One-Pot Synthesis of Sustainable Fluorescent Nanomaterials via Microwave Irradiation as a Probe for the Determination of Metformin in Pure and Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Greenness and Whiteness Metrics.

A rapid, green and sensitive technique for the determination of metformin determination was developed based on the direct fluorescence enhancement of carbon dots (CDs) induced by the cited drug. The water-soluble CDs were prepared via a one-pot synthesis from avocado peels using domestic microwave. The prepared CDs exhibited strong fluorescence at 405 nm after excitation at 320 nm with a quantum yield of 51%. The fluorescence of CDs was enhanced linearly by increasing the concentration of metformin within the range 0.5-25 µg/mL with limit of detection 0.087 µg/mL and limit of quantification 0.263 µg/mL. The designed probe was proved to be selective toward metformin in the presence of other drugs such as vildagliptin and alogliptin and also in the presence of excipients in the pharmaceutical dosage form. The suggested and reported methods were compared with the help of the whiteness and greenness tools, specifically the white analytical chemistry and analytical greenness metric tools, for assessing hazardous solvents and reagents used.

Simple simultaneous analysis of various cardiovascular drug mixtures with vincamine: comparative eco-friendly assessment.

The development of two eco-friendly analytical methods for the simultaneous determination of eight cardiovascular drugs; hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), captopril (CPL), lisinopril (LSP), valsartan (VAL), atorvastatin (ATR), bisoprolol (BSL), amlodipine (AML) and carvedilol (CVL); alongside with the nutraceutical vincamine (VIC) is essential for sustainable pharmaceutical analysis. This study explores the application of Micellar Electro Kinetic Chromatography (MEKC) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for this purpose. In MEKC method, the separation was done using fused silica capillary (41.5 cm × 50 µm id) and a back ground electrolyte consisting of 50 mM borate buffer (pH 9) containing 50 mM sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) and 10% organic modifier (Acetonitrile). In HPLC method, separation was performed on a ZORBAX Extend-C18 (4.6 × 250 mm, 5 µm) column, using a gradient mobile phase consisting of 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 3 and methanol. Both methods attained good linearity (r ≥ 0.9996) with low values of LOD and LOQ. Both methods were successfully applied in the determination of co-administered single, binary and ternary dosage form of the studied drugs. Moreover, application of various combinations of co-administered dosage forms was achieved in rat plasma, confirming the applicability of these methods in different matrices. The use of micellar solutions in MEKC enhances separation efficiency while reducing the need for organic solvents, aligning with green chemistry principles. HPLC methods were optimized using environmentally benign solvents, ensuring reduced toxicity and waste production. The methodologies were evaluated through green, white, and blue metrics to ensure comprehensive sustainability, considering ecological impact, safety, and practical efficiency. These methods were not only cost-effective and time-saving but achieved high efficiency, sensitivity, and reproducibility making them ideal for routine use in pharmaceutical analysis.

A sustainable HPLC method coupled with diode array detection for versatile quantification of telmisartan, chlorthalidone and amlodipine in a fixed-dose antihypertensive formulation and dissolution studies.

Cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension, stand as prominent contributors to global mortality. Hypertension, often referred to as a silent killer syndrome, necessitates the use of multiple medications for effective control and management. A new environmentally friendly HPLC-DAD method is introduced in this study for the concurrent analysis of telmisartan (TEL), chlorthalidone (CHT) and amlodipine besylate (AML), in both pure forms and combined pharmaceutical dosage form. An isocratic elution mode was employed to achieve chromatographic separation, utilizing an Inertsil C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5.0 µm) and a mobile phase mixture of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer (pH 3.0 ± 0.1) with ratio of 35:65, v/v. The separation was achieved within 10 min at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The proposed method's validation was carried out following the guidelines outlined by the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH). The achieved linearity range was 1.0-140.0 µg/mL for TEL and 1.0-100.0 µg/mL for CHT and AML with quantification limits of 0.061, 0.177, and 0.313 µg/mL for TEL, CHT, and AML, respectively. The fixed combination tablet dosage form demonstrated acceptable release profile, as indicated by the in-vitro dissolution studies. The studied dissolution media were phosphate buffer pH 7.5, 0.01 N HCl, and water, utilizing a USP type II apparatus at 37 ± 0.5 °C with a stirring rate of 75 rpm. The proposed method was applied successfully for the quality assessment of Telma-ACT® Tablets with good precision and accuracy. Various tools were used for evaluating the level of greenness, including Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), Analytical Greenness Metric for Sample Preparation (AGREEprep), Analytical Eco-Scale (AES), and Analytical Method Greenness Score (AMGS). These tools had confirmed the eco-friendliness of the proposed method. Additionally, the newly introduced White Analytical Chemistry (WAC), and the Blue Applicability Grade Index (BAGI) have been specifically developed to evaluate the sustainability and the applicability of the method.

The Work of Whiteness.

The division of the races, created for the economic and political purposes of justifying slavery and colonialism, is a deep, entrenched, social structure which creates and promotes white privilege and is one within which we all live. No one can be free from it. This presentation is rooted in the assumption that the problem of racism today is a problem of whiteness and that it is an examination of this construct, therefore, which needs to be central to seeking a solution to this destructive dynamic. The work required of whiteness and the letting go of privilege is essential if we are to dismantle the system of racism that is so embedded within our society. I argue this is no altruistic endeavour but that, whilst clearly doing untold harm to people of colour, such a system also limits and distorts the development and individuation of white individuals and the society in which we are citizens.

La division des races, qui a été créée dans le but économique et politique de justifier l'esclavage et le colonialisme, est une structure sociale profonde et bien enracinée qui crée et promeut le privilège blanc. C'est une structure dans laquelle nous vivons tous. Personne ne peut s'en libérer. Cette présentation est fondée sur l'hypothèse que le problème du racisme aujourd'hui est un problème de blanchité, et que c'est donc un examen de cette construction qui doit être central dans la recherche d'une solution à cette dynamique destructrice. Le travail qui est requis des personnes blanches et l'abandon des privilèges sont essentiels si nous voulons démanteler le système de racisme qui est si ancré dans notre société. Je soutiens qu'il ne s'agit pas d'une entreprise altruiste, mais que, tout en causant clairement un tort indicible aux personnes de couleur, un tel système limite et déforme également le développement et l'individuation des personnes blanches et de la société dans laquelle nous sommes citoyens.

La división de las razas, creada con fines económicos y políticos para justificar la esclavitud y el colonialismo, es una estructura social profunda y arraigada que crea y promueve el privilegio blanco y es una en la cual todos vivimos. Nadie puede liberarse de ella. Esta presentación se basa en el supuesto de que el problema del racismo actual es un problema del ser­blanco y que examinar esta construcción es, por lo tanto, fundamental para buscar una solución a esta dinámica destructiva. Para desmantelar el sistema de racismo, tan arraigado en nuestra sociedad, es esencial trabajar sobre el constructo ser­blanco y desprenderse de los privilegios que conlleva. Sostengo, que no se trata de una tarea altruista, debido a que, además de causar un daño incalculable a las personas de color, este sistema también limita y distorsiona el desarrollo y la individuación de los individuos blancos y de la sociedad de la que somos ciudadanos.

Green whitening of polyester fabric using fluorescent brightener OB-1 in a mixture of water and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane media.

Fluorescent brightening agent OB-1 (OB-1) is often used in plastic goods because of its non-toxic nature, chemical stability, remarkable heat resistance, and light stability. Raw OB-1 is challenging to use in textiles using the exhaustion method. This study used a novel method using raw OB-1 powder to whiten polyester fabric in water and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5). The Taguchi approach investigated the interaction between whitening process parameters such as temperature, OB-1 mass, water: D5 ratio, and treatment time with four levels. The study shows that the temperature and water: D5 ratio during the whitening process significantly affect the whiteness of polyester fabric (P < 0.05), with contribution percentages of 74.2 % and 25.2 %. Subsequently, various analytical techniques were employed, including FTIR, SEM, TGA, and XRD, to characterise the whitened fabric. The findings imply that using water: D5 medium was effective in whitening polyester fabric without causing major alterations to the structure of the PET fabric. The study also examined the fastness of washing and crocking to determine their whitening stability. Overall, polyester fabric whitened with water and D5 medium exhibited satisfactory whitening performance and might be a potential scope for use on a larger scale in developing the sustainable textile industry.

Investigation of heat-induced pork batter quality detection and change mechanisms using Raman spectroscopy coupled with deep learning algorithms.

Pork batter quality significantly affects its product. Herein, this study explored the use of Raman spectroscopy combined with deep learning algorithms for rapidly detecting pork batter quality and revealing the mechanisms of quality changes during heating. Results showed that heating increased ß-sheet content (from 26.38 to 41.42%) and exposed hidden hydrophobic groups, which formed aggregates through chemical bonds. Dominant hydrophobic interactions further cross-linked these aggregates, establishing a more homogeneous and denser network at 80 °C. Subsequently, convolutional neural networks (CNN), long short-term memory neural networks (LSTM), and CNN-LSTM were comparatively used to predict gel strength and whiteness in batters based on the Raman spectrum. Thereinto, CNN-LSTM provided the optimal results for gel strength (Rp = 0.9515, RPD = 3.1513) and whiteness (Rp = 0.9383, RPD = 3.0152). Therefore, this study demonstrated the potential of Raman spectroscopy combined with deep learning algorithms as non-destructive tools for predicting pork batter quality and elucidating quality change mechanisms.

Facile Integration of Hanztsch's Switch-Off/On Modeled Fluorogenic Probe for Feasible Tagging and Tracking of the Midodrine Drug in Different Matrices; First Evaluation of the Method's Greenness, Whiteness, Blueness, Quantum Yield, and Tablets' Content Homogeneity.

The proposed investigation follows a certain methodology to guarantee that the procedure employed is sustainable and green. It is noteworthy to mention that various tools have been implemented as potential indicators of environmental sustainability (greenness and whiteness). From a novelty viewpoint, a new tool, BAGI, for the method's blueness evaluation was applied to the planned method and showed a high applicability score. Fortunately, the WAC concept, which combines ecological and functional variables using the Green/Red/Blue design (RBG 12 tool), identifies the established analytical approach as white. In the planned study, a new, green, simple, nano-trace-sensitive, original fluorimetric methodology was established to analyze and assess midodrine hydrochloride content in different matrices. Midodrine's primary amine moiety reacts with Diacetylmethane/Oxymethylene reagent in an acetate buffer, which leads to generating a fluorescent dihydrolutidine derivative (Hantzsch-named reaction). Consequently, the signal strength of this compound was quantified at 487 nm, with an excitation wavelength of 426 nm. This analysis indicated that the technique exhibited linearity within the range of 0.05 to 1.1 µg mL-1 concentrations, accompanied by remarkably good sensitivity values (LOD and LOQ). The methodology employed in this examination was subjected to validation following the rules recognized by ICH. From the perspective of pharmacy and chemistry, the method presented in this study was successfully employed to analyze commercially available tablets, oral drops, and human fluids. The outcomes obtained demonstrated satisfactory recovery rates without any interference from excipients. Following the USP recommendations, the intended technique was finally implemented to explore the content homogeneity evaluation.

A dual methodology employing ion-pair chromatography and built-in UV spectrophotometry for quantifying recently approved combination of mometasone and indacaterol in a novel combined metered dose inhaler: assessing the greenness, carbon footprint, blueness, and whiteness.

Developing analytical techniques that align with green and sustainable chemistry principles is crucial in today's scientific landscape. This work introduces two innovative approaches for the simultaneous quantification of indacaterol (IND) and mometasone (MOM), a recently approved combination therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These methods-rapid isocratic ion pair chromatography (IPC) and UV-visible spectrophotometry-demonstrate improved environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and versatility compared to existing techniques. The optimized 4-min IPC method achieved excellent resolution (retention times 2.18 ± 0.1 min for IND and 3.95 ± 0.1 min for MOM), peak symmetry, and sensitivity. It utilizes a low-cost ion pair mobile phase of acetonitrile and acidified water containing 0.025% sodium dodecyl sulfate (50:50% v/v), making it suitable for laboratories with standard chromatographic instruments. The spectrophotometric approach offers two procedures: first derivative and ratio derivative methods. These serve as simplified, low-cost alternatives for resource-limited laboratories without access to advanced instruments. Both techniques feature simplified protocols that minimize extraction and fractionation steps. Comprehensive validation confirmed outstanding accuracy (98-102%) and precision (%2 <). Sustainability assessments using ComplexGAPI, AGREE, carbon footprint, BAGI, and RGB12 tools demonstrated enhanced environmental performance compared to existing methods. The IPC and spectrophotometry methods achieved greenness scores of 0.81 and 0.85, respectively, surpassing the 0.63-0.67 range of reported techniques. Additionally, they showed lower carbon footprints of 0.035 and 0.022 kg CO2 equivalent emissions per sample, compared to 0.079-0.092 kg for conventional procedures. The application of novel "blueness" and "whiteness" concepts using BAGI and RGB12 algorithms further confirmed superior sustainability, with scores of 87.5 & 90 for blueness and 88.1 & 89.8 for whiteness. Successfully applied to quantify IND and MOM in combined capsules, this work provides a model for eco-friendly pharmaceutical analysis that maintains high analytical reliability while improving sustainability metrics.

Digital Reconstruction: A Critical Examination of the History and Adaptation of Ku Klux Klan Websites.

In response to the data revolution, academic research and media attention have increasingly focused on the technological adaptation and innovation displayed by the far right. The greatest attention is paid to social media and how groups and organizations are utilizing technological advancement and growth in virtual networks to increase recruitment and advance radicalization on a global scale. As with most social and political endeavors, certain technologies are in vogue and thus draw the attention of users and regulators and service providers. This creates a technological blind spot within which extremist groups frequently operate older and less well regarded technologies without the oversight that one might expect. This article examines the less well-studied traditional and official websites of the Ku Klux Klan, the most established and iconic of American far-right organizations. By incorporating non-participant observation of online spaces and thematic analysis, this research analyzes the evolution of 26 websites, from their emergence in the early 1990s to the present day. We examine the ways in which traditional printed communications and other ephemera have progressed with advances in technology, focusing on the following central elements of Klan political activism and community formation: Klan identity, organizational history, aims and objectives; technology and outreach, including online merchandise and event organization; and the constructions of whiteness and racism. The results add value and insight to comparable work by offering a unique historical insight into the ways in which the Klan have developed and made use of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, and Web3 technologies.

Eco-conscious potentiometric sensing: a multiwalled carbon nanotube-based platform for tulathromycin monitoring in livestock products.

Tulathromycin (TUL) is a widely used veterinary antibiotic for treating bovine and porcine respiratory infections. Consuming animal-derived food contaminated with this medication may jeopardize human health. This work adopted the first portable potentiometric platform for direct TUL sensing in pharmaceutical and food products. The sensor employed a plasticized PVC membrane on a glassy carbon electrode doped with calix[6]arene and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in a single solid contact layer for selective binding and signal stability. Characterization via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the material's integrity. The MWCNT-based sensor produced a stable Nernstian response (1.0 × 10-7 to 1.0 × 10-3 M) and a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.76 × 10-8 M with instantaneous response (8 ± 2 s). IUPAC validation revealed high selectivity for TUL against interfering ions, minimal drift (0.6 mV/h), and functionality over a broad pH range (2.0-7.0), allowing direct application to dosage form, spiked milk, and liver samples. Eco-Scale, AGREE, and Whiteness assessment proved the method's ecological sustainability, economic viability, and practical feasibility, surpassing traditional approaches.

Green micellar UPLC and complementary eco-friendly spectroscopic techniques for simultaneous analysis of anti-COVID drugs: a comprehensive evaluation of greenness, blueness, and whiteness.

The development of sustainable analytical methodologies that minimize hazards, waste generation, and energy consumption has become crucial. This study introduces pioneering green‒blue-white approaches for the simultaneous quantification of montelukast sodium (MLK) and fexofenadine hydrochloride (FEX) in combination formulations. The first approach employs an ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method (UPLC) with a green micellar mobile phase of 0.02 M sodium dodecyl sulfate and 10% 1-pentanol (65:35%). The method demonstrated excellent resolution, peak symmetry, and a short analysis time, with retention times of 3.53 min for MLK and 1.67 min for FEX. The MLK and FEX linearities were 1-260 and 1.2-312 µg/mL, respectively. The second approach involves complementary built-in spectroscopic techniques (second derivative, third derivative, and ratio difference methods) using water as a solvent, providing a green, simple, low-cost alternative in laboratories where expensive chromatographic devices may not be readily available. The MLK and FEX linearities were 3-50 and 3-60 µg/mL, respectively. All methods were comprehensively validated and showed satisfactory results. The proposed methods demonstrated excellent linearity (r2 ≥ 0.9990), accuracy (recovery 98.5-101.5%), and precision (RSD ≤ 2%) across wide concentration ranges. A multifaceted evaluation was conducted to assess the environmental sustainability, real-world applicability, and economic viability of the proposed methods in comparison with previously reported techniques. This comprehensive assessment leveraged several state-of-the-art tools, including NEMI, ComplexGAPI, AGREE, ESA, BAGI, and RGB12. The suggested approaches exhibited favorable quadrant profiles in the NEMI and ComplexGAPI assessments, coupled with higher AGREE scores (0.90, 0.86) than reported (0.62, 0.74, 0.75, 0.69, 0.74, 0.74, and 0.75), in addition to higher ESA score (88, 92) than reported (75, 84, 85, 79, 82, 82, and 83), collectively affirming their environmentally friendly credentials. Moreover, we embraced the innovative notions of 'blueness' and 'whiteness' assessment by harnessing the recently formulated BAGI and RGB12 algorithms. The higher BAGI score (90, 82.5) than reported (72.5, 70, 70, 67.5, 67.5, 67.5, and 72.5), confirmed the excellent real-world applicability of the proposed methods, while the notable RGB12 indices (89.8, 88.1) than reported (67.8, 72.8, 71.5, 67.1, 73.7, 70.3, and 73.2), validated their cost-effectiveness and overall sustainability, contributing to an eco-friendly future for quality control processes.

Effect of polishing and bleaching on color, whiteness, and translucency of CAD/CAM monolithic materials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of polishing and bleaching on the recovery of lightness, color, whiteness, and relative translucency parameter (RTP) in CAD/CAM materials and changes in these properties when another staining in coffee was conducted after the treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Disks of Lava Ultimate (LU), Vita Enamic (VE), IPS Empress CAD (EMP), IPS e.max CAD (EMAX), and Vita Suprinity (VS) were (1) not treated (control), (2) polished with Proxyt or (3) Ceramisté, (4) bleached with Opalescence PF or (5) Whiteness HP Blue, and (6) air polished with Clinpro Prophy Powder. CIE L*a*b* color coordinates were registered at baseline (R0), after staining with coffee for 30 min daily for 36.5 days and treatment (R1), and after another staining (R2). Differences (R1-R0 and R2-R0) in lightness (ΔL00), color (ΔE00), RTP (ΔRTP00), and whiteness (ΔWID) were evaluated by mixed repeated measures ANOVA and 95% confidence intervals (α = 0.05) and interpreted in function of their respective 50:50% PT and AT thresholds. Topography was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS: In LU, Opalescence PF and Proxyt decreased Δ L 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , Δ E 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {\mathrm{R}}_0\right)} $$ , and ΔWI D R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{WI}}_{\mathrm{D}\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ and showed lower Δ L 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , Δ E 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , and ΔWI D R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{WI}}_{\mathrm{D}\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ . In VE, all treatments decreased Δ L 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , Δ E 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , and ΔWI D R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{WI}}_{\mathrm{D}\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , whereas Δ L 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , Δ E 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , and ΔWI D R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{WI}}_{\mathrm{D}\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ were lower in Opalescence PF than in the control group. In both moments, ΔE00 and ΔWID in EMP (also ΔL00) and EMAX were higher in Opalescence PF than in the control group, from which the other treatments did not differ in R1-R0. In EMP, Δ E 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ in Whiteness HP Blue (also Δ L 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ ) and Proxyt were also higher in comparison to the control group and in VS, Ceramisté decreased Δ L 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta L}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , Δ E 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , and Δ R T P 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ \varDelta RT{P}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ , whereas Opalescence PF increased ΔRTP 00 R 1 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{RTP}}_{00\left({R}_1\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ . Δ E 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta E}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ of Ceramisté and ΔWI D R 2 - R 0 $$ {\Delta \mathrm{WI}}_{\mathrm{D}\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ and Δ R T P 00 R 2 - R 0 $$ \varDelta RT{P}_{00\left({R}_2\hbox{--} {R}_0\right)} $$ of Proxyt were lower than those of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The most suitable treatment to recover the lightness, color, whiteness, and RTP without changing these properties after another coffee exposure is material-dependent. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Although the effectiveness of the treatment was material-dependent, Proxyt was the only treatment that promoted clinically acceptable changes for both LU and VE, while for purely ceramic materials, this condition was observed with Ceramisté and Clinpro Prophy Powder.

"In the end, we had to leave": Truth-telling to unsettle whiteness in nursing academia.

Nursing is renowned for its high ethical standards and is considered one of the most trusted professions globally, yet it has deep historical ties to Eurocentric and white supremacist ideologies. These entrenched ideologies in nursing raise significant concerns regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion within the profession as they shape nursing education, research, and practice. Western nursing institutions are deeply engrained in a system designed to center and uphold whiteness, which frequently serves to safeguard dominant groups in power while detrimentally affecting faculty from underrepresented backgrounds. Consequently, faculty members from underrepresented groups depart academia due to systemic racism and inadequate institutional accountability and support. To decenter whiteness in nursing, we have shared our experiences to underscore how systems of oppression marginalize underrepresented faculty in nursing academia.

Randomizing the growth of silica nanofibers for whiteness.

In colloids, the shape influences the function. In silica, straight nanorods have already been synthesized from water-in-oil emulsions. By contrast, curly silica nanofibers have been less reported because the underlying growth mechanism remains unexplored, hindering further morphology control for applications. Herein, we describe the synthetic protocol for silica nanofibers with a tunable curliness based on the control of the water-in-oil emulsion droplets. Systematically decreasing the droplet size and increasing their contact angle, the Brownian motion of the droplets intensifies during the silica growth, thus increasing the random curliness of the nanofibers. This finding is supported by simplistic theoretical arguments and experimentally verified by varying the temperature to finely tune the curliness. Assembling these nanofibers toward porous disordered films enhances multiple scattering in the visible range, resulting in increased whiteness in contrast to films constructed by spherical and rod-like building units, which can be useful for, e.g., coatings and pigments.

Exploring the efficacy of laser-assisted in-office tooth bleaching: A study on varied irradiation times and power settings utilizing a diode laser (445 nm).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a laser-assisted in-office tooth bleaching treatment, employing a diode laser (445 nm) using different power and time settings. Two hundred human incisors were collected for evaluating tooth color change (ΔΕ00) and whiteness index in dentistry (ΔWID) following laser-assisted tooth bleaching treatment. The specimens were distributed into 25 groups (n = 8) according to laser output power (0.5-2 W) and duration of irradiation (10-60 s) that was applied. ΔΕ00 and ΔWID were evaluated using a spectrophotometer at three points of time (24 h, 1 week and 1 month after treatments). Three-way ANOVA revealed that power, duration of laser irradiation, and time of measurement after bleaching treatments significantly affected both ΔΕ00 and ΔWID(p < 0.05). Furthermore, laser irradiation increased ΔΕ00 and ΔWID at all applied powers compared to the control group (p < 0.05), but this increase was dependent on the duration of irradiation. Laser irradiation significantly increased ΔΕ00 when the duration of operation was 50-60 s at 0.5-1 W, while at 1.5-2 W was significantly increased when the duration was 30-60 s. ΔWID was significant higher in the laser groups compared to the control group at all powers, except for 0.5 W where it was significant higher when the duration was 50-60 s. The outcomes of the study can help in selecting the suitable power settings and duration of laser exposure to achieve the optimal whitening results while ensuring the safety of the tooth pulp.

Critical Self-reflection on Racism by Hospital Physicians in Large German Cities. A Qualitative Reconstructive Study Using Episodic Interviews.

Racism permeates healthcare institutions and interpersonal interactions, impacting both staff and patients. The role of doctors, given their influential position in the healthcare system, is particularly crucial in this context. Despite this, there is a scarcity of evidence regarding the manifestation of racism among healthcare professionals in Germany. Critical whiteness studies emphasize the importance of white* individuals engaging in critical self-reflection to mitigate racism. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of white* physicians in hospitals in major German cities towards racism and their critical reflection on personal attitudes and actions concerning racism in interactions with staff members and patients. Data was collected through six episodic interviews with physicians, analyzed using the reconstructive qualitative procedure of the documentary method, leading to a sense-genetic typology. The sense-genetic typology revealed three distinct attitudes towards racism: acknowledging, individualistic, and ignoring. Four types emerged concerning the self-reflection of white doctors: self-critical, socially critical, worried, and defensive. The most promising potential for interventions to reduce racism lies within the self-critical and socially critical types, both demonstrating an acknowledging attitude. Conversely, the worrying and defensive types may present challenges in deconstruction. This suggests that interventions aimed at reducing racism should be tailored and implemented with a nuanced approach.

ChlorTox scale assessment, greenness, and whiteness evaluation of selective spectrophotometric analysis of dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine.

Nausea and vomiting are considered common series side effects induced by chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients. This annoying side effect can impair the patient's compliance to cancer treatment and affect their quality of life. Dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine in combined pharmaceutical dosage form is used to control chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting in cancer patients. For safety, selective spectrophotometric methods based on novel dual resolution strategies were introduced to estimate dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine in presence of their harmful impurities namely benzophenone and 1- (diphenylmethyl)piperazine, respectively. These methods namely, dual ratio difference (DRD), dual ratio extraction (DRE) and dual absorbance extraction coupled with dual ratio extraction (DAE-DRE) were successfully performed to simultaneously analyze the drug of interests dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine in their pure form, synthetic mixtures and in market dosage form. Linearity ranges were 6.0-60.0 µg/mL and 3.0-30.0 µg/mL for dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine, respectively with good recovery% of Mean ± SD for all the proposed methods 99.82 ± 0.48, 99.79 ± 0.40, 100.14 ± 0.82, 100.03 ± 0.69, respectively. ICH guidelines were adhered in accordance with confirming validation of the proposed methods where fulfilling results were accomplished. Various unified greenness and whiteness assessment tools, such as the chlorTox scale, greenness index via spider chart, AGREE (The Analytical Greenness Metric), green certificate, and the RGB12 algorithm were employed in this research to assess the greenness and sustainability of the introduced UV-spectrophotometric methods in comparison to the reported HPLC method. As a result, these methods hold significant potential for utilization in the quality control department of pharmaceutical companies, contributing to enhanced pharmaceutical product analysis and overall sustainability practices.

Counter acts: practices of 'anti-anti racism' in France and the USA.

In various European countries, the post-fascist nationalist and populist parties identified by Ignazi in the early 1990s 'silent counter-revolution' now hold power, at least as part of coalitions. The values they represent can no longer be described as marginal to the national conversations on identity, immigration and security, issues that revolve around racialized understandings of the social world. In recent years we have observed similar phenomena in the Americas and Asia (with the Trump, Bolsonaro and Modi regimes). Moreover, state actors and social movements have developed initiatives aimed at undermining and reversing any small-sometimes symbolic-progress made toward equality. Various attacks on academic concepts relating to racism in the UK, France and the USA, for example, are not isolated stand-alones but elements of a global pushback against such ideas, orchestrated and encouraged by the nationalist political right, working through media, government and funded civil society organisations. These discourses redraw national identity to portray antiracist work as unpatriotic and indeed threatening to the nation. One of the strands in France's long and fractious conversation about its colonial history and postcolonial present has constructed an opposition between republican values and Muslims. The American right's long war on racial equality has generated a campaign to eradicate 'critical race theory' from education. These two examples illustrate and identify common elements and specifics in a global trend whereby the concepts used by activists and social scientists to understand and frame struggles for racial equality are deliberately and strategically invalidated and vilified in the public domain, and ideologically produced as un-patriotic. I call this discourse 'anti-anti racism'. These efforts are part of wider campaigns, or 'counter acts', aimed at reversing progressive political gains from the last half century.

Ecofriendly micellar mediated spectrofluorimetric method for ultrasensitive quantification of the antiparkinsonian drug safinamide in pharmaceutical formulation and spiked human plasma.

A novel, highly sensitive and eco-friendly micellar-mediated spectrofluorimetric method was developed and validated for the determination of the novel antiparkinsonian drug safinamide mesylate in the presence of its related precursor impurity, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde. The proposed approach relies on increasing the inherent fluorescence emission at 296 nm of safinamide, by forming hydrogen bonds between the mentioned drug and sodium dodecyl sulfate in the micellar system using 0.1 N HCl as a solvent, following excitation at 226 nm. A thorough investigation was conducted into the experimental factors affecting spectrofluorimetric behavior of the studied drug. A linearity plot of safinamide over the concentration range of 10.0-1000.0 ng/mL against the relative fluorescence intensities was established. The proposed method demonstrated excellent sensitivity down to the nano-gram level with detection and quantitation limits of 1.91 and 5.79 ng/mL, respectively. The studied drug was effectively determined in Parkimedine® Tablets. Furthermore, the proposed method allows for ultrasensitive quantification of safinamide in spiked human plasma, with satisfactory percentage recovery (98.97-102.28%). Additionally, the greenness assessment using the advanced green certificate classification approach, the complementary green analytical procedure index (Complex-GAPI), and the analytical GREEness metric approach (AGREE), along with the practicality check using the Blue Applicability Grade Index in addition to the all-inclusive overall whiteness evaluation using the RGB-12 model were carried out. The outcomes demonstrated the effectiveness and whiteness of the proposed technique. Clearly, the suggested approach has the advantages of being simple, requiring no pretreatment steps, and relying solely on direct measuring procedures.

Overwork as a concept to understand health inequities for ethnicised patients in health care.

Health inequities for ethnically minoritised patients are well-documented. In this ethnographic study, we follow thirteen patients categorised as 'ethnic minorities' in Danish health care during hospitalisation in three orthopaedic wards across two hospitals. The categorisation of 'ethnic minority patient' has been problematised for its Eurocentric origin and practices within Westernised health care. We use ethnicised to emphasise the process of becoming minoritised based on markers of physical appearance, religious symbols, language or names. Access to health care also rely on perceived legitimacy as health-care recipients which requires work by patients. We demonstrate the workings patients categorised as 'ethnic minorities' engage in by (re)producing othering ideas about non-Danishness, including distancing from other patients perceived as problematic. These were then (counter)produced by positioning oneself as the opposite, as deserving health-care receivers by displaying welfare reciprocity, supporting egalitarian ideas by discounting discriminatory experiences, showing gratitude and identifying staff with good vibes. We propose these doings as creating overwork. This theoretical approach enables a sensitivity towards subtle and covert workings for patients placed in the margins of health care. In this study, overwork is closely related to notions of Danishness and takes on specific forms within a modernised and universalised Danish health-care system.