Romania’s organic market increasingly resembles its Western counterparts: a vegetarian diet, disease prevention through consumption of organic food produced according to specific standards, preferring quality over quantity—all relevant factors influencing purchasing behaviour. It is the task of consumerist organisations to educate consumers on the benefits of the above factors, a process influenced by social and cultural trends, experience, lifestyle, motivations and preferences. The market is attractive to domestic producers offering an increasing assortment of organic food types. This paper aims to highlight the most relevant features of the rapidly expanding Romanian organic market from the perspective of organic producers. To this effect, it reviews the literature dealing with the main factors influencing consumer behaviour and attitudes. The qualitative research among producers reveals strategic directions pursued in order to understand and adapt to market characteristics and dynamics. The results allow better understanding of organic consumers’ behaviour in the emerging markets and highlight strategies to increase market success. Healthy lifestyle, desire to protect the environment, product quality and attractive prices are all important factors determining consumption of organic products. Whilst aware of these factors, producers point to the lack of education for developing an organic mentality and identifying organic products, poor distribution of products and lack of financial support across the entire logistics chain.

The present study aims to compare the oxidative stress biomarkers, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes induced by three cardiovascular risk factors, namely, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Hypertension was induced with 40 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of N omega-nitro-L-arginine-methyl (L-NAME) administered orally. Dyslipidemia was induced by the administration of a diet with a high cholesterol (2%) content. Diabetes mellitus was induced by intraperitoneal administration of a single dose of streptozocin (65 mg/kg). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidative status (TOS) are increased by all three cardiovascular risk factors (up to 207%). The indirect assessment of NO synthesis (NOx) is observed to be reduced after L-NAME administration (43%), and dyslipidemia induction (16%), while type 1 diabetes mellitus is associated with the highest levels of NOx (increased 112%). Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 1 diabetes reduced the total antioxidative capacity (TAC) and total thiol (SH) levels (up to 57%). The values of evaluated pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), assessed from the ascending aorta were elevated by all three cardiovascular risk factors, with the highest levels induced by type 1 diabetes mellitus (up to 259%). The histopathological examination of the ascending and descending aorta revealed reversible pro-atherogenic changes consisting of the accumulation of lipid droplets in the subendothelial connective tissue on rats with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Irreversible pro-atherogenic changes consisting of a reduction of the specific elasticity of the arteries were observed in rats with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes mellitus demonstrates an alteration of the oxidative stress parameters, the elevation of tissue levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines and causing irreversible pro-atherogenic changes on the aortic wall.

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Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) is regarded as the first-line strategy for the management of complications associated with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), when lead removal is mandatory. The decision to perform a lead extraction should take into consideration not only the strength of the clinical indication for the procedure but also many other factors such as risks versus benefits, extractor and team experience, and even patient preference. TLE is a procedure with a possible high risk of complications. In this paper, we present three clinical cases of patients who presented different indications of TLE and explain how the procedures were successfully performed. In the first clinical case, TLE was necessary because of device extravasation and suspicion of CIED pocket infection. In the second clinical case, TLE was necessary because occlusion of the left subclavian vein was found when an upgrade to cardiac resynchronization therapy was performed. In the last clinical case, TLE was necessary in order to remove magnetic resonance (MR) non-conditional leads, so the patient could undergo an MRI examination for the management of a brain tumor.