Climate change perception in Romania.

Unlabelled: In the last decades, anthropogenic drivers have significantly influenced the natural climate variability of Earth's atmosphere. Climate change has become a subject of major interest for different levels of our society, such as national governments, businesses, local administration, or citizens. While national and local policies propose mitigation and adaptation strategies for different sectors, public perception is a key component of any implementation plan.

Custom Outlier Detection for Electrical Energy Consumption Data Applied in Case of Demand Response in Block of Buildings.

The aim of this paper is to provide an extended analysis of the outlier detection, using probabilistic and AI techniques, applied in a demo pilot demand response in blocks of buildings project, based on real experiments and energy data collection with detected anomalies. A numerical algorithm was created to differentiate between natural energy peaks and outliers, so as to first apply a data cleaning. Then, a calculation of the impact in the energy baseline for the demand response computation was implemented, with improved precision, as related to other referenced methods and to the original data processing.

Chaotic genetic structure and past demographic expansion of the invasive gastropod Tritia neritea in its native range, the Mediterranean Sea.

To better predict population evolution of invasive species in introduced areas it is critical to identify and understand the mechanisms driving genetic diversity and structure in their native range. Here, we combined analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene and 11 microsatellite markers to investigate both past demographic history and contemporaneous genetic structure in the native area of the gastropod Tritia neritea, using Bayesian skyline plots (BSP), multivariate analyses and Bayesian clustering. The BSP framework revealed population expansions, dated after the last glacial maximum.

Antagonistic effects in zebrafish (Danio rerio) behavior and oxidative stress induced by toxic metals and deltamethrin acute exposure.

In natural environments, the aquatic organisms are exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals which may originate from natural sources or from anthropogenic activities. In this context, the aim of the study was to assess the potential effects that might occur when aquatic organisms are simultaneously exposed to multiple chemicals. For that, we have studied the acute effects of cadmium (0.

Connectivity Among Populations of the Top Shell in the Adriatic Sea.

Genetic connectivity studies are essential to understand species diversity and genetic structure and to assess the role of potential factors affecting connectivity, thus enabling sound management and conservation strategies. Here, we analyzed the patterns of genetic variability in the marine snail from five coastal locations in the central-south Adriatic Sea (central Mediterranean) and one in the adjacent northern Ionian Sea, using 21 described polymorphic microsatellite loci. Observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.

Toxic metals biomonitoring based on prey-predator interactions and environmental forensics techniques: A study at the Romanian-Ukraine cross border of the Black Sea.

Marine cross-border areas are ideal for monitoring pollutants so as to increase ecosystems protection. This study was conducted at the Romanian-Ukraine border of the Black Sea to reveal evidence of contamination with toxic metals based on biomonitoring of: cadmium, lead, total chromium, nickel and copper at different water depths and prey-predator interactions, combined with environmental forensics techniques of biological sampling and separation in witnesses size groups. The species used were Mytilus galloprovincialis L.

Toxic metals in tissues of fishes from the Black Sea and associated human health risk exposure.

The anthropogenic activities in the Black Sea area are responsible for toxic metal contamination of sea food products. In this study, several toxic metals: cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium, and copper were quantified in different tissues (digestive tract, muscle, skeleton, skin) of nine fish species (Neogobius melanostomus, Belone belone, Solea solea, Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus, Sardina pilchardus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Pomatomus saltatrix, Sprattus sprattus, Scorpaena porcus) by using atomic absorption spectrometer with a high-resolution continuum source and graphite furnace technique (HR-CS GF-AAS), and the risk of fish meat consumption by the young human population was evaluated. These metals are used in high amounts in industries located near the coastline such as shipyard construction and industrial plants.

Patterns and mechanisms of dispersal in a keystone seagrass species.

Mechanisms and vectors of long-distance dispersal remain unknown for many coastal benthic species, including plants. Indications for the possibility for long-distance dispersal come from dispersal modelling and from genetic assessments, but have rarely been assessed with both methods. To this end, we assessed dispersal of the seagrass Zostera noltei, an important foundation species of the coastal zone.

Contemporary genetic structure and postglacial demographic history of the black scorpionfish, Scorpaena porcus, in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas.

Understanding the distribution of genetic diversity in the light of past demographic events linked with climatic shifts will help to forecast evolutionary trajectories of ecosystems within the current context of climate change. In this study, mitochondrial sequences and microsatellite loci were analysed using traditional population genetic approaches together with Bayesian dating and the more recent approximate Bayesian computation scenario testing. The genetic structure and demographic history of a commercial fish, the black scorpionfish, Scorpaena porcus, was investigated throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

Prevalence of abnormal Pap smears in a consecutive and previously unscreened population in Romania.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of abnormal cervical smears in a previously unscreened and asymptomatic population in Romania and to compare the data with those from other countries in Europe.

Methods: In a retrospective study, data were reviewed from smears obtained from women in Romania who had been referred to the gynecologist between January 2006 and December 2011. The smears were collected through 3 regional opportunistic programs of cervical screening and were classified according to the Bethesda system.

A rare case of glioblastoma multiforme.

A male, 39 years, entered rapidly in coma, was admitted in the Neurological Hospital Brasov and deceased after 4 hrs in hospital. At necropsy, macroscopic appearances of the cut surface showing unique tumour mass in all brain from frontal lobe to cerebellum, with extensive cortical invasion. The tumor has a variable coloration, a yellowish central necrosis and cysts containing turbid fluid.

Biomonitoring of trace metals in the Black Sea (Romania) using mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis.

In a preliminary biomonitoring study, accumulated trace metal concentrations (Cd, Cu, Zn, Hg, Fe, Mn) have been measured in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in the Black Sea, at 100 km from the Danube Delta in February 2001 and February 2002. Mussels were collected from four sites. In 2001 metal concentrations were determined in the whole soft body whereas, in 2002, the distribution of metals was evaluated in three different organs (gills, visceral mass and remaining tissues).

Successful application of MARS therapy in a 7 year-old patient with hepatic chronic rejection and severe cholestatic syndrome.

Liver transplant currently represents the therapeutic method for irreversible acute and chronic liver diseases without any other available therapy. In some cases, before or after liver transplantation, it is necessary to replace the functions of the liver. We report the case of a 7 year-old female patient with type I glycogenosis who was transplanted in July 2001 using living-related donor transplantation and who developed chronic rejection two months later.

Mixed tumor: mucinous papillary cystadenocarcinoma associated with arrhenoblastoma.

A case of a 41-year old woman with an enlargement of the inferior part of the abdomen is presented. An echographic examination established the diagnosis of a right ovarian cyst. During the operation, a 14-cm (5 1/2") tumor, presenting a large ruptured cyst and solid mass, was found.

HBsAg positive secondary autoimmune active chronic hepatitis. Immunogenetic aspects.

Observations were made in a group of 120 patients with active chronic hepatitis (ACH), using demonstration of HBsAg presence, structural study of the peripheral blood mononuclear cell population by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and typing of HLA-A, B and C antigens. From the whole group 22 patients were proved to have an autoimmune form of ACH secondary to infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The authors consider that the diagnostic value of the ratio between B and T lymphocytes (studied by SEM) is relative but the demonstration of an increased percentage of monocytomacrophage cells and the presence of "killing phenomenon" clearly reflect a more severe hepatic inflammation.

Electrophoretogram of lysates deriving from mononuclear cells. Preliminary observation.

Electrophoresis of mononuclear lysates was applied for the first time in the study of the lymphocyte protein content as an additional method beside the rosette test and scanning electron microscopy. The specification of T and B lymphocytes in the presence of discordant results sometimes obtained by the latter methods is facilitated by the additional data supplied by the study of their endoplasmic protein contents. The electfophorogram contributes to a better knowledge of the immunologic status of patients with autoimmune and lymphoproliferative diseases as well as to a more precise determination of the effects following the administration of immunomodulating treatment.

Normal blood cell values in groups of population from various geographic areas of Romania.

The aim of this work was to determine the normal values of erythro-, leuko-, and thrombocytes in several groups of population situated in various geographic areas (hills, plain, sea-side), considering that such data could be useful for the delimitation between the normal conditions and the near-normal ones. Sixteen hematologic parameters have been investigated in 2,053 healthy subjects, insisting particularly on those most frequently required in the clinic, i.e.

Study of the relationship between the granulocyte LDH, alkaline phosphatase and Zn at the level of the leukocyte in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia.

Mixed leukocyte suspensions were prepared from heparinized blood collected from healthy subjects and from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In all the suspensions determinations were made for: zinc, by atomic absorption; granulocyte alkaline phosphatase (GAP), using the method with p-nitrophenylphosphatase; granulocyte LDH, by means of the enzymatic autoanalyser LKD 8,600. In the patients with CML, the values of zinc and of granulocyte alkaline phosphatase activity were very low while the granulocyte LDH values were higher than normal.

The metabolic behaviour of the cellular populations in the pleural or peritoneal effusions from patients with malignant diseases.

Complex morphologic, biochemical and cyto-enzymochemical investigations have been performed in the pleural or peritoneal effusions which occurred in 80 patients with various neoplastic diseases (pleural, pulmonary, hepatic, genital or breast cancers). As shown by the morphologic and biochemical tests, the proportion of fluids with a malignant or benignant character varied widely in the different forms of neoplasias. In the same effusions, the authors have studied the metabolic behaviour of acid phosphatase activity, the glycogen and nucleolar RNA amounts in the lymphocytes, in the malignant cells and in the mesothelial ones.

Eosinophilia in the pleural and peritoneal effusions.

Of 248 patients with various benign or malignant chronic diseases who presented pleural or peritoneal effusions, the authors have selected 16 cases in which the proportion of eosinophils in these fluids exceeded 5% of the total cell count. High values of eosinophilia have been observed mostly in the serous membrane fluids from patients with tuberculosis and various neoplasms. In the authors' opinion, this suggests the participation of eosinophils in the immune processes occurring in the course of these pathologic conditions, in which the lymphocytes are also involved.

The metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes from serous effusions in various benign internal diseases.

The functional status of the lymphocytes from pleural or peritoneal effusions occurring in 148 patients with various internal diseases such as tuberculosis, liver cirrhosis, heart failure and pneumonias was studied by laboratory investigations including morphologic examination, cytoenzymatic, cytochemical and biochemical tests for determining the scores of acid phosphatase activity and of endolymphocytic glycogen, as well as the presence of nucleolar RNA. These values were found increased in the fluids from tb patients and in some cases of liver cirrhosis, heart failure and metapneumonic pleurisies. The variations of these parameters are assumed to provide information on the metabolic behaviour of the lymphocytes present in these fluids and on their participation to the immune, inflammatory processes which occur in the course of some of the diseases investigated.

The value of some cytoenzymochemical investigations of the leukocytes and platelets in estimating the effects of occupational exposure to benzene, vinyl chloride and carbon disulphide.

Cytoenzymochemical investigations were performed on the leukocytes and platelets from 2,782 workers occupationally exposed to benzene, vinyl chloride or carbon disulphide, in view of detecting the eventual occurrence of cytologic metabolic disorders induced by these chemical substances. The cytomorphologic aspects and the cytoenzymochemical parameters studied, such as the leukocyte alkaline phosphatase, endolymphocytic glycogen, lymphocytic nucleolar RNA amounts (revealed by the lymphocyte nucleologram), as well as the platelet counts have shown some abnormal values, whose severity was related to the time of exposure to toxic chemicals. The results obtained demonstrate the utility of such tests for an early detection of some metabolic disorders of the endolymphocytic proteins, carbohydrates or lipids, in view of preventing the occurrence of more severe pathologic consequences.

Alkaline phosphatase activity improved by the addition of zinc in granulocytes from leukemic subjects (in vitro study).

Granulocyte alkaline phosphatase (GAP) was extracted from the leukocyte suspensions of 15 subjects with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), determining the Zn content by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The purified enzymatic preparation was dialyzed against a ZnCl2 solution (.01 mg%) in TRIS-HCl 0.