Search
Filters
total: 713
filtered: 399
Search results for: UGT METABOLIC TRANSFORMATIONS
-
CYP3A4-dependent cellular response does not relate to CYP3A4-catalysed metabolites of C-1748 and C-1305 acridine antitumor agents in HepG2 cells
PublicationHigh CYP3A4 expression sensitizes tumor cells to certain antitumor agents while for others it can lower their therapeutic ef fi cacy. We have elucidated the in fl uence of CYP3A4 overexpression on the cellular response induced by antitumor acridine derivatives, C-1305 and C-1748, in two hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines, Hep3A4 stably transfected with CYP3A4 isoenzyme, and HepC34 expressing empty vector. The compounds...
-
MODELING THE pH EFFECTS ON NITROGEN REMOVAL IN THE ANAMMOX-ENRICHED GRANULAR SLUDGE
PublicationThe aim of the study was to determine the pH effects on nitrogen removal in the anammox-enriched 10 granular sludge. The experimental data were extracted from a 4L completely-mixed batch reactor with the 11 granular sludge at different initial pH values (6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5) and constant temperature 12 T=30℃. Simulations were run in GPS-X 6.4 using a comprehensive mechanistic model Mantis2. Two 13 kinetic parameters,...
-
Enzyme Conjugation - A Promising Tool for Bio-catalytic and Biotransformation Applications – A Review
PublicationEnzymes have revolutionized conventional industrial catalysts as more efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable substitutes that can be used in different biotechnological processes, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Yet, the enzymes from nature are engineered to make them adapt and enhance their durability in the industrial environment. One promising approach involves the combined use of multiple enzymes that catalyze highly...
-
Assessment of cytotoxic and endocrine potential of selected xenobiotics commonly present in food products
PublicationMore and more increased intensity of anthropopressure processes can be observed, among other things, in the release of great quantities of synthetic substances into the environment, including the Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDC). A vast number of chemical substances is considered to belong to the this group, including substances which occur naturally in the environment, such as mycotoxins and phytoestrogens, and substances...
-
Feasibility Study of Biohydrogen Production from Acid Cheese Whey via Lactate-Driven Dark Fermentation
PublicationThe high loading of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in cheese whey still limits its use as hydrogen feedstock. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of producing hydrogen from acid cheese whey via lactate-driven dark fermentation (LD-DF). Mesophilic batch fermentations were performed with delipidated acid cheese whey at a fixed pH of 5.8 and driven by an acidogenic bacterial culture containing LAB and lactate-oxidizing...
-
Ocena wpływu dodatku oliwy z oliwek na degradację termiczną rafinowanego oleju rzepakowego
PublicationTłuszcze jadalne to ważny składnik diety człowieka. Mają one znaczący wpływ na prawidłowe funkcjonowanie ludzkiego organizmu. Podczas smażenia olej podlega przemianom chemicznym, dlatego spożywane tłuszcze powinny charakteryzować się jak największą stabilności oksydacyjnej. Celem prowadzonych badań było określenie jakości olejów rzepakowego, mieszanego oraz rafinowanej oliwy z oliwek, pochodzących z rynku krajowego. Podczas badań...
-
X-Ray Computer Tomography Study of Degradation of the Zircaloy-2 Tubes Oxidized at High Temperatures
PublicationThe investigations of high-temperature oxidation of zirconium alloys, applied for fuel pellets in nuclear power plants, are usually limited to oxidation kinetics, phase transformations and microstructural characterization. The purpose of this research was to characterize the degradation phenomena occurring within oxide layer and at the interface oxide/metal, on internal and external Zircaloy-2 tube...
-
Barcelona - from the province to Metropolis.The cogent strategy of branding the city
PublicationThe phenomenon of rebranding Barcelona's image, called the Barcelona effect or 'Barcelona Model', is exampled as one of the most spectacular transformations of the city perception in the last decade. Why has Barcelona been successful? Is it the effect of the recently intensified revitalization practice, or has the city of Barcelona built its brand market value for years? The aim of the research is to name these transition...
-
Enhancing nitrogen removal in the partial denitrification/anammox processes for SO4− - Rich wastewater treatment: Insights into autotrophic and mixotrophic strategies
PublicationThe investigation of partial denitrification/anammox (PD/anammox) processes was conducted under autotrophic (N–S cycle) and mixotrophic (N–S–C cycle) conditions over 180 days. Key findings revealed the remarkable capability of SO42--dependent systems to produce NO2− effectively, supporting anaerobic NH4+ oxidation. Additionally, SO42− served as an additional electron acceptor in sulfate reduction ammonium oxidation (SRAO). Increasing...
-
Modeling and Accuracy Assessment of Determining the Coastline Course Using Geodetic, Photogrammetric and Satellite Measurement Methods: Case Study in Gdynia Beach in Poland
PublicationThe coastal environment represents a resource from both a natural and economic point of view, but it is subject to continuous transformations due to climate change, human activities, and natural risks. Remote sensing techniques have enormous potential in monitoring coastal areas. However, one of the main tasks is accurately identifying the boundary between waterbodies such as oceans, seas, lakes or rivers, and the land surface....
-
Przestrzeń publiczna a przemiany miasta
PublicationPraca składa się z dwunastu rozdziałów. Pierwsza część ma charakter wprowadzający do problematyki przestrzeni publicznej. W rozdziale drugim autorka przywołuje wybrane i ważne dla przedmiotu badań koncepcje teoretyczne oparte na modelu wieloparadygmatycznym. Rozdział trzeci osnuty jest wokół antycznego wzorca przestrzeni publicznej, który ze względu na niezwykłe bogactwo rozwiązań w tym zakresie wywodzi się właśnie z tego pnia....
-
Electromagnetic Control and Dynamics of Generalized Burgers’ Nanoliquid Flow Containing Motile Microorganisms with Cattaneo–Christov Relations: Galerkin Finite Element Mechanism
PublicationIn our research work, we have developed a model describing the characteristics of the bio-convection and moving microorganisms in the flows of a magnetized generalized Burgers’ nanoliquid with Fourier’s and Fick’s laws in a stretchable sheet. Considerations have been made to Cattaneo–Christov mass and heat diffusion theory. According to the Cattaneo–Christov relation, the Buongiorno phenomenon for the motion of a nanoliquid in...
-
Significant Production of Thermal Energy in Partially Ionized Hyperbolic Tangent Material Based on Ternary Hybrid Nanomaterials
PublicationNanoparticles are frequently used to enhance the thermal performance of numerous materials. This study has many practical applications for activities that have to minimize losses of energy due to several impacts. This study investigates the inclusion of ternary hybrid nanoparticles in a partially ionized hyperbolic tangent liquid passed over a stretched melting surface. The fluid motion equation is presented by considering the...
-
Shrinking-shifting and amplifying-shifting device using transformation optics
PublicationBased on transformation optics (TO), this paper uses geometric divisions and linear coordinate transformations to design “shrinking-shifting—and reshaping”, and “amplifying-shifting—and reshaping” devices. The proposed devices can reshape the sizes and locations of the wrapped-objects inside the core-region. The shrinking-shifting device shrinks the larger object into a smaller one and shifts it to different location, whereas the...
-
An Analysis of Neural Word Representations for Wikipedia Articles Classification
PublicationOne of the current popular methods of generating word representations is an approach based on the analysis of large document collections with neural networks. It creates so-called word-embeddings that attempt to learn relationships between words and encode this information in the form of a low-dimensional vector. The goal of this paper is to examine the differences between the most popular embedding models and the typical bag-of-words...
-
Detection and time/frequency analysis of electric fields in the ground
PublicationThis paper sets out to detect and characterize electric fields in the ground (such as stray current fields) using a tandem time/frequency method of signal analysis. Results were obtained from investigations performed in the presence of a generated electric field with controlled variable characteristics, and in the presence of an electric field generated by a tramline. The analysis of measurement registers was performed using Short‐Time...
-
Error analysis of calculating average d-q current components using Regular Sampling and Park transformation in FOC drives
PublicationIn electric drives using voltage source inverters, motor currents contain ripple component resulting from pulse-width modulated (PWM) voltage. The frequency range of the ripples is much higher than the bandwidth of current control. Therefore the control is performed on the basis of a fundamental current component, i.e. average value with the averaging time being the PWM period. In majority of cases the average current is measured...
-
The Spatial Structure of Suburban Zones in Selected Entrepreneurship Nets of the Tricity Metropolitan Area
PublicationThe chapter describes spatial structures and forms of Polish suburban zones shown on the example of two selected towns in the Trojmiasto Metropolitan Area (TMA). The description of the spatial characteristics in the urban sprawl, with focus on the entrepreneurships nests is illustrated by the choice of typological features, such as: form, land use, density. Suburbanisation is described to be global, however one can observe individual...
-
A Robust Random Forest Model for Classifying the Severity of Partial Discharges in Dielectrics
PublicationPartial Discharges (PDs) are a common source of degradation in electrical assets. It is essential that the extent of the deterioration level of insulating medium is correctly identified, to optimize maintenance schedules and prevent abrupt power outages. Temporal PD signals received from damaged insulation, collected through the IEC-60270 method is the gold standard for PD detection. Temporal signals may be transformed to the frequency...
-
Cu-HKUST-1 and Hydroxyapatite–The Interface of Two Worlds toward the Design of Functional Materials Dedicated to Bone Tissue Regeneration
PublicationA novel composite based on biocompatible hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles and Cu-HKUST-1 (Cu-HKUST-1@HA) has been prepared following a layer-by-layer strategy. Cu-HKUST-1 was carefully selected from a group of four Cu-based metal−organic frameworks as the material with the most promising antimicrobial activity. The formation of a colloidal Cu- HKUST-1 layer on HA nanoparticles was confirmed by various techniques, e.g., infrared...
-
Graph Neural Networks and Structural Information on Ionic Liquids: A Cheminformatics Study on Molecular Physicochemical Property Prediction
PublicationIonic liquids (ILs) provide a promising solution in many industrial applications, such as solvents, absorbents, electrolytes, catalysts, lubricants, and many others. However, due to the enormous variety of their structures, uncovering or designing those with optimal attributes requires expensive and exhaustive simulations and experiments. For these reasons, searching for an efficient theoretical tool for finding the relationship...
-
Feedback Control of Doubly-Fed Generator Connected to Current Source Converter
PublicationDoubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) system supplied by current source converter (CSC) is considered in this article. The DFIG can work in two independent modes: AC grid connection and stand-alone mode. The DFIG is connected to the ac grid directly through its stator and the CSC links the rotor side. In this mode, the active and reactive powers of the DFIG must be controlled. This article proposes two control system structures...
-
Antifungal Effect of Penicillamine Due to the Selective Targeting of L-Homoserine O-Acetyltransferase
PublicationDue to the apparent similarity of fungal and mammalian metabolic pathways, the number of established antifungal targets is low, and the identification of novel ones is highly desirable. The results of our studies, presented in this work, indicate that the fungal biosynthetic pathway of L-methionine, an amino acid essential for humans, seems to be an attractive perspective. The MET2 gene from Candida albicans encoding L-homoserine...
-
CYP3A4 overexpression enhances apoptosis induced by anticancer agent imidazoacridinone C-1311, but does not change the metabolism of C-1311 in CHO cells
PublicationWe examine whether CYP3A4 overexpression influences the rate and pattern of antitumor imidazoacridinone C-1311 metabolism, in relation to the impact of this overexpression on cell cycle progression and final cellular response of CHO cells following C-1311 treatment. Methods: Three CHO cell lines: CHO-WT, wild type, CHO-HR, overexpressing cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) and CHO-HR-3A4, coexpressing CPR and CYP3A4 were applied....
-
3-MCPD: A worldwide problem of food chemistry
Publication3-MCPD is a heat-induced food contaminant which has been widely investigated for decades. This paper presents an overview of current knowledge about 3-MCPD including its formation routes, occurrence in various foodstuffs, analytical approach, toxicological aspects and future research perspectives. So far 3-MCPD was determined in its free and bound form in thermally-treated foods, edible oils and fats, and infant foods including...
-
Assessment of toxic and endocrine potential of substances migrating from selected toys and baby products
PublicationAnalysis of literature data shows that there is limited information about the harmful biological effects of mixture of compounds from the EDC group that are released from the surface of toys and objects intended for children and infants. One of the tools that can be used to obtain such information is appropriate bioanalytical tests. The aim of this research involved determining whether tests that use living organisms as an active...
-
Bioaccumulation of Metals in Tissues of Marine Animals, Part I: the Role and Impact of Heavy Metals on Organisms
PublicationHeavy metals contribute to the anthropogenic contamination of marine ecosystems. Some of them are essential to the life processes of organisms; others are toxic, even at low concentrations. They penetrate organisms via food, respiratory pathways or the skin. The extent to which metals penetrate organisms is measured by the bioconcentration and bioaccumulation factors and also by their transport between organisms at different trophic...
-
Post-Effort Changes in Autophagy- and Inflammation-Related Gene Expression in White Blood Cells of Healthy Young Men
PublicationAcute, strenuous physical exertion requiring high levels of energy production induces the production of reactive oxygen species and metabolic disturbances that can damage the mitochondria. Thus, selective autophagic elimination of defective mitochondria may improve resistance to oxidative stress and potentially to inflammation. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the impacts of intense effort on changes in the expression...
-
Identification of antigen Ag43 in uropathogenic Escherichia coli Dr+ strains and defining its role in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections
PublicationUrinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) are among the most common bacterial infectious diseases in the developed world. The urovirulence of UPEC is mainly associated with the surface-exposed fimbrial adhesins and adhesins of the autotransporter (AT) family. The best studied of theses proteins is antigen 43 (Ag43) mediating cell aggregation, adhesion and biofilm development as the causes of...
-
Transcriptomic Effects of Estrogen Starvation and Induction in the MCF7 Cells. The Meta-analysis of Microarray Results
PublicationEstrogen is one of the most important signaling molecules which targets a number of genes. Estrogen levels regulate cell proliferation and a plethora of metabolic processes, which may interfere with a range of medical conditions and drug metabolism. The MCF7 breast cancer cell line, expressing the estrogen receptor α, is a well-studied model of cellular answer to estrogen. The aim of this study was to characterize transcriptomic...
-
Electrochemistry/mass spectrometry (EC/MS) for fast generation and identification of novel reactive metabolites of two unsymmetrical bisacridines with anticancer activity.
PublicationThe development of a new drug requires knowledge about its metabolic fate in a living organism, regarding the comprehensive assessment of both drug therapeutic activity and toxicity profiles. Electrochemistry (EC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) is an efficient tool for predicting the phase I metabolism of redox-sensitive drugs. In particular, EC/MS represents a clear advantage for the generation of reactive drug transformation...
-
O07 Filaggrin insufficiency renders keratinocyte-derived small extracellular vesicles capable of affecting CD1a-mediated T-cell responses and promoting allergic inflammation
PublicationThe association between FLG loss-of-function mutations and the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) indicates that filaggrin is critical to skin barrier function; the mutations are also linked to additional allergic manifestations, but it is unknown how the skin may influence inflammation in distant tissues. Here we investigated the impact of filaggrin insufficiency on keratinocyte-derived exosome-enriched small extracellular...
-
Adam Smith - pięć razy o racjonalności w ekonomii (Z okazji 240 rocznicy ukazania się "Bogactwa Narodów").
PublicationNiniejszy tekst jest syntetyczną próbą, próbą wykraczającą poza ramy samej ekonomii i wkraczającą w pole filozofii, socjologii i antropologii, umiejscowienia myśli Adama Smitha w szerszej perspektywie, perspektywie mechanizmów kształtowania się w nowożytności nowego rodzaju społeczeństwa i związanych z tym zmian mentalnych mających odbicie w myśli europejskiej. Ogrom problematyki zawęża temat do fundamentalnego dla ekonomii jako...
-
Wykorzystanie sztucznych sieci neuronowych do wykrywania i rozpoznawania tablic rejestracyjnych na zdjęciach pojazdów
PublicationW artykule przedstawiono koncepcję algorytmu wykrywania i rozpoznawania tablic rejestracyjnych (AWiRTR) na obrazach cyfrowych pojazdów. Detekcja i lokalizacja tablic rejestracyjnych oraz wyodrębnienie z obrazu tablicy rejestracyjnej poszczególnych znaków odbywa się z wykorzystaniem podstawowych technik przetwarzania obrazu (przekształcenia morfologiczne, wykrywanie krawędzi) jak i podstawowych danych statystycznych obiektów wykrytych...
-
Polish Suburban Landscape made of Enterpereneurial Tissue
PublicationDwa ostatnie dekady w Polsce to okres ekspansywny rozwój małych przedsiębiorstw i równolegle dynamiczne przekształcenia przestrzeni wokół miasta . Rozwój tych dwóch zjawisk nastąpiło w okresie transformacji gospodarczej po 1989 roku . Głównym celem pracy jest zbadanie poziomu interakcji między procesem suburbanizacji i rozwojem sektora MSP w wybranych podmiejskich obszary, na przykładzie Metropolii Trójmiejskiej.
-
FURTHER REMARKS ON THE NEO-CLASSICAL NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS
PublicationThe seminal Navier-Stokes equations have been stated yet before creation of principles of thermodynamics and the first and second laws. In the literature there is the common opinion that the Navier-Stokes equations cannot be taken as a thermodynamically correct model of “working fluid” which is able to describe transformation of “ heat” into “work” and vice versa. Therefore, in the paper, a new exposition of thermodynamically...
-
Modeling and simulation of blood flow under the influence of radioactive materials having slip with MHD and nonlinear mixed convection
PublicationRadioactive materials are widely in industry, nuclear plants and medical treatments. Scientists and workers in these fields are mostly exposed to such materials, and adverse effects on blood and temperature profiles are observed. In this regard, objective of the current study is to model and simulate blood based nanofluid with three very important radioactive materials, named as Uranium dioxide (UO2), Thorium dioxide (ThO2) and...
-
Scaling scrum with a customized nexus framework: A report from a joint industry‐academia research project
Publicationespite a wide range of scaling frameworks available, large-scale agile transformations are not straightforward undertakings. Few organizations have structures in place that fit the predefined workflows – while once one applies an off-the-shelf framework outside of its prescribed process, guidance quickly runs out. In this paper, we demonstrate how to instantiate a method configuration process using a lightweight experimental approach...
-
A Series of Novel 3D Coordination Polymers Based on the Quinoline-2,4-dicarboxylate Building Block and Lanthanide(III) Ions—Temperature Dependence Investigations
PublicationA series of novel 3D coordination polymers [Ln2(Qdca)3(H2O)x]yH2O (x = 3 or 4, y = 0–4) assembled from selected lanthanide ions (Ln(III) = Nd, Eu, Tb, and Er) and a non-explored quinoline- 2,4-dicarboxylate building block (Qdca2 = C11H5NO4 2) were prepared under hydrothermal conditions at temperatures of 100, 120, and 150 C. Generally, an increase in synthesis temperature resulted in structural transformations and the formation...
-
Kinetics of Intermetallic Phase Precipitation in Manual Metal Arc Welded Duplex Stainless Steels
PublicationThe article presents the influence of heat treatment on the kinetics of transformations in lean duplex LDX2101 steel and a weld made of standard duplex 2209 material, which was welded by manual metal arc welding. Changes in the microstructure, hardness, and magnetic phase content were analyzed after heat treatment was conducted at a temperature of 800 °C for a period ranging from 15 to 1440 min. Light and scanning microscopy, Vickers...
-
Selected adipocytokines in patients with an incidentally discovered pheochromocytoma
PublicationBACKGROUND: Adipose tissue secretes many adipokines and cytokines, which may be an additional risk factor of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in patients with an incidentally discovered pheochromocytoma (PHEO). The aim of the study was to investigate levels of selected adipocytokines in these patients. METHODS: This prospective study included 12 patients with an incidentally discovered PHEO and 18 healthy participants. In...
-
Determination of bromhexine and its metabolites in equine serum samples by liquid chromatography – Tandem mass spectrometry: Applicability to the elimination study after single oral dose
PublicationBromhexine (BH), expectorant used in the treatment of respiratory disorders associated with viscid or excessive mucus, is not permitted for use in the competing horse by many authorities in horseracing and Olympic disciplines. Metabolic studies are of the great importance in anti-doping field because they allow for updating the selection of the most appropriate markers for prohibited substances, such as metabolites present at higher...
-
Honey antibacterial activity: A neglected aspect of honey quality assurance as functional food
PublicationBackground Honey is considered as a functional food with health-promoting properties. Its potent antibacterial and antibiofilm effects are the major attributes of so called ‘medical-grade honey’ which is topically used for the treatment of burns, wounds and skin disorders. Nevertheless, the current set of honey quality parameters adopted in the European Union do not include its biological properties. Furthermore, in light of the...
-
From the pills to environment – Prediction and tracking of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug concentrations in wastewater
PublicationThe extend of environment pollution by pharmaceuticals is in a stage that required more automatic and integrated solutions. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most popular pharmaceutical in the world and emerging pollutants of natural waters. The aim of the paper was to check the correlation of the sales data of selected NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac) and their concentration in the WWTP...
-
Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of fermented beverages obtained from fruit pomace
PublicationFruit pomace should not be considered as a waste product but as a by-product as it contains a lot of valuable components such as dietary fiber, bioactive compounds and a source of nutrients. The reasonable way to utilize these by-products, both fresh or dried, could be the fermentation of its extracts, leading to beverages with functional properties. In our research, we checked the possibility of using chokeberry, apple and...
-
Trace metals in skeletal calcite of echinoderms from the Barents Sea
PublicationThis study investigates the skeletal accumulation of selected elements (Al, Ag, As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Pb, Sr, Zn) in echinoderms inhabiting Barents Sea, an area impacted by human activities from northern Norway and Kola Peninsula, known sources of metal pollution. The primary aim was to have insight whether metals incorporation in the skeleton of Arctic echinoderms is regulated physiologically by the organism...
-
A mechanistically approached review upon assorted cell lines stimulated by athermal electromagnetic irradiation
PublicationThe probable influence of electromagnetic irradiation on cancer treatment has been deduced from the interaction of artificial electromagnetic emissions with biological organisms. Nonetheless, the suspected health effects induced by electromagnetic-based technology imply that such a treatment may contaminate the adjacent healthy cells. Thus, gaining mechanistic insights into the problem is required to avoid athermal health hazards....
-
Kształtowanie nowej tożsamości regionalnej w przestrzeniach dominacji wody na Żuławach Delty Wisły
PublicationCelem naukowym rozprawy jest sformułowanie kierunku zagospodarowania przestrzennego regionu Żuław Delty Wisły. To unikatowy w skali europejskiej region, który jest fenomenem cywilizacji hydraulicznej i dominacji wody. Proces polderyzacji, który rozpoczął się już w XIII wieku doprowadził do utworzenia historycznych układów urbanistycznych. W roku 1945 nastąpiło przerwanie ciągłości kulturowej. Współcześnie na obszarze Żuław istnieją...
-
INVESTIGATIONS OF THE EMISSION CHARACTERISTICS OF A DUAL-FUEL GAS TURBINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OPERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY ON LIQUID AND GASEOUS FUELS
PublicationT his study is dedicated to investigations of the working process in a dual-fuel low-emission combustion chamber for a floating vessel’s gas turbine. As the object of the research, a low-emission gas turbine combustion chamber with partial premixing of fuel and air inside the outer and inner radial-axial swirls was chosen. The method of the research is based on the numerical solution of the system of differential...
-
Pealizacija inicjatiw wostocznogo partnerstwa w Azerbajdżane
PublicationAzerbaijan established political relations with the EU during the implementation of TACIS Programme projects and signed the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the EU in 1996. It joined the European Neighbourhood Policy in 2004 and the Eastern Partnership programme in 2009. Despite the sceptical attitude taken by Azerbaijan's government towards the Eastern Partnership initiative, the EU earmarked further funds for Azerbaijan for 2011 – 2014 as part of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument. During the third Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius in November 2013, Azerbaijan signed only an agreement concerning visa facilitations and readmission. However, it also undertook certain measures as part of the five Eastern Partnership initiatives. In the framework of the Integrated Border Management Programme, Azerbaijan implemented projects connected with improving the access of resettled people to the judicial system, creation of electronic border control systems, social protection, increasing public awareness to eliminate domestic violence, improving assimilation of asylum - seekers and immigrants, and supporting occupational health organisations. Activities aimed at supporting SMEs included training for entrepreneurs, promotional conferences and loans to the SME sector. Recommendations of the initiative promoting the creation of regional electrical and renewable energy markets were implemented by Azerbaijan in the form of 33 projects as part of the INOGATE Programme. With respect to environmental management, Azerbaijan developed a digital regional atlas of natural disasters, and with respect to natural disaster mitigation it planned population protection measures. Azerbaijan was ranked last but one in the evaluation presented in the annual report prepared by the EU. The transformation process in this country has been slow and illusory in certain aspects. Nevertheless, the EU has continued its Eastern Partnership initiative activities, allocating between EUR 252,000 and 308,000 for transformations in Azerbaijan