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The purpose of this study is to investigate primary school teachers' perceptions regarding the frequency of using educational platforms, digital applications, and videos for teaching science and geography. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire survey in which 107 primary school teachers voluntarily participated. The analysis included: the frequency with which teachers use videos in science lessons, from various sources; the frequency of students using digital games and videos from various sources; the frequency of teachers creating/editing videos; the frequency of teachers using educational platforms and applications in science lessons; and the frequency of students using digital applications. The results show that primary school teachers use videos in science and geography lessons, most frequently using video clips, and that they rarely create, edit, or adapt videos using digital applications. Primary school teachers consider that students frequently use digital games and quite rarely use digital applications.

The Danube Delta has been declared since 1990 as a biosphere reserve. It is administered by a Governor and a Board of trustees acting pursuant to a specific legislative system which has improved from time to time. After 1990, in this reservation there was renounced to industrial activities for exploitation of natural resources. Pressure on biodiversity is manifested by all anthropogenic activities, however. Compliance with legislation and the introduction of new measures, established in the Danube Delta Development Strategy until the year 2020 will be materialized in improved social and economic life, as well as in preserving the landscape and conservation of biodiversity.

Solar energy can be used in large areas in Romania, particularly in regions of south, south-east and south-west of the country. Taking into account the weather-solar conditions in Romania, the use of this form of energy is cost-efficient for both domestic heating, or for obtaining domestic hot water. The solar receptors run within time interval from March to October, with good yield and requiring relatively reduced investment. It is also expected the obtaining of electrical energy from the solar photovoltaic stations, but in this case investments will be much larger. Granting of green certificates, as legal rights for investors and/or of subsidies, facilitates both Romanian and foreign investments in this energetic field. Thus, Romania will be fitted over the next few years in the European Union directives for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The organic products that have been produced in harmony with nature and maintain the health of the population are increasingly required on the market in Romania. The production is directed especially to food, but non-food products are made in Romania or imported, too. Although the diversity and percentage of these products increased and the number of operators in this field is also increased, the achievements are relatively insignificant representing less than 1 % of total production; this fact may be explained by a variety of reasons, like technological, economic, bureaucratic, etc. Therefore, it is necessary primarily to grow the organic production in both agriculture and industry. Farmers must be supported by the government in achieving their final products. In a sustainable development, the intervention of state to support those who produce organic food and non-food should be felt more strongly.

Chemical industry shows a continuing risk to human health and the environment. Risk management with technology can prevent accidents and can keep people healthy. In this work some managerial actions of prevention, risk assessment and mitigation are presented. These activities involve: the knowing the nature and limits of occupational exposure to hazardous chemical agents at work; choosing appropriate technology; determining measures for risk mitigation; development of work instructions, labor protection and first aid.

Abstract Chronic low back pain caused by intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, also termed chronic discogenic low back pain (CD‐LBP), is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases. Degenerative processes in the IVD, such as inflammation and extra‐cellular matrix breakdown, result in neurotrophin release. Local elevated neurotrophin levels will stimulate sprouting and innervation of sensory neurons. Furthermore, sprouted sensory nerves that are directly connected to adjacent dorsal root ganglia have shown to increase microglia activation, contributing to the maintenance and chronification of pain. Current pain treatments have shown to be insufficient or inadequate for long‐term usage. Furthermore, most therapeutic approaches aimed to target the underlying pathogenesis of disc degeneration focus on repair and regeneration and neglect chronic pain. How biomolecular therapies influence the degenerative IVD environment, pain signaling cascades, and innervation and excitability of the sensory neurons often remains unclear. This review addresses the relatively underexplored area of chronic pain treatment for CD‐LBP and summarizes effects of therapies aimed for CD‐LBP with special emphasis on chronic pain. Approaches based on blocking pro‐inflammatory mediators or neurotrophin activity have been shown to hamper neuronal ingrowth into the disc. Furthermore, the tissue regenerative and neuro inhibitory properties of extracellular matrix components or transplanted mesenchymal stem cells are potentially interesting biomolecular approaches to not only block IVD degeneration but also impede pain sensitization. At present, most biomolecular therapies are based on acute IVD degeneration models and thus do not reflect the real clinical chronic pain situation in CD‐LBP patients. Future studies should aim at investigating the effects of therapeutic interventions applied in chronic degenerated discs containing established sensory nerve ingrowth. The in‐depth understanding of the ramifications from biomolecular therapies on pain (chronification) pathways and pain relief in CD‐LBP could help narrow the gap between the pre‐clinical bench and clinical bedside for novel CD‐LBP therapeutics and optimize pain treatment.

The functional beverages (FBs) are an important segment of functional food products due to health benefits they provide and their appealing sensory characteristics, suitability and affordability. FBs market offers many opportunities for new product development (nutraceuticals, colorants, plant-based medicines and products) with desirable and effective composition of nutrients and bioactive molecules (BAMs) aimed to deliver health benefits and improve human well-being. Recently, the use of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in the production of FBs has become increasingly popular due to specific content of nutrients (amino and fatty acids) and BAMs (volatile and non-volatile) attributed to the biological effects and health benefits. BAMs are stored in leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, barks and roots, and they mostly include phenolics (phenolic acids, flavonoids, tanins, anthocyanins, lignans and stilbenes), essential oils (EOs), terpenoids, alkaloids, phytosterols and saponins. The aromatic features of MAPs are mainly related to volatile compounds of EOs, but the presence of non-volatile compounds, such as phenolics, also contributes to the specific sensory properties. Phytochemical profiling of plant species containing specific and complex mixtures of BAMs, provides numerous opportunities for the development of new categories of FBs, but also opens new challenges in their isolation using conventional and advanced extraction techniques, as well as determination of potential biological effects. This review summarizes the categories of the most common FBs, BAMs from selected MAPs and their biological effects, extraction techniques suitable for production of plant extracts and EOs, product quality and prediction trends, and several directions towards future research on FBs development strategies.

Since certain constituents are not naturally present in pure fruit juices, incorporating herbal extracts can provide specific sensory properties to the beverages and improve their biopotential. In our previous research, it was found that sage (Salvia officinalis L.), wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.), and combinations of their extracts had the highest total phenolic content and a unique composition of volatile compounds, which can contribute to the aromatic and antioxidant qualities of functional products. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the potential of sage and wild thyme extracts, as well as their mixture (wild thyme:sage at 3:1, v/v), to enrich fruit juices (apple, pineapple, and orange). Obtained beverages were evaluated for sensory properties as well as phenolic and headspace composition (UPLC-MS/MS and HS-SPME/GC-MS analysis) and antioxidant capacity (ORAC assay). The incorporation of wild thyme extract in pineapple juice provided the most harmonious flavor and the highest content of volatile compounds (on PDMS/DVB fiber). The orange juice formulations were the most enriched with phenolic and volatile compounds (on DVB/CAR/PDMS fibers). The highest antioxidant capacity was observed in the formulation with orange juice and sage extract (22,925.39 ± 358.43 µM TE). This study demonstrated that enriching fruit juices with sage and wild thyme extracts could create functional beverages with improved sensory and health-promoting properties, providing valuable insights for the food and beverage industry to meet the growing demand of health-conscious consumers for natural and functional products.

The current national and international context has determined teachers to evaluate teaching methods and utilise active student involvement strategies in the classroom during learning processes. This article presents the Flipped Classroom instructional model, analyses its application, and proposes stages to follow in order to create a successful flipped classroom. Even though the flipped classroom instructional model is not utilised in Romania, the authors aim to attract attention to it, presenting its advantages and disadvantages. A change is due in the current teaching paradigm and it is high time to promote an innovative learning framework using the flipped classroom instructional model.

This study aims to review, analyse and synthesize the literature, which refers to the use of educational film in education in Romania and which deepens aspects related to the use of animated film in primary education. The aim was to review the literature on: classification of animated films in the category of educational means; the functions of animated films; types and sources of animated films; teacher preparation for the use of film for educational purposes; integrating the film into the lesson; how to use animated films in primary education and the results of their use. Existing information in papers in the field of education sciences from the last three decades was analysed. Regarding the use of animation films in primary education, five studies were analysed in depth.

This research aims to analyse the process of grasping the Solar System by the students during their learning activities in which we used an animation film and other educ ational means (geographic globe, schematic drawings, 3D model, etc.), as well as the results obtained. In order to achieve this goal, we organized an action-research within Mathematics and Environmental Exploration subject, to the first-grade class, during the lesson “The Solar System”. We sought to identify the criteria based on which the teacher chooses an animated film for a lesson, the ways to effectively use it in learning activities to facilitate the learning process. An experimental group and a control group took part within this action. We conducted three tests, an initial test, a post -watching test, and a test after the formative intervention from the experimental class. During the training experiment, we observed the students’ behaviour and analysed the process of teaching, learning, assessment, and the students’ results. The volume of students’ knowledge about the Solar System increased when the most suitable animation film was used for the given topic and the students were involved in an active learning activity in which they discussed with the teacher the plot of the film, using also other visual materials. We have come to the conclusion that a learning activity making use of animated films and being mediated by the teacher has a greater efficiency in forming representations about the structure of the Solar System and its functioning than an individual viewing of an animated film about the Solar System. The results showed that the students had accurate representations about the Solar System, improved their thinking skills, in terms of scientific understanding, knowledge-implementation, and reasoning ability. The fact that the students watched the animated film about the Solar System and were involved in an active learning activity under their teacher’s guidance can explain the positive results obtained by the students of the experimental group.

The phenolic profile of wines is often used to evaluate their quality and authenticity. The phenolic composition of twenty-five commercial wines produced in different Croatian regions from eight red and nine white grape varieties was studied. A total of twenty-four polyphenols were analyzed using HPLC-DAD and classified into five groups based on their structure: phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, and stilbenes. The red wines contained higher concentrations of phenolic constituents than the white wines, of which gallic acid (11.8–90.3 mg/L), procyanidin B1 (13.7–63.8 mg/L), and catechin (10.5–34.5 mg/L) were the most abundant. In contrast to the white wines, great variability was observed in the red wines, with the autochthonous Plavac Mali and Babić showing the most specific phenolic profiles. The most representative phenolic components in the studied Croatian wines showed strong antioxidant activity. Gallic acid proved to be the most effective DPPH (IC50 = 0.33 µg/mL) and NO scavenger (IC50 = 12.36 µg/mL), while myricetin was the most potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation (IC50 = 1.68 µg/mL). Our research has contributed to the characterization and varietal differentiation of Croatian wines, highlighting those rich in certain polyphenols as potential nutraceuticals.

Artemisia annua L. has long been known for its medicinal properties and isolation of ingredients whose derivatives are used for therapeutic purposes. The CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 enzymes belong to a large family of cytochrome P450 enzymes. These enzymes are involved in the metabolism of drugs and other xeonobiotics. It is known that various compounds can induce or inhibit the activity of these enzymes. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of the inhibitory effect of Artemisia annua extract on CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 enzymes, as well as the type of inhibition, the presence of reversible or pseudo-irreversible inhibition, and the possible heme destruction. The methanolic extract of Artemisia annua showed an inhibitory effect on CYP2B6 (by almost 90%) and CYP3A4 enzymes (by almost 70%). A significant decrease in heme concentration by 46.8% and 38.2% was observed in different assays. These results clearly indicate that the studied plant extracts significantly inhibited the activity of CYP2B6 and CYP3A4 enzymes. Moreover, they showed irreversible inhibition, which is even more important for possible interactions with drugs and dietary supplements.

Background Ankyloglossia is a condition of altered tongue mobility due to the presence of restrictive tissue between the undersurface of the tongue and the floor of mouth. Potential implications of restricted tongue mobility (such as mouth breathing, snoring, dental clenching, and myofascial tension) remain underappreciated due to limited peer‐reviewed evidence. Here, we explore the safety and efficacy of lingual frenuloplasty and myofunctional therapy for the treatment of these conditions in a large and diverse cohort of patients with restricted tongue mobility. Methods Four hundred twenty consecutive patients (ages 29 months to 79 years) treated with myofunctional therapy and lingual frenuloplasty for indications of mouth breathing, snoring, dental clenching, and/or myofascial tension were surveyed. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon using a scissors and suture technique. Safety and efficacy was assessed >2 months postoperatively by means of patient‐reported outcome measures. Results In all, 348 surveys (83% response rate) were completed showing 91% satisfaction rate and 87% rate of improvement in quality of life through amelioration of mouth breathing (78.4%), snoring (72.9%), clenching (91.0%), and/or myofascial tension (77.5%). Minor complications occurred in

Natural products are increasingly in demand in dermatology and cosmetology. In the present study, highly valuable supercritical CO2 (sCO2) extracts rich in bioactive compounds with antiradical and antibacterial activity were obtained from the inflorescences of industrial hemp. Volatile compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while cannabinoids were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD). Extraction yields varied from 0.75 to 8.83%, depending on the pressure and temperature applied. The extract obtained at 320 bar and 40 °C with the highest content (305.8 µg mg−1) of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) showed the best antiradical properties. All tested extract concentrations from 10.42 µg mL−1 to 66.03 µg mL−1 possessed inhibitory activities against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, B. subtilis, and S. aureus. The sCO2 extract with the highest content of cannabidiol (CBD) and rich in α-pinene, β-pinene, β-myrcene, and limonene was the most effective. The optimal conditions for sCO2 extraction of cannabinoids and volatile terpenes from industrial hemp were determined. The temperature of 60 °C proved to be optimal for all responses studied, while the pressure showed a different effect depending on the compounds targeted. A low pressure of 131.2 bar was optimal for the extraction of monoterpenes, while extracts rich in sesquiterpenes were obtained at 319.7 bar. A high pressure of 284.78 bar was optimal for the extraction of CBD.

The experimental stand created is made for charging, testing and monitoring the processes that take place at a drone, in a static and also dynamic manner. On this platform we have developed, created and tested various kinds of sensors, and charging methods, rechargeable batteries, multicopper drones, automatically without disconnecting or disassembling them from the drones they serve. Also, at this level we fitted a flat zone, that is polarized where the drone will land, in a controlled manner and after a preliminary testing of polarity and of tension level, the charging will begin, as its parameters will carefully monitored.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and type of drug therapy problems (DTPs) in older institutionalized adults. Method We conducted a cross-sectional observational study from February to June 2016 at a 150-bed public nursing home in Croatia, where comprehensive medication management (CMM) services were provided. A rational decision-making process, referred to as the Pharmacotherapy Workup method, was used to classify DTPs. Results Data were prospectively collected from 73 residents, among which 71% were age 75 years or older. The median number of prescribed medications per patient was 7 (2–16) and polypharmacy (> 4) was recorded for 54 (74.0%) patients. A total 313 DTPs were identified, with an average of 4.3 ± 2 DTPs per patient. The most frequent DTP was needing additional drug therapy (n = 118; 37.7%), followed by adverse drug reaction (n = 55; 17.6%). Lactulose (14.4%), tramadol (6.7%), and potassium (6.4%) were the medications most frequently related to DTPs. Conclusion The high prevalence of DTPs identified among older institutionalized adults strongly suggests the need to incorporate new pharmacist-led CMM services within existing institutional care facilities, to improve the care provided to nursing home residents.

Salvia species have a cosmopolitan distribution and comprise several well-known plants valuable for pharmaceutical and food industries due to their recognized medicinal, food flavouring, and preservative properties. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the biological activities of seven wild-growing Salvia species from the Mediterranean area (S. fruticosa, S. glutinosa, S. nemorosa, S. officinalis, S. pratensis, S. sclarea, S. verticillata). All studied ethanolic leaf extracts exhibited significant DPPH and NO radical scavenging ability, lipid peroxidation inhibition, and reducing power, as well as moderate iron-chelating properties. Together with S. officinalis and S. fruticosa, S. verticillata showed anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, while S. glutinosa was also found to possess the ability to inhibit α-glucosidase. Total flavonoid (0.37–0.90%), phenolic acid (3.55–12.44%), tannin (1.22–2.60%), and anthocyanin contents (0.03–0.08%) were determined in Salvia leaves. Rosmarinic acid was the predominant hydroxycinnamic acid in all studied sage plants, ranging from 9400 to 38,800 μg/g. The correlation study showed a strong relationship between biological activities and contents of total phenolic acids, total tannins, and rosmarinic acid, indicating their significant contribution to the efficiency of tested Salvia species. Our results highlighted Mediterranean sage plants as rich sources of potent antioxidant, neuroprotective, and hypoglycemic agents which are worthy of further research.

Abstract Background Combining conventional drugs and traditional medicine may represent a useful approach to combating antibiotic resistance, which has become a serious threat to global public health. This study aimed to evaluate the potential synergistic interactions between Tanreqing (TRQ) injection, a commercial traditional Chinese medicine formula used for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infection, and selected antibiotics used against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of TRQ, vancomycin and linezolid against planktonic MRSA strain were determined by the broth microdilution method. The combined effects of TRQ and antibiotics were studied by the checkerboard method and the time-kill curve assay. The 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assay was employed to determine the inhibitory effect of the test compounds alone and in combination against MRSA embedded in biofilms. Results MRSA strain was found to be susceptible to TRQ formula with MIC value 4125 μg/ml, while the MIC values for antibiotics, vancomycin and linezolid, were 2.5 μg/ml. The checkerboard analysis revealed that TRQ markedly enhanced activities of the tested antibiotics by reducing their MICs. In the time-kill analysis, TRQ at 1/2 × MIC in combination with vancomycin at 1/2 × MIC, as well as TRQ at 1/8 × MIC in combination with linezolid at 1/2 × MIC decreased the viable colonies by ≥2log10 CFU/ml, resulting in a potent synergistic effect against planktonic MRSA. In contrast to the tested antibiotics, which did not affect mature MRSA biofilms at subinhibitory concentrations, TRQ alone showed strong ability to disrupt preformed biofilms and induce biofilm cell death. The combination of TRQ with vancomycin or linezolid at sub-MIC concentrations resulted in a synergistic antibiofilm effect significantly higher than for each single agent. Conclusions This study provides the first in vitro evidence on the synergistic effects of TRQ and vancomycin or linezolid against planktonic and biofilm MRSA, and revealed their optimal combination doses, thereby providing a rational basis for the combination therapies against MRSA.

Chronic mouth breathing may adversely affect craniofacial development in children and may result in anatomical changes that directly impact the stability and collapsibility of the upper airway during sleep. Mouth breathing is a multifactorial problem that can be attributed to structural, functional, and neurological etiologies, which are not all mutually exclusive. While therapeutic interventions (myofunctional, speech and swallowing, occupational, and craniosacral therapy) may address the functional and behavioral factors that contribute to mouth breathing, progress may sometimes be limited by restrictive lingual and labial frenum that interfere with tongue and lip mobility. This case report explores the case of a three-year-old girl with mouth breathing, snoring, noisy breathing, and oral phase dysphagia that was successfully treated with lingual and labial frenuloplasty as an adjunct to myofunctional therapy. Within four days of the procedure, the patient had stopped snoring and demonstrated complete resolution of open mouth breathing. The patient was also observed to have increased compliance with myofunctional therapy exercises. This report highlights the effectiveness of surgical interventions to improve the efficacy of myofunctional therapy in addressing open mouth posture and low tongue resting position.

Harvesting is an important part of the downstream processing of the microalgae culture and one of the most price-demanding [1] and represents more than 30% of the overall production costs. [...]

Annually, 11 million tons of dairy wastewaters are released into the environment worldwide [...]

Mesoporous silica materials have attracted increasing attention to be considered as an important class of nanostructured support materials in heterogeneous catalysis [...]

The installation presented is the main result of complex project 32PCCDI/2018, with the proposal of development and demonstration of innovative technologies to optimize biogas plants by integrating open ponds for microalgae cultivation using the digestate resulting from anaerobic digestion as a culture medium. [...]

Clear air turbulence (CAT) poses a significant threat to aviation. CAT usually occurs in the lower stratosphere and the upper troposphere. It is generally associated with large scale waves, mountain waves, jet streams, upper-level fronts and tropopause folds. Aircraft can experience CAT when flying in proximity of a tropopause fold. To better understand and diagnose tropopause fold- associated CAT we selected a series of cases from among those reported by pilots between June 2017 and December 2018 in the Romanian airspace. Data on turbulence were used in conjunction with meteorological data, satellite imagery, and vertical profiles. Additionally, a set of indices as Ellrod, horizontal temperature gradient, Dutton, and Brown were computed to diagnose CAT associated with tropopause folding. These indices were also analyzed to test the physics mechanisms that may explain the occurrence of severe turbulence. Results show that out of the 420 cases announced by pilots, severe turbulence was reported in 80 cases of which 13 were associated with tropopause folding.

Internationally projects exhibit time and cost overrun. It is observed that problems during design development contribute significantly to delays. In India, projects undertaken by government were largely planned and designed by departmental planners and engineers. However, after globalization, projects have increased in number resulting in design outsourcing, but with attendant challenges. The paper is aimed at identifying and analysing factors in the design development phase that can have impact on project success. 30 factors related to design development were identified through two separate brainstorming sessions. A questionnaire was then administered to determine importance ranking of these factors. Relative importance index (RII) was used to prioritise these factors. Top ten factors in design development identified using RII include structural design parameters, soil investigations, design quality control, topographic survey, and architectural design parameters. The results can help firms improve their design development practices by prioritising activities that could have more impact on project performance.

The present study aimed to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities of Lamiaceae medicinal plants growing wild in Croatia. Using Ellman’s colorimetric assay all tested ethanolic extracts and their hydroxycinnamic acid constituents demonstrated in vitro AChE inhibitory properties in a dose dependent manner. The extracts of Mentha x piperita, M. longifolia, Salvia officinalis, Satureja montana, Teucrium arduini, T. chamaedrys, T. montanum, T. polium and Thymus vulgaris at 1 mg/mL showed strong inhibitory activity against AChE. The antioxidant potential of the investigated Lamiaceae species was assessed by DPPH• scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity assays, in comparison with hydroxycinnamic acids and trolox. The extracts differed greatly in their total hydroxycinnamic derivatives content, determined spectrophotometrically. Rosmarinic acid was found to be the predominant constituent in most of the investigated medicinal plants (by RP-HPLC) and had a substantial influence on their AChE inhibitory and antioxidant properties, with the exception of Teucrium species. These findings indicate that Lamiaceae species are a rich source of various natural AChE inhibitors and antioxidants that could be useful in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s and other related diseases.

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions requires increasing. [...]

The aim of this paper is to present the laboratory. [...]

Laser radiation (LR) is generated by an optical quantum. [...]

Digestate, the residue following anaerobic digestion, has attracted great attention recently as a potential feedstock for pyrolysis.

Bio-oil is the liquid fraction obtained from the pyrolysis process and is an important source of [...]

Algal Biogas Concept Energy (2018−2021) is a national project financed by PN III Program, [...]

The aim of this paper was to study the harvesting of microalgae, specifically Chlorella vulgaris [...]

Flavonoids play an important role in the treatment of various diseases, as they are able to inhibit reactive oxygen species, which cause damage to cells and tissues which may lead to increased risk of inflammatory diseases. Baicalin and baicalein, two flavonoids found in the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis, in the leaves of Thymus vulgaris and Oroxylum indicum, were tested for their anti-inflammatory activity as well as for their cytotoxicity. Thereby the two compounds were investigated on Src tyrosine kinase inhibition and inhibition of production of interleukin (IL-6) in lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) stimulated THP-1 cells. Additionally, the THP-1 cell line was used for the determination of the cytotoxicity. Both baicalin and baicalein showed some anti-inflammatory properties, while baicalein turned out to be the more active compound with higher inhibitory activities on both Src tyrosine kinase and production of cytokine IL-6. Baicalin and baicalein showed no signs of cytotoxicity in the MTS cytotoxicity assay in THP-1 cells.

This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel. ‘Budrovka’, an indigenous Croatian cultivar of lavandin. For that purpose the activity of ethanolic extracts of flowers, inflorescence stalks and leaves against thirty one strains of bacteria, yeasts, dermatophytes and moulds were studied using both the agar well diffusion and broth dilution assays. Among the investigated extracts found to be effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, the flower extract was considered to be the most potent one. Linalool and rosmarinic acid, as the most abundant constituents found, are very likely major contributors to the observed antimicrobial effects. The results suggest that flowers of lavandin ‘Budrovka’ could serve as a rich source of natural terpene and polyphenol antimicrobial agents.

Antioxidant activities of three selected Micromeria species growing in Croatia (M. croatica, M. juliana and M. thymifolia) were evaluated using five different antioxidant assays, in comparison with plant polyphenolic constituents and reference antioxidants. All studied ethanolic extracts exhibited considerable activity to scavenge DPPH and hydroxyl free radicals, reducing power, iron chelating ability and total antioxidant capacity in the order: M. croatica > M. juliana > M. thymifolia. Total polyphenol (9.69–13.66%), phenolic acid (5.26–6.84%), flavonoid (0.01–0.09%) and tannin (3.07–6.48%) contents in dried plant samples were determined spectrophotometrically. A strong positive correlation between antioxidant activities and contents of phenolic acids and tannins was found, indicating their responsibility for effectiveness of tested plants. Our findings established Micromeria species as a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols, especially the endemic M. croatica.

A Croatian indigenous cultivar of lavandin, Lavandula x intermedia 'Budrovka' (Lamiaceae) was studied for the phenolic acids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, procyanidins and total tannins, as well as total polyphenols content, in the flower, inflorescence stalk and leaf ethanolic extracts. Antioxidant potentials on these plant part extracts were assessed by the DPPH free radical scavenging activity, iron chelating activity, reducing power, lipid peroxidation inhibition properties and total antioxidant capacity assays. All results were compared with those of Lavandula angustifolia, the only member of the Lavandula genus officially used in modern phytotherapy. Based on the results of our parallel study, we may suggest that Lavandula x intermedia 'Budrovka' is as potent an antioxidant as Lavandula angustifolia and the antioxidant activity of the Lavandula extracts is mainly due to the presence of rosmarinic acid. A good correlation was found between the polyphenol contents and antioxidant activities of the extracts

It is a well-known fact that the religious feeling, as a general human feeling, appeared at the same time with the human conscience and reflects in all forms of spirituality. It can be found in all the manifestations of human thinking, in philosophy, science, and arts, since ancient times. Several religious denominations coexist in the Romanian space. In musical terms, they are extremely different as a result of the Byzantine influence, on the one hand, and the Western tradition, on the other. The composers created religious works depending on their own religious affiliation. During the communist period, the religious feeling was suffocated by the Marxist-Leninist doctrine. Since it was forbidden, the composers were left with no choice but "conceal" the religious feeling in their works. All the public could do was to "read" between the lines. Certain composers expressed it using folk poetry or the works of national poet Mihai Eminescu. Others introduced the religious feeling in works with historical subjects and resorted to a blend of religiousness and patriotism. After the fall of communism, the religious feeling could be freely expressed. The women composers display a number of particulars. A woman is usually a mother. She is the one who gives birth, which intensifies the feeling of submission and devoutness to God. Carmen Petra Basacopol is one of Romania's most prolific composers. Many of her works express the religious feeling in a singular fashion. This study aims to draw attention to a number of stylistic and constructive aspects in some of her works inspired by biblical texts.

The volume “Ştefan Niculescu”, published in 2013 by BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, edited by Eva-Maria Houben, Michael Heinemann and Violeta Dinescu, is part of a series entitled Archiv für osteuropäische Musik. Quellen und Forschungen, translatable as The East European Music Archive. Sources and Research. This series of volumes seeks to offer a bird’s-eye view over contemporary classical music from an intercultural perspective, bringing together its Eastern and Western European roots. An essential contribution to this project belongs to Violeta Dinescu, currently a professor and doctoral advisor at the above mentioned university.

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome and multi-organ dysfunction, driven by a dysregulated immune response, including a cytokine storm with elevated proinflammatory cytokine levels. Natural killer (NK) cells are part of the innate immune system with a fundamental role in the defense against viral infections. However, during COVID-19 acute infection, they exhibit an altered phenotype and impaired functionality contributing to the immunopathogenesis of the disease. In this work, we have studied a cohort of patients with COVID-19 (ranging from mild to severe) by analyzing IL-15, TGF-β, PlGF and GDF-15 plasma levels and performing multiparametric flow cytometry studies. Our results revealed that severe COVID-19 patients exhibited high levels of IL-15, PlGF and GDF-15, along with an enrichment of an NK cell subset expressing the CD151 tetraspanin, which correlated with IL-15 plasma levels and disease severity. In patients, these CD151+ NK cells displayed a more activated phenotype characterized by an increased expression of HLA-DR, CD38 and granzyme B, a distinct receptor repertoire, with lower levels of CD160 and CD31 and higher levels of CD55 and, remarkably, a higher expression of tissue-resident markers CD103 and the NK cell decidual marker CD9. Last of all, in individuals with severe disease, we identified an expansion of a CD151 bright CD9+ NK cell subset, suggesting that these cells play a specific role in COVID-19. Altogether, our findings suggest that CD151+ NK cells may have a relevant role in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Adoptive natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy is a promising treatment approach in cancer that is showing notable efficacy against hematological malignancies. However, the success of NK cell immunotherapy in patients with solid tumors is limited due to several barriers, which include the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), heterogeneity of tumor cells and poor NK cell infiltration into the tumor. Advances in 3D in vitro culture technologies have opened new avenues for the development of more physiological human cancer models that mimic important tumor features which are absent in traditional 2D studies and may be essential for the improvement of immunotherapies against solid tumors. Here, we describe a comprehensive protocol to generate tumor spheroids from the A549 lung carcinoma cell line, then establish co-cultures with NK cells to, ultimately, determine NK cell functional response with a degranulation assay, a surrogate of NK cell cytotoxicity against tumor spheroids. Additionally, we studied degranulation by stimulating NK cell antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) with cetuximab, an IgG1 monoclonal antibody used in cancer therapy. Likewise, other monoclonal antibodies or combination treatments could also be studied in this 3D co-culture system, providing very valuable information to define effective combinations of therapeutic agents able to generate NK cells with high cytotoxic potential that could lead to more successful adoptive NK cell-based therapies for the treatment of solid tumors., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Natural killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes with potent antitumor functions and, consequently, several NK cell-based strategies have been developed for cancer immunotherapy. A remarkable therapeutic approach is the adoptive transfer of NK cells stimulated with IL-12, IL-15 and IL-18. This cytokine stimulation endows NK cells with properties that resemble immunological memory and, for this reason, they are known as cytokine-induced memory-like (CIML) NK cells. Very promising results have been reported in clinical trials and yet, there are still unknown aspects of CIML NK cells. Here, we have conducted a preliminary study of their mitochondrial dynamics. Our results show that upon IL-12/15/18 stimulation the viability of NK cells decreased and an increment in mitochondrial superoxide levels was observed. In addition, we found that mitochondria appeared slightly elongated and their cristae density decreased following IL-12/15/18 stimulation, possibly in a process mediated by the low levels of optic atrophy type 1 (OPA1) protein. Interestingly, although mitophagy was slightly impaired, an increase in autophagic flux was observed, which might explain the reduced viability and the accumulation of unfit mitochondria. Our findings could be of relevance in order to design new strategies intended to improve the mitochondrial fitness of IL-12/15/18-stimulated NK cells with the aim of improving their therapeutic efficacy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Terrén, Sandá, Amarilla-Irusta, Lopez-Pardo, Sevilla, Astarloa-Pando, Amo, Zenarruzabeitia, Scorrano and Borrego.)

Background: It is crucial to assess the levels of protection generated by natural infection or SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, mainly in individuals professionally exposed and in vulnerable groups. Measuring T-cell responses may complement antibody tests currently in use as correlates of protection. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a validated assay of T-cell responses., Methods: Twenty health-care-workers (HCW) were included. Antibody test to SARS-CoV-2 N and S-proteins in parallel with a commercially available whole-blood-interferon-gamma-release-assay (IGRA) to S-peptides and two detection methods, CLIA and ELISA were determined., Results: IGRA test detected T-cell responses in naturally exposed and vaccinated HCW already after first vaccination dose. The correlation by the two detection methods was very high ( R  > 0.8) and sensitivity and specificity ranged between 100 and 86% and 100-73% respectively. Even though there was a very high concordance between specific antibody levels and the IGRA assay in the ability to detect immune response to SARS-CoV-2, there was a relatively low quantitative correlation. In the small group primed by natural infection, one vaccine dose was sufficient to reach immune response plateau. IGRA was positive in one, with Ig(S) antibody negative vaccinated immunosuppressed HCW illustrating another advantage of the IGRA-test., Conclusion: Whole-blood-IGRA-tests amenable to automation and constitutes a promising additional tool for measuring the state of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2; they are applicable to large number of samples and may become a valuable correlate of protection to COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable groups at risk of being re-exposed to infection, as are health-care-workers., (© 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)