Veronica peregrina L. i Veronica scardica Griseb. (Scrophulariaceae), nove vrste hrvatske flore

Veronica peregrina L. originates from America and has been spreading in Europe since 18th century. We found it in August, 2003, on the bank of a Danube oxbow (Dunavac) in Batina, where it grows in the amphibian community of the alliance Nanocyperion. Veronica scardica Griseb. is a native European species distributed in Eastern and South Eastern Europe. We found it on wet fine gravel on the bank of the Kupa River at Ozalj, downstream from the HE power station. Specimens of both species have been deposited in the ZA Herbarium.Veronica peregrina L. potječe iz Amerike a po Europi se širi od 18. stoljeća. Našli smo je u kolovozu 2003., na sprudu Dunavca u Batini, unutar amfibijske zajednice iz sveze Nanocyperion. Veronica scardica Griseb. autohtona je vrsta rasprostranjena uglavnom u istočnoj i jugoistočnoj Europi. Našli smo je na finom šljunku uz Kupu, neposredno ispod hidrocentrale u Ozlju. Primjerci obiju vrsta pohranjeni su u ZA herbaru

Carex pulicaris L. (Cyperaceae), nova vrsta hrvatske flore

The species Carex pulicaris L. was found on Trstenik Moor (Gorski kotar). This is the first finding of this plant species in Croatia, lying on the southern border of its range.Vrsta Carex pulicaris nađena je na na cretu u Trsteniku (Gorski kotar). To je prvi nalaz te vrste u Hrvatskoj, a to je ujedno i južna granica njezina areala

Campanula kapelae, nova vrsta? agregata Campanula pyramidalis

On Samarske stijene (Velika Kapela, Gorski kotar, Croatia), within the Nature Reserve, at the altitude of 1200–1300 m a.s., grows a peculiar taxon of Campanula in the cliff chasmophyte vegetation of the alliance Micromerion croaticae Ht (order Potentilletalia caulescentis Br.-Bl.). Although the plant is similar to Campanula pyramidalis in terms of habitat, and up to 70 cm tall, morphological and ecological data suggest the possibility of a new taxon within C. pyramidalis aggregate. According to the mountain massif of Velika Kapela where it grows, we propose the name of Campanula kapelae.Na Samarskim stijenama (Velika Kapela, Gorski kotar), u strogom rezervatu prirode, na nadmorskoj visini od 1200–1300 m raste u pukotinama vapnenačkih stijena, u vegetaciji sveze Micromerion croaticae Ht (red Potentilletalia caulescentis Br.-Bl.), zvončika visine do 70 cm, koja je habitusom slična vrsti C. pyramidalis L. Morfološke i ekološke značajke upućuju na zaključak da se radi o zasebnoj svojti u okviru agregata C. pyramidalis. Po Velikoj Kapeli, planinskom masivu gdje ta biljka raste, predlažemo naziv Campanula kapelae

Halogen bonding with carbon:directional assembly of non-derivatised aromatic carbon systems into robust supramolecular ladder architectures †

Carbon, although the central element in organic chemistry, has been traditionally neglected as a target for directional supramolecular interactions. The design of supramolecular structures involving carbon-rich molecules, such as arene hydrocarbons, has been limited almost exclusively to non-directional π-stacking, or derivatisation with heteroatoms to introduce molecular assembly recognition sites. As a result, the predictable assembly of non-derivatised, carbon-only π-systems using directional non-covalent interactions remains an unsolved fundamental challenge of solid-state supramolecular chemistry. Here, we propose and validate a different paradigm for the reliable assembly of carbon-only aromatic systems into predictable supramolecular architectures: not through non-directional π-stacking, but via specific and directional halogen bonding. We present a systematic experimental, theoretical and database study of halogen bonds to carbon-only π-systems (C-I⋯πC bonds), focusing on the synthesis and structural analysis of cocrystals with diversely-sized and -shaped non-derivatised arenes, from one-ring (benzene) to 15-ring (dicoronylene) polycyclic atomatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and fullerene C60, along with theoretical calculations and a systematic analysis of the Cambridge Structural Database. This study establishes C-I⋯πC bonds as directional interactions to arrange planar and curved carbon-only aromatic systems into predictable supramolecular motifs. In &gt;90% of herein presented structures, the C-I⋯πC bonds to PAHs lead to a general ladder motif, in which the arenes act as the rungs and halogen bond donors as the rails, establishing a unique example of a supramolecular synthon based on carbon-only molecules. Besides fundamental importance in the solid-state and supramolecular chemistry of arenes, this synthon enables access to materials with exciting properties based on simple, non-derivatised aromatic systems, as seen from large red and blue shifts in solid-state luminescence and room-temperature phosphorescence upon cocrystallisation.</p

Characterization of the Surface of High-Area Ni(OH)2 and NiO

The surface propertij:ls of Ni(OH)2, and the mechanism of decomposition of Ni(OH)2 to NiO were investigated by a variety , of experimental approaches including gas adsorption, heats of immersion and diffuse ir reflectance. The N~(OHh samples were prepared by bubbling ammonia gas through a Ni(N03)2 solution at different temperatures. Ni(OHh is relatively hydrophobic while NiO is completely hydrophilic. A relatiQIIlShip was estabhlshed between the specific surface areas of rthe parent Ni(OH)2 and Its decomposition product NiO which supports a mechanism of dehydration at 200 °c involving separation along the hexagona~ planes. This mechanism was confirmed by electron micrographs during decomposmon of Ni(OHh to NiO. Gravimetric studies of the decomposition of Ni(OH)2 at 200 °c iindicated that approximately 14°/o of the hydroxyl groups are not removed. Diffuse ir reflectance studies showed that surface hydroxyls were not removed. Physical adsorption of water vapor on Ni(OHh as a function of surface area supports the hypo·thesis that the basal planes are hydrophobic and the crystal edges are hydrophilic

Halogen-bonded cocrystallization with phosphorus, arsenic and antimony acceptors

Halogen bonding can be exploited for the design of functional supramolecular materials, but heavier elements that are known to accept a halogen bond remain limited. Here, the authors demonstrate the formation of two-component cocrystals based on halogen bonds with phosphorus, arsenic and antimony

Research on the effectiveness and tolerability of vaginal administration of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus in women with symptoms of colpitis

Probiotici su živi mikroorganizmi koji primijenjeni u dostatnoj količini mijenjaju sastav i metaboličku aktivnost mikroflore ili utječu na imunološki sustav što djeluje povoljno na zdravlje čovjeka. Lactobacillus acidophilus je najbolje proučena acidofilna bakterija koju prirodno nalazimo u jogurtu i acidofilnom mlijeku. Cilj ovog ispitivanja je bio istražiti djelotvornost i podnošljivost vaginalne primjene probiotika Lactobacillus acidophilus u bolesnica sa simptomima kolpitisa. U ovom prospektivnom ispitivanju djelotvornosti i podnošljivosti sedmodnevne primjene Lactobacillus acidophilus solucije za vaginalnu primjenu u žena s kolpitisom – probiotik Lactobacillus acidophilus se pokazao djelotvoran s obzirom da je 42 od ukupno 50 liječenih žena bilo klinički izliječeno. Klinički uspjeh bio je češći u žena iznad 50 godina starosti, te u žena koje su imale simptome iritacije i svrbeža. Lactobacillus acidophilus solucija za vaginalnu primjenu se pokazala izrazito podnošljiva s obzirom da niti jedna od 50 liječenih žena nije imala nuspojave liječenja.Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, change the structure and metabolic activity of human microflora or affect the immune system in a way beneficial for human health. Lactobacillus acidophilus is the most studied acidophilus bacteria that is naturally found in yogurt and acidophilus milk. The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness and tolerability of vaginal administration of probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus in patients with symptoms of colpitis. In this prospective research on the efficacy and tolerability of Lactobacillus acidophilus vaginal solution used for 7 days in women with colpitis – probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus has proved effective in 42 out of 50 treated women. Clinical success was more common in women over 50 years of age and in women with symptoms of irritation and pruritis. Lactobacillus acidophilus vaginal solution has proved especially tolerable since not one among 50 treated women experienced treatmant side effects

High-throughput discrimination of bacteria isolated from Astacus astacus and A. leptodactylus

Bacterial diseases and pathogens of crayfish are common, widespread, and occasionally causing serious mortalities. In order to take rapid measures for correct treatment of crayfish diseases, the turnover time and accuracy in bacterial identification is an issue. Bacteria isolated from tissues of apparently healthy Astacus astacus and A. leptodactylus were identified by the commercial phenotypic tests (API 20E) and by the matrix assisted laser induced desorption ionization connected to the time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). For Gram-negative rods, API 20E resulted in fewer species identifications than MALDI-TOF MS (5.2% versus 52.61%). The most frequently identified genus from A. astacus and A. leptodactylus was Pseudomonas spp.: API 20E (47.82%) and MALDI-TOF MS (52.17%). Both systems identified 60.86% of total isolates identically to the genus. Hafnia alvei was the only isolate for which API 20E and MALDI-TOF MS had a concordant reading to the species. MALDI-TOF MS proved to be a powerful, low-cost, rapid tool in bacterial genus identification. This is the first report of a direct comparison between the two systems for the identification of bacteria in crayfish, and also the first report on using MALDI-TOF MS for discrimination of freshwater crayfish bacterial isolates