A Simple Method for Delineation of Leachate Plumes

Measurement and calculation of the carbon isotopic composition of groundwater from piezometers located around a reclaimed landfill were performed in order to test the method to distinguish the piezometers localized within the contaminated area and to identify the boundaries of the leachate plume. In order to select the best method for delineation of the leachate plume it was analyzed: chemical composition, the stable carbon isotopic composition in groundwater, and the calculation of carbon isotopic composition in groundwater. Comparison of the different methods for delineation of the leachate plume indicate, that the best method appear to be method based on the measurement and calculation of the carbon isotopic composition in groundwater. The proposed method has been tested using the data from Otwock landfill (Poland), but it can also be used in other contaminated areas

Precipitation Method for Determination of Carbon and Oxygen Isotopes to Detect Groundwater Contamination Near a Municipal Landfill

The paper emphasizes the importance of isotope studies as a unique tool for detecting groundwater contamination with the landfill leachate. The aim of the study was to present an additional and useful method for detecting groundwater contamination, based on stable isotope analysis. The proposed method relies on the interpretation of measured δ13CDIC and δ18O levels (in precipitated carbonates during preparation of a water sample). According to this method, two zones with different isotope composition of groundwater were identified: the first zone with natural groundwater and with low δ13CDIC levels (from −20.6 to −12.4‰) and high δ18O levels (from −13.6 to −8.0‰), and the second zone with leachate-contaminated groundwater rich in δ13CDIC (from −10.9 to + 3.6‰) and high level of δ18O (from −9.8 to −7.1‰). Measuring the isotopic composition of oxygen alone, is insufficient to delimit the contaminated zone due a partial overlap of natural levels with those of the contaminated with groundwater leachates. Determination of δ13CDIC and δ18O in the landfill leachate-contaminated water can provide an effective tool to detect groundwater contamination near municipal landfills, and it can help to minimize the number of samples collected for the analysis of conventional parameters. This proven method may offer an easy-to-use solution for detecting groundwater contamination

Review of Research Methods for Assessing the Activity of a Municipal Landfill Based on the Landfill Gas Analysis

Accurate projection of gas generation from landfills poses numerous difficulties. One needs to select and use an appropriate method from among several available options, and consider local and individual conditions of a landfill. These aspects are crucial for the economic management of the landfill gas in new landfills, and for assessing the impact of the gas on soil-water environment in old landfills. This paper is aimed at reviewing the research methods that can be used to assess the activity of new municipal waste landfills currently in operation, and of old, closed landfills after reclamation. Landfill activity can be assessed using different models and analysis of the produced gas. The actual data on the investigated municipal landfill showed that the landfill activity can be accurately assessed based on the quantitative determination of biogas formation using the LandGEM method, and the analysis of gas phase variability in the landfill accounting for oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide share/presence. Each landfill is different and calls for an individual approach or methodological modifications

Antibiotic susceptibility, heteroresistance, and updated treatment strategies in helicobacter pylori infection

In this review, we discuss the problem of antibiotic resistance, heteroresistance, the utility of cultures and antibiotic susceptibility tests in Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication, as well as the updated treatment strategies for this infection. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance is increasing all over the world, especially for metronidazole and clarithromycin, because of their heavy use in some geographical areas. Heteroresistance (simultaneous presence of both susceptible and resistant strains in different sites of a single stomach) is another important issue, as an isolate could be mistakenly considered susceptible if a single biopsy is used for antimicrobial tests. We also examined literature data regarding eradication success rates of culture-guided and empiric therapies. The empiric therapy and the one based on susceptibility testing, in Hp eradication, may depend on several factors such as concomitant diseases, the number of previous antibiotic treatments, differences in bacterial virulence in individuals with positive or negative cultures, together with local antibiotic resistance patterns in real-world settings. Updated treatment strategies in Hp infection presented in the guidelines of the Toronto Consensus Group (2016) are reported. These suggest to prolong eradication therapy up to 14 days, replacing the old triple therapy with a quadruple therapy based on proton pump inhibitor (PPI), bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline for most of the patients, or as an alternative quadruple therapy without bismuth, based on the use of PPI, amoxicillin, metronidazole, and clarithromycin. The new drug vonoprazan, a first-in-class potassium-competitive acid blocker recently approved in Japan, is also considered to be a promising solution for Hp eradication, even for clarithromycin-resistant strains. Furthermore, there is growing interest in finding new therapeutic strategies, such as the development of vaccines or the use of natural resources, including probiotics, plants, or nutraceuticals.In this review, we discuss the problem of antibiotic resistance, heteroresistance, the utility of cultures and antibiotic susceptibility tests in Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication, as well as the updated treatment strategies for this infection. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance is increasing all over the world, especially for metronidazole and clarithromycin, because of their heavy use in some geographical areas. Heteroresistance (simultaneous presence of both susceptible and resistant strains in different sites of a single stomach) is another important issue, as an isolate could be mistakenly considered susceptible if a single biopsy is used for antimicrobial tests. We also examined literature data regarding eradication success rates of culture-guided and empiric therapies. The empiric therapy and the one based on susceptibility testing, in Hp eradication, may depend on several factors such as concomitant diseases, the number of previous antibiotic treatments, differences in bacterial virulence in individuals with positive or negative cultures, together with local antibiotic resistance patterns in real-world settings. Updated treatment strategies in Hp infection presented in the guidelines of the Toronto Consensus Group (2016) are reported. These suggest to prolong eradication therapy up to 14 days, replacing the old triple therapy with a quadruple therapy based on proton pump inhibitor (PPI), bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline for most of the patients, or as an alternative quadruple therapy without bismuth, based on the use of PPI, amoxicillin, metronidazole, and clarithromycin. The new drug vonoprazan, a first-in-class potassium-competitive acid blocker recently approved in Japan, is also considered to be a promising solution for Hp eradication, even for clarithromycin-resistant strains. Furthermore, there is growing interest in finding new therapeutic strategies, such as the development of vaccines or the use of natural resources, including probiotics, plants, or nutraceuticals

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric dysbiosis: Can probiotics administration be useful to treat this condition?

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is responsible for one of the most common infections in the world. 'e prevalence exceeds 50% of the population in developing countries, and approximately one-third of the adults are colonized in North Europe and North America. It is considered a major pathogenic agent of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT). Hp colonization modifies the composition of gastric microbiota that could drive the development of gastric disorders. Currently, an emerging problem in Hp treatment is represented by the increasing rate of antimicrobial therapy resistance. In this context, the search for adjuvant agents can be very useful to overcome this issue and probiotics administration can represent a valid option. The aim of this review is to describe the gastric microbiota changes during Hp colonization, the mechanisms of action, and a possible role of probiotics in the treatment of this infection

Pre–Endoscopy Screening of Helicobacter pylori Infection: Implication and Advantages

Different invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests are available for the diagnosis of Hp in the individual patient. The non-invasive tests obviate the need for endoscopy and can be surely more accepted by the subjects. Moreover the endoscopy has a high cost and provides a marked workload and medical expenses for the hospitals . So the strategy followed by the gastroenterologists but more specifically in general practice is to avoid the endoscopy in patients at low risk of having major pathology. These patients could prevent prompt endoscopy and might safely undergo different managements. It has been proposed [22 23 26] that younger patients with symptoms of dyspepsia with non alarming symptoms could be screened non-invasively for the infection in order to reduce endoscopy procedure. In addition, non-invasive tests are suitable, other than for pre-endoscopy screening of younger dyspeptics, also for use in research and for epidemiological surveys as well as for confirming successful eradication after treatment and for screening asymptomatic population. The pre-endoscopy screening is based on different methodologies (such as serological markers, molecular markers, etc.) that will be discussed in the presen

Wind-tunnel modelling of the phenomenon of railway wagons rolling over under strong crosswind action

This paper deals with the derivation of similarity criteria for the phenomenon of railway wagons rolling over when exposed to strong crosswinds. Utilizing these criteria, the authorial method for the determination of the aerodynamic coefficient of the rollover moment is also presented in the paper

INTERDYSCYPLINARNOŚC MARKETINGU W ŚWIETLE PSYCHOLOGICZNYCH ASPEKTÓW DZIAŁAŃ MARKETINGOWYCH

Nowadays, one of the major challenges facing marketing is the need of understanding consumer’s motivations and factors which influence their choices. This article presents key marks of the psychological aspects of marketing. It is raising awareness of the role in subconscious processes which is taking place in consumer’s decision making. Results of this research are presented based on two selected heuristical aspects of making such choices.Współcześnie jednym z głównych wyzwań, które stoją przed marketingiem jest konieczność zrozumienia motywacji konsumenta i czynników, które znacząco wpływają na podejmowane przez niego decyzje. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia kluczowe aspekty psychologicznych aspektów marketingu, które uświadamiają rolę podświadomych procesów zachodzących w czasie podejmowania decyzji konsumenckich oraz prezentuje wyniki badań opartych o dwie wybrane heurystyki

Changes in the chemical composition of spring water in the Polish Tatra Mts. over the last sixty years

Porównanie obecnego składu chemicznego wody źródeł z wynikami badań archiwalnych wykazało, że w ostatnim 60-leciu wystąpiły znaczące zmiany stężeń wybranych jonów głównych. Interpretację zmian składu chemicznego wód przeprowadzono na podstawie stężenia wodorowęglanów, wapnia i magnezu tych samych 105 źródeł, w trzech okresach (lata: 1952–1962, 1970–1980, 2007–2010). Ze względu na budowę geologiczną zmiany stężeń oceniono w podziale na wody źródeł drenujących skały krystaliczne (n = 54) oraz skały osadowe (n = 51). Zaobserwowane zmiany stężenia wybranych jonów mają odmienny przebieg w wodach źródeł drenujących trzon krystaliczny w porównaniu z wodami źródeł drenujących serie osadowe. Źródła położone w krystalicznej części Tatr miały najwyższe stężenia HCO_3^-, Ca^2^+, Mg^2^+ w latach 70. XX w., a ich maksymalne stężenie było nawet dwukrotnie wyższe w tym okresie niż w latach 1952–1962. Analiza najczęściej występujących stężeń HCO_3^-, Ca^2^+ i Mg^2^+ w wodach drenujących trzon krystaliczny wskazuje na podobieństwo składu chemicznego wód w latach 1952–1962 i współczesnych (2007–2010). Cechą charakterystyczną wód źródlanych drenujących serie osadowe jest stopniowy wzrost od lat 50. XX w. do czasów obecnych stężenia HCO_3^- i Ca^2^+, w mniejszym stopniu Mg^2^+.Comparison of the present chemical composition of spring water with the archival research revealed significant changes in the selected main ion concentrations over the last 60 years. The interpretation of changes in the chemical composition of water was based on the concentration of bicarbonates, calcium and magnesium of the same 105 springs in three periods (1952–1962, 1970–1980 and 2007–2010). Due to the geological structure, the changes in the concentration were assessed within the groups of springs draining crystalline rocks (n = 54) and sedimentary rocks (n = 51). The course of the observed changes in the concentration of the selected ions is different in spring water draining the crystalline core than in springs draining sedimentary series. The springs located in the crystalline part of the Tatra had the highest concentrations of HCO_3^-, Ca^2^+ and Mg^2^+ in the 1970s of the 20th century and their maximum concentration was even twice higher in this period than in the 1950s–1960s of the 20th century. The analysis of the most frequently occurring concentrations of HCO_3^-, Ca^2^+ and Mg^2^+ in water draining the crystalline core indicates the similarity of the chemical composition of water in 1952–1962 and present (2007–2010). A gradual increase in the concentration of HCO_3^- and Ca^2^+ particularly, and to a lesser extent Mg^2^+, from the 50s of the 20th century to present is a characteristic feature of spring water draining sedimentary series