Increased environmental pollution, urbanization, and a wide variety of anthropogenic activities have led to the release of toxic pollutants into the environment, including heavy metals (HMs). It has been found that increasing concentrations of HMs lead to toxicity, mineral imbalances, and serious diseases, which are occurring more and more frequently. Therefore, testing has become imperative to detect these deficiencies in a timely manner. The detection of traces of HMs, especially toxic ones, in human tissues, various biological fluids, or hair is a complex, high-precision analysis that enables early diagnosis, addressing people under constant stress or exposed to a toxic environment; the test also targets people who have died in suspicious circumstances. Tissue mineral analysis (TMA) determines the concentration of toxic minerals/metals at the intracellular level and can therefore determine correlations between measured concentrations and imbalances in the body. Framing the already-published information on the topic, this review aimed to explore the toxicity of HMs to human health, the harmful effects of their accumulation, the advantages vs. the disadvantages of choosing different biological fluids/tissues/organs necessary for the quantitative measurement of HM in the human body, as well as the choice of the optimal method, correlated with the purpose of the analysis.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the most common form of osteoporosis and one of the major public health problems in developed countries. The prevalence of this condition, associated with the physiological stage of menopause, is continuously increasing. This study evaluated the effectiveness of soy isoflavones as compared to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in low doses, on the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, by determining bone mineral density (BMD) and urinary deoxypyridinoline (D-pyr) in physiological postmenopausal women. The study was conducted over a period of 12 months, on three parallel groups, which included a total of 325 postmenopausal women (HRT group: n = 95; phytoestrogens group: n = 124; control group: n = 106). At the one-year evaluation, we observed T-score normalization in a small number of cases (5.26%, 2.42% and 0.00%, respectively). The average values of D-Pyr decreased by 11.38% in the group treated with phytoestrogens (p < 0.05) and by 15.32% in the group that followed HRT (p < 0.05); it increased by 4.38% in the control group (p > 0.05). Both therapies have beneficial effects on bone metabolism, leading to a significant decrease in the evolution of bone resorption and there are no major differences between the efficacy of HRT and phytoestrogens in terms of the effects on BMD and bone resorption.

Withaferin A (WFA) was identified as the most active phytocompound of the plant Withania somnifera (WS) and as having multiple therapeutic/ameliorating properties (anticancer, antiangiogenic, anti-invasive, anti-inflammatory, proapoptotic, etc.) in case of various diseases. In drug chemistry, WFA in silico approaches have identified favorite biological targets, stimulating and accelerating research to evaluate its pharmacological activity—numerous anticancer effects manifested in various organs (breast, pancreas, skin, colon, etc.), antivirals, anti-infective, etc., which are not yet sufficiently explored. This paper is a synthesis of the most relevant specialized papers in the field that are focused on the use of WFA in dermatological diseases, describing its mechanism of action while providing, at the same time, details about the results of its testing in in vitro/in vivo studies.

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, as well as a source of long‐term disabilities and huge socioeconomic costs. This study investigates the effects of resveratrol, an antioxidant supplement, on blood pressure, weight status, glucose, and lipid profile in patients who had a stroke in the last 12 months. Two hundred and twenty‐eight patients were divided into three groups: group I received only allopathic treatment (control group), while groups II and III received allopathic treatment with a daily supplementation of oral resveratrol (100 and 200 mg, resp.) for 12 months. In all groups, the changes of the studied parameters were monitored at 6 and 12 months from the initial evaluation. In groups II and III, resveratrol induced significant changes (p < 0.05) in the blood pressure, body mass index, as well as all parameters of the lipid profile, and glucose (in nondiabetic patients), compared to the control group. The supplementation of the allopathic treatment with resveratrol had a beneficial effect on all monitored parameters, which serve as major risk factors for stroke.

It is considered that COVID‐19’s pandemic expansion is responsible for the particular increase in deaths, especially among the population with comorbidities. The health system is often overwhelmed by the large number of cases of patients addressing it, by the regional limitation of funds, and by the gravity of cases at subjects suffering from this pathology. Several associated conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, obesity, persistent lung condition, neurodegenerative diseases, etc., increase the mortality risk and hospitalization of subjects suffering from COVID‐19. The rapid identification of patients with increased risk of death from the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, the stratification in accordance with the risk and the allocation of human, financial, and logistical resources in proportion must be a priority for health systems worldwide.

Background and Objectives: This study evaluated the clinical characteristics of the acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and established prognostic values of the biomarkers and echocardiography. Materials and Methods: 273 patients admitted to the cardiology department of the Clinical County Emergency Hospital of Oradea, Romania, with ACS diagnosis were studied. Two study groups were formed according to the presence of CKD (137 patients with ACS + CKD and 136 with ACS without CKD). Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) threshold was used to assess the stages of CKD. Results: Data regarding the medical history, laboratory findings, biomarkers, echocardiography, and coronary angiography were analysed for both groups. ACS parameters were represented by ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), which revealed a greater incidence in subjects without CKD (43.88%); non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), characteristic for the CKD group (28.47%, with statistically significance p = 0.04); unstable angina and myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA). Diabetes mellitus, chronic heart failure, previous stroke, and chronic coronary syndrome were more prevalent in the ACS + CKD group (56.93%, p < 0.01; 41.61%, p < 0.01; 18.25%, p < 0.01; 45.26%, p < 0.01). N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was statistically higher (p < 0.01) in patients with CKD; Killip class 3 was evidenced more frequently in the same group (p < 0.01). Single-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) was statistically more frequent in the ACS without CKD group (29.41%, p < 0.01) and three-vessel CAD or left main coronary artery disease (LMCA) were found more often in the ACS + CKD group (27.01%, 14.6%). Conclusions: Extension of the CAD in CKD subjects revealed an increased prevalence of the proximal CAD, and the involvement of various coronary arteries is characteristic in these patients. Biomarkers and echocardiographic elements can outline the evolution and outcomes of ACS in CKD patients.