Pollen morphology of the Central European broomrapes (Orobanchaceae: Orobanche, Phelipanche and Orobanchella) and its taxonomical implications

Pollen grains of 450 samples of 25 species of the genus Orobanche and Phelipanche occurring in Central Europe were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. Palynological data on 18 species are reported here for the first time. The usefulness of micromorphological studies on pollen of Orobanche and Phelipanche is demonstrated. Previous research showed the separation of Phelipanche from Orobanche, a finding which is also supported by pollen aperture type and exine ornamentation. The pollen of Phelipanche is tricolpate, while that of Orobanche is inaperturate. Our research showed that one of the species included so far within Orobanche, namely O. coerulescens, has tricolpate pollen with microreticulate sculpture. As a consequence of the finding of tricolpate pollen and intermediate macromorphological characteristics of this species between Orobanche and Phelipanche, it is proposed to transfer it to a new genus, Orobanchella, described in the paper. A comparison of the main characteristics distinguishing Orobanche, Phelipanche, Boulardia and Orobanchella is also presented and discussed

Analysis and Evaluation of Effect of Manganese Content on Properties of EN AC 46000 Aluminum Alloy

This article is the effect of industrial work and many surveys in the one of the Polish foundries that specialize in aluminum alloys. The main goal of our explorations is to evaluate the influence of manganese on Al-Si alloy properties. In die-cast alloys, it is recommended to use larger amounts of iron to reduce the impact on the pressure chamber and mold. Manganese neutralizes the harmful effect of iron by changing the morphology of the separated brittle ferrous phases. The unfavorable form of the iron-containing phases in the form of long needles changes into the forms of fine compact crystals, which are less harmful to the mechanical properties. Nowadays, the main client requirement is to obtain the right parameters at the best price. Specifically, the customer is in the automotive industry, where new technologies provide a connection between the high quality and low weight of car parts [1–3]

Investigation of chiral smectic phases and conformationally disordered crystal phases of the liquid crystalline 3F5FPhH6 compound partially fluorinated at the terminal chain and rigid core

Complementary methods are applied to investigate the phase transitions and crystallization kinetics of the liquid crystalline compound denoted as 3F5FPhH6. Two crystal phases are confirmed, and one of them is the conformationally disordered (CONDIS) phase. Complexity of the melt crystallization process is revealed by the analysis with Friedman’s isoconversional method. The melt crystallization of 3F5FPhH6 shows different mechanisms depending on temperature, which is explained by the relation between the thermodynamic driving force and the thermal energy of translational degrees of freedom. The studied compound crystallizes even during fast cooling (30 K/min), unlike similar compounds with different fluorosubstitutions of the benzene ring, which form the smectic glass for moderate cooling rates. The tendency to vitrification of the smectic phase decreases apparently with the decreasing stability width of the $SmC_{A}$* phase and the increasing relaxation time of the collective relaxation process in this phase, at least for homologues differing from 3F5FPhH6 only by the type of fluorosubstitution

Typha laxmannii lepech. The new, expansive kenophyte in Poland: distribution and taxonomy

The paper provides data on a new antropophyte species - Typha laxmannii Lepech. which spreads throughout Poland as a hemiagriophyte. Its present distribution in Poland is given on a cartogramme map in a 10x10 km square grid and its geographic element, population numbers and notes on habitats are provided. An identification key to 5 species of the Typha genus, two native, one new which is the topic of this paper, and two which can be expected to be discovered in Poland

Possibilities of integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation

Deliverable 1.3 provides inventory of legal regulations, initiatives, developed projects and technologies having potential influence on sensors design processes. Report focus on possible integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation. Structure of the report consist of: 1. Inventory of EU directives bringing legal regulations providing requirements for having potential influence on sensors design and measurement methodology in reference to parameters demanded, spatial and temporal resolution of data and availability of information for potential users, 2. Inventory of conventions adopted by European Countries, approaching to reach and keep Good Environmental Status, having impact on monitoring processes and fostering development of technical infrastructure, 3. Analysis of national legislation implementing EU directives and representing approach to develop appropriate infrastructure for monitoring duties 4. Inventory of projects developing technologies having potential influence on sensors design, measurement and monitoring methodologies. 5. Inventory of innovative technologies, initiatives and ongoing policy developing processes as source of requirements for perspective technology development These identified items are drivers of new technologies development processes. Sensors, as a part of bigger systems and infrastructures interoperating each other have to conform regulations formulated in legal acts in the context of parameters measured, condition of operation, interaction with environment as object of examination, transmission protocols and data collections terminating data acquisition, processing, storage and information extraction and exchange processes. Objectives The objective of the report is to provide inventory of regulations, directive and conventions having potential influence on sensors design, measurement and monitoring methodologies development having potential influence on sensors design processes. Rationale New developments in the field of technology, measurement and monitoring methodologies, policy and law regulations, possibilities and demands for integration of monitoring requirements by other EU and national legislation, and interoperability challenges are factors determining perspectives of sensors development. Report on regulations, directive and conventions having potential influence on sensors design will include the analysis of possibilities of integration sensor's functionality to meet monitoring requirements and to help to distinguish sensitive or vulnerable areas where monitoring is necessary according to identified ecosystem properties

Prevalence of Antibiotic and Heavy Metal Resistance Determinants and Virulence-Related Genetic Elements in Plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus

The use of antibiotics on a mass scale, particularly in farming, and their release into the environment has led to a rapid emergence of resistant bacteria. Once emerged, resistance determinants are spread by horizontal gene transfer among strains of the same as well as disparate bacterial species. Their accumulation in free-living as well as livestock and community-associated strains results in the widespread multiple-drug resistance among clinically relevant species posing an increasingly pressing problem in healthcare. One of these clinically relevant species is Staphylococcus aureus, a common cause of hospital and community outbreaks. Among the rich diversity of mobile genetic elements regularly occurring in S. aureus such as phages, pathogenicity islands, and staphylococcal cassette chromosomes, plasmids are the major mean for dissemination of resistance determinants and virulence factors. Unfortunately, a vast number of whole-genome sequencing projects does not aim for complete sequence determination, which results in a disproportionately low number of known complete plasmid sequences. To address this problem we determined complete plasmid sequences derived from 18 poultry S. aureus strains and analyzed the prevalence of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance determinants, genes of virulence factors, as well as genetic elements relevant for their maintenance. Some of the plasmids have been reported before and are being found in clinical isolates of strains typical for humans or human ones of livestock origin. This shows that livestock-associated staphylococci are a significant reservoir of resistance determinants and virulence factors. Nevertheless, nearly half of the plasmids were unknown to date. In this group we found a potentially mobilizable plasmid pPA3 being a unique example of accumulation of resistance determinants and virulence factors likely stabilized by a presence of a toxin–antitoxin system