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The disruptive force of the COVID-19 pandemic is lessening in power and plans are being made for the postcrisis period, among which increasing the sustainability of higher education is of significant importance. The study aims at establishing students' existing environment-related routines during their home confinement, as a basis for applying green measures to campus living once academic life is resumed with the physical presence of students. The collected data rely on self-reported information provided by 816 students from Politehnica University of Timisoara (Romania), collected via an online, anonymous survey. The novelty of the approach is that household environment-related routines are investigated during a crisis period, with the possibility to build upon the results to implement tailored measures to encourage or diminish environmentally relevant consumption by young, highly skilled individuals. The students display a moderate awareness of environmental issues and indicate consumption routines that may be steered towards an increased sustainability-conscious campus life, through the combined intervention of the university, city administration, and stakeholder involvement. The findings are used to explore the possible directions for action towards increasing or contributing to the territorial sustainability in the socio-ecological context of Timisoara, the largest university city in the western part of Romania via educational, managerial and policy interventions.

Due to its impact on all human activity, the new virus has therefore aroused increased interest in research. A large number of medical papers related to COVID-19 have been published as a result of the scientific community response to this emerging infectious disease. All measures that combat the spread of the disease came at a cost and the people had to add one more hardship which contributed to the rise in social inequality. Moreover, the costs for internet access, proper equipment to support online education, private healthcare, facemasks, and disinfectants have become a burden for a segment of Romanian society. In this study, 18 Romanian universities a Medicine bachelor specialisation, both public and private, were analysed to determine the dataset query from Web of Science. Our research aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 papers written by authors affiliated with Romanian universities with a medicine specialisation, which are the factors that influence the likelihood of a paper being cited and how the number of citations varies by university type. The obtained results reveal that University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" from Bucharest records the highest number of published papers, while "APOL-LONIA" University of Iași has the highest number of citations in both WOS Core Collection and in all WOS Databases per research. Furthermore, there is a significant difference in the number of citations between papers with and without a PUB MED ID. Logistic models show that neither the type of university nor the property type of the university (public or private) are determinants of the likelihood of an article being cited in the WOS core collection or in all WOS databases. As a consequence, a research paper with PUB MED ID and a higher number of pages, has a higher chance to be cited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last two years, a growing number of studies have focused on the promotion of students' mental health to address the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, less studies have been conducted on sustaining teachers' mental health which has been affected by the sudden changes in online teaching and the difficulties in keeping and building relationship with students. Even before the pandemic, teaching has long been recognised as one of the most challenging occupations characterized by high levels of stress. Although the research highlighted the key role of mental health promotion among teachers, there is still a lack of programs enhancing teachers' wellbeing. This study examined the impact of the PROMEHS program, a school-based curriculum, on teachers' mental health. A total of 687 teachers participated in the study. Applying a pre- and post-training study design with experimental and waiting list groups, teachers were evaluated in social and emotional learning, resilience, and self-efficacy. The results showed that there was a significant improvement in all competences of the teachers in the experimental group compared to those in the waiting list group. The paper discusses the implications of the findings with recommendations for further studies in the area.

The art of teaching consists in adapting the structures, contents, teaching strategies, classroom management issues, as well as managing the conditions imposed by the contemporary contexts of society, the constant adaptation of the strategies, used by the teacher, to the needs of the children, while trying to find a balance between the traditional training method and the use of technology. The challenges brought by the context of the last years, in terms of the protection and safety of our health due to the COVID 19 pandemic, have put the education system to the test from all points of view: from a technological point of view, the lack or poor training of teachers in terms of digital competences, the poor functionality of certain school platforms used, etc. However, teachers have implemented ideas that give value to the teaching act, by reinventing themselves, striving to find innovative solutions so that the teaching activities can continue to take place. The aim of this paper is to identify the biggest challenges faced by Romanian teachers in preschool education in the pandemic context, understanding how they managed to adapt and what solutions they found and applied for carrying out the teaching activity. In this respect a questionnaire was developed and distributed among pre-school teachers during November 2021--January 2022. The results of the research identified a series of difficulties faced by the participants, generated by a multitude of elements such as: lack of technological equipment, low digital skills, difficulties in organizing and supporting the learning activity. An essential aspect regarding the online teaching activity with kindergarten children was the reluctance and non-involvement of parents, many parents not agreeing with the use of the computer and the internet for a long time.

The global economy experienced one of the most significant economic contractionsdue to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Romanian economy, which is strongly integrated into the European Union, contracted by over 10 percent in the second quarter of 2020, the strongest quarterly contraction in the last 25 years. Moreover, Romania's industrial structure still has to converge with that of the European Union, as it has a higher weight of low-technology manufacturing compared to other EU countries making it more vulnerable to the COVID-19 shock. In this context, this paper analyzes the dynamics of production and employment in the lowtechnology activities specific to the Romanian manufacturing industry and compares the dynamics in Romania with the main economies in the region and the EU average. The impact of the COVID-19 shock is also captured through an autoregressive vector model, which indicates a strong impact, especially for low-technology activities, which are more vulnerable to mobility restrictions and the acceleration of digitalization trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic had a strong territorial dimension, with a highly asymmetric impact among Romanian counties, depending on pre-existing vulnerabilities, regions' economic structure, exposure to global value chains, specialization, and overall ability to shift a large share of employees to remote working. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of Romanian local authorities during this unprecedented global medical emergency by capturing the changes of public spending at the local level between 2010 and 2021 and amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify clusters of Romanian counties that shared similar characteristics in this period, using a panel data quantitative model and hierarchical cluster analysis. Our empirical analysis shows that between 2010-2021, the impact of social assistance expenditures was higher than public investment (capital spending and EU funds) on the GDP per capita at county level. Additionally, based on various macroeconomic and structural indicators (health, labour market performance, economic development, entrepreneurship, and both local public revenues and several types of expenditures), we determined seven clusters of counties. The research contributes to the discussion regarding the increase of economic resilience but also to the evidence-based public policies implementation at local level., 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 © 2024 Ștefan, Bodislav, Arsăni (Chiriță), Hrebenciuc, Paierele, Paraschiv and Virjan.)

The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of tourist flows in terms of tourist arrivals and overnight stays by tourist destination in Romania in the years 2020 and 2021 of the Covid-19 pandemic compared to the year 2019. Graphics and fixed and variable basis and structural indices were used to show the difference of the level of these two indicators and their distribution by each destination. The year 2019 was the best for Romania's tourism when over 13.37 million arrivals and over 30.08 million overnight stays were registered. In 2020, the arrivals were by 52.16% lower than in 2019, and the overnight stays smaller by 48.45%, showing that this year was the worst, as a part of units were closed or worked at a reduced capacity, recording a lower revenue and even failed. Romanians saved tourism, being the dominant category who rediscovered the beauty of their own country both in 2020 and in 2021 when the restrictions were cancelled or limited. In 2021, the number of arrivals accounted for over 9.37 million and the number of overnight stays for over 20.83 million. The hierarchy of the tourist destinations in Romania based on the level of these two indicators is: Bucharest, the capital and the main cities, other localities and tourism itineraries, seaside resorts, mountain resorts, spa resorts and the Danube Delta and Tulcea City. The recovery of was not yet at the level of 2019, despite that in 2021, tourism managers have made special efforts to improve and diversify their offers and better satisfy their guests. This dynamics gives a hope that in coming years tourism will return to the level of 2019 or even to exceed it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is the analysis of the dynamics of tourist flow (domestic and inbound) in terms of tourist arrivals and overnight stays in Romania after the Covid-19 pandemic, using the statistical data provided by National Institute of Statistics. The methodology involved the calculation of the fixed and variable basis indices and the comparison of the level of each indicator from a year to another. Dynamics of the tourist arrivals and overnight stays involved to establish the trend using polynomial regression functions and determination coefficient. The results showed that the recovery of the tourist flow from its lowest level registered in 2020, the worst year of tourism during the pandemic, needed three years to attain a higher performance than in 2019, a year which was considered the peak in Romania's tourism. In 2023, the number of domestic and foreign tourist arrivals accounted for 13,647.30 thousands, being 2.13 times higher than in 2020, and by 2.03% higher than in 2019. Also, the number of overnight stays reached 29,171.1 thousands, being 2 times higher than in 2020, by 7.8%higher than in 2022, but by 3.05% smaller than in 2019. The experience learnt in the travel and hospitality industry has generated a new resilience strategy to sustain the development of tourism and its contribution to GDP and better satisfy tourists demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on prescription rates and antibiotic resistance in a university hospital. A retrospective study was conducted on the medical records of patients admitted to the Bihor Emergency Clinical County Hospital in Romania in 2019 (pre-pandemic) and 2021 (during the pandemic period). We evaluated the antibiotic consumption index (ACI) and susceptibility rates. The overall percentage of antibiotic prescribing increased in 2021, while the total number of patients decreased. Genito-urinary, digestive, respiratory infections, heart diseases and wounds were the most common conditions for antibiotic prescriptions, but the number of them decreased in 2021. There was a decrease in the proportion of antibiotics from the Watch and Reserve class and an increase in the proportion of antibiotics from the Access class. Antibiotic use has been reduced despite an increase in the number of patients, with a high consumption in the Watch group in the ICU wards. By contrast, surgical wards had the highest rate of antibiotic prescriptions, but a decrease in the number of patients. The patients who were administered antibiotics were hospitalized for diagnoses other than COVID-19. Almost all prescribed antibiotics displayed decreasing sensitivity rates. The number of isolated ESKAPE pathogens, except for Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant strains, were increased. Strategies to control antibiotic prescriptions and the spread of resistant pathogens should be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The banking sector is one of the most important sectors for the economy of a country, being the one that supports the functioning of the market and that contributes to the achievement of economic growth. In this paper, we proposed that, starting from the statistical data published in the databases regarding Romania, to characterize the functioning of the banking system during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data were processed and analyzed with the help of some statistical indicators used in the analysis of time series (absolute change with a fixed base, absolute change with a chain base, the dynamic index with a fixed base, the dynamic index with a mobile base and the rhythm of the dynamics) and stood at the basis for formulating conclusions regarding how the banking system in Romania faced the challenges of the 2018-2020 period. At the same time, the strengths and weaknesses that characterized the banking system were identified, so that in the future, measures can be taken to avoid the risks resulting from the emergence of economic, health, social, etc. crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance of the pandemic generated by COVID - 19 meant a turning point for many sectors of activity, the problem not being encountered only in our country but worldwide. One of the sectors affected by the pandemic is the hospitality sector, by presenting the paper making an analysis of the cash flow potential in this sector during the pandemic. We will make a comparison having as reference the cash flow potential of each company in the first half of 2020 compared to the first half of 2019. In the paper we not only aim to analyse the impact of the pandemic on cash flow potential but we will also an economic-mathematical modelling having as dependent variable the cash-flow potential and as independent variable the impact created by the pandemic. The regression model will be a binary logit type and will be obtained with the statistical program SPSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: The COVID-19 pandemic had a dramatic effect on various health systems in terms of admissions and outcomes, including pediatric surgery activity. The aim of this paper was to analyze the outcome of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients admitted to our department during the regional COVID-19 pandemic in North-Eastern Romania. We also evaluated the changes generated in our daily practice by the COVID-19 pandemic and the dynamic response to this major challenge., Patient Concerns: The patients presented with symptoms related to their primary diagnosis: local pain and deformity in case of fractures; pain, swelling, and erythema in case of abscess; pain and decreased range of motion (ROM) in case of intolerance to metal implants. Other specific concerns are mentioned on an individual basis., Diagnoses: Eighteen patients (of which 4 had acute appendicitis and were included in a previous article), representing 1.18% of the total number of admissions, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. There were 4 patients with fractures, 3 patients with soft tissue abscess or cellulitis, 2 patients with intolerance to metal implants, 1 patient with facial burn, 1 patient with thumb laceration, 1 patient with liver trauma, 1 patient with undescende testis, and 1 patient with symptomatic inguinal hernia, respectively. Boys represented 11/ 14 (78.57%) of the cases. The mean age of the patients was 9 years 11 months. There were only mild COVID-19 cases., Interventions: Surgery was performed in 13/ 14 (95.71%) of cases. The fractures were treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF); incision and drainage (I & D) were performed in case of soft tissue abscess; the metal implants were removed in case of local intolerance. Other conditions (burn, inguinal hernia, undescended testis, skin laceration) were treated specifically. Only 1 patient with liver laceration was treated conservatively under close hemodynamic monitoring., Outcomes: The mean length of stay (LoS) was 2.71 days. The infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus had no deleterious effect on the surgical outcome among the 14 patients included in the study. There were no surgical complications during admission and no patient returned for late complications related to their primary disease or SARS-CoV-2 infection., Lessons: The SARS-CoV-2 infection had no significant influence on the outcome of pediatric surgical cases included in the study. We noticed a significant (31.54%) decrease in the number of admissions compared to the previous 2-year interval before the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast and adequate adjustment of the daily activity imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic was feasible and may be used in the future should similar epidemiological emergencies occur., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

The paper analyzed the dynamics of tourist arrivals and overnight stays in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic versus 2019 and expectations in 2022. The methodology includes dynamics and structural indices and regression equations. Of the highest performance achieved in 2019, tourist demand declined to 48% in 2020 and 65% arrivals in 2021, and to 64% and 67% overnight stays. Hotels accounted for 64-67% in total arrivals and 45-64% in stays. The Romanians' share during the pandemic was 92.9% in 2020 and 85.2% in 2021. In hotels, their weight 69%. The polynomial equations showed a parabolic trend of arrivals and stays by month. Thus, 2021 was a better year than 2020 and in 2022 it is expected that arrivals to represent 85% of the 2019 level. In 2022, 941 new 5 stars hotels will be built to assure more comfort and accommodation capacity. Hotel managers have to use creative and efficient methods to attract more tourists. Offer diversification, customized packages, bonuses, price flexibility, high quality services, an intensified virtual promotion (web-site, social media) could attract more visitors and improve hotels performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is motivated by the influences that the COVID-19 health crisis had on the economies of the world. The economic crisis that has evolved from the health crisis affected economic life at all levels (global, national, industry, and company levels), including the trading relationships between countries. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the influence of the COVID-19 health crisis on the bilateral trading relationships between Romania and its main trading partners in terms of both exports and imports, for the year 2020. The research method used is multiple regression with exports and imports as dependent variables and the COVID-19 burden (solely the number of COVID-19 cases, solely the number of COVID-19 deaths and both taken together) and GDP in both Romania and the trading partners, as independent variables. The data has been collected from international organizations' statistical databases. The findings of the paper illustrate that both the GDP of Romania and the COVID-19 burden in both Romania and the partner countries influenced the bilateral trading relationships of Romania with its main trading partners in 2020. Romanian imports were more affected than exports by the COVID-19 burden both from Romania and from the trading partners. The number of deaths due to COVID-19 had a higher influence on trade than the number of COVID-19 cases. Based on this country case study, we can assert that global sanitary crises do have an influence on the international trade relationships of countries. Consequently, specific measures need to be taken by policymakers in order to first ensure economic recovery and second to support and maintain international trade flows during times of strong health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for the whole world, and it had major secondary effects on humans and environmental health. The viral infection induced, in many situations, secondary bacterial infections, especially enteric infections, by destabilizing the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota. The large-scale use of antibiotics and biocides for both curative and preventive purposes has resulted in an increase in bacterial resistance, and at the same time, the possibility of pathogenic microorganism multiplication and their dissemination to natural environments. Wastewater is the main vector of fecal microorganisms that favors their dissemination into natural aquatic ecosystems. The present paper aims to analyze the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the microbiological quality of wastewater from sewage treatment plants in Romania and its impact on receiving rivers. In order to highlight different and important areas in Romania, three cities from the east, center and west were selected for a microbiological evaluation of their WWTP influents and effluents from the pre-COVID-19 period and during the COVID-19 pandemic peak period, when the COVID-19 pandemic had a direct impact on WWTP microbial compositions. Our study shows that a higher level of contamination with fecal bacteria is linked to a higher COVID-19 incidence. The increased usage of pharmaceutical compounds, in turn, increases the number of resistant bacteria reaching the environment via WWTP effluents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to explore the role of professional diagnostic rapid testing of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), especially COVID-19 and influenza, ensuring proper disease management and treatment in Europe, and particularly in Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. The paper was constructed based on a review of scientific evidence and national and international policies and recommendations, as well as a process of validation by four experts. The development of new testing technologies, treatment options, and increased awareness of the negative multidimensional impact of ARI profiles transformed differential diagnosis into a tangible and desirable reality. This review covers the following topics: (1) the multidimensional impact of ARIs, (2) ARI rapid diagnostic testing platforms and their value, (3) the policy landscape, (4) challenges and barriers to implementation, and (5) a set of recommendations illustrating a path forward. The findings indicate that rapid diagnostic testing, including at the point of care (POC), can have a positive impact on case management, antimicrobial and antibiotic stewardship, epidemiological surveillance, and decision making. Integrating this strategy will require the commitment of governments and the international and academic communities, especially as we identified room for improvement in the access and expansion of POC rapid testing in the focus countries and the inclusion of rapid testing in relevant policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, using data from Romania, we analysed the changes in electricity consumption generated during the COVID-19 crisis, and the measures taken against the spread of the coronavirus to limit the effects of the pandemic. Using a seasonal autoregressive econometric model, we found that, beyond seasonal (weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly) effects, the average daily electricity real consumption in Romania, during the state of the emergency period (16 March 16 to 14 May 2020) decreased by −194.8 MW (about −2.9%), compared to the historical data (2006–March 2022), and this decrease is not due to the action of some random factors, and it is not a manifestation of domain-specific seasonality. The literature discusses the hypothesis that during the pandemic time, the profile of daily electricity consumption on weekdays was close to the typical Sunday profile. We tested a similar hypothesis for Romania. As a methodology, we tried to go beyond the simple interpretation of statistics and graphics (as found in most papers) and we calculated some measures of distances (the Mahalanobis distance, Manhattan distance) and similarity (coefficient of correlation, cosines coefficient) between the vectors of daily electricity real consumptions, by hourly intervals. As the time interval, we have analysed, for Romania, the electricity real consumption over the period January 2006–March 2022, by day of the week and within the day, by hourly intervals (5911 observations). We found (not very strong) evidence supporting a hypothesis that, in the pandemic crisis, the profile of electricity consumption approaches the weekend pattern only for the state of the emergency period, and we could not find the same evidence for the state of the alert period (June 2020–March 2022). The strongest closeness is to the hourly consumption pattern of Saturday. That is, for Romania, in terms of electricity consumption, "under lockdown, every day is a Sunday" (Staffell) it is rather "under lockdown, every day is (almost) a Saturday"! During the state of the alert period, consumption returned to the pre-crisis profile. Since certain behaviours generated by the pandemic have been maintained in the medium and long term (distance learning, working from home, online sales, etc.), such studies can have policy implications, especially for setting energy policy measures (e.g., in balancing load peaks). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of macroeconomic factors and COVID-19 on the Romanian Stock Exchange using monthly data spanning from March 2020 to September 2022. This time frame is selected to capture the evolution of the pandemic and to consider all the major waves of infections that Romania faced. We employ the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) - Bounds Test technique for estimation. ARDL is chosen as the econometric model due to its suitability for capturing the dynamics of both short-run and long-run relationships. Since the COVID-19 pandemic severely interrupted financial markets and the real economy globally, this analysis also includes COVID-19 related variables to observe the effect of the economic hiatus on the domestic stock market. The originality of this paper lies in its pioneering approach of incorporating both macroeconomic variables and COVID-19-related factors into the same econometric model. At the time of writing, this paper stands out as one of the few studies that comprehensively examine the impact of both macroeconomic conditions and the specific challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the Romanian Stock Exchange during various waves of infections. Results indicate that macroeconomic and COVID-19 variables have an impact on the Romanian Stock Market. In both the short run and long run, the exchange rate seems to have the most significant influence on the stock market. The research findings bear implications for policymakers, regulators, academia, and investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had a profound influence on different sectors of society, including health. This study hypothesized a significant impact of the pandemic on the quality of life and psychosocial well-being of urothelial cancer patients, specifically anticipating a decrease in anxiety and depression scores as the pandemic progressed. The primary objectives were to assess longitudinal changes in quality of life indexes, evaluate Healthcare Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score trends over three years (2020–2022), and identify any correlational patterns between the progression of the pandemic and anxiety, depression, and stress levels among this cohort. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 1 and Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage 1 bladder cancer patients from the Timis County Emergency Clinical Hospital in Romania. Sixty patients were evaluated each year from 2020 to 2022, utilizing a detailed selection process involving the review of both the hospital database and paper records. Key data included demographic information, medical history, and responses to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Short Form (SF-36), HADS, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaires. A total of 163 completed questionnaires were analyzed, providing insight into various aspects of patients' experiences during the pandemic. Notably, the mean hospitalization days ranged from 3.6 ± 2.1 days in 2020 to 4.0 ± 2.4 days in 2022 (p = 0.663). Concerns that current symptoms might be pandemic-related spiked to 63.5% in 2021, but reduced to 50.9% in 2022, with this fluctuation being significant (p = 0.026). The perception of decreased quality of or accessibility to medical care was significant over the years, with a decline to 52.7% in 2022 (p = 0.033). Quality of life assessments demonstrated an upward trend, from an average score of 55.9 ± 8.9 in 2020 to 59.3 ± 8.8 in 2022 (p = 0.049). Interestingly, anxiety levels, as indicated by the HADS survey, revealed a significant decline from a score of 7.8 in 2020 to 6.5 in 2022 (p = 0.008). On the other hand, GAD-7 scores displayed a downward trend over the years, potentially indicative of developed coping strategies (p = 0.034). This study provides a comprehensive insight into the fluctuating dynamics of psychosocial factors and quality of life among urothelial cancer patients during the pandemic years. It underscores a potential adaptive response, as evidenced by the decrease in anxiety levels and an upward trend in the quality of life scores over the period. These findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of this patient cohort amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic, potentially guiding future interventions and supports in similar health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysing the financial performance of companies involves examining various aspects of a company’s financial activity, including profitability, liquidity, solvency, rate of return, cash flow and debt ratio. Beside the detailed information on the financial situation of a company, the financial performance analysis can help assess a company’s potential, including its ability to meet its financial goals. The present paper performs examining of annual financial reports of three companies from pharmaceutical sector from Romania and analysing key financial indicators during three years: ante-pandemic, pandemic, post-pandemic. The crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has directly influenced all economic sectors worldwide, in most cases in a negative sense. At the opposite pole, the pharmaceutical industry had the opportunity to expand and improve its performance, as a result of the constant market need for medicines and medical devices. The financial performance analysis of the three most important pharmaceutical companies from Romania provides detailed information on financial situation of these companies. The paper underlines the importance of the analysis for making investment, management and strategic decisions, but also to identify trends and risks and assess the companies’ ability to meet their goals, presiding at the same time measures for long-term business expansion in a post-pandemic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on two main aspects, each equally important for tourism actors. First, we analyzed the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the rural mountain tourism in Romania and whether the resilience and sustainability test was passed. The second aim of the research was to identify solutions for the relaunch and development of the rural mountain tourism in Romania. Several research methods have been used to meet our objectives, such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, observation or documentary research. The quantitative research methodology used is limited to the questionnaire-based survey. The questionnaire contained 16 questions and was administered by telephone, between 15-30 March 2023 was addressed to a number of 100 respondents including owners or administrators of classified accommodation units in the mountain area. The analysis of the results shows that the pandemic had a neutral to positive effect for tourism in the mountain area and that, for the most part, the resilience and sustainability test was passed. We consider that this study is very useful for tourism entrepreneurs, for local and central public authorities and the conclusions and recommendations extracted from the questionnaires can suggest valuable ideas for the relaunch and development of the rural mountain tourism in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After joining the EU, Romania tried to fulfil membership requirements, establishing its cohesion politics basis in the eight development regions, each of these having a certain specific task and a development potential that must be capitalized. This paper examines the improvement of tourism at the regional level during 1990-2022 (establishment of touristic reception with functions of tourists' accommodation and existing touristic accommodation capacity). This analysis also includes the evolution of the Tourist arrivals indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we aim at showing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism both nationally and internationally. The paper begins with a presentation of the importance of the tourist services in the economic context, and then presents various definitions of the notions of tourism and tourist. From the point of view of the Covid-19 impact on tourism, we can notice during this period a decrease in the number of foreign tourists, as well as a significant decrease in the contribution of the tourism to GDP, a contribution analyzed at the global level. Romania, respectively Constanta County is not an exception to international developments, registering a decrease in arrivals, and in overnight, in the January 2019 - October 2021 period. The paper ends with conclusions which highlight the challenges tourism is faced with in the current context, but also with the hope that the markets will finally find their balance when the virus stabilizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose a three stages analysis of the evolution of Covid19 in Romania. There are two main issues when it comes to pandemic prediction. The first one is the fact that the numbers reported of infected and recovered are unreliable, however the number of deaths is more accurate. The second issue is that there were many factors which affected the evolution of the pandemic. In this paper we propose an analysis in three stages. The first stage is based on the classical SIR model which we do using a neural network. This provides a first set of daily parameters. In the second stage we propose a refinement of the SIR model in which we separate the deceased into a distinct category. By using the first estimate and a grid search, we give a daily estimation of the parameters. The third stage is used to define a notion of turning points (local extremes) for the parameters. We call a regime the time between these points. We outline a general way based on time varying parameters of SIRD to make predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental well-being is and will continue to be part of what defines an individual's health today. Even if it is a subject with great international notoriety, many cultures and nations do not have concrete definitions or even words to describe mental health and its diseases. Moreover, this is present today most often in the workplace. Examples like late hours worked overtime, mixing family time with work time, neglecting sleep and proper nutrition are related in the action of reaching a target or a deadline. All these few examples are just the premature actions of those who predict and describe the beginnings of mental disorders, such as depression or advanced insomnia. The purpose of this paper was to be observed the actions and costs registered at the European level to combat these mental health conditions, as well as the influence of the pandemic both during and its perception after the lifting of restrictions in Romania at the workplace. Also, to find out the influence of this mental health condition on the economic efficiency and the situations recorded on the labor force as well as the perception of people who have a job in a field or company with a very low notoriety on the labor market. It was wanted to know and highlight the presence of stress that leads to the instability of mental health in Romania both among adults and in the case of young adults. The existence of promotion campaigns in Romania at a workplace and the relationship with the superiors in the event of the occurrence of situations that trigger these states of restlessness and anxiety, as well as the identification of ways to combat problems at the local and national level, are also present as subject of interest in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although multiple studies focused on the effects that the Covid-19 pandemic had on students and the strategies adopted for dealing with the effects, few authors looked at what was on the other side of the educational process - teachers. The pandemic had the same influence on teachers as it had on any other social or professional group, leading to increased levels of stress, insomnia, anxiety, uncertainty, fatigue or burnout. However, even faced with these issues, educators had to continue their activity and adapt at a moment's notice to a different paradigm of doing their job and shift from on-site to online teaching. The current qualitative research looks at the multiple effects the public health crisis had on professors in terms of personal and professional life. The paper reviews the measures adopted by educators to adapt to online education, ranging from updates of the course Syllabuses, educational contents, new evaluation methods, video services, and educational platforms used, to communicate and motivate students or the positive and negative facets of e-learn-ing. The interview guide also includes elements related to the future of teaching PA in the post Covid-19 era, the sustainability of online education, and the prospects of returning to the previous paradigm. The empirical research was conducted using semi-structured interviews, the respondents being educators from the Public Administration programs of Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Male and female respondents (N=19) ranged from PhD students at the beginning of their teaching activity to full professors with more than two decades of experience. The lessons derived from the Covid-19 pandemic are useful for understanding how universities as a whole and professors in particular deal with the uncertainties and turbulence generated by crises, focusing on systemic and individual resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives : Elective arthroplasty in Romania has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its effects are not quantified so far. The aim of this paper is to determine the impact of COVID-19 on arthroplasty interventions and how they varied in Romania. Materials and Methods : We performed a national retrospective analysis of patients who underwent primary and revision elective hip and knee interventions at the 120 orthopedic-traumatology hospitals in Romania that are registered in the National Endoprosthesis Registry from 1 January 2019 to 1 September 2022. First, we examined the monthly trend in the number of surgeries for seven categories of arthroplasties. We calculated the percentage change in the average number of cases per month and compared them with other types of interventions. We then examined the percentage change in the average monthly number of arthroplasty cases, relative to the number of COVID-19 cases reported nationwide, the influence of the pandemic on length of hospital stay, and the percentage of patients discharged at home who no longer follow recovery protocols. Finally, we calculated the impact of the pandemic on hospital revenues. Results : There was an abrupt decrease in the volume of primary interventions in hip and knee patients by up to 69.14% with a low degree of patient care, while the average duration of scheduled hospitalizations increased. We found a 1-2-day decrease in length of hospital stays for explored arthroplasties. We saw an increasing trend of home discharge, which was higher for primary interventions compared to revision interventions. The total hospital revenues were 50.96% lower in 2020 compared to 2019, and are currently increasing, with the 2022 estimate being 81.46%. Conclusions : The conclusion of this study is that the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the volume of arthroplasty of the 120 hospitals in Romania, which also had unfavorable financial implications. We proposed the development of new procedures and alternative clinical solutions, as well as personalized home recovery programs, to be activated if necessary, for possible future outbreaks.

Recognized by their performance and behaviors, and influenced by the micro and macro cultures they came into contact with, leaders are expected to deliver appropriate results regardless of environment. This paper is aimed at uncovering the way top leadership sees careers and career success, explore their attitude toward work (through Hofstede's five cultural dimensions model), and if these have been transformed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The investigation is based on 86 interviews with top leaders (C-level, entrepreneurs and board members from Romania). The findings are compared with opinions regarding the five cultural dimensions at national level. Furthermore, the research inquires about the way they perceived the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with other events in their lives. The results were analyzed as a whole, as well as by putting into contrast different positions (i.e. executives, entrepreneurs, board members), career stages (i.e. early, mid, blossom, late) and genders (i.e. men, women). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected lithiasis patients, which has led to an increase in the number of internal stents that have been installed. In this paper, two studies were carried out, a clinical study and a quantitative study. The aim of the first study was to evaluate the incidence and the prevalence of bacterial urinary colonization in patients with obstructive urolithiasis who needed internal stents implanted. In the second study, a multiple linear regression was created to identify the opinion of urologists regarding the importance of using digital technologies to improve the communication process. The result of the clinical study illustrates that the prevalence of urinary colonization in patients with internal stents carried out for obstructive urolithiasis was 35%, with this value being influenced by co-infection with COVID-19. The results of the quantitative study illustrated the fact that urologists are open to using new online technologies to facilitate communication with patients. The results have high importance for both doctors and patients, illustrating the main factors that have the ability to influence the communication process. The hospital managers should take into account the results obtained in this study when they choose to use certain online communication technologies with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health crisis caused by Covid-19 generated, among many other effects, a series of dysfunctions in the agri-food system, respectively in farms, in the supply chains with inputs and agri-food products, at the level of food demand. In the existing context in the Romanian agriculture, with millions of family farms, mostly subsistence and semisubsistence ones, we initiated the present study in Călărași county obtaining information on the main challenges facing family farms during the health crisis and we summarized the farmers' proposals regarding the expectations they have from the local and national authorities in order to ensure the conditions for capitalizing the farm products. The questionnaire was applied in the agri-food markets in Calarasi and Oltenita municipalities, as well as in 9 localities in Călărași county, with a population of over 5,000 inhabitants, where weekly markets and fairs for the exploitation of agri-food products are organized. 61 questionnaires were applied and analyzed, through the survey-interview carried out between June and August 2021. The main challenges they face refer to the change of consumption patterns, blockages in the peasant markets and the increase of online deliveries, syncope in the agriindustrial processing sector, the closure of the firms from HORECA, but also of the schools, canteens, etc. All these challenges had the effect, first of all, of reducing the farmers' income due to the agricultural production decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact that online schooling has had on teachers' performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. Regarding the research design, we used the quantitative research method, based on an online questionnaire administered to teachers in the Romanian pre-university education system in Romania. During the pandemic, teachers faced a major challenge in terms of teaching, namely online teaching, as they were hit by a lack of internet connections, lack of access to technical equipment, lack of experience in creating digital content. in terms of teaching, lack of knowledge for the efficient use of work platforms, but also lacked experience in teaching online, Which led to a series of changes in their professional life and at the same time a high level of stress. Teachers also had problems with communication and organizational issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A great variety of medical issues can occur after the COVID-19 infection including fatigue, muscle weakness, locomotor disability, self-care dysfunction, polyneuropathy, persistent dyspnea on exertion and a hypercoagulable state. Materials and methods: This paper presents the case of a nonsmoker 49-year-old male with right lung lower lobe lobectomy for post tuberculosis bronchiectasis and diabetes mellitus, who developed multiple serious physicals, neurological, hematological and respiratory consequences, related to critical COVID-19 infection and prolonged hospitalization. Results: A favorable evolution of the patient's respiratory sequels and motor impairment on both lower limbs was noticed after a complex individualized rehabilitation program started in the post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Department of Balneal and Rehabilitation Sanatorium, Techirghiol, Romania, consisting in better functional parameters and exercise tolerance, significant improvement in daily activities, remission of exertional dyspnea, social and family reintegration. Conclusions: multidisciplinary approach and complex individualized programs of rehabilitation is required after a critical form of COVID in a patients known with tuberculosis, and other complex pathologies, in order to restore physical function and mobility and optimize respiratory parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many Central and Eastern European countries elected nationalist parties after the collapse of communism: a phenomenon often attributed to a combination of socioeconomic crisis and political instability. In 2010s, after the decay of other nationalist parties, Romania was seen as an exception to this rule, but the Covid-19 pandemic times have witnessed the rapid rise of a new nationalist party: the AUR (the Alliance for the Union of Romanians). Parliamentary elections in December 2020 saw this new political force gain 9.1% of the vote. Whereas previous nationalist parties in post-communist Romania tended to appeal to more senior/elderly voters, there is evidence that the AUR vote is strong amongst men under the age of 35 who are educated to an elementary or high school level. This paper uses national electoral data, media analysis, and in-depth interviews with young, educated people to explore the spatial distribution of AUR support, the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has assisted the party's rise to prominence, and attitudes amongst university students to both the style and content of their politics. The paper concludes that the AUR offer a potent mix of old nationalism, religious faith, traditional family values and new ideological elements, such as environmentalism, anti-globalization, and antigovernment critique to create a self-consciously 'alternative' political rhetoric. This is presented via new channels (especially social media) in a deliberately opportunistic, controversial, and spectacular manner. However, our investigation suggests that neither the content nor the style of this politics has widespread appeal among the more educated younger participants to the interview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic disease, like several countries, Romania experienced a multiwaves pattern over more than two years. The spreading pattern of SARS-CoV-2 pathogens in the Bucharest, capital of Romania is a multi-factorial process involving among other factors outdoor environmental variables and viral inactivation. Through descriptive statistics and cross-correlation analysis applied to daily time series of observational and geospatial data, this study aims to evaluate the synergy of COVID-19 incidence and lethality with air pollution and radon under different climate conditions, which may exacerbate the coronavirus' effect on human health. During the entire analyzed period 1 January 2020-21 December 2021, for each of the four COVID-19 waves were recorded different anomalous anticyclonic synoptic meteorological patterns in the mid-troposphere, and favorable stability conditions during fall-early winter seasons for COVID-19 disease fast-spreading, mostly during the second, and the fourth waves. As the temporal pattern of airborne SARS-CoV-2 and its mutagen variants is affected by seasonal variability of the main air pollutants and climate parameters, this paper found: 1) the daily outdoor exposures to air pollutants (particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10, nitrogen dioxide-NO 2 , sulfur dioxide-SO 2 , carbon monoxide-CO) and radon - 222 Rn, are directly correlated with the daily COVID-19 incidence and mortality, and may contribute to the spread and the severity of the pandemic; 2) the daily ground ozone-O 3 levels, air temperature, Planetary Boundary Layer height, and surface solar irradiance are anticorrelated with the daily new COVID-19 incidence and deaths, averageingful for spring-summer periods. Outdoor exposure to ambient air pollution associated with radon is a non-negligible driver of COVID-19 transmission in large metropolitan areas, and climate variables are risk factors in spreading the viral infection. The findings of this study provide useful information for public health authorities and decision-makers to develop future pandemic diseases strategies in high polluted metropolitan environments., (Copyright © 2022 National Institute of R&D for Optoelectronics INOE 2000. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The present study aims to estimate the public cost of depression in Romania during a seven-year time span to complement existing papers with data from Central and Eastern Europe and to identify and propose measures that allow efficient use of funds. Methods: We used data collected from the National Health Insurance System to analyze the main components of the cost. Findings: Indirect costs exceed direct costs. Within the direct costs, hospitalization and medicines still have an important share but are decreasing due to the intervention of outpatient services such as psychiatrists and psychotherapists. Conclusion: Since the goal is mental health, it is necessary to act early and quickly to decrease the burden in the long run. Annually, the mean direct cost of depression per patient is EUR 143 (part of it is represented by hospitalization, i.e., EUR 67, and psychotherapy, i.e., EUR 5), the mean cost of sick leaves per patient is EUR 273, and the total cost per patient is EUR 5553. Indirect costs (cost of disability and lost productive years) represent 97.17% of the total cost. An integrated approach to early diagnosis, effective treatment, monitoring, and prevention as well as included economic and social programs are needed to optimize indirect costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the elderly's aging-related dysfunctionalities and vulnerabilities. Research surveys, aimed at evaluating the socio–physical–emotional state of the elderly and obtaining data on their access to medical services and information media services during the pandemic, were carried out on Romanian respondents aged 65+. Identification and mitigation of the risk of emotional and mental long-term decline of the elderly after SARS-CoV-2 infection, based on the implementation of a specific procedure, can be performed through Remote Monitoring Digital Solutions (RMDSs). The aim of this paper is to propose a procedure for the identification and mitigation of the risk of emotional and mental long-term decline of the elderly after SARS-CoV-2 infection that comprises RMDS. The importance of using the knowledge obtained by COVID-19-related surveys corroborating the necessity of including personalized RMDS in the procedure is highlighted. The Non-invasive Monitoring System and Health Assessment of the Elderly in a Smart Environment (RO-SmartAgeing) is an RMDS designed to address the improved preventative and proactive support for diminishing this risk and to provide suitable assistance for the elderly through a safe and efficient smart environment. Its comprehensive functionalities targeted supporting primary healthcare assistance, specific medical conditions—as the mental and emotional disorders post-SARS-CoV-2 infection—and enlarged access to aging-related information, together with customizable features, illustrated the match with the requirements included in the proposed procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has held the spotlight over the past years, the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenomenon continues to develop in an alarming manner. The lack of strict antibiotic regulation added to the overuse of antimicrobials fueled the AMR pandemic. This paper aims to analyze and identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic resistance patterns of Enterococcus spp. The study was designed as a retrospective observational study. Enterococcus spp. infections data were collected from one academic hospital in Cluj-Napoca, Romania over 18 months. A statistical analysis was performed to compare antibiotic resistance phenotypes identified. We recorded an increase in the isolation rates of Enterococcus spp. strains, from 26 isolates (26.53%) during Period A (November 2020–April 2021) to 42 strains (42.85%) during Period C (November 2021–April 2022). The number of strains with resistance to vancomycin increased from 8 during Period A to 17 during Period C. Of the total 36 strains with resistance to vancomycin, 25 were identified as E. faecium. SARS-CoV-2 patients (n = 29) proved to be at risk to develop an E. faecium co-infection (n = 18). We observed that strains with resistance to ampicillin (n = 20) and vancomycin (n = 15) are more often isolated from these patients. All changes identified in our study are to be considered in the light of COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the threatening AMR phenomenon in Romania. Further studies should be performed to quantify the worldwide effects of these pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recording real-time data of vaccinations performed, vaccine stocks, and adverse events following immunization is a particularly useful activity in the effective development of any vaccination campaign or vaccination program, guiding the decisions of public health authorities. The aim of this paper is to present the benefits of the National Electronic Registry of Vaccinations in providing useful information for the optimization of healthcare vaccination policies, specifically related to COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: We performed a descriptive study using data available in the reports generated from the National Electronic Registry of Vaccinations regarding COVID-19 vaccinations performed between 27 December 2020 and 31 December 2021. Results: A total of 27,980,270 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were distributed. Of these, 15,757,638 (56%) were administered in 4545 vaccination centers: 7,882,458 as the 1st dose (50%), 5,878,698 as the 2nd dose (37%), and 1,996,482 as the 3rd dose (13%). More than 25% of the total doses were administered to people over 65 years of age. A total of 41% of the population received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A total of 4083 adverse events following immunization were reported. Conclusions: The existence of a National Electronic Registry of Vaccinations containing accurate information on vaccinations performed in Romania offers the opportunity to obtain a clear picture of vaccination status that will significantly contribute to the optimization of vaccination strategies and programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges, with a potential stress which might affect the education of resident doctors in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. Its repercussion on the residents' strain and training routes is not well known. After two years of pandemic, this paper aims to analyze the repercussion of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on education, medical training, and the mental well-being of Romanian resident doctors in orthopedics and traumatology. In January-February 2022, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to all orthopedic resident doctors in the 12 residential training centers in Romania. Participants ( n = 236) were resident doctors with an employment contract and professional activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Resident doctors who did not work during this period were excluded. An online survey generator was used to electronically create the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed in Matlab version R2022a, with the support of Statistics and Machine Learning Toolbox Version 12.3. Descriptive statistics were performed for the standardized questions, while for the open questions, answers were collected by topic. The results of the Chi-square test indicate that there is a statistically significant association regarding the prevalence of infection among residents involved in the treatment of patients with COVID-19 ( p = 0.028), and the influence of secondment in COVID-19 sections ( p = 0.0003). The infection of residents is not related to their affiliation with a particular medical training center ( p = 0.608), gender ( p = 0.175), the year of study in residency ( p = 0.733), the age group ( p = 0.178), and the secondment period ( p = 0.114). Residents who participated in the study had an overall well-being index of 13.8 ± 5.7, which indicates a low level of well-being for a large number of residents. Residents who would like to choose a new residency specialization, or would choose a non-medical career, had reduced average WHO wellness rates, as the risk of infection is associated with the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and secondment in COVID-19 sections. The findings of this study may help residency training centers to develop robust programs that can alleviate the impact of this pandemic. Some major changes will be needed to be integrated into residency training programs around the world. Emphasis should be placed on electronic educational portfolios, simulation of surgical processes, and distance learning, all of which have a high potential for health and safety, as well as for the moral support of residents.

Especially relevant at the present time is the study of the impact of the global crisis - a pandemic caused by the infection COVID-19 on the countries and the world's sustainable development. The consequences of the popular trend of globalization, a certain closedness of the principles of capitalization, and, of course, the impact of the global crisis caused by COV1D-19 were investigated in the scientific work. The study aims to confirm the transformation of sustainable development trends and the transition from worldwide globalization to national capitalization of the agricultural entrepreneurship potential in the modern conditions of the global crisis of Covid-19. The goal will be achieved by tasks through accounting and analytical support and mathematical analysis of the quadratic correlation and regression dependence of the integrated indicator of sustainable development. Research methodology consist of analysis and collection of economic, environmental, and social data of agriculture in European countries. At this stage, the most significant indicators of six countries were selected: Ukraine, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Poland and Belarus. Index analysis was used for formation of an integral indicator - a sustainable development index. Also Microsoft Excel tools were used. An index analysis of the main indicators of sustainable development is provided in the paper. On the basis of the integrated index of sustainable development of agriculture, a trend line was built and a forecast of the vector of globalization/capitalization was made. An upward forecast of the integrated index of agriculture sustainable development, which indicates a continuous process of globalization was proved in the paper. This pattern corresponds to Belarus and Romania and was proved by the basis of imperial studies. The calculation and forecast of the transition from global globalization to national capitalization as a result of the impact of the pandemic and quarantine were presented in the scientific work too. This pattern is inherent in Hungary, Germany, Poland and Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the trade performance of Romania, a representative country for the Central and Eastern European region, strongly connected with its European partners in global value chains and thus affected by any change in these countries' relationships with the rest of the world in general and China in particular. Using panel data gravity models for the 2008-2019 period, we find that Romania's exports are significantly influenced by the demand of its major trade partners in the EU, and imports from China and the rest of the world. In addition, exports are vulnerable to the effectiveness of the government in relation to the other countries, corruption control and cultural values such as collectivism. We also assess the capacity of Romanian exports to regain their ascending trend displayed before the COVID-19 pandemic by using simulation forecasting scenarios based on the shape of the economic recovery and the type of shock transmission across economies. We observe a sharp decrease in 2020 followed by an important recovery in 2021 in a V-shape scenario and uniform transmission of the pandemic shock in the internal demand and in the foreign trade, or followed by a very slow recovery in 2021 (in a U-shape scenario and non-uniform transmission type in the two previously mentioned elements), especially when the global relation with rest of the world is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection is a rare condition but can represent a medical emergency. It is probably related to alveolar damage secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection, which allows air to escape in the surrounding lung tissue. Cough and airways' barotrauma are also mentioned as contributing mechanisms. Treatment is generally conservative, but surgery may be required in severe cases. This paper presents the case of a 16-year-old girl with COVID-19-associated SPM who was treated conservatively in our department. The clinical course was favorable with resolution of respiratory symptoms and radiological (chest CT scan) image of pneumomediastinum. The patient was discharged 7 days after the confirmation of the initial SP diagnosis with appropriate treatment and recommendations for isolation. The sudden occurrence of chest pain and dyspnea should raise the suspicion of SPM in COVID-19 patients. Close surveillance and proper radiological monitoring are required in such cases. Treatment should be strictly individualized based on clinical course and radiological appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has created important changes in all areas, highlighting many vulnerabilities, but also opportunities based on the use of technology. This paper aims to provide an overview of the online educational process from two perspectives-that of students and that of professors from Romanian universities. Data were collected from 844 students from Romanian universities disregarding the area of study. To achieve the main goal of this paper, both qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative methods (surveys) were used, the data being processed using the SPSS Statistical software. The results of this paper highlight the discrepancy between the perspectives of the two parties directly involved in the university educational process. The study shows that the pandemic forced both stakeholders to work harder than before, which negatively affected the way the educational process unfolded, the pleasure of the teaching/learning process, the level of enthusiasm, and sometimes even the academic results. The final conclusions of this paper also highlight the need to make financial investments for the acquisition of licenses to create virtual animations or simulations, as well as for training teachers in their use. Research also indicates that to maintain students' attention in class, especially online, teachers should use new teaching strategies, such as the use of debates and brainstorming sessions.

The European Union is facing the highest natural gas prices in 15 years, owing largely to an upward trend in electricity prices, which is also on an uphill curve. However, the rise in electricity and natural gas prices is a widespread phenomenon that is being felt not only in Europe but also globally, as economic activity resumes and energy consumption returns to prepandemic levels. Consequently, this paper investigates how COVID-19 influenced the Romanian energy market. To accomplish our goal, we used daily data for variables and market indices that characterize COVID-19 and the energy market from July 1 to December 21, 2021. The results of the GARCH (1, 1) model estimation show that the major performer in Romania's energy allocation and supply market had the highest conditional variance. In addition, the ARDL model was chosen because of the variable integration mix (order 0 and 1), as well as the VAR and the Granger causality framework. The empirical results of ARDL models provide the first conclusion of the analysis, indicating that the number of short-term connections was greater than long-term connections, which is also explained by the presence of short episodes of high volatility recorded in the investigated time interval. Another conclusion drawn from this study is that COVID-19 cases registered in Europe and around the world have made a significant contribution to explaining the evolution of the energy market, owing to the large number of cases registered in these regions and the level of contagion transmitted from these markets to the energy market. Furthermore, based on the Granger causality test results, only one-way causal relationships were identified from the variables that capture the evolution of the COVID-9 pandemic to the yields of Romanian energy companies. The novelty of this article is the examination of the impact of COVID-19 on the energy market throughout the fourth wave of coronavirus using the GARCH framework, the ARDL model, which allows for the capture of both short- and long-term reactions, the variance decomposition, and the Granger causality test. Because of the ongoing changes in the pandemic's evolution, additional research on this topic is undoubtedly on the horizon in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal payments in the public health care system represent one of the most sensitive topics in the medical world. It is also a subject of interest for many researchers. As evidenced by reports from various European institutions, a catalyst for their use was the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all the countries of the European Union, Romania was reported with the highest rate of use of these payments. With the support of parallel marketing research, carried out both among patients in Romania and among medical staff, it is demonstrated that they do not consider such practices natural. However, following the conclusions, in order to stop this trend, it is recommended, among other things, to reduce the institutional asymmetry, to tighten the penalties for the medical staff who accept such payments or to stimulate the medical staff, by increasing their salaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper aims to analyse how consumer emotions have evolved during the pandemic period in comparison with the pre-pandemic period in relation to restaurant demand in the Romanian fine-dining industry and uses valuable information based on social-media sentiment analysis and content analysis. Focusing on theories of consumer behaviour, the study aims to emphasize how, under the influence of an epidemic crisis caused by an infectious disease, individual behaviour adapts to the "new normal", embracing a series of changes in the preferences, attitudes, and cognitive choice-making processes. The article takes into account a comparative analysis of the consumer emotions between the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period (2010-2019) and the pandemic period (2020-present), based on the online reviews provided by customers for five fine-dining restaurants from Bucharest, the capital city of Romania: The Artist, Relais & Chateaux Le Bistrot Francais, Casa di David, Kaiamo, and L'Atelier. The research was based on two mining analyses-content analysis and sentiment analysis-and explored the emotional intent of words, with the data being collected from TripAdvisor through web-scrapping. The empirical results defined the fine-dining experience during the pandemic as being associated with the quality of the dishes and also with the quality of the service. The overall consumer sentiment in the direction of the restaurants analyzed is positive. The sentiment research found that throughout the epidemic, the consumers' attitudes about restaurants deteriorated. In this sense, consumers seem to be less satisfied with the restaurants' services than before the pandemic. This is another thing that the restaurants had difficulties in when adapting their operations for the pandemic.

The success of public health interventions is highly dependent on the compliance of the general population. State authorities often implement policies without consulting representatives of faith-based communities, thereby overlooking potential implications of public health measures for these parts of society. Although ubiquitous, these challenges are more readily observable in highly religious states. Romania serves as an illustrative example for this, as recent data identify it as the most religious country in Europe. In this paper, we discuss the contributions of the Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC), the major religious institution in the country, to the national COVID-19 mitigation efforts. We present not only the positive outcomes of productive consultations between public health authorities and religious institutions but also the detrimental impact of unidirectional communication. Our work highlights that an efficient dialogue with faith-based communities can greatly enhance the results of public health interventions. As the outlined principles apply to a variety of contexts, the lessons learned from this case study can be generalized into a set of policy recommendations for the betterment of future public health initiatives worldwide., 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 © 2021 Dascalu, Flammer, Ghafari, Henson, Nascimento and Bonsall.)

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered one of the strongest blows to the Romanian economy in the last 25 years. The global value chain disruptions correlated with the significant increase in commodity prices, and volatile consumption affected the manufacturing industry. In this context, this paper analyzes the dynamics of production and employment in the medium-technology activities specific to the Romanian manufacturing industry and compares the dynamics in Romania with the main economies in the region and the EU average. The impact of the COVID-19 shock is also captured through an autoregressive vector model. The results indicate that the mediumtechnology activities reacted non-homogenously to the COVID-19 shock. Activities such as the Automotive industry, which were influenced to a larger extent by the mobility restrictions, experienced a strong output contraction, while activities such as the Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products were less affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]