27 research outputs found
Advances in Desmuramyl Peptide Research
Immune adjuvants are added to vaccines in order to enhance the immune response to an antigen. Muramyl dipeptide,
N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine, is the smallest structural unit of peptidoglycans showing the immunostimulating activity. Muramyl dipeptide analogues without the hydrophilic N-acetylmuramyl moiety are called desmuramyl peptides. Here, we provide review of desmuramyl peptides which were synthesized in order to improve the pharmacological properties of parent muramyl dipeptide, including our results regarding adamantane containing derivatives. Approach for future design of novel immunostimulators based on multiple pathogen recognition receptor activation was also considered.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Je li sindrom izgaranja povezan sa zlostavljanjem starijih i nemoÄnih osoba u domovima: rezultati presjeÄnog istraživanja u medicinskih sestara i tehniÄara
As this issue has not yet been addressed in Croatia, our aim was to explore the presence of the burnout syndrome in nurses and see how it is related to their perception of elder mistreatment in nursing homes and extended care units. The burnout syndrome was assessed in 171 nursing professionals with a standardised Maslach Burnout Inventory for Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) for three dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA). High EE was reported by 43.9 %, high DP by 22.2 %, and low PA by 39.8 % of the respondents. Their perception of elder abuse and neglect was investigated with two self-completion questionnaires. The answers suggest that elder mistreatment in Croatian nursing homes and extended care units is more common than expected: 55 % witnessed shouting at a resident in anger, 43 % insulting and swearing at a resident, 42 % force-feeding the resident, 39 % ignoring a resident when they called, and 38 % neglecting to turn or move a resident to prevent pressure sores. We also established associations between a number of questionnaire items on perceived abuse and neglect and the burnout syndrome dimensions and determined the items that predicted the type and level of burnout in our respondents. One way to avoid the pitfalls that lead to abuse and neglect is education in schools and at work. We believe our research could contribute to this end.BuduÄi da ovaj problem dosad nije obraÄivan u Hrvatskoj, naÅ” je cilj bio istražiti postoji li povezanost izmeÄu sindroma izgaranja u medicinskih sestara/tehniÄara i njihove percepcije zlostavljanja starijih osoba u domovima za starije i nemoÄne te službama za produljeno lijeÄenje. U naÅ”em presjeÄnom istraživanju sudjelovala je 171 medicinska sestra i tehniÄar u kojih je sindrom izgaranja ispitan standardiziranim upitnikom Christine Maslach za struÄnjake pomagaÄkih zanimanja (MBI-HSS) te analiziran u tri dimenzije: emocionalna iscrpljenost (EI), depersonalizacija (DP) i osobno postignuÄe (OP). Visoka razina EI-ja pronaÄena je u 43,9 %, visoka razina DP u 22,2 %, a niska razina OP u 39,8 % ispitanika. Za ocjenjivanje percepcije zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja starijih osoba koriÅ”tena su dva dodatna upitnika, a rezultati upozoravaju na to da se zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje u hrvatskim domovima za starije i nemoÄne osobe viÄa ÄeÅ”Äe od oÄekivanog: 55 % ispitanika svjedoÄilo je vikanju na osobu starije dobi, 43 % vrijeÄanju i psovanju, 42 % nasilnom hranjenju, 39 % ignoriranju poziva osobe starije dobi, a 38 % odbijanju okretanja osobe starije dobi kako bi se sprijeÄili bolni pritisci. UoÄena je povezanost izmeÄu spomenutih dimenzija sindroma izgaranja s percepcijom nasilja nad starijim osoba te je pokazano da odreÄeni stavovi i zapažanja ispitanika u vezi sa zlostavljanjem i zanemarivanjem starijih osoba mogu predvidjeti poveÄanu ili smanjenu pripadnost trima dimenzijama sindroma izgaranja u naÅ”ih ispitanika. Adekvatna edukacija jedan je od naÄina kako izbjeÄi okidaÄe koji mogu dovesti do zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja starijih osoba, a vjerujemo kako je naÅ”e istraživanje korak u tom smjeru
CONTRASTING VANTAGE POINTS BETWEEN CAREGIVERS AND RESIDENTS ON THE PERCEPTION OF ELDER ABUSE AND NEGLECT DURING LONG-TERM CARE
Background: Elder abuse and neglect can be defined as refusing or failing to fulfil a caregiver\u27s obligation to meet the needs of
elderly individuals in order to punish or hurt them. We aimed to explore perceptions of elder mistreatment of both caregivers and
residents during long-term care, and highlight significant differences in the overall mistreatment perception regarding sociodemographic
variables, as well as the type of care facility.
Subjects and methods: The study involved 171 caregivers and 245 elderly individuals in stationary facilities. Two structured
questionnaires were used - one for caregivers and the other for institutionalized elderly residents, whose initial validation
concerning question and factor selection has been based upon exploratory factor analysis and discriminant validity. Parametric and
nonparametric tests were employed in the statistical analysis, and statistical significance was set at p<0.05 (two-sided).
Results: We found significant differences in the perception of elder abuse and neglect between caregivers and elderly residents.
More specifically, caregivers tend to recognize unnecessary or inappropriate medical/care procedures as indicators of elder
mistreatment, while the elderly residents emphasize the removal of their personal belongings and inappropriate physical contact.
According to the care facility, residents reported abuse/neglect more frequently in extended care units (21.4%), compared to the
county-owned nursing home (11.4%) and private nursing home (12.1%) (p=0.001). Similarly, caregivers reported abuse/neglect
more frequently in extended care units (75.4%), in comparison to county-owned nursing home (24.6%) and private nursing home
(0%) (p=0.039). Shift work was also a significant predictor, as the morning nursing staff perceived abuse/neglect more frequently
(p=0.011).
Conclusions: This study has shown that residents and caregivers have contrasting vantage points in relation to elder
abuse/neglect perception, which underlines the need for evidence-based standardization of procedures to prevent any type of
elder mistreatment
Effective anti-adhesives of uropathogenic Escherichia coli
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are among the most common infectious diseases in humans. Due to their frequent occurrence in the community and nosocomial settings, as well as the development of resistance to the commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents, an enormous financial burden is placed on healthcare systems around the world. Therefore, novel approaches to the prevention and treatment of UTIs are needed. Although UPEC may harbour a plethora of virulence factors, type I fimbriae and P pili are two of the most studied adhesive organelles, since the attachment to host cells in the urinary tract is a crucial step towards infection. Design of receptor analogues that competitively bind to UPEC surface adhesins placed at the top of pili organelles led to the development of anti-adhesive drugs that are increasingly recognized as important and promising alternatives to antibiotic treatment of UTIs
Synthesis and Biological Activity of Mannose Conjugates with 1-Adamantamine and Ferrocene Amines
Pure Ī±- and Ī²-anomers of O-mannosyl conjugates with 1-adamantamine and ferrocene amines
were prepared. The sugar moiety in these glycoconjugates is connected to the amine by a chiral linker
(methyl (R)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl propanoate and/or methyl (S)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl propanoate). The
Ī±-D-mannopyranosides with adamantane and ferrocene aglycon parts were tested using the hemagglutination
assay (inhibition of the agglutination of guinea pig erythrocytes by type 1 fimbriated E. coli HB101
(pPKl4)). All glycoconjugates showed inhibitory potencies in the mM range
HPLC Monitoring of Acid Catalyzed Conversion of 7-Ethyltryptophol to Methyl Ester of Etodolac
Small scale experimental model for the preparation of methyl ester of etodolac, the key intermediate in the synthesis of nonsteroidal drug etodolac, is thoroughly investigated in order to define the key parameters needed for its large scale production. Oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction of 7-ethyltryptophol and methyl 3-oxopentanoate with inorganic acids as catalysts was monitored over time using HPLC method with UV detection. HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of 7-ethyltryptophol and the product was developed first. The conversion of 7-ethyltryptophol to etodolac precursor was performed using different molar equivalents of acid (1-5 with respect to the Ī²-ketoester) and starting 7-ethyltryptophol of different degrees of purity. Kinetic profiles and optimal reaction times were in each case defined and key parameters selected
A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LONELINESS IN OLDER INDIVIDUALS FROM NORTHERN CROATIA
Usamljenost se defi nira kao izrazito neugodno emocionalno stanje koje nastaje kada se osoba osjeÄa odbaÄenom ili neshvaÄenom od drugih te joj nedostaje druÅ”tvo za socijalne aktivnosti i emocionalnu intimnost, Å”to je važan problem u starijoj životnoj dobi i znaÄajan je javnozdravstveni izazov. Cilj istraživanja bio je istražiti socijalnu i emocionalnu usamljenost ispitanika starije životne dobi (onih u instituciji i onih koji žive u svojim kuÄama) te utvrditi povezanost usamljenosti sa sociodemografskim znaÄajkama. Metode: Studija je provedena 2020. godine kao presjeÄno istraživanje na prigodnom uzorku od 300 ispitanika uz koriÅ”tenje anketnog upitnika o socijalnoj i emocionalnoj usamljenosti osoba starije životne dobi (standardizirani upitnik SELSA). Rezultati: Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su kako su obje skupine ispitanika usamljene te da se pojava usamljenosti razlikuje s obzirom na njihove sociodemografske znaÄajke. Nadalje, dokazana je povezanost doživljaja usamljenosti osoba starije životne dobi i njihovog mjesta stanovanja, ÄeÅ”Äe su zahvaÄene ženske osobe, a ispitanici iznad 85 godina života pokazali su veÄu razinu usamljenosti. ZakljuÄak: Provedeno istraživanje u sklopu teorije o usamljenosti znatan je doprinos znanosti socijalne gerontologije utvrÄivanjem postojeÄeg stanja u institucijama i u
vlastitim kuÄama. Iako je provedeno istraživanje usmjerilo pozornost na niz karakteristika koje mogu dovesti do same pojave usamljenosti u osoba starije životne dobi, usamljenost ostaje tematika koju treba kontinuirano istraživati kako bi se u buduÄnosti mogli razviti odgovarajuÄi modeli prevencije.Loneliness can be defi ned as an extremely uncomfortable emotional state that occurs when a person feels rejected or misunderstood by others and, thus, lacks a company for social activities and emotional intimacy, which represents an important issue in elderly population and a signifi cant public health challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate social and emotional loneliness in two groups of elderly subjects (i.e., individuals in the institution vs. persons living in their homes) and to determine the extent to which loneliness is related to their sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted in 2020 on a convenient sample of 300 respondents by using a questionnaire on social and
emotional loneliness of elderly individuals (with the use of a standardized SELSA survey instrument). Results: The results have shown that both groups of elderly respondents are lonely and that the occurrence of loneliness differs with regard to their sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, a correlation was found between the experience of loneliness in the elderly and their place of residence; the problem was more prevalent in female individuals, while individuals over age 85 demonstrated a higher level of loneliness. Conclusion: The conducted research embedded in the theory of loneliness represents a signifi cant contribution to the science of social gerontology by determining the existing situation in institutions and in respondentsā own homes. Further studies in this fi eld will aim to develop appropriate models of loneliness prevention. Although this study revealed a number of characteristics that can instigate loneliness in older adults, more research will be needed in order to develop appropriate prevention models in the future
Procjena razine stresa u Jedinici intenzivnoga lijeÄenja (JIL) uz primjenu samoprocjene, fizioloÅ”kih pokazatelja i analize kortizola u slini
The study investigates exposure to stress by respondents
working in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and differences in
using three instruments to measure stress. The survey was
conducted from September to October 2018 in Dubrava
Clinical Hospital in the ICU unit, with forty-one (41)
healthcare professionals. Three forms of testing were set up:
self-evaluation of stress, measurements of physiological
indicators, and cortisol levels. The results show a statistically
significant difference in mean cortisol levels, with the first
sample much higher than other samples. There were
significant interactions between skin conduction (SC) and
stress levels, where all participants exhibited increases in SC.
Heart rate variability (HRV) shows a slight correlation with
stress levels in the group possessing substantially more stress
experience. Although some differences were observed, all
stress elements for professionals working in ICUs indicates
that they cope well with stressful situations.Studija istražuje izloženost stresu ispitanika koji rade u
Jedinici intenzivnoga lijeÄenja (JIL-u) i razlike u upotrebi triju
mjernih instrumenata stresa. Istraživanje je provedeno od
rujna do listopada 2018. u KliniÄkoj bolnici Dubrava u
JIL-u, na Äetrdeset i jednom (41) zdravstvenom djelatniku.
Postavljena su tri oblika testiranja: samoprocjena stresa,
mjerenje fizioloŔkih pokazatelja i razine kortizola. Rezultati
pokazuju statistiÄki znaÄajnu razliku u srednjim razinama
kortizola, pri Äemu je prvi uzorak znatno viÅ”i od ostalih
uzoraka. Postojale su znaÄajne interakcije izmeÄu
provodljivosti kože (SC) i razine stresa, pri Äemu su svi
sudionici pokazali poveÄanje SC-a. Varijabilnost srÄanoga
ritma (HRV) pokazuje blagu korelaciju s razinama stresa u
skupini koja ima znatno viŔe iskustva sa stresom. Iako su
uoÄene neke razlike, svi mjerni pokazatelji stresa pokazuju
da se zdravstveni djelatnici u JIL-u dobro nose sa stresnim
situacijama