Statistička analiza nanokapsuliranja niskomolekularnog heparina

The objective of this study was to use Box-Behnken design (BBD) to investigate the influence of formulation variables on the properties of heparin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-Eudragit-RLPO (E-RLPO) nanoparticles (NP) in terms of mean diameter (as size) and drug encapsulation efficiency. The NPs were prepared by the double emulsion solvent evaporation method. The independent variables were: X1 olymer mass ratio (PLGA:E-RLPO) in the oil phase, X2 concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as emulsion stabilizer, and X3 volume of the external aqueous phase (W2). Particle size (analyzed by dynamic light scattering) and encapsulation efficiency (EE, estimated by spectrophotometry) were the investigated responses. The polynomial equation obtained from regression analysis of the reduced model (p = 0.0002, F = 25.7952 and R2 = 0.96) provided an excellent fit. The optimal size for the NP was found to be 134.2 ± 16.5 nm with formulation variables of 48.2:61.8, 0.321 (%, m/V) and 263 mL for X1, X2 and X3, respectively. Probably, due to electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged drug and the positively charged E-RLPO, the percent EE of heparin was between 74.4 ± 6.5 % (lowest value) and 92.1 ± 5.3 % (highest value). The data suggest that BBD is a useful tool in rational design of heparin-loaded NPs.Box-Behnkenovo dizajniranje (BBD) primijenjeno je za praćenje utjecaja formulacijskih varijabli na svojstva nanočestica (NP) s heparinom. Za izradu nanočestica korišten je kopolimer mliječne i glikolne kiseline (PLGA) i Eudragit-RLPO (E-RLPO). Nanočestice su pripravljene metodom dvostruke evaporacije otapala iz emulzije. Nezavisne varijable bile su: X1 omjer masa polimera (PLGA : E-RLPO) u uljnoj fazi, X2 koncentracija polivinil alkohola (PVA) kao stabilizatora emulzije i X3 volumen vanjske vodene faze (W2). Zavisne varijable bile su veličina čestica (analizirana pomoću dinamičkog rasapa svjetlosti) i učinkovitost inkapsuliranja (EE) (praćena spektrofotometrijski). Polinomska jednadžba dobivena regresijskom analizom reduciranog modela odlično je odgovarala (p = 0,0002, F = 25,7952 i R2 = 0,96). Optimalna veličina nanočestica bila je 134,2 ± 16,5 nm s formulacijskim varijablama 48,2:61,8, 0,321 (%, m/V) i 263 mL for X1, X2 odnosno X3. Vjerojatno je zbog elektrostatskih interakcija između negativno nabijene ljekovite tvari i pozitivno nabijenog E-RLPO učinkovitost inkapsuliranja heparina varirala od 74,4 ± 6,5 % (najniža vrijednost) do 92,1 ± 5,3 % (najviša vrijednost). Rezultati sugeriraju da je BBD vrlo korisno u racionalnom dizajniranju nanočestica s heparinom

Health Care Provider Knowledge and Practices Regarding Folic Acid, United States, 2002–2003

Objective: To assess health care providers (HCP) knowledge and practices regarding folic acid (FA) use for neural tube defect (NTD) prevention. Methods: Two identical surveys were conducted among 611 obstetricians/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) and family/general physicians (FAM/GENs) (2002), and 500 physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and registered nurses (2003) to ascertain knowledge and practices regarding FA. For analysis, T-tests, univariate and multivariate logistic regression modeling were used. Results: Universally, providers knew that FA prevents birth defects. Over 88% knew when a woman should start taking folic acid for the prevention of NTDs; and over 85% knew FA supplementation beyond what is available in the diet is necessary. However, only half knew that 50% of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. Women heard information about multivitamins or FA most often during well woman visits in obstetrical/gynecology (ob/gyn) practice settings (65%), and about 50% of the time during well woman visits in family/general (fam/gen) practice settings and 50% of the time at gynecology visits (both settings). Among all providers, 42% did not know the correct FA dosage (400 μg daily). HCPs taking multivitamins were more than twice as likely to recommend multivitamins to their patients (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.27 95%, Confidence Interval [CI] 1.75–2.94). HCPs with lower income clients (OR 1.49, CI 1.22–1.81) and HCPs with practices having more than 10% minorities (OR 1.46, CI 1.11–1.92) were more likely to recommend supplements. NPs in ob/gyn settings were most likely and FAM/GENs were least likely to recommend supplements (OR 3.06, CL 1.36–6.90 and OR 0.64, CL 0.45–0.90 respectively). Conclusions: Knowledge about birth defects and the necessity of supplemental FA was high. Increasing knowledge about unintended pregnancy rates and correct dosages of FA is needed. The strongest predictor for recommending the use of FA supplements was whether the provider took a multivitamin

A morphometric analysis of Apis cerana F and Apis nigrocincta Smith populations from Southeast Asia

Apis cerana F and Apis nigrocincta Smith, two species of Asian cavity nesting honey bees, were analyzed for interpopulation morphological variation using conventional morphometric techniques. The well-known honey bee subspecies Apis cerana cerana and A c japonica are confirmed as being distinct from the rest of A cerana, even though the analysis removed the confounding influence of 'overall size' from the data set. There are at least three other morphologically distinct groups: one ranging from Sri Lanka through to Flores and central Sulawesi, a second group so far only found in southern Sulawesi, and a group from Timor. A large phenetic shift has occurred in the second Sulawesi group, indicating that it may have evolved in isolation for a long period of time, or undergone rapid divergence following a more recent bottleneck event. A nigrocincta is shown to be present over most of western Sulawesi, on Mindanao and on Sangihe, a small island between Mindanao and Sulawesi. The Mindanao and Sulawesi forms are distinct, but the small sample size did not allow for subspecific recognition. Bees from Luzon, previously identified as A c philippina, are shown to be very distinct from both A cerana and A nigrocincta, and the possibility of their belonging to the species A nigrocincta is discussed

Delivery-related knowledge of mothers of NICU infants compared with well-baby-nursery infants

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the knowledge of mothers of newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and well-baby nursery (WBN) regarding their understanding of term gestation, delivery mode safety, and elective late preterm delivery. Methods: Mothers of newborns admitted to either an NICU (n = 88) or a WBN (n = 145) were surveyed (March 2008-September 2010). Results: Of all mothers, regardless of infant location, 7% were unable to define term gestation, 33% were unaware that scheduling delivery at 35-36 weeks is not advisable, and 30% lacked the knowledge that cesareans are not safer than vaginal deliveries. Multivariate regression models show that socioeconomic and demographic factors underlie many knowledge gaps, and surprisingly, models confirmed that the site (NICU versus WBN) of the infant was not a significant factor related to maternal knowledge. Conclusion: This study revealed gaps in mothers\u27 understanding of the medical implications of premature delivery even though most mothers knew the correct length of term gestation. Unexpectedly, NICU mothers who had a child with significant illness and who encountered multiple health care providers did not have improved understanding of perinatal risks. We conclude that all women need to be educated on the significance of the mode and the timing of delivery