Utilization of Electrospun Polystyrene Membranes as a Preliminary Step for Rapid Diagnosis

Recent advances in clinical practice drive deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as an important class of biomarker. Monitoring the change in their concentration suggests the initiation and/or progression of various disorders. However, low quantity of DNA biomarkers in body fluids requires a delicate isolation methodology that provides efficient separation and easy handling. This study describes a newer‐generation separation technology relying on electrospun fibers of sub‐micrometer diameter of a commodity polymer for DNA biomarkers in simulative serum. Fibrous polystyrene membranes are prepared by electrospinning and they are subjected to post‐modification with Au. The composite membranes may provide a convenient environment for the removal of bovine serum albumin (BSA) from BSA and DNA mixtures. The eluent can be used as an efficient tool for detection of DNA biomarkers associated with diagnosis of numerous life‐threatening diseases.

     

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of a Metakaolin-Based Inorganic Polymer Mortar Reinforced with Quartz Sand

Silicon - The synthesis, mechanical behaviour, and microstructure of metakaolin-based geopolymer mortar reinforced with quartz sand are presented in this investigation. Fine sand (quartz sand)...     

Efficient loading and entrapment of tamoxifen in human serum albumin based nanoparticulate delivery system by a modified desolvation technique

Herein, the poorly water-soluble drug, Tamoxifen (Tmx), was loaded in the amphipathic matrix of human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles by a modified desolvation method. In order to enhance the drug loading (DL) and drug entrapment efficiency (DEE) (<2% and 10%, respectively), ultrasonication of Tmx-HSA mixture was performed prior to desolvation process. Tmx loading and entrapment efficiency were optimized by employment of the response surface methodology (RSM)-central composite design (CCD) of experiments. Under the optimum conditions of 1.59 mg Tmx/ml concentration, 7.76 pH and 5 h incubation of HSA-Tmx, the DL of 6.7% and DEE of 74% are achievable. Particles with the average size of 195 nm, zeta potential of −21 mV and polydispersity index of 0.09 were produced under these conditions. A more sustained Tmx release behavior was observed from polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated nanoparticles in comparison to the non-PEGylated ones. The short-term stability investigation showed no alteration in physicochemical properties of nanoparticles at 4 and 37 °C, but small increase in nanoparticles size was observed after three months of storage at room temperature. This is the first report for efficient production of a Tmx delivery system based on HSA nanoparticles.     

Structural and magnetic properties of Pr–Ni substituted Ca0.5Ba0.5Fe12O19 hexa-ferrite nanoparticles

Effect of Pr–Ni substitution on structural and magnetic properties of Ca_0.5Ba_0.5−xPr_xNi_yFe_12−yO₁₉ (x=0.00–0.10 and y=0.00–1.00) prepared by the sol–gel auto combustion method were investigated. The XRD analysis confirmed the single phase M-type hexa-ferrite structure. The lattice parameters were found to increase as Pr–Ni content increases, which is attributed to the ionic size of the implicated cations. The Pr–Ni seems to be completely soluble in the lattice. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the grain size decreases with increase of Pr–Ni substitution. The coercivity and remanent magnetization ranges from 1511 to 1925 (Oe) and 21.4 to 26.5 (emu/g), respectively. The coercivity values of all the samples fall in the range of M-type hexa-ferrites.     

Numerical Simulation of a Solar Kiln Design for Drying Timber with Different Geographical and Climatic Conditions in Australia

A numerical simulation for the modeling of solar kilns for hardwood timber drying with different boundary conditions has been developed in this work. This simulation has been used to predict the key behavior of the wood and the kiln itself under different geographical and weather conditions in Australia. This work, therefore, enables a site to be suggested that is likely to give the best kiln performance both in terms of the productivity and the quality of the end-use product. As test cases, realistic climatic conditions for three representative geographical locations in Australia, including Sydney (latitude 33.86°S), Melbourne (37.81°S), and Brisbane (27.46°S), have been considered in this simulation. Out of the three sites considered in this work, the fastest drying rates (and highest diffusion coefficients) were predicted in Brisbane. The highest level of instantaneous strain in the timber for this location was also predicted to be 0.0075 m/m, which is much less than the failure value (0.02 m/m). The moisture content distribution profile within the boards toward the end of the drying period was found to be almost uniform, which is likely to cause low degrade in the dried timber.     

Two new Protecting Groups for the Guanidino Function of arginine

Two new synthons, Fmoc-L-Arg(biphenyl-4-sulphonyl)-OH ( 8 ) and Fmoc-Arg(4-methoxy-3-t-butylbenzenesulphonyl)-OH ( 14 ), are prepared for the synthesis of arginine-containing peptides. These groups are cleaved by commonly employed trifluoroacetic acid and methanesulphonic acid. Kinetic studies reveal that extended bicyclic aromatic conjugation, as in biphenyl, slightly improves the acid lability compared to the electron-donating t-butyl group.     

Radiation induced decontamination of Cr(Ⅵ), Cu(Ⅱ) and phenol in some tannery effluents

Industrialization has led to a number of environmental problems, such as release of toxic metals and other toxic organic and inorganic compounds to the environment. Among all, the rapid expansion of leather related industries in Pakistan have resulted in considerable environmental problems and effluents from processing of both domestic and imported hides and skins have increased pollution to alarming levels. Some tannery effluents of Peshawar area investigated in the present study showed high concentrations of Cr(Ⅵ) (2.7-12.6 mg/L), Cu(Ⅱ) (2.6-11.4 mg/L) and phenol (0.1-4.2 mg/L). These contaminants are very toxic and must be removed from effluents before releasing into water bodies. A new technique of gamma irradiation has been investigated to decrease the load of COD and concentrations of Cr(Ⅵ), Cu(Ⅱ) and phenol associated with tannery effluents to the permitted values. It was observed that concentration of Cr(Ⅵ) in the effluents can be brought to the permitted level by applying radiation dose of 3 kGy. A radiation dose of 2.5 kGy was required to remove more than 95% of Cu(Ⅱ) and 100 % degradation of phenol in tannery effluents could be achieved by only one kGy of radiation dose.     

Hypocholesterolaemic effect of yoghurt containing Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G4 or Bifidobacterium longum BB536

The effect of a yoghurt supplement containing Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum G4 or Bifidobacterium longum BB536 on plasma lipids, lipid peroxidation and the faecal excretion of bile acids was examined in rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet. After 8 weeks, the rats in the positive control (PC) group who were fed the cholesterol-enriched diet showed significant increases in plasma total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and malondialdehyde (MDA). However, groups fed a cholesterol-enriched diet supplemented with yoghurt containing B. pseudocatenulatum G4 or B. longum BB536 had significantly lower plasma TC, LDL-C, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and MDA than had the PC group after 8 weeks of treatment. In addition, faecal excretion of bile acids was markedly increased in the rats fed the yoghurt containing B. pseudocatenulatum G4 or B. longum BB536 as compared to the PC and NC groups.