Analysis of selected toxic metals using bacterial biosensors and their macromolecular derivatives

This short review presents a number of bacterial transcription mechanisms dependant on metal occurrence in growth environment. Metallic ions such as mercury, cadmium or zinc evoke genetic response, which then can be engineered and utilized to reprogram cells. Recombinant biosensors could be applied in detection and quantification of trace amounts of toxic metals. The article presents a few examples of such use and also touches upon other related approaches where sensitivity to metals was a backbone for an idea to measure metal concentrations

Antibodies as tools to detect free metal ions in food extracts and beverages: myth or reality?

Immunospecificity to free metal ions has been described in few scientific manuscripts. These rare instances include reports on antibodies with affinity towards soluble mercury (II) [1,2] or lead (II) [3]. This is contradictory to the most common approach, where protein carriers are first conjugated to the metal [4,5]. In most articles it is usually the macromolecular complex that stimulates allergenicity and binds IgG in a subsequent in-vitro assay

Bartter and Gitelman Syndromes

Bartter and Gitelman syndromes are rare genetic disorders in which there are specific defects in kidney function, characterized by metabolic alkalosis, hypokalemia, hyperreninemia, and hyperaldosteronism, with or without hypomagnesemia. Blood pressure is normal or low in these patients. Positive diagnosis is one of the exclusions, and the difference between the two syndromes is based on urine calcium levels. Medication has to be taken lifelong. Renal transplantation can correct the transport defect in Bartter and Gitelman syndromes. The symptoms and severity vary from one person to another and can range from mild to severe. Age of onset of overt symptoms can range from before birth to adulthood

How do students learn critical thinking? Challenging the osmosis model

In teaching Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology (CHIP), it is often assumed that students learn critical thinking by being exposed to it, as if absorbing it through osmosis. Moreover, assessment guidelines tend to consider this ability only for higher marks. The authors of this paper believe, however, that critical thinking should be trained as a central skill: in this contribution, they share their experiences in teaching critical thinking directly. Specifically, they lecture on critical thinking and argumentative writing in a secondyear module that also includes research methods training. Several journal articles are discussed in class, and the exam itself consists of critiquing two research reports. In this course, quantitative and qualitative research are discussed by two different lecturers. However, co-teaching is not framed as a debate: the lecturers aim to avoid both providing a stale compromise and presenting the two approaches as irreconcilable. The authors’ experience with this module supported their initial worries about the osmosis model. Most students were capable of pertinent critical observations on research, arguably because they absorbed this skill from their previous courses. However, integrating isolated comments into a coherent critique was challenging to many, and it took much effort and guidance from the lecturers

Kiedy olej spotka się z ozonem...

Artykuł zamieszczony jest w : Życie Uczelni : biuletyn informacyjny Politechniki Łódzkiej, nr 155, Luty 2021W Instytucie Surowców Naturalnych i Kosmetyków Politechniki Łódzkiej prowadzone są badania nad nowymi składnikami mas kosmetycznych otrzymywanych z olejów roślinnych po procesie ozonolizy. To na bazie takich eksperymentalnych substancji tworzone będą kosmetyki przyszłości, dzięki którym przemysł zrezygnuje z dodatku konserwantów, jak parabeny czy pochodne formaldehydu

Surgical Treatment of Distal Common Bile Duct Malignancy

Distal cholangiocarcinoma is a rare malignant condition arising from the epithelial cells of the biliary tract. Surgical resection is the only curable alternative for patients with this disease. True resectability is often determined by surgical exploration. Duodenopancreatectomy is an extremely high-demanding technique and is the only one that can be potentially curable for patients diagnosed with resectable distal cholangiocarcinoma. Long-term survival may be achieved only in selected patients, undergoing duodenopancreatectomy, especially in patients where R0 margins are achieved. Perineural extension, pancreatic invasion, and lymph nodes involvement are the main risk factors for recurrence. Palliative biliodigestive diversion or endoscopic internal drainage of the biliary tree is alternative for patients with unresectable tumors. Although the prognosis after surgical treatment of distal common bile duct malignancy is better than for other periampullary tumors, the continuous progresses made in the field of surgical therapy and oncological treatment may lead to an improvement in the outcome of this neoplastic pathology

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Content in Selected Food Products

5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a common component of heat treated, drying or stored for a long time food products. It is an intermediate product formed in the Maillard reaction as a result of thermal dehydration of reducing sugars (1-2). HMF is also formed during caramelisation while degradation of carbohydrates at high temperature (3). HMF is responsible for the sensory properties of food, especially for the pleasant flavor. Although it is relatively safe food component, there are reports regarding toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties of HMF, and of 5-sulphoxymethylfurfural especially, an allylic sulfuric acid ester metabolite from HMF (4-6). The content of HMF in the various products vary within a wide range and depends on the food group type as well as the type of processing. In present work, the HMF content in different types of breakfast cereals, cookies and muesli as well as in several types of bakery products commercially available in Poland was determined. In addition, the influence of flavor and taste additives (honey, cocoa, dry fruits) as well as the type of cereals (gluten or gluten-free) on the HMF content in the tested products was examined

Challenges and controversies in open pancreatoduodenectomies

Duodenopancreatectomia cefalopancreatica este o procedura intricata, ce necesita o inalta precizie datorita proximitatii structurilor vitale, sustinuta prin expertiza. O data cu evolutia chirurgiei si aparitia de instrumente inovatoare, mortalitatea a scazut sub 5%, dar morbiditatea a ramas la 30%, in special datorita fistulelor de anastomoza si a evenimentelor hemoragice. In acest sens, chirurgia deschisa confera rezultate mai bune, cu o curba de invatare rezonabila. Cu atat mai mult, cu cat efectuarea de trialuri clinice este dificila in acest domeniu, atat in chirurgia deschisa, cat si minim invaziva, pentru a obtine evidente valoroase, astfel subiectul ramane unul de dezbatere.Whipple procedure is intricate and demands high precision due to the proximity of critical structures, which requires an achieved expertise. With the innovative instruments and evolution of surgery, the perioperative morbidity still stands at 30% with a mortality lower than 5%, primary because of anastomotic leaks and haemorrhagic events. Therefore open surgery provides better outcomes with a decent learning curve. Furthermore, it is challenging to conduct clinical trials in the field of pancreatic surgery both open or minimally-invasive to obtain high-level evidence, remaining a subject open to debate

Transient 23–30 Hz oscillations in mouse hippocampus during exploration of novel environments

The hippocampus is a key brain structure for the encoding of new experiences and environments. Hippocampal activity shows distinct oscillatory patterns, but the relationships between oscillations and memory are not well understood. Here we describe bursts of hippocampal ∼23–30 Hz (beta2) oscillations in mice exploring novel, but not familiar, environments. In marked contrast to the relatively invariant ∼8 Hz theta rhythm, beta2 power was weak during the very first lap of the novel environment, increased sharply as the mice reencountered their start point, then persisted for only a few minutes. Novelty-evoked oscillations reflected precise synchronization of individual neurons, and participating pyramidal cells showed a selective enhancement of spatial specificity. Through focal viral manipulations, we found that novelty-evoked oscillations required functional NMDA receptors in CA3, a subregion critical for fast oscillations in vitro. These findings suggest that beta2 oscillations indicate a hippocampal dynamic state that facilitates the formation of unique contextual representations. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/58576/1/20435_ftp.pd