Diabetes mellitus and necrotizing fasciitis – a deadly combination; case report

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly destructive affliction of soft tissues, with a mortality rate that may reach 73% of the cases. It is characterized by a progressive inflammation and extended necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue and the fascia. Necrotizing fasciitis was first described in 1848, and later in 1920 Meleney identified 20 patients in China in which the infection was presumably triggered by hemolytic streptococcus, linking pathological bacteria to the condition. In 1952, Wilson coined the term necrotizing fasciitis although without successfully identifying the specific pathological bacteria involved. In most cases, both risk and aggravating factors are present, the main risk factors being diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, renal failure, and immunosuppressant states. Location may vary, but most frequently the disease occurs in the limbs, the trunk, and the perineum. Treatment depends on the location and the time of diagnosis and may range from large incisions with extensive debridement to organ amputations such as those of the limbs or breasts. Treatment is complex and expensive, and besides surgery, includes the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, intensive therapy support, and long-term hospitalizations. The prognosis is guarded. The present case entails a 56-year old female patient who presented with many risk factors favoring the occurrence of necrotizing fasciitis, namely diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis (decompensated with ascites and portal encephalopathy phenomena), untreated hepatitis B infection, chronic renal failure with diabetic nephrotic syndrome, and obesity

Assay of Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Compounds in some Romanian and Cypriot Wine

Free radicals have an important role in food and in chemical material degradation, contributing to the occurrence of many human health problems, but the antioxidants can considerably delay or prevent the oxidation of easily oxidable substrates. The present research aimed to assess the antioxidant activity, expressed by the presence of polyphenols, flavonols, flavones, anthocyanidins and flavanols, in several Romanian and Cypriot wines. The wine phenolics content was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) Shimadzu equipped with two chromatographic columns. Higher concentrations were registered in all red wines. The antioxidant activity quantification was carried out by the DPPH method, a simple and cheap approach based on the absorbance decrease determination of the DPPH radical (2,2-diphenyl- 1- picrylhydrazyl) in the presence of antioxidants. The highest antioxidant activity for white wines was determined at ‘Spouriko’ for Cypriot wine from 2013 (EC 50 = 1/38) while for Romanian wines, the highest value was found in a ‘Tămâioasă românească’ (EC50 = 1/58) and for red wines at ‘Maratheftiko’ wine from 2012 (EC50 = 1/680) and in ‘Fetească Neagră’ wine from 2014 (EC50 =1/590). This study provides relevant information to consumers and industry alike regarding the beneficial role wine plays for human health. It also can act as a baseline for choosing a certain product, according to its sanogenic potential

Diabetes mellitus and necrotizing fasciitis – a deadly combination; case report

Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly destructive affliction of soft tissues, with a mortality rate that may reach 73% of the cases. It is characterized by a progressive inflammation and extended necrosis of the subcutaneous tissue and the fascia. Necrotizing fasciitis was first described in 1848, and later in 1920 Meleney identified 20 patients in China in which the infection was presumably triggered by hemolytic streptococcus, linking pathological bacteria to the condition. In 1952, Wilson coined the term necrotizing fasciitis although without successfully identifying the specific pathological bacteria involved. In most cases, both risk and aggravating factors are present, the main risk factors being diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, renal failure, and immunosuppressant states. Location may vary, but most frequently the disease occurs in the limbs, the trunk, and the perineum. Treatment depends on the location and the time of diagnosis and may range from large incisions with extensive debridement to organ amputations such as those of the limbs or breasts. Treatment is complex and expensive, and besides surgery, includes the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, intensive therapy support, and long-term hospitalizations. The prognosis is guarded. The present case entails a 56-year old female patient who presented with many risk factors favoring the occurrence of necrotizing fasciitis, namely diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis (decompensated with ascites and portal encephalopathy phenomena), untreated hepatitis B infection, chronic renal failure with diabetic nephrotic syndrome, and obesity

Multiple sclerosis and SARS-CoV-2 infection

Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie „Grigore T. Popa” Iași, România, Clinica I Oftalmologie, Spitalul Clinic Județean de Urgență „Sf. Spiridon”, Iași, RomâniaSummary. We analyzed the case of a patient with multiple sclerosis associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical appearance of the ophthalmologist does not justify the decrease in AV, which is why it is recommended to perform an MRI in an emergency. The patient accuses the decrease in visual acuity in the left eye. The appearance described is suggestive for multiple sclerosis. PCR testing was positive. After 14 days PCR test was negative but the ophthalmological evolution was unfavorable. Intravenous emergency treatment with Solumedrol was initiated for 5 days. The particularity of the case is due to the fulminant onset of multiple sclerosis in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the unfavorable evolution in terms of AV, despite early treatment.Introducere. Pacientă, în vârstă de 16 ani, se prezintă în Clinica I Oftalmologie a Spitalului „Sf. Spiridon”, Iași, acuzând scăderea acuității vizuale la ochiul stâng cu debut acut. Pacienta nu prezintă alte antecedente personale patologice. AVOD=1 fc, AVOS= pmm., PIOAO=12mmHg. La examinarea polului anterior, nu se constată elemente patologice. La examinarea polului posterior, discul optic este normal colorat, are contur net, C/D=0,1, artere și vene cu calibru normal, maculă fără leziuni. Aspectul clinic oftalmologic nu justifică scăderea AV, motiv pentru care se recomandă efectuarea unui RMN în urgență. Se identifică leziuni în hipersemnal T2 și FLAIR cu restricție de difuzie localizată periventricular pe partea dreaptă, în contrast cu cornul posterior al ventriculului lateral drept cu diametru de 17/15 mm și două în centri senzoriali, una mai mare de 9,6mm parietal drept în substanța albă, periventricular, talamic drept, 9,6 mm în medulla oblongata de 13 mm. Aspectul descris este sugestiv pentru scleroză multiplă. Testarea PCR pentru SARS-CoV-2 a avut rezultat pozitiv, pacienta fiind asimptomatică. S-a format o echipă multidisciplinară alcătuită din oftalmologi, neurologi și medici infecționiști și s-a inițiat tratamentul în urgență intravenos cu Solumedrol timp de 5 zile, continuat cu Medrol per os. Evoluție. După 14 zile, testul PCR pentru SARSCoV- 2 s-a negativat, însă evoluția oftalmologică a fost nefavorabilă. Pacienta se prezintă după 3 luni, în urgență, acuzând percepția unui scotom central la OD. AVOD=0,6, iar AVOS a rămas pmm. La RMN leziunile au aspect staționar. După tratamentul intravenos cu Solumedrol 3 zile și per os cu Medrol, scotomul central de la OD se reduce în dimensiuni și AVOD se îmbunătățește la 0,8 fcnc. Discuții: Rămâne în discuție deschisă dacă infecția cu SARS-CoV-2 la persoane nevaccinate poate precipita debutul fulminant al unor patologii în stare latentă. Concluzii. Particularitatea cazului se datorează debutului fulminant al sclerozei multiple în contextul infecției cu SARS-CoV-2 și evoluției nefavorabile din punct de vedere al AV, în ciuda tratamentului instaurat precoce

Cercetări privind producerea băuturilor de tip bitter

The present study has as main objective the evaluation of the methods of obtaining a bitter type curative beverage to evaluate the possibility of superior utilization of the medicinal plants. Aromatic and condimentary plants have been used. Among the plants used: Angelica archangelica, artichoke (Cynara scolymus), basil (Ocimum basilicum), Thymus serpyllum, Achillea millefolium, Juniperus communis, Hyssopus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Origanum vulgare, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Mentha piperita, Melissa officinalis and Fir resin. The variants used were V1 -sweetening sugar, V2 -sweetening with liquorice V3 -unsweetened and V4 -alcohol of 50 %vol. The analyzes were performed according to scientific literature. Alcoholic strength, pH, phenolic compounds and sensory analysis were evaluated. The study shows that it is appropriate to prepare an herbal beverage. The medicinal plants used imprinted the beverage with hints of wild flowers, coniferous trees and other aromaticplants. The liquorice sweetened variant was the most appreciated by the taster

Studiu privind influenţa diferitelor preparate levuriene folosite în tehnologia de producere a cidrului asupra compuşilor de aromă

Cider is an alcoholic beveragemade from the fermentedjuice of applesand whose production technology does not differ greatlyfrom that of wine.This study wants to identify the influence of selected yeast to aroma compounds from cider. The cider samples were obtained by 110L of apple juice after classic fermentation. It was divided into seven glass containers of 15 liters of juice and subjected to fermentation. It was used seven types of selected yeast: V1-Fermativ Blanc Aromatique Sodinal®, V2-Lalvin Rhone 2056 Yseo Lallemand®, V3-Maurivin AB®, V4-Yseo Cross Evolution Lallemand®, V5-Fermactive Thyol Sodinal®, V6-Afinity ECA5 Levure-Yeast®, V7-Fermactive RBR®.The primary fermentation lasted for two weeks at a constant temperature of 18 ° C. The secondary fermentation happened after bottling. The cider aroma compounds were analysed by gas chromatography. It should be noted that it is not possible to carry out the quantitative analysis of the flavor compounds, so that the areas of the peaks corresponding to the identified compounds were used. It has been studied how the area increases depending on the yeast strains used. The results show a high content of flavor compounds of the group of alcohols, esters and acidsin all seven variants. Of all seven variants of levurian preparations, it was noted in the experiment with a high number of aromatic compounds in V3-Maurivin AB®

Fabrication and Transport Properties of Manganite-Polyacrylamide-Based Composites

We present the fabrication and transport properties of a series of composites made of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 and acrylamide-based copolymers. The most important result is the very narrow transition, of only 27 K, displayed by the peak that appears around the metal-insulator transition of the composites made with poly(acrylamide-vinylacetate). Although the amount of polymer is rather low, different copolymers change drastically the electric transport characteristics

New Archaeometric Characteristics for Ancient Pottery Identification

The paper presents new achaeometric characteristics determined through electron microscopy scanning coupled with energy dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy and microFTIR. We studied, by comparing average chemical composition and Si/Al and Ca/Mg ratio, a number of 47 genuine antique pottery items (Liniar Pottery, Pre-Cucuteni and Cucuteni culture pottery) and 20 new items made of clay extracted from the neighbourhood of the archaeological sites, with properties and chemical contents similar to those used by antique potters, but considered fakes. Those characteristics were used to differentiate between a fake and an original artifact, to establish authenticity attributes in the patrimonial revaluation and to select the pottery fragments during coherent structural reintegration and restoration processes