Renewables energies industry in the current investment context

The current shifts in the global energies market lead the expected change in the long term from traditional energies sources, like fossil fuels, to renewable energies sources, e.g. sun, wind, water, energetic wood etc. The major commitments are: sustainability, productivity, smart energy grids and functional energy systems, industrial ecology, green chemistry, bio mimicry, green nanotechnology. The most important investment criterion relies upon efficiency: energy return of invested energy (EROIE), but there are also other relevant issues such as: policies to support RE, e.g. green certificates, legal issues to exploit resources or the capital costs and operational & maintenance costs. Romania’s best RE potential lies in biomass, hydro and wind, but still is a lot to capitalize on geothermal and solar photovoltaic or in conjoint projects between private investors and authorities, especially in waste incineration power plants.Renewable/green energies, CO2 emissions, EROIE, capital costs, O&M costs

Practical aspects of portfolio selection and optimisation on the capital market

This article highlights some observations concerning the deficiencies in the application of statistics on the capital market, with special reference to Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). The main point is the sensitivity of statistical parameters (especially the standard deviation of the daily rates of return) to subjective/random factors. For securities with similar patterns and quasi-identical charts, statistical results in contradiction to the evidence of the market can be obtained. This article makes a pledge in favour of the necessity for increased attention in constructing an optimal/efficient portfolio

Association study between idiopathic male infertility and the MTHFD1 G1958A SNP

Couple infertility is a global health problem and according to the World Health Organization approximately one couple in seven is affected by fertility or subfertility problems. Male infertility in humans has been acknowledged as the cause of couple’s inability to have children in 20-50% of total cases and although there have been much progress in understanding its etiology many of the case are still considered to be idiopathic, arising from an unknown cause. The MTHFD1 G1958A SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) by altering the structure of the encoded enzyme, a trifunctional enzyme which catalyzes the interconversion of 1-carbon derivatives of tetrahydrofolate could lead to an abnormal folate status, hyperhomocysteinemia and altered DNA synthesis. The folate metabolic pathway is essential for DNA methylation, DNA synthesis, as well as methylation of various other substrates, thus a disruption to this cellular pathway may lead to major pathologic consequences. By means of molecular genetic techniques, respectively PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction - Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) we investigated the possible role of MTHFD1 G1958A SNP in the etiology of male infertility by comparing the distribution of this SNP in two groups: a group of 66 men with idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligozoospermia and a control group of 67 healthy men which have at least one child. Statistical analysis was performed by means of chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. The genotype distribution in the two groups was in agreement with the Hardy-Weinberg Law. We obtained the following genotype stratification: 18 (27.3%) G/G, 27 (40.9%) G/A, 21(31.8%) A/A in the cases group compared to 19(28.4%) G/G, 36(53.7%) G/A, 12(17.9%) A/A in the control group; with a p value of 0.23 (odds ratio: 1.85, Cl 95%: 0.71-4.82) when comparing the mutant homozygous status (A/A) to the normal homozygous status (G/G). Because of the profound social, familial, medical and emotional outcomes that male infertility generates a greater emphasis should be made in understanding its etiology. After performing the first study on a Romanian population, due to the similar distribution of the studied polymorphism in the two groups we can state the MTHFD1 G1958A SNP is not a risk factor for idiopathic male infertility in our study group

Professional and Transversal Competencies in the Accounting Field: Do Employers’ Expectations Fit Students’ Perceptions? Evidence from Western Romania

The changes that occur in the labour market due to the recent evolution registered in the field of accounting, led us to initiate a study in which we have as a purpose to analyse the perception that employers and students enrolled in the faculties for accounting from the Western part of our country have regarding the importance of the professional and transversal competencies when they get hired. The research tools used within this research are on the one side grounded on the quiz for data collection, and on the other side the ANOVA method for the analysis of the perception differences found in these two groups discussed upon. The results found in this work represent in the opinion of the authors an important reference mark for the university instruction of the young people who are about to enter the accounting profession, but also for the future employers who are about to interact with them

PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF VALUATIONS FOR MERGERS AND DIVISIONS

The purpose of this article is to present the main problems posed by mergers and divisions, to valuators and experts, called to certify their correctness. This material summarizes the main Romanian and European legislative norms in the field, and shows, through a series of practical examples, which should be the internal legislative changes, in order to avoid logical contradictions, that may arise. This paper proposes a number of solutions and invites professionals and corporations to contribute to legislative regulation of reported issue

Lemon Balm Extracts Prevent Breast Cancer Progression In Vitro and In Ovo on Chorioallantoic Membrane Assay

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignant pathology, representing the primary cause of cancer death in women. Natural products are an appealing strategy to limit the progression of the disease. Targeting angiogenesis in breast cancer may positively impact on poor prognosis of breast cancer. As source of natural compounds, we investigated the leaves of Melissa officinalis L. (MO), known as lemon balm, an aromatic plant that spontaneously grows in the South and Western areas of Romania, being traditionally recommended as anxiolytic, antispasmodic, or as digestive remedy. Our aim was to investigate the phytochemical profiling and the antiangiogenic and chemopreventive bioactivity of MO from Banat region, on breast cancer. Two ethanolic extracts of MO (MOE96 and MOE70) and one methanolic extract (MOM80) were subjected to polyphenol and triterpene profiling by HPLC-MS, and the antioxidant capacity was evaluated. The antiangiogenic potential was investigated using the chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM). The MTT(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay was used to investigate the cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231breast cancer cells, as well as on MCF-10A normal breast epithelial cells, while apoptosis was performed by DAPI staining. Rosmarinic acid (RA) and ursolic acid (UA) were revealed as dominant phytocompounds. The highest concentration in phytochemicals were found in MOM80; MOE96 was more concentrated in UA, while MOE70 extracted more RA. MOE96 inhibited cancer progression and angiogenesis in the in ovo CAM model using MDA-MB-231 cells, inhibiting breast cancer progression and angiogenesis for the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line; no secondary tumoral areas were registered, indicative for a preventive effect against breast tumor cell invasiveness. The highest cell inhibitory activity was also exhibited by MOE96, in particular against the estrogen receptor positive MCF7 breast cancer cell line, with no cytotoxic effect on healthy cells. The estrogen receptor positive MCF7 cell line proved to be more sensitive to the extract antiproliferative activity than the triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. Nevertheless, the chemopreventive potential of MOE96 extract is phenotype-dependent and is rather related to the apoptosis and antiangiogenic effects suggesting a multitargeted mechanism of action due to its multiple compound composition next to a concentration ratio of RA : UA in favor of UA

A Comprehensive Assessment of Apigenin as an Antiproliferative, Proapoptotic, Antiangiogenic and Immunomodulatory Phytocompound

Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) (Api) is an important component of the human diet, being distributed in a wide number of fruits, vegetables and herbs with the most important sources being represented by chamomile, celery, celeriac and parsley. This study was designed for a comprehensive evaluation of Api as an antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory phytocompound. In the set experimental conditions, Api presents antiproliferative activity against the A375 human melanoma cell line, a G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and cytotoxic events as revealed by the lactate dehydrogenase release. Caspase 3 activity was inversely proportional to the Api tested doses, namely 30 μM and 60 μM. Phenomena of early apoptosis, late apoptosis and necrosis following incubation with Api were detected by Annexin V-PI double staining. The flavone interfered with the mitochondrial respiration by modulating both glycolytic and mitochondrial pathways for ATP production. The metabolic activity of human dendritic cells (DCs) under LPS-activation was clearly attenuated by stimulation with high concentrations of Api. Il-6 and IL-10 secretion was almost completely blocked while TNF alpha secretion was reduced by about 60%. Api elicited antiangiogenic properties in a dose-dependent manner. Both concentrations of Api influenced tumour cell growth and migration, inducing a limited tumour area inside the application ring, associated with a low number of capillaries

A comprehensive assessment of apigenin as an antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory phytocompound

Apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone) (Api) is an important component of the human diet, being distributed in a wide number of fruits, vegetables and herbs with the most important sources being represented by chamomile, celery, celeriac and parsley. This study was designed for a comprehensive evaluation of Api as an antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory phytocompound. In the set experimental conditions, Api presents antiproliferative activity against the A375 human melanoma cell line, a G2/M arrest of the cell cycle and cytotoxic events as revealed by the lactate dehydrogenase release. Caspase 3 activity was inversely proportional to the Api tested doses, namely 30 μM and 60 μM. Phenomena of early apoptosis, late apoptosis and necrosis following incubation with Api were detected by Annexin V-PI double staining. The flavone interfered with the mitochondrial respiration by modulating both glycolytic and mitochondrial pathways for ATP production. The metabolic activity of human dendritic cells (DCs) under LPS-activation was clearly attenuated by stimulation with high concentrations of Api. Il-6 and IL-10 secretion was almost completely blocked while TNF alpha secretion was reduced by about 60%. Api elicited antiangiogenic properties in a dose-dependent manner. Both concentrations of Api influenced tumour cell growth and migration, inducing a limited tumour area inside the application ring, associated with a low number of capillaries