Analysisof the efficiency of municipal wastewater treatment using intergrated electrocoagulation and natural zeolite : master thesis

Kako bi se očuvala kakvoća vodnog ekosustava, komunalne otpadne vode moraju zadovoljiti postavljene standarde o kakvoći otpadnih voda prije ispuštanja u prirodni prijemnik. S obzirom da komunalne otpadne vode uobičajeno uz sanitarne sadrže još i industrijske otpadne vode, u ovom radu primjenjen je proces elektrokoagulacije i obrade na prirodnom zeolitu (EKZ) kako bi se ispitala učinkovitost njene obrade. Eksperimenti su provedeni u šaržnom reaktoru s aluminijevim elektrodama. Ispitan je utjecaj početne pH vrijednosti, dodatak prirodnog zeolita i dodatak elektrolita NaCl na učinkovitost integriranog procesa. Parametri analizirani tijekom provedbe eksperimenta su: pH, električna provodnost, temperatura, mutnoća, kemijska potrošnja kisika (KPK), ukupni dušik po Kjeldahlu i test taloženja. Rezultati pokazuju da početna vrijednost pH uzorka, dodatak zeolita, kao i dodatak NaCl elektrolita imaju značajan utjecaj na smanjenje mutnoće, smanjenje ukupnog dušika po Kjeldahlu te na brzinu taloženja. Utjecaj na smanjenje KPK i električne provodnosti je manje izražen. Temeljem podataka o utrošku mase elektroda te napona i struje u procesu elektrokoagulacije, izračunati su operativni troškovi za sve eksperimentalne uvjete.In order to preserve the quality of the water ecosystem, municipal wastewater must meet the set standards for the quality of waste water before being discharged into a natural recipient. Given that municipal wastewater usually contains industrial waste water in addition to sanitary water, in this work the process of electrocoagulation and treatment on natural zeolite (ECZ) was applied in order to test the efficiency of its treatment. The experiments were carried out in a batch reactor with aluminium electrodes. The influence of the initial pH value, the addition of natural zeolite and the addition of NaCl electrolyte on the efficiency of the integrated process was examined. The parameters analysed during the experiment are: pH, electrical conductivity, temperature, turbidity, chemical oxygen consumption (COD) and total Kjeldahl. The results show that the initial pH value of the sample, the addition of zeolite, as well as the addition of NaCl electrolyte have a significant impact on the reduction of turbidity, the reduction of total Kjeldahl and the rate of deposition. The impact on the reduction of COD and electrical conductivity is less pronounced. Operating costs for all experimental conditions were calculated on the basis of data on consumption of electrode mass, voltage and current

GC-MS based comparative metabolomies of two breast cancer cell lines treated with nootkatone : master thesis

Proliferacija, diferencijacija i preživljenje pojedinačne stanice u višestaničnom je organizmu pažljivo regulirano, dok u stanicama raka te regulacije nema, one nekontrolirano rastu i dijele se, šire po čitavom tijelu i ometaju funkciju normalnih tkiva i organa. Rak je vodeći uzrok smrti u svijetu. Najvažnije u patologiji raka jest razlikovati benigne (dobroćudne) od malignih (zloćudnih) tumora. Drugi način klasifikacije je prema tipu stanica od kojih je rak sastavljen, prema čemu su glavne podvrste: karcinomi, sarkomi, limfomi, leukemije i mijelomi. Rak dojke je vodeći uzrok smrti povezanih s rakom među ženama. Većina tumora dojke ima značajan broj receptora za estrogen, progesteron i humani epidermalni faktor rasta 2 (HER2) te su klasificirani kao trostruko-pozitivni, odnosno trostruko-negativni. Liječenje može biti lokalno i sistemsko ili najčešće njihovom kombinacijom. Stanična linija je skup stanica, odnosno trajno uspostavljena stanična kultura koja se uzgaja u odgovarajućem mediju u kojem će neograničeno proliferirati pri kontroliranim uvjetima. U ovom diplomskom radu korištene su dvije stanične linije raka dojke, MDA-MB-231 i MCF-7 te biciklički seskviterpen nootkaton. Njegovo antiproliferativno djelovanje na dvije stanične linije raka ispitano je u prethodnom istraživanju korištenjem MTT-testa kojim je dokazano da nootkaton ima dobar sveukupni antiproliferativni učinak. Metabolomika je proučavanje svih metabolita u stanici, tkivu ili organizmu. To uključuje identifikaciju i kvantifikaciju staničnih metabolita. Ovdje je upotrijebljen postupak koji se temelji na gašenju metabolizma stanica te sakupljanju i ekstrakciji metabolita. Primijenjen je na dvije stanične linije raka dojke, MDA-MB-231 i MCF-7 uz dodatak i bez dodatka nootkatona (kontrola). Uzeta je koncentracija nootkatona od 0,5 mmol/L pri kojoj je prethodnim korištenjem MTT-testa nootkaton uspješno ubio 50 % stanica. Nakon sakupljanja i ekstrakcije, metaboliti su analizirani GC-MS metodom koja im ujedno omogućava identifikaciju. Dobiveni su kromatogrami i tablice s određenim podatcima te su uspoređene koncentracije identificiranih metabolita u dvije stanične linije raka dojke i zaključeno je do kojih je metaboličkih promjena došlo.Proliferation, differentitation and survival of individual cells in a multicellular organism is carefully regulated, while in cancer cells there is no such regulation, they grow and divide uncontrollably, spread throughout the body and interfere with the function of normal tissues and organs. Cancer is the leading cause of death in the world. The most important thing in cancer pathology is to distinguish between benign and malignant tumors. Another way of classification is according to the type of cells from which the cancer is composed, according to which the main subtypes are carcinomas, sarcomas, lymphomas, leukemias and myelomas. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Most breast tumors have a significant number of receptors for estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) and are classified as triple-positive or triple-negative. Treatment can be local or systemic or most often a combination of them. Cell line is a set of cells that is permanently established cell culture grown in a suitable medium in which it will proliferate indefinitely under controlled conditions. Two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, and the bicyclic sesquiterpene nootkatone were used in this diploma thesis. Its antiproliferative activity on two cancer cell lines was investigated in previous research using the MTT-assay, which proved that nootkatone has a good overall antiproliferative effect. Metabolomics is the study of all metabolites in a cell, tissue or organism. This includes the identification and quantification of cellular metabolites. Here, a procedure based on quenching of cells, harvesting and extraction of metabolites was used. It was applied on two breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 with and without the addition of nootkatone (control). Nootkatone concentration of 0,5 mmol/L was taken, at which nootkatone successfully killed 50 % of the cells by previous use of the MTT-assay. After harvesting and extraction, the metabolites were analyzed by the GC-MS method, which also enables their identification. Chromatograms and tables with specific data were obtained, the concentrations of identified metabolites in two breast cancer cell lines were compared and it is concluded which metabolic changes occured

Influence of selenium on glucosinolate profile in broccoli sprouts : master thesis

Glukozinolati su produkti sekundarnog metabolizma identificirani u preko 16 različitih biljnih porodica od kojih je najznačajnija porodica Brassicaceae koja uključuje često korišteno povrće u ljudskoj prehrani. U biljkama se nalaze u odvojenim odjeljcima od enzima mirozinaze koja cijepa ove inače kemijski stabilne spojeve na razgradne produkte poput tiocijanata, izotiocijanata, nitrila i indola. Zbog zabilježenog biološkog djelovanja produkata razgradnje, predmet su mnogih istraživanja u posljednje vrijeme. Brassica oleracea var. italica, poznatija kao brokula, jedno je od najpopularnijih vrsta povrća. Hidroponski uzgojeno povrće u fazi klica za svakodnevnu konzumaciju sve je više u upotrebi. Predmet istraživanja ovoga radavsu klice brokule uzgajane u čistoj vodi te različitim koncentracijama selenija: 1 ppm, 2,5 ppm, 5 ppm, 7,5 ppm i 10 ppm s ciljem praćenja utjecaja na profil glukozinolata. Glukozinolati su izolirani, prevedeni u desulfo-oblik te analizirani UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS tehnikom. Analizom je utvrđena prisutnost 12 različitih glukozinolata: progoitrin, glukonapoleiferin, glukoalisin, glukonapin, glukokohlearin, 4-hidroksiglukobrasicin, glukobrasikanapin, glukobrasicin, glukoberteroin, glukonasturcin, 4-metoksiglukobrasicin i neoglukobrasicin. Uočena je dominantna količina glukonapina i glukobrasikanapina s maksimumima od 67,31 µmol/g i 36,14 µmol/g pri 5 ppm selenija. Glukoberteroin je uočen samo u tragovima. Povišene koncentracije selenija negativno su utjecale na rast brokule te su također utjecale na profil glukozinolata u različitim uzorcima. Dva uzorka klica brokule uzgajanih u koncentaciji selenija od 5 ppm i 7,5 ppm podvrgnuta su reakciji s enzimom mirozinazom da bi se dobili razgradni produkti glukozinolata koji su identificirani GC-MS-om. Identificirana su dva nitrila: benzenpropanonitril i 4,5-epitiopentanonitril. Drugi cilj eksperimenta je bio ispitati hoće li brokula kroz sedam dana apsorbirati dio selenija zbog kemijske sličnosti i obilja u kojem je rasla te ga ugraditi u strukturu svojih glukozinolata. Niti jedan selenoglukozinolat ili selenometionin-izvedeni glukozinolat nije detektiran niti su detektirani njihovi produkti razgradnje.Glucosinolates are products of secondary metabolism identified in over 16 different plant families, the most significant of which is the Brassicaceae family, which includes vegetables often used in human nutrition. In plants, glucosinolates are found in special compartments separated from the myrosinase enzyme, which cleaves these otherwise chemically stable compounds into degradation products such as thiocyanate, isothiocyanate, nitrile and indole. Due to the recorded biological activity of degradation products, they have been the subject of many recent researhces. Brassica oleracea var. italica, better known as broccoli, is one of the most popular types of vegetables. Hydroponically grown vegetables sprouts for everyday consumption are being increasingly used. In this work, broccoli sprouts were grown in clean water with different concentrations of selenium: 1 ppm, 2.5 ppm, 5 ppm, 7.5 ppm and 10 ppm to monitor its influence on the glucosinolate profile. Glucosinolates were isolated, converted into desulfo-form and analyzed by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS technique. The analysis determined the presence of 12 different glucosinolates: progoitrin, gluconapoleiferin, glucoalisin, gluconapin, glucocochlearin, 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin, glucobrassicannapin, glucobrassicin, glucoberteroin, gluconasturtin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin. A dominant amount of gluconapin and glucobrassicanapin was observed with maxima of 67.31µmol/g and 36.14 µmol/g, respectively, at a selenium concentration of 5ppm. Glucoberteroin was observed only in traces. Elevated concentrations of selenium had a negative effect on the growth of broccoli and also affected the profile of glucosinolates in different samples. Two samples of broccoli sprouts grown in selenium concentrations of 5 ppm and 7.5 ppm were subjected to reaction with the myrosinase enzyme to obtain glucosinolate degradation products that were identified by GC-MS. Two nitriles were identified: benzenepropanonitrile and cyano-3,4-epithiobutane. The second goal of the experiment was to examine whether the broccoli will absorb part of the selenium in seven days due to the chemical similarity and abundance in which it grew and incorporate it into the structure of its glucosinolates. No selenoglucosinolate or selenomethionine-derived glucosinolates were detected, nor their degradation products

SPECIFIC FEATURES OF PRODUCTION BUDGET PREPARATION

Ovaj rad istražuje specifičnosti pripreme budžeta u kontekstu proizvodnih organizacija. Proizvodne tvrtke se suočavaju s jedinstvenim izazovima zbog dinamičnih proizvodnih procesa, fluktuacija u cijenama sirovina i sezonske potražnje. Cilj istraživanja je analizirati kako ovi čimbenici utječu na proces budžetiranja i kako se proizvodne organizacije prilagođavaju ovim specifičnostima. Analizom relevantne literature, istraživanje je identificiralo ključne elemente koji oblikuju pripremu budžeta u proizvodnji. Polazna točka je izrada plana prodaje, na temelju kojeg se izrađuju budžeti proizvodnje, nabave, troškova te budžeti administrativnih troškova i prodaje. Preporučuje se integracija dinamičnih varijabli u proces budžetiranja, kao i razmatranje agilnih metoda za fleksibilno upravljanje resursima. Tehnološka rješenja, poput softverskih alata, također mogu pridonijeti efikasnosti i preciznosti budžetiranja. Rad ističe da specifičnosti pripremanja budžeta u proizvodnji zahtijevaju prilagodbu tradicionalnih pristupa. Razumijevanje dinamičnosti proizvodnih procesa i tržišnih uvjeta ključno je za uspješno upravljanje financijama proizvodnih organizacija. Daljnja istraživanja mogla bi istražiti primjenu naprednih analitičkih metoda i tehnoloških rješenja kako bi se još bolje upravljalo ovim specifičnostima.This paper investigates specific features of budget preparation in the context of production organizations. Manufacturing companies face unique challenges due to dynamic production processes, fluctuations in raw material prices and seasonal demand. The aim of the research is to analyze how these factors affect the budgeting process and how production organizations adapt to these specificities. By analyzing the relevant literature, the research identified the key elements that shape the preparation of the production budget. The starting point is the creation of a sales plan, based on which budgets for production, procurement, costs, and budgets for administrative costs and sales are created. It is recommended to integrate dynamic variables into the budgeting process, as well as consider agile methods for flexible resource management. Technological solutions, such as software tools, can also contribute to the efficiency and accuracy of budgeting. The paper concludes that the specifics of budget preparation in production require adaptation of traditional approaches. Understanding the dynamics of production processes and market conditions is essential for successful financial management of manufacturing organizations. Further research could explore the application of advanced analytical methods and technological solutions to manage these specificities even better

Business plan; Split travel agency: Adventurism in Split - Dalmatia County

Avanturizam je vrsta turizma koja zauzima svake godine sve veći udio u turističkim aktivnostima na području Hrvatske. Analiza segmenata avanturizma uključuje sve aspekte važne za provođenje ove vrste turizma na području Splitsko – dalmatinske županije sa krajnjim ciljem otklanjanja svih neizvjesnosti pri otvaranju specijalizirane turističke agencije. Temeljni ciljevi rada su vjerno oponašanje procesa otvaranja specijalizirane turističke agencije za avanturizam na području Splitsko – dalmatinske županije, analiza isplativosti ulaženja u takav poduzetnički projekt, razvojne perspektive ove vrste turizma u bližoj i daljoj budučnosti. Analiza rada uključuje: proceduru otvaranja turističke agencije, analizu tržišne utemeljenosti modela, analizu stanja i analizu konkurencije. Poseban naglasak stavljen je na marketing miks koji obuhvaća dva izleta i dva višednevna aranžmana. Kraj rada predstavlja tehničko tehnološka analizu i ekonomsko – financijsku analizu kako bi dobili krajnji odgovor o isplativosti pokretanja ovakvog poduzetničkog poduhvata. Splitsko – dalmatinska županija nepresušan je izvor prirodnog i kulturnog bogatstva države i jedan od ključnih generatora razvoja turizma na području RH međutim evidentan je slabi razvoj alternativnih vidova turizma i veliki prostor za napredak.Adventure tourism is a type of tourism that occupies an increasing share of tourist activities in Croatia every year. The analysis of adventure segments includes all aspects important for the implementation of this type of tourism in the Split -Dalmatia County with the ultimate goal of eliminating all uncertainties when opening a specialized tourist agency. The main goals of the paper are faithful imitation of the process of opening a specialized tourist agency for adventure in the Split - Dalmatia County, analysis of the profitability of entering such an entrepreneurial project, development perspectives of this type of tourism in the near and distant future. The analysis of the paper includes: the procedure of opening a tourist agency, the analysis of the market basis of the model, the analysis of the situation and the analysis of competition. Special emphasis is placed on the marketing mix, which includes two excursions and two multi-day arrangements. The end of the paper represents technical and technological analysis and economic - financial analysis in order to get the ultimate answer about the profitability of starting such an entrepreneurial venture. SplitDalmatia County is an inexhaustible source of natural and cultural wealth of the country and one of the key generators of tourism development in the Republic of Croatia, however, there is a weak development of alternative forms of tourism and a large space for progres

PROFITABILITY OF PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS WITHOUT INCENTIVES

Ovaj rad ima za cilj prikazati isplativost fotonaponskih elektrana bez poticaja. U radu su prikazani osnovni pojmovi o fotoelektričnom efektu te opći pregled i principi rada fotonaponskih ćelija. Dan je opis fotonaponskih elektrana koje se mogu svrstati u dvije temeljne kategorije. Izvršena je analiza koji se troškovi fotonaponske elektrane mogu očekivati po pitanju investiranja, održavanja i ostalih troškova. Opisan je način ispitivanja isplativosti i razdoblja povrata investicije u samu elektranu. Također, dan je prikaz izraza uz pomoć kojih je moguće izračunati dobit za kupca u mreži s vlastitom fotonaponskom elektranom. U radu se daje analiza isplativosti fotonaponskih elektrana bez poticaja s naglaskom na primjere iz prakse. U navedenim primjerima pažnja je posvećena određivanju potrebnog razdoblja povrata investicije u fotonaponsku elektranu.This paper aims to show the profitability of photovoltaic power plants without incentives. This paper presents the basic concepts of the photoelectric effect, as well as a general overview and principles of operation of photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic power plants are described, which can be classified into two basic categories. It is shown what costs of a photovoltaic power plant can be expected in terms of investment, maintenance and other costs. The method of examining the profitability and return period of the investment in the power plant itself is described. Also, a presentation of expressions with the help of which it is possible to calculate the profit for a customer of a network with its own photovoltaic power plant is given. The paper provides an analysis of the profitability of photovoltaic power plants without incentives with an emphasis on examples from practice. In the above examples, attention is paid to determining the required payback period for the investment in the photovoltaic power plant

Determination of residual copper content in soil after the phytoremediation process with the rocket and the garden candytuft : diploma thesis

Globalni napredak stvorio je mnoge probleme u zaštiti i očuvanju okoliša. Kontaminacija tla otrovnim tvarima se povećala i postala globalni problem. Mnogi od zagađivača su kancerogeni i mutageni te predstavljaju ozbiljan problem za ljudsko zdravlje. Zagađenje tla teškim metalima predstavlja jednu od najvećih briga današnjice. Neke vrste teških metala su otrovne i smrtonosne, čak i u malim koncentracijama, dok druge mogu uzrokovati neurološke poremećaje te druga teška oboljenja. Stoga je sanacija tla zagađenih teškim metalima vrlo važna i u današnje vrijeme naglasak se stavlja na fitoremedijaciju kao ekonomičnu i ekološki prihvatljivu metodu. U ovom diplomskom radu određivana je koncentracija zaostalog bakra, kao teškog metala, u humusu u kojemu su rasle dvije biljke; rukola i štitasta ognjica. Obje biljke su služile kao hiperakumulatori bakra. Određen je sadržaj bakra u šest različito pripremljenih humusa (ukupno 12 za obje biljke): čisti humus bez dodataka, humus s dodatkom letećeg pepela na koji je adsorbiran bakar, humus u koji je dodan humus na koji je adsorbiran bakar, humus s dodatkom ljuski jaja na koje je adsorbiran bakar, humus s dodatkom zeolita na koji je adsorbiran bakar te posljednji humus u kojem su biljke bile zalijevane samo s vodenom otopinom bakrovog(II) sulfata. Uočava se povišen sadržaj bakra u svim uzorcima humusa osim u kontrolnim uzorcima. Na temelju izmjerenog sadržaja bakra može se zaključiti kako su biljke ipak, u većoj ili manjoj mjeri, usvojile bakar iz humusa u koji su dodani adsorbensi na koje je prethodno vezan bakar kao teški metal, kao i one koje su zalijevane isključivo vodenom otopinom bakrovog(II) sulfata.Global progress has created many problems in protecting and preserving the environment. Soil contamination with toxic substances has increased and become a global problem. Many of the pollutants are carcinogenic and mutagenic and represent a serious problem to human health. Soil pollution with heavy metals is one of the biggest concerns of today. Some types of heavy metals are toxic and deadly, even in small concentrations, while others can cause neurological disorders and other serious illnesses. Therefore, remediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals is very important and nowadays the emphasis is placed on phytoremediation as an economical and environmentally friendly method. In this diploma thesis, the concentration of residual copper, as a heavy metal, in humus in which two plants grew was determined; rocket and garden candytuft. Both plants served as copper hyperaccumulators. Copper content was determined in six differently prepared humus (a total of 12 for both plants): pure humus without additives, humus with the addition of fly ash on which copper was adsorbed, humus with the addition of humus on which copper was adsorbed, humus with the addition of egg shells on which copper was adsorbed, humus with the addition of zeolite on which copper was adsorbed, and the last, humus in which the plants were watered only with an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulphate. Elevated copper content is observed in all humus samples except in control samples. Based on the measured copper content, it can be concluded that the plants still, to a greater or lesser extent, adopted copper from humus to which adsorbents were added to which copper was previously adsorbed as a heavy metal, as well as those watered exclusively with aqueous copper(II ) sulphate

Analysis of the impact of pH change and zeolite addition on the efficiency of municipal wastewater treatment using the intergrated process of electrocoagulation and natural zeolite : bachelor thesis

Komunalne otpadne vode je potrebno pročistiti prije ispuštanja u prirodni recipijent kako bi se spriječilo onečišćenje. U ovom radu ispitan je integrirani proces elektrokoagulacije i prirodnog zeolita za obradu komunalne otpadne vode. Eksperiment je proveden u elektrokoemijskoj čeliji sa elektrodama od aluminija uz dodatak zeolita te vremenom kontakta od 60 minuta. Analiziran je utjecaj dodatka zeolita i podešavanja početne pH vrijednosti (pH=4, pH=9 i bez podešavanja početne pH vrijednosti) na učinkovitost procesa. Rezultati pokazuju da podešavanje početne pH vrijednosti i dodatak zeolita imaju znatan utjecaj na smanjenje mutnoće, brzine taloženja i ukupnog dušika po Kjeldahlu, dok utjecaj na smanjenje KPK i električne vodljivost nije značajan.Municipal wastewater must be purified before discharge into a natural recipient in order to prevent pollution. In this paper, the integrated process of electrocoagulation and natural zeolite for the treatment of minicipal wastewater was examined. The experiment was conducted in an electrochemical cell with aluminium electrodes with the addition of zeolite and a contact time of 60 minutes. The influence of the addition of zeolite and the adjustment of the initial pH value (pH=4, pH=9 and without pH adjustment) on the efficiency of the process was analyzed. Results show that the adjustment of the initial pH value and addition of zeolite have a significant impact on the reduction of turbidity, deposition rate and total Kjeldahl nitrogen, while the impact on the reduction of COD and electrical conductivity is not significant

Adsorption equilibrium of Cu and Co-ions from solutions of humus Potgrond H : diploma thesis

U radu je ispitana adsorpcija bakrovih i kobaltovih iona na humusu u ovisnosti o različitim početnim koncentracijama otopina bakrovih i kobaltovih iona pri stalnoj temperaturi od 27°C, brzini miješanja od 180 okr min -1 i trajanju eksperimenta od 96 h. Rezultati, nakon provedenih ispitivanja, su pokazali da se količina adsorbiranih bakrovih iona na humusu neznatno mijenja s porastom početne koncentracije bakrovih iona u otopini. Pri početnoj koncentraciji od 12,356 mmol dm -3 postignuta je i maksimalna vrijednost količine adsorbiranih bakrovih iona koja iznosi qe = 0,517 mmol g -1 , dok je najviša učinkovitost adsorpcije bakrovih iona 43,612%. Kod adsorpcije kobaltovih iona za početne koncentracije više od ≈ 8 mmol dm -3 , maksimalna vrijednost količine adsorbiranih iona, qe iznosi 0,041 mmol g -1 . Učinkovitost adsorpcije kobaltovih iona je najviša pri početnoj koncentraciji i iznosi 9,091%. Uzimajući u obzir izračunate vrijednosti za koeficijent korelacije R 2 može se zaključiti kako Langmuirov adsorpcijski model pokazuje najbolje slaganje s eksperimentalnim podatcima za adsorpciju bakrovih i kobaltovih iona na humusu.This thesis presents the results of the copper and cobalt ions adsorption on humus depending on different initial concentrations of copper and cobalt ions solutions at a constant temperature of 27°C, a stirring speed of 180 rpm for 96 h. The results of measurements have shown that the amount of copper ions adsorbed on humus is slightly changing with an increase in the initial concentration of copper ions in solution. At the initial concentration of 12.356 mmol dm -3 , the maximum value of the amount of adsorbed copper ions is achieved, with the value of qe = 0.517 mmol g -1 and the value of the highest adsorption efficiency of copper ions is 43.612%. For the adsorption of cobalt ions for initial concentrations greater than ≈ 8 mmol dm -3 , the maximum value of the amount of adsorbed ions, qe is 0.041 mmol g -1 . The adsorption efficiency of cobalt ions is highest at the initial concentration, with the value of 9,091%. Taking the calculated values for the correlation coefficient R 2 into account, Langmuir adsorption model is the most suitable model for describing adsorption of copper and cobalt ions on humus

Epigenetics alterations in mouse models of Ruijs-Aalfs syndrome and bladder cancer

Epigenetske, genomske i proteomske promjene obilježja su razvoja raka, kao i sindroma starenja. S naglaskom na te procese proučavani su mišji modeli Ruijs-Aalfsovog sindroma i raka mokraćnog mjehura. Naša istraživačka skupina otkrila je mutacije u genu SPRTN kao uzrok progeroidnog poremećaja poznatog kao Ruijs-Aalfsov sindrom (RAS), rijetke bolesti karakterizirane preranim starenjem i razvojem hepatocelularnog karcinoma u adolescentskoj dobi. Da bismo proučavali RAS, generirali smo Sprtn knock-in miševe (Sprtnki/ki) s mutacijom pronađenom u pacijenata. Ti miševi rekapituliraju RAS-fenotip te imaju smanjeno kondenzirani kromatin, jezgrene atipije i kraće telomere. Stoga smo profilirali epigenom miševa Sprtnki/ki analizirajući njihov metilom, kao i dostupnost kromatina, korištenjem metoda sekvenciranja i različitih molekularnih pristupa. Pronašli smo globalnu hipometilaciju i različitu dostupnost kromatina, s prekomjernom regulacijom mRNA koja utječe na promjene u metabolizmu lipida. Molekularno testiranje identificiralo je interakciju proteina SPRTN s ključnim epigenetičkim proteinima - DNMT1 i UHRF1, otkrivajući mehanističku poveznicu s uočenim promjenama metiloma. Ovi podaci podupiru ideju da deregulacija epigenoma može biti temeljni mehanizam teškog fenotipa uočenog u bolesnika s RAS-om, kao i u miševa s mutacijom. Budući da je epigenetika, posebice metilacija DNA, nedavno prepoznata kao jedna od osnova starenja i karcinogeneze, stečeni uvid u ulogu proteina SPRTN u epigenetici od iznimne je važnosti. Dodatno smo proučavali potpise metilacije DNA i njihov utjecaj na ekspresiju gena u mišjem modelu raka mokraćnog mjehura (RMM) nakon primjene N-butil-N-(4-hidroksibutil)-nitrozamina. Budući da je deregulirana metilacija DNA praćena promjenama u izražaju gena važan element patogeneze raka, profilirali smo metilom i transkriptom RMM-a koristeći metode sekvenciranja. Hipo- i hipermetilacija su izmjerene u neinvazivnom RMM, u CpG-ovima gena uključenih u mišićne i živčane procese, ali se nisu odrazili na ekspresiju odgovarajućih gena. Međutim, invazivni tumori su pokazali promjene hipermetilacije u istim procesima s refleksijom na ekspresiju gena. Naši nalazi upućuju na to da bi se progresija i potencijal RMM-a mogli otkriti profiliranjem metilacije u predinvazivnoj fazi, što bi moglo pomoći u boljem praćenju bolesnika s ovom bolešću.Epigenetic, genomic, and proteomic changes are hallmarks of cancer development as well as of the aging syndromes. With an emphasis on those processes’ mice models of Ruijs-Aalfs syndrome and bladder cancer were studied. Our research group has identified mutations in the SPRTN gene as a cause of progeroid disorder known as Ruijs-Aalfs syndrome (RAS), a rare disease characterized by premature aging and the development of early-onset hepatocellular carcinoma. To study RAS more deeply we generated Sprtn knock-in mice (Sprtnki/ki) harboring the mutation found in RAS patients. These mice display phenotypes reminiscent of RAS but also abnormal nuclei, less condensed chromatin, and shorter telomeres. Thus, we profiled the epigenome of Sprtnki/ki mice by analyzing their methylome as well as chromatin landscape using sequencing and different molecular approaches. Global hypomethylation was observed and different chromatin accessibility, with global upregulation of mRNA affecting changes in lipid metabolism. Molecular testing identified the interaction of SPRTN with key epigenetics players - DNMT1 and UHRF1 revealing mechanistic insight into observed methylome changes. These data support the notion that the epigenome deregulation may be an underlying mechanism of the severe phenotype observed in RAS patients as well as in mutant mice. Because epigenetics, in particular DNA methylation, has recently been recognized as one of the pillars of aging and carcinogenesis, gaining insight into Spartan's role in epigenetics is of primary importance. We additionally studied DNA methylation signatures and its impacts on gene expression in mouse models of urinary bladder cancer (BC) following N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine administration. Because aberrant DNA methylation accompanied by changes in gene expression is an important element of cancer pathogenesis, we profiled the methylome and transcriptome of BC using sequencing approaches. Hypo- and hypermethylation were present in non-invasive BC, across CpGs of the genes involved in muscle- and neuronal-related pathways, but were not reflected in the expression of the respective genes. However, invasive tumors displayed only hypermethylation changes with alterations in gene expression in these genes. Our findings suggest that BC progression could be revealed through methylation profiling at its pre-invasive stage, which could assist in better monitoring of BC patients