STATISTICAL STUDY CONCERNING THE URBAN TOBACCO'S CONSUM, PREMISES OF THE CONSUMERS' BEHAVIOUR CHANGES

While tobacco became more and more popular, there were always voices against it being considered immoral and harmful. However the intent of restraining his using has only made it more valuable and encouraged smuggling. Smoking is a risk factor for excitement state at young infants. Being a subject of actuality and of national interest, the authors have performed a study among the citizens of Bucharest, in order to sketch of the typical smoker profile. Smoking teenagers have to seek for medical care more often than non-smokers. As a final conclusion of this study we have to mention the fact that through a better campaign against smoking, sustained by the authorities, the number of smokers and smoking harmful effects could be significantly reduced.Tobacco, consume, survey, sampling, probability, representatively, assortment

Statistical investigation on the IT market in Bucharest

This paper represents the results of a pilot survey conducted on a set of it specialists concerning their behavior on the IT market as buyers. Demand estimation is one of the main purpose of the research. Initial hypothesis were that people in Romania are using Internet and IT systems as a tool to develop social and cultural relations, to be informed more and more compared to classic ways of access to culture and information. The research purpose was also to determine the main cross classification variables as the main influence factors on IT market in Bucharest

The Comparative Analysis of the Trade Activity in Romania and the EU Countries within the Economy Globalization

Romania together with other European countries is running a process of sustainable development ensuring the European accesion. This process is assuming important changes of the civil, social and economic society. Romanian trade represents one of the national economy branches that is in a deep process of reorganization, the trade filed having most part of its activity already private, much more than other branches of the Romanian economy. In this article we try to make a comparative analysis for the tendencies and the main macroeconomic indicators characterizing the trade field in Romania and in the European Union countries. There are different possible ways of evolution for this branch, taking into consideration the accession of our country to the EU and the necessity of a sustainable development - an explicit condition of the world economy globalization.Sustainable development; Domestic trade; GDP; investments; trade relations, trade policy and strategies; trade liberty.

Statistical investigation on the IT market in Bucharest

This paper represents the results of a pilot survey conducted on a set of it specialists concerning their behavior on the IT market as buyers. Demand estimation is one of the main purpose of the research. Initial hypothesis were that people in Romania are using Internet and IT systems as a tool to develop social and cultural relations, to be informed more and more compared to classic ways of access to culture and information. The research purpose was also to determine the main cross classification variables as the main influence factors on IT market in Bucharest.survey, questionnaire, behavior evaluation, independent variables, stochastic association, information

Role of in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy in the analysis of melanocytic lesions

No abstract available</p

Role of in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy in the analysis of melanocytic lesions

No abstract available</p

Impact of alginate-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa on alveolar macrophage apoptotic cell clearance

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection is a hallmark of lung disease in cystic fibrosis. Acute infection with P. aeruginosa profoundly inhibits alveolar macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells (efferocytosis) via direct effect of virulence factors. During chronic infection, P. aeruginosa evades host defense by decreased virulence, which includes the production or, in the case of mucoidy, overproduction of alginate. The impact of alginate on innate immunity, in particular on macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells is not known. We hypothesized that P. aeruginosa strains that exhibit reduced virulence impair macrophage clearance of apoptotic cells and we investigated if the polysaccharide alginate produced by mucoid P. aeruginosa is sufficient to inhibit alveolar macrophage efferocytosis. Rat alveolar or human peripheral blood monocyte (THP-1)-derived macrophage cell lines were exposed in vitro to exogenous alginate or to wild type or alginate-overproducing mucoid P. aeruginosa prior to challenge with apoptotic human Jurkat T-lymphocytes. The importance of LPS contamination and that of structural integrity of alginate polymers was tested using alginate of different purities and alginate lyase, respectively. Alginate inhibited alveolar macrophage efferocytosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This effect was augmented but not exclusively attributed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) present in alginates. Alginate-producing P. aeruginosa inhibited macrophage efferocytosis by more than 50%. A mannuronic-specific alginate lyase did not restore efferocytosis inhibited by exogenous guluronic-rich marine alginate, but had a marked beneficial effect on efferocytosis of alveolar macrophages exposed to mucoid P. aeruginosa. Despite decreased virulence, mucoid P. aeruginosa may contribute to chronic airway inflammation through significant inhibition of alveolar clearance of apoptotic cells and debris. The mechanism by which mucoid bacteria inhibit efferocytosis may involve alginate production and synergy with LPS, suggesting that alginate lyase may be an attractive therapeutic approach to airway inflammation in cystic fibrosis and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases characterized by P. aeruginosa colonization

Schwannoma of the Lower Leg with Malignant Transformation. A Case Report

Background: Peripheral nerve sheath tumours are benign or malignant. Schwannoma is a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumour originating from Schwann cells that slowly grows eccentrically to the nerve axis. Malignant transformation of a schwannoma is rare. Case presentation: A 73-year-old woman who presented to our medical service with other medical problems was diagnosed with a tumour of the lower leg (a small mass neglected by the patient for about 10 years). The ultrasound features of the tumour suggested it was a schwannoma. The tumour was resected and histopathological assessment revealed a schwannoma with areas of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour transformation

The place of CEUS in distinguishing benign from malignant cervical lymph nodes: a prospective study

Abstract Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) compared to grayscale B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound in differentiate benign versus malign superficial cervical lymph nodes. Material and methods: In a prospective study ultrasonography (gray scale, color and spectral Dopller, and CEUS) was performed in 61 patients (33 men, 28 women; mean age of 51.2 years, range: 18-81 years), with cervical lymphadenopathy. The nodes were examined and biopsied or surgically removed. CEUS was performed with 2.4 ml intravenous bolus of contrast agent Sono Vue and the results were registered with a special software. Results: Of all the nodes, 32 were benign and 29 were malignant (metastases). Solbiati index was higher in benign nodes (2.23 ± 0.84 vs 1.50 ± 0.48, p&lt;0.05). Doppler parameters (vessel location, vascular pattern, pedicullum number, resistivity index, and pulsatility index) were significantly lower in benign nodes (p&lt;0.001), and ROC analysis returned excellent results. For CEUS, derived peak intensity (DPI %) was higher in benign nodes (17.72 ± 5.43 vs 11.76 ± 4.88, p&lt;0.05); regional blood volume (RBV) was also higher (849.8 ± 467.1 vs 458.3 ± 283.3, p&lt;0.05). The time to peak (TTP, s) and area under the curve (AUC, cm2) were similar in both benign and malignant nodes. Enhancement pattern was the most accurate to characterize benign versus malignant nodes. Sensitivity and specificity were higher for DPI, RBV and enhancement pattern from CEUS, according to ROC analysis, compared to gray scale ultrasound, but lower than color Doppler. Analyzing the place of CEUS in lymph node evaluation we found that CEUS is most useful for the evaluation of the lymph nodes with uncertain aspect at gray scale and Doppler evaluation. Conclusions: ROC analysis confirmed the higher degree of diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in comparison with conventional techniques for some parameters such as enhancement pattern. Evaluation of nodal perfusion with this method can be helpful in the differentiation of benign from malignant nodes but requires further confirmation

The place of CEUS in distinguishing benign from malignant cervical lymph nodes: a prospective study

Abstract Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the ability of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) compared to grayscale B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound in differentiate benign versus malign superficial cervical lymph nodes. Material and methods: In a prospective study ultrasonography (gray scale, color and spectral Dopller, and CEUS) was performed in 61 patients (33 men, 28 women; mean age of 51.2 years, range: 18-81 years), with cervical lymphadenopathy. The nodes were examined and biopsied or surgically removed. CEUS was performed with 2.4 ml intravenous bolus of contrast agent Sono Vue and the results were registered with a special software. Results: Of all the nodes, 32 were benign and 29 were malignant (metastases). Solbiati index was higher in benign nodes (2.23 ± 0.84 vs 1.50 ± 0.48, p&lt;0.05). Doppler parameters (vessel location, vascular pattern, pedicullum number, resistivity index, and pulsatility index) were significantly lower in benign nodes (p&lt;0.001), and ROC analysis returned excellent results. For CEUS, derived peak intensity (DPI %) was higher in benign nodes (17.72 ± 5.43 vs 11.76 ± 4.88, p&lt;0.05); regional blood volume (RBV) was also higher (849.8 ± 467.1 vs 458.3 ± 283.3, p&lt;0.05). The time to peak (TTP, s) and area under the curve (AUC, cm2) were similar in both benign and malignant nodes. Enhancement pattern was the most accurate to characterize benign versus malignant nodes. Sensitivity and specificity were higher for DPI, RBV and enhancement pattern from CEUS, according to ROC analysis, compared to gray scale ultrasound, but lower than color Doppler. Analyzing the place of CEUS in lymph node evaluation we found that CEUS is most useful for the evaluation of the lymph nodes with uncertain aspect at gray scale and Doppler evaluation. Conclusions: ROC analysis confirmed the higher degree of diagnostic accuracy of CEUS in comparison with conventional techniques for some parameters such as enhancement pattern. Evaluation of nodal perfusion with this method can be helpful in the differentiation of benign from malignant nodes but requires further confirmation