A method for determining the heat transfer and water vapour permeability of patient support systems

The formation of pressure ulcers can be exacerbated by a breakdown in the integrity of the patient's skin caused by poor maintenance of the skin microclimate. Patient support systems (PSSs—specialised beds, mattresses, chairs, cushions and pads) play an important role in the dissipation of heat and moisture away from the skin/support interface which is necessary in order to maintain the physiological skin microclimate.

This paper reports a laboratory method and theory for the simultaneous measurement of the heat and water vapour dissipating properties of PSSs. The results demonstrate that the method is extremely selective, exhibiting very significant differences between the PSSs tested. It also shows that assessing PSS covers independently does not necessarily indicate the overall performance of the complete PSS.     

药用全蝎含水量、含盐量的测定

目的:对市售全蝎含水量、含盐量进行测定.方法:用烘干法测定全蝎含水量和银量法测定全蝎含盐量.结果:市售全蝎含水量、含盐量最高分别这40.16%、38.75%.结论:建议<中国药典>增加全蝎的含水量、含盐量限度标准,以确保全蝎的质量.     

临床急危重患者体重称量系统的设计研发

在医学临床急危重不易搬动的患者和血液透析治疗患者的体重称量对于身体内环境的管理非常重要，为解决临床这群特殊患者体重称量的难题，本人自行设计研究了适应于各种患者需要的系列体重称量装置。     

水溶性壳聚糖和壳寡糖的吸湿保湿性能及对几种致病菌抑制作用的研究

研究了水溶性壳聚糖、壳寡糖的吸湿性、保湿性能和其对铜绿假单胞菌、粪肠菌和肺炎克伯菌的抑菌作用。     

冠心胶囊成型辅料的选择与工艺研究

目的:优选冠心胶囊的最佳辅料与制剂成型工艺。方法:通过测定不同辅料配比生产的样品和选定的最佳辅料制成的颗粒的吸湿率和休止角并进行比较,确定生产工艺参数。结果:用微晶纤维素作辅料制成颗粒效果较佳。结论:本研究为冠心胶囊大生产提供依据。     

湿润烧伤膏配合微创磨擦痂皮治疗深Ⅱ度烧伤

目的探讨湿润烧伤膏(MEBO)配合磨擦痂皮治疗深Ⅱ度烧伤创而的疗效。方法随机选取烧伤后6h内入院的深Ⅱ度烧伤患者62例设为磨擦痂皮组,即刻用金属清洁球对创面进行研磨,磨除创面坏死组织至微红,常规外用MEBO。再根据创面分泌物多少,间隔2～3d磨除创面坏死组织1次,直到创面愈合为止。另选相同条件患者59例设为SD-Ag组,常规外用SD-Ag(磺胺嘧啶银)。同时观察各组创周炎症反应、创面愈合时间、创面瘢痕发生率。结果MEBO磨擦痂皮组患者创面愈合时间短,创周炎症反应及瘢痕发生率均比SD-Ag组低。结论MEBO配合磨擦痂皮可改善深Ⅱ度烧伤创面微循环,减轻炎性反应,加快创面液化,促进创面愈合。     

Quantitative determination of cesium binding to ferric hexacyanoferrate: Prussian blue

Ferric hexacyanoferrate (Fe4III[FeII(CN)6]3), also known as insoluble Prussian blue (PB) is the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) of the drug product, Radiogardase. Radiogardase is the first FDA approved medical countermeasure for the treatment of internal contamination with radioactive cesium (Cs) or thallium in the event of a major radiological incident such as a "dirty bomb". A number of pre-clinical and clinical studies have evaluated the use of PB as an investigational decorporation agent to enhance the excretion of metal cations. There are few sources of published in vitro data that detail the binding capacity of cesium to insoluble PB under various chemical and physical conditions. The study objective was to determine the in vitro binding capacity of PB APIs and drug products by evaluating certain chemical and physical factors such as medium pH, particle size, and storage conditions (temperature). In vitro experimental conditions ranged from pH 1 to 9, to cover the range of pH levels that PB may encounter in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in humans. Measurements of cesium binding were made between 1 and 24h, to cover gastric and intestinal tract residence time using a validated atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) method. The results indicated that pH, exposure time, storage temperature (affecting moisture content) and particle size play significant roles in the cesium binding to both the PB API and the drug product. The lowest cesium binding was observed at gastric pH of 1 and 2, whereas the highest cesium binding was observed at physiological pH of 7.5. It was observed that dry storage conditions resulted in a loss of moisture from PB, which had a significant negative effect on the PB cesium binding capacity at time intervals consistent with gastric residence. Differences were also observed in the binding capacity of PB with different particle sizes. Significant batch to batch differences were also observed in the binding capacity of some PB API and drug products. Our results suggest that certain physiochemical properties affect the initial binding capacity and the overall binding capacity of PB APIs and drug products during conditions that simulated gastric and GI residence time. These physiochemical properties can be utilized as quality attributes to monitor and predict drug product quality under certain manufacturing and storage conditions and may be utilized to enhance the clinical efficacy of PB.     

Application of NIR and MIR spectroscopy in quality control of potato chips

The feasibility of developing a technique for rapid monitoring of potato chip quality by using infrared spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis was investigated. Spectra of 15 commercial potato chips were collected by using an integrating sphere (near-infrared, NIR) or attenuated total reflectance (mid-infrared, ATR-MIR) accessories. Oil from potato chips was extracted with a carver press and spectra were collected by using a temperature controlled ATR accessory. The moisture and fat content were analyzed with reference methods AOAC #984.25 and AOAC #963.15, respectively. The spectral data were analyzed by partial least squares regression (PLSR) and calibration models generated. Fat content ranged from 18 to 45%, and moisture content ranged from 1.2 to 4%. Correlation coefficient (r) for moisture was >0.97 with standard error of cross validation (SECV) < 0.3% for both NIR and MIR techniques. Prediction models for fat had r > 0.96 and SECV < 1.60 for both NIR and MIR. Classification model based on Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) differentiated potato chips by source of frying oil. MIR spectroscopy identified samples containing -trans fatty acids at 967 cm⁻¹. A fast, simple and accurate method to evaluate potato chip quality was developed by using infrared spectroscopy.     

Application of melt granulation technology to enhance stability of a moisture sensitive immediate-release drug product

The preparation of tablets by the melt granulation process was investigated to enhance chemical stability of a highly water-soluble drug substance, dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor (Compound I), that is susceptible to degradation in presence of moisture. Melt granulation with a lipophilic binder (hydrogenated castor oil; Cutina HR^®) improved the stability of the drug, while still maintaining immediate-release characteristics of the drug product. The drug to binder ratio was shown to impact the degradation behavior of the drug product. With higher binder levels, the sensitivity of the drug to degradation under humidity conditions decreased. It is postulated that the lipophilic binder coated drug particles at the surface protecting them from the influence of moisture. The granules had good flow properties and good compressibility and tablets prepared from them exhibited low weight variation and low friability.     

Mould incidence and mycotoxin contamination in maize kernels from Swat Valley,North West Frontier Province of Pakistan

Mould incidence and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination as well as proximate composition and minerals content of maize kernels from Swat Valley, North West Frontier Province of Pakistan was studied during the year, 2007. Results indicated that the mean moisture content of the kernels was within the recommended safe storage levels of ?15%. Across the whole valley, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium and Rhizopus were the most predominant fungal genera identified and amongst the mycotoxigenic species, Aspergillus flavus had the highest incidence. AFB1 content ranged from none to 30.92 μg/kg with the average values of 14.94 and 16.22 μg/kg for Upper and Lower Swat regions, respectively. Similar trend was observed for OTA with the contamination level ranged from <0.001 to 7.32 μg/kg. A significant numbers of samples contained AFB1 and OTA levels above the safe limits as recommended by the USFDA and EU but on the average the results were within the safe limit. These results indicate that maize consumers in Swat Valley may be exposed to the danger of aflatoxins and ochratoxins poisoning. Thus, there is a need for policy makers to establish and enforce maize quality standards and regulations related to moulds and mycotoxins across the area.