Publications by authors named "Elena Valentina Ionescu"

Sapropelic muds have been used for centuries to treat various illnesses, but their effects and mechanisms are still under research. In this study the effects of Techirghiol sapropelic mud on tissue oxygenation in elderly patients diagnosed with neuromuscular disorders were investigated using spatial and spectral information provided by hyperspectral imaging technique. A group of 38 elderly patients with neuromuscular disorders for which they received mud therapy was studied.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The Baker cyst (BC), also known as the popliteal cyst or parameniscal cyst, is a fluid-filled sac that normally develops in the back of the knee, between the semimembranosus and medial head of the gastrocnemius. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy (10 days of treatment) that associates intermittent vacuum therapy (IVT) on the lower limbs in the treatment of the BC, respectively, in its size reduction. Sixty-five patients with knee osteoarthritis using Kellgren-Lawrence criteria and the presence of BC (ultrasonography evaluation), were divided into the Control and Vacuum groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This systematic review investigates the potential health and wellness benefits of natural calcium-rich mineral waters. It emphasizes the importance of dietary calcium sourced from natural mineral waters in promoting bone health, maintaining cardiovascular function, aiding in weight management, and enhancing overall well-being. The review process involved the comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles, clinical trials, and experimental studies published within the last decade.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The pathogenesis of sarcopenia is multifactorial, including changes in the endocrine system. Easy-to-perform screening tests can guide the diagnosis of sarcopenia and the rehabilitation therapeutic conduct, which can act on many physiopathological links. This study was conducted over a period of 5 months, from April to August 2022, and included 84 patients hospitalized for a period of 10 days in the Balneal and Rehabilitation Sanatorium Techirghiol for complex physiotherapy, which included balneotherapy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Intermittent oxygen therapy (IHT), initially used in the hypoxic administration variant, has been shown to be effective in various pathologies studied, from cardiopulmonary to vascular and metabolic pathologies and more. IHT used to prevent and treat various diseases has thus gained more and more attention as the years have passed. The mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects have been investigated at multiple biological levels, from systemic physiological reactions to genomic regulation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating problem for modern society, whether it affects young people in the most productive period of their lives or the elderly. The spinal cord injury is currently without curative treatment and the therapeutic intervention aims to minimize secondary complications and maximize residual function through rehabilitation medicine. The main objective of this scientific paper is to determine whether there is evidence in the literature regarding the importance and/or use of hydrotherapy, as part of the therapeutic management of the SCI patient, in order to decrease the degree of spasticity, of pain symptoms, increase or maintain range of motion, improve respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic status, as well as improve function and psychological benefits.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lithium is a source of great scientific interest because although it has such a simple structure, relatively easy-to-analyze chemistry, and well-established physical properties, the plethora of effects on biological systems-which influence numerous cellular and molecular processes through not entirely explained mechanisms of action-generate a mystery that modern science is still trying to decipher. Lithium has multiple effects on neurotransmitter-mediated receptor signaling, ion transport, signaling cascades, hormonal regulation, circadian rhythm, and gene expression. The biochemical mechanisms of lithium action appear to be multifactorial and interrelated with the functioning of several enzymes, hormones, vitamins, and growth and transformation factors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Traumatic spinal cord injury is a life-changing condition with a significant socio-economic impact on patients, their relatives, their caregivers, and even the community. Despite considerable medical advances, there is still a lack of options for the effective treatment of these patients. The major complexity and significant disabling potential of the pathophysiology that spinal cord trauma triggers are the main factors that have led to incremental scientific research on this topic, including trying to describe the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate spinal cord repair and regeneration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequent medical problem, affecting more than 4% of the population in most countries. In the context of diabetes, the vascular endothelium can play a crucial pathophysiological role. If a healthy endothelium-which is a dynamic endocrine organ with autocrine and paracrine activity-regulates vascular tone and permeability and assures a proper balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis, and vasodilation and vasoconstriction, then, in contrast, a dysfunctional endothelium has received increasing attention as a potential contributor to the pathogenesis of vascular disease in diabetes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Abundant experimental data suggest that hydrogen sulfide (HS) is related to the pathophysiology of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Multiple molecular mechanisms, including receptors, membrane ion channels, signalingmolecules, enzymes, and transcription factors, are known to be responsible for the HS biological actions; however, HS is not fully documented as a gaseous signaling molecule interfering with DM and vascular-linked pathology. In recent decades, multiple approaches regarding therapeutic exploitation of HS have been identified, either based on HS exogenous apport or on its modulated endogenous biosynthesis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: fopen(/var/lib/php/sessions/ci_sessionro5brvl2fsi6uomutqvunmjmqau22ook): Failed to open stream: No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 177

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 137

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once