Evaluation of Chemical Profile and Biological Properties of Extracts of Different Origanum vulgare Cultivars Growing in Poland.

This research studied the phenolic content compared with the antioxidant properties of various O. vulgare (Lamiaceae) cultivars grown in Poland. The research results in this paper indicate that the dominant ingredient in all oregano cultivars was rosmarinic acid, known for its strong antioxidant properties. The highest amounts of rosmarinic acid (87.16 ± 4.03 mg/g dm) were identified in the O. vulgare spp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw. Other metabolites identified in the studied extracts include luteolin O-di-glucuronide-O-di-pentoside (30.79 ± 0.38 mg/g dm in the 'Aureum' cultivar), 4'-O-glucopyranosyl-3', 4'-dihydroxy benzyl-protocatechuate (19.84 ± 0.60 mg/g dm in the 'Margerita' cultivar), and p-coumaroyl-triacetyl-hexoside (25.44 ± 0.18 mg/g dm in the 'Margerita' cultivar). 'Hot & spicy' and 'Margerita' cultivars were characterized by the highest activity in eliminating OH• and O2•- radicals. Extracts from Greek oregano had the highest ability to scavenge DPPH radicals and chelate iron ions. This research has also provided new evidence that oregano has anti-migratory, cytotoxic properties and influences the viability of gastric cancer cells (the highest cytotoxicity was attributed to the 'Hot & spicy' cultivar, which performed the worst in antioxidant properties tests). Extracts from the tested cultivars at a concentration of 0.625% effectively inhibited the growth of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa bacteria. It seems that the oregano grown in Poland is of good quality and can be successfully grown on a large scale if the appropriate use is found.

Decontamination Effect of Hypochlorous Acid Dry Mist on Selected Bacteria, Viruses, Spores, and Fungi as Well as on Components of Electronic Systems.

This publication presents the effect of hypochlorous acid dry mist as a disinfectant on selected bacteria, viruses, spores, and fungi as well as on portable Microlife OXY 300 finger pulse oximeters and electronic systems of Raspberry Pi Zero microcomputers. The impact of hypochlorous acid on microbiological agents was assessed at concentrations of 300, 500, and 2000 ppm of HClO according to PN-EN 17272 (Variant I). Studies of the impact of hypochlorous acid fog on electronic components were carried out in an aerosol chamber at concentrations of 500 ppm and 2000 ppm according to two models consisting of 30 (Variant II) and 90 fogging cycles (Variant III). Each cycle included the process of generating a dry mist of hypochlorous acid (25 mL/m3), decontamination of the test elements, as well as cleaning the chamber of the disinfectant agent. The exposure of the materials examined on hypochlorous acid dry mist in all variants resulted in a decrease in the number of viruses, bacteria, spores, and fungi tested. In addition, the research showed that in the variants of hypochlorous acid fogging cycles analyzed, no changes in performance parameters and no penetration of dry fog of hypochlorous acid into the interior of the tested medical devices and electronic systems were observed.

Adhesion and morphology of mammalian cells on nanoporous and nonporous spherical carbon substrates.

Three spherical activated carbons (SACs) were used as substrates for mammalian cell proliferation. SACs were obtained by carbonizing styrene-co-divinylbenzene ion exchangers 35WET, XAD4, or 1200H. The new materials (XAD_C, WET_C, and H_C) were characterized by adsorption-desorption nitrogen isotherms and mercury intrusion porosimetry. XAD_C and WET_C exhibited well-developed BET surface areas, similar total pore volumes, and highly different pore size distributions. H_C was nonporous spherical material-reference material. The XAD_C was meso-macroporous, but the WET_C was micro-mesoporous. All SACs were not cytotoxic toward Leydig TM3 cells. The differences in porous structure and morphology of the carbon scaffolds led to morphological differences in adhered cells. The monolayer of cells was distributed flat over the entire WET_C and H_C surfaces. Leydig TM3 cells adhered to nonporous SAC but were easily washed out due to weak adhesion. The cells adhered in clusters to XAD_C and proliferated in clusters. As microscopic techniques and viability tests demonstrated, only nanoporous carbons provided a good surface for the attachment and proliferation of eukaryotic cells.

Preliminary Study on the Effect of a Single High-Energy Electromagnetic Pulse on Morphology and Free Radical Generation in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

The effect of nanosecond electromagnetic pulses on human health, and especially on forming free radicals in human cells, is the subject of continuous research and ongoing discussion. This work presents a preliminary study on the effect of a single high-energy electromagnetic pulse on morphology, viability, and free radical generation in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). The cells were exposed to a single electromagnetic pulse with an electric field magnitude of ~1 MV/m and a pulse duration of ~120 ns generated from a 600 kV Marx generator. The cell viability and morphology at 2 h and 24 h after exposure were examined using confocal fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The number of free radicals was investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The microscopic observations and EPR measurements showed that the exposure to the high-energy electromagnetic pulse influenced neither the number of free radicals generated nor the morphology of hMSC in vitro compared to control samples.

Studies on the Effect of Graphene Oxide Deposited on Gold and Nickel Microsieves on Prostate Cancer Cells DU 145.

This work shows the effect of graphene oxide deposition on microsieves' surfaces of gold and nickel foils, on DU 145 tumor cells of the prostate gland. The sieves were made by a laser ablation process. The graphene oxide (GO) deposition process was characterized by the complete covering of the inner edges of the microholes and the flat surface between the holes with GO. Electron microscanning studies have shown that due to the deposition method applied, graphene oxide flakes line the interior of the microholes, reducing the unevenness of the downstream surfaces during the laser ablation process. The presence of graphene oxide was confirmed by Fourier infrared spectroscopy. During the screening (sieving) process, the microsieves were placed in a sieve column. Gold foil is proven to be a very good material for the screening of cancer cells, but even more so after screening as a substrate for re-culture of the DU 145. This allows a potential recovery of the cells and the development of a targeted therapy. The sieved cells were successfully grown on the microsieves used in the experiment. Graphene oxide remaining on the surface of the nickel sieve has been observed to increase the sieving effect. Although graphene oxide improved separation efficiency by 9.7%, the nickel substrate is not suitable for re-culturing of the Du 145 cells and the development of a targeted therapy compared to the gold one.

Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Only Transiently Affects the Cellular and Molecular Processes of Leydig Cells.

The purpose of this study was to verify whether the nanosecond pulsed electric field, not eliciting thermal effects, permanently changes the molecular processes and gene expression of Leydig TM3 cells. The cells were exposed to a moderate electric field (80 quasi-rectangular shape pulses, 60 ns pulse width, and an electric field of 14 kV/cm). The putative disturbances were recorded over 24 h. After exposure to the nanosecond pulsed electric field, a 19% increase in cell diameter, a loss of microvilli, and a 70% reduction in cell adhesion were observed. Some cells showed the nonapoptotic externalization of phosphatidylserine through the pores in the plasma membrane. The cell proportion in the subG1 phase increased by 8% at the expense of the S and G2/M phases, and the DNA was fragmented in a small proportion of the cells. The membrane mitochondrial potential and superoxide content decreased by 37% and 23%, respectively. Microarray's transcriptome analysis demonstrated a negative transient effect on the expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, DNA repair, cell proliferation, and the overexpression of plasma membrane proteins. We conclude that nanosecond pulsed electric field affected the physiology and gene expression of TM3 cells transiently, with a noticeable heterogeneity of cellular responses.

The HOCl dry fog-is it safe for human cells?

This study aims to investigate if high-concentration HOCl fogging disinfection causes cytotoxicity and genotoxicity to cultured primary human skin fibroblasts. The cells were exposed to a dry fog of HOCl produced from solutions with a concentration of 300 ppm (5.72 mM) or 500 ppm (9.53 mM). After four times when fibroblasts were exposed to aerosolized HOCl at a concentration of 500 ppm for 9 minutes, significant cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects were observed. Significant changes in the morphology of fibroblasts and cell death due to membrane disruption were observed, independent of the number of exposures. Flow cytometry analyses performed under these experimental conditions indicated a decrease in the number of cells with an intact cell membrane in the exposed samples compared to the sham samples, dropping to 49.1% of the total cells. Additionally, under the same conditions, the neutral comet assay results demonstrated significant DNA damage in the exposed cells. However, no analogous damages were found when the cells were exposed to aerosolized HOCl generated from a 300-ppm solution for 3 minutes, whether once or four times. Therefore, we have concluded that aerosolized HOCl in dry fog, with a concentration exceeding 300 ppm, can cause cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on human skin fibroblasts.

Assessment of Changes in Selected Features of Pine and Birch Wood after Impregnation with Graphene Oxide.

In this work, pine and birch wood were modified by graphene oxide using a single vacuum impregnation method. The research results indicate that the impregnation of wood with graphene oxide increases the crystallinity of cellulose in both pine and birch wood, and the increase in crystallinity observed in the case of birch was more significant than in the case of pine. FT-IR analyses of pine samples impregnated with graphene oxide showed changes in intensity in the absorption bands of 400-600, 700-1500 cm-1, and 3200-3500 cm-1 and a peak separation of 1102 cm-1, which may indicate new C-O-C connections. In the case of birch, only some differences were noticed related to the vibrations of the OH group. The proposed modification also affects changes in the color of the wood surface, with earlywood containing more graphene oxide than latewood. Analysis of scanning electron microscope images revealed that graphene oxide adheres flat to the cell wall. Considering the differences in the anatomical structure of both wood species, the research showed a statistically significant difference in water absorption and retention of graphene oxide in wood cells. Graphene oxide does not block the flow of water in the wood, as evidenced by the absorbability of the working liquid at the level of 580-602 kg/m3, which corresponds to the value of pure water absorption by wood in the impregnation method using a single negative pressure. In this case, higher graphene oxide retention values were obtained for pine wood.

A graphene/h-BN MEMS varactor for sub-THz and THz applications.

Recent development of terahertz systems has created the need for new elements operating in this frequency band, i.e., fast tunable devices such as varactors. Here, we present the process flow and characterization of a novel electronic variable capacitor device that is made with the use of 2D metamaterials such as graphene (GR) or hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN). Comb-like structures are etched into a silicon/silicon nitride substrate and a metal electrode is deposited at the bottom. Next, a PMMA/GR/h-BN layer is placed on top of the sample. As voltage is applied between GR and metal, the PMMA/GR/h-BN layer bends towards the bottom electrode thus decreasing the distance between electrodes and changing the capacitance. The high tunability and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible process flow of the platform for our device and its millimeter size make it promising for applications in future electronics and terahertz technologies. The goal of our research is to integrate our device with dielectric rod waveguides, thus making THz phase shifters.

Correction: A graphene/h-BN MEMS varactor for sub-THz and THz applications.

Correction for 'A graphene/h-BN MEMS varactor for sub-THz and THz applications' by Piotr A. Drózdz et al., Nanoscale, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2nr06863j.

Recognition and Processing of Visual Information after Neuronavigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Session.

BACKGROUND: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a method of noninvasive and painless stimulation of the nervous system, which is based on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. Over the past twenty years, the TMS technique has been deployed as a tool for the diagnosis and therapy of neurodegenerative diseases, as well as in the treatment of mental disorders (e.g., depression). METHODS: We tested the inhibitory effects of repetitive TMS (rTMS) on reaction times to militarily relevant visual stimuli amidst distractors and on accompanying blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in 20 healthy people. rTMS was applied over the visual cortices, V1, on both hemispheres with the inhibitory theta burst paradigm with the intensity of 70% of the active motor threshold fMRI in 20 healthy people. RESULTS: Analysis of the reaction time to visual stimuli after using TMS to the V1 visual cortex revealed an increase in the number of incorrect recognitions, and the reaction time was from 843 to 910 ms. In the subgroup of participants (n = 15), after the stimulation, there were significant reductions of BOLD signal in blood flow within V1 cortices. CONCLUSIONS: The studies of reaction times after the rTMS revealed the inhibitory effect of rTMS on the reaction times and recognition performance of significant (military) objects in the visual field.

Study on the Effect of Deposited Graphene Oxide on the Fatigue Life of Austenitic Steel 1.4541 in Different Temperature Ranges.

This paper presents the effect of deposited graphene oxide coating on fatigue life of austenitic steel 1.4541 at 20 °C, 100 °C, and 200 °C. The study showed a decrease in the fatigue life of samples with a deposited graphene oxide layer in comparison with reference samples at 20 °C and 100 °C. However, an increase in fatigue life of samples with a deposited graphene oxide layer in comparison with reference samples occurred at 200 °C. This relationship was observed for the nominal stress amplitude of 370 and 420 MPa. Measurements of temperature during the tensile failure of the sample and microfractographic analysis of fatigue fractures were performed. Tests have shown that graphene oxide deposited on the steel surface provides an insulating layer. A higher temperature of the samples with a deposited graphene oxide layer was observed during fracture compared to the reference samples.

Fatigue Life of Austenitic Steel 304 Bolts Strengthened by Surface Treatment with Graphene Oxide Layer and Surface Shot Peening.

This paper presents the results of investigations of the effect of graphene oxide and surface shot peening on the mechanical properties and fatigue life of bolts made of austenitic 304 steel. An innovative method for the uniform deposition of graphene oxide on screws is presented. The process involved activating the surface using plasma and then performing graphene oxide deposition using centrifugal force and vacuum drying. The screw specimens prepared in this way were subjected to a surface peening process. Comparative studies have shown that the combination of graphene oxide deposition and shot peening processes results in an increase in fatigue life of approximately 42 ÷ 275% (depending on the stress amplitude level) compared to the as-delivered samples. The results presented are promising and may provide a basis for further research on the application of graphene and its derivatives to increase fatigue life and improve the mechanical properties of machine components.

Physico-Chemical Surface Modifications of Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) Using Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Radiation and EUV-Induced Nitrogen Plasma.

In this work, the effect of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and the combination of EUV radiation and low-temperature nitrogen plasma on the physico-chemical properties of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) surfaces were presented. The laser-plasma EUV source based on a double gas puff target was used in this experiment to irradiate PEEK surfaces with nanosecond pulses of EUV radiation and to produce low-temperature plasma through the photoionization of nitrogen with EUV photons. The changes in surface morphology on irradiated polymer samples were examined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Chemical changes of the PEEK surfaces were analysed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). EUV radiation and nitrogen plasma treatment caused significant changes in the topography of modified PEEK's surfaces and an increase in their average roughness. Strong chemical decomposition, appearance of new functional groups as well as incorporation of nitrogen atoms up to ~17 at.% on the PEEK's surface were observed.

Graphene Oxide Aerosol Deposition and its Influence on Cancer Cells. Preliminary Results.

This paper presents the results of the interaction of graphene oxide (GO) on MDA-MB-231 and SW-954 cancer cell lines. The tests were carried out in two variants. In the first one, GO was sprayed on a Petri dish and then, the cancer cell lines were cultured. In the second variant, the cells were covered with an aerosol containing GO. In both variants, cancer cell lines were incubated and tested every 24, 48, and 72 h. After each time period, cell viability and surface morphology were measured. The tests after 72 h showed that coating with GO aerosol caused a reduction in cell viability by 52.7% and 26.4% for MDA-MB-231 and SW-954 cancer cell lines, respectively, with respect to a reference sample (without the influence of GO aerosol). Tests where GO is a culture medium demonstrated a decrease in cell viability by approximately 4.3% compared to a reference sample for both considered cell lines.