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  1. Mohamad Anuar MF, Solihin Rezali M, Mohamed Daud MA, Ismail SB
    Sci Rep, 2022 Feb 11;12(1):2345.
    PMID: 35149733 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05890-9
    Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) commonly affecting ageing men and is thought to be linked with other comorbidities and unhealthy lifestyles. This study was performed to report the prevalence of LUTS and its association with quality of life (QOL) in urination and other related factors. The study was part of the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2019, a cross-sectional community-based survey in Malaysia. Validated self-administered bilingual International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was used to assess the LUTS. Other comorbidities and unhealthy lifestyles were recorded using face-to-face interview and in-situ measurements such as anthropometry assessment and blood measurement. There were a total of 2251 respondents. 16.3% of the respondents had clinically significant LUTS (IPSS ≥ 8). LUTS was found to be significantly associated with QOL, age and inactive physical activities. Nocturia was the most prevalent and bothersome symptom. LUTS is a common condition and adversely affect QOL. Ageing and physically inactive males are associated with the development of LUTS. It is recommended to increase public awareness of the condition and availability of treatment options for LUTS. Any upcoming survey should have a more in-depth investigation such as clinical profiling of subjects.
  2. Al Musawi MS, Jaafar MS, Al-Gailani B, Ahmed NM, Suhaimi FM, Bakhsh M
    Lasers Med Sci, 2016 Jun 1.
    PMID: 27250712 DOI: 10.1007/s10103-016-1972-1
    This study is designed to investigate in vitro low-level laser (LLL) effects on rheological parameter, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), of human blood. The interaction mechanism between LLL radiation and blood is unclear. Therefore, research addresses the effects of LLL irradiation on human blood and this is essential to understanding how laser radiation interacts with biological cells and tissues. The blood samples were collected through venipuncture into EDTA-containing tubes as an anticoagulant. Each sample was divided into two equal aliquots to be used as a non-irradiated sample (control) and an irradiated sample. The aliquot was subjected to doses of 36, 54, 72 and 90 J/cm(2) with wavelengths of 405, 589 and 780 nm, with a radiation source at a fixed power density of 30 mW/cm(2). The ESR and red blood cell count and volume are measured after laser irradiation and compared with the non-irradiated samples. The maximum reduction in ESR is observed with radiation dose 72 J/cm(2) delivered with a 405-nm wavelength laser beam. Moreover, no hemolysis is observed under these irradiation conditions. In a separate protocol, ESR of separated RBCs re-suspended in irradiated plasma (7.6 ± 2.3 mm/h) is found to be significantly lower (by 51 %) than their counterpart re-suspended in non-irradiated plasma (15.0 ± 3.7 mm/h). These results indicate that ESR reduction is mainly due to the effects of LLL on the plasma composition that ultimately affect whole blood ESR.
  3. Ahmad M, Masood S, Sultana S, Hadda TB, Bader A, Zafar M
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2015 Jan;28(1):241-7.
    PMID: 25553701
    Nutritional quality and antioxidant capacity of three edible wild berries (Rubus ellipticus Smith, Rubus niveus Thunb, Rubus ulmifolius L.) from Lesser Himalayan Range (LHR) were evaluated. Their edible portion was assayed for moisture, fats, ash, carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, essential minerals (Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, Cl, S, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Se, Co, Ni) and DPPH free radical scavenging activity was applied to determine the antioxidant potential. The fruit of Rubus ulmifolius L. (blackberry) possessed the highest values of energy (403.29 Kcal), total protein (6.56g/100 g), Nitrogen (N) content (1500mg/100g), K (860.17mg/100g), Ca (620.56mg/100g), Zn (17.509mg/100g) and the strongest antioxidant activity (98.89% inhibition). While the raspberries (Rubus ellipticus Smith, Rubus niveus Thunb.) exhibited more significant contents of dietary fiber (5.90g/100g), carbohydrates (86.4 g/100 g) and Fe (4.249mg/100g). Significant variation was observed among the tested samples in all the investigated features. The combination of bio elements and active antioxidants clearly showed the applicability of these berries as a nutraceutical supplement.
  4. Sultan MT, Butt MS, Karim R, Ahmad N, Ahmad RS, Ahmad W
    Pak J Pharm Sci, 2015 Mar;28(2):589-95.
    PMID: 25730812
    The onset of 21st century witnessed the awareness among the masses regarding the diet-health linkages. The researchers attempted to explore traditional products/plants were in the domain of pharmacy and nutrition focussing on their health benefits. In the present research intervention, we investigate the role of Nigella sativa fixed oil (NSFO) and essential oil (NSEO) in improving antioxidant status and modulation of enzymes. The National Institute of Health (NIH) provided us 30 Sprague Dawley rats that were equally placed in three groups. The groups were fed on their respective diets (56 days) two experimental diets i.e. D2 (NSFO @ 4.0%) and D3 (NSEO @ 0.30%) and control. The indices pertaining to antioxidant status, antioxidant enzymes, and parameters pertaining to immunity were evaluated at 4 weeks interval. The experimental diets (NSFO@ 4.0% & NSEO@ 0.30%) modulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes i.e., catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), positively. Indices of antioxidant status like tocopherols and glutathione were in linear relationship with that of GPx, GR and GST (P<0.01). Myeloperoxidase activities were in negative correlation with GST (P<0.01) but positive correlation with some other parameters. In the nutshell, the fixed and essential oil of Nigella sativa are effective in improving the indices pertaining to antioxidant status, however, the immune boosting potential needs further clarification. However, authors are of the view that there is need to explore the molecular targets of Nigella sativa fixed and essential oils. Findings from such studies would be useful to validate this instant study for health promoting potential against diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders.
  5. Kabier BM, Mustafa S, Kharidah M, Suraini AA, Abdul Manap Y
    Malays J Nutr, 2004 Sep;10(2):183-93.
    PMID: 22691739
    The nutritive value of spontaneously fermented brown rice flour medida, a Sudanese cereal thin porridge, is low. This study was carried out to improve the nutritional quality of medida. The flour was soaked and malted at 30◦C to optimise the protein content. Flour malted for two days had the highest protein content. Skim milk was added to the malted brown rice flour medida and fermented using Bifidobacterium longum BB 536. Maximum count of B. longum BB 536 up to 9 log CFU/ ml was attained at 4.6 final fermentation pH. The resultant viscosity was similar to that of the spontaneously fermented brown rice flour medida. There was significant (P< 0.01) increase in both the energy density and the protein content, having increased 12 folds and 24 folds, respectively. The essential amino acids including lysine and methionine were highly augmented. The resultant medida have stable flowing characteristics and meet the whole protein and energy requirements for infants and children aged 1 - 10 years old.
  6. Khan MUA, Razak SIA, Rehman S, Hasan A, Qureshi S, Stojanović GM
    Int J Biol Macromol, 2022 Dec 01;222(Pt A):462-472.
    PMID: 36155784 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.09.153
    Globally, people suffering from bone disorders are steadily increasing and bone tissue engineering is an advanced approach to treating fractured and defected bone tissues. In this study, we have prepared polymeric nanocomposite by free-radical polymerization from sodium alginate, hydroxyapatite, and silica with different GO amounts. The porous scaffolds were fabricated using the freeze drying technique. The structural, morphological, mechanical, and wetting investigation was conducted by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, universal tensile machine, and water contact angle characterization techniques. The swelling, biodegradation, and water retention were also studied. The biological studies were performed (cell viability, cell adherence, proliferation, and mineralization) against osteoblast cell lines. Scaffolds have exhibited different pore morphology SAG-1 (pore size = 414.61 ± 56 μm and porosity = 81.45 ± 2.17 %) and SAG-4 (pore size = 195.97 ± 82 μm and porosity = 53.82 ± 2.45 %). They have different mechanical behavior as SAG-1 has the least compression strength and compression modulus 2.14 ± 2.35 and 16.51 ± 1.27 MPa. However, SAG-4 has maximum compression strength and compression modulus 13.67 ± 2.63 and 96.16 ± 1.97 MPa with wetting behavior 80.70° and 58.70°, respectively. Similarly, SAG-1 exhibited the least and SAG-4 presented maximum apatite mineral formation, cell adherence, cell viability, and cell proliferation against mouse pre-osteoblast cell lines. The increased GO amount provides different multifunctional materials with different characteristics. Hence, the fabricated scaffolds could be potential scaffold materials to treat and regenerate fracture bone tissues in bone tissue engineering.
  7. Wan Yunus F, Romli MH, Mohd Rasdi HF, Harun D, Kadar M
    Front Med (Lausanne), 2022;9:967511.
    PMID: 36341254 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.967511
    The COVID-19 pandemic altered the health profession's education. Educational activities were shifted to online, and clinical placements were compromised in certain countries. A mixed-methods study included 17 undergraduates undergoing a mental health placement. The first 3 weeks of clinical placement applied online case-based learning in written and in video format. The last 2 weeks involved hybrid remote and physical onsite clinical placement. SPICES model utilizing various active learning activities, case studies and client attendance, facilitator engagement, discussion and feedback were implemented. A self-administered System Usability Scale (SUS), e-learning preference level, focus group discussion, and reflective writing was conducted at the end of each week and the students' final marks were compared with the past cohort who attended conventional physical clinical placement. Two-way mixed ANOVA indicates no significant interaction was found on the SUS (p = 0.062, η p 2 = 0.062) and preference scores (p = 0.285, η p 2 = 0.079) according to week and practical site. There was no significant difference in the final mark among the online and onsite placement of the current cohort (p = 0.350, d = 0.47). The current cohort reported better marks than the previous cohort who attended conventional placement (p = 0.006, d = 0.99). Qualitative findings show positive responses where online activities have minimal restriction on the learning process. This innovative approach is acceptable for substituting conventional clinical learning during this restricted situation.
  8. Islam SZ, Izzati NS, Abdullah MN, Kamarudin MS, Omar R, Uddin J
    SN Appl Sci, 2022;4(11):321.
    PMID: 36339650 DOI: 10.1007/s42452-022-05205-7
    Abstract: Wet dust on the Photovoltaic (PV) surface is a persistent problem that is merely considered for rooftop based PV cleaning under a high humid climate like Malaysia. This paper proposes an Automated Water Recycle (AWR) method encompassing a water recycling unit for rooftop PV cleaning with the aim to enhance the electrical performance. This study makes a major contribution by developing a new model to correlate output power ( P out ) and dust-fall factor. For model validation, we conducted an experiment of taking one set of Monocrystalline PV (mono) on a 340 W m 2 of medium luminance day. One mono module was cleaned by AWR - pressurized water sprayed through 11 small holes over its front surface, while the other module was left with no-cleaning. The dust-contaminated water was filtered and collected back to the tank for recycling process. The water loss per cleaning cycle was achieved 0.32%, which was normalized to net loss of 28.8% at a frequency of 1 cycle/day for 90 days of operation. We observed that P out of no-cleaning PV was decreased by 29.44% than that of AWR method. From this experimental data also, a unique and more accurate model is created for P out prediction, which is much simpler compared to multivariables equation. Our investigation offers important insights into the accuracy of this regression model demonstrated by R 2 = 0.744 or a strong negative quadratic relationship between P out and dust-fall. The cleaning of PV modules is expected to save significant energy to reduce the payback period.

    Article Highlights: An automated water recycle method for cleaning dust-fall in rooftop photovoltaic module is proposed.Both simulation and experimental models are developed to predict output power of the photovoltaic module.Proposed method can produce 24.40% more output power than a no-cleaning system with a mere water loss of 0.32%/cycle.

  9. Saleh U, Ismail MI, Sapiai NA, Loh KB, Abd Wahab N, Abdullah JM
    Cureus, 2022 Sep;14(9):e29795.
    PMID: 36340543 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29795
    Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a variable penetrance autosomal dominant condition predominantly involving the peripheral nervous system. NF1 exhibits a wide spectrum of clinical patterns involving the skin, eye, brain, spinal cord, and, to a lesser extent, long bones and arteries. Arterial stenosis or aneurysms have been variously studied, but the association with NF1 has not been firmly established. A 31-year-old gentleman with NF1 experienced progressive neck pain over a five-month period, associated with limited range of motion and dysphagia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine suggests paraspinal plexiform neurofibromas with excessive reverse cervical lordosis. Further workups revealed a large left vertebral artery fusiform aneurysm and a pseudoaneurysm. The patient made a full recovery following endovascular embolization. It is crucial to maintain a high index of suspicion for vascular malformations in patients with NF1. The pathogenesis of vascular manifestations in NF1 and options for therapeutic management were discussed.
  10. Liu L, Saeed MA, Abdelrasheed NSG, Shakibaei G, Khafaga AF
    Front Psychol, 2022;13:996736.
    PMID: 36337558 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.996736
    The Omani socio-cultural context, the mono-gender educational system in schools, and the learning environment at the higher educational institutions significantly affect learners' self-efficacy and academic achievement in the mixed-gender EFL classroom. Different studies have revealed both positive and negative implications of mixed-gender classrooms, especially for those who came from a mono-gender learning environment. The adjustment phase for the tertiary learners from school to the university is not only crucial but also significant for the continuation of higher education. The effects of socio-cultural factors on self-efficacy and academic achievement have not been studied in depth, particularly in eastern countries. So, the current study aimed at investigating the role of gender, learning background, socio-cultural circumstances, and the effect of the learning environment on EFL learners' self-efficacy and their academic achievement within the scenario of the prevailing culture and traditions in the Dhofar Region. To conduct this study, mixed research methods (qualitative and quantitative) have been adopted to investigate the perceptions of both teachers and learners. The sample of the study consists of 117 EFL learners ranging between 18-22 years of age and 25 EFL teachers ranging between 35-60 years of age. We used separate surveys for students and the teachers and interviewed students and teachers on a random basis. The results demonstrate that both genders were comfortable in segregated classes. The results also reveal that female learners were active learners and better performers than male learners in the school learning environment. The students reported that social restrictions discouraged them from mixing with the opposite gender in classroom activities and oral discussions. Most teachers believe that, compared to male learners, female learners performed better and were more engaged and responsive to different learning situations. The study found that there were statistically significant differences between both genders in terms of the effects of socio-cultural environment, self-efficacy, and the learning environment. Female learners were better than male learners in mono-gender schools, and they have higher self-efficacy than male students at the university. In conclusion, EFL teachers should consider the socio-cultural context, learners' learning background, and other challenges of learners to bring out positive outcomes in a mixed-gender classroom.
  11. Abdullah-Zawawi MR, Govender N, Karim MB, Altaf-Ul-Amin M, Kanaya S, Mohamed-Hussein ZA
    Plant Methods, 2022 Nov 05;18(1):118.
    PMID: 36335358 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-022-00951-6
    BACKGROUND: Phytochemicals or secondary metabolites are low molecular weight organic compounds with little function in plant growth and development. Nevertheless, the metabolite diversity govern not only the phenetics of an organism but may also inform the evolutionary pattern and adaptation of green plants to the changing environment. Plant chemoinformatics analyzes the chemical system of natural products using computational tools and robust mathematical algorithms. It has been a powerful approach for species-level differentiation and is widely employed for species classifications and reinforcement of previous classifications.

    RESULTS: This study attempts to classify Angiosperms using plant sulfur-containing compound (SCC) or sulphated compound information. The SCC dataset of 692 plant species were collected from the comprehensive species-metabolite relationship family (KNApSAck) database. The structural similarity score of metabolite pairs under all possible combinations (plant species-metabolite) were determined and metabolite pairs with a Tanimoto coefficient value > 0.85 were selected for clustering using machine learning algorithm. Metabolite clustering showed association between the similar structural metabolite clusters and metabolite content among the plant species. Phylogenetic tree construction of Angiosperms displayed three major clades, of which, clade 1 and clade 2 represented the eudicots only, and clade 3, a mixture of both eudicots and monocots. The SCC-based construction of Angiosperm phylogeny is a subset of the existing monocot-dicot classification. The majority of eudicots present in clade 1 and 2 were represented by glucosinolate compounds. These clades with SCC may have been a mixture of ancestral species whilst the combinatorial presence of monocot-dicot in clade 3 suggests sulphated-chemical structure diversification in the event of adaptation during evolutionary change.

    CONCLUSIONS: Sulphated chemoinformatics informs classification of Angiosperms via machine learning technique.

  12. Gnanaraj C, Shah MD, Haque AT, Makki JS, Iqbal M
    PMID: 27279582 DOI: 10.1615/JEnvironPatholToxicolOncol.2016013802
    Synedrella nodiflora is a medicinal plant that is used by the natives of Sabah, Malaysia to treat rheumatism and several other ailments. This study aims to evaluate the ability of the crude aqueous extract of S. nodiflora leaves to protect against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-mediated hepatic injury in rats. S. nodiflora aqueous extract was orally administered to adult Sprague Dawley rats once daily for 14 days (150 and 300 mg/kg body weight [b.w.]) before CCl4 oral treatment (1.0 mL/kg b.w.) on the 13th and 14th days. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), hepatic antioxidant enzymes, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were estimated. Immunohistochemistry was performed for oxidative stress markers (4-hydroxynonenal [HNE], 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine [8-OHdG]) and proinflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, prostaglandin E2). Biochemical, immunohistochemical, histological, and ultrastructural findings were in agreement to support the hepatoprotective effect of S. nodiflora against CCl4-mediated oxidative hepatic damage. Hepatoprotective effects of S. nodiflora might be attributable to the presence of phenolic antioxidants and their free radical scavenging property.
  13. Memon KR, Ghani B, Hyder SI, Han H, Zada M, Ariza-Montes A, et al.
    Front Psychol, 2022;13:944276.
    PMID: 36389544 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.944276
    The fourth industrial revolution will be ushered in by future high technology, and as a result, the world will face new difficulties relating to people, the environment, and profitability. Accordingly, the competitive edge and long-term viability of businesses would depend on the knowledge workers who could overcome these excruciatingly difficult obstacles and have the knowledge and competency to influence the overall performance of any type of company. But managing knowledge workers falls under the purview of human resources, and only effective human resources tools, plans, and procedures can ensure the success of this task. One such tool, which has the capacity and capability to change the whole scenario in an organization's favor, is the human resource information system (HRIS). The purpose of this structured review is to provide insight into a field of HRM (i.e., HRIS) that has largely been neglected by other reviews of the literature and has only been briefly discussed by a small number of publications published in reputable, top-tier journals. A customized HRIS framework is the result of this structured literature review for managing knowledge and competence. The study presents the content analysis of 48 articles, systematically and purposefully selected for this literature review, published during the past three decades. The study has several implications for policymakers and HR practitioners.
  14. Siddiqui RA, Simjee SU, Kabir N, Ateeq M, Shah MR, Hussain SS
    Mol Cell Biochem, 2019 Jan;450(1-2):43-52.
    PMID: 29790115 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-018-3371-3
    The protective activity of N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide (NA-2) and NA-2-coated gold nanoparticles (NA-2-AuNPs) in glycerol-treated model of acute kidney injury (AKI) in mice was investigated. NA-2 (50 mg/kg) and NA-2-AuNPs (30 mg/kg) were given to the animals for four days followed by 24-h water deprivation and injection of 50% glycerol (10 ml/kg im). The animals were sacrificed on the next day. Blood and kidneys were collected for biochemical investigations (urea and creatinine), histological studies (hematoxylin and eosin; and periodic acid-Schiff staining), immunohistochemistry (actin and cyclooxygenase-2, Cox-2), and real-time RT-PCR (inducible nitric oxide synthase, iNOS; nuclear factor-κB p50, NFκB; hemeoxygenase-1, HO-1; and kidney injury molecule-1, Kim-1). NA-2 protected renal tubular necrosis and inflammation, though the result of NA-2-AuNPs was better than compound alone and it also exhibited the activity at far less dose. The test compound and its gold nano-formulation decreased the levels of serum urea and creatinine level in the treated animals. Both NA-2 and NA-2-AuNPs also conserved actin cytoskeleton, and lowered COX-2 protein expression. Moreover, the mRNA expressions of iNOS and NFkB p50 were down-regulated, and HO-1 and Kim-1 genes were up-regulated. We conclude that NA-2 and NA-2-AuNPs ameliorates kidney inflammation and injury in glycerol-induced AKI animal model via anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms which make it a suitable candidate for further studies. We believe that these findings will contribute in the understanding of the mechanism of action of paracetamol-like drugs and can be considered for clinical research for the prevention of AKI.
  15. Tahir MJ, Sawal I, Essar MY, Jabbar A, Ullah I, Ahmed A
    Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol, 2022 Nov;43(11):1758-1759.
    PMID: 34308811 DOI: 10.1017/ice.2021.342
  16. Khan A, Khan A, Ullah M, Alam MM, Bangash JI, Suud MM
    Front Comput Neurosci, 2022;16:1001803.
    PMID: 36405784 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.1001803
    Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. The most prevalent condition in women when aberrant cells develop out of control is breast cancer. Breast cancer detection and classification are exceedingly difficult tasks. As a result, several computational techniques, including k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), multilayer perceptron (MLP), decision tree (DT), and genetic algorithms, have been applied in the current computing world for the diagnosis and classification of breast cancer. However, each method has its own limitations to how accurately it can be utilized. A novel convolutional neural network (CNN) model based on the Visual Geometry Group network (VGGNet) was also suggested in this study. The 16 layers in the current VGGNet-16 model lead to overfitting on the training and test data. We, thus, propose the VGGNet-12 model for breast cancer classification. The VGGNet-16 model has the problem of overfitting the breast cancer classification dataset. Based on the overfitting issues in the existing model, this research reduced the number of different layers in the VGGNet-16 model to solve the overfitting problem in this model. Because various models of the VGGNet, such as VGGNet-13 and VGGNet-19, were developed, this study proposed a new version of the VGGNet model, that is, the VGGNet-12 model. The performance of this model is checked using the breast cancer dataset, as compared to the CNN and LeNet models. From the simulation result, it can be seen that the proposed VGGNet-12 model enhances the simulation result as compared to the model used in this study. Overall, the experimental findings indicate that the suggested VGGNet-12 model did well in classifying breast cancer in terms of several characteristics.
  17. Widiastuti T, Prasetyo A, Robani A, Mawardi I, Rosida R, Al Mustofa MU
    PLoS One, 2022;17(11):e0276876.
    PMID: 36413519 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276876
    Several previous studies state that the Islamic Social Finance program has not fully succeeded in creating prosperity, and there are no definite measurements to show the sustainability impact of the program. Thus, a measurement is needed to analyze various aspects in achieving the success and sustainability of Islamic social finance programs. This study developed an index for performance evaluation with an emphasis on the success and sustainability of the Islamic Social Finance program. The study used the Analytical Network Process to determine and analyze priority components. Furthermore, the Multistage Weighted Index method was used to calculate the final index score. The index was built by taking into consideration various factors, stakeholders, aspects, and indicators. This study indicates that aspects of funding contribution from donors (0.22), involvement of donors in giving advice (0.99), and controlling of supervisor (0.08) are priority aspects in the success and sustainability of the program. An empirical investigation was performed on three different programs in Indonesia: A, B, and C. Program A (0.81) and C (0.80) have succeeded in improving the beneficiaries' quality of life to the level of economic resilience, although at a low level of sustainability (76-84.33). On the other hand, program B (0.73) is at the economic reinforcement and has not yet achieved sustainability. This index can be seen as a comprehensive tool for measuring the success and sustainability of the program at several levels.
  18. Md S, Kuldeep Singh JKA, Waqas M, Pandey M, Choudhury H, Habib H, et al.
    Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2019 Feb;45(2):323-332.
    PMID: 30404554 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2018.1542704
    Betamethsone valerate (BMV), a medium potency topical corticosteroid, is one of the most commonly employed pharmacological agents for the management of atopic dermatitis in both adults and children. Despite having remarkable pharmacological efficacy, these agents have limited clinical implication due to poor penetration across the startum cornum (SC). To mitigate issues related to targeted delivery, stability, and solubility as well as to potentiate therapeutic and clinical implication, the nanodelivery systems have gained remarkable recognition. Therefore, this study was aimed to encapsulate BMV into the chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) for optimum dermal targeting and improved penetration across the SC. The prepared NPs were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, crystallinity, thermal behavior, morphology, in vitro release kinetics, drug permeation across the SC, and percentage of drug retained into various skin layers. Results showed that optimized BMV-CS-NPs exhibited optimum physicochemical characteristics including small particle size (< 250 ± 28 nm), higher zeta potential (+58 ± 8 mV), and high entrapment efficiency (86 ± 5.6%) and loading capacity (34 ± 7.2%). The in vitro release study revealed that BMV-CS-NPs displayed Fickian-diffusion type mechanism of release in simulated skin surface (pH 5.5). Drug permeation efficiency and the amount of BMV retained into the epidermis and the dermis were comparatively higher in case of BMV-CS-NPs compared to BMV solution. Conclusively, we anticipated that BMV-CS-NPs could be a promising nanodelivery system for efficient dermal targeting of BMV and improved anti-AD efficacy.
  19. Almurisi SH, Doolaanea AA, Akkawi ME, Chatterjee B, Ahmed Saeed Aljapairai K, Islam Sarker MZ
    Drug Dev Ind Pharm, 2020 Aug;46(8):1373-1383.
    PMID: 32619118 DOI: 10.1080/03639045.2020.1791165
    OBJECTIVE: Paracetamol is a common antipyretic and analgesic medicine used in childhood illness by parents and physicians worldwide. Paracetamol has a bitter taste that is considered as a significant barrier for drug administration. This study aimed to develop an oral dosage form that is palatable and easy to swallow by pediatric patients as well as to overcome the shortcomings of liquid formulations.

    METHODS: The paracetamol was encapsulated in beads, which were prepared mainly from alginate and chitosan through electrospray technique. The paracetamol beads were sprinkled on the instant jelly prepared from glycine, ι-carrageenan and calcium lactate gluconate. The paracetamol instant jelly characteristics, in terms of physical appearance, texture, rheology, in vitro drug release and palatability were assessed on a human volunteer.

    RESULTS: The paracetamol instant jelly was easily reconstituted in 20 mL of water within 2 min to form jelly with acceptable consistency and texture. The jelly must be ingested within 30 min after reconstitution to avoid the bitter taste. The palatability assessment carried out on 12 human subjects established the similar palatability and texture of the paracetamol instant jelly dosage comparable to the commercial paracetamol suspension and was found to be even better in overcoming the aftertaste of paracetamol.

    CONCLUSION: Such findings indicate that paracetamol instant jelly will compensate for the use of sweetening and flavoring agents as well as develop pediatric dosage forms with limited undesired excipients.

  20. Naseem T, Bibi F, Arif S, Waseem M, Haq S, Azra MN, et al.
    Molecules, 2022 Oct 22;27(21).
    PMID: 36363976 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27217152
    In this work, graphene oxide (GO) and its reduced graphene oxide-zinc oxide nanocomposite (rGO-ZnO) was used for the removal of Cr (VI) from aqueous medium. By employing a variety of characterization techniques, morphological and structural properties of the adsorbents were determined. The adsorption study was done by varying concentration, temperature, pH, time, and amount of adsorbent. The results obtained confirmed that rGO-ZnO is a more economical and promising adsorbent for removing Cr (VI) as compared to GO. Kinetic study was also performed, which suggested that sorption of Cr (VI) follows the pseudo-first-order model. For equilibrium study, non-linear Langmuir was found a better fitted model than its linearized form. The maximum adsorption capacity calculated for GO and rGO-ZnO nanocomposite were 19.49 mg/g and 25.45 mg/g, respectively. Endothermic and spontaneous nature of adsorption was detected with positive values of ΔS (change in entropy), which reflects the structural changes happening at the liquid/solid interface.
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