Ovidius University of Constanța (Romanian: Universitatea "Ovidius" din Constanța) is a public higher education institution in Constanța, Romania founded in 1961 as a Pedagogical Institute and transformed into a comprehensive university in 1990. As the Charter of the university states, the Pedagogical Institute was founded by Order of the Ministry of Education no. 654 of 1961, comprising four faculties. By State Council Decree no. 209 of 1977 the institute became a Higher Education Institute and reorganized. By Government Decision 209 of 1990 the institute became a university and, a year later, by Order of the Ministry of Education and Science no. 4894 of 1991, the university was given the present name. The university is notable for having Romanian singer Inna as one of its alumni.The university is named after the famous Roman poet Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso), who spent the later years of his life in the ancient Greek colony of Tomis, the ancient name for Constanța, about 2,000 years ago.The university has two main campuses, both located in Constanța. The central campus, hosting the headquarters of the university and the faculties of sciences and engineering, is located at 124 Mamaia Boulevard, whereas the north campus is located at 1 University Alley, hosting the faculties of humanities and theology, social sciences, life and medical sciences.Ovidius University is a member of the European University Association (EUA), the European Association of Institutions in Higher Education (EURASHE), and the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF, Francophone University Association). It is founding member of the Black Sea Universities Network (BSUN) and of the Balkan Universities Network (BUA) and it hosts the permanent general secretariat of BSUN.
Abstract Background Pediatric idiopathic scoliosis is a multifactorial condition shaped by genetic susceptibility, metabolic balance, and environmental influences. Variants near the LBX1 gene and within the melatonin receptor MTNR1B have been implicated in curve heterogeneity, yet their interaction with metabolic biomarkers and lifestyle factors remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to evaluate the combined role of genetic polymorphisms, metabolic markers, and lifestyle-related variables in relation to scoliosis phenotype (Lenke type 1 vs. Lenke type 3) and curve severity. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted on 107 pediatric pa-tients (6–18 years) consecutively admitted between 2021 and 2024 to a tertiary center in South-eastern Romania. Clinical, radiographic, metabolic (serum calcium, magnesium, vitamin D), life-style (sleep duration, school program), perinatal data, and genetic polymorphisms (LBX1 rs11190870 and MTNR1B rs10830963) were analyzed. Results Genetic analysis demonstrated a significant association between LBX1 rs11190870 polymorphism and curve morphology, while MTNR1B rs10830963 showed a more modest phenotype-modifying effect. Serum calcium, mag-nesium, and vitamin D levels did not differ significantly between Lenke subtypes, although ex-tended school programs were associated with reduced sleep duration and lower vitamin D levels. Cesarean delivery was more frequent in patients with Lenke type 3 and was linked to higher major coronal curves. Magnesium showed a mild inverse correlation with curve severity without reaching statistical significance. Conclusions These findings support a multifactorial model in which structural genetic pathways, metabolic status, and lifestyle factors collectively influence scoliosis phenotype. Integrating genetic analysis with clinical and metabolic assessment may improve early risk stratification and guide future preventive strategies in pediatric scoliosis.
(1) Background: Dental implant instability represents a dynamic biomechanical process influenced by functional loading, peri-implant bone stiffness, and systemic conditions affecting bone metabolism. In patients with systemic bone disorders, altered material properties and impaired remodeling may reduce effective implant-bone interface stiffness, potentially increasing micromotion beyond what is detectable by conventional clinical indicators. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a predictive bioengineering model of implant instability based on Periotest-derived dynamic measurements. (2) Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 79 dental implants placed in patients with and without systemic bone disorders. Implant micromotion was quantified using Periotest values (PTVs). Linear and logistic regression analyses were applied to model the relationship between systemic bone status, implant location, and biomechanical instability (defined as PTV > +2.0). A load-stiffness-micromotion framework was used to provide mechanical interpretation of the findings. (3) Results: Implants placed in patients with systemic bone disorders exhibited significantly higher Periotest values compared to controls (+2.1 ± 1.3 vs. -0.4 ± 1.1; mean difference 2.5 PTV units, 95% CI 1.97-3.04; p < 0.001). High-risk biomechanical instability (PTV > +2.0) was observed in 46% of implants in the systemic group compared to 9% in controls. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that systemic bone disorders were independently associated with a 2.6-fold increase in the odds of high-risk instability after adjustment for implant location. The observed instability pattern was consistent with reduced effective peri-implant stiffness in systemically compromised bone. (4) Conclusions: Dental implant instability in systemically compromised patients can be interpreted as a load-stiffness imbalance at the implant-bone interface. The proposed predictive bioengineering framework links dynamic Periotest measurements with mechanical modeling and systemic bone status, enabling quantitative risk stratification beyond static stability assessments.
Assessment practices in Romanian primary education remain largely recall-based, despite curriculum expectations that prioritize reasoning, metacognition, and inclusive learning processes. This conceptual–analytical study examines the structural misalignments between curriculum goals, classroom assessment cultures, and national evaluation systems, highlighting their impact on learning equity and cognitive development. Drawing on international frameworks (OECD, UNESCO), national assessment data, and Romanian pedagogical literature, the analysis identifies three systemic gaps: curriculum–assessment misalignment, assessment–instruction misalignment, and a mismatch between equity-oriented policies and classroom practice. To address these challenges, the article proposes the ECEI Framework, an integrated developmental model that combines principles of cognitive education, metacognitive strategy development, inclusive pedagogy, and formative assessment. The framework introduces four categories of indicators—cognitive, metacognitive, inclusive, and assessment—designed to support teachers in observing and evaluating learning processes more effectively in diverse classrooms. Discipline-based illustrations in mathematics, reading, and science demonstrate how innovative assessment practices can make students’ thinking visible through authentic tasks, learning progressions, and multimodal response pathways. The findings suggest that developmental and inclusive assessment is essential for improving learning outcomes and reducing socio-economic disparities in primary education. Implementing the ECEI Framework requires targeted teacher training, coherent curriculum–assessment alignment, and system-level support to ensure sustainable changes in instructional practice.
Background/Objectives: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) describes the situation of a fetus that fails to reach its genetic growth potential. Postnatal catch-up growth represents a central adaptive process, yet its timing and magnitude vary widely and may influence one individual's state of health and later metabolic risk. This study aimed to characterize longitudinal growth trajectories from birth to 10 years in children born at term, affected antenatally by growth restriction, with a particular focus on the influence of sex and FGR severity on catch-up growth. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study including 170 term-born children with documented FGR, admitted to a tertiary pediatric center between 2019 and 2023. Anthropometric data (weight, length/height, BMI) at birth, 1, 2, 5, and 10 years were converted to World Health Organization (WHO) age- and sex-adjusted z-scores. Catch-up growth was defined as an increase of >0.67 SD. Participants were stratified by sex and FGR severity (moderate: 10th-3rd percentile; severe: <3rd percentile). Results: Severe FGR infants exhibited significantly lower birth anthropometrics but demonstrated more pronounced early catch-up in weight and length at 1 and 2 years (p < 0.01). By 5 and 10 years, growth trajectories converged between severity groups, with no differences in BMI at any age. Sex influenced absolute anthropometric values but not the probability of achieving catch-up growth. Conclusions: Among term-born FGR infants, severity-but not sex-shapes early postnatal growth. Despite early deficits, most children achieved substantial catch-up, underscoring the need for careful monitoring to support healthy, proportionate growth and mitigate subsequent metabolic risk.
Cardiometabolic diseases, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and obesity, along with their cardiovascular complications, remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, imposing significant public health, economic, and societal burdens. Conventional pharmacological therapies often show limited efficacy and increased adverse effects because they do not account for the body’s intrinsic circadian rhythms, which regulate organ function, drug absorption, and metabolism. Chronopharmacology, which aligns treatment timing with these biological rhythms, offers a strategy to enhance therapeutic outcomes. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of chronopharmacology principles applied to cardiometabolic disease management, integrating molecular, physiological, and clinical perspectives. It examines how core clock genes and tissue-specific circadian patterns influence drug action and absorption and summarizes evidence-based time-optimized interventions for hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, and multimorbid patients. Furthermore, the review highlights emerging innovations, including artificial intelligence-guided dosing, circadian-biomarker-informed therapy selection, and wearable digital devices for real-time monitoring of biological rhythms. By synthesizing mechanistic and clinical insights, circadian-aligned treatment strategies are shown to improve drug efficacy, reduce adverse effects, and support the development of precision, rhythm-based therapeutics, offering a practical framework for personalized cardiometabolic disease care.
