Inducible cAMP Early Repressor (ICER) and Brain Functions

The inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) is an endogenous repressor of cAMP-responsive element (CRE)-mediated gene transcription and belongs to the CRE-binding protein (CREB)/CRE modulator (CREM)/activating transcription factor 1 (ATF-1) gene family. ICER plays an important role in regulating the neuroendocrine system and the circadian rhythm. Other aspects of ICER function have recently attracted heightened attention. Being a natural inducible CREB antagonist, and more broadly, an inducible repressor of CRE-mediated gene transcription, ICER regulates long-lasting plastic changes that occur in the brain in response to incoming stimulation. This review will bring together data on ICER and its functions in the brain, with a special emphasis on recent findings highlighting the involvement of ICER in the regulation of long-term plasticity underlying learning and memory

Assessment of the Possibility of Using Fractal Analysis to Describe the Surface Aluminum Composites After Turning

The description of the characteristics of the surface using standardized roughness parameters can not fully predict its performance properties. One of the tools supporting the assessment of the surface layer of the treated surface may be fractal analysis. This applies both to surfaces with machining traces, which are created under conditions of high randomness and variability of process conditions, and to surfaces with directional traces and their distinct periodicity. The paper presents the results of surface roughness measurements of turned aluminium matrix composites reinforced with ceramic fibers. Carbide and diamond tools were used for turning the tested material. The trials were carried out under dry machining conditions and with minimal lubrication in the cutting zone. Surfaces were measured by the contact method, and surface roughness parameters were calculated by Gaussian filtration. Then, the values of the fractal dimension were calculated using the enclosing box method. On the basis of these calculations, the influence of machining conditions on the values of selected roughness parameters and the box fractal dimension was determined. It was found that the fractal dimension, i.e. the irregularity of the geometric structure of the surface after turning of composites, changes with the change of cutting parameters, the tool and the method of lubricating the cutting zone. Of these factors, the feed has the greatest influence. As it grows, the irregularity of the machined surface structure decreases. In addition, the correlation coefficients between the fractal dimension and the measured roughness parameters were determined. It was noticed that the fractal dimension, in the case of turning aluminum composites, best correlates with the roughness parameters Sa and Ssk and thus describes features similar to these parameters. Therefore, it was assumed that it is possible to use fractal analysis as a supplementary tool for the description of the surface condition of aluminum composites after turning in various machining conditions. On the other hand, the fractal dimension can be treated as an additional tool to describe the surface condition, especially its irregularity, which is not described by other standard roughness parameters

Experience with the implementation of chlorine dioxide for water disinfection in Mosina Water Treatment Plant

W pracy omówiono doświadczenia wynikające z wprowadzania dwutlenku chloru do dezynfekcji wody oczyszczonej na stacji "Mosina", zaopatrującej aglomerację poznańską w wodę wodociągową. Stwierdzono, że w chwili osiągnięcia jednakowego udziału dotychczas stosowanego chloru i nowo wprowadzonego dwutlenku chloru (50%/50%)) nastąpił niekontrolowany rozwój bakterii w wodzie, który został zahamowany dopiero w miarę wzrostu udziału chloru w mieszaninie dezynfektantów. Ponadto ustalono, że stosując oba środki dezynfekcyjne, zmienna powinna być dawka chloru, a dwutlenek chloru powinien być dawkowany w stałej ilości. Wykazano, że wprowadzenie nowego reagenta do wody zmieniło jej skład chemiczny, na skutek czego nastąpiły zaburzenia utrwalonej przez wiele lat równowagi w sieci wodociągowej. Ponowne doprowadzenie do stabilizacji wody w sieci było procesem długotrwałym. Rozległy system wodociągowy aglomeracji poznańskiej wymaga dobrego zabezpieczenia wody przed wtórnym zanieczyszczeniem oraz ciągłej kontroli jej jakości, przede wszystkim w zakresie analizy bakteriologicznej. Zastosowanie samego dwutlenku chloru do dezynfekcji wody w stacji wodociągowej "Mosina", bez zwiększenia skuteczności usuwania substancji organicznych, nie było możliwe.The paper gives an account of the experience gained while implementing chlorine dioxide for water disinfection at the Mosina Water Treatment Plant, which supplies tap water to the city of Poznan. It was found that when the proportion of the chlorine used so far to the chlorine dioxide being implemented was 50%/50%, this was paralleled by an uncontrolled bacterial growth in the water, which was inhibited by increasing the proportion of chlorine in the mixture of the two disinfectants. Another finding produced by the study was that when both the disinfectants were applied, it was possible to vary the chlorine dose while chlorine dioxide had to be dosed in the same amount. The addition of a new reagent brought about changes in the chemical composition of the water, thus disturbing the balance that had stabilized in the water-pipe network for many years. The process of restoring water stabilization in the pipeline was a long-term one. The large water supply system for the city of Poznan requires efficient actions to prevent water recontamination, as well as a reliable, continuous control of water quality primarily to ensure bacteriological safety. The application of chlorine dioxide alone to water disinfection at the Mosina Water Treatment Plant without increasing the efficiency of organic matter removal was found to be a failed attempt

Influence of Silver Colloid on Fluorescein Spectral Properties

In order to check if the observed earlier changes in fluorescence intensities of fluorescein solution due to the addition of colloidal suspension of silver are related to the generation of surface plasmon coupled emission, the steady state photothermal spectra and fluorescence decay times of such samples were measured. The Gaussian components of photoacoustic spectra for solutions with and without silver colloid addition were determined and compared with components of absorption and fluorescence excitation spectra of the same samples. The efficiencies of thermal and radiative deactivation of various samples were discussed. The fluorescence decay times measured at the wavelength of excitation not exhibiting the increase in photonic mode density depend only on the dye concentration. Decays exhibit changes as a result of silver addition with excitation in the region in which enhancement of fluorescence is observed. These changes are due not only to the change in the fluorescence yield generated by interactions with plasmons but also to those in thermal deactivation of the sample related to the colloid presence

Impact of alumina and cobalt-modified alumina on microorganisms

Przyczyną zainteresowania nanokompozytami są ich unikatowe właściwości fizyczne i chemiczne oraz rosnąca liczba potencjalnych zastosowań. Wykorzystywane są one w elektronice, ceramice, optyce, technikach laserowych, budownictwie, rolnictwie, medycynie, kosmetyce oraz kosmonautyce. Prowadzone są badania nad zastosowaniem nanomateriałów w nowoczesnych systemach podawania leków, fototerapii czy leczeniu chorób neurodegradacyjnych takich jak choroba Wilsona, Alzhaimera i Parkinsona [2]. Nanocząstki o właściwościach magnetycznych wykorzystywane są w diagnostyce, biologii molekularnej - do etykietowania biomolekuł oraz przy bezpośrednim podawaniu leków do komórek nowotworowych [3], jak również jako środki kontrastowe w rezonansie magnetycznym [1]. Stanowią składniki farb, baterii, środków konserwujących i pielęgnacyjnych, kosmetyków, katalizatorów, materiałów dentystycznych, sorbentów i materiałów ściernych.The growing interest in nanostructural materials and their common application in various areas of life and industry, results in their increasing emission into the natural environment. Most of the present research on the influence of nanoparticles on living cells is carried out using animal or cultured human cells. However there are few data concerning the impact of nanoproducts on microorganisms isolated from the natural environment. The aim of this work was to determine the influence of alumina nanopowder as well as cobalt-modified alumina nanopowder on bacteria isolated from soil, water and air samples. The growth tests allowed to observe that Co-modified alumina nanopowder revealed the stronger antibacterial activity com-paring with alumina without modification. The strains of soil bacteria were the most sensitive to both tested nanopowders, especially to CoO/Al2O3. The growth of 93% of bacteria isolated from soil samples was inhibited by cobalt-modified alumina nanopowder, but only about 20% - by alumina without modification (mainly gram negative rods from genus Pseudomonas). Bacteria isolated from the air, especially from genus Staphylococcus were the less sensitive to alumina nanoparticles. However some of them were sensitive to cobaltmodified alumina nanopowder. It was noticed that in low concentration of nanoproduct, some adaptation processes, allowing bacteria to grow in a presence of nanopowder may be observed, even in case of cobalt-modified alumina characterized by more significant antibacterial properties. Moreover, the sensitivity to tested preparations was attributed to the particular bacterial strains, that was proved by different results obtained for the various strains of the same bacterial species

The self-acting chamfering tool with cassette tensioned by spring element

Jednym z problemów, które generują znaczne koszty oraz zwiększają czasochłonność procesów technologicznych, są czynności związane z fazowaniem krawędzi obrobionych wcześniej przedmiotów. Problem ten jest szczególnie istotny w przypadku obróbki seryjnej i masowej. Dostępne na rynku rozwiązania konstrukcyjne narzędzi do fazowania z ostrzami sprężystymi nie dają możliwości regulowania wielkości wykonywanych fazek. W pracy zamieszczono nową konstrukcję fazownika, w którym płytka skrawająca jest zamocowana w kasetce napinanej sprężyną. W celu możliwości regulowania wielkości fazki w kasetce została zaprojektowana płoza ślizgowa. Omówiono również zalety i wady prezentowanej konstrukcji wraz z możliwościami dalszych usprawnień.The chamfering of the edges of previously machined parts is one of the problems that generates significant costs and increases the time consuming process. This problem is particularly important in lot and mass processing. The chamfering tools with resilient blades available on the market do not offer the ability to adjust the size of the chamfer. In this paper a new chamfering tool design, in which the cutting insert is fixed in a spring-loaded cassette is presented. In order to adjust the size of the chamfer, a sliding skid has been designed in the cassette. The advantages and disadvantages of the presented construction along with the possibilities of further improvements are also discussed

The self-acting chamfering tool with blade tensioned by helical spring

Współczesna technologia dąży do maksymalnej efektywności wytwarzania z zachowaniem odpowiedniej dokładności wytwarzanych elementów. Załamywanie krawędzi realizowane standardowymi metodami może być czasochłonne. Fazowanie narzędziami samoczynnymi, dostępnymi na rynku, nie gwarantuje odpowiedniej dokładności wymiarów i właściwości fazek, szczególnie w produkcji seryjnej. W pracy przedstawiono ideę fazowania narzędziem posiadającym ostrze z płozą ślizgową, napinane sprężyną śrubową. Pokazano proces konstrukcji tego narzędzia. Zaprezentowano jego końcową wersję oraz wybrane wyniki fazowania tym narzędziem. Pokazano główne zalety takiego fazownika wraz z jego wadami, a także zasugerowano możliwe dalsze usprawnienia konstrukcji narzędzia, które mogą wady te wyeliminować.Modern technology strives to maximum productivity while maintaining the correct accuracy of manufactured components. Chamfering of the edges by standard methods increases the production time. Chamfering with self-acting tools available on the market does not guarantee the proper dimensions and properties of the chamfer, especially in mass production. This paper presents the idea of chamfering by the tool with a sliding blade and tensioned with helical spring. The construction processes of this tool have been shown. Its final version and selected chamfering results are presented. The main advantages of such a chamfer with its disadvantages are shown, and further possible improvements to the design of the tool, which can eliminate disadvantages, are suggested