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From prediction to ecological insight: exploring soil erodibility through integrated spatial modelling
No full textSoil erosion is a key process of landscape degradation that affects ecosystem stability and spatial functionality. By demonstrating how environmental variables influence soil erodibility in heterogeneous areas, this study improves understanding at the landscape scale, which is critical for sustainable land management. The objectives were (1) to develop an integrated and explainable modelling framework for predicting soil erodibility and (2) to disentangle the relative and interactive effects of climatic, topographic and vegetation variables using interpretable machine learning and structural models. The study was conducted in a geomorphologically diverse region in Serbia. Environmental variables representing climate, topography and vegetation were used to assess their influence on soil erodibility. Predictive analysis was combined with local interpretability and structural assessment techniques to capture the spatial relevance and underlying relationships. Climatic variables were the most influential determinants of soil erodibility, with hydrological and thermal regimes showing dominant effects. Topographic predictors, particularly elevation and valley depth, showed moderately positive associations, while vegetation indices had limited explanatory power. The analysis revealed threshold responses and spatial heterogeneity, suggesting non-linear, context-dependent dynamics. Climate and vegetation were negatively associated with erodibility, while topographic complexity made a positive contribution. This study presents an integrated framework that combines predictive modelling with ecological interpretation to explain soil erodibility in complex terrain. The approach improves modelling transparency and identifies key environmental interactions that influence erosion risk. In line with soil protection policy, the framework supports spatially informed mitigation planning and provides a transferable tool for landscape-level decision making
Distribution and Diversity of Orchids in Ultramafic Areas of the Central Balkans
No full textThe main aims of this study were to determine the centres of orchid diversity and the ecological preferences
of orchids in the ultramafic areas of the Central Balkans (Southeastern Europe). For the diversity analyses,
the area of the Central Balkans was divided into 10 × 10 km grid cells, while the altitudinal gradient of the
study area was divided into 100 m vertical intervals. A total of 34 orchid taxa, belonging to 16 genera, were
recorded in 44 grid cells. The most important centres of orchid diversity are the Maljen, Ozren, Zlatibor,
Tara, and Zvijezda Mountains. The orchids were recorded at an altitude between 350 and 1900 m. The
results indicated a hump-shaped pattern of orchid species richness along the altitudinal gradient, peaking in
the middle altitude zone between 900 and 1000 m (24 orchid taxa) and then decreasing to reach its minimum
in the high altitude areas. Most orchid taxa were found in the following vegetation types: dry grasslands
(Festuco-Brometea), pine forests (Erico-Pinetea), oak forests (Quercetea pubescentis), and wet meadows
(Molinio-Arrhenatheretea). The most widespread orchid taxa and those with most occurrences in the
ultramafic areas of the Central Balkans are: Anacamptis morio, Gymnadenia conopsea, Platanthera bifolia,
Neotinea ustulata, and Dactylorhiza sambucina [1, 2]. This study emphasizes the importance of the
ultramafic areas of the Central Balkans for the growth and survival of terrestrial orchids, which can be
considered as their refugia, separated from surrounding areas which have a higher intensity of agriculture
and general land use.11th International Conference on Serpentine Ecology: ICSE2025; 2025 Jun 13-17; Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto Institute, Library and Archives; 2025. p. 71
Novelties for the Hyperaccumulator Flora on the Balkan Peninsula
No full textThe Balkan Peninsula is recognised as an area potentially rich in hyperaccumulator plant species due to its
remarkable diversity of plant species, the abundance of ultramafic areas and its specific mineralogy. Studies
carried out in recent decades have confirmed the presence of 31 hyperaccumulator taxa in this area, 87% of
which hyperaccumulate Ni and most of which belong to the genus Odontarrhena. When focussing on substrates
other than ultramafics, the potential for hyperaccumulation of thallium, arsenic and zinc was identified.
Biogeochemical investigation of the abandoned Allchar mine in North Macedonia, which is exceptionally rich
in As and Tl, revealed the highest known Tl concentrations in nature in Silene latifolia (>79,000 µg g-1) growing
on soils with less than 1000 µg g-1 of pseudo-total Tl. Significantly lower Tl concentrations, but above the
hyperaccumulation threshold (100 µg g-1) were also found in Minuartia verna, another representative of the
Caryophyllaceae family (1700 µg g-1) and in Plantago lanceolata (1000 µg g-1). At concentrations of 1300 µg
g-1, hyperaccumulation of As was found in M. verna and Silene vulgaris. Arsenic concentrations above the
hyperaccumulation threshold of 1000 µg g-1 were also detected in the leaves of Alyssum kavadarcensis, one of
the endemic species of the Allchar region. The potential of Cardamine waldsteinii to hyperaccumulate Zn,
which had previously been identified by XRF analyses of herbarium material, was confirmed by field studies in
NW parts of the Balkan Peninsula, with up to 7000 µg g-1 Zn found in the leaves.11th International Conference on Serpentine Ecology: ICSE2025; 2025 Jun 13-17; Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto Institute, Library and Archives; 2025. p. 130
Investigating the cytotoxic effects of rhenium (V) complexes with apigenin and derivatives
No full textIntroduction. Apigenin is an aglycone of many natural glycosides and is known chemically as 4 ,5,7-trihydroxyflavone.1 The biological and pharmacological activities of apigenin are diverse, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-proliferative and anti-spasmodic.2 The chemistry of oxorhenium(V) complexes is receiving increasing attention because of the potential application in medical and chemistry. Material and method. Three rhenium complexes with apigenin and it's derivatives were synthesized (Complex 1: C₃₇H₂₉Cl₂O₉PRe, Complex 2: C₃₇H₃₇Cl₂O₉PReSi₂, Complex 3: C₃₄H₂₉Cl₂O₇PRe and acetylated C₁₉H₁₄O₇ and silylated apigenin C₂₇H₃₈O₄Si₂), fully characterized and used for biological studies. Cytotoxicity assessments were conducted using the resazurin reduction assay across multiple cancer cell lines, including HT29 (colorectal adenocarcinoma), Jurkat (T-cell leukemia), LNCaP (prostate cancer), and MCF7 (breast cancer). Cisplatin was used as a standard of care for this experiment. Result and discussion All three complexes showed significant cytotoxic potential toward Jukart cell line and moderate activity against other cell lines. Furthermore, IC₅₀ values of all complexes were less than 5 μM, and demonstrated enhanced cytotoxic activity compared to the parent ligands in most cases, particularly in leukemia cells (Jurkat), while solid tumor cell lines showed more variable responses. Additionally, two Re compounds were selected for further investigation in dedicated antimigration and anti-invasion assays. Conclusion. Taking everything into consideration, rhenium plays a crucial role in disrupting leukemia cell biology. On the other hand, isolated ligands have milder effects, suggesting the complexes’ bioactivity is enhanced by rhenium coordination. These findings will elucidate the molecular mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers. This comprehensive assessment of their physicochemical properties and cytotoxicity has provided valuable data to support the continued development of rhenium compounds as potential anti-cancer agents.EACR 2025 Congress: Innovative Cancer Science; 2025 Jun 16-19; Lisbon, Portugal. John Wiley and Sons; 2025. p. 478. (Molecular Oncology; Vol. 19; Suppl. 1)
Trichinella spiralis-derived extracellular vesicles induce regulatory T cells and reduce airway allergy in mice
No full textIntroduction: Respiratory allergies are an increasing global health concern, with current treatments primarily targeting symptoms rather than underlying immune dysregulation. Trichinella spiralis-derived extracellular vesicles (TsEVs) have been implicated in modulating immune responses, but their role in allergic airway inflammation remains unexplored. This study investigates the immunomodulatory potential of TsEVs in mitigating ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airway inflammation in mice.
Methods: TsEVs were isolated from T. spiralis muscle larvae excretory-secretory products and characterized using nanoparticle tracking analysis. BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged intranasally with OVA to induce respiratory allergy. TsEVs were administered intranasally before and during OVA challenge. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung tissue, spleens, and sera were analyzed for immune cell infiltration, cytokine production, regulatory T cell (Treg) expansion, and OVA-specific antibodies using histology, flow cytometry, and ELISA.
Results: Intranasal administration of TsEVs significantly reduced eosinophilic infiltration and airway inflammation in OVA-sensitized mice. TsEVs treatment suppressed Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) and OVA-specific IgE while enhancing IL-10 production. Importantly, TsEVs promoted expansion of CD4+FoxP3+ and CD4+FoxP3-IL-10+ regulatory T cells in lungs and spleen, contributing to a systemic anti-inflammatory profile. Ex vivo studies confirmed TsEVs-mediated modulation of allergen-stimulated immune responses.
Discussion: Our findings highlight TsEVs as a promising therapeutic approach for allergic airway diseases by promoting immune tolerance and dampening inflammatory responses. These results pave the way for future translational applications of parasite-derived EVs in allergy treatment
Impact of ex vivo cell culturing on ABC transporters’ expression and drug sensitivity in patient-derived non-small cell lung cancer models
No full textObjectives
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment is complicated by interactions between cancer and stromal cells, as well as drug resistance linked to ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. While previous studies have explored ABC transporter expression and drug responses in patient-derived NSCLC cultures, the impact of culture duration remains unclear. This study compares short-term and long-term primary culture models to assess how extended culture affects the composition of cancer-stromal cells, ABC transporter expression (ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCG2), and sensitivity to chemotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).
Methods
Two treatment-naïve NSCLC patients (EGFR wild-type, squamous cell carcinoma) were selected to ensure uniform histology and molecular background for comparative analysis of short- and long-term cultures. An immunofluorescence-based assay using the ImageXpress Pico system and automated image analysis with CellReporterXpress® software was used to quantify cytotoxicity and ABC transporter expression.
Results
The findings revealed an increased proportion of cancer cells at the expense of stromal cells throughout the prolonged culture duration (approximately 2- to 3-fold). Extended culture conditions were linked to a significantly higher baseline expression of ABC transporters (e.g., 2- to 3.5-fold increase in ABCB1, ABCC1, and ABCG2 expression in cancer cells) and a marked reduction in sensitivity to chemotherapeutics (e.g., a 22-fold increase in resistance to carboplatin).
Conclusions
This study shows that culture duration significantly impacts drug response and ABC transporter expression in NSCLC models, highlighting the importance of tailoring culture conditions for ex vivo screening based on the therapeutic class, especially when comparing cytotoxic drugs and TKIs
Aktivnost antioksidativnih enzima u tkivu bubrega pacova tretiranih atipičnim antipsihoticima i suplementom
No full textThe research aims to show whether dietary supplementation formulated as the composite product “ProCloSupp” (PCS) - can mitigate the oxidative damage in rat kidney induced by chronic atypical antipsychotics administration (Clozapine, Aripiprazole, Risperidone). In kidney tissue was determinated the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase-SOD, catalase-CAT, glutathione peroxidase-GPx, glutathione reductase-GR, glutathione-S-transferase-GST). Here are presented changes of the antioxidant enzyme activity
Dual targeting concept: hybrid molecules of cisplatin and antiinflammatory drugs
No full textBackground: Recently, it has become evident that dying cells play a central role in promoting cell division and serve as a
primary source of signals driving tumor repopulation and the development of an aggressive phenotype. Prostaglandin
E2 (PGE2), a proinflammatory molecule, has a prominent role in delivering a mitogenic signal to neighboring cells,
thus providing a therapeutic opportunity against cancer. With an aim to block mitogenic signal of PGE2, we created
hybrid molecules composed of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and conventional platinum-based cytostatic. This
multitargeting approach enables induction of cell death without tumor repopulation feedback. In addition to official
cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors, many unexplored plant metabolites, for instance alkyl esters of caffeic acid (CA),
demonstrate significant enzyme inhibition. To further improve antitumor potential of novel compounds, mesoporous
nanosilica was employed as drug delivery vehicle. In this study Pt(IV) complexes based on cisplatin scaffold bearing
naproxen, ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, and derivative of CA, loaded into silica SBA-15 were evaluated in 2D and 3D cell
culture as well as in vivo syngeneic mouse model of melanoma, breast and colon cancer.
Material and Methods: The cytotoxicity of four conjugates on 4T1, B16, CT26, and MC38 cell lines was estimated
by MTT and CV assays. Organoids were established from MC38-induced tumors in C57BL/6 mice which were then
isolated, digested and further propagated. CellTiter-Glo™ luminescent assay was employed for evaluation of the drugs'
effect on organoids. In vivo efficacy was investigated in tumor-challenged C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. Flow cytometry
and microscopy were employed in order to enlight the mechanism of action of selected conjugates.
Results: All tested hybrid drugs significantly reduced viability of cell lines in 2D cultures with high reproducibility in
3D cultures. In mouse model of melanoma, breast and colon cancer, tumor shrinkage and a better toxicity profile
comparing to cisplatin were noticeable. Mechanistic insight on melanoma in vitro has indicated a pro-senescent action
of selected drugs.
Conclusions: This strategy of combining cytotoxic drug and antiinflammatory agents holds great potential for developing
treatment options that simultaneously target cancer cells and intercellular network in tumor microenvironment.Čavić M, editor. Proceedings book: The 1st Regional SDIR-HDIR-MOKAD Congress; 2025 Oct 8-10; Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade : Serbian Association for Cancer Research; 2025. p. 72. (Oncology Insights; No. 3)
Advances in Sampling and Analytical Techniques for Single-Cell Metabolomics: Exploring Cellular Heterogeneity
No full textSingle- cell metabolomics is an emerging and powerful technology that uncovers intercellular heterogeneity and reveals mi
croenvironmental dynamics in both physiological and pathological conditions. This technology enables detailed observations
of cellular interactions, providing valuable insights into processes such as aging, immune responses, and disease development.
Despite significant advances, the need for detailed discussions on sampling and analytical methods in single- cell metabolomics
continues to grow, with increasing focus on selecting the most suitable techniques for diverse research objectives. This review
addresses these challenges by exploring key sampling and analytical strategies used in single- cell metabolomics. We focus on
three main approaches: the capture and isolation of specific cell types, the precise aspiration of individual cells, and in situ mass
spectrometry imaging. These methods are critically assessed to highlight strategies for achieving accurate metabolite detection
at the single- cell level across diverse research applications
Unlocking cardiographic-based biometric potential: Insights from feature selection
No full textThe proposed study explores the role of electrocardiogram (ECG) and impedance cardiogram (ICG) features in biometric identification, focusing on their contributions to classification accuracy and resilience to emotional excitability. We use our publicly available dataset containing 202 ECG and ICG recordings from healthy participants. Each recording includes two segments: a resting baseline and an anger-induced state. From each recording, 18 samples are extracted (9 per segment), with an overall of 29 features (16 from ECG, 6 from ICG, and 7 from both ECG and ICG) derived from signals. The analysis reveals that features from both ECG and ICG rank highly in importance, consistently appearing in the top 10 assessed by both Gini and permutation importance, with ECG features slightly outperforming by occupying the top 5 positions. In our multicollinear dataset, it is observed that the Random Forest model systematically reduces the Gini importance scores of highly correlated feature pairs, showing that their actual contribution to the classification process is reduced. In parallel, statistical analysis reveals that 13 (6 from ECG, 4 from ICG, and 3 from both ECG and ICG) features exhibit statistically significant changes between baseline and anger states, with no clear emerging pattern regarding which type of features is the most affected. However, features derived from the QRS complex remain stable and do not exhibit significant changes.Filipović N, editor. Book of Abstracts: The Fourth Serbian International Conference on Applied Artificial Intelligence (SICAAI); 2025 May 29-30; Zlatibor, Serbia. Kragujevac: University; 2025. p. 47