Contact allergy and sociodemographic characteristics

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of positive patch test reaction to different contact allergens according to patients age, sex, occupation and clinical features. Between 1999 and 2003, patch testing was performed in 3,293 patients with respective clinical diagnoses. Patch testing was done by the standard technique proposed by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group (ICDRG). Study results showed statistically significant differences in patch test response according to sex and age for three allergens (cobalt chloride, nickel sulphate and thiomersal); according to occupation for nine allergens (cobalt chloride, nickel sulphate, balsam of Peru, fragrance mix, thiuram mix, wood tars, neomycin sulphate, thiomersal and detergents), and clinical diagnosis for two allergens (nickel sulphate, and wood tars). The most common and relevant allergens were: nickel sulphate, cobalt chloride and carba mix. They were found in all examinees regardless of age, s! ex, occupation and diagnoses. The increased awareness of allergens and their potential sources may help to limit the usage of these chemicals in manufacture of consumer products

Agricultural Potential for Biogas Production in Croatia

Biogas is renewable energy source with strong local character as its production depends on availability and type of feedstock at a certain location. Utilisation of slurry, manure and beddings from cattle, pig, horse, poultry and other animal breeding together with energy rich substrates such as crops and other organic materials as biogas substrates creates an interesting option both from technical and economic perspective. Other materials suitable for anaerobic digestion are comprised of various residues from agriculture (crops and vegetables), residues from food processing industry and energy crops (maize silage, grass and similar). Primary reason for biogas production is economic gain from energy production and/or organic waste management that adds value to agriculture and food processing residues that would otherwise be treated as waste. The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of biogas production potential of Croatia at the level of statistical administrative units NUTS1 and NUTS2, excluding energy crops growing and agro-food imports but including the seasonality of substrate availability

Cryptosporidium infekcija kod sisančadi, zalučene i prasadi posle zalučenja i krmača na području Beograda

The study of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in pigs was carried out in a rural area in the Belgrade district. Nursing, weaning and post-weaned piglets and sows kept in intensive breeding conditions were examined using two coprological procedures. Sheather’s sugar flotation was employed for concentration of oocysts. A modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique was used as the staining procedure. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in 45.5% nursing, weaning and post-weaned piglets aged up to 3 months, in 32.8% post-weaned piglets aged 3 to 12 months and 15.5% sows older than 12 months. The highest prevalence of positive animals was detected among the weaning and post-weaned piglets aged 30 to 90 days (62.5%). All of the nursing piglets, positive for Cryptosporidium infection, had diarrhea. In post-weaned piglets (aged 3 to 12 months) and adult pigs Cryptosporidium infection was asymptomatic. Adult asymptomatic carriers may play an important role as a source of infection. These findings indicate the potential role of such pigs as reservoirs of cryptosporidia for young piglets, other livestock and humans.Istraživanje raširenosti Cryptosporidium infekcije kod svinja sprovedeno je u ruralnom području Beograda. Ispitivanje je obavljeno kod sisančadi zalučene prasadi, prasadi posle zalučenja i krmača u intenzivnom uzgoju. Korišćene su dve koprološke metode. Flotacija po Sheatheru korišćena je za koncentraciju oocista a modifikovana Ziehl-Neelsen tehnika kao metoda bojenja. Cryptosporidium oociste ustanovljene su kod 45,5% sisančadi zalučene i prasadi posle zalučenja stare do 3 meseca, 32,8% prasadi posle zalučenja stare 3 do 12 meseci i 15,5% krmača starijih od 12 meseci. Najviše pozitivnih jedinki ustanovljeno je kod zalučene i prasadi posle zalučenja stare 30 do 90 dana (62,5%). Sva sisančad, pozitivna na kriptosporidije imala su dijareju. Kod prasadi posle zalučenja (stare 3 do 12 meseci) i odraslih svinja Cryptosporidium infekcija bila je asimptomatska. Odrasli asimptomatski nosioci mogu da imaju značajnu ulogu kao izvori infekcije. Ovi nalazi ukazuju na potencijalnu ulogu ovih svinja kao rezervoara kriptosporidija za mladu prasad, druge životinje i ljude

Lumbricidae as transitory hosts in Metastrongylus infection in swine

Metastrongylidosis or lungworm disease in swine is a disease caused by several types of nematodes of the genus Metastrongylus. Metastrongylidae are biohelminths whose causes use transitory hosts for their development and maintaining their biological cycle, and in this case they are numerous species of Lumbricidae (earthworms). Depending on the geographic environment, numerous representatives of Lumbricidae persist as transitory hosts. In our environment, these are dominant earthworm species of the genus Eisenia spp, Dandreobena spp, Allopbophora spp, Lubricus spp, Octoiasium spp, Bimastus spp, and rarely those from the genus Heledrillus spp. Swine are infected perorally with Metastrongylidae when they ingest infected earthworms

THE INFLUENCE OF NONIONIZED AMMONIA CONCENTRATION ON RAINBOW TROUT FINGERLINGS KNIN FISH FARM

Prikazan je način laboratorijskog ispitivanja ukupnog amonijaka i iz toga određivanje neioniziranog amonijaka koji je toksičan za ribe. Koncentracija neioniziranog amonijaka od samo 0,003 mg/l u uvjetima koji vladaju u ovoj vodi izazivala je usporenje rasta, a koncentracija od 0,004 mg/l poremećaje središnjeg živčanog sustava. Te su koncentracije daleko ispod kriterija AGENCIJE ZA ZAŠTITU OKOLINE (SAD) koji propisuju najveću dopuštenu koncentraciju amonijaka za salmonide. Ekskrecija amonijaka uglavnom ovisi o količini pojedene hrane, ali je podložna velikim oscilacijama u tijeku dana i po satu, a također ovisi i o koncentraciji kisika.The method of laboratory testings of total ammonia has been shown in this paper so that nonionized ammonia which is toxic to the fish, can be determined. The concentration of only 0,003 mg/l of nonionized ammonia in this water slowed the growth, while the concentration of 0,004 mg/l resulted in central nervous system disorders. The concentrations are well bellow the limit of USA Environment Protection Agency for sal-monids. The excretion of ammonia mainly depends on the quantity of consumed food but it is subject to large oscillations in the course of the day and hour and it also dependse on concentration of oxygen

Soil dehydrogenase activity and organic carbon as affected by management system

Tillage and agrochemicals negatively affect soil organic matter (SOM) content and microbial activity. Intense cultivation of the Nadin valley began in the 1950s after hydro melioration. Our objective was to assess the microbial activity and SOM and to propose the improvements in soil management. Samples were collected according to randomized stratified design from organic (O) and conventional (C) plowed agricultural soils, from natural grass vegetation soils (G) and from abandoned vineyard soils (A). Dehydrogenases activity (DHA) and soil moisture were analyzed at 6 cm increments and C (total, organic and inorganic) and total N were analyzed at 2 cm increments, both to the depth of 18 cm. DHA was higher in G and in A than in C or O. DHA decreased with depth from 0-6 cm to 6-12 cm and 12-18 cm depth. Soil water content was higher in O than in C or G. Soils contained 67±16 mg/g total carbon (organic + carbonate), 17±8.0 mg/g organic carbon, and 1.5±0.49 mg/g total soil nitrogen (organic and inorganic). Soils were carbonate-rich with 42±13% CaCO3. C:N ratio was approximately 12:1. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) positively correlated to DHA, regardless of the soil management. Principal component analysis showed soil grouping based mainly on the position in landscape and not based on management. Results showed that higher inputs of organic matter in agricultural soils would increase enzymatic activity, and shallow chisel plowing conserves soil water content

Contact Allergy and Sociodemographic Characteristics

The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of positive patch test reaction to different contact allergens according to patients age, sex, occupation and clinical features. Between 1999 and 2003, patch testing was performed in 3,293 patients with respective clinical diagnoses. Patch testing was done by the standard technique proposed by the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group (ICDRG). Study results showed statistically significant differences in patch test response according to sex and age for three allergens (cobalt chloride, nickel sulphate and thiomersal); according to occupation for nine allergens (cobalt chloride, nickel sulphate, balsam of Peru, fragrance mix, thiuram mix, wood tars, neomycin sulphate, thiomersal and detergents), and clinical diagnosis for two allergens (nickel sulphate, and wood tars). The most common and relevant allergens were: nickel sulphate, cobalt chloride and carba mix. They were found in all examinees regardless of age, sex, occupation and diagnoses. The increased awareness of allergens and their potential sources may help to limit the usage of these chemicals in manufacture of consumer product