Polbud-Pomorze (Poland)

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between gut microbiota and major depressive disorder (MDD) and schizophrenia (SCZ) by comparing 36 inpatients with these conditions to 29 healthy controls (HC) matched for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Individuals with SCZ exhibited greater microbiota richness compared to HC (FDR P(Q)=0.028). Taxonomically, while no significant differences were observed between the microbiota of MDD and SCZ patients in a head-to-head comparison, both patient groups differed significantly when compared to HC. Interestingly, besides common patterns (such as a higher abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-003 and Streptococcus, and a lower abundance of Lachnospiraceae ND3007 group), unique patterns were exhibited only in MDD (with a higher abundance of Anaerostipes, Q=0.004) or SCZ (with a higher abundance of Sutterella, Q=0.001, and a lower abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Q=0.002). The Random Forest algorithm identified Ruminococcus torques group, Lachnospiraceae UCG-001, and Erysipelotrichaceae UCG-003 as highly discriminative features for both SCZ and MDD, while Suturella and Holdemania were unique features for SZC, and Lachnospiraceae genus CAG-56 and Anaerostipes for MDD. Additionally, between 50 % and 60 % of the differentially abundant taxa were found among the top 10 influential features in the RF models. In conclusion, while no significant differences were found between the microbiota of MDD and SCZ patients, distinct microbial patterns were found in each group when compared to HC. The study did not confirm universal microbial biomarkers reported in other studies but showed that the observed differences concern the bacteria associated with inflammation, the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and the synthesis of metabolites linked to mental health (lactic acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid - GABA). The application of machine learning holds promise for further understanding the complex relationship between microbiota and these psychiatric disorders. The observed results should be treated with caution due to the limitations of this study (mainly sample size), therefore further researches under standardized environmental conditions with consistent analytical and bioinformatics approaches are warranted.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to a wide range of clinical presentations, with respiratory symptoms being common. However, emerging evidence suggests that the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is also affected, with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, a key receptor for SARS-CoV-2, abundantly expressed in the ileum and colon. The virus has been detected in GI tissues and fecal samples, even in cases with negative results of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in the respiratory tract. GI symptoms have been associated with an increased risk of ICU admission and mortality. The gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of around 40 trillion bacteria, plays a crucial role in immunological and metabolic pathways. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, characterized by a loss of beneficial microbes and decreased microbial diversity, has been observed in COVID-19 patients, potentially contributing to disease severity. We conducted a comprehensive gut microbiome study in 204 hospitalized COVID-19 patients using both shallow and deep shotgun sequencing methods. We aimed to track microbiota composition changes induced by hospitalization, link these alterations to clinical procedures (antibiotics administration) and outcomes (ICU referral, survival), and assess the predictive potential of the gut microbiome for COVID-19 prognosis. Shallow shotgun sequencing was evaluated as a cost-effective diagnostic alternative for clinical settings. Our study demonstrated the diverse effects of various combinations of clinical parameters, microbiome profiles, and patient metadata on the precision of outcome prognostication in patients. It indicates that microbiological data possesses greater reliability in forecasting patient outcomes when contrasted with clinical data or metadata. Furthermore, we established that shallow shotgun sequencing presents a viable and cost-effective diagnostic alternative to deep sequencing within clinical environments.

The primary objective of this research was to assess the efficacy of a novel solution under conditions closely resembling those of real-world scenarios. Biological beds, or filters, hold significant potential for widespread implementation in individual households, particularly in areas with dispersed housing. The system’s aim was to improve the quality of wastewater treated in on-site domestic biological treatment plants. A pivotal aspect of the project involved developing a prototype research installation for conducting comprehensive testing. Our installation system consisted of several components designed to create a laboratory-scale model for domestic wastewater treatment. The model comprised four biological reactors filled with ABS material and secured by a PUR frame. Additionally, the tested model included a controller for wastewater dosing control, a septic tank as a reservoir, and four tanks for collecting purified wastewater. Through regression analysis using the Generalized Linear Model (GLM), a correlation between CODCr and TSS was revealed. This study presents the research findings concerning the development of a prototype installation that incorporates an advanced reactor or filter. The data derived from this research have the potential to contribute to the creation of products that enhance the performance and efficiency of household wastewater treatment systems.

Relationship between drugs and microbiota is bilateral. Proper composition thus function of microbiota is a key to some medications used in modern medicine. However, there is also the other side of the coin. Pharmacotherapeutic agents can modify the microbiota significantly, which consequently affects its function. A recently published study showed that nearly 25% of drugs administered to humans have antimicrobial effects. Multiple antidepressants are antimicrobials,. and antibiotics with proven antidepressant effects do exist. On the other hand, antibiotics (e.g., isoniaside, minocycline) confer mental phenotype changes, and adverse effects caused by some antibiotics include neurological and psychological symptoms which further supports the hypothesis that intestinal microbiota may affect the function of the central nervous system. Here we gathered comprehensively data on drugs used in psychiatry regarding their antimicrobial properties. We believe our data has strong implications for the treatment of psychiatric entities. Nevertheless the study of ours highlights the need for more well-designed trials aimed at analysis of gut microbiota function.

A deficiency in accurate and current regulations, along with a lack of experience in sanitary construction, makes the installation of sewers challenging. Using models, it was determined that if the pumps were operated simultaneously, the service would last for a long time over the entire sewer system. With a daily sewage inflow of 468 dm3, the system was found to run 14.4–14.7% longer than expected at 100 pumping stations. Each month, the pressure-sensitive sewer system receives more than 51 min of extended service from the city’s central sewer system. Increasing wastewater inflow and the number of pumps decrease centrifugal pump capacity. In the study, the main findings were related to the number of pumps. With 100 centrifugal pumps simultaneously, the pressure-based system was most effective. An increase in operation time of 18.4–19.1% was observed over a period of 30 days and an average sewage inflow of 705 dm3 for each. In place of gravity sewerage, sewerage can be used. Pressure sewer systems should be designed in a way that addresses technical as well as economic concerns. Accordingly, this study indicates that pressure sewerage is a viable alternative to gravity sewerage in villages with scattered drinking water supplies.

This paper presents an analysis of the possibility of determining the geometric deviations of large crankshafts of engines using both conventional and alternative fuels. Experimental tests were carried out on a test stand adapted to measure crankshafts seated with their main journals on a set of fixed supports with the possibility of height positioning and using a reference measuring system. A comparative assessment of the results was made for a selected crankshaft using the intercorrelation factor ρ, whose value ranged from 0.8982 to 0.9751. It was concluded that the proposed procedures can be useful in assessing of the geometric condition of the crankshafts with axial position deviations and with limited possibilities of their detection resulting from the adopted support conditions with a set of supports positioned at different heights. Experimental tests were supplemented with FE-analyses of the crankshaft supported at multiple locations and loaded with deviations in the position of the main journal axes.

The sustainable development goal 7 (affordable and clean energy) seeks to ensure that energy is clean, affordable, available and accessible to all (SD Goals, https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators). Replacing fossil fuel-based energy sources with renewable ones, which include: bioenergy, direct solar energy, geothermal energy, hydropower, wind and ocean energy (tide and wave), would gradually help the world achieve the idea of sustainability. Renewable energy technologies provide an excellent opportunity for mitigation of greenhouse gas emission and reduce global warming through substituting conventional energy sources (Panwar, Kaushik, & Kothari, 2011; Owusu & Asumadu-Sarkodie, 2016). Nevertheless, investment costs, as well as political environment and market conditions, have become barriers preventing countries from full utilisation of the potential to improve the quality of air or water. The aim of the chapter is to initiate discussion on the importance of renewable energy as well as its environmental and society-related health aspects. Two short case studies presented in the text allow to describe projects concerning solar installations. In the first case, it is educational institution investing in thermal solar panel systems to supply heat for domestic hot water. The results of research conducted by Filho et al. (2019) on a small sample of universities from around the world indicate that in more than half of them, only a small share of energy consumption comes from renewable sources, whilst the European Union policy has identified promotion of energy efficiency in buildings, including educational ones, as a key objective of its energy and climate policy (EPBD Recast, 2010). In the second case study, thoughts on photovoltaic systems installed to supply buildings with electricity are contained and the problem of public resource support forms for that purpose are discussed.