Adipose tissue as target of environmental toxicants: focus on mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative inflammation in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Obesity, diabetes, and their cardiovascular and hepatic comorbidities are alarming public health issues of the twenty-first century, which share mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation as common pathophysiological mechanisms. An increasing body of evidence links the combined exposure to multiple environmental toxicants with the occurrence and severity of metabolic diseases. Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are ubiquitous chemicals or mixtures with persistent deleterious effects on the living organisms beyond the endocrine system impairment; in particular, those known as metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs), increase the risk of the metabolic pathologies in adult organism or its progeny.

Heterogeneity of the Alpha-Smooth Muscle Actin Tumor Score in Breast Cancer Cells Significantly Affects Tumor Invasiveness, Recurrence, and Patient Survival.

Background: Alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) has been widely investigated in malignancies, primarily concerning its expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) inside the tumor stroma. Microscopic examination indicates that αSMA expression is not confined to the tumor stromal compartment but is also present in a subset of tumor cells, and this expression correlates with an enhanced invasive phenotype of malignant cells from lung, liver, or ovarian malignancies. Information on actin expression in breast cancer (BC) cells is scarce, and its influence on clinicopathological characteristics remains ambiguous due to conflicting findings in the literature.

The Prognostic Value of Serum Creatinine Dynamics in Neonates-A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in neonates with increased mortality and longer hospitalization. Few studies have evaluated AKI outcomes in relation to serum creatinine dynamics in neonates from the first day of life. We performed an observational, retrospective, single-center study on newborns admitted to the "Louis Turcanu" Emergency County Hospital for Children between 2014 and 2022.

A Comparative Study of Temperature Variations in Incisor Root Surfaces During Root Canal Preparation Using Various Rotary Systems and Irrigation Protocols.

This study investigates the temperature changes on the external root surface during root canal preparation using different rotary systems and assesses the impact of irrigation temperatures. Sixty extracted human maxillary incisors were divided into four groups based on the rotary system used: ProTaper Next (Dentsply Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland), Reciproc Blue (VDW GmbH, Munich, Germany), WaveOne Gold (Dentsply Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland), and TruNatomy (Dentsply Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland). These systems differ in cutting efficiency and design.

A Global Perspective on Transition Models for Pediatric to Adult Cystic Fibrosis Care: What Has Been Made So Far?

Interest in the transition of care for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has grown significantly over time, driven by advancements in treatment that have extended life expectancy. As more CF patients survive into adulthood, the need for structured transition strategies has become a priority for healthcare systems worldwide. Transition programs for CF differ globally, reflecting varying resources and healthcare systems.

CT-Guided Transthoracic Core-Needle Biopsy of Pulmonary Nodules: Current Practices, Efficacy, and Safety Considerations.

CT-guided transthoracic core-needle biopsy (CT-TTNB) is a minimally invasive procedure that plays a crucial role in diagnosing pulmonary nodules. With high diagnostic yield and low complication rates, CT-TTNB is favored over traditional surgical biopsies, providing accuracy in detecting both malignant and benign conditions. This literature review aims to present a comprehensive overview of CT-TTNB, focusing on its indications, procedural techniques, diagnostic yield, and safety considerations.

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Anemia in Romanian Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Anemia is a prevalent comorbidity of diabetes, and although various mechanisms have been shown to link these two conditions, their interaction has not been sufficiently explored. Our cross-sectional, non-interventional study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia and its subtypes, as well as their interactions, in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A total of 227 patients previously diagnosed with T2D were enrolled.

Smoking and Health Profiles of Hypertensive Patients with COVID-19: An Exploratory Study of Key Physiological Markers.

: Smoking and hypertension are major contributors to cardiovascular diseases, with smoker hypertensives typically presenting with exacerbated health risks. These factors are associated with COVID-19 aggravation, but their cumulative impact in the context of this disease remains understudied. Our hypothesis was that hypertensive smokers display a more vulnerable health profile (versus non-smokers) upon hospital admission for COVID-19.

Assessing Fat Grafting in Breast Surgery: A Narrative Review of Evaluation Techniques.

Fat grafting has gained prominence in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, necessitating accurate assessment methods for evaluating graft volume retention. This paper reviews various techniques for assessing fat and fat grafts, including their benefits and limitations. Three-dimensional (3D) scanning offers highly accurate, non-invasive volumetric assessments with minimal interference from breathing patterns.

A Dual Challenge: Endocarditis in a Patient with Familial Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm-Case Report and Literature Review.

: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) are potentially life-threatening medical conditions, and their etiology involves both genetic and multiple risk factors. endocarditis is one of the most frequent causes of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (BCNIE) in patients with previous cardiac surgery. Our review aims to emphasize the importance of genetic testing in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms but also the importance of additional testing in patients with suspected endocarditis whose blood cultures remain negative.

Risk Factors Influencing Mortality in Open Necrosectomy for Acute Pancreatitis: A Comparative Analysis.

: Patients undergoing open necrosectomy (ON) for acute pancreatitis (AP) often face high morbidity and mortality rates. This study aims to identify risk factors associated with adverse outcomes by comparing survivors and non-survivors of ON. : A retrospective analysis was conducted on 74 patients who underwent ON for AP.

Risk Factors for Cataracts in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most impactful health problems worldwide. It affects ocular health in multiple ways and is one of the leading causes of vision loss. Our study aimed to evaluate the most important systemic risk factors related to the occurrence of cataracts in patients with DM.

Predicting Severe COVID-19 Outcomes in the Elderly: The Role of Systemic Immune Inflammation, Liver Function Tests, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio.

: Patients aged 80 years and above are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic utility of the derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), aspartate-aminotransferase-to-lymphocyte ratio index (ALRI), aspartate-aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI), and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) in predicting severe disease, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality among COVID-19 patients aged 80 years and older. : In this retrospective cohort study, 138 elderly patients (≥80 years) and 215 younger controls (<65 years) with confirmed COVID-19 were included.

The Role of Spirituality and Religion in Improving Quality of Life and Coping Mechanisms in Cancer Patients.

Background/objectives: This systematic review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the role of spirituality and religion in the journey of patients with cancer and assess their impact on various aspects of well-being and coping mechanisms.

Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar following the PRISMA guidelines. This study focused on the period from 2014 to 2024, the time chosen for the emerging integration of spirituality and religion in cancer treatment.

Exploring the Shared Pathogenesis Mechanisms of Endometriosis and Cancer: Stemness and Targeted Treatments of Its Molecular Pathways-A Narrative Review.

Endometriosis is a benign disease but with malignant behavior, sharing numerous features with cancers. Endometriosis is the development of endometrial tissue outside the uterus, with the presence of both glands and stroma. Approximately 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from endometriosis; it involves high social costs and affects the patient's quality of life.

The Influence of L. Extract and Ellagic Acid on Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Bone Regeneration Biomarkers.

Bone regeneration is a highly dynamic and complex process that involves hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal cells, collagen fibers, non-collagenous proteins and biomolecules from extracellular matrices, and different cytokines and immune cells, as well as growth factors and hormones. Some phytochemicals due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects can modulate the bone signaling pathways and improve bone healing and thus can be a good candidate for osteoregeneration. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of L.

Quercetin and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Metabolism: A Comparative Analysis of Young and Senescent States.

Quercetin is a natural flavonoid renowned for its potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and antibacterial properties, making it a highly promising candidate for the treatment of various medical conditions. Our current study investigates the influence of quercetin on energy metabolism, fatty acid composition, oxidative stress gene expression, and sirtuin expression in early- and late-stage passages of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs). Mitochondrial respiration was analyzed by measuring oxygen consumption following a 24 h quercetin treatment, while fatty acid profiles were examined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

Thermooxidation of Four Sartans: Kinetic Analysis Based on Thermo-Gravimetric Data.

Angiotensin II receptor antagonists are tetrazole derivatives used in the treatment of high blood pressure, and are also indicated for the treatment of heart failure (NYHA class II-IV). They are used alone or in combination with other classes of antihypertensives or diuretics for the effective management of high blood pressure. In this study, we aim to evaluate the thermal stability and degradation kinetics for the principal compounds used in therapy from this class, namely telmisartan, valsartan, olmesartan medoxomil, and losartan potassium.

Rosuvastatin Attenuates Vascular Dysfunction Induced by High-Fructose Diets and Allergic Asthma in Rats.

Background: A growing body of evidence links a high-fructose diet (HFrD) to metabolic disturbances, including inflammation, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and also endothelial dysfunction, yet its role in allergic asthma remains underexplored. Considering that obesity and hypercholesterolemia exacerbate asthma by promoting systemic inflammation, investigating interventions with dual metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the potential modulatory effects of rosuvastatin in ameliorating the effects of HFrD-induced metabolic and vascular dysfunction in the context of allergic asthma.

In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Essential Oil: Effects on Mitochondrial Function and Cytotoxic Potential Against Cancer Cells.

The current study proposes the in vitro and in silico anticancer evaluation of clove ( L.) essential oil (CEO). The steam hydrodistillation method used yielded 10.

Phytochemical, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Safety Profile of L. Extract Obtained from Romania.

L., also known as licorice, belongs to the family and is one of the most commercially valuable plants worldwide, being used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries, both for its therapeutic benefits as well as for the sweetening properties of the extract. This study evaluates the phytochemical composition, the biological activities, and the safety profile of a methanolic extract of licorice root (LRE) obtained from Romania.

Nosocomial Bacterial Bronchopneumonia and SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia in Patients with Traumatic Injuries: Imaging Aspects and Macroscopic and Microscopic Findings of Lung Tissue.

Background: Patients with traumatic injuries often represent the best hosts for healthcare-associated infections, especially pneumonia or bronchopneumonia. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic raised serious problems in the diagnosis and treatment of patients that had a SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated nosocomial bacterial bronchopneumonia. In forensic medicine, these aspects need to be considered when establishing the cause of death and the distinction between the two types of bronchopneumonia is of particular importance.

Synchronous Primary Metastatic Infra-Mammary Accessory Breast Cancer and Ipsilateral Breast Cancer: An Extremely Rare Case Report.

Accessory breast cancer cases are rarely reported in the literature. Of the reported cases, the predominantly available ones are those localized in the axillary region. We present here a very rare case of metastatic accessory breast cancer.

A Practical Multidisciplinary Approach to Identifying Interstitial Lung Disease in Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: A Clinician's Narrative Review.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the common and potentially lethal manifestations of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). ILD's prevalence, clinical patterns, imaging, and natural history are variable. Each of the representative diseases-systemic sclerosis (SSc), idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjӧgren's syndrome (SjS), mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-have distinct clinical, paraclinical and evolutionary features.