Interactions between Nanoclay,CTAB and Linear/Star Shaped Polymers

The influence of star-shaped (PAA-SS) and linear polyacrylic acid (PAA) with different molecular weights (high—PAA-HMW and low—PAA-LMW) on the structure of the adsorption layer, adsorption amount, electrokinetic and stabilizing properties of the PAA/CTAB/nanoclay suspensions was studied. The properties of the systems containing one of these polymers, the cationic surfactant—hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and the surface-modified nanoclay (N-SM) were analyzed using the following techniques: BET, CHN, FT-IR, ED-XRF, XRD, HRTEM, UV-Vis, tensiometry and zeta potential measurements. It was proved that PAA could be used as an effective stabilizer of N-SM. Moreover, the addition of CTAB caused a significant increase in the stability of the systems but decreased the adsorption of PAA on the N-SM surface and changed the structure of the adsorption layers. The largest stability was observed in the PAA-HMW/CTAB system. The PAA polymers and PAA/CTAB complexes adsorbed, especially on the clay surface, influenced the primary distribution of the layered sheets but kept the same basal d-spacing. The adsorption of PAA and the PAA/CTAB complexes took place mainly at the plate edges and on the contact space between the sheets. The obtained results will be used for the preparation of the PAA/CTAB/nanoclay composite for water purification.     

Automatic data structure selection and transformation for sparsematrix computations

The problem of compiler optimization of sparse codes is well known and no satisfactory solutions have been found yet. One of the major obstacles is formed by the fact that sparse programs explicitly deal with particular data structures selected for storing sparse matrices. This explicit data structure handling obscures the functionality of a code to such a degree that optimization of the code is prohibited, for instance, by the introduction of indirect addressing. The method presented in this paper delays data structure selection until the compile phase, thereby allowing the compiler to combine code optimization with explicit data structure selection. This method enables the compiler to generate efficient code for sparse computations. Moreover, the task of the programmer is greatly reduced in complexity     

Polymorphism of the Flap Endonuclease 1 Gene in Keratoconus and Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including serious ocular diseases, keratoconus (KC) and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) plays an important role in the repair of oxidative DNA damage in the base excision repair pathway. We determined the association between two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), c.–441G>A (rs174538) and g.61564299G>T (rs4246215), in the FEN1 gene and the occurrence of KC and FECD. This study involved 279 patients with KC, 225 patients with FECD and 322 control individuals. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and length polymorphism restriction fragment analysis (RFLP) were applied. The T/T genotype of the g.61564299G>T polymorphism was associated with an increased occurrence of KC and FECD. There was no association between the c.–441G>A polymorphism and either disease. However, the GG haplotype of both polymorphisms was observed more frequently and the GT haplotype less frequently in the KC group than the control. The AG haplotype was associated with increased FECD occurrence. Our findings suggest that the g.61564299G>T and c.–441G>A polymorphisms in the FEN1 gene may modulate the risk of keratoconus and Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy.     

Individual differences of unique hue loci and their relation to color preferences

Loci of the four unique hues (red, green, blue, and yellow) on the equiluminant plane on the color display and three preferred colors were obtained from 115 normal trichromats. We sought possible correlations between these measures. Different unique hue loci were not correlated with each other. The three preferred colors were not correlated with each other. We found five combinations of significant correlation between a preferred color and unique hue settings, yet the overall tendency is not very clear. We conclude that individual differences in color appearance measured by unique hues and color preferences measured by asking for favorite colors may not be predicted from each other or even within a category because the differences in the earlier visual mechanisms can be compensated for and these high‐level measures can be influenced by learning and experience. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 29, 285–291, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20023     

Mercury in Common Chanterelles mushrooms: Cantharellus spp. update

This paper reports the results of the determination of Hg contents of Common Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius) Fr. and surface soil layer (0–10 cm) underneath the fruiting bodies collected from 14 spatially distant areas across Poland between 1998 and 2008. Cantharellus mushrooms are important wild foods that are popular in Europe. The Hg contents of soils and Common Chanterelles showed different distributions, depending on the area studied. The range of Hg contents of the mushroom fruiting bodies was 18–66 ng/g dry weight with the highest mean contents of 46 ± 15 ng/g (range 23–66 ng/g) and 46 ± 13 ng/g (34–61 ng/g) observed for pristine areas of Podlasie land at the Bia?owie?a Forest and Wielkopolska land near the Pora?yn sites, respectively, and low concentration of 27 ± 8 ng/g (range 21–56 ng/g) observed for the Kujawy land at the Tuszynki site. The mean Hg levels in soil varied from 8 ± 6 ng/g (4–21 ng/g) for Kujawy land at the Tuszynki site to 200 ± 29 ng/g (145–240 ng/g) for Ma?opolska land at the high Tatra Mountains area of Zakopane. The mean soil Hg at the Zakopane site is approximately 25 times the concentration of Kujawy land, Tuszynki. Mercury bioaccumulations were in general low with the mean bioconcentration factor (BCF) ranging from 0.20 ± 0.05 to 3.8 ± 1.7 (overall range of 0.1–5.9). The Hg in soils and fruiting bodies of the present study are within acceptable ranges. The consumption of 300 g of popular Common Chanterelles from any of the investigated regions in Poland would not result in exposure to Hg that is in excess of the maximum weekly dose recommended by the WHO. The estimated dietary exposures to Hg for consumers of this mushroom were calculated and are shown to be below the guidelines for safe exposures. Also reviewed are published data on Hg and MeHg in C. cibarius and 11 other species of the Cantharellus genus collected worldwide.     

Fe-Al phase formation around SHS reactions under isothermal conditions

This study investigates the phenomena preceding and accompanying the SHS reaction between Fe and Al elemental powders during sintering. SEM and XRD analysis were used to observe the mechanisms of formation of Fe-Al intermetallic phases. The analysis of sintered material just before the SHS reaction demonstrates that in addition to the well-known Fe₂Al₅ phase and the low-aluminum solid solution of iron, the high-aluminum phases FeAl₂ and FeAl₃ are formed. The kinetics of phase transformations under isothermal conditions were investigated by DSC using the JMA (Johnson-Mehl-Avrami) model. This approach allowed us to calculate Avrami coefficients, which characterize the speed and the manner of particular phase transformations.     

PIMS-TS,the New Paediatric Systemic Inflammatory Disease Related to Previous Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Infection—“Rheumatic Fever” of the 21st Century?

Paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (PIMS-TS) is a new systemic inflammatory disease that mainly affects children. Its course in many features resembles that of acute rheumatic fever (ARF). Therefore, it is interesting that the experiences with ARF can be used in the management of patients with PIMS-TS. The aim of the article is to analyse the current data on PIMS-TS in relation to ARF. PIMS-TS and ARF are associated with an abnormal immune response to specific pathogens (SARS-CoV-2 and group A streptococcus, respectively). The main symptoms of both diseases are fever and cardiac involvement. Current therapy for PIMS-TS is based on anti-inflammatory treatment: intravenous immunoglobulin (first-line), intravenous glucocorticoids (second-line), or biological therapy (third-line; including interleukin [IL]-1 antagonists, IL-6 receptor blockers, and anti-tumour necrosis factor agents). Vaccination might be good prophylaxis, but the efficacy and safety of the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have not yet been established in children. Interesting insights may be gained by considering PIMS-TS in light of what is known of ARF due to their similar courses, but there are still many unanswered questions surrounding this disease and its pathogenesis.     

Silencing of Sphingosine kinase 1 Affects Maturation Pathways in Mouse Neonatal Cardiomyocytes

Sphingosine kinase-1 (Sphk1) and its product, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are important regulators of cardiac growth and function. Numerous studies have reported that Sphk1/S1P signaling is essential for embryonic cardiac development and promotes pathological cardiac hypertrophy in adulthood. However, no studies have addressed the role of Sphk1 in postnatal cardiomyocyte (CM) development so far. The present study aimed to assess the molecular mechanism(s) by which Sphk1 silencing might influence CMs development and hypertrophy in vitro. Neonatal mouse CMs were transfected with siRNA against Sphk1 or negative control, and subsequently treated with 1 µM angiotensin II (AngII) or a control buffer for 24 h. The results of RNASeq analysis revealed that diminished expression of Sphk1 significantly accelerated neonatal CM maturation by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing developmental pathways in the stress (AngII-induced) conditions. Importantly, similar effects were observed in the control conditions. Enhanced maturation of Sphk1-lacking CMs was further confirmed by the upregulation of the physiological hypertrophy-related signaling pathway involving Akt and downstream glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (Gsk3β) downregulation. In summary, we demonstrated that the Sphk1 silencing in neonatal mouse CMs facilitated their postnatal maturation in both physiological and stress conditions.     

Oxidative Status as an Attribute for Selective Antitumor Activity of Platinum-Containing Nanoparticles against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Overcoming the limitations for efficient and selective drug delivery is one of the most challenging obstacles for newly designed anticancer agents. In this study, we present two types of platinum-based nanoparticles (NP), ultrasmall 2 nm PtNPs and core-shell 30 nm Au@Pt, which can be highly cytotoxic in an oxidative environment and remain biologically inactive in cells with lower oxidative status. Our research highlighted the differences in platinum nanoparticle-induced chemotoxicity and is the first study examining its mechanism as a substantial aspect of Au@Pt/PtNPs biological activity. Selectively induced oxidative stress was found to be a primary trigger of NPs’ toxicity. Significant differences between Au@Pt and PtNPs were observed especially during 24 h treatment, due to successful intranuclear PtNPs location (~13% of internalized fraction). Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-level induced from both NPs types were similar, while reduction of reduced glutathione (GSH) intracellular content was stronger after treatment with PtNPs. Any biological activity was found in HER2+ breast cancer cells, which have only slightly increased oxidative status. Platinum-containing nanoparticles are an interesting tool for the improvement of selectivity in anticancer therapies against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Due to intranuclear uptake, 2 nm PtNPs seems to be more promising for further research for HCC therapy.