Background/Aim. Nerve transfers in cases of directly irreparable, or high level extensive brachial plexus traction injuries are performed using a variety of donor nerves with various success but an ideal method has not been established. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results of nerve transfers in patients with traction injuries to the brachial plexus using the thoracodorsal and medial pectoral nerves as donors. Methods. This study included 40 patients with 25 procedures using the thoracodorsal nerve and 33 procedures using the medial pectoral nerve as donors for reinnervation of the musculocutaneous or axillary nerve. The results were analyzed according to the donor nerve, the age of the patient and the timing of surgery. Results. The total rate of recovery for elbow flexion was 94.1%, for shoulder abduction 89.3%, and for shoulder external rotation 64.3%. The corresponding rates of recovery using the thoracodorsal nerve were 100%, 93.7% and 68.7%, respectively. The rates of recovery with medial pectoral nerve transfers were 90.5%, 83.3% and 58.3%, respectively. Despite the obvious differences in the rates of recovery, statistical significance was found only between the rates and quality of recovery for the musculocutaneous and axillary nerve using the thoracodorsal nerve as donor. Conclusion. According to our findings, nerve transfers using collateral branches of the brachial plexus in cases with upper palsy offer several advantages and yield high rate and good quality of recovery.

The impact of the surface charge of alumina support on the adsorption of Candida rugosa lipase has been investigated in terms of zeta potential of the adsorption partners. Lipase adhered onto alumina with similar efficiency under both repulsive and attractive electrostatic conditions, shifting the zeta potential of the support towards that of the enzyme. The behavior was explained by a heterogeneous distribution of the surface charge of the lipase molecule. Special emphasis in this study was placed on the effect of immobilization on enzyme kinetics and principal reasons for enzyme immobilization: improvement in stability and potential for reuse. The enzyme affinity was not altered by its adsorption onto alumina, while Vmax of the lipase decreased. Thermostability of adsorbed lipase was improved. Significant potential for reuse was found.

Environmental pollution remains one of the most pressing challenges facing modern society, with the removal of toxic substances from water sources being of particular concern. In this study, a composite material was synthesized by combining Cu-Al layered double hydroxides (CuAl-LDHs) with modified silica particles, aiming to develop an efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent for the removal of phosphate and arsenate ions from water. CuAl-LDH, with a Cu²⁺/Al³⁺ molar ratio of 2:1, was synthesized using the co-precipitation method in the presence of modified silica maintaining an LDH/SiO₂ mass ratio of 2:1. The silica particles were functionalized with 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO) followed by modification with polyethyleneimine (PEI) to enhance their adsorption properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the successful deposition of CuAl-LDH on the silica surface, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the porous structure of the silica and the uniform deposition of LDH. Adsorption experiments were performed to evaluate the removal efficiency of phosphate and arsenate ions under varying conditions. Equilibrium adsorption capacities, based on the Langmuir isotherm model, were determined to be 44.6 mg·g⁻¹ for phosphate (PO₄³⁻) and 32.3 mg·g⁻¹ for arsenate (As(V)) at 25 °C. The sorption behavior was better described by the Freundlich isotherm model, which yielded K_F values of 15.4 L·mg⁻¹ for phosphate and 13.9 L·mg⁻¹ for arsenate. Both batch and kinetic experiments confirmed the high adsorption efficiency of the composite, demonstrating its potential as a promising material for water treatment applications.