Microstructure, surface characterization and long-term stability of new quaternary Ti-Zr-Ta-Ag alloy for implant use.

The novel Ti-20Zr-5Ta-2Ag alloy was characterised concerning its microstructure, morphology, mechanical properties, its passive film composition and thickness, its long-term electrochemical stability, corrosion resistance, ion release rate in Ringer solution of acid, neutral and alkaline pH values and antibacterial activity. The new alloy has a crystalline α microstructure (by XRD). Long-term XPS and SEM analyses show the thickening of the passive film and the deposition of hydroxyapatite in neutral and alkaline Ringer solution. The values of the electrochemical parameters confirm the over time stability of the new alloy passive film. All corrosion parameters have very favourable values in time which attest a high resistance to corrosion. Impedance spectra evinced a bi-layered passive film formed by the barrier, insulating layer and the porous layer. The monitoring of the open circuit potentials indicated the stability of the protective layers and their thickening in time. The new alloy releases (by ICP-MS measurements) very low quantities of Ti, Zr, Ag ions and no Ta ions. The new alloy exhibits a low antibacterial activity.

Diversity of viruses in Ixodes ricinus, and characterization of a neurotropic strain of Eyach virus.

Ticks transmit more pathogens-including bacteria, parasites and viruses-than any other arthropod vector. Although the epidemiological status of many tick-borne bacteria is very well characterized, tick-borne viruses are still relatively under-studied. Recently, several novel tick-borne viruses have been isolated from human febrile illnesses following tick bites, indicating the existence of other potential new and unknown tick-borne viruses. We used high-throughput sequencing to analyse the virome of Ixodes ricinus, the main vector of tick-borne pathogens in Europe. The majority of collected viral sequences were assigned to two potentially novel Nairovirus and Phlebovirus viruses, with prevalence rates ranging from 3.95% to 23.88% in adults and estimated to be between 0.14% and 72.16% in nymphs. These viruses could not be isolated from the brains of inoculated immunocompromised mice, perhaps indicating that they are unable to infect vertebrates. Within the I. ricinus virome, we also identified contigs with >90% identity to the known Eyach virus. Initially isolated in the 1980s, this virus was indirectly associated with human disease, but had never been extensively studied. Eyach virus prevalence varied between 0.07% and 5.26% in ticks from the French Ardennes and Alsace regions. Eyach virus was successfully isolated following intracerebral inoculation of immunocompromised mice with Eyach virus-positive tick extracts. This virus was also able to multiply and persist in the blood of immunocompetent mice inoculated by intraperitoneal injection, and caused brain infections in three of nine juveniles, without any obvious deleterious effects.

Antioxidant enzymes levels in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

UNLABELLED: Pathogenic mechanism of chronic inflammation is associated with increased production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. In the neutralization process of that anions, superoxid dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutation peroxidase (GPx) are key enzymes. Aim of study consists of establishing of some clinic-biological correlations in JRA chronic inflammation in childhood between clinical status and determination of lipoperoxidation products and antioxidative enzymes in the blood. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Blood samples were obtained from 20 patients admitted in 2nd Clinic of Pediatrics, 4-6 months after onset of disease, diagnosed with JRA, oligoarticular form (6 cases), poliarticular form (9 cases) and systemic form (5 cases), as compared to 10 control subjects. SOD, CAT, GPx were measured comparing with malonildialdehyde (MDA), seric glutation (GSH) and usual inflammatory tests (ESR, fibrinogen, CRP). Determinations were repeated after 6 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: In all our cases, level of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, GPx) was decreased at time of diagnosis, concomitant with increased MDA, SOD and inflammatory tests. In most of cases, after 6 weeks of correct anti-inflammatory treatment, levels of enzymatic antioxidant markers were still decreased, as compared to usual inflammatory tests that came back to normal. Persistent decreased antioxidant enzymatic activity was found in cases that need immunomodulatory activity (Methotrexat). CONCLUSIONS: Determination of antioxidant enzymes level can be considered an evolution marker in JRA. More studies are necessary to find if antioxidant potential of blood can be used as following marker for immunosuppressive therapy.

[Enzymatic markers in the alcoholic cardiomyopathy]. / Markeri enzimatici în cardiomiopatia alcoolica.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy can ensue from heavy consumption of alcohol over a long period of time. The clinical features include dilatation of the left ventricle, poor myocardial contractility with reduced left ventricular ejection volume, raised tissue enzymes. In numerous experimental data has been observed increased generation of oxygen and ethanol free radicals, indicate that free radicals are implied in myocardial and hepatic damage. Ethanol administration also elicits hepatic disturbances in the availability of antioxidant defense. The resulting antioxidative stress leads to enhanced lipid peroxidation and can also affect other important cellular component.

[The blood enzymatic antioxidative potential in bronchial asthma patients]. / Investigarea potentialului antioxidativ enzimatic sanguin la pacienti cu astm bronsic.

This study aims at assessing the ability of asthma patients to defend themselves against the noxious effects of oxidative stress, known being the inflammatory nature of this disorder. As the anti-radical defence ability of the body is reflected by the antioxidative potential of blood and tissues, our study was based on the determination of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios in the blood. Except for SOD, the activity of which was lower in asthma patients by -34.08%, CAT and GPx had values increased by +32.18%, respectively, with a resulting increase of CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios. Our data, demonstrating a change in per-oxidants/antioxidants balance in favour of the first ones, seem to suggest that in the treatment of bronchial asthma the association of some compounds with antioxidants effects would be beneficial.

[The importance of the use of selenium in the role of an antioxidant in preventing cardiovascular diseases]. / Importanta utilizarii seleniului cu rol antioxidant în preventia bolilor cardiovasculare.

The evaluation of the results of the oxygen free radicals (RLO2) formation is a current subject in biology and medicine. The oxidative stress, which is the altering of the balance between the higher activity of oxygen and the enzymatic or nonenzymatic protection systems, may be one of the causes that starts and aggravates a disease. In this context, the supplementation of the diet with selenium, superoxide dismutase, vitamins A, C, E, is considered a primary prevention measure (for the apparently healthy persons) and a secondary one (for those with advancing forms of disease) that is both efficient and modern by utilization of some "drug-food" products. The transversal study realized on a group of 39 blood donors presence of the cardiovascular risk determined by the raising of the prevalence of some atherogenic factors (active smoking, hypercholesterolemia) which is also expressed by the lowering of the level of some oxidative stress indicators (glutathione peroxidase--GSH-Px < 0.139 moli/ml and catalase < 2.20 U/ml). The simultaneous low intake of selenium from the central drinking water supplies in the city of Iasi (0.1-1 g/l) has permitted us to consider necessary the diet supplementation both with foods rich in vitamins with an antioxidant role and with specific medication with selenium, as a protective micro-element.

[The clinico-epidemiological premises for antioxidant prevention and treatment in chronic myocardial infarct]. / Premisele clinico-epidemiologice pentru preventia si tratamentul antioxidant în infarctul miocardic cronic.

The improvement of therapeutic and recoverable proceeding to chronic myocardial infarction (IMC) imposes a complex epidemiological estimation of the global cardiovascular risk, of their clinical and biological status. The retrospective evaluation of the risk factors (RF) by epidemiological methods, in 38 hospitalized prevalence of both constitutional and behavioral factors, and the quantification of the risk state, according to graph Euro 194, has pointed on the fact that 50% of IMC cases have presented a global risk of 10-20%. That justified the application of a preventive conduct in order to continually neutralize the associates FR. The biochemical determinations have allowed to frame the dyslipidemic patients, according to the ARCOL classification in the classes D (29.2%), E (25.0%) and B (20.8%) with direct implication in the adopted therapy. The colorimetric dozing with thyo-barbituric acid of the malonly dialdehyde (MAD) each is a product of the lipidic peroxidation, as well as the interpreting or correlation of the registered values with an evolutive clinic stage, and with the existence of some existing diseases (diabetes, chronic hepatitis etc.) along with signification of other dismethabolical parameters (cholesterol, triglycerides, LDLc, apoB) have confirmed the necessity of a complex therapy, including an antioxidative treatment, having the role to directly inhibit or exclude the free radicals resulted after the oxidative stress of the infarct.

[Pell-Nicol, a medicinal toothpaste]. / Pell-Nicol, pasta de dinti medicinala.

A medicinal toothpaste based on an atomized extract obtained out of sulfurous mud of Nicolina Iassy (a natural organic-mineral complex) has been formulated and physico-chemically characterized. The optimal formula has been chosen corresponding to following parameters: aspect, colour, taste, smell; weight/tube (65 g +/- 5%); Dentine Abrasion Value (D. A. V.) = 30; pH = 6.95-7.42; foaming capability of foam, in minutes = 0.40-0.60; residue on the sieve (g% = 0.09); heavy metals content; abrasive substances; g% = 32-37 at least; sodium chloride g% = 0.30 at least; firmness time = 30 sec. Also it have been effectuated rheological measurements and dynamic viscosity. The medicinal toothpaste Pell-Nicole presents a plastic behaviour with thixotropic character, which confers a good stability in time, an adequate firmness and comparable properties with others marketed products. The therapeutical effects have been tested, such as the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. The medicinal dentifrice toothpaste Pell-Nicole is recommended for gum affections, superficial chronic inflammatory forms, deep paradontopathies, as well as for a proper dental hygiene.

Efficacy of multidisciplinary epidemiological screening in the primary prevention of essential arterial hypertension.

An epidemiological screening of 8011 industrial workers and 7090 pupils made possible the active detection of some risk factors carriers and of those individuals with borderline essential arterial hypertension (BEAHT) and essential arterial hypertension disease (EAHTD). It was noticed that the association of 2-4 risk factors is more common in the subjects with BEAHT or EAHTD, fact indicating their increased aggressivity in the various types of associations present in the same carrier. In the worker series a prevalence of 16.2%-18.0% for BEAHT and 6.3%-7.1% for EAHTD as compared to 4.3%-6.0% and 4.9%-5.3%, respectively, in the pupil series were recorded. The epidemiological screening had a strong educational effect, reflected in an increased cooperation of the screened population, and revealed the fact that the risk factor carrier state and the increased arterial pressure levels were ignored, at long term, by 50-90% of the investigated subjects.

[The physicochemical characterization and therapeutic evaluation of Cicatrol]. / Caracterizarea fizico-chimica si evaluarea terapeutica a produsului Cicatrol.

Cicatrol ointment with the formula: argentic sulphamethoxydiasine 1 g, bentonite hydrogel 12.5% for 100 g is manufactured at the Microproduction Laboratory of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Iasi. The one-year physicochemical determinations of the aspect, colour, homogeneity, pH, rheological behaviour and relative viscosity, content in argentic sulphamethoxydiasine as well as "in vitro" antimicrobial activity of Cicatrol showed a good stability and gel properties enabling an uniform and long-term contact with the wound. The clinical investigations carried out until now in patients with burns, varicose ulcers, trophic shank ulcers, superficial phlebitis with atonic ulcerations or wounds with multiple sites revealed its remarkable therapeutic value. As compared to other similar products, Cicatrol by its aseptic properties favours the scarring of any type of wound, a normal skin, without keloid scars being obtained, it also being well tolerated.

[The action of a fibric acid derivative on lipid metabolism]. / Explorarea actiuni unui derivat al acidului fibric asupra metabolismului lipidic.

The action of N-2 (p-chlorophenoxy isobutiril)-N-morpholino-methylureea on some serum lipids parameters in rats with normolipemia and tritonic hyperlipidemia was studied. In the animals with normolipidemia, the compound induces hypocholesterolemia beginning with the 5th day of treatment, hypotriglyceridemia during the entire investigation interval and an increase of phospholipid levels in the 9th day of treatment. In the rats with tritonic hyperlipidemia, the substance induces hypocholesterolemia, hypotriglyceridemia, increase of HDL-cholesterol levels, decrease of (VLDL + LDL)--cholesterol levels and the return to normal values of Glueck ratio.