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BACKGROUND: This article aims to describe multicultural education in improving students' multicultural competence. It is very important to teach multicultural values in the school environment to help students understand the importance of mutual respect. Multicultural education is very significant for its application in Indonesia, in the midst of racial, religious, cultural, and customs diversity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study uses a qualitative research approach with the Meta-Synthesis method to map research results from several kinds of literatures. The number of articles studied in this research was 27 articles. School is the most effective place in developing students' multicultural competence; therefore, schools must implement learning that prioritizes multicultural principles without discriminating against cultural, racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds of students. RESULT: The results of this study indicate that 1). The concept of multicultural education applied in schools is able to increase students' multicultural competence and 2). Students are more open to dealing with existing differences. As for the results of research in an elementary school education environment which is the object of research, this is based on the importance of multicultural education being implemented from an early age. CONCLUSION: Multicultural education is very important to increase awareness and tolerance among students. By internalizing multicultural education, students can interpret differences as a matter of course and make students more open to others both in the school environment and in the community environment.
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The COVID-19 outbreak caused a massive setback to the stability of financial system due to emergence of several other risks with COVID, which significantly influenced the continuity of profitable banking operations. Therefore, this study aims to see that how differently the liquidity risk and credit risk influenced the banking profitability during Covid-19 (Q12020 to Q42021) than before COVID (Q12018 to Q42019). The study employs pooled OLS, and OLS fixed & random effects models, to analyze the panel data on a sample of 37 banks currently operating in Pakistan. The results depict that liquidity risk has a positive and significant relationship with return on assets and return on equity, but insignificant relationship with net interest margin. Credit risk has a negative and significant relationship with return on assets, return on equity, and net interest margin. The study also applies quantile regression to address the normality issue in data. The quantile regression results are consistent with pooled OLS, and OLS fixed and random effects results. The study makes valuable suggestions for regulators, policymakers, and others users of financial institutional data. The current study will help to set policies for efficient management of LR and CR.
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COVID-19 , COVID-19/economía , COVID-19/epidemiología , Humanos , Pakistán/epidemiología , Administración Financiera , SARS-CoV-2 , Cuenta Bancaria/economíaRESUMEN
Bioprosthetic mitral valve degeneration is traditionally treated with Redo-SMVR, but the latest ViV-TMVR procedure offers a less invasive and lower risk alternative. A systematic literature search was conducted on Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Medline (PubMed interface) electronic databases from inception till 15th April 2024. We used risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for continuous outcomes. We included a total of eleven studies with 11,931 patients in the final quantitative and qualitative analysis. When comparing ViV-TMVR with Redo-SMVR, no significant difference was found for 30-day mortality (P = 0.13) and 1-year mortality (P = 0.91), whereas patients in the ViV-TMVR showed significantly reduced incidence of stroke (P < 0.00001), In-hospital mortality (P), bleeding complications (P = 0.003), AKI (P = 0.0006), arrhythmias (P = 0.01), LVOT obstruction (P = 0.04), and PPI (P < 0.00001). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between either group when comparing vascular complications (P = 0.97), 2-year mortality (P = 0.60) and 3-year mortality. ViV-TMVR was associated with a significant risk of paravalvular leakage (P = 0.008). Although, ViV-TMVR reduces the risk of complications associated with Redo-SMVR, larger studies are imperative to reach conclusive results.
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Bioprótesis , Implantación de Prótesis de Válvulas Cardíacas , Prótesis Valvulares Cardíacas , Válvula Mitral , Falla de Prótesis , Reoperación , Humanos , Implantación de Prótesis de Válvulas Cardíacas/métodos , Implantación de Prótesis de Válvulas Cardíacas/efectos adversos , Implantación de Prótesis de Válvulas Cardíacas/instrumentación , Válvula Mitral/cirugía , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/epidemiología , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/etiologíaRESUMEN
Background All over the world, millions die of hypertension (HTN) every year. Given the influence of healthcare expenses, HTN represents a serious public health issue in developed and developing countries. HTN is common in Pakistan; however, there are several myths about the symptoms of raised blood pressure that need to be identified. Objective The objective of this study is to compare the frequency of high blood pressure-associated symptoms in normotensive and hypertensive adult populations in Karachi, Pakistan. Methodology A community-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 277 patients aged 18 years and above who were attending the OPD of different community health centers in Karachi, with and without HTN. Ethical approval was obtained, and data were collected using a convenient sampling technique on a predesigned questionnaire and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 20.0 (Released 2011; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results Out of the total study population, 88 (31.65%) were normotensive, and 189 (67.98%) were hypertensive. In the hypertensive group, approximately 100 (52.9%) were men and 89 (47.1%) were women. The mean ages of normotensives and hypertensives were 44.13 + 11.0 and 49.2 + 13.1 years, respectively. Mean age, heart rate, and smoking status were significantly different between the two groups. Among several perceived blood pressure symptoms like vision problems, sleep apnea, and abnormal heartbeat was significantly higher in the hypertensive group. Conversely, although headache, vertigo, edema, and epistaxis were more frequent in the hypertensive group, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions In our study, >65% of patients visiting OPD had high blood pressure. Several symptoms were found to be more prevalent in hypertensive individuals compared with non-hypertensive ones. More large-scale studies are recommended to further explore the common symptoms associated with HTN in our population.
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia with a significant impact on patient outcomes and healthcare systems. Given the rising incidence of AF with age and its association with conditions, such as diabetes, there is growing interest in exploring pharmacological interventions that might mitigate AF risk. Metformin, a widely prescribed antihyperglycemic agent for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), has demonstrated various cardiovascular benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, leading to speculations about its potential role in AF prevention. This systematic review synthesizes findings from five studies examining the association between metformin use and AF risk in patients with T2DM. The review included a dynamic cohort study, three retrospective cohort studies, and a case report, all sourced from databases, such as PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The results are mixed; while some studies suggest that metformin use is linked to a reduced incidence of AF, others report no significant association, particularly in postoperative settings. The largest cohort study highlighted a dose-response relationship, suggesting prolonged metformin use correlates with lower AF risk. Conversely, a case report raised concerns about metformin-induced lactic acidosis potentially triggering AF episodes. The review underscores the heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, pointing to the need for more robust research to establish causality and clarify underlying mechanisms. Future studies should prioritize prospective designs and explore the pleiotropic effects of metformin on atrial remodeling and electrophysiology to better understand its potential role in AF prevention.
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Aim: Chromones are promising for anticancer drug development.Methods & results: 12 chromone-based compounds were synthesized and tested against cancer cell lines. Compound 8 showed the highest cytotoxicity (LC50 3.2 µM) against colorectal cancer cells, surpassing 5-fluorouracil (LC50 4.2 µM). It suppressed colony formation, induced cell cycle arrest and triggered apoptotic cell death, confirmed by staining and apoptosis markers. Cell death was accompanied by enhanced reactive oxygen species formation and modulation of the autophagic machinery (autophagy marker light chain 3B (LC3B); adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK); protein kinase B (PKB); UNC-51-like kinase (ULK)-1; and ULK2). Molecular docking and dynamic simulations revealed that compound 8 directly binds to ULK1.Conclusion: Compound 8 is a promising lead for autophagy-modulating anti-colon cancer drugs.
[Box: see text].
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Antineoplásicos , Apoptosis , Homólogo de la Proteína 1 Relacionada con la Autofagia , Autofagia , Cromonas , Neoplasias del Colon , Simulación del Acoplamiento Molecular , Humanos , Homólogo de la Proteína 1 Relacionada con la Autofagia/antagonistas & inhibidores , Homólogo de la Proteína 1 Relacionada con la Autofagia/metabolismo , Autofagia/efectos de los fármacos , Apoptosis/efectos de los fármacos , Cromonas/farmacología , Cromonas/química , Cromonas/síntesis química , Neoplasias del Colon/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias del Colon/patología , Neoplasias del Colon/metabolismo , Antineoplásicos/farmacología , Antineoplásicos/química , Antineoplásicos/síntesis química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/farmacología , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/química , Inhibidores de Proteínas Quinasas/síntesis química , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intracelular/antagonistas & inhibidores , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intracelular/metabolismo , Línea Celular Tumoral , Relación Estructura-Actividad , Ensayos de Selección de Medicamentos Antitumorales , Estructura Molecular , Especies Reactivas de Oxígeno/metabolismoRESUMEN
Achieving efficient and large-area organic solar modules via non-halogenated solution processing is vital for the commercialization yet challenging. The primary hurdle is the conservation of the ideal film-formation kinetics and bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) morphology of large-area organic solar cells (OSCs). A cutting-edge non-fullerene acceptor (NFA), Y6, shows efficient power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) when processed with toxic halogenated solvents, but exhibits poor solubility in non-halogenated solvents, resulting in suboptimal morphology. Therefore, in this study, the impact of modifying the inner and outer side-chains of Y6 on OSC performance is investigated. The study reveals that blending a polymer donor, PM6, with one of the modified NFAs, namely N-HD, achieved an impressive PCE of 18.3% on a small-area OSC. This modified NFA displays improved solubility in o-xylene at room temperature, which facilitated the formation of a favorable BHJ morphology. A large-area (55 cm2) sub-module delivered an impressive PCE of 12.2% based on N-HD using o-xylene under ambient conditions. These findings underscore the significant impact of the modified Y6 derivatives on structural arrangements and film processing over a large-area module at room temperature. Consequently, these results are poised to deepen the comprehension of the scaling challenges encountered in OSCs and may contribute to their commercialization.
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The impact of functionality of biochar on pressing environmental issue of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) co-contamination in simultaneous soil and water systems has not sufficiently reported. This study investigated the impact of Fe- and Mg-functionalized wheat straw biochar (Fe-WSBC and Mg-WSBC) on Cd and Pb adsorption/immobilization through batch sorption and column leaching trials. Importantly, Fe-WSBC was more effective in adsorbing Cd and Pb (82.84 and 111.24 mg g-1), regeneration ability (removal efficiency 94.32 and 92.365), and competitive ability under competing cations (83.15 and 84.36%) compared to other materials (WSBC and Mg-WSBC). The practical feasibility of Fe-WSBC for spiked river water verified the 92.57% removal of Cd and 85.73% for Pb in 50 mg L-1 and 100 mg L-1 contamination, respectively. Besides, the leaching of Cd and Pb with Fe-WSBC under flow-through conditions was lowered to (0.326 and 17.62 mg L-1), respectively as compared to control (CK) (0.836 and 40.40 mg L-1). In short, this study presents the applicable approach for simultaneous remediation of contaminated water and soil matrices, offering insights into environmentally friendly green remediation strategies for heavy metals co-contaminated matrices.
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Cadmio , Carbón Orgánico , Restauración y Remediación Ambiental , Plomo , Contaminantes del Suelo , Suelo , Triticum , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Carbón Orgánico/química , Cadmio/química , Triticum/química , Plomo/química , Contaminantes del Suelo/química , Contaminantes del Suelo/análisis , Adsorción , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/química , Restauración y Remediación Ambiental/métodos , Suelo/químicaRESUMEN
Aim: The present study aimed to figure out the potential role of exosomal microRNAs, and their targeted genes in HNC detection/diagnosis. Methods: In the present study, exosomes were extracted from the serum samples of 400 HNC patients and 400 healthy controls. Exosomes were characterized using TEM, NTA, TEM-immunogold labeling and ELISA. Quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression level of exosomal miRNA-19a, miRNA-19b and targeted genes SMAD2 and SMAD4 in HNC patients and controls. Results: The deregulation of miR-19a (p < 0.01), miR-19b (p < 0.03), SMAD2 (p < 0.04) and SMAD4 (p < 0.04) was observed in HNC patients vs controls. Conclusion: ROC curve and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed the good diagnostic/prognostic value of selected exosomal microRNAs and related genes in HNC patients.
[Box: see text].
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This study explored the synergistic potential of photoelectrochemical water splitting through bifunctional Co3O4/g-C3N4 heterostructures. This novel approach merged solar panel technology with electrochemical cell technology, obviating the need for external voltage from batteries. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were utilized to confirm the surface morphology and crystal structure of fabricated nanocomposites; Co3O4, Co3O4/g-C3N4, and Co3O4/Cg-C3N4. The incorporation of carbon into g-C3N4 resulted in improved catalytic activity and charge transport properties during the visible light-driven hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. Optical properties were examined using UV-visible spectroscopy, revealing a maximum absorption edge at 650 nm corresponding to a band gap of 1.31 eV for Co3O4/Cg-C3N4 resulting in enhanced light absorption. Among the three fabricated electrodes, Co3O4/Cg-C3N4 exhibited a significantly lower overpotential of 30 mV and a minimum Tafel slope of 112 mV/dec This enhanced photoelectrochemical efficiency was found due to the established Z scheme heterojunction between Co3O4 and gC3N4. This heterojunction reduced the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and thus promoted charge separation by extending visible light absorption range chronoamperometric measurements confirmed the steady current flow over time under constant potential from the solar cell, and thus it provided the effective utilization of bifunctional Co3O4/g-C3N4 heterostructures for efficient solar-driven water splitting.
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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), formerly known as pseudotumor cerebri, represents a challenging diagnostic entity in neurology, characterized by elevated intracranial pressure of unknown origin. The classical clinical triad of headache, visual disturbances, and papilledema provides a well-established framework for diagnosis; however, the heterogeneity of IIH presentations, combined with the absence of an overt causative factor, continues to perplex clinicians. This case report delves into the complexities of a rare IIH presentation in a 32-year-old male, highlighting the need for a nuanced understanding of this condition beyond its traditional confines.
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Biochar has emerged as a versatile and efficient multi-functional material, serving as both an adsorbent and catalyst in removing emerging pollutants (EPs) from aquatic matrices. However, pristine biochar's catalytic and adsorption capabilities are hindered by its poor surface functionality and small pore size. Addressing these limitations involves the development of functionalized biochar, a strategic approach aimed at enhancing its physicochemical properties and improving adsorption and catalytic efficiencies. Despite a growing interest in this field, there is a notable gap in existing literature, with no review explicitly concentrating on the efficacy of biochar-based functional materials (BCFMs) for removing EPs in aquatic environments. This comprehensive review aims to fill this void by delving into the engineering considerations essential for designing BCFMs with enhanced physiochemical properties. The focus extends to understanding the treatment efficiency of EPs through mechanisms such as adsorption or catalytic degradation. The review systematically outlines the underlying mechanisms involved in the adsorption and catalytic degradation of EPs by BCFMs. By shedding light on the prospects of BCFMs as a promising multi-functional material, the review underscores the imperative for sustained research efforts. It emphasizes the need for continued exploration into the practical implications of BCFMs, especially under environmentally relevant pollutant concentrations. This holistic approach seeks to contribute to advancing knowledge and applying biochar-based solutions in addressing the challenges posed by emerging pollutants in aquatic ecosystems.
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Carbón Orgánico , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Carbón Orgánico/química , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/química , Adsorción , CatálisisRESUMEN
Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) ranks as the most lethal human pathogen, able to fend off repeated attacks by the immune system or medications. PE_PGRS proteins are hallmarks of the pathogenicity of Mtb and contribute to its antigenic diversity, virulence, and persistence during infection. M. smegmatis is a nonpathogenic mycobacterium that naturally lacks PE_PGRS and is used as a model to express Mtb proteins. PE_PGRS has the capability to evade host immune responses and enhance the intracellular survival of M. smegmatis. Despite the intense investigations into PE_PGRS proteins, their role in tuberculosis remains elusive. We engineered the recombinant M. smegmatis strain Ms-PE_PGRS38. The result shows that PE_PGRS38 is expressed in the cell wall of M. smegmatis. PE_PGRS38 contributes to biofilm formation, confers permeability to the cell wall, and shows variable responses to exogenous stresses. PE_PGRS38 downregulated TLR4/NF-κB signaling in RAW264.7 macrophages and lung tissues of infected mice. In addition, PE_PGRS38 decreased NLRP3-dependent IL-1ß release and limited pathogen-mediated inflammasome activity during infection. Moreover, PE_PGRS38 inhibited the apoptosis of RAW264.7 cells by downregulating the expression of apoptotic markers including Bax, cytochrome c, caspase-3, and caspase-9. In a nutshell, our findings demonstrate that PE_PGRS38 is a virulence factor for Mtb that enables recombinant M. smegmatis to survive by resisting and evading the host's immune responses during infection.
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OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the expression levels and prognostic value of the Lipoyltransferase 2 (LIPT2) gene in a pan-cancer view. METHODOLOGY: Our study comprehensively investigated the role of LIPT2 in pan-cancer, combining bioinformatics analyses with experimental validations. RESULTS: Analysis of LIPT2 mRNA expression across various cancers revealed a significant up-regulation in 18 tumor types and down-regulation in 8 types, indicating its diverse involvement. Prognostic assessment demonstrated a correlation between elevated LIPT2 expression and poorer outcomes in Overall Survival (OS) and Disease-Free Survival (DFS), particularly in Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (LIHC), and Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma (PCPG). Protein expression analysis in GBM, LIHC, and PCPG affirmed a consistent increase in LIPT2 levels compared to normal tissues. Examining the methylation status in GBM, LIHC, and PCPG, we found reduced promoter methylation levels in tumor samples, suggesting a potential influence on LIPT2 function. Genetic mutation analysis using cBioPortal indicated a low mutation frequency (< 2%) in LIPT2 across GBM, LIHC, and PCPG. Immune correlation analysis unveiled a positive association between LIPT2 expression and infiltration levels of immune cells in GBM, LIHC, and PCPG. Single-cell analysis illustrated LIPT2's positive correlation with functional states, including angiogenesis and inflammation. Enrichment analysis identified LIPT2-associated processes and pathways, providing insights into its potential molecular mechanisms. Drug sensitivity analysis demonstrated that elevated LIPT2 expression conferred resistance to multiple compounds, while lower expression increased sensitivity. Finally, RT-qPCR validation in HCC cell lines confirmed the heightened expression of LIPT2 compared to a control cell line, reinforcing the bioinformatics findings. CONCLUSION: Overall, our study highlights LIPT2 as a versatile player in cancer, influencing diverse aspects from molecular processes to clinical outcomes across different cancer types.
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OBJECTIVES: To design and develop a classifier, named Sewing Driving Training based Optimization-Deep Residual Network (SDTO_DRN) for hand gesture recognition. METHODS: The electrical activity of forearm muscles generates the signals that can be captured with Surface Electromyography (sEMG) sensors and includes meaningful data for decoding both muscle actions and hand movement. This research develops an efficacious scheme for hand gesture recognition using SDTO_DRN. Here, signal pre-processing is done through Gaussian filtering. Thereafter, desired and appropriate features are extracted. Following that, effective features are chosen using SDTO. At last, hand gesture identification is accomplished based on DRN and this network is effectively fine-tuned by SDTO, which is a combination of Sewing Training Based Optimization (STBO) and Driving Training Based Optimization (DTBO). The datasets employed for the implementation of this work are MyoUP Dataset and putEMG: sEMG Gesture and Force Recognition Dataset. RESULTS: The designed SDTO_DRN model has gained superior performance with magnificent results by delivering a maximum accuracy of 0.943, True Positive Rate (TPR) of 0.929, True Negative Rate (TNR) of 0.919, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) of 0.924, and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of 0.924. CONCLUSIONS: The hand gesture recognition using the proposed model is accurate and improves the effectiveness of the recognition.
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Electromiografía , Gestos , Mano , Electromiografía/métodos , Humanos , Mano/fisiología , Redes Neurales de la Computación , Reconocimiento de Normas Patrones Automatizadas/métodos , Algoritmos , Músculo Esquelético/fisiología , Movimiento/fisiología , Procesamiento de Señales Asistido por ComputadorRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the research was to investigate and assess how effective Vitamin E is in preventing or reducing liver inflammation and stromal congestion associated with alcoholic liver injury. STUDY DESIGN: This is a laboratory-based experimental study. METHODOLOGY: A total of 18 domestic rabbits were divided into groups A, B, and C. Group A was the control group and treated with normal saline as a placebo. Groups B and C were given 30% ethanol in a daily dose of 30 ml/kg/day. Additionally, group C was treated with vitamin E at 50 mg/kg/day. All three groups were sub-divided into two sub-groups I and II on the basis of experimental duration of eight weeks and four weeks respectively. The subgroups with eight weeks of experimental time duration were categorized as "category E8" and subgroups with an experimental duration of four weeks were categorized as "category E4". Liver tissue samples from each animal were subjected to staining using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain for histological staining in order to assess portal inflammation and to measure the sizes of hepatic sinusoids and central veins to evaluate hepatic congestion. RESULTS: A statistically significant variance was observed in the size of central veins, hepatic sinusoids, and invasion of inflammatory cells in portal areas across and between the groups within categories E4 and E8. Animals treated with vitamin E exhibited lower invasion of inflammatory cells and larger central veins and sinusoids compared to those not treated with vitamin E. CONCLUSION: Vitamin E may have a significant role in reducing or limiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells and could help prevent hepatic congestion in cases of alcoholic liver injury.
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Wheat is a major grain crop of the world that provides a stable food for human consumption. Large amounts of by-products/waste materials are produced after the harvesting and processing of wheat crop. Such materials can cause an environmental issue if not disposed of properly. Several studies have shown that wheat residues can be efficient precursors for adsorbents because of their availability, renewability, lignocellulosic composition, and surface active groups enriched structure. In the literature, there are few review articles that address wheat residues-based adsorbents. However, these reviews were specific in terms of adsorbate or adsorbent and did not provide detailed information about the modification, properties, and regeneration of these adsorbents. This article extensively reviews the utilization of wheat biomass/waste including straw, bran, husk, and stalk as precursors for raw or untreated, chemically treated, carbonaceous, and composite adsorbents against various environmental pollutants. The influences of inlet pollutant amount, adsorbent dose, pH, temperature, and time on the performance of adsorbents against pollutants were considered. The maximum uptakes, equilibrium time, and adsorption nature were identified from isotherms, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies. The highest adsorbed amounts of most tested contaminants were 448.20, 322.58, and 578.13 mg/g for lead, chromium, and copper, 1374.6 and 1449.4 mg/g for methylene blue and malachite green, and 854.75, 179.21, and 107.77 mg/g for tetracycline, phosphate, and nitrate, respectively. For the studied adsorbate/adsorbent systems the adsorption mechanism and regeneration were also discussed. Significant results and future directions are finally presented.
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Restauración y Remediación Ambiental , Triticum , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Adsorción , Restauración y Remediación Ambiental/métodos , Triticum/química , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/química , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Purificación del Agua/métodosRESUMEN
Arsenic is a highly toxic metal that causes cancer even at a low concentration and its removal from water resources is challenging. Herein, carbon extracted from waste onion bulbs is activated to cater for porosity and functionalized with magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles (named MCK6) to address the challenge of As(III) removal. Synthesized MCK6 was highly mesoporous having a surface area of 208 m2/g, where magnetite nanoparticles (≤ 10 nm) are homogeneously distributed within a porous network. The developed adsorbent inherited functional groups from the biosource and magnetic property from magnetite making it ideal for removal of As(III). Further, MCK6 showed a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity (qm) of 10.2 mg/g at 298 K and pH 7. The adsorption thermodynamics delineates a non-spontaneous and endothermic reaction, where the kinetics followed pseudo 2nd order (R2 value of 0.977), while monolayer formation is explained by the Langmuir model. Moreover, MCK6 efficiently works to remove As(III) in a competitive metal ions system including Pb+2, Cd+2, and Ca+2, making it a suitable adsorbent to tackle contaminated water.
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Nanopartículas de Magnetita , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua , Purificación del Agua , Agua/química , Óxido Ferrosoférrico , Porosidad , Carbono , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/análisis , Adsorción , Cinética , Concentración de Iones de Hidrógeno , Nanopartículas de Magnetita/químicaRESUMEN
Atorvastatin calcium (ATV) and proanthocyanidins (PAC) have a strong antioxidant activity, that can benefit to reduce the atherosclerotic plaque progression. Unfortunately, the bioavailability of ATV is greatly reduced due to its limited drug solubility while the PAC drug is unstable upon exposure to the atmospheric oxygen. Herein, the lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LLCNPs) constructed by a binary mixture of soy phosphatidylcholine (SPC) and citric acid ester of monoglyceride (citrem) at different weight ratios were used to encapsulate the hydrophobic ATV and hydrophilic PAC. The LLCNPs were further characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering. Depending on the lipid composition, the systems have a size range of 140-190 nm and were able to encapsulate both drugs in the range of 90-100%. Upon increasing the citrem content of drug-loaded LLCNPs, the hexosomes (H2) was completely transformed to an emulsified inverse micellar (L2). The optimum encapsulation efficiency (EE) of ATV and PAC were obtained in citrem/SPC weight ratio 4:1 (L2) and 1:1 (H2), respectively. There was a substantial change in the mean size and PDI of the nanoparticles upon 30 days of storage with the ATV-loaded LLCNPs exhibiting greater colloidal instability than PAC-loaded LLCNPs. The biphasic released pattern (burst released at the initial stage followed by the sustained released at the later stage) was perceived in ATV formulation, while the burst drug released pattern was observed in PAC formulations that could be attributed by its internal H2 structure. Interestingly, the cytokine studies showed that the PAC-LLCNPs promisingly up regulate the expressions of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) better than the drug-free and ATV-loaded LLCNPs samples. The structural tunability of citrem/SPC nanoparticles and their effect on physicochemical characteristic, biological activities and potential as an alternative drug delivery platform in the treatment of atherosclerosis are discussed.