The utility of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has been extensively studied in recent years. Here, we aimed to assess its potential role as a cargo protein of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by astrocytes (ADEVs) in response to brain ischemia. Plasma samples from eighteen AIS patients at 24 h (D1), 7 days (D7), and one month (M1) post-symptoms onset, and nine age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factor-matched healthy controls were obtained to isolate EVs using the Exoquick ULTRA EV kit. Subsets of presumed ADEVs were identified further by the expression of the glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST) as a specific marker of astrocytes with the Basic Exo-Flow Capture kit. Western blotting has tested the presence of GFAP in ADEV cargo. Post-stroke ADEV GFAP levels were elevated at D1 and D7 but not M1 compared to controls (p = 0.007, p = 0.019, and p = 0.344, respectively). Significant differences were highlighted in ADEV GFAP content at the three time points studied (n = 12, p = 0.027) and between D1 and M1 (z = 2.65, p = 0.023). A positive correlation was observed between the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at D7 and ADEV GFAP at D1 (r = 0.58, p = 0.010) and D7 (r = 0.57, p = 0.013), respectively. ADEV GFAP may dynamically reflect changes during the first month post-ischemia. Profiling ADEVs from peripheral blood could provide a new way to assess the central nervous system pathology.

The aging population requires cutting-edge approaches to geriatric care, with digital health technologies playing a crucial part in meeting the challenging demands of healthcare. Current approaches frequently fall short of the goal of providing comprehensive, real-time monitoring and merging contextually complex information for use in the treatment of patients. This paper addresses these limitations by integrating the innovative approaches within the RO-SmartAgeing system and the NeuroPredict platform to boost geriatric-care outcomes. It emphasizes the multifaceted design and development processes of these digital health solutions, emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach and a meticulous choice of decision-making tools. This paper presents the inclusion of decision-making tools, namely the Medical Blackbox and Gaitband, into the RO-SmartAgeing system and the NeuroPredict platform; these tools have been developed for the purpose of gathering complex physiological data and allow for in-depth evaluations of gait patterns and vital health parameters in elderly individuals. The present research emphasizes major breakthroughs in sensing technology and decision-making capabilities, illustrating the manner in which these tools enhance patient outcomes by providing timely, data-driven insights. The results demonstrate that these tailored decision-making tools significantly improve patient outcomes, underscoring the need for such ongoing improvements able to address digital health solutions tailored to the dynamic demands of an increasingly aging population.

Background/Objectives: Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions that lead to abnormal movements and postures; it has a major impact on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to examine the HRQoL of Romanian patients with dystonia using the EQ-5D-5L instrument. Methods: Responses to the EQ-5D-5L and the visual analogue scale (VAS) were collected alongside demographic and clinical characteristics. Health profiles were analyzed via the metrics of the EQ-5D-5L, severity levels, and age groups. Using Shannon’s indexes, we calculated informativity both for patients’ health profile as a whole and each individual dimension. Level sum scores (LSS) of the EQ-5D-5L were calculated and compared with scores from the EQ-5D-5L index and VAS. The HRQoL measures were analyzed through demographic and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U or Kruskall–Wallis H) were used. The level of agreement between HRQoL measures was assessed using their intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman plots. Results: A sample of 90 patients was used, around 75.6% of whom were female patients, and the mean age at the beginning of the survey was 58.7 years. The proportion of patients reporting “no problems” in all five dimensions was 10%. The highest frequency reported was “no problems” in self-care (66%), followed by “no problems” in mobility (41%). Shannon index and Shannon evenness index values showed higher informativity for pain/discomfort (2.07 and 0.89, respectively) and minimal informativity for self-care (1.59 and 0.68, respectively). The mean EQ-5D-5L index, LSS, and VAS scores were 0.74 (SD = 0.26), 0.70 (SD = 0.24), and 0.61 (SD = 0.21), respectively. The Spearman correlations between HRQoL measures were higher than 0.60. The agreement between the EQ-5D-5L index and LSS values was excellent (ICC = 0.970, 95% CI = 0.934–0.984); the agreement was poor-to-good between the EQ-5D-5L index and VAS scores (ICC = 683, 95% CI = 0.388–0.820), and moderate-to-good between the LSS and VAS scores (ICC = 0.789, 95% CI = 0.593–0.862). Conclusions: Our results support the utilization of the EQ-5D-5L instrument in assessing the HRQoL of dystonia patients, and empirical results suggest that the EQ-5D-5L index and LSS measure may be used interchangeably. The findings from this study highlight that HRQoL is complex in patients with dystonia, particularly across different age groups.

Introduction: From the observation of a negative relationship between UV-B exposure and cancer rates, we hypothesized that vitamin D (VD) may play a protective role in oncogenesis. Moreover, repurposing a well-known and relatively safe drug for conditions with dismal prospects, such as pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is a tempting idea. Thus, we aimed to summarize the current knowledge regarding the role of VD in the prevention and treatment of PDAC. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of VD and PDAC using Medline-indexed studies accessed through PubMed as the primary data source. This study aimed to identify articles focusing on the role of VD as a risk and prognostic factor for PDAC, mechanistic studies evaluating the effects of VD or vitamin D analogs (VDAs) in PDAC models, and clinical trials on VDAs in PDAC. After the screening, 97 studies were included in the final manuscript. Conclusion: Even though the results from epidemiologic studies were contradictory, basic research has demonstrated that VD can act on PDAC cells either directly, inhibiting proliferation, apoptosis, EMT, migration, invasion, and stemness, or indirectly, through stromal remodeling. A better understanding of the consequences of VD-induced tumor–stroma cross-talk alterations is needed to determine whether VD/VDAs can be used to our own advantage in the treatment of PDAC.

Population ageing causes one of the greatest challenges nowadays, namely the improvement of the health condition, independence, quality of life and life expectancy of the elderly. Systems based on Internet of Things and Big Data analytics are being increasingly used in order to improve the medical process in terms of both quality and duration. Population ageing has significant implications for healthcare for the elderly. Geriatric professionals can help older adults manage complex healthcare needs. Geriatric assessment helps diagnose medical conditions, develop treatment plans, coordinate care management and assess the need for long-term care. The healthcare professionals need to monitor and assess the health status of the elderly with tools, systems and technologies, to process the large amount of information involved in these activities and to provide additional data and recommendations for adjusting their medication and treatment. In this regard, we propose a platform that uses these technologies in order to predict the chronic deterioration of health status, both physical and mental, in elderly and to evaluate the impact that different physiological and ambient parameters have in the development of the disease.

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases have a high prevalence among the elderly, together with frailty syndrome, and both conditions negatively affect quality of life and limit patient autonomy. This study aimed to explore potential relationships between cardiovascular and metabolic parameters, renal function, and frailty domains to identify potential intervention targets. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2024 and April 2025 at the National Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics “Ana Aslan”, including 359 patients aged over 40 years. Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were collected through interviews, medical records, and standardized assessments of frailty components (weakness, exhaustion, slow gait, balance impairment, reduced activity, cognitive decline, and weight loss), as well as cardiovascular diseases and comorbidities. Results: Most participants were aged 65–79 years. ROC curve identified triglycerides as a good indicator of both alcohol consumption (AUC = 0.631, p = 0.042) and smoking status (AUC = 0.676, p = 0.004), while HDL cholesterol showed an inverse association with smoking status (AUC = 0.356, p = 0.019). Reduced renal function was significantly associated with smoking status, balance, gait impairment, and reduced functional mobility. The Up and Go Test indicated a good discriminatory ability for renal function decline (AUC = 0.656, p < 0.001). Muscle strength, MMSE, and Tinetti scores showed inverse associations with renal function. Conclusions: Renal impairment appears to be a reliable indicator across multiple frailty domains, acting as an accelerator of frailty progression. Triglycerides reflect lifestyle-related factors, while the Up and Go Test may serve as a practical screening tool for renal dysfunction in frail older adults. These findings suggest the need to adapt traditional cardiovascular risk management to the frail geriatric population.