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Mezzina L, Nicosia A, Barone L, Vento F, Mineo PG. Water-Soluble Star Polymer as a Potential Photoactivated Nanotool for Lysozyme Degradation. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:301. [PMID: 38276709 PMCID: PMC10819795 DOI: 10.3390/polym16020301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of nanotools for chemical sensing and macromolecular modifications is a new challenge in the biomedical field, with emphasis on artificial peptidases designed to cleave peptide bonds at specific sites. In this landscape, metal porphyrins are attractive due to their ability to form stable complexes with amino acids and to generate reactive oxygen species when irradiated by light of appropriate wavelengths. The issues of hydrophobic behavior and aggregation in aqueous environments of porphyrins can be solved by using its PEGylated derivatives. This work proposes the design of an artificial photo-protease agent based on a PEGylated mercury porphyrin, able to form a stable complex with l-Tryptophan, an amino acid present also in the lysozyme structure (a well-known protein model). The sensing and photodegradation features of PEGylated mercury porphyrin were exploited to detect and degrade both l-Trp and lysozyme using ROS, generated under green (532 nm) and red (650 nm) light lasers. The obtained system (Star3600_Hg) and its behavior as a photo-protease agent were studied by means of several spectroscopies (UV-Vis, fluorescence and circular dichroism), and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, showing the cleavage of lysozyme and the appearance of several short-chain residues. The approach of this study paves the way for potential applications in theranostics and targeted bio-medical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Mezzina
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (L.M.); (L.B.); (F.V.)
| | - Angelo Nicosia
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (L.M.); (L.B.); (F.V.)
| | - Laura Barone
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (L.M.); (L.B.); (F.V.)
| | - Fabiana Vento
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (L.M.); (L.B.); (F.V.)
| | - Placido Giuseppe Mineo
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (L.M.); (L.B.); (F.V.)
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, National Research Council (IPCF-CNR), Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 37, I-98158 Messina, Italy
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council (IPCB-CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, I-95126 Catania, Italy
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Zarenezhad E, Kanaan MHG, Abdollah SS, Vakil MK, Marzi M, Mazarzaei A, Ghasemian A. Metallic Nanoparticles: Their Potential Role in Breast Cancer Immunotherapy via Trained Immunity Provocation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051245. [PMID: 37238916 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Owing to drawbacks in the current common cancer therapies including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the development of more reliable, low toxic, cost-effective and specific approaches such as immunotherapy is crucial. Breast cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality with a developed anticancer resistance. Accordingly, we attempted to uncover the efficacy of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs)-based breast cancer immunotherapy emphasizing trained immunity provocation or innate immunity adaptation. Due to the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the poor infiltration of immune cells, the potentiation of an immune response or direct combat is a goal employing NPs as a burgeoning field. During the recent decades, the adaptation of the innate immunity responses against infectious diseases and cancer has been recognized. Although the data is in a scarcity with regard to a trained immunity function in breast cancer cells' elimination, this study introduced the potential of this arm of immunity adaptation using MNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Zarenezhad
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa 7461686688, Iran
| | - Manal Hadi Ghaffoori Kanaan
- Department of Agriculture, Technical Institute of Suwaria, Middle Technical University, Baghdad 9768876516, Iraq
| | - Sura Saad Abdollah
- Suwaria Primary Health Care Sector, Wassit Health Office, Sharjah 9668866516, Iraq
| | - Mohammad Kazem Vakil
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa 7461686688, Iran
| | - Mahrokh Marzi
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa 7461686688, Iran
| | - Abdulbaset Mazarzaei
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iranshahr University of Medical Sciences, Iranshahr 7618815676, Iran
| | - Abdolmajid Ghasemian
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa 7461686688, Iran
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Liu C, Wang Y, Wang S, Xu P, Liu R, Han D, Wei Y. A Star-Shaped Copolymer with Tetra-Hydroxy-Phenylporphyrin Core and Four PNIPAM- b-PMAGA Arms for Targeted Photodynamic Therapy. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15030509. [PMID: 36771810 PMCID: PMC9919623 DOI: 10.3390/polym15030509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel thermosensitive star-shaped tetra-hydroxy-phenylporphyrin-cored (THPP) double hydrophilic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(methylacrylamide glucose) block copolymers (THPP-(PNIPAM-b-PMAGA)4) were synthesized via the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Notably, the low critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) of THPP-(PNIPAM-b-PMAGA)4 were above normal body temperature (37 °C) which depended on the hydrophilic PMAGA contents of copolymers. When the temperature was higher than the LCST of the copolymer, the copolymer could be neutralized into micelles in aqueous and could be coated with antitumor drugs and released around tumor cells. The MTT study indicated that THPP-(PNIPAM-b-PMAGA)4 had a low toxicity to L929 and HeLa cells in the absence of light. However, THPP-(PNIPAM-b-PMAGA)4 showed a high toxicity with HeLa cells under light irradiation which could be used as a potential photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT). In addition, THPP-(PNIPAM-b-PMAGA)4 showed specific a recognition function with Concanavalin A (Con A) to achieve active targeted drug delivery. This work provides a new approach for the development of tumor targeting and chemotherapy/PDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changling Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
| | - Siyu Wang
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
| | - Pengcheng Xu
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
| | - Renning Liu
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
| | - Dandan Han
- College of Biology and Food Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin City 132022, China
- Correspondence: (D.H.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yen Wei
- Department of Chemistry, The Tsinghua Center for Frontier Polymer Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Correspondence: (D.H.); (Y.W.)
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Nicosia A, La Perna G, Cucci LM, Satriano C, Mineo P. A Multifunctional Conjugated Polymer Developed as an Efficient System for Differentiation of SH-SY5Y Tumour Cells. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14204329. [PMID: 36297904 PMCID: PMC9609355 DOI: 10.3390/polym14204329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Polymer-based systems have been demonstrated in novel therapeutic and diagnostic (theranostic) treatments for cancer and other diseases. Polymers provide a useful scaffold to develop multifunctional nanosystems that combine various beneficial properties such as drug delivery, bioavailability, and photosensitivity. For example, to provide passive tumour targeting of small drug molecules, polymers have been used to modify and functionalise the surface of water-insoluble drugs. This approach also allows the reduction of adverse side effects, such as retinoids. However, multifunctional polymer conjugates containing several moieties with distinct features have not been investigated in depth. This report describes the development of a one-pot approach to produce a novel multifunctional polymer conjugate. As a proof of concept, we synthesised polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) covalently conjugated with rhodamine B (a tracking agent), folic acid (a targeting agent), and all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA, a drug). The obtained polymer (PVA@RhodFR) was characterised by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, gel permeation chromatography, thermal analysis, dynamic light-scattering, NMR, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Finally, to evaluate the efficiency of the multifunctional polymer conjugate, cellular differentiation treatments were performed on the neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell line. In comparison with standard ATRA-based conditions used to promote cell differentiation, the results revealed the high capability of the new PVA@RhodFR to induce neuroblastoma cells differentiation, even with a short incubation time and low ATRA concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Nicosia
- Polymer Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe La Perna
- Polymer Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Lorena Maria Cucci
- NanoHybrid Biointerfaces Lab (NHBIL), Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Satriano
- NanoHybrid Biointerfaces Lab (NHBIL), Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Placido Mineo
- Polymer Laboratory, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
- CNR-IPCF Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 37, I-98158 Messina, Italy
- CNR-IPCB Istituto per i Polimeri, Compositi e Biomateriali, Via P. Gaifami 18, I-95126 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Photosensitized Thermoplastic Nano-Photocatalysts Active in the Visible Light Range for Potential Applications Inside Extraterrestrial Facilities. NANOMATERIALS 2022; 12:nano12060996. [PMID: 35335809 PMCID: PMC8948973 DOI: 10.3390/nano12060996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Among different depollution methods, photocatalysis activated by solar light is promising for terrestrial outdoor applications. However, its use in underground structures and/or microgravity environments (e.g., extraterrestrial structures) is forbidden. In these cases, there are issues related to the energy emitted from the indoor lighting system because it is not high enough to promote the photocatalytic mechanism. Moreover, microgravity does not allow the recovery of the photocatalytic slurry from the depolluted solution. In this work, the synthesis of a filmable nanocomposite based on semiconductor nanoparticles supported by photosensitized copolyacrylates was performed through a bulk in situ radical copolymerization involving a photosensitizer macromonomer. The macromonomer and the nanocomposites were characterized through UV-Vis, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopies, gel permeation chromatography and thermogravimetric analysis. The photocatalytic activity of the sensitized nanocomposites was studied through photodegradation tests of common dyes and recalcitrant xenobiotic pollutants, employing UV-Vis and visible range (λ > 390 nm) light radiations. The sensitized nanocomposite photocatalytic performances increased about two times that of the unsensitized nanocomposite and that of visible range light radiation alone (>390 nm). The experimental data have shown that these new systems, applied as thin films, have the potential for use in indoor deep underground and extraterrestrial structures.
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Antibacterial Biodegradable Films Based on Alginate with Silver Nanoparticles and Lemongrass Essential Oil-Innovative Packaging for Cheese. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11092377. [PMID: 34578695 PMCID: PMC8467694 DOI: 10.3390/nano11092377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Replacing the petroleum-based materials in the food industry is one of the main objectives of the scientists and decision makers worldwide. Biodegradable packaging will help diminish the environmental impact of human activity. Improving such biodegradable packaging materials by adding antimicrobial activity will not only extend the shelf life of foodstuff, but will also eliminate some health hazards associated with food borne diseases, and by diminishing the food spoilage will decrease the food waste. The objective of this research was to obtain innovative antibacterial films based on a biodegradable polymer, namely alginate. Films were characterized by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and microscopy, complex thermal analysis (TG-DSC-FTIR), UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Water vapor permeability and swelling behavior were also determined. As antimicrobial agents, we used silver spherical nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and lemongrass essential oil (LGO), which were found to act in a synergic way. The obtained films exhibited strong antibacterial activity against tested strains, two Gram-positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhi). Best results were obtained against Bacillus cereus. The tests indicate that the antimicrobial films can be used as packaging, preserving the color, surface texture, and softness of cheese for 14 days. At the same time, the color of the films changed (darkened) as a function of temperature and light presence, a feature that can be used to monitor the storage conditions for sensitive food.
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Villari V, Micali N, Nicosia A, Mineo P. Water-Soluble Non-Ionic PEGylated Porphyrins: A Versatile Category of Dyes for Basic Science and Applications. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2021; 379:35. [PMID: 34382110 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-021-00348-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This review arises from the need to rationalize the huge amount of information on the structural and spectroscopic properties of a peculiar class of porphyrin derivatives-the non-ionic PEGylated porphyrins-collected during almost two decades of research. The lack of charged groups in the molecular architecture of these porphyrin derivatives is the leitmotif of the work and plays an outstanding role in highlighting those interactions between porphyrins, or between porphyrins and target molecules (e.g., hydrophobic-, hydrogen bond related-, and coordination-interactions, to name just a few) that are often masked by stronger electrostatic contributions. In addition, it is exactly these weaker interactions between porphyrins that make the aggregated forms more prone to couple efficiently with external perturbative fields like weak hydrodynamic vortexes or temperature gradients. In the absence of charge, solubility in water is very often achieved by covalent functionalization of the porphyrin ring with polyethylene glycol chains. Various modifications, including of chain length or the number of chains, the presence of a metal atom in the porphyrin core, or having two or more porphyrin rings in the molecular architecture, result in a wide range of properties. These encompass self-assembly with different aggregate morphology, molecular recognition of biomolecules, and different photophysical responses, which can be translated into numerous promising applications in the sensing and biomedical field, based on turn-on/turn-off fluorescence and on photogeneration of radical species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Villari
- IPCF-CNR, Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 37, 98158, Messina, Italy.
| | - Norberto Micali
- IPCF-CNR, Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 37, 98158, Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Nicosia
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - Placido Mineo
- IPCF-CNR, Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici, Viale F. Stagno d'Alcontres 37, 98158, Messina, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
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Nicosia A, Vento F, Marletta G, Messina GML, Satriano C, Villari V, Micali N, De Martino MT, Schotman MJG, Mineo PG. Porphyrin-Based Supramolecular Flags in the Thermal Gradients' Wind: What Breaks the Symmetry, How and Why. NANOMATERIALS 2021; 11:nano11071673. [PMID: 34202150 PMCID: PMC8305271 DOI: 10.3390/nano11071673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking (SSB) phenomenon is a natural event in which a system changes its symmetric state, apparently reasonless, in an asymmetrical one. Nevertheless, this occurrence could be hiding unknown inductive forces. An intriguing investigation pathway uses supramolecular aggregates of suitable achiral porphyrins, useful to mimic the natural light-harvesting systems (as chlorophyll). Using as SSB probe supramolecular aggregates of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[p(ω-methoxypolyethyleneoxy)phenyl]porphyrin (StarP), a non-ionic achiral PEGylated porphyrin, we explore here its interaction with weak asymmetric thermal gradients fields. The cross-correlation of the experimental data (circular dichroism, confocal microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and cryo-transmission electron microscopy) revealed that the used building blocks aggregate spontaneously, organizing in flag-like structures whose thermally-induced circular dichroism depends on their features. Finally, thermal gradient-induced enantioselectivity of the supramolecular flag-like aggregates has been shown and linked to their size-dependence mesoscopic deformation, which could be visualized as waving flags in the wind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Nicosia
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.N.); (P.G.M.)
| | - Fabiana Vento
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
| | - Giovanni Marletta
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
- LAMSUN-CSGI Unit of the Interuniversity Consortium for the Development of Large Interphases Systems (CSGI), Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria, 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Grazia M. L. Messina
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
- LAMSUN-CSGI Unit of the Interuniversity Consortium for the Development of Large Interphases Systems (CSGI), Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria, 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Satriano
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Chimica dei Metalli nei Sistemi Biologici (CIRCMSB), Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, I-70121 Bari, Italy
| | - Valentina Villari
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, National Research Council (IPCF-CNR), Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 37, I-98158 Messina, Italy; (V.V.); (N.M.)
| | - Norberto Micali
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, National Research Council (IPCF-CNR), Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 37, I-98158 Messina, Italy; (V.V.); (N.M.)
| | - Maria Teresa De Martino
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands;
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands;
| | - Maaike J. G. Schotman
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands;
| | - Placido Giuseppe Mineo
- Department of Chemical Sciences and INSTM UdR of Catania, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy; (F.V.); (G.M.); (G.M.L.M.); (C.S.)
- Institute for Chemical and Physical Processes, National Research Council (IPCF-CNR), Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres 37, I-98158 Messina, Italy; (V.V.); (N.M.)
- Institute of Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials, National Research Council (IPCB-CNR), Via P. Gaifami 18, I-95126 Catania, Italy
- Correspondence: (A.N.); (P.G.M.)
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