• Title/Summary/Keyword: behavioural changes

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Unsafe Disposal of Child Faeces: A Community-based Study in a Rural Block in West Bengal, India

  • PS, Preeti;Sahoo, Sanjaya Kumar;Biswas, Dhiraj;Dasgupta, Aparajita
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.49 no.5
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    • pp.323-328
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    • 2016
  • Objectives: A clean India is the responsibility of all Indians. One of the objectives of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Initiative) is to bring about behavioural changes regarding healthy sanitation practices. While large-scale programs in India have increased latrine coverage, they have to some extent failed to bring behavioural changes ensuring optimal latrine use, including the safe disposal of child faeces, which is a significant source of exposure to faecal pathogens. Hence, this study was done to explore child faeces disposal practices in rural West Bengal and to elicit the determinants of unhygienic faeces disposal. Methods: Data collection was done using an interview method among the mothers of 502 under-5 children, following a pre-designed, semi-structured schedule during house-to-house visits in a set of villages in the Hooghly district of West Bengal. Results: The prevalence of unsafe disposal of child faeces was 72.4%, and maternal education, per capita income, and water source were found to be significantly associated with unsafe child faeces disposal. Conclusions: This study draws attention to the unsafe disposal of child faeces in this area of India and raises questions about the efficiency of sanitation campaigns in rural India that focus on expanding coverage rather than emphasizing behavioural changes, which are crucial to ensure the safe disposal of child faeces. Thus, it is urgently necessary to strengthen efforts focusing on behavioural changes regarding the safe disposal of child faeces in order to minimise adverse health outcomes.

Dynamics of Hexavalent Chromium in Four Types of Aquaculture Ponds and Its Effects on the Morphology and Behavior of Cultured Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822)

  • Mustapha, Moshood Keke
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.33 no.2
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    • pp.119-124
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    • 2017
  • Hexavalent chromium is a bio accumulative toxic metal in water and fish. It enters aquaculture ponds mainly through anthropogenic sources. Hexavalent chromium concentrations and its effects on the morphology and behavior of Clarias gariepinus were investigated from four aquaculture ponds for 12 weeks. Chromium was measured using diphenyl carbohdrazide method; alkalinity and hardness were measured using colometric method and analyzed with Bench Photometer. Temperature and pH were measured using pH/EC/TDS/Temp combined tester. Temporal and spatial replications of samples were done with triplicates morphological and behavioural effects of the metal on fish were observed visually. Chromium ranged from no detection to 0.05 mg/L, alkalinity 105 to 245 mg/L, hardness 80 to 165 mg/L, pH 6.35 to 8.03 and temperature 29.1 to $35.9^{\circ}C$. Trend in the chromium concentrations in the ponds is natural > earthen > concrete > collapsible. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in chromium, alkalinity, water hardness, pH and temperature among the four ponds. Significant positive correlation also existed between alkalinity, water hardness, pH, with chromium. Morphological and behavioural changes observed in the fish include irregular swimming, frequent coming to the surface, dark body colouration, mucous secretion on the body, erosion of gill epithelium, fin disintegration, abdominal distension and lethargy. High chromium concentration in natural pond was due to anthropogenic run-off of materials in to the pond. Acidic pH, low alkalinity, low water hardness also contributed to the high chromium concentration. Morphological and behavioural changes observed were attributed to the high concentrations, toxicity and bio accumulative effect of the metal. Toxicity of chromium to fish in aquaculture could threaten food security. Watershed best management practices and remediation could be adopted to reduce the effects of toxicity of chromium on pond water quality, fish flesh quality and fish welfare.

Psychological and Pedagogical Principles of the Organization of Distance Learning of Primary School-Aged Children with Cognitive Development Disorder

  • Yuliia Sosnich;Kristina Torop;Tetiana Dehtiarenko;Oleksandr Kolyshkin;Yurii Kosenko;Iryna Omelchenko
    • International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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    • v.24 no.8
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    • pp.184-190
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    • 2024
  • The research involved children and parents of primary school-aged children with cognitive development disorder, as well as scientific and pedagogical workers who organized the psychological and pedagogical principles for organizing distance learning. The purpose of the research lies in establishing how effectively children, parents and their teachers cope with online distance learning during the pandemic, as well as investigating the extent to which such educational technology affects the emotional and behavioural state of the child. The research methodology is based on complexity. In the course of the research, the method of pedagogical experiment was used; observation and questionnaire methods were also introduced; the descriptive method, analysis and synthesis were used to review the theoretical material. The hypothesis lies in the fact that distance online education increases academic difficulties, changes the behavioural and emotional picture of a child with cognitive development disorder; consequently, the behaviour and emotional background will be limited by certain parameters, and this requires the active involvement of parents and teachers in the distance work process. The results of the research have revealed that distance education causes a number of restrictions for children with cognitive development disorder, namely: concentration of attention has decreased, anxiety has increased, and sleep has worsened. Behavioural changes predicted increased restlessness and aggression. Parents and teachers have had methodological, academic and everyday difficulties; all participants in the educational process have been more limited in the conditions of online distance learning. difficulties and improving the behaviour and emotional states of all participants in the educational process.

The evaluation of [F-18]FDG small animal PET as a functional neuroimaging technique with fear response experiment (공포반응실험을 통한 [F-18]FDG 소동물 양전자단층촬영 기능뇌영상 평가)

  • Jang, Dong-Pyo
    • Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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    • v.32 no.1
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    • pp.74-78
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    • 2011
  • Although recent studies have shown the usibility of [F-18]FDG small animal Positron Emission Tommography (PET) as a functional neuroimaging technique in behavioural small animal study, researches showing the detection power of functional changes in the brain are still limited. Thus, in the study, we performed [F-18]FDG small animal PET neuroimaging in the well-established fear behavioural experiment. Twelve rats were exposed on cat for 30 minutes after the [F-18]FDG injection. As a result, the brain activity in bilateral amygdala areas significantly increased in the fear condition. In addition, the fear condition evoked the functional activities of hypothalamus, which seemed to be related to the response to stress. These clear localization of fear related brain regions may reflect that a functional neuroimaging technique using [F-18]FDG small animal PET has functional detectibility enough to be applied in small animal behavioral research.

How predictive are temporal lobe changes of underlying TDP-43 pathology in the ALS-FTD continuum?

  • Bueno, Ana Paula Arantes;Bertoux, Maxime;de Souza, Leonardo Cruz;Hornberger, Michael
    • Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.101-112
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    • 2017
  • Detection of underling proteinopathies is becoming increasingly important across neurodegenerative conditions due to upcoming disease intervention trials. In this review, we explored how temporal lobe changes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can potentially predict underlying TDP-43 pathology subtypes in FTD. To date, emphasis has been given to frontal lobe changes in the study of the cognitive and behavioural impairments in both syndromes but an increasing number of pathological, imaging and neuropsychological studies suggest how temporal lobe changes could critically affect the cognition and behaviour of these conditions. In this current article, we reviewed pathological, imaging as well as clinical/neuropsychological findings of temporal involvement in the ALS-FTD continuum, how they relate to temporal lobe changes and the underlying TDP-43 pathology in FTD. Findings across studies show that TDP-43 pathology occurs and coincides in many structures in ALS and FTD, but especially in the temporal lobes. In particular, anterior and medial temporal lobes atrophy is consistently found in ALS and FTD. In addition, memory and language impairment as well as emotional and Theory of Mind processing deficits that are characteristics of the two diseases are highly correlated to temporal lobe dysfunction. We conclude by showing that temporal lobe changes due to TDP-43 type B might be particular predictive of TDP-43 type B pathology in behavioural variant FTD, which clearly needs to be investigated further in the future.

Development of Continuous Water Quality Monitoring System using the Daphnid Daphnia sp. (국내산 물벼룩 Daphnia sp.를 이용한 연속적인 수질모니터링 장치 개발)

  • Yoon, Sungjin;Lee, Sungkyu;Park, Hanoh
    • Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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    • v.24 no.1
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    • pp.36-43
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    • 2008
  • To develop the continuous water quality monitoring system using the daphnid Daphnia sp., the growth of test animal, sensitivity, and behaviour response of toxicants were observed. Growth of test animal significantly increased with increasing the food density under the 90~105 mg/L ($CaCO_3$) hardness, except the concentration of food (Chrollela sp.) was exceeded than optimal food supply. Behaviour responses of test animals were continuously analyzed by changes of fractal dimension value (FDV). The FDV sharply decreased after exposure to the concentrations of 0.13 mg/L copper, 0.06 mg/L lead, and 0.38 mg/L cadmium. In these concentrations, mortality and abnormal behaviour of daphnids exhibited within ca. 1.0-h after exposure. Comparison of 24-h $LC_{50}$ values with other zooplankton species indicated that sensitivity of the Daphnia sp. was higher than most zooplankton for lead, and brain shrimp, rotifer, and water flea (Ceriodaphnia dubia, D. magna) for copper, and brain shrimp, water flea (D. lumholzi), and amphipod for cadmium. Based on the above experimental results, significant relationship between toxicity and behaviour response of Daphnia sp. was supported the high potential of water quality monitoring system. Consequently, behavioural monitoring method in this study suggests a good estimation tool for detection of the discharged toxicants in water body and for ecotoxicological assessment aquatic organisms.

Variability of laying hen behaviour depending on the breed

  • Kozak, Agnieszka;Kasperek, Kornel;Zieba, Grzegorz;Rozempolska-Rucinska, Iwona
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.32 no.7
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    • pp.1062-1068
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    • 2019
  • Objective: For many generations, most species of farm animals have been subjected to intense and strictly targeted selection for improvement of their performance traits. This has led to substantial changes in animal anatomy and physiology, which resulted in considerable differences between the current animal breeds and their wild ancestors. The aim of the study was to determine whether there is breed-specific variability in behaviour as well as differences in emotional reactivity and preferences of laying hens. Methods: The investigations involved 50 Green-legged Partridge, 50 Polbar, and 50 Leghorn hens. All birds were kept in the same conditions, and the behavioural tests were carried out at 30 weeks of age. We used the tonic immobility test and a modified open-field test including such objects as water, commercial feed, feed enriched with cereal grains, finely cut straw, and insect larvae, a sandpit, a mirror, and a shelter imitating a hen nest. Results: The research results demonstrate that the birds of the analysed breeds differ not only in the excitability and emotional reactivity but, importantly, also in the preferences for environment-enriching elements. Ensuring hens' well-being should therefore be based on environmental modifications that will facilitate acquisition of essential elements of chickens' behaviour. The greatest emotional reactivity was found in the Leghorn breed, which may be a result of correlated selection aimed at an increase in chicken productivity. Conclusion: The differences in the behaviour of the birds from the analysed breeds indicate that laying hens cannot be regarded as one group of animals with the same environmental requirements.

Boophone disticha attenuates five day repeated forced swim-induced stress and adult hippocampal neurogenesis impairment in male Balb/c mice

  • Nkosiphendule Khuthazelani Xhakaza;Pilani Nkomozepi;Ejekemi Felix Mbajiorgu
    • Anatomy and Cell Biology
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    • v.56 no.1
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    • pp.69-85
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    • 2023
  • Depression is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders and is associated with dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system and alterations in specific brain proteins. Boophone disticha (BD) is an indigenous psychoactive bulb that belongs to the Amaryllidacae family, which is widely used in Southern Africa to treat depression, with scientific evidence of potent antidepressant-like effects. The present study examined the antidepressant effects of BD and its mechanisms of action by measuring some behavioural parameters in the elevated plus maze, brain content of corticosterone, brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), and neuroblast differentiation in the hippocampus of Balb/c mice exposed to the five day repeated forced swim stress (5d-RFSS). Male Balb/c mice were subjected to the 5d-RFSS protocol to induce depressive-like behaviour (decreased swimming, increased floating, decreased open arm entry, decreased time spent in the open arms and decreased head dips in the elevated plus maze test) and treated with distilled water, fluoxetine and BD. BD treatment (10 mg/kg/p.o for 3 weeks) significantly attenuated the 5d-RFSS-induced behavioural abnormalities and the elevated serum corticosterone levels observed in stressed mice. Additionally, 5d-RFSS exposure significantly decreased the number of neuroblasts in the hippocampus and BDNF levels in the brain of Balb/c mice, while fluoxetine and BD treatment attenuated these changes. The antidepressant effects of BD were comparable to those of fluoxetine, but unlike fluoxetine, BD did not show any anxiogenic effects, suggesting better pharmacological functions. In conclusion, our study shows that BD exerted antidepressant-like effects in 5d-RFSS mice, mediated in part by normalizing brain corticosterone and BDNF levels.

Physiological Studies on Adaptation of Tilapia(Oreochromis miloticus) in the Various Salinities I. Endocrine Changes (틸라피아의 해수순치에 관한 생리학적 연구 I. 내분비학적 변화)

  • 윤종만;조갑민;박홍양
    • Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.353-361
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    • 1993
  • This study was taken to examine external changes, behavioral changes, and endocrine changes such as estradiol-17$\beta$, progesterone, T4 and T3 of female Oreochromis niloticus living in 0$\textperthousand$, 10$\textperthousand$, 20$\textperthousand$, and 30$\textperthousand$ salt concentrations, respectively. The results obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows. In seawater obtained in these experiments were summarized as follows. In seawater challenge test, any fish didn't die in each group such as 10$\textperthousand$, 20$\textperthousand$ and 30$\textperthousand$. When fish were adapted from 0$\textperthousand$ to 10$\textperthousand$, 20$\textperthousand$ and 30$\textperthousand$, external body color of fish changed from dark-striped to light-grey color. At the same time, thyroxine and triiodothyronine concentrations significantly(P<0.05) increased, and then were at the highest level in 30 salinity. When fish were adapted from 0$\textperthousand$ to 10$\textperthousand$, feed intake of fish started from the fourth day. From 0$\textperthousand$ to 10$\textperthousand$, 20$\textperthousand$ and 30$\textperthousand$, estradiol-17$\beta$ levels were increased gradually. When fish was adapted from 0$\textperthousand$ to 10$\textperthousand$, 20$\textperthousand$ and 30$\textperthousand$, the levels of each progesterone didn't show significant change, and especially showed the lowest peak in 20$\textperthousand$. The greatest thyroxine activity(T4) was observed in 30$\textperthousand$. The levels of and triiodothyronine(T3) significantly changed in all salinities, and its level was at the highest peak in 30$\textperthousand$ salinity. Correlation coefficients between serum progesterone and triiodothyronine in 10$\textperthousand$ and 30$\textperthousand$ were +0.677 and +0.843, respectively. Correlation coefficient of serum thyroxine(T4) and triiodothyronine(T3) individuals in 10$\textperthousand$ was +0.768, and +0.843, respectively.

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Neural Plasticity after Brain Injury (뇌 손상 후 신경 가소성)

  • Kwon, Young-Shil;Kim, Jin-Sang
    • The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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    • v.13 no.3
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    • pp.791-797
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    • 2001
  • After brain injury, patients show a wide range in the degree of recovery. By a variety of mechanisms, the human brain is constantly undergoing plastic changes. Spontaneous recovery from brain injury in the chronic stage omes about because of plasticity. The brain regions are altered. resulting in functionally modified cortical network. This review cnsidered the neural plasticity from cellular and molecular mechanisms of synapse formation to behavioural recovery from brain injury in elderly humans. The stimuli required to elicit plasticity are thought to be activity-dependent elements. especially exercise and learning. Knowledge about the physiology of brain plasticity has led to the development of methods for rehabilitation.

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