Tumor selective Ru(III) Schiff bases complexes with strong in vitro activity toward cisplatin-resistant MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells

Novel ruthenium(III) complexes of general formula Na[RuCl₂(L^1-3-N,O)₂] where L^(1-3) denote deprotonated Schiff bases (HL¹-HL³) derived from 5-substituted salicyladehyde and alkylamine (propyl- or butylamine) were prepared and characterized based on elemental analysis, mass spectra, infrared, electron spin/paramagnetic resonance (ESR/EPR) spectroscopy, and cyclovoltammetric study. Optimization of five isomers of complex C1 was done by DFT calculation. The interaction of C1-C3 complexes with DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) and BSA (Bovine serum albumin) was investigated by electron spectroscopy and fluorescence quenching. The cytotoxic activity of C1-C3 was investigated in a panel of four human cancer cell lines (K562, A549, EA.hy926, MDA-MB-231) and one human non-tumor cell line (MRC-5). Complexes displayed an apparent cytoselective profile, with IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar range from 1.6 ± 0.3 to 23.0 ± 0.1 µM. Cisplatin-resistant triple-negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 displayed the highest sensitivity to complexes, with Ru(III) compound containing two chlorides and two deprotonated N-propyl-5-chloro-salicylidenimine (hereinafter C1) as the most potent (IC₅₀ = 1.6 µM), and approximately ten times more active than cisplatin (IC₅₀ = 21.9 µM). MDA-MB-231 cells treated for 24 h with C1 presented with apoptotic morphology, as seen by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, while 48 h of treatment induced DNA fragmentation, and necrotic changes in cells, as seen by flow cytometry analysis. Drug-accumulation study by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) demonstrated markedly higher intracellular accumulation of C1 compared with cisplatin.

Thermodynamic valorisation of lignocellulosic biomass green sorbents for toxic pollutants removal

Various toxic heavy metals have become hazardous to human health as well as the environment. This research has been focused on a biosorption/bioremoval process of chromium (III), copper (II) and lead (II) ions from an aqueous solution by utilizing lignocellulosic biomass of Citrus limon peel (CLP) powder. CLP powder biomass was selected based on dietary fibre components having greater potential to remove target heavy metal ions in order to purify wastewater by following the eco-friendly biosorption method. At optimum conditions, the observed maximum removal efficiency of 97.47, 87.13 and 95.71% for Cr, Cu and Pb ions, respectively, was observed. An investigation has been made as a work of pH, CLP amount and temperature. The presented bio-removal processes by prepared CLP biosorbent manifested as a temperature-independent. Langmuir isotherm model was found an excellent fit of the isotherm data for tested systems with the calculated biosorption capacities of 111.11 (Cr), 76.92 (Cu) and 100 (Pb) mg/g. The positive ΔH values for selected target heavy metal ions, except lead ions, confirmed that the reaction was spontaneous and endothermic. A cooperative mechanism of second-order and intraparticle diffusion models during the adsorption processes of all three target ions was established with a higher coefficient of determination and more closely anticipated take-up (adsorption capacity). Furthermore, the interaction of -OH and -COOH functional groups of CLP that have a major role in the removal of Cr, Cu and Pb ions from single-ion aqueous solution and/or a surface biosorption was confirmed based on the results presented by SEM-EDS and FTIR analysis. Analysis from XRD revealed peak corresponding to amorphous cellulose type I as observed by FT-IR analysis.

Crystallography and DFT Studies of Synthesized Tetraketones

Two tetraketone derivatives, one previously reported and one novel, were synthesized, whose structures have been confirmed by elemental analyses, NMR, HPLC-MS, and IR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of synthesized tetraketones were determined using X-ray single-crystal diffraction. To analyze the molecular geometry and compare with experimentally obtained X-ray crystal data of synthesized compounds 1 (2,2'-((4-nitrophenyl)methylene)bis(5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione)) and 2 (2,2'-((4-hydroxy-3-methoxy-5-nitrophenyl)methylene)bis(5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione)), DFT calculations were performed with the standard 6-31G*(d), 6-31G**, and 6-31+G* basis sets. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energy gap for compound 1 was 4.60 eV and this value indicated that compound 1 is chemically more stable compared to compound 2 whose energy gap was 3.73 eV. Both compounds' calculated bond lengths and bond angles were in very good accordance to experimental values determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction.

Sadržaj teških metala i metaloida u vodi za piće u Unsko-sanskoj županiji Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine

Unsko-sanska županija bogata je prirodnom izvorskom vodom, kojom se opskrbljuje stanovništvo. Po prvi put je ispitana procjena kakvoće toksičnih i esencijalnih teških metala i metaloida u vodi za piće iz više izvorišta u osam općina i to: Bihaću, Cazinu, Bosanskoj Krupi, Bužimu, Velikoj Kladuši, Bosanskom Petrovcu, Sanskom Mostu i Ključu. U svibnju 2016. godine iz svake općine analizirano je po tri uzorka vode (ukupno 24). Mjerene su koncentracije arsena, olova, kadmija, kroma, nikla, kobalta, molibdena, fosfora, cinka i bakra. U pet uzoraka vode uočene su povećane koncentracije za Ni (do 20 µg dm–3) i Cr (do 50 µg dm–3) i smatraju se prirodnim podrijetlom. Međutim, u većem broju uzoraka (osam) koncentracije As su odstupale od dozvoljenih (do 10 µg dm–3), s maksimumom od 14,05 µg dm–3 i vjerojatno su od samog sastava zemljišta, ali i antropogenih izvora zbog postojanja odlagališta otpada u široj regiji izvorišta. Vrijednosti koncentracija ostalih elemenata Cd, Pb, Co, Cu, P, Mo i Zn bile su u granicama maksimalno dozvoljenih propisanih Pravilnicima u BiH, Direktivom o vodi za ljudsku potrošnju 98/83/EC, kao i smjernicama Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije (WHO). Sadržaj teških metala i metaloida u vodi za piće na području Unsko-sanske županije, osim za As ne predstavljaju opasnost za zdravlje ljudi.

Daily fluctuation of cortisol in the saliva and serum of healthy persons

The objective of this study was to evaluate cortisol in the saliva and serum of healthy persons and its daily fluctuations by using immunochemical method on a autoanalyzer. Biological samples: Serum from 14 healthy persons and saliva from 18 healthy persons were taken two times at 8 a.m. and at 4 p.m. Immunochemical assay: The principle of this method is the competitive binding of cortisol present in the analyzed sample and cortisol marked with peroxides on binding parts with specific antibodies.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Student t-test. Cortisol in saliva in the morning: 21,2 +/- 16,2 nmol/l and in the afternoon 12,7 +/- 8,1 nmol/l. Cortisol in serum in the morning: 459, 6 +/- 235,2 nmol/l , and in the afternoon 340,5 +/- 207,5 nmol/l. The concentrations of cortisol in saliva are lower than in serum. Cortisol in the serum in the morning is about twenty times higher than cortisol in the saliva at the same time. Cortisol in the serum at afternoon is about twenty-seven times higher than cortisol in the saliva. Individual variabilities of cortisol in the saliva and serum were found during the day.