The aim of the project is the preparation of new phosphate and borophosphate based glasses modified by addition of metal oxides improving glass forming ability, chemical durability, thermal stability and other properties. The modification of the glass composition will be done by the additions of higher-valent oxides (In2O3, TeO2, GeO2, MoO3, WO3). The main target of the project is the investigation of their structure using Raman, IR and NMR spectroscopy and the study of the relations between composition, structure and properties of glasses. The glass forming ability will be ascertained and glasses will be prepared and characterized by the measurement of their basic properties. Also their thermal behaviour (including study of nucleation rate, crystallization mechanism and kinetics) will be studied. Glasses with divalent oxides (ZnO, PbO, MgO) and also univalent oxides (Li2O, Ag2O) will be prepared. At silver- and lithium-containing glasses their electrical properties will be studied as well for their application in electrotechnics.

The objective is
-- to develop a model with the ability to predict the influence of water on adhesion between the wheel and rail, validated through laboratory testing,
-- to better understand the influence of the physical and chemical properties of water in the contact patch on the interaction between wheel and rail.

The overall aim of the S-CODE project is to investigate, develop and initially demonstrate radically new concepts for switches and crossings
that have the potential to lead to increases in capacity, reliability and safety while reducing investment and operating costs.

The aim of the project is functional sample three-axle chassis vof diesel locomotive 1520 mm for the markets of the former countries of the Soviet Union

The research team of Dr. Al Monasy deals more than ten years with syntheses and with the study of photophysical properties of bi-and trichromophoric systems based on polycyclic aromatic amines. Such chromophores are interesting mainly for the possibility of their use as model compounds for the study of EET. However, Pardubice research team laboratories are specialized mainly on the syntheses and characterization of organic compounds; therefore the detail study of properties of these compounds is limited especially as for the further studies in terms of the kinetics of photoinduced electron transfer reactions, photophysical properties, photoconductivity, electrochemical measurements such as cyclic voltammetry, etc. For this reason such studies will be carried out by a team of Prof. Grampp in Graz.
Current activities of the research team in Pardubice are focused on the synthesis of chromophoric systems with some potential for their application in electronics and optoelectronics (OLEDs). The operational objective of the project is therefore the synthesis and characterization of new types of organic chromophores and the study of their properties in terms of their application in these areas.
Large series of the prepared compounds show fluorescence. Measurements of absorption and fluorescence spectra will be carried out in Pardubice, the kinetics of fluorescence quenching experiments together with the electrochemical investigations will be performed in Graz. The reduction/oxidation potentials of the new synthesized compounds will be measured in different solvents using mainly Cyclic Voltammetry. According to the electrochemical results corresponding electron donor-acceptor pairs will be elected for studies of the photo-induced energy or electron transfer reactions. This will be performed by using time-resolved laser spectroscopy. Depending on the photo-physical properties of the new compounds especially their inter-system crossing yields, magnetic field dependent measurements will be performed to get more detailed information about singlet-triplet conversion. For the compounds exhibiting dual fluorescence, the dynamics of fluorescence quenching will also be studied in Graz.
To get more detailed information about the reaction mechanisms involved, especially the appearance of short-living radical intermediates, we plan time-resolved Electron-Spin-Resonance (ESR-CIDEP) measurements. From the results of such experiments one can deduce the multiplicity of the precursor state of the reaction. From the ratio of the absorption- and/or emission ESR-hyperfine lines it is possible to distinguish between singlet or triplet reaction behaviour.

Inhibition of protein degradation is one of strategies for suppression of uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells and tumor growth even in the clinical settings. Some proteasome inhibitors have been validated as drugs for the treatment of of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma, but the side-effects in patients stimulate further development. Our preliminary experiments identified new proteasomal inhibitors in a library of 2-hydroxy-N-[1-(2-hydroxyphenylamino)-1-oxoalkan-2-yl]benzamides, hereafter referred to as pseudopeptides. These compounds show partial structural similarity to the proteasome inhibitor and clinically used anticancer drug bortezomib. Our experiments have confirmed that some pseudopeptides display potent cytotoxic activity in several cancer cell lines and markedly induce apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. We therefore plan to extend our findings by preparing a library of related compounds, study structure-activity relationships, design more potent derivatives and confirm mechanism of cytotoxic activity of the most potent candidates.

The main scientific goal of the project is to significantly improve molecules properties that lead towards large 2-photon absorption, to allow bringing techniques based on the process of 2-photon absorption towards actual applications in future. The focus will be primarily concentrated on basic research on the influence of the (chemical and physical) structure on the primary/core properties of quadrupolar chromophores as they provide reasonable balance between function (obtained by both, the theoretical predictions and experimental findings) and size of the molecules that is needed for future applications (e.g. 2-photon microscopy (2PM) and 2-photon photopolymerization (2PP), both of which allow superior 3D resolution).

The project is focused on the optimization of the synthesis of optically pure Corey alcohol-A (-), which is the basic raw material for the production of all human and veterinary prostaglandins as well.

The project deals the production of non-halogenated veterinary prostaglandins. These pharmaceutical active substances will be produced by patent easygoing synthesis with regard to green production process. The production of these substances help increase profitability of cattle, and secondarily reduce the burden on public health and the environment.

New electrochemical sensors, biosensors, detectors and measuring protocols for monitoring of biologically active compounds important for environmental and human health protection will be developed. Attention will be focused on chemical carcinogens, pesticides, growth stimulators, drugs, coloring substances, and other detrimental compounds in environmental, biological, and food matrices. Modern electrochemical techniques and their combination with biological recognition principles (BRP) and novel separation approaches based on polymer membrane separation, hollow fiber microextraction,etc., will be used. The development and application of new and non-traditional electrode materials (boron doped diamond, amalgams, nanostructured materials,etc.) will be focused on overcoming limitations of traditional electrodes in complex environmental and biological matrices. Combination of novel materials with BRPs and nanostructured smart surfaces together with new approaches to preliminary separation should result in the increase of selectivity and sensitivity of new sensors and measuring protocols.