Paediatric schistosomiasis:What we know and what we need to know

Schistosomiasis affects over 200 million people worldwide, most of whom are children. Research and control strategies directed at preschool-aged children (PSAC), i.e., ≤5 years old, have lagged behind those in older children and adults. With the recent WHO revision of the schistosomiasis treatment guidelines to include PSAC, and the recognition of gaps in our current knowledge on the disease and its treatment in this age group, there is now a concerted effort to address these shortcomings. Global and national schistosome control strategies are yet to include PSAC in treatment schedules. Maximum impact of schistosome treatment programmes will be realised through effective treatment of PSAC. In this review, we (i) discuss the current knowledge on the dynamics and consequences of paediatric schistosomiasis and (ii) identify knowledge and policy gaps relevant to these areas and to the successful control of schistosome infection and disease in this age group. Herein, we highlight risk factors, immune mechanisms, pathology, and optimal timing for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of paediatric schistosomiasis. We also discuss the tools required for treating schistosomiasis in PSAC and strategies for accessing them for treatment

Objective evaluation of the effect of therapy : footscan

Author's first name and surname: Jana Chorváthová Bachelor thesis supervizor: MUDr. Marie Ticha Oponent: Title of bachelor thesis: Objective evaluation of the effect of therapy: footscan Abstract: This bacheor thesis is focused on problems of postural stability. Two patiens, after brain damage occurred as a result of the traumatic injury, were selected for this study. It objectively evaluates the effect of the chosen therapy, which is balancing Chung Shi shoes brand. Balance shoes are modern and revolutionary element that is used in physiotherapy. It is objectively evaluated on the footscan device, biomechanical noninvasive imaging equipment, measuring the disintegration of static and dynamic pressures on the soles of the feet. The theoretical part deals with the incidence, prevalence, epidemiology, consequences and rehabilitation of the traumatic brain injury and the possible effects on the postural stability. The practical part is compiled by a qualitative research, this is a pilot study. Two groups took part in the measurement: experimental groups of two women after traumatic brain injury at the age of 20 and 24 and a control group of two women showing no signs of postural instability, aged 21 and 23. The stability training lasted for 14 days, 30 minutes a day. Data of experimental and control group were..

Basic Emotion Recognition According to Clinical Personality Traits

Disturbances in the ability to recognize emotional faces have been attributed to individuals with specific personality disorders. Considering the importance of the dimensional models of psychopathology, studies involving healthy participants are becoming increasingly relevant in the domain of personality disorders. In this context, our main goal was to assess how clinical personality traits affect the ability to recognize basic emotions in a sample of subclinical participants. Photographs of faces expressing six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, anger, disgust and surprise) were presented to 72 undergraduate students (42 womenM age=23.3yr., SD=3.4), whose dominant personality traits (narcissistic, histrionic and compulsive) were assessed using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III. Data were analyzed using both a whole sample regression approach (relating personality traits with emotion recognition performance) and a group comparison approach (comparing groups of participants with dominant personality - narcissistic, histrionic and compulsive - as well as comparing groups with subclinical symptomatology for anxiety and hypomania). The main results suggested a poor recognition of sadness in narcissistic participants and a higher difficulty for anger recognition in participants with anxiety symptoms. These results are discussed within the theoretical framework suggesting that the difficulties in basic and social emotions recognition have implications in interpersonal interactions experienced in different social contexts.Fundacao para a Ciencia e para a Tecnologia (CBMR project) [UID/BIM/04773/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genome editing by natural and engineered CRISPR-associated nucleases

Over the last decade, research on distinct types of CRISPR systems has revealed many structural and functional variations. Recently, several novel types of single-polypeptide CRISPR-associated systems have been discovered including Cas12a/Cpf1 and Cas13a/C2c2. Despite distant similarities to Cas9, these additional systems have unique structural and functional features, providing new opportunities for genome editing applications. Here, relevant fundamental features of natural and engineered CRISPR-Cas variants are compared. Moreover, practical matters are discussed that are essential for dedicated genome editing applications, including nuclease regulation and delivery, target specificity, as well as host repair diversity.</p