The Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (Romanian: Universitatea "Lucian Blaga" din Sibiu) is a public university in Sibiu, Romania. It is named after the philosopher, poet, and playwright, Lucian Blaga. It was founded in 1990 with five schools: Letters, History and Law, Medicine, Food and Textile Processing Technology, Engineering and Sciences.
ABSTRACT This research aims to explore the effects of agricultural productivity and the use of renewable energy sources on India's CO2 emissions while taking economic expansion into concern based on data during 1985–2022. This study applies the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique, dynamic‐ordinary least square (DOLS), fully‐modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), and gradual shift causality testing based on the paper's goal. The results unequivocal energy and that, whereas CO2 emissions in India are lowered by agricultural productivity and renewable‐energy consumption, CO2 emissions are raised by economic expansion. When using ARDL, DOLS, FMOLS and estimators, the gradual shift causality test yields consistent findings. This paper proposed regulatory policy instruments that are powerful enough to prevent environmental deterioration in order to promote sustainable development.
Silver nanoparticles (AgNP), which have a wide range of applications in technical and biological fields, are produced in hundreds of tons annually and are eventually released into water, air, and soil. In this study, the effects of AgNPs on Phanerochaete chrysosporium, a white-rot fungus that plays a key role in wood waste degradation, were investigated. The AgNP were synthesized at high temperature with gallic acid under different pH conditions: near-neutral pH (similar to 7.5), notation AgNP@GA-1, and alkaline pH (similar to 10.5), notation AgNP@GA-2, focusing on their ability to cope with oxidative stress. The samples were characterized by fine granularity (particle diameter of 12 and 11 nm, respectively), specific plasmonic features (characteristic band at 425 and 408 nm), hydrodynamic diameter of 93 and 133 nm, respectively, and Zeta potential of -34 to -44 mV, which gave them stability over a period of three months. The fungal cultures exposed to AgNP concentrations of 40-100 mu L/mL (approximately 4-11 mu g/mL) presented superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, which increased by approximately 45% at 40 mu L/mL for AgNP@GA-1 after 7 days, whereas AgNP@GA-2 decreased SOD activity by up to 40% at 60 mu L/mL. Both AgNP types strongly stimulated catalase (CAT) biosynthesis, with two- to three-fold increased activity on the 7th day at 100 mu L/mL. CAT activity remained significantly elevated for AgNP@GA-1 on the 14th day at 60-80 mu L/mL, whereas for AgNP@GA-2 it decreased by 40-60% compared with the control. Variations in malondialdehyde content indicated moderate lipid peroxidation, suggesting relatively low cytotoxic effects on fungal cells. Overall, the results demonstrate that P. chrysosporium exhibits adaptive biochemical responses to AgNP-induced oxidative stress while maintaining metabolic functionality, highlighting the potential compatibility of AgNPs with white-rot fungi involved in environmental wood waste biodegradation processes.
The proposed study investigates the key factors influencing UAV adoption and proposes an integrated educational-operational framework to enhance implementation in agricultural practice. A case study in Sibiu County, Romania, combined survey-based empirical analysis (n = 80), strategic environmental assessment and the deployment of a demonstration aerial crop monitoring system for educational purposes (ACMS-E). We integrated the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to examine adoption intentions, revealing perceived usefulness (beta = 0.355, p = 0.021) and positive attitudes (beta = 0.382, p = 0.005) as the strongest predictors, explaining 44.1% of variance. Based on these findings, a modular training curriculum was designed, combining theoretical instruction, flight operation exercises, remote sensing techniques, data analytics and farm-management integration. ACMS-E provides hands-on training and promotes capacity-building, bridging the gap between technological availability and real-world adoption. By linking technological capabilities with structured training, ACMS-E bridges the gap between UAV availability and effective implementation, offering a scalable model for precision agriculture. This framework provides a pathway to accelerate UAV adoption, optimize field-level monitoring and support evidence-based, resource-efficient farm management in emerging and developed agricultural contexts.
Birmingham hip resurfacing (BHR) is an alternative to bone-sparing total hip arthroplasty; however, failures may be associated with the cementing technique. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of the cement layer and potential failure mechanisms. BHR explants were analyzed using radiographic evaluation, stereomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and histopathology. The cement layer was nonuniform, with excessive thickness in the dome regions and insufficient lateral coverage. Increased cement penetration values exceeded recommended thresholds. SEM analysis revealed inhomogeneous cement with cracks, air inclusions, and loosening at the cement-prosthesis interface. BHR failure may be associated with a complex interplay between cementation parameters, cement mantle morphology, and the biological response at the bone-cement interface, as well as interactions at the cement-prosthesis interface. Microscopic evaluation may provide valuable insights into the mechanisms potentially contributing to BHR prosthesis failure.
This study investigated the application of biochar obtained from black liquor, a residue generated during the Kraft pulping process in the paper industry, as a sustainable soil amendment in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivation. The biochar was produced through controlled pyrolysis at 450 degrees C and subsequently characterized with respect to elemental composition, porosity, specific surface area, and chemical stability, confirming its suitability for agricultural use. The experiment comprised three treatments: unamended soil (control), soil supplemented with 3% biochar, and soil fertilized with NPK, all conducted under controlled growth conditions. The results showed that biochar significantly improved key soil fertility indicators, increasing cation exchange capacity from 11 to 19 cmol(+)/kg and soil organic matter from 2.1% to 2.6%. Mineral nitrogen availability increased from 7.0 mg/kg to 10.5 mg/kg in the biochar treatment compared with the control. At the plant level, biochar enhanced early barley growth, with plant height increasing from 25 cm to 27 cm and chlorophyll content rising from 32.35 SPAD units to 39 SPAD units. Although NPK fertilization produced slightly higher immediate growth responses, biochar contributed to improved soil chemical properties and nutrient retention. Overall, the results suggest that black liquor-derived biochar shows potential as a complementary soil amendment under controlled conditions.
