Shiraz University

• Three Fe(III) complexes [FeL 1-3 L 4 ] of N,N'-bis(phenol)diamine based (H 2 L 1-3 ) and 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinolinato (HL 4 ) ligands are presented. • All compounds have octahedral Fe III O 3 N 3 chromophores. • A temperature induced spin crossover SCO phenomenon was observed only for one of them, though they differ only slightly in H 2 L 1-3 non-coordination sphere. • Previously reported compound [FeL 1 L 4’ ], similar as herein reported SCO compound, but slightly different HL 4 , also shows no such phenomenon. Three N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine derivatives of substituted bis(phenol)diamine ligands (L 1-3 ) have been found in either of three iron(III) 8-quinolinato (L 4 ) coordination compounds [FeL 1-3 L 4 ]∙(solvent) ( 1 - 3 ). Herein, H 2 L 1 stands for 2,4-dimethylphenol, H 2 L 2 for 2,4-dichlorophenol, while H 2 L 3 for 2-( tert -butyl)-4-methoxyphenol derivative, respectively. HL 4 is 5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline being present in each of 1 - 3 . X-ray structure analysis reveals mononuclear octahedral Fe III O 3 N 3 chromophores with tetradentate O,O,N,N L 1-3 and bidentate O,N L 4 . All three title compounds show paramagnetic behavior, which is consistent with the monomeric character of their metal centers. Compounds 2 and 3 reveal high spin ( S = 5/2) in a whole 2-300 K range, while 1 shows the high spin character only above 200 K. By lowering the temperature, its magnetic susceptibility gradually decreases due to spin crossover towards low spin ( S = 1/2). The halogen-π(aromatic ring) structural interactions for 1 differ to 2 and 3 and may be related to such different magnetic behavior. Room temperature electronic absorption spectra of all three compounds 1 - 3 feature LMCT bands associated with phenolate(π)→Fe(III)(dπ*) charge transfer in the 450-700 nm region. These bands are in accordance with the DFT calculations for the high spin species only.

The use of plant-derived drugs in cancer therapy is widely considered in the treatment of different malignancies including breast cancer. Cucurbitacin D (CuD) is able to induce apoptosis in cancerous cells through different signaling pathways. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different concentrations of CuD on viability and death pattern. Antiproliferative effects of CuD on these cell lines' viability were investigated using the MTT assay. Real-time PCR was applied to evaluate the expression alterations of Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, p53 (that related to apoptotic cell death pathway), Atg5, Beclin-1, PTEN, and Akt genes (autophagy genes) in the MCF-7 (ER positive) and MDA-MB-468 (triple negative) breast cancer cells. Significant dose-dependent and antiproliferative effects of CuD were observed on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells after 24h with IC50 value about 30 and 25 µM, respectively (p < 0.01). Significant changes in expression of the genes in the breast cancer lines were observed under different concentrations of CuD. Our results confirmed that CuD may influence breast cancer cell lines' viability at specific doses and by altering the expression of these genes. The differences between the gene's aberrations in our breast cancer cell lines propose that these genes can have a distinct role in the pathophysiology and therapy responsiveness of various subtypes of breast cancer.

Fossil‐based material manufacturing has long been linked to the acceleration of climate change through carbon dioxide emissions. In addition to their negative impact on the environment, the depletion of nonrenewable fossil fuels has led to a global demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives. This has sparked a surge of academic interest in the past few decades on the manufacture of bio‐based materials as substitutes for fossil‐based materials. As sustainability becomes a global imperative, bioplastics are rapidly emerging as a viable alternative to conventional petroleum‐derived plastics. These materials might be manufactured by using polymers from different bio‐based sources such as plants, animal tissues, or can have a microbial origin. Bioplastics not only offer biodegradability, thereby reducing long‐term environmental impact, but also possess various functional properties that make them suitable for diverse applications, including packaging, agriculture, textiles and pharmaceuticals. This review focuses on new developments in bioplastics regarding their material, processing, and applications. Recent developments in the preparation of bioplastics are reported, highlighting the distinct properties of each type of material according to the polymers of origin. Special attention is given to the film‐forming properties, the barrier functionality, thermal stability, and compatibility with the bioactive compounds, supported by recent empirical findings.