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Background & Objective: The endometriosis treatment was critical due to complications associated with current drug delivery system. The present study was conducted with aim to compare the curative effect of Vitamin D3 (VTD3) and Omega-3 (OG3) with Diphereline during the treatment of endometriosis. Materials & Methods: In this study, endometriosis was induced in different groups containing 60 adult female rats. The rat model was categorized into 6 groups untreated and treated (Olive Oil (solvent), VTD3 (42 mcg/kg/day), OG3 (450 mg/kg/day), VTD3+OG3, Diphereline (3 mg/kg/day)). The suspension containing combination of Diphereline and supplements was injected and treated for 4 weeks to analyze the effect of supplements. The interleukin -6 (IL-6) and Tumor necrosis factor - alpha (TNFa) inflammatory responses were measured from the serum samples while endometrial implants was dissected and histopathological investigation was done. Results: At the end of four weeks, pathologic score decreased significantly with simultaneous measurement of inflammation score of endometriotic lesion, size of implant area, IL-6, TNFa response and compared with untreated female rat. No significant different was observed in groups undergoing treatment of VTD3, OG3 and Diphereline. The combined effect of VTD3+OG3 has similar responses with Diphereline treated endometrial implants. Conclusion: treatment of VTD3 deficiency and making a change in dietary habits of high-risk population for endometriosis from adolescence may also play a preventative role in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Flucytosine is an antifungal agent used in combination with other medicines for the treatment of fungal infections. It was available as intravenous (IV), oral tablet, and capsule formulations up until October 2021, when the IV product, Ancotil, was discontinued with no alternative brands available. Aim: This study aimed to formulate a suitable formulation with appropriate stability data for medium to long‐term nasogastric (NG) administration use. Method: Flucytosine 500 mg tablets (Ancotil) were crushed and suspended in (1) Ora‐Plus (OP) + Ora‐Sweet (OS) and (2) Ora‐Blend (OB) to produce 100 mg/mL suspensions (n = 3 for each suspending base) that were stored at 2–8°C in amber glass bottles until assayed. Appearance, odour and pH, and the concentrations of flucytosine in the suspensions were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography on days 1, 8, and 15. A subjective assessment of the ease of suspension for NG administration via a size 10fr nasogastric tube (NGT) was also tested. Ethics approval was not required for this research article as it was a stability study and did not contain human participants or human data. Results: One of the three OB suspension bottles demonstrated significant suspension clumping resulting in all OB suspensions being excluded from further analysis. There was no change in appearance, odour or pH with the OP + OS based flucytosine suspensions and they extruded easily through a size 10fr NGT with minimal force. The three OP + OS bottles of flucytosine suspension were stable (>98% at all timepoints assessed) for 15 days at 2–8°C when stored in amber glass bottles. Conclusions: The OP + OS suspensions showed chemical stability for up to 15 days when stored under refrigerated conditions and protected from light, making this a suitable multidose enteral alternative to IV flucytosine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of using centrifugation in the separation of suspended forms from dissolved and colloidal forms in the chemical analysis of river waters is demonstrated in the case of rivers in the south of the Russian Far East. The concentrations of colloidal and suspended particles in nonfiltered water, as well as in centrifugates and filtrates, were characterized with the use of the method of dynamic light scattering (DLS). The comparison of DLS intensity in centrifugates and 0.45-µm filtrates was used to calculate the native density of pelitic and coarse colloidal particles of river suspension, which made it possible to correlate the centrifugation regimes with the size of settling particles within the range from 0.45 to 3 µm. Chemical analysis of supernatants of river water, obtained at different centrifugation regimes was used to evaluate the distribution of chemical elements between dissolved/colloidal (<0.45 µm), coarse-colloidal (0.45–1 µm), and pelite (1–3 µm) fractions. A significant linear relationship was found between the DLS intensity and the concentrations in centrifugates of Fe, Al, Ti, Th, Sc, REE, i.e., chemical elements with a high fraction of coarse colloidal and suspended forms, which confirms the possibility to assess the concentration of colloidal particles in centrifugates by the intensity of DLS. A disadvantage of centrifugation is that it is difficult to use in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black girls are the only group of girls across the United States disproportionally suspended from school. Studies have documented that disproportionality cannot be explained solely by greater misbehavior among students of color. Instead, discipline disparities are also informed by punitive/inequitable discipline policies and practices, less discussed has been the relationship between childhood adversity and school discipline outcomes at the intersection of race and gender. Examining this phenomenon is important and timely as schools are increasingly providing trauma-informed practices to support socioemotional learning. Yet doing so without data-driven practices rooted in an understanding of disproportionate adversity may render these practices insufficient for Black girls. Thus, this study asks, what types of childhood adversities do Black girls have the greatest risk of experiencing? Using 2016–2019 data from the National Survey of Children's Health (N = 63,674), risk ratios and Pearson's chi-square test of independence were performed to determine across-race and within-gender group differences by the type of childhood adversity. Analyses demonstrated that Black girls had a greater risk for six out of nine adversities compared with other girls of color and seven out of nine compared with White girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The compounding of extemporaneous preparations has historically been an essential part of the pharmacist's role, and, even today, its importance is recognized in all regulatory frameworks worldwide. The paediatric age group is known to be a therapeutic orphan, due to the low availability of formulations adapted to this population. There are potential dangers involved in treating paediatric patients with drugs approved for adults, or, more generally, off-label prescription medicines, since the excipients may be not suitable for children. As a result, the prescription of extemporaneous preparations is a common practice among paediatricians. Objective: Knowing cardiovascular diseases are currently the main cause of mortality in Haiti, the objective of this study was to develop a suitable paediatric oral liquid formulation of spironolactone with simple and low-cost excipients, and with an easy set-up method. This is in order to make the preparation suitable for the preparation in hospital or community pharmacies in those countries - even with limited resources- where it is necessary to administer spironolactone to paediatric patients. Methods: For the formulation being studied, in addition to the quality according to the directives set out in the European Pharmacopoeia, the stability was evaluated to assure adequate validity for therapeutic uses. For the evaluation of the uniformity of the suspension content, a standard procedure was developed through a HPLC method. The suspension samples were also analysed with a spectrophotometric assay. Results: The uniformity of content results confirmed that the concentration of the active molecule in each suspension was consistent. In addition, no variation in the expected concentration greater than 10% was detected after 90 days. Concerning pH, from the data, it can be observed that no sample underwent a significant variation in pH over time. Conclusion: We chose to focus our research on the development of a suspension with a very simple composition and a simple preparation procedure, while bearing in mind the quality of the finished product must be guaranteed. The preparation procedures should always be congruous with the equipment usually available in a community or hospital pharmacy's compounding laboratory, in whatever part of the world it is located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypharmacy due to various comorbidities in elderly prostate cancer patients causes inconvenience and may lead to compliance-related challenges. A higher incidence of dysphagia in such patients adds to the difficulty of ingesting large capsules or tablets, including those of Enzalutamide. Liquid Enzalutamide, an oral suspension formulation, is likely to increase dosing convenience for elderly prostate cancer patients who are already burdened with polypharmacy. This formulation of Enzalutamide oral suspension (Liquid Enzalutamide) is a new generation formulation that doesn't contain the excipient 'Labrasol,' which is associated with diarrhoea, and instead contains Koliphor EL as a solubilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a combined rheology, x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, and modeling study of gel formation and aging in suspensions of nanocolloidal spheres with volume fractions of 0.20 and 0.43 and with a short-range attraction whose strength is tuned by changing temperature. Following a quench from high temperature, where the colloids are essentially hard spheres, to a temperature below the gel point, the suspensions form gels that undergo aging characterized by a steadily increasing elastic shear modulus and slowing, increasingly constrained microscopic dynamics. The aging proceeds at a faster rate for stronger attraction strength. When the attraction strength is suddenly lowered during aging, the gel properties evolve non-monotonically in a manner resembling the Kovacs effect in glasses, in which the modulus decreases and the microscopic dynamics become less constrained for a period before more conventional aging resumes. Eventually, the properties of the gel following the decrease in attraction strength converge to those of a gel that has undergone aging at the lower attraction strength throughout. The time scale of this convergence increases as a power law with the age at which the attraction strength is decreased and decreases exponentially with the magnitude of the change in attraction. A model for gel aging in which particles attach and detach from the gel at rates that depend on their contact number reproduces these trends and reveals that the non-monotonic behavior results from the dispersion in the rates that the populations of particles with different contact number adjust to the new attraction strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control of the porous structure and particle size is essential for improving the properties of polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) microspheres. Herein, using the strategy combining inverse suspension polymerization, two-step sol–gel- and polymerization-induced phase separation processes, micron-sized thiol-containing macroporous PSQ (TMPSQ) microspheres with controllable morphologies, adjustable particle diameters (4.9–17.3 μm), and pore sizes (40–3774 nm) were prepared. The morphology and size of the TMPSQ microspheres were characterized by SEM. The mercury intrusion method was employed to analyze the porous structure of the microspheres. The effects of the composition of the sol–gel disperse phase, the mass ratio of the sol–gel disperse phase to the oil continuous phase (WRW/O), and the Span 80 mass content in the oil continuous phase on the morphology, particle diameter and pore size of the TMPSQ microspheres were investigated. Results indicated that the composition of the sol–gel disperse phase determines the morphology and porous structure of the microspheres, and WRW/O and Span 80 content have remarkable impacts on the morphology and particle size of the microspheres. This study is beneficial to the design and fabrication of functional PSQ microspheres with desired properties and promising application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Risk factors for aseptic preparation of parenteral medicines encompass the growth-promoting nature of the preparation. Although many aqueous parenteral preparations do not have growth-promoting properties, inadvertently introduced microorganisms may remain viable. Knowledge about the viability of microorganisms in parenteral preparations can add useful information for assigning shelf life to preparations used to treat cancer patients. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the viability of four different facultative pathogenic microorganisms in 20 ready-to-administer parenteral preparations aseptically prepared in hospital pharmacies. Methods: Samples of 20 different biologics and small molecules for systemic anti-cancer therapy were inoculated either with different bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecium) or with Candida albicans suspension. The resulting test concentrations were 104–105 microorganisms per mL. Aliquots of inoculated test solutions were transferred in duplicate to tryptic soy agar plates at the time points 0, 4, 24, 48, 144 h. The plates were incubated for 24 h (bacterial strains) and 72 h (C. albicans) at 37 °C and colony forming units (CFUs) were counted. Results: In most test solutions, especially in monoclonal antibody solutions, increased CFU counts of P. aeruginosa and unchanged or increased CFU counts of E. faecium and S. aureus were registered. Pronounced nutritive properties of monoclonal antibodies and filgrastim were not registered. Azacitidine, pixantrone and vinflunine containing test solutions revealed species-specific bacteriostatic and even bactericidal activity. All test solutions, except nivolumab and pixantrone containing solutions, showed constant or increasing CFU counts of C. albicans after incubation. Conclusion: Viability of the selected pathogenic microorganisms was retained in most of the tested biological and small molecule preparations used to treat cancer patients. Therefore, in pharmacy departments strict aseptic conditions should be regarded and the lack of antimicrobial activity should be considered when assigning shelf life to RTA parenteral preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) hold great promise for large‐scale energy storage, but their performance requires further improvement. Herein, a design is proposed for vanadium colloid flow batteries (VCFBs) that integrates the redox chemistry of polyvalent vanadium‐based colloid suspensions with dispersed conductive agents into traditional vanadium electrolytes. The redox‐active colloids combine the advantages of nanoparticle suspensions and dissolved electrolytes, exhibiting good dispersibility, fluidity, conductivity, redox reversibility, and electrochemical kinetics. By leveraging a reversible dissolution/suspension process of high‐concentration vanadium‐based colloids, the VCFBs achieved an energy density of 48 Wh L−1, nearly double that of conventional VRFBs. This work presents a rational design for homologous active material colloids to enhance the energy density of aqueous redox flow batteries, thereby advancing the potential for grid‐scale and renewable energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are promising carriers of radionuclides in radiopharmaceuticals for the use in nuclear medicine. In this work, we investigated the influence of the properties of NDs suspensions, including the sizes of their aggregates, in aqueous solutions with different pH on their binding of medical isotopes 90Y and 177Lu and determination of conditions for fabricating promising conjugates for further in vivo studies. It was shown that sorption is influenced by the composition of the solution, which determines the properties of the NDs surface, while the forms of cations of the studied nuclides in the solution do not affect the sorption value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the effect of particle surface roughness on creep deformation and subsequent strain recovery in dense colloidal suspensions. The suspensions are composed of hard-spherelike poly(methyl methacrylate) smooth (S) and rough (R) colloids with particle volume fractions ϕS = 0.64 ± 0.01 and ϕR = 0.56 ± 0.01, corresponding to a distance of 3.0% and 3.4% based on their jamming volume fractions (ϕ J S = 0.66 ± 0.01 , ϕ J R = 0.58 ± 0.01). The suspensions are subject to a range of shear stresses (0.01–0.07 Pa) above and below the yield stress values of the two suspensions (σ y S = 0.035 Pa , σ y R = 0.02 Pa). During creep, suspensions of rough colloids exhibit four to five times higher strain deformation compared to smooth colloids, irrespective of the applied stress. The interlocking of surface asperities in rough colloids is likely to generate a heterogeneous microstructure, favoring dynamic particle activity and percolation of strain heterogeneities, therefore resulting in higher magnitude of strain deformation and an earlier onset of steady flow. Strain recovery after the cessation of stress reveals a nonmonotonic recoverable strain for rough colloids, where the peak recoverable strain is observed near the yield stress, followed by a steep decline with increasing stress. This type of response suggests that frictional constraints between geometrically frustrated interlocking contacts can serve as particle bonds capable of higher elastic recovery but only near the yield stress. Understanding how particle roughness affects macroscopic creep and recovery is useful in designing yield stress fluids for additive manufacturing and product formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this descriptive study was to highlight the experiences of 11 child care providers whose classrooms included preschoolers who engaged in persistent challenging behavior, thus expanding the limited literature on this topic. This qualitative study included two interviews with each provider. The results center around the effect of challenging behavior on the classroom experiences of providers. Findings indicate that children's challenging behavior impacts the physical and social environment, as well as relationships among providers, children, families, and program administrators. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of anterior cruciate (ACL) reconstruction at minimum 10-year follow-up. Methods: Ninety-three patients who underwent primary unilateral ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon autograft, transtibial technique and femoral cortico-cancellous screw suspension device (Athrax, Leader Medica s.r.l) between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Mean follow-up was 136 months. Evaluation was performed using the International Knee Documentation Committee score (IKDC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Lysholm Knee Score and Tegner Activity Level Scale. Incidence of OA was determined by comparing standard anteroposterior and lateral weightbearing radiographs of the ACL-reconstructed and contralateral knee. Osteoarthritis severity was graded according to the Kellgren–Lawrence (KL) score. Results: Median Tegner activity level was 6 (5–7). Lysholm and IKDC scores were 100 (95–100) and 90 (86–95), respectively, KOOS was 98 (95–100). Of ACL-reconstructed knees, 41 (50%) had radiographic OA, of which 6 (7.3%) had severe OA (KL III). Of the contralateral healthy knees, 28 (34.1%) had radiographic evidence of OA. Of these 22 (26.8%) and 6 (7.3%) patients had, respectively, KL-I and KL-II. 11 patients (11.8%) underwent subsequent knee surgery: 5 (5.4%) revisions, 3 (3.2%) meniscal surgeries, 2 (2.2%) other surgeries, 1 (1.1%) contralateral ACL reconstruction. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that ACL reconstruction with HT autograft and cortico-cancellous screw suspension device determines satisfying clinical results after 10 years of follow-up. From our cohort, a low rate of graft failure has been reported, even though almost 50% of patients present a knee OA greater or equal to grade II KL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clofazimine is recommended as a treatment for tuberculosis in infants. Extemporaneously prepared clofazimine oral suspensions are more appropriate dosage forms for infants than tablets, however no data exist to inform appropriate storage conditions. Aim: To examine the physical and chemical stability of extemporaneously prepared clofazimine oral suspensions and determine appropriate storage conditions. Method: An oral suspension of clofazimine 10 mg/mL was prepared by grinding six 100 mg clofazimine tablets to produce a fine powder. Ora‐Blend SF (sugar free) was added to make a final volume of 60 mL. Six 10 mL aliquots were placed in amber plastic bottles with plastic bottle caps. Three bottles were stored at room temperature, and three bottles were refrigerated at 4°C. Following shaking, a 1 mL sample was taken from each bottle on days 0, 7, 14, 28, and 60. Samples were assayed using the high‐performance liquid chromatography method. The samples were visually examined for colour change and separation at each time point. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. Ethics approval was not required for this research article as it was a stability study that did not involve human subjects. Results: The clofazimine content remained >94% of the initial concentration throughout the 60‐day period for samples that were kept at room temperature, and slightly <90% (87.4%) for samples that were kept refrigerated at 4°C. No separation or colour change was noted throughout the 60‐day period for both preparations. Conclusion: Extemporaneously prepared suspensions of clofazimine in Ora‐Blend SF were chemically stable for at least 60 days when stored at room temperature. Clofazimine degraded slightly more rapidly at 4°C compared to room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viscoelastic behaviors of aqueous solutions of commercially available methyl cellulose (MC) samples with a degree of substitution of 1.8 and a wide range of weight average molar masses (Mw) were investigated over a wide concentration (c) range at some temperatures from −10 to 25 °C. The viscoelastic parameters useful to discuss the structure and dynamics of MC-forming particles in aqueous solutions were precisely determined, such as the zero-shear viscosity (η0), the steady-state compliance (Je), the average relaxation time (τw), and the activation energy (E*) of τw. Because previously obtained scattering and intrinsic viscosity ([η]) data revealed that the MC samples possess a rigid rod-like structure in dilute aqueous solutions over the entire Mw range examined, the viscoelastic data obtained in this study were discussed in detail based on the concept of rigid rod particle suspension rheology. The obtained Je−1 was proportional to the number density of sample molecules (ν = cNAMw−1, where NA means the Avogadro's constant) over the ν range examined irrespective of Mw. The reduced relaxation time (4NAτw(3νJe [η]ηmMw)−1), where ηm means the medium viscosity, was proportional to (νL3)2, L; the average particle length depending on Mw for each sample was determined in a previous study; and the reduced specific viscosity (ηspNAL3(Mw [η])−1), where ηsp means the specific viscosity, was proportional to (νL3)3 in a range of νL3 < 3 × 102. These findings were typical characteristics of the rigid rod suspension rheology. Therefore, the MC samples behave as entangling rigid rod particles in the νL3 range from rheological points of view. A stepwise increase in E* was clearly observed in a c range higher than the [η]−1 value irrespective of Mw. This observation proposes that contact or entanglement formation between particles formed by MC molecules results in an increase in E*. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of resting time on the rheological properties of cement suspensions is generally explained by early formed structure and overconsumption of polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs). In this paper, we propose that the influence of resting time on the rheological properties is closely related to size variation of non‐absorbed PCE. To identify this, glass bead suspensions were prepared with various amounts of PCE and ionic solution, and their rheological properties were evaluated at various times. We found that the yield stress increases with time at higher PCE concentrations and higher ionic strength solutions. Adsorbed PCE during resting tends to bridge the particles rather than disperse them. In addition, it was found that hydrodynamic radius of PCE increased with resting time, and depletion forces resulting from non‐absorbed PCE size changes correlate well with the increased yield stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medicinal products are not supposed to be used beyond their expiry date. A few studies indicate that expired medicinal products still retain active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and hence, efficacy. There is a dearth of literature evaluating the medicinal products that have expired for several decades and particularly, with liquid dosage formulations. Objective: To evaluate the quantities of API and degradation products in the expired acetaminophen suspension and captopril tablets that expired around 30 years ago. Methods: Unused acetaminophen suspension with the expiry date October 1994, and captopril tablets with the expiry date January 1992 were evaluated. Quantification of active ingredients (acetaminophen in the suspension and captopril in the tablets) and degradation products (4-aminophenol and 4'-Chloroacetanilide in the suspension, and captopril disulphide in the tablets) was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography adhering to United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) standards. A dissolution test was done for captopril tablets as per US Pharmacopoeia to determine in vitro bioavailability of the active ingredient. The quantities of active ingredients were considered acceptable if they fell within 90 to 110% of the standard preparations. The quantity of degradation products was evaluated according to the following USP limits: captopril disulphide (not more than 3%), 4-aminophenol (not more than 0.1%) and 4'-chlorocetanilide (not more than 10 parts per million). The limit for Dissolution of Captopril was NLT 80%(Q) dissolved in 20 minutes. Results: We evaluated the quantity of active ingredients and key degradation products in the expired acetaminophen suspension and captopril tablets. Active ingredients in the expired acetaminophen suspension and captopril tablets were 97.21 and 96.12%, respectively. Captopril tablets meet the requirement of Dissolution test as per US Pharmacopoeia with average value of 104.84%. Regarding degradation products for acetaminophen, only 4-aminophenol was detected and was within the acceptable limit. However, the quantity of captopril disulphide exceeded by 19.3% compared to the USFDA recommended limits. Methyl paraben was also present at 93.7% of stated claim in the acetaminophen suspension. Conclusion: We observed acceptable quantities of active ingredients in the expired acetaminophen suspension and captopril tablets even after 30 years past their expiry date. The degradation products were observed to be present within the specified limits in the acetaminophen suspension but exceeded by 19.3% in the captopril tablet. The pharmaceutical companies shall consider extending the shelf life of medicinal products and guidelines from the concerned regulatory agencies on this regard is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equilibrium phase instability of colloids is robustly predicted by the Vliegenthart–Lekkerkerker (VL) critical value of the second virial efficient, but no such general criterion has been established for suspensions undergoing flow. A transition from positive to negative osmotic pressure is one mechanical hallmark of a change in phase stability in suspensions and provides a natural extension of the equilibrium osmotic pressure encoded in the second virial coefficient. Here, we propose to study the non-Newtonian rheology of an attractive colloidal suspension using the active microrheology framework as a model for focusing on the pair trajectories that underlie flow stability. We formulate and solve a Smoluchowski relation to understand the interplay between attractions, hydrodynamics, Brownian motion, and flow on particle microstructure in a semi-dilute suspension and utilize the results to study the viscosity and particle-phase osmotic pressure. We find that an interplay between attractions and hydrodynamics leads to dramatic changes in the nonequilibrium microstructure, which produces a two-stage flow-thinning of viscosity and leads to pronounced flow-induced negative osmotic pressure. We summarize these findings with an osmotic pressure heat map that predicts where hydrodynamic enhancement of attractive bonds encourages flow-induced aggregation or phase separation. We identify a critical isobar—a flow-induced critical pressure consistent with phase instability and a nonequilibrium extension of the VL criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the development of medicinal forms (eye drops), it is necessary to consider several parameters, so that the medicine is nonirritating to the eye and, at the same time, has the desired effect. We prepared eye drops containing dexamethasone or its water-soluble salt in a 0.1% concentration. We compared suspension eye drops (with dexamethasone) and solution eye drops (with dexamethasone sodium phosphate) without viscosity adjustment as well as with viscosity adjustment by adding chitosan low molecular weight (LMW) with the mass-produced product Unidexa 1%. Acidity (pH), surface tension, density, viscosity, and irritability were evaluated. An in vitro or ex vivo test on human erythrocytes (red blood cells [RBCs]) was used to test irritability. Hemolysis of RBC was monitored by determining hemoglobin spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 550 nm. The addition of chitosan 0.1% as a viscosity-increasing agent reduced the irritation potential of the experimental eye drops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of the research was the oleogel structure of the OraMAF oral suspension, containing a mixture of active substances in which the oleogel environment is formed by purified olive oil in combination with soy lecithin (SL) and sorbitan tristearate (STS). The objective of the research was the development of an optimal methodology for the work process, enabling microscopic observation of the structure of the oleogel suspension. Purified olive oil structured with a combination of gelators SL and STS with the addition of a solid phase of fucoidan (F) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) powders was used for the study as an alternative to OraMAF suspension. The sedimentation method of separation of the medium and staining of solid phases of the suspension brought the expected results, allowing the observation of the network structure of the gel, which consisted of interlaced gelator fibers assembling into star formations. The most interesting structures were clearly the star-like structures created from the star-shaped microtubules trapping the CS and F solid particles, colored blue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused Beam Reflectance Measurement (FBRM) is a commonly used PAT tool that measures the Chord Length Distribution (CLD) of the particles in a suspension, providing a fingerprint of the size distribution of the suspended particles. Despite the extensive usage, there still exists a need for models for converting CLD to particle size distribution (PSD) particularly for bimodal distribution of particles with aspect ratio higher than one. In this work, we further developed and evaluated different models for converting the CLD to the PSD of particles with an aspect ratio greater than one and have discussed the applicability of the models to monomodal as well as bimodal distributions. The models have been verified at different aspect ratios using synthetically generated experimental data. It was observed that the geometric model proposed in this work performs better than the other models compared in this work. The presented models and results will be useful for selecting appropriate CLD to PSD models for a wide range of applications. [Display omitted] • Developed CLD to PSD models applicable to bi-modal distributions of high-aspect ratio particles. • Used synthetically generated and experimental data for evaluating CLD to PSD models. • The modified needle model was shown to be effective even for bi-modal distributions. • The models are useful for extending use of FBRM to crystallisation leading to bi-modal distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clogging or jamming of particle suspensions is a ubiquitous problem, hindering the efficiency of particle–liquid and particle–particle separations. Motivated by pressure screening in the pulp and paper industry, we characterize jamming of dilute and semi-dilute mono-disperse rigid-rod suspensions passing through channels mimicking dead-end and cross-flow filtration membranes, experimentally, using particle-tracking velocimetry. We observe that jams nucleate by either bridging of isolated particles across the constriction, or by localized mechanical entanglement of the particles, i.e., flocculation. Uniquely, we observe floc-formation during acceleration into the aperture and report this as primary mechanism for jamming events. We characterized the accumulation-release cycles of the jamming event using an exponential probability distribution; this distribution is indicative of a Poisson process. For jams nucleated by single-particle bridging, the distribution is (primarily) related to the number of fibers passing through the aperture; this is similar to dry, granular materials. For floc-based nucleation events, the distribution is (primarily) related to the suspension concentration with the average time between jams decreasing inversely with the square-root of the initial suspension concentration. For the conditions tested, the distribution was insensitive to changes in constriction geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothesis: The dip coating of suspensions made of monodisperse non-Brownian spherical particles dispersed in a Newtonian fluid leads to different coating regimes depending on the ratio of the particle diameter to the thickness of the film entrained on the substrate. In particular, dilute particles dispersed in the liquid are entrained only above a threshold value of film thickness. In the case of anisotropic particles, in particular fibers, the smallest characteristic dimension will control the entrainment of the particle. Furthermore, it is possible to control the orientation of the anisotropic particles depending on the substrate geometry. In the thick film regime, the Landau-Levich-Derjaguin model remains valid if one account for the change in viscosity. Experiment: To test the hypotheses, we performed dip-coating experiments with dilute suspensions of non-Brownian fibers with different length-to-diameter aspect ratios. We characterize the number of fibers entrained on the surface of the substrate as a function of the withdrawal velocity, allowing us to estimate a threshold capillary number below which all the particles remain in the liquid bath. Besides, we measure the angular distribution of the entrained fibers for two different substrate geometries: flat plates and cylindrical rods. We then measure the film thickness for more concentrated fiber suspensions. Findings: The entrainment of the fibers on a flat plate and a cylindrical rod is primarily controlled by the smaller characteristic length of the fibers: their diameter. At first order, the entrainment threshold scales similarly to that of spherical particles. The length of the fibers only appears to have a minor influence on the entrainment threshold. No preferential alignment is observed for non-Brownian fibers on a flat plate, except for very thin films, whereas the fibers tend to align themselves along the axis of a cylindrical rod for a large enough ratio of the fiber length to the radius of the cylindrical rod. The Landau-Levich-Derjaguin law is recovered for more concentrated suspension by introducing an effective capillary number accounting for the change in viscosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frequent bacterial plaque buildup at the gingival margin and crevice can provoke an inflammatory reaction in gingival tissues which manifests as gingivitis. Probiotics could serve as a beneficial complementary therapy for treating gingival inflammation. The main aim of this research was to investigate the effect of the Lactobacillus plantarum MK06 probiotic strain on the treatment of gingivitis. Methods: Patients with gingivitis, who were referred to a private clinic and were systematically healthy, were included in this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial. They were instructed to use either placebo or Lactobacillus plantarum suspensions for one minute two times a day after tooth-brushing for four weeks. Then, the clinical parameters of gingivitis, including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and oral hygiene index (OHI-s), were measured in the first, second, and fourth weeks. A total of forty-two patients were randomly assigned to the experimental (n = 21) and control (n = 21) groups. The mean age of the experimental and control groups was 29.10 and 28.48, respectively. Results: The mean scores of BOP, GI, PI, and OHI-s reduced over time in both the control and test groups. However, according to the Mann-Whitney test, the difference between the two groups was not significant at the same time intervals (P ≥ 0.05) and only GI showed a significant difference in the fourth week (GI-3, P = 0.006). Nevertheless, the experimental group experienced a higher overall reduction rate than the control group. The BOP, GI, PI, and OHI-s scores decreased by 0.081, 0.204, 0.186, and 0.172 times in the second week, respectively, resulting from the interaction of time and the intervention, which considerably diminished these indices. Conclusion: This study shows the potential of the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum MK06 suspension as a promoting therapeutic adjuvant in the treatment of gingivitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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RBX2660 (fecal microbiota, live-jslm; REBYOTA®) is an emerging option for the prevention of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) following standard of care (SOC) antibiotics. RBX2660 is a first-in-class, live biotherapeutic product available as a single-dose microbiota suspension for rectal administration. RBX2660 was effective in reducing recurrent CDI following SOC antibiotic therapy in the pivotal, phase 3 PUNCH CD3 trial. In a Bayesian analysis model, RBX2660 was superior to placebo in terms of treatment success, defined as the absence of CDI diarrhea within 8 weeks of study treatment. Most patients with treatment success at 8 weeks remained free of CDI recurrence at 6 months. The effectiveness of RBX2660 has also been demonstrated in the real-world setting. RBX2660 was well tolerated in the PUNCH CD3 trial, with a manageable adverse event (AE) profile. The most common AEs with RBX2660 were gastrointestinal in nature. Most AEs occurred during the first 2 weeks after treatment and were of mild or moderate severity. Plain Language Summary: Clostridioides difficile is a type of bacteria that can cause infection of the large intestine. It often affects people who have been taking antibiotics. The main symptom of C. difficile infection (CDI) is diarrhea, which can lead to serious complications. Fecal microbiota transplantation is an investigational procedure that transfers feces from a healthy donor into the gut of a patient with CDI. RBX2660 (fecal microbiota, live-jslm; REBYOTA®) is the first FDA-approved fecal microbiota-based live biotherapeutic product that is administered rectally as a single dose to prevent recurrence of CDI after antibiotic therapy for recurrent CDI. In a phase 3 clinical trial, patients with recurrent CDI who received a single dose of RBX2660 had significantly higher rates of treatment success compared with placebo, and this response was sustained through 6 months. RBX2660 was well tolerated, and most adverse events were mild or moderate in severity. RBX2660 is an emerging option for preventing recurrence of CDI after treatment with antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a complete understanding of the properties of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) suspensions, we not only need to be able to characterize the CNCs themselves but also be able to analyze their particle-particle interactions and spatial distribution. Here, three established techniques—dynamic light scattering, rheology and atomic force microscopy (AFM)—and two new techniques—interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy and cluster-triggered emission (CTE) autofluorescence spectroscopy—are evaluated for their ability to determine whether a CNC suspension is well-dispersed. This study confirms that AFM height data, rheology, iSCAT microscopy and CTE autofluorescence spectroscopy are sensitive to the transition from agglomerates to individual CNCs, validating their suitability. Data from these four techniques also indicate that excessive sonication of CNC suspensions is feasible, potentially leading to undesirable nanoparticle degradation. These results confirm the applicability of both iSCAT microscopy and CTE autofluorescence spectroscopy for high throughput analysis of nanoparticle dispersion, which can potentially be employed during the industrial production of CNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal silica grouting is a ground improvement technique capable of stabilizing weak problematic soils and achieving large reductions in soil hydraulic conductivities for applications including earthquake-induced liquefaction mitigation and groundwater flow control. In the conventional approach, chemical accelerants are added to colloidal silica suspensions that are introduced into soils targeted for improvement and the formation of a semi-solid silica gel occurs over time at a rate controlled by suspension chemistry and in situ geochemical conditions. Although the process has been extensively investigated, controlling the rate of gel formation in the presence of varying subsurface conditions and the limited ability of conventional methods to effectively monitor the gel formation process has posed practical challenges. In this study, a biomediated soil improvement process is proposed which utilizes enriched fermentative microorganisms to control the gelation of colloidal silica grouts through solution pH reductions and ionic strength increases. Four series of batch experiments were performed to investigate the ability of glucose fermenting microorganisms to be enriched in natural sands to induce geochemical changes capable of mediating silica gel formation and assess the effect of treatment solution composition on pH reduction behaviors. Complementary batch and soil column experiments were subsequently performed to upscale the process and explore the effectiveness of chemical, hydraulic, and geophysical methods to monitor microbial activity, gel formation, and engineering improvements. Results demonstrate that fermentative microorganisms can be successfully enriched and mediate gel formation in suspensions that would otherwise remain highly stable, thereby forgoing the need for chemical accelerants, increasing the reliability and control of colloidal silica grouting, enabling new monitoring approaches, and affording engineering enhancements comparable to conventional colloidal silica grouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) is routinely employed to assess the homogeneity and size‐distribution profile of samples containing microscopic particles in suspension or solubilized polymers. In this work, Raynals, user‐friendly software for the analysis of single‐angle DLS data that uses the Tikhonov–Phillips regularization, is introduced. Its performance is evaluated on simulated and experimental data generated by different DLS instruments for several proteins and gold nanoparticles. DLS data can easily be misinterpreted and the simulation tools available in Raynals allow the limitations of the measurement and its resolution to be understood. It was designed as a tool to address the quality control of biological samples during sample preparation and optimization and it helps in the detection of aggregates, showing the influence of large particles. Lastly, Raynals provides flexibility in the way that the data are presented, allows the export of publication‐quality figures, is free for academic use and can be accessed online on the eSPC data‐analysis platform at https://spc.embl‐hamburg.de/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical Scenario: With the enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, sports teams worldwide were required to make drastic adjustments to their training regimen. This prolonged sport suspension resulted in a significant decrease in off-season and preseason training periods. Clinical Question: Are professional athletes who experienced a sport suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic at a higher risk of injury once they return to competition compared with pre-COVID-19 seasons? Summary of Key Findings: The literature was searched for articles examining the effects of COVID-19 sport suspension on athletic injury rates in elite athletes. A total of 240 articles were retrieved, and after exclusion criteria and removal of duplicates, four retrospective cohort studies remained. An increase in injury rates across studies after their sport suspension compared with pre-COVID-19 seasons was found. Clinical Bottom Line: The extended suspension from physical activity increased the risk of injury as players returned to sport training post-COVID-19 restrictions. While these studies demonstrated the effects on elite-level athletes, prolonged sport suspension may impact different patient populations. Strength of Recommendation: Based on the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy Scale, this critically appraised topic received a B grade for consistent but limited-quality patient-oriented evidence, with a low number of articles included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusion of hydrodynamic interactions is essential for a quantitatively accurate Brownian dynamics simulation of colloidal suspensions or polymer solutions. We use the generalized Rotne–Prager–Yamakawa (GRPY) approximation, which takes into account all long-ranged terms in the hydrodynamic interactions, to derive the complete set of hydrodynamic matrices in different geometries: unbounded space, periodic boundary conditions of Lees–Edwards type, and vicinity of a free surface. The construction is carried out both for non-overlapping as well as for overlapping particles. We include the dipolar degrees of freedom, which allows one to use this formalism to simulate the dynamics of suspensions in a shear flow and to study the evolution of their rheological properties. Finally, we provide an open-source numerical package, which implements the GRPY algorithm in Lees–Edwards periodic boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the precautionary measures taken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding imported dogs vaccinated with potentially ineffective rabies vaccines. Topics include the discovery of inadequate vaccine potency in Canvac R, the implementation of temporary importation suspensions and revaccination protocols, and the results of monitoring efforts for dogs imported from high-risk countries.

The article focuses on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s decision to allow the temporary importation of a second antibiotic, Lentocilin, to treat syphilis during a shortage of Bicillin L-A. Topics include the specifics of Lentocilin's use and availability, the ongoing Bicillin L-A supply issues, and the FDA's previous measures to address the shortage.

In this paper, we derived closed form analytical solutions for the effective viscosity of the suspensions of solid spheres that take into account size effects. This result was obtained by using the solution for the effective shear modulus of particulate composites developed in the framework of the strain gradient elasticity theory. Assuming the incompressibility of the matrix and the rigid behavior of particles and using a mathematical analogy between the theories of elasticity and viscous fluids, we derived generalized Einstein's formula for effective viscosity. Then, generalized Brinkman's solution for the concentrated suspensions was derived using the differential method. The obtained solutions contain a single additional length scale parameter, which can be related to the interactions between the base liquid and solid particles in the suspensions. In the case of a large ratio between the diameter of the particles and the length scale parameter, the developed solutions were reduced to the classical solutions. However, for the small relative diameter of particles, an increase of the effective viscosity was predicted. It was shown that the developed models agree well with the known experimental data. Solutions for the fibrous suspensions were also derived and validated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic microgel particles in a good solvent swell to an equilibrium size determined by a balance of electrostatic and elastic forces. When crowded, ionic microgels deswell owing to a redistribution of microions inside and outside the particles. The concentration-dependent deswelling affects the interactions between the microgels and, consequently, the suspension properties. We present a comprehensive theoretical study of crowding effects on thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties of weakly cross-linked ionic microgels in a good solvent. The microgels are modeled as microion- and solvent-permeable colloidal spheres with fixed charge uniformly distributed over the polymer gel backbone, whose elastic and solvent-interaction free energies are described using the Flory-Rehner theory. Two mean-field methods for calculating the crowding-dependent microgel radius are investigated and combined with calculations of the net microgel charge characterizing the electrostatic part of an effective microgel pair potential, with charge renormalization accounted for. Using this effective pair potential, thermodynamic and static suspension properties are calculated, including the osmotic pressure and microgel pair distribution function. The latter is used in our calculations of dynamic suspension properties, where we account for hydrodynamic interactions. Results for diffusion and rheological properties are presented over ranges of microgel concentration and charge. We show that deswelling mildly enhances self- diffusion and collective diffusion and the osmotic pressure, lowers the suspension viscosity, and significantly shifts the suspension crystallization point to higher concentrations. This paper presents a bottom-up approach to efficiently computing suspension properties of crowded ionic microgels using single-particle characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical study is presented on the intrinsic viscosities of sheared dilute suspensions of nonspherical Brownian colloidal particles. The simulations confirm theoretical predictions on the intrinsic viscosities of highly oblate and highly prolate spheroids in the limits of weak and strong Brownian noise (i.e., for low and high Péclet numbers). Numerical data and fit functions are provided covering the entire shear-thinning regime, for spheroids ranging from highly oblate to highly prolate. The tumbling motion and intrinsic viscosities of a hemispherical cap and a helix are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina ceramics with optimized microstructures and mechanical properties were obtained by the attractive digital lighting processing (DLP) additive manufacturing methodology in the present study. A acrylate-based resin system was designed for the alumina powders with a mean particle size of 0.5 μm. The influence of oligomer on the viscosity and polymerization kinetics of the ceramic suspensions has been elaborately discussed by rheology, curing depth and photo-DSC characterizations. The results indicated that the introduction of oligomer has improved the cross-linking density of resins and decreased the critical dose of energy for resin polymerization, which contributed to a tougher ceramic-resin slice with higher dimensional accuracy. Densifying processes including debinding and high temperature sintering of the ceramic parts were conducted according to the TG-DTA characterizations, alumina ceramics with uniform microstructures and eliminated delamination or intralaminar cracks were finally obtained. The flexural strength was 471 MPa for the ceramics obtained from the resin composition containing 20 wt% oligomer, Weibull modulus for the ceramics were determined to be 17.31 by evaluating thirty all sides polished ceramics, indicating the highly uniform property of the ceramics fabricated by DLP additive manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aggregation behavior of an attractive colloidal silica suspension under oscillatory flow is studied using rheological measurement. We show that the competition between the aggregation of the particles and the aggregate breakup under external stress leads to a non-monotonous evolution of the elastic modulus with time. Remarkably, under certain conditions, the elasticity is not an increasing function of time but exhibits a maximum. The value of the maximum of the elastic modulus depends on the applied shear amplitude and the ionic strength of the suspension. Scaling laws that describes the evolutions of the elastic modulus as a function of the salinity and of the deformation amplitude are proposed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of an ionic liquid: hexyl methyl imidazolium chloride (HMImCl) in the systems of simulated solar light/ZnO and simulated solar light/ZnO/oxidant (i.e., H2O2 and S2O82−) were investigated in aqueous solution. The influences of different variables such as catalyst concentration, hydrogen peroxide, and persulfate dosage on HMImCl photocatalytic degradation were determined. It was found that the adsorption of HMImCl on the catalyst surface was insignificant. The photocatalytic degradation of HMImCl followed pseudo first‐order kinetics, and the rate constant at natural pH (pH 7.2) was 11.8 × 10−2 min−1. The addition of hydrogen peroxide to the process not only does not enhance the degradation rate of HMImCl but also decreases kapp significantly with [HMImCl] = 3×10−5 mol L−1, oxidant concentration (in the range of 5 × 10−5–10−1 mol L−1), and catalyst concentration of 1 g L−1. The results elucidated that the use of Na2S2O8 (in the range of 10−4–10−2 mol L−1) strongly enhances the degradation rate of HMImCl compared with photocatalytic process of the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over a decade of data at state and national levels show that preschoolers, toddlers, and even infants, are continuously being suspended and expelled from early care and education settings because of behavioral concerns. Trends in these data also illustrate the pervasiveness of systemic racial and social inequities in the United States through the lifespan, with children who are Black, Native American, and multiracial and children with disabilities being disproportionately denied access to participate fully in early learning settings (Allen et al., 2022). Sending a child home is not effective in improving their adjustment or increasing their success within the classroom environment. On the contrary, children who are suspended are at increased risk of repeated suspensions, social isolation and withdrawal at school, poor achievement, dropping out, and entering the juvenile justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology's dental applications and application time are investigated. Selective dentin caries removal improves pulp tissue without surgery. Modern caries therapy cures the disease, saves pulp, and remineralizes teeth. Chitosan nanoparticles administer Amoxicillin intracellularly to treat bacterial infections. Chitosan nanoparticles are produced by tri-polyphosphate ionic gelation. Chitosan nanoparticle size and sodium tri poly phosphate (TPP) concentrations were examined to maximize chitosan nanoparticle size. The pH and ultrasonication time were also constant. SEM and FT-IR describe chitosan nanoparticles. Chitosan nanoparticles and their loaded antibiotics kill and inhibit Cariogenic gram (+) bacteria because of their nanoparticle morphologies. Antibacterial activity improved with antibiotic loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle transport is still an immense challenge in many processes today and affects both the operation and the consistency of the product quality, which is essential in the pharmaceutical industry, for example. Therefore, we developed a suspension correlation of particles in the crystallization process for a slug flow crystallizer in the field of small-scale continuous crystallization in this paper to predict and ensure a reproducible process and consistent product quality. Furthermore, the developed suspension correlation shall provide the possibility to perform mechanistic modeling of the agglomeration behavior depending on the operating parameters in the crystallization process. For this purpose, already existing dimensionless numbers were evaluated and modified employing force balances in order to predict the particle behavior in the liquid compartments in the slug flow crystallizer under different operating conditions and particle shapes of the substance system l-alanine/water using L-glutamic acid as impurity during crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of various ozonation durations (i.e., 15, 30, and 60 min) on selected properties of gum arabic with 0.5% concentration (db), corn starch (S) and corn starch-gum arabic dispersion (GAS) were investigated. Ozonation generally caused significant decrease in viscosity of samples (P < 0.05), providing potential ease of use in industry. Peak temperature of GAS was increased after 60 min ozonation (P < 0.05), as measured by differential scanning calorimeter. The pH values decreased after for each ozonation period (15, 30 and 60 min) (pH 5.0 to pH 2.50), due to possible hydroxyl oxidation by ozonation, which was linked to increased formation of carbonyl and carboxyl groups. It was observed that ozonation resulted in increased water solubility index whereas a decrease was observed in water adsorption index. Ozonation increased the quantity of reducing sugars (19.3%), phenolic compound concentrations (24.0%) and radical scavenging activity (48.0%) compared to control samples after 60 min ozonation. This study suggests that ozonation could be used to oxidize GAS dispersions by an environment friendly approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhibiting particles aggregation plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of nanofluids. In this work, applying a rod electrode was developed to reduce particles aggregation and sedimentation for TiO2-H2O suspensions. The experimental results show that the aggregation and sedimentation of TiO2 particles are effectively suppressed when a rod electrode is inserted into the TiO2-H2O suspensions due to the increase of the absolute value of particle zeta potential. There is an optimal electric voltage (0.5 kV) to achieve the maximum suppression of sedimentation, while surface flaw of the electrode is harmful to suppress sedimentation. The mechanism for inhibition of sedimentation by the electrode is speculated that the charges transfer between the electrode and the TiO2 nanoparticles by the contact electrification. Therefore, the application of the electrode with the optimal design has great potential for improving the stability of the TiO2-H2O nanofluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Poly(N -isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgel particles show considerable hydrophilicity below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) while they become hydrophobic above LCST. We hypothesize that interfacial wettability could tune particle−surface interaction and subsequent structural relaxation of microgel suspensions at interfaces during the volume phase transition. The evanescent-wave scattering images of microgels at hydrophilic and hydrophobic interfaces are analyzed by a density-fluctuation autocorrelation function (δ ACF) over a wide range of particle volume fraction ϕ. The structural relaxation is characterized by the decay behavior of δ ACF. The scattering images in bulk are also processed as a comparison. A two-step relaxation decay is observed at both hydrophilic and hydrophobic interfaces. Relative to fast decay, the rate of structural relaxation in slow decay is reduced by a factor of ∼ 500 and ∼ 50 at hydrophilic and hydrophobic interfaces, respectively. The relaxation times obey divergent power-law dependences on intermediate regime of observing length scales at the two interfaces. Besides, the distribution of fluctuation for relaxation time at different local regions reveals that the structural relaxation is much more homogenous at hydrophilic interfaces than that at hydrophobic interfaces, especially at high ϕ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan approved the first generic version of Nasonex in February 2018. The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency requires in vitro, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic or clinical endpoint data to approve generic nasal spray drug products. However, the MHLW has not published basic principle for approving nasal generic drug products. Therefore, this article summarizes the data used for the approval of the first generic Nasonex based on publicly available data. Additionally, we compare the bioequivalence evaluations regarding the human studies based on the generic version of Nasonex between Japan and the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates new approaches for the blending and plastification of ceramic powder with a binder to form fused deposition of ceramic (FDC) feedstock. The fabrication of highly filled ceramic filaments was accomplished using the granulation by agitation technique, followed by twin-screw extruder homogenization and single-screw extruder filament extrusion. The feedstocks are based on alumina (Al2O3) powders, which were prepared with an industrial binder through three different routes: wet granulation, melt granulation and melt granulation with a suspension. After printing cubic samples and tensile test specimens on a commercial fused deposition modelling (FDM) printer, the properties of the resulting green-body and sintered parts were investigated. The green-body mechanical values are compared with results from commercially available filaments. Mixing the binder with the alumina powder and surfactant in a suspension produces the lowest viscosity and the best elongation at break. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]