Numerous proteases are known to be necessary for cancer development and progression including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue serine proteases, and cathepsins. The goal of this research is to develop an Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticle-based system for clinical diagnostics, which has the potential to measure the activity of cancer-associated proteases in biospecimens. Nanoparticle-based "light switches" for measuring protease activity consist of fluorescent cyanine dyes and porphyrins that are attached to Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticles via consensus sequences. These consensus sequences can be cleaved in the presence of the correct protease, thus releasing a fluorescent dye from the Fe/Fe3O4 nanoparticle, resulting in highly sensitive (down to 1 × 10(-16) mol l(-1) for 12 proteases), selective, and fast nanoplatforms (required time: 60 min).

Solid-liquid equilibria of binary mixtures containing high-value compounds and ethyl lactate were studied. Using the gravimetric method, the solubility of various solutes such as caffeine, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid and thymol in ethyl lactate was measured as a function of temperature (temperature range of 298.2 -343.2 K), at atmospheric pressure. The differences in solubility of a given solute in water-saturated and dry ethyl lactate were observed. The deviation of these binary systems from ideal mixture behaviour was discussed.In order to understand the solubilization process, melting properties of pure solutes were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The obtained solubility data were represented using UNIQUAC and UNIFAC-based models as well as with the Cubic-Plus-Association (CPA) equation of state. The results of the modeling indicate that these models are the appropriate tools for representing the solubility behaviour of various solutes in ethyl lactate. association equation of state * Maximal standard uncertainties u are u(Tm) = 0.28 K, u(ΔH fus ) = 0.6, u(ΔC p ) = 6.4. a Solid-solid transition of caffeine b Calculated using a group contribution method as described elsewhere [25]. c Calculated using a group contribution method for the estimation of the heat capacities of liquids [38] and the power-law method to estimate heat capacities of organic solids [39].

We have transfected murine neural stem cells (NSCs) with a plasmid expressing Gaussia luciferase (gLuc). The enzyme is secreted from the cells. We have used the gLuc-containing supernatant from cultured NSCs to perform in vitro photodynamic therapy of murine melanoma cells (B16F10). The treatment system was comprised of 5-aminolevulinic acid as a prodrug for the synthesis of the 10 photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX, Gaussia luciferase, and its substrate, coelenterazine. A significant reduction in the number of live melanoma cells was observed 36h after coelenterazine-mediated PDT.

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