Stability Studies of Magnetite Nanoparticles in Environmental Solutions

In the presented paper, studies of magnetite nanoparticle stability in selected environmental solutions are reported. The durability tests were performed in four types of liquids: treated and untreated wastewater, river water, and commercial milk (0.5% fat). Nanoparticles before and after deposition in the testing conditions were measured by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The amount of Fe atoms transferred into the solutions was estimated on the basis of flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The analysis of the obtained results shows good stability of the tested nanoparticles in all water solutions. They do not change their structure or magnetic properties significantly, which makes them a good candidate to be used as, for example, detectors of specific compounds or heavy metals. On the other hand, studies show that particles are stable in environmental conditions for a long period of time in an unchanged form, which can cause their accumulation; therefore, they may be hazardous to living organisms.

Adsorption of protein breakdown products and toxins by erythrocytes

It has been established that amino acids enter the bloodstream through the intestinal walls in an unchanged form, and both these substances and parenterally administered protein breakdown products cannot be detected either in serum or in whole blood soon after their introduction. BI Zbarsky (Zhurn. Exp. Biol., 1925, No. 1) explains this fact by the adsorption of protein breakdown products by blood erythrocytes, from which these products can be easily separated by simple boiling, and which transfer these products to the cells of the body.

Potential Cytotoxicity, Pharmacokinetics, and Excretion Properties of Sapindoside B from the Seeds of Nigella sativa var. hispidula

The seeds of Nigella sativa var. hispidula are widely used in food preparation by the Uighur people in western China. Recently, series of oleanane triterpenoid saponins were extracted from the seeds of Nigella sativa var. hispidula, especially α-hederin as representative that exhibited strong antitumor activity. Compared to α-hederin, sapindoside B has just 1 more terminal xylopyranose in the 3-O position and displays similar effects against various human cancer cell lines with cisplatin. Considering this potential cytotoxic activity, a reliable LC-MS/MS method was developed to quantify sapindoside B in rat plasma, urine, and feces. Chromatographic separation was conducted on an Agilent Zorbax SB-Aq (3.0 × 150 mm, 3.5 µm) column via an isocratic elution procedure with acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% formic acid. Mass spectrometric detection was coupled with an electrospray ionization source in the MRM mode. The linear range of calibration curves was 15 ~ 3000 ng/mL in plasma/urine and 30 ~ 3000 ng/g in feces. The intra-day and inter-day precision was less than 11.1%, and accuracy ranged from 92.2% to 108.7%. The proposed method was validated and shown to be reliable, precise, and accurate and was successfully applied to its pharmacokinetics and excretion studies. Sapindoside B exhibited dosage-dependent pharmacokinetics in the range of 2.5 mg/kg to 12.5 mg/kg, and only about 2% of intravenous dose of sapindoside B was excreted by the feces and urine in its unchanged form over 48 h. These results provide further data support for evaluating the druggability of sapindoside B.

Biodegradable Blends of Grafted Dextrin with PLGA-block-PEG Copolymer as a Carrier for Controlled Release of Herbicides into Soil

The presented work aimed to test influence of poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide)-block-poly (ethylene oxide) copolymer modification by blending with grafted dextrin or maltodextrin on the course of degradation in soil and the usefulness of such material as a matrix in the controlled release of herbicides. The modification should be to obtain homogenous blends with better susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. Among all tested blends, which were proposed as a carrier for potential use in the controlled release of plant protection agents, PLGA-block-PEG copolymer blended with grafted dextrin yielded very promising results for their future applications, and what is very importantly proposed formulations provide herbicides in unchanged form into soil within few months of release. The modification PLAGA/PEG copolymer by blending with modificated dextrins affects the improvement of the release profile. The weekly release rates for both selected herbicides (metazachlor and pendimethalin) were constant for a period of 12 weeks. Enzymatic degradation of modified dextrin combined with leaching of the degradation products into medium caused significant erosion of the polymer matrix, thereby leading to acceleration of water diffusion into the polymer matrix and allowing for easier leaching of herbicides outside the matrix.

Grindstone: Grinding... and Human Sacrifice? Why?

Three features, dated to diverse periods of prehistory (Neolithic: Transdanubian Linear Pottery Culture; Bronze Age: Tumulus culture; Iron Age: Celtic Period) are presented in the current study. One of our main goals is to encourage the introduction of an otherwise generally accepted protocol for the investigation and sampling of similar phenomena to Hungarian archaeological research. The method focuses on the examination of 1, complete or partial human skeletal remains; 2, complete or partial animal skeletal remains;3, offerings according to social position; 4, tools for food preparation and equipment of the ritual feast; 5, traces of burning or fire; 6, patterns of the action sequence burning–fragmenting–scattering, together with material analyses for all samples. This way a categorization of the results might open a possibility for a more adequate interpretation. The features under study fall into category A in Joanna Brück’s classification system of human skeletal remains,1 but I regard the phenomena also containing grindstones a subcategory. The ritual in the course of which these were created might have been practiced for millenia in an unchanged form; its possible interpretation was described by István Tóth. According to our view such actions represent the liminal zone between the worlds of the living and the dead.

STYLISTIC ROLE OF PHRASEOLOGY IN THE WORKS OF A. MAKAENKA

The article talks about the stylistic use of phraseological units in the works A. Makaenka. Attention is drawn to both normative and individual author’s use of phraseological units. There are two types of stylistic use of phrases – the use of phraseological units in an unchanged form and the use of phraseological units with changes of various character. There are such methods of structural and semantic changes of phraseological units as replacement of one component by another; combining two phraseological units into one; complication of phraseological units by the word of free use. The most important stylistic functions are the increase, refinement and even change of the semantics of phrases, the actualization of attention, the allocation of a certain thought, the strengthening of the impact on the reader, the creation of a new means of characteristics, evaluation of speakers or the attitude to those to whom the speech is addressed. Phraseological units are characterized as a means of forming an individual author’s style of the playwright.

150 years of the Jagiellonian University Archaeological Cabinet. Past and present

The collection of the former Jagiellonian University Archaeological Cabinet (Gabinet Archeologiczny Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego) in Kraków is unique in Poland. This is the oldest archaeological academic collection in Poland and the only one to survive to the present day in a nearly unchanged form. The collection’s history goes back to 1867, when it was established by Józef Łepkowski, the creator of the first Chair of Archaeology in the Jagiellonian University. The basic bulk of the collection was accumulated after the January Uprising of 1863, in a period marked by increased interest in antiquities: at that time it was regarded as a patriotic duty to preserve the achievements of Polish science and art. The establishment of the cabinet fit well into the general interest in antiquity observed throughout 19th-century Europe. Today, the collection is divided into two parts (each of them kept separately): Mediterranean and Prehistoric. As the artefacts from the Archaeological Cabinet have not been put on display since the end of WWII, the collection has generally maintained its 19th-century character, becoming in itself a museum monument of a kind.

Estimation of the Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) mutation rates in Turkey

Background: The Non-recombining region of the Y-chromosome (NRY) is transferred from father to son in an unchanged form without recombination in meiosis. Since Short tandem repeats on Y-chromosome (Y-STRs) in this region do not have any recombination, these regions are identical in all male individuals who are related to the father except for mutations. Therefore, these regions gain importance in identification for the forensic sciences or determination of paternity. In determination of paternity, if mismatches are observed between father and child, population-specific mutation rates should be used to determine whether it is a mutation or a true exclusion. Therefore in this study, we aim to determine the mutation rates of 17 Y-STR loci in Turkey. Material and methods: 17 Y-STR loci were typed by using AmpFlSTR® Yfiler™ Kit in 90 volunteer father-son pairs. Mutation rates were calculated and compared with other populations. Results: The mutations were found between three father-son pairs at DYS439 and DYS458 loci. In addition, a duplication in DYS389 II loci* 30, 31 was observed. The average mutation rate was determined as 1.96×10−3 for Turkish population. Conclusion: This investigation will contribute to minimize the possibility of false exclusion of the father-son and kinship relations.