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Political scientists recognize discriminatory attitudes as key to understanding a range of political preferences. Sexism is associated with both explicitly and non-explicitly gendered attitudes. But why do certain individuals display discriminatory attitudes, while others do not? Drawing from psychology, we examine the potential power of an underexplored set of personality traits—secure versus fragile self-esteem—in explaining gendered attitudes and preferences. With an online sample of (N= 487) U.S.-based participants, we find that fragile self-esteem is an important trait underlying individuals’ attitudes: individuals who display a discordant view of self—explicitly positive but implicitly negative—are more likely to hold hostile sexist attitudes and prefer men in leadership; these individuals are also more likely to support the Republican Party and former U.S. president Donald Trump. While present in only a fraction of the population, our results suggest that this trait may be important for understanding the development of discriminatory attitudes toward out-groups.

The present work reports the synthesis and investigation by semi-empirical Density Functional Theory (DFT), physical chemistry, and spectroscopic methods of two dithiocarbazates, 2-acetylpyridine-S-p-bromobenzyl-dithiocarbazate (HL

Six electoral cycles since the implementation of Brazil’s gender quota, just 15% of the 513 members of the Chamber of Deputies are women. We ask how parties’ use of informal institutions mediates the effectiveness of the gender quota. Drawing on data from more than 4,000 state-level party organizations, we show that parties employ informal practices that intentionally and non-intentionally interact with gender equity rules to affect women’s political representation: the intentional nomination of phantom candidates (“ laranjas”) allows parties to comply with the letter of the quota law, without effectively supporting women’s candidacies—to the detriment of women’s election; meanwhile, the extended use of provisional commissions to minimize oversight on candidate selection poses an obstacle to the quota and women’s candidacies and election more generally. Quota resistance characterizes an instance of both the likely inadvertent effects of informal institutions employed for non-gendered motivations and party leaders acting to preserve their own power.

An aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) effect in fluorescent lipophilic 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BTD) derivatives and their organic nanoaggregates were studied. A set of techniques such as single-crystal X-ray, dynamic light scattering (DLS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), UV-vis, fluorescence, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to decipher the formation/break (kinetics), properties, and dynamics of the organic nanoaggregates of three BTD small organic molecules. An in-depth study of the excited-state also revealed the preferential relaxation emissive pathways for the BTD derivatives and the dynamics associated with it. The results described herein, for the first time, explain the formation of fluorescent BTD nanoaggregate derivatives and allow for the understanding of their dynamics in solution as well as the ruling forces of both aggregation and break processes along with the involved equilibrium. One of the developed dyes could be used at a nanomolar concentration to selectively stain lipid droplets emitting an intense and bright fluorescence at the red channel. The other two BTDs could also stain lipid droplets at very low concentrations and were visualized preferentially at the blue channel.

The COVID-19 pandemic has gendered implications for women's time and resources. The use of informal institutions that pose obstacles to women's electoral viability may also be particularly consequential at a time of rapid change, when election dates and procedures are being amended because of health concerns. Together, these dynamics suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may impact women's electoral participation, support, and viability in meaningful ways. The November 2020 Brazilian municipal elections provide an opportunity to explore this. Employing data from an original survey of eligible individuals and aspirant candidates, we find that the main obstacle to women's representation is not personal political ambition or efforts but women's perceptions of their access to support for their candidacies. In the face of greater challenges, resilient aspirants are choosing to work harder to compensate for potential losses in campaign support and funds.

The current work reports the synthesis and structural investigation of three novel complexes with 2-acetyl-pyridine-N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone (HL1), [Ni(L1)Cl] (1), [Pd(L1)Cl] (2) and [Pt(L1)PPh3]Cl•2MeOH (3). The compounds were structurally characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic techniques. All three complexes exhibit tetracoordinated metal centers in a square planar fashion with the thiosemicarbazone acting as a tridentate NNS-donor atoms. Intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π···π stacking interactions, building supramolecular assemblies in the complexes, were analyzed using the Hirshfeld surface. Mass spectrometry data showed the presence in solution of the characteristic fragmentation with the [M+H]+ molecular ion for all complexes. The thermochemical data, estimated by computational chemistry, allowed elucidate the relative intensity of the peaks present in the mass spectrum of the compounds investigated. The antitumor activity and selectivity of the free thiosemicarbazone ligand and their M(II) complexes (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) were evaluated against MCF-7, PBMC, and healthy cells. All compounds studied showed the death of cancer cells observing a great selectivity for the Ni(II) complex.

Young women have taken the lead in a new wave of feminist and democratic protests that have erupted across a wide range of countries, North and South. These movements raise a range of political and...

The binuclear oxidovanadium(V) complex [{VO(L)} 2 (μ-O)(μ-H 2 O)]∙2CH 3 CN (1), where L 2– is the dianion of the Schiff base 2-salicylaldehyde-2-hydroxybenzoylhydrazone, were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1 H, 13 C and 51 V NMR. Furthermore, the crystal structure of the compound 1 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry revealing a distorted octahedral O 5 N-coordination geometry around the V(V) acceptor centers. The vanadium ions are connected by the μ-O 2– and the μ-H 2 O asymmetric bridges located in the edge between the two octahedrons which keeps a distance of 3.194 A between the two vanadium centers. Crystal data for C 32 H 28 N 6 O 10 V 2 ( M =758.48 g/mol): orthorhombic, space group P 2 1 2 1 2 1 (no. 19), a = 12.9655(8) A, b = 14.1902(9) A, c = 18.4379(10) A, V = 3392.3(4) A 3 , Z = 4, T = 293(2) K, μ(MoKα) = 0.616 mm -1 , Dcalc = 1.485 g/cm 3 , 18803 reflections measured (3.622° ≤ 2Θ ≤ 56.704°), 8263 unique ( R int = 0.0473, R sigma = 0.1020) which were used in all calculations. The final R 1 was 0.0509 (I > 2σ(I)) and wR 2 was 0.1531 (all data). The (VO) 2 (μ-O)(μ-H 2 O) core in compound 1 represents a rare case and few examples of similar type have been structurally characterized.

The present work reports the synthesis of two new zinc(II) complexes based on the 2-acetylfuranisonicotinichydrazone ligand (HL). The structure of the hydrazone and [ZnCl2(HL)]·MeOH (1) and [Zn(L)2] (2) have been elucidated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction method, physicochemical, and spectroscopic techniques. The hydrazone is a bidentate ligand, forming two new mononuclear complexes with zinc(II). Non-covalent interactions in the structures of the compounds were evaluated with Hirshfeld surface analysis, which showed the presence of hydrogen bonds in HL and 1 and also a π···π stacking interaction in 1. The antimycobacterial potentials of the compounds were tested against tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria strains.

What happens when a traditional source of political capital becomes a health hazard? Stigmatized electoral practices, such as vote buying, are a double-edged sword: While these strategies may signal candidates’ electoral strength, they may also entail reputational costs. In normal times, street campaigns are a non-stigmatized electoral practice. During the Covid-19 pandemic, however, they imposed health risks. Employing data from a national survey experiment conducted in Brazil prior to the 2020 municipal elections ( N = 2025), we extend research on the employment of stigmatized campaigns and the gendered dynamics of electoral viability. We find that voters evaluate candidates who engage in face-to-face activities as less electorally viable and report lower intent to support them. These dynamics do not impact all candidates equally: Voters more harshly punish women candidates who conduct street campaigns than men, leading women to lose the advantage they have over men when both employ non-stigmatized campaign practices.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating compound extracted from Cannabis sativa, showing antidepressant-like effects in different rodent models. However, inconsistent results have been described depending on the species and the strain used to assess depressive-like behaviour. Moreover, only a few studies have investigated the effect of CBD in female rodents. Therefore, we aimed to i) investigate the effects of CBD in two different strains of mice (Swiss and C57BL/6) and in a rat model of depression based on selective breeding (Flinders Sensitive and Resistant Lines, FSL and FRL) subjected to tests predictive of antidepressant-like effects; and ii) investigate the influence of sex in the effects of CBD in both mice and rats. CBD induced an antidepressant-like effect in male Swiss but not in female Swiss or C57BL/6 mice in the tail suspension test (TST). In male FSL rats, CBD produced an antidepressant-like effect one-hour post-injection. However, in female FSL, CBD induced a bimodal effect, increasing the immobility time at one hour and decreasing it at two hours. Ketamine produced an antidepressant-like effect in male and female FSL rats at different doses. In conclusion, strain, sex, and administration time affect CBD's behavioural response to rodents exposed to tests predictive of antidepressant effects.

We report the synthesis of 47 new quinone-based derivatives via click chemistry and their subsequent evaluation against cancer cell lines and the control L929 murine fibroblast cell line. These compounds combine two redox centers, such as an ortho-quinone/para-quinone or quinones/selenium with the 1,2,3-triazole nucleus. Several of these compounds present IC(50) values below 0.5 μM in cancer cell lines with significantly lower cytotoxicity in the control cell line L929 and good selectivity index. Hence, our study confirms the use of a complete and very diverse range of quinone compounds with potential application against certain cancer cell lines.

This paper examines the characteristics of past and contemporary feminisms and dissects the issues with periodizing feminism in terms of “waves”. Part two focuses on understanding the most recent wave of feminist activism by considering its antecedents and main characteristics. It presents three case studies of movements in the Global South; the cases of Brazil, India, and Malawi illustrate some of the ideas, campaigns, and organizational forms of “new feminists”.

Studies investigating gender gaps in the doctoral training of political science students have focused so far overwhelmingly on the US context. Although important research within this context has made strides in identifying the persistent challenges to women’s incorporation in political methodology, much remains unknown about whether women and men have different experiences in methods training during their PhD programs. We contribute to this debate by analyzing data from an original survey on the methods-training experiences of political science PhD students at different European universities. We assess whether gender gaps exist with respect to PhD students’ methods training and confidence in employing methods skills. Our findings show that women cover significantly fewer methods courses in their doctoral training. When women do participate in methods training, they show levels of method employment similar to their male colleagues. We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of European doctoral training.

Two novel Cu(I) complexes with the 2-acetylpyridine-N(4)-phenyl semicarbazone (HL) ligand, [CuCl (HL)(PPh3)]∙CH3CN (1) and [CuBr (HL)(PPh3)] (2), were investigated by single-crystal X-ray analysis, Hirshfeld surface, and physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. In both cases, the Schiff base was coordinated by the bidentate ligand via the pyridine nitrogen and the iminic nitrogen atoms. A molecule of triphenylphosphine and a halide ion (Cl− or Br−) completed the coordination sphere of the metal centers. The geometry around the copper atoms was distorted tetrahedral geometry. The secondary coordination sphere of Cu(I) is pentacoordinated and has weak interactions Cu···O of 2.906(1) A and 2.783(1) A. The 3D Hirshfeld surface and the 2D fingerprint plots of the complexes were analyzed quantitatively to verify the presence of intermolecular interactions. By their crystal structure of (2), it is possible to observe π···π stacking interactions between the pyridyl and phenyl rings from HL and also between phenyl rings and the triphenylphosphine ligands forming a 1D network. The biological activity of the Cu(I) salts, the free semicarbazone, and its Cu(I) complexes was evaluated against human cancer cell lines MCF-7 and nontumor cell lines PBMC.

The present study reports the synthesis and crystal structures of Cu(II) complexes with pyridoxal S-allyldithiocarbazate (H2L1) and pyridoxal thiosemicarbazones (H2L2 = pyridoxal-N4-phenyl-3-thiosemicarbazone and H2L3 = pyridoxal-N4-semicarbazone). The single-crystal X-ray study reveals that in all cases, the Schiff base coordinated tridentately through the ONS-donor atoms, resulting in distorted square planar coordination geometries with the copper atoms. The Cu(II) complexes with pyridoxal dithiocarbazate, [Cu(HL1)Cl]·H2O and [Cu(HL1)Br]·H2O, as well as three complexes with pyridoxal thiosemicarbazone, [Cu(HL2)Cl]·dmf, [Cu(HL2)Br]·H2O·dmf and [Cu(H2L3)Br]Br·H2O, were also characterized by spectroscopic and physical–chemical analyses. The cytotoxicity of the complexes toward two kinds of cancerous cells (Ehrlich and S-180 cells) was evaluated by an MTT assay. The complex [Cu(H2L3)Br]Br·H2O was selected to study both the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying its promising cytotoxicity. The Hoechst 33342/PI dual-staining assay showed the typical apoptotic morphology of cancer cells, and the RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the expressions of Bax, Casp3, Casp8, Casp9 and TP53 were markedly increased in both the Ehrlich and S-180 cells exposed to 10 μM for 3 h. According to our results, this complex induces cell death through apoptosis, showing potential as a future drug against cancer. Five stable copper(II) complexes with pyridoxal have been synthesized and their crystal structure has been studied. Spectroscopy experiments and cytotoxic assays against S-180 and Ehrlich cancer cell lines were performed and showed promising results as novel antitumor drugs.

The current work reports the synthesis and investigation by physical-chemistry and spectroscopic methods of three dithiocarbazates (2-acetylpyridine-S-allyl-dithiocarbazate – HL1; 2-acetylpyridine-S-p-bromobenzyl-dithiocarbazate – HL2; and 2-acetylpyridine-S-p-nitrobenzyl-dithiocarbazate – HL3) and six novel metal complexes derived from these Schiff-bases. Four crystal structures of the complexes are reported. The single crystal X-ray study showed two binuclear zinc(II) complexes with symmetrical and asymmetrical acetate bridges resulting in different coordination spheres. Another zinc(II) complex and three nickel(II) complexes present dithiocarbazates tridentate with NNS-donor atoms and octahedral geometry to the metal centers. The mass spectrometry data indicated the presence of the molecular ions [M + H]+ and characteristic fragments of the compounds. All characterization indicated the same behavior of the compounds as a solid and in solution. The biological activity of the zinc(II) and nickel(II) salts, the free dithiocarbazate ligands and their metal complexes was evaluated by assays with carcinoma mammary MDA-MB-231 cells. The results revealed that the free dithiocarbazates present great in vitro antitumor activity, which is increased after the complexation with zinc, with emphasis on the dimeric complex (1), which had an IC50 of 2.0 μM and exhibits more potential inhibition of tumor cell growth than the nickel(II) complexes.

In this work, we have synthesized six coordination polymers [Ln2(Thz)3·8H2O)]·4H2O (Ln = La3+, Ce3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+; Thz = thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole-2,5-dicarboxylate). These are the first structures combining this ligand with lanthanides. All compounds crystallize in the P-1 triclinic system, forming a 2-D coordination network. Luminescence spectra for the Nd3+, Sm3+, and Eu3+ structures show the typical transitions of these ions, through the antenna effect promoted by the ligand. The magnetic properties of Ce3+, Nd3+, Sm3+, Eu3+, Gd3+ compounds were analyzed in terms of the free ion approximation. The variable-temperature susceptibility fitted with a Curie-Weiss law shows the existence of weak magnetic interactions at low temperatures for the Ce3+, Nd3+ and Sm3+ compounds, and paramagnetic behavior for the Gd3+ compound.

Access to information about candidates' performance has long stood as a key factor shaping voter behaviour, but establishing how it impacts behaviour in real-world settings has remained challenging. In the 2018 Brazilian presidential elections, unpredictable technical glitches caused by the implementation of biometrics as a form of identification led some voters to cast ballots after official tallies started being announced. In addition to providing a source of exogenous variation of information exposure, run-off elections also enable us to distinguish between different mechanisms underlying the impact of information exposure. We find strong support for a vote-switching bandwagon effect: information exposure motivates voters to abandon losing candidates and switch support for the frontrunner – a finding that stands in the second round, when only two candidates compete against each other. These findings provide theoretical nuance and stronger empirical support for the mechanisms underpinning the impact of information exposure on voter behaviour.

The present work reports the synthesis and a structural study of two novel dithiocarbazate, the 4,6-diacetylresorcinol-S-benzyldithiocarbazate (H3L1) and the 4,6-diacetylresorcinol-bis(S-benzyldithiocarbazate) (H4L2), and their Ni(II) complexes, [Ni(HL1)(Py)] (1) and [Ni2(L2)(PPh3)2] (2). Single crystal X-ray analyzes reveal mono and binuclear complexes and the metal centers with distorted square planar geometry. The analyses of the Hirshfeld surface and fingerprints plots revealed intermolecular contacts attributed to the H···H and C···H/H···C bonds. The Density Functional Theory (DFT), with the B3LYP functional and 6–311-G(d,p)/LanL2DZ basis sets, was employed to optimize the geometries of synthesized compounds. From the resulting geometries, the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital maps (HOMO-LUMO), orbital energy gap, electron localization function (ELF), electron density, natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, and complexation of the ligands with Ni(II) were calculated supporting the experimental data. The ESI (+)-MS/MS data indicated the presence in solution of the characteristic fragmentation with the [H3L1]+ and [H4L2]+ molecular ions for the ligands. The pharmacological potential of the dithiocarbazate ligands and their Ni(II) complexes were evaluated in vitro against MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells. A remarkable cytotoxic activity was observed, more evident for free ligands than complexes at low concentrations; however, this latter showed a better dose–response pattern, being more attractive in terms of pharmacokinetics and therapeutic window.

The present work reports the synthesis and structural elucidation of six novel copper(II) complexes with 2-acetylpyridine semicarbazone (HL1) and 2-acetylpyridine N(4)-phenyl semicarbazone (HL2). In all compounds, the semicarbazone ligands were find tridentate with NNO-donor atoms. The single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis showed the influences of the different copper salt starting reagent in the crystal structures. A packing architectures analysis has been undertaken to delineate the role of relevant noncovalent interactions. The π···π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds were analyzed using the Hirshfeld surface and fingerprint plots. In addition, the compounds were also characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. A new ligand and six copper(II) complexes of semicarbazone derivatives have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been studied. Spectroscopy experiments and Hirshfeld Surface were analyzed.

Candida spp. cause invasive fungal infections. One species, Candida glabrata, may present intrinsic resistance to conventional antifungal agents, thereby increasing mortality rates in hospitalized patients. In this context, metal complexes present an alternative for the development of new antifungal drugs owing to their biological and pharmacological activities demonstrated in studies in the last decades. Accordingly, in this study we have synthesized and characterized two new Co(II) complexes with thiocarbamoyl-pyrazoline ligands to assess their antimicrobial, mutagenic, and cytotoxic potential. For antimicrobial activity, the broth microdilution method was performed against ATCC strains of Candida spp. and fluconazole dose-dependent isolates of C. glabrata obtained from urine samples. The Ames test was used to assess mutagenic potential. The reduction method of the MTS reagent (3 [4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-5-[3-carboxymethoxyphenyl]-2-[4-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium) was performed with HeLa, SiHa, and Vero cells to determine cytotoxicity. Both complexes exhibited fungistatic and fungicidal activity for the yeasts used in the study, demonstrating greater potential for C. glabrata ATCC 2001 and the C. glabrata CG66 isolate with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration MIC from 3.90 to 7.81 μg mL−1 and fungicidal action from 7.81 to 15.62 μg mL−1. The complexes inhibited and degraded biofilms by up to 90% and did not present mutagenic and cytotoxic potential at the concentrations evaluated for MIC. Thus, the complexes examined herein suggest promising alternatives for the development of new antifungal drugs.

New democracies inherit a variety of institutions from prior authoritarian regimes, including political parties, militaries and entrenched oligarchies. While these authoritarian legacies have generally been well-researched, one set of institutions has received relatively little attention: state-backed trade unions that lose official sponsorship after democratizing transitions. In most new democracies and competitive authoritarian regimes, these “legacy unions” have remained the dominant workers’ organizations despite few internal reforms. Previous research on the causes and consequences of legacy union dominance has rested on case studies of post-transition countries and small-N comparisons. In this article, we offer a global perspective on the fates of legacy unions by introducing new data about the relative importance of legacy unions in post-Third Wave democracies. We show that most legacy unions survive democratic transitions and remain dominant in new democracies, although with significant regional variation. Our data and analyses suggest that these trade unions are authoritarian legacies which continue to influence labour politics in new democracies. Dominant legacy unions are associated with lower labour movement fragmentation and better-protected labour rights in new democracies.

A study of the two-body decays B±→XccK±, where Xcc refers to one charmonium state, is reported by the BABAR Collaboration using a data sample of 424 fb-1. The absolute determination of branching fractions for these decays are significantly improved compared to previous BABAR measurements. Evidence is found for the decay B+→X(3872)K+ at the 3σ level. The absolute branching fraction B[B+→X(3872)K+]=[2.1±0.6(stat)±0.3(syst)]×10-4 is measured for the first time. It follows that B[X(3872)→J/ψπ+π-]=(4.1±1.3)%, supporting the hypothesis of a molecular component for this resonance., This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and National Science Foundation, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada), Institute of High Energy Physics (China), the Commissariat `a l’Energie Atomique and Institut National de Physique Nucl´eaire et de Physique des Particules (France), the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany), the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (Italy), the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter (The Netherlands), the Research Council of Norway, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Russian Federation, and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (United Kingdom). Individuals have received support from CONACyT (Mexico), the A. P. Sloan Foundation, the Research Corporation, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

The 2-acetylpyridine-ethylcarbazate ligand (HL) formed four metal complexes, [Cu(HL)Cl2]⋅H2O (1), [Cu(HL)Br2]⋅H2O (2), [Zn(HL)Cl2] (3) and [Ni(L)2]⋅H2O (4). The carbazate and their metal complexes have been investigated by single crystal X-ray analysis, physicochemical, and spectroscopic methods. The Schiff base is coordinated to the metal ions as an anionic bi or tridentate ligand with the Z configuration about the imine C = N at the carbazate. Interactions in the crystal structures were analyzed using Hirshfeld surfaces and the 2D-fingerprint plots. Complexes 1, 2, and 3 present π⋅⋅⋅π stacking between the pyridyl rings with inter-centroid separations of 3.664(3)–3.887(2) Å. The water solvent molecules and the halogens allow the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds which close supramolecular structures in the molecular packing of the complexes. Free HL and 1–4 have been evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activity against several multi-resistant bacteria and fungi. Significant antimicrobial activity of the complexes was observed; however, the free ligand and its complexes did not reveal any activity against some of the tested organisms.

Two series of neutral mercury(II) complexes have been obtained from the reaction of HgPh(OCOCH 3 )( 1 , 2 , and 3 ) or Hg(OCOCH 3 ) 2 ( 4 , 5 , and 6 ) with N-(2-hydroxynaphtalidene)β-alanine (L1H 2 ), N-(5-bromo-salicylidene)β-alanine (L2H 2 ), and N-(5-bromo-salicylidene)β-phenylalanine (L3H 2 ), respectively. The complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, NMR ( 1 H, 13 C, and 199 Hg) and X-ray crystallography ( 1 and 2 ). X-ray diffraction analyses are similar for complexes 1 and 2 , consistent with mononuclear compounds bearing a primarily di-coordinated Hg II nucleus with several additional Hg—O interactions, which give rise to supramolecular assemblies. Solution NMR analyses indicate that the primary coordination is retained in DMSO for 1 , 2 and 3 , but the additional interactions observed in solid state are lost in solution. Complexes 4 , 5 and 6 are also mononuclear and all analyses, both in solution and solid state, point to a di-coordinated Hg II nucleus with a di-anionic Schiff base ligand. The biological evaluation of the Schiff base (L1H 2 ) chelating potential was performed by pretreating Caenorhabditis elegans ( C. elegans ) nematodes with the L1H 2 (1mM) followed by phenylmercury acetate exposure (LC 50 = 290 μM).The pretreatment with L1H 2 resulted in a significant protection of worm survival against phenylmercury acetate toxicity. Together, these data show that the chelating potential of these ligands is a crucial factor in reducing the toxic effects caused by metals in the worm, suggesting them as promising agents in chelation therapy.

Three new neutral oxorhenium(V) complexes were prepared with a 5-hydroxy-3-methyl-5-phenyl-pyrazoline-1-(S-benzyldithiocarbazate) ligand (H2bdtc): ReOCl(bdtc)(triphenylphosphine) [1] , ReOBr(bdtc)(triphenylphosphine) [2] and ReO(bdtc)(cysteamine) [3] . These rhenium complexes were characterized based on elemental, ESI(+)-MS, IR, NMR (1H and 31P), and X-ray diffraction analysis. The bdtc ligand took on different coordination arrangements for the three rhenium complexes, a planar conformation for 1 and a facial conformation for complex 3. Complexes 1 and 3 crystallize with monoclinic space groups P21/n and P21/c, respectively. The conformational stability caused by the unimolecular arrangement of the ligands was evaluated by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation with the purpose of determining the balance involving the equilibrium among the possible stereoisomers in isolated phase and solvent. Moreover, frontier molecular orbitals, Natural Bond Orbital (NBO), Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules (QTAIM), bond order indices and molecular electrostatic potential analysis were performed to understand the electronic properties.

The current work reports the synthesis and crystals structure of two copper(II) complexes [(CuL1)2] (1) and [(CuL2)2] (2), with S-allyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl-ethylidene)dithiocarbazato and S-benzyl-2-(2-hydroxyphenyl-ethylidene) dithiocarbazato (H2L1 and H2L2, respectively). The single-crystal X-ray analyses reveal dimeric structures of the complexes with a distorted square planar coordination geometry. The phenoxo bridging mode observed in these complexes is located between the two copper atoms with ONS-donor ligands. The crystal packings are stabilized by hydrogen bonds involving the adjacent molecules. The compounds were also characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. The antibacterial and antifungal properties of the free dithiocarbazates and its Cu(II) complexes have been evaluated against several multiresistant bacteria and fungi. In all experiments, a superior antimicrobial activity of the complexes was observed compared to the free ligands.