DERMATOLOGIC GELS SPREADABILITY MEASURING METHODS COMPARATIVE STUDY

Objective: The main objective of our study is the comprehensive analysis and characterization of the existing spreadability evaluation strategies, the comparison of the obtained results reproducibility and convergence through the example of the 9 most widely used dermatological gels. Methods: Dolobene®, Flucinar®, Ketorol®, Contractubex®, Dr. Theiss Venen gel®, Solcoseryl®, Deep Relief®, Hepatrombin® pharmacopoeia gel samples were analyzed using parallel-plate, “slip and drag”, and viscometry methods. Analysis was performed in flow mode at 32±0.2 °C, over shear rates ranging from 0 to 350 s−1, increasing over a period of 120 s, and was maintained at the superior limit for 10 s and then decreased during the same period. At least 5 replicates of each sample were evaluated, and the upward flow curves were fitted using the Casson mathematical model. Results: Solcoseryl® and Dolobene® showed the best spreadability in the parallel-plate method (3115.66±50.00 and 3316.63±50.00, respectively); Contractubex® and Dolobene showed the best spreadability in the “slip and drag” test (73.46±0.5 and 18.32±0.5, respectively); Solcoseryl® and Contractubex® showed the best spreadability in the viscometry test (43.86±0.5 and 76.92±0.5, respectively). Conclusion: This study analyzed the existing methods for determining the spreadability using commercially available samples of the dermatological gels as examples. The viscometric and the "Slip and drag" methods use different characteristics of spreadability, giving a complex evaluation of the measured parameter in vitro. Therefore, the combination of these two methods has the greatest prospects for reliable determination of this indicator.

Early detection of cyanide, organophosphate and rodenticide pollution based on locomotor activity of zebrafish larvae

Cyanide, organophosphate and rodenticides are highly toxic substances widely used in agriculture and industry. These toxicants are neuro- and organotoxic to mammals at low concentrations, thus early detection of these chemicals in the aqueous environment is of utmost importance. Here, we employed the behavioral toxicity test with wildtype zebrafish larvae to determine sublethal concentrations of the above mentioned common environmental pollutants. After optimizing the test with cyanide, nine rodenticides and an organophosphate were successfully tested. The compounds dose-dependently initially (0–60-min exposure) stimulated locomotor activity of larvae but induced toxicity and reduced swimming during 60–120-min exposure. IC50 values calculated based on swimming distance after 2-h exposure, were between 0.1 and 10 mg/L for both first-generation and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides. Three behavioral characteristics, including total distance travelled, sinuosity and burst count, were quantitatively analyzed and compared by hierarchical clustering of the effects measured by each three parameters. The toxicity results for all three behavioral endpoints were consistent, suggesting that the directly measured parameter of cumulative swimming distance could be used as a promising biomarker for the aquatic contamination. The optimized method herein showed the potential for utilization as part of a monitoring system and an ideal tool for the risk assessment of drinking water in the military and public safety.

Biological variability of the most common biochemical parameters

The results of laboratory tests are analyzed against reference values that are determined in a population of healthy people prepared for the test in accordance with the relevant guidelines. Such a reference system works perfectly when analyzing the results of tests of patients from whom the material for determinations was collected in similar conditions. To better match the reference values ranges are stratified, most often by gender, age, or race of the patient – the most common and the most significant biological variability. The values of the measured parameter are also influenced by within-subject biological variability to e.g. the time of the day, food consumption, or physical exercise. This variability influences the results of random testing, often performed in patients with emergencies. The measure of both of these variations is the index of individuality, i.e. the ratio of within-subject biological variability to between-subject biological variability. In the present work, the factors influencing the circadian, seasonal, and between-subject biological variations of the selected clinical chemistry parameters are presented. Knowledge about these variations is important for the physician and the supporting laboratory diagnostician, particularly helpful in the analysis of pathological or inconsistent with the clinicians' expectations results to distinguish results related to the disease from results related to biological variability.

ANALYSIS OF FIELD SEAGRASS PERCENT COVER AND ABOVEGROUND CARBON STOCK DATA FOR NON-DESTRUCTIVE ABOVEGROUND SEAGRASS CARBON STOCK MAPPING USING WORLDVIEW-2 IMAGE

Remote sensing can make seagrass aboveground carbon stock (AGCseagrass) information spatially extensive and widely available. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a rapid approach to estimate AGCseagrass in the field to train and assess its remote sensing-based mapping. The aim of this research is to (1) analyze the Percent Cover (PCv)-AGCseagrass relationship in seagrass at the species and community levels to estimate AGCseagrass from PCv and (2) perform AGCseagrass mapping at both levels using WorldView-2 image and assess the accuracy of the resulting map. This research was conducted in Karimunjawa and Kemujan Islands, Indonesia. Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification was used to map seagrass species composition, and stepwise regression was used to model AGCseagrass using deglint, water column corrected, and principle component bands. The results were a rapid AGCseagrass estimation using an easily measured parameter, the seagrass PCv. At the community level, the AGCseagrass map had 58.79% accuracy (SEE = 5.41 g C m−2), whereas at the species level, the accuracy increased for the class Ea (64.73%, SEE = 6.86 g C m−2) and EaThCr (70.02%, SEE = 4.32 g C m−2) but decreased for ThCr (55.08%, SEE = 2.55 g C m−2). The results indicate that WorldView-2 image reflectance can accurately map AGCseagrass in the study area in the range of 15–20 g C m−2 for Ea, 10–15 g C m−2 for EaThCr, and 4–8 g C m−2 for ThCr. Based on our model, the AGCseagrass in the study area was estimated at 13.39 t C.

The standing T1–L1 pelvic angle: a useful radiographic predictor of proximal junctional kyphosis in adult spinal deformity

OBJECTIVE Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK), which can worsen a patient’s quality of life, is a common complication following the surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity (ASD). Although various radiographic parameters have been proposed to predict the occurrence of PJK, the optimal method has not been established. The present study aimed to investigate the usefulness of the T1–L1 pelvic angle in the standing position (standing TLPA) for predicting the occurrence of PJK. METHODS The authors retrospectively extracted data for patients with ASD who underwent minimum 5-level fusion to the pelvis with upper instrumented vertebra between T8 and L1. In the present study, PJK was defined as ≥ 10° progression of the proximal junctional angle or reoperation due to progressive kyphosis during 1 year of follow-up. The following parameters were analyzed on whole-spine standing radiographs: the T1–pelvic angle, conventional thoracic kyphosis (TK; T4–12), whole-thoracic TK (T1–12), and the standing TLPA (defined as the angle formed by lines extending from the center of T1 and L1 to the femoral head axis). A logistic regression analysis and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were performed. RESULTS A total of 50 patients with ASD were enrolled (84% female; mean age 74.4 years). PJK occurred in 19 (38%) patients. Preoperatively, the PJK group showed significantly greater T1–pelvic angle (49.2° vs 34.4°), conventional TK (26.6° vs 17.6°), and standing-TLPA (30.0° vs 14.9°) values in comparison to the non-PJK group. There was no significant difference in the whole-thoracic TK between the two groups. A multivariate analysis showed that the standing TLPA and whole-thoracic TK were independent predictors of PJK. The standing TLPA had better accuracy than whole-thoracic TK (AUC 0.86 vs 0.64, p = 0.03). The optimal cutoff value of the standing TLPA was 23.0° (sensitivity 0.79, specificity 0.74). Using this cutoff value, the standing TLPA was the best predictor of PJK (OR 8.4, 95% CI 1.8–39, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS The preoperative standing TLPA was more closely associated with the occurrence of PJK than other radiographic parameters. These results suggest that this easily measured parameter is useful for the prediction of PJK.

The Comparative Analysis of the Coatings Deposited on the Automotive Parts by the Cataphoresis Method

The paper presents preliminary research focused on the determination of the influence of surface preparation on the quality of the paint coating obtained by the cataphoresis method (KTL). The tests were carried out on steel parts used in the construction of trailers and truck bodies. The first research group consisted of cold-rolled and chemically cleaned parts, the second group were mechanically cleaned with abrasive blasting. In order to determine the influence of surface treatment on the corrosion resistance of the tested coatings, besides a corrosion test, roughness measurements were also carried out. Tests were performed on the crude surface and after coating deposition. Moreover, tests were supplemented by measuring the thickness of the coating using the magnetic induction method and the hardness with the use micro and nano hardness testers. Measurements of the tribological parameters under dry friction conditions were performed using a T11 tester. The corrosion resistance of the applied coatings was determined in a salt spray test. The obtained results were compared to those that were determined for different zinc coatings. It has been shown that the method of base steel surface preparation affects every measured parameter and property of tested paint coatings. The quality of the coating deposited on the steel base after chemical cleaning is much better than the one applied to the sandblasted surface. The measured corrosion resistance of the tested paint coatings is only greater than the corrosion resistance of the lamellar zinc coating. The other zinc coatings (galvanic, hot-dip, sherardized) show corrosion resistance by an order of magnitude higher.

Using exhalation dynamics to evaluate PEEP levels in COVID-19 related ARDS

Background We hypothesized that measured expiratory time constant (TauE) could be a bedside parameter for evaluation of PEEP settings in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients during pressure-controlled ventilation (PCV) mode. TauE is an easily measured parameter to assess lung physiology, even in non-homogeneous lungs including COVID-19 ARDS. Methods A prospective study was conducted including consecutively admitted adults (n = 16) with COVID-19 related ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation. Ventilator settings for all patients included: PCV, RR 18/min, constant inspiratory pressure 14 cmH2O, I:E ratio 1:1.5 and FiO2 1.0. Escalating levels of PEEP (0 to 18 cmH2O) were applied and measured TauE and expiratory tidal volume (Vte) recorded. Next, a new parameter, TauE Index (TEI) was calculated (TEI = TauE * Vte) at each PEEP level in prone (n = 29) or supine (n = 24) positions. TEI maps were created to graphically show changes in individual physiology with PEEP. The PEEP setting with the highest TEI corresponded to the highest product of TauE and Vte and was considered the most suitable PEEP. Most suitable PEEP range was calculated as ± 10% from highest TEI. Results Two groups of patterns were observed in the TEI maps, recruitable (R) (75%) and non-recruitable (NR) (25%). In R group, the most suitable PEEP and PEEP range was 9±3 cmH2O and 6-12 cmH2O for prone position and 11±3 cmH2O and 7-13 cmH2O for supine position. In NR group, the most suitable PEEP and PEEP range was 7±3 cmH2O and 0-8 cmH2O for prone position and 4±2 cmH2O and 0-7 cmH2O for supine position, respectively. The R group showed significantly higher suitable PEEP (p<0.01) and PEEP ranges (p<0.01) than NR group. 45% of measurements resulted in most suitable PEEP being significantly different between the positions (p < 0.01). Conclusions Based on TEI mapping, responses to PEEP were easily measured. There was wide variation in patient responses to PEEP that indicate the need for personalized evaluation.

The Physiological and Biochemical Responses of European Chestnut (Castanea sativa L.) to Blight Fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica (Murill) Barr)

The most important disease of European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) is chestnut blight caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica (Murrill) Barr which induces yield reduction in Europe and North America. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of C. parasitica infection on the physiological and biochemical characteristics of European chestnut at two different growth stages, 3 and 6 weeks after the infection. The amount of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, and carotenoids), the relative chlorophyll content, and the photochemical efficiency of the photosystem II (PSII) were measured in the leaves above and below the virulent and hypovirulent C. parasitica infections. The highest values were measured in the control leaves, the lowest values were in the leaves of the upper part of virulent necrosis. Antioxidant enzyme activities such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), proline, and malondialdehyde concentrations were also investigated. In each of these measured values, the lowest level was measured in the control leaves, while the highest was in leaves infected with the virulent fungal strain. By measuring all of these stress indicator parameters the responses of chestnut to C. parasitica infection can be monitored and determined. The results of this study showed that the virulent strain caused more pronounced defense responses of chestnut’s defense system. The measured parameter above the infection was more exposed to the blight fungus disease relative to the leaves below the infection.

A Review Paper on Importance of SHM System in India

India being the home of rich historical background inherits varied amount of historical structures like Taj Mahal (one of the seven wonders), Red fort, Temples etc. Due to their historical importance, it becomes very important to assess health condition of these structures and take the required measures to improve their life. Buildings like stadiums, sports arenas, malls, lifeline structures like hospitals, public buildings which could cause harm to large number of people at a time and are something to be taken care on a regular basis. India also has various ambitious, complex, and critical structure, like nuclear plants, Dams, bridges and tunnels should be mandated with monitoring as their failure cause more losses than any other. Structural health monitoring will help us to achieve increased durability and health of structure, reduced maintenance and improved safety. Health monitoring of civil infrastructures consists of determining by measured parameter, the location and severity of damage in structures and inform us before it became to late. The main goal of SHM is to detect the damage based on the measurement by various types of sensors, locate the geometric position of the damage and quantify the damage so that we can take the necessary action timely and improve the life of the structure. Keywords: Bridge, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), sensors, data management system, instrumentation scheme, Performance parameters

Leaf Morpho-Colorimetric Characterization of Different Grapevine Varieties through Changes on Plant Water Status

(1) Background: Currently, some ampelographic methods are developing in order to identify grapevine varieties. For this purpose, morpho-colorimetric parameters in leaves have been analyzed by digital imagen analysis, but some environmental conditions may affect their determinations. (2) Methods: A research study was conducted to characterize leaf morpho-colorimetric parameters in five grapevine varieties growing under different plant water status and to discriminate them under these conditions. Leaves were collected in vines, and twelve leaf morpho-colorimetric and fractal dimension variables were assessed. (3) Results: Merlot presented the highest values of perimeter and area to perimeter ratio in leaves and higher leaf area than Chardonnay in both plant water conditions. Most of the leaf morpho-colorimetric variables allowed discriminating the grapevine varieties under the contrasted hydric conditions. Under non-water stress, Carmenère was not related to any measured parameters. Merlot was positively related to most of the leaf morphometric parameters, whereas Chardonnay presented the opposite behavior. RGB color system variables allowed discriminating the grapevine varieties under water stress conditions, and Sauvignon Blanc was not related to any measured parameter. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were positively related to green color and negatively related to most of the leaf morphometric parameters, whereas Merlot showed the opposite behavior. (4) Conclusions: Leaf morpho-colorimetric and fractal dimension parameters were affected by plant water stress and more variables should be incorporated into the new ampelographic methods in order to characterize leaf morpho-colorimetric parameters of the different grapevine varieties more clearly.