Physicochemical and Adsorption Properties of Nanoporous Activated Biocarbons from Thermochemical Treatment of Horsetail Herb.

In this study, the adsorption characteristics of novel activated biocarbons prepared from horsetail herb (a popular and troublesome weed) by physical activation (using carbon dioxide) and chemical one (using phosphoric(V) acid) in the process of simultaneous proteins immobilization in multicomponent solutions were examined. The carbon materials were characterized in terms of their porous structure, acidic-basic properties, and surface morphology. The binding mechanisms of such proteins as bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (LSZ), differing in internal stability, were determined alone and in their blends.

Interfacial Phenomena in Nanostructured Systems with Various Materials.

Interfacial phenomena linked to the behavior of bound water, organic solvents (co-sorbates, dispersion media), hydrogen, methane, acids/bases, and salts bound to various silicas, polymers, and carbon materials were analyzed vs. temperature and concentrations using H NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and other methods. The material characteristics were studied using microscopy, infrared spectroscopy (IR), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and nitrogen adsorption.

Selected Textural and Electrochemical Properties of Nanocomposite Fillers Based on the Mixture of Rose Clay/Hydroxyapatite/Nanosilica for Cosmetic Applications.

In order to improve the properties and characteristics of rose clay composites with acai, hydroxyapatite (HA), and nanosilica, the systems were mechanically treated. This treatment provides the preparation of better nanostructured composites with natural and synthetic nanomaterials with improved properties. The materials were characterized using XRD, nitrogen adsorption and desorption, particle sizing, zeta potential, and surface charge density measurements.

Proteomic analysis of blood serum - a new approach to the search for diagnostic markers of bronchial asthma in children.

Currently, bronchial asthma (BA) is one of the most pressing medical and social problems, the molecular aspects of the formation and development of BA are insufficiently studied and the diagnosis is not perfect. Carrying out proteomic analysis of BA will not only reveal new biomarkers specific to this disease, but also bring us closer to understanding its pathogenetic mechanisms. The purpose of the study: to study the proteomic profile of blood serum of children with BA to identify proteins associated with this disease A comprehensive clinical and laboratory examination of children suffering from BA and control group patients was performed.

[Impairments in metabolism of amino acids - precursors of gasotransmitters - in the premature birth].

The content of amino acids - sources of gasotransmitters and the activity of enzymes of their metabolism have been studied in the placenta and amniotic fluid in full-term and complicated by preterm birth (PB). Determination of amino acids was carried out using an automatic analyzer; specific spectrophotometric methods were used to assess the activity of enzymes. The development of PB is accompanied by changes in the amino acid level already in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Surface Chemistry of Nanohybrids with Fumed Silica Functionalized by Polydimethylsiloxane/Dimethyl Carbonate Studied Using H, C, and Si Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

The investigation of molecular interactions between a silica surface and organic/inorganic polymers is crucial for deeper understanding of the dominant mechanisms of surface functionalization. In this work, attachment of various depolymerized polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS) of different chain lengths, affected by dimethyl carbonate (DMC), to silica nanoparticles pretreated at different temperatures has been studied using Si, H, and C solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The results show that grafting of different modifier blends onto a preheated silica surface depends strongly on the specific surface area (SSA) linked to the silica nanoparticle size distributions affecting all textural characteristics.

Violation of the balance of free metals and metal-containing proteins in amniotic fluid in placental insufficiency.

The content of metal ions and proteins containing or binding these metals in amniotic fluid during different periods of physiological pregnancy and placental insufficiency (PI) was studied. The content of zinc, copper, magnesium, iron, zinc-α-2-glycoprotein, ferritin, ceruloplasmin and the activity of Ca2+, Mg2+-ATPase were estimated using spectrophotometric methods, immunoturbometric and enzyme immunoassay methods. It was found that in PI in both trimesters there is a decrease in the content of zinc, copper, iron and an increase in the level of copper.

Polymer Adsorbents vs. Functionalized Oxides and Carbons: Particulate Morphology and Textural and SurfaceCharacteristics.

Various methods for morphological, textural, and structural characterization of polymeric, carbon, and oxide adsorbents have been developed and well described. However, there are ways to improve the quantitative information extraction from experimental data for describing complex sorbents and polymer fillers. This could be based not only on probe adsorption and electron microscopies (TEM, SEM) but also on small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), cryoporometry, relaxometry, thermoporometry, quasi-elastic light scattering, Raman and infrared spectroscopies, and other methods.

Interfacial behavior of polar and nonpolar frozen/unfrozen liquids interacting with hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanosilicas alone and in blends.

Hypothesis: Various nanosilica characteristics depend on hydrophobization strongly affecting interfacial phenomena. Is it possible to prepare hydrophilic samples with hydrophobic silica (AM1) alone and in blends with hydrophilic one (A-300)? It can be done with addition of a small amount of water to the powders which then are mechanically treated.

Experiments: Nanosilicas were characterized using adsorption, desorption, microscopic, spectroscopic, and quantum chemistry methods.

Membrane-Filtered Kraft Lignin-Silica Hybrids as Bio-Based Sorbents for Cobalt(II) Ion Recycling.

Efficient and sustainable recycling of cobalt(II) is of increasing importance to support technological development in energy storage and electric vehicle industries. A composite material based on membrane-filtered lignin deposited on nanoporous silica microparticles was found to be an effective and sustainable sorbent for cobalt(II) removal. This bio-based sorbent exhibited a high sorption capacity, fast kinetics toward cobalt(II) adsorption, and good reusability.

[Impairment of production and posttranslational changes of placental nuclear and membrane proteins with complicated pregnancy].

The content of nuclear and membrane proteins of the placenta, as well as posttranslational modification of these proteins in physiological pregnancy and placental insufficiency (PI) were studied. Differential centrifugation, electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, spectrophotometric methods were used. It was found that with PN there is a decrease in the degree of production of the studied proteins of varying degrees relative to control parameters.

Nanostructured Amorphous Silicas Hydrophobized by Various Pathways.

Various nanostructured amorphous silicas [fumed silicas such as crude (A-300), hydro-compacted (cA-300, TS 100), and precipitated silica Syloid 244] were modified by different polydimethylsiloxanes such as PDMS5, PDMS100, PDMS200, PDMS1000, and PDMS12500 (the label numbers show the viscosity (η) values) using dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a siloxane-bond-breaking reagent. In addition, hexamethyldisilazane was used to modify fumed silica cA-300. The nanocomposites were characterized using microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermodesorption, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, solid-state NMR spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and zeta-potential methods.

Nanostructured Polymethylsiloxane/Fumed Silica Blends.

Polymethylsiloxane (PMS) and fumed silica, alone and in a blended form (1:1 w/w), differently pretreated, hydrated, and treated again, were studied using TEM and SEM, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, H MAS and Si CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and methods of quantum chemistry. Analysis of the effects of adding water (0-0.5 g of water per gram of solids) to the blends while they are undergoing different mechanical treatment (stirring with weak (~1-2 kg/cm) and strong (~20 kg/cm) loading) show that both dry and wetted PMS (as a soft material) can be grafted onto a silica surface, even with weak mechanical loading, and enhanced mechanical loading leads to enhanced homogenization of the blends.

[The imbalance of vasoactive components and arachidonic acid in the placenta and amniotic fluid in preeclampsia].

The content of vasoactive compounds and arachidonic acid in the placenta and amniotic fluid was studied in full-term (39-40 weeks) physiological pregnancy and preeclampsia (PE). The content of metabolites of nitric oxide (NOx), endothelin-1, thromboxane B2 (TxB2), prostacycline (PGI2) and arachidonic acid was estimated using spectrophotometric, immunoenzyme methods and gas-liquid chromatography. It was found that in PE the content of vasoconstrictors, of endothelin and TxB2, increased in the placenta and amniotic fluid, while the content of vasodilators, PGI2 and NOx decreased.

[The activity of enzymes of amino acid metabolism of the placenta in different terms of the physiological and complicated pregnancy.].

The activity of amino acid metabolism enzymes and the content of free amino acids in the placenta during physiological pregnancy and placental insufficiency (PI) were studied using spectrophotometric methods and ion-exchange chromatography. It was found that in PI placental activity of the studied enzymes: alanine-, cysteine-e, tyrosine-, glutamino- transferase, glutathione synthetase, glutamate dehydrogenase decreases at different periods of gestation. The opposite variations occur for aspartataminotranferase and glutaminase.

[Influence of amino acid imbalance in maternal and fetal organisms on the development of placental insufficiency and the course of the neonatal period.].

The content of amino acids in maternal serum and umbilical cord blood during physiological pregnancy and placental insufficiency (PI) was estimated using ion-exchange chromatography. It was found that that the content of arginine, serine, glutamine, alanine, cysteine, methionine, tryptophan, leucine, phenylalanine and proline, which are involved in many metabolic processes necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the mother-placenta-fetus system, was decreases in maternal serum at PI. Opposite deviations have dicarboxylic amino acids, lysine, histidine, glycine, tyrosine and threonine, the number of which increases, strengthening the nitrogen imbalance.

[Disbalance of redox processes in amniotic fluid at pre-eclampsia.].

The parameters of pro and antioxidant processes in the amniotic fluid in the dynamics of physiological pregnancy and preeclampsia were studied. Spectrophotometric and fluorimetric methods were used to evaluate the activity of NADPH-oxidase, xanthine-oxidase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione-dependent enzyme systems, the content of antioxidant vitamins - retinol and α-tocopherol, lipid peroxidation products (LPP) - diene conjugates and Schiff bases, and parameters of peroxide chemiluminescence. It was found that with preeclampsia there is an increase in the activity of prooxidant enzymes NADPH-oxidase and xanthine-oxidase, a decrease in the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione transferase, and the content of fat-soluble vitamins.

Polymethylsiloxane alone and in composition with nanosilica under various conditions.

Disperse polymethylsiloxane (PMS) alone and in a mixture with highly disperse nanosilica A-300 was studied as a dry powder and a hydrogel located in various dispersion media (air, chloroform alone and with addition of trifluoroacetic acid) using low-temperature H NMR spectroscopy, cryoporometry, thermogravimetry, nitrogen adsorption, microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and quantum chemistry. The powders of dried PMS and PMS/A-300 can be easily rehydrated upon strong stirring with added water. The slurry properties depend on mechanical treatment features due to stronger compaction of the secondary structures with increasing mechanical loading.

Water Interactions with Hydrophobic versus Hydrophilic Nanosilica.

It is well-known that interaction of hydrophobic powders with water is weak, and upon mixing, they typically form separated phases. Preparation of hydrophobic nanosilica AM1 with a relatively large content of bound water with no formation of separated phases was the aim of this study. Unmodified nanosilica A-300 and initial AM1 (A-300 completely hydrophobized by dimethyldichlorosilane), compacted A-300 (cA-300), and compacted AM1 (cAM1) containing 50-58 wt % of bound water were studied using low-temperature H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, infrared spectroscopy, microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, nitrogen adsorption, and theoretical modeling.

[Features of redox processes in the amniotic fluid at placental insufficiency].

Activity of prooxidant enzymes (NADPH-oxidase and xanthine oxidase), antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase), enzymes of the glutathione-dependent systems, as well as antioxidant vitamins (retinol and a-tocopherol), lipid peroxidation products (LPP) (conjugated dienes and Schiff bases), and peroxide chemiluminescence were studied in the amniotic fluid at different periods of physiological pregnancy and placental insufficiency (PI). It was found that at PI the activity of NADPH-oxidase, xanthine oxidase increased and the activity of SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione transferase and the content of fat-soluble vitamins decreased. The direct and inverse correlation between the studied pro- and antioxidant parameters and the content of LPP products, was found ro be different in the II and III trimesters of gestation.

Nanosilica modified by polydimethylsiloxane depolymerized and chemically bound to nanoparticles or physically bound to unmodified or modified surfaces: Structure and interfacial phenomena.

Three polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS200, PDMS1000, and PDMS12500 with numbers showing the viscosity values dependent on the molecular weight) were used for adsorption (14-95 wt% PDMS) onto unmodified and PDMS-modified (16.7 wt% PDMS using dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as a siloxane bond breaking reagent) nanosilica A-300. The materials were studied using microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, thermodesorption, calorimetry, ethanol and water/ethanol evaporation, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and quantum chemical methods.

Zeta Potential of Beta Zeolites: Influence of Structure, Acidity, pH, Temperature and Concentration.

Measurements of the zeta potential of solid heterogeneous supports are important for preparation of metal supported catalysts and for shaping zeolites into extrudates. In the current work, different types of heterogeneous support materials such as SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and a range of beta zeolites of different silica- to-alumina ratio were analysed. It was observed that parameters such as temperature, pH and acidity significantly affect the zeta potential.

Bonding of doxorubicin to nanosilica and human serum albumin in various media.

Interaction of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) (anti-cancer drug) with hydro-compacted nanosilica A-300 (cA-300) alone or cA-300/human serum albumin (HSA) at a small content of water (h = 0.4 g per gram of dry silica) in different dispersion media (air, chloroform, and chloroform/trifluoroacetic acid) was analyzed using low-temperature H NMR spectroscopy, NMR cryoporometry and quantum chemistry to elucidate specific changes in the interfacial layers. Initial (bulk density ρ ≈ 0.