Search results for: BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
-
Structure of Microemulsion Formulated with Monoacylglycerols in the Presence of Polyols and Ethanol
PublicationThe influence of polyols as cosurfactants (propylene glycol PG; glycerol G) and short chain alcohol as a cosolvent (ethanol EtOH) on the formation and solubilization capacity of the systems: hexadecane/monoacylglycerols (MAG)/polyol/water:EtOH, at 60C, was investigated. Electrical conductivity measurement, and the DSC method were applied to determine the structure and type of microemulsions formed. The dimension of the droplets...
-
Dissolved and colloidal organic nitrogen removal from WWTP effluents and reject waters using physical-chemical processes
PublicationFour physical-chemical processes were compared in terms of the efficiencies of dissolved and colloidal organic nitrogen (DON and CON) removal from the secondary effluents (SE) and reject water from full-scale biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems. Adsorption on activated carbon was most efficient and allowed to remove from the SE up to 80% and 100% of DON and CON, respectively. High efficiencies of DON removal from...
-
Reliability of nitrogen removal processes in multistage treatment wetlands receiving high-strength wastewater
Publicationreatment wetlands have been proved to be more effective than conventional treatment processes in case of high-strength wastewater containing high concentrations of ammonium nitrogen and recalcitrant organic matter. In this study nitrogen removal processes and reliability of nitrogen removal at two identical pilot-scale multistage treatment wetlands (MTWs) receiving real, non-synthetic wastewater were discussed. The wastewater discharged...
-
Influence of dissolved organic nitrogen on surface waters
PublicationThe aim of this study was to determine the susceptibility of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) contained in biologically treated wastewater disposed from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to biodegradability and bioavailability in a water environment. Additionally an evaluation was performed of the participation of this organic nitrogen fraction, including bioavailable DON (bDON), in the nitrogen balance for the Baltic...
-
The influence of selenium addition during seeds' germination on the biological properties of obtained sprouts
PublicationSelenium plays a vital role in human body, because in the form of aminoacids (Se-methionine, Se-cysteine) it is found in the active centres of over 25 enzymes, including those regarded as 'cytoprotective'. Unfortunatelly, its daily intake in Poland and other European countries is lower than predicted by dietary recommendations. The consequences of selenium deficiency in diet might be severe, including higher susceptibility to cardio-vascular...
-
Postbiotics in oncology: science or science fiction?
PublicationThe gut microbiome has been increasingly understood to play a critical role in carcinogenesis and cancer disease progression. The most recent research advancements have shown that different tools of microbiota manipulation contribute to gut microbiome–immune–oncology axis modulation, offering exciting opportunities for targeted interventions aimed at improving the efficacy of established anti-cancer therapy. Postbiotics are a new...
-
Comparative Analysis of Phytochemical Profiles and Selected Biological Activities of Various Morphological Parts of Ligustrum vulgare
PublicationLigustrum vulgare (LV), widely cultivated in Europe and often used in hedges, has been histori-cally recognized in folk medicine for its potential health benefits. This study focused on exploring the untargeted identification of secondary metabolites in ethanol extracts (70% v/v) from differ-ent morphological parts (young shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits) of LV at various stages of plant development, using ultra-high-performance...
-
Soft Tissue Retraction Maneuver in Cone Beam Computed Tomography Prior to Crown-Lengthening Procedure—A Technical Note
PublicationBackground: An accurate determination of the biological width and the relationship of the cemento-enamel junction with the border of the alveolar bone is crucial during a clinical crown-lengthening (CCL) procedure. The aim of this study was to present a technical note about the retraction techniques in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) prior to CCL, highlighting the significant enhancement in procedural accuracy and predictability...
-
Reliability and efficiency of pollution removal during long-term operation of a one-stage constructed wetland system with horizontal flow
PublicationThe paper presents the results of a study of the reliability and efficiency of pollutant removal during long term operation of a one-stage constructed wetland system with horizontal flow. The flow rate of the wastewater treatment plant was 1.2 m3·d-1 during the research period. Physical and chemical analyses of raw wastewater and treated effluent were carried out in the years 1997–2010 (14 years). During this study period, 56 series...
-
Convolutional Neural Networks for C. Elegans Muscle Age Classification Using Only Self-Learned Features
PublicationNematodes Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) have been used as model organisms in a wide variety of biological studies, especially those intended to obtain a better understanding of aging and age-associated diseases. This paper focuses on automating the analysis of C. elegans imagery to classify the muscle age of nematodes based on the known and well established IICBU dataset. Unlike many modern classification methods, the proposed...
-
Impedimetric sensing of α-amino acids driven by micro-patterned 1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one into titania- boron- doped maze-like nanocarbons
PublicationThe development of impedimetric, non-faradaic label-free sensors for the detection of α-amino acids constitutes a trailblazing technology for the fast and inexpensive quantification of such biomarkers. Since α-amino acids, such as glycine and sarcosine, are basic constituents in biological processes, a variation in their concentration may be an indicator of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders or neurological conditions....
-
Modeling nutrient removal and energy consumption in an advanced activated sludge system under uncertainty
PublicationActivated sludge models are widely used to simulate, optimize and control performance of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). For simulation of nutrient removal and energy consumption, kinetic parameters would need to be estimated, which requires an extensive measurement campaign. In this study, a novel methodology is proposed for modeling the performance and energy consumption of a biological nutrient removal activated sludge system...
-
Hybrid systems using hydrodynamic cavitation/ultrasound/Fenton processes for effective treatment of wastewater
PublicationThe present situation of rapid growth in industrialization generates complex recalcitrant pollutants that are challenging to degrade by conventional wastewater treatment processes. The new generation pollutants such as non-metals in cosmetics or household cleaning chemicals and radioactive compounds which are recalcitrant are the emerging threat to the ecosystem. The headstrong micro and macro pollutants present in wastewater are...
-
Strategies for mitigating nitrous oxide production and decreasing the carbon footprint of a full-scale combined nitrogen and phosphorus removal activated sludge system
PublicationNitrous oxide (N2O) emitted from biological nutrient removal activated sludge systems contributes significantly to the total carbon footprint of modern wastewater treatment plants. In the present study, N2O production and emissions were experimentally determined in a large-scale plant (220,000 PE) employing combined nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal. As a modelling tool, the Activated Sludge Model 2d (ASM2d) was extended...
-
Prophylaxis of Non-communicable Diseases: Why Fruits and Vegetables may be Better Chemopreventive Agents than Dietary Supplements Based on Isolated Phytochemicals?
PublicationThe World Health Organization (WHO) report from 2014 documented that non-communicable socalled civilization diseases such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases, cancer or type 2 diabetes are responsible for over 50% of all premature deaths in the world. Research carried out over the past 20 years has provided data suggesting that diet is an essential factor influencing the risk of development of these diseases....
-
Possibilities of Leachate Co-Treatment Originating from Biogas Production in the Deammonification Process
PublicationIn the methane fermentation process, sewage sludge is the single substrate or serves as a co-substrate with the addition of various waste products. After the treatment stable digestate is obtained, which consists of two phases solid and liquid. Liquid phase, called as a leachate, due to the high content of nutrients must be treated before they are discharged into the final receiver. Physical and chemical methods of leachate treatment...
-
Advanced Supervisory Control System Implemented at Full-Scale WWTP—A Case Study of Optimization and Energy Balance Improvement
PublicationIn modern and cost-eective Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs), processes such as aeration, chemical feeds and sludge pumping are usually controlled by an operating system integrated with online sensors. The proper verification of these data-driven measurements and the control of different unit operations at the same time has a strong influence on better understanding and accurately optimizing the biochemical processes at WWTP—especially...
-
Molecular Dynamics to Predict Cryo-EM: Capturing Transitions and Short-Lived Conformational States of Biomolecules
PublicationSingle-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has revolutionized the field of the structural biology, providing an access to the atomic resolution structures of large biomolecular complexes in their near-native environment. Today’s cryo-EM maps can frequently reach the atomic-level resolution, while often containing a range of resolutions, with conformationally variable regions obtained at 6 Å or worse. Low resolution...
-
Mercury in suspended matter of the Gulf of Gdańsk: Origin, distribution and transport at the land–sea interface
PublicationThe coastal regions of inland seas are particularly vulnerable to Hg pollution. An important carrier of toxic Hg in the marine environment is suspended matter originating from multiple sources. The present study was conducted in the Gulf...
-
Hydration of aprotic donor solvents studied by means of FTIR spectroscopy
PublicationThe paper attempts to explain the mutual influence of nonpolar and electron-donor groups on solute hydration,the problem of big importance for biological aqueous systems. Aprotic organic solvents have been used asmodel solutes, differing in electron-donating power. Hydration of acetonitrile, acetone, 2-butanone, andtriethylamine has been studied by HDO and (partially) H2O spectra. The quantitative version of...
-
Hydrophobic (deep) eutectic solvents (HDESs) as extractants for removal of pollutants from water and wastewater – A review
PublicationDeep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a new generation of solvents that attracted increasing attention in diverse applications. In last years, growing number of studies on hydrophobic (deep) eutectic solvents (HDESs) as an alternative extractants for various chemicals from aqueous environments have been reported. This article provides an overview on the usage of HDESs in liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) of different pollutants from water...
-
Bioreactor shoot cultures of Rhododendron tomentosum (Ledum palustre) for a large-scale production of bioactive volatile compounds
PublicationRhododendron tomentosum Harmaja (Ledum palustre), a peat bog plant from Ericaceae family, has been used in traditional medicine as the anti-arthritis agent. Although modern researches confirm its anti-inflammatory properties, it remains threatened by habitat degradation and possibilities to collect this endangered species from its natural environment for further biological activity studies are limited. Therefore, R. tomentosum...
-
Phototransformation of Amlodipine: Degradation Kinetics and Identification of Its Photoproducts
PublicationNowadays, monitoring focuses on the primary compounds and does not include degradation products formed during various biological and chemical processes. Transformation products may have the same effects to human health and the environment or sometimes they can be more toxic than the parent compound. Unfortunately, knowledge about the formation of degradation products is still limited, however, can be very important for the environmental...
-
Study on a polish peat bog “Rucianka” as a source of yeast strains capable of effective phenol biodegradation
PublicationPhenol is one of the most widely distributed environmental pollutants which can be found in wastewaters and industrial effluents. Due to its toxicity and resistance to self-degradation, it could become even lethal for humans and animals. The treatment of this toxic compound is focused on psychical–chemical methods, although biological treatment of phenol is preferable for economic aspects related to relatively...
-
Seasonal variability and morphological structure of bacteria in the Admiralty Bay (King George Island, Antarctic).
PublicationIntroduction: The aim of investigations was to state whether melting glaciers cause mass mortality of the sea stenohalyne organisms, what in consequence can lead to an increase of accumulation and growth of psychrophilic bacteria. It may be also that fresh melting water is unfavourable to the sea bacteria and front glacier's regions are not the areas of their intensive development. Methods: Field investigations were done in Admiralty...
-
Modeling organic nitrogen conversions in activated sludge bioreactors
PublicationFor biological nutrient removal (BNR) systems designed to maximize nitrogen removal, the effluent total nitrogen (TN) concentration may range from 2.0 to 4.0 g N/m3 with about 25-50% in the form of organic nitrogen (ON). In this study, current approaches to modeling organic N conversions (separate processes vs. constant contents of organic fractions) were compared. A new conceptual model of ON conversions was developed and combined...
-
Removal of indicator bacteria from treated wastewater using physical and chemical methods. Pilot plant study.
PublicationEven after highly efficient biological processes the effluents from wastewater treatment plants may contain significant number of fecal bacteria, from 104 to 106 CFU/100 mL. Since no standards are set on the bacteriological quality of treated wastewater in Poland the elimination of bacterial contaminants is not a priority in wastewater treatment policy. Thus microbiological hazards become particularly significant in the situation...
-
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...
-
Evaluation of adhesion strength, corrosion, and biological properties of the MWCNT/TiO2 coating intended for medical applications
PublicationMulti-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) coatings are gaining increasing interest because of their special properties used in many science fields. The titania coatings are known for their improvement of osteoblast adhesion, thus changing the surface architecture. Bi-layer coatings comprising 0.25 wt% of the MWCNTs and 0.30 wt% of titania (anatase structure) were synthesized in a two-stage procedure using the electrophoretic deposition...
-
Assessment of Sewage Molecular Markers: Linear Alkylbenzenes in Sediments of an Industrialized Region in Peninsular Malaysia
PublicationIn this study, the use of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) was employed to pinpoint the sources of human activity that cause detrimental impacts on the coastal environment and river ecosystems. LABs were detected using GC–MS in sediment samples assembled from Kim Kim River (KKR) and the Port Dickson coast (PDC). To assess the significance of variations in the distribution and concentrations of LABs across the sampling sites, this study...
-
Enhancing rheological muscle models with stochastic processes
PublicationPurpose: Biological musculoskeletal systems operate under variable conditions. Muscle stiffness, activation signals, and loads change during each movement. The presence of noise and different harmonic components in force production significantly influences the behaviour of the muscular system. Therefore, it is essential to consider these factors in numerical simulations. Methods: This study aims to develop a rheological mathematical...
-
Synthesis, Chemical Characterization and Multiscale Biological Evaluation of a dimericcRGD Peptide for Targeted Imaging of αVβ3 Integrin Activity
PublicationCyclic peptides containing the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence have been shown to specifically bind the angiogenesis biomarker α V β3 integrin. We report the synthesis, chemical characterization, and biological evaluation of two novel dimeric cyclic RGD-based molecular probes for the targeted imaging of α V β3 activity (a radiolabeled version, 64Cu-NOTA-PEG4-cRGD2, for PET imaging, and a fluorescent version, FITC-PEG4-cRGD2, for in...
-
Multidirectional Characterization of Phytochemical Profile and Health-Promoting Effects of Ziziphora bungeana Juz. Extracts
PublicationZiziphora species (Lamiaceae) have been used in traditional medicine as sedatives, anti-septics, carminatives, or expectorants. Despite their common applications in phytotherapy, there is still lack of evidence about the composition of their extracts and its impact on biological properties of the plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of Ziziphora bungeana, a less studied species growing in Kazakhstan, using...
-
CaZnO-based nanoghosts for the detection of ssDNA, pCRISPR and recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen and targeted delivery of doxorubicin
PublicationOverexpression of proteins/antigens and other gene-related sequences in the bodies could lead to significant mutations and refractory diseases. Detection and identification of assorted trace concentrations of such proteins/antigens and/or gene-related sequences remain challenging, affecting different pathogens and making viruses stronger. Correspondingly, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) mutations/alterations and spread could lead to overexpression...
-
Electrically Conductive Carbon‐based (Bio)‐nanomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering
PublicationA proper self-regenerating capability is lacking in human cardiac tissue which along with the alarming rate of deaths associated with cardiovascular disorders makes tissue engineering critical. Novel approaches are now being investigated in order to speedily overcome the challenges in this path. Tissue engineering has been revolutionized by the advent of nanomaterials, and later by the application of carbon-based nanomaterials...
-
Validated HPTLC method for determination of ledol and alloaromadendrene in the essential oil fractions of Rhododendron tomentosum plants and in vitro cultures and bioautography for their activity screening
PublicationRhododendron tomentosum (Ledum palustre) is a bog shrub used in traditional medicine for treatment of respiratory and rheumatic diseases. Due to the large variability of the chemical composition of its essential oil, depending on the habitat, the in vitro cultures were established as the alternative source of the volatile fraction. There is a need to monitor a quality of the field grown as well as in vitro plant material, especially...
-
Denitrifcation rate in the mainstream deammonification
PublicationThe conventional processes of biological nitrogen removal based on nitrification and denitrification does not fit properly into the concept of the circular economy. As the alternative one should consider the deammonification process, which is a combination of partial nitrification (nitritation) and Anammox processes. It consists of removing ammonium nitrogen from wastewater under anaerobic conditions by a group of autotrophic microorganisms....
-
Characteristics and fate of organic nitrogen in municipal biological nutrient removal wastewater treatment plants
PublicationThe aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and fate of colloidal and dissolved organic nitrogen (CON and DON) across biological nutrient removal (BNR) activated sludge bioreactors. Primary and secondary effluent total nitrogen (TN) measurements and component fractionation, CON and DON concentration profiles across BNR bioreactors, and laboratory batch experiments with the process mixed liquor were carried out at several...
-
Stereoselective Alkylation of Indole with 5-Arylidene-Meldrum’s Acids in the Presence of Organocatalysts
PublicationBackground: Indole motif is frequently present in biologically active compounds. Enantiomerically pure or enriched 2,2-dimethyl-5-(aryl(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl)-1,3-dioxane-4,6-diones can be considered as a convenient starting point for the synthesis of a indole ring fused with cyclic ketones with biological activity. Preparation of chiral 2,2-dimethyl-5-(aryl(1H-indol-3-yl)methyl)-1,3-dioxane- 4,6-diones requires the reaction of...
-
Preliminary results from HEDGEHOG REXUS Project - sounding rocket experiment on accelerations, vibrations and heat flow
PublicationAs access to space conditions becomes more available, both technically and economically, scientists' interest in launching finer and more sophisticated experiments grows. This applies now more than ever to fragile by nature biological and chemical experiments. To be qualified for launch, such experiments need to be carefully tested prior to the event. The tests should represent actual launch conditions as closely and in as detailed...
-
Interactions between bioactive components determine antioxidant, cytotoxic and nutrigenomic activity of cocoa powder extract
PublicationNumerous studies have shown, rather disappointingly, that isolated bioactive phytochemicals are not as biologically effective as natural plant products. Such a discrepancy may be explained by the concept of food synergy, which was verified in this research for cocoa extract versus its major components with regard to cancer chemoprevention. The evaluation embraced the relationship between redox properties evaluated in cell-free systems...
-
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...
-
Habitat-related patterns of soft-bottom macrofaunal assemblages in a brackish, low-diversity system (southern Baltic Sea)
PublicationCoastal areas provide a high variety of sedimentary habitats that influence the structure of resident fauna even on small geographical scales. Therefore, examinations of spatial variations in benthic assemblages require background knowledge of the environmental and biotic heterogeneity of habitats in order to understand ecological processes in such areas. The effect of habitat-related abiotic and biological variables on macrofaunal...
-
Synthesis, physicochemical and theoretical studies on new rhodium and ruthenium dimers. Relationship between structure and cytotoxic activity
PublicationTwo dimeric compounds of the general formulae (Et3NH)2[Rh2(μ2-L)4Cl2] (1) (where L = thiophene-2-carboxylate) and [((η6-p-cymene)Ru)2(μ-Cl)3]PF6 (2) have been synthesized using a new method. The unique anionic complex 1 (space group P bca) has octahedral coordination in which the equatorial positions are occupied by the oxygen atoms of four thiophene-2-carboxylates in a paddle wheel fashion. In complex 2 (space group ), each Ru(II)...
-
The influence of phosphorus fractions in bottom sediments on phosphate removal in semi-natural systems as the 3rd stage of biological wastewater treatment
PublicationThe research was carried out in two semi-natural systems (the polishing ponds in Swarzewo and the free water surface constructed wetland in Zarnowiec) in Poland. They were built as the 3rd stage of a conventional mechanical–biological wastewater treatment plant. These systems were built to improve the quality of the effluent of treated wastewater. In the polishing ponds and FWS wetland system, suspended solids, organic matter as...
-
DETERMINATION OF SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES - PART I. CATIONIC COMPOUNDS = Oznaczanie Surfaktantów W Próbkach Środowiskowych. Część I. Związki Kationowe
PublicationCompounds from the group of cationic surfactants are widely applied in household, industrial, cleaning, disinfectant, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products as their specific properties (antimicrobial, emulsifying, anticorrosion, softening). After use, cationic surfactants are disposed to wastewater-treatment plants and finally with effluent water to surface waters due to their incomplete degradation. Moreover, they can freely circulate...
-
Investigation of Microbes in the Stratosphere – Stardust Project
PublicationThe stratospheric microbiota has been investigated many times using the methods of classical microbiology. In this research a few modern methods, including NGS sequencing and multiple displacement amplification of DNA, were in use. The analysis of metagenome helped to determine the content of various species of bacteria in the sample collected in the stratosphere by a hydrogen-filled balloon holding...
-
Cluster donation: How medical students bound certain types of tissues and biomedical research and how it affects their willingness to donate.
PublicationAlthough biomedical research requires cooperation with a large number of donors, its success also depends on the input of healthcare professionals who play a crucial role in promoting biomedical research and influencing an individual’s decision to donate one’s biospecimens that are left over after a medical procedure. This work was aimed at investigating the correlation between medical and healthcare students’ willingness to...
-
Electrochemical detection of bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on gold electrode modified with DAL-PEG-DK5-PEG-OH - Antimicrobial peptide conjugate
PublicationThis work describes fabrication of gold electrodes modified with peptide conjugate DAL-PEG-DK5-PEG-OH that enables ultra-sensitive detection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) isolated from the reference strain of Escherichia coli O26:B6. The initial step of the established procedure implies immobilization of the fully protected DAL-PEG-DK5-PEG-OH peptide on the surface of the gold electrode previously modified by cysteamine. Then side...
-
Dual-Activity Fluoroquinolone-Transportan 10 Conjugates offer alternative Leukemia therapy during Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
PublicationHematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is often considered a last resort leukemia treatment, fraught with limited success due to microbial infections, a leading cause of mortality in leukemia patients. To address this critical issue, we explored a novel approach by synthesizing antileukemic agents containing antibacterial substances. This innovative strategy involves conjugating fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin...