Pickling of chanterelle <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cantharellus cibarius</Emphasis> mushrooms highly reduce cadmium contamination

Mushrooms are considered as potential bio-remediation agents in soil polluted with heavy metals, while many species which efficiently accumulate them in flesh are edible. Question is if there is any possible culinary use of edible mushrooms with high heavy metal contents? This study aimed to investigate and discuss a fate of cadmium (Cd) in common household-treated fruitbodies of common chanterelle Cantharellus cibarius. The samples of Cantharellus cibarius Fr. were collected from five spatially distanced sites in Poland in 2011–2012. We examined from 267 to 358 fruiting bodies per collection, and in total 1565 fruiting bodies were used. Cadmium in fungal materials from all treatments and processes (mushrooms dried, deep frozen, blanched and pickled) was determined using validated methods by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with dynamic reaction cell. Blanching of fresh chanterelles caused decrease of Cd by around 11 ± 7 to 36 ± 7%, while blanching of deep-frozen mushrooms by around 40 ± 6%. A rate of Cd decrease in chanterelles was similar when the fruiting bodies were blanched for 5 or 15 min and when used was potable or deionized water. Pickling of blanched chanterelles with a diluted vinegar marinade had a pronounced effect on further removal of Cd. Blanched chanterelles when pickled lost an extra 37–71% of Cd. Total leaching rate of Cd from fresh or deep-frozen fruitbodies of chanterelle when blanched and further pickled was between 77 ± 7 and 91 ± 4%. Blanching and pickling highly decreased content of Cd in C. cibarius.     

Musculoskeletal Load Assessment of the Upper Limb Positions Subjectively Chosen as the Most Convenient

Work posture is determined by interdependence between work stand design, the necessity to perform given activities, and the anthropometric dimensions of the worker, but it also depends on individual preferences. The aim of the study was to compare the musculoskeletal load of the right upper extremity under conditions of imposed (standard) upper limb position and subjectively chosen ones, and to assess the influence of the changes in magnitude of the external force on the musculoskeletal load in the examined limb positions. Ten healthy male participants took part in the study. Muscular load associated with different upper extremity positions with and without external load were assessed. Musculoskeletal load for standard and subjectively chosen limb positions and two different values of external load were compared by means of theoretical and experimental methods. Results indicate that differences in musculoskeletal load between imposed and subjectively chosen limb positions were not high enough to show statistically significant differences, and the upper limb position chosen by the participant does not always cause the lowest musculoskeletal load.     

The development of new environmental policies and processes in response to a crisis: the case of the multiple barrier approach for safe drinking water

While new environmental policies and procedures often are developed incrementally, they can also result from crises or other significant events. In situations where policies and procedures are introduced in response to a crisis, questions about the strengths and weaknesses of existing mechanisms, and the extent to which they can be used to address concerns, may be ignored. This paper explores the complexities of introducing new policies and processes where planning systems and procedures already exist. Drinking water source protection policies that are being developed in response to the tragic events in Walkerton, Ontario, Canada serve as the context for the inquiry. Three case study watersheds were selected to reflect the diversity of municipal jurisdictions and water supply systems in Ontario. A content analysis was undertaken on regulatory and non-regulatory policy documents to determine the extent to which they addressed elements of the multi-barrier approach for drinking water safety. Findings from the research reveal considerable evidence of the multi-barrier approach in the policy and guiding documents analyzed. Policy development in response to a crisis can advance progress on the issue of drinking water safety and coincide with emerging governance strategies. Policy effectiveness may be enhanced by considering existing policies as well as contextual and jurisdictional differences.     

Storm water contamination and its effect on the quality of urban surface waters

We studied the effect of storm water drained by the sewerage system and discharged into a river and a small reservoir, on the example of five catchments located within the boundaries of the city of Poznań (Poland). These catchments differed both in terms of their surface area and land use (single- and multi-family housing, industrial areas). The aim of the analyses was to explain to what extent pollutants found in storm water runoff from the studied catchments affected the quality of surface waters and whether it threatened the aquatic organisms. Only some of the 14 studied variables and 22 chemical elements were important for the water quality of the river, i.e., pH, TSS, rain intensity, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, organic matter content, Al, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cd, Ni, Se, and Tl. The most serious threat to biota in the receiver came from the copper contamination of storm water runoff. Of all samples below the sewerage outflow, 74 % exceeded the mean acute value for Daphnia species. Some of them exceeded safe concentrations for other aquatic organisms. Only the outlet from the industrial area with the highest impervious surface had a substantial influence on the water quality of the river. A reservoir situated in the river course had an important influence on the elimination of storm water pollution, despite the very short residence time of its water.     

A study of the influence of muscle type and muscle force level on individual frequency bands of the EMG power spectrum.

The aim of this study was to analyse the electromyographic (EMG) power spectrum indicating differences in the frequency bands of the spectrum resulting from differences in muscle type and force level for the extensor digitorum (ED), palmaris longus (PL) and biceps brachii (BB) muscles. The study was performed on 12 young men as 2 tests different in terms of the type of exerted force (30, 15 and 5% MVC, maximum voluntary contraction). The parameters of the EMG power spectrum were obtained as a result of a division of the EMG power spectrum into ranges determined by border frequencies. The results suggest that (a) frequency bands contained in the 30-80 Hz range and over the frequency of 300 Hz depend on muscle force, and (b) the power spectrum in the frequency range of up to 40 Hz and 60-300 Hz indicates muscle type.     

基于QSAR模型的蒙特卡洛方法分析有机化学物质对大型蚤(Daphnia magna)的毒性

本文建立一系列758种有机化合物对大型蚤(Daphnia magna)毒性的定量结构-活性关系(QSARs)。用简化的分子线性输入系统(SMILES)代表分子结构。用CORAL(关联和逻辑)软件作为工具来开发QSAR模型。这些模型使用蒙特卡罗方法建立,依据的原理是QSAR是一个“随机事件”,假设检验一组随机数据分布在可见的训练集和不可见的验证集。检验了三组分布于可见的训练、校准、测试集中的数据以及不可见的验证集。最佳模型的预测潜能,也就是其不可见的验证集的统计特征如下:n = 87,r² = 0.8377,RMSE = 0.564。建议和讨论了所构建模型的机械解释和适用领域。
精选自Alla P. Toropova, Andrey A. Toropov, Aleksandar M. Veselinovi?, Jovana B. Veselinovi?, Danuta Leszczynska, Jerzy Leszczynski. Monte Carlo based QSAR models for toxicity of organic chemicals to Daphnia magna. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Volume 35, Issue 11, pages 2691–2697, November 2016. DOI: 10.1002/etc.3466
详情请见http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/etc.3466/full
     

Leaf surface compounds of the potato (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum tuberosum</Emphasis>) and their influence on Colorado potato beetle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Leptinotarsa decemlineata</Emphasis>) feeding

Summary.  The sampling behavior of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say (CPB) involves examination of the surface of potato leaves. It has been suggested that leaf surface compounds (volatiles and cuticular waxes) may be involved in host-plant recognition, acceptance or discrimination. Here we report on the effect of leaf surface extracts of six Polish commercial potato varieties on CPB feeding. We tested the influence of potato leaf surface extracts on CPB adult and larval feeding, then separated the extracts with HPLC, and finally tested the effect of the HPLC-separated fractions on CPB feeding. The bioassays were performed using potato leaf discs deprived of their original surface compounds. Applied to test discs at concentrations ten times higher than natural (10 leaf area equivalent), the extracts deterred CPB adults and larvae from feeding. HPLC-separated fractions composed of alkanes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, wax esters, benzoic acid esters, fatty acid methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and phenylethyl esters, aldehydes, ketones, methyl ketones, fatty acids, primary alcohols, β-amyrin and sterols did not affect adult CPB feeding. Similarly, alkanes, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, wax esters, methyl ketones, sesquiterpene alcohols and secondary alcohols had no effect on larval CPB feeding. The sterol fraction (cholesterol, β-sitosterol and stigmasterol) acted as a phagostimulant to CPB larvae. We isolated a fraction demonstrating a phagodeterrent effect on CPB adults and larvae. The qualitative composition of the deterrent fraction was quite similar in all potato extracts, but there were quantitative differences between the varieties. Much further work is needed to identify the compounds that can produce the deterrent effect.     

Analysis of postural load during tasks related to milking cows-a case study

The aim of this study was to analyse postural load during tasks related to milking cows of 2 farmers on 2 different farms (one with a manual milk transport system, the other with a fully automated milk transport system) as a case study. The participants were full-time farmers, they were both healthy and experienced in their job. The Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS) was used to evaluate postural load and postural risk. Postural load was medium for the farmer on the farm with a manual milk transport system and high for the farmer working on the farm with a fully automated milk transport system. Thus, it can be concluded that a higher level of farm mechanization not always mean that the farmer's postural load is lower, but limitation of OWAS should be considered.