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Search results for: agents
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A Simulation Model for Risk and Pricing Competition in the Retail Lending Market
PublicationWe propose a simulation model of the retail lending market with two types of agents: borrowers searching for low interest rates and lenders competing through risk-based pricing. We show that individual banks observe adverse selection, even if every lender applies the same pricing strategy and a credit scoring model of comparable discrimination power. Additionally, the model justifies the reverse-S shape of the response rate curve....
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HDAC Inhibitors: Innovative Strategies for Their Design and Applications
PublicationHistone deacetylases (HDACs) are a large family of epigenetic metalloenzymes that are involved in gene transcription and regulation, cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and death, as well as angiogenesis. Particularly, disorders of the HDACs expression are linked to the development of many types of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, making them interesting molecular targets for the design of new efficient drugs...
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Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel N-phosphorylated and O-phosphorylated tacrine derivatives as potential drugs against Alzheimer’s disease
PublicationIn this work, we designed, synthesised and biologically investigated a novel series of 14N- and O-phosphorylated tacrine derivatives as potential anti-Alzheimer’s disease agents. In the reaction of 9-chlorotacrine and corresponding diamines/aminoalkylalcohol we obtained diamino and aminoalkylhydroxy tacrine derivatives. Next, the compounds were acid to give final products 6–13 and 16–21 that were characterised by 1H, 13 C, 31P...
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Model otwartej architektury rozproszonych dokumentów elektronicznych wspierającej proces podejmowania decyzji w trybie obliczeń zespołowych
PublicationModel otwartej architektury mobilnych dokumentów interaktywnych MIND, został opracowany w celu efektywnego zarządzania informacją w procesach podejmowanych przez organizacje oparte na wiedzy. Architektura ta stanowi całościowy opis struktury i funkcjonalności dokumentu, zaprojektowanego w celu realizacji rozproszonego przetwarzania zespołowego i pracy grupowej. Umożliwia automatyczne przejście od statycznej postaci dokumentów...
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Pilicides effectively hinder chaperone-usher interactions in all Gram-negative bacteria
PublicationThe chaperone-usher pathway of adhesive structures biogenesis is highly conserved in all Gram-negative bacteria. Pili are polymers of thousands protein subunits that possess conserved immunoglobuline-like structure denoted by lack of the seventh G strand. The effect of this structural defect is a hydrophobic acceptor cleft. The folding of protein subunits is strictly dependent on the action of specific periplasmic chaperone protein...
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Using human behavior to develop knowledge-based virtual organisations
PublicationPropozycja modelu opartego na zachowaniach ludzkich dla potrzeb budowy wirtuanych organizacji opartych na wiedzy.Virtual organizations promote dynamic interaction between individuals, groups, and organizations, who share their capabilities and resources to pursue a common goal and maximize their benefits. Among these resources, knowledge is a critical one that requires special attention in order to support problem-solving activities...
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Missing Puzzle Pieces in Dementia Research: HCN Channels and Theta Oscillations
PublicationIncreasing evidence indicates a role of hyperpolarization activated cation (HCN) channels in controlling the resting membrane potential, pacemaker activity, memory formation, sleep, and arousal. Their disfunction may be associated with the development of epilepsy and age-related memory decline. Neuronal hyperexcitability involved in epileptogenesis and EEG desynchronization occur in the course of dementia in human Alzheimer’s Disease...
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Fabrication of wormhole-like YSZ and Ni-YSZ by the novel soft-hard template CTAB/NaCl-assisted route. Suppressing Ni coalescence in SOFC
PublicationA novel one-pot synthesis route leading to the formation of a wormhole-like structure was developed for the successful fabrication of porous YSZ and Ni-YSZ systems. This method involved co-precipitation in the presence of the micelle-forming agents CTAB/Pluronic P123 and crystallising NaCl. The obtained skeletons were mechanically stable and presented almost 50% uniform, open porosity without using any additional pore-formers....
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Optimized 5-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of tinea unguium: performance in a routine PCR laboratory
PublicationWe recently reported the development of a 5-hour multiplex PCR test for the detection of tinea unguium and the optimization of this test by the inclusion of an inhibition control. Here we report the performance of this procedure as used in a routine clinical laboratory as compared to conventional microscopy and culture-based techniques performed in a mycology reference laboratory. We found in processing 109 samples that 22 (20.2%)...
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Alternative Methods of Preparation of Soluble Keratin from Chicken Feathers
PublicationHuge amount of keratinous waste, especially birds’ feathers, demands more value-added application instead of dumping. The present work reports the results of experiments aimed at preparing soluble keratin useful for novel bioproduct formation. The effect of thermo-chemical treatments with various reducing agents, i.e. 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, sodium m-bisulphite, and sodium bisulphite, as well as sodium hydroxide, on...
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The implementation of green transformation through clusters
PublicationThe paper addresses a poorly documented issue in the literature, namely the role of clusters in green transformation, including processes related to green, low-carbon, and circular economies. The purpose was to identify and understand the practices of clusters in this area. The adopted mixed research strategy consisted of both qualitative and quantitative research. Both research phases were conducted in a group of Polish Key National...
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Transport of paracetamol in swellable and relaxing polyurethane nanocomposite hydrogels
PublicationPolyurethane hydrogels are potentially attractive materials for biomedical applications. They are able to absorb large amount of water, biological fluids or active substances, and thus, they have potential to be used as absorbents or wound-healing dressings. They are also used for the controlled release of therapeutics because of their capacity to embed biologically active agents in their water-swollen network. The presence of...
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Gold nanoparticles evaluation using functional optical coherence tomography
PublicationThe main object of this research was to assess the ability to characterize the gold nanoparticles using optical modalities like optical coherence tomography. Since the nanoparticles, especially gold one, have been very attractive for medical diagnosis and treatment the amount of research activities have been growing rapidly. The nanoparticles designed for different applications like contrast agents or drugs delivery change the...
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JamesBot - an intelligent agent playing StarCraft II
PublicationThe most popular method for optimizing a certain strategy based on a reward is Reinforcement Learning (RL). Lately, a big challenge for this technique are computer games such as StarCraft II which is a real-time strategy game, created by Blizzard. The main idea of this game is to fight between agents and control objects on the battlefield in order to defeat the enemy. This work concerns creating an autonomous bot using reinforced...
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Ultrasound assisted synthesis of 3-alkynyl substituted 2-chloroquinoxaline derivatives: Their in silico assessment as potential ligands for N-protein of SARS-CoV-2
PublicationIn view of recent global pandemic the 3-alkynyl substituted 2-chloroquinoxaline framework has been explored as a potential template for the design of molecules targeting COVID-19. Initial in silico studies of representative compounds to assess their binding affinities via docking into the N-terminal RNA-binding domain (NTD) of N-protein of SARS-CoV-2 prompted further study of these molecules. Thus building of a small library of...
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Analytics of Surfactants in the Environment: Problems and Challenges
PublicationSurfactants (surface active agents = SAAs) are a group of compoundswith specific physicochemical properties (amphiphilicity,solubility in polar and nonpolar liquids, ability to form micelles,adsorption at phase boundaries).1,2 Because of their properties,surface-active compounds are widely applied in industry and thehousehold (e.g., in detergents, personal-care products, paints,pesticides, petroleum products). As their applications...
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Influence of pore formers on electrical properties of CaTi0.9Fe0.1O3-δ perovskite-type ceramics
PublicationPorous CaTi0.9Fe0.1O3-δ (CTF) perovskites were synthesized by the standard solid state method at different sintering temperatures with carbon black (CB), corn starch (CS) and potato starch (PS) as pore-forming agents. The ceramic samples of porosity between 9% and 42% with 5 - 40 μm pore sizes, were obtained by a 6 h sintering at either 1130º C or 1200º C of precursor powder prepared at 1470º C. X-ray diffraction analysis proved...
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Morphology control through the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks
PublicationDesignable morphology and predictable properties are the most challenging goals in material engineering. Features such as shape, size, porosity, agglomeration ratio significantly affect the final properties of metal- organic frameworks (MOFs) and can be regulated throughout synthesis parameters but require a deep under- standing of the mechanisms of MOFs formation. Herein, we systematically summarize the effects of the indi- vidual...
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Anticarcinogenic and antioxidant activities of leaves and flowers hydroalcoholic extracts of Nerium oleander L.: PCA analysis and phytochemical content by FTIR spectroscopy
PublicationAims: The aim of this work is the evaluation the anticarcinogenic effect on HT29 cancer cells lines and antioxidant effect of three extracts from different morphological parts (leaves (LE), pink flowers (PFE) and white flowers (WFE)) of Nerium oleander lin. Methods: This research provides the anticarcinogenic activity of extracts from N. oleander white flowers. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to estimate the relationship...
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Multi-agent large-scale parallel crowd simulation
PublicationThis paper presents design, implementation and performance results of a new modular, parallel, agent-based and large scale crowd simulation environment. A parallel application, implemented with C and MPI, was implemented and run in this parallel environment for simulation and visualization of an evacuation scenario at Gdansk University of Technology, Poland and further in the area of districts of Gdansk. The application uses a...
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Use of Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 producing recombinant colicins for treatment of IBD patients
PublicationPatients with Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis infected with Adherent-Invasive Escherichia coli strains constitute the largest group among Inflammatory Bowel Disease subjects, when taking into account all known etiological agents of the disease. A possible link between these pathogenic bacteria and inflammation process has gained the confidence in recently published papers. Observed enteric neuroglial cells apoptosis and...
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Modelling of heat transfer in supercritical pressure recuperators
PublicationIn the paper presented is analysis of convective flow heat transfer at supercritical pressure in channels of heat exchanger working in the thermodynamic cycle. The modelling is based on the division of the flow into three regions, namely the heavy fluid, a two phase flow consisting of the heavy and light fluids and finally the light fluid flow. Modelling is concentrated on the region of simultaneous flow of two fluids divided into...
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BINDER COURSES USING COLD RECYCLED MIXTURES – A NOVEL CONCEPT IN COLD RECYCLING
PublicationCold recycling with cement and bituminous emulsion is one of the most environmentally friendly techniques to maximize the reuse of reclaimed asphalt (RA) collected during demolition of roads. Cold recycled mixtures are commonly used for base courses in construction or rehabilitation of flexible and semi-rigid pavements. Current experiences demonstrated that cold recycling with appropriate requirements and technical recommendations...
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Nanocrystalline diamond sheets as protective coatings for fiber-optic measurement head
PublicationFiber-optic sensors find numerous applications in science and industry, but their full potential is limited because of the risk of damaging the measurement head, in particular, due to the vulnerability of unprotected tips of the fiber to mechanical damage and aggressive chemical agents. In this paper, we report the first use of a new nanocrystalline diamond structure in a fiber-optic measurement head as a protective coating of...
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Comparative Assessment of Bacteriophage and Antibiotic Activity against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms
PublicationProblems connected with biofilm-related infections and antibiotic resistance necessitate the investigation and development of novel treatment strategies. Given their unique characteristics, one of the most promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics are bacteriophages. In the in vitro and in vivo larva model study, we demonstrate that phages vB_SauM-A, vB_SauM-C, and vB_SauM-D are effective antibiofilm agents. The exposure...
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Tetrahydroquinolinone derivatives exert antiproliferative effect on lung cancer cells through apoptosis induction
PublicationThe anticancer properties of quinolones is a topic of interest among researchers in the scientific world. Because these compounds do not cause side effects, unlike the commonly used cytostatics, they are considered a promising source of new anticancer drugs. In this work, we designed a brief synthetic pathway and obtained a series of novel 8-phenyltetrahydroquinolinone derivatives functionalized with benzyl-type moieties at position...
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Development of Safirinium dyes for new applications: fluorescent staining of bacteria, human kidney cells, and the horny layer of the epidermis
PublicationLow-molecular synthetic fluorophores are convenient tools in bioimaging applications. Several derivatives of Safirinium dyes as well as their reactive N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) esters bearing diverse substituents were synthesized and evaluated experimentally in terms of their lipophilicity by means of reverse-phase and immobilized artificial membrane high-performance liquid chromatography. Subsequently, the selected compounds...
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Antitumor 1-nitroacridine derivative C-1748 induces significant apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells.
PublicationPancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death and has the lowest survival rate of any solid cancer in the industrial countries. The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer results from its tendency for late presentation, aggressive invasion, early metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Gemcitabine still remains the best chemotherapeutic agent available for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. However, gemcitabine...
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IDENTYFIKACJA CZYNNIKÓW WPŁYWAJĄCYCH NA BEZPIECZEŃSTWO EKSPLOATACJI STATKU NA ŚRÓDLĄDOWEJ DRODZE WODNEJ W DELCIE WISŁY
PublicationKażdego roku w Polsce, na śródlądowych drogach wodnych rejestrowane są przez Urzędy Żeglugi Śródlądowej, Państwową Straż Pożarną i Policję wypadki i incydenty, prowadzące zarówno do uszkodzenia infrastruktury jak i uszczerbku na zdrowiu. Poprawa poziomu bezpieczeństwa wymaga dogłębnej analizy i wyciągania wniosków z zaistniałych sytuacji awaryjnych. Istotną rzeczą jest identyfikacja i usystematyzowanie zagrożeń występujących w...
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Modyfikacja cementu kostnego w celu uzyskania długotrwałej ochrony antybakteryjnej
PublicationNiniejsza rozprawa doktorska stanowi przewodnik po jednotematycznym cyklu publikacji, dotyczącym modyfikacji akrylowego cementu kostnego celem uzyskania długotrwałej i efektywnej ochrony antybakteryjnej. W ramach niego przeprowadzono badania eksperymentalne polegające na opracowaniu technologii wytwarzania modyfikowanego cementu kostnego oraz procedury medycznej jego stosowania. Cement kostny był modyfikowany przez zastosowanie...
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Treatment innovation using solar/UV In book: The Treatment of Pharmaceutical Wastewater: Innovative Technologies and the Adaptation of Treatment Systems
PublicationSince ancient times, sunlight irradiation has been widely used for water purification. Apart from solar water disinfection techniques, UV irradiation is of particular interest when considering the photodegradation of various classes of emerging pollutants. Pharmaceutically active compounds are one of the largest classes of micropollutants. The main sources of these contaminants in wastewater and aqueous environments are households,...
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Unsaturated, biobased polyesters and their cross-linking via radical copolymerization
PublicationBiobased, unsaturated polyesters derived from isosorbide, maleic anhydride and succinic acid were synthesized and characterized. The presence of maleic anhydride units in the structure of the polyesters allowed converting them into cured coatings by radical copolymerization with cross-linking agents such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, acrylic acid or methacrylamide. The investigated polyesters were obtained...
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Processing, Mechanical and Morphological Properties of GTR Modified by SBS Copolymers
PublicationIn this work, ground tire rubber (GTR) was thermo-mechanically treated in the presence of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) copolymers. During preliminary investigation, the effects of different SBS copolymer grades, the variable content of SBS copolymer on the Mooney viscosity, and the thermal and mechanical properties of modified GTR were determined. Subsequently, GTR modified by SBS copolymer and cross-linking agents (sulfur-based...
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H2AX phosphorylation, its role in DNA damage response and cancer therapy
PublicationDouble-strand breaks (DSBs) are the most deleterious DNA lesions, which, if left unrepaired, may have severe consequences for cell survival, as they lead to chromosome aberrations, genomic instability, or cell death. Various physical, chemical, and biological factors are involved in DSB induction. Cells respond to DNA damage by activating the so-called DNA damage response (DDR), a complex molecular mechanism developed to detect...
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The influence of pre- and postharvest treatments on selected biological and epigenetic activities of Brassica sprouts
PublicationIntroduction The Brassica vegetables are rich in glucosinolates (GLs), which are enzymatically hydrolysed to bioactive isothiocynates (ITC) and indoles, regarded as the most promising chemopreventing agents. However, in the majority of brassica sprouts the GL conversion into these beneficial derivatives occurs at the level of about 1 %, while in cabbage leaves exceeds 70%. Since sprouts represent plant material, which is frequently...
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Antimicrobial and Antiproliferative Coatings for Stents in Veterinary Medicine—State of the Art and Perspectives
PublicationMicrobial colonization in veterinary stents poses a significant and concerning issue in veterinary medicine. Over time, these pathogens, particularly bacteria, can colonize the stent surfaces, leading to various complications. Two weeks following the stent insertion procedure, the colonization becomes observable, with the aggressiveness of bacterial growth directly correlating with the duration of stent placement. Such microbial...
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MXenes Antibacterial Properties and Applications: A Review and Perspective
PublicationThe mutations of bacteria due to the excessive use of antibiotics, and generation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have made the development of new antibacterial compounds a necessity. MXenes have emerged as biocompatible transition metal carbide structures with extensive biomedical applications. This is related to the MXenes’ unique combination of properties, including multifarious elemental compositions, 2D-layered structure,...
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Designing with Green and Blue – Climate Adaption Proposals for Lowland Areas of Gdańsk
PublicationThe paper gives insight into issues explored within the framework of the SOS Climate Waterfront workshop that took place in Gdańsk in June 2019. The aim of the study was to propose solutions that will decrease the number of flooding events and span the gap between flood prevention strategies and the provision of other benefits such as ecological, urban, cultural and social. Historical cartography enquiries and research by the design...
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Surfactants: a real threat to the aquatic geoecosystems of lobelia lakes
PublicationLobelia lakes are valuable elements of the natural environment. They are characterised by low trophy, mainly in-forest location and a high transparency of water. However, similarly to other surface waters, they are subjected to increasing anthropogenic pressures, a good indicator of which is the level of surfactants, also called surface-active agents (SAAs). The aim of the study was to evaluate the intensity of anthropogenic pressures...
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PCR and real-time PCR assays to detect fungi of Alternaria alternata species
PublicationFungi of the Alternaria genus are mostly associated with allergic diseases. However, with a growing number of immunocompromised patients, these fungi, with A. alternata being the most prevalent one, are increasingly recognized as etiological agents of infections (phaeohyphomycoses) in humans. Nowadays, identification of Alternaria spp. requires their pure culture and is solely based on morphological criteria. Clinically, Alternaria...
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Application of safirinium N-hydroxysuccinimide esters to derivatization of peptides for high-resolution mass spectrometry, tandem mass spectrometry, and fluorescent labeling of bacterial cells
PublicationMass spectrometry methods are commonly used in the identification of peptides and biomarkers. Due to a relatively low abundance of proteins in biological samples, there is a need for the development of novel derivatization methods that would improve MS detection limits. Hence, novel fluorescent N-hydroxysuccinimide esters of dihydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-2-ium carboxylates (Safirinium P dyes) have been synthesized. The...
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Synergistic Effects of Propolis Combined with 2-Phenoxyethanol and Antipyretics on the Growth of Staphylococcus aureus
PublicationThe present investigation aimed to assess the combinational effect of commonly usedantipyretics and antiseptics with ethanolic extracts of propolis (EEPs) on the growth inhibition ofStaphylococcus aureus. The broth microdilution checkerboard assay revealed synergistic interactionsbetween all investigated antipyretics, namely acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen,with EEPs samples. The values of the fractional inhibitory...
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Identification and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus spp. isolated from surface water
PublicationIn the study species distributions and antimicrobial resistance profiles were determined among riverine Enterococcus spp. Susceptibility of the isolates was tested against: ampicillin, imipenem, teicoplanin, vancomycin, erythromycin, linezolid, fosfomycin, ciprofloxacin,levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, tetracycline, high levels of gentamicin and streptomycin. The enterococci were detected in all of the analyzed water samples, periodically...
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Wyzwania związane z analityką surfaktantów obecnych w różnych elementach środowiska
PublicationSurfaktanty (Surface Active Agents, SAAs) stanowią grupę związków, które ze względu na swoje specyficzne właściwości fizykochemiczne (zdolność do tworzenia micelli, rozpuszczania się w cieczach polarnych i niepolarnych oraz adsorpcji na granicy faz), mogą być stosowane w różnych celach, zarówno w gospodarstwach domowych jak i w przemyśle. Szerokie spektrum zastosowania oraz specyficzne właściwości surfaktantów powodują konieczność...
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Palindromic carbazole derivatives: unveiling their antiproliferative effect via topoisomerase II catalytic inhibition and apoptosis induction
PublicationHuman DNA topoisomerases are essential for crucial cellular processes, including DNA replication, transcription, chromatin condensation, and maintenance of its structure. One of the significant strategies employed in cancer treatment involves the inhibition of a specific type of topoisomerase, known as topoisomerase II (Topo II). Carbazole derivatives, recognised for their varied biological activities, have recently become a significant...
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Activity of Polish unifloral honeys against pathogenic bacteria and its correlation with colour, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and other parameters.
PublicationThe use of honey as an antimicrobial agent gains importance due to often ineffectiveness of conventional treatment. However, activity of honey depends mainly on its botanical and geographical origin. To date, antimicrobial potential of Polish honeys has not yet been entirely investigated. In this study, 37 unifloral samples of 14 honey types (including rare varieties) from Poland were analysed and compared with manuka honey. The...
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Antimicrobial resistance of fecal indicators in disinfected wastewater
PublicationThe main objective of the study was to assess the potential of three systems (UV irradiation, ozonation, and micro/ultrafiltration) operated in a pilot scale in removal of antimicrobial-resistant fecal bacteria from secondary effluent of the local wastewater treatment plant (700,000 population equivalent). The effectiveness of the processes was analysed using the removal ratio of fecal indicators (Escherichia coli and Enterococcus...
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2D MXene nanocomposites: electrochemical and biomedical applications
PublicationIn recent years, key questions about the interaction of 2D MXene nanomaterials in electrochemical and biomedical applications have been raised. Most research has focused on clarifying the exclusive properties of the materials; however, only limited reports have described the biomedical applications of 2D nanomaterials. 2D MXenes are monolayer atomic nanosheets resulting from MAX phase ceramics. The hydrophilic properties, metallic...
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Ribes nigrum L. Extract-Mediated Green Synthesis and Antibacterial Action Mechanisms of Silver Nanoparticles
PublicationSilver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) represent one of the most widely employed metal-based engineered nanomaterials with a broad range of applications in different areas of science. Plant extracts (PEs) serve as green reducing and coating agents and can be exploited for the generation of Ag NPs. In this study, the phytochemical composition of ethanolic extract of black currant (Ribes nigrum) leaves was determined. The main components...
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Double-Blind Reputation vs. Intelligent Fake VIP Attacks in Cloud-Assisted Interactions
PublicationWe consider a generic model of Client-Server interactions in the presence of Sender and Relay, conceptual agents acting on behalf of Client and Server, respectively, and modeling cloud service providers in the envisaged "QoS as a Service paradigm". Client generates objects which Sender tags with demanded QoS level, whereas Relay assigns the QoS level to be provided at Server. To verify an object's right to a QoS level, Relay detects...