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Induction periods were measured for various supersaturated aqueous solutions of urea doped separately with NH4NO3 and NaNO3 and thiourea doped separately with NaCI and KC! by the direct vision method. Based on classical theory for homogeneous crystal nucleation various critical nucleation parameters were calculated and the results are reported and discussed. In all the cases, the critical nucleation parameters increased with increase in doping concentration.

Recent studies have shown that the metal oxide nanoparticles can inhibit bacterial growth on their surfaces due to the creation of super oxide anion when metal ions interact with UV light. One such metal oxide with antibacterial activity against a variety of bacteria is cobalt oxide (Co3O4). The optical and anti-pathogen properties of cobalt oxide nanoparticles generated from egg albumin using a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process were studied and optimized by adding copper as a dopant at varying molar concentrations (1, 3 and 5 mol%). Bare and doped samples were analyzed using SEM, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The resulting structure and small average crystalline size highlight the role of egg albumin in stabilizing and regulating size. A sample with 5 mol% copper doped material exhibited the highest resistance zone to Escherichia coli germs. Hence, by controlling the Cu content, both the photocatalytic and antibacterial properties can be enchanced.

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Drug delivery research today is an advanced and important area in pharmaceutical research and application of nanotechnology includes enhancement of the solubility and permeability of the drugs so as to improve their bioavailability including delivery to the targeted site. Hydroxyapatite (HAP) based bioceramic nanoparticles composed of biodegradable polymers have been used in the present work to develop an amoxicillin based delivery systems. The synthesized n-HAP powders were estimated for the Ca/p ratio. This ratio indicates the presence of HAP as a single phase. The nano structure, morphology and presence of vibrational groups are confirmed using instrumental analysis. The SEM images show the spherical shaped particles of nano hydroxyapatite are confirmed. The loading and unloading characteristics of the drug were recorded spectro photometrically. KeywordsNanofibres; Electrospinning; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Hydroxyapatite; Amoxicillin; IntroductionVarious technologies have been explored for different routes of administration such as oral, parenteral, nasal, dermal, vaginal, etc. Drug delivery is the method or process of administering a pharmaceutical compound to achieve a therapeutic effect in humans or animals. It has been reported that the ultimate therapeutic and toxic effects produced by a drug, when administered as a solid dosage form and the resultant benefit or risk to a patient, are dependent on the sum of several interacting variables associated with the pharmacological properties of the drug, physiological and pathological factors associated with the patient and the physicochemical properties of the dosage form [1,2]. Several researchers are, therefore, engaged in exploring the physicochemical aspects of dosage forms and their relationship with therapeutic efficacy [3,4]. Different types of drug delivery systems have been developed by manipulating the physicochemical properties such as particle size, compound lipophilicity, surface charge, etc. Several products are available in the market based on these technologies and a large number of products are in clinical trials but they are yet to reach the patients. In this context, nanotechnology has been shown to provide superior drug delivery systems for a better management and treatment of cancer and other diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Current efforts in the area of drug delivery include the development of targeted delivery in which the drug is only active in the target area of the body and sustained release formulations in which the drug is released over a period of time in a controlled manner from a formulation. The application of nanotechnology in drug delivery research includes enhancement of the solubility and permeability of the drugs so as to improve their bioavailability including delivery to the targeted site like for example malignant tumour. For the treatment of human diseases, nasal and pulmonary routes of drug delivery are gaining increasing importance. These routes provide promising alternatives to parenteral drug delivery...