The aim of the presented research was to assess the changes in hydro-physical properties of sandy clay under the influence of petroleum hydrocarbon contamination. An understanding of these changes is ...fundamental in the right remedial actions and for further use of soil. Laboratory tests of inherently wettable sandy clay showed that the petroleum hydrocarbon induced potential soil water repellency (SWR) of extremely repellent class at the contamination of 18 g kg
−1
. The relationship between soil water potential (pF) and SWR determined by the WDPT test for given hydrocarbon contamination, i.e., 6, 12, 18, 30, 100 g kg
−1
, showed that the critical soil moisture value (CSMC) corresponds to the pF = 1.0 ÷ 1.5. Soil retention characteristic (pF) showed that an increase in hydrocarbon contamination from 0 to 100 g kg
−1
caused a reduction of total available water for plants from about 0.19 to 0.06 cm cm
−3
. At the same time, in the pF = 1.5 ÷ 2.0 range, intensive soil pore drainage was observed. Statistically, significant effect of hydrocarbon contamination and soil moisture potential on SWR was found. Soil hydrophobicity limits the addition of soil retention, because a significant part of the precipitation can be transformed by surface runoff. The carried out tests showed that at a hydrocarbon contamination of 30 g kg
−1
, total rainfall amount 14 mm with an intensity of 2 mm h
−1
was transformed into a surface drain in approx. 40%. The conducted studies demonstrate the adverse impact of hydrocarbon contamination on the soil’s hydro-physical properties. The soil water retention reduction and launching of the surface outflow, as a result of limiting the water penetration process resulting from SWR, change the agrohydrological conditions of the contaminated area. It can result as the imbalance of the flow of energy and matter in the ecosystem. The scenarios of environmental effects, among others, depend on the type of soil, the degree of its pollution, the type of ecosystem, and supporting activities undertaken by man. It should be taken into account that the increasing frequency of drought occurrence associated with climate change is conducive to the phenomenon of SWR regardless of the reasons for its occurrence.
The strategy “from farm to fork” assumes a reduction in the usage of fertilizers and plant protection products in EU agriculture. The aim of this study, conducted over the years 2017–2019 in several ...locations in Poland, is to evaluate the application of growth activators with and without plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria to reduce mineral nitrogen fertilization without negative effects on the root yield. We studied the effect of these activators on selected soil properties. The experimental treatments included the application of the growth activators Penergetic (K + P) and Azoter, which contains the bacteria Azotobacter chroococcum, Azospirillum brasilense, and Bacillus megaterium, before sowing or during vegetation. The nitrogen rates were reduced by 30% in comparison to full nitrogen mineral fertilization (control treatment). In selected experiments, the application of Penergetic and Penergetic with Azoter caused a higher content of nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3) and ammonium nitrogen (N-NH4) after the sugar beet harvest as well as higher contents of mineral nitrogen (Nmin), P, K, and Mg in the soil in comparison to the treatment with the full dose of mineral nitrogen fertilization. The obtained results proved that it was possible to reduce the mineral application of nitrogen by 30% without a decrease in the biological and pure sugar yield, and even with an increase in the sugar yield caused by the application of the growth activators Penergetic (K + P) and Azoter.
In this study, the relationships between normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) obtained based on MODIS satellite data and grain yield of all cereals, wheat and barley at a country level were ...analyzed. The analysis was performed by using data from 2010–2018 for 20 European countries, where percentage of cereals is high (at least 35% of the arable land). The analysis was performed for each country separately and for all of the collected data together. The relationships between NDVI and cumulative NDVI (cNDVI) were analyzed by using linear regression. Relationships between NDVI in early spring and grain yield of cereals were very strong for Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. This means that the yield prediction for these countries can be as far back as 4 months before the harvest. The increase of NDVI in early spring was related to the increase of grain yield by about 0.5–1.6 t/ha. The cumulative of averaged NDVI gives more stable prediction of grain yield per season. For France and Belgium, the relationships between NDVI and grain yield were very weak.
In this study, we aimed to perform structural and proteomic analysis of the vitelline membrane (VM) of two species birds belonging to the family Turdidae: blackbird (Turdus merula) and song thrush ...(Turdus philomelos). We performed structural analyses using scanning electron microscopy. The VM proteins were identified and compared to the best-known chicken VM proteins. According to our results, VM of both species has a typical three-layered structure: the outer layer, inner layer, and the continuous membrane between them. An unusual observation was the finding of "convexity" formed by the inner layer in blackbird. The role of these convex structures is not known, but they can be typical for the species and can be used in their identification. In addition, we identified two proteins in the VM of both species of birds, of which U3KEZ1 FICAL was not previously identified in any other bird species, and the U3JXV8 FICAL protein was confirmed only once in cockatiel parrot VM. The function of these proteins is not exactly known, but their structure shows similarities to the SERPIN proteins that are involved in microbiological defense, i.e., they are immune proteins. This study contributes to the current knowledge about the structure and composition of proteins of VM, especially because similar analyses have never been performed for Turdidae family. Knowledge of the structure and specific proteins of blackbird and song thrush VM can be beneficial in research on ecology and bird biology and also helpful in developing noninvasive and nongenetic identification methods.
Randomly selected 1,611 individuals aged 18 years formed a nationally representative sample from all provinces of Poland. Developmental defects of the enamel (DDE) and caries were assessed using the ...modified DDE index, molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) Treatment Need Index (MIH-TNI), FDI and WHO criteria by 22 trained and calibrated dentists. T-test was used for comparing group means. A simple and multiple logistic regression tests were used to assess the relationship between DDE and caries severity expressed as DMFT (p < 0.05). The prevalence of DDE was 13.7%. Demarcated opacities (DEO) were the most frequent (9.65%); 4% had diffuse opacities (DIO) and 1.5% had hypoplasia. MIH was diagnosed in 0.6% patients. The prevalence of caries was 93.2%, with mean DMFT of 6.50 ± 4.22. The DMFT value was 7.52 ± 4.77 in the group of patients with demarcated opacities (DEO); 7.85 ± 4.74 with diffuse opacities (DIO) and 7.56 ± 4.57 with enamel hypoplasia, respectively. There was a significant relationship between caries severity and DDE (p < 0.001), DEO (p = 0.001) and DIO (p = 0.038), and between DDE and DMFT index (p < 0.001). The results obtained in the study proved the significant relationship between DDE and DMFT in 18-year-olds, the assessment of which was the aim of the study.
Objective
The study aimed to assess the association between parental-reported vitamin D supplementation and caries in a national sample of 3-year-olds in Poland.
Materials and methods
A total of 1900 ...children, representing all provinces of Poland, were invited. The questionnaires concerned vitamin D supplementation, socio-demographics, and oral health behaviours. Based on dental examination, caries scores (dmft/dmfs), prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) and severe ECC (S-ECC) were calculated. The Spearman’s correlation, linear regression and logistic regression were used to assess the association between various factors and caries (
p
< 0.05).
Results
A total of 1638 children were tested. Of this number, 99.1% infants were supplemented with vitamin D. Supplementation had been continued seasonally in 55.2% children. ECC/S-ECC prevalence were significantly lower in children receiving vitamin D (ECC 38.3% vs. 44.7%, OR = 0.77; S-ECC 20.5% vs. 27.1%, OR = 0.69;
p
< 0.05). Mean dmft/dmfs were lower in those with supplementation (1.54 ± 2.72 vs. 2.24 ± 3.55; 2.40 ± 5.56 vs. 3.72 ± 7.56, respectively;
p
< 0.001). After controlling for confounding factors, supplementation was not significantly associated with caries; only dt/ds were still associated. Maternal education, sweetened beverages before bedtime, bottle use were significantly associated with S-ECC.
Conclusions
Lower caries prevalence was observed in those with vitamin D supplementation. The association between parental-reported vitamin D and ECC/S-ECC was not significant in Polish children. Decayed teeth and supplementation were still associated. Dietary habits can modify the association with caries.
Clinical relevance
There may be an association between vitamin D supplementation and lower caries in children. Parents should supplement their children during periods of significant growth and development.
In this study, we analyzed the parent stock of ISA Brown hens reared in closed and open aviary (CA and OA, respectively) sections with regard to the productive performance of hens, hatchability, and ...quality of chicks. The flocks were reared (1,570 cocks and 17,515 hens) for 16 wk in a three-level aviary system. On the 7th wk of rearing, half of the birds (OA group of birds) were allowed to leave the section and use half of the area of the poultry house and to use all levels. The remaining half of the birds were kept in the CA section for the entire duration of rearing. After the duration of rearing, the birds were moved to 2 neighboring production poultry houses (OA = 680 cocks and 8,126 hens; CA = 685 cocks and 8,133 hens). Reproduction was performed in a litter system in accordance with the norms for parent stock of laying hens. During the production cycle (53 wk), laying performance, feed conversion ratio, water consumption, and mortality were analyzed. On 27th, 37th, and 49th wk of production, the following analysis was performed: rate of fertilization (%), rate of hatching (%), and quality of chick. In accordance with the results, birds in OA flock required less amount of feed (P < 0.001) and water (P = 0.020) to produce a laid egg, a hatching egg (respectively: P < 0.001; P = 0.009), and a chick (both P < 0.001) in comparison with the birds in CA flock. In addition, a lower number of litter eggs were found in the OA flock (P < 0.001). Mean laying production, production of hatching eggs, and number of waste eggs did not depend on the flock rearing system (P > 0.05); however, a combined analysis of all these parameters using multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated a better (P < 0.001) result for OA flock than that of CA flock. Rate of fertilization, rate of hatching, and quality of chicks did not depend on the flock rearing system (P > 0.05). In summary, it is possible to rear parent ISA Brown hens in open sections of aviary system without the fear of subsequent deterioration of indicators of future egg production.
The Green Deal adopted by the European Commission assumes a significant reduction in the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. It is necessary to search for environmentally safe technologies ...that will prevent a reduction in crop yield. One of such methods, which was examined in the study, is the foliar application of silicon, which can have a positive effect on root yield and its quality. In the period 2017–2019, a field experiment was carried out in which the effectiveness of the application of various forms of silicon (orthosilicic acid, a mixture of orthosilicic and polysilicic acid and calcium silicate) in sugar beet cultivation was assessed. The applied treatments of foliar application increased the root yield by 10.7–11.7%, the biological sugar yield by 8.4–12% and the pure sugar yield by 7.2–11.8% as compared to the control treatment. The differences between the individual treatments in terms of these characteristics were insignificant. Their impacts on the technological quality of roots (content of sugar, α-amino nitrogen, potassium and sodium) were different.
The European Green Deal presented by the European Commission aims to reduce nutrient losses by at least 50% while preventing the deterioration of soil fertility and reducing the use of fertilizers by ...at least 20% by 2030. Farmers in the EU must prepare for this. Studies carried out in several locations in Poland in 2017–2019 tested the possibility of replacing 30–40% of the dose of mineral nitrogen by Penergetic (K + P) growth activators alone and in combination with Azoter containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria in the cultivation of maize for grain. It was confirmed that the two combinations allowed a higher yield of maize grain by 2.9% and 8.8%, respectively, compared to the full nitrogen dose. Positive changes in the content of some assimilable macro- and microelements and soil organic carbon (SOC), and an increase in soil pH, were also observed.
Variability in shell structure is an evolutionary mechanism in birds that enables them to adapt to specific environmental conditions. This variability may also occur within the same species under the ...influence of individual indicators, such as the age or health status of females. While interspecies variation is quite obvious and easy to interpret, the reasons for intraspecies variation remain unclear. In this study, we examined the ultra- and microstructure of guinea fowl eggshells to identify the association between variations in shell structure and hatchability outcomes. We analyzed the visual differences between shells with low (L), intermediate (I), and high (H) external porosity using scale invariant feature transform analysis with NaturePatternMatch software. We found that the external pore image was closely related to the overall porosity of the shell before incubation. The total pore area, total porosity, and diffusion index (GH2O) were highest in group H shells (P < 0.001). Posthatching shells were characterized by an increased diameter and total surface area, decreased pore number (P < 0.001), as well as shortened mammillary layer (P < 0.001) and decreased total consumption of mammillary knobs (P < 0.001). The porosity indices of posthatching H shells had intermediate values between L and I. Although the effect of shell structure parameters on hatching was not confirmed, we assumed that all categories (L, I, and H) of shells were ideal for incubation. This suggests that the shell structure adapts to the metabolic rate of developing embryos; however, differences in shell structure affect the duration of incubation and synchronization of hatching. Both L and H shells showed delayed and prolonged hatching. Therefore, we recommended that guinea fowl eggs with different external porosity parameters should be incubated separately for better hatching synchronization. Differences in GH2O between L, I, and H eggs suggest that the shell porosity characteristics of guinea fowl eggs may be a key determinant of the rate of water loss during storage before incubation.
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