9 research outputs found
FIGURE 1 in 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA
No full textFIGURE 1. Map of Virginia counties and independent cities as of 2018. Author: United States Census Bureau, modified by David Benbennick. No additional changes to this image have been made by the authors. This image is licensed under the public license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported and available at https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ commons/1/1b/Map_of_Virginia_Counties_and_Independent_Cities.svgPublished as part of Ivanov, Kaloyan, Hightower, Liberty, Dash, Shawn T. & Keiper, Joe B., 2019, 150 years in the making: first comprehensive list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Virginia, USA, pp. 532-560 in Zootaxa 4554 (2) on page 535, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4554.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/262395
Effectiveness of Proprioceptive Training on Postural Stability and Chronic Pain in Older Women with Osteoporosis: A Six-Month Prospective Pilot Study
No full textBackground: Osteoporosis is the most prevalent metabolic bone disease, characterized by decreased bone mineral density, which leads to increased bone fragility, back pain, impaired postural stability, and a heightened risk of fractures. Proprioceptive exercises have been identified as an effective approach for reducing the risk of falls and adverse events. Objective: Our aim was to conduct a pilot exploratory study evaluating the effectiveness of proprioceptive training in improving coordination and balance, and in reducing chronic thoracolumbar back pain in older women diagnosed with osteoporosis. Methods: Quantitative ultrasound bone densitometry was performed on 144 women over the age of 60, followed by the implementation of a proprioceptive training program. The One-Leg Stance balance test and the Visual Analog Scale for pain intensity were administered before and after a six-month training intervention. Results: ANOVA revealed significant improvements in balance, with the OLS duration increasing from 2.49 s at baseline to 7.31 s following the intervention. Participants aged over 70 years demonstrated a positive, though comparatively lower increase in stability and balance. Chi-squared (χ2) analysis indicated that 83.9% of the variance in OLS performance was attributable to proprioceptive training (Cramer’s V = 0.839, p = 0.001). A significant reduction in VAS pain scores was observed, with 48.1% of the variance explained by the moderate effect of proprioceptive training (Cramer’s V = 0.481, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Proprioceptive training has the potential to improve postural stability, balance, and coordination and stimulate pain intensity in the thoracolumbar region. Despite promising results, the absence of a control group limits our ability to draw definitive causal conclusions
Mixed Reality Glasses and Their Potential in Vision Care
Full text linkThe eyes are the most highly developed sensory organs, and 80% of our perception of the surroundings takes place through them. This makes them our most important sensory organ, emphasizing the need for proper care and attention through prevention and treatment. Digitalization has become a part of daily life and has impacted people's health. Mixed reality glasses are a technology that can be integrated into various healthcare applications. The purpose of this review is to present the potential of mixed reality glasses in healthcare
Gesho Geshev – Innovation and Contributions
No full textThe article deals with the research and professional activity of Prof. Gesho Geshev in the field of demography, regional planning, transnational cooperation, territorial and urban planning, urban geography and urban ecology. The author has more than 100 scientific publications, most of which have been published abroad. In addition, Gesho Geshev participates and manages dozens of projects in which he applies his theoretical knowledge in practice. As the head of two scientific institutes at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Demography and Geographical Institute), he applies his management skills as well. There, he has been able to form a large team of experts in different fields with whom he works on topical geographical issues. Prof. Geshev combines his research work with teaching activity at South-West University "Neofit Rilski" and University of Veliko Tarnovo "St. Cyril and St. Methodius". He has been a chairman of the National Geography Committee of the International Geographical Union. Its name remains well known among scholars from Poland, Hungary, Russia, Greece, the Netherlands, Angola and many more, and the applicability of its works is relevant to contemporary geography
Performance of the Ritual "Kaloyan" among Romanian-Speaking Population of Bukovyna
No full textEthno-folkloric tradition of the eastern Romanians preserved such rituals that bear the features of the outlook of lndo-E.uropeans or even of the primitive agriculturists. This includes a complex of pluvial observances (Kalojan, Mother of rain, Paparuda, etc.) that are syncretic in their structure and symbolic in the semantics. Basing on the previous investigations of other scholars and on the field work the author describes Kalojan — a symbolic funeral of an anthropomorphic doll, - its versions in different parts of the region, etymology, etc
Dynamic of Specific Laboratory Indicators in Some Liver Diseases
Full text linkThe liver is the largest organ in the human body after the skin.Clinical and laboratory indicators in liver diseases are diverse in terms of the type of analysis and degree of variation. This diversity arises from the complex functional characteristics of the liver, which occupies a central role in the intermediary metabolism of substances in the human organism.The liver has significant functional reserves; therefore, minor damage often goes unnoticed. Many indicators can remain within reference ranges, which does not necessarily rule out pathology.The main functions of the liver are:Metabolic function – metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, and hormones;Detoxification function – processing bilirubin, ammonia, alcohol, and medications;Excretory function – gallstones, bilirubin, and cholesterol;Biosynthetic function – production of albumins, acute-phase proteins, pro- and anticoagulant factors, urea, creatinine, glycogen, ketone bodies, and bile acids from cholesterol;Depot function – storage of glycogen, lipids, amino acids, proteins, iron, copper, vitamins, and blood;Phagocytosis – elimination of bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract.Liver diseases represent a large group with varied etiologies, including metabolic, autoimmune, neoplastic, vascular, toxic, parasitic, and biliary tract obstruction-related causes.Tests with high diagnostic and prognostic value for assessing the functional capacity of the liver parenchyma include AFP, CA 19-9, bile pigments (bilirubin), organ-specific liver enzymes (ASAT, ALAT, GGT), total protein, and prothrombin time.The dynamics of these indicators were progressive in the patients described below before their admission for treatment in the Gastroenterology Clinic at St. Ivan Rilski University Hospital - Stara Zagora. These patients had been under long-term observation (2–8 years) with periodic hospitalizations
Immunohistochemical Studies: A Basic Method for Diagnosing Malignant Neoplasms. The Role of the Medical Laboratory Technician in Pathohistological Diagnosis
Full text linkPathohistological diagnosis is a critical stage in the diagnostic and treatment process for every patient. It is performed by a pathologist who, based on various histological examinations, determines the presence or absence of a malignant neoplasm, its stage, degree of invasion, and the presence of metastases. These studies are facilitated by the pathohistological laboratory technician.Immunohistochemical examination is essential for diagnosing many tumor diseases and is often decisive for determining the patient's treatment. This research involves a long and multi-stage process, requiring the laboratory technician to have detailed knowledge of each step. Fixation of the material, processing it into a paraffin block, antigenic recovery, and antibody incubation are all critical stages that can impact the success of the immunohistochemical reaction.Knowledge of the antibodies and the antigens being targeted is crucial for selecting the appropriate protocol. Poor storage of antibodies or their improper dilution can lead to false-negative or false-positive results. During tissue processing for microscopic preparation, tissues are passed through a fixing solution, most commonly formalin, which "masks" many antigens. Thermal recovery is a necessary step for unmasking such antigens. Using an inappropriate antigen retrieval buffer can result in incorrect results. The incubation time of the antibody and the temperature at which the reaction occurs must align with both the antibody's sensitivity and specificity.Visualization of the immunohistochemical reaction is most commonly performed using 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrachloride (DAB) chromogen, which produces a brown color. Counterstaining with hematoxylin, which stains nuclei blue, is recommended. The use of alcohol in this final stage can cause the loss of the reaction. Therefore, hematoxylin without alcohol in its composition, such as Mayer's hematoxylin, is preferred.The purpose of this review is to examine the main stages involved in immunohistochemical studies, highlighting common errors and offering potential solutions for their prevention or correction
Potential Application of Essential Oils as A Preservative in the Storage and Production of White Brine Cheese
Full text linkThe growing demand for food products without artificial preservatives has compelled the food industry to use preservatives of herbal and antimicrobial origin in the production and storage of brined cheeses. Essential oils are volatile, natural plant substances used in medicine, flavoring, and food preservation. These diverse compounds exhibit significant antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities through various mechanisms.Materials and Methods: This study encompasses a systematic review of literature data from electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ResearchGate, and others using computer software. Keywords in the study include "essential oils," "natural preservatives," "brine cheese," and related terms
Factors affecting continuous participation in follow-up evaluations during a lifestyle intervention programme for type 2 diabetes prevention: The Feel4Diabetes-study
No full textAims: Community- and school-based lifestyle interventions are an efficient method of preventing type 2 diabetes in vulnerable populations. Many participants, however, fail to complete the necessary follow-ups. We investigated factors affecting the continuous participation in follow-up evaluations during the Feel4Diabetes-study, a multilevel intervention programme implemented across Europe. Methods: Socioeconomic, sociodemographic and clinical factors were assessed for 2702 participants within six participating countries: Bulgaria and Hungary (low-to-middle-income countries, LMIC), Belgium and Finland (high-income countries, HIC) and Greece and Spain (high-income countries under austerity measures, HICAM). Results: Statistically significant differences were detected with respect to sex, control group, education level, employment status, BMI and blood pressure measurements (systolic and diastolic blood pressure). Post hoc analysis revealed significant differences within socioeconomic regions. Higher levels of education were associated with significantly lower attrition in HIC (p < 0.05) and HICAM (p < 0.001), higher employment status was associated with lower attrition in HICAM (p < 0.001) and being female was associated with lower attrition in LMIC (p < 0.001). Surprisingly, the intervention group exhibited higher-than-expected attrition in HIC (p < 0.001) and HICAM (p = 0.003), and lower attrition in LMIC (p = 0.007). When tested together in the same multivariable predictive model, all sociodemographic and socioeconomic variables along with higher BMI retained their statistical significance, while systolic and diastolic blood pressure failed to remain significant. Conclusions: Key socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors along with BMI play a significant role in determining continuous participation in follow-up evaluations during school- and community-based intervention programmes. © 2024 The Author(s). Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK
