Brighteness-dependent visual attractiveness of the human body for horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae): a field experiment.

The landing patterns of blood-sucking females (Diptera: Tabanidae) are largely influenced by their visual perceptions. When attacking humans, the shape of different body parts and overall brightness of the body could be the factors determining the place of blood-sucking. The visual attractiveness of the human body for tabanids was investigated through a black and a white mannequin in the Danube floodplain, Slovakia.

First report of filarial nematodes in the genus Onchocerca infecting black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Iran.

Black flies are blood-sucking insects of public health importance, and they are effective vectors of pathogens and parasites, such as filarial nematodes of the genus Onchocerca. Our previous surveys have shown that individuals of Simulium turgaicum are annoying pests of humans and livestock in the Aras River Basin of Iran. In the present study, adult black flies of S.

Taxonomic status of the black fly Prosimulium italicum Rivosecchi (Diptera: Simuliidae) based on genetic evidence.

The black fly Prosimulium italicum Rivosecchi, distributed in the Apennines and Sicily, was described as a subspecies of Prosimulium hirtipes (Fries), based on a few morphological details. It subsequently was considered conspecific with P. hirtipes and the name was synonymized.

New genus and species of cavernicolous cockroach (Blattaria, Nocticolidae) from Vietnam.

The new, small cavernicolous species Helmablatta louisrothi gen. et sp. n.

Blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Croatia: species richness, distribution and relationship to surrounding countries.

All records of blackflies (Simuliidae) from the territory of Croatia are summarized, including previously unpublished data. The blackfly fauna of Croatia consists of 28 species. Simulium (Nevermannia) angustitarse (Lundström), Simulium (Nevermannia) cryophilum (Rubtsov) complex, Simulium (Nevermannia) lundstromi (Enderlein), Simulium (Nevermannia) vernum Macquart complex, Simulium (Simulium) argyreatum Meigen, Simulium (Simulium) bezzii (Corti) complex, Simulium paraequinum Puri and Simulium pseudequinum Séguy are reported for the first time from Croatia.

Cryptic Biodiversity and the Origins of Pest Status Revealed in the Macrogenome of Simulium colombaschense (Diptera: Simuliidae), History's Most Destructive Black Fly.

The European black fly Simulium (Simulium) colombaschense (Scopoli), once responsible for as many as 22,000 livestock deaths per year, is chromosomally mapped, permitting its evolutionary relationships and pest drivers to be inferred. The species is 12 fixed inversions removed from the standard sequence of the subgenus Simulium. Three of these fixed inversions, 38 autosomal polymorphisms, and a complex set of 12 X and 6 Y chromosomes in 29 zygotic combinations uniquely characterize S.

The identity and genetic characterization of Simulium reptans (Diptera: Simuliidae) from central and northern Europe.

Although Simulium reptans Linnaeus is one of the first two blackfly species ever described its identity and taxonomy are still not precisely defined. S. reptans and closely related species from central and northern Europe were characterized based on genetic variability, haplotype number and haplotype distribution.

Salivary markers of oxidative stress are related to age and oral health in adult non-smokers.

Background: Salivary concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS) are associated with the periodontal status assessed as papillary bleeding index (PBI). Whether this association is age independent is currently unclear. Salivary concentrations of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have not been assessed in relation to age or oral health yet.

Advanced glycation end products in myocardial reperfusion injury.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with cardiovascular diseases. Whether the AGE levels change during myocardial reperfusion injury is currently unknown. The aim of our study was to investigate the dynamics of AGEs in myocardial reperfusion injury and to discuss potential reasons for these changes.

Lack of evidence for meteorological effects on infradian dynamics of testosterone.

Climatic factors are known to influence the endocrine system. Previous studies have shown that circannual seasonal variations of testosterone might be partly explained by changes in air temperature. Whether infradian variations are affected by meteorological factors is unknown.

Salivary sex hormones during the menstrual cycle.

Infradian rhythms of sex hormones in women are important in several physiological and pathophysiological processes. Detailed analyses of these rhythms are difficult due to problems with sampling. Salivary levels of sex steroids are widely used when repeated sampling is needed.

Increased one week soybean consumption affects spatial abilities but not sex hormone status in men.

Background: Increased soybean intake is often recommended for the prevention of hormone-dependent cancer, cardiovascular diseases and age-related cognitive decline. Although isolated phytoestrogens have shown these positive effects, the evidence for such influence of increased consumption of soybeans is lacking.

Aim: To prove the effects of short-term increased soybean intake on sex hormone levels and spatial cognitive parameters in men.

Short-term soybean intake and its effect on steroid sex hormones and cognitive abilities.

Objective: To observe the effects of short-term soybean consumption on cognitive spatial abilities and changes in sex endocrine net in both genders.

Design: Short-term prospective intervention study.

Setting: Academic medical center.

Intelligence and salivary testosterone levels in prepubertal children.

Background: Hormones are one of the regulatory systems influencing brain-cognition interactions and subsequent emotions and behavior in humans and animals. Sex hormones have been found to influence brain structures prenatally, so as to prepare targeted neuronal circuits for activation during and after puberty. Testosterone is believed to affect cognition and thinking in humans as well as between-sex differences in cognitive abilities.

Salivary thiobarbituric acid reacting substances and malondialdehyde--their relationship to reported smoking and to parodontal status described by the papillary bleeding index.

Background: Thiobarbituric reacting substances (TBARS) are markers of lipoperoxidation. The best-known specific TBARS is malondialdehyde (MDA). Results from our previous studies have shown that TBARS can be measured in saliva and are increased in patients with gingivitis.

The use of transformed Escherichia coli for experimental angiogenesis induced by regulated in situ production of vascular endothelial growth factor--an alternative gene therapy.

Background: Defects in angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) are responsible for two most important causes of death in developed countries (ischemic heart disease and cancer). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in physiological and pathological regulation of angiogenesis. In the last years several studies have indicated the possibilities of VEGF in the therapy of ischemic heart disease.

Endocrine and cognitive effects of short-time soybean consumption in women.

Background: Soy phytoestrogens are known to influence the hormonal status acting as partial estrogen agonists. Soy-derived food supplements are advised for hormone replacement therapy, prevention of atherosclerosis, age-related cognitive decline and even hormone-dependent cancer, although results from clinical studies are controversial. Whether increased soybean intake can affect the endocrine status and cognitive abilities is largely unknown.

Effects of anabolic steroids and antioxidant vitamins on ethanol-induced tissue injury.

Various mechanisms are involved in the process of ethanol-induced tissue impairment. Oxidative stress and its effects are among the most important. We compared the effects of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C and E in combination) and steroids (testosterone and nandrolone separately) on the toxicity of ethanol in rats.