Changes in Local People’s Perceptions of the Sumava National Park in the Czech Republic over a Ten Year Period (1998–2008)

The<strong> </strong>Sumava National Park (NP), the largest protected area of its kind in Central Europe, is as interesting as it is problematic (historical development, conflicts between regional development and landscape protection). In order to evaluate the success of the Park’s policies, local park inhabitants’ attitudes were assessed over a ten-year period. Two surveys (N = 181 and N = 200) were conducted in August, 1998 and 2008. The questionnaires consisted of 43 queries from three thematic areas; (a) socio-demographic data, (b) environment and nature conservation, and (c) sustainable tourism and local development. The comparison of the results 1998 with 2008 showed that the Park inhabitants perceived living in the Park as improving and the scheme for nature conservation as either “optimal” or “more strict”. The surveys also showed the loss of job opportunities as the most prevalent local concern. In a cluster analysis based on perceptions of (a) the Park, (b) the environment and (c) Park Administration, subjects were divided into four opinion groups ranging from “optimists” to “grumblers”. The most “positive (optimistic)” group saw little connection between the Park’s existence and job losses, while the most “negative” group saw a strong connection in that regard

Evaluation of the safety of palivizumab in the second season of exposure in young children at risk for severe respiratory syncytial virus infection

Background: Palivizumab reduces respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalisations in high-risk infants. Those with severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia may require two seasons of prophylaxis. There is concern that this humanised antibody might cause an adverse immune response in a second season of use. Objective: To evaluate and compare the occurrence of anti-palivizumab antibodies and clinical adverse events in subjects receiving monthly palivizumab injections for a first and second season, and to assess frequency and severity of RSV disease in the two groups. Design and Patients: Subjects aged ≤2 years at severe risk for RSV disease were designated as first season (no previous palivizumab exposure) or second season subjects (received palivizumab in previous RSV season). Palivizumab injections (15 mg/kg) were administered monthly for up to 5 months. Anti-palivizumab antibody titres and serum palivizumab concentrations were measured; adverse events were recorded. Results: No first (n = 71) or second (n = 63) season subjects experienced a significant anti-palivizumab antibody response (titre ≥1:80). Serum palivizumab concentrations were similar for the two groups. Nine (12.7%) first season and 8 (12.7%) second season subjects experienced one or more serious adverse events; most were respiratory and all were considered to be not or probably not related to palivizumab. No deaths occurred during the study. Conclusions: Monthly palivizumab injections were not associated with adverse immune responses or adverse events in young children receiving palivizumab for one or two seasons. Children receiving palivizumab for a second season did not experience more severe adverse events than those receiving it for the first time.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe