CHSJ

Archive issue

Current Health Sciences Journal

vol. 40 no. 3, 2014

1. Stem Cells, Colorectal Cancer and Cancer Stem Cell Markers Correlations

IRINA CHERCIU, A. BARBALAN, D. PIRICI, C. MARGARITESCU, A. SAFTOIU

The idea of stem cells as being progenitors of cancer was initially controversial, but later supported by research in the field of leukemia and solid tumors. Afterwards, it was established that genetic abnormalities can affect the stem and progenitor cells, leading to uncontrolled replication and deregulated differentiation. These alterations will cause the changeover to cancerous stem cells (CSC) having two main characteristics: tumor initiation and maintenance. This review will focus on the colorectal cancer stem cell (CR-CSCs) theory which provides a better understanding of different tumor processes: initiation, aggressive growth, recurrence, treatment resistance and metastasis. A search in PubMed/Medline was performed using the following keywords: colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs), colorectal neoplasms stem cells, colorectal cancer stem cell (CR-CSCs) markers, etc. Electronic searches were supplemented by hand searching reference lists, abstracts and proceedings from meetings. Isolation of CR-CSCs can be achieved by targeting and selecting subpopulation of tumor cells based on expression of one or multiple cell surface markers associated with cancer self-renewal, markers as: CD133, CD166, CD44, CD24, beta1 integrin-CD29, Lgr5, EpCAM (ESA), ALDH-1, Msi-1, DCAMLK1 or EphB receptors. The identification and localization of CR-CSCs through different markers will hopefully lead to a better stratification of prognosis and treatment response, as well as the development of new effective strategies for cancer management.

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2. Current Principles and Practice of Ethics and Law in Perinatal Medicine

C. BERCEANU, SIMONA ELENA ALBU, MIHAELA BOT, M.ST. GHELASE

One of the most controversial discussion topics in modern bioethics, science or philosophy is represented by the beginning of the individual human life. It is ethically, medically and scientifically correct that the human conception product to be born, so to gain personality and individuality, to be treated as a patient since the intrauterine life. Intrauterine foetal interventions, performed in various therapeutic purposes are still in the experimental stage even in centres with rich experience in perinatal medicine. Progresses truly outstanding are present especially in the prenatal diagnostic methods. Non invasive prenatal testing represents without a doubt a great progress in prenatal diagnosis, but from this point of view, the role of practitioners in the field of perinatal medicine, on counselling and addressing the indication of this test becomes essential. Beyond cultural, national, social or related differences, in perinatal medicine practice is particularly important to respect and permanently reassess the ethical codes. Our paper is targeting to spotlight the essential principles and practice of ethics and law in perinatal medicine nowadays on one hand, and to bring an update review on a controversial topic on the other hand.

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3. Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children

SIMONA COSOVEANU, POLIXENIA STANCU, CRISTINA SINGER, ALINA BOTU

In the last years, there has been extremely much information which reveals an alarming increase of obesity in children and, at the same time, an increase of the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD implies a wide range of affections starting from simple hepatic steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); the latter can evolve to cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma. All these affections were noticed in children, too. The article presents data on the epidemiology, pathogeny, clinical and paraclinical findings, and treatment of NAFLD in children.

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4. Evaluation of the Psychoneurotic Tendencies Risk Using the Woodworth Mathews Personality Inventory in Non-Institutionalized Persons

M.C. PIRLOG, CORNELIA RADA, ILEANA PREJBEANU, MONICA LAURA CARA

INTRODUCTION: Multiple factors of vulnerability may lead to development of abnormal social behaviour and to important psychiatric diseases. The psychopathological characteristics present at individual level can lead to a pattern of population groups that are subject to developing mental illness risks. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Multidisciplinary study (2009-2011) to assessing the current situation of mental health and identifying population risk groups for developing psychiatric disorders in a non-institutionalised population. We used the Woodworth Mathews Inventory (76 items) to a randomly selected sample of 1,200 men and women, residents in urban and rural areas. RESULTS: The extreme scores for emotiveness had a frequency more than triple for women, and we found a similar situation for obsessive-neurasthenic and depressive tendencies. People aging over 35 years had a double score (limit and poignancy) for depression than younger people, meanwhile correlation between age under 35 years and instability and antisocial tendencies is highly statistically significant (p<0.001), the frequency of extreme scores being almost double than in the older people. CONCLUSIONS: Female gender has a vulnerability for develop depressive and emotional disorders and age over 35 is also significant correlated with depressive tendencies. Younger people (under 35 years) are predisposed for pathological antisocial behaviour, fact revealed by the high scores for instability and antisocial tendencies. It is necessary to develop a program focused on the two risk categories to prevent the possible occurrence of psychiatric disorders.

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5. The Expression of Twist in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas

CRISTINA MARIANA CALANGIU, C. MARGARITESCU, DANIELA CERNEA, A.E. STEPAN, CRISTIANA SIMIONESCU

Differentiated thyroid carcinoma are lesions with a generally favorable prognosis, although there are patients with risk of recurrence and metastasis. In this study we analyzed 43 thyroid carcinomas referring to Twist expression in relation to clinicopathological parameters. The immunoreaction was identified in 79% of cases, the expression of twist being low or high, with no differences in relation to the tumors type or subtype. Twist immunoexpression differ depending on tumor stage and presence of metastases, the immunostain being significantly higher in invasive tumors to adjacent structures and in cases of tumors with metastasized. In differentiated thyroid carcinomas overexpression of Twist is associated with an invasive and metastatic immunophenotype.

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6. Graves Disease in Albanian Children

AGIM GJIKOPULLI, SONILA TOMORI, L. KOLLCAKU, P. HOXHA, LINDITA GRIMCI, ZAMIRA YLLI

Graves disease (GD) accounts for 10–15% of thyroid disorders in patients less than 18 years of age. It is the most common cause of thyrotoxicosis in children and accounts for at least 95% of cases in children. Pediatric Treatment of Graves’ disease consists of anti-thyroid drugs, radioactive iodide and thyroidectomy but the optimal treatment of GD in children is still controversial. Objective: To review treatment outcome of pediatric Graves’ disease in Albania. Material and Method: Descriptive review of 15 children with Graves’ disease, diagnosed from Jan.2007 to Dec. 2013, at the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Centre “Mother Teresa”, Albania was performed. Results: All patients, mean age 10.56 ± 3.37 years, (range 2.02-16.09 years) were presented with goiter and increased serum FT4, mean 39.80 ± 16.02 ng/mL, (range 21.0-74.70 ng/mL), serum FT3, mean 12.98 ± 3.45 pg/mL, (range 6.90 -17.90 pg/mL) and suppressed TSH levels, mean 0.02 ± 0.01 mUI/L, (range 0.01-0.05 mUI/L). Anti TSH Receptor were positive in 100% of patients mean value 6.51 ± 3.61 UI/mL (range 1.63 – 14.10 UI/mL). Anti-thyroglobulin and Anti-TPO antibodies were positive in 60% and 46.6% respectively. Clinical course of 15 patients after treatment with anti-thyroid drugs mainly MMI for 3.19 ± 1.48 (range 0.60 - 6.20) years is as follows: seven (46.66%) underwent remission, five out of seven (71.41%) who underwent remission, relapsed. Three of them (20%) were treated with I131, and two (13.3%) underwent to total thyroidectomy. Conclusion: MMI was the most common first line therapy in the presented patients with Graves’ disease. Remission rate was 46.66% after an average 1.48 ± 0.71 years (range 0.60 – 2.70 years) of treatment with anti-thyroid drugs. Remission period was 2.70 ± 0.36 years (2.1 – 3.1 years) Relapse occurred in 71.41% of patient. I131 and thyroidectomy were used as second line therapy in the present study.

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7. Study of School Fatigue on a Group of Teenagers Studying at “Dimitrie Cantemir” Highschool, Iasi

ADRIANA ALBU, IRINA CRACANA, ILEANA PREJBEANU

Purpose. Fatigue is a physiological phenomenon which is permanently present at students because of the scholar demands. Excessive demands can cause pathological fatigue phenomenon, which should be avoided. Subjects and method. The study included a group of 203 students from Dimitrie Cantemir Highschool in Iasi. The teenagers were questioned about the presence of the fatigue phenomenon. Results. Fatigue is rarely present at 62.6% of the questioned students. During the week, this phenomenon appears especially at the beginning (22.2%) or in the middle of the week (34.5%). In a few cases it appears at the end of the week, as it should. Night sleep is only of 6-7 hours (37.4%) or 7-8 hours (36.9%), which is not enough.The insufficient number of sleeping hours can be paid by day sleep, but most of the responses are “rarely” (50.7%). Active rest is represented by sport or other activities of choice. Sport is the only less attractive option - in most cases children allocate only 15-30 minutes a day for it (33.5%). They stay in front of the TV between 0.5 and 1 hour (42.9%) and of the computer between 2-3 hours (44.3%) daily. Conclusions. Children’s daily schedule isn’t balanced, so the risk of excessive fatigue really exists.

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8. Correlations Between Craniofacial Morphology and Dento-Maxillary Anomalies in a Population of Children in The South West Region of Romania

ANNE-MARIE RAUTEN, CAMELIA MAGLAVICEANU, M.R. POPESCU, IOANA MARTU, DORA POPESCU, PETRA SURLIN, M. SUCIU, MARIA BOGDAN

Purpose. Craniofacial morphology is usualy described by the head (cephalic index) and face form (prosopic index). The aim of this study was to establish the existence of correlations between the cranial and facial types and the dento-maxillary anomalies. Material and Methods. Data were collected from two groups of patients (a control group of 42 patients without dental anomalies and a test group of 76 patients with dento-maxillary anomalies) of both sexes and age range 11-16 years. Results. Both in the control and test groups, 50% of patients were classified in mesocephalic type and mesoprosopic type. Conclusions. Groups studied by us showed correlations between anomalies in the transverse plane and dolichocephalic type and correlations between anomalies in the sagittal plane and leptoprosopic type.

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9. Considerations on Implications of Risk Behavior in Mental Condition at Students

ADRIANA HUREZEANU, ILEANA PREJBEANU, MARCELINA MIHAI

Social and family factors significantly influence somatic and psychical development of children and young people, differentiated by social gradient. Their behavior externalizes their capacities to adapt to family and social environment. It is the result of positive or negative influences of actions of factors in these environments. In adolescence, the social motivation of these behaviors is determined by their social relations (family, school, friends, entourage). By our conducted study we aimed to identify such behaviors, which, under various influences may gain risk or impact on health condition. 160 students, by random sex and aged between 11 and 18 , were investigated anthropometric and physiometric were asked to respond to a complex set of questionnaires. The research has shown that subjects with reduced anthropometric and physiometric parameters (of the head) have serious school concerns, they are frequently extracurricular pursuits with a good academic situation, they meet the program of rest, have a peaceful sleep, have a balanced diet, no violent events, do not smoke or consume alcohol.

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10. Stress in Romanian First Year Nursing Students

FLORENTINA NECHITA, C.T. STREBA, C.C. VERE, D. NECHITA, I. ROGOVEANU

Objective: This study aims to analyze the stress of the students from the nursing department within the Medical Midwife and Nurse School from our University. Subjects and methods: For this purpose a questionnaire, comprising the factors the students consider important for their academic preparation during the first year, was elaborated and applied to 100 students. Results: The result analysis revealed no significant differences as far as the genders of the subjects were concerned. In the same way, the prior academic background or the student experience did not influence the level of stress. The social and economic factors seem to be involved in choosing a career and thus influence the academic stress. For this purpose, a questionnaire comprising the factors the students consider important for their academic preparation during the first year, was elaborated and applied to 100 students. We used the Students t-test to determine differences between groups and considered p<0.05 as significant. Conclusions: The stress equally affects the nursing department students, regardless of their gender or prior studies. Social and economic factors play a role in adapting to a new academic environment, having higher expectations and requirements.

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11. Uterine artery emerging variants - angiographic aspects

DANA ALBULESCU, C. CONSTANTIN, GABRIELA CONSTANTIN

Uterine artery embolization as a therapeutic method in fibromyoma requires a good knowledge of the origin of the uterine artery to the success of this procedure involving selective catheterization. This study presents a classification of anatomical variants of uterine artery as a retrospective review of consecutive arteriogram, complete with various aspects of the origin of the uterine artery in cadaver dissection, in the Department of Anatomy.

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12. Acute Trenant Pneumonia of Possible Bacterial Etiology

AURELIA ENESCU, CORINA DOVAN, F. PETRESCU, ANCA STEFANIA ENESCU, MARIA BALASOIU, ALINA CAPITANESCU

A 48 years old, smoker (20 cigarettes/day), without known personal pulmonary antecedents, is presented in the emergency service accusing: dry cough, fever (38,8?C), chills, dyspnea at medium efforts, dizziness, symptoms occurred 4 days ago and gradually accelerated. Following the paraclinical tests two possible major differential diagnoses take shape: bacterial pneumonia and lung cancer. For the diagnosis of pneumonia pleads clinical appearance (fever, chills, cough) and the results of radiological examination. The diagnosis of bronchopulmonary tumor is denied by bronchoscopy, the PBTT which doesn’t reveal tumor cells and clinically well evolution. The case is interpreted as a form of trenant bacterial pneumonia in slow resorption - for this pleads the favorable clinical and radiological evolution, broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, balancing electrolyte.

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13. Systemic Atheromatosis Influence on Retinal Vascular Disease

A. STEFANESCU, T. SAS, C. BATAIOSU

Clinical study on a group of 48 patients over 3 months: 27 patients were recruited from ophtalmology and 21 recruited from cardiology, 25 % of these patients coming for routine check. Patients were investigated by ophthalmic, cardiologic examination, imaging and laboratory tests. The study demonstrated the need for interdisciplinary consultation for patients with vascular complaints in carotid territory and a close correlation between the vascular pathology and ophthalmology at this level.

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14. Paradoxical Growth of Optochiasmatic Tuberculoma during the Treatment of Tuberculous Meningitis

ILIR AHMETGJEKAJ, SERBEZE KABASHI-MUQAJ, LUANA CORINA LASCU, SIMONA BONDARI, A. BONDARI

Intracranial brain parenchymal tuberculomas may form paradoxically, days to months after starting antituberculous drug therapy. They may develop in and around optic chiasm and optic nerves after antituberculous treatment as a quite rare occurrence in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) this may lead to severe visual loss if not treated properly. We describe a 5 year-old child with documented TBM being treated with first line antituberculous drugs which developed visual impairment 3 months after starting the treatment. MRI after gadolinium administration revealed multiple perichiasmatic ring enhancing lesions due to tuberculomas. Visual impairment developing in a patient on treatment with antituberculous drugs should give rise to a suspicion of rare optochiasmatic tuberculomas; this necessitates urgent contrast-enhanced MRI of the brain and prompt treatment with steroids.

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