Coumarins C-153, C-480, and C-1 formed 1:2 (guest:host) complexes with a water-soluble cavitand having eight carboxylic acid groups (OA) in aqueous borate buffer solution. The complexes were photoexcited in the presence of electron acceptors (methyl viologen, MV(2+), or TiO(2)) to probe the possibility of electron transfer between a donor and an acceptor physically separated by a molecular wall. In solution at basic pH, the dication MV(2+) was associated to the exterior of the complex C-153@OA(2), as suggested by diffusion constants (~1.2 × 10(-6) cm(2)/s) determined by DOSY NMR. The fluorescence of C-153@OA(2) was quenched in the presence of increasing amounts of MV(2+) and Stern-Volmer plots of I(o)/I and τ(o)/τ vs [MV(2+)] indicated that the quenching was static. As per FT-IR-ATR spectra, the capsule C-153@OA(2) was bound to TiO(2) nanoparticle films. Selective excitation (λ(exc) = 420) of the above bound complex resulted in fluorescence quenching. When adsorbed on insulating ZrO(2) nanoparticle films, excitation of the complex resulted in a broad fluorescence spectrum centered at 500 nm and consistent with C-153 being within the lipophilic capsule interior. Consistent with the above results, colloidal TiO(2) quenched the emission while colloidal ZrO(2) did not.

A complex formed between cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) and ferrocene (Fc) is investigated in the solid state using Raman spectroscopy.The Raman spectra are compared with those of the CB7 host and the Fc guest reference molecules, revealing significant frequency shifts of some vibrational modes upon complexation. These changes expose the structural and electronic interactions between the host and guest components and provide evidence that the ferrocene moiety resides within the cucurbituril cavity in the solid state environment.

BackgroundThe classic three-factor structure of the Short Dark Triad Questionnaire (SD3) has been confirmed in studies on different popu-lations. However, a few studies (including those on the Polish population) reveal some problem with the proposed SD3 struc-ture. The main goal of the present study was to investigate the structure of the Short Dark Triad for Youths (SD3-Y) in a sample of subclinical Polish adolescents. The results obtained should be treated as comments on the inconsistencies that exist among classic and critical conceptualisations of the SD3 structure.Participants and procedureThree studies were conducted: (1) adaptation of the Polish version of the SD3 in terms of linguistic and cognitive needs of ado-lescents (N = 45); (2) investigation of the structure of the SD3-Y (N = 405); (3) examination of the external validity of the SD3-Y (N = 325).ResultsA series of confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses using ω coefficients as well as a correlation analysis between the Dark Triad traits and Big Five traits, aggression and self-esteem were conducted. No replication of the factor structure of the classic model was obtained. The bifactor Dark Dyad model with psychopathy and Machiavellianism as two dimensions best fits the data. The ω reliability coefficients were acceptable with the highest value for psychopathy. There was an admissible external validity level.ConclusionsThe Dark Triad as measured by SD3-Y comprises the Dark Dyad (psychopathy, Machiavellianism) and narcissism as a feature independent of the other two. Such data comply with the critical findings relating to the structure of the SD3 with a Polish adult population.

Cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders and obesity are a serious threat to civilization, especially in highly developed countries. Due to the number of deaths and complications they are among the health priorities in Poland. The aim of the study is to review the literature on the role of functional food in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Functional food, thanks to its antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic and anti-inflammatory properties, has a beneficial effect on lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inhibiting LDL oxidation or inhibiting platelet aggregation. It is necessary to promote this type of food, because its action has a significant impact on the prevention of various diseases, especially cardiovascular, diet-related and civilization. Proper nutritional education is a way to improve human potential and health. Therefore, it is worth educating in order to promote these products and increase the interest in them as well as raise the nutritional awareness of the society.

No abstract