Concurrent Sessions A: Passage Effectiveness Monitoring in Small Streams III - Fish Passage Analysis Through Circular Culverts in Northeast Ohio: Identifying the Design Parameters Linked With Passage Success

Following a previous study (Baral et al., 2012), a detailed investigation incorporating field observations and more fish species has been carried out in Northeast Ohio to determine the percentage of culverts that act as barriers for fish passage and to identify the design parameters that can be associated with passage success. After a desk study and field visits, 55 culverts were chosen from an inventory of 5,837 culverts provided by the Ohio Department of Transportation for further analysis of passage success in FishXing and HEC-RAS. The results from FishXing analysis suggest that out of the 54 culverts analyzed, 11% are partial barriers and 89% are complete barriers. The analysis in HEC-RAS shows that out of the 40 culverts analyzed, 55% are partial barriers and 45% are complete barriers. The additional morphological data used by HEC-RAS models resulted in discrepancies in the computed velocities and depths between the programs which in turn resulted in the different predictions of complete barriers and partial barriers. Student’s t-tests (p \u3c 0.05) showed that the difference in the average perched height between partial barriers and complete barriers was significant for the output of both FishXing and HEC-RAS. An additional analysis was carried out in FishXing for two species by changing culvert design parameters independently so as to examine the effect of changing those parameters on passage success. The alteration of culvert parameters included increasing diameter, decreasing length, decreasing slope, increasing Manning’s roughness, and embedding the culverts with gravel substrate (n = 0.04). For greenside darter, embedding the culverts resulted in an additional 36% of culverts being partial barriers and had a greater impact on increasing passage success compared to varying other design parameters. Similar analysis for largemouth bass exhibited a less noticeable difference. Further analysis and discussion will be presented

Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacovigilance among medical students

Background: Spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reaction (ADR) is main part of pharmacovigilance. This study was done to assess knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pharmacovigilance among 2nd year medical students.Methods: This was a questionnaire based cross sectional study. The study participants were 2nd year MBBS students at pacific institute of medical sciences. Total number of questions given was 20. The data was analyzed by MS excel.Results: Total 100 students were given 20 questions. Among 20 questions, 10 were based on knowledge, 4 were based on attitude and 5 were based on practice. One question was asked to determine the reasons for underreporting. 95% students gave correct definition of pharmacovigilance. 96% students were having knowledge about existing National pharmacovigilance programme of India. 97% gave correct answer of side effect occurring during pregnancy as teratogenicity. 99 % said that reporting ADR is necessary.Conclusions: In our study most of the students gave correct answers of knowledge based questions. So knowledge of pharmacovigilance is gradually improving among medical students

Formulation and characterization of an apigenin-phospholipid phytosome (APLC) for improved solubility, in vivo bioavailability, and antioxidant potential

The apigenin-phospholipid phytosome (APLC) was developed to improve the aqueous solubility, dissolution, in vivo bioavailability, and antioxidant activity of apigenin. The APLC synthesis was guided by a full factorial design strategy, incorporating specific formulation and process variables to deliver an optimized product. The design-optimized formulation was assayed for aqueous solubility, in vitro dissolution, pharmacokinetics, and antioxidant activity. The pharmacological evaluation was carried out by assessing its effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced elevation of liver function marker enzymes in a rat model. The antioxidant activity was assessed by studying its effects on the liver antioxidant marker enzymes. The developed model was validated using the design-optimized levels of formulation and process variables. The physical-chemical characterization confirmed the formation of phytosomes. The optimized formulation demonstrated over 36-fold higher aqueous solubility of apigenin, compared to that of pure apigenin. The formulation also exhibited a significantly higher rate and extent of apigenin release in dissolution studies. The pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a significant enhancement in the oral bioavailability of apigenin from the prepared formulation, compared to pure apigenin. The liver function tests indicated that the prepared phytosome showed a significantly improved restoration of all carbon tetrachloride-elevated rat liver function marker enzymes. The prepared formulation also exhibited antioxidant potential by significantly increasing the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and decreasing the levels of lipid peroxidase. The study shows that phospholipid-based phytosome is a promising and viable strategy for improving the delivery of apigenin and similar phytoconstituents with low aqueous solubility

Quantitative nucleotide level analysis of regulation of translation in response to depolarization of cultured neural cells

Studies on regulation of gene expression have contributed substantially to understanding mechanisms for the long-term activity-dependent alterations in neural connectivity that are thought to mediate learning and memory. Most of these studies, however, have focused on the regulation of mRNA transcription. Here, we utilized high-throughput sequencing coupled with ribosome footprinting to globally characterize the regulation of translation in primary mixed neuronal-glial cultures in response to sustained depolarization. We identified substantial and complex regulation of translation, with many transcripts demonstrating changes in ribosomal occupancy independent of transcriptional changes. We also examined sequence-based mechanisms that might regulate changes in translation in response to depolarization. We found that these are partially mediated by features in the mRNA sequence—notably upstream open reading frames and secondary structure in the 5′ untranslated region—both of which predict downregulation in response to depolarization. Translationally regulated transcripts are also more likely to be targets of FMRP and include genes implicated in autism in humans. Our findings support the idea that control of mRNA translation plays an important role in response to neural activity across the genome

Kaempferol-Phospholipid Complex: Formulation, and Evaluation of Improved Solubility, In Vivo Bioavailability, and Antioxidant Potential of Kaempferol

The current work describes the formulation and evaluation of a phospholipid complex of kaempferol toenhance the latter’s aqueous solubility, in vitro dissolution rate, in vivo antioxidant and hepatoprotectiveactivities, and oral bioavailability. The kaempferol-phospholipid complex was synthesized using a freeze-drying method with the formulation being optimized using a full factorial design (32) approach. The resultsinclude the validation of the mathematical model in order to ascertain the role of specific formulation andprocess variables that contribute favorably to the formulation’s development. The final product wascharacterized and confirmed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform InfraredSpectroscopy (FTIR), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-NMR), and Powder X-rayDiffraction (PXRD) analysis. The aqueous solubility and the in vitro dissolution rate were enhanced comparedto that of pure kaempferol. The in vivo antioxidant properties of the kaempferol-phospholipid complex wereevaluated by measuring its impact on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated rats. The optimizedphospholipid complex improved the liver function test parameters to a significant level by restoration of allelevated liver marker enzymes in CCl4-intoxicated rats. The complex also enhanced the in vivo antioxidantpotential by increasing levels of GSH (reduced glutathione), SOD (superoxide dismutase), catalase anddecreasing lipid peroxidation, compared to that of pure kaempferol. The final optimized phospholipidcomplex also demonstrated a significant improvement in oral bioavailability demonstrated by improvementsto key pharmacokinetic parameters, compared to that of pure kaempferol

Menstrual disorders associated with thyroid dysfunction

Background: Present study was done to evaluate the thyroid function in patients presenting with varying menstrual patterns of reproductive age group from 15 to 45 years of age.Methods: This prospective study was carried out in obstetrics and gynecology Department of Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College, Pondicherry, India on 155 women, clinically given the provisional diagnosis of dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). All these patients were investigated for T3, T4, TSH (Thyroid stimulating hormone) levels and grouped according to that.Results: Among the 155 women (58.7%) were normal thyroid function, (41.3%) had hypothyroid and (1.3%) had subclinical hypothyroidism.Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of thyroid disorders in cases which are clinically diagnosed as DUB. Evaluating for thyroid and treating it medically which was most accurate and cost effective and unnecessary surgery was avoided. Hence the thyroid function evaluation should be mandatory in cases of DUB to detect thyroid dysfunction and these cases should be referred to physician for further medical treatment

Glucosamine HCl-based solid dispersions to enhance the biopharmaceutical properties of acyclovir

The objective of the work presented here was to assess the feasibility of using glucosamine HCl as a solid-dispersion (SD) carrier to enhance the biopharmaceutical properties of a BCS class III/IV drug, acyclovir (ACV). The solid-dispersions of acyclovir and glucosamine HCl were prepared by an ethanol-based solvent evaporation method. The prepared formulations characterized by photomicroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transforms infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), powder x-ray diffractometry (PXRD) and drug content analysis. The functional characterization of ACV-SD was performed by aqueous solubility evaluation, dissolution studies, fasted versus fed state dissolution comparison, ex vivo permeability, and stability studies. Photomicroscopy and SEM analysis showed different surface morphologies for pure ACV, glucosamine HCl and ACV-SD. The physical-chemical characterization studies supported the formation of ACV-SD. A 12-fold enhancement in the aqueous solubility of ACV was observed in the prepared solid dispersions, compared to pure ACV. Results from in vitro dissolution demonstrated a significant increase in the rate and extent of ACV dissolution from the prepared ACV-SD formulations, compared to pure ACV. The rate and extent of ACV permeability across everted rat intestinal membrane were also found to be significantly increased in the ACV-SD formulations. Under fed conditions, the rate and extent of the in vitro dissolution of ACV from the formulation was appreciably greater compared to fasted conditions. Overall, the results from the study suggest the feasibility of utilizing glucosamine HCl as a solid dispersion carrier/excipient for enhancement of biopharmaceutical properties of acyclovir, and similar drugs with low solubility/permeability characteristics

Formative assessment of the communication skills related to drug delivery systems on standardized patients through group objective structured clinical encounters in second year medical students

Background: Choosing an appropriate Drug Delivery System (DDS) influences the acceptability, adherence and better outcome of the therapy in the patients. The present study was planned to evaluate the second year MBBS students on standardized patients (SP) using Group Objective Structured Clinical Encounters (GOSCE) after content delivery by traditional power point class versus experiential teaching methodology.Methods: DDS practical class was held in two larger groups after adding two odd sub-groups (1+3) as ‘A’ (64 students) and even sub-groups (2+4) as ‘B’ (66 students). The formative GOSCE evaluation was done 2 weeks after the classes by the trained physician examiners as per the Medical Council of Canada pre-determined scoring instruments.Results: The average magnitude of change in GOSCE scoring is extremely statistical significant on t-test (P< 0.0001) in favour of experiential teaching methodology for all the skills. The statistical significant percentage of students were able to extract the treatment history in respect of eliciting problem, reasons for non-compliance, methods of intake, explain the technique and showed the courteous professional behaviours.Conclusions: The clinical cases as SP in pharmacology teaching for developing competency based communication skills and GOSCE are the appropriate methodology for evaluation of large student group for experiential DDS training