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This review aims to analyse the use and effects of carotenoids in salmonid aquafeeds. Species of the family Salmonidae are of great interest for aquaculture due to their many properties, like fast growth and nutritional quality. Some species from this family are among the most farmed fish in the world. Thus, there are many studies on different farming technologies, fish biology, market dynamics and others. However, there are always new challenges in the aquaculture of salmonids, being a continuously improving activity. Consumers are becoming more considerate about what they choose to buy and consume. Thus, some aspects emerge as great influencers in the buying decisions of consumers, such as animal welfare, in addition to usual influencing factors, like product freshness and colour. A category of ingredients used in the salmonid aquaculture are carotenoids. They are pigments supplemented to diets for colouring the fish flesh, making it more appealing to consumers. However, some other benefits can also be observed, especially on the health of fishes. Be it synthetic or natural, carotenoids have become a largely used ingredient in salmonid aquafeeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestive system of fish is different from one species to another, depending on the type of food ingested. Danube salmon Hucho hucho (Linnaeus, 1758) is a critically endangered species of the Salmonidae family with the threat of extinction looming large, therefore conservation efforts are urgently needed. This study presents a detailed microscopic analysis of the Zeissl membrane in Danube salmon, through histological means. The biological material analyzed consisted of six fish raised in a specialized breeding farm for restocking purposes. Samples were collected from the gastrointestinal tract and processed using histological paraffin embedding. The Zeissl membrane was present in all studied segments, but its structure and development varied. It comprised the stratum compactum (SC) and stratum granulosum (SG). The SC formed a continuous membrane with unequal thickness in most of the studied segments, except for the cardia area of the stomach, where it appeared discontinuously, and the duodenum, where it only appeared between the apertures of the pyloric caeca. Aside from its role in limiting gastrointestinal distension, it may have other implications for the morphophysiology of the Danube salmon digestive tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolism, a manifestation specific to life, represents the set of physical and chemical processes through which living matter achieves continuous renewal to function and organize the specific activity. The physical-chemical composition of goat milk is conditioned by breed, individuality, area, and age. This study analyzes the physical-chemical composition of milk from a population of Carpathian goat breed, in the first seven postpartum days (first, third, and seventh day) according to age (primiparous and multiparous) to observe the physical-chemical changes from colostrum to milk. The physical-chemical parameters analyzed were: fat (g/100 g); protein (g/100 g); casein (g/100 g); lactose (g/100 g); solid non-fat - SNF (g/100 g); total dry matter (g/100 g); pH; freezing point (FP); urea mg/dl; somatic cells count - SCC/ml x 1000; total bacteria count - TBC/ml x 1000. Results highlight the intense changes that occur at the physico-chemical level of goat's milk to cover the nutritional requirements of the newborn goat and indicate the health status of the mammary gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to determine the effect of oregano essential oil added to the diet of broilers on body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and on the chemical composition of meat and liver. For this purpose, two groups of one-day old broiler chickens Ross 308, a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG) were raised for 42 days. In the experimental group, 1% of oregano essential oil was added to the standard diet, dissolved in vegetable oil and mixed with the administered diet. The live body weight (LBW) of the chickens at 42 days was higher in the control group (2099.69±29.56 g) compared to that of the experimental group (1972.23±42.20 g). The total feed consumption of the control group was 4393.62 g per bird, higher in comparison with the experimental group, which registered 4067.45 g per bird. The feed conversion indices of 2.14 (CG) and 2.11 (EG), favouring the experimental group. With regards to the chemical composition of meat and liver, a higher proportion of dry matter was recorded in the samples collected from breast and thighs musculature and liver of experimental group of chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep milk has a high nutritional value and is an important source of fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, etc., which contribute to the body's health. In addition to the use of raw milk, the main use of sheep's milk is the production of traditional cheeses obtained by small farmers or regional cheese producers. However, the quality of the obtained cheeses depends on the raw material, namely milk, which has to be free of pathogenic microorganisms. This study aims to highlight the importance of the quality of raw milk to obtain high-quality cheeses. Milk and telemea cheese samples were collected from Țurcană sheep breed farmed in Vințe farm, Cluj county, Romania. The physicochemical analyses were performed for both milk and cheese. The physicochemical analysis results for milk were: crude fat 8.98±0.18%, crude protein 5.08±0.16%, density 1.0345±0.01 g cm-3, acidity 17.2±0.97%. For the cheese, the results were: water 45.2±0.74%, dry matter (DM) 54.8±0.74%, crude fat 51.93±2.05% reported to DM, salt 5.63±0.31% and acidity 272.6±11.82%. The pleasant taste of cheese is due to the quality of the raw milk and the brine used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher burnout has been shown to be one of the most common negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify distinct psychological resources and burnout risk profiles of teachers and examine their association with Kolb's educator roles and their professional experience. Methods: The survey data were collected from 330 preschool and primary school (84 males, Mage = 38.3, SD = 9.14) teachers using a convenience sampling method. Results: The two-step cluster analysis revealed two distinct profiles. The first profile, "high psychological resources, no burnout risk," was characterized by absent symptoms of burnout and increased levels of well-being, self-control, and positive emotionality. The second profile, "moderate psychological resources, mild burnout," was associated with medium levels of well-being, self-control, and positive emotionality accompanied by mild burnout. Our findings highlighted that cluster one had a significantly higher score for the facilitator role and cluster two for the expert and coach roles. Additionally, teachers with less professional experience were more likely to belong to cluster one, considering their adequate skills in digital literacy. Conclusions: These findings provide new insights into the explanation of teacher burnout and the design of intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to highlight the influence of anticoagulants on erythrocyte morphometry in different vertebrate species. Anticoagulants are a category of substances that inhibit blood clotting through various mechanisms. Due to this property, they are used to collect blood samples for a wide range of laboratory tests. The literature mentions that the use of anticoagulants produces morphological changes of erythrocytes, thus influencing results. Blood samples were collected from three warm-blooded vertebrate species (horse, rabbit, and chicken) and one lower vertebrate species with nucleated erythrocytes (fish) in vacutainers with Heparin and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), in a normal concentration and a double concentration. At the time of harvesting, control smears were performed. In order to be able to compare the effects produced by anticoagulants on the morphology of erythrocytes, they were evaluated morphometrically at intervals of 3, 6, and 24 hrs. after harvest. The following features were evaluated using the Toup View software: length, width, surface and perimeter of erythrocytes for species with anucleated erythrocytes. The same characteristics were evaluated in the nucleus for species with nucleated erythrocytes. The data obtained were processed with statistical programs to highlight changes in erythrocyte morphology produced by anticoagulants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality parameters determines the success or the failure of a fish culture operation, so any proper-prepared plan for aquaculture must describe the quality and quantity of water available for this purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical water parameters in Rainbow trout culture, in the summer season from three salmonid farms, due to the environmental changes that are nowadays happening and affect the fish culture operation. The water samples were collected from Bistria-Năsăud County, from three trout farms: Strâmba, oimul de Jos and Fiad, in the summer of 2018, between May and August. For the determination of water parameters (dissolved oxygen, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity and resistivity, pH, temperature, salinity) was used the Hanna HI 9828/4- 01 Multi-Parameter and for the chemical parameters (total ammonia, nitrates, nitrites) samples were transferred to the USAMV laboratories. The samples collection was made in each farm from three different places: catchment, basins and evacuation water areas. The results of the study showed that the parameters observed from the three farms were different, with major differences in month of July and August. The environment of fish aquaculture is a complex system with critical parameters as are the temperature, suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, nitrite and ammonia. However, the temperature and the dissolved oxygen are the most important parameter, requiring continuous monitoring in aquaculture production systems, due to the fish aerobic metabolism which requires an elevated level of dissolved oxygen at optimum temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of modern goat breeding systems implies the addition of the classical methods used to improve the genetic potential with methods of appreciation of the hereditary base and their productive capacity. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the particularities of the evolution of the body weight from birth to the weaning of the kids goat Carpathian and kids goat breeds (Saanen male and Carpathian female), established according to three main factors: parturition type, the sex of the kid goat and the status physiology of the mother goats. The study was conducted in a farm in the Trascău mountains area, locality Rimetea, county of Alba, during January-June 2019, where we monitored daily: the body weight and sex of kids goat at birth, type of birth and the age of the parturients. The working method consisted of daily monitoring and weighing the kids goat studied with an electronic scale with an accuracy of: 5 g (0.5 g-10 kg); 10 g (10-50 kg). The obtained results have been statistically processed, being beneficial in making faster and more efficient decisions in the selection and improvement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The profound renewals in the field of learning have had considerable effects on educational sciences, implicitly the status and role of teachers. The didactic activity of the modern teacher goes beyond making use of one's personal qualities, appreciated in terms of vocation, talent and mastery; it also implies the acquisition of a complex system of theoretical knowledge, the formation of abilities, competences and qualities, and taking on particular roles, in a rigorous and controlled manner, all of which highlight one's wide range of skills and professionalism. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the link between the Educator's Role Profile and the results obtained by fourth grade students in the state-standardized PIRLS test, in order to help teachers better understand their own approach to educating and identify ways of optimizing results. Methods: The study, conducted in Romania, included as participants 35 primary school teachers, evaluated with D. Kolb's self-assessment instrument in order to identify their Educator Role Profiles, and 375 of their students, who underwent a standardized form of testing called PIRLS. The study sought to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between the students' performances and ultimately raised the hypothesis that these differences could be due to the impact of their mentors' style of teaching, according to their Educator Role Profiles. This work also outlines the Experiential educator role profile as the one which unifies all four roles of the teacher, helping the learner go through the entire learning cycle. Results: This study found that the most common Educator Role Profile in Romanian schools is the Evaluator role profile, followed by the Expert, the Facilitator and, finally, the Coach. Regarding the association between the teachers' role profiles and the results obtained by students in the PIRLS test, the study showed that the Facilitator role profile was associated with statistically significant greater mean scores in the students' overall performance, followed by the Coach, the Expert and lastly, the Evaluator. Conclusions: This paper concludes that the Experiential teaching role profiles ought to be considered important additions to the school reform model, in order to increase students' performance on standardized examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anesthetics are widely used in fish farming. Their purpose is to reduce the mobility and stress of fishes due to manipulation. In the present study we tested the efficiency of clove oil (Eugenia caryophyllata) in different doses [4.70 mL anesthetic/50 liter of water (0.094 mL/Lwater); 2.36 mL anesthetic/50 liter of water (0.0472 mL/Lwater); 1.82 mL anesthetic/50 liter of water (0.0364 mL/Lwater)] in carp (Cyprinus carpio) and in Prussian carp (Carassius gibelio) with different body mass. Anesthesia induction times were monitored. At each of these stages the respiratory rate was monitored by recording the opercular movements. The results show a direct correlation between the fish size and the induction times of anesthesia. Regardless of species, larger and heavier specimens require longer periods for anesthesia. Instead, recovery times in larger-body specimens were shorter. Different doses have influenced the duration of anesthesia induction and recovery times, the most effective dose being 4.70 mL/50 liter of water followed by 2.36 mL/50 liter of water. The dose of 1.82 mL/50 liter of water did not induce anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body temperatures of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss were monitored from June through August 2018 in three trout farms from Bistrița-Năsăud County (Romania). The body temperature was measured from 3 different regions of the body: head, trunk (epaxial and hypaxial muscle region) and caudal peduncle. Body temperatures were compared to the basins water temperature. The lowest water temperature in the basins was recorded in May and June, in Șoimul de Jos farm, and the highest temperature in Fiad farm. In July, Strâmba farm, recorded the highest water temperature, and in August, Fiad farm. In all farms studied, the body temperature of the trout was higher than that of the basins water temperature regardless of the studied region. The highest differences between the basins water and body temperature in farms were found in the caudal peduncle and epaxial muscle regions, due to their role in locomotor mechanism. This is due to the high growth density, the feeding and the intensification of metabolism, with energy release, as well as a much higher level of stress than that encountered in the natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowing the physico-chemical composition of the wine allows it to be authenticated and to detect the frauds that can be encountered in marketed wines. The physico-chemical analysis of wine is the basis for controlling and observing the technological flow of wine production. It is also necessary to evaluate the organoleptic characteristics of wine as there is a close link between the sensory characteristics and the chemical composition of the final product. The raw material and the harvest year significantly influence the final composition of the wine. The temperature and precipitations of the raw material harvest year significantly influence the chemical composition of the wine. Tartaric acid varies between 2.51 ± 0.05 and 2.82 ± 0.04 for red Merlot dry wines. The mean values for malic acid are between 1.01 ± 0.04 and 1.57 ± 0.03. The average citric acid values range from 0.19 ± 0.01 to 0.24 ± 0.01 for red Merlot dry wines. These values correspond to the average values reported by other authors in the literature. The purpose of this study was to characterize the content of tartaric, malic, citric and lactic acid in dry red Merlot wine, as well as sensory and physico-chemical properties according to the year of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buffalo milk due to its high fat content from the energy point of view is more valuable compared to cow's milk. The percentage of fat varies depending on the stage of lactation, season, individual, health, animal age and diet. The study of the chemical composition and the antioxidant capacity of buffalo milk is required for both scientific and technological considerations, given the importance of this type of milk in the consumer's diet. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity and the physico-chemical composition of buffalo milk by lactation. Buffalo milk can have different qualities, so the quality of buffalo milk is also determined by its content in its components (protein, fat, lactose, vitamins, fatty acids, water content, antioxidant capacity). The physicochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity were influenced by lactation, presenting the highest values in lactations III and IV. During lactation I, parameters such as fat, protein and lactose showed a content of 7.88, 4.35 and 4.71%, respectively. Furthermore, in lactation IV, fat, protein and lactose had increased, showing the content of these parameters as follows 9.53, 4.68 and 4.77%. Antioxidant capacity of buffalo milk showed the highest numbers in lactation III (360.1) and IV, 358.9 µg/ml. From all of the analyzed parameters, only total dry substance content presented the most increased values 18.9% in lactation I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donkey milk is used as an alternative source in the diet of young children and newborns due to the similar composition to breast milk. The donkey milk is considered to be a functional food by the chemical composition it presents, thus being beneficial in the nutrition of people suffering from food allergies. The chemical composition and antioxidant capacity of the donkey milk are significantly influenced by lactation and also by the lactation period. Donkey milk has a low fat content compared to other species and high lactose content. These parameters are influenced by the variables such as: lactation, animal age, and feeding. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lactation on the antioxidant capacity and physicochemical compounds in the donkey milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the pollution from the environment, the heavy metals also contaminate the mushrooms. The pollution degree depends on several factors such as climate, area of origin, mushroom composition, humidity level, and radioactivity. Samples were collected from the following areas: Sălaj, Cluj, Braşov, Baia Mare, Satu Mare, Bistriţa-Năsăud. The content of fat, protein, humidity, heavy metal (Pb and Cd) and fungi radionuclides (Boletus edulis) and chanterelle mushrooms (Cantharellus cibarius) were evaluated. The content of Cs 137 in (Boletus edulis) built in the Baia Mare area and the lowest in the Brasov area. Cs 134 showed the lowest values in yellow sponges compared to dry boletus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physiological stress response of Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) was studied under laboratory conditions. This species is well known for the resistance and adaptability t°environmental factors. In this sense, metabolic and hematologic profiles were determined for low (6°C), medium (18°C) and high (31°C) water temperatures. An increase in blood cell numbers (RBC, WBC) and hematocrit (Ht) was determined under high temperature conditions, as a response t°low dissolved oxygen. Platelet count (PLT) remained relatively constant regardless of the water temperature. The metabolic profiles showed significant and very significant differences for most of the analyzed indices. The differences were due t°variations in temperature that influenced appetite and ingestion of feed, respectivelly the respiratory function by vasoconstriction or hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donkey milk is considered a substitute for breast milk. Because of its nutritional and compositional properties it is very close to breast milk. Equine asinus can be considered suitable for feeding newborns, against cow's milk, which can cause intolerance. We determined the physico-chemical parameters of donkey milk with CombiFoss FT. The total germ count (TNG) was analyzed by BactoScan and the total number of somatic cells (TNS) by Fossomatic FC. Determination of heavy metals in milk was performed by mass spectrometry to identify Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn. Heavy metals are present in the environment but also in food and can cause serious health problems to the consumer. For the consumer, the main source of cadmium exposure is the food they consume, water and smoking. Cd contamination of dairy milk may also be due to the use of Cd-based chemicals, fertilizers, feed and waste water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on the interaction of children with special needs and horses, which attempts to demonstrate the effects of hipoterapy in helping children with disabilities. The research was conducted on a group of 20 children with disabilities who participated in this type of therapy for 8 months (January-August 2015) in Leorinţ Leisure Center and Riding Therapy, which owns 6 horses. This study carried out a pre- and post-evaluation and there were followed skills and cognitive function, motor skills, spatial-temporal orientation skills, sensoryperceptual organization, examining language and personality of children. In the first stage an initial assessment of children was made representing the starting point to see to what extent children are, what special needs they have and what gaps need to be recovered or what skills and qualities may be based in therapy. After 3 months of hippotherapy, in April 2015, there was made intermediar evaluation of beneficiaries to see if the intended results were achieved and where to optimise the therapy. The final evaluation was conducted in August 2015, after four months from the intermediar evaluation. After the hippotherapy was applied in children with various disabilities, we found that children move better, speak more easily, communicate and become more careful. Besides the outcomes of this hippotherapy, its results are measurable and easily to observe. Therefore, the satisfaction to participate in hippotherapy sessions and the contact with the horses offers a real joy to this children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health status of cows is evaluated and depending on haematological and biochemical profile of blood. Nutrition is the main technological factor that can produce profound changes in the metabolic profile in animals (Dhiman et al., 1991; Khaled et al., 1999; Ingvartsen, 2006). Blood parameters analyze can lead to identify if there are errors in nutrition of lactating cows (Payne et al., 1970). The aim of this study was the evaluation of metabolic and biochemical changes that occur during colostrum period and in terms of number of lactations in cows. The biological material was represented by a total of 60 heads of dairy cows from a family farm from Sãlaj County, Romania. The cows are all from Holstein breed and presented no clinical signs of any specific pathology. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of each cow and analyzed. 10 individuals from each of the six lactations have been randomly selected. Haematological and biochemical parameters showed variations depending on factors analyzed here. In lactation 1 Hb was 7.55±3.05 (g/dl), while in lactation 6 the value was 12.5±2.10 (g/dl). RBC ranged as follows: in lactation 1 - 28.50±2.05 and in lactation 6 - 30.02±2.05. Lymphocytes varied within very wide limits under the influence of lactation: in lactation 1 - 2.8±1.56 and in lactation 6 - 7.55±1.80. The number of lactations and lactation rank have influenced blood biochemical and hematological parameters in dairy cows. Biochemical parameters are influenced by post-partum day, showing the lowest values in the early days of colostral period and the highest in the last few days of the same period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our trial was conducted with the aim of emphasizing the influence of environmental factors acting as potential stressors upon donkey milk nutritional traits, within specific climatic conditions of North-West Romania. Milk from fifty jennies from four private farms, in different stages of lactation, from first up to the fifth, weekly collected during a three months period, February-April 2016, was qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. In experimental areal, temperature, humidity, and wind velocity, were daily recorded. The average temperature of the experimental period (4.95°C±0.19°C) is with 0.8°C bigger compared to the average temperature of the experimental areal in 2010, suggesting the increase of the heat stress upon donkey milk production traits. Donkey milk content in lactose and fat, together with milk pH, increase from first to fifth lactation, while water and protein content decrease. We may consider the lack of correlations between donkey milk pH and fat content, and also between fat and lactose. Positive significant moderate correlations are identified between donkey milk lactose and protein, and also between lactose, protein, and donkey milk pH. Between fat and donkey milk water content, negative significant moderate correlation is identified. Temperature, humidity, and wind velocity have strong influence upon donkey milk fat, protein and water content, and moderate on donkey milk pH, and lactose. This study emphasizes the necessity of adopting suitable managerial practices in donkey rearing facilities, where the farmer is interested in valuating donkey milk. This assertion is based on the increasing of the temperature in the experimental areal, compared to the same period of the previous years, taking into account the negative influence of the heat stress on donkey milk quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The meat due to the chemical composition is a staple food in human nutrition. Physicochemical characteristics and taste of the meat is influenced by many factors: the state of fattening animal species, nutrition, slaughtering, handling, packaging and storage. The fat in pork is influenced by the state of fattening as follows: fatty meat presents a fat content of 31.56%, the average meat 15.75% and lean meat 4.76%. The content of the highest protein substances can be found in lean meat, 19.88%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meat is an important food in the human diet. The chemical composition of meat is influenced by many factors. An important factor is represented by species. In this study was analyzed for protein content, water, minerals and fatty acids in pork and beef. Minerals ranged from 0.95 ± 0.02 (%) in pig meat and 1.12 ± 0.02 (%) in beef. The protein varied between: 19.20 ± 0.14 (%) in pork and 20.31 ± 0.25 (%) in beef. The highest average values are for the following fatty acids: C16: 0 (palmitic), C18: 0 (stearic acid) and C18: 1 (oleic acid) in both pork and beef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrates and nitrites are mainly used in meat products for shelf life extension, to improve flavor and for color fixation. High content of nitrite and nitrate in food can raise concern regarding its undesirable effects on consumer health. In our study the lowest value for N03' content was found in pork sausages, with values ranging from 35.16 mg/kg to 39.82 mg/kg and the lowest value for NO2- content was evidenced in summer sausages, with values between 1.3 mg/kg and 1.42 mg/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]