Characterization and taste masking evaluation of microparticles with cetirizine dihydrochloride and methacrylate-based copolymer obtained by the spray drying

Taste of a pharmaceutical formulation is an important parameter for the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy. Cetirizine dihydrochloride (CET) is a second-generation antihistamine that is commonly administered in allergy treatment. CET is characterized by extremely bitter taste and it is a great challenge to successfully mask its taste; therefore the goal of this work was to formulate and characterize the microparticles obtained by the spray drying method with CET and poly(butyl methacrylate-co-(2-dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate 1:2:1 copolymer (Eudragit E PO) as a barrier coating. Assessment of taste masking by the electronic tongue has revealed that designed formulations created an effective taste masking barrier. Taste masking effect was also confirmed by the in vivo model and the in vitro release profile of CET. Obtained data have shown that microparticles with a drug/polymer ratio (0.5:1) are promising CET carriers with efficient taste masking potential and might be further used in designing orodispersible dosage forms with CET

Internal wettability investigation of mesoporous silica materials by ellipsometric porosimetry

Silica-based mesoporous films have been widely applied in the fabrication of advanced functional materials, such as anti-reflective coatings, bio-, and chemical sensing devices, due to their unique properties, e.g., high surface area, controlled porosity, and the ease and tailorability of their synthesis. Precise knowledge of their pore architecture is crucial, highlighting the need for accurate characterization tools. In this sense, ellipsometric porosimetry represents a powerful and versatile characterization platform, providing access to reliable information about total porosity, pore size, pore size dispersity, mechanical properties (Young's modulus) and surface area of a great variety of mesoporous thin films. While the underlying framework of modeling capillary condensation via the Kelvin equation is well established, one descriptor, the internal wettability of mesoporous architectures remains a challenging variable for reliable material characterization. Wetting on the nanoscale cannot be observed via the traditional drop-shape method, while approximating internal wetting by the macroscopic property can be inaccurate as the two wetting behaviors do not necessarily correlate. Herein, we present a method based on vacuum ellipsometric porosimetry for the determination of the internal contact angle of functionalized mesoporous silica thin films. Tuning of the surface energy for a known mesoporous architecture by methyl-functionalization enabled us to relate differences in the pore filling for various adsorptives (water, methanol, toluene, cyclohexane) to their internal contact angles. Our study serves as a guide for generalized internal contact angle determination suitable for a wide range of organic adsorptives and mesoporous sorbent materials

Innovative Educational Approach in Healthcare-Associated Infection Prevention and Control. Results of a European Study

Prevent and control healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is a priority in healthcare assistance, not only due to present COVID-19 pandemic. Annually, around 3.2 million patients are affected by one of these infections and it is estimated that without controlling them, by 2050, 10 million more people could die every year, with especial relevance among elderly with infectious situations representing a third of mortality in people over 65 years old. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in healthcare area have an important role in this panorama, by preparing students to be future professionals, stimulating them to have an innovative and entrepreneurial approach to today’s real-life challenges. A mixed-methods research was conducted, at European level (in Portugal, Finland, Poland and Spain), to facilitate learning of good practices on HAIs prevention and control while developing innovative solutions. 1475 participants were enrolled, from all partner HEI: 79 professors and mentors were interviewed (individual or focus group), 1326 final year nursing students made a self-report inventory (application of InovSafeCare Scale) and 70 students participated on focus group (agile piloting of the Model). The result of this research is a pedagogical model that mixes dimensions and methods that take nursing students closer to the demands of HAIs prevention and control and capacitates them to transfer knowledge to work settings with an innovative and entrepreneurial perspective – the InovSafeCare Model.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

PROCES KSZTAŁCENIA W ZAKRESIE PROFILAKTYKI I KONTROLI ZAKAŻEŃ ZWIĄZANYCH Z OPIEKĄ ZDROWOTNĄ W EUROPEJSKICH INSTYTUCJACH SZKOLNICTWA WYŻSZEGO – BADANIE JAKOŚCIOWE

[EN] Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) affect the lives of patients through prolonged stay in hospital, illness, or even death, incurring signifi cant costs to both healthcare systems and society. Research shows that during a stay in a hospital, approximately 20% to 30% of patients are diagnosed with at least one infection. Openness, fi ne interpersonal and communication skills as well as adequate opportunities for training courses for healthcare staff contribute to promoting HCAI/HAI prevention. HCAI/HAI-related education should contribute to widening knowledge and mastering practical skills. It is assumed that lecturers, professional instructors, and coordinators create a signifi cant foundation for professional development and social interactions by applying interactive pedagogical models. [POL] Zakażenia związane z opieką zdrowotną (Healthca- re associated infections, HCAI) wpływają na życie pacjentów poprzez przedłużony pobyt w szpitalu, chorobę, a nawet śmierć, powodując znaczne koszty zarówno dla systemów opieki zdrowotnej, jak i spo- łeczeństwa. Badania pokazują, że podczas pobytu w szpitalu u około 20% do 30% pacjentów diagnozuje się co najmniej jedną infekcję Otwarte podejście, wysokie umiejętności interpersonalne i komu- nikacyjne, a także odpowiednie możliwości szkoleń dla personelu medycznego przyczyniają się do promowania profi laktyki HCAI/ HAI. Kształcenie w zakresie HCAI/HAI powinno przyczynić się do poszerzenia wiedzy i opanowania praktycznych umiejętności. Zakłada się, że wykładowcy, profesjonalni instruktorzy, koordy- natorzy tworzą istotne podstawy rozwoju zawodowego i interakcji społecznych poprzez stosowanie interaktywnych modeli pedago- gicznych

Nursing Students' Perceptions on Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention Teaching and Learning Experience: Development and Validation of a Scale in Four European Countries

[EN] Healthcare-associated infections are one of the major concerns worldwide. This study presents the development and the validation process of the InovSafeCare scale and aimed at identifying and measuring the ecosystem variables related to healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) prevention and control practices in European nurse students. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to (1) elaborate an item pool related to the educational environment, the healthcare setting environment, and the attitudes, beliefs, and performance of the nursing students regarding HCAI prevention and control and (2) analyze psychometric properties of the scale using factor analysis. The validated InovSafeCare scale was applied to undergraduate nursing students of five European Higher Education Institutions. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method with SMART-PLS3 software was used. The study sample consists of 657 nursing students, who responded a self-report inventory. From the analyzed data were identified 14 factors. The InovSafeCare scale reveals good validity and reliability of the dimensions in different European countries

Nursing Students' Perceptions on Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention Teaching and Learning Experience: Development and Validation of a Scale in Four European Countries

Healthcare-associated infections are one of the major concerns worldwide. This study presents the development and the validation process of the InovSafeCare scale and aimed at identifying and measuring the ecosystem variables related to healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) prevention and control practices in European nurse students. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to (1) elaborate an item pool related to the educational environment, the healthcare setting environment, and the attitudes, beliefs, and performance of the nursing students regarding HCAI prevention and control and (2) analyze psychometric properties of the scale using factor analysis. The validated InovSafeCare scale was applied to undergraduate nursing students of five European Higher Education Institutions. The partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method with SMART-PLS3 software was used. The study sample consists of 657 nursing students, who responded a self-report inventory. From the analyzed data were identified 14 factors. The InovSafeCare scale reveals good validity and reliability of the dimensions in different European countries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nursing Students’ Perceptions on Healthcare-Associated Infection Control and Prevention Teaching and Learning Experience in Portugal

Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are one of the major concerns worldwide, posing significant challenges to healthcare professionals’ education and training. This study intended to measure nursing students’ perceptions regarding their learning experiences on HAI prevention and control. In the first phase of the study, a cross-sectional and descriptive study with a convenience sample composed of undergraduate nursing students from Portugal, Spain, Poland, and Finland was conducted to develop the InovSafeCare questionnaire. In the second phase, we applied the InovSafeCare scale in a sample of nursing students from two Portuguese higher education institutions to explore which factors impact nursing students’ adherence to HAI prevention and control measures in clinical settings. In phase one, the InovSafeCare questionnaire was applied to 1326 students internationally, with the instrument presenting adequate psychometric qualities with reliability results in 14 dimensions. During phase two, the findings supported that Portuguese nursing students’ adherence to HAI prevention and control measures is influenced not only by the curricular offerings and resources available in academic settings, but also by the standards conveyed by nursing tutors during clinical placements. Our findings support the need for a dedicated curricular focus on HAI prevention and control learning, not only through specific classroom modules, innovative resources, and pedagogical approaches, but also through a complementary and coordinated liaison between teachers and tutors in academic and clinical settings.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pristine and Graphene-Quantum-Dots-Decorated Spinel Nickel Aluminate for Water Remediation from Dyes and Toxic Pollutants

Pristine nickel aluminate and the one decorated with graphene quantum dots were prepared via a cost-effective co-precipitation method. Both were fully characterized by thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV−Vis techniques. The photocatalytic activity of nickel aluminate under simulated solar light irradiation was demonstrated towards potential pollutants, including a series of dyes (rhodamine B, quinoline yellow, eriochrome black T, methylene blue), toxic phenol and fungicide (thiram). Further profound enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of nickel aluminate was achieved after its decoration with graphene quantum dots. The mechanism of the photocatalytic degradation in the presence of the NiAl2O4/graphene quantum dots (GQDs) composite was investigated; hydroxyl radicals were found to play the leading role. This work offers new insight into the application of the conjunction of the inorganic spinel and the carbon nanostructure (i.e., GQDs), but also provides a simple and highly efficient route for potential water remediation from common pollutants, including dyes and colorless harmful substances