Response of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) to stress induced by different types of pollutants – testing the fluctuating asymmetry

Damage caused to pine forests by industrial pollution is observed even several decades after emissions have stopped down. A simple morphological feature – the leaf fluctuating asymmetry – was used for assessing the condition of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands growing in a heavily degraded area. In 2011, a study was performed on the developmental instability of needles in four naturally reforested Polish populations of P. sylvestris. Studies were conducted within the protective zone at a zinc smelter, a copper smelter, a cement plant and train tracks. All selected areas manifested a high extent of anthropogenic pollution‐induced environmental degradation until the end of the 90s. Currently, a reduced level of environmental pollution is recorded at these sites. Control group was a natural population of Scots pine from the region of National Park of Wielkopolska. The results confirm the usefulness of fluctuating asymmetry as a highly sensitive indicator of non‐specific stress. Also, it was shown that in areas degraded by human activity, poor condition of Scots pine persists that the stress factor has been eliminated. This tendency occurs particularly to areas contaminated by heavy metals.     

Use of Transmission Electron Microscopy for the Characterization of Rapid Thermally Annealed, Solution-Gel, Lead Zirconate Titanate Films

The microstructure and preferred orientations of rapid thermally annealed Pb(Zr_0.53,Ti_0.47)O₃ films, deposited on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/Si electrode/substrates by solution-gel spinning, have been investigated using analytical and high-resolution electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The temperature of pyrolysis of the PZT films was found to influence the preferred orientation of the film: lower temperatures (350°C) favored a (111) orientation, whereas higher temperatures (420°C) favored a (100) orientation. Excess Pb was used to control the A-site stoichiometry of the film particularly at the film surface where Pb-deficient crystals could often be observed. The absence of these crystals was shown to be correlated with an improvement in the dielectric response.     

Effect of Nb Doping on the Microstructure of Sol—Gel-Derived PZT Thin Films

Aliovalent Nb doping (<10 at.%) of sol—gel-derived lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films was investigated with the intention of improving the ferroelectric properties. Nb addition was found to significantly alter the perovskite crystallization by stabilizing the transient pyrochlore phase, resulting in the retention of pyrochlore second phases and an increase in the perovskite lateral grain size and columnarity. The occurrence and composition of Zr-rich (surface) pyrochlore phases were found to depend on Nb concentration, annealing temperature, and Pb content. The observed changes in ferroelectric and dielectric properties as a function of Nb dopant addition were found to be strongly influenced by microstructural effects and the occurrence of pyrochlore, and hence the intrinsic effects of Nb incorporation in the perovskite lattice could not be directly ascertained.     

Dielectric indications on the incommensurate - commensurate phase transition in NH4HSeO4 at 250 K

The precise dielectric measurements of NH₄HSeO₄ were performed in vicinity of phase transition at 250 K. The existence of the thermal hysteresis of dielectric permittivity, typical for incomensurate-commensurate phase transition was found.     

Modification of Magnetite Nanoparticles with Triazine-Based Dendrons and Their Application as Drug-Transporting Systems

The following research aims at the synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles functionalized with triazine-based dendrons and the application of the obtained materials as effective sorptive materials dedicated to acidic bioactive compounds. The adopted synthetic approach involved: (1) the synthesis of nanosized Fe₃O₄ particles via classic co-precipitation method, (2) the introduction of amine groups on their surface leading to materials’ precursor, and (3) the final synthesis of branched triazine-based dendrons on the support surface by an iterative reaction between cyanuric chloride (CC) and piperazine (p) or diethylenetriamine (DETA) via nucleophilic substitution. The characterized materials were tested for their adsorptive properties towards folic acid, 18β–glycyrrhetinic acid, and vancomycin, showing high adsorption capacities varying in the ranges of 53.33–401.61, 75.82–223.71, and 68.17–132.45 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The formed material–drug complexes were also characterized for the drug-delivery potential, performed as in vitro release studies at pH 2.0 and 7.4, which mimics the physiological conditions. The release profiles showed that the proposed materials are able to deliver up to 95.2% of the drugs within 48 h, which makes them efficient candidates for further biomedical applications.     

Golden and Silver–Golden Chitosan Hydrogels and Fabrics Modified with Golden Chitosan Hydrogels

Golden and silver–golden chitosan hydrogels and hydrogel-modified textiles of potential biomedical applications are investigated in this work. The hydrogels are formed by reactions of chitosan with HAuCl₄·xH₂O. For above the critical concentration of chitosan (c*), chitosan–Au hydrogels were prepared. For chitosan concentrations lower than c*, chitosan–Au nano- and microgels were formed. To characterise chitosan–Au structures, sol–gel analysis, UV–Vis spectrophotometry and dynamic light scattering were performed. Au concentration in the hydrogels was determined by the flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Colloidal chitosan–Au solutions were used for the modification of fabrics. The Au content in the modified fabrics was quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion X-ray spectrometer was used to analyse the samples. Reflectance spectrophotometry was applied to examine the colour of the fabrics. The formation of chitosan–Au–Ag hydrogels by the competitive reaction of Au and Ag ions with the chitosan macromolecules is reported.     

Hemodialysis‐induced changes in the blood composition affect function of the endothelium

Hemodialysis induces oxidative stress causing intravascular inflammation, which may cause endothelial dysfunction. We evaluated how hemodialysis‐induced changes in blood affect the function of endothelial cells in in vitro culture. Serum samples were collected from 42 uremic patients treated with hemodialysis, one before the start of dialysis and the other one at the end of session. All patients were dialysed with polysulfone dialyzer. Concentrations of the inflammatory molecules carbonyl protein and metabolites of NO synthesis were measured in blood. Additionally, the effect of the serum obtained before and after dialysis on the function of endothelial cells in in vitro culture was studied. Hemodialysis caused increase of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1 (+17%), hepatocyte growth factor (+91%), and pentraxin‐3 (+30%) concentration in serum. Concentration of carbonyl protein was decreased by 30%. Decrease of blood level of asymmetric dimethylarginine (?25%) and nitrate/nitrites (?62%) was observed. Serum obtained after hemodialysis stimulated proliferation of endothelial cells (+10%) and synthesis of MCP‐1(+11%) in these cells. Hemodialysis‐induced intravascular inflammation changes the function of endothelial cells, which may lead to acceleration of atherosclerosis.     

Crystal structure and electrical conductivity of imidazolium succinate

Small single crystals of the imidazolium succinate were grown and their structure was re-examined using the X-ray diffraction method and a probable protonic conduction mechanism has been proposed. The electric conductivity of the powdered tablets was measured using the impedance spectroscopy method. The range of obtained values of conductivity as well as the activation energy (0.65 eV) of the imidazolium succinate is close to these of imidazolium malonate and imidazolium glutarate investigated previously [K. Pogorzelec-Glaser, J. Garbarczyk, Cz. Pawlaczyk, E. Markiewicz, Materials Science Poland 24 (2006) 245–253]. Metastable and virtual positions for proton transfer were indicated by means of calculations of the atomic displacement factors and the probability density function.     

A case of IUD translocation to the peritoneal cavity--diagnostic procedures and treatment

The case of Cooper-T IUD translocation to peritoneal cavity diagnosed 5 years after its insertion is presented. Authors show diagnostic problems resulting from non typical complaints and incomplete documentation.     

Pyroelectric and dielectric properties of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (Pb0.92La0.08)(Zr0.65Ti0.35)O3-P(VDF/TFE)(0.98/0.02) nanocomposites

PLZT-P(VDF/TFE) 0–3 composites with nanosized lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (Pb_0.92La_0.08)(Zr_0.65Ti_0.35)O₃ (PLZT 8/65/35) ceramic powders of volume fraction Φ up to 0.2 were fabricated using PLZT powders imbedded in a copolymer P(VDF/TFE)(0.98/0.02) matrix. The PLZT nanopowders were prepared by the sol-gel technique. The PLZT-P(VDF/TFE) composite samples were prepared from ceramic and polymer powders by the hot-pressing method. Dielectric response was studied in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 1 MHz and at temperatures from 100 to 450 K. The pyroelectric properties were studied by dynamic method with modulation frequency from 1 to 100 Hz. The dielectric response of the ceramics-polymer composite was found to be a combination of the responses of the pure polymer and the ceramics: (1) the addition of the PLZT ceramics increases the value of the dielectric permittivity ɛ′, (2) the composite shows the maximum of the permittivity coming from the PLZT ceramics, (3) the temperature dependences of the dielectric loss tgδ are characterized by the maximum attributed to the α-relaxation (glass transition) in the pure polymer. The pyroelectric coefficient of the composite increases from ∼20 μC/m²K in pure P(VDF/TFE) to ∼140 μC/m²K in the composites of Φ = 0.15.