LC-MS analysis and antifungal activity of Turnera subulata Sm.

Fungi of the Candida genus are responsible for invasive candidiasis, which affects people all over the world and has high mortality rates. This is due to their virulence factors, which give them great resistance and pathogenicity. In addition, the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains makes it difficult to treat these infections. In this way, natural products have emerged as an alternative to standard drugs, where plants known for their medicinal properties such as Turnera subulata become attractive to research. The present work aimed to analyze the ethanol extract of Turnera subulata leaves against standard strains of Candida albicans, Candida krusei and Candida tropicalis using broth microdilution techniques. The identification of the compounds in T. subulata leaves by LC-MS revealed the presence of a wide variety of substances such as carboxylic acids and terpenes, with flavonoids and fatty acids being more evident. The antifungal assays showed that the extract was not able to inhibit the growth of the tested strains at concentrations with a clinical relevance. However, at higher concentrations, it was able to inhibit the fungal dimorphism of C. albicans and C. tropicalis. It is possible that the T. subulata extract has potential as an inhibitor of fungal virulence factors without affecting the cell viability. Further research should be carried out in order to assess its inhibitory potential for other fungal virulence factors

The risks of acute exposure to black carbon in Southern Europe: Results from the med-particles project

Objectives: While several studies have reported associations of daily exposures to PM2.5 (particles less than 2.5 μm) with mortality, few studies have examined the impact of its constituents such as black carbon (BC), which is also a significant contributor to global climate change. Methods: We assessed the association between daily concentrations of BC and total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality in two southern Mediterranean cities. Daily averages of BC were collected for 2 years in Barcelona, Spain and Athens, Greece. We used case-crossover analysis and examined single and cumulative lags up to 3 days. Results: We observed associations between BC and all mortality measures. For a 3-day moving average, cardiovascular mortality increased by 4.5% (95% CI 0.7 to 8.5) and 2.0% (95% CI 0 to 4.0) for an interquartile change in BC in Athens and Barcelona, respectively. Considerably higher effects for respiratory mortality and for those above age 65 were observed. In addition, BC exhibited much greater toxicity per microgram than generic PM2.5. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that BC, derived in western industrialised nations primarily from diesel engines and biomass burning, poses a significant burden to public health, particularly in European cities with high-traffic density.Peer reviewe

Millenium round and Common Agricultural Policy

Rezultaty negocjacji rolnych Rundy Milenijnej zmuszą Unię Europejską do istotnych zmian Wspólnej Polityki Rolnej. Zmiany te wpłyną niekorzystnie na sytuację ekonomiczną unijnego rolnictwa i unijnej gospodarki żywnościowej, a w długim okresie mogą nawet doprowadzić do utraty samowystarczalności żywnościowej i w konsekwencji bezpieczeństwa żywnościowego.The results of Millenium Round agricultural negotiations will force European Union to change Common Agricultural Policy. Those changes will negatively influence the economic situation of agriculture and food economy of EU countries. In the long run they can even hamper the food self sufficiency and and food security

A review of waterfowl investigations and a comparison of aerial and ground censusing of waterfowl at Minto Flats, Alaska

The Minto Flats is one of the important waterfowl concentration areas of interior Alaska. Aerial surveys and ground studies were initiated in this area in 1950 and have continued in succeeding years. This study began in September, 1955, as a research project of the Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. The study was financed largely by Pitman-Robertson Project Alaska W-3-R. The Minto Flats is an area of about 450 square miles, located about 35 miles west of Fairbanks. The important nesting species are scaup, pintail and widgeon. The Minto Lakes area serves as an important molting and flocking area for these and other species. Climatically the Minto Flats resemble the rest of interior Alaska. Water levels in the area are highly variable and influence the vegetation and breeding. Minto Lakes, Big Lake, and the Tolovana Flats were selected for concentrated study in 1956. During the 1956 field studies, data were collected for comparison with data available from previous years. Waterfowl production in the Minto Flats area is affected principally by weather, changes in water level, and predation. Among the factors influencing censusing are the census methods, stratification, and sample size. Enumeration of waterfowl is affected by differences in the visibility of birds, population composition, environmental conditions, and the accuracy of observers in relation to the other variables and in regard to individual partiality and talent. The difference between observers, when analyzed statistically points out the need for continuity of observers with known levels of ability. Breeding bird census figures from aerial surveys from 1950 t o 1956 are not comparable due to differences in census methods. Aerial brood surveys are valuable for determining year to year production trends while ground surveys provide data on brood species composition. Together they are the best guide to waterfowl production. Nesting studies have provided some data on nesting terrain, clutch size, and nesting success. The effect of nest hunting on the breeding population and the time necessary for obtaining an adequate sample indicates that nest hunting is not an economical or accurate means of measuring yearly productive success. Aerial surveys are recognized as the most feasible way of measuring production if the accuracy of the information gathered from the air can be increased

Polish exports of agri-food products to the EU market

W artykule podjęto próbę odpowiedzi na dwa pytania: jaką pozycję zajmują obecnie polskie produkty rolno-spożywcze na jednolitym rynku europejskim oraz czy wzrost polskiego eksportu rolno-spożywczego na jednolitym rynku europejskim w okresie członkostwa w UE jest zjawiskiem wyjątkowym, świadczącym o szczególnych umiejętnościach polskich eksporterów, czy też nie różni się od osiągniętego przez inne kraje, które wraz z Polską lub później wstąpiły do UE.The years 2004-2010 were a period of rapid growth in trade of agri-food products in Poland, as well as in other new Member States. The general position of new member states, as exporters of agri-food products, is on the EU market still weak. Although the share of new Member States in trade of agri-food products on the Common European Market tripled during the period 2000-2010, but still is only at level of 12% while Polish – 4%. The potential for agri-food exports of the new Member States is not fully developed. Polish food economy still has the possibilities of increasing exports to the Common European Market, and exploits those opportunities better and better

Mouse embryo development in vitro: effects of inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis on blastocyst and post-blastocyst embryos.

The effect of inhibitors of RNA synthesis (Cordycepin, Actinomycin D) and protein synthesis (Cycloheximide) on the development and growth of mouse blastocysts in vitro was explored. Blastocysts exposed in vitro for 24 hours to 50 mu-g/ml Cordycepin, 0.005 mu-g/ml Actinomycin D, or 0.1 mu-g/ml Cycloheximde grew and began to attach to the dish in the similar manner as did the controls. Cell number, 3-H-thymidine-labeling index and mitotic index in treated blastocysts were also similar to controls. Cell number, 3-H-thymidine-labeling index and mitotic index in treated blastocysts were also similar to controls. Control blastocysts grown in vitro for six days attached to the dish, trophoblastic layer was spread and inner cell mass continued to grow and formed an egg-cylinder like structure. Blastocysts grown in constant presence of 50 mu-g/ml of Cordycepin in themedium or those exposed to inhibitor only for the first 24 hours failed to develop inner cell mass derivatives in culture, although the growth of trophoblastic cells was as in controls. The same results were obtained if blastocysts were exposed to 0.005 mu-g/ml of Actinomycin D or to 0.1 mu-g/ml of Cycloheximide either continuously or for the first 24 hours. Higher concentrations of Actinomycin D (0.05 mu-g/ml) or Cycloheximde (1 mu-g/ml) were toxic for the blastocysts causing their degeneration within 24-48 hours. Our results suggested that appropriate concentrations of RNA or protein synthesis inhibitors could prevent the development of inner cell mass derivatives with essentially no effect on the development of primary trophoblast. This would indicate that the process of differentiation of inner cell mass cells is much more sensitive to metabolic inhibitors than the differentiation of giant trophoblastic cells