Honey is both a complex food and medicine as well as a healthy alternative to refined sugar. Besides a complex mixture of carbohydrates, honey contains other minor substances which may threaten human health in excess concentrations. Several environmental conditions can affect the quality of honey. This research paper aims to measure the degree of heavy metals (Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), and Copper (Cu)) in some polyfloral honey from an industrial area of Romania, considered to be one of the most polluted regions in Eastern Europe. The samples were collected from six stationary apiaries and analysed using the atomic absorption spectrometry method. The content of Pb was higher in the sampling areas exposed directly to the polluted air masses. Cd concentration decreases exponentially while Cu concentration increases as the distance from the source of pollution increases. The checking of the quality of polyfloral honey from local producers is imperative because this product is intended to be consumed by the beekeeper’s family or the local community without being sold to an authorised processor. The results of the study can help to set a threshold for the concentration of Pb and Cd in honey marketed in the European Union.

Diabetes mellitus represents worldwide an extremely important public healthproblem considering its high prevalence, the serious complications triggered by thedisease, the associated rate of mortality and, not the least, the extremely higheconomic and social costs. In 1995 approximately 135 million persons were affectedby diabetes and an increase of 300 million cases was estimated by the year 2025. Atthe end of 2012 a number of 347 million persons with diabetes was estimated, with aprediction of 552 million cases in 2030, that is 9.9% from the world’s adultpopulation. The question asked on an annual basis is: „Diabetes where do we go?Can we stop the dramatic evolution?”

The most serious quality issue of natural resources for human consumption or medicinal purposes is the contamination with pollutants harmful to consumers. Common blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L.) is a sought-after nutraceutical and an important component in herbal medicine in many places around the globe. The present study aims to analyze the level of heavy metal bioaccumulation in blackberry organs, as well as its spatial distribution in two consecutive years immediately after the interruption of the extended activity of the industrial source of pollution. The research was conducted in one of the most polluted areas in Romania and Eastern Europe, within a 26 km radius of the source of pollution. The Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn concentrations in the leaves, flowers, and unwashed blackberry fruits were analyzed spectrophotometrically through flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The results show that blackberry is an important bioaccumulator of these heavy metals—71% of the Pb concentration values and 100% of the Cd concentration values exceeded the World Health Organization thresholds by up to 29 and 15 times, respectively. Also, the leaves are the largest reservoirs of Pb and Zn (the median values: 51.4 mg/kg dry weight and 105.2 mg/kg d.w., respectively), and the flowers contained the largest quantities of Cd and Cu (2.54 mg/kg d.w. and 11.3 mg/kg d.w., respectively). The Pb concentrations decreased by a power function in relation to the distance from the source of pollution. The implications of these results on the safety of the use of blackberry are discussed. The urgent necessity for food education of the local population which consumes contaminated nutraceutical products is emphasized.

Background and aims: The theory regarding the psychological factors as etiologic agents that trigger the somatic diseases has gained more and more ground in the past few years, successfully repeating that the human being is a bio-psycho-social entity. In order to render the psychological interventions more efficient in the management of the psychosomatic diseases, this research aims to detect and modify, even treat throught psychological interventions those configurations of the early maladaptive schemes and coping styles that stick form together in the so-called acquired vulnerability which makes the person liable to an inappropriate reaction against stress, and also to track the effects of these changes on somatic indicators of diabetes mellitus. Material and methods: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired T-test were used for analysing subjects` responses at three psychological instruments, evolution of blood pressure, body mass index, drug units, hospitalisation days, medical leave days, depressive symptoms before and after 10-12 psychological interventions sessions. Results: Results draw the attention once again upon the multiple directions of intervention and especially of prevention in case of the psychosomatic disease, in particular diabetes mellitus. Conclusions: Psychological intervention in the early stages of diabetes is a major contributor to the management of this disease.

It is estimated that subclinical DM (diabetes mellitus) has the onset about 10 years before the appearance of actual clinical manifestations, leading to uncontrolled chronic complications. Many trials have pursued the onset and evolution of the DM chronic complications in order to obtain a full picture that allows the development of prevention strategies, treatments and DM costs reduction.