Abstract The role played by anatomical factors in ACL injury remains elusive. In this study, objective methods were used to characterize ACL volume, tibial slopes and notch geometry from ACL-injured ...and matched-control subjects. The study tested four hypotheses: (1) the medial tibial plateau slope is steeper posteriorly in the injured group compared to the non-injured group, (2) the lateral tibial plateau slope is steeper posteriorly in the injured group compared to the non-injured group, (3) the femoral intercondylar notch dimensions are smaller in the injured group compared to the non-injured group and (4) the ACL volume, tibial plateau slopes and intercondylar notch dimensions are all independent of each other. Fifty-four subjects were divided into two groups, those who had suffered a non-contact ACL injury and those who still had two healthy ACLs, matched to the injured subjects by gender, age, height and weight. The lateral tibial plateaus in the uninjured contralateral knees of the injured subjects had a significantly steeper posterior slope (1.8° vs. −0.3°), a factor that potentially contributed to the ACL injury in the opposite knee. The intercondylar notch dimensions were found to be smaller in the injured subjects, potentially putting the ACL at risk of impingement, and intercondylar notch volume was correlated to ACL volume ( r =0.58). Discriminant analysis showed that the notch width at the inlet was the best single predictor of ACL injury.
AbstractBackgroundNeurotoxic cancer treatments can cause chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and postural control deficits that cancer survivors report as a concern. Exercise-based ...sensorimotor training has emerged as a promising treatment for symptoms including balance deficits, however, more study is needed to optimize engagement and participation. We evaluated feasibility, satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy of a novel balance training program for cancer survivors: partnered, Adapted Argentine Tango dance (Tango). MethodsTwenty-two individuals participated ( n = 22). Tango classes (1 h) were offered twice/week. At baseline, midpoint (8 classes), and conclusion of the training (15 or 16 classes), we assessed postural control by measuring center-of-pressure (CoP) measures during quiet standing with eyes closed. We also documented attendance, barriers to attendance, and satisfaction (7 point scale; 1 high). At conclusion, we analyzed whether 1) attendance and satisfaction met feasibility criteria; 2) postural control improved among participants who were outside of normal range at baseline; and 3) co-enrolling with a companion increased attendance. FindingsFeasibility criteria were met: more than half of participants attended more than half the classes offered with a mean satisfaction rate of 1.2 (SD 0.4). Those who enrolled with a companion ( n = 9) attended more sessions than those who did not ( n = 13) (Mann-Whitney U value = 20; p = 0.012). Participants with demonstrated deficits (n = 9) improved in 3 CoP measures at midpoint (i.e., medial-lateral sway, ellipse area, medial-lateral velocity), retaining improvement in 2 CoP measures at endpoint (i.e., medial-lateral sway, ellipse area). InterpretationPartnered, Adapted Argentine Tango is feasible for cancer survivors and may improve postural control. Enrolling with a companion improved attendance.
Sustained release (SR)-gastroretentive dosage forms (GRDF) enable prolonged and continuous input of the drug to the upper parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and improve the bioavailability of ...medications that are characterized by a narrow absorption window. A new strategy is proposed for the development of gastroretentive dosage forms for ofloxacin preferably once daily. The design of the delivery system was based on the sustained release formulation, with floating and swelling features in order to prolong the gastric retention time of the drug delivery systems. Different polymers, such as psyllium husk, HPMC K100M, crospovidone and its combinations were tried in order to get the desired sustained release profile over a period of 24
h. Various formulations were evaluated for buoyancy lag time, duration of buoyancy, dimensional stability, drug content and in vitro drug release profile. It was found that dimensional stability of the formulation increases with the increasing psyllium husk concentration. It was also found that in vitro drug release rate increased with increasing amount of crospovidone due to the increased water uptake, and hence increased driving force for drug release. The optimized formulation was subjected to stability studies at different temperature and humidity conditions as per ICH guidelines. In vivo studies were carried out for the optimized formulation in 24 healthy human volunteers and the pharmacokinetic parameters of developed formulations were compared with the marketed once daily (Zanocin) formulation. Based on the in vivo performance in a parallel study design in healthy subjects, the developed formulation shows promise to be bioequivalent to the marketed product (Zanocin). The percent relative bioavailability of developed formulation was found to be 97.55%.
TNP can't hide from MOF: A three‐dimensional fluorescent metal–organic framework (MOF), Cd(NDC)0.5(PCA)⋅Gx, can be used for the detection of 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (TNP). The MOF exhibits high ...selectivity towards TNP, even in the presence of other nitro explosives in aqueous and organic solutions, owing to electron‐ and energy‐transfer mechanisms and electrostatic interactions.
Solvents play a vital role in multiphase catalysis. They are selected to perform several functions during liquid phase catalytic transformations such as solubilizing reactants, facilitating ...product/catalyst separation, increasing reaction rates, enhancing solubilities of gaseous reactants (such as O2, CO, H2) in the liquid phase, and providing heat capacity to effectively manage the heat of reaction. This review discusses such roles of conventional solvents in multiphase catalytic processes such as hydroformylation, carbonylation, hydrogenation and oxidation. For each of these chemistries, industrially relevant examples are presented, highlighting the advantages and limitations of the conventional solvents used therein. Further, it is shown how the pressure-tunable properties of supercritical fluids (SCFs) and gas-expanded liquids (GXLs) have been exploited in such systems to develop novel multiphase catalytic technology concepts. GXLs in particular provide advantages such as rate intensification, efficient feedstock utilization, enhanced process safety, waste minimization and reduced use of volatile organic solvents, all at relatively mild pressures and temperatures. Conventional reactors and reaction engineering tools that integrate phase behavior (for reactions and separations), catalytic kinetics and multiphase reactor modeling may be applied for the rational development of multiphase reactors using GXLs. Quantitative economic and environmental impact analyses during early stages of process development provide valuable research and process engineering guidance for developing practically viable GXL processes. The Rh catalyzed hydroformylation in CO2-expanded liquids and methyltrioxorhenium-based ethylene epoxidation are highlighted as exemplars of GXL-based technology concepts. Emerging feedstocks, such as plant-based biomass, shale gas and sequestered CO2, that require new catalytic conversion technologies to produce chemical intermediates, offer excellent opportunities for using tunable solvents.
Display omitted
•Supercritical Fluids (SCFs) possess pressure-tunable physical and transport properties.•Liquid-like density and gas-like transport properties possible with SCFs.•SCFs used as solvents or in Gas-eXpanded Liquids to perform multiphase catalysis.•GXLs enhance rates, selectivity, separation and safety, promoting sustainable catalysis.•CO2-expanded liquid media ideal for oxidations, hydroformylations and hydrogenations.
Purpose
To develop a super‐resolution technique using convolutional neural networks for generating thin‐slice knee MR images from thicker input slices, and compare this method with alternative ...through‐plane interpolation methods.
Methods
We implemented a 3D convolutional neural network entitled DeepResolve to learn residual‐based transformations between high‐resolution thin‐slice images and lower‐resolution thick‐slice images at the same center locations. DeepResolve was trained using 124 double echo in steady‐state (DESS) data sets with 0.7‐mm slice thickness and tested on 17 patients. Ground‐truth images were compared with DeepResolve, clinically used tricubic interpolation, and Fourier interpolation methods, along with state‐of‐the‐art single‐image sparse‐coding super‐resolution. Comparisons were performed using structural similarity, peak SNR, and RMS error image quality metrics for a multitude of thin‐slice downsampling factors. Two musculoskeletal radiologists ranked the 3 data sets and reviewed the diagnostic quality of the DeepResolve, tricubic interpolation, and ground‐truth images for sharpness, contrast, artifacts, SNR, and overall diagnostic quality. Mann‐Whitney U tests evaluated differences among the quantitative image metrics, reader scores, and rankings. Cohen's Kappa (κ) evaluated interreader reliability.
Results
DeepResolve had significantly better structural similarity, peak SNR, and RMS error than tricubic interpolation, Fourier interpolation, and sparse‐coding super‐resolution for all downsampling factors (p < .05, except 4 × and 8 × sparse‐coding super‐resolution downsampling factors). In the reader study, DeepResolve significantly outperformed (p < .01) tricubic interpolation in all image quality categories and overall image ranking. Both readers had substantial scoring agreement (κ = 0.73).
Conclusion
DeepResolve was capable of resolving high‐resolution thin‐slice knee MRI from lower‐resolution thicker slices, achieving superior quantitative and qualitative diagnostic performance to both conventionally used and state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Vesicular systems are novel means of delivering drug in controlled manner to enhance bioavailability and get therapeutic effect over a longer period of time. Niosomes are such hydrated vesicular ...systems containing nonionic surfactants along with cholesterol or other lipids delivering drug to targeted site which are non toxic, requiring less production cost, stable over a longer period of time in different conditions, so overcomes drawbacks of liposome. Present review describes history, all factors affecting niosome formulation, manufacturing conditions, characterization, stability, administration routes and also their comparison with liposome. This review also gives relevant information regarding various applications of niosomes in gene delivery, vaccine delivery, anticancer drug delivery, etc.
Display omitted
► Vesicular system introduction and types ► History of niosomes ► Classification, impact, uses and drawbacks of surfactant in short and compiled ► Impact of properties of niosomes such as chain length, HLB value, etc. ► Use of cholesterol, surfactants and there impacts ► Methods of preparation ► Evaluation of niosomes by various methods for different parameters ► Application of niosomes such as in delivery of NSAIDs, genes, vaccines, anticancer drugs, etc.
PDF
