Encapsulation

Methylene blue (MB) is a toxic contaminant present in wastewater. Here, we prepared various composites of graphene oxide (GO) with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3 N4 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) for the degradation of MB. In comparison to ZnO (22.9%) and g-C3 N4 /ZnO (76.0%), the ternary composites of GO/g-C3 N4 /ZnO showed 90% photocatalytic degradation of MB under a light source after 60 min. The experimental setup and parameters were varied to examine the process and effectiveness of MB degradation. Based on the results of the experiments, a proposed photocatalytic degradation process that explains the roles of GO, ZnO, and g-C3 N4 in improving the photocatalytic efficacy of newly prepared GO/g-C3 N4 /ZnO was explored...

Microbial infections represent a significant health risk, often leading to severe complications and, in some cases, even fatalities. As a result, there is an urgent need to explore innovative drug delivery systems and alternative therapeutic techniques. The photothermal therapy has emerged as a promising antibacterial approach and is the focus of this study. Herein, we report the successful synthesis of two distinct supramolecular composite hydrogels by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into guanosine quadruplex (G4) based hydrogels containing covalently bound β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)...

In the current research study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were synthesized via a green synthesis technique using the seed extract of Citrullus lanatus . The study further intended to evaluate the potential synergistic effects of ZnO-NPs with antibiotics against multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria. It was observed that C. lanatus seed extracts obtained by n -hexane and methanolic solvents revealed the presence of constituents, such as tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids. Furthermore, the extract of n -hexane displayed the strongest antibacterial activity against Yersinia species (17 ± 1...

BACKGROUND: Dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurological disorder. AD is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that predominantly impacts the elderly population, although it can also manifest in younger people through the impairment of cognitive functions, such as memory, cognition, and behaviour. Donepezil HCl and Memantine HCl are encapsulated in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) to prolong systemic circulation and minimize the systemic side effects. OBJECTIVE: This work explores the use of data mining tools to optimize the formulation of NLCs comprising of Donepezil HCl and Memantine HCl for transdermal drug delivery...

We successfully prepared mercury sulphide nanoparticle hydrogels by physical encapsulation method. The successfully prepared mercuric sulphide nanoparticle hydrogel was a zinc folate hydrogel, which showed an obvious porous structure with interconnected and uniformly distributed pores and a pore size range of about 20 μm. The maximum drug loading of the hydrogels was 3%, and the in vitro cumulative release degree was in accordance with the first-order kinetic equation Mt = 149.529 (1 - e-0...

PURPOSE: Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) profoundly affects various dimensions of parents' lives. Effective coping strategies are essential for improving psychological well-being and overall quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to explore parental coping strategies with their child's HSCT challenges. DESIGN AND METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in Iran from February to November 2023, utilizing conventional content analysis with purposive sampling...

In this study, we prepared antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-encapsulated nanoparticles (NPs) with a suitable profile for oral administration for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We chose a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) method to prepare the NPs using poly(lactide-co-glycolide) as a matrix and Pluronic as a stabilizer. The obtained NPs had a suitable diameter (158 nm) for the penetration of the mucus layer, endocytic uptake by enterocytes, and accumulation in inflammatory lesions in the intestine...

Inspired by creatures, abundant stimulus-responsive hydrogel actuators with diverse functionalities have been manufactured for applications in soft robotics. However, constructing a shape memory and self-sensing bilayer hydrogel actuator with high mechanical strength and strong interfacial bonding still remains a challenge. Herein, a novel bilayer hydrogel with a stimulus-responsive TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (TOCN/PNIPAM) layer and a non-responsive TOCN/polyacrylamide (TOCN/PAM) layer is proposed as a thermosensitive actuator...

One of the most frequent causes of respiratory infections are viruses. Viruses reaching the airways can be absorbed by the human body through the respiratory mucosa and mainly infect lung cells. Several viral infections are not yet curable, such as coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Furthermore, the side effect of synthetic antiviral drugs and reduced efficacy against resistant variants have reinforced the search for alternative and effective treatment options, such as plant-derived antiviral molecules. Curcumin (CUR) and quercetin (QUE) are two natural compounds that have been widely studied for their health benefits, such as antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity...

Polylactic acid based spherical particles with three architectural variations (Isotropic (P1), Semi porous (P2), and Janus (P3)) were employed to encapsulate zero valent iron nanoparticles (ZVINPs), and their performance was extensively evaluated in our previous studies. However, little was known about their transportability through saturated porous media of varying grain size kept under varying ionic strength. In this particular study, we aimed to investigate the architectural effect of polymeric particles (P1-P3) on their mobility through the sand column of varying grain size in presence of mono, di, and tri-valent ions of varying concentrations (25-200 mM (millimoles))...

Dietary selenium (Se) supplementation has recently received increasing attention; however, Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) exhibit poor stability and tend to aggregate in aqueous solution. Therefore, enhancing the stability of SeNPs and their effective delivery to plants remain challenging. In this study, sodium alginate (SA) and lysozyme (LZ) were reacted via the wet-heat Maillard reaction (MR) to obtain amphiphilic alginate-based polymers (SA-LZ). Alkyl glycosides (APG) were introduced into SA-LZ to enhance the deposition of SeNPs in leaves...

Known for its antioxidant properties, Araucaria angustifolia bracts extract was encapsulated using hydrodynamic electrospray ionization jetting within calcium alginate cross-linked hydrogel beads with varying contents of modified pinhão starch. The rheological properties of the dispersions and analysis of the physicochemical and digestive properties of encapsulated beads were studied. The results demonstrated that dispersions containing starch exhibited higher viscosity and reduced compliance values, indicating samples with stronger, more compact, and stable structures that are less susceptible to deformation...

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic disease affecting millions worldwide. Insulin therapy is currently the golden standard for treating T1DM; however, it does not restore the normal glycaemic balance entirely, which increases the risk of secondary complications. Beta-cell therapy may be a possible way of curing T1DM and has already shown promising results in the clinic. However, low retention rates, poor cell survival, and limited therapeutic potential are ongoing challenges, thus increasing the need for better cell encapsulation devices...

Timely and rapid detection of antibiotic residues in the environment is conducive to safeguarding human health and promoting an ecological virtuous cycle. A foldable paper-based photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor was successfully developed for the detection of ampicillin (AMP) based on glutathione/zirconium dioxide hollow nanorods/aptamer (GSH@ZrO2 HS@apt) modified cellulose paper as a reactive zone with laser direct-writing lead sulfide/cadmium sulfide/graphene (PbS/CdS/LIG) as photoelectrode and cobalt hydroxide (CoOOH) as a photoresist material...

According to the Fresnel theory, the reflectivity intensity of spherical and cylindrical convex surfaces decreases from their edge to center, and it is noteworthy and interesting for optical gain to study the enhancement of center reflectance. In this paper, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) - encapsulated cylindrical non-closed-packed photonic crystals (NPCs) composite with Bragg-enhanced Fresnel reflectance was designed for spectral selectivity and optical gain. Theoretically and experimentally, the periodically ordered structure of NPCs achieved high-reflection of light in photonic bandgap and high-transmission in other bands, which enhanced Fresnel reflectivity of the convex center to specific bands...

In this study, the encapsulation and structural characteristics of the self-assembled liposome formed by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) were studied. According to the results, EGCG significantly increased the catalytic activity of ADH with a 33.33 % activation rate and the liposomes were able to entrap EGCG-ADH with an effectiveness of 88.94 %. The self-assembled monolayers had nanometer-sized particles, and the excellent self-assembled system was demonstrated by the low PDI value and high surface absolute potential...

Combination chemotherapy has been recognized as a more powerful strategy for tumor treatment rather than the single chemotherapy. However, the interactive mechanism of the two hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drugs has not been explored by now. Aiming for a better synergistic effect, such interactive mechanism was investigated in the present work, by designing CPT@DOX-DPUTEA -PEG nanomedicine with encapsulated camptothecin (CPT) and conjugated doxorubicin (DOX). The synergistic controlled drug release effect was found for the two drugs loaded on the different sites of the dendritic polyurethane core...

Two-dimensional (2D) alloys hold great promise to serve as important components of 2D transistors, since their properties allow continuous regulation by varying their compositions. However, previous studies are mainly limited to the metallic/semiconducting ones as contact/channel materials, but very few are related to the insulating dielectrics. Here, we use a facile one-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method to synthesize ultrathin Bi2 Si x Ge1- x O5 dielectric alloys, whose composition is tunable over the full range of x just by changing the relative ratios of the GeO2 /SiO2 precursors...

Crescent-shaped hydrogel microparticles have been shown to template uniform volume aqueous droplets upon simple mixing with aqueous and oil media for various bioassays. This emerging "lab on a particle" technique requires hydrogel particles with tunable material properties and dimensions. The crescent shape of the particles is attained by aqueous two-phase separation of polymers inside a spherical droplet followed by photopolymerization of the curable precursor. In this work, we have investigated the phase separation of photo-curable poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA, Mw 700) and dextran (Mw 40,000) for tunable manufacturing of crescent-shaped particles...

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a highly prevalent chronic liver disease that can progress to end-stage conditions with life-threatening complications, but no pharmacologic therapy has been approved. Drug delivery systems such as lipid nanocapsules (LNC) are very versatile platforms that are easy to produce and can induce the secretion of the native glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) when orally administered. GLP-1 analogs are currently being studied in clinical trials in the context of MASLD...