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Crystal Engineering of Pharmaceuticals: Modulating Physicochemical Properties of Active Ingredients by the Formation of Cocrystals
Get PDFPharmaceuticals with suitable therapeutic properties often found to encounter
challenges with dosage form development due to their poor physicochemical
properties. Aim of thesis is to evaluate potential of crystal engineering directed
cocrystallisation of active ingredients in modulating their physical attributes. The
model compounds considered are isoniazid, caffeine, nifedipine, glyburide,
chlorpropamide and riboflavin. Co-formers selected are based on the suitability
of functional groups for hydrogen bond formation. Co-crystal screening and
preparation methods used include neat grinding (NG), liquid assisted grinding
(LAG) and solution crystallisation.
Antituberculosis drug, isoniazid, upon cocrystallisation with melamine, solubility
has reduced as per high performance liquid chromatography assay, however,
antimicrobial properties determined using REMA assay confirms that cocrystal
anti-mycobacterial activity is not compromised. Next, caffeine-glutaric acid
cocrystal polymorphic forms (Forms I and II) subjected to mechanical property evaluations in multiple faces using nanoindentation and correlated relationship
between crystal structure and mechanical property. The results suggest that
metastable form, Form I, could display suitable tablet properties to that of
thermodynamically stable form, Form II. Subsequently, photosensitive drug,
nifedipine, cocrystallised with theophylline and caffeine. Notably, photochemical
stability along with solubility and drug release of cocrystals is found to be
superior to that of nifedipine. Lastly, crystal engineering principles utilised in
preparation of multicomponent crystals of antidiabetic model drugs, glyburide
and chlorpropamide with various coformers. Interestingly, during the preparation
of chlorpropamide-2-nitrobenzyl alcohol, high Z prime crystal (Z’=3) of 2-
nitrobenzyl alcohol is serendipitously identified. In conclusion, crystal
engineering based cocrystallisation is a viable technology for modulating
physicochemical properties of pharma and nutraceuticals
Influence of pharmacist-led intervention on health outcomes and costs in hospital out-patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension
Get PDFBackground
Of the 464 million patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus globally, type 2 diabetes accounts for 90%. Type 2 diabetes contributes to other conditions such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular diseases. Glycaemic haemoglobin control is essential in reducing long-term macrovascular and microvascular complications. Pharmacist interventions have been documented to have a positive role in diabetes management. In Kuwait, type 2 diabetes prevalence is increasing and found in a young population.
Aims
To evaluate the influence of the pharmacist-led intervention on diabetes knowledge, medication adherence and HbA1c, and hypertension. In addition, to estimate the 10-years risk of developing cardiovascular events and assess the cost of diabetes-related complications.
Method
The study was a randomised controlled trial with control and intervention arms conducted at the military hospital in Kuwait. Participants (n=177) were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n=88) and control group (n=89), using a 4-block randomisation procedure. The intervention group received face-to-face education and counselling from the pharmacist with a monthly follow-up for six months. The primary outcome was glycaemic control, and secondary measures were hypertension, lipid profiles, medication adherence, diabetes knowledge, 10-year estimated cardiovascular events and cost. QRISK3 and UKPDS-OM2 were used to estimate the risk of CVD events and cost comparison analysis.
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Results
Compared with baseline, the mean reduction of HbA1c, blood pressure, and lipid profiles showed significant improvement in the intervention group. Additionally, improvement in medication adherence, diabetes knowledge, 10-years estimated cardiovascular events were reported with the intervention group. Also, the pharmacist-led intervention was cost-saving.
Conclusion
The study highlighted that adult type 2 diabetes patients who received the pharmacist-led intervention experienced a reduction in adverse clinical outcomes, improved non-clinical outcomes, and assisted in lifestyle modification
Emerging roles of protein O-GlcNAcylation in cardiovascular diseases: Insights and novel therapeutic targets
Get PDFYesCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. While the major focus of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions has been on targeting disease pathophysiology and limiting predisposing factors, our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CVDs remains incomplete. One mechanism that has recently emerged is protein O-GlcNAcylation. This is a dynamic, site-specific reversible post-translational modification of serine and threonine residues on target proteins and is controlled by two enzymes: O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) and O-linked β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (OGA). Protein O-GlcNAcylation alters the cellular functions of these target proteins which play vital roles in pathways that modulate vascular homeostasis and cardiac function. Through this review, we aim to give insights on the role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in cardiovascular diseases and identify potential therapeutic targets in this pathway for development of more effective medicines to improve patient outcomes
Optimum power transfer in RF front end systems using adaptive impedance matching technique
Get PDFYesMatching the antenna’s impedance to the RF-front-end of a wireless communications system is challenging as the impedance varies with its surround environment. Autonomously matching the antenna to the RF-front-end is therefore essential to optimize power transfer and thereby maintain the antenna’s radiation efficiency. This paper presents a theoretical technique for automatically tuning an LC impedance matching network that compensates antenna mismatch presented to the RF-front-end. The proposed technique converges to a matching point without the need of complex mathematical modelling of the system comprising of non-linear control elements. Digital circuitry is used to implement the required matching circuit. Reliable convergence is achieved within the tuning range of the LC-network using control-loops that can independently control the LC impedance. An algorithm based on the proposed technique was used to verify its effectiveness with various antenna loads. Mismatch error of the technique is less than 0.2%. The technique enables speedy convergence (< 5 µs) and is highly accurate for autonomous adaptive antenna matching networks.This work is partially supported by RTI2018-095499-B-C31, Funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Gobierno de España (MCIU/AEI/FEDER,UE), and innovation programme under grant agreement H2020-MSCA-ITN-2016 SECRET-722424 and the financial support from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) under grant EP/E022936/1
Sources of emotional challenge for practitioners delivering family centred care after the death of child: an inductive thematic analysis
Get PDFYesCare after the death of a child and support of their bereaved family is an important element of the services offered by children’s hospices in the United Kingdom. The study aims to explore the emotional challenges of those delivering care to families of children in hospice cool rooms. An internet-based questionnaire was sent to all practitioners to explore their perspectives of providing care to bereaved families whilst the child’s body was in the hospice, as well as caring for a child’s body after death. In total, 94.9% (n=56) of staff responded. Two key themes were identified that represent the emotional challenges perceived by staff: the impact of deterioration of a child’s body; and witnessing the acute grief of families. Practitioners seek to provide care that recognises the importance of family and demonstrates family-centred care, as well as supporting families to deal with the changes that occur after death. Organisations can support practitioners to deliver care in cool rooms by providing training and education on anticipating and managing the pathophysiological changes that occur after death as well as training in grief and loss, and how to support a bereaved family.Research Development Fund Publication Prize Award winner, May 2021
The case for mobile cancer care units: an NHS team's experience
No full textYesThis article reports the use of a mobile cancer care unit (Cancer Van) to provide continuity of care to patients with cancer who utilise the services of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. The article contains data that shows the resilience of this service during the Covid19 pandemic and provides evidence that this type of service is beneficial for patient care.Hope for Tomorro
Sustainable Food Supply Chains: Overcoming the Challenges with Digital Technologies
Get PDFYesThe purpose of this paper is to offer a consolidative approach in exploring the potential contribution of digital technologies in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) for the sustainable performance of food supply chain business, through the circular economy concepts.
As a single case study, this qualitative, interpretivist research was based on one of the largest food producers in the United Kingdom. The research utilises semi-structured interviews and applies thematic analysis to offer rich insights into SSCM challenges and their relationship with the business performance, through ten in-depth interviews. Findings derived from thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggest four main critical success factors underpinning SSCM practices and businesses performance – i.e. business continuity, waste reduction, performance measurement approach, and organisational learning, which could use the help of digital technologies to improve. This led to seven propositions to be addressed in the future research.
This research offers real, practical insights into SSCM challenges, within the context of food supply chain and explores the potential of digital technologies in overcoming them. Accordingly, the primary contribution of this work is grounded in the identification of critical success factors in SSCM for Food Supply Chains (FSC). Hence, this work contributes further to the literature on SSCM, as well as circular economy, by providing a study of a business in the context of the highly pertinent and valuable food industry
Working from Home During Covid-19: Doing and Managing Technology-enabled Social Interaction With Colleagues at a Distance
Get PDFYesWith the overnight growth in Working from Home (WFH) owing to the pandemic, organisations and their employees have had to adapt work-related processes and practices quickly with a huge reliance upon technology. Everyday activities such as social interactions with colleagues must therefore be reconsidered. Existing literature emphasises that social interactions, typically conducted in the traditional workplace, are a fundamental feature of social life and shape employees' experience of work. This experience is completely removed for many employees due to the pandemic and, presently, there is a lack of knowledge on how individuals maintain social interactions with colleagues via technology when working from home. Given that a lack of social interaction can lead to social isolation and other negative repercussions, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on remote working by highlighting employees' experiences and practices around social interaction with colleagues. This study takes an interpretivist and qualitative approach utilising the diary-keeping technique to collect data from twenty-nine individuals who had started to work from home on a full-time basis as a result of the pandemic. The study explores how participants conduct social interactions using different technology platforms and how such interactions are embedded in their working lives. The findings highlight the difficulty in maintaining social interactions via technology such as the absence of cues and emotional intelligence, as well as highlighting numerous other factors such as job uncertainty, increased workloads and heavy usage of technology that affect their work lives. The study also highlights that despite the negative experiences relating to working from home, some participants are apprehensive about returning to work in the traditional office place where social interactions may actually be perceived as a distraction. The main contribution of our study is to highlight that a variety of perceptions and feelings of how work has changed via an increased use of digital media while working from home exists and that organisations need to be aware of these differences so that they can be managed in a contextualised manner, thus increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of working from home
A New Optimization Algorithm Based on the Fungi Kingdom Expansion Behavior for Antenna Applications
Get PDFYesThis paper presents a new optimization algorithm based on the behavior of the fungi kingdom expansion (FKE) to optimize the radiation pattern of the array antenna. The immobile mass ex-pansion of the fungi is mimicked in this work as a chaotic behavior with a sinusoidal map func-tion, while the mobile mass expansion is realized by a linear function. In addition, the random germination of the spores is utilized for randomly distributing the variables that are far away from the best solution. The proposed FKE algorithm is applied to optimize the radiation pattern of the antenna array, and then its performance is compared with that of some well-known algo-rithms. The MATLAB simulation results verify the superiority of the proposed algorithm in solving 20-element antenna array problems such as sidelobe reduction with sidelobe ratio (SLR = 25.6 dB), flat-top pattern with SLR = 23.5 dB, rectangular pattern with SLR = 19 dB, and an-ti-jamming systems. The algorithm also results in a 100% success rate for all of the mentioned antenna array problem
Psychological and social factors associated with coexisting frailty and cognitive impairment: A systematic review
Get PDFYesThose living with coexistent frailty and cognitive impairment are at risk of poorer health outcomes. Research often focuses on identifying biological factors. This review sought to identify the association psychological and social factors have with coexisting physical and cognitive decline. Six databases were systematically searched in July 2020. Studies included individuals aged 60 years or older identified as being both frail and cognitively impaired. A narrative synthesis examined patterns within the data. Nine studies were included, most employed a cross-sectional design. Depression was investigated by all nine studies, those with coexistent frailty and cognitive impairment had higher levels of depressive symptoms than peers. Findings were mixed on social factors, although broadly indicate lower education, living alone and lower material wealth were more frequent in those living with coexistent decline. Further research is needed to explore potentially modifiable psychological and social factors which could lead to the development of supportive interventions