Objectives. Due to the rise of depressive symptomatology especially among vulnerable populations such as young adults during the COVID-19 outbreak, a reliable measuring tool is needed. Because of the lack of such studies, the authors decided to validate the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) among Czech university students capturing the beginning of lockdown experience. Statistical analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and structural equation modelling with diagonally weighted least squares estimation using lavaan was employed. Different hypotheses about the dimensionality of the CES-D 8 scale were tested. The authors assessed the measurement equivalence of the CES-D 8 scale according to gender using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. The effect of socio-demographic and COVID-19 issues variables on depression was examined. Results. One dimensional model with correlated errors showed sufficient validity and therefore, the best fit. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the factor structure is invariant across gender. Women and those who reported financial distress and academic stress showed a higher level of depressive symptomatology. On the other hand, relationships proved to have a protective effect. Limitations. The sample came from an online survey, respondents were self-selected. There was a gender imbalance in the sample that cannot be explained by a higher number of women in the Czech university environment. Conclusions. The CES-D 8 proved to be a useful instrument for measuring depressed mood that opens further possibilities for depression research in the university environment and during pandemic situations. and Cíle. Vzhledem k nárůstu depresivní sympto-matologie během pandemie covid-19 zejména u zranitelných skupin, jako jsou mladí dospělí, narostla potřebnost spolehlivého nástroje na mě-ření depresivity. Z důvodu chybějící validizace se autoři rozhodli ověřit osmipoložkovou škálu Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D 8) u českých vysokoškolských studentů v době samého počátku pandemie.Statistické analýzy. Byla provedena konfir-mační faktorová analýza za použití struktur-ního modelování metodou DWLS (diagonally weighted least squares) pomocí balíku laavan. Byly testovány různé hypotézy o dimenziona-litě škály CES-D 8. Pomocí MCFA (multigroup confirmatory factor analysis) autoři posuzovali ekvivalenci měření škály CES-D 8 podle po-hlaví. Byl zkoumán vliv sociodemografických proměnných a proměnných týkajících se pro-blematiky covid-19 na depresivní symptoma-tologii.Výsledky. Jednodimenzionální model s korelo-vanými reziduálními rozptyly u dvou položek prokázal dostatečnou validitu a nejlépe odpoví-dal datům. Výsledky MCFA ukázaly, že faktoro-vá struktura zvoleného modelu byla invariantní vzhledem k pohlaví. Ženy a osoby, které byly ve finanční nouzi nebo prožívaly zvýšený stres ze studia, vykazovaly vyšší úroveň depresivní symptomatologie. Naopak partnerský vztah se ukázal mít protektivní efekt.Limity práce. Vzorek pochází z online průzku-mu, respondenti byli vybráni samovýběrem. Nadreprezentaci žen-studentek v datech nelze zdůvodnit vyšším podílem žen na českých uni-verzitách.Závěr. CES-D 8 se ukázal být užitečným nástro-jem pro měření depresivity, jenž otevírá další možnosti pro výzkum deprese v univerzitním prostředí a během pandemických situací.
The paper presents validation of a mathematical model describing the friction factor by comparing the predicted and measured results in a broad range of solid concentrations and mean particle diameters. Three different types of solids, surrounded by water as a carrier liquid, namely Canasphere, PVC, and Sand were used with solids density from 1045 to 2650 kg/m3, and in the range of solid concentrations by volume from 0.10 to 0.45. All solid particles were narrowly sized with mean particle diameters between 1.5 and 3.4 mm. It is presented that the model predicts the friction factor fairly well. The paper demonstrates that solid particle diameter plays a crucial role for the friction factor in a vertical slurry flow with coarse solid particles. The mathematical model is discussed in reference to damping of turbulence in such flows. As the friction factor is below the friction for water it is concluded that it is possible that the effect of damping of turbulence is included in the KB function, which depends on the Reynolds number.
Objectives. Research on populism has pro-gressed over the last decade and several scales have been proposed to measure populist at-titudes. None of these has been validated in the context of Slovakia, where populists are a long-term part of both coalition and opposition. This study aimed to verify the psychometric properties of four populist attitudes scales that are frequently used and verified in international research, on a Slovak sample. Participants and setting. Data of 832 respond-ents collected using an online panel in Novem-ber 2021 were analyzed using the R software. The research sample was representative accord-ing to the distribution of gender, age, education, and regions in Slovakia. Statistical analysis. The original scales were tested using an exploratory dataset (N = 416). The modified scales were verified using a con-firmatory dataset (N = 416). Results.The results showed that the original scales did not fit the data. However, after several modifications, the two scales were validated on the Slovak sample. The scales were invariant across the gender, age, and educational groups. Limits. A possible shortcoming of the validated populist attitudes scales is the instability in pre-dicting electoral behavior, which is discussed in connection with the results of other studies, and the Slovak political and cultural context. and Ciele. Výskum populizmu posledné desaťročie napreduje, čoho znakom je navrhnutie niekoľ-kých škál na meranie populistických postojov. Žiadna z nich nebola overená v podmienkach Slovenska, kde sú populisti dlhodobo súčasťou koalície aj opozície. Cieľom tejto štúdie bolo overiť psychometrické vlastnosti štyroch škál populistických postojov, ktoré sa často používa-jú a overujú v medzinárodných výskumoch, na slovenskej vzorke. Participanti a postup výskumu. Dáta 832 res-pondentov, získané pomocou online panelu v novembri 2021, boli analyzované pomocou softvéru R. Výskumná vzorka bola reprezen-tatívna z hľadiska distribúcie pohlavia, veku, úrovne vzdelania a príslušnosti k regiónom Slo-venska. Štatistická analýza. Pôvodné škály boli testova-né pomocou exploračného súboru dát (N = 416). Modifikované škály boli overené pomocou kon-firmačného súboru dát (N = 416). Výsledky. Výsledky ukázali, že pôvodné škály nezodpovedajú dátam. Po niekoľkých úpravách však boli dve škály validované na slovenskej vzorke. Škály boli invariantné pre pohlavie, vek a dosiahnuté vzdelanie. Limity. Možným nedostatkom validovaných škál populistických postojov je nestabilita pri predikcii volebného správania, ktorá je disku-tovaná v kontexte výsledkov iných štúdií a tiež v politickom a kultúrnom kontexte Slovenska.
Diabetes mellitus 2 (DM2) is the seventh cause of death worldwide. One of the reasons is late diagnosis of vascular damage. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) has become an independent marker of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk. Moreover, the previous studies have shown the importance of beat-to-beat PWV measurement due to its variability among the heart cycle. However, variability of PWV (PWVv) of the whole body hasn't been examined yet. We have studied a group of DM II and heathy volunteers, to investigate the beat-to-beat mean PWV (PWVm) and PWVv in the different body positions. PWV of left lower and upper extremities were measured in DM2 (7 m/8 f, age 68±10 years, BP 158/90±19/9 mm Hg) and healthy controls (5 m/6 f, age 23±2 years, BP 117/76±9/5 mm Hg). Volunteers were lying in the resting position and of head-up-tilt in 45° (HUT) for 6 min. PWVv was evaluated as a mean power spectrum in the frequency bands LF and HF (0.04-0.15 Hz, 0.15-0.5 Hz). Resting PWVm of upper extremity was higher in DM2. HUT increased lower extremity PWVm only in DM2. Extremities PWVm ratio was significantly lower in DM2 during HUT compared to controls. LF and HF PWVv had the same response to HUT. Resting PWVv was higher in DM2. Lower extremity PWVv increased during HUT in both groups. PWVm and PWVv in DM2 differed between extremities and were significantly influenced by postural changes due to hydrostatic pressure. Increased resting PWVm and PWVv in DM2 is a marker of increased arterial stiffness.
The distribution, variability and host specificity of species of Babesia Starcovici, 1893 were studied in questing ticks collected on the northwestern edge of the Pannonian Basin in the south-easternmost part of the Czech Republic and in western Slovakia. The area is characterised by relatively natural floodplain habitats and the sympatric occurrence of three tick species possessing wide host spectra, namely Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus), Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius) and Haemaphysalis concinna Koch. Analysis was carried out on 1,408 I. ricinus, 2,999 D. reticulatus and 150 H. concinna altogether, collected from 59 localities. We documented the presence of Babesia spp. not only in I. ricinus but also in H. concinna in the Czech Republic. Two isolates from I. ricinus were classified as B. venatorum Herwaldt, Cacciò, Gherlinzoni, Aspöck, Slemenda, Piccaluga, Martinelli, Edelhofer, Hollenstein, Poletti, Pampiglione, Löschenberger, Tura et Pieniazek, 2003 (formerly determined as Babesia sp. EU1), which is a zoonotic parasite and can cause human babesiosis. The rest of our amplicons were very similar to B. canis (Piana et Galli-Valerio, 1895), which is usually transmitted by D. reticulatus. Despite the huge amount of examined samples, all D. reticulatus ticks were Babesia-free. Due to this finding, we did not consider our obtained isolates to be B. canis, but other closely related species possessing a similar sequence of the studied portion of 18S rDNA. Although this genetic marker is most frequently used in PCR-based diagnostic methods of babesias, its low variability compromises its reliability in studies based only on this marker., Markéta Rybářová, Michaela Honsová, Ivo Papoušek, Pavel Široký., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Dehydration affects the photosynthetic apparatus. The impact of dehydration on photosynthesis was assessed in twelve Mediterranean species representing different growth forms. Rapid and slow dehydration experiments were conducted to (1) compare the impact of water stress among species and growth forms, (2) rank species according to their drought tolerance. Rapid dehydration reduced the electron transport up to PSI, the reduction being linearly related to leaf relative water content (RWC), except for the deciduous species. Specific energy fluxes per reaction center and maximum photochemical activity of PSII remained relatively stable until 10-30% RWC. The modification pattern of the studied parameters was similar for all the growth forms. Slow rehydration increased specific energy fluxes and decreased quantum yields. The dehydration pattern was similar among growth forms, while the recovery pattern was species-specific. Drought tolerance ranking through drought factor index was relatively modified with the integrated biomarker response method.
At the southern limit of its range the endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus inhabits grasslands (wet, dry) that differ significantly in the abundance of its larval hostplants (wet > dry) and mean annual air temperature (wet < dry). We determined the difference in the wing morphology of individuals in the two contrasting habitats to test whether and how traits associated with wing size, shape and eye like spots vary in the sexes and two ecotypes. We show that sexual dimorphism follows the same (wing size and shape, number of eyespots on forewing) or different (relative area of eyespots on hindwings) patterns in the two contrasting habitats. Irrespective of ecotype, females had larger, longer and narrower wings, and more forewing eyespots than males. Sexual dimorphism in the relative area of eyespots on hindwing was female-biased in the wet, but male-biased in the dry ecotype. Ecotype dimorphism in wing size and the relative area of eyespots on the hindwing is best explained by mean annual air temperature and abundance of host-plants. While ecotype dimorphism in wing size did not differ between sexes, neither in direction (wet > dry) or in degree, in the two sexes the relative area of eyespots on hindwing had opposite patterns (males: dry > wet; females: wet > dry) and was more pronounced in males than in females. The differences in wing shape between ecotypes were detected only in the hindwings of males, with more rounded apex in the dry than in the wet ecotype. We discuss the life-history traits, behavioural strategies and selection mechanisms, which largely account for the sex- and ecotype-specific variation in wing morphology., Jure Jugovic, Sara Zupan, Elena Bužan, Tatjana Čelik., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Thermal requirements for flight in butterflies is determined by a combination of external factors, behaviour and physical constraints. Thorax temperature of 152 butterflies was monitored with an infra-red thermometer in controlled laboratory conditions. The temperature at take-off varied from 13.4°C, for a female Heteronympha merope to 46.3°C, for a female Junonia villida. Heteronympha merope, an understorey species, had the lowest recorded take-off temperatures, with females flying at a much lower thorax temperatures than males. Among the tested butterfly species, warming-up rate was positively correlated with take-off temperature and negatively with body mass. Wing loading is a major variable in determining the thorax flight temperature. Butterflies with the highest wing-loadings experienced the highest thorax temperatures at take-off. A notable exception to this rule is Trapezites symmomus, the only Hesperiidae of our data set, which had thorax flight temperatures of 31.5°C and 34.5°C, well within the range of the observed butterflies, despite a wing load ca. five times higher. The high thorax temperature recorded in J. villida is probably linked to its high flight speed. The results highlight the importance of physical constraints such as body size on the thermal requirements for flight across a range of butterfly species., Gabriel Nève, Casey Hall., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Our aim was to determine biogeographical patterns in the food habits of golden jackals by first reviewing their dietary patterns at the continental scale and then analysing associations between the food items in their diets and geographical, regional productivity and land-use variables, using multivariate analyses. Our findings indicated that jackals generally consume small mammals as a staple food but shift to consume plant materials or the carcasses of larger mammals when food resources are scarce owing to changes in the regional climate and productivity, as well as anthropogenic habitat modifications. Disruption of natural food resources (specifically small mammals) due to anthropogenic landscape modifications provokes dietary shifts in golden jackals, potentially increasing their reliance on anthropogenic resources. Consequently, conservation of their habitat in combination with waste management to decrease the accessibility to anthropogenic resources is required to resolve human-jackal conflicts.
The main role of research in medicine is to provide relevant knowledge which, after successful translation to clinical practice, improves the quality of healthcare. The sex bias which is still present in the majority of research disciplines prefers male subjects despite legislation changes in the US grant agencies and European research programme Horizon 2020. Male subjects (cells, animals) still dominate in preclinical research and it has detrimental consequences for women’s health and the quality of science. Opposite bias exists for data obtained mainly in animal models utilizing female subjects (e.g. research in multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis) with skewed outcomes for men affected by these diseases. Either way, scientists are producing results which compromise half of the population. Assumptions that females as cohorts are more variable and another assumption that the oestrous cycle should be tracked in case the females are enrolled in preclinical studies were proven wrong. Variability of male versus female cohorts are comparable and do not only stem from hormonal levels. The widespread prevalence of sex differences in human diseases ultimately requires detailed experiments performed on both sexes, unless the studies are specifically addressing reproduction or sex-related behaviors.