Graphene sheets have been exfoliated from bulk graphite using high energy wet milling in two different solvents that were 2-ethylhexanol and kerosene. The milling process was performed for 60 h using a planetary ball mill. Morphological characteristics were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). On the other hand, the structural characterization was performed using X-ray diffraction technique (XRD) and Raman spectrometry. The exfoliated graphene sheets have represented good morphological and structural characteristics with a valuable amount of defects and a good graphitic structure. The graphene sheets exfoliated in the presence of 2-ethylhexanol have represented many layers, large crystal size and low level of defects, while the graphene sheets exfoliated in the presence of kerosene have represented fewer number of layers, smaller crystal size and higher level of defects.

Introduction: The current radiofrequency ablation technique requires invasive needle placement. On the other hand, most of the common photothermal therapeutic methods are limited by lack of accuracy of targeting. Gold and magnetic nanoparticles offer the potential to heat tumor tissue selectively at the cellular level by noninvasive interaction with laser and radiofrequency. Methods: Gold nanospheres and gold-coated magnetic nanocomposites were used for inducing hyperthermia to treat subcutaneous Ehrlich carcinoma implanted in female mice. Results: In mice treated with gold nanospheres, tumors continued to grow but at a slow rate. In contrast, more than 50% of the tumors treated with gold-coated magnetic nanocomposites completely disappeared. Conclusion: This simple and noninvasive method shows great promise as a technique for selective magnetic photothermal treatment.

Zn–Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized by a chemical method, while polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers were fabricated by an electrospinning approach; we also synthesized Zn–Al LDH/cefotaxime (cefotax), Zn–Al LDH@PVA, and Zn–Al LDH/cefotax@PVA (LCP). Characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis techniques, dynamic light scattering, X ray-florescence, and carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen (CHN) analyses. The adsorption isotherm of cefotax and its entrapment percentage, release, and kinetics were also investigated. The results confirmed the elemental constituents of the mentioned formulas, which exhibited different degrees of crystallinity and different morphologies. Besides, these formulas were tested in vitro as antimicrobial agents and applied in vivo against second-degree wound burns induced in rats' skin. The adsorption of cefotax occurred chemically, and the experimental data were fitted with different isotherm models, where the Freundlich and Toth models gave the best fits. The entrapment percentage in LDH/cefotax was 77.41% and in LDH/cefotax@PVA, it was 67.83%. The sustained release of cefotax from LDH and LCP was attainable; the release percentages were 89.31% and 81.55% in up to 12 h, respectively. The release kinetics of cefotax from LDH fitted well with first-order kinetics, while that for LCP was parabolic. The formulas showed uneven antimicrobial effects against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; the best effect was exhibited by Zn–Al LDH/cefotax@PVA due to its sustained release. Finally, investigating the possibility of using these formulas in the clinical setting should be considered.

Polydatin (PD) has a broad range of pharmacological activities; however, its effects on diabetic liver damage are poorly studies. This work is aimed to explore possible protective effects of polydatin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (PD-CSNPs) or PD against liver damage associated with diabetes. Diabetes was induced in rats using nicotinamide/streptozotocin treatment. Diabetic rats were then divided into six groups: normal control rats, diabetic control rats, and rats orally treated with PD, PD-CSNPs, equivalent unloaded CSNPs, or metformin daily for 4 weeks. Treatment with PD and PD-CSNPs significantly reduced the blood glucose content, lipid peroxidation in the liver, and activities of serum transaminases and carbohydrate metabolism enzymes (including succinate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase); by contrast, liver glycogen content, glutathione concentration, and activities of the antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) were markedly increased compared with the control diabetic rats. Furthermore, expression of the tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-1β mRNAs was significantly downregulated, while expression of glucose transporter 2 and glucokinase mRNAs was strongly upregulated vs. control diabetic rats. We concluded that PD-CSNPs and PD ameliorate diabetic liver damage by modulating glucose transporter 2 expression, affecting the activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, and suppressing oxidative stress and inflammation, PD-CSNPs being more efficient than PD, probably due to higher bioavailability and prolonged release.