Phytohormone auxin plays an important role in various aspects of plant growth and development. The necessary concentration maxima at the region of its action are achieved by auxin metabolism, passive diffusion of auxin molecules across plasma membrane and by the carrier-mediated auxin transport, as well as by modulation of these processes. In our study we used a group of compounds structurally related to major endogenous auxin indole-3-acetic acid, as well as synthetic auxins 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4- D) and naphthalene-1-acetic acid (NAA). We aimed to characterize the auxin specificity of developmentally important processes such as carrier-mediated auxin transport, and 'genomic' (transcriptional) and 'non-genomic' (transcriptional) auxin signaling. In addition to the characterization of these compounds we also hoped to get an insight into the complex regulatory mechanism of auxin-related processes and to possibly find a particular compound with distinct behavior towards particular processes. By making use of such compounds and other molecular tools we aimed to analyze the mechanism of 'non-genomic' auxin signaling, to understand the mode of action of FM (Fei Mao) styryl dyes on the dynamics of membrane- localized auxin transporters, and to study the involvement of other phytohormones...

Parasitic helminths probably consitute one of the most important groups of disease agents in dogs. In the Southern and Central United States dogs are often fatally infected with the canine esophageal worm, Spirocerca lupi, and the ca nine heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis. Cestodes which can limit the growth of a dog are found throughout the United States.

Thesis (M. Pharm. (Pharmacology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Introduction: Zebediela Hospital in Limpopo Province is running an outreach programme as part of its chronic care initiative. In the programme, pharmacy personnel visit the feeder clinics attached to the hospital to dispense chronic medicines to patients. This study aimed at evaluating how this pharmacy chronic care outreach programme is performing, by looking at pharmacy personnel, nursing personnel and patients’ perceptions. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the six feeder clinics attached to Zebediela Hospital in the Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality of the Capricorn district in Limpopo Province using a quantitative research method. This quantitative research was administered in the form of a survey. Questionnaires were used to collect data from patients, nursing personnel and pharmacy personnel. A total of 399 participants (n=399) took part in the study. The participants included 337 patients from six different clinics, 18 pharmacy personnel and 44 nursing personnel. Data was analysed using the SPSS version 25.0. Results: The pharmacy personnel showed that an allocation of more than three personnel per duty roster sufficed. Regarding transport used by pharmacy personnel when embarking on the Pharmacy Chronic Care Outreach Programme, 71.4% of pharmacy personnel indicated that they always used hospital transport in 83.3% of the cases. The study findings showed that, 71% of patients agreed they were satisfied with the pharmacy times for collecting medicines apart from the fact that 65.6% of patients travelled for more than two hours from their respective homes to their nearest clinic. Sixty eight percent of pharmacy personnel perceived the PCCOP model to be reducing patient waiting time at the clinics. Both the patients and nursing personnel were however not satisfied with the pharmacy personnel’s arrival time at the clinic. The other negative aspect reported was the space problem at the clinics where, 77.8% of pharmacy personnel and 54.5% of nursing personnel reported this as not user-friendly. The patients’ satisfaction levels regarding the PCCOP model for “very satisfied” stood at 64.2% and 0.6% for “very dissatisfied”. Both pharmacy and nursing personnel recommended that the PCCOP model be continued with recommendations towards improving human resources and infrastructure. Conclusion: In conclusion, both pharmacy personnel and nursing personnel showed that the outreach programme was a good initiative in the health system and it benefitted patients. However, the concerns mentioned by patients included long waiting times at the clinic and medicine stock outs. As the results show, the pharmacy chronic care outreach programme should be continued, as long as patients’ complaints can be attended to. Key words: Evaluation, Pharmacy Chronic care Outreach Programme, Zebediela

Tick-borne diseases cause in enormous burden on human, livestock, and wildlife health globally and are driven by the increasing abundance and geographic expansion of medically important tick species. More recently, tick-borne disease emergence is occurring in urban landscapes due to complex feedbacks between the environment, humans, wildlife, and ticks. In this dissertation, I focus on the ecological conditions that allow for tick-borne disease emergence in a city. I use a combination of spatial landscape modeling, empirical data collection, wildlife movement tracking to determine drivers of zoonotic hazards in New York City, NY, and employ vector genomics to examine vector dispersal in the northeastern United States. In chapter one, I pair tick collection throughout the five boroughs of New York City with landscape connectivity modeling to examine how green space connectivity and habitat availability affects the density and infection of questing nymphs – an important epidemiological measure of human risk for tick-borne diseases. I found that green spaces that were highly connected for deer had higher nymph density and infection prevalence for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. In chapter two, I use camera trapping, live trapping, and tick collection on Staten Island, NY, to examine how landscape fragmentation – through changing habitat size and connectivity – shapes the host community available for questing Ixodes scapularis nymphs. Further, I examined whether patterns in host species abundance and activity correlate with the density of nymphs and their infection prevalence with three different pathogens that vary in host-specificity, B. burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. I found associations between host species and the size and connectivity of the park habitat, identified host species which amplified and removed ticks in the environment, and determined links between host activity and abundance and the infection prevalence of nymphs with host-specific pathogens. In chapter three, I utilize movement data from 59 white-tailed deer on Staten Island, NY, to assess the drivers of movement and its impact on tick-borne disease hazard across the landscape. I found that white-tailed deer avoid anthropogenic development at fine spatial scales when establishing home ranges but select for anthropogenic resources within their home range, increasing the potential to distribute ticks into environments that interface with humans. Finally in chapter four, I use double digest Restriction Associated DNA sequencing to examine the genetic differentiation of six I. scapularis populations across the Northeast region. I found high levels of gene flow across a spatial scale of 400 km, likely resulting from frequent host-mediated dispersal events combined with large I. scapularis populations. Taken together, this work emphasizes that host movement and ecology are critical determinants of urban tick-borne disease emergence through directing vector and pathogen dispersal, serving as pathogen reservoirs in urban habitats, and interfacing with humans in unique ways that increase human exposure to zoonotic hazards.

This master´s thesis deals with possibilities of application of new organic molecular materials for electronic devices. Nowadays it is a very attractive field of research, because of the tendencies in industry to miniaturize, reduce production costs and develop new, eco-friendlier, processes of production. The theoretical part of the thesis provides a short overview of organic materials suitable for smart applications and thin films issues including their characterization. The experimental part is dedicated to means how to prepare thin-film electronic components to silicon wafers for thin films field effect transistors. The obtained results in the last part of thesis are discussed about properties of prepared thin films, in the concrete about the electrical transport properties, in the connection with the condition of preparation.

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