Multifaceted Mechanisms of Action of Metformin Which Have Been Unraveled One after Another in the Long History

While there are various kinds of drugs for type 2 diabetes mellitus at present, in this review article, we focus on metformin which is an insulin sensitizer and is often used as a first-choice drug worldwide. Metformin mainly activates adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in the liver which leads to suppression of fatty acid synthesis and gluconeogenesis. Metformin activates AMPK in skeletal muscle as well, which increases translocation of glucose transporter 4 to the cell membrane and thereby increases glucose uptake. Further, metformin suppresses glucagon signaling in the liver by suppressing adenylate cyclase which leads to suppression of gluconeogenesis. In addition, metformin reduces autophagy failure observed in pancreatic β-cells under diabetic conditions. Furthermore, it is known that metformin alters the gut microbiome and facilitates the transport of glucose from the circulation into excrement. It is also known that metformin reduces food intake and lowers body weight by increasing circulating levels of the peptide hormone growth/differentiation factor 15 (GDF15). Furthermore, much attention has been drawn to the fact that the frequency of various cancers is lower in subjects taking metformin. Metformin suppresses the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) by activating AMPK in pre-neoplastic cells, which leads to suppression of cell growth and an increase in apoptosis in pre-neoplastic cells. It has been shown recently that metformin consumption potentially influences the mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19). Taken together, metformin is an old drug, but multifaceted mechanisms of action of metformin have been unraveled one after another in its long history.     

High growth rate process in a SiC horizontal CVD reactor using HCl

The results of a new epitaxial process using an industrial 6 × 2″ wafer reactor with the introduction of HCl during the growth have been reported. A complete reduction of silicon nucleation in the gas phase has been observed even for high silicon dilution parameters (Si/H₂ > 0.05%) and an increase of the growth rate until about 20 μm/h has been measured. Photoluminescence at room temperature and at 50 K was used for defects quantification and distribution. On these wafers grown using HCl high voltage Schottky diodes have been realized. The diodes were analyzed by current-voltage (I-V) characteristics.     

Single and combined deactivating effect of alkali metals and HCl on commercial SCR catalysts

Two commercial SCR catalysts, with a nominal W content of about 9 wt.% and a V nominal content of 0.55 and 1.8 wt.%, respectively, were contacted with different amounts of Na and K and with HCl vapours in order to simulate poisoning by species more specifically contained in exhaust gases from MSW combustion. Catalysts were characterised using XRD analysis, SEM/EDX analysis, BET and pore size distribution measurements, NH₃ TPD, TG analysis. Poisoning agents do not cause loss of surface area nor pore occlusion. A significant loss of surface acidity was observed upon alkali metals poisoning whereas a decreasing of vanadium content was observed for the more concentrated catalysts upon HCl poisoning. Catalysts deactivation is proportional to the number of acid sites neutralised by alkali metals adsorbing ammonia in the temperature range typical of SCR process. HCl promotes the formation of new acid sites showing a lower activity compared to the original one.     

Preparation,characterization and in vitro drug release properties of polytrimethylene carbonate/polyadipic anhydride blend microspheres

Polyadipic anhydride (PAA), an aliphatic polyanhydride, and polytrimethylene carbonate (PTMC), an aliphatic polycarbonate, were synthesized via ring opening polymerization of oxepan‐2,7‐dione and melt‐condensation of trimethylene carbonate (1,3 dioxan‐2‐one), respectively. PTMC–PAA blend microspheres containing different ratios of buprenorphine HCl (2, 5, and 10%) were prepared by an oil‐in‐oil emulsion solvent removal method. Microspheres with different ratios of PTMC–PAA (85/15, 70/30, and 55/45) containing 5% buprenorphine HCl were prepared. Microspheres were spherical with visible cracks and pores on the surface. The average particle size of microspheres was around 200 μm for all microspheres. Drug loading efficiency of PTMC–PAA microspheres (85/15, 70/30, and 55/45) was 97.2, 95.2, and 70.2%, respectively. With the increase in the PTMC ratio, the melting point and the enthalpy of melting were both decreased. The mechanism for drug release from PTMC–PAA blend microspheres were generally a combination of drug diffusion through polymers and biodegradation of the polymers. In first three days, the release from microspheres followed zero order kinetics and was dependent on the PAA content. After three days the drug release from microspheres followed first order kinetics. In conclusion it was demonstrated that buprenorphine HCl release from microspheres could be successfully controlled by using different ratios of PTMC–PAA blends. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 2377–2383, 2006     

The inhibitive effect of poly(p‐toluidine) on corrosion of iron in 1M HCL solutions

In recent years, polymer amines have been recognized as an excellent corrosion inhibitors for iron in acid solutions. In this work, the inhibitive effect of p‐toluidine and poly(p‐toluidine) on corrosion of iron in 1M HCl has been studied by the electrochemical methods such as impedance, linear polarization, Tafel polarization techniques. The effectiveness of poly(p‐toluidine) was found to be high in comparison with that of monomer. The results showed that p‐toluidine and poly(p‐toluidine) suppressed both cathodic and anodic processes of iron dissolution in 1M HCl. The inhibition efficiency of both p‐toluidine and poly(p‐toluidine) were found to increase with the inhibitor concentrations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007     

浅谈电厂凝汽器应用化学清洗的优点

叙述了凝汽器铜管化学清洗的优点和在清洗过程中必须注意的几个问题，并且用实例进一步说明化学清洗还能够有效防止凝汽器铜管的腐蚀     

聚四氟乙烯在烃化器上的应用

应用四氟衬里技术，成功地解决AlCl3液相法制乙苯存在的HCI对烃化器的腐蚀。     

Fe和两种工业钢在500℃含氯气氛中ZnCl2-KCl盐膜下的腐蚀

研究了纯Fe,NF616和SS304钢在500℃含氯气氛中ZnCl2-KCl盐膜下的腐蚀行为.结果表明,3种材料都发生了加速腐蚀,生成了较厚的氧化膜,且在氧化膜与基体金属之间出现了熔融状氯化物混合盐.此外,合金在此环境中的抗腐蚀性随其Cr含量的提高而显著提高,这是在腐蚀过程中氧化膜内层出现了Fe-Cr尖晶石或Cr2O3阻挡了金属离子快速向外扩散的结果.讨论了材料发生加速腐蚀的机制.     

Corrosion of Three Commercial Steels Under ZnCl2 –KCl Deposits in a Reducing Atmosphere Containing HCl and H2S at 400–500°C

The corrosion of three commercial steels in a reducing atmosphere containing HCl plus H₂S in the presence of ZnCl₂–KCl deposits has been investigated at 400–500°C and compared with the corrosion of the same materials in a similar gas mixture free from H₂S. The presence of H₂S in the gas accelerated the corrosion of the three commercial steels beneath ZnCl₂–KCl deposits. All materials suffered from severe corrosion with partial detachment and spalling of the external scales. Degradation of the steels resulted from the penetration of chlorine-containing species through the scale formed initially down to the metal matrix, because chorine-rich species were detected close to the alloy/scale interface. Although the corrosion resistance generally increased with increasing Cr content, even the high-Cr stainless steel SS304 is still unable to provide good corrosion resistance against the ZnCl₂–KCl deposits in the presence of H₂S due to the bad adherence of the scales to the alloy. The mechanisms of attack are discussed on the basis of thermodynamic considerations and of the active-oxidation model.     

Liquid phase hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols over Pd/C and Pd/Al2O3: a consideration of HCl/catalyst interactions and solution pH effects

The liquid phase hydrodechlorination (HDC) of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) has been studied over 1% (w/w) Pd/C and Pd/Al₂O₃ under conditions of minimal mass transport constraints. The HDC of 2,4-DCP generated HCl and 2-CP as the only intermediate partially dechlorinated product which reacts further to yield phenol; cyclohexanone was formed over Pd/Al₂O₃, but not over Pd/C, prior to complete dechlorination. Pd/Al₂O₃ is characterized (on the basis of TEM analysis) by a narrow distribution of smaller Pd particles to give a surface area weighted mean particle DIAMETER = 2.4 nm that is appreciably lower than the value of 13.2 nm established for Pd/C, where the latter is characterized by a broader distribution of larger (spherical) particles. The addition of NaOH served to increase fractional dechlorination by suppressing HDC inhibition due to the HCl that is generated. Reuse of the catalysts revealed an appreciable deactivation of Pd/C and a limited loss of activity in the case of Pd/Al₂O₃. Deactivation of Pd/C can be linked to a decrease (up to ca. 60%) in the initial BET surface area allied to appreciable leaching (up to ca. 40%) of the starting Pd content through the corrosive action of HCl and, while the average Pd diameter is essentially unaffected, there is evidence of a preferred leaching of larger Pd particles. The stronger metal/support interactions prevalent in Pd/Al₂O₃ results in limited Pd leaching and comparable initial HDC activities during catalyst reuse with/without NaOH addition. Inclusion of HCl in the reaction mixture (pH 5–1.5) resulted in a marked decline in the initial HDC rate associated with Pd/Al₂O₃ and a lesser drop in HDC activity for Pd/C. The difference in response to bulk solution pH variations are discussed in terms of the nature of the reactive species in solution and the amphoteric behavior of the Pd supports.