Addition Of Glycol Research Articles

Novel Small Molecule VLA-4 Inhibitors Optimized for Extended Hematopoietic and Progenitor Cell Mobilization

Background: Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplant is an essential treatment for a variety of blood disorders and malignancies, and more recently, for gene editing therapies such as sickle cell anemia. A key step in this procedure is the effective mobilization of a large quantity of primitive donor HSPCs to ensure a durable and long lasting engraftment capable of developing into all blood cell lineages. The most commonly used regimen for donor mobilization is a 5-day course of Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF). However, G-CSF does not effectively mobilize a sufficient number or quality of stem cells in all donors, can have unwanted side effects, and is contraindicated in sickle cell disease. Therefore, it is desirable to identify an alternative treatment that is safe, rapid and cost effective. The cell surface integrin receptor VLA-4 (a4b1) and the chemokine receptor CXCR4 are essential for HSPC homing and retention in the bone marrow. Inhibition of these receptors rapidly mobilizes HSPCs within an hour, as opposed to the multi-day process using G-CSF. Small molecule inhibitors of VLA-4 have been reported previously, but most have poor pharmacokinetic properties and/or weak inhibition of VLA4. These inhibitors rapidly mobilize HSPCs into the peripheral blood of mice after a single s.c. injection, but their effect is short lived, yielding an inadequate number of HSPCs necessary for stem cell transplantation or for gene therapy. Therefore, VLA4 inhibitors with improved pharmacokinetic properties imparting extended and greater HSPC mobilization after a single dose is desirable. Methods: We designed and synthesized multiple novel VLA-4 inhibitor molecules and tested their potency using soluble VCAM-1 binding assays. Inhibitors determined to be most potent with improved aqueous solubility were then tested in vivo in DBA mice for extended HSPC mobilization beyond 4 hours after a single SC injection, alone and in combination with the CXCR4 inhibitors. Results: We developed two main core molecules that each incorporate key VLA4 receptor binding motifs critical for potent inhibition of VLA4 binding to VCAM-1. Our first generation of inhibitors were quite potent and rapidly mobilized HSPCs, but their effect was short lived and yielded insufficient numbers of HSPCs for gene editing and engraftment studies. Most had poor solubility and very short plasma half-lives after s.c. injection in mice. We designed later generation analogues that strategically exploited a region of each optimized core, allowing for covalent addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains of increasing length without decreasing potency. We determined that a minimum PEG length of 24 PEG units was required for extended HSPC mobilization in mice. WU-106, one of our VLA-4 inhibitors containing 24 PEG units, exhibited excellent aqueous solubility, longer plasma half-life after s.c. dosing, and mobilized 2-fold more murine HSPCs for a longer time than previously published best-in-class VLA-4 inhibitors or our first generation VLA4 inhibitor leads. Importantly, a synergistic effect on HSPC mobilization was achieved when WU-106 was co-administered with CXCR4 inhibitors (Plerixafor or BL-8040). Further optimization by the addition of longer PEG chains, even up to 40KD, retained sub nM potency and extended mobilization beyond 24 hours after a single injection. Our 20kD PEG analogues attached to our two different core molecules (WU-125 and WU-133) allowed for dosing of the drug in the evening, with maximum mobilization still present the next morning, thereby enabling HSPC collection to initiate soon (2-4 hours) after CXCR4 inhibitor dosing in the morning. The quantity of HSPCs obtained using this staggered dosing regimen was greater than simultaneous administration of the VLA-4 and CXCR4 inhibitors ( Fig. 1). Furthermore, our novel, long-acting PEG analogues demonstrated superior HSPC mobilization compared to an alpha 4-targeted antibody (anti-CD49d) in mice ( Fig.2). Conclusion: We have developed novel, potent PEGylated small molecule VLA-4 inhibitors that have excellent aqueous solubility and pharmacokinetics. The kinetics and magnitude of HSPC mobilization by our PEGylated inhibitors are superior to other previously described VLA-4 inhibitors and an antibody to alpha-4(anti-CD49d).

Photoelectrochemical degradation of organic compounds via formed reactive chlorine and sulfate species by WO3-based photoanodes

Contamination of aquatic environment and drinking water with various organic compounds and microorganisms has negative effect on human and animal health. Conventional cleaning systems consume a lot of energy and are not fully effective, so new cleaning systems are being sought. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) oxidation systems are based on the light-assisted degradation of organic materials on semiconductor electrodes. In this work tungsten oxide (WO3) photoanodes were formed using hydrothermal synthesis. Synthesis was optimized via adjustment of temperature and addition of polyethylene glycol as a structure-directing agent. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis were performed to evaluate the phase composition, crystallite size and morphology of the layers. PEC activity of the coatings was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Faradaic efficiencies of light-induced production of reactive sulfate and reactive chlorine species in 0.1 M Na2SO4 and 0.1 M NaCl electrolytes were in the range of 62–93% and 91–96%, respectively. All coatings demonstrated excellent stability during 4 h lasting photoelectrolysis performed in both electrolytes, however photocurrents in chloride medium were found to be almost twice higher compared to sulfate electrolyte. The efficiency of rhodamine B photoelectrochemical degradation in 0.1 M Na2SO4 was significantly lower than in 0.1 M NaCl, however diclofenac was more efficiently decomposed in sodium sulfate electrolyte. Based on a comparative study of PEC and chemical oxidizing treatments, it has been proposed that highly reactive chlorine, sulfate and hydroxyl radicals are the key promoters of photoelectrochemical degradation of organic molecules, however efficiency of degradation is strongly dependent on the nature of organic molecule.

Cysteine-Silver-Polymer Systems for the Preparation of Hydrogels and Films with Potential Applications in Regenerative Medicine.

Herein, the problem concerning the poorer mechanical properties of gels based on low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs)-L-cysteine and silver nitrate-was solved by the addition of various polymers-polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-to the initial cysteine-silver sol (CSS). The physicochemical methods of analysis-viscosimetry, UV spectroscopy, DLS, and SEM-identified that cysteine-silver hydrogels (CSG) based on PVA possess the best rheological properties and porous microstructure (the average pore size is 2-10 µm) compared to gels without the polymer or with PVP or PEG. Such gels are able to form cysteine-silver cryogels (CSC) and then porous cysteine-silver films (CSF) with an average pore size of 10-20 µm and good mechanical, swelling, and adhesion to skin characteristics as long as the structure of CSS particles remains stable. In vitro experiments have shown that hydrogels are non-toxic to normal human fibroblast cells. The obtained materials could potentially be applied to regenerative medicine.

Sustainable Concrete Produced with Petroleum Catalyst waste and Polyethylene Glycol as a Self-Healing Agent

Purpose: To evaluate the production of concrete from the partial replacement of Portland cement with petroleum catalyst residue (RC), generated in large quantities by the petrochemical industries, and the addition of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400), with an emphasis on investigating its mechanical properties and durability, considering the technological, scientific and environmental aspects. Theoretical framework: Oil catalyst waste is generated in significant quantities and is classified as non-inert due to its metal ion content, so there is a need to investigate new disposal methods. The use of RC as partial substitute for Portland cement, with the addition of PEG 400 (self-curing agent), was investigated for the production of non-conventional concrete. The waste has pozzolanic activity, enabling improvements in mechanical properties when added to the cement matrix. PEG 400 has properties that can make concrete more effective in terms of water absorption, hydration heat and workability. The search for sustainability leads to research into new construction materials in order to preserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact. The concrete developed can be lower cost and more durable, without any loss of structural strength. Method/design/approach: The use of RC was investigated with partial substitutions of 2%, 5%, 10% and 20% in relation to the total mass of Portland cement for the manufacture of concrete and the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) as a self-curing agent. The void ratio, water absorption by capillarity and immersion, specific masses and pozzolanicity index of the waste were investigated. Mechanical and morphological characterization tests were also carried out on the concretes developed. Results and conclution: The compressive strength of concrete produced with 2% RC in relation to the total mass of cement and 1.5% PEG 400 increased by 18.3% compared to conventional concrete. An increase in the amount of residue caused a reduction in concrete strength. The sample with 1.5% PEG 400 obtained better workability in the fresh state, which may be due to the polymer acting as a self-healing agent. The images obtained by scanning electron microscopy showed that the samples containing 2% added RC had lower porosity. The study showed that the waste can be used satisfactorily in civil construction and the implementation of this new process can reduce global warming and the scarcity of mineral resources, taking sustainability into account. Research implications: This work contributes to a sustainable circular economy with a new process for using petroleum catalyst waste, with pozzolanic characteristics, in cementitious materials. Originality/value: The results will be promising for the use of petroleum catalyst waste and polyethylene glycol in the production of environmentally sustainable concrete.

A comparative study on penetration mechanisms of drug-loaded carbon and boron nitride nanotubes through biological membranes by steered molecular dynamics simulations

Understanding the mechanism by which nanotubes penetrate cell membranes is challenging from multiple perspectives. As a drug delivery system, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have a similar structure to carbon nanotubes but with B–N bonds instead of C–C bonds. Through a remarkable series of direct and indirect observations within specific cells, these nanotubes are popularly attributed as superior penetrant into cell membrane. Suitable functional groups and polymers are often needed to enhance the biocompatibility and solubility of BNNTs and CNTs in biological media. In addition, to figure out the effect of functional groups, the nanostructures without functional groups were first examined together with their anticancer drugs (fluorouracil and letrozole). All partial charges of the drug and nanotube have been investigated through population analysis. After that, with a total of 40 simulations (MD and SMD simulations), various analytical techniques were employed to examine the interaction between drugs and nanotubes with POPE, which is a class of phospholipids existing in biological membrane, in aqueous media. Noteworthy among these techniques is the mean-squared displacement analysis to compare the diffusion rate of nanocarriers and the radial distribution function analysis, which was utilized to compare water concentrations surrounding nanotubes. Additionally, the stability of the drug within the nanotube was assessed through mass center distance analysis. The diffusion coefficients of the nanotube-membrane complex were compared against various chemical agents by employing mean squared displacement analysis. The findings of the study revealed that the tethering of tetra ethylene glycol results in the augmentation of the water molecules surrounding the nanotubes while simultaneously enhancing the durability of the drug being conveyed. Nonetheless, the addition of tetra ethylene glycol resulted in a reduction in the nanocarrier’s diffusion coefficient. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Physical and Chemical Characteristic, Irritation Index and Anti-inflammatory Activity from Ointment of Syzygium aromaticum Oil by Adding an Enhancer

This research aimed to evaluate how enhancers affect the properties of Syzygium aromaticum oil in both water-soluble and hydrocarbon bases. Physical and chemical characteristic tests, irritation index evaluations, and anti-inflammatory activity assessments were carried out to analyze the Syzygium aromaticum oil ointment. The pH tests were conducted to measure the chemical characteristics and viscosity, adhesivity, spreadability tests were conducted to measure the physical characteristics of the ointment. Rabbit-based tests were used to determine the irritation index, mice induced by crotton oil were used in anti-inflammatory activity assessments. The pH tests revealed no significant differences between both of ointments. The ointment in the water-soluble base had higher viscosity and adhesivity but lower spreadability than the ointment in the hydrocarbon base. The epidermis thickness of watersoluble and hydrocarbon-based ointments was 3.81±0.40 μm and 4.22±0.15 μm, while the number of cells with COX-2 expression was 18.24±6.51 and 21.01±5.96. The addition of enhancers did not cause any irritation in either ointment. The study concluded that the formula of Syzygium aromaticum oil in a water-soluble ointment with the addition of propylene glycol and oleic acid (70:30) as enhancers provided better physical and chemical characteristics, a lower irritation index, and higher anti-inflammatory activity compared to the hydrocarbon.

Porous Mn-doped Fe3O4 as lithium-ion battery anode via low-temperature combustion synthesis

The preparation of Mn-doped Fe3O4 was carried out using the low-temperature combustion synthesis (LCS) method through the addition of Mn2+ to the ferric nitrate-glycine system. Here, we investigate the mechanism of the redox reaction involving Fe3+ and Mn2+ ions, and the results reveal that for the synthesis of porous Mn-doped Fe3O4, the presence of Mn2+ in the raw material is necessary. The carbon source, such as ethylene glycol, glucose, and polyethylene glycol-4000, serves as both reducing and complexing agent, leading to the formation of more pores during the combustion reaction. Increased specific surface area of combustion products. By conducting a LCS reaction in a solution with added ethylene glycol, Mn-doped Fe3O4 was obtained for lithium ions batteries as anode material, at current density of 5 A g−1, it demonstrates an impressive capacity retention rate of 90% with a high capacity of 452.5 mA h g−1 after 650 cycles. Similarly, Mn-doped Fe3O4 obtained with the addition of polyethylene glycol shows a capacity retention rate of 89.7% after 1500 cycles. Our findings provide a new and innovative method for the preparation of manganese ferrites with a porous structure and a new research approach for developing metal oxide anode materials.

Production of carbon nanotubes via catalytic pyrolysis of polyethylene over Ni/ZSM-5 prepared by ethylene glycol assisted impregnation

The design of efficient catalysts is important for the recycling of plastic wastes. In this study, a series of high-dispersion nickel based catalysts were developed by ethylene glycol (EG) assisted impregnation method and applied for the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) production from pyrolytic catalysis of polyethylene. The effect of the addition amount of EG on the catalyst performance was investigated. Results indicated that the catalysts prepared by ethylene glycol assisted impregnation show a good catalytic performance, comparing with conventional impregnation, and the Ni/ZSM-5-EG(3) catalyst displayed a higher yield of carbon deposits (32.37 wt%), including 289 mg/gPE high-value CNTs. To understand the relationship between the catalyst structure and performance, the physicochemical properties of the catalyst were characterized through various technical means. The results indicated that the addition of EG during the catalyst preparation process effectively promoted the dispersion of nickel metal, resulting in formation of smaller NiO particle size. High dispersion and smaller Ni species could enhance the conversion of polyethylene into carbon nanomaterials. This study provides promising directions for the preparation of high-performance catalysts for the preparation of high-value chemicals from plastics waste.

High Performance Bacterial Cellulose Organogel‐Based Thermoelectrochemical Cells by Organic Solvent‐Driven Crystallization for Body Heat Harvest and Self‐Powered Wearable Strain Sensors

AbstractAs a low‐grade sustainable heat source, the human body provides a great driving force for converting heat into electric energy using thermoelectric materials, which can effectively power wearable electronics. However, the low thermoelectric conversion efficiency is not sufficient to achieve energy autonomy in the operation of wearable devices. Herein, wearable bacterial cellulose (BC) organogel‐based thermoelectrochemical cells (TECs) are designed and prepared with K4Fe(CN)6/K3Fe(CN)6 as a redox couple. The addition of propylene glycol significantly improves the mechanical properties of the TECs and drives K4Fe(CN)6 to gradually crystallize, resulting in the concentration gradient of redox ions, which significantly enhanced the heat‐to‐electricity conversion efficiency (from 1.27 to 2.30 mV K−1), proving that they are promising candidates for powering flexible and wearable devices in various application scenarios. The TECs are further assembled into self‐powered strain sensors, which can detect the movement of the human body under various tensions and pressures in real time with high sensitivity. This indicates that the BC organogel‐based TECs for self‐powered strain sensors have great application potential in the wearable field.

Highly conductive and stretchable filament for flexible electronics

Conductive and stretchable filaments are crucial for advancing additive manufacturing, particularly in flexible electronics. However, existing conductive filaments suffer from limitations in conductivity and stretchability. To overcome these challenges, this study presents a highly conductive and stretchable filament for material extrusion type 3D printing. The developed filament achieves an initial electrical conductivity of 558 S/cm and maintains low resistance up to 60 % strain with 10 vol% silver loading. This significantly surpasses the performance of commercial filaments and previous literature reports. The addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a plasticizer for the silver filled thermoplastic polyurethane (Ag-TPU) composite enhances extrusion and improves filament surface quality. The printability of the filament in material extrusion 3D printing was evaluated, and the electrical conductivity of the printed objects was assessed. Two demonstrator structures, an electrical interconnection and a capacitive strain sensor, were successfully prototyped, showcasing the potential applications of this filament in stretchable electronics. The developed filament paves the way for creating intricate and stretchable electronic devices using material extrusion printing techniques. These advancements contribute to the field of additive manufacturing and enable the fabrication of flexible electronic components with enhanced conductivity and stretchability.

A surfactant modified solid amine adsorbent to enhance CO2 adsorption performance

Solid-amine adsorbents are promising CO2 post-combustion adsorption materials to mitigate global warming. As one of the most important evaluation criteria, the CO2 adsorption capacity of the adsorbent was determined by both kinetic and thermodynamic factors, while high temperature is good for mass transfer and low temperature is advantageous for equilibrium to move towards adsorption. In this study, surfactants were added into polyethylenimine (PEI) cryogel to enhance mass transfer and reduce the adsorption temperature, thereby promoting its adsorption capacity. With the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG200), the CO2 adsorption capacity reached a maximum value of 6.48 mmol/g at 65 °C, and the amine efficiency reached a maximum value of 0.52 mol C/mol N at 45 °C. Further characterization revealed that the addition of PEG not only enhanced the mass transfer, but also changed the chemisorption mechanisms, which were very similar to the effects of water. Besides, PEG would form hydrogen bonds with the PEI polymer network and showed stable regeneration capacity, thereby exhibiting a greater application potential.

Bio-larvicidal Potential of Betel Leaves (Piper betle L) Ethanolic Extract in Addition of PEG 400 Diluent on Aedes aegypti Larvae

Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a kind of vector transmitted disease, by Aedes aegypti. It is one of major public health problem around the world, including Indonesia, because it may lead to epidemics and death in a short time. The use of plant extracts as bio-larvicidal is thought to be a promising solution, and one of them is the betel leaves (Piper betle L). The addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a diluent is thought may increase the dispersity of plant extract in the water which is larval medium of growth. Objectives: To determine the bio-larvicidal potential of 95% ethanolic extract of betel leaves (EEBL) in addition of PEG 400 diluent on the Aedes aegypti larval mortality. Material and Method: Betel leaves were extracted by maceration using 95% of ethanol. There are two kinds of EEBL concentration used, 0.2% dan 0.4%. PEG 400 was also added as diluent. The samples in this study were Aedes aegypti larvae at instar III-IV, with a total of 400 larvae. Evaluation was performed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours. The data obtained was then analyzed by Kruskall Wallis test and post-hoc Mann Whitney test. Result: In all of treatment groups, larval mortality was reached 100% at 24 hours. From the Kruskall Wallis test, p-value obtained was <0.05. From post-hoc Mann Whitney test, the p-value obtained in the comparation between treatment groups and positive control group was >0.05, and the p-value obtained in the comparation between treatment groups and negative control group was <0.05. Conclusion: EEBL in addition of PEG 400 diluent is potential as bio-larvicidal on Aedes aegypti larvae. It is also known that EEBL at concentration of 0.2% and 0.4% in addition of PEG 400 are as effective as temephos as larvicides on Aedes aegypti larvae.

Mechanical properties of recycled PLA and PETG printed by FDM/FFM method

The aim of this paper is to compare the mechanical properties of selected recycled thermoplastics against their equivalents made from new raw materials manufactured using the FDM/FFF additive method.Two materials were tested: recycled polylactide (R-PLA) and recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) with the addition of glycol (R-PETG). Reference materials are their equivalents made from new raw materials. Both types of materials are widely available on the market. In order to compare their mechanical properties and to check whether recycled materials do not differ in quality from their equivalents made from new raw materials, tensile strength tests were performed. In addition, the Vickers microhardness was measured, and the structure of printed samples using optical microscopy was observed.The paper presents the results of the static tensile strength test of samples made by the FDM/FFF technology from the tested materials in accordance with the ISO-00527-2-2012 standard. The samples were manufactured at the average temperature recommended by the producer 10C. The results of tensile strength tests indicate that the samples printed at the average temperature show the best tensile strength for both methods of filament deposition.The recycled materials are not significantly different from the reference materials in terms of tensile strength, microhardness and structure. It is reasonable to test other polymeric materials further and check materials from several consecutive recycling cycles.Closing the cycle of plastic used in 3D printing. The ability to quickly transform waste products, e.g. PET bottles, into filaments and reuse them to produce full-value products.The paper presents the results of strength and microhardness tests as well as microscopic investigations of two recycled thermoplastics commonly used in the industry manufactured using the FDM/FFF technology against the background of reference materials made from new raw materials.

The effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) drying temperature and pelleting on in vitro fermentation characteristics using equine faecal inocula

This study was conducted to determine the effects of drying temperature and pelleting of the tanniniferous forage legume sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) on the in vitro fermentation characteristics by equine faecal inocula. The sainfoin used for the experiment was air dried on the land and oven dried at 30, 70 and 130 °C for 2.5 h. Part of the dried sainfoin samples was left as dried hay, another part was pelleted, resulting in 6 different samples. The hay and pellets were tested for particle size distribution and pellets were tested for their pellet quality in terms of hardness, durability and bulk density. The gas production technique was used to simulate fermentation and faecal samples of eight randomly selected horses were used to create four independent inocula mixtures that were examined in two subsequent gas production runs. Per inocula mixture, the hay and pellet samples were incubated in triplicate as is, or in combination with polyethylene glycol to inactivate the tannins. Cumulative gas production, a proxy for the organic matter (OM) fermentation, was measured for 72 h, whereafter fermentation fluids were sampled and analysed for volatile fatty acids (VFA) and pH. The results of the pellet quality measurements showed that the particle sizes of the sainfoin particles in the pellets were decreased by a higher drying temperature or by the pelleting process, indicating a loss of fibre physical effectiveness, a factor that may be indicative for chewing activity and hence saliva production. The gas production results showed a significant (P < 0.05) effect of drying temperature and the addition of polyethylene glycol on the cumulative gas production, the VFA production and the percentage of branched chain VFA produced. Hay dried at 130 °C had a lower (P < 0.05) gas production compared to hay dried at 30 and 70 °C, which indicates a lower OM fermentability. The addition of polyethylene glycol increased the gas and total VFA production, which indicates that tannins in sainfoin decrease the production of gas and VFA in hay pellets compared to the hay product. The pelleting process had no effect on the fermentation characteristics, but pelleting conditions strongly decreased the level of the amino acid lysine and its reactivity. The results indicate the increase in drying temperature to cause a decrease in the OM hindgut fermentation and the total and reactive lysine contents of sainfoin. The positive effects of the tannins (a higher proportion of propionic acid relative to acetic acid and a lower protein fermentation) remain, despite of technological treatments.

Layer-by-layer coated calcium carbonate nanoparticles for targeting breast cancer cells

Breast cancer is resistant to conventional treatments due to the specific tumour microenvironment, the associated acidic pH and the overexpression of receptors that enhance cells tumorigenicity. Herein, we optimized the synthesis of acidic resorbable calcium carbonate (CaCO3) nanoparticles and the encapsulation of a low molecular weight model molecule (Rhodamine). The addition of ethylene glycol during the synthetic process resulted in a particle size decrease: we obtained homogeneous CaCO3 particles with an average size of 564 nm. Their negative charge enabled the assembly of layer-by-layer (LbL) coatings with surface-exposed hyaluronic acid (HA), a ligand of tumour-associated receptor CD44. The coating decreased Rhodamine release by two-fold compared to uncoated nanoparticles. We demonstrated the effect of nanoparticles on two breast cancer cell lines with different aggressiveness – SK-BR-3 and the more aggressive MDA-MB-231 – and compared them with the normal breast cell line MCF10A. CaCO3 nanoparticles (coated and uncoated) significantly decreased the metabolic activity of the breast cancer cells. The interactions between LbL-coated nanoparticles and cells depended on HA expression on the cell surface: more particles were observed on the surface of MDA-MB-231 cells, which had the thickest endogenous HA coating. We concluded that CaCO3 nanoparticles are potential candidates to carry low molecular weight chemotherapeutics and deliver them to aggressive breast cancer sites with an HA-abundant pericellular matrix.

Development of Co3O4 nanomaterials on flexible carbon cloth substrates for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions

In this work, cobalt oxide decorated on carbon cloth (Co3O4/CC) is fabricated by the electrodeposition method by optimizing two factors: (i) the electrodeposition time; (ii) the volume ratio between ethylene glycol (EG) and deionized water (DI) in deposition solution. Results indicate that 5 min of electrodeposition is the most effective interval to acquire the sample with the most homogeneous in size and distribution. Furthermore, the addition of EG has a significant effect on the surface morphology of Co3O4/CC, causing the formation of the mesoporous Co3O4 layers on the substrate's surface. Due to the porous and rough structure of Co3O4/CC, its specific surface area reaches 111.3 m2g-1 as opposed to pure CC (37.2 m2g-1). Additionally, the coverage of Co3O4 on the cloth helps to enhance the electrochemical surface area up to 10 times and improve strongly the conductivity of the whole system. In the electrochemical water splitting (EWS) application, the Co3O4/CC sample prepared in precisely 5 min with the existence of EG at 40 %vol. possesses the best electrocatalytic performance with the lowest overpotentials for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), with 291 mV and 357 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 for each. This material also exhibits good stability to maintain a stable voltage at 10 mA cm−2 for 30 h.

GPP-TSAIII nanocomposite hydrogel-based photothermal ablation facilitates melanoma therapy

ABSTRACT Background Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a promising cancer treatment, but its application is limited by low photoconversion efficiency. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel graphene oxide (GO)-based nanocomposite hydrogel to improve the bioavailability of timosaponin AIII (TSAIII) while maximizing PTT efficacy and enhancing the antitumor effect. Methods GO was modified via physical cross-linking with polyvinyl alcohol. The pore structure of the gel was adjusted by repeated freeze-thawing and the addition of polyethylene glycol 2000 to obtain a nanocomposite hydrogel (GPP). The GPP loaded with TSAIII constituted a GPP-TSAIII drug delivery system, and its efficacy was evaluated by in vitro cytotoxicity, apoptosis, migration, and uptake analyses, and in vivo antitumor studies. Results The encapsulation rate of GPP-TSAIII was 66.36 ± 3.97%, with slower in vitro release and higher tumor cell uptake (6.4-fold) compared to TSAIII. GPP-TSAIII in combination with PTT showed better bioavailability and antitumor effects in vivo than did TSAIII, with a 1.9-fold higher tumor suppression rate than the TSAIII group. Conclusions GPP is a potential vehicle for delivery of TSAIII-like poor water-soluble anticancer drugs. The innovative PTT co-delivery system may serve as a safe and effective melanoma treatment platform for further anticancer translational purposes.

Evaluation of Thermal and Rheological Properties of Phase Change Material-Incorporated Asphalt Mastic with Porous Fillers

Incorporating phase change material (PCM) into paving materials can regulate the pavement temperature, improve the pavement durability, and mitigate the heat-island effects. In this research, porous fillers were used as the PCM carrier, and the thermal and rheological behaviors of the asphalt mastic with the PCM were evaluated. Two different carrier materials (diatomite and expanded perlite) and four types of PCMs were used in the study. The candidate filler, PCM, and proper blending ratios were determined based on the results of scanning electron microscope image analysis, the filter paper test, and the temperature sweep test. The thermal and rheological behaviors of the mastics with PCMs were further evaluated with different filler replacement ratios. Thermal analysis through a differential scanning calorimetry test, thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity test, and real-time temperature performance test were performed on the asphalt mastics. Rheological tests, including the complex shear modulus test, the bending beam rheometer test, and the linear amplitude sweep test, were also conducted. The modified mastics were found to have high heat capacity with the latent heat storage ability. The rheological analyses showed that with the addition of polyethylene glycol, while the low-temperature performance of the asphalt mastics was improved, the performance at intermediate and high temperatures was not adversely affected by the PCM.

Precise Defect Engineering on Graphitic Carbon Nitrides for Boosted Solar H2 Production.

Defect engineering has been regarded as an "all-in-one strategy" to alleviate the insufficient solar utilization in g-C3N4. However, without appropriate modification, the defect benefits will be partly offset due to the formation of deep localized defect states and deteriorated surface states, lowering the photocarrier separation efficiency. To this end, the defective g-C3N4 is designed with both S dopants and N vacancies via a dual-solvent-assisted synthetic approach. The precise defect control isrealized by the addition of ethylene glycol (EG) into precursor formation and molten sulfur into the pyrolysis process, which simultaneously induced g-C3N4. with shallow defect states. These shallow defect energy levels canact as a temporary electron reservoir, which are critical to evoke the migrated electrons from CB with a moderate trapping ability, thus suppressing the bulky photocarrier recombination. Additionally, the optimized surface states of DCN-ES arealso demonstrated by the highest electron-trapping resistance (Rtrapping) of 9.56×103 Ω cm2 and the slowest decay kinetics of surface carriers (0.057s-1), which guaranteed the smooth surface charge transfer rather than being the recombination sites. As a result, DCN-ES exhibited a superior H2 evolution rate of 4219.9µmol g-1 h-1, which is 29.1-fold higher than unmodified g-C3N4.

Betel leaf extract as an anti-bacterial agent in solid soap formulation and characterisation

Used cooking oil is a waste oil derived from plants used as cooking oil. Used cooking oil can be reused by a purification process and used in soap making by a saponification process using a base (KOH or NaOH). Based on this, waste cooking oil is handled as a raw material for making solid soap. This study aimed to characterize solid soap from used cooking oil with betel leaf extract and explain the anti-bacterial ability of solid soap from used cooking oil with betel leaf extract. Solid soap is made by purifying used cooking oil by immersion in 15% NaOH and adding bleaching earth, making betel leaf extract by maceration method. The process of making solid soap with the addition of stearic acid, propylene glycol, glycerin, ethanol, and TEA. Characterization of solid soap by testing water content, amount of fatty acid, free alkaline, free fatty acid, mineral oil, foam stability, acidity test (pH), and anti-bacterial test. Testing the water content and the number of fatty acids shows that all samples did not meet the standards required by SNI 06-3532-1994. All samples in the free alkaline test (except sample F0), free fatty acids, mineral oil, and foam stability were tested to meet the standards required by SNI 06-3532-1994, and the anti-bacterial test of sample F4 has the best anti-bacterial properties because it can reduce the growth of bacteria compared to other samples.