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Abstract Strategies to improve metabolic health include calorie restriction, time restricted eating and fasting several days per week or month. These approaches have demonstrated benefits for individuals experiencing obesity, metabolic syndrome, and prediabetes. However, their impact on established diabetes remains incompletely studied. The chronicity of type 2 diabetes (T2D) requires that interventions must be undertaken for extended periods of time, typically the entire lifetime of the individual. In this study, we examined the impact of intermittent fasting (IF), with an every-other-day protocol for a duration of 6 months in a murine model of T2D, the db/db (D) mouse on metabolism and liver steatosis. We compared D-IF mice with diabetic ad-libitum (AL; D-AL), control-IF (C-IF) and control-AL (C-AL) cohorts. We demonstrated using lipidomic, microbiome, metabolomic and liver transcriptomic studies that chronic IF improved carbohydrate utilization and glucose homeostasis without weight loss and reduced white adipose tissue inflammation and significantly impacted lipid metabolism in the liver. Microbiome studies and predicted functional analysis of gut microbiota showed that IF increased beneficial bacteria involved in sphingolipid (SL) metabolism. The metabolomic studies showed that oxidation of lipid species and ceramide levels were reduced in D-IF compared to D-AL. The liver lipidomic analysis and liver microarray confirmed a reduction in overall lipid content in D-IF mice compared to D-AL mice, especially in the feeding state as well as an overall reduction in oxidized lipids and ceramides. These studies support that long-term IF can improve glucose homeostasis and dramatically altered lipid metabolism in the absence of weight loss.

Voltage-power factor (Volt-PF) control is introduced and compared with the popular voltage-reactive power (Volt-VAr) control for feeder voltage management. An inherent limitation of the Volt-VAr control is that the reactive power (Q) demanded from the distributed energy resources (DERs) is only a function of the terminal voltage and not the DER active power (P). This leads to an unfair allocation of the burden of Q support among the DERs, in the sense that those DERs generating lower P, and hence contributing less to overvoltage issues, may be required to provide more than their share of Q support, and operate at a very low power factor (PF). The proposed volt-PF scheme, where the Q support is inherently a function of both the voltage and P of the DERs, ensures fair allocation of the Q support burden and ensures that all the DERs operate at a high PF (0.9 to 1) The performance of the proposed scheme is validated through extensive static and dynamic simulations on a real, large (8000+ nodes) feeder with very high penetration (>200%) of DERs. The implementation of the proposed scheme in new and existing commercial hardware inverters is described.

The present research aims to analyze the impact of the allocation of structural and investment funds on regional development in the new member states of Central and Eastern Europe and to identify pragmatic ways to improve absorption, useful in the future financial exercises. The aim of the research is to discover ways to improve the quality of life and increase the absorption of European funds in Central and Eastern Europe by: identifying the ways in which the countries of Central and Eastern Europe know how to benefit from and manage the structural funds, funds in which they participate by co-financing projects financed from the respective funds, identifying the main shortcomings of the systems, proposing viable solutions to improve the absorption model of the funds.

This article provides a review of various innovative types of physical education and sports activities. The study was conducted among people aged 18–50, including students of Kuban State Agrarian University named after I. T. Trubilin and those working outside the field of physical education and sports. The study provides detailed information on new types of activities, including virtual reality and immersive fitness classes. Conclusions based on the work done are presented.

Needle fracture during inferior alveolar nerve block is a very rare accident that can occur in the dental private practice. The incidence is reported to represent approximately 0,000007%. A fractured needle in the pterygomandibular area is considered an emergency so it is important to withdraw it. Although images like panoramic radiography (2D) and computed tomography (3D), are useful in the localization of the foreign body the removal can be very difficult. In this article we present the case of a 32 year old male patient, who experienced an inferior alveolar nerve block for the endodontic treatment of the tooth 47 at a private dental office. During the nerve block on the right side, a 30 G disposable needle tore and shifted posteriorly in the pterygomandibular space. We managed a successful outcome, in general anaesthesia with oro tracheal intubation. The needle removal was possible with the aid of the department of interventional radiology which provided imagistic support with guided fluoroscopy.

This paper aimed to synthesize hybrids of fluoroquinolones with tetracycline class representatives and conduct their preliminary characterization.

Radon accumulation in indoor environments poses a significant public health concern, especially in educational institutions, where children are particularly vulnerable. This study investigates indoor radon activity concentrations (IRAC) in 198 educational institutions and 266 houses from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, analyzing a total of 1440 rooms. Radon levels were assessed using CR-39 track detectors, with measurements conducted over three and twelve-month periods for educational and residential buildings, respectively. Preliminary results reveal notable differences in IRAC between the two building types, with 24 % of educational institutions and 13 % of houses exceeding the reference level of 300 Bq/m³. Factors such as the presence of basements, construction materials, and ventilation systems were found to significantly influence IRAC. A room-level analysis highlighted that those laboratories and classrooms that were located on lower floors had the highest IRAC, while flooring type and structural barriers played a critical role in mitigation. The study contributes by reinforcing the importance of accounting for building-specific characteristics in radon exposure assessments and highlights the need for tailored mitigation strategies in different building types. Moreover, the findings raise important questions about the representativeness of residential radon maps for public buildings, emphasizing that spatial correlations between the two building types remain low.

The living lab (LL) concept has a significant potential to drive sustainable development, particularly in the bioeconomy sector, by assisting communities in improving their quality of life whilst also considering the environmental impact. In this context, the main research question was the following: is there any specific mechanism through which living labs operate under the sustainable development concept? We reviewed 120 papers addressing this topic and performed a bibliometric analysis on the linkage between sustainability and living labs by applying the methodology of a systematic review. We concluded that living labs can drive innovation and experimentation in sustainability, which can be transposed into tangible solutions to economic, environmental, and social problems. The role of living labs in the transition to a bioeconomy is discussed and further research directions are presented.

The article focuses on university collaborations in terms of organising visual art exhibitions and workshops between our universities and other European art institutions within the frame of Erasmus International program

Pea is one of the most important crop plants (second after soybean) in the Fabaceae family (Shanthakumar et al., 2022) being considered a safe and cheap source of protein, starch, fiber, vitamins and minerals, low-fat, gluten-free, and low-allergenic (Munialo et al. 2014). Leaving the field early and leaving the soil enriched in nitrogen thanks to the symbiosis between the pea roots and Rhizobium spp. bacteria creates ideal conditions for the plants that follow in the rotation. the present paper, we aimed to test the influence of the biological cultivation method on the productivity elements of native yellow pea varieties in the eco-pedological conditions of Transylvania, elaboration of recommendations regarding the applied technology on some morphological and productivity elements in autumn peas. Pea crops were placed in two different locations (SDE Cojocna and private farm in Fundatura), under the same pedoclimatic conditions. In the organic farming system, the Olguța variety showed a reduced number of pods/plants, number of grains in the pod and the highest value of the MMB. In the organic farming system, the most productive pea variety was Ghittia with a production of over 2300 kg/ha and in the conventional farming system Olguța with 5000 kg/ha yield.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), is an important annual species from the Brassicaceae family, being related to plants such as mustard, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. It is a plant with uses in various fields, especially in oil production. The study was carried out at the Jucu plant station in Cluj County. Two canola cultivation parameters were considered: row spacing and sowing time. The impact of these two characteristics was studied on rapeseed growth and development. Row spacing was established using the following intervals: 25 cm, 37.5 cm and 50 cm. A McCormick Cmax100 tractor with 3-body reversible Vogel plow and Kverneland rotary harrow was used to prepare the seedbed. Sowing was done with the Winterstaiger experimental seeder in three periods: August 20, August 30 and September 10. All data were collected and presented statistically in tables. Branch number, plant height and silique mass were influenced by row spacing and sowing time.

Apple scab, caused by Venturia inaequalis, is one of the most damaging pathogens affecting apple species. Cross combinations were made between the Salva cv. (female parent), a valuable local cultivar known for its fruit quality and used as a donor of the Vf resistance gene, and Jonathan (male parent), a variety widely cultivated but susceptible to scab. The Vf gene was first identified in Malus floribunda Clone 821, which was subsequently transferred to commercial varieties through various breeding programs. To confirm the presence of the Vf gene, the progeny from this cross was tested using Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) with one dominant primer pair (AM19) and two codominant primers (AL07 and VFC) to distinguish between homozygous and heterozygous genotypes. From the crossing, 67 hybrids were obtained, of which 35.8% (24 hybrids) were classified as resistant (heterozygous - Vfvf), while 64.2% (43 hybrids) were classified as susceptible (recessive homozygotes - vfvf). This population of hybrids resistance to Venturia inaequalis represents a good starting point in obtaining cultivars with resistance to scab.

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PNH) is a neuronal migration defect characterized by the presence of ectopic grey matter nodules adjacent to the walls of the lateral ventricles. The main genetic etiology of PNH are variants in the Filamin A gene (FLNA, MIM #300049), located in the X chromosome. It affects mostly females (embryonic lethality in males), with about 50% of cases inherited from healthy mothers or with a mild phenotype. It is associated with epilepsy (75%-90%), cardiovascular (65%) and pulmonary pathologies (25%).A 28-year-old primigravida was referred for prenatal care in obstetrics department because of personal history of obliterative bronchiolitis. She has a family history of asthma (mother and sister) and adulthood-onset epilepsy (father). The pregnancy was uneventful up to 20 weeks and 3 days when bilateral periventricular irregularities and mega cisterna magna were identified on ultrasound in a female fetus. Neurosonography was performed, which led to the hypothesis of diffuse PNH, supported by MRI. The hypothesis of PNH associated to the FLNA gene was made. Brain MRI on the pregnant woman was requested, which confirmed a similar pattern of PNH. The arrayCGH (PerkinElmer, Prenatal filter 37K) was normal, and whole exome sequencing identified the likely pathogenic c.1554del p.(Val519fs*) variant in the FLNA gene.We present a case of X-linked hereditary PNH that highlights the value of fetal neurosonography in making a putative diagnosis. The diagnosis was supported by MRI in both fetus and mother. The investigation was supplemented by genetic studies, which confirmed the diagnosis.

Background and objectives. Sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) have a significant impact worldwide. Its distribution trends may vary across different communities globally. Consequently, investigating sudden cardiac deaths necessitates a regional, multi-faceted approach. This study aims to ascertain the pathological background of the patients who died in the context of sudden cardiac death and analyze it statistically to generate some trends and define the occurrence of disease. Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the causes of death for cases from the Legal-Medicine Department of Maramures County, Romania, between 2021 and 2023. From this cohort, we identified and selected cases of SCD and conducted a statistical analysis of the number of cases, gender distribution, age group distribution, and the underlying cardiac pathology that led to this outcome. Results. 276 sudden cardiac deaths (SCD) were identified from 1,186 autopsies. Males accounted for 75% of SCD cases, with a mean age of 58.8 years. Advanced myocardial fibrosis (41.6%) was the most frequent cause, followed by coronary artery disease (18.12%) and acute myocardial infarction (17.4%). Males had significantly more AMI cases (p = 0.045), while females had more coronary artery disease and advanced myocardial fibrosis, though not statistically significant. Conclusions. Sudden cardiac death predominantly affects males, particularly those aged 51–60, with advanced myocardial fibrosis being the most common cause. The gender difference in AMI prevalence was significant, highlighting the need for targeted prevention and diagnostic improvements. Further research in liaison with experts in all fields is required.

The bacterium Erwinia amylovora is one of the most important pathogens of apples, causing significant damage. During the experimental years, 2021 and 2022, both the temperature and humidity in summer months, were favourable for the occurrence of fire blight in areas with a temperate climate. The absence of major genes for resistance to fire blight makes it difficult to improve apple cultivars in terms of this characteristic. Therefore, studies regarding the behaviour of apple cultivars, in certain environmental conditions, have kept their relevance. The behaviour of the cultivars studied was compared with that of ‘Auriu de Bistrița’, previously known to be susceptible to fire blight. Ten of the twelve cultivars performed well in 2021 and 2022 The results showed that ‘Jonaprim’ was not affected by Erwinia amylovora while other Romanian or foreign cultivars were sporadically affected. ‘Auriu de Bistrița’ presented a higher frequency of specific symptoms, than all the other cultivars.

Abstract Objective Carotid artery web is a possible cause of ischemic stroke, especially in young patients who lack conventional risk factors. The immediate and long‐term outcomes are not well studied. We aimed to determine the association between an ipsilateral carotid web and in‐hospital stroke recurrence. Methods We analyzed data from adult patients admitted with an acute anterior circulation large vessel occlusion at a Comprehensive Stroke Center between July 2015 and March 2023. The primary outcome was in‐hospital stroke recurrence and secondary outcome was in‐hospital recurrent LVO. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to examine the association between ipsilateral carotid web and recurrent ischemic stroke and recurrent LVO. Results Of the 1463 patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion, 27 (1.8%) had an ipsilateral carotid artery web. Patients with carotid web were younger (median age (IQR), 60 years (53–67 years) versus 74 years (62–84 years), P

Somatic mosaicism is defined as an occurrence of two or more populations of cells having genomic sequences differing at given loci in an individual who is derived from a single zygote. It is a characteristic of multicellular organisms that plays a crucial role in normal development and disease. To study the nature and extent of somatic mosaicism in autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, focal cortical dysplasia, schizophrenia, and Tourette syndrome, a multi-institutional consortium called the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network (BSMN) was formed through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). In addition to genomic data of affected and neurotypical brains, the BSMN also developed and validated a best practices somatic single nucleotide variant calling workflow through the analysis of reference brain tissue. These resources, which include >400 terabytes of data from 1087 subjects, are now available to the research community via the NIMH Data Archive (NDA) and are described here.