Quality-by-design approach for the development of telmisartan potassium tablets

A quality-by-design approach was adopted to develop telmisartan potassium (TP) tablets, which were bioequivalent with the commercially available Micardis^® (telmisartan free base) tablets. The dissolution pattern and impurity profile of TP tablets differed from those of Micardis^® tablets because telmisartan free base is poorly soluble in water. After identifying the quality target product profile and critical quality attributes (CQAs), drug dissolution, and impurities were predicted to be risky CQAs. To determine the exact range and cause of risks, we used the risk assessment (RA) tools, preliminary hazard analysis and failure mode and effect analysis to determine the parameters affecting drug dissolution, impurities, and formulation. The range of the design space was optimized using the face-centered central composite design among the design of experiment (DOE) methods. The binder, disintegrant, and kneading time in the wet granulation were identified as X values affecting Y values (disintegration, hardness, friability, dissolution, and impurities). After determining the design space with the desired Y values, the TP tablets were formulated and their dissolution pattern was compared with that of the reference tablet. The selected TP tablet formulated using design space showed a similar dissolution to that of Micardis^® tablets at pH 7.5. The QbD approach TP tablet was bioequivalent to Micardis^® tablets in beagle dogs.     

A test method for evaluating the thermal environment of underground coal mine refuge alternatives

Since 2009, the Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA) has required mines to install refuge alternatives(RAs) in underground coal mines. One of the biggest concerns with occupied RAs is the possible severity of the resulting thermal environment. In 30 CFR 7.504, the maximum allowable apparent temperature(AT) for an occupied RA is specified as 35 °C(95 °F). Manufacturers must conduct heat/humidity tests to demonstrate that their RAs meet the 35 °C(95 °F) AT limit. For these tests, heat input devices are used to input the metabolic heat of actual miners. A wide variety of test methods, sensors, and heat input devices could be used when conducting such tests. Since 2012, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) has conducted over thirty 96-hour heat/humidity tests on four different RAs. This paper discusses the test equipment and procedures used during these investigations. This information is useful for RA manufacturers conducting RA heat/humidity tests, for other researchers investigating RA heat/humidity buildup, and for those who need to assess the thermal environment of any confined space where people may be trapped or are seeking refuge.     

多堆厂址始发事件分析探讨

多堆厂址一级概率安全评价（PSA）研究中，机组数目的增加使得建模工作量剧增，给整个核电厂的风险评估带来困难。结合已有基础，本文研究了多堆厂址始发事件分析的筛选方法，提出利用堆芯损伤频率（CDF）上下限值评估方法，分析厂址内不同机组数对厂址CDF的影响。结果表明，双机组厂址适合优先进行具体分析。针对双机组核电站，对多堆厂址内各始发事件进行筛选。结果表明，丧失厂外电、丧失热阱等事件适合建模分析，并对其他筛选结果给出后续分析建议，为多堆厂址一级PSA后续事故序列建模工作提供了重要基础。     

数字化羊绒测色法及其在长度测量中的应用

针对光电法测试纤维长度等性质时,存在纤维的透光及反光信号与颜色高度相关的问题,采用数字化方法表征羊绒的颜色类别并精准地测量羊绒的长度。将彩色光电耦合器作为测色传感器,搭建了更适合纤维材料的测色装置;通过颜色模型在3种色空间的转换,得到3类颜色的羊绒在三维色空间的分布;基于系列实验,创建了有色羊绒的光学参数即无穷厚时的表观反射率表观反射率与测色装置计算的亮度指标之间的换算模型,并用实验证明采用测得的表观反射率可计算得到准确的须丛线密度曲线,从而可用光电法精准测量有色羊绒的长度。结果表明,该测色方法的测样面积大,代表性好,成本低,同时可用于其他纤维和纺织品的颜色测量。     

Design,simulation, and implementation of an integrated,hybrid photocurrent-to-digital converter in CMOS technology

This article presents a design, modeling, simulation, and measurements of a hybrid photocurrent-to-digital converter integrated together with photo-diodes in a 130 nm CMOS process, without any additional process steps. Photo-currents of integrated photo-diodes with different responsivities to different wavelength of the light and light intensity are converted into 22-bits digital results in 2 ms. The results can then be converted into CIE XYZ or RGB color luminosity space using dedicated DSP algorithm. A high resolution, hybrid, ADC converts light induced photo-currents into 22-bit digital results, canceling the dark current of the photodiodes and 1/f noise and offset voltage of the input stage of the modulator. The whole converter consumes on average less than current at supply voltage at 10 conversions per second. It occupies approx. 0.8 mm² of silicon area, including the three photodiodes, a multiplexer, and the ΣΔ modulator.     

Reflection of urban space in Iranian cinema: A review of the last two decades

Cinema as an influential mass medium continuously represents different spaces, environments, events, and symbols, and through which it reproduces viewers’ social reminiscence and merges imagination and reality in a constant manner. This paper attempts to illuminate the outlook of Iranian cinema on urban spaces (In this paper, urban space means “outdoor space” or “open space.” However, our purpose of applying the term “urban space” is an emphasis on the word “urban.” This includes what is connected with a city and its spaces and buildings, residents, and even social, economic, and political issues.), and to analyze the quality of their representation during the last two decades (1979–2006). Identifying displayed urban spaces and determining their strength and limitations, this endeavor not only offers guidelines on urban design pedagogy but also examines impacts of cinema on audiences’ visual literacy and perception, thereby exploring their expectations of urban environment.Based on content analysis of selected movies, we find that the Iranian films only occasionally involve urban spaces, and if they do, this practice is confined to historical or cultural spaces. This failure could be attributed to the poverty of urban spaces and limitations facing the film industry in such spaces on the one hand, and lack of the directors’ appropriate understanding of contemporary urban spaces and their mere attention to nostalgic spaces on the other hand.     

An improved particle swarm optimizer based on tabu detecting and local learning strategy in a shrunk search space

To improve the performance of the standard particle swarm optimization (PSO) which suffers from premature convergence and slow convergence speed, many PSO variants introduce lots of stochastic or aimless strategies to overcome the convergence problem. However, the mutual learning between elites particles is omitted, although which might be benefit to the convergence speed and, prevent the premature convergence. In this paper, we introduce DSLPSO, which integrates three novel strategies, specifically, tabu detecting, shrinking and local learning strategies, into PSO to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings. In DSLPSO, search space of each dimension is divided into many equal subregions. Then the tabu detecting strategy, which has good ergodicity for search space, helps the global historical best particle to detect a more suitable subregion, and thus help it jump out of a local optimum. The shrinking strategy enables DSLPSO to take optimization in a smaller search space and obtain a higher convergence speed. In the local learning strategy, a differential between two elites particles is used to increase solution accuracy. The experimental results show that DSLPSO has a superior performance in comparison with several other participant PSOs on most of the tested functions, as well as offering faster convergence speed, higher solution accuracy and stronger reliability.     

A reconfiguration of fire station and fleet locations for the Santiago Fire Department

The geographical distribution of the population of the city of Santiago, Chile, has changed significantly in recent years. In spite of this fact, the location of the fire stations has remained unchanged. We propose a model for the optimal location of the fire stations and a fleet assignment for the Santiago Fire Department (SFD), aimed at maximising the number of events attended to with a predefined standard response. The results of the model are compared with respect to the current location of fire stations and fleet assignment in the SFD. There are different types of resources (stations and vehicles), and different types of events in which the same types of vehicles are used. We analyse various possible current and future scenarios, using a forecast based on historical data. Our results show that by optimally reallocating the resources a 10–30% increase can be achieved in the number of emergency calls that are attended to with an adequate response in time and number of vehicles, without the need for additional fire stations or vehicles. Thus our contribution is empirical and relies on the real world application which is being considered by Chilean government.     

Development of a design space and predictive statistical model for capsule filling of low-fill-weight inhalation products

The objectives of this study were to develop a predictive statistical model for low-fill-weight capsule filling of inhalation products with dosator nozzles via the quality by design (QbD) approach and based on that to create refined models that include quadratic terms for significant parameters. Various controllable process parameters and uncontrolled material attributes of 12 powders were initially screened using a linear model with partial least square (PLS) regression to determine their effect on the critical quality attributes (CQA; fill weight and weight variability). After identifying critical material attributes (CMAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs) that influenced the CQA, model refinement was performed to study if interactions or quadratic terms influence the model. Based on the assessment of the effects of the CPPs and CMAs on fill weight and weight variability for low-fill-weight inhalation products, we developed an excellent linear predictive model for fill weight (R^2?=?0.96, Q^2?=?0.96 for powders with good flow properties and R^2?=?0.94, Q^2?=?0.93 for cohesive powders) and a model that provides a good approximation of the fill weight variability for each powder group. We validated the model, established a design space for the performance of different types of inhalation grade lactose on low-fill weight capsule filling and successfully used the CMAs and CPPs to predict fill weight of powders that were not included in the development set.     

Research on Combined Construction Technology for Cross-Subway Tunnels in Underground Spaces

Given the increasingly notable segmentation of underground space by existing subway tunnels, it is difficult to effectively and adequately develop and utilize underground space in busy parts of a city. This study presents a combined construction technology that has been developed for use in underground spaces; it includes a deformation buffer layer, a special grouting technique, jump excavation by compartment, back-pressure portal frame technology, a reinforcement technique, and the technology of a steel portioning drum or plate. These technologies have been successfully used in practical engineering. The combined construction technology presented in this paper provides a new method of solving key technical problems in underground spaces in effectively used cross-subway tunnels. As this technology has achieved significant economic and social benefits, it has valuable future applications.