Coendangered hard-ticks: threatened or threatening?

The overwhelming majority of animal conservation projects are focused on vertebrates, despite most of the species on Earth being invertebrates. Estimates state that about half of all named species of invertebrates are parasitic in at least one stage of their development. The dilemma of viewing parasites as biodiversity or pest has been discussed by several authors. However, ticks were omitted. The latest taxonomic synopses of non-fossil Ixodidae consider valid 700 species. Though, how many of them are still extant is almost impossible to tell, as many of them are known only from type specimens in museums and were never collected since their original description. Moreover, many hosts are endangered and as part of conservation efforts of threatened vertebrates, a common practice is the removal of, and treatment for external parasites, with devastating impact on tick populations. There are several known cases when the host became extinct with subsequent coextinction of their ectoparasites. For our synoptic approach we have used the IUCN status of the host in order to evaluate the status of specifically associated hard-ticks. As a result, we propose a number of 63 coendangered and one extinct hard-tick species. On the other side of the coin, the most important issue regarding tick-host associations is vectorial transmission of microbial pathogens (i.e. viruses, bacteria, protozoans). Tick-borne diseases of threatened vertebrates are sometimes fatal to their hosts. Mortality associated with pathogens acquired from ticks has been documented in several cases, mostly after translocations. Are ticks a real threat to their coendangered host and should they be eliminated? Up to date, there are no reliable proofs that ticks listed by us as coendangered are competent vectors for pathogens of endangered animals

Prescription of the new antidepressants in psychiatrist's surgery

The main aim of presented labour was to compare the prescription of the new antidepressants and the others as SSRI, TCA, IMAO.The comparison has been done in generally and also with regard to patients's age and gender. The research has been done in group of 387 patients, actually 370 ones, in psychiatrist's surgery whom prescription had not been restricted from new preparations. The results have been worked up statistically. The new antidepressants are heterogeneous group of medication containing active ingredients with specific act of action and with lower side effects. Bupropion, escitalopram, milnacipran, mirtazapin, reboxetin, trazodon and duloxetin belong to this medicine group. In practical part of the labour the prescriptions evaluation of patients group (insured people in 2005 and 2006) in Prague psychiatrics surgery has been done. The results have confirmed my own assumption and that's total antidepressants usage is on increase and the new antidepressants's participation as well. SSRI have been the most often prescribed. The prescriptions of new ones was showed 16 % of all groups of antidepressants in 2005. A year later the prescription was risen up to 19 %. Escitalopram was the most generally prescribed new antidepressant with increasing tendency. The second one was bupropion which..