Targeting of Glycosaminoglycans in Genetic and Inflammatory Airway Disease

In the lung, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are dispersed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) occupying the interstitial space between the capillary endothelium and the alveolar epithelium, in the sub-epithelial tissue and in airway secretions. In addition to playing key structural roles, GAGs contribute to a number of physiologic processes ranging from cell differentiation, cell adhesion and wound healing. Cytokine and chemokine–GAG interactions are also involved in presentation of inflammatory molecules to respective receptors leading to immune cell migration and airway infiltration. More recently, pathophysiological roles of GAGs have been described. This review aims to discuss the biological roles and molecular interactions of GAGs, and their impact in the pathology of chronic airway diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Moreover, the role of GAGs in respiratory disease has been heightened by the current COVID-19 pandemic. This review underlines the essential need for continued research aimed at exploring the contribution of GAGs in the development of inflammation, to provide a better understanding of their biological impact, as well as leads in the development of new therapeutic agents.     

Removal of Sulfate and Metals from Wastewater of a Mining Enterprise by a Dual Sorbent System: A Case Study

This paper presents the results of wastewater treatment at a mining enterprise developing a complex ore deposit in the Murmansk region, Russia. The main pollutants are sulfate, manganese, and strontium. For this complex wastewater treatment, a two-stage scheme was proposed and tested using two sorbents (at a pH of 6): an aminated peat biosorbent to remove sulfate and a commercial sorbent based on the mineral brucite to remove metals. Optimal conditions were established for purifying the wastewater of sulfate and manganese and strontium ions to the level of maximum available concentrations in water bodies for fishery purposes.

     

Ionic Thermoelectric Properties of Reconstructed Lamellar Vanadium Pentoxide Membranes

In recent years, the application of ionic thermoelectric (TE) materials to convert low-grade waste heat into electricity has become a subject of intense scientific research. However, most of the efforts are focused on organic polyelectrolytes or ionic-liquids embedded in polymeric gels. Here, for the first time, it is demonstrated that nanofluidic membranes of reconstructed layered materials like vanadium pentoxide (V₂O₅) exhibit excellent ionic-TE characteristics. The high Seebeck coefficient (S = 14.5 ± 0.5 mV K^-1) of the V₂O₅ membrane (VO-M) is attributed to temperature gradient-induced unidirectional transport of protons through the percolated network of 2D nanofluidic channels. The TE characteristics of VO-M show nearly 80% improvement (S = 26.3 ± 0.7 mV K^-1) upon functionalizing its percolated network with ionic polymers like poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS). Further, unlike organic polymer-based TE systems, VO-M not only sustains exposure to high temperatures (≈200 °C, 5 min) but also protects the PSS molecules intercalated into its interlayer space. Moreover, V₂O₅-based TE materials can self-repair any damage to their physical structure with the help of a tiny water droplet. Thus, nanofluidic membranes of reconstructed layered materials like VO-Ms demonstrate vast robustness and great ionic-TE performance, which can provide a novel platform for scientific studies and futuristic applications.