This paper conducts a comparative analysis of mentoring and metacognition in education, unveiling their intricate connections. Both concepts, though seemingly disparate, prove to be interdependent ...within the educational landscape. The analysis showcases the dynamic interplay between mentoring and metacognition, emphasizing their reciprocal influence. Metacognition, often perceived as self-awareness and introspection, is found to complement the relational and supportive nature of mentoring. Within this context, metacognitive education within mentoring emerges as a vital component. Practical recommendations are offered for effective metacognitive training, highlighting its role in enhancing cognitive and metacognitive skills. Moreover, the paper introduces the concept of a “mentoring scaffolding system.” This system emphasizes mentor-led gradual independence for mentees, facilitating their professional and personal growth. The necessity of fostering a metacognition culture in education is a central theme. Such a culture promotes improved performance and lifelong learning. The paper suggests integrating metacognition into curricula and empowering learners as essential steps toward achieving this culture. In conclusion, this paper advocates for the integration of metacognition into mentoring and education, fostering self-awareness, independence, and adaptability. These attributes are deemed crucial for individuals navigating the challenges of the information age.
Lyophilization is used to ensure an increased shelf-life of liposomes, by preserving them in dry state, more stable than the aqueous dispersions. When stored as aqueous systems, the encapsulated ...drugs are released and the liposomes might aggregate or fuse. The aim of this study was to develop and optimize a lyophilized formulation of simvastatin (SIM) loaded into long circulating liposomes using the Quality by Design (QbD) approach. Pharmaceutical development by QbD aims to identify characteristics that are critical for the final product quality, and to establish how the critical process parameters can be varied to consistently produce a product with the desired characteristics. In the case of lyophilized liposomes, the choice of the optimum formulation and technological parameters has to be done, in order to protect the integrity of the liposomal membrane during lyophilization. Thus, the influence of several risk factors (3 formulation factors: PEG proportion, cholesterol concentration, the cryoprotectant to phospholipids molar ratio, and 2 process parameters: the number of extrusions through 100nm polycarbonate membranes and the freezing conditions prior lyophilization) over the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of lyophilized long circulating liposomes with simvastatin (lyo-LCL-SIM), i.e. the size, the encapsulated SIM concentration, the encapsulated SIM retention, the Tm change and the residual moisture content, was investigated within the current study using the design of experiments tool of QbD. Moreover, the design space for lyo-LCL-SIM was determined, in which the established quality requirements of the product are met, provided that the risk factors vary within the established limits.
Abstract
The mandatory strategy of using internal standard in HPLC is still controversial. Despite that the introduction of internal standard methodology in the early stage of development of HPLC ...technology was used to improve method accuracy and precision, there are still practical situations in which a simple external standard quantification is adequate. The aim of the study is to compare the determination of meloxicam (MXC) in human plasma by HPLC with or without using an internal standard according to some key points related to the reason of introducing the internal standardization such as the reducing of sample preparation errors or variability for low injection volumes. The HPLC analysis was performed on reversed phase with UV detection after protein precipitation. Piroxicam (PXC) was used as an internal standard. The two methods are compared in terms of accuracy and precision over the same concentration range. The stability of the analyte has been proved. According to the results, the quantitative determination of MXC in human plasma after simple protein precipitation by using PXC as an internal standard does not bring any significant improvement of accuracy and precision of the experimental measurements.
Misophonia is a neurophysiological disorder with behavioral implications, is complex and multifactorial in origin, and is characterized by an atypical and disproportionate emotional response to ...specific sounds or associated visual stimuli. Triggers include human-generated sounds, mainly sounds related to feeding and breathing processes, and repetitive mechanical sounds. In response to the triggering stimulus, the patient experiences immediate, high-intensity, disproportionate physical and emotional reactions that affect their quality of life and social functioning. The symptoms of misophonia can occur at any age, but onset in childhood or adolescence is most common. Affected children live in a constant state of anxiety, suffer continuous physical and emotional discomfort, and are thus exposed to significant chronic stress. Chronic stress, especially during childhood, has consequences on the main biological systems through the dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, including the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we provide arguments for a positive correlation between misophonic pathology and gastrointestinal symptoms, and this hypothesis may be the starting point for further longitudinal studies that could investigate the correlations between these childhood vulnerabilities caused by misophonia and their effect on the gastrointestinal system. Further research to study this hypothesis is essential to ensure correct and timely diagnosis and optimal psychological and pharmacological support.
Introduction. The advertising of food supplements on various media channels or in specialty stores with natural products and other places, as well as the lack of informative and educational programs ...for the population upon side effects and the interaction of food supplements with food and drugs, have led to the development of uncontrolled marketing of these products. Material and methods. PubMed, ResearchGate and EUR-Lex databases were analyzed during 2015-2021, based on search criteria based on: adverse reactions, ingredient new food, food supplements, algorithms. Results. Certain dietary supplements can cause multiple side effects, such as: impaired platelet function by decreased platelet aggregation, gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea, vomiting), decreased wound healing/epithelialization, bacterial or fungal sepsis, most common in patients older. Herbal resources such as Aloe vera, Matricaria recutita, Taraxacum officinale and others, can cause dermatological side effects and inhibit the elimination of dermatological drugs metabolised by cytochrome P-450 (e.g. terbinafine). Matricaria recutita, Allium sativum, Mentha piperita L. and others, inhibit the enzyme CYP2C9. Another enzyme with a role in the metabolism of dermatological drugs and which is inhibited by plant resources is CYP3A4. Conclusions. It is imperative to legislate the reporting of adverse reactions caused by food supplements, including their interaction with food or drugs.
The development of suitable formulations for the pediatric population remains a challenging field with great advances reported every year in terms of excipients and technology. When developing ...pediatric formulations, the acceptability of medicines represents a key element to consider. For this reason, milk can be a widely accepted excipient with taste-masking properties and supplementary advantages for drug solubility. In recent years, the orodispersible dosage forms have come onto the market as child-friendly formulations. The current study aimed to develop freeze-dried orodispersible dosage forms containing bovine milk or infant formulae as the main component. In the first stage, an exploratory study evaluated the mechanical properties of placebo milk formulations and the suitability of milk as a matrix-forming agent. As the appropriate mechanical strength to withstand manipulation was demonstrated, milk oral lyophilizates were loaded with a poorly soluble model API, loratadine. Hence, a D-optimal design was conducted to prepare milk lyophilizates with loratadine and to evaluate the effects of three factors (dose of loratadine, the lyophilizate size, and the type of milk) and their interactions. Finally, three formulations were prepared to confront the predictions of the DoE and further studied to thoroughly understand the observed effects. The experimental results showed the potential of milk in the development of oral lyophilizates loaded with different doses of suspended API.
The aim of the present study was to assess the suitability of different Amicon Ultra and Centrifree ultrafiltration devices for the study of the plasma protein binding process in the case of ...carvedilol, a highly protein-bound and lipophilic beta-blocking agent. Samples at different levels of concentration were prepared in both proteic and non-proteic matrices (human plasma, 5% human serum albumin solution and saline solution) and subjected to the classical ultrafiltration method using the different devices considered. Furthermore, an attempt to apply a previously described modified ultrafiltration method was also made. The analysis and quantification was achieved using a validated LC-MS/MS method. For the Centrifree devices, the determined unbound fractions of carvedilol and the corresponding binding degree were in accordance to literature data, while for the Amicon Ultra devices a great degree of carvedilol adsorbtion to the sample reservoir was observed, the analyte not being detected in the ultrafiltrate samples. Thus, it was further demonstrated that the type of ultrafiltration device used has a significant influence on the outcome of a plasma protein binding study. In the case of carvedilol, the evaluation of the protein binding interaction could be achieved using the Centrifree ultrafiltration devices, but not the Amicon Ultra devices.
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