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Search results for: stimuli-sensitive copolymers
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Preparation and Characterization of Diamond-like Carbon Coatings for Biomedical Applications—A Review
PublicationDiamond-like carbon (DLC) films are generally used in biomedical applications, mainly because of their tribological and chemical properties that prevent the release of substrate ions, extend the life cycle of the material, and promote cell growth. The unique properties of the coating depend on the ratio of the sp3/sp2 phases, where the sp2 phase provides coatings with a low coefficient of friction and good electrical conductivity,...
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Exposure scenario and risk assessment of infants and newborns to bisphenols and their derivatives from diapers
PublicationNewborns and infants are more sensitive to harmful compounds such as bisphenols and their derivatives because of their not fully developed detoxification mechanism. Exposure to these substances can lead to developmental problems and health consequences in adulthood. Since disposable baby diapers are used from the first days of life and remain in contact with the baby skin, it seems important to monitor the levels of endocrine disrupting chemicals...
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Unexpected Z/E isomerism of N-methyl-O-phosphothioyl benzohydroxamic acids, their oxyphilic reactivity and inertness to amines
PublicationThiophosphinoylation of N-methyl p-substituted benzohydroxamic acids using disulfanes (method A) or diphenylphosphinothioyl chloride (method B) provides only one conformer of the respective O-phosphothioyl derivative (Xray and NMR analysis). Undergoing the P-transamidoxylation reaction is an evidence of the reversibility of thiophosphinoylation. Only those products containing strong EWG substituents in the aroyl residue or bulky...
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Conductive Thermoplastic Polyurethane Nanocomposite Foams Derived from a Cellulose/MWCNTs Aerogel Framework: Simultaneous Enhancement of Piezoresistance, Strength, and Endurance
PublicationHigh conductivity and excellent mechanical properties of composite polymers favors their application as piezoresistive strain sensors. Nonetheless, it is difficult to develop composite polymers with desirable piezoresistance, mechanicaland durable properties. Herein, we developed conductive cellulose/MWCNTs aerogel using the freeze-drying technique. Besides, we explored the application of the highly-sensitive piezoresistive polymer...
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Bioelectronic tongue: Current status and perspectives
PublicationIn the course of evolution, nature has endowed humans with systems for the recognition of a wide range of tastes with a sensitivity and selectivity which are indispensable for the evaluation of edibility and flavour attributes. Inspiration by a biological sense of taste has become a basis for the design of instruments, operation principles and parameters enabling to mimic the unique properties of their biological precursors. In...
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Escherichia coli Strains with Virulent Factors Typical for Uropathogens were Isolated from Sinuses from Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis—Case Report
PublicationEscherichia coli were isolated from three patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by intraoperative sinus tissue biopsy. Taking into account the unusual replicative niche and previous treatment failures, it was decided to focus on the virulence and drug resistance of these bacteria. The strains turned out to be multi-sensitive, but the rich virulence factors profile of bacteria typical for phylogenetic group B2 deserved attention....
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The Effect of Posaconazole, Itraconazole and Voriconazole in the Culture Medium on Aspergillus fumigatus Triazole Resistance
PublicationTriazoles are the only compounds used as antibiotics in both medicine and agriculture. The presence of triazoles in the environment can contribute to the acquisition of azole resistance among isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of A. fumigatus exposure to triazoles on susceptibility to these compounds. Seventeen triazole-resistant and 21 triazole-sensitive A. fumigatus isolates...
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Exploratory analysis and ranking of analytical procedures for short-chain chlorinated paraffins determination in environmental solid samples
PublicationShort-chain chlorinated paraffins are ones of the most recent chemical compounds that have been classified as persistent organic pollutants. They have various applications and are emitted to the environment. Despite the fact, that the content levels of these compounds in the environmental compartments should be monitored, there is still a lack of well-defined and validated analytical procedures, proposed or suggested by the national...
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Public Participation practice versus economic pressure: transformation of the Gdansk Coastal Strip
PublicationThe paper focuses on the issue of public participation in the areas that are particularly sensitive to the transformation processes based on the case study of Gdańsk Coastal Strip. Moreover the article presents the outcome of an innovative attempt at promotion of public participation introduced in university education that was built on the experiences gathered during elaboration of the pro publico bono project of the Coastal Strip...
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Self-Supervised Learning to Increase the Performance of Skin Lesion Classification
PublicationTo successfully train a deep neural network, a large amount of human-labeled data is required. Unfortunately, in many areas, collecting and labeling data is a difficult and tedious task. Several ways have been developed to mitigate the problem associated with the shortage of data, the most common of which is transfer learning. However, in many cases, the use of transfer learning as the only remedy is insufficient. In this study,...
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Utilizing pulse dynamics for non-invasive Raman spectroscopy of blood analytes
PublicationNon-invasive measurement methods offer great benefits in the field of medical diagnostics with molecular-specific techniques such as Raman spectroscopy which is increasingly being used for quantitative measurements of tissue biochemistry in vivo. However, some important challenges still remain for label-free optical spectroscopy to be incorporated into the clinical laboratory for routine testing. In particular, non-analyte-specific...
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Evaluating the antibacterial activity of muramyl dipeptide derivatives, retro-tuftsin derivatives, and anthraquinone oligopeptides against a range of pathogenic bacteria
PublicationSearch for new and efficient antibiotic is crucial because of microbial drug resistance and problems with side effects of the administered medication. In this study, we evaluate the in vitro microbiological activity of muramyl dipeptide derivatives, retro-tuftsin derivatives (i.e., tuftsin with reversed amino acid sequences), and combinations of retro-tuftsin derivatives with substituted anthraquinones. The potency of the investigated...
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Seasonal changes of the concentrations of mineral forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in watercourses in the agricultural catchment area (Bay of Puck, Baltic Sea, Poland)
PublicationThe Baltic Region countries are obliged to meet the stringent limits of N and P discharge set by HELCOM for 2021. Area sources of pollution, including agriculture, are considered the main contributors of biogenic compounds. The Bay of Puck as an inner part of the Baltic Sea is particularly sensitive to eutrophication caused by nutrient in flow from agricultural lands. Rivers and streams inflowing to the Bay of Puck transport nitrogen...
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Detection of propofol concentrations in blood by Raman spectroscopy
PublicationIn this paper we present a proof-of-concept of a Raman spectroscopy-based approach for measuring the content of propofol, a common anesthesia drug, in whole human blood, and plasma, which is intended for use during clinical procedures. This method utilizes the Raman spectroscopy as a chemically–sensitive method for qualitative detection of the presence of a drug and a quantitative determination of its concentration. A number of...
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Effect of gelation and storage conditions on the oxidative stability of microemulsion and nanoemulsion delivery systems
PublicationIncreased interest in the use of microemulsion and nanoemulsion delivery systems for medical, cosmetic and food purposes, promotes the development of research on their physical and chemical stability, and the safety of use. Here, we have for the first time evaluated the oxidative stability of linseed oil dispersed in the microemulsion, nanoemulsion, and their gelled systems, stored under different conditions, and compared to the...
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Comparative Study of Taste Substance Sensing by Liquid Membrane Oscillator and Electrochemical Systems With All-Solid-State Electrodes
PublicationIn food industry, different types of sensors are used for characterizing and quantifying taste substances. Therefore, it is important to establish the principal advantages and disadvantages of these sensors for optimal application. In this paper, two possible systems are compared for sensing the four fundamental tastes: sour (citric acid), salty (sodium chloride), sweet (sucrose), and bitter (caffeine or quinine hydrochloride). One...
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Solid phase microextraction: state of the art, opportunities and applications
PublicationSolid phase microextraction is one of the most popular green techniques used for sample preparations in analytical chemistry. It is a simple, rapid, sensitive, and solvent-free technique. Since SPME was first introduced in the early 1990s, there has been an intensification of research in order to elaborate new methodical solutions in many research facilities around the world, which could increase the use of this technique. More...
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Modern approach for determination of lactulose, mannitol and sucrose in human urine using HPLC-MS/MS for the studies of intestinal and upper digestive tract permeability
PublicationA new analytical procedure was described for the simultaneous determination of lactulose, mannitol and sucrose in urine, in which HILIC chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry detection are used. Sugars are orally administered for the estimation of intestinal permeability in children digestive tract. Samples were purified by dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) using Amberlite MB150 resin. Raffinose was selected as an...
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Fracture Energy of Bonded Joints with 2D Elastic Adhesive Layer
PublicationWhen bonded joint is subjected to mode I fracture loading, the adhesive joints analytical solutions treats the adhesive layer, usually, as not existing or 1D Hooke elastic layer. In the case of 1D elastic layer, represented as Hookes spring element, is acting, only, in direction contrary to the applied load. Basing on the information yielded from sensitive laser profilometry technique, where deflections of bonded part of the joint...
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Behaviour of orthotropic surgical implant in hernia repair due to the material orientation and abdomen surface deformation
Publicationrelation to the different range of typical deformations observed in different directions and zones of abdomen surface due to the patients’ life activities, has a significant influence on the extreme junction forces in the mesh–tissue connections and hence the repair persistence. The finite element model of the orthotropic implant was developed, and the junction forces in the connections of tissue and mesh were studied. The kinematical...
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Noise and Electro-Ultrasonic Spectroscopy of Conducting PolymerThick Films
PublicationThick conducting films based on conducting polymer are characterized by DC conductivity and noise in temperature range 10 to 300 K. Conducting polymers could be used e.g. for the top electrode (cathode) in the solid tantalum or niobium capacitors. On the conducting polymer layer the top layer of carbon/graphite and/or silver polymer based pastes is applied in the capacitor technology. Our samples structure consists of conducting...
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The influence oil additives on spread cracks in silicon nitride
PublicationThe paper presents an experimental study of the influence of oil additives (Cl, S, P, cerium dioxide (CeO2)) on spread cracks in silicon nitride. The additives Cl, S, P are bound in molecules in liquid form soluble in the base oil. The CeO2 is purely in powder form in suspension. The use of CeO2 powder was made based on the good results of polishing of silicon nitride. A ceramic angular contact ball bearing was modelled using a...
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INVESTIGATION OF ACIDIC SOLUTIONS BY POTENTIOMETRIC TASTE SENSOR WITH ALL SOLID STATE ELECTRODES
PublicationPotentiometric taste sensors with electrodes containing lipophilic compound / polymer membranes were already used to distinguish commercial liquid products. In this paper a new potentiometric taste sensor consisting of six All Solid State Electrodes (ASSEs) has been presented. Each of the membrane contains a selected lipophilic compound. The set-up consists of a reference electrode and six ASSEs. The inner layer made of a conducting...
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Fertility rebound and economic growth. New evidence for 18 countries over the period 1970-2011.
PublicationLong-run impact of economic growth on fertility trends is ambiguous and sensitive for in-time variations. Noticeably, over last decades, economic growth has led in many countries to significant falls in total fertility rates. However, recently, in high-income economies a kind of ‘fertility rebound’ emerged (Goldstein, 2009; Luci and Thevenon, 2011; Day, 2012), which supports the hypothesis that reversal trends in total fertility...
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Latent fingerprint imaging by spectroscopic optical coherence tomography
PublicationOptical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-contact and non-invasive optical method for evaluating semitransparent and scattering objects. Its unique features, such as non-destructive 3D measurements of tested objects with a fast scanning rate, make this technique interesting for latent fingerprint reading, which is the subject of this paper. So far, OCT has not found widespread use for reading fingerprints directly from surfaces...
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Urban scene semantic segmentation using the U-Net model
PublicationVision-based semantic segmentation of complex urban street scenes is a very important function during autonomous driving (AD), which will become an important technology in industrialized countries in the near future. Today, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) improve traffic safety thanks to the application of solutions that enable detecting objects, recognising road signs, segmenting the road, etc. The basis for these functionalities...
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A Colorimetric Microplate Assay for DNA-Binding Activity of His-Tagged MutS Protein
PublicationA simple microplate method was designed for rapid testing DNA-binding activity of proteins. The principle of the assay involves binding of tested DNA by his-tagged protein immobilized on a nickel-coated ELISA plate, following colorimetric detection of biotinylated DNA with avidin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase. The method was used to compare DNA mismatch binding activities of MutS proteins from three bacterial species. The...
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Arithmetic Loophole in Bell's Theorem: Overlooked Threat to Entangled-State Quantum Cryptography
PublicationBell’s theorem is supposed to exclude all local hidden-variable models of quantum correlations. However,an explicit counterexample shows that a new class of local realistic models, based on generalized arith-metic and calculus, can exactly reconstruct rotationally symmetric quantum probabilities typical oftwo-electron singlet states. Observable probabilities are consistent with the usual arithmetic employedby macroscopic observers...
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The Optical Coherence Tomography and Raman Spectroscopy for Sensing of the Bone Demineralization Process
PublicationThe presented research was intended to seek new optical methods to investigate the demineralization process of bones. Optical examination of the bone condition could facilitate clinical trials and improve the safety of patients. The authors used a set of complementary methods: polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) and Raman spectroscopy. Chicken bone samples were used in this research. To stimulate in laboratory...
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DNA methylation as a mediator of HLA-DRB1*15:01 and a protective variant in multiple sclerosis
PublicationThe human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haplotype DRB1*15:01 is the major risk factor for multiple sclerosis (MS). Here, we find that DRB1*15:01 is hypomethylated and predominantly expressed in monocytes among carriers of DRB1*15:01. A differentially methylated region (DMR) encompassing HLA-DRB1 exon 2 is particularly affected and displays methylation-sensitive regulatory properties in vitro. Causal inference and Mendelian randomization...
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Ordered titanium templates functionalized by gold films for biosensing applications – Towards non-enzymatic glucose detection
PublicationRecently, metal nanostructures evoke much interest due to application potential in highly sensitive detectors in biochemistry and medical diagnostics. In this work we report on preparation and characteristics of thin (1–100 nm) Au films deposited onto highly ordered structured titanium templates for SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) and electrochemical sensing. The Ti templates are formed by selective removal of TiO2 nanotubes...
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Antibacterial properties of laser-encapsulated titanium oxide nanotubes decorated with nanosilver and covered with chitosan/Eudragit polymers
PublicationTo provide antibacterial properties, the titanium samples were subjected to electrochemical oxidation in the fluoride-containing diethylene glycol-based electrolyte to create a titanium oxide nanotubular surface. Afterward, the surface was covered by sputtering with silver 5 nm film, and the tops of the nanotubes were capped using laser treatment, resulting in an appearance of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of around 30 nm in diameter...
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Enhanced stability of electrochemical performance of few-layer black phosphorus electrodes by noncovalent adsorption of 1,4-diamine-9,10-anthraquinone
PublicationIn this paper, the novel noncovalent functionalisation strategy of few-layer black phosphorus by 1,4-diamine-9,10-anthraquinone electrode was proposed and studied. The degradation of few-layer black phosphorus under exposure to oxygen and water is a significant obstacle to its use as an electroanalytical electrode. The anthraquinone compound adsorbed at black phosphorus flakes results in improved prevention of the phosphorus surface...
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Highly Reliable Passive RFID-Based Inductor–Capacitor Sensory System Strengthened by Solvatochromism for Fast and Wide-Range Lactate Detection
PublicationA passive radio frequency-identification-based inductor-capacitor (LC) lactate sensory system with a specific dye-containing interdigitated capacitor (IDC) in which the sensing signal is amplified by the solvatochromic effect is proposed. When a lactate solution contacts the IDC of the LC lactate sensor, the capacitance of the IDC changes, changing the resonance frequency of the sensor. This changes the oscillation frequency of...
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Deep eutectic solvent based method for analysis of Niclosamide in pharmaceutical and wastewater samples – A green analytical chemistry approach
PublicationThe paper presents a simple, but very effective and sensitive spectrophotometric method for trace analysis of Niclosamide based on liquid–liquid microextraction using deep eutectic solvents (DESs) prior to its quantification. Here, different DES systems, such as Choline chloride (ChCl) + Urea, ChCl + Citric acid, ChCl + Ethylene glycol and ChCl + Phenol, were synthesized and evaluated at different molar ratios, selecting ChCl + Phenol...
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Effects of UV light irradiation on fluctuation enhanced gas sensing by carbon nanotube networks
PublicationThe exceptionally large active surface-to-volume ratio of carbon nanotubes makes it an appealing candidate for gas sensing applications. Here, we studied the DC and low-frequency noise characteristics of a randomly oriented network of carbon nanotubes under NO2 gas atmosphere at two different wavelengths of the UV light-emitting diodes. The UV irradiation allowed to sense lower concentrations of NO2 (at least 1 ppm) compared to...
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The potential of LC–MS technique in direct analysis of perfume content
PublicationPerfumes are products that consist of a wide range of natural and synthetic compounds. Due to complex composition, the determination of their ingredients is a difficult task. Most of the perfume components are either volatile or semi-volatile; however, most of the attention has been paid to volatile ones, and thus, gas chromatography or electronic noses are generally used. Nevertheless, in this study, liquid chromatography coupled...
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Effective density of airborne wear particles from car brake materials
PublicationPeople living in urban environments are subject to high health risks due to various anthropogenic sources of airborne particulate matter, including wear of transport vehicle brakes. Studies of airborne particles often require an estimate of the effective particle density, a property that allows correct matching of mass and size characteristics measured by different aerosol instruments. In this study we investigated the effective...
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Application of GC-MS/MS technique for the determination of benzodiazepines in blood samples
PublicationAbstract Benzodiazepines (BZD) are widely used as pharmaceuticals in medicine. However, due to psychostimulatory effect of BZD, in the last decade, they are more and more often used as drugs of abuse. These compounds produce similar effects to classical illicit drugs and are sold as “legal” alternatives to them as new psychoactive substances (NPS). Currently new BZD, named designer benzodiazepines (DBZD), are synthesized each year...
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Optimizing Medical Personnel Speech Recognition Models Using Speech Synthesis and Reinforcement Learning
PublicationText-to-Speech synthesis (TTS) can be used to generate training data for building Automatic Speech Recognition models (ASR). Access to medical speech data is because it is sensitive data that is difficult to obtain for privacy reasons; TTS can help expand the data set. Speech can be synthesized by mimicking different accents, dialects, and speaking styles that may occur in a medical language. Reinforcement Learning (RL), in the...
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Assessment of Supercapacitor’s Quality by Means of Low Frequency Noise
PublicationLow frequency noise is a well-known tool for quality and reliability assessment of electronic devices. This phenomenon is observed in different electrochemical devices as well (e.g., smart windows, electrochemical corrosion processes). Thus, we can assume that the same tool can be used to asses quality of supercapacitors. Their quality is usually determined only by capacitance and/or equivalent series resistance (ESR), or impedance....
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Green aspects, developments and perspectives of liquid phase microextraction techniques
PublicationDetermination of analytes at trace levels in complex samples (e.g. biological or contaminated water or soils) are often required for the environmental assessment and monitoring as well as for scientific research in the field of environmental pollution. A limited number of analytical techniques are sensitive enough for the direct determination of trace components in samples and, because of that, a preliminary step of the analyte...
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Development of a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometryprocedure for determination of endocrine disrupting compounds infish from Mediterranean rivers
PublicationA new, sensitive and rapid method based on QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe)approach followed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spec-trometry (UHPLC–MS/MS) was developed for the determination of nineteen endocrine disruptors (EDCs)and related compounds belonging to different classes in various fish species. Matrix effect on the analyti-cal performance was evaluated,...
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Size-exclusion chromatography for the determination of the boiling point distribution of high-boiling petroleum fractions
PublicationThe paper describes a new procedure for the determination of boiling point distribution of high-boiling petroleum fractions using size exclusion chromatography with refractive index detector. Thus far, the determination of boiling range distribution by chromatography has been accomplished using simulated distillation with gas chromatography with the flame ionization detection. This study revealed that in spite of substantial differences...
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Deep eutectic solvents with solid supports used in microextraction processes applied for endocrine-disrupting chemicals
PublicationThe determination of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has become one of the biggest challenges in Analytical Chemistry. Due to the low concentration of these compounds in different kinds of samples, it becomes necessary to employ efficient sample preparation methods and sensitive measurement techniques to achieve low limits of detection. This issue becomes even more struggling when the principles of the Green Analytical Chemistry...
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Anticancer Imidazoacridinone C-1311 is Effective in Androgen-Dependent and Androgen-Independent Prostate Cancer Cells
PublicationAndrogen receptor (AR) plays a crutial role in prostate cancer (PCa) development and metastasis. Here, we reported potent anti-PCa activity of a small molecule imidazoacridinone C-1311. In AR-positive PCa cells, C-1311 was found to inhibit the transcriptional activity of AR uncovering a novel mechanism that may be relevant for its anticancer effect. Mechanistically, C-1311 decreased AR binding to prostate-specific antigen (PSA)...
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Potential of Silver Nanoparticles in Overcoming the Intrinsic Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Secondary Metabolites from Carnivorous Plants
PublicationCarnivorous plants are exemplary natural sources of secondary metabolites with biological activity. However, the therapeutic antimicrobial potential of these compounds is limited due to intrinsic resistance of selected bacterial pathogens, among which Pseudomonas aeruginosa represents an extreme example. The objective of the study was to overcome the intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa by combining silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)...
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Detection of the Plant Pathogen Pseudomonas Syringae pv. Lachrymans on Antibody-Modified Gold Electrodes by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
PublicationThe present work describes an impedimetric immunosensor for Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans (Psl) detection. This pathogen infects many crop species causing considerable yield losses, thus fast and cheap detection method is in high demand. In the assay, the gold disc electrode was modified with 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP), glutaraldehyde (GA), and anti-Psl antibodies, and free-sites were blocked with bovine serum albumin (BSA)....
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Light-improved glucose sensing on ordered Au-Ti heterostructure
PublicationNon-enzymatic electrochemical platforms sensitive towards glucose presence have attracted a worldwide attention during last decades. We report on influence of solar light onto response of gold-titanium heterostructures prepared via controllable approach. The material based on Au nanoparticles orderly distributed over the structured titanium foil was obtained by electrochemical anodization followed by chemical etching, magnetron...
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Detection of anomalies in bee colony using transitioning state and contrastive autoencoders
PublicationHoneybees plays vital role for the environmental sustainability and overall agricultural economy. Assisting bee colonies within their proper functioning brings the attention of researchers around the world. Electronics systems and machine learning algorithms are being developed for classifying specific undesirable bee behaviors in order to alert about upcoming substantial losses. However, classifiers could be impaired when used...