Search

A perovskite-like single-crystal substrate material has been investigated that simultaneously permits epitaxial growth of 1-2-3 superconductor films and possesses desirable rf properties of low dielectric constant and loss tangent. The lattice constant of 3.792 Å provides a lattice match to within 1% of the a axis of 1-2-3. Sputtered films of erbium-barium-copper-oxide have been produced on (100) LaAlO3 substrates that exhibit sharp resistive transitions at 90 K (ΔT=1K), bulk superconductivity as determined by ac susceptibility measurements, and nearly single-crystal growth as evidenced by x-ray diffraction and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The high-frequency dielectric properties of LaAlO3 were experimentally investigated at several temperatures. The low-frequency dielectric constant was measured to be 15 and the microwave loss tangent ranged from 6×10-4 at room temperature to 5×10-6 at 4 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial SrBi[sub 2]Ta[sub 2]O[sub 9] thin films have been grown with (001) and (110) orientations by pulsed laser deposition on (001) LaAlO[sub 3]–Sr[sub 2]AlTaO[sub 6] and (100) LaSrAlO[sub 4] substrates, respectively. Four-circle x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy reveal nearly phase pure epitaxial films. Minimization of surface mesh mismatch between the film and substrate (i.e., choice of appropriate substrate material and orientation) was used to stabilize the desired orientations and achieve epitaxial growth. © 1998 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snake venom is a complex mixture of proteins and peptides which in the Viperidae is mainly hemotoxic. The diversity of these components causes the venom to be an extremely interesting object of study. Discovered components can be used in search for new pharmaceuticals used primarily in the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system. In order to determine the protein composition of the southern copperhead venom, we have used high resolution two dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI ToF/ToF MS-based identification. We have identified 10 groups of proteins present in the venom, of which phospholipase A₂ and metalloprotease and serine proteases constitute the largest groups. For the first time presence of 5'-nucleotidase in venom was found in this group of snakes. Three peptides present in the venom were also identified. Two of them as bradykinin-potentiating agents and one as an inhibitor., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Snake venom is a rich source of peptides and proteins with a wide range of actions. Many of the venom components are currently being tested for their usefulness in the treatment of many diseases ranging from neurological and cardiovascular to cancer. It is also important to constantly search for new proteins and peptides with properties not yet described. The venom of Vipera berus berus has hemolytic, proteolytic and cytotoxic properties, but its exact composition and the factors responsible for these properties are not known. Therefore, an attempt was made to identify proteins and peptides derived from this species venom by using high resolution two-dimensional electrophoresis and MALDI ToF/ToF mass spectrometry. A total of 11 protein classes have been identified mainly proteases but also l-amino acid oxidases, C-type lectin like proteins, cysteine-rich venom proteins and phospholipases A₂ and 4 peptides of molecular weight less than 1500 Da. Most of the identified proteins are responsible for the highly hemotoxic properties of the venom. Presence of venom phospholipases A₂ and l-amino acid oxidases cause moderate neuro-, myo- and cytotoxicity. All successfully identified peptides belong to the bradykinin-potentiating peptides family. The mass spectrometry data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD004958.

Vitamin D has been suggested to have an important impact on a much wider aspects on human health than calcium homeostasis and mineral metabolism, specifically in the field of human immunology. It has been reported that vitamin D influences the regulation of both innate and adaptive immune systems, which makes the association between vitamin D and allergic diseases a field of interest. Although many studies have sought to determine whether vitamin D has an influence on progression of allergic disease, the impact of vitamin D on atopic dermatitis development and severity remains unclear. In this review, we summarize recent studies relating vitamin D to atopic dermatitis and discuss its possible role in the pathogenesis of allergic skin diseases, emphasizing the need for well-designed, prospective trials on vitamin D supplementation in the context of prevention and treatment for allergic conditions.

The author presents Kraków's publications from the pioneering years of radiology. She also emphasises the great role of the publications in the development of this field in Kraków's medical environment

Author presents history of the Polish interventional radiology.

Authors present information about first Polish experiments with X-Rays made on January and February of 1896.

In the 19th century many medical textbooks were published in Poland. These presented the principles of medical knowledge, including information about illnesses and medicines. Most of them were written by physicians or pharmacists but some of them were written by charlatans. Books describing "miracle cures" were specially popular and often had many editions. The book Domowy lekarz i domowa apteka written by F. V. Raspail and published in Warsaw in 1864 is a good example of bad medical advice. The main medicine recommended by Raspail was camphor.