The challenges of intelligence sharing in Romania

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02684520903069504The twenty-first century’s security environment has triggered a phenomenon of ‘proliferation’ of intelligence and security cooperation, both domestically and internationally. After the ousting of the communist regime (whose intelligence system served the regime) in 1989, Romania embarked upon democratic reform of its new intelligence system (including strengthening cooperation), to better tackle the current security challenges. This has been a rather onerous process, yet worthwhile: Romania’s intelligence is presently cooperating well with national and international partners, to counter national, regional, and global security threats. This paper assesses Romania’s efforts in developing intelligence cooperation, after the demise of the communist regime

Analysis of Patterns and Similarities in Service Tickets using Natural Language Processing

In this paper we propose an approach for classifying documents, embedding documents into feature vectors and using these embeddings for finding similarities between them. Our chosen domain for applying this method is the IT-Service Support branch, where the documents we try to analyse are support tickets and the potential of classifying and finding patterns between tickets is huge for optimizing the service process. We aim to tackle the problem with multiple methods of text classification and recognition, and data analysis, followed by comparison and interpretation of the results. Following our previous work in this field, we propose further means of validating our models, so we can describe and visualize several methods of feature extraction and recognition for service tickets that help the business process for Service Support

Politische Systeme im Vergleich

Die vorliegende Arbeit möchte hinsichtlich der engen Beziehungen zwischen Österreich und Rumänien sowie hinsichtlich der Gemeinsamkeiten in der Ausrichtung der politischen Systeme dieser beider Staaten einen Vergleich anbieten, der aufzeigen soll, wie ähnlich oder wie unterschiedlich diese beiden Staaten in Wirklichkeit sind. Die geschichtliche Entwicklung, die Verfassungen, die legislativen, exekutiven und judikativen Staatsgewalten, sowie andere politikwissenschaftlich relevante Aspekte der beiden politischen Systeme werden analysiert, um am Schluss aussagen zu können, ob die beiden Systeme ähnlich oder aber verschieden sind, wo die Unterschiede liegen, was die Ursachen für diese Unterschiede sein könnten, und welche Bedeutung diese Unterschiede eigentlich haben.Taking into account the close relations between Austria and Romania, as well as the similarities in the structuring of the political systems of the two countries, this paper wishes to offer a comparison which should present the degree of similarity or difference these two states actually share. The historical development, the Constitutions, the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of power, as well as other relevant (from a political science perspective) aspects of the two political systems are analyzed in order to allow us to say if the systems are similar, or if they are different, and where the differences lie, what the causes for these differences might be, and how important these differences actually are

Effect of Aluminum Incorporation into Mesoporous Aluminosilicate Framework on Drug Release Kinetics

Mesoporous silica materials are promising nanocarriers for the development of drug delivery systems. In this study, the influence of pore size, volume, surface area, and doping the silica framework on the release kinetics of a model drug, metoprolol, has been studied. 20% or 50% wt. therapeutic agent was loaded into the carrier mesopores through incipient wetness impregnation. The carriers and drug-loaded samples have been characterized by small- and wide-angle X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. The in vitro release profiles have been fitted using a three-parameter kinetic model and they have been explained in terms of the release rate during the burst and sustained release stages and the fraction of drug molecules released during the burst stage. The silica framework doping with aluminum was found to decrease the amount of drug released in the burst stage, without affecting the other kinetic parameters. The therapeutic agent release rates depend mainly on the pore size and volume of the mesoporous carriers and drug-loaded samples

Speeding-Up Elliptic Curve Cryptography Algorithms

During the last decades there has been an increasing interest in Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) and, especially, the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) in practice. The rather recent developments of emergent technologies, such as blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT), have motivated researchers and developers to construct new cryptographic hardware accelerators for ECDSA. Different types of optimizations (either platform dependent or algorithmic) were presented in the literature. In this context, we turn our attention to ECC and propose a new method for generating ECDSA moduli with a predetermined portion that allows one to double the speed of Barrett\u27s algorithm. Moreover, we take advantage of the advancements in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) field and bring forward an AI-based approach that enhances Schoof\u27s algorithm for finding the number of points on an elliptic curve in terms of implementation efficiency. Our results represent algorithmic speed-ups exceeding the current paradigm as we are also preoccupied by other particular security environments meeting the needs of governmental organizations

Mechanical thrombectomy, an opportunity in pediatric ischemic stroke management?

Universitatea Lucian Blaga Sibiu, Facultatea de Medicină, Spitalul Clinic de Pediatrie, Sibiu, Clinica Polisano, Sibiu, RomâniaSummary. Theme topicality. The data looking at the results on mechanical thrombectomy in pediatric ischemic stroke (IS) using modern devices are limited. Material and methods consist in the inventory of recent literature medical data on mechanical thrombectomy in pediatric ischemic stroke. Results. Revision of the literature data revealed 22 cases of mechanical thrombectomy done with modern devices in pediatric ischemic stroke which shows the partial or complete vessel recanalization in all cases (100%) and a favorable clinical result in 20 cases (91%). In each of these cases were used modern devices of reperfusion (suction catheters and stent-retrievers), Solitaire ones in 11 cases (50%), Penumbra suction devices in 4 cases (18%), respectively, and thrombectomy devices, such as Capture, Phenox, Revive and Trevo, each in one single case (5%). In 3 cases (14%) were necessary more than one device. The Penumbra device (from the second line) was necessary in each case. Conclusions. The preliminary studies suggest that mechanical thrombectomy using modern devices could be a safe and efficient treatment option in children and adolescents with acute ischemic stroke.Rezumat. Actualitatea temei. Datele privind rezultatele trombectomiei mecanice în accidentul vascular cerebral (AVC) ischemic pediatric utilizând dispozitive moderne sunt limitate. Materialul şi metoda constau în inventarierea datelor din literatura medicală recentă privind trombectomia mecanică în AVC ischemic la copil. Rezultate. Revizuirea datelor din literatură a scos la iveală 22 de cazuri de trombectomie mecanică efectuată cu dispozitive moderne în AVC ischemic pediatric care arată recanalizarea parţială sau completă a vasului în toate cazurile (100%) şi rezultat clinic favorabil în 20 de cazuri (91%). Au fost utilizate în fiecare dintre aceste cazuri dispozitive moderne de reperfuzie (catetere de aspiraţie şi stent-retrievers), respectiv stent-retriever Solitaire în 11 cazuri (50%), dispozitiv de aspiraţie Penumbra în 4 cazuri (18%), iar dispozitivele de trombectomie Capture, Phenox, Revive şi Trevo au fost utilizate în numai 1 caz (5%). În 3 cazuri (14%) au fost necesare mai multe dispozitive. Dispozitivul Penumbra (de linia a doua) a fost necesar în fiecare caz. Concluzii. Studiile preliminare sugerează că trombectomia mecanică cu dispozitive moderne ar putea fi o opţiune de tratament sigură şi eficientă la copiii şi adolescenţii cu AVC ischemic acut

Thrombolysis in pediatric stroke

Universitatea Lucian Blaga Sibiu, Facultatea de Medicină, Spitalul Clinic de Pediatrie Sibiu, Clinica Polisano Sibiu, RomâniaSummary. Theme topicality. The acute stroke incidence is known as 2.3-13 in 100,000 children. Patients with acute pediatric stroke may suffer recurrent accidents and a decrease in life quality for long periods of time. The delay in pediatric stroke diagnostic and the lack of pediatric treatment protocols lead to not knowing of efficacy and safety of a treatment strategy. The objective of the paper is the study of treatment potential concerning diminishing morbidity in pediatric stroke using intravascular therapy, thrombolytic agent intervention, respectively, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). The material and methods. Have been searched in medical database and recent guides the recommendation, current treatment practices and representative studies in endovascular treatment in pediatric stroke, in the last years. The selected studies have evaluated the clinical features (age, gender, risk factors), imaging features (occlusive vessels), and treatment (endovascular treatment type, drug type, dosing, time of administration). Results. The most recent study (the retrospective one) shows 68 pediatric stroke cases treated with IA fibrinolysis (n = 24; 35.3%) and IA mechanical thrombectomy (with/without IA or IV fibrinolysis). The mean age was 10.3 years, with 1.8 and 18 years limits, the meantime of treatment was 13.7 hours. All 68 endovascular treatment cases analysis in children with stroke shows good clinical (65.7%) and radiological (67.2%, with complete recanalization) results, in an average tracking time of 5.3 months. The IA mechanical thrombectomy group presented significantly best clinical results than the IA thrombolysis group (79.1% against 20.5%, p0.001) and radiological results (complete recanalization, 79.1% against 38.9%, p0.002), with fewer complications (13.6% against 37.5%, p0.006). Conclusions. Yet, paradoxically, pediatric stroke therapy does not benefit from a prospective study looking at the pediatric regulation of everything that means intravascular therapy by thrombolytic agent intervention, such as tPA. The clinical management is relatively different between specialized centers, reflecting, in particular, the lack of concern in treatment protocols.Rezumat. Actualitatea temei. Incidenţa accidentului ischemic acut (AIS) este de 2,3-13 la 100.000 de copii. Pacienţii cu AIS pediatric pot suferi accidente recurente şi scăderea calităţii vieţii pentru lungi perioade de timp. Întârzierea diagnosticului de accident vascular cerebral (AVC) pediatric şi lipsa protocoalelor de tratament pentru populaţia de vârstă pediatrică duc la necunoaşterea eficacităţii şi siguranţei unor strategii de tratament. Obiectivele lucrării constau în studiul potenţialului de reducere a morbidităţii la copiii cu AIS acut prin terapii intravasculare, respectiv prin intervenţia unui agent trombolitic, cum ar fi activatorul de plasminogen tisular (tPA). Material şi metode. Au fost căutate în bazele de date medicale şi ghidurile recente recomandările, practicile curente de tratament şi studiile reprezentative pentru tratamentul endovascular în AIS pediatric, din ultimii ani. Studiile selectate au evaluat caracteristicile clinice (vârsta, sexul şi factorii de risc), imagistice (vasele ocluzate) şi tratamentul (tipul de tratament endovascular, medicaţia, posologia, timpul de administrare a tratamentului). Rezultate. Studiul cel mai recent (retrospectiv) prezintă 68 cazuri de AIS pediatric tratate cu fi brinoliză IA (n = 24; 35,3%) şi trombectomie mecanică IA (cu sau fără fi brinoliză IV sau IA). Vârsta medie a fost de 10,3 ani, cu limite între 1,8 şi 18 ani, timpul mediu de tratament de a fost de 13,7 ore. Analiza celor 68 cazuri de terapii endovasculare la copiii cu accident AIS a furnizat rezultate clinice (65,7%) şi rezultate radiologice (67,2%, recanalizare completă) bune, întrun timp de urmărire mediu de 5,3 luni. Grupul de trombectomie mecanică IA a prezentat rezultate clinice semnificativ mai bune decât grupul de tromboliză IA (79,5%, faţă de 20,5%, p0,001) şi rezultate radiologice (recanalizare completă, 79,1%, faţă de 38,9%, p0,002) cu mai puţine complicaţii (13,6%, faţă de 37,5%, p0,006). Concluzii. Totuşi, paradoxal, terapia AIS acut la copii nu beneficiază încă de un studiu prospectiv privind reglementarea la copil a tot ceea ce înseamnă terapie intravasculară prin intervenţia unui agent trombolitic, cum ar fi tPA. Managementul clinic este relativ diferit între centre specializate, refl ectând îndeosebi o lipsă de preocupare pentru protocoalele de tratament