In this study, the polyamide thin film composite membrane surface has been modified by anti-microbial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The membrane surfaces were interwoven with AgNPs by ultraviolet grafting polymerization method using AgNPs with or without poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The membrane surface characteristics were determined by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry images, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, water contact angle values, and anti-bacterial property. The separation performance was determined based on the flux and the ability to remove calcium ions in water. The anti-biofouling property was appraised through the maintained flux ratios and the irreversible fouling factors of unmodified and modified membranes during 10 h-filtration of protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) in an aqueous solution, in which, before filtration of BSA, all membranes were immersed in E. coli bacteria solution for 4 days. The results of the experiments corroborated the hydrophilicity and more anti-microbial property of the membrane surfaces after being incorporated into AgNPs. The water contact angle decreased from around 49 for the unmodified membrane to 36 and 23 for the AgNPmodified membranes without/with PEG, while no colonies appeared in the medium containing the AgNP-modified membranes. The separation property of modified membranes was improved, with both membrane flux and antifouling properties, along with the substantial surge of the anti-biofouling property. After 10 h of BSA filtration, the fluxes of the modified membranes were maintained at 68% and 78% for AgNP-modified membranes without and with PEG, respectively. Conversely, this value was only 46% for the unmodified one.
Estimating malaria parasite density is necessary for disease management, clinical trials and drug efficacy studies. This study was conducted to compare the malaria parasite density among patients using actual white blood cell (WBC) and the assumed WBC counts (8.0 ×109/l). A cross-sectional study was conducted in Dak Lak, Vietnam. WBC and asexual malaria parasite counts were performed on blood films. Eighty patients were enrolled. The mean (±SD) of WBCs was 5.84±1.63 ×109/l. The median (IQR) of parasite density using the assumed WBCs (8000 cells/µl) (11057.50 [2388.50-34210.75] rings/µl) was significantly higher than that estimation based on the actual WBC count (6898.61 [1892.12-24623.10] rings/µl) (p<0.001). Therefore, this study recommended the use of actual WBC count to estimate malaria parasite density in P. falciparum -infected patients in Dak Lak, Vietnam.
The hematological changes following treatment have been poorly understood. This study was designed to determine the hematological alterations and recovery in plasmodium falciparum -infected patients, treated with Artesunate/Mefloquin. A retrospective study was conducted in Dak Lak province, located in Central highlands Vietnam, between August 2019 and April 2020. All data from 80 patients who were diagnosed with P. falciparum infectionincluding clinical characteristics, and hematological parameters in 42 days follow up -were reviewed and analyzed. The results showed that there were no anemia (p<0.001), no leukopenia (p<0.001), no leukocytosis (p<0.001), but thrombocytopenia (p=0.018) in 80 patients before treatment. There was a slightly decrease in hemoglobin (HGB) at day 7 (p=0.05), then HGB significantly increased at day 42 after treatment (p<0.001). White blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) counts rapidly recovered at day 7 after treatment (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). This study indicated that malaria patients treated with Artesunate/Mefloquin exhibit important changes in hematological parameters with HGB and PLT counts being the two most important changes before and after treatment. This data could be useful for detection, treatment and prevention of malaria in Vietnam.
In this work, silver and copper particles of different nanoparticle precursor concentrations were decorated on the surface of thin film composite polyamide (TFC‐PA) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes by in situ method. The modified membranes were characterized by different techniques including Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), X‐ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), and attenuated total reflection – Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR), water contact angle (WCA), and antibacterial capacity. After that, the membrane performance was compared through normalized flux and the possibility of the removal of bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein; the anti‐fouling and anti‐biofouling properties were also compared through the maintained flux ratios (%) after 5‐hour filtration. The used organic foulants were BSA protein and humic acid (HA) solutions. The results showed that, compared to the flux of the base, the flux of AgNPs‐decorated membrane can improve the separation ability up to 24% while that of CuNPs‐decorated membrane was 14%. The anti‐fouling property of decorated membranes was significantly increased compared to that of the base (from 64% for the base to over 77% for decorated membranes). Especially, the anti‐biofouling property of nanoparticles decorated membranes was also increased because of the higher maintained flux ratios (from 50% for the base to over 75% for decorated membranes). It indicates that this method can be applied to produce reverse osmosis (RO) membranes for reclamation wastewater with a high content of organic matter.
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