Thermo-sensitive composite microspheres incorporating cellulose nanocrystals for regulated drug release kinetics.

Thermo-sensitive composite microspheres (TPCP) were developed to achieve the on-demand release of drugs. The TPCP microspheres were synthesized using Oil-in-Water (O/W) emulsion evaporation technique and then impregnated with thermo-sensitive polyethylene glycol (PEG). The addition of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) significantly enhance thermal stability, crystallization ability, and surface hydrophilicity of TPCP microspheres due to heterogeneous nucleation effect and hydrogen bonding interaction, resulting in stable microsphere structure. The thermal degradation temperature (Tmax) increased by 13.8 °C, and the crystallinity improved by 20.9 % for 10 % TPCP. The thermo-sensitive composite microspheres showed the regulated cumulative release according to in vitro human physiological temperature changes. Besides, four release kinetics and possible release mechanism of TPCP microspheres were provided. Such thermo-responsive composite microspheres with control microsphere sizes and high encapsulation rate may have the potential to the development of on-demand and advanced controlled-release delivery systems.

Promising Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Derivatives; A Case Study for Preparations, Fabrication Mechanisms, and Applications in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Graphene (G) has been a game-changer for conductive optical devices and has shown promising aspects for its implementation in the power industry due to its diverse structures. Graphene has played an essential role as electrodes, hole transport layers (HTLs), electron transport layers (ETLs), and a chemical modulator for perovskite layers in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over the past decade. Nitrogen-doped graphene (N-DG) derivatives are frequently evaluated among the existing derivatives of graphene because of their versatility of design, easy synthesis process, and high throughput. This review presents a state-of-the-art overview of N-DG preparation methods, including wet chemical process, bombardment, and high thermal treatment methods. Furthermore, it focuses on different structures of N-DG derivatives and their various applications in PSC applications. Finally, the challenges and opportunities for N-DG derivatives for the continuous performance improvement of PSCs have been highlighted.

Magnetic cellulose nanocrystals hybrids reinforced phase change fiber composites with highly thermal energy storage efficiencies.

The intrinsic intermittence of solar energy raises the necessity for thermal energy storage (TES) systems to balance the contradiction between energy supply and demand energy. This work experimentally provides solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) with sufficient storage capacity and discharging rate to offer heating for agriculture products by enhancing heat transfer in phase change fiber composites (PCF). To achieve this, we prepared dipole responsive magnetic/solar-driven PCF composites reinforced with magnetic cellulose nanocrystals hybrids (MCNC). The obtained PCF/MCNC-5% showed excellent magnetic property with a saturation magnetization (MS) value of 1.3 emu/g and effective latent heat phase change enthalpies of 69.2 ± 3.5 J/g - 83.1 ± 4.2 J/g. More importantly, PCF/MCNC-5% showed robust high magnetic to thermal energy storage efficiency of 32.5 % and solar light accelerated energy storage efficiency of 58.5 %. These advantages make the PCF composites promising and more desirable for drying and preservation of the fruits and other agriculture products.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan-clay nanocomposites for the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution.

In the present study, chitosan assembled on gold and silver nanoparticles were prepared and characterized by UV-vis, TEM, EDX and DLS techniques. The nanocomposites chitosan (Ch)/clay, chitosan (Ch)/AgNPs/clay and chitosan (Ch)/AuNPs/clay were prepared by solution mixing method and characterized by FTIR, XRD, and SEM techniques. The adsorption of copper(II) ions onto the prepared hybrid composites from an aqueous solution using batch adsorption was examined. The results showed that benefiting from the surface property of clay, the abundant amino and hydroxyl functional groups of chitosan, the adsorbent provides adequate and versatile adsorption for the Cu(II) ions under investigation. The batch adsorption experiments showed that the adsorption of the Cu(II) is considerably dependent on pH of milieu, the amount of adsorbent, and contact time. Batch adsorption studies revealed that the adsorption capacity of Cu(II) increased with increase in initial concentration and contact time with optimum pH in the range around neutral. The maximum uptake of Cu(II) ions by (Ch)/AgNPs/clay composite was found to be 181.5mg/g. The adsorption efficiency of Cu(II) ions by prepared (Ch)/AgNPs/clay and (Ch)/AuNPs/clay is bigger than that the individual chitosan (Ch)/clay composite which clarifies the role of metal nanoparticles in enhancement the adsorption characters. The study suggests that the (Ch)/AgNPs/clay hybrid composite is a promising nano-adsorbent for the removal of Cu(II) ions from aqueous solution.

Highly selective BTX from catalytic fast pyrolysis of lignin over supported mesoporous silica.

The post synthesis of Al(3+) or Zr(4+) substituted MCM-48 framework with controlled acidity is challenging because the functional groups exhibiting acidity often jeopardize the framework integrity. Herein, we report the post-synthesis of two hierarchically porous MCM-48 composed of either aluminum (Al(3+)) or zirconium (Zr(4+)) clusters with high throughput. All prepared catalysts have been characterized by HR-TEM, XRD, IR, N2-adsorption, NH3-TPD, TGA and MAS NMR. They exhibit BET surface areas of 597 and 1112m(2)g(-1) for 8.4% Al/MCM-48 and 2.9% Zr/MCM-48, respectively. XRD analysis reveals that the hierarchical porosity of parental MCM-48 is reserved even after incorporation of Al(3+)or Zr(4+). Zr/MCM-48 catalysts are demonstrate a superior performance versus that of Al/MCM-48 and MCM-48 because of the mild (ZrO2) or nil (SiO2) Lewis acidity contributed from Zr-µ2-O group as well as smaller pore sizes suitable for the restriction of unwanted side reactions. The reaction conditions which were affecting the catalytic pyrolysis and final products were gas flow rate, pyrolysis temperature, and catalyst to lignin ratio. A total of 49% of BTX product were obtained over 2.9% Zr/MCM-48 at 600°C. The Lewis acid character was the governing factor which helps in pyrolysis and directly affects the BTX formation.

pH-sensitive sodium alginate hydrogels for riboflavin controlled release.

Sodium alginate (SA) grafted with polyglycidyl methacrylate hydrogels (PGMA-g-SA) was prepared as pH sensitive drug delivery matrices for riboflavin (RF). The hydrogel copolymer matrices were compared with calcium alginate (CA) beads for swelling, degradation, entrapment efficiency and in vitro release of RF. The structure, surface morphology of the CA beads and the prepared hydrogels as well as the chemical stability of the encapsulated drug were characterized by FT-IR and SEM, respectively. The results demonstrate that the optimal formulation was achieved with PGMA-g-SA proportion of (0.75 mol/1 g) and loaded RF 0.03 g. It has been observed that the in vitro release study of RF from this formulation was superior to the other ones and was able to maintain the release for ∼3 and 4 days for the simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and simulated gastric fluid (SGF), respectively. In general, it has been shown that, GMA grafted onto SA enhanced drug entrapment efficiency, decreased swelling and degradation behaviors of the carrier. In addition, it slowed and controlled the release of RF from the PGMA-g-SA hydrogel compared with pure SA beads crosslinked with Ca2+ ions alone, which thereby provides a facile and effective method to improve the drug delivery systems.

Regulation of interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) gene expression by cAMP in differentiated retinoblastoma cells.

PURPOSE: To determine the mechanism of cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulation of the interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) gene in retinoblastoma cells. METHODS: WERI-Rb1 cells pretreated with laminin or grown on poly-D-lysine-coated substratum for three days were treated with forskolin/3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthin (IBMX) or with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). During a time course of 96 h, cell morphologies were determined by light microscopy, cellular cAMP levels measured by radioimmunoassay, and IRBP and b-actin gene expression determined by Northern blot and RNase protection analyses. IRBP expression and b-actin gene expression in these cells were also determined in the presence or absence of actinomycin D or cycloheximide. RESULTS: After laminin treatment for 3 days, 27-34% of WERI-Rb1 cells differentiated into spindle shapes. Further forskolin treatment in the presence of IBMX for 5 days resulted in many cells exhibiting the formation of long, ramifying, neurite-like processes that were abolished by an inhibitor of protein kinase A. Cells grown on poly-D-lysine-coated substratum treated with forskolin remained undifferentiated. Treatment of laminin-pretreated cells with forskolin/IBMX, but not with DMSO/IBMX, raised the cAMP level 15-fold within the first hour of treatment. Northern blot analysis of these cells showed a rapid increase of IRBP mRNA, but not b-actin mRNA, reaching a maximum of about 3-fold at 6-8 h. A similar increase of IRBP mRNA was observed using RNase protection analysis except that the maximum was observed at 2-4 h. Actinomycin D blocked this IRBP mRNA induction. Cycloheximide had no effect in this induction. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that laminin induces WERI-Rb1 cell differentiation and cAMP provokes the formation of long ramifying neurite-like processes. Forskolin selectively induces IRBP gene expression in the laminin-treated cells through a cAMP-mediated pathway without de novo protein synthesis.

An immunocytochemical study of the routes of secretion of collagen and phosphophoryn from odontoblasts into dentin.

Polyclonal antibodies to rat incisor phosphophoryns and to the amino-telopeptide of the alpha1 (I)-chain of type I collagen were used to follow the pathways of movement of collagen I (COL1) and phosphophoryns (PP) from synthesis in the odontoblast to secretion into the mineralized dentin. The antibodies were detected at the transmission electron microscopic level by their reaction with Protein A-colloidal gold conjugates. Special care was given in specimen preparation to retention of maximal antigenicity during fixation while maintaining cellular and extracellular ultrastructure at the mineralization front (MF) in nondemineralized sections. Intracellularly, COL1 and PP were detected within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the Golgi (G) and secretory granules (SG). However, as determined by double-immunolabeling with different size gold particles the COL1 and PP were not found together within the same ER, G or SG compartments. PP was localized within the tubular ER, round-shaped transitional vesicles, the Golgi and in narrow asymmetric SG. These asymmetric SG were found in abundance in the odontoblastic process. PP secretion from these vesicles was near the MF at the predentin-dentin boundary. COL1 was localized within rosette form ER compartments, the Golgi and in large, distinctive SG. COL1 was deposited at the cell-predentin boundary. No COL1 SG were seen within the odontoblastic process near the MF. In the region of the MF, prior to mineralization, the PP was localized along the surfaces of the COL1 fibrils of the predentin. The mineral phase etched surfaces revealed both COL1- and abundant mineral-associated PP. These data support the hypotheses that, in dentin, the interaction between COL1 and PP may initiate crystal nucleation and that additional interactions between PP and the growing crystals may modulate the crystal growth pattern and crystal size.

Cheese Slurry in the Acceleration of Cephalotyre "Ras" Cheese Ripening.

A method has been adopted for the acceleration of Cephalotyre "Ras" cheese ripening. Ras cheese slurry incubated at 30° C for 7 d was added to cheese milk before addition of the starter or to the cheese curd before hooping. Flavor development. protein degradation and fat hydrolysis were enhanced in cheeses with added slurry. Moreover, the ripening period was reduced to 2 months compared with 4 months required for the control cheese. The effect of cheese slurry was more remarkable when it was added to the curd.