Analyzing the Impact of Airborne Particulate Matter on Urban Contamination with the Help of Hybrid Neural Networks

In this study, particulate matter (PM), total suspended particulate (TSP), PM10, and PM2.5 fractions) concentrations were recorded in various cities from south of Romania to build the corresponding time series for various intervals. First, the time series of each pollutant were used as inputs in various configurations of feed-forward neural networks (FANN) to find the most suitable network architecture to the PM specificity. The outputs were evaluated using mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between observed series and output series. Second, each time series was decomposed using Daubechies wavelets of third order into its corresponding components. Each decomposed component of a PM time series was used as input in the optimal feed-forward neural networks (FANN) architecture established in the first step. The output of each component was re-included to form the modeled series of the original pollutant time series

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TERTIARY WASTEWATER TREATMENT BY COMPUTER SIMULATION

The aim of this work is to asses conditions for implementation of a Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR) process in theWastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Moreni city (Romania). In order to meet the more increased environmentalregulations, the wastewater treatment plant that was studied, must update the actual treatment process and have tomodernize it. A comparative study was undertaken of the quality of effluents that could be obtained by implementationof biological nutrient removal process like A2/O (Anaerobic/Anoxic/Oxic) and VIP (Virginia Plant Initiative) aswastewater tertiary treatments. In order to asses the efficiency of the proposed treatment schemata based on the datamonitored at the studied WWTP, it were realized computer models of biological nutrient removal configurations basedon A2/O and VIP process. Computer simulation was realized using a well-known simulator, BioWin by EnviroSimAssociates Ltd. The simulation process allowed to obtain some data that can be used in design of a tertiary treatmentstage at Moreni WWTP, in order to increase the efficiency in operation

MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS FOR OPTIMAL DIMENSIONING OF NUMBER AND HEIGHTS OF SOME HYDROTECHNIQUE ON TORRENTIAL FORMATION

This paper is intended to achieve a mathematical model for the optimal dimensioning of number and heights of somedams/thresholds during a downpour, a decrease of water flow rate being obtained and by the solid material depositionsbehind the constructions a new smaller slope of the valley that changes the torrential nature that had before theconstruction is obtained.The choice of the dam and its characteristic dimensions may be an optimization issue and the location of dams on thetorrential (rainfall) aspect is dictated by the capabilities of the foundation and restraint so that the chosen solutions willhave to comply with these sites. Finally, the choice of optimal solution to limit torrential (rainfall) aspect will be basedon a calculation where the number of thresholds / dams can be a variable related to this, their height properly varying.The calculation method presented is an attempt to demonstrate the multiple opportunities available to implement atechnical issue solving conditions offered by the mathematics against soil erosion, which now is currently very topicalon the environmental protection

THE AMELIORATION OF THE MUSCAT D´ADDA VARIETY THROUGH CLONE SELECTION

During the period 1983 – 1999, at INCDBH Stefanesti, the elite Mt. d´Adda 22 St. was selected and grown in contestplantations in order to be destined to the fresh grapevine consumption The identification of the biotypes(clones)having superior quality and production characteristics which manifest constantly, has been achieved through the studyof the elites chosen in comparative fields, using the method of repeated determinations in groups of years, underspecific vineyard conditions. Through repeated verification of the elites in the contest plots the elite Mt. d´Adda 22 St.stood out by superior quality, constant and sustained production of grapevines and the maintenance of the qualitycharacters. The elite was omologated in 2009. There had been identified and studied the clone elites which maintainedtheir productivity and quality characteristics during 2-3 years, which subsequently had been put to vegetativepropagation with a view to obtain the initial grafting material according to the intensive amelioration schemes

Diatoms and their role in aquatic ecosystems

The present article aimed to determine diversity and abundance of diatoms in the river basin of the Cerna River. In order to achieve the objective, samples were taken from the entire course of the river, from 9 specific points (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX) in spring-summer of 2020. 53 species of diatoms classified in 21 genera were determined

Identification of Lynch syndrome risk variants in the Romanian population.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked DownloadTwo familial forms of colorectal cancer (CRC), Lynch syndrome (LS) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), are caused by rare mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) and the genes APC and MUTYH, respectively. No information is available on the presence of high-risk CRC mutations in the Romanian population. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 61 Romanian CRC cases with a family history of cancer and/or early onset of disease, focusing the analysis on candidate variants in the LS and FAP genes. The frequencies of all candidate variants were assessed in a cohort of 688 CRC cases and 4567 controls. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 was performed on tumour tissue. We identified 11 candidate variants in 11 cases; six variants in MLH1, one in MSH6, one in PMS2, and three in APC. Combining information on the predicted impact of the variants on the proteins, IHC results and previous reports, we found three novel pathogenic variants (MLH1:p.Lys84ThrfsTer4, MLH1:p.Ala586CysfsTer7, PMS2:p.Arg211ThrfsTer38), and two novel variants that are unlikely to be pathogenic. Also, we confirmed three previously published pathogenic LS variants and suggest to reclassify a previously reported variant of uncertain significance to pathogenic (MLH1:c.1559-1G>C).European Union EE

Fine Particulate Matter in Urban Environments: A Trigger of Respiratory Symptoms in Sensitive Children

The overall objective of this research was to study children’s respiratory illness levels in Targoviste (Romania) in relationship to the outdoor concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter below 2.5 µm (PM2.5). We monitored and analysed the PM2.5 concentrations according to a complex experimental protocol. The health trial was conducted over three months (October–December 2015) and required the active cooperation of the children’s parents to monitor carefully the respiratory symptoms of the child, i.e., coughing, rhinorrhoea, wheezing, and fever, as well as their outdoor program. We selected the most sensitive children (n = 25; age: 2–10 years) with perturbed respiratory health, i.e., wheezing, asthma, and associated symptoms. The estimated average PM2.5 doses were 0.8–14.5 µg·day−1 for weekdays, and 0.4–6.6 µg·day−1 for the weekend. The frequency and duration of the symptoms decreased with increasing age. The 4- to 5-year old children recorded the longest duration of symptoms, except for rhinorrhoea, which suggested that this age interval is the most vulnerable to exogenous trigger agents (p < 0.01) compared to the other age groups. PM2.5 air pollution was found to have a direct positive correlation with the number of wheezing episodes (r = 0.87; p < 0.01) in November 2015. Monitoring of wheezing occurrences in the absence of fever can provide a reliable assessment of the air pollution effect on the exacerbation of asthma and respiratory disorders in sensitive children