The aim of the study was to estimate the effect otthe composting process in the container technology Kneer on E. coli inactivation. The bacteria placed in the special carriers were introduced into the composted material. The elimination rate of E. coli differed depending on both the carriers· location in the biomass and the thermal conditions. The most effective hygienization, nr the material was noticed in summer - after 48 h in the middle layer, 6 days in the top layer and 10 days in the bottom layer. In spring and autumn, the bacteria survived the longest in the bottom layer - 85 and 45 days, respectively. Apart from the high temperature, the research points out the action of other factors such as competition, antagonism and antibiosis.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have recently emerged as important bacterial pathogens of animals and humans. Of particular concern is the high level of antimicrobial resistance displayed by these organisms, which complicates treatment and potential successful outcomes. Here, we evaluated the potential of Carlina acaulis L. as a source of novel anti-mycobacterial agents. Our goal was to measure the activity of aqueous, ethanol, and chloroform C. acaulis root extracts against 99 NTM strains. GC-MS spectroscopy analyses were performed to deliver qualitative and quantitative data on the composition of C. acaulis extract. In our study, we have shown for the first time the activity of C. acaulis extracts against NTM. The highest activity was exhibited by the chloroform extract, which inhibited the growth of more than 90% of the strains at the dose of 100 μg/mL (MIC90 = 100 μg/mL). The results of the GC-MS analysis of the C. acaulis chloroform extract contributed to the identification of 37 compounds, with carlina oxide as the most representative compound (69.52%) followed by 3,4-dihydro-2H-phenanthren- -1-one (6.54%) and stigmast-5-en-3-ol (4.14%). Our results indicate that C. acaulis chloroform and ethanol extracts have potential for treatment of NTM infections and that this plant contains anti-mycobacterial compounds.

This paper presents results of a study of the effect of inoculation of yttrium on the microstructure of AZ91 alloy. The concentration of the inoculant was increased in samples in the range from 0.1% up to 0.6%. The influence of Y on the thermal effects resulting from the phase transformations occurring during the crystallisation at different inoculant concentrations were examined with the use of Derivative and Thermal Analysis (DTA). The microstructures of the samples were examined with the use of an optical microscope; and an image analysis with a statistical analysis were also carried out. Those analyses aimed at examining oh the effect of inoculation of the Y on the differences between the grain diameters of phase αMg and eutectic αMg + γ(Mg17Al12) in the prepared examined material as well as the average size of each type of grain by way of measuring their perimeters.

The effect of density on individual and population fertility, and selected morphometric characters (height, number of: ramifications, generative branches, inflorescences and leaves) of Echinochloa o-us-gaili plants was studied in a glasshouse. A decrease in individual fertility was observed in all density variants examined, but it did not result in a decrease in population fertility per unit of area. In response to worse developmental conditions there appeared plants characterized by reduced height and simplified external conformation.

The results of studies on residues of dithiocarbamate fungicides in 13 different crops during 1999-2000 are presented. According ro monitoring programme 2,226 samples of fruits and vegetables were collected from the productions sites in the whole country. The samples were analyzed for residue content by a spectrophotometric method. In 11.3% of samples the residues were detected. Residues exceeding Polish MRLs were found in 10 samples (0.5 %).

Within the boundaries of many municipal urbanized areas, large grounds are found, from which the noise is emitted into the environment, surrounded by the regions liable to acoustic protection. Such a condition generates many problems including also those ones related to the lack of the fulfillment of requirements concerning environmental protection against excessive noise. Therefore the aim of vital importance is the proper management of municipal grounds, both in view of the investment in policy steering, especially of new investments, and in the case of activities aimed at maintaining or restoring (revitalizing) the acoustic properties on the grounds that have already been used or simply degraded before.

Keeping the scale of the problem in mind, such activities must be carried on not temporarily, but must have a systemic character. The structure of every system is characterized by the appropriate relationships among their elements and the properties of those relationships. In case of the noise management system, the elements of such a system are the activities connected with the management itself that are the actions which rely on specifying the aims and causing their realization within the scope and on the grounds subject to the managing entity. The superior aim of such activities should be to supply the tools for improvement of management and in the process of taking decisions that relate to investments including the of optimization conditions and maintenance of socio-economic importance of such areas.