Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences

Microscopic fungi represent a significant yet poorly characterized component of atmospheric bioaerosols in polar regions. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the diversity, ecology, and potential roles of fungi in the Arctic atmosphere, with particular focus on their ecological functions and implications for human health and infrastructure. Fungi contribute to atmospheric processes such as acting as cloud condensation nuclei and play a key role in the decomposition of organic matter under low-temperature conditions. The identification of potentially pathogenic species, as well as fungi capable of degrading construction materials, raises concerns about health and infrastructure, especially in light of growing human activity in the Arctic. The review highlights the urgent need for interdisciplinary research, particularly using molecular methods, to better understand the sources, dynamics, and functions of aeromycobiota in the context of ongoing climate change. To better understand the role of fungi in this part of the world, a series of aeromycological observations were also conducted in northern Iceland. During the study, 20 fungal taxa were found at concentrations of 140 and 147 CFU/m3.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether having children and engaging in caregiving responsibilities influence the regularity of sleep–wake rhythms in men, particularly in terms of reducing the phenomenon of social jet lag—the misalignment between biological and social time. This cross-sectional study was based on self-reported data collected online in the fall of 2023. Social jet lag was calculated as the difference between sleep timing on workdays and non-workdays. Statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test, Student’s t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression. Group comparisons between four categories (fathers and childless men, with and without social jet lag) were performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. The study sample consisted of 238 adult men (mean age = 28 years; SD = 9.05). The questionnaire included questions about the number and age of children, relationship status, sleep habits, alcohol use, and sleep medication intake. Individuals with irregular circadian patterns or shift work were excluded. Social jet lag was significantly less prevalent among fathers compared to childless men. Having children was associated with a 70

The review organizes current knowledge on the biofunctions, life-history strategies, and environmental responses of Chloroflexota in agricultural soils. Members of this phylum play key roles in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling through a high degree of metabolic versatility, including photosynthesis, redox reactions, and the degradation of complex organic compounds such as cellulose and lignin. Chloroflexota contribute to major soil processes, including nitrification, denitrification, and nitrogen fixation. In agricultural soils, the predominant classes are Anaerolineae and Ktedonobacteria, each exhibiting distinct ecological strategies. Anaerolineae members, such as Leptolinea, Bellilinea, and Anaerolinea, are often associated with nutrient-enriched conditions, suggesting copiotrophic or competitor- and ruderal-like traits. In contrast, Ktedonobacteria show negative responses to increased soil carbon and nitrogen, suggesting that its members are oligotrophic. Despite these trends, responses to soil organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and pH vary substantially across studies, likely due to functional heterogeneity within the phylum and insufficient taxonomic resolution in metataxonomic datasets. Emerging evidence from metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) reveals that Chloroflexota harbor genes involved in carbon fixation, nitrogen transformations, and phosphorus solubilization, highlighting their previously underestimated ecological significance. However, most Chloroflexota remain uncultured, and available genomic data are still limited. Future research integrating high-resolution taxonomic profiling, metagenomics, and cultivation-based approaches is needed to clarify the ecological roles and life-history strategies of Chloroflexota members. Such advances may ultimately establish this phylum as an important microbial indicator of soil fertility and environmental change in agricultural soils.

Background: Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) require strict control of critical process parameters (CPPs) to ensure manufacturing efficiency. The relative impact of donor systemic factors, such as vitamin D status, versus technical process parameters on dental pulp-derived stem cell (DPSC) production remains unclear. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 250 adults undergoing extraction of impacted mandibular third molars were included. Dental pulp was processed under a standardized SOP using different preparation methods and enzyme conditions. Primary endpoints were serum 25(OH)D concentration and cell yield; secondary endpoints included number of passages and cryovials. Results: Mean 25(OH)D concentration was 30.1 ± 14.5 ng/mL and was higher in supplemented individuals (38.2 ± 14.0 vs. 25.6 ± 12.7 ng/mL; p < 0.0001) but was not associated with cell yield (ρ = 0.14, p = 0.168) or passages (ρ = 0.07, p = 0.406). In contrast, process parameters showed strong effects: scissor preparation resulted in a substantially higher yield than mechanical methods (median 5.00 vs. 1.00 million cells; p = 3.6 × 10-13), and type II collagenase was independently associated with a higher yield (+2.04 million cells; p = 0.026). The number of passages was the strongest predictor of yield (β = 2.28 million per passage; p < 10-26). Post-thaw viability remained high (mean 90.1% and range 81-98%). Conclusions: Manufacturing efficiency of DPSCs is primarily determined by critical process parameters, particularly preparation method, enzyme selection, and passage control, whereas donor vitamin D status did not significantly influence outcomes under the studied SOP. These findings highlight process standardization as the key driver of reproducible ATMP manufacturing.

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF), a processed fraction of municipal solid waste, is increasingly used as an alternative fuel in thermochemical applications. Torrefaction, a mild thermal treatment under inert conditions, has been shown to improve RDF fuel properties by increasing carbon content and calorific value while reducing moisture and volatile matter. However, the heterogeneous composition of RDF presents challenges in predicting its behavior during torrefaction. This study presents a modeling framework for predicting key fuel properties of torrefied RDF using experimental data from nine clean RDF components and their binary mixtures. Nonlinear regression models were developed based on torrefaction temperature (HTT) and carbon-relative molar mass (CRMM), a compositional descriptor reflecting molecular structure. The models demonstrated strong predictive power for carbon content (R2 = 0.888) and heating values (R2 = 0.810-0.859), while parameters such as ash, nitrogen, and sulfur content were less predictable. CRMM enabled effective representation of compositional variability, particularly regarding carbonization and energy densification. The proposed models offer a practical tool for optimizing torrefaction-based RDF upgrading and provide a foundation for future studies involving more complex RDF mixtures.