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Hydatidosis is a potential zoonotic helminthic disease affecting a broad spectrum of mammals, including humans, worldwide. The current review was conducted to investigate the genotypic status and prevalence of hydatid disease in camels across the world. For the purpose of the study, the articles addressing the worldwide prevalence of hydatidosis in camels were searched in several English language databases. The search process resulted in the inclusion of 122 papers. Based on the data presented in the reviewed articles, the pooled prevalence of hydatid disease in camels across the world was measured at 23.75% (95% CI 20.15–27.55). Moreover, the subgroup analysis demonstrated significant differences in the overall prevalence of hydatidosis among camels based on year, geographic area, climate parameters, camel population, gender, infected organ, fertility rate of the cyst and laboratory diagnostic technique. Furthermore, the Echinococcus granulosus genotypes identified in camels with hydatidosis included G1, G2, G3, G1–G3, G5, G6, G7, G6–G7 and G6–G10, with G6 being the most common genotype throughout the world. The data obtained from the current study are central to the better conceptualization of the biological and epidemiological characteristics of E. granulosus s.l. genotypes around the world, which can be helpful in the planning and adoption of more comprehensive control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations of the parasites associated with extinct avian species provide unique insights into the ecology and evolution of both hosts and their parasitic counterparts. In the present paper, a new quill mite species, Peristerophila conuropsis sp. n., belonging to the family Syringophilidae (Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) is described from the Carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis Linnaeus (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae). This new species was collected from museum dry skin of the Carolina parakeet, the only native representative of the Psittacidae in the United States, which was an abundant resident of the southeastern and midwestern states and has been extinct in the beginning of the 20th century. Comment on the current taxonomic state and host associations of the genus Peristerophila are provided. Based on the host associations and habitats occupied by Peristerophila and related genera on parrots, it is hypothesized with the high probability that P. conuropsis has been extinct along with its host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Founded in 1959, the Italian Society of Parasitology (SoIPa) includes nearly 200 researchers and professionals in the fields of medicine, veterinary medicine, biotechnology, epidemiology and environmental sciences. The diversity of its members, in a historical and continuous collaboration with other international scientific societies, embodies a broad and multidisciplinary field such as parasitology. Since 1959, SoIPa has organized a biennial congress, covering all aspects of general parasitology with participants from all over Italy, Europe and beyond, involved in a dynamic and multi-faceted scientific framework of contributions and symposia. The present Special Issue (SI) contains 6 review papers and 1 research article, focussed on emerging topics presented and discussed during some of the symposia organized within the XXXII SoIPa Congress, held in Naples from 27th June to 30th June 2022. These review papers reflect several emerging subjects (i.e. 'Italian network on Neglected Tropical Diseases', 'Wildlife parasites and citizen science', 'Comparing approaches to parasitological issues', 'Unusual perspectives on the role of parasites') with the aim to explore the new role that parasitologists can play in the future society, working together to promote dialogue on science-informed decisions to support the so-called 'twin green and digital transition'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host discrimination by immature host-seeking endoparasites is a complex and somewhat unexplored topic. In the case of multiple infections, conflicts among conspecifics may occur to monopolize space and resources in the same host. Two or more 1st instar larvae of Xenos vesparum (Strepsiptera, Stylopidae) may enter into a Polistes dominulus (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) larva and develop together until the adult stage of both parasite and host. We carried out a screening of mitochondrial haplotypes in X. vesparum individuals extracted from superparasitized wasps taken in 5 naturally infected nests from different areas of Tuscany (Italy), to assess whether non-sibling parasites may infect the same colony and host. In total, we obtained 12 different haplotypes out of 122 genotyped individuals of both sexes: 17 of 34 superparasitized wasps hosted parasites that originated from females differing in their haplotypes. To date, this is the first described case of superparasitism with non-sibling host-seeking larvae infecting a single individual hymenopteran host. In addition, at least in heavily infected colonies, there is evidence of a male-biased sex-ratio and synchronous development of the parasites, regardless of their haplotypes. Finally, the distribution of haplotypes per nest is consistent with either phoretic infection or larvipositing on nests by means of superparasitized wasps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is plenty of scholarship regarding the concerns of addressing controversial and sensitive subject manner in the Classics classroom, and I have considered these to quite an extent, my own interest in these practices emerged where they matter the most: my own experiences within the classroom. For me, it came to a head with one pupil who demonstrated an active enthusiasm for Latin study and the classical world at large, but was slowly becoming disheartened after several classes, despite not displaying any overt academic challenges to any of the presented material. When I brought this issue up privately with her, she said: 'Sir, it sucks that this culture and language which I adore, wouldn't value me as much I value it.' She also expressed regret at choosing Latin, as she felt 'it seems to be a subject where only boys can succeed.' It also became apparent that this consensus was common, and shared with several of her friends and peers. This paper describes some of the actions I undertook to address their sensitivities in the Classics classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this contribution is to present an innovative approach to the use of Open Access AI in teaching the Classical era at high school and university level. The paper first explains the growing interest in AI technology and its main applications in the subjects of philology, history and other related areas. The following sections show the different steps of the proposal, which uses the Midjourney program, as well as its pros and cons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Marseille region in France, ancient Greek has been taught in pre-school and primary school for more than 20 years. The 'Nausicaa' Association was created in 1996 with an express purpose in mind. As Nausicaa was Odysseus' guide and helped him regain his dignity as a man and a king, so our association supports children in becoming more complete and richer humans, or so we hope. Nausicaa has grown enormously in the past 20 years, and currently operates in various schools in the South of France, in particular in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. Around ten volunteers (teachers working in middle school, high school or retired) teach ancient Greek to pupils from pre-school to the end of primary school. All activities are done at school during class teaching time and in the school setting. This paper presents an outline of the activities of the Nausicaa Association and how it benefits pupils of all abilities in learning about the ancient Greeks and their language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endemic chub Squalius tenellus (Heckel, 1843) was introduced more than 100 years ago to Lake Blidinje (Bosnia-Herzegovina). Only 1 species of enteric helminth was found in a sample of 35 chubs, the tapeworm Caryophyllaeus brachycollis (Janiszewska, 1953). The paper includes histopathological investigation with identification of innate immune cells involved in host reaction and molecular data allowed correct designation of the cestode species. Of 35 specimens of chub examined, 21 (60%) harboured individuals of C. brachycollis and a total of 1619 tapeworms were counted, the intensity of infection ranged from 1 to 390 worms per fish (46.2 ± 15.3, mean ± s.e.). Histopathological and ultrastructural investigations showed strict contact between the worm's body and the epithelia and increase in the number of mucous cells, rodlet cells among the epithelial cells. Within the tunica propria-submucosa, beneath the site of scolex attachment, numerous neutrophils and mast cells were noticed. This is the first study of the occurrence of C. brachycollis in chub from Lake Blidinje and on the response of the innate immune cells of S. tenellus to this tapeworm. Interestingly, in 3 very heavily infected chubs, perforation of the intestinal wall was documented; this is uncommon among cestodes which use fish as a definitive host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is plenty of scholarship regarding the concerns of addressing controversial and sensitive subject manner in the Classics classroom, and I have considered these to quite an extent, my own interest in these practices emerged where they matter the most: my own experiences within the classroom. For me, it came to a head with one pupil who demonstrated an active enthusiasm for Latin study and the classical world at large, but was slowly becoming disheartened after several classes, despite not displaying any overt academic challenges to any of the presented material. When I brought this issue up privately with her, she said: 'Sir, it sucks that this culture and language which I adore, wouldn't value me as much I value it.' She also expressed regret at choosing Latin, as she felt 'it seems to be a subject where only boys can succeed.' It also became apparent that this consensus was common, and shared with several of her friends and peers. This paper describes some of the actions I undertook to address their sensitivities in the Classics classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this contribution is to present an innovative approach to the use of Open Access AI in teaching the Classical era at high school and university level. The paper first explains the growing interest in AI technology and its main applications in the subjects of philology, history and other related areas. The following sections show the different steps of the proposal, which uses the Midjourney program, as well as its pros and cons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Marseille region in France, ancient Greek has been taught in pre-school and primary school for more than 20 years. The 'Nausicaa' Association was created in 1996 with an express purpose in mind. As Nausicaa was Odysseus' guide and helped him regain his dignity as a man and a king, so our association supports children in becoming more complete and richer humans, or so we hope. Nausicaa has grown enormously in the past 20 years, and currently operates in various schools in the South of France, in particular in Marseille and Aix-en-Provence. Around ten volunteers (teachers working in middle school, high school or retired) teach ancient Greek to pupils from pre-school to the end of primary school. All activities are done at school during class teaching time and in the school setting. This paper presents an outline of the activities of the Nausicaa Association and how it benefits pupils of all abilities in learning about the ancient Greeks and their language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The semi-slug, Parmarion martensi, is an intermediate host of the zoonotic nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, the aetiological agent of neuroangiostrongyliasis or rat lungworm disease in humans. Rearing methods were developed for P. martensi to facilitate studies on nematode transmission and control. Parmarion martensi exhibited high survivorship when reared on a diet of dog food and fresh fruits and vegetables in temperature-controlled cabinets at 21.4°C, 98% relative humidity and 12:12 L:D cycle. Rearing containers were lined with moist paper towels for substrate and plastic pots were provided for hiding/resting and egg-laying. Under these conditions, time to first reproduction was 165.3 ± 12.3 days, fecundity was approximately 34.5 ± 7.8 eggs per adult, and hatch rate was 52.7 ± 3.2%. Survivorship post egg hatch was 86.2 ± 2.9% at 30 days (neonates had a mortality rate of about 14%) and 99% thereafter for up to a year. The demographics of laboratory-reared and wild-caught P. martensi were similar except for the weight of reproductive adults, which was significantly higher in laboratory-reared adults (4.0 ± 0.2 g) than in field-collected adults (1.5 ± 0.1 g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teachers of Classics in sixth form colleges and secondary schools regularly provide extra-curricular activities alongside their bread-and-butter classes in Latin, Classical Civilisation, Ancient History, and Greek. With the on-going squeeze on the provision of these four classical subjects, it is inevitable that teachers of Classics look to other areas within their schools and colleges both to maintain and to promote the face of Classics. The purpose of this paper is to explain the delivery and the thinking behind a weekly extra-curricular activity called 'Classics on Film' that was set up at Peter Symonds College in 2018 and which has now continued for four years. This activity encompasses cine-antiquity; in other words, a class that focuses on films depicting the ancient world. By breaking down this project and some of its results, this paper aims to give teachers of Classics and others awareness of the methods, resources, and challenges when delivering an extra-curricular activity on cine-antiquity. Furthermore, it aims to provide a model that other teachers might adapt or use as a springboard for their own bespoke cine-antiquity activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective supply chain management is a critical pillar of well-functioning health systems ensuring that medical commodities reach those in need. In Liberia, the national neglected tropical disease (NTD) programme supports health systems strengthening for case management of NTDs. Integration of NTD commodities into the national health system supply chain is central to the integrated approach; however, there is minimal evidence on enablers and barriers. Drawing on qualitative evaluation data, we illustrate that perceived benefits and strengths to integrating NTD commodities into the supply chain include leveraged storage and management capacities capitalized at lower system levels; the political will to integrate based on cost-saving and capacity strengthening potential and positive progress integrating paper-based reporting tools. Challenges remain, specifically the risk of reliance on donor funding; difficulty in accessing commodities due to bureaucratic bottlenecks; lack of inclusion of NTD commodities within electronic data tools and poor coordination leading to an inability to meet demand. Collectively, the negative consequences of ineffective integration of NTD commodities into the supply chain has a detrimental impact on health workers (including community health workers) unable to deliver the quality of care to patients. Trust between affected populations and the health system is compromised when treatments are unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2022, ChatGPT 3.5 was released on a public research preview, gaining notoriety for its ability to pull from a vast body of information to create coherent and digestible bodies of text that accurately respond to queries (OpenAI, 2022). It is able to recognise the grammar and vocabulary of ancient languages, translate passages, and compose texts at an alarmingly accurate and rapid rate. For teachers, this AI has had mixed reviews. Some fear its ability to produce well-written work effortlessly, while others are excited by its abilities to push the boundaries of current teaching practices. This paper explores how well ChatGPT explains grammatical concepts, parses inflected forms, and translates Classical Latin, Ancient Greek, and Classical Sanskrit. Overall, ChatGPT is rather good at working with Classical Latin and Sanskrit, but its abilities with Ancient Greek are deeply problematic. Although it is quite flawed at this time, ChatGPT, when used properly, could become a useful a tool for ancient language study. With proper guiding phrases, students could use this AI to practise vocabulary, check their translations, and rephrase grammatical concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to set out the results of the Developing and creating didactic proposals for Latin and Classical Culture (now DPLCC) course, which was financed and organised with the Spanish Ministry of Education, CEFIRE, during 2021. The training programme is aimed at teachers and anyone qualified to teach classical languages. It has been divided into two parts: a theory and a practical section. The theory section entailed a review of some fundamental topics in language teaching. The practical section involved the creation of a didactic proposal based on the element of water. The course counted a total of 34 participants; only 22 finished the theory section and 12 the practical section. From a practical perspective for participants, it was observed that various activities were effectively carried out. In particular, the trainees produced quality texts adapted to the required level. In addition, the proposed exercises are diverse and appropriate for the planned objectives. On the other hand, the graphic design, page layout and illustrations proposed did not have a particular focus on quality, indicating a lesser degree of technical and graphic preparation for producing materials that are also visually appealing to a younger audience. The study shows that trainees revisit and create new activities from scratch, always staying aligned with the chosen theme and the proposed educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]