Malvern Instruments Research Articles

Enhancing antibacterial efficacy and accelerating infectious wound healing in rats using biogenic metal nanoparticles from marine Bacillus subtilis

IntroductionMicroorganisms originating from the marine environment, such as bacteria, fungi, and algae, are deliberately employed in the production of nanoparticles on account of the wide array of bioactive compounds they produce.MethodsCell-free aqueous extracts of marine Bacillus subtilis (CBPPR1) were used to synthesise AuNPs (CBPPR1AuNPs) and AgNPs (CBPPR1AgNPs). Zetasizer Nano ZS (Malvern Instruments) zeta size and zeta potential, field emission and transmission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM and HR-TEM), UV-visible (UV-Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and EDAX were used to characterize biogenically synthesized nanoparticles (NPs). Their antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus were investigated. The anticancer efficacy of CBPPR1Au and AgNPs was investigated in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines (HT-29, HT-116). CBPPR1AgNPs formulation was studied in vitro and in-vivo rat models. The assessment focused on its efficacy in wound healing and antibacterial capabilities, comparing them against a commercial product. To determine the effectiveness of CBPPR1AgNPs in wound healing, a cutaneous wound model was employed, which included infection with S. aureus.Results and discusionCBPPR1Au and AgNPs significantly inhibited the growth of S aureus at MIC of 125 µg (CBPPR1AuNPs) and 62.5 µg (CBPPR1AgNPs) respectively. FE-SEM and HR-TEM observations confirmed that NPs caused bacterial cell leakage, damage, and shrinkage. Cancer cell viability was reduced upon treatment with increasing concentrations of CBPPR1Au and AgNPs, and apoptosis was increased in cells treated with CBPPR1Au and AgNPs relative to untreated cells (p < 0.001). CBPPR1Au and AgNPs showed significant cytotoxic activity against HT-29 (15.5 M) and HT-116 (62.5 M) cells. In-vivo experiments on rats showed minimal pus formation in groups CBPPR1AgNPs (62.5 µg/ml) G2, CBPPR1AgNPs (125 µg/ml) G3, and silver sulfadiazine G4, indicating the effective control of infections. CBPPR1AgNPs-treated wounds showed complete closure, whereas untreated G1 wounds remained unhealed. Histopathological analysis showed no adverse effects of CBPPR1AgNPs on kidneys and livers of rats. These findings suggest that CBPPR1AgNPs play a pivotal role in wound healing because of their potent antibacterial properties.

Anti-inflammatory and tissue repair effect of cinnamaldehyde and nano cinnamaldehyde on gingival fibroblasts and macrophages

BackgroundRecurrent aphthous stomatitis has a complex and inflammatory origin. Among the great variety of medications it is increasingly common to use herbal medicines due to the adverse side effects of chemical medications. Considering the anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamaldehyde and the lack of studies related to the effectiveness of its nano form; This study investigates the effect of cinnamaldehyde and nano cinnamaldehyde on the healing rate of recurrent aphthous stomatitis lesions.MethodsIn a laboratory experiment, cinnamaldehyde was converted into niosomal nanoparticles. The niosome vesicles diameter and polydispersity index were measured at 25°C using a dynamic light scattering (DLS) Mastersizer 2000 (Malvern Panalytical technologies: UK) and Zetasizer Nano ZS system (Malvern Instruments Worcestershire: UK). After characterizing these particles, the (2,3-Bis-(2-Methoxy-4-Nitro-5-Sulfophenyl)-2H-Tetrazolium-5-Carboxanilide) [XTT] assay was used to assess the toxicity of cinnamaldehyde and nano cinnamaldehyde on gingival fibroblast (HGF) and macrophage (THP-1) cells. By determining the release of TNF-α, IL-6, and TGF-β cytokines using ELISA kits, the level of tissue repair and anti-inflammatory capabilities of these two substances were evaluated.ResultsThe size and loading rate of the cinnamaldehyde nanoparticles were established after its creation. The optimized nanovesicle exhibited the following characteristics: particle size of 228.75 ± 2.38 nm, PDI of 0.244 ± 0.01, the zeta potential of -10.87 ± 1.09 mV and the drug encapsulation percentage of 66.72 ± 3.93%. PDIs range was between 0.242–0.274. The zeta potential values at 25°C were from -2.67 to -12.9 mV. The results of the XTT test demonstrated that nano cinnamaldehyde exhibited dose-dependent toxicity effects. Moreover, nano cinnamaldehyde released more TGF-β and had better reparative effects when taken at lower concentrations than cinnamaldehyde.ConclusionNano cinnamaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde are effective in repairing tissue when used in non-toxic amounts. After confirmation in animal models, it is envisaged that these substances can be utilized to treat recurrent aphthous stomatitis.

COMBINED METHOD FOR QUALITY CONTROL OF COLLOIDAL SILVER

Relevance. Silver nanoparticles are interesting as an alternative to antibiotics and as their carrier. Bioavailability of silver is affected by particle size, morphology, and concentration. The studied combination of methods is promising for the rapid detection of technological defects in production and the fight against counterfeiting. Objective. To develop a combined method for quality control of silver-containing colloidal solutions. This method in addition to elemental determination will consider the disperse characteristics of particles. Material and methods. Four silver-containing preparations were studied: ProtargolLor (P.J.S.C. “Pharmstandard”, Kursk); Argitos colloidal silver (“Nanosphere”, Russia), Argent Colloidal (Nutri expert, France); Granions d’Argent (Laboratoire des Granions Le Mercator, France). The study was carried out using Energy dispersive spectrometer Shimadzu EDX-7000 (Japan), Laser hydrodynamic particle size analyzer Zetasizer (Malvern Instruments, UK). Results. In this article we propose the use of a combined method for the quality control of silver-containing preparations. The express X-ray fluorescence method is supplemented by the method of dynamic laser light scattering. This combined method allows to determine the composition and size spectra of the particles of the studied samples. It will significantly reduce costs and protect the laborants from the toxic effects of reagents used for mineralization. Conclusion. The combination of disperse and elemental analysis methods is promising for quality control of silver-containing pharmaceuticals. This technology will detect counterfeit and manufacturing defects.

ИЗУЧЕНИЕ АЭРОДИНАМИЧЕСКИХ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК МАКРОТЕХА И ОЦЕНКА ВОЗМОЖНОСТЕЙ ЕГО ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЯ ДЛЯ ДИНАМИЧЕСКОЙ АЭРОЗОЛЬНОЙ СЦИНТИГРАФИИ

Introduction: The leading protective mechanism of the lungs is the processes of deposition of inhaled substances and mucociliary clearance (MCC), the optimal method for studying which is dynamic radioaerosol scintigraphy. are not available on the market. The applicant in this regard for a number of characteristics is the radiopharmaceutical from albumin, produced in the Russian Federation under the brand name Macrotech (M). It is used for perfusion scintigraphy to verify primarily pulmonary embolism and its ability to study deposition of inhalants and MCC has not been studied. Purpose: To study the aerodynamic properties of M dispersion and to determine the possibilities of its use for dynamic radioaerosol scintigraphy of the lungs in order to assess the processes of deposition of inhaled substances and MCC. Material and methods: To study the aerodynamic properties of M, on which the assessment of the deposition of inhaled substances and MCC significantly depends, we studied the dispersion of its particles in different states, and studied them in shape and morphology. An ultrasonic inhaler TuR USI-50 (Germany) generated an aerosol from a suspension of M in distilled water. To study the dispersion in air, laser spectrometry was used using the Spraytec Malvern Instruments system (Great Britain). The protein content in the initial suspension and dispersible aerosol, collected in the form of a condensate, was determined using an Immulite 2000 XPi immunochemical analyzer (Siemens, USA).The shape and morphology of the particles were studied using scanning electron microscopy using. Results: The study of the aerodynamic properties of the dispersion of M indicated that its particles are involved in the dynamics of the movement of the airflow and the flight of water particles generated by the inhaler. The dispersity of the aerosol generated from the suspension M averaged about 5 μm and did not significantly depend on the concentration of the radiopharmaceutical and did not depend on the studied dispersion intensity and airflow rate set using an inhaler. The morphology of M particles was characterized by a complex shape and roughness. Conclusion: The aerodynamic characteristics of M are not optimal for studying the processes of deposition and MCC. However, a final verdict requires a direct assessment of the deposition of the inhaled radioaerosol generated from this preparation.

Express method for particle size analysis in solid, liquid, and amorphous materials using 3D calibration curve and 2D-DLS dynamic light scattering

This study proposes a new method for particle size studying based on the use of topological descriptors for various media and types of matter. The sizes of supramolecular particles in water-lactose complexes were studied using the diffuse dynamic light scattering (DLS) method. Mist-Standart latex balls were used to generate a 3D calibration curve, followed by empirical particle size determination. In order to confirm the output, the resulting sizes were compared for a number of silver proteinate solutions, preliminary analyzed by laser light scattering (using ZetaSizer equipment by Malvern Instruments Ltd, UK). The new method uses a simplified procedure, provides a quick solution and may be used for both quality control of cloudy and opaque medicinal substances and excipients as well as in other fields of nanotechnology.
 Keywords: nanoparticles, particle size, silver proteinate, latex nanoparticles, dynamic light scattering

Suppression of tumor growth and apoptosis induction by pomegranate seed nano-emulsion in mice bearing solid Ehrlich carcinoma cells

Despite the high antioxidant and penetration ability of pomegranate seed oil (PSO), the in vivo antitumor activity of PSO nano-emulsion has not been well investigated. Therefore, this study was undertaken to estimate the antitumor activity and safety of PSO nano-emulsion in mice bearing Ehrlich solid carcinoma cells. For tumor inoculation, about 2 × 106 viable Ehrlich tumor cells (200 µl) were implanted intramuscularly in the left thigh of hind leg. Once a solid tumor appears on the 10th day of transplantation; the mice were randomly divided into five groups (5 animals/group). Characterization of the PSO nano-emulsion using a Zeta sizer Malvern instrument and transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed that the PSO nano-droplets were well dispersed with an average particle size of 8.95 nm and a spherical shape. Treatment with PSO nano-emulsions caused a significant reduction in the tumor size and weight, in a dose dependent manner, compared to tumor control group. Marked dose dependent elevations in the DNA damage level together with significant increases in the tumor suppressor p53, Bax and Caspase genes and reductions in the anti-apoptotic Bcl2 gene were also observed in the tumor tissue of mice given PSO nano-emulsions. Histological examination also revealed apoptosis and necrosis of tumor cells and tumor infiltration with inflammatory cells after PSO nano-emulsion treatment. However, high DNA damage was noticed in the liver and kidney tissues of mice given the highest dose of PSO nano-emulsion (400 mg/kg). Therefore, we concluded that PSO nano-emulsion exhibited a potent antitumor activity through induction of DNA breaks that triggers apoptosis of tumor cells but the highest dose caused genotoxicity to liver and kidney tissues, thus it is recommended to use doses lower than 400 mg/kg of PSO nano-emulsion as an alternative drugs for chemotherapy.

Preparation, Characterization, and Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Elimination Effect of Baicalein-Loaded β-Cyclodextrin-Grafted Chitosan Nanoparticles.

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization in medical implants are resistant to antibiotics due to the formation of bacterial biofilm internal. Baicalein (BA) has been confirmed as an inhibitor of bacterial biofilm with less pronounced effects owing to its poor solubility and absorption. Studies have found that β-cyclodextrin-grafted chitosan (CD-CS) can improve drug efficiency as a drug carrier. Therefore, this research aims to prepare BA-loaded CD-CS nanoparticles (CD-CS-BA-NPs) for S. aureus biofilm elimination enhancement. CD-CS-BA-NPs were prepared via the ultrasonic method. The NPs were characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Malvern Instrument. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the NPs were investigated. The biofilm models in vivo and in vitro were constructed to assess the S. aureus biofilm elimination ability of the NPs. The Confocal laser method (CLSM) and the Live/Dead kit were employed to explore the mechanism of the NPs in promoting biofilm elimination. CD-CS-BA-NPs have an average particle size of 424.5 ± 5.16 nm, a PDI of 0.2 ± 0.02, and a Zeta potential of 46.13 ± 1.62 mV. TEM images revealed that the NPs were spherical with uniform distribution. XRD and TGA analysis verified the formation and the thermal stability of the NPs. The NPs with a MIC of 12.5 ug/mL exhibited a better elimination effect on S. aureus biofilm both in vivo and in vitro. The mechanism study demonstrated that the NPs may permeate into the biofilm more easily, thereby improving the biofilm elimination effect of BA. CD-CS-BA-NPs were successfully prepared with enhanced elimination of S. aureus biofilm, which may serve as a reference for future development of anti-biofilm agents.

Accelerate your development & understanding of viral & non-viral drug delivery vectors: from proof of concept to drug product manufacture

Watch the video or view the poster to learn:Which analytical technologies can be used to characterize and optimize viral and lipid-based formulations How to analyse specific characteristics of AAV delivery vectors and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)The importance of applying orthogonal analytical techniques and which techniques are complementaryStrengths and weaknesses of various characterization techniques for the development of drug delivery vectorsHanna Jankevics Jones studied physics at the Royal institute of Technology (Stockholm, Sweden) followed by a PhD in Physical Chemistry at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (Switzerland). She joined Malvern Panalytical (formerly Malvern Instruments) in 2008 as a Product Technical Specialist for biophysical characterization. In 2013, Hanna moved into R&D, where, as Principal Applications Scientist, she set up and mentored the team responsible for developing new applications and instruments across all product ranges. In 2017, Hanna became product owner for the Zetasizer Advance range of light scattering instruments, overseeing the development of new hardware and software. In 2019 Hanna moved to a strategic marketing role, focusing on complex drug product development.

BIOAVAILABILITY ENHANCEMENT OF REPAGLINIDE USING NANO LIPID CARRIER: PREPARATION CHARACTERIZATION AND IN VIVO EVALUATION

Objective: The aim of this study to manufacture the prolonged release lipid nanoparticle (Solid lipid nanoparticle and nanostructure lipid carrier) of repaglinide for enhance the oral bioavailability. Methods: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) were prepared by slight modification in the solvent diffusion method. The core material used as cetyl alcohol while blend with oleic acid was used in the preparation of NLC dispersion. Tween 80 were utilized as a Surfactant and lecithin as a cosurfactant in both types of lipid formulation. Lipid nanoparticles were characterized for size distribution, entrapment parameter, zeta potential, surface morphology, in vitro drug release and stability study. Pharmacodynamic study were also performed to evaluate the antidiabetic activity of repaglinide-loaded lipid nanodispersion. Results: It was observed that lipid matrix-based SLN and NLC having significant particle size (157.8±15.8 nm for NLC and 238.4±48.2 nm for SLN dispersion), entrapment efficacy 79.82±0.84% for NLC and 72.04±1.03% for SLN dispersion. Zeta potential report was also clarifying that the formulation is in a stable state for a prolong time. SEM study size distribution of particle as evaluated by Malvern instrument. The formulation was also confirmed to be stable after 180 d of storage, according to the data from the stability study. The in vivo antidiabetic assessment showed that Repaglinide-loaded SLN and NLC dispersion were able to reduce the blood sugar level. Interestingly, in the case of the RPG-SLN, RPG-NLC-I and RPG-NLC-II groups, and the average blood sugar values at all-time intervals were significantly less than that of the basal glucose value (p<0.05). Conclusion: The prepared SLN and NLC dispersion having the ability to control the release and make nano formulation suitable to resolve poor bioavailability of repaglinide.

Stable Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Eplerenone Prepared with Water Soluble Polymer by Spray Drying Technique

Class II in the Biopharmaceutical Classification System, eplerenone (EPL) is a selective aldosterone antagonist. Due to its poor solubility, EPL has limited bioavailability. Here, an innovative spray-drying method was used to transform a water soluble polymer into an amorphous dispersion of the EPL. Different polymer SOL/EPL ratios were tested to determine EPL’s solubility and dissolution enhancement properties. In order to learn more about the physical and chemical properties of this novel amorphous solid dispersion (ASD), methods like powder X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), particle size distribution (PSD) using a Malvern instrument, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used. There was no chemical interaction between the binary mixture of EPL and SOL which was confirmed from the FTIR spectra obtained. The enhancement in the solubility and dissolution of EPL and binary mixture prepared were due to the amorphous conversion of EPL in the SOL polymer (amorphous solid dispersion), which was confirmed from DSC thermogram, PXRD spectra obtained and was also confirmed from the solubility study, in-vitro dissolution study. Finally, ex-vivo intestinal absorption study performed on the goat intestine using amorphous solid dispersion and pure EPL, also improved intestinal absorption of EPL through amorphous solid dispersion prepared.

Controllable Polymerization of N -Substituted β-Alanine N -Thiocarboxyanhydrides for Convenient Synthesis of Functional Poly(β-peptoid)s

Controllable Polymerization of <i>N</i> -Substituted β-Alanine <i>N</i> -Thiocarboxyanhydrides for Convenient Synthesis of Functional Poly(β-peptoid)s

Dual Rolling Circle Amplification-Assisted Single-Particle Fluorescence Profiling of Exosome Heterogeneity for Discriminating Lung Adenocarcinoma from Pulmonary Nodules

Dual Rolling Circle Amplification-Assisted Single-Particle Fluorescence Profiling of Exosome Heterogeneity for Discriminating Lung Adenocarcinoma from Pulmonary Nodules

Characterization of ZnO mixed into TiO2 as feed powder for plasma spraying process

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) powder was combined specifically with 10, 20, and 30% zinc oxide (ZnO) powder and reconstituted as feedstock powder for the plasma spraying procedure in this investigation. For 2 h, the mixture was wet milled, dried at 80 °C for 24 h, then sieved using 80-mesh sieves. The produced feedstock powders were analysed for powder particle size using the Mastersizer Malvern Instrument. Apart from investigating the morphological and composition components of mixed powder particles using scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Zeiss Leo 1450VP), the phase composition was determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD, X'pert-Pro system) with a CuK radiation wavelength of = 1.5406. The X-ray data were gathered using a 0.05° scanning step size across a 20–80° range. The XRD examination of the combined powder demonstrated a minor reduction in the diffraction peaks due to the addition of ZnO to TiO2. The key explanation for the decrease in the intensity of the major titania diffraction peak in this case was the incorporation of ZnO into the TiO2 lattice. The particle size of the TiO2 particle decreased by approximately 50% after milling, from d(0.5) = 32.67 μm to d(0.5) = 15.73 μm and 16.43 μm for the samples containing 10% and 30% ZnO, respectively. Powder morphology study demonstrates that the ZnO (small particle) particles remained consistently attached to the TiO2 particles during the mixing procedure and were reconstituted as feedstock powders for the plasma spraying process.

Predicting intra-articular residence time of hyaluronan-based viscosupplements. a comparison between human and artificial synovial fluid as degradation media

Purpose: Hyaluronan(HA)-based viscosupplements, although resorbable, present different in vivo residence times, which are mainly related to structural modifications of the native polymer. The residence time of unmodified HA generally does not exceed 5 days, while chemically crosslinked HA can be detected in the joint up to one month. Artificial synovial fluid (ASF) have been described in the literature to mimic rheology of or drug release in human SF (SF). These models suffer from a limitation from the biological point of view: the absence of hyaluronidases, HA degrading enzymes expressed by the chondrocytes in contact with SF, well described in literature. A novel in vitro preparation of ASF with hyaluronidase is hereby reported and tested with three marketed viscosupplements: Sinovial® HL (SHL, IBSA Farmaceutici), which contains native HA of both low and high MW, Hyalubrix® (HBX, Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A.), which contains unmodified high MW HA and Hymovis® (HYM, Fidia Farmaceutici S.p.A.), composed of HA modified with hexadecyl alkyl chains via amidic bonds (MW comprised between 500 and 700 kDa). The effect of this ASF towards HA molecular weight and rheological properties was reported and compared with the degradation profile in centrifuged human SF. Methods: ASF was formulated with the following composition: NaCl 8 g/L, KCl 0.2 g/L, Na2HPO4 1.7 g/L, Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) 19 g/L, Bovine Testes Hyaluronidase (BTH) 6 U/mL, Gentamicin 0.01 mg/mL (pH 7.4). The salt and BSA composition and concentration in SF are well reported in the literature. At the best of our knowledge, the quantification of hyaluronidase activity in human SF is not reported. Considering that Hyaluronidase (Hyal) activity titrated in serum is at least 6 U/mL in BTH equivalent, and that Hyal (MW 55-60 kDa) can permeate synovial membrane, the same concentration of BTH was added to artificial SF. Centrifuged (cell free) human SF collected from OA patients was used as “degradation media”. Sinovial® HL, Hyalubrix® and Hymovis® were separately incubated either in ASF or SF at 37 °C for 14 days at a w/w ratio of approximately 1:1, under mild shaking. At different time points (0, 1, 7 and 14 days) the viscoelastic moduli and dynamic viscosity of the mixtures were measured with an Anton Paar MCR 92 rheometer. Moreover, at each time point the mixtures were diluted in water and filtered through Merck Vivaspin® 2 centrifugal concentrators (MWCO = 100 kDa, comparable to the synovial membrane cut-off) in order to quantitate the permeated and retained HA fractions. PBS+SF at a w/w ratio of 1:1 was used as blank for HA measurement. The percent recovery of the HA fraction with MW ≤ 100 kDa was determined by SEC-TDA (Omnisec Resolve/Reveal, Malvern instruments). Results: The degradation profile of HYM, HBX and SHL in SF or ASF is shown in the graph below: after 14 days the viscoelasticity (expressed as storage modulus: G’) of HYM/SF, HBX/SF and SHL/SF is slightly decreased; however, the elasticity of all viscosupplements in ASF is completely impaired after only few hours. After 14 days, the percent recovery of high MW HA (>100 kDa) confirms the rheological data: in SF, HYM, HBX and SHL were not depolymerized to low MW polymers while, in ASF, the percent recovery in higher MW HA was only about 45%, 10% and 13% for HYM, SHL and HBX respectively. The strong depolymerizing activity of ASF was confirmed for all the viscosupplements tested; nonetheless, HYM showed higher resistance to degradation in ASF compared to SHL. Conclusions: In this work, two different in vitro and ex vivo models were compared in order to predict the in vivo residence time of three HA-based viscosupplements in the intra-articular environment. Based on the literature, after a single intra-articular administration of high MW HA (2000 kDa), the measured residence time was as short as about 5 days. The ex vivo model with centrifuged human SF bears the limitation of the absence of hyaluronidases (a cell surface glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein, removed with the chondrocytes during the centrifugation process), while the assay in ASF added with BTH turned out to be more reliable and can therefore be employed during viscosupplement development to predict the intra-articular residence time of HA-based products

Interactions between Cocoa Husk Catechin and Casein Micelles and their Impact on Physico-chemical Properties

Aims: The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of physicochemical properties of interaction casein with different concentration catechin sources of the cocoa husk.&#x0D; Study design: Casein was added catechin with various concentration treatments (0 (control), 20, 40 and 60 (μg/ml)).&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted between April until August 2020 at the Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya.&#x0D; Methodology: Casein was added catechin with various concentration treatments (0, 20, 40 and 60 (μg/ml)). An analysis is carried out to determine interaction using UV-Vis detection, chemical structure using Fourier Transform Infra-Red, microscopy analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy, particle size by Zetasizer Nano Series Software Version 7.01, Malvern Instrument and electrophoretic analysis.&#x0D; Results: The interaction between casein and catechin was investigated by the method of UV-Vis detection and chemical structure analysis by Fourier Transform Infra-Red showed that it was indicated that catechin could detected in casein. It is similar with recent research. The interaction of casein and catechin showed to decrease the particle size and showed on microscopy analysis. Protein profile showed to increase the molecular weight with the addition of catechin, it can be indicated that presence interaction both on casein with catechin.&#x0D; Conclusion: Casein interacted with catechins 60 µg/ml was able to increase casein stability, maintain nano size, casein components were still detected in the protein profile, the resulting microstructure looked compact and functional groups of bioactive compounds were still detected using Fourier Transform Infra-Red.

Comparative Study on Improving the Ball Mill Process Parameters Influencing on the Synthesis of Ultrafine Silica Sand: A Taguchi Coupled Optimization Technique

Taguchi-based experimental design technique has been a major research area for making systematic approaches to understand the complex process of ball mill process parameters influencing on the synthesis of ultrafine silica sand monolayer degradation. To determine an optimal setting, Taguchi coupled optimization technique has been applied with a novel approach as there is no previous work focusing on the synthesis of ultrafine silica sand taking in account the ball milling process parameters and Taguchi coupled optimization techniques. The high-grade silica was milled in planetary ball mill and the selected samples were passed through washing, crushing, dehydrating, meshing and drying operations. The samples were analyzed using Malvern Instruments for particle size distribution. The experiments were conducted as per Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal array. Process parameters were analyzed using the signal-to-noise ratio based on the-smaller-the-better approach. To minimize the effect of uncontrollable variables, The ANOVA results determined the significance of the influential controllable variables so that the variability in the response is small. Optimization results confirmed that the balls to powder weight ratio were the most influential process parameter. The optimum process parameters setting concluded that balls to powder weight ratio are 20:1, the optimum ball mill working capacity is 2 L while the optimum speed of the ball mill is 105 rpm. Using SEM characterization, the improved particles of silica sand presented a spherical shape with a cluster. Using TEM of different structures of the ultrafine silica sand containing asymmetrical characteristics of particles confirmed the solid form of the ultrafine silica sand.

Life-Inspired Endogenous Dynamic Behavior of Lipid Droplet-like Microcompartments in Artificial Adipocyte-like Structures

Chemical systems that can replicate cellular behaviors are gaining increasing attention and are being used to study various biological processes. Here, a protein- or amylose-based assembly at an oi...

AGGREGATION OF MS-MONOPYRIDYL-Β-OCTAALKYLPORPHYRINS IN DICHLOROMETHANE IN PRESENCE OF Pd(II)

Aggregation of 13,17-diethyl-2,3,7,8,12,18-hexamethyl-5-(pyridin-4-yl) porphyrin (I), 13,17-diethyl-2,3,7,8,12,18-hexamethyl-5-(pyridin-3-yl)porphyrin (II) and 13.17-diethyl-2,3,7,8,12,18-hexamethyl-5-(pyridin-2-yl)porphyrin (III) in the presence of trans-bis(benzonitrile)palladium(II) dichloride was studied by dynamic light scattering and electronic absorption spectroscopy in dichloromethane at 293 K. The average aggregate size and the nature of their distribution were determined. Using scanning electron microscopy, it was determined the size and composition of clusters formed by aggregates of complexes of the palladium(II) cation with the studied porphyrins. It was shown that minimal acetic acid additions lead to the destruction of the corresponding clusters. At the same time, complete destruction of the aggregates does not occur even with a 100-fold molar excess of acid.We used the Zetasizer Nano ZS (model ZEN3600, Malvern Instruments), equipped with a 633nm laser and non-invasive backscattering (NIBS) technology when the scattered light detector is positioned at an angle of 173° to the incident light. Confirmation of porphyrin aggregation was performed by additional study of the structure using a Hitachi TM4000Plus desktop electron microscope equipped with a 4-segment highly sensitive semiconductor detector and a secondary electron detector for low vacuum mode. Elemental analysis of the obtained aggregates in the cluster was performed using a silicon drift detector with a working area of 30 mm2, combined with a Hitachi TM4000Plus microscope. It was found that aggregates consisting of a para-pyridyl derivative of alkylporphyrin and trans-bis (benzonitrile) palladium (II) dichloride are formed in dichloromethane at 293 K. The best results of porphyrin structures were observed for mixtures of 13,17-diethyl-2,3,7,8,12,18-5-hexamethyl-5-(pyridine-4-yl)porphyrin with TRANS-bis(benzonitrile)- palladium (II) dichloride in a ratio of 1:3, which is probably due to less spatial shielding of the reaction center of the macrocycle and, as a result, better stabilization of the resulting particles. The size of a cluster consisting of individual aggregates was measured using scanning electron microscopy. An elemental analysis of a single aggregate was obtained.

Positive/Negative Phototropism: Controllable Molecular Actuators with Different Bending Behavior

Herein, a series of molecular actuators based on the crystals of (E)-2-(4-fluorostyryl)benzo[d]oxazole (BOAF4), (E)-2-(2,4-difluorostyryl)benzo[d]oxazole (BOAF24), (E)-2-(4-fluorostyryl)benzo[d]thi...

А Study of Haloperidol Release from Polycomplex Nanoparticles Based on Eudragit&lt;sup&gt;®&lt;/sup&gt; Copolymers

Introduction . The development of polymer carriers for micro- and nanoscale drug delivery systems is an emerging area of modern pharmaceutical technology. One of the urgent needs in this area is the development of effective methods to study the drug release from these systems. Aim . This work aimed to study the release of a model drug (MD) haloperidol from polycomplex nanoparticles prepared based on interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPEC) using various methods. Materials and methods . IPECs were prepared in the form of nanoparticles based on pharmaceutical polymers (Eudragit ® EPO and Eudragit ® L100-55). Size distribution of these nanoparticles were determined using dynamic light scattering on Zetasizer Nano-ZS equipment (Malvern Instruments, UK). The release of haloperidol was studied in a medium simulating an artificial nasal fluid using a vertical Franz diffusion cell (PermeGear, USA) as well as a modified USP IV method in a flow-through cell apparatus (DFZ II, Erweka, Germany). Results and discussion . Statistically significant increase in the release of haloperidol from polycomplex nanoparticles in contrast with the control (haloperidol solution) is observed when using a vertical diffusion or Franz cell, after almost 2.5 hours. At the same time, it was not possible to study the release of drug using the flow-through cell method (USP IV), due, apparently, to the effect of crystallization of haloperidol on the surface of dialysis membranes in the Float-A-Lyzer ® G2 nanoadapters. The attempts to eliminate this effect and to improve the membrane permeability to haloperidol by adding surfactants (tween-80) and penetration enhancers (DMSO) were not successful. Conclusion . Both methods are promising for studying the release of drugs from nanosized carriers; however, in the case of using poorly-soluble drugs, including haloperidol, the diffusion method using a vertical Franz cell is effective.