Pilot hearing screening in school age children in Republic of Moldova

Introduction: Many countries have implemented newborn hearing screening programs, resulting in early intervention and therapy. In spite of that, there is a significant number of schoolchildren with hearing problems. Hearing loss is a common and considerable disability that harms educational performance of schoolchildren in developing countries. Lack of a simple and practical screening protocol often deters routine and systematic hearing screening at school entry. Purpose and Objectives: The pilot study assessing the hearing in the population of pupils who begin their education in five random primary schools in Moldova. Material and Methods: Hearing screening was conducted in a group of 179 children from three primary schools in Chisinau in Republic of Moldova. Screening was performed using the Sense Examination Platform; on the basis of the audiometric procedure of measuring the hearing threshold. Positive result of hearing screening was defined as equal as or more than 25dB at least at one frequency in either ear. Additionally subjective assessment was carried out on the basis of parents questionnaires. Results: The study was performed in 3 schools: in the 1st were examined 69 children, from which a positive result was at 8.7%, in the 2nd - 52 (25% positive) and in the III-rd - 58, with positive result at 10.34%. A total of 179 children were examined, out of which at 13.97% - a positive test result'. All children with positive results of hearing screening were examined by local otolaryngologists. Conclusions: The obtained results confirm the significant prevalence of hearing problems in school-aged children. Based on the results, the implementation of hearing screening as a routine procedure in the medical care in schools is strongly recommended

REVIEW OF MODELING PREFERENCES FOR DECISION MODELS

A group decision problem is set in environments where there is a common issue to solve, a set of possible options to choose, and a set of individuals who are experts and express their opinions about the set of possible alternatives with the intention to reach a collective decision as the unique solution of the problem in question. The modeling of the preferences of the decision-maker is an essential stage in the construction of models used in the theory of decision, operations research, economics, etc. On decision problems experts use models of representation of preferences that are close to their disciplines or fields of work. The structures of information most commonly used for the representation of the preferences of experts are vectors of utility, orders of preference and preference relations. In decision problems, the expression of preferences domain is the domain of information used by the experts to express their preferences, the main are numerical, linguistic, and intervalar stressing the multi-granular linguistic. This paper is a review of these concepts. Its purpose is to provide a guide of bibliographic references for these concepts, which are briefly discussed in this document

Serum AMH concentration as a marker evaluating gonadal function in boys operated on for unilateral cryptorchidism between 1st and 4th year of life

The aim of this study was to measure the serum AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) concentrations in a group of boys with or without cryptorchidism, evaluation of karyotypes, testicular position, morphology, and major length of the undescended testes. Fifty boys who were 1–4 years old (median = 2.4 years) with unilateral cryptorchidism were evaluated. All of them underwent orchidopexy in 2010. Prior to the procedure, all of the subjects had undergone karyotyping to exclude chromosomal abnormalities. Fifty healthy boys within the same age range (median = 2.1 years) admitted for planned inguinal hernia repair in 2010, served as controls. Blood samples were collected, while obtaining blood for standard laboratory tests routinely performed before the surgeries. Medians of AMH in boys with cryptorchidism were lower than in boys with inguinal hernia and differed significantly between two groups. Undescended testes were generally found in superficial inguinal pouch (n = 46), in two cases were noted to be in the external ring of the inguinal canal, and in another two instances, in the abdominal cavity. The major lengths of the undescended testes were smaller in comparison to the testes positioned normally (mean of 1 cm vs. a mean of 1.5 cm, respectively). In nine of the cases, the testes had turgor deficit, a drop shape, with epididymides that were small, dysplastic, and separated from the testis. The authors found that AMH was lower in boys with unilateral cryptorchidism (also found to have smaller testis) when compared with the control group

Biology and biotechnology of Trichoderma

Fungi of the genus Trichoderma are soilborne, green-spored ascomycetes that can be found all over the world. They have been studied with respect to various characteristics and applications and are known as successful colonizers of their habitats, efficiently fighting their competitors. Once established, they launch their potent degradative machinery for decomposition of the often heterogeneous substrate at hand. Therefore, distribution and phylogeny, defense mechanisms, beneficial as well as deleterious interaction with hosts, enzyme production and secretion, sexual development, and response to environmental conditions such as nutrients and light have been studied in great detail with many species of this genus, thus rendering Trichoderma one of the best studied fungi with the genome of three species currently available. Efficient biocontrol strains of the genus are being developed as promising biological fungicides, and their weaponry for this function also includes secondary metabolites with potential applications as novel antibiotics. The cellulases produced by Trichoderma reesei, the biotechnological workhorse of the genus, are important industrial products, especially with respect to production of second generation biofuels from cellulosic waste. Genetic engineering not only led to significant improvements in industrial processes but also to intriguing insights into the biology of these fungi and is now complemented by the availability of a sexual cycle in T. reesei/Hypocrea jecorina, which significantly facilitates both industrial and basic research. This review aims to give a broad overview on the qualities and versatility of the best studied Trichoderma species and to highlight intriguing findings as well as promising applications

Fungal volatile organic compounds: emphasis on their plant growth-promoting

Fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) commonly formed bioactive interface between plants and countless of microorganisms on the above- and below-ground plant-fungus interactions. Fungal-plant interactions symbolize intriguingly biochemical complex and challenging scenarios that are discovered by metabolomic approaches. Remarkably secondary metabolites (SMs) played a significant role in the virulence and existence with plant-fungal pathogen interaction; only 25% of the fungal gene clusters have been functionally identified, even though these numbers are too low as compared with plant secondary metabolites. The current insights on fungal VOCs are conducted under lab environments and to apply small numbers of microbes; its molecules have significant effects on growth, development, and defense system of plants. Many fungal VOCs supported dynamic processes, leading to countless interactions between plants, antagonists, and mutualistic symbionts. The fundamental role of fungal VOCs at field level is required for better understanding, so more studies will offer further constructive scientific evidences that can show the cost-effectiveness of ecofriendly and ecologically produced fungal VOCs for crop welfare

Light regulation of metabolic pathways in fungi

Light represents a major carrier of information in nature. The molecular machineries translating its electromagnetic energy (photons) into the chemical language of cells transmit vital signals for adjustment of virtually every living organism to its habitat. Fungi react to illumination in various ways, and we found that they initiate considerable adaptations in their metabolic pathways upon growth in light or after perception of a light pulse. Alterations in response to light have predominantly been observed in carotenoid metabolism, polysaccharide and carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, nucleotide and nucleoside metabolism, and in regulation of production of secondary metabolites. Transcription of genes is initiated within minutes, abundance and activity of metabolic enzymes are adjusted, and subsequently, levels of metabolites are altered to cope with the harmful effects of light or to prepare for reproduction, which is dependent on light in many cases. This review aims to give an overview on metabolic pathways impacted by light and to illustrate the physiological significance of light for fungi. We provide a basis for assessment whether a given metabolic pathway might be subject to regulation by light and how these properties can be exploited for improvement of biotechnological processes

Hydrodynamic model of a flood wave propagation in the Lower Biebrza Basin

The aim of this work is calibration of a 1D numerical model of river flow within the Lower Biebrza Basin. To simulate the flow in the Biebrza valley, a one-dimensional unsteady open – channel flow model UNET, which is a component of computer software HEC-RAS, was applied. The geometry of the river channel and floodplain are described by cross sections in the number of 47. The river cross sections were measured by manual sounding for the main channel part and topography of the floodplain was calculated from the Digital Elevation Model. Plant’s map was used to defi ne spatial hydraulic roughness, which was described by Manning’s coefficient (n value) using Chow’s tables, in the floodplain, and n values for the river channel were selected during calibration process of model. The hydrodynamic model was calibrated for measured and historical date for flood in 1992 and 1999