Carbon dots: A novel trend in pharmaceutical applications.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs, C-dots, or CDs), are generally small carbon nanoparticles having a size less than 10nm. Carbon dots (CDs) were accidentally discovered during the purification of single-walled carbon nanotubes through preparative electrophoresis in 2004. Carbon is an organic material having poor water solubility that emits less fluorescence. However, CDs have good aqueous solubility and excellent fluorescent property, hence more attention has been given to the synthesis of CDs and their applications in chemistry and allied sciences. CDs being easily accessible for in-house synthesis, simpler fabrication as per compendial requirements are wisely accepted. In addition, since CDs are biocompatible, of low toxicity, and of biodegradable nature, they appear as a promising tool for the health care sector. Furthermore, owing to their capabilities of expressing significant interaction with biological materials, and their excellent photoluminescence (PL), CDs have been emerging as novel pioneered nanoparticles useful for pharmaceutical and theranostic applications. Also, CDs are more eco-friendly in synthesis and therefore can be favorably consumed as alternatives in the further development of biological, environmental, and food areas. A massive study has been performed dealing with different approaches which are adopted for CDs synthesis and their applications as, filters for the separation of pollutants from polluted water, food safety, toxicological studies, and optical properties, etc. While still less emphasis is given on the applications of CDs in pharmaceuticals like for sustained and targeted drug delivery systems, theranostic study, etc. Hence, in the present review, we are exploring CQDs as a boon to pharmaceutical concerns.

Validated RP-HPLC method for quantification of felodipine in rabbit plasma: Application in a bioequivalence study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of present study was to develop a simple, rapid, selective, sensitive and robust reverse phase high performance liquid chromatographic method for quantification of felodipine in rabbit plasma at the wavelength of 360nm. METHOD: Protein was precipitated from rabbit plasma sample by addition of acetonitrile as a vehicle. An isocratic elution of samples was performed on capcell pak C8 DD S5 column (4.6mm×250mm particle size 5µm) column with mobile phase consisting 5mM Phosphate Buffer (pH 4.8 adjusted with dilute ortho-phosphoric acid solution): acetonitrile (25:75:v/v) delivered at flow rate 1.0mLmin-1. RESULT: A good linear response was achieved over the range of 0.25-20.00µgmL-1. LODs and LOQs for felodipine were found to be 0.055 and 0.201µgmL-1, respectively. The method was quantitatively evaluated in terms of linearity, precision, accuracy (recovery), selectivity robustness and stability study as per standard guidelines. The validated RP-HPLC method was successfully applied for the bioavailability studies of felodipine. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for all the investigated drugs in rabbit after single-dose administrations of pure drug and formulation of felodipine. Finally, the obtained results for the application of the proposed RP-HPLC method proved its efficiency to be applied to the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) and bioequivalence (BE) studies. CONCLUSION: Thus, developed method is simple, convenient and suitable for the analysis of felodipine in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations.

Assessment of knowledge and attitudes towards safety events reporting among residents in a community health system.

Background: Resident physicians are known to be infrequent reporters of patient safety events (PSE). Previous studies assessing barriers to resident PSE reporting have not considered possible cultural barriers faced by international medical graduates (IMG). This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of residents regarding PSE and possible barriers contributing to poor resident reporting. Methods: A cross sectional survey of all house staff undergoing post-graduate residency training at two independent community hospital based academic medical centers was conducted through an online questionnaire. Sample case vignettes were created to assess the residents' ability to identify safety events and classify them as near miss, adverse events or sentinel events and decide whether they were reportable. Results: The Reporting of PSE increased significantly by year of residency training (p < 0.005), with time taken to file a PSE being the strongest perceived barrier. There was no difference in PSE reporting between IMG's and non- IMG's. We identified major knowledge gaps with only 73.9%, 79.6% and 94.3% of respondents correctly identifying sentinel events, adverse events, and near misses, respectively. 58.1% of respondents did not think near misses were reportable. Conclusions: A lack of knowledge is the most important barrier towards PSE reporting. A different cultural background and lack of previous exposure to patient safety report by IMGs is not a significant barrier towards safety event reporting. In the short-term, it appears that focusing limited institutional resources on education rather than acculturation issues would have the greatest benefit.

Molecular detection and characterization of Influenza 'C' viruses from western India.

Since 2003, India has had a well-established influenza surveillance network, though Influenza C virus was not the focus of study. We therefore retrospectively analyzed clinical samples from Pune, western India collected during January 2009 to August 2015, by real-time RT-PCR. Three of 2530 samples of patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) showed positivity for Influenza C virus infection, while 105 and 31 samples were positive for Influenza A and B viruses respectively. Influenza C viruses were successfully isolated using the embryonated egg system and whole genomes were sequenced and analyzed phylogenetically. HE gene-based phylogeny showed that two viruses C/India/P119564/2011 and C/India P121719/2012 clustered with the C/Sao Paulo/378/82 (SP82) lineage, whereas C/India/P135047/2013 clustered with the C/Kanagawa/1/76 (KA76) lineage. The internal gene of these viruses grouped in two lineages. The PB1, PB2, M and NS genes of the study viruses grouped with C/Yamagata/26/81 (YA81), while the P3 (PA) and NP genes grouped with C/Mississippi/80 (MS80). Bayesian clock studies conclude that the Indian strains may have emerged through multiple reassortment events.

Complex Traumatic Facial Degloving Injury.

By definition, degloving is detachment of skin and subcutaneous tissue, most often affecting the limbs and extremities and occasionally the scalp. Degloving generally occurs from high-energy trauma. This paper describes a patient of traumatic facial degloving injury. This is an extremely rare condition, as the patient survived despite the risk of imminent death. This patient report addresses the decisions made regarding the emergency management, prevention of necrosis and infection by surgical debridement, and timely repair of the vital soft tissue structures that guided the management.

Are Gujarati Asian Indians 'older' for their 'vascular age' as compared to their 'Chronological age'?

BACKGROUND: South Asians are known to carry higher burden of cardiovascular diseases when compared with their Caucasian counterparts. AIM: This study was designed to evaluate whether vascular age is advanced for Gujarati Asian Indians as matched to their chronological age in apparently healthy, asymptomatic population. We have also assessed the contributing risk factors for premature vascular ageing. DESIGN: It was cross-sectional study of 2483 individuals of Gujarat state in Western India having no past or present history of major illness including cardiovascular diseases. METHOD: The vascular age of the population was calculated using Framingham vascular age calculator. A relationship between risk factor prevalence and vascular ageing was evaluated using univariate analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean chronological age of the study population was 46.8 (±10.35) years whereas mean vascular age was 53.34 (±16.05) years, and the difference (6.54±9.5) between both was statistically significant (P < 0.0001). Contributory risk factors for advanced vascular age apart from chronological age (75.4%) and male gender (66.2%) were the presence of dyslipidemia (60.4%) hypertension (57.34%) and increased waist circumference (WC) (male 39.7%, female 29%). Results of regression analysis showed that vascular age progression was highly associated with blood pressure (19.9, 95% CI: 14.34-27.63), followed by smoking (15.23, 95% CI: 8.4-27.59), and blood sugar (12.97, 95% CI: 3.48-48.25). CONCLUSION: The Gujarati Asian Indians are subjected to premature vascular ageing and henceforth routine screening for vascular age and risk factors prevalence is strongly advocated in this ethnic group.

Bi-functional properties of Fe3O4@YPO4:Eu hybrid nanoparticles: hyperthermia application.

Magnetic nanoparticles based hyperthermia therapy is a possible low cost and effective technique for killing cancer tissues in the human body. Fe3O4 and Fe3O4@YPO4:5Eu hybrid magnetic nanoparticles are prepared by co-precipitation method and their average particle sizes are found to be ∼10 and 25 nm, respectively. The particles are spherical, non-agglomerated and highly dispersible in water. The crystallinity of as-prepared YPO4:5Eu sample is more than Fe3O4@YPO4:5Eu hybrid magnetic nanoparticles. The chemical bonds interaction between Fe3O4 and YPO4:5Eu is confirmed through FeO-P. The magnetization of hybrid nanocomposite shows magnetization Ms = 11.1 emu g(-1) with zero coercivity (measured at 2 × 10(-4) Oe) at room temperature indicating superparamagnetic behaviour. They attain hyperthermia temperature (~42 °C) under AC magnetic field showing characteristic induction heating of the prepared nanohybrid and they will be potential material for biological application. Samples produce the red emission peaks at 618 nm and 695 nm, which are in range of biological window. The quantum yield of YPO4:5Eu sample is found to be 12%. Eu(3+) present on surface and core could be distinguished from luminescence decay study. Very high specific absorption rate up to 100 W g(-1) could be achieved. The intracellular uptake of nanocomposites is found in mouse fibrosarcoma (Wehi 164) tumor cells by Prussian blue staining.

Development, characterisation and evaluation of supersaturated triglyceride free drug delivery (s-TFDDS) of lornoxicam.

The present work was aimed at formulating a supersaturated triglyceride free drug delivery system (s-TFDDS) of lornoxicam and evaluating its in vitro and in vivo potential. s-TFDDS contain the drug above its saturation solubility and consists of a hydrophilic surfactant, a hydrophobic surfactant, solubiliser and pH modifier. D-optimal mixture experimental design was applied to optimise s-TFDDS. Three formulation variables, X 1 (Tween 20®), the surfactant X 2 (Capryl PGMC®) and X 3 (Transcutol P), were included in the design. The systems were assessed for light transmittance and solubility of lornoxicam. The values of optimised formulation components (X 1, X 2 and X 3) were 60.0, 10.0 and 30.0 %, respectively. The combination of components was optimised for maximum solubilisation capacity of lornoxicam by combined effect of pH and temperature. The optimised liquid preconcentrate was evaluated for particle size (small-angle neutron scattering study), robustness to precipitation, effect of polymer on precipitation inhibition and by in vitro dissolution. The liquid preconcentrate was adsorbed on solid carrier (Neusilin US2, Sylysia 320) and characterised by in vitro dissolution, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy study. An increase in dissolution (DE15min, 100 %) in simulated gastric fluid at pH 1.2 was achieved without precipitation of lornoxicam. Spectral characterisation reveals no sign of lornoxicam precipitation on solid carriers. Comparative pharmacodynamic evaluation was investigated in terms of anti-inflammatory efficacy using a rat paw oedema model in rats. The s-TFDDS formulation showed the maximum percent inhibition of oedema as compared with plain and micronised lornoxicam.