2,166 research outputs found
Technoeconomic Evaluation of Multiple Mixed Suspension-Mixed Product Removal (MSMPR) Crystallizer Configurations for Continuous Cyclosporine Crystallization
Continuous crystallization using
Mixed Suspension-Mixed Product Removal (MSMPR) crystallizers has been
demonstrated as a feasible method for implementing continuous separations
in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. This work conducts a steady-state
process modeling and simulation study of the continuous cooling crystallization
of cyclosporine, comparing processes with and without solids recycle
for their technoeconomic viability. The model describes population
balance equations, crystallization kinetics, and process mass balances
to compare attainable crystallization and plantwide yields of different
process configurations. Total cost components using an established
economic analysis methodology are compared for varying numbers of
crystallizers, operating temperatures, total crystallizer cascade
residence times and API feed concentrations. Economic analyses and
the calculation of normalized cost components with respect to total
crystallizer volumes identify the process without recycle as the most
economically viable option, achieving the lowest total costs and low <i>E</i>-factors for pharmaceutical processes. The sensitivity
of total costs to the selected total residence times for economic
analyses highlights the need for rigorous comparison methodologies.
This work identifies the need for technoeconomic optimization studies
of continuous crystallization processes to establish the optimal design
of manufacturing campaigns prior to further development
A cryogenic surface-electrode elliptical ion trap for quantum simulation
Two-dimensional crystals of trapped ions are a promising system with which to
implement quantum simulations of challenging problems such as spin frustration.
Here, we present a design for a surface-electrode elliptical ion trap which
produces a 2-D ion crystal and is amenable to microfabrication, which would
enable higher simulated coupling rates, as well as interactions based on
magnetic forces generated by on-chip currents. Working in an 11 K cryogenic
environment, we experimentally verify to within 5% a numerical model of the
structure of ion crystals in the trap. We also explore the possibility of
implementing quantum simulation using magnetic forces, and calculate J-coupling
rates on the order of 10^3 / s for an ion crystal height of 10 microns, using a
current of 1 A
SemEval-2017 Task 1: semantic textual similarity - multilingual and cross-lingual focused evaluation
Semantic Textual Similarity (STS) measures the meaning similarity of sentences. Applications include machine translation (MT), summarization, generation, question answering (QA), short answer grading, semantic search, dialog and conversational systems. The STS shared task is a venue for assessing the current state-of-the-art. The 2017 task focuses on multilingual and cross-lingual pairs with one sub-track exploring MT quality estimation (MTQE) data. The task obtained strong participation from 31 teams, with 17 participating in all language tracks. We summarize performance and review a selection of well performing methods. Analysis highlights common errors, providing insight into the limitations of existing models. To support ongoing work on semantic representations, the STS Benchmark is introduced as a new shared training and evaluation set carefully selected from the corpus of English STS shared task data (2012-2017)
Changes in student perceptions after a semester-long interprofessional education activity in Qatar
AbstractObjectivesInterprofessional education (IPE) is rapidly becoming integrated into university accreditation standards worldwide. However, the impact of IPE on student learning and practice is largely unknown in the Middle East. This report describes a semester-long IPE course-based activity and evaluates student perceptions towards professional roles.MethodsPharmacy and Human Nutrition students from Qatar University completed a 15-week IPE activity that required students to work in groups to complete two assignments after an introductory event. The data were collected during meetings with students and faculty about their overall experience and course assignments. Perceptions regarding professional roles were determined by a pre- and post-reflection questionnaire.ResultsAfter completion of the assignments, fourteen students (37%) noted changed perceptions of themselves, as well as of the other healthcare profession. Twelve of fourteen (86%) noted changes regarding perceptions of the roles of the other healthcare profession, while 2/14 (14%) noted changes regarding perception of their own professional roles. Three of fourteen (21%) reported that their changed perceptions towards IPE were unfavourable. These changed perceptions largely focused on specialised roles of the respective professions.ConclusionsA semester-long IPE experience was deemed beneficial in a Middle Eastern context. Future events and research should focus on fostering collaboration and interprofessional communication to enhance student attitudes and eventual preparation for interprofessional practice
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