Effect of SARS-CoV-2 antibody screening on participants' attitudes and behaviour: a study of industry workers in Split, Croatia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the changes in personal attitudes and behaviour before and after negative serological test results for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. METHODS: A survey questionnaire was conducted with 200 industry workers (68% males and 32% females) who had previously tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The survey examined participants' self-reported general attitudes towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), their sense of fear, as well as their behaviour towards protective measures before and after the testing. RESULTS: Participants perceived the disease as a severe health threat and acknowledged that the protective measures were appropriate. Respondents reported a high level of adherence to measures and low level of fear, both before and after the testing. Although these indicators were statistically significantly reduced after the test (P < 0.004), they did not result in irresponsible non-adherence behaviours. Almost all respondents attributed their application of personal protection measures to factors other than the results of serological screening. CONCLUSIONS: Serological tests do not contribute to irresponsible non-adherence behaviours in an environment where protective measures are efficient. However, they may help reduce fear within society and working environments.

Activity of Polish unifloral honeys against pathogenic bacteria and its correlation with colour, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and other parameters.

UNLABELLED: The use of honey as an antimicrobial agent gains importance due to often ineffectiveness of conventional treatment. However, activity of honey depends mainly on its botanical and geographical origin. To date, antimicrobial potential of Polish honeys has not yet been entirely investigated. In this study, 37 unifloral samples of 14 honey types (including rare varieties) from Poland were analysed and compared with manuka honey. The most active were cornflower, thyme and buckwheat honeys. Their MICs ranged from 3·12 to 25·00%, (depending on tested micro-organism) and often were lower than for manuka honey. Additionally, colour, antioxidant activity, total phenols, pH and conductivity were assessed and significant correlations (P < 0·05) of MICs with several parameters were found. The most active were darker honeys, with strong yellow colour component, rich in phenolics, with high conductivity and water content. The honey antibacterial properties depended mainly on peroxide mechanism and were vulnerable to excessive heating, but quite stable during storage in cold. A number of honey samples showed potential as effective antimicrobial agents. The observed correlations of MICs and physical-chemical parameters help to understand better the factors impacting the antibacterial activity. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Honey is a promising agent in the treatment of non-healing infected wounds. Thirty-seven unifloral samples of 14 honey varieties from Poland were analysed for their antimicrobial activity and compared with manuka honey. Several honey types exert even higher antimicrobial potential and could be introduced to wound therapy. Additionally, positive correlations of the antimicrobial activity were found, especially with yellow colour and could be important in the search and screening of the honey active against Escherichia coli.

Molecular diversity of volatile compounds in rare willow (Salix spp.) honeydew honey: identification of chemical biomarkers.

Salix spp. honeydew honey volatiles were analyzed for the first time by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC, GC-MS). The use of HS-SPME and USE had advantageous results over the use of one single technique, as it provided different complementary chromatographic profiles for a comprehensive screening of the honeydew volatile composition. The volatiles with different functionality, molecular weight, and polarity were extracted and identified. High percentages of benzoic acid, phenylacetic acid, 2-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid with minor percentages of 4-methoxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylethanol, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid from USE extracts can be emphasized as volatile biomarkers of this honeydew that probably originated from Salix spp., as well as methyl salicylate identified only by HS-SPME. The application of heat treatment at 80 degrees C for 2 h did not change significantly the volatile composition of this honeydew.

Hydrodistillation-adsorption method for the isolation of water-soluble, non-soluble and high volatile compounds from plant materials.

Proposed method of hydrodistillation-adsorption (HDA) on activated carbon and hydrodistillation (HD) with solvent trap were compared for the isolation of water-soluble, non-soluble and high volatile compounds, such as acids, monoterpenes, isothiocyanates and others from carob (Certonia siliqua L.), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and rocket (Eruca sativa L.). Isolated volatiles were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The main advantages of HDA method over ubiquitous HD method were higher yields of volatile compounds and their simultaneous separation in three fractions that enabled more detail analyses. This method is particularly suitable for the isolation and analysis of the plant volatiles with high amounts of water-soluble compounds. In distinction from previously published adsorption of remaining volatile compounds from distillation water on activated carbon, this method offers simultaneous hydrodistillation and adsorption in the same apparatus.

Comparison of hydrodistillation and ultrasonic solvent extraction for the isolation of volatile compounds from two unifloral honeys of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Castanea sativa L.

A comparative study of ultrasound-assisted extraction (USE) with the mixture pentane:ether (1:2) and hydrodistillation (HD) with the same trapping mixture is presented for the isolation of volatile compounds from two unifloral honeys of Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Castanea sativa L. All HD isolates contained many thermally derived artefacts (especially phenylacetaldehyde with lower percentages of furfural, cis- and trans-linalool oxides and others). USE method gave the most representative profile of all honey volatiles (without artefacts). In addition, USE enabled extraction of low molecular weight semivolatile markers (especially benzoic, vanillic and phenylacetic acids) that were not extracted by HD. In this regard, low percentage of benzoic acid (0.7-7.4%), vanillic acid (0.0-1.6%) and phenylacetic acid (0.5-4.1%) was determined in Rp USE extracts, while Cs USE extracts contained phenylacetic acid (20.2-23.5%) as the major constituent with low percentage of benzoic acid (2.5-5.5%).

Thyroid function, metabolic indices and growth performance in pigs fed 00-rapeseed meal.

Thyroid function and morphology, liver morphology, some metabolic indices, haematological parameters and growth performance of fattening pigs fed 00-rapeseed meal (00-RPM) were examined. The control group was fed on a standard diet containing 6% sunflower seed meal (SM) during the growing period and 8% during the finishing period. The first experimental group was fed a diet in which SM was replaced by equal (6% and 8%) amounts of 00-RPM. The second experimental group was fed with a higher (8% and 10%) amount of 00-RPM. There were no significant differences between the control and experimental groups in the serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Thyroid gland and liver weights were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in both groups fed 00-RPM than in the group fed SM. The epithelium of the thyroid gland was cuboidal or columnar and the follicular area was moderately enlarged in pigs fed 00-RPM. Marked changes in liver histology were not observed. The 00-RPM diet increased (P < 0.01) the serum values of total proteins in the first fattening period. At the end of fattening both groups fed 00-RPM had higher (P < 0.05; P < 0.01) concentrations of plasma glucose than the control group. The inclusion of 10% of 00-RPM during the finishing period increased (P < 0.05) the serum values of insulin. Daily weight gain during the growing and the finishing period was higher (P < 0.05) in the experimental groups than in the control group. The results suggest that 6-10% 00-RPM can be used as a protein source in the diet of fattening pigs without poisonous side effects.

The effect of air-drying on glycosidically bound volatiles from seasonally collected origano (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum) from Croatia.

The glycosidically bound volatiles were isolated from fresh and airdried origano by exhaustive percolation with ethyl acetate. After the purification of glycosidic fraction, the enzymatic hydrolysis with beta-glucosidase was performed. The obtained aglycones were analysed by GC-MS. Eighteen compounds were identified. The seasonal variations of main aglycone contents from the fresh plant material were: thymoquinone (3.10-6.18 mg/kg), benzyl alcohol (1.33-3.62 mg/kg), 3,5,5-trimethyl-4-(3-hydroxy-1-buthenyl)-2-cyclohexen-1-on (0.51-3.35 mg/kg), 2-phenyl ethanol (0.42-2.98 mg/kg), eugenol (0.93-2.55 mg/kg), thymol (0.70-1.40 mg/kg) and carvacrol (0.88-1.40 mg/kg). The season of collecting influenced the content and composition of the glycosidically bound volatiles of origano. Air-drying effected mostly the yield of these compounds.

Olive by-products in pig fattening.

The utilisation in pig fattening of diets with various proportions of dried olive cake, i.e., olive by-product resulting from centrifugal separation, was investigated in 60 Swedish Landrace x Large White crossbreds (30 castrates and 30 gilts). The pigs were divided into three equal groups (10 + 10): two experimental groups, fed with a fodder mix containing 50 g/kg and 80 g/kg respectively of dried olive cake, and a control group, fed with the same mix but minus the cake. The experiment last 90 days. For the first 45 days the pigs were given the starter, and for the second 45 days the finisher, mix. Throughout the whole period, pigs in both experimental groups achieved greater average body mass and mass gain than the control animals. Concurrently, castrates in all three groups, became heavier and demonstrated greater mass gain than did the gilts. While supplied respectively with the finisher mix throughout the whole test period, pigs fed mixes with 50 g/kg of dried olive cake demonstrated significantly greater feed consumption than those fed without the cake and than those fed mixes with 80 g/kg of cake. While supplied with the starter mix, pigs fed mixes with 50 g/kg of dried olive cake achieved the lowest feed conversion rate, whereas those supplied with the finisher mix achieved the highest. Throughout the entire period no significant differences were observed in feed conversion rate among pig groups.

[Sexual information and practice in 16-year-old adolescents]. / Seksualna informisanost i praksa kod sesnaestogodisnjaka.

We conducted an anonymous poll among 221 girls and 106 boys from the second grade of secondary schools in Somboru, Crvenka and Ruski Krsturu in order to collect data on some aspects of their sexual knowledge and behavior. By the 16th year of life 8.6% of the girls and 36.8% of the boys experienced coitus, while 48% of the girls and 72% of the boys experienced intimate caressing with the opposite sex. It has been assessed that their knowledge on the physiology of the sexual life and contraception is poor and overestimeted, especially among the boys. The sources of information are mostly inadequate which necessitates an organized approach to sexual education.