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Air pollution is a serious problem in Romania, with the country ranking 13th among the most polluted countries in Europe in the 2021 World Air Quality Report. Despite the recognized impact of pollutants on health, there has been a lack of large-scale studies conducted in Romania. This study investigated the impact of air pollutants on patients with chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or metabolic diseases in Bucharest and its metropolitan area from 20 August 2018 to 1 June 2022. The daily limit values for particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5 were exceeded every month, especially during the cold season, with a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. A significant statistical correlation was found between the monthly average values of PM2.5 and PM10 and hospitalizations for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. A 10 µg/m3 increase in monthly average values resulted in a 40–60% increase in admissions for each type of pathology, translating to more than 2000 admissions for each pathology for the study period. This study highlights the urgent need for national and local measures to ensure a cleaner environment and enhance public health in Romania according to international regulations. © 2023 by the authors.
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In the article, we will present the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the balance between personal life and work at home for 23 European countries. Working from home is the only way for employees to be safe in terms of physical health. Beyond physical health, emotional state is essential for work-life balance. The research aims to highlight the main factors that describe work from home in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The data used are taken from the website of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, from the results of the survey, conducted in two stages, between April-May 2020, respectively June-July 2020. To identify the significant factors that describe life for employees working from home, the main component analysis was used based on the selected variables. The main components identified are used in a linear regression model to highlight the relationship between the overall satisfaction of working at home and its negative aspects. The results obtained indicate two levels of negative factors that influence work from home: the common problems that employees had when working from home and those that arose because of COVID-19 pandemic. Apparently, the satisfaction of working from home is negatively influenced by the common problems that employees have when conducting their professional activities in this system. Being a period with a greater psycho-emotional impact on employees, the difficulties they had before working from home were much more accentuated and more visible. Therefore, it is recommended that employers do not put even more pressure on employees, who are overwhelmed by the new way of working. © 2021, Bucharest University of Economic Studies. All rights reserved.
RESUMEN
Population aging currently is a demographic challenge addresing two key issues: one is having a strong political framework with policies to sustain this phenomenon and another one is to create benefits and value in economy. Those two approaches are materialized in offensive and defensive strategies for silver population. One is focusing on mitigating the risk of this demographic imbalance, and another one on flexibility which can bring more added value on long term. Trying to maintain the balance between the two could lead to an unavoidable failure. In this paper, the purpose is to evaluate the main drivers behind the IT sector, technology and innovation of the silver economy with the focus on an offensive strategy. Aging offensive side supports on creating new economic activities for the niche of elders with the help of technology. This strategy is sustained by two steps, adopting and accepting the technology. The journey towards digital societies is very tough and digitalization can be a challenge especially for the elderly from the countries which are not ready to embrace this paradigm shift. Humanity is facing an unprecedented time in its history: an aging population and a global pandemic that has previously affected this category of the elderly. The current COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the importance of digitalization and supporting the economy and society at large by enabling continued productive activity, tracking the spread of the virus and accelerating the search for medicines and vaccines.
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Background and aims: We are currently facing a new pandemic coronavirus. COVID-19 was shown to be linked with a continuous reduction in lymphocytes along the disease. Human alphaherpesvirus-3 (HHV-3) is a virus with the ability to establish latency in ganglionic neurons throughout the entire neuroaxis. After reactivation, HHV-3 causes herpes zoster, accompanied by skin shingles in a lot of cases. HHV-3 also infect the central nervous system (CNS). There are some scientific reports that HHV-3 complicate the course of COVID-19 infection;others that HHV-3 can be a marker for COVID-19 infection. Methods: We report two cases of the infection of Herpes Zoster, during convalescence from COVID-19, followed by neurological complications. Results: A 66 year old man during convalescence from COVID-19 presenting right facial herpes zoster (HZ) embracing I and II trigeminal divisions, after two months he develops postherpetic neuralgia. Another one, a 60 year old woman during convalescence from COVID-19 presenting with HZ in a left-sided Th7-Th8 dermatomal distribution and viral meningoencephalitis. It's important to limit contact of patients with HZ to avoid HHV-3 transmision to patients during recovery from COVID-19 infection, especially in elders. Antiviral treatment should be longer than usual. Conclusion: Our report highlights that patients during convalescence period from COVID-19 must be monitored. Older people are at high risk for Herpes Zoster reactivation. Early treatment may be crucial and should be established in suspected cases. Nowadays telemedicine is impowered. That how we can prevent neurological complications from HZ during convalescence from COVID-19 infection.
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Background and aims: Neurological complications of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are being increasingly reported. Here, we present two cases of COVID-19 para-infectious complications involving the central nervous system, namely acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). Methods: Patients underwent comprehensive diagnostic work-up to rule out other causes of ANE and LETM: blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inflammatory markers, PCR for SARS-CoV-2/EBV/HSV1,2,6/CMV, anti-MOG and anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies, brain and spinal cord MRI. Results: 1st case features a 44-years-old man admitted to ICU with altered mental status, bulbar palsy, and bilateral limb ataxia. The naso-/oropharyngeal swabs were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. CSF analysis was unremarkable, without detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Brain MRI was characterized by widespread cerebellar and thalamic lesions with a hyperintense signal on FLAIR and DWI, and hemorrhages on SWI. Clinical, CSF and imaging findings were indicative of an ANE. The patient received pulse steroid therapy with a good outcome at discharge. Second case illustrates a 35-years-old breastfeeding woman with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, presenting with upper and lower limb weakness, decreased sensation below the Th8 level, and urinary retention. CSF was dominated by mononuclear pleocytosis, with no traces of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. MRI scan revealed a hyperintense signal on T2 and STIR along the whole thoracic spine. These findings were suggestive of LETM, likely to COVID-19. She received pulse steroid therapy with a gradual improvement of neurological deficits. Conclusion: Neuroinflammatory syndromes might accompany the course of COVID-19. Cytokine storm triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 infection is thought to account for the emergence of ANE and LETM.