Congenital chylous as cites in a 3-month-old infant in Zaria: A case report

Congenital chylous ascites (CCA) is a rare disease that results from the maldevelopment of the intra-abdominal lymphatic system. Due to the rarity of congenital chylous ascites and the lack of standards in diagnosis and therapy, this disease constitutes a medical challenge and individual therapy seems to be extremely important. A 3-month-old girl diagnosed with congenital chylous ascites. She was managed initially with nil per oral, parenteral nutrition, medium chain triglyceride (MCT) containing oil and abdominal paracentesis, followed by octreotide. Medium chain triglyceride formula, the main stay of management was discontinued with gradual reintroduction of breast feeds. This case was selected due to the rarity of CCA and the lack of standards in the diagnosis and therapy

DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POLYCAPROLACTONE (PCL)/POLY ((R)-3-HYDROXYBUTYRIC ACID) (PHB) BLEND MICROSPHERES FOR TAMOXIFEN DRUG RELESE STUDIES

Objective: The objective of this study was to formulate and evaluate the drug release studies using Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/and Poly (R)-3-hydroxy butyric acid (PHB) blend microspheres for controlled release of Tamoxifen, an anticancer drug.Methods: Poly (ε-caprolactone), Poly ((R)-3-Hydroxybutyric acid) blend microspheres were prepared through a modified Water/Oil/Water (W/O/W) double emulsion-solvent diffusion method using Dichloromethane as solvent. Tamoxifen (TAM), an anti Cancer drug, was used for encapsulation within PCL/PHB blend microspheres. Morphology, size, encapsulation efficiency and drug release from these microspheres were evaluated by different characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), Scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction studies(X-RD) and dissolution test studies respectively.Results: Drug loaded microspheres were analyzed by FT-IR, which indicates the interaction between drug and polymers. DSC thermograms on drug-loaded microspheres confirmed the polymorphism of Tamoxifen and indicated a molecular level dispersion of drug in the microspheres. SEM confirmed the spherical nature and smooth surface of the microspheres produced. X-RD study was performed to understand the crystalline nature of the drug after encapsulation into the microspheres and confirmed the complete dispersion of the drug in the polymer matrix. In-vitro release studies conducted in different pH which indicated a dependence of release rate on the amount of drug loading and the amount of PCL/PHB, but slow release rates were extended up to 12 h. Kinetic analysis of dissolution data showed a good fit in Peppas equation confirming diffusion controlled drug release.Conclusions: The research findings obtained from the studies were found to be satisfactory. It can be concluded that biodegradable polymer blend (PCL/PHB) microspheres can be effectively used for preparation of controlled release matrices. Â

Hydroelectromechanical modelling of a piezoelectric wave energy converter

This paper was accepted for publication in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and physical sciences and the definitive published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2016.0715.We investigate the hydro-electromechanical coupled dynamics of a piezoelectric wave energy converter. The converter is made of a flexible bimorph plate, clamped at its ends and forced to motion by incident ocean surface waves. The piezoceramic layers are connected in series and transform the elastic motion of the plate into useful electricity by means of the piezoelectric effect. By using a distributedparameter analytical approach, we couple the linear piezoelectric constitutive equations for the plate with the potential-flow equations for the surface water waves. The resulting system of governing partial differential equations yields a new hydroelectromechanical dispersion relation, whose complex roots are determined with a numerical approach. The effect of the piezoelectric coupling in the hydro-elastic domain generates a system of short- and long-crested weakly damped progressive waves travelling along the plate. We show that the short-crested flexural wave component gives a dominant contribution to the generated power. We determine the hydroelectromechanical resonant periods of the device, at which the power output is significant

Surface modification, strengthening effect and electrochemical comparative study of Zn-Al2O3-CeO3 and Zn-TiO2-CeO3 coating on mild steel

Surface enhancement of engineering materials is necessary for preventing service failure and corrosion attacks industrially. The surface modification, strengthening effect and electrochemical comparative study of Zn-Al2O3-CeO3 and Zn-TiO2-CeO3 coating on mild steel was investigated. Deposition was performed to obtain a better surface adherent coating using the electrodeposition technique. Co-deposition of mild steel resulted into surface modification attributes to the complex alloys that were developed. Films of mild steel were electrodeposited on zinc electrodes using the chloride bath solutions. The effect of deposition potentials was systematically studied using a focus ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM) to observe the surface morphology, topography and the surface adherent properties of the coatings. The elemental composition and the phases evolved in composite coatings were measured by means of the energy dispersed spectrometer (EDS). The microhardness measurements and corrosion behaviours of the deposits were investigated. Weight loss measurement was conducted on the plated samples to observe the rate of corrosion and it was observed that there was severe corrosion on the controlled sample in comparison to the plated samples and that Zn-TiO2-CeO3 resisted more corrosion attacks

NRF2 activation reprogrammes defects in oxidative metabolism to restore macrophage function in COPD

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by persistent airway inflammation and disordered macrophage function. The extent to which alterations in macrophage bioenergetics contribute to impaired antioxidant responses and disease pathogenesis has yet to be fully delineated. Objectives: Through the study of COPD alveolar macrophages (AMs) and peripheral monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), we sought to establish if intrinsic defects in core metabolic processes drive macrophage dysfunction and redox imbalance. Methods: AMs and MDMs from donors with COPD and healthy donors underwent functional, metabolic, and transcriptional profiling. Measurements and Main Results: We observed that AMs and MDMs from donors with COPD display a critical depletion in glycolytic- and mitochondrial respiration–derived energy reserves and an overreliance on glycolysis as a source for ATP, resulting in reduced energy status. Defects in oxidative metabolism extend to an impaired redox balance associated with defective expression of the NADPH-generating enzyme, ME1 (malic enzyme 1), a known target of the antioxidant transcription factor NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2). Consequently, selective activation of NRF2 resets the COPD transcriptome, resulting in increased generation of TCA cycle intermediaries, improved energetic status, favorable redox balance, and recovery of macrophage function. Conclusions: In COPD, an inherent loss of metabolic plasticity leads to metabolic exhaustion and reduced redox capacity, which can be rescued by activation of the NRF2 pathway. Targeting these defects, via NRF2 augmentation, may therefore present an attractive therapeutic strategy for the treatment of the aberrant airway inflammation described in COPD