof, and the improvement of these patients’ quality of life. Toning the muscles of the pelvic floor is essential in stress urinary incontinence whereas in urge incontinence it may increase urination control. Physical exercises increase the muscle tonus of the pubococ-cygeus muscles surrounding the vagina and the anus, and whose contraction may stop the evacuated quantity of urine, faeces and gases. The first-line treatment is the Kegel perineal reeducation, with a preventive and curative role in the treatment of urinary incontinence, also during the first and second stage of genital pro-lapse. Reeducation, supervision, guidance, re-laxation, and exercise are essential elements in the reduction of urinary incontinence or pro-lapse in nascent stages. In literature and in practice there are several approaches to pelvic reha-bilitation: some are minimally invasive, while others are non-invasive. In the current investi-gation, a group of elderly patients with stress, neurological or/and mixed urinary inconti-nence—which was linked to a mild genital prolapse in the female patients—were treated with four minimally invasive and non-invasive techniques. Associated comorbidities were type II diabetes (ADO treated) and a previous ischemic stroke in antecedents. Kegel exercises will be supplemented by transcutaneous electrical neurostimulation. Electrical neurostimulation also brings non painful electrical stimulation thus producing the contraction of the external sphinc-ter muscle of urethra and the levator ani muscle inducing the inhibition of the detrusor mus-cle and of the contraction of the urinary bladder. After a 3-4 week training, subjective improve-ments and the spacing out of urinations to 3-4 hours are registered. The continuation of treat-ment up to 2 months (60 days) additionaly improves patients’ functional status, thus substanti-ating and stabilizing the obtained results over time. Positive outcomes were attained, as the pa-tient was able to effectively complete the pelvic rehabilitation course of action. Urinary losses could be completely eliminated and the number of nighttime bath-room visits was lowered to the recommended physiological threshold (one awakening per night).Keywords: prepuberty, posture abnormalities, scoliosis, somatoscopy, physiotherapeutic assessmen

Fenomenul îmbătrânirii populaţiei – adaptarea politicilor de sănătate

În contextul actual al îmbătrânirii populaţiei, tendinţă remarcată atât pe plan mondial, european, cât şi pe plan naţional, este explicabilă o creştere a ponderii problemelor de sănătate şi a afecţiunilor specifice acestei categorii de vârstă.Prin prisma particularităţilor terapiei, prognosticului, recuperării specifice pacienţilor vârstnici şi a costurilor crescute, se impune o adaptare a politicilor de sănătate prin laborarea şi aplicarea unor strategii eficiente pe termene scurt, mediu şi lung, care să cuprindă activitatea tuturor instituţiilor din domeniul sanitar şi să corecteze toţi factorii implicaţi

Diagnostic algorithm of hyperglycemia in children

Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie ”Grigore T.Popa”,Iaşi, România, Spitalul clinic de urgentă pentru copii “Sf.Maria”, Iaşi, RomâniaDefi nim hiperglicemia prin creşterea glicemiei a jeun peste 110 mg/dl sau printr-o glicemie oricand in cursul zilei peste 140 mg/dl. În practica pediatrică, aceste valori pot fi cauzate de anumite medicamente, de stres sau pun problema apariţiei diabetului zaharat. Dintre medicamentele care pot determina hiperglicemie menţionăm steroizii, tiazidele, hormonul de creştere şi unele antipsihotice. Acestea din urmă au fost asociate cu o incidenţă crescută a diabetului de tip 2 si cu înrăutăţirea controlului metabolic în diabetul de tip 1. Hiperglicemia de stres poate avea cauze minore, spre exemplu o infecţie de tract respirator superior, sau cauze severe, chirurgicale. Hiperglicemia din infecţiile minore poate anunţa apariţia unui diabet de tip 1 sau diabet MODY şi trebuie investigată ulterior. Dacă valorile glicemiei sunt peste 126 mg/dl a jeun şi peste 200 mg/dl în cursul zilei, se stabileşte diagnosticul de diabet zaharat. În peste 90% din cazuri, în copilărie şi adolescenţă se diagnostichează diabetul de tip 1, pe baza simptomelor tipice si prin confi rmarea patogeniei autoimune, respectiv a markerilor de autoimunitate. Există şi posibilitatea unui diabet secundar asociat anumitor afectiuni, cum ar fi fi broza chistică, talasemia, feocromocitomul sau afecţiuni genetice. Când valorile glicemiei a jeun sunt între 100-125 mg/dl, pentru a diferenţia diabetul zaharat de tip 2 de un diabet monogenic sau de un prediabet, se recomandă efectuarea testului oral de toleranţă la glucoză asociat cu determinarea hemoglobinei glicozilate A1c, a anticorpilor anticelule insulare ( ICA ), a anticorpilor antiinsulinici şi a peptidului C. În prezent, se remarcă o crestere a incidenţei diabetului zaharat de tip 2 la populatia pediatrică, şi anume la pacientii cu obezitate şi istoric familial pozitiv de obezitate şi/sau diabet de tip 2, cu valori normale sau crescute ale peptidului C şi fără autoanticorpi prezenţi. Diabetul de tip MODY apare la 2-3,5 % din cazurile de diabet zaharat, copiii având un fenotip extrem de variabil, nu prezinta autoanticorpi, iar transmiterea autosomal dominanta este demonstrata de istoricul familial de diabet la 2-3 generaţii. În concluzie, hiperglicemia la copil pune probleme de diagostic diferenţial între debutul diabetului zaharat, un diabet secundar, o hiperglicemie indusa medicamentos sau o hiperglicemie de stres.Hyperglycemia is defined as an increase of the fasting blood glucose level above 110 mg/dl or by random blood glucose level above 140 mg/dl. In pediatric practice, these values may be caused by certain medications, by stress or they may be an indication of diabetes mellitus. Here are some of the medications that may cause hyperglycemia: steroids, thiazides, growth hormone, and some antipsychotics. The latter was associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes and with poor metabolic control in type 1 diabetes. Hyperglycemia caused by stress may have minor causes, for instance, an upper respiratory tract infection, or severe surgical causes. Hyperglycemia caused by minor infections may be the precursor of type 1 diabetes or of MODY diabetes and it should be further and more thoroughly analyzed. When the fasting blood glucose levels exceed 126 mg/dl and when the blood glucose levels are over 200 mg/dl at any time during the day, the diabetes mellitus diagnosis is set. Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed during childhood and adolescence in over 90% of the cases, based on specific symptoms and when confirmed by autoimmune pathogenicity, i.e. autoimmunity markers. There is also the possibility of secondary diabetes associated with certain conditions such as cystic fibrosis, thalassemia, pheochromocytoma, or genetic disorders. When fasting blood glucose levels are between 100-125 mg/dl, in order to distinguish type 2 diabetes from monogenic diabetes or from prediabetes, an oral glucose tolerance test is recommended together with the determination of glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, anti-islet cells (ICA), anti-insulin antibodies, and peptide C. Nowadays, there is an increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the pediatric population, namely in patients with obesity and family history of obesity and/or type 2 diabetes, with normal or elevated C-peptide levels and no autoantibodies present. MODY diabetes occurs in 2-3.5% of the cases of diabetes, as children have a very variable phenotype, do not show autoantibodies, and dominant autosomal transmission is demonstrated by family history of diabetes in 2-3 generations. To conclude, hyperglycemia in children poses a differential diagnosis problem, as it is difficult to distinguish between the onset of diabetes mellitus, secondary diabetes, medication-induced hyperglycemia, or stress-caused hyperglycemia

The Role of PET-CT in Gastric Cancer – A Narrative Review

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most common and leading causes of cancer death worldwide, with an increasing risk and prevalence. Although the usage of 18-FDG PET-CT in gastric cancer evaluation remains a matter of debate and is not consistently recommended by international guidelines, our descriptive review aims to highlight its actual role in the diagnostic accuracy, staging, therapeutic management, and relapse monitoring of this malignancy. Methods: The current research was conducted using scholarly databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar by searching useful science journals, references, and abstracts on the topic. The keywords used were “gastric cancer” AND “PET-CT”. Results: 18-FDG PET-CT remains a promising method with increasing clinical utility not only across a wide variety of malignancies, but also among gastric cancer patients. Conclusions: We are certain that with further improvements, this technique could improve the diagnosis and evaluation of gastric cancer, and make it more approachable and accurate. Keywords gastric cancer (GC), PET-CT, 18-FDG PET-CT, 18F-FDG uptake, ceCT (contrast-enhanced CT

The switch from patented medicine to the generic one: an option or a necessity?

This paper assesses the influence of a number of factors taken into account when a brand name drug is replaced by a generic one. It also evaluates responses of health professionals – physicians and pharmacist—and patients regarding the issue of switching. We compared and contrasted their responses in order to identify new points of cooperation for the intended benefit of the patient. Thus, the sample drew from all three groups, consisting of 50 doctors, 50 pharmacists, and 50 patients. We collected information regarding the age, residence, income level, and education level for the patients, and age and experience for the specialists. Based on responses to the survey, replacing the original medication with a generic one raises many issues, such as lack of information for the patient and specialist, lack of collaboration between physician and pharmacist, ineffective communication between specialist and patient, and the influence of the overall profit motive

URGENŢE METABOLICE – PARTEA A II-A

Afecţiunile metabolice se pot manifesta în special în perioada de nou-născut şi sugar prin: hipoglicemie, insufi cienţă cardiacă, hiperlactacidemie primară, insufi cienţă hepatică, convulsii netratabile, deteriorare neuro logică. Autorii prezintǎ principalele manifestǎri ale urgenţelor metabolice şi tratamentul de urgenţǎ

Competitive Intelligence and Neuro-Technologies: The New Strategic Tools to Boost The Digital Economy

Purpose – This paper aims to bridge the conceptual gap between the competitive intelligence domain and the current digital transformation and adaptation to the new values, norms, requests and expectations of Industry 4.0. Starting with the theoretical and chronological background attributed to the current developments, the following pages proceed to developing the argument that the Competitive Intelligence domain has become an imperative for the whole process of decision-making involved in Industry 4.0, applied to all businesses, disregard their status, domain, or turnover. Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a multidisciplinary perspective, the paper uses both a theoretical and practical approach to the main concepts involved: Competitive Intelligence, neuro-technologies, Industry 4.0. While defining those central concepts and presenting the chronological evolution of the economic domain, it also provides examples of key tools and their application in the current Digital Era. Findings – The current times are marked by a process of transition from digital transformation to digitization in almost all global businesses. The transition to digitalization affects the entire organizational ecosystem by integrating with digital solutions the value chain of global business. While the paper limits itself to setting the stage for future research, it still provides a valid range of theoretical knowledge and pragmatic applicability of the discussed concepts in the context of the current developing global reality. Originality/value – Beyond the theoretical and chronological analysis, a valuable content of this paper is the discussion of innovative tools within the domain of competitive intelligence and neuro-technologies to enhance the adaptability to rapidly changing conditions, the agility in decision-making and the flexibility to redesign the existing strategies based on pertinent analysis of a great influx of informatio

Manufacturing Technology of Some Impact Resistant Materials

In this paper impact resistance is a key parameter for composite materials. Composite structures can experience impact loads either accidentally in the designed life or in an anticipated hostile service environment. That is why the manufacturing technology is very important. For materials manufacture were established: the type of polymer matrix, the types of fabrics and additives which will be used to improve impact resistance and also analysis of mechanical properties of formed composite materials (bending and tensile tests). Knowledge of the mechanical properties of polymeric materials is necessary in all areas of their applicability. Thus, rigidity and mechanical strength are key properties for most applications in which polymeric matrix composites are used