Although superficial wounds are often easy to treat for healthy individuals, there are some more severe types of wounds (burns, ulcers, diabetic wounds, etc.) that are a challenge for clinicians. A good therapeutic result is based on the delivery of a treatment at the right time, for the right patient. Our goal was to sum up useful knowledge regarding wound healing and wound treatments, based on creams and hydrogels with various active ingredients. We concluded that both preparations have application in preventing infections and promoting healing, but their efficacy is clearly conditioned by the type, depth, severity of the wound and patient profile. However, due to their superior versatility and capability of maintaining the integrity and functionality of the active ingredient, as well as it is controlled release at site, hydrogels are more suited for incorporating different active ingredients. New wound healing devices can combine smart hydrogel dressings with physical therapies to deliver a more efficient treatment to patients if the indications are appropriate.

Due to rapidly spreading infectious diseases and the high incidence of other diseases such as cancer or metabolic syndrome, there is a continuous need for the development of rapid and accurate diagnosis methods. Screen-printed electrodes-based biosensors have been reported to offer reliable results, with high sensitivity and selectivity and, in some cases, low detection limits. There are a series of materials (carbon, gold, platinum, etc.) used for the manufacturing of working electrodes. Each version comes with advantages, as well as challenges for their functionalization. Thus, the aim is to review the most promising biosensors developed using screen-printed electrodes for the detection/quantification of proteins, biomarkers, or pathogenic microorganisms.

Hydrogels are a viable option for biomedical applications due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to incorporate various healing agents while maintaining their biological efficacy. This study focused on the preparation and characterization of novel hybrid hydrogels enriched with the natural algae compound Ulvan for potential use in wound dressings. The characterization of the hydrogel membranes involved multiple methods to assess their structural, mechanical, and chemical properties, such as pH measurements, swelling, moisture content and uptake, gel fraction, hydrolytic degradation, protein adsorption and denaturation tests, rheological measurements, SEM, biocompatibility testing, and scratch wound assay. The hydrogel obtained with a higher concentration of Ulvan (1 mg/mL) exhibited superior mechanical properties, a swelling index of 264%, a water content of 55%, and a lower degradation percentage. In terms of rheological properties, the inclusion of ULV in the hydrogel composition enhanced gel strength, and the Alginate + PVA + 1.0ULV sample demonstrated the greatest resistance to deformation. All hydrogels exhibited good biocompatibility, with cell viability above 70% and no obvious morphological modifications. The addition of Ulvan potentiates the regenerative effect of hydrogel membranes. Subsequent studies will focus on encapsulating bioactive compounds, investigating their release behavior, and evaluating their active biological effects.

Listeria monocytogenes are o distribuţie ubiquitară în natură şi poate contamina produsele alimentare de origine animală, provocând infecţii severe la om. Până în prezent există foarte puține date cu privire la profilurile de rezistenţă ale tulpinilor circulante în România. Scopul acestui studiu a fost determinarea pattern-urilor de rezistenţă la antibiotice ale unor tulpini de L. monocytogenes (n=37) izolate din produse alimentare de origine animală şi din probe clinice. Probele din alimente (carne şi produse lactate), au fost colectate în perioada 2009-2013. Probele clinice au fost recoltate de la pacienţi cu septicemie, meningită/meningo-encefalită, cazuri de avort spontan şi nou-născuţi, spitalizaţi în perioada Aprilie 2010 - Aprilie 2013 în trei Instituţii Medicale din Bucureşti: Spitalul Elias, Spitalul Victor Babes si Institutul Naţional de Boli Infecţioase (INBI) Matei Bals. Toate tulpinile testate au prezentat rezistenţă la cefalosporine şi acidul nalidixic; o tulpină izolată din melci fierţi a fost rezistentă la Trimetoprim/sulfametoxazol. Rezistenţa unora dintre tulpinile analizate la ampicilina, antibiotic de elecţie pentru terapia infecţiilor cauzate de L. monocytogenes, subliniază necesitatea testării in vitro a sensibilitatii la antibiotice a fiecarui izolat clinic pentru a stabili eficienţa diferitelor antibiotice, precum şi a unor studii epidemiologice extinse în scopul stabilirii profilurilor de rezistenţă ale tulpinilor de L. monocytogenes circulante în ţara noastră

The development of effective packaging materials is crucial, because food microorganisms determine economic and public health issues. The current paper describes some of the most recent findings in regards of food preservation through novel packaging methods, using biodegradable polymers, efficient antimicrobial agents and nanocomposites with improved mechanical and oxidation stability, increased biodegradability and barrier effect comparatively with conventional polymeric matrices.