Fate of neutral-charged gold nanoparticles in the roots of the Hordeum vulgare L. cultivar Karat

Nanoparticles (NPs) have a significant impact on the environment and living organisms. The influence of NPs on plants is intensively studied and most of the data indicate that NPs can penetrate into plants. The studies presented here were performed on the roots of Hordeum vulgare L. seedlings using neutral-charge gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different sizes. In contrast to the majority of the published data, the results presented here showed that during the culture period, AuNPs: 1/did not enter the root regardless of their size and concentration, 2/that are applied directly into the cells of a root do not move into neighbouring cells. The results that were obtained indicate that in order to extend our knowledge about the mechanisms of the interactions between NPs and plants, further studies including, among others, on different species and a variety of growth conditions are needed

Wykorzystanie programu IBM SPSS Statistics w ocenie jakości kształcenia na kierunku językoznawstwo stosowane

The range of classes offered by universities is a factor specifically significant for the number of applying students during the periods of population decline. It is a common knowledge that the most effi-cient advertising is the word of mouth; in case of universities it is the students who discuss the quality of the course in their social groups. It seems therefore vital to improve the effectiveness of the surveys car-ried out among the graduates and regarding educational offer. Based on the current teaching quality supervision system the article presents a two-step survey, study course specific; in this case it regards the Applied Languages course. The survey complements the internal supervision system implemented by specific teaching units. The analysis of the survey results, especially the open-ended questions, constituted the basis for the seven-level Likert scale. The forms drawn up using this scale were then filled in by another group of students and later analysed with the IBM SPSS Statistics software

Non-imidazole-based histamine H3 receptor antagonists with anticonvulsant activity in different seizure models in male adult rats

A series of twelve novel non-imidazole-based ligands (3-14) was developed and evaluated for its in vitro binding properties at the human histamine H3 receptor (hH3R). The novel ligands were investigated for their in vivo protective effects in different seizure models in male adult rats. Among the H3R ligands (3-14) tested, ligand 14 showed significant and dose-dependent reduction in the duration of tonic hind limb extension in maximal electroshock (MES)-induced seizure model subsequent to acute systemic administration (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), whereas ligands 4, 6, and 7 without appreciable protection in MES model were most promising in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) model. Moreover, the protective effect observed for ligand 14 in MES model was lower than that observed for the reference drug phenytoin and was entirely abrogated when rats were co-administered with the brain-penetrant H1R antagonist pyrilamine (PYR) but not the brain-penetrant H2R antagonist zolantidine (ZOL), demonstrating that histaminergic neurotransmission by activation of postsynaptically located H1Rs seems to be involved in the protective action. On the contrary, PYR and ZOL failed to abrogate the full protection provided by 4 in PTZ model and the moderate protective effect by 14 in strychnine (STR) model. Moreover, the experimental and in silico estimation of properties such as metabolism was performed for five selected test compounds. Also, lipophilicity using planar reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography method was included for better understanding of the molecular properties of the tested compounds. Additionally, the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination and toxicity parameters were evaluated for the most promising compounds 2, 4, 6, 7, and 14 utilizing in vitro methods. These interesting results highlight the potential of H3R ligands as new antiepileptic drugs or as adjuvants to available epilepsy medications

Modification of internal hernia classification system after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y bariatric surgery

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of internal hernia is not an uncommon late complication following the laparoscopic bariatric Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure. In some instances, it can be life threatening if not treated in a timely manner. Although there are numerous publications in the literature addressing internal hernia, they are mostly retrospective, and focus mainly on describing the different reconstructive orientation as far as the bowel is concerned. AIM: Our study aim is to address the relationship between the three basic elements of internal hernia, namely: intestinal mesentery defect, the involved intestine and herniated loop direction. Although a developed and widely accepted classification system of internal hernia has not been established yet, we hope this study can help the system to be established. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied all patients who underwent revision bariatric operations in the Freiburg and Lübeck University Hospitals (2007–2013). A single surgeon performed and documented all revision procedures for internal hernia. The post-operative follow-up period is up to 6 years. All patients with internal hernias were included whether their primary surgery was performed in our center or performed in other institutions, being referred to our center for further management. The presence of hernia defect, the type of herniated intestinal loop and the direction by which the herniated intestinal loop migrated were analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients with internal hernia were identified; in 2 patients more than one hernia type coexisted. The most frequent constellation of internal hernias was BP limb herniation into the Brolin space and migrating from left to right direction (28%). The highest incidence of internal hernia was found to be following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (68%); the biliopancreatic limb (BP) limb was the most commonly involved intestine (51.9%). The incidence of Petersen hernia was the highest (59.3%), and left-right direction was more common. The most common hernia direction of the biliopancreatic limb was from left to right (92.6%), but alimentary limb (AL; 57.1%) and common channel (CC; 66.7%) often favor the other course. CONCLUSIONS: There are existing different types of internal hernias after bariatric operations including separate mesenterial spaces, various intestine parts and herniation direction. Our SDL classification system may offer a useful pathway that facilitates the understanding, and systematic approach to internal hernia, which can be used by bariatric quality registers

Non-typical fluorescence effects and biological activity in selected 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives : spectroscopic and theoretical studies on substituent, molecular aggregation, and pH effects

The below article presents the results of spectroscopic research, theoretical (time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT)), microbiological, and antioxidative calculations for three compounds from the group of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles: 2-amino-5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole (TB), 2-amino-5-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (TS), 2-amino-5-(2-hydroxy-5-sulfobenzoyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole (TSF). In the fluorescence emission spectra (TS) of solutions with varying concentrations of hydrogen ions, a particularly interesting effect of dual fluorescence was observed. The aforementioned effect was observed even more clearly in the environment of butan-1-ol, relative to the compound’s concentration. Depending on the modification of the resorcylic substituent (TS and TSF), we observed the emergence of two separate, partially overlapping, fluorescence emission spectra or a single emission spectrum. Interpretation of the obtained spectra using stationary and time-resolved spectroscopy allowed the correlation of the effect’s emergence with the phenomenon of molecular aggregation (of a particular type) as well as, above all, the structure of the substituent system. The overlap of said effects most likely induces the processes related to the phenomenon of charge transfer (in TS) and is responsible for the observed fluorescence effects. Also, the position of the –OH group (in the resorcylic ring) is significant and can facilitate the charge transfer (CT). The determinations of the changes in the dipole moment and TD-DFT calculations further corroborate the above assumption. The following paper presents the analysis (the first for this particular group of analogues) of the fluorescence effects relative to the changes in the structure of the resorcylic group combined with pH effects. The results of biological studies also indicate the highest pharmacological potential of the analogue in the case where the effects of dual fluorescence emission are observed, which predisposes this particular group of fluorophores as effective fluorescence probes or potential pharmaceuticals with antimycotic properties

Odległe obserwacje chorych z rozwarstwieniem po zabieguudrożnienia przewlekle zamkniętej tętnicy wieńcowej

Wstęp: Grupą szczególnie narażoną na wystąpienie nawrotu zwężenia są chorzy z rozwarstwieniem po zabiegu udrożnienia tętnicy wieńcowej. Rozwarstwienie, zaburzając przepływ krwi, sprzyja powstawaniu zakrzepu i w efekcie może doprowadzić do zamknięcia światła tętnicy. Celem badania była ocena wyników bezpośrednich i odległych u chorych z rozwarstwieniem po udrożnieniu przewlekle zamkniętej tętnicy wieńcowej. Materiał i metody: Badaniem objęto 77 chorych, u których wykonano zabieg udrożnienia całkowicie zamkniętej (stopień przepływu oceniany wg klasyfikacji TIMI wynosił 0) tętnicy wieńcowej z założeniem stentu. Podzielono ich na dwie grupy: grupa 1 - 57 chorych z rozwarstwieniem ocenianym według klasyfikacji NHLBI, które wystąpiło po angioplastyce balonowej, grupa 2 - 20 pacjentów bez rozwarstwienia po angioplastyce balonowej. Wyniki: Częstość poszczególnych typów rozwarstwienia w grupie 1 wyglądała następująco: rozwarstwienie typu A według klasyfikacji NHLBI stwierdzono u 27 (47,4%) osób, typu B u 21 (36,8%), typu C u 7 (12,3%), a typu D u 2 (3,5%) chorych. Wynik bezpośredni zabiegu był podobny w obu grupach: minimalna średnica tętnicy wynosiła 2,9 ± 0,5 mm w grupie 1 oraz 2,8 ± 0,4 mm w grupie 2 (różnica nieistotna). U wszystkich chorych uzyskano pełne przywrócenie przepływu krwi w tętnicy wieńcowej (3o wg klasyfikacji TIMI). W trakcie obserwacji trwającej średnio 22,8 ± 16,2 miesięcy zdarzenie sercowe (zgon, zawał serca, konieczność wykonania ponownej rewaskularyzacji udrożnionej tętnicy) wystąpiło u 14,0% chorych z grupy 1 oraz u 15,0% pacjentów z grupy 2 (różnica nieistotna). Nie stwierdzono częstszego występowania zdarzeń sercowych u osób z rozwarstwieniem większego stopnia. Wnioski: Rozwarstwienie jest częstym zjawiskiem obserwowanym u chorych po udrożnieniu tętnicy wieńcowej. Bezpośrednie wyniki angiograficzne są podobne u wszystkich pacjentów, którym po zabiegu udrożnienia założono stent. W obserwacji odległej częstość nawrotu dolegliwości dławicowych, liczba ponownych przezskórnych interwencji oraz liczba operacji są podobne u pacjentów z widocznym rozwarstwieniem po udrożnieniu tętnicy wieńcowej i u chorych bez dyssekcji