Structural and compositional investigation of ancient ceramics from a fortified settlement in south-western Romania

Whey is a high-quality dairy by-product from cheese industry, being an important source of valuable proteins. It is important in human and animal nutrition due to its content in enzymes, hormones, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant compounds, it has low lactose content, very little or it is free of lipids, but the dehydration (drying) technique must be very well chosen to preserve the quantity and quality of components. The objective of our study was to analyze the possibility of concentrating whey by reverse osmosis and having in view the possibility to preserve most of the biochemical properties of whey. Thus, we made comparative tests for quantitative determination of total protein, lipids, pH and acidity for - raw, skimmed and concentrated whey. The results showed that reverse osmosis is a good, cheap and easy-to-use method in cheese factories to obtain whey with well-preserved components. Most of the farmers from western Romania (especially in Timis county) use whey as ingredient of feed products. Studies from previous years present whey as an ingredient of nutritional supplements for animal feeding plan, as well as an ingredient in supplements for athletes and alternative medicine. There are many technological options for whey processing, but the final option must be very well correlated with the final nutritional purpose. Keywords: whey, feed, human, nutrition

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Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Trichinella spiralis Infection in Blood Donors from Western Romania

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina58010128 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 128

Author(s):

Radu Pavel ◽

Sorin Ursoniu ◽

Ana Alexandra Paduraru ◽

Rodica Lighezan ◽

Maria Alina Lupu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Blood Donors ◽

Trichinella Spiralis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Parasitic Nematodes ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Trichinella Infection ◽

Worldwide Distribution ◽

Western Romania

Background and Objectives: Trichinellosis, a serious and sometimes fatal human disease, is a foodborne zoonotic disease with worldwide distribution caused by parasitic nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Humans are infected with Trichinella larvae through the ingestion of meat that has not been properly cooked. Romania reported most of the confirmed cases of trichinellosis among the EU countries. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate, for the first time, the seroprevalence and risk factors of Trichinella infection in blood donors from Western Romania. Materials and Methods: Serum samples of 1347 consecutive blood donors were investigated using an immunoenzymaticassay (ELISA) for the determination of specific IgG class antibodies against T.spiralis. A questionnaire interview was used to obtain information regarding the potential risk factors associated with T. spiralis infection. Mantel–Haenszel chi-squared test or the Fisher exact two-tailed test, as appropriate, were used for comparison between T. spiralis positive and T. spiralis negative blood donors. Student’s t-test was used to evaluate differences between means in studied groups and body mass index was calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. Statistical analysis was performed using Epi Info Version 7.2 and Stata 16.1. Results: T. spiralis IgG antibodies were detected in 2.00% (27) of 1347 consecutive blood donors. Eating raw and/or undercooked meat, from pigs or wild boars, was found to be the main risk factor (p < 0.001). Strong alcoholic drink consumption was highly associated with T. spiralis infection (p = 0.009). Trichinella seroprevalence was higher among rural residents and males. Subjects identified as Trichinella seropositive were not previously diagnosed and have not been treated for Trichinella infection with any specific therapy. Conclusions: The demonstration of T. spiralis antibodies in healthy blood donors suggests that Trichinella infection may be detected in asymptomatic individuals that were not previously diagnosed with this zoonosis.

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Food composition of some low altitude Lissotriton montandoni (Amphibia, Caudata) populations from North-Western Romania

Archives of Biological Sciences ◽

10.2298/abs1002479c ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 479-488 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S.D. Covaciu-Marcov ◽

A.Ş. Cicort-Lucaciu ◽

I. Sas ◽

Diana Cupşa ◽

Eva Kovacs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Prey Item ◽

Food Composition ◽

Aquatic Animals ◽

Food Components ◽

Low Altitude ◽

Percentage Abundance ◽

North Western ◽

Western Romania

The diet of some populations of Lissotriton montandoni from north-western Romania is composed of prey belonging to 20 categories. The food components of the Carpathian newts are similar to those of other species of newts. Most of the prey are aquatic animals, but terrestrial prey also has a high percentage abundance. The consumed prey categories are common in the newts' habitats as well, but in natural ponds the prey item with the highest abundance in the diet is not the most frequent one in the habitat. Thus, although the Carpathian newts are basically opportunistic predators, they still display a certain trophic selectivity.

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STUDIES ON PLANT GROWTH AND WINTER RESISTANCE OF SOME MANGOLD VARIETIES GROWN IN WESTERN ROMANIA

Natural Resources and Sustainable Development ◽

10.31924/nrsd.v9i1.023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 40-56

Author(s):

Dorin Szilagyi ◽

◽

Alexandru Ioan Apahidean ◽

Mihai Cărbunar ◽

Mariana Bei ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Western Romania

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Prevalence of a Iodothyronine Deiodinase 2 gene single nucleotide polymorphism in children with congenital hypothyroidism from Western Romania and impact on TSH levels

Revista Romana de Medicina de Laborator ◽

10.2478/rrlm-2019-0012 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 169-178

Author(s):

Niculina Mang ◽

Liviu Athos Tămas ◽

Otilia Mărginean ◽

Cătălin Marian ◽

Sorin Ursoniu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Congenital Hypothyroidism ◽

Statistical Difference ◽

Normal Values ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽

Iodothyronine Deiodinase ◽

Single Nucleotide ◽

Western Romania ◽

Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphism ◽

Tsh Levels

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the Iodothyronine Deiodinase 2 gene Thr92Ala polymorphism in children from West of Romania with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) and association with TSH levels in response to levothyroxine monotherapy. Genotyping in 50 children with CH and 52 healthy controls was done using real time PCR. The results showed that there was no statistical difference between the frequencies of genotypes in patients vs. controls. Patients were treated with L-thyroxine and most had normal values for fT3 and fT4. However, high TSH values were found in 21 patients (42%) after treatment. Among patients with high TSH values, AA genotypes were significantly more prevalent (p = 0.044) than TT and AT genotypes. Our results suggest that for the D2 gene Ala92Thr polymorphism, the AA genotype may be detrimental for achieving euthyroidism in patients with CH and levothyroxine monotherapy, therefore polytherapy could be considered as a better approach in these patients.

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STUDIES ON THE VARIABILITY OF THE PRODUCTIVITY COMPONENTS IN A COLLECTION OF HOT PEPPER LANDRACES (CAPSICUM ANUUM VAR. MICROCARPUM)

Current Trends in Natural Sciences ◽

10.47068/ctns.2021.v10i19.027 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (19) ◽

pp. 201-208

Author(s):

Emilian Madoşă ◽

Lavinia Sasu ◽

Sorin Ciulca ◽

Constantin Avădanei ◽

Adriana Ciulca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Plant Production ◽

Average Weight ◽

Hot Pepper ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Hot Peppers ◽

Biometric Measurements ◽

Western Romania

The aim of the research was to evaluate the variability value of the main characters that contribute to the achievement of plant production to a collection of hot pepper genotypes. The biological material was composed of 17 landraces of hot peppers collected from western Romania. The study was conducted for two years, with biometric measurements on the morphological characteristics of fruit production on the plant. Intra-population variability was assessed (mean, standard deviation of mean and coefficient of variability) and differences between populations for these characters. The results show that the variability within the collection is high. Within populations, fruit sizes (length, diameter) are uniform, but the number of fruits and their weight per plant show greater variability. Within the collection, variations in morphological characteristics are large, especially for fruit length, fruit weight, number and weight of fruit per plant. Among the landraces studied, some may be recommended for breeding programs, as parents or as material for the application of selection: for long fruits (Juliţa, Aldeşti I and Satchinez I), for short fruits (Satchinez III), but also the landraces Rieni III (17.07 g average weight of the fruit), Temerești II (89.82 fruits per plant), Aldești I (931.17 g fruits per plant).

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