278 research outputs found

    ONLINE MEDIA COVERAGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTEST IN ROMANIA. ROƞIA MONTANĂ CASE

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    Romania, the place where protests never take place, has been facing significant civil disobedience and street demonstrations in the last years. Of them, environmental protests present several particularities and do not convey social problems. The cyanide exploitation in RoƟia Montană in Romania has been debated lately due to the fact that the place is part of the Romanian historical heritage and due to the negative environment impact. The project has been delayed several times being subject to political and public environment policies. Moreover, the cyanide exploitation generated protests and street demonstrations against the project. The present study reveals the media coverage of the protest and analyses the way Romanian media referred to the environmental protest related to RoƟia Montană through messages. We investigate the media message and implicitly the representation comprised in it. Our analysis includes several predetermined indicators in order to evaluate the media impact regarding the case: environment, economics, and legislative framework, presence of protests, involvement of non-governmental organizations, civil society/community and politicians

    Misunderstanding opportunities: (post-)resettlement issues in the Recea neighbourhood of Alba Iulia

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    Although its gold mining project has been locked in public debates and permit reviews for over a decade, a Canadian-Romanian company privately negotiated with the inhabitants of RoƟia Montană commune, Romania, to buy their households and lands, and resettle them in a specially built neighbourhood in the city of Alba Iulia. This paper suggests that while the paternalistic character of resettlement has allowed resettlers to partially keep their group identity, and partially to reconstruct it in relation with the host community, it was also based on a misunderstanding of the relationship between resettlers and the organiser of resettlement. Drawing on field research, the resettlement was studied as a “continuous process” spanning three years (2010-12), during which this paper identifies (1) the changes in lifestyle, (2) the mechanisms of community regeneration, and (3) post-resettlement initiatives of resettlers. Although greater living costs (utility bills, real estate taxes, transportation) and unemployment seem to be balanced by better living conditions and greater educational opportunities for their children, the ambivalent paternalistic aspect of the resettlement has negatively influenced the development of the new community. While at first community issues were unsuccessfully addressed to the company, recent public improvement initiatives by resettlers have caused tensions between the two sides

    Editorial paper : exploring management through qualitative research : introductory remarks

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    Our intention with this special issue is to continue a rich, scholarly dialogue on producing insightful qualitative research in the management field. Being engaged in fieldwork through varied research endeavors, we have experienced challenges and uncertainties when doing qualitative research (e.g., Najda-Janoszka, 2016a, 2016b; Daba-Buzoianu, Bira, Tudorie & Duduciuc, 2017; Daba-Buzoianu & Bira, 2017). Despite a growing number of studies pertaining to the interpretative approach, there are no universal standards for conducting qualitative inquiry (Bluhm, Harman, Lee, & Mitchell, 2010; Cassell & Symon, 2015). Moreover, advocates of qualitative research have been arguing against development of such standards (Sinkovics & Alfoldi, 2012; Pratt, 2009), because it could put at risk the fluid and emergent nature of qualitative research (Cassell & Symon, 2015). Hence, the enduring dilemma relates to the balance between the creative, inherent messiness of qualitative research and methodological rigor (Cyfert, 2014; Sinkovics & Alfoldi, 2012). We agree with the standpoint of Symon,- Cassell and Johnson (2016) that evaluation criteria should not marginalize alternative perspectives nor impose unified normative practices. Representing different research backgrounds (strategic management, communication) as well as perspectives (organizational, individual) we have discussed promising opportunities for management studies stemming from confronting distinct research traditions within an interpretive approach. The biennial conference, Qualitative Research in Communication (QRC) in Bucharest, provided the perfect environment to enhance such a debate and resulted in a call for this special issue. Papers included in the issue do not contribute to the standardization trend but are expected to show the diversity of methods used and phenomena studied in the qualitative research in management

    BUILDING A DISCIPLINE. THE SETUP OF COMMUNICATION AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE IN ROMANIA

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    This paper aims to shed a light on the importance of looking on the epistemological and methodological grounds of communication as a discipline in Romania in order to be able to discuss about the professionalization of the domain. We start from the widely acknowledged idea that communication is a new and emerging field, drawing its concepts, theories, and methods from diverse other fields and domains. In Romania, as well as in other former communist countries, after 1990 the changes in the political and economic situation created the premises to establish university programs in communication and to create jobs for people working in communication. All these were possible with the help of “imports” from the Western world, imports that transferred not only concepts and theories, but also the epistemological dispute and weakness of the field. This paper explores the development and the current state of communication as an academic discipline in Romania. Through an analysis of the social documents available on the University program’s website, we seek to understand the theoretical roots of the discipline of communication, as well as its current development.

    LOOKING FOR THE BEST SLOGAN: AN ANALYSIS OF THE SLOGANS OF THE 2016 ROMANIAN PARLIAMENTARY CAMPAIGN

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    The paper investigates the slogans released by political parties during the elections for the Romanian Parliament in 2016, by addressing the way they have been perceived by both political analysts and students enrolled in communication programs. We aim to see how two different target audience evaluate the slogans and how they refer to them. Also, we are interested to see what the students remember about the slogans after six months after the end of the campaign, in order to explore if their memories about the slogans had any connection with the political analysts comments made during the elections

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels under chronic natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis. A preliminary report

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    Aim of the study Our main purpose was to investigate if the chronic treatment with the disease-modifying drug natalizumab shows quantifiable effect on BDNF levels in multiple sclerosis patients. Materials and Methods BDNF plasma concentration was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in healthy individuals, not treated multiple sclerosis patients and patients treated with natalizumab. Results Multiple sclerosis patients have a significantly lower amount of peripheral BDNF than healthy individuals. Patients treated with natalizumab have significantly higher BDNF levels than not treated patients. Conclusions Chronic natalizumab treatment is associated with significantly increased plasma BDNF concentration in multiple sclerosis

    Neuroprotection and Recovery in Multiple Sclerosis

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    Multiple sclerosis is a complex and heterogeneous immune-mediated disease that results in the progressive accumulation of mental and physical symptoms. Currently approved disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) are immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive, but these drugs have little effect on disease progression. In addition to studies that have directly targeted inflammation and immune responses, a large number of studies, most of them experimental, have investigated neuroprotective therapies and remyelination strategies. However, to date, attempts to provide neuroprotection have failed not just in multiple sclerosis but in neurological disorders in general; this situation has emphasized the need to revise the old paradigm of a “magic bullet” with a single mechanism of action. Remyelination strategies involve either promoting endogenous remyelination or replacing lost myelinating cells through exogenous sources. However, several puzzle pieces regarding the physiology of remyelination remain unknown, including feasible treatment monitoring methods, the selection of patients, and the optimal time of treatment initiation. This chapter will describe the direct and indirect neuroprotective effects of DMDs, as suggested by basic research studies and confirmed by clinical studies in some cases. Current knowledge of potential neuroprotective therapies and remyelination strategies is also reviewed

    Untargeted Metabolomics for Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. carpatica) Berries and Leaves: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy as a Rapid Approach for Evaluation and Discrimination

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    Untargeted metabolomics coupled with chemometric analysis was applied to evaluate and discriminate six Romanian sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) berries and leaves. Total carotenoids and total phenolics were determined quantitatively by UV-Vis spectrometry. The qualitative evaluation and discrimination was obtained using the FTIR fingerprints (by using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy) of raw carotenoid and phenolic extracts. The average concentration of total carotenoids was 54 and 3.9 mg carotenoids/ 100g DW in berries and leaves, respectively. The average concentration of total phenolics was 746 mg GAE/100g DW in berries, approximately 1.8 times lower than total phenolics found in leaves. By PCA (Principal Component Analysis) of fingerprints (900-1800 cm-1), the responsible bands for samples discrimination were identified. In case of total carotenoids extract the biomarker bands were: 1745, 1743, 1500 cm-1 for berries and 1458 cm-1 and 1735 cm-1 for leaves, while for total phenolic extract the key bands were 1731, 1033, 1622 cm-1 for berries and 1047 cm-1, 1616, 1512 and 1454 cm-1 for leaves. FTIR spectroscopy proved to be a simple and sensitive analytical technique that can be successfully used in sample discrimination and classification

    Sclerosis multiplex stroke jellegƱ tĂŒnetekkel: kihĂ­vĂł diagnĂłzis egy eset kapcsĂĄn

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    Absztrakt A stroke jellegƱ relapsus sclerosis multiplex esetĂ©n kihĂ­vĂĄst jelentƑ diagnĂłzis, amelynek megĂĄllapĂ­tĂĄsĂĄra gyors Ă©s hatĂ©kony döntĂ©s szĂŒksĂ©ges a megfelelƑ terĂĄpia kivĂĄlasztĂĄsa Ă©rdekĂ©ben. A szerzƑk az eset bemutatĂĄsa kapcsĂĄn a differenciĂĄldiagnosztikai nehĂ©zsĂ©gekre összpontosĂ­tanak. A megtĂ©vesztƑ jelek ellenĂ©re a lĂ©pĂ©senkĂ©nti specifikus vizsgĂĄlatokra felĂ©pĂ­tett megközelĂ­tĂ©s felfedte a legvalĂłszĂ­nƱbb diagnĂłzist Ă©s ezĂĄltal az optimĂĄlis klinikai ellĂĄtĂĄst. Orv. Hetil., 2015, 156(37), 1514–1518

    Effects of Feeding Bt Maize to Sows during Gestation and Lactation on Maternal and Offspring Immunity and Fate of Transgenic Material

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    peer-reviewedBackground: We aimed to determine the effect of feeding transgenic maize to sows during gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring immunity and to assess the fate of transgenic material. Methodology/Principal Findings: On the day of insemination, sows were assigned to one of two treatments (n = 12/treatment); 1) non-Bt control maize diet or 2) Bt-MON810 maize diet, which were fed for ~143 days throughout gestation and lactation. Immune function was assessed by leukocyte phenotyping, haematology and Cry1Ab-specific antibody presence in blood on days 0, 28 and 110 of gestation and at the end of lactation. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cell cytokine production was investigated on days 28 and 110 of gestation. Haematological analysis was performed on offspring at birth (n = 12/treatment). Presence of the cry1Ab transgene was assessed in sows' blood and faeces on day 110 of gestation and in blood and tissues of offspring at birth. Cry1Ab protein presence was assessed in sows' blood during gestation and lactation and in tissues of offspring at birth. Blood monocyte count and percentage were higher (P<0.05), while granulocyte percentage was lower (P<0.05) in Bt maize-fed sows on day 110 of gestation. Leukocyte count and granulocyte count and percentage were lower (P<0.05), while lymphocyte percentage was higher (P<0.05) in offspring of Bt maize-fed sows. Bt maize-fed sows had a lower percentage of monocytes on day 28 of lactation and of CD4+CD8+ lymphocytes on day 110 of gestation, day 28 of lactation and overall (P<0.05). Cytokine production was similar between treatments. Transgenic material or Cry1Ab-specific antibodies were not detected in sows or offspring. Conclusions/Significance: Treatment differences observed following feeding of Bt maize to sows did not indicate inflammation or allergy and are unlikely to be of major importance. These results provide additional data for Bt maize safety assessment.The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement number 211820 and the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Programme
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