Development and validation of a UPLC method for quantification of antiviral agent, Acyclovir in lipid-based formulations

AbstractPurposeThe objective of the current study is to evaluate the Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) method for quantification of Acyclovir in lipid-based formulations.MethodA simple, rapid, reliable and precise reversed phase UPLC method has been developed and validated according to the regulatory guidelines, which composed of isocratic mobile phase; 0.25% formic acid (FA) in Milli-Q water with a flow rate of 0.5ml/min, and column BEH C18 (2.1×50mm, 1.7μm). The detection was carried out at 254nm.ResultsThe developed UPLC method was found to be rapid (1.2min run time), selective with well resoluted Acyclovir peak (0.89min) from different lipid matrices and sensitive (Limit of Detection (LOD) was 0.3ppm and Lower Limit of Quantification (LLOQ) was 1ppm). The accuracy and precision were determined and were perfectly matching with the standard FDA limits.ConclusionThe study showed that the proposed UPLC method can be used for the assessment of drug purity, stability, solubility and lipid-formulation release profile with no interference of excipients or related substances of active pharmaceutical ingredient

Optical properties of diamond like carbon films prepared by DC-PECVD

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures using methane and hydrogen gas in DC-PECVD at 2x10-1Torr. From the light transmission using UV-VIS spectroscopy it was found that the optical transition had changed from allowed indirect transition to allowed direct transition as the substrate temperature increased. The Optical gap increased with temperature, highest of 3.034 eV was observed at 573 K, beyond which it dropped. Colour of the film changed from light brownish to a colourless transparent film in the higher temperature. The Urbach energy decreased from 1.25 eV to 0.75 eV with increasing substrate temperature till 573 K and a slight increase after it. This trend is attributed to change in sp3/sp2 ratio or change in structure. The cluster size decreases with temperature, resulting in larger band gap and the structure more ordered. Similar pattern is also witnessed in the emission spectrum of the photoluminescence

Spectrophotometric Determination of Sulfanilamide in Pure and in Synthetic Sample based on Condensation Reaction Method

A new, Simple, sensitive and accurate spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of sulfanilamide (SNA) drug in pure and in synthetic sample. This method based on the reaction of sulfanilamide (SNA) with 1,2-napthoquinone-4-sulphonic acid (NQS) to form N-alkylamono naphthoquinone by replacement of the sulphonate  group of the naphthoquinone sulphonic acid by an amino group. The colored chromogen shows absorption maximum at 455 nm. The optimum conditions of condensation reaction forms were investigated by: (1) univariable method, by optimizing the effect of experimental variables; (different bases, reagent concentration, borax concentration and reaction time),     (2) central  composite design (CCD) including the effect of three experimental factors (reagent concentration, borax concentration, and reaction time). The linearity ranges of sulfanilamide are (5-30 µg.mL-1) at 455 nm with molar absorptivity (6.9568×104 - 7.0774×104 L.mol-1.cm-1), Sandell's sensitivity index (2.4753 - 2.4330 μg.cm-2) and detection limit of (0.546 – 0.536 µg.mL-1) for each procedure respectively. The results showed there are no interferences of excipients on the determination of the drug. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the determination of sulfanilamide in pure and in synthetic sample. Keywords: Spectrophotometric determination, Sulfanilamide, Central  composite design, 1, 2-napthoquinone-4-sulphonic acid (NQS)

Ethambutol Induced Ocular Toxicity in Patients Receiving “Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course” Therapy

Background: To determine the frequency of Ocular toxicity due to Ethambutol in Category-1 patients after receiving DOTS therapy. Methods: Category-1 tuberculosis patients of 15-60 years (both gender) with normal ocular parameters on ophthalmological assessment at time of initiation of DOTS therapy were included in the study. A total of 242 eyes (121 patients) were studied for any change in the vision or occurrence of any other ocular symptom while on the Ethambutol treatment. Each patient was followed up for Ethambutol compliance status at the completion of one month and again at two months of treatment, all the ophthalmological assessments for ocular toxicity were repeated for every selected patient. Category-2 patients with sputum smear positive who have relapsed, who have treatment failure or who are receiving treatment after treatment interruption were excluded from the study. The patient’s information was gathered on a specifically designed proforma. The information on the proforma was filled by the researchers themselves. Results: Out of 121 patients (242 eyes), 64 (52.9%) were males and 57 (47.1%) were females. There was no sign of ocular toxicity after a month period. However, after second month ocular toxicity was developed in 02 (1.65%) of the patients. Besides, decrease in visual acuity, color vision abnormalities, decrease in contrast sensitivity, and optic disc abnormalities were also observed in these 02 patients. Conclusion: There is a possibility of the occurrence of ocular toxicity when the Ethambutol is taken by the tuberculosis patients. Thus, the early identification of ocular symptoms and signs is vital to avoid unnecessary delay in diagnosis and probable irreversible visual loss

Hybrid deposition additive manufacturing: novel volume distribution, thermo-mechanical characterization, and image analysis

(c) The Author/sCAUL read and publish agreement 2022The structural integrity of additive manufacturing structures is a pronounced challenge considering the voids and weak layer-to-layer adhesion. One of the potential ways is hybrid deposition manufacturing (HDM) that includes fused filament fabrication (FFF) with the conventional filling process, also known as “HDM composites". HDM is a potential technique for improving structural stability by replacing the thermoplastic void structure with a voidless epoxy. However, the literature lacks investigation of FFF/epoxy HDM-based composites regarding optimal volume distribution, effects of brittle and ductile FFF materials, and fractographic analysis. This research presents the effects of range of volume distributions (10–90%) between FFF and epoxy system for tensile, flexure, and compressive characterization. Volume distribution in tensile and flexure samples is achieved using printable wall thickness, slot width, and maximum width. For compression, the printable wall thickness, slot diameter, and external diameter are considered. Polylactic acid and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene are used to analyze the brittle and ductile FFF structures. The research reports novel application of image analysis during mechanical characterization using high-quality camera and fractographic analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results present surprising high tensile strain (0.038 mm/mm) and compressive strength (64.5 MPa) for lower FDM-percentages (10%, 20%) that are explained using in situ image analysis, SEM, stress–strain simulations, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). In this regard, the proposed work holds novelty to apply DMA for HDM. The optimal volume distributions of 70% and 80% alongside fractographic mechanisms for lower percentages (10%, 20%) can potentially contribute to structural applications and future material-based innovations for HDM.fals

Co-Management in Capture Fisheries Is the Effective Way of Establishing Property Rights of the Poor Fisher in Bangladesh

The study is a modest attempt of assessing community-based management of inland fisheries resources in Bangladesh to establishing access right to the poor fishing communities. Co-management initiatives undertaken by different institutes have established effective networking among Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The initiatives also provided fisheries management knowledge and created access to finance. Since the country is endowed with enormous inland open water fisheries, development of local institutions is a prime task. However, establishment of access to waterbodies is not easy as government policies favored powerful elites and local politicians. Diverse types of waterbodies and related policies hindered successful fisheries management. Community Based Fisheries Management (CBFM) approaches proved to establish friendly local institution which, can access to resources, finance, skills and income. The present study employed management information from a range of different CBFM projects covered more than 300 waterbodies in different geographic location from 1996 to 2008. This paper focuses on the lessons, cage studies and challenges of CBFM initiatives. The sustainable resources management, which is part and parcel of the CBFM approach, has led to document environmental degradation, in comparison to current indiscriminating over exploitation practices. This paper describes distributional pattern of benefit depends on the strength and appropriateness of the institutions, attitudes and social capital created for all categories of stakeholders within the co-management approach. The paper concluded with the appropriateness of different factors effecting comanagement initiatives in the open water fisheries management in Bangladesh

High rates of loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 19p13 in human breast cancer

We have recently discovered that the nuclear matrix protein SAFB is an oestrogen receptor corepressor. Since it has become clear that many steroid receptor cofactors play important roles in breast tumorigenesis, we investigated whether SAFB could also be involved in breast cancer. To address this question, the gene locus was examined for structural alterations in breast cancer tissue. Laser capture microdissection was used for isolating DNA from paired primary breast tumour and normal tissue specimens, and the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at chromosome 19p13.2–3 was determined by use of microsatellite markers. LOH was detected at the marker D19S216, which colocalizes with the SAFB locus, in specimens from 29 (78.4%) of 37 informative patients. The peak LOH rate occurred at D19S216 near the SAFB locus, with LOH frequencies ranging from 21.6% to 47.2% at other markers. The finding of a very high LOH rate at the marker D19S216 strongly indicates the presence of a breast tumour-suppressor gene locus. While preliminary findings of mutations in SAFB suggest that this indeed may be a promising candidate, other potential candidate genes are located at this locus. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co