Search

Building up the personal identity is a lifelong process, as identity can change, according with the groups of belonging, with new knowledge and changes of beliefs and contexts. There are more stable components of identity, like the values and attitudes, but there are contexts and experiences that sharpen different aspects of the identity. The article argues that education systems in Europe have responsibilities in supporting learners to develop their competences to act as citizens at local, national and European levels and thus have also the legitimacy to contribute to the development of a European identity and of a sense of belonging to Europe. Furthermore, it argues that such a process can and should start already in early ages. Therefore, teachers in primary school need appropriate competences to foster a positive identification of children with Europe and European values. They need to master intercultural competence, appropriate pedagogical and methodological approaches, they need to reflect on how to design teaching and learning contexts meant to stimulate, in a joyful, playful, attractive and consistent manner the building up of a European identity. The article mirrors the training needs of primary school teachers of 3rd and 4th grade in Western Romania, to develop these competences and be able to foster such process. The assessment of the training needs of primary school teachers involved covered all aspects of the competence, including values, attitudes, as well as the knowledge about EU, and their reflection on their teaching practices. The conclusions of the analysis can be useful for further training programs and reconceptualization of (initial) teacher education.

Background & Aims: Although colon cancer has a decreasing incidence trend in Europe, because of its still high frequency and not fully understood pathogenesis, this malignancy still remains a subject of intense research. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of microRNA-194 and microRNA-1228 in colon cancer proliferation. Methods: RNA was extracted from patients with colon cancer with or without advanced disease and microRNA expression levels were determined through qRT-PCR. Assays were performed on HCT116 cell line and included qRT-PCR, western blotting and cell counting. Results: We observed that both microRNAs 194 and 1228 were altered in patients with colon cancer compared with healthy individuals. We observed a lower expression of both microRNA-194 and microRNA-1228 in patients with advanced colon cancer. To validate their pathogenetic role we performed viability and invasion assays on HCT116 cell line transfected with mimics or inhibitors of the mentioned microRNAs, with observable changes in viability and invasion. Furthermore, to determine the altered signaling induced by these microRNAs, we performed western blotting for phospho S6 on HCT116 cells transfected with mimic and inhibitor of the above-mentioned microRNAs with observable differences. Conclusion: In the current study we have shown that both microRNA-194 and microRNA-1228 alteration was correlated with the presence of advanced colon cancer, a fact that was further validated in vitro through an invasion assay. Moreover, we have also shown that their effect might be mediated through phospho S6 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The connections among the European stock market indices are considered as an important element in the study of the integration of these markets. Our paper suggests the analysis of these connections by means of analyzing the simultaneity of regime shifts in the dynamics of a set of Western and Eastern European equity market indices. We measure this simultaneity phenomenon and we present evidence in support for its future consideration as a step in the study of stock market integration in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing "mobility" of the labour market and the increasing "flexibility" of social life induced in the last decade an abrupt exacerbation of the issues of social inclusion (social integration). Most of the East-European countries and specifically Romania and Bulgaria are newly intensively confronted with the problem of the disadvantaged populations (marginalised ethnic-groups). The improving of the living conditions and the social inclusion of the most disadvantaged/vulnerable people (Roma, persons with disabilities, children at risk, and victims of domestic violence) are the main targets of a large number of international projects and programmes. The Roma population for example focussed in the last decades intensively the public opinion. The debates on the political level and the concerns of the specialists increased in the last years, and this not only in the countries of origin but also in almost all West-European countries. Despite the impressive amount of support programs, aid projects, activities, initiatives, actions on the national, regional and local level, initiated and implemented with the aid of an impressive logistics and financing, the social inclusion of the vulnerable groups remain one of the unsolved problems of modern Europe. In most of the cases the results of such projects remained less relevant and the impact (the gap) between the profoundly different and not compatible cultures also remained significant [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is the fundamental support of life and of the socio-economic system. Conservation of biodiversity has become a heavy emphasis in recent decades due to environmental degradation produced by the continuous increase of economic activity. Representing the basis for any activity including the economic one, biodiversity conservation is necessary in ensuring sustainable development of society without jeopardizing future generations. Social and environmental costs of noncompliance with the sustainable principles in the economic activity and not only are huge and the losses are immeasurable considering the human aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from legislative recognition of the grounding principles of human rights, the authors describe and comment upon the Council of Europe's Convention on human rights and human dignity confronted with scientific discoveries and also upon the Oviedo Convention of 1997 for the protection of Human Rights and dignity of the human being with regard to the application of biology and medicine. The authors specify that, given the promise made by Romania to observe international obligations, the Romanian law no. 2/1998 on organ and tissue transplantation abrogates the stipulations of the law 3-1978 and also includes 9 appendices which, being part of the law, guarantee in addition the observance of its provisions. All these regulations on the relationship between science and human rights have determined an evolution from the fatality of natural risks to current compensations, as an expression of human solidarity. They have determined the transition from social and vocational paternalism to personal autonomy and personal guarantees of independence and freedom. All these developments are faithfully reflected by comparative legislation on the use of life science outcomes on persons as they presently are. This is also reflected in Romanian legislation concerning tissue and organ transplantation and in mental health legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Virtual Intercultural Team Tool (VITT), a virtual platform that can assist European project teams in improving intercultural communication and in building cultural diversity for the effectiveness of its implementation. It states that VITT has three main tools namely, Kick-off Tool, Monitoring Tool, and Evaluation Tool. It mentions that the main output of the Kick-off Tool is the list of ground rules and can be used online. It says that the Monitoring Tool starts with answering a seven-question questionnaire and the output will consist in a set of joint management decisions. It tells that the output of the Evaluation Tool is the summary of main lessons learned which are discussed by the whole team.

Background: Burn care is centralized in highly specialized burn centers in Europe. These centers are of limited capacity and may be overwhelmed by a sudden surge in case of a burn mass casualty incident. Prior incidents in Europe and abroad have sustained high standards of care through well-orchestrated responses to share the burden of care in several burn centers. A burn mass casualty incident in Romania in 2015 sparked an initiative to strengthen the existing EU mechanisms. This paper aims to provide insight into developing a response plan for burn mass casualties within the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.Methods: The European Burns Association drafted medical guidelines for burn mass casualty incidents based on a literature review and an in-depth analysis of the Romanian incident. An online questionnaire surveyed European burn centers and EU States for burn mass casualty preparedness.Results: The Romanian burn mass casualty in 2015 highlighted the lack of a burn-specific mechanism, leading to the late onset of international transfers. In Europe, 71% of respondents had existing mass casualty response plans, though only 35% reported having a burn-specific plan. A burns response plan for burn mass casualties was developed and adopted as a Commission staff working document in preparation for further implementation. The plan builds on the existing Union Civil Protection Mechanism framework and the standards of the WHO Emergency Medical Teams initiative to provide 1) burn assessment teams for specialized in-hospital triage of patients, 2) specialized burn care across European burn centers, and 3) medevac capacities from participating states.Conclusion: The European burn mass casualty response plan could enable the delivery of high-level burn care in the face of an overwhelming incident in an affected European country. Further steps for integration and implementation of the plan within the Union Civil Protection Mechanism framework are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies, with an aggressive evolution and a poor long-term prognosis. No screening program is available in Europe for this pathology; therefore, the delay from the appearance of the first symptom until the initiation of treatment might influence the prognosis of gastric cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the impact on the prognosis of the delay in the presentation and diagnosis in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. Methods: Our study is a retrospective, single-center, observational cohort study, based on patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and operated in our institution between 2013 and 2021. We have defined patient delay as the time from the onset of symptoms to the first encounter with a health care provider and diagnosis delay as the time from the first consultation with a health care provider to the establishment of the final diagnosis. Results: A total of 671 patients were included in our study. The survival rate at 5 years was 55% for the patients operated with curative intent and 7.4% for the patients operated with palliative intent. Patient delay and diagnosis delay were not correlated with the overall survival. A lower survival was observed for patients admitted through transfer (p<0.001) or the emergency department (p<0.001). No statistically significant relationship was identified between patient delay or diagnosis delay and the age, gender or area of origin of patients. Patients that experienced melena or hematemesis had a shorter patient delay, with a highly significant statistical relationship (p<0.01). Patients that experienced nausea, epigastric pain, palpable epigastric tumor mass or anorexia also had a highly significant statistical relationship between the symptoms and the patient delay interval. Conclusions: The overall survival is not influenced by the patient delay or diagnosis delay. An earlier presentation was correlated with some specific exhibited symptoms: upper gastro-intestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, palpable epigastric tumor, nausea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To obtain the normal ranges for 2D echocardiographic (2DE) indices of myocardial work (MW) from a large group of healthy volunteers over a wide range of ages and gender., Methods and Results: A total of 226 (85 men, mean age: 45 ± 13 years) healthy subjects were enrolled at 22 collaborating institutions of the Normal Reference Ranges for Echocardiography (NORRE) study. Global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global work waste (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE) were estimated from left ventricle (LV) pressure-strain loops. Peak LV systolic pressure was non-invasively derived from brachial artery cuff pressure. The lowest values of MW indices in men and women were 1270 mmHg% and 1310 mmHg% for GWI, 1650 mmHg% and 1544 mmHg% for GCW, and 90% and 91% for GWE, respectively. The highest value for GWW was 238 mmHg% in men and 239 mmHg% in women. Men had significant lower values of GWE and higher values of GWW. GWI and GCW significantly increased with age in women., Conclusion: The NORRE study provides useful 2DE reference ranges for novel indices of non-invasive MW., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2018. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Classification criteria for most of the disorders belonging to the spondylarthropathy group already exist. However, the spectrum of spondylarthropathy is wider than the sum of these disorders suggests. Seronegative oligoarthritis, dactylitis or polyarthritis of the lower extremities, heel pain due to enthesitis, and other undifferentiated cases of spondylarthropathy have been ignored in epidemiologic studies because of the inadequacy of existing criteria. In order to define classification criteria that also encompass patients with undifferentiated spondylarthropathy, we studied 403 patients with all forms of spondylarthropathy and 674 control patients with other rheumatic diseases. The diagnoses were based on the local clinical expert's opinion. The 403 patients included 168 with ankylosing spondylitis, 68 with psoriatic arthritis, 41 with reactive arthritis, 17 with inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis, and 109 with unclassified spondylarthropathy. Based on statistical analysis and clinical reasoning, we propose the following classification criteria for spondylarthropathy: inflammatory spinal pain or synovitis (asymmetric or predominantly in the lower limbs), together with at least 1 of the following: positive family history, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, urethritis, or acute diarrhea, alternating buttock pain, enthesopathy, or sacroiliitis as determined from radiography of the pelvic region. These criteria resulted in a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 87%. The proposed classification criteria are easy to apply in clinical practice and performed well in all 7 participating centers. However, we regard them as preliminary until they have been further evaluated in other settings.