Effective Rheology of Bubbles Moving in a Capillary Tube

We calculate the average volumetric flux versus pressure drop of bubbles moving in a single capillary tube with varying diameter, finding a square-root relation from mapping the flow equations onto that of a driven overdamped pendulum. The calculation is based on a derivation of the equation of motion of a bubble train from considering the capillary forces and the entropy production associated with the viscous flow. We also calculate the configurational probability of the positions of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Hydroxylase 1 Gene 218 A > C Polymorphism

Objective: Considering the suggested association of tryptophan hydroxylase gene 1 (TPH1) polymorphism with some psychiatric disorders and studies concerning serotonin's effect on TPH 1 gene, brain and the neurotransmitter monoamines, as well as the studies performed on the serotonin levels in cerebrospinal fluid of bipolar patients, we aimed to investigate the frequencies and distribution of TPH 1 gene 218 A>C (rs1800532) polymorphism; A/A, A/C and C/C genotypes in bipolar patients and healthy control subjects for the first time in Turkish population (1-2).Methods: One hundred and sixteen adult patients who applied to the Mood Disorders Unit of Psychiatry Department, Medical School of Gaziantep University, and diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were included in the study. One hundred and fifty healthy volunteers, a hospital staff at Gaziantep University, were involved as the control group.Results: In female patients, the frequency of A/A genotype was found to be higher than in the females in the control group. No significant difference was detected between patient and control groups in terms of age and gender distribution. The distribution of A/A, A/C and C/C genotypes were similar in patient and control groups.Conclusion: The distribution of TPH1 gene 218 A>C polymorphism was found to be significantly different between female patients and females in the control group. This result can be explicated as being one of the possible reasons for different course of bipolar disorder in male and female patients. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2010; 47: 96-100

Preparation and in-vivo

Dimenhydrinate (DMH)-loaded buccal bioadhesive films for the prevention and treatment of motion sickness were prepared and optimized. This study examines the rate of drug release from the films for prolonged periods of time to reduce or limit the frequency of DMH administration. Based on preliminary studies using various polymers and concentrations, hydroxyethylcellulose (2.5, 3.0, and 3.2%), and xanthan gum (2.8%) were chosen as matrix polymers. The films were analyzed with respect to their mechanical, physicochemical, bioadhesive, swelling, and in-vitro release properties. In in-vivo pharmacokinetic studies, xanthan gum-based DMH buccal film was associated with significantly increased DMH plasma levels between 1 h and 5 h after DMH dosing when compared with an oral drug solution. The area under the curve AUC(0-7 h) value of the mucoadhesive buccal film was two-fold higher than the oral DMH solution. Histological analysis revealed that DMH films cause mild morphological and inflammatory changes in rabbit buccal mucosa. The DMH buccal film is effective for approximately 7 h, thus representing an option for single-dose antiemetic therapy. This dosage regimen could be particularly beneficial for chain travelers who travel for long periods of time