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Agomelatine (AGM) is an effective antidepressant with low oral bioavailability due to intensive hepatic metabolism. Transdermal administration of agomelatine may increase its bioavailability and reduce the doses necessary for therapeutic effects. However, transdermal delivery requires crossing the stratum corneum barrier. For this purpose, the use of microneedles may increase the efficiency of administration. The aim of this study was to prepare an agomelatine-loaded hydrogel suitable for coating microneedles for the transdermal drug delivery of AGM. The optimized formulations were subjected to spectroscopic and rheological characterization and mechanical tests, as well as tested for release through an artificial membrane and permeation through human skin ex vivo. Both hydrogels were found to have suitable parameters for coating microneedles using the dip-coating method, including the stability of the substance at the process temperature, shear-thinning behavior, and appropriate textural parameters such as adhesion or hardness. Additionally, two formulations were tested for potential application to the skin alone because the gels showed suitable mechanical properties for the skin application. In this case, the ethanol gel was characterized by higher skin permeability and better spreadability. The information obtained in this study will allow the preparation of coated microneedles for the transdermal administration of agomelatine.

This study investigates the energy consumption characteristics of desktop-sized Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printers, focusing on variations in energy usage and operational efficiency across different models. The results demonstrate a correlation between machine parameters and energy efficiency during the processing of PLA material. Notably, machines capable of producing identical components in shorter durations tend to consume more electricity, despite utilizing a lower volume of thermoplastic material. Furthermore, the research underscores the substantial impact of specific technological factors, such as the use of rafts, on energy consumption assessments. Relying solely on estimated manufacturing time and material volume to determine manufacturing costs may yield imprecise results, especially amid rising electricity prices. This study emphasizes the need for standardized energy metrics to enable more informed comparisons for consumers.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of ethanol on the properties of acrylic-urethane resin products obtained by vat photopolymerization using the masked stereolithography method. The effect of alcohol at concentrations of 15, 25, and 35% in the resin on the chemical structure, weight, thickness of the samples, and mechanical properties in static tabltensile tests performed immediately after printing and one month later were studied. The results obtained were evaluated in terms of the use of ethanol as a cosolvent to help load the resin with agomelatine for the potential of obtaining microneedle transdermal systems. It was shown that in terms of stability of properties, the most favorable system was resin with the addition of alcohol at a concentration of 15%. The greatest changes induced by the presence of the solvent in the resin were observed in the case of tensile properties, where the alcohol caused a decrease in the plasticity of the material, reducing the relative elongation at break from 14% for the pure resin to 4% when the alcohol concentration was 35%. Young’s modulus and tensile strength also decreased with the addition of alcohol by 18% and 31%, respectively, for testable samples with the maximum amount of alcohol in the resin. The deterioration in properties is most likely related to the effect of the solvent on the radical polymerization process of the resin, particularly the phenomenon of chain transfer to the solvent, which is important in view of the intended application of the developed material.

This paper presents the outcomes of investigations conducted on the development procedure of a personalized prosthetic device for an adult patient. The individualization is achieved through 3D scanning, followed by semi-automated design using the AutoMedPrint system, and low-cost fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology for 3D printing. The prosthesis is aimed for use during bicycle riding and other sport activities. During the conducted experiments outlined in this manuscript, the prosthesis is equipped with force and movement sensors. The purpose is to collect data on its functionality across different scenarios and dynamic activities, aiming to assess potential harm, refine the design, and serve as an initial step before activating the prosthesis end effector. This article describes the methodology in detail, including the process of designing, producing, and programming, as well as laboratory and field test results (including testing performed with and without a patient). Overall, the design and prototype are implemented successfully. A discussion about the need for particular improvements in both the mechanical and electrical areas is finally presented.

The necessity for undertaking this research is driven by the prevailing challenges encountered in logistic centers. This study addresses a logistic order-picking issue involving unidirectional conveyors and buffers, which are assigned to racks and pickers with the objective of minimizing the makespan. Subsequently, two variations of a two-step matheuristic approach are proposed as solution methodologies. These matheuristics entail decomposing the primary order-picking problem into two subproblems. In the initial step, the problem of minimizing the free time for pickers/buffers is solved, followed by an investigation into minimizing order picking makespan. An experimentation phase is carried out across three versions of a distribution center layout, wherein one or more pickers are allocated to one or more buffers, spanning 120 test instances. The research findings indicate that employing a mathematical programming-based technique holds promise for yielding solutions within reasonable computational timeframes, particularly when distributing products to consumers with limited product variety within the order. Furthermore, the proposed technique offers the advantages of expediency and simplicity, rendering it suitable for adoption in the process of designing and selecting order-picking systems.

Materials based on photocurable resins and pharmaceutically active agents (APIs) are gaining interest as a composite drug delivery system. In this study, a composite of caffeine with acrylic resin was obtained using an additive manufacturing method of digital light processing (DLP) as a potential material for transdermal drug delivery. The mechanical properties of the composites and the ability to release caffeine from the resin volume in an aqueous environment were investigated. The amount of caffeine in the resulting samples before and after release was evaluated using a gravimetric method. The global thresholding method was also evaluated for its applicability in examining caffeine release from the composite. It was shown that as the caffeine content increased, the strength properties worsened and the ability to release the drug from the composite increased, which was caused by negligible interfacial interactions between the hydrophilic filler and the hydrophobic matrix. The global thresholding method resulted in similar caffeine release rate values compared to the gravimetric method but only for samples in which the caffeine was mainly located near the sample surface. The distribution of caffeine throughout the sample volume made it impossible to assess the caffeine content of the sample using global thresholding.