Smart Wearable Nanopaper Patch for Continuous Multiplexed Optical Monitoring of Sweat Parameters.

Notwithstanding the substantial progress in optical wearable sensing devices, developing wearable optical sensors for simultaneous, real-time, and continuous monitoring of multiple biomarkers is still an important, yet unmet, demand. Aiming to address this need, we introduced for the first time a smart wearable optical sensor (SWOS) platform combining a multiplexed sweat sensor sticker with its IoT-enabled readout module. We employed our SWOS system for on-body continuous, real-time, and simultaneous fluorimetric monitoring of sweat volume (physical parameter) and pH (chemical marker). Herein, a variation in moisture (5-45 µL) or pH (4.0-7.0) causes a color/fluorescence change in the copper chloride/fluorescein immobilized within a transparent chitin nanopaper (ChNP) in a selective and reversible manner. Human experiments conducted on athletic volunteers during exercise confirm that our developed SWOS platform can be efficiently exploited for smart perspiration analysis toward personalized health monitoring. Moreover, our system can be further extended for the continuous and real-time multiplexed monitoring of various biomarkers (metabolites, proteins, or drugs) of sweat or other biofluids (for example, analyzing exhaled breath by integrating onto a facemask).

Dynamic Nanohybrid-Polysaccharide Hydrogels for Soft Wearable Strain Sensing.

Electroconductive hydrogels with stimuli-free self-healing and self-recovery (SELF) properties and high mechanical strength for wearable strain sensors is an area of intensive research activity at the moment. Most electroconductive hydrogels, however, consist of static bonds for mechanical strength and dynamic bonds for SELF performance, presenting a challenge to improve both properties into one single hydrogel. An alternative strategy to successfully incorporate both properties into one system is via the use of stiff or rigid, yet dynamic nano-materials. In this work, a nano-hybrid modifier derived from nano-chitin coated with ferric ions and tannic acid (TA/Fe@ChNFs) is blended into a starch/polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid (St/PVA/PAA) hydrogel. It is hypothesized that the TA/Fe@ChNFs nanohybrid imparts both mechanical strength and stimuli-free SELF properties to the hydrogel via dynamic catecholato-metal coordination bonds. Additionally, the catechol groups of TA provide mussel-inspired adhesion properties to the hydrogel. Due to its electroconductivity, toughness, stimuli-free SELF properties, and self-adhesiveness, a prototype soft wearable strain sensor is created using this hydrogel and subsequently tested.

Inflammatory and immune response genes: A genetic analysis of inhibitor development in Iranian hemophilia A patients.

A major problem of hemophilia A (HA) treatment is the development of factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor, which usually occurs shortly after initiating replacement therapy. Several studies showed the correlation between inhibitor development and polymorphisms in inflammatory and immune response genes of HA patients; however, literature data are not available to prove this association in Iranian population. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between FVIII inhibitor formation and the polymorphisms of 16 inflammatory and immune response genes in Iranian severe HA patients (FVIII activity < 1%). This case-control study was performed on 55 patients with severe HA inhibitors and 45 samples without inhibitors from Iranian Comprehensive Hemophilia Care center. After extraction of whole genomic DNA from blood samples and design of primers for 16 genes, the genotyping was performed by Tetra primer ARMS PCR, and the validation of single nucleotide polymorphisms was determined by DNA sequencing. The data indicated that there was a significant association between inhibitor development, and F13A1 (TT), DOCK2 (CC& CT), and MAPK9 (TT) genotypes. Moreover, a considerably increased inhibitor risk carrying T, C, and T allele for F13A1, DOCK2, and MAPK9 genes was observed in patients with inhibitors, respectively. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference between the genotypic and allelic frequencies for other genes in patients with inhibitors compared to patients without inhibitors. These results demonstrate that only polymorphisms in F13A1, DOCK2, and MAPK9 genes are associated with the risk of developing FVIII inhibitors in Iranian HA patients.

Projections of meteorological drought severity-duration variations based on CMIP6.

This research utilized the outputs from three models of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6), specifically CanESM5, GFDL-ESM4, and IPSL-CM6A-LR. These models were used under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, along with the SPI and SPEI, to assess the impacts of climate change on drought in Iran. The results indicated that the average annual precipitation will increase under some scenarios and decrease under others in the near future (2022-2050). In the distant future (2051-2100), the average annual precipitation will increase in all states by 8-115 mm. The average minimum and maximum temperature will increase by up to 4.85 â„ƒ and 4.9 â„ƒ, respectively in all states except for G2S1. The results suggest that severe droughts are anticipated across Iran, with Cluster 5 expected to experience the longest and most severe drought, lasting 6 years with a severity index of 85 according to the SPI index. Climate change is projected to amplify drought severity, particularly in central and eastern Iran. The SPEI analysis confirms that drought conditions will worsen in the future, with southeastern Iran projected to face the most severe drought lasting 20 years. Climate change is expected to extend drought durations and increase severity, posing significant challenges to water management in Iran.

The Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Quercus brantii and Artemisia aucheri Boiss Against Trichomonas vaginalis In vitro.

Objective: Trichomoniasis is the most common sexually transmitted protozoan infection worldwide. Metronidazole is widely considered as the drug of choice for treating of trichomoniasis but considering its potential side effects, we aimed to assess the therapeutic influences of hydro-alcoholic extracts of Quercus brantii and Artemisia aucheri Boiss as alternative medications against Trichomonas vaginalis (T. vaginalis). Methods: The trophozoites were cultured in TYI-S-33 medium at a density of 5x105 trophozoites/mL. Subsequently, they were incubated with varying concentrations of the plant extracts (32, 64, 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 µg/mL) and metronidazole (16, 32, 64, 125, 250, and 500 µg/mL), as the positive control. The number of trophozoites in each well plate was quantified after 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours using trypan blue staining. Finally, the viability of the parasite was assessed by vital methylene blue staining. Results: The hydro-alcoholic extracts of Q. brantii and A. aucheri Boiss at concentrations of 125, 250, 500, and 1,000 µg/mL demonstrated significant efficacy against the parasite. Our findings indicated that the minimum effective concentrations were 125 µg/mL and hydro-alcoholic extracts of Q. brantii and A. aucheri Boiss have the ability to effectively eliminate T. vaginalis after 48 and 72 hours of treatment. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that hydro-alcoholic extract of Q. brantii and A. aucheri Boiss can induce death in T. vaginalis. However, further complementary in vivo studies are needed to assess the components of these plants in the treatment of T. vaginalis.

Toxocara Infection in Dogs and Cats in Isfahan Province of Iran in 2021.

Background: Toxocariasis is an acute or chronic disease caused by parasites of the Ascaridae family, especially Toxocara of dogs and cats. Eggs are excreted out by feces of these animals on soil. Infective eggs develop on soil which can be infective to human. In this study, infection rate of Toxocara spp. in dogs and cats of urban and rural areas of Isfahan province of Iran has been investigated. Materials and Methods: Three hundred and seventy-five stray dog feces and 230 stray cat feces were collected from the public environment (slaughterhouses, parks, children's playgrounds, student dormitories, university environment, streets and squares) in Isfahan province of Iran. At first, dogs' and cats' feces were examined for the presence of Toxocara spp. eggs using formalin ether method. In the second stage, by using molecular methods, Toxocara eggs spp. (Toxocara canis or Toxocara cati) were identified. Results: From 375 dog fecal samples, 39 (10.40%) and from 230 cat fecal samples, 38 (16.52%) were positive for presence of the Toxocara eggs. Conclusion: Dogs and cats in Isfahan province of Iran were infected with Toxocara parasite. These infections can be potential risk for human toxocariasis.

Estrogen receptor α expression in different stages of salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Background: Since salivary and breast glands are both considered as a tubulo-acinar, exocrine glands, and they have a common neoplastic morphology, it is not surprising if they share a similar molecular mechanism responsible for their neoplastic transformation. From the first description of estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) in salivary tumors, tremendous attentions have been attracted to this receptor for evaluating its impact in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC). Materials and Methods: In this descriptive analytics, 28 samples of MEC (14 high grade and 14 low grade) were collected from the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Department of Isfahan Dental School and Isfahan Alzahra Hospital. All of these samples were stained with immunohistochemical technique with ER-α marker. The expression of the receptor was evaluated by two oral and maxillofacial pathologists. Statistical data were saved at SPSS and had been analyzed by Mann-Whitney U- and independent t-tests (significance level: P ≤ 0.05). Results: The high-grade MEC was more common in patients with a higher average age (55.9); on the other hand, low-grade MEC was mostly observed in those with a mean age of 39.2 years. Moreover, high-grade MEC was more prevalent in men rather than in women. The staining intensity distribution average in high-grade MEC and low-grade MEC was 2.4 and 0.8, respectively (P = 0.48). Conclusion: The expression of ER-α in high-grade MEC was significantly more than low-grade MEC, indicating that targeting this receptor alongside surgery could bring more advantages for patients.

Rheological properties of wood/bacterial cellulose and chitin nano-hydrogels as a function of concentration and their nano-films properties.

In this study, rheological properties of the Wood Cellulose NanoFibers (WCNF), Bacterial Cellulose NanoFibers (BCNF), and Chitin NanoFibers (ChNF) as well as physical properties of films prepared from each nano-hydrogel were investigated. Each nano-hydrogel was prepared in 2 concentrations of 0.5 and 1 wt% for rheological study. Rheological properties were measured using a rotational rheometer. The flow behaviour data were fitted with rheological models. Apparent viscosity was higher in higher concentrations of nano-hydrogels. Herschel-Bulkley model was the best model for flow behaviour data fitting. BCNF nano-hydrogels had the highest hysteresis loop while WCNF nano-hydrogels had the best structure recovery and lowest hysteresis loop. At LVE (Linear Viscoelastic Region), G' (storage modulus) and G″ (loss modulus) had a constant value, but as strain increased their values decreased. Storage modulus was found to be greater than loss modulus in all samples during frequency sweep test. BCNF nano-hydrogel showed the lowest frequency dependency. Chitin nanofilms had the highest elongation and stress value.

Nanocrystalline cellulose based on chitosan hydrogel structure as a biological adsorbent for effluent of fish culture farms.

Synthetic hydrogels have been replaced by natural hydrogels due to their properties such as being long-lasting, more capacity for water absorption, high strength, and resistance. Recently, hydrogels have been defined as two- or multi-component systems consisting of three-dimensional networks of polymer chains that fill the space between macromolecules. Their water absorption efficiency depends on both polymeric nature and the capacity of the polymer network connections. Because of climate change and frequent droughts, fresh water supply has become a limiting factor for sustainable aquaculture development in Iran. Therefore, wastewater treatment and reuse can be a reasonable solution to meet the required water for expanding the aquaculture industry. The present study assessed the efficiency of a new hydrogel prepared from sugarcane waste (bagasse) to remove nitrogen and phosphate compounds from the effluent of fish farms. First, the hydrogel was prepared during the polymerization process, and then, in order to determine the optimal absorption, it was tested in a discontinuous system by performing absorption isotherm calculations. In cellulose/chitosan nanocrystalline hydrogel nanosorbent, the removal rates for nitrate, nitrite, and phosphate were 84.3%, 86%, and 90.9%, respectively. Optimal adsorption was determined at acidity of 6, time of 30 min, temperature of 40 ℃, concentration of 100 mg/L, and adsorbent dose of 0.5 g. A comparison of adsorption isotherm models showed more conformity with Freundlich and Tamkin absorption models with correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.97 for nitrate, 0.98 and 0.91 for nitrite, and 0.99 and 0.93 for phosphate, respectively.

A 3D printable dynamic nanocellulose/nanochitin self-healing hydrogel and soft strain sensor.

Presented here is the synthesis of a 3D printable nano-polysaccharide self-healing hydrogel for flexible strain sensors. Consisting of three distinct yet complementary dynamic bonds, the crosslinked network comprises imine, hydrogen, and catecholato-metal coordination bonds. Self-healing of the hydrogel is demonstrated by macroscopic observation, rheological recovery, and compression measurements. The hydrogel was produced via imine formation of carboxyl methyl chitosan, oxidized cellulose nanofibers, and chitin nanofibers followed by two subsequent crosslinking stages: immersion in tannic acid (TA) solution to create hydrogen bonds, followed by soaking in FeIII solution to form catecholato-metal coordination bonds between TA and FeIII. The metal coordination bonds were critical to imparting conductivity to the hydrogel, a requirement for flexible strain sensors. The hydrogel exhibits excellent shear-thinning and dynamic properties with high autonomous self-healing (up to 89%) and self-recovery (up to 100%) at room temperature without external stimuli. Furthermore, it shows good printability, biocompatibility, and strain sensing ability.

Environmental Contamination of Different Areas of Isfahan Province of Iran with Toxocara spp. Eggs using Molecular Methods.

Background: Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the larval stage of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati. Infective stage of this parasite for human develops on soil. So, in this work contamination of the soil of public environments in five geographical areas of Isfahan province of Iran has been investigated. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 355 soil samples were collected from parks, children's playgrounds, student dormitories, and university environments, and examined by Flotation method. The samples were then inspected using microscopic and molecular methods. Results: From the 355 examined soil samples in 77 (21.69%), and 87 (24.50%) cases Toxocara eggs were detected by microscopic and molecular methods, respectively. In the molecular method, 31 (8.70%) cases of T. cati and 44 (12.39%) cases of T. canis were identified. Conclusion: Toxocara eggs were identified in all areas of Isfahan province, although contamination rate was higher in Fereydun Shahr and Semirum counties.

Direct fabrication of all-cellulose nanocomposite from cellulose microfibers using ionic liquid-based nanowelding.

All-cellulose nanocomposite was directly fabricated using nanowelding of cellulose microfibers as a starting material, in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) as a solvent, for the first time. The average diameter of the reinforcing component (undissolved nanofibrils) in the nanocomposite made directly from cellulose microfibers (NC-microfiber) was 53 ± 16 nm. Owing to its high mechanical properties (tensile strength of 208 MPa and Young's modulus of 20 GPa), high transparency (76% at a wavelength of 800 nm), and complete barrier to air and biodegradability, the NC-microfiber is regarded as a high multiperformance material. The NC-microfiber made directly from cellulose microfibers showed similar macro-, micro-, and nanostructures and the same properties as those made from solvent-based welding of ground cellulose nanofibers (NC-nanofiber). Omitting the step of cellulose nanofiber production makes the direct production of all-cellulose nanocomposite from cellulose microfibers easier, shorter, and cheaper than using cellulose nanofibers as starting material. The direct nanowelding of macro/micrometer-sized materials is theorized to be a fundamental approach for making nanocomposites.

DRASTIC framework improvement using Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and combination of Genetic Algorithm and Entropy.

Hybrid and integrated techniques can be used to investigate intrinsic uncertainties of the overlay and index groundwater vulnerability assessment methods. The development of a robust groundwater vulnerability assessment framework for precise identification of susceptible zones may contribute to more efficient policies and plans for sustainable managements. To achieve an overall view of the groundwater pollution potential, the DRASTIC framework (Depth to the water table, net Recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic Conductivity) can be used for intrinsic vulnerability assessment. However, the unreliability of this index is because of its inherent drawbacks, including the weight and rating assignment subjectivity. To modify the rating range, this study recommended a new DRASTIC modification using a recently introduced Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method, namely the Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA); in addition, the Entropy and Genetic Algorithm (GA) methods were employed to alter the relative weights of DRASTIC parameters. To improve the DRASTIC index, nitrate concentration data from 50 observation wells in the study site were used. To assess the models' overall performance, the datasets obtained from new observation wells, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were studied. The experiments were carried out in the aquifer of the Qazvin Plain in Iran. The results indicated the higher performance of the modified DRASTIC framework, manifested as an increase in the AUC value from 0.58 for generic DRASTIC to 0.68 for the SWARA-Ent framework and 0.74 for the SWARA-GA framework. The application of the SWARA technique, as an effective MCDM method, resulted in the DRASTIC rating system enhancement. The generic DRASTIC optimization by integrating SWARA and GA provided an effective framework to assess groundwater vulnerability to nitrate contamination in the Qazvin Plain.

Prevalence of Intestinal Protozoan Infection in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) in Isfahan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Determination of the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infection is a fundamental step to set up an effective control program to improve the health status of society and to establish efficient strategies. Intestinal pathogen and even non-pathogen protozoa consider as major causes of disease in patients with gastrointestinal problems. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infection in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) in Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: The descriptive cross-sectional study carried out from 2013 to 2018 in Isfahan, Iran. One thousand nine hundred and sixty-five samples of feces from patients with UC collected and each sample examined using direct wet mounting with normal saline and iodine and sedimentation tests such as formol-ethyl acetate concentration and trichrome-staining methods. RESULTS: From 655 patients, 185 (28.2%) infected with Giardia lamblia followed by Blastocystis hominis (27.3%), Endolimax nana (14.4%), Entamoeba coli (11.5%), Iodamoba butschlii (4.7%), Entamoeba histolytica (1.4%), and Chilomastix mesnili (0.6%). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high prevalence of infection with at least one or six non-pathogenic and pathogenic intestinal protozoa in UC patients in the Isfahan region. Intestinal protozoa are a challenging public health problem wherever health care is limited in the area. The emergence of UC in the world results in the need to study etiologic factors. In order to obtain further information about the etiology of disease, we investigated the prevalence of intestinal protozoan infection in patients with UC in Isfahan, Iran.

Direct conversion of raw wood to TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers.

A direct production route of cellulose nanofibers (TOCN-D) from raw wood particles of paulownia using simultaneous bleaching and TEMPO oxidation process was specifically investigated and introduced. For comparison, we prepared cellulose nanofibers (TOCN-C) through a common route of TEMPO oxidation of cellulose fibers, and cellulose nanofibers with disk grinding (GCNF). FE-SEM analysis showed that the average diameter of TOCN-D (5 ± 3 nm) was similar to that of TOCN-C (6 ± 3 nm). XRD results confirmed that the crystal properties of TOCN-D and that of TOCN-C were almost the same. TOCN-D and TOCN-C showed similar chemical, thermal and optical properties in FTIR, TGA and transparency tests, respectively. The nanopaper made from TOCN-D showed high Young's modulus (13.8 GPa) and tensile strength (233 MPa), which were similar to those of TOCN-C nanopaper. Owing the aforementioned similarities, it is concluded that the TOCN-D produced through direct route is a technically, environmental-friendly and economically valuable product.

Cancer Risk Assessment for Workers Exposed to Pollution Source, a Petrochemical Company, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Air pollution have led to severe problem of adverse health effect in the world. This study aimed to conduct the health risk assessment, cancer risk analysis, and non-cancer risk for exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in petrochemical industry. METHODS: In this cross-sectional research, 123 samples were collected in the ambient air in Iran during winter 2016. For sampling and analysis of VOCs and H 2 S, 3 methods (numbers 1500, 1501, and 6013) presented by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) were used. For determination of risk assessment of chemical pollutants, semi-quantitative method presented by the Occupational Safety and Health Division, Singapore was used. Finally, for calculation of cancer risk analysis, Chronic Daily Intake (CDI) and calculation of non-cancer risk, Exposure Concentration (EC) were used. RESULTS: Average concentration of benzene (2.12±0.95) in breathing zone of workers were higher than the Threshold Limit Values-Time Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) (P<0.05). Among chemical substance, benzene had very high rank of risk in petrochemical industry. Rank of risk for H 2 S, toluene, and xylene present in the breathing zone of workers was low. The mean cancer risk for workers exposed to benzene was estimated 8.78×10-3, in other words, 8.7 cancer per 1000 i.e. higher than the acceptable standard of 10-6. In our study, non-cancer risk for BTX was higher than the acceptable standard of 1. CONCLUSION: In particular, overall cancer and toxic risk can be associated with long term exposure to benzene.

Chitin Nanofiber Paper toward Optical (Bio)sensing Applications.

Because of numerous inherent and unrivaled features of nanofibers made of chitin, the second most plentiful natural-based polymer (after cellulose), including affordability, abundant nature, biodegradability, biocompatibility, commercial availability, flexibility, transparency, and extraordinary mechanical and physicochemical properties, chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) are being applied as one of the most appealing bionanomaterials in a myriad of fields. Herein, we exploited the beneficial properties offered by the ChNF paper to fabricate transparent, efficient, biocompatible, flexible, and miniaturized optical sensing bioplatforms via embedding/immobilizing various plasmonic nanoparticles (silver and gold nanoparticles), photoluminescent nanoparticles (CdTe quantum dots, carbon dots, and NaYF4:Yb3+@Er3+&SiO2 upconversion nanoparticles) along with colorimetric reagents (curcumin, dithizone, etc.) in the 3D nanonetwork scaffold of the ChNF paper. Several configurations, including 2D multi-wall and 2D cuvette patterns with hydrophobic barriers/walls and hydrophilic test zones/channels, were easily printed using laser printing technology or punched as spot patterns on the dried ChNF paper-based nanocomposites to fabricate the (bio)sensing platforms. A variety of (bio)chemicals as model analytes were used to confirm the efficiency and applicability of the fabricated ChNF paper-based sensing bioplatforms. The developed (bio)sensors were also coupled with smartphone technology to take the advantages of smartphone-based monitoring/sensing devices along with the Internet of Nano Things (IoNT)/the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) concepts for easy-to-use sensing applications. Building upon the unrivaled and inherent features of ChNF as a very promising bionanomaterial, we foresee that the ChNF paper-based sensing bioplatforms will emerge new opportunities for the development of innovative strategies to fabricate cost-effective, simple, smart, transparent, biodegradable, miniaturized, flexible, portable, and easy-to-use (bio)sensing/monitoring devices.

Dynamic Mussel-Inspired Chitin Nanocomposite Hydrogels for Wearable Strain Sensors.

It is an ongoing challenge to fabricate an electroconductive and tough hydrogel with autonomous self-healing and self-recovery (SELF) for wearable strain sensors. Current electroconductive hydrogels often show a trade-off between static crosslinks for mechanical strength and dynamic crosslinks for SELF properties. In this work, a facile procedure was developed to synthesize a dynamic electroconductive hydrogel with excellent SELF and mechanical properties from starch/polyacrylic acid (St/PAA) by simply loading ferric ions (Fe3+) and tannic acid-coated chitin nanofibers (TA-ChNFs) into the hydrogel network. Based on our findings, the highest toughness was observed for the 1 wt.% TA-ChNF-reinforced hydrogel (1.43 MJ/m3), which is 10.5-fold higher than the unreinforced counterpart. Moreover, the 1 wt.% TA-ChNF-reinforced hydrogel showed the highest resistance against crack propagation and a 96.5% healing efficiency after 40 min. Therefore, it was chosen as the optimized hydrogel to pursue the remaining experiments. Due to its unique SELF performance, network stability, superior mechanical, and self-adhesiveness properties, this hydrogel demonstrates potential for applications in self-wearable strain sensors.

A new effective antiplasmodial compound: Nanoformulated pyrimethamine.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pyrimethamine-loaded poloxamer 407 nanomicelles on Plasmodium berghei strain NICD in vivo. METHODS: Pyrimethamine-loaded nanomicelles were prepared and their zeta potential, particle size and polydispersity index were measured. For antiplasmodial assessment, 54 mice were randomly divided into six groups. Four groups were infected intraperitoneally with P. berghei, whereas the two remaining groups did not receive the parasite (negative controls). Three of the P. berghei-infected groups received treatment with either pyrimethamine-loaded nanomicelles (2 mg/kg), pyrimethamine (2 mg/kg) or empty nanomicelles (2 mg/kg); the fourth group remained untreated (positive control). The parasitaemia rate, survival rate and histopathological changes in the liver, spleen and kidneys were examined and were compared with the negative and positive control groups. RESULTS: The mean parasitaemia rate differed significantly between the nanoformulated pyrimethamine group and each of the other groups (P<0.05). Moreover, the survival rate of mice in the nanoformulated pyrimethamine group (7/9; 78%) was significantly higher compared with each of the other groups (P<0.01). The main histopathological changes, including hepatic necrosis in the liver, lymphoid hypoplasia in the spleen, and tubular nephrosis and perivascular and interstitial lymphocytic infiltration in the kidneys, were considerably lower in the nanoformulated pyrimethamine group than in the pyrimethamine and positive control groups. CONCLUSION: Pyrimethamine-loaded nanomicelles showed potent antimalarial activity and can be considered as a potential candidate for further examination of their suitability as an antimalarial drug.

MWCNT-coated cellulose nanopapers: Droplet-coating, process factors, and electrical conductivity performance.

Electrically conductive cellulose nanopapers (EC-CNPaps) were fabricated by the droplet-coating of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on cellulose nanopapers (CNPaps), and the effects of the process factors on the electrical conductivity of EC-CNPaps were investigated. The type of CNPaps (made of softwood nanofibrillated cellulose or bacterial cellulose nanofibres), the drying methods of CNPaps (air drying, freeze drying, and oven drying), the applied method for the stabilisation and the concentration of MWCNT-water solutions, and the droplet-coating temperatures (≈23 °C and ≈60 °C) were the examined variable factors. Overall, the oven-dried nanofibrillated cellulose paper as a substrate, 0.1 wt. % of the gum Arabic stabilised MWCNT-water solution ink, and the droplet coating at 60 °C were introduced as the optimum conditions of the examined process factors in this study.