Expanding ecological assessment by integrating microorganisms into routine freshwater biomonitoring.

Bioindication has become an indispensable part of water quality monitoring in most countries of the world, with the presence and abundance of bioindicator taxa, mostly multicellular eukaryotes, used for biotic indices. In contrast, microbes (bacteria, archaea and protists) are seldom used as bioindicators in routine assessments, although they have been recognized for their importance in environmental processes. Recently, the use of molecular methods has revealed unexpected diversity within known functional groups and novel metabolic pathways that are particularly important in energy and nutrient cycling. In various habitats, microbial communities respond to eutrophication, metals, and natural or anthropogenic organic pollutants through changes in diversity and function. In this review, we evaluated the common trends in these changes, documenting that they have value as bioindicators and can be used not only for monitoring but also for improving our understanding of the major processes in lotic and lentic environments. Current knowledge provides a solid foundation for exploiting microbial taxa, community structures and diversity, as well as functional genes, in novel monitoring programs. These microbial community measures can also be combined into biotic indices, improving the resolution of individual bioindicators. Here, we assess particular molecular approaches complemented by advanced bioinformatic analysis, as these are the most promising with respect to detailed bioindication value. We conclude that microbial community dynamics are a missing link important for our understanding of rapid changes in the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems, and should be addressed in the future environmental monitoring of freshwater ecosystems.

Gadolinium alginate nanogels for theranostic applications.

Synthesis of theranostic nanoparticles, which combine both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities in one platform can be considered as a step forward personalized medicine, since it allows tracing the delivery of the drug to targeted organ. Thus, the aim of this work was to prepare gadolinium alginate gel nanoparticles (gadolinum nanogels - GdNG) by the reverse microemulsions and physical crosslinking method as the vehicles able to carry hydrophilic drugs and to be traced by the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The average size of synthesized nanoparticles was about 110nm and the batch concentration was 1010 particles/ml. The morphology of nanogeles was visualized by Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy. Surface of nanogels particles was modified by the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique using natural polyelectrolytes. The cytotoxicity of non-modified and LbL modified nanogels was evaluated by the cellular viability quantification and cell death assessments using MTT and LDH biochemical tests, respectively. We encapsulated the model compound - fluorescent dye (Rhodamine b) in nanogels networks and proved the possibility of GdNG visualization by MRI.

[Surgical Treatment for Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane]. / Chirurgická liecba idiopatických epiretinálnych membrán.

AIM: To assess effectiveness of surgical treatment for idiopathic epiretinal membrane. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study included on 44 eyes out of 46 patients operated for idiopathic ERM in OFTAL Zvolen with a 20G PPV (32 patients) and posterior vitreous membrane ablation and 23G PPV (14 patients) from August 2008 to December 2014. After the extraction of epiretinal membrane, a peeling of ILM has been implemented following its Blue Membrane identification. Mean follow-up time was 18 months. RESULTS: Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before the surgery was 0.37 (SD 0.15) whereas post-surgery indicated 0.63 (SD 0.25). In 35 eyes (76.1%) was BCVA after the surgery 0,5 and better and in 2 eyes (4.3%) was BCVA 0,16 and worse. 29 eyes (63.0%) acquired 2 and more rows. BCVA improved in 40 eyes (87.0%) and remained the same in 3 eyes (6.5%). Degeneration of BCVA in 3 eyes (6.5%) was due to retinal detachment in one case, to retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy in the second case and to ischemic optic nerve head atrophy in the last case. According to OCT, the average mean of foveal thickness before the surgery was 496 (SD 88) µm and decreased to 356 (SD 59) µm after the surgery (thus average reduction of 140 µm). In 30 eyes (65.2%), we achieved a reduced foveal thickness of more than 100 µm, in comparison to 15 eyes (32.6%) of less than 100 µm. In no case after the surgery did retinal thickness increase comparing to finding before the surgery. Foveal contour restitution was present in 14 eyes (30.4%). There were no preoperative/ intraoperative complications. In 3 eyes (10.3%) a combined cataract surgery with PPV was performed. Cataract progression was seen in 20 phakic eyes (76.9%) out of 26 where all of them were treated surgically at an average time 13 (3-34) months after the PPV. As postoperative complication shows, a retinal detachment occurred in one eye (2.2%) 5 months after the surgery and in 1 eye (2.2%) a cystoid macular edema turned out as the reason of residual posterior vitreous adhesion. CONCLUSION: PPV with membranectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling is a safe and effective method in idiopathic epiretinal membrane treatment. It leads to a function improvement and foveal thickness reduction in most of the patients diagnosed with IEM. Because phakic eyes conduce cataract progression (76.9%), on older patients with no transparent lens we now perform a combination of surgical operations--pars plana vitrectomy and cataract extraction.