Untersuchung zur Bedeutung der prophylaktischen und therapeutischen Gabe von Simvastatin bei Bleomycin induzierter Lungenfibrose am Tiermodell

Einleitung: Die Lungenfibrose ist eine schwerwiegende und meist tödlich verlaufende Erkrankung; bis heute konnte keine suffiziente medikamentöse Therapie etabliert werden. Nur wenige Medikamenten-Studien zur Lungenfibrose weisen einen tatsächlichen Therapiearm auf. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Wirkung von Simvastatin auf die Bleomycin induzierte Lungenfibrose der Ratte sowohl in einem prophylaktischen als auch therapeutischen Ansatz untersucht. Methoden: 60 männliche Wistar-Ratten wurden in 4 Gruppen randomisiert: Kontroll-Gruppe, Bleomycin-Gruppe, Bleomycin-Simvastatin-Tag-1-Gruppe mit prophylaktischem Behandlungsansatz und Bleomycin-Simvastatin-Tag-13-Gruppe mit therapeutischem Ansatz. 28 Tage nach Bleomycin-Gabe wurden zur Beurteilung der auf dem Boden der Lungenfibrose entstandenen pulmonalen Hypertonie wurden der Rechtsventrikuläre Druck und die Herzquotienten (rechter Ventrikel/( linker Ventrikel+Septum)) bestimmt. Zur Beurteilung der Lungenfibrose wurden die Lungencompliance, die Endothelin-1-Spiegel im Plasma und der Hydrxyporlingehalt der Lungen gemessen. Die Leistungsfähigkeit wurde mit Hilfe des Laufbandmodells bestimmt. Ergebnisse: Bei den Tieren der Simvastatin-Tag 1 Gruppe fanden sich statistisch signifikant niedrigere rechtsventrikuläre Drücke sowie eine bessere Lungencompliance und Laufleistung als die Bleomycin- und die Simvastatin-Tag-13-Tiere. Ferner war auch die Rechtsherzhypertrophie statistisch signifikant geringer ausgeprägt. Die Lungengewichte sowie der Hydroxyprolingehalt wie auch die Endothelin-1-Spiegel waren tendentiell niedriger. Schlussfolgerung: Simvastatin verhindert die Ausbildung einer Bleomycin-induzierten Lungenfibrose sowie einer pulmonalen Hypertonie der Ratte, wenn es im prophylaktischen Setting eingesetzt wird. Eine bereits manifeste Lungenfibrose kann es jedoch als Therapeutikum nicht beeinflussen und die Entwicklung einer pulmonalen Hypertonie nicht verhindern

Responsibility for a false deposition with relation to right of defence

Praca dotyczy problemu odpowiedzialności karnej świadka za złożone przez niego fałszywe zeznania, podczas gdy powinien był zostać przesłuchany w charakterze podejrzanego. Odpowiedzialność karna za przestępstwo składania fałszywych zeznań rozważana jest w kontekście przysługującego mu prawa do obrony. Zdaniem Sądu Najwyższego, wyrażonego w orzeczeniach dotyczących przedmiotowego problemu osoba nie poniesie odpowiedzialności za ten typ, w sytuacji gdy organy ścigania zebrały przeciwko niej odpowiedni materiał dowodowy, wskazujący na jej sprawstwo.This master's thesis addresses the issue of a witness responsibility for a false deposition (article 233 of the Penal Code) whereas the witness should heve been suspect. The master's thesis analyses witness responsibility for a false depositoin with relation to right of defence. Supreme Court's statements establish the witness should not be responsible for false deposition when penal proceciution agency collected against him evidences indicating such person's perpetration

Removal of selected organic micropollutants by means of constructed wetlands

Celem pracy było określenie efektywności usunięcia ze ścieków wybranych mikrozanieczyszczeń antropogenicznych za pomocą sztucznych mokradeł. Układ laboratoryjny składał się z systemów obsadzonych Phalaris arundinacea oraz reaktorów nieobsadzonych roślinnością. W badaniach wykorzystano 2 farmaceutyki, tj. diklofenak i sulfametoksazol oraz 2 inhibitory korozji, a mianowicie: benzotriazol i benzotiazol. Wyniki badań pokazały, że substancją najbardziej podatną na rozkład był benzotiazol, a rośliny nie miały istotnego wpływu na efektywność procesów usuwania tych związków ze ścieków.The aim of this study was to determine the removal efficiency of selected anthropogenic micropollutants from wastewater by means of constructed wetlands. The lab-scale system consisted of several unplanted columns and columns planted with Phalaris arundinacea. In the study 2 pharmaceuticals were used, i. e. diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole and 2 corrosion inhibitors, namely benzotriazole and benzothiazole. The results showed that benzothiazole was the most susceptible to degradation and the plants did not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of abovementioned processes

Qualitative variability in microbial community of constructed wetlands used for purifying wastewater contaminated with pharmaceutical substances

Pharmaceutical substances and their residues are increasingly present in the environment. Therefore, attempts at their removal are made by using different processes. Increasingly important among these processes are those modeled on natural phenomena which occur in wetland ecosystems, called technical scale constructed wetlands. Microbial degradation is an important process in these constructed wetlands. The biodegradation of chemicals often involves a complex series of biochemical reactions and usually varies with the microorganisms involved. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of sulfamethoxazole and diclofenac on ammonia oxidizing bacteria and other parameters of wastewater in the microcosm of down-flow constructed wetlands. The Spearman correlation coefficient attained negative values in the case of comparison of the Shannon biodiversity index and the parameters of purified wastewater. This dependence was pronounced. In the case of pharmaceutical substances dosed with wastewater, the Spearman correlation coefficient assumed positive values. The highest value assumed by the Spearman correlation coefficient (0.9) was for the removal of diclofenac and Shannon index values for the planted columns, with a very high relationship. For unplanted columns, this value equaled 0.6. For sulfamethoxazole, the value for planted columns was 0.7, and for unplanted -0.7. The presence of plants did not have an impact on the Shannon biodiversity index

Removal of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole from synthetic municipal waste water in microcosm downflow constructed wetlands: Start-up results

<div><p>ABSTRACT</p><p>The objectives of this study were to investigate the start-up removal of pharmaceutical compounds diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole in microcosm downflow constructed wetlands and their effect on the performance of the studied constructed wetlands, and also to assess the effect of plants on the removal of these compounds. The experimental system that was used in this 86-day experiment consisted of 24 columns filled up to 70 cm with predominantly sandy material. Four types of columns were used (six replicates) depending on the presence of plants (<i>Phalaris arundinacea</i> L. var. <i>picta</i> L.) and the presence of pharmaceutical compounds in the influent. The influent was synthetic municipal waste water to which a mixture of 5 mg/L of diclofenac and 5 mg/L of sulfamethoxazole was added. The observed removal of diclofenac was moderate (approx. 50%) and the removal of sulfamethoxazole was relatively low (24–30%). It was found that the removal of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole was not affected by the vegetation. The presence of diclofenac and sulfamethoxazole in the influent had significant effect on the effluent concentration of N-NO₃ and the water loss in the columns, which in both cases were lower than in the control columns. The scope for further research was discussed.</p></div

The Prevalence of tet(A) and tet(M) Tetracycline Resistance Genes in Municipal Wastewater

Antibiotic resistance is a widespread problem that poses one of the greatest risks to public health around the world. The main cause of antibiotic resistance is the overuse of antibiotics in the human and veterinary medicine and in agriculture. Drugs are released into the environment with treated wastewater, and they can act as stressors that increase the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are not equipped with appropriate technologies for eliminating the genetic material from the treated wastewater. In this study, the prevalence of tet(A) and tet(M) genes encoding resistance to tetracycline antibiotics was investigated in the samples of municipal wastewater and sewage sludge collected from two WWTPs and in the water samples collected from rivers which receive the treated wastewater. The samples were collected in two seasons of the year (summer and fall). The presence of ARGs was confirmed by PCR. The study revealed that ARGs were not effectively removed from wastewater by the WWTP in the Region of Silesia. Seasonal variations in the occurrence of the analyzed genes were not observed in the samples collected from the above-mentioned plant. Tetracycline resistance genes were detected in all samples of river water. The tet(A) gene was not removed from the treated wastewater in the WWTP in the Region of Warmia and Mazury, whereas the tet(M) gene was detected on a seasonal basis. The tet(M) gene was not detected in the samples of river water collected upstream and downstream from the WWTP. The study demonstrated that the existing WWTPs lack the means to eliminate ARGs. The wastewater treatment systems have to be modified to effectively remove ARGs from the treated wastewater

Prevalence of Beta Lactamases Genes in Sewage and Sludge Treated in Mechanical-Biological Wastewater Treatment Plants

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are a very important link in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes to the environment and the formation of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. The mechanical and biological methods of wastewater treatment in WWTPs do not completely remove the resistance genes from sewage. The genes responsible for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) are very common in the family Enterobacteriaceae that colonize the human digestive tract and are abundant in wastewater. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of genes encoding beta-lactamases in the wastewater and sludge samples collected from two WWTPs in the Polish regions of Warmia and Silesia and from the river water upstream and downstream from the WWTPs. The wastewater samples were passed through polycarbonate membrane filters, whereas the sludge samples were homogenized, and genomic DNA was extracted. The blaTEM, blaOXA and blaSHV genes were detected by means of standard PCR. The most prevalent gene was blaTEM which occurred in all samples, including the treated wastewater. The blaOXA gene was also frequently detected in all samples from the WWTP in Silesia. The blaSHV gene was least prevalent in the tested samples. These results indicate that wastewater is a hotspot for resistant bacteria. Beta-lactamase genes are not eliminated through the mechanical-biological wastewater treatment methods, and they can spread to other environments, thus increasing the pool of antibiotic resistance genes around the world and creating epidemiological risks

The Occurrence of Integrase Genes in Different Stages of Wastewater Treatment

The uncontrolled use of antibiotics and the release of drug residuals into the environment contribute to antibiotic resistance and constitute a serious public health threat. The spread of antibiotic resistance can be attributed mainly to the huge amounts of bacteria harboring the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) which are released into the environment with the treated wastewater. The molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, in which the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, transposons, bacteriophages and integrons associated with the transfer of ARGs play the main role, should be broadly investigated to develop effective methods for addressing this problem. This study focused mainly on integrons which: (i) are the simple elements involved in the mobility of gene cassettes, (ii) have a common structure, (iii) can be associated with other MGEs, and (iv) are particularly efficient in trapping ARGs. The aim of the study was to estimate the efficiency of different stages of the wastewater treatment process in removing class 1, 2 and 3 integrase genes in two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Poland and to investigate the presence of these genes in river water upstream and downstream from the effluent discharge point. The presence of intI1, intI2 and intI3 genes was analysed by means of standard PCR with specific primers and a thermal cycling profiles. The samples of wastewater and sludge were collected from two WWTPs located in the Polish regions of (a) Warmia and Mazury, and (b) Silesia. The samples of river water were also collected upstream and downstream from the examined WWTPs. In the selected WWTPs, wastewater is treated through the activated sludge process with various modifications. The presence of intI1, intI2 and intI3 genes in different stages of wastewater treatment was characterized by a similar pattern. The results of this study indicate that WWTPs are not highly effective in removing the integrase genes from all three integron classes. The study revealed somewhat unexpected results, which indicate that the recently discontinued monitoring of the intI3 gene in the wastewater treatment process should be reinstated. The existing wastewater treatment systems should be improved and modified to effectively eliminate the integrase genes from wastewater and prevent contamination of the surface water