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Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), defined by the occurrence or discovery of glucose intolerance during pregnancy is associated with higher risk of perinatal complications and long-term development of chronic diseases both in the mother and her child. Recent data suggest that women diagnosed earlier in pregnancy, even having more risk factors, develop fewer complications. The aim of the current study is to analyse biochemical markers that play a role in the pathophysiology of GDM and could lead to an early diagnosis. The authors performed a case-control study on 50 pregnant women that finally developed GDM and 50 pregnant women with risk factors for GDM which did non develop the disease. In all cases there were monitored a series of biochemical markers like glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), magnesium (Mg), C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma insulin level, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A). All these factors were statistically analysed using univariate and multivariate tests in order to evaluate their predicting value. The combination of traditional risk factors with HBA1c, SHBG, PAPP-A and CRP proved significant prognosis value (75% sensitivity rate, 9% false positive rate) for GDM. In conclusion, these four biochemical markers available in early pregnancy have improved the performance of predicting models concerning the development of severe GDM needing insulin treatment and predisposing to maternal and foetal complications.

The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of hypoandrogenenic to male patients with S.Met., in the context of cardiovascular risk factors. It performed description of a correlation with diagnostic components of S.Met., and specifying an interrelated male hypogonadism with each of the major cardiovascular risk factors.

The aim of this study was to evaluate shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index between two different brands of adhesive systems and brackets. The adhesive systems were represented by Opal Bond MV Composite and Opal Seal (Ultradent), respectively the fluoride releasing Transbond light cure adhesive paste and Transbond XT (3M). The utilised brackets were Avex metal bracket system (Ultradent), respectively Unitek™ Miniature Twin Metal Brackets (3M). The study was realized on 4 groups of extracted teeth: the first and second groups by using the products of the manufacturer Ultradent, respectively 3M, and the third and fourth groups by using the adhesive system of one manufacturer and the brackets of the other manufacturer. The study revealed that the use of adhesive system and brackets of the same manufacturer may increase the shear bond strength and decrease the adhesive remnant index.

This study summarizes the recent achievements in the development of alternative cement free binder materials (cementless) called alkali activated binder or more popularly known as geopolymers. The history of the development of alkali activated binder and recent terminology are discussed. The influence of the type of the base materials on the properties of goepolymers are thoroughly reviewed. The effect of composition and concentration of alkali and curing temperature on the properties and mechanical behavior of the resulting alkali activated material are discussed. Different type of base materials used in the formation of alkali activated material are blast furnace slag, metakaolin, fly ash, bottom ash, volcanic ashes, and red mud. The state-of-the art in this field demonstrated that this type of materials are ecologically friendly alternative of the Ordinary Portland cement.

An external three component strain gauge balance, designed, analyzed and manufactured in the Military Technical Academy is presented. The balance is a multi-piece type and employs the use of six custom-made load cells (sensors) to transfer the aerodynamic forces and moments from the wing to the computer software environment for data processing and analysis. The relations between the loads acting on the wing model and the measured forces are also underlined. The placement of the strain gauge on the composite laminate is an important issue for increased sensor precision; therefore, it is given a thorough analysis. The positioning of the force vector and its influence on the strain distribution over the lift sensor is also numerically and experimentally analyzed.

The aim of this research was the synthesis of novel 2,3-disubstituted 1,3 thiazolidines, derived from 5-nitroindazole with antimicrobial activity and their encapsulation into polymer nanocapsules. Starting from previously synthesised hydrazones, there have been obtained novel thiazolidines by reaction with thioglycolic acid. The envisaged chemical structures were confirmed by spectral and elemental analysis. Two of the obtained thiazolidines were encapsulated into cationic Eudragit E100 nanocapsules, obtained by nanoprecipitation. In order to enhance drug release characteristics and particle stability, Eudragit E100 nanocapsules were covered with anionic polysaccharide (sodium alginate), thus forming a complex polyelectrolyte based membrane. The obtained nanocapsules presented a slower and more controlled drug release. The synthesized active principles, in free state and encapsulated into polymer nanocapsules, were tested for their acute toxicity and their influence on the development of model bacterial strains (Staphylococcus mutans, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus).

3D printing by means of the Fused Deposition Modeling technology allows to obtain accurately and with very good results, plastic parts with various, simple or complex typo-dimensions and forms. The part in this article is from the field of road vehicles, it is called fixing clamp and it is of average complexity of the hole strip type with two protuberances necessary to ensure the purpose for which they provided. The necessity of making the part through addition appeared because it is not the market and because it was not provided by the supplier [1]. The constructive solution offered by the producer is a very good and necessary one, in the same time for the user in the equipment in which it is included (fig. 10). The constructive solution proposed in this article resulted from tests on some parts of Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene and Nylon and the results were conclusive for choosing and adopting the Nylon variant.

Taste and smell are chemical senses, which means that the receptors (chemoreceptors) of these senses respond to chemical stimuli. In order for a substance to produce a taste sensation, it should be ingested in a solution or subsequently dissolved in saliva; a solid substance put in the mouth perfectly dry is tasteless. Therefore, taste receptors or taste buds occur only on wet surfaces, more precisely in the oral cavity in land vertebrates; however, in aquatic animals, these receptors are scattered all over the body. There are functionally different types of receptors for each of the primary tastes and the distribution of each type is not even on the surface of the tongue mucosa. The sweet and sour sensitive buds are located mainly on the tip of the tongue, those sensitive to acids are located on the sides of the tongue and those stimulated by the bitter taste are located towards the back of the tongue and in the epiglottis area. Taste may be generated by substances which touch the taste buds through the blood; thus, histamine injected intravenously causes a metallic taste, glucin a sweet taste, whereas jaundice may trigger a bitter taste due to the big concentration of gallbladder constituents in the blood.

The study aim was to determine the characteristics and pervasive features of personality for the patients with nosocomial HIV infection and its influence on the adherence to antiretroviral therapy.The retrospective study was conducted on 123 patients with nosocomial HIV infection; for determining the characteristic and pervasive features of personality it was used MCMI-III test. The adherence to therapy was determined by using a questionnaire developed by the Department for monitoring HIV / AIDS infection of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The obtained results were compared with the data for the general population, published by DSM IV.28.5% of patients had disorders of personality traits, being significantly affected males rather than females (p = 0.0388). The most common personality disorder trait was the addiction. The compulsive type disorders (9.75%), avoidant, and histrionic (7.3% each) and narcissistic (4.9%) exceeded the prevalence recorded for the general population. Patients with disorders of personality traits had significantly reduced adherence to antiretroviral therapy (p = 0.0045).The patients with HIV nosocomial infection had those disorders of personality traits associated with the stigma and social rejection: dependence, avoidance, compulsiveness, and they influenced the attitudes towards therapy expressed by low adherence.

The main purpose of this paper is the study the behavior of four multilayered composite material configurations subjected to different levels of low velocity impacts, in the linear elastc domain of the materials, using experimental testing and finite element simulation. The experimental results obtained after testing, are used to validate the finite element models of the four composite multilayered honeycomb structures, which makes possible the study, using only the finite element method, of these composite materials for a give application.