WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMERIC IONIC 5-FLUOROURACIL COMPLEX BASED ON METHACRYLIC ACID COPOLYMERS

Objective: The objective of this work was to obtain a water-soluble 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) polymeric complex on the basis of a methacrylic acid (MAA) copolymer to be used as an injectable chemotherapeutic agent. Methods: A polymeric carrier was synthesized using tert-butyl methacrylate (TBMA) as a monomer, thioglycolic acid, and azobisisobutyronitrile as a radical polymerization initiator. The polymer was converted by acid hydrolysis into a water-soluble copolymer of TBMA and MAA of 20: 80 mass%, respectively. The copolymer of TBMA and MAA was modified with 5-FU. Their formation was proved using IR and UV spectroscopy. The particle size of the 5-FU polymeric complex was estimated by turbidimetry, which is based on measuring the intensity of light transmitted through a disperse system. The release of 5-FU from the obtained ionic complexes by dialysis in vitro was evaluated. Results: Polymeric carriers were obtained with different amounts of 5-FU (5, 15, 25, 50 mol%). A high peak at λ = 266 nm was observed in the UV spectrum of the polymeric carrier (characteristic of 5-FU). The particle size was estimated at 13 nm for the complex with 5 mol% 5-FU and 26.8 n for the complex with 50 mol% 5-FU. The 5-FU release was estimated in two parallel experiments at 37 °C. One utilized a phosphate-citrate buffer with pH 5.0 to model the intracellular space and the other, a phosphate buffer with pH 7.4 to model the intravascular space. Two systems, with 5 and 15 mol% 5-FU, were chosen for testing. In both phosphate buffer and phosphate-citrate buffer, 5-FU was released from the polymeric complex with 5 mol% 5-FU approximately 1.3 times faster than from the complex containing 5 mol% 5-fluorouracil. The kinetics of 5-FU release from the polymeric complex (5 mol% 5-fluorouracil) showed that the 5-FU release was 77.9% in phosphate-citrate buffer and 59.6% in phosphate buffer over 52 h of dialysis. When the 5-FU release kinetics was studied with the polymeric complex containing 15 mol% 5-FU, the 5-FU release was 100.0% in phosphate-citrate buffer and 75.1% in phosphate buffer over 57 h of dialysis. Conclusion: Water-soluble nanoscale complexes of 5-FU with TBMA–MAA copolymers extend application of 5-FU, while its general toxicity might be lower. The complexes are sufficiently stable at pH 7.4 and readily release 5-FU at pH 5.0

Emended descriptions of Geobacillus thermoleovorans and Geobacillus thermocatenulatus

Nineteen thermophilic, aerobic, endospore-forming bacterial strains were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Eight of these strains had been received as cultures of Geobacillus kaustophilus, G. lituanicus, G. stearothermophilus, 'G. thermoleovorans subsp. stromboliensis', G. vulcani, 'Bacillus caldolyticus', 'B. caldotenax' and 'B. caldovelox', but they showed close relationships with the type strain of G. thermoleovorans, as did two other strains received as G. thermoleovorans. All strains underwent further taxonomic analysis by API and other phenotypic tests and fatty acid methyl ester analysis, and selected strains were analysed for their polar lipids and for DNA relatedness. The 11 strains that formed the G. thermoleovorans 16S rRNA cluster also showed some phenotypic similarities, and DNA relatedness data support the reassignment of the strains received as G. kaustophilus, G. lituanicus, 'G. thermoleovorans subsp. stromboliensis', G. vulcani, 'B. caldolyticus', 'B. caldotenax' and 'B. caldovelox', and one of the G. stearothermophilus strains, as members of the species G. thermoleovorans. Four other strains received as G. kaustophilus were misnamed; two were identified as G. stearothermophilus and two appeared to be closely related to Anoxybacillus rupiensis. One strain received as G. stearothermophilus remained unidentified. On the basis of a single strain, Geobacillus thermocatenulatus was shown to represent a distinct species, but study of the type strain of Geobacillus gargensis showed this species to be a later heterotypic synonym of Geobacillus thermocatenulatus. Emended descriptions of Geobacillus thermoleovorans and Geobacillus thermocatenulatus are therefore presented

Immunopharmacological Properties of Methacrylic Acid Polymers as Potential Polymeric Carrier Constituents of Anticancer Drugs

Cytostatic chemotherapeutics provide a classical means to treat cancer, but conventional treatments have not increased in efficacy in the past years, warranting a search for new approaches to therapy. The aim of the study was, therefore, to obtain methacrylic acid (MAA) (co)polymers and to study their immunopharmacological properties. 4-Cyano-4-[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl] pentanoic acid (CDSPA) and 2-cyano-2-propyl dodecyl trithiocarbonate (CPDT) were used as reversible chain transfer agents. Experiments were carried out in Wistar rats. The MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the polymeric systems on peritoneal macrophages. An experimental tumor model was obtained by grafting RMK-1 breast cancer cells. Serum cytokine levels of tumor-bearing rats were analyzed. The chain transfer agents employed in classical radical polymerization substantially reduced the molecular weight of the resulting polymers, but a narrow molecular weight distribution was achieved only with CDSPA and high CPDT concentrations. Toxicity was not observed when incubating peritoneal macrophages with polymeric systems. In tumor-bearing rats, the IL-10 concentration was 1.7 times higher and the IL-17 concentration was less than half that of intact rats. Polymeric systems decreased the IL-10 concentration and normalized the IL-17 concentration in tumor-bearing rats. The maximum effect was observed for a MAA homopolymer with a high molecular weight. The anion-active polymers proposed as carrier constituents are promising for further studies and designs of carrier constituents of drug derivatives

An Efficient Technique for Ammonia Capture in the Haber–Bosch Process Loop—Membrane-Assisted Gas Absorption

The present study continues the development and enhancement of a highly efficient unique hybrid technique—membrane-assisted gas absorption in designing the separation unit, which provides the improvement in mass-transfer of a target component during the ammonia capture process from a process loop of the Haber–Bosch technological route. In order to minimize the absorbent volume to membrane area ratio, the special separation cell was designed based on a combination of two types of hollow fiber membranes, dense gas separation membrane and porous pervaporation membrane. The separation performance tests were implemented under two sets of conditions, sweeping the bore (permeate) side of a cell with helium and hydrogen-nitrogen mix. For both cases, the membrane-assisted gas absorption cell demonstrated high separation efficiency, and the ammonia concentration in the permeate was never lower than 81 mol%; meanwhile, under the hydrogen-nitrogen bore sweep conditions, the ammonia concentration in the permeate reached 97.5 mol% in a single-step process. Nevertheless, there is a product purity–recovery rate trade-off, which is a typical issue for separation processes

Influenza Epidemiology And Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness During The 2016-2017 Season In The Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (Gihsn)

BackgroundThe Global Influenza Hospital Surveillance Network (GIHSN) aims to determine the burden of severe influenza disease and Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (IVE). This is a prospective, active surveillance and hospital-based epidemiological study to collect epidemiological data in the GIHSN. In the 2016-2017 influenza season, 15 sites in 14 countries participated in the GIHSN, although the analyses could not be performed in 2 sites. A common core protocol was used in order to make results comparable. Here we present the results of the GIHSN 2016-2017 influenza season.MethodsA RT-PCR test was performed to all patients that accomplished the requirements detailed on a common core protocol. Patients admitted were included in the study after signing the informed consent, if they were residents, not institutionalised, not discharged in the previous 30days from other hospitalisation with symptoms onset within the 7days prior to admission. Patients 5years old or more must also complied the Influenza-Like Illness definition. A test negative-design was implemented to perform IVE analysis. IVE was estimated using a logistic regression model, with the formula IVE=(1-aOR)x100, where aOR is the adjusted Odds Ratio comparing cases and controls.ResultsAmong 21,967 screened patients, 10,140 (46.16%) were included, as they accomplished the inclusion criteria, and tested, and therefore 11,827 (53.84%) patients were excluded. Around 60% of all patients included with laboratory results were recruited at 3 sites. The predominant strain was A(H3N2), detected in 63.6% of the cases (1840 patients), followed by B/Victoria, in 21.3% of the cases (618 patients). There were 2895 influenza positive patients (28.6% of the included patients). A(H1N1)pdm09 strain was mainly found in Mexico. IVE could only be performed in 6 sites separately. Overall IVE was 27.24 (95% CI 15.62-37.27. Vaccination seemed to confer better protection against influenza B and in people 2-4years, or 85years old or older. The aOR for hospitalized and testing positive for influenza was 3.02 (95% CI 1.59-5.76) comparing pregnant with non-pregnant women.ConclusionsVaccination prevented around 1 in 4 hospitalisations with influenza. Sparse numbers didn't allow estimating IVE in all sites separately. Pregnancy was found a risk factor for influenza, having 3 times more risk of being admitted with influenza for pregnant women.Wo