Congenital birth defects may result in a critical condition affecting the baby, including severe fetal/neonatal handicap and mortality. Several studies have shown that genetic, nutritional, and environmental factors may have an impact on fetal development and neonatal health. The relevance of essential and toxic elements on fetal development has not yet been fully investigated, and the results of recent research indicate that these elements may be crucial in the assessment of the risk of malformations in neonates. We determined the association between essential and toxic elements and the level of folate in maternal serum (MS) and amniotic fluid (AF), along with neonatal abnormalities. A total of 258 pregnant Polish women in the age group of 17–42 years participated in this study. AF and MS were collected during vaginal delivery or during cesarean section. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique was used to determine the levels of various elements in AF and MS. The results of this exploratory study indicate that the levels of essential and toxic elements are associated with fetal and newborn anatomical abnormalities and growth disorders.

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The objective of this study was to determine the concentration and the reference ranges of essential and toxic elements in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal serum (MS) at birth. This study was conducted among 175 healthy pregnant Caucasian European women aged 18-42. AF and maternal blood samples were collected during delivery. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique was used to determine the levels of Mg, Co, Cu, Zn, Sr, Cd, Ba, Pb, U, Ca, Cr, Al, Mn, V, Fe, As, Se and Sb in AF and MS. The range of reference values was calculated for all analyzed elements in the serum and AF. The mean concentrations of elements, except Pb, were generally higher in MS than in AF. Multiple regression analysis showed that the maternal/newborn body mass (MBM/NBM) ratio was a strong negative predictor (among maternal age and gravidity) of Mg concentration in amniotic fluid. In the serum, MBN/NBM ratio was a strong positive predictor of Cu concentration. Moreover, regression analysis showed that maternal age was an independent positive predictor of the Se level in maternal serum. The reference value ranges of 18 essential and toxic elements were established in AF and MS among a population of healthy pregnant Polish women at delivery. The level of Mg, Co, Cu, Ca and Se in AF and MS can be determined by maternal age and MBM/NBM ratio. These results can be useful in counseling individuals with pregnancies affected by exposure to one of the parameters under investigation.

Thinning is one of the most important tools of forest management, although thinning operations require the use of machines which ultimately cause damage to the remaining stand. The level of damage largely depends on the human factor, and a tired, less focused operator will create more injuries in the forest. With this in mind, the objectives of this research were to find out whether the probability of tree damage caused by an operator is also affected by: (1) the part of the day (dawn/day/dusk/night), and (2) the cumulative shift time. The research was carried out in pure pine stands of different ages, density and thinning intensities. Sample plots were selected that had an increasing number of trees per hectare and growing thinning intensities were applied. The same Komatsu 931.1 harvester was used for the thinning operations in each stand. In all the age classes combined, 5.41% of the remaining trees were wounded. There was a significant influence of the part of the day on the percentage of damaged trees, which was positively correlated with the cumulative shift time. Stand conditions, such as age class and stand density, as well as thinning characteristics—thinning intensity, number of harvested trees and productivity—have different effects on the distribution of damage intensity and on probability. The results may improve the planning of operators’ work shifts in forests of various ages and densities, allowing harvester productivity to be maintained while at the same time inflicting the lowest possible level of damage.

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Analysis of Downy Mildew Infection of Field Pea Varieties Using the Logistic ModelThe logistic model is commonly used for analysis of discrete, multinomial data. Such a model was used for the statistical evaluation of data concerning infection of field pea varieties by downy mildew, in two series of field trials. Each series consisted of experiments performed in locations spread over the whole of Poland in the time period from 2002 to 2005. Varieties cultivated on light soils were compared in the first series, and varieties cultivated on rich soils in the second. The most resistant varieties were identified (Sokolik - light soils, Terno - rich soils) and significant differences among varieties were detected. Estimators of model parameters were found using the Fisher scoring method implemented inlogistic glmprocedure of the SAS system.

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