Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences

About: Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences is a education organization based out in Wrocław, Poland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & GNSS applications. The organization has 3108 authors who have published 6672 publications receiving 57774 citations.

Experimental methods of abdominal aortic aneurysm creation in swine as a large animal model

Abstract: Animal models of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) enable preclinical studies on new therapeutic approaches and help to understand pathophysiology of the disease. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of selected methods of experimental induction of abdominal aortic aneurysm in swine and to adapt the EMG examination (electromyography) to record the vessel wall changes. The animals were divided into 3 groups comprising 4 individuals in whom AAA was surgically induced. In the first group the AAA was induced by mechanical stretching of the aortic wall and injection of 500 IU elastase under pressure. The second group received elastase and 6000 IU of collagenase. In the third group 0.5 M CaCl2 solution was introduced additionally. Enlargement of abdominal aorta was monitored for 4 weeks. The first group did not show any aorta dilatation. In the second group the aortic lumen was dilated on average by 71±3.5% (P£0.001) as shown at autopsy and by 76.6±9.3% as measured by the ultrasound method. In the third group aorta was dilatated by 104.2±11.3% as obtained by ultrasound and 72±3% at post-mortem examination. Myoelectric activity of VSMC (vascular smooth muscle cell) was demonstrated and it was characterized by the presence of three types of waves closely related to the pressure changes in the vessel lumen. We conclude that collagen fibers damage plays a significant role in the AAA development in swine. The inflammatory process in the vessel's wall also contributes to AAA development. However, myoelectrical activity of VSMC does not significantly change despite histologically confirmed loss of muscular layer.

Prevalence and Traits of Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene Harbouring Isolates from Different Ecosystems in Africa.

Abstract: The mobile colistin resistance (mcr) gene threatens the efficacy of colistin (COL), a last-line antibiotic used in treating deadly infections. For more than six decades, COL is used in livestock around the globe, including Africa. The use of critically important antimicrobial agents, like COL, is largely unregulated in Africa, and many other factors militate against effective antimicrobial stewardship in the continent. Currently, ten mcr genes (mcr-1 to mcr-10) have been described. In Africa, mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-5, mcr-8, and mcr-9 have been detected in isolates from humans, animals, foods of animal origin, and the environment. These genes are harboured by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Alcaligenes, and Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. Different conjugative and nonconjugative plasmids form the backbone for mcr in these isolates; however, mcr-1 and mcr-3 have also been integrated into the chromosome of some African strains. Insertion sequences (ISs) (especially ISApl1), either located upstream or downstream of mcr, class 1 integrons, and transposons, are drivers of mcr in Africa. Genes coding multi/extensive drug resistance and virulence are colocated with mcr on plasmids in African strains. Transmission of mcr to/among African strains is nonclonal. Contact with mcr-habouring reservoirs, the consumption of contaminated foods of animal/plant origin or fluid, animal-/plant-based food trade and travel serve as exportation, importation, and transmission routes of mcr gene-containing bacteria in Africa. Herein, the current status of plasmid-mediated COL resistance in humans, food-producing animals, foods of animal origin, and environment in Africa is discussed.

Flow Cytometric Evaluation of Intracellular Cytokine Synthesis in Peripheral Mononuclear Cells of Women with Endometriosis

Abstract: Systemic changes related to cytokine expression levels in women with endometriosis remain a subject of controversy. There are many studies concerning this topic showing differential serum cytokine levels; however, there are limited data presenting cytokine expression at the single-cell level. This study focused on this question by measuring intracellular cytokine staining of activated peripheral CD3+ and CD14+ cells from women with endometriosis (investigative group) compared with those with uterine leiomyoma (control group). Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women with endometriosis and uterine leiomyoma were stimulated with PMA and ionomycin or with LPS to induce intracellular synthesis of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, and IL-8 in subpopulations of CD3+ cells and TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, and IL-8 in CD14+ cells. Comparison of the total groups of patients showed no significant differences in any of the intracellular cytokines investigated in the T cells and monocytes of women with endometriosis compared with controls. When the group of women with endometriosis was divided with regard to severity of disease, a significantly lower percentage of CD3+CD8- lymphocytes stained for IFN-gamma and a significantly higher percentage of CD14+ cells stained for MCP-1 in advanced endometriosis patients compared with the control group were observed. We conclude that peripheral mononuclear cells in women with advanced endometriosis may have differential cytokine synthesis in vitro. These results support the idea that differing immune cell activity measured by intracellular cytokine profiles in women with advanced endometriosis may be more a consequence of the disease than a cause.

Exploration of bagging ensembles comprising genetic fuzzy models to assist with real estate appraisals

Abstract: The study reported was devoted to investigate to what extent bagging approach could lead to the improvement of the accuracy machine learning regression models. Four algorithms implemented in the KEEL tool, including two evolutionary fuzzy systems, decision trees for regression, and neural network, were used in the experiments. The results showed that some bagging ensembles ensured higher prediction accuracy than single models.

Modelling and optimization of chromiumIII biosorption on soybean meal

Abstract: In this investigation a waste biological material, soybean meal, was applied as a biosorbent for heavy metal ions (CrIII). The diffusive Webber-Morris model and the pseudo-II-order model suitably described the kinetics of CrIII ions binding on soybean meal. The Langmuir-Freundlich equation was valid for the description of the isotherm. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), FTIR and scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive X-ray analytical system (SEM-EDX) were used in order to identify the mechanism of the metal ions binding. The analysis of the composition of the enriched soybean meal confirmed the contribution of ion exchange in the biosorption process. Three-variable-three-level Box-Behnken design was used to determine the optimal conditions for biosorption of CrIII on soybean meal. The optimal conditions for predicted maximum Cr3+ uptake (61.07 mg g−1) by soybean meal were estimated by Matlab and established as temperature of 38.04°C, initial metal concentration 500 mg L−1 and biosorbent dosage 1 g L−1.