University of Białystok
  • Białystok, Poland
Recent publications
This study aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation of cadmium from natural feed substrate and substrate enriched with CdCl2 and CdO by the common green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Cadmium was determined in all developmental stages (larvae, adults, and puparial cases) of L. sericata, and its accumulation was positively correlated with concentrations in insect diets. Higher bioaccumulation factors of Cd were found in larvae and adults fed with naturally contaminated liver tissues (1.3–3.9) than those fed with liver enriched with cadmium in the form of inorganic compounds (0.4–0.9). The effect of cadmium dose on insect development was also studied. Cadmium exposure caused disorders in the metabolism of Zn, Cu, and Mn, and the effect depended on its form present in the diet. Insects must be tested for the presence of heavy metals to demonstrate their safety and quality as novel feed and food products.
Wild carnivores may be important sources of emerging zoonotic pathogens worldwide, however, specific data concerning their presence in large carnivores are limited. The genus Trypanosoma (protozoan parasites) comprises numerous species adapted to all classes of vertebrates. This genus includes highly pathogenic species, such as T. brucei ssp., T. congolense or T. vivax. The aim of this study was to expand on the ecological or zoonotic significance of detecting Trypanosoma in large carnivores. Samples from free-living carnivores (n = 26) were collected. The diversity and occurrence of Trypanosoma species among wildlife in Europe were investigated through the analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences. The phylogenetic analysis showed three new haplotypes of the 18S rRNA gene of Trypanosoma sp. isolated from two grey wolves (Canis lupus) and two brown bears (Ursus arctos). To the best of our knowledge, this this study represents the first detection of trypanosomes in large carnivores in Europe. The detection of Trypanosoma sp. was achieved through nested- PCR amplification. Furthermore, the identification of new haplotypes of these protozoan highlights variability within Trypanosoma sp., which could lead to the emergence of new, potentially more virulent variants of these parasites in wild animal populations, posing a potential threat to their health. Moreover, these findings underscore the need for further research to comprehensively understand the diversity, distribution, and potential impact of Trypanosoma species on the populations of large carnivores.
Aim. The aim was to investigate the attitudes of men who plan to become fathers or not, and who either attend antenatal classes with their wife/partner or do not. Material and methods. The study included three groups of 200 men: I – those who did not plan to become a father within the next year, II – those who were going to become fathers within the next year but did not attend antenatal classes, III – those who were gping to become fathers within the next year and attended antenatal classes. The original questionnaires were used. Results. Pregnancy should be planned according to 81.8% of respondents. When it comes to 87.2% of men, they reported that man should support pregnant wife/partner, while 65.5% believed that joint visits to the doctor were pointless. Respondents most often preferred interactions between mother and father with the future child in her womb, such as stroking the belly (43% vs. 29.8%) and talking to the baby (31% vs. 19.8%). Conclusions. Most men reported pregnancy should be planned. Men had problems with declaring whether the father should be on paternity leave after the birth, and there was no infl uence of the duration of the marriage, the fact of having children, the age of the respondents and education, and the place of residence had infl uence on the above. Key words: pregnancy, attitudes, men
Let n=2k1n=2^k-1 and m=2k2m=2^{k-2} for a certain k3k\ge 3. Consider the point-line geometry of 2m-element subsets of an n-element set. Maximal singular subspaces of this geometry correspond to binary simplex codes of dimension k. For k4k\ge 4 the associated collinearity graph contains maximal cliques different from maximal singular subspaces. We investigate maximal cliques corresponding to symmetric (n, 2m, m)-designs. The main results concern the case k=4 and give a geometric interpretation of the five well-known symmetric (15, 8, 4)-designs.
The Pseudomonas genus includes species present in various environments and known for antibiotic resistance. However, only hospital-associated Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been extensively studied regarding antibiotic resistance. Thus, to fill the gap in knowledge on antibiotic resistance among other Pseudomonas spp., we investigated 41 isolates from soil samples taken in the Białowieża National Park in Northeastern Poland. This unique forest without notable anthropogenic influence, provides excellent conditions for research of antibiotic resistance from the perspective of natural environments. The phylogeny trees obtained based on the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene and gyrB gene grouped the isolates into clusters belonging to the Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas koreensis, and Pseudomonas putida groups, originating from the P. fluorescens lineage. All isolates under study demonstrated resistance to at least 12 out of the 24 antibiotics tested. Resistance to colistin, cefotaxime, and imipenem was detected in 73, 73, and 17% of the isolates, respectively. Most isolates showing resistance to imipenem and colistin clustered within the P. fluorescens group. Seven isolates were highly multi-resistant, to up to 18 of the 24 antibiotics tested. The presence of resistance genes related to intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa has been confirmed in environmental isolates.
Importance Depressive symptoms are associated with cognitive decline in older individuals. Uncertainty about underlying mechanisms hampers diagnostic and therapeutic efforts. This large-scale study aimed to elucidate the association between depressive symptoms and amyloid pathology. Objective To examine the association between depressive symptoms and amyloid pathology and its dependency on age, sex, education, and APOE genotype in older individuals without dementia. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional analyses were performed using data from the Amyloid Biomarker Study data pooling initiative. Data from 49 research, population-based, and memory clinic studies were pooled and harmonized. The Amyloid Biomarker Study has been collecting data since 2012 and data collection is ongoing. At the time of analysis, 95 centers were included in the Amyloid Biomarker Study. The study included 9746 individuals with normal cognition (NC) and 3023 participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) aged between 34 and 100 years for whom data on amyloid biomarkers, presence of depressive symptoms, and age were available. Data were analyzed from December 2022 to February 2024. Main Outcomes and Measures Amyloid-β1-42 levels in cerebrospinal fluid or amyloid positron emission tomography scans were used to determine presence or absence of amyloid pathology. Presence of depressive symptoms was determined on the basis of validated depression rating scale scores, evidence of a current clinical diagnosis of depression, or self-reported depressive symptoms. Results In individuals with NC (mean [SD] age, 68.6 [8.9] years; 5664 [58.2%] female; 3002 [34.0%] APOE ε4 carriers; 937 [9.6%] had depressive symptoms; 2648 [27.2%] had amyloid pathology), the presence of depressive symptoms was not associated with amyloid pathology (odds ratio [OR], 1.13; 95% CI, 0.90-1.40; P = .29). In individuals with MCI (mean [SD] age, 70.2 [8.7] years; 1481 [49.0%] female; 1046 [44.8%] APOE ε4 carriers; 824 [27.3%] had depressive symptoms; 1668 [55.8%] had amyloid pathology), the presence of depressive symptoms was associated with a lower likelihood of amyloid pathology (OR, 0.73; 95% CI 0.61-0.89; P = .001). When considering subgroup effects, in individuals with NC, the presence of depressive symptoms was associated with a higher frequency of amyloid pathology in APOE ε4 noncarriers (mean difference, 5.0%; 95% CI 1.0-9.0; P = .02) but not in APOE ε4 carriers. This was not the case in individuals with MCI. Conclusions and Relevance Depressive symptoms were not consistently associated with a higher frequency of amyloid pathology in participants with NC and were associated with a lower likelihood of amyloid pathology in participants with MCI. These findings were not influenced by age, sex, or education level. Mechanisms other than amyloid accumulation may commonly underlie depressive symptoms in late life.
A nobleman’s manor from a demographic and economic perspective The purpose of the article is to draw attention to the fact that a magnate’s court is often mistakenly identified in modern historical research with a nobleman’s manor. Despite the formally equal legal position of the entire noble estate, its elite stood out significantly on account of its political position, lifestyle and economic possibilities. Analyses of census and tax sources from the late eighteenth century indicate that large manors with numerous servants were rare and were not representative of most of the noble society of Poland-Lithuania.
In this paper, we continue the work on formalizing problems from “250 Problems in Elementary Number Theory” by Wacław Sierpiński, using Mizar proof assistant. The formalization covers problems 63, 65, 66, 67, 68, 93, 95, 96, 102, and 103.
The main aim of this article is to construct two non-trivial examples of weakly associative lattices (also known as trellises). These are generalizations of lattices, not assuming associativity of the lattice operations. We show some connections between trellises and tolerance relations according to the paper of Chajda and Zelinka.
Low basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a risk factor for obesity, whereas elevation of non‐shivering thermogenesis (NST) is a promising means to combat obesity. Because heat generated by NST covers thermogenic needs not fulfilled by BMR, one can expect the presence of a negative relationship between both parameters. Understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship is therefore important for interpretation of the results of translational experiments and the development of anti‐obesity treatments. We studied two lines of laboratory mice divergently selected for high or low level of BMR, raised at 23°C and subsequently acclimated to different ambient temperatures (30, 23 and 4°C). Mice selected for low BMR accumulated more fat but simultaneously showed higher NST capacity and more uncoupling protein‐1 (UCP1) in interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), to compensate for their lower heat production through BMR. The between‐line difference in UCP1 protein abundance was significant even in mice acclimated to 30°C when the level of UCP1 is very low. Differences in NST capacity between selected lines and acclimation temperatures were explained by UCP1 iBAT abundance. Our results reveal that BMR is inversely correlated with UCP1 protein abundance and NST, even after acclimation to thermoneutrality. Thus, low values of BMR can increase both obesity risk and the magnitude of NST, i.e. the process whose activation has been proposed to mitigate obesity risk. All these effects should be taken into account in the design and interpretation of translational studies on mice models of metabolic diseases. image Key points Basal metabolic rate (BMR) and non‐shivering thermogenesis (NST) based on the activity of uncoupling protein‐1 (UCP1) are two main sources of heat in laboratory mice. Both BMR and UCP1 can affect obesity risk in laboratory rodents and humans. Here we studied BMR, NST, and the abundance of UCP1 in laboratory mice selected divergently towards either high or low BMR. We showed that BMR is negatively correlated with UCP1 abundance and this effect is not removed even after acclimation to thermoneutrality. The pattern described reveals that BMR can affect not only obesity risk but also the magnitude of UCP1‐mediated NST. Since activation of NST was proposed to mitigate obesity risk, variation in BMR should be taken into account in translational studies of mouse models of metabolic diseases.
Introduction In winter 2021/2022, a wolf population in the primeval Białowieża Forest in Poland was struck by an outbreak of severe mange caused by mixed infestations of Sarcoptes and Demodex mites. We present an epidemiological analysis of this mange which caused significant morbidity and mortality. Material and Methods Ten sites known for wolf activity were monitored by camera trapping. A diagnostic necropsy and testing of a young wolf was performed to determine the causes of death. Results Five young wolves with severe alopecia of the entire body and some other individuals with minor to medium mange lesions were identified by the camera surveillance. The necropsy of the carcass revealed emaciation, dehydration and anaemia with starvation as the cause of death, likely attributable to severe infestation with Sarcoptes scabiei and Demodex sp. mites. Rabies and infections with Borreliella sp., Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia sp., Francisella tularensis, Babesia sp. and tick-borne encephalitis virus were excluded by specific tests. Conclusions The described analysis is the first documented co-infestation of this kind in wolves. The outbreak coincided with very mild winter conditions with a high average minimum temperature, which may have favoured mite survival outside the host, and light snowfall, which may have influenced the wolves’ ability to hunt. Other potential drivers of the outbreak could be the large proportion of wetland terrain, increasing number of wolves in the area and anthropogenic pressure on their habitats including the migration crisis at the Polish–Belarusian border and the increased presence of military and border forces, even despite the relief from the anthropogenic pressure from tourism due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Bacillus cereus sensu lato (B. cereus s.l.) comprises mesophilic and psychrotolerant bacteria commonly found in natural environments as well as in organic and conventional milk. Due to their potential toxigenicity and antibiotic resistance, these bacteria pose a significant threat to consumer health. Organic milk production, which prohibits the use of antibiotics and artificial additives, may influence the composition of microbiota between milk types. This study aimed to compare the antibiotic resistance profiles and enterotoxic potential of B. cereus s.l. isolates from organic and conventional milk. The results indicate that, although conventional milk contains on average 3 times fewer B. cereus s.l. isolates, it has 10–15% more resistant isolates to selected beta-lactams, macrolides, and aminoglycosides. Regarding drug resistance, 21% of B. cereus s.l. isolates were multidrug-resistant, and as many as 42% were non-susceptible to two classes of antibiotics. Even among the sensitive isolates, bacteria from conventional milk exhibited on average 2.05 times higher MICs (minimal inhibitory concentrations) for beta-lactams, 1.49 times higher for erythromycin, 1.38 times higher for vancomycin, and 1.38 times higher for azithromycin. Antibiotic resistance was mostly associated with the origin of the isolates. These findings underscore the need for ongoing monitoring of antibiotic resistance and enterotoxicity among opportunistic B. cereus s.l. strains, which may pose challenges for public health and veterinary medicine. The results highlight that selective pressure associated with antibiotic use can drive resistance development in bacteria that are not the primary targets of antimicrobial therapy.
The white stork, Ciconia ciconia, is both a species familiar and charismatic to the public and a subject of extensive scientific research. Poland harbours a substantial breeding population of this species, characterized by behaviours typical of long-distance migrants. To chart a future course for research on Poland's white stork population, to deepen our understanding of its biology as well as advance conservation efforts, consultations were held with 41 Polish researchers engaged with this species. Collectively, these experts proposed 208 research queries, which were subsequently refined and condensed to 60, and each was categorized into one of 12 thematic groups identified throughout the process. An examination of the barriers to realizing these research topics (n = 60) was also undertaken. Identified impediments encompass e.g. financial limitations (12%), labour intensity (13%), and the lack of clarity in methodological directives (20%). Notably, a significant portion of these issues (42%) were deemed less appealing for scientific exploration , particularly when the anticipated impact of publication-gauged by the prestige of the scientific journal-does not align proportionately with the required time and financial investment. Nonetheless, we anticipate shifts in the priorities and practicability of these research topics, owing to substantial technological advancements in both field data acquisition and subsequent analysis. Consequently, we advocate for a continuous review process, such as a re-evaluation every 5 to 10 years, to reassess the relevancy of these topics, incorporating new ideas or potentially discarding some. Additionally, AI Chat GPT 4.0 was employed to perform similar analyses as those conducted by the authorial team. These data, which are challenging to interpret unambiguously, may also be utilized in the future for comparisons between the usefulness of topics proposed by experts and the language model.
This paper formalizes problems 38, 58, 160, 164, 168, 171, 188, 195, 196, and 198 from “250 Problems in Elementary Number Theory” by Wacław Sierpiński.
The use of middle finger in Finnish maneuver does not compromise the capacity of the dominant hand to disperse tension from the midline of the perineum. image
Innovators from post-Soviet transition societies experience barriers to creativity different from those experienced by inventors in developed countries. Since there has been little research into this subject so far, this article is an attempt to fill this gap. The aim of the study is to explore the mindset and environmental creativity hurdles experienced by Polish innovators as the representatives of post-Soviet states. The data was collected through individual in-depth interviews. Sixteen innovators from Białystok, a city in the Eastern part of Poland, were interviewed. The findings show that innovators experience both individual and environmental hurdles in their creativity actions. In the case of mindset barriers, the feeling of low self-esteem and lack of appropriate knowledge are listed as the most significant barriers, especially at the beginning of the career. The study has shown that although individual barriers hinder creative work, innovators make successful attempts to overcome them. Environmental blocks, however, have the most detrimental influence on innovators’ creativity and are the most difficult to overcome. Among these barriers innovators mention the characteristics of homo sovieticus mentality, such as informal relations, nepotism, and lack of trust among academics and businesspeople. The study supports the hypothesis that the post-Soviet culture largely determines the low innovation level in Eastern European countries.
Citation: Ambrożkiewicz, B.; Czyż, Z.; Pakrashi, V.; Anczarski, J.; Stączek, P.; Koszewnik, A.; Wendeker, M.; Litak, G. Performance Assessment of a Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester for Hybrid Excitation with Varying Cross Sections. Sensors 2024, 24, 7629. https://doi. Abstract: This paper experimentally examines the influence of hybrid excitation on the performance of vibrational piezoelectric energy harvesting systems on a bluff body with a variable cross section along its generatrix. A combination of vibrational excitation from a shaker and airflow is considered the source from which energy is harvested. Varied excitation frequencies and airflow velocities across five different masses were considered, each defining the natural frequency of the system. The system's performance in hybrid excitation, enhancements in energy harvesting, and challenges with these was observed, helping to determine optimal operating conditions to function effectively in ambient environments. The tests identified the conditions and ranges within which maximized harvesting responses were observed. Next, computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations were carried out to understand the impact of circular and square cross sections controlling the nature of the airflow and representative of the wide range of cross sections that may be utilized for such purposes. The analyses helped contextualize the opportunities and limitations of the use of such cross sections and helped in understanding if a transition from one cross section to another can lead to an assimilation of the advantages observed in using each cross section independently.
Housing deprivation is often analyzed as the proportion of population affected by housing problems related to a variety of issues. As a result, even if the level of housing deprivation is similar across countries, they may face different housing-related problems. In the presented research, an attempt was made to identify countries similar in terms of the area of housing problems. The specified dimensions were: (1) housing quality, (2) way of using the dwelling, and (3) neighborhood-related issues. The analysis indicated that in the EU, there are countries that do not show an intensification of housing deprivation in any of the areas. In 2020, these were Czechia, Austria, Estonia, and Finland. Countries with a deprivation profile related to housing quality were Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Cyprus; and to a lesser extent, also Hungary, Ireland, Slovenia and Belgium. Housing deprivation was mainly related to the way of using the dwelling in Greece, Bulgaria, and - to a lesser extent – also in Denmark, Poland, Croatia and Slovakia. The deprivation profile related to the neighborhood was identified in Malta, the Netherlands, France, and - to a lesser extent - also Spain, Portugal, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, and Germany. Housing deprivation profiles in the EU undergo changes in the 2010-2020 decade.
Small calcium‐binding proteins such as parvalbumins (PVs) are major seafood and fish allergens. However, the impact of structural changes on their capacity to bind IgE has not been studied in detail. Therefore, fish and reptilian PVs, as well as human α‐PV, were selected for biochemical, structural, and IgE binding studies. Likely due to their high solubility, crystallization proved difficult, so additional techniques were used to promote crystallization of the proteins. Novel crystal structures were determined for human PV, cod allergen Gad m 1.0201, saltwater crocodile allergen Cro p 1.0101, and the α‐PV from thornback ray. β‐PVs are considered the major fish allergens, while α‐PVs are rarely categorized as allergens. To explain these differences, the results of structural and IgE binding studies were combined. This approach allowed us to provide new insight into IgE binding epitopes present on PVs, focusing on cross‐reactivity among the selected α‐ and β‐PVs. In addition, we have shown that these proteins display remarkable thermal stability across a range of pH conditions, which is relevant in the case of food allergens and food processing. Moreover, it is shown that the presence of calcium cations is critical for stability of the studied PVs via their protein folding, which has an impact on the formation of IgE binding epitopes. These studies shows the stability of fish and reptile PV allergens, and it allows for further evaluation of their IgE cross‐reactivity.
Miniaturized procedures for chemical analysis give the possibility of a significant reduction in quantities of organic solvents used during isolation and determination processes. Liquid-liquid microextraction (LLME) using butanol as an extractant was investigated to selectively isolate oxytetracycline (OTC) antibiotic residues from dairy products. The optimal conditions of LLME were established after deproteinization of the samples. The isolation procedure for OTC was performed using 700 µL of butanol. The extracts were analysed by HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS. A satisfactory analyte recovery was achieved in the range 97.6%-98.9%. The concentration of the linearity range of the studied antibiotic should allow its determination at the level of MRL values. The limit of detection during HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS determination of OTC in milk samples was 9.9·10-8 mol L-1 (47.85 µg kg-1) and 5.7·10-9 mol L-1 (2.75 µg kg-1), respectively. The precision (1.7%-8.6%) of the methods using LLME isolation of OTC varied depending on the kind of sample and the chromatographic technique used. The developed methods were applied to the analysis of milk and cottage cheese to estimate the presence and detection of OTC content.
Institution pages aggregate content on ResearchGate related to an institution. The members listed on this page have self-identified as being affiliated with this institution. Publications listed on this page were identified by our algorithms as relating to this institution. This page was not created or approved by the institution. If you represent an institution and have questions about these pages or wish to report inaccurate content, you can contact us here.
1,410 members
Wojciech Filipkowski
  • Faculty of Law
Magdalena Grabowska
  • Faculty of Biology Department of Hydrobiology
Konrad Talmont-Kaminski
  • Institute of Sociology and Cognitive Science
Gorniak Andrzej
  • Freshwater Ecology
Tomasz Hauschild
  • Department of Microbiology
Information
Address
Białystok, Poland
Head of institution
Prof. dr hab. Robert W. Ciborowski