Gesundheitsbildung und naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht: Eine Win-win-Situation

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Gesundheitsbildung und naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht werden in der Schule auf allen Stufen noch wenig in Zusammenhang gebracht. Das Konzept der Gesundheitskompetenz (Health Literacy) schafft einen starken Bezug zum naturwissenschaftlichen Unterricht und eröffnet so die Chance, die in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten kulturell und historisch gewachsene Kluft zur Gesundheitsförderung zu schließen. Ziel: Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht mit einer Literaturrecherche in wichtigen Zeitschriften zur naturwissenschaftsdidaktischen Forschung, welche Ansätze der Zusammenschau dieser beiden Bildungsfelder bereits erkennbar sind. Ergebnis: Obwohl der Begriff der Gesundheitskompetenz in der didaktischen Forschung noch nicht aufgenommen worden ist, zeigt die Vielzahl empirischer Arbeiten, die Gesundheitsfragen thematisieren, eine Win-win-Situation zwischen Gesundheitsbildung und naturwissenschaftlichem Unterricht. In der Praxis kann einerseits der naturwissenschaftliche Unterricht vom Interesse der Schüler an gesundheitlichen und medizinischen Themen profitieren, während andererseits die Gesundheitsbildung besonders von der langen empirischen Tradition der Naturwissenschaftsdidaktik profitieren kan

Liver morbidity due to Schistosoma mekongi in Cambodia after seven rounds of mass drug administration

Severe liver disease due to Schistosoma mekongi was frequent in northern Cambodia. Between 1995 and 2002, seven rounds of mass chemotherapy (praziquantel) reduced infection from 50% to below 3%. In 2002, we assessed hepatosplenic morbidity by historical, clinical and ultrasonographic investigations in adults (older than 14 years) from endemic (n = 342) and non-endemic (n = 103) areas (Kratie province). Clinical hepatomegaly (25 vs. 0%), splenomegaly (55 vs. 0%), reported blood in stool (41 vs. 20%) and abdominal pain (78 vs. 57%) were significantly higher in the endemic area. In this area, significantly more subjects reported a family history of death due to schistosomiasis (12 vs. 0%); 63% (vs. 0%) reported having at least three treatments of praziquantel in previous years; and only 11% (vs. 99%) had normal liver ultrasonographic examination. Periportal fibrosis with portal hypertension was diagnosed in 46% (vs. 0%) of people in this area; 18% (vs. 0%) and 5% (vs. 0%) of portal hypertension was classified as moderate and severe, respectively. People aged between 24 and 35 years were mostly affected. There was no gender difference. The pathology in the endemic district is most probably residual morbidity of S. mekongi infections. Contributions of co-infections (hepatitis) cannot be excluded. Careful monitoring of the affected communities is require

The European Union’s External Action and International Law: A View From the Outside

This paper provides a summary of the workshop ‘The European Union’s External Action and International Law: A View From the Outside’ jointly hosted by the ESIL Interest Group ‘EU as a Global Actor’ and City Law School, International Law and Affairs Group (ILAG)

Protein phosphatase 1 alpha enhances glucocorticoid receptor activity by a mechanism involving phosphorylation of serine-211

By acting as a ligand-dependent transcription factor the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mediates the actions of glucocorticoids and regulates many physiological processes. An impaired regulation of glucocorticoid action has been associated with numerous disorders. Thus, the elucidation of underlying signaling pathways is essential to understand mechanisms of disrupted glucocorticoid function and contribution to diseases. This study found increased GR transcriptional activity upon overexpression of protein phosphatase 1 alpha (PP1α) in HEK-293 cells and decreased expression levels of GR-responsive genes following PP1α knockdown in the endogenous A549 cell model. Mechanistic investigations revealed reduced phosphorylation of GR-Ser211 following PP1α silencing and provided a first indication for an involvement of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). Thus, the present study identified PP1α as a novel post-translational activator of GR signaling, suggesting that disruption of PP1α function could lead to impaired glucocorticoid action and thereby contribute to diseases

Foci of Schistosomiasis mekongi, Northern Cambodia: II. Distribution of infection and morbidity.

In the province of Kracheh, in Northern Cambodia, a baseline epidemiological survey on Schistosoma mekongi was conducted along the Mekong River between December 1994 and April 1995. The results of household surveys of highly affected villages of the East and the West bank of the river and of school surveys in 20 primary schools are presented. In household surveys 1396 people were examined. An overall prevalence of infection of 49.3% was detected by a single stool examination with the Kato-Katz technique. The overall intensity of infection was 118.2 eggs per gram of stool (epg). There was no difference between the population of the east and west shore of the Mekong for prevalence (P = 0.3) or intensity (P = 0.9) of infection. Severe morbidity was very frequent. Hepatomegaly of the left lobe was detected in 48.7% of the population. Splenomegaly was seen in 26.8% of the study participants. Visible diverted circulation was found in 7.2% of the population, and ascites in 0.1%. Significantly more hepatomegaly (P = 0.001), splenomegaly (P = 0. 001) and patients with diverted circulation (P = 0.001) were present on the west bank of the Mekong. The age group of 10-14 years was most affected. The prevalence of infection in this group was 71.8% and 71.9% in the population of the West and East of the Mekong, respectively. The intensity of infection was 172.4 and 194.2 epg on the West and the East bank, respectively. In the peak age group hepatomegaly reached a prevalence of 88.1% on the west and 82.8% on the east bank. In the 20 schools 2391 children aged 6-16 years were examined. The overall prevalence of infection was 40.0%, ranging from 7.7% to 72.9% per school. The overalls mean intensity of infection was 110.1 epg (range by school: 26.7-187.5 epg). Both prevalence (P = 0.001) and intensity of infection (P = 0.001) were significantly higher in schools on the east side of the Mekong. Hepatomegaly (55.2%), splenomegaly (23.6%), diverted circulation (4. 1%), ascites (0.5%), reported blood (26.7%) and mucus (24.3%) were very frequent. Hepatomegaly (P = 0.001), splenomegaly (P = 0.001), diverted circulation (P = 0.001) and blood in stool (P = 0.001) were significantly more frequent in schools of the east side of the Mekong. Boys suffered more frequently from splenomegaly (P = 0.05), ascites (P = 0.05) and bloody stools (P = 0.004) than girls. No difference in sex was found for the prevalence and intensity of infection and prevalence of hepatomegaly. On the school level prevalence and intensity of infection were highly associated (r = 0. 93, P = 0.0001). The intensity of infection was significantly associated only with the prevalence of hepatomegaly (r = 0.44, P = 0. 05) and blood in stool (r = 0.40, P = 0.02). This comprehensive epidemiological study documents for the first time the public health importance of schistosomiasis mekongi in the Province of Kracheh, Northern Cambodia and points at key epidemiological features of this schistosome species, in particular the high level of morbidity associated with infection

AZ ANYANYULAK TERMELÉSE AZ ELLETŐLÁDÁBAN LEVŐ FÉSZEKANYAGOKTÓL FÜGGŐEN

Effect of different nest materials on reproduction performance of rabbit does The experiment was conducted at the Kaposvár University. Pannon Ka and Pannon White (multiparous) rabbit does (n=200) were randomly divided into four groups according to the nest materials used for bedding the nest tray: hay (n=50), straw (n=50), wood shavings (n=50), wooden thin long fibre material (Lignocel® J.Retttenmaier&Söhne GmbH) (n=50). The experiment started the 27th day of pregnancy. Photos were taken about the nests 4-5 days after parturition which were assessed by experienced evaluators on scales 1-5 of the nest quality. According to the results of evaluations, the quality of the four nest materials was significantly different. The hay nest had the best quality scores which was followed by straw and Lignocel®. The nests made of wood shavings were judged to be the worst quality. The nest material did not influence the litter size, the litter weight and the individual weight at day 21. Significant difference was not found in suckling mortality between 0-21 d. The kit’s mortality was the lowest in nests bedded with wood shavings (12.4%) or straw (12.9%), and the highest in nests bedded with hay (17.2%), the Lignocel® nests showed intermediate mortality (15.1%)

The European Union’s external action: views from the outside

While most studies in EU external relations law take an inside-out perspective, the question of how the EU and its external action is viewed from the ‘outside’ is hardly ever raised in EU legal scholarship. Yet studies from the outside can help us to understand how third States and international institutions perceive the (normative) role the EU aims to play. As the EU’s external action develops, the law governing the EU’s external action has indeed received greater attention from the ‘outside’. The articles published in this special issue were presented at a workshop on ‘The European Union’s External Action and International Law: A View From the Outside’ organised by the International Law and Affairs Group (ILAG) of the City Law School and the European Society of International Law (ESIL) Interest Group on the EU as a Global Actor. This introductory article sets the scene for a special issue drawing together various outside perspectives, examining the views from selected international institutions, cooperation frameworks, and non-EU States

ANYANYULAK ELLETŐLÁDA VÁLASZTÁSA A FÉSZEKANYAGTÓL FÜGGŐEN

ABSTRACT – Choice of rabbit does among nest boxes depending on the nest material The experiment was conducted at the Kaposvár University. The choice of multiparous rabbit does (n=37) among nest boxes bedded with different nesting materials (hay, straw, fine fibre material /Lignocel®/ or wood shavings) was observed. In each wire-net pen (1.0 x 1.83 m) one doe and four nest boxes (0.37 x 0.23 m) with different nest materials were placed three days before the expected parturition, randomly. 48.6% of the does kindled in nest boxes with pure materials (Lignocel: 40.5%, straw: 5.4%, hay: 2.7%); and 51.3% of the does mixed the nest materials: does carried Lignocel (21.6%) or Lignocel and hay (5.4%) into nest box bedded with straw; Lignocel (8.1%) into nest box bedded with wood shavings; hay and straw (5.4%) into nest box bedded with Lignocel. It can be concluded that rabbit does prefered kindling into nest box bedded with Lignocel, and most of them refused the nest box with wood shavings

Control of Schistosoma mekongi in Cambodia: results of eight years of control activities in the two endemic provinces

In Cambodia, schistosomiasis is transmitted in the provinces of Kratie and Stung Treng where approximately 80 000 individuals are estimated to be at risk of infection. The baseline prevalence of infection was estimated to be between 73% and 88%, and cases of severe morbidity (hepatosplenomegaly, puberty retardation) and mortality were very common. In 1994, the Ministry of Health of Cambodia started schistosomiasis control applying universal chemotherapy with praziquantel (40 mg/kg). The coverage of the programme was between 62% and 86% for 8 years. This simple control measure resulted in the control of the disease: no cases were reported in 2004 and only three cases were reported in 2005. In addition, there are no longer reports of cases of severe morbidity due to schistosomiasis. Since the beginning of the control programme, a single dose of mebendazole (500 mg) has been combined with praziquantel during the mass chemotherapy; as a result the prevalence of Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworms dropped from 74.5% to 10% and from 86% to 40% respectively. The experience in Cambodia demonstrates that, with political commitment, control of parasitic diseases is achievable even in a situation of minimal resources. The programme represents a successful model for other developing countrie