DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOSARTAN POTASSIUM FLOATING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS

Objective: The current study was projected to prepare a losartan potassium gastroretentive drug delivery system (GRDDS) of floating tablets was planned to enhance the gastric residence time, thus prolong the drug release.Methods: Effervescent floating matrix tablets of losartan potassium were prepared by direct compression technique using polymers like HPMC k4m, guar gum, and gum karaya, with lubricants magnesium stearate and talc. In the present study, sodium bicarbonate was incorporated as a gas generating agent. Total nine formulations were designed and evaluated for pre-compression parameters known as the angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, Hausner's ratio, compressibility index, and post-compression parameters are uniformity of weight, hardness, and drug content percentage, variability, in vitro buoyancy, dissolution studies, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR).Results: An in vitro dissolution study was carried out by using buffer pH 1.2. From in vitro dissolution studies, it has been found that an increase in polymer concentration diminishes the drug release profile. The in vitro drug release percentage from F4-F9 formulations ranged from 60.28%-98.66% at the closing of 12 h and buoyancy found over 12 h.Conclusion: The in vitro drug release from F1-F3 and F7-F9 followed zero-order, F4 followed Higuchi order, F5 and F6 followed Hixon-Crowell release kinetics. The drug release mechanism was set up to be F1-F8 non-Fickian (anomalous behavior) and F9 having Fickian diffusion type

Evaluation of Challenges Encountered by Dental Students in The Study of Orthodontics

Orthodontic education plays a crucial role in preparing dental students for the specialized field of orthodontics. This study aimed to evaluate the challenges encountered by dental students during their orthodontic studies. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data collection through surveys and qualitative insights through interviews. A total of 321 dental students from various dental schools participated in the research, providing their experiences and perceptions of challenges in orthodontic education. The survey questionnaire comprised 15 close-ended questions, covering academic, clinical, technological, psychological, and motivational challenges. The results revealed diverse perceptions of the difficulty level of orthodontic theoretical concepts, with participants expressing varied opinions on the intensity of coursework. Challenges in applying different orthodontic techniques were frequently reported, highlighting the importance of practical training and clinical support. Participants expressed concerns regarding the sufficiency of academic resources provided by institutions to address challenges, indicating scope for improvements in teaching methodologies and learning materials. Stress levels due to the demands of orthodontic studies were evident, underscoring the need for support systems to promote students' emotional well-being. The study also explored participants' self-confidence and motivation in pursuing orthodontics as a career. While self-confidence in clinical decision-making was reported by a significant proportion, motivation levels varied among participants. Despite these challenges, dental students generally expressed satisfaction with their overall orthodontic education, reflecting the dedication and interest in the specialized field

Uneven balance of power between hypothalamic peptidergic neurons in the control of feeding

Two classes of peptide-producing neurons in the arcuate nucleus (Arc) of the hypothalamus are known to exert opposing actions on feeding: the anorexigenic neurons that express proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and the orexigenic neurons that express agouti-related protein (AgRP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). These neurons are thought to arise from a common embryonic progenitor, but our anatomical and functional understanding of the interplay of these two peptidergic systems that contribute to the control of feeding remains incomplete. The present study uses a combination of optogenetic stimulation with viral and transgenic approaches, coupled with neural activity mapping and brain transparency visualization to demonstrate the following: (i) selective activation of Arc POMC neurons inhibits food consumption rapidly in unsated animals; (ii) activation of Arc neurons arising from POMC-expressing progenitors, including POMC and a subset of AgRP neurons, triggers robust feeding behavior, even in the face of satiety signals from POMC neurons; (iii) the opposing effects on food intake are associated with distinct neuronal projection and activation patterns of adult hypothalamic POMC neurons versus Arc neurons derived from POMC-expressing lineages; and (iv) the increased food intake following the activation of orexigenic neurons derived from POMC-expressing progenitors engages an extensive neural network that involves the endogenous opioid system. Together, these findings shed further light on the dynamic balance between two peptidergic systems in the moment-to-moment regulation of feeding behavior

Table_1_Anti-hyperglycemic contours of Madhugrit are robustly translated in the Caenorhabditis elegans model of lipid accumulation by regulating oxidative stress and inflammatory response.docx

BackgroundThe prevalence of diabetes has considerably increased in recent years. In the long run, use of dual therapy of anti-diabetic agents becomes mandatory to attain euglycemia. Also, the incidences of diabetes-related co-morbidities have warranted the search for new therapeutic approaches for the management of the disease. Traditional herbo-mineral, anti-diabetic agents like Madhugrit are often prescribed to mitigate diabetes and related complications. The present study aimed to thoroughly characterize the pharmacological applications of Madhugrit.MethodsPhytometabolite characterization of Madhugrit was performed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. Evaluation of cell viability, α-amylase inhibition, glucose uptake, inflammation, and wound healing was performed by in vitro model systems using AR42J, L6, THP1, HaCaT cells, and reporter cell lines namely NF-κB, TNF-α, and IL-1β. The formation of advanced glycation end products was determined by cell-free assay. In addition, the therapeutic potential of Madhugrit was also analyzed in the in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Parameters like brood size, % curling, glucose and triglyceride accumulation, lipid deposition, ROS generation, and lipid peroxidation were determined under hyperglycemic conditions induced by the addition of supraphysiological glucose levels.ResultsMadhugrit treatment significantly reduced the α-amylase release, enhanced glucose uptake, decreased AGEs formation, reduced differentiation of monocyte to macrophage, lowered the pro-inflammatory cytokine release, and enhanced wound healing in the in vitro hyperglycemic (glucose; 25 mM) conditions. In C. elegans stimulated with 100 mM glucose, Madhugrit (30 µg/ml) treatment normalized brood size, reduced curling behavior, decreased accumulation of glucose, triglycerides, and lowered oxidative stress.ConclusionsMadhugrit showed multimodal approaches in combating hyperglycemia and related complications due to the presence of anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, wound healing, and lipid-lowering phytoconstituents in its arsenal. The study warrants the translational use of Madhugrit as an effective medicine for diabetes and associated co-morbidities.</p

EXCESS workshop: Descriptions of rising low-energy spectra

International audienceMany low-threshold experiments observe sharply rising event rates of yet unknown origins below a few hundred eV, and larger than expected from known backgrounds. Due to the significant impact of this excess on the dark matter or neutrino sensitivity of these experiments, a collective effort has been started to share the knowledge about the individual observations. For this, the EXCESS Workshop was initiated. In its first iteration in June 2021, ten rare event search collaborations contributed to this initiative via talks and discussions. The contributing collaborations were CONNIE, CRESST, DAMIC, EDELWEISS, MINER, NEWS-G, NUCLEUS, RICOCHET, SENSEI and SuperCDMS. They presented data about their observed energy spectra and known backgrounds together with details about the respective measurements. In this paper, we summarize the presented information and give a comprehensive overview of the similarities and differences between the distinct measurements. The provided data is furthermore publicly available on the workshop’s data repository together with a plotting tool for visualization