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The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of high school pupils toward peers with blindness. Using the CATCH-scale (Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes towards Children with Handicaps), 218 high school students’ attitudes were assessed. High school students generally had a positive attitude towards students with blindness. The total scores on the CATCH- scale was a little higher for female students, but with no statistically significant difference (p>.05). Generally, the implications of this research suggest that regular schools must implement coexistence programs that will lead to even better attitude in inclusive settings.

Vascular smooth muscle voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels have been proposed to contribute to myogenic autoregulation. Surprisingly, in initial experiments, we observed that the Kv2 channel inhibitor stromatoxin induced vasomotion without affecting myogenic tone. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that Kv2 channels contribute to myogenic autoregulation by fine-tuning the myogenic response. Expression of Kv2 channel mRNA was determined using real-time PCR and ‘multiplex’ single-cell RT-PCR. Potassium currents were measured using the patch-clamp technique. Contractile responses of intact arteries were studied using isobaric myography. Expression of Kv2.1 but not Kv2.2 channels was detected in intact rat superior cerebellar arteries and in single smooth muscle cells. Stromatoxin, a high-affinity inhibitor of Kv2 channels, reduced smooth muscle Kv currents by 61% at saturating concentrations (EC50 36 nmol/L). Further, stromatoxin (10–100 nmol/L) induced pronounced vasomotion in 48% of the vessels studied. In vessels not exhibiting vasomotion, stromatoxin did not affect myogenic reactivity. Notably, in vessels exhibiting stromatoxin-induced vasomotion, pressure increases evoked two effects: First, they facilitated the occurrence of random vasodilations and/or vasoconstrictions, disturbing the myogenic response (24% of the vessels). Second, they modified the vasomotion by decreasing its amplitude and increasing its frequency, thereby destabilizing myogenic tone (76% of the vessels). Our study demonstrates that (i) Kv2.1 channels are the predominantly expressed Kv channels in smooth muscle cells of rat superior cerebellar arteries, and (ii) Kv2.1 channels provide a novel type of negative feedback mechanism in myogenic autoregulation by preventing vasomotion and thereby safeguarding the myogenic response.

Trehalose lipid biosurfactant from Nocardia farcinica strain is a naturally derived substance with potent anticancer activity. The increasing interest in naturally derived substances-based modality of cancer treatment requires investigations of the possible adverse effects of these substances, including the effects on vasculature. Therefore the present study was designed to investigate the effect of Trehalose lipid on isometric contraction of isolated rat mesenteric arteries. The contractile responses of arteries under Trehalose lipid was studied using wire myography for small blood vessels. The isometric contractions of rat mesenteric artery rings with intact endothelium were examined. The effect of this biosurfactant was assessed in arteries precontracted with 42 mM KCl as a vascular smooth muscle depolarizing stimulus. The results showed that Trehalose lipid (75 µM) failed to change high K+-induced contractions. The observed lack of effect of Trehalose lipid biosurfactant on the contractility of rat mesenteric arteries in vitro together with finding of reduced cancer cells viability makes it to be a suitable for potential medical application.

Goal: To determine prevalence and causes of blindness among adults (≥ 26 years age) in five municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia. Methods: The ophthalmology statements of registered people with blindness who are beneficiaries of social welfare in 2015 were reviewed. Results: A total of 475 records were included in the research. The mean age of the persons was 64.1 (range 26-87), both male and female. Blindness was found to be significantly associated with increasing age (p

Background: Reliable data on the prevalence and causes of visual impairment in children are necessary for developing a systematic vision screening program with valid and reliable test protocols. Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, main causes, and associated factors of visual impairment among Macedonian children aged 0–18 years. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical record of 829 children, attending the department of ophthalmology from October 2013 to October 2018. The following variables were investigated: age, gender, and diagnosis. Results: The prevalence of visual impairment was statistical significance higher in girls than in boys (p

This descriptive qualitative interview study in¬ves¬tigates knowledge of colours in students who are congenitally blind. The purpose of this research was to explore how the lack of direct experience with colour, as a result of congenital blindness, affects judgments about semantic concepts. Qualitative methods were used to conduct interviews with 15 students. The results of the study indicate that students know the colours and have a favourite colour. The implications for practice are to pay more attention when we teach students with congenital blindness to associate colours with specific objects.

A comparison reading performance was done between 8 students who are using Braille and 14 students who are using enlarged print to read. Reading performance was determined using reading rate (words per minute, wpm). Reading rate results showed no significant difference (p>0.05) between those using the Braille (16.62±11.61 wpm) and those using the enlarged print (27.21±24.89 wpm). This study has shown that Braille reader students read at lower reading rate compared to print reader students with visual impairment.

This article reports the findings of a study designed to explore the attitudes of parents of “normal” developing children toward the inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream education in Macedonia. Specifically, the study was designed to explore the similarities and differences in the attitudes of two groups of parents: a group of parents of preschool children and a group of parents of school age children. Participants included 88 parents. Generally, many of the parents accept inclusive education, but most of them still think the special school is better place for education of children with disability.

Parents’ reactions, in the moment when they find out that their child is with developmental disabilities, are absolutely individual. A lot of parents need months, while some of them need years to face the fact that their child is with developmental disabilities. The state and the crises that arise are very hard to be prevented, however they could be overcomed by a good professional help and support. The aim of this research is to examine the stress level that the parents of these children experience as well as the support that they receive by the family and the local community. Thirty one parents of children with intellectual disabilities, cerebral paralysis and visual impairment have been inquired. The questionnaire referred to the way of communication between professionals and parents, the stress level that they experienced because of their child and the support they received from their close family and other family members, their friends and the local community. For parents, the most stressful thing is the moment of finding out their child’s developmental disabilities. The biggest support they receive from their partners and parents.

During the last two decades, perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) has been revealed as an important regulator of vascular processes such as proliferation of smooth muscle cells, pro- and anti-oxidant reactions in the vascular wall, angiogenesis, inflammation, apoptosis of neutrophils, migration of monocytes and others. PVAT derived mediators either increase or decrease the amplitudes of the force of artery contraction measured using isometric small vessel myography. In healthy animals and humans predominates the relaxing effect while in diseases the contractile influence of PVAT is common. In aging and pathological conditions like atherosclerosis and diabetes, or with environmental factors like tobacco smoke and high-fat diet, the phenotype of perivascular adipocytes is changed from anti-inflammatory to pro-inflammatory. This change is accompanied by a significant rearrangement of mediators released from PVAT.

Inclusive education is a rational concept that refers to the overall and long-term transformation of institutional systems in society, especially in education. Along with the transformation, a number of important and unresolved issues still appear in both theory and practice, as the duty of pre-school institutions and schools is to educate every student in the mainstream education system. One of the most important aspects of inclusion is the inclusive culture. Regardless of the good inclusive policy and practice, one cannot talk about successful inclusion without a properly developed inclusive institutional culture.This paper is a contribution to the research considering the development of inclusive culture in three preschool institutions. It is based on the thinking and attitudes of the pre­school staff toward the necessity of developing and nurturing an inclusive culture. Successful inclusion of pupils with special needs in the mainstream school system cannot be conceived without an inclusive culture.

This article presents the results acquired from the assessment of the visual perception in students with special educational needs. The research cov­ered in total 85 students, out of which 20 with vis­ual impairment, 45 with mild mental retardation and 20 with cerebral palsy. To assess the visual perception we have used the MVPT-R (Motor-free visual perception test-revised). The research data shows that the students have statistically lower visual perceptive age than their chronological age indicates.

This paper presents the changes of the studies in special education and rehabilitation at the Faculty of Philosophy due to the Bologna process. The aim is to give a comparative review of the old and the new study program.

The aim of this paper is to give survey of previous experiences of early intervention system worldwide and in the Republic of Macedonia.The experiences show that good early intervention systems function in many countries; others, started much later in realization of this process. But there are some countries where the organization of services for early intervention is in initial stage.The Republic of Macedonia possesses modest experiences considering the way of organization of early intervention of children with disabilities. In the context, we locate the problem in lack of established mechanisms for coordination between relevant institutions, based on legislation.

Orthoptic treatment of intermittent divergent strabism is one of the important methods of treat of this strabism. The treatment can be a simple action and complicated orthoptic-pleoptic excesses which searching a special condition and special equipment.Our examination had a task to notice the effect of this treatment on the rehabilitation of binocular sight, that mean stabilization of binocular relationship, which in specific cause can determined a functional recover, or in case that is impossible it can be a prepare for a operation.We can execute the following conclusion from our examination: that after the application of orthoptic treatment was an evident improvement in binocular relationship in the patient with intermittent divergent strabism.

It is stressed that the child with it’s dynamic and progressive course in which all the processes of maturing and growth are performed, is always possible to have some declines, obstacles and impairments, which can be bio-psycho-neuro social or of some other nature.It has been said that the children with developmental difficulties discover their handicap when they acknowledge the world of the others and the attitude of the children according to their handicap is in great deal dictated by the parent’s attitude, in their close and far environment, that leads in the sphere of establishment of common conflicts.In our paper we try to make a lot of questions and dilemmas related to treatment of children with developmental difficulties such as: time of starting the treatment, kind and adequate organization and educational preparedness of services that enable support of these children, specialist’s attitudes and their motivation to work with these children, attitudes and active engagement of the society for the place of the treatment of these children in the social environment or in institutions etc.A long scale of modern therapeutic proceedings is shown, which are included in the work with children with developmental difficulties and the work with their parents. Through a table report we give the information from our environment, for the time when the treatment is started and the conclusion is: because of different causes, the largest range of children with developmental difficulties is before they enroll at school (experience of the institute for mental health of children and adolescents in Skopje and the Institute for rehabilitation of hearing, speech and voice in Skopje).The advantage of the early treatment is also stressed, for the children with developmental difficulties, in an open social environment opposite to hospital cure. The priority is given to the patronage treatment and treatment in conditions of day hospitals and centers for day stay. Taking into consideration the multifactorial etiology in the handicap of the children with developmental difficulties, the need of multidimensional approach in the treatment should be stressed, that should be provided by a team of specialists, well educated and motivated to work on this problem. We stress the need for integration of these children in the preschool institutions, where a team of defectologist, reeducator is involved, to escape some psychosocial consequences and to provide successful preparation of the children for the upbringing and educational process. The needs for more systematic organized work and cooperation, as for the need of the only doctrine and legislative regulative, to achieve united methodology of work and to supply the needed professional staff and usage of aims and provisions on this field.

Most people believe that they know the answer to that question. Maybebecause this damage can be simulated. We close our eyes and think that this is exactly what itlooks like to be blind. In reality, blindness is very different. Most people who are blind have some kind of residual vision, distinguishing light from dark, only about 10% are completely oralmost completely blind. Blindness is not synonymous with complete visual impairment. Visually impaired children have the same educational needs as their peers. These students exude a heterogeneous group that has one thing in common, the degree of visual impairment. In the first special schools that opened in Western Europe in the late 18th century, the goal of education differed in many ways from the goal of mastering elementary general knowledge and vocational training. Today, the educational goals are the same as for other students. Subject of research: determining the concerns, the readiness of teachers in regular elementary schools for the inclusive education of blind students. Methods: The research included a sample of 100 respondents, which consists of 100 teachers from regular schools, which are included in inclusive education, in regular primary schools in the municipality of Tetovo. Calculation of frequency and estimation of the structureof the obtained results. The χ² test was applied. The statistical analysis was done using the computer program Excel and the statistical software SSPS. The difference at the level of significance of p<0.05 will be considered a statistically significant difference. Result: The results of this research show that educators of regular primary schools are willing to work with people with damaged vision, also to cooperate with colleagues for achievingsuccess in inclusive schooling. As we could notice by the results, the primary schools in Tetovoonly had three blind students, which lead us to believe that the awareness of people upon the education and inclusion of blind people in public and inclusive schools is still very low. Conclusion: The results of this paper show us that teachers from regular elementary schools are ready to work with visually impaired people, as well as to cooperate with their colleagues to achieve progress in inclusive education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]