Hydration Procedure Research Articles

Brain targeting of venlafaxine via intranasal transbilosomes thermogel for improved management of depressive disorder

The current research aimed to design and optimize hyaluronic acid-coated transbilosomes containing venlafaxine (VLF-HA-TBLs) for nose-to-brain delivery for improved management of depressive disorder. Venlafaxine-loaded transbilosomes (VLF-TBLs) were developed according to the film hydration procedure, optimized for maximum efficiency using the quality by design-based Box-Behnken design (BBD), and then coated with hyaluronic acid (HA). The optimized VLF-HA-TBLs were subjected to in vitro characterization, integrated into a thermolabile gel, and then exposed to in vivo evaluation studies. The results revealed that the VLF-HA-TBLs formulation exhibited acceptable size (185.6 ± 4.9 nm), surface charge (-39.8 ± 1.7 mV), and entrapment efficiency (69.6 ± 2.6 %). The morphological study revealed that nanovesicles were spherical and displayed a consistent size distribution without particle aggregation. It also showed improved ex vivo nasal diffusion and a prolonged release profile. In addition, the formulated VLF-HA-TBLs were stable under the studied conditions and tolerable when applied intranasally. Compared to the intranasal administration of VLF solution (VLF-SOL), the biodistribution analysis showed that VLF-HA-TBLs delivered intranasally had a relative bioavailability of 441 % in the brain and 288 % in plasma. Moreover, the intranasal delivery of VLF-HA-TBLs demonstrated much higher bioavailability (512 %) in the brain compared to VLF-SOL administered intravenously. Collectively, it could be possible to infer that HA-TBLs might be an effective nanocarrier to administer VLF to the brain via the nasal route.

Hydration and microstructure evolution of cement paste in low vacuum environments

Low vacuum is one of the most challenging service environments for cementitious materials, which would affect their hydration and microstructure, and thereby impair strength and durability. In this study, the hydration phases and microstructural evolution of pastes based on Portland cement (PC), sulphoaluminate cement (SAC), and tricalcium silicate (C3S, the clinker of PC) were investigated under low vacuum conditions. The results show that rapid mass loss could be observed at the initial stage of low vacuum treatment, which was mainly attributed to the dissipation of free water. After that, the mass loss rate was greatly slowed down and maintained at a relatively low level, which was primarily due to the loss of chemical bound water in hydration products. As a result, C3S samples, with the slowest early hydration procedure, exhibited the highest mass loss, which was followed by PC and SAC samples. The dissipation effect by low vacuum treatment resulted in the inhabitation of cement hydration, and correspondingly the contents of hydration products remained almost constant, or even decreased especially for ettringite (AFt). Moreover, the examination of the hydration product morphology demonstrates that under low vacuum conditions, the needle-like morphology of the hydration product C-S-H transferred gradually from divergence to convergence or underwent collapse, while the AFt crystals experienced degradation and then transformed into an amorphous state. This consequently led to the sample after low vacuum treatment exhibiting increased total volume of pores less than 100 nm and elevated percentage of pores with sizes from 50 nm to 100 nm. Overall, this research holds great scientific significance in guiding the engineering application of concrete in low vacuum environments.

Preparation, characterization, and ex-vivo evaluation of curcumin-loaded niosomal nanoparticles on the equine sperm quality during cooled storage

Oxidative damage to sperm during cooled storage is a significant issue, and curcumin, with its antioxidant properties, could be a solution. However, its low bioavailability presents a challenge that this study aims to address. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the potential of curcumin-loaded niosomal nanoparticles (Cur-LNN) to enhance the antioxidant properties of curcumin and its effect on sperm quality during 72 h cooled storage. The thin-film hydration procedure was applied to prepare Cur-LNN. The fabricated noisomal nanocarriers were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Moreover, the encapsulation and loading efficiency, in vitro release study, and ex-vivo antioxidant functionality of Cur-LNN on the stallion sperm preserved under cooled storage conditions were assessed. The fabricated Cur-LNN was spherical in shape and had an average particle size of 163.1 ± 1.8 nm, a zeta potential of −34.1 ± 1.9 mV, a poly-dispersity index of 0.339 ± 0.045, an encapsulation efficiency of 92.34 ± 0.18 %, and a loading efficiency of 35.57 ± 1.36 %. Ex-vivo evaluation revealed that supplementation of the semen extender with Cur-LNN has the potential to enhance sperm quality by improving total and progressive motility, plasma membrane functionality, and lipid peroxidation. These results demonstrate that Cur-LNN exhibited stronger antioxidant and protective effects than curcumin. Although further in vivo investigations are warranted, our ex-vivo results suggest that Cur-LNN has the potential to attenuate oxidative damage and can be used to fortify the antioxidant capacity of equine semen under cooled storage conditions.

Research on the performances of VPEG macromonomer grafted different functional groups to prepare polycarboxylate superplasticizers

AbstractThe advent of novel polyether macromonomer has garnered significant attention within the industrial domain. In this study, a range of polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) was produced via free radical polymerization, employing a new polyether monomer, 4‐hydroxybutyl vinyl polyethylene glycol ether (VPEG). This monomer served as the predominant component and was grafted with various functional monomers on its main chain. The molecular configuration of the resultant PCEs was discerned through Fourier infrared spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography, while the surface tension underwent assessment via a surface tension meter. Both the initial and subsequent fluidity of cement paste and mortar were leveraged to ascertain the dispersion and retention efficacy of the synthetic PCEs. The ramifications of diverse functional group grafts of the new polyether monomer on the cement hydration procedure and strength attributes were elucidated via setting time, hydration heat assays of cement paste, SEM analysis, and compressive strength evaluations of mortar. Observations reveal that the carboxylic acid group significantly reduces surface tension, whereas the sulfonic acid group's effect remains minimal. The incorporation of both the amide and sulfonic acid groups marginally impacts the preliminary dispersion efficacy of PCEs but notably affects dispersion retention. Furthermore, these functional groups facilitate cement hydration, expedite the primary setting time of the cement paste, and bolster the initial compressive strength of the mortar. Specifically, the grafted of sodium methacrylsulfonate (SMAS) yields the most noticeable results. Finally, the working mechanism of PCEs with varying molecular structures has been explained in light both theoretical and experimental results. This research offers valuable insights for subsequent investigations into the fabrication of polycarboxylate superplasticizers using the VPEG macromonomer.

Liposomal factor VIII as an efficient pharmaceutical system for the treatment of hemophilia.

Currently, the most important treatment approach for hemophilia type A is recombinant Factor VIII. However, due to its low retention time in the blood, the patients usually need successive injections. In addition, neutralization of injected proteins by antibodies complicates treatment. We examined the prolongation of the persistence time of injectable FVIII in the blood and the potential effects on survival using promising PEGylated liposomes (PEGLip) utilizing hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC, Tm= 54.5 ºC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC, Tm= - 2 ºC). Nanoliposomes with different percentages of PEG (3% and 5%) were obtained via the thin film hydration procedure and extrusion. Liposomal FVIII formulation was prepared and characterization was done. The results revealed that the formulations are in the 80-120 nm range with uniform dispersion, which was confirmed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging. The phase transition temperature (Tm) of the liposomes was obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). With an attachment efficacy of approximately 87%, proteins bind non-covalently yet with a strong affinity to the exterior of PEGLip. The final formulations underwent additional examination. No significant change was observed in size, charge, and PDI between the FVIII-conjugated liposomal formulations and their liposomal nanoparticles. The selected formulations were injected into BALB/c mice. The circulation time and potential clotting effectiveness of PEGLip-FVIII are vastly improved over free protein, in non-hemophilic mice. The obtained results showed that using phospholipids with high Tm (HSPC) can improve the hemostatic efficiency of liposomes more than phospholipids with low Tm (POPC).

Influence of Different Pulsing Solutions on Postharvest Life of Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cv. Prajwal

Tuberose flower (Polianthes tuberosa L.) is a perennial and bulbous flowering plant, related to the Amaryllidaceae family and now it is placed in family Agavaceae. The investigation entitled “Influence of different pulsing solutions on postharvest life of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cv. Prajwal” was carried out at the experimental farm and laboratory of Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, SVPUAT, Meerut during the year of 2021-22 & 2022-23. Experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with 10 treatments and 3 replications. In the present experiment we aimed at prolonging the vase life and improving the quality of cut spike of tuberose by Pulsing or hydration procedure using different noble treatments in tuberose, as the main challenge was to reduce abscission of buds, initiation of bud opening mechanism and leaf yellowing due to the sensitivity, vascular infections, high rate of respiration and inhibition of ethylene production. These differences in physiological behavior of cut stem dipped in different pulsing solution are very important to consider when developing post harvest physiology of tuberose. In the present finding we have primarily focused and observed under the light of pertinent literature available substantiated with robust evidence thus we derived the overall best treatment for different parameters for improving the vase life of tuberose that were recorded under the treatment T9 (Sucrose 15% + 8-HQC 300 ppm) followed by the treatment T6 (Sucrose 10% + 8-HQC 300 ppm) and T8 (Sucrose 15% + 8-HQC 200 ppm) resulted in most of the postharvest parameters such as amount of pulsing solution consumed (13.16, 15.82 ml), days taken to opening of floret (2.53, 2.54 days), floret diameter (3.38, 3.40 cm), vase life (10.78, 10.80 days), weight change/loss in cut spike (13.29 %, 14.52 %), fungal infection, fragrance score (2.95, 2.96), freshness index (4.97, 4.98) and moisture content (89.89, 85.60, 83.21%).

Polymeric micelles loaded in situ gel with prednisolone acetate for ocular inflammation: development and evaluation.

Aim: Our study developed a prednisolone acetate polymeric micelles (PM) system for ocular inflammation related to allergic uveitis. Methods: For PM development, athin-film hydration procedure was used. Irritation, in vitro, ex vivo transcorneal permeation, micelle size, entrapment efficiencyand histology within the eye wereall calculated for PM. Results: The optimized in situ gel (A4) showed superior ex vivo transcorneal permeation with zero-order kinetics. Conclusion: The developed formulation could be a promising candidate for treating anterior uveitis via topical application to the anterior segment of the eye.

Effect of Particle Size and Morphology of Siliceous Supplementary Cementitious Material on the Hydration and Autogenous Shrinkage of Blended Cement

Supplementary cementitious material (SCM) plays an important role in blended cement, and the effect of the particle size and morphology of siliceous supplementary cementitious material on hydration should not be ignored. In this study, 0.5 h and 1 h of wet grinding was applied to pretreat iron ore tailing powder (TP), and the divergence in pozzolanic behavior and morphology were investigated. Then, the treated TPs were used to replace the 30% cement contents in preparing blended cementitious paste, and the impact mechanism of morphology on performance was studied emphatically. M, the autogenous shrinkages of pastes were tested. Finally, hydration reaction kinetics was carried out to explore the hydration behavior, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to characterize the hydration product properties, respectively. Meanwhile, microscopy intrusion porosimetry (MIP) was also carried out to characterize the pore structures of hardened specimens. Results indicated that wet grinding has a dramatic effect on particle size and morphology, but hardly affects the phase assemblages and pozzolanic reactivity of TP, while the particle shape of TP changes from sub-circular to clavate and, finally, back to sub-circular. The results of hydration reaction kinetics, representing the morphology of particles, had a significant effect on hydration rate and total heat, and compared with the sub-circle one, the clavated particle could inhibit the hydration procedure. With the increasing grinding time, the compressive strength of cementitious paste was increased from 17.37% to 55.73%, and the micro-pore structure became denser; however, the autogenous shrinkage increased.

Properties of pervious concrete incorporating fly ash as partial replacement of cement: A review

Disposing fly ash in to landfill of coal fire power plant initiated environmental and health problems. A lot of researchers have conducted research to study the addition of fly ash (FA) as cement replacement in pervious concrete (PC). The aim of this paper was to review the impact of adding FA as partial substitution of cement in PC. The experimental outcomes from different previous studies have indicated that the void content and permeability of PC decreased with adding FA due to filler effect of FA. The optimum substitution level of cement with FA was obtained to be 10–30%. However, with increasing the level of replacement affects the hydration procedure resulting lower strength. PC containing FA showed higher abrasion resistance and lower drying shrinkage compared to normal PC. It can be concluded that using FA as partial substitution of cement would be environmentally friendly in association with more sustainable PC.

Functional Water Networks in Fully Hydrated Photosystem II.

Water channels and networks within photosystem II (PSII) of oxygenic photosynthesis are critical for enzyme structure and function. They control substrate delivery to the oxygen-evolving center and mediate proton transfer at both the oxidative and reductive endpoints. Current views on PSII hydration are derived from protein crystallography, but structural information may be compromised by sample dehydration and technical limitations. Here, we simulate the physiological hydration structure of a cyanobacterial PSII model following a thorough hydration procedure and large-scale unconstrained all-atom molecular dynamics enabled by massively parallel simulations. We show that crystallographic models of PSII are moderately to severely dehydrated and that this problem is particularly acute for models derived from X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) serial femtosecond crystallography. We present a fully hydrated representation of cyanobacterial PSII and map all water channels, both static and dynamic, associated with the electron donor and acceptor sides. Among them, we describe a series of transient channels and the attendant conformational gating role of protein components. On the acceptor side, we characterize a channel system that is absent from existing crystallographic models but is likely functionally important for the reduction of the terminal electron acceptor plastoquinone QB. The results of the present work build a foundation for properly (re)evaluating crystallographic models and for eliciting new insights into PSII structure and function.

Influence of SiC and BaO nano composites on chemical and mechanical behaviour of modified concrete

In the current research, cementitious nanomaterial n-SiC and non-cementitious nanomaterial Nano Barium Oxide (n-BaO) were doped in the material combination to exchange cement by 0.5 %, 0.75 %, and 1 %, correspondingly. When compared to normal concrete, n – SiC additions with 0.75 % replacement also nano-BaO adding with 0.5 %substitution enhance compression strength by 16.54 % and 6.32 %, respectively, and fragment strength of tensile by 19 % also 3.86 %. Bogue's compound has a large amount of hydration of Tricalcium Silicate C3S. As a result, interactions of nanomaterials with C3S were examined in this work during the hydration process. Because of the additional cement gel formation caused by n – SiC, concrete's compressive strength and durability are improved. The Zn(OH)-2. coating those forms during the hydration procedure helps cement resist water. The acid defiance qualities of concrete are boosted to certain amount by doped nanoparticles, but the concrete strength is lost. The specific ingredient of concrete for cement and non-cement nanomaterial can be easily determined using optimum composition. Then, for the tap building sector, an UPV test was executed in order to better comprehension the influence of nano-composites in concrete.

Nebulized Saline Solution: A Multidimensional Voice Analysis

To verify the effect of nebulization on the voice of dysphonic and non-dysphonic individuals on acoustic, perceptual-auditory, aerodynamic, electroglottographic, laryngeal parameters and on the self-perception of vocal discomfort. All the research subjects were submitted to vocal evaluation, laryngeal and voice self-perception. Then, the participants remained in vocal rest for a period of 10 minutes and the analysis mentioned above were again performed. After this first stage, the participants were submitted to the nebulization for a period of 10 minutes and the all analysis above were again performed. Descriptive analysis of the variables was carried. In the comparison of the pre- and post-nebulization groups, the Paired T-Student Test was used for variables with non-dysphonic distribution and the Wilcoxon Test for variables with asymmetric distribution. When categorical variables were evaluated (perceptual-auditory evaluation and laryngeal assessment), the Pearson's Chi-square test was used. In all analysis, a significance level of 5% was considered. The intra-rater agreement in the auditory-perceptual and perceptual-visual assessment was assessed using the AC1 statistic, using the R program. For this purpose, 20% of the voice samples and laryngeal images were replicated blindly and interpreted by the evaluators at the time evaluations. The results of this research show that non-dysphonic individuals have more positive vocal and laryngeal effects after nebulization than dysphonic ones. It is also observed that the EGG measurement was the most sensitive to the effect of nebulization, with an increase in the Closed quotient (CQ) in all groups evaluated. Regarding acoustic measurements, it is noted that the effect of nebulization in men is more evident than in women. After nebulization, there was an increase in fundamental frequency in the group of non-dysphonic women and dysphonic and non-dysphonic men. A decrease in the amplitude perturbation quotient values is observed in all groups, besides a reduction in the pitch perturbation quotient values after nebulization in non-dysphonic men groups. There was improves aerodynamic efficiency in groups of dysphonic and non-dysphonic men and in the self-perception of vocal discomfort in all groups studied after the hydration procedure. The results of this study demonstrate a significant improvement in the mucosal wave after nebulization in the groups of women and men who are not dysphonic. The nebulization procedure with saline solution improves acoustic measurements, the electroglottographic closed quotient and vocal self-perception of dysphonic and non-dysphonic women and men. Nebulization increases the mucosal wave of the vocal folds in non-dysphonic women and men and improves the aerodynamic efficiency of men.

Influence of UV Radiation on Physical and Biological Properties of Rapeseed in Pre Sowing Treatment

A The effect of ultraviolet radiation on pre-sowing treatment of seeds of the winter cultivar Lembke and cultivars treated with fungicides DK EXODUS, DK Exquisite and DK Exprit was studied. Experimental studies show a positive effect of UV irradiation in pre-sowing treatment of winter rapeseeds on seed vigour and germination, both when irradiated in region C (200-280 nm) and in region B (280-320 nm). It was found that UV radiation has a positive effect on the sowing qualities of winter rapeseeds varieties Lembke and DK EXODUS (treated with fungicides) when irradiated with a dose of 120 J/m2 : seed vigour increased by 11% in the variety DK EXODUS and 16.9% in the variety Lembke, germination on average by 13% compared to control samples. At doses of 250 and 500 J/m2 , a decrease in the sowing quality of seeds is observed. The main parameters of kinetic values of hydration were determined: moisture content and hydration rate. It was found that the rate of hydration increased sharply in the initial phase and gradually and slowly decreased in the middle and final phases of the hydration procedure, respectively, in order to achieve a saturated moisture content. Irradiated seeds at a dose of 120 J/m2 showed a higher rate of water absorption than the control, both in the early and later stages of the hydration procedure. It is established that UV-C irradiation changes the kinetics of water absorption by B. napus seeds at low doses of irradiation, causing faster penetration of water into the seeds and more efficient hydration of tissues, positively affecting sowing qualities and biometrics. It has been suggested that water uptake by UV-irradiated B. napus seeds causes excessive imbibition damage at higher doses of UV radiation, as the germination potential decreases and improves at low doses. No significant changes in biometric parameters were detected during UV irradiation of rapeseed varieties DK Exquisite and DK Exprit treated with fungicides and dyes.

Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography Analysis of Clear Corneal Incision: Effect of the Lateral Stromal Hydration.

Methods The cohort included 65 clear corneal incisions of 49 patients who underwent cataract surgery. Corneal incisions were recorded using a Leica Proveo 8 microscope with an intraoperative OCT EnFocus™ device continuously during the surgery. Corneal incision morphology before and after lateral stromal hydration was analysed. Results Good adaptation of the corneal incision before hydration was present in 39 cases (60%), in 16 cases (24.6%), the prominence of posterior lip was present, and, in 10 cases (15.4%), the posterior lip tongue was inverted/retracted into the incision. In 38 cases (58.5%), hydration had no effect on the incision architecture; most often, it was primarily a well-adapted corneal incision (46.2%), less often an incision with posterior lip prominence (10.8%), or tongue inversion into the incision (1.6%) prior to hydration. Hydration worsened the incision architecture in 14 cases (21.5%); most often, it induced/worsened posterior lip prominence (15.4%), less often posterior lip retraction (1.6%), tongue inversion into the incision (1.6%), gap development in the peripheral part of the corneal incision (1.6%), or incomplete opening of the corneal incision (1.6%). In 13 cases (20%), hydration improved the incision architecture, especially in cases with inverted or retracted posterior lip tongue (12.3%), less often in cases with posterior lip prominence (7.7%). Conclusion Lateral stromal hydration seldom affects the condition of the corneal incision. Still, it can cause both deterioration and improvement of the corneal incision architecture. Intraoperative OCT provides real-time monitoring of corneal incision morphology during hydration procedure.

Controllable synthesis of terminal carboxyl hyperbranched polyester and their retarding effect on concrete

Concrete retarders could efficiently extend the hydration time of cement and maintain the plasticity of concrete slurry. However, some inherent shortcomings, such as a short setting time and poor compatibility, severely limits their application. To solve these problems, in this work, a series of carboxyl-terminated hyperbranched polymers (CTHP) were controllably synthesized and their retarding effects on the concrete setting were investigated. The results showed that the final setting time of concrete was increased by nearly 4 times as the addition amount of third generation CTHP was 1.5%, demonstrating an excellent retarding effect. Furthermore, the compressive strength was increased by 43% after 7 d of curing. The results of resistivity and Zeta potential demonstrated that CTHP could change the surface charge density of cement particles and affect the flocculation of cement particles and thus extend the retarding time. The results of Tg、XRD and SEM demonstrated that the CTHP could induce a decrease in the content of Ca(OH)2 and an increase in the content of ettringaite (AFt) during the hydration procedure, drastically enhancing the strength of the concrete. These CTHP would demonstrate the enormous potential to commercial concrete for the rapid demand in the engineering field.

Patient-specific Scaffolds with a Biomimetic Gradient Environment for Articular Cartilage-Subchondral Bone Regeneration.

Functional articular repair is known to be hampered by tissue degradation, which occurs in the defective local inflammatory environment that is also characterized by disrupted angiogenesis. The advanced fabrication of scaffolds with designed chemical and physical cues, which provide a biomimetic environment for tissue regeneration, holds considerable promise to circumvent the problem and thus allows functional articular repair. Herein, we developed scaffolds with controllable shapes with hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC) and oxidized chondroitin sulfate (OCS) hydrogels, whose chemical composition was similar to that of the cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM). By optimizing the concentration of OCS, the functional cross-linker, we achieved a hydrogel promoting proliferation, adhesion, and ECM formation of chondrocytes and inhibiting tube formation of endothelial cells. Using a hydration procedure and bioactivation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), we obtained mesoporous silicate-doped calcium phosphate cement (MS/CPC) scaffolds with a bioactive surface similar to that of bones, with improved osteogenesis and vascularization properties. Personalized cartilage-subchondral repair scaffolds with stable combination were successfully fabricated based on the self-cross-linking properties of the Schiff-based HBC/OCS hydrogel and the macroporous structure of MS/CPC scaffolds with the aid of a 3D printing technique. This study proposes a strategy to design individualized tissue repair biomimetic gradient scaffolds. Further assessments of their osteochondral defect repair properties in vivo should be performed.

Mechanical and Non-Destructive Testing of Plasterboards Subjected to a Hydration Process.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of plasterboards’ humidity absorption on their performance. Specimens’ hydration procedure consisted of consecutive immersing in water and subsequent drying at room temperature. Such a procedure was performed to increase the content of moisture within the material volume. The microstructural observations of five different plasterboard types were performed through optical and scanning electron microscopy. The deterioration of their properties was evaluated by using a three-point bending test and a subsequent ultrasonic (ultrasound testing (UT)) longitudinal wave velocity measurement. Depending on the material porosity, a loss of UT wave velocity from 6% to 35% and a considerable decrease in material strength from 70% to 80% were observed. Four types of approximated formulae were proposed to describe the dependence of UT wave velocity on board moisture content. It was found that the proposed UT method could be successfully used for the on-site monitoring of plasterboards’ hydration processes.

Exploring optimized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) crystalline cored micelles in anti-glaucoma pharmacotherapy

Methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) polymeric micelles (PMs) open a promising avenue through which ocular drug delivery with superior efficacy and tolerability can be potentially obtained. Methazolamide (MTZ) is an anti-glaucoma drug exhibiting poor corneal penetration, making it an ideal candidate for new polymeric micellar systems. MTZ-PMs were prepared using the thin film hydration procedure and optimized using a Design of Experiment (DoE) approach. In vitro drug release, thermal analyses and FT-IR characterization were also evaluated. MTT assay and histopathological assessment were carried out to verify ocular tolerability as well as Draize irritancy test. In vivo studies were conducted on rabbits to evaluate anti-glaucoma activity in a glucocorticoid-induced glaucoma model. The results showed successful entrapment of MTZ inside PMs matrix as reflected by the complete vanishing of drug melting peak in DSC thermogram and the possible formation of hydrogen bonding between MTZ and mPEG-PCL copolymer in FT-IR spectrum. The selected formula exhibited a particle size of 60 nm, entrapment efficiency of 93% and discrete spherical particles. Moreover, sustained release of MTZ, cellular and tissue biocompatibility and marked anti-glaucoma efficacy, as compared to MTZ solution, were realized. The combined results show that PMs could potentiate the therapeutic outcome of nanotechnology ocular drug delivery.

The influence of the hydration procedure of MgO expansive agent on the expansive behavior of shrinkage-compensating mortar

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the influence of the hydration process of MgO expansive agent in binder on the expansion of shrinkage-compensating mortar. The variation of MgO and Mg(OH)2 content in binder at certain curing ages was examined quantitatively through X-ray diffraction (XRD) Rietveld analysis. Expansive behavior of shrinkage-compensating mortars containing MgO expansive agent was also investigated as a comparison with the hydration process. Results indicated that the hydration speed of MgO is determined by its reactivity, highly reactive MgO results to a fast hydration and expansion speed. The curing condition (sealed or saturated) hardly influences the hydration speed of MgO, but largely influences the expansion rate of mortars. The expansion effect due to MgO hydration lags behind its reaction in the binder paste. Sufficient pore water contributes to the recrystallization of Mg(OH)2, which thus causes high crystal growth pressure and promotes the expansion of mortars.

Effect of Hydration Procedure of Fumed Silica Precursor on the Formation of Luminescent Carbon Centers in SiO2:C Nanocomposites

The effect of hydration procedure of fumed silica precursor on photoluminescent properties of carbonized silica (SiO2:C) nanocomposite after chemo/thermal treatments is studied. Main structural effect is the formation of chemical bonding of phenyl groups to silica surface via multiple CSiO bonding bridges. Synthesized samples demonstrate very broad photoluminescence (PL) bands in near ultraviolet and visible ranges with maximum intensity dependent on temperature of thermal annealing. Two main trends in luminescence properties are: 1) hydration‐induced blue shift of PL in comparison with PL of unhydrated series; 2) red shift of PL bands with increasing synthesis temperature regardless hydration procedure. Temperature dependent evolution of light emission bands is discussed in terms of surface carbon nanoclusters formation and aggregation processes. It is assumed that blue shift of PL bands in the hydrated series is associated with the decreased surface mobility of carbon atoms and clusters as a result of increased chemical bonding with silica surface that slows down carbon thermally stimulated clusterization/aggregation processes.