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One of the main public health issues that has recently been observed in a greater number of children is being overweight. The cause certainly lies in the decreasing physical activity of children, but mostly in their eating habits. Soft drinks are recognized as the most significant contributor to body overweight due to high sugar content; thus, as a result of numerous campaigns, part of the sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners (ASs). Despite their advantage due to their low caloric value, WHO recommends that they should not be used to achieve weight control or as prevention for reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, as there is no evidence of their effectiveness. Apart from beverages, artificial sweetener combinations are also added to a variety of "low fat" and "high protein" food products, which are highly favored especially among the young population. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the cumulative intake. The conducted study included a survey of 323 parents of children aged 1–14 years, as well as an analysis of the AS content in the products most often consumed by the respondents. The results of the survey show that a large part of children (40%) aged 3–14 often consume soft drinks. Different products (soft drinks, juices/nectars, syrups) were sampled based on the respondents' responses, and an analysis showed that 54% of them contained one or more ASs. In addition, the survey indicated parents' lack of information about the presence of AS in products, as 51% of parents declared that they do not read the declarations of the products they buy. It is necessary to persist in consumer education and changes in dietary preferences and habits, especially among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sunlight on the degradation of DNA samples taken from blood stains from different types of surfaces. A blood sample obtained from a single male donor was placed on seven different surfaces (galvanized sheet, iron rod, newspaper, white printer paper, glass, soil, and ceramic panel). Samples were kept, during a 4-week summer period, in a room, but next to an open window. Every 7 days, 1 mm2 of blood sample was collected from each substrate and stored in labeled tube for later analysis. DNA was extracted with the Chelex method, amplified using AmpFISTRTM MinifilerTM Plus Amplification Kit, and quantified using a QuantifilerTM Human DNA Quantification kit. After 7 days of sun exposure, the highest DNA concentration was determined to be from the sample from a galvanized sheet stain, followed by, in order of decreasing concentration, the ceramic panel, glass, newspaper, iron rod, and white printer paper surface. As expected, the DNA concentration from all samples decreased as the sunlight exposure time progressed. The results obtained after the amplification in the MiniFilerTM system were in correlation with the DNA concentrations measured by the qPCR method for all samples, except for the glass, soil, and white printer paper samples. The obtained data show that DNA degradation is correlated to the length of sunlight exposure and to the type of surface the samples are collected from. A negative qPCR result does not mean negative PCR amplification in the STR system; therefore, both methods should be applied when analyzing forensic samples collected from trace evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to cannabidiol's health benefits and absence of serious side effects, its use is constantly growing. This is a survey-based cross-sectional study that was conducted to determine Croatian pharmacists', physicians', and students' knowledge and attitudes about cannabidiol (CBD). Two questionnaires were created, one for students and the other for physicians and pharmacists. Our participants (in total 874: 473 students and 401 physicians and pharmacists) generally had positive attitudes towards CBD therapy as approximately 60% of them believe that CBD treatment is generally efficacious. Participants had positive attitudes toward the therapeutic value of CBD, especially pharmacists and pharmacy students (63.8% and 72.2%, respectively). Pharmacists were significantly more convinced that CBD could reduce the use of opioids prescribed for chronic pain (p < 0.05). Only 17.5% of students had read scientific papers about CBD, compared to a significantly higher percentage of physicians and pharmacists (43.0% and 47.8%, respectively) (p < 0.05). This study revealed a gap in knowledge regarding CBD, since 89.3% of pharmacists and physicians, as well as 84.8% of students, believe they need more education about CBD. We conclude that it is important to improve the educational curricula so that medical professionals can recommend CBD use to their patients when needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioaccumulation of lead and cadmium in humans has been examined through analysis of 151 meconium samples of new-born children in the Split-Dalmatian County. Lead and cadmium content is related to pollution from industrial facilities, road traffic sources and landfills in the examined area. Lead was found in 89.4 % and cadmium in 94.0 % of analysed samples, indicating a high prevalence of both metals in the environment. The content of each metal has been examined relative to the sociodemographic description and dietary habits of mothers. Statistical results have shown values about forty times higher for lead median concentration compared to cadmium; living in urban residences, frequency of consumption of vegetables and fish, and smoking habits have shown the most significant impacts. Results have shown that cadmium is uniformly dispersed from pollution sources over a larger area and penetrates all parts of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To describe the organization, field work, forensic anthropological examination, and DNA analysis conducted to identify the victims from a World War II mass grave found on the Dalmatian island of Daksa near Dubrovnik (Croatia) in 2009. Methods Excavation of the site was performed according to standard archeological procedures. Basic anthropological examination was made to determine the minimum number of victims, sex, age at death, and height. The bones with pathological and traumatic changes were identified. DNA was extracted from powdered bones and relatives' blood samples. Y-chromosome and autosomal short tandem repeats (STR) were used to establish the relationship of the remains with the putative family members. Results The remains were found to belong to at least 53 distinctive victims. All were male, mostly with gunshot wounds to the head. DNA analysis and cross-matching of the samples with relatives resulted in 14 positive identifications using the Y-chromosomal STRs and 4 positive identifications using the autosomal STRs. Conclusions This study showed that even in cases of more than 50-year-old, highly degraded human remains from mass graves, Y-chromosomal and autosomal STRs analysis can contribute to identification of the victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]