Dilatrometric sintering study and characterization of alumina-nickel composites

Alumina-nickel composite samples (with 0, 10 and 20 vol.% of Ni) are prepared via slip casting method. Nickel and aluminium oxide powders were used as precursors and diammonium hydrocitrate and citric acid were used as dispersants. The obtained materials were analysed by dilatometry, X-ray diffraction and SEM. The densities were measured by Archimedes method and the hardness and fracture toughness were determined by using Vickers hardness tester. Special attention was paid to the linear shrinkage and the effective coefficient of thermal expansion measurements. The shrinkage curves were obtained by dilatometry test in a heating mode. It was shown that the increased amount of Ni particles in Al2O3-Ni composite structure causes reduction of starting densification temperature, increasing temperature of maximum densification and decreasing total shrinkage of the sample during sintering

The Impact of Diet on Male Fertility

Introduction: Infertility is a reproductive health issue where the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse affects about 8 to 12% of couples of reproductive age. Factors such as diet, lifestyle, and exposure to toxins can negatively impact men's reproductive capacity, including semen parameters and gonadal function. The impact of diet on male fertility, including hormone levels and the process of spermatogenesis, is the subject of intense research. Aim of the Study: This study aims to review current scientific research on the impact of diet on male fertility to provide updated knowledge on this topic, essential for preventive and therapeutic actions in this field. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive review of scientific and medical literature was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The search terms included: impact of diet on male fertility, impact of diet on semen parameters, impact of diet on semen quality, male fertility, diet and male fertility, types of diets and fertility. Conclusion: Diet plays a crucial role in male fertility, affecting semen quality. It is recommended to consume meat in moderation, especially organic, and to increase the intake of fish rich in omega-3 while avoiding contaminants. Regular consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains improves semen parameters, while limiting sweets, sugary drinks, and alcohol, as well as quitting smoking, is beneficial for reproductive health. Men planning fatherhood should also consider reducing cannabis use. Future research should focus on the impact of individual dietary factors on male fertility

Methods of Prevention and Mitigation of Autoimmune Diseases - A Review of The Literature

Introduction and purpose: Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the body’s immune system is unable to distinguish between auto- and foreign antigens and mistakenly attacks its cells, tissues, and organs. In recent years it became major public health concern because of the increasing diagnosis rate. Currently, about 5% of the population in Western countries is affected by such diseases, more often in women population. The exact cause of autoimmune diseases is unknown, although most probably it results from a combination of genetic predisposition, environmental risk factors and immune dysregulation. Development of autoantigen-specific lymphocytes and autoantibodies might be decisive in starting the process of autoimmunity. Most common medication used in autoimmune diseases treatment are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSADs), glucocorticoids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Additionally, there is biological medication available for many of them. It is known that non-pharmacological interventions, such as specific diets, supplementation or physical exercise is useful to mitigate the disease or even to prevent the body from its onset. Materials and methods: The data for the article was found using the PubMed and Google Scholar websites. The key words used for the search included: ‘diet and autoimmunity’, ‘autoimmunity and estrogens’, ‘microbiota and autoimmunity’. Articles not written in English, conference abstracts only and duplicated papers were excluded. Conclusions: There is still no cure for autoimmune diseases, although various prevention and mitigation strategies can help manage these conditions and improve quality of life for affected individuals. However, for the use of some of them, evidence-based recommendations are not available. This review highlights current non-pharmacological therapeutic options.

The Influence of diet on the course and activity of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - a review of available literature

Introduction: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. It is a clinical entity that includes: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Food intake is an important environmental factor that influences the development of IBD. This article reviews studies on different dietary options and their effects on the course and activity of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.  Materials and methods: A review of the literature available in the PubMed database was carried out, using the key words: ”inflammatory bowel disease”; ”Crohn disease”; ”diet”; “nutrition”; „colitis ulcerosa”. Results: Appropriate diet selection is important in the course of inflammation in the intestines. It influences disease activity. It turns out that the diet improves inflammation parameters, clinical symptoms, and quality of life. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, one should also remember about deficiencies such as iron, vitamin D or protein deficiency, the demand of which is increased in sick patients compared to the general population. Conclusions: An individualized approach to nutritional therapy may be one of the main branches of treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. However, there is a need for further research on larger groups of patients in order to effectively implement it into treatment standards.

Apple Cider Vinegar in the Combat Against Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity – An Overview of Recent Research

ABSTRACT Introduction Apple Cider Vinegar, primarily composed of acetic acid, is gaining more recognition for its possible health advantages, especially its anti-diabetic effects and its beneficial impact on weight loss. Aim of this study   The aim of this review is to discuss the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of ACV on glycemic indices and weight management in diabetic and obese patients, explore the possibilities of preventing comorbidities, and assess the safety of ACV consumption. Materials and Methods Research was performed based on Pubmed and Google Scholar databases. The literature was reviewed using the keywords : Apple Cider Vinegar, Diabetes, Glucose, Obesity. Results Studies have confirmed that apple cider vinegar exhibits significant anti-obesity and anti-diabetic properties. It demonstrates dose- and time-dependent effects on reducing fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and lipid parameters. It positively impacts weight loss, reducing waist and hip circumference, and enhances tissue sensitivity to insulin. Additionally, apple cider vinegar has been shown to potentiate the effects of metformin, with liquid consumption yielding better results than pill form. Conclusions Although initial findings are encouraging, additional research with a larger participant pool and an extended duration of vinegar consumption is necessary. The brevity of the study period restricts the observation of long-term effects, and a larger sample size would improve the applicability of the findings. Key words: apple cider vinegar; diabetes; glucose; obesit

Kierunki rozwoju instrumentalnej i nieinstrumentalnej detekcji kłamstwa problemy kryminalistyczne, etyczne i prawne

Z wprowadzenia: "Detekcja kłamstwa ma długa historię. Pierwsze próby detekcji kłamstwa w oparciu o osiągnięcia nauki, głównie psychologii i fizjologii, podejmowano już na przełomie XIX i XX wieku. Z czasem wykształciły się jej dwie podstawowe metody. Pierwsza z nich opierała się na obserwacji zachowania osoby, której wypowiedź oceniano, analizie jej zachowania, w szczególności ruchów wyrazowych (mimicznych, pantomimicznych), analizie sposobu mówienia, analizie treści jej wypowiedzi. Metoda ta nie wymagała używania żadnych instrumentów, żadnej aparatury. Druga polegała na obserwacji (później także rejestracji) fizjologicznych korelatów emocji osoby badanej, towarzyszących jej wypowiedziom. Wymagało to użycia specjalnej aparatury. Jednym z pierwszych takich aparatów był skonstruowany przez Angelo Mosso hydropletysmograf, pozwalający na obserwację zmian objętości przedramienia osoby badanej, będących wynikiem zmian ukrwienia, wywołanych emocjami, które towarzyszyły odpowiadaniu na pytania. Sfigmograf pozwalał na obserwację zmian częstotliwości tętna i ciśnienia tętniczego krwi, a pneumograf – obserwację zmian w przebiegu czynności oddychania (częstotliwość cyklów oddechowych, zmiany głębokości oddechu). Połączenie tych urządzeń z kimografem pozwalało na rejestrację obserwowanych zmian. Od lat 20. XX wieku, początkowo w Stanach Zjednoczonych, a po II wojnie światowej w całym niemal świecie rutynowo stosowany jest poligraf, urządzenie łączące sfigmograf i pneumograf, nieco później uzupełnione psychogalwanometrem. Jest rzeczą ciekawą, że obydwie metody, instrumentalna i nieinstrumentalna, rozwijały się niezależnie od siebie, choć były podejmowane próby równoczesnego ich stosowania. W instrumentalnej detekcji kłamstwa na poziomie psychofizjologicznym próbowano wykorzystywać obserwacje innych fizjologicznych korelatów emocji niż te, które są przedmiotem obserwacji i rejestracji przy klasycznym badaniu poligraficznym. Polegały one na obserwacji zmian napięcia mięśni i drżenia ciała, czy obserwacji zmian brzmienia głosu. Od końca lat 70. postulowano możliwość wykorzystania kamery termowizyjnej do obserwacji i rejestracji zmian temperatury twarzy jako kolejnego fizjologicznego korelatu emocji, przydatnej do detekcji kłamstwa. Te ostatnie wydawały się szczególnie interesujące, mogłyby być wykorzystane nie tylko przy detekcji kłamstwa, ale także do zdalnej obserwacji twarzy ludzi uczestniczących w zgromadzeniach, przebywających w terminalach lotniczych i podobnych miejscach publicznych, dla typowania osób, które z jakichś powodów są podenerwowanie, przeżywają podwyższone napięcie emocjonalne itp. "(...

Keyword advertising and trade mark

Internet z całym przekonaniem można dzisiaj nazwać największym wynalazkiem XX wieku. Wzrost znaczenia Sieci można także zaobserwować w prowadzeniu działalności gospodarczej. Wielu przedsiębiorców nie tylko zakłada własne witryny internetowe, ale wielu z nich całkowicie przenosi prowadzenie działalności gospodarczej do sieci. Truizmem jest fakt, iż działalności handlowej od zawsze towarzyszyła działalność reklamowa, więc Internet również staje się nowoczesnym medium reklamowym. Oprócz stosowania znanych już technik reklamowych, daje on możliwość wprowadzenia zupełnie nowych rodzajów reklamy, właściwych tylko marketingowi w sieci. Właśnie do tego typu reklamy zakwalifikować należy przedmiot niniejszej pracy, a więc reklamę typu keyword advertising, co oznacza reklamę w wyszukiwarkach internetowych z wykorzystaniem słów kluczowych. Za problem natury prawnej postawiono tutaj zagadnienie nieuczciwego wykorzystania oznaczeń chronionych w wyszukiwarkach internetowych. Celem pracy jest odpowiedź na pytanie w jakim zakresie znaki towarowe są chronione w Internecie oraz na jakiej podstawie prawnej uprawniony może oprzeć przysługujące mu roszczenia wynikające z naruszenia jego prawa wyłącznego przez reklamę keyword advertising.Internet with conviction can now be called the greatest invention of the twentieth century. The growing importance of network can also be seen in the conduct of business. Many entrepreneurs do not just start their own websites, but many of them completely transferred business activity on the network. It is obvious that trading has always been accompanied by the use of advertising, so the Internet is also becoming a modern advertising medium. In addition to the already known advertising techniques, it provides the opportunity to introduce completely new types of adverse, unique for the network. The attempt of qualification of this type of advertising is the subject of this thesis. The legal issue pointed here is the issue of fraudulent use of protected trade marks in the search engines. The main problem presented in this thesis is the issue of legal basis for protection of trade mark used in keyword advertising

Alumina matrix ceramic-nickel composites formed by centrifugal slip casting

The paper is focused on the possibility of fabricating the alumina matrix ceramic-nickel composites with gradient concentration of metal particles. Centrifugal slip casting method was chosen for the composite fabrication. This method allows fabrication of the graded distribution of nickel particles in the hollow cylinder composites. The horizontal rotation axis was applied. The samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and quantitative description of the microstructure. The macroscopic as well as SEM observations of the prepared composites confirmed the gradient concentration of Ni particles in the composite materials. The application of the centrifugal slip casting method allows for the graded distribution of metal particles in the samples

Chemical composition of extracts from leaves, stems and roots of wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) and their anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activities

Abstract The purpose of our study was to evaluate the composition of the extracts obtained from the roots and leaves of Eutrema japonicum cultivated in Poland. For this purpose, LC-DAD-IT-MS and LC-Q-TOF-MS analyses were used. The results revealed the presence of forty-two constituents comprising glycosinolates, phenylpropanoid glycosides, flavone glycosides, hydroxycinnamic acids, and other compounds. Then, the resultant extracts were subjected to an assessment of the potential cytotoxic effect on human colon adenocarcinoma cells, the effect on the growth of probiotic and intestinal pathogenic strains, as well as their anti-inflammatory activity. It was demonstrated that 60% ethanol extract from the biennial roots (WR2) had the strongest anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cytotoxic activities compared to the other samples. Our results suggest that extracts from E. japonicum may be considered as a promising compound for the production of health-promoting supplements