Formulation development and optimization of a novel Cremophore EL-based nanoemulsion using ultrasound cavitation.

In the present study, response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was employed to investigate the influence of main emulsion composition variables, namely drug loading, oil content, emulsifier content as well as the effect of the ultrasonic operating parameters such as pre-mixing time, ultrasonic amplitude, and irradiation time on the properties of aspirin-loaded nanoemulsions. The two main emulsion properties studied as response variables were: mean droplet size and polydispersity index. The ultimate goal of the present work was to determine the optimum level of the six independent variables in which an optimal aspirin nanoemulsion with desirable properties could be produced.

A choice experiment analysis for solid waste disposal option: a case study in Malaysia.

In Malaysia, most municipal wastes currently are disposed into poorly managed 'controlled tipping' systems with little or no pollution protection measures. This study was undertaken to assist the relevant governmental bodies and service providers to identify an improved waste disposal management strategy. The study applied the choice experiment technique to estimate the nonmarket values for a number of waste disposal technologies.

Effect of a novel edible composite coating based on gum arabic and chitosan on biochemical and physiological responses of banana fruits during cold storage.

The composite effects of gum arabic (GA) (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and chitosan (CH) (1.0%) on the biochemical and physiological characteristics of banana fruits stored at 13 ± 1 °C and 80 ± 3% relative humidity (RH) for 28 days and afterward for 5 days at simulated marketing conditions (25 °C, 60% RH) were investigated. Significant (P ≤ 0.

Fenton based remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils.

This paper aims to review the applications of Fenton based treatments specifically for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils. An overview of the background and principles of Fenton treatment catalysed by both homogenous (conventional and modified Fenton) and heterogeneous (Fenton-like) catalysts is firstly presented. Laboratory and field soil remediation studies are then discussed in terms of efficiency, kinetics and associated factors.

Ferric sulphate catalysed esterification of free fatty acids in waste cooking oil.

In this work, the esterification of free fatty acids (FFA) in waste cooking oil catalysed by ferric sulphate was studied as a pre-treatment step for biodiesel production. The effects of reaction time, methanol to oil ratio, catalyst concentration and temperature on the conversion of FFA were investigated on a laboratory scale. The results showed that the conversion of FFA reached equilibrium after an hour, and was positively dependent on the methanol to oil molar ratio and temperature.

Biological treatment of anaerobically digested palm oil mill effluent (POME) using a Lab-Scale Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR).

The production of highly polluting palm oil mill effluent (POME) has resulted in serious environmental hazards. While anaerobic digestion is widely accepted as an effective method for the treatment of POME, anaerobic treatment of POME alone has difficulty meeting discharge limits due to the high organic strength of POME. Hence, subsequent post-treatment following aerobic treatment is vital to meet the discharge limits.

Extraction techniques for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils.

This paper aims to provide a review of the analytical extraction techniques for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils. The extraction technologies described here include Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic and mechanical agitation, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical and subcritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, solid phase extraction and microextraction, thermal desorption and flash pyrolysis, as well as fluidised-bed extraction. The influencing factors in the extraction of PAHs from soil such as temperature, type of solvent, soil moisture, and other soil characteristics are also discussed.

Community pharmacists' views on adverse drug reactions reporting in Malaysia: a pilot study.

Objectives: To investigate community pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes and views on adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting. Setting Seven community pharmacies in Malaysia.

Method: Structured interviews with community pharmacists.

Application of vegetable oils in the treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons-contaminated soils.

A brief review is conducted on the application of vegetable oils in the treatment of PAH-contaminated soils. Three main scopes of treatment strategies are discussed in this work including soil washing by oil, integrated oil-biological treatment and integrated oil-non-biological treatment. For each of these, the arguments supporting vegetable oil application, the applied treatment techniques and their efficiencies, associated factors, as well as the feasibility of the techniques are detailed.

Development of a quantitative real-time RT-PCR for kinetic analysis of immediate-early transcripts of rat cytomegalovirus.

One-step real-time RT-PCR assay was developed for quantification of the immediate-early (IE), namely IE1 and IE2 transcripts of Rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV), strain ALL-03 in rat embryonic fibroblast cells (REF). This in-house SYBR Green I based RT-PCR was shown to have higher amplification efficiency and detection limit as compared to a commercially available real-time RT-PCR kit in quantifying these two transcripts. The quantification histogram revealed the divergence of transcription activities of the two IE genes.

Remediation of soils contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carcinogenic micropollutants which are resistant to environmental degradation due to their highly hydrophobic nature. Concerns over their adverse health effects have resulted in extensive studies on the remediation of soils contaminated with PAHs. This paper aims to provide a review of the remediation technologies specifically for PAH-contaminated soils.

Removal of boron from ceramic industry wastewater by adsorption-flocculation mechanism using palm oil mill boiler (POMB) bottom ash and polymer.

Boron is extensively used in the ceramic industry for enhancing mechanical strength of the tiles. The discharge of boron containing wastewater to the environment causes severe pollution problems. Boron is also dangerous for human consumption and causes organisms' reproductive impediments if the safe intake level is exceeded.

Development of anaerobic digestion methods for palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment.

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is a highly polluting wastewater that pollutes the environment if discharged directly due to its high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration. Anaerobic digestion has been widely used for POME treatment with large emphasis placed on capturing the methane gas released as a product of this biodegradation treatment method. The anaerobic digestion method is recognized as a clean development mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto protocol.

Goniothalamus species: a source of drugs for the treatment of cancers and bacterial infections?

Irrespective of the presence of cytotoxic acetogenins and styryl-lactones in the genus Goniothalamus, only 22 species in the genus Goniothalamus, out of 160 species (13.7%) have so far been investigated. In an effort to promote further research on the genus Goniothalamus which could represent a source of drugs for the treatment of cancers and bacterial infections, this work offers a broad analysis of current knowledge on Goniothalamus species.

Comments on 'on "bettering humanity" in science and engineering education'.

The object of this communication is to reflect on the recent article by James Stieb in relation to an earlier article by Selvan.

Brain white and gray matter anatomy of MRI segmentation based on tissue evaluation.

Different approaches to gray and white matter measurements in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been studied. For clinical use, the estimated values must be reliable and accurate when, unfortunately, many techniques fail on these criteria in an unrestricted clinical environment. A recent method for tissue clusterization in MRI analysis has the advantage of great simplicity, and it takes the account of partial volume effects.

Production of biodiesel by lipase-catalyzed transesterification of vegetable oils: a kinetics study.

Kinetics of production of biodiesel by enzymatic methanolysis of vegetable oils using lipase has been investigated. A mathematical model taking into account the mechanism of the methanolysis reaction starting from the vegetable oil as substrate, rather than the free fatty acids, has been developed. The kinetic parameters were estimated by fitting the experimental data of the enzymatic reaction of sunflower oil by two types of lipases, namely, Rhizomucor miehei lipase (RM) immobilized on ion-exchange resins and Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TL) immobilized on silica gel.