Search results for "complex"

Effects of structural complexity on epifaunal assemblages associated with two intertidal Mediterranean seaweeds

2023

Brown foundation seaweeds are key elements increasing substrate heterogeneity and shaping the biodiversity in rocky coastal ecosystems. They are, however, vulnerable species that are declining due to multiple anthropogenic and climate change stressors, leading to a shift to less structural complex habitats. We investigate the role of structural attributes of two intertidal macroalgae, Ericaria amentacea and Laurencia obtusa, in shaping the abundance and diversity of their associated epifaunal assemblages. For this aim, we measured seaweeds’ biomass, thallus volume and length (used here as proxy of substrate complexity), and explored which seaweeds’ substrate attribute explained better varia…

Unmanned aerial vehicle technology to assess the state of threatened biogenic formations: The vermetid reefs of mediterranean intertidal rocky coasts

2021

Abstract Vermetid bioconstructions are biogenic formations, built by sessile gastropod molluscs belonging to the family Vermetidae worldwide distributed, occurring in the intertidal and upper subtidal in the rocky shores. In the Mediterranean basin, they occur in complex and tridimensional structures that enhance the local biodiversity, allowing to qualify the structuring species as ecosystem engineers. Due to their ecological relevance and considerable extension along the coasts, we assessed their structural complexity using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, as tool of littoral cartography analysis of these bioconstructions, and plaster hemispheres dissolution as a descriptor index…

Melanoma cells release extracellular vesicles which contain RNA-binding proteins able to bind the mRNA encoding histone H1°

2015

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are produced by most prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; tumour cells, however, release much higher amounts of EVs, which contain cancer-specific proteins and RNAs. Molecules carried by EVs are captured by surrounding cells, which then undergo profound phenotypic modifications. G26/24 oligodendroglioma cells release, for example, EVs containing FasL and TRAIL, which induce apoptosis in rat cortical neurons and astrocytes in culture. By metabolic labelling of cells, EV-mediated horizontal transfer of radioactive proteins was clearly demonstrated. Among the proteins present in EVs produced by oligodendroglioma cells, extracellular matrix remodelling proteases, and t…

Complex species formation in the pectin-cadmium(II) and pectin-copper(II) systems in aqueous solution.

2009

Kinetic and equilibrium study for Pd(II) removal from aqueous solution by sorption onto calcium alginate gel beads

2013

The more and more increasing use of catalytic converters to reduce the dangerous NOx and CO emission in the atmosphere by vehicle traffic produces a corresponding increase of palladium in the environment [1]. Among the so-called “platinum group Elements” (PGE), elemental palladium seems to be the most hazardous one because it can be easily and quickly oxidized to palladium(II) when put in contact with soil. The presence of palladium oxidized form is of great concern owing to its recognized toxicity towards plants, animals and humans. Therefore, as for the classical “heavy metals”, a removal of this element from the environment is needed and a subsequent recovery for its potential re-use is …

The interaction of DNA with metal complexes: computational investigations

2012

The interaction of native calf thymus DNA with dipyrido[3,2-a;2',3'-c]phenazine and its heteroleptic Iron(III) complexes

2010

Ni(II) and Zn(II) Schiff Base complexes: B-DNA vs G4-DNA binding

2015

Synthesis and chemical characterization of CuII, NiII and ZnII complexes of 3,5-bis(20-pyridyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole and 3-(20-pyridyl)5-(phenyl)-1,2,4-o…

2011

The synthesis and structural characterization of NiII, CuII and ZnII complexes of two chelating 1,2, 4-oxadiazole ligands, namely 3,5-bis(20-pyridyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (bipyOXA) and 3-(20-pyridyl)5- (phenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (pyOXA), is here reported. The formed hexacoordinated metal complexes are [M(bipyOXA)2(H2O)2](ClO4)2 and [M(pyOXA)2(ClO4)2], respectively (M = Ni, Cu, Zn). X-ray crystallography, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and C, N, H elemental analysis data concord in attributing them an octahedral coordination geometry. The two coordinated pyOXA ligands assume a trans coplanar disposition, while the two bipyOXA ligands are not. The latter result is a possible consequence of the format…

Design of copper(II) complexes as potential anticancer prodrugs

The fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) are tyrosine kinases that are present in many types of endothelial and tumor cells and play an important role in cell growth, survival, and migration as well as in maintaining tumor angiogenesis (1). FGFR genetic alterations are frequently observed in cancer, suggesting that FGFR inhibition may be a promising therapy in patients harboring these lesions (2). In particular, molecules with structural properties similar to Ponatinib, a known inhibitor of FGFR, that shows a selective interaction for the ATP binding site of the isoform 4 of these receptors (FGFR4), are being considered. Molecular modeling studies have been conducted to design novel po…