Development of a new data management system for the study of the gut microbiome of children who are small for their gestational age.

Microbiome studies aim to answer the following questions: which organisms are in the sample and what is their impact on the patient or the environment? To answer these questions, investigators have to perform comparative analyses on their classified sequences based on the collected metadata, such as treatment, condition of the patient, or the environment. The integrity of sequences, classifications, and metadata is paramount for the success of such studies. Still, the area of data management for the preliminary study results appears to be neglected.

Role of Epigallocatechin Gallate in Selected Malignant Neoplasms in Women.

Tea is a significant source of flavonoids in the diet. Due to different production processes, the amount of bioactive compounds in unfermented (green) and (semi-)fermented tea differs. Importantly, green tea has a similar composition of phenolic compounds to fresh, unprocessed tea leaves.

Treatment and Valorization of Waste Wind Turbines: Component Identification and Analysis.

Recycling end-of-life wind turbines poses a significant challenge due to the increasing number of turbines going out of use. After many years of operation, turbines lose their functional properties, generating a substantial amount of composite waste that requires efficient and environmentally friendly processing methods. Wind turbine blades, in particular, are a problematic component in the recycling process due to their complex material composition.

Stability and Rheological Properties of the Novel Silica-Based Organogel-A Drug Carrier with High Solubilization Potential.

Dissolution of a poorly soluble active pharmacological substance in a drug carrier usually requires advanced techniques and production equipment. The use of novel carriers such as microemulsions, vesicles, or nanocarriers might entail various limitations concerning production cost, formulation stability, or active substance capacity. In this paper, we present a novel fumed silica-based organogel as a low-cost, simple preparation drug or cosmetic carrier with interesting rheological properties and high solubilization capacity.

, a New Genus of the Tarsonemid Tribe Pseudotarsonemoidini (Acari: Heterostigmatina) from Mexico.

A new genus for the tribe Pseudotarsonemoidini of the family Tarsonemidae is established in order to accommodate undescribed mites associated with bark beetles in Mexico. The new, monotypic genus , with the type species being diagnostically and phylogenetically closest to the derived - cluster of the Pseudotarsonemoidini, possesses an intermediate position between these two genera. Details of the morphology related to its genus-level affiliation, primarily tibiotarsal I claw and leg setation, are compared in the context of the other genera of the tribe.

Transcriptome and Neuroendocrinome Responses to Environmental Stress in the Model and Pest Insect .

The fall armyworm, , is one of the most notorious pest insects, causing damage to more than 350 plant species, and is feared worldwide as an invasive pest species since it exhibits high adaptivity against environmental stress. Here, we therefore investigated its transcriptome responses to four different types of stresses, namely cold, heat, no water and no food. We used brain samples as our interest was in the neuroendocrine responses, while previous studies used whole bodies of larvae or moths.

Enhancing the Solubility and Dissolution of Apigenin: Solid Dispersions Approach.

Apigenin (APG), a bioactive flavonoid with promising therapeutic potential, suffers from poor water solubility, which limits its bioavailability. To address this, solid dispersions of APG were prepared using ball milling with sodium alginate (SA), Pluronic F-68 (PLU68), Pluronic F-127 (PLU127), PVP K30, and PVP VA64 as polymeric excipients. These dispersions were screened for apparent solubility in water and buffers with pH 1.

Hole Transfer and the Resulting DNA Damage.

In this review, we focus on the one-electron oxidation of DNA, which is a multipart event controlled by several competing factors. We will discuss the oxidation free energies of the four nucleobases and the electron detachment from DNA, influenced by specific interactions like hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions with neighboring sites in the double strand. The formation of a radical cation (hole) which can migrate through DNA (hole transport), depending on the sequence-specific effects and the allocation of the final oxidative damage, is also addressed.

Thermoelectric properties of a quantum dot attached to normal metal and topological superconductor.

The thermoelectric properties of hybrid systems based on a single-level quantum dot coupled to a normal-metal/half-metallic lead and attached to a topological superconductor wire are investigated. The topological superconductor wire is modeled by a spinless p-wave superconductor which hosts both a Majorana bound state at its extremity and above gap quasiparticle excitations. The main interest of our investigation is to study the interplay of sub-gap and single-particle tunneling processes and their contributions to the thermoelectric response of the considered system.

Forensically useful mid-term and short-term temperature reconstruction for quasi-indoor death scenes.

While estimating postmortem interval (PMI) ambient temperature plays a pivotal role, so its reconstruction is crucial for forensic scientists. The recommended procedure is to correct temperatures from the nearest meteorological station based on measurements from the death scene; typically applying linear regression. Recently, there have been attempts to use different algorithms, that can improve that correction, for example GAM algorithm.

Migration of phthalate plasticisers in heritage objects made of poly(vinyl chloride): Mechanical and environmental aspects.

To clean or not to clean? The solution to this dilemma is related to understanding the plasticiser migration which has a few practical implications for the state of museum artefacts made of plasticised poly(vinyl chloride) - PVC and objects stored in their vicinity. The consequences of this process encompass aesthetic changes due to the presence of exudates and dust deposition, an increase in air pollution and the development of mechanical stresses. Therefore, this paper discusses the plasticiser migration in PVC to provide evidence and support the development of recommendations and guidelines for conservators, collection managers and heritage scientists.

Identification of ALEKSIN as a novel multi-IRF inhibitor of IRF- and STAT-mediated transcription in vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) include atherosclerosis, which is an inflammatory disease of large and medium vessels that leads to atherosclerotic plaque formation. The key factors contributing to the onset and progression of atherosclerosis include the pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon (IFN)α and IFNγ and the pattern recognition receptor (PRR) Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). Together, they trigger the activation of IFN regulatory factors (IRFs) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)s.

Thrush nightingales adjust the peak frequency and structure of their songs in response to different types of experimental noise.

Animals employ various strategies to minimize the overlap of their vocalizations with other sounds, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of their communication. However, little attention has been given to experimentally examining how the structure of the acoustic signal changes in response to various kinds of disturbances in the soundscape. In this study, I experimentally investigated whether male thrush nightingales (Luscinia luscinia) adjust their singing rate, song frequency, and song type in response to different types of artificial sounds.

Two-Photon-Driven Photoprotection Mechanism in Echinenone-Functionalized Orange Carotenoid Protein.

Orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is a photoactive protein that mediates photoprotection in cyanobacteria. OCP binds different ketocarotenoid chromophores such as echinenone (ECN), 3'- hydroxyechinenone (hECN), and canthaxanthin (CAN). In the dark, OCP is in an inactive orange form known as OCP; upon illumination, a red active state is formed, referred to as OCP, that can interact with the phycobilisome.

Under pressure in the Eriksen flanker task.

A classical observation in experimental psychology is a reduction in reaction time and response accuracy under time pressure (TP). This speed-accuracy tradeoff may be understood from the combined perspectives of affordance competition and urgency gating. This view implies that action programs compete with each other from stimulus onset until the final response.

Superhero in a skirt: Psychological resilience of Ukrainian refugee women in Poland. A thematic analysis.

This study delves into the diverse experiences of Ukrainian refugee women in Poland amid the ongoing Russian war, employing a community-based participatory action research approach in collaboration with a Polish foundation aiding Ukrainian war refugees. With the practical aim of formulating recommendations for the third sector assisting refugees, 33 semi-structured interviews ( = 40.29; = 11.

The development and evaluation of multiple regression equations based on four common nutritional analysis packages to predict the metabolisable energy density of diets fed to grower/finisher and adult pigs and their use for rat and mouse diets.

We have used multiple regression analyses to develop a series of metabolisable energy (ME) prediction equations from chemical analyses of pig diets that can be extended to murine diets. We compiled four datasets from an extensive range of published metabolism studies with grower/finisher and adult pigs. The analytes in the datasets were increasingly complex, comprising: 1.

Insights Into the Local Heating Effects in Triple-Cation Mixed-Halide Perovskite Cells: Charge Dynamics, Coherent Phonons, Anion Segregation.

The behavior of triple-cation mixed halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) under ultrashort laser pulse irradiation at varying fluences is investigated, with a focus on local heating effects observed in femtosecond transient absorption (TA) studies. The carrier cooling time constant is found to increase from 230 fs at 2 µJ cm⁻ to 1.3 ps at 2 mJ cm⁻ while the charge population decay accelerates from tens of nanoseconds to the picosecond range within the same fluence range.

Solvent Selection as a Key Factor in the Performance of Semitransparent Heterojunctions Composed of Hydrogenated Nanotubes and Bismuth Sulfides.

Research on titanium nanotubes modified with metal sulfides, particularly bismuth sulfide (BiS), aims to create heterostructures that efficiently absorb sunlight and then separate photogenerated charge carriers, thereby enhancing the energy conversion efficiency. This study shows a key role of solvent used for sulfide and bismuth salt solutions used during successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) onto the morphology, structure, and photoresponse of the heterojunction where one element is represented by semitransparent titania nanotubes (gTiNT) and the second is BiS. Using 2-methoxyethanol and methanol during SILAR, results in remarkably photoactive 3D heterostructure and recorded photocurrents were 44 times higher compared to bare titania nanotubes.

Beauveria felina Accelerates Growth When Competing With Other Potential Endophytes.

The fungus Beauveria felina is often classified as one of the so-called good biocontrol agents. However, no information is available about the growth of this entomopathogenic fungus in the presence of other endophytic fungi, which are usually found in plant tissues. Effects of fungal interactions vary from inhibiting the activity of a biocontrol agent to stimulating its effect on the targeted pathogen.

Re-reading Pistorius. How Do Hegemonic Masculinity, Celebrity Status, and Affective Atmosphere Help Us Understand Pistorius's Crime?

Oscar Pistorius's parole in January 2024 offers a new perspective on the South African runner. This article examines Pistorius within the context of social factors that influenced his behavior and the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. Drawing on Connell's gender order theory, Messner's triad of violence, and affective atmosphere, it reveals how Pistorius, despite his disability, embraced hegemonic masculinity and became a sports star.

Laser Flash Photolysis of Carbazole in Solution: Cation Radical as a Source of Carbazolyl Radical.

In the course of 266 nm nanosecond laser flash photolysis of carbazole (CBL) in acetonitrile, we discovered a new transient absorption band centered at 360 nm that has been heretofore unreported despite numerous reports on similar topics. To put some limits on possible transients responsible for this absorption band and thus to solve the mechanism of CBL photolysis, we employed the strategy of selectively blocking the CBL active sites by various modifications in the structure. This strategy was supported by the use of the solvent effect and triplet quenching by molecular oxygen.

Electrospun Chitosan/Polylactic Acid Nanofibers with Silver Nanoparticles: Structure, Antibacterial, and Cytotoxic Properties.

Electrospinning, a technique for creating fabric materials from polymer solutions, is widely used in various fields, including biomedicine. The unique properties of electrospun fibrous membranes, such as large surface area, compositional versatility, and customizable porous structure, make them ideal for advanced biomedical applications like tissue engineering and wound healing. By considering the high biocompatibility and well-known regenerative potential of polylactic acid (PLA) and chitosan (CH), as well as the versatile antibacterial effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), this study explores the antibacterial efficacy, adhesive properties, and cytotoxicity of electrospun chitosan membranes with a unique nanofibrous structure and varying concentrations of AgNPs.

Towards Modern Care and Education for Persons with visual Impairments in Poland: Elżbieta Róża Czacka (1876-1961) and Her Contribution to the Development of Typhlology-Religious Inspirations.

The aim of this study is to show the relationship between spirituality and the development of modern typhlology focused on supporting people with visual impairments. The text presents the silhouette of Mother Rose Czacka, the sources of her Catholic spirituality and the development of typhlological thought related to her, as well as Dzieło Lasek, which is an emanation of these relationships. The aim of this study is to show the relationship between spirituality and the development of modern typhlology focused on supporting people with visual impairments.