Search Results (3)

Subfertility is a global problem affecting millions worldwide, with declining total fertility rates. Preconception dietary supplementation may improve fecundability, but the magnitude of impact remains unclear. This prospective cohort study aimed to examine the association of preconception micronutrient supplements with fecundability, measured by time to pregnancy (TTP). The study was conducted at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore, between February 2015 and October 2017, on 908 women aged 18-45 years old, who were trying to conceive and were enrolled in the Singapore PREconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO). Baseline sociodemographic characteristics and supplement intake were collected through face-to-face interviews. The fecundability ratio (FR) was estimated using discrete-time proportional hazard modelling. Adjusting for potentially confounding variables, folic acid (FA) (FR 1.26, 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.56) and iodine (1.28, 1.00–1.65) supplement users had higher fecundability compared to non-users. Conversely, evening primrose oil supplement users had lower fecundability (0.56, 0.31–0.99) than non-users. In this study, preconception FA and iodine supplementation were associated with shortened TTP, while evening primrose oil use was associated with longer TTP. Nonetheless, the association between supplement use and the magnitude of fecundability changes will need to be further confirmed with well-designed randomised controlled trials. Full article

In this research, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized in chitosan (Cts), Cts/gelatin and gelatin suspensions using a chemical reducing agent. Cts and gelatin were used as natural stabilizers and solid support, whereas AgNO₃ was used as the silver precursor. Sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) was used as the reducing agent. The properties of AgNPs in Cts, Cts/gelatin and gelatin bionanocomposites (BNCs) were studied in terms of their surface plasmon resonance, crystalline structure, average diameter size, particle distributions, surface topography and functional groups. All the samples were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Full article

This paper presents the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in aqueous medium. This method was performed by reducing AgNO₃ in different stirring times of reaction at a moderate temperature using green agents, chitosan (Cts) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). In this work, silver nitrate (AgNO₃) was used as the silver precursor while Cts and PEG were used as the solid support and polymeric stabilizer. The properties of Ag/Cts/PEG nanocomposites (NCs) were studied under different stirring times of reaction. The developed Ag/Cts/PEG NCs were then characterized by the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Full article