Titu Maiorescu University

The incorporation of plant-derived oils into cosmetic formulations has attracted increasing interest due to their natural origin, skin compatibility, and multifunctional formulation roles. Argan and castor oils are widely used in cosmetic products as emollient lipid components with intrinsic antioxidant properties. However, limited studies have systematically evaluated the physicochemical stability and antioxidant performance of emulsions combining these two oils. The aim of this study was to develop and comprehensively characterize a stable oil-in-water (O/W) cosmetic emulsion based on argan and castor oils using a natural non-ionic emulsifier (C14–22 Alcohol (and) C12–20 Alkyl Glucoside). Particular emphasis was placed on formulation stability, as it represents a critical prerequisite for further product evaluation. Stability was investigated through thermal stress testing (4–37 °C), centrifugation assays, droplet size analysis, and zeta potential measurements. Complementary physicochemical and structural characterization was performed using rheological analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The formulated emulsion exhibited good physical stability with no phase separation under the tested conditions, a skin-compatible pH, a uniform droplet size distribution (4.15 ± 0.68 µm), and pseudoplastic, moderately thixotropic rheological behavior. Antioxidant capacity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, yielding an IC50 value of 19.21 ± 1.02 mg/mL. Overall, this study provides a formulation-oriented framework for the development and evaluation of stable natural oil-based O/W emulsions intended for cosmetic applications, supporting future optimization and biological validation.

Romania joined the UNESCO Convention in 1990. The fortified church of Biertan was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993, followed by six additional Transylvanian fortified church villages in 1999. An interesting feature of this heritage landscape is that settlements with different demographic and development trajectories share the same World Heritage designation. In our research, we collected demographic and tourism data from these seven municipalities. Subsequently, a standard questionnaire was sent to municipal decision-makers (mayors) in 2023 to map tourism development in their municipalities. The communication activities of the municipalities were analysed using a content analysis method, which was observation-based and based only on online content. In our experience, there is no common strategy to turn this heritage into a tourist attraction; each of the seven municipalities has faced this challenge separately. The main result of the research was to explore how heritage tourism works in municipalities with different demographic, linguistic-cultural heritage and with different levels of management.

IntroductionClonal hematopoiesis (CH) is a common age-related phenomenon associated with an increased risk of hematologic malignancies and cardiovascular disease. Its prognostic significance in patients with solid tumors remains unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between CH and clinical outcomes, including overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality in patients with solid tumors.MethodsWe conducted a meta-analysis according to PRISMA guidelines, including 21 studies comprising 4845 patients with CH and 63557 patients without CH. Hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals were pooled using random-effects or fixed-effects models as appropriate, based on assessments of between-study heterogeneity.ResultsCH was not significantly associated with OS in patients with solid tumors (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.92–1.32, p = 0.30). The pooled analysis using a random-effects model suggested a trend toward improved PFS in patients with CH compared with those without CH, although statistical significance was not reached (HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.67–1.02, p = 0.08). However, CH was associated with an increased mortality in patients with solid tumors, with nearly a twofold higher risk compared to those without CH (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.34-2.16, p < 0.00001). Furthermore, CH was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events (OR = 2.75, 95% CI: 1.38 to 5.47, p = 0.004).ConclusionOur meta-analysis indicated that CH mutations have a prognostic value and are associated with a clinically meaningful increased risk of overall mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with solid tumors.

Background: Readmission of newborns within the first 28 days after initial discharge represents a significant healthcare concern, causing distress to families and financial burden on healthcare systems. Understanding readmission patterns and risk factors is essential for implementing preventive strategies. Objective: This retrospective observational study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of neonatal readmissions to a pediatric center in Ploiești, Romania, during a 12-month period (1 January 2024-31 December 2024). Methods: We reviewed medical records of all newborns aged 0-28 days admitted to the pediatric hospital after initial discharge from maternity wards. Clinical characteristics, diagnoses, paraclinical findings, and demographic data were analyzed. Results: A total of 131 newborns were readmitted, representing a 1.9% readmission rate, and only the first readmission for each patient was included in the analysis. The majority (60.9%) presented with preventable infectious pathology, including bronchiolitis (18.3%), rhinoconjunctivitis (16%), pyoderma (11.4%), infectious gastroenteritis (8.4%), and COVID-19 infection (6.8%). Males comprised 61.3% of cases, and 74.8% were born via cesarean section. Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 45.8%. Concerningly, two cases (1.5%) presented with measles, reflecting declining vaccination coverage in Romania (the lowest in the European Union at 62%). Conclusions: The predominance of preventable infectious conditions among neonatal readmissions highlights critical gaps in post-discharge care and infection prevention education. The presence of vaccine-preventable diseases underscores the urgent need to address declining immunization rates in Romania. Enhanced parental education on hygiene practices, infection prevention, and improved post-discharge follow-up systems are essential to reduce neonatal morbidity and readmission rates.

Drawing on digital agency theory, expectancy-value frameworks, and self-regulated learning perspectives, this study proposes and tests a moderated mediation model explaining students' intentions to use AI. Using data from 673 university students, we examined whether sense of positive agency (SOPA) predicts intention to use AI indirectly through perceived value and perceived benefits of AI, and whether these pathways are conditionally shaped by sense of negative agency (SONA). Conditional process analysis (PROCESS Model 59) showed that SOPA had no direct effect on intention to use AI (b = 0.013, p = 0.882). Instead, its influence was fully indirect and conditional. SOPA predicted perceived value and perceived benefits of AI only at moderate to high levels of SONA, with significant SOPA × SONA interactions for both mediators (p = 0.040). Perceived value strongly predicted intention to use AI (b = 0.385, p < 0.001), and this relationship was amplified at higher levels of negative agency (b = 0.138, p = 0.002). In contrast, the effect of perceived benefits on intention weakened as SONA increased (b = -0.125, p = 0.005), becoming non-significant at higher levels of negative agency (Johnson-Neyman point ≈ 2.99). The final model explained 50.4% of the variance in intention to use AI. Overall, the findings indicate a conditional appraisal mechanism: as negative agency increases, perceived value becomes a stronger predictor of intention, whereas the motivational contribution of perceived benefits weakens and becomes non-significant beyond the Johnson-Neyman threshold. These results support an agency-aware account of AI adoption focused on how cognitive appraisals relate to intention under different perceived agency orientations, without implying ethical reasoning or moral deliberation processes not measured in this study.

Background: Ageing profoundly alters endocrine regulation and nutrient metabolism, predisposing older adults to thyroid dysfunction. Iodine, an essential micronutrient, lies at the center of this vulnerability due to its narrow physiological range and multiple interactions with nutrition, medications, renal function, and, presumably, gut microbiota. Objective: This narrative review integrates evidence on how ageing modifies iodine-thyroid homeostasis, emphasizing the roles of dietary intake, pharmacologic exposures, microbiota composition, and age-related metabolic alterations that influence iodine handling and thyroid hormone economy. Main Findings: Physiological ageing reduces renal iodine clearance, thyroidal reserve, and peripheral hormone conversion, while chronic inflammation and multimorbidity increase susceptibility to both iodine deficiency and excess. Polypharmacy, including amiodarone, lithium, and proton pump inhibitors, further destabilizes thyroid function. Age-related dysbiosis may impair micronutrient absorption and immune tolerance, linking gut ecology to thyroid autoimmunity. The gut microbiota may influence thyroid function through immune and metabolic pathways, although current evidence in older adults remains limited. Together, these factors shift the balance between iodine intake and utilization, heightening the risk of subclinical or overt hypothyroidism in older adults. Conclusions: Overall, variations in iodine intake emerge as one of the main determinants of thyroid dysfunction in ageing with nutritional, pharmacologic, and other modifiers primarily influencing iodine-related thyroid vulnerability. The adoption of age-adjusted thyroid reference ranges and preventive monitoring can reduce overtreatment and improve metabolic resilience in later life.

Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) is recognized as a valuable source of bioactive compounds; however, the phytochemical composition and biological potential of wild Romanian hops remain insufficiently characterized. In this study, the bioactive profile of wild hop cones was evaluated using an integrated phytochemical, biological, and in silico approach. The hydroethanolic extract was characterized by a total phenolic content of 25.61 mg GAE/g DW and a total flavonoid content of 3.20 mg RE/g DW, with α-acids predominating (8.77%) and β-acids detected only at trace levels (0.15%). Hydrodistillation yielded 0.613 ± 0.11% essential oil, which was rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (64.61%), mainly α-humulene, β-caryophyllene oxide, selina-3,7-diene, and germacrene B. The hydroethanolic extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity (IC50 = 5.03 µg GAE/mL), whereas the essential oil showed a moderate but dose-dependent radical-scavenging capacity (IC50 = 0.44% v/v). In addition, the essential oil displayed pronounced antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, at 25 mg/mL, with the highest antibiofilm inhibition observed for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (96.44%). Molecular docking analysis suggested that the major volatile constituents may interact with Staphylococcus aureus Sortase A, providing a plausible mechanistic basis for the observed antibiofilm effects. Overall, these findings indicate that wild Romanian hop cones represent a promising source of antioxidant and antimicrobial bioactive compounds, supporting their potential applications in pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic formulations, as well as in natural-product-based drug discovery.

Acute necrotizing esophagitis (ANE), also known as "black esophagus," is a rare but life-threatening condition typically occurring in critically ill patients with profound systemic disturbances. Extreme hyperglycemic crises represent an underrecognized precipitating factor, capable of inducing severe metabolic, inflammatory, and microvascular injury. We report the case of a 54-year-old male admitted with altered mental status and severe dehydration, in whom initial laboratory evaluation revealed extreme hyperglycemia (serum glucose ~1000 mg/dL), metabolic acidosis, and early multiorgan dysfunction. During intensive care unit hospitalization, the patient developed anemia and severe thrombocytopenia, followed by evidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Urgent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy demonstrated diffuse circumferential black necrosis of the distal esophageal mucosa with abrupt demarcation at the gastroesophageal junction, consistent with acute necrotizing esophagitis, along with associated erosive hemorrhagic gastritis. Comprehensive laboratory evaluation documented marked inflammatory activation and hematologic instability. Treatment consisted of aggressive metabolic correction, strict glycemic control, hemodynamic stabilization, infection management, and supportive gastrointestinal care. Progressive clinical and biological improvement was observed, with resolution of bleeding and partial recovery of hematologic parameters. This case highlights a severe hyperglycemic crisis as a major contributing factor within a multifactorial ischemic and inflammatory cascade leading to acute necrotizing esophagitis.