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Approximate Bayesian computation refers to a family of algorithms that perform Bayesian inference under intractable likelihoods. In this paper we propose replacing the distance metric in certain algorithms with hypothesis testing. The benefits of which are that summary statistics are no longer required and censoring can be present in the observed data set without needing to simulate any censored data. We illustrate our proposed method through a nanotechnology application in which we estimate the concentration of particles in a liquid suspension. We prove that our method results in an approximation to the true posterior and that the parameter estimates are consistent. We further show, through comparative analysis, that it is more efficient than existing methods for censored data.

Phoretic motion of particles along a temperature gradient formed in a fluid, known as thermophoresis, often takes place under the influence of bulk motion caused by thermal convection. In this paper, using a laser heating method, the significance of two competing effects, that is, thermophoresis and thermal convection, for the particle transport in a liquid phase confined in a microgap is investigated experimentally by changing the gap size as a control parameter. It is found that there is a threshold of the gap size, above which the particles tend to accumulate around the heated spot, forming a ring-like particle distribution. On the contrary, if the gap size is below the threshold, the particles are depleted from the heated spot. Switching between these accumulation and depletion modes is expected to develop novel manipulation techniques.

Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. is one of the unique monocotyledonous perennial plant species belonging to the ginger (Zingiberaceae) family. Locally known as ‘Temu Kunci’ in Malaysia and Indonesia, this medicinal plant has been widely used in Asian dishes, particularly as a condiment or as traditional natural medicines. The important medicinal properties of B. rotunda majorly derived from flavonoids which are highly sought as pharmaceuticals. In this study, culture conditions for the growth of adventitious roots in liquid suspension cultures were optimized. The highest adventitious root production was achieved when cultured with initial inoculum density of 1.5 g and pH value at 5.8 after five weeks of culture. HPLC analysis discovered that production of valuable flavonoid compounds (pinostrobin, cardamonin and panduratin A) was significantly higher when the adventitious roots were cultured with initial inoculum density of 1.5 g whereas the initial pH medium did not significantly affect flavonoid production.

Multiplex detection of microRNAs is highly desirable in trace analysis of clinical samples for early-stage disease diagnosis. In the present study, we report a new liquid suspension nano-chip technology for multiplex detection of microRNAs by detecting side scatter and fluorescence signals of molecular beacon-modified polystyrene nanoparticles, simultaneously. Polystyrene nanoparticles were encoded by distinguished intensity of scattered light with tunable sizes (120 nm, 200 nm and 280 nm). In the proposed detection system, the fluorescence of 5-carboxyfluorescein was recovered due to the structure change of molecular beacons from hairpin to rod-like shape caused by the hybridization of target microRNAs. The well-designed liquid suspension nano-chip system enabled quantitative detection of three colorectal cancer-related microRNAs with low limits of detection and high sensitivity. More importantly, for simulated clinical samples, three random mixed microRNAs were simultaneously detected by accurately decoding the scattering intensity of polystyrene nanoparticles of different sizes and quantitatively analyzed by fluorescence intensity. This technology provides a washing-free, sensitive, convenient and small loading volume strategy for detecting clinical multiplex nucleic acid samples.

Microbiomes are typically characterised by high species diversity but it is poorly understood how such system-level complexity can be generated and propagated. Here, we used soils as a relevant model to study microbiome development. Despite inherent stochastic variation in manipulating species-rich communities, both laboratory-mixed medium complexity (21 soil bacterial isolates in equal proportions) and high-diversity natural top-soil communities followed highly reproducible succession paths, maintaining distinct soil microbiome signatures. Development trajectories and compositional states were different for communities propagated in soils than in liquid suspension. Microbiome states were maintained over multiple renewed growth cycles but could be diverged by short-term pollutant exposure. The different but robust trajectories demonstrated that deterministic taxa-inherent characteristics underlie reproducible development and self-organized complexity of soil microbiomes within their environmental boundary conditions. Our findings also have direct implications for potential strategies to achieve controlled restoration of desertified land.TEASERSpecies-rich soil microbiomes grow and propagate reproducibly despite inherent stochastic complexity, paving the way for soil restoration.

The performance of a spouted bed in drying a liquid suspension of calcium carbonate was evaluated through the analysis of particle size distributions of the products recovered from differen...

Objectives: To develop and to study the physicochemical and microbiological stability of omeprazole liquid oral formulations used as therapeutic agent in many acid-related disorders, for pediatric use. Furthermore, to optimize and validate a stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the analysis of omeprazole in the studied formulations. Method: Oral liquid suspensions of omeprazole were prepared at 2 mg/mL using crushed omeprazole pellets (formulation A) and pure omeprazole (formulation B) with a complete vehicle including humectant, suspending, sweetening, antioxidant, and flavoring agents. Samples were stored at 4°C and 25°C. Omeprazole content of each formulation was analyzed in triplicate using micro-HPLC at 0, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 days. Other parameters were also determined, such as appearance, pH, resuspendibility, and viscosity. Microbiological studies were conducted according to the United Stated Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines for non-sterile products. Results: Formulation A stayed physicochemical and microbiologically stable at refrigerated (4°C) conditions during at least 150 days and it only stayed stable during 14 days at 25°C. Formulation B was stayed physicochemical and microbiologically stable at refrigerated (4°C) conditions at least 90 days, but it is not recommended to store at 25°C for more than 1 day. Conclusions: Formulation A and formulation B can be stored for at least 150 and 90 days, respectively, at refrigerated conditions. Formulation A can be stored at room temperature for 14 days. Both formulations are perfectly suitable for pediatric patients who are usually notable to swallow solid oral formulations. The proposed analytical method was suitable for the study of stability of different formulations.

ViroStatics is a privately held small pharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing novel compounds for a multifaceted treatment of cancers and viral diseases and focuses on novel, selective, host cell kinase targeted inhibitors in its state-of-the-art Biological Safety Level 3 Laboratory. The company has strong expertise in testing drugs, natural substances, disinfectants, or any material for activity against SARS-CoV-2, either in liquid suspension or aerosol.

Cell plating, the spreading out of a liquid suspension of cells on a surface followed by colony growth, is a common laboratory procedure in microbiology. Despite this, the exact impact of its parameters on colony growth has not been extensively studied. A common protocol involves the shaking of glass beads within a Petri dish containing solid growth media. We investigated the effects of multiple parameters in this protocol: the number of beads, the shape of movement, and the number of movements. Standard suspensions of Escherichia coli were spread while varying these parameters to assess their impact on colony growth. Results were assessed by a variety of metrics: the number of colonies, the mean distance between closest colonies, and the variability and uniformity of their spatial distribution. Finally, we devised a mathematical model of shifting billiard to explain the heterogeneities in the observed spatial patterns. Exploring the parameters that affect the most fundamental techniques in microbiology allows us to better understand their function, giving us the ability to precisely control their outputs for our exact needs.

Interspecific interactions are thought to govern the stability and functioning of microbial communities, but the influence of the spatial environment and its structural connectivity on the potential of such interactions to unfold remain largely unknown. Here we studied the effects on community growth and microbial diversity as a function of environmental connectivity, where we define environmental connectivity as the degree of habitat fragmentation preventing microbial cells from living together. We quantitatively compared growth of a naturally-derived high microbial diversity community from soil in a completely mixed liquid suspension (high connectivity) to growth in a massively fragmented and poorly connected environment (low connectivity). The low connectivity environment consisted of homogenously-sized miniature agarose beads containing random single or paired founder cells. We found that overall community growth was the same in both environments, but the low connectivity environment dramatically reduced global community-level diversity compared to the high connectivity environment. Experimental observations were supported by community growth modeling. The model predicts a loss of diversity in the low connectivity environment as a result of negative interspecific interactions becoming more dominant at small founder species numbers. Counterintuitively for the low connectivity environment, growth of isolated single genotypes was less productive than that of random founder genotype cell pairs, suggesting that the community as a whole profited from emerging positive interspecific interactions. Our work demonstrates the importance of environmental connectivity for growth of natural soil microbial communities, which aids future efforts to intervene in or restore community composition to achieve engineering and biotechnological objectives., Manupriyam Dubey et al. use experimental systems with naturally derived soil microbiomes in liquid suspensions and encapsulated beads to compare community dynamics in well-connected and poorly connected environments. While their results show that microbial growth does not vary between conditions, they report that low connectivity led to reduced microbial diversity and suggest that these reductions in microbial diversity may be due to increased negative interspecific interactions.

Fat grafting has been extensively applied as natural filler and has been very promising in restoring volume loss. Lipografting has also been credited to reduce age-related skin changes due to the regenerative potential of adipose derived stem cells. Cell-mediated therapies in plastic surgery are rapidly evolving with growing applications. Nanofat, a bio-regenerative liquid suspension rich in stromal vascular fraction cells without viable adipocytes, has been described as an efficient cutaneous anti-aging therapy. We have published in 2013 a review entitled "stem cell facelift: between reality and fiction." Available clinical evidence at that time did not substantiate marketing and promotional claims of "stem cell facelift". The same year, the report about nanofat was published demonstrating striking clinical outcome. The current literature search is aimed at reviewing any evidence that has emerged since then regarding clinical efficacy of this modality.A thorough PICO tool-based comprehensive literature search of PubMed database for "the efficacy of nanofat cell-mediated anti-aging therapy" was conducted with a time frame from 2013 till present.Despite apparent increasing popularity of stem cell rejuvenation, well-controlled clinical studies about this modality are surprisingly very scarce. Only seven papers published after 2013 were identified and were included in this review CONCLUSION: Though considered to be a safe procedure, and despite documented histologic improvement and striking clinical outcome in some reports, available evidence can hardly support clinical improvement of skin quality. Before cell-mediated aesthetic rejuvenation applications can be routinely undertaken, more robust evidence with well-defined primary outcome end points and objective outcome measures is required.IV.

Based on the liquid suspension three-degree-of-freedom motor, the three-degree-of-freedom dynamic model of spherical bearing is established. The spatial distribution of the radial electromagnetic force is calculated. The results show that the second harmonic has the greatest influence on the motor vibration. At the same time, considering the roughness of rotor surface, the pressure distribution and film thickness distribution of oil film are calculated by the finite difference method. Through the finite element method, the force of the stator spherical shell and the rotor is analyzed when the rotor slips. Moreover, the oil film modal is calculated and it is found that the forward precession is stronger when the oil film whirls. Finally, the experimental platform is built. The vibration amplitude of the spherical bearing under the condition of normal operation and oil whirl was measured. By comparing the relationship between vibration amplitude and vibration frequency, it is found that oil whirl causes negative vibration growth of spherical bearing, which leads to dry friction between rotor and stator. It provides a good theoretical basis for the practical application and further optimization design of spherical bearing.

Currently, particle analysis of 2D materials in suspension is commonly restricted to microscopic techniques in the dry state, and thus does not permit an accurate investigation of colloidal suspensions. Colloids in bulk can be assessed by light scattering and diffraction to investigate features such as their hydrodynamic size, charge and concentration. However, the main drawback of such techniques lies in the application of analytical and computational methods based on models assuming particle sphericity which are not representative for 2D materials. Resonance mass measurement (RMM) is a technique which can enable the analysis of 2D materials in suspension without the assumptions of spherical models. Here, we report the application of RMM to measure particle mass and concentration for three types of graphene oxide (GO) aqueous dispersions. Using micro- and nano-suspended resonating sensors, we were able to decipher gravimetric differences between GO and graphitic materials. Our results support the urge for proper definitions and standardisations of graphene based materials, and offer a new method of characterisation for 2D material colloids in liquid suspension., This work was supported through a studentship offered by the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in the Science and Applications of Graphene and Related Nanomaterials (GrapheneNOWNANO CDT; EP/L01548X/1) within the Nanomedicine Lab at the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) and the National Graphene Institute, The University of Manchester, UK. The microscopy facilities at the FBMH EM Core Facility and the Bioimaging Facility and the Wellcome Trust were accessed in this study.

Author(s): Wizenberg, Sydney B; Weis, Arthur E; Campbell, Lesley G | Abstract: PremisePrecise pollen collection methods are necessary for crop breeding, but anemophilous pollen is notoriously difficult to capture and control. Here we compared a variety of methods for the controlled capture of cannabis pollen, intended to ease the process of cross-fertilization for breeding this wind-pollinated plant, and measured the utility of light spectroscopy for quantifying relative pollen yield.Methods and resultsIn two independent trials, we compared a control method of pollen collection (hand collection) to either vacuum-, water-, or bag-collection methods. We used visible light spectroscopy to quantify relative pollen yield, and validated this approach using microscopic pollen counts. We determined that pollen yield was highest when using hand collection or vacuum collection, but efficiency did not differ significantly among methods.ConclusionsTo maximize yield, pollen should be collected by hand or vacuum, but all collection methods were equally efficient in a relative sense because yield increased with collection time. We also found that light spectroscopy is an accurate and rapid method of quantifying pollen abundance (R 2 = 0.86) in a liquid suspension.

This chapter examines the state of the art and the application of agitator bead mills for cell disruption. Commercial high-speed bead mills have originally been constructed for the comminution of fine solids in thick, viscous suspensions down to the submicrometer range. The agitator has to accomplish the energy transfer to the grinding beads; therefore, its design is highly important for the grinding efficiency. Disk agitators are characterized by a number of disks fitted to the central shaft in a centric or eccentric position. Most of the mill manufacturers are producing both vertical and horizontal mills, in part with identical design of the grinding chamber and agitator. The task of a media separator is to retain the grinding beads in the chamber during operation while allowing continuous passage of slurry through the exit. The task of a high-speed agitator bead mill is to comminute particles or to disrupt microorganisms in a liquid suspension.

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent for anthrax, is a dangerous pathogen to humans and has a history as a bioterrorism agent. While sampling methods have been developed and evaluated for characterizing and clearing contaminated indoor sites, the performance of these sampling methods is unknown for use in outdoor environments. This paper presents surface sampling data for Bacillus atrophaeus spores, a surrogate for B. anthracis, from a 210-day outdoor study that evaluated the detection and recovery of spores using five different sampling methods as follows: sponge sticks, 37-mm vacuum filter cassettes, residential wet vacuums, robotic floor cleaners, and grab samples of soil, leaves, and grass. The spores were applied by spraying a liquid suspension onto the surfaces. Both asphalt and concrete surfaces were sampled by all the surface sampling methods, excluding grab sampling. Stainless steel coupons placed outdoors were additionally sampled using sponge sticks. Sampling methods differed in their ability to collect detectable spores over the duration of the study. The 37-mm vacuums and sponge sticks consistently detected spores on asphalt through day 37 and robots through day 99. The wet vacuums detected spores on asphalt for days 1 and 4, but not again until day 210. On concrete, all samplers detected spores until day 210 except for sponge stick samplers that detected spores only up until the day 99 time point. For all sampling methods, spore recoveries were higher from concrete than from asphalt surfaces. There was no statistically significant difference in recoveries of sponge sticks and 37-mm vacuums from either asphalt or concrete surfaces. Processing of grab samples was challenging due to non-target background microorganisms resulting in high detection limits for the samples.

An experimental research of the process of thermolysis of rubber waste at a steam temperature of 500° C was conducted. The characteristics of the obtained ash residue (carbon) in an amount of 33.8 wt.% partially meet the requirements of ISO 1867-75.6. and are comparable with the grade of carbon black P324. These characteristics include the specific surface (80 m2/ g) and the pH of the liquid suspension (7.84). At the same time, high value of the ash residue (18.44 wt.%) and sulfur (over 2 wt.%) was recorded in the obtained material. Elemental analysis of the ash showed a high content of Zn (56%) and Si (11%).

We present here a perspective detailing the current state-of-the-art technologies for the characterisation of nanoparticles (NPs) in liquid suspension. We detail the technologies involved and assess their applications in the determination of NP size and concentration. We also investigate the parameters that can influence the results and put forward a cause and effect analysis of the principle factors influencing the measurement of NP size and concentration by NP tracking analysis and dynamic light scattering, to identify areas where uncertainties in the measurement can arise. Also included are technologies capable of characterising NPs in solution, whose measurements are not based on light scattering. It is hoped that the manuscript, with its detailed description of the methodologies involved, will assist scientists in selecting the appropriate technology for characterising their materials and enabling them to comply with regulatory agencies’ demands for accurate and reliable NP size and concentration data., Graphical Abstract

A combined CFD–VOF–DPM method has been used to simulate bubble rising and coalescence phenomenon in low hold-upparticle–liquid suspension systems. The liquid is considered as the primary phase, while particles are considered as the discrete phase. Bubbles or bubble parcels are regarded as the gas phase modeled using the VOF method. On the basis of the independence analysis of grid and time-step sizes, the combined method predicts fluid dynamics accurately with slight discrepancy according to the validation with experimental results. Subsequently, three-phase hydrodynamics are systematically investigated and thoroughly discussed.

The emergence of oral targeted therapy in the management of non-small cell lung cancer with targetable oncogenes has led to significant improvements in progression-free survival, toxicity profile, and quality of life compared to intravenous chemotherapy. However, patients unable to swallow or with exclusive enteral feeding are left without alternative formulations for these targeted therapies given their availability only in tablet or capsule formulations. We report a case of a woman with metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer who was unable to swallow and was successfully treated with an oil-based alectinib liquid suspension.

Iron overload is a concern for patients who require chronic transfusions as a result of inherited or acquired anemias, including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes. Iron chelation therapy (ICT) is the primary treatment for iron overload in these patients. The ICT deferasirox, which has been available as an oral dispersible tablet for liquid suspension, is now also available as a once-daily, film-coated tablet (FCT). Deferasirox FCT allows greater convenience and may be associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects versus the original formulation. Dose adjustment increments, determined by titration monitoring, are lower for the FCT because of greater bioavailability.

A new nebulizer called NanoAerosol Generator (NAG) by Kanomax FMT, Inc. was evaluated experimentally in their performance in aerosolizing sub-100 nm particles and sub-10 nm protein molecules which cannot be aerosolized with conventional compressed-air jet nebulizers due to the interference by a number of residue particles. For the challenge particles, 29 nm-polystyrene latex (PSL) particles and bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein molecules were used as sub-100 nm and sub-10 nm test materials, respectively. For both particles, the aerosolization by the NAG was successful with a clear separation between the peak of the challenge particles and the peak of residual particles in the size distribution spectra. The size distributions of aerosolized 29 nm-PSL particles were compared between the NAG and an electrospray aerosol generator (EAG) with liquid samples of the same particle concentration. The EAG showed clearer separation of the PSL peak from the residual peak; on the other hand, the peak height was taller for the NAG by a factor of 6 than for the EAG, which indicated the generation of airborne particles from a liquid suspension/solution of the same concentration was more efficient for the NAG than for the EAG.

Increased use of biopesticides has spurred demand for efficient and effective delivery systems. To this goal, laboratory tests were conducted to investigate six different classes of biopesticides discharged from five different types of flat-fan nozzles, each with three flow capacities. The biopesticide classes were horticultural oil insecticide (HOI), bacterial biofungicide (BBF), botanical extract bio-insecticide (BEBI), liquid fungal bio-insecticide (FBI-ES), wettable powder fungal bio-insecticide (FBI-WP), and mineral salt biofungicide (MSBF). Droplet size distribution, spray pattern width, spray deposition, and coverage on plant leaves and water-sensitive paper (WSP) were the spray parameters tested. These parameters varied greatly with biopesticide class, nozzle type, and nozzle flow capacity. The DV0.5 of the biopesticides ranged from 75 to 519 µm for 0.76 L min-1 nozzles, from 86 to 509 µm for 1.51 L min-1 nozzles, and from 99 to 622 µm for 2.25 L min-1 nozzles. The use of different biopesticides with the same nozzle significantly altered the spray pattern width. Compared to a water-only solution, the largest change of spray pattern width was 14.7% for the air-induction nozzle (AI11004) discharging FBI-ES. The amount of spray deposited on plant leaves for all tested biopesticides (except HOI) did not vary significantly with different nozzle types. However, the air-induction nozzles produced the most uneven spray deposition patterns. Therefore, to achieve optimal spray application efficiency and effectiveness for discharging specific classes of biopesticide, the choice of the proper nozzle type and flow capacity is critical. Keywords: Biopesticide, Crop protection, Deposition, Droplet size, Spray coverage.

The existence of Marangoni flow in an evaporating pure water drop has remained an open question. In this study, we report the occurrence of Marangoni convection within a water drop resting on a copper rod as it evaporates into the air. Through careful preparation of the test liquid suspension, we have observed convective structures inside the water drop. We also developed a mathematical model representing the evaporation system and solved it numerically to further strengthen support for the experimental data. Our study is different from previous studies on droplet evaporation in the sense that we allowed the droplet to evaporate spontaneously in the normal laboratory condition without heating the substrate. The substrate was neither externally heated nor did radiation from the illumination light stimulate a Marangoni flow. The velocities in the midsection of the droplet were measured using particle tracking velocimetry in both the sessile and pendant configurations. The typical velocities in the center of the droplet were found to be 10 mm/s experimentally and even higher velocities (about double that) were predicted by the mathematical model. This high value stands out among the thermocapillary-driven flows observed in an autonomously evaporated drop of water under ambient conditions.

OBJECTIVE To determine drug content (potency) of compounded doxycycline formulations for veterinary use and of US FDA–approved doxycycline formulations for human use < 24 hours after receipt (day 1) and after 21 days of storage under recommended conditions (day 21). DESIGN Evaluation study. SAMPLE FDA-approved doxycycline tablets (100 mg), capsules (100 mg), and liquid suspension (10 mg/mL) and compounded doxycycline formulations from 3 pharmacies (tablets [25, 100, and 150 mg; 1 product/source], chews [100 mg; 1 product/source], and liquid suspensions or solution [6 mg/mL {2 sources} and 50 mg/mL {1 source}]). PROCEDURES Doxycycline content was measured in 5 samples of each tablet, chew, or capsule formulation and 5 replicates/bottle of liquid formulation on days 1 and 21 by liquid chromatography and compared with US Pharmacopeia acceptable ranges. RESULTS All FDA-approved formulations had acceptable content on days 1 and 21. On day 1, mean doxycycline content for the 3 compounded tablet formulations was 89%, 98%, and 116% (3/5, 5/5, and 1/5 samples within acceptable ranges); day 21 content range was 86% to 112% (1/5, 5/5, and 4/5 samples within acceptable ranges). Day 1 content of chews was 81%, 78%, and 98% (0/5, 0/5, and 5/5 samples within acceptable ranges), and that of compounded liquids was 50%, 52%, and 85% (no results within acceptable ranges). No chews or compounded liquid formulations met USP standards on day 21. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE FDA-approved doxycycline should be prescribed when possible. Whole tablets yielded the most consistent doxycycline content for compounded formulations.

As a new kind of solid/liquid suspension, nanofluid needs to be further explored since its measured thermal conductivity is significantly greater than the classic prediction when containing specially shaped particles, for instance nanorods. Various thermal conductivity models for spherical or tubular nanoparticles based nanofluid have been proposed, but none is specifically responsible for nanorod-based nanofluids. In this paper, a physical model of a nanorod with an interfacial layer in a fluid medium is split apart in axial and radial direction respectively to build various differential equations. And a new thermal conductivity model for nanorod based nanofluids is developed based on the combination of the analytic solutions of those differential equations. The allocation proportion of heat conduction in axial and radial directions in the present model is depended upon the ratio of the flanking and ends (top and bottom) surface area of the nanorod. Finally, the present model and some classic models are compared with the available experimental data retrieved for thermal conductivity of nanorod based nanofluids. And the comparison results show the present model achieves better precision.

Biological control with microorganisms is regarded as a promising control strategy against Botrytis bunch rot (BBR, grey mould) on grapes. Candida sake CPA-1 is a yeast that has previously shown a high efficacy against BBR in small-scale field trials. The present work aims to confirm this efficacy in commercial conditions and to evaluate the compatibility of C. sake with phytosanitary products that are commonly used in viticulture. The large-scale spray programmes (two to three applications in the growing season) were carried out in three field sites in Catalonia, North-East Spain, with different vineyard management styles. The overall reductions were in the ranges of 35 ± 5.7 to 64 ± 3.7% incidence, and 39 ± 17.5 to 85 ± 3.9% severity, compared to the control. Only four out of 39 phytosanitary products, tested in liquid suspension with C. sake, were incompatible with the yeast. The results demonstrated the potential of C. sake to become a reliable solution as a biocontrol product to be integrated in the control of BBR within the future.

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) fibres were printed from liquid suspension. The resulting fibres are highly conductive, with conductivity close to the one of standard CNT fibres, flexible and very versatile. The printed fibres are comparable to fibres that can be gained from direct spinning, carpet spinning and spinning from superacids, but offer broader range of composition and are simpler and safer to produce as no high-temperature equipment and dangerous chemicals need to be used. Any CNT material can be implemented, allowing the use of a variety of CNT structures, different densities of the fibres and various shapes for the final product. Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, Electrical conductivity, Macroassemblies, Fibre, Tape

Towards better imaging through fog for vehicles, we developed an off-axis spatiotemporally gated multimode laser scanning imaging system. Utilizing fog mimicking liquid suspension, we tested the imaging system with different levels of scattering. The experimental results suggest that the system can yield high quality images at seven scattering path lengths, which far exceeds the capability of conventional imaging systems. We also found that the multimode detection can not only make the system robust in the presence of aberration but also help to reduce the speckles in images for the case of coherent illumination.

One-third of the children who suffer from first-time wheezing are estimated to experience recurrences; however, no standard therapeutic strategy with which to prevent these recurrences currently exists. A few studies have compared the three drugs commonly used for the treatment of persistent asthma in children to identify the most effective one for preventing recurrent wheezing. In this study, in an aim to determine the most effective of these drugs, we recruited patients

Extemporaneous oral liquid preparations are commonly used when there is no commercially available dosage form for adjustable dosing. In most cases, there is a lack of stability data to allow for an accurately assigned shelf life and storage conditions to give greater confidence of product safety and efficacy over its shelf life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical, chemical and microbiological stability of an extemporaneous oral liquid suspension of losartan potassium, 5 mg/mL, used to treat paediatric hypertension in Our Lady&rsquo, s Children&rsquo, s Hospital Crumlin, Ireland. The losartan content of extemporaneous oral suspensions, prepared with and without addition of water, was measured by UV and confirmed by HPLC analysis. Suspensions were stored at 4 &deg, C and room temperature (RT) and were monitored for changes in, pH, colour, odour, re-dispersibility, Total Aerobic Microbial Count, Total Yeast and Mould Count and absence of E. coli. Results showed that suspensions prepared by both methods, stored at 4 &deg, C and RT, were physically and microbiologically stable over 28 days. Initial losartan content of all suspensions was lower than expected at 80&ndash, 81% and did not change significantly over the 28 days. HPLC and NMR did not detect degradation of losartan in the samples. Suspensions prepared in water showed 100% losartan content. The reduced initial losartan content was confirmed by HPLC and was related to the acidic pH of the suspension vehicle. Physiochemical properties of the drug are important factors for consideration in the selection of suspension vehicle for extemporaneous compounding of oral suspensions as they can influence the quality, homogeneity and efficacy of these preparations.

Microalgae can be used as a raw material for biodiesel production. Monitoring the lipid accumulation process of microalgae is crucial for optimizing the microalgae culture environment and the breeding of microalgae species with a high yield of lipid. Current methods for the detection of the lipid accumulation of microalgae are tedious and require trained professionals. Thus, a fast visual and intuitive approach for the detection of the lipid concentration of microalgae with a living status is desirable for microalgae culture and bioprocess control. In this study, a fast and nondestructive method based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) was proposed to obtain the concentration and distribution of microalgae lipids from liquid suspension culture. Several data preprocessing, regression and model development methods were tested. Savitzky-Golay data smoothing followed by a competitive adaptive reweighted sampling in a multiple linear regression model performed the best. Finally, a chemical map was provided to visualize the lipid distribution of microalgae in a suspension. The distribution map of microalgae lipids showed a dynamic process of lipid accumulation, which could be useful for the investigation of the mechanism of lipid accumulation in microalgae. Hyperspectral imaging is a promising approach to inspect the lipid concentration of microalgae in an intuitive way, which can be widely used for the screening of strains and monitoring the lipid production in microalgae industries.

Summary Objective Hydrocortisone via nasogastric (NG) tube is used in sick children with adrenal insufficiency; however, there is no licensed formulation for NG administration. Methods We investigated hydrocortisone recovery after passage through NG tubes in vitro for three formulations: liquid suspension, crushed tablets mixed with water, and hydrocortisone granules designed for oral administration to children. Cortisol was measured by LC‐MS/MS. Results Hydrocortisone content was variable and recovery low after preparation in syringe and prior to passage through NG tubes. For doses, 0.5 and 2.0 mg mean percentage recovery was as follows: liquid suspension 57% and 58%; crushed tablets 46% and 30%; and hydrocortisone granules 78% and 71%. Flushing the administering syringe increased recovery. Hydrocortisone recovery after passage with flushing through 6‐12Fr gauge NG tubes was variable: liquid suspension 61%‐92%, crushed tablets 40%‐174%, hydrocortisone granules 61%‐92%. Administration of hydrocortisone granules occluded 6 and 8Fr NG tubes; however, administration using a sampling needle to prevent granules being administered gave a recovery of 74%‐98%. Conclusions The administration of hydrocortisone through NG tubes is possible; however, current methods deliver a variable dose of hydrocortisone, generally less than that prescribed. Attention should be placed on the technique used to optimize drug delivery such as flushing of the administering syringe. Hydrocortisone granules block small NG tubes but behaved as well as the commonly used liquid suspension when prepared with a filtering needle that filters out granules.

The purpose of our study was to assess the efficiency of toothpaste 'Intensive strengthening of supersensitive teeth with nano-GAP' INNOVA and the suspension 'Liquid Enamel' INNOVA on the sensitivity of teeth with gingival recession. We examined 40 people aged 20-25 years. Each group consisted of 20 people: 10 women, 10 men. The first group (observations) used the paste and the suspension for 14 days, and the second group (comparisons) cleaned teeth only with a brush without a paste. Schiff aerial test was performed to assess the rate of hypersensitivity. As a result of the study, it was found that the combination of paste and liquid suspension with nano-hydroxyapatite for 14 days effectively reduced the hypersensitivity of the teeth with gingival recession that was shown by a statistically significant decrease in the Schiff index in the observation group. Thus, this combination is the method of choice in the treatment of hyperesthesia and can be used as an alternative substitute therapy.Цель исследования - изучение эффективности зубной пасты 'Интенсивное укрепление сверхчувствительных зубов с нано-ГАП' INNOVA и суспензии 'Жидкая эмаль' INNOVA на чувствительность зубов при рецессии десны. Нами были обследованы 40 человек в возрасте 20-25 лет. Каждая группа состояла из 20 человек: 10 женщин, 10 мужчин. 1-я группа (наблюдения) использовала на протяжении 14 дней пасту 'Интенсивное укрепление сверхчувствительных зубов с нано-ГАП' INNOVA и суспензию 'Жидкая эмаль' INNOVA, а 2-я группа (сравнения) чистила зубы только щеткой без пасты. Было проведено определение болевой чувствительности по результатам воздушной пробы Шиффа. В результате исследования установлено, что сочетание пасты и жидкой суспензии с нано-гидроксиапатитом в течение 14 дней эффективно снижает гиперчувствительность зубов при рецессии десны, о чем свидетельствует статистически достоверное снижение индекса Шиффа в группе наблюдения. Таким образом, данная комбинация является методом выбора при лечении гиперестезии и может быть использована в качестве альтернативной заместительной терапии.

Yan Li,1 Liangang Liu,2 Lian Huang,3 Xiaomin Wang,4 Matthew Hoffmann,4 Josephine Reyes,1 Maria Palmisano,1 Simon Zhou1 1Translational Development and Clinical Pharmacology, 2Biometrics and Data Operations, 3Pharmaceutical Science Drug Product Development, 4Non-Clinical Development, Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, USA Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioavailability of a pomalidomide oral liquid suspension relative to the commercial capsule formulation and to assess the food effect on the pomalidomide oral liquid suspension when administered as a single 4mg dose. Methods: This was an open-label, randomized, three-period, two-sequence crossover study in healthy subjects consisting of a screening phase, a baseline assessment phase, a treatment phase with three periods, and a follow-up phone call phase. Blood samples for pharmacokinetics (PK) assessment were collected up to 48h postdose during each treatment period. Safety was evaluated throughout the study. Results: Pomalidomide exposures were comparable in healthy subjects administered with a single oral 4mg dose as the reference capsule or as the test liquid suspension formulations, demonstrated as the 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratios for area under the plasma concentration–time curve calculated from time 0 to the last measurable concentration at time t (AUC0–t), area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), and peak (maximum) plasma drug concentration (Cmax) were completely contained within the bioequivalence range of 80–125%. Administration of the pomalidomide liquid suspension with a high fat meal resulted in a 3.0h delay in pomalidomide time to Cmax (tmax) and an ~ 34.5% reduction in Cmax. However, the AUCs were comparable after dose administration with and without food. Conclusion: A single oral dose of 4mg of liquid suspension was bioequivalent to a single oral dose of 4mg of capsule formulation. There was no clinically relevant impact of food on pomalidomide liquid suspension. Single oral doses of 4mg pomalidomide were safe and well tolerated when administered as a liquid suspension under fed and fasted conditions or as a capsule under fasted conditions. Keywords: pomalidomide, liquid suspension, bioavailability, bioequivalence, food effect

Cell plating, the spreading out of a liquid suspension of cells on a surface followed by colony growth, is a common laboratory procedure in microbiology. Despite this, the exact impact of its parameters on colony growth has not been extensively studied. A common protocol involves the shaking of glass beads within a petri dish containing solid growth media. We investigated the effects of multiple parameters in this protocol - the number of beads, the shape of movement, and the number of movements. Standard suspensions of Escherichia coli were spread while varying these parameters to assess their impact on colony growth. Results were assessed by a variety of metrics - the number of colonies, the mean distance between closest colonies, and the variability and uniformity of their spatial distribution. Finally, we devised a mathematical model of shifting billiard to explain the heterogeneities in the observed spatial patterns. Exploring the parameters that affect the most fundamental techniques in microbiology allows us to better understand their function, giving us the ability to precisely control their outputs for our exact needs.

Objective: To develop an extemporaneous 1% benznidazole (BNZ) suspension, with masked taste and adequate stability starting from available commercial tablets. The quality of compounding was evaluated through content uniformity measurement and physical and microbiological stability evaluation, under different storage conditions during 90 days. Methods: Six batches of 1% BNZ suspension were prepared using safe excipients currently available in a galenic area of Hospital Pharmacy and then stored at 5 and 25 °C for 90 days. The BNZ content was determined by UV spectrophotometry. Physical stability was defined as the absence of colour, odour and/or flavour changes and the re-suspension of solid phase by a reasonable amount of simple 15-s shaking. The compliance with microbiological attributes of non-sterile pharmaceutical products was also evaluated. Results: An oral liquid suspension, containing 1% of BNZ, was developed from commercially available BNZ tablets. The formulations stored for 90 days were easily re-dispersed after a simple 15-s shaking, ensuring the pouring of a liquid volume containing the desired dose of BNZ. All samples were within the acceptable range of BNZ concentration with minimal standard deviations. There were no detectable changes in colour, odour, viscosity, pH and microbial growth, complying with official quality requirements. The quality attributes were not affected by storage, room or refrigeration conditions or by the frequent opening or closing of the multidose containers. Conclusion: Paediatric oral liquid suspension containing 1.0% of BNZ was easily prepared starting from commercial tablets, being an interesting alternative for optimising the paediatric treatment of Chagas disease. Fil: García, Mónica Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina Fil: Manzo, Ruben Hilario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina Fil: Jimenez Kairuz, Alvaro Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina

The most common method of vaccine delivery uses the needle and syringe, which was invented in the mid-1800s. This form of vaccine administration is effective but unpopular, requiring a liquid suspension be injected into the muscle, subcutaneous fat or skin. The limitations associated with needle and syringe administration are related to the risk of needle-stick injuries, needle reuse and needle phobia. In addition, the needle and syringe does not deliver the vaccine optimally to antigen presenting cells within the skin resulting in relatively poor immune responses when compared to intradermal delivery of vaccine. Alternate methods of delivery have been developed in an effort to accurately target specific cells in the skin without the limitations of the needle and syringe. These range from powdered and liquid jet injections to electroporation and ultrasound devices. A more recent area of trans/intra cutaneous drug/vaccine delivery is the use of patches containing arrays of micro-scale sized needles or projections. The microneedles/microprojections penetrate the upper layers of the skin resulting in perforations for drug delivery and diffusion. Designed in the Kendall Group, the Nanopatch (NP) differs significantly from current forms of microneedles in relation to size, spacing and density of projections in an array. The NP morphology was carefully designed based on a probability analysis to maximise direct targeting of deposited antigen to the abundant immune cells in the skin. In relation to immunogenicity, preliminary assessment within the mouse model has shown that NP immunisation with Fluvax2008® has achieved 100-fold dose reduction compared to the needle and syringe – this is also a factor of 10 greater than what has been achieved with the existing microneedles (up to 700 μm in length and less than 321 projections per cm2). In addition to solid microneedles/NPs, various sizes and compositions of dissolving microneedles have also been fabricated. In general, fabrication of dissolving / biodegradable microneedles utilise complex techniques and harsh conditions (high temperature, extreme pH, etc). In addition many of the dissolving microneedles are tailored for sow release (hours to days for complete dissolution). These conditions have limited dissolving microneedles to the delivery of drugs and robust biomolecules, instead of sensitive vaccines. This thesis aims to address the shortcomings of current dissolving microneedles in relation to their fabrication, dissolution and use as a delivery platform, by introducing a fabrication method for dissolving Nanopatches (dNPs) and analysing the mechanisms of administration, dissolution and diffusion of microstructures within skin. The data contains both applied and fundamental research. The applied focus relates to the development of an alternate vaccine/drug delivery platform (dNPs) for the targeted delivery of vaccines into the skin. Once a reproducible method is developed, the dNPs will be used to deliver selected antigens as test cases for the platform. The fundamental focus of this project is to provide information on the structure-dependant diffusion characteristics of the skin and more specifically the diffusion of dNP/NP delivered payloads. The skin will be analysed using fluorescence confocal and multiphoton microscopy to assess the payload distribution within the stratum corneum, viable epidermis and dermis. Fluorescence microscopy will also be used to image and analyse important immune cells in the skin and their migration kinetics post dNP/NP delivery. The data obtained will benefit both direct (physically targeted) and indirect (topically applied without physical enhancement) drug delivery to the skin – providing insight into the distribution of payloads within the skin and also the impact of direct approaches on immune cell migration. Overall, the data in this project will benefit the microfabrication, micro-mechanics, pharmaceutical and dermatology fields, and more specifically cutaneous drug/vaccine delivery.