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In this article, the author has examined an extraordinary legal remedy which is the last defence of legality, the request for the protection of legality in the positive criminal procedure legislation of the Republic of Serbia. The principle of legality is one of the foundational principles of the legal system, which also helps to achieve the basic purpose of criminal procedure, i.e., that no innocent person is convicted and that perpetrators are sentenced under the conditions prescribed by criminal law based on a legal and fairly conducted procedure (Article 1, paragraph 1 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Serbia). In this manner, the request for the protection of legality, as an extraordinary legal remedy, gains in importance. The subject of the article is an analysis of the theoretical conceptions and positive law solutions in the criminal procedure legislation of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the application of the request for the protection of legality in practice, bearing in mind that the request for the protection of legality has undergone the most significant changes, some of which have raised contentious issues, and in such a situation judicial practice deserves special attention because it will play a key role.

A dynamic business environment and intense competition require companies to create numerous incentives for consumers to keep them loyal. Various incentives are available to marketing managers. Their combination depends on the company's goals on the one hand and consumer characteristics on the other. Loyalty programs have traditionally been based on financial incentives aimed at the average consumer. The means on which modern loyalty programs are based are more diverse and complex, and are often based on information technology. They are focused on personalization, that is, the creation of incentives for the individual consumer and the dominant provision of hedonic and symbolic values. The goal of such programs is consumer loyalty to the company/brand, not to the program itself. Starting from the differences between traditional and modern consumer loyalty programs, the author's intention in the paper is to investigate the impact of both programs on consumer loyalty. The impact of traditional programs on consumer loyalty was investigated through financial benefits, flexibility and program reliability, and the impact of modern loyalty programs through personalization, social benefits and gamification. Additionally, the paper analyzed the moderating role of gender and age as consumer demographic characteristics on the degree of loyalty to the program itself and loyalty to the company/brand. Identified relationships between the investigated variables enabled a comparison with the results of existing research and the formulation of recommendations necessary for managing consumer loyalty.

Modern marketing practice has shown that consumers are loyal to brands that are in line with their image and personal characteristics. Buying brands that reflect the personality and image of consumers allows consumers to articulate themselves and achieve the ideal of themselves. In that sense, if the brand image is more consistent with the image of the consumer's personality, they are more loyal to the brand because it meets the criteria of consumers in terms of what they think and feel about themselves. Therefore, brands in modern conditions become "personalities" whose characteristics should coincide with the personality characteristics of consumers who buy and own them, and especially with their personal image. Starting from the existing theoretical views, the aim of the author is to explore the relationships between brand personality, consumer personality and consumer loyalty to the brand. Empirical research will be realized on the example of brands of mobile phones and cars that are established on the market of the Republic of Serbia. The intention is to look at the relationship between personality characteristics and individual dimensions of the brand personality on the basis of the obtained empirical data, on the basis of which the direct and indirect connection of these variables with consumer loyalty will be identified. Based on the identified relations between the examined variables, it will be possible to compare with the results of existing research and formulate recommendations necessary for modern brand management. The results of theoretical and empirical research will be the basis for further research that will be based on the inclusion of additional variables that will allow a more relevant analysis of the relationships between the studied variables.

Purchases of products and services are mainly the result of planned actions of consumers based on identified needs and desires. However, impulse purchases that consumers did not plan before entering the store are quite common as well. Such purchases are stimulated by the consumers' sudden needs, current mood, recommendations of the seller and/or other consumers, as well as in-store incentives such as: the atmosphere in the sales facility, discounted prices, gifts. Also, numerous innovations make impulse buying easier for consumers, like: flexible working hours of shops, affordable supply of products/services, online sales, offer of so-called "instant" loans, the existence of ATMs. Unplanned purchases are not exclusively a consequence of the impulse-driven reaction of consumers. In addition to pure impulsiveness, there are other types of unplanned purchases, such as: suggestion effect, planned impulsivity, reminder impulse buying effect, and planned purchase of a certain type, but not brand of product. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance and basic characteristics of unplanned purchases, as well as the factors that influence consumer behavior while making such purchases. Conducted empirical research enabled the identification of the most important motives of unplanned purchases made by consumers in the Republic of Serbia, their frequency in buying different product categories, the connection of different shopping situations with unplanned purchases, as well as the determination of differences between certain demographic and economic groups of consumers in making such purchases. The research results and their analysis enabled the formulation of guidelines for the development of marketing strategies of companies from the Republic of Serbia as a model of response to this type of consumer behavior.

As the production of metal-based nanomaterials increases, it is inevitable that nano-scale products and byproducts will enter the aquatic environment. In terms of global production, the most abundant nano-oxides are TiO2, CeO2 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Chironomus riparius is commonly used for ecotoxicological assessment and defining its histopathological biomarkers that showcase the toxic effect of tested nanoparticles should lead to a better understanding of the consequences of nanomaterial accumulation in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, a histological description of the digestive and excretory systems as well as the fat body structure of C. riparius larvae is provided. In addition, potential histological biomarkers of nano-oxide toxicity were determined based on the obtained histopathological alterations in organs. Vacuolization was observed in epithelial cells of midgut region I that were treated with nano-Fe3O4 as well as in Malpighian tubules treated with nano-Fe3O4 and nano-CeO2. Larvae exposed to nano-TiO2 showed alterations in the fat body and midgut region II tissue architecture. Additionally, shortening of the intestinal brush border was determined in groups exposed to nano-Fe3O4. These results reveal the high sensitivity of these organs, which can be used as biomarkers in histopathological assessment and therefore lead to further improvement of existing methodology in ecotoxicological studies.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate computed tomography simulators used in radio-therapy treatment planning in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A survey of quality assurance programmes of 24 computed tomography simulators in 16 facilities was conducted. A dedicated CT-to-ED phantom was scanned at 120 kV and 140 kV, to obtain CT-to-ED conversion curves as well as CTDIvol. Thoracal phantoms were scanned in the standard and extended field of view to evaluate the dosimetric effect on treatment planning and delivery. The mean age of the measured scanners was 5.5 years. The mean water HU value was –6.5 (all scanners, all voltages) and air HU value was –997. Extended field of view computed tomography data differ from the standard field of view and differences between conversion curves have significant dosimetric impact. The CTDI data showed a large range of values between centers. Better quality assurance of computed tomography simulators in all countries is recommended. The CT-to-ED curve could be used as default at one voltage and per manufacturer. Extended field of view imaging can be used, but treatment planning should be avoided in the regions out of the standard field of view.

Considering that Montenegro does not have official data on the impacts of climate change and extremes on people's health, in this paper we prepared an assessment of the sensitivity to climate change in Montenegro for a longer period of time and their spatial distribution. The aim of this paper is to assess the future negative economic impacts of climate change on the health sector in Montenegro related to high temperatures. Due to the problem of establishing a clear correlation between the effects of climate change on health and specific diseases (for which there are no official data in Montenegro), the focus of our paper is on direct deaths under the influence of high temperature. Based on the processing and analysis of relevant statistical data, a projection of the future number of deaths caused by climate change in Montenegro was made. Then, we prepared an analysis of the value of life (VSL) concentrating on Montenegro and the world, in order to determine future statistical values, as a basis for damage assessment. Based on previously collected and processed data, we made a projection of economic damage in the health sector of Montenegro, according to 2 scenarios: Near Future Scenario (NF, until 2050) and Far Future Scenario (FF, until 2100). We estimated economic damage in the health sector of Montenegro, caused by high temperatures, at a cumulative amount of €30-60 million for the total observed period (NF, for a higher VSL), i.e. in a cumulative amount of €230-350 million for the total observed period (FF, higher VSL).

Integrating CSR principles into business activities is one of the biggest challenges of companies. Last decades, a critical attitude of the public has been expressed towards companies and their activities and concerns about natural imbalance and consequently on social problems are growing. In such conditions, the concern and awarness of consumers about the impact they can have on their environment and society as a whole, grows. Increasing the environmental awarness of the public over time, has led to the profiling of a new segment of consumers with significantly changed motives and expectations in pruchasing and consumption. It is about environmentally responsible consumers who make up a segment with distinct characteristics. The growth of such a market segment has led to a change in the company's business models. New business models are characterized by an increasing adoption of marketing principles and their incorporation into business activities. Part of such changes and trends is leading to the so-called green marketing that companies are using as a possible marketing strategy. Companies led by the concept of green marketing are characterized by the adoption of new criteria in generating inovation and positioning in the value chain. The effects of such a strategy are possible if there is cooperation of partners in the value chain who have a sense of responsibility towards the environment. In this paper, the author's intention is to identify, based on the empirical research conducted, the motives and limitations of consumers in the Republic of Serbia which trigger them or prevent them from purchasing green products. Also, the goal is to determine whether environmental concerns affect the purchase of products that are marketed as healthy. Such information will make it possible to look at the potential discrepancy between preferences and consumer behavior in the domestic market and to define the implications for developing the marketing strategy of companies in the Republic of Serbia.

We studied the effects of zinc and copper on gametophyte development and survival of the moss Atrichum undulatum in axenic and controlled conditions. Various salts of these two essential elements were applied in different ways in order to document effects dependent ion binding of zinc and copper to this moss. It can be concluded that zinc is less toxic than copper in higher concentrations. Survival is better and the recovery rate faster after exposure to zinc. Both metals are more harmful to the moss when applied in an aqueous solution.

The influence of advertising on creating social attitudes and customer behavior is visible both on rational and emotional level. Due to that, advertising creates psychological effects, and is also in conflict with moral and ethical standards of the society which should be based upon. Stereotypical representation of women in advertising, which usually includes images of a housewife, business woman with no family, or just an ornament, can be found in all kinds of ads, such as TV and Internet commercials, billboards, on a daily basis. However, the paradox which women very often face, with no clear connection with the product or service which is been advertised, brings up the following questions as the purpose of this paper: whether frequent representation of women in advertisements is necessary, or desirable even, whether the suggested models of women's beauty which is promoted in this way, are the most powerful 'means' for sales. If it is the most powerful means, is it possible to settle two opposing phenomena that arise from such a fact - the social one, which puts a woman in a negative context, has a negative effect on her personal satisfaction and self-confidence, and is opposed to the morals and ethics, and the marketing one, which has an aim of attracting consumers, thus changing their attitudes towards purchasing.

Introduction: Cervical syndrome is a set of symptoms that are manifested by pain in the neck segment and shoulder blade region, with the feeling of tightness and tension, and limited movement of the neck segment of the spine. Because of the long-term duration of symptoms, we often find psychopathological manifestations in the form of anxiety and depression in these patients. Objective: The goal was to detect the presence of anxiety and depressive manifestations of personality in patients with cervical syndrome at the beginning of rehabilitation treatment, to determine to what extent the presence of anxiety and depressive symptomatology affects the functional recovery of patients after a physical rehabilitation treatment. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted as a prospective study involving 100 patients. Criteria for inclusion were the diagnosis of cervical syndrome and the age of patients between 20 and 60 years of age. Exclusion criteria were diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy, vertebrobasilar syndrome, diagnosis of anxiety and depressionconfrmed by psychiatrist, as well as use of psychotropic substances. On admission, each patient filled in Beck's questionnaire for anxiety and depression (BAI and BDI)and accordingly patients were divided into 3 groups. Results: Out of total of 100 patients, 74% were female and 26% were male. In 77% of patients psychopathological manifestations of personality were found. A statistically significant association of gender and group placement was found (p=0,003). The women had a far greater percentage of anxiety and anxietydepressive manifestations of the personality than men. In terms of BAI and BDI, there was a statistically significant difference between genders. All of the parameters ( VAS, Schober, CSS) monitored during rehabilitation treatment were improved at the end of treatment (p=0,0001). There was a positive correlation of BAI and BDI with CSS on admission and at discharge (p=0,05) in a group of anxiety-depressed patients. Conclusion: The presence of anxiety and depressive manifestations of personality did not have a negative impact on the functional recovery of patients. Physical therapy has led to reduction of pain, increased mobility and better functional status of cervical spine for patients with cervical spine syndrome.

The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the level of integration of the bioeconomy concept in the study programmes and modules at Serbian higher education institutions. Bioeconomy is based on multidisciplinary approach, which consists of research, education and innovation. Bioeconomy must be initiated by the government, developed by research institutions, universities and cluster, and thoroughly implemented into existing and emerging industries. As educators, Serbian universities should play a key role in developing future professionals. Research has been conducted to determine if Serbian universities educate students in the fields relevant to the concept of bioeconomy. All accredited study programmes in academic year of 2017/2018, at all universities in the Republic of Serbia, have been analysed. The research included 17 universities, 152 departments, 481 study programmes, 705 modules and 43,360 courses. The modules within the study programmes were categorised as bioeconomy-based modules, nonbioeconomy-based modules with at least one bioeconomy-based course, and non-bioeconomy-based modules. The research shows that of the total number of modules, 43% include one or more bioeconomy-based courses. The share of such courses within modules ranges from 1% to 21% and differs among groups of scientific fields.

Achieving profit through investing in the capital market is based on the ability to successfully predict future movements of the financial asset prices. Thus, the constant interest of investors in this particular field and emerging financial markets comes as no surprise, since these markets have been a relevant alternative source of investment opportunities for international investors. Our empirical study focuses on such an emerging market, the Belgrade stock exchange. Our main goal was to predict the direction of change of the Belex15 index and its most significant constituents. Firstly, we conducted detailed analysis of the most significant constituents of Belex15 index. Further analysis was realized using the Least Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVMs) as a trend prediction model whereby feature selection was carried out through the analysis of technical indicators. The test results indicated that the proposed model gives better results for the constituents than for the Belex15 index itself.

Monopoly market conditions, in which public companies used to operate ten to twenty years ago, substantially dictated the way of considering and creating business of public companies in Serbia. However, introduction of changes to the environment, such as more intensive competition and changes of needs and demands of the customers requires abandoning old orientations to business. Public companies are in position to create and offer a higher level of service quality, based on better and more intensified communication with their customers. Public enterprises are monitored by public authorities, especially in the areas of restrictions on the choice of business strategies, pricing and price restrictions, selection of suppliers and the like. On the other hand, there is a branch competition occurring, on which public companies must count. In such an environment, creating effective services should be the key strategic objective for the development of public utility companies of the city of Belgrade. Service companies should be modern service companies, able to actively participate in the market, looking upon customers - citizens as users of their services. The aim of the research is to determine the perception of value and customer satisfaction with the services provided by the public utilities of Belgrade. The results of the study indicate that respondents are not satisfied with provided services and do not have clearly defined attitudes towards key aspects of public enterprises, which are supposed to be important for positioning and improving the quality of services in the market.

In terms of continuous technology development, internetization and well-informed customers, business strategies should be the result of coordinated actions of strategic marketing with all other business functions in company. Integrated communication processes have the most important role in anticipating and creating consumer behaviour. Integrated marketing communication represents combined use of traditional and contemporary elements of promotional mix in order to achieve clarity, consistency and maximum impact on target customer segments. However, the expansion of modern communication tools and technologies raises the question of equal use and preservation of marketing communications elements specifics, regardless of achieved level of integration. Whether traditional advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and PR have disappeared or undergone a new level of development; whether the virtual world and consumers' online communities have upgraded or took over all segments of marketing communications and whether internet generation, networking and social media took precedence over conventional forms of marketing communications?.

Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. The agents of Lyme borreliosis are borrelia, bacteria of the family Spirochaetaceae, which are grouped in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex. Borreliae are fastidious, slow-growing and biochemically inactive bacteria that need special attention and optimal conditions for cultivation. The isolation of Borrelia from clinical material and their cultivation is a time-consuming and demanding procedure. Cultivation lasts from 9 up to 12 weeks, which is much longer than is necessary to grow most other human bacterial pathogens. Although B. burgdorferi sensu lato is susceptible to a wide range of antimicrobial agents in vitro, up to now the susceptibility of individual Borrelia species to antibiotics is defined only partially. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175011]

By adoption the first Law on Waste Management of the Republic of Serbia in 2009 ('Official Gazette RS', No. 36/09), the necessary preconditions for introduction the order into the subject area were created. The Law on Waste Management was amended in 2010 ('Official Gazette RS', No. 88/2010). According to the guidelines of the amended Law on Waste Management, the Government of the Republic of Serbia has adopted the Regulation on disposal of hazardous waste on landfills ('Official Gazette RS', No. 92/2010). The Government has defined with this Law, for the first time, three categories of waste disposal and all parameters necessary for selection appropriate location, design and monitoring of future waste disposal. The Government regulation on landfills represents a harmonization of domestic legislation with the European Union in the field of environmental protection and waste management and with actual Directive 1993/31/EU.

This paper presents an estimation of local diagnostic reference levels in computed tomography in a large teaching hospital. Local diagnostic reference levels, expressed in terms of volume weighted computed tomography dose index and dose-length product, were estimated for three most frequent adult computer tomography examinations: head, abdomen and pelvis combined, and thorax. The established local diagnostic reference levels values were similar or slightly higher compared to the available guidelines, indicating the possibility for optimization of current practice. Analyzing the protocols used here and recently published studies on dose reduction in computed tomography, a dose-reduction technique, was proposed to decrease tube current values in all three examinations. However, the optimization should be restricted only to standard-sized patients.

Changes in probability distributions of individual words and word types were investigated within two samples of daily press in the span of fifty years. Two samples of daily press were used in this study. The one derived from the Corpus of Serbian Language (CSL) /Kostić, Đ., 2001/ that covers period between 1945. and 1957. and the other derived from the Ebart Media Documentation (EBR) that was complied from seven daily news and five weekly magazines from 2002. and 2003. Each sample consisted of about 1 million words. The obtained results indicate that nouns and adjectives were more frequent in the CSL, while verbs and prepositions are more frequent in the EBR sample, suggesting a decrease of sentence length in the last five decades. Conspicuous changes in probability distribution of individual words were observed for nouns and adjectives, while minimal or no changes were observed for verbs and prepositions. Such an outcome suggests that nouns and adjectives are most susceptible to diachronic changes, while verbs and prepositions appear to be resistant to such changes.

Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of Zn‐alginate hydrogel films and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity are evaluated. Swelling properties, zinc concentration and spectroscopic and morphological features were characterized and related to their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. These results indicate a dependence of swelling on the degree of cross‐linking, which, in turn, can be adjusted by manipulating the synthesis time, initial alginate concentration and/or zinc leaching. Hydrogel films with zinc showed remarkable antibacterial properties, especially against gram‐positive bacteria. The absence of Zn resulted in less inhibition of gram‐positive strains, although it had a positive effect on the inhibition of gram‐negative strains, which was attributed to the degradation of alginate chains, affecting cell metabolism. Nitrogen‐doped samples synthesized in rivanol‐containing solution exhibited globular morphology and higher antioxidant activity. The electrochemical synthesis enables the facile preparation of highly active alginate hydrogels for biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural waste is underutilized, and sometimes burning them has a negative impact on the environment and human health. This research investigates the untapped potential of extracts from maize, wheat and sunflower waste as natural materials for cutaneous, specifically, cosmetic application. The possibility of incorporating lipid and ethanol extracts from wheat, maize, and sunflower into creams was investigated together with their potential contribution to the structural and functional properties of the topical formulations. Results of the physicochemical characterization show that investigated extracts can be successfully incorporated into creams with satisfactory stability. All extracts showed a desirable safety profile and good antimicrobial activity against various microorganisms. Lipid extracts have proven to be promising structural ingredients of the oil phase, contributing to the spreadability, occlusivity, and emollient effect. Ethanol extracts influenced washability and stickiness of the formulation and could be considered as prospective ingredients in self-preserving formulations. The extracts affected the sensory properties of the creams, mainly the smell and color. These results suggest that the extracts from wheat, maize, and sunflower waste could be used as multifunctional natural ingredients for cosmetic formulations which can replace less sustainable raw materials. This also represents a valorization of waste and is in line with broader sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Farmacia is the property of Societatea de Stiinte Farmaceutice Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Antioxidants are promising compounds with antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant pathogens, especially when combined with conventional antimicrobials. Our study aimed to characterize the structure of nicotinamides synthesized from nicotinic acid and thiocarbohydrazones and to evaluate their antibacterial and antifungal activity. Seven nicotinic acid hydrazides (NC 1–7) were synthesized using mono-thiocarbohydrazones with hydroxyl group substituents, along with quinolone, phenolic, and pyridine rings known for their antimicrobial activity. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of NC 1–7, at concentrations ranging from 0.001 to 1 mM, was tested against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Enterococcus faecalis (ATCC 29212), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Klebsiella pneumoniae (NCIMB 9111), and Candida albicans (ATCC 24433) using the broth microdilution method per EUCAST 2024 guidelines. Microorganism survival percentages were calculated based on optical density, and target fishing using the PharmMapper database identified potential molecular targets. The results showed that P. aeruginosa was most susceptible to the compounds, while C. albicans was the least susceptible. NC 3 significantly inhibited P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae growth at 0.016 mM, while higher concentrations were required for S. aureus, E. faecalis, and C. albicans. NC 5 was most effective against gram-positive bacteria at 0.03 mM. Only NC 4 completely inhibited C. albicans below 1 mM. NC 3, with the lowest concentration for 50% growth inhibition (0.016–0.064 mM), showed promising antibacterial potential against specific AMR-related proteins (bleomycin resistance protein, HTH-type transcriptional regulator QacR, and streptogramin A acetyltransferase), suggesting that this class of compounds could enhance or restore the activity of established antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to assess the agri-environmental situation in the European Union at the national level. To realize that goal, a multi-criteria analysis of indicators from the official European database was used. The results of the ranking show that Portugal, Estonia, and Ireland are at the top according to agri-environmental performance, while the worst ranked countries are Malta, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Cyprus. The common agricultural policy of the European Union must be designed to improve the position of certain countries, based on the experience and sustainable agricultural practices of the leading countries in this area, considering the obtained research results. This study can contribute to the creators of agri-environmental policies in the preparation of the future strategy of the agricultural development of the European Union countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Farmacia is the property of Societatea de Stiinte Farmaceutice Romania and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study was carried out at the Danube River and its tributaries during the Joint Danube Survey 4 (JDS4) expedition. Three freshwater benthic species were used to estimate the quantity of microplastics (MPs): Corbicula spp., Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (Claparede, 1862), and Polypedilum nubeculosum (Meigen, 1804). Following the kick and sweep technique, individuals were sampled using a hand net or dredge. In order to estimate the number of MP particles/individual particles/g wet body mass, the body mass and total length of all specimens were measured. Alkaline (Corbicula spp. and L. hoffmaisteri) and enzymatic (P. nubeculosum) protocols were performed for tissue degradation. All samples were filtered through glass microfiber filters (mesh size 0.5 µm). The particles were photographed, measured, and counted. A total of 1904, 169, and 204 MPs were isolated from Corbicula spp., L. hoffmaisteri, and P. nubeculosum, respectively. To confirm the chemical composition of isolated MPs, a subsample of 46 particles of the fragmented particles from 14 sampling sites was analysed via µ-ATR-FTIR spectroscopy analysis. The particles were characterised as polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene–polyethylene copolymer (PP-PE), nylon (polyamide-PA) and cellophane, with the domination of PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tisane is a fruit or herbal infusion, commonly referred to as herbal tea. These products are consumed as part of a balanced diet, which is closely related to the trend of a healthier lifestyle. In this work, tisanes prepared from rosehip (R), and herbal mixtures containing rosehip/hibiscus flowers (R/H) and rosehip/hibiscus flowers/saffron (R/H/S) were studied. Rosehip was dried by the convective drying method at 40, 50 and 60 °C. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total flavonol content (TFlC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), antioxidant properties (DPPH∙ and ABTS∙+ assays) and in vitro inhibitory potential toward α-amylase of tisanes were examined. The highest TPC (based on dry weight (dw)) was measured in tisane obtained from rosehip dried at 60 °C (37.84 mg GAE/g dw). Tisanes prepared from a R/H/S mixture had the highest values of TFC (4.66–6.13 mg QUE/g dw), TFlC (2.67–3.98 mg QUE/g dw) and TAC (1.35–2.27 mg Cy 3-glc/g dw). The highest DPPH∙ scavenging activity (53.42 mg TE/g dw) was measured in rosehip (dried at 60 °C) tisane, whereas tisane prepared from a rosehip (dried at 60 °C)/hibiscus mixture expressed the best ABTS∙+ scavenging activity (107.44 mg TE/g dw). All tisane samples expressed high inhibitory potential toward α-amylase, with the highest activity of 85.03% and 89.90%, measured for tisanes prepared from rosehip/hibiscus flowers mixture (rosehip dried at 50 and 60 °C, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive peptides are promising cosmetic active ingredients that can improve skin health and appearance. They exhibit a broad spectrum of activity, including anti-aging, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to develop a safe, stable, and efficacious environmentally friendly ("green") emulsion using a milk protein hydrolysate as a model active ingredient. Potential emulsions were formulated with biodegradable emollients, stabilized with naturally derived mixed emulsifier, and prepared by cold process. They were evaluated for rheological behavior (continuous rotation and oscillation tests), physical stability (dynamic mechanical thermal analysis—DMTA test), and texture profiles, as well as cytotoxic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. Rheological characterization revealed shear-thinning flow behavior with yield point from continuous rotation tests and predominantly elastic character from oscillation (amplitude and frequency sweep) tests, with small structural change detected in the DMTA test. These results implied satisfactory rheological properties and good stability. Texture analysis revealed acceptable spreadability and substantivity of the emulsions. The protein hydrolysate showed antioxidant activity. The developed emulsions showed low antibacterial activity against selected microorganisms, but this was due to the action of preservatives, not peptides. All potential emulsions showed a desirable safety profile. The results obtained provide the basis for the next stage of formulation development, i.e., in vivo efficacy tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]