Biomolecular evidence reveals mares and long-distance imported horses sacrificed by the last pagans in temperate Europe

Horse sacrifice and deposition are enigmatic features of funerary rituals identified across prehistoric Europe that persisted in the eastern Baltic. Genetic and isotopic analysis of horses in Balt cemeteries [1st to 13th centuries CE (Common Era)] dismantle prevailing narratives that locally procured stallions were exclusively selected. Strontium isotope analysis provides direct evidence for long-distance (~300 to 1500 kilometers) maritime transport of Fennoscandian horses to the eastern Baltic in the Late Viking Age (11th to 13th centuries CE). Genetic analysis proves that horses of both sexes were sacrificed with 34% identified as mares. Results transform the understanding of selection criteria, disprove sex-based selection, and elevate prestige value as a more crucial factor. These findings also provide evidence that the continued interaction between pagans and their newly Christianized neighbors sustained the performance of funerary horse sacrifice until the medieval transition. We also present a reference 87Sr/86Sr isoscape for the southeastern Baltic, releasing the potential of future mobility studies in the region.

Accelerating Pythonic Coupled-Cluster Implementations: A Comparison Between CPUs and GPUs

In this work, we benchmark several Python routines for time and memory requirements to identify the optimal choice of the tensor contraction operations available. We scrutinize how to accelerate the bottleneck tensor operations of Pythonic coupled-cluster implementations in the Cholesky linear algebra domain, utilizing a NVIDIA Tesla V100S PCIe 32GB (rev 1a) graphics processing unit (GPU). The NVIDIA compute unified device architecture API interacts with CuPy, an open-source library for Python, designed as a NumPy drop-in replacement for GPUs. Due to the limitations of video memory, the GPU calculations must be performed batch-wise. Timing results of some contractions containing large tensors are presented. The CuPy implementation leads to a factor of 10-16 speed-up of the bottleneck tensor contractions compared to computations on 36 central processing unit (CPU) cores. Finally, we compare example CCSD and pCCD-LCCSD calculations performed solely on CPUs to their CPU-GPU hybrid implementation, which leads to a speed-up of a factor of 3-4 compared to the CPU-only variant.

The Multifaceted Roles of Bovine Lactoferrin: Molecular Structure, Isolation Methods, Analytical Characteristics, and Biological Properties

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is widely known as an iron-binding glycoprotein from the transferrin family. The bLF molecule exhibits a broad spectrum of biological activity, including iron delivery, antimicrobial, antiviral, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antitumor, and prebiotic functions, thereby making it one of the most valuable representatives for biomedical applications. Remarkably, LF functionality might completely differ in dependence on the iron saturation state and glycosylation patterns. Recently, a violently growing demand for bLF production has been observed, mostly for infant formulas, dietary supplements, and functional food formulations. Unfortunately, one of the reasons that inhibit the development of the bLF market and widespread protein implementation is related to its negligible amount in both major sources─colostrum and mature milk. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the significance of bLF research by delineating the key structural characteristics of the protein and elucidating their impact on its physicochemical and biological properties. Progress in the development of optimal isolation techniques for bLF is critically assessed, alongside the challenges that arise during its production. Furthermore, this paper presents a curated list of the most relevant instrumental techniques for the characterization of bLF. Lastly, it discusses the prospective applications and future directions for bLF-based formulations, highlighting their potential in various fields.

Selecting High-Dimensional Representations of Physical Systems by Reweighted Diffusion Maps

Constructing reduced representations of high-dimensional systems is a fundamental problem in physical chemistry. Many unsupervised machine learning methods can automatically find such low-dimensional representations. However, an often overlooked problem is what high-dimensional representation should be used to describe systems before dimensionality reduction. Here, we address this issue using a recently developed method called the reweighted diffusion map [J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2022, 18, 7179-7192]. We show how high-dimensional representations can be quantitatively selected by exploring the spectral decomposition of Markov transition matrices built from data obtained from standard or enhanced sampling atomistic simulations. We demonstrate the performance of the method in several high-dimensional examples.

Synthesis and Surface Properties of Piperidinium-Based Herbicidal Ionic Liquids as a Potential Tool for Weed Control

A series of piperidinium-based herbicidal ionic liquids (HILs) were synthesized and investigated. The designed HILs, obtained with high yields, consisted of cation 1-alkyl-1-methylpiperidinium with surface activity and a commercially available herbicidal anion: (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy)benzoates (dicamba). The above-mentioned compounds were characterized in terms of surface activity and phytotoxicity. Preliminary results were obtained at higher wettability for all HILs when compared to the wettability of commercial Dicash, with HIL having 18 atoms in the carbon chain being the best effectiveness in wetting surfaces (weeds and crop leaves), whereby a drop of HILs with short alkyl chains (C₈-C₁₀) could not slide down a leaf. Our findings present that wettability or mobility of HILs drops varied depending on the plant species. Moreover, in this study, by zeta potential and atomic force microscopy measurements, we provide conclusive evidence to demonstrate that alkyl chain elongation plays a significant role in the evolution of surface properties of HILs.

Noncentrosymmetric Lanthanide-Based MOF Materials Exhibiting Strong SHG Activity and NIR Luminescence of Er3+: Application in Nonlinear Optical Thermometry

Optically active luminescent materials based on lanthanide ions attract significant attention due to their unique spectroscopic properties, nonlinear optical activity, and the possibility of application as contactless sensors. Lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) that exhibit strong second-harmonic generation (SHG) and are optically active in the NIR region are unexpectedly underrepresented. Moreover, such Ln-MOFs require ligands that are chiral and/or need multistep synthetic procedures. Here, we show that the NIR pulsed laser irradiation of the noncentrosymmetric, isostructural Ln-MOF materials (MOF-Er³⁺ (1) and codoped MOF-Yb³⁺/Er³⁺ (2)) that are constructed from simple, achiral organic substrates in a one-step procedure results in strong and tunable SHG activity. The SHG signals could be easily collected, exciting the materials in a broad NIR spectral range, from ≈800 to 1500 nm, resulting in the intense color of emission, observed in the entire visible spectral region. Moreover, upon excitation in the range of ≈900 to 1025 nm, the materials also exhibit the NIR luminescence of Er³⁺ ions, centered at ≈1550 nm. The use of a 975 nm pulse excitation allows simultaneous observations of the conventional NIR emission of Er³⁺ and the SHG signal, altogether tuned by the composition of the Ln-MOF materials. Taking the benefits of different thermal responses of the mentioned effects, we have developed a nonlinear optical thermometer based on lanthanide-MOF materials. In this system, the SHG signal decreases with temperature, whereas the NIR emission band of Er³⁺ slightly broadens, allowing ratiometric (Er³⁺ NIR 1550 nm/SHG 488 nm) temperature monitoring. Our study provides a groundwork for the rational design of readily available and self-monitoring NLO-active Ln-MOFs with the desired optical and electronic properties.

Achiral Nanoparticle-Enhanced Chiral Twist and Thermal Stability of Blue Phase Liquid Crystals

Blue phase liquid crystals (BPLCs) are chiral mesophases with 3D order, which makes them a promising template for doping nanoparticles (NPs), yielding tunable nanomaterials attractive for microlasers and numerous microsensor applications. However, doping NPs to BPLCs causes BP lattice extension, which translates to elongation of operating wavelengths of light reflection. Here, it is demonstrated that small (2.4 nm diameter) achiral gold (Au) NPs decorated with designed LC-like ligands can enhance the chiral twist of BPLCs (i.e., reduce cell size of the single BP unit up to ∼14% and ∼7% for BPI and BPII, respectively), translating to a blue-shift of Bragg reflection. Doping NPs also significantly increases the thermal stability of BPs from 5.5 °C (for undoped BPLC) up to 22.8 °C (for doped BPLC). In line with our expectations, both effects are saturated, and their magnitude depends on the concentration of investigated nanodopants as well the BP phase type. Our research highlights the critical role of functionalization of Au NPs on the phase sequence of BPLCs. We show that inappropriate selection of surface ligands can destabilize BPs. Our BPLC and Au NPs are photochemically stable and exhibit great miscibility, preventing NP aggregation in the BPLC matrix over the long term. We believe that our findings will improve the fabrication of advanced nanomaterials into 3D periodic soft photonic structures.

Hydrogen-Bonding Motifs in Adducts of Allylamine with the 10 Simplest n-Alcohols: Single-Crystal X-ray Diffraction Studies and Computational Analysis

In this paper, we analyzed the homologous series of 10 allylamine adducts with n-alcohols from methanol to decanol. These are the first adduct structures containing aliphatic n-alcohols and an aliphatic amine as co-formers. While all of the ingredients are liquids under ambient conditions, the phases were synthesized with the use of the in situ crystallization technique assisted by IR laser-focused radiation at atmospheric pressure. The structures were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. All of the phases contain the amine and alcohol in a 1:1 ratio. The architecture of the structures, based on hydrogen-bonding interactions between NH₂ and OH moieties, depends on the size of the alcohol and changes in a systematic way. The three smallest alcohol adducts contain centrosymmetric layers of molecules of the L4(4)8(8) type. The next four alcohol adducts have the T4(2) topology. The structures with the biggest alcohols contain non-centrosymmetric L6(6) layers. The structural investigations were supported by periodic DFT calculations at the B3LYP/pobTZVP level. The cohesive and adhesive energies made up of layer (E _lbe) and ribbon (E _rbe) binding energies were used to predict which type of architecture can be formed. The thermal stabilities of the adducts correlate with the melting points of the co-forming alcohols, with no evident relation to the adduct architecture.

Crystal Structure Survey and Theoretical Analysis of Bifurcated Halogen Bonds

The possibility that two Lewis bases can share a single halogen atom within the context of a bifurcated halogen bond (XB) is explored first by a detailed examination of the CSD. Of the more than 22,000 geometries that fit the definition of an XB (with X = Cl, Br, I), less than 2% are bifurcated. There is a heavy weighting of I in such bifurcated arrangements as opposed to Br, which prefers monofurcated bonds. The conversion from mono to bifurcated is associated with a smaller number of short contact distances, as well as a trend toward lesser linearity. The two XBs within a bifurcated system are somewhat symmetrical: the two lengths generally differ by less than 0.05 Å, and the two XB angles are within several degrees of one another. Quantum calculations of model systems reflect the patterns observed in crystals and reinforce the idea that the negative cooperativity within a bifurcated XB weakens and lengthens each individual bond.

Hopping or Tunneling? Tailoring the Electron Transport Mechanisms through Hydrogen Bonding Geometry in the Boron-Doped Diamond Molecular Junctions

Mechanisms of charge transport in molecular junctions involving hydrogen bonds are complex and remain mostly unclear. This study is focused on the elucidation of the electron transfer in a molecular device consisting of two boron-doped diamond interfaces bound with an aromatic linker and a hydrogen bonding surrogating molecule. The projected local density of states (PLODS) analysis coupled with transmission spectra and current-voltage (I-V) simulations show that hydrogen bonding through electron-donating hydroxyl groups in the aromatic linker facilitates electron transfer, while the electron-withdrawing carboxyl group inhibits electron transfer across the junction. Moreover, slight variations in the geometry of hydrogen bonding lead to significant changes in the alignment of the energy levels and positions of the transmission modes. As a result, we observe the switching of the electron transport mechanism from tunneling to hopping accompanied by a change in the shape of the I-V curves and current magnitudes. These results give important information on the tailoring of the electronic properties of molecular junctions.

Operando Monitoring of Local pH Value Changes at the Carbon Electrode Surface in Neutral Sulfate-Based Aqueous Electrochemical Capacitors

The operando monitoring of pH during the charging and discharging of an electrochemical capacitor in an aqueous neutral salt solution is presented. Proper knowledge of transient and limiting pH values allows for a better understanding of the phenomena that take place during capacitor operation. It also enables the proper assignment of the reaction potentials responsible for water decomposition. It is shown that the pH inside the capacitor is strongly potential-dependent and different for individual electrodes; therefore, the values of the evolution potentials of hydrogen and oxygen cannot be precisely calculated based only on the initial pH of the electrolyte. The operando measurements indicate that the pH at the positive electrode reaches 4, while at the negative electrode, it is 8.5, which in theory could shift the theoretical operating voltage well beyond 1.23 V. On the other hand, high voltage cannot be easily maintained since the electrolyte of both electrode vicinities is subjected to mixing. Operando gas monitoring measurements show that the evolution of electrolysis byproducts occurs even below the theoretical decomposition voltage. These reactions are important in maintaining a voltage-advantaged pH difference within the cell. At the same time, the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurements indicated that the ions governing the pH (OH^-) that initially accumulated in the vicinity of the positive electrode enter the carbon porosity, losing their pH-governing abilities. pH fluctuations in the cell are important and play a vital role in the description of its performance during the cyclability at a given voltage. This is especially noticeable in cell floating at 1.3 V, where the pH difference between electrodes is the highest (6 units). The increase of the electrode separation distance acts similarly to the introduction of a semipermeable membrane toward the increase of the capacitor cycle life. During floating at 1.6 V, where the pH difference is not as high anymore (4 units), the influence of separation in terms of electrode stability, although present, is less notable.

Tailoring Diffusional Fields in Zwitterion/Dopamine Copolymer Electropolymerized at Carbon Nanowalls for Sensitive Recognition of Neurotransmitters

The importance of neurotransmitter sensing in the diagnosis and treatment of many psychological illnesses and neurodegenerative diseases is non-negotiable. For electrochemical sensors to become widespread and accurate, a long journey must be undertaken for each device, from understanding the materials at the molecular level to real applications in biological fluids. We report a modification of diamondized boron-doped carbon nanowalls (BCNWs) with an electropolymerized polydopamine/polyzwitterion (PDA|PZ) coating revealing tunable mechanical and electrochemical properties. Zwitterions are codeposited with PDA and noncovalently incorporated into a structure. This approach causes a specific separation of the diffusion fields generated by each nanowall during electrochemical reactions, thus increasing the contribution of the steady-state currents in the amperometric response. This phenomenon has a profound effect on the sensing properties, leading to a 4-fold enhancement of the sensitivity (3.1 to 14.3 μA cm^-2 μM^-1) and a 5-fold decrease of the limit of detection (505 to 89 nM) in comparison to the pristine BCNWs. Moreover, as a result of the antifouling capabilities of the incorporated zwitterions, this enhancement is preserved in bovine serum albumin (BSA) with a high protein concentration. The presence of zwitterion facilitates the transport of dopamine in the direction of the electrode by intermolecular interactions such as cation-π and hydrogen bonds. On the other hand, polydopamine units attached to the surface form molecular pockets driven by hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions. As a result, the intermediate state of dopamine-analyte oxidation is stabilized, leading to the enhancement of the sensing properties.

Selective Detection of Carbon Monoxide on P-Block Doped Monolayers of MoTe2

CO and CO2 are among the most commonly monitored gases. However, the currently available semiconductor sensors require heating to ∼400 °C in order to operate effectively. This increases the power demand and shortens their lifespan. Consequently, new material prospects are being investigated. The adoption of novel two-dimensional layered materials is one of the pursued solutions. MoS2 and MoTe2 sheets have already been shown sensitive to NO2 and NH3 even at room temperature. However, their response to other compounds is limited. Hence, this work investigates, by employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the doping of Al, Si, P, S, and Cl atoms into the Te vacancy of MoTe2, and its impact on the sensing characteristics for CO and CO2. The computations predict that P doping significantly enhances the molecule-sheet charge transfer (up to +436%) while having only a little effect on the adsorption energy (molecular dynamics show that the molecule can effectively diffuse at 300 K). On the other hand, the doping has a limited impact on the adsorption of CO2. The relative (CO/CO2) response of P-doped MoTe2 is 5.6 compared to the 1.5 predicted for the pristine sheet. Thus, the doping should allow for more selective detection of CO in CO/CO2 mixtures.

Electrochemically Initiated Synthesis of Polyacrylamide Microgels and Core-shell Particles

Herein, we developed a simple procedure for synthesizing micrometer-sized microgel particles as a suspension in an aqueous solution and thin films deposited as shells on different inorganic cores. A sufficiently high constant potential was applied to the working electrode to commence the initiator decomposition that resulted in gelation. Under hydrodynamic conditions, this initiation allowed preparing different morphology microgels at room temperature. Importantly, neither heating nor UV-light illumination was needed to initiate the polymerization. Moreover, thin films of the cross-linked gel were anchored on different core substrates, including silica and magnetic nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy imaging confirmed the microgel particles' and films' irregular shape and porous structure. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the core coating with the microgel film was successful. Dynamic light scattering measured the micrometer size of gel particles with different combinations of acrylic monomers. Thermogravimetric analysis and the first-derivative thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the microgels' thermal stability of different compositions was different. Fourier-transform infrared and 13C NMR spectroscopy showed successful copolymerization of the main, functional, and cross-linking monomers.

Body Image During Pregnancy in the Era of Coronavirus Disease 2019: The Role of Heterogeneous Patterns of Perceived Social Support

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the profiles of pregnant women on perceived social support with regard to sociodemographic variables, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related distress issues, and body image. We compared the aforementioned relationships within the study variables between pregnant women and a control group of non-pregnant women. Method: The study sample comprised 345 women, 157 pregnant women, and 188 women in the control group. Participants filled out paper-and-pencil or online psychometric questionnaires to assess the variables analyzed in our research. Results: Latent profile analysis revealed six profiles of pregnant women based on perceived social support, which varied in terms of body image evaluation. The high-support profile differed from the profiles with the lowest scores in all support domains. Significant differences in body image between the profiles of pregnant women and the control group were noted. Conclusion: Understanding the mechanisms through which women can attain more body satisfaction during pregnancy is an important research topic that can inspire planning for more effective psychological help, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and related psychological distress.

Light-Induced Modulation of Chiral Functions in G-Quadruplex-Photochrome Systems

The design of artificially engineered chiral structures has received much attention, but the implementation of dynamic functions to modulate the chiroptical response of the systems is less explored. Here, we present a light-responsive G-quadruplex (G4)-based assembly in which chirality enrichment is induced, tuned, and fueled by molecular switches. In particular, the mirror-image dependence on photoactivated azo molecules, undergoing trans-to-cis isomerization, shows chiral recognition effects on the inherent flexibility and conformational diversity of DNA G4s having distinct handedness (right- and left-handed). Through a detailed experimental and computational analysis, we bring compelling evidence on the binding mode of the photochromes on G4s, and we rationalize the origin of the chirality effect that is associated with the complexation event.

Timing of charge migration in betaine by impact of fast atomic ions

The way molecules break after ion bombardment is intimately related to the early electron dynamics generated in the system, in particular, charge (or electron) migration. We exploit the natural positive-negative charge splitting in the zwitterionic molecule betaine to selectively induce double electron removal from its negatively charged side by impact of fast O6+ ions. The loss of two electrons in this localized region of the molecular skeleton triggers a competition between direct Coulomb explosion and charge migration that is examined to obtain temporal information from ion-ion coincident measurements and nonadiabatic molecular dynamics calculations. We find a charge migration time, from one end of the molecule to the other, of approximately 20 to 40 femtoseconds. This migration time is longer than that observed in molecules irradiated by ultrashort light pulses and is the consequence of charge migration being driven by adiabatic nuclear dynamics in the ground state of the molecular dication.

Capillary Ionization and Jumps of Capacitive Energy Stored in Mesopores

We study ionic liquid-solvent mixtures in slit-shaped nanopores wider than a few ion diameters. Using a continuum theory and generic thermodynamic reasoning, we reveal that such systems can undergo a capillary ionization transition. At this transition, the pores spontaneously ionize or deionize upon infinitesimal changes of temperature, slit width, or voltage. Our calculations show that a voltage applied to a pore may induce a capillary ionization, which-counterintuitively-is followed by a re-entrant deionization as the voltage increases. We find that such ionization transitions produce sharp jumps in the accumulated charge and stored energy, which may find useful applications in energy storage and heat-to-energy conversion.

Neuromorphic Binarized Polariton Networks

The rapid development of artificial neural networks and applied artificial intelligence has led to many applications. However, current software implementation of neural networks is severely limited in terms of performance and energy efficiency. It is believed that further progress requires the development of neuromorphic systems, in which hardware directly mimics the neuronal network structure of a human brain. Here, we propose theoretically and realize experimentally an optical network of nodes performing binary operations. The nonlinearity required for efficient computation is provided by semiconductor microcavities in the strong quantum light-matter coupling regime, which exhibit exciton-polariton interactions. We demonstrate the system performance against a pattern recognition task, obtaining accuracy on a par with state-of-the-art hardware implementations. Our work opens the way to ultrafast and energy-efficient neuromorphic systems taking advantage of ultrastrong optical nonlinearity of polaritons.

Semantic segmentation of human oocyte images using deep neural networks

BACKGROUND

Infertility is a significant problem of humanity. In vitro fertilisation is one of the most effective and frequently applied ART methods. The effectiveness IVF depends on the assessment and selection of gametes and embryo with the highest developmental potential. The subjective nature of morphological assessment of oocytes and embryos is still one of the main reasons for seeking effective and objective methods for assessing quality in automatic manner. The most promising methods to automatic classification of oocytes and embryos are based on image analysis aided by machine learning techniques. The special attention is paid on deep neural networks that can be used as classifiers solving the problem of automatic assessment of the oocytes/embryos.

METHODS

This paper deals with semantic segmentation of human oocyte images using deep neural networks in order to develop new version of the predefined neural networks. Deep semantic oocyte segmentation networks can be seen as medically oriented predefined networks understanding the content of the image. The research presented in the paper is focused on the performance comparison of different types of convolutional neural networks for semantic oocyte segmentation. In the case study, the merits and limitations of the selected deep neural networks are analysed.

RESULTS

71 deep neural models were analysed. The best score was obtained for one of the variants of DeepLab-v3-ResNet-18 model, when the training accuracy (Acc) reached about 85% for training patterns and 79% for validation ones. The weighted intersection over union (wIoU) and global accuracy (gAcc) for test patterns were calculated, as well. The obtained values of these quality measures were 0,897 and 0.93, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The obtained results prove that the proposed approach can be applied to create deep neural models for semantic oocyte segmentation with the high accuracy guaranteeing their usage as the predefined networks in other tasks.

High-Pressure Sorption of Hydrogen in Urea

Hydrogen sorption in urea C(NH₂)₂O has been probed by direct measurements in Sievert's apparatus at 7.23 and 11.12 MPa as well as by Raman spectroscopy for the sample compressed and heated in a high-pressure gas-loaded diamond-anvil cell up to 14 GPa. Both these methods consistently indicate the occurrence of small nonstoichiometric sorption of hydrogen in urea phase I. The compression of urea in hydrogen affects the Raman shifts of the C-N bending mode δ and the stretching mode υ_s. The sorption affects the H₂ vibron position too. The sorption of 1.3 × 10^-2 at 11.12 MPa corresponds to a stochastic distribution of H₂ molecules in channel pores of urea. The mechanism leading to this stochastic sorption involves strong correlations between the swollen nanodot regions around the pores accommodating H₂ molecules and the squeezed neighboring pores too narrow to act as possible sorption sites. This study on the hydrogen-bonded framework (HOF) of urea marks the smallest pores capable of absorbing hydrogen documented so far. This observation also reveals a new class of compounds, which is located between those that absorb large stoichiometric amounts of certain guest molecules and those that do not absorb them at all, namely, the group of compounds that absorb the guests in a stochastic manner.

Innovations in anaerobic digestion: a model-based study

BACKGROUND

Increasing the efficiency of the biogas production process is possible by modifying the technological installations of the biogas plant. In this study, specific solutions based on a mathematical model that lead to favorable results were proposed. Three configurations were considered: classical anaerobic digestion (AD) and its two modifications, two-phase AD (TPAD) and autogenerative high-pressure digestion (AHPD). The model has been validated based on measurements from a biogas plant located in Poland. Afterward, the TPAD and AHPD concepts were numerically tested for the same volume and feeding conditions.

RESULTS

The TPAD system increased the overall biogas production from 9.06 to 9.59%, depending on the feedstock composition, while the content of methane was slightly lower in the whole production chain. On the other hand, the AHPD provided the best purity of the produced fuel, in which a methane content value of 82.13% was reached. At the same time, the overpressure leads to a decrease of around 7.5% in the volumetric production efficiency. The study indicated that the dilution of maize silage with pig manure, instead of water, can have significant benefits in the selected configurations. The content of pig slurry strengthens the impact of the selected process modifications-in the first case, by increasing the production efficiency, and in the second, by improving the methane content in the biogas.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed mathematical model of the AD process proved to be a valuable tool for the description and design of biogas plant. The analysis shows that the overall impact of the presented process modifications is mutually opposite. The feedstock composition has a moderate and unsteady impact on the production profile, in the tested modifications. The dilution with pig manure, instead of water, leads to a slightly better efficiency in the classical configuration. For the TPAD process, the trend is very similar, but the AHPD biogas plant indicates a reverse tendency. Overall, the recommendation from this article is to use the AHPD concept if the composition of the biogas is the most important. In the case in which the performance is the most important factor, it is favorable to use the TPAD configuration.

The oxytocin-prostaglandins pathways in the horse (Equus caballus) placenta during pregnancy, physiological parturition, and parturition with fetal membrane retention

Despite their importance in mammalian reproduction, substances in the oxytocin-prostaglandins pathways have not been investigated in the horse placenta during most of pregnancy and parturition. Therefore, we quantified placental content of oxytocin (OXT), oxytocin receptor (OXTR), and prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha during days 90-240 of pregnancy (PREG), physiological parturition (PHYS), and parturition with fetal membrane retention (FMR) in heavy draft horses (PREG = 13, PHYS = 11, FMR = 10). We also quantified OXTR and prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-2 (PTGS2) mRNA expression and determined the immunolocalization of OXT, OXTR, and PTGS2. For relative quantification of OXT and OXTR, we used western blotting with densitometry. To quantify the prostaglandins, we used enzyme immunoassays. For relative quantification of OXTR and PTGS2, we used RT-qPCR. For immunolocalization of OXT, OXTR, and PTGS2, we used immunohistochemistry. We found that OXT was present in cells of the allantochorion and endometrium in all groups. PTGS2 expression in the allantochorion was 14.7-fold lower in FMR than in PHYS (p = 0.007). These results suggest that OXT is synthesized in the horse placenta. As PTGS2 synthesis is induced by inflammation, they also suggest that FMR in heavy draft horses may be associated with dysregulation of inflammatory processes.

Quantum interference enables constant-time quantum information processing

It is an open question how fast information processing can be performed and whether quantum effects can speed up the best existing solutions. Signal extraction, analysis, and compression in diagnostics, astronomy, chemistry, and broadcasting build on the discrete Fourier transform. It is implemented with the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm that assumes a periodic input of specific lengths, which rarely holds true. A lesser-known transform, the Kravchuk-Fourier (KT), allows one to operate on finite strings of arbitrary length. It is of high demand in digital image processing and computer vision but features a prohibitive runtime. Here, we report a one-step computation of a fractional quantum KT. The quantum d-nary (qudit) architecture we use comprises only one gate and offers processing time independent of the input size. The gate may use a multiphoton Hong-Ou-Mandel effect. Existing quantum technologies may scale it up toward diverse applications.

Multifunctional Nanocomposite Cellulose Fibers Doped in Situ with Silver Nanoparticles

This paper presents a method for the preparation of nanocomposite cellulose fibers doped with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), as well as the effect of silver nanoparticles on the structure and properties of fibers. The fibers were obtained by an environmentally friendly method using N-Methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) as a solvent, in a non-polluting closed system. Doping with silver nanoparticles was carried out as a direct (in situ) reduction of Ag⁺ ions in the presence of a stabilizing agent during the preparation of the spinning solution. SEM images of the surface and cross section of the fibers showed that the distribution of nanoparticles in the fibers' volume was uniform. The fibers exhibited very good antibacterial properties in relation to Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Candida albicans. Flammability analysis showed that the fibers were subjected to a one-stage combustion process and that the silver nanoparticles reduced the heat release rate (HRR) of the fibers by 36%. TG studies showed that the modification of cellulose fibers with silver nanoparticles promoted the formation of mill scale in the combustion of fibers, which was directly related to the reduction of flammability. Tests of the electrical properties showed that the linear resistance of cellulose fibers containing 3 wt % silver was 10⁸ Ω/cm.

Preliminary Study on Clusterin Protein (sCLU) Expression in PC-12 Cells Overexpressing Wild-Type and Mutated (Swedish) AβPP genes Affected by Non-Steroid Isoprenoids and Water-Soluble Cholesterol

In this study we attempted to verify the hypothesis that the mevalonate pathway affects amyloid beta precursor protein (AβPP) processing and regulates clusterin protein levels. AβPP expression was monitored by green fluorescence (FL) and Western blot (WB). WB showed soluble amyloid protein precursor alpha (sAβPPα) presence in AβPP-wt cells and Aβ expression in AβPP-sw cells. Nerve growth factor (NGF)-differentiated rat neuronal pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells were untreated/treated with statins alone or together with non-sterol isoprenoids. Co-treatment with mevalonate, dolichol, ubiquinol, farnesol, geranylgeraniol, or water-soluble cholesterol demonstrated statin-dependent neurotoxicity resulted from the attenuated activity of mevalonate pathway rather than lower cholesterol level. Atorvastatin (50 μM) or simvastatin (50 μM) as well as cholesterol chelator methyl-β-cyclodextrin (0.2 mM) diminished cell viability (p < 0.05) and clusterin levels. Interestingly, co-treatment with mevalonate, dolichol, ubiquinol, farnesol, geranylgeraniol, or water-soluble cholesterol stimulated (p < 0.05) clusterin expression. Effects of non-sterol isoprenoids, but not water soluble cholesterol (Chol-PEG), were the most significant in mock-transfected cells. Geranylgeraniol (GGOH) overcame atorvastatin (ATR)-dependent cytotoxicity. This effect does not seem to be dependent on clusterin, as its level became lower after GGOH. The novelty of these findings is that they show that the mevalonate (MEV) pathway rather than cholesterol itself plays an important role in clusterin expression levels. In mock-transfected, rather than in AβPP-overexpressing cells, GGOH/farnesol (FOH) exerted a protective effect. Thus, protein prenylation with GGOH/FOH might play substantial role in neuronal cell survival.

Tuning Optical and Granulometric Properties of Gold Nanostructures Synthesized with the Aid of Different Types of Honeys for Microwave-Induced Hyperthermia

Size-controlled gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesised with solutions of three types of Polish honeys (lime, multiflower, honeydew) and used in microwave-induced hyperthermia cancer treatment. Optical and structural properties of nanostructures were optimized in reference to measurements made by using UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometry (UV/Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) supported by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR). In addition, concentrations of reducing sugars and polyphenols of honeys applied were determined to reveal the role of these chemical compounds in green synthesis of AuNPs. It was found that the smallest AuNPs (20.6 ± 23.3 nm) were produced using a 20% (w/v) multiflower aqueous honey solution and 25 mg·L-1 of Au(III) ions. These AuNPs were then employed in microwave-induced hyperthermia in a system simulating metastatic tissues. This research illustrated that AuNPs, as produced with the aid of a multiflower honey solution, could be suitably used for microwave-induced heating of cancer. A fluid containing resultant Au nanostructures, as compared to water, revealed facilitated heating and the ability to maintain a temperature of 45 °C required for hyperthermia treatment.

Use of Materials Based on Polymeric Silica as Bone-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems for Metronidazole

Mesostructured ordered silica-based materials are the promising candidates for local drug delivery systems in bone disease due to their uniform pore size and distribution, and high surface area which affect their excellent adsorption properties, good biocompatibility and bioactivity, and versatile functionalization so that their properties can be controlled. Ordered mesoporous silica (MCM-41 type) was synthesized by a surfactant-assisted sol-gel process using tetraethoxysilane as a silica precursor and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as the structure-directing agent. Functionalized silica materials containing various types of organic groups (3-aminopropyl, 3-mercaptopropyl, or 3-glycidyloxypropyl groups) were synthesized by the post-grafting method onto pre-made mesoporous silica. Comparative studies of their structural characteristics, the surface mineralization activity and release properties for the model drug Metronidazole (MT) were then conducted. It has been found that porosity parameters, mineralization activity and adsorption/release of metronidazole from mesoporous channels of silica can be regulated using functional groups which are chemically bounded with an outer silica surface. The preferential mineral nucleation was found on negatively charged surfaces-MCM-41, and mercaptopropyl and glycidyloxypropyl functionalized silica (MCM-SH and MCM-epoxy, respectively) in simulated body fluid (SBF solution), as well as a sustained release of MT. In contrast to them, aminopropyl-functionalized samples (MCM-NH₂) achieved a high MT release rate. These results confirm the potential of silica-based materials for local therapeutic applications (as drug carriers and bone substitutes) in bone disease.

Transcriptomic Changes in Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus Root Nodules during Drought Stress

Drought is one of the major environmental factors limiting biomass and seed yield production in agriculture. In this research, we focused on plants from the Fabaceae family, which has a unique ability for the establishment of symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and are relatively susceptible to water limitation. We have presented the changes in nitrogenase activity and global gene expression occurring in Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus root nodules during water deficit. Our results proved a decrease in the efficiency of nitrogen fixation, as well as extensive changes in plant and bacterial transcriptomes, shortly after watering cessation. We showed for the first time that not only symbiotic plant components but also Sinorhizobium meliloti and Mesorhizobium loti bacteria residing in the root nodules of M. truncatula and L. japonicus, respectively, adjust their gene expression in response to water shortage. Although our results demonstrated that both M. truncatula and L. japonicus root nodules were susceptible to water deprivation, they indicated significant differences in plant and bacterial response to drought between the tested species, which might be related to the various types of root nodules formed by these species.

Different Temperature Treatments of Millet Grains Affect the Biological Activity of Protein Hydrolyzates and Peptide Fractions

The objective of this study was to analyze millet protein hydrolyzates and peptide fractions with molecular mass under 3.0 kDa obtained from grains treated with different temperature values as inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), α-amylase, and α-glucosidase activity. The protein fractions were hydrolyzed in vitro in gastrointestinal conditions and the highest degree of hydrolysis was noted for globulin 7S obtained from control grains (98.33%). All samples were characterized by a high peptide bioaccessibility index, which was 23.89 for peptides obtained from globulin 11S after treatment with 100 °C. The highest peptide bioavailability index was noted for peptides obtained from globulin 11S after the treatment with 65 °C (2.12). The highest potential metabolic syndrome inhibitory effect was determined for peptide fractions obtained from the prolamin control (IC50 for ACE and α-amylase was 0.42 and 0.11 mg/mL, respectively) and after the 100 °C treatment (IC50 for ACE and α-glucosidase was 0.33 and 0.12 mg/mL, respectively) and from globulin 11S after the 65 °C treatment (IC50 0.38 and 0.05 for ACE and α-glucosidase, respectively). The effect of these samples on endothelial cell HECa10 was determined. The sequences of potential inhibitory peptides were identified as GEHGGAGMGGGQFQPV, EQGFLPGPEESGR, RLARAGLAQ, YGNPVGGVGH, and GNPVGGVGHGTTGT.

A feasibility study of ortho-positronium decays measurement with the J-PET scanner based on plastic scintillators

We present a study of the application of the Jagiellonian positron emission tomograph (J-PET) for the registration of gamma quanta from decays of ortho-positronium (o-Ps). The J-PET is the first positron emission tomography scanner based on organic scintillators in contrast to all current PET scanners based on inorganic crystals. Monte Carlo simulations show that the J-PET as an axially symmetric and high acceptance scanner can be used as a multi-purpose detector well suited to pursue research including e.g. tests of discrete symmetries in decays of ortho-positronium in addition to the medical imaging. The gamma quanta originating from o-Ps decay interact in the plastic scintillators predominantly via the Compton effect, making the direct measurement of their energy impossible. Nevertheless, it is shown in this paper that the J-PET scanner will enable studies of the [Formula: see text] decays with angular and energy resolution equal to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively. An order of magnitude shorter decay time of signals from plastic scintillators with respect to the inorganic crystals results not only in better timing properties crucial for the reduction of physical and instrumental background, but also suppresses significantly the pile-ups, thus enabling compensation of the lower efficiency of the plastic scintillators by performing measurements with higher positron source activities.

The radiological impact of phosphogypsum stockpile in Wiślinka (northern Poland) on the Martwa Wisła river water

The aim of this work was to determine the concentrations of uranium (234U, 235U, 238U), polonium (210Po) and lead (210Pb) radioisotopes in water samples and to explore the impact of the phosphogypsum stack on the Martwa Wisła waters. The 238U, 210Po and 210Pb concentrations in analyzed water samples reached maximum values of 11.7 ± 0.3, 2.0 ± 0.1 and 3.2 ± 0.1 mBq L-1 and activity ratios were maximally 1.18 ± 0.01 for 234U/238U, 0.041 ± 0.018 for 235U/238U and 0.69 ± 0.10 for 210Po/210Pb. The obtained results suggest that this impact is rather insignificant and does not affect significantly the Martwa Wisła river.