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In the collective memory of many European people, the Huns are perceived as one of the most violent gentes west of the Dniester, which might have committed many atrocities, acts of vandalism, and destructions in the territories they crossed. The image of these violent Huns influenced the archaeological research as well. One can often find mentions of a so-called „Hunnic phase” (Hunnenzeit), associated with levels of violent destruction in the Sântana de Mureş-Černjachov settlements and disruption of their behaviours: periods without burials, a new chronological phase of buried treasures, etc. All these create the image of a so-called „Katastrophenhorizont” (chronological disaster horizon). The spatial distribution of its traces should indicate the ways and directions the Huns entered the region. This study tries to discuss both the written sources related to the arrival of the Huns in the geographical space west of the Dniester and the archaeological traces associated with the Huns in the area inhabited by the SMCK culture. Among the main conclusions of the study, one may observe that we cannot speak about an invasion of a large Hunnic army. Rather, we can identify traces of many small-group invasions that led to the decay of the Gothic confederation. From an archaeological standpoint, it must be underlined that the field research shows a high level of significant destruction in the archaeological sites, mainly in the settlements, west of the Dniester. The nature of the archaeological discoveries rather indicates that the local population had already left the settlements before their destruction.

The objective of this study is to analyze the global structural strength of a pleasure yacht by advanced FEA approach. This is accomplished by developing and implementing a user FEMAP API script for equilibrating the FEA ship model, in calm water and sagging and hogging wave conditions, for different wave design heights, up to a maximum height of 6.5 meters. The FEA strength is assessed by yielding stress and buckling criteria.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a widespread global health issue and a primary cause of diseases like gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcers, and gastric cancer. This study examines the prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients undergoing upper endoscopy and assesses the efficacy of bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) and levofloxacin triple therapy. A retrospective analysis of 507 gastroscopies was conducted, with indications including epigastric pain, heartburn, postprandial fullness, early satiation, and regurgitation. Rapid urease tests were performed, and endoscopic findings documented. Two treatment regimens were used: BQT as the first-line therapy and levofloxacin triple therapy as the second-line. Of the 507 patients, 68.8% were infected with H. pylori. Gastric ulcer patients had significantly higher H. pylori prevalence compared to those with small polyps, Barrett’s esophagus, or normal endoscopy. Among the 310 patients who participated in follow-up interviews, 11.9% did not initiate therapy and 5.1% discontinued due to intolerance. The overall eradication rate was 88.6%, with BQT showing a higher eradication rate (89.4%) compared to levofloxacin triple therapy (83.8%). The study highlights the high prevalence of H. pylori among patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and the effectiveness of BQT as a first-line treatment.

The mesoporous silica KIT-6 was synthesized and functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) by grafting at 110 °C. The composites were prepared with three different concentrations of APTES: 20, 30 and 40 wt.%. The as-prepared samples were characterized by thermal gravimetric analysis in air and nitrogen atmosphere (TG/DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption–desorption. In this study, CO2 adsorption–desorption was investigated using temperature programmed desorption mass spectrometry (TPD-MS) at different temperatures. The adsorption capacity of the prepared composites is 2.23 mmol CO2/g at 40 °C and decreases to 0.95 mmol/g at 70 °C. Regarding the efficiency of the amino groups, the best result was obtained for APTES-grafted KIT-6 at 40 °C, with 0.512 mmol CO2/mmol NH2. The results showed good cyclical stability in adsorption capacities even after nine adsorption–desorption cycles.

Background and Objectives: Diminutive polyps present a unique challenge in colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention strategies. This study aims to assess the characteristics and variables of diminutive polyps in a Romanian cohort, intending to develop a combined resect-and-retrieve or resect-and-discard strategy that reduces the need for an optical diagnosis. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at two endoscopy centers in Romania from July to December 2021. Adult patients undergoing colonoscopies where polyps were identified and resected were included. Endoscopic procedures employed advanced diagnostic features, including blue-light imaging (BLI) and narrow-band imaging (NBI). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine factors impacting the probability of adenomatous polyps with high-grade dysplasia (HGD). Results: A total of 427 patients were included, with a mean age of 59.42 years (±11.19), predominantly male (60.2%). The most common indication for a colonoscopy was lower gastrointestinal symptoms (42.6%), followed by screening (28.8%). Adequate bowel preparation was achieved in 87.8% of cases. The logistic regression analysis revealed significant predictors of HGD in adenomatous polyps: age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.08, p = 0.01) and polyp size (>5 mm vs. ≤5 mm, OR = 4.4, 95% CI: 1.94–10.06, p < 0.001). Polyps classified as Paris IIa, Ip, and Isp were significantly more likely to harbor HGD compared to the reference group (Is), with odds ratios of 6.05, 3.68, and 2.7, respectively. Conclusions: The study elucidates significant associations between the presence of HGD in adenomatous polyps and factors such as age, polyp size, and Paris classification. These findings support the feasibility of a tailored approach in the resect-and-discard and resect-and-retrieve strategies for diminutive polyps, potentially optimizing CRC prevention and intervention practices. Further research is warranted to validate these strategies in broader clinical settings.

Yarn’s hairiness represents a continuous challenge for spinning technologies. To keep this aspect under control, an almost perfect combination between the construction and performance of the machines, the control of the technological processes through appropriate settings, and the experience of the producers are required. As a consequence, the researchers were preoccupied to adapt or modify the ring frame to produce yarns with a lower degree of hairiness. Spinning triangles as a very demanding area exert a crucial impact both on the distribution of fiber tension and their spatial location in the staple yarn structure. Our study encompasses yarn hairiness reduction employing a device composed of two bars. Various combinations of spindle speeds and contact angles between yarns and bars were tested to examine their effects on yarn hairiness. The study was completed with the optimization of technological parameters using a central, composite, rotating program with two independent variables (spindle speed and contact angle) to establish mathematical models and optimize technological parameters for the reduction of hairiness. The effectiveness and efficiency of this device consist of the easy execution and installation on the existing machines in spinning mills without any constructive adjustments and additional energy consumption.

Recent research has revealed new and unexpected applications of network control science within biomedicine, pharmacology, and medical therapeutics. These new insights and new applications generated in turn a rediscovery of some old, unresolved algorithmic problems. One of these problems is the Structural Target Control optimization problem, known in previous literature also as Structural Output Controllability problem, which is defined as follows. Given a directed network and a target subset of nodes, the task is to select a small (or the smallest) set of nodes from which the target can be independently controlled, i.e., there exists a set of paths from the selected set of nodes (called driver nodes) to the target nodes such that no two paths intersect at the same distance from their targets. Recently, Structural Target Control optimization problem has been shown to be NP-hard, and several heuristic algorithms were introduced and analyzed, both on randomly generated networks, and on biomedical ones. In this paper, we show that the Structural Target Controllability problem is fixed parameter tractable when parameterized by the number of target nodes. We also prove that the problem is hard to approximate at a factor better than O(log n). Taking into consideration the real case formulations of this problem we identify two more parameters which are naturally constrained by smaller bounds: the maximal length of a controlling path and the size of the set of nodes from which the control can start. With these new parameters we provide an approximation algorithm which is of exponential complexity in the size of the set of nodes from which the control can start and polynomial in all the other parameters.

Vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) was the first non-invasive method used for assessing liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Over the years, many studies have evaluated its performance. It is now used globally, and, in some countries, it represents the primary step in evaluating liver fibrosis. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of VCTE and highlight the prevalence of liver fibrosis stages assessed by VCTE in a large cohort of patients at a single study center. We also aimed to observe the trends in liver stiffness (LS) values over the years according to each type of hepatopathy. A retrospective study was conducted over a period of 13 years (2007–2019) and included patients who presented to our clinic for LS measurements (LSMs), either with known liver diseases or with suspected liver pathology who were undergoing fibrosis screening. The database contained a total of 23,420 measurements. Valid LSMs were obtained in 90.91% (21,291/23,420) of the cases, while 2129 (9.09%) of the measurements were either failed or unreliable. In untreated patients with chronic viral hepatitis, LS values tended to increase during the years, while in patients undergoing antiviral therapy LS values significantly decreased. Our comprehensive study, one of the largest of its kind spanning 13 years, emphasizes the reliability and significance of VCTE in real-world clinical settings.

The ordered mesoporous silica MCM-48 with cubic Ia3d structure was synthesized using the cationic surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a template agent and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source. The obtained material was first functionalized with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (KH560); further, two types of amination reagents were used: ethylene diamine (N2) and diethylene triamine (N3). The modified amino-functionalized materials were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) at low angles, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption experiments at 77 K. Characterization from a structural point of view reveals that the ordered MCM-48 mesoporous silica has a highly ordered structure and a large surface area (1466.059 m2/g) and pore volume (0.802 cm3/g). The amino-functionalized MCM-48 molecular sieves were tested for CO2 adsorption–desorption properties at different temperatures using thermal program desorption (TPD). Promising results for CO2 adsorption capacities were achieved for MCM-48 sil KH560-N3 at 30 °C. At 30 °C, the MCM-48 sil KH560-N3 sample has an adsorption capacity of 3.17 mmol CO2/g SiO2, and an efficiency of amino groups of 0.58 mmol CO2/mmolNH2. After nine adsorption–desorption cycles, the results suggest that the performance of the MCM-48 sil KH N2 and MCM-48 sil KH N3 adsorbents is relatively stable, presenting a low decrease in the adsorption capacity. The results reported in this paper for the investigated amino-functionalized molecular sieves as absorbents for CO2 can be considered as promising.

The goal of this work is to investigate the effectiveness of amorphous SiO2−FexOy loaded by functionalization with Ce(SO4)2, Li2SO4, and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) for CO2 adsorption. Silica and iron-based materials are gaining popularity due to their wide range of applications, such as catalysis, photocatalysis, imaging, etc.; however, there are very few studies regarding the adsorption of CO2 with the aforementioned materials. In our study, we proposed to test their ability in this direction by adding cerium sulfate and lithium sulfate. Three base materials were obtained and characterized using XRD, FTIR, RAMAN, TG, SEM, and BET followed by their functionalization with amino groups by using of the APTES precursor. The SEM images indicate an increase in size, forming clusters from 100 nm for base materials to 500 nm for functionalized materials. The results indicate a maximum CO2 adsorption of 1.58 mmol/g material for the SiO2−FexOy−Li−APTES sample.

Adsorption recovery of precious metals on a variety of solid substrates has steadily gained increased attention in recent years. Special attention was paid to the studies on the characterization of the adsorptive properties of materials with a high affinity for gold depending on the nature of the pendant groups present in the structure of the material. The aim of the present work was to synthesize and characterize a new material by using the sol-gel synthesis method (designated as BCb/CB). In this case, synthesis involved the following precursors: bismuth carbonate (III), carbon black, and IGEPAL surfactant (octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol). Immobilization of the heterojunction as bismuth oxide over a flexible support such as carbon black (CB) can prevent their elution in solution and make it versatile for its use in a system. In this work, a new adsorbent material based on bismuth carbonate supported over carbon black (BCb/CB) was developed and used further for gold recovery from aqueous solutions. The required material was characterized physically/chemically by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX); X-ray diffraction (XRD); thermal analysis (DTG/DTA); atomic force microscopy (AFM). The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method was used to determine the specific surface area indicating a value of approximately 40 m2/g, higher than the surface of CB precursor (36 m2/g). The adsorptive properties and the adsorption mechanism of the materials were highlighted in order to recover Au(III). For this, static adsorption studies were carried out. The parameters that influence the adsorption process were studied, namely: the pH, the contact time, the temperature, and the initial concentration of the gold ions in the used solution. In order to establish the mechanism of the adsorption process, kinetic, thermodynamic, and equilibrium studies were carried out. Experimental data proved that the gold recovery can be conducted with maximum performance at pH 3, at room temperature. Thermodynamic studies proved that the gold adsorption on BCb/CB material is a spontaneous and endothermal process. The results indicate a total adsorption capacity of 13.1 mg Au(III)/g material. By using this material in real solutions, a recovery efficiency of 90.5% was obtained, concomitant with a higher selectivity (around 95%).

Various statistical models predict the probability of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with cirrhosis, with GALAD being one of the most extensively studied scores. Biomarkers like alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), AFP-L3, and des-g-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) are widely used alone or in conjunction with ultrasound to screen for HCC. Our study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and Glypican-3 (GPC3) as standalone biomarkers and in a statistical model to predict the likelihood of HCC. We conducted a monocentric prospective study involving 154 participants with previously diagnosed liver cirrhosis, divided into two groups: 95 patients with confirmed HCC based on clinical, biological, and imaging features and 59 patients without HCC. We measured the levels of AFP, AFP-L3, DCP, GPC3, and CK19 in both groups. We used univariate and multivariate statistical analyses to evaluate the ability of GPC3 and CK19 to predict the presence of HCC and incorporated them into a statistical model—the GALKA score—which was then compared to the GALAD score. AFP performed better than AFP-F3, DCP, GPC3, and CK19 in predicting the presence of HCC in our cohort. Additionally, GPC3 outperformed CK19. We used multivariate analysis to compute the GALKA score to predict the presence of HCC. Using these predictors, the following score was formulated: 0.005*AFP-L3 + 0.00069*AFP + 0.000066*GPC3 + 0.01*CK19 + 0.235*Serum Albumin—0.277. The optimal cutoff was >0.32 (AUROC = 0.98, sensitivity: 96.8%, specificity: 93%, positive predictive value—95.8%, negative predictive value—94.8%). The GALKA score had a similar predictive value to the GALAD score for the presence of HCC. In conclusion, AFP, AFP-L3, and DCP were the best biomarkers for predicting the likelihood of HCC. Our score performed well overall and was comparable to the GALAD score.

The estimation of viscosity by measuring the shear-wave dispersion (SWD) using ultrasound 2D shear-wave elastography (SWE) is becoming more and more popular. Recent research suggests that SWD can be used in addition to 2D-SWE (shear-wave speed) to diagnose diffuse liver disease. Viscosity was studied for the assessment of normal thyroid tissue. This study aims to evaluate the use of viscosity measurements in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis using the SuperSonic MACH®30 ultrasound machine (Hologic SuperSonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France) which provides the Vi PLUS mode for viscosity and the 2D SWE PLUS mode for shear-wave speed measurements. Valid measurements were obtained in 308 cases, 153 with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAT) and 155 with no thyroid pathology (95.95% feasibility of the methods). The differences between the healthy group and the CAT group were statistically significant both for Vi PLUS (2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 2.8 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001) and for 2D-SWE PLUS (13.5 ± 3.3 vs. 23.1 ± 8.3, p < 0.0001). The diagnostic performance was poor for Vi PLUS alone (AUC = 0.69; cut-off > 2.5 Pa·s, se = 68.6%; sp = 64.52%) and good for 2D-SWE PLUS alone (AUC = 0.861; cut-off > 18.4 kPa, se = 69.9%; sp = 92.2%). Vi PLUS correlated with 2D-SWE PLUS, with the presence of CAT, the thyroid volume, levothyroxine replacement therapy and age. Statistically significant differences were found between the CAT subgroup receiving thyroid replacement therapy and the subgroup without therapy: 24.74 ± 8.33 vs. 21.93 ± 8.12 kPa for 2D-SWE (p = 0.0380) and 3 ± 0.5 vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 Pa·s for Vi PLUS (p = 0.0193). Elastography-based methods improve the classic ultrasound evaluation: 2D-SWE PLUS performed somewhat better in distinguishing CAT from normal thyroid tissue, while Vi PLUS made a slightly better assessment regarding the functional status.

The visible and invisible traces of the Roman Frontier in Dacia have been, for quite a long time, one of the most representative archaeological sites in Romania, and especially in Transylvania. On one hand, the Roman frontier in Transylvania, also known as Limes, symbolises a border between the GreekRoman world and the local civilisations found in the regions north of the Danube. On the other hand, we rather deal with a large contact zone between the two parts of the antique ecumene. Romania decided to join the international initiative known as Frontiers of the Roman Empire (FRE) UNESCO site by inscribing on the UNESCO Heritage List the components found on its territory – the Dacian Limes and the segments of the Danubian Roman Border. The activity of preparing the nominations is conducted by several institutions. Along with the National Heritage Institute, that is responsible, by tradition, of all the UNESCO nominations in Romania, the activity also involves the National History Museum from Bucharest, the National Museum of Transylvanian History from Cluj-Napoca and the National Museum of the Eastern Carpathians from Sf. Gheorghe. The National Limes Commission has been established to coordinate all the undertaken activities and to assure proper communication between the above-mentioned institutions, both inside the national partnership and with the international partners.

Orheiul Vechi is one of the most attractive cultural sites in the Republic of Moldova and one of the most frequently discussed. The density of sites and the continuity of living in this space has made Orheiul Vechi attractive for the multidisciplinary research since 1946. In the context of preparing the dossier for the inscription of the historic-cultural and natural landscape reserve “Or-heiul Vechi” into the World Heritage List, a series of studies have been carried out in the last two decades. Some of these scientific approaches include non-invasive surveys in various areas of the reservation. Thus, in this article, all the results of magnetometric surveys carried out by a Moldovan-Romanian-Ger¬man team in 2009-2014, have been presented for the first time. The surveys confirmed a number of archaeological situations already known and facilitated new discoveries that should be developed in the coming years.

The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic performance of strain elastography (SE) versus 2D shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE) by providing a head-to-head comparison of the two methods. Ninety-four thyroid nodules were evaluated using conventional ultrasound (B-mode) and SE, namely, real-time elastography (RTE) with a Hitachi Preirus machine (Hitachi Inc., Tokyo, Japan) and consecutively, 2D-SWE with SuperSonic Mach30 equipment (Supersonic Imagine, Aix-en-Provence, France). The results were compared in all cases to the pathology reports. Out of the 94 nodules, 29 (30.9%) were malignant. Both SE and 2D-SWE parameters proved to have excellent diagnostic quality, with comparable results. The mean elasticity index was the best parameter for the 2D-SWE (AUC 0.912); for a cut-off value of 30.5 kPa, it predicts thyroid malignancy with a sensitivity of 79.3%, specificity of 95.38%, NPV of 91.2% and PPV of 88.5%. The best parameter for SE was the strain ratio (cutoff > 3.9; sensitivity 82.7%; specificity 92.3%; AUC 0.905). When integrated in the ultrasound risk algorithm, both elastography methods improved the diagnostic performance: AUC 0.764 vs. 0.886 vs. 0.861 for B-modes: B-mode + 2D-SWE vs. B-mode + SE. We concluded that elastography adds diagnostic value in predicting malignancy, both when Hitachi RTE and SuperSonic 2D-SWE were used.

Introduction: There is currently a lack of published data on kidney elasticity and viscosity. Non-invasive techniques, such as two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE PLUS) and viscosity plane-wave ultrasound (Vi PLUS), have surfaced as new detection methods, which, thanks to efficient processing software, are expected to improve renal stiffness and viscosity measurements. This study aims to be the first one to assess the normal range values in normal renal function subjects and to investigate the factors that impact them. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study employing 50 participants (29 women and 21 men) with a mean age of 42.22 ± 13.17, a mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 97.12 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m2, a mean kidney length of 10.16 ± 0.66 cm, and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.24 ± 3.98. With a C6-1X convex transducer and the Ultra-FastTM software available on the Hologic Aixplorer Mach 30 ultrasound system, we acquired five measurements of renal cortical stiffness and viscosity (achieved from five distinct images in the middle part of the subcapsular cortex) from each kidney. The ten measurements’ median values correlated with the participant’s demographical, biological, and clinical parameters. Results: The mean kidney elasticity was 31.88 ± 2.89 kiloPascal (kPa), and the mean viscosity was 2.44 ± 0.57 Pascal.second (Pa.s) for a mean measurement depth 4.58 ± 1.02 cm. Renal stiffness seemed to be influenced by age (r = −0.7047, p < 0.0001), the measurement depth (r = −0.3776, p = 0.0075), and eGFR (r = 0.6101, p < 0.0001) but not by BMI (r = −0.2150, p = 0.1338), while viscosity appeared to be impacted by age (r = −0.4251, p = 0.0021), eGFR (r = 0.4057, p = 0.0038), the measurement depth (r = −0.4642, p = 0.0008), and BMI (r = −0.3676, p = 0.0086). The results of the one-way ANOVA used to test the differences in the variables among the three age sub-groups are statistically significant for both 2D-SWE PLUS (p < 0.001) and Vi PLUS (p = 0.015). The method found good intra-operator reproducibility for the 2D-SWE PLUS measurements, with an ICC of 0.8365 and a 95% CI of 0.7512 to 0.8990, and for the Vi PLUS measurements, with an ICC of 0.9 and a 95% CI of 0.8515 to 0.9397. Conclusions: Renal stiffness and viscosity screening may become an efficacious, low-cost way to gather supplemental diagnostic data from patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The findings demonstrate that these non-invasive methods are highly feasible and not influenced by gender and that their values correlate with renal function and decrease with age progression. Nevertheless, more research is required to ascertain their place in clinical practice.

In this study, the Ni/KIT-6 and Ce/KIT-6 materials were prepared through the impregnation method and then amino-functionalized materials were obtained by the grafting of an amino-silane coupling agent 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES). The samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption at 77 K. The study of CO2 adsorption–desorption on prepared materials was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA-DTA) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). The influence of metal oxides on the performance of CO2 adsorption on functionalized mesoporous silica was presented. The results showed that doping the molecular sieve with cerium oxide can significantly increase the adsorption capacity of the amino-functionalized KIT-6. As the CO2 adsorbents were prepared by functionalization through grafting with APTES, the amount of amine loading is one of the important factors which improves CO2 adsorption capacity. Additionally, CO2 adsorption performance depends on the textural properties and the temperature used for the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity of Ce/KIT-6 Sil is 3.66 mmol/g, which is 2.4 times higher than Ni/KIT-6 Sil. After the nine cycles of cyclic CO2 adsorption/desorption, the Ce/KIT-6 Sil still had higher adsorption capacities, indicating their good cyclical stability.

This is a retrospective single-center study that included 87 subjects. All subjects had chronic hepatitis B or HBV cirrhosis and underwent nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUC) treatment for more than one year. The study aimed to evaluate the dynamic changes in liver stiffness (LS) measured by transient elastography (TE) during a median interval of 64 months. Patients were assessed prior to starting therapy and followed up annually. Liver stiffness measurements (LSM) were performed annually, and ten valid LSMs were obtained in each session. Reliable LSMs were defined as the median value of 10 measurements with Interquartile range/median (IQR/M) ≤ 30%. A significant decrease in liver stiffness values (p < 0.001) was observed during follow-up. In patients with liver cirrhosis, the LSMs decreased significantly after only one year, 24.6 ± 4.3 kPa vs. 13.5 ± 4.2 kPa (p = 0.007), whereas the decrease in non-cirrhotic patients was not significant, 7.31 ± 3.62 vs. 6.80 ± 2.41 (p = 0.27). Liver stiffness decrease was more significant in patients with initially higher transaminases. Undetectable viral load was achieved in 73.5% of patients in year one, 82.7% in year two, and 90.8% in year three of treatment. In conclusion, our study reveals a decrease in liver stiffness by TE in patients with chronic hepatitis B when undergoing anti-HBV therapy in the first two years. It can be used as a method for follow-up in patients undergoing NUC therapy.

Starting with late 2018, a new archaeological research project has been unfolding in the framework funded by the Romanian Governmental Unit for Research and Development (UEFISCDI) dedicated to top fundamental research, as one of the few winners of 2016 edition (the single to date) of ‘Complex Projects for Frontier Research’ competition. The Project, whose aims and methods will be shortly presented further, is entitled ‘Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of South-Eastern Carpathians’ (HiLands). It implements a systematic and diachronic investigation of the historic strategic circulation corridors crossing the South-Eastern part of the Carpathian Mountains – the main gate used along ages by people transiting between Transylvania and the Danube or the Black Sea. In order to achieve such aims we have been exploring, starting from large scale LiDAR surveys, the circulation corridors’ diachronic archaeological fingerprint, preserved in the shape of repeatedly fortified landscapes. LiDAR surveys have been carried on continuously since 2018, by airplane, but also with portable sensors based on SLAM technology. The results of the LiDAR explorations were enhanced by field surveys, geophysical prospections and pin-pointed excavations, in order to elucidate the nature of anomalies or better contextualize the significance and layout of the roads’ routes. The results of these activities are resumed in a constantly updated, open access, online data base of archaeological sites - The archaeological index of South-Eastern Carpathians (AISEC). The current contribution details the essentials of HiLands research (aims, concepts, methods), in order to introduce in the scientific circuit the AISEC’s functions and instruments, ready to be used as citable work.

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used to evaluate the thermal stability and the amount of coke deposition resulting from the deactivation of catalysts during ethanol dehydration reaction in a fixed bed continuous flow reactor. In this study, a series of catalysts containing 30% of Pd doped and pure 12-tungstophosphoric acid and its insoluble Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 salt supported on SBA-15 were prepared. The catalytic efficiency of ethanol dehydration reaction was also evaluated. Two types of coke are identified from the TPO (Temperature programmed oxidation) profiles and assigned to the coke precursor and hard coke, respectively. The results indicate that cesium salts reduced the formation of hard coke. The amount of total coke formed was significantly reduced by supporting the catalysts on mesoporous SBA-15 molecular sieves.

Shear-wave elastography (SWE) is widely used in thyroid evaluation, but multiple factors influence thyroid stiffness. Estimating tissue viscosity may enhance the ultrasound diagnosis of thyroid diseases, along with the ultrasound (US) and the SWE assessment. In order to be able to detect diffuse thyroid disease by viscosity measurements, it is essential to firstly define the normal values of thyroid viscosity in healthy subjects. Currently there are no published data on thyroid viscosity measurements. This first prospective study aimed to determine the normal range of thyroid viscosity values in a cohort of healthy thyroids, as well as to determine the factors that may influence them. One hundred and twenty-one consecutive subjects without thyroid pathology were evaluated in the study by means of conventional ultrasound, two-dimensional SWE (2D SWE PLUS) and viscosity plane-wave ultrasound (ViPLUS) embedded in the Supersonic MACH® 30 ultrasound system. Five valid tissue viscosity measurements were obtained for each thyroid lobe in every patient and the median values were analyzed and correlated with the biological and demographic parameters of each patient. Our results reveal that ViPLUS is a highly feasible and reproducible technique for thyroid evaluation. Thyroid stiffness, age, gender, BMI and depth of measurements did not influence the thyroid viscosity values. The mean thyroid viscosity by ViPLUS for normal thyroid tissue was of 2.42 ± 0.41 Pa·s. Viscosity assessment by Supersonic ViPLUS is an innovative, non-invasive technique that has proven to be useful for thyroid US evaluation and remains to demonstrate its effectiveness in identifying patients with thyroid disease.

Liver fibrosis is the most significant prognostic factor in chronic liver disease (CLD). Clinical practice guidelines recommend the use of non-invasive techniques, such as two-dimensional shear-wave elastography (2D-SWE), to assess liver stiffness as a marker of fibrosis. Several other factors influence liver stiffness in addition to liver fibrosis. It is presumed that changes due to necro-inflammation modify the propagation of shear waves (dispersion). Therefore, new imaging techniques that investigate the dispersion properties of shear waves have been developed, which can serve as an indirect method of measuring liver viscosity (Vi PLUS). Defining the reference values in healthy subjects among different age groups and genders and analyzing the factors that influence these values is essential. However, published data on liver viscosity are still limited. This is the first study that aimed to assess the normal range of liver viscosity values in subjects with healthy livers and analyze the factors that influence them. One hundred and thirty-one consecutive subjects with healthy livers were enrolled in this prospective study. The results showed that Vi PLUS is a highly feasible method. Liver stiffness, age and BMI influenced the liver viscosity values. The mean liver viscosity by Vi PLUS in subjects with healthy livers was 1.59 Pa·s.

The evolution of the pandemic has led to a change in public health and data management in the infectious disease surveillance network monitored by the county public health directorates. At the beginning of the pandemic, the SARS-CoV 2 (COVID-19) cases were reported using Excel files sent by e-mail to the National Center for Communicable Disease Surveillance within the INSP. The need for centralization and data analysis forced the Ministry of Health to request the support of MI through the Special Telecommunications Service to develop a complex infrastructure that can meet the needs of reporting and switching critical data. During this period, there were 67 legislative changes in Romania aimed at reporting and collecting data that led to the remodeling of the information structure and then to the adaptation of computer systems to the requirements of the accident structure. The first progress in adaptation was the database for allocating the unique case code that evolved rapidly from a collaboration structure between DSP and SJAT to the inclusion of UPU services in county hospitals to the expansion of specialized clinical and outpatient departments of city hospitals, municipal, county. The need for evidence in testing and reporting positive cases developed a parallel database that evolved separately then became emerging and eventually unified. Epidemiological surveys have highlighted the need to record personal data from epidemiological surveys and follow-up contacts and then to issue quarantine or isolation decisions that have increased the difficulty in administering and transmitting data to the Ministry of Health, INSP, SAJT, Family Physicians, laboratories testing RT-PCR. This study presents the main moments of a historical and documentary nature to understand better the situations that the institutions involved in the management of the pandemic went through. In conclusion, the need to adapt information systems to the electronic environment is vital in a context of crisis and vital for support in the national critical infrastructure.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of four ultrasound-based techniques for the non-invasive multiparametric (MPUS) assessment of liver fibrosis (LF), steatosis (HS), and inflammation in patients with NAFLD. We included 215 consecutive adult patients with NAFLD (mean age: 54.9 ± 11.7; 54.5% were male), in whom LF, HS, and viscosity were evaluated in the same session using four new ultrasound-based techniques embedded on the Aixplorer MACH 30 system: ShearWave Elastography (2D-SWE.PLUS), Sound Speed Plane-wave UltraSound (SSp.PLUS), Attenuation Plane-wave UltraSound (Att.PLUS), and Viscosity Plane-wave UltraSound (Vi.PLUS). Transient Elastography (TE) with Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) (FibroScan) were considered as control. All elastographic measurements were performed according to guidelines. Valid liver stiffness measurements (LSM) were obtained in 98.6% of patients by TE, in 95.8% of patients by 2D-SWE.PLUS/Vi.PLUS, and in 98.1% of patients by Att.PLUS/SSp.PLUS, respectively. Therefore, 204 subjects were included in the final analysis. A strong correlation between LSMs by 2D-SWE.PLUS and TE (r = 0.89) was found. The best 2D-SWE.PLUS cut-off value for the presence of significant fibrosis (F ≥ 2) was 7 kPa. Regarding steatosis, SSp.PLUS correlated better than Att.PLUS with CAP values: (r = −0.74) vs. (r = 0.45). The best SSp.PLUS cut-off value for predicting the presence of significant steatosis was 1524 m/s. The multivariate regression analysis showed that Vi.PLUS values were associated with BMI and LSM by 2D-SWE.PLUS. In conclusion, MPUS was useful for assessing fibrosis, steatosis, and inflammation in a single examination in patients with NAFLD.

We present a new application, developed mostly from scratch, serving as a fast and efficient web crawler, with added network visualization and content analysis tools. It can be used to perform experimental research in a number of fields, including web graph analysis, basic text comparison or even testing out sociological theories, depending on the user’s inclination. A use case is provided, where the application is applied to Romanian news websites, from which several interesting observations can be drawn. The application itself and its code are released under a GPL license, and can be used by other researchers as-is (for use cases similar to our own), or expanded upon by interested developers. Keywords: Web crawler, Web scraper, Text similarity, Social networks

The History and Geography Faculty of the „Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University of Chişinău (Moldova), the Romisch-Germanische Kommission des Deutschen Archaologischen Instituts, Frankfurt am Main (Germany), and the Bonn University has continued during Summer 2015 the investigation of a late Roman/early Migration period settlement of the Santana-de-Mureş-Culture (c. AD 230 - 430/450) on the southern slope of the Cubolta Valley at Putinești, raionul Florești. The site is part of an area of settlement some 9,0 km long on the eastern edge of the Cubolta-valley, an area intensively colonized already in prehistoric times (Neolithic, Bronze Age). The Late Antiquity settlement is already known from previous fieldwork. During the last year, geomagnetic prospections and aerial photogrammetry procedures were performed. A two-chamber pottery-kiln for specialized production of the characteristic wheel-made pottery was detected during the geomagnetic prospection and documented in drill profiles.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnosis performance of time-harmonic elastography (THE) technique in real life in assessing liver fibrosis, considering vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) as a reference method. Material and Method: We prospectively evaluated outpatients from the gastroenterology department. Liver stiffness (LS) was measured by the THE system by dedicated operators, and by VCTE by experienced operators. The diagnostic accuracy of THE in staging liver fibrosis was assessed. We also performed an intra- and interobserver reproducibility sub-analysis on a sub-group of 27 subjects, where liver stiffness measurements (LSM) were performed by a novice, an elastography expert, and an ultrasound expert. Results: Of the 165 patients, using VCTE cut-off values, 49.6% were F0-F1, 15.7% were F2, 6.6% were F3, and 28.1% were F4. A direct, significant and strong correlation (r = 0.82) was observed between LSM assessed by VCTE and THE, p < 0.0001. The cut-off for ruling out liver cirrhosis (LC) by THE on our study group was 1.83 m/s (10 kPa)-AUROC = 0.90 [95% CI (0.82–0.93)], p < 0.0001, Se = 65.1%, Sp = 96.7%, PPV = 90.3%, NPV = 85.7%. The overall agreement between examiners was excellent: 0.94 (95% CI: 0.89–0.97); still, the ICCs were higher for the more experienced elastography examiner: 0.92 (95% CI: 0.82–0.96) vs. 0.94 (95% CI: 0.87–0.97) vs. 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.99). Conclusions: THE is a feasible and reproducible elastography technique that can accurately rule in and rule out advanced liver disease.

Over the last decades, the new non-invasive techniques employed in archaeological research have developed extensively. This article discusses the most important non-invasive surveys undertaken in the Republic of Moldova during the last two decades. Most were carried out in the framework of international partnerships meant to transfer Western experience and knowledge of modern methods of archaeological research to the Republic of Moldova. Special attention is given to the results of cooperation between Moldovan, German and Romanian archaeologists.

The evolution of multipurpose sensors over the last decades has been investigated with the aim of developing innovative devices with applications in several fields of technology, including in the food industry. The integration of such sensors in food packaging technology has paved the way for intelligent food packaging. These integrated systems are capable of providing reliable information about the quality of the packed products during their storage period. To accomplish this goal, intelligent packs use a variety of sensors suited for monitoring the quality and safety of food products by recording the evolution of parameters like the quantity of pathogen agents, gases, temperature, humidity and storage period. This technology, when combined with IoT, is able to provide a lot more information than conventional food inspection technologies, which are limited to weight, volume, color and aspect inspection. The original system described in this work relies on a simple but effective method of integrated food monitoring, right at the client home, suitable for user prepared vacuum-packed foods. It builds upon the IoT concept and is able to create a network of interconnected devices. By using this approach, we are able to combine actuators and sensing devices also providing a common operating picture (COP) by sharing information over the platforms. More precisely, our system consists of gas, temperature and humidity sensors, which provide the essential information needed for evaluating the quality of the packed product. This information is transmitted wirelessly to a computer system providing an interface where the user can observe the evolution of the product quality over time.

In this paper the novel high-temperature resistant polymers with nonlinear optical properties have been synthesized, characterized and tested for use in electro-optical components with high bit rate optical signal processing systems and for dynamic holography. The characterization that has been reported include the measurement of second-order nonlinear susceptibility by second harmonic generation, UV-VIS spectroscopy, XRD measurement dielectric relaxation, glass transition temperature and molecular weight distribution before and after artificial ageing. Also, we have done AFM investigations and profilometry measurements for stamp patterning layers. The application of the new polyimides for electro-optic devices has been evaluated by creation of thin oriented polymer films on various substrates and preparation of planar and strip waveguides.

This article report the main fi ndings of an archaeological project from „Ion Creangă” Pedagogical State University in Chişinău. The main goal of this project is to enrich the competitiveness of archaeological science from Republic of Moldova. With support of strategic partners from two European countries and Moldovan Diaspora we will ensure the transfer of the know-how and experience to Moldova in the field of Landscape Archaeology. The main objectives is to do the common investigations, to train experts in the field, to organize a high equipped base, to promote the archaeological potential of Moldova and to prepare in partnership with German and Romanian colleagues a FP7 pilot-project in the field of Landscape Archaeology.

The concentration of boron, an essential micronutrient for plants, presents a narrow range between deficiency and toxicity. In order to provide the boron requirement for plants, and to avoid toxicity problems, boron compounds are mixed with basic fertilizers. Sodium borate pentahydrate was used as a boron source. Ammonium orthophosphates fertilizers with boron were prepared by neutralizing phosphoric acid with ammonia and addition of variable amounts of sodium tetraborate pentahydrate to the reaction mixture at a NH3:H3PO4 molar ratio of 1.5. The fertilizers obtained with boron contents ranging from 0.05 to 1 % (w/w) were fully characterized by chemical analysis, thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectrophotometry. The studies showed that up to 500 °C, regardless of the boron content, no significant changes concerning thermal stability and nutritional properties occurred. Above 500 °C, an increase of thermal stability with an increase of the boron content was observed. X-Ray diffraction of a heat-treated sample containing 5 % (w/w) boron indicated the appearance of boron orthophosphate, BPO4, as a new crystalline phase, and the disappearance of the previous structures above 500 °C, which explains the increase in thermal stability.

The working relationships based on the individual labour contract have an unprecedented aspect in civil law, namely, inequity of parts during the performance of the contract. This inequity is transposed in theoretical and applicative plan by the existence of the subordination report between the employer and employee. The lack of balance of the forces between the two parts of the contract constituted the necessary element for the birth of the new law branch which, by its settlements, to compensate this drawback. Though, in matter of liability, this “law of inequity” does not distinguish as a creator of new and independent institutions from “the general law”, apparently confining only at the removing or compensating the premises of the parts inequity. Thus, the Romanian labour law create a specific institution named patrimonial liability which involve applicable rules in the legal relationship arise from the individual labour contract that represent an exception from the common rules of the civil liability but does not completely delimit from it and using it as a decipherer resource of its elements and as supplement resource.The patrimonial liability does not exclude in all the situations the co-existence of other forms of civil, contravention or criminal liability if the necessary elements for their incidence occur.

The Internet network in conjunction with a strong security policy can be an ideal online broadcast system for the industrial processes monitoring and control. Because the distributed controllers are connected through industrial serial connection, the network between controllers cannot be extended very much. The problem appears when the plant is away and cannot be accessed via a serial connection. For administrative and control purposes the serial network can be interconnected with an IP network. In this case the operator can be anywhere in the world and can interact via an interface with the process. This paper will describe flow process remote controlled using a mixture of two communication technologies: RS485 and TCP/IP. The junction between these technologies is transparent and the operator is able to monitor the process using an interface console.

In order to obtain highly dispersed heteropolyacids (HPAs) species, H3PMo12VO40 and H3PVMo11O40 were supported on various supports: silica (Aerosil - Degussa and Romsil types) and TiO2. The structure and thermal decomposition of supported and unsupported HPAs were followed by different techniques (TGA-DTA, FTIR, XRD, low temperature nitrogen adsorption, scanning electron microscopy). All the supported HPAs were prepared by impregnation using the incipient wetness technique with a 1:1 mixture of water–ethanol. Samples were prepared with different concentrations to examine the effect of loading on the thermal behavior of the supported acid catalysts. The thermal stability was evaluated with reference to the bulk solid acids and mechanical mixtures. After deposition on silica types supports, an important decrease in thermal stability was observed on the Romsil types and a small decrease on the Aerosil type. The stability of the heteropolyacids supported on titania increased due to an anion-support interaction, as the thermal decomposition proceeded in two steps. The structure of the HPAs was not totally destroyed at 450 ºC as some IR bands were still preserved. A relatively uniform distribution of HPAs on the support surface was observed for all compositions of the active phase. No separate crystallites of solid phase HPAs were found in the SEM images.

One of the complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). Numerous studies have been performed to explore the value of biological parameters in the early identification of infection rates after THA and TKA. This study investigates alterations in inflammatory markers associated with PJI. This retrospective study focused on a cohort of patients with hip and knee arthroplasty treated between 2016 and 2022. CRP, ESR, and fibrinogen were observed preoperatively, on days one, three, six, and twenty-one postoperatively. From a total of 4076 THA and TKA performed during this period, 62 patients were identified with periprosthetic infections. We also identified the pathogens responsible for infections in order to assess if asymptomatic preoperative infections were involved in PJI. In patients with acute infections following TKA, days one and three postoperative recorded a CRP value below the expected range. The value of CRP in patients with early infection after THA was significantly increased on day six postoperative. ESR and fibrinogen values were not statistically significantly correlated with early PJI. The CRP level in acute PJI shows different patterns than those shown in the literature.