The highest altitude recorded for an amphibian in Europe (west of the Caucasus) is 2965 m. It refers to the "lacs de Cambalès" according to an old reference. However, these lakes are all situated below 2600 m, while the altitude corresponds exactly to that of the summit of the Pic de Cambalès. We undertook an almost complete survey of ponds in a 2.5 km radius from the Cambalès peak, and complemented these data by fieldwork in a larger portion of the Central Pyrenees. Based on our observations in a total of 325 lakes and ponds we conclude that no water bodies above 2800 m exist in the Cambalès area, and that no water bodies above 2600 m are populated by Rana temporaria. The highest amphibian record was that of a single R. temporaria specimen at 2569 m, while the highest reproducing population was found at 2516 m. Highest records of other amphibians were 2516 m (Alytes obstetricans), 2160 m (Bufo bufo), 2259 m (Euproctus asper), and 2142 m (Salamandra salamandra). The presence of ice-free water bodies during a sufficient amount of time for larval development is probably the limiting factor for elevational distribution of Pyrenean amphibians, and the adequate conditions are usually not met above 2500 m in this massif. In contrast, in the Alps, ponds at higher altitudes are often protected by much higher surrounding peaks, which leads to higher elevational occurrence of amphibians. The Italian Laghi di Tre Becchi (up to 2742 m) are therefore the highest locality of a reproducing anuran population in Europe west of the Caucasus.
Záměr. Cílem předložené studie bylo vytvoření české verze Cambridge depersonalization scale (CDS) a ověření její reliability, validity a diskriminační kvality jako nástroje pro screening depersonalizačního a derealizačního syndromu. Soubor a procedura. CDS byla přeložena z angličtiny do češtiny a předložena 147 subjektům společně se škálou disociativních zkušeností (DES), Beckovým inventářem deprese (BDI-II) a Beckovým inventářem úzkosti (BAI). Třináct subjektů splňovalo kritéria MKN-10 pro depersonalizační a derealizační syndrom, 69 pro poruchu úzkostného spektra, 65 subjektů tvořilo kontrolní skupinu zdravých. Statistická analýza. Pro odhad reliability bylo užito výpočtu Cronbachova koeficientu alfa a split half reliability. Pro odhad kritériové validity byla vypočtena Spearmanova korelace s faktorem depersonalizace DES a byly statisticky porovnány skupiny metodou Kruskal-Wallis. K posouzení diskriminační kvality CDS jako screeningového nástroje depersonalizačního a derealizačního syndromu bylo užito ROC analýzy. Výsledky. Česká verze CDS vykázala vysokou vnitřní konzistenci (Cronbachovo alfa činilo 0,95, split-half reliabilita činila 0,95) a konvergentní validitu (Spearmanova korelace s faktorem depersonalizace DES činila 0,68). Škála byla schopná odlišit pacienty s depersonalizačním syndromem od ostatních skupin. Oblast pod křivkou ROC činila 0,975 a nejlepšího kompromisu mezi hodnotou pravdivě pozitivních a falešně negativních bylo dosaženo při dělícím bodu (cut-off) 50, který vykázal 100% senzitivitu a 87,3% specificitu. Závěr. Česká verze CDS má podobně jako původní škála dobrou reliabilitu, validitu a diskriminační kvalitu a lze ji využívat v klinickém výzkumu a praxi. Omezení studie. Vzhledem k poměrně malému počtu pacientů s depersonalizačním a derealizačním syndromem by měly být výsledky interpretovány s určitou obezřetností. V budoucí studii je třeba soubor pacientů rozšířit. and Reliability and validity of the Czech version of the Cambridge depersonalization scale
Objectives. The objectives of the study were to develop a Czech version of the Cambridge depersonalization scale (CDS) and to examine its reliability, validity and discrimination quality as an instrument for screening depersonalization disorder. Methods. The CDS was translated from English into Czech and administered to 147 subjects along with Dissociation Experiences Scale (DES), Beck depression inventory II and Beck anxiety inventory. Thirteen subjects met ICD-10 criteria for depersonalization disorder, 69 for anxiety disorder and 65 were healthy controls. Statistical analysis. Cronbach´s alpha and splithalf reliability was carried out to assess reliability. Spearman correlation analysis between CDS and DES depersonalization subscale and the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare scores of the CDS among the groups were carried out in order to examine criterion validity. Analysis of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) was performed to examine discrimination quality of the CDS as an instrument for screening depersonalization disorder. Results. The Czech version of the CDS showed high internal consistency (Cronbach´s alpha and split half reliability were both 0.95) and convergent validity (Spearman correlation with DES depersonalization subscale was 0.68). The scale was able to differentiate patients with ICD-10 depersonalization disorder from the other groups. The area under the ROC curve was 0.975 and the best compromise between the true positive and false negative rate was at a cut-off point of 50, yielding a sensitivity of 1.00 and a specificity of 0.87. Conclusions. The Czech version of the CDS has good reliability, validity and discrimination quality, similar to the original instrument and can be used in both clinical research and practice. Study limitation. Results should be interpreted with caution given the relatively small sample size of the depersonalization disorder group. A larger sample in future study will be needed.
Kdyby nebylo popularizátorů, pak bychom kromě úzké vědecké komunity věděli o vědě, vědcích a smyslu jejich práce velmi málo. Pokud sem tam uniknou mimo jejich společnost nějaké informace o výzkumech a pokusech zdařených i nezdařených, bývají strohé a laikům nesrozumitelné. Tudíž nevědcům je třeba je ozřejmit, jaksi polidštit. A zde nastupují populátoři vědy, lidé vládnoucí mistrnou schopností přenést do veřejnosti - ne úplně laické - to, nač vědci myslí, co tvoří a vůbec, čím se zabývají a jací jsou. Pokud nahlédneme do dějin přírodních věd, zjistíme, že jako první byla popularizována astronomie. Stalo se tak především zásluhou francouzského astronoma Nicolase Camille Flammariona., This contribution describes the life and the work of French astronomer and writer Camille Flammarion. He is well known as a pioneer in science (esp. astronomy) popularization. The introductory part of this article sheds light on Flammarion‘s professional career in the Paris Observatory and in the Bureau of Measures. The central part of the article overviews Flammarion‘s popularization work, including writing books, giving public lectures, editing several journals, and so on. Flammarion‘s views on a calendar reformation are also discussed. The article ends with a list of Flammarion‘s publications, including their Czech editions., František Jáchim., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Deserts and semi-deserts, such as the Sahara-Sahel region in North Africa, are exposed environments with restricted vegetation coverage. Due to limited physical surface structures, these open areas provide a promising ecosystem to understand selection for crypsis. Here, we review knowledge on camouflage adaptation in the Sahara-Sahel rodent community, which represents one of the best documented cases of phenotype-environment convergence comprising a marked taxonomic diversity. Through their evolutionary history, several rodent species from the Sahara-Sahel have repeatedly evolved an accurate background matching against visually-guided predators. Top-down selection by predators is therefore assumed to drive the evolution of a generalist, or compromise, camouflage strategy in these rodents. Spanning a large biogeographic extent and surviving repeated climatic shifts, the community faces extreme and heterogeneous selective pressures, allowing formulation of testable ecological hypotheses. Consequently, Sahara-Sahel rodents poses an exceptional system to investigate which adaptations facilitate species persistence in a mosaic of habitats undergoing climatic change. Studies of these widely distributed communities permits general conclusions about the processes driving adaptation and can give insights into how diversity evolves.
A new harpactorine reduviid, Camptibia obscura, gen. et sp. n., from China is described. A key to related genera is provided. The functional morphology of the fore legs of this species is discussed.
The study examines possible water savings by replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley, located upstream of the Syrdarya River in Central Asia. Agricultural reforms since the 1990s have promoted this change in cropping patterns in the Central Asian states to enhance food security and social benefits. The water use of alfalfa, winter wheat/fallow, and winter wheat/green gram (double cropping) systems is compared for high-deficit, low-deficit, and full irrigation scenarios using hydrological modeling with the HYDRUS-1D software package. Modeling results indicate that replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley released significant water resources, mainly by reducing productive crop transpiration when abandoning alfalfa in favor of alternative cropping systems. However, the winter wheat/fallow cropping system caused high evaporation losses from fallow land after harvesting of winter wheat. Double cropping (i.e., the cultivation of green gram as a short duration summer crop after winter wheat harvesting) reduced evaporation losses, enhanced crop output and hence food security, while generating water savings that make more water available for other productive uses. Beyond water savings, this paper also discusses the economic and social gains that double cropping produces for the public within a broader developmental context.
During the last decade, biochar has captured the attention of agriculturalists worldwide due to its positive effect on the environment. To verify the biochar effects on organic carbon content, soil sorption, and soil physical properties under the mild climate of Central Europe, we established a field experiment. This was carried out on a silty loam Haplic Luvisol at the Malanta experimental site of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra with five treatments: Control (biochar 0 t ha–1, nitrogen 0 kg ha–1); B10 (biochar 10 t ha–1, nitrogen 0 kg ha–1); B20 (biochar 20 t ha–1, nitrogen 0 kg ha–1); B10+N (biochar 10 t ha–1, nitrogen 160 kg ha–1) and B20+N (biochar 20 t ha–1, nitrogen 160 kg ha–1). Applied biochar increased total and available soil water content in all fertilized treatments. Based on the results from the spring soil sampling (porosity and water retention curves), we found a statistically significant increase in the soil water content for all fertilized treatments. Furthermore, biochar (with or without N fertilization) significantly decreased hydrolytic acidity and increased total organic carbon. After biochar amendment, the soil sorption complex became fully saturated mainly by the basic cations. Statistically significant linear relationships were observed between the porosity and (A) sum of base cations, (B) cation exchange capacity, (C) base saturation.