Identification of putative α-glucosidase inhibitors and antioxidants in Zingiber officinale rhizome using LCMS-based metabolomics and in silico molecular docking.

Metabolite profiling is required to reveal bioactive chemicals in ginger rhizome for supporting its traditional claim as anti-diabetic agent. This study aimed to evaluate α-glucosidase inhibitory (AGI) and antioxidant activities of the rhizome, to identify its putative α-glucosidase inhibitors, and to analyse the protein-ligand interaction of the inhibitors. The ginger extracts were tested to in vitro AGI assay and analysed using LCMS-based metabolomics to pinpoint the putative α-glucosidase inhibitors. The methanol extract exhibited the highest AGI activity (IC50 = 185.2 µg/mL) compared to the other extracts. This extract showed antioxidant activities with DPPH-IC50 and FRAP value of 125.0 µg/mL and 16.95 mmol TE/mgDW, respectively. The LCMS-based metabolomics revealed α-glucosidase inhibitors in the extract, namely 7-methoxycoumarin, supinine and 12-hydroxycorynoline. The presence of these compounds in ginger is being reported for the first time in this study. The activity of these compounds was supported by computational study using in silico molecular docking.

Green and efficient magnetic micro-solid phase extraction utilizing tea waste impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles for the analysis of ibuprofen in water samples by using UV-vis spectrophotometry.

A green method based on magnetic micro-solid phase extraction (MNP-TW-µ-SPE) of tea waste impregnated with magnetic nanoparticles (MNP-TW) was developed for the extraction of ibuprofen (IBP) in water samples prior to UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis. Experimenting parameters that affect the extraction efficiency of IBP, such as pH of the sample solution, sorbent dosage, extraction time, ionic strength, volume of the sample, type of desorption solvent, desorption time, and desorption volume, were studied and optimized in detail. The characterization studies for the MNP-TW were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Under the optimum conditions, the linearity ranges from 30 to 700 µg L-1 for IBP, with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.9983. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 9.40 µg L-1 and 28.50 µg L-1, respectively. The method also demonstrated good precision in reproducibility (RSD ≤ 1.53%), repeatability (RSD ≤ 1.48%), and recovery (86-115%). This method represents the advantages of low solvent consumption, flexibility, and better sensitivity compared to other studies employing spectrophotometric analysis. The usage of tea waste in the extraction process presents many advantages, as it is biodegradable, versatile, and contributes to an intelligent and sustainable economic strategy projected toward a circular economy approach.

Self-system and mental health status among Malaysian youth attending higher educational institutions: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Mental health disorders (MHDs) are a global health burden with an increasing prevalence. During the COVID-19 pandemic, depression was the commonest MHD, followed by anxiety and stress. This nationwide study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of depression, anxiety and stress among Malaysian students attending higher educational institutions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to December 2021. Institutions were selected via stratified random sampling and students via convenience sampling. A self-administered questionnaire comprising questions on socio-demographic characteristics, academic background, substance abuse, childhood abuse, religiosity and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 was used. Data were analysed using SPSS version 27; descriptive, point-biserial correlation, chi-square and multiple binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: Sex and adverse childhood experiences significantly predicted all three MHDs (P<0.05). The students from public institutions (odds ratio [OR]=0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.56-0.90, P=0.004) had a lower risk of depression than those from private institutions. The smokers/vapers (OR=1.43, 95% CI=1.02-2.02, P=0.041) a higher risk of depression than the non-smokers/non-vapers. The social science students (OR=1.29, 95% CI= 1.01-1.65, P=0.039) had a higher risk of anxiety than the science students. The students who highly engaged in organisational religious activity (OR=0.91, 95% CI=0.84-0.98, P=0.015) had a lower risk of anxiety than their counterparts. Conclusion: Anxiety is the commonest MHD among Malaysian youth, followed by depression and stress. Childhood abuse is a crucial related factor requiring further attention. Screening, surveillance, preventive measures and comprehensive interventions for MHDs should be initiated among youth.

An enantioselective study of ß-cyclodextrin and ionic liquid-ß-cyclodextrin towards propranolol enantiomers by molecular dynamic simulations.

In this study, the enantioselectivity of ß-cyclodextrin and its derivatives towards propranolol enantiomers are investigated by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD) have previously been shown to be able to recognize propranolol (PRP) enantiomers. To improve upon the enantioselectivity of ß-cyclodextrin, we propose the use of an ionic-liquid-modified-ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD-IL). ß-CD-IL was found to be able to complex R and S propranolol enantiomers with differing binding energies. The molecular docking study reveals that the ionic liquid chain attached to the ß-CD molecule has significant interaction with propranolol. The formation of the most stable complex occurred between (S)-ß-CD-IL and (S)-propranolol with an energy of -5.80 kcal/mol. This is attributed to the formation of a hydrogen bond between the oxygen of the propranolol and the hydrogen on the primary rim of the (S)-ß-CD-IL cavity. This interaction is not detected in other complexes. The root mean-squared fluctuation (RMSF) value indicates that the NH group is the most flexible molecular fragment, followed by the aromatic group. Also of note, the formation of a complex between pristine ß-CD and (S)-propranolol is the least favorable.

New porous amine-functionalized biochar-based desiccated coconut waste as efficient CO2 adsorbents.

Climate change caused by the greenhouse gases CO2 remains a topic of global concern. To mitigate the excessive levels of anthrophonic CO2 in the atmosphere, CO2 capture methods have been developed and among these, adsorption is an especially promising method. This paper presents a series of amine functionalized biochar obtained from desiccated coconut waste (amine-biochar@DCW) for use as CO2 adsorbent. They are ethylenediamine-functionalized biochar@DCW (EDA-biochar@DCW), diethylenetriamine-functionalized biochar@DCW (DETA-biochar@DCW), triethylenetetramine-functionalized biochar@DCW (TETA-biochar@DCW), tetraethylenepentamine-functionalized biochar@DCW (TEPA-biochar@DCW), and pentaethylenehexamine-functionalized biochar@DCW (PEHA-biochar@DCW). The adsorbents were obtained through amine functionalization of biochar and they are characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The CO2 adsorption study was conducted isothermally and using a thermogravimetric analyzer. From the results of the characterization analyses, a series of amine-biochar@DCW adsorbents had larger specific surface area in the range of 16.2 m2/g-37.1 m2/g as compare to surface area of pristine DCW (1.34 m2/g). Furthermore, the results showed an increase in C and N contents as well as the appearance of NH stretching, NH bending, CN stretching, and CN bending, suggesting the presence of amine on the surface of biochar@DCW. The CO2 adsorption experiment shows that among the amine modified biochar adsorbents, TETA-biochar@DCW has the highest CO2 adsorption capacity (61.78 mg/g) when using a mass ratio (m:m) of biochar@DCW:TETA (1:2). The adsorption kinetics on the TETA-biochar@DCW was best fitted by the pseudo-second model (R2 = 0.9998), suggesting the adsorption process occurs through chemisorption. Additionally, TETA-biochar@DCW was found to have high selectivity toward CO2 gas and good reusability even after five CO2 adsorption-desorption cycles. The results demonstrate the potential of novel CO2 adsorbents based on amine functionalized on desiccated coconut waste biochar.

In Vitro Anti-Diabetic, Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant Activities and Toxicological Study of Optimized Psychotria malayana Jack Leaves Extract.

Psychotria malayana Jack (Family: Rubiaceae, local name: Salung) is a traditional herb used to treat diabetes. A previous study by our research group demonstrated that P. malayana methanolic and water extract exhibits significant potential as an effective agent for managing diabetes. Further research has been performed on the extraction optimization of this plant to enhance its inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase, a key enzyme associated with diabetes, and to reduce its toxicity. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties of the optimized P. malayana leaf extract (OE), to evaluate its toxicity using a zebrafish embryo/larvae model, and to analyze its metabolites. The anti-diabetic effects were assessed by investigating α-glucosidase inhibition (AGI), while the inflammation inhibitory activity was performed using the soybean lipoxygenase inhibitory (SLOXI) test. The assessment of antioxidant activity was performed utilizing FRAP and DPPH assays. The toxicology study was conducted using the zebrafish embryo/larvae (Danio rerio) model. The metabolites present in the extracts were analyzed using GC-MS and LC-MS. OE demonstrated significant AGI and SLOXI activities, represented as 2.02 and 4.92 µg/mL for IC50 values, respectively. It exhibited potent antioxidant activities as determined by IC50 values of 13.08 µg/mL (using the DPPH assay) and 95.44 mmol TE/mg DW (using the FRAP assay), and also demonstrated an LC50 value of 224.29 µg/mL, which surpasses its therapeutic index of 111.03. OE exhibited a higher therapeutic index compared to that of the methanol extract (13.84) stated in the previous state of the art. This suggests that OE exhibits a lower level of toxicity, making it safer for use, and has the potential to be highly effective in its anti-diabetic activity. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) demonstrated the presence of several constituents in this extract. Among them, several compounds, such as propanoic acid, succinic acid, D-tagatose, myo-inositol, isorhamnetin, moracin M-3'-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, procyanidin B3, and leucopelargonidin, have been reported as possessing anti-diabetic and antioxidant activities. This finding offers great potential for future research in diabetes treatment.

Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, and toxicity evaluation of Orthosiphon stamineus leaf extract.

Ocimum aristatum, commonly known as O. stamineus, has been widely studied for its potential as an herbal medicine candidate. This research aims to compare the efficacy of water and 100% ethanolic extracts of O. stamineus as α-glucosidase inhibitors and antioxidants, as well as toxicity against zebrafish embryos. Based on the study findings, water extract of O. stamineus leaves exhibited superior inhibition activity against α-glucosidase, ABTS, and DPPH, with IC50 values of approximately 43.623 ± 0.039 µg/mL, 27.556 ± 0.125 µg/mL, and 95.047 ± 1.587 µg/mL, respectively. The major active compounds identified in the extract include fatty acid groups and their derivates such as linoleic acid, α-eleostearic acid, stearic acid, oleanolic acid, and corchorifatty acid F. Phenolic groups such as caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, 3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde, norfenefrine, caftaric acid, and 2-hydroxyphenylalanine and flavonoids and their derivates including 5,7-Dihydroxychromone, 5,7-Dihydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-4H-chromen-4-one, eupatorin, and others were also identified in the extract. Carboxylic acid groups and triterpenoids such as azelaic acid and asiatic acid were also present. This study found that the water extract of O. stamineus is non-toxic to zebrafish embryos and does not affect the development of zebrafish larvae at concentrations lower than 500 µg/mL. These findings highlight the potential of the water extract of O. stamineus as a valuable herbal medicine candidate, particularly for its potent α-glucosidase inhibition and antioxidant properties, and affirm its safety in zebrafish embryos at tested concentrations.

Transformative learning in clinical reasoning: a meta-synthesis in undergraduate primary care medical education.

Clinical reasoning is a vital medical education skill, yet its nuances in undergraduate primary care settings remain debated. This systematic review explores clinical reasoning teaching and learning intricacies within primary care. We redefine clinical reasoning as dynamically assimilating and prioritising synthesised patient, significant other, or healthcare professional information for diagnoses or non-diagnoses. This focused meta-synthesis applies transformative learning theory to primary care clinical reasoning education. A comprehensive analysis of 29 selected studies encompassing various designs made insights into clinical reasoning learning dimensions visible. Primary care placements in varying duration and settings foster diverse instructional methods like bedside teaching, clinical consultations, simulated clinics, virtual case libraries, and more. This review highlights the interplay between disease-oriented and patient-centred orientations in clinical reasoning learning. Transformative learning theory provides an innovative lens, revealing stages of initiation, persistence, time and space, and competence and confidence in students' clinical reasoning evolution. Clinical teachers guide this transformation, adopting roles as fortifiers, connoisseurs, mediators, and monitors. Patient engagement spans passive to active involvement, co-constructing clinical reasoning. The review underscores theoretical underpinnings' significance in shaping clinical reasoning pedagogy, advocating broader diversity. Intentional student guidance amid primary care complexities is vital. Utilising transformative learning, interventions bridging cognitive boundaries enhance meaningful clinical reasoning learning experiences. This study contributes insights for refining pedagogy, encouraging diverse research, and fostering holistic clinical reasoning development.

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and Neuroprotection, What Is New? An Up-To-Date Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the potential role of probiotics has become prominent in the discoveries of neurotherapy against neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) exhibit neuroprotective properties and exert their effects via various mechanisms of actions. This review aimed to evaluate the effects of LAB on neuroprotection reported in the literature. METHODS: A database search on Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct revealed a total of 467 references, of which 25 were included in this review based on inclusion criteria which comprises 7 in vitro, 16 in vivo, and 2 clinical studies. RESULTS: From the studies, LAB treatment alone or in probiotics formulations demonstrated significant neuroprotective activities. In animals and humans, LAB probiotics supplementation has improved memory and cognitive performance mainly via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Despite promising findings, due to limited studies available in the literature, further studies still need to be explored regarding synergistic effects, efficacy, and optimum dosage of LAB oral bacteriotherapy as treatment or prevention against neurodegenerative diseases.

Investigating the Antibacterial Effects of Synthetic Gamma-Lactam Heterocycles on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains and Assessing the Safety and Effectiveness of Lead Compound MFM514.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to be one of the main causes of hospital-acquired infections in all regions of the world, while linezolid is one of the only commercially available oral antibiotics available against this dangerous gram-positive pathogen. In this study, the antibacterial activity from 32 analogues of synthetic gamma-lactam heterocycles against MRSA was determined. Amongst screened analogues for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay, compound MFM514 displayed good inhibitory activity with MIC values of 7.8-15.6 µg/mL against 30 MRSA and 12 methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) clinical isolates, while cytotoxicity evaluations displayed a mean inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of > 625 µg/mL, displaying a potential to becoming as a lead compound. In subsequent animal studies for MFM514, a single-dose oral acute toxicity test revealed an estimated mean lethal dose (LD50) value of <5000 mg/kg, while in the mice infection test, a mean effective dose (ED50) value of 29.39 mg/kg was obtained via oral administration. These results suggest that gamma-lactam carbon skeleton, particularly MFM514, is highly recommended to be evaluated further as a new safe and efficacious orally delivered antibacterial agent against MRSA.

COVID-19 Pandemic Fatigue and Its Sociodemographic, Mental Health Status, and Perceived Causes: A Cross-Sectional Study Nearing the Transition to an Endemic Phase in Malaysia.

This study aimed to explore the socio-demographic characteristics, mental health status, and perceived causes of pandemic fatigue with COVID-19 pandemic fatigue among the general population of Malaysia. The data was collected online during the transition from the COVID-19 pandemic phase to the endemic phase in Malaysia from 1 to 30 April 2022. Sociodemographic data, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), perceived causes of pandemic fatigue, and the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) were included in the survey. The chi-square test and a simple logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictors of pandemic fatigue. The completed survey (N = 775) included individuals aged 18 years or above [mean 31.98 (SD = 12.16)] from all states in Malaysia. Pandemic fatigue prevalence was 54.2%. Severe to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms were detected in 11.2%, 14.9%, and 9.1% of the participants, respectively. Younger age, non-Malay ethnicity, living alone, and higher income categories were significantly higher in the fatigued group. Higher DASS-21 scores on all domains were associated with higher FAS scores. Meanwhile, high scores for perceived tiredness from complying with the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), perceived risk of infection from COVID-19, perceived hardship due to the pandemic, perceived public complacency during the pandemic, and perceived changes due to the pandemic were associated with a higher FAS score. This study provides valuable information for policymakers and mental health professionals worldwide on pandemic fatigue and its associated factors, including mental health status in Malaysia.

Sampling and Sample Preparation Techniques for the Analysis of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Soil Matrices.

Despite organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) benefits in controlling vector-borne diseases and noxious insects, the bioaccumulation and persistence in the soil system may metamorphose into new substances which could pose a serious threat to the ecosystems and human health. The generally low levels of OPPs residues and often the complexity of the soil matrix are the issues that researcher must deal with. Thus, it is essential to isolate and preconcentrate the OPPs from the matrix to reduce interference effects to obtain a reliable detection. Researchers have reported sample preparation techniques as a promising approach to improve analytical measurement of merits including recovery, precision, linearity, limit of detection, and limit of quantification. Under the selected conditions, limits of detection range between 0.001 and 143 ng/mL, and extraction recovery range between 5 and 154% were obtained. This review evaluates the challenges and opportunities, emphasizes the prospects of sampling techniques and various (micro)extraction coupled with chromatographic methods in different soil samples. Based on the finding, the extraction efficiency depended largely on the interaction between OPPs and extraction media. The fate, migration, toxicity impact, sampling procedure, and storage which influenced the sample preparation were comprehensively discussed.

Poly-(MMA-IL) filter paper: A new class of paper-based analytical device for thin-film microextraction of multi-class antibiotics in environmental water samples using LC-MS/MS analysis.

A paper-based polymeric ionic liquid (p-Poly-(MMA-IL)) was successfully developed by grafting the polymeric ionic liquid on the surface of commercial filter paper (FP) by using the dipping method, presenting a new cost-effective film. The newly developed p-Poly-(MMA-IL) FP was then applied as a paper-based thin-film microextraction (p-TFME) analytical device to extract 14 compounds as representative of five groups of antibiotic drugs, which were sulfonamides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, penicillin and macrolides in environmental water samples. Besides, p-Poly-(MMA-IL) FP, p-Poly-(MMA) FP, and unmodified filter paper were successfully characterised by FTIR, NMR, FESEM, TGA, and XRD techniques. They underwent significant parameters optimisation, which affected the extraction efficiency. Under optimal conditions, the proposed (p-Poly-(MMA-IL) FP-TFME) device method was evaluated and applied to analyse multi-class antibiotic drugs in environmental water samples by using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The validation method showed that a good linearity (0.1 µg L-1 - 500 µg L-1) was noted (R2 > 0.993, n = 3). Detection and quantification limits were within 0.05 µg L-1 - 4.52 µg L-1 and 0.15 µg L-1 - 13.6 µg L-1, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values ranged at 1.4%-12.2% (intra-day, n = 15) and 4.4%-11.0% (inter-day, n = 10). The extraction recoveries of environmental water samples ranged from 79.1% to 126.8%, with an RSD of less than 15.4% (n = 3). The newly developed paper-based polymeric ionic liquid (p-Poly-(MMA-IL) FP) for analysis of multi-class antibiotic drugs under the p-TFME analytical device procedure was successfully achieved with limited sample volume and organic solvent, fast extraction, and feasible in daily analysis. The detection concentration and relative RSD of multi-class antibiotics determined in various environmental water samples by the proposed method (n = 5) were within 0.44 µg L-1 - 54.41 µg L-1 and 0.69%-15.56%, respectively. These results signified the potential of the p-Poly-(MMA-IL) FP-TFME device as an efficient, sensitive and environmentally friendly approach for analysing antibiotics.

Dispersive Membrane Microextraction of Substituted Phenols from Honey Samples and a Brief Outlook on Its Sustainability Using Analytical Eco-Scale and Analytical GREEnness Metric Approach.

Honey is part and parcel of our daily nutrition, but in recent times it has been reported to be tainted by the presence of polar substituted phenols purported from the use of pesticides, herbicides, antimicrobial agents, etc. Honey's viscous nature and matrix complexity often result in analytical chemists resorting to derivatization for the detection of polar analytes such as substituted phenols. This study aims to overcome the matrix effect without derivatization and offer a more sustainable solution with notable sensitivity and selectivity using dispersive membrane microextraction alongside high-performance liquid chromatography (DMME-HPLC) with sporopollenin-methylimidazolium-based mixed matrix membrane (Sp-MIM-MMM). The DMME-HPLC approach successfully determined the presence of mono- and disubstituted phenols from unspiked honey samples with concentrations ranging from 7.8 to 154.7 ng/mL. The sustainability of the proposed method was also validated using the Analytical Eco-Scale (AES) and the Analytical GREEnness Metric (AGREE) where an excellent score of 94 and the encouraging score of 0.72 were recorded, respectively.

Vesicular Rash Following Immunisation With BTN162b2 Messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 Vaccine: Vaccine Related or Coincidence?

The introduction of the COVID-19 vaccines has led to an immense sense of relief for the global population. However, since the introduction of these vaccines, there have been several reports related to the side effects. A young woman presented to her primary care doctor with a vesicular rash three days after the BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which was preceded by a low-grade fever for one day. Our case report highlights the challenges in diagnosing a vesicular rash post the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. Identifying the cause of a vesicular rash following vaccination has remained a challenge among primary care practitioners.

Synthesis of new Zn-decorated metal-organic frameworks for enhanced removal of carcinogenic textile dye: equilibrium and kinetic modeling studies.

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of Zn2+ decorated (adipic and terephthalic acid as linkers) piperazine-based metal-organic framework (P-MOFs) and their extraction behavior toward the Chicago sky blue (CSB) dye. The formation of Zn2+-decorated P-MOFs was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET surface area analysis and TGA. Adsorption behavior of the synthesized P-MOFs was explored through solid-phase adsorption (batch method) prior to UV-Vis spectrophotometric determination. Adsorption parameters, including adsorbent dosage, pH of solution, dye concentration, and time, were optimized. Excellent percentage removal of 94% and 95% for AP-Zn-MOF and TP-Zn-MOF, respectively, was achieved at pH 7.5. Kinetics studies indicated that the synthesized adsorbents AP-Zn-MOF and TP-Zn-MOF followed the pseudo-second-order rate model with R2 value 0.9989. The Freundlich isotherm with high R2 value as compared to Langmuir isotherm indicated that CSB adsorption for the synthesized MOFs follows multilayer adsorption.

L-cysteine capped silver nanoparticles as chiral recognition sensor for ketoprofen enantiomers.

A simple, inexpensive but effective approach for visual chiral recognition of ketoprofen enantiomers was developed using L-cysteine capped silver nanoparticles (L-Cys-AgNPs) as a colorimetric sensor. Upon the addition of R-ketoprofen to L-Cys-AgNPs, rapid aggregation occurred, and the solution changed color from yellow to green. However, the presence of S-ketoprofen did not induce any color change. The results were characterized using UV-Vis, FESEM, FT-IR, SERS, and zeta potential measurements. The chiral assay described in this work is easily distinguished with the naked eyes or using a UV-Vis spectrometer. The sensor revealed a good linear response to ketoprofen enantiomers in the concentration range of 8.33-33.3 µM with a detection limit of 4.52 µM and relative standard deviation of 3.73%. The proposed method was utilized for the determination of ketoprofen racemic mixtures in water samples and commercial tablets. The method excels by its simplicity, low cost, and good availability of materials.

Pesticide remediation with cyclodextrins: a review.

The aim of this review is to highlight and provide an update on the current development of pesticide remediation methods, focusing on the utilization of different cyclodextrin (CD) molecules. Because of less environmental impact and non-toxic nature, CDs are beneficial for pesticide remediation, reducing environmental risk and health hazards. They are advantageous for the removal of pesticides from contaminated areas, as well as for better pesticide formulation and, posing significant effects on the hydrolysis or degradation of pesticides. The review focuses on the current trend and innovations regarding the methods and strategies employed for using CDs in designing pesticide remediation. Nowadays, in addition to the conventional experimental techniques, molecular simulation approaches are significantly contributing to the study of such phenomena and hence are recognized as a widely used tool.

Free Fatty Acid from Waste Palm Oil Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles Immobilized on Surface Graphene Oxide as a New Adsorbent for Simultaneously Detecting Hazardous Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Phthalate Esters in Food Extracts.

A newly synthesized free fatty acids from waste palm oil functionalized magnetic nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of graphene oxide (FFA@MNP-GO) was successfully synthesized and characterized in this research. The combinations of long alkyl chain of free fatty acid with graphene oxide that consists of large delocalized 77-electron systems and abundant of hydrophilic groups with hydroxyl, epoxide and carboxylic groups offer the determination of simultaneous wide range of polarities of organic pollutants in real matrices through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and 77-77 interactions. The fabricated adsorbent was successfully applied as a magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) adsorbent for the simultaneous separation of selected phthalate esters (PAEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in apple and cabbage extracts prior to their high performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) determination. Factors affecting the extraction efficiency such as amount of adsorbent, desorption solvent, volume of desorption solvent, extraction time, desorption time, pH and sample volume were investigated and optimized. The results revealed that under optimal conditions, the detection limit of selected PAEs and PAHs were in the range of 0.56-0.97 ng mL-1 and 0.02-0.93 ng mL-1, respectively. The spiked recoveries of real apple and cabbage extracts for PAEs and PAHs were in the range of 81.5-117.6% with good relative standard deviation (RSD) (n = 5) less than 10% and 86.7-118.2% with acceptable RSDs (n = 5) ranging from 1.5 to 11.0%, respectively. This study reported for the first time the use of MSPE procedure for simultaneous determination of chosen PAHs and PAEs in real samples including apple and cabbage extracts by using new adsorbent, FFA@MNP-GO.

Cobalt Oxide Nanograins and Silver Nanoparticles Decorated Fibrous Polyaniline Nanocomposite as Battery-Type Electrode for High Performance Supercapattery.

In this study, silver (Ag) and cobalt oxide (Co3O4) decorated polyaniline (PANI) fibers were prepared by the combination of in-situ aniline oxidative polymerization and the hydrothermal methodology. The morphology of the prepared Ag/Co3O4@PANI ternary nanocomposite was studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, while the structural studies were carried out by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphological characterization revealed fibrous shaped PANI, coated with Ag and Co3O4 nanograins, while the structural studies revealed high purity, good crystallinity, and slight interactions among the constituents of the Ag/Co3O4@PANI ternary nanocomposite. The electrochemical performance studies revealed the enhanced performance of the Ag/Co3O4@PANI nanocomposite due to the synergistic/additional effect of Ag, Co3O4 and PANI compared to pure PANI and Co3O4@PANI. The addition of the Ag and Co3O4 provided an extended site for faradaic reactions leading to the high specific capacity. The Ag/Co3O4@PANI ternary nanocomposite exhibited an excellent specific capacity of 262.62 C g-1 at a scan rate of 3 mV s-1. The maximum energy and power density were found to be 14.01 Wh kg-1 and 165.00 W kg-1, respectively. The cyclic stability of supercapattery (Ag/Co3O4@PANI//activated carbon) consisting of a battery type electrode demonstrated a gradual increase in specific capacity with a continuous charge-discharge cycle until ~1000 cycles, then remained stable until 2500 cycles and later started decreasing, thereby showing the cyclic stability of 121.03% of its initial value after 3500 cycles.