A comprehensive analysis concerning eating behavior associated with chronic diseases among Romanian community nurses.

Introduction: Lifestyle factors, including inadequate eating patterns, emerge as a critical determinant of chronic disease. Apart from caring for patients, nurses should also take an active role in monitoring and managing their own health. Understanding the intricate relationship between nurses' eating behavior and managing their own health is crucial for fostering a holistic approach to healthcare, therefore our study aimed to evaluate eating behavior and demographic factors influencing chronic disease prevalence in a sample of community nurses from Romania. Methods: Between October-November 2023, 1920 community nurses were invited to answer an online survey, using an advertisement in their professional network. Of them, 788 responded. In the survey, which included a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire with 53 food items, the Intuitive Eating Survey 2 (IES-2), and demographic items were used. Results: A multivariate model was built for the prediction of the association between eating behavior and other factors associated with chronic diseases. The majority of participants were females (95.1%), with the largest age group falling between 40 and 49.9 years (48.2%). Regarding the EFSA criteria for adequate carbohydrate and fat intake, 20.2% of the group have a high intake of carbohydrates, respectively, 43.4% of the group have a high intake of fat. Analysis of chronic diseases indicated that 24.9% of individuals reported at least one diagnosis by a physician. The presence of chronic disease was associated with a low level of perceived health status, with an OR = 3.388, 95%CI (1.684-6.814), compared to those reporting excellent or very good perceived health status. High stress had an OR = 1.483, 95%CI (1.033-2.129). BMI had an OR = 1.069, 95%CI (1.032-1.108), while low carbohydrate diet score had an OR = 0.956, 95%CI (0.920-0.992). Gender and IES-2 did not significantly contribute to the model, but their effect was controlled. Discussion: By unraveling the intricate interplay between nutrition, lifestyle, and health outcomes in this healthcare cohort, our findings contribute valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions and support programs tailored to enhance the well-being of community nurses and, by extension, the patients they support.

Gratitude, Job Resources, and Job Crafting: A Two-Wave Longitudinal Study on a Sample of Romanian Employees / [La gratitud, los recursos del puesto de trabajo y la adaptación del puesto al empleado: un estudio en dos momentos con una muestra de empleados rumanos]

In this two-wave study, we tested whether there would be positive and reciprocal relationships between employees’ gratitude and the job resources they perceive at work, as well as between gratitude and job crafting behaviours. Moreover, we explored whether job crafting could mediate the relationship between gratitude and job resources. The participants were 275 Romanian employees. No evidence for reciprocal relationships was found. Results showed that gratitude at T1 predicted more job resources at T2 (three months later), but job resources did not predict employees’ gratitude over time. One dimension of job crafting (increasing challenging job demands) at T1 positively predicted employees’ gratitude at T2, but the prospective effect of gratitude on job crafting was not significant (except for a marginally significant effect on increasing structural job resources). Job crafting did not mediate the longitudinal relationship between employees’ gratitude and job resources. These findings are discussed in relation to previous literature.(AU)

En este estudio se probó en dos momentos distintos si había relaciones positivas recíprocas entre la gratitud de los empleados y los recursos que percibían en el trabajo, así como entre la gratitud y la adaptación del puesto de trabajo al empleado. También se exploró si la adaptación del puesto al empleado podría mediar la relación entre gratitud y recursos del puesto de trabajo. En el estudio participaron 275 empleados rumanos. No se demostró que hubiera relaciones recíprocas. Los resultados indican que la gratitud en T1 predecía más los recursos del puesto en T2 (tres meses después), pero estos no predecían la gratitud de los empleados a lo largo del tiempo. Una dimensión de la adaptación del puesto al empleado, endurecer las exigencias del puesto en T1 predecía en sentido positivo la gratitud de los empleados en T2, pero el efecto prospectivo de la gratitud en la adaptación del puesto a los empleados no era significativo, excepto un efecto marginalmente significativo en el aumento de los recursos estructurales del puesto. La adaptación del puesto al empleado no mediaba la relación longitudinal entre la gratitud de los empleados y los recursos del puesto de trabajo. Se comentan los resultados en relación con las publicaciones anteriores.(AU)

Vitamin D Status in the Adult Population of Romania-Results of the European Health Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is recognized as a general health condition globally and is acknowledged as a public health concern in Europe. In Romania, a national program of examination of the status of vitamin D for high-risk groups has demonstrated a vitamin D deficiency prevalence of 39.83%. No national data on the status of vitamin D in the general adult population are available to date. METHODS: We used the framework of the European Health Examination Survey to analyze vitamin D levels in a sample population of adults aged 25-64 years, from 120 family doctors' patients lists, by using a sequential sampling method. Data were weighted to the Romanian population. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL. RESULTS: In total, 5380 adults aged 25-64 years were included in this study. The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is 24.8%. Predictors of vitamin D deficiency were found to be obesity, female sex, living in rural areas, lower education level, and lower socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: Specific recommendations for vitamin D screening and supplementation should be issued for women by specialist boards. Further studies are needed to identify seasonal variation and to establish a correlation with nutritional surveys.

Intensive pasture management alters the composition and structure of plant-pollinator interactions in Sibiu, Romania.

Background: Land management change towards intensive grazing has been shown to alter plant and pollinator communities and the structure of plant-pollinator interactions in different ways across the world. Land-use intensification in Eastern Europe is shifting highly diverse, traditionally managed hay meadows towards intensive pastures, but few studies have examined how this influences plant-pollinator networks. We hypothesized that the effects of intensive grazing on networks will depend on how plant communities and their floral traits change. Methods: We investigated plant and pollinator diversity and composition and the structure of plant-pollinator interactions near Sibiu, Romania at sites that were traditionally managed as hay meadows or intensive pastures. We quantified the identity and abundance of flowering plants, and used transect walks to observe pollinator genera interacting with flowering plant species. We evaluated the effects of management on diversity, composition and several indices of network structure. Results: Pollinator but not plant diversity declined in pastures and both plant and pollinator taxonomic composition shifted. Functional diversity and composition remained unchanged, with rather specialized flowers having been found to dominate in both hay meadows and pastures. Apis mellifera was found to be the most abundant pollinator. Its foraging preferences played a crucial role in shaping plant-pollinator network structure. Apis mellifera thus preferred the highly abundant Dorycnium herbaceum in hay meadows, leading to hay meadows networks with lower Shannon diversity and interaction evenness. In pastures, however, it preferred less abundant and more generalized flower resources. With pollinators being overall less abundant and more generalized in pastures, we found that niche overlap between plants was higher. Discussion: With both hay meadows and pastures being dominated by plant species with similar floral traits, shifts in pollinator preferences seem to have driven the observed changes in plant-pollinator interaction networks. We thus conclude that the effects of grazing on pollinators and their interactions are likely to depend on the traits of plant species present in different management types as well as on the effects of grazing on plant community composition. We thereby highlight the need for better understanding how floral abundance shapes pollinator visitation rates and how floral traits may influence this relationship.

Occurrence and distribution of azole antifungal agents in eight urban Romanian waste water treatment plants.

Azole compounds are utilized to combat fungal infections in plants to protect them and also used for treating mycosis in humans. The LC-MS/MS method is a technique that combines liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for analysis of twelve azole compounds from wastewater (influent, effluent) and sewage sludge. The compounds were isolated from waste water using automatic extraction in the solid phase. Sludge samples were dried by lyophilization, after which they were subjected to ultrasound extraction with methanol. The quantification limits ranged from 0.3 ng/L (clotrimazole-CLO and prochloraz-PRO) to 1.5 ng/L (tetraconazole-TEB and penconazole-PEN), for wastewater samples and for sewage sludge, the LOQs ranged from 0.1 ng/g to 0.6 ng/g. High concentrations of climbazole-CLI (207-391 ng/L), tebuconazole (92-424 ng/L), and clotrimazole (6.9-93-ng/L) were observed in influent samples of the 8 urban wastewater treatment plants, followed by fluconazole (49.3-76.8 ng/L), and prochloraz (7.3-72 ng/L). The ∑Azoles had a maximum of 676 ng/L in the Galati effluent, followed by the Bucharest station 357 ng/L, and 345 ng/L in the Braila effluent. The highest value of the daily mass loading (input) level was observed for climbazole, 265 mg/day/1000 in Iasi station, followed by tebuconazole, 238 mg/day/1000 people in the Bucharest station, and 203 mg/day/1000 people for climbazole in the Targoviste station. The daily mass emission presented values between 0.7 and 247 mg/day/1000 people. The highest emissions were observed for climbazole, 247 mg/day/1000 people in Braila station; 174 mg/day/1000 people in the Iasi station and 129 mg/day/1000 people in the Bucharest station. The concentrations of climbazole detected in the effluent can present a high risk for the plants Lemna minor and Navicula pelliculosa. Clotrimazole may present a high risk to the plant Desmodesmus subspicatus and to the invertebrate Daphnia magna. PRO may present high risk to the invertebrate Mysidopsis Bahia.

Genomic Analysis of Romanian Lycium Genotypes: Exploring BODYGUARD Genes for Stress Resistance Breeding.

Goji berries, long valued in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Asian cuisine for their wide range of medicinal benefits, are now considered a 'superfruit' and functional food worldwide. Because of growing demand, Europe and North America are increasing their goji berry production, using goji berry varieties that are not originally from these regions. European breeding programs are focusing on producing Lycium varieties adapted to local conditions and market demands. By 2023, seven varieties of goji berries were successfully registered in Romania, developed using germplasm that originated from sources outside the country. A broader project focused on goji berry breeding was initiated in 2014 at USAMV Bucharest. In the present research, five cultivated and three wild L. barbarum genotypes were compared to analyse genetic variation at the whole genome level. In addition, a case study presents the differences in the genomic coding sequences of BODYGUARD (BDG) 3 and 4 genes from chromosomes 4, 8, and 9, which are involved in cuticle-related resistance. All three BDG genes show distinctive differences between the cultivated and wild-type genotypes at the SNP level. In the BDG 4 gene located on chromosome 8, 69% of SNPs differentiate the wild from the cultivated genotypes, while in BDG 3 on chromosome 4, 64% of SNPs could tell the difference between the wild and cultivated goji berry. The research also uncovered significant SNP and InDel differences between cultivated and wild genotypes, in the entire genome, providing crucial insights for goji berry breeders to support the development of goji berry cultivation in Romania.

Polyphenolic profile and antioxidant properties of Momordica charantia L. 'Enaja' cultivar grown in Romania.

This is the first study describing phenolics of Momordica charantia L. 'Enaja' cultivar (bitter melon) produced in Romania. Total polyphenol content, total tannin content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of bitter melon stems and leaves, young fruits, and ripe fruits grown in Romania were analysed, along with fruits imported from India. The UPLC-DAD analysis led to the identification of (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, luteolin-3',7-di-O-glucoside, luteolin-7-O-glucoside and vanillic acid. (-)-Epicatechin (859 µg/g) and (+)-catechin (1677 µg/g) were the most abundant compounds in stems and leaves, while in the ripe fruits, luteolin-7-O-glucoside (310 µg/g) was the main phenolic. Stems and leaves were the most active for capturing free DPPH radicals (IC50 = 216.9 ± 11.91 µg/ml); the scavenging activity strongly correlated with the flavonoid content (r = 0.8806, r2 = 0.7754). Momordica charantia fruits from Romania, both young and ripe, are a source of polyphenols as valuable as those imported from India.

The Chemical Profile, Antioxidant, and Anti-Lipid Droplet Activity of Fluid Extracts from Romanian Cultivars of Haskap Berries, Bitter Cherries, and Red Grape Pomace for the Management of Liver Steatosis.

This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of fluid extracts obtained from three Romanian cultivars of haskap berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) var. Loni, bitter cherries (Prunus avium var. sylvestris Ser.) var. Silva, and pomace from red grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) var. Mamaia, and their capacity to modulate in vitro steatosis, in view of developing novel anti-obesity products. Total phenolic, flavonoid, anthocyanin, and ascorbic acid content of fluid extracts was spectrophotometrically assessed and their free radical scavenging capacity was evaluated using Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) and free 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical inhibition assays. The Pearson coefficients showed a moderate correlation between the antioxidant activity of fluid extracts and their phenolic content, but a strong correlation between anthocyanin and ascorbic acid content. HPLC analysis identified and quantified the main phenolic compounds of chlorogenic and syringic acid, catechin, and glycosylated kaempferol, apigenin, and quercetin, in variable proportions. An in vitro experimental model of steatosis was developed in HepG2 hepatocytes treated with a mixture of free fatty acids. Cell culture analyses showed that cytocompatible concentrations of fluid extracts could significantly reduce the lipid accumulation and inhibit the reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide secretion in stressed hepatocytes. In conclusion, these results put an emphasis on the chemical compounds' high antioxidant and liver protection capacity of unstudied fluid extracts obtained from Romanian cultivars of bitter cherries var. Silva and pomace of red grapes var. Mamaia, similar to the fluid extract of haskap berries var. Loni, in particular, the positive modulation of fat deposition next to oxidative stress and the lipid peroxidation process triggered by fatty acids in HepG2 hepatocytes. Consequently, this study indicated that these fluid extracts could be further exploited as hepatoprotective agents in liver steatosis, which provides a basis for the further development of novel extract mixtures with synergistic activity as anti-obesity products.

Phytochemical and Nutraceutical Screening of Ethanol and Ethyl Acetate Phases of Romanian Galium verum Herba (Rubiaceae).

Galium species are used worldwide for their antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties. Although this plant has demonstrated its antitumor properties on various types of cancer, its biological activity on cutaneous melanoma has not been established so far. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the phytochemical profile of two extracts of G. verum L. herba (ethanolic and ethyl acetate) as well as the biological profile (antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor effects) on human skin cancer. The extracts showed similar FT-IR phenolic profiles (high chlorogenic acid, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, and rutin), with high antioxidant capacity (EC50 of ethyl acetate phase (0.074 ± 0.01 mg/mL) > ethanol phase (0.136 ± 0.03 mg/mL)). Both extracts showed antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus bacilli strains, the ethyl acetate phase being more active. Regarding the in vitro antitumor test, the results revealed a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect against A375 melanoma cell lines, more pronounced in the case of the ethyl acetate phase. In addition, the ethyl acetate phase stimulated the proliferation of human keratinocytes (HaCaT), while this effect was not evident in the case of the ethanolic phase at 24 h post-stimulation. Consequently, G. verum l. could be considered a promising phytocompound for the antitumor approach of cutaneous melanoma.

Evaluation of Non-Alcoholic Beverages and the Risk Related to Consumer Health among the Romanian Population.

The range of non-alcoholic drinks is very varied both from a compositional point of view and from a caloric and nutritional point of view. The excessive consumption of sweetened non-alcoholic beverages represents an important risk factor for health, especially when it is accompanied by an unbalanced diet and a disordered lifestyle. In order to evaluate the consumption of non-alcoholic beverages correlated with the evaluation of the main lifestyle factors that can affect the state of health among Romanians, a cross-sectional observational study was carried out based on a questionnaire. The results of the study indicate that among the most consumed non-alcoholic drinks are coffee and sweetened carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, which are indicated as being responsible for the development of consumption addictions: 44% for coffee, 16.5% for sweetened or tonic carbonated drinks and 12% for sweetened non-carbonated drinks. Considering that the consumption of coffee is usually associated with sweeteners, there is a risk of excessive caffeine and caloric intake in a context where a lack of exercise predominates (59.98%) among respondents declaring that they do sports rarely or not at all, which can lead, in the long term, to the appearance of imbalances either of a psycho-emotional nature or of a metabolic nature. A significant link was found between sports activity and the environment in which they work (χ2 = 51.33, p = 0.05). Respondents with a daily activity that involves movement (working outdoors, working on a construction site) are also those who usually do sports, while 60.67% of the respondents who work a lot in front of the computer declared that they do sports very rarely or not at all. Reducing the excessive consumption of sweetened drinks can be achieved through an appropriate consumption of water and fruits and by intensifying physical activity as a way of counterbalancing the excess caloric intake.

Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Efficacy on Endometrial Thickness and Infertility: A Single-Centre Experience from Romania.

(1) Background: During IVF (in vitro fertilization), a proper endometrium thickness is one of the most difficult parameters to achieve and one of the most important prognostic factors of the success rate. One major problem is the high cancelation percentage in frozen embryo transfer cycles. The focus on the adjuvant methods for improving endometrium thickness is an on-going subject of interest. (2) Methods: This prospective single-arm self-control study was conducted in an IVF centre in Oradea, Romania. The patients were divided into two groups. The control group included 51 patients with at least one attempt to transfer a good-quality blastocyst, but the endometrial thickness did not surpass 7 mm under standard endometrial preparation protocol with oestradiol and with adjuvant therapy (other than PRP, such as aspirin, vitamin C, and vitamin E), and the study group included the same 51 patients that had the embryo transfer performed under the same standard endometrial preparation protocol with oestradiol preparation protocol and intrauterine PRP infusion. (3) Results: In our study, the PRP treatment had a positive impact on the parameters that were followed for the evaluation of the success rate of the embryo transfer procedure. The endometrial thickness (an increase in endometrial thickness by 0.6 mm after PRP treatment with p = 0.0001) and the clinical pregnancy rate (having a MD ± SD of 0 ± 0.38 before PRP treatment and with an increase to 0.5 ± 0.1 after the PRP treatment, p = 0.0004) were statistically significant (4) Conclusions: PRP has a positive effect in promoting endometrial proliferation, improving embryo implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate for women with thin endometrium.

Spatial modelling of topsoil properties in Romania using geostatistical methods and machine learning.

Various research topics from the field of soil science or agriculture require digital maps of soil properties as input data. Such maps can be achieved by digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques which have developed consistently during the last decades. Our research focuses on the application of geostatistical methods (including ordinary kriging, regression-kriging and geographically weighted regression) and machine learning algorithms to produce high resolution digital maps of topsoil properties in Romania. Six continuous predictors were considered in our study (digital elevation model, topographic wetness index, normalized difference vegetation index, slope, latitude and longitude). A tolerance test was performed to ensure that all predictors can be used for the purpose of digital soil mapping. The input soil data was extracted from the LUCAS database and includes 7 chemical properties (pH, electrical conductivity, calcium carbonate, organic carbon, N, P, K) and the particle-size fractions (sand, silt, clay). The spatial autocorrelation is higher for pH, organic carbon and calcium carbonate, as indicated by the partial sill / nugget ratio of semivariograms, meaning that these properties are more predictable than the others by kriging interpolation. The optimal DSM method was selected by independent sample validation, using resampled statistics from 100 samples randomly extracted from the validation dataset. Also, an additional independent sample of soil profiles, comprising legacy soil data, and the 200k Romania soil map were used for a supplementary validation. The results show that machine learning and regression-kriging are the optimal methods in most cases. Among the machine learning tested algorithms, the best performance is associated with Support Vector Machines and Random Forests methods. The geographically weighted regression is also among the optimum methods for pH and calcium carbonates spatial prediction. Good predictions were achieved for pH (R2 of 0.417-0.469, depending on the method), organic carbon (R2 of 0.302-0.443), calcium carbonates (R2 of 0.300-0.330) and moderate predictions for electric conductivity, total nitrogen, silt and sand (R2 of 0.155-0.331), while the lowest prediction characterizes the phosphorous content (R2 of 0.015-0.044). LUCAS proved to be a reliable and useful soil database and the achieved spatial distributions of soil properties can be further used for national and regional soil studies.

Carbapenemase-producing uropathogens in real life: epidemiology and treatment at a County Emergency Hospital from Eastern Romania.

Urinary tract infections are a public health problem exacerbated by the rising concern of antibiotic resistance. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), mostly isolated from urine samples, represent an immediate public health threat, often associated with healthcare settings. This study investigated 27 cases of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO) detected in urinalysis over one year. There was a significant association between the presence of chronic indwelling urinary catheters and the temporary use of urinary catheters, with both groups accounting for 66.7% of all cases. We identified two modes of transmission for extended drug-resistant microorganisms: inter-hospital spread, covering wide geographical distances (involving four healthcare units across two other counties), and intra-hospital transmission (12 departments within our institution). Medium-size hospitals should thoroughly investigate their specific carbapenemase-producing strains. Their laboratories must be well-supplied to handle this situation and perform the necessary testing accurately. Treatment options should be available based on presumed susceptibility and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, with a range of antibiotics available, including novel agents such as Ceftazidime-avibactam, as well as established options like Aminoglycosides and Colistin. Adherence to rigorous catheter handling protocols, as emphasized by national and international guidelines, is essential and should be implemented consistently across all hospital departments.

Untargeted phytochemical profiling and biological activity of small yellow onion (Allium flavum L.) from different regions of Romania.

This study examined the phytochemical profiles (mainly phenolics, carotenoids, and organosulfur compounds) and biological effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Allium flavum (AF), a species of the Allium genus commonly known as small yellow onion. Unsupervised and supervised statistical approaches revealed clear differences between extracts prepared with samples collected from different areas of Romania. Overall, the AFFF (AF flowers collected from Faget) extract was the best source of polyphenols, also showing the highest antioxidant capacity evaluated through both in vitro DPPH, FRAP, and TEAC anti-radical scavenging assays and cell-based OxHLIA and TBARS assays. All the tested extracts exhibited α-glucosidase inhibition potential, while only the AFFF extract exhibited anti-lipase inhibitory activity. The phenolic subclasses annotated were positively correlated with the assessed antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities. Our findings suggested that A. flavum has bioactive properties worth exploring further, being a potential edible flower with health-promoting implications.

Latent Tuberculosis in Psoriasis Patients on Biologic Therapies: Real-World Data from a Care Center in Romania.

Background and Objectives: Psoriasis is a chronic and inflammatory condition that has a huge impact on the patient's quality of life. Biological treatment improved psoriasis therapy, with impressive results seen in the evolution of the disease and the patient's quality of life. However, the risk of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection reactivation is well-known to biological therapy, which raises problems especially in an endemic country. Materials and Methods: In this study, we followed moderate to severe psoriasis patients who had latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) following treatment with a biological therapy approved in Romania. Results: The patients were evaluated at baseline and then followed-up with Mantoux tests and chest X-rays every year, resulting in 54 patients being diagnosed with LTBI. At the initial evaluation, 30 patients with LTBI were identified, and 24 more were identified during biological therapy. These patients were given prophylactic treatment. Out of the 97 participants in this retrospective study, 25 required association of methotrexate (MTX) alongside biological therapy. We compared the prevalence of positive Mantoux tests in patients with combined therapy with that of patients only on biological treatment, and the results were higher in the combined therapy group. Conclusion: All the patients in the study were vaccinated against tuberculosis (TB) after birth, and none were diagnosed with active tuberculosis (aTB) before or after the start of therapy according to the pulmonologist.

Unravelling the resilience of the KGK VI population from the Gumelnița site (Romania) through stable isotopes.

The Gumelnița site belongs to the Kodjadermen-Gumelnița-Karanovo VI (KGK VI) communities (c. 4700-3900 cal BC) and comprises the tell-type settlement and its corresponding cemetery. This paper reconstructs the diet and lifeways of the Chalcolithic people in the northeastern Balkans using archaeological remains found at the Gumelnița site (Romania). A multi-bioarchaeological investigation (archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, anthropology) was conducted on vegetal, animal, and human remains, alongside radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analyses (δ13C, δ15N) of humans (n = 33), mammals (n = 38), reptiles (n = 3), fishes (n = 8), freshwater mussels shells (n = 18), and plants (n = 24). According to the results of δ13C and δ15N values and FRUITS, the inhabitants of Gumelnița had a diet based on crops and using natural resources, such as fish, freshwater molluscs and game. Although domestic fauna was occasionally exploited for meat, it had a role in providing secondary products. Crops were heavily manured, and chaff and other crop waste may have been necessary fodder for cattle and sheep. Dogs and pigs fed on human waste, although the diet of the latter is more similar to that of wild boars. Foxes had a diet close to dogs, which may indicate synanthropic behaviour. Radiocarbon dates were calibrated with the percentage of freshwater resources obtained by FRUITS. As a result, the corrected dates for the freshwater reservoir effect (FRE) have a delay of an average of 147 years. According to our data, this agrarian community developed a subsistence strategy under the pressure of some climatic changes that started after 4300 cal BC, corresponding to KGK VI rapid collapse/decline episode tracked recently (that begins around 4350 cal BC). This matching of our data in the two models (climatic and chrono-demographic) allowed us to capture the economic strategies that led to the resilience of those people more than other contemporary KGK VI communities.

How Fast to Avoid Carbon Emissions: A Holistic View on the RES, Storage and Non-RES Replacement in Romania.

The European Union targets aim to replace the non-renewable energy sources (non-RES) of coal, oil and gas (COG) generation with RES and storage (RES-S). The replacement of COG-generating units will lead to a decrease in CO2 emissions and a better living environment. Starting from this desideratum, in this paper, we create several scenarios to replace COG in Romania with RES-S, reconsider future energy mixes and engage with a more creative planning in order to meet the clean energy transition path. The energy shortages, especially in European countries after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, led many governments (including the Romanian, Polish, etc.) to think more about short-term supply issues and less about medium- and long-term power system planning. However, the decision makers of the European power systems have to decide how fast to avoid firing coal, how fast to adopt RES and how fast to invest in flexibility sources, including storage stations to enable a higher integration of RES. Therefore, in this paper, a holistic view to envision the RES and non-RES contribution to the load coverage in Romania for a smooth transition to a low-carbon economy is provided. The results show that an initial mix of wind, photovoltaic (PV) and storage systems is preferable to substitute 600 MW of installed power in coal-based power plants. Furthermore, the case of Poland-the European country with over 70% coal in its generation portfolio-is also presented as it can serve as a good example.

Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Era of Biologic Therapy: A Multicenter Experience from Romania.

Background and Objectives: Biologic therapy has fundamentally changed the opportunity of medical treatment to induce and maintain remission in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nevertheless, the rate of surgery is still at a very high rate, profoundly affecting the quality of life. We aimed to analyze surgical cases at three major IBD units in order to identify the main risk factors and the impact of biologic therapy on pre- and postsurgical outcomes. Material and Methods: This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study that included 56 patients with IBD-related surgical interventions from 3 tertiary care hospitals in Bucharest, Romania. The study was conducted between January 2017 and June 2021. All data were retrospectively collected from the medical records of the patients and included the age at diagnosis, age at the time of surgery, IBD type and phenotype, biologic therapy before or/and after surgery, timing of biologic therapy initiation, extraintestinal manifestations, type of surgery (elective/emergency), early and long-term postoperative complications and a history of smoking. Results: A low rate of surgical interventions was noted in our cohort (10.3%), but half of these occurred in the first year after the IBD diagnosis. A total of 48% of the surgical interventions had been performed in an emergency setting, which seemed to be associated with a high rate of long-term postoperative complications. We found no statistically significant differences between IBD patients undergoing treatments with biologics before surgery and patients who did not receive biologics before the surgical intervention in terms of the IBD phenotype, type of surgery and postoperative complications. Conclusion: Our study showed that biologics initiated before the surgical intervention did not influence the postoperative complications. Moreover, we demonstrated that patients with Crohn's disease and no biologics were the most susceptible to having to undergo surgery. Conclusion: In conclusion, the management of patients with IBD requires a multidisciplinary approach that considers an unpredictable evolution.

Aspects Regarding the Consumption of Dietary Supplements among the Active Population in Romania.

Food supplements contain a variety of combinations of vitamins, minerals, plant extracts, and other substances. Any physical effort requires energy from balanced and healthy nutrition. This research aimed to identify the categories of dietary supplements used by active and very active participants who attend the sports and leisure centers from Targu Mures city. The survey was developed in paper and online forms using the Internet and supported multimedia and self-administration. The sample consists of 517 subjects chosen randomly from the research population and divided into the active and highly active PAI subgroups based on age, education, and gender. IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20.0 was used to process the collected data. All data were analysed descriptively. Differences between independent groups were assessed using an Independent sample t-test and a Chi-square test. Statistical significance was accepted when p < 0.05. Additionally, a Pearson correlation was done. The most representative age category was between 18 and 22 years old (42.7%), the ones using dietary supplements most frequently. There were significant differences by group of age regarding the consumption of food supplements (p < 0.05) and also by gender (p < 0.05).

Mindful Eating Questionnaire: Validation and Reliability in Romanian Adults.

Mindful eating may play an important role in long-term weight maintenance. In interventions aiming at weight reduction, increasing the levels of mindful eating was associated with higher levels of success and lower levels of weight rebound in the long run. This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of a mindful eating questionnaire for Romanian adults using Framson's Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). To calculate the internal (n = 495) and external (n = 45) reliability, a general population sample was taken. Construct validity was assessed using the "known groups" method: dietitians (n = 70), sports professionals (n = 52), and individuals with overweight and obesity (n = 200). Convergent validity tested the association between the MEQ score and demographic characteristics of the total sample (n = 617). The internal (0.72) and external (0.83) reliability were adequate. Dietitians and sports professionals had overall lower scores, meaning more mindful eating compared to the group of individuals with overweight and obesity. The lower mindful eating practice was associated with the presence of excess weight, suboptimal health status perception, higher levels of stress and younger age. The Romanian version of the MEQ is a reliable and valid tool for measuring mindfulness of eating in adults.