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How Do Ionic Liquids Affect the Surface Structure of Titania Photocatalyst? An Electron-Trap Distribution-Analysis Study
PublicationTitanium(IV) oxide, titania, photocatalyst particles were prepared from titanium alkoxide in the presence of several kinds of ionic liquids, and it was clarified that a group of samples exhibited photocatalytic activity for phenol degradation under the irradiation of light of wavelength >400 nm higher than those of the other group of samples. Although the conventional structural analytical results could not be related to the activity,...
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Starch-clay nanocomposite films
PublicationStarch is a natural polymer which, due to its renewability, biodegrability, availability and a relatively low cost, has a high potential for applications in biodegradable materials. However, because of its hydrophilic nature, the number of commercially available starch-based products is still limited. Recently, starch-based nanocomposites with the addition of clay minerals as nanofillers have given rise to large-scale improvements...
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Molecular basis of the osmolyte effect on protein stability: a lesson from the mechanical unfolding of lysozyme
PublicationOsmolytes are a class of small organic molecules that shift the protein folding equilibrium. For this reason, they are accumulated by organisms under environmental stress, and find applications in biotechnology where proteins need to be stabilized or dissolved. However, despite years of research, debate continues over the exact mechanisms underpinning the stabilizing and denaturing effect of osmolytes. Here, we simulated the mechanical...
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Mechanism of recognition of parallel G-quadruplexes by DEAH/RHAU helicase DHX36 explored by molecular dynamics simulations
PublicationBecause of high stability and slow unfolding rates of G-quadruplexes (G4), cells have evolved specialized helicases that disrupt these non-canonical DNA and RNA structures in an ATP-dependent manner. One example is DHX36, a DEAH-box helicase, which participates in gene expression and replication by recognizing and unwinding parallel G4s. Here, we studied the molecular basis for the high affinity and specificity of DHX36 for parallel-type...
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Structural and dynamic properties of water within the solvation layer around various conformations of the glycine-based polypeptide
PublicationSeveral conformations of the solvated glycine-based polypeptides were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Some properties of water in the neighbouring space around these molecules were investigated. It was found, that water forms a well-defined layer - the first solvation shell - around the peptide molecule, and thickness of this layer is independent of the peptide structure, and it equals to approximately 0.28 nm....
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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...
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Examination of Spectral Properties of Medicinal Plant Leaves Grown in Different Lighting Conditions Based on Mint Cultivation
PublicationCultivation in controlled environmental conditions can provide good quality medicinal herbs with consistent properties. A sensing system that can determine the contents of medicinal substances in plants using spectral characteristics of leaves would be a valuable tool. Viability of such sensing approach for mint had to be confirmed experimentally, as no data correlating contents of medicinal substances with spectral characteristics...
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Characterization of 1,3-alternate calix[4]arene-silica bonded stationary phases and their comparison to selected commercial columns by using principal component analysis
PublicationTwelve calix[4]arene stationary phases in 1,3-alternate conformation, synthesized in the authors laboratory, were characterized in terms of their surface coverage, hydrophobic selectivity, aromatic selectivity, shape selectivity, hydrogen bonding capacity and ion-exchange capacity. The set of tests commonly used for evaluation of commercially available stationary phases was applied to assess fundamental chromatographic properties...
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Structural and Dynamic Properties of Water within the Solvation Layer around Various Conformations of the Glycine-based Polypeptide
PublicationSeveral conformations of the solvated glycine-based polypeptides were investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Some properties of water in the neighboring space around these molecules were investigated. It was found that water forms a well-defined layer—the first solvation shell—around the peptide molecule, and thickness of this layer is independent of the peptide structure and is equal to approximately 0.28 nm. Within...
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Urban Food Self-Production in the Perspective of Social Learning Theory: Empowering Self-Sustainability
PublicationUrban food production is becoming an increasingly significant topic in the context of climate change and food security. Conducting research on this subject is becoming an essential element of urban development, deepening knowledge regarding the benefits, challenges, and potential for the development of urban agriculture as an alternative form of food production. Responding to this need, this monograph presents the results of...
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Metal tolerance and Cd phytoremoval ability in Pisum sativum grown in spiked nutrient solution
PublicationIn the presented study, the effects of cadmium (Cd) stress and silicon (Si) supplementation on the pea plant (Pisum sativum L.) were investigated. The tendency to accumulate cadmium in the relevant morphological parts of the plant (roots and shoots respectively)—bioaccumulation, the transfer of this element in the plant (translocation) and the physiological parameters of the plant through...
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The influence of humic substances in treated sewage on the quality of surface waters
PublicationAt present the evaluation of WWTP effectiveness is based upon organic matter and nutrients removal. Recently it was found out that sewage treatment leads to formation of resistant to biochemical degradation organic compounds, similar to humic acids. The humic acids formed during sewage treatment process play diversified functions when discharged to surface waters - for instance they can act as carriers of hydrophobic organic pollutants...
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Hybrid battery based on arylated carbon nanotubes and laccase
PublicationSingle-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) were covalently modified with anthracene and anthraquinone and used for the construction of cathodes for biocatalytic reduction of dioxygen. The nanotubes with aromatic groups casted onto the electrode increased the working surface of the electrode and enabled efficient direct electron transfer (DET) between the enzyme and the electrode. The aryl groups enter the hydrophobic pocket of the...
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1,3-alternate calix[4]arene-bonded silica stationary phases. Effect of calixarene skeleton substituents on the retention mechanism and column selectivity
PublicationFour novel 1,3-alternate calix[4]arene-bonded silica gel stationary phases possessing different aromatic and aliphatic substituents at the upper rim (CalixNph, CalixBph, CalixHex and CalixDdc) were prepared and structurally characterized. The comparison and selectivity of these phases was done by using alkylbenzenes, fatty acid p-bromophenacyl esters, aromatic positional isomers and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons as analytes....
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Nuclear magnetic shielding constants of Dirac one-electron atoms in some low-lying discrete energy eigenstates
PublicationWe present tabulated data for the nuclear magnetic shielding constants (σ) of the Dirac one-electron atoms with a pointlike, motionless and spinless nucleus of charge Ze. Utilizing the exact general analytical formula for σ derived by us (Stefańska, 2016) valid for an arbitrary discrete energy eigenstate, we have computed the numerical values of the magnetic shielding factors for the ground state and for the first and the second...
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Functionalization of graphene oxide coatings with phosphorus atoms and their corrosion resistance in sodium chloride environment
PublicationIn this work, we compared corrosion resistance of graphene oxide, and phosphorus functionalized reduced graphene oxide coatings obtained as a result of electrophoretic deposition on the copper substrate. Doping graphene oxide with phosphorus atoms was performed by a hydrothermal method in the presence of different amounts of phosphoric acid. Structural studies confirmed the insertion of phosphorus atoms into the graphene oxide...
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Ultrasound-assisted deep eutectic solvent-based liquid–liquid microextraction for simultaneous determination of Ni (II) and Zn (II) in food samples
PublicationA new approach was developed for the simultaneous pre-concentration and determination of Ni (II) and Zn (II) in food samples. This method is based on ultrasound-assisted liquid–liquid micro extraction using hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (DES) and 1,10-phenanthroline as chelating agent. The effect of several parameters, such as pH, selection and volume of DES, amount of chelating agent, time of sonication and centrifugation,...
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Chromogeniczne pochodne azoli jako składniki warstw receptorowych czujników optycznych
PublicationGłównym celem badań prowadzonych w ramach studium doktoranckiego była synteza oraz badanie właściwości chromogenicznych pochodnych azoli, makrocyklicznych i acyklicznych, jako składników warstw receptorowych czujników optycznych. Otrzymane związki zawierają w swojej strukturze resztę heterocykliczną – azol, który może uczestniczyć w tworzeniu kompleksów z jonami metali ciężkich oraz co najmniej jedno ugrupowanie azowe. Obecność...
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Comparison of the coordination geometries of Zn(II) and Cd(II) ions in complexes with water, methanol and bulky aryloxysilanethiolate ligands
PublicationZinc and cadmium complexes containing silanethiolate anions and methanol or water were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. Contrary to zinc, the cadmium ion utilizes very weak donors to complete its coordination sphere; it forms contacts to phenyl rings of the silanethiolate ligand. Two zinc analogs of the general formula [Zn{SSi(OAr)3}2(L)2] where L = CH3OH (2)...
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Comparative testing of numerical models of river ice jams
PublicationIce processes in general, and ice jams in particular, play a dominant role in the hydrologic regime of Canadian rivers, often causing extreme floods and affecting the life cycle of many aquatic, terrestrial, and avian species. Various numerical models have been developed to help simulate the formation and consequences of these very dynamic and often destructive jam events. To test and compare the performance of existing models,...
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Effects of n-butanol presence, inlet loading, empty bed residence time and starvation periods on the performance of a biotrickling filter removing cyclohexane vapors from air
PublicationThis paper presents the results of investigations on the removal of cyclohexane vapors from air using a peat-perlite packed biotrickling filter. Effects of basic process parameters i.e. IL (inlet loading) and EBRT (empty bed residence time) as well as introduction of n-butanol to the treated air stream and starvation periods on the process performance were evaluated. The results show that the introduction of hydrophilic n-butanol...
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Treatment of malodorous air in biotrickling filters: A review
PublicationOdour nuisance, resulting mainly from the presence of the compounds containing osmophore group and characterized by low olfactory threshold, is associated with danger and may be the cause of negative psychosomatic symptoms. Among different methods of malodorous air treatment, biological methods are of importance, mainly due to reduced operating costs, high purification efficiency of voluminous gas streams characterized by low concentrations...
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<i>N,N,N</i>-Trimethyl-N-(methyl 5-deoxy-2,3-<i>O</i>-isopropylidene-β-D-ribofuranosid-5- yl)ammonium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate sesquihydrate.
PublicationThe structure of the title compound, [C12H24NO4][C7H7O3S]·1.5H2O, contains alternating layers parallel to (001) of hydrophobic and polar character, stabilized by C-H...O hydrogen bonding. The furan ring adopts an envelope conformation with the C(OMe) atom as the flap, and the dioxolane ring is twisted about one of the O-C(methine) bonds. A comparison to related compounds is presented. The tosylate-O atoms were disordered over two...
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Preparation and X-ray structures of selected aminium thiosulfates
PublicationVarious types of aminium thiosulfates (1–6), including hydrates and mixed salts, have been obtained by the reaction of ammonium thiosulfate with amines. Tertbutylamine, cyclo-hexylamine and 1,6-diaminohexane gave crystals of (t-BuNH3)2S2O3·H2O (1), (c-C6H11NH3)2S2O3 (3) and {(NH4)2(H3NC6H12NH3)(S2O3)2} (6), respectively, which were investigated by X-ray structural analysis. Extensive hydrogen bonding of the N-H…O and N-H…S type...
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Food Bioactive Ingredients Processing Using Membrane Distillation
PublicationSeparation processes are an important part of today’s food industries, especially in the case of specific bioactive components due to their health benefits. In general, processing of bioactive food ingredients assumes the introduction of integrated system directed to their separation, fractionation, and recovery. Recently, membrane distillation (MD) has been considered as an alternative membrane-based separation and concentration...
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Evaluation of Immobilization of Selected Peat-Isolated Yeast Strains of the Species Candida albicans and Candida subhashii on the Surface of Artificial Support Materials Used for Biotrickling Filtration
PublicationThe paper describes the process of n-butanol abatement by unicellular fungi, able to deplete n-butanol content in gas, by using n-butanol as source of carbon. Isolated and identified fungi species Candida albicans and Candida subhashii were subjected to a viability process via assimilation of carbon from hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds. The isolates, which exhibited the ability to assimilate carbon, were immobilized on four...
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The biological role of prolyl oligopeptidase and the procognitive potential of its peptidic inhibitors from food proteins
PublicationProlyl oligopeptidase (POP) is a conserved serine protease belonging to proline-specific peptidases. It has both enzymatic and non-enzymatic activity and is involved in numerous biological processes in the human body, playing a role in e.g., cellular growth and differentiation, inflammation, as well as the development of some neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders. This article describes the physiological and pathological...
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CLEANING METHODS FOR DUST DEPOSITED ON THE FRONT COVER OF PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULE
PublicationPhotovoltaic modules are one of the renewable energy sources with great potential for application in various regions of the world as well as for different terrain. They are, however, sensitive to external factors, affecting the overall amount of energy generated, such as solar irradiance, shading effects and any form of soil build-up on the front glass cover of solar device. The latter issue happens over a course of weeks, months...
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Elucidating the impact of enzymatic modifications on the structure, properties, and applications of cellulose, chitosan, starch and their derivatives: a review
PublicationPolysaccharides, as one of the most prominent natural biopolymers, display numerous biological activities and industrial applications. Nevertheless, some polysaccharides lack biological properties or display weak biological activities. Besides, practical usages of polysaccharides still remain challenging because of their poor solubility and inappropriate hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. Hence, enzymatic or chemical modifications...
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Selected anionic and cationic surface active agents determined in river sediments – the Klodnica catchment
PublicationSurface active agents (SAAs) are specific compounds that contain hydrophilic/ hydrophobic group in their molecules named as amphiphilic structures. According to charge on the hydrophilic part of surfactants they can be classified into three main groups: anionic, cationic and non-ionic compounds. Due to the amphiphilic structure of SAAs they have specific properties (e.g. ability to adsorption at different surfaces, reduction of...
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Improvement of opipramol base solubility by complexation with β-cyclodextrin
PublicationOpipramol (OPI), a tricyclic antidepressant and anxiolytic compound, is administered orally in the form of a dihydrochloride. Salt form of the drug has a higher solubility in water and hence bioavailability and stability. A similar effect can be achieved by closing the hydrophobic part of the drug molecule in the cyclodextrin cavity. The paper presents opipramol inclusion complexes with beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) in 1:1 molar ratio....
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Light-Modulated Sunscreen Mechanism in the Retina of the Human Eye
PublicationThe functioning of the human eye in the extreme range of light intensity requires a combination of the high sensitivity of photoreceptors with their photostability. Here, we identify a regulatory mechanism based on dynamic modulation of light absorption by xanthophylls in the retina, realized by reorientation of pigment molecules induced by trans–cis photoisomerization. We explore this photochemically switchable system using chromatographic...
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Prototype design and development of low-load-roof photovoltaic modules for applications in on-grid systems
PublicationFour prototypes of lightweight photovoltaic modules for applications in on-grid systems have been designed, developed, manufactured and tested for compliance with relevant IEC standards. Selected, commercially available materials characterized by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, dilatometry, scanning electron microscopy and nanoindentation technique were used in frameless, adhesively-bonded sandwich-structures...
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Rewitalizacja dróg wodnych delty Wisły jako podstawa nowej perspektywy osiedleńczej
PublicationW artykule opisano badania dotyczące rewitalizacji dróg wodnych Delty Wisły. Problematyka badawcza dotyczy rozwoju obszaru na styku lądu i wody. Wpływ lokalizacji nadmorskiej, i związana z nią problematyka wynikająca z położenia poniżej poziomu morza są dostrzegalne nawet do stu kilometrów od wybrzeża. Dodatkowym aspektem, który ujemnie wpływa na rozwój obszaru delty po II wojnie światowej jest utrata tożsamości regionalnej. Dlatego...
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Magnetic-dipole-to-electric-quadrupole cross-susceptibilities for relativistic hydrogenlike atoms in some low-lying discrete energy eigenstates
PublicationIn this paper we present tabulated data for magnetic-dipole-to-electric-quadrupole cross-susceptibilities (χ_{M1→E2}) for Dirac one-electron atoms with a pointlike, spinless and motionless nucleus of charge Ze. Numerical values of this susceptibility for the hydrogen atom (Z = 1) and for hydrogenic ions with 2 \leqslant Z \leqslant 137 are computed from the general analytical formula, recently derived by us (Stefanska, 2016), valid...
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A magnetic stir bar sorbent of metal organic frameworks, carbon foam decorated zinc oxide and cryogel to enrich and extract parabens and bisphenols from food samples
PublicationA porous composite magnetic stir bar adsorbent was fabricated for the extraction and enrichment of parabens and bisphenols from selected beverage samples. The adsorbent comprised a metal organic framework, carbon foam decorated zinc oxide and magnetic nanoparticles embedded in polyvinyl alcohol cryogel. The porous composite stir bar adsorbent could adsorb parabens and bisphenols via hydrogen bonding, π-π and hydrophobic interactions....
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Determination of time dependence of coated metal electrical and electrochemical parameters during exposure using principal component analysis
PublicationThe use of the principal component analysis (PCA) permits the complex and quantitative analysis of the time dependence of electrical and electrochemical parameters of coated metal obtained by fitting impedance data. So far, changes in electrical and electrochemical parameters during exposure were analyzed independently. In this way, some of the information contained in the relationship between changes in parameters over time are...
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Modelling Wetland Growing Season Rainfall Interception Losses Based on Maximum Canopy Storage Measurements
PublicationThis study estimates rainfall interception losses from natural wetland ecosystems based on maximum canopy storage measurements. Rainfall interception losses play an important role in water balance, which is crucial in wetlands, and has not yet been thoroughly studied in relation to this type of ecosystem. Maximum canopy storage was measured using the weight method. Based on these measurements, daily values of interception losses...
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Localization and Orientation of Xanthophylls in a Lipid Bilayer
PublicationXanthophylls (polar carotenoids) play diverse biological roles, among which are modulation of the physical properties of lipid membranes and protection of biomembranes against oxidative damage. Molecular mechanisms underlying these functions are intimately related to the localization and orientation of xanthophyll molecules in lipid membranes. In the present work, we address the problem of localization and orientation of two xanthophylls...
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Characterization of PVDF/Graphene Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Desalination with Enhanced Antifungal Activity
PublicationSeawater desalination is a worldwide concern for the sustainable production of drinking water. In this regard, membrane distillation (MD) has shown the potential for effective brine treatment. However, the lack of appropriate MD membranes limits its industrial expansion since they experience fouling and wetting issues. Therefore, hydrophobic membranes are promising candidates to successfully deal with such phenomena that are typical...
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Magnetic deep eutectic solvents – Fundamentals and applications
PublicationMagnetic deep eutectic solvents (MDES), a relatively new subclass of conventional deep eutectic solvents (DES) containing additional paramagnetic components in their structure. MDES exhibit a strong response toward external magnetic fields, thus they can improve many industrial and analytical applications. In addition, this new group of solvents present unique physicochemical properties that can be easily tuned by selecting the...
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Collagen Type II—Chitosan Interactions as Dependent on Hydroxylation and Acetylation Inferred from Molecular Dynamics Simulations
PublicationChitosan–collagen blends have been widely applied in tissue engineering, joints diseases treatment, and many other biomedical fields. Understanding the affinity between chitosan and collagen type II is particularly relevant in the context of mechanical properties modulation, which is closely associated with designing biomaterials suitable for cartilage and synovial fluid regeneration. However, many structural features influence...
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Comprehensive Comparison of a Few Variants of Cluster Analysis as Data Mining Tool in Supporting Environmental Management
PublicationA few variants of hierarchical cluster analysis (CA) as tool of assessment of multidimensional similarity in environmental dataset are compared. The dataset consisted of analytical results of determination of metals (Na, K, Ca, Sc, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Mo, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Sm, Hf and Th) in ambient air dried and kept alive, by the means of hydroponics, moss baskets collected in 12 locations on the area of Tricity (Poland)....
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Are the short cationic lipopeptides bacterial membrane disruptors? Structure-Activity Relationship and molecular dynamic evaluation
PublicationShort cationic lipopeptides are amphiphilic molecules that exhibit antimicrobial activity mainly against Grampositives. These compounds bind to bacterial membranes and disrupt their integrity. Here we examine the structure-activity relation (SAR) of lysine-based lipopeptides, with a prospect to rationally design more active compounds. The presented study aims to explain how antimicrobial activity of lipopeptides is affected by...
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Multi-stage magnetic-fluid seals for operating in water - life test procedure, test stand and research results
PublicationThe edge criteria for magnetic-fluid seals durability research are critical for the seal'stechnological usefulness. The magnetic fluid seal technology in water is much moredifficult technological problem in comparison to gas or vacuum environment. There isalways problem with immediate contact between magnetic fluid and the environmentaluninspected liquids. In the paper are presented ways of experiments definitions carried outwith...
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Emulsifying blends based on natural fats for eco-design of O/W emulsions
PublicationEmulsifier blends are most often used to stabilize and modulate the properties of cosmetic and pharmaceutical emulsions, such as skin care or application-related consistency. However, the rational design of such emulsifier blends is often not well understood, especially when their ingredients are natural raw materials. This study aimed to analyze the influence of natural fatty ingredients selected as emulsifiers on the emulsion...
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Sea spray as a secondary source of chlorinated persistent organic pollutants? - Conclusions from a comparison of seven fresh snowfall events in 2019 and 2021
PublicationSecondary sources of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) gain in importance worldwide as primary sources decline. In this work, we aim to determine whether sea spray may be a secondary source of chlorinated POPs to the terrestrial Arctic, since a similar mechanism was proposed there only for the more water-soluble POPs. To this end, we have determined polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides concentrations in fresh...
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Influence of rhamnolipids and ionic cross-linking conditions on the mechanical properties of alginate hydrogels as a model bacterial biofilm
PublicationThe literature indicates the existence of a relationship between rhamnolipids and bacterial biofilm, as well as the ability of selected bacteria to produce rhamnolipids and alginate. However, the influence of biosurfactant molecules on the mechanical properties of biofilms are still not fully understood. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of rhamnolipids concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and ionic cross-linking...
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Understanding the interactions between protein stabilizers and the peptide bond through the analysis of the volumetric and compressibility properties for the model systems
PublicationThis work confirms our earlier supposition, that volumetric and acoustic parameters for simple model proposed by us are directly related to stabilizing/destabilizing effect of osmolytes on proteins structure. The apparent molar volumes, V and the apparent molar isentropic compressions, KS,, of glycine and N,N,N –trimethylglycine (betaine) were determined from densities and speed of sound measurements in aqueous solution of N-methylacetamide...
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Chemical surface etching methods for ground tire rubber as sustainable approach for environmentally-friendly composites development– a review
PublicationGround tire rubber (GTR) has been used as a sustainable low-cost modifier in various composites. However, due to the hydrophobic nature of GTR, it is in compatible with most matrices and results in deterioration in both mechanical and physical properties of composites. This necessitates pre-modification of the powdered rubber to improve the interfacial bonding at the rubber-matric interface. The most common GTR modification research...