Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Histopathological Cancer Diagnostics in Lower Silesia: A Comparative Analysis of Prostate, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer from 2018 to 2022.

Background/objective: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted healthcare systems worldwide including cancer diagnostics. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on histopathological cancer diagnostics in Lower Silesia, Poland, specifically focusing on prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer cases from 2018 to 2022. The objective was to evaluate diagnostic volumes and trends before, during, and after the pandemic and to understand the effect of healthcare disruptions on cancer detection.

Simple smartphone-based methods for the determination of bioactive compounds in wine.

A set of simple smartphone-based methods of bioactive compounds determination were developed for wine analysis. Procedures for smartphone-based determination of the total content of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins and biogenic amines, as well as measurement of antioxidant activity were developed and fully validated. The experimental setup is based on smartphone and 3D-printed device, though it is very simple and can be conveniently applied in lab and in field.

Simple analytical method for total biogenic amines content determination in wine using a smartphone.

A simple, fast, and green smartphone-based procedure for total biogenic amines content determination in wine was developed and validated. Sample preparation and analysis were simplified to make the method suitable for routine analyses even in resource-scarce settings. The commercially available S0378 dye and smartphone-based detection were used for this purpose.

Green, simple analytical method for total biogenic amines content determination in wine using spectrophotometry.

A simple, green and equitable procedure for total biogenic amines (BAs) content determination was developed. The scientific novelty lies in the use of commercially available S0378 dye, the reaction of which with BAs results in a colour change of the solution. Sample preparation and analysis were simplified to make the method suitable for routine analyses even in resource-scarce settings.

'I never hoped for anything … now I have other plans': The role of microfinance in HIV intervention for women who use drugs and engage in sex work in Kazakhstan.

Over the past decade, Kazakhstan has experienced increased cases of HIV, especially among women who engage in sex work and use drugs. Research has examined the efficacy of structural interventions to reduce HIV risk; however, few studies have examined the experiences of women participating in these interventions. This study aimed to understand the perceived impact that HIV risk reduction and savings-led microfinance components of the Nova study had on women's sexual and drug risk behaviors as well as their capacity for reducing income from sex work and finding alternative sources of income over time.

Emission Profiles of Volatiles during 3D Printing with ABS, ASA, Nylon, and PETG Polymer Filaments.

In this short communication we characterize the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing using four polymer materials, namely polyethylene terephthalate glycol-modified (PETG), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), Nylon, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). Detailed emission profiles are obtained during thermal degradation of the polymers as a function of temperature and also in real-time during 3D printing. Direct quantitative measurement was performed using proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS).

Green, simple analytical method for biogenic amines determination in fruit juice samples using salting-out assisted liquid-liquid microextraction andgas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Salting-out assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (SALLME) was integrated withthederivatization procedure to establish a one-step sample pre-treatment approach for rapid analysis of14 biogenic amines (BAs) in fruit juices. The methodology consists of salting-out ofanalytes,derivatization with ethyl chloroformate (ECF), extraction with ethyl acetate (EtAc), andtheanalysis of the derivatized BAs using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimization oftheSALLME parameters, including the amount of sample, NaOH, and ECF was carried out through a Box-Behnken response surface design.

Social Researchers' Approaches to Research Ethics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study.

The global COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine/distancing measures have forced researchers to cope with a new situation. This paper aimed to analyze how the pandemic and its associated constraints have affected social researchers' approach to research ethics. Drawing on an online qualitative survey with 193 Polish social researchers conducted in April and May 2020, we distinguished three approaches: , , and .

Real-time monitoring of the emission of volatile organic compounds from polylactide 3D printing filaments.

Establishing the emission profile of volatile organic compounds generated during fused deposition modeling 3D printing using polymer filaments is important in terms of both understanding the processes taking place during thermal degradation of thermoplastics, and assessing the user's exposure to potentially harmful volatiles. However, obtaining detailed, real-time qualitative and quantitative results poses a challenge. In this paper solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry were used to identify and monitor the emission of volatiles during thermal degradation of polylactide filaments and during 3D printing.

Monitoring the BTEX Volatiles during 3D Printing with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Using Electronic Nose and Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry.

We describe a concept study in which the changes of concentration of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) compounds and styrene within a 3D printer enclosure during printing with different acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filaments were monitored in real-time using a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer and an electronic nose. The quantitative data on the concentration of the BTEX compounds, in particular the concentration of carcinogenic benzene, were then used as reference values for assessing the applicability of an array of low-cost electrochemical sensors in monitoring the exposure of the users of consumer-grade fused deposition modelling 3D printers to potentially harmful volatiles. Using multivariate statistical analysis and machine learning, it was possible to determine whether a set threshold limit value for the concentration of BTEX was exceeded with a 0.

Imaging of Embryo Sac and Early Seed Development in Maize after Feulgen Staining.

Compared with small model plants like Arabidopsis containing ovules with few cell layers, embryo sac and embryo development of model crop plants such as maize and other grasses are difficult to image. Multiple layers of tissue usually surround the deeply embedded embryo sac and developing embryo. Moreover, reliable cell biological marker lines labeling, for example, nuclei, plasma membrane, cell walls, or cells of a specific identity are often not available.

Prediction of the Biogenic Amines Index of Poultry Meat Using an Electronic Nose.

The biogenic amines index of fresh chicken meat samples during refrigerated storage was predicted based on the headspace analysis using an electronic nose equipped with an array of electrochemical sensors. The reference biogenic amines index values were obtained using dispersive liquid⁻liquid microextraction⁻gas chromatography⁻mass spectrometry. A prototype electronic nose with modular construction and a dedicated sample chamber was used to rapidly analyze the volatile fraction of chicken meat samples, with a single measurement time of five minutes.

Analytical procedures for short chain chlorinated paraffins determination - How to make them greener?

The aim of the following paper was to gather current scientific information about the analytical protocols dedicated to measuring the content level of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in various types of environmental samples. Moreover, the data about the basic validation parameters of applied procedures for SCCPs determination are listed. The main issue which is highlighted in the paper is the possibility of the application of green analytical chemistry (GAC) principals in the SCCPs measuring process to reduce the environmental impact of the applied methodology.

State-of-the-art and novel developments of in vivo haploid technologies.

The ability to generate (doubled) haploid plants significantly accelerates the crop breeding process. Haploids have been induced mainly through the generation of plants from cultivated gametophic (haploid) cells and tissues, i.e.

The AMSH3 ESCRT-III-Associated Deubiquitinase Is Essential for Plant Immunity.

Plant "nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat" receptor proteins (NLRs) detect alterations in host targets of pathogen effectors and trigger immune responses. The Arabidopsis thaliana mutant pen1 syp122 displays autoimmunity, and a mutant screen identified the deubiquitinase "associated molecule with the SH3 domain of STAM3" (AMSH3) to be required for this phenotype. AMSH3 has previously been implicated in ESCRT-mediated vacuolar targeting.

Vertical distribution of the relic species (Copepoda, Calanoida) in stratified mesotrophic lakes.

The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting the vertical distribution of in mesotrophic lakes (Wigry, Hańcza, Szurpiły; north-eastern Poland) during the summer stagnation. was found in all of the studied lakes, with the highest abundance (8 ind. L) in Lake Wigry.

Direct determination of cadaverine in the volatile fraction of aerobically stored chicken breast samples.

Abstract: To supplement the currently used methods for poultry meat shelf life assessment, it might be necessary to develop a technique for rapid headspace analysis of volatiles with no prior sample preparation step. Biogenic amines, in particular cadaverine, are considered meat spoilage indicators. Described in this article are the results of a preliminary investigation of the applicability of proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry in the determination of cadaverine concentration in the volatile fraction of poultry meat samples stored in aerobic conditions.

Nonselective Chemical Inhibition of Sec7 Domain-Containing ARF GTPase Exchange Factors.

Small GTP-binding proteins from the ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) family are important regulators of vesicle formation and cellular trafficking in all eukaryotes. ARF activation is accomplished by a protein family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that contain a conserved catalytic Sec7 domain. Here, we identified and characterized Secdin, a small-molecule inhibitor of ARF-GEFs.

DiSUMO-LIKE Interacts with RNA-Binding Proteins and Affects Cell-Cycle Progression during Maize Embryogenesis.

Embryogenesis in flowering plants is initiated by an asymmetric zygote division, generating two daughter cells that are the precursors of different cell lineages. Little is known about the molecular players regulating activation and progression of zygote development, establishment of asymmetry, and the plant-specific process of cell-plate formation. Here, we report the function of the ubiquitin-like modifier DiSUMO-LIKE (DSUL) for early embryo development in maize.

All roads lead to the vacuole-autophagic transport as part of the endomembrane trafficking network in plants.

Plants regulate their development and response to the changing environment by sensing and interpreting environmental signals. Intracellular trafficking pathways including endocytic-, vacuolar-, and autophagic trafficking are important for the various aspects of responses in plants. Studies in the last decade have shown that the autophagic transport pathway uses common key components of endomembrane trafficking as well as specific regulators.

SH3P2 is an ubiquitin-binding protein that functions together with ESCRT-I and the deubiquitylating enzyme AMSH3.

Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of plasma membrane proteins is an essential regulatory process that controls plasma membrane protein abundance and is therefore important for many signaling pathways, such as hormone signaling and biotic and abiotic stress responses. On endosomal sorting, plasma membrane proteins maybe recycled or targeted for vacuolar degradation, which is dependent on ubiquitin modification of the cargos and is driven by the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRTs). Components of the ESCRT machinery are highly conserved among eukaryotes, but homologs of ESCRT-0 that are responsible for recognition and concentration of ubiquitylated proteins are absent in plants.

ESCRT-dependent degradation of ubiquitylated plasma membrane proteins in plants.

To control the abundance of plasma membrane receptors and transporters is crucial for proper perception and response to extracellular signals from surrounding cells and the environment. Posttranslational modification of plasma membrane proteins, especially ubiquitin conjugation or ubiquitylation, is key for the determination of stability for many transmembrane proteins localized on the cell surface. The targeted degradation is ensured by a complex network of proteins among which the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) plays a central role.

Measuring the Enzyme Activity of Arabidopsis Deubiquitylating Enzymes.

Deubiquitylating enzymes, or DUBs, are important regulators of ubiquitin homeostasis and substrate stability, though the molecular mechanisms of most of the DUBs in plants are not yet understood. As different ubiquitin chain types are implicated in different biological pathways, it is important to analyze the enzyme characteristic for studying a DUB. Quantitative analysis of DUB activity is also important to determine enzyme kinetics and the influence of DUB binding proteins on the enzyme activity.

Arabidopsis ALIX is required for the endosomal localization of the deubiquitinating enzyme AMSH3.

Ubiquitination is a signal for various cellular processes, including for endocytic degradation of plasma membrane cargos. Ubiquitinating as well as deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) can regulate these processes by modifying the ubiquitination status of target protein. Although accumulating evidence points to the important regulatory role of DUBs, the molecular basis of their regulation is still not well understood.

FYVE1 is essential for vacuole biogenesis and intracellular trafficking in Arabidopsis.

The plant vacuole is a central organelle that is involved in various biological processes throughout the plant life cycle. Elucidating the mechanism of vacuole biogenesis and maintenance is thus the basis for our understanding of these processes. Proper formation of the vacuole has been shown to depend on the intracellular membrane trafficking pathway.