Calcium,Magnesium, and Zinc Supplementation during Pregnancy: The Additive Value of Micronutrients on Maternal Immune Response after SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Magnesium may contribute to the immune response during and after SARS-CoV-2 infection by acting as a cofactor for immunoglobulin production and other processes required for T and B cell activity. Considering magnesium as a recommended dietary supplement during pregnancy and the possible role of magnesium deficiency in COVID-19 and its complications, the current study sought to determine the effect of magnesium and magnesium-containing nutritional supplements on the immune response following SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women, as well as to observe differences in pregnancy outcomes based on the supplements taken during pregnancy. The study followed a cross-sectional design, where patients with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection during their pregnancy were surveyed for their preferences in nutritional supplementation and their profile compared with existing records from the institutional database. A cohort of 448 pregnant women with COVID-19 during 22 months of the pandemic was assembled, out of which 13.6% took a magnesium-only supplement, and 16.5% supplemented their diet with a combination of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Around 60% of patients in the no-supplementation group had the SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD lower than 500 U/mL, compared with 50% in those who took magnesium-based supplements. A quantity of magnesium >450 mg in the taken supplements determined higher levels of antibody titers after COVID-19. Low magnesium dosage (<450 mg) was an independent risk factor for a weak immune response (OR-1.25, p-value = 0.003). The observed findings suggest supplementing the nutritional intake of pregnant women with magnesium-based supplements to determine higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 anti-RBD antibodies, although causality remains unclear.     

Comparative Study on Nutrition and Lifestyle of Information Technology Workers from Romania before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

The study aimed to evaluate lifestyle factors among Information Technology (IT) workers from Romania before and during the pandemic. We used an online applied questionnaire, filled in by 1638 respondents, that assessed nutrition status-Body Mass Index (BMI), weight and diet change, physical activity, alcohol consumption, number of hours working in front of the computer, stress, and sleep. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the lifestyle factors that lead to weight gain. Although the level of physical activity (PA) was low before the pandemic, the results of our study showed a further decrease in physical activity. In total, 61.1% of men and 71.1% of women performed PA for less than 30 min per day. Weight gain was reported in 50.5% of men and 45.3% of women (mean weight gain was 5.11 ± 3.52 kg) as a result of increased screen time (with a mean of 3.52 ± 4.29 for females and 3.05 ± 2.09 for males, p > 0.05 h per day) and the reported changes in diet. Despite the popularity of home-cooked foods, the intake of vegetables and fruit remained low. The quality of sleep was poor for 55.7% of the respondents. Public health and corporation policies are required to encourage a healthy lifestyle and avoid chronic diseases.     

First identification of Neospora caninum by PCR in aborted bovine foetuses in Romania

The first identification of Neospora caninum infection in aborted bovine foetuses in Romania is reported. Nine aborted foetuses were collected from a dairy farm. The foetal age of foetuses was between 3 and 7 months. A 7-month-old foetus was mummified. N. caninum DNA Nc-5 region was amplified from samples extracted from brain tissues of three (33.3%) aborted foetuses. The foetal ages of PCR positive foetuses were 3, 4 and 7 months (mummified). No specific lesions or tissue cysts were found to the histological examination, because of advanced autolysis of brains.     

Frames of reference during implicit and explicit learning

There is a significant overlap between the processes and neural substrates of spatial cognition and those subserving memory and learning. However, for procedural learning, which often is spatial in nature, we do not know how different forms of spatial knowledge, such as egocentric and allocentric frames of reference, are utilized nor whether these frames are differentially engaged during implicit and explicit processes. To address this issue, we trained human subjects on a movement sequence presented on a bi-dimensional (2D) geometric frame. We then systematically manipulated the geometric frame (allocentric) or the sequence of movements (egocentric) or both, and retested the subjects on their ability to transfer the sequence knowledge they had acquired in training and also determined whether the subjects had learned the sequence implicitly or explicitly. None of the subjects (implicit or explicit) showed evidence of transfer when both frames of reference were changed which suggests that spatial information is essential. Both implicit and explicit subjects transferred when the egocentric frame was maintained indicating that this representation is common to both processes. Finally, explicit subjects were also able to benefit from the allocentric frame in transfer, which suggests that explicit procedural knowledge may have two tiers comprising egocentric and allocentric representations.     

Endometrial metaplasias and reactive changes: a spectrum of altered differentiation

Endometrial metaplasias and changes (EMCs) are conditions frequently overlooked and misdiagnosed. The aim of this review is to update current issues and provide a classification with a practical clinicopathological approach. Hormonal or irritative stimuli are the main inducing factors of EMCs, although some metaplasias have a mutational origin. EMCs vary from reactive, degenerative lesions to those able to associate with malignancy or those having a preneoplastic potential. The most common types of EMCs are ciliated tubal metaplasia (CTM) and mucinous metaplasia (MM), which occur in simple and complex glands, and possibly these architectural changes hold the same prognostic significance as they do in hyperplastic endometrioid lesions. Immunohistochemically, CTM is positive for LhS28, bcl-2, PAX2 and p16(INK4A). Complex CTM is likely to be a precursor of ciliated endometrioid-type carcinomas. MMs should be evaluated architecturally, taking into account that their atypicality is minimal. The differentiation between complex MM and mucinous carcinoma may be extremely difficult. Surface complex, papillary MM in endometrial polyps can be considered as benign. Intestinal-type endometrial MM is rare and its presence should prompt further investigation of associated lesions in the endocervix. Endometrial squamous metaplasia (ESS) is often linked to chronic irritative situations. It should be differentiated from secondary involvement by a human papilomavirus-related cervical lesion. Morular metaplasia is a mutational phenomenon with a distinct phenotype that helps to differentiate it from ESS. Morules are benign, hormonally inert structures that are often markers of complex endometrioid glandular architecture, and they are associated with an attenuated malignancy. Endometrial reactive changes are commonly associated with desquamation or hormonal imbalance. The frequent, p16(INK4A) positive, benign surface papillary syncytial change may be misdiagnosed, in some cases, as surface serous adenocarcinoma. Eosinophilic, oxyphilic, oncocytic and clear cell changes are non-specific. Rare stromal metaplasias have little clinical significance and should be differentiated from implanted fetal or embryonal tissues.     

Impaired predictive motor timing in patients with cerebellar disorders

The ability to precisely time events is essential for both perception and action. There is evidence that the cerebellum is important for the neural representation of time in a variety of behaviors including time perception, the tapping of specific time intervals, and eye-blink conditioning. It has been difficult to assess the contribution of the cerebellum to timing during more dynamic motor behavior because the component movements themselves may be abnormal or any motor deficit may be due to an inability to combine the component movements into a complete action rather than timing per se. Here we investigated the performance of subjects with cerebellar disease in predictive motor timing using a task that involved mediated interception of a moving target, and we tested the effect of movement type (acceleration, deceleration, constant), speed (slow, medium, fast), and angle (0°, 15° and 30°) on performance. The subjects with cerebellar damage were significantly worse at interception than healthy controls even when we controlled for basic motor impairments such as response time. Our data suggest that subjects with damage to the cerebellum have a fundamental problem with predictive motor timing and indicate that the cerebellum plays an essential role in integrating incoming visual information with motor output when making predictions about upcoming actions. The findings demonstrate that the cerebellum may have properties that would facilitate the processing or storage of internal models of motor behavior.     

Nephrology and renal replacement therapy in Romania--transition still continues (Cinderella story revisited).

INTRODUCTION. This report describes the current status of nephrology and renal replacement therapy (RRT) in Romania, a country with previously limited facilities, highlighting national changes in the European context. METHODS: Trends in RRT development were analysed in 2003, on a national basis, using the same questionnaires as in previous surveys (1991, 1995). Survival data and prognostic risk factors were calculated retrospectively from a large representative sample of 2284 patients starting RRT between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2001 (44% of the total RRT population investigated). RESULTS: In 2003, RRT incidence [128 per million population (p.m.p.)] and prevalence (250 p.m.p.) were six and five times higher, respectively, than in 1995. The annual rate of increase in the stock of RRT patients (11%) was supported mainly by an exponential development of the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) population (+600%), while the haemodialysis (HD) growth rate was stable (+33%) and renal transplantation made a marginal contribution. Renal care infrastructure followed the same trend: nephrology departments (+100%) and nephrologists (+205%). The characteristics of RRT incident patients changed accordingly to current European epidemiology (increasing age and prevalence of diabetes and nephroangiosclerosis). The estimated overall survival of RRT patients in Romania was 90.6% at 1 year [confidence interval (CI) 89.4-91.8] and 62.2% at 5 years (CI 59.4-65.0). Patients' survival was negatively influenced (Cox regression analysis) by age >65 years (P < 0.001), lack of pre-dialysis monitoring by a nephrologist [P = 0.01, hazards ratio (HR) = 0.8], severe anaemia, lack of erythropoetin treatment (P < 0.001, HR = 0.6), and co-morbidity, e.g. cardiovascular diseases (P < 0.001, HR = 1.8) and diabetes mellitus (P < 0.001, HR = 2.2). CONCLUSIONS: Although the rate of increase in RRT patient stock in 1996-2003 in Romania was the highest in Europe, the prevalence remained below the European mean. As CAPD had the greatest expansion, followed by HD, an effective transplantation programme must be set up to overcome the imbalance. The quality of RRT appears to be good and survival was similar to that in other registries. Further evolution implies strategies of prevention, based on national surveys, supported by the Romanian Renal Registry.