Search

As pregnant individuals have traditionally been excluded from clinical trials, there is a gap in knowledge at the time of drug approval regarding safety, efficacy, and appropriate dosing for most prescription medications used during pregnancy. Physiologic changes in pregnancy can result in changes in pharmacokinetics that can impact safety or efficacy. This highlights the need to foster further research and collection of pharmacokinetic data in pregnancy to ensure appropriate drug dosing in pregnant individuals. Therefore, the US Food and Drug Administration and the University of Maryland Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation hosted a workshop on May 16 and 17, 2022, titled "Pharmacokinetic Evaluation in Pregnancy." This is a summary of the workshop proceedings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pregnancy is a unique physiological state that results in many changes in bodily function, including cellular, metabolic, and hormonal changes. These changes can have a significant impact on the way small‐molecule drugs and monoclonal antibodies (biologics) function and are metabolized, including efficacy, safety, potency, and adverse effects. In this article, we review the various physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy and their effects on drug and biologic metabolism, including changes in the coagulation, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine, hepatic, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Additionally, we discuss how these changes can affect the processes of drug and biologic absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (pharmacokinetics), and how drugs and biologics interact with biological systems, including mechanisms of drug action and effect (pharmacodynamics) during pregnancy, as well as the potential for drug‐induced toxicity and adverse effects in the mother and developing fetus. The article also examines the implications of these changes for the use of drugs and biologics during pregnancy, including consequences of suboptimal plasma drug concentrations, effect of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of biologics, and the need for careful monitoring and individualized drug dosing. Overall, this article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the physiologic changes during pregnancy and their effects on drug and biologic metabolism to improve the safe and effective use of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional techniques for identifying heavy metal ions in water are laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, it is necessary to create innovative sensing technologies that can detect with greater sensitivity and speed. Although there have been reports of optical-based assays utilising fluorescent nanomaterials, these assays usually rely on variations in signal strength. However, this approach has significant drawbacks when it comes to environmental monitoring. Fluorescence carbon dots (CDs) have been prepared by facile synthesis from Blood berries. A homemade heavy metal optical detector is constructed to accurately identify heavy metal ions, exclusively Cr6+ ions in a water medium. Their optical emission signature varies based on the specific chromium ions in solution, and the emission intensity also changes depending on its concentration. The quenching behaviour is attributed to the interaction between the metallic cations and the fluorescent surface states of the carbon dots. Another application is the encapsulation of CDs in PVDF polymer to form a flexible film and use it as a phosphor for LED conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lithium aluminosilicate system (LAS) is being explored for almost seven decades due to its anomalous and attractive properties (especially low/negative thermal expansion and fast ion conduction) and its commercial significance in consumer as well as strategic sectors. This review introduces current commercial applications of LAS systems, necessary background science, structural features of different LAS crystal systems, including their polymorphs and solid-solutions, and the origin of unusual properties. Significant emphasis is provided on processing transparent, nanocrystalline, low thermal expansion glass-ceramic (LEGC), the role of chemical constituents and additives, the effect of heat-treatment, and microstructural evolution while processing LEGC. Detailed discussions are provided on the following areas: LAS matrix composites, chemical strengthening of glass and glass-ceramic, low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) and associated joining technologies (hydrolysis catalysis bonding, anodic bonding, brazing, etc.) that would further extend the application portfolio of LAS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) with high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance form an inevitable component in optoelectronic devices. Undoped SnO2 and Li (0 to 3 wt%): F (5 wt%) co-doped SnO2 films were deposited onto glass substrates using spray pyrolysis technique and are explored as alternative TCEs. Film crystallinity is found to improve upon co-doping with Li and F. Granular surface morphology is observed in the deposited films and least surface roughness of 25.1 nm is observed for Li (1 wt%): F (5 wt%) co-doped SnO2 thin film. The direct optical bandgap values of the films estimated using Tauc plot are in the range 3.02–3.21 eV. The Li (1 wt%): F (5 wt%) co-doped SnO2 thin film exhibits highest average optical transmittance around 90% at 550 nm. Photoluminescence emission measurements indicate the presence of oxygen vacancy defects which are estimated using Smakula's formula. The observed variation in sheet resistance is attributed to replacement of Sn atoms at the cationic sites in addition to the F atoms occupying the anionic sites, thereby creating deep donor levels. The high figure of merit value (378 × 10−6 Ω−1) indicates improved balance between transmittance and sheet resistance for Li (1 wt%): F (5 wt%) co-doped SnO2 film. The observed results advocate further exploration of the properties of Li:F co-doped SnO2 thin films toward potential alternative TCE system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]