Ovidius University

Medical oncology is a young specialty in Romania, where early-career oncologists face challenges related to training, mentorship, and research. This study explored their professional status and needs to inform workforce development. An online survey was conducted between February and April 2025 among physicians under 40 years of age who were members of the Romanian National Society of Medical Oncology (SNOMR). The questionnaire (60 items) covered demographics, employment, mentorship, research, and professional development. Descriptive analysis was performed. Of 456 eligible members, 169 responded (response rate: 37%). Most were residents based in oncology institutes or university hospitals. Job insecurity was common, with 57% on temporary contracts. Nearly all respondents (99%) had clinical duties, but only 21% engaged in research and 9% in teaching. Mentorship was inconsistently available (61% had a mentor), yet interest in structured programs was very high (88% for national and 87% for international initiatives). Research involvement was limited: 46% reported no activity, 85% lacked funding, and only 28% published in the past year. While over 80% expressed interest in fellowships or exchanges, only 16% had trained abroad. Most (85%) were ESMO members, but only half considered SNOMR support sufficient. Young oncologists in Romania are motivated but face significant barriers, including job instability, insufficient mentorship, and limited research opportunities. Expanding structured mentorship, ensuring protected research time, and strengthening international mobility are essential. Recent SNOMR initiatives represent important first steps toward addressing these gaps.

Cet article vise à étudier le premier roman latin qui a été conservé dans son intégralité jusqu’à aujourd’hui. À travers cette étude, je propose d'analyser les phénomènes magiques et les pratiques qui se retrouvent dans le roman « L'Âne d’or », en recherchant les liens étroits qui existent avec la vie et la personnalité de Lucius Apuleius. L’objectif de cette recherche est d’identifier, au-delà desparallèles avec la biographie, ceux entre le contenu du roman et l’identité collective, entre les mentalités, les croyances, la spiritualité et les pratiques rituelles.

Long COVID-19 (LC) is a condition that follows SARS-CoV- -2, an acute infection defined by persistent fatigue, dyspnea, and impaired cognitive function. LC presents a complex array that imposes ongoing challenges on global health, patients' quality of life, and functional capacity. Many inconsistencies surround its pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. This review aims to cover missed gaps in LC with a special focus on therapeutic strategies concerning non-pharmacological, pharmacological, experimental, and innovative approaches for better patient management and outcomes, as well as to evaluate their effectiveness and guide future research. An online search was conducted using five digital repositories: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. A combination of keywords associated with LC therapy was employed: "long COVID, "pharmacological options," "non-pharmacological options," "innovative strategies," "experimental", and" quality of life (QOL)." Relevant data were extracted and synthesized to categorize therapeutic approaches into subtypes. A critical analysis was conducted on their mechanism of action, indication, outcome, and limitations. The pooled prevalence of LC was 42%, and the symptom duration ranged from 3 months to 2 years. The most important risk factors for LC were female sex, unvaccinated status, and cases with co-morbidities. Diagnosis of LC was challenging due to a lack of diagnostic standardization and reliable biomarkers. Non-pharmacological strategies were employed first, showing diverse efficacies; however, the reported literature was hindered by small sampling. Pharmacological agents show promising results but need further validation. Experimental and innovative strategies need longer studies and validations. LC has imposed a significant burden on community health, necessitating the appropriate allocation of health resources and community support. Preventive and therapeutic interventions show promise, but the variability in patient response underscores the need for personalized approaches and more well-designed trials. Collaborative research and multi-disciplinary teams are needed to mitigate the long-term effects of LC and improve patient outcomes.

In the context of the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-related natural disasters, identifying the psychological mechanisms that support adaptive functioning has become a critical research priority. Psychological resilience is conceptualized as a dynamic, context-dependent adaptive process shaped by cognitive appraisals of risk, regulatory cognitive mechanisms, and prior disaster experience. The present study examined the relationship between risk perception and psychological resilience by testing the mediating role of cognitive resilience and the conditional influence of prior disaster experience and hazard type. The sample consisted of 172 higher-education teachers from Romania, predominantly from the Dobrogea region. Data were collected using the psychometrically validated Resilience to Natural Disasters Questionnaire (α = 0.79-0.89). Conditional process analyses were conducted in SPSS (v.28) using PROCESS Models 1, 4, and 7, with 5,000 bootstrap resamples, to test mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation effects. Cognitive resilience significantly mediated the relationship between risk perception and psychological resilience, with the magnitude of the indirect effect varying as a function of hazard type. The indirect effect of prior disaster experience through cognitive resilience remained consistent across hazard contexts. Cognitive mediation was stronger in contexts characterized by higher unpredictability (fires) than in more controllable situations (floods). Heightened cognitive activation was associated with lower levels of psychological resilience, suggesting a compensatory mechanism under conditions of elevated threat. Prior disaster experience further shaped the strength of these associations across models. The findings support a processual and context-sensitive model of psychological resilience, highlighting the dynamic interplay between risk perception, cognitive regulation, experiential factors, and situational characteristics. These results provide an empirical foundation for differentiated post-disaster psychological interventions tailored to individuals' cognitive and experiential profiles.

This study is essential for medium- and long-term land-use management, as land-use patterns directly influence local economic and social development. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques are fundamental tools for analyzing a wide range of geomorphological processes, including relief fragmentation density, relief energy, soil texture, slope gradient, and slope orientation. The present research focuses on the Pesceana river basin in the Southern Carpathians, Romania. It addresses three main objectives: (1) to analyze land-use dynamics derived from CORINE Land Cover (CLC) data between 1990 and 2018, along with the long-term distribution of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for the period 2000–2025; (2) to evaluate the basin’s natural potential byintegrating topographic data (contour lines and profiles) with relief fragmentation density, relief energy, vegetation cover, soil texture, slope gradient, aspect, the Stream Power Index (SPI), and the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI); and (3) to assess the spatial distribution of habitat types, characteristic plant associations, and soil properties obtained through field investigations. For the first two research objectives, ArcGIS v. 10.7.2 served as the main tool for geospatial processing. For the third, field data were essential for geolocating soil samples and defining vegetation types across the entire 247 km2 area. The spatiotemporal analysis from 1990 to 2018 reveals a landscape in which deciduous forests clearly dominate; they expanded from an initial area of 80 km2 in 1990 to over 90 km2 in 2012–2018. This increase, together with agricultural expansion, is reflected in the NDVI values after 2000, which show a sharp increase in vegetation density. Interestingly, other categories—such as water bodies, natural grasslands, and industrial areas—barely changed, each consistently representing less than 1 km2 throughout the study period. These findings emphasize the importance of land-use/land-cover (LULC) data within the applied GIS model, which enhances the spatial characterization of geomorphological processes—such as vegetation distribution, soil texture, slope morphology, and relief fragmentation density. This integration allows a realistic assessment of the physical–geographic, landscape, and pedological conditions of the river basin.

Plants are a rich source of bioactive compounds with a wide range of nutritional and therapeutic properties [...].

Cadmium sulfide is an important II-VI semiconductor known for its valuable photocatalytic properties ascribable to its band gap energy, which allows light absorption in the visible domain. Nonetheless, the application of cadmium sulfide in wastewater organic pollutant degradation is restricted due to its high toxicity to humans, soil, and marine life. To address this issue, we developed new composite materials by depositing CdS on a bentonite support in a 1:9 mass ratio to develop a photocatalyst with lower toxicity. In the first step, bentonite was activated using an aqueous HCl solution; for the deposition of CdS powder, we proposed the trituration method and compared it with chemical precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis, using thioacetamide as a sulfide ion source. The modified bentonite underwent characterization using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, UV-Vis, and FTIR spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was tested in the degradation of Congo red (CR), a persistent diazo dye. The efficiency of removing CR with CdS–bentonite composites depended on the deposition method of CdS, and it was higher than that of pristine CdS and of only adsorption onto acid-activated bentonite. The photocatalytic degradation mechanism was estimated by the scavenger test using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt, ascorbic acid, ethanol, and silver nitrate as radical scavengers.

This study aims to develop a psychological profile of human traffickers by identifying predominant personality traits, cognitive distortions, and moral disengagement mechanisms that sustain exploitative behavior. The main objective is to understand how specific psychological configurations contribute to manipulation, coercion, and the systematic dehumanization of victims. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining a quantitative component—based on the administration of standardized psychological assessment tools (e.g., Psychopathy Checklist-Revised, Narcissistic Personality Inventory, and Moral Disengagement Scale)—with a qualitative analysis of case studies and judicial reports involving convicted traffickers. The final sample consisted of N = 210 adult participants (aged 18–62), including offenders convicted of trafficking-related crimes (n=87) and a comparison group (n=123) with similar socio-demographic backgrounds but without trafficking convictions serving sentences for human trafficking in Romanian and European penitentiaries. Statistical analyses (Pearson correlations and regression models) explored associations between personality dimensions and justifying cognitive schemas. Qualitative content analysis identified recurring patterns of rationalization, denial, and victim-blaming. The results indicate a high prevalence of psychopathic and Machiavellian traits, accompanied by significant cognitive distortions that minimize personal responsibility and reframe exploitation as justified or inevitable. Emotional detachment and instrumental empathy emerged as central elements facilitating long-term engagement in trafficking activities. The study concludes that these psychological mechanisms form a self-reinforcing system that perpetuates moral disengagement and resistance to rehabilitation. Understanding these dynamics can enhance forensic assessment, investigative profiling, and the design of targeted intervention programs for offender reintegration and prevention of recidivism.