The Romanian version of the Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR)

The Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR) is a new parent/patient-reported outcome measure that enables a thorough assessment of the disease status in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We report the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the parent and patient versions of the JAMAR in the Romanian language. The reading comprehension of the questionnaire was tested in 15 JIA parents and patients. Each participating centre was asked to collect demographic, clinical data and the JAMAR in 100 consecutive JIA patients or all consecutive patients seen in a 6-month period and to administer the JAMAR to 100 healthy children and their parents. The statistical validation phase explored descriptive statistics and the psychometric issues of the JAMAR: the three Likert assumptions, floor/ceiling effects, internal consistency, Cronbach\u2019s alpha, interscale correlations, test\u2013retest reliability, and construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity). A total of 310 JIA patients (11.9% systemic, 21.6% oligoarticular, 31.9% RF-negative polyarthritis, 34.6% other categories) and 100 healthy children, were enrolled in six centres. The JAMAR components discriminated well healthy subjects from JIA patients except for the health-related quality of life psychosocial health subscales. All JAMAR components revealed good psychometric performances. In conclusion, the Romanian version of the JAMAR is a valid tool for the assessment of children with JIA and is suitable for use both in routine clinical practice and clinical research

Torrefied biomass fuels as a renewable alternative to coal in co-firing for power generation

This study aims to assess the torrefaction of biomass as alternative renewable energy fuel to coal during co-firing. It was evaluated that torrefaction improves biomass grindability to such an extent that it can be used in coal mills with coal in co-firing without capital intensive modification. Torrefaction of beech wood was performed on a batch scale reactor at three different temperatures (200, 250 and 300 °C) with 30 min of residence time. The chemical structural changes in torrefied biomass were investigated with binding energies and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) analysis. Monocombustion and co-combustion tests were performed to examine the combustion behaviour regarding flue gas emissions (CO, NOx and SO2) at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 m distance from the burner opening along with fly ash analysis. The FTIR and binding energies showed that lignin hardly affected during light torrefaction while hemicellulosic material was significantly depleted. The Hardgrove grindability index (HGI) was calculated with three methods (DIN51742, IFK and ISO). The medium temperature torrefied biomass (MTTB) yields HGI value in the range of 32–37 that was comparable with HGI of El Cerrejon coal (36–41). A slight change in temperature enabled the torrefied beech wood to be co-milled with coal without capital intensive modification and improved grindability. Comparing the combustion behaviour of single fuels, low temperature torrefied biomass (LTTB) produces less amount of NOx (426 mg/m3), CO (0.002 mg/m3) and SO2 (2 mg/m3) as compared MTTB and raw beech wood. In the case of co-combustion, it was found that blending of coal with raw biomass does not show a stable behaviour. However, premixing of 50% of coal with 50% of torrefied biomasses (MTTB and LTTB) gives most stable behaviour and reduces NOx almost 30% and SOx up to almost 50% compared to coal. The fly ash contents analysis proved that K2O contents much decreased during co-firing of coal and torrefied fuels that could cause ash related issues during combustion of raw biomass

The execution of court decisions and of other enforceable titles regarding minors, according to the Romanian Civil Procedure Code

Starting from the specific nature and difficulties that occurred during the forced execution of measures regarding minors, by means of this article we intend to present the particular characteristic rules of this procedure, according to the Romanian Civil Procedure Code. We took into consideration, in the elaboration of this study, the updated regulations on this matter and recent jurisprudence developed on relevant legal provisions but also the view of the European Court of Human Rights in such case

A Comparative View on Regulating the Transaction Agreement. French, German and British Law

Over the few decades there has been a steady growth in the conclusion of the transaction contracts,given the multiple needs it responds to-it avoids long delays and high costs associated with the legalproceeding and it ensures the removal of doubt as regards the legal proceeding result. It is the purpose of thisarticle to provide a comparative analysis over the legal regulation of the transaction contract in severalEuropean member states and to examine the legal changes brought by the New Romanian Civil Code. Inorder to achieve these objectives, we have examined the national and foreign legislation and doctrine,confirmed by the case law. Therefore, this study contributes to knowledge of the defining aspects of thetransaction contract at European level, following the crystallization of the legal concept and its normativeevolution

About the Fair Balance of Competing Rights in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The current pandemic situation gives us the opportunity of the following research, which is a plea to use the principle of proportionality as a rational argument in substantiating the restrictive measures adopted by the authorities in order to prevent the spread of Sars-CoV-2 virus. Thus, after (1) we found it appropriate to make general considerations related to governmental measures for public health and safety in the introductory part, we continued with (2) the presentation of the proportionality standard, as a jurisprudential model used both at national and international level, in order to develop (3) proportionality in a narrow sense afterwards, using the formula of professor Robert Alexy, which we consider representative for the structure of balancing competing rights, using a quantifiable model, in which respect we have exemplified the applicability of this formula (4). Finally, we concluded that the principle of proportionality can be a convincing structural approach in the legal reasoning designated to promote the balance of principles (6), although we acknowledge some of the limitations of the proposed method, which we consider that can be overcome (5).</p

Alternative method for minimally invasive determination of the wood fragility from cultural heritage assets

The main objective of the paper is to present an alternative, original method, as a minimally invasive technical solution, to determine the hardness of the damaged wood from the cultural heritage objects. For comparison, standard hardness determinations, Brinell and Janka methods are considered. The correlation of conventional hardness test results with the Brinell method, compared to the proposed MARK 10 test shows that less equivocal methods can be used for equally sensitive values. The minimal invasive measurement solution offers advantages in use and is a novelty with applications for the polychrome wood restoration. In order to determine the destructive level of several methods that determine the hardness of the wood, the different areas of the imprint left by the penetrator are compared: Janka hardness = 100 mm2, Brinell hardness to maximum 78 mm2, Mark 10 puncture being only 1.41 mm2. The general conclusion of the paper highlights the strengths of the researched alternative, experimented and presented by us in order to determine the level of degradation of the wooden supports of the art objects of cultural patrimony. This method brings improvements for diagnosing the degradation level of wood panels as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the consolidation treatment

Evaluation of the efficiency of the consolidation treatment with Paraloid B72, performed on artworks with degraded wood support

The aim of the study is to determine the efficiency of the consolidation treatment with Paraloid B 72, performed on wood degraded by biological attack. The method of determining the HM hardness is an original scientific method, that is minimally invasive and which indicates the level of damage to the substrate before the consolidation treatment and at the end of consolidation, allowing the evaluation of the process. The specimens are tested with the Mark 10 apparatus to determine the HM hardness, which can be related to a standardized hardness. Two consolidation steps are performed in Paraloid B72, 12% solubilized in Mixture (Ethyl Acetate and Toluene, 1:1). At the end of the consolidation, the hardness increases from 6.74 N/mm2 (37.11%) to 13.73 N/mm2 (75.61%), compared to a reference wood, which has a hardness of 18.16 N/mm2

Calorific properties of the wood biomass from some softwood species

The aim of the paper is to highlight the importance of the calorific properties of softwood biomass. The paper presents the caloric power and ash content, important caloric properties in the assessment of wood biomass. Biomass, in the form of wood, was and will remain an important combustible material. The value of ash content for spruce was 3.8% and 4.2% for fir. These values are within the international standards. Wood biomass, as a material can provide the energy need for the population at a reduced price. The combustion process are possible only in the presence of oxygen, which is usually introduced into the focal spot through the combustion air

COMPARISON BETWEEN SPRUCE AND BEECH BRIQUETTES (AS RENEWABLE SOURCE OF COMBUSTIBLE IN ROMANIA) FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PHYSICAL, MECHANICAL AND ENERGETIC PROPERTIES

This paper compares briquettes made of spruce with those made of beech from the perspective of physical, mechanical and energetic features, for the purpose of making the appropriate selection from the market. The main properties being studied are briquettes' density, as a physical feature, resistance to perpendicular compression, as a mechanical feature necessary to determine chips' compression degree and their compression status, and the calorific value as an energetic feature. The research findings show that coniferous tree briquettes are denser and more resistant, but have a lower calorific value. It was also determined that briquettes compression is directly dependent on their density and consequently, briquettes' energy density remains the only property able to collectively characterise the quality of briquette