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 nemoćnih osoba u domovima: rezultati presječnog istraživanja u medicinskih sestara i tehničara

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.Budući da ovaj problem dosad nije obrađivan u Hrvatskoj, naš je cilj bio istražiti postoji li povezanost između sindroma izgaranja u medicinskih sestara/tehničara i njihove percepcije zlostavljanja starijih osoba u domovima za starije i nemoćne te službama za produljeno liječenje. U našem presječnom istraživanju sudjelovala je 171 medicinska sestra i tehničar u kojih je sindrom izgaranja ispitan standardiziranim upitnikom Christine Maslach za stručnjake pomagačkih zanimanja (MBI-HSS) te analiziran u tri dimenzije: emocionalna iscrpljenost (EI), depersonalizacija (DP) i osobno postignuće (OP). Visoka razina EI-ja pronađena 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 korištena su dva dodatna upitnika, a rezultati upozoravaju na to da se zlostavljanje i zanemarivanje u hrvatskim domovima za starije i nemoćne osobe viđa češće od očekivanog: 55 % ispitanika svjedočilo je vikanju na osobu starije dobi, 43 % vrijeđanju i psovanju, 42 % nasilnom hranjenju, 39 % ignoriranju poziva osobe starije dobi, a 38 % odbijanju okretanja osobe starije dobi kako bi se spriječili bolni pritisci. Uočena je povezanost između spomenutih dimenzija sindroma izgaranja s percepcijom nasilja nad starijim osoba te je pokazano da određeni stavovi i zapažanja ispitanika u vezi sa zlostavljanjem i zanemarivanjem starijih osoba mogu predvidjeti povećanu ili smanjenu pripadnost trima dimenzijama sindroma izgaranja u naših ispitanika. Adekvatna edukacija jedan je od načina kako izbjeći okidače koji mogu dovesti do zlostavljanja i zanemarivanja starijih osoba, a vjerujemo kako je naše 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 α- and β-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 α-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

Synthesis and Biological Activity of Mannose Conjugates with 1-Adamantamine and Ferrocene Amines

Pure α- and β-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 α-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 β-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 osjeća odbačenom ili neshvaćenom od drugih te joj nedostaje društvo za socijalne aktivnosti i emocionalnu intimnost, što je važan problem u starijoj životnoj dobi i značajan 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 kućama) te utvrditi povezanost usamljenosti sa sociodemografskim značajkama. Metode: Studija je provedena 2020. godine kao presječno istraživanje na prigodnom uzorku od 300 ispitanika uz korištenje 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 značajke. Nadalje, dokazana je povezanost doživljaja usamljenosti osoba starije životne dobi i njihovog mjesta stanovanja, češće su zahvaćene ženske osobe, a ispitanici iznad 85 godina života pokazali su veću razinu usamljenosti. Zaključak: Provedeno istraživanje u sklopu teorije o usamljenosti znatan je doprinos znanosti socijalne gerontologije utvrđivanjem postojećeg stanja u institucijama i u vlastitim kućama. 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 budućnosti mogli razviti odgovarajući 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 respondents’ 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 liječenja (JIL) uz primjenu samoprocjene, fizioloških 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 liječenja (JIL-u) i razlike u upotrebi triju mjernih instrumenata stresa. Istraživanje je provedeno od rujna do listopada 2018. u Kliničkoj bolnici Dubrava u JIL-u, na četrdeset i jednom (41) zdravstvenom djelatniku. Postavljena su tri oblika testiranja: samoprocjena stresa, mjerenje fizioloških pokazatelja i razine kortizola. Rezultati pokazuju statistički značajnu razliku u srednjim razinama kortizola, pri čemu je prvi uzorak znatno viši od ostalih uzoraka. Postojale su značajne interakcije između provodljivosti kože (SC) i razine stresa, pri čemu su svi sudionici pokazali povećanje SC-a. Varijabilnost srčanoga ritma (HRV) pokazuje blagu korelaciju s razinama stresa u skupini koja ima znatno više iskustva sa stresom. Iako su uočene neke razlike, svi mjerni pokazatelji stresa pokazuju da se zdravstveni djelatnici u JIL-u dobro nose sa stresnim situacijama