Nanosize Range Research Articles

Performance of Self-Compacting mortars modified with Nanoparticles: A systematic review and modeling

During the transition of one material from macro- to nano-range size, considerable changes occur in the electron conductivity, optical absorption, mechanical properties, chemical reacting activity, and surface morphology. These changes can be advantageous in the production of new mixture composites. Due to the need for developing improved infrastructure, new and high-performance materials should also be developed. In this regard, to improve the performance of concrete mixtures, several methods have been investigated, including using nanoparticles (NPs) to enhance various characteristics of the concrete composite like improving fresh and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) as well as improving permeability and absorption capacity of the composite by providing extremely fine particles to fill micro-pores and voids.In this paper, a state-of-the-art review was carried out on the influence of various NPs inclusion on the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of self-compacting mortars (SCM). So that current and most recent studies previously published were investigated to highlight the influences of different NPs on the slump flow diameter, V-funnel flow time, compression and flexural strengths, water absorption, chloride penetration, and electrical resistivity. Moreover, the main section of this study was devoted to proposing different models, including nonlinear model (NLR), multi-logistic model (MLR), and artificial neural network (ANN), to predict the compressive strength (CS) of SCMs modified with NPs. Based on the analyzed data, it was illustrated that the addition of NPs into SCMs significantly enhances the fresh, mechanical, and durability performance of SCMs. Moreover, the microstructure of SCMs was considerably improved due to the higher specific surface area of NPs and their reaction with undesirable C–H which present in the cement paste matrix to produce additional C-S-H gel.

Chitosan-Coated Solid Lipid Nano-Encapsulation Improves the Therapeutic Antiairway Inflammation Effect of Berberine against COPD in Cigarette Smoke-Exposed Rats.

Berberine (Ber) is an isoquinoline alkaloid that has shown therapeutic potential in mice with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the therapeutic efficiency of Ber is restricted by its low aqueous solubility and bioavailability. Chitosan and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have demonstrated great abilities as delivery systems in enhancing the bioavailability of therapeutic compounds. The present study aimed to get together the biological features of SLNs with the advantages of chitosan to formulate an efficient nano-carrier platform for the oral delivery of Ber and evaluate the therapeutic effect of the prepared Ber-encapsulated nanoparticles on airway inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced COPD rats. The Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan formulation was manufactured using a modified solvent-injection method followed by a homogenization process. Physicochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro stability and Ber release, and pharmacokinetics of the manufactured formulation were evaluated. The COPD rat model was developed by exposing animals to CS. To study the therapeutic efficiency of Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan nanoparticles and pure berberine, the histopathological changes of the lung tissues, levels of inflammatory cells and cytokines, and activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan showed the particle size in nano-range with high stability and controlled slow-release profile in vitro in simulated gastric (pH 1.5) and intestinal (pH 6.8) fluids. Administration of Ber-loaded SLE-chitosan nanoparticles could significantly ameliorate inflammation scores in lung tissues and reduce levels of inflammatory cells (neutrophils and macrophages) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, Il-6, Il-17, and TNFα) in BALF when compared with the pure Ber. SLE-chitosan-based nanoparticles can strongly improve the therapeutic anti-inflammatory impact of Ber against CS-induced airway inflammation in COPD rats, suggesting the promising application of Ber-encapsulated SLN-chitosan nanoparticles for treating COPD and other inflammation-mediated diseases.

Antibacterial and Biofilm Inhibitory Effects of Rutin Nanocrystals

Rutin is a nontoxic bioactive agent that extensively exists in fruits and vegetables with several therapeutic properties, essentially attributed to its effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Rutin possesses poor bioavailability and low aqueous solubility, limiting its therapeutic applications. The expansion of nanoparticulate systems is one of the technical routes to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of rutin. The present study aimed to examine the antimicrobial effects of rutin nanocrystals (RNs). A minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), biofilm, and attachment inhibitory effects of RNs were evaluated for several bacterial strains compared with bulk rutin. It was shown that the aqueous dispersion of RNs was much more effective than rutin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Acinetobacter baumannii. The results revealed that rutin's antimicrobial activity improved by reducing particle size up to the nano-sized range in the MIC test. RNs and rutin didn't show any biofilm inhibitory effect.

Drug Nanocrystals: Focus on Brain Delivery from Therapeutic to Diagnostic Applications.

The development of new drugs is often hindered by low solubility in water, a problem common to nearly 90% of natural and/or synthetic molecules in the discovery pipeline. Nanocrystalline drug technology involves the reduction in the bulk particle size down to the nanosize range, thus modifying its physico-chemical properties with beneficial effects on drug bioavailability. Nanocrystals (NCs) are carrier-free drug particles surrounded by a stabilizer and suspended in an aqueous medium. Due to high drug loading, NCs maintain a potent therapeutic concentration to produce desirable pharmacological action, particularly useful in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In addition to the therapeutic purpose, NC technology can be applied for diagnostic scope. This review aims to provide an overview of NC application by different administration routes, especially focusing on brain targeting, and with a particular attention to therapeutic and diagnostic fields. NC therapeutic applications are analyzed for the most common CNS pathologies (i.e., Parkinson’s disease, psychosis, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.). Recently, a growing interest has emerged from the use of colloidal fluorescent NCs for brain diagnostics. Therefore, the use of NCs in the imaging of brain vessels and tumor cells is also discussed. Finally, the clinical effectiveness of NCs is leading to an increasing number of FDA-approved products, among which the NCs approved for neurological disorders have increased.

An efficient synthesis of trivalent erbium activated BaYZn3AlO7 nano-sized phosphors for illumination purpose

Nanocrystalline BaY1−xErxZn3AlO7 (x = 0.01–0.05) phosphors are derived via solution combustion synthesis. Williamson-Hall plot evaluated crystallite size (86.12 nm) and micro strain (0.00143) of the optimized sample. TEM study validates the fabricated particles size in nano-range. Under excitation upon near ultraviolet source (381 nm), emissive peaks are identified at 527 nm (2H11/2→4I15/2) and 566 nm (4S3/2→4I15/2). CIE color coordinates proved emanation in the yellowish-green section. The energy band gap, refractive index and CCT values for optimum nanosample are found to be 4.66 eV, 1.77 and 5416 K respectively. All results indicate that BaY1−xErxZn3AlO7 nanophosphors possess ample applications in WLEDs.

Micro(nano)plastics sources, fate, and effects: What we know after ten years of research

The last decade has been transformative for micro(nano)plastic (MnP) research with recent discoveries revealing the extent and magnitude of MnP pollution, even in the world's most remote places. Historically, while researchers recognized that most plastic pollution was derived from land-based sources, it was generally believed that microplastic particles (i.e., plastic fragments <5 mm) was only a marine pollution issue with effects largely impacting marine biota. However, over the last decade MnP research has progressed rapidly with recent discoveries of MnPs in freshwater, snow, ice, soil, terrestrial biota, air and even found in ocean spray. MnPs have now been found in every environmental compartment on earth, within tissues and gastrointestinal tracts of thousands of species, including humans, resulting in harmful effects. The last 10 years has also seen the development of new techniques for MnP analysis, and re-purposing of old technologies allowing us to determine the extent and magnitude of plastic pollution down to the nano size range (<1 µm). This short review summarizes what key milestones and major advances have been made in microplastic and nanoplastic research in the environment, including their sources, fate, and effects over the last decade.

PEG-4000 formed polymeric nanoparticles loaded with cetuximab downregulate p21 &stathmin-1 gene expression in cancer cell lines

Cetuximab (CTX) is known to have cytotoxic effects on several human cancer cells in vitro; however, as CTX is poorly water soluble, there is a need for improved formulations can reach cancer cells at high concentrations with low side effects. We developed (PEG-4000) polymeric nanoparticles (PEGNPs) loaded with CTX and evaluated their in vitro cytotoxicity and anticancer properties against human lung (A549) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. CTX-PEGNPs were formulated using the solvent evaporation technique, and their morphological properties were evaluated. Further, the effects of CTX-PEGNPs on cell viability using the MTT assay and perform gene expression analysis, DNA fragmentation measurements, and the comet assay. CTX-PEGNP showed uniformly dispersed NPs of nano-size range (253.7 ± 0.3 nm), and low polydispersity index (0.16) indicating the stability and uniformity of NPs. Further, the zeta potential of the preparations was −17.0 ± 1.8 mv. DSC and FTIR confirmed the entrapping of CTX in NPs. The results showed IC50 values of 2.26 μg/mL and 1.83 μg/mL for free CTX and CTX-PEGNPs on the A549 cancer cell line, respectively. Moreover, CTX-PEGNPs had a lower IC50 of 1.12 μg/mL in MCF-7 cells than that of free CTX (2.28 μg/mL). The expression levels of p21 and stathmin-1 were significantly decreased in both cell lines treated with CTX-PEGNPs compared to CTX alone. The CTX-PEGNP-treated cells also showed increased DNA fragmentation rates in both cancer cell lines compared with CTX alone. The results indicated that CTX-PEGNP was an improved formulation than CTX alone to induce apoptosis and DNA damage and inhibit cell proliferation through the downregulation of P21 and stathmin-1 expression.

Numerical simulation and parameterization of the heating and evaporation of a titanium (IV) isopropoxide/p-xylene precursor/solvent droplet in hot convective air

Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) is an excellent method to produce metal-oxide powders in the nano-size range. In this framework, the heating and evaporation of precursor solutions in hot oxidizing environments is investigated. A single spherically symmetric precursor/solvent droplets of titanium (IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) – Ti[OCH(CH3)2]4 in p-xylene – C6H4(CH3)2 at room temperature in convective hot air at atmospheric pressure is considered. Both variable liquid and gas thermophysical properties are incorporated and the non-random two-liquid (NRTL) model is used to describe the real behavior of the mixture. The bi-component droplet interior is not physically resolved and time-dependence is considered through the distillation-limit model for droplet heating and the rapid-mixing model accounts for droplet vaporization. A parameter study of the heating and evaporation characteristics of the single precursor/solvent droplet on the initial droplet size, the initial TTIP mass fraction in the droplet, the ambient air temperature, and the relative gas and droplet velocity is performed and discussed. The results are parameterized and tabulated in terms of polynomial fits of the individual mass evaporation rates of the components, the droplet surface temperature, and the normalized droplet surface area. A computer code in the programming language C is provided that can be incorporated into more complex simulations of FSP.

Transformation of solid plastic waste to activated carbon fibres for wastewater treatment

In this study, the solid waste plastic was converted into activated carbon fibres through carbonization and chemical activation process. The morphological structure, composition, thermal stability and pore structure of the produced activated carbon materials were characterized. The results revealed that the activation process substantially increases the specific surface area of carbon materials via forming large micropores and mesopores (0.01–0.85 cm3g-1) within average nano size range of 50–100 nm. This study provides an effective means to remove the thymol blue dye via adsorption over activated carbon (ACs) as adsorbent. Batch adsorption of thymol blue was conducted to verify the effect of variety of pH, dye concentrations, contact time, adsorbent dose and temperature. The highest dye removal efficiency (approximately 98.05%) of ACs generated from waste plastic polybags, cups and bottles was observed at 10 ppm of thymol blue dye. The results also exhibited that the dye adsorption was favourable at basic pH (9.0) and increasing amount of adsorbent dosage promotes the dye removal efficiency. The excellent dye removal performance was primarily due to the presence of higher available surface area on the surface of developed carbon fibres. In addition, the current results have given the large overview and useful information of dye removal properties by adsorption isotherm and kinetic measurements. The adsorption kinetics and thermodynamic prospective of formed ACs explored the physical, spontaneous and endothermic adsorption process. The as prepared ACs provided easy regeneration of adsorbents with fast response which further suggests the efficiency of nanoparticles to promote their usage up to 5 consecutive cycles. The current work illustrated that better means to transform solid waste plastic into carbon fibres for providing effective and cheap viable option for the fast removal of thymol blue dye from waste water samples.

Negatively-charged Liposome Nanoparticles Can Prevent Dyslipidemia and Atherosclerosis Progression in the Rabbit Model.

Negatively charged nanoliposomes have a strong attraction towards plasma lipoprotein particles and can thereby regulate lipid metabolism. Here, the impact of such nanoliposomes on dyslipidaemia and progression of atherosclerosis was investigated in a rabbit model. Two sets of negatively-charged nanoliposome formulations including [Hydrogenated Soy Phosphatidylcholine (HSPC)/1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphoglycerol (DSPG)] and [1,2- Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (DMPC)/1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (DMPG)/Cholesterol] were evaluated. Rabbits fed a high-cholesterol diet were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=5/group) intravenously administrated with HSPC/DSPG formulation (DSPG group; 100 mmol/kg), DMPC/DMPG formulation (DMPG group; 100 mmol/kg), or the normal saline (control group; 0.9% NaCl) over a 4-week period. The atherosclerotic lesions of the aortic arch wall were studied using haematoxylin and eosin staining. Both DSPG and DMPG nanoliposome formulations showed a nano-sized range in diameter with a negatively-charged surface and a polydispersity index of <0.1. After 4 weeks administration, the nanoliposome formulations decreased triglycerides (-62±3% [DSPG group] and -58±2% [DMPG group]), total cholesterol (-58±9% [DSPG group] and -37±5% [DMPG group]), and lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (-64±6% [DSPG group] and -53±10% [DMPG group]) levels, and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+67±28% [DSPG group] and +35±19% [DMPG group]) levels compared with the controls. The nanoliposomes showed a significant decrease in the severity of atherosclerotic lesions: mean values of the intima to media ratio in DMPG (0.96±0.1 fold) and DSPG (0.54±0.02 fold) groups were found to be significantly lower than that in the control (1.2±0.2 fold) group (p<0.05). Anionic nanoliposomes containing [HSPC/DSPG] and [DMPC/DMPG] correct dyslipidaemia and inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis.

In vitro and ex vivo evaluation of triamcinolone acetonide-loaded transferosome gel-based novel carrier for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Aim: Osteoarthritis is one of the prevalent disorders of the bone and is the leading cause of death across the globe. The poor survival rate and limited opportunities for treatment require the use of novel therapies to tackle the disease. Objectives: In the present invention, we reported significant in vitro and ex vivo improvement of BCS Class IV drug, triamcinolone acetonide (TMA) in transferosome-based gel. Materials and Methods: The optimized transferosome-based suspension (TMA-TS) reported nano-size range with negative zeta potential. Conversion of suspension to gel was initiated using Carbopol 934P as gel base. The spreadability, viscosity, and entrapment efficiency were found to be more enhanced in TMA-TG formulation, as compared to pure drug. Results and Discussion: The spherical morphology of TMA-TS was confirmed in transmission electron microscopy. In vitro dissolution of TMA-TS augments multi-fold release behavior in TMA in phosphate buffer saline 7.4 as dissolution media. Remarkable permeability was observed in goat skin, as confirmed from ex vivo permeability experiments, as compared to suspension and pure drug. Stability studies indicated robustness of formulation during 3-month storage period. Conclusion: In a nutshell, this microparticulate system is well suited and significantly enhanced the biopharmaceutical attributes of TMA.

The synthesis of silver, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles and their antimicrobial activity

Three different types of nanoparticles were synthesised in this study, viz silver (Ag), zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) using different chemical methods. These materials were then characterised using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). The materials were also tested for anti-bacterial activity. TEM showed that the particles were in the nano-size range (1 – 100 nm). FTIR and UV-Vis Spectroscopy showed the different absorption bands of the synthesised nanoparticles, respectively. Silver nanoparticles showed greater antibacterial activity against several bacteria than titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. The highest inhibition was observed for Klebsiella pneumoniae. The results showed that antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles increases with increasing concentration of the nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017 VBRI Press.

Hyaluronate macromolecules assist bioreduction (AuIII to Au0) and stabilization of catalytically active gold nanoparticles for azo contaminated wastewater treatment

The opto-electrical features of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are being expanded broadly for high-tech applications, including electronic conductors, sensory probes, organic photovoltaics, therapeutic agents, drug delivery in medical/biological applications, and catalysts. However, the expansions of these wide applications are significantly hindered by the agglomeration tendency of colloidal AuNPs. Therefore, in obedience to the concept of eco-friendly synthesis protocol, AuNPs were synthesized via a cleaner approach and stabilized by sodium hyaluronate (SH) biopolymer instead of using any toxic agent. The optimization of synthesis parameters and controlling the properties of AuNPs were achieved by a one-variable-at-a-time technique where all reaction variables were constant. The resultant particles were mostly spherical/oval shape, highly crystalline (d-spacing = 0.204–0.233 nm), nano-range size (19.7 ± 3.3 nm) with a narrow distribution, and significantly stable The investigation also revealed that the generation and stabilization of AuNPs were mainly the result of biopolymers-to-metal cations redox-reaction and the capping by a thin layer of SH-macromolecules, respectively. Additionally, as-synthesized AuNPs exhibited catalytic activity for the azo-dye reduction with more than 99% rate of degradation within 10–30 min. The present synthesis method could be consecutively applicable for synthesizing catalytically active AuNPs to be employable in various industrial purposes, including wastewater treatment.

Production and Characterization of Amorphous Silica Nanoparticles from Coconut Shell and Coir

Silica has been produced from coconut coir and coconut shell because of the economic importance of coconut in India. The wastes are generated and disposed of indiscriminately while several are utilized for the energy source. The ash produced by burning them is usually discarded with a considerable amount of extractable silica present. Therefore, extraction of this silica was done using an environmentally friendly chemical approach to produce silica that could be used in several applications. The wastes were calcined at 700oC in a muffle furnace to get ash, treated with HCl to remove soluble metallic oxides, and after that sol-gelled to obtain silica gel. The gel was then dried at 65 oC for 24 hours and characterized using SEM, EDX, FT-IR, and XRD. Silica produced is amorphous with good absorbance potentials. The SEM micrographs show the particles in the Nano size range but with a high level of agglomeration.

Influence of Stabilizer on the Development of Luteolin Nanosuspension for Cutaneous Delivery: An In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation.

Luteolin is a natural drug used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, but unfortunately, it possesses low water solubility, which hinders its delivery via the skin. The main objective of this study was to prepare a luteolin-loaded nanosuspension by the antisolvent precipitation/sonication technique and study the effects of four stabilizers (two nonionic stabilizers, Pluronic F127 and Tween 80, and two polymeric stabilizers, HPMC and alginate) on the physicochemical properties of the prepared formulations. The selected formulations were incorporated into a gel base to evaluate their skin permeability and anti-inflammatory efficacy. The particle size was in the nanosize range (in the range from 468.1 ± 18.6 nm to 1024.8 ± 15.9 nm), while the zeta potential was negative and in the range from −41.7 ± 6.3 mV to −15.3 ± 1.9 mV. In particular, alginate-stabilized nanosuspensions showed the smallest particle size, the highest zeta potential value, and excellent stability due to the dual stabilizing effects (electrostatic and steric effects). The DSC results revealed a less crystalline structure of luteolin in lyophilized NS2 and NS12. Formulations stabilized by 1% Pluronic (NS2) and 2% alginate (NS12) were incorporated into a carbopol 940 gel base and showed good organoleptic character (homogenous with no evidenced phase separation or grittiness). In vitro dissolution studies showed that NS12 enhanced luteolin release rates, indicating the effect of particle size on the drug release pattern. On the other hand, NS2 showed enhanced skin permeability and anti-inflammatory effect in a carrageenan-induced paw edema model, revealing the surface activity role of the stabilizers. In conclusion, while alginate increased the nanosuspension stability by means of dual stabilizing effects, Pluronic F127 improved the skin delivery and pharmacodynamic efficacy of luteolin.

Use of microalgal lipids and carbohydrates for the synthesis of carbon dots via hydrothermal microwave treatment

The green synthesis of carbon dots (CDs) from renewable resources has attracted attention of the scientific community for their use in different industrial applications. CDs derived from microbial biomass can be synthesized using simple and low-cost methods, and have been reported to possess high compatibility, excellent optical behavior and low toxicity. In this study, carbon dots were synthesized using lipids and carbohydrates extracted from microalga Acutodesmus obliquus via microwave hydrothermal digestion method. The synthesized carbon dots showed excitation peaks in the ultraviolet light region (c.a. 350 nm) and emission in the visible region (c.a. 420 nm). The addition of acetone led to red shifting of excitation wavelength in all the synthesized carbon dots. The transmission electron microscopy analysis depicts the nano-size (1.2–11 nm) range of the synthesized carbon dots, where excitation and emission wavelengths were not dependent on the size of the particles. Carbon dots prepared from microalgal metabolites showed fluorescence under ultraviolet luminescence in different wavelengths after the addition of chemicals. The carbon dots thus generated can be explored for their applications such as dyes, sensors, bioimaging and photosensitizers.

High-energy ball milling of intermetallic Ti-Cu alloys for the preparation of oxide nanoparticles

Copper and titanium oxides in the nano-size range show unique chemical and physical properties and thus have been intensively considered for novel and smart applications. In this work, oxide nanoparticles were prepared by high-energy ball milling of Ti-Cu alloys followed by a controlled oxidation process. Alloys of the Ti-Cu system Ti-50Cu, Ti-57Cu, and Ti-65Cu (in wt.%) prepared by arc melting were selected considering they provide different starting brittle intermetallic phases before milling. Microstructural investigation indicated that Ti-50Cu was composed of Ti2Cu and TiCu, while Ti-57Cu was single-phase TiCu. Ti-65Cu was dual-phase and consisted of Ti3Cu4 and Ti2Cu3. A mean particle size below 10 nm was achieved after high-energy ball milling for all compositions. The oxidation process was then investigated in two temperature ranges. At high oxidation temperatures of 700–800 °C, a complete oxidation took place leading to oxides TiO2-rutile and CuO in all alloys. However, at a low oxidation temperature (350 °C), partial oxidation occurred and different oxides were obtained. Ti-50Cu was the most promising alloy and led to a mix of TiO2 (rutile and anatase), CuO, Cu2O, and Ti3Cu3O. After long exposure to thermal oxidation, the resulting oxides remained in the nanometric range with a particle size distribution showing a D50 of approximately 6 nm.

Multi-directionally evaluating the formation mechanism of 1,4-dihydropyridine drug nanosuspensions through experimental validation and computer-aided drug design

The poor aqueous solubility of 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs needs to be solved urgently to improve the bioavailability. Nanotechnology can improve drug solubility and dissolution by reducing particle size, but usually a specific polymer or surfactant is required for stabilization. In this study, Poloxamer-407(P-407) was screened as the optimal stabilize through energy simulation, molecular docking and particle size. morphological study, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman, in vitro dissolution test and molecular simulation of interactions were utilized to explore the formation mechanisms of four 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs/P-407 nanosuspensions. The result shows that the optimized nanosuspensions had the particle size in the nano-size range and maintained the original crystal state. The in vitro dissolution rate of the nanosuspension was 3-4 times higher than the corresponding API and could reduce the restriction of drug dissolution in different pH environments. Raman spectroscopy, FTIR and molecular docking simulations provided strong supporting evidence for the formation mechanism of 1,4-dihydropyridine drugs/P-407 nanosuspensions at the molecular level, which confirmed that the stable intermolecular hydrogen bond adsorption and hydrophobic interaction were formed between the drug and P-407. This research will provide practical concepts and technologies, which are helpful to develop nanosuspensions for the same class of drugs.

Insights into scale translation of methane transport in nanopores

Accurate prediction of flow behavior in shale matrix is critical for efficient development of shale gas reservoirs. In these systems, the majority of pores are in the nano-size range. As a result, continuum-based approaches may not be appropriate to simulate flow in such systems. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are capable of capturing the relevant microscale physics. Their relatively high computational expense, however, restricts MD simulations to rather small systems and domains. This limitation creates a gap between computational need of macroscale systems and capabilities of MD simulations. The lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is a suitable candidate to bridge this gap. In this work, the multiple-relaxation-time (MRT)-LBM is used to study methane transport in nano-size pores. Adsorption effects near solid boundaries, as well as non-ideal behavior of fluids, are accounted for via incorporating appropriate force terms in LBM. Parameters associated with the force terms in the equation of state are studied in detail, and a workflow is proposed to determine optimal values of these parameters for gas flow in slit pores. Specifically, we establish these parameters such that the range of density values that the model is able to simulate is maximized. We demonstrate this workflow by simulating gas flow where velocity and density profiles from MD simulations are used as reference data. Results from LBM simulations are in good agreement with MD reference data for pores that are 4 nm in width or larger. Moreover, we propose a preconditioning scheme to improve the stability of LBM in dealing with complex geometries. The robustness of this scheme is demonstrated by simulating several roughness geometries. This work motivates the use of LBM in scale translation of the physics of mass transport in more complex permeable media.

Ligand Decorated Primaquine Loaded Nanocarriers for Liver Targeting for Triggered Anti-Malarial Activity.

The aim of the current research is to formulate a nano delivery system for effective delivery of primaquine for liver targeting to achieve the potential anti-malarial activity. Another objective of current development is to formulate a lactobionic acid conjugated polyphosphazene based nano delivery of primaquine for liver targeting to distinguish anti-malarial activity. The particle size, entrapment efficiency, in-vitro drug release pattern, hepatotoxicity, MTT assay, erythrocyte toxicity assay, histopathology study, HepG2 cell uptake study, anti-- malarial study, and organ-distribution was also carried out to estimate the activity and potential features of a nanoparticle system. The results obtained from the above analysis justify the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. The NMR studies confirm the conjugation pattern and the TEM represents the spherical morphological features of nanoparticles. The controlled release pattern from the in-vitro release study was observed and found to be 73.25% of drug release in 20 hrs and in the nano-size range (61.6± 1.56 nm) by particle size analysis.SGOT level, SGPT, ALP, and Parasitemia level of optimized drug-loaded PEGylated lactobionic acid conjugated polyphosphazene derivatized nanoparticles (FF) was found to lie in the safe range, showing that the formulation is non-toxic to the liver. Primaquine drug-loaded PEGylated lactobionic acid conjugated polyphosphazene polymeric nanoparticles showed higher cell uptake on HepG2 cell lines as compared to the drug-loaded in PEGylated polyphosphazene polymeric nanoparticles and plain drug.Percentage cell viability of drugloaded PEGylated lactobionic acid conjugated polyphosphazene derivatized nanoparticles was decreased by enhancing the concentration of prepared nanoparticle system accessed by MTT assay. From the studies, it can be concluded that the optimized formulation of drug-loaded PEGylated lactobionic acid conjugated polyphosphazene derivatized nanoparticles showed high liver targeting, least toxicity to the liver, controlled release of the drug, higher anti-malarial activity against hepatocytes at a low dose, more effectiveness, and can be treated as a potential candidate for anti-malarial therapy.