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Background: The use of cells as carriers for the delivery of nanoparticles is a promising approach in anticancer therapy, mainly due to their natural properties, such as biocompatibility and non-immunogenicity. Cellular carriers prevent the rapid degradation of nanoparticles, improve their distribution, reduce cytotoxicity and ensure selective delivery to the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, we propose the use of phagocytic cells as boron carbide nanoparticle carriers for boron delivery to the tumor microenvironment in boron neutron capture therapy. Results: Macrophages originating from cell lines and bone marrow showed a greater ability to interact with boron carbide (B4C) than dendritic cells, especially the preparation containing larger nanoparticles (B4C 2). Consequently, B4C 2 caused greater toxicity and induced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by these cells. However, migration assays demonstrated that macrophages loaded with B4C 1 migrated more efficiently than with B4C 2. Therefore, smaller nanoparticles (B4C 1) with lower toxicity but similar ability to activate macrophages proved to be more attractive. Conclusions: Macrophages could be promising cellular carriers for boron carbide nanoparticle delivery, especially B4C 1 to the tumor microenvironment and thus prospective use in boron neutron capture therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysregulation of iron metabolism in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a significant risk factor for hepatic cirrhosis and cancer. We studied if known genetic variants related to iron homeostasis associate with liver disease progression in CHC. Retrospective analysis included 249 CHC patients qualified for antiviral therapy between 2004 and 2014. For all patients, nine SNPs within HFE, TFR2, HDAC2, HDAC3, HDAC5, TMPRSS6, and CYBRD1 genes were genotyped. Expression of selected iron–related genes, was determined with qRT-PCR in 124 liver biopsies, and mRNA expression of co-inhibitory receptors (PD-1, Tim3, CTLA4) was measured in 79 liver samples. CYBRD1 rs884409, HDAC5 rs368328, TFR2 rs7385804, and TMPRSS6 rs855791 associated with histopathological changes in liver tissue at baseline. The combination of minor allele in HDAC3 rs976552 and CYBRD1 rs884409 linked with higher prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during follow up (OR 8.1 CI 2.2–29.2; p = 0.001). Minor allele in HDAC3 rs976552 associated with lower hepatic expression of CTLA4. Tested polymorphisms related to iron homeostasis associate with histopathological changes in the liver. The presence of both HDAC3 rs976552 G and CYBRD1 rs884409 G alleles correlates with HCC occurrence, especially in the group of patients with elevated AST (>129 IU/L). rs976552 in HDAC3 could impact immunological processes associated with carcinogenesis in CHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data processing in robotics is currently challenged by the effective building of multimodal and common representations. Tremendous volumes of raw data are available and their smart management is the core concept of multimodal learning in a new paradigm for data fusion. Although several techniques for building multimodal representations have been proven successful, they have not yet been analyzed and compared in a given production setting. This paper explored three of the most common techniques, (1) the late fusion, (2) the early fusion, and (3) the sketch, and compared them in classification tasks. Our paper explored different types of data (modalities) that could be gathered by sensors serving a wide range of sensor applications. Our experiments were conducted on Amazon Reviews, MovieLens25M, and Movie-Lens1M datasets. Their outcomes allowed us to confirm that the choice of fusion technique for building multimodal representation is crucial to obtain the highest possible model performance resulting from the proper modality combination. Consequently, we designed criteria for choosing this optimal data fusion technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'Optimization of a CE-ICP-MS/MS method for the investigation of liposome–cisplatin nanosystems and their interactions with transferrin' by Anna Maria Wróblewska et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2022, 37, 1442–1449, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1JA00459J. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Current challenges in oncology are largely associated with the need to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatment and to reduce drug's side effects. An effective strategy to cope with these challenges is behind designing and developing drug delivery systems based on smart nanomaterials and approved anticancer drugs. The present study offers a novel and straightforward approach to efficiently load the cisplatin drug into the newly constructed liposome-based nanosystems as well a reliable technique for monitoring this process based on capillary electrophoresis hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry. The proposed drug-loading methodology comprises liposome formation via a simple ethanol-injection method and propels increased drug encapsulation using tailor-made freeze-thawing or lyophilization-hydration procedures. To optimize liposome generation and drug encapsulation, the effects of dilution medium and liposome composition (types of phospholipids and their percentage ratio) have been investigated in detail. It was shown that modest alterations of the composition of three-component phospholipid liposomes and parameters of the freeze-thawing procedure have a strong impact on the formation of cisplatin–liposome systems. The obtained cisplatin–liposome formulation features a remarkable degree of drug encapsulation, over 100 mg L–1, and holds promise for further preclinical development as a potent drug-delivery platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer composites with high dielectric constant and low loss tangent are highly regarded as substrates for modern high-speed electronics. In this work, we analyze the high-frequency dielectric properties of two types of composites based on polypropylene infused with high-dielectric-constant microparticles. Two types of fillers are used: commercial ceramics or titanium oxide (TiO2) with different concentrations. The key observation is that adding the fillers causes an increase of dielectric constants by around 100% (for highest loading) up to 4.2 and 3.4, for micro-ceramics and TiO2 based composites, respectively. Interestingly, for the TiO2 composite, the loss tangent depends on the filler loading volume, whereas the other composite has a slightly increasing tendency, however, being at the level ~ 10–3. To explain the experimental results, a theoretical model determined by microwave reflection and transmission through a representative volume element is proposed, which allows the investigation of the impact of volume ratio, grain shape, aggregation, and size on the loss tangent and permittivity evolution. This approach could be used for modeling other low dielectric loss materials with inclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As chemotherapy suffers from the limitation of non-selectivity towards cancer cells, resulting in severe side effects, the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs such as cisplatin using nontoxic nanomaterials has been under extensive examination. In such an approach, qualities such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, ease of synthesis (including the surface modifying possibility with targeting ligands), and the tunable encapsulation of chemotherapeutics make liposomes superior to other nanomaterials as drug nanocarriers. Despite ten liposome-drug formulations being approved for the market, none of them concern platinum-based anticancer drugs. This can be due to the problematic multistep synthesis of such systems and the use of ineffective analytical tools for their characterization. Consequently, the current study aims to propose a straightforward protocol for liposome–cisplatin system synthesis as well as a comprehensive method for their characterization based on the combination of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). Although the application of CE-ICP-MS has been reported in previous studies on liposome–cisplatin systems, the advantages of the optimized method proposed in our study include not only the possibility of the direct quantitative monitoring of liposome–metallodrug systems (all analytes of interest) but also their interactions with proteins in close-to-physiological conditions of analysis due to the applied tandem mass mode of the spectrometer. The present approach thereby facilitates overcoming the limitations of the strategies previously described in the literature, especially in the case of sulfur monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three-year study on borage was conducted in Lublin, SE Poland. The aims were to investigate the flowering pattern and abundance, and the attractiveness (in terms of nectar and pollen production) for flower-visiting insects, mainly bees. Insect visitation and the effect of pollinators on fruit set and seed set were assessed as well. Flowering of borage started in the latter half of June and lasted eight weeks. The mean number of flowers · m−2 of the crop was 4570 per season. A borage flower produced on average 4.0 mg of nectar with a mean sugar concentration of 31.5%. The mean total sugar amount secreted in nectar was 1.2 mg. The pollen amount · flower−1 was 1.1 mg. A borage plant can supply insects with 1.1 g of nectar sugars and 1.1 g of pollen. The estimated nectar sugar yield and pollen yield per 1 m2 of the crop were similar, i.e. 5.2 g. Bees accounted for 73.0% of all insect visits to the borage flowers. The presence of insect pollinators increased the fruit set by 43.3% and seed set by 26.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual HCV-RNA can persist in liver tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) long after antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C in patients repeatedly negative for viral RNA in serum. This occult infection associates with impaired immune response and the risk of lymphoproliferative disorders or progressive liver disease. There are currently no monitoring strategies for patients after treatment. We investigated if serum inflammation markers and interferon lambda (IFNL) genotype can be predictors of the presence of HCV-RNA and the replicative HCV-RNA (−) strand in patients who reached sustained virological response after interferon-free therapy. Forty-two consecutive patients who remained HCV-RNA negative in serum 24 weeks after the end of treatment (EOT) and during the follow-up were enrolled. Total HCV-RNA and HCV-RNA (−) strand were detected using ultrasensitive RT-PCR in PBMCs collected 12–15 months after EOT. Polymorphisms within IFNL3–IFNL4 region (rs12979860 and ss469415590) were genotyped with allele-specific PCR. Viral RNA was found in PBMCs from 31 (74%) patients, and of those 29 (69%) were also positive for HCV-RNA (−). Neither normalization of alanine aminotransferase nor IFNL genotype predicted the presence of residual HCV-RNA. A significantly higher neutrocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) 24 weeks after the start of treatment predicted elimination of replicative HCV-RNA strand (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.10–0.86; P = 0.019). Patients with no HCV-RNA (−) in PBMCs showed a greater increase in neutrocyte count between EOT and baseline (P = 0.028). Lack of significant elevation of NLR after therapy with direct-acting antivirals could predict the presence of residual replicative HCV-RNA strand in PBMCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within DNA region containing interferon lambda 3 ( IFNL3) and IFNL4 genes are prognostic factors of treatment response in chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Iron overload, frequently diagnosed in CHC, is associated with unfavorable disease course and a risk of carcinogenesis. Its etiology and relationship with the immune response in CHC are not fully explained. Our aim was to determine whether IFNL polymorphisms in CHC patients associate with body iron indices, and whether they are linked with hepatic expression of genes involved in iron homeostasis and IFN signaling. For 192 CHC patients, four SNPs within IFNL3- IFNL4 region (rs12979860, rs368234815, rs8099917, rs12980275) were genotyped. In 185 liver biopsies, histopathological analyses were performed. Expression of five mRNAs and three long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) was determined with qRT-PCR in 105 liver samples. Rs12979860 TT or rs8099917 GG genotypes as well as markers of serum and hepatocyte iron overload associated with higher activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and liver steatosis. The presence of two minor alleles in any of the tested SNPs predisposed to abnormally high serum iron concentration and correlated with higher hepatic expression of lncRNA NRIR. On the other hand, homozygosity in any major allele associated with higher viral load. Patients bearing rs12979860 CC genotype had lower hepatic expression of hepcidin ( HAMP; P = 0.03). HAMP mRNA level positively correlated with serum iron indices and degree of hepatocyte iron deposits. IFNL polymorphisms influence regulatory pathways of cellular response to IFN and affect body iron balance in chronic hepatitis C virus infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offering more floral resources for urban bees can be achieved by growing ornamental bee plants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate selected Asteraceae ( Calendula officinalis 'Persimmon Beauty' and 'Santana', Centaurea macrocephala, Cosmos sulphureus, Dahlia pinnata, Tagetes patula, Tithonia rotundifolia, and Zinnia elegans) as pollen sources for pollinators. Under urban conditions in Lublin, SE Poland, the investigated plants flowered from late June to the end of October. The mass of pollen produced in florets and capitula was found to be species-related. The highest pollen amounts per 10 florets (10.1 mg) as well as per capitulum (249.7 mg) were found for C. macrocephala. The mass of pollen yielded by a single plant depended on both the pollen mass delivered per disk florets and the proportion of disk florets in capitulum, and the flowering abundance of the plants. A single plant of D. pinnata and a single plant of T. rotundifolia each produced the largest pollen mass. Mean pollen yield per 1m2 of a plot ranged from 6.2 g ( Z. elegans) to 60.7 g (D. pinnata). Pollen grains are tricolporate, with echinate exine, medium or small in size. They can be categorised as oblatespherical, spherical, and prolatespherical. The principal visitors to C. macrocephala, C. sulphureus, and C. officinalis were honey bees, whereas bumble bees dominated on T. rotundifolia and D. pinnata. A magnet plant for butterflies was Z. elegans. Among the investigated species, D. pinnata, C. macrocephala, and T. rotundifolia were found to be the most valuable sources of pollen flow for managed and wild bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen samples of honeys which were harvested over several beekeeping seasons from apiaries located in the area of the 'Kózki' Nature Reserve (central-eastern Poland) were the subject of the present study. The 'Kózki' Nature Reserve is included in the European Ecological Network Natura 2000 program. A microscopic analysis of the pollen sediment in the honeys showed the presence of 61 pollen types from 32 botanical families in the investigated material. There were represented by nectariferous (72.1%) and nonnectariferous plants (27.9%) and both entomophilous and anemophilous ones. The total number of pollen taxa in individual samples ranged from 13 to 37. The main sources of nectar from trees and shrubs were: Frangula alnus, Prunus, Robinia pseudacacia, Rubus, Salix, Tilia. The main sources of nectar from herbaceous plants were: Anthriscus, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Centaurea cyanus, Taraxacum, and Trifolium repens. Four unifloral honeys (three fruit tree honeys and one lime honey) and fourteen multifloral honeys, with a significant percentage of pollen from several nectariferous plant taxa, were distinguished in the studied material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the conditions of Lublin (central-eastern Poland), observations were conducted on the flowering of Caragana arborescens shrubs for two growth seasons as well as nectar and pollen production by the flowers of this species was investigated. The flowering period of Caragana arborescens began at the turn of April and May and lasted for 24 days, while for a single flower it was 6.30 ± 0.79 days. The average weight of nectar, sugars and pollen produced by 10 Siberian peashrub flowers was, respectively: 46.70 ± 8.39 mg, 22.79 ± 6.10 mg, and 4.45 ± 0.34 mg. The nectar sugar concentration amounted 49.60 ± 10.08%. Pollen grains reached average dimensions of 21.94 ± 0.76 µm x 21.52 ± 0.71 µm. During a growing season, one Caragana arborescens shrub can provide on average 101.8 g of nectar, 49.7 g of sugars, and 9.7 g of pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spherical gold nanoparticles (GNPs), whose unique properties regarding biomedical applications were broadly investigated, are an object of interest as nanocarriers in drug targeted delivery systems (DTDSs). The possibility of surface functionalization, especially in enabling longer half-life in the bloodstream and enhancing cellular uptake, provides an opportunity to overcome the limitations of popular anticancer drugs (such as cisplatin) that cause severe side effects due to their nonselective transportation. Herein, we present investigations of gold nanoparticle–cisplatin systems formation (regarding reaction kinetics and equilibrium) in which it was proved that the formation efficiency and stability strongly depend on the nanoparticle surface functionalization. In this study, the capillary electrophoresis hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (CE-ICP-MS/MS) was used for the first time to monitor gold–drug nanoconjugates formation. The research included optimizing CE separation conditions and determining reaction kinetics using the CE-ICP-MS/MS developed method. To characterize nanocarriers and portray changes in their physicochemical properties induced by the surface's processes, additional hydrodynamic size and ζ-potential by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were carried out. The examinations of three types of functionalized GNPs (GNP-PEG-COOH, GNP-PEG-OCH3, and GNP-PEG-biotin) distinguished the essential differences in drug binding efficiency and nanoconjugate stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a notion of substitutions in food recipes and their ontology design pattern. We build upon state-of-the-art models for food and process. We also present scenarios and examples for the design pattern. Finally, the pattern is mapped to available and relevant domain ontologies and made publicly available at the ontologydesignpatterns.org portal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study on the flowering biology and pollen production of the common laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides Med.) was conducted under the conditions of Lublin during the period 2004 - 2006. The flowering of this species began in the second 10-day period of May and lasted for 2.5 - 4 weeks. The flowers of common laburnum are borne in showy golden-yellow pendulous racemes. They develop successively, starting from the base and moving to the tip of an inflorescence. During the growing season, one shrub produces 800 to 3200 racemes, with 14 to 35 flowers in a single raceme. On average, the flowering duration for a raceme was 12.8 days and 8.7 days for a single flower. Throughout the study years, the shrubs proved to be most attractive in the third 10-day period of May when they reached full bloom. The average weight of pollen produced was 6.08 mg per 10 flowers of Laburnum anagyroides, 14.02 mg per raceme, and 26.0 g per shrub. Pollen grains reached average dimensions of 24.01 μm × 24.26 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustained virologic response and elimination of HCV is widely viewed as a true cure of chronic hepatitis C as it associates with amelioration of histological liver damage and improved clinical outcomes. Therefore, the existence and clinical burden of occult HCV infection (OCI) has been a controversial issue for many years. In this review, we summarize recently published data that adds new information on the molecular and clinical background of OCI and its epidemiological significance. We also identify and discuss the most important methodological pitfalls, which can be a source of inconsistency between studies. Data that have accumulated so far, strongly support the existence of extrahepatic HCV replication in individuals negative for serum HCV-RNA by conventional clinical tests. OCI emerges as a condition where the immune system is unable to fully resolve infection but it is continuously stimulated by low levels of HCV antigens, leading to progression of liver pathology and extrahepatic HCV-related complications. Moreover, the development of monitoring strategies or management guidelines for OCI is still hampered by the lack of clear definition and the confusion regarding its clinical significance. Careful study design and the introduction of uniform protocols for the detection of low-level HCV-RNA are crucial for obtaining reliable data on OCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of mobile electronics and increased aerospace interest, multifunctional materials such as the polymer composites reported here are interesting alternatives to conventional materials, offering reduced cost and size of an electrical device packaging. We report a detailed study of an ecological and dual-functional polymer composite for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and heat management applications. We studied a series of polylactic acid/graphene nanoplatelet composites with six graphene nanoplatelet loadings, up to 15 wt%, and three different flake lateral sizes (0.2, 5 and 25 μm). The multifunctionality of the composites is realized via high EMI shielding efficiency exceeding 40 dB per 1 mm thick sample and thermal conductivity of 1.72 W/mK at 15 wt% nanofiller loading. The EMI shielding efficiency measurements were conducted in the microwave range between 0.2 to 12 GHz, consisting of the highly relevant X-band (8–12 GHz). Additionally, we investigate the influence of the nanofiller lateral size on the studied physical properties to optimize the studied functionalities per given nanofiller loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we developed boron-rich nanoparticles that can be used for boron neutron capture therapy as potential carriers for boron delivery to cancerous tissues. Functionalized carbonated boron nitride nanostructures (CBNs) were successfully synthesized in self-propagating combustion waves in mixtures of high-nitrogen explosives and boron compounds. The products' composition, morphology, and structural features were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen sorption analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The extreme conditions prevailing in combustion waves favor the formation of nanosized CBN hollow grains with highly disordered structures that are properly functionalized on the surface and inside the particles. Therefore, they are characterized by high porosity and good dispersibility in water, which are necessary for medical applications. During biological tests, a concentration-dependent effect of the obtained boron nitride preparations on the viability of normal and neoplastic cells was demonstrated. Moreover, the assessment of the degree of binding of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles to selected cells confirmed the relationships between the cell types and the concentration of the preparation at different incubation time points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus infection is associated with many extrahepatic manifestations such as mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC). Renal manifestation of HCV infection might present as cryo-positive membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN). First-line therapy includes antiviral treatment as the underlying infection leads to formation of immune complexes. After introducing direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) cure rates of HCV infection increased. Sustained virologic response (SVR) is defined as the absence of HCV RNA in serum by a sensitive test performed 12 or 24 weeks after the end of antiviral treatment. Although HCV RNA is undetectable in the serum, it may be present in hepatocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (occult HCV infection). However, the impact of DAA treatment on occult HCV infection is not clear. We report a case of recurrence of MC with MPGN and development of lymphoproliferative disorder 2 years after achieving SVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron carbide is one of the hardest materials in the world which can be synthesized by various methods. The most common one is a carbothermic or magnesiothermic reduction of B2O3 performed at high temperatures, where the obtained powder still requires grinding and purification. The goal of this research is to present the possibility of synthesizing B4C nanoparticles from elements via vapor deposition and modifying the morphology of the obtained powders, particularly those synthesized at high temperatures. B4C nanoparticles were synthesized in the process of direct synthesis from boron and carbon powders heated at the temperature of 1650 °C for 2 h under argon and characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and dynamic light scattering measurements. The physicochemical characteristics of B4C nanoparticles were determined, including the diffusion coefficients, hydrodynamic diameter, electrophoretic mobilities, and zeta potentials. An evaluation of the obtained B4C nanoparticles was performed on several human and mouse cell lines, showing the relation between the cytotoxicity effect and the size of the synthesized nanoparticles. Assessing the suitability of the synthesized B4C for further modifications in terms of its applicability in boron neutron capture therapy was the overarching goal of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Pathological iron overload is commonly found in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and considered as a negative prognostic factor of the disease. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs884409 in duodenal cytochrome b gene ( CYBRD1) is implicated in the pathogenesis of hemochromatosis. In our study we investigated the impact of the CYBRD1 genotype and expression on iron overload in CHC patients. Methods Liver biopsy specimens and whole blood samples from 243 patients with CHC were included in the study. Iron deposits in hepatocytes, serum markers of iron overload, and expression profile of gene-regulators of iron homeostasis were analyzed. Genotyping and analysis of gene expression of the CYBRD1 were performed. The frequency of SNP and the expression levels of CYBRD1 were compared between the groups of patients with and without markers of iron overload. Results The single nucleotide variant rs884409 G was associated with elevated serum iron levels, increased markers of liver inflammation, and oxidative stress. Hepatic expression of CYBRD1 was associated with the expression of Tfr2, Id1, and HO-1 genes, serum ferritin levels, and with increased iron accumulation in liver. Conclusion These results implicate CYBRD1 involvement in iron homeostasis in CHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study the peels of ecologically grown apple (Malus domestica) cultivars: Gold Milenium (a new scab‐resistant variety) and Papierowka (Papirovka; an old, sensitive to apple scab variety) were examined for their composition (phenolic compounds, triterpenoids, simple organic acids, macro-, microelements, reducing sugars, l-ascorbic acid), pro- and antioxidant properties as well as their application in reduction of the oxidative stress in cultured human skin fibroblast. The higher content of phenolic compounds correlated with the greater pro- and antioxidant activity of the peels of Papierowka compared to Gold Milenium in DPPH·, ABTS+, FRAP and CUPRAC assays as well as an ability to inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The quantity of the compounds strongly depended on the type of extraction. The extract of Papierowka peels possessed much higher amount of phenolic compounds compared to Gold Milenium (Papierowka: 3.68 ± 0.20 mg/g peel ultrasound assisted extraction (u.a.e); 2.02 ± 0.13 mg/g peel conventional extraction (c.e.); Gold Milenium: 1.46 ± 0.19 mg/g peel u.a.e; 1.15 ± 0.04 mg/g peel c.e. according the HPLC measurement). The pro-oxidant activity of the extract from Papierowka peels can be correlated with the content of phenolic compounds and metal ions as well. The apple peel extract is promising agent reducing the oxidative stress in skin fibroblast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a surfactant-free exfoliation method of WS2 flakes combined with a vacuum filtration method to fabricate thin (<50 nm) WS2 films, that can be transferred on any arbitrary substrate. Films are composed of thin (<4 nm) single flakes, forming a large size uniform film, verified by AFM and SEM. Using statistical phonons investigation, we demonstrate structural quality and uniformity of the film sample and we provide first-order temperature coefficient χ, which shows linear dependence over 300–450 K temperature range. Electrical measurements show film sheet resistance RS = 48 MΩ/□ and also reveal two energy band gaps related to the intrinsic architecture of the thin film. Finally, we show that optical transmission/absorption is rich above the bandgap exhibiting several excitonic resonances, and nearly feature-less below the bandgap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer–matrix composites degrade under the influence of UV radiation in the range of the 290–400 nm band. The degradation of polymer–matrix composites exposed to UV radiation is characterized by extensive aging of the epoxy matrix, resulting in deterioration of their mechanical properties. Glass fibers/epoxy resin composites were made by an out-of-autoclave method whereas a fiber optic sensor was placed between different layers of laminates. In our work, we used a fiber Bragg grating sensor covered with graphene oxide and embedded in a polymer matrix composite to monitor UV radiation intensity. Measurements of UV radiation may allow monitoring the aging process of individual components of the polymer composite. In order to estimate the number of microcracks of epoxy resin, microstructure observations were carried out using a scanning electron microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]