Formulation and Evaluation of Solid Dispersions of Furosemide in Sodium Starch Glycolate

Purpose: This investigation was carried out to determine if a solid dispersion of furosemide in sodium starch glycolate (SSG) would enhance the dissolution properties of the drug. Methods: Solid dispersion of furosemide in SSG was prepared in ratios of 1:1 and 1 (furosemide):2 (SSG) by kneading method. In each case, the solid dispersion was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to ascertain if there were any physicochemical interactions between drug and carrier that could affect dissolution. Tablets containing the solid dispersion were formulated and their dissolution characteristics compared with commercial furosemide tablets. The dissolution studies were performed at 37 ± 0.5oC and 50 rpm in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). Results: FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, and XRD showed a change in crystal structure toward an amorphous form of furosemide. Dissolution data indicated that furosemide dissolution was enhanced. XRD, DSC, FTIR spectroscopy and dissolution studies indicated that the solid dispersion formulated in 1:2 ratio showed a 5.40-fold increase in dissolution and also exhibited superior dissolution characteristics to commercial furosemide tablets. Conclusion: Solid dispersion technique can be used to improve the dissolution of furosemide Keywords: Solid dispersion, Furosemide, Sodium starch glycolate, Dissolution enhancement, physicochemical characterisationTropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 8 (1) 2009: pp. 43-5

Entanglement between two subsystems, the Wigner semicircle and extreme value statistics

The entanglement between two arbitrary subsystems of random pure states is studied via properties of the density matrix's partial transpose, $\rho_{12}^{T_2}$. The density of states of $\rho_{12}^{T_2}$ is close to the semicircle law when both subsystems have dimensions which are not too small and are of the same order. A simple random matrix model for the partial transpose is found to capture the entanglement properties well, including a transition across a critical dimension. Log-negativity is used to quantify entanglement between subsystems and analytic formulas for this are derived based on the simple model. The skewness of the eigenvalue density of $\rho_{12}^{T_2}$ is derived analytically, using the average of the third moment over the ensemble of random pure states. The third moment after partial transpose is also shown to be related to a generalization of the Kempe invariant. The smallest eigenvalue after partial transpose is found to follow the extreme value statistics of random matrices, namely the Tracy-Widom distribution. This distribution, with relevant parameters obtained from the model, is found to be useful in calculating the fraction of entangled states at critical dimensions. These results are tested in a quantum dynamical system of three coupled standard maps, where one finds that if the parameters represent a strongly chaotic system, the results are close to those of random states, although there are some systematic deviations at critical dimensions.Comment: Substantially improved version (now 43 pages, 10 figures) that is accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Combined Epidural and General Anesthesia for Paediatric Renal Transplantation-A Single Center Experience

ABSTRACT Background. Appropriate anesthesia for pediatric renal transplantation requires stable intraoperative hemodynamics, optimal perfusion of the newly transplanted kidney and good analgesia during recovery. The aim of this study was to assess the preliminary application, success and safety of combined epidural and general anesthesia in pediatric renal transplantation in a small cohort

Measurements of π±\pi^\pm, K±^\pm, p and pˉ\bar{\textrm{p}} spectra in proton-proton interactions at 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c with the NA61/SHINE spectrometer at the CERN SPS

Measurements of inclusive spectra and mean multiplicities of $\pi^\pm$, K$^\pm$, p and $\bar{\textrm{p}}$ produced in inelastic p+p interactions at incident projectile momenta of 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/c ($\sqrt{s} =$ 6.3, 7.7, 8.8, 12.3 and 17.3 GeV, respectively) were performed at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron using the large acceptance NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer. Spectra are presented as function of rapidity and transverse momentum and are compared to predictions of current models. The measurements serve as the baseline in the NA61/SHINE study of the properties of the onset of deconfinement and search for the critical point of strongly interacting matter

Estimating cumulative pathway effects on risk for age-related macular degeneration using mixed linear models

BACKGROUND: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible visual loss in the elderly in developed countries and typically affects more than 10 % of individuals over age 80. AMD has a large genetic component, with heritability estimated to be between 45 % and 70 %. Numerous variants have been identified and implicate various molecular mechanisms and pathways for AMD pathogenesis but those variants only explain a portion of AMD’s heritability. The goal of our study was to estimate the cumulative genetic contribution of common variants on AMD risk for multiple pathways related to the etiology of AMD, including angiogenesis, antioxidant activity, apoptotic signaling, complement activation, inflammatory response, response to nicotine, oxidative phosphorylation, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. While these mechanisms have been associated with AMD in literature, the overall extent of the contribution to AMD risk for each is unknown. METHODS: In a case–control dataset with 1,813 individuals genotyped for over 600,000 SNPs we used Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) to estimate the proportion of AMD risk explained by SNPs in genes associated with each pathway. SNPs within a 50 kb region flanking each gene were also assessed, as well as more distant, putatively regulatory SNPs, based on DNaseI hypersensitivity data from ocular tissue in the ENCODE project. RESULTS: We found that 19 previously associated AMD risk SNPs contributed to 13.3 % of the risk for AMD in our dataset, while the remaining genotyped SNPs contributed to 36.7 % of AMD risk. Adjusting for the 19 risk SNPs, the complement activation and inflammatory response pathways still explained a statistically significant proportion of additional risk for AMD (9.8 % and 17.9 %, respectively), with other pathways showing no significant effects (0.3 % – 4.4 %). DISCUSSION: Our results show that SNPs associated with complement activation and inflammation significantly contribute to AMD risk, separately from the risk explained by the 19 known risk SNPs. We found that SNPs within 50 kb regions flanking genes explained additional risk beyond genic SNPs, suggesting a potential regulatory role, but that more distant SNPs explained less than 0.5 % additional risk for each pathway. CONCLUSIONS: From these analyses we find that the impact of complement SNPs on risk for AMD extends beyond the established genome-wide significant SNPs. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12859-015-0760-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Bioactive Hydrogel Marbles

Liquid marbles represented a signifcant advance in the manipulation of fuids as they used particle flms to confne liquid drops, creating a robust and durable soft solid. We exploit this technology to engineering a bioactive hydrogel marble (BHM). Specifcally, pristine bioactive glass nanoparticles were chemically tuned to produce biocompatible hydrophobic bioactive glass nanoparticles (H-BGNPs) that shielded a gelatin-based bead. The designed BHM shell promoted the growth of a bone-like apatite layer upon immersion in a physiological environment. The fabrication process allowed the efcient incorporation of drugs and cells into the engineered structure. The BHM provided a simultaneously controlled release of distinct encapsulated therapeutic model molecules. Moreover, the BHM sustained cell encapsulation in a 3D environment as demonstrated by an excellent in vitro stability and cytocompatibility. The engineered structures also showed potential to regulate a pre-osteoblastic cell line into osteogenic commitment. Overall, these hierarchical nanostructured and functional marbles revealed a high potential for future applications in bone tissue engineering.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology − FCT (Grant Nos SFRH/BD/73174/2010 and SFRH/BD/73172/2010, respectively), from the program POPH/FSE from QREN. The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the European Research Council grant agreement ERC-2014-ADG-669858 for project ATLASinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

(Photo)physical properties of new molecular glasses end-capped with thiophene rings composed of diimide and imine units

New symmetrical arylene bisimide derivatives formed by using electron-donating-electron-accepting systems were synthesized. They consist of a phthalic diimide or naphthalenediimide core and imine linkages and are end-capped with thiophene, bithiophene, and (ethylenedioxy)thiophene units. Moreover, polymers were obtained from a new diamine, N,N′-bis(5- aminonaphthalenyl)naphthalene-1,4,5,8-dicarboximide and 2,5- thiophenedicarboxaldehyde or 2,2′-bithiophene-5,5′-dicarboxaldehyde. The prepared azomethine diimides exhibited glass-forming properties. The obtained compounds emitted blue light with the emission maximum at 470 nm. The value of the absorption coefficient was determined as a function of the photon energy using spectroscopic ellipsometry. All compounds are electrochemically active and undergo reversible electrochemical reduction and irreversible oxidation processes as was found in cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) studies. They exhibited a low electrochemically (DPV) calculated energy band gap (Eg) from 1.14 to 1.70 eV. The highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital levels and Eg were additionally calculated theoretically by density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. The photovoltaic properties of two model compounds as the active layer in organic solar cells in the configuration indium tin oxide/poly(3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)/active layer/Al under an illumination of 1.3 mW/cm2 were studied. The device comprising poly(3-hexylthiophene) with the compound end-capped with bithiophene rings showed the highest value of Voc (above 1 V). The conversion efficiency of the fabricated solar cell was in the range of 0.69-0.90%

Measurements of ππ±^{±} , KK±^{±}, pp and pˉ\bar{p} spectra in proton-proton interactions at 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV/cc with the NA61/SHINE spectrometer at the CERN SPS

Measurements of inclusive spectra and mean multiplicities of π ± π± , K ± ± , p and p ¯ p¯ produced in inelastic p + p interactions at incident projectile momenta of 20, 31, 40, 80 and 158 GeV /c GeV /c (s √ = s= 6.3, 7.7, 8.8, 12.3 and 17.3 GeV GeV , respectively) were performed at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron using the large acceptance NA61/SHINE hadron spectrometer. Spectra are presented as function of rapidity and transverse momentum and are compared to predictions of current models. The measurements serve as the baseline in the NA61/SHINE study of the properties of the onset of deconfinement and search for the critical point of strongly interacting matter