Tachykinin-related peptides (TRPs) are one of the most prominent families of neuropeptides in the animal kingdom. Insect TRPs display strong structural and functional homology to vertebrate ...tachykinins (TKs). To study functional homologies between these two neuropeptide families, the influence of human substance P (SP, one of the essential vertebrate TKs) on the immune system of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor L., was analysed.
Human SP influences the phagocytic abilities of T. molitor haemocytes. Peptide injection leads to an increase in the number of haemocytes participating in the phagocytosis of latex beads. In contrast, incubation of haemocytes from non-injected beetles in a solution of physiological saline and SP causes a decrease in phagocytic activity. Treatment with human SP also led to increased adhesion of haemocytes, but no changes in the arrangement of the F-actin cytoskeleton were observed. Interestingly, 6 h after human SP injection, increased DNA integrity in T. molitor haemocytes was reported. The opposite effects were observed 24 h after SP injection.
Human SP caused the upregulation of humoral immune responses, such as phenoloxidase (PO) activity in the T. molitor haemolymph, and the downregulation of immune-related genes encoding coleoptericin A, tenecin 3 and Toll receptor. However, genes encoding attacin 2 and cecropin were upregulated. Despite these differences, the antimicrobial activity of T. molitor haemolymph was significantly lower in beetles injected with SP than in control beetles. Moreover, an analysis of the direct influence of SP on lysozyme activity was performed. Our results suggest that SP at a concentration of 10−6 M can directly inhibit lysozyme activity. However, an opposite effect was reported after the application of SP at a concentration of 10−4 M.
The presented results suggest structural and functional homology between TK signalling in vertebrates and insects. Primarily, this was visible in the context of the humoral response and general antimicrobial activity of T. molitor haemolymph. However, some of the results related to haemocyte function may also indicate the importance of the TK and TRP sequences for evoking immunological effects.
•Human substance P influence insect cellular and humoral response.•Human substance P can directly affect lysozyme activity.•Results suggest homology between TK signalling in vertebrates and insects.
Vertigo/dizziness (VD) ranks high in lifetime prevalence and clinical relevance. Nearly half of the complex VD disorders presenting at specialised units for vertigo or otoneurological disorders are ...not fully explained by an identifiable medical illness, but instead are related to anxiety, depressive, or somatoform disorders. Although there is some evidence that psychotherapy may be effective for these patients, therapeutic options remain unsatisfactory. This report describes the objectives, design and methods of a randomised, controlled clinical trial, evaluating the efficacy of manualised, multimodal group psychotherapy, based on integrative psychotherapy (IPT) and tailored to subgroups of mental disorders in medically unexplained VD. This psychotherapeutic approach will be compared to self-help groups (
n
= 172;
n
= 86 per study arm). Improvements with regard to handicap due to VD at 12 months follow-up will serve as primary outcome. Additionally, measures of generic quality of life, severity of vertigo, depression, anxiety, somatisation as well as Head Impulse Test and Computerized Static Posturography will be applied. We will also analyse the cost-effectiveness of this trial. The study aims to improve treatment of this therapeutically underserved population who are often severely impaired in their working and daily lives.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02320851.
Trial Status: This is an on-going study; recruitment for the study is about to start.
Background: Good communication is a core competency for all physicians. Thus, medical students require adequate preparation in communication skills. For research purposes, as well as for evaluation ...in teaching, there is a clear need for reliable assessment tools. We analyzed the shortcomings of existing instruments and saw a need for a new rating scale. The aim of this publication is to describe the development process for, and evaluation of, a new rating scale.
Methods: First, we developed the rating scale in 10 steps. Then, two raters evaluated the newly developed rating scale by rating 135 videotaped consultations of medical students with standardized patients. Additionally, standardized patients evaluated students' performance, which was used as an outside criterion to validate ratings.
Results: Our rating scale comprises six domains with 13 specific items evaluated on a five-point Likert scale: initiating conversation, patient's perception, structure of conversation, patient's emotions, end of conversation, and general communication skills. Item-total correlation coefficients between the checklist items ranged from 0.15 to 0.78. Subscale consistency was calculated for domains comprised of more than one item and Cronbach's α ≥ 0.77, indicating acceptable consistency. Standardized patients' global evaluation correlated moderately with overall expert ratings (Spearman's ρ = .40, p < .001).
Conclusion: Our rating scale is a reliable and applicable assessment tool. The rating scale focuses on the evaluation of general communication skills and can be applied in research as well as in evaluations, such as objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE).
Abbreviations: CST: Communication skills training; ICC: Intra-class correlation coefficient; OSCE: Objective structured clinical examination; SP: Standardized patients; SD: Standard deviation; M: Mean
Good communication is a core competency for all physicians. Thus, medical students require adequate preparation in communication skills. For research purposes, as well as for evaluation in teaching, ...there is a clear need for reliable assessment tools. We analyzed the shortcomings of existing instruments and saw a need for a new rating scale. The aim of this publication is to describe the development process for, and evaluation of, a new rating scale.
First, we developed the rating scale in 10 steps. Then, two raters evaluated the newly developed rating scale by rating 135 videotaped consultations of medical students with standardized patients. Additionally, standardized patients evaluated students' performance, which was used as an outside criterion to validate ratings.
Our rating scale comprises six domains with 13 specific items evaluated on a five-point Likert scale: initiating conversation, patient's perception, structure of conversation, patient's emotions, end of conversation, and general communication skills. Item-total correlation coefficients between the checklist items ranged from 0.15 to 0.78. Subscale consistency was calculated for domains comprised of more than one item and Cronbach's α ≥ 0.77, indicating acceptable consistency. Standardized patients' global evaluation correlated moderately with overall expert ratings (Spearman's ρ = .40, p < .001).
Our rating scale is a reliable and applicable assessment tool. The rating scale focuses on the evaluation of general communication skills and can be applied in research as well as in evaluations, such as objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE).
CST: Communication skills training; ICC: Intra-class correlation coefficient; OSCE: Objective structured clinical examination; SP: Standardized patients; SD: Standard deviation; M: Mean.
The works were aimed at determining the effects of aeration as a method of lake recultivation, and at finding out the relations between physical and chemical changes taking place in water and lake ...microorganisms, phytoplankton, macrophytes, zooplankton, benthic fauna and fishes. An attempt was also made to assess possibilities of intensifying fishery management in order to remove excess of organic matter from the aquatic environment
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