Hasil untuk "Pharmacy and materia medica"

Annika Delucchi, Vincenzo Di Paola, Andreas Müller et al.

Although strain-based models have been widely adopted in robotics, no comparison beyond the uniform bending test is commonly recognized to assess their performance. In addition, the increasing effort in prototyping continuum robots highlights the need to assess the applicability of these models and the necessity of comprehensive performance evaluation. To address this gap, this work investigates the shape reconstruction abilities of a third-order strain interpolation method, examining its ability to capture both individual and combined deformation effects. These results are compared and discussed against the Geometric-Variable Strain approach. Subsequently, simulation results are experimentally verified by reshaping a slender rod while recording the resulting configurations using cameras. The rod configuration is imposed using a manipulator displacing one of its tips and extracted through reflective markers, without the aid of any other external sensor -- i.e. strain gauges or wrench sensors placed along the rod. The experiments demonstrate good agreement between the model predictions and observed shapes, with average error of 0.58% of the rod length and average computational time of 0.32s per configuration, outperforming existing models.

Valentin von Bornhaupt, Johannes Grün, and Justus Bisten et al.

Whole-brain tractography in diffusion MRI is often followed by a parcellation in which each streamline is classified as belonging to a specific white matter bundle, or discarded as a false positive. Efficient parcellation is important both in large-scale studies, which have to process huge amounts of data, and in the clinic, where computational resources are often limited. TractCloud is a state-of-the-art approach that aims to maximize accuracy with a local-global representation. We demonstrate that the local context does not contribute to the accuracy of that approach, and is even detrimental when dealing with pathological cases. Based on this observation, we propose PETParc, a new method for Parallel Efficient Tractography Parcellation. PETParc is a transformer-based architecture in which the whole-brain tractogram is randomly partitioned into sub-tractograms whose streamlines are classified in parallel, while serving as global context for each other. This leads to a speedup of up to two orders of magnitude relative to TractCloud, and permits inference even on clinical workstations without a GPU. PETParc accounts for the lack of streamline orientation either via a novel flip-invariant embedding, or by simply using flips as part of data augmentation. Despite the speedup, results are often even better than those of prior methods. The code and pretrained model will be made public upon acceptance.

Wenfeng Liu, Tomer A. Sigalov, Corentin Coulais et al.

Metamaterials are a promising platform for a range of applications, from shock absorption to mechanical computing. These functionalities typically rely on floppy modes or mechanically frustrated loops, both of which are difficult to design. In particular, how to design multiple modes or loops with target deformations remains an open problem. We introduce a combinatorial approach that allows us to create an arbitrarily large number of floppy modes and frustrated loops. The design freedom of the mode shapes enables us to easily introduce kinematic incompatibility to turn them into frustrated loops. We demonstrate that floppy modes can be sequentially buckled by using a specific instance of elastoplastic buckling. We utilize our combinatorial floppy chains and frustrated loops to achieve matrix-vector multiplication in materia. Our findings bring about new principles for the design and the use of floppiness and geometric frustration in soft matter and metamaterials.

Maciej Wilczynski, Mark Fedorov, Tymofii Khvan et al.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to investigate the influence of mechanical strain on irradiation-induced defect and dislocation evolution in nickel single crystals subjected to cumulative overlapping 5 keV collision cascades at 300 K. The simulations reveal that tensile strain modifies the dynamics of defect generation and recovery, promoting stress-assisted defect mobility and enhancing defect survival compared to the unstrained case. The heat spike duration and intensity decrease systematically with increasing strain, indicating faster energy dissipation and altered defect recombination behavior under applied stress. Analysis of the dislocation structure shows that Shockley-type partial dislocations dominate the microstructural response, while Hirth and other dislocation types remain comparatively minor. Both the total and Shockley dislocation densities reach a saturation value of $~10^{16}m^{-2}$ , marking the establishment of a steady-state microstructure governed by the balance between dislocation accumulation and recovery. The evolution of the total dislocation density with strain is successfully described by the Kocks-Mecking model, demonstrating its applicability to strain-dependent irradiation effects in metallic systems

Christian S Sharma, Pravin S Lohar, Ajit M Zende

Background: A package insert is a document within a medication package that provides information about the product. Labels similarly covey information regarding the product but are printed on the packaging rather than separately within. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether pharmaceuticals in India adhere to the national guidelines laid down by CDSCO with regards to the packaging and labeling of drugs. Materials and Methods: 100 drugs (labels + package inserts) were collected within duration of 1 month, beginning June 6th, 2023,–July 5th, 2023, from the central drug store of a tertiary care government hospital and nearby pharmacies. After entering pertinent data into a Microsoft Excel sheet, analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics. Results: Most companies (in and around 70%) followed requirements with respect to drug labels barring "warning about the drug" and use of the "red line," while package inserts showed divisive results, with patient-centric information such as posology, special warnings, and contraindications being followed by more than 80% of the manufacturer's while taking a backseat with regards to technical details such as shelf life and incompatibilities. Conclusion: Labels and package inserts do largely convey the information that they intend to, with scope for improvement from both companies and regulatory authorities in order to perfect the balance of information conveyed. [Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 2024; 14(4.000): 742-745]

Amit Goel

Rikhaturhohmah, Rospadila Dwi Adrila, Widiya Dwi Handayani et al.

Dental plaque is the main cause of dental caries caused by Streptococcus mutans, with a high prevalence in Indonesia. Currently, the mouthwash market contains high levels of alcohol, which can cause long-term side effects. Tampala bajakah root (Spatholobus littoralis) is used in traditional medicine for the Dayak community in Central Kalimantan. Bajakah Tampala root has antibacterial activity produced by flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The development of herbal cosmetics can be achieved by Bajakah Tampala mouthwash formulations to prevent dental plaque caused by Streptococcus mutans infection. In this study, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UBT) and infusion (IBT) derived the active compounds of Bajakah Tampala root extract. The various concentrations of UBT (20–80%) and IBT (10%) were evaluated for antibacterial activity using the disk diffusion method. The results showed that positive control and 80% UBT have antibacterial activity higher than other extracts, with an inhibition zone of 14,01±2,70 mm. Based on these results, an effective mouthwash dosage formulation can be developed at 80% UBT. The formulation evaluation of mouthwash assessed viscosity, homogeneity, pH, and organoleptic test. The UBT mouthwash product has qualified formulation evaluation parameters. This research contributed to the innovation of herbal cosmetics by developing the potential of Indonesian medicinal plants

Gita Das

Aim: This study was done for the efficacy assessment of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and various relaxation techniques in patients with suicidal tendencies. Methodology: The study was conducted among 150 patients of attempted suicide for a period of 2 years (January 2017 to January 2019). The participants were randomly allocated into three groups, with 50 patients each receiving CBT, JPMR, and combined treatment (groups I, II, and III, respectively). The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI) and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) score were used for pre- and postassessment of depression in the patients. Student's t- and Chi-square tests were used for analyzing the data recorded. Results: We observed that in group II, the index scores did not change after a period of 2 years with a P > 0.05. However, in groups I and II, the scores significantly decreased with P < 0.001. Conclusion: A combination of relaxation techniques and CBT will help improve the depression related to suicidal tendencies.

Thomas G. Kelly, Mohammad D. Soorati, Klaus-Peter Zauner et al.

Swarm robotics is a study of simple robots that exhibit complex behaviour only by interacting locally with other robots and their environment. The control in swarm robotics is mainly distributed whereas centralised control is widely used in other fields of robotics. Centralised and decentralised control strategies both pose a unique set of benefits and drawbacks for the control of multi-robot systems. While decentralised systems are more scalable and resilient, they are less efficient compared to the centralised systems and they lead to excessive data transmissions to the human operators causing cognitive overload. We examine the trade-offs of each of these approaches in a human-swarm system to perform an environmental monitoring task and propose a flexible hybrid approach, which combines elements of hierarchical and decentralised systems. We find that a flexible hybrid system can outperform a centralised system (in our environmental monitoring task by 19.2%) while reducing the number of messages sent to a human operator (here by 23.1%). We conclude that establishing centralisation for a system is not always optimal for performance and that utilising aspects of centralised and decentralised systems can keep the swarm from hindering its performance.

Cuc Thi Kim Mai, Janne Halme, Heikki A. Nurmi et al.

Despite attractive cost-effectiveness, scalability, and superior stability, carbon-based printable perovskite solar cells (CPSCs) still face moisture-induced degradation that limits their lifespan and commercial potential. Here, we investigate the moisture-preventing mechanisms of thin nanostructured super-repellent coating (advancing contact angle $>$167$^{\circ}$ and contact angle hysteresis 7$^{\circ}$ integrated into CPSCs for different moisture forms (falling water droplets vs water vapor vs condensed water droplets). We show that unencapsulated super-repellent CPSCs have superior performance under continuous droplet impact for 12h (rain simulation experiments) compared to unencapsulated pristine (uncoated) CPSCs that degrade within seconds. Contrary to falling water droplets, where super-repellent coating serves as a shield, we found water vapor to physisorb through porous super-repellent coating (room temperature and relative humidity, RH 65\% and 85\%) that increased the CPSCs performance for 21\% during ~43 days similarly to pristine CPSCs. We further showed that, water condensation forms within or below the super-repellent coating (40$^{\circ}$ C and RH 85\%), followed by chemisorption and degradation of CPSCs. Because different forms of water have distinct effect on CPSC, we suggest that future standard tests for repellent CPSCs should include rain simulation and condensation tests. Our findings will thus inspire the development of super-repellent coatings for moisture prevention.

Daniela Rossin, Roberto Vanni, Marco Lo Iacono et al.

The widely expressed G protein-coupled apelin receptor (APJ) is activated by two bioactive endogenous peptides, apelin and ELABELA (ELA). The apelin/ELA-APJ-related pathway has been found involved in the regulation of many physiological and pathological cardiovascular processes. Increasing studies are deepening the role of the APJ pathway in limiting hypertension and myocardial ischaemia, thus reducing cardiac fibrosis and adverse tissue remodelling, outlining APJ regulation as a potential therapeutic target for heart failure prevention. However, the low plasma half-life of native apelin and ELABELA isoforms lowered their potential for pharmacological applications. In recent years, many research groups focused their attention on studying how APJ ligand modifications could affect receptor structure and dynamics as well as its downstream signalling. This review summarises the novel insights regarding the role of APJ-related pathways in myocardial infarction and hypertension. Furthermore, recent progress in designing synthetic compounds or analogues of APJ ligands able to fully activate the apelinergic pathway is reported. Determining how to exogenously regulate the APJ activation could help to outline a promising therapy for cardiac diseases.

Zhiguo Ding, Robert Schober, Bayan Sharif et al.

An effective way to realize non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) assisted grant-free transmission is to first create multiple receive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels and then serve multiple grant-free users by employing these SNR levels as bandwidth resources. These SNR levels need to be pre-configured prior to the grant-free transmission and have great impact on the performance of grant-free networks. The aim of this letter is to illustrate different designs for configuring the SNR levels and investigate their impact on the performance of grant-free transmission, where age-of-information is used as the performance metric. The presented analytical and simulation results demonstrate the performance gain achieved by NOMA over orthogonal multiple access, and also reveal the relative merits of the considered designs for pre-configured SNR levels.

Shweta Agrawal, Sagnik Saha, Nikolaj I. Schwartzbach et al.

In the average-case $k$-SUM problem, given $r$ integers chosen uniformly at random from $\{0,\dots,M-1\}$, the objective is to find a ``solution'' set of $k$ numbers that sum to $0$ modulo $M$. In the dense regime of $M \leq r^k$, where solutions exist with high probability, the complexity of these problems is well understood. Much less is known in the sparse regime of $M\gg r^k$, where solutions are unlikely to exist. In this work, we initiate the study of the sparse regime for $k$-SUM and its variant $k$-XOR, especially their planted versions, where a random solution is planted in a randomly generated instance and has to be recovered. We provide evidence for the hardness of these problems and suggest new applications to cryptography. Complexity. First we study the complexity of these problems in the sparse regime and show: - Conditional Lower Bounds. Assuming established conjectures about the hardness of average-case (non-planted) $k$-SUM/$k$-XOR when $M = r^k$, we provide non-trivial lower bounds on the running time of algorithms for planted $k$-SUM when $r^k\leq M\leq r^{2k}$. - Hardness Amplification. We show that for any $M \geq r^k$, if an algorithm running in time $T$ solves planted $k$-SUM/$k$-XOR with success probability $Ω(1/\text{polylog}(r))$, then there is an algorithm running in time $\tilde{O}(T)$ that solves it with probability $(1-o(1))$. - New Reductions and Algorithms. We provide reductions for $k$-SUM/$k$-XOR from search to decision, as well as worst-case and average-case reductions to the Subset Sum problem from $k$-SUM, as well as a new algorithm for average-case $k$-XOR at low densities. Cryptography. We show that by additionally assuming mild hardness of $k$-XOR, we can construct Public Key Encryption (PKE) from a weaker variant of the Learning Parity with Noise (LPN) problem than was known before.

Asma Asma, Abdul Rohman, Djoko Santosa et al.

Sidaguri atau Sida rhombifolia L. telah digunakan oleh masyarakat sebagai obat tradisional, yaitu: penghilang rasa nyeri, radang, asam urat, penyakit kuning, muntah darah, dan sakit gigi. Faktor yang mempengaruhi produksi kandungan metabolit sekunder adalah kondisi lingkungan seperti tempat tumbuh, iklim, interaksi intra dan inter-spesifik serta waktu panen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui aktivitas antioksidan serta kadar flavonoid dan fenolik total ekstrak sidaguri berdasarkan tempat tumbuh. Sampel diekstraksi dengan ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) dan diuji penangkapan radikal bebas menggunakan metode 2,2’-difenil-1-pikrilhidrazil (DPPH) dan 2,2’-azino-bis(3-diethyl4benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), serta penetapan kadar flavonoid total dan kandungan fenolik total. Hasil uji aktivitas antioksidan sidaguri dari Cangkringan dan Ngemplak memiliki aktivitas antioksidan tertinggi baik pada metode penangkapan radikal DPPH dengan nilai IC50 masing-masing sebesar 0,400±0,004 dan 0,403±0,004 mg/mL, maupun metode ABTS dengan nilai TEAC masing-masing sebesar 40,733±0,240 dan 35,598±0,153 mg/g serbuk sidaguri, dengan kadar flavonoid total masing-masing sebesar 10,095±0,068 dan 12,066±0,025 mg/g serbuk sidaguri dan kadar fenolik total masing-masing sebesar 56,45±0,068 dan 31,502±0,025 mg/g serbuk sidaguri.

Carmen Alejandrina Virgen-Carrillo, Elia Herminia Valdés Miramontes, David Fonseca Hernández et al.

The objective was to evaluate the antioxidant and biological potential of eight freeze-dried berry varieties of southern Jalisco using in silico and in vitro approaches. Fourteen tentative phenolic compounds were identified in berries by ESI-QToF, including anthocyanins, phenolic acids, flavanols and flavonols. In silico assays of phytochemicals in the berry inhibiting enzymes related to obesity and diabetes showed predicted binding energy interactions (ranging from −5.4 to −9.3 kcal/mol). Among the cultivars, antioxidant potential for DPPH IC₅₀ ranged from 1.27 to 3.40 mg/mL, ABTS IC₅₀ from 2.26 to 7.32 mg/mL and nitric oxide (NO) inhibition IC₅₀ from 4.26 to 11.07 mg/mL. The potential to inhibit α-amylase IC₅₀ ranged from 4.02 to 7.66 mg/mL, α-glucosidase IC₅₀ from 0.27 to 4.09 mg/mL, lipase IC₅₀ from 1.30 to 4.82 mg/mL and DPP-IV IC₅₀ from 1.36 to 3.31 mg/mL. Blackberry cultivars from the southern Jalisco region showed outstanding biological potential compared to other evaluated berries and could be used in the formulation of functional foods in the prevention of noncommunicable diseases.

Jan Hansen, Jannik Nedergaard Pedersen, Jan Skov Pedersen et al.

Intermolecular interactions in protein solutions in general contain many contributions. If short-range attractions dominate, the state diagram exhibits liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) that is metastable with respect to crystallization. In this case, the extended law of corresponding states (ELCS) suggests that thermodynamic properties are insensitive to details of the underlying interaction potential. Using lysozyme solutions, we investigate the applicability of the ELCS to the static structure factor and in how far effective colloidal interaction models can help to rationalize the phase behavior and interactions of protein solutions in the vicinity of the LLPS binodal. The (effective) structure factor has been determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It can be described by Baxter's adhesive hard-sphere model, which implies a single fit parameter from which the normalized second virial coefficient $b_2$ is inferred and found to quantitatively agree with previous results from static light scattering. The $b_2$ values are independent of protein concentration, but systematically vary with temperature and solution composition, i.e. salt and additive content. If plotted as a function of temperature normalized by the critical temperature, the values of $b_2$ follow a universal behaviour. These findings validate the applicability of the ELCS to globular protein solutions and indicate that the ELCS can also be reflected in the structure factor.

Jaime Barros Silva Filho, Fernando de Souza Bastos, Diogo da Silva Machado et al.

The study of compounds with antioxidant capabilities is of great interest to the scientific community, as it has implications in several areas, from Agricultural Sciences to Biological Sciences, including Food Engineering, Medicine and Pharmacy. In applications related to human health, it is known that antioxidant activity can delay or inhibit oxidative damage to cells, reducing damage caused by free radicals, helping in the treatment, or even preventing or postponing the onset of various diseases. Among the compounds that have antioxidant properties, there are several classes of Phenolic Compounds, which include several compounds with different chemical structures. In this work, based on the molecular branching of compounds and their intramolecular charge distributions, and using Molecular Topology, we propose a significant topological-mathematical model to evaluate the potential of candidate compounds to have an antioxidant function.

Annemarie Broesder, Said Y. Bircan, Anneko B. de Waard et al.

The ColoPulse coating is a pH-dependent coating that can be used to target drug release to the ileo-colonic region. ColoPulse coated tablets and capsules have demonstrated their targeting capabilities in vivo in more than 100 volunteers and patients. However, so far the ColoPulse coating has not been used for multi-particulate pellet formulations. The sulfasalazine–caffeine method can be used to confirm ileo-colonic drug delivery in vivo. Caffeine serves as a release marker in this method, while sulfasalazine serves as a marker for colonic arrival. In this study, extrusion–spheronization was used to produce microcrystalline cellulose based pellets containing both caffeine and sulfasalazine. Dissolution tests revealed that a superdisintegrant, i.e., croscarmellose sodium or sodium starch glycolate, should be incorporated in the formulation to achieve acceptable release profiles for both sulfasalazine and caffeine. However, acceptable release profiles were only obtained when the pelletizing liquid consisted of ethanol/water 1/1 (<i>v/v</i>) but not with pure water. This phenomenon was ascribed to the differences in the degree of swelling of the superdisintegrant in the pelletizing liquid during the granulation process. The pellets were coated with the ColoPulse coating and showed the desired pH-dependent pulsatile release profile in vitro. In future clinical studies, ileo-colonic targeting should be verified.

Ana Paula de Sousa Silva Baquião, Leonardo Melo Guedes, Claudia Helena Cerqueira Mármora et al.

Multiprofessional Health Residency Programs were created to further align health training with the needs of the population and, through an emphasis on teamwork, have been contributing to the consolidation of the Brazilian Unified Health System. The present study sought to understand the perceptions of a group of multiprofessional residents in Hospital Care about interdisciplinarity and interprofessionality within the scope of teamwork. This is a qualitative study that had the participation of 29 multiprofessional residents in the ‘Hospital Care’ area of concentration, all female (six psychologists, six social workers, six nurses, six physiotherapists and five nutritionists). Data were collected by means of a semi-structured interview script. The corpus was subjected to thematic content analysis. Most of the participants: (1) reported that their first contact with the notion of interdisciplinarity occurred when they were in college, which led to them assimilating it as a synonym for joint action, and (2) claimed to have no knowledge of the notion of interprofessionality, but valued the horizontalization of relations between health professionals. Additionally, important conditions concerning both interdisciplinarity and interprofessionality were not emphasized by the participants. Further studies on the subject are needed, due to its importance for public health.

Khoi Khac Nguyen, Trung Q. Duong, Tan Do-Duy et al.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now beginning to be deployed for enhancing the network performance and coverage in wireless communication. However, due to the limitation of their on-board power and flight time, it is challenging to obtain an optimal resource allocation scheme for the UAV-assisted Internet of Things (IoT). In this paper, we design a new UAV-assisted IoT systems relying on the shortest flight path of the UAVs while maximising the amount of data collected from IoT devices. Then, a deep reinforcement learning-based technique is conceived for finding the optimal trajectory and throughput in a specific coverage area. After training, the UAV has the ability to autonomously collect all the data from user nodes at a significant total sum-rate improvement while minimising the associated resources used. Numerical results are provided to highlight how our techniques strike a balance between the throughput attained, trajectory, and the time spent. More explicitly, we characterise the attainable performance in terms of the UAV trajectory, the expected reward and the total sum-rate.