A New Bi-Functional Derivative of Polyethylene Glycol as Molecular Carrier for Eugenol and Ibuprofen

Eugenol (EU) and ibuprofene (IBU) were covalently bound to a bi-functionalized PEG, used as molecular carrier of drugs and the release kinetics of the two bioactive molecules was studied in vitro in buffer solution at pH 7.4, in simulated gastric fluid and in mouse plasma. The hydrolysis studies showed a specific cleavage dependent on the pH of the medium and by the presence of proteolytic enzymes in mouse plasma. Studies in vitro on the release of the parent drug from this double prodrug in various media, indicate that the adduct may be sufficiently stable to pass intact the gastrointestinal tract and release into the circulation EU and IBU. Many advantages may be achieved by the synthesis of the prodrug EU-PEG-IBU related to synergistic analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, to the reduction of the adverse reactions and the improvement of the chemical-physical properties of the parent drugs

New Triterpenes from the Fungus Gloeophyllum odoratum

Two new triterpene acids (1, 2), together with a complex mixture of lecithins (3), were isolated from the fungus Gloeophyllum odoratum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses. The extract of Gloeophyllum odoratum considerably inhibited thrombin (72% at a concentration of 120 g/mL); the less polar fraction of the methanolic extract from the mushroom exhibited interesting activity (47% at a concentration of 120 g/mL) against thrombin. Compounds 1 and 2 were responsible for this activity

Retention of arsenic and selenium compounds present in coal combustion and gasification flue gases using activated carbons

7 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables.-- Printed version published Aug 2007.The emission of potentially toxic compounds of arsenic and selenium present in flue gases from coal combustion and gasification processes has led to the need for gas cleaning systems capable of reducing their content. This work is focused on the capture of these elements in activated carbons which have proven to have good retention capacities for mercury compounds in gas phase. Two commercial activated carbons (Norit RBHG3 and Norit RB3) and a carbon prepared via activation of a pyrolysed coal (CA) were tested in simulated coal combustion and gasification atmospheres in a laboratory scale reactor. Arsenic and selenium compounds were retained to different extents on these carbons, retention efficiency depending mainly on the speciation of the element, which in turn depends on the gas atmosphere. Arsenic retention was similar in both combustion and gasification atmospheres unlike selenium retention. Moreover the retention of arsenic was lower than that of selenium.This work was carried out with the financial support of ECSC (7220-ED/095). We are also grateful to our colleagues in ICB (CSIC) R. Juan and C. Ruiz who prepared the CA activated carbon and Amelia Martínez Alonso of INCAR who assisted us in the textural characterization.Peer reviewe

integrated dynamic energy management for steel production

Abstract The steel industry is an important consumer of electrical energy having a significant impact on the electricity network and accounting to a significant part of production costs. Thus, there is the opportunity of closer cooperation between grid operators and steel industry to improve the power consumption prediction and actively contribute to a secure network operation. This paper aims to describe an overall dynamical approach for electricity demand monitoring and timely reactions to the grid situation, to avoid non flexible equipment disconnection, financial fines when deviating from energy contingent and contributing to the grid stability. Energy management, simulation, decision support procedures and process control tools will be integrated in an agent based system able to predict and manage power consumption

AMINO ACIDS-PEGYLATED UBIQUINOL ADDUCTS CONTROLLED RELEASE BEHAVIOUR AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY EVALUATION

The term nutraceutical can be applied to any food or active principle able to determine positive effects on health, including any preventive effect and treatment of diseases. One of the areas of most interest involves the use of nutraceuticals in cardiovascular prevention. The ubiquinol (UBI), also considered the CoQ10 of next generation, is a raw material for food supplements with antioxidant activity; it plays a key role in energy production and in increasing body resistance1. In recent years nutraceuticals constituted by branched chain amino acids (Branch Chain Amino Acids, BCCA) have found increasing use as anti-fatigue active elements1. The muscle can directly use the BCAA for protein synthesis (plastic function) can also for gluconeogenesis (energy function). The main objective of this work is to increase the water solubility and the ubiquinol stability through chemical modifications with polyethylene glycol (PEG) using spacer arms, consisting of specific amino acids, alanine, valine, isoleucine and leucine. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a synthetic polymer approved by the Food and Drug Administration, highly water-soluble, biocompatible, non-teratogenic, non-immunogenic, antigenic and non-toxic, easily eliminated from the human body and widely used in drug delivery system2. Conjugates PEG-BCAA-UBI should have a possible synergistic action in energy production in muscles. The synergistic action could be extremely interesting when applied, particularly, to the heart muscle. The carboxylate polymer is the starting building block for the preparation of mPEG-UBI, mPEG-Ala-UBI and mPEG-BCAA-UBI. Pharmacokinetic studies show that the adducts deliver the corresponding beneficals amino acids together with ubiquinol giving a good antioxidant action