Aquatic fungi and fungus-like organisms growing on driffing in water nuts of seven birch species

Aquatic fungi and fungus-like organisms, growing on nuts of seven birch species (Betula gracilis, B. humilis, B. lutea, B. nana, B. papyrifera, B. pubescens and B. verrucosa) found in the water of three limnologically and trophically different water bodies (spring, river and pond), were investigated. The total of 63 species, including 23 fungus-like organisms and 40 fungal species were found on the nuts of the investigated birches. The most common species were Karlingia rosea, Nowakowskiella macrospora, Achlya americana, Aphanomyces laevis, Saprolegnia ferax, Acrodictys bambusicola, Angulospora aquatica, Arbusculina fragmentans, Canalisporium caribense, Heliscus lugdunensis, Pithomyces obscuriseptatus, Tetracladium marchalianum and Tripospermum camelopardus ). Most of the species were observed on the nuts of Betula verrucosa (49 species) and the fewest on the nuts of Betula nana (42). In Cypisek spring, the number of fungal species and fungus-like organisms on the nuts was closely associated with the concentration of chlorides.However, in Supraśl River and Dojlidy pond it was associated with the sulphates concentration (in both cases negative correlation)

Geochemical and Mineralogical Characteristics of Airborne Particulate Matter in Relation to Human Health Risk

The main objective of this research was the determination of the geochemical and mineralogical properties of particulate matter: TSP (total suspended particles) and, especially PM1 (particles with aerodynamic diameter not greater than 1 µm) suspended in the air of a selected urban area in southern Poland. Identification of the emission sources of metals and metalloids bound in TSP and PM1 as well as the assessment of potential risk of urban ambient air to human health using hazard indices was an additional aim of this investigation. The daily TSP and PM1 quartz fiber filters collected during heating season were subjected to mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) measurements, SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) observations and geochemical analyses. Obtained results revealed that the concentration of TSP and PM1 well correlated with their mass-specific magnetic susceptibility. The good relationship between the PM concentration and χ suggests that magnetic susceptibility measurements can be a good proxy of low-level atmospheric dust pollution. The rank order of potentially toxic elements (PTE) based on average concentration was Ba > Zn > Al > Fe > Pb > Mn > Ti > Cu > Cr > Ni >As > Cd > V > Tl, both for TSP and PM1. PM1/TSP ratios for PTE concentrations and χ were around or slightly above unity, which indicated that PM1 was the main carrier of PTE (with the exception of cadmium, copper and lead) and technogenic magnetic particles. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were confirmed by very high values of human health indices

Ocena prawdopodobieństwa urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem oraz ryzyka wystąpienia rożnych patologii ciąży w rodzinach nosicieli translokacji chromosomowych wzajemnych angażujących chromosom 7

Introduction: Carriership of reciprocal chromosomal translocation (RCT) may be the reason the occurrence of congenital malformations in the offspring, early neonatal death, stillbirth, and recurrent miscarriages due to unbalanced karyotype of gametes. The probability rate for individual categories of unfavorable outcomes depends on the kind of chromosome involved and is individually variable. Objectives: The aim of study was to estimate the probability rates for unbalanced offspring and to evaluate the risk for different categories of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes, depending on the size of chromosomal segment with differentiation between maternal/paternal origin of the reciprocal chromosomal translocations involving chromosome 7p (RCT-7p) and 7q (RCT-7q). In addition, the use of the obtained results has been illustrated by the example of a family with unique RCT t(7;9)(p21.3,p23). Material and methods: Empirical and cytogenetic data on 341 pregnancies and offspring of 133 carriers were collected from 69 pedigrees of carriers of RCT-7p and RCT-7q at risk for a single 7 segment imbalance. The probability rates of particular form of pregnancy pathology have been calculated according to the method of Stengel-Rutkowski and Stene, including all forms of meiotic segregation and their survival rates after fertilization to term childbirth. Results: The probability rates for unbalanced offspring for carriers of RCT-7p after 2:2 disjunction and adjacent-1 segregation were calculated as 5.5%±2.2% (6/108); for maternal (MAT) and paternal (PAT) carriers were aboutCel pracy: Celem pracy było opracowanie wskaźników prawdopodobieństwa urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem oraz wskaźników ryzyka różnych patologii ciąży w rodzinach nosicieli translokacji chromosomowych wzajemnych angażujących segmenty chromosomu 7 (TCW-7), w zależności od długości pojedynczych segmentów krótkich (TCW-7p) i długich (TCW-7q) ramion chromosomu 7, z uwzględnieniem rodzicielskiego pochodzenia nosicielstwa. Na przykładzie rodziny z nosicielstwem unikatowej t(7;9)(p21.3;p23) zaprezentowano, w jaki sposób praktycznie można wykorzystać uzyskane wskaźniki udzielając porady genetycznej. Materiał i metody: Analizę segregacyjną przeprowadzono w grupie 69 rodowodów nosicieli TCW-7 zawierających dane kliniczne i cytogenetyczne 341 ciąż i urodzeń potomstwa w sześciu grupach oddzielnie w zależności od długości segmentu 7p i 7q wyznaczonej przez położenie punktu złamania TCW: 7p21→pter, 7p14…p15→pter, 7p11…p12…p13→pter oraz 7q33…q34…q35→qter, 7q32 →qter, 7q11…q21.. q22…q31→qter z uwzględnieniem rodzicielskiego pochodzenia TCW. Wyniki: Prawdopodobieństwo urodzenia dziecka z niezrównoważonym kariotypem w przypadku nosicielstwa TCW-7p wynosiło 5.5±2.2% (6/108) (w tym matczyne MAT

Novel and promising compounds to treat Cryptosporidium parvum infections

No fully effective approved drug therapy exists for Cryptosporidium infections of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Here, we investigated 11 benzimidazole derivatives carrying substituted thioalkyl and thiobenzyl groups at position 2 of benzimidazole nucleus and additional substituents at the benzene part of benzimidazole for inhibition of the in vitro growth of the intestinal protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum. Three of them, i.e., 5-carboxy-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, 5,6-dichloro-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, and 4,6-dichloro-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, (compounds 5, 7, and 8) were the most active (IC50 28–31 μM). The concentration of compounds 5, 7, and 8 that caused 50% growth inhibition in human enterocytic HCT-8 cells by a quantitative alkaline phosphatase immunoassay was comparable with those obtained for paromomycin

Novel and promising compounds to treat Cryptosporidium parvum infections

No fully effective approved drug therapy exists for Cryptosporidium infections of immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Here, we investigated 11 benzimidazole derivatives carrying substituted thioalkyl and thiobenzyl groups at position 2 of benzimidazole nucleus and additional substituents at the benzene part of benzimidazole for inhibition of the in vitro growth of the intestinal protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum. Three of them, i.e., 5-carboxy-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, 5,6-dichloro-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, and 4,6-dichloro-2-(4-nitrobenzylthio)-1H-benzimidazole, (compounds 5, 7, and 8) were the most active (IC50 28–31 μM). The concentration of compounds 5, 7, and 8 that caused 50% growth inhibition in human enterocytic HCT-8 cells by a quantitative alkaline phosphatase immunoassay was comparable with those obtained for paromomycin

Dylematy współczesnego wychowania i edukacji

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed publicationZe wstępu: Tematyka tomu koncentruje się wokół kluczowych problemów współczesnej oświaty i efektywnych sposobów ich przezwyciężania. Autorzy podjęli problemy dotyczące zagadnień metodologicznych, kontekstów wychowania szkolnego, dydaktyki szkoły wyższej, pedagogiki rodziny, kształcenia nauczycieli oraz zagadnień związanych z tłem społecznym i politycznym edukacji, a także uwarunkowaniami współczesnej edukacji. Dyskutowano też kwestie teleologii edukacji, określania jej celów ogólnych, pośrednich, szczegółowych i operacyjnych. Wymiana poglądów objęła również problematykę trwających przemian merytorycznych i reform strukturalnych w niektórych systemach oświatowych

The Effect of Essential Oils on the Survival of Bifidobacterium in In Vitro Conditions and in Fermented Cream

Essential oils derived from plant materials are a mixture of compounds that exhibit antibacterial properties. Due to their distinct aroma, they also serve as a desirable natural additive for various food products, including dairy products. In this study, the essential oils of lemon peels, clove buds, and juniper berries were obtained by steam distillation and characterized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to determine their chemical compositions and effects on the viability of seven Bifidobacterium strains. Furthermore, the effect of essential oils on the viability of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 was investigated in cream samples during fermentation and after storage for 21 days at 6 °C. The fatty acid composition of fat extracted from essential oils containing sour cream samples and the volatile aroma compound profile of the sour cream samples were also determined chromatographically. Among the 120 compounds identified, monoterpene hydrocarbons were dominant in the essential oils of lemon peels (limonene and γ-terpinene) and juniper berries (sabinene and β-myrcene), while eugenol and eugenol acetate were abundant in the essential oil of clove buds. In addition to these compounds, butanoic and acetic acids were found in the tested sour cream samples. In turn, fat extracted from these samples was rich in saturated fatty acids, mainly palmitic acid. Among the tested strains of the genus Bifidobacterium, B. animalis subsp. lactis Bb-12 was the most sensitive to the essential oils of clove and juniper, as indicated by the larger growth inhibition zones. However, both the concentration and type of essential oils used had no effect on the number of cells of this strain present in the cream samples immediately after fermentation and after its 21-day storage, which suggests that the tested essential oils could be a natural additive to dairy products

Factors Affecting the Yield in Formation of Fat-Derived Fragrance Compounds by Yarrowia lipolytica Yeast

Yarrowia lipolytica belongs to the group of microorganisms widely used in scientific research for environmentally friendly biotransformation reactions. This yeast produces a number of compounds important from the point of view of the food and cosmetics industries, including flavor and fragrance compounds. The results of selected studies on the possibility of biosynthesis of fat-derived fragrances, namely gamma-decalactone (GDL) and hexanal, are presented in this article. The wild-type Yarrowia yeast strain KKP379 and the LOX/HPL mutant were used in the studies. With the aim of improving the synthesis yield of both aroma compounds, parameters such as concentration of lipid substrate, the type of culture medium, and the addition of surfactants, and, not yet verified in the available literature in this context, the concentration of inoculum, the addition of heptane, and the emulsification of culture medium were analyzed. The research showed that the concentration of the lipid substrate and the degree of emulsification of the medium had a significant influence on the amount of GDL production. The higher the content of castor oil in the medium, the higher the concentration of the synthesized aroma compound, with a significant extension of the reaction time. By varying the concentration of castor oil in the medium in the range of 10–100 g/L, an increase in the lactone concentration was obtained from 1.86 ± 0.15 g/L to 3.06 ± 0.2 g/L, with a simultaneous extension of the reaction from 3 to 7 days. It is noteworthy that the additional application of the emulsification of the medium allowed the efficiency of GDL biosynthesis to be significantly increased by over 2 g/L to a lactone concentration of approximately 5.25 ± 0.10 g/L. This is one of the highest reported concentrations for the production of this biofragrance by the wild strain. In the case of hexanal synthesis, the increase of the concentration of linoleic acid in the culture medium from 25 g/L to 100 g/L resulted in a 5-fold higher concentration of aldehyde in the cell extract. At a higher concentration of the lipid substrate in the medium, the modified whole-cell catalyst showed a higher activity of lipoxygenase

Oxidative stability of the lipid fraction in cookies – the EPR study

Cookies are a group of convenient food products that are popular among consumers. They may contain high amounts of fats, which can be prone to oxidation. To retard the oxidative deterioration, synthetic and natural antioxidants may be added. Herb and spice extracts can be sources of natural biologically active substances with antioxidant activity. In this work, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to monitor the lipid oxidation in cookies with rosemary and thyme extracts subjected to the storage in elevated temperature. It was shown that thyme extract can be used as a natural antioxidant source for the preparation of bakery products, while the rosemary extract should be used with care in fat-rich products exposed to high temperatures

Properties of Water Activated with Low-Temperature Plasma in the Context of Microbial Activity

The low-temperature plasma process is an advanced technology that has recently enjoyed great popularity due to its eco-friendly nature and antibacterial efficacy. Plasma-activated water (PAW)—a product of non-thermal plasma reaction with water, containing a rich variety of highly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS), is a green prospective solution for decontamination of microorganisms in a wide range of biotechnology aspect. Here, we present a succinct review of the formation of PAW and its properties in the context of inactivation of microorganisms. Among the wide range of articles on plasma-activated water, there is no comprehensive overview of the mechanism of microbial inactivation, the influence of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species on cell components, or the role of growth phases in PAW effectiveness in inactivation. This review aims to summarize the results of research in this area, taking into account the directions of potential applications of PAW in the field of medical sciences and food technology, indicating the species or strains of inactivated microorganisms