Minerals were analysed that had been found in penguin guano and in underlying silicate weathering crust phosphatized by guano leachates. Struvite and hydroxylapatite were found in guano, leucophosphite, minyulite, amorphous aluminum phosphate and taranakite in phosphatized layer, and in some distance from the zone of ornithogenic soils — vivianite. Minerals were identified by the X—ray analysis and results of this identification were confirmed by the microscope studies and the analysis of chemical composition. Results of the thermogravimetric analysis of the selected minerals occurring in monomineral agglomerations (struvite, minyulite, amorphous aluminum phosphate, taranakite) are also presented. Relation between distribution of those minerals in ornithogenic soils and changes in chemical composition of mineral-forming guano leachates during their infiltration through soil, were described.

The paper deals with Recent and relic phosphatic soils of ornithogenic origin which occur in ice free oasis of the maritime Antarctic Zone (Antarctic Peninsula and King George Island regions). These soils form on rocky and clay weathering covers within and around of penguin rookeries. Their morphology strongly depends on penological character of a substrate and climatic differentiation of a region. They are built of a surface layer of guano and underlying zone of a phosphatized rock. Except organic matter and unstable urates, the guano contains calcium phosphates (fluorapatite somtimes brushite) and magnesium-amonium phosphate (struvite). The phosphatized zone consists of phosphatic- silicate clays in which occur diversified aluminium-iron phosphates bearing potassium and ammonium ions (leucophosphite, minyulite, taranakite, amorphous aluminium phosphate). The guano layer is strongly reduced by erosion and weathering in ornithogenic relic soils left by penguins in areas abandoned by them during Holocene. Formation of a humus horizon of a plant origin may be observed under a vegetation cover in the relic soils. Clays of the phosphatized zone in these areas are transformed in the processes of chemical and mechanical weathering, by mass movements and frost processes.

A high content of fluorine was found in ornithogenic soils around penguin rookeries on King George Island. South Shetland Islands. Fluorine is inherent in 0.11% in krill (Euphausia superba). eaten by penguins. Fluorine content in penguins excreta increased approximately to 0.43%. and after decomposition and leaching to 1.03%. The concentration grew during mineralization of organic matter in guano (up to 2.2%). In a surface layer of guano fluorine occurred in apatite. A phosphatization was noted in a subsurface zone as the result of a reaction between guano leachates and weathered volcanic rocks. In the upper part of this zone near the large rookeries a fluorine occurred in minyulite (aluminium phosphate containing potassium and fluorine) and fluorine content here reached 3.5%. Sometimes fluorine was also bound with amorphous aluminium phosphate (up. to 2.0%). formed as a result of incongruently dissolving of minyulite in pure water.

No adequate reaction has been observed of the decreased contaminant loads discharged by Łódź, particularly the loads of phosphorus, on its concentration in the Ner River. That’s why the im-pact of sediment on phosphorus content in the water was evaluated. Not only was the amount of phosphorus taken under consideration but also the equilibrium phosphate concentration (EPCo). The meaning of EPCo is that any phosphate concentration in the water below this value will lead to phos-phorus release from sediments. Performed study shows that in the Puczniew cross-section EPCo is higher then phosphorus concentration in water, thus with mean concentration of PO4 equal to 9.5 mg PO4·dm–3 phosphorus could be released from sediments. This concentration in Lutomiersk cross-section, however, equals 1.2 mg PO4·dm–3.

The subject of the study concerns the enhancement of corrosion and wear resistance of nitrided 42CrMo4 steel by the formation of zinc phosphate top layer. The present work is aimed at the assessment of the effect of increasing thickness of nitrided layer from approximately 2 µm to 16 µm on the morphology and properties of zinc phosphate coating. XRD analysis showed that along with the increase in the thickness of the nitrides layer, a change in the phase composition was observed. SEM/EDS examination revealed that top layer consists of crystalline zinc phosphate coating. The shape and size of crystals does not significantly depend on a thickness of nitrides layer but corrosion resistance determined by potentiodynamic method in 0.5M NaCl increased with an increase of thickness of a “white layer”. Similarily the wear resistance determined by the 3-cone-roll test was also the highest for 16 µm nitride layer.

This study aimed to determine the levels of milk cell total protein (TP), reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), total glutathione (tGSH), activities of glucose-6-phos- phate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in subclinical mastitic cows. Milk from each udder was collected and grouped by the California Mastitis Test. Then, a somatic cell count (SCC) was performed, and the groups were re-scored as control (5–87 × 103 cells), 1st group (154–381 × 103 cells), 2nd group (418–851 × 103 cells), 3rd group (914–1958 × 103 cells), and 4th group (2275–8528 × 103 cells). Milk cell TP, NADPH, tGSH levels, G6PD, and GPx ac- tivities were assessed. Microbiological diagnosis and aerobic mesophyle general organism (AMG, cfu/g) were also conducted. In mastitic milk, TP, NADPH, and tGSH levels, and G6PD and GPx activities were significantly reduced per cell (in samples of 106 cells). In addition, milk SCC was positively correlated with AMG (r=0.561, p<0.001), NADPH (r=0.380, p<0.01), TP (r=0.347, p<0.01) and G6PD (r=0.540, p<0.001). There was also positive correlation between NADPH (r=0.428, p<0.01), TP (r=0.638, p<0.001) and AMG. NADPH was positively correlated with TP (r=0.239, p<0.05), GPx (r=0.265, p<0.05) and G6PD (r=0.248, p=0.056). Total protein was positively correlated with tGSH (r=0.354, p<0.01) and G6PD (r=0.643, p<0.001). There was a negative correlation between tGSH and GPx activity (r=-0.306, p<0.05). The microbiological analysis showed the following ratio of pathogens: Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci 66.6%, Streptococcus spp 9.5%, Bacillus spp 9.5%, yeast 4.8%, and mixed infections 9.5%.

As a conclusion, when evaluating the enzyme and oxidative stress parameters in milk, it is more suitable to assign values based on cell count rather than ml of milk. The linear correlation between the SCC and AMG, milk cell NADPH, TP and G6PD suggests that these parameters could be used as markers of mastitis.

Coexisting microorganisms are abundant in nature. Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is a group of beneficial microorganism living around the roots of plants which are able to confer beneficial effects on plant growth. Streptomyces sp. is a gram-positive bacteria as PGPR that can promote plant growth and enhance tolerance in adverse environment. This research was aimed to study the effects of plant growth promotion and stress tolerance of Streptomyces sp. in Arabidopsis and Brassica sp. The amount of indole-acetic acid (IAA) and phosphate solubility were assessed from isolated bacterial. Plant growth promotion was examined in 10-days old seedling with three independent experiments. Our results showed that Streptomyces sp. produced moderate levels of IAA and it was able to solubilize phosphate. Inoculation of Streptomyces sp. enhanced lateral root number, fresh weight and chlorophyll content in Arabidopsis thaliana. Moreover, the inoculation of Streptomyces sp. significantly increased vegetative growth on Arabidopsis and Brassica sp. by producing higher fresh weight and chlorophyll content. Streptomyces sp. also enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress in Arabidopsis and Brassica sp. by increasing fresh weight under condition of salt and heat stress. Under salt stress, inoculation of Streptomyces sp. in Arabidopsis induced activity of catalase enzyme and decreased hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production. In the molecular levels, Streptomyces sp. induced protein accumulations in Arabidopsis including nitrogen assimilation (GS1), carbohydrate metabolism (cFBPase), and the light-harvesting chlorophyll (Lhcb1) protein.

The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of autologous activated platelet-rich plasma on healing of a bone substitute - tricalcium phosphate hydroxyapatite in experimental long bone defects using an animal model.

The experiment involved an animal model of femoral defect. 24 Termond white rabbits were used in the study. We evaluated the effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma on tricalcium phos- phate using classical radiology, micro-CT studies, strength tests and histological evaluation.

Radiological and histological assessment did not show a beneficial effect of PRP together with a bone substitute in comparison to filling the defects only with bone replacement material. The only benefit of adding platelet-rich plasma to a bone substitute was shown in microCT imaging.

Autologous, activated platelet-rich plasma combined with hydroxyapatite tricalcium phos- phate has a positive effect on the remodeling of the newly formed bone tissue, increasing its density.