Life support system in the mature Martian colony for 1000 people

The development in the field of space engineering is aimed at achieving another milestone, which is the creation of an extraterrestrial colony on, for example, Mars. Missions of this kind will be long-term and long-distance, which results in the need to design systems with a high degree of self-sufficiency. It is synonymous with high recovery resources. This article is a concept proposed for the needs of the Mar Colony Prize competition – Design The First Human Settlement On Mars, created by The Mars Society. This competition assumed designing highly-autonomous base for 1000 people. This means, that all environmental systems must be connected with each other and work in closed loops. In this paper four main environmental systems are proposed and characterized. The state of art of each subsystems technology is presented

Synteza i charakterystyka drabinowych szczotek polimerowych i ich zastosowanie w fotowoltaice organicznej

Wraz z rozwojem nanotechnologii i możliwości syntezy makrocząsteczek o dedykowanej strukturze i właściwościach, implementacja tej wiedzy w technologie przyszłości, staje się koniecznością. Od biosensorów przez nanogrzechotki (element nowej technologia magazynowania danych) po pobieranie energii świetlnej i fotowoltaikę, szczotki polimerowe posiadają szereg zastosowań. Ostatnia z wymienionych aplikacji jest przedmiotem tej pracy, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem metod syntezy oraz modyfikacji strukturalnych szczotek pozwalających im na przewodzenie ładunków elektrycznych. Ta właściwość umożliwia takim układom makromolekularnym odegranie istotnej roli w ogniwach fotowoltaicznych. W treści licencjatu szczególna uwaga poświęcona jest polimeryzacji rodnikowej z przeniesieniem atomu (ATRP) oraz polimeryzacji mediowanej fotoiniferterem (PIMP) jako metodzie syntezy przewodzących szczotek polimerowych.With the development of nanotechnology and ability to create macromolecules with tailored properties and structure comes a responsibility to implement this knowledge into tomorrow’s technologies. From acting as biosensors, nanorattles (in new memory storage technologies) to light harvesting and photovoltaics polymer brushes have numerous applications. The latter are subject of this thesis, especially when it comes to synthesis methods and structure modifications allowing polymer brushes to transfer charges and play a vital role in organic photovoltaics. In this study one can accustom with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photoiniferter mediated polymerization (PIMP) methods in creating conductive polymer brushes and their characterization

Fotoaktywne szczotki polimerowe szczepiane z powierzchni

XXI wiek jest czasem dynamicznego rozwoju w technologii podążającym za zapotrzebowaniami ludzkości. W pogoni za czystą energią rozwijane są wynalazki mające na celu produkcje elektryczności. Wraz ze wzrostem temperatury Ziemi oraz wyczerpywaniem się zapasów ropy naftowej racjonalnym podejściem jest rozwijanie wydajniejszych metod pobierania energii słonecznej. Powszechnie stosowana fotowoltaika na bazie krzemu ma ograniczoną wydajność konwersji energii. W prezentowanym badaniu prezentowane jest podejście wykorzystujące układy ze szczotek polimerowych będące swoistą mimiką fotosyntezy. Są to łańcuchy polimerowe szczepione jednym końcem do powierzchni. Drabinowe, przewodzące szczotki polimerowe „dekorowane” warstwą fotoaktywną mogą być zaimplementowane jako panele słoneczne w nanoskali. Takie hipotetyczne układy były by w stanie bezpośrednio konwertować energię reakcji fotochemicznej na prąd, który byłby następnie redystrybuowany przewodzącą szczotką polimerową szczepioną na mikro układzie elektronicznym. Układy prezentowane w tej pracy są syntezowane na bazie monomeru metakrylanu 3-(trimetylosilyl)prop-2-yn-1-ylu (TPM) wykorzystując fotopolimeryzację z wykorzystaniem fotoinifertera jako ścieżkę syntetyczną (SI-PIMP). Grupy końcowe były następnie modyfikowane 4-hydroksy TEMPO celem późniejszego przyłączenia barwnika organicznego – izotiocyjanianu Rhodaminy B. Charakterystyka układów została wykonana mikroskopią sił atomowych (AFM), konfokalną oraz spektroskopią w podczerwieni grazing-angle.The 21st century is an era of a rapid technological development in response to the mankind’s problems. In the pursue of clean energy numerous inventions are developed in order to harvest energy. With the constant inclination of the Earth’s temperature and depletion of crude oil the rational choice is to develop more efficient ways of harvesting the solar energy. The photovoltaics based on silicon has a limited energy conversion yield. In this research a different approach is presented namely biomimicking the photosynthetic systems present in plants, utilizing polymer brushes. Those are a polymer chains grafted to the surface. Polymer brushes with ladder-like conductive structure decorated with photoactive layer may act as a nanoscale solar panel. Those systems are capable of converting electromagnetic waves coming from the sun into electrical energy. Polymer brushes systems may act as an interface in the new generation of the light-harvesting systems. Moreover, there is a possibility of grafting them on wide variety of materials ensuring the charge transfer. The brushes synthesized are based on the 3-(trimethylsilyl)prop-2-yn-1-yl methacrylate (TPM) monomer utilizing photoiniferter-mediated photopolymerization as a synthetic route. The chemical characterization of synthesized brushes as well as their thickness in addition to mapping the topography was performed in order to prove the desired structures. The instruments utilized include: grazing-angle infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). This study focuses on presenting the phenomena of polymer brushes-based light harvesting systems as well as presents an outlook on the organic photovoltaics

The Influence of Fluoride Gels on the Physicochemical Properties of Tooth Tissues and Dental Materials—A Systematic Review

The aim of the presented systematic review is to update the state of knowledge and relate the properties and composition of fluoride gels to their potential application. This article aims to explore the effect of fluoride gel application on changes in the properties of dental biomaterials and tooth tissues. The review includes articles assessing studies on the effects of fluoride gel on dental tissues and materials. Employing the PRISMA protocol, a meticulous search was conducted across the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, utilizing keywords such as fluoride, gel, and properties. The publications were selected without limitation by the year of publication, and then Cohen’s κ test was used to assess the agreement of the respondents. Exclusion criteria included non-English studies, opinion pieces, editorial papers, letters to the editor, review articles and meta-analyses, clinical reports, studies lacking full-text accessibility, and duplicates. The quality of the chosen papers was assessed by two independent reviewers. A total of 2385 were located in databases, of which only 17 met the inclusion criteria. All publications showed increased surface mineralization, and seven studies showed the effect of fluoride gel on the surface of dental tissues. Three articles stated a negative effect of fluoride gels on titanium and stainless steel alloys and glass ionomer fillings. The effects on shear bond strength and plaque deposition require further investigation because the study results are contradictory

Review on Polymer, Ceramic and Composite Materials for CAD/CAM Indirect Restorations in Dentistry—Application, Mechanical Characteristics and Comparison

The aim of this review article is to present various material groups, including ceramics, composites and hybrid materials, currently utilized in the field of CAD/CAM. The described technology is amongst the most important in modern prosthetics. Materials that are applicable in this technique are constantly tested, evaluated and improved. Nowadays, research on dental materials is carried out in order to meet the increasing demand on highly aesthetic and functional indirect restorations. Recent studies present the long-term clinical success of restorations made with the help of both ceramic and composite materials in the CAD/CAM method. However, new materials are developed and introduced that do not have long-term in vivo observations. We can outline a monolithic polymer-infiltrated ceramic network and zirconia teeth support that show promising results to date but require further assessment. The materials will be compared with regard to their mechanical and clinical properties, purpose, advantages and limitations

Surface Functionalization of Titanium-Based Implants with a Nanohydroxyapatite Layer and Its Impact on Osteoblasts: A Systematic Review

This study aims to evaluate the influence of a nanohydroxyapatite layer applied to the surface of titanium or titanium alloy implants on the intricate process of osseointegration and its effect on osteoblast cell lines, compared to uncoated implants. Additionally, the investigation scrutinizes various modifications of the coating and their consequential effects on bone and cell line biocompatibility. On the specific date of November 2023, an exhaustive electronic search was conducted in esteemed databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, utilizing the meticulously chosen keywords ((titanium) AND ((osteoblasts) and hydroxyapatite)). Methodologically, the systematic review meticulously adhered to the PRISMA protocol. Initially, a total of 1739 studies underwent scrutiny, with the elimination of 741 duplicate records. A further 972 articles were excluded on account of their incongruence with the predefined subjects. The ultimate compilation embraced 26 studies, with a predominant focus on the effects of nanohydroxyapatite coating in isolation. However, a subset of nine papers delved into the nuanced realm of its modifiers, encompassing materials such as chitosan, collagen, silver particles, or gelatine. Across many of the selected studies, the application of nanohydroxyapatite coating exhibited a proclivity to enhance the osseointegration process. The modifications thereof showcased a positive influence on cell lines, manifesting in increased cellular spread or the attenuation of bacterial activity. In clinical applications, this augmentation potentially translates into heightened implant stability, thereby amplifying the overall procedural success rate. This, in turn, renders nanohydroxyapatite-coated implants a viable and potentially advantageous option in clinical scenarios where non-modified implants may not suffice

Infekcyjne zapalenie wsierdzia - wciąż wielkie wyzwanie. Opis dwóch przypadków

Abstract: We present two patients with aortic valve disease who developed acute infective endocarditis. In both patients the disease started with infection of the upper respiratory tract. The patients were treated with antibiotics due to pneumonia. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis was established 4 months and 9 weeks after the onset of infection. The first patient died whereas the second underwent successful aortic valve replacement

PGS/HAp Microporous Composite Scaffold Obtained in the TIPS-TCL-SL Method: An Innovation for Bone Tissue Engineering

In this research, we synthesize and characterize poly(glycerol sebacate) pre-polymer (pPGS) (1H NMR, FTiR, GPC, and TGA). Nano-hydroxyapatite (HAp) is synthesized using the wet precipitation method. Next, the materials are used to prepare a PGS-based composite with a 25 wt.% addition of HAp. Microporous composites are formed by means of thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) followed by thermal cross-linking (TCL) and salt leaching (SL). The manufactured microporous materials (PGS and PGS/HAp) are then subjected to imaging by means of SEM and µCT for the porous structure characterization. DSC, TGA, and water contact angle measurements are used for further evaluation of the materials. To assess the cytocompatibility and biological potential of PGS-based composites, preosteoblasts and differentiated hFOB 1.19 osteoblasts are employed as in vitro models. Apart from the cytocompatibility, the scaffolds supported cell adhesion and were readily populated by the hFOB1.19 preosteoblasts. HAp-facilitated scaffolds displayed osteoconductive properties, supporting the terminal differentiation of osteoblasts as indicated by the production of alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and osteopontin. Notably, the PGS/HAp scaffolds induced the production of significant amounts of osteoclastogenic cytokines: IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, which induced scaffold remodeling and promoted the reconstruction of bone tissue. Initial biocompatibility tests showed no signs of adverse effects of PGS-based scaffolds toward adult BALB/c mice