Rhus coriaria L. (Sumac) Demonstrates Oncostatic Activity in the Therapeutic and Preventive Model of Breast Carcinoma

Comprehensive scientific data provide evidence that isolated phytochemicals or whole plant foods may beneficially modify carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oncostatic activities of Rhus coriaria L. (sumac) using animal models (rat and mouse), and cell lines of breast carcinoma. R. coriaria (as a powder) was administered through the diet at two concentrations (low dose: 0.1% (w/w) and high dose: 1 % (w/w)) for the duration of the experiment in a syngeneic 4T1 mouse and chemically-induced rat mammary carcinoma models. After autopsy, histopathological and molecular analyses of tumor samples in rodents were performed. Moreover, in vitro analyses using MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were conducted. The dominant metabolites present in tested R. coriaria methanolic extract were glycosides of gallic acid (possible gallotannins). In the mouse model, R. coriaria at a higher dose (1%) significantly decreased tumor volume by 27% when compared to controls. In addition, treated tumors showed significant dose-dependent decrease in mitotic activity index by 36.5% and 51% in comparison with the control group. In the chemoprevention study using rats, R. coriaria at a higher dose significantly reduced the tumor incidence by 20% and in lower dose non-significantly reduced tumor frequency by 29% when compared to controls. Evaluations of the mechanism of oncostatic action using valid clinical markers demonstrated several positive alterations in rat tumor cells after the treatment with R. coriaria. In this regard, histopathological analysis of treated tumor specimens showed robust dose-dependent decrease in the ratio of high-/low-grade carcinomas by 66% and 73% compared to controls. In treated rat carcinomas, we found significant caspase-3, Bax, and Bax/Bcl-2 expression increases; on the other side, a significant down-regulation of Bcl-2, Ki67, CD24, ALDH1, and EpCam expressions and MDA levels. When compared to control specimens, evaluation of epigenetic alterations in rat tumor cells in vivo showed significant dose-dependent decrease in lysine methylation status of H3K4m3 and H3K9m3 and dose-dependent increase in lysine acetylation in H4K16ac levels (H4K20m3 was not changed) in treated groups. However, only in lower dose of sumac were significant decreases in the expression of oncogenic miR210 and increase of tumor-suppressive miR145 (miR21, miR22, and miR155 were not changed) observed. Finally, only in lower sumac dose, significant decreases in methylation status of three out of five gene promoters–ATM, PTEN, and TIMP3 (PITX2 and RASSF1 promoters were not changed). In vitro evaluations using methanolic extract of R. coriaria showed significant anticancer efficacy in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells (using Resazurin, cell cycle, annexin V/PI, caspase-3/7, Bcl-2, PARP, and mitochondrial membrane potential analyses). In conclusion, sumac demonstrated significant oncostatic activities in rodent models of breast carcinoma that were validated by mechanistic studies in vivo and in vitro.     

Energy absorption during compression and impact of dry elastic-plastic spherical granules

The discrete modelling and understanding of the particle dynamics in fluidized bed apparatuses, mixers, mills and others are based on the knowledge about the physical properties of particles and their mechanical behaviour during slow, fast and repeated stressing. In this paper model parameters (modulus of elasticity, stiffness, yield pressure, restitution coefficient and strength) of spherical granules (γ-Al₂O₃, zeolites 4A and 13X, sodium benzoate) with different mechanical behaviour have been measured by single particle compression and impact tests. Starting with the elastic compression behaviour of granules as described by Hertz theory, a new contact model was developed to describe the force-displacement behaviour of elastic-plastic granules. The aim of this work is to understand the energy absorption during compression (slow stressing velocity of 0.02 mm/s) and impact (the impact velocity of 0.5–4.5 m/s) of granules. For all examined granules the estimated energy absorption during the impact is found to be far lower than that during compression. Moreover, the measured restitution coefficient is independent of the impact velocity in the examined range and independent of the load intensity by compression (i.e. maximum compressive load). In the case of repeated loading with a constant load amplitude, the granules show cyclic hardening with increasing restitution coefficient up to a certain saturation in the plastic deformation. A model was proposed to describe the increase of the contact stiffness with the number of cycles. When the load amplitude is subsequently increased, further plastic deformation takes place and the restitution coefficient strongly decreases.     

Synergy between tungsten and palladium supported on titania for the catalytic total oxidation of propane

Titania-supported palladium catalysts modified by tungsten have been tested for the total oxidation of propane. The addition of tungsten significantly enhanced the catalytic activity. Highly active catalysts were prepared containing a low loading of 0.5 wt.% palladium, and activity increased as the tungsten loading was increased up to 6 wt.%. Catalysts were characterised using a variety of techniques, including powder X-ray diffraction, laser Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction and aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles were present on the catalyst with and without the addition of WO_x. However, the addition of WO_x slightly increases the average palladium particle size, and there was some evidence for the Pd forming epitaxial islands on the support in the tungsten-doped samples. Surface analysis identified a combination of Pd⁰ and Pd²⁺ on a Pd/TiO₂ catalyst, whereas all of the Pd loading was found in the form of Pd²⁺ with the addition of tungsten into the catalysts. At low tungsten loadings, isolated monotungstate and some polytungstate species were highly dispersed over the titania support. The concentration of polytungstate species increased as the loading was increased, and it was also promoted by the presence of palladium. The coverage of the highly dispersed tungstate species over the titania also increased as the tungsten loading increased. Some tungstate species were also found to be associated with the palladium oxide particles, and there was an enrichment of oxidised tungsten species at the peripheral interface of the palladium oxide nanoparticles and the titania. Sub-ambient temperature–programmed reduction experiments identified an increased concentration of highly reactive species on catalysts with palladium and tungsten present together, and we propose that the new WO_x-decorated interface between PdO_x and TiO₂ particles may be responsible for the enhanced catalytic activity in the co-impregnated catalysts.     

Influence of solvent and temperature on extraction of phenolic compounds from grape seed,antioxidant activity and colour of extract

This study was aimed to investigate the influence of solvent (water and ethanol in concentration: 50%, 70% and 96%) and extraction temperature (25–80) °C on polyphenols extraction of grape seed (Vitis vinifera L. cv. “Frankovka”) cultivated in Eastern Croatia. The best results were reached using 50% ethanol at 80 °C. The most abundant individual polyphenolic compound was catechin which makes the average of 45.11% of the total phenolic content followed by epicatechin (34.45%), procyanidin B₂ (12.90%), gallic acid (5.34%), gallocatechin (1.58%), epicatechin gallate (1.01%). The antioxidant activity of extracts was determined by DPPH‐method and it was highly dependent on extraction solvent and temperature. The total extractable proanthocyanidins content of extract had the highest positive correlation (r = 0.994) with antioxidant activity, which indicated that these compounds might be the most important antioxidant in examined grape seed extracts. Relationship between phenolic content and colour of extracts was observed.     

Fast radix-2 division with quotient-digit prediction

An implementation of a radix-2 division unit is presented that uses prediction of the quotient digit. This prediction allows the concurrent computation of the quotient digit and the partial remainder. To achieve a simple quotient-digit selection, resulting in a step time roughly half of that of SRT division (without prediction), a simple estimate of the partial remainder is used, which requires that the divisor be scaled close to unity. This prescaling is simple to implement and increases the execution time by two cycles. We estimate a speed-up of 1.5 with respect to SRT division with redundant remainders.     

Tribological behaviour of C-alloyed transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) coatings in different environments

W-S-C films were deposited by non-reactive sputtering from a carbon target incrusted with WS₂ pellets in the eroded zone. This process allows depositing coatings with a wide range of compositions, with a precise control of their carbon content. Before the deposition, a Ti interlayer was interposed between the film and the substrate to improve the final adhesion. The carbon content in W-S-C system was varied from 29 at.% to 70 at.%, which led to an hardness enhancement from 4 GPa up to 10 GPa where the maximum hardness was reached in films with a carbon content between 40 at.% and 50 at.%. The tribological behaviour of the coatings was evaluated by pin-on-disk testing, in environments with different humidity levels. Generally, the tribological performance of W-S-C coatings in environments with moderate to high humidity is better for coatings with high carbon content. Friction coefficients, as 0.05 or lower could be reached at low humidity ranges (<7%) to all compositions. However, for higher humidity values, friction coefficient increased up to 0.30 in the W-S-C film with low carbon content whereas it was kept approximately constant for the others compositions.     

Guest Editorial

The extreme high speed of change in the area of information technology creates a new demand for a process of continues learning and relearning in the workplaces but also among the public as a whole. There is need for a deeper crossdisciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding of the effects of this extreme demand for learning and relearning, both on us as individuals, on public and private organization and on the society as a whole. Information technology provides to some extent possible solutions to the problems it creates. Consequently, web based learning is also expanding with an accelerating speed. But this new form of learning is not to the same extent backed up by a fast growing research, in areas like on-the job-learning, workplace pedagogics, 'competence ergonomics', etc. But there are a number of very good exceptions like the Knowledge Media Institute of the Open University, and also a number of newly established facilities like the network university in the north of Sweden, the Mid Sweden University. In this special issue these types of problems are discussed, including those where the emphasis lies in creating rational and effective methods for web-based training and learning. The following was put forward in the invitation to a particular target group for this special issue.     

Breakage probability of irregularly shaped particles

The investigation of breakage probability by compression of single particles was carried out. The spherical glass particles and irregularly shaped particles of NaCl, sugar, basalt and marble were subjected to a breakage test. The breakage test includes the compression up to breakage of 100 particles to obtain the distribution of the breakage probability depending on the breakage force or compression work. The breakage test was conducted for five particle size fractions from each individual material, at two stressing rates. Thus obtained 50 breakage force distributions and corresponding 50 breakage work distributions were fitted with log-normal distribution function.Usually, the breakage probability distribution can be found by means of stress or energy approach. The first one uses the stress to calculate the breakage probability distribution. The second approach uses the mass-related work done to break the particle. We prefer to use the breakage force and energy as essential variables. The correlation between the force and energy at their breakage points is obtained by integrating the characteristic force–displacement curve, i.e. the constitutive function of elastic–plastic mechanical behavior of the particle. The irregularly shaped particle is approximated by comparatively “large” hemispherical asperities. In terms of elastic–plastic deformation of the contacting asperities with the plate, a transition from elastic to inelastic deformation behavior was considered. Thus, one may apply the model of soft contact behavior of comparatively stiff hemispheres. Based on this model a relationship between the breakage force distributions and corresponding energy distributions was analyzed. Every tested material exhibits a linear relationship between average breakage energy and average breakage force calculated for every size fraction.For future consideration both force and energy distributions were normalized by division by average force or energy, consequently. The relationship between the fit parameters of normalized energy distribution and corresponding fit parameters of normalized force distribution was established. The mean value and standard deviation of normalized force distribution can be found from mean value and standard deviation of normalized energy distribution by means of system of two linear equations. The coefficients of those linear equations remain the same for all of the above tested materials; particle size fractions and stressing rates. As a result the simple transformation algorithm of distributions is developed. According to this algorithm the force distribution can be transformed into energy distribution and vice versa.     

Arylethyne Bromoboration–Negishi Coupling Route to E‐ or Z‐Aryl‐Substituted Trisubstituted Alkenes of ≥98% Isomeric Purity. New Horizon in the Highly Selective Synthesis of Trisubstituted Alkenes

The hitherto unprecedented palladium‐catalyzed cross‐coupling of (Z)‐β‐bromo‐β‐arylethenylboranes can be made to proceed satisfactorily through (1) the use of highly catalytically active bis(tri‐tert‐butylphosphine)palladium or dichloro[N,N‐bis‐(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazol‐2‐yl](m‐chloropyridine)palladium and (2) conversion of the dibromoboryl group to the (pinacol)boryl group. Thus, a wide variety of carbon groups can be used to substitute bromine in ≥98% stereo‐ and regioselectivity, while suppressing the otherwise dominant β‐debromoboration. Together with the alkylethyne‐based protocols, the alkyne bromoboration–Negishi coupling tandem process has emerged as the most widely applicable and highly selective route to trisubstituted alkenes including those that are otherwise difficult to access.