Ocular permeability of pirenzepine hydrochloride enhanced by methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D, L-lactide) block copolymer

Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide) block copolymer was tested as an ocular permeation enhancer for pirenzepine hydrochloride. The block copolymers with the methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) to poly(D,L-lactide) weight ratio of 80/20, 50/50, 40/60 were synthesized by a ring-opening polymerization procedure. In vitro transcorneal experiments demonstrated that the block copolymer 80/20 significantly enhanced the transcorneal permeation of pirenzepine at the mass ratio of 1/1.4 (pirenzepine hydrochloride/copolymer). Interaction between pirenzepine and copolymer was identified by infrared spectroscopy analysis and dialysis experiments. Ocular pharmacokinetics of pirenzepine/copolymer preparation by in vivo instillation experiments confirmed that block copolymer could enhance the ocular penetration of pirenzepine. Ocular chronic toxicity experiments of block copolymer and pirenzepine/copolymer preparation were studied on rabbits, and no significant toxicity in both groups was observed within 9 months. It could conclude that pirenzepine/copolymer preparation is effective and safe in ocular delivery of pirenzepine.     

An Investigation of PS‐b‐PEO Polymersomes for the Oral Treatment and Diagnosis of Hyperammonemia

Ammonia‐scavenging transmembrane pH‐gradient poly(styrene)‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide) polymersomes are investigated for the oral treatment and diagnosis of hyperammonemia, a condition associated with serious neurologic complications in patients with liver disease as well as in infants with urea cycle disorders. While these polymersomes are highly stable in simulated intestinal fluids at extreme bile salt and osmolality conditions, they unexpectedly do not reduce plasmatic ammonia levels in cirrhotic rats after oral dosing. Incubation in dietary fiber hydrogels mimicking the colonic environment suggests that the vesicles are probably destabilized during the dehydration of the intestinal chyme. The findings question the relevance of commonly used simulated intestinal fluids for studying vesicular stability. With the encapsulation of a pH‐sensitive dye in the polymersome core, the local pH increase upon ammonia influx could be exploited to assess the ammonia concentration in the plasma of healthy and cirrhotic rats as well as in other fluids. Due to its high sensitivity and selectivity, this polymersome‐based assay could prove useful in the monitoring of hyperammonemic patients and in other applications such as drug screening tests.     

聚醚共聚酰胺多层复合气体分离膜的制备及其分离性能

采用浸渍涂覆法,以聚醚共聚酰胺PEBA1074嵌段高分子为选择层膜材料制备具有超薄分离层的PEI/PDMS/PEBA1074/PDMS多层复合气体分离膜,探讨了操作条件对H2、N2、CH4和CO2等在多层复合膜中的渗透性能的影响.多层复合膜对极性气体具有较高的渗透通量,并且对极性/非极性气体分离体系具有较高的选择性.CO2对多层复合膜存在增塑作用,其渗透通量随操作压力的增加而增加;随着操作温度的升高,H2、N2、CH4和CO2在复合膜中的渗透通量显著增大,而CO2/非极性气体(H2、N2和CH4)的分离系数减小.气体渗透通量与温度的关系在PEO链段熔点的上下分别满足不同的Arrhenius方程.当操作温度大于PEO链段熔点温度时,气体的渗透活化能减小.     

Mechanical properties of graphene and graphene-based nanocomposites

In this present review, the current status of the intrinsic mechanical properties of the graphene-family of materials along with the preparation and properties of bulk graphene-based nanocomposites is thoroughly examined. The usefulness of Raman spectroscopy for the characterization and study of the mechanical properties of graphene flakes and their composites is clearly exhibited. Furthermore, the preparation strategies of bulk graphene-based nanocomposites are discussed and the mechanical properties of nanocomposites reported in the literature are analysed. In particular, through the analyse of several hundred literature papers on graphene composites, we have found a unique correlation between the filler modulus, derived from the rule of mixtures, and the composite matrix. This correlation is found to hold true across a wide range of polymer matrices and thus suggests that the common assumption that the filler modulus is independent of the matric is incorrect, explaining the apparent under performance of graphene in some systems. The presence of graphene even at very low loadings can provide significant reinforcement to the final material, while the parameters that affect the nanocomposite strongly are thoroughly reviewed. Finally, the potential applications and future perspectives are discussed with regard to scale up capabilities and possible developments of graphene-based nanocomposite materials.     

Drug self-assembly: A phenomenon at the nanometer scale with major impact in the structure–biological properties relationship and the treatment of disease

Under water-rich conditions, small amphiphilic and hydrophobic drug molecules self-assemble into supramolecular nanostructures. Thus, substantial modifications in their interaction with cellular structures and the ability to reach intracellular targets could happen. Additionally, drug aggregates could be more toxic than the non-aggregated counterparts, or vice versa. Moreover, since self-aggregation reduces the number of effective “monomeric” molecules that interact with the target, the drug potency could be underestimated. In other cases, the activity could be ascribed to the non-aggregated molecule while it stems from its aggregates. Thus, drug self-assembly could mislead from drug throughput screening assays to advanced preclinical and clinical trials. Finally, aggregates could serve as crystallization nuclei. The impact that this phenomenon has on the biological performance of active compounds, the inconsistent and often controversial nature of the published data and the need for recommendations/guidelines as preamble of more harmonized research protocols to characterize drug self-aggregation were main motivations for this review. First, the key molecular and environmental parameters governing drug self-aggregation, the main drug families for which this phenomenon and the methods used for its characterization are described. Then, promising nanotechnology platforms investigated to prevent/control it towards a more efficient drug development process are briefly discussed.