Reaction of the cereal market to the disruption of trade flows in Romania

The paper presents the reaction of the Romanian cereal market to the disruption of trade flows caused by certain shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which lead to changes with high impact on the functioning of this market, representing an important test for the resilience of the sector. Due to trade liberalization in global markets, including agri-food markets, the competitiveness of exports has become increasingly important, contributing to the creation of the country's competitive advantage. Any restrictions to trade in agri-food products can distort trade flows, and this disruption will have an impact on supply and prices. Maintaining a balance between imports and exports is essential to ensure domestic market stability. International trade in agri-food products plays an important role in global food security. The results show that Romania mainly exports unprocessed agricultural products, with cereals having the largest share in the export structure, cereal supply is dependent on climate change, yet it is one of the products with the lowest volatility. The cereal market shows a more elastic reaction to price responses, even though demand for staple foods is generally inelastic.

Evolution of oilseed sector in Romania - an analysis from the perspective of effects produced by the COVID-19 pandemic

Romania ranks first in the European Union for the production of sunflower seeds, third for the production of soybeans and seventh for the production of rapeseed. The paper aims to analyse the effects produced by the COVID-19 pandemic on the evolution of the oilseed sector in Romania. Thus, the following indicators were analysed: evolution of areas under oilseeds, total oilseed production and average yields, as well as the volatility of selling prices for oilseeds. The results of the study reveal that Romania has been the largest producer of sunflower seeds in the European Union. The average yields in sunflower, soybeans and rapeseed have shown great variations in the analysed period. According to Eurostat data, it can be noticed that although Romania is the third large producer of oilseeds in the EU, the average yields continue to be low compared to those from other large EU producers. Yields are also among the most volatile in the EU. The selling prices for soybeans showed a higher increase in the year 2020 than in 2019 in Romania, compared to the increase in the average selling prices of the EU-27 (+9.89%). The selling prices for rapeseed also had a higher increase in 2020 than in 2019 in Romania, compared to the increase in the average selling prices of the EU-27 (+2.31%).

Methods of medical education used by medical personnel during the pandemic

For a better understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic impact over the medical education methods used by medical personnel, we have made a study using a standard form in which we have applied targeted questions regarding the methods used in medical education before and after the pandemic. This study followed the motivation and selection criteria of medical education forms before and after the pandemic, the advantages and disadvantages noed by attendees through onsite and online, also including suggestions for the future of medical education. The number of participans in online courses and the time assigned for online medical education has increased, compared to the period before pandemic. During the pandemic, has been recoreded a reorientation of participans on online platforms, following the utilization of those platforms which allow uploading files as well as free interaction between students and lecturer. The advantages and disadvantages, noted in medical personnel training, are counterbalanced in both of education online - onsite forms (exemple: the interaction with the lecturer and also between the students at medical meetings, has been the main advantage of medical education onsite and the major disadvantage of online education). The majority of study participants consider, for the futere, the combined use of both online and onsite professional training methods, and, therefore the participans can decide on what method of education should use.

Aspects regarding the diversification of services in hotels as a result of changing consumer behavior post 2020

During the COVID-19 pandemic, with events and travel on hold, all sectors of the hospitality industry have been challenged to reimagine their business models to keep their businesses profitable, even by rethinking them towards sustainability. While there have been positive signs of recovery and increases in hotel bookings, the pandemic has dramatically changed consumer demands and expectations, forcing companies to adapt their offerings accordingly, so hotels have gotten creative over the past 2 years in repurposing and selling rooms and spaces for events, after the negative impact caused by the SARS COV 2 pandemic. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the actions undertaken by tourism operators in order to reinvent the services offered as a result of the pandemic.

Maternal-fetal complications in pandemic infection with SARS-CoV 2 virus

Introduction: The pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus is a challenge for global health systems and generates problems both in socio-economic and individual levels. Objectives: The aim of the study was the general presentation of viral pathogenesis, its transmissibility and maternal-fetal complications that occur following SARS-CoV2 virus infection that have been identified in the literature and its prevention. Results: This paper is a systematic review that includes a summary of the literature using the PubMed database with a selection of studies from January 2020 to July 2022. Many studies have reported a slightly increased severity of COVID-19 among pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women due to complications during pregnancy that resulted in miscarriages, premature births or preeclampsia. Conclusion: Therefore, further investigations are needed to elucidate how COVID-19 affects pregnant women and newborns as well as the long-term impact of SARS-CoV2 infection on women who have given birth, regardless of immunological status at birth.

Lung Aspergillus niger infection after SARS-CoV2

A 64-year-old never-smoker man, with professional exposure, presented to Marius Nasta Pneumophtisiology Institute for fatigability to effort, in the context of severe SARS-COV2 infection one month previously. His medical history includes pulmonary tuberculosis (55 years ago) and newly diagnosed type II diabetes (261 mg/dL glycemia). The thoracic tomography computer in the immediate post-COVID period (Fig. 1A) revealed the presence of glass ground lesions and a 3 cm nodule with cystic degeneration in the upper left lobe. A gross examination of the specimen identified a condensation area of 2.5 cm diameter, brown-grey colored, with necrosis and central ulceration. Microscopic examination showed the presence of bronchiectasis with squamous metaplasia of the epithelium, which appears ulcerated;numerous calcium oxalate crystals with adjacent foreign body granulomatous reaction;endobronchial are present fibrinous and inflammatory debris, brown-black pigment, and septate, dichotomous branching hyphae, suggestive of Aspergillus spp. A periodic acid-Schiff stain was performed, identifying the fungal hyphae. The histopathological diagnosis was bronchiectasis supra-infected and colonized with fungal filaments (Aspergillus niger).

Two major challenges for pregnancy: labor emergencies and SARS-CoV-2 infection - our experience in Saint John hospital, Bucharest, Romania

Introduction: Obstetric emergencies that occur during labor, often present as a major indication for prompt completion of labor by instrumental methods or emergency cesarean section. The purpose of this study was to present the clinical features of emergencies, the evolution of labor, maternal and fetal or neonatal complications at patients with SARS-COV-2 infection. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective study that included 150 pregnant women who gave birth in Bucur Maternity, St John Hospital, Bucharest, between 2018-2020 that fulfilled the features of obstetrical emergency during labor and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study group was divided in patients positive for SARS-CoV-2 and negative for SARS-CoV-2. Results: Following PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 were 26.67% of patients positive and 73.33% had a negative result. Analyzing the data obtained from this group of patients, it resulted that the average hospitalization is higher in the positive group (7.05 days) versus the negative group (5.47 days). The average gestational age at birth of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients was 37.26 weeks, lower than the gestational age of neonates from uninfected mothers (38.41 weeks). The average of the APGAR scores in the COVID group is 8.41, and for the negative group is 8.90. Conclusions: The associated SARS-CoV-2 infection played a significant role in terms of the APGAR score and the early peripartum outcomes of new-borns, negatively influencing the value of the APGAR index. Gestational age was considerably lower in patients diagnosed with the infection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus infection has a significant influence in unsatisfactory neonatal outcomes compared to new-borns of healthy mothers.

Swine breeding in the villages of Valcea county, Oltenia (Romania) - tradition or necessity?

Food supply has been a constant source of concern for mankind. In the present context, with food security a priority of European and national policies, an analysis of pig farming in a representative NUTS2 administrative level of Romania that emphasizes the proportion of households raising at least one pig and the main factors influencing farmers to adopt or give up swine breeding could allow a much clearer understanding of this phenomenon that lies at the border between cultural tradition and socio-economic necessity. This study uses mixed methods that complement each another to help reveal this complex phenomenon in the analyzed territory. Cluster analysis shows the concentration of swine breeding and maps its spread in terms of both subsistence and larger farms, and qualitative interviews prove the motivation of farmers to continue in this occupation. As a primary result, the study visualizes the spatial distribution of pig farming in the rural environment of Valcea county, Romania, from a diachronic perspective in the post-communist period. It also reveals areas of differing concentrations of both very small-sized farms, which prioritize meeting their own food needs, and larger farms, which prioritize commercial production to supplement their revenue streams. Both categories, but particularly the latter, are of particular interest in a period in which the socio-economic environment after 1990 - marked by economic restructuring, unemployment, population migration, the economic crisis of 2008-2010, the pandemic of 2020-2021, and the most recent energy crisis - periodically highlights the importance of rural areas in ensuring food security and sufficiency at both the local and regional levels.

Tourist arrivals and overnight stays in Romania by tourist destination in the years 2020 and 2021 of COVID-19 pandemic compared to 2019

The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of tourist flows in terms of tourist arrivals and overnight stays by tourist destination in Romania in the years 2020 and 2021 of the Covid-19 pandemic compared to the year 2019. Graphics and fixed and variable basis and structural indices were used to show the difference of the level of these two indicators and their distribution by each destination. The year 2019 was the best for Romania's tourism when over 13.37 million arrivals and over 30.08 million overnight stays were registered. In 2020, the arrivals were by 52.16% lower than in 2019, and the overnight stays smaller by 48.45%, showing that this year was the worst, as a part of units were closed or worked at a reduced capacity, recording a lower revenue and even failed. Romanians saved tourism, being the dominant category who rediscovered the beauty of their own country both in 2020 and in 2021 when the restrictions were cancelled or limited. In 2021, the number of arrivals accounted for over 9.37 million and the number of overnight stays for over 20.83 million. The hierarchy of the tourist destinations in Romania based on the level of these two indicators is: Bucharest, the capital and the main cities, other localities and tourism itineraries, seaside resorts, mountain resorts, spa resorts and the Danube Delta and Tulcea City. The recovery of was not yet at the level of 2019, despite that in 2021, tourism managers have made special efforts to improve and diversify their offers and better satisfy their guests. This dynamics gives a hope that in coming years tourism will return to the level of 2019 or even to exceed it.

Rural development from policy to politics. National strategic plans and their potential impact on social structural transformations. Comparative overview. Case study Romania between the European and national context

The question of rural development is of utmost for countries such as Romania. In the current climate of tension generated by the post-pandemic recovery and geopolitical turmoil, rural development has been more important than ever. We are living in a time of great structural duress and the solutions are becoming more political as the effects of the policy are political ones. There is a transformation of the policy into politics as the Common Agricultural Policy and the Rural Development policy by any other name would still be politics. In this context, the flexibilization provided by the National Strategic Plan is more than welcome. The purpose of the paper is to analyse how the policy elements from CAP are turning into politics and are influencing the Member States politics. As the CAP post- 2020 unfolded new tools such as the National Strategic Plan were added to the EC toolbox, but often their design was influenced by national specificities. The paper performs a desk review analysis of the existing sources and has a case study the way in which this process unfolded in Romania. What is of importance in all that time-consuming process is the fact that for the first time we witnessed a large-scale reflection process throughout the European Union member states. It was partially favoured by the COVID-19 pandemic which put everything on hold for a couple of months. That combined with the need to reform made everything more democratic and more advanced and reformist than the initial proposals.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on martial arts athletes

Objectives: The study analyzes the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the elite athletes practicing martial arts both in terms of fear and intolerance of uncertainty. Methods of research: 30 athletes practicing martial arts participated in this study: 10- pankration, 10- judo and 10 - wrestling, aged from 15 to 35 years. The impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the elite martial arts athletes was assessed from the perspective of the two scales (Fear Scale and Intolerance Scale) obtained from Research Central. The Fear Scale related to Covid-19 includes 7 items and was created by Ahorsu et al. (2020). The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale - short form - includes 12 items. Thus, the prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety were calculated. The athletes were assessed through the two scales, in a single ascertaining stage. Results: Regarding the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (the reference range is between 7 and 35), the results indicate an increased fear of Covid-19: most athletes had results over 25. In the case of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (reference ranges: from 12 to 28), the athletes obtained scores between moderate tolerance to uncertainty and increased tolerance to uncertainty (namely scores from 28 to 60). As for the two factors resulting from this scale: the prospective anxiety - the scores ranged from 25 to 38;for the second factor - inhibitory anxiety - the scores ranged from 19 to 35, which shows a prospective anxiety and a moderate to high inhibitory anxiety. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most important sources of current uncertainty in the physical and mental health of the athletes and of the entire population too. The results of the study provided relevant information about the fear of Covid-19 pandemic and of intolerance of uncertainty as well. Thanks to this information, the athletes were offered methods to cope with the pandemic period, such as: relaxation techniques and breathing techniques meant to optimize and improve sports performance.

Complication on premature rupture of membrane in intrapartum mother infected with COVID-19: meta-analysis

Background: Pregnant women and fetuses are populations that are at high risk of being infected with the virus. COVID-19 in pregnant women is considered a risk factor for causing complications in pregnancy such as premature rupture of membranes. This study aims to analyze complications of premature rupture of membranes in mothers infected with COVID-19. Subjects and Method: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. Article searches were conducted using electronic databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Science Direct. The articles used are articles published from 2020-2022. Keywords to search for articles were: "COVID-19" OR "2019-nCoV" OR "novel coronavirus" OR "SARS-CoV-2" OR "coronavirus 2" AND "premature rupture of membrane" OR "prelabour rupture of membrane" AND "pregnancy." The inclusion criteria used were full text articles in English with a cohort study design, multivariate analysis with Adjusted Odds Ratios (aOR), research subjects were pregnant women, intervention was COVID-19 infection, comparison was not infected with COVID-19, the outcome of the study was premature rupture of membranes. The results of the search for articles were included in the PRISMA diagram and analyzed using the Review Manager 5.3 application. Results: A total of 9 cohort study articles from the United States, Bangladesh, China, India, Mexico, Romania, and Spain were selected for systematic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that pregnant women infected with COVID-19 had a risk of complications of premature rupture of membranes as much as 2.26 times compared to pregnant women who were not infected with COVID-19 and the results were statistically significant (aOR = 2.26;95% CI = 1.33 to 3.82;p = 0.002). Conclusion: Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 increase the risk of premature rupture of membranes.

Study on the national and international evolution of tourist indicators during the pandemic period

The purpose of the article is to establish as a starting point the use of sustainable tourism that tends to meet human needs and can exist over time, regardless of the policies promoted by public administration authorities in the field, taking into account the current state of the economy, in general., and the tourism industry in particular. One of the most likely consequences of this crisis will be the consolidation of local tourism, which means visiting places close to home. Post-crisis tourists are likely to choose to travel to destinations closer to their place of residence, which are considered "less risky" by many potential tourists. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to show service providers where we are in the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Bureau of Statistics informs that, in 2020, the collective tourist reception structures with accommodation functions were attended by 90.3 thousand tourists, which constitutes 24.1% (or 75.9% less) compared to 2019 Out of the total number of tourists, 61.6 thousand (or 68.2%) were resident tourists and 28.7 thousand (31.8%) were non-resident tourists.

Policy actions during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic impact

The Covid-19 pandemic broke out by the beginning of 2020 and became one of the most relevant political, economic and social challenges at global level. From the beginning there was a wide consensus between scholars and experts from various fields of medical expertise (biomedicine, genetics, etc.) that the transport vehicle of the virus were the vital economic branches of world economies: business environment, trade, transports and tourism. In fact, now when the virus has entered apparently in Europe and in most parts of the world endemicity, it still has a high degree of uncertainty, and continues to have significant impact on economies worsened by the ongoing geopolitical crisis. While most papers are dedicated to the so-called 'engine economies' of the world, and in particular of the European Union, we intend to present how policy actions have impacted the economy of developing economies of Central and Eastern Europe, with emphasis on the national Romanian perspective. The labor market is where the lingering effects are best seen, as it is the meeting point for employees from both public and private sector, and actually one of the main targets of the various policy actions and measures. We use a framework based on the strategic and operational level, respectively where policy-decisions are made regarding various Covid-19 outspread prevention measures, and the operational level - where the effects are identified, and possible improvements proposed. The results show that the risk of divergence and increasing disparities is higher, in particular for the New Member-States, and that next to economic policy decisions, the way in which non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) influenced strongly the outcomes in various economic sectors. At the same time, the economies that succeeded in making use of digitalized means in various economic, social and cultural sectors had better overall results in overcoming the impact of the pandemic.

Analysis of the main financial indicators for the entities in the tourist sector of the north - east region from Romania in a pandemic context

The world has suffered and continues to suffer considerable losses and setbacks due to COVID-19, including the Travel and Tourism sector. The decrease of tourist destinations, during and after the COVID crisis in Europe, could be an opportunity to rethink traditional tourism models, to innovate and adapt them to the current trends of tourism practice, to make them look better. So the new tourism delivery models should change tourist behavior, operator industry behavior and industry behavior as well, to become successful models of tourism practice, to revive world tourism, as traditional models have done in similar crises. Starting from these considerations, the research objective of this paper consists primarily in the presentation of the most relevant studies from the specialized literature in the period 2020-2022, which addressed the issue of the survival of the tourism industry by analyzing the challenges, sustainable strategies and opportunities of the tourism sector during the pandemic of COVID 19, and secondly to capture the evolution of the economic-financial indicators for the tourist entities in the North East Region of Romania, over a period of 3 years including the effects of SARS COV 2, on the activities in this sector.

Analysis of the impact of the pandemic on the financial security of a family in Romania

The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the labor market appeared at the end of the first quarter of 2020, with the establishment of the state of emergency in the country (starting on March 17, 2020). The Covid-19 pandemic continued to affect the labor market in the following quarters as well. The biggest effects were recorded in the second quarter of 2020, when every fourth employed person declared that the pandemic affected their relationship with the labor market. At the same time, in the following quarters of the year, the effects of the crisis caused by Covid-19 decreased in intensity and were much less felt.

Cardiovascular pathology - risk and severity factor in SARS-CoV2 infection

In the context of the current global pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, people and health systems all around the world have been under unprecedented stress. The pandemic has resulted in the dramatic loss of several million lives worldwide and the infection of over 5 hundred million people. According to the World Health Organization, people infected with the SARS-CoV2 virus experience respiratory symptoms, from mild to moderate, and their recovery is done with symptomatic treatment. However, some people may develop a serious form of the disease and require special medical care. Numerous factors help predict the adverse course and development of severe COVID-19 infection, as well as deaths related to this disease. Some of them are demographic in nature, such as age and gender, and others are related to diagnosed conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. It is very important to know the categories of people at risk and it is mandatory for this category of patients to be protected from the virus. This should be done, first of all, through correct information and prophylaxis and then through correct and effective treatment.

Health care management of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia

Patients do not usually have the skills or knowledge to assess the provider's technical competence, but they do know how they feel, how they have been treated, and whether their expectations have been met. Viewed by specialists, patient satisfaction is an element of psychological health that influences the outcome of care. A satisfied and informed patient tends to cooperate with the doctor and more easily accept his recommendations. The purpose of this study is to assess the degree of satisfaction of Covid hospitalized patients regarding the quality of care and treatment. Objectives of the study: identifying the main existing problems and finding solutions to improve the quality of "health care". Materials and methods: a retrospective, descriptive study, using the patient's medical records and a qualitative study, measuring the degree of Covid-19 patient's satisfaction, according to the quality of nursing care and medical treatment during hospitalization. Conclusions: Covid-19 patients were mostly elderly with associated morbidity, from urban areas, especially men. 95.02% of patients were discharged from the hospital with improved condition, and 4.98% died, most of them being unvaccinated.

Study on the monetary market and state securities during 2020-2022

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in uncertainty in the real economy and in the financial economy to record levels and at the end of the post-crisis economic cycle. In Romania, the ROBOR levels for the three-month and six-month maturities decreased by 30.7% to 2.03%, respectively by 31.4% to 2.10% between the end of February and the end of 2020, given that the National Bank of Romania (BNR) implemented a series of monetary easing measures: standard (including reduction of the reference interest rate from 2.50% to 1.50%) and unconventional (carrying out repo operations on a bilateral basis).

How to develop a sustainable tourism. case study: the use of bioeconomy

The last two years (March 2020-March 2022) have been marked by the SARS COV 2 pandemic, a pandemic that has had considerable negative effects on many areas of activity of which perhaps the most affected has been the HoReCa industry with all that entails. The study focuses on the development of sustainable tourism in the context of recent years, respectively on changing the behavior of tourists regarding all that involves the development of such tourism, as a necessity of modern times due to awareness of the importance of eliminating the negative factors of tourism on the environment. The intervention of the bioeconomy in the development of a sustainable tourism is a premise of fulfilling the challenge to maintain a healthy environment but also to respond to the growing demand from tourists for sustainability.