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Flavonoids are a group of plant polyphenols which received an increased attention during the recent past due to their important antimicrobial activities. Those compounds could be a reliable source of new antifungals, used to efficiently control infections caused by pathogenic fungi such as Candida spp. Candida species represents a leading cause of mortality all around the world, posing a serious threat to medical systems. Therefore, finding new compounds with antifungal activity for treatment of Candida infections is a real challenge of modern medicine. This review focuses on the antifungal activity of natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic flavonoids against the most prevalent pathogenic Candida species. In addition, the review outlines the mechanisms of action and the possible use of flavonoids as anti-virulence agents to withstand Candida pathogenicity and antifungal resistance.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is considered the main cause of nosocomial and community-associated infections. Because of antimicrobial resistance, MRSA infections are difficult or impossible to treat, leading to high mortality rates and significant economic and societal costs. In view of the MRSA challenge to public health all over the world, the identification of new and effective anti-MRSA agents is a high medical priority. Objectives: A new series of tricyclic flavonoids with a methyl substituent on ring A of the flavonoid skeleton was synthesized to assess their antimicrobial properties. Methods: The structures of novel synthetic tricyclic flavonoids and their 3-dithiocarbamic flavanones were proven by X-ray structural analyses. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration (MBC/MFC) were used to evaluate antimicrobial activity. Growth kinetic and time–kill assays were employed to confirm the antibacterial effectiveness. The mechanism of action was investigated using fluorescence microscopy. Results: Our results show that the tricyclic flavonoids exhibited important antibacterial and antifungal activities, with MIC and MBC values as low as 1.95 µg/mL and 3.90 µg/mL recorded for compound 5e against a multidrug-resistant MRSA strain. Flavonoid 5e induced a more important bacteriostatic effect compared with chloramphenicol, inhibiting the bacterial growth for up to 24 h at concentrations equivalent to 2 × MIC. Also, 5e exhibited a significant bactericidal activity, with no viable cells evidenced after 6 h of incubation in the presence of MBC and a total kill effect recorded up to 24 h. The anti-MRSA activity may be explained by the cell membrane impairment induced by 5e. Conclusions: All the data support the idea that flavonoid 5e is a reliable candidate to develop effective anti-MRSA agents, but further studies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant microorganisms is threatening our ability to treat common infections, with serious medical, social, and economic consequences. Despite substantial progress in the global fight against antibiotic resistance, the number of effective antibiotics is rapidly decreasing, underlying the urgent need to develop novel antimicrobials. In the present study, the green synthesis of novel iodine-substituted tricyclic flavonoids has been accomplished using an eco-friendly reagent, HPW-SiO2, as a cyclization agent for the precursor 3-dithiocarmamic flavanones. In vitro antimicrobial activity of the new compounds was evaluated using minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentrations. All tested compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity against all tested microbial strains, with the lowest MIC values of 0.12 µg/mL and 0.48 µg/mL recorded for compound 5c against Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Higher MIC values (7.81 µg/mL) were registered for several flavonoids against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter pittii. No inhibitory activity was evidenced against Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain. The highest antifungal activity was displayed by flavonoid 5d against Candida krusei (MIC = 3.9 µg/mL). The same compound also exhibited the most potent bactericidal and fungicidal activity against Bacillus subtilis (0.9 µg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (1.97 µg/mL), Candida albicans, and Candida krusei (7.81 µg/mL). Based on the reported results, we believe that the novel iodine-substituted tricyclic flavonoids have good potential to become new antimicrobial agents effective against bacterial and fungal strains, including WHO-priority pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are a group of plant polyphenols which received an increased attention during the recent past due to their important antimicrobial activities. Those compounds could be a reliable source of new antifungals, used to efficiently control infections caused by pathogenic fungi such as Candida spp. Candida species represents a leading cause of mortality all around the world, posing a serious threat to medical systems. Therefore, finding new compounds with antifungal activity for treatment of Candida infections is a real challenge of modern medicine. This review focuses on the antifungal activity of natural, semi-synthetic and synthetic flavonoids against the most prevalent pathogenic Candida species. In addition, the review outlines the mechanisms of action and the possible use of flavonoids as anti-virulence agents to withstand Candida pathogenicity and antifungal resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the evolution of the final consumption in Romania, as part of gross domestic product during the period 2009 - 2014. The analysis of the final consumption shows concern especially by observing the evolution of its two components: actual consumption achieved by households and the one achieved by public administrations. Final consumption has a high share within the gross domestic product, but the trend is one of diminishing it. The situation in which our country is found is no different from what occurs in other EU countries, where the final consumption has a significant share in GDP.

The consumers’ various and constantly dynamic needs are met by the consumers through the consumption of goods and services. Achieving prosperity and continuously raising the living standards are obvious desires of people in today’s society. The possibility to quantify the standard of living is achieved through consumption or rather through the total expenditure made in a household. So, naturally, in this paper we wish to highlight the relationship between the total revenue and the total expenditure specific to a household in Romania. For the period 2010 – 2014 in our country the total expenditure recorded a growth rate faster than the total revenue. Between the two indicators there is a very strong relation and its meaning is positive, thus the total revenue obviously influences the total expenditure.

Romanian consumers are the result of the demographic changes that occurred in our country after the revolution of 1989. The impact of population reduction and aging, of decrease in the birth rate and increase of mortality is reflected in consumption. The goods and services offered to the Romanian consumer must take into account the changes occurred in the population’s structure. Our country is not a singular case regarding population aging; Romania is part of the global trends. The changes occurred in the population’s structure will have negative effects both in consumption and in the workforce

At present, consumers focus on meeting their higher needs, as opposed to previously meeting the base ones. However this trend is not among priorities for the Romanian consumer. He/she uses almost 43% of the total consumption expenditures for the purchase of food, being restricted in his/her choices by the income and the price of products. The food products analysed in the period 2001 – 2012 have an upward trend, but with no substantial differences. The only product category that has a downward trend is represented by wine and wine products. Consumption in Romania was negatively influenced by the effects of the global crisis for the products analysed, except for meat and meat products. Despite the fact that we are far from the average annual meat consumption, however, the highest quantity recorded in our country was in 2009.

Tourism is one of the areas that have managed to overcome the economic and financial crisis, recording negative values only in 2009 worldwide. Its development determines the creation of premises for increasing the number of new jobs and of the income obtained. S.C. Ambassador Tours & Travels S.R.L. is part of the global trend and it managed to achieve good results by adopting measures consistent with the economic and social reality of our country. The travel packages for seniors are a new proof of adopting the global trend, which shows that the Romanian travel agencies are receptive to what is happening globally.

The mankind progress is built on economic growth.Yet, the high rates of economic growth must be properly used and correlated with other macroeconomic indicators in order to get the aimed effects.At the Romanian economic level, there is an inverse ratio connection between the gross domestic product and the unemployed number, a connection of low intensity.The correlation of these two indicators was established using parametric and nonparametric methods of analyzing the statistic connection using the informatic soft. Setting the recession function allows us to calculate the unemployed number depending on the forecasting of the economic growth in Romania.

The changes occurred over time in the population have effects on the economy, especially the reductions in thebirth rate which may lead to disturbances in the population structure. The relationship between the economic growthand the birth rate in Romania is analysed over an 11-year period, in order to see its intensity. The presentation of theevolution of the gross domestic product and of the birth rate is completed by the calculation of the Spearmancoefficient for determining the intensity of the relationship between the two indicators. The decrease of the birth rate isdetermined, to a modest extent, by the economic growth, with a wide range of factors that influence it. In this situation,the establishment and implementation of a birth rate recovery strategy is highly necessary to reduce the imbalancecreated in the population structure.

Candida pathogenic species represent a serious public health problem due to increasing resistance to antifungal agents. Resistance to traditional drugs such as fluconazole and amphotericin B is largely due to their ability to form biofilms. Biofilm cells are up to 1000 times more resistant to antifungal agents than planktonic cells. Identifying new effective molecules represents a priority in medical research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of a synthetic flavonoid (BrCl) on biofilm formation by Candida species. In this context, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), biomass of the formed biofilm, cell surface hydrophobicity in the presence of hydrocarbons and cell adhesion time were assessed. The effect of BrCl flavonoid on biofilm formation produced by C. krusei was also evaluated. Investigation showed that only C. krusei and C. glabrata strains produced the highest amount of biofilm and showed a high affinity for hydrocarbons. The optimal adhesion time of C. krusei cells was 8 hours. The MIC value determined for BrCl was 15.62 µg/ml and MFC was 31.25 µg/ml. In the presence of BrCl flavonoid subinhibitory concentration (equivalent to ½ MIC and ¼ MIC), C. krusei biofilm formation was inhibited 77.2% and 66.49%. The results suggest that BrCl flavonoid has an important activity on C. krusei biofilm formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development regions of Romania are characterised by significant differences between them, particularly for the indicators analysed in this paper. The analysis included representative indicators for economy, population, employment and education, aiming at examining the current state and the future development opportunities starting from the human factor. However, the findings provided by the Eurostat statistical office are not encouraging for our country, in the context in which 7 of the 8 regions are found in the first 20 poorest regions of the EU [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased resistance to antifungal agents and their toxicity is a major concern in the therapy of diseases caused by pathogenic fungi such as Candida sp. Therefore, the discovery of new drugs with high efficacy and low toxicity is a priority in scientific research. A possible solution is the use in therapy of flavonoids, natural compounds known for a long time for their antifungal, antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to natural flavonoids, synthetic flavonoids are interesting due to their higher antimicrobial activity. In this context, we investigated the antifungal activity of a tricyclic flavonoid with iodine and chlorine as halogen substituents against Candida albicans ATTC 10239. The influence of I-Cl flavonoid on cell growth and viability and the synergistic effect with fluconazole were assessed. The mechanism of action was investigated using biofilm formation and hyphae formation assays. I-Cl flavonoid showed a very good antifungal activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration value of 7.8 μg/ml and a fungistatic effect recorded for more than 34 hours. In the presence of the tested flavonoid, Candida cells lost viability (total kill) within only 4 hours. Synergistic and additive effects were observed when the flavonoid was used in combination with fluconazole. Flavonoid I-Cl inhibited the formation of hyphae and showed anti-biofilm activity. Our results that flavonoid I-Cl has a high potential to be used as an efficient antifungal agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]