ICH guidelines-compliant HPLC-UV method for pharmaceutical quality control and therapeutic drug monitoring of the multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib

In this study, an HPLC method with ultraviolet (UV) detection was developed and validated for determination of pazopanib (PAZ), a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor in bulk drug, tablets formulation, and in human plasma. Oxamniquine (OXA) was used as internal standard (IS). The analytical column used for the separation was Nucleosil CN with dimensions (i.d. 250 × 4.6 mm and particle size 5 μm). The separation was carried out in isocratic mode with mobile phase constituting acetonitrile:100 mM sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.5); 40:60, v/v. The developed method was linear in the concentration range of 2–12 μg mL–1 and had a correlation coefficient (r = 0.9998, n = 6). The limits of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ) were 0.27 and 0.82 μg mL–1, respectively. The relative standard deviations for the inter- and intra-assay precisions were below 3.61 % and the accuracy of the method was 96.69–104.15 %. The degradation products were resolved from the intact drug, proving the stability-indicating property of the proposed method. The recovery values were 100.17–103.98 % (± 1.81–4.02) for determination of PAZ in human plasma. The results indicated the versatility of the new method in estimation of PAZ during pharmaceutical quality control (QC) and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM).Keywords: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, pazopanib, HPLC, UV detection, quality control, therapeutic drug monitorin

Public awareness of the coronary artery disease and its risk factors in the population of Hail region, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a severe cardiovascular complication prevalent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The risk factors of this disease are so high that it became one of the major causes of mortality among middle-aged individuals. This study aimed to investigate the degree of awareness about risk factors for CAD among the Hail region population.  Methods: The study was carried out in the Hail region, Saudi Arabia, from April 2020 to May 2020. Data collected from five hundred and thirty-seven participants participated through an online survey. The process of selection of participants was through volunteer testing and an online review poll that was disseminated to them to complete. No limitations on age or sex were applied to the surveys.Results: Awareness of TV watching (88.5%), smoking (87.9%), lack of physical activities (78.4%) and family history of CAD (74.7%) as the leading cause of CAD has a notable higher percentage among the studied population whereas the family history of diabetes mellitus (51.6%), having diabetes mellitus (57.7%), family history of hypertension (65.7%) and family history of hyperlipidemia (69.1%) have the lowest percentages. Regarding the gender, the male participants have the poorest awareness degrees about risk factors for the CAD.Conclusion: The study revealed that the family history of hyperlipidemia, Family history of DM, having DM and family history of hypertension have the poorest degrees of awareness of the risk factors for CAD among the studied population.Keywords: Coronary artery disease; Risk factors; Awareness; Hail regio

Evaluation of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) treatment for moderate-to-severe ARDS in critically ill patients with COVID-19: A multicenter cohort study

Background: Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is used as rescue therapy in patients with refractory hypoxemia due to severe COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) despite the recommendation against the use of this treatment. To date, the effect of iNO on the clinical outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS remains arguable. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the use of iNO in critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS. Methods: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study included critically ill adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 treated from March 01, 2020, until July 31, 2021. Eligible patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS were subsequently categorized into two groups based on inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) use throughout their ICU stay. The primary endpoint was the improvement in oxygenation parameters 24 h after iNO use. Other outcomes were considered secondary. Propensity score matching (1:2) was used based on the predefined criteria. Results: A total of 1598 patients were screened, and 815 were included based on the eligibility criteria. Among them, 210 patients were matched based on predefined criteria. Oxygenation parameters (PaO2, FiO2 requirement, P/F ratio, oxygenation index) were significantly improved 24 h after iNO administration within a median of six days of ICU admission. However, the risk of 30-day and in-hospital mortality were found to be similar between the two groups (HR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.82; p = 0.45 and HR: 1.40; 95% CI: 0.94, 2.11; p= 0.10, respectively). On the other hand, ventilator-free days (VFDs) were significantly fewer, and ICU and hospital LOS were significantly longer in the iNO group. In addition, patients who received iNO had higher odds of acute kidney injury (AKI) (OR (95% CI): 2.35 (1.30, 4.26), p value = 0.005) and hospital/ventilator-acquired pneumonia (OR (95% CI): 3.2 (1.76, 5.83), p value = 0.001). Conclusion: In critically ill COVID-19 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS, iNO rescue therapy is associated with improved oxygenation parameters but no mortality benefits. Moreover, iNO use is associated with higher odds of AKI, pneumonia, longer LOS, and fewer VFDs

SPARC 2017 retrospect & prospects : Salford postgraduate annual research conference book of abstracts

Welcome to the Book of Abstracts for the 2017 SPARC conference. This year we not only celebrate the work of our PGRs but also the 50th anniversary of Salford as a University, which makes this year’s conference extra special. Once again we have received a tremendous contribution from our postgraduate research community; with over 130 presenters, the conference truly showcases a vibrant PGR community at Salford. These abstracts provide a taster of the research strengths of their works, and provide delegates with a reference point for networking and initiating critical debate. With such wide-ranging topics being showcased, we encourage you to exploit this great opportunity to engage with researchers working in different subject areas to your own. To meet global challenges, high impact research inevitably requires interdisciplinary collaboration. This is recognised by all major research funders. Therefore engaging with the work of others and forging collaborations across subject areas is an essential skill for the next generation of researchers

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

The Usability of E-learning Platforms in Higher Education: A Systematic Mapping Study

The use of e-learning in higher education has increased significantly in recent years, which has led to several studies being conducted to investigate the usability of the platforms that support it. A variety of different usability evaluation methods and attributes have been used, and it has therefore become important to start reviewing this work in a systematic way to determine how the field has developed in the last 15 years. This paper describes a systematic mapping study that performed searches on five electronic libraries to identify usability issues and methods that have been used to evaluate e-learning platforms. Sixty-one papers were selected and analysed, with the majority of studies using a simple research design reliant on questionnaires. The usability attributes measured were mostly related to effectiveness, satisfaction, efficiency, and perceived ease of use. Furthermore, several research gaps have been identified and recommendations have been made for further work in the area of the usability of online learning

Biosynthesis of bonelike apatite 2D nanoplate structures using fenugreek seed extract

An innovative, biomimetic, green synthesis approach was exploited for the synthesis of humane and environmental friendly nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Ultrafine bonelike apatite (BAp) 2D plate-like structures were prepared using fenugreek seed extract during the biosynthesis wet-chemical precipitation route. The chemical analysis, morphology and structure of the prepared 2D nanoplates were characterized by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. A 2D plate-like nanostructure of BAp with an average width (length) of 12.67 ± 2 nm and thickness of 3.8 ± 1.2 nm was obtained. BAp 2D crystals were tuned by interaction with the fenugreek organic molecules during the fabrication process. In addition to Ca and P ions, bone mineral sources such as K, Mg, Na, SO and CO ions were incorporated into BAp nanoplates using fenugreek seed extract. The overall organic molecule concentration in the reaction process increased the effectiveness of hydroxyl groups as nucleation sites for BAp crystals. Accordingly, the size of the biosynthesized BAp plate-like structure was reduced to its lowest value. Biosynthesis BAp 2D plate-like nanocrystals showed good viability and higher growth of MC3T3 osteoblast-like structures than that of the control sample. BAp 2D nanoplates prepared by a facile, ecofriendly and cost-effective approach could be considered a favorable osteoconductive inorganic biomaterial for bone regeneration applications

Cooling Degree Days for Quick Energy Consumption Estimation in the GCC Countries

One of the most useful and simplified approaches in assessing building energy estimates is the degree days method. The heating and cooling requirements can be easily compared for different locations as well as system trends. In this paper, the cooling degree day values for the capitals of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are presented. Degree day values at different base temperatures are also produced for these locations. These values are useful for engineers and policy makers for evaluating energy demands and their cost for these countries. A typical two-story residential building is considered here and its yearly cooling load is evaluated. The total cooling energy is compared based on the energy cost of the respective GCC countries. The results presented in this investigation illustrated that the cooling load, based on the cooling degree days (CDDs) at a 23 °C base temperature, agrees well with the detailed hourly cooling load simulated by eQuest software. Additionally, the highest CDDs value of 2589 was observed in the city of Doha and the lowest value of 2037 was seen in Riyadh city. The lowest cooling cost of USD 492 corresponds to Muscat, while the highest value of USD 1672 belong to Abu Dubai, partially due to a higher tariff of 0.081 USD/kWh

Cooling Degree Days for Quick Energy Consumption Estimation in the GCC Countries

One of the most useful and simplified approaches in assessing building energy estimates is the degree days method. The heating and cooling requirements can be easily compared for different locations as well as system trends. In this paper, the cooling degree day values for the capitals of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are presented. Degree day values at different base temperatures are also produced for these locations. These values are useful for engineers and policy makers for evaluating energy demands and their cost for these countries. A typical two-story residential building is considered here and its yearly cooling load is evaluated. The total cooling energy is compared based on the energy cost of the respective GCC countries. The results presented in this investigation illustrated that the cooling load, based on the cooling degree days (CDDs) at a 23 °C base temperature, agrees well with the detailed hourly cooling load simulated by eQuest software. Additionally, the highest CDDs value of 2589 was observed in the city of Doha and the lowest value of 2037 was seen in Riyadh city. The lowest cooling cost of USD 492 corresponds to Muscat, while the highest value of USD 1672 belong to Abu Dubai, partially due to a higher tariff of 0.081 USD/kWh