Study about the possibility of dyeing natural proteanfibres (wool), with natural pigments extracted from saffron flowers (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

This paper shows the results obtained for dyeing protean fibers (wool) with carthamin, which is a natural pigment extracted from saffron flowers (Carthamus tinctorius L.). We aimed mainly for the optimisation of the dyeing process in terms of investigation of the quantity of natural pigment ingrained on wool fiber. The used method for this study was the multiple regression method which through data processing on computer has lead to the getting of a curve in space and in plan which allowed the establishment of optimal parametres for dyeing: pigment concentration, temperature of dyeing bath and duration of dyeing process

Novel titanium-apatite hybrid scaffolds with spongy bone-like micro architecture intended for spinal application: In vitro and in vivo study

Titanium alloy scaffolds with novel interconnected and non-periodic porous bone-like micro architecture were 3D-printed and filled with hydroxyapatite bioactive matrix. These novel metallic-ceramic hybrid scaffolds were tested in vitro by direct-contact osteoblast cell cultures for cell adhesion, proliferation, morphology and gene expression of several key osteogenic markers. The scaffolds were also evaluated in vivo by implanting them on transverse and spinous processes of sheep's vertebras and subsequent histology study. The in vitro results showed that: (a) cell adhesion, proliferation and viability were not negatively affected with time by compositional factors (quantitative MTT-assay); (b) the osteoblastic cells were able to adhere and to attain normal morphology (fluorescence microscopy); (c) the studied samples had the ability to promote and sustain the osteogenic differentiation, matrix maturation and mineralization in vitro (real-time quantitative PCR and mineralized matrix production staining). Additionally, the in vivo results showed that the hybrid scaffolds had greater infiltration, with fully mineralized bone after 6 months, than the titanium scaffolds without bioactive matrix. In conclusion, these novel hybrid scaffolds could be an alternative to the actual spinal fusion devices, due to their proved osteogenic performance (i.e. osteoinductive and osteoconductive behaviour), if further dimensional and biomechanical optimization is performed

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

The Thermochemical Conversion of Forestry Residues from Silver Fir (Abies alba Mill.) by Torrefaction and Pyrolysis

Forestry residue is a renewable energy biomass whose valorization has increased due to the interest in replacing exhaustible and environmentally unfriendly fossil resources. Needles, cones and bark from silver fir were thermally processed by separated and combined torrefaction (250 °C) and pyrolysis (550 °C). The torrefaction removed the humidity and extractives and degraded the hemicelluloses, significantly decreasing the oxygen content to ~11 wt% and increasing the carbon content to ~80 wt%, while enhancing the calorific value of the solids (~32 MJ/kg). The pyrolysis produced solid materials with high amounts of fixed carbon (~60–70 wt%) and high heating values, of ~29 MJ/kg. The combined torrefaction + pyrolysis increased the energy yield of the process and decreased the O/C and H/C atomic ratios to about 0.1 and 0.5, respectively, which is close to those of coals. It also led to condensable products with more homogeneously distributed compounds, regardless of the initial biomass type. More than 110 chemical compounds were confirmed in the condensable products, in amounts that depended on the type of starting material and on the thermal treatment. These included the following: terpenes, from extractives; furans, acids and linear ketones, from hemicelluloses; cyclic ketones and saccharides, from cellulose; and aromatic hydrocarbons and phenol derivatives, from lignin. Clear distinctions between the thermal procedures and the sample origins were evidenced by an exploratory data analysis (PCA), which suggested the presence of different types of lignin in the three starting materials

LEASE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE LAND MARKET

The importance and value of land increases as the development of the economy is higher. Under this criterion the land market in Romania behave as such, because the development of the Romanian economy is lower compared to the European developed economies. Because agricultural land is one of the main strategic resources in land market, the state must act with great caution and responsibility. In this context, 2014 marks the liberalization of agricultural land market in Romania for potential investors from Europe under the Common Agricultural Policy. Along with the sale and purchase, cooperation and association, leasing and renting, leasing farmland is a direct economic measure movement of land ownership in agriculture. The main effect of these movements of land ownership is increasing the size of agricultural holdings by concentration or consolidation of land ownership

The Thermochemical Conversion of Forestry Residues from Silver Fir (<i>Abies alba</i> Mill.) by Torrefaction and Pyrolysis

Forestry residue is a renewable energy biomass whose valorization has increased due to the interest in replacing exhaustible and environmentally unfriendly fossil resources. Needles, cones and bark from silver fir were thermally processed by separated and combined torrefaction (250 °C) and pyrolysis (550 °C). The torrefaction removed the humidity and extractives and degraded the hemicelluloses, significantly decreasing the oxygen content to ~11 wt% and increasing the carbon content to ~80 wt%, while enhancing the calorific value of the solids (~32 MJ/kg). The pyrolysis produced solid materials with high amounts of fixed carbon (~60–70 wt%) and high heating values, of ~29 MJ/kg. The combined torrefaction + pyrolysis increased the energy yield of the process and decreased the O/C and H/C atomic ratios to about 0.1 and 0.5, respectively, which is close to those of coals. It also led to condensable products with more homogeneously distributed compounds, regardless of the initial biomass type. More than 110 chemical compounds were confirmed in the condensable products, in amounts that depended on the type of starting material and on the thermal treatment. These included the following: terpenes, from extractives; furans, acids and linear ketones, from hemicelluloses; cyclic ketones and saccharides, from cellulose; and aromatic hydrocarbons and phenol derivatives, from lignin. Clear distinctions between the thermal procedures and the sample origins were evidenced by an exploratory data analysis (PCA), which suggested the presence of different types of lignin in the three starting materials

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites for food packaging applications: Influence of montmorillonite content

WOS: 000389669700003Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/chitosan (CS)/montmorillonite (C30B) materials for food packaging applications were prepared by using a noninvasive and low-cost freeze/thawing method. Cloisite 30B nanoclay content in PVA/CS gels was varied in order to establish optimum amount to obtain improved properties. The structural, morphological, rheological aspects, thermal stability, and antimicrobial activity were investigated using various techniques as Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, rheology, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and antibacterial tests. It was noticed that the obtained materials show an intercalated structure with specific interactions between components and nanoclay incorporation led to an increased thermal stability, mechanical properties, and excellent antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella typhimurium due to synergistic action of CS and nanoclay.Romanian - EEA Research Programme operated by Ministry of National Education under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism; Project ACTIBIOSAFE [1SEE/30.06.2014]The research leading to these results has received funding from the Romanian - EEA Research Programme operated by Ministry of National Education under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2009-2014 and Project ACTIBIOSAFE, Contract No 1SEE/30.06.2014

Chitosan-Based Bionanocomposite Films Prepared by Emulsion Technique for Food Preservation

Biopolymer nanocomposite films were prepared by casting film-forming emulsions based on chitosan/Tween 80/rosehip seed oil and dispersed montmorillonite nanoclay C30B. The effect of composition on structural, morphological characteristics and, mechanical, barrier, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties was studied. The presence of rosehip seed oil in chitosan films led to the formation of flexible films with improved mechanical, gas and water vapour barrier properties and antioxidant activity. The in vitro antibacterial tests against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhymurium, and Bacillus cereus showed that the chitosan/rosehip seed oil/montmorillonite nanoclay composites effectively inhibited all the three microorganisms

Contributions to the development and the validation of the method to determine the nicotine and the cotinine by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

Rezumat. Nicotina şi cotinina sunt principalii markeri biotoxicologici ce se determină în intoxicaţiile acute şi cronice (tabagismul) la persoanele care fumează sau recurg la tratament substitutiv cu diferite produse farmaceutice pe bază de nicotină (chewing-gum, plasture, spray nazal, inhalator bucal, tablete sublinguale). Obiectivul acestui studiu a fost dezvoltarea şi validarea unei metode GC-MS de determinare a nicotinei şi cotininei din ser (metoda cu standard intern). Determinările au fost efectuate pe un cromatograf de gaze tip Agilent Technologies 7890A echipat cu coloană cromatografică DB5MS, 30 m x 0,25 mm, 0,25 mm. Detecţia s-a realizat prin spectrofotometrie de masă în modul SIM (m/z pentru nicotină: 84 pic de bază, 133 şi 162 pic molecular şi respectiv cotinină: 98 pic de bază, 118 şi 176 pic molecular cu temperatura sursei MSD de 230 °C şi cea a cvadrupolului MSD de 150°C). Metoda validată a fost liniară pe domeniul 1-500 ng/mL, selectivă, exactă şi precisă.Abstract. The nicotine and the cotinine are the main bio-toxicological markers that are determined in acute and chronic intoxication (tabagism) in people who smoke or use different substitution treatments based on nicotine (chewing-gum, patch, nasal spray, oral inhaler, sublingual tablet ). The objective of this study was to develop and validate a GC-MS method for nicotine and cotinine determination in serum (a method with an internal standard). Measurements were performed on a gas chromatograph Agilent Technologies 7890 equipped with a DB 5 MS chromatographic column ( 30 m x 0.25 mm, 0.25 mm film thickness). Detection was performed by mass spectrometry in SIM mode (m / z for nicotine: 84 basic peak, 133 and 162 molecular peak and m / z for cotinine: 98 basic peak, 118 and 176 molecular peak; the temperature of the MSD source was 230°C and that of the MSD qvadrupol was 150 ° C). The validated method was linear in the range 1-500 ng / mL, selective, accurate and precise

Pilgrims’ Motivation for Travelling to the Iasi Feast

The article is a preliminay work of a study concerning the motivations of pilgrims who travel to Iasi in October to participate in a religious event  - Saint Parascheva Celelbration. The main goal of the paper is to present he first data of the research concerning: the main travel motivation of pilgrims and their socio-demographic profile and to formulate some hypotesis of the study. It’s a quantitative research using as methods a questionnar based survey, the data being analysed in the SPSS program. The results are important for the scholars int he area of religious tourism and for destination managers who use this kind of data to improve their planning and organisational activities of such events