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They were the first: Nobel Prize winners Marie Curie and Irène Joliot-Curie
T. V. Danylova1*, S. V. Komisarenko2
1Institute for Social and Political Psychology,
National Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: danilova_tv@ukr.net,
2Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy
of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
Received: 26 December 2025; Revised: 26 February 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
This article aims to highlight the major milestones in the lives of two great women scientists who became icons for many women and girls empowering them in their search for a life path. A double Nobel Prize winner in two different fields (1903 and 1911) Marie Curie discovered new elements polonium and radium, isolated radium and studied its nature and compounds. Her daughter Irène Joliot-Curie, a 1935 Nobel Prize winner, synthesized new radioactive elements. Their scientific and civic activities expanded and deepened understanding of the physical world, made breakthroughs in medicine, and changed society’s ideas on the role of women.
A new selective inhibitor of the Mg(2+), ATP-dependent sodium pump calix[4]aren С-1130 as a modulator of myometrial contraction energy
S. O. Kosterin1*, O. V. Tsymbalyuk2, R. V. Rodik3, V. I. Kalchenko3
1Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: kinet@biochem.kiev.ua;
2Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine;
e-mail: otsymbal@knu.ua;
3Institute of Organic Chemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
e-mail: manli@ioch.kiev.ua
Received: 19 November 2025; Revised: 23 January 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
It is known, that the functioning of non-electrogenic 2Na+-Ca2+-exchange system, localized in the myometrium cells plasma membrane, is ensured by the energy of the transmembrane sodium gradient, created by the Mg2+, ATP-dependent sodium pump. The aim of the study was to determine how the inhibitor of this pump calix[4]arene С-1130 affects the mechanokinetics and energy of myometrium contraction-relaxation. The experiments were conducted using female Wistar rats. The contractile activity of the longitudinal smooth muscles of the uterine horns was studied tensometrically. The method of determining the mechanical work А and power N at any time moment t of the of smooth muscle isotonic contraction-relaxation complete cycle was developed and tested in the tensometric experiments. Calix[4]arene С-1130 was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide and introduced into the working solutions in a 10-5 М concentration. It was found that under calix[4]arene С-1130 treatment, the relative values of the mechanical work A were achieved at a time when the contraction-relaxation cycle under control conditions was practically completed, while the maximum values of power N were reached faster than in the control. These results indicate that calix[4]arene С-1130 was capable of inducing the increase in the maximal value of the smooth muscle mechanical work, promoting its relaxation without a considerable change in the contraction power. The developed methodology may be useful for the comparative study of the pharmacological drugs effect on the smooth muscles contractile activity in the “norm-pathology” format.
Arginase activity in serum as indicator of osteoarthritis severity in patients
Z. M. A. A. Hamodat1*, M. A. Ibrahim2, O. M. Yahya2
1Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Mosul, Iraq;
2Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Mosul, Iraq
*e-mail: zahraahamodat@uomosul.edu.iq
Received: 30 October 2025; Revised: 05 February 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease of the joints that represents the second most common rheumatic disease after rheumatoid arthritis. Arginase, a multifunctional enzyme that plays an important role in disease development, and adenosine deaminase, which is involved in the immune response, are considered to be involved in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. The study aimed to estimate both the activity of arginase and adenosine deaminase in the serum of patients with osteoarthritis depending on disease severity, age, and body mass index (BMI). The study included 80 participants, 40 in the control group and 40 with OA, divided into groups with mild or severe degrees of the disease, aged 30-45 and 46-65, with normal or overweight BMI. Enzyme activity was measured colorimetrically. Patients with severe osteoarthritis exhibited a significantly increased level of the activity for both arginase and adenosine deaminase compared to patients with mild osteoarthritis and healthy individuals. A strong positive correlation between the activity of arginase and age was found in the severe group, whereas a weak correlation was found between the activity of arginase and BMI in both mild and severe OA groups. ROC curve analysis showed that arginase exhibited an exceptionally high area under the curve (AUC of 0.923), indicating that arginase has high specificity and sensitivity compared to adenosine deaminase and other indicators in distinguishing between patients with osteoarthritis and healthy individuals.
Cellulase activity of Bacillus subtilis DSC.03 depends on the strain cultivation parameters
T. Q. Truong1*, K. D. Nguyen2
1Faculty of Agriculture – Fisheries, University of Cuu Long, Vinh Long, Vietnam;
2Faculty of Biotechnology, Ho Chi Minh City Open University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam;
*e-mail: truongquoctat@mku.edu.vn
Received: 24 January 2026; Revised: 25 February 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Cellulase derived from cellulolytic bacteria plays an increasingly important role in biotechnology and is characterized by hight consumption demand on the global enzyme market. Bacterial strains of the genus Bacillus have been reported to be capable of synthesizing cellulase, which breaks β-1,4-glycosidic bonds, releasing glucose as the end product. Nevertheless, enzyme activity and yield are affected by many factors, especially by bacterial strain and culture medium conditions. This study aimed to assess Bacillus subtilis DSC.03 cellulase activity depending on the strain cultivation parameters. Bacillus subtilis DSC.03 was isolated from durian peel compost samples. Carboxymethyl cellulase (CMC) activity was determined by reaction with 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid in the crude enzyme extract of the bacterial strain. It was shown that cultivation time, temperature and substrate concentration have a significant impact on the CMCase activity of DSC.03. The optimal parameters were as follows: 60 h at 40℃, 1% carboxymethyl cellulose and 2% inoculum. Under these conditions the strain exhibited a maximum CMCase activity of 1.72 U/ml.
Molecular evaluation of biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles and their effect on oral squamous cell carcinoma
R. T. Al-Muswie1, M. N. Abdulsayed2, D. A. Alghezi3*,
B. A. Ghyadh4, A. J. Alfahdawi5
1Basic Science Department, College of Dentistry, University of Thi-Qar, Thi-Qar, Iraq;
2Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Department, College of Medicine,
University of Thi-Qar, Thi-Qar, Iraq;
3Microbiology Department, College of Medicine, University of Thi-Qar, Thi-Qar, Iraq;
4Biology Department, College of Science, University of Thi-Qar, Thi-Qar, Iraq;
5Department of Pathological Analysis, College of Applied Sciences,
University of Fallujah, Al-Anbar, Iraq;
*e-mail: Dhafer.a.f.alghezi@bath.edu
Received: 25 October 2025; Revised: 12 December 2025;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Cancer remains a predominant cause of mortality globally, and the suboptimal effectiveness of existing therapeutic modalities has catalyzed the exploration of novel treatment approaches. Nanomaterials, specifically selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), have exhibited encouraging anticancer activity. This investigation aimed to evaluate the human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells viability and expression of proliferation and apoptosis molecular markers under treatment with SeNPs. Selenium nanoparticles were synthesized with the use of Lactobacillus plantarum cultured in a medium containing selenium dioxide. The methods of energy-dispersive X-ray, scanning electron and atomic force microscopy were used to determine the SeNPs composition and three-dimensional images. MTT viability assay and qRT-PCR analysis of cyclin D1 and Bax gene expression were applied. OSCC cells were treated with SeNPs in a range of 25–200 µg/ml for 24 h. It was demonstrated that SeNPs induced a dose-dependent inhibition of cell viability with IC50 value of 97 μg/ml. At lower concentrations (25–50 µg/ml) SeNPs transiently suppressed Bax and elevated Cyclin D1 expression, indicating the adaptive proliferative response. At higher concentrations (100–200 µg/ml), SeNPs induced apoptotic pathways and G1-phase cell cycle arrest, significantly upregulating Bax and downregulating Cyclin D1 expression. These findings underscore the Selenium nanoparticles potential as nanotherapeutic agents for OSCC treatment.
Pro/antioxidant status of isolated human blood lymphocytes treated with a newly synthesized compound D11-(furan-2-yl)-9-hydroxy-3,11-dihydro-2H-benzo[6,7]thiochromeno[2,3-d]thiazole-2,5,10-trione
О. P. Sen’, О. K. Оnufrovych, M. Ye. Kushynska, О. I. Pershyn,
А. S. Besedina, R. V. Fafula*, Z. D. Vorobets
Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine;
*e-mail: roman_fafula@ukr.net
Received: 20 October 2025; Revised: 23 February 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
It is known that 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives form the basis of a wide range of pharmaceuticals with diverse biological activities. A newly synthesized compound of this group – 11-(furan-2-yl)-9-hydroxy-3,11-dihydro-2H-benzo[6,7]thiochromeno[2,3-d]thiazole-2,5,10-trione, designated by Les-6400 laboratory code, is noteworthy for its drug-like properties. The aim of the study was to determine the parameters of glutathione antioxidant system in isolated human peripheral blood lymphocytes treated with Les-6400. Saponin-permeabilized lymphocytes from the blood samples of healthy male volunteers aged 20–44 years were used in the study. A significant dose-dependent increase in the lipid peroxidation process was observed upon lymphocytes exposure to Les-6400 at concentrations of 10–5–10–3 M. At the concentrations studied no effect of Les-6400 on GSH level was observed, while in the 10–4–10–3 M concentration range the activity of glutathione antioxidant enzymes was markedly affected: the activity of both glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase was increased, while that of glutathione-S-transferase was reduced. Thus, Les-6400 had a pronounced effect on the pro/antioxidant status of blood lymphocytes.
Plasma level of von Willebrand factor in patients in the early stages of recovery after atherothrombotic stroke
O. Ya. Mykhalojko, V. A. Hryb, I. Ya. Mykhalojko
Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.
*e-mail: myhalojko@i.ua
Received: 21 November 2025; Revised: 23 February 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Atherothrombotic ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of disability and mortality. The search for biomarkers of its recurrence is a key task of modern vascular neurology. Von Willebrand factor (vWF), a multimeric glycoprotein that binds platelets to damaged vessel, is considered a marker of endothelial dysfunction and platelet activity. The aim of the study was to assess the level of von Willebrand factor in the blood plasma of patients in the early stages of recovery after atherothrombotic stroke. 200 patients aged 60.42 ± 7.40 with atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and 50 people from the control group were examined. The prospective observation was conducted for 12 months to record recurrent strokes. Neurological deficit was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and results were interpreted according to the generally accepted stroke grading. The level of vWF was determined by the light-transmission analysis on a laser aggregometer. The data obtained showed that the level of vWF in the early recovery period increased in parallel with the increase in disorder severity to 137.7, 155.7 and 169.7% in the groups with easy, average, and severe stroke, respectively, compared with the control indicator of 95.3%. In patients with the highest vWF level (>170%), the recurrent ischemic strokes were recorded in half of the cases. These results indicate the сlinical significance and prognostic value of von Willebrand factor, in particular, for identifying the patients at high risk of recurrent vascular accidents requiring enhanced secondary prevention measures.
Cytokine profile of kidneys in rats with experimental hyperhomocysteinemia
A. S. Serbin, T. V. Koval*, O. I. Kharchenko,
L. I. Kot, T. R. Andriichuk
Educational and Scientific Center “Institute of Biology and Medicine”,
Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine;
*e-mail: kovaltanya@knu.uat
Received: 19 January 2026; Revised: 29 January 2026;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is a systemic metabolic disorder known to impair renal function. The kidneys play a crucial role in homocysteine (Hcy) clearance from the bloodstream and represent a key location for Hcy-related metabolic disturbances. A principal mechanism underlying Hcy-induced injury of renal tissue is inflammation, however, the age-related renal cytokine profile under HHcy conditions remains insufficiently characterized. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the level of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the kidneys of rats of different ages with experimental HHcy. The study was performed on nonlinear male rats divided into groups of young (one-month-old) and adult (six-month-old) animals with HHcy as well as control animals of the same age. HHcy was induced by the daily intragastric administration of D,L-homocysteine thiolactone (200 mg·kg-1 body weight) for eight weeks. At the end of the experimental period, the kidneys were excised for homogenate preparation. The levels of cytokines IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were determined using ELISA. The renal level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was decreased in both age groups of rats with HHcy relative to control values. In young rats with HHcy, increased renal levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were found, while in adult rats with HHcy, decreased renal levels of IL-6 and TNF-α compared to the age-matched control group were observed. These findings indicate that HHcy induces renal cytokine profile alterations that depend on the age of the animals.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress differentially alters the effect of hypoxia on PSAT1 and CYCLIN D1 gene expressions in normal astrocytes and glioblastoma cells
Y. M. Viletska*, M. Y. Sliusar, A. I. Abramchuk, O. V. Halkin,
O. O. Ratushna, O. Y. Luzina, O. H. Minchenko
Palladin Institute of Biochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv;
*e-mail: yulya.viletska@ukr.net
Received: 19 September 2025; Revised: 13 October 2025;
Accepted: 03 April 2026; Available on-line: 21 April 2026
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and hypoxia interaction in the progression of glioblastomas and other malignant tumors has not yet been sufficiently studied. Both PSAT1, as the ER stress-responsive phosphoserine aminotransferase, and сyclin D1 are shown to participate in tumor progression and chemoresistance. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the effect of endoplasmic reticulum stress on PSAT1 and CCND1 (сyclin D1) genes expression in normal human astrocytes of NHA/TS line, and U87MG glioblastoma cells. Hypoxia was created with the HIF1A prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor dimethyloxalylglycine. Tunicamycin and thapsigargin were used for ER stress induction. PSAT1 and cyclin D1 expression were examined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. It has been established that hypoxia and tunicamycin had a similar suppressive effect on PSAT1 and CCND1 expression in normal astrocytes, but increased both genes expression in glioblastoma cells. Thapsigargin enhanced PSAT1 expression in both cell lines, but suppressed CCND1 expression in normal astrocytes without any effect on its expression in glioblastoma cells. Hypoxia modified the effect of tunicamycin and thapsigargin when these ER stress inducers were combined with hypoxia, but in different ways in normal and glioblastoma cells. These results indicate that hypoxia and ER stress relationship in the control of the studied genes expression differs in normal and tumor cells.