The role of alkaloids in the feeding behaviour of slugs (Gastropoda: Stylommatophora) as pests of narrow-leafed lupin plants

The degree of damage done to lupin plants by slugs is highly dependent on the species and the cultivar of plant. A study was carried out, in laboratory conditions and on small plots, to investigate the extent of damage done to plants of eight cultivars of narrow-leafed lupin when exposed to grazing by Arion vulgaris, Arion rufus and Deroceras reticulatum. Five sweet and three bitter cultivars of lupin were selected, respectively, having low- and high-alkaloid content. The contents of the dominant lupine alkaloids in these plants were determined. It was found that the susceptibility of the plants to slug damage is dependent on their content of alkaloids. The plants of high-alkaloid cultivars (Karo, Mirela and Oskar) were less heavily damaged by the studied species of slugs. The greatest differences were recorded for A. vulgaris and D. reticulatum, while the differences for A. rufus were smaller. For all studied slug species, the differences were statistically significant. The results of carried out experiments may potentially be of use in the selection of cultivars of Lupinus angustifolius to be grown in areas inhabited by these slug species

Bioactive Modified Non-Wovens as a Novel Approach of Plants Protection against Invasive Slugs

Invasive slugs generate significant problems in the area of horticultural and agricultural production. Despite the multitude of methods to reduce the pest population, including preventive, mechanical, agrotechnical, cultivation, biological, and chemical treatments, no effective plant protection strategy has been developed so far. In this paper, a solution based on modified non-woven fabric with bioactive molluscicidal properties using the extract of tansy flower, metaldehyde, and abamectin (Vertigo® 018 EC) was proposed. All modified mats show significant anti-slug properties in comparison to control, and molluscicidal properties depend on the type of active substance. Non-woven modified with commonly used metaldehyde demonstrated fast action against slugs and presents the highest efficiency. The effectiveness of non-woven mats with Vertigo® 018 EC is lower than for the mats with metaldehyde but higher than for the mats modified with tansy flower extract. The proposed solution will enable removing and neutralization of molluscicide from the fields, after the efficient pest control, according to circular economy principles. Moreover, it may allow for better control of the molluscicide release to the environment in comparison to widely used pellets, and contribute to the virtual protection of plants against invasive slugs

Elektrofizjologia inwazyjnaNawracające częstoskurcze komorowe jako późne powikłanie rany kłutej serca

We present a case of a 55-year-old male who suffered from a cardiac stab wound in his youth and 38 years later developed unstable sustained ventricular tachycardia. Imaging showed presence of a scarf of myocardium which probably caused the arrhythmia. Arrhythmia was successfully controlled using combined treatment with pharmacotherapy and cardioverter-defibrillator implantation. Relapses of ventricular tachycardia treated by appropriate interventions of cardioverter-defibrillator occurred when the patient stopped pharmacotherapy and experienced great psychic stress

Przewlekłe rozwarstwienie aorty typu A przypadkowo wykryte u 71-letniej kobiety

Aortic dissection is a sudden event when the intimal tear occurs, blood penetrates the aortic wall through and the dissection propagates. Acute aortic dissection presents with chest pain, hemodynamic instability, absent or unequal peripheral pulses, various neurologic complications and aortic regurgitation. Noninvasive testing (echocardiography, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging) allows an accurate diagnosis to be made. Ascending aortic dissection often require surgery or stent-grafts, depending on their size and location. We present a case of a 71 year-old woman with an asymptomatic chronic type “A” dissection of aorta of total length, incidentally detected during ultrasonographic imaging, qualified for surgery treatment

Artykuł oryginalnyUpośledzenie funkcji poznawczych u chorych z utrwalonym migotaniem przedsionków

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for development of thromboembolic events with an annual stroke rate of 4.5%. In subjects over 80 years AF is the single leading cause of major stroke. Moreover, about 25% of patients with AF in the absence of neurological deficits have tomographic signs of one or more silent cerebral infarcts. Aim: To investigate whether cognitive function in patients with permanent AF is significantly worse than in patients with sinus rhythm. Methods: We included subjects aged > 65 years, without previous cerebrovascular events or dementia, with permanent arrhythmia lasting > 12 months. The AF group comprised 51 patients, aged 75.8 years. The control group consisted of 43 patients with sinus rhythm. The main points of the study protocol were: clinical history recording, physical examination, biochemical analyses, standard 12-lead ECG and transthoracic echocardiography. Cognitive status was assessed by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: Patients had established AF with a median duration of 4.9 years (range 1-21 years). Of the 51 patients, 51% had hypertension, 37% coronary artery disease, 12% presented sick sinus syndrome or atrioventricular advanced block with a VVI pacemaker implanted. There were no significant differences between the two groups though AF patients presented left ventricular hypertrophy and history of myocardial infarction more frequently. Patients in the sinus group had a lower-risk profile and received antithrombotic therapy less frequently than the AF group. However, a significant proportion of patients, particularly in the AF group received less than optimal thromboembolic prophylactic treatment with anticoagulants. Cognitive status was found to be significantly lower in the AF group, compared with the sinus rhythm group: 24.8 &#177; 3.1 vs. 27.1 &#177; 2.6 (p < 0.05). There were 43% patients with cognitive impairment in the AF group and 14% in the sinus rhythm group. Conclusions: Permanent AF in patients aged over 65 years seems to be associated with lower MMSE score compared with subjects with sinus rhythm. Cognitive impairment in older patients is a multifactorial disorder. One of the causes of low cognitive function in these patients appears to be permanent AF. Further prospective clinical trials should help determine the possible role of inadequate anticoagulant treatment, and its association with the deterioration of cognitive function in AF patients.Wstęp: Migotanie przedsionków (ang. atrial fibrillation, AF) stanowi czynnik ryzyka powikłań zakrzepowo-zatorowych, które występują rocznie u 4,5% chorych z AF. U osób z tą arytmią powyżej 80. roku życia AF jest główną przyczyną dużych udarów mózgu. U ponad 25% chorych cierpiących na AF, pomimo braku zauważalnych ubytków neurologicznych, w badaniu tomograficznym stwierdza się cechy jednego lub kilku (niemych klinicznie) ognisk udarowych. Cel: Porównanie funkcji poznawczych u chorych z utrwalonym AF i w grupie osób o podobnym profilu klinicznym z rytmem zatokowym. Metody: Kryteria włączenia obejmowały wiek powyżej 65 lat, brak wcześniej stwierdzanej choroby naczyniowej mózgu lub otępienia, utrwaloną arytmię trwającą powyżej 12 miesięcy. Do badania włączono 51 osób z AF w średnim wieku 75,8 roku. Grupa kontrolna składała się z 43 chorych w podobnym wieku, o podobnym rozkładzie płci, z podobnymi chorobami towarzyszącymi, ale z rytmem zatokowym. Protokół badania obejmował wywiad i badanie przedmiotowe, diagnostykę biochemiczną, standardowy zapis 12-odprowadzeniowego EKG i badanie echokardiograficzne przezklatkowe. Wyniki: Migotanie przedsionków trwało w badanej grupie średnio 4,9 roku (1&#8211;21 lat). Spośród 51 badanych osób nadciśnienie tętnicze miało 51%, chorobę niedokrwienną serca 37%, u 12% stwierdzano niewydolność węzła zatokowego lub zaawansowany blok przedsionkowo-komorowy i implantowany rozrusznik serca. Nie stwierdzano istotnych różnic między grupami, chociaż osoby z AF częściej miały przerost mięśnia lewej komory i zawał serca w wywiadzie. Chorzy w grupie kontrolnej rzadziej otrzymywali terapię przeciwkrzepliwą antagonistami witaminy K, chociaż w obu grupach, a zwłaszcza z AF, stwierdzano niewystarczającą terapię przeciwkrzepliwą (nieuzyskanie terapeutycznych wartości INR) u osób ze wskazaniami do takiej terapii. Zdolności poznawcze oceniano za pomocą testu MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination). U chorych z AF liczba punktów uzyskana w teście MMSE była istotnie niższa w porównaniu z grupą kontrolną 24,8 &#177; 3,1 vs 27,1 &#177; 2,6 (p < 0,05). W grupie AF upośledzenie funkcji poznawczych rozpoznano u 43% badanych, natomiast w grupie kontrolnej u 14%. Wnioski: Wydaje się, że utrwalone AF u chorych powyżej 65. roku życia pogarsza funkcje poznawcze w porównaniu z osobami z rytmem zatokowym

Participatory Design Landscape for the Human-Machine Collaboration, Interaction and Automation at the Frontiers of HCI (PDL 2021)

We propose a one-day transdisciplinary creative workshop in the broad area of HCI focused on multiple opportunities of incorporating participatory design into research and industry practice. This workshop will become a venue to share experiences and novel ideas in this area. At the same time, we will brainstorm and explore frontiers of HCI related to engaging end users in design and development practices of established and emerging ICT solutions often overlooked in terms of co-design. We welcome a wide scope of contributions in HCI which explore sustainable opportunities for participatory design and development practices in the context of interconnected business, social, economic and environmental issues. The contributions ought to explore challenges and opportunities related to co-design at the frontiers of HCI - participatory design of newest and complex technologies, not easily explainable or intuitive, novel collaborative (remote or distributed) approaches to empowering users to prepare them to contribute as well as to engaging them directly in co-design.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, workshop held at Interact 202