Tijekom 2022. godine istraživana je vaskularna flora Borongajskog luga u istočnom dijelu Grada Zagreba. Na istraživanom području zabilježeno je 215 biljnih svojti. Najbrojnije porodice bile su ...Rosaceae, Asteracecae i Fabaceae, a najčešći životni oblici hemikriptofiti, fanerofiti i terofiti. Od flornih elemenata najčešći su euroazijski florni element, kozmopoliti te kultivirane i adventivne vrste. Zabilježeno je 15 invazivnih alohtonih vrsta, a samo dvije vrste nalaze se u nekoj od kategorija ugroženosti po IUCN-u:
Cephalanthera longifolia
je gotovo ugrožena (NT), a
Taxus baccata
osjetljiva (VU).
The vascular flora of Borongajski lug in the eastern part of Zagreb was studied in 2022. In the studied area 215 plant taxa were recorded. The most abundant plant families were Rosaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae, while the most common life-forms were hemicryptophytes, phanerophytes and therophytes. The most common geoelemens were the Eurasian floral element, widespread plants and cultivated and adventitious plants. In total 15 invasive allochthonous species were recorded while only two species are in one of the threat categories according to the IUCN: Cephalanthera longifolia is near threatened (NT), and Taxus baccata is vulnerable (VU).
Changes occurring during storage in the content of polar phenolic compounds, the composition of tocopherols (T), the presence of primary and secondary oxidative products and titratable acidity in oil ...obtained from the seeds of
Camelina sativa were studied. In fresh oil the content of polar phenolic compounds amounted to 128
mg/kg (expressed as chlorogenic acid), the content of α-T was (41
±
8)
mg/kg, of γ-T (710
±
19)
mg/kg and of δ-T (12
±
3)
mg/kg. β-T and tocotrienols were not detected. In oil stored at 50
°C the concentration of total tocopherols decreased to a value of (440
±
13)
mg/kg in 15
days. In that time the content of polar phenolic compounds in the oil stored at 50
°C was reduced to 72% of its initial value. The content of polar phenolic compounds in oil stored at 65
°C for 15
days was reduced to 21% of its initial value. The content of polar phenolic compounds in the
C. sativa oil investigated decreased linearly with peroxide value and with
p-anisidine value. The antioxidative activity of polar phenolic compounds extracted from camelina oil was also elucidated. Analysis revealed that the phenolic extract obtained from camelina oil added to a model lipid system for a certain time significantly retarded the process of autooxidation.
In this study we analyze the calcarean sponge diversity of the Adriatic Sea, the type locality of some of the first described species of calcarean sponges. Morphological and molecular approaches are ...combined for the taxonomic identification. Our results reveal six species new to science and provisionally endemic to the Adriatic Sea (Ascandra spalatensis sp. nov., Borojevia croatica sp. nov., Leucandra falakra sp. nov., L. spinifera sp. nov., Paraleucilla dalmatica sp. nov., and Sycon ancora sp. nov.), one species previously known only from the Southwestern Atlantic (Clathrina conifera), and three already known from the Adriatic Sea (Ascaltis reticulum, Borojevia cerebrum, and Clathrina primordialis). We confirm the presence of the alien species Paraleucilla magna in the Adriatic and again record Clathrina blanca, C. clathrus, and C. rubra. We emend the description of the genus Ascaltis, propose a lectotype for Borojevia cerebrum and synonymise B. decipiens with B. cerebrum. A checklist of all calcarean species previously and currently known from the Adriatic Sea (39 species) is given. The Central Adriatic is indicated as the richest calcarean sponge fauna sector; however, the biodiversity of this class is underestimated in the whole Adriatic Sea and new systematic surveys are desirable.
Humans are regularly cited as the main driver of current biodiversity extinction, but the impact of historic volcanic activity is often overlooked. Pre-human evidence of wildlife abundance and ...diversity are essential for disentangling anthropogenic impacts from natural events. Réunion Island, with its intense and well-documented volcanic activity, endemic biodiversity, long history of isolation and recent human colonization, provides an opportunity to disentangle these processes. We track past demographic changes of a critically endangered seabird, the Mascarene petrel Pseudobulweria aterrima, using genome-wide SNPs. Coalescent modeling suggested that a large ancestral population underwent a substantial population decline in two distinct phases, ca. 125,000 and 37,000 years ago, coinciding with periods of major eruptions of Piton des Neiges. Subsequently, the ancestral population was fragmented into the two known colonies, ca. 1500 years ago, following eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise. In the last century, both colonies declined significantly due to anthropogenic activities, and although the species was initially considered extinct, it was rediscovered in the 1970s. Our findings suggest that the current conservation status of wildlife on volcanic islands should be firstly assessed as a legacy of historic volcanic activity, and thereafter by the increasing anthropogenic impacts, which may ultimately drive species towards extinction.
The goal of this work was to investigate the properties of environmentally friendly, castor oil based polyurethane hybrid materials with titanium(IV) oxide nanoparticles, as a filler, and different ...types of diisocyanate (toluene diisocyanate and isophorone diisocyanate). In the sample synthesis, different ratios of the reactive groups (NCO/OH),
r, were used (1, 1.15 and 0.92). In the composite preparation, only toluene diisocyanate was used, and the filler particles were premixed in a glass vessel with the castor oil polyol before the reaction with diisocyanate. For all the composite samples, the
r value was 1. Polyurethane formation was confirmed by ATR-FT-IR by detecting the urethane band at 1515
cm
−1. It was determined that the hydroxyl groups had reacted because the broad band corresponding to the OH groups (3400
cm
−1) was not detected or detected at a reduced intensity depending on the
r value. As was expected, the presence of the unreacted NCO groups was detected only for samples with
r
>
1 (band at 2300
cm
−1, which corresponds to the existence of these groups). The dynamic mechanical measurements were performed at a temperature range from −50
°C to 100
°C at different frequencies. For investigation of reinforcement effect of filler on polymer matrix, tensile testing was applied. The glass transition temperature,
T
g
, was determined by DSC measurement. It was estimated that the
T
g
of the samples decreased as the nanofiller content increased due to the changes in the segmental mobility influenced by the interaction between the nanoparticles and polymer chains.
Background/Aim
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that involves the development of autoantibodies against pancreatic islet beta‐cell antigens, preceding clinical diagnosis by a period of ...preclinical disease activity. As screening activity to identify autoantibody‐positive individuals increases, a rise in presymptomatic type 1 diabetes individuals seeking medical attention is expected. Current guidance on how to monitor these individuals in a safe but minimally invasive way is limited. This article aims to provide clinical guidance for monitoring individuals with presymptomatic type 1 diabetes to reduce the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis.
Methods
Expert consensus was obtained from members of the Fr1da, GPPAD, and INNODIA consortia, three European diabetes research groups. The guidance covers both specialist and primary care follow‐up strategies.
Results
The guidance outlines recommended monitoring approaches based on age, disease stage and clinical setting. Individuals with presymptomatic type 1 diabetes are best followed up in specialist care. For stage 1, biannual assessments of random plasma glucose and HbA1c are suggested for children, while annual assessments are recommended for adolescents and adults. For stage 2, 3‐monthly clinic visits with additional home monitoring are advised. The value of repeat OGTT in stage 1 and the use of continuous glucose monitoring in stage 2 are discussed. Primary care is encouraged to monitor individuals who decline specialist care, following the guidance presented.
Conclusions
As type 1 diabetes screening programs become more prevalent, effective monitoring strategies are essential to mitigate the risk of complications such as DKA. This guidance serves as a valuable resource for clinicians, providing practical recommendations tailored to an individual's age and disease stage, both within specialist and primary care settings.
Information on public attitudes towards the use of transgenic trees in forest plantations is important in the decision-making process and policy implementation for safe tree development, particularly ...at the EU level. In Europe, the use of transgenic forest trees is very limited and therefore such information is completely lacking. To address this issue within the FP0905 European COST Action on the Biosafety of Transgenic Forest Trees a pioneer cross-country pilot survey on public attitudes towards the use of transgenic forest trees was conducted using young population as a focus group. This was decided mainly because this focus group represents the future consumers, policy makers or developers. Specifically, the survey aimed to: i) assess the level of young people’s knowledge about transgenic forest trees, ii) identify issues of concern to them regarding the cultivation of transgenic forest trees and iii) explore whether they approve or disapprove of the use of transgenic forest trees in plantations. Purposive sampling was performed and university students of different disciplines were included in the research as sampling subjects. In total, 1868 completed questionnaires from 15 European and non-European countries were analyzed. The young educated people that took part in the survey appeared to approve of the use of transgenic forest trees in plantations and would be willing to buy forest transgenic products. The potential loss of biodiversity due to a risk of gene flow between transgenic and wild trees was seen as the safety issue of most concern when considering the commercial release of transgenic forest trees. However, a serious perceived lack of knowledge about potential benefits and risks of the cultivation of transgenic forest trees was recorded in most of the countries. K-means clustering was implemented on respondents’ positive responses to identify potential country patterns. No differences in patterns of public attitude towards the acceptance of the commercial growing of transgenic forest trees were observed between European and non-European countries. Extended research on public attitude issues towards the use of transgenic forest trees is strongly recommended as a basis for policy implementation on safe tree development.
In Australia, the deep-water (bathyal and abyssal) benthic invertebrate fauna is poorly known in comparison with that of shallow (subtidal and shelf) habitats. Benthic fauna from the deep eastern ...Australian margin was sampled systematically for the first time during 2017 RV 'Investigator' voyage 'Sampling the Abyss'. Box core, Brenke sledge, and beam trawl samples were collected at one-degree intervals from Tasmania, 42°S, to southern Queensland, 24°S, from 900 to 4800 m depth. Annelids collected were identified by taxonomic experts on individual families around the world. A complete list of all identified species is presented, accompanied with brief morphological diagnoses, taxonomic remarks, and colour images. A total of more than 6000 annelid specimens consisting of 50 families (47 Polychaeta, one Echiura, two Sipuncula) and 214 species were recovered. Twenty-seven species were given valid names, 45 were assigned the qualifier cf., 87 the qualifier sp., and 55 species were considered new to science. Geographical ranges of 16 morphospecies extended along the eastern Australian margin to the Great Australian Bight, South Australia; however, these ranges need to be confirmed with genetic data. This work providing critical baseline biodiversity data on an important group of benthic invertebrates from a virtually unknown region of the world's ocean will act as a springboard for future taxonomic and biogeographic studies in the area.
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