Pharmacokinetics Evaluation of Acamprosate Tablets in Healthy Human Volunteers

Pharmacokinetic data of acamprosate tablets was not accessible on large number of human. Rationale to examine the pharmacokinetic properties of acamprosate calcium in healthy male subject, on single or multiple dosage administration, to evaluate the bioequivalence of two formulations of acamprosate calcium tablets in fast or fed environment. This work engross the study of pharmacokinetic property of Acamprosate calcium tablets in single dosing under fasting condition. Methods: Bioequivalence study of delayed release acamprosate tablets 333 mg for a randomized, single dose, open label, two treatment, two periods, two sequences and crossover design in 12 healthy, adult human subjects under fasting condition was conducted. The wash out period within the each treatment and each stage was 1 week. The quantification of acamprosate was done by LCMS/MS method. Accessibility was evaluated by monitoring adverse events, physical examinations and ECG and laboratory tests. Results: The entire study was conducted by using 12 male subjects to fulfill all stages in the study. The pharmacokinetic calculations for test and reference formulations are as follows: single dosing, Tmax 8.54 ± 5.24 and 10.71 ± 5.41 h, Cmax 146.06 ± 99.73 and 115.01 ±86.26 ng · mL−1, AUC0-t 1391.95 ± 731.24 and 1557.03 ± 960.98 ng·mL−1·h, AUC0–∞ 1987.40 ± 962.84 and 2720.21 ± 1931.79 ng·mL−1·h, respectively. In all three stages, 90% CIs for the test/reference ratio of AUC0–t and AUC0–∞ was to be found within 80% –125% of acamprosate calcium. Conclusions: As per regulatory guidelines, pharmacokinetics parameters for acamprosate calcium were found to be within the acceptance criteria.

Development and Assist-As-Needed Control of an End-Effector Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot

Robot-assisted rehabilitation therapy has been proven to effectively improve upper limb motor function and daily behavior of patients with motor dysfunction, and the demand has increased at every stage of the rehabilitation recovery. According to the motor relearning program theory, upper limb motor dysfunction can be restored by a certain amount of repetitive training. Robotics devices can be an approach to accelerate the rehabilitation process by maximizing the patients’ training intensity. This paper develops a new end-effector upper limb rehabilitation robot (EULRR) first and then presents a controller that is suitable for the assist-as-needed (AAN) training of the patients when performing the rehabilitation training. The AAN controller is a strategy that helps the patient’s arm to stay close to the given trajectory while allowing for spatial freedom. This controller enables the patient’s arm to have spatial freedom by constructing a virtual channel around the predetermined training trajectory. Patients could move their arm freely in the allowed virtual channel during rehabilitation training while the robot provides assistance when deviating from the virtual channel. The AAN controller is preliminarily tested with a healthy male subject in different conditions based on the EULRR. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed AAN controller could provide assistance when moving out of the virtual channel and provide no assistance when moving along the trajectory within the virtual channel. In the close future, the controller is planned to be used in elderly volunteers and help to increase the intensity of the rehabilitation therapy by assisting the arm movement and by provoking active participation.

Haematological Alterations among Cement Loaders in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Exposure to cement dust without necessary precautions to prevent its inhalation is found to cause respiratory, dermatological, ocular as well as hematological problems and this is a matter of great concern to the health of cement loaders. Aim of Study: This study was aimed at determining haematological alterations among cement loaders in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Study Design: Cross sectional study design. Methodology: A total of 100 apparently healthy male subject consisting of 50 cement loaders and 50 non cement loaders aged between the ages of 20- 45years old were recruited for the study. Four millilitres (4 mls) of blood was collected aseptically from the antecubital vein of each participant using standard venepuncture technique into ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) anticoagulated vacutainer bottles with proper mixing to avoid blood clotting and then analysed using Sysmex haematology autoanalyser. Graphpad prism version 6.2 was used to analyse the data obtained. Results: Results obtained showed a statistically higher value (p<0.05) in platelet count (p=0.0001), lower values (p<0.05) in haemoglobin concentration (Hb), Packed cell volume (PCV), Mean cell volume (MCV) and Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) (p=0.0001). No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed in the mean red blood cell (RBC) count value (p=0.3110), white blood cell (WBC) count (p=0.8138) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (p=0.0584) respectively. Conclusion and Recommendation: This study has confirmed that there are haematological alterations among cement loaders in Port Harcourt, Nigeria and these alterations are attributed to inhalation of cement dust during work. It is recommended that cement loaders should be mandated to use appropriate personal protective equipment during work hours and around areas where cement dust are generated.

Influence of a Soft Robotic Suit on Metabolic Cost in Long-Distance Level and Inclined Walking

Metabolic cost during walking is positively linked to exercise intensity. For a walking assistive device, one of the major aims should be the maximization of wearers’ metabolic benefits for different walking situations. Toward this goal, this paper experimentally evaluates the influence of an authors’ soft robotic suit, which has been developed to assist hip flexion for energy-efficient walking of elderly persons in daily life activities, on metabolic cost reduction in the long-distance level and inclined walking. Experiment results show that, for a 79-year-old healthy male subject, the robotic suit significantly reduced metabolic cost in the condition of the robotic suit worn and powered on compared with the condition of worn but powered off.

Isolated Optic Disc Tuberculosis

We present a healthy male subject who developed progressive visual loss in the left eye initially diagnosed as optic neuritis. Upon suspicion of infectious etiology, testing was positive for tuberculosis. There were no signs or symptoms of active systemic tuberculosis infection. The patient responded swiftly to antimycobacterial therapy with return of vision and resolution of disc swelling. Positive purified protein derivative skin test, negative chest radiograph, negative systemic workup, negative workup for other causes of unilateral optic neuritis and quick response to mycobacterial therapy reaffirm the entity of isolated optic disc tuberculosis similar to isolated choroidal tuberculosis without systemic manifestation.

FOCUSED IMPEDANCE METHOD TO DETECT LOCALIZED LUNG VENTILATION DISORDERS IN COMBINATION WITH CONVENTIONAL SPIROMETRY

Conventional spirometry gives information on the overall ventilation of a person's lung; it cannot detect localized disorders in ventilation as occurring in pulmonary edema, pneumonia, tumor, TB, etc. Here we propose a new technique involving the recently developed focused impedance method (FIM) in combination with conventional spirometry to detect localized lung ventilation disorders. Electrical impedance of lung tissue changes as a function of air content and FIM provides a measurement of localized electrical impedance with sensitivity down to reasonable depths inside the body using a few surface electrodes; here we used a six-electrode version. At least four quadrants of the lungs in the frontal plane can be separately measured using a hand-held probe with spring backed skin surface electrodes. Firstly, spatial sensitivity distribution of the six-electrode FIM was obtained using finite element simulation which verified the focusing effect and its depth sensitivity. Percent change in impedance between maximum inspiration and expiration were measured at four quadrants of the chest of a healthy male subject giving four different values; that at the lower right quadrant was found to be the maximum, as also expected based on anatomy. Changes in impedance at this quadrant of the same subject were found to vary proportionately with exhaled air volumes, measured using a bellows-type spirometer. Similar FIM measurements at lower right lung of seven healthy subjects were found to be almost proportional (R2 = 0.7) to the total exhaled air volumes (vital capacity). This was the basis of the new technique. For a healthy individual, the ratio of the local impedance change to vital capacity (VC) will fall within a certain range for each of the four lung quadrants. A lower value at any quadrant would indicate disorder within that quadrant, while a larger value would indicate disorder in a region outside the particular quadrant. The FIM electrode probe can then be moved to take measurements at the other quadrants to locate the region of disorder. This preliminary study indicates that FIM in combination with conventional spirometry could be used to detect localized ventilation defects.

FLUOROSCOPIC ANALYSIS FOR THE ESTIMATION OF IN VIVO ELBOW KINEMATICS: INFLUENCE OF 3D MODEL

The reliable knowledge that model-based three-dimensional (3D) fluoroscopy can provide about in vivo joints kinematics is essential to diagnose orthopedic pathologies, develop new prosthesis, and evaluate clinical procedures. To exploit 3D fluoroscopy for the analysis of elbow kinematics, its use was evaluated considering a single model for the forearm or two different models for the ulna and radius. Active elbow flexion-extension and prono-supination motor tasks of a healthy male subject were acquired by means of fluoroscopy. The 3D bone models were automatically aligned to the relevant projections. The pose estimation algorithm sought the tangency condition of the projection rays with the model surface, minimizing a cost function and exploiting an adaptive distance map. Five iterative guided alignments were performed to avoid the final convergence to a local minimum. The results highlighted the critical alignment of the ulna/radius model, particularly when prono-supination is performed. From the physiological motion patterns and given the values of the cost function, 3D fluoroscopy was proven to be applicable to the analysis of the elbow kinematics when single bone models for the ulna and radius are used.

Custom Contoured Cushion: A Finite Element Analysis

A good chair cushion not only provides comfort but also control the posture and to reduce the risk of pressure sore occurred. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical interaction between the cushion and user of wheelchair. The buttock model geometric, individual data’s of healthy male subject were acquired by 3D reconstruction form laser scanner, while the custom made cushion design based on the Tekscan Clinseat pressure assessment system data. A standard clinical experiment protocol for the collection of interface pressure distribution was developed. The pressure distribution data of buttocks-cushion interface was collected when the subject sat on an initial cushion. According to the pressure distribution data and parameters of cushion material that was acquired in the material test; an individual mathematics model was built and then transferred into CAD software to create the CAD model of the cushion deflection geometry.

Dynamic Modelling of Heart Rate Response Under Different Exercise Intensity

Heart rate is one of the major indications of human cardiovascular response to exercises. This study investigates human heart rate response dynamics to moderate exercise. A healthy male subject has been asked to walk on a motorised treadmill under a predefined exercise protocol. ECG, body movements, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) have been reliably monitored and recorded by using non-invasive portable sensors. To reduce heart rate variation caused by the influence of various internal or external factors, the designed step response protocol has been repeated three times. Experimental results show that both steady state gain and time constant of heart rate response are not invariant when walking speed is faster than 3 miles/hour, and time constant of offset exercise is noticeably longer than that of onset exercise.