Nothing Lasts Forever: Environmental Discourses on the Collapse of Past Societies

The study of the collapse of past societies raises many questions for the theory and practice of archaeology. Interest in collapse extends as well into the natural sciences and environmental and sustainability policy. Despite a range of approaches to collapse, the predominant paradigm is environmental collapse, which I argue obscures recognition of the dynamic role of social processes that lie at the heart of human communities. These environmental discourses, together with confusion over terminology and the concepts of collapse, have created widespread aporia about collapse and resulted in the creation of mixed messages about complex historical and social processes

Evolving importance of biologics and novel delivery systems in the face of microbial resistance

Methods to control infectious diseases in livestock are growing in importance. As the size of the average farm increases-for poultry, dairy and beef cattle, swine, and fish-the risk of rapid spread of infectious diseases increases as well. This increases the need for alternative methods of control of infectious agents. Improvements in specific immunogens, adjuvants, and delivery systems are needed to meet the demand for vaccines to ensure a healthy and safe meat supply. This article explores the challenges, trends, and recent advances in the control of infectious diseases through the use of biologics

Evaluation of alginate compressed matrices as prolonged drug delivery systems

This research investigated the use of sodium alginate for the preparation of hydrophylic matrix tablets intended for prolonged drug release using ketoprofen as a model drug. The matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression using sodium alginate, calcium gluconate, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in different combinations and ratios. In vitro release tests and erosion studies of the matrix tablets were carried out in USP phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Matrices consisting of sodium alginate alone or in combination with 10% and 20% of HPMC give a prolonged drug release at a fairly constant rate. Incorporation of different ratios of calcium gluconate leads to an enhancement of the release rate from the matrices and to the loss of the constant release rate of the drug. Only the matrices containing the highest quantity of HPMC (20%) maintained their capacity to release ketoprofen for a prolonged time