This study conducted a comparative analysis of fatty acids (FAs) concentration derived from polar (PL) and non-polar (NPL) lipids in the liver and muscle tissues of rats and mice. The objective was to elucidate species-specific differences in tissue FA distribution. Employing targeted GC/MS-based methodology, the study aimed to provide insights into conserved and species-specific aspects of lipid metabolism, thereby enhancing future experimental design, linked with comprehension of the interactions between diet, metabolism, and health. Results revealed markedly higher levels of total fatty acids (TFAs) derived from PL in mice skeletal muscle compared to rats and elevated saturated fatty acids (SFAs) levels in mice. Unsaturated fatty acid levels, mainly monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), were substantially higher in mice muscle across all lipid classes, resulting in a higher PUFA/TFA ratio in mice muscle. Detailed analysis of specific unsaturated fatty acids (C16:1, C18:1n9c, C18:2n6c, C22:6n3) indicated elevated levels in mice relative to rats. Conversely, rats exhibited higher SFA levels derived from the NPL fraction in the liver, particularly in myristic (C14:0), stearic (C18:0), and tricosanoic (C23:0) acids. Mice liver PL fractions displayed significantly elevated unsaturated FA levels, with notably higher MUFAs and lower PUFAs in NPL fractions compared to rats. Analysis of specific unsaturated FAs revealed higher levels of palmitoleic acid (C16:1) in mice, while rats exhibited increased linoleic (C18:2n6c) and linolenic (C18:3n3) acids. In conclusion, significant differences in FAs tissue distribution between rats and mice underscore the importance of considering species-specific FAs variations when utilizing these animal models and interpreting experimental results related to FA metabolism.

Dwelling intensity of horse-chestnut miner (Cameraria ohridella) larvae in various leaves insolation and temperature was measured to determine whether this pest's development follows a predictable pattern or depends more on local microenvironment conditions. Mines growing on leaves of mature host plants (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) in their natural conditions were photographed for two consecutive generations of the pest and in two separated vegetation periods. Apart from meteorological data obtained from the nearest station, the temperature of intact and mined parts of sun-exposed and shaded leaf blades was measured at various daytimes throughout the experiment. Obtained sets of digital data were analysed and combined to model mine area growth as a function of degree-days sum by adopting of Verhulst logistic equation. We showed the predictive potential of our model based on experimental data, and it may be useful in the scheduling of pest control measures in natural conditions. Our analyses also revealed that despite significant differences in microenvironment conditions depending on mines' insolation, the horse-chestnut miner larvae could partially compensate for them and complete their development at similar endpoints expressed as the cumulative sum of degree-days. We conclude that computer-aided analysis of photographic documentation of leaf-miner larval growth followed by mathematical modelling offers a noninvasive, reliable, and inexpensive alternative for monitoring local leaf-miners populations.

Ecotoxicological biotests were applied in order to evaluate their suitability as early warning systems in the continuous monitoring of lowland shallow dam reservoirs located in Central Europe. The following biotests were used: Daphtoxkit F™magna, Algaltoxkit F™, Ostracodtoxkit F, Phytotoxkit and MARA Test. The experiment was conducted from July 2010 to December 2012 in Goczalkowice Reservoir (the Vistula River, Poland), serving as a model. For the analysis, 41 out of 52 measured water indices were used to assess its toxicity to living organisms. The results of biotests were correlated with 41 hydrochemical indices of water quality. The pattern of relationships among the result of biotest and hydrochemical indices as well as Factor Analysis (FA) and Primary Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that: i) signs of ecotoxicity detected with biotests were associated with either low fl ow periods or spring surface runoff of water; ii) single events of increased ecotoxicity in the depression areas behind saddle dam pump stations appearedafter high fl ow periods; iii) elevated toxicity was accompanied by high concentrations of dissolved and suspended substances; iv) FA and PCA demonstrated correlations among the results of biotests and damming parameters, water conductivity, alkali and transitory metal metals (Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn), and several forms of nitrogen phosphorous and carbon compounds concentration. The relationships suggest that batteries of biotests may serve as a cost-eff ective tool for continuous monitoring of water quality in dam reservoirs and can detect eff ects of extreme hydrologic events, local toxic discharges, and signs of the trophic status of the reservoirs

The liver plays a central role in glucose and fatty acid metabolism and acts as an endocrine organ that secretes hepatokines with diverse systemic effects. The study aimed to examine the influence of duodenojejunal omega switch (DJOS) bariatric surgery in combination with different diets on glucose administration parameters and hepatokines levels. After 8 weeks on high fat, high sugar diet (HFS) or control diets (CD), Sprague–Dawley rats underwent DJOS or SHAM (control) surgery. For the next 8 weeks after the surgery, half of DJOS and SHAM-operated animals were kept on the same diet as before, and half had a diet change. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed three times: 8 weeks before and 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Fetuin-B, growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), pentraxin 3 (PTX3) plasma levels were analyzed. DJOS surgery had a beneficial effect on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results and the area under the curve (AUCOGTT). The OGTT results depended on the time elapsed after the surgery, the type of diet used, the surgery performed, and the interaction between these factors. DJOS bariatric surgery reduced fetuin-B and GDF15 plasma levels. Interaction between the type of surgery performed and diet used influenced the fetuin-B and PTX-3 plasma levels. A dietary regime is essential to achieve therapeutic and clinical goals after bariatric surgery.

Variability of stress proteins concentration in caged carp exposed to transplantation experiment model dam reservoir was caused only by natural (climatic and biological) conditions. Thus, the reference data of stress proteins concentration range in young carp individuals were obtained. Metallothionein, HSP70 and HSP90 protein concentrations as biomarkers were assayed in the livers, gills and muscles of six-month-old (summer) or nine-month-old ( autumn) carp individuals in relation to the site of encaging, season (summer or autumn), the term of sampling (1, 2 or 3 weeks after the transplantation) and tissue. Physicochemical analyses of the condition of water as well as pollution detection were conducted during each stage of the experiment. As the result of this study, the range of the variability of the stress protein concentration in young carp individuals was obtained. According to the analyses of the aquatic conditions of a reservoir with no detectable pollutants, we conclude that the variability in the stress protein concentration levels in the groups that were compared is solely the result of the natural conditions. Future regular monitoring of the reservoir using the transplantation method and young carp individuals will be both possible and reliable. Moreover, the range of variability in the stress protein concentrations that were measured in the young C. carpio individuals acquired from the model dam reservoir in relation to all of the studied factors may be applied in the monitoring of any other similar reservoir.

Pharmaceuticals and household chemicals are important components of municipal sewage. Many of them are biologically active, disrupting not only hormonal regulation of aquatic animals but also, indirectly, disturbing their immunological protection. In the environment, chemicals rarely act as individual substances, but as elements of mixtures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to check whether the acute laboratory exposure of common carp juveniles to a mixture of ibuprofen, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 17 α-ethynylestradiol in increasing concentrations, modifies the levels of innate immunity (lysozyme, C-reactive protein) as well as general stress (metallothioneins, heat shock proteins HSP70) markers in brain, liver, gills, spleen and mucus. The levels of the markers were measured by an immunodetection technique. Not only do the pharmaceuticals and household chemicals impair immunological reactions of young carp in various tissues but also do that in a concentration-dependent manner in the liver, gills, spleen and mucus. This has a very important implication, since it may result in higher sensitivity of young fish to pathogens due to energy allocation to defence processes. The comparisons of the pattern of stress reactions in the studied organ samples indicated that mucus appeared to be a good, non-invasive material for monitoring of environmental state and fish conditions.

The morphology and morphometry of 1 089 Libellula quadrimaculata exuviae, collected at three selected sites in Upper Silesia, were examined with regard to their potential use as bioindicators of habitat quality. The biometric parameters of exuviae were only weakly linked to water quality, i.e., to heavy metal contamination. However, terminal thickenings on the anal pyramid, which were originally thought to be teratogenic, were finally identified as sediments that had been deposited on the anal appendages. These modifications were observed in ca 12 % of the exuviae that had been collected from a site on which river contamination by metals had reached extreme values, thus probably having caused a long-lasting and complex change of the water habitat.

Comet assay was applied to study genotoxic damage induced by paraquat (PQ) in brain cells of Chorthippus brunneus (Insecta: Orthoptera) hatchlings. Percentage of the comet fluorescence in the tail (TDNA), length of the comet tail (TL) and Olive tail moment (OTM) were used for quantitative assessment of the DNA damage. Multiple regression analysis supplemented standard statistical elaboration of the results. Increasing PQ concentrations applied either directly to the brain cells suspension (10, 50, and 250μM PQ final concentration – in vitro protocol) or indirectly (50, 250, and 1250μM PQ final concentration – in vivo protocol) provoked significant increase of oxidative damage to DNA (higher median TDNA and OTM values). The damage increased with time of exposure (0, 5, 15, and 30min) following in vitro application, but decreased in longer interval (3 vs 24h) after in vivo administration of paraquat. On contrary, median TL values did not correlate with paraquat concentration irrespectively of the exposure protocol. Possible reason of this discrepancy in light of paraquat toxicity is discussed.

Gospodarka Wodna nr 8/2014 Ramowa Dyrektywa Wodna i potrzeba racjonalizacji gospodarki zasobami wodnymi w warunkach antropopresji powoduje, ze – oprocz monitoringu – konieczne staje sie takze modelowanie i prognozowanie stanu zbiornikow zaporowych. Wymagania te wymuszają zmiane podejścia do technik monitoringu stanu wod, czego wyrazem jest zastosowanie automatycznych stacji pomiarowych teletransmitujących wyniki bezpośrednio do systemow komputerowego gromadzenia danych i modelowania. Automatyczne sondy umozliwiają obserwacje okolodobowej zmienności wlaściwości/ /jakości wod i natychmiastowe wykrywanie zagrozen. Mimo stale zwiekszanego zakresu mierzonych zmiennych nie mogą jednak zastąpic tradycyjnych metod monitoringu. Projekt ZiZOZap realizowany w zbiorniku goczalkowickim w latach 2010–2013 dostarcza wynikow obrazujących problemy i korzyści związane z prowadzeniem ciąglego monitoringu automatycznego i okresowego monitoringu tradycyjnego.

Parnassius apollo (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) has already disappeared or is under threat of extinction in many of its former habitats. It has been documented that weather conditions - anomalies in particular - contributed to this process. In this study, we combined developmental data obtained previously for the last-instar Apollo larvae (collected in 1996, 1997, and 2003) with corresponding meteorological data to assess the effects of ambient temperature and rainfall episodes on the duration and the completion of the instar. For comparing the temperature effect, we applied the degree-day concept. We found significant positive correlation between the number of rainy days during the instar development (x) and its duration time (y): y = 8.293 + 0.936x (+/- 2.813) (r = 0.662, P < 10(-7)). Logarithmic transformation of the growth curves of the last-instar Apollo larvae revealed that there was no difference in growth among females; however, there was slower growth of males in 2003 in comparison to 1996. Growth (y) of female Apollo larvae as a function of instar duration (x) can by described by one common equation, irrespectively of the year: y = 317.6 + 502.3 lnx (+/- 263.3) (r = 0.82, P < 10(-4)). (C) 2014 Academie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Implementation of ecotoxicological biotests for monitoring of water quality in water reservoirs is one of the aims of the project Integrated system supporting management and protection of water reservoir (ZiZOZap). The project is executed within The Programme Innovative Economy under National Strategic Reference Framework as a part of introducing Water Framework Directive. The model object of the Project is Goczalkowice Water Reservoir. The main purposes of the Project are maintaining a good condition of the Reservoir for future and prevent processes of its aging and degradation. The final product of the Project will be an informational system based on the results of environmental monitoring, numerical models of reservoir and relative management scenarios. The system will allow permanent assessment of current reservoir condition as well as prediction of its short time and long time alterations. In consequence, these may lead to rationale decisions referring to reservoir management. Since July 2010 a battery of standardized commercial biotests is applied for water quality monitoring in Goczalkowice Reservoir. The obtained results are referred to the standards set by governmental and EC ordinances. We assume the biotests would be useful in constructing detailed scenarios of the reservoir management..