Measuring Speech Intelligibility with Romanian Synthetic Unpredictable Sentences in Normal Hearing.

Background/objectives: Understanding speech in background noise is a challenging task for listeners with normal hearing and even more so for individuals with hearing impairments. The primary objective of this study was to develop Romanian speech material in noise to assess speech perception in diverse auditory populations, including individuals with normal hearing and those with various types of hearing loss. The goal was to create a versatile tool that can be used in different configurations and expanded for future studies examining auditory performance across various populations and rehabilitation methods.

"It's not just teaching for the sake of teaching anymore": a quality improvement project for online instruction in a hospital library.

Medical libraries had to swiftly change how instruction services were provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes a Quality Improvement (QI) project to assess one hospital library's move to virtual instructional services. Information was gathered via a survey to Canadian hospital library workers and a focus group with internal staff with instructional responsibilities.

Comparison between Substance P and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Their Receptors in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

Colorectal cancer is a major health problem that still causes many deaths worldwide. Neuropeptides, such as substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide, play the neurotransmitter and neurohormone roles that increase tumor invasiveness and metastasis potential. This study aimed to see whether these neuropeptides and their receptors-neurokinin 1 receptor and calcitonin receptor-like receptor-correlate with the diagnosis stage, tumor differentiation grade, and different patient characteristics in colorectal cancer and also to compare them.

Searching for a Better Animal Model for Chronic Tympanic Membrane Perforation.

Chronic tympanic membrane perforation represents a prevalent otological condition, necessitating a reliable animal model for the validation and safety assessment of surgical techniques and materials employed in myringoplasty. This prospective study involved the establishment of chronic tympanic membrane perforation animal models in 16 chinchillas. A thermic myringotomy was conducted on the right ear (study group), followed by cold instrument myringotomy, coupled with the topical application of mitomycin C and dexamethasone solution on the left ear (control group).

Expression of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Calcitonin Receptor-like Receptor in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most widespread types of cancer that still causes many deaths worldwide. The development of new diagnostic and prognostic markers, as well as new therapeutic methods, is necessary. The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) neuropeptide alongside its receptor calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CRLR) could represent future biomarkers and a potential therapeutic target.

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) in Healthcare.

Our professional activity is constantly under pressure from a multitude of elements and factors that can be classified into the four components of the VUCA phenomenon-volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity-components that define the turbulence and challenges of the external environment. Considering the general elements of this phenomenon, we designed a new VUCA dimension specific to the healthcare field within which we have identified and analyzed all the factors that can influence the main actors of the doctor-patient relationship and the effects that can occur within the healthcare system in which this relationship is born. In this context, we generated the VUCA treatment in healthcare capable of mitigating the impact of this phenomenon; this treatment involves essential elements in overcoming possible crises and vulnerabilities of the medical profession.

Neurotensin (8-13) and Neuromedin N Neuropeptides Radiolabelling with Copper-64 Produced on Solid or Liquid Targets.

On the verge of a theranostic approach to personalised medicine, copper-64 is one of the emerging radioisotopes in nuclear medicine due to its exploitable nuclear and biochemical characteristics. The increased demand for copper-64 for preclinical and clinical studies has prompted the development of production routes. This research aims to compare the (p,n) reaction on nickel-64 solid versus liquid targets and evaluate the effectiveness of [Cu]CuCl solutions prepared by the two routes.

The Validation of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale SSQ12 for Native Romanian Speakers with and without Hearing Impairment.

Background: The perceived impact of hearing loss varies considerably among those affected due to the heterogeneous types of hearing loss, their diverse etiologies, and the different rehabilitation possibilities. Therefore, assessing listening skills in a daily context using questionnaires is essential. This study aimed to investigate the validity and reliability of the adapted version of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale 12 (SSQ12) in the Romanian language.

Correlation of the Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, Inflammatory Markers, and Tumor Markers with the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most important global health problems, being in the top 3 neoplasms in terms of the number of cases worldwide. Although CRC develops predominantly from the adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence through APC gene mutations, in recent years, studies have demonstrated the role of chronic inflammation in this neoplasia pathogenesis. Cytokines are important components of chronic inflammation, being some of the host regulators in response to inflammation.

Quality Standard for Rehabilitation of Young Deaf Children Receiving Cochlear Implants.

More and more children with severe-to-profound hearing loss are receiving cochlear implants (CIs) at an early age to improve their hearing and listening abilities, speech recognition, speech intelligibility, and other aspects of spoken language development. Despite this, the rehabilitation outcomes can be very heterogeneous in this population, not only because of issues related to surgery and fitting or the specific characteristics of the child with his/her additional disabilities but also because of huge differences in the quality of the support and rehabilitation offered by the therapist and the family. These quality standards for the rehabilitation of young deaf children receiving CIs are developed within the European KA202 Erasmus+ project "VOICE"-vocational education and training for speech and language therapists and parents for the rehabilitation of children with CIs, Ref.

Modifications in cellular viability, DNA damage and stress responses inflicted in cancer cells by copper-64 ions.

Due to combined therapeutical emissions, a high linear energy transfer Auger-electrons with the longer ranged β particles, Cu-based radiopharmaceuticals raise particular theragnostic interest in cancer, by joined therapeutic and real-time PET imaging properties. The study aimed to investigate the biological and molecular background of CuCl therapy by analyzing the damages and stress responses inflicted in various human normal and tumor cell lines. Colon (HT29 and HCT116) and prostate carcinoma (DU145) cell lines, as well as human normal BJ fibroblasts, were treated up to 72 h with 2-40 MBq/mL CuCl.

The Impact of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media with and without Cholesteatoma in Patients from Northeastern Romania.

Quality of life is a widely used concept that tends to become an important part of clinical management. The present study performs an analysis of the impact of suppurative chronic otitis media with and without cholesteatoma on quality of life, using the COMQ-12 questionnaire. It was applied to a group of 40 healthy people and to 40 patients before surgery, and the answers to the questions were analyzed and correlated with socioeconomic factors.

The Role of Phytosterols in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is now recognized as the most common cause of chronic liver disease with an increasing prevalence in both adults and children. Although the symptoms are absent or poorly expressed in most cases, some patients may progress to end-stage liver disease. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is known to be multifactorial.

Using Social Media Data to Evaluate Urban Parks Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the context of increasing urbanization and associated economic, social and environmental challenges, cities have increasingly acknowledged the importance of urban parks in delivering social, economic and environmental benefits to the population. The importance has been demonstrated also during the COVID-19 pandemic that generated lockdowns and reduced the capacity of urban inhabitants in accessing such benefits. The present study aims to determine how the presence in urban parks was reflected on social media during the pandemic period of 2020.

IL-1α, IL-6 and IL-8 serum values in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media.

Inflammatory mediators play an important role in the pathogenesis of otitis media by initiating and maintaining an inflammatory response to infection. The presence of inflammatory mediators may be one of the reasons, in some patients, for acute otitis media transforming into chronic otitis media. The present study included 60 patients admitted to the Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, Iasi, Romania, for surgery.

Short-Term Impact of Iron Deficiency in Different Subsets of Patients with Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension from an Eastern European Pulmonary Hypertension Referral Center.

Background: Over the last few decades, interest in the role of iron status in pulmonary hypertension (PH) has grown considerably due to its potential impact on symptoms, exercise capacity (as assessed by the 6-minute walk distance [6MWD]), prognosis, and mortality. The aim of the present study was to identify iron deficiency (ID) prevalence in specific precapillary PH subgroups of Romanian patients and its short-term impact on 6MWD.

Patients And Methods: Complete datasets from 25 precapillary PH adults were examined and included in the analysis.

Peripheral adenopathies in children - an attempt of clinical morphological profile.

Aim: The authors have proposed to assess peripheral adenopathies in a series of hospitalized children in order to identify and define clinical and morphological profiles of different types of lymph node (LN) diseases.

Materials And Methods: The studied group consisted of 58 patients less than 18 years of age. The investigation algorithm included: gender, age, site, involvement, side, extension and histopathological (HP) type of LN lesions.

Past, Present, and Future of Blood Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Infarction-Promises and Challenges.

Despite important advancements in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) management, it continues to represent a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Fast and reliable AMI diagnosis can significantly reduce mortality in this high-risk population. Diagnosis of AMI has relied on biomarker evaluation for more than 50 years.

Preparation and Preliminary Evaluation of Neurotensin Radiolabelled with Ga and Lu as Potential Theranostic Agent for Colon Cancer.

The neurotensin is a tridecapeptide involved in the proliferation of colon cancer, the overexpression of neurotensin receptors occurring at an early stage development of many tumours. Targeting neurotensin receptors by using the same biological active molecule is an effective approach for both imaging quantification and treatment. The present work aimed to demonstrate the ability of radiolabelled neurotensin to specifically target colon cancer cells, and substantiate its usefulness in targeted imaging and radiotherapy, depending on the emission of the coupled radioisotope.

Long-Term Effects of Ivabradine on Cardiac Vagal Parasympathetic Function in Normal Rats.

The complex interactions that exist between the pacemaker current, , and the parasympathetic nervous system could significantly influence the course of patients undergoing chronic therapy with the blocker ivabradine. We thus aimed to assess the effects of chronic ivabradine therapy on autonomic modulation and on the cardiovascular response to and parasympathetic stimulation. The right atrial expression of HCN genes, encoding proteins for , was also evaluated.

Serological Parameters and Vascular Investigation for a Better Assessment in DVT during Pregnancy-A Systematic Review.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period represent a condition characterized by a thrombotic predisposition. The majority of pregnant women do not face acute or severe thrombotic events. In general, mild inconveniences such as leg swelling or moderately painful thrombotic events (phlebitis) are encountered.

Role of Adiponectin and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha in the Pathogenesis and Evolution of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Children and Adolescents.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a complex condition caused by the destruction of pancreatic beta cells by autoimmune mechanisms. As a result, insulin deficiency and subsequent hyperglycemia occur. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the development of T1DM.

Preclinical Evaluation of NHS-Activated Gold Nanoparticles Functionalized with Bombesin or Neurotensin-Like Peptides for Targeting Colon and Prostate Tumours.

Recent advances and large-scale use of hybrid imaging modalities like PET-CT have led to the necessity of improving nano-drug carriers that can facilitate both functional and metabolic screening in nuclear medicine applications. In this study, we focused on the evaluation of four potential imaging nanoparticle structures labelled with the Ga positron emitter. For this purpose, we functionalized NHS-activated PEG-gold nanoparticles with Ga-DOTA-Neuromedin B, Ga-DOTA-PEG(4)-BBN(7-14), Ga-DOTA-NT and Ga-DOTA-Neuromedin N.

The Importance of Systemic Inflammation Markers in the Survival of Patients with Complicated Colorectal Cancer, Operated in Emergency.

The inflammatory response plays a critical role in carcinogenesis. There are recent scores based on the systemic inflammatory response, such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), which have been shown to have prognostic value in cancer patients. These scores allow the identification of patients who will have poor response to treatment and poor survival.