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Search results for: biological processes
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Spetiation of organic matter in Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands
PublicationThe object of the research were VFCWs which are a component of biological treatment of two hybrid hydrophyte systems located in Wieszyno and Wiklino, close to Słupsk, Poland. The facilities that are subject to analyses are unified in terms of structure (filtration material, depth of the bed and time of operation), but they differ in organic matter load, amounting respectively to: 8.0 gCOD/m2day and 31.0 gCOD/m2day.The intensity...
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Nanodiamond phantoms mimicking human liver: perspective to calibration of T1 relaxation time in magnetic resonance imaging
PublicationPhantoms of biological tissues are materials that mimic the properties of real tissues. This study shows the development of phantoms with nanodiamond particles for calibration of T1 relaxation time in magnetic resonance imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a commonly used and non-invasive method of detecting pathological changes inside the human body. Nevertheless, before a new MRI device is approved for use, it is necessary...
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Interactions between hydration spheres of two different solutes in solution: The least squares fitting with constraints as a tool to determine water properties in ternary systems
PublicationBiological systems are complex and the problem of their description lies in mutual interactions between their components. This paper is focused on model experiment-based studies which can reduce these difficulties. The ternary aqueous N-methylacetamide (NMA)–Na2HPO4 system has been studied by means of the FTIR spectroscopy. A novel difference spectra method aimed to extract the spectral contribution of water affected simultaneously...
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Synthetic strategies in construction of organic macromolecular carrier–drug conjugates
PublicationMany metabolic inhibitors, considered potential antimicrobial or anticancer drug candidates, exhibit verylimited ability to cross the biological membranes of target cells. The restricted cellular penetration ofthose molecules is often due to their highhydrophilicity. One of the possible solutions to this problem is aconjugation of an inhibitor with a molecular organic nanocarrier. The conjugate thus formed should beable to penetrate...
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Hydroperoxyl radical and formic acid formation from common DNA stabilizers upon low energy electron attachment
Publication2-Amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol (TRIS) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) are key components of biological buffers and are frequently used as DNA stabilizers in irradiation studies. Such surface or liquid phase studies are done with the aim to understand the fundamental mechanisms of DNA radiation damage and to improve cancer radiotherapy. When ionizing radiation is used, abundant secondary electrons are formed...
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Fate and significance of phthalates and bisphenol A in liquid by-products generated during municipal solid waste mechanical-biological pre-treatment and disposal
PublicationSamples of liquid by-products generated by municipal solid waste plants (MSWPs) were tested for the presence of phthalates (PAEs) and bisphenol A (BPA). The results indicated that the wastewater generated during mechanical (sorting unit - SU) and biological (composting unit - CU) pre-treatment (MBT) of residual (mixed) solid waste is a significant source of these compounds. The concentrations of PAEs (up to 32222 lg/L) and BPA...
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Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of amino acid and peptide derivatives of mycophenolic acid
PublicationThe series of 16 novel amino acid and peptide mycophenolic acid (MPA) derivatives was obtained as potential antibacterial agents. Coupling of MPA with respective amines was optimized with condensing reagents such as EDCI/DMAP and T3P/TEA. Amino acid analogs were received both as methyl esters and also with the free carboxylic group. The biological activity of the products was tested on five references bacterial strains: Klebsiella...
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Enhancing electrochemical properties of an ITO-coated lossy-mode resonance optical fiber sensor by electrodeposition of PEDOT:PSS
PublicationA sensor working in multiple domains may offer enhanced information about the properties of an investigated analyte, including those containing biological species. It has already been shown that a dual-domain sensing capability, i.e., in optical and electrochemical domains, can be offered by lossy-mode resonance (LMR) sensors based on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) thin film. The spectral response of the LMR sensors depends on the refractive...
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The Use of Artificial Neural Networks and Decision Trees to Predict the Degree of Odor Nuisance of Post-Digestion Sludge in the Sewage Treatment Plant Process
PublicationThis paper presents the application of artificial neural networks and decision trees for the prediction of odor properties of post-fermentation sludge from a biological-mechanical wastewater treatment plant. The input parameters were concentrations of popular compounds present in the sludge, such as toluene, p-xylene, and p-cresol, and process parameters including the concentration of volatile fatty acids, pH, and alkalinity in...
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Stabilizing lactate production through repeated batch fermentation of food waste and waste activated sludge
PublicationBio-valorization of organic waste streams, such as food waste and waste activated sludge, to lactic acid (LA) has recently drawn much attention. It offers an opportunity for resource recovery, alleviates environmental issues and potentially turns a profit. In this study, both stable and high LA yield (0.72 ± 0.15 g/g total chemical oxygen demand) and productivity rate (0.53 g/L•h) were obtained through repeated batch fermentation....
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Meconium analysis as a promising diagnostic tool for monitoring fetal exposure to toxic substances: Recent trends and perspectives
PublicationPrenatal exposure to toxic substances is an important public health problem. Many biological specimens obtained from the fetus or mother are used for biomonitoring. Each material reflects exposure in a specific time period and has different advantages and disadvantages in terms of accuracy, time window of detection and cost/benefit ratio. Recently, meconium has become the matrix of choice in toxicology screening for detecting exposure...
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Analytical applications and physicochemical properties of ionic liquid-based hybrid materials: A review
PublicationIonic liquids with their unique properties found so far numerous analytical applications. Among them ionic liquids immobilized on the surface or within the pores of a solid support were successfully utilized in extraction techniques dedicated to preconcentration of the analytes from food, environmental and biological samples. In this review we focus on comprehensive summarizing of available literature data on the examples of ionic...
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Lipids and Food Quality
PublicationThis chapter deals with lipids present in food as well as their chemical, biological, and functional properties. The chapter begins with a presentation of the main groups of lipids including their chemical structure and physical properties. The physical properties of lipids affecting food processing are covered. Then, the role of lipids in human nutrition is presented. This is followed by a description of the undesirable changes...
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Solvent Exchange around Aqueous Zn(II) from Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Simulations
PublicationHydrated zinc(II) cations, due to their importance in biological systems, are the subject of ongoing research concerning their hydration shell structure and dynamics. Here, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations are used to study solvent exchange events around aqueous Zn2+, for which observation in detail is possible owing to the considerable length of the generated trajectory. While the hexacoordinated Zn(H2O)62+ is the...
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Stardust - Investigation of Microbes in the Stratosphere
PublicationThe stratospheric microbiome has been investigated several times using the methods of classical microbiology. In this experiment, we have combined them with some novel approaches including whole- metagenome amplification, Maldi TOF mass spectrometry and Sanger DNA sequencing. The results of the experiment may provide the scientists with knowledge about the mechanisms of survivability of microorganisms in stratospheric conditions...
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Selenium enrichment in broccoli sprouts as an initial step in the preparation of Certified Reference Material
PublicationSelenium is considered one of the essential elements in animals and humans. The main source of selenium intake for humans is the diet. Selenium deficiency has one of the most concerning issues worldwide. Broccoli sprouts are five-to-six-day old broccoli plants,...
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Polydopamine Biomaterials for Skin Regeneration
PublicationDesigning biomaterials capable of biomimicking wound healing and skin regeneration has been receiving increasing attention recently. Some biopolymers behave similarly to the extracellular matrix (ECM), supporting biointerfacial adhesion and intrinsic cellular interactions. Polydopamine (PDA) is a natural bioadhesive and bioactive polymer that endows high chemical versatility, making it an exciting candidate for a wide range of...
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"Food Oxidants and Antioxidants" Book review
PublicationThe book is the 14th title in the CRC series Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Components, edited since 2001 by Zdzisław E. Sikorski. The editor of the book, a professor in the University of Łódź and member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, is an internationally recognized authority in biochemistry and biophysics of reactive oxygen species. In Poland Grzegorz Bartosz has a reputation as the author of his most interesting...
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Antimicrobial molecular nanocarrier–drug conjugates
PublicationMany antimicrobial drugs are poorly active against pathogenic microbes causing intracellular infections, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Plasmodium falciparum. On the other hand, several known antimicrobial agents are not effective enough because of their limited cellular penetration. A common feature of both challenges is the inability of an active agent to cross the biological membrane(s). One of the possible approaches...
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To donate or not to donate? Future healthcare professionals’ opinions on biobanking of human biological material for research purposes
PublicationBackground Over the last few decades biobanks have been recognised as institutions that may revolutionisebiomedical research and the development of personalised medicine. Poland, however, still lacks clear regulationsregarding the running of biobanks and the conducting of biomedical research. While the awareness of the generalpublic regarding biobanks is low, healthcare professions and medical students also...
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Effects of Addictive Substances During Pregnancy and Infancy and Their Analysis in Biological Materials
PublicationThe use of addictive substances during pregnancy is a serious social problem, not only because of effects on the health of the woman and child, but also because drug or alcohol dependency it detracts from childcare and enhances the prospect of child neglect and family breakdown. Developing additive substance abuse treatment programs for pregnant women is socially important and can help ensure the health of babies, prevent subsequent...
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Development of biocompatible iron oxide-silicon oxide core-shell nanoparticles as subcellular delivery platform for glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase inhibitors
PublicationIn order to develop the preparation of iron oxide-silica coreshell nanoparticles (CSNPs), thesis deeply explores the cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA+) directed silica coating methods of the oleic-acid capped iron oxide nanoparticles (OA-IONPs) initialized under near-neutral pH conditions. It is demonstrated that the initial alkaline hydrolysis of ethyl acetate in the presence of CTA+ and OA-IONPs induces an unusual ligand exchange...
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When Biobanks Meet Religion: Association Between Religiosity and Attitudes of Polish Medical Students Toward Biobanking of Human Biological Material for Research Purposes
PublicationWhile biobanking is expanding globally, the empirical evidence concerning the impact of religion on future healthcare professionals’ awareness and willingness to donate biospecimens for biobank research is lacking. To understand how medicalstudents’ religious beliefs can fuel their questions regarding how biospecimens would be stored, cared for, and used, we conducted a survey among 1500 medical students at Poznań University...
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Synthesis of functionalized new conjugates of batracylin with tuftsin/ retro-tuftsin derivatives and their biological evaluation
PublicationNew batracylin conjugates with tuftsin/retro-tuftsin derivatives were designed and synthesized using T3P as a coupling agent. The conjugates possess an amide bond formed between the carboxyl group of heterocyclic molecule and the N-termini of the tuftsin/retro-tuftsin chain. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the new analogues and their precursors was evaluated using a series of human and murine tumor cells. BAT conjugates containing...
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Chromatographic lipophilicity determination using large volume injections of the solvents non-miscible with the mobile phase
PublicationA new perspective in the lipophilicity evaluation through RP-HPLC is permitted by analysis of the retentionfactor (k) obtained by injecting large volumes of test samples prepared in solvents immiscible withmobile phase. The experiment is carried out on representative groups of compounds with increasedtoxicity (mycotoxins and alkaloids) and amines with important biological activity (naturally occurringmonoamine compounds and related...
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Chronographic Imprint of Age-Induced Alterations in Heart Rate Dynamical Organization
PublicationBeat-to-beat changes in the heart period are transformed into a network of increments between subsequent RR-intervals, which enables graphical descriptions of short-term heart period variability. Three types of such descriptions are considered: (1) network graphs arising from a set of vertices and directed edges, (2) contour plots of adjacency matrices A, representing the networks and transition matrices T, resulting from A, and (3)...
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Properties and determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables
PublicationThe intensive development of agriculture means that more and more toxic organic and inorganic compounds are entering theenvironment. Because of their widespread use, stability, selective toxicity and bioaccumulation, pesticides are among the mosttoxic substances contaminating the environment. They are particularly dangerous in fruit and vegetables, by which people areexposed to them. It is therefore crucial to monitor pesticide...
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Development of Sulfamoylated 4‑(1-Phenyl‑1H‑1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)phenol Derivatives as Potent Steroid Sulfatase Inhibitors for Efficient Treatment of Breast Cancer
PublicationWe present here the advances achieved in the development of new sulfamoylated 4-(1-phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)phenol derivatives as potent steroid sulfatase (STS) inhibitors for the treatment of breast cancer. Prompted by promising biological results and in silico analysis, the initial series of similar compounds were extended, appending a variety of m-substituents at the outer phenyl ring. The inhibition profiles of the newly...
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Antimicrobal and ostheointegration activity of bone cement contains nanometals
PublicationPurpose: One of the major problems in bone surgery are infections – especially thoseoccurring in the course of the operating on the patients with lowered immunity system,because they carry the danger of complications. In the Mechanical Department of TechnicalUniversity of Gdansk, there has been carried the research with the use of bone cement andmetal nanoparticles.Design/methodology/approach: The bone cement was used without supplement...
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Failure mode prediction for composite structural insulated panels with MgO board facings
PublicationSandwich panels are readily used in civil engineering due to their high strength to weight ratio and the ease and speed of assembly. The idea of a sandwich section is to combine thin and durable facings with a light-weight core and the choice of materials used allows obtaining the desired behaviour. Panels in consideration consist of MgO (magnesium oxide) board facings and expanded polystyrene core and are characterized by immunity...
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The Caucasian flora: a still-to-be-discovered rich source of antioxidants
PublicationCellular redox homeostasis is a state of balance between the formation of Usually Reactive Oxygen and / or Nitrogen Species (ROS/RNS), endogenous antioxidant defence systems, and exogenous dietary antioxidants. The disturbance of redox homeostasis, by the overproduction of endogenous ROS/RNS, may increase the risk of development of so-called civilisation diseases. The solution seems to be either the increased production of endogenous...
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Fabrication and Characterization of Flexible Medical-Grade TPU Filament for Fused Deposition Modeling 3DP Technology
PublicationThe possibility of using additive manufacturing (AM) in the medicine area has created new opportunities in health care. This has contributed to a sharp increase in demand for 3D printers, their systems and materials that are adapted to strict medical requirements. We described herein a medical-grade thermoplastic polyurethane (S-TPU) which was developed and then formed into a filament for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers...
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The influence of sterilization with EnbioJet Microwave Flow Pasteurizer on composition and bioactivity of aronia and blue-berried honeysuckle juices
PublicationIn this study, fruit juices that are rich sources of anthocyanins, obtained from aronia (Am. chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa) and blueberry honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L. var. edulis) were used to examine the preservation of plant phytochemicals and bioactivity upon sterilization -either thermal, or with an EnbioJet microwave flow pasteurizer. The chemical properties verified included determinations of anthocyanins and other...
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In vitro and in silico assessment of anti-inflammatory activity of cocoa powders
PublicationPlants are considered the major sources of biologically active compounds, which provide unlimited opportunities for their use either as medical treatments or as novel drug formulations. Cocoa powder is frequently used in nutrition and is known to have many benefits thanks to its wide range of biological activities. The presented study was focused on th evaluation of the anti-inflammatory potential of extracts obtained from cocoa...
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Quantum and carbon dots conjugated molecularly imprinted polymers as advanced nanomaterials for selective recognition of analytes in environmental, food and biomedical applications
PublicationSamples with complex matrix analyzed during explanation of pathogenesis of various diseases and food or environmental monitoring request advanced analytical and instrumental devices. Among the materials used for described purposes, quantum (QDs) or carbon dots (CDs) layered by molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) shells have gained widespread attention. Unique optical and physicochemical properties of QDs/CDs together with high...
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The Chemical and Biological Properties of Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings with Antibacterial Nanometals, Obtained in the Electrophoretic Process on the Ti13Zr13Nb Alloy
PublicationThe risk of an early inflammation after implantation surgery of titanium implants has caused the development of different antimicrobial measures. The present research is aimed at characterizing the effects of nanosilver and nanocopper dispersed in the nanohydroxyapatite coatings, deposited on the Ti13Zr13Nb alloy, and on the chemical and biological properties of the coatings.The one-stage deposition process was performed by the...
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Machine Learning and Electronic Noses for Medical Diagnostics
PublicationThe need for noninvasive, easy-to-use, and inexpensive methods for point-of-care diagnostics of a variety of ailments motivates researchers to develop methods for analyzing complex biological samples, in particular human breath, that could aid in screening and early diagnosis. There are hopes that electronic noses, that is, devices based on arrays of semiselective or nonselective chemical sensors, can fill this niche. Electronic...
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Metal nanoparticles-assisted early diagnosis of diseases
PublicationEarly diagnosis is essential for the effective illness treatment, but traditional diagnostic approaches inevitably have major downsides. Recent advancements in nanoparticle-based biosensors have created new opportunities for accelerating diagnosis. High surface area, exceptional sensitivity, high specificity, and optical characteristics of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have made it possible to detect a variety of health conditions...
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Hydrazinolysis Products of Selected Sugar Lactones—Crystal Structure and Microbiological Activity
PublicationCommercially available lactones, as well as those synthesized by us, turned out to be good substrates for the synthesis of sugar hydrazides. The exception was L-ascorbic acid, whose hydrazinolysis led to the formation of a hydrazinium salt, not the hydrazide as expected. The structure of all compounds was confirmed by NMR and X-ray analyses. The lower durability of hydrazinium L-ascorbate was additionally confirmed by thermogravimetric...
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Silica In Silico: A Molecular Dynamics Characterization of the Early Stages of Protein Embedding for Atom Probe Tomography
PublicationA novel procedure for the application of atom probe tomography (APT) to the structural analysis of biological systems, has been recently proposed, whereby the specimen is embedded by a silica matrix and ablated by a pulsed laser source. Such a technique, requires that the silica primer be properly inert and bio-compatible, keeping the native structural features of the system at hand, while condensing into an amorphous, glass-like...
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Ion Chromatography with Pulsed Amperometric Detection for Determining Cyanide in Urine and Meconium Samples
PublicationThe parents’ addictions and eating habits have a significant influence on the child’s growth. The first stool of a newborn baby provides a large amount of information about xenobiotics transmitted by the mother’s body. The analytical technique used in the study is ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (IC-PAD). The biological samples, which were obtained from women staying in a maternity ward and their partners,...
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Glucose oxidase as an important yet overlooked factor determiningthe antibacterial activity of bee pollen and bee bread
PublicationBee pollen (BP) and bee bread (BB) have attracted great attention due to their biological activities including antibacterial activity. However, the mechanism of antibacterial activity is largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to characterise the antibacterial effect of BP and BB aqueous extracts against bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus faecalis)...
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Low-Molecular Pyrazine-Based DNA Binders: Physicochemical and Antimicrobial Properties
PublicationPyrazine and its derivatives are a large group of compounds that exhibit broad biological activity, the changes of which can be easily detected by a substituent effect or a change in the functional group. The present studies combined theoretical research with the density functional theory (DFT) approach (B3LYP/6-311+G**) and experimental (potentiometric and spectrophotometric) analysis for a thorough understanding of the structure...
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The influence of selenium addition during germination of Brassica seeds on health-promoting potential of sprouts
PublicationThe correlation among selenium uptake, the content of bioactive compounds in sprouts, and biological activities triggered in cultured human cells by sprout extracts was investigated. Seeds of Brassica crops and rye were treated with SeO2 water solution. The selenium levels in sprouts increased from 1.0-4.1 to 53.3-382 μg/g dw with no influence on plant physiology according to the indices used. Neither the composition of glucosinolates...
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Synthesis and steroid sulfatase inhibitory activities of N-phosphorylated 3-(4-aminophenyl)-coumarin-7-O-sulfamates
PublicationIn the present work, we report convenient methods for the synthesis and biological evaluation of N-phosphorylated derivatives of 3-(4-aminophenyl)-coumarin-7-O-sulfamate as potential steroid sulfatase (STS) inhibitors. Their binding modes were modeled using docking techniques. The inhibitory effects of the synthesized compounds were tested on STS isolated from human placenta. All of the newly synthesised coumarin derivatives were...
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Synthesis of Combretastatin A-4 Analogs and their Biological Activities
PublicationCombretastatin A-4 (CA-4) is a natural product, which consists of two phenyl rings, linked by an ethylene bridge. CA-4, inhibitor of polymerization of tubulin to microtubules, possesses a strong antitumor and anti-vascular properties both in vitro and in vivo. Previous studies showed that disodium phosphate salt of CA-4, a water-soluble prodrug is well tolerated at therapeutically useful doses. However, it should be noted that...
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Novel materials and approaches for solid-phase (micro) extraction in LC-MS-based metabolomics
PublicationMetabolomics offers a unique approach to study biological systems. Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry serves as a powerful analytical tool to analyze complex mixtures of metabolites. However, successful metabolomic analysis relies on sample preparation. While untargeted analysis traditionally favors nonselective procedures like liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), these methods can compromise analytical performance due...
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Plasma-Based Deposition and Processing Techniques for Optical Fiber Sensing
PublicationPlasma-based techniques are widely applied for well-controlled deposition, etching or surface functionalization of a number of materials. It is difficult to imagine fabrication of novel microelectronic and optoelectronic devices without using plasma-enhanced deposition of thin films, their selective etching or functionalization of their surfaces for subsequent selective binding of chemical or biological molecules. Depending on...
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Noise sources in Raman spectroscopy of biological objects
PublicationWe present an overview of noise sources deteriorating the quality of the recorded biological Raman spectra and the ability to determine the specimen composition. The acquired Raman spectra exhibit intense additive noise components or drifts because of low intensity of the scattered light. Therefore we have to apply expensive or bulky measurement setups to limit their inherent noise or to apply additional signal processing to reduce...
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Modeling the Effect of External Carbon Source Addition under Different Electron Acceptor Conditions in Biological Nutrient Removal Activated Sludge Systems
Publicationhe aim of this study was to expand the International Water Association Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) to predict the aerobic/anoxic behavior of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) and “ordinary” heterotrophs in the presence of different external carbon sources and electron acceptors. The following new aspects were considered: (1) a new type of the readily biodegradable substrate, not available for the anaerobic activity...