The Investment Attractiveness of the Agricultural Sector in Republic of Moldova in Terms of European Integration

The modernization of the Agro-food sector, and revitalization of its conditions and standards, needs to attract funding sources from international donors, which helps stimulate the development of high value agriculture. Consequently, attracting agricultural investment is a strategic priority for Moldovan farmers, as this represents tangible economic growth based on retooling and modernization of agriculture. The National Bureau of Statistics ranks Moldova second in relation to the interest rates charged for loans. The average annual interest rate for lending to agriculture is 14.13%. Georgia in first place with 29%. Despite all the successes of banking, agriculture (as a sector) still remains an unattractive investment for banks in Moldova. The banking sector has also expressed reluctance in supporting small-scale agribusiness

Cryopreservation of cell laden natural origin hydrogels for cartilage regeneration strategies

Statement of Purpose: An increase of scientific published literature and clinical experience supports the requirement of providing products like cultured cells and tissues to the market. One of the main prospects of cartilage tissue engineering is the possibility of developing custom-made regenerative medicine solutions on an individual patient basis. The efficient preservation and storage procedure will provide products available as needed which could be adapted to an autologous immediate solution. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of the cryopreservation on the chondrogenic differentiation characteristics of human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue (hASCs). Furthermore, we also propose to determine hASCs-hydrogel stability and confirm the potential of these bioengineered constructs to be applied in cartilage regeneration. The results obtained show that the hydrogels withstand the cryopreservation process maintaining their structural integrity, with good cell content after cryopreservation. Thus, cell encapsulation systems of natural based hydrogels may be an interesting approach for the long term preservation of cartilage tissue engineered products. Methods: The κ-carrageenan (κCR) hydrogels were produced using an ionotropic gelation method. Then, stem cells, namely human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs), were encapsulated in κCR discs (5 mm dia. x 3 mm height) at a density of 5x106 cell/cm3 and cultured for 21 days in standard basal (BM) or chondrogenic media (ChM). The cell hydrogels were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen for up to 30 days. The overall morphology of κCR discs with encapsulated hASCs was observed under light microscope. hASCs viability and proliferation rate was determined by double stand DNA quantification. Additionally, chondrogenic differentiation of hASCs encapsulated in the hydrogels is being characterized by histological staining for selective cartilage staining and real time PCR analysis (Sox9, aggrecan, and collagen: type I, type II and type X). DMA analysis allowed determining the mechanical properties of κ-carrageenan hydrogels, namely storage (elastic) and loss (viscous) while immersed in wet state at 24 °C and throughout a physiological relevant range of frequencies. The described characterization assays were performed both before (BC) and after cryopreservation/freezing (AC) time points. Results: The cell morphology, distribution and appearance of the hydrogels are clearly observed from the microscopic light images (Figure 1A). It is possible to observe the smooth and homogeneous surface, the well defined and stable shape before and after the freezing process. Encapsulated hASCs were able to maintain cellular content, despite an expected decrease observed upon cryopreservation (Figure 1B), which is associated to a recovery time after thawing. The microscopic images and biological evaluation of κCR hydrogel revealed that the cryopreservation process did not change the cellular morphology; the surface and integrity of the hydrogel disc and enables maintenance of hASCs after exposure to low temperatures environments. Figure 1. (A) Representative optical micrographs of hASCs encapsulated in κCR hydrogels and cultured in ChM and BM before and after cryopreservation and (B) cell proliferation results, based on the quantification of dsDNA content. Scale bar represent 100 μm. Conclusions: The results obtained so far indicated the feasibility of hASCs-κCR system in cartilage tissue engineering regeneration strategies due to its ability to support hASCs viability before and after cryopreservation. Ongoing studies on the assessment of chondrogenic features of these cryopreserved systems will provide information on the effect of cryopreservation indicative of a stable chondrocyte phenotype. In summary, this study provided information on the potential of ASCs-hydrogel constructs for a long term storage and ready to use bioengineered tissue substitutes for cartilage regeneration strategies. References: (Popa EG. Biomacromolecules 2011;12:3952-3961

Oscillatory Cortical Activity in an Animal Model of Dystonia Caused by Cerebellar Dysfunction

The synchronization of neuronal activity in the sensorimotor cortices is crucial for motor control and learning. This synchrony can be modulated by upstream activity in the cerebello-cortical network. However, many questions remain over the details of how the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum communicate. Therefore, our aim is to study the contribution of the cerebellum to oscillatory brain activity, in particular in the case of dystonia, a severely disabling motor disease associated with altered sensorimotor coupling. We used a kainic-induced dystonia model to evaluate cerebral cortical oscillatory activity and connectivity during dystonic episodes. We performed microinjections of low doses of kainic acid into the cerebellar vermis in mice and examined activities in somatosensory, motor and parietal cortices. We showed that repeated applications of kainic acid into the cerebellar vermis, for five consecutive days, generate reproducible dystonic motor behavior. No epileptiform activity was recorded on electrocorticogram (ECoG) during the dystonic postures or movements. We investigated the ECoG power spectral density and coherence between motor cortex, somatosensory and parietal cortices before and during dystonic attacks. During the baseline condition, we found a phenomenon of permanent adaptation with a change of baseline locomotor activity coupled to an ECoG gamma band increase in all cortices. In addition, after kainate administration, we observed an increase in muscular activity, but less signs of dystonia together with modulations of the ECoG power spectra with an increase in gamma band in motor, parietal and somatosensory cortices. Moreover, we found reduced coherence in all measured frequency bands between the motor cortex and somatosensory or parietal cortices compared to baseline. In conclusion, examination of cortical oscillatory activities in this animal model of chronic dystonia caused by cerebellar dysfunction reveals a disruption in the coordination of neuronal activity across the cortical sensorimotor/parietal network, which may underlie motor skill deficits

The Relationship Between Phenolic Compounds from Diet and Microbiota

All multicellular organisms live in a strong bond with the microorganisms from around the world, and the humans are not the exceptions. Human microbiota (a complex bacterial community) contains about 1014 microbial cells, 10 times more than the content of the cells from our body and the microbial genome named microbiome, 1000 more that the human genome. It colonises any surface of the human body, above our skin, in the genitourinary tract, gut and airways. From all this, the gut is the most colonised organ, with an amount of almost 70% of the human microbes. Considering the large size of the gut, compared with a tennis terrain, filled with substances that plays a key, nutritive role for the microbes, polyphenols are micronutrients from our diet, with an emerging role in the modulation of the colonic microbial population composition and activity. Therefore, many studies underline that long-term consumption of diets rich in plants polyphenols offers protection against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases. This chapter reviews the biological effects of plant polyphenols in the context of relevance to human health, especially considering the food functionality area, together with the complexity of the human microbiota and the bioavailability highly dependent on their intestinal absorption

Artrita psoriazică la adult: protocol clinic naţional PCN-295

USMF „Nicolae Testemiţanu”Acest protocol a fost elaborat de grupul de lucru al Ministerului Sănătăţii al Republicii Moldova (MS RM), constituit din specialiştii Departamentului Medicină Internă, Disciplina Reumatologie şi Nefrologie a Universităţii de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu”. Protocolul naţional este elaborat în conformitate cu ghidurile internaţionale actuale privind SA şi va servi drept bază pentru elaborarea protocoalelor instituţionale, în baza posibilităţilor reale ale fiecărei instituţii în anul curent. La recomandarea MS pentru monitorizarea protocoalelor instituţionale pot fi folosite formulare suplimentare, care nu sunt incluse în protocolul clinic naţional

Artrita reumatoidă la adult: protocol clinic naţional PCN-75

USMF „Nicolae Testemiţanu”Acest protocol a fost elaborat de grupul de lucru al Universităţii de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie "Nicolae Testemiţanu", constituit din specialiştii Clinicii Medicale nr.5 (disciplina Reumatologie și Nefrologie), Protocolul naţional este elaborat în conformitate cu ghidurile internaţionale actuale privind AR şi va servi drept bază pentru elaborarea protocoalelor instituţionale, în baza posibilităţilor reale ale fiecărei instituţii în anul curent. La recomandarea MS RM, pentru monitorizarea protocoalelor instituţionale pot fi folosite formulare suplimentare, care nu sunt incluse în PCN

Artrita reactivă la adult: protocol clinic naţional PCN-76

USMF „Nicolae Testemiţanu”Acest protocol a fost elaborat de grupul de lucru al Ministerului Sănătăţii al Republicii Moldova (MS RM), constituit din specialiştii Departamentului Medicină Internă, Disciplina Reumatologie şi Nefrologie a Universităţii de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu”. Protocolul naţional este elaborat în conformitate cu ghidurile internaţionale actuale privind SA şi va servi drept bază pentru elaborarea protocoalelor instituţionale, în baza posibilităţilor reale ale fiecărei instituţii în anul curent. La recomandarea MS pentru monitorizarea protocoalelor instituţionale pot fi folosite formulare suplimentare, care nu sunt incluse în protocolul clinic naţional

Melatonin: A Silent Regulator of the Glucose Homeostasis

In the human organism, the circadian regulation of carbohydrates metabolism is essential for the glucose homeostasis and energy balance. Unbalances in glucose and insulin tissue and blood levels have been linked to a variety of metabolic disorders such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. Melatonin, the pineal hormone, is the key mediator molecule for the integration between the cyclic environment and the circadian distribution of physiological and behavioral processes and for the optimization of energy balance and body weight regulation, events that are crucial for a healthy organism. This chapter reviews the interplay between melatonin modulatory physiological effects, glucose homeostasis and metabolic balance, from the endocrinology perspective. The tremendous effect of melatonin in the regulation of metabolic processes is observed from the chronobiology perspective, considering melatonin as a major synchronizer of the circadian internal order of the physiological processes involved in energy metabolism