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Background: The aim of our study was to analyze the factors associated with the increased risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) with carbapenem-resistant (CR) Klebsiella pneumoniae ( Kpn ) and the antibiotic resistance spectrum of the strains in patients. As secondary objectives, we elaborated the profile of these patients and the incidence of different types of carbapenemases., Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study in which we compared a group of 62 patients with urinary tract infections with CR Kpn with a control group consisting of 136 patients with urinary tract infections with multidrug-resistant (MDR), but carbapenem-sensitive (CS), Kpn , who were hospitalized between 1 January 2022 and 31 March 2024., Results: Compared to patients with urinary tract infections with CS Kpn , patients with urinary tract infections with CR Kpn were preponderant in rural areas (62.9% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.038) and more frequently had an upper urinary tract infection (69.4% vs. 36.8%, p < 0.01). Among the risk factors examined, patients in the study group had a higher presence of urinary catheters inserted for up to one month (50% vs. 34.6%, p = 0.03), rate of hospitalization in the last 180 days (96.8% vs. 69.9%, p < 0.01) and incidence of antibiotic therapy in the last 180 days (100% vs. 64.7%, p < 0.01). They also had a higher rate of carbapenem treatment in the last 180 days (8.1% vs. 0%, p < 0.01). Patients in the study group had a broader spectrum of resistance to all antibiotics tested ( p < 0.01), with the exception of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, where the resistance rate was similar in both groups (80.6% vs. 67.6%, p = 0.059). In the multivariate analysis, transfer from other hospitals (OR = 3.51, 95% and CI: 1.430-8.629) and treatment with carbapenems in the last 180 days (OR = 11.779 and 95% CI: 1.274-108.952) were factors associated with an increased risk of disease compared to the control group. The presence of carbapenemases was observed in all patients with CR Kpn , in the order of frequency New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM) (52.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) (32.6%), and carbapenem-hydrolyzing oxacillinase (Oxa-48) (15.2%)., Conclusions: The environment of origin and previous treatment with carbapenems appear to be the factors associated with an increased risk of urinary tract infection with CR Kpn compared to patients with urinary tract infections with CS Kpn . CR Kpn exhibits a broad spectrum of antibiotic resistance, among which is resistance to carbapenem antibiotics.

(1) Background: Although vitamin D has many known biological effects, very little research has been conducted on how vitamin D may be related or play a role in endometriosis. The aim of our study was to perform an evaluation regarding vitamin D levels and possible implications in endometriosis through a statistical analysis of the data collected from the included studies. (2) Methods: For this review, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, and PubMed/Internet portal of the National Library of Medicine databases using several keywords related to our topic. (3) Results: Only nine articles were identified as complete or possessing the capacity to compute all available data. We totalized a number of 976 patients with endometriosis and 674 controls. From the nine studies included in our analysis, three of them claim there is no difference between women with and without endometriosis concerning 25(OH) vitamin D levels; however, the other six studies found significant differences regarding this aspect. (4) Conclusions: Our results underscored the complexity of analyzing the role of the vitamin D complex in a challenging condition like endometriosis and suggest that focusing on the tissue level might be essential to obtain accurate answers to our inquiries.

(1) Background: The effects of serum vitamin D levels, the vitamin D receptor (VDR), and phosphohistone H3 (PHH3) in endometriosis were investigated in two cohorts of women with this pathology: those receiving hormonal treatment and those without treatment. (2) Methods: In 60 cases of women with endometriosis (26 with progestin treatment and 34 without), paraffin-embedded endometriosis tissue samples retrieved after surgery were immunohistochemically (IHC) analyzed to determine the expression statuses of VDR and PHH3. In addition, serum levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were assessed for each patient. (3) Results: The serum 25(OH) vitamin D evaluations revealed higher levels of 25(OH) vitamin D in women with treatment compared with those without. The positive IHC indexes of VDR and PHH3 in these two groups were compared. Vitamin D receptor levels were positively correlated with PHH3 levels, both being increased in patients without treatment. (4) Conclusions: Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and IHC analysis of VDR and PHH3 can be used as additional tools for risk stratification and prognostic assessment in patients with endometriosis.

Background: Our study aimed to examine the osteopontin (OPN) serum levels and tissue expression of CD44 and OPN in endometriosis-affected women both undergoing and not undergoing progestin treatment, and also to determine their involvement in the pathogenesis of endometriosis., Methods: Using an ELISA kit, we evaluated the OPN serum levels of healthy and endometriosis-affected women both undergoing and not undergoing progestin treatment. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were used to assess the endometriotic tissue expressions of CD44 and OPN., Results: There were statistically significant higher OPN serum levels in the healthy control group compared to the women with endometriosis. Furthermore, there were higher OPN serum levels in the endometriosis-affected women undergoing the progestin treatment, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. In comparison to OPN, CD44 expression was significantly higher in all the endometriotic tissue glands and stroma, regardless of the patient's treatment status. Compared to the group receiving therapy, the OPN levels were higher in the endometriosis group not receiving therapy. OPN's robust cytoplasmic expression seemed to be associated with the non-treatment group., Conclusion: Endometriosis, CD44, and OPN appear to be closely related. This study suggests that endometriosis that has not been treated has an immunological profile distinct to endometriosis that has received treatment.

Although the rates of adolescent pregnancies appear to have dropped according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the decrease in the age of the first menarche and better nutrition seems to contribute to the otherwise high rate of adolescent pregnancy worldwide, despite the efforts of different organizations to improve upon this trend. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study from January 2015 to December 2021 using our hospitals' database. We totaled 2.954 adolescent and 6.802 adult pregnancies. First, we compared younger adolescents' outcomes with those of older adolescents, as well as with adolescents aged between 18 and 19 years old; secondly, we compared adolescent pregnancies with adult ones. We detected higher percentages of cephalo-pelvic disproportion (43.2%), cervical dystocia (20.7%), and twin pregnancy (2.7%) in underage adolescents compared with 32%, 14.1%, and 1% in older underage adolescents, respectively, and 15.3%, 3.1%, and 0.6% in older ones. As teens became older, the likelihood of malpresentations and previous C-sections rose, whereas the likelihood of vaginal lacerations declined. When comparing adolescents with adult women, we found more cases that required episiotomy (48.1% compared with 34.6%), instrumental delivery (2.1% compared with 1%), and cervical laceration (10.7% compared with 8.4%) in the adolescent group, but the rates of malpresentation (11.4% compared with 13.5%), previous C-section (13.9% compared with 17.7%), and placenta and vasa praevia (4.5.6% compared with 14%) were higher in the adult women group. Adolescent pregnancy is prone to being associated with higher risks and complications and continues to represent a challenge for our medical system.

Background: Pregnancy is a prothrombotic condition which can be abnormally exaggerated in women with thrombophilia., Methods: In a prospective study, patients who delivered at term, by cesarean section, between 1 October 2017 and 1 December 2021, who already had a diagnosis of thrombophilia before coming to our hospital, were included in the study group (n = 80). A similar number of nonthrombophilia patients (n = 80) without any history of thrombotic events, age- and para-matched with the study group, were included in the control group. The postpartum uterine ultrasonographic scale (PUUS) values, in the first 24-48 h, were correlated with the patients' data., Results: The P-LCR (platelet large cell ratio), was significantly higher in the treated thrombophilia group (p = 0.042). There was no correlation between PUUS and complete blood count values, coagulation factors, maternal characteristics, or fetal outcomes, except for postpartum neutrophils (p = 0.047) and postpartum platelet count (p = 0.046)., Conclusions: Postpartum uterine involution was not significantly different, after cesarean section, between treated thrombophilia patients and nonthrombophilia patients. Involution correlated only with postpartum neutrophils and postpartum platelet count., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

(1) Background: From the recent variants of concern of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, in which the delta variant generated more negative outcomes than the alpha, we hypothesized that lung involvement, clinical condition deterioration and blood alterations were also more severe in autumn infection, when the delta variant dominated (compared with spring infections, when the alpha variant dominated), in severely infected pregnant patients. (2) Methods: In a prospective study, all pregnant patients admitted to the ICU of the Elena Doamna Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital with a critical form of COVID-19 infection-spring group (n = 11) and autumn group (n = 7)-between 1 January 2021 and 1 December 2021 were included. Brixia scores were calculated for every patient: A score, upon admittance; H score, the highest score throughout hospitalization; and E score, at the end of hospitalization. For each day of Brixia A, H or E score, the qSOFA (quick sepsis-related organ failure assessment) score was calculated, and the blood values were also considered. (3) Results: Brixia E score, C-reactive protein, GGT and LDH were much higher, while neutrophil count was much lower in autumn compared with spring critical-form pregnant patients. (4) Conclusions: the autumn infection generated more dramatic alterations than the spring infection in pregnant patients with critical forms of COVID-19. Larger studies with more numerous participants are required to confirm these results.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients exhibit a plethora of risk factors for nutritional decline, including the presence of chronic inflammation and the progressive nature of disease-related multisystem involvement. The prevalence and consequences of nutritional decline in scleroderma are frequently underestimated, its management currently remaining a subject of debate. The main objective of the present study was to perform a detailed assessment of scleroderma patients' diet as well as their eating habits and to describe the relationships with weight loss and malnutrition risk in the absence of professional nutritional counseling., Methods: We used a translated and validated version of the EPIC-Norfolk FFQ (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Norfolk Food Frequency Questionnaire) to evaluate the patients' diet and MUST (Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool) to investigate the risk of malnutrition. Disease activity was estimated using the EUSTAR-AI (European Scleroderma Trials and Research group Activity Index)., Results: We included 69 patients with SSc, of which 42 underwent a detailed dietary assessment. Dietary factors were connected to body composition and digestive symptoms. We found high sodium intake and frequent suboptimal energy consumption in our study group, including patients with cardiopulmonary involvement. Liver transaminases were inversely correlated with the consumption of nuts and seeds. Malnutrition and weight loss were significantly associated with pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, albumin levels, and the extent of skin fibrosis, but not advanced age. Although the patients with EUSTAR-AI ≥ 2.5 were more frequently included in the moderate and high malnutrition risk categories, these results did not reach statistical significance., Conclusions: Currently, there is an unmet need for longitudinal and interventional research focusing on the long-term significance, ramifications, and management of nutritional impairment in SSc patients with various clinical manifestations. Our results indicate that scleroderma patients could benefit from personalized nutritional counseling in an interdisciplinary setting.

Background and Objectives : Anemia is the most frequent complication of inflammatory bowel diseases. Clinically, anemia can affect important quality-of-life (QoL) components, such as exercise capacity, cognitive function, and the ability to carry out social activities. The disease activity has a significant impact on QoL, mainly due to clinical manifestations, which are more severe during the periods of disease activity. Our aim was to estimate the impact of anemia on QoL in patients with Crohn's disease. Material and Methods . We made a prospective study on 134 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in a Romanian tertiary center. The CD diagnosis was established by colonoscopy and histopathological examination. In particular cases, additional examinations were required (small bowel capsule endoscopy, computed tomography enterography, and magnetic resonance enterography). Anemia was defined according to the World Health Organization's definition, the activity of the disease was assessed by Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) score, and the QoL was evaluated by Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire 32 (IBDQ 32). Results : 44.8% patient had anemia, statistically related to the activity of the disease and corticoids use. We found a strong association between QoL and disease activity on all four sub-scores: patients with more severe activity had a significantly lower IBDQ (260.38 ± 116.96 vs. 163.85 ± 87.20, p = 0.001) and the presence of anemia (127.03 vs. 148.38, p = 0.001). In multiple regression analyses, both disease activity and anemia had an impact on the QoL. Conclusions : Anemia has high prevalence in the CD in northeastern region of Romania. Anemia was more common in female patients, in patients undergoing corticosteroid treatment, and in those with active disease. Both anemia and disease activity had a strong negative and independent impact on QoL.

Background: Uterine involution assessments are critical for the prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. Various methods have been used worldwide., Methods: The PUUS (Postpartum Uterine Ultrasonographic Scale) method evaluates, by transabdominal ultrasonography, the length of the endometrium of the uterine cavity occupied by blood or debris, from grade 0 (no blood) to grade 4 (over three-quarters of the endometrial length occupied by blood/debris). A total of 131 consecutive patients admitted for delivery in the Elena Doamna Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital in Iasi, Romania, were prospectively evaluated using the PUUS method. The mean age was 27.72 years old, and they were examined during the first 24-48 h after vaginal delivery, or in the first 48-72 h after cesarean delivery. For patients with a PUUS grade greater than 1, re-examination was preformed daily in the following days, until the PUUS grade decreased to 1 or 0., Results: By standardizing uterine involution in a numerical fashion, we precisely demonstrate that uterine involution varied with the method of delivery (vaginal/cesarean) and with the number of vials of oxytocin received intrapartum, but not with the number of vials of ergometrine maleate received, and not with the origin of the parturient (rural/urban).

Background and Objectives : In advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), functional status is significantly impaired mainly as a result of disease related respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea or as a result of fatigue, which is the extra-respiratory symptom the most prevalent in this setting. "Physical" frailty, considered to be an aging phenotype, has defining traits that can also be considered when studying impaired functional status, but little is known about this relationship in advanced COPD. This review discusses the relevance of this type of frailty in advanced COPD and evaluates it utility and its clinical applicability as a potential outcome measure in palliative care for COPD. Materials and Methods : A conceptual review on the functional status as an outcome measure of mortality and morbidity in COPD, and an update on the definition and traits of frailty. Results : Data on the prognostic role of frailty in COPD are rather limited, but individual data on traits of frailty demonstrating their relationship with mortality and morbidity in advanced COPD are available and supportive. Conclusions : Frailty assessment in COPD patients is becoming a relevant issue not only for its potential prognostic value for increased morbidity or for mortality, but also for its potential role as a measure of functional status in palliative care for advanced COPD.

Introduction: In COPD management, the improvement of the health status by alleviating respiratory symptoms is among the main aims. However, little is known on the prevalence and burden of extra-respiratory symptoms which can also be distressing especially during a COPD exacerbation., Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of extra-respiratory symptoms and their impact on health and functional statuses in patients hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation., Methods: Health status was evaluated with the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), functional status with Karnofsky index, and presence and severity of respiratory symptoms were evaluated with Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS)., Results: In a sample of 47 patients, fatigue was found to be the most prevalent 95.7% followed by pain 74.5%, lack of appetite 72.3%, depression and anxiety (each in 63.8%), drowsiness 59.6% and nausea 31.9%. The concomitant presence of an increasing number of symptoms (three, four, five, six or seven) was individually associated with worse health status or of functional status (eg, CAT score in patients with three most prevalent symptoms, fatigue, pain and lack of appetite 29.6 vs 25.1, P = .006 in patients without them; Karnofsky index scores in patients with the four most prevalent symptoms 52 vs 65.6, P = .001). Linear regressions confirmed that the increase in the number of concomitant extra-respiratory symptoms significantly correlated with the worsening of health/functional status. In conclusion, the burden of extra-respiratory symptoms in patients with hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation is significant and impact significantly on health/functional status., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), palliative care is appropriate in very advanced stages based on recognition of its need when conventional therapy is no longer able to control symptoms, disease morbidity, or to improve/maintain an acceptable quality of life. Palliative care aims to improve quality of life, or, if applied specifically at the end-of-life, to ensure comfortable care. In COPD palliative care effectiveness of interventions should be quantified with outcome measures able to better capture the holistic nature of approaches and not only the specific features of disease. These should include: physical outcomes, psychological outcomes, social outcomes, spiritual outcomes. Such measures are discussed in this review along with arguments supporting their use.

Background: Culture is needed to confirm tuberculosis but results are generally obtained after several weeks., Objectives: We compared a direct microscopic observation technique for detection of mycobacterial culture positivity (MODS) with the classic solid and MB/BacT cultures in terms of sensitivity, contamination rate, speed and cost on 488 samples., Results: The sensitivity of the MODS technique--99,2% (162 positive samples) was higher than MB/BacT 78,4% (125 positive samples) and solid culture 69,6% (113 positive samples) P<0.005 for all comparisons. The median times to positivity were 21, 13.3 and 3 days on solid media, B/BacT and MODS respectively., Conclusions: The MODS technique is faster and more sensitive than both solid media and MB/BacT culture.

Unlabelled: Nowadays gait analysis represent a modern technique used as a useful tool in the assessment of patients with locomotors disease., Aim: To make a differentiation of patients with chronic sciatica due to disc hernia using gait analysis techniques., Material and Method: Study was prospective, with consecutive selection of subjects according to eligibility criteria, using a control group. The number of subjects was 47: 28 patients and 19 healthy subjects. The patients were characterized clinically, imagistically and biomechanically. The biomechanically evaluation was made with VICON MX optical motion capture system. Our data of interest were: temporo-spatial and kinematic parameters. These data were factorial analyzed with a principal component extraction technique, resulting 10 variables, which characterized the system variability in 94.67%. Next step was represented by a hierarchical cluster analysis for sub-group identification., Results: We have differentiated two clusters. The two clusters were individualized regarding the temporo-spatial parameters (opposite foot contact, step width) as well as the kinematic parameters (maximum upward rotation in stance of pelvis, maximum adduction of the hip in stance, maximum abduction of the hip in swing, maximum plantar flexion angle in swing, total sagittal plane excursion of the ankle)., Conclusions: The two clusters can be defined as following: cluster 1: reduced stance phase and mainly distal problems (of the ankle); cluster 2: normal stance phase duration, severely low step width and mainly proximal problems (pelvic belt).

Information is an undeniable force resulting implicitly from research. Inconsistent studies do not deserve to be even started. Statistical analysis plays a substantial role in gathering information, using descriptive methods or analytical ones. Confidence level for different measures (the mean is the most handle) and also statistical test are used to compare populations, exploiting samples. In this paper some aspects concerning sample size, statistical significance and the difference observed are described. Mathematical formulas are presented to account for the relations between sample size and statistical significance.

Unlabelled: The integration of Romania into the European Union implies the adjustment of the medical care strategies, including the family planning policies., Aim: To evaluate the knowledge level concerning family planning of the roma population of Iaşi County., Material and Method: The transversal study has been applied in 4 communities, with a population structure in which the roma ethnic have a grown weight. The questionnaire that was validated, has been applied to 363 women, includes data which are structured in 4 domains: demographic, socio-economic, information concerning the self-perception of the health status and family planning. The variables have been analyzed using specific statistic tests., Results: The female population of fertile age does have the self-perception of a risen the health status of themselves, and of the whole family, in the areas where there is a good collaboration with the family doctor. The answers concerning the usage of modern contraceptive methods emphasizes that the women from different communities have adopted this type of family planning methods, correlated to a high educational level (6.14 +/- 3.5 school yrs.), older age at first marriage (19.29 +/- 2.94 vs. 15.79 +/- 3.5 yrs.) and at first birth (21 +/- 3.45 yrs. vs. 18.4 +/- 3.0 yrs.)., Conclusion: The attitude towards modern family planning methods of the roma population in Iaşi County and the level of information about the health status have been positively influenced by the activity of the sanitary mediators and by the involvement of the family physician.

Unlabelled: Most studies regarding the etiology of hypertension in children have found a frequency of secondary hypertension 4 to 9 times greater the than in adults (70-90% vs. 10%), with a probability of identifying an underlying disease inversely related with the age and directly related with the severity of hypertension., Material and Method: The purpose of this study is to establish the causes and the patterns of hypertension in a group of 256 children, admitted during a five-year period in the Children's Hospital "Sf. Maria" Iaşi, Romania., Results: The frequency of secondary hypertension is 4 times greater than essential hypertension. The most frequent causes of secondary hypertension are renal parenchymal disease (83.2%) and cardiovascular disease (coarctation of the aorta) (11.4%); less frequent have been diagnosed neurologic (1%) and endocrinologic diseases (1.5%). Most of the assessed cases (referred to our hospital for different other reasons) have been found with stage 1 and 2 of hypertension right from the moment of admission (88.3%). We established a statistically significant relationship between the severity of hypertension and the secondary type of hypertension, meaning : the higher the blood pressure (BP)--the higher chances of diagnosing an underlying cause of hypertension. Among the secondary causes, the renal or non-renal etiology did not significantly influence the BP values at the moment of admission. Among the different histological types of chronic glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis presented with a significant higher BP comparing with the other types., Conclusion: the frequency of hypertension increased with age: 92.6% of essential hypertension cases belong to age 11-18, 59.2% of renal hypertension cases belong to age 11-18. The exception came from cardiovascular hypertension, which fit into age group 0-6 year old (p < 0.05%). The gender had no significant influence of the etiology of hypertension.

Unlabelled: 420 patients with cancer of breast, prostate, lung and colon were investigated through 99mTc Methylene-diphosphonate whole body scintigraphy. The presence of pathologic radiotracer uptake was qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed in order to establish the metastases distribution. Patient selection was realized over 2455 whole body scintigraphies effectuated between 1998 and 2001 in our Nuclear Medicine Service. All selected cases were metastases with known origin primary cancer., Results: Using the Qui-square Test we have compared the frequency of nine well delimited skeleton regions involved like metastatic site in the different cancer types. We have found a significant statistic difference of the range of frequency only between breast and prostate cancers as well as between pulmonary and prostate cancers. The mean number of the metastatic involved skeletal regions was significantly greater in breast and prostate cancers in comparison with lung and colon cancers (p < 0.0001). The higher metastases site frequency was the rachis, than the pelvis, the ribs and the sternum. The skull metastases localization is more frequent in breast cancer in comparison with all other cancers (7.67% versus less than 4% in other cancer types). The pelvis was more involved for the metastatic process in prostate neoplasm. On the other hand, the highest mean anatomic sites number per patient was found in breast cancer (5.7) and prostate cancer (4.8) related to colon (3.3) and lung (3.0) cancers., Conclusions: Even some particularities were evident, in our study, between the metastases distribution in these four cancer types, the data are not sufficient to sustain the existence of a characteristic pattern related to the primary cancer origin. Metastases localization could be, however, related to the metastazation mechanism.

Artificial Neural Networks have demonstrated good utility to establish disease prognostic, if there are correctly trained. Our aim was to realize Artificial Neural Networks in different cancer types, to evaluate time survival. For the beginning this was applied for breast cancer. The conclusion is that the homogeneity of data entrance sets, the number, and their coding in relation with their importance for cancer prognostic are decisive for the results of the trained ANN. These results can be useful in the physician clinical decision.

Our purpose was to investigate the utility of the DNA amplification by ligase chain reaction (LCR) for the direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC) in pleural fluid specimens from patients suspected for tuberculous pleural effusion. We have used the LCx M. tuberculosis kit (Abbott) which uses the amplification of the gene that encodes for antigen b. We have examined 81 pleural fluid specimens by isolation (on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and MB/BacT system) and by LCR. Out of 10 positive specimens in culture, 4 were also positive by LCR; out of 71 negative specimens in culture, 8 were positive by LCR. We have re-evaluated the LCR results according to the clinical diagnosis, sustained by the successful therapy, and to the pathological diagnosis on the pleural biopsy. The sensitivity and specificity of LCR in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion were 31.5% and 100%. This commercial LCR kit is a rapid, specific, but less sensitive test for the routine diagnosis of the tuberculous pleural effusion.

The epidemiological studies have shown that it is difficult to define a "normal" value for the serum concentration of some biochemical markers with predictive significance for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) as follows: total cholesterol (TC), total lipids (TL), triglycerides (TG), glycemia (G), and urea (U). Our study establishes the mean and limit values of the normality for the above mentioned markers, in an adult population from the Iaşi City, using the epidemiological screening method. The employed methodology includes the records of the results of 2788 biochemical determinations during a period of 5 years, in order to assess the state of health of the population, as well the data working up and interpretation by means of the EpiInfo computer program. By testing a series of "normal" limits, the values found with apparent healthy persons (n = 2691) and persons previously diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or CVDs (n = 97) were analyzed in a differentiated way. In the sample of apparent healthy individuals, with the age between 20 and up to 60, the mean values were: 210 mg% for TC; 6.74 g@1000--TL; 125.74 mg%--TG; 0.91 g%--G and 0.34 g%--U. Satisfactory correlations (correlation coefficient-"r") of age with the values of TC (r = 0.38); TG (r = 0.26) and G (r = 0.23) comparatively with U (r = 0.15) or TL (r = 0.14) were noticed. The comparison of the mean values between males and females did not reveal a significant difference (p > 0.05) for any of the assessed constants. The clinical and community studies of the CVD risk assessed in the Iaşi City area will have to be referred to the registered and analyzed values of this epidemiological screening in the interpretation of some biochemical markers data.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a principal form of secondary dilated cardiomyopathy, can ensue from heavy consumption of alcohol over a long period of time. In harmful consumption, alcohol and its metabolites has a toxic effect on heart muscle cells. The clinical features include dilatation of the left ventricle, poor myocardial contractility and symptoms of heart failure. The heart and lung X-ray examination is required in all disease stages. The information gathered from this cheap and noninvasive investigation method, are very important in the diagnosis algorithm. In the ACM stages beginning, before the installation of the heart failure symptoms, it is possible to found normal dimensions of the heart, which is compatible with the alcoholic cardiomyopathy diagnosis. Specific for dilated alcoholic cardiomyopathy is the reversible character of cardiomegaly, objectified through the reduction of the cardio-thoracic index in conditions of alcohol abstinence and adequate treatment of the heart failure.

ANOVA is the abbreviation of the ANalysis Of Variance. It was developed for inferences concerning more than two populations. The tested hypothesis is the equality of the means of several normal populations. Some mathematical aspects are presented and also advantages and drawbacks of the method are marked out. Finally a practical example (implementing the ANOVA test) using the SPSS statistical software and also Microsoft Excel are shown.

The aim of this paper is to determine the type of the breast cancer disease. The two classes of separation are malignant respectively benign. A multi-valued logic system (fuzzy system) was develop and applied in this classification. The system uses nine attributes as inputs that were scaled with an integer value in the range between 1 and 10. The attributes represent: 1. Clump Thickness, 2. Uniformity of Cell Size, 3. Uniformity of Cell Shape, 4. Marginal Adhesion, 5. Single Epithelial Cell Size, 6. Bare Nuclei, 7. Bland Chromatin, 8. Normal Nucleoli, 9. Mitoses. After training the system managed to get a good detection with an error less than 5%.