Romanian Academy

About: Romanian Academy is a archive organization based out in Bucharest, Romania. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Nonlinear system. The organization has 3662 authors who have published 10491 publications receiving 146447 citations. The organization is also known as: Academia Română & Societatea Literară Română.

Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR)

Abstract: Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) represents the use of microorganisms to extract the remaining oil from reservoirs. This technique has the potential to be cost-efficient in the extraction of oil remained trapped in capillary pores of the formation rock or in areas not swept by the classical or modern enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, such as combustion, steams, miscible displacement, caustic surfactant-polymers flooding, etc. Thus, MEOR was developed as an alternative method for the secondary and tertiary extraction of oil from reservoirs, since after the petroleum crises in 1973, the EOR methods became less profitable. Starting even from the pioneering stage of MEOR (1950s) studies were run on three broad areas, namely, injection, dispersion, and propagation of microorganisms in petroleum reservoirs; selective degradation of oil components to improve flow characteristics; and metabolites production by microorganisms and their effects.

Solar-like Oscillations in Low-luminosity Red Giants: First Results from Kepler

Abstract: We have measured solar-like oscillations in red giants using time-series photometry from the first 34 days of science operations of the Kepler Mission. The light curves, obtained with 30 minute sampling, reveal clear oscillations in a large sample of G and K giants, extending in luminosity from the red clump down to the bottom of the giant branch. We confirm a strong correlation between the large separation of the oscillations (Δν) and the frequency of maximum power (νmax). We focus on a sample of 50 low-luminosity stars (νmax > 100 μHz, L <~ 30 L sun) having high signal-to-noise ratios and showing the unambiguous signature of solar-like oscillations. These are H-shell-burning stars, whose oscillations should be valuable for testing models of stellar evolution and for constraining the star formation rate in the local disk. We use a new technique to compare stars on a single echelle diagram by scaling their frequencies and find well-defined ridges corresponding to radial and non-radial oscillations, including clear evidence for modes with angular degree l = 3. Measuring the small separation between l = 0 and l = 2 allows us to plot the so-called C-D diagram of δν02 versus Δν. The small separation δν01 of l = 1 from the midpoint of adjacent l = 0 modes is negative, contrary to the Sun and solar-type stars. The ridge for l = 1 is notably broadened, which we attribute to mixed modes, confirming theoretical predictions for low-luminosity giants. Overall, the results demonstrate the tremendous potential of Kepler data for asteroseismology of red giants.

Apoptotic cell signaling in cancer progression and therapy.

Abstract: Apoptosis is a tightly regulated cell suicide program that plays an essential role in the development and maintenance of tissue homeostasis by eliminating unnecessary or harmful cells. Impairment of this native defense mechanism promotes aberrant cellular proliferation and the accumulation of genetic defects, ultimately resulting in tumorigenesis, and frequently confers drug resistance to cancer cells. The regulation of apoptosis at several levels is essential to maintain the delicate balance between cellular survival and death signaling that is required to prevent disease. Complex networks of signaling pathways act to promote or inhibit apoptosis in response to various cues. Apoptosis can be triggered by signals from within the cell, such as genotoxic stress, or by extrinsic signals, such as the binding of ligands to cell surface death receptors. Various upstream signaling pathways can modulate apoptosis by converging on, and thereby altering the activity of, common central control points within the apoptotic signaling pathways, which involve the BCL-2 family proteins, inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins, and FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). This review highlights the role of these fundamental regulators of apoptosis in the context of both normal apoptotic signaling mechanisms and dysregulated apoptotic pathways that can render cancer cells resistant to cell death. In addition, therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the activity of BCL-2 family proteins, IAPs, and c-FLIP for the targeted induction of apoptosis are briefly discussed.

The impact of human capital on economic growth

Abstract: The EU's 2020 Strategy is focused on three area of growth: smart, sustainable and inclusive that couldn’t be achieved without major contribution of skills, knowledge or value of people, common knew as human capital. It is difficult to believe that these goals could be realized without a good education and training system, a large diffusion of knowledge in manufacturing services, a creative industries and a great effort to create a research-intensive economy. Using a panel methodology, the paper tried to reveal the role of human capital as a factor of the growth and to argue that the slow investment in human capital should influence the sustainable development of the countries.