FAME profiles in Pseudomonas vesicularis during catechol and phenol degradation in the presence of glucose as an additional carbon source

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of catechol and phenol added to culture media separately and with glucose as an additional, easily-degradable carbon source on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) composition in Pseudomonas vesicularis. Simultaneously, the degradation rates of aromatic substrates used were investigated in single and binary substrate systems. Both catechol and phenol treatments caused changes in the distribution of tested groups of fatty acids. The most noticeable changes included an increase in degree of fatty acid saturation, the appearance of branched and disappearance of hydroxy fatty acids as compared to the control sample with glucose. Under catechol or phenol treatment sat/unsat ratio showed the values of 8.63 and 11.38, respectively, whereas in contr ol cells it reached the value of 2.66. The high level of saturation comes from the high content of cyclopropane fatty acids in bacteria under exposure to aromatic substrates, regardless of the presence of glucose. In these treatments their content was more than 3-fold higher compared to the control. It has been demonstrated that glucose supplementation of culture media containing single aromatic substrate extended the degradation rates of catechol and phenol by P. vesicularis, caused an increase in number of cells but did not significantly change the fatty acid profiles in comparison with bacteria growing on catechol and phenol added to the media individually

Whole cell-derived fatty acid profiles of Pseudomonas sp. JS150 during naphthalene degradation

Changes in cellular fatty acid composition during naphthalene degradation, at the concentrations of 0.5 g lñ1 or 1.0 g lñ1,by Pseudomonas sp. JS150 were investigated. In response to naphthalene exposure an increase in saturated/unsaturatedratio was observed. Additionally, the dynamic changes involved alterations in the contents of hydroxy, cyclopropaneand branched fatty acids. Among the classes of fatty acids tested the most noticeable changes in the abundance ofcyclopropane fatty acids were observed. Since day 4 of incubation these fatty acids were not dectected in bacterial cellsgrowing on naphthalene. In contrast, markedly increased in the percentage of hydroxy fatty acids over time wasobserved. However, the proportions of saturated straight-chain and branched fatty acids did not change such significantly

Antibiotics in the Soil Environment - Degradation and Their Impact on Microbial Activity and Diversity

Antibiotics play a key role in the management of infectious diseases in humans, animals, livestock, and aquacultures all over the world. The release of increasing amount of antibiotics into waters and soils creates a potential threat to all microorganisms in these environments. This review addresses issues related to the fate and degradation of antibiotics in soils and the impact of antibiotics on the structural, genetic and functional diversity of microbial communities. Due to the emergence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, which is considered a worldwide public health problem, the abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soils are also discussed. When antibiotic residues enter the soil, the main processes determining their persistence are sorption to organic particles and degradation/transformation. The wide range of DT50 values for antibiotic residues in soils shows that the processes governing persistence depend on a number of different factors, e.g., physico-chemical properties of the residue, characteristics of the soil, and climatic factors (temperature, rainfall, and humidity). The results presented in this review show that antibiotics affect soil microorganisms by changing their enzyme activity and ability to metabolize different carbon sources, as well as by altering the overall microbial biomass and the relative abundance of different groups (i.e., Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, and fungi) in microbial communities. Studies using methods based on analyses of nucleic acids prove that antibiotics alter the biodiversity ofmicrobial communities and the presence ofmany types of ARGs in soil are affected by agricultural and human activities. It is worth emphasizing that studies on ARGs in soil have resulted in the discovery of new genes and enzymes responsible for bacterial resistance to antibiotics. However, many ambiguous results indicate that precise estimation of the impact of antibiotics on the activity and diversity of soil microbial communities is a great challenge

Vancomycin and/or multidrug-resistant Citrobacter Freundii altered the metabolic pattern of soil microbial community

Despite many studies, our knowledge on the impact of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the metabolic activity of soil microbial communities is still limited. To ascertain this impact, the community level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and the activity of selected enzymes (dehydrogenase, urease, and phosphatases) in soils treated with vancomycin (VA) and/or multidrug resistant Citrobacter freundii were determined during a 90-day experiment. A multivariate analysis and the resistance (RS)/resilience (RL) concept were used to assess the potential of native microorganisms to maintain their catabolic activity under exposure of VA and/or a high level of C. freundii. In addition, the dissipation rate of VA was evaluated in non-sterile (nsS) and sterile (sS) soils. The results revealed a negative impact of VA on the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms on days 1, 15, and 30 as was showed by a decrease in the values of the CLPP indices (10-69%) and the enzyme activities (6-32%) for treated soils as compared to the control. These observations suggested a low initial resistance of soil microorganisms to VA and/or C. freundii but they were resilient in the long term. Considering the mean values of the RS index, the resistance of measured parameters was categorized in the following order: alkaline phosphatase (0.919) > acid phosphatase (0.899) > dehydrogenase (0.853) > the evenness index (0.840) > urease (0.833) > the Shannon-Wiener index (0.735) > substrate richness (0.485) > the AWCD (0.301). The dissipation process of VA was relatively fast and independent of the concentration used. The DT50 values for VA applied at both concentrations were about 16 days. In addition, the dissipation of VA in nsS was three times faster compared to the dissipation of antibiotic in sS. In conclusion, both CLPP and enzyme activities assays appeared to be useful tool for the determination of disturbances within soil microbial communities and used together may be helpful to understand the changes in their catabolic features. The entry of large quantities of VA and/or C. freundii into soil may temporarily change microbial activity thus pose a potential risk for soil functioning

Construction and validation of an inventory examining the locus of control in primary school pupils

The term “locus of control” means the individual’s conviction about localisation of the control of reinforcements. The locus of internal control refers to perceiving the achieved results as if they were conditioned by one’s own behaviour or individual traits. When the result of activities is perceived as an effect of a chance, luck, destiny, as the effect controlled by other people or unpredictable, we speak about the external locus of control. Admittedly, the internal locus of control is associated with a better emotional and social adaptation. The locus of control is an effect of recurrent experiences and may be subject to modification due to therapeutic effects. Owing to a considerable importance of this variable for psychosocial functioning, creation of reliable tools for investigating it is essential. As far as the authors know, there has been no inventory in Polish as yet that would examine the locus of control in children aged from 8 to 12. In view of the potential importance of monitoring the locus of control in children starting the school education, a decision was taken to draw up a scale designed for this age group. The Locus of Control Scale – Primary Schools (LCS-PS) consists of 20 test items examining the locus of control on Scales of Success and Failure. To estimate the psychometric properties of LCS-PS, 131 pupils of randomly selected primary schools in Warsaw were examined. The reliability of α-Cronbach scale amounts to 0.69. The validity is confirmed by correlations with the average grade and scales of Self-concept, Anxiety, Depression and Anger in the Beck Youth Inventories of Emotional and Social Impairment. A short scale was drawn up, in Polish, of good reliability and validity, examining the locus of control in children aged from 7 to 12. The scale constitutes a supplementation of the tools designed for other age groups, existing on the Polish market.Pojęcie poczucia kontroli oznacza przekonanie jednostki o umiejscowieniu kontroli wzmocnień. Poczuciem kontroli wewnętrznej nazywamy spostrzeganie osiąganych rezultatów jako uwarunkowanych własnym zachowaniem bądź osobistymi cechami. Gdy wynik działań jest spostrzegany jako skutek przypadku, szczęścia, przeznaczenia, jako kontrolowany przez innych ludzi lub nieprzewidywalny, mówimy o poczuciu kontroli zewnętrznej. Uważa się, że poczucie kontroli wewnętrznej wiąże się z lepszym przystosowaniem emocjonalnym i społecznym. Umiejscowienie kontroli jest wynikiem powtarzających się doświadczeń i może podlegać modyfikacji w wyniku oddziaływań terapeutycznych. Ze względu na duże znaczenie tej zmiennej dla funkcjonowania psychospołecznego ważne jest tworzenie wiarygodnych narzędzi do jej badania. Zgodnie z wiedzą autorów do tej pory nie istniał polskojęzyczny kwestionariusz badający poczucie kontroli u dzieci między 8. i 12. rokiem życia. Ze względu na potencjalne znaczenie monitorowania poczucia kontroli u dzieci rozpoczynających edukację szkolną zdecydowano się na stworzenie skali przeznaczonej dla tej grupy wiekowej. Opracowana Skala Poczucia Kontroli – Szkoły Podstawowe (SPK-SP) złożona jest z 20 pozycji testowych, badających poczucie kontroli na Skalach Sukcesu i Porażki. W celu oszacowania własności psychometrycznych SPK-SP zbadano 131 uczniów trzech losowo wybranych szkół podstawowych w Warszawie. Rzetelność skali α-Cronbacha wynosi 0,69. Trafność potwierdzają korelacje ze średnią ocen oraz Skalami Samooceny, Lęku, Depresji oraz Złości Kwestionariusza Becka dla Dzieci. Powstała krótka polskojęzyczna skala o dobrej rzetelności i trafności, badająca poczucie kontroli u dzieci w wieku 7-12 lat. Skala stanowi uzupełnienie dotychczas istniejących na polskim rynku narzędzi przeznaczonych dla innych grup wiekowych

Badger Meles meles as Ecosystem Engineer and Its Legal Status in Europe

The European badger plays an important role as a natural factor shaping species diversity in forests. Its extensive setts can be used by many other animals as shelters. Soil perturbations in their setts support plant communities that differ from the matrix landscape. The badger is also an effective seed disperser. We investigated its role as an ecosystem engineer in preserving species diversity and discussed its legal status across Europe. In most European countries (69.3% of the continent), the badger is hunted, sometimes year-round. The hunting season lasting through winter until early spring may have a negative effect on badger populations, especially when cubs are born in February. Although this species is Red Listed in 19 European countries (with categories ranging from LC to EN), the badger is strictly protected by law in 30.7% of its European range. A reduction in badger populations may limit its ecosystem services (seed dispersal, topsoil disturbances, microhabitat creation). Much new data on the importance of badgers in ecosystem engineering has allowed us to reconsider how we manage badger populations

Badger <i>Meles meles</i> as Ecosystem Engineer and Its Legal Status in Europe

The European badger plays an important role as a natural factor shaping species diversity in forests. Its extensive setts can be used by many other animals as shelters. Soil perturbations in their setts support plant communities that differ from the matrix landscape. The badger is also an effective seed disperser. We investigated its role as an ecosystem engineer in preserving species diversity and discussed its legal status across Europe. In most European countries (69.3% of the continent), the badger is hunted, sometimes year-round. The hunting season lasting through winter until early spring may have a negative effect on badger populations, especially when cubs are born in February. Although this species is Red Listed in 19 European countries (with categories ranging from LC to EN), the badger is strictly protected by law in 30.7% of its European range. A reduction in badger populations may limit its ecosystem services (seed dispersal, topsoil disturbances, microhabitat creation). Much new data on the importance of badgers in ecosystem engineering has allowed us to reconsider how we manage badger populations

Data_Sheet_1_Vancomycin and/or Multidrug-Resistant Citrobacter Freundii Altered the Metabolic Pattern of Soil Microbial Community.PDF

<p>Despite many studies, our knowledge on the impact of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the metabolic activity of soil microbial communities is still limited. To ascertain this impact, the community level physiological profiles (CLPPs) and the activity of selected enzymes (dehydrogenase, urease, and phosphatases) in soils treated with vancomycin (VA) and/or multidrug resistant Citrobacter freundii were determined during a 90-day experiment. A multivariate analysis and the resistance (RS)/resilience (RL) concept were used to assess the potential of native microorganisms to maintain their catabolic activity under exposure of VA and/or a high level of C. freundii. In addition, the dissipation rate of VA was evaluated in non-sterile (nsS) and sterile (sS) soils. The results revealed a negative impact of VA on the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms on days 1, 15, and 30 as was showed by a decrease in the values of the CLPP indices (10–69%) and the enzyme activities (6–32%) for treated soils as compared to the control. These observations suggested a low initial resistance of soil microorganisms to VA and/or C. freundii but they were resilient in the long term. Considering the mean values of the RS index, the resistance of measured parameters was categorized in the following order: alkaline phosphatase (0.919) > acid phosphatase (0.899) > dehydrogenase (0.853) > the evenness index (0.840) > urease (0.833) > the Shannon-Wiener index (0.735) > substrate richness (0.485) > the AWCD (0.301). The dissipation process of VA was relatively fast and independent of the concentration used. The DT50 values for VA applied at both concentrations were about 16 days. In addition, the dissipation of VA in nsS was three times faster compared to the dissipation of antibiotic in sS. In conclusion, both CLPP and enzyme activities assays appeared to be useful tool for the determination of disturbances within soil microbial communities and used together may be helpful to understand the changes in their catabolic features. The entry of large quantities of VA and/or C. freundii into soil may temporarily change microbial activity thus pose a potential risk for soil functioning.</p

Diabetic ketoacidosis incidence among children with new-onset type 1 diabetes in Poland and its association with COVID-19 outbreak - Two-year cross-sectional national observation by PolPeDiab Study Group

BACKGROUND: There are several observations that the onset of coronavirus 19 (COVID‐19) pandemic was associated with an increase in the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). However, due to heterogeneity in study designs and country‐specific healthcare policies, more national‐level evidence is needed to provide generalizable conclusions. OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of DKA in Polish children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) between the first year of COVID‐19 pandemic (15 March 2020 to 15 March 2021) and the preceding year (15 March 2019 to 15 March 2020). METHODS: Reference centers in 13 regions (covering ~88% of Polish children) retrospectively reported all new‐onset T1D cases in children from assessed periods, including DKA status at admission, administered procedures and outcomes. Secondly, we collected regions' demographic characteristics and the daily‐reported number of COVID‐19‐related deaths in each region. RESULTS: We recorded 3062 cases of new‐onset T1D (53.3% boys, mean age 9.5 ± 4.3 years old) of which 1347 (44%) had DKA. Comparing pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19 period, we observed a significant increase in the rate of DKA (37.5%–49.4%, p < .0001). The fraction of moderate (+5.4%) and severe (+3.4%) DKA cases increased significantly (p = .0089), and more episodes required assisted ventilation (+2.1%, p = .0337). Two episodes of DKA during 2020/2021 period were fatal. By region, change in DKA frequency correlated with initial COVID‐19 death toll (March/April 2020) (R = .6, p = .0287) and change in T1D incidence (R = .7, p = .0080). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical picture of new‐onset children T1D in Poland deteriorated over a 2‐year period. The observed increase in the frequency of DKA and its severity were significantly associated with the overlapping timing of the COVID‐19 epidemic