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Importanța zonelor verzi în viața cotidiană în viziunea studenților din anul I de la Facultatea de Ingineria Resurselor Animale si Alimentare
Get PDFThe fast pace of development of cities in the last decades has led to an increase in the degree of pollution and implicitly to a lower urban comfort. A viable option to slow down the negative effects of urbanization is to reintroduce green areas to cities. For this approach to be successful, it is important for the young generation to be aware of the benefits of natural and landscaped green spaces in everyday life. A questionnaire about green areas was applied to 88 students from the Faculty of Animal and Food Resources Engineering, to assess their opinion on how green areas, in different forms, can make life healthier and more beautiful. The sample was composed of 62 female and 26 male students who had to answer 15 questions in the questionnaire. Regarding the results of the survey, the presence of parks near home or workplace is highly appreciated by 57% of the respondents and there is an increase in interest among students towards new methods of expanding green spaces, they consider green facades attractive (18%), balconies decorated with plants (15%) and green roofs (11%)
Soil fertility in the Central-southern part of Romania expressed by soil reaction and nutrient content: a case study from the Raul Alb catchment, Dambovita County
No full textThe field research took place
between 2019 and 2020, in the upper river
basin of the Raul Alb creek, located in the
northwest of Dambovita County, the
analysed land area being 4034 ha.
Underlying the research of the complex
erosion phenomena faced by the analysed
territory was the soil survey, which consisted
of sampling 46 soil profiles in the
representative areas for the analysed
territory. For the analysis of the soil fertility,
chemical analyses were performed regarding
the pH, humus content, reported to the soil
texture in the topsoil and the supply of
nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and
potassium), also physical-mechanical
analysis (soil texture), interpreted according
to the “Methodology for the Development of
Pedological Studies, Volumes I, II, III,
1987”. By centralising the obtained results, it
found that 59.42% of the total analysed land
surface had a weak alkaline pH, at least in
the topsoil, due to the CaCO3 content. For
the supply of humus, the most significant
share is that of the extremely low-supplied
soils with this element in the topsoil, i.e.
73.42% of the mapped area, and in terms of
the nitrogen supply, 26.67% of the total
surface of the river basin shows severe
deficiencies in this element. The situation is
worrying indeed in the case of the supply of
soils with mobile phosphorus, with 3 280.27
ha of the mapped surface having very low or
low contents of this element, making up
81.31%. However, for potassium, the soils
from the upper sector of the Raul Alb
catchment are mostly moderately and well
supplied, with only 620.85 ha (15.39%)
being extremely poorly supplied with this
element
An investigation of the noise absorption potential of a six selected grass species
No full textGrass has a high leaf density
and requires minimum space to grow. This
experiment was designed to determine the
sound absorption behaviour of six grass
species (Zoysia matrella (L) Merr.,
Stenotaphrum dimidiatum(L.) Brongn,
Panicum repens (L.), Eleusine indica (L.)
Gaertn., Axonopus compressus (Sw) P.
Beauv, and Ischaemum sp.) for their possible
use as noise screens. The sound absorption
of each morphological leaf structure was
studied. For Sound Absorption Coefficients
(SAC) (α) studies, the reverberation room
method under ISO 345:2003 standards was
followed. A B&K dodecahedron Omnidirectional
speaker, power amplifier, and
2250L handheld analyser were used for
reverberation time and RT60 measurements.
Microscopic images of grass leaves were
analysed using ImageJ software. This study
revealed that grasses with the highest and
lowest SAC for higher noise frequencies (>
1500 Hz) are S. dimidiatum Brongn and A.
compressus, respectively. The SAC of S.
dimidiatum Brongn positively correlated
with noise frequency. In general, the
correlation of SAC (α) with noise frequency
(f) is in the form of log10α = a1log10f + b1
where a1 and b1 are grass type-dependent
constants. The morphological parameters
like total leaf area, total sample area, plant
height, and sample dry weight strongly
correlated with the SAC. But leaf thickness,
length, width, surface area, and the weight of
the sample poorly correlated with SAC in the
frequency range
Accumulation of some heavy metals in carrot roots sampled from households in Copsa Mica
No full textHeavy metals can affect the vegetables and can accumulate in vegetables and thereby indirectly can affect human
health. Due to various factors including the disposal of municipal and industrial wastes, application of fertilizers,
atmospheric deposition and discharge of wastewater on land, has resulted in increase in the concentration of heavy
metals in the soil. Soil normally contains a low concentration of heavy metals such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), which
are the essential micronutrients for the optimum growth of the plants. Heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb)
are usually not found in agricultural soil and are toxic to plants. The paper presents a case study achieved in Copsa
Mica. As a result of a historical pollution (over 60 years) and a present pollution, the Copsa Mica area is an affected
area by atmospheric pollution, characterized by inadequate ambient air quality, surface water pollution, soil pollution,
qualitative degradation of vegetable products and possible risk to the health of animals and people in the area. There
were sampled carrots roots from 51 households. Obtained data were used to estimate the bioaccumulation of some
heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn) in carrot roots. The highest correlations between soil and plant total metal content
were obtained for cadmium and lead. It is noted the increased tendency of accumulation of cadmium (r=0.761) in carrot
roots compared to lead (r=0.660). In the case of copper and zinc, the correlation established between the two variables
is not very strong, thus for zinc r=0.439, while for copper the value was obtained r=0.151
Assessing the Neurotoxicity of a Sub-Optimal Dose of Rotenone in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the Possible Neuroactive Potential of Valproic Acid, Combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa, and Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains
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Open AccessArticle
Assessing the Neurotoxicity of a Sub-Optimal Dose of Rotenone in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the Possible Neuroactive Potential of Valproic Acid, Combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa, and Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains
by Ovidiu-Dumitru Ilie
1,† [ORCID] , Raluca Duta
1, Ioana-Miruna Balmus
2,3, Alexandra Savuca
4 [ORCID] , Adriana Petrovici
5 [ORCID] , Ilinca-Bianca Nita
6, Lucian-Mihai Antoci
7, Roxana Jijie
8,† [ORCID] , Cosmin-Teodor Mihai
9 [ORCID] , Alin Ciobica
1,*, Mircea Nicoara
1,4 [ORCID] , Roxana Popescu
7,10 [ORCID] , Romeo Dobrin
11,* [ORCID] , Carmen Solcan
5,* [ORCID] , Anca Trifan
12,13 [ORCID] , Carol Stanciu
12,13 and Bogdan Doroftei
6 [ORCID]
1
Department of Biology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Carol I Avenue, no 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
2
Department of Exact and Natural Sciences, Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Carol I Avenue, no 11, 700506 Iasi, Romania
3
Doctoral School of Biology, Faculty of Biology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Carol I Avenue, 20A, 700506 Iasi, Romania
4
Doctoral School of Geosciences, Faculty of Geography-Geology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Carol I Avenue, no 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
5
Department of Molecular Biology, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences “Ion Ionescu de la Brad”, Mihail Sadoveanu Street, no 3, 700490 Iasi, Romania
6
Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, University Street, no 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
7
Department of Medical Genetics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, University Street, no 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
8
Research Center on Advanced Materials and Technologies, Department of Exact and Natural Sciences, Institute of Inderdisciplinary Research, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University, Carol I Avenue, no 11, 700506 Iasi, Romania
9
Advanced Research and Development Center for Experimental Medicine (CEMEX), University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Grigore T. Popa”, University Street, no 16, 700115 Iasi, Romania
10
Department of Medical Genetics, “Saint Mary” Emergency Children’s Hospital, Vasile Lupu Street, no 62, 700309 Iasi, Romania
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*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors equally contributed to this work.
Antioxidants 2022, 11(10), 2040; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11102040
Received: 2 September 2022 / Revised: 3 October 2022 / Accepted: 13 October 2022 / Published: 17 October 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Disorders)
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Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an enigmatic neurodegenerative disorder that is currently the subject of extensive research approaches aiming at deepening the understanding of its etiopathophysiology. Recent data suggest that distinct compounds used either as anticonvulsants or agents usually used as dopaminergic agonists or supplements consisting of live active lactic acid bacteria strains might alleviate and improve PD-related phenotypes. This is why we aimed to elucidate how the administration of rotenone (ROT) disrupts homeostasis and the possible neuroactive potential of valproic acid (VPA), antiparkinsonian agents (levodopa and carbidopa – LEV+CARB), and a mixture of six Lactobacillus and three Bifidobacterium species (PROBIO) might re-establish the optimal internal parameters. ROT causes significant changes in the central nervous system (CNS), notably reduced neurogenesis and angiogenesis, by triggering apoptosis, reflected by the increased expression of PARKIN and PINK1 gene(s), low brain dopamine (DA) levels, and as opposed to LRRK2 and SNCA compared with healthy zebrafish. VPA, LEV/CARB, and PROBIO sustain neurogenesis and angiogenesis, manifesting a neuroprotective role in diminishing the effect of ROT in zebrafish. Interestingly, none of the tested compounds influenced oxidative stress (OS), as reflected by the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymatic activity revealed in non-ROT-exposed zebrafish. Overall, the selected concentrations were enough to trigger particular behavioral patterns as reflected by our parameters of interest (swimming distance (mm), velocity (mm/s), and freezing episodes (s)), but sequential testing is mandatory to decipher whether they exert an inhibitory role following ROT exposure. In this way, we further offer data into how ROT may trigger a PD-related phenotype and the possible beneficial role of VPA, LEV+CARB, and PROBIO in re-establishing homeostasis in Danio rerio
The influence of treatments with various phytosanitary products (fungicides) on the attack of some phytopathogenic fungi on wheat harvest – Glosa variety - in 2021 pedoclimatic conditions of the eastern Baragan
No full textThis study aims at monitoring the dynamics of the occurrence and evolution of the attack of some pathogens to Glosa
Romanian wheat variety, among which we mention: Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici (sin. Puccinia triticina) which
produces wheat’s brown rust and Septoria sp. which produces wheat’s brown leaf spotting (septoriosis). Also, the
influence of applying these fungicides on the harvest, as compared to the untreated control variant, has been monitored.
One experiment with 7 variants (6 variants with phytosanitary treatment, plus one control variant not treated) was taken
into consideration for this study, for which the following phytosanitary products were used, as follows: NATIVO PRO
325 SL (prothioconazole 175 g/l + trifloxystrobin 150 g/l), EVALIA (azoxystrobin 250 g/l), EVOLUS (prochloraz 320
g/l, + tebuconazole 160 g/l, + proquinazid 40 g/l). The treatment variants were the following: V1 – NATIVO PRO 325
SL 0.70 L/HA, 1 treatment applied at straw’s extension (22nd April 2021) + 1 treatment applied at the beginning of
kernel’s filling (7th June 2021), V2 – EVALIA 1.00 L/HA, 1 treatment applied at straw’s extension (22nd April 2021) +1
treatment applied at the beginning of kernel’s filling (7th June 2021), V3 – EVOLUS 0.75 L/HA 1 treatment applied at
straw’s extension (22nd April 2021), 1 treatment applied at the beginning of kernel’s filling (7th June 2021), V4 –
NATIVO PRO 325 SL 0.70 L/HA, 1 treatment applied at earing – blooming (23rd May 2021), V5 - EVALIA 1.00
L./HA 1 treatment applied at earing – blooming (23rd May 2021), V6 - EVOLUS 0.75 L/HA 1 treatment applied at
earing – blooming (23rd May 2021), V7 – untreated control variant. The experiment was placed in Latin square; the 7
variants being placed in 7 repetitions. The year 2021 was rainy in May and June. This has led to obtaining very good
wheat yields, but also to the appearance of pathogens’ attacks (e.g. Septoria sp) which prefer such weather conditions.
Among the pathogens monitored, the highest attacks had been produced by fungi of the Septoria sp. genus which
produce, in wheat, diseases known as septoriosis. Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici producing brown rust in wheat, has
generated less attacks. The fungi attack of the Blumeria (Erysiphe) genus producing mildew was sporadic. For this
study, the first two leaves located under the ear has been analyzed. These observations has led to the conclusion that all
of the 6 treatment variants showed degrees of attack (D.A%) of Septoria sp. fungi, but the attack was lower than in the
untreated control variant. The yields of the variants were as follows: V1: 7.259 to/ha, V2: 7.327 to/ha, V3: 7.344 to/ha,
V4: 7.310 to/ha, V5: 7.225 to/ha, V6: 7.174 to/ha and V7: 6.919 to/ha
Physico-mechanical properties investigation of hempcrete
No full textFood, energy and construction are the three main domains in which different uses of industrial hemp confirm the role and importance that agriculture has in human life. In the current context with an increased need for energy efficiency and environmental protection, the attention of scientists is directed towards the identification of ecological construction materials, and a sustainable way of life, where the circular economy must become part of people’s living habits. The objective of the research was to analyze the thermo-mechanical properties of hempcrete. The goal is to determine a point of reference for future studies that will aim to adapt the agreed compositions to the particularities of the raw material obtained locally. Measurements were determined through laboratory tests, performed on specimens obtained using, for the base material, the woody part of industrial hemp, and for the binder, a mixture consisting of hydrated lime and Portland cement. The results place the construction materials made from hemp vegetable waste in the group of heat-insulating products characterized by low specific weight and thermal transfer coefficients, according with conventional insulating materials, with values between those of polyurethane foam and autoclaved cellular concrete
Histopathological and electron microscopy aspects in kidney diseases of small animals
Get PDFKidney diseases are one of the most common pathologies found in geriatric cats and dogs, estimated to be 0.5-
1.0% in dogs and 1.0-3.0% in cats, these values increasing with age, especially in cats with a reported prevalence of 80%
in the geriatric cat population.
The aim of this study was to provide an overview concerning the most frequent kidney lesions encountered at the
histological and and electron microscopy examination.
The most common lesions recorded in dogs were: membranoproliferative glomerulitis and glomerulosclerosis
(24%), lymphohistiocytic nephritis (12%), tubulointerstitial nephritis, characterized by epithelial degeneration of the
urinary tubes (14%) and the presence of hyaline cylinders (14%) as a mark of proteinuria.
In cats, the most common lesions observed were: glomerulitis (25%), tubulonephritis (18%), the presence of
hyaline and fatty cylinders (14%), and calcium oxalate or urate crystals (14%)
The perception and attitude of mountain producers towards the optional quality label "Montan Product"
No full textIn the general acceptance of the mountain area, it is defined as an area with severe natural constraints, which includes
over 30% of Romania's territory. Mountain agriculture is mainly carried out in small farms with low production, a fact
due precisely to socio-economic conditions and geographical limitations. For this reason, the obtained products must
value their sensory and nutritional particularities, simultaneously with gaining the consumer's trust regarding their
quality and authenticity. The adoption of the optional "Mountain Product" quality designations is a starting point for
relaunching and supporting the mountain economy. The aim of this paper is to understand the perception that mountain
producers have on the products they obtain as well as an understanding if the mention of optional quality is a viable
opportunity in the attempt to revitalize the mountain economy
The identification of some yeast strains from vineyard Iași, Romania
No full textThe aim of this study was to isolate and select yeast strains from the indigenous flora of Iasi vineyard. The experiment
study included 4 local grape varieties: Busuioacă de Bohotin, Fetească Albă, Fetească Neagră and Fetească Neagră
(from Collection of grape varieties) from viticultural center Copou. The experiment was carried out using randomized
block design with three replications. The samples were taken in two different phenophases: bunch compaction and
ripeness stage. As source of isolation was used the washing water from bunches and grapes. The yeast strains isolation
and obtaining of the pure cultures was completed by successive replications using sowing on solid nutrient media
technique. Therefore, 15 yeast strains were selected and morphological analyzed by colony shape, profile, structure and
color