Incorporating entrepreneurship skills into chemistry and related curriculums

With the ever increasing pace of change in the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, universities need to be more aware of the skill set that employers are seeking in graduates. These skills often include risk taking, creative thinking and entrepreneurship; skills that are not naturally associated with chemistry-related curriculums. This research focusses on the authors’ experiences of applying for strategic grants which underpin the dissemination of such skills, and explores how these were used as the basis for creating specific learning content for final year students. Students’ experiences after completing assignments were gathered through an online survey and subsequent analysis identified areas for improvement in chemistry curriculums

Inter-professional learning across the forensic science and paramedic science degrees

A "real-world" collaborative learning experience across disciplines can be used to enhance the students learning experience, not only to increase student satisfaction across the course but also to develop professionally prepared, aware and equipped graduates in STEM subjects. This short communication explores the creation of a collaborative learning environment between Paramedic and Forensic science degree students. This research forms part of a pilot study to assess the suitability of introducing such extracurricular activities within a Forensic curriculum

Surface perfluoroalkyl chains segregation : a tool for reducing calcium deposits in medical grade poly(methyl methacrylate)

Intraocular lenses can be manufactured from a wide variety of polymers, but due to the lost cost associated with the use of Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), it is still the preferred material used in the developing countries. However, a major drawback to its use is the build-up of calcium containing deposits that are formed on the intraocular lens over a period of time. In an attempt to hinder this deposition, surface modification of medical grade PMMA has been carried out using perfluoroalkyl chain (1,2,4-trifluoro-3- (C10F21CH2O)-7-(N,N)-dimethylaminoacridine) segregation. The segregation was explored using a 1% 1,2,4-trifluoro-3-(C10F21CH2O)-7-(N,N)-dimethyla- minoacridine in two methods: film casting and spin-coating, a thin film onto preformed PMMA discs. Both methods were compared against control PMMA to determine which method provided the best hindrance against calcium containing deposits when immersed in a simulated aqueous humour solution. Characterisation of the surface using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy; dispersive x-ray analysis indicated that the surface segregation of perfluoroalkyl chains had hindered calcification in both methods. This pleminary research shows promising results of employing perfluoroalkyl chains in the surface segregation of biomaterials that can be employed in intraocular lenses

Nanoparticle-laden contact lens for controlled ocular delivery of prednisolone : formulation optimization using statistical experimental design

Human eye is one of the most accessible organs in the body, nonetheless, its physiology and associated precorneal factors such as nasolacrimal drainage, blinking, tear film, tear turnover, and induced lacrimation has significantly decreased the residence time of any foreign substances including pharmaceutical dosage forms. Soft contact lenses are promising delivery devices that can sustain the drug release and prolong residence time by acting as a geometric barrier to drug diffusion to tear fluid. This study investigates experimental parameters such as composition of polymer mixtures, stabilizer and the amount of active pharmaceutical ingredient on the preparation of a polymeric drug delivery system for the topical ocular administration of Prednisolone. To achieve this goal, prednisolone-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were prepared by single emulsion solvent evaporation method. Prednisolone was quantified using a validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Nanoparticle size was mostly affected by the amount of co-polymer (PLGA) used whereas drug load was mostly affected by amount of prednisolone (API) used. Longer homogenization time along with higher amount of API yielded the smallest size nanoparticles. The nanoparticles prepared had an average particle size of 347.1 ± 11.9 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.081. The nanoparticles were then incorporated in the contact lens mixture before preparing them. Clear and transparent contact lenses were successfully prepared. When the nanoparticle (NP)-loaded contact lenses were compared with control contact lenses (unloaded NP contact lenses), a decrease in hydration by 2% (31.2% ± 1.25% hydration for the 0.2 g loaded NP contact lenses) and light transmission by 8% (unloaded NP contact lenses 94.5% NP 0.2 g incorporated contact lenses 86.23%). The wettability of the contact lenses remained within the desired value (<90 °C) even upon incorporation of the NP. NP alone and NP-loaded contact lenses both displayed a slow in vitro drug release of drug over 24 h; where 42.3% and 10.8% prednisolone release were achieved, respectively. Contact lenses can be used as a medicated device to sustain ocular drug delivery and improve patient compliance; nonetheless, patients and healthcare professionals' acceptability and perceptions of the new formulations entail further investigations

Post-operative complications of poly (methyl methacrylate) employed in intraocular lenses

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is one of the most biocompatible biomaterials used in the fabrication of medical devices. The physical characteristics and mechanical strength enables PMMA to be used in applications such as dentures and bone cement while the high refractive index and excellent light transparency make it ideal for use in contact lenses and ocular implants, and in particular IOLs. Since the first IOL implantation performed by Harold Ridley in November 1949, PMMA still remains the gold standard material that current intraocular lenses are compared against. However one of recently-identified postoperative complications that leads to the failure of implanted intraocular lenses is termed as calcification, whereby calcium containing deposits build up on the surface of the IOL. Within literature there has been substantial studies carried out upon explanted opacified silicone and hydrophilic based IOLs to assess for calcium containing deposits. However the novelty of this in vitro study is that, to the authors’ knowledge, it is the first of its kind studying the calcification of medical grade PMMA within a simulated aqueous humour solution (SAHS). Medical grade PMMA discs sterilised using gamma irradiation or ethylene oxide gas were incubated in SAHS at 35oC and routinely removed for analysis to investigate any deposition. The mass uptake after immersion in the SAHS was studied using gravimetric analysis, and the data was subsequently analysed in diffusion studies. After immersion any surface deposits were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) indicated that surface deposition was occurring as soon as 24 hours after incubation. Subsequent to analysis of the deposits it was proposed that surface modification of the IOL surface would hinder calcium containing deposits. The surface fluorinated IOLs immersed within the SAHS were removed over periods of time and tested for the presence of deposits, where SEM; EDXA exhibited promising results in employing the surface modification

Investigation into the calcification and aging of intraocular lenses

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has been the preferred biocompatible biomaterial for use in intraocular lenses (IOLs) since 1949, when its optical benefits were discovered by Harold Ridley. Calcification of intraocular lenses is an area that is not addressed adequately in literature, but is a problem that requires repeat surgery, which is not usually an option in third world countries. Calcification is a setback to IOLs that needs to be further studied so that possible solutions can be found. The effects of sterilisation and incubation in an extreme calcific environment, namely a metastable calcium salt solution at pH 7.4 at 37[degrees]C, on the properties of gamma-irradiated and ethylene-oxide-sterilised medical grade PMMA, was analysed over a period of nine weeks. From these initial studies, energy dispersive X-ray analysis identified deposits containing calcium, chlorine and potassium as soon as one day after incubation. It was proposed that calcification occurred as a result of diffusion of water into the PMMA, which then attracted calcium-containing deposits to accumulate on the surface. Subsequently, as gamma irradiation is the milder and preferred form of sterilisation, this was further studied after incubation in a stimulated aqueous humpur solution, whereby it was discovered that the diffusion coefficient 2.87 x 10[sup]-12m[sup]s[sup[-1] for the gamma sterilised PMMA compared to the un-sterilised PMMA diffusion coefficient of 2.42 x 10[sup]-12m[sup]2s[sup]-1. The approximatley 18% faster diffusion rate within the gamma sterilised PMMA was attributed to the chain scission that had occurred during the sterilisation process. Through the use of triple detection gel permeation chromatography, comparisons of the Mark-Houwink value identified the structural breakdown of the PMMA as a result of the sterilisation process. Surface modification of PMMA via fluorination was carried out using three different approaches to reduce diffusion and, in turn, calcification. The surface modified PMMA after immersion into the simulated aqueous humour solution was examined for surface deposits using analytical techniques. The chemically modified samples showed a promising reduction in calcium-containing deposits when analysed by scanning electron microscopy. However the drawback in the method used for chemical fluorination resulted in the PMMA surface not being evenly fluorinated. Therefore an improved method of applying direct gas fluorination to the PMMA was carried out which produced more consistent recults. This method was better at reducing both calcification and diffusion into the PMMA. PMMA was also doped with a per-fluorinated acridine and cast into a thin film to provide the best reduction of diffusion and hindrance of calcific deposits