Membrane Fluctuation Model for Understanding the Effect of Receptor Nanoclustering on the Activation of Natural Killer Cells through Biomechanical Feedback.

We investigated the role of ligand clustering and density in the activation of natural killer (NK) cells. To that end, we designed reductionist arrays of nanopatterned ligands arranged with different cluster geometries and densities and probed their effects on NK cell activation. We used these arrays as an artificial microenvironment for the stimulation of NK cells and studied the effect of the array geometry on the NK cell immune response. We found that ligand density significantly regulated NK cell activation while ligand clustering had an impact only at a specific density threshold. We also rationalized these findings by introducing a theoretical membrane fluctuation model that considers biomechanical feedback between ligand-receptor bonds and the cell membrane. These findings provide important insight into NK cell mechanobiology, which is fundamentally important and essential for designing immunotherapeutic strategies targeting cancer.

Microscopic Droplet Size Analysis (MDSA) of "Five Thieves' Oil" (Olejek Pieciu Zlodziei) Essential Oil after the Nebulization Process.

Nowadays, due to a higher resistance to drugs, antibiotics, and antiviral medicaments, new ways of fighting pathogens are intensively studied. The alternatives for synthesized compositions are natural products, most of which have been known in natural medicine for a long time. One of the best-known and intensively investigated groups are essential oils (EOs) and their compositions. However, it is worth noting that the method of application can play a second crucial part in the effectiveness of the antimicrobial activity. EOs possess various natural compounds which exhibit antimicrobial activity. One of the compositions which is based on the five main ingredients of eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove, rosemary, and lemon is named "five thieves' oil" (Polish name: olejek pieciu zlodziei) (5TO) and is used in natural medicine. In this study, we focused on the droplet size distribution of 5TO during the nebulization process, evaluated by the microscopic droplet size analysis (MDSA) method. Furthermore, viscosity studies, as well as UV-Vis of the 5TO suspensions in medical solvents such as physiological salt and hyaluronic acid, were presented, along with measurements of refractive index, turbidity, pH, contact angle, and surface tension. Additional studies on the biological activity of 5TO solutions were made on the P. aeruginosa strain NFT3. This study opens a way for the possible use of 5TO solutions or emulsion systems for active antimicrobial applications, i.e., for surface spraying.

On the Dependence of Prion and Amyloid Structure on the Folding Environment.

Currently available analyses of amyloid proteins reveal the necessity of the existence of radical structural changes in amyloid transformation processes. The analysis carried out in this paper based on the model called fuzzy oil drop (FOD) and its modified form (FOD-M) allows quantifying the role of the environment, particularly including the aquatic environment. The starting point and basis for the present presentation is the statement about the presence of two fundamentally different methods of organizing polypeptides into ordered conformations-globular proteins and amyloids. The present study shows the source of the differences between these two paths resulting from the specificity of the external force field coming from the environment, including the aquatic and hydrophobic one. The water environment expressed in the fuzzy oil drop model using the 3D Gauss function directs the folding process towards the construction of a micelle-like system with a hydrophobic core in the central part and the exposure of polarity on the surface. The hydrophobicity distribution of membrane proteins has the opposite characteristic: Exposure of hydrophobicity at the surface of the membrane protein with an often polar center (as in the case of ion channels) is expected. The structure of most proteins is influenced by a more or less modified force field generated by water through the appropriate presence of a non-polar (membrane-like) environment. The determination of the proportion of a factor different from polar water enables the assessment of the protein status by indicating factors favoring the structure it represents.

Multidisciplinary Studies of Folk Medicine "Five Thieves' Oil" (Olejek Pieciu Zlodziei) Components.

To meet the growing interest in natural antibacterial agents, we evaluated the physicochemical and biological properties of the folk medicine known as "five thieves' oil" (Polish name: olejek pieciu zlodziei). Five thieves' oil consists of a mixture of five oils: rosemary, lemon, clove, eucalyptus, and cinnamon. In this study, we performed gas chromatography, FTIR, and UV-vis spectroscopic analysis, as well as L-a-b color tests, contact angle determination, and surface tension determination. To verify its antibacterial activity, the metabolic activity and changes in cell membrane permeability of bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas were studied. As a result, it was found that among the constituent oils, the oils of clove and cinnamon were the least volatile and, at the same time, had the strongest antibacterial activity. However, a mix of all the oils also showed comparable activity, which was even more pronounced for the oils after 4 weeks of aging. This effect can be linked to the high content of terpene derivatives such as eugenol and cinnamaldehyde, which can cause changes in bacterial membrane permeability, affecting cell activity and survival. This study is the first to characterize the constituents of the popular folk medicine five thieves' oil, confirming and explaining its strong antibacterial activity, thus constituting a significant contribution to contemporary health education.

Lateral critical Casimir force in two-dimensional inhomogeneous Ising strip. Exact results.

We consider two-dimensional Ising strip bounded by two planar, inhomogeneous walls. The inhomogeneity of each wall is modeled by a magnetic field acting on surface spins. It is equal to +h1 except for a group of N1 neighboring surface spins where it is equal to -h1. The inhomogeneities of the upper and lower wall are shifted with respect to each other by a lateral distance L. Using exact diagonalization of the transfer matrix, we study both the lateral and normal critical Casimir forces as well as magnetization profiles for different temperature regimes: below the wetting temperature, between the wetting and the critical temperature, and above the critical temperature. The lateral critical Casimir force acts in the direction opposite to the shift L, and the excess normal force is always attractive. Upon increasing the shift L we observe, depending on the temperature regime, three different scenarios of breaking of the capillary bridge of negative magnetization connecting the inhomogeneities of the walls across the strip. As long as there exists a capillary bridge in the system, the magnitude of the excess total critical Casimir force is almost constant, with its direction depending on L. By investigating the bridge morphologies we have found a relation between the point at which the bridge breaks and the inflection point of the force. We provide a simple argument that some of the properties reported here should also hold for different models of the strip with the same type of inhomogeneity.

The influence of residents' behaviour on waste electrical and electronic equipment collection effectiveness.

Government agencies have implemented regulations to reduce the volume of waste electrical and electronic equipment to protect the environment and encourage recycling. The effectiveness of systems through which waste electrical and electronic equipment is collected and recycled depends on (a) the development and operation of new programmes to process this material and (b) on information dissemination programmes aimed at manufacturers, retail sellers, and the consuming public. This study analyses these two elements. The main focus is to better understand household residents' behaviour in regards to the proper methods of handling waste electrical and electronic equipment and possible storage of the obsolete equipment that brings disturbances with collection of the waste equipment. The study explores these issues depending on size of municipality and the household residents' knowledge about legal methods of post-consumer management of waste electrical and electronic equipment in Poland, where the collection rate of that type of waste is about 40% of the total mass of waste electrical and electronic equipment appearing in the market.The research was informed by various sources of information, including non-government organisations, Inspectorate of Environmental Protection and Central Statistics Office in Poland, questionnaires, and interviews with the household residents. The questionnaires were distributed to daytime and vocational students from different universities and the customers of an electronic equipment superstore. The results show that a resident's behaviour in regards to the handling of obsolete waste electrical and electronic equipment can significantly reduce the collection rate, especially when the waste is discarded improperly - mixed with municipal waste or sold in scrapyards. It is possible to identify points that are necessary to be improved to achieve a higher collection rate.

Lateral critical Casimir force in 2D Ising strip with inhomogeneous walls.

We analyze the lateral critical Casimir force acting between two planar, chemically inhomogeneous walls confining an infinite 2D Ising strip of width M. The inhomogeneity of each of the walls has size N1; they are shifted by the distance L along the strip. Using the exact diagonalization of the transfer matrix, we calculate the lateral critical Casimir force and discuss its properties, in particular its scaling close to the 2D bulk critical point, as a function of temperature, surface magnetic field, and the geometric parameters M, N1, L. We determine the magnetization profiles which display the formation of the bridge joining the inhomogeneities on the walls and establish the relation between the characteristic properties of the lateral Casimir force and magnetization morphologies. We check numerically that breaking of the bridge is related to the inflection point of the lateral force.

Nanoalignment by critical Casimir torques.

The manipulation of microscopic objects requires precise and controllable forces and torques. Recent advances have led to the use of critical Casimir forces as a powerful tool, which can be finely tuned through the temperature of the environment and the chemical properties of the involved objects. For example, these forces have been used to self-organize ensembles of particles and to counteract stiction caused by Casimir-Liftshitz forces. However, until now, the potential of critical Casimir torques has been largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that critical Casimir torques can efficiently control the alignment of microscopic objects on nanopatterned substrates. We show experimentally and corroborate with theoretical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations that circular patterns on a substrate can stabilize the position and orientation of microscopic disks. By making the patterns elliptical, such microdisks can be subject to a torque which flips them upright while simultaneously allowing for more accurate control of the microdisk position. More complex patterns can selectively trap 2D-chiral particles and generate particle motion similar to non-equilibrium Brownian ratchets. These findings provide new opportunities for nanotechnological applications requiring precise positioning and orientation of microscopic objects.

[Genetic analysis of human remains exhumed during archaeological excavations on former military training ground Brus in Lodz]. / Analiza genetyczna szczatków ludzkich ekshumowanych podczas badan archeologicznych na terenie bylego poligonu na Brusie w Lodzi.

The aim of this study was the genetic identification of Nazi repression victims. Human remains were found in 2011 in the area of former military training ground BRUS in Lodz. Genetic tests were performed upon the request of the Departmental Commission for the Prosecution of Crimes against the Polish Nation of the Institute of National Remembrance in Lodz. The research material was provided by the Institute of Archaeology (University of Lodz). It consisted of bones and teeth which were exhumed from mass Grave No 7. As a reference material we used a buccal swab collected from the putative son of one of the victims. Genomic DNA was extracted from the skeletal samples using the PrepFiler BTA Forensic DNA Extraction Kit. DNA was amplified using the AmpFlSTR Identifiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit and analyzed using an AB 3500 genetic analyzer. The obtained results showed 12 male genetic profiles. The analysis excluded paternity of 10 investigated victims. The genetic data of the remaining samples did not allow for paternity settlement.

The evaluation of energy consumption in transportation and processing of municipal waste for recovery in a waste-to-energy plant: a case study of Poland.

Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) can be produced from combustible materials contained in municipal waste. This article investigates energy and material flow of waste in different scenarios for production of RDF from bulky waste, separately collected waste, and mixed municipal solid waste (MSW). We compare the proportion of energy consumption in transportation, handling waste, and processing using data from the waste collection company in South Poland. The findings show the components of the reverse supply chain consuming the highest value of energy. A model of material and energy flow has taken into consideration collection of waste and transportation by two categories of waste collection vehicles: light commercial vehicles and garbage trucks. The shipping of RDF from pre-treatment facilities uses tipper semi-trailers and walking floor trailers. The findings of the study show production of RDF from municipal solid waste consumes almost 10% of energy potential in RDF. Less energy is required for the production of RDF from bulky waste (2.2-4.8%) or separately collected waste (1.7-4.1%) depending on the efficiency of collection and selected vehicles. Transportation consumes the greatest portion of energy. For mixed municipal solid waste (MSW), it can reach 79%; for separated collection waste, 90%; and for bulky waste, up to 92% of the total energy consumed. Comparing emissions for two categories of the collection vehicles, no significant difference was found for the bulky waste collections. For mixed MSW and separately collected waste, the emissions are higher for garbage trucks. A recommendation for practitioners is optimization of routing to achieve a higher collection rate at a minimized route length. For transportation of RDF to WtE plants, vehicles with higher loading capacity are essential.

Effect of Intramuscular Tramadol on the Duration of Clinically Relevant Sciatic Nerve Blockade in Patients Undergoing Calcaneal Fracture Fixation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Calcaneal fracture fixation can generate severe postoperative pain and analgesia can be supported by a sciatic nerve block. However, following resolution of the sensory blockade, rebound pain may ensue. The aim of this study was to assess whether an incidental finding of two patients with an extension of the sciatic nerve block beyond 24 h following 100 mg of intramuscular tramadol administration could be confirmed. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients scheduled for a calcaneal intramedullary fixation (Calcanail®) were randomly divided into two groups. The tramadol group (n = 19) received a sciatic nerve block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine and a concomitant dose of 100 mg of intramuscular tramadol, while the control group (n = 18) received an identical sciatic nerve block with concomitant injection of normal saline (placebo). All patients had a spinal anesthesia with light sedation for the procedure. The time to first analgesic request defined as appearance of any pain (NRS > 0) was assessed as the primary endpoint with a clinically relevant expected result of at least 50% elongation in sensory blockade. RESULTS: The median time to first analgesic request from time of blockade in the tramadol group was 670 min compared with 578 min in the control group. The result was clinically not relevant and statistically not significant (p = 0.17). No statistical difference could be demonstrated in the time to first opioid request, although a trend for opioid sparing in the tramadol group could be seen. Total morphine consumption in the first 24 h was also statistically insignificant (the tramadol group 0.066 mg kg-1 compared with 0.125 mg kg-1 in the control group). In conclusion, intramuscular tramadol does not extend the duration of analgesia of a sciatic nerve block following a calcaneal fracture fixation beyond 2 h and an opioid sparing effect could not be demonstrated in this trial.

Demixing of homogeneous binary lipid membranes induced by protein inclusions.

We study a model of a lipid bilayer membrane described by two order parameters: the chemical composition described using the Gaussian model and the spatial configuration described with the elastic deformation model of a membrane with a finite thickness or, equivalently, for an adherent membrane. We assume and explain on physical grounds the linear coupling between the two order parameters. Using the exact solution, we calculate the correlation functions and order parameter profiles. We also study the domains that form around inclusions on the membrane. We propose and compare six distinct ways to quantify the size of such domains. Despite its simplicity, the model has many interesting features like the Fisher-Widom line and two distinct critical regions.

Block Chemistry for Accurate Modeling of Epoxy Resins.

Accurate molecular modeling of the physical and chemical behavior of highly cross-linked epoxy resins at the atomistic scale is important for the design of new property-optimized materials. However, a systematic approach to parametrizing and characterizing these systems in molecular dynamics is missing. We therefore present a unified scheme to derive atomic charges for amine-based epoxy resins, in agreement with the AMBER force field, based on defining reactive fragments─blocks─building the network. The approach is applicable to all stages of curing from pure liquid to gelation to fully cured glass. We utilize this approach to study DGEBA/DDS epoxy systems, incorporating dynamic topology changes into atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the curing reaction with 127,000 atoms. We study size effects in our simulations and predict the gel point utilizing a rigorous percolation theory to recover accurately the experimental data. Furthermore, we observe excellent agreement between the estimated and the experimentally determined glass transition temperatures as a function of curing rate. Finally, we demonstrate the quality of our model by the prediction of the elastic modulus based on uniaxial tensile tests. The presented scheme paves the way for a broadly consistent approach for modeling and characterizing all amine-based epoxy resins.

Preliminary Studies on the Predation of the Mite Blattisocius mali (Acari: Blattisociidae) on Various Life Stages of Spider Mite, Thrips and Fruit Fly.

Research in recent years has shown that some species of predatory mites, considered to be typically associated with soil and litter, can also be found on plants. Such species include Blattisocius mali, which is an effective predator of acarid mites, nematodes and the eggs of moths and which can disperse by means of drosophilid fruit flies. Apart from soil and litter or storage, it has also been recorded on the bark of apple trees and the leaves of strawberries, thus suggesting its possible predation of/feeding on herbivorous mites and insects. Our goal was to examine whether B. mali could consume different development stages of two polyphagous herbivores, the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, and the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, as well as the drosophilid fruit fly Drosophila hydei. In 24 h cage tests, single, starved B. mali females consumed all types of prey offered, i.e., the eggs, males and females of spider mites; the first-instar larvae and prepupae of thrips; and the eggs and first-instar larvae of fruit flies. The potential for B. mali to prey upon these insects and mites was confirmed. However, to estimate whether it can also effectively reduce their population, additional tests on the predator's survival, fecundity and prey preference are needed.

Methods of assessing fluid responsiveness in septic shock patients: a narrative review.

A growing body of evidence shows that some septic patients experience fluid overload, which leads to an increased number of serious complications and death. This is because the majority of septic patients are fluid non-responders. Therefore, a reliable distinction of which patient would benefit from fluid boluses is crucial in current sepsis mana-gement. Several methods used to assess fluid responsiveness have been developed. The principle of "dynamic" measurements (in contrast to static indices such as central venous pressure) involves the induction of a change in cardiac preload and the measurement of its effect on stroke volume. Dynamic methods are based on either heart-lung interaction during mechanical ventilation or on an assessment of change in cardiac stroke volume in response to fluid provocative stimuli such as rapid fluid administration, passive leg raising, or the end-expiratory occlusion test. Most dynamic measurements are easy to perform and interpret as well as being available at the bedside. However, they vary in their invasiveness, difficulty in performance, reliability, and limitations. In this study, we provide an overview of various methods for assessing fluid responsiveness and indicate those that potentially lead to haemodynamically guided fluid restrictive treatment that would prevent fluid overload in septic patients.

Efficacy and Side Effect Profile of Intrathecal Morphine versus Distal Femoral Triangle Nerve Block for Analgesia following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Trial.

(1) Background: The management of postoperative pain after knee replacement is an important clinical problem. The best results in the treatment of postoperative pain are obtained using multimodal therapy principles. Intrathecal morphine (ITM) and single-shot femoral nerve block (SSFNB) are practiced in the treatment of postoperative pain after knee replacement, with the most optimal methods still under debate. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy with special consideration of selected side effects of both methods. (2) Materials and methods: Fifty-two consecutive patients undergoing knee arthroplasty surgery at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the Medical University of Warsaw were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to one of two groups. In the ITM group, 100 micrograms of intrathecal morphine were used, and in the SSFNB group, a femoral nerve block in the distal femoral triangle was used as postoperative analgesia. The other elements of anesthesia and surgery did not differ between the groups. (3) Results: The total dose of morphine administered in the postoperative period and the effectiveness of pain management did not differ significantly between the groups (cumulative median morphine dose in 24 h in the ITM group 31 mg vs. SSFNB group 29 mg). The incidence of nausea and pruritus in the postoperative period differed significantly in favor of patients treated with a femoral nerve block. (4) Conclusions: Although intrathecal administration of morphine is similarly effective in the treatment of pain after knee replacement surgery as a single femoral triangle nerve block, it is associated with a higher incidence of cumbersome side effects, primarily nausea and pruritus.

The influence of preliminary processing of end-of-life tires on transportation cost and vehicle exhausts emissions.

Recovery and recycling end-of-life tires (ELT) incur a significant cost of collection and transportation. Improperly conducted ELT collection contributes to excessive vehicle exhaust emissions and high transportation costs. This study investigates the collection and transportation costs of ELT including preliminary processing of waste tires like cutting, baling and packing tires to reduce the volume of each shipment. Waste collection vehicles exhaust emissions were examined in the collection scenarios. In this study a novel approach of multi-criteria decision support - coupled analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and Preference Ranking Organization METHod for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) methods have been applied for selecting the best scenario, considering costs and environmental impacts in the collection of ELT. The results show the most profitable method of the ELT collection by routing of heavy truck and pickup of waste tires from a local network after preprocessing. Packing the tires in the collection points reduces the total cost between 20-30% and vehicles' exhaust emissions up to 40 %, compared to other methods in the Polish case study. The proposed decision support method is useful for evaluating environmental and cost factors, especially in regions where transport costs due to distances constitute the largest share of costs. This method and the results are useful for the ELT collection companies in promoting sustainable methods of transportation of waste including emission and economic factors. The study encourages using the compacting of ELT at the collection points for more efficient transportation.

Dependence of Protein Structure on Environment: FOD Model Applied to Membrane Proteins.

The natural environment of proteins is the polar aquatic environment and the hydrophobic (amphipathic) environment of the membrane. The fuzzy oil drop model (FOD) used to characterize water-soluble proteins, as well as its modified version FOD-M, enables a mathematical description of the presence and influence of diverse environments on protein structure. The present work characterized the structures of membrane proteins, including those that act as channels, and a water-soluble protein for contrast. The purpose of the analysis was to verify the possibility that an external force field can be used in the simulation of the protein-folding process, taking into account the diverse nature of the environment that guarantees a structure showing biological activity.

[Placenta previa percreta with bladder involvement managed conservatively--case report]. / Zachowawcze postepowanie w placenta previa percreta przerastajacym sciany pecherza moczowego--opis przypadku.

Placenta percreta is potentially a life-threatening condition. Pelvic organ invasion of the placenta carries high mortality and morbidity to the mother and fetus. We present a 33 year old gravida 3, para 2-0-0 female with placenta previa, percreta with bladder invasion. Placental invasion caused a giant vesicouterine fistula. The pregnant woman was managed conservatively until 33 weeks gestation, at which time she underwent a classical cesarean section. Postoperatively the patient was treated with methotrexate. Immediately postpartum the placenta was left in situ and successfully removed transvaginally after 11 weeks postpartum.

Application of deep learning object classifier to improve e-waste collection planning.

This study investigates an image recognition system for the identification and classification of waste electrical and electronic equipment from photos. Its main purpose is to facilitate information exchange regarding the waste to be collected from individuals or from waste collection points, thereby exploiting the wide acceptance and use of smartphones. To improve waste collection planning, individuals would photograph the waste item and upload the image to the waste collection company server, where it would be recognized and classified automatically. The proposed system can be operated on a server or through a mobile app. A novel method of classification and identification using neural networks is proposed for image analysis: a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) was applied to classify the type of e-waste, and a faster region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN) was used to detect the category and size of the waste equipment in the images. The recognition and classification accuracy of the selected e-waste categories ranged from 90 to 97%. After the size and category of the waste is automatically recognized and classified from the uploaded images, e-waste collection companies can prepare a collection plan by assigning a sufficient number of vehicles and payload capacity for a specific e-waste project.