Formation of alginate gel stabilized silica nanoparticles for encapsulation and topical delivery of minoxidil.

Silica nanoparticles-embedded smart-gels are efficient drug carrier systems due to their structural flexibility, high porosity, and ease of formulation development. Herein, the extent of interaction of minoxidil (MXD), a potent vasodilator prodrug, with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) and alginate (ALG) was investigated. The SiNPs were prepared by extracting silica from rice husk ash, and these SiNPs were further used to prepare MXD-loaded-SiNPs (MXD-SiNPs) by loading them with an appropriate amount of MXD.

Methodological optimization for efficient degradation of Acid Violet 49 using advanced oxidation processes and varied photocatalyst combinations.

This study investigates the photodegradation of Acid Violet 49 in an aqueous medium under UV, UV/HO and combined with photo catalyst (UV/HO/TiO, UV/HO/ZnO, and UV/HO/SnO). The impact of all operational parameters including catalytic dosage, peroxidation (HO), pH and dye concentration were evaluated. The degradation efficiency of AV49 was enhanced up to 96% with the alternative photocatalyst UV/HO/ZnO under the circumstances of 0.

DFT and comparative adsorption study of NiO, MnO, and MnNiO nanomaterials for the removal of amaranth dye from synthetic water.

In the current study, NiO nanoparticles, MnO nanoparticles, and MnNiO nanocomposites (Ni-NPs, Mn-NPs and MN-NCs, respectively) were synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method, and their performance in the removal of amaranth (AM) dye from synthetic wastewater was compared. XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, BET analysis, and TGA were performed to characterize the produced catalysts. The effect of pertinent parameters, including pH, dosage of catalysts, temperature, and shaking speed on the uptake of AM was investigated through batch experiments.

Design and Fabrication of Biomass Derived Black Carbon Modified g-CN/FeInS Heterojunction as Highly Efficient Photocatalyst for Wastewater Treatment.

The environmental deterioration caused by dye wastewater discharge has received considerable attention in recent decades. One of the most promising approaches to addressing the aforementioned environmental issue is the development of photocatalysts with high solar energy consumption efficiency for the treatment of dye-contaminated water. In this study, a novel low-cost π-π biomass-derived black carbon modified g-CN coupled FeInS composite (i.

Optimization of the photocatalytic degradation of phenol using superparamagnetic iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles in aqueous solutions.

The present work was carried out to remove phenol from aqueous medium using a photocatalytic process with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO) called SPIONs. The photocatalytic process was optimized using a central composite design based on the response surface methodology. The effects of pH (3-7), UV/SPION nanoparticles ratio (1-3), contact time (30-90 minutes), and initial phenol concentration (20-80 mg L) on the photocatalytic process were investigated.

Rice Nutraceuticals and Bioactive Compounds: Extraction, Characterization and Antioxidant Activity: A Review.

Rice ( L.), a cereal grass, belongs to the genus from the family Poaceae, which encompasses twenty-five species cultured in many countries of Asia, and partly in the rest of the world. From these species, two .

Metal organic frameworks as promising sensing tools for electrochemical detection of persistent heavy metal ions from water matrices: A concise review.

Water bodies are being polluted rapidly by disposal of toxic chemicals with their huge entrance into drinking water supply chain. Among these pollutants, heavy metal ions (HMIs) are the most challenging one due to their non-biodegradability, toxicity, and ability to biologically hoard in ecological systems, thus posing a foremost danger to human health. This can be addressed by robust, sensitive, selective, and reliable sensing of metal ions which can be achieved by Metal organic frameworks (MOF) based electrochemical sensors.

Enhanced Antifungal and Wound Healing Efficacy of Statistically Optimized, Physicochemically Evaluated Econazole-Triamcinolone Loaded Silica Nanoparticles.

Co-encapsulated econazole nitrate-triamcinolone acetonide loaded biocompatible, physically stable, and non-irritating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (EN-TA-loaded MSNs) were prepared and optimized by using a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) for providing better therapeutic efficacy against commonly prevailed resistant fungal infections. These drugs loaded MSNs can significantly overcome the deficiencies and problems like short duration of action, requirement of frequent administration, erythema, and burning sensation and irritation associated with conventional drug delivery systems. The stability of optimized drugs loaded MSNs prepared with 100 gm of oil at pH 5.

Application of Green Gold Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy and Diagnosis.

Nanoparticles are currently used for cancer theranostics in the clinical field. Among nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) attract much attention due to their usability and high performance in imaging techniques. The wide availability of biological precursors used in plant-based synthesized AuNPs allows for the development of large-scale production in a greener manner.

Heating effect on quality characteristics of mixed canola cooking oils.

Background: The subcontinent is famous for its variety of seasonal foods cooked in vegetable seed cooking oils at elevated heating. Oils are often of poor quality that effect to consumer health. The work, therefore, planned to examine the effects of heat on the quality of mixed canola cooking oils (MCCOs).

Green photosensitisers for the degradation of selected pesticides of high risk in most susceptible food: A safer approach.

Pesticides are the leading defence against pests, but their unsafe use reciprocates the pesticide residues in highly susceptible food and is becoming a serious risk for human health. In this study, mint extract and riboflavin were tested as photosensitisers in combination with light irradiation of different frequencies, employed for various time intervals to improve the photo-degradation of deltamethrin (DM) and lambda cyhalothrin (λ-CHT) in cauliflower. Different source of light was studied, either in ultraviolet range (UV-C, 254 nm or UV-A, 320-380 nm) or sunlight simulator (> 380-800 nm).

Pharmaco-Technical Evaluation of Statistically Formulated and Optimized Dual Drug-Loaded Silica Nanoparticles for Improved Antifungal Efficacy and Wound Healing.

The current research aimed at designing mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for a controlled coadministration of salicylic acid (SA) and ketoconazole (KCZ) to effectively treat highly resistant fungal infections. The sol-gel method was used to formulate MSNs, which were further optimized using central composite rotatable design (CCRD) by investigating mathematical impact of independent formulation variables such as pH, stirring time, and stirring speed on dependent variables entrapment efficiency (EE) and drug release. The selected optimized MSNs and pure drugs were subjected to comparative antifungal studies, skin irritation, cytotoxicity, and histopathological evaluations.

Multivariate Investigation of Toxic and Essential Metals in the Serum from Various Types and Stages of Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently one of the most frequent malignant neoplasms, ranking 3rd in incidence and 2nd in mortality both in the USA and across the world. The pathogenesis of CRC is a complex interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors such as exposure to metals. Therefore, the present study was intended to assess the imbalances in the concentrations of selected essential/toxic elements (Pb, Cr, Fe, Zn, As, Cd, Cu, Se, Ni, and Hg) in the serum of newly diagnosed colorectal carcinoma patients (n = 165) in comparison with counterpart controls (n = 151) by atomic absorption spectrometry after wet-acid digestion method.

Assessment of SnFeO Nanoparticles for Potential Application in Theranostics: Synthesis, Characterization, In Vitro, and In Vivo Toxicity.

In this research, tin ferrite (SnFeO) NPs were synthesized via hydrothermal route using ferric chloride and tin chloride as precursors and were then characterized in terms of morphology and structure using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-ray power diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The obtained UV-Vis spectra was used to measure band gap energy of as-prepared SnFeO NPs. XRD confirmed the spinel structure of NPs, while SEM and TEM analyses disclosed the size of NPs in the range of 15-50 nm and revealed the spherical shape of NPs.

New organosulfur metallic compounds as potent drugs: synthesis, molecular modeling, spectral, antimicrobial, drug likeness and DFT analysis.

During the present investigation, two new sulfonamide-based Schiff base ligands, 4-{[(2-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methylidene]amino}-N-(1,3-thiazol-2-yl)benzene-1-sulfonamide (L) and 4-{[1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethylidene]amino}-N-(1,3-thiazol-2-yl)benzene-1-sulfonamide (L), have been synthesized and coordinated with the transition metals (V, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn). The ligands were characterized by their physical (color, melting point, yield and solubility), spectral (UV-Vis, FT-IR, LC-MS, H NMR and C NMR) and elemental data. The structures of the metal complexes (1)-(12) were evaluated through their physical (magnetic and conductance), spectral (UV-Vis, FT-IR and LC-MS) and elemental data.

Effective Adsorptive Removal of Methylene Blue from Water by Didodecyldimethylammonium Bromide-Modified Brown Clay.

In the present investigation, brown clay (BC) was modified with didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) to produce a sorbent (DDAB-BC), which was characterized and applied for sorption of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous media. BC was functionalized using DDAB by cation exchange of the DDAB moiety with positive ions existing inside the interlayer spaces of the BC. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed that the -spacing of DDAB-BC became wider (3.

Application of Fusarium sp. immobilized on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for solid-phase extraction and trace analysis of heavy metal cations.

In the present work, for the first time, the filamentous fungus Fusarium sp. was utilized for devising a novel method for pre-concentration and determination of trace amounts of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) ions, using a mini-column packed with Fusarium-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Optimal analytical conditions including pH, ionic strength, elution solution, sample and eluent flow rates, and sample volume were determined.

Statistical Assessment of Toxic and Essential Metals in the Serum of Female Patients with Lung Carcinoma from Pakistan.

Lung cancer (LC) is the number one cancer killer of women both in the USA and around the world. Besides cigarette smoking, an important feature in the etiology of LC is its strong association with exposure of toxic metals. The primary objective of the present investigation was to assess the concentrations of toxic/essential elements (Ni, Ca, Se, Zn, Co, K, Cr, As, Cu, Na, Fe, Hg, Cd, Mg, Mn, and Pb) in the serum samples of LC female patients with female controls by atomic absorption spectrometry after wet-acid digestion procedure.

Turn-on fluorescent glutathione detection based on lucigenin and MnO nanosheets.

In this work, a glutathione (GSH) sensing nano-platform using lucigenin as a fluorescent probe in the presence of MnO2 nanosheets was reported for the first time. Unlike the earlier fluorescent detection systems based on MnO2 nanosheets, which depend on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) or the dynamic quenching effect (DQE), the mechanism of the quenching process of MnO2 nanosheets on lucigenin fluorescence was attributed mainly to a static quenching effect (SQE) with a minor contribution of the inner filter effect (IFE). A double exponential fluorescence decay of lucigenin was obtained in various MnO2 nanosheet concentrations as a result of their SQE and IFE.

Determination of Concentrated Hydrogen Peroxide Free from Oxygen Interference at Stainless Steel Electrode.

HO is frequently used at high concentrations in various applications. It is very challenging to detect high concentrations of HO and to eliminate oxygen interference for HO detection through electrochemical reduction. In the present investigation, the electrochemistry of HO at stainless steel electrode has been carried out for the first time.

Encapsulation of Antibiotic Levofloxacin in Biocompatible Microemulsion Formulation: Insights from Microstructure Analysis.

Microemulsions (μEs) are unique systems that offer exciting perspectives in biophysical research for mimicing biomembranes at the molecular level. In the present study, biocompatible μE formulation of a new oil-in-water (o/w) system comprising clove oil/Tween 20/2-propanol/water was accomplished for encapsulating an antibiotic, levofloxacin (LVF). The pseudoternary phase diagram was delineated at a constant cosurfactant/surfactant (2:1) ratio to meet the economic feasibility.

Optimization of a membraneless glucose/oxygen enzymatic fuel cell based on a bioanode with high coulombic efficiency and current density.

After initial testing and optimization of anode biocatalysts, a membraneless glucose/oxygen enzymatic biofuel cell possessing high coulombic efficiency and power output was fabricated and characterized. Two sugar oxidizing enzymes, namely, pyranose dehydrogenase from Agaricus meleagris (AmPDH) and flavodehydrogenase domains of various cellobiose dehydrogenases (DH(CDH)) were tested during the pre-screening. The enzymes were mixed, "wired" and entrapped in a low-potential Os-complex-modified redox-polymer hydrogel immobilized on graphite.