This study reports seasonal presence of Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Southeast Turkey, in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Samples were collected from crops in agricultural areas at altitudes of 10 m, 800 m and 1400 m from stands of wild herbaceous plants , and at 1750 m from stone debris fields. First C. septempunctata adults were collected at the beginning of June at Tentcamp (800 m) and Tozlu (1400 m), early in July at Sarikiz (1700 m) when the mean air temperature reached 30°C. Adults became active in spring, after aestivating around Sarikiz and overwintering there under snow. First adults emerged on 2nd April in 2009 around Edremit Gulf when mean air temperature reached 14.8°C. Adult and immature stages of C. septempunctata were recorded attacking aphid populations till the end of June. C. septempunctata was present there for only one period each year during which they completed one generation. Adult individuals of this generation returned to Mount Ida to aestivate. Maximum numbers of adults present on Mount Ida in the first week of August in 2009 and 2010 were recorded. C. septempunctata adults aestivate and overwinter at Sarikiz on Mount Ida after completing their development on aphids in April, May and June around Edremit Gulf., Ali Özpinar, Ali Kürşat Şahin, Burak Polat., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Cílem předkládaného textu je kritická reflexe zahraničních výzkumů týkající se porodních plánů a jejich implementace v praxi. Pozornost je tak věnovaná dopadu užití porodních plánů na zkušenost ženy s porodem, ženou pociťovanou kontrolu během porodu, ale i na průběh porodu a zdravotní stav ženy a novorozence po porodu. Vedle kritické reflexe metodologických studií zkoumajících efektivitu porodních plánů jsou zde popsány i faktory, které mohou užití porodních plánů i jejich efektivitu v praxi ovlivnit. Konkrétně se jedná o postoje zdravotníků k porodním plánům a rozlišení mezi porodními plány nabízenými zdravotníky či institucí a porodními plány, se kterými přicházejí ženy z vlastní inciativy. Dále pak je pozornost věnována podobě porodních plánů, rodičkami v porodních plánech nejčastěji uváděným požadavkům, charakteristikám žen, které mohou ovlivnit podobu porodního plánu, a souvislosti mezi porodními plány a představami žen o průběhu porodu. and The aim of the presented paper is a critical reflection on foreign researches regarding birth plans and their implementation in practice. It focuses on the impact of the use of birth plans on the birth experience and a sense of control experienced by a woman during childbirth, but also on the impact of the use of birth plans on delivery outcomes from a medical point of view. Besides the critical reflection on methodological studies examining the effectiveness of birth plans, factors that may influence the use of birth plans and their effectiveness in practice are also described. Specifically, these comprise the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards the use of birth plans and the distinction between birth plans offered by healthcare professionals /institutions and those developed on the women’s own initiative. In addition, attention is paid to the form of birth plans, to the most common requests mentioned in women’s birth plans, to women’s characteristics that may affect the form of the birth plan, and to the relationship between birth plans and women’s visions of the birth process.
Cílem studie je přispět k porozumění souvislostem mezi nesymbolickými numerickými schopnostmi a vývojovou dyskalkulií. Zabýváme se tedy početními funkcemi již na úrovni vrozených dispozic, předcházejících osvojení číselného aparátu, které jsou zajišťovány instancí tzv. aproximativního numerického systému (ANS) a projevují se v dovednosti odhadu kvantit. Pokud tento vztah existuje, bylo by jej zřejmě možné využít pro praktickou diagnostiku dyskalkulie již v raném věku dítěte před projevením případných obtíží v numerických dovednostech. Naše pilotní studie srovnává úroveň nesymbolických početních schopností (početního odhadu) u dětí s dyskalkulií a kontrolní skupiny. Kompletní výzkumný soubor tvořilo 75 žáků ve věkovém rozmezí 6,6 až 17,8 let (M = 12,03; SD = 2,68), přičemž 25 (33 %) z nich vykazovalo matematické obtíže, které jsou v 17 případech(23 %)vysvětleny diagnózou dyskalkulie. Sběr dat byl realizován s využitím elektronického „testu početního odhadu“ vlastní konstrukce, tvořeného tzv. aproximativními úlohami založenými na principu diferenciace množství. Výsledky naznačují, že kontrolní skupina diskriminuje množství lépe než děti s matematickými obtížemi. Po kontrole věku respondentů je však vztah dyskalkulie a výkonu v testu početního odhadu slabý a statisticky nevýznamný, beta = –0,232, p = 0,056. Zjištěné výsledky jsou diskutovány ve vztahu k možnostem jejich využití v praxi. and The aim of the study is to contribute to the understanding of the links between non-symbolic numerical abilities and developmental dyscalculia. Therefore, we deal with the numerical functions already at the level of innate dispositions preceding the acquiring of numerical apparatus, which are ensured by the instance of the so-called approximate number system (ANS) and are manifested in the quantitative estimation skill. If the relationship exists, it might be possible to use it for the practical diagnosis of dyscalculia at an early age before showing any difficulties in numerical skills. Our pilot study compares the level of non-symbolic numerical abilities (counting) in children with dyscalculia and control groups. The complete research group consisted of 75 pupils aged between 6.6 and 17.8 years (M = 12.03; SD = 2.68), with 25 (33%) showing mathematical difficulties in 17 cases (23%) explained by the diagnosis of dyscalculia. Data was collected using an electronic “numerical estimate test” of the own construction, constituted by the so-called approximation tasks based on the principle of differentiation of quantities. The results suggest that the control group discriminates the quantity better than children with mathematical difficulties. However, after checking the age of the respondents, the relationship between dyscalculia and numerical test output is weak and statistically insignificant, beta = -0.232, p = 0.056. The results are discussed in relation to the possibilities of their use in practice.
Mental disorders affect 10-20 % of the young population in the world. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disease with a multifactorial and not clearly explained pathophysiology. Many cases remain undetected and untreated, which influences patients’ physical and mental health and their quality of life also in adulthood. The aim of our pilot study was to assess the prediction value of selected potential biomarkers, including blood cell counts, blood cell ratios, and parameters like peroxiredoxin 1 (PRDX1), tenascin C (TNC) and type IV collagen (COL4) between depressive pediatric patients and healthy peers and to evaluate a short effect of antidepressant treatment. In this study, 27 young depressive patients and 26 non-depressed age-matched controls were included. Blood analyses and immunological assays using commercial kits were performed. Platelet count was the only blood parameter for which the case/control status was statistically significant (p=0.01) in a regression model controlling for the age and gender differences. The results from ELISA analyses showed that the case/control status is a significant predictor of the parameters PRDX1 (p=0.05) and COL4 (p=0.009) in respective regression model considering the age and gender differences between MDD patients and controls. A major finding of this study is that values of platelet count, monocyte to lymphocyte ratio, white blood cell, and monocyte counts were assessed by the Random Forest machine learning algorithm as relevant predictors for discrimination between MDD patients and healthy controls with a power of prediction AUC=0.749.
Práce se třídami představuje v rámci náplně práce školního psychologa značný podíl. O tom, jak často a jakou formou školní psychologové na základních školách se třídami pracují, víme opravdu málo. Cílem našeho výzkumu bylo zjistit zastoupení práce se třídou v činnosti školního psychologa, popsat, jakým způsobem školní psychologové se třídami nejčastěji pracují, a prozkoumat subjektivní hodnocení vlastní kompetence školních psychologů při práci se třídou. Soubor respondentů tvořilo 73 školních psychologů základních škol. Data byla sbírána prostřednictvím on-line dotazníku vlastní konstrukce. Výsledky poukazují, že práce se třídou je třetí nejčastěji uváděnou činností pracovní náplně školního psychologa. Školní psycholog vstupuje do tříd nejčastěji na žádost třídní učitelky (38,26 %), pravidelně na základě vlastní iniciativy (31,51 %) nebo když má dojem, že by to dané třídě mohlo pomoci (20,55 %). Subjektivní hodnocení kompetence školních psychologů v práci s třídními kolektivy mimo jiné ovlivňují výše úvazku, délka praxe a další vzdělávání zaměřené na práci se třídou. Signifikantní rozdíly ve stanovených kritériích však nebyly potvrzeny. and Classwork takes a considerable amount of school psychologists´ work. However, we know little about the frequency and form of their work with the class. We have defined three main goals of our research. First, to set the proportion of time school psychologists to work with the class. Second, to describe the form of their work with the class. And third, to evaluate their subjective competencies for work with the class. The sample consisted of 73 school psychologists working in primary schools. The data were collected using an online self-made questionnaire. The results show that classwork is the third most common activity of school psychologists. School psychologists most often start their classwork upon request from a teacher (38,26 %), regularly as their initiative (31,51 %) or if they find out that a class needs extra support (20,55 %). Subjective level of competence to classwork is influenced especially by the level of workload, length of experience in the field and specialised training in work with groups. However, the difference between the criteria was not significant.
Babesia caballi (Nuttal, 1910) is one of the causative agents of equine piroplasmosis which causes economic losses to horse industry in China. There is an urgent need for rapid detection method for B. caballi infection in Xinjiang Province, China. To prepare monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Bc48 gene of B. caballi (Xinjiang local strains) and establish colloidal gold-immunochromatographic (ICT) assay for diagnosis of the disease, recombinant Bc48 was expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. With purified Bc48 as immunogen in mice, three hybridoma cells named 11F4, 1H2 and 7F4 secreting mAbs against Bc48 of B. caballi were obtained, which showed strong reaction with recombinant Bc48 and Bc48 gene transfected cells. Furthermore, colloidal gold labelled ICT assay based on purified Bc48 recombinant antigen and its mAb was developed. The ICT assay showed high sensitivity and specificity and no cross-reaction with Theileria equi (Laveran, 1901). Total of 56 horse serum samples collected from Xinjiang were tested by ICT and compared with the detection by commercial ELISA kit. The results showed that 32 out of 56 serum samples were positive by ICT and 33 were positive by ELISA. ICT assay had high coincidence (98%) to the reference ELISA kit. mAbs and ICT developed in this study could be provided as an efficient diagnosis tool for infection with B. caballi in horse in Xinjiang area., Panju Wang, Jingjing Song, Ruiqi Song, Mengyuan Zhang, Lijiang Wu, Fangxin Li, Yan Yan, Jiyong Zhou, Bayin Chahan, Min Liao., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Some free-living amoebae are a potential threat to human health. The best known species are those of the genus Acanthamoeba Volkonsky, 1931, which cause Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and other forms of tissue inflammation. The aim of the present study was to search for potential pathogenic genotypes of free-living amoeba in the sand in children's playgrounds. Our results confirmed that free-living amoebae were present in all examined playgrounds. Sequences of the 18S rDNA have shown that all isolated potentially pathogenic strains of amoebae belong to genotype T4 of Acanthamoeba. The potential pathogenicity of isolates was confirmed on mice. The presence of pathogenic amoebae in the examined sand may be a potential source of human infection., Marcin Cholewiński, Piotr Solarczyk, Monika Derda, Agnieszka Wojtkowiak-Giera, Edward Hadaś., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The gut microbiota provides a wide range of beneficial functions for the host, and has an immense effect on the host’s health status. The presence of microbiome in the gut may often influence the effect of an orally administered drug. Molecular mechanisms of this process are however mostly unclear. We investigated how the effect of a nonsteroidal drug nabumetone on expression of drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) in mice intestine and liver is changed by the presence of microbiota, here, using the germ free (GF) and specific pathogen free (SPF) BALB/c mice. First, we have found in a preliminary experiment that in the GF mice there is a tendency to increase bioavailability of the active form of nabumetone, which we have found now to be possibly influenced by differences in expression of DMEs in the GF and SPF mice. Indeed, we have observed that the expression of the most of selected cytochromes P450 (CYPs) was significantly changed in the small intestine of GF mice compared to the SPF ones. Moreover, orally administered nabumetone itself altered the expression of some CYPs and above all, in different ways in the GF and SPF mice. In the GF mice, the expression of the DMEs (CYP1A) responsible for the formation of active form of the drug are significantly increased in the small intestine and liver after nabumetone application. These results highlight the importance of gut microbiome in processes involved in drug metabolism in the both gastrointestinal tract and in the liver with possible clinical relevance.
Plastination is a preservation method for biological specimens, with important advantages over classic conservation techniques with formaldehyde or alcohol. Plastinated specimens are dry, odourless, and free of carcinogenic and toxic solutions. There are only few references about the plastination of parasites. Moreover, there is no information on the effect of plastination on the morphology and morphometry of these animals. The aim of this study was to define a plastination protocol to preserve various species of parasites, namely the nematodes Parascaris equorum (Goeze, 1782); Ascaris suum Goeze, 1782 and Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy, 1856); the acanthecephalan Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus (Pallas, 1781); the trematodes Fasciola hepatica Linnaeus, 1758 and Dicrocoelium dendriticum (Rudolphi, 1819) and the tapeworm Taenia sp. in the best morphological and morphometric conditions. Results showed that some individuals suffered collapse (P. equorum, A. suum, and D. dendriticum). However, other parasites presented good results with almost no change after plastination (D. immitis, M. hirudinaceus and F. hepatica). In conclusion, conventional plastination allowed anatomical preservation of all helminths tested, but modifications to the protocol are needed to prevent collapse., Moisés Gonzálvez, Juana Ortiz, María Navarro, Rafael Latorre., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Bats of the family Phyllostomidae are common hosts to streblids known as bat flies. Here, we discuss the component community, prevalence and intensity of infection with species of Streblidae on an assemblage of phyllostomid bats in the Cafuringa Environmental Protection Area (APA Cafuringa) in the core area of the Cerrado in Central Brazil. A total of 1 841 streblid individuals of 24 species occurred on 752 bats of 14 species. Ten species of streblids infected Glossophaga soricina (Pallas), whereas seven or fewer streblid species infected the other bat species. Nine bat fly species presented a prevalence of more than 50%, whereas some differences in the abundance of bat flies among hosts were observed. Strebla wiedemanni Kolenati, 1856 and Trichobius furmani Wenzel, 1966 were more host-specific compared to the other streblids, and they occurred in greater abundance on their preferred hosts. Trichobius uniformis Curran, 1935 and Strebla mirabilis (Waterhouse, 1879) were the least host-specific, occurring on five and six hosts, respectively., Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar, Yasmine Antonini., and Obsahuje bibliografii