Mathematical Model for the Study the Romanian Industry Evolution

This paper presents a mathematical model intended to investigate the evolution of the Romanianindustry in the last twenty-seven years. Also it includes the calculation of the performance indicesfor the optimal evolution of the Romanian industry. The data used to build the model were takenfrom Eurostat and the Statistical Yearbooks of the Romanian National Institute of Statistics

Antibacterial Properties of Silver-Loaded Plasma Polymer Coatings

In a previous paper, we proposed new silver nanoparticles (SNPs) based antibacterial coatings able to protect eukaryotic cells from SNPs related toxic effects, while preserving antibacterial efficiency. A SNPs containing n-heptylamine (HA) polymer matrix was deposited by plasma polymerization and coated by a second HA layer. In this paper, we elucidate the antibacterial action of these new coatings. We demonstrated that SNPs-loaded material can be covered by thin HA polymer layer without losing the antibacterial activity to planktonic bacteria living in the near surroundings of the material. SNPs-containing materials also revealed antibacterial effect on adhered bacteria. Adhered bacteria number was significantly reduced compared to pure HA plasma polymer and the physiology of the bacteria was affected. The number of adhered bacteria directly decreased with thickness of the second HA layer. Surprisingly, the quantity of cultivable bacteria harvested by transfer to nutritive agar decreased not only with the presence of SNPs, but also in relation to the covering HA layer thickness, that is, oppositely to the increase in adhered bacteria number. Two hypotheses are proposed for this surprising result (stronger attachment or weaker vitality), which raises the question of the diverse potential ways of action of SNPs entrapped in a polymer matrix

Marketing of Tourism Destinations in the Post-Covid Era – Challenges of the New Normal

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented crisis, causing an awkward impact on human life and the world economy. Despite the resilience that tourism has shown in response to previous crises, the depth and breadth of the impact of this pandemic on tourism have brought the sector to an almost total standstill, causing long-term difficulties for most tourist destinations. As the pandemic has evolved, how we live, work, and travel has changed, and demands, expectations, and preferences have become different. But an unprecedented crisis requires unprecedented action. Destination marketing is widely recognized as an essential component of destination management. As a result, the tenets of conventional marketing have been challenged in a struggle to adapt to the new normal. Thus, the objective of this paper is to identify and explore, based on the current literature review and direct survey research, the challenges faced by marketers in tourism destinations in an attempt to counter the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and facilitate the recovery and further sustainable development of the sector

Biomimetic evaluation of b tricalcium phosphate prepared by hot isostatic pressing

Two types of completely densified b-TCP tablets were synthesized from a stoichiometric b-TCP powder. The first ones (TCP) were conventionally sintered, while the second ones (TCP-T) were sintered and treated by hot isostatic process (HIP). The HIP produced completely densified materials with relative densities greater than 99.9% and a transparent appearance of tablets. Samples were immersed in culture medium with (CM) or without serum (NCM) in static and dynamic conditions for a biomimetic evaluation. Similarly, SaOs-2 cells were cultured on samples in a static or dynamic flow perfusion system. The results of surface transformation in absence of cells showed that the dynamic condition increased the speed of calcium phosphate precipitations compared with the static condition. The morphology of precipitates was different with nature of tablets. The immersion in CM did impede this precipitation. XPS analysis of TCP-T tablets showed the presence of hydroxyapatite (HA) precipitates after incubation in NCM while octacalcium phosphate (OCP) precipitates were formed after incubation in CM. The analysis of the response of SaOs-2 cells on surfaces showed that the two types of materials are biocompatible. However, the dynamic mode of culture stimulated the differentiation of cells. Finally, it appears that the HIP treatment of TCP produces highly densified and transparent samples that display a good in vitro biocompatibility in static and dynamic culture conditions. Moreover, an interesting result of this work is the relationship between the presence of proteins in the immersion medium and the quality of precipitates formed on hipped TCP surface

Spectroscopic and Spectrometric Methods Used for the Screening of Certain Herbal Food Supplements Suspected of Adulteration

Purpose: This study was carried out in order to find a reliable method for the fast detection of adulterated herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims. As some herbal products are advertised as "all natural", their "efficiency" is often increased by addition of active pharmaceutical ingredients such as PDE-5 inhibitors, which can be a real health threat for the consumer. Methodes: Adulterants, potentially present in 50 herbal food supplements with sexual improvement claims, were detected using 2 spectroscopic methods - Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared - known for reliability, reproductibility, and an easy sample preparation. GC-MS technique was used to confirm the potential adulterants spectra. Results: About 22% (11 out of 50 samples) of herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims analyzed by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods proved to be "enriched" with active pharmaceutical compounds such as: sildenafil and two of its analogues, tadalafil and phenolphthalein. The occurence of phenolphthalein could be the reason for the non-relevant results obtained by FTIR method in some samples. 91% of the adulterated herbal food supplements were originating from China. Conclusion: The results of this screening highlighted the necessity for an accurate analysis of all alleged herbal aphrodisiacs on the Romanian market. This is a first such a screening analysis carried out on herbal food supplements with sexual enhancement claims

Breef overview of gestational diabetes mellitus

As obesity increases worldwide, so do the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the related perinatal complications. Pancreatic β-cell secretion is altered by hormonal changes during pregnancy. It appears, however, that patients who develop gestational diabetes have pre-existing insulin resistance. However, there are other risk factors to be considered, such as obesity, age, ethnicity, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Screening for gestational diabetes is very important to avoid maternal and fetal complications. For most pregnant women, glycemic control is achieved through dietary and lifestyle changes, although a small percentage requires pharmacological treatment

Pregnancy in the context of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune neurodegenerative disorder which affects brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. During last years the perception over the disease changed dramatically, now being considered a handleable disease. The particularity of this subject is that Multiple Sclerosis is a disease which affects mostly young women, many of them not having any children at the moment of diagnosis. This article highlights the fact that women diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis are allowed to get pregnant, and, moreover, they are encouraged to live a normal life. In most cases, disease activity freezes during pregnancy, only a small percentage of women will continue to have clinically and radiologically active disease. For those women, IFN-β and Glatiramer Acetate are the first-choice therapies that should be given. In cases when the disease is not responding to common medication, refractory to treatment forms may be successfully treated with Natalizuab, during the first and the second trimester. Breastfeeding is also encouraged, as it has a protective effect on disease progression. The main purpose of this article is to make a literature review in which to summarize the updates regarding pregnancy and postpartum management, relapses management and, also, the impact of pregnancy on Multiple Sclerosis course. The analysis was limited to articles written in English and published between August 2019 - October 2022 on PubMed, NCBI and Medical Journals

Managing intrauterine growth restriction

The fetal growth normally depends on sufficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients mainly via the placenta. Inadequate fetal nutrition may result in poor development and adaptation that permanently alter the fetus' metabolism and physiology. Intrauterine Growth Restriction is defined as a deviation on the fetal growth pattern. An estimated fetal weight (EFW) that is below the 10th percentile for gestational age is commonly used to describe fetal growth restriction. Usually obtained sonographically, there is evidence that ultrasound imaging of the uterine artery, middle cerebral artery, and fetal umbilical artery during the late third-trimester (approximately 35-37 weeks) significantly improves the detection and diagnosis of IUGR. In obstetrics, an increased risk of perinatal mortality and morbidity is associated with the diagnosis of IUGR