Evaluation of the calorific values of wastes from some tropical wood species

The paper aims to analyze and classified some exotic wood species from tropical Africa, on regard to calorific features, in order to view the ability of their biomass to be a solid, natural and renewable fuel.  The calorific values of wood wastes of eight tropical species were determined using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. The tested specimens were conditioned at a moisture content of 10%, 20%, and 50%. The influence of moisture content on calorific value and density, heat release rate and calorific efficiency were also analyzed. The biggest high calorific value and low calorific value were obtained by Guaiac and Rose species (21200-20700 kJ/kg). Acajou had the lowest values of high calorific value and low calorific value (18929 and 18456 kJ/kg, respectively). For higher wood density (Guaiac) the higher calorific density was obtained. The moisture content of specimens had negatively influenced the calorific efficiency and rate of energy release. The ash content was below 4% with highest values for Guaiac (3.6%) and the lowest for Acajou (0.5%). The results showed that the analyzed tropical wood species had a forest calorific capacity with 23-47% higher than of European beech, thus can be considered a good potential as renewable energy resources

Mutual Recognition of Family Relations in the EU. European Court of Justice Case-Law regarding the Children of Rainbow Families

The following study took shape in the context of concerns that exist at the level of the European Union regarding the recognition of filiation in cross-border situations, mainly aimed at the children of same-sex couples. Thus, at the center of the analysis are those established by the Court of Justice of the European Union in case C-490/20, aspects reiterated on the ruling of the Court Order in case C-2/21. The main conclusion refers to ensuring compliance with the best interests of the child by effectively recognizing the freedom of movement and the rights attached to the quality of European citizen, for families with LGBTQ parents

European Court of Justice Decision in Coman Caseand Its Implications in the Same-Sex Spouses Matter

Romania is still showing a strong resistance towards the spectacular changes in the way the family is currently regulated by the legal systems of other EU Member States. Under such conditions, through this study we are concerned about the issue of the recognition, by the Romanian State, of a marriage validly concluded abroad, between a Union citizen and his spouse of the same sex, who is a third country national. Our analysis starts from the principles developed by the European Union Court of Justice, in Coman case, a decision that brought back into the debate issues such as the right to family life and the right to freedom of movement, viewed from the perspective of the discrimination prohibition on grounds of sexual orientation

Violation of the Right to Private and Family Life in Case of Lack of Official Recognition of Same-sex Relationships

The present study focuses on presenting the positive obligations of the signatory states of the European Convention on Human Rights, under Art. 8 of the Convention, to provide a legal framework enabling same-sex couples to enjoy adequate legal protection of their relationship. In order to achieve the proposed research objective, we considered the most recent cases before the European Court of Human Rights, namely the case Buhuceanu et al. against Romania, respectively the case of Fedotova against Russia

Is the Dual Residence an Appropriate Arrangement for the Minor with Separated Parents? National Experiences and European recommendations

The divorce of a child's parents should be managed in such a way that the minor is affected as little as possible. In order to minimize the impact of the parents' separation on the child, the question arises as to whether the establishment of an alternative home may, in certain cases, be the appropriate solution to ensure that the child retains a status as close as possible to that previously enjoyed. In order to provide an answer in this regard, we have referred to recommendations that have been put forward at European level, based on specialist studies, to models of good practice in other European countries and we have also provided examples from recent judicial practice in Romania

Particularities of hollow-core briquettes obtained out of spruce and oak wooden waste

Wooden hollow-core briquettes made of wooden waste represent an important category of wood-based combustible materials used in heating chambers. This paper aims to determine some of the characteristics of these briquettes made of spruce and oak waste. The comparison to the classic types of briquettes is made in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of such briquettes. The main characteristics of these briquettes are presented, starting from size, density, abrasion, compression and ending with the inferior and superior calorific values, calorific density and ash content. The obtained results show that there are few differences between their characteristics and those of the classic ones. These differences depend on the pressing method and equipment, in comparison to other briquettes without a hollow core. Apart from the characteristics and the nature of the material being used, the hollow-core briquettes remain renewable combustible materials increasingly used in combustion (for heating purposes or in order to cook food or for heating in rural households or as substitutes for charcoal or cogenerate in various industrial fields). Given their economical character, there is complete suitability of these briquettes for cooking and heating

EFFECTS OF LOW-DOSE-GAMMA RAYS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OF DIFFERENT ANIMAL MODELS OF DISEASE

We reviewed the beneficial or harmful effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on several diseases based on a search of the literature. The attenuation of autoimmune manifestations in animal disease models irradiated with low-dose γ-rays was previously reported by several research groups, whereas the exacerbation of allergic manifestations was described by others. Based on a detailed examination of the literature, we divided animal disease models into two groups: one group consisting of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), experimental encephalomyelitis (EAE), and systemic lupus erythematosus, the pathologies of which were attenuated by low-dose irradiation, and another group consisting of atopic dermatitis, asthma, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, the pathologies of which were exacerbated by low-dose irradiation. The same biological indicators, such as cytokine levels and Tcell subpopulations, were examined in these studies. Low-dose irradiation reduced interferon (IFN)-gamma (γ) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels and increased IL-5 levels and the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells in almost all immunological disease cases examined. Variations in these biological indicators were attributed to the attenuation or exacerbation of the disease’s manifestation. We concluded that autoimmune diseases caused by autoantibodies were attenuated by low-dose irradiation, whereas diseases caused by antibodies against external antigens, such as atopic dermatitis, were exacerbated

European Court of Justice Decision in Coman Caseand Its Implications in the Same-Sex Spouses Matter

Romania is still showing a strong resistance towards the spectacular changes in the way the family is currently regulated by the legal systems of other EU Member States. Under such conditions, through this study we are concerned about the issue of the recognition, by the Romanian State, of a marriage validly concluded abroad, between a Union citizen and his spouse of the same sex, who is a third country national. Our analysis starts from the principles developed by the European Union Court of Justice, in Coman case, a decision that brought back into the debate issues such as the right to family life and the right to freedom of movement, viewed from the perspective of the discrimination prohibition on grounds of sexual orientation.</jats:p