Insights into the Risk Factors and Outcomes of Post-COVID-19 Syndrome-Results from a Retrospective, Cross-Sectional Study in Romania.

Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 (post-COVID-19) syndrome represents a cluster of persistent symptoms following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection that can severely affect quality of life. The pathogenic mechanisms and epidemiology in different regions are still under evaluation. To assess the outcomes of post-COVID-19 syndrome, we performed a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study in previously infected individuals.

Global vaccination against hepatitis E virus: position paper from the European society of clinical microbiology and infectious diseases viral hepatitis study group.

Scope: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant global health issue, impacting both low- and middle-income countries and industrialized nations. HEV genotypes 1 and 2, primarily transmitted through contaminated water, are endemic in low- and middle-income countries, whereas genotypes 3 and 4 are zoonotically transmitted in industrialized regions. Acute HEV infection poses severe risks, particularly to pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals, whereas chronic HEV infection leads to serious complications in those with pre-existing liver disease and transplant recipients.

Correction: Beyond Newton's law of cooling in evaluating magnetic hyperthermia performance: a device-independent procedure.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1039/D4NA00383G.].

Should SARS-CoV-2 serological testing be used in the decision to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine booster? A pro-con assessment.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has saved millions of lives in the past few years. To maintain a high level of protection, particularly in at-risk populations, booster doses are recommended to counter the waning of circulating antibody levels over time and the continuous emergence of immune escape variants of concern (VOCs). As anti-spike serology is now widely available, it may be considered a useful tool to identify individuals needing an additional vaccine dose, i.

SARS-CoV-2 Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in People Living with HIV.

Immunosuppressed individuals, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), remain vulnerable to severe COVID-19. We analyzed the persistence of specific SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular immune responses in a retrospective, cross-sectional study in PLWH on antiretroviral therapy. Among 104 participants, 70.

Clinical, Laboratory, and Imaging Features Between Men and Women With Axial Spondyloarthritis in a Specialized Center in Argentina.

Objectives: The aims were to estimate the frequency of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in women and to analyze the clinical, laboratory, and imaging differences with respect to men at the time of diagnosis.

Methods: Consecutive patients older than 18 years with a diagnosis of axSpA admitted to the "Reumacheck" SpA program were included between 2017 and 2022. At baseline, all patients underwent clinical assessment, laboratory tests including C-reactive protein and human leukocyte antigen B27, and imaging (plain radiography and magnetic resonance imaging of sacroiliac joints, and ultrasound of heel entheses).

LncRNAs expression profile in a family household cluster of COVID-19 patients.

More than 3 years after the start of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the molecular mechanisms behind the viral pathogenesis are still not completely understood. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), well-known players in viral infections, can represent prime candidates for patients' risk stratification. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the lncRNA profile in a family cluster of COVID-19 cases with different disease progression, during the initial wave of the pandemic and to evaluate their potential as biomarkers for COVID-19 evolution.

Simulation study of the Gilbert damping in NiFe/Nd bilayers: comparison with experiments.

We present an experimental and computational investigation the Neodymium thickness dependence of the effective damping constant (αeff) in/Neodymium (Py/Nd) bilayers. The computational results show that the magnetic damping is strongly dependent on the thickness of Nd, which is in agreement with experimental data. Self consistent solutions of the spin accumulation model and the local magnetisation were used in the simulations.

Suboptimal MMR Vaccination Coverages-A Constant Challenge for Measles Elimination in Romania.

Measles is targeted for elimination since 2001, with a significant reduction in cases recorded worldwide, but outbreaks occur periodically due to immunization gaps. This study analyzes the evolution of vaccination coverage rates (VCRs) in Romania, a EU country with large measles epidemics during the last two decades, including an ongoing outbreak in 2023. Vaccination against measles has been part of the National Immunization Program since 1979, initially as a single dose, and from 1994 onwards it has had two doses.

Non-Invasive Prediction Scores for Hepatitis B Virus- and Hepatitis D Virus-Infected Patients-A Cohort from the North-Eastern Part of Romania.

Approximately 62-72 million people are infected worldwide with HDV. Patients with chronic hepatitis D (CHD) have a higher risk of developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and an increased mortality rate compared to those with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The stage of liver fibrosis or the risk of developing HCC can also be estimated by non-invasive scores, which are cost effective, easier to apply, and reproducible.

Influenza Vaccination of Romanian Medical Students and Resident Physicians-A Matter of Accessibility.

In Romania, influenza vaccination of healthcare professionals is recommended, but not mandatory. This study aims to investigate the attitudes and behaviors of medical students and resident physicians-the youngest healthcare professionals-towards influenza immunization, focusing on the barriers and facilitators, as well as on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. An anonymous online survey was conducted during the 2021/2022 influenza season, with responses from332 medical students and resident physicians.

Simulations of magnetization reversal in FM/AFM bilayers with THz frequency pulses.

It is widely known that antiferromagnets (AFMs) display a high frequency response in the terahertz (THz) range, which opens up the possibility for ultrafast control of their magnetization for next generation data storage and processing applications. However, because the magnetization of the different sublattices cancel, their state is notoriously difficult to read. One way to overcome this is to couple AFMs to ferromagnets-whose state is trivially read via magneto-resistance sensors.

Difficult to treat rheumatoid arthritis in a comprehensive evaluation program: frequency according to different objective evaluations.

Difficult-to-treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA-D2T) is a condition in which patients do not achieve the treatment target despite multiple advanced therapies, more others features. Aims: to estimate the frequency of RA-D2T in a cohort comprehensively evaluated (clinical, serology, imaging), and to analyze the associated characteristics. In a second part, the frequency of RA-D2T after 1 year of follow-up, analyzing the predictive variables at baseline and therapeutic behavior.

HIV-HBV Coinfection-Current Challenges for Virologic Monitoring.

HIV-HBV coinfected patients have higher rates of liver-related morbidity, hospitalizations, and mortality compared to HBV or HIV mono-infected ones. Clinical studies have shown an accelerated progression of liver fibrosis and an increased incidence of HCC, resulting from the combined action of HBV replication, immune-mediated hepatocytolysis, and HIV-induced immunosuppression and immunosenescence. Antiviral therapy based on dually active antiretrovirals is highly efficient, but late initiation, global disparities in accessibility, suboptimal regimens, and adherence issues may limit its impact on the development of end-stage liver disease.

Subacute myoclonic measles encephalitis - An opportunistic HIV-associated infection.

Introduction: An unusual cluster of myoclonic epilepsy was observed in a Romanian pediatric HIV cohort concurrent with measles outbreaks. We describe this particular form of subacute measles encephalitis (SME) in a group of HIV-infected children and adolescents with severe immunosuppression.

Methods: This is a single-center study, starting in 1997 and covering 4 measles outbreaks in Romania.

Strategies to overcome HIV drug resistance-current and future perspectives.

The availability of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has revolutionized the course of HIV infection, suppressing HIV viremia, restoring the immune system, and improving the quality of life of HIV infected patients. However, the emergence of drug resistant and multidrug resistant strains remains an important contributor to cART failure, associated with a higher risk of HIV-disease progression and mortality. According to the latest WHO HIV Drug Resistance Report, the prevalence of acquired and transmitted HIV drug resistance in ART naive individuals has exponentially increased in the recent years, being an important obstacle in ending HIV-1 epidemic as a public health threat by 2030.

Ultrasound tenosynovitis: A differential feature of patients with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To identify differential features between patients with seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Method: Prospective cohort study, including patients who were admitted for polyarthralgia. At baseline was performed: laboratory studies, X-rays of hands and feet, ultrasound of both hands with power Doppler technique, clinical data and clinimetry.

Acute severe hepatitis outbreak in children: A perfect storm. What do we know, and what questions remain?

During the first half of 2022, the World Health Organization reported an outbreak of acute severe hepatitis of unknown aetiology (AS-Hep-UA) in children, following initial alerts from the United Kingdom (UK) where a cluster of cases was first observed in previously well children aged <6 years. Sporadic cases were then reported across Europe and worldwide, although in most countries incidence did not increase above the expected baseline. There were no consistent epidemiological links between cases, and microbiological investigations ruled out known infectious causes of hepatitis.

Psoriatic Arthritis: Differential Features at the Time of Clinical Presentation in a Large Cohort of Patients with Polyarthralgia.

Objective: Most patients with psoriatic arthritis begin with cutaneous psoriasis, which is why all early detection strategies are based on screening in the dermatological consultation and referral to a rheu matologist. However, there are cases of patients who consult initially for musculoskeletal symptoms, mostly joint pain, regardless of family and/or personal history of psoriasis. This study aimed to esti mate the frequency of psoriatic arthritis in a cohort of patients who consulted for polyarthralgia and to determine the differential features, at the time of clinical presentation, in relation to both patients with final diagnosis other than psoriatic arthritis and patients with diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Non-equilibrium heating path for the laser-induced nucleation of metastable skyrmion lattices.

Understanding formation of metastable phases by rapid energy pumping and quenching has been intriguing scientists for a long time. This issue is crucial for technologically relevant systems such as magnetic skyrmions which are frequently metastable at zero field. Using Atomistic Spin Dynamics simulations, we show the possibility of creating metastable skyrmion lattices in cobalt-based trilayers by femtosecond laser heating.

Liver fibrosis progression in a cohort of young HIV and HIV/ HBV co-infected patients: A longitudinal study using non-invasive APRI and Fib-4 scores.

Background: The risk of liver fibrosis increases over time in HIV and HIV-HBV individuals even under antiretroviral treatment (ART), warranting a rigorous and periodic monitorization. Given the lower availability of transient elastography, we aimed to assess the longitudinal variation of two non-invasive liver fibrosis scores, APRI and Fib-4, in cases with HIV monoinfection, HIV-HBV co-infection and individuals with HBsAg-seroclearance.

Methods: We performed an observational retrospective study between 2013 and 2019 on 212 HIV patients including 111 individuals with HIV mono-infection, 62 individuals with HIV-HBV co-infection and positive HBsAg and 39 cases with HIV-HBV infection and HBsAg-loss.

Assessment of the Humoral Immune Response Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Healthcare Workers: A One Year Longitudinal Study.

The continuous variability of SARS-CoV-2 and the rapid waning of specific antibodies threatens the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. We aimed to evaluate antibody kinetics one year after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with an mRNA vaccine in healthcare workers (HCW), with or without a booster. A marked decline in anti-Spike(S)/Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) antibody levels was registered during the first eight months post-vaccination, followed by a transitory increase after the booster.