Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai
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Should I Write or Should I Not? The Investigation of the Short- and Medium-term Effects of an Expressive Writing Intervention in Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Rumination, and Intolerance of Uncertainty in College Students. A Pilot Study
Get PDFGiven the rising mental health concerns in the student population, especially regarding depression and emotion regulation difficulties, cost-effective and accessible interventions are urgently needed. Thus, the current study investigated the short- and long-term effects of an expressive writing (EW) intervention on subclinical depressive symptoms, rumination, and intolerance of uncertainty on a sample of female Transylvanian Hungarian university students. Participants engaged in a standard EW protocol, writing about distressing experiences for 15–30 minutes over four consecutive days. Outcomes were measured at baseline (T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and at a six-week follow-up (T2). Results revealed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms from T0 to T1 and T2, with large and moderate-to-large effect sizes, respectively. While prospective anxiety (IUS-PA) decreased immediately post-intervention, it returned to baseline levels at follow-up. Inhibitory anxiety (IUS-IA) initially increased but decreased significantly by T2. Rumination showed a delayed yet significant reduction from T0 to T2. Cognitive strategies such as self-blame and acceptance improved post-intervention, while behavioral strategies showed mixed results: withdrawal decreased over time, whereas ignoring decreased initially but rebounded by T2. These findings suggest EW may be an effective short-term intervention for reducing depressive symptoms and enhancing emotion regulation. However, some benefits diminished over time, highlighting the potential need for reinforcement or complementary interventions
IDENTITATEA CONFESIONALĂ A ROMÂNILOR GRECO-CATOLICI ÎN PERIOADA INTERBELICĂ – ELEMENTE ALE DISCURSULUI IDENTITAR
No full textThe Confessional Identity of Greek-Catholic Romanians in the Interwar Period - Elements of Identity Discourse. The paper analyzes the evolution of the confessional identity of the Greek-Catholic Church from Romania, in the Inter-Wars period. The discourse of identity of the Romanian Uniate Church has many themes originated in the works of the ecclesiastical elite from the mid 18th century. On the other hand, the period after the union of Transylvania with Romania placed the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church in a very different political, social and cultural context, becoming a minority inside the wider Romanian national community of an Orthodox majority. Thus, new elements were added to the confessional discourse of identity, strengthening the theme of belonging to the Catholic, Western, spiritual environment
EVALUATION OF FERROCENYLMETHYLNUCLEOBASES DERIVATIVES INTERACTING WITH DNA: INSIGHTS FROM ELECTROCHEMICAL, SPECTROSCOPIC, DFT CALCULATION, MOLECULAR DOCKING AND MOLECULAR DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS
Get PDFThis study investigates the binding of ferrocenylmethyl nucleobase derivatives to DNA through electrostatic interactions, employing a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches to elucidate binding mechanisms and explore their potential for DNA targeting. UV–Vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used to evaluate binding affinities and structural alterations in DNA. The derivatives exhibited DNA interactions, evidenced by negative formal potential shifts in CV data. Binding constants and free binding energies derived from docking simulations aligned well with UV–Vis and CV analyses. Additionally, voltammetric data provided insights into the binding site size. Molecular docking simulations confirmed the critical role of electrostatic interactions in the binding of FcMeCy, FcMeTh, and (FcMe)2Ad to DNA. Molecular dynamics simulations further revealed the stability of DNA-ligand complexes, with RMSD and radius of gyration (Rg) analyses indicating compact and stable DNA structures, emphasizing the robustness of these interactions for therapeutic applications. Theoretical investigations, including geometry optimization, Mulliken charge distribution, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) analysis, and HOMO-LUMO surface analysis using density functional theory (B3LYP/aug-cc-pVTZ/6-311++G(d,p)), offered deeper insights into structural properties, reactive sites, and chemical reactivity. These results provide a comprehensive understanding of the interaction mechanisms and potential applications of these derivatives
INVESTIGATION OF ANTHRAQUINONE CONTENTS, DNA CLEAVAGE, DNA BINDING, CYTOTOXIC AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF XANTHORIA PARIETINA SAMPLES
Get PDFIn this study, Xanthoria parietina samples were collected from different regions of Türkiye like Yozgat (Xp3), Izmit (Xp14), and Kütahya (Xp20). Anthracenedione, anthraquinone (parietin) contents of the lichens were determined quantitatively by GC-MS and spectrophotometric methods. The interaction of lichen extracts with pBR322 DNA and CT-DNA was examined by performing an agarose gel electrophoresis method. The cell proliferative activities of Xanthoria parietina samples were tested against the colon cancer cell line (DLD-1) by MTT assay. As a results of the GC-MS and spectrophotometric analysis, the highest and the lowest parietin contents were found for Xp20 and Xp14 extracts, respectively. These results were supported by those of the DNA cleavage, binding, and toxicity studies. The Xp14 sample can be considered as a drug that could be a new approach to cancer treatment, as it has the lowest polyaromatic hydrocarbon content and is not toxic for the cell
ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF CHERRY STALK EXTRACTS
Get PDFCherry stalks, as primary by-products of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) and sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) harvesting, are often considered agricultural and industrial waste. However, cherry stalks are recognized in traditional and ethno medicine for their therapeutic properties, due to their high content of natural antioxidants. In this study, the concentrations of total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds, as well as antioxidant activity, were evaluated in different cherry stalk extracts (aqueous, methanol, ethanol, and acetone) obtained from sweet cherry cultivars, sour cherry cultivars, and a wild cherry sample. The results depended on the cultivar and the solvent used for extraction. The highest concentrations of total phenolic and total flavonoid compounds were observed in acetone extracts. In various antioxidant tests, the antioxidant activity varied depending on the genotype
Couverture santé universelle et droit d\u27accès aux soins en R. D. Congo : entre volonté de faire et capacité à agir
No full textUniversal Health Coverage and the Right to Access Care in the D. R. Congo: Between Willingness and Ability to Act. Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can only be achieved through strong political will, which translates into a commitment to finance, with the state budget, the majority of UHC costs rather than allowing it to rely on the fruits of international cooperation. As UHC is implemented, it is noticeable that the DRC is making more effort in seeking external partnership than in mobilizing substantial internal resources. The financing of UHC must be based both on household contributions (social insurance, mutual health insurance) and on substantial national and provincial public subsidies to cover all segments and categories of the population. To achieve this, the DRC must continue the political reforms currently underway and carry out courageous tax reforms in search of significant funding
Artificial Intelligence in Tennis. A Social Perspective
Get PDFIntroduction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing professional sports, including tennis, by supporting technical analysis, training optimization, and decision-making processes. Understanding how different groups perceive AI in the sports context is essential for its effective integration. Objective: The study aims to explore and compare the social representations of artificial intelligence in tennis among athletes and non-athletes. Methods: The research employed the word association technique (Vergès, 2001) and the social representation indicator (Havârneanu, 2001). The sample included 60 participants, divided equally into two groups: 30 athletes and 30 non-athletes. The analysis focused on the frequency and order of appearance of words associated with AI in a sports context. Results: Distinct differences emerged between the two groups. Athletes primarily associated AI with advanced technology that enhances performance and efficiency, while aspects such as injury prevention or ethical concerns were less prominent. Non-athletes emphasized “equipment and infrastructure,” reflecting a more concrete and device-oriented perception of AI in sports. Conclusions: The study highlights divergent perceptions of AI between athletes and non-athletes, which may influence how AI-based technologies are accepted and implemented in tennis. Understanding these differences is crucial for tailoring AI applications to meet the expectations and needs of various stakeholders in sports.
Article history: Received 2025 May 30; Revised 2025 July 15; Accepted 2025 July 17; Available online 2025 July 30; Available print 2025 August 3
Ioan Bolovan, Rudolf Gräf (coordonatori), O istorie a Banatului. Compendiu [A history of Banat. Compendium], Cluj-Napoca, Editura Școala Ardeleană, 2023, 682 p.
Get PDFIt seems that the most important works on the history of Banat tend, at least in recent years, to be published anywhere but in the Banat. Thus, two years before The Banat of Temesvar appeared in the USA, an equally important, but quite different work on Banat was published in Cluj-Napoca – namely, the collective volume O istorie a Banatului: compendiu, coordinated by historians Ioan Bolovan and Rudolf Gräf and published under the aegis of the Romanian Academy. The work, now in its second edition, is dedicated to historian Nicolae Bocșan and opens with a word of appreciation by Romanian Academy president Ioan-Aurel Pop, a preface signed by Dan Dubină, member of Romanian Academy, and a foreword by the coordinators of the volume. I said that it differs completely from Timothy Olin’s work, and it does. While the latter is focused on a century and a half of the region’s history and presents it through the focal point of colonization, O istorie a Banatului, as the title suggests, is a compendium intended to provide a coherent synthesis of the history of the region, from prehistoric times to the present day. The work brings together the efforts of researchers from Timișoara, Reșița and Arad, it approaches the history of the Banat in a chronological manner and briefly analyses and explains each significant historical fact, event or process. The work is structured into nine chronological sections, except for the first and last two sections, which deal with the natural setting, Banat figures and chronological milestones in the history of the region. The first section, The Natural Setting, authored by Petru Urdea, presents the relief, climate, hydrography and vegetation of Banat, and anticipates the impression the reader will most likely have by the end – namely, that Banat is a distinctive region
THE POST-COMMUNIST ROMANIAN NOVEL – NAVIGATING THE POLITICAL AND SOCIOGRAPHIC DIMENSIONS
Get PDFThe Post-Communist Romanian Novel – Navigating the Political and Sociographic Dimensions. The transition from communism to capitalism in Eastern Europe has been profoundly destabilising, reshaping economic, social, political, and ideological structures. This upheaval not only amplified the uneven development of the Soviet era but also replicated its harshness through neoliberal economic shock therapy, underscoring systemic inequalities between Western centres and Eastern peripheries. Drawing on Wallerstein’s world-systems theory, this relationship symbolises an unequal structural power relationship, with the periphery’s cultural and economic output subjugated to the demands of the centre (WReC, 2015). In literature, these dynamics have triggered a significant genre shift, particularly in the Romanian novel. The memorial and biographical forms increasingly dominate, marking a dissolution of traditional novelistic structures in favour of fragmented, introspective, and hybrid narratives. These forms align with broader trends of precariousness and cultural commodification, mirroring the destabilising effects of transition (Adriana Stan, 2020). Before Romania’s 2007 EU accession, post-communist novels primarily adopted a historiographical approach to document systemic trauma (Vasile Ernu, Lucian Dan Teodorovici, Dan Lungu). Post-accession, these works shifted to a commodified exploration of (post)communist memory, with narratives addressing economic disparities and minority identities (Tatiana Țîbuleac, Liliana Nechita, Adrian Schiop). This shift reflects the master-slave dynamic of centre-periphery relations, where the West’s exoticisation of communist experiences reinforces systemic inequalities. The dissolution of the Romanian novel into memorial and biographical forms symbolises a dual response: a critique of transitional instability and a capitulation to Western frameworks of cultural consumption.
REZUMAT. Romanul postcomunist în România – reconfigurări ale politicului și paliere sociografice. Tranziția de la comunism la capitalism în Europa de Est a fost profund destabilizatoare, privitor la impactarea structurilor economice, sociale, politice și ideologice. Această bulversare de tranziție sistemică și-a replicat duritatea prin terapia de șoc neoliberală, subliniind inegalitățile dintre centrele occidentale și periferiile estice. Pornind de la teoria sistemelor-lume a lui Wallerstein, această relație simbolizează un raport de putere structural inegală, arătând cum producția culturală și economică a periferiei e subjugată cerințelor centrului (WReC, 2015). În literatura română, aceste dinamici au declanșat schimbări semnificative, în special în roman. Resuscitarea biografismului și autenticismului domină din ce în ce mai mult, marcând o disoluție a structurilor romanești tradiționale în favoarea narațiunilor fragmentate, introspective și hibride. Aceste forme se aliniază tendințelor mai largi de precaritate și comodificare culturală, reflectând efectele destabilizatoare ale tranziției (Adriana Stan, 2020). Înainte de aderarea României la UE în 2007, romanele douămiiste au adoptat în principal o direcție istoriografică pentru a documenta trauma sistemică (Vasile Ernu, Lucian Dan Teodorovici, Dan Lungu). După aderare, poate fi observată o comodificare a memoriei (post)comuniste, fiind preferate narațiuni care abordează disparitățile economice și identitățile minoritare (Tatiana Țîbuleac, Liliana Nechita, Adrian Schiop). Această schimbare reflectă dinamica stăpân-sclav a relațiilor centru-periferie, în care exotizarea de către Occident a experiențelor comuniste consolidează inegalitățile sistemice.
Cuvinte-cheie: memoria (post)comunistă, nostalgia, tranziție, romanul românesc postcomunist, dimensiuni sociografice, teoria sistemelor-lume.
Article history: Received 15 June 2025; Revised 11 August 2025; Accepted 30 August 2025; Available online 24 September 2025; Available print 30 September 202
Employing Theatrical Techniques in Documentary Film
Get PDFThis paper examines the intersection between documentary filmmaking and theatre, arguing that this fusion transcends traditional objective representations of reality. By incorporating elements of theatre, such as narrative structure, performance, and audience interaction, documentaries can offer deeper, more artistic explorations of complex realities and the human condition. Through the analysis of several films that exemplify this approach, the study demonstrates how theatrical techniques in documentary not only broaden the genre’s artistic possibilities but also provide unique insights into historical, social, and personal contexts. This approach transforms documentaries into powerful tools for emotional and intellectual engagement, capturing the transformative journey of performers and their impact on both the film’s subject and the audience, ultimately expanding the scope of documentary filmmaking