Effect of resonant acoustic mixing on pharmaceutical powder blends and tablets

The blending performance in a resonant acoustic mixer (RAM) was characterized. The system showed to be highly effective in blending low concentrations of cohesive active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and lubricants. A summary of these results will be described and changes in material properties were observed. Those changes, and their effects on tablet characteristics, were also studied. Changes in particle size, powder flow properties, and hydrophobicity of the blend were investigated. Tablets were then compressed, using a tablet press simulator, and characterized. The tableting compression force, tablet hardness, tablet weight, and tablet dissolution were considered. Results indicated that the powder blend material properties and tablet characteristics were significantly affected by acceleration (mixing intensity), blending time, and thus, total energy input. The RAM was shown to be an excellent choice for blending low concentrations of cohesive APIs, but care must be taken when blending hydrophobic lubricants because the high-energy input can adversely affect the final tablet properties such as hardness and dissolution. In addition, the material properties of the blends and tablets were correlated to the total energy input. These correlations demonstrated that total energy, in the RAM, determines, and can be used to predict, the performance of final blends and finished product

Feasibility study of terahertz time-domain measurement to monitor individual layer thickness of bilayer tablets

Individual layer weight control is a critical issue for bilayer tablets during manufacturing process. Despite its importance for ensuring product content uniformity, few studies have investigated the possibility of developing a process analytical technology (PAT) tool to monitor the individual layer control. We introduced the use of Terahertz time-domain measurement because of its fast measurement to be inline/online. Its feasibility was then investigated to measure individual layer thickness for bilayer tablets. The design of experiment included API concentration, excipient type, and layer weight ratio. Tablets were scanned in Terahertz region and refractive index was measured. The predicted values from the measurement were compared to the reference. This study has shown that successful measurements are statistically consistent with the reference for each individual layer and accuracy can be even higher if measurements were taken both sides. Measurement failure scenario is also presented. Based on results, the potential possibility for Terahertz time-domain measurement to be a PAT tool for bilayer tablets is discussed

Mixing of Non-Newtonian Fluids in Steadily Forced Systems

We investigate mixing in a viscoelastic and shear-thinning fluid—a very common combination in polymers and suspensions. We find that competition between elastic and viscous forces generates self-similar mixing, lobe transport, and other characteristics of chaos. The mechanism by which chaos is produced is evaluated both in experiments and in a simple model. We find that chaotic flow is generated by spontaneous oscillations, the magnitude and frequency of which govern the extent of chaos and mixing

Organizational Creativity Management: Discussion Elements

Este artigo propõe trabalhar com o conceito teórico de gestão da criatividade ao promover uma reflexão demarcada por incentivar relações de trabalho que envolvam indivíduos criativos e lideranças criativas em atitudes que fomentem uma cultura criativa. Tal análise considera a criatividade como um precursor da inovação e avalia-a como capaz de melhorar a competitividade organizacional, haja vista que, aqui, criatividade é entendida como um fenômeno social. A discussão aborda condições e características relacionadas ao indivíduo, à liderança e à cultura. O gerenciamento da criatividade é o componente de uma grade gerencial voltado para interferir em contextos internos e externos da organização ao rever práticas desviantes e divergentes ao estimulo de seus processos criativos. O desenvolvimento da criatividade ao longo do tempo é ilustrado por um conceito chamado de espiral da criatividade. Em conclusão, analisar a criatividade como algo que é produzido coletivamente e tem elementos gerenciáveis aumenta a capacidade de tomar decisões que estimulam a criatividade, permitindo que esta seja gerenciada no nível coletivo

Flowsheet modeling of the compression step of a continuous wet granulation production line

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Circulating small dense LDL, endothelial injuring factors and fibronectin in healthy postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND: In postmenopausal women (PMW), an adverse lipoprotein pattern and high risk of coronary artery disease has been described. Studies of the mechanisms promoting the higher atherogenic risk observed in healthy PMW are relevant. We evaluated the interactions among several circulating factors involved in the endothelial injury and inflammation in relation to LDL characteristics, beyond LDL cholesterol. METHODS: Lipoprotein profile, including apolipoproteins A-I and B, small dense LDL, hepatic lipase, cholesterol transfer protein (CETP), LDL composition and oxidability were assessed in PMW (n=30) in comparison to premenopausal (PreMW, n=28). The following emerging factors were measured: homocysteine, phospholipase A2, ferritin, hs-CRP and fibronectin from extracellular vascular matrix. Insulin-resistance was evaluated by waist circumference, HOMA and TG/HDL cholesterol ratios. RESULTS: The risk index apo B/apo A-I was significantly increased in PMW (p<0.0001), PMW showed higher proportion of small dense LDL which correlated with the increase in hepatic lipase activity (p<0.005) and with insulin-resistance markers (p<0.05), but not with CETP. Phospholipase A2 (p<0.05), homocysteine (p<0.005), hs-CRP (p<0.005), fibronectin (p<0.05) and ferritin (p<0.0001) were increased in PMW. LDL oxidability positively correlated with waist (p<0.02), homocysteine (p<0.05), fibronectin (p<0.05), hs-CRP (p<0.04), phospholipase A2 (p<0.05), and small dense LDL (p<0.01). After adjusting by menopausal condition, age and waist, LDL oxidability remained associated with waist (beta: 0.35, p=0.047), homocysteine (beta: 0,36 p<0,038), fibronectin (beta: 0,41 p=0.05), and small dense LDL (beta: 0.36, p=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of classic and non-traditional circulating risk factors in hypoestrogenism reflected endothelial and subendothelial inflammation and subclinical atherogenic processes.Fil: Muzzio, Maria Luz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Berg, Gabriela Alicia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Zago, Valeria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; ArgentinaFil: Basilio, F.. Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos Carlos Durand; ArgentinaFil: Sanguinetti, Silvia M.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Graciela Ines. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Brites, Fernando Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Wikinski, Regina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; ArgentinaFil: Schreier, Laura Ester. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica; Argentin

GESTÃO DA CRIATIVIDADE NUM ECOSSISTEMA DE INOVAÇÃO

As empresas oferecem produtos e serviços aperfeiçoados pelo uso de novas tecnologias e potencialização da criatividade para a geração de ideias inovadoras, em que indivíduos e organizações se organizam de forma integrada e sistêmica para desenvolver um ecossistema dirigido para inovação, o qual absorve conhecimentos especializados que dão suporte à inovação de produtos e serviços. Os ecossistemas de inovação estimulam a criatividade pela possibilidade de intercâmbio de saberes, experiências e recursos. O Porto Digital localizado na cidade do Recife constitui um desses ecossistemas inovadores que funciona por meio da conectividade entre os intervenientes no esforço de compartilhar conhecimento e promover a criatividade e inovação, o que exige a gestão da criatividade voltada para a inovação e competitividade de seus produtos e serviços