Self-assembled microtubules were used to entrap insulin for the preparation of new drug delivery devices. The interactions of insulin with the microtubules were probed by circular dichroism, zeta potential analysis, as well as FTIR spectroscopy. The morphologies of the insulin-loaded tubules were examined by AFM and TEM. We found that insulin loading was both pH- as well as concentration-dependent. The circular dichroism analysis indicated that, at pH range 6-7, the conformation change in the presence of the microtubules was minimal and hence would be the most appropriate conditions for insulin loading. The entrapment efficiency and release of insulin was found to be pH-dependent. Further, the controlled drug release studies indicated that, under acidic conditions, insulin release was extremely slow, and it is likely that the insulin is protected inside the microtubules. Thus, the microtubules may potentially protect the insulin from aggregation and release at lower pH (gastric pH) in ViVo. However, at pH 6.5 (closer to intestinal pH) a sustained release was observed. Such new materials may inhibit the aggregation of peptides under suitable conditions and potentially be used for drug delivery, in particular, for other peptide-based drugs.
We report a new method for the green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. A new leucine-based diamine amphiphile was synthesized and self-assembled, which in the presence of Zn(2+) ions assembled into nanofibers, that efficiently formed ZnO nanoparticles upon heating in the presence of Zn(CH(3)COO)(2). Further, these ZnO nanoparticles functioned as efficient photocatalysts.
%Microtubular structures were self-assembled in aqueous media from a newly synthesized bolaamphiphile, bis(N-a-amido-threonine)-1,3-propane dicarboxylate. The self-assembly process was examined at varying pH. The formed microtubes were then functionalized with the highly glycosylated protein mucin. In nature, the O-linked saccharides of mucin are generally associated with Thr or Ser residues of protein scaffolds. In this work, peptide microtubes with threonine functionality were prepared synthetically in order to enhance the affinity of the microtubes toward mucin, thus mimicking natural proteins. After binding the mucin to the microtubes, we investigated the biocompatibility of those materials by conducting in vitro cell attachment, cell proliferation, and cytotoxicity studies using normal rat kidney (NRK) cells. The studies revealed that the biomaterials were nontoxic, biocompatible, and showed significant adhesion to the cells. It is well known that natural mucins may degrade into their motifs; however, upon binding to the surface of microtubes, their stability may be increased. Because mucin is one of the major components of mucoadhesion, and various types of mucins are ubiquitous in human tissues, such mucin-bound microtubes may potentially be used as mucoadhesive materials for targeted drug delivery and improve the localization of drugs.
Groundwater samples collected at sites where in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) has been deployed may contain binary mixtures of groundwater contaminants and permanganate (MnO4–), an oxidant injected into the subsurface to destroy the contaminant. Commingling of the oxidant and contaminant in aqueous samples may negatively impact the quality of the sample as well as the analytical instruments used to quantify contaminant concentrations. In this study, binary mixtures comprised of (1) a multicomponent standard with permanganate and (2) groundwater samples collected at two ISCO field sites were preserved with ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid reacts rapidly with the MnO4– and limits the reaction between MnO4– and the organic compounds in the mixture. Consequently, most of the compounds in the multicomponent standard were within the control limit for quality assurance. However, despite timely efforts to preserve the samples, the rapid reaction between permanganate and contaminant caused the concentration of several sensitive compounds to fall significantly below the lower control limit. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds in the field‐preserved binary mixture groundwater samples were greater than in samples refrigerated in the field and preserved upon arrival at the laboratory, indicating the time‐dependency and benefit of field preservation. The molar ratio of ascorbic acid required to neutralize KMnO4 was 1.64 (mol ascorbic acid/mol KMnO4); this provided a baseline to estimate the volume of ascorbic acid stock solution and/or the weight of crystalline ascorbic acid required to neutralize MnO4–. Excess ascorbic acid did not negatively impact the quality of the aqueous samples, or analytical instruments, used in the analyses.
Research shows disparities exist in traumatic brain injury (TBI)–related outcomes and are associated with objective and subjective factors. Objective factors (e.g., age, sex, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and socioeconomic status) are defined as variables that are frequently measured, not easily modifiable, and not easily influenced by individual perceptions, opinions, or experiences. Conversely, subjective factors (e.g., personal health literacy, cultural competence, patient/family-clinician communication, implicit bias, and trust) are defined as variables that may be less frequently measured, more easily modifiable, and more easily influenced by individual perceptions, opinions, or experiences. The purpose of this analysis and perspective is to provide recommendations for further examination of subjective factors within TBI research and practice, with the overarching goal of reducing TBI-related disparities. Establishing reliable and valid measures of subjective factors is recommended to allow for further examination of the influence of both objective factors and subjective factors in the TBI population. Providers and researchers must also engage in education and training to recognize their biases and how bias influences decision making. The influence of subjective factors in practice and research must also be considered to ensure that knowledge needed to advance health equity is generated and disparities in outcomes for patients with TBI are reduced.
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