Development of an Optimised Application Protocol For Sonophoretic Transdermal Delivery of a Model Hydrophilic Drug

It has now been known for over a decade that low frequency ultrasound can be used to effectively enhance transdermal drug penetration - an approach termed sonophoresis. Mechanistically, acoustic cavitation results in the creation of defects in the stratum corneum that allow accelerated absorption of topically applied molecules. The aim of this study was to develop an optimised sonophoresis protocol for studying transdermal drug delivery in vitro. To this end, caffeine was selected as a model hydrophilic drug while porcine skin was used as a model barrier. Following acoustic validation, 20kHz ultrasound was applied for different durations (range: 5 s to 10 min) using three different modes (10%, 33% or 100% duty cycles) and two distinct sonication procedures (either before or concurrent with drug deposition). Each ultrasonic protocol was assessed in terms of its heating and caffeine flux-enhancing effects. It was found that the best regimen was a concurrent 5 min, pulsed (10% duty cycle) beam of SATA intensity 0.37 W/cm2. A key insight was that in the case of pulsed beams of 10% duty cycle, sonication concurrent with drug deposition was superior to sonication prior to drug deposition and potential mechanisms for this are discussed

A New Technique to Improve the Operation of Prosthetic Limbs during Muscle Fatigue

Prosthetic limbs hold a promise to renew the quality of life for the amputee. Neural commands are decoded via a classifier to generate control signals for the prosthetic devices. In the literature, many challenges and limitations have been identified that affect the prosthesis operation. One such drawback is muscle fatigue which degrades the surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals, and consequently, the performance of the deployed classification algorithm declines from 90% to 50% of average accuracy. We used a new technique using the Linear Discrimination Analysis (LDA) algorithm and the muscle synergy-based task discrimination (MSD) algorithm to improve the classification accuracy. In this technique, during muscles contraction/fatigue, we used the LDA algorithms in the beginning and the MSD algorithms later. The applied technique exhibited better movement classification performance during normal and muscle fatigue conditions. However, more work needs to be done to effectively solve the muscle fatigue problem in prosthesis design

ISOLATION OF EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS AND ITS MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION USING SODIUM DODECYL SULPHATE POLYACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS

Six isolates of egg drop syndrome (EDS) virus were recovered from five different outbreaks of EDS in commercial laying hens in and around Faisalabad. The aberrant eggs were fed to the susceptible laying hens for experimental induction of infection. The samples from infected birds (egg washing, cloacal swabs, oviducts and spleens) were collected, processed and inoculated into 11-day old duck embryos. The presence of virus in harvested allanto-amniotic fluid was monitored by spot and microhaemagglutination tests and confirmed by haemagglutination inhibition and agar gel precipitation tests. The EDS virus grew well in duck embryos and agglutinated only avian but not mammalian red blood cells. These isolates were purified through velocity density gradient centrifugation. Protein concentration was determined through Lowry method and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was conducted by loading 300 µg protein concentration on 12.5% gel using discontinuous buffer system. All the six isolates showed 13 polypeptides, which were identical to those described in the referral EDS-76 virus (strain-127). The molecular weights of the polypeptides ranged from 6.5 KDa to 126 KDa

Co-producing artistic approaches to social cohesion

This paper examines the potential of co-produced arts-based methodologies through the lens of a social cohesion project, from the perspectives of five artists. Arts methodologies can be useful in working across different disciplines and across university and community boundaries to create equitable knowledge production processes. The ways in which art is used in community settings as a mode of collaboration are explored, using the reflections from five artists who were involved in the social cohesion project together. This paper argues that coproducing artistic approaches to social cohesion is a complex, multilayered and sometimes fragile process, but that recognizing and discussing understandings of the role of power and voice within co-produced projects enables effective team communication

Natural media workshop

This workshop will examine what our current imaging and sensing technologies do to our perception. We will examine, using practical examples, the potential to develop more 'Natural Media’ and technologies by broadening the focus of attention to the whole visual, auditory, tactile and sensual field. The aim is to re-incorporate peripheral awareness into our experience using these multiple sense inputs

Clinical profile and management of pyogenic liver abscesses in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pyogenic Liver abscesses are potentially life threatening if left untreated. They pose a major Diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to modern world. Interventional radiology is becoming standard of care for liver Abscesses.Methods: All patients of pyogenic liver abscess admitted to Government Medical College and hospital Jammu, J and K, India from October 2018 to November 2019 were prospectively studied. Demographics, presentation, lab reports and management strategies were evaluated.Results: Total of 60 patients of pyogenic liver abscesses were studied with 81.7% males. Alcohol was found to be most common risk factor with 55% of patients being alcoholic. Right lobe of liver was involved in 66.7% of patients. Segment VI and VII were involved in 50% of patients. The most common clinical symptom was right upper quadrant pain (98.3%), followed by fever (91.7%). The most common clinical sign was right upper quadrant tenderness (91.7%). Percutaneous drainage with catheter placement was the most common and successful modality of management associated with least hospital stay.Conclusions: Pyogenic liver abscess is a rare but serious problem. Early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to avoid mortality. Percutaneous drainage along with I.V antibiotics is the best form of management

Evaluation of efficacy of pregabalin as premedication for post-operative analgesia in open appendicectomy

Background: Pregabalin is gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) structural analogue, effectively used in management of different neuropathic pain, incisional and inflammatory injuries. Current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pregabalin 75 mg with a placebo as premedication for post-operative analgesia in patients posted for open Appendicectomy under regional anesthesia. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 90 patients undergoing open Appendicectomy under regional anesthesia. The patients were divided in two groups of 45 each: group C (placebo); group P (75 mg pregabalin), drug was administered orally 60 minutes before surgery. The Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) was used for assessment of sedation and the visual analog scale (VAS) was used to determine pain at rest and cough, along with assessment of time required for rescue analgesics on the first post-operative day. Results: The RSS scores were significantly higher in groups P as compared to the controls (p<0.001). Postoperative VAS scores for pain both at rest and on cough were significantly reduced in group P (p<0.001). Rescue analgesic consumption decreased significantly in group P (p<0.001). The time at which first dose of rescue analgesia administered was 4.50±3.04 hours in group C, 10.90±5.37 hours in group P (p<0.001). Conclusions: Pregabalin as premedication prolong the postoperative analgesia in addition to decreased consumption of analgesics

PREPARATION OF CONJUGATE FOR USE IN AN ELISA FOR HUMORAL IMMUNE RESPONSE AGAINST EGG DROP SYNDROME VIRUS IN LAYER CHICKS

An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed for the detection of antibodies against Egg Drop Syndrome (EDS) virus. Virus identification was done through haemaggluti- nation inhibition (HI) test using known antisera. Antichicken immunoglobulins were raised in goats and purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation technique. These goat-antichicken immunoglobulins were conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. Twenty-seven serum samples were collected from a layers flock vaccinated against EDS and specific antibodies were determined by using a horseradish conjugate