The effect of supplementation of flax-seed oil on interaction of Lactobacillus plantarum--Biocenol™ LP96 and Escherichia coli O8:K88ab:H9 in the gut of germ-free piglets

We investigated the influence of administration of flax-seed oil on interaction of Lactobacillus plantarum – Biocenol? LP96 and Escherichia coli O8:K88ab:H9 in the gut of germ-free piglets. When compared to animals supplemented with L. plantarum, the counts of lactobacilli in the jejunal and ileal mucosa and in the intestinal content were significantly higher in LMK group (p < 0.0001). Inter-groups comparison of the counts of E. coli K88 adhering to the jejunal and ileal mucosa revealed a significantly decrease in LMK animals (p < 0.001; p < 0.05).     

Geochemical traces of flood layers in the fluvial sedimentary archive; implications for contamination history analyses

We studied three cores from a well-dated sediment archive from an oxbow lake of the River Morava, Czech Republic, using a high-resolution (1 cm) multiproxy stratigraphic analysis and a concentration of selected heavy metals. The objective was to investigate how the vertical distribution of pollutants could be affected by episodic flood sedimentation in archives with high sedimentation rates. Stratigraphic proxies (magnetic susceptibility/MS/, X-ray densitometry and visible-light diffuse reflectance spectrometry), supported by grain-size analyses, enabled us to identify relatively coarse-grained flood layers and correlate them in the proximal-to-distal direction in the oxbow-lake delta. A correlation of the flood layers with the time series of the river discharge was used to improve the age model based primarily on ¹³⁷Cs dating. The refined age model is nonlinear and shows periods of lower and higher sediment accumulation rates, which coincided with periods of lower and higher frequency of floods in the river, respectively. Concentrations of most heavy metals, normalized to lithogenic aluminium, revealed vigorous short-term variation related to floods, whose magnitude exceeds that of long-term trends. There is a substantial risk that temporal contamination trends, even if normalized to lithogenic elements, can be strongly influenced by facies, which may lead to potential misinterpretations. Element normalizing to MS, which proved to be a good proxy of grain size, provided smoother long-term trends whose interpretation was less affected by short-term variations. The long-term trends exhibit decreasing concentrations of most heavy metals for the last ~ 25 years, most notably between ~ 1987 and ~ 1992. These historical patterns correspond well to the significant improvement in environmental pollution reported elsewhere in Central Europe. In contrast, concentrations of Na have systematically increased up until the present, partly being driven by the widespread use of de-icing salt for winter road treatment.     

Potential Use of Newly Isolated Bacterial Strain Ochrobactrum anthropi in Bioremediation of Polychlorinated Biphenyls

The effects of urbanization on runoff pollutant concentrations and pollutant loading were studied in three urban catchments of varying imperviousness and land use type in the city of Lahti, Finland. Imperviousness of the catchments were 19 % (“Low”), 62 % (“Intermediate”) and 89 % (“High”). During the 2-year study period, runoff quantity was measured continuously and samples were taken for water quality analysis. Besides imperviousness, land use type strongly affected pollutant concentrations: differences in total phosphorus (tot-P), Al, Cr, Zn and Pb concentrations were observed especially between the city centre catchments (High and Intermediate) and the residential catchment (Low), while total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (tot-N), Mn, Co, Ni and Cu concentrations increased with increasing imperviousness. As for pollutant loads, imperviousness was strongly related to TSS, tot-P, Al, Mn, Zn, Cr, Co, Ni and Cu export. The effects of urbanization on runoff quality were season dependent: urbanization increased runoff volumes and, hence, pollutant loads, especially during warm seasons. Still, highest pollutant export in the catchments occurred during spring. Nevertheless, the warm period produced comparable loads to spring at the city centre catchments. Pollutant concentrations, especially in the city centre catchments, exceeded thresholds set for surface waters, indicating a need for runoff treatment in water quality protection.     

Effect of the use of dilute alkaline prior to Bacillus subtilis-based biocontrol steeping and germination conditions on red sorghum malt β-glucanase activities and residual β-glucans

Malting is the ideal stage to deal with β-glucans. Their hydrolysis is very important as the diffusion of both hormones and hydrolytic enzymes in the endosperm of germinated grain depend on it. A high malt β-glucanase activity is not a guarantee of an extensive hydrolysis of β-glucans. When Bacillus subtilis is used to control mould growth, red sorghum malt β-glucanase activity (measured using carboxymethylcellulose as the substrate) was improved without significantly affecting the hydrolysis of malt β-glucans. Thus, in order to reduce the residual β-glucans content, soaking in 0.2% NaOH was combined with a biocontrol. Soaking in 0.2% NaOH is recognized as capable of improving grain hydration by opening-up the endosperm cell walls. The combined use of 0.2% NaOH with B. subtilis-based biocontrol treatments during red sorghum malting, leads to malt with increased β-glucanase activity and a significant reduction of residual β-glucans when compared with the 16 h biocontrol steeping without prior steeping in 0.2% NaOH. β-glucanase activity increases with increased germination temperature and time while, conversely, the residual β-glucans content of the malts decreases. Indeed, while the level of β-glucanase was not vastly different between the malts obtained after steeping in distilled water and those obtained after 8 h steeping in 0.2% NaOH followed by 8 h resteeping in distilled water (NaOH + H₂O treatment), their residual β-glucans levels differ significantly. B. subtilis-based treatment leads to malt with improved β-(1-3)- and β-(1-4)-glucanase activities without significantly improved malt β-(1-3),(1-4)-glucanase activity. While malts obtained after 84 h germination weren't significantly different in terms of malt β-(1-3),(1-4)-glucanase activities for all steeping treatments, the use of 0.2% NaOH steeping prior to resteeping led to malts with improved β-glucans content. Combining the steeping in dilute alkaline and biocontrol enables taking advantage of the dilute alkaline effect on residual β-glucans content, due probably to the opening-up of the cell walls and the improvement of water uptake, and that of the biocontrol (improvement of β-glucanase synthesis).     

Synbiotics suppress the release of lactate dehydrogenase,promote non‐specific immunity and integrity of jejunum mucosa in piglets

The aim of our experiment was to study how synbiotics are able to deal with the problems of post‐weaning piglets. Lactobacillus plantarum – Biocenol^TM LP96 (CCM 7512), Lactobacillus fermentum – Biocenol^TM LF99 (CCM 7514) and flaxseed (rich in n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) were administered to 36 conventional piglets from a problematic breed with confirmed presence of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli and Coronavirus. The experimental piglets were supplied with probiotic cheeses and crushed flax‐seed in the period starting 10 days before weaning and lasting up to 14 days post‐weaning. Piglets in the control group were supplied only control cheese. The impact of such additives on the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; spectroscopic and electrophoretic assay), alteration of immunity (index of metabolic activity), jejunum histology (light microscopy), and health of conventional piglets from a problematic breed (monitoring of hematology, consistency and moisture of feces and body temperature) were examined. We found significant decrease in LDH leakage in the blood serum and tissue extracts, indicating better cell membrane integrity in the individual organs of animals. Probiotics and flaxseed applied together seem to be a good source of nutrients to improve the immune status and the integrity of jejunum mucosa during infection. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science     

Effects of reduction in floor space during crating on haematological indices in broilers

In the perspective of animal protection and welfare, the most common and potentially the most frightening events encountered by the domestic fowl are procedures connected with transport. This study provides an evidence that reduction in floor space during crating, which is approximately 10% above requirements given to EEC Directives (accompanied with mixed social and heat stress due to high animal density), induces markedly elevated stress in broilers which is manifested by changes in haematological indices. The experiment was performed on ROSS 308 broilers (total number 70, mean body weight 3.05 kg). At 42 days of age, the broilers were crated for 2-hours either with reduction in floor space to 115 cm2/kg (S115) or 105 cm2/kg (S105) of body weight. The total erythrocyte and leukocyte count, haematocrit, haemoglobin, MCV (mean cell value), MCH (mean cell haemoglobin) and MCHC (mean cell haemoglobin concentration) values were monitored and differential leukocyte count was assessed 20 h following crating. When compared with uncrated control, S105 broilers exhibited highly significant increase in haemoglobin level, MCH and MCHC values, significant increase in MCV values and significant decrease in total erythrocyte count. S115 broilers did not manifest any significant changes in haematological parameters compared with control. When compared with S115 broilers, S105 broilers manifested significantly elevated haemoglobin level and MCV values, highly significantly elevated MCH and MCHC values and depressed erythrocyte count. It follows from results that the reduction in floor space to 115 cm2/kg for 2 hours did not induce any significant changes in both total and differential leukocyte counts in blood of broilers when compared with control chickens. However, reduction in floor space to 105 cm2/kg resulted in highly significant increase in heterophil counts and subsequently also HLR (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio) was significantly elevated. When compared S105 and S115 broilers, mean values of heterophil counts and HLR ratio were higher due to reduction in floor space to 105 cm2/kg. The differences, however, were not statistically significant.     

Enzyme activities and microbial biomass in topsoil layer during spontaneous succession in spoil heaps after brown coal mining

Changes in the activity of extracellular enzymes (cellobiohydrolase, β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, chitinase, arylsulfatase and phosphatases) and the changes in microbial community and abiotic properties in the topsoil layer, as well as soil abiotic properties during primary succession were investigated in a brown coal mine deposit area near Sokolov, Czech Republic. The study considered the chronosequence of 4 post-mining plots, 4-, 12-, 21- and 45-year old. The 4-year old site had no vegetation cover. Herbs and grasses (mainly Calamagrostis epigeios) were present on the 12-year old plot, shrubs (Salix caprea) occurred on the 21-year old plot and tree cover (Betula spp. and Populus tremuloides) developed on the 45-year old plot. Soil pH gradually decreased with site age, while the content of P, K, C and N peaked in the 21-year old site, being significantly lower in the 45-year old site and much lower in the 4- and 12-year old sites. Phosphatase activities were strongly affected by seasonality while the activities of all the other enzymes measured were more influenced by the effects of succession age and soil layer than by seasonality. Succession age was also the most important factor affecting the total and bacterial PLFA contents, followed by the effects of soil layer and season while for the fungal biomass content-related properties (ergosterol, fungal PLFA and the fungal/bacterial PLFA ratio), season was the most important. Activities of individual enzymes in the topsoil (0–5 cm depth) were significantly affected by both site age and season. Cellobiohydrolase and β-xylosidase were more affected by site age while chitinase and phosphatases were more affected by season. Enzyme activity increased with succession age. Comparison of the effect of site and season on enzyme activity showed that season played a principal role in the enzyme activity of the entire 0–5 cm component of topsoil, as well the soil layers when evaluated separately.     

Comparison of approaches towards ecotoxicity evaluation for the application of dredged sediment on soil

Purpose

The toxicity of 36 dredged sediments from the Czech Republic was investigated using a large battery of bioassays. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of ecotoxicity testing in general and of individual bioassays more specific and to investigate how the results of bioassays are determined by the physicochemical properties of sediment samples and/or sediment contamination.

Material and methods

In 2008 and 2010, 36 sediment samples were collected from rivers and ponds and from sediment heaps in different parts of the Czech Republic. Both their physicochemical properties and their levels of contamination with POPs and heavy metals were analyzed. The ecotoxicities of the sediments were evaluated using the four bioassays from the new Czech directive 257/2009 Coll. concerning the application of dredged sediments on agricultural land (Enchytraeus crypticus reproduction, Folsomia candida reproduction, Lactuca sativa root elongation, and potential ammonium oxidation). The results of the four directive bioassays were compared with the results of other soil bioassays (Caenorhabditis elegans mortality, Eisenia fetida avoidance and reproduction) and eluate bioassays (Daphnia magna immobilization, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata growth inhibition test, and Vibrio fischeri luminescence).

Results and discussion

We demonstrate that the battery suggested in Czech directive 257/2009 Coll. is highly effective in identifying toxic samples; these bioassays clearly revealing different types of toxicity and different exposure routes. Shorter alternative bioassays may be added especially when fast toxicity identification is needed. Eluate bioassays identified samples potentially hazardous to aquatic ecosystems. Their inclusion into the assessment scheme should be considered if the goal of assessment is also the protection of aquatic ecosystems. The results of our multivariate analysis show that specific physicochemical properties and contamination may affect bioassay responses. C. elegans was the most sensitive bioassay to physicochemical properties and also to organic contamination, while eluate bioassays were sensitive to heavy metal pollution.

Conclusions

Most effects detected by the bioassays could not be explained by the levels of toxicants measured or by the natural characteristics of sediments. Our results show that bioassays are irreplaceable in dredged sediment risk assessment because they complement information provided by chemical analyses.