Simplifying perovskite solar cell fabrication for materials testing: how to use unetched substrates with the aid of a three-dimensionally printed cell holder.

This work demonstrates that unetched substrates can be reliably used in perovskite solar cell (PSC) fabrication. Chemical etching and laser patterning of the bottom electrodes are time- and resource-consuming processes. In particular, when testing novel conductive substrate materials, such as metallic or bio-based substrates, etching or patterning could be entirely unfeasible or could require significant process optimization.

Isolation of Mixed Compositions of Cellulose Nanocrystals, Microcrystalline Cellulose, and Lignin Nanoparticles from Wood Pulps.

From a circular economy perspective, one-pot strategies for the isolation of cellulose nanomaterials at a high yield and with multifunctional properties are attractive. Here, the effects of lignin content (bleached vs unbleached softwood kraft pulp) and sulfuric acid concentration on the properties of crystalline lignocellulose isolates and their films are explored. Hydrolysis at 58 wt % sulfuric acid resulted in both cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and microcrystalline cellulose at a relatively high yield (>55%), whereas hydrolysis at 64 wt % gave CNCs at a lower yield (<20%).

Study of the molecular-structural composition of alcoholic extracts of radio-induced potato tubers by mass spectrometry and EPR.

This article presents data on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and mass spectrometric analysis of potato tubers, irradiated with gamma rays, in order to examine and identify changes in the molecular composition of organic matter following radiation exposure. The products of the Maillard reaction were compared with the products of intramolecular radiolysis of organic constituents of potatoes. The presence of free radicals was verified using EPR.

Antifungal Properties, Abiotic Stress Resistance, and Biocontrol Ability of Bacillus mojavensis PS17.

Plant-protecting Bacillus sp. strains used as biocontrol agents frequently produce metabolites inhibiting phytopathogenic fungi. Recently, the search for a novel biocontrol agent with a wide spectrum of disease control drew attention to Bacillus subtilis and their related species, including Bacillus mojavensis.

[Diagnosis simulation in urinary tract tuberculosis].

The paper presents the results of the statistical processing that comprises the calculation of the basic numerical statistics, the analysis of an association of signs, the estimation of Pearson's paired correlation coefficient, and the testing of its statistical significance, the construction of logit models, and the regression analysis of 350 case histories of inpatients with nephrotuberculosis treated at Samara Regional Tuberculosis Hospital One in 2002-2006. The results of the study proved it possible to simulate a clinical diagnosis for urinary tract tuberculosis. It can be simulated using the following indices: the presence of chronic renal failure, urinary leukocytes, blood urea, excretory urographic data, the electrocardiographic signs of essential hypertension, and the presence of non-tuberculous comorbidity (type 2 diabetes mellitus, gastric peptic ulcer, chronic hepatitis).

Quinoid radio-toxin (QRT) induced metabolic changes in mice: an ex vivo and in vivo EPR investigation.

Radio-toxins are toxic metabolites produced by ionizing irradiation and have toxic effects similar to those caused by direct irradiation. We have investigated the effect of a quinoid radio-toxin (QRT) obtained from gamma-irradiated potato tuber on various organs in mice using ex vivo and in vivo EPR spectroscopy. Results indicate a decrease in the activity of ribonucleotide reductase enzyme in spleen of mice treated with 0.

[In vitro and ex vivo EPR investigation of metabolic changes in blood under the action of radiotoxins obtained from irradiated potato tubers].

The effect of radiotoxin (RT) obtained from y-irradiated potato tubes on blood of sheep and mice has been investigated by using in vitro and ex vivo EPR. In experiments in vitro, the action of different preparations (RT, extract from unirradiated potato tubers, 1%-HCl or 30%-hydrogen peroxide) on sheep blood has been compared. It has been established that RT is an effective oxidant (like 1%-HCl) of haem iron that leads to an increase of the methemoglobin concentration.

[Ex vivo EPR investigation of metabolic changes in mice treated with radiotoxins].

The effect of radiotoxins (RT), obtained from gamma-irradiated potato tubers, on mice have been investigated using ex vivo EPR. Parts of liver, lung, spleen, heart and kidney were used for investigation. The amount of the preparations injected was 0.

[Immunohistochemical study of cell phenotypes in organ culture of the rat embryo liver].

The organ culture of the liver of a 14 day old rat embryo was used for immunohistochemical recognition of the available cell types. This culture contains the tissue explant, confluent monolayer cells and a zone of single cells (ZSC). At the start of cultivation a monolayer is formed at the expense of cells slipping down together from the explant, and later these cells were seen to migrate actively from the explant and to proliferate.

[The effect of stretching on the cell proliferation of the guinea pig vas deferens in organotypic culture].

Explants of guinea pig vas deferens with longitudinal and transversal stretching were cultivated under organotypic conditions. The longitudinal periodical stretching diminished the initial rise in proliferation of smooth muscle cells from the longitudinal muscular layer but not from the circular one. The continuous transversal stretching decreased proliferation of smooth muscle cells from the circular muscular layer at the onset of cultivation but had no effect on proliferation of smooth muscle cells from the longitudinal layer.

[The ultrastructure of smooth muscle cells under static stretching].

Smooth muscle cells of the guinea pig vas deferens in the organotypic culture change their phenotype from the contractile to the synthetic one within a month. The activating nucleoli, while increasing the number of free ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum, decreased the amount of myofilaments and dense bodies. Longitudinal static stretching maintains the contraction phenotype in the longitudinal layer muscle but not in the circular layer.

[The phasic contraction of the guinea pig vas deferens in organotypic culture during periodic stretching].

Vas deferens explants from the adult guinea pigs were cultivated under organotypic conditions with repeated stretching. In control explants with no stretching over 9 days the occurring hypersensitivity is similar to the denervated one. Simultaneously phase component contractile response decreased in a 5.

[The hypersensitivity of the guinea pig vas deferens in organotypic culture under static stretching].

The explants of the guinea pig vas deferens acquired the same hypersensitivity as the denervated ones in cultivation under organotypic conditions. The hypersensitivity reached its maximum in 9 days. The explants cultivated with static stretching during 9 and 15 days preserved the contractile properties of freshly isolated stria.

[Carbonic anhydrase--marker of cell type in cell culture of the guinea pig vas deferens].

Polyclonal antibodies (PCAB) to smooth muscle myosin (SMM), monoclonal antibodies (MCAB) to cytokeratin 8 (clon HI, IgGI) and H4 (IgM), as well as PCAB to carbonic anhydrase III were used for identification of the cell types in the vas deferens cell culture of guinea pig. Smooth muscle cells (SMC) are identified by intensive staining of PCAB to SMM. Fibroblast-like cells (FBL) are determined by the presence of the filament finest network, apparently responding to the myosin non-muscular forms, which are present in PCAB to SMM.

[Light-optical and ultrastructural immunohistochemistry of antigen H-4, a common marker of epithelial cells].

Epitope localization reacting with mice monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) H 4 was investigated using the specimen of epithelium of skin, human uterine cervix as well as in the culture of epithelium cells of guinea-pig duct deferent. Mice monoclonal antibodies against antigen H 4 obtained by the hybridoma method after immunization of mice with rat colon epithelium cytoskeletal fractions were used. Mabs H 4 were shown to react with antigen of intermediate filaments of all studied normal epithelial, cancer cells as well as culture epithelial cells.

[The effect of sympathetic denervation on the structure, contractility and electrical activity of the smooth-muscle cells in the cat nictitating membrane].

The nucleus and soma of sympathetically denervated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of the cat nictitating membrane were found to be enlarged. The number of free ribosomes was dramatically increased and a disintegration of microfilaments was found. The functional changes involved spontaneous or agonist-induced generation of APs.

[Regulation of the postsynaptic alpha-1-adrenoreceptors of the smooth muscle of the nictitating membrane in the cat].

Radioassay binding of the smooth muscle of the nictitating membrane of cat has revealed the specific binding sites of [3H]prazosin corresponding to alpha-1 adrenoceptors. There was a significant increase in the number of alpha-1 adrenoceptors without any changes in their affinity. Incubation of the culture of the preliminary sympathectomized smooth muscle with noradrenaline decreased the number of alpha-1 adrenoceptors also without altering the affinity of binding.