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The present study aims to evaluate the potential uses of hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from Romanian native wild-growing plants. The hydroalcoholic extracts were obtained from the burdock roots and respectively the aerial parts of birdeye speedwell. The extracts were characterised by HPLC (quantifying 13 compounds in the V. persica extract, 6 compounds in the A. lappa extract and confirming the presence of arctiin and arctigenin in the burdock extract). The antioxidant potential of the crude extracts was evaluated using two methods: the DPPH assay (79.91% for speedwell extract, 76.23% for burdock extract) and the phosphomolybdate method (296.5 mg/g ascorbic acid equivalents for burdock, 324.4 mg/g for speedwell). The crude extracts were found to be active against both fungal lines used ( Aspergillus niger and Penicillium hirsutum ), inhibition zones - 17.1 mm and 13.1 mm against P. hirsutum , respectively ca. 22 mm for both extracts against A. niger . The cytogenetic effects (assessed using the Allium cepa assay) revealed a series of chromosomal aberrations and nuclear aberrations induced in the meristematic root cells. The anti-inflammatory effect, estimated in two inflammation experimental models, showed a significant effect, especially for the speedwell extract. The results recommend the evaluated extracts as promising sources of biologically-active compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper present the restoration of Densus Church, Hunedoara County, Romania, initiated more than a decade ago, in view of actual situation and research needs. The investigation with infrared (I-R) thermography was associated with measurements of air temperature and relative humidity. The high humidity inside the church was the main risk factor for degradation of frescoes, since moisture was coming from capillary rise of water. The natural ventilation was improved after restoration, while the insertion of a floor heating and the perimeter drainage in building and surrounding area prevented humidity increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. landra is scarcely known in our country as weed in crops. Following morphological and anatomical observations and measurements on a population encountered in a rape seed crop was found that it has not formed particular characters to adapt to the specific environmental conditions of the area (Vlădeşti-Dambovita) and there were no changes due to the application of the herbicides. Plants were propagated by seeds and they were not affected by the technologicale works applied on that land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberose is one of the most popular flower plants due to the very beautiful port and fragrant flowers. But technology culture is pretty difficult. The plant has large front demanding climatic factors both during the growing season and during the rest period. Our research has followed the evolution of bulbs during the rest period, both in terms of macroscopic and microscopic point of view. Bulbs subject observations were stored in two types of climate: one cold, at a temperature of 8-10 °C and a warm one, to a temperature of 20-22 °C. Atmospheric humidity was 55-60% for the cold climate and 80-85% for the warm climate. Macroscopic observations showed that, if the bulbs are stored in the hot climate, there is a slight increase in size small bulbs and even the emergence of new very small bulbs. This phenomenon is not observed if the bulbs are stored in cold climates. Microscopic observations showed that, if the bulbs stored in warm climates, central bud is out of the state of latency, with a more advanced development. Cell divisions existing in the central bud formation led 1-2 vaulting shaft and the edge of the leaf primordia. If bulbs are stored in the cold climate, the central bud is still in the latent phase, the development stage is less evaluated than the central bud of the bulbs stored in warm climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit formations of Xanthium italicum were gathered from plants, sand and a river bank. They were put in germination conditions to observe how this process takes places and what the seedlings’ growth rate is in the early stages, until the first true leaf appears. Data were processed by variance analysis; using the Duncan test, the correlations between germination and seedlings’ growth in X. italicum and the place of sampling the anthodiums was highlighted. The fruit formations’ harvesting site influences the germination process, the finding being statistically significant; between the length of hypocotyl and cotyledons there is a distinct correlation, statistically significant (r = 0.908) regardless of the place of harvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]