•24 elements in 7 different honeys collected in southern Croatia were analysed.•Significant differences in element concentrations were found among the honeys.•Honeydew honey had the high ...concentrations of almost all the elements determined.•Mandarin orange-blossom honey had the lowest concentration of elements determined.•Obtained results support the role of botanical origin on the honeys element composition.
The concentrations of 24 elements in seven honey types (multifloral, heather, common heather, bearberry, sage, mandarin orange-blossom and honeydew) collected in southern Mediterranean regions of Croatia were determined using ICP-MS. Significant differences were found in the concentrations of Ag, As, Ba, Cu, Co, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Se, Sb, U and Th (p<0.05, all) among honeys. The highest element concentrations were determined in honeydew honeys, with the exception of multifloral (Ca, Cr, Mo, Se), common heather (Mg, Na), bearberry (Ba, Fe, Pb) and sage (Ag) honeys. Among the floral honeys, the highest concentrations were found in multifloral honey (Al, As, Be, Ca, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Th and U), common heather (Co, K, Mg, Na, V), sage (Ag, Cd, Cu), and bearberry (Ba, Fe, Pb, Sb, Zn). The results contribute to the evidence supporting the role of botanical origin on the elemental composition of honey.
Conodont ecology of the Early Triassic Smithian–Spathian transition is still poorly understood. Here we use oxygen isotope ratios of monogeneric conodonts from Omani samples to reveal the differences ...of oxygen isotopic composition between different taxa. Oxygen isotope analyses from Oman reveal that Neogondolella inhabited a deeper part of the water column relative to neospathodids and Icriospathodus. This indicates that species of Neogondolella lived in an environment ca. 1.7 °C cooler than where neospathodids lived. The investigation of conodonts from these Smithian and Spathian sections has also enabled the first recovery of some rarely reported species (e.g., Icriospathodus zaksi, Paullella omanensis sp. nov. Chen and Gladigondolella laii sp. nov. Chen) from Oman. Paullella omanensis sp. nov. was further recovered from Plavno, Croatia, indicating a large geographic distribution, and its value for biostratigraphic correlations. The discovery of these species in both Oman and Croatia expands their geographical distribution.
•Conodont ecology of the Early Triassic Smithian-Spathian transition is revealed via isotopic composition.•Neogondolella inhabited a deeper part of the water column relative to neospathodids and Icriospathodus.•Species of Neogondolella lived in ca. 1.7 °C cooler environment than where neospathodids lived.•The investigation has enabled the recovery of two new conodont species.
This paper analyzes vertical PGA strong-motion estimates for the city of Osijek. Osijek serves as a case-study area for low to medium seismicity regions with deep soil and deep geological sediments ...underneath the local soil. The new regional PGA attenuation equations for vertical ground motion are constructed for this purpose, as are the accompanying seismic micro-zoning maps. The vertical PGA values of different regional real strong motion are compared to the empirical PGA estimates. Finally, vertical to horizontal PGA estimation ratios are computed and examined. The results suggest that the vertical PGA design values for the examined area can be approximated as 0.61 of horizontal PGA values, which is a 37% higher ratio than the one given by Eurocode 8 for Type 2 spectra in 2004. When the recorded data from similar regions increases several-fold compared to what is now available, it will be possible to better calibrate the empirical scaling equations and to produce more credible vertical PGA estimates.
•Sites with deep soil atop geological sediments in low to medium seismicity regions.•New regional attenuation equations for PGA values in vertical direction.•Seismic hazard micro-zoning maps for the case-study area – the city of Osijek.•Average vertical to horizontal PGA ratio equal to 0.61 for all return periods.•Vertical to horizontal PGA ratio 37% larger than for Eurocode 8 Type 2 spectra.
This paper investigates the existence of environmental Kuznets curve in Croatia for the period of 1992Q1-2011Q1. To fulfil to goals of the paper, Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and VECM method ...has been applied. Results show the existence of inverted U-shape relation between CO2 emissions and economic growth in long run that is the validity of EKC. Granger causality based on VECM approach shows bi-directional causality between CO2 emissions and economic growth in short run and uni-directional causality from economic growth to CO2 emissions in long run. DOLS and FMOLS results confirm the robustness of long run results. Variance decomposition and Impulse response also show similar results. Beauty of the paper is the consistency of results from different techniques.
•Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis was testing using ARDL approach for Croatia.•Results confirm the validity of EKC for Croatia in long run.•There was bi-directional causality between CO2 emissions and income in short run.•There was uni-directional causality from income to CO2 emissions in long run.
This paper critically examines the adaptation of American STEM educational practices within the Croatian education system, assessing their suitability and effectiveness given the significant ...socio-economic and demographic differences between the two countries. Through comparative analysis, the study juxtaposes the STEM education frameworks of the USA and Croatia, utilizing data from educational policy documents, student performance records, and demographic statistics to explore the transposition of educational models. The findings indicate that the direct transplantation of American STEM educational strategies into the Croatian context has not been entirely successful, due to Croatia's unique industrial landscape and ongoing population decline. The study highlights significant disparities in the effectiveness of STEM education, which are exacerbated by these national differences. The implications of this research are twofold. First, it suggests that countries need to consider their specific industrial and demographic contexts when adopting foreign educational models. Second, the study raises concerns about the sustainability of the Croatian education system's approach to preparing students for future STEM careers. The results call for a reevaluation of policy strategies, suggesting that more localized adaptations of STEM education may be necessary to address the unique challenges faced by countries like Croatia.
The genus Xerobdella contains three species of land leeches confined to the Palearctic region, one of which is X. anulata (Autrum, 1958), an exceptionally rare endemic of the Dinaric Alps. In the ...current study, we provide new data and a literature overview on this rarely encountered species, presenting its currently known distribution, providing additional data on its morphology and, for the first time, presenting comprehensive data on its habitat preferences and seasonal dynamics. Additionally, we provide novel DNA barcodes for the Dinaric land leech and compare the obtained sequences with the related X. lecomtei. Altogether, 22 specimens of X. anulata were collected using pitfall traps in three habitat types: managed forests with adjacent meadows and a primeval forest in the Dinaric Alps of Croatia. We report the first finding of X. anulata in open habitats, which harbored most of the specimens. Our findings show that X. anulata exhibits surface activity, highlighting the effectiveness of pitfall traps in sampling such elusive taxa, with perspectives for future morphological, phenological and even molecular research.
Cyberchondria in the age of COVID-19 Jokic-Begic, Natasa; Lauri Korajlija, Anita; Mikac, Una
PloS one,
12/2020, Letnik:
15, Številka:
12
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The global epidemic of (mis)information, spreading rapidly via social media platforms and other outlets, can be a risk factor for the development of anxiety disorders among vulnerable individuals. ...Cyberchondria can be a vulnerability factor for developing anxiety in a pandemic situation, particularly when the Internet is flooded with (mis)information. The aim of our study was to examine how cyberchondria is related to changes in levels of COVID-19 concern and safety behaviours among persons living in Croatia during the period in which the first COVID-19 case was identified and when the country recorded its first fatality. Repeated cross-sectional data collection was conducted during two waves over a period of three weeks (N1 = 888; N2 = 966). The first began on the day of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Croatia (February 24th, 2020) and the second wave began three weeks later, on the day the first COVID-19 fatality was recorded in Croatia (March 19th, 2020). Participants completed an online questionnaire regarding various COVID-19 concerns and safety behaviours aimed at disease prevention (information seeking, avoidance and hygiene) and a measure of cyberchondria (Short Cyberchondria Scale, SCS). We analysed whether changes to the epidemiological situation during the period between the two waves of data collection led to an increase in COVID-19 related behaviour directly and indirectly via an increase in COVID-19 concerns. The results indicated that, between the two waves of research, there was a pronounced increase in concerns regarding COVID-19 (b = 1.11, p < .001) as well as significant behavioural changes (b = 1.18-2.34, p < .001). Also, results demonstrated that cyberchondria plays a moderating role in these changes. In the first wave, persons with severe cyberchondria were already intensely concerned with safety behaviours. High cyberchondria and high levels of concern about the COVID-19 are associated with intense avoidance behaviours, R2 = .63, p < .001. A moderated partial mediation model was confirmed, in which the effect of the epidemiological situation was weaker for those with higher results on the SCS (as indicated by index of moderated mediation between -.10 and -.15, p < .05). As such, cyberchondria is a contributing factor to long-term anxiety and its impact during pandemic on the general mental health burden should therefore be further investigated.
The aim was to determine possible local differences between the parent materials of recent leoss-derived soils in eastern Croatia (Dalj, Zmajevac). Furthermore, it highlights the existence of ...chernozem and chernozem-like soils in Croatia and describes their basic physical, chemical and mineral properties. For this purpose, two soil profiles (P-3 and P-6) south of the Dalj settlement and one soil profile (P-10) near the Zmajevac settlement were excavated. The investigation included a detailed pedological analysis, a modal analysis of the heavy and light mineral fraction and a mineralogical analysis of bulk samples (the < 2 mm fraction) and the fraction < 2 μm. By comparing the obtained results with the criteria of the Croatian Soil Classification and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources, the soil profiles P-3 and P-6 can be defined as Chernozem on Loess or Hortic Calcic chernozem (Epiloamic, Endosiltic, Aric, Humic). The systematic unit for profile P-10 was defined as Rendzina according to the Croatian Soil Classification or Calcic Chernozem (Siltic) according to the WRB. Based on the results of the pedological analysis of the soil profile horizons, a gradual degradation of the chernozem was observed as a result of anthropogenic influence, but also due to recent climate change. The degradation is particularly evident in the form of a reduction in organic matter and the relocation of carbonates from the surface to deeper zones. Due to the increasing degree of weathering caused by recent climate changes, some differences in the mineralogical composition of the studied soils were also observed. The progressive degradation of the chernozem due to the effects of recent weathering processes is indicated mainly by the presence of goethite in the fraction < 2 μm as a weathering product of iron minerals (magnetite, pyroxenes…). Although the parent material of all three profiles is loess sediments, the reason why the soil material of profile P-10 has not developed a chernic horizon is the constant contribution of aeolian material and a short period of exposure to pedogenetic processes.
PDF
