Combining short-term manipulative experiments with long-term palaeoecological investigations at high resolution to assess the response of Sphagnum peatlands to drought, fire and warming

International audienceNorthern hemisphere peatlands are substantial carbon stores. However, recent climate change and human impacts (e.g., drainage and atmospheric nutrient deposition) may trigger the emission of their stored carbon to the atmosphere. Biodiversity losses are also an important consequence of those changes. Therefore, there is a need to recognise these processes in space and time. Global change experiments are often conducted to improve our understanding of the potential responses of various ecosystems to global warming and drought. Most of the experiments carried out in peatlands are focused on carbon balance and nitrogen deposition. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how fast peatlands respond to temperature changes and water-table lowering in the continental climate setting. This is important because continental regions account for a significant proportion of all northern hemisphere peatlands. A combination of short-term and long-term approaches in a single research project is especially helpful because it facilitates the correct interpretation of experimental data. Here we describe the CLIMPEAT project-a manipulative field experiment in a Sphagnum-dominated peatland supported by a high-resolution multi-proxy palaeoecological study. The design of the field experiment (e.g., treatments), methodology and biogeographical setting are presented. We suggest it is beneficial to support field experiments with an investigation of past environmental changes in the studied ecosystem, as human impacts during the past 300 years have already caused substantial changes in ecosystem functioning which may condition the response in experimental studies

The effect of a preparation of minerals, vitamins and trace elements on the cardiac gene expression pattern in male diabetic rats

BACKGROUND: Diabetic patients have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Although multivitamin products are widely used as dietary supplements, the effects of these products have not been investigated in the diabetic heart yet. Therefore, here we investigated if a preparation of different minerals, vitamins, and trace elements (MVT) affects the cardiac gene expression pattern in experimental diabetes. METHODS: Two-day old male Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (i.p. 100 mg/kg) or citrate buffer to induce diabetes. From weeks 4 to 12, rats were fed with a vehicle or a MVT preparation. Fasting blood glucose measurement and oral glucose tolerance test were performed at week 12, and then total RNA was isolated from the myocardium and assayed by rat oligonucleotide microarray for 41012 oligonucleotides. RESULTS: Significantly elevated fasting blood glucose concentration and impaired glucose tolerance were markedly improved by MVT-treatment in diabetic rats at week 12. Genes with significantly altered expression due to diabetes include functional clusters related to cardiac hypertrophy (e.g. caspase recruitment domain family, member 9; cytochrome P450, family 26, subfamily B, polypeptide; FXYD domain containing ion transport regulator 3), stress response (e.g. metallothionein 1a; metallothionein 2a; interleukin-6 receptor; heme oxygenase (decycling) 1; and glutathione S-transferase, theta 3), and hormones associated with insulin resistance (e.g. resistin; FK506 binding protein 5; galanin/GMAP prepropeptide). Moreover the expression of some other genes with no definite cardiac function was also changed such as e.g. similar to apolipoprotein L2; brain expressed X-linked 1; prostaglandin b2 synthase (brain). MVT-treatment in diabetic rats showed opposite gene expression changes in the cases of 19 genes associated with diabetic cardiomyopathy. In healthy hearts, MVT-treatment resulted in cardiac gene expression changes mostly related to immune response (e.g. complement factor B; complement component 4a; interferon regulatory factor 7; hepcidin). CONCLUSIONS: MVT-treatment improved diagnostic markers of diabetes. This is the first demonstration that MVT-treatment significantly alters cardiac gene expression profile in both control and diabetic rats. Our results and further studies exploring the mechanistic role of individual genes may contribute to the prevention or diagnosis of cardiac complications in diabetes

Level of physical activity of women in comparison to quantity and composition of meals of women

Sposób żywienia kobiet w Polsce cechuje wiele błędów i nieprawidłowych zachowań żywieniowych. Celem badania była ocena zależności pomiędzy poziomem aktywności fizycznej kobiet a ilością i składem ich posiłków, z uwzględnieniem zjawiska dojadania między posiłkami. Badanie zostało przeprowadzone wśród 247 kobiet w wieku 19-64 lata, w tym 96 respondentek (38.8%) pochodziło z województwa świętokrzyskiego a 151 (61.2%) z województwa dolnośląskiego. Badanie wykonano z wykorzystaniem portalu e-Badania, z użyciem ankiety online. Poziom aktywności fizycznej oceniono używając międzynarodowego kwestionariusza IPAQ (wersja krótka). Ilość i skład posiłków oraz zjawisko dojadania między posiłkami analizowano za pomocą kwestionariusza QEB. Do analizy statystycznej wyników badań użyto testu Chi2. Najwięcej kobiet spożywało 4 posiłki dziennie, następnie 3 i 5 lub więcej posiłków. Aż 84.2% kobiet dojadało między posiłkami. Najczęściej spożywanymi produktami w trakcie śniadania były: pieczywo, napoje gorące, mięso, wędliny, jaja, sery twarogowe lub twarogowo-podpuszczkowe oraz mleko i napoje mleczne; w trakcie obiadu: mięso i przetwory mięsne, surówki warzywne, zupy, dodatki skrobiowe, ziemniaki w różnej postaci oraz warzywa po obróbce termicznej; w trakcie kolacji: pieczywo, napoje gorące, mięso, wędliny, owoce i/lub warzywa, sery twarogowe i żółte. W posiłkach kobiet rzadko gościły: przetwory zbożowe, soki owocowe i/lub warzywne, ryby oraz warzywa i owoce w postaci surowej. Często dojadanymi produktami między posiłkami były: owoce, słodycze oraz słodzone i niesłodzone napoje mleczne. Rzadziej dojadanymi produktami były: orzechy i nasiona, warzywa oraz słone przekąski. Poziom aktywności fizycznej kobiet był czynnikiem różnicującymi ilość, skład posiłków oraz rodzaj dojadanych produktów.The diet of women in Poland is characterized by various errors and incorrect eating behaviours. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between the level of physical activity of women and the amount and composition of meals, taking into account the effect of meal intervals. The study was conducted among 247 women aged 19-64, of which 96 respondents (38.8%) were from Świętokrzyskie voivodship and 151 (61.2%) from Lower Silesian voivodship. The research was conducted with the e-Research portal, using an online survey. Physical activity was assessed using the international IPAQ questionnaire. The quantity and composition of meals and the effect of meal intervals were analysed using the QEB questionnaire. Chi2 was used for statistical analysis. Most women consumed 4 meals a day, next 3 and 5 or more meals. As many as 84.2% of women were eating between meals. The most commonly consumed products during breakfast were: bread, hot drinks, meat, cold cuts, eggs, cottage cheese or rennet and semi-hard pressed rennet cheese, milk and milk drinks; during dinner: meat and meat products, vegetable salads, soups, starch products, potatoes of various forms and vegetables after heat treatment; during supper: bread, hot drinks, meat, cold cuts, fruits and/or vegetables, cottage cheese and yellow cheese. In women's meals there were rarely present: cereal products, fruit and vegetable juices, fish and vegetables and raw fruit. Commonly eaten products between meals were: fruit, sweets and sweetened or unsweetened milk drinks. Less commonlyconsumed products were: nuts and seeds, vegetables and salty snacks. The level of physical activity of the women was the factor that differentiated the amount of food, the composition of the meals and the type of food eaten

Sclerostin as a novel marker of bone turnover in athletes

Sclerostin is a protein secreted by osteocytes that acts as an inhibitor of bone formation. It has been shown that physical activity affects sclerostin concentration and thus bone remodelling. The aim of the study was to evaluate serum concentrations of sclerostin, selected bone turnover markers (PTH, P1NP), 25(OH) D3 and the intake of calcium and vitamin D in physically active versus sedentary men. A total of 59 healthy men aged 17-37 were enrolled in the study (43 athletes and 16 non-athletes). The mean sclerostin concentration in the group of athletes (A) was significantly higher than in non-athletes (NA) (35.3±8.9 vs 28.0±5.6 pmol• l-1, p= 0.004). A compared with NA had higher concentrations of P1NP (145.6±77.5 vs 61.2±22.3 ng• ml-1, p= <0.0001) and 25(OH)D3 (16.9±8.4 vs 10.3±4.3 ng • ml-1, p= 0.004) and lower concentrations of PTH (25.8±8.3 vs 38.2±11.5 pg• ml-1, p= <0.0001). Vitamin D deficiency was found in 77% of A and 100% of NA. A and NA had similar daily energy intake. They did not differ as to the intake of calcium and vitamin D. We observed a negative correlation between the serum concentrations of sclerostin and calcium in the studied subjects. Our results suggest that regular, long-lasting physical training may be associated with higher concentration of sclerostin. It seems that increased sclerostin is not related to other bone turnover markers (PTH, P1NP)

Food Patterns of Polish Older People

Abstract Food patterns of Polish older people were separated and described. The research included 422 people aged 65+ years, living in 5 geographical locations. Participants of the study were selected in quota sampling. Criteria for recruitment included sex, age (65-74 or 75+ years) and family status (living alone or living with other people). Respondents were asked questions about consumption of 55 food products. The factor analysis allowed for separating 21 food patterns. They included from 1 to 3 groups of products, intake of which was mutually dependant. Big number of separated food patterns and small number of products forming joint food patterns speak in advocacy of relatively smali reciprocal relationship between different food items consumed by the seniors in Poland