Investigation of the Yield and Composition of Essential Oils of Culinary Herbs before and after Decontamination

Herbs and spices are widely used in food industry due to the presence of nutrients and nonnutritive biologically active compounds. Their primary functions are to provide diversified taste, smell and colour to products. Additionally, spices provide preservative, nutritional and health function. Most spices owe their unique flavour character mainly to essential oil content. Essential oils that are mixtures of volatile fragrant compounds are used as natural antioxidants as well as antimicrobial agents against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. Fresh and dried spices are contaminated by microorganisms that should be removed before introducing them to food products in order to ensure their safety and prolong shelf life. Sterilization, including steam sterilization, is the common method used for spices decontamination. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of steam sterilization on the amount and composition of essential oil of two common leaf spices, mint and sage

Treatment assessment of road runoff water in zones filled with ZVI, activated carbon and mineral materials

Reducing the discharge of contaminants present in runoff water is important for a clean environment. This paper analyses field test results of three pilot-scale horizontal runoff water treatment zones filled with mixtures of zero valent iron (ZVI), activated carbon (AC), silica spongolite (SS), zeolite (Z), and limestone (LS). The investigated systems were (S1) ZVI/AC/SS, (S2) ZVI/AC/Z and (S3) ZVI/AC/LS. The efficiency of the three systems in the removal of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, COD and ammonium ions from runoff water was compared and the factors (temperature, pH, redox potential, hydraulic conductivity) and relationships affecting treatment effectiveness were determined. A statistical analysis of effluent contaminant concentrations and physicochemical parameters of effluent solutions included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), a multidimensional analysis using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), a factor analysis (FA) and a cluster analysis (CA). The ANOVA and cluster analyses indicated similarities between systems containing SS and LS. As a consequence, using cheaper SS can reduce investment costs. In addition, there were no significant differences between the three systems regarding Cd and Ni removal, while Cu and Pb were removed to almost 100%. The results indicate that all the tested materials supported ZVI and AC in the removal of heavy metals in a similar way. However, runoff water was enriched with nitrogen oxides and sulfates while flowing through treatment zones with SS and LS. The enrichment increased with increasing temperature and redox potential. The conducted analyses indicate that the most suitable mixture is ZVI/AC/Z. It should be emphasized that the ongoing processes (precipitation and ZVI corrosion) reduced the hydraulic conductivity of the filters up to two orders of magnitude. Expansive iron corrosion was the most limiting factor in ZVI filtration systems. In the future, applications decreasing the percentage of ZVI in the mixture are suggested.National Science Centre (Poland) grant number NN523 561638

The role of selected molecular factors in ovarian cancer metastasis

The main reason for treatment failure in ovarian cancer is chemoresistance and the presence of metastasis. Ascites, which allows the physical movement of cancer cells, the lymphovascular pathway, and several molecular factors and signalling axes, are involved in metastasis. Ascites, with the involvement of cytokines and chemokines, MAPK/STAT1 and NOTCH as well as CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathways and circulating anoikis induces cancer dissemination, in particular to the peritoneum and omentum. The spread of lymphatic and bloodstream cancer cells is a multi-stage process. Tumour infiltration of the stroma and lymphovascular space (LVSI) produces biologically active cancer-associated fibroblasts and macrophages (CAFs, TAMs) that secrete numerous cytokines, chemokines and growth factors, inhibit NK function, induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), resulting in an increase of the metastatic potential of cancer cells and the formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Overexpression of some genes, and microRNAs, in LVSI-(LMGS) associated with metastasis has been identified. The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) transporting metastasis-associated factors has been described as has the role of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in chemotherapy resistance and metastasis. Sirtuins, enzymes involved in metastasis formation, have also been detected. Certain types of microRNAs (miR-509-3p, microRNA-506-3p) and melatonin have been shown to inhibit metastasis.  

IL-33 Gene Polymorphisms as Potential Biomarkers of Disease Susceptibility and Response to TNF Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) belong to inflammatory rheumatic diseases, the group of conditions of unknown etiology. However, a strong genetic component in their pathogenesis has been well established. A dysregulation of cytokine networks plays an important role in the development of inflammatory arthritis. Interleukin 33 (IL-33) is a recently identified member of the IL-1 family. To date, the significance of IL-33 in inflammatory arthritis has been poorly studied. This research aimed to investigate the potential of IL-33 gene polymorphisms to serve as biomarkers for disease susceptibility and TNF inhibitor response in RA, AS, and PsA patients.Materials and MethodsIn total, 735 patients diagnosed with RA, AS, and PsA and 229 healthy individuals were enrolled in the study. Genotyping for three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the IL-33 gene, namely, rs16924159 (A/G), rs10975519 (T/C), and rs7044343 (C/T), was performed using polymerase chain reaction amplification employing LightSNiP assays.ResultsIn the present study, the IL-33 rs10975519 CC genotype was associated with a decreased risk of developing RA in females, while the IL-33 rs16924159 polymorphism was associated with the efficacy of anti-TNF therapy and clinical parameters for RA and AS patients. The IL-33 rs16924159 AA genotype correlated with higher disease activity and worse clinical outcomes in RA patients treated with TNF inhibitors, and AS patients carrying the IL-33 rs16924159 AA genotype had higher disease activity and a worse response to anti-TNF therapy. That indicates a deleterious role of the IL-33 rs16924159 AA genotype in the context of RA, as well as AS.ConclusionsThe obtained results suggest that IL-33 gene polymorphisms might be potential candidate biomarkers of disease susceptibility and anti-TNF treatment response in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases

Mutations in the von Hippel-Lindau Tumour Suppressor Gene in Central Nervous System Hemangioblastomas

Central nervous system hemangioblastomas (cHAB) are rare tumours which most commonly arise in the cerebellum. Most tumours are sporadic, but as many as one third of cHABs occur in the course of the hereditary disorder - von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL). In order to diagnose new VHL families in Poland we performed sequencing of the entire VHL gene in archival material (paraffin embedded hemangioblastoma tissues) in a large series of 203 unselected patients with cHAB. VHL gene mutations were detected in 70 (41%) of 171 tumour samples from which DNA of relatively good quality was isolated. We were able to obtain blood samples from 19 of mutation positive cases. Eight (42%) of these harboured germline mutations in persons from distinct undiagnosed VHL families

Structural Formation and Photocatalytic Activity of Magnetron Sputtered Titania and Doped-Titania Coatings

Titania and doped-titania coatings can be deposited by a wide range of techniques; this paper will concentrate on magnetron sputtering techniques, including “conventional” reactive co-sputtering from multiple metal targets and the recently introduced high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). The latter has been shown to deliver a relatively low thermal flux to the substrate, whilst still allowing the direct deposition of crystalline titania coatings and, therefore, offers the potential to deposit photocatalytically active titania coatings directly onto thermally sensitive substrates. The deposition of coatings via these techniques will be discussed, as will the characterisation of the coatings by XRD, SEM, EDX, optical spectroscopy, etc. The assessment of photocatalytic activity and photoactivity through the decomposition of an organic dye (methylene blue), the inactivation of E. coli microorganisms and the measurement of water contact angles will be described. The impact of different deposition technologies, doping and co-doping strategies on coating structure and activity will be also considered

The concealed income tax

Instytucja opodatkowania dochodów z nieujawnionych źródeł przychodów lub nieznajdujących pokrycia w ujawnionych źródłach została wprowadzona w Polsce 1991 roku w ustawie o podatku dochodowym od osób fizycznych, w reakcji na nową sytuację polityczno gospodarczą. Jej celem miało być przeciwdziałanie uchyleniu się opodatkowaniu podatkiem dochodowym, zwalczanie innych oszustw podatkowych, jak również pewnych rodzajów przestępczości. Na przestrzeni lat konstrukcja ta stała się przedmiotem licznych kontrowersji i niejasności. Pojawiły się rozbieżności zarówno w praktyce stosowanej przez organy podatkowe, jak i w orzecznictwie sądów. Pod wątpliwość poddano celowość tej instytucji i jej skuteczność w zwalczaniu negatywnych zjawisk życia gospodarczego.Powyższe kontrowersje skłaniają do rozważań nad skutecznością tego rozwiązania. Celem niniejszej pracy była analiza przepisów opodatkowania dochodów nieujawnionych na tle podatku dochodowego w celu zapoznania się z problemami jakie dotyczą omawianej instytucji. Rozważaniu zostały poddane również problemy praktyczne postępowania podatkowego. Osobny rozdział został poświęcony przestępczości, której w założeniu przeciwdziałać miało sankcyjne opodatkowanie. W niniejszej pracy zostanie przeprowadzona analiza zależności między opodatkowaniem dochodów nieujawnionych a patologiami życia gospodarcze. Rozdział trzeci skupia się na kwestiach najbardziej dyskusyjnych, które zarówno w doktrynie jak i praktyce, budzą wątpliwości i nie doczekały się jednoznacznego rozstrzygnięcia. Analizie poddane zostaną kwestie, które stały się tematem rozważań m.in. Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego, Trybunały Konstytucyjnego, jak również międzynarodowych organów sprawiedliwości.The institution of concealed income tax was introduced in Poland in 1991 in response to the new economic and political situation. Its object was to counteract the repeal of a tax on income, fighting other tax evasion, as well as certain types of crime.Meanwhile this structure has become the subject of numerous controversies and ambiguities. There are a lot of discrepancies in the practice followed by the tax authorities and in court decisions. the desirability of this institution was questioned as well as its effectiveness in combating the negative phenomena of economic life.These controversies tend to consideration of the effectiveness of the solution. The aim of this study was to analyze the provisions of concealed income tax against in order to familiarize himself with the problems that concern of the institution. Also practical problems of tax proceedings were considered