Drug nanocrystals - versatile option for formulation of poorly soluble materials

Poor solubility of drug compounds is a great issue in drug industry today and decreasing particle size is one efficient and simple way to overcome this challenge. Drug nanocrystals are solid nanosized drug particles, which are covered by a stabilizer layer. In nanoscale many physical properties, like compound solubility, are different from the solubility of bulk material, and due to this drug nanocrystals can reach supersaturation as compared to thermodynamic solubility. The most important effect of the smaller particle size is that dissolution rate is highly enhanced mainly due to the increased surface area. In this review the most important properties of nanocrystalline drug compounds are presented, with multiple examples of the development and characterization of nanocrystalline drug formulations.Peer reviewe

Nursing students’ motivation regulation strategies in blended learning: A qualitative study

Although there is a strong body of evidence showing that motivational factors are critical components of self‐regulated professional learning and commitment to work, little is known about nursing students' motivation regulation during their studies. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of nursing students' motivation regulation (MR) strategies and factors contributing to their reported use along their 3‐year study path in a blended learning environment. A purposeful sampling was used to select 12 undergraduate nursing students, who exhibited different MR profiles and had completed almost 3 years of study in a BL degree program. A qualitative, deductive, content analysis was used to depict students' experiences from their retrospective recollection in the interview situation. Seven motivation strategies were identified: environmental structuring, self‐consequating, goal‐oriented self‐talk, efficacy management, emotion regulation, regulation of value, and interest enhancement. Individual and situational factors were found to enhance and to sustain the use of appropriate MR strategies. The students exhibited versatility in their use of MR strategies, which were related to the study phase. These findings regarding nursing students' MR strategies should be considered in the development of nursing education programs and the implementation of improvements that contribute to professional and self‐regulated learning in BL programs.Peer reviewe

Interest, burnout and drop-out intentions among Finnish and Danish humanities and social sciences PhD. students

This study focused on advancing understanding on individual variations in doctoral students’ interest in their doctoral studies and how it related to experiences of burnout and drop-out intentions in Denmark and Finland. A total of 365 doctoral students in social sciences and humanities disciplines in Finland and Denmark responded to a Cross-Cultural Doctoral Experience Survey. The results of the study suggest that personal interest plays a central role in preventing study burnout and drop-out intentions. Four interest profiles among the PhD students were identified: the High interest profile, the Moderate interest profile, the Developmental, research and impact interest profile, and the Development and impact interest profile.Advisors and supervisors are in a key position in ensuring that doctoral students begin their doctoral journey with a realistic understanding of the increasingly high demands and expected premises for doctoral studies. It is possible that interest profiles are the same across the two national contexts investigated in this study, but their underpinnings and premises are different. It is likely that a qualitative approach would shed more light on this question.Peer reviewe

Ultrasonic Processing Technique as a Green Preparation Approach for Diacerein-Loaded Niosomes

In this study, the feasibility of ultrasonic processing (UP) technique as green preparation method for production of poorly soluble model drug substance, diacerein, loaded niosomes was demonstrated. Also, the effects of different surfactant systems on niosomes' characteristics were analyzed. Niosomes were prepared using both the green UP technique and traditional thin-film hydration (TFH) technique, which requires the use of environmentally hazardous organic solvents. The studied surfactant systems were Span 20, Pluronic L64, and their mixture (Span 20 and Pluronic L64). Both the production techniques produced well-defined spherical vesicles, but the UP technique produced smaller and more monodisperse niosomes than TFH. The entrapment efficiencies with the UP method were lower than with TFH, but still at a feasible level. All the niosomal formulations released diacerein faster than pure drug, and the drug release rates from the niosomes produced by the UP method were higher than those from the TFH-produced niosomes. With UP technique, the optimum process conditions for small niosomal products with low PDI values and high entrapment efficiencies were obtained when 70% amplitude and 45-min sonication time were used. The overall results demonstrated the potency of UP technique as an alternative fast, cost-effective, and green preparation approach for production of niosomes, which can be utilized as drug carrier systems for poorly soluble drug materials.Peer reviewe

Similar or different? : Researcher Community and Supervisory Support Experiences among Danish and Finnish Social Sciences and Humanities PhD Students

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the support experiences of 381 PhD students within the humanities and social sciences from three research-intensive universities in Denmark (n = 145) and Finland (n = 236). The study investigates the cross-cultural variation in the researcher community support and supervisory support experiences, factors associated with their support experienced and the perceived support fit. Design/methodology/approach - The study used a mixed methods design, both quantitative analyses and qualitative analyses (open-ended descriptions) were used. Findings - The results showed that students in both Danish and Finnish programs emphasized researcher community support over supervisory support. The Danish students, however, reported slightly higher levels of researcher community support and experienced lower levels of friction than their Finnish counter partners. The results also indicated that the only form of support in which the students expressed more matched support than mismatched support was informational support. Practical implications - The results imply investing in a stronger integration of PhD students into the research community is beneficial for the students' progress. Building network-based and collaborative learning activities that enhance both instrumental and emotional support and a collective form of supervision could be further developed. The possibility of Phd student integration in the scholarly community is likely to lead to more efficient use of finacial and intellectual resources in academia and society more broadly. Originality/value - This study offer a unique contribution on doctoral students' academic and socialization experiences in terms of explicationg the sources of support, support forms and support fit among Danish and Finnish doctoral students. Both invariants and socio-culturally embedded aspects of support experience among the students were detected.Peer reviewe

Doctoral candidates’ research writing perceptions : A cross-national study

Aim/Purpose This study aimed to explore individual variation in doctoral candidates’ perceptions about research writing and themselves as writers (research writing perceptions) across three countries (Spain, Finland, and the UK) and the relationship with doctoral candidates’ research conditions and social support. Background The present study employed a person-centered approach to identify profiles among doctoral candidates’ in relation to their research writing perceptions and the association between these profiles and research conditions and experiences (e.g., thesis format, thesis language, enrollment modality, phase of the doctorate, number of publications, and drop-out intentions) and perceived social support from supervisors and research community. Methodology 1,463 doctoral candidates responded to the Doctoral Experience survey. EFA and CFA were used to corroborate the factor structure of the research writing scale. Research writing profiles were identified by employing cluster analysis and compared regarding research conditions and experience and both types of social support. Contribution This study contributes to the literature on doctoral development by providing evidence on the social nature of doctoral candidates’ writing development. It is argued that doctoral candidates’ perceptions of writing are related to transversal factors, such as doctoral candidates’ researcher identity and genre knowledge. It also shows that most candidates still lack opportunities to write and learn to write with and from other researchers. Findings Three writing profiles were identified: Productive, Reduced productivity, and Struggler profiles. Participants in the Productive profile experienced more researcher community and supervisory support and had more publications, Struggler writers reported drop-out intentions more often than participants in the other profiles, and Reduced productivity writers were more likely to not know the format of the thesis. The three profiles presented similar distribution in relation to participants’ country, the language in which they were writing their dissertation, and whether they were participating in a research team. Recommendations for Practitioners Supervisors and doctoral schools need to be aware of difficulties involved in writing at the PhD level for all doctoral candidates, not only for those writing in a second language, and support them in developing transformative research writing perceptions and establishing collaboration with other researchers. Research teams need to reflect on the writing support and opportunities they offer to doctoral candidates in promoting their writing development. Recommendation for Researchers Further studies should take into account that the development of research writing perceptions is a complex process that might be affected by many and diverse factors and vary along the doctoral trajectory]. Future Research Future research could explore the influence of factors such as engagement or research interest on doctoral candidates’ research writing perceptions. The field could also benefit from longitudinal studies exploring changes in doctoral candidates’ research writing perceptions.Peer reviewe

Data on characterizing the gene expression patterns of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis genes: CLN1, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5 and their association to interneuron and neurotransmission markers: Parvalbumin and Somatostatin

Abstract The article contains raw and analyzed data related to the research article “Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis genes, CLN2, CLN3, CLN5 are spatially and temporally co-expressed in a developing mouse brain” (Fabritius et al., 2014) [1]. The processed data gives an understanding of the development of the cell types that are mostly affected by defective function of CLN proteins, timing of expression of CLN1, CLN2, CLN3 and CLN5 genes in a murine model. The data shows relationship between the expression pattern of these genes during neural development. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify known interneuronal markers for neurotransmission and cell proliferation: parvalbumin, somatostatin subpopulations of interneurons. Non-radioactive in-situ hybridization detected CLN5 mRNA in the hippocampus. Throughout the development strong expression of CLN genes were identified in the germinal epithelium and in ventricle regions, cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. This provides supportive evidence that CLN1, CLN2, CLN3 and CLN5 genes may be involved in synaptic pruning.Peer reviewe

Elevated Expression of the Genes for Transforming Growth Factor-β1 and Type VI Collagen in Diffuse Fasciitis Associated with the Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome

Full-thickness skin biopsies obtained from four patients with rapidly progressive diffuse fasciitis associated with the Eosinophilia-Myalgia syndrome (EMS) were examined for the ex- pression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), type VI collagen, and fibronectin genes employing immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridizations. The immunohistochemical studies demonstrated increased deposition of TGF-β, type VI collagen, and fibronectin epitopes in the extracellular matrix of the fascia in comparison to the adjacent dermis in the same specimens. Increased levels of type VI collagen mRNA, as evidenced by positive in situ hybridization signals with an α2(VI) collagen cDNA, were also found in the fascia in comparison with the dermis. In situ hybridizations of affected fascia with a human sequence-specific TGF-β1 cDNA demonstrated numerous fibroblasts displaying positive hybridization signals indicative of high levels of transcripts for this cytokine. In contrast, no hybridization signal for TGF-β1 was detected in fibroblasts in the adjacent dermis. These findings suggest that TGF-β1 may play an important role in the development of the connective tissue alterations present in EMS-associated diffuse fasciitis

Doctoral Students' Social Support Profiles and Their Relationship to Burnout, Drop-out Intentions, and Time to Candidacy

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Stabilizing agents for drug nanocrystals: effect on bioavailability

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