Evaluation of Quantipheron (QFN) SARS-CoV-2 in vaccinated and recovered individuals

Quantipheron (QFN) SARS-CoV-2 is a new test in which lymphocytes involved in cell immunity, in fully heparinized blood, are stimulated by combination of antigens specific for SARS-CoV-2. QFN SARS-CoV-2 is interferon gamma release assay (IGRA)

Effect of foliar fertilization on cv. Istrian Malvasia (Vitis vinifera L.) must on basic chemical composition

\u27Malvazija istarska\u27 (Vitis vinifera L.) jedna je od najznačajnijih bijelih sorata u Hrvatskoj. Njezina kvaliteta prepoznata je kako u Hrvatskoj, tako i u cijelom svijetu. Stoga se domaći proizvođači sve češće odlučuju za proizvodnju vina i pjenušaca iz ove sorte. Mošt za proizvodnju baznoga vina za pjenušce po svome sastavu trebao bi zadovoljavati svojstva kao što su niža pH vrijednost i sadržaj šećera, te viši sadržaj ukupne kiselosti s većim udjelom vinske kiseline, naspram jabučne. S obzirom da se \u27Malvazija istarska\u27 uzgaja pretežito u Istri, gdje je klima mediteranska, a najzastupljenije tlo crvenica teško je zadovoljiti sva navedena svojstva, posebice u suhim i vrućim godinama. Stoga, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi mogućnost pozitivnog djelovanja folijarne gnojidbe na navedena svojstva. Pokus je postavljen na sorti Malvazija istarska na podlozi SO4 2013. s četiri gnojidbena tretmana (T1- NPK, T2 - NPK + Agromag 6L (6% MgO), T3 - NPK + Agromag 6L + Fosforo 30L (30% P2O5) i T4 - NPK + Agromag 6L + Fosforo 30L + Bio Prot) u tri ponavljanja po slučajnom bloknom rasporedu (RCBD). Sveukupno određena pH vrijednost u moštu kretala se od 3,02 do 3,29, ukupna kiselost u moštu od 7,80 do 9,03 g/L, a sadržaj šećera od 76,00 – 81,00 °Oe. Najveća utvrđena koncentracija vinska kiselina bila je 4,49 g/l u tretmanu T3, koji je imao i najnižu utvrđenu koncentraciju jabučne kiseline 1,40 g/L. Značajan pozitivan utjecaj na sva svojstva imao je tretman T4.Istrian Malvasia\u27 (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the most important white varieties in Croatia. Its quality is recognized in Croatia as well as in the whole world. Therefore, producers are increasingly choosing to produce wine and sparkling wine from this variety. The must of base wine for sparkling wine in its composition should satisfy characteristics such as lower pH and sugar content and higher total acidity with higher tartaric acid than malic acid content. Due to the fact that Istrian Malvasia is grown mainly in Istria, where the climate is Mediterranean, and the most widespread soil is red soil, it is difficult to satisfy all the above characteristics, especially in dry and hot years. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the possibility of a positive effect of foliar fertilization on these properties. The present reserch was set on Istrian Malvasia variety on rootstock SO4 in 2013 with four fertilization treatments (T1 - NPK, T2 - NPK + Agromag 6L (6% MgO), T3 - NPK + Agromag 6L + Phosphorus 30L (30% P2O5) and T4 - NPK + Agromag 6L + Phosphorus 30L + Bio PROT) in three replicates per randomized complete block design (RCBD). Overall, must pH values varied from 3.02 to 3.29, total acidity in the must ranged from 7.80 to 9.03 g/L, while the sugar content from 76.00 to 81.00 ° Oe. The highest determined concentration of tartaric acid was 4.49 g / l in the T3 treatment, which also had the lowest determined concentration of malic acid 1.40 g / L. Treatment T4 had a significant positive effect on all properties

Zeolite A Synthesis under Dynamic Conditions, after Hydrogel Ageing

Zeolites are crystalline, microporous, alumo-silicate materials (around 400 types) which are used in many applications. Each field of usage (catalysis, ion exchange, sorption, molecular sieving, etc.) has demands regarding crystals’ structural and particulate properties. Detailed understanding of the mechanisms of crystals’ formation and growth enables the control of these properties. Hydrogels of the starting composition 3.2 Na2O × 2 SiO2 × 1.05 Al2O3 × 250 H2O were heated in stainless steel reactor at 80 °C under dynamic conditions, after ageing for tA = 0–209 h at 25 °C. Solid phase samples were characterized using microscopy (OM, SEM), PXRD and laser light scattering (LLS). Specific number of zeolite A crystals was calculated from particle size distributions. It was shown that the some particulate properties: specific number of crystals and crystal size distribution, are changing towards higher number of crystals and wider size distribution while the morphology of the crystals remains the same. Also, the crystal growth rate is higher in the systems which are treated under dynamic conditions. Obtained results were compared with data of systems crystallized under static conditions and commented on the grounds of the autocatalytic nucleation theory. (doi: 10.5562/cca2055

Aminokiselinski sastav mošta nekih sorata vinove loze (Vitis vinifera L.) Hrvatske

Free amino acids in grape juice are important as nitrogen source for yeast strains during alcoholic fermentation. The aim of this research was to determine amino acid profiles in musts from nine grapevine cultivars (six white and three red). The cultivars were located in a homogeneous soil and climatic zone of Bilogora growing hill (West continental region, Prigorje–bilogora subregion), grown on the same training system. The experiment was conducted in vintage 2015. The results showed significant influence of grape cultivar on the amino acids composition in musts of white and red grape cultivars. Arginine was dominant in most analyzed varieties of amino acids. The highest concentration of arginine in white cultivars was measured in Chardonnay must (470.18 mg/L) and in red cultivar must from Saint Laurent (280.65 mg/L). Statistically significant difference was also found in the total amino acid composition of white and red cultivars. The highest concentration of total amino acids in white cultivars was determined in Manzoni juice (1639.51 mg/L) and among the red cultivars in Pinot noir juice (1173.12 mg/L).Slobodne aminokiseline u moštu su važan izvor dušika za kvasce tijekom alkoholne fermentacije. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je odrediti aminokiselinski profil mošteva devet sorata vinove loze (šest bijelih i tri crne). Sorte vinove loze zasađene su u ujednačenim uvjetima tla i klime vinogorja Bilogora (Regija Kontinentalne Hrvatske, podregija Prigorje-bilogora) te su imale iste agrotehničke uvjete uzgoja. Pokus je postavljen 2015. godine. Rezultati su pokazali signifikantan utjecaj sorte na aminokiselinski sastav u moštevima bijelih i crnih sorti. Najzastupljenija aminokiselina u moštevima devet sorata vinove loze bila je arginin. Najveća koncentracija arginina kod bijelih sorata bila je u moštu Chardonnay (470,18 mg/l), a kod crnih sorata u moštu Lovrijenca (280,65 mg/l). Statistički značajne razlike nađene su između koncentracije ukupnih aminokiselina bijelih i crnih sorata. Najveća koncentracija ukupnih aminokiselina kod bijelih sorata bila je u moštu sorte Manzoni (1639,51 mg/l), a kod crnih sorata u moštu sorte Pinot crni (1173,12 mg/l

Persistent left-sided pleural effusion – rare manifestation of iatrogenic pulmonary vein stenosis

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a method of choice for treating patients with paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillation (AFib) refractory to antiarrhythmics. Pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) is a rare complication of RF ablation that occurs in 1-3%. Patients may be asymptomatic, or present with dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and chest pain

Tuning zeolite properties for highly efficient synthesis of propylene from methanol

Series of nanosized ZSM-5 samples is synthesized at 170 °C, 150 °C, 120 °C and 100 °C. Experimental data show that the decrease of crystallization temperature leads to significant changes in zeolite properties. Crystals synthesized at 100 °C exhibit many framework defects with lower acid sites density, strength and larger external surface area. The selectivity to light olefins and the propylene-to-ethylene ratio increases as the crystallization temperature decreases. Propylene-to-ethylene ratio above 6 with the highest selectivity to propylene of 53 % is obtained over ZSM-5 catalyst prepared at 100 °C. Stability of the nanosized zeolite in MTO is also improved compared to industrial sample with similar Si/Al ratio. This catalytic performance is a result of the decrease in the acid sites density, strength and the crystals’ size, providing shorter diffusion path and larger external surface area. The presence of structural defects and different external surface are of the crystals has been shown to play an important role in the MTO catalyst performance

Effects of prestorage heat treatments on Satsuma mandarin fruits (Citrus unshiu Marc., cv. Owari) quality after storage

Istraživan je utjecaj toplinskih predtretmana potapanjem plodova u toplu vodu na 48°C (HWD 48) i 52°C (HWD 52) te kontrole (izostanak predtretmana) na kakvoću plodova mandarine (Citrus unshiu Marc., cv. Owari) nakon 8 tjedana skladištenja na temperaturi od 1 oC. Dobiveni rezultati upućuju da je kod plodova tretiranih toplom vodom došlo do manjeg gubitka na težini u odnosu na kontrolu, a utvrđen je signifikantan utjecaj predtretmana na kakvoću plodova. Boljim predtretmanom se pokazao HWD 48 čijom su se primjenom postigli najmaji gubitci plodova na težini, a zadržala zadovoljavajuća kakvoća.Influence of hot water dipping pre-treatments at 48°C (HWD 48) and 52°C (HWD 52) on Satsuma mandarin fruits (Citrus unshiu Marc., cv. Owari) quality was studied. Measurements of fruit weight loss and basic chemical parameters of fruit quality were carried out after 8 weeks of storage at 1°C temperature. Obtained results indicate that fruits treated by hot water dips underwent a smaller weight loss than those not treated – the control fruits. Besides, a significant impact of applied pre-treatments on fruit quality was found. It was demonstrated that better pre-treatment was HWD 48 by whose utilization mandarin fruits underwent the smallest weight loss and at the same time maintained satisfactory quality