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In addition to the infectious disease, the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an infodemic that worsened the outbreak. Increased digital health literacy (DHL) skills and information-seeking behaviors are crucial for accessing, understanding, and evaluating online health information, especially during a pandemic, where misinformation imposes immediate health consequences. This study explores the predictors of DHL among Romanian students and their information-seeking behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through a cross-sectional study design over 3 months (December 2020-February 2021) and a self-reported web-based questionnaire from 1,381 university students from Romania assessing DHL and information-seeking behaviors. We used descriptive statistics, Cronbach Alpha coefficients, and univariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions to explore DHL's predictors in the Romanian sample. Results showed that overall, the study sample had high levels of DHL. However, almost half of the respondents reported having problems assessing whether the information searched related to coronavirus is reliable or not, and 95% shared someone else's private information online. Age, subjective social status, gender, and chronic diseases were identified as predictors for DHL. Students' DHL skills need to be strengthened using tailored educational programs and interventions emphasizing the quality, accuracy, and timely provision of online information on official public health platforms. Additional actions include fostering collaborations between educational institutions and public health authorities, alongside developing smartphone applications for real-time guidance on health topics. It is of the utmost importance to address the spread of the infodemic through different strategies, to combat misinformation among university students.

Around 60% of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) remain undiagnosed after comprehensive genetic testing, primarily of protein-coding genes1. Large genome-sequenced cohorts are improving our ability to discover new diagnoses in the non-coding genome. Here we identify the non-coding RNA RNU4-2 as a syndromic NDD gene. RNU4-2 encodes the U4 small nuclear RNA (snRNA), which is a critical component of the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP complex of the major spliceosome2. We identify an 18 base pair region of RNU4-2 mapping to two structural elements in the U4/U6 snRNA duplex (the T-loop and stem III) that is severely depleted of variation in the general population, but in which we identify heterozygous variants in 115 individuals with NDD. Most individuals (77.4%) have the same highly recurrent single base insertion (n.64_65insT). In 54 individuals in whom it could be determined, the de novo variants were all on the maternal allele. We demonstrate that RNU4-2 is highly expressed in the developing human brain, in contrast to RNU4-1 and other U4 homologues. Using RNA sequencing, we show how 5 splice-site use is systematically disrupted in individuals with RNU4-2 variants, consistent with the known role of this region during spliceosome activation. Finally, we estimate that variants in this 18 base pair region explain 0.4% of individuals with NDD. This work underscores the importance of non-coding genes in rare disorders and will provide a diagnosis to thousands of individuals with NDD worldwide.

This paper highlights the complex relation between the social protection and assistance expenditure and the gross domestic product (GDP) in Romania, for the period 2007-2022, to show how far the objectives of the welfare state in Romania have been achieved. It promotes the responsibility of the state in ensuring a minimum level of well-being for its citizens through public policies and social programs. The economic changes have directly influenced the allocation of resources for social protection and assistance, while these expenses have affected, in turn, the economic dynamics, reflected by the increase in GDP. The correlation between the social protection and assistance expenditure and the GDP in Romania shows that, in general, the economic growth has allowed the increase of social expenses, and in periods of economic crisis, these expenses have become more necessary to support the well-being of the population.

Abstract When emotions occur in groups, they sometimes impact group behavior in undesired ways. Reducing group’s emotions with emotion regulation interventions can be helpful, but may also be a challenge, because treating every person in the group is often infeasible. One solution is to treat a fraction of a group, and then hope the effect of the treatment will spread to other group members. To test the viability of this option, we designed an experiment to examine the impact of emotion regulation applied to different proportions of groups of six Israeli participants (N = 2659) who shared real-time responses to negative emotions-inducing political stimuli. Before interacting with each other, we treated different proportions of each group with an emotion regulation intervention called cognitive reappraisal, which involved teaching participants to reinterpret events to reduce negative emotions. The results showed that as the proportion of participants who received the treatment increased, there was a reduction in emotions within the non-treated participants. Furthermore, targeting above 40% of participants resulted in reliable group emotional change. Using semantic projection analysis, we validated the contagion of reappraisal language. These findings shed light on the conditions that enable collective emotion regulation.

This study investigates the relationship between sustainability reporting practices aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and CO₂e emissions reduction across six companies operating over two industrial sectors. Grounded in two primary hypotheses, the research aims to assess whether there is a discernible trend toward GRI-compliant reporting and whether these reporting practices are associated with CO₂e emissions reductions as part of effective sustainability communication. Utilizing a longitudinal analysis of ESG scores, CO₂e emission levels, and annual changes from 2019 to 2022, the study examines the dynamics of sustainability reporting within the context of environmental performance. Preliminary observations indicate that firms from the oil and extractive industries have made strides in enhancing their ESG scores, which may suggest a potential link between structured sustainability reporting and improved environmental outcomes. However, the analysis also reveals variability among companies, with some exhibiting inconsistent emission trends despite stable ESG scores. This variability raises questions about the strength and universality of the relationship between GRI-aligned reporting and emissions reductions. The study posits that industry-wide incentives and regulatory frameworks may be essential for fostering more consistent adherence to GRI standards across different sectors. Future research directions are suggested to explore deeper mechanisms and variations across industries to gain a comprehensive understanding of the broader impacts of GRI standards on environmental outcomes.

This study aims to create an accurate description of the Romanian Community in Florence, Italy. To do this scientific approach, mixed methods have been used, respectively the questionnaire and interview survey. This paper investigates varied perspectives of how the Romanians in Florence, Italy, are living, spending their free time, working, and celebrating religious (or not) holidays. It is of great interest in the research field to gather as much information as possible about these behaviours and daily life aspects. Especially in this era, where technology has eliminated the limitation of space and time, thus enhancing choices, communicational acts, and other various aspects in favour of people, both in the personal aspect of life, as well as professional aspects.

Aim of the study This study aimed to evaluate the time efficiency and accuracy of digital scanning compared to traditional impression methods in dentistry, as well as their impact on patient comfort and satisfaction. Materials and methods Bibliographic searches were conducted in databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science), applying relevant keywords to identify studies comparing digital and conventional impression techniques in dentistry. The data was extracted and graphically represented. Results Data from clinical studies indicated mixed conclusions regarding accuracy and impression parameters. Time spent on impressions seems to be less for digital techniques, but results are conflicting. Patients reported increased comfort and a clear preference for digital scans due to their less invasive nature and reduced discomfort. Conclusions Integrating digital scanning technology into modern dental practices offers significant benefits in terms of procedural efficiency and patient satisfaction, while accuracy and time depend by circumstances such as edentulism type and length of scan.

Sustainability has become a strategic priority for organizations and governing bodies. Accountants, traditionally seen as financial stewards, have significantly expanded their roles to become strategic leaders in promoting sustainable practices. Their expertise in risk management, financial reporting, and data analysis puts them in a position to influence and shape organizational sustainability strategies. This paper explores how accounting professionals can contribute to sustainability and how to gain competitive advantage. We will examine their contributions at various organizational levels and identify the barriers and challenges they face in this role.

The paper seeks to highlight the importance of tax revenues within the economy of a country and to analyze the efficiency of tax revenue collection in Romania, in the period 2010-2019, focusing on identifying the factors that determined the low collection of tax revenues. Next, we set out to identify to what extent the collection problems could be explained by the efficiency of taxation. In this sense, we used the regression method between the taxation efficiency index on the four types of tax revenues analyzed in the report (VAT, CAS, profit tax, revenues tax) as an independent variable and the share of tax revenues in GDP on all four categories (VAT, CAS, profit tax, revenues tax) as dependent variable.The analysis was done for each of the countries in the European Union New Member States group for the period 2010-2019.

The main objective of this article was to analyze the relationship between total revenues, social contributions and total gross expenses in Romania.The analysis covers the period 1995 to 2022 and is based on data collected from official sources.The study aimed to highlight the long-term dynamics and short-term adjustments between the key economic variables under analysis, thus providing insight into how fiscal policies can influence budgetary stability. Thus, in order to analyze the long-term interdependencies and short-term adjustments between total revenues, social contributions and total gross expenses, we proceeded to identify the cointegration relationships between the variables.The results showed that although there is an adjustment process, it is not instantaneous. Any short-term deviation of one of the key variables causes a series of adjustments in the other variables to restore the long-term balance, thus confirming the existence of structural links between these variables, while also providing a clear perspective on how these relationships manifests and stabilizes over time.

Atmospheric pollution is a major problem in urban environments. Pollutants with various sizes of particulate matter result from long-term anthropogenic sources, including industrial emissions and the combustion of fossil fuels by vehicles and commercial and residential buildings. Pollutants affect both humans and green areas. Trees are good indicators of pollution due to their longevity, easy identification, and geographical distribution in urban areas. Recently, due to climate change, all EU member states have agreed to measure heavy metal pollution in urban areas using plants as bioindicators. This study aimed to analyze heavy metal concentrations (Pb, Cd, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn) in the leaves of monumental trees (both evergreen coniferous and deciduous) in the Carpathian Arch. Leaf samples were collected in the summer of 2022 from 37 specimens across 12 sites in nine counties - Alba, Brasov, Harghita, Mures, Sibiu, Satu Mare, Bistrita Nasaud, Maramures, and Cluj. The leaf heavy metal contents correlated with a low level of atmospheric pollution. Of the six heavy metals analyzed, only four were highly accumulated in the leaf samples and exceeded the toxicity threshold. Of the nine counties sampled, heavy metal pollution above the toxicity threshold was detected only in two sites - the city of Baia Mare, Maramures county (Zn and Cd), and the city of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj county (Fe, Zn, Cd, and Cu). The response of the tree species to changes in atmospheric heavy-metal concentrations confirmed that trees are suitable bioindicators of air pollution in urban areas. Monumental trees can also be used for environmental restoration and to promote sustainable urban development, decrease pollution, and increase urban environmental health.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires companies to integrate sustainability reporting with financial data, emphasizing the role of accountants. Accountants must ensure accurate and comprehensive financial statements, reflecting both financial and non-financial impacts. They need to stay updated with legislative changes and collaborate across departments to aggregate relevant data. Accountants will identify the financial impact of sustainability factors and prepare ESG metrics, critical for securing European funding. They will also help companies assess climate risks and ensure compliance with sustainability standards, positioning sustainability at the core of decision-making processes.

Abstract Despite public health measures, type 2 diabetes (T2D) is still a significant concern worldwide, given its associated complications, including hepatic alterations. The role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in liver fibrosis is well established. However, its effects on the progression of diabetic liver diseases are not well understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the mRNA/miRNA axes involved in this process. Bioinformatic analysis revealed new EMT-associated genes (CDH2, ITGB1, COL4A1, COL1A1, TNC, CCN2, and JUN), which showed higher expression in obese T2D and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. In addition, six miRNAs (miR-21-5p, miR-26a-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-106a-5p, miR-320a-3p and miR-424-5p) have been found as potential targets. Among them, miR-26a-5p and miR-424-5p were significantly downregulated in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and HCC (p

Abstract In this community effort, we compare measurements between 34 laboratories from 19 countries, utilizing mixtures of labelled authentic synthetic standards, to quantify by mass spectrometry four clinically used ceramide species in the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) human blood plasma Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1950, as well as a set of candidate plasma reference materials (RM 8231). Participants either utilized a provided validated method and/or their method of choice. Mean concentration values, and intra- and inter-laboratory coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated using single-point and multi-point calibrations, respectively. These results are the most precise (intra-laboratory CVs ≤ 4.2%) and concordant (inter-laboratory CVs < 14%) community-derived absolute concentration values reported to date for four clinically used ceramides in the commonly analyzed SRM 1950. We demonstrate that calibration using authentic labelled standards dramatically reduces data variability. Furthermore, we show how the use of shared RM can correct systematic quantitative biases and help in harmonizing lipidomics. Collectively, the results from the present study provide a significant knowledge base for translation of lipidomic technologies to future clinical applications that might require the determination of reference intervals (RIs) in various human populations or might need to estimate reference change values (RCV), when analytical variability is a key factor for recall during multiple testing of individuals.

Introduction. Interstitial Cells of Cajal (ICCs) play a critical role in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility and have been implicated in various functional gastrointestinal disorders. Recent research indicates a possible association between ICCs and the tumor risk of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs). This research aims to examine the clinical, histopathological, and biomolecular characteristics of ICCs and their relevance in assessing GIST risk. Materials and Methods. This study examined fourteen GIST patients who underwent surgical intervention at the Surgery Department of Carol Davila Nephrology Hospital in Bucharest. Parameters including age, gender, tumor location/ dimensions were scrutinized. Immunohistochemistry employing markers CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 was employed to ascertain the presence of ICCs and GISTs. Results. The GIST risk stratification revealed distribution with 35.71% very low-risk, 21.42% low-risk, 14.28% intermediate-risk, and 28.57% high-risk categories. Predominantly, 57.14% of cases fell within the very low-risk and low-risk categories. Positive immunoreactivity for CD117 and DOG-1 was noted in 92.86% of patients, while CD34 exhibited positivity in 85.71% of cases. Gastric GISTs manifested heightened marker expression. Notably, immunohistochemistry unveiled robust positivity for CD117, DOG-1, and CD34, illustrating a positive correlation between elevated ICC levels and high-risk GISTs. Conclusions. The findings propose an association between ICC levels and high-risk GISTs, accentuating the diagnostic utility of CD117, DOG-1, and CD34 markers in GIST assessment.

IntroductionThis study aims to identify the characteristics of the new generations of Beatles fans who are engaged in online fandoms and to explore how the Beatles continue to have an impact despite the band does no longer exist. To address these objectives, the study answers to the following research questions: Does the perception of the Beatles’ impact at a personal level differ between generations of fans? If so, in what ways does the Beatles’ influence manifest in the younger generation of fans and how does the new generation of Beatles fans define themselves?MethodsIn order to conduct the study, a mixed method design was used, specifically the preliminary quantitative input variant. In the first stage we collected data to identify whether there are differences in perceptions among generations about the impact of the Beatles through an online questionnaire, with closed and open-ended questions. The population was selected non-probabilistic and comprised 788 persons who listen to the Beatles and are members of Beatles fan communities on Facebook. In the second stage, we administered an online questionnaire with open-ended questions and analogy exercises to 23 persons from the same communities, to obtain more in-depth information about the new generation of Beatles fans (aged 18–35).ResultsQuantitative data illustrate that the new generation of fans is less influenced by the Beatles. When this happens, there are two areas where this influence is more substantial: personal development and social interactions. The main elements through the identification take place with the band are lyrics from the late period of the Beatles, with a more profound message and a philosophy of life. Through analogy exercises, qualitative data reflects elements of the social identity of Beatles’ fans. Symbols like animals, plants, and instruments indicate who they are in terms of the groups.DiscussionThe findings extended our understanding of how the Beatles impact the new generation of fans and provide new insights from their social identity, which could serve as a foundation for future research, for scholar interested in exploring the identity of band music fans.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) is a multiorgan disorder with increased vulnerability to cancer. Despite this increased cancer risk, there are no widely accepted guidelines for cancer surveillance in people affected by A-T. We aimed to understand the current international practice regarding cancer surveillance in A-T and agreed-upon approaches to develop cancer surveillance in A-T. DESIGN/METHODS: We used a consensus development method, the e-Delphi technique, comprising three rounds. Round 1 consisted of a Delphi questionnaire and a survey that collected the details of respondents professional background, experience, and current practice of cancer surveillance in A-T. Rounds 2 and 3 were designed based on previous rounds and modified according to the comments made by the panellists. The pre-specified consensus threshold was ≥75% agreement. RESULTS: Thirty-five expert panellists from 13 countries completed the study. The survey indicated that the current practice of cancer surveillance varies widely between experts and centres. Consensus was reached that evidence-based guidelines are needed for cancer surveillance in people with A-T, with separate recommendations for adults and children. Statements relating to the tests that should be included, the age for starting and stopping cancer surveillance and the optimal surveillance interval were also agreed upon, although in some areas, the consensus was that further research is needed. CONCLUSION: The international expert consensus statement confirms the need for evidence-based cancer surveillance guidelines in A-T, highlights key features that the guidelines should include, and identifies areas of uncertainty in the expert community. This elucidates current knowledge gaps and will inform the design of future clinical trials.

The present paper aims to provide an interpretation of the dynamics of the largest medieval funerary complex known so far in Wallachia (the site of Buftea – La Cârna/Mănești, generically dated between the 14 th and 17 th centuries), using the coins associated to the burials as a documentary basis. Obviously, such an approach has certain weaknesses, such as the use of a single element of analysis as terminus post quem indicator, the low percentage of burials with coins (less than 7%), etc. However, given the fact that the site was investigated in two distinct stages three decades apart, time bringing great changes in the theory and practice of archaeology, a reference system to report on the various specific aspects of both the earlier and the future research, a system perhaps vulnerable at the moment, but perfectible in time. The purpose of the article is to provide a historical interpretive framework for the archaeological finds from Buftea – La Cârna/Mănești, thus connecting the funerary finds with the socio‑economic and political changes that took place in medieval Wallachia, around Bucharest, from the end of the 14 th to the beginning of the 17 th century.