Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of northwestern and western Crete (Greece) in early July, with the finding of new larval host plant for Lampides boeticus: Surveying the distribution of diurnal butterflies of western Crete

During the summer of 2021 northwestern and western areas of the Greek island of Crete were surveyed, in order to confirm certain observations of the diurnal butterfly fauna of the island. Research was focused especially on the unsurveyed north-western parts of the island, as well as surveying the species that are extending their areal (Cacyreus marshalli (Butler), Lampides boeticus (L.)). From 47 species reported from the island, 23 were observed. The surveys were all carried out during an especially hot and dry weather period (30-37 °C), between 30th of June and 6th of July. Additionally, a new larval host plant for L. boeticus was confirmed, as oviposition of females on Campsis radicans (Seem.) was observed on several occasions

Encapsulation of Bilberry Extract with Maltodextrin and Gum Arabic by Freeze-Drying: Formulation, Characterisation, and Storage Stability

Anthocyanins are polyphenolic plant pigments associated with antioxidant and health-promoting properties. However, their application in the food industry is limited due to their poor stability. The purpose of this study was to encapsulate anthocyanin-rich bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) extract by freeze-drying and to investigate the effects of different wall materials and extract contents on the physicochemical and bioactive properties of the obtained encapsulates. Ethanolic bilberry extract was encapsulated with the use of maltodextrin (16.5–19.5 DE) (MD), gum Arabic (GA), and their combination in a 1:1 w/w ratio (MIX). Bilberry solids to wall material ratios were examined at 20:80, 30:70, and 40:60. All encapsulates showed an attractive red colour and low water activity values (aw ≤ 0.3) that indicated a low risk of microbial spoilage. In general, the biggest losses of total phenolic compounds and anthocyanins during three-week storage in the dark and at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C) were detected in the case of encapsulates with a higher content of bilberry extract (MIX30 and MIX40, and GA30 and GA40, respectively). The use of maltodextrin provided the best protection to bilberry anthocyanins during forced storage. Overall, the obtained encapsulates show suitable potential for the development of food products with added nutritional benefits

Feminism, trans rights and the left in Serbia and Croatia

Rad obrađuje sukob unutar feminističke zajednice koji je nastao zbog pokušaja isključivanja trans žena iz feminističkog pokreta uz tvrdnje da su interesi i ciljevi trans aktivizma u suprotnosti sa pravima cis žena. Trans-isključujuće feministkinje pri tome označavaju trans žene kao navodne prijetnje fizičkoj sigurnosti cis žena, dok trans muškarce smatraju pasivnim žrtvama patrijarhalnog ugnjetavanja cis žena. Središnje mjesto u sukobu zauzima pitanje međuodnosa koncepata spola i roda, čijem rješavanju uvelike doprinosi Judith Butler. Slična situacija kao na Zapadu prisutna je također u feminističkoj zajednici Srbije i Hrvatske gdje nakon izbora trans-isključujuće izvršne direktorice Centra za ženske studije u Zagrebu u prosincu 2020. godine dolazi do jačanja sukoba. Unatoč vlastitim pokušajima primjene marksističke analize, trans-isključujuće radikalne feministkinje svojim tumačenjima spola kao nepromjenjive biološke/materijalne činjenice zauzimaju stajalište konzervativnih aktera. Trans-uključujuće feministkinje i LGBTIQ+ organizacije pokazuju da cis žene i trans osobe dijele zajedničke interese u borbi protiv patrijarhata i kapitalizma.The paper explores the re-emerging conflict within feminist community revolving around the attempts to exclude trans women from the feminist movement. Feminists advocating for the trans exclusion claim that trans women’s interests and goals are allegedly in conflict with cis women's rights. Trans-exclusionary feminists label trans women as threat to cis women's physical safety, while trans men are being viewed as passive victims of the patriarchal oppression of cis women. The central question in the conflict is the relationship between sex and gender, greatly influenced by the work of Judith Butler. A similar situation to that seen in the West is currently present in Serbia and Croatia, where the conflict has become more intensified following the appointment of trans-exclusionary feminist as a new executive director at the Zagreb’s Centre for Women’s Studies in December 2020. Despite their attempts of employing a Marxist analysis, which include the interpretation of sex as an immutable biological/material fact, trans-exclusionary radical feminists find themselves sharing the same position as conservative actors. Trans-inclusionary feminists and LGBTIQ+ organizations are showing that cis women and trans persons have the same interests in the struggle against patriarchy and capitalism

Feminism, trans rights and the left in Serbia and Croatia

Rad obrađuje sukob unutar feminističke zajednice koji je nastao zbog pokušaja isključivanja trans žena iz feminističkog pokreta uz tvrdnje da su interesi i ciljevi trans aktivizma u suprotnosti sa pravima cis žena. Trans-isključujuće feministkinje pri tome označavaju trans žene kao navodne prijetnje fizičkoj sigurnosti cis žena, dok trans muškarce smatraju pasivnim žrtvama patrijarhalnog ugnjetavanja cis žena. Središnje mjesto u sukobu zauzima pitanje međuodnosa koncepata spola i roda, čijem rješavanju uvelike doprinosi Judith Butler. Slična situacija kao na Zapadu prisutna je također u feminističkoj zajednici Srbije i Hrvatske gdje nakon izbora trans-isključujuće izvršne direktorice Centra za ženske studije u Zagrebu u prosincu 2020. godine dolazi do jačanja sukoba. Unatoč vlastitim pokušajima primjene marksističke analize, trans-isključujuće radikalne feministkinje svojim tumačenjima spola kao nepromjenjive biološke/materijalne činjenice zauzimaju stajalište konzervativnih aktera. Trans-uključujuće feministkinje i LGBTIQ+ organizacije pokazuju da cis žene i trans osobe dijele zajedničke interese u borbi protiv patrijarhata i kapitalizma.The paper explores the re-emerging conflict within feminist community revolving around the attempts to exclude trans women from the feminist movement. Feminists advocating for the trans exclusion claim that trans women’s interests and goals are allegedly in conflict with cis women's rights. Trans-exclusionary feminists label trans women as threat to cis women's physical safety, while trans men are being viewed as passive victims of the patriarchal oppression of cis women. The central question in the conflict is the relationship between sex and gender, greatly influenced by the work of Judith Butler. A similar situation to that seen in the West is currently present in Serbia and Croatia, where the conflict has become more intensified following the appointment of trans-exclusionary feminist as a new executive director at the Zagreb’s Centre for Women’s Studies in December 2020. Despite their attempts of employing a Marxist analysis, which include the interpretation of sex as an immutable biological/material fact, trans-exclusionary radical feminists find themselves sharing the same position as conservative actors. Trans-inclusionary feminists and LGBTIQ+ organizations are showing that cis women and trans persons have the same interests in the struggle against patriarchy and capitalism

Preparation of water-soluble propolis and study of the mechanisms of its action in model aqueous and lipid systems

Propolis je lipofilna, lepljiva snov znana po svoji močni biološki aktivnosti. Že stoletja se uporablja v medicini, a je njegova uporaba omejena zaradi močnega okusa in arome, netopnosti v vodi in slabega izkoristka med obdelavo. Večino njegovih omejitev lahko rešimo s kapsulacijo v različne polisaharidne nosilce, predvsem z metodama liofilizacije in sušenja z razprševanjem. Z optimizacijo postopka kapsulacije propolisovega ekstrakta smo pridobili vodotopne propolisove mikrodelce, ki ne vsebujejo organskih topil, imajo močno biološko aktivnost, dobro stabilnost, med preprosto pripravo pa smo minimalizirali izgube pomembnih molekul v njih. Za pripravo vzorcev se je kot najboljša metoda izkazala liofilizacija. V nadaljevanju smo primerjali aktivnost mikrodelcev s propolisovim ekstraktom. Raziskave so pokazale, da imajo tako mikrodelci kot propolisov ekstrakt dobre antioksidativne lastnosti, ki so v primeru mikrodelcev boljše v olju (sončnično, ribje), v primeru ekstrakta pa v liposomih. Propolisov ekstrakt je imel tudi boljše protibakterijsko delovanje in večji vpliv na temperaturo faznega prehoda lipidnega dvosloja. Da smo dokazali sinergistične učinke polifenolov v propolisu, smo pripravili mešanice s petimi izbranimi polifenoli (( ) epigalokatehin-3-galat (EGCG), krizin, kvercetin, kavna kislina, trans-ferulna kislina) in preverili njihov vpliv na lipidni dvosloj. Izkazalo se je, da nekatere kombinacije kažejo sinergistično, druge pa antagonistično delovanje. Na koncu smo s pomočjo mikroskopije, diferenčne dinamične kalorimetrije in izotermne titracijske kalorimetrije dokazali tudi, da je vpliv EGCG na temperaturo faznega prehoda dvosloja posledica različne agregacije liposomov, ki je odvisna od koncentracije EGCG v raztopini.Propolis is a lipophilic, sticky substance known for its strong biological activity. It has been used in medicine for centuries, but has limited use due to its strong taste and aroma, insolubility in water, and poor yield during processing. Most of its limitations can be omitted by encapsulation in various polysaccharide carriers, mainly using lyophilization and spray-drying. By optimizing the propolis extract encapsulation process, we obtained a water-soluble propolis powders/microparticles that do not contain organic solvents, have strong biological activity and good stability, while we also minimized losses during the procedure. Lyophilization proved to be the best method for encapsulation. In the following, we compared the activity of encapsulated samples with propolis extract. The results proved that both samples of propolis have good antioxidant properties, microparticles excelling in oil (sunflower, fish), and extract in liposomes. Propolis extract also displayed stronger antibacterial activity and had greater influence on the temperature of the phase transition of lipid bilayers. In order to prove the synergistic effects of compounds in propolis, we prepared mixtures of five selected polyphenols ((-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), chrysin, quercetin, caffeic acid, trans-ferulic acid) and studied their influence on the bilayer. Some combinations displayed synergistic, while others displayed antagonistic effects. Finally, using microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and isothermal titration calorimetry, we proved that the effect of EGCG on the temperature of the bilayer’s phase transition is the result of liposomal aggregation, which depends on the concentration of EGCG in the solution

Physiological growth limits and description of the chosen enzyme activities of four species of fungi from the orderAureobasidium

V nalogi smo preučevali fiziološke meje rasti in encimske aktivnosti štirih vrst črnih kvasovk iz rodu Aureobasidium (A. pullulans, A. melanogenum, A. subglaciale in A. namibiae). Zanimale so nas fiziološke meje rasti pri različnih temperaturah (0-42 °C) in koncentracijah soli (0-20 %) na trdnih agarnih gojiščih z glukozo ter encimske aktivnosti na različnih trdnih in tekočih gojiščih s kompleksnimi viri ogljika (ksilan, škrob, pektin, lignin, naftalen, celuloza, hitin, kazein, tributirin, taninska kislina, Tween-80). Po določitvi optimumov za posamezno vrsto smo preverjali encimske aktivnosti preučevanih vrst za posamezne kompleksne vire ogljika na trdnih in v tekočih gojiščih, pri slednjih s pomočjo barvila resazurin. Ugotovili smo, da kvasovke lahko rastejo pri koncentraciji do 19 % (m/V) NaCl (A. pullulans) in temperaturah med 0 °C (A. pullulans, A. subglaciale, A. namibiae) in 37 °C (A. melanogenum). Najboljše encimske aktivnosti smo zaznali pri gojiščih s ksilanom, ki so jim sledila gojišča s pektinom, škrobom in kazeinom. Rasti kvasovk ni bilo v gojiščih s hitinom in naftalenom. Na koncu smo s primerjavo proteinskih zaporedij izbranih vrst z zaporedji referenčnih sevov še potrdili obstoj genskih zapisov encimov za razgradnjo nekaterih substratov. Z nalogo smo določili temperaturne meje rasti in toleranco na NaCl ter vzpostavili metodo za nadaljnje raziskave vrst rodu Aureobasidium s pomočjo barvila resazurinWe have examined physiological growth limits and enzymatic activity of four species of black yeasts from the genus Aureobasidium (A. pullulans, A. melanogenum, A. subglaciale, A. namibiae). We have determined the growth limits on a solid agar media with glucose at two different variables, temperature (0-42 °C) and salt concentration (0-20 %) and examined enzymatic activity on solid and liquid culture media containing complex carbon sources (xylan, starch, pectin, lignin, naphtalene, celulose, chitin, casein, tributyrin, tanic acid, Tween 80). After the determination of growth limits we have checked enzymatic activity on solid and in liquid media, also by using resazurin dye in liquid media. We have found that yeasts can grow at salt concentrations to up to 19 % NaCl (A. pullulans) and the temperatures between 0 °C (A. pullulans, A. subglaciale, A. namibiae) and 37 °C (A. melanogenum). The highest enzyme activity was detected in the culture media containing xylan, pectin, starch and casein. The growth of yeasts did not occur in media with chitin and naphthalene. At the end we confirmed existence of some of the selected enzymes by comparing protein sequences of studied species with protein sequences from selected reference strains. This study characterized the temperature growth limits and tolerance to NaCl as well as optimized the resazurin dye method for further researches on species from the genus Aureobasidium

Feminism, trans rights and the left in Serbia and Croatia

Rad obrađuje sukob unutar feminističke zajednice koji je nastao zbog pokušaja isključivanja trans žena iz feminističkog pokreta uz tvrdnje da su interesi i ciljevi trans aktivizma u suprotnosti sa pravima cis žena. Trans-isključujuće feministkinje pri tome označavaju trans žene kao navodne prijetnje fizičkoj sigurnosti cis žena, dok trans muškarce smatraju pasivnim žrtvama patrijarhalnog ugnjetavanja cis žena. Središnje mjesto u sukobu zauzima pitanje međuodnosa koncepata spola i roda, čijem rješavanju uvelike doprinosi Judith Butler. Slična situacija kao na Zapadu prisutna je također u feminističkoj zajednici Srbije i Hrvatske gdje nakon izbora trans-isključujuće izvršne direktorice Centra za ženske studije u Zagrebu u prosincu 2020. godine dolazi do jačanja sukoba. Unatoč vlastitim pokušajima primjene marksističke analize, trans-isključujuće radikalne feministkinje svojim tumačenjima spola kao nepromjenjive biološke/materijalne činjenice zauzimaju stajalište konzervativnih aktera. Trans-uključujuće feministkinje i LGBTIQ+ organizacije pokazuju da cis žene i trans osobe dijele zajedničke interese u borbi protiv patrijarhata i kapitalizma.The paper explores the re-emerging conflict within feminist community revolving around the attempts to exclude trans women from the feminist movement. Feminists advocating for the trans exclusion claim that trans women’s interests and goals are allegedly in conflict with cis women's rights. Trans-exclusionary feminists label trans women as threat to cis women's physical safety, while trans men are being viewed as passive victims of the patriarchal oppression of cis women. The central question in the conflict is the relationship between sex and gender, greatly influenced by the work of Judith Butler. A similar situation to that seen in the West is currently present in Serbia and Croatia, where the conflict has become more intensified following the appointment of trans-exclusionary feminist as a new executive director at the Zagreb’s Centre for Women’s Studies in December 2020. Despite their attempts of employing a Marxist analysis, which include the interpretation of sex as an immutable biological/material fact, trans-exclusionary radical feminists find themselves sharing the same position as conservative actors. Trans-inclusionary feminists and LGBTIQ+ organizations are showing that cis women and trans persons have the same interests in the struggle against patriarchy and capitalism

Basic methods for preparation of liposomes and studying their interactions with different compounds, with the emphasis on polyphenols

Studying the interactions between lipid membranes and various bioactive molecules (e.g., polyphenols) is important for determining the effects they can have on the functionality of lipid bilayers. This knowledge allows us to use the chosen compounds as potential inhibitors of bacterial and cancer cells, for elimination of viruses, or simply for keeping our healthy cells in good condition. As studying those effect can be exceedingly difficult on living cells, model lipid membranes, such as liposomes, can be used instead. Liposomal bilayer systems represent the most basic platform for studying those interactions, as they are simple, quite easy to prepare and relatively stable. They are especially useful for investigating the effects of bioactive compounds on the structure and kinetics of simple lipid membranes. In this review, we have described the most basic methods available for preparation of liposomes, as well as the essential techniques for studying the effects of bioactive compounds on those liposomes. Additionally, we have provided details for an easy laboratory implementation of some of the described methods, which should prove useful especially to those relatively new on this research field

Comparing the Effects of Encapsulated and Non-Encapsulated Propolis Extracts on Model Lipid Membranes and Lactic Bacteria, with Emphasis on the Synergistic Effects of Its Various Compounds

Propolis is a resinous compound made by bees with well-known biological activity. However, comparisons between encapsulated and non-encapsulated propolis are lacking. Therefore, the antibacterial activity, effect on the phase transition of lipids, and inhibition of UV-induced lipid oxidation of the two forms of propolis were compared. The results showed that non-encapsulated propolis produces quicker effects, thus being better suited when more immediate effects are required (e.g., antibacterial activity). In order to gain an in-depth introspective on these effects, we further studied the synergistic effect of propolis compounds on the integrity of lipid membranes. The knowledge of component synergism is important for the understanding of effective propolis pathways and for the perspective of modes of action of synergism between different polyphenols in various extracts. Thus, five representative molecules, all previously isolated from propolis (chrysin, quercetin, trans-ferulic acid, caffeic acid, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate) were mixed, and their synergistic effects on lipid bilayers were investigated, mainly using DSC. The results showed that some compounds (quercetin, chrysin) exhibit synergism, whereas others (caffeic acid, t-ferulic acid) do not show any such effects. The results also showed that the synergistic effects of mixtures composed from several different compounds are extremely complex to study, and that their prediction requires further modeling approaches

Effects of Hydrophobic Gold Nanoparticles on Structure and Fluidity of SOPC Lipid Membranes

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are promising candidates in various biomedical applications such as sensors, imaging, and cancer therapy. Understanding the influence of AuNPs on lipid membranes is important to assure their safety in the biological environment and to improve their scope in nanomedicine. In this regard, the present study aimed to analyze the effects of different concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2 wt.%) of dodecanethiol functionalized hydrophobic AuNPs on the structure and fluidity of zwitterionic 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (SOPC) lipid bilayer membranes using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and fluorescent spectroscopy. The size of AuNPs was found to be 2.2 ± 1.1 nm using transmission electron microscopy. FTIR results have shown that the AuNPs induced a slight shift in methylene stretching bands, while the band positions of carbonyl and phosphate group stretching were unaffected. Temperature-dependent fluorescent anisotropy measurements showed that the incorporation of AuNPs up to 2 wt.% did not affect the lipid order in membranes. Overall, these results indicate that the hydrophobic AuNPs in the studied concentration did not cause any significant alterations in the structure and membrane fluidity, which suggests the suitability of these particles to form liposome–AuNP hybrids for diverse biomedical applications including drug delivery and therapy