Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered as common facilitating factors along wi... more Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered as common facilitating factors along with other infections in triggering febrile seizures (FS). The main purpose of the study is to identify specific patterns of UTIs, using a combination of inflammatory biomarkers, in order to differentiate UTIs from other bacterial diseases associated with FS. Method: This study included a number of 197 distinct FS events, from patients hospitalized in the Sibiu Pediatric Hospital, among which 10.2% were diagnosed with UTIs. Results: In one third of patients with UTIs symptoms were limited to fever and FS. Using Two-Step cluster analysis, a distinct inflammatory pattern has emerged: higher PDW (median value 9,65 fl), P-LCR (median value 14,45%), VTM (median value 10,40 fl), PCR (median value 74,00 g/L) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (median value 3,64), associated mainly (85,7%) with bacterial respiratory infections. UTIs were highly unlikely in the patients with significantly increased PC...
Wound healing management is one of the most expensive and most common procedures in modern hospit... more Wound healing management is one of the most expensive and most common procedures in modern hospitals worldwide. The modern trend in wound healing is using bioactive compounds, either by themselves or in a blended form that enhances their advantages in order to ensure a fast and possibly scar-free healing. One of these biomaterials is alginate, a heteroglycan with anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and hemostasis-induction properties, being capable to entrap drugs, proteins or growth factors that help wound healing. After a rigorous search of the findings made after 2013, we included the in vitro and in vivo studies that used alginate films and membranes, as well as the physicochemical differences between them, providing new perspectives on using different compositions when creating a material that could enhance the wound healing process.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
Neonatal brain injury or neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a significant morbidity and
mortality fa... more Neonatal brain injury or neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a significant morbidity and mortality factor in preterm and full-term newborns. NE has an incidence in the range of 2.5 to 3.5 per 1000 live births carrying a considerable burden for neurological outcomes such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, and hydrocephaly. Many scoring systems based on different risk factor combinations in regression models have been proposed to predict abnormal outcomes. Birthweight, gestational age, Apgar scores, pH, ultrasound and MRI biomarkers, seizures onset, EEG pattern, and seizure duration were the most referred predictors in the literature. Our study proposes a decision-tree approach based on clinical risk factors for abnormal outcomes in newborns with the neurological syndrome to assist in neonatal encephalopathy prognosis as a complementary tool to the acknowledged scoring systems. We retrospectively studied 188 newborns with associated encephalopathy and seizures in the perinatal period. Etiology and abnormal outcomes were assessed through correlations with the risk factors. We computed mean, median, odds ratios values for birth weight, gestational age, 1-min Apgar Score, 5-min Apgar score, seizures onset, and seizures duration monitoring, applying standard statistical methods first. Subsequently, CART (classification and regression trees) and cluster analysis were employed, further adjusting the medians. Out of 188 cases, 84 were associated to abnormal outcomes. The hierarchy on etiology frequencies was dominated by cerebrovascular impairments, metabolic anomalies, and infections. Both preterms and full-terms at risk were bundled in specific categories defined as high-risk 75–100%, intermediate risk 52.9%, and low risk 0–25% after CART algorithm implementation. Cluster analysis illustrated the median values, profiling at a glance the preterm model in high-risk groups and a full-term model in the intermediate-risk category. Our study illustrates that, in addition to standard statistics methodologies, decision-tree approaches could provide a first-step tool for the prognosis of the abnormal outcome in newborns with encephalopathy
Learning disabilities (LDs) have an estimated prevalence between 5% and 9% in the
pediatric popul... more Learning disabilities (LDs) have an estimated prevalence between 5% and 9% in the pediatric population and are associated with difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and writing. Previous electroencephalography (EEG) research has reported a lag in alpha-band development in specific LD phenotypes, which seems to offer a possible explanation for differences in EEG maturation. In this study, 40 adolescents aged 10–15 years with LDs underwent 10 sessions of Live Z-Score Training Neurofeedback (LZT-NF) Training to improve their cognition and behavior. Based on the individual alpha peak frequency (i-APF) values from the spectrogram, a group with normal i-APF (ni-APF) and a group with low i-APF (li-APF) were compared in a pre-and-post-LZT-NF intervention. There were no statistical differences in age, gender, or the distribution of LDs between the groups. The li-APF group showed a higher theta absolute power in P4 (p = 0.016) at baseline and higher Hi-Beta absolute power in F3 (p = 0.007) post-treatment compared with the ni-APF group. In both groups, extreme waves (absolute Z-score of ≥1.5) were more likely to move toward the normative values, with better results in the ni-APF group. Conversely, the waves within the normal range at baseline were more likely to move out of the range after treatment in the li-APF group. Our results provide evidence of a viable biomarker for identifying optimal responders for the LZT-NF technique based on the i-APF metric reflecting the patient’s neurophysiological individuality
Stress hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia are commonly referred to as markers of stress severity a... more Stress hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia are commonly referred to as markers of stress severity and poor outcome in children with severe acute illness or febrile seizures. Our prospective study aimed to explore the risk factors for stress hyperglycemia and the predictive value of stress hyperglycemia for febrile seizure recurrence. We evaluated as risk factors for blood glucose level, serum lactate, acid-base status, and the clinical parameters relevant to the severity of the infectious context or to febrile seizure event: fever degree, fever duration, seizure type and aspect, seizure duration, and recurrence. Among 166 febrile seizures events in 128 children, the prevalence of stress hyperglycemia (blood glucose >140 mg/dl) was 16.9%. The comparison of the stress versus non-stress hyperglycemia groups revealed lower pH (median (interquartile range):
Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series E: Food Technology, 2014
Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk ... more Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk biotechnology centres because of their modulation effect on the immune system in infants and adults. In the proposed study we have analysed fermentation patterns of Lactobacilli isolated from human milk, the reliability of API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation system and a possible link between lactose concentrations and fermentation profiles on carbohydrates. We had succesfully identified three species of Lactobacillus (paracasei ssp paracasei, fermentum, acidophilus) and one unsatisfactory identification of Lactoccocus lactis ssp lactis. These strains had different carbohydrate fermentation patterns but with common characteristics and showed no statistically significant correlations between their carbohydrate metabolic trends and lactose concentrations in the milk samples.
Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series E: Food Technology, 2014
Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk ... more Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk biotechnology centres because of their modulation effect on the immune system in infants and adults. In the proposed study we have analysed fermentation patterns of Lactobacilli isolated from human milk, the reliability of API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation system and a possible link between lactose concentrations and fermentation profiles on carbohydrates. We had succesfully identified three species of Lactobacillus (paracasei ssp paracasei, fermentum, acidophilus) and one unsatisfactory identification of Lactoccocus lactis ssp lactis. These strains had different carbohydrate fermentation patterns but with common characteristics and showed no statistically significant correlations between their carbohydrate metabolic trends and lactose concentrations in the milk samples.
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered as common facilitating factors along wi... more Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are considered as common facilitating factors along with other infections in triggering febrile seizures (FS). The main purpose of the study is to identify specific patterns of UTIs, using a combination of inflammatory biomarkers, in order to differentiate UTIs from other bacterial diseases associated with FS. Method: This study included a number of 197 distinct FS events, from patients hospitalized in the Sibiu Pediatric Hospital, among which 10.2% were diagnosed with UTIs. Results: In one third of patients with UTIs symptoms were limited to fever and FS. Using Two-Step cluster analysis, a distinct inflammatory pattern has emerged: higher PDW (median value 9,65 fl), P-LCR (median value 14,45%), VTM (median value 10,40 fl), PCR (median value 74,00 g/L) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (median value 3,64), associated mainly (85,7%) with bacterial respiratory infections. UTIs were highly unlikely in the patients with significantly increased PC...
Wound healing management is one of the most expensive and most common procedures in modern hospit... more Wound healing management is one of the most expensive and most common procedures in modern hospitals worldwide. The modern trend in wound healing is using bioactive compounds, either by themselves or in a blended form that enhances their advantages in order to ensure a fast and possibly scar-free healing. One of these biomaterials is alginate, a heteroglycan with anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and hemostasis-induction properties, being capable to entrap drugs, proteins or growth factors that help wound healing. After a rigorous search of the findings made after 2013, we included the in vitro and in vivo studies that used alginate films and membranes, as well as the physicochemical differences between them, providing new perspectives on using different compositions when creating a material that could enhance the wound healing process.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2021
Neonatal brain injury or neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a significant morbidity and
mortality fa... more Neonatal brain injury or neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a significant morbidity and mortality factor in preterm and full-term newborns. NE has an incidence in the range of 2.5 to 3.5 per 1000 live births carrying a considerable burden for neurological outcomes such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, and hydrocephaly. Many scoring systems based on different risk factor combinations in regression models have been proposed to predict abnormal outcomes. Birthweight, gestational age, Apgar scores, pH, ultrasound and MRI biomarkers, seizures onset, EEG pattern, and seizure duration were the most referred predictors in the literature. Our study proposes a decision-tree approach based on clinical risk factors for abnormal outcomes in newborns with the neurological syndrome to assist in neonatal encephalopathy prognosis as a complementary tool to the acknowledged scoring systems. We retrospectively studied 188 newborns with associated encephalopathy and seizures in the perinatal period. Etiology and abnormal outcomes were assessed through correlations with the risk factors. We computed mean, median, odds ratios values for birth weight, gestational age, 1-min Apgar Score, 5-min Apgar score, seizures onset, and seizures duration monitoring, applying standard statistical methods first. Subsequently, CART (classification and regression trees) and cluster analysis were employed, further adjusting the medians. Out of 188 cases, 84 were associated to abnormal outcomes. The hierarchy on etiology frequencies was dominated by cerebrovascular impairments, metabolic anomalies, and infections. Both preterms and full-terms at risk were bundled in specific categories defined as high-risk 75–100%, intermediate risk 52.9%, and low risk 0–25% after CART algorithm implementation. Cluster analysis illustrated the median values, profiling at a glance the preterm model in high-risk groups and a full-term model in the intermediate-risk category. Our study illustrates that, in addition to standard statistics methodologies, decision-tree approaches could provide a first-step tool for the prognosis of the abnormal outcome in newborns with encephalopathy
Learning disabilities (LDs) have an estimated prevalence between 5% and 9% in the
pediatric popul... more Learning disabilities (LDs) have an estimated prevalence between 5% and 9% in the pediatric population and are associated with difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and writing. Previous electroencephalography (EEG) research has reported a lag in alpha-band development in specific LD phenotypes, which seems to offer a possible explanation for differences in EEG maturation. In this study, 40 adolescents aged 10–15 years with LDs underwent 10 sessions of Live Z-Score Training Neurofeedback (LZT-NF) Training to improve their cognition and behavior. Based on the individual alpha peak frequency (i-APF) values from the spectrogram, a group with normal i-APF (ni-APF) and a group with low i-APF (li-APF) were compared in a pre-and-post-LZT-NF intervention. There were no statistical differences in age, gender, or the distribution of LDs between the groups. The li-APF group showed a higher theta absolute power in P4 (p = 0.016) at baseline and higher Hi-Beta absolute power in F3 (p = 0.007) post-treatment compared with the ni-APF group. In both groups, extreme waves (absolute Z-score of ≥1.5) were more likely to move toward the normative values, with better results in the ni-APF group. Conversely, the waves within the normal range at baseline were more likely to move out of the range after treatment in the li-APF group. Our results provide evidence of a viable biomarker for identifying optimal responders for the LZT-NF technique based on the i-APF metric reflecting the patient’s neurophysiological individuality
Stress hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia are commonly referred to as markers of stress severity a... more Stress hyperglycemia and hyperlactatemia are commonly referred to as markers of stress severity and poor outcome in children with severe acute illness or febrile seizures. Our prospective study aimed to explore the risk factors for stress hyperglycemia and the predictive value of stress hyperglycemia for febrile seizure recurrence. We evaluated as risk factors for blood glucose level, serum lactate, acid-base status, and the clinical parameters relevant to the severity of the infectious context or to febrile seizure event: fever degree, fever duration, seizure type and aspect, seizure duration, and recurrence. Among 166 febrile seizures events in 128 children, the prevalence of stress hyperglycemia (blood glucose >140 mg/dl) was 16.9%. The comparison of the stress versus non-stress hyperglycemia groups revealed lower pH (median (interquartile range):
Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series E: Food Technology, 2014
Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk ... more Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk biotechnology centres because of their modulation effect on the immune system in infants and adults. In the proposed study we have analysed fermentation patterns of Lactobacilli isolated from human milk, the reliability of API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation system and a possible link between lactose concentrations and fermentation profiles on carbohydrates. We had succesfully identified three species of Lactobacillus (paracasei ssp paracasei, fermentum, acidophilus) and one unsatisfactory identification of Lactoccocus lactis ssp lactis. These strains had different carbohydrate fermentation patterns but with common characteristics and showed no statistically significant correlations between their carbohydrate metabolic trends and lactose concentrations in the milk samples.
Acta Universitatis Cibiniensis. Series E: Food Technology, 2014
Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk ... more Isolation and industrial exploitation of probiotics from human milk is a goal for worldwide milk biotechnology centres because of their modulation effect on the immune system in infants and adults. In the proposed study we have analysed fermentation patterns of Lactobacilli isolated from human milk, the reliability of API 50 CH carbohydrate fermentation system and a possible link between lactose concentrations and fermentation profiles on carbohydrates. We had succesfully identified three species of Lactobacillus (paracasei ssp paracasei, fermentum, acidophilus) and one unsatisfactory identification of Lactoccocus lactis ssp lactis. These strains had different carbohydrate fermentation patterns but with common characteristics and showed no statistically significant correlations between their carbohydrate metabolic trends and lactose concentrations in the milk samples.
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Papers by Bogdan Neamtu
mortality factor in preterm and full-term newborns. NE has an incidence in the range of 2.5 to
3.5 per 1000 live births carrying a considerable burden for neurological outcomes such as epilepsy,
cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, and hydrocephaly. Many scoring systems based on different
risk factor combinations in regression models have been proposed to predict abnormal outcomes.
Birthweight, gestational age, Apgar scores, pH, ultrasound and MRI biomarkers, seizures onset,
EEG pattern, and seizure duration were the most referred predictors in the literature. Our study
proposes a decision-tree approach based on clinical risk factors for abnormal outcomes in newborns
with the neurological syndrome to assist in neonatal encephalopathy prognosis as a complementary
tool to the acknowledged scoring systems. We retrospectively studied 188 newborns with associated
encephalopathy and seizures in the perinatal period. Etiology and abnormal outcomes were assessed
through correlations with the risk factors. We computed mean, median, odds ratios values for birth
weight, gestational age, 1-min Apgar Score, 5-min Apgar score, seizures onset, and seizures duration
monitoring, applying standard statistical methods first. Subsequently, CART (classification and
regression trees) and cluster analysis were employed, further adjusting the medians. Out of 188 cases,
84 were associated to abnormal outcomes. The hierarchy on etiology frequencies was dominated
by cerebrovascular impairments, metabolic anomalies, and infections. Both preterms and full-terms
at risk were bundled in specific categories defined as high-risk 75–100%, intermediate risk 52.9%,
and low risk 0–25% after CART algorithm implementation. Cluster analysis illustrated the median
values, profiling at a glance the preterm model in high-risk groups and a full-term model in the intermediate-risk category. Our study illustrates that, in addition to standard statistics methodologies,
decision-tree approaches could provide a first-step tool for the prognosis of the abnormal outcome in
newborns with encephalopathy
pediatric population and are associated with difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and writing. Previous
electroencephalography (EEG) research has reported a lag in alpha-band development in specific
LD phenotypes, which seems to offer a possible explanation for differences in EEG maturation. In
this study, 40 adolescents aged 10–15 years with LDs underwent 10 sessions of Live Z-Score Training
Neurofeedback (LZT-NF) Training to improve their cognition and behavior. Based on the individual
alpha peak frequency (i-APF) values from the spectrogram, a group with normal i-APF (ni-APF) and
a group with low i-APF (li-APF) were compared in a pre-and-post-LZT-NF intervention. There were
no statistical differences in age, gender, or the distribution of LDs between the groups. The li-APF
group showed a higher theta absolute power in P4 (p = 0.016) at baseline and higher Hi-Beta absolute
power in F3 (p = 0.007) post-treatment compared with the ni-APF group. In both groups, extreme
waves (absolute Z-score of ≥1.5) were more likely to move toward the normative values, with better
results in the ni-APF group. Conversely, the waves within the normal range at baseline were more
likely to move out of the range after treatment in the li-APF group. Our results provide evidence of a
viable biomarker for identifying optimal responders for the LZT-NF technique based on the i-APF
metric reflecting the patient’s neurophysiological individuality
mortality factor in preterm and full-term newborns. NE has an incidence in the range of 2.5 to
3.5 per 1000 live births carrying a considerable burden for neurological outcomes such as epilepsy,
cerebral palsy, cognitive impairments, and hydrocephaly. Many scoring systems based on different
risk factor combinations in regression models have been proposed to predict abnormal outcomes.
Birthweight, gestational age, Apgar scores, pH, ultrasound and MRI biomarkers, seizures onset,
EEG pattern, and seizure duration were the most referred predictors in the literature. Our study
proposes a decision-tree approach based on clinical risk factors for abnormal outcomes in newborns
with the neurological syndrome to assist in neonatal encephalopathy prognosis as a complementary
tool to the acknowledged scoring systems. We retrospectively studied 188 newborns with associated
encephalopathy and seizures in the perinatal period. Etiology and abnormal outcomes were assessed
through correlations with the risk factors. We computed mean, median, odds ratios values for birth
weight, gestational age, 1-min Apgar Score, 5-min Apgar score, seizures onset, and seizures duration
monitoring, applying standard statistical methods first. Subsequently, CART (classification and
regression trees) and cluster analysis were employed, further adjusting the medians. Out of 188 cases,
84 were associated to abnormal outcomes. The hierarchy on etiology frequencies was dominated
by cerebrovascular impairments, metabolic anomalies, and infections. Both preterms and full-terms
at risk were bundled in specific categories defined as high-risk 75–100%, intermediate risk 52.9%,
and low risk 0–25% after CART algorithm implementation. Cluster analysis illustrated the median
values, profiling at a glance the preterm model in high-risk groups and a full-term model in the intermediate-risk category. Our study illustrates that, in addition to standard statistics methodologies,
decision-tree approaches could provide a first-step tool for the prognosis of the abnormal outcome in
newborns with encephalopathy
pediatric population and are associated with difficulties in reading, arithmetic, and writing. Previous
electroencephalography (EEG) research has reported a lag in alpha-band development in specific
LD phenotypes, which seems to offer a possible explanation for differences in EEG maturation. In
this study, 40 adolescents aged 10–15 years with LDs underwent 10 sessions of Live Z-Score Training
Neurofeedback (LZT-NF) Training to improve their cognition and behavior. Based on the individual
alpha peak frequency (i-APF) values from the spectrogram, a group with normal i-APF (ni-APF) and
a group with low i-APF (li-APF) were compared in a pre-and-post-LZT-NF intervention. There were
no statistical differences in age, gender, or the distribution of LDs between the groups. The li-APF
group showed a higher theta absolute power in P4 (p = 0.016) at baseline and higher Hi-Beta absolute
power in F3 (p = 0.007) post-treatment compared with the ni-APF group. In both groups, extreme
waves (absolute Z-score of ≥1.5) were more likely to move toward the normative values, with better
results in the ni-APF group. Conversely, the waves within the normal range at baseline were more
likely to move out of the range after treatment in the li-APF group. Our results provide evidence of a
viable biomarker for identifying optimal responders for the LZT-NF technique based on the i-APF
metric reflecting the patient’s neurophysiological individuality