Multiple metastatic infections in a hemodialysis patient with untunneled internal jugular catheter

We present an end‐stage renal disease patient on dialysis with fever. The primary source was right internal jugular vein catheter which had metastatic infections in the body probably via an arteriovenous communication in a cavity in left lung. Patient had right psoas muscle abscess and a left kidney abscess. An ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission spectroscopy scan was done to find out left kidney abscess. A search of literature did not reveal many patients of psoas abscess secondary to infection of hemodialysis access.     

Microwave drying of mango ginger (Curcuma amada Roxb): prediction of drying kinetics by mathematical modelling and artificial neural network

Curcuma amada (Mango ginger) was dried at four different power levels ranging 315–800 W to determine the effect of microwave power on moisture content, moisture ratio, drying rate, drying time and effective diffusivity. Among the fifteen thin layer drying models considered for evaluating the drying behaviour, the semi‐empirical Midilli et al., model described the drying kinetics very well with R² > 0.999. Drying rate and effective diffusivity increased as the microwave power output increased. Activation energy was estimated by a modified Arrhenius type equation and found to be 21.6 kW kg^?1. A feed‐forward artificial neural network using back‐propagation algorithm was also employed to predict the moisture content during MW drying and found adequate to predict the drying kinetics with R² of 0.985.     

Topical safety and vasoconstrictive assay-based bioequivalence of a new reformulated mometasone cream

Objectives: A new improved mometasone furoate (Elocon?) cream with an emulsification system that produces a stable emulsion has been developed. In order to register the product in various markets, it was essential to ensure the cream was topically well tolerated and that it was bioequivalent to the reference product.

Methods: Phase I clinical studies were performed to assess the local safety and tolerability upon multiple dosing of this new cream as well as to assess the single-dose bioequivalence relative to the marketed product. Bioequivalence was assessed using a vasoconstrictive assay (VCA) after a dose-duration pilot study was completed with the marketed Elocon cream.

Key findings: The new mometasone cream and its vehicle were nonirritating in healthy subjects during 21-day patch application (MCII <0.025). The positive control was moderately irritating in the same study. The pivotal VCA study enrolled 162 subjects with 105 detectors included in the analysis of bioequivalence. In the 105 detectors, the ratio (×100%) of AUEC values at ED₅₀ for test vs. standard (90% CI) was 112.91% (105.55, 120.87), within the bioequivalence criteria of (80, 125).

Conclusions: These studies supported the registration of reformulated mometasone cream in various markets.     

Speed–density functional relationship for heterogeneous traffic data: a statistical and theoretical investigation

This study is an attempt to establish a suitable speed–density functional relationship for heterogeneous traffic on urban arterials. The model must reproduce the traffic behaviour on traffic stream and satisfy all static and dynamic properties of speed–flow–density relationships. As a first attempt for Indian traffic condition, two behavioural parameters, namely the kinematic wave speed at jam (C_j) and a proposed saturation flow (λ), are estimated using empirical observations. The parameter C_j is estimated by developing a relationship between driver reaction time and vehicle position in the queue at the signalised intersection. Functional parameters are estimated using Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm implemented in the R statistical software. Numerical measures such as root mean squared error, average relative error and cumulative residual plots are used for assessing models fitness. We set out several static and dynamic properties of the flow–speed–density relationships to evaluate the models, and these properties equally hold good for both homogenous and heterogeneous traffic states. From the numerical analysis, it is found that very few models replicate empirical speed–density data traffic behaviour. However, none of the existing functional forms satisfy all the properties. To overcome the shortcomings, we proposed two new speed–density functional forms. The uniqueness of these models is that they satisfy both numerical accuracy and the properties of fundamental diagram. These new forms would certainly improve the modelling accuracy, especially in dynamic traffic studies when coupling with dynamic speed equations.

     

Design and evaluation of mucoadhesive microemulsion for neuroprotective effect of ibuprofen following intranasal route in the MPTP mice model

Background: The present study is to investigate the neuroprotective effect of ibuprofen by intranasal administration of mucoadhesive microemulsion (MMEI) against inflammation-mediated by dopaminergic neurodegeneration in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Methods: Ibuprofen-loaded polycarbophil-based MMEI was developed by using response surface methodology (RSM). Ibuprofen with dose of 2.86 mg/kg/day was administered intranasally to male C57BL/6 mice for two consecutive weeks which were pre-treated with four intraperitoneal injections of MPTP (20?mg/kg of body weight) at 2?h intervals. Immunohistochemistry was performed.

Results: Optimal MMEI was stable and non-ciliotoxic with 66.29?±?4.15?nm as average globule size and??20.9?±?3.98?mV as zeta potential. PDI value and transmission electron microscopy result showed the narrow globule size distribution of MMEI. The result showed that all three independent variables had a significant effect (p?<?0.05) on the responses. Rota-rod and open-field test findings revealed the significant improvement in motor performance and gross behavioral activity of the mice. The results from in vivo study and immunohistochemistry showed that nasal administration of Ibuprofen significantly reduced the MPTP-mediated dopamine depletion. Furthermore TH neurons count in the substantia nigra and the density of striatal dopaminergic nerve terminals were found to be significant higher for ibuprofen treated groups.

Conclusion: Findings of the investigation revealed that Ibuprofen through developed MMEI was shown to protect neurons against MPTP-induced injury in the Substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and striatum and hence, could be a promising approach for brain targeting of Ibuprofen through intranasal route to treat PD.     

Fabrication and characterisation of bulk micromachined ZnO energy transducer with interdigitated electrodes

The proposed research work deals with the design, fabrication and characterisation of a ZnO cantilever energy transducer on Si(c) without the use of SOI wafers, thereby, reducing the cost of fabrication. The energy transducer is operated in the longitudinal mode through the interdigitated electrodes. This is for the first time, we have attempted to fabricate a cantilever transducer with interdigitated electrodes on Si(c) in our lab. The design frequency has been chosen in the range of 700–1000 Hz for a typical tire pressure monitoring system application in mind. The experimentally obtained frequency is 876.25 Hz and d₃₃ was calculated as 3.9 pC/N from the measurements. The experimental results are further validated by simulation and the feasibility of its application as energy harvester is demonstrated. The fabrication process is being optimised to fabricate devices with higher piezoelectric coefficients.     

On Plastic Deformation Behavior of Cryorolled AA8090 Alloy

AA8090 alloy was rolled up to 50 and 75 % reductions at both liquid nitrogen (LNR) and room temperatures (RTR). Both hardness and tensile behavior were evaluated on rolled samples. Optical microscope, TEM and EBSD were used for detailed microstructural examination of rolled samples. Williamson-Hall peak broadening analysis on X-ray diffraction data was made to evaluate crystallite size, lattice strain and dislocation density. An enhanced tensile strength was evidenced in LNR samples when compared to RTR samples without sacrificing ductility, which was ascribed to the higher density of dislocations in LNR samples than RTR samples. A large number of dislocation tangled regions along with ultrafine grain structure were evidenced through TEM and EBSD. Significant fraction of special boundaries in combination with increased fraction of texture components like S, Brass, Cu and Goss would be another reason for enhanced properties in LNR conditions than that of RTR. These components were observed to be strengthened with increased rolling reduction. Work hardening behavior clearly evidenced the variation in amount of work hardening and recovery phenomenon. It showed large variation in recovery in the case of 50 % reduction than that of 75 % reduction, which was attributed to significantly higher density of dislocations in 75 % rolled samples in RTR and LNR.     

Higher-order squeezing of the electromagnetic field in spontaneous and stimulated Raman processes

The occurrence of fourth and fifth-order squeezing in the fundamental mode of the electromagnetic field in spontaneous and stimulated Raman processes under the short-time approximation is investigated on the basis of a fully quantum-mechanical approach. In an idealized model, the Raman process is looked upon as a two-photon on a one phonon interaction process. The coupled Heisenberg equations of motion involving real and imaginary parts of the quadrature operators are established. The dependence of fourth- and fifth-order squeezing in terms of the signal-to-noise ratio on the number of photons is investigated. We have also established the amplitude squeezing effects in the Stokes and vibrational modes, which is found to be dependent on higher-order difference squeezing showing a difference squeezing that can be converted to normal squeezing.