Examples of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) application in marine ecology studies in the northern Adriatic

Photosynthetic pigments have proved to be useful biomarkers of the abundance, composition and physiological status of the phytoplankton biomass in the marine environment. Using HPLC pigment analysis, we determined phytoplankton community structure in three different marine environments: in the area of a fish farm, in the area of sewage outlets, and in the mucilaginous aggregates. At the reference site we observed seasonal changes with prevalence of fucoxanthin-containing phytoplankton (i.e. diatoms) during winter/spring and autumn. In the fish farm area the concentration of chlorophyll a degradation products was higher, whereas in the locally enriched environment of sewage outlets we observed only small changes in taxonomic composition and phytoplankton biomass. The impact of season is more expressed than the impact of sewage discharge. With the use of HPLC pigment analysis we determined the development of phytoplankton community in different stages of mucilage aggregates. Phytoplankton biomass was composed primarily of diatoms, and as the aggregates aged, diatoms increased in the relative biomass. Our examples have proven the usefulness and suitability of HPLC pigment analysis in marine ecology studies

Design and testing of an experiment to measure self-filtration in particulate suspensions

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2011.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 24).An experiment for measuring self-filtration in terms of change in volume fraction downstream of a constriction compared to volume fraction upstream of said constriction was designed and tested. The user has the ability to control a variety of parameters including constriction geometry, flow rate, and initial volume fraction in order to evaluate their impact on downstream volume fraction. The relative uncertainty in measured downstream volume fraction was found to be 1.31%. Experimental data was collected to show the effect of changing initial volume fraction and flow rate on downstream volume fraction.by Mattias S. Flander.S.B

How Teaching and Research Nexus in Academic Attitudes, Behaviours and System of Promotion Influences Academic Satisfaction? Case Study of Croatia and Slovenia

The article contributes to research findings of the “peripheral” higher education systems and ads to the knowledge body on higher education landscape transformation of ex-socialist regions, which are still relatively poorly studied. It explores the teaching-research nexus and its effect on the satisfaction of academics in Croatia and Slovenia based on the data collected through large-scale international comparative survey on Academic profession APIKS. Analysis was done on the academic satisfaction in regards to the academic behaviours (research and teaching time allocation), academic attitudes (teaching or research role orientation) and academic promotion (research and teaching role in faculty promotion and hiring). The paper begins by a short overview of higher education system in the region, reviewing key themes associated with teaching-research nexus and provides an analysis on the above-mentioned variables in regards to academic country, rank, discipline and gender. The findings showed that satisfaction is very dependent on the actual national and institutional internal and external factors of the academic environment, while current policy on promotion affects overall future of academic profession. It concludes with a discussion of the challenges to research teaching nexus in the studied countries.This work has been fully supported by the University of Rijeka under the project number 18-203, Academic community from within: the challenges of changes in the academic profession

CHALLENGES OF ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF ULTRA HIGH RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS IN AN ADOLESCENT

The onset of psychosis is typically preceded by a prodromal phase that is characterised by the emergence of "attenuated" psychotic symptoms. This phase is described as ultra-high risk (UHR) or at-risk mental state (ARMS) of psychosis. Criteria have been established for identifying these young people who are at clinical high risk. People at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis have about 30% chance of developing the illness within two years. This category was introduced with the goal of developing treatments for prevention of psychotic disorders. Recent research suggests that early interventions appear to be effective in delaying and even preventing the onset of psychosis. These treatments include antipsychotic medication, nutritional supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and psychological treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been tested as a potentially effective intervention in this group. Here we describe a case of a male adolescent with UHR psychotic symptoms with focus on challenges of assessing the UHR in adolescents and issues of providing effective age appropriate interventions

CHALLENGES OF ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT OF ULTRA HIGH RISK FOR PSYCHOSIS IN AN ADOLESCENT

The onset of psychosis is typically preceded by a prodromal phase that is characterised by the emergence of "attenuated" psychotic symptoms. This phase is described as ultra-high risk (UHR) or at-risk mental state (ARMS) of psychosis. Criteria have been established for identifying these young people who are at clinical high risk. People at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis have about 30% chance of developing the illness within two years. This category was introduced with the goal of developing treatments for prevention of psychotic disorders. Recent research suggests that early interventions appear to be effective in delaying and even preventing the onset of psychosis. These treatments include antipsychotic medication, nutritional supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids and psychological treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been tested as a potentially effective intervention in this group. Here we describe a case of a male adolescent with UHR psychotic symptoms with focus on challenges of assessing the UHR in adolescents and issues of providing effective age appropriate interventions

Project BALMAS newsletter, No. 1, December, 2014

Dear reader, welcome to the BALMAS project newsletter! Transnational cooperation in Adriatic region under the BALMAS project: Ballast Water Management System for Adriatic Sea Protection became fully operational with the start of the BALMAS project in November 2013. The BALMAS project integrates all necessary activities to enable a long-term, environmentally efficient, and financially and maritime trans-port sustainable implementation of ballast water management measures in the Adriatic Sea. In November we marked the first birthday of the BALMAS project. We have passed successfully several milestones, some of which are highlighted in this issue. BALMAS project Partners have been fully involved in a number of project activities, such as sampling in selected ports, attendance at numerous workshops and three regular meetings, and appearances in the media where ongoing and future work has been presented. We established also BALMAS Knowledge centre for the purpose of presenting our interim outputs and results to all interested readers. With all performed activities in the first year, the BALMAS project infrastructure is now completely in place, and we are well positioned to achieve planned objectives within the project time framework. Leon Gosar* *BALMAS project Coordinator for the Lead Partner, the Institute for Water of the Re-public of Sloveni

Child sexual abuse: Theoretical-empirical review and systematic prevention in Croatia

Child abuse and neglect represent social and public health problem with high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide. Research systematically indicates all abuse and neglect types’ high prevalence and incidence, also lowest disclosure percentage of sexual abuse, with far-reaching consequences on mental health and well-being. According to the Council of Europe, every fifth child is sexually abused, which is supported by national data, and through modern technologies, children are exposed to additional dangers such as online recruitment ("grooming") and sexual abuse via the Internet. The risk of victimization of children and young people is on the rise due to the current pandemic crisis. This paper presents an overview of theoretical and empirical knowledge on child sexual abuse, live and through modern technologies, and a critical review of the prevention of this problem in Croatia at the national level with recommendations for improving the prevention goals of the next National Strategy for Children\u27s Rights in Croatia

Bioprosessointi kauraleivän laadun parantajana

Oats contain a considerable amount of the soluble fibre β-glucan, which has recently received an authorised cholesterol lowering health claim in all member states of the EU. The healthy and natural image of whole grain oats has made them a desirable ingredient for use in breads. However, the absence of gluten-forming proteins and high fibre content pose technological challenges with respect to product texture. Fundamental understanding of the role of oat components on the structure formation of dough and bread is needed to facilitate the development of new healthy variants of oat breads with consumer-appealing properties. This thesis studied the effects of baking and bioprocessing methods, such as the use of sourdough and enzymes, on the chemical and rheological properties of oat doughs, the stability of β-glucan, and the quality attributes of oat breads. A concept was created for using whole grain oat flour as a base in an oat-wheat bread with good textural and sensory quality and high β-glucan content. Ingredient and process parameters for optimised texture and taste of the oat-wheat bread were established without extensive degradation of β-glucan. The use of an optimized sourdough process in the production of oat bread provided a feasible technique for producing a new tasty variant of oat bread with high β-glucan content. The use of enzymes, such as laccase and xylanase, proved highly effective in improving the texture of oat-wheat bread. It was shown in this work that tyrosinase efficiently cross-linked oat protein, which was suggested to improve the textural properties of gluten-free oat bread. The identified positive effects on the baking quality of oat bread encourage the food ingredient and baking industry to apply bioprocessing as a powerful tool for improving the flavour and texture of healthy bakery products.Kaura sisältää runsaasti liukoista kuitua, β-glukaania, jonka kolesterolia alentavat vaikutukset on hiljattain hyväksytty elintarvikkeiden sallittujen terveysväittämien listalle EU:ssa. Täysjyväkauran terveellinen ja luonnollinen imago on tehnyt siitä houkuttelevan raaka-aineen leipomotuotteisiin. Kaura on kuitenkin haasteellinen leivonnan raaka-aine, koska se sisältää paljon kuitua eikä kauraproteiineilla ole vehnälle ominaista sitkonmuodostuskykyä hiivataikinassa. Tarvitaankin lisää tietoa kaurakomponenttien vaikutuksista taikinan ja leivän rakenteeseen, jotta voidaan paremmin muokata kauratuotteille haluttu rakenne ja maku, ilman että kauratuotteiden terveyttä edistävät ominaisuudet menetetään. Tässä työssä tutkittiin leivonnan ja bioprosessoinnin, kuten raskituksen ja entsyymien, vaikutuksia kaurataikinan kemiallisiin ja reologisiin ominaisuuksiin, β-glukaanin stabiilisuuteen ja leivän laatuun. Reseptin ja prosessimuuttujien optimointi mahdollisti 51 % täysjyväkaurajauhoa sisältävän leivän valmistamisen, jolla oli hyvä maku ja rakenne ja suuri β-glukaanipitoisuus. Vehnäraskitusprosessin optimointi osoittautui hyväksi keinoksi tuottaa uusia makuvaihtoehtoja runsaasti β-glukaania sisältävälle kauravehnäleivälle. Entsyymien, kuten lakkaasin ja tyrosinaasin kykyä muokata kauran makropolymeerejä leivontaprosessin aikana tutkittiin joko erikseen tai ksylanaasin kanssa. Lakkaasi ja ksylanaasi lisäsivät täysjyväkauraleivän, gluteenittoman kauraleivän sekä kauravehnäleivän ominaistilavuutta ja tuoreen kauravehnäleivän pehmeyttä. Tyrosinaasi lisäsi tehokkaammin gluteenittoman kauraleivän ominaistilavuutta ja pehmeyttä kuin lakkaasi, erityisesti ksylanaasin kanssa. Tyrosinaasin vaikutus perustui pääosin kauran proteiinien polymeroitumiseen, joka yhdistettynä ksylanaasin katalysoimaan arabinoksylaanin pilkkoutumiseen paransi gluteenittoman kauraleivän ominaistilavuutta ja pehmeyttä. Tulokset osoittavat, että bioprosessointi voisi olla tehokas keino myös muiden terveellisten leipomotuotteiden rakenteen ja maun parantamisessa