Box-Behnkenov eksperimentalni dizajn u izradi pektin-kompritol ATO 888 obloženih tableta za ciljanu isporuku mesalamina u kolon

The aim of this study was to investigate the combined influence of 3 independent variables in the compression coated tablet of mesalamine for ulcerative colitis. A 3-factor, 3-level Box-Behnken design was used to derive a second order polynomial equation and construct contour plots to predict responses. The independent variables selected were: percentage of polymers (pectin and compritol ATO 888) in compression coating (X1), coating mass (X2) and coating force (X3). Fifteen batches were prepared and evaluated for percent of drug released in 5 h (Y5), time required for 50 % mesalamine to disolve (t50) with rat cecal (RC) content and without rat cecal content (t50), percent of drug released in 24 h in the presence of rat cecal content (Y24 with RC). Transformed values of independent and dependent variables were subjected to multiple regressions to establish a full-model second-order polynomial equation. F was calculated to confirm the omission of insignificant terms from the full-model equation. The computer optimization process and contour plots predicted the levels of independent variables X1, X2, and X3 (0, 0.2 and –0.15 respectively) for colon targeting and total percent of drug released up to 24 h.Cilj rada bio je ispitati utjecaj tri nezavisne varijable u obloženim tabletama mesalamina za ulcerativni kolitis. 3-faktorijalni, Box-Behnkenov dizajn na 3 nivoa upotrijebljen je za dobivanje polinomske jednadžbe drugog reda i konstruiranje konturnih krivulja za predviđanje odgovora. Izabrane nezavisne varijable bile su: udio polimera (pektin i kompritol ATO 888) u oblaganju kompresijom (X1), masa tvari za oblaganje (X2) i sila za oblaganje (X3). Izrađeno je petnaest pripravaka kojima su ispitani sljedeći parametri: udio lijeka oslobođenog nakon 5 h (Y5), vrijeme potrebno za otapanje 50 % mesalamina (t50) uz i bez prisutnosti crijevnog sadržaja štakora (RC), postotak oslobođenog lijeka tijekom 24 h u prisutnosti crijevnog sadržaja (Y24 uz RC). Transformirane vrijednosti nezavisnih i zavisnih varijabla podvrgnute su višestrukoj regresijskoj analizi da se odredi polinomska jednadžba drugog reda potpunog modela. F vrijednost izračunata je da se potvrdi izostavljanje neznačajnih članova iz jednadžbe potpunog modela. Kompjutorski optimizirani proces i krivulje predviđaju nezavisne varijable X1, X2 i X3 (0, 0,2, odnosno –0,15) za ciljanu isporuku u kolon i ukupni postotak lijeka oslobođenog tijekom 24 h

VITAMIN D RECEPTOR (VDR) GENE POLYMORPHISM AND MATERNAL VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN INDIAN WOMEN WITH PRETERM BIRTH (PTB)

  Objective: Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of high infant mortality and long-term disability in young children worldwide. Array of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes linked with vitamin D level and its associated vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene. We undertook this study to investigate the association between VDR gene polymorphism with vitamin D deficiency and PTB in West Indian pregnant women.Methods: A total of 72 women with PTB and 138 healthy mothers with uncomplicated normal delivery were selected from different regions of Gujarat, India. FokI and TaqI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of VDR gene determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Vitamin D level was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Result: ff genotype (29.17% vs. 10.87%, p=0.002) and f allele (49.31% vs. 35.51%, p=0.006) frequency distributions of VDR FokI showed significantly (odds ratio=0.566, 95% confidence interval=0.368-0.870, p=0.006) higher in women with preterm delivery than in control full term group. Genotype frequency of VDR TaqI showed no significant difference between preterm group and control.Conclusion: These results confirmed that women carrying ff genotype of FokI gene had significantly higher risk for vitamin D deficiency which enhances the risk of prematurity than women carrying FF genotype in West Indian women

Spatial Numerical Range in Non-unital, Normed algebras and their Unitizations

Let $(A, \|\cdot\|)$ be any normed algebra (not necessarily complete nor unital). Let $a \in A$ and let $V_A(a)$ denote the spatial numerical range of $a$ in $(A, \|\cdot\|)$. Let $A_e = A + {\mathbb C} 1$ be the unitization of $A$. If $A$ is faithful, then we get two norms on $A_e$; namely, the operator norm $\|\cdot\|_{op}$ and the $\ell^1$-norm $\|\cdot\|_1$. Let $A^{op} = (A, \|\cdot\|_{op})$, $A_e^{op} = (A_e, \|\cdot\|_{op})$, and $A_e^1 = (A_e, \|\cdot\|_1)$. We can calculate the spatial numerical range of $a$ in all these three normed algebras. Because the spatial numerical range highly depend on the identity as well as on the completeness and the regularity of the norm, they are different. In this paper, we study the relations among them. Most of the results proved in \cite{BoDu:71, BoDu:73} will become corollaries of our results. We shall also show that the completeness and regularity of the norm is not required in \cite[Theorem 2.3]{GaHu:89}.Comment: 8 page

On the convexity of spatial numetical range in normed algebras

In this article, we address the following question: Is it true that the spatial numerical range (SNR) $V_A(a)$ of an element $a$ in a normed algebra $(A, \|\cdot\|)$ is always convex? If the normed algebra is unital, then it is convex \cite[Theorem 3, P.16]{BoDu:71}. In non-unital case, we believe that the problem is still open and its answer seems to be negative. In search of such a normed algebra, we have proved that the SNR $V_A(a)$ is convex in several non-unital Banach algebras.Comment: 9 page

The Spectral extension property in the unitization of Banach Algebras

Let $A$ be a non-unital Banach algebra and let $A_e = A \oplus {\mathbb C}1$ be the unitization of $A$. It is true that if $A_e$ has the spectral extension property (SEP), then $A$ has the same. Does the converse hold? In this paper, we give some necessary as well as some equivalent conditions.Comment: 8 page

Loss of Immunohistochemical Reactivity in Association With Handling-Induced Dark Neurons in Mouse Brains.

The handling-induced dark neuron is a histological artifact observed in brain samples handled before fixation with aldehydes. To explore associations between dark neurons and immunohistochemical alterations in mouse brains, we examined protein products encoded by Cav3 (neuronal perikarya/neurites), Rbbp4 (neuronal nuclei), Gfap (astroglia), and Aif1 (microglia) genes in adjacent tissue sections. Here, dark neurons were incidental findings from our prior project, studying the effects of age and high-fat diet on metabolic homeostasis in male C57BL/6N mice. Available were brains from 4 study groups: middle-aged/control diet, middle-aged/high-fat diet, old/control diet, and old/high-fat diet. Young/control diet mice were used as baseline. The hemibrains were immersion-fixed with paraformaldehyde and paraffin-embedded. In the hippocampal formation, we found negative correlations between dark neuron hyperbasophilia and immunoreactivity for CAV3, RBBP4, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) using quantitative image analysis. There was no significant difference in dark neuron hyperbasophilia or immunoreactivity for any protein examined among all groups. In contrast, in the hippocampal fimbria, old age seemed to be associated with higher immunoreactivity for GFAP and allograft inflammatory factor-1. Our findings suggest that loss of immunohistochemical reactivity for CAV3, RBBP4, and GFAP in the hippocampal formation is an artifact associated with the occurrence of dark neurons. The unawareness of dark neurons may lead to misinterpretation of immunohistochemical reactivity alterations

Efficacy and superiority of an innovative method (IM) of intravenous (IV) fluid drip drop rate calculation using IV set and its comparison with conventional methods (CM)

Background: Almost every indoor patient requires some form of intravenous (IV) fluids and its infusion rate should be proper as recommended for best treatment outcomes. To overcome the same, a simple, quick and easily applicable new method for drip drop rate calculation is proposed, which is user-friendly at bedside and doesn’t require mathematical skills or help.Methods: Author compared this novel innovative method (IM) of IV fluid drip drop rate method for both regular macro and micro drop infusion set against conventional mathematical calculation method (MC) of infusion in various IV fluid indoor orders and assessed for time-to-initiation of treatment (TI) required and its accuracy. Ten resident doctors and ten nursing staff participated to grade both conventional and novel methods by using pre-printed forms of various parameters like time consumption, comfort level, accuracy and applicability in ward and these both methods were scored on a scale of 1 to 10.Results: Conventional method (CM) required 14.23±1.10seconds, while novel method (IM) required average 3.63±0.73seconds for calculation of drop rate. Average grading for conventional method was 3.63±0.49 and for novel method was 7.84±0.6 out of 10.Conclusions: Novel method of IV fluid drip drop rate formula is easy, quick and superior in comparison to conventional method and it doesn’t require any additional instrumental help. It is good alternative to conventional formula for IV drip drop rate calculation in absence of infusion pump

Biochemical and Pathomorphological Study of Potassium Dichromate-induced Nephrotoxicity in Wistar Rat

An experiment was conducted to study biochemical and pathomorphological alterations induced by potassium dichromate toxicity. Forty colony bred Albino Wistar strain rats of both sexes, divided uniformly into four equal groups Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D. Each Group contains five male and five female. Group A rats received only deionised water and served as control. Group B (low dose), Group C (mid dose) and Group D (high dose) rats were given potassium dichromate orally by gavage for 28 days at the rate of 0.625 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.), 1.25 mg/kg b.wt. and 2.5 mg/kg b.wt. respectively. A dose dependant significant rise in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST), plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and blood urea nitrogen was observed in treatment group, whereas, a significant decrease in total protein and albumin was observed in treatment group. Histopathological sections of kidney, liver, lung and testes revealed varying degrees of congestion, haemorrhage, degeneration and necrosis in rats of different treatment groups. The present study indicates nephric and hepatic toxicity in albino wistar rats due to potassium dichromate toxicity