The influence of serum calcium and magnesium levels in the radiological evolution of knee osteoarthritis

Calcium and magnesium are minerals with important functions throughout the body. The deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and prostate cancer, and affects the skin and teeth. Some studies have associated it with osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis is a degenerative pathology with a high prevalence that affects the knee joint, and prevention is necessary in the context of the lack of understanding of pathophysiology. The role of serum calcium and magnesium levels was considered in this regard. The study included a group of 371 hospitalized patients for unilateral or bilateral knee pain, of whom 326 patients had knee osteoarthritis and were the subject of the research. The risk factors such as age, gender, body mass index, weight status, and certain anatomical changes were analyzed, including the varus and valgus alignment. The results show the inverse relationship of Ca values with the radiological classification of knee osteoarthritis and the importance of risk factors such as age, gender, and obesity for the onset and progression of the pathology. Serum Mg values were not statistically significant in this study group

Migration, Mobility and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union - Space of Freedom and Security

This edited collection of migration papers would like to emphasise the acute need for migration related study and research in Romania. At this time, migration and mobility are studied as minor subjects in Economics, Sociology, Political Sciences and European Studies only (mostly at post-graduate level). We consider that Romanian universities need more ‘migration studies’, while research should cover migration as a whole, migration and mobility being analysed from different points of view – social, economical, legal etc. Romania is part of the European Migration Space not only as a source of labourers for the European labour market, but also as source of quality research for the European scientific arena. Even a country located at the eastern border of the European Union, we consider Romania as part of the European area of freedom, security and justice, and therefore interested in solving correctly all challenges incurred by the complex phenomena of migration and workers’ mobility at the European level. The waves of illegal immigrants arriving continuously on the Spanish, Italian and Maltese shores, and the workers’ flows from the new Member States from Central and Eastern Europe following the 2004 accession, forced the EU officials and the whole Europe to open the debate on the economical and mostly social consequences of labour mobility. This study volume is our contribution to this important scientific debate. Starting with the spring of 2005, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence and the School of High Comparative European Studies (SISEC), both within the West University of Timisoara, have proposed a series of events in order to raise the awareness of the Romanian scientific environment on this very sensitive issues: migration and mobility in the widen European Space. An annual international event to celebrate 9 May - The Europe Day was already a tradition for SISEC (an academic formula launched back in 1995 in order to prepare national experts in European affairs, offering academic post-graduate degrees in High European Studies). With the financial support from the Jean Monnet Programme (DG Education and Culture, European Commission), a first migration panel was organised in the framework of the international colloquium ‘Romania and the European Union in 2007’ held in Timisoara between 6 and 7 of May 2005 (panel Migration, Asylum and Human Rights at the Eastern Border of the European Union). Having in mind the positive welcoming of the migration related subjects during the 2005 colloquium, a second event was organised on 5 May 2006 in the framework of the European Year of Workers’ Mobility: the international colloquium Migration and Mobility: Assets and Challenges for the Enlargement of the European Union. In the same period, the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence, SISEC and The British Council in Bucharest have jointly edited two special issues of The Romanian Journal of European Studies, no.4/2005 and 5-6/2006, both dedicated to migration and mobility. Preliminary versions of many of the chapters of this volume were presented at the above mentioned international events. The papers were chosen according to their scientific quality, after an anonymously peer-review selection. The authors debate both theoretical issues and practical results of their research. They are renowned experts at international level, members of the academia, PhD students or experienced practitioners involved in the management of the migration flows at the governmental level. This volume was financed by the Jean Monnet Programme of the Directorate General Education and Culture, European Commission, throughout the Jean Monnet European Centre of Excellence (C03/0110) within the West University of Timisoara, Romania, and is dedicated to the European Year of Workers’ Mobility 2006. Timisoara, December 200

Experiencias y conclusiones en el desarrollo y validación de instrumentos de evaluación enfocados a la adquisición de la competencia transversal ‘CT13 Instrumental Específica’ en asignaturas de Ingeniería Mecánica

[EN] This paper presents the results of the experience carried out in the lab-sessions of several subjects of Mechanical Engineering. The aim of this work is to find a common methodology focused on the acquisition and evaluation of the Specific Instrumental Transversal Competence (CT13 in the UPV institutional project). The work has been applied in two types of lab-sessions: computer lab and laboratory. The instrumentation used in each of them has a different nature, while the former is focused on the use and comprehension of a numerical calculation software, in the latter the students must understand the management and purpose of some experimental measurement equipments. In the computer sessions, after an accompanied learning, the students must carry out and justify the steps followed in solving a numerical problem. The evaluation takes into account the level of adequacy of the steps followed throughout the process. In the laboratory practices, the students must demonstrate the ability to correctly select the proper equipment based on the parameter to be measured as well as to define the sequence of treatments in the measurement process. The measurement of the level of acquisition of the CT13 is done through an individual questionnaire.[ES] En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de la experiencia llevada a cabo en las prácticas de diversas asignaturas de Ingeniería Mecánica. El objetivo final es encontrar una metodología unificada enfocada a la adquisición y evaluación de la Competencia Transversal Instrumental Específica (CT13 en el proyecto institucional de la UPV).Se ha trabajado con dos tipos de prácticas: informáticas y de laboratorio. La instrumentación empleada en cada una de ellas tiene distinta naturaleza, mientras las primeras están enfocadas al manejo de un programa de cálculo numérico, en las segundas los estudiantes deben comprender el manejo y la finalidad de diversos equipos de medida experimental.En las prácticas informáticas los alumnos, tras un aprendizaje acompañado, deben ser capaces de realizar y justificar los pasos seguidos en la resolución de un problema numérico. En la evaluación se tiene en cuenta el nivel de adecuación de los pasos seguidos a lo largo del proceso. En las prácticas de laboratorio los alumnos deben demostrar la capacidad de seleccionar correctamente el equipo adecuado en función del parámetro a medir, así como definir la secuencia de tratamientos en el proceso experimental. La medida del nivel de adquisición de la CT13 se realiza con un cuestionario individual.Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida del Vicerrectorado de Estudios, Calidad y Acreditación, el Vicerrectorado de Recursos Digitales y Documentación (proyecto PIME B/19-20/165) y el Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universitat Politècnica de València (EICE INTEGRAL).Pedrosa Sanchez, AM.; Besa Gonzálvez, AJ.; Rupérez Moreno, MJ.; Sánchez Orgaz, EM.; Giner Navarro, J.; Martinez Sanchis, S.; Vila Tortosa, MP.... (2021). Experiencias y conclusiones en el desarrollo y validación de instrumentos de evaluación enfocados a la adquisición de la competencia transversal ‘CT13 Instrumental Específica’ en asignaturas de Ingeniería Mecánica. En IN-RED 2021: VII Congreso de Innovación Edicativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1521-1532. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2021.2021.13771OCS1521153

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39–3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18–0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

An IPA Approach towards Including Citizens’ Perceptions into Strategic Decisions for Smart Cities in Romania

City administrators have begun to consider citizens’ perception as an essential enabler of smart and sustainable city development. In response to their need, our study mainly aimed to analyze the citizens’ perceptions related to the attributes of a smart city and to offer an evidence-based importance–performance analysis (IPA) technique, revised with triangular number fuzzy, to set priorities to develop it further successfully, taking Oradea, Romania, as an example. Specifically, we investigated varying the citizens’ perceptions regarding the attributes of a smart city across the thematic content analysis followed by an IPA approach to identify the attributes of a smart city that could be expected to advance its future development. The results show that most of our respondents appreciated the city administrators’ efforts and expressed relatively higher preferences for the fifteen smart city attributes of Oradea on which the local authorities should focus. The research brings valuable insight into the strategic decision making related to smart city development, which can serve academics and practitioners, complementing existing literature on the citizens’ perception of sustainable smart city development

An IPA Approach towards Including Citizens’ Perceptions into Strategic Decisions for Smart Cities in Romania

City administrators have begun to consider citizens’ perception as an essential enabler of smart and sustainable city development. In response to their need, our study mainly aimed to analyze the citizens’ perceptions related to the attributes of a smart city and to offer an evidence-based importance–performance analysis (IPA) technique, revised with triangular number fuzzy, to set priorities to develop it further successfully, taking Oradea, Romania, as an example. Specifically, we investigated varying the citizens’ perceptions regarding the attributes of a smart city across the thematic content analysis followed by an IPA approach to identify the attributes of a smart city that could be expected to advance its future development. The results show that most of our respondents appreciated the city administrators’ efforts and expressed relatively higher preferences for the fifteen smart city attributes of Oradea on which the local authorities should focus. The research brings valuable insight into the strategic decision making related to smart city development, which can serve academics and practitioners, complementing existing literature on the citizens’ perception of sustainable smart city development

Knee Osteoarthritis in Relation to the Risk Factors of the Metabolic Syndrome Components and Environment of Origin

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative pathology that is associated with multiple risk factors such as age, sex, obesity, or metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present clinical trial aimed to investigate the influence of the environment of origin, body mass index (BMI), and MetS parameters on the KOA differentiated degrees. Methods: 85 patients were admitted for the clinical study. The KOA presence was investigated using X-rays analysis. The Kellgren–Lawrence classification (KL) of the KOA severity and the MetS characteristic parameters using freshly collected blood were performed for each patient. All data collected were used for ANOVA statistic interpretation. Results: The total cholesterol and glycemia were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.028, and p < 0.03, respectively), with a high level in patients with severe KOA compared to healthy ones. Patients from rural regions are 5.18 times more prone to develop severe KOA when compared to ones from urban areas. Conclusions: The results of the statistical analysis confirmed the correlation between the incidence and severity of KOA and the influence of increased values of BMI, glycemia, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. The investigations revealed a statistically significant influence of the environment of origin on the KOA degree of the patients.ISSN:2077-038

Knee Osteoarthritis in Relation to the Risk Factors of the Metabolic Syndrome Components and Environment of Origin

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic degenerative pathology that is associated with multiple risk factors such as age, sex, obesity, or metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present clinical trial aimed to investigate the influence of the environment of origin, body mass index (BMI), and MetS parameters on the KOA differentiated degrees. Methods: 85 patients were admitted for the clinical study. The KOA presence was investigated using X-rays analysis. The Kellgren&ndash;Lawrence classification (KL) of the KOA severity and the MetS characteristic parameters using freshly collected blood were performed for each patient. All data collected were used for ANOVA statistic interpretation. Results: The total cholesterol and glycemia were found to be statistically significant (p &lt; 0.028, and p &lt; 0.03, respectively), with a high level in patients with severe KOA compared to healthy ones. Patients from rural regions are 5.18 times more prone to develop severe KOA when compared to ones from urban areas. Conclusions: The results of the statistical analysis confirmed the correlation between the incidence and severity of KOA and the influence of increased values of BMI, glycemia, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. The investigations revealed a statistically significant influence of the environment of origin on the KOA degree of the patients