Biopharmaceutics classification and intestinal absorption of chikusetsusaponin IVa.

The objective of this study was to investigate the absorption behavior of chikusetsusaponin IVa (CHS-IVa) in the rat intestine using single-pass intestinal perfusion (SPIP) and to classify CHS-IVa into the biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS). The equilibrium solubility of CHS-IVa was determined by the shaker method. The absorption mechanism of CHS-IVa in the intestine was studied by comparing the Peff of different concentrations of CHS-IVa. The intestinal site dependence of CHS-IVa absorption was studied by comparing the Peff of the same concentration of CHS-IVa in different intestinal segments. The relationship between CHS-IVa and intestinal efflux protein was studied by perfusion with an efflux protein inhibitor. The permeability of CHS-IVa was investigated by comparing the Peff of CHS-IVa and the reported value. The solubility of CHS-IVa over the pH range 1.0-7.5 was 14.4 ± 0.29 to 16.9 ± 0.34 mg/ml. The Peff of CHS-IVa in the duodenum was 1.76 × 10-3 to 2.00 × 10-3  cm/min. The Peff of CHS-IVa in the jejunum was 1.26 × 10-3 to 1.39 × 10-3  cm/min. The Peff of CHS-IVa in the ileum was 1.25 × 10-3 to 1.31 × 10-3  cm/min. The Peff of CHS-IVa in the colon was 1.02 × 10-3 to 1.08 × 10-3  cm/min. There was no statistical difference of the Peff in the four segments at different CHS-IVa concentrations. The Peff of CHS-IVa (0.07, 0.7 and 7.0 mg/ml) were all notably smaller than the reported Peff (3.00 × 10-3  cm/min) in the jejunum. The Peff of CHS-IVa was not influenced by verapamil (P-gp inhibitor), indomethacin (MRP inhibitor) and pantoprazole (BCRP inhibitor). CHS-IVa was classified as high solubility, low permeability and BCS III. The main absorptive tracts were the upper intestinal tracts and the rank order of intestinal permeability was duodenum > jejunum ≈ ileum > colon. The transport mechanism of CHS-IVa in all intestinal segments might be primarily passive transport. CHS-IVa was not a substrate of P-gp, MRP and BCRP.

AIR-Chem: Authentic Intelligent Robotics for Chemistry.

The new era with prosperous artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology is reshaping the materials discovery process in a more radical fashion. Here we present authentic intelligent robotics for chemistry (AIR-Chem), integrated with technological innovations in the AI and robotics fields, functionalized with modules including gradient descent-based optimization frameworks, multiple external field modulations, a real-time computer vision (CV) system, and automated guided vehicle (AGV) parts. AIR-Chem is portable and remotely controllable by cloud computing. AIR-Chem can learn the parametric procedures for given targets and carry on laboratory operations in standalone mode, with high reproducibility, precision, and availability for knowledge regeneration. Moreover, an improved nucleation theory of size focusing on inorganic perovskite quantum dots (IPQDs) is theoretically proposed and experimentally testified to by AIR-Chem. This work aims to boost the process of an unmanned chemistry laboratory from the synthesis of chemical materials to the analysis of physical chemical properties, and it provides a vivid demonstration for future chemistry reshaped by AI and robotics technology.

The effective removal of Congo Red using a bio-nanocluster: Fe3O4 nanoclusters modified bacteria.

A bio-nanocluster (Fe3O4@bacteria) was prepared by simply mixture using the bacterial suspension and Fe3O4 nanoclusters to remove Congo red (CR) contamination from water resources. The bio-nanocluster was characterized by SEM, TEM and XPS. Adsorption efficiency, adsorption process and adsorption mechanism were comprehensively investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) of CR dye onto the Fe3O4@bacteria peaked at 320.1 mg/g, which was 2.88 times that of Fe3O4 under the same condition. Based on the equilibrium and kinetic studies, the Langmuir isotherm theory and pseudo-first-order model is appropriate to describe the adsorption process. The adsorption of CR is spontaneous and exothermic according to the thermodynamics parameters (ΔGθ, ΔHθ and ΔSθ). The adsorption force dominated the Van der Waals force, biofloculation and chemisorption. The Fe3O4@bacteria could be applied potentially as an absorbent with high efficiency and environmentally friendly remediation of dyeing wastewater.