Archives: Projekti

IMI projekti

Integrated Hardware-Software System for Environmental Parameter Monitoring at Microlocations

Project code: RC.2.2.08-0027
Project Duration: 28 Oct 2014-28 Feb 2016
Project location: Location of the Beneficiary, Partner and the territory of the Republic of Croatia
Project value: 5,461,130.01 HRK
EU funding: 75 %

BENEFICIARY
Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
Ksaverska cesta 2
10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
T +385 1 46 82 570
F +385 1 46 73 303
E iprlic@imi.hr
Participants: M. Avdić, I. Bešlić, T. Bituh, S. Davila, M. Herman, M. Justić, D. Kosmina, J. Macan, G. Marović, T. Meštrović, Lj. Orešić, I. Pavičić, J. Senčar, S. Stankić Drobnjak, M. Surić Mihić, K. Šega, J. Šiško, J. Tončić, R. Turk, M. Zorić

PARTNER
Ericsson Nikola Tesla d.d.
Krapinska 45
10002 Zagreb, Croatia

INTERMEDIATE BODIES (PT)
PT1
Ministry of Science, Education and Sports
URL http://www.mzos.hr
E znanost@mzos.hr
PT2
Central Finance and Contracting Agency
URL http://www.safu.hr
E info@safu.hr

Summary

One of the fundamental goals of this project is the transfer of the user’s (technological) knowledge of the method and validation of radiation and other physical parameter measurements in the environment to the industrial partner of the project. Both sides (IMI and Ericsson Nikola Tesla d.d.) entered the project with their unique, mutually complementary, innovation processes and knowledge, creating thus an entirely new innovative concept in the area of remote recording and monitoring of environmental parameters in microlocations. The objective of the project was, specifically, to industrially explore the possibilities of creating a reliable system for the remote recording, monitoring and validating of at least five different environmental parameters on a large number of sites, focusing on radiation, and to check it from a technical and safety standpoint. The fact that environmental parameters monitored from various sensors are combined/integrated (in this case for electromagnetic radiation – UV, VF, RF…) points to an additional possibility for supervising the human impact on and activity in the environment. This project confirms that environmental activities can be scientifically validated on a base sensor e-platform, developed by users, and then using M2M networking they can be integrated in one controlling location from which, with security authorisations, they can be continuously monitored, suitably processed, and used for the surveillance of pollution or for future plans on the economic interventions in the environment. All this is just part of the possibilities that, through a partnership between science and economy, can be provided by the IPPSO project in the future. In a very direct way, the IPPSO project contributes to sustainable development and, in particular, to environmental protection aimed at the protection of health, and the well-being of humans and the biotas. In order for the competent institutions to draw accurate implementation, and in particular health conclusions, they must dispose of as much relevant and validated information as possible. This is even more so when it comes to natural disasters or accidents when sufficient information from the field enable quick decision-making in order to mitigate such complex situations, reduce all kind of damage and mortality of people and animals. The project contributes directly to economy by creating databases and maps relative to the environmental and urban area situations.

Development of Bioassay Method for Detection of Herbicide Residues in Soil

Duration: 1 Sep 2016-31 Aug 2017

Head: Klara Barić (Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb)

Participants: Sanja Stipičević, Z. Ostojić, A. Pintar, M. Šćepanović (Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb)

Summary
Modern monitoring methods of pesticides in soil, water and biological samples involve of instrumental analytical techniques. Monitoring of herbicide in soil can be carried out also with bioassay method, i.e. determining the degree of phytotoxicity of herbicides on cultivated plants. Bioassays are useful complement to the analytical methods, which often do not provide an answer for the observed reaction of cultivars due to the very low levels of herbicide residues in the soil. The aim of this project is to determine the synergy of analytical and bioassays methods of mesotrione determinations in soil and to determine the standard curve sensitivity of the test plants at known herbicide concentrations in three the most represented types of soil in Croatia. The total and organic carbon contents and pH were determined in agricultural soil samples (TOC analyses). The most appropriate test plant and its response to different doses of herbicides were investigated by performing a field experiment. Field trial was conducted in Šašinovec, near Sesvete. The field was sown with six test crops (soybean, sugar beet, sunflower, canola, peas and oats). The field was treated with CALLISTO 480 SC suspension of mesotrione at six different doses of herbicides. The sensitivity of test plants was determined periodically by the visual evaluation method and by the mass determination of fresh and dry above-ground mass cultivars. For growing test plants in a controlled conditions the undisturbed treated soil samples will be collected 3, 6 and 12 months after herbicide application. The inhibition of growth of test plants will be determined by the measuring of above-ground mass of plants and of the carotenoid content.

Scientific Center of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine (CERRM)

Scientific Center of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine (CERRM) was established by merging two project applications from the University of Zagreb School of Medicine (UZSM) in the call for proposals for the establishment of the Croatian scientific centers of excellence in 2013. CERRM has been awarded by decision of Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (MSES) and it includes two research units:

Head of CERRM alternates annually, and the position is currently held by Professor Ježek.

The status of the Scientific Center of Excellence is awarded for five years, with the possibility of extension. CERRM is funded from the budget of Republic of Croatia through the MSES, the EU funds through the MSES and other domestic and international funds where CERRM has been applying its scientific proposals.

Nanosilver phytotoxicity: mechanisms of action and interaction in tobacco cells – NanoPhytoTox

Head: Biljana Balen, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb

Duration: 1 May 2016-30 Apr 2020

Summary

The small size of nanoparticles (NPs) results in unique chemical and physical characteristics, which is why they are produced in large quantities for implementation in various products. Due to widespread use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), the dominating nanomaterial with antibacterial and antifungal properties, there is a concern regarding its potential detrimental impacts on the environment. Although there have been a lot of toxicological studies published on AgNPs, it is still difficult to draw conclusions about their toxicity. AgNPs are prone to (bio)transformation, which modifies their properties and it is not clear whether toxicity results from the nanoparticles or from Ag+ dissociation. Besides being the vital part of healthy ecosystems, plants play a significant role in transport and bioaccumulation of toxic substances in food chains, but toxicological studies of AgNPs conducted on plants are scare and inconclusive. Moreover, there is a lack of information about effects of AgNPs on important cellular processes. Therefore, in this project we aim to reveal and explain the toxicity of a set of diverse AgNPs to plants in order to contribute to the environmental hazard assessment of AgNP. As the model organism we propose tobacco, an economically interesting plant, frequently used in stress research. We will investigate AgNPs with different coatings, used to enhance NP stability, to reveal whether those characteristics are determinants of toxicity. Stability and biotransformation of AgNPs as well as their uptake in the cells will be studied and correlated with AgNPs-induced effects to distinguish between particle and Ag+ toxicity. We will establish the involvement of oxidative stress in the mechanism of toxicity as well as possible proteomic changes. The results will be used to define biomarkers of AgNP-induced phytotoxicity, which could be useful for environmental biomonitoring. Also, results can be applied to estimate the possibility of use and safety of AgNPs.

Development of voltammetric methods for the characterisation of natural antioxidants – DVMCNA

Head: Šebojka Komorsky-Lovrić (Ruđer Bošković Institute)

Duration: 1 Jul 2014-30 Jun 2017

Summary

Oxidant is an ion or a compound that reacts with a certain component of a living cell and oxidizes it. The reactive oxygen species produced in cells include hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid, hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion. Antioxidant is a foreign substance that reacts with the oxidant faster than the components of the cell. An imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in favour of the oxidants is termed oxidative stress. Antioxidants act as free radical scavengers and therefore can lower the risk of numerous degenerative diseases by preventing damages caused by free radicals. Fruits and vegetables are the major sources of antioxidants in human diet. Several natural compounds found in food, such as polyphenols, vitamins A and E, and some carotenoids, have been found to show excellent antioxidant activity. Chlorophylls and their derivatives have also been reported to possess this activity. However, literature is still scarce regarding their antioxidant properties. It is known that the amount of each antioxidant in fruits, vegetables and their derivatives is strongly influenced by numerous factors such as agro-technical processes, environmental conditions, processing factors and storage conditions. Continuous monitoring of antioxidant capacity of plant-based foods through different phases, from cultivation to storage, is needed to maintain or even improve the beneficial properties of food. The goal of this project is to develop several cyclic multi-pulse voltammetric techniques for the characterization of natural antioxidants and to apply them in routine analysis of food quality. Experimental results will be explained by the comparison with the theoretical simulation of responses of various electrode mechanisms of independent and conjugated multiple redox centers.

The role of estrogen and androgen receptors in active stroma of oral cancer and its influence on patients survival – ACTIVSTROMORALCANCER

Head: Vanja Vučićević Boras

Institution:
University of Zagreb, School of Dental Medicine

Abstract:
The incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in Croatia is 8.4 persons per 100.00 inhabitants. The highest incidence of cancer is in men over 50 years of age. Significantly increased risk of developing OSCC is among smokers and people who daily consume alcohol. OSCC is an aggressive cancer that metastasizes (about 50% of patients have at diagnosis lymph node metastases) thus the successful diagnosis is of major importance for effective therapy. Despite the development of new therapeutics in the treatment of OSCC, no significant increase in five-year survival has been recorded in the past decade. Standard algorithms of treatment include surgical dissection with radiotherapy, while chemotherapy is rarely applied. The latest research suggests that in OSCC is of great importance the evaluation of tumor stroma activation, as it may contain cells that produce signaling molecules crucial for the development of metastases. The aim of this project is to obtain insight into activated cells in the stroma of OSCC in relation to patient survival. The study will be based on archived tissues, and will involve assessing the level of receptor on malignant cells and stromal tumors (androgens, estrogens), metaloproteinase 9, cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor, hypoxia factors and factors Ki67 proliferation. The expected result will contribute to histological diagnostics and enable individual approach of OSCC therapy. Through questionnaires will be examined the lifestyle habits of patients, exposures, family history and their possible impact on the OSCC histological profile. Within the project a website will be developed which will contain results of the project, the base of current research projects, clinical studies, relevant publications and a forum. The website will contribute to better cooperation between clinicians and other interested experts, and bring benefit for patients as well as future international recognition.

Adverse effects of single and combined mycotoxins produced by Aspergilli – MycotoxA

Head: Maja Šegvić Klarić

Institution:
University of Zagreb, Farmaceutsko-biokemijski fakultet

Summary:
The EU green paper on climate change in Europe foresees an increase of 4-5°C in temperature and a water availability reduction in combination with higher rainfall and floods in southern and south-eastern Europe. Such changes in climatic conditions may reflect on the food contamination pattern through mycotoxin-producing moulds. Thus, mycotoxin-producing Aspergilli may become more frequent in our region, increasing the risk of exposure to their mycotoxin mixtures in food and the air of damp dwellings. From the mycotoxicological point of view, species from sections Flavi, Circumdati, Nigri, Versicolores and Terrei require particular attention due to the production of aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A, fumonisins, sterigmatocystin and citrinin. The mechanism of toxicity of these mycotoxins has still not been elucidated. One of the possible mechanisms that plays a significant role in the immunotoxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of mycotoxins is oxidative stress. This mechanism could be contravened by antioxidants such as resveratrol. Therefore, the objectives of this project include: 1) research on occurrence and genotyping of airborne and foodborne Aspergilli using the ITS/CaM region of DNA sequence-based analysis; 2) checking the ability of Aspergilli to produce mycotoxins in vitro and ex vivo using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry; 3) clarifying the involvement of oxidative stress in the toxicity of mycotoxins in cell lines and animal model by measuring lipid peroxidation, cell antioxidants and expression of heat shock proteins; 4) estimation of mycotoxin toxic interactions (additivity, synergism, antagonism) in binary and tertiary combinations at their EU regulatory limits using cell lines and statistical models, and 5) evaluation of resveratrol protection from oxidative stress. Our results will provide the base for recommendations and/or revision of current regulatory guidelines in order to minimize risks for human health.

Biophysical Design of Antimicrobial peptides and Innovative Molecular Descriptors – BioAmpMode

Head: Damir Vukičević

Institution:
University of Split, Faculty of Science

Summary:
The starting point of this interdisciplinary project is bioinformatic and chemoinformatic data collection connecting molecular structure with physico-chemical and biological properties. In the case of antimicrobial peptides, measured biological activity and therapeutic index data will be collected from published papers with the goal of constructing robust and accurate predictive models. A large amount of data regarding the 20 natural amino acids attributes will also be collected and analysed. We plan to propose new scales of amino-acid attributes that may be a basis for a multitude of future studies. In our experience, construction of good predictive models is not possible without using biophysical insights to propose appropriate molecular descriptors crucial for data-mining procedure and model building. These models should be based on newly developed molecular descriptors. Study of molecular descriptors will be important part of this project, their extremal properties (as indicators of the most active compounds), their complexity of calculation (since exhaustive search for optimal compounds can be computationally demanding) and their interrelationships. Dedicated algorithms for in-silico identification or proposal of structures with the desired properties will be built and verified through synthesis, characterization and testing of predicted antimicrobials. The activity, selectivity, conformation and mechanism of action of lead compounds will be explored using biophysical, biochemical and microbiological techniques. Preliminary investigations by our group of graduate, doctoral and postdoctoral biophysics students has already led to the identification of two designed peptides as being very active against pan-resistant Acetinobacter baumanni, so that initial drug development is within the scope of this project with the aim of finding new classes of non-toxic peptide antibiotics active against multidrug resistant bacteria.