Acid Sodium Salt Research Articles

Anticorrosion Protection of Low‐Carbon Steel by the Eco‐Friendly Composition Based on Gum Arabic

Inhibitory properties of an eco‐friendly composition based on gum arabic polysaccharide and citric acid salt–sodium citrate for corrosion prevention of low‐carbon steel in neutral environment was investigated. Corrosion resistance of low‐carbon steel in a 0.1% NaCl solution with and without composition after 3 and 24 h immersion was investigated by electrochemical and weight loss methods. The inhibitory composition with 0.5 g/L concentration was obtained by adding 0.25 g/L of gum arabic and 0.25 g/L of sodium citrate in 1L 0.1% NaCl solution. It was established that the inhibitory efficiency of the composition is enhanced with increasing concentration (0; 0.25; 0.50; 0.75; 1; 1.50; 2.0 g/L) and reaches a maximum at 2.0 g/L of each component. The protective effect of the composition is determined by the combination of two compounds of different natures, which have hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups. The inhibitory ability of the composition is due to the dominant competitive adsorption between citrate anions with gum arabic and chloride ions on the steel surface. Adsorption of citrate and gum arabic on the steel surface corresponds to the Frumkin isotherm, and the Gibbs energy value was −12.25 kJ/mol, which indicates physical adsorption. The morphology and chemical content of the steel surface after immersion in a solution with an inhibitory composition were investigated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX analysis. The formation of a protective film based on gum arabic and citrate probably occurs by chelation, which effectively blocks the access of corrosively active Cl− ions. It was shown that the corrosion rate Km was 0.42·10−5 g/cm2·h and the inhibitory efficiency for protection of the steel was 80.4% after 24 h immersion in a 0.1% NaCl solution with composition.

An anionic polyethersulfone membrane modified by poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid sodium salt) grafted carbon nanotubes

Polyethersulfone membrane is easy to be polluted, and the negative surface would help enhance improve the permeability and the anti-pollution performance; so how to anchor polymer brushes with negative groups to polyethersulfone membrane surface is a challenge. In this paper, polymer brushes of poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid sodium salt) is first grafted to carbon nanotubes to form an organic-inorganic hybrid additive, which is further anchored onto the membrane surface of polyethersulfone by blending method. The graft reaction is proceeded by surface initiated electrochemical atom transfer radical polymerization, where the introduction of electrochemical part is because it could help better control the growth of polymer brushes compared with the pristine atom transfer radical polymerization process. The carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid sodium salt) could anchor on the membrane surface because the there is a self-assemble process of organic-inorganic hybrid additive during phase inversion method, where the inorganic part carbon nanotubes firmly embedded into the membrane and the organic part can be fixed on membrane surface. The polyethersulfone membrane exhibits enhanced surface hydrophilicity, improved the permeability of the membrane, and good anti-fouling performance due to the negative charge and electrostatic repulsion brought by anionic surface of the modified membrane. When the mass of nanotubes grafted with poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid sodium salt) in the casting solution is 20 mg, the water flux can reach 365.5 L m−2 h−1, and the rejection ratios of both BSA and CR are close to 100% with good flux recovery and anti-fouling effect performance.

Esters of Inulin and Tall Oil Fatty Acids

The possibility of obtaining polysaccharide esters based on large-scale products of plant origin: inulin and tall oil fatty acids, was studied. Carbohydrate esters of the biopolymer inulin and higher unsaturated acids were synthesized by acylation with acid chlorides under various conditions: in a water–chloroform mixture in the presence of sodium hydroxide and sodium salts of tall oil fatty acids, as well as in a pyridine–1,4-dioxane mixture. The yield of polysaccharide esters was 67–82%, the maximum yield was detected during the acylation of inulin in the pyridine–1,4-dioxane system

Silver Nitrate Catalyzed Sulfonylation of O-Propargyl Alkynes

AbstractThe development of new catalytic methods based on lower-cost metals under environmentally friendly conditions is still a challenge. Herein, we report an efficient strategy for the synthesis of vinyl sulfones from O-propargyl alkynes and sodium salts of sulfinic acids using silver nitrate, an inexpensive and readily available catalyst, under air atmosphere using aqueous conditions. The products were obtained in good to moderate yields, and the mechanism of the reaction was also investigated.

Effect of substrate morphology on characteristics of layer-by-layer self-assembly nanofiltration membrane for micropollutants removal

Layer-by-layer (LBL) hollow fiber nanofiltration (NF) membranes have emerged as a promising technology for the removal of micropollutants (MPs). Previous research has been largely focused on polyelectrolyte pairs and coating parameters. This paper studied the substrate morphology, a critical factor often being overlooked. Poly (allylamine hydrochloride) /poly (styrene sulfonic acid) sodium salt (PAH/PSS) coating was utilized to evaluate the impact of the substrate morphology. Two polyethersulfone substrates were selected: Substrate 1# with dense skins at both lumen/shell and Substrate 2# with skin at the lumen and an open shell surface. All LBL NF membranes showed molecular weight cut-off ranging from 180 to 223 Da and MgCl2 rejection around 94 %. For LBL membrane 1#, with coatings on both shell/lumen sides, the outer coating was defective due to scratches. For LBL membrane 2# with a coating at the lumen, significant PAH overcompensation was observed, because of the open inner and outer surfaces comparing to LBL membrane 1#. Higher rejection to positively charged MPs was resulted from Donnan effect, outperforming steric exclusion. The backwash stability of both membranes was excellent and independent of the substrate structure. This work provides a basis for substrate selection for fabricating LBL NF membranes.

Potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate–polyacrylonitrile composite for removing cobalt, strontium, and cesium from radioactive laundry wastewater

AbstractThe applicability of potassium nickel hexacyanoferrate–polyacrylonitrile (KNiFC–PAN) for the sorption of Co2+, Sr2+, and Cs+ from radioactive laundry wastewater generated in nuclear power plants was investigated. Competitive sorption of Co2+, Sr2+, and Cs+ onto KNiFC–PAN was studied for single, binary, and ternary solutions. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Kargi–Ozmıhci, Koble–Corrigan, and Langmuir–Freundlich models predicted the single‐sorption data (R2 ≥ 0.942, sum of squared error ≤ 0.105). The sorption isotherms were nonlinearly favorable (Freundlich coefficient, NF = 0.288–0.842). According to the Langmuir, Freundlich, Kargi–Ozmıhci, Koble–Corrigan, and Langmuir–Freundlich models, at pH 5 (C0 = 20 mM), KNiFC−PAN exhibited the highest maximum sorption capacity (qmL) for Cs+ among the investigated cations, wherein the primary mechanism was physical sorption. The competition between the metal ions in the binary and ternary systems reduced the respective sorption capacities. Binary and ternary sorption models, such as the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) model coupled with Freundlich (IAST–Freundlich), IAST–Langmuir, and IAST–Langmuir–Freundlich models, were fitted to the experimental data; among these, the IAST–Freundlich model was the most accurate for the binary and ternary systems. The presence of sodium 4‐n‐octylbenzenesulfonate and dodecylbenzene–sulfonic acid sodium salt as anionic surfactants strongly affected the sorption capacity on KNiFC–PAN owing to increased distribution coefficients (Kd) of Cs+, Sr2+, and Co2+. Thus, KNiFC–PAN is promising for removing Cs+, Sr2+, and Co2+ from radioactive laundry wastewater.

DETERMINATION OF TOXIC HEAVY METALS IN CHOLIC ACID USING QUADRUPOLE INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY

Objective: The information on the presence of toxic heavy metals in pharmaceutical starting materials and finished product is very crucial from the viewpoint of human life and its hazardous impact on the worldwide environment. The present work deals with the detailed quantification of the toxic heavy metals, namely, V, Co, Ni, Cd, Hg, Pb, and As, present in colic acid using quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICPMS) with prior microwave-assisted digestion. Moreover, the preliminary characterization of commercially available cholic acid by FT-IR, NMR (1H and 13C), SEM-EDAX has also been carried out. Methods: Cholic acid of synthesis grade, Nitric acid (65%) AR. grade, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid sodium salt AR grade, and certified reference metal stock standard solutions (1000 mg/L) of multiple elements prepared in 2–3% HNO3 of analytical grade were purchased from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany). All the samples were treated with nitric acid and microwave-assisted digestion. For the accurate determination of the elemental amount, various digested solutions and post-digestion diluents were tested. The linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the analytical technique were evaluated in accordance with the United States Pharmacopoeia 233 standard. Results and Discussion: The Q-ICPMS-based analytical method was validated for specificity, LOD, LOQ, linearity, accuracy, precision, and uncertainty. The estimated detection limits of the toxic heavy metals in cholic acid were in the range 2–180 μg/L. The quantification limits were in the range of 1.5–60 μg/L. Mean recoveries±standard deviations at different spiking levels were in the range 75.3±2.1–104.9±8.5%. The coefficients of variation were in the range of 0.5–8.1%. Conclusion: The precision of the analytical method, in terms of relative standard deviation, was below 1.95%. The uncertainty in the quantification of all the validated elements was found to be ≤1.70% for Sample 1.

DETERMINATION OF TOXIC HEAVY METALS IN CHOLIC ACID USING QUADRUPOLE INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY

Objective: The information on the presence of toxic heavy metals in pharmaceutical starting materials and finished product is very crucial from the viewpoint of human life and its hazardous impact on the worldwide environment. The present work deals with the detailed quantification of the toxic heavy metals, namely, V, Co, Ni, Cd, Hg, Pb, and As, present in colic acid using quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICPMS) with prior microwave-assisted digestion. Moreover, the preliminary characterization of commercially available cholic acid by FT-IR, NMR (1H and 13C), SEM-EDAX has also been carried out. Methods: Cholic acid of synthesis grade, Nitric acid (65%) AR. grade, ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid sodium salt AR grade, and certified reference metal stock standard solutions (1000 mg/L) of multiple elements prepared in 2–3% HNO3 of analytical grade were purchased from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany). All the samples were treated with nitric acid and microwave-assisted digestion. For the accurate determination of the elemental amount, various digested solutions and post-digestion diluents were tested. The linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the analytical technique were evaluated in accordance with the United States Pharmacopoeia 233 standard. Results and Discussion: The Q-ICPMS-based analytical method was validated for specificity, LOD, LOQ, linearity, accuracy, precision, and uncertainty. The estimated detection limits of the toxic heavy metals in cholic acid were in the range 2–180 μg/L. The quantification limits were in the range of 1.5–60 μg/L. Mean recoveries±standard deviations at different spiking levels were in the range 75.3±2.1–104.9±8.5%. The coefficients of variation were in the range of 0.5–8.1%. Conclusion: The precision of the analytical method, in terms of relative standard deviation, was below 1.95%. The uncertainty in the quantification of all the validated elements was found to be ≤1.70% for Sample 1.

PH-responsive nanogels with enhanced antioxidant and antitumor activities on drug delivery and smart drug release

pH-responsive nanogels have played an increasingly momentous role in tumor treatment. The focus of this study is to design and develop pH-responsive benzimidazole-chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (BIMIXHAC) nanogels for the controlled release of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) while enhancing its hydrophilicity. BIMIXHAC is crosslinked with carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC), hyaluronic acid sodium salt (HA), and sodium alginates (SA) using an ion crosslinking method. The chemical structure of chitosan derivatives was verified by 1H NMR and FT-IR techniques. Compared to hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC)-based nanogels, BIMIXHAC-based nanogels exhibit better drug encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity (BIMIXHAC-D-HA 91.76 %, and 32.23 %), with pH-responsive release profiles and accelerated release in vitro. The series of nanogels formed by crosslinking with three different polyanionic crosslinkers have different particle size potentials and antioxidant properties. BIMIXHAC-HA, BIMIXHAC-SA and BIMIXHAC-CMC demonstrate favorable antioxidant capability. In addition, cytotoxicity tests showed that BIMIXHAC-based nanogels have high biocompatibility. BIMIXHAC-based nanogels exhibit preferable anticancer effects on MCF-7 and A549 cells. Furthermore, the BIMIXHAC-D-HA nanogel was 2.62 times less toxic than DOX to L929 cells. These results suggest that BIMIXHAC-based nanogels can serve as pH-responsive nanoplatforms for the delivery of anticancer drugs.

Complexes Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and a Copolymer of Sodium Salts of Styrenesulfonic and Maleic Acids

Complexes Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and a Copolymer of Sodium Salts of Styrenesulfonic and Maleic Acids

Papaia fermentada: estratégias para monitorizar e melhorar a fermentação das amostras - estudo preliminar

Introduction: Fermented papaya is known as a nutraceutical, with a unique composition and several health benefits. Its fermentation, being a central process of metabolism, converts the sugars in the fruit into alcohols or acids, with the intermediate formation of pyruvic acid. However, there is a lack of control and uniformity in terms of processes. Objectives: Carry out fermentation cycles of papaya in order to determine which conditions contribute to improving the pyruvic acid content and verify if there is any change of it after freezing preservation. Methodology: The papaya was washed with distilled water and cut into small cubes. About a quarter of each fruit was divided into two sterile flasks, adding ultrapure water, and placing it at 30°C. The flasks were manually shaken every 24 hours, an aliquot was taken for pH measurement. At the end of each fermentation cycle, the sample was subjected to centrifugation followed by gravity filtration and storage at -20°C. At the time of analysis, the aliquots were thawed, and the pH was measured again. The sodium pyruvate content (sodium salt of pyruvic acid) was quantified through a method adapted from another study and validated by this research team. The various fermentation cycles were carried out in duplicate, with changes in the fermentation conditions. Results: The highest content of sodium pyruvate was obtained at the end of the fermentation cycle where the whole fruit (pulp, peel and seeds) was used with sucrose supplementation (1 g.L-1). This indicates that the peel and seeds of papaya, due to their phytochemical composition, have constituents that improve the fermentation process while reducing food waste. The lowest content of sodium pyruvate was obtained on the second day of the fermentation cycle where only fresh papaya pulp and seeds were used, confirming that the presence of the peel is fundamental, probably due to the existence of autochthonous flora in the fruit that contributes to the fermentation process. Furthermore, it was also possible to verify that the pH does not change with the freezing process, indicating that there was no alteration of the pyruvic acid content during the preservation period. Conclusion: It was found that the fermentation conditions that promote a higher content of pyruvic acid is using the whole fruit and sucrose, at 30°C, for 7 days. However, other temperatures, as well as other fermentation conditions, should still be tested in order to understand if the fermentation process can be improved.

Multifunctional Regulation of SnO2 Nanocrystals by Snail Mucus for Preparation of Rigid or Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells in Air.

Tin oxide (SnO2) is widely used as an inorganic electron transport layer (ETL) for rigid and flexible perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this work, an extract of snail shell, the sodium salt of polyaspartic acid (S-PASP), a water-soluble polypeptide polymer, has been used to multifunctionally regulate SnO2 nanograins. S-PASP has a strong chelating and dispersing effect; thus, chemically adsorbed SnO2 can inhibit agglomeration. The S-PASP:SnO2 ETL also improved the extraction and transferability of carriers, reducing body defects and interfacial charge. Moreover, the S-PASP:SnO2 ETL promotes the vertical growth of the perovskite crystals due to its bottom-up morphology, wettability, and strain release, which is conducive to improving the photoelectric performance of the device. The optimized rigid device prepared under open-air conditions obtained a PCE of 20.92%. In addition, due to the stress compensation of the S-PASP long chain, which prevented the cracking and displacement of the ETL, the optimal PCE of the flexible device was 17.96%, and the initial efficiency was maintained at 82.8% after 100 bends. This work introduces a molecular doping mechanism for organic-inorganic hybrid electronics.

Comparative evaluation of disinfectant efficacy against biofilm-residing microorganisms

Introduction. Bacteria in biofilms (BFs) have increased resistance to antibacterial agents, including disinfectants; however, the efficacy level varies depending on the chosen treatment. Therefore, evaluation of efficacy of main disinfectants against BF-residing microorganisms is of scientific and practical interest.
 The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of disinfectants from various chemical groups on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria residing in BFs.
 Materials and methods. The effect of the following disinfectants has been evaluated: alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (ADBAC), tertiary amine (TA), polyhexamethylene guanidine chloride (PHMG), hydrogen peroxide (HP), chloramine (CA), dichloroisocyanuric acid sodium salt (Na DCC), sodium hypochlorite (HC), ethyl alcohol (EA), glutaraldehyde (GA)) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538-P BFs. BFs were grown in 96-well plates at 37ºC for 24 hours and then exposed to biocide solutions. The efficacy of disinfectants was evaluated by the number of remaining viable cells and BF relative density.
 Results. The analyzed bacterial strains formed moderate BFs; the average number of viable cells in BFs was 6.51 ± 0.19 lg. The viable bacterial cell counts in BFs reduced by more than 4 lg when exposed to HP solutions at a concentration of 6%, Na DCC solution — 0.1% (by active chlorine), HC — 1% (by active chlorine), CA – 1% (by product), PHMG — 0.05%, TA — 1.0 %. The BF density decreased by more than 70%. ADBAC solutions at concentrations of 0.1–1.0%, TA — 0.05%, HP — 3%, Na DCC solution — 0.05% (by active chlorine) caused a 2-lg reduction in viable cell counts in BFs. The efficacy of chlorine-active compounds and HP increased when 0.5% sulfonol was added. GA (0.25–1.00%) and EA (40–70%) solutions were ineffective against BF microorganisms.
 Conclusion. A promising potential in combating microbial biofilms is demonstrated by disinfectants from the group of oxidizing agents (chlorine-active and oxygen-containing), TA and PHMG; using ADBAC as an individual compound is ineffective; aldehydes and alcohols are unable to destroy BFs and eliminate microorganisms in them.

Enabling Highly-Reversible Aqueous Zn-Ion Batteries via 4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid Sodium Salt Electrolyte Additive.

Due to the intrinsic safety and cost effectiveness, aqueous Zn-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered a promising candidate for future energy storage systems. However, the widespread implementation of AZIBs faces significant obstacles due to various undesirable side reactions, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), corrosion, and uncontrolled dendrite growth at the anodes. Here, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid sodium salt (PHB) is employed in the ZnSO4 electrolyte to enable highly-reversible zinc anodes. PHB has a greater tendency to bind with the Zn surface, resulting in increased steric effects within the electrolyte. As a result, it hinders the direct interaction between anode and water while facilitating the uniform plating of Zn2+ . Zn/Zn batteries with PHB additives realized more than 1600 h stable cycling life under 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2 . Moreover, Zn/Cu batteries with PHB additives achieved a reversible plating/stripping process for over 500 cycles with high average CE of 98.6 %. In addition, the assembled Zn/NH4 V4 O10 batteries with PHB additive yielded 80.5 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles at 10 A g-1 . The inexpensive and effective application of PHB as an electrolyte additive has the potential to significantly enhance the stability and dependability of ZIBs.

Toxicological assessment of sodium benzoate in Drosophila melanogaster.

Sodium benzoate (SB), the sodium salt of benzoic acid, is a food preservative with wide applications in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries due to its ability to kill many microorganisms effectively. Experimental evidence however suggests that excessive intake of SB poses detrimental health risks among consumers in the population. The present study investigated the toxic effects of various concentrations of SB using Drosophila melanogaster as a model. Adult wild-type flies of Canton S strain (1- to 3-daysold) was orally exposed to SB (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5.0 mg/5 g diet) to evaluate survival rates for 21days. Thereafter, we evaluated markers of oxidative stress, antioxidant status and behavioral activity in D. melanogaster exposed to SB for seven (7) days. We observed that SB (2.0 and 5.0 mg/5 g diet) decreased the survival of D. melanogaster. Also, SB inhibited glutathione-S-transferase activity and depleted total thiols and nonprotein thiols contents. Moreover, SB (5 mg/5 g diet) increased nitric oxide (nitrite/nitrate) level and reduced flies' emergence rate. Conclusively, findings from this study revealed that exposure to high concentrations of SB reduced survival rate and induced toxicity via the induction of oxidative stress and inhibition of antioxidant enzymes in D. melanogaster.

Uniform Li-metal growth on renewable lignin with lithiophilic functional groups derived from wood for high-performance Li-metal batteries

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) are promising energy storage devices with high energy density owing to their high theoretical capacity (3860 mAh g−1) and low reduction potential of lithium (Li)-metal anodes. However, their practical application is limited by poor Coulombic efficiency (CE) and safety issues due to Li dendrite growth during Li plating/stripping. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) structure of lignin with a lithiophilic functional group derived from waste wood is suggested as an additional functional layer of LMBs, i.e., a lignosulfonic acid sodium salt (LASS) with a negatively charged sulfonate group (SO3−) in its chemical structure. The SO3− group enhances the Li-ion (Li+) affinity and enables Li+-flux control, supplying homogeneous Li growth sites. It induces stable electrochemical dendrite-free Li growth. Consequently, in the LASS-Cu||Li half-cell, a high CE of 96.7 % at 210 cycles and stable operation is achieved without a short circuit and, symmetric-cell with LASS layers shows stable cycling over 2000 h. Moreover, full-cells with LiFePO4 (LFP) and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM 811) cathodes exhibit enhanced electrochemical performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveal that the LASS layer suppressed dendritic Li growth and stimulated densely packed Li growth. This work suggests an effective strategy for improving the performance of LMBs using renewable lignin materials.

Effects of Sodium Salts of Fatty Acids and Their Derivatives on Skin Permeation of Cromolyn Sodium.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder with rising prevalence. The safety concerns over usually used steroids are driving the need for developing an effective atopic dermatitis treatment. The use of therapeutic agents such as cromolyn sodium (CS) is suggested. However, due to its physicochemical properties, CS permeation across the skin is a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium salts of fatty acids or their derivatives with varied carbon chain lengths as potential enhancers on the skin permeation of CS. These included sodium caprylate, salcaprozate sodium, sodium decanoate, sodium palmitate, and sodium oleate dissolved in propylene glycol along with CS (4% w/w). In vitro permeation of the formulations across the dermatomed porcine ear skin was investigated over 24h using Franz Diffusion cells. The amount of CS permeation from propylene glycol was 5.54 ± 1.06µg/cm2 after 24h. Initial screening of enhancers (enhancer: drug::1:1) showed enhancement in permeation of CS using sodium oleate and sodium caprylate, which were then investigated in higher ratio of drug: enhancer (1:2). Among all the formulations tested, sodium oleate (enhancer: drug::1:2) was observed to significantly (p < 0.05) enhance the permeation of CS with the highest total delivery of 359.79 ± 78.92µg/cm2 across skin in 24h and higher drug retention in the skin layers (153.0 ± 24.93µg/cm2) as well. Overall, sodium oleate was found to be the most effective enhancer followed by sodium caprylate for improving the topical delivery of CS.

In Vitro Assessment of Cisplatin/Hyaluronan Complex for Loco-Regional Chemotherapy

Loco-regional chemotherapy is a strategy used to achieve more precise anticancer drug effect directly on tumor mass, while decreasing whole body exposure, which can lead to undesirable side effects. Thus, the loco-regional chemotherapy is conceptually similar to the targeted drug delivery systems for delivering chemotherapeutics to cancer cells in a certain location of the body. Recently, it has been demonstrated that a novel polymeric film containing the complex between cisplatin (cisPt) and hyaluronan (sodium salt of hyaluronic acid; NaHA) enhanced in vivo efficacy and safety of cisplatin (cisPt) by loco-regional delivery in pleural mesothelioma. Biologically, hyaluronic acid (HA) binds with the CD44 receptor, which is a transmembrane glycoprotein overexpressed by other cancer cells. Thus, administering both cisPt and hyaluronan together as a complex loco-regionally to the tumor site could target cancer cells locally and enhance treatment safety. A slight excess of hyaluronan was required to have more than 85% cisPt complexation. In cell monolayers (2D model) the cisPt/NaHA complex in solution demonstrated dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect by decreasing the viability of pancreatic, melanoma, and lung cell lines (they all express CD44). At the same concentration in solution, the complex was as effective as cisPt alone. However, when applied as film to melanoma spheroids (3D model), the complex was superior because it prevented the tumor spheroid growth and, more importantly, the formation of new cell colonies. Hence, cisPt/NaHA complex could work in preventing metastases loco-regionally and potentially avoiding systemic relapses.

Regulating isolated-molecular and aggregated state phosphorescence for multi-color afterglow by photo-activation.

Ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) materials have attracted considerable attention in recent years. Herein, a new type of flexible films was fabricated by doping amphipathic pyrene tetra sulfonic acid sodium salts into amorphous poly(vinyl alcohol) matrix, which enabled the realization of color-tunable UOP spanning from orange-red to green after excitation light switched off. Interestingly, we demonstrated precise control of the proportion of isolated-molecular and aggregated state phosphorescence for colorful afterglow using photo-activation. A 2.19-fold increase in the dynamic phosphorescence lifetime of isolated molecules was observedfrom 752.94 to 1650.46 ms following an 8-minute irradiation under ambient conditions. This flexible and processable film exhibited versatile applications in multi-color afterglow displays, ultraviolet detection, multilevel information encryption, etc. Our study not only provides a strategy for the rational regulation of UOP colors but also expands the application potential of color-tunable UOP materials. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Potential Defence Mechanisms Triggered by Monosodium Glutamate Sub-Chronic Consumption in Two-Year-Old Wistar Rats.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid (GLA), used as a flavour enhancer. MSG is considered a controversial substance. It is incriminated in disturbing the antioxidant system, but also has beneficial effects, as GLA metabolism plays a crucial role in homeostasis. This study highlights which positive or negative aspects of MSG sub-chronic consumption are better reflected in subjects potentially affected by advanced age. Daily doses of MSG were administered to four groups of two-year-old Wistar rats for 90 days: (I) 185 mg/kg bw, (II) 1500 mg/kg bw, (III) 3000 mg/kg bw and (IV) 6000 mg/kg bw, compared to a MSG non-consumer group. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, direct and total bilirubin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine and urea levels were analysed; stomach, liver and kidney samples were subjected to histopathological analysis. Although, in most cases, there were no statistical differences, interesting aspects of the dose-effect relationship were observed. After MSG sub-chronic consumption, the positive aspects of GLA seem to be reflected better than the negative ones. The hormesis effect, with low-level reactive oxygen species' protective effects and GLA metabolism, may represent the hypothesis of a potential defence mechanism triggered by MSG sub-chronic consumption in ageing rats.