Spatial Distribution and Encounter Rates of Delphinids and Deep Diving Cetaceans in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey and the Extent of Overlap With Areas of Dense Marine Traffic

Marine traffic has been identified as a serious threat to Mediterranean cetaceans with few mitigation strategies in place. With only limited research effort within the Eastern Basin, neither baseline species knowledge nor the magnitude of threats have been comprehensively assessed. Delineating the extent of overlap between marine traffic and cetaceans provides decision makers with important information to facilitate management. The current study employed the first seasonal boat surveys within the Eastern Mediterranean Sea of Turkey, incorporating visual and acoustic survey techniques between 2018 and 2020 to understand the spatial distribution of cetacean species. Additionally, marine traffic density data were retrieved to assess the overlap with marine traffic. Encounter rates of cetaceans and marine traffic density were recorded for each 100 km2 cell within a grid. Subsequently, encounter and marine traffic density data were used to create a potential risk index to establish where the potential for marine traffic and cetacean overlap was high. Overall, eight surveys were undertaken with a survey coverage of 21,899 km2 between the Rhodes and Antalya Basins. Deep diving cetaceans (sperm and beaked whales) were detected on 28 occasions, with 166 encounters of delphinids of which bottlenose, striped and common dolphins were visually confirmed. Spatially, delphinids were distributed throughout the survey area but encounter rates for both deep diving cetaceans and delphinids were highest between the Rhodes and Finike Basins. While sperm whales were generally detected around the 1000m contour, delphinids were encountered at varying depths. Overall, two years of monthly marine traffic density were retrieved with an average density of 0.37 hours of monthly vessel activity per square kilometer during the study period. The mean density of vessels was 0.32 and 1.03 hours of monthly vessel activity per square kilometer in non-coastal and coastal waters respectively. The Eastern Mediterranean Sea has several important shipping lanes within the study area. Two priority areas for deep diving cetacean and a large priority area for cetaceans were identified in the waters between Marmaris and Finike where high cetacean encounters and dense marine traffic overlapped. The current study revealed important habitats for cetaceans within the data deficient Eastern Mediterranean Sea and delineated potential risk area where marine traffic should be limited

Cooperation between the volunteer, the client and o.s. Lata - Programy pro ohroženou mládež

Cooperation between the volunteer, the client and o. s. Lata - Programy pro ohroženou mládež Abstract: The thesis deals with issues of a voluntary work on field of programmes focused on working with threatened children, adolescents and young adults by form one to one. It's focused on a mentors project running by the citizens' association LATA - Programmes for Threatened Adolescents. It pays attention especially to factors, which can influence the relationship between a volunteer, a client and an organization. It follows up mainly involved volunteers, it puts an aim to description of ways, how the volunteers percieve their work with clients and their organization. Research part of the thesis is focused on analysis of volunteers' statements and has an ambition to catch and reveal important factors, which affect their activities in the organization. This thesis conducts a survey, what motivation and aim the volunteers have, how they percieve their relationships with clients, what helps them to maintain a mentoring role and how they percieve at all the organization they work i

Seroprevalence of sandfly-borne viruses in Austrian soldiers returning from missions abroad

Phleboviren werden von Sandmücken, Stechmücken und Zecken übertragen und können zahlreiche Wirbeltiere, unter anderem den Menschen, infizieren. Die Gattung Phlebovirus besteht aus neun Arten und über 30 Serotypen und hat eine große Verbreitung, gebunden an das Vorkommen der jeweiligen Vektoren. Die Mehrzahl der Infektionen verläuft asymptomatisch, häufig kommt es aber auch zur Ausbildung grippeähnlicher Symptome die in der Regel jedoch selbstlimitierend sind. Bei schweren Fällen kann es zu einer Infektion des zentralen Nervensystems und einer Meningitis oder Meningoenzephalitis kommen. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Seroprävalenz von Phleboviren bei österreichischen Soldaten nach ihrem Auslandseinsatz. Verschiedene Einsatzgebiete wurden miteinander verglichen und mögliche Risikofaktoren evaluiert. Insgesamt wurden 486 Seren von österreichischen Soldaten die aus den Einsatzländern Bosnien und Herzegowina, Kosovo, Syrien und Libanon heimkehrten und 500 Seren von Soldaten vor ihrer jeweiligen Mission als Kontrollgruppe untersucht. Ein indirekter Immunfluoreszenztest mit anschließender Fluoreszenzmikroskopie wurde angewendet, um anti-Phlebovirus Antikörper in den Seren festzustellen. Verdünnungsreihen wurden durchgeführt um Antikörpertiter zu erheben. Insgesamt wurden 146 Seren (14.8%) positiv auf anti-Phlebovirus Antikörper getestet, einschließlich Seren der Kontrollgruppe. Die erhobenen Seroprävalenzen varriierten zwischen 11,48% bis 20,69% in den getesteten Einsatzgebieten. Eine unerwartet hohe Seropositivität von 11,40% wurde unter den Probanden der Kontrollgruppe nachgewiesen. Trotz der geringen geographischen Entfernung, wurde eine annähernd doppelt so hohe Seropositivität bei Soldaten mit Einsatzgebiet Kosovo, verglichen mit Bosnien und Herzegowina festgestellt. Auch die Phlebovirus-Diversität variierte zwischen den Einsatzgebieten, wobei Syrien und der Libanon die höchste Diversität aufwiesen. Insgesamt war das Toskana-Virus am weitesten verbreitet und wurde als einziges in allen Gruppen nachgewiesen. Als potentielle Risikofaktoren konnten „Laufen“ und eine „Leishmania spp.-Infektion“ ermittelt werden. Interessanterweise waren zwischen 20,4% und 66,7% der seropositiven Soldaten auch symptomatisch. Diese Studie liefert die ersten Ergebnisse zu Seroprävalenzen von Phleboviren bei österreichischen Soldaten und in Österreich generell. Es wurde gezeigt, dass österreichische Soldaten einem erhöhten Risiko ausgesetzt sind, sich während eines Auslandseinsatzes mit Phleboviren zu infizieren, eine entsprechende Prophylaxe während des Einsatzes wird empfohlen.Phleboviruses are transmitted by either sandflies, mosquitoes or ticks and can infect diverse vertebrates including humans. They comprise nine species with several serotypes and are widely distributed, following the distribution of their respective vectors. Infections are often asymptomatic, but can result in a self-limiting febrile illness or also more serious diseases, such as meningitis and meningoencephalitis. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of phleboviruses in Austrian soldiers returning from different operational areas abroad and to detect risk factors associated with Phlebovirus infections. Sera of 486 soldiers returning from operational areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Kosovo, Syria and the Lebanon and 500 sera from soldiers prior to their missions, functioning as a control group, were provided by the Austrian Armed forces and investigated by indirect-immunofluorescence assays and subsequent fluorescence microscopy to detect anti-Phlebovirus antibodies. Additionally, serial dilutions were performed to assess the respective antibody titers. Altogether, 146 sera (14.8%) revealed anti-Phlebovirus antibodies including sera from the control group. Seropositivity ranged from 11.48% to 20.69% depending on the respective operational area. Also the control group showed an unexpected high seropositivity of 11.40%. The Phlebovirus seroprevalence in soldiers returning from the Kosovo almost doubled the one in soldiers returning from BIH, although the two countries are closely located. Phlebovirus diversity varied between the operational areas with highest diversity in Syria and the Lebanon. Toscana virus was the most prevalent virus and the only virus detected in all groups. Phlebovirus positivity was found to be associated with the potential risk factors “running” and “Leishmania spp. infection”. Interestingly, 20.4%-66.7% of the seropositive soldiers showed symptoms during their respective missions. This thesis provides the first data on Phlebovirus seroprevalences in Austrian soldiers and in Austria altogether and shows that Austrian Army personnel is at risk of infection with phleboviruses in the different operational areas and thus should apply appropriate prophylaxis during their missions