Novel Green Synthesis and Characterization of Nanopolymer Porous Gold Oxide Nanoparticles

Purpose: To develop a novel approach to green synthesis of nano-polymer porous gold oxide nanoparticles, and examine the effects of the temperatures on their surface.Methods: Green synthesis of nano-polymer porous gold oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) using cetyle trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant with a mixture of Olea europaea fruit and Acacia Nilotica extracts, was performed using sol-gel method. The nanoporous particles were characterized by UV (ultraviolet (UV) visible spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) while a zetasizer was applied to determine their average particle size. Their surface morphology and shape were assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning election microscopy (SEM) while surface area was measured using nitrogen gas adsorption method.Results: TEM and SEM images showed a smooth, cylindrical or spherical, and cluster shapes, and porous surface morphology. Increase in calcination temperature resulted in increase in surface area and pore volume of nanoparticles. This feature yielded GONPs that were unique with a high surface area of 146.706 m2/g.Conclusion: The approach used in this study constitutes a new and rapid green synthesis of porous nanoparticles of gold oxide under simple conditions. Furthermore, increase in GONPs surface area is enhanced by increase in calcination temperature.Keywords: Gold oxide, Nanoporous, Green synthesis, Olea europaea, Acacia Nilotica, Surface area, Nanopolymer, Surface morpholog

Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Antibacterial Activity of Silver/Polystyrene Nanocomposite

A novel, nontoxic, simple, cost-effective and ecofriendly technique was used to synthesize green silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs were synthesized using orange peel extract as a reducing agent for silver nitrate salt (AgNO3). The particle size distribution of AgNPs was determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The average size of silver nanoparticles was 98.43 nm. The stable dispersion of silver nanoparticles was added slowly to polystyrene solution in toluene maintaining the temperature at 70°C. The AgNPs/polystyrene (PS) nanocomposite solution was cast in a petri dish. The silver nanoparticles encapsulated within polymer chains were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) in addition to Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The green AgNPs/PS nanocomposite film exhibited antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella, and Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Thus, the key findings of the work include the use of a safe and simple AgNPs/PS nanocomposite which had a marked antibacterial activity which has a potential application in food packaging

A novel, highly sensitive and specific biomarker for Niemann-Pick type C1 disease

Background Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs), are a heterogeneous group of rare disorders caused by defects in genes encoding for proteins involved in the lysosomal degradation of macromolecules. They occur at a frequency of about 1 in 5,000 live births, though recent neonatal screening suggests a higher incidence. New treatment options for LSDs demand a rapid, early diagnosis of LSDs if maximal clinical benefit is to be achieved. Methods Here, we describe a novel, highly specific and sensitive biomarker for Niemann-Pick Type C disease type 1 (NPC1), lyso-sphingomyelin-509. We cross-validate this biomarker with cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol and relative lysosomal volume. The primary cohort for establishment of the biomarker contained 135 NPC1 patients, 66 NPC1 carriers, 241 patients with other LSDs and 46 healthy controls. Results With a sensitivity of 100.0% and specificity of 91.0% a cut-off of 1.4 ng/ml was established. Comparison with cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol and relative acidic compartment volume measurements were carried out with a subset of 125 subjects. Both cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol and lyso-Sphingomyelin-509 were sufficient in establishing the diagnosis of NPC1 and correlated with disease severity. Conclusion In summary, we have established a new biomarker for the diagnosis of NPC1, and further studies will be conducted to assess correlation to disease progress and monitoring treatment

Relative acidic compartment volume as a lysosomal storage disorder–associated biomarker

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) occur at a frequency of 1 in every 5,000 live births and are a common cause of pediatric neurodegenerative disease. The relatively small number of patients with LSDs and lack of validated biomarkers are substantial challenges for clinical trial design. Here, we evaluated the use of a commercially available fluorescent probe, Lysotracker, that can be used to measure the relative acidic compartment volume of circulating B cells as a potentially universal biomarker for LSDs. We validated this metric in a mouse model of the LSD Niemann-Pick type C1 disease (NPC1) and in a prospective 5-year international study of NPC patients. Pediatric NPC subjects had elevated acidic compartment volume that correlated with age-adjusted clinical severity and was reduced in response to therapy with miglustat, a European Medicines Agency–approved drug that has been shown to reduce NPC1-associated neuropathology. Measurement of relative acidic compartment volume was also useful for monitoring therapeutic responses of an NPC2 patient after bone marrow transplantation. Furthermore, this metric identified a potential adverse event in NPC1 patients receiving i.v. cyclodextrin therapy. Our data indicate that relative acidic compartment volume may be a useful biomarker to aid diagnosis, clinical monitoring, and evaluation of therapeutic responses in patients with lysosomal disorders

Evaluation of new therapies in Niemann-Pick type C disease

Niemann Pick type C (NPC) disease is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disease caused by a mutation in the NPC1 or NPC2 genes. The functions of the proteins these genes encode are not fully understood, but are thought to be involved in free cholesterol egress from the acidic compartment. The pathogenic cascade in proposed to begin with sphingosine accumulation followed by reduction of acidic store calcium levels. This results in impairing intracellular trafficking and storage of multiple lipid substrates in the late endosome/lysosomal compartment. In this thesis, multiple potential therapies have been tested in a mouse model of NPC1 disease including neuroprotective compounds. Positive effects were observed with some compounds, as reflected by increased life span and/or improved neurological function. In the course of these studies, I discovered another factor that affects the outcome of treatment with liver metabolised drugs. In the NPC1 mouse the cytochrome P450 system is impaired as is the case in the NPC1 cats and in patients. This thesis therefore sheds light on the impairment of this system at the genetic and functional level and presents data on why this aspect of pathology must be considered when designing therapeutics for this fatal neurodegenerative disease. This defect was partially corrected with bile acid supplementation, resulting in an unexpected functional improvement suggesting benefit in the CNS. Another aspect of NPC disease investigated was Crohn's-like intestinal inflammation that occurs in some NPC patients. This has been investigated in the Npc1-/- mouse model using two colitis models showing a partial protection by the Npc1 mutation with different infection kinetics and secretory cytokine profiles. Taken together, this thesis therefore provides insights into two novel aspects of pathogenesis (Crohn's-like intestinal inflammation and a drug metabolism defect) and provides new leads on treatments that target unique aspects of the pathogenic cascade.</p

International Journal of Physical Sciences

Silver nanoparticles biogenic synthesized using an orange peel extract and their use as an anti-bacterial agen

Anti-TNF therapy for inflammatory bowel disease in patients with neurodegenerative Niemann-Pick disease Type C

Background: Blockade of tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) is effective in patients with Crohn’s Disease but has been associated with infection risk and neurological complications such as demyelination. Niemann-Pick disease Type C1 (NPC1) is a lysosomal storage disorder presenting in childhood with neurological deterioration, liver damage and respiratory infections. Some NPC1 patients develop severe Crohn’s disease. Our objective was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of anti-TNF in NPC1 patients with Crohn’s disease. Methods: Retrospective data on phenotype and therapy response were collected in 2019-2020 for the time period 2014 to 2020 from patients in the UK, France, Germany and Canada with genetically confirmed NPC1 defects and intestinal inflammation. We investigated TNF secretion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells treated with NPC1 inhibitor in response to bacterial stimuli . Results: NPC1 inhibitor treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) show significantly increased TNF production after lipopolysaccharide or bacterial challenge providing a rationale for anti-TNF therapy. We identified 4 NPC1 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD)-like intestinal inflammation treated using anti-TNF therapy (mean age of onset 8.1 years, mean treatment length 27.75 months, overall treatment period 9.25 patient years). Anti-TNF therapy was associated with reduced gastrointestinal symptoms with no apparent adverse neurological events. Therapy improved intestinal inflammation in 4 patients. Conclusions: Anti-TNF therapy appears safe in patients with NPC1 and is an effective treatment strategy for the management of intestinal inflammation in these patients

World of Children as Media Users

This dissertation consists of two parts - a theoretical and an analytical, empirical part. In the theoretical segment, there is a summary of theoretical knowledge about celebrities and their relationship to society and the public, a comparison between celebrities and real authorities, an overview of mass-communication and its influence on the socialisation of children and a series of advantages and disadvantages of the impact of mass-communication on children. The final stage of the theoretical segment characterises, from the point of view of developmental psychology, the two age groups that will be compared in the second segment. The empirical segment answers such questions as how much do children use media in their leisure time, what types of media are most popular amongst them, which celebrities do the children admire and why are these celebrities important for them in particular. The empirical segment is based on analysis of data taken from questionnaires created purposely for qualitative-quantitative research. These questionnaires were given to students in the 4th and 6th grades of an elementary school in Polepy in the Czech Republic (ages 10/11 and 12/13 respectively). The goal of this dissertation is to show the trending habits of children as mass- media users

Enzyme activity rates, and relevant statistics of the P450 activity assays after treatment with UDCA intergenotypic comparisons.

<p>Enzyme activity rates, and relevant statistics of the P450 activity assays after treatment with UDCA intergenotypic comparisons.</p