Enhanced skin delivery of vismodegib-loaded rigid liposomes combined with ethosomes

Vismodegib, first approved in 2012 for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, is an inhibitor of the Hedgehog signaling pathway that becomes active in certain tumors. However, its secondary effects after oral administration and systemic distribution are severe. In this study, we loaded vismodegib into conventional liposomes, which are typically unable to penetrate the stratum corneum barrier effectively after topical application. We studied its skin penetration when coadministered with empty ethosomes, aimed at transiently disrupting the skin impermeability. The drug was successfully recovered from the deeper viable epidermal layers in an in vitro model. The preparation method for the liposomal formulation is reproducible and relatively straightforward to scale up. Furthermore, it involves the use of biocompatible lipids, thus avoiding the utilization of potentially risky compounds.Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología CelularInstituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y AplicadasComisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la provincia de Buenos Aire

Hubs and clusters approach to unlock the development of carbon capture and storage - Case study in Spain

Many countries have assigned an indispensable role for carbon capture and storage (CCS) in their national climate change mitigation pathways. However, CCS deployment has stalled in most countries with only limited commercial projects realised mainly in hydrocarbon-rich countries for enhanced oil recovery. If the Paris Agreement is to be met, then this progress must be replicated widely, including hydrocarbon-limited countries. In this study, we present a novel source-to-sink assessment methodology based on a hubs and clusters approach to identify favourable regions for CCS deployment and attract renewed public and political interest in viable deployment pathways. Here, we apply this methodology to Spain, where fifteen emission hubs from both the power and the hard-to-abate industrial sectors are identified as potential CO2 sources. A priority storage structure and two reserves for each hub are selected based on screening and ranking processes using a multi-criteria decision-making method. The priority source-to-sink clusters are identified indicating four potential development regions, with the North-Western and North-Eastern Spain recognised as priority regions due to resilience provided by different types of CO2 sources and geological structures. Up to 68.7 Mt CO2 per year, comprising around 21% of Spanish emissions can be connected to clusters linked to feasible storage. CCS, especially in the hard-to-abate sector, and in combination with other low-carbon energies (e.g., blue hydrogen and bioenergy), remains a significant and unavoidable contributor to the Paris Agreement's mid-century net-zero target. This study shows that the hubs and clusters approach can facilitate CCS deployment in Spain and other hydrocarbon-limited countries

The IMERAPlus Joint Research Project For Determinations Of The Boltzmann Constant

Abstract. To provide new determinations of the Boltzmann constant, k, which has been asked for by the International Committee for Weights and Measures concerning preparative steps towards new definitions of the kilogram, the ampere, the kelvin and the mole, an iMERAPlus joint research project has coordinated the European activities in this field. In this major European research project the Boltzmann constant has been determined by various methods to support the new definition of the kelvin. The final results of the project are reviewed in this paper. Determinations of the Boltzmann constant k were achieved within the project by all three envisaged methods: acoustic gas thermometry, Doppler broadening technique, and dielectric constant gas thermometry. The results were exploited by the interdisciplinary Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) in their 2010 adjustment of recommended values for fundamental constants. As a result, the CODATA group recommended a value for k with a relative standard uncertainty about a factor of two smaller than the previous u(k)/k of 1.7×10 −6

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans – anteaters, sloths, and armadillos – have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with 24 domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, ten anteaters, and six sloths. Our dataset includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data-paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the south of the USA, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to its austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n=5,941), and Cyclopes sp. has the fewest (n=240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n=11,588), and the least recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n=33). With regards to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n=962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n=12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other datasets of Neotropical Series which will become available very soon (i.e. Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans dataset

The pH of CO2-saturated water at temperatures between 308 K and 423 K at pressures up to 15 MPa

Abstract We report pH measurements for CO2-saturated water in the pressure range from (0.28 to 15.3) MPa and temperatures from (308.3 to 423.2) K. Commercially available pH and Ag/AgCl electrodes were used together with a high pressure equilibrium vessel operating under conditions of precisely controlled temperature and pressure. The results of the study indicate that pH decreases along an isotherm in proportion to −log10(x), where x is the mole fraction of dissolved CO2 in H2O. The expanded uncertainty of the pH measurements is 0.06 pH units with a coverage factor of 2. The reported results are in good agreement with the literature in pressure ranges up to 16 MPa at temperatures below 343 K. An empirical equation has been developed to represent the present results with an expanded uncertainty of 0.05 pH units. We also compare our results with a chemical equilibrium model and find agreement to within 0.1 pH unit