Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Adriana Albu.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), the prototype of seronegative spondylarthropathies, is in fact a systemic disease, causing numerous extraskeletal manifestations that have a significant influence on patients vital prognostic. This article presents the principal systemic manifestations of AS, pointing out pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects.
People with physical handicap adapt themselves with more difficulties to professions that require manual abilities. For these youngsters, the professional guidance plays a major role. Their desire is to become independent from the social point of view, independent which is linked with a professional activity. If the youngsters with physical handicaps are correctly orientated, they become socially independent and they perform their professional duties with great correctness. In order to fulfill this goal we must understand the nature of the motric problems. This knowledge is obtained by using a series of tests that allows us to evaluate the degree of motric handicap. The physical difficiency, followed by the integration in a special school, may result in personality problems. Briefly, the motric handicap problem must be discussed in a complex, following medical aspects but also professional, psychic and social aspects.
Children food intake is influenced by family nutritional habits and economic status. According to the results of our survey, only 54.8% of the children have taken their breakfast, although all of them recognize the importance of this meal. 9.6% of the children are not using fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets, even if these are the main sources of vitamin C. Regarding the milk consumption, most of the children use this food item once (35.5%) or twice (19.4%) a day and only 16.1% occasionally. Although most of the children (93.5%) know that excessive salt intake represents a risk factor for their health, 87.1% have preferences for salted and spiced foods. Under the influence of advertising, certain changes in the nutritional habits have been noticed; instead of traditional snacks, children are more attracted to fast-food type snacks.
We studied 78 teenagers from Iaşi Pedagogic High School. Body mass index values are mainly (83.3%) normal. 60.3% of the teenagers are coming from rural areas, but there are no significant differences between children coming from urban and rural areas. The frequency of families with more than 5 children in the urban areas is very small (1.3%), but in the rural areas this frequency is more than 10 times higher (15.4%). Due to this factor, the per capita income is reduced in the rural areas. Nutrition is a major problem in both urban and rural areas, due to unbalances food intake.
Food intake and nutritional habits are influenced by many factors. The survey performed in two rural communities close to Roman city, but pending of different counties, shows that there are significant differences in food intake, related to the socio-economic status. The children from Valea Ursului have a more adequate food intake and the nutritional habits are closer to the ideal behaviour, compared with the children from Băceşti.
Even if chronic alcohol consumption in our group of young adults is under 10% (7.8%) we must take into account that another 30% are circumstantial alcohol users. The alcohol intake is more frequent in males and in young adults with academic degree. In order to rehabilitate an alcoholic, all the factors (medical, social and economic) must be addressed. Many people consider at this moment that alcoholism is no longer just a behaviour problem, but a disease that must be diagnosed and treated properly.
The body mass index (BMI) shows a rate of 17.4% patients suffering from first degree fatness and 56.5% from second degree fatness. The frequency of the illness increases with age, the differences established being statistically important for a p of 0.001. 45.6% persons were diagnosed with HTA, with differences statistically important at a p of 0.01, so the number of cases increases with age. The same situation is to be found in cardiovascular illnesses (angina pectoris, ischaemic cardiopathy). The high level of cholesterol is more frequent at older people, and still the differences established are statistically not significant. In these conditions, the diet must be adapted to the patient's condition. A comparative study was made on groups of age, using the following groups of food: cereal derivatives, vegetables, fruits, dairy product, meat, fish. In most of the cases, the differences established are statistically not significant. So, even if the diagnosis is known, the patient doesn't give up his eating habits.
149 schoolchildren, 14-15 years old, from 4 rural communities pending on 4 different Moldova counties have been investigated using the one day questionnaire technique. From the entire studied group, only 7.4% are do not eat breakfast before attending school. 35.5% of the schoolchildren consider their sugar intake to be excessive, without taking into account the sugar major role in nervous cell function. The average daily intake for fresh fruits, vegetables and milk is in most cases adequate, but significant differences are present between the communities, related with the socio-economic status of the families and, also, with nutritional.