The association between air pollutions and emergency hospitalizations due to COPD and asthma across 16 Polish cities: population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years numerous initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution have been undertaken in Poland. The general objective was to examine the correlation between air pollution measured by the level of particulate matter ≤10 µm in diameter (PM10) and emergency hospitalizations due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in 16 Polish cities (capitals of the regions). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors aimed to diagnose the situation across 16 cities over a 5­year period (2014-2019). Data on the number of hospitalizations was retrieved from the national public insurance system, the National Health Fund. A total number of 22 600 emergency hospitalizations was analyzed (12 000 and 10 600 in 2014 and 2019, respectively). The data on air pollution was accessed via the public register of the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection air quality database. The authors of this article have used the data on PM10 daily exposure in each of the 16 cities in 2014 and 2019. Statistical methods included: non-parametric tests, a 2-stage modelling approach for time-series data, and multivariate meta-analysis of the results. RESULTS: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant decrease in PM10 concentration in 2019 in comparison to 2014 in all cities, mainly in the autumn and winter season. However, the correlation between the improvement in the air quality and a decrease in emergency hospitalizations due to asthma and COPD turned out to not be as strong as expected. The authors observed a strong correlation between PM10 concentrations and hospitalizations due to asthma and COPD, but only when air quality norms were significantly above acceptable levels. CONCLUSIONS: Air pollution measured by PM10 concentration might be used as one of the predictors of the asthma and COPD emergency hospitalization risk, yet other factors like respiratory tract infection, health care organizational aspect, patient self-control, compliance and comorbidities should also be taken into consideration. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2024;37(1):110-27.

The Effect of Various Forms of Sulfur on Soil Organic Matter Fractions and Microorganisms in a Pot Experiment with Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.).

This article focuses on the agronomic evaluation of the supplementation of mineral NPKMg fertilizers with elemental sulfur, magnesium, potassium, or ammonium sulfates in pot experiments with ryegrass growing in a sandy Arenosol with very low sulfur content. A benefit evaluation was carried out on the basis of biomass production, crop nutritional status, and changes in the content of soil organic matter fractions. Furthermore, the total number of bacteria, nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and fungi was estimated using the qPCR technique in soil samples after 60 days of ryegrass growth. The combined application of NPKMg and sulfur or sulfate fertilizers significantly increased the summary yield of three cuttings of fresh ryegrass biomass in the range of 32.3% to 82.7%. The application, especially in the form of sulfates, significantly decreased the content of free phenolic acids. Furthermore, compared to the control, i.e., soil with NPKMg applied alone, an increase in the content of glomalin-related proteins and a decrease in the amount of water-soluble organic carbon compounds were observed. Neither the number of DNA marker copy numbers of the total bacterial community nor the nitrogen-fixing bacteria were noticeably different. In turn, the total number of genetic markers for fungi was significantly higher in soils with potassium or ammonium sulfates compared to the control soil. The general results suggest that the application of sulfur fertilizers with NPKMg mineral fertilizer can benefit crops and support soil fertility due to the stabilization of aggregates and the decrease in water-soluble organic compounds.

Comparative analysis of airborne bacteria and fungi in two salt mines in Poland.

The aim of this work was to determine the genera or species composition and the number of colony forming units of airborne bacteria and fungi, respectively, in two salt mines in Poland "Wieliczka" (Lesser Poland) and "Polkowice-Sieroszowice" (Lower Silesia). Both of them are working environments characterized by extreme conditions, and additionally "Wieliczka," officially placed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites' list, plays a role of tourist attraction. There are also some curative chambers located in this mine. Air samples were taken once in December 2015, between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. There were nine measurement points located about 200 m underground in "Wieliczka" and six measurement points located in the working shafts about 400 m underground in "Polkowice-Sieroszowice." The total volume of each air sample was 150 L. Air samples, collected in individual measurement points of both salt mines, were inoculated on two microbiological media: potato dextrose agar and tryptic soy agar using the impact method. We identified 10 and 3 fungal genera in the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine and in "Polkowice-Sieroszowice," respectively. The most common were fungi of the Penicillium genus. In both mines, the Gram-positive bacteria of genus Micrococcus were detected most frequently. Among identified microorganisms, there were neither pathogenic fungi nor bacteria. The most prevalent microorganisms detected in indoor air were Gram-positive cocci, which constituted up to 80% of airborne microflora. Our results showed that microorganisms recorded in the air samples are not a threat to workers, tourists or patients. Neither pathogens nor potentially pathogenic microorganisms, listed as BSL-2, BSL-3 or BSL-4, were detected. The microbes identified during our analysis commonly occur in such environments as the soil, water and air. Some of the detected bacteria are component of natural microflora of human skin and mucous membranes, and they can cause only opportunistic infections in individuals depending on their health condition.

Effects of insect cuticular fatty acids on in vitro growth and pathogenicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus.

Eighteen fatty acids identified in the cuticle of three insect species representing differing susceptibilities to C. coronatus infection, were tested for effects on the in vitro growth and pathogenicity of the parasitic fungus. At all applied concentrations (0.1-0.0001% w/v) growth was inhibited by C(16:0), C(16:1), C(18:0), C(18:1), C(18:2), C(18:3), C(20:0) and C(20:1). At high concentrations spore germination was inhibited by C(7:0), C(8:0), C(9:0), C(10:0), C(12:0), C(18:2) and C(18:3) and hyphal growth was merely retarded by C(5:0), C(6:0), C(6:2), C(14:0), C(16:0), C(16:1), C(18:0,) C(18:1), C(20:0) and C(20:1). The presence of C(15:0) at the 0.1% concentration stimulated growth of C. coronatus. Sporulation was inhibited by all concentrations of C(16:0) and C(18-20) fatty acids. Low concentrations of C(5:0), C(6:0), C(6:2) and C(7:0) enhanced sporulation. Fatty acids C(5-12) as well as C(18:3), C(20:0) and C(20:1) decreased the ability of fungal colonies to infect G. mellonella while C(16:1) elevated it thus suggesting that C(16:1) may stimulate production of enzymes involved in the host invasion. Toxicity of metabolites released into incubation medium decreased with varying degrees in the presence of C(6:0), C(6:2,) C(7:0), C(9:0), C(12:0), C(16:1), C(18:2), C(18:3), C(20:0) and C(20:1); other fatty acids had no effect. Further work is needed to analyse the effects of exogenous fatty acids on the C. coronatus enzymes implicated in fungal pathogenicity as well as on the production of insecticidal metabolites.

Differentiated pattern of protein composition of crystalline inclusions of newly isolated Bacillus thuringiensis strains from Silesia in Poland.

Protein profiles of crystal delta-endotoxins were determined in twenty nine Bacillus thuringiensis strains-soil and phylloplane isolates--from Poland. Electrophoretic analysis revealed quantatively and qualitatively different patterns of delta-endotoxin crystal preparations of these B. thuringiensis strains. The crystalline parasporal inclusions of B. thuringiensis isolates were composed of two, three, four or five proteins. Molecular weights of these polypeptides varied from 23.4 kDa to 142 kDa. There is lack of correlation between serovars of B. thuringiensis strains, the morphology of crystals and the number and size of proteins in parasporal inclusions.

[Transgenic bioinsecticides inimical to parasites, but imical to environment]. / Nieprzyjazne pasozytom a przyjazne srodowisku transgeniczne bioinsektycydy.

Identification of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) parasporal crystalline inclusions composed of Cry proteins (=delta-endotoxins) resulted in introduction of microbial pesticides for biological control of some parasites. Delta-endotoxins are encoded by cry genes and are active against pest and nuisance insects (mostly mosquitoes and black flies--vectors of still important infectious diseases). The recent significant progress in DNA recombination technique may overcome limitations (a short residual persistence and a narrow spectrum of activity) associated with application of Bt conventional products. An introduction of cry genes from mosquitocidal subspecies B. th. israelensis (Bti) to the aquatic microorganisms inhabiting the same water bodies as mosquito and fly larvae (Diptera), has considerably improved the toxin delivery system to target insects. However, in the first experiments, in which Bti genes were cloned in cyanobacteria (Agmenellum quadruplicatum, Synechocystis PCC6803), a low gene expression was observed. Thus, it was necessary to integrate cry genes with strong promoters or to increase the number of vector-introduced copies. To overcome the obstacles of low gene expression and regulatory restriction for recombinant organisms, Bti spore/crystal formulations were encapsulated in the aquatic protozoan, Tetrahymena pyriformis. Large numbers of crystals (180 to 240/cell) were accumulated in its food vacuoles. This system resulted also in an increase in toxin persistence from 24 to 71 h. Cloning Bti genes in B. sphaericus (which also produces mosquitocidal proteins) was another way of an increasing Bt crystal residual activity. In this case, the crystals were additionally protected by B. sphaericus exosporium. These transgenic bacteria produced large amounts of delta-endotoxins that remained under water surface longer than the wild B. sphaericus strains. Moreover, they had a broader spectrum of insecticidal activity, because B. sphaericus is toxic mostly to Culex and Anopheles, and Bti--mostly to Culex, Aedes and some Simmulidae. Gram-negative bacteria (Asticcacaulis excentricus, Caulobacter crescentus and Ancylobacter aquaticus) turned out also to be effective delta-endotoxin producers. They grow on simple media and do not contain proteases which could degrade Cry proteins. In some cases, 100% mosquito larvae mortality was observed as a result of an exposure to transgenic microorganisms containing Bti genes. However, transgenic techniques are still not very popular in the world, despite their efficacy in biological control of insects. The transgenic organism construction is expensive and time-consuming. Genetic engineering is still raising a lot of anxieties and doubts concerning inappropriate use of modified organisms. On the other hand, this technology could solve many problems associated with vectors of important diseases, which are still unapproachable to contemporary medicine.

Comparative delta-endotoxins of Bacillus thuringiensis against mosquito vectors (Aedes aegypti and Culex pipiens).

Pure crystals of seven Bacillus thuringiensis field isolates from the Lower Silesia region (Poland) were tested against larvae of Aedes aegypti L. and Culex pipiens L. (Culicidae, Diptera). The crystals of OpQ3 phylloplane isolate (belonging to the first biochemical type of B. thuringiensis subsp. japonensis, yoso, jinghongiensis) killed from 68 +/- 7% to 84 +/- 7% of the fourth instar larvae of A. aegypti. The crystals of two other strains (KpF3 and KpC1) of this group caused mortality between 3 +/- 2% and 70 +/- 7%. The LC50 ranged from 3.2 +/- 0.4 to 34.1 +/- 4.8 microg/ml. The effect of B. thulringiensis wratislaviensis H-47 crystals was the lowest with larval mortality from 0% to 17 +/- 3%. No significant (0%-37 +/- 6%) effect of B. thuringiensis crystals on the larvae of C. pipiens was observed. Our results show that the delta-endotoxins of B. thuringiensis act very specifically.