Running the farrowing rate fluctuations in order to prevent diseases of pigs, farmers, neighbours and the pork consumers

Recently, at the 19th I.P.V.S. Congress, it was reported what the farrowing rate fluctuations had been during unfavourable conditions for the pig production in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Observed results were compared to the situation when the farmers had tried and succeeded to achieve the Improvement in Croatia, knowing that continuous and even number of farrowings through the year is the presumption of good health status of pigs and worth results of the pig farming. It was exposed that farrowing rates fluctuated regularly when the farmers tned to improve the conditions and during unfavourable circumstances for the pig production. After the Congress held in Copenhagen, Denmark it has been found that farrowing rate fluctuations from the beginning of autumn till the end of summer were expressible with the trend of llo or more often with the trend of IW not only in the northern hemisphere but in southern hemisphere too. Considenng the necess1ty of organizing the pig production on large scale dunng the era of globalization, the SAFE PIG PRODUCTION SYSTEM has been established as the strategic way of prevention not only of pig diseases but the human diseases of pig producers and their neighbours as well as the zoonoses risky for the pork consumers

The movements of the pig production in Croatia 1994-2003

„Tranzicija” je bila definirana kao razdoblje prelaska s centralne planske pri-vrede na slobodno tržišno privređivanje. Planska je privreda bila odbačena kao ideološka, suprotna „slobodnom svijetu” i tržištu. U Republici Hrvatskoj raz-doblje „tranzicije” počelo je stvarno 1. siječnja 1994. godine, kada su na snagu stupili propisi, kojima su bili određeni novi uvjeti privređivanja. Pošto je Hrvatski stočarski centar objavio u proljeće godine 2004. Godišnje izvješće 2003. – Svinjogojstvo pa Državni statistički zavod Republike Hrvatske Statistički ljetopis 2004., postalo je mogućim sagledati svinjogojstvo u cjelini, a ne samo u svinjogojskim poduzećima, tijekom čitavoga prvoga desetljeća „tranzicije” u Republici Hrvatskoj. Proučavanju je bio cilj iz neospornih činjenica ustanoviti kretanja koja upućuju na moguće posljedice. Materijal su u istraživanju činili podaci objavljeni u izvještajima Hrvatskoga stočarskoga selekcijskoga centra i Hrvatskoga stočarskoga centra, oni koje je objavio Državni statistički zavod RH te objavljeni u knjizi „Opskrba ljudi mesom za zdravlje” (Sviben, 2001). Na osnovi ishoda obrade podataka, obavljene i statističkim postupcima, navoda u znanstvenom i stručnom štivu te razmatranja, bilo je moguće zaključiti, da se u Republici Hrvatskoj tijekom prvoga desetljeća „tranzicije” obujam proizvodnje svinja za klanje održavao više-manje jednakim na razini približno 30% manjoj od postignute u godini 1990. te u količini koja je mogla zadovoljiti tek približno četvrtinu potreba stanovništva za svinjetinom radi dobra zdravlja. Intenzivirala se proizvodnja svinja za vlastitu potrošnju. Držaoci svinja sve su manje svinjama privređivali. Bivao je sve veći broj svinja zaklanih po aktivnom poljoprivredniku godišnje kod kuće, a sve manji broj svinja zaklanih po aktivnom poljoprivredniku godišnje u klaonicama. Smanjivao se broj svinja zaklanih u klaonicama po nepoljoprivrednom stanovniku godišnje te se može očekivati, da će se do godine 2008. smanjivati prema jednadžbi izračunatoj s podacima za godine 1998-2003. po stopi većoj od one prema jednadžbi izračunatoj s podacima za godine 1994-2003. Takva su kretanja opažena i moguće posljedice sagledane i s trendovima za kretanje prosječnoga broja krmača godišnje te broja odojaka odbijenih u godini u velikim farmama. Broj svinja zaklanih u klaonicama po nepoljoprivrednom stanovniku godišnje bio je jako, pozitivno i značajno povezan s brojem živih sredstava za rad i s obujmom proizvodnje predmeta rada u veleobrtnim svinjogojskim poduzećima. Tijekom „tranzicije” došlo je do toga, da jest i da će u dogledno vrijeme opskrba svinjetinom nepoljoprivrednoga stanovništva u Hrvatskoj biti sve manja od svinja proizvedenih u svinjogojstvu na području Hrvatske.Discussions about the changes in Eastern Europe and the consequences of these in livestock production started in 1990. In April 1991 a Round Table on „The livestock production sector in Eastern Europe” was organised by EAAP, FAO and the Research Centre for Animal Breeding and Nutrition (Herceghalom, Hungary) in cooperation with the World Bank, EEC, OIE and WAAP in Budapest. In May 1992 FAO gathered the single expert from Albania, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Yugoslavia at the National Research Institute of Animal Production in Balice (near Krakow, Poland) in order to report on the pig production in their countries, to identify constraints and to find potential solutions in Eastern Europe during the period of transition from central planning towards a market economy. Such a period of time began in Republic of Croatia on January 1st 1994, when the economy started to be regulated by new laws, mostly according to keynesian economics.The movements of the pig production during the first decade of the transition in Republic of Croatia became visible when concerning data had been published by Croatian Livestock Production Centre in the springtime and by Central Bureau of Statistics of Republic of Croatia at the end of 2004. The aim of this research work has been to find possible consequences of the movements of the pig production in close future. In 1990 it was estimated that the number of pigs produced in Croatia to be slaughtered should be doubled. The World Food Summit in 1996 was informed that 6.156.000-7.614.000 pigs have to be produced in order the health status of 4.800.000 inhabitants in Republic of Croatia to be good. The number of pigs slaughtered in Republic of Croatia during 1994 was 1.573.000 or 25,46% less than in 1990 (2.110.000). During following nine years the number of pigs slaughtered in Republic of Croatia varied from 1.404.000 in 1996. to 1.567.000 in 1999. satisfying the number of pigs slaughtered in order the health status of inhabitants to be good as much as 23,53% in 1995 to 26,99% in 2002. During the first decade of transition in Republic of Croatia the production of pigs to be slaughtered at home for the producers, their families, relatives and friends was more intensive than the production of pigs for the market to be slaughtered at the slaughterhouses. The pig holders lessened the making money with pigs. It has been established that the number of pigs slaughtered per no-agricultural inhabitant a year at the slaughterhouse until 2008 will be lessened more quickly according to the equation derived from the data for 1998-2003 than to the equation derived from the data for 1994-2003. Similar movements and possible consequences were found with the data for average number of sows at the beginning of the year as well as with the data for the number of pigs weaned during the year in large pig units. The number of pigs slaughtered at the slaughterhouses per no-agricultural inhabitant was strongly, positevely and significicantly correlated to the number of alive means for the work and to the volume of production of objectives of the work in industrially organised pig enterprises. During the period of transition in Republic of Croatia developed the situation so that the provision of pork for no-agricultural inhabitants from year to year will be less from the pigs produced in Republic of Croatia

Ancient DNA – history of life

Drevna DNA predmet je mnogih istraživanja današnjice. Intrigira brojne znanstvenike koji proučavaju genetički materijal povijesnih ostataka kako bi interpretirali njihovo biološko i socijalno značenje. Osnovna svrha tih istraživanja je shvaćanje evolucijske povijesti života. Ovaj rad prikazuje postepen razvoj ovog aspekta u znanosti kroz lepezu različitih istraživanja koja su dovela do usavršavanja metoda rada s drevnom DNA i revolucijom na području molekularne genetičke evolucije. Također, obrađen je i problem degradacije i kontaminacije DNA uzoraka koji je glavni limitirajući faktor u istraživanjima. Napravljen je osvrt i na ulogu drevne DNA u modernoj znanosti.Ancient DNA is a subject of many researches today. It arouses interest of many scientists who explore genetic material of ancient remains to interprete their biological and social meaning. The basic purpose of these studies is to understand evolutional history of life. This paper presents development of this aspect in science thanks to many different studies that resulted in improvement of aDNA methods and revolution in understanding molecular genetic evolution. Degradation and contamination of aDNA, which is limiting factor during researches, is disscused. A review of the role of ancient DNA in modern science is given in this paper, too

Hierarchically-structured metalloprotein composite coatings biofabricated from co-existing condensed liquid phases

Complex hierarchical structure governs emergent properties in biopolymeric materials; yet, the material processing involved remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the multi-scale structure and composition of the mussel byssus cuticle before, during and after formation to gain insight into the processing of this hard, yet extensible metal cross-linked protein composite. Our findings reveal that the granular substructure crucial to the cuticle’s function as a wear-resistant coating of an extensible polymer fiber is pre-organized in condensed liquid phase secretory vesicles. These are phase-separated into DOPA-rich proto-granules enveloped in a sulfur-rich proto-matrix which fuses during secretion, forming the sub-structure of the cuticle. Metal ions are added subsequently in a site-specific way, with iron contained in the sulfur-rich matrix and vanadium coordinated by DOPA-catechol in the granule. We posit that this hierarchical structure self-organizes via phase separation of specific amphiphilic proteins within secretory vesicles, resulting in a meso-scale structuring that governs cuticle function

The role of IgG avidity in diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in newborns and infants [Uloga IgG aviditeta u dijagnostici infekcije citomegalovirusom u novorođenčadi i dojenčadi]

To evaluate the value of IgG avidity in diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in newborns and infants we collected serum samples from 40 infants under 12 months of age with suspected congenital CMV infection. Sera were tested for IgM, IgG and IgG avidity. For 25 of them, virus isolation and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on urine specimens were performed. Thirteen (32.5%) patients showed the presence of CMV IgM antibodies, 3 (7.5%) had equivocal IgM result, and 24 (60.0%) patients had IgG antibodies only. Using IgG avidity, CMV infection (low avidity index-AI) was documented in 61.5% IgM positive and 54.2% IgM negative patients. Eight of nine (88.8%) IgM positive patients were positive either on virus isolation or PCR. In IgM negative patients, 46.6% urine cultures were positive for CMV and 66.6% were PCR positive. According to age, IgG avidity demonstrated acute/recent primary CMV infection in 58.8% patients younger than three months compared with 91.7% and 81.8% in 3-6 and 6-12 months old babies, respectively. In conclusion, IgG avidity is useful in diagnosis of CMV infection either in IgM positive or IgM negative children older than 3 months of age. In infants less than 3 months, transplacentally derived maternal IgG antibodies of high avidity influence on the IgG avidity result. In these children, CMV infection should be confirmed by direct virologic methods such as virus isolation or PCR

Laboratorijska dijagnostika trihineloze

Postavljanje točne i pouzdane dijagnoze infekcije nematodom roda Trichinella često je nemoguće na osnovi epidemioloških podataka.(1) Brojna su klinička stanja koja pokazuju sličnu simptomatologiju.(2-4) Stoga je etiološka, mikrobiološka-parazitološka dijagnostika infekcije jedina specifična i pouzdana.(2)Mikrobiološka dijagnostika trihineloze može biti direktna i/ili indirektna. Direktnom dijagnostikom izravno se dokazuje uzročnik, dok je indirektna dijagnostika pokazatelj kontakta bolesnika s uzročnikom.(3) Pravilnim odabirom metoda moguće je postaviti ili odbaciti dijagnozu trihineloze

Metode rastriranja crno bijele slike

Rastriranje nije jedan, strogo definiran fotomehanički proces nego opisuje dva procesa. U prvom se kontinuirani tonovi pretvaraju u seriju točaka. U drugom se pomoću raznih metoda mehaničkog otiskivanja otiskuju slike koje simuliraju kontinuirani ton. Osnovne metode digitalnog rastriranja slike su: jednotonska segmentacija, tablično rastriranje, rastriranje matricom nivoa i rastriranje difuzijom greške. HVS metode ispitivanja kvalitete slike su objektivne, kvalitativne procjene slike bazirane na ljudskom vizualnom sustavu. Postoji više metoda baziranih na HVS-u. WSNR se primjenjuje na slike na način da se prvo izračuna razlika slike kontinuiranog tona i obrađene slike te se pogreška ponderira s odazivom frekvencije HVS-a danim sa CSF-om. U radu je ispitano 1000 crno-bijelih slika rastriranih koristeći 3 metode: tablično rastriranje, rastriranje matricom nivoa i rastriranje difuzijom greške. Rastriranje je provedeno putem programa MATLAB. Nakon rastriranja ispitana je kvaliteta dobivenih slika putem WSNR-a te su uspoređeni rezultati. Rezultati su pokazali kako metoda difuzije greške daje najbolje rezultate rastriranja, matrično rastriranje daje nešto lošije rezultate, a tablično rastriranje, neovisno o rasporedu rasterskih elemenata daje najlošije rezultate. Također, pokazalo se kako je moguće poboljšati kvalitetu slike rastrirane metodom tabličnog rastriranja promjenom rasporeda rasterskih elemenata

(Non) Singing During The COVID-19 Pandemic - Opinions and Emotional Experience of Students From 5th to 8th Grade of Primary Schools in The Republic of Croatia

Singing is an important factor in the teaching of Music Culture and, in addition to the compulsory content, an activity that is carried out the most. The scientific literature confirms that singing sparks positive emotional reactions in students to a great extent. With the proclamation of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, almost all singing activities have been suspended for a long time. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is a difference in the perception of dissatisfaction with the suspension of singing depending on whether the students were actively and intensively engaged in singing compared to those who were not engaged in the activity or were only slightly involved in it prior to the pandemic. The first problem was to research whether there was a difference in personal dissatisfaction (happiness) and the perception of dissatisfaction with the suspension of singing depending on whether the students were actively singing before the pandemic or not and whether they continued singing online during the pandemic or if they have completely stopped active singing. Hypotheses have been confirmed that students who are members of choirs and/or ensembles feel more intense lack and personal dissatisfaction with the suspension of musical activities during the pandemic than those who actively sang only in Music Culture classes as well as that students who played music online are more satisfied and show more positive emotions compared to those who have stopped playing music. Another problem was to research whether there is a difference in the perception of singing in-person and singing in a virtual environment. It has been confirmed that students who have experienced both in-person singing and singing online believe that singing in-person has a greater effect than singing in a virtual environment. The results confirm that singing has a positive effect on the singer and that restricting singing intensifies personal dissatisfaction

Purification and properties of mumps and measles virus

Virusi zaušnjaka (MuV) i ospica (MeV) uzrokuju istoimene bolesti u ljudi koje se mogu spriječiti cijepljenjem, a dobivaju na značaju i u onkolitičkoj viroterapiji. Cjelovitost i čistoća virusnih čestica osiguravaju učinkovitost i sigurnost ovakvih proizvoda, stoga je njihovo pročišćavanje i koncentriranje izuzetno važno u biotehnologiji, ali i temeljnim istraživanjima. Ciljevi ovog rada su ispitati pročišćavanje MuV-a i MeV-a kromatografijom hidrofobnih interakcija (HIC) i ionske izmjene (IEX), imunoafinitetnom kromatografijom (IAC), ultracentrifugiranjem (UC) i dijafiltracijom (DF), ispitati stabilnost virusa u uvjetima pročišćavanja i čuvanja te istražiti njihove lipidome i proteome. Rezultati pokazuju da IEX nije prikladan za pročišćavanje MuV-a i MeV-a, dok HIC i IAC daju relativno visoke prinose infektivnih virusa (60-70%). Na kromatografske prinose značajno utječe promjenjiva heterogenost početnih virusnih uzoraka. Analiza proteoma virusa potvrdila je prisutnost svih strukturnih virusnih proteina te staničnih proteina aktina, aneksina, ciklofilina A, integrina β1 i moezina, a njihov značaj u virionima tek treba utvrditi.Mumps (MuV) and measles (MeV) virus cause mumps and measles in humans, both preventable by vaccination, but they are gaining importance in oncolytic virotherapy. Viral particle integrity and purity ensure efficacy and safety of such products, therefore their purification and concentration is exceptionally important both in biotechnology and basic research. The aims of this work are to investigate purification of MuV and MeV by hydrophobic interaction (HIC), ion-exchange (IEX) and immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC), ultracentrifugation (UC) and diafiltration (DF), investigate virus stability under used purification and storage conditions and investigate their lipidomes and proteomes. Results deem IEX unsuitable for MuV and MeV purification, while HIC and IAC yield relatively high recoveries of infective viruses (60-70%). Chromatographic yields are significantly influenced by initial virus sample heterogeneity. Analysis of virus proteomes confirmed the presence of all structural viral proteins and cellular proteins actin, annexins, cyclophilin A, integrin β1 and moesin, but their significance in virions remains to be determined