Chemical Technology & Biotechnology

Metabolomic analysis of biological material using LC-MS in the quest for urinary system cancer biomarkers – review

2024-11-30T19:23:01+00:00

Kidney cancer (RCC) and bladder cancer (BC) are among the most frequently diagnosed cancers worldwide. They are characterized by high mortality and recurrence rates. In response to the rising incidence and mortality rates, scientists are exploring innovative diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Metabolomics, which analyzes metabolite levels, may enable early diagnosis and monitoring of therapy progress. Compared to other omics technologies, it focuses on the outcomes of metabolite activity, providing a unique perspective on processes occurring in cancer cells. Metabolomic analyses utilize techniques such as mass spectrometry. These methods allow the identification of biomarkers and precise determination of the chemical composition of biological samples. However, the most commonly used method is liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which enables the most comprehensive screening of cancer metabolomes. Recent studies show significant progress in recognizing characteristic metabolites associated with urological cancers, although this area remains partially unexplored. Research on circulating metabolites, especially in easily accessible samples like blood or urine, demonstrates promising potential in clinical practice. Study results reveal differences in metabolic profiles between various stages of cancer advancement, which may have clinical significance. The future of this field involves an increasing number of clinical cohorts, standardization of sample preparation, and further improvements in instrument sensitivity and speed. LC-MS-based metabolomics has the potential to contribute to the improvement of diagnostics, therapy, and the quality of life for patients with urological cancers. However, challenges, such as the lack of uniform methodologies and understanding of metabolite determinants, require further research and innovation.

New organosulfur compounds derived by dithioketalization of hydroxylacetone and its tosylate derivative - mechanistic considerations

2024-11-23T19:15:30+00:00

This paper presents the results of studies on the products of hydroxyacetone and hydroxyacetone tosylate dithioketalization with ethane-1,2-dithiol and propane-1,3-dithiol. The process was carried out in an inert gas atmosphere, argon, or in the air atmosphere and with a variable excess of one of the substrates, here the dithiol reagent. The structure elucidation and the reaction mechanism for the formation of the isolated products have been discussed. Structure products were confirmed using ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy as well as mass spectrometry. The structure of one of the main products, 1,2-bis((2-methyl-1,4-dithian-2-yl)thio)ethane, was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. It was obtained with yield up to 62%. The studied dithioketalization process of selected ketones allows for the efficient synthesis of 2-methyl-1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)methanol, (2-methyl-1,3-dithian-2-yl)methanol and 3-((2-methyl-1,4-dithiepan-2-yl)thio)propane-1-thiol with yields of 63%, 66% and 50% respectively. Furthermore, we disclose an alternative synthesis of 5-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-dithiine, a synthetically useful building block.

Photogenerated radicals in DNA - Hairpin

2024-12-09T10:06:51+00:00

Synthetic hairpin DNA is a promising organic material for biosensors and for preparation of physical qubits for quantum information science. This paper demonstrates the base principles of the hairpin DNA synthesis and its biradical forms generated by ultraviolet radiation. Such radical pairs form initialy entangled 2-qubit singlet spin states.

UHPLC-UHRMS and 109AgNPs-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging of pesticide residues in Solanum lycopersicum L.

2024-12-11T18:22:45+00:00

Pesticide use in agriculture is a controversial topic due to concerns of health and environmental risks. Controlling plant diseases and crop quality with minimal negative impact on human and nature is of utmost importance. In this study ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry was employed for targeted pesticide detection of Solanum lycopersicum L. fruits from three different sources, revealing that the highest abundances of pesticides were present in a tomato from a local marketplace. Mass spectrometry imaging analysis of the most pesticide-affected sample was conducted, resulting in imaging four of the seventeen compounds detected by UHPLC-UHRMS analysis.

Calcium phosphate ceramics having hierarchical pore structure

2024-12-17T19:43:35+00:00

Currently, the most studied materials of porous resorbable ceramics in the field of bone tissue regeneration and as scaffolds in tissue engineering are calcium orthophosphate Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and hydroxyapatite Ca₁₀(PO₄)₅(OH)₂. In this work, ceramic foams were produced from calcium phosphate by gel-casting of foams method using agarose as a gelling agent. Foaming was carried out at 60^oC, followed by the transformation of the foams from the liquid state to the gelled state by cooling them to 15^oC. After the sintering process (T= 1100^oC, t=2h), the basic physical properties of the foam were determined and morphological observations were made using scanning electron microscopy. The foam exhibited a hierarchical pore structure, i.e., spherical macropores with diameters ranging from 250 to 800 µm, interconnections between macropores (so-called “windows”) with diameters in the rage of 30 - 350 µm, and micropores in the ceramic skeleton with diameters ranging from less than 1 to about 3 µm. . This structure allows good conditions for bone tissue to grow into the implant.

Analysis of mycotoxins using laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry with infrared pulsed fiber laser-produced silver-109-nanoparticles

2024-12-18T11:18:52+00:00

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by specific fungi, known for their structural diversity and high chemical stability. Their synthesis is influenced by environmental factors, leading to regional variability. Mycotoxins, such as citrinin, ochratoxin A, patulin, roquefortine C, and sterigmatocystin, pose significant health risks to humans and animals. Common detection methods include chromatography and ELISA, with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) being the gold standard for its sensitivity and selectivity. Alternative methods, like laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), offer unique advantages but face challenges like high background noise and low ionization efficiency for nonpolar compounds. This study explores the detection and quantification of mycotoxins using silver-109 nanoparticles on a steel plate, produced via a novel pulsed fiber laser method with a 2D galvanometer scanner. Comparative analysis of manual LDI-MS and semi-automatic LDI-MSI for sterigmatocystin quantification highlights their effectiveness, providing a promising alternative for accurate mycotoxin analysis.

Aggregation analysis of laser generated silver-109 nanoparticles

2024-12-18T12:24:03+00:00

This study investigates the aggregation behavior of stabilizer-free silver-109 nanoparticles synthesized via laser ablation synthesis in solution (LASiS) using a pulsed fiber laser equipped with a 2D galvoscanner. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR SEM) imaging and laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI MS) were employed to analyze changes in nanoparticle morphology and silver-109 adduct signal intensity, providing insights into their stability and performance.