Dragonfly fauna (Insecta: Odonata) of the Brijuni National Park, Croatia

The first systematic survey of the dragonfly fauna of the Brijuni National Park was carried out during the late spring and summer of 2016. A total of 13 species was recorded at two localities on the island of Veliki Brijun, 11 of them for the first time in the area. From the literature, one additional species was documented for the Park, amounting to a total of 14 Odonata species. The most common species was Sympetrum meridionale (Selys, 1841) while the rarest was Anax parthenope (Selys, 1839). Zoogeographical analysis showed the domination of the Holo-Mediterranean zoogeographical element. Four recorded species are listed in the Red book of Croatian Dragonflies, indicating the conservation value of the investigated habitats. Both of the wetland habitats surveyed, Brijuni Pond, and the saline lakes, proved to be very important habitats for the island’s Odonata. Therefore, it is essential to protect those habitats and their biota by planning and conducting restoration activities in the near future

Dragonfly fauna (Insecta: Odonata) of Papuk Nature Park, Croatia

Odonata is an amphibious insect order constituting an important link between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Members of the group are widely used as bioindicators of freshwater habitat health. The Odonata fauna of a total of 44 freshwater habitats in the wider area of Papuk Nature Park was investigated in the spring and summer of 2017 and 2019. Twenty-three lotic and 21 lentic habitats were included in the study. We recorded 39 Odonata species, witha higher species richness (i.e. 35) documented at lentic than at lotic habitats (i.e. 16 species). Calopteryx virgo was the most widespread species in the area, while Aeshna affinis, Epitheca bimaculata, and Sympetrum meridionale were the rarest. The most frequently recorded species at lentic sites were Platycnemis pennipes, Coenagrion puella, and Ischnura elegans, while Calopteryx virgo, Onychogomphus forcipatus, and Cordulegaster bidenatata were the most common species in lotic habitats. Although we recorded numerous anthropogenic pressures in freshwater habitats in the Park, 11 recorded species are of conservation concern, which highlights the conservation value of aquatic habitats in the study area. Our results represent the first Odonata checklist of Papuk Nature Park, and as such, they are an important contribution to our knowledge of the Odonata fauna and species distribution in Croatia

Prvi podatci o fauni vretenaca ( Insecta: Odonata) područja Vugrovca

The fauna of Zagreb has been well investigated during the last two centuries, which is evident from a series of publications. Even so, only limited data on dragonfly fauna of Zagreb have been published, and there is no current checklist. During the three years period (2009-2011) we conducted a survey of the dragonfly and damselfly fauna (Insecta, Odonata) in Vugrovec village, located on the eastern slopes of Mt Medvednica. The aim of this study is to present the first data on dragonflies from the Vugrovec area and to compile the first checklist of dragonflies of Zagreb. The suborder Zygoptera is represented in Vugrovec by 4 families and 5 species, while the suborder Anisoptera is represented by 4 families and 9 species in the area. After a review of all the available literature, in conjunction with the newly collected data, a checklist of dragonflies of Zagreb was created, including 44 species, 14 of which are listed in the Red Book of Dragonflies of Croatia. This indicates a high richness in comparison to the 70 known species from Croatia.Fauna Zagreba istraživana je tijekom posljednja dva stoljeća, što je vidljivo iz brojnih objavljenih radova. Ipak, objavljeno je vrlo malo podataka o fauni vretenaca, bez popisa vrsta. U razdoblju od 2009-2011. godine istraživali smo faunu vretenaca (Odonata) na području sela Vugrovec, koje se nalazi na istočnim obroncima Medvednice. Cilj ovoga istraživanja jest predstaviti prve podatke za faunu vretenaca Vugrovca te sastaviti prvi popis vretenaca Zagreba. U Vugrovcu smo zabilježili 4 porodice i 5 vrsta podreda Zygoptera te 4 porodice i 9 vrsta unutar podreda Anisoptera. Pregledom sve dostupne literature, zajedno s novo prikupljnim podatcima, napravljen je prvi popis vretenaca grada Zagreba koji uključuje 44 vrste. Četrnaest pronađenih vrsta nalazi se u Crvenoj knjizi vretenaca Hrvatske. Tako veliki broj vrsta upućuje na bogatstvo faune vretenaca na tome području, pogotovo ako uzmemo u obzir da je na području cijele Hrvatske zabilježeno 70 vrsta vretenaca

Novi podatki o razširjenosti in razponu nadmorskih višin pojavljanja dalmatinskega rjavčka, Proterebia afra dalmata (Godart, [1824]) (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae) na Hrvaškem

During the survey of butterfly fauna of Dalmatian mountains in the last years, Proterebia afra dalmata (Godart, 1824) was found on several new sites, including the first records of this subspecies at higher altitudes (Poštak, Svilaja, Promina, Kamešnica and Dinara Mts.). In this paper we present a much more complete picture of the distribution of this presumably rare butterfly and discuss its altitudinal distribution. The species was found at altitude of almost 1500 m, therefore the characterization of the subspecies as a lowland butterfly can be dismissed.Med raziskavami favne metuljev dalmatinskih hribov v zadnjih letih smo vrsto Proterebia afra dalmata (Godart, 1824) našli na več novih lokalitetah, vključno s prvimi najdbami te podvrste na višjih nadmorskih višinah (gore Poštak, Svilaja, Promina, Kamešnica in Dinara). V članku predstavljamo veliko popolnejšo sliko razširjenosti tega domnevno redkega metulja in razpravljamo o njegovi višinski razširjenosti. Vrsto smo našli na skoraj 1500 m višine, zat omoramo zavreči opredelitev vrste kot nižinske

Rijeka Zrmanja – žarište bioraznolikost i faune vretenaca dinarskog krša u Hrvatskoj

The Zrmanja is one of the largest rivers in Dalmatia, along with the rivers Krka and Cetina. At the same time it is one of the least surveyed larger rivers in the region, with only a few published records about its dragonfly fauna so far. Between 1984 and 2010 the authors collected data about the dragonflies around the river Zrmanja and its surroundings. Altogether 29 species were recorded at 17 localities. Of those, 12 species were recorded for the first time for the region. The most valuable record is that of Coenagrion ornatum, a local and rare Natura 2000 species. With the overview of the data from museum collections, private field data, published data and data collected during this survey the number of species known from the Zrmanja river increases to 31, making this river one of the best studied areas in Croatia. However, this is probably not the final number of species and new records are to be expected with further research.Uz Krku i Cetinu, Zrmanja je jedna od najvećih rijeka Dalmacije. Unatoč tome, fauna vretenaca rijeke Zrmanje prilično je neistražena, sa svega nekoliko publiciranih podataka o fauni vretenaca do sada. U periodu od 1984. do 2010. autori su prikupljali podatke o fauni vretenaca rijeke Zrmanje i njezine okolice. Ukupno je zabilježeno 29 vrsta na 17 lokaliteta, od čega je 12 vrsta po prvi put zabilježeno u okolici rijeke Zrmanje. Najznačajniji je nalaz rijetke i lokalne Natura 2000 vrste Coenagrion ornatum. Pregledom muzejskih zbirki, privatnih i publiciranih podataka te podataka prikupljenih ovim istraživanjem, broj vrsta za rijeku Zrmanju i njezinu okolicu porastao je na 31, čime je postala jednom od najbolje istraženih rijeka. Međutim navedeni broj vrsta najvjerojatnije nije konačan te se daljnjim istraživanjima očekuje njihov porast

The prognostic value of whole blood SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression in advanced small-cell lung cancer

The data on expression and clinical impact of cancer stem cell markers SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 in lung cancer is still lacking. The aim of our study was to compare SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression levels in whole blood between advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients and healthy controls, and to correlate mRNA expression with progression-free survival (PFS) after first-line chemotherapy and overall survival (OS) in advanced SCLC patients. Patients and methods. 50 advanced SCLC patients treated with standard chemotherapy and followed at University Clinic Golnik, Slovenia, between 2009 and 2013 were prospectively included. SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression levels were determined using TaqMan qPCR in whole blood collected prior to chemotherapy. Whole blood of 34 matched healthy individuals with no cancerous disease was also tested. Results. SOX2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in whole blood of SCLC patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.006). Significant correlation between SOX2 mRNA expression levels and the number of distant metastatic sites was established (p = 0.027). In survival analysis, patients with high SOX2 expression had shorter OS (p = 0.017) and PFS (p = 0.046). In multivariate Cox analysis, an independent value of high SOX2 expression for shorter OS (p = 0.002), but not PFS was confirmed. No significant differences were observed for NANOG or OCT4 expression levels when comparing SCLC patients and healthy controls neither when analysing survival outcomes in SCLC patients. Conclusions. SOX2 mRNA expression in whole blood might be a promising non-invasive marker for molecular screening of SCLC and important prognostic marker in advanced chemotherapy-treated SCLC patients, altogether indicating important role of cancer stem-like cell (CSC) regulators in cancer spread. Further evaluation of SOX2 as a possible screening/prognostic marker and a therapeutic target of SCLC is warranted