Applications of Silk Fibroin in Human and Veterinary Medicine.

The properties of silk make it a promising material for medical applications, both in human and veterinary medicine. Its predominant amino acids, glycine and alanine, exhibit low chemical reactivity, reducing the risk of graft rejection, a notable advantage over most synthetic polymers. Hence, silk is increasingly used as a material for 3D printing in biomedicine. It can be used to build cell scaffolding with the desired cytocompatibility and biodegradability. In combination with gelatine, silk can be used in the treatment of arthritis, and as a hydrogel, to regenerate chondrocytes and mesenchymal cells. When combined with gelatine and collagen, it can also make skin grafts and regenerate the integumentary system. In the treatment of bone tissue, it can be used in combination with polylactic acid and hydroxyapatite to produce bone clips having good mechanical properties and high immunological tolerance. Furthermore, silk can provide a good microenvironment for the proliferation of bone marrow stem cells. Moreover, research is underway to produce artificial blood vessels using silk in combination with glycidyl methacrylate. Silk vascular grafts have demonstrated a high degree of patency and a satisfactory degree of endothelial cells coverage.

The Analytical Possibilities of FT-IR Spectroscopy Powered by Vibrating Molecules.

This paper discusses the state of advancement in the development of spectroscopic methods based on the use of mid (proper) infrared radiation in the context of applications in various fields of science and technology. The authors drew attention to the most important solutions specific to both spectroscopy itself (ATR technique) and chemometric data processing tools (PCA and PLS models). The objective of the current paper is to collect and consistently present information on various aspects of FT-IR spectroscopy, which is not only a well-known and well-established method but is also continuously developing. The innovative aspect of the current review is to show FT-IR's great versatility that allows its applications to solve and explain issues from both the scientific domain (e.g., hydrogen bonds) and practical ones (e.g., technological processes, medicine, environmental protection, and food analysis). Particular attention was paid to the issue of hydrogen bonds as key non-covalent interactions, conditioning the existence of living matter and determining the number of physicochemical properties of various materials. Since the role of FT-IR spectroscopy in the field of hydrogen bond research has great significance, a historical outline of the most important qualitative and quantitative hydrogen bond theories is provided. In addition, research on selected unconventional spectral effects resulting from the substitution of protons with deuterons in hydrogen bridges is presented. The state-of-the-art and originality of the current review are that it presents a combination of uses of FT-IR spectroscopy to explain the way molecules vibrate and the effects of those vibrations on macroscopic properties, hence practical applications of given substances.

The Influence of the Structure of Selected Polymers on Their Properties and Food-Related Applications.

Every application of a substance results from the macroscopic property of the substance that is related to the substance's microscopic structure. For example, the forged park gate in your city was produced thanks to the malleability and ductility of metals, which are related to the ability of shifting of layers of metal cations, while fire extinguishing powders use the high boiling point of compounds related to their regular ionic and covalent structures. This also applies to polymers. The purpose of this review is to summarise and present information on selected food-related biopolymers, with special attention on their respective structures, related properties, and resultant applications. Moreover, this paper also highlights how the treatment method used affects the structure, properties, and, hence, applications of some polysaccharides. Despite a strong focus on food-related biopolymers, this review is addressed to a broad community of both material engineers and food researchers.

Fatal gunshot injuries in the common buzzard Buteo buteo L. 1758 - imaging and ballistic findings.

The conservation of the common buzzard is assured by the European Union law. In Poland, this wild bird is under strict species protection and it is used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in the environment. A case of the fatal shooting of a buzzard with a firearm by an unidentified shooter is described here. Macroscopic evaluation, X-ray imaging, post-mortem computed tomography, ballistic examination of the isolated bullets and finally a simulation of the assumed position of the bird at the time of the shot were performed. Numerous pellets were found inside the body, together with multiple bone fractures and central nervous system trauma. The buzzard died most probably as a result of spinal cord injury from a single shot that was fired from a smoothbore hunting gun. Collected evidence was insufficient to identify the shooter, which sadly confirms that identification of the perpetrator in wildlife forensics remains low.

The change of fatty acids composition of Polish biscuits during storage.

Commercially available Polish biscuits were stored for 10months under different storage conditions i.e. in temperatures of 5°C and 20°C. The chemical quality alteration caused by chemical reactions occurring within biscuits were studied in terms of change of composition of fat extracted from studied samples in one-month intervals. Correlation of data from standard methods e.g. gas chromatography or classic titration with FT-IR spectroscopy, was followed by calculation of four statistical models that accurately predicted peroxide value, oxidative stability, polar fraction content and unsaturated trans fatty acid content in any samples. On the basis of data obtained, scheme of chemical reactions involved in oxidation process was suggested. A critical time of storage was proposed as an indicator of the period of the highest rate of chemical changes. Among factors considered to influence oxidative stability, the following had the greatest impact: initial water content, initial fat content, and time of storage.