Prospective study of hepatitis B and D epidemiology and risk factors in Romania:A 10-year update

BACKGROUND The global burden of hepatitis D virus(HDV)infection represents a major medical challenge and a public health crisis worldwide.However,there is a lack of accurate data on the epidemiology and risk factors for HDV.Hepatitis B virus(HBV)and HDV coinfection causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis,leading to a higher cumulative incidence of liver-related events compared with HBV monoinfection,including the need for liver transplantation and death.AIM To investigate the epidemiology,natural history,risk factors and clinical management of HBV and HDV coinfection in Romanian patients.METHODS This prospective study was conducted between January and July 2022 in six tertiary gastroenterology and hepatology referral centres in Romania.All consecutive adults admitted for any gastroenterology diagnosis who were HBV-positive were enrolled.Patients with acute hepatitis or incomplete data were excluded.Of the 25390 individuals who presented with any type of gastroenterology diagnosis during the study period,963 met the inclusion criteria.Testing for anti-HDV antibodies and HDV RNA was performed for all participants.Demographic and risk factor data were collected by investigators using medical charts and patient questionnaires.All data were stored in an anonymized online database during the study.RESULTS The prevalence of HBV was 3.8%;among these patients,the prevalence of HBV/HDV coinfection was 33.1%.The median age of the study population was 54.0 years,and it consisted of 55.1%men.A higher prevalence of HBV/HDV coinfection was observed in patients 50–69 years old.Patients with HBV/HDV coinfection were significantly older than those with HBV monoinfection(P=0.03).Multivariate multiple regression analysis identified female gender(P=0.0006),imprisonment(P<0.0001),older age at diagnosis(P=0.01)and sexual contact with persons with known viral hepatitis(P=0.0003)as significant risk factors for HDV.CONCLUSION This study shows that HDV infection among those with HBV remains endemic in Romania and updates our understanding of HDV epidemiology and associated risk factors.It emphasizes the need for systematic screening for HDV infection and collaborative initiatives for controlling and preventing HBV and HDV infection.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and inflammatory bowel disease characteristics in Romania

AIM: To describe the relationship between vitamin D levels and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characteristics in northeastern Romanian patients.

Two cases of imported malaria in Western Romania,2010-2011

Malaria is a major problem for European travelers to endemic regions.In Romania during 1980-2007 approximately 20 imported cases were detected annually.The aim of our short communication is to present 2 interesting cases of imported malaria detected in Western Romania.The first patienl was a 20-year female who traveled to India and acquired an infection with Plasmodium vivax(P.vivax).The second patient,a 60-year female,contracted an infection with Plasmodium falciparum(P.falciparum) during a trip to Ghana:the evolution of the disease was severe with many complications and the patient finally died.The cases presented revealed the difficulties in establishing a correct diagnosis of malaria in a non-endemic country, consequences of an incomplete taken anamnesis.Travel history should always represent a mandatory part of a well conducted investigation.At the same time,we must underline the importance of a correct and complete prophylaxis prior to every departure to tropical countries.

Natural hazards in Romania induced by heavy rainfalls in 1996-1997

Romania is one of the European countries most frequently affected by natural hazards due to its position within the alpine orogenic system and against the main atmospheric pressure centres.Hence the impact of exogenous factors that trigger strong earthquakes with several epicentres, and of exogenous or climate-driven factors with extreme climatic phenomena causing frequent floods, mass movements, soil erosion, droughts, hailstorms and strong winds. This paper deals mainly with natural disasters cased by the variability of climatic conditions (mostly by precipitations) in the years 1996 and 1997, their temporal and spatial distributions and the way they affected human life. In point of rainfall distribution and the ensuing natural hazards, the mentioned period shows two distinct intervals: December, 1996-March 1997 (mass movements) and June-August, 1997 (floods, hailstorm,Strong wind,landslides, soil erosion).

Collecting Landraces of Vegetable Crop Species in the South-West Romania

A collecting mission was carried out in south-west Romania in October 2013 with the aims： （1） to collect autochthonous crop genetic resources which still present in the south-west of Romania; （2） to assess the presence of on farm of plant genetic resources; （3） to determine the species and the amount of genetic diversity still cultivated and （4） to obtain information from germplasm owners to be used to evaluate the feasibility of an on farm conservation program. Out of 24 explored towns, in 8, landraces were grown and in all, instances seeds could be obtained. Fifty-three accessions from different crop species were collected in 17 sites, belonging to 10 botanical families, of which solanaceae was the most represented （32%）, followed by fabaceae （17%）, cueurbitaceae （11%） and alliaceae and brassicaceae （9%）. As expected, vegetable crops were the most collected, reaching a value as 58.5%, spices 20.8%, while pulses 15.1% and cereals 5.7% of the total. This collecting mission showed that in internal areas of Romania, germplasm of old landraces of many vegetable and crop species still survive, and indicated the urgency to continue also in other agricultural districts of Romania.

Zapp Selects ZTE to Build 3G Network in Romania

ZTE, a leading global provide of telecommunications equipment and network sulutions, announced on May 29, 2008 that it has been selected by Zapp, Romania’s fourth largest mobile operator, to roll-out a WCDMA/HSDPA commercial network. This deal reinforces ZTE position in Europe. Zapp plans on launching its 3G commercial services in early autumn 2008 and the network should be completed by 2011.

Scientifical Researches and Applications Achieved in Romania in the Period of Tempus 1919-1929

At the end of 20th Century, the electric energy became a new indicator of world civilization. The era of electricity also put his mark on the Romanian alveolus of civilization. The paper deals with an analysis of the scientific researches and applications which express the results of works of eminent scientists and engineers in electro-techniques and related domains, in Romania, in the first decade of interwar period 1919-1929. The scientific activities developed in many domains of Science are sustained by the significant technical progress in Romania, in this short but relevant period of Tempus in which, in Europe and in other parts of Civitas Terra, was peace.

Build the Bridge of People-to-People Exchanges and Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries:Sidelights on Visit of the Delegation of China NGO Network for International Exchanges to the Czech Republic,Hungary and Romania

September in golden autumn symbolizes harvest and hope.At the invitation of the New Silk Road Institute,Prague of the Czech Republic,Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and Romania China Chamber of Commerce and Industry,Mme.

Launch of the Silk Road Community Building Initiative in Romania

On September 23,2019,the Silk Road Community Building Initiative was launched as part of the joint efforts by China and Romania to build the Belt and Road."The Belt and Road is an ambitious initiative that will bring prosperity to the world and a new economic impetus in Romania,"said Minister of Economy Nicolae Badalau at the launching ceremony held in the historical Ghica Palace in downtown Bucharest.He also voiced support for the ensuing cooperation at the local level.

Address at the Launching Ceremony of the Silk Road Community Building Initiative in Romania by Mme.Xu Lyuping,Vice-President of China NGO Network for International Exchanges

Distinguished former Prime Minister Mr.Peter Roman,Distinguished Minister Mr.Niculae Badalau,Distinguished Mr.&Mrs.Bartha,Ladies and gentlemen,dear friends,It’s my great delight to attend the launching ceremony of the Silk Road Community Building Initiative in Romania,which is a major event to enhance the mutual understanding and trust,promote people-to-people connectivity as well as consolidate the foundation of the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Romania.

A Citespace Analysis of International Studies on Romanian Foreign Language Education Reform in Universities

Given the institutional similarities between Romania and China in history,its experience in the field of foreign language education reform in colleges and universities can be used for reference in the reform of foreign language teaching of higher education in China.With the help of Citespace,this paper presents a visual statistical analysis of 47 SSCI international journal articles on foreign language reform in Romanian universities and gives some suggestions on foreign language education reform in Chinese universities from four aspects:teaching environment,content,technology and cooperation.

A Study of Eastern Europe’s Innovation Revolution: Spotlight on Romania and UiPath’s Unicorn Journey

Romania’s innovation revolution has led to a thriving startup ecosystem, with UiPath’s unicorn journey as a standout success. The country’s focus on software development has positioned it as a leading destination for outsourcing, driving economic growth, and creating job opportunities. Accelerator programs and funding initiatives have further fueled the startup ecosystem’s growth, providing support and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs. With a skilled workforce, favorable cost-to-quality ratio, and geographic advantages, Romania has become a hub for innovation and technology. The software development sector’s impact on the national economy is evident, contributing to GDP growth, export revenues, and attracting foreign direct investment.

Mapping flood and flooding potential indices： a methodological approach to identifying areas susceptible to flood and flooding risk. Case study： the Prahova catchment （Romania）

Given that floods continue to cause yearly significant worldwide human and material damages, flood risk mitigation is a key issue and a permanent challenge in developing policies and strategies at various spatial scales. Therefore, a basic phase is elaborating hazard and flood risk maps, documents which are an essential support for flood risk management. The aim of this paper is to develop an approach that allows for the identification of flash-flood and flood-prone susceptible areas based on computing and mapping of two indices： FFPI （Flash-Flood Potential Index） and FPI （Flooding Potential Index）. These indices are obtained by integrating in a GIS environment several geographical variables which control runoff（in the case of the FFPI） and favour flooding （in the case of the FPI）. The methodology was applied in the upper （mountainous） and middle （hilly） catchment of the Prahova River, a densely populated and socioeconomically well-developed area which has been affected repeatedly by water-related hazards over the past decades. The resulting maps showing the spatialization of the FFPI and FPI allow for the identification of areas with high susceptibility to flash- floods and flooding. This approach can provide useful mapped information, especially for areas （generally large） where there are no flood/hazard risk maps. Moreover, the FFPI and FPI maps can constitute a preliminary step for flood risk and vulnerability assessment.

Vulnerability to Earthquake Hazard:Bucharest Case Study,Romania

Recent seismic events show that urban areas are increasingly vulnerable to seismic damage,which leads to unprecedented levels of risk.Cities are complex systems and as such their analysis requires a good understanding of the interactions between space and the socioeconomic variables characteristic of the inhabitants of urban space.There is a clear need to develop and test detailed models that describe the behavior of these interactions under seismic impact.This article develops an overall vulnerability index to seismic hazard based on a spatial approach applied to Bucharest,Romania,the most earthquake-prone capital in the European Union.The methodology relies on:(1) spatial post-processed socioeconomic data from the2011 Romanian census through multicriteria analysis;and(2) analytical methods(the Improved Displacement Coefficient Method and custom-defined vulnerability functions)for estimating damage patterns,incorporated in a GIS environment.We computed vulnerability indices for the128 census tracts of the city.Model sensitivity assessment tested the robustness of spatially identified patterns of building vulnerability in the face of uncertainty in model inputs.The results show that useful seismic vulnerability indices can be obtained through interdisciplinaryapproaches that enhance less detailed datasets,which leads lead to better targeted mitigation efforts.

Urbanization effects on the river systems in the Bucharest City region(Romania)

This article identifies and analyzes the effects of human pressures on the river systems,landscape,flow regime,and water quality in the Bucharest region,the largest urbanized area in Romania.The analyses focused on four streams crossing the Bucharest region,namely the Dâmboviţa,Colentina,Argeş,and Sabar rivers.Our approach relied especially on three types of information:(1)spatial data;(2)hydrological data sets;and(3)water quality data.We made a diachronic analysis of the available maps and ran classic statistical analysis of the data sets,as well as trend analysis.At the same time,we compared the flows in natural(reconstituted)and modified(current)regimes.The results showed that the stream system and its associated landscapes have considerably changed due to several engineering works(reservoirs,dams,channelization works,diversion canals,water intakes,etc.).Under these circumstances,the flow regime suffered changes that differed among the rivers.Thus,the multiannual discharges of the Argeşand Dâmboviţa rivers did not exhibit significant changes,but only mitigated the monthly discharge variability.In the case of Sabar and Colentina,a significant increase of the annual and monthly discharges was identified,due to the water transferred from the neighboring rivers.Water quality worsened,especially on the lower courses of the Dâmboviţa and Argeşrivers,degrading the states and health of the aquatic ecosystems in the study region.

Genus Pronephrium Presl 1851 (Thelypteridaceae) in Romania

Pronephrium stiriacum（Unger） Knobloch et Kvatek 1976（Filicales, Thelypteridaceae Holttum 1971） is reported from the Oligocene Petrosani Basin and from the Miocene Bozovici Basin in Romania. Morphological variations of this species, such as size of the leaves, venation and marginal teeth, in the Oligocene-Miocene time interval in Romania are described, discussed and illustrated. The distribution of the Thelypteridacean species Pronephrium stiriacum is also discussed regarding its European expansion during the Cenozoic. Moreover, the palaeoecology of this species is discussed based on taphonomy and occurrences, as Pronephrium stiriacum was a secondary coal generator.

Functional diversity and trait composition of butterfly and bird communities in farmlands of Central Romania

Cultural landscapes all over the world harbor species communities that are taxonomically and functionally diverse.In Eastern Europe,but also in many other regions of the world,the conservation of this farmland biodiversity is threatened by land use intensification and abandonment.In order to counteract the negative effects of land use change in such landscapes,a thorough understanding of the functional relationships between species and their environment is crucial.In this study,we investigated the relationship of functional traits of butterfly and bird communities and environmental conditions in 120 sites in traditional farmlands of southern Transylvania,Romania.First,we compared taxonomic diversity(i.e.,Shannon diversity)with functional diversity(i.e.,functional dispersion),and second,we linked species traits to environmental variables by performing RLQ analyses.Functional traits indicating reproduction,movement,and feeding behavior related with environmental variables describing heterogeneity,amount of woody vegetation,and topography at three different spatial scales.We found positive relationships between taxonomic and functional diversity,as well as strong linkages between species traits and environmental conditions for both groups.Specifically,butterfly composition was most strongly influenced by land use type and life-history strategies.Bird composition was most strongly related to the amount of woody vegetation and nesting and foraging strategies.We conclude that maintaining the typical features of traditional farming landscapes,especially a small-scale heterogeneity in arable land and gradients of woody vegetation cover,would be desirable in order to sustain a high functional diversity in southern Transylvania in the future.

An outstanding envoy of friendship between China and Romania——In memory of Florea Dumitrescu,president of the Romania-China Friendship Association

It has been a year since President Florea Dumitrescu of the Romania-China Friendship Association passed away,but his voice and face still linger in my memory.Florea Dumitrescu was born on April 4,1927,into a peasant family in Teleorman in southern Romania.

Lasting friendship between China and Romania

On Oct 1,1949,the People’s Republic of China was founded.Four days later,Romania recognized the new government,becoming the third in the world,after the Soviet Union and Bulgaria,to establish diplomatic relations with China.After seven decades,friendly cooperative relations between China and Romania and their two peoples are like an old vintage wine with a strong and pleasant fragrance.