This systematic review investigates the potential health and wellness benefits of natural calcium-rich mineral waters. It emphasizes the importance of dietary calcium sourced from natural mineral waters in promoting bone health, maintaining cardiovascular function, aiding in weight management, and enhancing overall well-being. The review process involved the comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles, clinical trials, and experimental studies published within the last decade. Findings reveal that consuming calcium-rich mineral water can contribute significantly to daily calcium intake, particularly for those with lactose intolerance or individuals adhering to plant-based diets. The unique bioavailability of calcium from such waters also appears to enhance absorption, thus potentially offering an advantage over other calcium sources. The potential benefits extend to the cardiovascular system, with some studies indicating a reduction in blood pressure and the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. Emerging evidence suggests that calcium-rich mineral water might have a role in body weight management, though further research is needed. The review identifies several areas requiring additional research, such as the potential interaction between calcium-rich mineral water and other dietary components, the effects on populations with specific health conditions, and the long-term effects of consumption. In conclusion, natural calcium-rich mineral waters show promise as a readily accessible and bioavailable sources of dietary calcium, potentially beneficial for a broad range of individuals. However, further investigation is required to fully understand its range of health impacts and define optimal intake levels.

(1) Background: The increasing prevalence of chronic wounds, along with their significant healthcare burden, underscores the need for innovative and technologically advanced treatment strategies. Electrospun nanofiber-based dressings have emerged as a promising solution, mimicking the skin’s extracellular matrix and promoting efficient tissue regeneration. (2) Methods: This real-world, 10-month observational study conducted at CF Oradea Clinical Hospital enrolled 60 patients with chronic, non-healing wounds. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 30 received standard vacuum-assisted wound therapy, serving as the control group. In contrast, 30 received treatment with Spincare™, a novel electrospinning technology that delivers a personalized nanofiber matrix directly onto the wound. Symptom progression, pain levels, and treatment adaptation were assessed using standardized questionnaires. (3) Results: Patients treated with Spincare™ demonstrated faster wound healing, especially in the epithelialization phase, with significantly improved pain scores and quality of life measures. The technology was well-tolerated and reduced the need for repeated hospitalizations. (4) Conclusions: Spincare™ represents an effective and innovative electrospun nanofiber solution for chronic wound management, accelerating healing and enhancing patient outcomes, particularly in individuals with underlying conditions such as peripheral arterial disease. These findings support the integration of electrospinning-based therapies in modern wound care protocols.

Background: Lokomat-assisted robotic rehabilitation is increasingly used for gait restoration in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the objective evaluation of treatment effectiveness through biomechanical parameters and machine learning approaches remains underexplored. Methods: This study analyzed data from 29 SCI patients undergoing Lokomat-based rehabilitation. A dataset of 46 variables including range of motion (L-ROM), joint stiffness (L-STIFF), and muscular force (L-FORCE) was examined using statistical methods (paired t-test, ANOVA, and ordinary least squares regression), clustering techniques (k-means), dimensionality reduction (t-SNE), and anomaly detection (Isolation Forest). Predictive modeling was applied to assess the influence of age, speed, body weight, body weight support, and exercise duration on biomechanical outcomes. Results: No statistically significant asymmetries were found between left and right limb measurements, indicating functional symmetry post-treatment (p > 0.05). Clustering analysis revealed a weak structure among patient groups (Silhouette score ≈ 0.31). Isolation Forest identified minimal anomalies in stiffness data, supporting treatment consistency. Regression models showed that body weight and body weight support significantly influenced joint stiffness (p < 0.01), explaining up to 60% of the variance in outcomes. Conclusions: Lokomat-assisted robotic rehabilitation demonstrates high functional symmetry and biomechanical consistency in SCI patients. Machine learning methods provided meaningful insight into the structure and predictability of outcomes, highlighting the clinical value of weight and support parameters in tailoring recovery protocols.

Background and aims. Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequent digestive malignancies, being the third cause of death by cancer, despite early diagnosis and therapeutic progress made over the past years. Standard treatment in these patients is to preserve the anal sphincter with restoration of intestinal function by mechanical colorectal anastomosis or coloanal anastomosis, and to maintain genitourinary function by preservation of hypogastric nerves.Methods. In order to emphasize the importance of this surgical technique in the Fourth Surgical Clinic of the CF Clinical Hospital Cluj-Napoca, we conducted a prospective observational interventional study over a 3-year period (2013-2016) in 165 patients hospitalized for rectal and rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma in various disease stages, who underwent Dixon surgery using the two techniques of manual and mechanical end-to-end anastomosis. For mechanical anastomosis, we used Covidien and Panther circular staplers. The patients were assigned to two groups, group A in which Dixon surgery with manual end-to-end anastomosis was performed (116 patients), and group B in which Dixon surgery with mechanical end-to-end anastomosis was carried out (49 patients).Results. Mechanical anastomosis allowed to restore intestinal continuity following low anterior resection in 21 patients with lower rectal adenocarcinoma compared to 2 patients in whom intestinal continuity was restored by manual anastomosis, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.000001). The double-row mechanical suture technique is associated with a reduced duration of surgery (121.67 minutes for Dixon surgery with mechanical anastomosis, compared to 165.931 minutes for Dixon surgery with manual anastomosis, p<0.0001).Conclusion. The use of circular transanal staplers facilitates end-to-end anastomosis by double-row mechanical suture, allowing to perform low anterior resection in situations when the restoration of intestinal continuity by manual anastomosis is technically not possible, with the aim to preserve the anal sphincter, to restore intestinal function and maintain genitourinary function through preservation of hypogastric nerves.

Sigmoid diverticulitis is a common disease characterized by a well-standardized diagnostic approach and treatment. Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy worldwide, irrespective of gender. In 2020, CRC global-related mortality rate was estimated at 935,173 cases, with an incidence of 9.3% in men and 9.5% in women. The diagnosis of acute diverticulitis is always made by performing a contrast-enhanced-computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen. Current diagnosis guidelines do not recommend the use of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for further and more precise assessment of a suspected sigmoid diverticulitis diagnosed by CT. Early lower-gastrointestinal (lower-GI) endoscopy is rarely conducted; thus, the diagnosis delay could have a negative impact over the oncological outcome of the disease. Few and scarce data can be found related to this issue, with only a recent Swedish study paying attention towards early identification of neoplastic disease residing on a background of sigmoid diverticulitis, facilitated by MRI. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of systematically performing an abdominal MRI included in the primary assessment of acute diverticulitis already diagnosed by CT, in order to argument in favor of an early lower-GI endoscopy where a positive MRI for neoplasia is found.

Background and Clinical Significance: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine cutaneous malignancy with increasing incidence among elderly, immunocompromised patients or individuals exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Case Presentation: We present the case of an 84-year-old Caucasian male with no history of immunosuppression, who was admitted for asthenia, dysphagia, weight loss, and generalized weakness. Clinical and imaging investigations revealed a violaceous tumor on the right arm and disseminated metastases affecting the liver, spleen, bones and lymph nodes. A liver biopsy confirmed a small round blue cell neoplasm suggestive for MCC, although immunohistochemistry could not be performed due to the patient’s fulminant deterioration and death within 12 days of admission. Conclusions: This case is notable for its exceptionally rapid progression, particularly splenic involvement, and absence of known immunosuppressive factors. It highlights the existence of highly proliferative MCC subtypes with potential for bypassing classical metastatic pathways. Early clinical suspicion and prompt histological evaluation are essential for diagnosis, although the prognosis remains poor in advanced stages. Due to fulminant deterioration, immunohistochemistry could not be performed; therefore, the diagnosis is highly suggestive based on clinical, imaging, and morphological correlation.