bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the Efficacy of the Data Entry Process for Clinical Research With a Natural Language Processing–Driven Medical Information Extraction System: Quantitative Field Research (Preprint)
Authors: Han Jiang , Chen Ken , Fang Lei , Zhang Shaodian , Wang Fei , Ma Handong , Zhao Liebin , Liu Shijian
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

The growing interest in observational trials using patient data from electronic medical records poses challenges to both efficiency and quality of clinical data collection and management. Even with the help of electronic data capture systems and electronic case report forms (eCRFs), the manual data entry process followed by chart review is still time consuming.

OBJECTIVE

To facilitate the data entry process, we developed a natural language processing–driven medical information extraction system (NLP-MIES) based on the i2b2 reference standard. We aimed to evaluate whether the NLP-MIES–based eCRF application could improve the accuracy and efficiency of the data entry process.

METHODS

We conducted a randomized and controlled field experiment, and 24 eligible participants were recruited (12 for the manual group and 12 for NLP-MIES–supported group). We simulated the real-world eCRF completion process using our system and compared the performance of data entry on two research topics, pediatric congenital heart disease and pneumonia.

RESULTS

For the congenital heart disease condition, the NLP-MIES–supported group increased accuracy by 15% (95% CI 4%-120%, P=.03) and reduced elapsed time by 33% (95% CI 22%-42%, P<.001) compared with the manual group. For the pneumonia condition, the NLP-MIES–supported group increased accuracy by 18% (95% CI 6%-32%, P=.008) and reduced elapsed time by 31% (95% CI 19%-41%, P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our system could improve both the accuracy and efficiency of the data entry process.
A Web-Based Mobile App With a Smartwatch to Support Social Engagement in Persons With Memory Loss: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)
Authors: McCarron Hayley R , Zmora Rachel , Gaugler Joseph E
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

It is estimated that the number of individuals living with dementia worldwide will increase from 50 million in 2017 to 152 million by 2050. Assistive technology has been recognized as a promising tool to improve the lives of persons living with memory loss and their caregivers. The use of assistive technology in dementia care is expanding, although it is most often intended to manage care and promote safety. There is a lack of assistive technology designed to aid persons with memory loss in participating in meaningful activities. The Social Support Aid (SSA) is a mobile phone-based app that employs facial recognition software. It was designed to assist persons with memory loss remember the names and relationships of the people they interact with to promote social engagement.

OBJECTIVE

This study uses a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to evaluate the SSA. The objectives were to ascertain (1) the feasibility and utility of the SSA, (2) whether the outcomes of SSA use suggest potential benefits for persons living with memory loss and their care partners, and (3) how study design components could inform subsequent RCTs.

METHODS

Persons with memory loss were randomized to the SSA (n=20) or the usual care control group (n=28). Quantitative data were collected at three timepoints (baseline, 3 months, and 6 months). Participants in the intervention group participated in qualitative interviews following completion of their 6-month survey.

RESULTS

Participant eligibility, willingness to be randomized, and retention were not barriers to conducting a full-scale RCT; however, recruitment strategies should be addressed before doing so. Feasibility and utility scores indicated that participants felt neutral about the technology. Use of the SSA was not significantly associated with changes in quality of social interactions or quality of life measures over the 6 months of follow-up (P>.05). The qualitative analysis revealed three themes that described how and why the SSA worked or not: (1) outcomes, (2) reasons why it was or was not useful, and (3) recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need to develop effective assistive technology that improves the quality of life of persons with memory loss. Assistive technology that allows persons living with memory loss to maintain some level of autonomy should be a priority for future research. This study suggests reasons why the SSA facial recognition software did not appear to improve the quality of social interaction and quality of life of people with memory loss. Results also provide recommendations for future assistive technology development and evaluation.

CLINICALTRIAL

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03645694; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03645694 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78dcVZIqq)
Validation of the Mobile App–Recorded Circadian Rhythm by a Digital Footprint (Preprint)
Authors: Lin Yu-Hsuan , Wong Bo-Yu , Pan Yuan-Chien , Chiu Yu-Chuan , Lee Yang-Han
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

Modern smartphone use is pervasive and could be an accessible method of evaluating the circadian rhythm and social jet lag via a mobile app.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to validate the app-recorded sleep time with daily self-reports by examining the consistency of total sleep time (TST), as well as the timing of sleep onset and wake time, and to validate the app-recorded circadian rhythm with the corresponding 30-day self-reported midpoint of sleep and the consistency of social jetlag.

METHODS

The mobile app, Rhythm, recorded parameters and these parameters were hypothesized to be used to infer a relative long-term pattern of the circadian rhythm. In total, 28 volunteers downloaded the app, and 30 days of automatically recorded data along with self-reported sleep measures were collected.

RESULTS

No significant difference was noted between app-recorded and self-reported midpoint of sleep time and between app-recorded and self-reported social jetlag. The overall correlation coefficient of app-recorded and self-reported midpoint of sleep time was .87.

CONCLUSIONS

The circadian rhythm for 1 month, daily TST, and timing of sleep onset could be automatically calculated by the app and algorithm.
Impact of Automatic Query Generation and Quality Recognition Using Deep Learning to Curate Evidence From Biomedical Literature: Empirical Study (Preprint)
Authors: Afzal Muhammad , Hussain Maqbool , Malik Khalid Mahmood , Lee Sungyoung
Published: January 2019

BACKGROUND

The quality of health care is continuously improving and is expected to improve further because of the advancement of machine learning and knowledge-based techniques along with innovation and availability of wearable sensors. With these advancements, health care professionals are now becoming more interested and involved in seeking scientific research evidence from external sources for decision making relevant to medical diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis. Not much work has been done to develop methods for unobtrusive and seamless curation of data from the biomedical literature.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to design a framework that can enable bringing quality publications intelligently to the users’ desk to assist medical practitioners in answering clinical questions and fulfilling their informational needs.

METHODS

The proposed framework consists of methods for efficient biomedical literature curation, including the automatic construction of a well-built question, the recognition of evidence quality by proposing extended quality recognition model (E-QRM), and the ranking and summarization of the extracted evidence.

RESULTS

Unlike previous works, the proposed framework systematically integrates the echelons of biomedical literature curation by including methods for searching queries, content quality assessments, and ranking and summarization. Using an ensemble approach, our high-impact classifier E-QRM obtained significantly improved accuracy than the existing quality recognition model (1723/1894, 90.97% vs 1462/1894, 77.21%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our proposed methods and evaluation demonstrate the validity and rigorousness of the results, which can be used in different applications, including evidence-based medicine, precision medicine, and medical education.
Trimethylamine N-Oxide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with ESKD Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis
Authors: Stubbs Jason R. , Stedman Margaret R. , Liu Sai , Long Jin , Franchetti Yoko , West Raymond E. , Prokopienko Alexander J. , Mahnken Jonathan D. , Chertow Glenn M. , Nolin Thomas D.
Published: January 2019

Background and objectives

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a compound derived from byproducts of intestinal bacteria, has been shown to accelerate atherosclerosis in rodents. To date, there are conflicting data regarding the association of serum TMAO with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ESKD, a population exhibiting both high serum TMAO and excessive atherosclerosis.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

We measured baseline serum TMAO concentrations in a subset of participants (n=1243) from the Evaluation of Cinacalcet Hydrochloride Therapy to Lower Cardiovascular Events (EVOLVE) trial and conducted post hoc analyses evaluating the association between baseline serum TMAO and cardiovascular outcomes.

Results

We observed a wide distribution of serum TMAO in our cohort, with approximately 80% of participants exhibiting TMAO concentrations ≥56 µM and a maximum TMAO concentration of 1103.1 µM. We found no association between TMAO and our primary outcome, a composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular event, stroke, and hospitalization for unstable angina. Moreover, in unadjusted and adjusted analyses, we observed no relation between TMAO and all-cause mortality, the independent components of our composite outcome, or the original EVOLVE primary outcome. Although we did observe higher TMAO concentrations in white participants, further subgroup analyses did not confirm the previously identified interaction between TMAO and race observed in a prior study in patients receiving dialysis.

Conclusions

We found no evidence linking TMAO to adverse clinical outcomes in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis with moderate to severe secondary hyperparathyroidism.
Fermented Starch: Production Testing of Process Stabilization
Authors: Yulianto Aton , Widiyanti Palupi Tri , - Suparman , - Musa
Published: January 2019

Tapioca is one of starch product that is widely produced in Indonesia. The use of tapioca, especially from modern industry, as an ingredient of various food products (such as fish cake, crackers) is often limited by physicochemical characteristics, for example, swelling power, solubility, and viscosity causing limitation in its use. Therefore, tapioca needs to be modified to yield the desired characteristics. In this research, tapioca is modified through fermentation using microorganism. Starch modification via fermentation provides new chemical groups or change of shape, size and molecule structure. The fermented starch is made from fresh cassava planted by National Laboratory of Starch Technology (B2TP) in Lampung-Indonesia and starter of fermentation is lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Fermentation is carried out for five days at room temperature. Fermentation product is dried under the sun. The quality stabilization of fermented starch is observed through its functional characteristics including paste clarity, swelling power, and expanding capability. The research conducting in flask scale in B2TP obtains fermented starch with a relatively stable characteristic, especially in expanding capability, around 3.07-5.26 mL/g. The quality stabilization of fermented starch has to be maintained to preserve the desired product characteristics.
La co-enseñanza: un método necesario para el mejoramiento de la educación médica
Authors: De Benedictis-Serrano Ginno Alessandro , Contreras Caicedorano Guillermo , Lugo Perales José
Published: January 2019

La enseñanza en medicina es distinta en cada país, teniendo en cuenta que es necesario el desarrollo progresivo de nuevos enfoques o técnicas educativas que facilitan el aprendizaje de los nuevos médicos, lo que en teoría es sencillo pero en la práctica es difícil debido a la alta cantidad de contenido y tiempo requerido para la formación de médicos de calidad capaces de afrontar cualquier situación. Se tiende a estimar que todo medico está capacitado para enseñar y solo por eso sus estudiantes aprenden, lo cual es erróneo y del pasado, ya que se ha demostrado por distintos métodos de autoevaluación que la enseñanza en medicina es compleja, siendo necesario implementar programas que favorezcan el desarrollo de los docentes en medicina dado que son fundamentales como componentes del proceso enseñanza-aprendizaje.
OPENPediatrics, agregando simulación virtual y juegos serios a los MOOC
Authors: González-Cruz Miguel Angel
Published: January 2019

En al artículo “Un MOOC, muchos MOOC: diseño multinivel en cursos masivos del área de la salud” se mencionan algunas recomendaciones para el diseño de un MOOC como son contenidos significativos, involucramiento del estudiante, mensurabilidad de lo aprendido, accesibilidad y escalabilidad. Me parece pertinente comentar el caso de la plataforma OPENPediatrics (https://www.openpediatrics.org), la cual ofrece cursos dirigidos a profesionales de la salud que brindan atención a pacientes pediátricos. Dentro de los recursos utilizados para lograr el involucramiento del estudiante se encuentran la simulación virtual y el juego serio.Dentro de la plataforma se encuentra un simulador virtual de diálisis peritoneal en el que se presentan diferentes casos con situaciones comunes dentro de la práctica clínica como falla renal aguda, falla renal crónica, trastornos hidroelectrolíticos y peritonitis en los cuales el estudiante debe realizar un diagnóstico e indicar la diálisis peritoneal. Al finalizar el caso el estudiante es evaluado y obtiene una medalla de oro, plata o bronce según el desempeño. Wang y colaboradores definen a los juegos serios como aquellos juegos desarrollados con un propósito diferente al entretenimiento, como la enseñanza de algún conocimiento o habilidad y que además debe de incluir tareas retadoras, puntuación del desempeño y un diseño atractivo.La simulación virtual y el juego serio son capaces de mejorar conocimientos específicos o habilidades para la realización de algún procedimiento debido a un mayor involucramiento del estudiante, sin embargo a pesar del entusiasmo que existe alrededor de estos nuevos recursos tecnológicos el desarrollo de estos es complejo y costoso, además requiere de un equipo multidisciplinario con experiencia en medicina, educación e informática.
La dependencia del Índice de Precios y Cotizaciones de la Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (IPC) con respecto a los principales índices bursátiles latinoamericanos
Authors: Santillán Salgado Roberto Joaquín , GURROLA RIOS CESAR , Venegas Martínez Francisco , Jiménez Preciado Ana Lorena
Published: January 2019

La intensidad y velocidad con la cual se transmiten los efectos de las políticas monetarias y fiscal de un mercado financiero a otro es de primordial importancia para calibrar con precisión las decisiones de las autoridades responsables. De manera similar, los efectos provocados por shocks inesperados en un mercado y su impacto sobre el comportamiento de los precios de los activos financieros en otros mercados requiere una mejor comprensión de la naturaleza de la respuesta. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los estudios publicados sobre este tema han empleado metodologías que asumen la normalidad de los rendimientos y, por esa razón, sus resultados son cuestionables. Aunque en años recientes se han comenzado a utilizar metodologías robustas a la no-normalidad de los rendimientos, aún falta mucho trabajo por realizar. Este artículo contribuye al estudio de la dependencia existente entre los índices de cuatro bolsas de valores latinoamericanas (IPC, IPSA, IBOVESPA y MERVAL) mediante el análisis de cópulas. La principal contribución de este estudio con respecto a trabajos anteriores es la obtención del nivel de dependencia de las colas para los pares de índices formados por el IPC de México y cada uno de los otros tres índices latinoamericanos de la muestra.
Barreras a la innovación no-tecnológica: efectos sobre el desempeño empresarial en una economía emergente
Authors: Acuna-Opazo Christian , Castillo-Vergara Mauricio
Published: January 2019

En el actual contexto competitivo empresarial, cada vez más son las empresas que desarrollan proce­sos de innovación (tecnológica y no-tecnológica) para lograr un buen desempeño que se traduzca en éxito, los que no están ausente de barreras. La presente investigación analiza el efecto de las barreras a la inno­vación sobre el desempeño empresarial, entre empresas en diferente etapa empresarial, medida a través de los años de operación utilizando un análisis de regresión lineal múltiple para empresas de los sectores servicios e industria manufacturera de Chile, país que se encuentra en el primer lugar de innovación en la región de Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Los resultados muestran que la innovación de organización y la in­novación de marketing tienen efectos positivos, significativos y más altos sobre el desempeño empresarial en el grupo de empresas en etapa de introducción-crecimiento que, para empresas consideradas estable­cidas y las barreras de costo, de mercado y regulatorias son un obstáculo para el desarrollo de innovación en las empresas estudiadas.
La influencia del compromiso organizacional y orientación al aprendizaje sobre la innovación en las PYMES
Authors: Martínez Serna Maria Del Carmen , Vega Martínez Javier Eduardo , Eternod Domenech Vivian
Published: January 2019

Innovation is a strategic capacity for organizations as they face new and greater challenges, such as processing a vast amount of information and knowledge, as well as responding quickly to increasingly uncertain changing environments. The objective of this is to evaluate, in an empirical way, a model that presents three causal relationships between theoretical constructs in a group of 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the state of Aguascalientes. The first one refers to whether organizational commitment has a positive and significant influence on the levels of learning orientation; the second is verifying if the organizational commitment has a positive and significant influence on the levels of inno­vation; and finally, inquiring if the learning orientation has a positive and significant impact on the level of innovation. The proposed model—which presents good adjustments—is validated through structural analysis using the confirmatory modeling strategy. Results are presented and they indicate that organi­zational commitment does have a positive and significant impact on the levels of learning orientation in the organization. Furthermore, learning orientation influences in a positive and significant way SMEs’ innovation in Aguascalientes. However, organizational commitment fails to show a significant positive influence on the innovation of SMEs in Aguascalientes. 
Impact of gender on the acceptance of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) information in Spain
Authors: Sánchez Torres Javier A. , Arroyo-Cañada Francisco-Javier , Solé-Moro Maria-Llüisa , Argila-Irurita Ana
Published: January 2019

The aim of this paper is to explore the differences between males and females in the acceptance of eWOM information. For this purpose, the Information Acceptance Model (IACM), which addresses the characteristics that are evaluated in the use and attitude towards the use of information and play a role in the purchase decision-making process, as demonstrated in the literature, has been used as a reference. An empirical model, which is expected to be validated from the information collected through an online questionnaire completed by 271 users of social networking sites in Spain, has been used. A structural equation model (SEM) is introduced to calculate the measurement structure of the variables and the relationships between them. This paper provides useful insights into the understanding of the differences in the behaviour of males and females regarding online eWOM, and therefore could imply differentiated online marketing and reputation management activities. 

 
Editorial 63 (2) Especial Contabilidad
Authors: Tomás Lopes Ilidio , Odete Fernandes Paula
Published: January 2019

Accounting is in its essence, the language of businesses and the summary of economic events for the purpose of providing financial information for decision making. It is materialized on the firms’ financial statements, periodically disseminated to a wide diversity of stakeholders, and used as a primary source of financial perceptions and beliefs. As a reflection of businesses’ dynamics, financial information should be useful by observing the fundamental qualitative characteristics -relevance and faithful representation- and the enhancing qualitative characteristics -comparability, verifiability, timeliness, and understandability-. This special issue, on the scope of Accounting and other related scientific fields, such as Auditing and Taxation, was driven by the importance of the financial reporting on the entire decision-making process, and by the role of some Corporate Governance agents, as granters and controllers of information reliability and transparency. The current issue, strongly focused on those scientific fields, can certainly serve as a contribution for theory and practice, underlining some of the old and current paradoxes, and driving readers into future directions and challenges.

The organization of a special issue is always an interesting challenge. It is based on the desire to capture and integrate in the special issue the best and the latest developments occurred in a particular scientific field. Indeed, it is our conviction that we have clearly achieved that goal by providing readers with a set of original and useful papers.
The spectrum of adverse drug reactions in a multidisciplinary kidney clinic
Authors: Al-Bader Shaima , Al-Bader Shaikha , El-Reshaid Kamel
Published: January 2019

Introduction: Data on adverse drug-reactions (ADR) in the medical field are rare. Objective: To report on the pattern of such problem in a multidisciplinary kidney clinic Patients and Methods: Medical records of patients were reviewed retrospectively for such phenomenon in the past 6 years Results: A total of 4834 patients were included for analysis.   The unit is responsible for a large proportion of patients with acute and chronic kidney diseases of diverse etiologies and multiple co-morbid conditions.  Acute and maintenance dialysis as well as immunosuppressive treatment for idiopathic glomerulopathy and autoimmune systemic diseases were common practice.  Results: A total of 70044 ADR were diagnosed in 4438 patients.  Most patients were adults (39+14) and had median follow up of 38 months. Nearly half of the ADR were due to drug-side effects while idiosyncrasy accounted for 1.2%.  The former is due to misuse/abuse of medications while the latter is due to genetic, co-morbid conditions or synergetic between 2 drugs or a drug and disease.  Details of drugs ADR are outlined with their respective prevalence.  Our study indicates the need for careful auditing of patient’s response during follow up to improve their drug-compliance.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction, allergy, medical clinic, kidney disease.
In-Vivo assessment of glucocorticoid loaded tea tree oil nanoemulsion gel
Authors: Alam Md. Sarfaraz , Saraswat Rohit , Sharma Pankaj , Ansari Md. Salahuddin
Published: January 2019

Optimized formulations were subjected to various in vivo studies like anti-inflammatory activity, Nickel induced dermatitis, irritation study and Acute and repeated dose dermal toxicity studies. Clobetasol propionate (CP) has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiproliferative activity. The aim of the present work was to test the hypothesis that the addition CP in nanoemulsions would result in enhancement CP delivery and leading to better antipsoriatic activity. Nanoemulsions were prepared by aqueous phase titration method, using Tea Tree oil, Tween 20, Transcutol P, and distilled water as the oil phase, surfactant, co-surfactant and aqueous phase, respectively.We developed a topical O/W nanoemulsion in which drug is incorporated in disperse phase of oil and evaluated its efficacy against different types of in vivostudies. It was also found that the significantly increased their anti-inflammatory activity. It was reported that CP-loaded nanoemulsion significantly increased NTPDase (Nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases) activity in lymphocytes. This membrane protein is responsible for the hydrolysis of extracellular ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) which is responsible for cell proliferation, differentiation and inflammatory processes. In vivoirritation studies did not show any irritation in spite of having high amount of surfactant. Group treated with CP loaded nanoemulsion gel showed no evident toxicity even on repeated exposure. On the basis of above in vivo study we conclude that developed nanoemulsion is safe for human.

Keywords: Clobetasol propionate, In-vivo study, Nanoemulsion, Anti-inflammatory study, Toxicity study
Chitosan-based transdermal drug delivery systems to overcome skin barrier functions
Authors: Nair Syam S.
Published: January 2019

Transdermal drug delivery system has been developed or being developed to vanquish the downsides associated with conventional strategies as it avoids first pass hepatic metabolism, improved patient compliances, easy termination of therapy, possibility of self-administration etc. The main challenge in designing transdermal patch is to overcome the low permeability of skin. Several strategies have been developed to overcome the barrier properties and to enhance the transportation of drug molecules across the skin. In the last decades numerous transdermal patches fabricated from polysaccharides have been reported. There has been a growing interest in using chitosan in transdermal formulations thanks to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, film forming ability, non- skin irritancy etc. This article highlights the application of chitosan in the development of transdermal drug delivery systems such as microneedles, films etc.

Keywords: Transdermal drug delivery, first pass hepatic metabolism, low permeability, microneedles
Synthesis of different α, β- unsaturated oxazolone derivatives
Authors: Phalke Pallavi L
Published: January 2019

Acetyl glycine were prepared from glycine acetic anhydride and then 2, 4-disubstituted Oxazol-5-one were prepared from acetyl glycine, substituted aldehydes, acetic anhydride, and sodium acetate as a catalyst. The formed product is evaluated and characterized by thin layer chromatography, infrared spectroscopy and melting point. The, β- unsaturated shows ability to react with various nucleophilic reagents for synthesis of new fused oxazole compounds.

Keywords: glycine, acetic anhydride, aldehyde Sodium acetate, Oxazolone, E. coli, Antibacterial Activity.
Transfersomes: a novel technique for transdermal drug delivery
Authors: Chaurasiya Priyanka , Ganju Eisha , Upmanyu Neeraj , Ray Sudhir Kumar , Jain Prabhat
Published: January 2019

Novel drug delivery systems are now a days is creating a new interest in development of drug deliveries. Vesicular drug delivery system is also a part of these novel drug delivery systems. TDDS is the permeability of the skin, it is permeable to small molecules, lipophilic drug and highly impermeable to the macromolecules and hydrophilic drugs. Recent approaches have resulted in design of two vesicular carriers, ethosomes and ultra flexible lipid based elastic vesicles, transferosomes. Transferosomes have recently been introduced, which are capable of transdermal delivery of low as well as high molecular weight drugs. This offers several potential advantages over conventional routes like avoidance of first pass metabolism, predictable and extended duration of activity, minimizing undesirable side effects, utility of short half life drugs, improving physiological and pharmacological response and have been applied to increases the efficiency of the material transfer across the intact skin, by the use of penetration enhancers, iontophoresis, sonophoresis and use of colloidal carriers such as lipid vesicles (liposomes & proliposomes) and non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes & proniosomes). It is suitable for controlled and targeted drug delivery and it can accommodate drug molecules with wide range of solubility. Due to its high deformability it gives better penetration of intact vesicles. They are biocompatible and biodegradable as they are made from natural phospholipids and have high entrapment efficiency. The preparation variables are depending upon the procedure involved for manufacturing of formulation and the preparation procedure was accordingly optimized and validated. Characterization of transferosomes can be done to know the vesicle size, morphology, drug content, entrapment efficiency, penetration ability, occlusion effect, surface charge, in vitro drug release, in vitro skin penetration etc., It increases stability of labile drugs and provides control release. Transferosomes thus differs from such more conventional vesicles primarily by its softer, more deformable, better adjustable artificial membrane.

Keywords: Novel Drug Delivery System, Biocompatible, Characterization, Transferosomes.
Physico-chemical Standardization of NPCF (Non-Pharmacopoeial Compound Formulation) Use in Diabetes mellitus
Authors: Ahmed Reesha , Khan Naeem Ahmad
Published: January 2019

Background: Variety of reasons has been cited for the need for scientific evaluation and standardization of herbal drugs. Three methods, viz., activity-based standardization, determination of biologically active compound and standardization of herbal drugs on various physical, chemical and other parameters were found to be suitable and practically applicable. Phytochemical investigations along with biological screening to understand the therapeutic dynamics of medicinal plants etc. will help in developing quality parameters and help in the standardization and establish for authenticity and quality. Material and methods: Standardization was made on the basis of physicochemical and analytical parameters laid down by National Unani Pharmacopoeia Committee (Anonymous, 2007). Results: The parameters studied includes alcohol soluble content 15.34±0.48    water soluble content  18.27±0.38,  successive extractive values viz. petroleum ether 7.60±0.05 , diethyl ether 1.24±0.02, chloroform 2.24± 0.04 , acetone 4.74±0.02, alcohol 8.51±0.06  , and aqueous 4.20±0.05, non- successive extractive values viz. petroleum ether 6.70±0.06, chloroform  7.70±0.06, alcohol16.15± 0.03 and aqueous 10.65±0.03, total ash  5.50±0.28   , acid   insoluble   ash  2.33±0.33, water soluble ash 1.16±0.16    , moisture   content 7.30±0.12 , Bulk density 0.419±0.005 (pour density) and 0.74±0.01 (Tap density), pH values of 1% solution 4.89±0.01 and 10% solution  4.69±0.005. The qualitative analysis of various phytochemicals was estimated that revealed the presence of alkaloid, carbohydrate, flavonoids, protein, starch, phenols, tannin, sterols, amino acid and resin. The TLC profile of the extracts of non-pharmacopoeial Compound Formulation was also performed which confirms various biomolecules in it.. Conclusion: This study helps in determining the quality and purity of NPCF which is use in Diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Standardization, Non-Pharmacopoeial Compound formulation, Physico-chemical study
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR’S) monitoring at tertiary care Hospital
Authors: Prashanthi B. , Modi Hepsibha , Kalagara Dharmateja
Published: January 2019

The observational and brief cross section study was conducted in the ADR monitoring centre, department of pharmacology, SVS MEDICAL HOSPITAL. The adverse drug reactions (ADR) reported by physician of dermatology department of SVSMH were collected and then causality, severity and preventability assessment was done. The results were presented as number and percentage. Total of 544 patients were observed with 15 suspected ADRs. The incidence of dermatological ADR was 3.78%. Maximum incidence of dermatological ADRs were observed with anti-inflammatory agents and immunosuppressive (33.30%) followed by antibiotic drugs (13.3%).Dermatological adverse drug reactions were a common occurrence and awareness about them was found to be essential for early detection and prevention. The healthcare system can promote the spontaneous reporting of dermatological ADR top Pharmacovigilance centre's for ensuring safe drug use and patient care. . Most of the reported ADRs were possible, definitely preventable and mild in nature. Our study suggests that there is a need of intensive monitoring for ADRs in tertiary care hospital for early detection and to ensure the patient safety.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction, casualty, severity, probability.
Rosmarinus officinalis L.: an update review of its phytochemistry and biological activity
Authors: Kompelly Akshay , Kompelly Swathi , Vasudha Bakshi , Narender Boggula
Published: January 2019

Herbal medicine is one of the oldest valuable bestowals that were given to mankind. Many plants and herbs hold their prestigious position in the field of medicine. The worldwide interest in the use of medicinal plants has been growing, and its beneficial effects being rediscovered for the development of new drugs. Based on their vast ethnopharmacological applications, which inspired current research in drug discovery, natural products can provide new and important leads against various pharmacological targets. This work pioneers an extensive and an updated literature review on the current state of research on Rosmarinus officinalis L., elucidating which compounds and biological activities are the most relevant. According to these references, there has been an increasing interest in the therapeutic properties of this plant, regarding carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmarinic acid and the essential oil. The present manuscript provides an updated review upon the most reported activities on R. officinalis and its active constituents. This knowledge about the medicinal plants usage can also be extended to other fields like field of pharmacology. In view of the nature of the plant, more research work can be done on humans so that a drug with multifarious effects will be available in the future market.

Keywords: Rosmarinus officinalis, phytochemicals, carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, neuroprotective activity, anti-diabetic activity.
Synthesis, characterization and antimitotic activity of N-benzyl piperidin 4-one oxime
Authors: Sundaresan K. , Thangavel M. , Tharini K.
Published: January 2019

The aim of this study was to synthesize, characterization and antimitotic activity of N-Benzyl piperidin 4-one oxime derivative. The synthesized compound was characterized by IR, 13C and 1H NMR spectral studies. The synthesized compound was subjected to antimitotic studies of alliumcepa root meristamatic cells. The mitotic activity was observed in 3 different concentrations of N-Benzyl piperidin 4-one oxime. Our findings support the reported therapeutic use of this compound as a antimitotic or anticancer agent in the Indian system of medicine.

Keywords: N-Benzyl piperidin 4-one oxime, meristamatic cells, mitotic index.
Ocular in situ gel: An overview
Authors: Majeed Asmat , Khan Nisar Ahmad
Published: January 2019

Eye is the most sensitive organ of the body. Designing of ocular drug delivery system is the  most challenging field for pharmaceutical scientists as less than 5% of administered drug enters the eye due to the complicated anatomical structure of the eye, small absorptive surface and low transparency of the cornea, lipophilicity of corneal epithelium, pre corneal loss (due to nasolacrimal drainage), bonding of the drug with proteins contained in tear fluid, blinking, low capacity of conjunctival sac, that restricts the entry of drug molecule at the site of action and ultimately leads to poor ocular therapy. To improve ophthalmic drug bioavailability, there are considerable efforts directed towards newer drug delivery systems for ophthalmic administration. These novel drug delivery systems offer manifold advantages over conventional systems as they increase the efficiency of drug delivery by improving the release profile and also reduce drug toxicity. A lot of research going on in this area proves the fact that in situ gelling systems can be beneficial in the ocular drug delivery. In situ gel forming systems are drug delivery systems that are in solution form before administration in the body but once administered, undergo  in situ gelation, to form a gel triggered by external stimulus such as temperature, pH etc.  This review is to Specify a brief summary about in situ gels, various approaches for in situ gelling systems, different types of polymers used in in situ gels, their mechanisms of gel formation and evaluation of polymeric in situ gel.

Keywords: in situ gel, polymers, Temperature induced in situ gel system, pH induced in situ gel system, Ion activated systems.
The In-vitro studies and evaluation of telmisartan marketed tablets
Authors: Bayas Jayendra Singh , Cheke Rameshwar Sanjabrao , Lokhande Prachi , Waghmare Santosh , Gunjegaonkar Shivshankar , Shinde Sachin
Published: January 2019

Tablets or capsules taken orally remain one of the most effective means of treatment available. The effectiveness of such dosage forms relies on the drug dissolving in the fluids of the gastrointestinal tract prior to absorption into the systemic circulation. The present study reveals the evaluation of four marketed sample of Telmisartan tablets. The main aim of the study is to conduct dissolution test on the tablets to determine the compliance with a given official monograph. Four different marketed samples of Telmisartan were purchased from local market. The Telmisartan tablets were evaluated for the various in-vitro tablet properties such as thickness, hardness, friability, weight variation, drug content, disintegration time and dissolution rate. In-vitro dissolution test is conducted on four different brands of telmisartan tablets to assess their equivalency. All the four marketed samples of Telmisartan have shown good tablet properties and comply with the pharmacopoeial specification. The in- vitro dissolution showed the 80% drug release within one hour from all the four brands which complies with the specification of pharmacopoeia.
Epilepsy: the next generation drugs (a review)
Authors: Dhrivastava Amit Kumar , Shrivastav Ankita , Shrivastav Manish , Gupta Anamika , Prakash Shraddha , Fatima Afreen , Srivastav Aditi
Published: January 2019

Epilepsy is a disease characterized by spontaneous recurrence of unprovoked seizures. Seizures and epilepsy are different disorders, and the terms should not be used interchangeably. It is not accurate to refer to seizures as epilepsy, although “seizure disorder” refers to epilepsy. Seizures are common and are treated in all branches of medicine. Approximately 10% of the population will have one or more seizures during their lifetime. Seizures are symptoms that occur in acute illness, i.e., provoked seizures, or in epilepsy, ie, unprovoked seizures. Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are pharmacologic agents used to reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures. “Antiepileptic” drug is a misnomer, because these drugs are effective as symptomatic treatment of seizures, i.e., the symptoms of epilepsy, not as treatment of epilepsy itself. Recent discoveries in molecular biology and genetics have elucidated a genetic basis for some epilepsy syndromes, which will lead to new treatments. This review include new AEDs viz; Ganaxolone, Eslicarbazepine acetate, Fluorofelbamate, Huperzine A, Carisbamate (RWJ-333369), Brivaracetam (ucb 34714), 2-Deoxy-D-glucose, Retigabine, T2000 , T2007, Valrocemide, Tonabersat (SB-220453), YKP3089, Propyl isopropyl acetamide, JZP-4, ICA-105665, NAX-5055, Perampanel and Valpromide.
Formulation and evaluation of sustain released matrix tablet of atenolol
Authors: Sahu Sonal , Dangi Rohit , Patidar Rohit , Rukhsaar , , Rathi Jagdish , Asati Vivek
Published: January 2019

Oral route is one of the most popular routes of drug delivery due to its ease of administration, patient compliance, least sterility constraints and flexible design of dosage form. The aim of present investigation was to develop matrix tablets of atenolol using different polymers. Atenolol matrix tablets were prepared by direct compression and wet granulation method using different polymers. All the formulations were evaluated for weight variation, thickness, hardness, friability and dissolution. Tablets of atenolol were prepared utilizing natural polymer chitosan. The formulation F-2 contained chitosan which might have sustained the release since it is also known for its polymeric sustaining effect. The formulation F-2 gave 89.57±0.24% of the drug release in 12 hrs of study.

Keywords: Atenolol, Sustained release Matrix tablets, Direct compression, Wet granulation method.
Evaluation of Antidepressant Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Abies webbiana and Berberis aristata in Laboratory Animals
Authors: Gautam Sucheta , Sachan Neetu , Shrivastav Alankar , Pal Dilipkumar
Published: January 2019

Abstract

Objective: Abies webbiana and Berberis aristata is an herbal plant that has several therapeutic effects. It also heals depression, grief, nervous stress and tension. In the present study we evaluated anti-depressant effect of ethanolic extract from Abies webbiana and Berberis aristata by using Forced Swimming Test (FST) and Tail Suspension Test (TST).

Methods: Two doses of ethanolic extract of Abies webbiana and berberis aristata (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was given orally. Immobility time were measured after 30 min after the dosing and compared with control group and Flouxetine (25mg/kg) as a standard group.

Results: The ethanolic extract of BA and AW (400 mg/kg) was found to be effective and it exhibited activity similar to that of the conventional drug Flouxetine (25mg/kg) (p<0.001) whereas 200 mg/kg dose showed higher activity with significantly increased swimming time and suspension time and decreased immobility time than 400 mg/kg of ethanolic extracts and Flouxetine (25mg/kg).

Conclusion: These results proposed 400 mg/kg of ethanolic extract was showed higher anti-depressant activity as compared to control which is similar to the standard.
Anxiolytic Potency of Cardamonin Mediated through Brain GABAergic System
Authors: Rajput Mithun Singh , Rathore Devashish , Dahima Rashmi
Published: January 2019

Anxiety is an ailment causing personal, social and economic burden. Some drugs are available to provide symptomatic assistance for the treatment of anxiety and attempts are being made to find new therapeutic entities and subside associated adverse effects. Approaching natural sources, the current study aims to investigate the anxiolytic effects of cardamonin and its effect on the brain GABAergic system. The anxiolytic effects of various dose of cardamonin were investigated using the elevated plus maze apparatus and possible motor disabilities were evaluated trough open field test. Possible impact on GABAergic system was investigated using the ELISA. Fourteen days treatment with cardamonin (5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, i.p.) in mice significantly (p < 0.0001) increased and the percentages of open arm entry and open arm time compared to respective vehicle control group. Cardamonin show no influence on gross locomotor movement in open field test. Treatment with cardamonin significantly (p < 0.0001) increased levels of GABA in brain of treated mice compared to control mice. This study provided evidence on the anxiolytic potency of the cardamonin and revealed its action mechanism of regulating the GABA level in mouse brain.
Obtaining the composite cathode for magnetic spraying of functional coatings
Authors: Bystrov R. Yu. , Belyakov A. N. , Vasiliev A. F. , Geraschenkov D. A. , Geraschenkova E. Yu. , Eshmemetieva E. N. , Korkina M. A. , Samodelkin E. A. , Farmakovsky B. V.
Published: January 2019

The technology of obtaining composite cathodes for vacuum magnetron deposition of functional coatings has been developed and masteredin the Scientific Nanotechnological Center of the NRC “Kurchatov Institute” – CRISM “Prometey”. The example of the Ti–Ru system shows the prospects for creating composite cathodes from expensive and hard-deforming materials by means of activated soldering with amorphous solders.
Functional protective coatings of nickel-based alloys
Authors: Gerashchenkov D. A. , Bobkova T. I. , Vasiliev A. F. , Kuznetsov P. A. , Samodelkin E. A. , Farmakovsky B. V.
Published: January 2019

A composition of a precision alloy based on the Ni–Cr–Mo system for wear and corrosion-resistant coatings by supersonic cold gas dynamic spraying has been developed. The optimum coatings composition provides high level of operational properties; its application is very promising for protection of structural and functional elements of marine equipment from aggressive environmental influence.
Particularity of producing high-temperature carbide hardened Ni–Al–Ta–C intermetallic alloy powder compositions by gas atomization method for further selective laser melting
Authors: Rogalev A. M. , Raevskykh A. N. , Arginbaeva E. G. , Prager S. M.
Published: January 2019

The paper presents first results of studying samples of high-temperature carbide hardened intermetallic Ni–Al–Ta–C alloys manufactured by selective laser melting. It is shown that the right technological parameters of atomization ensure correct metallurgical processes. The parameters of selective laser melting were determined, which made it possible to obtain a dense structure of the synthesized material.
Structure changes of high-strength economically alloyed steel 09KhGN2MD (09CrMnNi2MoCu) when tempering
Authors: Golubeva M. V. , Sych O. V. , Khlusova E. I. , Motovilina G. D. , Sviatysheva E. V. , Rogozhkin S. V. , Lukyanchuk A. A.
Published: January 2019

Purpose of the present investigation is to determine the optimal heat treatment parameters that ensure yield strength over 690 MPa in combination with toughness of at least 35 J/cm2at temperature –70°C in new economically alloyed cold-resistant steel. The effect of various quenching and tempering parameters on mechanical properties, structure of steel and fracture mode of samples after impact tests at temperature –70°C has been studied. The relationship between the properties, structure and fracture mode of steel samples is shown. The optimal heat treatment parameters of new economically alloyed cold-resistant steel are determined.