Robot-era project: Preliminary results on the system usability

The European project Robot-Era is an ambitious integrated project (FP7-ICT-2011.5.4), which objective is the development of advanced robotic services, integrated in intelligent environments, to provide independent living to older people. In order to guarantee the matching of the users� need and the demands, two loops of experimentation were conceived, in realistic and real setting. The aim of the paper is to described the methods applied and the main results coming from the first experimental loop, concerning the degree of usability of the interfaces and provide guidelines for testing socially assistive robots with older people. � Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015

DISTRIBUTION AND PROPERTIES OF CDP-DIGLYCERIDE:INOSITOL TRANSFERASE FROM BRAIN 1

CDP-diglyceride is converted to phosphatidyl inositol by several particulate subcellular fractions of guinea pig brain, with highest specific activity in the microsomal fraction. Optimal conditions with respect to pH, metal ion concentration, and substrate concentrations have been determined. The reaction was stimulated by the addition of bovine serum albumin and by Tween 80. Of several dl-CDP-diglycerides synthesized and used as substrates in a spectrophoto-metric assay for the enzyme, dl-CDP-didecanoin was the most active. The enzyme showed a high selectivity for myo-inositol. Of a number of compounds tested, only scyllo -inosose and epi -inosose served as substrates. Three inositol isomers and three myo -inositol monophosphates inhibited the reaction slightly. The most potent inhibitor found was galactinol, a myo -inositol galactoside.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66197/1/j.1471-4159.1969.tb06850.x.pd

The Vanishing water/oil interface in the presence of antagonistic salt

Antagonistic salts are salts that consist of hydrophilic and hydrophobic ions. In a binary mixture of water and an organic solvent, these ions preferentially dissolve into different phases. We investigate the effect of an antagonistic salt, tetraphenylphosphonium chloride PPh+4Cl−, in a mixture of water and 2,6-lutidine by means of Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. For increasing concentrations of the salt, the two-phase region is shrunk and the interfacial tension in reduced, in contrast to what happens when a normal salt is added to such a mixture. The MD simulations allow us to investigate in detail the mechanism behind the reduction of the surface tension. We obtain the ion and composition distributions around the interface and determine the hydrogen bonds in the system and conclude that the addition of salt alters the hydrogen bonding

International patent applications for non-injectable naloxone for opioid overdose reversal:Exploratory search and retrieve analysis of the Patent Scope database

Issues. Non-injectable naloxone formulations are being developed for opioid overdose reversal, but only limited data have been published in the peer-reviewed domain. Through examination of a hitherto-unsearched database, we expand public knowledge of non-injectable formulations, tracing their development and novelty, with the aim to describe and compare their pharmacokinetic properties. Approach. (i) The PatentScope database of the World Intellectual Property Organization was searched for relevant English-language patent applications; (ii) Pharmacokinetic data were extracted, collated and analysed; (iii) PubMed was searched using Boolean search query ‘(nasal OR intranasal OR nose OR buccal OR sublingual) AND naloxone AND pharmacokinetics’. Key Findings. Five hundred and twenty-two PatentScope and 56 PubMed records were identified: three published international patent applications and five peer-reviewed papers were eligible. Pharmacokinetic data were available for intranasal, sublingual, and reference routes. Highly concentrated formulations (10–40 mg mL−1) had been developed and tested. Sublingual bioavailability was very low (1%; relative to intravenous). Non-concentrated intranasal spray (1 mg mL−1; 1 mL per nostril) had low bioavailability (11%). Concentrated intranasal formulations (≥10 mg mL−1) had bioavailability of 21–42% (relative to intravenous) and 26–57% (relative to intramuscular), with peak concentrations (dose-adjusted Cmax = 0.8–1.7 ng mL−1) reached in 19–30 min (tmax). Implications. Exploratory analysis identified intranasal bioavailability as associated positively with dose and negatively with volume. Conclusion. We find consistent direction of development of intranasal sprays to high-concentration, low-volume formulations with bioavailability in the 20–60% range. These have potential to deliver a therapeutic dose in 0.1 mL volume. [McDonald R, Danielsson Glende Ø, Dale O, Strang J. International patent applications for non-injectable naloxone for opioid overdose reversal: Exploratory search and retrieve analysis of the PatentScope database