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The pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatusutilizes a cyclic ferrioxamine E (FOXE) siderophore to acquire iron from the host. Biomimetic FOXE analogues were labeled with gallium-68 for molecular imaging with PET. [68Ga]Ga(III)-FOXE analogues were internalized in A. fumigatuscells via Sit1. Uptake of [68Ga]Ga(III)-FOX 2–5, the most structurally alike analogue to FOXE, was high by both A. fumigatusand bacterial Staphylococcus aureus. However, altering the ring size provoked species-specific uptake between these two microbes: ring size shortening by one methylene unit (FOX 2–4) increased uptake by A. fumigatuscompared to that by S. aureus, whereas lengthening the ring (FOX 2–6 and 3–5) had the opposite effect. These results were consistent both in vitroand in vivo, including PET imaging in infection models. Overall, this study provided valuable structural insights into the specificity of siderophore uptake and, for the first time, opened up ways for selective targeting and imaging of microbial pathogens by siderophore derivatization.

The article from Kiplinger Personal Finance discusses the importance of estate planning, offering advice on finding a reputable estate planner and the benefits of appointing a corporate trustee or executor. It also touches on the pitfalls of relying on free financial advice from brokerage firms and the option of paying for financial advice on a retainer basis. Additionally, the article mentions a new resource, the College Viability App, for evaluating a college's financial health. The piece clarifies the timing of Social Security benefit checks and provides contact information for submitting letters to the publication. [Extracted from the article]

This study focusses on a short-term characterisation of atmospheric aerosols from three locations in southeast of Poland with different land use characteristics, population density and sources of pollution (Katowice: urban-industrial; Strzyżowice near Lublin: rural; Kielce: urban). Twenty-four hour PM2.5and PM10samples were collected on the quartz filter and their chemical compositions were monitored and measured using OCEC thermo-optical analysis and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The highest concentrations of PM2.5and PM10were measured at the urban-industrial area in Katowice (29.6 µg ∙ m−3and 31.0 µg ∙ m−3, respectively), whereas the highest organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) levels were observed at the Kielce urban site (23.3 ± 4.2 µg and 3.6 ± 0.3 µg, respectively). The lowest values were obtained at the rural site for PM2.5(10.4 ± 2.7 µg ∙ m−3) and PM10(11.8 ± 2.7 µg ∙ m−3) and for OC (17.8 ± 1.6 µg) and EC (1.0 ± 0.1 µg). SEM-EDS analysis of samples from Kielce allows identification of internal chemical mixtures of carbon, silicon, calcium, chlorine, sodium and aluminium.

The paper is devoted to the construction and design solutions of the power supply and drive systems of a prototype, lightweight LHD (Load-Haul-Dump) loader with an innovative “in-wheel drive” transmission system. The loader is a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) with replaceable energy storage. It is intended for use in underground mines with no explosion hazard, especially in metal ore mines. The developed model contains four independent, electric drive systems installed in the road wheels. The paper presents the results of simulation tests, which enabled estimating the required driving power and electricity demand in various regimes and working conditions of the loader. The results of the calculations were used to determine the parameters of the drive system components and the battery capacity. Challenges and problems faced by constructors of BEV LHD loaders with an in-wheel drive have been pointed out.

The gravitational wave detectors have shown a population of massive black holes that do not resemble those observed in the Milky Way1–3and whose origin is debated4–6. According to a possible explanation, these black holes may have formed from density fluctuations in the early Universe (primordial black holes)7–9, and they should comprise several to 100% of dark matter to explain the observed black hole merger rates10–12. If these black holes existed in the Milky Way dark matter halo, they would cause long-timescale gravitational microlensing events lasting years13. The previous experiments were not sufficiently sensitive to such events14–17. Here we present the results of the search for long-timescale microlensing events among the light curves of nearly 80 million stars located in the Large Magellanic Cloud that were monitored for 20 years by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment survey18. We did not find any events with timescales longer than 1 year, whereas all shorter events detected may be explained by known stellar populations. We find that compact objects in the mass range from 1.8 × 10−4M⊙to 6.3M⊙cannot make up more than 1% of dark matter, and those in the mass range from 1.3 × 10−5M⊙to 860 M⊙cannot make up more than 10% of dark matter. Thus, primordial black holes in this mass range cannot simultaneously explain a substantial fraction of dark matter and gravitational wave events.

The wide variability in functional traits that enable the cosmopolitan distribution of lichens often includes the water storage capacity, S, of their thallus. Lichen S in forest canopies can be large enough to intercept and evaporate significant amounts of rainwater, contributing to the runoff-reduction ecosystem services provided by urban forests; however, S is likely influenced by the presence of air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) in urban areas. PAHs, being both chemically hydrophobic and damaging to lichen thalli, are expected to reduce lichens’ S and, thereby, limit their contribution to hydrologic ecoservices of urban forests. Hence, the relationship between PAH accumulation and rainwater uptake was examined for two lichen species, common in urban forests around the world – Platismatia glaucaand Pseudevernia furfuracea. Samples were collected from an area of low air pollution and another area in a highly urbanized city centre with high air pollution exposure (Kraków, Poland). Lichen S was determined using laboratory-simulated rainfall. PAH bioaccumulation differed between species and among the samples from clean and polluted environments. After exposure to polluted air, the concentration of PAHs was higher in P. glaucathan P. furfuracea. Samples from the non-urban setting, however, showed no differences between the two species. In the case of P. glauca, S decreased from 35.8% in samples from clean environment to 8.3% after six months of exposure in the urban setting. The respective S values for P. furfuraceawere 25.4% and 12.4%. Results strongly suggest that PAH exposure reduces S in both lichen species.

A series of {V12}-nuclearity polyoxovanadate cages covalently functionalized with one or sandwiched by two phthalocyaninato (Pc) lanthanide (Ln) moieties viaV–O–Ln bonds were prepared and fully characterized for paramagnetic Ln = SmIII–ErIIIand diamagnetic Ln = LuIII, including YIII. The LnPc-functionalized {V12O32} cages with fully oxidized vanadium centers in the ground state were isolated as (nBu4N)3[HV12O32Cl(LnPc)] and (nBu4N)2[HV12O32Cl(LnPc)2] compounds. As corroborated by a combined experimental (EPR, DC and AC SQUID, laser photolysis transient absorption spectroscopy, and electrochemistry) and computational (DFT, MD, and model Hamiltonian approach) methods, the compounds feature intra- and intermolecular electron transfer that is responsible for a partial reduction at V(3d) centers from VVto VIVin the solid state and at high sample concentrations. The effects are generally Ln dependent and are clearly demonstrated for the (nBu4N)3[HV12O32Cl(LnPc)] representative with Ln = LuIIIor DyIII. Intramolecular charge transfer takes place for Ln = LuIIIand occurs from a Pc ligand viathe Ln center to the {V12O32} core of the same molecule, whereas for Ln = DyIII, only intermolecular charge transfer is allowed, which is realized from Pc in one molecule to the {V12O32} core of another molecule usually viathe nBu4N+countercation. For all Ln but DyIII, two of these phenomena may be present in different proportions. Besides, it is demonstrated that (nBu4N)3[HV12O32Cl(DyPc)] is a field-induced single molecule magnet with a maximal relaxation time of the order 10–3s. The obtained results open up the way to further exploration and fine-tuning of these three modular molecular nanocomposites regarding tailoring and control of their Ln-dependent charge-separated states (induced by intramolecular transfer) and relaxation dynamics as well as of electron hopping between molecules. This should enable us to realize ultra-sensitive polyoxometalate powered quasi-superconductors, sensors, and data storage/processing materials for quantum technologies and neuromorphic computing.

With a large variety of communication methods and protocols, many software architects face the problem of choosing the best way for services to share information. For communication technology to be functional and practical, it should enable developers to define a complete set of CRUD methods for the processed data. The research team compared this paper’s most commonly used data transfer protocols and concepts: REST, WebSocket, gRPC GraphQL and SOAP. A set of web servers was implemented in Python, each using one of the examined technologies. Then, the team performed an automated benchmark measuring time and data transfer overhead for a set of defined operations: creating an entity, retrieving a list of 100 entities and fetching details of one entity. Tests were designed to avoid the results being interfered with by database connection or docker-compose environment characteristics. The research team has concluded that gRPC was the most efficient and reliable data transfer method. On the other hand, GraphQL turned out to be the slowest communication method of all. Moreover, its server and client libraries caused the most problems with proper usage in a web server. SOAP did not participate in benchmarking due to limited compatibility with Python and a lack of popularity in modern web solutions.

The article concerns the computational model for analysing the stability of the BEV LHD loader. Works were carried out to develop an innovative, light battery-powered loader, which was the subject of an R&D project implemented in cooperation with Bumech S. A. Compared to the existing solutions of loaders with similar load capacity, this one is distinguished by the use of an individual electric drive in each wheel and a replaceable battery. A physical and mathematical model was developed taking into account the specificity of the BEV LHD loader. In the model, the masses of the battery, individual drives, the platform and excavated material are taken into account separately. The developed model allows determining the loader wheel pressure on the floor, depending on the location of its components’ centres of gravity, the turning angle of the machine, the amount of excavated material in the bucket and the position of the bucket. The input parameters also include the longitudinal and transverse excavation slope angles. In addition, the model enables determining the inner and outer turning radius of the loader. To verify the theoretical model, dynamic simulation tests were carried out. The results of simulation analyses confirmed the correctness of the developed theoretical model. The model was used to prepare a calculation sheet for analysing the stability on the basis of the adopted parameters. In the article, selected results of the conducted stability analyses have been presented, along with the proposed parameters ensuring the loader’s stability. The developed theoretical model enables a quick assessment of the loader’s stability, which, due to a number of innovative solutions, differs from existing designs. The structure of the loader at the design stage is subject to numerous modifications, which affect the distribution of the centres of gravity of individual components. The developed model of the loader is a useful, parameterized tool that allows assessing the stability and the values of the turning radii of the machine.

The article presents the results of laboratory combustion tests of the microbriquette obtained from useless coal (grain class of < 5 mm) generated in the production of “eco-pea” (eko-groszek) coal. The briquettes of 1.5 and 2.5 cm3 were made in a roller press of crushed coal granulation down to 2 mm, mixed with a binder and/or catalytic additives and sorbents, then dried to final moisture of about 7%. The tests were carried out on a specially designed stand enabling to determine the differential curve of the weight loss of samples heated to the ignition temperature and then burnt with laminar airflow by natural chimney draft. Comparative tests were carried out with ecopea coal from the “ZG Sobieski” mine. The results indicate that composite fuels, in the form of microbriquette, ignite faster, burn at a higher temperature and leave less ash when burned than lump coal. The greater reactivity of the briquette concerning the lump coal allows for minimizing the air rate by about 10%, which also reduces the exhaust gas volume by the same amount and the stack losses. It reduces the velocity of dust lifting, which leads to the reduction of their emission.

Intra-articular injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) has been established as a suitable treatment for osteoarthritic (OA) joints, able to effectively relieve the disease symptoms. However, HA-based medical devices available on the market differ in their key properties that finally might radically influence their clinical effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the physicochemical and biological properties of two different hyaluronic acid-based gels intended for intra-articular injection into large synovial joints and subsequently determine if observed differences have reflection in clinical outcome related to their use.

Mechanical properties—modulus of elasticity and strain at break, water vapour sorption, and hygroscopic expansion of selected egg tempera and distemper paints were determined as a function of relative humidity (RH) filling in this way a critical gap in the knowledge required for the analysis of fracturing processes in paintings. The experimental work was made possible by the preparation of several tempera paints, mimicking the historical materials, in the form of large specimens. Lead white, azurite, and yellow ochre were selected as pigments, and egg yolk and rabbit skin glue as binding media. The water vapour sorption and the moisture-related swelling of the paints were dominated by the proteinaceous components of the binders. The linear hygroscopic expansion coefficient of the dried egg yolk binder was approximately 1 × 10−4per 1% RH, several times less than the coefficient of the collagen glue (4 × 10−4per 1% RH). The moduli of elasticity of egg tempera paints at the RH mid-range were comparable to the moduli of aged oil paints, whilst the modulus of elasticity of the distemper paint was close to values measured for animal glue-based grounds. The paints experienced the transition from brittle to ductile states on increasing RH. The egg tempera paints were found to be more brittle than the distemper paint, gessoes, and, generally, aged oil paints. The observations modify a frequently used laminar model of panel paintings in which the mismatch in the response of glue-based ground layer and wood substrate to variations in RH has been identified as the worst-case condition for the fracturing of the entire pictorial layer. This study demonstrated that tempera could be more brittle than the ground layer and in consequence more vulnerable to cracking.

It is supposed that the presence of poly-His regions in close proximity to poly-Gly domains in snake venoms is related to their biological activity; poly-His/poly-Gly (pHpG) peptides inhibit the activity of metalloproteinases during venom storage via the chelation metal ions, necessary for their proper functioning. This work shows that only the histidyl residues from the N-terminal VDHDHDH motif (but not from the poly-His tag) were the primary Zn(II) binding sites and that the poly-Gly domain situated in the proximity of a central proline residue may play a regulatory role in venom gland protection. The proline induces a kink of the peptide, resulting in steric hindrance, which may modulate the accessibility of potential metal binding sites in the poly-His domain and may, in turn, be one of the regulators of Zn(II) accessibility in the venom gland and therefore a modulator of metalloproteinase activity during venom storage.

The poor results of lake-migratory brown trout, Salmo trutta lacustrisL., restoration in Lake Hańcza Nature Reserve prompted undertaking the current study that sought to verify if hatchery-reared fish age 2+ can survive the critical period of acclimation and remain in the lake. Thirty-one individuals were tagged with coded acoustic transmitters and observed for 317 days. This method helped to analyze: 1) the spatial behavior of tagged fish for one year following their release; 2) the possible differences in the behavior of fish released in various places habitually used for stocking. By the end of study, 6.5–12.9% of the tagged fish remained in the lake. The most interesting phenomenon the data indicated was the trout behavior in late spring and early summer, when the fish moved vigorously along the longitudinal axis of the lake continuously for several weeks. The reasons for the fish movements observed in Lake Hańcza were not clear. For this unique species/population it is important to determine whether such behavior is typical of this fish also in other water bodies and if it is only seen in hatchery-reared fish aged 2+ and 3+.

“Order-order” relaxation processes in high-temperature intermetallics occur after an abrupt change of temperature and are controlled by atomic migration in the almost perfect superstructure. The related experiments were carried out using systems being of technological interest and representing three common types of superstructures: L12(Ni3Albased quasi-binaries), L10(FePd, FePt) and B2 (NiAl, FeAl). The corresponding Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of “Order-order” kinetics involving the Glauber dynamics implemented with vacancy mechanism for atomic jumps were performed. The studies indicate a crucial role of antisite-easy-diffusion channels offered by particular superstructures in determining the character of “Order-order” processes and their relationship to steady-state self-diffusion. Specific mechanisms of the relaxations in triple-defect B2-ordered binaries are discussed.

“Order – order” kinetics was studied by means of “in situ” and quasi-residual (REST) resistometry in bulk and thin films of L10-ordered FePd and FePt intermetallics. Substantial effect of magnetic ordering on the activation energy for chemical ordering was revealed in FePd. A discontinuous change of ordering dynamics was detected in FePt between 800 and 830 K. The results are consistent with the data of Fe* diffusion in FePt multilayer examined by means of nuclear resonant scattering in grazing-incidence geometry (GINRS). Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of “order –order” processes in L10-ordered bulk FePd and FePt and nano-layered FePt have been carried out using Glauber dynamics with vacancy mechanism of atomic jumps. Multi-timescale “order – order” relaxations observed in the bulk were predominated in nanolayers by a reorientation of the initial z-variant L10superstructure into a mixture of x-and y-variants.

“Order – order” kinetics was studied by means of “in situ” and quasi-residual (REST) resistometry in bulk and thin films of L10-ordered FePd and FePt intermetallics. Substantial effect of magnetic ordering on the activation energy for chemical ordering was revealed in FePd. A discontinuous change of ordering dynamics was detected in FePt between 800 and 830 K. The results are consistent with the data of Fe* diffusion in FePt multilayer examined by means of nuclear resonant scattering in grazing-incidence geometry (GINRS). Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of “order –order” processes in L10-ordered bulk FePd and FePt and nano-layered FePt have been carried out using Glauber dynamics with vacancy mechanism of atomic jumps. Multi-timescale “order – order” relaxations observed in the bulk were predominated in nanolayers by a reorientation of the initial z-variant L10superstructure into a mixture of x-and y-variants.

The article demonstrates the results of the research studies related to the air polluted with heavy metals in the area of Swietokrzyski National Park. The two-year-old needles of Abies alba(Mill) were used as the bioindicator with the intention of carrying out the research. The studies were conducted in the autumn of 2012. The results showed the spatial variability of concentrations in the range of the analysed metal deposition patterns in the needles of Abies alba(Mill). The average content of the analysed elements seemed to be the highest in the case of zinc (26.6 mg·kg−1d.m.), strontium (6.5 mg·kg−1d.m.) and nickel (1.6 mg·kg−1d.m.). The research studies revealed that the significant role in determining the content of heavy metals in the two-year-old needles was played by the communication. The highest values were recorded at the research sites situated in the immediate neighbourhood of the voivodeship roads. It was also confirmed that the content of metals was influenced by the so-called low emission from the household and welfare sector together with the remote imission.

The technical conditions and service life of steering elements of vehicles are an important factor directly affecting road safety. Therefore, high reliability of such kind’s components is required. In the paper, on the basis of the stand test, the fatigue durability of a ball joint of a steering tie rod is determined. It is elaborated together with a prediction for the further number of cycles, enabling to determine the technical state of the tested component containing its service life. The aim of the article is to select an appropriate mathematical model with respect to describing the relationship between the moment of force and the fatigue cycles performed for the ball joint of a steering rod of a vehicle with a GVW above 3.5 tonnes, and identifying the model’s parameters. As a result, the limit number of loading cycles after which the examined joint does not meet safety requirements is estimated.

Hearing protectors are selected for workstation noise using the octave band (OB), HML and SNR methods. The purpose of this study was to determine how the frequency components of the noise can affect the selection of hearing protectors. In total, 55 hearing protectors were selected for four types of real occurring noise, high-frequency noise, low-frequency noise and eight simulated noises. Analysis showed that the noise type affects the accuracy of selection carried out using the HML and SNR methods. For a noise with dominant frequency components, the result for selection carried out using the HML method deviates from the result using the OB method by 7 and 9 dB for earmuffs and earplugs, respectively. The study shows that use of the HML and SNR methods may lead to wrong assessment of the effectiveness of hearing protection with the selected hearing protectors.

This study provides the length-weight relationship (LWR) of European smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) occurring in two lakes in northeastern Poland. The morphometric characters of the two populations of this species in lakes Dargin and Dejguny were also compared. The LWRs were highly significant (P < 0.05) with a high coefficient of determination (r2≥ 0.923). The estimated bvalues ranged from 3.256 to 3.508. Sixteen of the 26 morphological characters measured differed between the two populations. No sexual dimorphism was observed. The research presents detailed data on the biometric characters of the species that contributes to the assessment of phenotypic plasticity and general morphological variation of the populations.