Peer education program to improve fluid consumption in primary schools-lessons learned from an innovative pilot study.

Background: Although it is widely recognized that more attention needs to be paid to children's fluid intake, there is little information on how to improve it. Peer education has been suggested as an effective approach to changing health behaviors among school children. As a new approach, our study piloted a peer education program to improve children's fluid intake in primary schools. Methods: University students were prepared for their role as peer educators in an elective university course, including the concept of peer education and different pedagogical methods. The peer educators evaluated the training process by completing a questionnaire. The intervention took place during a School Health Day led by the peer educators. An anonymous survey with a questionnaire on knowledge of fluid intake was administered two weeks before, at the end of, and 15 weeks after the intervention. Changes in hydration knowledge were tested using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The pilot program showed increased knowledge about fluid consumption (p < 0.001) in lower and upper primary school children (N = 326) at the end of the School Health Day compared to pre-intervention measures. A positive change was observed after 15 weeks only in upper primary students. Feedback from peer educators was useful for fine-tuning the program. Conclusions: This innovative program induced positive changes in knowledge about fluid intake in primary school children. The persistence of the changes differed between lower and upper primary school children. Based on the results, the intervention should be replicated to adapt the program to the needs of lower primary school children. Because the training of peer educators and the peer education program appeared to be successful, this program is worthy of international replication. This approach may also be suggested for other behavior change issues.

Differentiating sepsis from similar groups of symptoms at triage level in emergency care.

OBJECTIVES: Conditions that have similar initial presentations as sepsis may make early recognition of sepsis in an emergency room (ER) difficult. We investigated whether selected physiologic and metabolic parameters can be reliably used in the emergency department to differentiate sepsis from other disease states that mimic it, such as dehydration and stroke. METHODS: Loess regression on retrospective follow-up chart data of patients with sepsis-like symptoms (N = 664) aged 18+ in a large ER in Hungary was used to visualize/identify cutoff points for sepsis risk. A multivariate logistic regression model based on standard triage data was constructed with its corresponding receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and compared with another model constructed based on current sepsis guidelines. RESULTS: Age, bicarbonate, HR, lactate, pH, and body temperature had U, V, W, or reverse U-shaped associations with identifiable inflexion points, but the cutoff values we identified were slightly different from guideline cutoff values. In contrast to the guidelines, no inflexion points could be observed for the association of sepsis with SBP, DPB, MAP, and RR and therefore were treated as continuous variables. Compared to the guidelines-based model, the triage data-driven final model contained additional variables (age, pH, bicarbonate) and did not include lactate. The data-driven model identified about 85% of sepsis cases correctly, while the guidelines-based model identified only about 70% of sepsis cases correctly. CONCLUSION: Our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence for the necessity of finding improved tools to identify sepsis at early time points, such as in the ER.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydroboration of γ,δ-unsaturated amide derivatives: δ-borylated amides.

γ,δ-Unsaturated amides in which the alkene moiety bears an aryl or heteroaryl substituent undergo regioselective rhodium-catalyzed δ-borylation by pinacolborane to afford chiral secondary benzylic boronic esters. The results contrast the γ-borylation of γ,δ-unsaturated amides in which the disubstituted alkene moiety bears only alkyl substituents; the reversal in regiochemistry is coupled with a reversal in the sense of π-facial selectivity.

Outcome After Pneumonectomy in 17 Dogs and 10 Cats: A Veterinary Society of Surgical Oncology Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: To report the signalment, presenting clinical signs, surgical complications, histologic diagnosis, postoperative complications, and outcome of dogs and cats undergoing pneumonectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series; multicenter study. ANIMALS: Client-owned dogs (n=17) and cats (n=10). METHODS: Signalment, clinical signs, side affected, surgical data, preoperative diagnostic tests (including complete blood count, serum biochemistry, cytologic diagnosis, chest radiographs, and computed tomography), histologic diagnosis, surgical complications, adjunctive therapy, and date and cause of death were collected from records of dogs and cats that underwent pneumonectomy. Survival estimates and complication were assessed. RESULTS: Seventeen animals had a left-sided pneumonectomy performed (12 dogs, 5 cats) and 10 animals had a right-sided pneumonectomy (5 dogs, 5 cats). Fourteen animals were diagnosed with neoplasia (52%). The overall incidence of complications for dogs and cats were 76 and 80%, respectively, with major complications in 41 and 50%, respectively. Respiratory complications (persistent pleural effusion, oxygen dependence, persistent increased respiratory rate, or coughing) were the most frequent complications. No animals died or were euthanatized intraoperative or within the first 24 hours postoperative. One dog (6%) and 2 cats (20%) died, or were euthanatized in the first 2 weeks postoperative. CONCLUSION: Based on this case series, right and left pneumonectomy can be performed with low perioperative mortality in dogs and cats, with some animals experiencing prolonged survival.

Effects of a 10-week toe-out gait modification intervention in people with medial knee osteoarthritis: a pilot, feasibility study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility of a 10-week gait modification program in people with medial tibiofemoral knee osteoarthritis (OA), and to assess changes in clinical and biomechanical outcomes. DESIGN: Fifteen people with medial knee OA completed 10 weeks of gait modification focusing on increasing toe-out angle during stance 10° compared to their self-selected angle measured at baseline. In addition to adherence and performance difficulty outcomes, knee joint symptoms (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale and total score, numerical rating scale (NRS) of pain), and knee joint loading during gait (late stance peak knee adduction moment (KAM)) were assessed. RESULTS: Participants were able to perform the toe-out gait modification program with minimal to moderate difficulty, and exhibited significant increases in self-selected toe-out angle during walking (P < 0.001). Joint discomfort was reported by five participants (33%) in the hip or knee joints, though none lasted longer than 2 weeks. Participants reported statistically significant reductions in WOMAC pain (P = 0.02), NRS pain (P < 0.001), WOMAC total score (P = 0.02), and late stance KAM (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that toe-out gait modification is feasible in people with medial compartment knee OA. Preliminary changes in clinical and biomechanical outcomes provide the impetus for conducting larger scale studies of gait modification in people with knee OA to confirm these findings.

Lateral trunk lean gait modification increases the energy cost of treadmill walking in those with knee osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the energy expenditure of increased lateral trunk lean walking - a suggested method of reducing medial compartment knee joint load - compared to normal walking in a population of older adults with medial knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHOD: Participants completed two randomly-presented treadmill walking conditions: 15 min of normal walking or walking with ten degrees of peak lateral trunk lean. Lateral trunk lean angle was displayed in front of the participant in real-time during treadmill conditions. Energy expenditure (VO2 and METs), heart rate (HR), peak lateral trunk lean angle, knee pain and perceived exertion were measured and differences between conditions were compared using paired t-tests. RESULTS: Twelve participants (five males, mean (standard deviation (SD)) age 64.1 (9.4) years, body mass index (BMI) 28.3 (4.9) kg/m²) participated. All measures were significantly elevated in the lateral trunk lean condition (P < 0.008), except for knee pain (P = 0.22). Oxygen consumption (VO2) was, on average 9.5% (95% CI 4.2-14.7%) higher, and HR was on average 5.3 beats per minute (95% CI 1.7-9.0 bpm) higher during increased lateral trunk lean walking. CONCLUSION: Increased lateral trunk lean walking on a treadmill resulted in significantly higher levels of steady-state energy expenditure, HR, and perceived exertion, but no difference in knee pain. While increased lateral trunk lean has been shown to reduce biomechanical measures of joint loading relevant to OA progression, it should be prescribed with caution given the potential increase in energy expenditure experienced when it is employed.

Effects of Stigmatization on Gay Men Living with HIV/AIDS in a Central-Eastern European Context: A Qualitative Analysis from Hungary.

This qualitative study highlights the social dynamics affecting people living with HIV (PLH) in Hungary and in the Central-Eastern European region. The study focused on the special needs and concerns of men living with HIV/AIDS as well as changes in their social relationships and institutional support provision, coping strategies and patterns of social functioning, especially in the context of social stigmatization. Consistent with international qualitative research findings in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention, the present study contributes to a fuller understanding of relationship between sexual behavior, HIV/AIDS related risks and risk perceptions as well as homosexuality-and HIV/AIDS stigma-related social exclusion in a previously under-researched socio-cultural setting. The findings of our study point to several barriers to effective HIV prevention, which should be overcome to improve the present situation by lessening the adverse effects of HIV/AIDS-and homosexuality-related stigma within the gay community, the general population and especially among service providers. One of the main barriers is the lack of public health programs specifically targeting MSM in Hungary, where the predominant mode of HIV transmission remains sex between men.

Making soil containing numerous eggs of WCR for greenhouse and laboratory experiments.

In the course of our work we often faced to the problem that WCR lays its eggs unevenly (Berger, 2008) so it is impossible to find soils under field circumstances which contains eggs in homogenous distribution and in large numbers. Owing to the inhomogeneous distribution and low number of eggs it is quite difficult to study the effectiveness of soil disinfectant and seed-dressing insecticides on larvae of WCR in pot experiments. Therefore, the aim of our studies was to gain soil samples with known quantity and distribution of eggs. According to our prevailing idea, numerous adults are placed into a relatively small place under ideal environmental conditions and a small quantity of soil is provided for them to lay eggs.

Postnatal expression of Doublecortin (Dcx) in the developing cerebellar cortex of mouse.

We have investigated the expression of Doublecortin (Dcx) protein in the developing cerebellum of mouse from postnatal 2nd day to postnatal 22nd day and in young adults by immunohistochemistry. Strong expression of Dcx was present in the inner zone of the external granule cell layer, and remained strong while postmitotic granule cell precursors were present in this transitory layer. Descending granule cell precursors exhibited Dcx immunostaining not only while migrating but for a short time also after their settlement. Dcx-immunostained cells appeared in deep cerebellocortical territories and in the cerebellar white matter during the first postnatal week. These bipolar cells were arranged in the sagittal plane and built up transitory migratory streams during the second postnatal week and their number gradually decreased during the third postnatal week. Upward migration of bipolar cells was observed while leaving the migratory streams, penetrating the internal granule cell layer and the molecular layer. These cells were considered as precursors of late migrating molecular layer interneurons. However, a proportion of Dcx-immunostained cells underwent a bipolar-to-multipolar dendritic remodellation and - on the basis of strong morphological similarities - was taken for "multipotent progenitor cells", described recently in the neocortex of adult rat.

Calretinin-immunoreactive unipolar brush cells in the developing human cerebellum.

We have studied the temporal and spatial characteristics of the development of unipolar brush cells (UBCs) in the human cerebellar vermis. Consistently with previous studies in rodents and cat, we have found that unipolar brush cells appear at a relatively late phase of cerebellar development and their development continues up to and beyond the first postnatal year. A series of 23 normal human brains, including 5 adult and 18 fetal or infant brains (between the 24th gestational week and the 11th postnatal month) were used. In order to visualize unipolar brush cells, calretinin-immunocytochemistry was performed on formaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks of the cerebellar vermis. Our results show that calretinin-immunoreactive unipolar brush cells are not yet present in the cerebellar vermis at the 28th gestational week. At birth, they are present in a relatively small number, mostly in the vestibular lobules. At the 3rd, 5th, 8.5th and 11th postnatal months the number of calretinin-immunoreactive unipolar brush cells gradually increase, first appearing in the vestibular lobules, followed by the invasion of the later developing vermal lobules, spreading in a rostro-caudal and proximo-distal direction. Although at the 11th postnatal month unipolar brush cells exhibited adult-like morphological and distributional features, their number appeared to be lower than in the adult cerebellum. The late maturation of unipolar brush cells implies that the cytoarchitectonical development of the human cerebellum is not completed by the end of the first postnatal year.

Delayed postnatal settlement of cerebellar Purkinje cells in vermal lobules VI and VII of the mouse.

The postnatal development of the ganglionic (Purkinje) layer was studied in the mouse cerebellum from P0 to young adulthood with special emphasis to vermal lobules VI-VII (oculomotor vermis) in the mouse. In order to visualize Purkinje cells (PCs), toluidine blue staining of resin-embedded semithin sections and calbindin immunohistochemistry were utilized. The number of PCs in the whole cerebellum was 199,080+/-2966 at postnatal day eight (P8), 222,000+/-2979 at P20 and nearly the same, 225,800+/-7549 in young adults; i.e., there was an approximately 13.4% increase of PCs between P8 and adults. The number of PC somata aligned into a rostrocaudal stripe along the developing ganglionic layer increased by about 24% in vermal cerebellar lobule III but much more markedly (i.e., by 49%) in VI+VII between P6 and young adulthood. Between P6 and P16, the increase of the number of PCs in the ganglionic layer of lobules VI and VII resulted in the (delayed) completion of PC layer, caused by the (late) alignment of rostrocaudally dispersed PCs, although late postnatal migration of a smaller population of these cells cannot be excluded either. It is concluded that the oculomotor vermis belongs to the latest developing cerebellar cortical structures, which could be the reason for its frequent involvement in developmentally related disturbances and disorders.

Quantitative analysis of the postnatal development of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum of the cat.

We have studied the postnatal quantitative changes of cortical Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum of the cat at the following postnatal groups of age: P0, P42, P72 and adults. An unbiased counting method, the optical fractionator was used for the estimation of Purkinje cell numbers. A significant increase of Purkinje cell number was found between P0 (1.097 x 10(6)) and P42/P72 (1.805 x 10(6) and 1.895 x 10(6)) declining to 1.429 x 10(6) in the adult, still 30% higher than in the newborn. It was also observed that during the first few postnatal weeks large "gaps" were present in the Purkinje monolayer as revealed by Nissl staining and metabotropic glutamate receptor 1alpha immunocytochemistry. These Purkinje cell gaps were observed most frequently in well-definable areas, especially in the intermediate zone of the neocerebellum. Simultaneously with the numerical increase of Purkinje neurons between the P0 and P72 age groups, these gaps disappeared after the third postnatal week resulting in the completion of the Purkinje monolayer in the whole cerebellum.

Quick scouting of eggs of western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, 1868) from soil.

Main method to control the American Corn Rootworm is crop rotation (Camprag et. al., 1994) but we don't know how to determine the possible number of larvae under fall so we cannot use autumn cereals to change the row of cultivated plants. The pest spends almost 10 months in soil in egg and larval state (Chiang, 1973). There are two methods for scouting Diabrotica eggs and larval instars from soil over the winter. One of the two most important methods is holding soil samples on fixed temperature (Fromm et al., 1999). This method takes more than one and a half month but its result is highly reliable. The conventional egg-washing technique takes fewer days to count the number of Diabrotica eggs in soil but it has lower effectiveness than the other one because the eggs in a sample cannot be counted correctly. Our results show that the effectiveness of egg washing with high concentrated salty water (NaCl) is high and the method is quick enough to help planning the crop rotation even under the autumn period (Takács et al., 2004).

Effective control method of larvae of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Leconte.

Larvae of WCR are feeding on the roots of corn while plants fall down. The egg hatching is continuous and soil insecticides are not effective to kill larvae. Unfortunately the recent control methods while we incorporate disinfectors Into the soil under seeding are not able to give enough effect on larvae of WCR under the whole period of larval development. We use to saw corn in the middle of April but eggs hatching start in the middle of May. The effectiveness of insecticides takes about one month so they are not able to protect plants from larvae are feeding on roots (Luckman et al., 1974 and Luckmann et al., 1975). They cause yield losses or in case of plant fall we can not harvest the corn. We have tested a material in greenhouse screening and field trips that is able to absorb insecticides and bind them into its body. This material is able to emit the agents continuously under the vegetation and we can protect our plants against the damages of WCR larvae. Our results shows that the material is able to elongate the effectiveness of the pesticides over 60 days and able to push the number of larvae under the economical threshold.

The ecological study of cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa rmigera Hubner 1808) in Hungary.

The cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera Hbn.) is a poliphagous pest. Caterpillars feed on flowers, crops and seeds. In 2001 the meaningful catching-period was in August (Szeoke, 2001). In 2003 we detected the swarming already in June. We observed many caterpillars on its nutritive crops. It caused significant economic damage in this year. 1ST EXAMINATION: We collected larvae and reared pupae out of it in a pot. We took it into the soil. The swarming of the moths from the pots was in June. The mortality was high, more than 90%. 2ND EXAMINATION: We made cold tests with pupae. We examined 5 x 10 pupae in three treatments. In the first treatment we reduced the temperature to -2 degrees C for 4 weeks. 92% of the pupae survived this cold. In the second treatment we reduced the temperature to -2 degrees C for 3 weeks and to -7 degrees C for 1 week. 86% of the pupae survived this procedure. In the third treatment we reduced the temperature to -2 degreesbC for 3 weeks and -15 degrees C for 1 week. 100% of the pupae were perished. 3RD EXAMINATION: In the first treatment we raised caterpillars on 13 hours lighting and 24 degrees C. The swarming was from 20th April to 4th May 2004. In the second treatment we reared the worms on 20 hours lighting and 18 degrees C. The main swarming was on 3rd January 2004. So we could say that the cotton bollworm has diapause. The more effective factor of the diapause is the length of the lighting.

Mosaic increments for predicting the gas chromatographic retention data of the chlorobenzenes.

The chlorinated organic compounds are very important from the point of view of the chemical industry and environmental protection, and therefore the gas chromatographic analysis of these compounds is very interesting for analytical chemists. In this paper we studied the relationship between the molecular structure and gas chromatographic retention on several stationary phases having different polarity and at several temperatures of benzene and 12 chlorobenzene compounds as model compounds. A coding system involving primary (mosaic increments) and secondary (bond increments)calculation methods was developed. The retention indices of benzene and the chlorobenzenes calculated on HP-5 at 120 degrees C shows a better performance of the mosaic increments (average absolute deviation delta of 1.7 retention index units) compared with the bond increments (delta = 11.7 retention index units). Retention factors, k, calculated with mosaic increments for chlorobenzenes on SPB-1 and WAX-10, at 140 degrees C, yield average relative errors of epsilon = 0.9 and 3.5%, respectively. Therefore, the presented paper provides a new possibility for precalculation of the retention data.

Number of GABA immunonegative and GABA immunopositive neurons in human epileptic temporal cortex.

The number of neurons, both GABA immunopositive and immunonegative, was determined in temporal epileptic foci of 7 patients after temporal lobectomy, and compared to neuronal numbers in temporal cortex of two controls taken from tumor operated patients. The thickness of the cortex of the epileptic cortex diminished by about 10%, while the number of nerve cells decreased to 67% of that of the control value: it was 19.000/mm(3) vs. 28.000/mm(3) found in the control. This decline was due to cell degeneration, which, however, was more severe for non-GABAergic nerve cells. Accordingly, the proportion of the GABA-positive neurons in the otherwise diminished neuronal population increased to 36.4% from the 32% control value. The number of GABAergic terminals, however, decreased even further, explaining the resulting disinhibition during epileptic seizures.

Morphological study of organotypic cerebellar cultures.

Organotypic cerebellar cultures from 8-days-old (P8) mouse pups were studied following 11 days of in vitro (I IDIV) culturing. The cerebellar cytoarchitectonic structure was maintained in most parasagittal cerebellar cortical slice cultures (also containing the deep cerebellar nuclei). The two main extrinsic excitatory inputs (the climbing and the mossy fibers) seem to be replaced by other axonal types: in the molecular layer mostly by parallel fibers (for climbing fibers) and in the granular layer by intrinsic mossy fiber collaterals of local excitatory interneurons, the unipolar brush cells. However, in a few organotypic cultures, which (although preserving the trilaminar cerebellar cortical structure) were "granuloprival" but also contained some of the deep cerebellar nuclei, the participation of extracortical axons from the deep cerebellar nuclei in the replacement of the missing afferents is suggested.

3,8-diazabicyclo--[3.2.1]-octane derivatives as analogues of ambasilide, a Class III antiarrhythmic agent.

Ambasilide, a representative of Class III antiarrhythmics, was reported to prolong the cardiac action potential duration in the dog, with little or no effect on Ca and Na currents. We synthesised a series of ambasilide analogues, having the 3,8-diazabicyclo-[3.2.1]-octane moiety instead of the 3,7-diazabicyclo-[3.3.1]-nonane present in ambasilide. The compounds were tested both in vitro extracellular electrophysiological assays and by the conventional microelectrode technique. Most of them lengthened the effective refractory period (ERP) with no change or slight increase on the impulse conduction time (ICT). Similarly some of the tested compounds lengthened the action potential duration (APD), a typical Class III feature, without exerting any significant effect on the maximal rate of depolarization, therefore apparently lacking Class I antiarrhythmic activity.

Electrophysiological effects of dronedarone (SR 33589), a noniodinated amiodarone derivative in the canine heart: comparison with amiodarone.

The electrophysiological effects of dronedarone, a new nonionidated analogue of amiodarone were studied after chronic and acute administration in dog Purkinje fibres, papillary muscle and isolated ventricular myocytes, and compared with those of amiodarone by applying conventional microelectrode and patch-clamp techniques. Chronic treatment with dronedarone (2x25 mg(-1) kg(-1) day p.o. for 4 weeks), unlike chronic administration of amiodarone (50 mg(-1) kg(-1) day p.o. for 4 weeks), did not lengthen significantly the QTc interval of the electrocardiogram or the action potential duration (APD) in papillary muscle. After chronic oral treatment with dronedarone a small, but significant use-dependent V(max) block was noticed, while after chronic amiodarone administration a strong use-dependent V(max) depression was observed. Acute superfusion of dronedarone (10 microM), similar to that of amiodarone (10 microM), moderately lengthened APD in papillary muscle (at 1 Hz from 239.6+/-5.3 to 248.6+/-5.3 ms, n=13, P<0.05), but shortened it in Purkinje fibres (at 1 Hz from 309.6+/-11.8 to 287.1+/-10.8 ms, n=7, P<0.05). Both dronedarone (10 microM) and amiodarone (10 microM) superfusion reduced the incidence of early and delayed afterdepolarizations evoked by 1 microM dofetilide and 0.2 microM strophantidine in Purkinje fibres. In patch-clamp experiments 10 microM dronedarone markedly reduced the L-type calcium current (76.5+/-0.7 %, n=6, P<0.05) and the rapid component of the delayed rectifier potassium current (97+/-1.2 %, n=5, P<0.05) in ventricular myocytes. It is concluded that after acute administration dronedarone exhibits effects on cardiac electrical activity similar to those of amiodarone, but it lacks the 'amiodarone like' chronic electrophysiological characteristics.