Oral metronomic therapy of pancreatic cancer with gemcitabine and paclitaxel co-loaded in lecithin-based Self-Nanoemulsifying preconcentrate (LBSNEP).

This study aimed to evaluate gemcitabine (GEM)/paclitaxel (PTX) co-loaded into a lecithin-based self-nanoemulsifying preconcentrate (LBSNEP) orally administered in a metronomic therapeutic manner against pancreatic cancer. LBSNEP was developed and evaluated, composed of Caproyl 90, Tween80, lecithin, TPGS, and propyl glycol at a ratio of 20:20:30:5:25, resulting in a droplet diameter of approximately 180 nm. Cell viability studies on MIA PaCa-2 demonstrated a synergetic effect at a proportion of 1:2 between PTX and GEM. Additionally, LBSNEP and baicalein (BAI) were demonstrated to prevent GEM from being deaminated by cytidine deaminase. The combination of GEM, PTX, and BAI in the LBSNEP showed good dissolution in simulated gastric fluid. The pharmacokinetic study conducted on rats showed that co-administration of GEM, PTX, and BAI in the LBSNEP enhanced the respective relative oral bioavailability levels of GEM and PTX by 1.5- and 2-fold, respectively, compared to the solution group. The tumor inhibition study was conducted with metronomic therapy at a low daily dose compared to conventional therapy at a higher dose every 3 days. Results indicated that oral metronomic delivery of GEM/PTX/BAI LBSNEP could inhibit tumor growth during administration phase, and that there were similar tumor volumes compared to traditional chemotherapy at day 28 even if the dose of metronomic chemotherapy was 2.2-fold less than that of the latter. In conclusion, a self-nanoemulsifying drug-delivery system for the oral delivery of GEM, PTX, and BAI in a metronomic manner enhanced the therapeutic effect on pancreatic cancer, providing an alternative option for chemotherapy.

Development of a Swellable and Floating Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System (sfGRDDS) of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride.

Sangelose® (SGL) is a novel hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) derivative that has been hydrophobically modified. Due to its high viscosity, SGL has the potential as a gel-forming and release-rate-controlled material for application in swellable and floating gastroretentive drug delivery systems (sfGRDDS). The aim of this study was to develop ciprofloxacin (CIP)-loaded sfGRDDS tablets comprised of SGL and HPMC in order to extend CIP exposure in the body and achieve optimal antibiotic treatment regimes. Results illustrated that SGL-HPMC-based sfGRDDS could swell to a diameter above 11 mm and showed a short floating lag time (<4 s) and long total floating time (>24 h) to prevent gastric emptying. In dissolution studies, CIP-loaded SGL-HPMC sfGRDDS demonstrated a specific biphasic release effect. Among the formulations, the SGL/type-K HPMC 15,000 cps (HPMC 15K) (50:50) group exhibited typical biphasic release profiles, with F4-CIP and F10-CIP individually releasing 72.36% and 64.14% CIP within 2 h dissolution, and sustaining release to 12 h. In pharmacokinetic studies, the SGL-HPMC-based sfGRDDS demonstrated higher Cmax (1.56-1.73 fold) and shorter Tmax (0.67 fold) than HPMC-based sfGRDDS. Furthermore, SGL 90L in GRDDS indicated an excellent biphasic release effect and a maximum elevation of relative bioavailability (3.87 fold). This study successfully combined SGL and HPMC to manufacture sfGRDDS that retain CIP in the stomach for an optimal duration while improving its pharmacokinetic characteristics. It was concluded that the SGL-HPMC-based sfGRDDS is a promising biphasic antibiotic delivery system that can both rapidly achieve the therapeutic antibiotic concentration and maintain the plasma antibiotic concentration for an extended period to maximize antibiotic exposure in the body.

Synergistic Combination of Irinotecan and Rapamycin Orally Delivered by Nanoemulsion for Enhancing Therapeutic Efficacy of Pancreatic Cancer.

In recent years, combining different types of therapy has emerged as an advanced strategy for cancer treatment. In these combination therapies, oral delivery of anticancer drugs is more convenient and compliant. This study developed an irinotecan/rapamycin-loaded oral lecithin-based self-nanoemulsifying nanoemulsion preconcentrate (LBSNENPir/ra) and evaluated its synergistic combination effects on pancreatic cancer. LBSNENP loaded with irinotecan and rapamycin at a ratio of 1:1 (LBSNENPir10/ra10) had a better drug release profile and smaller particle size (<200 nm) than the drug powder. Moreover, LBSNENPir10/ra10 exhibited a strong synergistic effect (combination index [CI] < 1.0) in cell viability and combination effect studies. In the tumor inhibition study, the antitumor activity of LBSNENPir10/ra10/sily20 against MIA PaCa-2 (a human pancreatic cancer cell line) was significantly increased compared with the other groups. When administered with rapamycin and silymarin, the area under the curve and the maximum concentration of irinotecan significantly improved compared with the control. We successfully developed an irinotecan/rapamycin-loaded oral self-nanoemulsifying nanoemulsion system to achieve treatment efficacy for pancreatic cancer.

Carfilzomib and Paclitaxel Co-Loaded Protein Nanoparticles an Effective Therapy Against Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas.

PURPOSE: Therapeutic efficacy of pancreatic adenocarcinomas (PACs) with combined therapy of carfilzomib (CFZ) and paclitaxel (PTX) co-loaded in human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles (NPs) was examined. METHODS: CFZ and PTX were encapsulated individually or combined into HSA NPs by a simple reverse self-assembly method developed to achieve an optimal combination ratio for synergistic therapy. CFZ or/and PTX loaded HSA nanoparticles were physically characterized and the evaluation of combination index, drug release, pharmacokinetic, anti-tumor, and biodistribution studies were conducted. RESULTS: All resultant drug-loaded HSA NPs were spherical with a particle size of <150 nm and a zeta potential of -21.1~-23.0 mV. Drug loading rates and entrapment efficiencies were 9.1%~10.1% and 90.7%~97.1%, respectively. CFZ and PTX demonstrated synergistic effects in an MIA PaCa-2 cytotoxicity at a 1:2 ratio (CI50 were 0.01~0.25). In vitro dissolution revealed that the CFZ/PTX ratio released from the co-loaded HSA NPs (CFZ/PTX/HSA NPs) was about 1.77~2.08, which conformed to the designated loaded ratio. In vivo evaluation showed that the combined therapy of CFZ and PTX at a 1:2 ratio co-loaded in HSA NPs (CFZ/PTX/HSA NPs) demonstrated optimal synergistic improvement of the growth inhibition of MIA PaCa-2 cells with less systematic toxicity, even though the pharmacokinetic profiles observed did not show obvious beneficial and their biodistributions in tumors were found to be smaller. CONCLUSION: The one-pot reverse assembly method developed was environmentally friendly and capable of co-loading an optimal combination ratio of two chemodrugs into HSA NPs for synergistic therapy.

Evidenced-based practice of decision-making process in oncofertility care among registered nurses: A qualitative study.

AIM: The purpose of our study was to construct the context of the nursing action/role in oncofertility care. DESIGN: Qualitative research. METHODS: We applied grounded theory to guide the qualitative study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 12 nurses in Taipei. The data were collected from August 2018 to February 2019. RESULTS: The core theme that described the role of nurses' decision-making in oncofertility care focused on understanding oncofertility from the self to the other. Care roles or actions in oncofertility that involved the process of psychological cognition were divided into four dimensions: perceiving the patient's changes and needs, triggering the self's emotions, empathizing with patient's situations and introspective care roles. Nurses who had experienced the phase of empathizing with the patient's situations developed more diverse roles and had positive actions toward oncofertility care. Based on the psychological changes for oncofertility decision-making process, implementing contextual training in oncofertility could help nurses create more positive actions in oncofertility care.

Honokiol/Magnolol-Loaded Self-Assembling Lecithin-Based Mixed Polymeric Micelles (lbMPMs) for Improving Solubility to Enhance Oral Bioavailability.

OBJECTIVE: This study was intended to utilize lecithin-based mixed polymeric micelles (lbMPMs) for enhancing the solubility and bioavailability of honokiol and magnolol to resolve the hindrance of their extreme hydrophobicity on the clinical applications. METHODS: Lecithin was selected to increase the volume of the core of lbMPMs, thereby providing a greater solubilization capacity. A series of amphiphilic polymers (sodium deoxycholate [NaDOC], Cremophor®, and Pluronic® series) were included with lecithin for screening and optimization. RESULTS: After preliminary evaluation and subsequentially optimization, two lbMPMs formulations composed of honokiol/magnolol:lecithin:NaDOC (lbMPMs[NaDOC]) and honokiol/magnolol:lecithin:PP123 (lbMPMs[PP123]) in respective ratios of 6:2:5 and 1:1:10 were optimally obtained with the mean particle sizes of 80-150 nm, encapsulation efficacy (EEs) of >90%, and drug loading (DL) of >9.0%. These lbMPMs efficiently stabilized honokiol/magnolol in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at room temperature or 4 °C and in fetal bovine serum or PBS at 37 °C. PK study demonstrated that lbMPMs[NaDOC] showed much improvement in enhancing bioavailability than that by lbMPMs[PP123] for both honokiol and magnolol. The absolute bioavailability for honokiol and magnolol after intravenous administration of lbMPMs[NaDOC] exhibited 0.93- and 3.4-fold increases, respectively, compared to that of free honokiol and magnolol. For oral administration with lbMPMs[NaDOC], the absolute bioavailability of honokiol was 4.8%, and the absolute and relative bioavailability of magnolol were 20.1% and 2.9-fold increase, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overall, honokiol/magnolol loaded in lbMPMs[NaDOC] showed an improvement of solubility with suitable physical characteristics leading to enhance honokiol and magnolol bioavailability and facilitating their wider application as therapeutic agents for treating human disorders.

Low-fluence laser-facilitated platelet-rich plasma permeation for treating MRSA-infected wound and photoaging of the skin.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is rich in cytokines and growth factors and is a novel approach for tissue regeneration. It can be used for skin rejuvenation but the large molecular size of the actives limits its topical application. In this study, low-fluence laser-facilitated PRP was delivered to evaluate its effect on absorption through the skin, infection-induced wound, and photoaging. The PRP permeation enhancement was compared for two ablative lasers: fractional (CO2) laser and fully-ablative (Er:YAG) laser. In the Franz cell experiment, pig skin was treated with lasers with superficial ablation followed by the application of recombinant cytokines, growth factors, or PRP. The transport of interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was negligible in intact skin and stratum corneum (SC)-stripped skin. Both lasers significantly elevated skin deposition of IFN-γ and TNF-α from PRP, and fully-ablative laser showed a higher penetration enhancement. A similar tendency was found for vascular endothelial growth factor and epidermal growth factor. Er:YAG laser-exposed skin displayed 1.8- and 3.9-fold higher skin deposition of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 from PRP, respectively. According to the confocal images, both laser interventions led to an extensive and deep distribution of IFN-γ and PDGF-BB in the skin. In the in vivo methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection model, CO2 laser- and Er:YAG laser-assisted PRP delivery reduced bacterial load from 1.8 × 106 to 5.9 × 105 and 1.4 × 104 colony-forming units, respectively. The open wound induced by MRSA was closed by the laser-assisted PRP penetration. In the mouse photoaging model, elastin and collagen deposition were fully restored by combined PRP and full-ablative laser but not by PRP alone and PRP combined with fractional laser. Laser-facilitated PRP delivery even with a low fluence setting can be considered a promising strategy for treating some dermatological disorders.

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Swellable and Floating Gastroretentive Drug Delivery System (sfGRDDS) for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Nilotinib.

Regarding compliance and minimization of side effects of nilotinib therapy, there is a medical need to have a gastroretentive drug delivery system (GRDDS) to enhance the oral bioavailability that is able to administer an optimal dose in a quaque die (QD) or daily manner. In this study, the influence on a swelling and floating (sf) GRDDS composed of a polymeric excipient (HPMC 90SH 100K, HEC 250HHX, or PEO 7000K) and Kollidon® SR was examined. Results demonstrated that PEO 7000K/Kollidon SR (P/K) at a 7/3 ratio was determined to be a basic GRDDS formulation with optimal swelling and floating abilities. MCC PH102 or HPCsssl,SFP was further added at a 50% content to this basic formulation to increase the tablet hardness and release all of the drug within 24 h. Also, the caplet form and capsule form containing the same formulation demonstrated higher hardness for the former and enhanced floating ability for the latter. A pharmacokinetic study on rabbits with pH values in stomach and intestine similar to human confirmed that the enhanced oral bioavailability ranged from 2.65-8.39-fold with respect to Tasigna, a commercially available form of nilotinib. In conclusion, the multiple of enhancement of the oral bioavailability of nilotinib with sfGRDDS could offer a pharmacokinetic profile with therapeutic effectiveness for the QD administration of a reasonable dose of nilotinib, thereby increasing compliance and minimizing side effects.

Non-isothermal dehydration kinetic study of aspartame hemihydrate using DSC, TGA and DSC-FTIR microspectroscopy.

Three thermal analytical techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) using five heating rates, and DSC-Fourier Transform Infrared (DSC-FTIR) microspectroscopy using one heating rate, were used to determine the thermal characteristics and the dehydration process of aspartame (APM) hemihydrate in the solid state. The intramolecular cyclization process of APM anhydrate was also examined. One exothermic and four endothermic peaks were observed in the DSC thermogram of APM hemihydrate, in which the exothermic peak was due to the crystallization of some amorphous APM caused by dehydration process from hemihydrate to anhydride. While four endothermic peaks were corresponded to the evaporation of absorbed water, the dehydration of hemihydrate, the diketopiperazines (DKP) formation via intramolecular cyclization, and the melting of DKP, respectively. The weight loss measured in TGA curve of APM hemihydrate was associated with these endothermic peaks in the DSC thermogram. According to the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) model, the activation energy of dehydration process within 100-150 °C was about 218 ± 11 kJ/mol determined by TGA technique. Both the dehydration and DKP formation processes for solid-state APM hemihydrate were markedly evidenced from the thermal-responsive changes in several specific FTIR bands by a single-step DSC-FTIR microspectroscopy.

Idiopathic calcinosis cutis in a child: chemical composition of the calcified deposits.

Idiopathic calcinosis cutis (CC) is a rare disease in a child. The chemical composition of the calcified deposits in idiopathic CC was first qualitatively and quantitatively examined using vibrational microspectroscopy via spectral diagnosis. The combined application of the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman microscopic techniques was used to detect and identify the nature of the components of the calcified deposits in idiopathic CC and to compare the results with histopathological findings. Two major components of type B carbonated apatite and ß-carotene interspersing subcutaneous tissue were clearly evidenced to make up the calcified deposits in idiopathic CC in our pediatric patient. Moreover, the calcified deposits of idiopathic CC contained a relatively larger amount of type B carbonated apatite and a smaller amount of type A carbonated apatite than the calcified deposits analyzed in dystrophic CC. This is the first report on the chemical composition of calcified deposits in idiopathic CC established by spectral analysis. The combination of FT-IR and Raman microscopic techniques was very useful for simultaneous assessment of the intact components of the calcified deposits in idiopathic CC.

Thermal FT-IR microspectroscopy for rapid detection of solid-state ion-exchange reaction between metoclopramide HCl monohydrate and potassium bromide.

The combination of Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy with a thermal analyzer was applied to quickly investigate the solid-state ion-exchange reaction of metoclopramide HCl monohydrate (MCP H(2)O) by clipping MCP H(2)O powder between two KBr or KCl pellets. The physical and ground mixtures of MCP H(2)O or 150 °C-preheated MCP powder and KBr or KCl powders with a weight ratio of 1 : 100 were also prepared and determined by FT-IR microspectroscopy. The samples of MCP H(2)O or 150 °C-preheated MCP were identified by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The results of present study indicate that the ion-exchange reaction was easily induced between MCP H(2)O and KBr by grinding and heating processes. The possible mechanism of ion-exchange reaction may take place between the HCl salt of MCP H(2)O and a KBr matrix by grinding or heating to yield a mixture of HCl and HBr salts of the MCP sample in the presence of hydrated water. The crystal hydrate played an important role to improve this ion-exchange reaction between MCP H(2)O and KBr. However, no ion-exchange reaction occurred between MCP H(2)O and KCl or between 150 °C-preheated MCP and KBr. The solid-state ion-exchange reaction was more easily determined by this novel thermal FT-IR microspectroscopy than other conventional methods.

Preliminary feasibility study of FTIR microscopic mapping system for the rapid detection of the composited components of prostatic calculi.

Awareness of the chemical composition of prostatic calculi is of great importance for pathogenesis of prostatic lithiasis, the feasibility of FTIR microspectroscopic mapping system used for rapidly screening and detecting the real composited components of prostatic calculi in a short time was initially evaluated. Prostatic calculi were retrieved during transurethral resection of the prostate from nine patients diagnosed having benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms. The level of serum prostatic-specific antigen was within 0-12.63 ng/ml. The calculi samples were examined and compared using FTIR microspectroscopic mapping system, or the traditional FTIR and Raman microspectroscopies. The traditional FTIR microspectroscopic results indicate that nine calculi samples mainly consisted of carbonated HA (hydroxyapatite), but calcium oxalate (undifferentiated) might be also detected in some samples. However, Raman spectral results could detect three components, HA, COM (calcium oxalate monohydrate) or COD (calcium oxalate dihydrate) separated in nine samples. Different compositions in the prostatic calculi were obtained by both spectroscopic detections with manual single-point random analysis implying that both manually traditional methods were failed to provide the real chemical composition of the prostatic calculi in a short time. The FTIR microscopic mapping system via point-by-point mapping analysis evidenced that it could rapidly detect all the complicated components distributed within the prostatic calculi rather than uncertain components detected by traditional FTIR or Raman microspectroscopy. More studies should be carried out in future. This preliminary result suggests that the FTIR mapping better characterizes the stone composition over single-point FTIR and Raman microscopic analysis in prostatic calculi.

Spectral analysis and comparison of mineral deposits forming in opacified intraocular lens and senile cataractous lens.

This preliminary report was attempted to compare the chemical components of mineral deposits on the surfaces of an opacified intraocular lens (IOL) and a calcified senile cataractous lens (SCL) by vibrational spectral diagnosis. An opacified intraocular lens (IOL) was obtained from a 65-year-old male patient who had a significant decrease in visual acuity 2-years after an ocular IOL implantation. Another SCL with grayish white calcified plaque on the subcapsular cortex was isolated from a 79-year-old male patient with complicated cataract after cataract surgery. Optical light microscope was used to observe both samples and gross pictures were taken. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman microspectroscopic techniques were employed to analyze the calcified deposits. The curve-fitting algorithm using the Gaussian function was also used to quantitatively estimate the chemical components in each deposit. The preliminary results of spectral diagnosis indicate that the opacified IOL mainly consisted of the poorly crystalline, immature non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HA) with higher content of type B carbonated apatites. However, the calcified plaque deposited on the SCL was comprised of a mature crystalline stoichiometric HA having higher contents of type A and type B carbonate apatites. More case studies should be examined in future.

Thermal stability and conformational structure of salmon calcitonin in the solid and liquid states.

Salmon calcitonin (sCT) was selected as a model protein drug for investigating its intrinsic thermal stability and conformational structure in the solid and liquid states by using a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy with or without utilizing thermal analyzer. The spectral correlation coefficient (r) analysis between two second-derivative IR spectra was applied to quantitatively estimate the structural similarity of sCT in the solid state before and after different treatments. The thermal FT-IR microspectroscopic data clearly evidenced that sCT in the solid state was not effected by temperature and had a thermal reversible property during heating-cooling process. Moreover, the high r value of 0.973 or 0.988 also evidenced the structural similarity of solid-state sCT samples before and after treatments. However, sCT in H(2)O exhibited protein instability and thermal irreversibility after incubation at 40 degrees C. The temperature-induced conformational changes of sCT in H(2)O was occurred to transform the alpha-helix/random coil structures to beta-sheet structure and also resulted in the formation of intramolecular and intermolecular beta-sheet structures.

Spectral diagnosis and analysis of a superior vesical artery calcification.

A case of urinary vessel calcification was detected incidentally in pelvic cavity of a 59-year-old man by computed tomography. The silver reticulin, actin, and hematoxylin and eosin stains were applied to diagnose the feature of vessel and confirmed that the vessel was the vesical artery. To our knowledge, this is the first report to find out the obliteration of superior vesical artery caused by calcified deposit. The calcified deposit in superior vesical artery was qualitatively identified to consist of hydroxyapatite, cholesterol and beta-carotene by Fourier transform infrared and Raman microspectroscopies, in which A-type carbonated apatite was a predominate component.

Identification of monoclinic calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and hydroxyapatite in human sclera using Raman microspectroscopy.

Raman microspectroscopy was first used to determine the composition of a calcified plaque located at the pterygium-excision site of a 51-year-old female patient's left nasal sclera after surgery. It was unexpectedly found that the Raman spectrum of the calcified sample at 1149, 1108, 1049, 756, 517, 376 and 352/cm was similar to the Raman spectrum of monoclinic form of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal, but differed from the Raman spectrum of triclinic form of CPPD. An additional peak at 958/cm was also observed in the Raman spectrum of the calcified plaque, which was identical to the characteristic peak at 958/cm of hydroxyapatite (HA). This is the first study to report the spectral biodiagnosis of both monoclinic CPPD and HA co-deposited in the calcified plaque of a patient with sclera dystrophic calcification using Raman microspectroscopy.

[A forensic pathological study of eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between adrenal hemorrhage and the cause of death, age and gender. METHODS: Eighty-two cases of adrenal hemorrhage were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Adrenal hemorrhage occurred mostly in cases of sudden death, infection, trauma and asphyxia. Male had more chance than female to have adrenal hemorrhage. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death, trauma and poisoning was more frequently seen in young adults, whereas adrenal hemorrhage in children as well as in fetus and newborns was often caused by infection as well as sudden death and asphyxia respectively. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by sudden death and asphyxia was mainly located in medulla, while the infection usually induced hemorrhage in cortex. Adrenal hemorrhage caused by trauma showed an equal opportunity in either the cortex or medulla. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that adrenal hemorrhage might provide some clues in searching for the cause of death.

Differential scanning calorimetry with curve-fitting program used to quantitatively analyze the polymorphic transformation of famotidine in the compressed compact.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) combined with a curve-fitting program was utilized to quantitatively determine the polymorphic composition of famotidine in the compacts prepared by different compression treatments. Two types of famotidine compacts (compact I or II) were prepared by compressing a conical shape or a flattened shape of powder bed of famotidine form B. The compact I was constructed by a transparent region in the center with an opaque region surrounded outside, but the compact II was formed by a whole opaque region only. A drilled disc sample was prepared and then directly determined by DSC analysis. The Raman spectral results clearly indicate that all the compacts whether in any region before DSC determination were only of famotidine form B and independent of compression pressure applied. Under DSC determination, however, the curve-fitted relative compositions of form B in the drilled disc I sample were gradually reduced to 23-24% with the increase of compression pressure, whereas the curve-fitted relative composition of form A was slowly increased up to 76-77%. A transitional phase of famotidine form B (form B*) in the transparent region of the compact I after applying >150 kg/cm(2) of compression pressure was easily detected, and then transformed to famotidine form A under DSC heating process. But this transitional phase and polymorphic transformation of famotidine could not be detected by other spectroscopic methods. This suggests that the DSC heating system was a preferred method not only to quantitatively analyze the polymorphic transformation of famotidine but also to find a newly transitional phase of famotidine in the compressed compact.

Famotidine polymorphic transformation in the grinding process significantly depends on environmental humidity or water content.

The effect of environmental humidity and additional water added on the polymorphic change of famotidine in the process of grinding was investigated. The famotidine form B powder with or without additional amount of water added was respectively ground for 30 min in an oscillatory ball mill under 25+/-2 degrees C and three relative humidities (RH) (50+/-5%, 75+/-5% or 95+/-5% RH). Each ground sample was periodically isolated for analytical determinations by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopy. The results indicate that the higher environmental humidity might induce and promote the polymorphic transformation of famotidine from form B to form A in the process of grinding. Moreover, the more the amount of water externally added the easier the polymorphic transformation of famotidine from form B to form A obtained. In addition, the more grinding time spent the more formation of form A obtained. This study disavowed the results of other studies in which no polymorphic change of famotidine even by grinding. The apparent evidence shows that the solid-state polymorphic transformation of famotidine from form B to form A in the grinding process significantly depended on the relative humidity of atmosphere and the additional amount of water added.

Preliminary identification of Beta-carotene in the vitreous asteroid bodies by micro-Raman spectroscopy and HPLC analysis.

beta-carotene was first identified from the vitreous asteroid bodies (ABs) excised from one patient with asteroid hyalosis (AH) by confocal Raman microspectroscopy and was also verified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two patients had been diagnosed with AH and intervened by surgical vitrectomy due to blurred vision. The morphology and components of both AB specimens were observed by optical microscopy and determined by using confocal Raman microspectroscopy and HPLC analysis, respectively. Surprisingly, two unique peaks at 1528 and 1157 cm(-1) were found in the Raman spectrum for the AB specimen of patient 1 alone, which were in close agreement with that of the Raman peaks at 1525 and 1158 cm(-1) for beta-carotene and/or lutein. However, HPLC analytical data clearly indicated that the retention time for the extracted sample from the AB specimen of patient 1 was observed at 13.685 min and just identical to that of beta-carotene (13.759 min) rather than lutein (2.978 min). In addition, the lack of any peak in the HPLC profile for the AB specimen of patient 2 also confirmed the absence of Raman peaks at 1525 and 1158 cm(-1). Thus this preliminary study strongly suggests that beta-carotene as a unique component of ABs was specifically detected from the AB specimen of one AH patient by using confocal Raman microspectroscopy and HPLC analysis.