Effect of Cryogrinding on Chemical Stability of the Sparingly Water-Soluble Drug Furosemide

Purpose To investigate the effect of cryogrinding on chemical stability of the diuretic agent furosemide and its mixtures with selected excipients. Methods Furosemide was ground at liquid nitrogen temperature for 30, 60, 120 and 180 min. Mixtures of furosemide-PVP and furosemide-inulin (1:1) were milled under cryogenic conditions. Materials were analyzed by XRD, UPLC, MS and NMR. Results Upon increasing the milling time, a significant build-up of an unidentified impurity 1, probably the main degradation product, was noticed. Cogrinding of furosemide with PVP and inulin worsened chemical stabilization of the pharmaceutical. The main degradation product formed upon cryomilling was subsequently identified as 4-chloro-5-sulfamoylanthranilic acid (CSA). Based on some theoretical considerations involving specific milling conditions, the milling intensity and an expected specific milling dose have been calculated. Results indicate that cryogenic grinding is capable to initiate mechanically induced decomposition of furosemide.Conclusions Cryogenic grinding can activate and accelerate not only structural changes (solid state amorphization) but also chemical decomposition of pharmaceuticals. A cryogenic milling device should be considered as a chemical reactor, where under favourable conditions chemical reactions could be mechanically initiated

Effect of Contact Class Attendance on the Academic Success of Open Distance Learning Students in Advanced Certificate in Education Programs

Abstract The article first explores open distance learning (ODL) as a delivery mode for professional teacher development programs in South Africa by comparing the ODL models of selected universities in developing, developed, and newly industrialized contexts. The article then reports on an empirical investigation conducted about the effect of contact class and vacation school attendance on the academic success of students (n=1310) who wrote examination papers (n=4931) for a variety of modules in four purposefully selected Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programs at the School of Continuing Teacher Education (SCTE) of the North-West University in South Africa. Descriptive statistics show the majority of students did not attend any contact classes or vacation schools, while still performing academically above average. Computing Spearman's rank-order correlations (r), no practically significant correlations were found between contact class and vacation school attendance and the academic success of students. However, ANOVA analyses reveal that it was beneficial for students to rather attend three contact sessions, than two or no contact sessions

Phytoplankton of Lake Kivu

peer reviewedThis chapter reviews taxonomic composition, biomass, production and nutrient limitation of the phytoplankton of Lake Kivu. Present Lake Kivu phytoplankton is dominated by cyanobacteria – mainly Synechococcus spp. and thin filaments of Planktolyngbya limnetica – and by pennate diatoms, among which Nitzschia bacata and Fragilaria danica are dominant. Seasonal shifts occur, with cyanobacteria developing more in the rainy season, and the diatoms in the dry season. Other groups present are cryptophytes, chrysophytes, chlorophytes and dinoflagellates. According to a survey conducted in the period 2002–2008, the composition of the phytoplankton assemblage was quasi homogeneous among lake basins. The mean euphotic depth varied between 17 and 20 m, and the increase in the ratio between mixed layer depth and euphotic depth to about 2 in the dry season may have selected for diatoms and cryptophytes, which tended to present their maximal development in this season, when cyanobacteria slightly decreased. Mean chlorophyll a concentration was 2.16 mg m−3, and the mean daily primary production was 0.62 g C m−2 day−1 (range, 0.14–1.92), i.e. in the same range as in other large oligotrophic East African Rift lakes. Seston elemental ratios indicated a moderate P deficiency during the dry, mixed season and a severe P limitation during part of the rainy, stratified season; the C:N ratio indicated a moderate N limitation throughout the year. Nutrient addition assays pointed to a direct N limitation and co-limitation by P during rainy seasons and P or N limitation during dry seasons depending on the year. Thus, phytoplankton ecology in Lake Kivu does not differ from that of other Rift lakes, where seasonal variations result in a trade-off between low light with high nutrient supply and high light with low nutrient supply. Phytoplankton production in Lake Kivu is also similar to that of other Rift lakes, and nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth may occur as a result of variable availability of N and P, as in Lakes Tanganyika and Malawi, even though the extent of P limitation seems greater in Lake Kivu