Silica gel confirmed its function as viscosity agent for lipophylic excipients for suppositories, ensuring homogeneous drug distribution in the suppository mass. The influence on release rate of a ...water-soluble drug (benzydamine hydrochloride) was clearly different according to type of silica gel. With Aerosil 200 (hydrophylic), after a progressive decrease in release rate at the lowest concentrations, an increase was observed at the highest concentrations, until it reached that of the suppositories without silica gel. With Aerosil R972, release rate decreased progressively with increased silica gel concentration, until release was practically inhibited even at low concentrations.
Two series of O/W creams having the same general formulation were prepared in three different mechanical conditions (F with an hand blender; S with a turbomixer; T with a vacuum turbo emulsor) using ...two types of surfactants, polyoxyethylene-cetostearyl alcohols and polyglyceryl-3-methylglucose-distearate. By means of microscopic image analysis it was possible to point out the dispersion grade of the oil internal phase increasing with the energy applied under the conditions of manufacture (F<S<T). The level of dispersion influenced significantly on the rheological characteristics of the creams. With polyoxyethylene-cetostearyl alcohols, the viscosity of creams increased as the energy applied in manufacturing increased, with polyglyceryl-3-methylglucose-distearate on the contrary decreased. Moreover, indifferently to the manufacturing conditions, even in the same concentration of surfactant, the creams obtained with the last produced a much greater viscosity. At a parity of manufacturing conditions the differences between the batches of productions were not significant.
The release rate of a drug dose from suppositories is affected by characteristics of the excipient (melting temperature and rate, viscosity at rectal temperature, hydro-lipophilic characteristics). ...Release kinetics from excipients commonly available do not always respond to clinical requirements, even after the introduction of auxiliary agents. Release curves which were differentiated and adaptable to therapeutic conditions were obtained by vehicling a drug in suppositories of two superimposed layers of lipophilic excipients with different characteristics and hence with a difference in drug availability. The two distinct excipient layers release the drug from these suppositories contemporaneously but independently. The amount of drug released in the time course is the sum of the single amounts individually released by the two suppository layers. By previously mixing the two excipients, release rate becomes uniform in the suppository body overall and is conditioned only by the assumed characteristics of the mixture. The release mechanism for superimposed layer suppositories is confirmed by the good agreement between experimental and calculated curves. By using a pair of excipients with different characteristics in superimposed layers between which the drug is distributed, it is possible to modulate drug release kinetics by regulating the reciprocal ratio between the two suppository fractions.
O/W creams prepared in three mechanical conditions (F with a hand blender; S turbomixer; T vacuum turbo-emulsor) produced different dispersion grades of the internal phase and different rheological ...characteristics by using surfactants of different chemical nature (polyoxyethylene-cetostearyl alcohols and polyglyceryl-3-methylglucose distearate). Three tests were used (an in vitro release test across a porous membrane; an in vitro simulated absorption test across a porous membrane impregnated with isopropyl myristate; an in vivo absorption test based on the intensity and duration of the erythema produced by methyl nicotinate after application of the cream on the skin) to assess whether the different physical characteristics influence drug availability from the creams. The different physical characteristics due to the mechanical conditions of emulsifying and gelification appeared not to influence drug release and in vivo absorption.
The influence of the vehicle on release and simulated absorption of methyl nicotinate (MN) was evaluated using in vitro systems in order to find a correlation with data previously obtained in vivo. ...Simulation of drug absorption was carried out using a porous polymer membrane soaked with lipophilic phases such as n-dodecanol and isopropyl myristate. Ointment composition influenced differently both release and absorption of MN independent of drug concentration. The degree of skin redness induced by MN was found to be significantly correlated to in vitro simulated drug absorption but not to in vitro drug release.
Abstract
Silica gel is frequently introduced into lipophilic excipients for suppositories as a viscosity agent, to prevent drug sedimentation in the melted mass, and to decrease release rate. The ...effect of silica gel (Aerosil 200) concentration on the availability of some drugs frequently used in suppositories in different unitary doses was studied. When silica gel concentration in the excipient was increased, a decrease in aminophylline and aminophenazone release rate was observed. Paracetamol in small unitary doses has shown a tendency to increase release rate at higher silica gel concentrations. This behavior was even more evident in suppositories containing promethazine hydrochloride, while for those containing benzydamine hydrochloride the increase in release rate with increasing silica gel concentration was evident for all drug doses. However, the behavior was a consequence of the trend of suppository viscosity during drug release. As a consequence of both the drug and silica gel being discharged, the viscosity progressively decreased with an increased silica gel concentration. The effect on drug availability was conditioned by silica gel concentration, as well as the type and dose of the drug, which could act on the shape of the suppository inner structure that is responsible for viscosity and mobility of drug particles.
Samples of calcium carbonate tablets produced by different manufacturers were subjected to various tests in order to evaluate tablet quality parameters, mostly indicative for calcium availability. ...Indications about tablet suitability for treatment of renal osteodystrophy in uremic patients were also tested. The disintegration test turned out to be the most useful in evaluating calcium carbonate availability from tablets. Samples from several manufacturers varied in their behaviour to disaggregation. The availability of calcium dissolved in gastric fluid and the extent of phosphorus binding appeared to depend on disintegration behaviour.
Background
Investigations of evolution knowledge and acceptance and their relation are central to evolution education research. Ambiguous results in this field of study demonstrate a variety of ...measuring issues, for instance differently theorized constructs, or a lack of standardized methods, especially for cross-country comparisons. In particular, meaningful comparisons across European countries, with their varying cultural backgrounds and education systems, are rare, often include only few countries, and lack standardization. To address these deficits, we conducted a standardized European survey, on 9200 first-year university students in 26 European countries utilizing a validated, comprehensive questionnaire, the “Evolution Education Questionnaire”, to assess evolution acceptance and knowledge, as well as influencing factors on evolution acceptance.
Results
We found that, despite European countries’ different cultural backgrounds and education systems, European first-year university students generally accept evolution. At the same time, they lack substantial knowledge about it, even if they are enrolled in a biology-related study program. Additionally, we developed a multilevel-model that determines religious faith as the main influencing factor in accepting evolution. According to our model, knowledge about evolution and interest in biological topics also increase acceptance of evolution, but to a much lesser extent than religious faith. The effect of age and sex, as well as the country’s affiliation, students’ denomination, and whether or not a student is enrolled in a biology-related university program, is negligible.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate that, despite all their differences, most of the European education systems for upper secondary education lead to acceptance of evolution at least in university students. It appears that, at least in this sample, the differences in knowledge between countries reflect neither the extent to which school curricula cover evolutionary biology nor the percentage of biology-related students in the country samples. Future studies should investigate the role of different European school curricula, identify particularly problematic or underrepresented evolutionary concepts in biology education, and analyze the role of religious faith when teaching evolution.
Elisa Dassie,1,2,* Diletta Arcidiacono,2,3,* Iga Wasiak,4 Nunzio Damiano,5 Luigi Dall'Olmo,6 Cinzia Giacometti,7 Sonia Facchin,3 Mauro Cassaro,7 Ennio Guido,8 Franca De Lazzari,8 Oriano Marin,9,10 ...Tomasz Ciach,4 Suzanne Fery-Forgues,11,12 Alfredo Alberti,1,2 Giorgio Battaglia,13 Stefano Realdon13 1Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, 2Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, 3Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy; 4Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; 5Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padua, Padua, 6Department of Emergency Medicine, "Santi Giovanni e Paolo" Hospital, Venice, 7Anatomic Pathology Unit, ULSS 15, Alta Padovana, Camposampiero, 8Gastroenterology Unit, Sant'Antonio Hospital, 9Interdepartmental Research Centre for Innovative Biotechnologies (CRIBI), University of Padua, 10Proteomics Facility, Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova, Padua, 11CNRS, ITAV-USR 3505, Toulouse, France; 12Université de Toulouse, ITAV-USR 3505, Toulouse, France; 13Endoscopy Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology (IOV-IRCCS), Padua, Italy *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: For many years, novel strategies for cancer detection and treatment using nanoparticles (NPs) have been developed. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Western countries, and despite recent advances in early detection and treatment, its prognosis is still very poor. This study investigated the use of fluorescent organic NPs as potential diagnostic tool in an experimental in vivo model of Barrett's esophageal adenocarcinoma. NPs were made of modified polysaccharides loaded with 4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(4-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM), a well-known fluorescent dye. The NP periphery might or might not be decorated with ASYNYDA peptide that has an affinity for esophageal cancer cells. Non-operated and operated rats in which gastroesophageal reflux was surgically induced received both types of NPs (NP-DCM and NP-DCM-ASYNYDA) by intravenous route. Localization of mucosal NPs was assessed in vivo by confocal laser endomicroscopy, a technique which enables a "real time" and in situ visualization of the tissue at a cellular level. After injection of NP-DCM and NP-DCM-ASYNYDA, fluorescence was observed in rats affected by esophageal cancer, whereas no signal was observed in control non-operated rats, or in rats with simple esophagitis or Barrett's esophagus mucosa. Fluorescence was observable in vivo 30 minutes after the administration of NPs. Interestingly, NP-DCM-ASYNYDA induced strong fluorescence intensity 24 hours after administration. These observations suggested that NPs could reach the tumor cells, likely by enhanced permeability and retention effect, and the peptide ASYNYDA gave them high specificity for esophageal cancer cells. Thus, the combination of NP platform and confocal laser endomicroscopy could play an important role for highlighting esophageal cancer conditions. This result supports the potential of this strategy as a targeted carrier for photoactive and bioactive molecules in esophageal cancer diagnosis and treatment. Keywords: confocal laser endomicroscopy, Barrett's esophagus, diagnostics, esophageal adenocarcinoma, fluorescent nanoparticles, heptapeptide
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