State Higher Vocational School in Tarnow

The Olea europaea L., commonly known as the European olive, has been recognized for centuries as one of the most valuable species among useful plants. In contemporary applications, the olive tree provides a wide array of raw materials utilized in the food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Extracts derived from the leaves, bark, and fruits of O. europaea have also gained significant relevance in dermatological and cosmetic formulations. The aim of this paper was to review scientific studies published between 2019 and 2025 concerning the application of olive oil and other derivatives of the European olive in the care of skin, hair, and nails. The analysis underscores the role of olive-derived bioactives in wound healing, stretch mark management, and skin regeneration, highlighting compounds such as oleocanthal and oleuropein in hydration, elasticity, wrinkle reduction, and photoprotection relevant to skin aging. The evidence for olive oil in hair and nail care mainly highlights their moisturizing and strengthening effects, though studies remain limited. O. europaea derivatives show a favorable safety profile with low allergenic potential, and their availability and minimal sensitization risk support use in home cosmetics. The importance of the European olive and its products is expected to grow in the coming years. However, the availability of technologies for processing waste materials obtained from this plant, as well as the associated technological costs, remain significant limitations.

The effect of bee honey on the hemorheological properties of blood is an interesting issue from the perspective of natural medicine. A type of honey that enjoys great popularity in Poland is acacia honey, obtained from the nectar of robinia pseudoacacia (i.e. black locust). The aim of the study was to examine the effect of regular consumption of acacia honey for 2 weeks on the hemorheological properties of blood; hemorheology plays a key role in understanding physiological and pathological processes related to blood circulation. In the study, a group of women (n = 10) consumed 1 tablespoon of acacia honey daily for 2 weeks. Honey consumed regularly in moderate amounts (e.g., 1–2 teaspoons daily) can be a valuable addition to health-supporting diet. Fasting blood samples were collected from the participants at the beginning of the study and later after 2 weeks. After consuming acacia honey, statistically significant decrease was found in: MCH (p < 0.05), MCV (p < 0.05) and EI at shear stress 60.00 (p < 0.05). Statistically significant increase was found in: MPV (p < 0.05), PDW (p < 0.05). No significant changes were observed in other rheological parameters or glucose levels. This study is the first to report the effect of regular, short-term consumption of acacia honey on the hemorheological properties of blood, however, this topic still requires further research.

Background/Objectives: Microtubule-targeting agents remain foundational components of anticancer chemotherapy, yet their clinical utility is constrained by resistance and toxicity. Methods: Here, we present a theoretical exploration of a plausible “dual” binding pocket that spans the α-tubulin pironetin site and the inter-subunit todalam site. Eight virtual chimeric ligands, each merging key pharmacophoric elements of pironetin and todalam, were constructed and covalently docked to Cys316 of α-tubulin. Results: Covalent docking followed by 200 ns all-atom molecular dynamics simulations revealed that two derivatives (compounds 4 and 8) stably occupy the merged cavity, simultaneously anchoring in the pironetin region via Michael addition and in the todalam region via π-stacking and hydrogen bonding. These hybrids preserved the critical hydrogen-bonding networks of both parent ligands and exhibited low ligand RMSD values (~1.5 Å) and compact radii of gyration throughout the simulations, indicating a tight, persistent binding. Estimated HYDE affinities of 1.5 µM for compound 4 and 17.6 µM for compound 8, calculated with SeeSAR, suggest that covalent engagement can compensate for moderate non-covalent binding scores. Conclusions: In summary, our results provide compelling grounds for developing a new class of α-tubulin inhibitors that engage the hybrid pocket, laying a foundation for the structure-guided synthesis of first-in-class dual-site compounds capable of overcoming resistance to conventional microtubule-targeting drugs.

This study aims to identify the success factors and main barriers and threats to developing peri-urban farms implementing various business models. For that purpose, a survey was conducted among a group of Polish farms located in the areas surrounding the largest Polish cities. Farms achieving economic success and implementing different business models were selected. The analyses were based on the concept of the business model developed by Osterwalder. The research shows that in recent years (due to the COVID-19 pandemic, among other things), there has been a considerable convergence in employed business solutions. The convergence process is particularly evident in the customer side of business models, i.e., customer relationships and channels. According to the respondents, the success of peri-urban farms is determined mainly by three groups of factors: (1) motivation, diligence, and creativity, (2) the high quality of products and services, and (3) the cultivation of deep bonds with customers. Thus, success comes from within the enterprise (relational capital), but the customer (service-dominant logic) is central to business model development. Farm managers indicated relatively few problems and barriers in their farms' development process. However, urban pressure (an external factor independent from farm managers) was considered the most important factor. The research enabled the presentation of the best business solutions and formulation of a few recommendations for peri-urban farming development.

The questionnaire development process consisted of the following steps: content and face validation, and reliability analysis. The questionnaire contains items assessing parents' literacy of body posture and was conducted on 55 Polish parents of school-age children and adolescents. Initial results (first test-retest) of 37 participants revealed substantial reliability (0.61 to 1.00) however, it was revealed that modifications were needed for some specific questions. After revisions and retesting (second test-retest of 18 participants), the updated questionnaire demonstrated significantly improved reliability (Cohen's kappa coefficient ranged from 0.85 to 1.00). The developed questionnaire is valid -in terms of face validity, content validity, and reliability for assessing parents' literacy of body posture, and can potentially be used in clinical trials and practical settings.