E-ServEval: a system for quality evaluation of the on-line public services

This paper describes the objectives, the general architecture and the components of the web-based system for quality evaluation of the on-line public services developed using the framework of the complex research project “System for quality evaluation of the on-line public services for citizens and business environment (e-ServEval)â€. The paper also presents the technological options regarding the design and development of the system, the functions of the components and the aspects regarding the interface between user and e-ServEval system. Finally, the stage of the project and the conclusions are presented.e-government, e-government services quality, quality evaluation

Tumor necrosis factor-α serum levels in healthy smokers and nonsmokers

Florin Petrescu1, Sebastian Cosmin Voican1, Isabela Silosi21Department of Internal Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, Romania; 2Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Craiova, RomaniaBackground: Tobacco smoking is the most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) development. Inhaled cigarette smoke can induce tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) production by alveolar macrophages, which in turn may enhance the production of metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMPs have been involved in mediating airway inflammation and lung destruction.Objectives: We aimed to measure the TNF-a serum levels in healthy heavy smokers and healthy nonsmokers to determine the dose-response relationship based on the cigarette smoke exposure.Subjects and methods: We included in our study 43 healthy heavy smokers and 19 healthy nonsmokers (the control group). The smokers group was classified as less than one pack, one pack, and more than one pack per day. A clinical and paraclinical evaluation was performed in both groups, without any evidence of infection or COPD. The serum levels of TNF-a were assessed by ELISA.Results: The TNF-a serum levels were significantly higher for the group of smokers compared to the group of nonsmokers (P < 0.004). We also noticed an increased TNF-a concentration in the serum of smokers with more than one pack per day compared with those with less than one pack per day (P < 0.03). There was a positive correlation between the serum level of TNF-a and tobacco smoke exposure.Conclusions: The high levels of TNF-a in the serum of smokers suggest an imbalance between the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors as a result of tobacco smoke exposure. The concentration of TNF-a is elevated in the serum of healthy heavy smokers in a cigarette dose-dependent manner. We speculate that the serum level of TNF-a might be a useful biomarker for the selection of heavy smokers with a high risk of developing smoke induced pulmonary diseases.Keywords: tobacco smoking, inflammation, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, metalloproteinase

Traditional foods at the click of a button : the preference for the online purchase of Romanian traditional foods during the COVID-19 pandemic

The 2020 quarantine demonstrated that online food purchase has become one of the main protagonists of the pandemic. The present study valued the Internet as a mediator between producers and consumers with the power to create new demand for Romanian traditional food during the COVID-19 crisis. Authors aimed at carrying out an exploratory research about the online purchase of traditional foods (TFs). Within this context, the study, firstly, outlines the meaning of traditional foods in the Romanian consumers’ minds and, secondly, it identifies the variables that can predict the preference for the online purchase of TFs during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was carried out to investigate the Romanian consumers’ perceptions (n = 223) of TFs and online purchase of TFs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Binary logistic regression tested the relationship between the preference for the online purchase of TFS (vs. in-store) and seven perceived characteristics of TFs. Results show that the preference for the online purchase of TFs during the COVID-19 pandemic can be predicted by five variables—“TFs taste”; “Effect of TFs consumption on health during the COVID-19 pandemic”; “Effect of online TFs purchase on health during the COVID-19 pandemic”; “How cheap/expensive is to buy TFS online during the COVID-19 pandemic”; and “Easiness to purchase TFS online during the COVID-19 pandemic”. It was concluded that TFs have to claim their place within this digitized landscape by finding the balance between old and new, between preferences for foods taste passed through generations and new life lifestyles at 5G speed

E-ServEval: a system for quality evaluation of the on-line public services

This paper describes the objectives, the general architecture and the components of the web-based system for quality evaluation of the on-line public services developed using the framework of the complex research project “System for quality evaluation of the on-line public services for citizens and business environment (e-ServEval)â€Â. The paper also presents the technological options regarding the design and development of the system, the functions of the components and the aspects regarding the interface between user and e-ServEval system. Finally, the stage of the project and the conclusions are presented

Soil fertility in the Central-southern part of Romania expressed by soil reaction and nutrient content: a case study from the Raul Alb catchment, Dambovita County

The field research took place between 2019 and 2020, in the upper river basin of the Raul Alb creek, located in the northwest of Dambovita County, the analysed land area being 4034 ha. Underlying the research of the complex erosion phenomena faced by the analysed territory was the soil survey, which consisted of sampling 46 soil profiles in the representative areas for the analysed territory. For the analysis of the soil fertility, chemical analyses were performed regarding the pH, humus content, reported to the soil texture in the topsoil and the supply of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), also physical-mechanical analysis (soil texture), interpreted according to the “Methodology for the Development of Pedological Studies, Volumes I, II, III, 1987”. By centralising the obtained results, it found that 59.42% of the total analysed land surface had a weak alkaline pH, at least in the topsoil, due to the CaCO3 content. For the supply of humus, the most significant share is that of the extremely low-supplied soils with this element in the topsoil, i.e. 73.42% of the mapped area, and in terms of the nitrogen supply, 26.67% of the total surface of the river basin shows severe deficiencies in this element. The situation is worrying indeed in the case of the supply of soils with mobile phosphorus, with 3 280.27 ha of the mapped surface having very low or low contents of this element, making up 81.31%. However, for potassium, the soils from the upper sector of the Raul Alb catchment are mostly moderately and well supplied, with only 620.85 ha (15.39%) being extremely poorly supplied with this element

Surgery in tumors of the lateral ventricles – last 8 years experience

Introduction: Tumors of the lateral ventricle are rare lesions including a large variety of benign or malignant tumors. These tumors could originate in the ventricular wall or arising and expanding within the lateral ventricle from the surrounding neural structures. The purpose of this study is to discuss postoperative results and factors that affected the preference for transcallosal or transcortical approach.Material and methods: We performed a retrospective study, lasted between 2005-2013, that comprised 26 consecutive patients who underwent operation for lateral ventricle tumors. The main clinical symptoms and signs were associated with the localization and size of the tumors. Cerebral computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to determine the location and expansion of each tumor. The transcortical approach was used in 17 patients and the transcallosal approach was used in 9 patients.Results: Total tumor resection was achieved in 73% of cases (19 patients). Most frequent histological tumor’s type was glioblastoma, choroid plexus papilloma, ependymoma and meningioma. Signs of increased intracranial pressure were most dominant. One patient died because of postoperative intraventricular hemorrhage. Additional neurological deficits were seen in 3 patients and postoperative seizure occurred in three patients. One patient with preoperative hydrocephalus required ventriculo-peritoneal shunting after tumor’s resection. Two patients developed postoperative epidural hematoma and one required reoperation. 15 of 26 patients received postoperative radiotherapy and 6 of them received adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean duration of postoperative evaluation was 24,32 (range 5-92). Excepting the cases with subtotal resection, two patients were reoperated for recurrences.Conclusions: The nature, size, location and vascularization of intraventricular tumors are the most important elements influencing the choice of surgical approach. Surgeons must evaluate all these factors and prefer the short and safe way to remove the tumor

The degree of soil fertility in the drainage basin of Râul Alb stream, Dâmboviţa county, up to the point it meets Bărbuleţu stream, expressed through the soil reaction and the supply of nutrients (organic matter, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium)

The field research took place in the interval 2019-2020, in the higher drainage basin of Râul Alb stream, located in the north-western part of Dâmboviţa County, the analysis covering an area of 4034 ha. The research into the complex phenomena of erosion in the analyzed area was based on a pedological study, which consisted in performing 46 pedological profiles in representative areas of the analyzed region. After centralizing the results, it was noted that 59.42% of the entire analyzed area display a low alkaline reaction, at least at the level of the upper layer, because of its CaCO3 content, which exacerbates the risk of landslide. From the point of view of the supply of nutrients (humus), most of the soils have a low and extremely low supply of these elements at the level of the upper layer, namely 73.42% of the analyzed area; as for the nitrogen supply, 26,68% of the entire surface of the drainage basin display severe shortages of this element. The situation is really serious in the case of the supply of mobile phosphorus in the soil, 3280.27 ha of the analyzed surface are low and very low in phosphorus, namely 76.20%, while the levels of potassium supply in the soils in the higher drainage basin of Râul Alb stream are mostly moderate and good, only 620.85 ha (14.42%) are extremely low and low in potassium supply

Scientific contributions in order to calculate rainfall erosivity factor (R) from revised universal soil loss equation (rusle) for Valea Tata watershed, Dambovita county, Romania

The research studies on the occurrence of complex soil erosion phenomena in the hydrographic basin of the Valea Tata stream, a right bank tributary of the Ialomita river, were carried out in the period 2017-2021 and aimed to quantify the amount of soil that is lost annually from the surface of the analyzed watershed. The main objective of this study was to calculate the rainfall erosivity factor (R) included in the Revised Universal Soil Erosion Equation (RUSLE) based on the records made in the period 2017-2021 on the experimental field as well as the data recorded at the climate monitoring stations in the proximity of the watershed for a period of 30 years for the calculation of soil loss from the Valea Tata watershed depending on the rain aggressiveness. The average value obtained for the Moroeni climate monitoring station was 289.54 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 with a minimum value of 83.20 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 and a maximum value of 964.06 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 while for Fieni climate monitoring station the values obtained were between 60.99 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 and 537.22 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 with an average value of 193.38 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 . For the experimental field, where the rainfall data, rain intensity and duration of the erosive events were more complex, the results obtained for the erosivity factor (R) has values between 149.50 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 and 800.80 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1 with an average value of 284.91 MJ mm ha-1 h -1 year-1

Research on soil degradation resulting from sheet and gully erosion processes. Case study – the Raul Alb hydrographic basin, Dambovita county, up to the point it meets Barbuletu stream

The research works focused on the upper hydrographic basin of the Raul Alb creek up to the point it meets Barbuletu stream, covering an area of 4 034 ha and aimed at establishing the degree of soil degradation as a result of the complex action of sheet and gully erosion. Following the pedological study, seven soil types have been identified, each with several subtypes, which fall into five large soil classes. Regosols account for 51.00% of the catchment area, followed by eutric cambisols, 18.70%, rendzic leptosols 11.55% and phaeozems 11.00%. The fluvisol, anthrosol and luvisol total 7.75% of the entire basin. The class of Entisols is present in 56.10% of the area, followed by Mollisols 22.55% and Inceptisols 18.70% of the analysed area. The Entisol class (eroded phases) is to be found in 2.26% of the area, whereas the Alfisols account only for 0.39% of the hydrographic basin. In terms of sheet erosion, slightly eroded lands represent 48.26% of the total of 4 034 ha investigated, followed by the moderately eroded ones, 43.97%, whereas 2.27% of soils are strongly and excessively eroded and only 5.50% are not affected by sheet erosion. Deep water erosion is represented by rills, gullies and ravines. Gullies can be found in 35 of the 43 units of identified soils, ravines are present in 2 soil units and only 5 soil units are not affected by gully erosion