Morphological and molecular characterization of Prosthogonimus falconis n. sp. (Trematoda; Prosthogonimidae), found in a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) (Aves: Falconidae) in the United Arab Emirates.

At a routine health check of a female peregrine falcon, 23 trematodes preliminary identified as Prosthogonimus sp. were removed from the bursa of Fabricius. Based on morphological and molecular examination, a new species, Prosthogonimus falconis, was described. The pear-shaped flukes were 4.3-6.9 mm long, with greatest width posterior to testes. Tegumental spines measuring between 17 and 21 µm long covered the whole body. Length and width ratio of oral to ventral suckers were 1:1.3. Extracaecal, multifollicular vitelline glands commenced prior to acetabulum and terminated posterior to testes. Eggs in the distal uterus measured 21 × 12 µm. Molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer 2, cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 gene regions revealed that the new species described here is phylogenetically closest to Prosthogonimus cuneatus and Prosthogonimus pellucidus clusters.

Validation of a patient satisfaction questionnaire in primary health care.

BACKGROUND: Improvement in patient satisfaction with healthcare services can be evaluated by satisfaction questionnaires of high construct validity. OBJECTIVES: To establish the dimensions and construct validity of a 20-item patient satisfaction questionnaire to assess satisfaction with general practice services. SUBJECTS: In total, 1314 adult patients of both genders, who were users of healthcare services at the General Medicine Department of Health Centre Valjevo in Serbia for two consecutive years, were included in the study. METHODS: Multidimensional scaling (MDS) was employed to identify similarities and dissimilarities among items comprising the satisfaction questionnaire. Patient satisfaction dimensions were estimated by principal component analysis for categorical data (CATAPCA). RESULTS: The MDS model configuration derived two dimensions: (1) patient satisfaction with the timeliness of healthcare service provision; and (2) patient centredness related to doctors' and nurses' commitment towards their health. In the CATAPCA model, two dimensions of patient satisfaction were found: the first dimension patient satisfaction with medical staff and the second dimension was indicative of contextual patient dissatisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the applied patient satisfaction questionnaire has high validity and reliability. It also has high sensitivity for longitudinal measurements, as well as good discriminatory power in measuring the different levels of patient satisfaction.

A pilot examination of social context and everyday physical activity among adults receiving Community Mental Health Services.

OBJECTIVE: Community mental health center (CMHC) clients include a variety of people with moderate to severe mental illnesses who also report a number of physical health problems. Physical activity (PA) has been identified as one intervention to improve health among this population; however, little is known about the role of social context in PA. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of social context in everyday PA among CMHC clients. METHOD: Data were collected from CMHC clients in two cultures using accelerometery and experience sampling methods. Data were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. RESULTS: Independence in housing nor culture was significantly associated with levels of PA. Being alone was significantly negatively related to PA level. CONCLUSION: Social isolation appears to be negatively related to PA at the level of everyday life. Physical activity interventions with this population should consider including social components as a part of PA.

Heavy metals in soils: distribution, relationship with soil characteristics and radionuclides and multivariate assessment of contamination sources.

The study is dealing with the distribution and the origin of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soils from a priori non-polluted areas. Positive correlations with organic matter and clay content but not with pH have been observed for most of elements analyzed in this study. Correlations of some metals (Cr, Pb and Zn) and radionuclides (238U and 137Cs) observed for analyzed soils could be explained by their common affinity for clay minerals. Enrichment factor (EF) analysis and cluster analysis (CA) highlighted the lithogenic origin of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn and pointed out the primary input of Cd from anthropogenic sources. It also revealed the need for detailed geochemical surveys in the future in order to decrease the uncertainty of discrimination between lithogenic and anthropogenic origin of metals of interest.

[Biogenesis of 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) and penicillin in Penicillium chrysogenum: effect of the biocatalyst chrysin]. / Biogenez 6-aminopenitsillanovoi kisloty (6-APK) i penitsillina u Penicillium chrysogenum; éffekt biokatalizatora khrizina.

The investigations were concerned with the examination of the effect of chrysin, a biocatalyst on the 6-APA and penicillin biogenesis in Penicillium chrysogenum (Thom), Panlabs P-5 strain. Chrysin, a natural plant biocatalyst was used to increase the large scale production of penicillin. The experiments were conducted on chemically defined media under conditions determined for this strain in shake flask fermentations. The production of 6-APA and penicillin G was checked and confirmed by HPLC. The level of free 6-APA in the germinating culture increased 12 hours after the inoculation of the P. chrysogenum conidiospores. With the addition of chrysin to the germinating culture the biogenesis of penicillin started in 14 hours but in the experiments without the chrysin addition it was observed 21 hours after the conidiospore inoculation. The origin of free 6-APA in the fermentation broth could be explained solely by the involvement of an independent metabolic pathway of the 6-APA and penicillin biogenesis i.e. N-acylation of free 6-APA. In the fermentation broth of P. chrysogenum it is necessary to distinguish between the primary 6-APA which is a product of the biosynthesis via L-cystine/D-valine and the secondary 6-APA which originates from isopenicillin N.

Quantification of transfer of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in mosses of a semi-natural ecosystem.

There is a lack of appropriate data on transfer of some radionuclides on many terrestrial biota groups. To expand the available data concentration ratios of (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in mosses are presented in this paper. The relationship between concentration ratios of radionuclides and physicochemical characteristics of the underlying soil was also investigated. The data on concentration ratios obtained here will provide a useful addition to the currently used database of transfer parameters, particularly for natural radionuclides.