The effect of aluminum exposure on reproductive ability in the Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus)

Human impact on the environment is steadily increasing the amounts of aluminum in the ecosystems. This element accumulates in plants and water, potentially exposing herbivores to its harmful effect. In heavily polluted sites, a decrease in the density of small rodent populations has been observed. This decline may be caused by many factors, including decreased fertility. The aim of the presented research was to determine how aluminum, administered at concentrations similar to those recorded in industrial districts (Al I = 3 mg/l, Al II = 200 mg/l), affects the reproductive abilities of small rodents. As the indicators of reproductive abilities, body weight, weight of the testes and accessory sex glands of males, and uterus weight of females were estimated. In females, the number of matured follicles (types 6, 7, and 8) was analyzed, while in males, the quantity and quality (matured, viable, swollen, motile, head abnormalities) of epididymal sperm cells were assessed. Moreover, the development of testes, measured by spermatogenic index, was determined. The model species was the bank vole. Our results have proven that aluminum impairs adult individuals’ reproductive abilities by decreasing the quality and quantity of sperm cells and by causing morphologically abnormal development of the gonads. However, no difference in male organometric parameters was found, and only in females treated with 3 mg/l Al, the uterus weight was higher than control. No differences were found in the total number of matured follicles. These results suggest that the decline in rodent numbers in industrial districts is due, at least in part, to poorer males’ reproductive abilities, resulting from exposure to aluminum contamination

Phenology of flowering and pollen release of selected herbaceous plants in Szczecin and Gudowo (Western Pomerania) and the risk of pollen allergy

This paper presents the course of the pollen season of selected allergenic taxa (Secale spp., Rumex spp., Plantago spp., Urtica spp., Artemisia spp., Chenopodiaceae and Poaceae) in Szczecin (2009) and Gudowo (Western Pomerania, Poland) (2009–2010), and also the flowering pattern of Chenopodium album, Artemisia vulgaris and Secale spp. Pollen deposition was studied by the gravimetric method using a Durham sampler. In 2010 the flowering period of the studied taxa was shorter than in 2009 and its onset was observed later; the maximum values of daily pollen deposition were lower. Pollen grains of most of the taxa studied appeared in the atmosphere of the city earlier than in the rural area, but in the rural area significantly higher values of daily deposition were recorded. The effect of weather conditions on pollen fall in Szczecin in 2009 was analysed. Statistically significant positive correlations with pollen deposition were found only with maximum, minimum, and mean air temperature, dew point and maximum wind speed, while a negative correlation was found with precipitation and – only for Rumex pollen grains – with air humidity and pressure

The threat of allergenic airborne trees pollen to pollinosis sufferers in a rural area (Western Pomerania, Poland)

The aim of the study was to investigate the concentration of Alnus L., Corylus L. and Betula L. pollen in the village of Gudowo (Western Pomerania, Poland) in the years 2012–2014 in order to estimate the threat of allergenic tree pollen in this rural region. Measurements were performed using the volumetric method (VPPS Lanzoni 2000 pollen sampler). The duration of the pollen season was determined by the 98% method, taking days on which, respectively, 1% and 99% of the annual total pollen grains appeared as the beginning and end of the season. Pollen grains from hazel occurred in the air as the first ones, before pollen grains from alder and birch. The earliest beginning of the hazel pollen season was recorded in 2012, whereas alder and birch pollen seasons started the earliest in 2014. Daily maximum pollen concentrations of the investigated taxa were recorded in 2014. Birch pollen allergens posed the largest threat to pollinosis sufferers. In the years 2012–2014, pollen concentrations equal or higher than threshold values, at which people with pollinosis show allergic symptoms, were recorded most frequently for birch, hazel, and alder (25, 19, and 14 days, respectively). The highest hourly alder pollen concentration was recorded at 16:00 and in the case of hazel at 15:00. The diurnal distribution of birch pollen concentrations does not show any distinct peaks

Hypercortisolism in children - a difficult, interdisciplinary diagnostic and therapeutic problem

WSTĘP. Endogenny zespół Cushinga (CS) występuje rzadko u dzieci i młodzieży, a różnorodny obraz kliniczny utrudnia jego rozpoznanie i leczenie. MATERIAŁ I METODY. Analizie poddano 10 chorych z endogennym CS w wieku od 1 miesiąca do 16 lat, leczonych w klinice w okresie ostatnich 25 lat - 4 raki kory nadnerczy (AC), 2 gruczolaki, 3 mikrogruczolaki przysadki (choroba Cushinga [CD]), 1 mikroguzkowy rozrost nadnerczy (PPNAD) - w celu wykazania typowych dla różnych postaci CS problemów diagnostyczno-leczniczych. Przedstawiono je na przykładzie 6-miesięcznego chorego z AC, 7-letniej chorej z PPNAD oraz 16-letniej chorej z CD. WYNIKI. Wspólną cechą była otyłość o typie cushingoidalnym, nadciśnienie tętnicze, różnego stopnia androgenizacja oraz kolejno: zahamowanie wzrastania, przedwczesne dojrzewanie (AC, PPNAD) lub wtórny brak miesiączki (CD), plethora (AC) oraz rozstępy skórne (CD). W całej grupie 10 chorych rodzaj i nasilenie objawów zależały od wartości stężeń hormonów, czasu trwania oraz postaci CS. U wszystkich stwierdzono zaburzenie rytmu kortyzolemii, i kolejno: hiperkortyzolemię wraz ze zwiększonym wydalaniem kortyzolu z moczem (AC), zwiększone wydalanie kortyzolu (CD, PPNAD) o typie cyklicznym w PPNAD. Zmiany organiczne uwidoczniono za pomocą badań CT i MRI w AC, a nie uwidoczniono w PPNAD i CD. Pomocny był test z CRH w rozpoznaniu CD oraz profil steroidowy GC-MS w przypadku PPNAD. W wyrównywaniu nadciśnienia chory na AC (200/140 mm Hg) wymagał zahamowania syntezy mineralokortykoidów i kortyzolu (ketokonazol, mitotan). Po leczeniu operacyjnym, po którym u wszystkich ustąpiły objawy CS, włączono substytucję hydrokortyzonem (u chorej z PPNAD, u której wykonano jednostronną adrenalektomię dopiero po przełomie nadnerczowym). W przypadku chorego na AC, u którego stosowano mitotan przez 7 miesięcy po operacji, wznowę w badaniach MRI i GC-MS stwierdzono po 4 latach. WNIOSKI. Hiperkortyzolemia u dzieci może stanowić zagrożenie życia, a ustalenie jej przyczyn oraz sposobu leczenia wymaga indywidualnego postępowania.INTRODUCTION. Endogenous Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is rare in children and adolescents and its diversified clinical presentation hinders diagnosis and treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The analysis included 10 patients aged 1 month to 16 years of life with endogenous CS, who were treated at the Department within the past 30 years: 4 adrenal carcinomas (AC), 2 adenomas, 3 pituitary microadenomas (Cushing’s disease [CD]), 1 primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD), to demonstrate diagnostic and therapeutic problems typical of various CS forms. The problems were exemplified by a 6-month old boy with AC, a 7-year old girl with PPNAD and a 16-year old girl with CD. RESULTS. Common properties included cushingoid obesity, hypertension, a variable degree of androgenization and delay in growth velocity, precocious puberty (AC, PPNAD) or secondary amenorrhea (CD), plethora (AC) and striae (CD). In all 10 analyzed patients, the presence and intensity of clinical signs of CS depended on age, intensity of hormonal abnormalieties, duration of disease and its form. All the patients demonstrated abnormal 24 hour rhythm of cortisolemia and in AC hypercortisolemia with increased urinary cortisol excretion, increased cortisol excretion (CD, PPNAD), which was cyclic in character in PPNAD. Organic lesions were visualized by CT and MRI in AC, but not seen in PPNAD and CD. In diagnosing CD, CRH test was helpful; while diagnosing PPNAD was facilitated by steroid profiling by GC-MS. Controlling hypertension in a patient with AC (200/140 mm Hg) required inhibition of mineralocorticoids and cortisol synthesis (ketoconazole, mitotane). Following surgical treatment, all the patients showed resolution of Cushing’s symptoms. Hydrocortisone substitution was introduced in all the patients (in a PPNAD girl subjected to a unilateral adrenalectomy, after an adrenal crisis). An AC patient administered mitotane for 7 months postoperatively, showed carcinoma recurrence after 4 years in MRI an GC-MS examinations. CONCLUSIONS. Hypercortisolemia in children may be life threatening and determination of its causes and treatment modality requires an individualized approach

The analysis of mugwort pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2014

Celem pracy było porównanie sezonu pyłkowego bylicy w 2014 r. w Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Poznaniu, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie i Warszawie. Pomiary stężenia pyłku prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatów Burkard oraz Lanzoni. Sezon pyłkowy wyznaczono jako okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 98% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku. Indeks SPI obliczono jako sumę średnich dobowych stężeń pyłku w danym sezonie. Sezon pyłkowy bylicy najwcześniej (13 czerwca) rozpoczął się w Szczecinie, a najpóźniej (15 lipca) – w Lublinie i Warszawie. Zanotowano znaczne różnice w czasie trwania sezonu. Najwyższe wartości stężeń zaobserwowano w Poznaniu, maksymalne stężenie wynoszące 172 z/m3 zarejestrowano 19 sierpnia. Maksymalne wartości sezonowe koncentracji pyłku we wszystkich miastach wystąpiły między 27 lipca a 19 sierpnia.The aim of the study was to compare the pollen season of mugwort in the cities of Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Lublin, Piotrków Trybunalski, Poznań, Sosnowiec, Szczecin and Warsaw in 2014. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen sampler). Pollen season was defined as the period in which 98% of the annual total catch occurred. Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the annual sum of daily average pollen concentrations. The pollen season of mugwort started first in Szczecin, on the 13th of June, and at the latest – on the 15th of July – in Lublin and Warsaw. The differences of pollen seasons duration were considerables. The highest record airborne concentration of 172 pollen grains/m3 was noted in Poznań on the 19th of August. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count occurred between 27th of July and 19th of August in all cities

Analiza stężenia pyłku dębu w wybranych miastach Polski w 2015 r.

W pracy przedstawiono przebieg sezonu pylenia dębu w wybranych miastach Polski w 2015 r. Zanalizowano dane z pomiarów przeprowadzonych w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Krakowie, Olsztynie, Opolu, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie i we Wrocławiu. Badania prowadzono metodą objętościową przy wykorzystaniu aparatów Burkard i Lanzoni. Czas trwania sezonu pyłkowego wyznaczono jako okres, w którym w powietrzu występuje 95% rocznej sumy ziaren pyłku. Najwcześniej sezon pylenia dębu zaczął się w Sosnowcu (16 kwietnia). Najwyższe wartości średniodobowych stężeń pyłku dębu odnotowano we Wrocławiu, gdzie 25 kwietnia zanotowano stężenie 368 z/m3 powietrza.This paper presents the course of oak pollination season in selected cities of Poland in 2015. The measurements were performed in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Cracow, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw and Wroclaw. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard and Lanzoni) was implemented. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the annual total catch occurred. The season started first in Sosnowiec (16 April). The highest 24-hour average pollen count was recorded in Wroclaw on 25 April (368 oak pollen grains/1 m3)

Birch pollen in the air of selected Polish cities in 2015

Celem pracy było porównanie sezonu pyłkowego brzozy w 2015 r. w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Olsztynie, Opolu, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Warszawie, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze. Pomiary stężenia pyłku prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatów Burkard oraz Lanzoni. Sezonowy indeks pylenia (SPI) obliczono jako sumę średnich dobowych stężeń pyłku w danym sezonie. Sezon pylenia brzozy w 2015 r. najwcześniej rozpoczął się w Krakowie, Opolu, Wrocławiu i Zielonej Górze, 12 kwietnia, a w pozostałych miastach w ciągu następnych 1–13 dni. Zanotowano znaczne różnice w czasie trwania sezonu. Najwyższe stężenia zaobserwowano we Wrocławiu – maksymalne stężenie, wynoszące 950 z/m3, zarejestrowano 15 kwietnia. Maksymalne wartości stężenia pyłku brzozy we wszystkich miastach wystąpiły między 15 a 29 kwietnia.The aim of the study was to compare the pollen season of birch in the cities of Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in 2015. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the annual sum of daily average pollen concentrations. The pollen season of birch started first in Krakow, Opole, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora on the 12th of April and in the other cities it started during the next 1–13 days. The differences of pollen seasons duration were considerables. The highest record airborne concentration, 950 pollen grains/m3, was noted in Wroclaw on the 15th of April. The maximum values of seasonal pollen count occurred between 15th and 29th of April in all cities

Pyłek leszczyny w powietrzu wybranych miast Polski w 2015 r.

Celem pracy było porównanie sezonu pyłkowego leszczyny w 2015 r. w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Drawsku Pomorskim, Krakowie, Lublinie, Olsztynie, Opolu, Piotrkowie Trybunalskim, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie, we Wrocławiu i w Zielonej Górze. Pomiary stężenia pyłku prowadzono metodą objętościową z zastosowaniem aparatów Burkard oraz Lanzoni. Sezonowy indeks pylenia (SPI) obliczono jako sumę średnich dobowych stężeń pyłku w danym sezonie. Sezon pylenia leszczyny w 2015 r. najwcześniej rozpoczął się w Zielonej Górze, Drawsku Pomorskim (13 stycznia), we Wrocławiu (14 stycznia) i w Opolu (15 stycznia). Najwyższe wartości stężeń pyłku leszczyny zaobserwowano w Lublinie, maksymalne stężenie, wynoszące 215 ziaren/m3, zarejestrowano 1 marca. Maksymalne wartości stężenia pyłku leszczyny we wszystkich miastach wystąpiły 1 marca lub 8–12 marca.The aim of the study was to compare the pollen season of hazel in the cities of Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Drawsko Pomorskie, Cracow, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora in 2015. Measurements were performed by the volumetric method (Burkard and Lanzoni pollen sampler). Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was estimated as the sum of daily average pollen concentrations in the given season. The pollen season of hazel started first in Zielona Gora and Drawsko Pomorskie (January 13) and in Wroclaw (January 14) and in Opole (January 15). The highest airborne concentration (215 pollen grains/m3) was noted in Lublin on the 1st of March. The maximumvalues of seasonal pollen count occurred on the 1st of March or 8–12 of March in all cities

FAIR Metadata Standards for Low Carbon Energy Research—A Review of Practices and How to Advance

The principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (FAIR) have been put forward to guide optimal sharing of data. The potential for industrial and social innovation is vast. Domain-specific metadata standards are crucial in this context, but are widely missing in the energy sector. This report provides a collaborative response from the low carbon energy research community for addressing the necessity of advancing FAIR metadata standards. We review and test existing metadata practices in the domain based on a series of community workshops. We reflect the perspectives of energy data stakeholders. The outcome is reported in terms of challenges and elicits recommendations for advancing FAIR metadata standards in the energy domain across a broad spectrum of stakeholders