Controllable Drug-Release Ratio and Rate of Doxorubicin-Loaded Natural Composite Films Based on Polysaccharides: Evaluation of Transdermal Permeability Potential.

In drug delivery systems, it is crucial to develop a drug carrier capable of regulating both the drug-release rate and the drug-release ratio. This study proposes a method for controlling the drug-release ratio/rate using doxorubicin-loaded natural composite films composed of polysaccharides (cellulose, chitin, chitosan, or cellulose nanocrystal) and mineral substances (MMT: montmorillonite). We succeeded in controlling the doxorubicin release ratio from 25 to 88% depending on the natural polysaccharide.

Platinum(II) terpyridine-based supramolecular polymer gels with induced chirality.

Metal-ligand binding plays a crucial role in regulating the photophysical properties of supramolecular gels. In this study, we designed 1-Pt complexes comprising a central benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide unit functionalized with three terpyridines, which can form supramolecular gels with Pt(II). The resulting supramolecular gel of 1-Pt exhibited strong orange emission, which was attributed to the metal-to-metal ligand charge transfer during gel formation.

Controlled Release of Drug-Encapsulated Protein Films with Various Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Concentrations.

Protein-based drug carriers are ideal drug-delivery platforms because of their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low toxicity. Many types and shapes of protein-based platforms, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, films, and minipellets, have been prepared to deliver drug molecules. In this study, protein films containing the desired amounts of doxorubicin (DOX) as cancer drugs were developed using a simple mixing method.

Drug-Loaded Biocompatible Chitosan Polymeric Films with Both Stretchability and Controlled Release for Drug Delivery.

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide with the advantageous qualities of biocompatibility and biodegradability, and it has recently been spotlighted as a soft material for a sustainable society. Advantages such as these are in demand for application in various biomaterials. Although extensive studies have been conducted on the preparation of chitosan films, overcoming the problems of weak mechanical properties remains a significant barrier.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence Active Supramolecular Nanotubes Based on Pt Complexes That Undergo Dynamic Morphological Transformation and Helicity Inversion.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with tunable chirality is currently a challenging issue in the development of supramolecular nanomaterials. We herein report the formation of helical nanoribbons which grow into helical tubes through dynamic helicity inversion. For this, chiral Pt complexes of terpyridine derivatives, namely S-trans-1 and R-trans-1, with respective S- and R-alanine subunits and incorporating trans-double bonds in the alkyl chain were prepared.

In Situ Supramolecular Gel Formed by Cyclohexane Diamine with Aldehyde Derivative.

Low-molecular-weight gels have great potential for use in a variety of fields, including petrochemicals, healthcare, and tissue engineering. These supramolecular gels are frequently metastable, implying that their properties are kinetically controlled to some extent. Here, we report on the in situ supramolecular gel formation by mixing 1,3-cyclohexane diamine () and isocyanate derivative () without any catalysis at room temperature in various organic solvents.

Kahweol Induces Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Inhibiting the Src/mTOR/STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Kahweol, a coffee-specific diterpene, induces apoptosis in human cancer cells, and some targets of kahweol-mediated apoptosis have been identified. However, the specific apoptotic effects and mechanism of action of kahweol in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells are unknown. This study was performed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which kahweol induces apoptosis in HCC cells.

Simple Formation of Cancer Drug-Containing Self-Assembled Hydrogels with Temperature and pH-Responsive Release.

The purpose of a drug delivery system is to efficiently deliver drugs to a desired target, while simultaneously reducing the side effects caused by these drugs and maximizing their efficacy. However, in the manufacture of a drug delivery system, it is difficult to control the amount of drug encapsulation. In this study, we developed a simple formation process of self-assembled hydrogels that made it easier to package the desired amount of anticancer drugs.

Beryllium-Ion-Selective PEDOT Solid Contact Electrode Based on 9,10-Dinitrobenzo-9-Crown-3-Ether.

A beryllium(II)-ion-selective poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) solid contact electrode comprising 9,10-dinitrobenzo-9-crown-3-ether was successfully developed. The all-solid-state contact electrode, with an oxygen-containing cation-sensing membrane combined with an electropolymerized PEDOT layer, exhibited the best response characteristics. The performance of the constructed electrode was evaluated and optimized using potentiometry, conductance measurements, constant-current chronopotentiometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

Kahweol activates the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway by decreasing Keap1 expression independently of p62 and autophagy pathways.

Kahweol is a diterpene found in coffee beans and unfiltered coffee drinks. Several studies have demonstrated that kahweol induces the nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2/ hemeoxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1) pathway; however, the mechanisms involved are currently unknown. Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) is a major regulator of Nrf2 expression and is degraded mostly by autophagy.

Bispicolyamine-Based Supramolecular Polymeric Gels Induced by Distinct Different Driving Forces with and Without Zn.

Metal-coordination polymeric gels are interesting areas as organic/inorganic hybrid supramolecular materials. The bispicolylamine (BPA) based gelator () showed excellent gelation with typical fibrillar morphology in acetonitrile. Upon complexing with Zn, complexes ([ + Zn + ACN] and [ + zinc trifluoromethanesulfonate (ZnOTf)]) with four coordination numbers were formed, which determine the gel structure significantly.

Monodisperse Micelles with Aggregation Numbers Related to Platonic Solids.

Recent studies show that calix[4]arene-based micelles are monodisperse with defined N values chosen from 4, 6, 8, 12, 20, and 32. Interestingly, all these numbers coincide with the face numbers of Platonic solids, so they are called "Platonic micelles." As long as a certain geometric condition is fulfilled, any amphiphilic molecule can form a Platonic micelle.

Synthesis and characterization of nanoemulsion-mediated core crosslinked nanoparticles, and in vivo pharmacokinetics depending on the structural characteristics.

For designing nanoparticles as drug carriers, a covalently crosslinked structure is necessary for the structural stability in vivo. In this study, we prepared core crosslinked nanoparticles through the formation of nanoemulsions stabilized by poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-bearing surfactants. The structural characteristics of these particles were carefully evaluated using small-angle scattering techniques including dynamic, static, X-ray, and neutron scattering.

Structural Polymorphism of Resorcinarene Assemblies.

In 1997, a study based on X-ray crystallography revealed that resorcinarenes adopt a hexameric capsule-like structure. The function of resorcinarenes has been discussed on the basis of this structure; however, our recent study showed that the hexamer may be only one of resorcinarenes' polymorphic members. Here, we present the solvent dependence of the aggregation number of -undecylresorcinarene in water-saturated toluene and chloroform using small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering and analytical ultracentrifugation measurements.

Bundling Process of Citrulline Polypeptides upon UCST-Type Phase Separation.

Ureido-modified poly(l-citrulline) (l-ornithine--l-citrulline denoted by PlOC) shows UCST-type phase separation behavior even under physiologically relevant conditions, which forms an α-helix structure above its phase separation temperature () but transforms into a solid-like aggregation composed of regular hexagonal packed cylinders below the . This morphological transformation is characteristic of the phase separation behavior, but the mechanism behind it has remained incompletely understood. Here, we studied the phase separation behavior using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements.

Src Inhibition Attenuates Liver Fibrosis by Preventing Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation and Decreasing Connetive Tissue Growth Factor.

The SRC kinase family comprises non-receptor tyrosine kinases that are ubiquitously expressed in all cell types. Although Src is reportedly activated in pulmonary and renal fibrosis, little is known regarding its role in liver fibrosis. This study investigated whether the inhibition of Src protects against liver fibrosis.

Finely Controlled Circularly Polarized Luminescence of a Mechano-Responsive Supramolecular Polymer.

Finely controlled circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) supramolecular polymerization based on a tetraphenylethene core with four l- or d-alanine branch side chains (l-1 and d-1) in the solution state is presented, resulting from the tuning of mechanical stimulus. Weak, green emissions of l-1 and d-1 in tetrahydrofuran (THF) were converted into strong blue emissions by tuning the mechanical stimulus. The strong blue emissions were caused by an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect during the formation of a supramolecular polymer.

Terpyridine-based complex nanofibers with Eu as a highly selective chemical probes for UO.

Uranyl is a radioactive, toxic pollutant commonly found in the waste remaining after nuclear fuel reprocessing, and it poses several types of risks to human health; therefore, developing absorbents and chemical probes for this compound is crucial to overcoming these issues. This study examined the sensing abilities of terpyridine-appended benzenetricarboxyamide (T-BTA) as a chromogenic probe for detecting uranyl ions (UO). The complex with Eu (1-Eu) spontaneously formed nanostructured fibers in HO owing to the triamide groups of T-BTA, which induced intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions.

Monodisperse micelles composed of poly(ethylene glycol) attached surfactants: platonic nature in a macromolecular aggregate.

Among the many studies on micelles, dating back more than 100 years, we first found a series of monodisperse micelles: spherical micelles made from calix[4]arene surfactants exhibited monodispersity in aggregation number (Nagg) with values of 4, 6, 8, 12, and 20. We named these Platonic micelles because these values coincided with the face numbers of the Platonic solids. The preferred Nagg values were explained in relation to the mathematical Tammes problem: how to obtain the best coverage of a sphere surface with multiple identical circles.

Spectroscopic Study of the Salicyladazine Derivative⁻UO Complex and Its Immobilization to Mesoporosorous Silica.

Uranyl ion, the most soluble toxic uranium species, is recognized as an important index for monitoring nuclear wastewater quality. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed 30 ppb as the allowable concentration of uranyl ion in drinking water. This paper reports on a nanohybrid material that can detect uranyl ions spectroscopically and act as a uranyl ion absorbent in an aqueous system.

Observing the Kinetic Pathway of Nanotube Formation from Bolaamphiphiles by Time-Resolved Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

We investigated the formation kinetics of a single monolayer nanotube from bolaamphiphiles (consisting of a sugar residue, an alkyl chain, and an amino group) in solution. In this bolaamphiphile, a transition from a monomerically dispersed state to the nanotube takes place by changing the solvent condition. This transition was induced by fast mixing with a stopped-flow apparatus.