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Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the leading causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity. Although subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy is one of the established risk factors for PE, the link between iodine deficiency and PE is not fully understood. The aim of our study was to assess urinary iodine concentration (UIC), serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (fT3), and free thyroxine (fT4) levels in Polish women with PE (PE group, n=78) compared with healthy non-pregnant women (CNP group, n=30), and healthy pregnant women (CP group, n=46). The UIC was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Both the mean UIC of 144.6±36.4 μg/L in the CP group and the mean of 125.8±33.6 μg/L in the PE group, respectively, were lower compared to non-pregnant women (149.8±28.8 μg/L), and the difference between the PE and CNP groups was statistically significant. TSH values were the highest in the PE group, while the lowest average level was for the CNP group. The fT3 and fT4 values in the PE group were significantly lower compared to the CNP and CP groups. Despite iodine supplementation during pregnancy, the UIC was lower compared to non-pregnant women, while in women with PE it was at a significantly lower level. To reduce the incidence of possible health complications, proper iodine supplementation and monitoring of the UIC is recommended for pregnant women suffering from PE or at risk of developing PE.

Magnetic properties of spin glass materials [9,13] are close to quantum interpretation in their nature description [17]. Therefore, we can look for possible kinds of analogies in process of defining theoretic and practice conventions, rules and applications of the specific characteristics in elaboration quantum calculation strategies. We have not investigated possibilities to create directly quantum calculation units and practice calculation structures like qubits, registers, gates etc. [4,18], but dealing with spin and quantum definitions and descriptions we can try to involve these notices from different domains. Such a pragmatic approach only intuitively gives chances to create the transition theory and implement it even partially. Obviously, almost all of us have heard about quantum factorization, cryptography or teleportation but it is obtained as a result of exploration casually selected quantum properties and adapting them to mathematic problems. In our approach, we carefully investigate involutions among spin and quantum nature looking at possible implementation in molecular network.

The resistivity of the silica SBA-15 type can be significantly improved by forming a thin layer of carbon on the pore surface. This is possible through the carbonization reaction of a surfactant used as a structure-directing agent in the synthesis of mesostructured silica materials. The synthesis of this type of silica-carbon composite (SBA-C) is based on the use of sulfuric acid to create a carbon layer from surfactant molecules encapsulated in silica mesopores. The action of sulfuric acid takes place through dehydration and sulfonation reactions, which promote the formation of aromatic structures and favor crosslinking processes. The same procedure was applied to prepare MTF-C composites based on mesostructured thin films (MTFs). Compared to pure silica materials, these silica-carbon composites exhibit reduced pore diameter and volume while maintaining morphology and structure. The pore structure characteristics were obtained by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and isothermal sorption analysis. The composite obtained after carbon layer formation exhibited enhanced conductivity in comparison to pure silica SBA-15. The resistivity of SBA-C composite material after annealing at 800 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere decreased to 1980 Ωcm in comparison with pure SBA-15.

A family with a disabled child has major changes and challenges. The difficulties experienced by the whole family are of various natures and relate to emotional, psychological, caring, and financial problems. The aim of the study is to learn about the challenges and involvement of Polish families in caring for a disabled child in the home environment. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted in a group of 103 parents of disabled children. The proprietary questionnaire and a standardized scale for the Generalized Self-Efficacy Survey (GSES) were used as a research tool. The material for the study was collected online, using Google Forms software, and statistically processed. Emotional contact with a disabled child turned out to be the most difficult aspect of care for almost half of the respondents (42.7%). The vast majority of respondents (75.7%) described the level of difficulty in caring for a disabled child as much higher than the level of difficulty in caring for a healthy child. Most parents (87%) spend between 10 and 20% of their family income on the treatment and rehabilitation of disabled children. A significant relationship was noted between the assessment of the family's economic situation and place of residence (χ 2 P = 27.32; p < 0.0001; Vc 0.51). Parents of children with disabilities who live in rural areas and have less education are less well off financially. The average GSES score was 24.54 and was in 4 sten. The biggest care challenge for parents of disabled children turned out to be emotional contact with the child. The GSES index for parents of children with disabilities is lower than the average values obtained in Polish studies, which translates into worse coping with problems., Competing Interests: Declarations Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Oligodontia can be isolated or syndromic, associated with other ectodermal abnormalities. The aim of the study was to perform hair examination in orthodontic patients diagnosed with oligodontia with a low clinical expression of symptoms of ectodermal origin. All available orthodontic patients diagnosed with oligodontia in the permanent dentition were enrolled. Hair examination included clinical evaluation of the patients' hair, trichoscopy, trichogram and evaluation of the hair shafts under a polarized light microscope. In total, 25 patients, 18 males and 7 females, aged 6 to 24 years were evaluated for the presence of dental and hair abnormalities. The number of congenitally absent teeth ranged from 6 to 24 teeth and diastemas, microdontia, taurodontism and altered tooth shape were found in 23 patients. Hair disorders were found in 68% of the subjects. Hypotrichosis, the heterogeneity of shaft color and loss of pigment, androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium, trichoschisis, pili canaliculi, trichorrhexis nodosa and pseudomoniletrix were observed. Trichoscopy and trichogram are valid non-invasive diagnostic tests which could be used to differentiate between isolated and syndromic oligodontia in patients with a low clinical expression of ectodermal symptoms.

Vaccinations are an essential element of public health programs around the world, which have a major impact on morbidity, mortality, and costs of the health care system. In recent years, with a better understanding of the effectiveness and safety of vaccinations, many recommendations have been developed for administering vaccines to adults. Countless physiological changes occur during pregnancy, including those affecting the immune system. Pregnant women are at increased risk of developing infections and resulting complications. According to research, vaccines are immunogenic and safe for pregnant women. Pregnancy is not an absolute contraindication to vaccination. After administration of vaccines to pregnant women, the concentration of antibodies increases, which can be transferred to the child in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and provide protection in the first months of life. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) unanimously recommend vaccination of pregnant women if a safe vaccine is available and there is a risk of exposure of the woman to a disease that threatens herself or her developing baby. In everyday clinical practice, medical professionals should provide their patients with the necessary information on vaccinations, which may contribute to greater awareness and implementation of vaccinations. This article aims to review current global recommendations for the vaccination of pregnant and breastfeeding women, including against the Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.

Patch-clamp technique provides a unique possibility to record the ion channels' activity. This method enables tracking the changes in their functional states at controlled conditions on a real-time scale. Kinetic parameters evaluated for the patch-clamp signals form the fundamentals of electrophysiological characteristics of the channel functioning. Nevertheless, the noisy series of ionic currents flowing through the channel protein(s) seem to be bountiful of information, and the standard data processing techniques likely unravel only its part. Rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, especially machine learning (ML), gives new prospects for whole channelology. Here we consider the question of the AI applications in the patch-clamp signal analysis. It turns out that the AI methods may not only enable for automatizing of signal analysis, but also they can be used in finding inherent patterns of channel gating and allow the researchers to uncover the details of gating machinery, which had been never considered before. In this work, we outline the currently known AI methods that turned out to be utilizable and useful in the analysis of patch-clamp signals. This chapter can be considered an introductory guide to the application of AI methods in the analysis of the time series of channel currents (together with its advantages, disadvantages, and limitations), but we also propose new possible directions in this field., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Anchoringsingle-molecule magnets (SMMs) on the surface of nanostructures is gaining particular interest in the field of molecular magnetism. The accurate organization of SMMs on low-dimensional substrates enables controlled interactions and the possibility of individual molecules' manipulation, paving the route for a broad range of nanotechnological applications. In this comprehensive review article, the most studied types of SMMs are presented, and the quantum-mechanical origin of their magnetic behavior is described. The nanostructured matrices were grouped and characterized to outline to the reader their relevance for subsequent compounding with SMMs. Particular attention was paid to the fact that this process must be carried out in such a way as to preserve the initial functionality and properties of the molecules. Therefore, the work also includes a discussion of issues concerning both the methods of synthesis of the systems in question as well as advanced measurement techniques of the resulting complexes. A great deal of attention was also focused on the issue of surface-molecule interaction, which can affect the magnetic properties of SMMs, causing molecular crystal field distortion or magnetic anisotropy modification, which affects quantum tunneling or magnetic hysteresis, respectively. In our opinion, the analysis of the literature carried out in this way will greatly help the reader to design SMM-nanostructure systems.

Eclampsia seizure is an always serious and potentially fatal obstetric condition. Safe delivery in women with pregnancies complicated by eclampsia seizures is still one of the greatest challenges in perinatal medicine. Pregnancy should be terminated (childbirth) in the safest and least traumatic way possible. Attempting vaginal delivery can take place only exceptionally, in the event of possibly quick completion of childbirth with a stable state of the mother and the fetus. However, immediate labor via cesarean section is most often recommended. It is essential to maintain left lateral patient positioning during cesarean section. Regional anesthesia can be used only in conscious patients who are free from coagulopathy and from HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome to decrease the risk of aspiration and failed intubation attempts in preeclamptic or eclamptic women. For sudden, unexpected interventions, when a patient arrives at the hospital with an eclampsia seizure without lab results, general anesthesia can be the best option and should be performed by an experienced medical team of anesthesiologists, ready to perform difficult intubation. Magnesium sulfate is the drug that should be used first to stop eclamptic convulsions and prevent their recurrence. Intravenous antihypertensive drugs can stabilize elevated blood pressure (BP), preventing multiorgan failure and recurrent eclampsia seizure, and thus the prevention of maternal death. This article aims to review the management of seizures during pregnancy in women with eclampsia to ensure safe delivery.

Synthetic opals, a composition of homogeneous silica spheres in the mesoscale size range, have attracted the attention of scientists due to their favorable chemical and physical properties. Their chemical inertness and stability, biocompatibility, homogeneity, elevated specific surface area, and ease of functionalization of their surfaces make them a versatile nanotool. In the present study, the Stöber process was used to investigate the effect of parameters, such as reagent concentration and synthesis temperature, on the resulting silica particle size and structure. The optimal conditions for successfully obtaining homogeneous particles in the mesoscale range with high reproducibility were investigated. Several synthesis procedures and their dependence on the reaction temperature were presented to allow the selection of the assumed diameter of silica spheres. The numerous samples obtained were examined for size, homogeneity, structure, and specific surface area. On the basis of specific surface area measurements and nuclear magnetic resonance studies, the internal hierarchical structure of the spherical silica was confirmed as consisting of a solid core and layers of secondary spheres covered by a solid shell. Structural studies (X-ray Spectroscopy, X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure, and nuclear magnetic resonance), together with infrared vibrational spectroscopy, showed no dependence of the structure of the obtained mesospheres on the concentration of reagents and the size of the obtained particles.

Recently, the learning by confusion (LbC) approach has been proposed as a machine learning tool to determine the critical temperature T&#95;{c} of phase transitions without any prior knowledge of its even approximate value. The method has been proven effective, but it has been used only for continuous phase transitions, where the confusion results only from deliberate incorrect labeling of the data. However, in the case of a discontinuous phase transition, additional confusion can result from the coexistence of different phases. To verify whether the confusion scheme can also be used for discontinuous phase transitions, we apply the LbC method to three microscopic models, the Blume-Capel, the q-state Potts, and the Falicov-Kimball models, which undergo continuous or discontinuous phase transitions depending on model parameters. With the help of a simple model, we predict that the phase coexistence present in discontinuous phase transitions can indeed make the neural network more confused and thus decrease its performance. However, numerical calculations performed for the models mentioned above indicate that other aspects of this kind of phase transition are more important and can render the LbC method even less effective. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that in some cases the same aspects allow us to use the LbC method to identify the order of a phase transition.

In the current work, we report on the synthesizing of a series of novel nanocomposite materials obtained by functionalizing the SBA-15 silica matrix with anchored iron phosphonate molecules and the following thermal treatment. The obtained results reveal the formation of a unique amorphic layer of Fe-based compounds on the surface of silica walls of SBA-15 channels as a result of the organic groups' decomposition after moderate thermal treatment. Due to their unique structure, represented in an active Fe-containing amorphous coating spread over a large surface area, these materials are of great interest for their potential applications in fields such as catalysis, adsorption, and non-linear optics. The obtained materials remain amorphous, preserving the SBA-15 mesoporous structure up to temperatures of approximately 800 °C, after which the partial melting of the silica backbone is observed with the simultaneous formation of nanocrystals inside the newly-formed glassy mass. All obtained materials were characterized using such techniques as thermogravimetry, transmission and scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy mapping, Raman spectroscopy, N 2 sorption analysis, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and SQUID measurements., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Eclampsia is the most serious pregnancy complication and one of the main causes of death of pregnant and delivering women. The mortality rate of young mothers is 5-20%, emphasizing the severity of this pregnancy-related disorder. Today many centers have only rare opportunities to see and deal with eclampsia cases; therefore, it is very important to bring this emergency medical condition to the attention of attending physicians. All patients with eclampsia, and after eclamptic seizures, should be treated in an intensive care unit. However, taking into account clinical realities, especially in developing countries, this is not always possible. It is necessary for all gynecologists-obstetricians to be fully prepared for eclampsia, although its occurrence is very rare. Drug treatment aims to stop eclampsia seizures and prevent reoccurrence of convulsions and complications. Magnesium sulphate is the drug of first choice used in treatment of eclampsia seizure, whereas treatment with the use of antihypertensive drugs and proper blood pressure control is one of the most important factors effectively reducing the risk of deaths or acute complications and poor pregnancy outcomes. The most urgent part of the treatment is the lifesaving procedure involving airways patency assessment, maintenance of breathing and blood circulation of the mother, securing an adequate oxygen level of the mother and thereby of the fetus, and prevention of injuries. This review aims to present an overview of the current prevalence, diagnosis, and management of eclampsia and the need for improved maternal care.

The aim of the present study was to assess the interrelationships between the level of matrix metalloproteinase-3 in the blood serum of pregnant women and the occurrence of pregnancy complications in the form of foetal growth restriction, idiopathic or in the course of preeclampsia., Methods: A total of 245 patients were included in the study. 65 of them are normotensive patients with idiopathic foetal growth restriction (FGR group). 115 women were diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. In the group of women with preeclampsia, there were 51 patients with adequate for gestational age foetal growth and 64 patients with the foetal growth restriction in the course of severe preeclampsia. The control group consisted of 65 healthy patients with normal pregnancy course, with no cardiovascular disorders at the present and in the history, normal blood pressure and normal intrauterine foetal growth. Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) in maternal circulation were determined by ELISA method., Results: In our studies, we observed elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 in preeclamptic women with pregnancies complicated by FGR and significantly lower in the group of normotensive women with idiopathic FGR. The mean values of MMP-3 were 33.50 ± 65.74 ng/mL [Median (min-max) 19.19 (2.05-454.53)] in the Control group, 21.22 ± 23.28 ng/mL [Median (min-max) 16.39 (3.45-156.29)] in the FGR group, 35.96 ± 46.14 ng/mL [Median (min-max) 25.21 (4.16-253.05)] in the P group and 52.81 ± 61.61 ng/mL [Median (min-max) 32.83 (5.06-314.14)] in preeclamptic women with FGR (group PI) respectively.The assessment of MMP-3 in the serum of women with pregnancies complicated by intrauterine foetal growth restriction with normal values of blood pressure and in the group of preeclamptic patients in relation to healthy pregnant women with uncomplicated pregnancies and in relation to preeclamptic patients with normal intrauterine foetal growth is the novelty of this study. Such a strict definition of each research group seems to allow for the assessment of each pregnancy complication separately., Conclusion: It seems that higher levels of MMP-3 in preeclamptic women may suggest the need for observation towards the risk of lower birth weight of newborns. This necessitates further research and a better integration in the clinical practice., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

FGR is a complication of pregnancy in which the fetus does not reach its programmed growth potential due to placental reasons and it is the single largest risk factor of stillbirth. Babies with FGR are at increased risk of mortality and morbidity not only in the perinatal period, but also in later life. FGR presents a huge challenge for obstetricians in terms of its detection and further monitoring of pregnancy. The ultrasound is the gold standard here; apart from assessing fetal weight, it is used to measure Doppler flows in maternal and fetal circulation. It seems that additional tests, like biochemical angiogenic factors measurement would be helpful in diagnosing FGR, identifying fetuses at risk and adjusting the surveillance model. The study aimed to assess the potential relationship between the concentration of sEng, sFlt-1, PlGF, and the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in maternal serum at delivery and maternal and fetal Doppler flow measurements as well as perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by FGR with and without PE, isolated PE cases and normal pregnancies. The use of angiogenic markers is promising not only in PE but also in FGR. Numerous correlations between ultrasound and Doppler studies, perinatal outcomes and disordered angiogenesis marker levels in maternal serum suggest that biochemical parameters have a great potential to be used as a complementary method to diagnose and monitor pregnancies with FGR. The, PlGF in particular, could play an outstanding role in this regard.

Potassium channels emerge as one of the crucial groups of proteins that shape the biology of cancer cells. Their involvement in processes like cell growth, migration, or electric signaling, seems obvious. However, the relationship between the function of K+ channels, glucose metabolism, and cancer glycome appears much more intriguing. Among the typical hallmarks of cancer, one can mention the switch to aerobic glycolysis as the most favorable mechanism for glucose metabolism and glycome alterations. This review outlines the interconnections between the expression and activity of potassium channels, carbohydrate metabolism, and altered glycosylation in cancer cells, which have not been broadly discussed in the literature hitherto. Moreover, we propose the potential mediators for the described relations (e.g., enzymes, microRNAs) and the novel promising directions (e.g., glycans-orinented drugs) for further research.

The simple model of an ionic current flowing through a single channel in a biological membrane is used to depict the complexity of the corresponding empirical data underlying different internal constraints and thermal fluctuations. The residence times of the channel in the open and closed states are drawn from the exponential distributions to mimic the characteristics of the real channel system. In the selected state, the dynamics are modeled by the overdamped Brownian particle moving in the quadratic potential. The simulated data allow us to directly track the effects of temperature (signal-to-noise ratio) and the channel's energetic landscape for conformational changes on the ionic currents' complexity, which are hardly controllable in the experimental case. To accurately describe the randomness, we employed four quantifiers, i.e., Shannon, spectral, sample, and slope entropies. We have found that the Shannon entropy predicts the anticipated reaction to the imposed modification of randomness by raising the temperature (an increase of entropy) or strengthening the localization (reduction of entropy). Other complexity quantifiers behave unpredictably, sometimes resulting in non-monotonic behaviour. Thus, their applicability in the analysis of the experimental time series of single-channel currents can be limited.

Potassium channels are widely distributed integral proteins responsible for the effective and selective transport of K+ ions through the biological membranes. According to the existing structural and mechanistic differences, they are divided into several groups. All of them are considered important molecular drug targets due to their physiological roles, including the regulation of membrane potential or cell signaling. One of the recent trends in molecular pharmacology is the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of natural compounds and their derivatives, which can exhibit high specificity and effectiveness. Among the pharmaceuticals of plant origin, which are potassium channel modulators, flavonoids appear as a powerful group of biologically active substances. It is caused by their well-documented anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, and antidiabetic effects on human health. Here, we focus on presenting the current state of knowledge about the possibilities of modulation of particular types of potassium channels by different flavonoids. Additionally, the biological meaning of the flavonoid-mediated changes in the activity of K+ channels will be outlined. Finally, novel promising directions for further research in this area will be proposed.

The accurate detection of fiducial points in the impedance cardiography signal (ICG) has a decisive impact on the proper estimation of diagnostic parameters such as stroke volume or cardiac output. It is, therefore, necessary to find an algorithm that is able to assess their positions with great precision. The solution to this problem is, however, quite challenging with regard to the high sensitivity of the ICG technique to the noise and varying morphology of the acquired signals. The aim of this study is to propose a novel method that allows us to overcome these limitations. The developed algorithm is based on Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD)-an effective technique for processing and analyzing various types of non-stationary signals. We find high correlations between the results obtained from the algorithm and annotated by an expert. This, in turn, implies that the difference in estimation of the diagnostic-relevant parameters is small, which suggests that the method can automatically provide precise clinical information.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum levels of anti- and pro-angiogenic substances measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and their ratios in pregnancies complicated by different clinical subsets of placental ischemic syndrome: preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction. A prospective case-control study was performed consisting of 77 singleton pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, preeclampsia with concurrent fetal growth restriction (FGR), and isolated normotensive FGR pairwise matched by gestational age with healthy pregnancies. The entire study cohort was analyzed with respect to adverse pregnancy outcomes that occurred. In all investigated subgroups, placental growth factor (PlGF) was lower and soluble endoglin (sEng), the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1-sFlt-1/PlGF and sFlt-1*sEng/PlGF ratios were higher than in the control group. The differences were most strongly pronounced in the PE with concurrent FGR group and in the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio. The highest sFlt-1 values in preeclamptic patients suggest that this substance may be responsible for reaching the threshold needed for PE to develop as a maternal manifestation of ischemic placental disease. The FGR is characterized by an elevated maternal sFlt-1/PlGF ratio, which boosts at the moment of indicated delivery due to fetal risk. We concluded that angiogenic imbalance is reflective of placental disease regardless of its clinical manifestation in the mother, and may be used as support for the diagnosis and prognosis of FGR.

This article is devoted to a novel class of antimicrobial agents: nanocomposites composed of spherical silica and silver ions located at the silica's surface with the assumed distribution. Such materials are in high demand due to the increasing threat from bacterial strains that are becoming resistant to currently known antibiotics. In particular, we focus on materials that make it possible to limit the growth of bacterial colonies on a variety of tactile surfaces. In this paper, we present a method for preparing a silica-based nanocomposite containing silver ions and the analysis of their antimicrobial properties. Our research revealed that the presence of tested nanocomposite induces very high oxidative stress in the bacteria cell, damaging and modifying bacterial DNA, creating oxidized guanines, cytosines, or adenines, which causes its very rapid destruction, leading to cell death.

Accurate and reliable determination of the characteristic points of the impedance cardiogram (ICG) is an important research problem with a growing range of applications in the cardiological diagnostics of patients with heart failure (HF). The shapes of the characteristic waves of the ICG signal and the temporal location of the characteristic points B, C, and X provide significant diagnostic information. On this basis, essential diagnostic cardiological parameters can be determined, such as, e.g., cardiac output (CO) or stroke volume (SV). Although the importance of this problem is obvious, we face many challenges, including noisy signals and the big variability in the morphology, which altogether make the accurate identification of the characteristic points quite difficult. The paper presents an effective method of ICG points identification intended for conducting experimental research in the field of impedance cardiography. Its effectiveness is confirmed in clinical pilot studies.

In patients with acutely changing kidney function, equations used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) must be adjusted for dynamic changes in the concentrations of filtration markers (kinetic eGFR, KeGFR). The aim of our study was to evaluate serum creatinine-based KeGFR in patients in the early phase of acute pancreatitis (AP) as a marker of changing renal function and as a predictor of AP severity. We retrospectively calculated KeGFR on day 2 and 3 of the hospital stay in a group of 147 adult patients admitted within 24 h from the onset of AP symptoms and treated in two secondary-care hospitals. In 34 (23%) patients, changes in serum creatinine during days 1-3 of the hospital stay exceeded 26.5 µmol/L; KeGFR values almost completely differentiated those with increasing and decreasing serum creatinine (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, AUROC: 0.990 on day 3). In twelve (8%) patients, renal failure was diagnosed during the first three days of the hospital stay according to the modified Marshall scoring system, which was associated with significantly lower KeGFR values. KeGFR offered good diagnostic accuracy for renal failure (area under receiver operating characteristic-AUROC: 0.942 and 0.950 on days 2 and 3). Fourteen (10%) patients developed severe AP. KeGFR enabled prediction of severe AP with moderate diagnostic accuracy (AUROC: 0.788 and 0.769 on days 2 and 3), independently of age, sex, comorbidities and study center. Lower KeGFR values were significantly associated with mortality. Significant dynamic changes in renal function are common in the early phase of AP. KeGFR may be useful in the assessment of kidney function in AP and the prediction of AP severity.

In this article, we describe the antimicrobial properties of a new composite based on anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membranes containing propyl-copper-phosphonate units arranged at a predetermined density inside the AAO channels. The samples were prepared with four concentrations of copper ions and tested as antimicrobial drug on four different strains of Escherichia coli (K12, R2, R3 and R4). For comparison, the same strains were tested with three types of antibiotics using the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) tests. Moreover, DNA was isolated from the analysed bacteria which was additionally digested with formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase (Fpg) protein from the group of repair glycosases. These enzymes are markers of modified oxidised bases in nucleic acids produced during oxidative stress in cells. Preliminary cellular studies, MIC and MBC tests and digestion with Fpg protein after modification of bacterial DNA suggest that these compounds may have greater potential as antibacterial agents than antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, bleomycin and cloxacillin. The described composites are highly specific for the analysed model Escherichia coli strains and may be used in the future as new substitutes for commonly used antibiotics in clinical and nosocomial infections in the progressing pandemic era. The results show much stronger antibacterial properties of the functionalised membranes on the action of bacterial membranes in comparison to the antibiotics in the Fpg digestion experiment. This is most likely due to the strong induction of oxidative stress in the cell through the breakdown of the analysed bacterial DNA. We have also observed that the intermolecular distances between the functional units play an important role for the antimicrobial properties of the used material. Hence, we utilised the idea of the 2D solvent to tailor them.

The large conductance voltage- and Ca2+-activated K+ channels from the inner mitochondrial membrane (mitoBK) are modulated by a number of factors. Among them flavanones, including naringenin (Nar), arise as a promising group of mitoBK channel regulators from a pharmacological point of view. It is well known that in the presence of Nar the open state probability (pop) of mitoBK channels significantly increases. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism of the mitoBK-Nar interactions remains still unrevealed. It is also not known whether the effects of naringenin administration on conformational dynamics can resemble those which are exerted by the other channel-activating stimuli. In aim to answer this question, we examine whether the dwell-time series of mitoBK channels which were obtained at different voltages and Nar concentrations (yet allowing to reach comparable pops) are discernible by means of artificial intelligence methods, including k-NN and shapelet learning. The obtained results suggest that the structural complexity of the gating dynamics is shaped both by the interaction of channel gate with the voltage sensor (VSD) and the Nar-binding site. For a majority of data one can observe stimulus-specific patterns of channel gating. Shapelet algorithm allows to obtain better prediction accuracy in most cases. Probably, because it takes into account the complexity of local features of a given signal. About 30% of the analyzed time series do not sufficiently differ to unambiguously distinguish them from each other, which can be interpreted in terms of the existence of the common features of mitoBK channel gating regardless of the type of activating stimulus. There exist long-range mutual interactions between VSD and the Nar-coordination site that are responsible for higher levels of Nar-activation (Δpop) at deeply depolarized membranes. These intra-sensor interactions are anticipated to have an allosteric nature., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Oxygen balance is crucial for angiogenesis, immunity, and tissue repair. The human oviduct is essential for reproductive function, and any imbalance in homeostasis leads to fertility disturbances and might be a reason for ectopic pregnancy development. Uterine myoma is a widespread benign tumour, which is often accompanied by infertility. Telocytes have been discussed in the contexts of motility, fibrosis development, and angiogenesis. We observed the oviducts from patients with and without uterine myoma, comparing the expression of HIF-1, HO, VEGF and its receptor, NOS, oestrogen, and progesterone receptors by immunolabeling. The myometrial and oviductal telocytes were also compared in both groups. Biochemical analyses were conducted for FSH, LH, AMH, sFlt, oestrogen, and progesterone in blood samples. Patients with uterine myoma have different expressions of sex steroid receptors and an increased number of telocytes. The decreasing VEFG expression was compensated by the rise in the HIF-1 and NOS expression. Blood biochemical analyses revealed a higher progesterone level and lower AMH in patients with uterine myoma. No differences in sFlt, FSH, and LF were observed. Uterine myoma impacts oviduct oxygen homeostasis and might cause fertility disturbances (uterine and oviductal infertility factors).

Photoluminescence is known to have huge potential for applications in studying biological systems. In that respect, phosphorescent dye molecules open the possibility to study the local slow solvent dynamics close to hard and soft surfaces and interfaces using the triplet state (TSD: triplet state solvation dynamics). However, for that purpose, probe molecules with efficient phosphorescence features are required with a fixed location on the surface. In this article, a potential TSD probe is presented in the form of a nanocomposite: we synthesize spherical silica particles with 2-naphthalene methanol molecules attached to the surface with a predefined surface density. The synthesis procedure is described in detail, and the obtained materials are characterized employing transmission electron microscopy imaging, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Finally, TSD experiments are carried out in order to confirm the phosphorescence properties of the obtained materials and the route to develop phosphorescent sensors at silica surfaces based on the presented results is discussed.

A preliminary study of 2-amino-4-aryl-3,5-dicarbonitrile-6-thiopyridines as new potential antimicrobial drugs was performed. Special emphasis was placed on the selection of the structure of target pyridine derivatives with the highest biological activity against different types of Gram-stained bacteria by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Herein, Escherichia coli model strains K12 (without LPS in its structure) and R2-R4 (with different lengths of LPS in its structure) were used. Studied target compounds were provided with yields ranging from 53% to 91% by the lipase-catalyzed one pot multicomponent reaction of various aromatic aldehydes with malononitrile, and thiols. The presented work showed that the antibacterial activity of the studied pyridines depends on their structure and affects the LPS of bacteria. Moreover, the influence of the pyridines on bacteria possessing smooth and rough LPS and oxidative damage to plasmid DNA caused by investigated compounds was indicated. Additionally, the modification of the bacterial DNA with the tested compounds was performed to detect new potential oxidative damages, which are recognized by the Fpg protein. The obtained damage modification values of the analyzed compounds were compared with the modifications after antibiotics were used in this type of research. The presented studies demonstrate that 2-amino-4-aryl-3,5-dicarbonitrile-6-thiopyridines can be used as substitutes for known antibiotics. The observed results are especially important in the case of the increasing resistance of bacteria to various drugs and antibiotics.

Here we employ a novel method for preparing the homogeneous copper pyrophosphate nanocrystals inside silica mesopores. In order to characterize and identify synthesized nanocrystals we performed the ab initio studies of the α phase of Cu 2 P 2 O 7 . The electronic and crystal structure were optimized within the density functional theory with the strong electron interactions in the3dstates on copper atoms and van der Waals corrections included in calculations. The relaxed lattice parameters and atomic positions agree very well with the results of the diffraction measurements for nanocrystalline copper pyrophosphates embedded inside SBA-15 silica pores. The obtained Mott insulating state with the energy gap of 3.17 eV exhibits the antiferromagnetic order with magnetic moments on copper atoms (0.8μB) that is compatible with the experimental studies. The phonon dispersion relations were obtained to study the dynamical properties of the Cu 2 P 2 O 7 lattice and the element-specific atomic vibrations were analyzed using the partial phonon density of states. The calculated Raman spectrum revealed the consistency of typical bands of Cu 2 P 2 O 7 with the experimental data. The investigation that combines a new synthesis of nanomaterials with the first-principles calculations is important for better characterization and understanding of the physical properties relevant for nanotechnological applications., (© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

In this work, we have developed a chemical procedure enabling the preparation of highly ordered and vertically aligned mesoporous silica films containing selected contents of silver ions bonded inside the mesopore channels via anchoring propyl-carboxyl units. The procedure involves the electrochemically assisted self-assembly co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and (3-cyanopropyl)triethoxysilane in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant, the subsequent hydrolysis of cyano groups into carboxylate ones, followed by their complexation with silver ions. The output materials have been electrochemically characterized with regard to the synthesis effectiveness in order to confirm and quantify the presence of the silver ions in the material. The mesostructure has been observed by transmission electron microscopy. We have pointed out that it is possible to finely tune the functionalization level by controlling the co-condensation procedure, notably the concentration of (3-cyanopropyl)triethoxysilane in the synthesis medium.

There are many controversies regarding the relationship between lead exposure andcomplications in pregnancy. Preeclampsia (PE) is a maternal hypertensive disorder which is one of the main causes of maternal and foetal mortality. The aim of our study was to assess blood lead level (BLL) in Polish women with PE (PE group, n = 66) compared with healthy, non-pregnant women (CNP group, n = 40) and healthy pregnant women (CP group, n = 40). BLL was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and BLL in the CP group were significantly lower than in the PE group ( p < 0.001). Logistic regression analyses of BLL showed a significant positive relationship with the presence of PE. Furthermore, both the SBP and DBP values were positively associated with BLL. This study indicates that preeclamptic women tend to present with significantly higher BLL compared to healthy pregnant women. There were no differences in the BLL between the CP and CNP groups.

Silver and its nanoparticles (AgNPs) have different faces, providing different applications. In recent years, the number of positive nanosilver applications has increased substantially. It has been proven that AgNPs inhibit the growth and survival of bacteria, including human and animal pathogens, as well as fungi, protozoa and arthropods. Silver nanoparticles are known from their antiviral and anti-cancer properties; however, they are also very popular in medical and pharmaceutical nanoengineering as carriers for precise delivery of therapeutic compounds, in the diagnostics of different diseases and in optics and chemistry, where they act as sensors, conductors and substrates for various syntheses. The activity of AgNPs has not been fully discovered; therefore, we need interdisciplinary research to fulfil this knowledge. New forms of products with silver will certainly find application in the future treatment of many complicated and difficult to treat diseases. There is still a lack of appropriate and precise legal condition regarding the circulation of nanomaterials and the rules governing their safety use. The relatively low toxicity, relative biocompatibility and selectivity of nanoparticle interaction combined with the unusual biological properties allow their use in animal production as well as in bioengineering and medicine. Despite a quite big knowledge on this topic, there is still a need to organize the data on AgNPs in relation to specific microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. We decided to put this knowledge together and try to show positive and negative effects on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

(1) Background: In this work, we focus on the activity of large-conductance voltage- and Ca2+-activated potassium channels (BK) from the inner mitochondrial membrane (mitoBK). The characteristic electrophysiological features of the mitoBK channels are relatively high single-channel conductance (ca. 300 pS) and types of activating and deactivating stimuli. Nevertheless, depending on the isoformal composition of mitoBK channels in a given membrane patch and the type of auxiliary regulatory subunits (which can be co-assembled to the mitoBK channel protein) the characteristics of conformational dynamics of the channel protein can be altered. Consequently, the individual features of experimental series describing single-channel activity obtained by patch-clamp method can also vary. (2) Methods: Artificial intelligence approaches (deep learning) were used to classify the patch-clamp outputs of mitoBK activity from different cell types. (3) Results: Application of the K-nearest neighbors algorithm (KNN) and the autoencoder neural network allowed to perform the classification of the electrophysiological signals with a very good accuracy, which indicates that the conformational dynamics of the analyzed mitoBK channels from different cell types significantly differs. (4) Conclusion: We displayed the utility of machine-learning methodology in the research of ion channel gating, even in cases when the behavior of very similar microbiosystems is analyzed. A short excerpt from the patch-clamp recording can serve as a "fingerprint" used to recognize the mitoBK gating dynamics in the patches of membrane from different cell types.

The ability to organize, separate and manipulate individual molecules and ions on a surface opens up almost unlimited opportunities. However, it often requires complex techniques and a proper support material. With this in mind, we show a new concept of 2D solid solvents and review a simple and efficient procedure which is based on nanostructured forms of silica with anchoring units. We describe silica supports, such as spherical nanoparticles and mesoporous silica structures, as well as review the methods for chemical modification of the surface of silica with the functional groups. Finally, we present a few particular examples of the immobilization of molecules and ions on the surface of 2D solid solvents along with the experimental investigation of the obtained materials.

The magnetic behaviour of Mn 12 -stearate single-molecule magnets (SMMs) ([ Mn 12 O 12 ( CH 3 ( CH 2 ) 16 CO 2 ) 16 ] · 2 CH 3 COOH · 4 H 2 O ) on the surface of 300 nm spherical silica nanoparticles were investigated. The SMMs were bonded at the silica surface with the assumed number of anchoring points, which influenced on their degree of freedom and distribution. In order to check the properties of Mn 12 -stearate molecules separated on the silica surface, and check their interactions, the samples containing four different concentration of spacers per single anchoring unit and variously bonded Mn 12 -stearate particles were prepared. The materials have been examined using Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and SQUID magnetometry. The results of magnetic measurements showed a correlation between the way of single-molecule magnets immobilization onto the silica spheres and the magnetic properties of the obtained hybrid materials.

Objectives: Data on the elemental status, redistribution of the elements, role of occupational exposure and dietary assessment in preeclampsia (PE) are scarce. There are many disparities in the findings of essential and non-essential elements' role in PE. In this article we overview the changes in the content of selected elements in pregnancy complicated with the disorder of complex and not fully understood etiology. We have focused on important limitations and highlighted shortcomings in research from the last ten years period., Methods: The Scopus and PubMed electronic databases have been searched for English-language articles published within the time interval 2008-2018, with full text available and with the key words "preeclampsia" and "chemical element" (i.e. separately: Cd, Pb, As, Ni, Mo, Co, Cr, Mn, Se, I, Fe, Sr, Cu, Zn, Mg, K and Na) appearing in the title, abstract or keywords., Results: A total of 48 publications were eligible for this overview. Surprisingly only 4% of papers considered environmental exposure, 8%- diet and 2 %- comorbid diseases. In most published papers, occupational exposure was neglected. Meta-analysis was possible for seven elements in serum (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Se, Zn), and two elements (Se, Zn) in plasma. It showed negative shift for most elements, however only several were statistically significant., Conlusions: The overview of the published data on PE and chemical elements yields varied results. Some of the reasons may be the difference in not duly validated method of determination, and huge discrepancies in study designs. The lack of detailed description of studied and control population and small number of samples constitute the most common limitations of such studies. Many of them describe the use of a single analytical procedure, therefore the quality of research may be insufficient to obtain reliable results. A history of elements' status and intake before and during pregnancy is usually not examined. Dietary assessment should be done at different stages of pregnancy, and whenever possible in the periconceptional period as well. It still needs to be established whether the deficiency of certain elements or their excess may be an etiopathogenic factor and a developmental cause of PE, and if it may serve as a target of actions in the causal treatment or even prevention of the occurrence of this disease., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

The synthesis routes are presented for the preparation of nanocomposites composed of nanocrystals placed inside SBA-15 silica pores. The procedures assume treating the silica channels as nanoreactors, where nanocrystals are created as a result of thermal decomposition of internal functional units. Its sizes and chemical composition can be modified by the change of functional group types and density inside silica channels. The procedure is demonstrated by the example of copper pyrophosphate quantum dots and silver oxide nanoparticles inside silica mezochannels. The method can be easily adopted to other types of nanocrystals that can be synthesized inside silica nanoreactors.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency due to impaired renal hydroxylation, low dietary intake and inadequate sun exposure. Vitamin D plays a role in innate and adaptive immunity and its seasonal variation has been linked to mortality. ESRD is associated with inadequate removal of pro-inflammatory cytokines regulating acute phase protein (APP) synthesis. Our aim was to look for associations between lifestyle factors, diet, and vitamin D seasonal variation and their relationship with selected APPs and calcium-phosphate metabolism. The study included 59 ESRD patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis. A 24-hour dietary recall was conducted in the post-summer (November 2018, PS) and post-winter (February/March 2019, PW) period, and blood was collected for the measurements of serum total vitamin D, α 1 -acid glycoprotein (AGP), C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, prealbumin (PRE), parathormone, calcium and phosphate. A self-constructed questionnaire gathered information on vitamin D supplementation, sun exposure and physical activity. Higher caloric intake was observed PW compared PS. Less than 15% of participants met the dietary recommendations for energy, protein, fiber, vitamin D and magnesium intake. Vitamin D supplementation was associated with higher serum vitamin D regardless of season. AGP, PRE, albumin, and vitamin D presented seasonal changes (higher values PS). In patients with serum vitamin D below 25 ng/mL, vitamin D seasonal change correlated with CRP and prealbumin change. Phosphate and Ca × P correlated positively with AGP. A low vitamin D serum level could impact the inflammatory process; however, more studies are needed to confirm the relationship.

Controlling the distribution of the Mn 12 -stearate, single-molecule magnets (SMMs) anchored on a select surface is expected to be a new method for tuning its interactions, and an investigation on the magnetic properties of separated magnetic molecules is also lacking. The anchoring of the SMMs at the surface with an assumed statistic distance between each other is not an easy task; nevertheless, in this work, we show a synthesis which allows for this in detail. The immobilization of the Mn 12 -stearate was demonstrated with the use of FTO glasses and spherical silica as substrates. Based on differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations, we proved the efficiency of the method proposed. We observed continuous decreasing the number of bonds, and afterward, decreasing in the number of immobilized molecules with an increasing the number of spacer units used for separation of the magnetic particles.

Electronics, and nanoelectronics in particular, represent one of the most promising branches of technology. The search for novel and more efficient materials seems to be natural here. Thus far, silicon-based devices have been monopolizing this domain. Indeed, it is justified since it allows for significant miniaturization of electronic elements by their densification in integrated circuits. Nevertheless, silicon has some restrictions. Since this material is applied in the bulk form, the miniaturization limit seems to be already reached. Moreover, smaller silicon-based elements (mainly processors) need much more energy and generate significantly more heat than their larger counterparts. In our opinion, the future belongs to nanostructured materials where a proper structure is obtained by means of bottom-up nanotechnology. A great example of a material utilizing nanostructuring is mesoporous silica, which, due to its outstanding properties, can find numerous applications in electronic devices. This focused review is devoted to the application of porous silica-based materials in electronics. We guide the reader through the development and most crucial findings of porous silica from its first synthesis in 1992 to the present. The article describes constant struggle of researchers to find better solutions to supercapacitors, lower the k value or redox-active hybrids while maintaining robust mechanical properties. Finally, the last section refers to ultra-modern applications of silica such as molecular artificial neural networks or super-dense magnetic memory storage.

Preeclampsia is a serious, pregnancy-specific, multi-organ disease process of compound aetiology. It affects 3-6% of expecting mothers worldwide and it persists as a leading cause of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality. In fact, hallmark features of preeclampsia (PE) result from vessel involvement and demonstrate maternal endothelium as a target tissue. Growing evidence suggests that chronic placental hypoperfusion triggers the production and release of certain agents that are responsible for endothelial activation and injury. In this review, we will present the latest findings on the role of nitric oxide, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and homocysteine in the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia and their possible clinical implications.