Integrative Approach to Risk Factors in Simple Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases of the Lung or Associated with Metabolic Syndrome-Analysis and Prediction.

We conducted an epidemiological non-interventional cross-sectional and case-control study from 1 January 2023 until 26 May 2023 in Oltenia region, southwestern Romania. Throughout the research, 160 consecutive patients were included from two different clinical departments (1-Pneumology; 2-Diabetes and Nutritional Diseases). Subjects were voluntary adult individuals of any gender who expressed their written consent. The clinical data of the patients were correlated with the exposure to behavioral risk factors (diet, lifestyle, exposure to pollutants) to identify some negative implications that could be corrected to improve the quality of life of patients with simple chronic obstructive airway diseases of the lung or associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). In the first group of patients with respiratory diseases, there was a higher degree of exposure to toxic substances (43.75%) compared to the second group of patients with diabetes (18.75%); it is also noticeable that in the first group, there were noticeably fewer individuals who have never smoked (25%) compared to the second group (50%). Respiratory function impairment was observed to be more severe in overweight individuals. In the group of patients with known lung diseases, a positive correlation was noted between the presence of MS and respiratory dysfunctions of greater severity. Additionally, potential exacerbating factors affecting lung function, such as direct exposure to toxins and smoking, were considered. Potential secondary factors exacerbating respiratory dysfunction were considered by correlating biochemical parameters with dietary habits. These included reduced consumption of vegetables, inadequate hydration, and increased intake of sweets and products high in saturated or trans fats (commonly found in junk food), primarily due to their potential contribution to excess weight. Compared to patients without MS, the severity of the pulmonary function impairment correlated with the number of criteria met for MS and, independently, with an increase in weight.

Atrial Fibrillation and Mortality after Gastrointestinal Surgery: Insights from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure, stroke and death are major dangers associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), a common abnormal heart rhythm. Having a gastrointestinal (GI) procedure puts patients at risk for developing AF, especially after large abdominal surgery. Although earlier research has shown a possible connection between postoperative AF and higher mortality, the exact nature of this interaction is yet uncertain. METHODS: To investigate the relationship between AF and death after GI procedures, this research carried out a thorough meta-analysis and systematic review of randomized controlled studies or clinical trials. Finding relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) required a comprehensive search across many databases. Studies involving GI surgery patients with postoperative AF and mortality outcomes were the main focus of the inclusion criteria. We followed PRISMA and Cochrane Collaboration protocols for data extraction and quality assessment, respectively. RESULTS: After GI surgery, there was no statistically significant difference in mortality between the AF and non-AF groups, according to an analysis of the available trials (p = 0.97). The mortality odds ratio (OR) was 1.03 (95% CI [0.24, 4.41]), suggesting that there was no significant correlation. Nevertheless, there was significant heterogeneity throughout the trials, which calls for careful interpretation. CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of a significant link between AF and death after GI surgery in our study, contradictory data from other research highlight the intricacy of this relationship. Discrepancies may arise from variations in patient demographics, research methodology and procedural problems. These results emphasize the necessity for additional extensive and varied studies to fully clarify the role of AF in postoperative mortality in relation to GI procedures. Comprehending the subtleties of this correlation might enhance future patient outcomes and contribute to evidence-based therapeutic decision making.

Evaluation of the Consumption of Junk Food Products and Lifestyle among Teenagers and Young Population from Romania.

BACKGROUND: The long-term consumption of junk food products can lead to nutritional and metabolic imbalances, especially when it is associated with a lack of physical activity and the consumption of alcohol or other high-calorie products. METHODS: The evaluation of junk food consumption among teenagers and young people in Romania was carried out with the help of a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total number of 1017 respondents participated in this study, comprising 470 males and 547 females aged between 16 and 25 years. Although the majority of young people fell into the normal-weight category (607 of them, p < 0.0001), some aspects can be noted that in the long term can produce a series of nutritional imbalances: an increased tendency toward sedentarism, with 553 (p = 0.613) of the respondents declaring that they performed sports rarely or not at all, and a tendency toward relatively high consumption of foods high in calories (fast food products and especially fried potatoes, hamburgers, shawarma, pastries, and snacks, along with sweetened drinks and even alcoholic beverages). The respondents participating in this study even indicated a perceived addiction to the consumption of certain products: coffee (50.48%), fried potatoes (38.9%), hamburgers (37.05%), shawarma (31.65%), and snacks (30.08%). Many of these products are rich in calories, saturated fat, and even trans fat. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights a series of aspects that can have long-term negative effects related to the excess weight associated with other imbalances: consumption preferences among young people for hypercaloric fast food products, sweetened drinks associated with reduced physical activity, and even the development of some forms of food addictions for a series of hypercaloric foods.

Unraveling the Microbiome-Human Body Axis: A Comprehensive Examination of Therapeutic Strategies, Interactions and Implications.

This review scrutinizes the intricate interplay between the microbiome and the human body, exploring its multifaceted dimensions and far-reaching implications. The human microbiome, comprising diverse microbial communities inhabiting various anatomical niches, is increasingly recognized as a critical determinant of human health and disease. Through an extensive examination of current research, this review elucidates the dynamic interactions between the microbiome and host physiology across multiple organ systems. Key topics include the establishment and maintenance of microbiota diversity, the influence of host factors on microbial composition, and the bidirectional communication pathways between microbiota and host cells. Furthermore, we delve into the functional implications of microbiome dysbiosis in disease states, emphasizing its role in shaping immune responses, metabolic processes, and neurological functions. Additionally, this review discusses emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the microbiome to restore host-microbe homeostasis and promote health. Microbiota fecal transplantation represents a groundbreaking therapeutic approach in the management of dysbiosis-related diseases, offering a promising avenue for restoring microbial balance within the gut ecosystem. This innovative therapy involves the transfer of fecal microbiota from a healthy donor to an individual suffering from dysbiosis, aiming to replenish beneficial microbial populations and mitigate pathological imbalances. By synthesizing findings from diverse fields, this review offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between the microbiome and the human body, highlighting avenues for future research and clinical interventions.

Assessment of Dietary and Lifestyle Quality among the Romanian Population in the Post-Pandemic Period.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus demonstrated the importance of prevention through a healthy diet and lifestyle, the most vulnerable people being those with severe chronic conditions, those who are overweight, and those with an unbalanced immune system. This study aims to examine the nutritional status and lifestyle behaviors of the Romanian population. METHODS: The evaluation of the eating habits and lifestyle of the Romanian population in the post-pandemic period was carried out based on a cross-sectional observational study with the help of a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 4704 valid answers were registered (3136 female and 1568 male respondents). Among the respondents, most of them belong to the young population, 2892 between the ages of 18 and 40, i.e., 61.5%. Most male respondents are overweight (1400) and obese (780). Most respondents indicated a tendency to consume 1-2 meals per day irregularly (p = 0.617). Only 974 respondents adopted a healthy diet, and 578 a healthy lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reports low adherence to a healthy diet (20.7%) and healthy lifestyle (12.28%), especially among the young population (<30 years). In the current context, it reports a reduced tendency to consume vegetables and fruits among the population, below the daily average recommended by the nutrition guidelines, a tendency towards sedentary behavior, and even deficient hydration of some of the respondents; these negative aspects can create a long-term series of nutritional and psycho-emotional imbalances. Our results evidence that complex surveys among the population are regularly required to investigate nutritional or lifestyle deficiencies; moreover, it could be helpful in further educational measures in nutrition, food, and environmental safety.

Incidence of Urinary Infections and Behavioral Risk Factors.

This evaluation of the impact of behavioral risk factors on the incidence of urinary infections was based on a questionnaire in which 1103 respondents, predominantly women (883), participated. From the statistical processing of the data, it was observed that 598 of the respondents were of normal weight; the rest, more than half, were underweight or overweight (χ2 = 32.46, p < 0.001), with male respondents being predominantly overweight or obese (169 out of a total of 220). Most of the respondents were young (χ2 = 15.45, p < 0.001), under the age of 45 (840). According to the processed data, it was found that respondents in the age group of 26-35 years showed the greatest vulnerability to recurrent urinary infections, while the age group of 18-25 years recorded the highest number of responses related to the rare presence or even absence of episodes of urinary infections. A body weight-related vulnerability was also noted among the respondents; the majority of obese people declared that they face frequent episodes of urinary infections. Regarding diet quality, 210 respondents reported an adherence to an unhealthy diet, 620 to a moderately healthy diet, and 273 to a healthy diet. Of the respondents who adhered to a healthy diet, 223 were women (χ2 = 2.55, p = 0.279). There was a close connection between diet quality and the frequency of urinary infections: from the statistical processing of the data, it was observed that the highest percentage of respondents who rarely (57.14%) or never got urinary infections (29.30%) were among those who adhered to a healthy diet, and the highest percentage of those who declared that they often got urinary infections were among those with increased adherence to an unhealthy diet (χ2 = 13.46, p = 0.036). The results of this study highlight a strong impact of obesity, reduced consumption of fruit and vegetables, and sedentary lifestyle on the risk of recurring urinary infections.

Assessment of Behavioral Risk Factors in Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases of the Lung Associated with Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Diet and lifestyle play important roles in preventing and improving chronic diseases, and evaluating behavioral risk factors in these pathologies allows for efficient management. METHODS: A clinical study by screening biochemical parameters and pulmonary function was carried out to evaluate behavioral risk factors in obstructive pulmonary disease associated with metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: Of the total of 70 patients included in the clinical study, 46 were men and 24 were women (χ2 = 3.9, p = 0.168). Forty-eight patients presented at least three met risk criteria associated with the metabolic syndrome (19 women and 29 men). Regarding the assessment of lung function, only 7 of the patients presented normal spirometry values (χ2 = 75.28, p < 0.001), and the other 63 patients presented with ventilatory dysfunction; most (over 80%) declared that they were smokers or had smoked in the past (χ2 = 5.185, p = 0.075). In terms of body weight, 45 of the patients are overweight or obese, most of them declaring that they do not consume enough vegetable products, they consume large amounts of foods of animal origin (meat, milk, eggs) but also super processed foods (food products type of junk food), do not hydrate properly, and are predominantly sedentary people (54 of the patients do no physical activity at all; χ2 = 2.12, p = 0.713). CONCLUSION: From the statistical processing of the data, it is noted that insufficient hydration, low consumption of vegetables, increased consumption of hyper-caloric food products rich in additives, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking are the main disruptive behavioral factors that worsen the health status in lung disease associated with the metabolic syndrome. An important conclusion emerging from the study is that the imbalances that aggravate obstructive lung diseases are generated by unhealthy food and an unbalanced lifestyle.

Characterization of Some Dermato-Cosmetic Preparations with Marine Lipids from Black Sea Wild Stingray.

The traditional knowledge about the therapeutic and nutritional value of fish has been unanimously recognized among the population since ancient times. So, thanks to the therapeutic virtues of these marine animals, it was possible to develop therapies for certain pathologies as well as the use of bioactive compounds as adjunctive therapies incorporated into the treatment regimen of patients. In the present study, stingray liver oil from wild species collected from the Romanian coast of the Black Sea was isolated and analyzed. Fatty acid analysis was performed by gas chromatography. The analysis of the distribution of fatty acids in the composition of stingray liver oil indicates a ratio of 2.83 of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6, a ratio of 1.33 of polyunsaturated fatty acids to monounsaturated fatty acids, an iodine index of 111.85, and a total percentage of 68.98% of unsaturated fatty acids. Stingray liver oil was used to evaluate the healing action after preparing a fatty ointment. According to the experimental data, a complete regeneration capacity of the wounds was noted in 12 days without visible signs. Four emulgels with stingray liver oil were formulated and analyzed from a rheological and structural point of view in order to select the optimal composition, after which the anti-inflammatory effect on inflammation caused in laboratory rats was studied and an anti-inflammatory effect was found significant (a maximum inhibitory effect of 66.47% on the edemas induced by the 10% kaolin suspension and 65.64% on the edemas induced by the 6% dextran solution).

Assessing the Efficacy of a Virtual Assistant in the Remote Cardiac Rehabilitation of Heart Failure and Ischemic Heart Disease Patients: Case-Control Study of Romanian Adult Patients.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality in Europe, with potentially more than 60 million deaths per year, with an age-standardized rate of morbidity-mortality higher in men than women, exceeding deaths from cancer. Heart attacks and strokes account for more than four out of every five CVD fatalities globally. After a patient overcomes an acute cardiovascular event, they are referred for rehabilitation to help them to restore most of their normal cardiac functions. One effective way to provide this activity regimen is via virtual models or telerehabilitation, where the patient can avail themselves of the rehabilitation services from the comfort of their homes at designated timings. Under the funding of the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program, grant no 769807, a virtual rehabilitation assistant has been designed for elderly patients (vCare), with the overall objective of supporting recovery and an active life at home, enhancing patients' quality of life, lowering disease-specific risk factors, and ensuring better adherence to a home rehabilitation program. In the vCare project, the Carol Davila University of Bucharest (UMFCD) was in charge of the heart failure (HF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) groups of patients. By creating a digital environment at patients' homes, the vCare system's effectiveness, use, and feasibility was evaluated. A total of 30 heart failure patients and 20 ischemic heart disease patients were included in the study. Despite the COVID-19 restrictions and a few technical difficulties, HF and IHD patients who performed cardiac rehabilitation using the vCare system had similar results compared to the ambulatory group, and better results compared to the control group.

Oral Arginine Supplementation in Healthy Individuals Performing Regular Resistance Training.

Resistance exercise training is well documented as having cardiovascular benefits, but paradoxically, it seems to increase arterial stiffness, favoring the development of high blood pressure. The present study investigates the potential effects of oral supplementation with arginine in healthy individuals performing exercise resistance training. We studied 70 non-smoking male subjects between the ages of 30 and 45 with normal or mildly increased blood pressure on ambulatory monitoring (for 24 h) and normal blood samples and echocardiography, who performed regular resistance exercise training for at least five years with a minimum of three workouts per week. They were divided into two groups in a random manner: 35 males were placed in the arginine group (AG) that followed a 6-month supplementation of their regular diets with 5 g of oral arginine powder taken before their exercise workout, and the control (non-arginine) group (NAG) consisted of 35 males. All subjects underwent body composition analysis, 24 h blood pressure monitoring and pulse wave analysis at enrollment and at six months. After six months of supplementation, blood pressure values did not change in the NAG, while in the AG, we found a decrease of 5.6 mmHg (p < 0.05) in mean systolic blood pressure and a decrease of 4.5 mmHg (p < 0.05) in diastolic values. There was also a 0.62% increase in muscle mass in the AG vs. the NAG (p < 0.05), while the body fat decreased by 1% (p < 0.05 in AG vs. NAG). Overall, the AG gained twice the amount of muscle mass and lost twice as much body fat as the NAG. No effects on the mean weighted average heart rate were recorded in the subjects. The results suggest that oral supplementation with arginine can improve blood pressure and body composition, potentially counteracting the stress induced by resistance exercise training. Supplementation with arginine can be a suitable adjuvant for these health benefits in individuals undertaking regular resistance training.

A Review of Digital Health and Biotelemetry: Modern Approaches towards Personalized Medicine and Remote Health Assessment.

With the prevalence of digitalization in all aspects of modern society, health assessment is becoming digital too. Taking advantage of the most recent technological advances and approaching medicine from an interdisciplinary perspective has allowed for important progress in healthcare services. Digital health technologies and biotelemetry devices have been more extensively employed for preventing, detecting, diagnosing, monitoring, and predicting the evolution of various diseases, without requiring wires, invasive procedures, or face-to-face interaction with medical personnel. This paper aims to review the concepts correlated to digital health, classify and describe biotelemetry devices, and present the potential of digitalization for remote health assessment, the transition to personalized medicine, and the streamlining of clinical trials.

Dynamic Involvement of Telocytes in Modulating Multiple Signaling Pathways in Cardiac Cytoarchitecture.

Cardiac interstitium is a complex and dynamic environment, vital for normal cardiac structure and function. Telocytes are active cellular players in regulating main events that feature myocardial homeostasis and orchestrating its involvement in heart pathology. Despite the great amount of data suggesting (microscopically, proteomically, genetically, etc.) the implications of telocytes in the different physiological and reparatory/regenerative processes of the heart, understanding their involvement in realizing the heart's mature cytoarchitecture is still at its dawn. Our scrutiny of the recent literature gave clearer insights into the implications of telocytes in the WNT signaling pathway, but also TGFB and PI3K/AKT pathways that, inter alia, conduct cardiomyocytes differentiation, maturation and final integration into heart adult architecture. These data also strengthen evidence for telocytes as promising candidates for cellular therapies in various heart pathologies.

Patient Perception When Transitioning from Classic to Remote Assisted Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Cardiac rehabilitation is an individualized outpatient program of physical exercises and medical education designed to accelerate recovery and improve health status in heart disease patients. In this study, we aimed for assessment of patients' perception of the involvement of technology and remote monitoring devices in cardiac recovery. During the Living Lab Phase of the Virtual Coaching Activities for Rehabilitation in Elderly (vCare) project, we evaluated eleven patients (five heart failure patients and six ischemic heart disease patients). Patient admission in the UMFCD cardiology clinical department served as a shared inclusion criterion for both study groups. In addition, the presence of II or III heart failure NYHA stage status was considered an inclusion criterion for the heart failure study group and patients diagnosed with ischemic heart disease for the second one. We conducted a system usability survey to assess the patients' perception of the system's technical and medical functions. The survey had excellent preliminary results in the heart failure study group and good results in the ischemic heart disease group. The limited access of patients to cardiac rehabilitation in Romania has led to increased interest and motivation in this study. The final version of the product is designed to adapt to patient needs and necessities; therefore, patient perception is necessary.