Morphological and Morphometrical Aspects of the Auditory Ossicles in the European Badger (Meles Meles).

Given the scarce morphological data regarding the middle ear anatomy of this species, the paper attempts to describe the morphological and morphometrical data of the auditory ossicles in the badger. The study was performed using the standard morphological investigations and provides a complete morphological description of the ossicular assembly (malleus, incus and stapes) with some comparative features and attempts to provide a complete set of standardized metrical data for each ossicle. A more-detailed attempt to compare some functional aspects in the light of combined metrical ratios is also implied.

Mycorrhizal Maps as a Tool to Explore Colonization Patterns and Fungal Strategies in the Roots of Festuca rubra and Zea mays.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are symbionts in the roots of plants. Their role is to sustain host development and maintain the nutritional equilibrium in the ecosystems. The colonization process is dependent on several factors like soil ecology, the genetic diversity of the fungi and host, and agronomic practices.

An Update Regarding the Bioactive Compound of Cereal By-Products: Health Benefits and Potential Applications.

Cereal processing generates around 12.9% of all food waste globally. Wheat bran, wheat germ, rice bran, rice germ, corn germ, corn bran, barley bran, and brewery spent grain are just a few examples of wastes that may be exploited to recover bioactive compounds.

Plants: Sources of Diversity in Propolis Properties.

Propolis or "bee glue" is a resinous waxy substance that is produced by honeybees ( by mixing the exudates collected from plants, namely tree buds, sap flows, leaves, branches and barks with their saliva and beeswax. Propolis composition is very complex. Its main constituents are resins and volatiles originating from plants and wax added by the bee.

A review of species infection in wild animals in Romania.

Nematodes of the genus are important zoonotic parasites present throughout Romania. This study aimed to assess the status of in wild animals in Romania over the past 30 years. A literature review of original studies concerning the only two species (out of the four in Europe) of ( and ) confirmed in wildlife from Romania was conducted and corroborated with the results of our original research concerning the topic.

Consumer acceptance of new food trends resulting from the fourth industrial revolution technologies: A narrative review of literature and future perspectives.

The growing consumer awareness of climate change and the resulting food sustainability issues have led to an increasing adoption of several emerging food trends. Some of these trends have been strengthened by the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution (or Industry 4.0), and its innovations and technologies that have fundamentally reshaped and transformed current strategies and prospects for food production and consumption patterns.

Carrageenan-Based Compounds as Wound Healing Materials.

The following review is focused on carrageenan, a heteroglycan-based substance that is a very significant wound healing biomaterial. Every biomaterial has advantages and weaknesses of its own, but these drawbacks are typically outweighed by combining the material in various ways with other substances. Carrageenans' key benefits include their water solubility, which enables them to keep the wound and periwound damp and absorb the wound exudate.

Highly Sensitive Detection of PQS Quorum Sensing in Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Using Screen-Printed Electrodes Modified with Nanomaterials.

The rapid diagnosis of infection is very important because this bacterium is one of the main sources of healthcare-associated infections. Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) is a specific molecule for quorum sensing (QS) in , a form of cell-to-cell bacterial communication and its levels can allow the determination of the bacterial population. In this study, the development of the first electrochemical detection of PQS using screen-printed electrodes modified with carbon nanotubes (CNT-SPE) is reported.

Nanoparticle coatings for controlled release of quercetin from an angioplasty balloon.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a systemic vascular disease of the legs that results in a blockage of blood flow from the heart to the lower extremities. Now one of the most common causes of mortality in the U.S.

Intestinal parasites of buffalo calves from Romania: molecular characterisation of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis, and the first report of Eimeria bareillyi.

Buffaloes represent an important economic resource for several regions of the world including Romania. In the present study, we examined 104 faecal samples collected from 38 buffalo calves (2-11 weeks old) from household rearing systems in Romania for gastrointestinal parasites. All samples were tested using the saturated salt flotation, McMaster and modified Ziehl-Nielsen staining methods.

Milk protein-based active edible packaging for food applications: An eco-friendly approach.

Whey and casein proteins, in particular, have shown considerable promise in replacing fossil-based plastics in a variety of food applications, such as for O susceptible foods, thereby, rendering milk proteins certainly one of the most quality-assured biopolymers in the packaging discipline. Properties like excellent gas barrier properties, proficiency to develop self-supporting films, adequate availability, and superb biodegradability have aroused great attention toward whey and other milk proteins in recent years. High thermal stability, non-toxicity, the ability to form strong inter cross-links, and micelle formation, all these attributes make it a suitable material for outstanding biodegradability.

Responses of Diversity and Productivity to Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Inputs in a High-Natural-Value Grassland, Transylvanian Plain, Romania.

Ecosystems with high natural value (HNV) have generally been maintained by agricultural practices and are increasingly important for the ecosystem services that they provide and for their socio-economic impact in the ever-changing context. Biodiversity conservation is one of the main objectives of the European Green Deal, which aims to address biodiversity loss, including the potential extinction of one million species. The aim of this research was to trace the effects of organic and mineral fertilizers on the floristic composition, but also on the number of species, of the grasslands with high biodiversity (HNV) from the Transylvanian Plain, Romania.

Effects of Botanical Ingredients Addition on the Bioactive Compounds and Quality of Non-Alcoholic and Craft Beer.

Special beers, known as artisanal, are progressively gaining consumer preference, opening up competition, and acquiring more space in the market. Considering that, exploration for new formulations is justified and plants represent a source of novel compounds with promising antioxidant activity for this beer segment. This paper aims to evaluate the current knowledge on the role of botanical ingredients on the final yield of bioactive compounds in special beer, and how these molecules generally affect the sensory profile.

Factors Affecting Food Consumers' Behavior during COVID-19 in Romania.

Crisis periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic may reshape consumers' behavior and challenge all food chain actors on how to assure and better respond to consumers' needs and wants. This study aimed to reveal the main concerns of consumers related to food consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify factors that may influence their behavior. An online survey was performed among 859 Romanian consumers.

Particularities of the (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Ovipositing Behavior: Practical Applications.

The industrial rearing of Hermetia illucens offers sustainable solutions to the acute challenges of modern society associated with the accumulation of increasing amounts of organic waste, the substantial reduction of natural ocean fish stocks, and the imminent food crisis. Detailed knowledge of the reproductive particularities and reproductive behavior of the species is essential for increasing the efficiency of the breeding technology. This study aimed to identify the affinity shown by females regarding the size of the oviposition slots (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mm), the vertical distribution of the ovipositing rate, and the influence of the substrate’s moisture on ovipositing behavior (dry matter/water: 1:0.

The Effect of Supplementary Feeding with Different Pollens in Autumn on Colony Development under Natural Environment and In Vitro Lifespan of Honey Bees.

Honey bees need pollen and nectar sources to survive in nature. Particularly, having young bees in colonies is vital before wintering, and proper feeding is necessary to achieve this. In the present study, the effect of feeding with pollen sources of different protein content on colony performance, wintering ability and in-vitro longevity of colonies that weakened after feeding with pine honey in autumn, or that needed to enter the winter period, was investigated.

The Impact of Insect Flour on Sourdough Fermentation-Fatty Acids, Amino-Acids, Minerals and Volatile Profile.

(L.1758) has been recently accepted by the European Union as a novel food, being the third insect that has been approved for human consumption. Nowadays, researchers' attention is focused on exploiting new protein sustainable sources, and, therefore, insect flour has gained more and more interest.

Label-Free Electrochemical Aptasensor for the Detection of the 3-O-C-HSL Quorum-Sensing Molecule in .

, an opportunistic Gram-negative bacterium, is one of the main sources of infections in healthcare environments, making its detection very important. N-3-oxo-dodecanoyl L-homoserine lactone (3-O-C-HSL) is a characteristic molecule of quorum sensing-a form of cell-to-cell communication between bacteria-in . Its detection can allow the determination of the bacterial population.

Seronegative with Concomitant SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Dog.

(MG) is a disorder of neuromuscular transmission affecting the neuromuscular junction. The majority of cases involve an autoimmune attack against AChR, but a limited number of patients are seronegative for AChR antibodies. Viral infection is incriminated as a trigger for MG occurrence, and in a limited number of reports, infection with SARS-CoV-2 was found to be associated with MG expression in humans.

Mathematical Modeling and Optimization of Species Single and Co-Culture Fermentation Processes in Wheat and Soy Dough Mixtures.

To improve food production fermentation with co-cultures of microorganisms (e.g., multiple lactic acid bacteria-LAB strains), one must fully understand their metabolism and interaction patterns in various conditions.

The Effects of Conservation Tillage on Chemical and Microbial Soil Parameters at Four Sites across Europe.

Conservation tillage is often discussed as an effective tool to improve the soil quality in agriculture. Four sites across Europe (in Germany, Romania, Spain, and Sweden) were investigated as case studies for country-specific reductions in tillage intensity. Conventional tillage (CT) by mouldboard ploughing was compared with shallow and deep non-inversion minimum tillage (MT) and/or no-tillage (NT).

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Fertilization Influence Yield, Growth and Root Colonization of Different Tomato Genotype.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are beneficial for plant development and help absorb water and minerals from the soil. The symbiosis between these fungi and plant roots is extremely important and could limit crop dependence on fertilizers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of AMF on tomatoes ( L.

Improving the Carotenoid Content in Maize by Using Isonuclear Lines.

Carotenoids are important biologically active compounds in the human diet due to their role in maintaining a proper health status. Maize ( L.) is one of the main crops worldwide, in terms of production quantity, yield and harvested area, as it is also an important source of carotenoids in human nutrition worldwide.

Applications of Innovative Non-Thermal Pulsed Electric Field Technology in Developing Safer and Healthier Fruit Juices.

The deactivation of degrading and pectinolytic enzymes is crucial in the fruit juice industry. In commercial fruit juice production, a variety of approaches are applied to inactivate degradative enzymes. One of the most extensively utilized traditional procedures for improving the general acceptability of juice is thermal heat treatment.