Body size influences heart rate in children aged 6 to 18 years old.

Previous research established age-related normal limits for children's heart rates (HRs). However, children of the same age can have significantly different HRs, depending on whether they are overweight or underweight, tall or short. Studies on children HR have failed to find a clear correlation between HR and body size. The goal of our study was to create Z scores for HR based on weight (W), height (H), body mass index (BMI), and body surface area (BSA) and compare them to normal age-related HR limits. Electrocardiograms were recorded from a total of 22,460 healthy children ranging in age from 6 to 18 years old using BTL machines. A comparison was made between different age groups, in function of W, H, BMI, and BSA, based on the HR that was automatically detected by using the digitally stored electrocardiogram. Z scores were computed for each of the categories that were mentioned. Incremental Z score values between -2.5 and 2.5 were calculated to establish upper and lower limits of HR. The BSA's estimation of HR is the most accurate of the available methods and can be utilized with accuracy in clinical practice. Z scores for HR in children differ in function of the age, W, H, BMI and BSA. The best estimation is based on BSA. The novelty of our study is that we developed Z scores for HR in relation to body size, age and sex, producing a standardized, consistent, and reproducible result without requiring practitioners to learn and remember cutoff values for a wide range of variables across age groups and sexes. Z scores minimize observer and institutional bias, hence generating uniform and reproducible standards.

Low Atrial Rhythm in a Large Cohort of Children from Transylvania, Romania.

Low atrial rhythm (LAR) is an ectopic rhythm originating in the lower part of the right or left atrium. Prior observational studies attempted to quantify the prevalence of low atrial rhythm in the pediatric population, but the observed prevalence was highly variable with relatively small sample sizes. We aimed to characterize low atrial rhythm and determine its prevalence in a large population of 24,316 asymptomatic children from northwestern Transylvania. We found a prevalence of 0.6% (145 children) for low atrial rhythm. Children with LAR had a significantly lower heart rate (mean 78.6 ± 8.3 bpm), than the control sinus rhythm group (85.02 ± 4.5 bpm). Furthermore, a shorter PR interval was seen in children with LAR (132.7 ± 12.7 ms) than in the children from the control group (141.7 ± 5.4; p = 0.0001).There was no significant association between gender and the presence of left LAR (LLAR) or right LAR (RLAR) (p = 0.5876). The heart rate of children with LLAR was significantly higher (81.7 ± 11.6 bpm) than that of the children with LRAR (77.6 ± 11.1 bpm) (p = 0.037). Pediatric cardiologists should recognize low atrial rhythm and be aware that asymptomatic, healthy children can exhibit this pattern, which does not require therapeutic intervention.

Gheorghe Bȃrlea MD, PhD, pupil and collaborator of Professor Bilascu.

Being the first collaborator and assistant of Professor Gheorghe Bilascu, the founder of Cluj and National School of Dentistry, Dr. Gheorghe Bârlea kept very close to his master in developing the Dental Medicine in Cluj and in Romania, from 1908 to 1936. From the beginning of his career, he was involved in the establishment of the new Dental Clinic in the University of Superior Dacia as well as in the compilation of the teaching curriculum at the level of the avant-garde universities at that time. He was deeply involved in the recognition of Dentistry as discipline and medical practice and in the official achievement of the law and practice of this profession in Romania. Dr. Bârlea devoted his life and wotk to the cultural and social life of the Romanians, his efforts contributing to the Great Union of Romania. Passing away at an early age, Dr. Bârlea left Romanian dental profession without an important support.

History of Medicine between tradition and modernity.

History of medicine is an extensive and very complex science. In a simple and classical understanding, it has an informative and associative role. Although it is not easy for students to understand the multiple implications of the history of medicine, its importance becomes more evident during their academic formation. The students must be persuaded particularly about the ethical and cultural values that history of medicine has in their training. Furthermore, history of medicine participates in creating the necessary perspective for shaping the future of medicine in the next decades. This is, perhaps, the most interesting role that the history of medicine should play from the modern point of view of students and young physicians. This paper presents different ways of understanding the roles of the history of medicine regarded from the traditional perspective to the contemporary point of view.

Valeriu Bologa's studies on the history of science.

History of science is a vast and complex domain, comprising many sub-domains, such as: the history of medicine, history of chemistry, history of physics etc. Different specialists in these sub-domains, trying to reach the general and integrative understanding of the history of science, succeeded only after they acquired a rich scientific experience in their fields of activity. One of the scientists who had interesting papers on the history of science was Valeriu Bologa (1892-1971). He was the first Romanian professor of history of medicine. Our paper presents some milestones regarding his preoccupations on the history of science. The aim of our study is to prove that, although he was primarily a historian of medicine, he surpassed this framework, proving to be a skillful historian of science. The topics of his works on the history of science included: the value of the unity of science, the ethical aspects of science during centuries, the interferences between the history of science and the history of medicine etc.

Fighting for Anatomy. Overview regarding two prestigious Romanian anatomists of the 20th century: Victor Papilian and Grigore T. Popa.

During many centuries, the progress of Anatomy was based on the perseverant and laborious activities done by anatomists. Their work can be considered as a fight for Anatomy. A particular problem arouse when this fight is excessively done and it limits the ability to correctly analyze the contribution made by other scientists in the same domain. This situation was identified at different personalities who lived in the same time and were involved in the same fundamental field of research. If, theoretically, the similarities between scientists should get them closer, in order to have a better communication, the antagonisms can lead them to rivalry. Our paper exemplifies a historical case in which the personages are Victor Papilian (1888-1956) and Grigore T. Popa (1892-1948). The resemblances between these two famous Romanian anatomists from the first half of the 20th century induced an evident scientific rivalry. Papilian and Popa brought a significant contribution in anatomy. Each of them was very much appreciated by his students. It is interesting that both of them had achievements in literature. We present the reasons of their disagreement and its consequences. Paradoxically, not the contrasts, but the resemblances between their strong characters produced a sort of animosity between them. This attitude diminished in time and their successors - Ioan Albu from the Cluj Faculty of Medicine and Ion Iancu from the Jassy Faculty of Medicine - had a long lasting and successful cooperation.

Morphological and immuno-clinical researches during the first half of the 20th century in Cluj, Romania. Overview of the experiments done by Iuliu Moldovan.

During the second half of the 19th century and the whole 20th century, numerous studies concerning the immune system were carried out using different methods of approach. In time, many methods were forgotten, because they were overwhelmed by more modern techniques. The aim of our paper is to present the researches done by the Romanian physician Professor Iuliu Moldovan (1882-1966) regarding one of the defense mechanisms of the human body, having the old name of reticuloendothelial system. Our paper is focused on his experiments done with Reticulin-M. He obtained this substance in 1923, by blocking the reticuloendothelial system of different animals with China ink. Moldovan considered Reticulin-M as a hormone produced by the reticuloendothelial cells. In our paper are also mentioned some important therapeutic effects of this substance on human patients having various diseases.

Pages from the history of the "Anatomical Meeting" from Cluj.

UNLABELLED: The "Anatomical Meeting" from Cluj was one of the most significant morpho-clinical societies from Romania during the interwar period. It was created in 1920 by Professor Titu Vasiliu (1885-1961). The purpose of our paper is to present the most important landmarks of this Society and to put into evidence its place in the Romanian series of morpho-clinical societies. Documentary Material: The activity reports of "Anatomical Meeting" from Cluj, summaries published in "Medical Cluj" journal referring to the presentations and discussions of the cases, which were held at different meetings of this Society. The activity of the "Anatomical Meeting" from Cluj increased, in a significantly and consistently way, the level of morphological and clinical training of physicians from Cluj. There are mentioned some of the most important presentations and the personalities which had special contributions in the evolution of this Society. CONCLUSIONS: The "Anatomical Meeting" was a scientific forum that propagated morpho-clinical concept in Romanian medicine, initially in Cluj, and then on a national level. It contributed to the collaboration between pathologists, clinicians and laboratory physicians from Cluj and favored scientific emulation between them. It also was a tribune from which were discussed a few new medical achievements.

Analysis of Professor Ioan Dragoiu's Opening Lecture at the Chair of Histology from the Cluj Faculty of Medicine, Romania.

One of the personalities who marked in a positive way the evolution of Romanian histology was Ioan Dragoiu (1873-1941). Unfortunately, after nearly three quarters of a century after his death his name is not sufficiently known, both in Cluj (where he had the most significant part of his career), as well as in whole Romania. He was the first full professor of histology who devoted himself to the Romanian Faculty of Medicine from Cluj, where he worked from 1924 until 1941. During this period, he created a school of histology, among his disciples being Cornel Crisan (1895-1958) and Iosif Mihalca (1906-1981). The most important achievement of Dragoiu was his complete histology textbook, which was a premiere in the Romanian scientific literature. The title is "Histological Elements and Microscopic Techniques" (1931-1933). Our paper presents the opening lecture of histology, held by Dragoiu on January 19, 1925 at the Faculty of Medicine from Cluj. Although this lecture is neglected, it represents a very significant document in which Dragoiu gave arguments concerning the role of histology in the curricula of medical faculties. It also reveals his conception about the usefulness of correlating the notions of histology with those of physiology. A special part of this lecture was focused on the presentation of the majority of the most important masters of histology from the past.

Medico-historical overview and histopathological comments about a hyalinizing trabecular tumor case of thyroid gland.

INTRODUCTION: Hyalinizing Trabecular Tumor (HTT) of the thyroid gland is a rare and controversial tumor, whose rigorous identification is extremely important due to the difficulty of establishing a correct diagnosis using only the routine histological stains (Hematoxylin-Eosin, Periodic Acid-Schiff, van Gieson, etc.). Using only usual stains, difficult problems of differential diagnosis arise. In this paper, we report a clinically unexpected case of HTT, the first in Romania, whose diagnosis has been established only by immunohistochemistry reactions. MATERIALS, METHODS AND RESULTS: In assessing a case with nodular goiter for diagnose purpose, we have found a nodule difficult to diagnose. We have been determined to appeal to some additional immunohistochemical techniques. CONCLUSIONS: According to the immunohistochemistry reactions made, we found that particularly the Ki-67 immunohistochemical stain is obvious indispensable in establishing the diagnosis of HTT. We present also a medico-historical overview concerning some first descriptions of this rare entity. There are also mentioned some data regarding the behavior of this rare thyroid tumor.

Aspect on Health Sociology and Social Medicine Reflected in the Studies of Constantin Stanca (1889-1969).

Constantin Stanca (1889-1969) was the first director of the Institute for the Study and Prevention of Cancer from Cluj between 1929 and 1940 and the founder of the Gynecologic Oncology Surgery Department of this Institute. During his important career in gynecology and surgical oncology, which took place in Cluj and in Bucharest, he was also interested in medical sociology and in social medicine. Our paper presents some of Stanca's objectives in these domains: to increase the health status of women, to prevent gynecological diseases and to improve women's working conditions, especially in factories.

The foundation of the first amphitheatre of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Cluj.

The Faculty of Pharmacy of Cluj was created in 1948. The first dean was Erwin Popper (1906-1974) - professor of analytical chemistry. At the beginning of the activity the didactic spaces in this institution were not sufficient. Consequently, Prof. Popper tried and succeeded in solving this problem. In 1955-1957, despite financial and economic difficulties, he succeeded in raising a new building for the departments of Analytical Chemistry and Physical Chemistry. The most important part of this edifice was a modern, large and elegant amphitheatre of 200 places. This was the first lecture hall of the Faculty. The historical value of this amphitheatre was completed in 1957 with bass relief carvings, representing important pharmacists and chemists, such as Carol Davila, Stefan Minovici, Constantin I. Istrati, Nicolae Teclu, Ion Vintilescu and Gheorghe Spacu. The artistic representations of these Romanian scientists were created by Virgil Fulicia (1907-1979) - professor of the Fine Arts Academy in Cluj.

The recognition of Gheorghe Bilascu's contributions in the Romanian history of dentistry.

Prof. Dr. Gheorghe Bilascu (1863-1926) was one of the founders of the Romanian Faculty of Medicine in Cluj. At this Faculty, in 1919/1920 he created the department and the clinic of dentistry. These two achievements were accomplished for the first time in Romania. Normally, his contribution should have been appreciated both during his life and after his death. Also, his name would be expected to be present in the large majority of Romanian medico-historians dictionaries, treatises, papers etc. Unfortunately, his posthumous appreciation was not as Bilascu would have deserved. In our paper we present the recognition of Gh. Bilascu's contributions in the Romanian history of dentistry between 1926-2013. We divided this period into three intervals: from 1926 to 1948, the communist era, and after the anticommunist revolution (1990-present). In the first interval the achievements of Bilascu in the field of dentistry were very much appreciated and they were mentioned in a correct way in different medico-historical sources of information. During the communist era the name of Bilascu was omitted in some dictionaries, courses etc. After 1990, the important role of Bilascu in Romanian dentistry was put into its important place in the majority of Romanian history of medicine sources of information.

Testimonials about the life of prof. Ion Manta (1900-1979) A victim of the communist regim.

Ion Manta was the first Romanian professor and director of the Department of Biochemistry in the Cluj Faculty of Medicine and one of the most endowed biochemists in Romania. He was considered one of the founders of didactic medical biochemistry in our country. His scientific activity, his teaching talent, capacity of work, his character and personal charm were much appreciated by his colleagues, by different scientists and students. Our paper presents some important testimonials about the life and achievements of Ion Manta. The paper contains also some testimonials which put into evidence the fact that at the beginning of the '50 he was an innocent victim of the communist regime.