Fumonisins and related Fusarium species in pre-harvest maize ear rot in Poland

Two Fusarium species were identified in mouldy maize ears with the highest frequency during 2005–2014 in 7 seasons: F. subglutinans (3.1–42.0%) and F. verticillioides (44.1–70.3%). Two other species were also found but with lower frequency: F. graminearum (1.0–13.0%) and F. poae (1–45.7%). In 2005 fumonisin FB1, and in 2013 and 2014 three fumonisins (FBs) – FB1, FB2 and FB3 — were identified in harvest samples. The Fusarium-damaged kernel (FDK) fraction contained almost the totality of mycotoxins (90.0–95.0%), while healthy looking kernels (HLK) contained only below 5.0 to 10.0%. Kernels naturally infected by F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum contained (in mg kg−1) up to 710.00 of fumonisin B1, up to 209.72 of fumonisin B2 and up to 35.72 of fumonisin B3

The influence of chlorine in indoor swimming pools on the composition of breathing phase of professional swimmers

Objectives: Swimming is one of the most popular forms of physical activity. Pool water is cleaned with chlorine, which - in combination with compounds contained in water - could form chloramines and trichloromethane in the swimmer’s lungs. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of swimming training in an indoor pool on the composition of swimmers’ respiratory phase metabolomics, and develop a system to provide basic information about its impact on the swimmer’s airway mucosa metabolism, which could help to assess the risk of secondary respiratory tract diseases i.e. sport results, condition, and health including lung acute and chronic diseases). Design: A group of competitive swimmers participated in the study and samples of their respiratory phase before training, immediately after training, and 2 h after training were assessed. Methods: Sixteen male national and international-level competitive swimmers participated in this study. Respiratory phase analysis of the indoor swimming pool swimmers was performed. Gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used in the measurements. All collected data were transferred to numerical analysis for trends of tracking and mapping. The breathing phase was collected on special porous material and analyzed using GCMS headspace. Results: The obtained samples of exhaled air were composed of significantly different metabolomics when compared before, during and after exercise training. This suggests that exposition to indoor chlorine causes changes in the airway mucosa Conclusion: This phenomenon may be explained by occurrence of a chlorine-initiated bio-reaction in the swimmers’ lungs. The obtained results indicate that chromatographic exhaled gas analysis is a sensitive method of pulmonary metabolomic changes assessment. Presented analysis of swimmers exhaled air indicates, that indoor swimming may be responsible for airway irritation caused by volatile chlorine compounds and their influence on lung metabolism

Identification of Salt Stress Biomarkers in Romanian Carpathian Populations of Picea abies (L.) Karst

The Norway spruce (Picea abies), the most important tree species in European forests, is relatively sensitive to salt and does not grow in natural saline environments. Yet many trees are actually exposed to salt stress due to the common practice of de-icing of mountain roads in winter, using large amounts of NaCl. To help develop strategies for an appropriate use of reproductive seed material on reforestation sites, ensuring better chances of seedling survival in salt-affected areas, we have studied the responses of young spruce seedlings to salt treatments. The specific aim of the work was to identify the optimal salt stress biomarkers in Picea abies, using as experimental material seedlings obtained by germination of seeds with origin in seven populations from the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. These responses included general, conserved reactions such as the accumulation of ions and different osmolytes in the seedlings needles, reduction in photosynthetic pigments levels, or activation of antioxidant systems. Although changes in the contents of different compounds involved in these reactions can be associated to the degree of stress affecting the plants, we propose that the (decreasing) levels of total phenolics or total carotenoids and the (increasing) levels of Na+ or K+ ions in Picea abies needles, should be considered as the most reliable and useful biomarkers for salt stress in this species. They all show very high correlation with the intensity of salt stress, independently of the genetic background of the seeds parental population, and relatively easy, quantitative assays are available to determine their concentrations, requiring simple equipment and little amount of plant material.Funding: Sorin Schiop is a PhD student at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. This paper was published under the frame of European Social Found, Human Resources Development Operational Programme 2007-2013, project no. POSDRU/159/1.5/S/132765. Mohamad Al Hassan is a recipient of an Erasmus Mundus pre-doctoral scholarship financed by the European Commission (Welcome Consortium).Schiop, ST.; Al Hassan, M.; Sestras, AF.; Boscaiu Neagu, MT.; Sestras, RE.; Vicente Meana, Ó. (2015). Identification of Salt Stress Biomarkers in Romanian Carpathian Populations of Picea abies (L.) Karst. PLoS ONE. 10(8). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0135419Se013541910

The 42nd Symposium Chromatographic Methods of Investigating Organic Compounds : Book of abstracts

The 42nd Symposium Chromatographic Methods of Investigating Organic Compounds : Book of abstracts. June 4-7, 2019, Szczyrk, Polan

Cost studies at the international freight transport companies

Opisano zweryfikowaną w ITS metodę badań i obliczeń średnich kosztów jednego wozokilometra przebiegu samochodu ciężarowego w przedsiębiorstwach transportu międzynarodowego w Polsce. Przedstawiono średnie koszty jednostkowe w badanych przedsiębiorstwach ogółem i według wybranych rodzajów kosztów za lata 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 i za I półrocze 2014 r. w odniesieniu do rynków przewozów międzynarodowych (osobno rynki innych krajów UE i osobno rynki wschodnie) z uwzględnieniem taboru uniwersalnego o maksymalnej masie całkowitej przekraczającej 12,0 Mg.The paper describes, verified at ITS, methodology of the studies and calculations of the average costs of one vehicle-kilometre mileage of the truck at the road transport companies in Poland. It presents the average unit costs at the surveyed enterprises in total and arranged by selected types of costs for the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and for the first half of 2014 with respect to the international transport markets (separately markets of other EU countries and Eastern markets), for the universal rolling stock of maximum weight exceeding 12.0 Mg

Studies of the average unit costs at the Polish international freight transport companies

Wyniki prowadzonych przez ITS za lata 2009 - 2014 badań średnich kosztów jednostkowych w przedsiębiorstwach międzynarodowego transportu ciężarowego mających swe siedziby w Polsce. Charakterystyka próby badawczej. Średnie koszty 1 wozokilometra przebiegu przedsiębiorstw operujących głównie na rynkach innych krajów UE oraz średnie koszty w przedsiębiorstwach przewożących przeważnie w relacjach z rynkami wschodnimi. Koszty według grup rodzajowych kosztów. Analiza zmian. Średnie stawki przewozowe w badanych przedsiębiorstwach.The results of the ITS studies conducted for the years 2009 - 2014 of the average unit costs at the international freight transport companies, established in Poland. Characteristics of the research sample. The average cost of 1 vehicle-kilometre mileage of the enterprises operating mainly on the markets of the other EU countries and the average costs at the enterprises operating mostly on the Eastern markets. Costs arranged according to the categories of costs. Analysis of changes. Average freight rates in the surveyed companies

Development projection of the international freight transport market in Poland until 2030

Do prognozowania pracy przewozowej międzynarodowego transportu ciężarowego wykorzystano oryginalną metodę ekspercką wzajemnych oddziaływań zdarzeń. Zadaniem wybranych ekspertów, zarówno ze środowisk akademickich, jak praktyków branży transportowej było określenie wpływu różnorakich zdarzeń o charakterze gospodarczym i politycznych na kształtowanie się przedmiotowej pracy przewozowej polskich przedsiębiorstw w perspektywie 2030 r. Wariantowa prognoza opracowana została na podstawie uzyskanych drogą ankietową prawdopodobieństw warunkowych zdarzeń, z przygotowanej listy zdarzeń. Dodatkowo przedstawiono wyniki prognozowania przy wykorzystaniu metody trendu czasowego z lat 2005 – 2016.The original expert method of the events interactions was used to forecast the haulage work of the international freight transport. The task of selected experts, both from the academics and practitioners of the transport industry was to determine the impact of various economic and political events on the shaping of the said haulage work of Polish enterprises until 2030. The variant forecast was based on the probabilities of conditional events obtained from the questionnaire, from the prepared list of events. Additionally, the forecasting results are presented using the time trend method from the years 2005 - 2016

Unit costs research of the polish freight international transport in 2017, part 2 - eastern markets

Artykuł stanowi drugą część publikacji wyników badań kosztowych przeprowadzonych w polskich przedsiębiorstwach międzynarodowego transportu ciężarowego przewożących głównie w relacjach z rynkami krajów położonych poza wschodnią granicą Polski. Pierwszy artykuł dotyczył średnich jednostkowych kosztów w zbadanych przedsiębiorstwach operujących głównie na rynkach UE. Zaprezentowano charakterystykę statystyczną zbadanych przedsiębiorstw według ich grup wielkości wyznaczonej liczbami eksploatowanych samochodów ciężarowych. Przedstawiono kształtowanie się średnich kosztów 1 wozokilometra przebiegu samochodów ciężarowych powyżej 12,0 Mg dmc w zbadanych przedsiębiorstwach w 2017 r. według ich wielkości oraz podano średnie ważone koszty jednostkowe dla całej zbadanej zbiorowości. Wyspecyfikowano główne koszty rodzajowe. Zilustrowano kształtowanie się zbadanych w 2017 r. kosztów jednostkowych z kosztami z lat 2009 – 2016. Zaprezentowano strukturę rodzajową średnich kosztów 1 wozokilometra przebiegu w 2017 r. według badań ITS.The article represents second part of the publication of the results of cost studies conducted at the Polish enterprises of international freight transport, operating mainly on the routes to the markets of countries located outside Poland’s eastern border. The first article concerned the average unit costs in the examined enterprises operating mainly on the EU markets. The statistical characteristics of the examined enterprises were presented according to their size groups determined by the numbers of used trucks. Shown is the average cost of vehicle - kilometre of mileage for the trucks of 12.0 Mg GVW at the surveyed enterprises in 2017 arranged by their size and weighted average unit costs for the entire surveyed population. The main generic costs have been specified. The evolution of the unit costs examined in 2017 with the costs from 2009-2016 was illustrated. Structure of the average costs per 1 vehicle-kilometre of the mileage in 2017 according to ITS survey was presented