RESUMEN
The application of Biolog EcoPlate™ for community-level physiological profiling of soils is well documented; however, the functional diversity of aquatic bacterial communities has been hardly studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of the Biolog EcoPlate™ technique and evaluate comparatively the applied endpoints, for the characterisation of the effects of metal oxide nanoparticles (MONPs) on freshwater microbial communities. Microcosm experiments were run to assess the effect of nano ZnO and nano TiO2 in freshwater at 0.8-100 mg/L concentration range. The average well colour development, substrate average well colour development, substrate richness, Shannon index and evenness, Simpson index, McIntosh index and Gini coefficient were determined to quantify the metabolic capabilities and functional diversity. Comprehensive analysis of the experimental data demonstrated that short-term exposure to TiO2 and ZnO NPs affected the metabolic activity at different extent and through different mechanisms of action. TiO2 NPs displayed lower impact on the metabolic profile showing up to 30% inhibition. However, the inhibitory effect of ZnO NPs reached 99% with clearly concentration-dependent responses. This study demonstrated that the McIntosh and Gini coefficients were well applicable and sensitive diversity indices. The parallel use of general metabolic capabilities and functional diversity indices may improve the output information of the ecological studies on microbial communities.
RESUMEN
The objectives of this in vivo experimental study were to evaluate the feasibility of cortical screw insertion into the intact distal phalanx in standing sedated horses and to document potential postoperative complications. One cortical screw was randomly inserted in lag fashion into each distal phalanx in 9 horses. The second surgery on the contralateral limbs was performed 2-3 weeks after the first operation, when a 4.5-mm cortical screw was inserted in lag fashion into the distal phalanx of sedated horses following perineural analgesia. Following surgery, the drill hole was filled with an antibiotic-soaked swab, which was changed every 48 h. The horses were euthanised 8 weeks after the second surgery. The hooves were disarticulated and evaluated macroscopically and by computed tomography. The surgery time was 13.9 ± 4.8 min (mean ± SD). Pain scores and lameness gradually decreased after 7 days. Solar canal penetration (SCP) was detected in 10 out of the 18 distal phalanges (55.5%). In 7 out of the 10 penetrations intraoperative bleeding was obvious. No postoperative infection was observed. Screw insertion into the distal phalanx was easily and quickly accomplished in standing horses, but its advantages in horses with sagittal fractures should be investigated further. SCP had no impact on postoperative lameness.