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Copyright of Romanian Journal of Materials / Revista Romana de Materiale is the property of Foundation for Materials Science & Engineering Serban Solacolu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Materials / Revista Romana de Materiale is the property of Foundation for Materials Science & Engineering Serban Solacolu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The interactions of actinomycin D (ActD) anticancer drug with two bile salts of different hydrophobicity (sodium cholate (NaC) and sodium deoxycolate (NaDC) and the influence of these bile salts aggregates on the ActD–DNA complex was investigated in 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) by UV–Vis spectroscopy (absorption and thermal denaturation). The binding strength of ActD to NaDC is higher than for NaC, and this difference attests stronger hydrophobic interactions between ActD and NaDC micelles. Also, the partition coefficient is significantly higher for NaDC micelles than for NaC micelles, in line with larger aggregates formed by NaDC. The spectral profile of ActD molecules in NaC and NaDC micelles, in comparison with different solvents, implies that ActD molecule experiences a hydrophobic environment in bile salts aggregates. Regarding the influence of NaC and NaDC aggregates on the ActD–DNA complex, it was shown that the presence of both bile salts micelles do not induce the deintercalation of ActD molecules from DNA duplex.

Copyright of Romanian Journal of Materials / Revista Romana de Materiale is the property of Foundation for Materials Science & Engineering Serban Solacolu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cryogenic experiments, in which ring-shaped projectiles are accelerated axially by a single-turn drive coil powered by a capacitor bank, have demonstrated that more than 50% of the initially stored electrostatic energy can be converted into kinetic energy in the projectile. Results provided by a detailed numerical modeling are shown to be in close agreement with experimental data. Index Terms--Electromagnetic launching, filamentary modeling.

The aim of the present work is to point out the role of microorganisms in biodeterioration from two different historical monuments located in Romania: the refectory of the Hurezi monastic complex and Amărăşti church. Mural painting was made in al frescoes technique applied on the brick or on the wooden poles. HOBO LCD data loggers revealed values of temperature between 5 and 24° and relative humidity between 60 and 90% which are favorable for the colonization by bacteria and fungi. Two different genera of moderately halophilic bacteria (Nesterenkonia and Halobacillus) and 5 different genera of fungi (Antrodia, Aspergillus, Alternaria, Penicillium and Ulocladium) had been identified either by molecular techniques or by cultural and mycelium characteristics. They developed a pink and black pigmentation. The main vehicles for spreading of microorganisms are as follows: insects, condensation, convection currents and human activity. Bacterial cells and mycelia have been found both on the surface of the mural paintings, mortars, wooden structure as well as in the fissures and pores. Bacteria producing carotenoids grow on the surface of the substrates but fungi can be located both on the substrate and under it developing in the same time aerial and substrate hyphae. Mycelia produce the peeling and loosing of the pictorial layer. Organic acids act as chelating agents and mycelium as pulling agent. The aesthetical and structural changes of mural painting can be prevented by monitoring the environment and avoiding contamination. If damages took place, understanding their origin and proper treatment will contribute to preserving of cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain offers in 2021 a backbone for a new type of internet. As the use of blockchain technology becomes more and more captivating in online retail and much more, it is not surprising that more and more companies are investing in this technology and incorporating it and relying more and more on e-commerce. This article aims to structure the notions involved in blockchain technology and to highlight what the blockchain opportunity in e-commerce really looks like.

The microclimate monitoring of Humor Monastery, Tismana Monastery and the refectory of Hurezi monastic complex from Romania was performed in order to investigate its effect on the growth of bacteria isolated from infilling mortar. According to the results, microclimate parameters values in Humor Monastery and the refectory of Hurezi monastic complex were similar but specific for each season due to the absence of central heating. Opposite, in Tismana Monastery with central heating, no remarkable differences were noticed during the year. Laboratory results showed that Halobacillus sp., Halobacillus naozhouensis and Nesterenkonia sp. were able to grow in the temperature range between 4 and 37 °C with optimum at 28 °C, respectively 15 °C. The microclimate parameters from all objectives are favorable for carotenoid producing bacteria which developed true pink biofilms very well attached by the original and infilling mortar as well as by pictorial layer, hiding the real color of mural painting. The microbial origin of pink pigmentation on frescoes from Romanian historical monuments was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroduodenal artery aneurysms (GDA) are a rare vascular disease, representing roughly 4% out of the total visceral artery aneurysms. The main complication is rupture and such an undesirable but common event nonetheless, carries a high mortality rate (up to 70%). The authors present the case of a 68 years old male patient incidentally diagnosed with a vascular mass at a routine abdominal ultrasound examination. A computed tomography angiography (CTA) was indicated and diagnosed an aneurysm of the gastroduodenal artery measuring 19.5 mm in diameter. Taking into consideration the high risk of rupture and the high mortality rate associated with this complication, an endovascular repair with a covered stent was attempted with good permeability and no visible endoleak at follow-up CTA. The current case proves that an endovascular approach should be considered first in case of visceral artery aneurysms because of the numerous advantages over the direct approach, although preparing the patient for open surgery is necessary just in case of an endovascular repair failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, methods and recommendations for an e-commerce web application of an online e-shop were explored, using various web technologies, such as Python. The approach used is described by analyzing the initial requirements, models and projects of the planned solution and the final implementation of the chosen method using a Model-View-Controller (MVC) framework. To achieve this goal, use case diagrams for specifications and implementation were developed, providing two levels of solutions: basic implementation using cookie functionality and advanced implementation based on the integration of machine learning algorithms. The adequacy and advantages / disadvantages of different methods, such as general recommendation systems and content-based recommendations, were analyzed and presented. This type of implementation is only a first step towards the explicable paradigm of artificial intelligence. Finally, the possibilities for future research are presented, taking into account several applications and other design aspects.

The mitral valve is a complex three-dimensional structure and mitral valve repair is the therapeutic intervention of choice in patients with significant mitral regurgitation due to lower rates of mortality and reoperation, lower incidence of heart failure, infective endocarditis and atrial fibrillation compared to valve replacement. The aim of the present study is to review the classical concepts regarding the anatomy of mitral valve leaflets and to analyze their morphology related to current clinical and surgical practices. The authors analyzed intraoperatively the mitral valves of 45 patients that benefited from mitral valve repair between 2002-2014 at the Cardiovascular Diseases Institute from Iasi, Romania. The mean age was 60.09±13.68 years and the indication for surgery was established for mitral regurgitation in all cases. From a morphological point of view, two commissures separating anterior and posterior leaflets were observed in all cases. Standard clefts described by Carpentier as separating P1 from P2 scallops and P2 from P3 scallops were inconstant and noted in 30 cases (P1-P2 cleft) and 34 cases respectively (P2-P3 cleft).. In 40 cases, additional clefts were noted inside conventional Carpentier scallops. Morphometrically, the A2 scallop measured 25.31±2.54 mm, the anterior leaflet height was of 36.12±4.73 mm and the intercommissural length 35.63 ± 5.18 mm. An accurate in vivo evaluation of the mitral valve and a common nomenclature are mandatory to mitral valve surgery as confusions, anatomical variants and incomplete knowledge of the morphology and structure of mitral apparatus could interfere the result of surgical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract): The aim of the present study is to determine the patency rate of radial bypass grafts using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Methods: To assess radial grafts patency, fifty post-coronary artery bypass grafting (post-CABG) patients (41/50 males and 9/50 females) were evaluated using dual source computed tomography (DSCT) angiography. All patients underwent a primary isolated CABG surgery between January 2000 and December 2009, performed by a single surgeon, at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, "Prof. Dr. George I. M. Georgescu" Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases, Iaşi, Romania. The grafts were classified as patent, occluded and string sign grafts. Results: The mean age of patients at operation time was 56.9±8.7 years and the mean time after graft implantation was 7.0±2.57 years. The number of assessed grafts was 160, including 66 radial artery grafts (RAG) and 94 internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts. A total number of 53/66 (80.3%) radial artery grafts and 48/49 (97.96%) LIMA/LAD grafts were patent. Conclusion: CCTA is a modern and non-invasive imaging modality for evaluation of the aortocoronary graft patency in early and late postoperative settings. In our study, the radial graft patency rate was comparable to that found in other angiographic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]