Many plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family are rich in essential oils (EOs) which are intensively used for aromatherapy, food and beverage flavoring, alternative medicine, cosmetics, and perfumery. Aerial parts of Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus pannonicus All., Lavandula angustifolia L., Lavandula x intermedia, Origanum vulgare L., and Origanum vulgare var. aureum L. were subjected to hydrodistillation, and both resulting fractions were analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content of six essential oils and their corresponding hydrolats (HDs) through GC-MS and spectrophotometric analyses. Overall, 161 compounds were identified, some found exclusively in essential oils and others in hydrolats, making them individual products with specific end purposes. The total phenolic content was the highest for the Thymus vulgaris L. EOs (3022 ± mg GAE L⁻¹), because of its high phenolic oxygenated monoterpenes content (thymol and carvacrol) and the smallest for the Lavandula angustifolia L. EOs (258.31 ± 44.29 mg GAE L⁻¹), while hydrolats varied from 183.85 ± 0.22 mg GAE L⁻¹ for Thymus vulgaris L. HD and 7.73 mg GAE L⁻¹ for Thymus pannonicus All. HD. Significant antioxidant effects determined through DPPH^• and ABTS^•+ assays were also observed in samples with higher hydrophilic compounds. The highest antioxidant activity was determined for Thymus vulgaris L. EO and its corresponding HD. Although EOs are the principal traded economic product, HDs represent a valuable by-product that could still present intense antiseptic activities, similar to their corresponding EOs (thyme and oregano), or have multiple aromatherapy, cosmetics, and household applications (lavender and lavandin).

Raoultella planticola is a Gram-negative bacterium rarely involved in urinary tract infections. The patient was an 80-year-old woman with several associated diseases who presented to the hospital with fever and dysuria. Raoultella planticola was identified to be the causative agent of the urinary tract infection. Antibacterial treatment led to a full recovery within 7 days. This report highlights the presence of a rare pathogen as a causative agent in the case of a urinary tract infection and also the importance of using multiple methods in order to identify bacteria and to establish the diagnosis.

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of mortality across the globe, prompting ongoing research into novel biomarkers for improved risk stratification and patient management. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between two promising biomarkers, tetranectin and paraoxonase 1, and the severity of heart failure in a cohort of 87 patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Participants were categorized into three groups based on their New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification: no HF (Control), NYHA class I (G1), and NYHA class II-IV (G2). Results: Our analysis revealed a stepwise decrease in both TETRA and PON1 levels with increasing HF severity, with the Control group exhibiting the highest levels and the G2 group the lowest. Interestingly, a significant positive correlation between TETRA and PON1 was observed only in the Control group, suggesting a potential interplay between these biomarkers in healthy individuals that may be disrupted with the onset of HF. Furthermore, both TETRA and PON1 were positively associated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and negatively associated with diastolic dysfunction, indicating their potential involvement in both systolic and diastolic cardiac function. Conclusions: These findings suggest that TETRA and PON1 may serve as valuable biomarkers for assessing HF severity and prognosis. Further research is warranted to validate these findings in larger, prospective studies and to explore their clinical utility in guiding treatment decisions.

Background: Tetranectin (CLEC3B), a plasminogen-binding protein involved in fibrinolysis and tissue remodeling, has been increasingly studied as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review synthesizes current evidence on its clinical utility across heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD), and related conditions. Objectives: To systematically evaluate and synthesize published clinical evidence on the diagnostic and prognostic value of tetranectin in cardiovascular diseases. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus (January 2010–June 2025) identified original human studies examining associations between tetranectin (CLEC3B) and cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and cardiometabolic conditions. Eligible studies included adult cohorts with observational designs; experimental, in vitro, and pediatric studies were excluded. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, population characteristics, biomarker assessment, and outcomes, resolving discrepancies by consensus. Results: Twelve studies were included. Tetranectin levels were consistently lower in patients with CAD, MI, and advanced HF compared to controls. Higher circulating TN levels were associated with reduced risk of HF onset, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization. In two studies, combining tetranectin with NT-proBNP improved diagnostic accuracy over NT-proBNP alone. Mechanistic studies revealed correlations between TN expression and fibrosis-related gene pathways, supporting its biological relevance. Conclusions: Tetranectin shows consistent promise as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in cardiovascular disease, particularly in heart failure and coronary artery disease. Its involvement in fibrotic remodeling, plasminogen activation, and vascular homeostasis underlines biological pathways relevance. Combining tetranectin with established biomarkers may improve cardiovascular risk stratification and guide more personalized therapeutic strategies. Further large-scale and longitudinal studies are needed to validate its clinical utility across diverse settings.

Background and Objectives: This narrative review evaluates the potential of Tetranectin (TN) and Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) to bridge the gap between biological pathology and clinical risk stratification by mapping the “Fibrosis-Oxidative Axis”. Materials and Methods: A targeted literature search was conducted using Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar to identify studies examining the diagnostic and prognostic value of TN and PON1 in heart failure (HF). Evidence was synthesized qualitatively to analyze their roles in structural fibrosis and oxidative defense. Results: Tetranectin functions as a structural indicator, where its dynamics reflect fibroblast activation, extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, and protein sequestration during tissue remodeling. On the other hand, PON1 serves as a functional metabolic barometer; its reduced activity correlates with systemic oxidative burden, loss of endothelial protection, and pro-inflammatory signaling. These markers capture a bidirectional pathology where oxidative injury drives fibrotic remodeling, which subsequently continue metabolic dysfunction. A dual-biomarker profile is proposed to stratify disease activity: early-stage metabolic stress (reduced PON1) precedes structural changes, while progressive HF involves active fibrosis (altered TN) alongside persistent oxidative injury. Conclusions: The combined assessment of TN and PON1 offers a complementary approach to HF profiling, potentially refining risk stratification beyond hemodynamic parameters. However, clinical implementation requires large-scale validation to address standardization issues and specificity limitations regarding multimorbidity.

Background and Objectives: Heart failure (HF) with left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) >45% lacks reliable biomarkers for risk stratification complicating its management, as it encompasses both heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF, LVEF ≥50%) and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF, LVEF 45–49.9%). This study aimed to evaluate serum tetranectin (TETRA) as a novel biomarker for assessing disease severity and predicting mortality in patients with HF with EF >45%. Materials and Methods: In a prospective cohort study including 116 patients HF with EF>45% from a single center in Arad, Romania, stratified by NYHA class (G1: NYHA I, n=48; G2: NYHA II, n=37; G3: NYHA III–IV, n=31), serum TETRA levels were measured using ELISA. Echocardiographic parameters (E/e’ ratio, LAVI, LAS, GLS, LVEF) and NT-proBNP were assessed at baseline, with all-cause mortality (9 deaths) tracked over a 12-month follow-up. Results: Median TETRA levels decreased with worsening NYHA class (G1: 48.9 ng/mL, G2: 33.2 ng/mL, G3: 27.6 ng/mL; p < 0.001) and correlated negatively with NT-proBNP (rho = −0.66, p < 0.001), E/e’ ratio (rho = −0.58, p = 0.003), and LAVI (rho = −0.52, p = 0.010), while positively correlating with LAS (rho = 0.55, p = 0.005). In univariable Cox analysis, lower TETRA levels were associated with higher all-cause mortality (HR = 1.38 per 10 ng/mL decrease, 95% CI: 1.06–1.81, p = 0.045), but this association was not significant after adjustment for age and NT-proBNP (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.94–1.86, p = 0.112). Conclusions: TETRA levels are inversely associated with severity in heart failure with EF>45% and may reflect disease progression.