Polarized ecological traps at a mountain creek: A good practice in experiential environmental education

It is well-documented that highly and horizontally polarized light reflected from shiny dark artificial surfaces has adverse effects on positively polarotactic aquatic insects, including all insects, the larvae of which live in water. Such man-made surfaces may act as 'polarized ecological traps' for polarotactic insects, because they are inappropriate for the development of eggs laid by the deceived and attracted aquatic insects. We performed a field experiment on 27 May 2019 at a mountain creek and its anthropogenic environment to study this phenomenon. Our studies were carried out by Hungarian university students in a senior level biology teacher class. The methods and results can also be used in high and secondary schools. Our aim was to introduce students to the visual ecology of water insects, and help them to apply their knowledge the practice of environmental education

Distribution of Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes in regions of Hungary

The objective of this survey was to determine the distribution of Clostridium difficile PCR ribotypes present across three Hungarian geographical regions. A total of 105 isolates of C. difficile from diarrhoeal faeces of both inpatients and outpatients were examined. The toxigenic status of the strains was determined by PCR for the tcdA, tcdB, cdtA and cdtB genes in Szeged (Hungary), while strains were subjected to PCR ribotyping in Cardiff (UK). A total of 31 ribotypes were detected among the 105 C. difficile isolates tested. Five PCR ribotypes were distinct from all previously described types, suggesting that they are new. The most common types in Hungary, during the period examined, were PCR ribotype 014 (24.8%) and PCR ribotype 002 (13.3%). The distribution of PCR ribotypes differed in the various Hungarian regions: PCR ribotype 012 was frequent (20.7%) in South Hungary, whereas this type was rare in the Budapest region and was not common to West Hungary. In West Hungary and the Budapest region, PCR ribotype 014 was most frequent (28.9 and 29%, respectively). © 2006 SGM