Animal vulnerability and the necessity of protecting them

In Romania, there are at least 14 animal species represented by 123 animal breeds and pure lines listed on the List of animal genetic resources in critical state, threatened, or vulnerable. Though these animal species need to be protected, their conservation has not been supported financially. These categories of vulnerable animals are represented by: 13 sheep breeds, 19 fish species and breeds, 2 goat breeds, 2 swine breeds, 4 goose breeds, 61 chicken breeds and pure lines, 7 turkey populations, 7 duck breeds, the Romanian buffalo, and a bovine breed, the Sură de stepă

Emergency situations in soil pollution by animal wastes

The analysed indices were identical during the entire research period, and so were the measurement methods used in the laboratory (pH, total humus, total nitrogen, mobile phosphorus, potassium). The evolution of the soil pollution by animal wastes from the farm animals in the Arad area point out a high level of soil pollution because of the low values of the pH, of the low soil bonitation scores, of the secondary compaction in the first genetic horizon. After a poultry farms ceases to operate, soil pollution persists, with a slight tendency to decrease naturally

Novel sol-gel prepared zinc fluoride: synthesis, characterisation and acid-base sites analysis

The fluorolytic sol-gel route sets a milestone in the development of synthesis methods for nanoscopic fluoride materials. They exhibit fundamentally distinct properties in comparison to classically prepared metal fluorides. To broaden this area, we report in this paper the first fluorolytic sol-gel synthesis of ZnF₂. The obtained sol was studied with dynamic light scattering (DLS). The dried ZnF₂ xerogel was investigated with elemental analysis, thermal analysis, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state MAS NMR, and N₂ adsorption-desorption measurements. The characterisations revealed a remarkably high surface area of the sol-gel prepared ZnF₂. To determine key parameters deciding its prospects in future catalytic applications, we studied the surface acidity-basicity by using in situ FTIR with different probe molecules. Compared to the previously established MgF₂, weaker Lewis acid sites are predominant on the surface of ZnF2 with some base sites, indicating its potential as a heterogeneous catalyst component. In short, we believe that the successful synthesis and detailed characterisation of nanoscopic ZnF₂ allow follow-up work exploring its applications, and will lead to studies of more metal fluorides with similar methods

Temperature Effects on Damage Mechanisms of Hybrid Metal – Composite Bolted Joints Using SHM Testing Method

This paper presents the quasi-static thermo-mechanical loading effects on the progressive damage mechanisms and failure modes of the single-bolt, single-shear, hybrid metal-composite, bolted joints in aerospace applications. A three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) technique was used to model the countersunk head bolted joint in details, including geometric and frictional based contact full nonlinearities and using commercial software PATRAN as pre/post-processor. The progressive damage analysis (PDA) in laminated (CFRP/ vinyl ester epoxy) composite material including nonlinear shear behavior, Hashin-type failure criteria and strain-based continuous degradation rules for different values of temperatures was made using SOL 400 NASTRAN solver. In order to validate the numerical results and close investigation of the fracture mechanisms for metal-composite bolted joints by determining ultimate failure loads, experiments were conducted in temperature controlled chamber using SHM (Structural Health Monitoring) technique. The results show that the thermal effects are not negligible on failure mechanism in hybrid aluminum-CFRP bolted joints having strong different thermal expansion coefficients. The complex 3D FEM model using advanced linear continuum solid-shell elements proved computational efficiency and ability to accurately predict the various failure modes as bearing and shear-shear out, including the temperature effects on the failure propagation and damage mechanism of hybrid metal-composite bolted joints

Emergency situations in soil pollution by animal wastes

The analysed indices were identical during the entire research period, and so were the measurement methods used in the laboratory (pH, total humus, total nitrogen, mobile phosphorus, potassium). The evolution of the soil pollution by animal wastes from the farm animals in the Arad area point out a high level of soil pollution because of the low values of the pH, of the low soil bonitation scores, of the secondary compaction in the first genetic horizon. After a poultry farms ceases to operate, soil pollution persists, with a slight tendency to decrease naturally

Animal vulnerability and the necessity of protecting them

In Romania, there are at least 14 animal species represented by 123 animal breeds and pure lines listed on the List of animal genetic resources in critical state, threatened, or vulnerable. Though these animal species need to be protected, their conservation has not been supported financially. These categories of vulnerable animals are represented by: 13 sheep breeds, 19 fish species and breeds, 2 goat breeds, 2 swine breeds, 4 goose breeds, 61 chicken breeds and pure lines, 7 turkey populations, 7 duck breeds, the Romanian buffalo, and a bovine breed, the Sură de stepă

Mathematical model for identifying and quantifying the overall environmental cost

The paper deals with the environmental costs (EC) in the electrical equipment industry by using environmental accounting as a strategic instrument for controlling the economic entity (EE). The novelty of the study consists of integrating a mathematical model in environmental management accounting (EMA), starting from the identification of the types of waste generated by the production flow and the interaction between the production activity and the environment, which results in determining the EC per entity. The research also analyzes the dependence between the resulting waste and the volume of production by categories. The usefulness of determining these dependencies leads to the identification of the product categories with a significant influence on the EC. The study is useful for developing an environmentally sustainable accounting system within entities in the electrical equipment industry because based on the mathematical model, products that generate large quantities of waste can be identified, allowing the outline of managerial strategies to reviewing production technologies, in order to optimize the products and reduce the quantities of waste generated

Spatio-temporal insights into microbiology of the freshwater-to-hypersaline, oxic-hypoxic-euxinic waters of Ursu Lake

Ursu Lake is located in the Middle Miocene salt deposit of Central Romania. It is stratified, and the water column has three distinct water masses: an upper freshwater-to-moderately saline stratum (0–3 m), an intermediate stratum exhibiting a steep halocline (3–3.5 m), and a lower hypersaline stratum (4 m and below) that is euxinic (i.e. anoxic and sulphidic). Recent studies have characterized the lake's microbial taxonomy and given rise to intriguing ecological questions. Here, we explore whether the communities are dynamic or stable in relation to taxonomic composition, geochemistry, biophysics, and ecophysiological functions during the annual cycle. We found: (i) seasonally fluctuating, light-dependent communities in the upper layer (≥0.987–0.990 water-activity), a stable but phylogenetically diverse population of heterotrophs in the hypersaline stratum (water activities down to 0.762) and a persistent plate of green sulphur bacteria that connects these two (0.958–0.956 water activity) at 3–3.5 to 4 m; (ii) communities that might be involved in carbon- and sulphur-cycling between and within the lake's three main water masses; (iii) uncultured lineages including Acetothermia (OP1), Cloacimonetes (WWE1), Marinimicrobia (SAR406), Omnitrophicaeota (OP3), Parcubacteria (OD1) and other Candidate Phyla Radiation bacteria, and SR1 in the hypersaline stratum (likely involved in the anaerobic steps of carbon- and sulphur-cycling); and (iv) that species richness and habitat stability are associated with high redox-potentials. Ursu Lake has a unique and complex ecology, at the same time exhibiting dynamic fluctuations and stability, and can be used as a modern analogue for ancient euxinic water bodies and comparator system for other stratified hypersaline systems

Impact of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations on sustained virologic response in HCV-infected patients: Results from the GUARD-C Cohort

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, peginterferon alfa/ribavirin remains relevant in many resource-constrained settings. The non-randomized GUARD-C cohort investigated baseline predictors of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations (sr-RD) and their impact on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients receiving peginterferon alfa/ribavirin in routine practice. METHODS: A total of 3181 HCV-mono-infected treatment-naive patients were assigned to 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa/ribavirin by their physician. Patients were categorized by time-to-first sr-RD (Week 4/12). Detailed analyses of the impact of sr-RD on SVR24 (HCV RNA <50 IU/mL) were conducted in 951 Caucasian, noncirrhotic genotype (G)1 patients assigned to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin for 48 weeks. The probability of SVR24 was identified by a baseline scoring system (range: 0-9 points) on which scores of 5 to 9 and <5 represent high and low probability of SVR24, respectively. RESULTS: SVR24 rates were 46.1% (754/1634), 77.1% (279/362), 68.0% (514/756), and 51.3% (203/396), respectively, in G1, 2, 3, and 4 patients. Overall, 16.9% and 21.8% patients experienced 651 sr-RD for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, respectively. Among Caucasian noncirrhotic G1 patients: female sex, lower body mass index, pre-existing cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and low hematological indices were prognostic factors of sr-RD; SVR24 was lower in patients with 651 vs. no sr-RD by Week 4 (37.9% vs. 54.4%; P = 0.0046) and Week 12 (41.7% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.0016); sr-RD by Week 4/12 significantly reduced SVR24 in patients with scores <5 but not 655. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, sr-RD to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin significantly impacts on SVR24 rates in treatment-naive G1 noncirrhotic Caucasian patients. Baseline characteristics can help select patients with a high probability of SVR24 and a low probability of sr-RD with peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat