Study to analyze the influence of sprouting of the wheat grain on the grinding process

Several studies have been carried out on the grinding characteristic of three species of common wheat (Triticum aestivum, ssp. vulgare). The three-day germinated kernels were pulverized in a micro hammer mill equipped with a changeable screen. The moisture of samples was 12% (w.b.). The results showed that the sprouting of wheat had a significant influence on the grinding process. The average particle size of the pulverized material obtained from the sprouted kernels was almost always significantly lower than those from the sound kernels. The highest changes were observed in the increase of the fraction of particles below a size of 200 μm, caused by sprouting. The sprouting caused a decrease in the value of specific grinding energy in all cultivars. Based on the parameters of screen openings and cultivar, the values of specific grinding energy ranged from 35.5 to 141.6 kJ kg⁻¹ and from 41.4 to 164.3 kJ kg⁻¹ for the sprouted and sound kernels, respectively. In addition, the other values of grinding energy indices confirmed that sprouting significantly reduced the grinding energy requirements. The average value of the grinding ability index was 3.9 and 4.8 kJ m⁻² for the sprouted and sound wheat, respectively. Whereas, sprouting caused a decrease in the average value of the grinding index from 71.2 to 58.0 kJ kg⁻¹ mm^0.5.     

Nonlinear Absorption of Submicrometer Grain‐Size Cobalt‐Doped Magnesium Aluminate Transparent Ceramics

Transparent cobalt‐doped magnesium aluminate spinel (Co:MgAl₂O₄) ceramics with a submicrometer grain size were prepared by spark plasma sintering. For the first time, the nonlinear absorption of Co:MgAl₂O₄ transparent ceramics was experimentally demonstrated. Both ground state absorption (σ_GSA) and excited state absorption (σ_ESA) were estimated using the solid‐state slow saturable absorber model based on absorption saturation measurements performed at 1.535 μm. σ_GSA and σ_ESA for 0.03 at.% Co:MgAl₂O₄ were found to be 4.1 × 10^?19 cm² and 4.0 × 10^?20 cm², respectively. In the case of 0.06 at.% Co:MgAl₂O₄ ceramics, σ_GSA = 2.6 × 10^?19 cm² and σ_ESA= 5.3 × 10^?20 cm² were determined.     

Analysis of Technology Potential of a Metal-based Latent Heat Storage for Backup Process Steam Supply

An analysis of technology potential of a metal-based high temperature latent heat storage for the application of process steam backup for industrial parks in Germany was carried out. To investigate the integration of the storage into a process steam network, dynamic process simulations were performed. Furthermore, the analysis includes ecological and economical calculations for various fuel types of industrial power plants, plant sizes and auxiliary fuels. Basis of all calculations is an extensive research conducted on the industrial parks in Germany with a dedicated power plant and process steam utilization.     

Reversal Activity and Toxicity of Heparin-Binding Copolymer after Subcutaneous Administration of Enoxaparin in Mice

Uncontrolled bleeding after enoxaparin (ENX) is rare but may be life-threatening. The only registered antidote for ENX, protamine sulfate (PS), has 60% efficacy and can cause severe adverse side effects. We developed a diblock copolymer, heparin-binding copolymer (HBC), that reverses intravenously administered heparins. Here, we focused on the HBC inhibitory activity against subcutaneously administered ENX in healthy mice. BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with ENX at the dose of 5 mg/kg. After 110 min, vehicle, HBC (6.25 and 12.5 mg/kg), or PS (5 and 10 mg/kg) were administered into the tail vein. The blood was collected after 3, 10, 60, 120, 360, and 600 min after vehicle, HBC, or PS administration. The activities of antifactors Xa and IIa and biochemical parameters were measured. The main organs were collected for histological analysis. HBC at the lower dose reversed the effect of ENX on antifactor Xa activity for 10 min after antidote administration, whereas at the higher dose, HBC reversed the effect on antifactor Xa activity throughout the course of the experiment. Both doses of HBC completely reversed the effect of ENX on antifactor IIa activity. PS did not reverse antifactor Xa activity and partially reversed antifactor IIa activity. HBC modulated biochemical parameters. Histopathological analysis showed changes in the liver, lungs, and spleen of mice treated with HBC and in the lungs and heart of mice treated with PS. HBC administered in an appropriate dose might be an efficient substitute for PS to reverse significantly increased anticoagulant activity that may be connected with major bleeding in patients receiving ENX subcutaneously.     

Kinetic Studies of Newly Patented Aminoalkanol Derivatives with Potential Anticancer Activity as Competitive Inhibitors of Prostate Acid Phosphatase

Background: Acid phosphatase and its regulation are important objects of biological and clinical research and play an important role in the development and treatment of prostate and bone diseases. The newly patented aminoalkanol (4-[2-hydroxy-3-(propan-2-ylamino)propyl]-1,7-dimethyl-8,9-diphenyl-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5,10-trione hydrochloride) (I) and (4-[3-(dimethylamino)-2-hydroxypropyl]-1,7-dimethyl-8,9-diphenyl-4-azatricyclo[5.2.1.02,6]dec-8-ene-3,5,10-trione hydrochloride) (II) derivatives have potential anticancer activity, and their influence on enzymatic activity can significantly impact the therapeutic effects of acid phosphatase against many diseases. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the action of compounds (I) and (II) on acid phosphatase. Methods: Capillary electrophoresis was used to evaluate the inhibition of acid phosphatase. Lineweaver–Burk plots were constructed to compare the Km of this enzyme in the presence of inhibitors (I) or (II) with the Km in solutions without these inhibitors. Results: Compound (I) showed a stronger competitive inhibition against acid phosphatase, whereas derivative (II) showed a weaker competitive type of inhibition. The detailed kinetic studies of these compounds showed that their type and strength of inhibition as well as affinity depend on the kind of substituent occurring in the main chemical molecule. Conclusions: This study is of great importance because the disclosed inhibition of acid phosphatase by compounds (I) and (II) raises the question of whether these compounds could have any effect on the treatment possibilities of prostate diseases.     

The Impact of PAHs Contamination on the Physicochemical Properties and Microbiological Activity of Industrial Soils

The aim of this article is the study of the potential relationships between PAHs contamination, physicochemical parameters, and microbial activity in industrial soils. The research was based on two series of measurements. The first was conducted in June 2013 and the second in November 2013. Samples used in study were collected from the area of fuel handling and a loading station, located in the Silesia region of Poland. All collected samples were characterized by the following analytical procedures: PAHs content analysis, the basic physical and chemical parameters determinations (pH, CEC, humic acids content, TC, TN, TP) and microbial activity analysis. The obtained results were also subjected to statistical analysis, based on the Pearson's correlation coefficient calculations.

Results collected during described above procedure show that: the PAHs content was highly positively correlated with C and N contents (p < 0.001) and moderately correlated with humic acids and P contents (p < 0.01). This phenomenon confirms the thesis that the increase of soil organic matter content promotes accumulation of hydrophobic organic compounds such as PAHs. Microbiological analysis shows that bacteria from the mesophilic group are most resistant to PAHs contamination. This information indicates that the organisms belonging to this group should be considered as potentially useful in the soil bioremediation processes.     

The Impact of Zeta Potential and Physicochemical Properties of TiO2‐Based Nanocomposites on Their Biological Activity

The aim of this research was to observe the relationship between zeta potential, morphology, surface area, porosity, chemical composition, and ecotoxicity of nanocomposite powders such as Au/TiO₂, Ag₂O/TiO₂, PdO/TiO₂, Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂, Ag/N(C)TiO₂, and SiO₂/TiO₂ from which Ag₂O/TiO₂, Ag/N(C)/TiO_2, and Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ were exhibiting good antimicrobial properties. It was observed, that nanomaterials characterized by similar morphology and zeta potential revealed the similar toxic behavior. The samples of higher agglomeration and higher zeta potential, especially Ag/TiO₂/SiO₂ xerogel and TiO₂/SiO₂ aerogel were generally less ecotoxic to water organisms and plants. They were also not genotoxic in concentrations up to 500 and 250 mg/L, respectively.     

The Impact of Selected Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Diseases on Pregnancy and Female Fertility

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium are a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) which can lead to tubal factor infertility (TFI). TFI is one of the most common causes of infertility, accounting for 30% of female fertility problems. STIs can also have an impact on pregnancy, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Escalating antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium represents a significant problem and can be therapeutically challenging. We present a comprehensive review of the current treatment options, as well as the molecular approach to this subject. We have given special attention to molecular epidemiology, molecular diagnostics, current and new treatments, and drug resistance.     

Robust gossiping with an application to consensus

We study deterministic gossiping in synchronous systems with dynamic crash failures. Each processor is initialized with an input value called rumor. In the standard gossip problem, the goal of every processor is to learn all the rumors. When processors may crash, then this goal needs to be revised, since it is possible, at a point in an execution, that certain rumors are known only to processors that have already crashed. We define gossiping to be completed, for a system with crashes, when every processor knows either the rumor of processor v or that v has already crashed, for any processor v. We design gossiping algorithms that are efficient with respect to both time and communication. Let t<n be the number of failures, where n is the number of processors. If , then one of our algorithms completes gossiping in O(log²t) time and with O(npolylogn) messages. We develop an algorithm that performs gossiping with O(n^1.77) messages and in O(log²n) time, in any execution in which at least one processor remains non-faulty. We show a trade-off between time and communication in gossiping algorithms: if the number of messages is at most O(npolylogn), then the time has to be at least . By way of application, we show that if n−t=Ω(n), then consensus can be solved in O(t) time and with O(nlog²t) messages.