Formulation Design Research Articles

Water Activity as an Indicator for Antibody Storage Stability in Lyophilized Formulations.

Lyophilization remains a key method for preserving sensitive biopharmaceuticals such as monoclonal antibodies. Traditionally, stabilization mechanisms have been explained by vitrification, which minimizes molecular mobility in the lyophilized cake, and water replacement, which restores molecular interactions disrupted by water removal. This study proposes a novel design strategy that combines water activity and glass-transition temperature as the main indicators to predict long-term stability in lyophilized formulations. The water activity, calculated as the product of water activity coefficient and (residual) water content, serves as a mutual indicator of molecular interactions and influence of residual water content in the lyophilizate. By predicting beneficial excipient combinations through activity coefficient calculations using the perturbed-chain statistical association fluid theory model and calculating Tg using the Gordon-Taylor equation, the study identifies favorable excipient systems, such as sucrose/ectoine mixtures, providing formulation windows that offer broad stability ranges. The approach was validated with stability studies, confirming that formulations within a water activity range of 0.025-0.25 exhibit high (long-term) stability. This work advances formulation development by integrating water-excipient interactions and residual moisture content into a predictive model, moving beyond traditional empirical methods and offering a robust pathway to the design of stable biopharmaceutical formulations. This makes it possible to achieve high/favorable water activities despite low residual moisture (thus, high glass-transition temperatures) with plausible excipient concentrations and combinations.

Macroscopic thermodynamic properties of ionic micellar solutions depending on physicochemical formulation for the sodium dodecyl sulfate/sodium sulfate/water/n‐heptane/1‐pentanol system

AbstractThis work characterized the macroscopic thermodynamic properties of ionic micellar solutions. Formulation‐composition studies were done along one dimension by varying the salinity (S) or oil–water ratio (WOR) in mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium sulfate, water, n‐heptane, and 1‐pentanol at 25°C and 1 atm. Material balance and multiple regression models were used to get the partial, mixed, and excess molar volumes. The UNIFAC local composition model, coupled with Debye–Hückel theory, was employed to calculate activity coefficients and dimensionless Gibbs energies (partial, mixed, and excess). The equilibrium SOW systems exhibited phase transitions (WI‐WIII‐WII), with micellar solubilization increasing as salinity increased at constant WOR. Solubilization peaked at the optimal formulation, and further increases in WOR enhanced solubilization up to the formation of a single‐phase system. Deviations from ideal behavior, in the thermodynamic properties between aqueous and oil micellar solutions, were mainly due to chemical interaction of solutes () respect to solvents (). Negative values of the Gibbs energy of mixing confirmed the stability of the liquid phases and their extension to the liquid–liquid equilibrium. The response surfaces V = f(WOR, S) and GE/RT = f(WOR, S) represent the macroscopic thermodynamic behavior of micellar solutions as a function of physicochemical formulation. These results can be extended to other colloidal systems for the design of formulations with surfactants and anionic salts, oriented to the diagnosis and resolution of problems in real systems, both at laboratory and industrial level.

Navigating translational research in nanomedicine: A strategic guide to formulation and manufacturing.

Over the past two decades, extensive research has focused on both the fundamental and applied aspects of nanomedicine, driven by the compelling advantages that nanoparticles offer over their bulk counterparts. Despite this intensive research effort, fewer than 100 nanomedicines have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency since 1989. This disparity highlights a substantial gap in translational research, reflecting the disconnect between the prolific research in nanomedicine and the limited number of products that successfully reach and sustain themselves in the market. For instance, the nanomedicine DepoCyt, which received FDA approval in 1999 for the treatment of lymphomatous meningitis, was discontinued in 2017 due to persistent manufacturing issues. To address similar translational challenges, this review aims to identify and analyse issues related to the formulation design and manufacturing of nanomedicines. It provides an overview of the most prevalent manufacturing technologies and excipients used in nanomedicine production, followed by a critical evaluation of their clinical translatability. Furthermore, the review presents strategies for the rational formulation design and optimization of nanomedicine manufacturing, adhering to the principles of quality-by-design and quality risk management.

Formulation Design of Orally Disintegrating Film Using Two Cellulose Derivatives as a Blend Polymer

Formulation Design of Orally Disintegrating Film Using Two Cellulose Derivatives as a Blend Polymer

System Design of a Customized Solar Photovoltaic Power System for a Microcontroller-based Weather Station in Minna, Nigeria

In atmospheric and meteorological studies, missing values in acquired research data possess serious challenge on the integrity of research output emanating from their use. Missing values or readings may arise due to temporal or permanent failure in power supply to the measuring weather station. In this work, effort was made to address the fundamental issue of remote power at a standalone solar powered weather stations by professionally applying solar photovoltaic power system installation technique and the requisite knowledge of local parameters of the installed location to design a customize power supply pack for the weather station. The protocol involves an elaborate electrical load assessment and analysis of the weather station, followed by an independent component wise design formulation leading to selection of suitable solar module, battery, charge controller and voltage regulator along with their outdoor installation design. It was recommended that the design be validated using solar photovoltaic software followed by physical implementation which should be done in line with the system and installation design.

Market Development and Differential Product Analysis for Business Sustainability of an SME in Moslem Fashion Industry

The diversity of creative industries provides benefits to society in general and business to foster creativity and innovation, which is supported by various natural and human resources. Of the 17 creative economy sub-sectors, fashion is developing rapidly, occupying the second position in contributing 18.15% of the total 75% PDM of the creative economy. The fashion industry’s growth in Bandung is quite high; however, it creates high market competition. For this reason, each fashion industry is competing to create innovation and uniqueness to differentiate each product and considers market development strategy as a strategy for the sustainability and growth of its business. Background of the research is the need for Y-Fashion design strategy. Y-Fashion (alias) is a fashion SMEs established in 2019 that has succeeded in producing a variety of products, and the owner decided to create a differentiation strategy for market development and product innovation as the purpose of this study. This research focuses on the Y-Fashion needs to be carried out to the strategy needed to realize its needs and uses strategy design formulation as the method research. The research method used was the collection of primary and secondary data collected by the research team from various stakeholder sources from Y-Fashion itself. Data analysis used a SWOT analysis with a focus on client needs (Y-Fashion) to suggest the right design strategy for the realization of its differentiation strategy. Analysis of the design strategy serves as input for the design of several media that are expected to assist Y-Fashion in responding to market developments and business innovations as the outcome of this study.

Dual-Engineered Phage Vaccine Platform Facilitates STING Activation for Influenza Protection.

Influenza epidemics remain a global public health challenge. Vaccination with nucleic acid-based vaccines, which trigger strong cellular and humoral immune responses, represents a promising approach for preventing virus infection. However, its effectiveness relies on efficient delivery and an immunoadjuvant. Here, we constructed a gene- and nanoengineered vaccine delivery platform via modifying MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) onto the surface of the M13 phage, which carried the hemagglutinin stem gene of influenza A virus preceded by a eukaryotic initial transcriptional region. Specifically, the M13 phage protected the inserted nucleic acid vaccine against degradation due to the existence of capsid proteins. MnO2 NPs released Mn2+ ions under the acidic condition of endolysosomes, thereby promoting the cytoplasmic delivery of phage vaccines, which significantly improved the antigen expression. Moreover, Mn2+ acted as a potent adjuvant for dendritic cell maturation by activating the cGAS/STING pathway. Immunization with the engineered phage vaccine induced CD4+ T cell, CD8+ T cell, and humoral immune responses in mice. In infected mouse models, the vaccines ameliorated weight loss, survival rate, lung virus titers, and pulmonary pathologies and conferred full protection against influenza viruses. Collectively, we developed a dual-engineered phage vaccine platform, offering an alternative regimen for optimizing nucleic acid vaccines, which may have broad applications in the rational design of vaccine formulations.

Establishing a Pharmacoinformatics Repository of Approved Medicines: A Database to Support Drug Product Development.

Advanced predictive modeling approaches have harnessed data to fuel important innovations at all stages of drug development. However, the need for a machine-readable drug product library which consolidates many aspects of formulation design and performance remains largely unmet. This study presents a scripted, reproducible approach to database curation and explores its potential to streamline oral medicine development. The Product Information files for all centrally authorized drug products containing a small molecule active ingredient were retrieved programmatically from the European Medicines Agency Web site. Text processing isolated relevant information, including the maximum clinical dose, dosage form, route of administration, excipients, and pharmacokinetic performance. Chemical and bioactivity data were integrated through automated linking to external curated databases. The capability of this database to inform oral medicine development was assessed in the context of drug-likeness evaluation, excipient selection, and prediction of oral fraction absorbed. Existing filters of drug-likeness, such as the Rule of Five, were found to poorly capture the chemical space of marketed oral drug products. Association rule learning identified frequent patterns in tablet formulation compositions that can be used to establish excipient combinations that have seen clinical success. Binary prediction models of oral fraction absorbed constructed exclusively from regulatory data achieved acceptable performance (balanced accuracytest = 0.725), demonstrating its modelability and potential for use during early stage molecule prioritization tasks. This study illustrates the impact of highly linked drug product data in accelerating clinical translation and underlines the ongoing need for accuracy and completeness of data reported in the regulatory datasphere.

Prophylactic phage aerosols for nosocomial infection control in an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation unit: A 4-year prospective study of temporospatially designed phage cocktails.

Phage-based decontamination has rarely been explored in real-world settings, particularly in the environments of patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). This four-year prospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aerosolized phage cocktails tailored to combat target antibiotic-resistant species of Acinetobacter baumannii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The decontamination procedure with phage aerosols was proactively implemented before the admission of ECMO patients based on a thorough analysis of phage typing results from bacterial species isolated from prospective patient areas during the preceding two months. The phage cocktail formulation design also accounted for phage resistance development, phage families, and plaque characteristics. Throughout the study, 85 ECMO patients were monitored, with the environments of 22 patients undergoing phage decontamination. Fifty phage cocktails were prepared to target the identified species. Respiratory infections were most common among ECMO patients, accounting for 71.4 %. The ECMO duration for patients infected with the targeted species was significantly longer than that for noninfected patients (P = 0.019), with peak infection incidence occurring between 3 and 7 days of ECMO treatment (67.1 per 1000 ECMO days). Notably, none of the patients in phage-treated environments contracted infections from the targeted species. However, the overall incidence of bacterial infections did not significantly correlate with phage decontamination efforts, as phages are effective only against their specific hosts. This study demonstrates the potential of prophylactic phage decontamination to prevent specific infections, aligning with One Health principles by offering a sustainable alternative to antibiotics, potentially significantly reducing antibiotic use.

A study protocol for the policy intervention design and development of the implementation strategies for direct access to physiotherapists in primary care: a sequential mixed-method study using implementation mapping and a Delphi survey

BackgroundIn many Asian jurisdictions, patients are required to obtain referrals from registered doctors before consulting physiotherapists. In contrast, countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have a direct access model for physiotherapists designed across different healthcare settings and under prescribed conditions. While research has demonstrated the benefits of direct access, issues remain on the appropriate policy design for direct access in the context of patient safety and organizational challenges in the implementation. Recently the policy to allow direct access in primary care context is being considered in Hong Kong. This study aims to examine the intervention design options for the policy of direct access to physiotherapists and identify corresponding implementation strategies, to inform the appropriate intervention design for direct access to physiotherapists and the implementation strategies.MethodsWe adopt a systematic process for developing the design of the policy and the implementation strategies using an Implementation Mapping approach informed by Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). We will conduct literature reviews to understand the different aspects of policy intervention design and employ qualitative in-depth interviews and focus group discussions to understand key stakeholders’ perspectives related to the direct access model. The identified barriers and facilitators associated with policy implementation of an acceptable intervention design will inform the development of an effective implementation strategy tailored to the implementation context. Our approach will involve mapping the research evidence and the subsequent findings from the stakeholders’ deliberations into the CFIR domains and referencing the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) to develop the acceptable intervention characteristics and the corresponding implementation strategies. These insights will be further validated in a Delphi Expert Survey, for a consensus-based approach.DiscussionThis study employs a sequential mixed-method approach to explore the intervention characteristics for an acceptable intervention design in the policy formulation and the corresponding implementation strategy for direct access to physiotherapists. Integrating research insights into actionable policy recommendations and refining these recommendations in a Delphi Survey will inform the appropriate policy intervention design and implementation strategy for direct access to physiotherapy services.

Recent updates on drug delivery approaches for improved ocular delivery with an insight into nanostructured drug delivery carriers for anterior and posterior segment disorders.

Ocular diseases have a major impact on patient's vision and quality of life, with approximately 2.2 billion people have visual impairment worldwide according to the findings from the World Health Organization (WHO). The eye is a complex organ with unique morphology and physiology consisting of numerous ocular barriers which hinders the entry of exogenous substances and impedes drug absorption. This in turn has a substantial impact on effective drug delivery to treat ocular diseases, especially intraocular disorders which has consistently presented a challenge to eye care professionals. The most common method of delivering medications to the eye is topical instillation of eye drops. Although this approach is a viable option for treating many ocular diseases remains a major challenge for the effective treatment of posterior ocular conditions. Up till now, incessant efforts have been committed to design innovative drug delivery systems with the hopes of potential clinical application. Modern developments in nanocarrier's technology present a potential chance to overcome these obstacles by enabling targeted delivery of the loaded medication to the eyes with improved solubility, delayed release, higher penetration and increased retention. This review covers the anatomy of eye with associated ocular barriers, ocular diseases and administration routes. In addition it primarily focuses on the latest progress and contemporary applications of ophthalmic formulations providing specific insight on nanostructured drug delivery carriers reported over the past 5 years highlighting their values in achieving efficient ocular drug delivery to both anterior and posterior segments. Most importantly, we outlined in this review the macro and nanotechnology based ophthalmic drug formulations that are being patented or marketed so far for treating ocular diseases. Finally, based on current trends and therapeutic concepts, we highlighted the challenges faced by novel ocular drug delivery systems and provided prospective future developments for further research in these directions. We hope that this review will serve as a source of motivation and ideas for formulation scientists in improving the design of innovative ophthalmic formulations.

An invitro investigation on the physicochemical properties of different quercetin formulations.

Quercetin is a naturally occurring plant flavonoid commonly used as a nutritional supplement due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Its well-known low bioavailability has led to the design of different quercetin formulations by various commercial entities seeking to market a highly bioavailable quercetin product. This study investigates four different commercially available quercetin formulations (LMQ, QUX, QUO, and QUV) for their physicochemical properties that influence bioavailability. LMQ and QUX are liquid-based formulations while QUO and QUV are solid powder-based formulations. Studies were conducted on particle size using a particle size analyzer; solubility (in water, simulated gastric and intestinal fluid) using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) to quantify the quercetin content; intestinal permeability and toxicity using Caco-2 cells and HepG2 liver cells. LMQ and QUX had the narrowest particle size distribution as well as the highest solubility while QUO and QUV had the widest particle size distribution but the poorest solubility. One formulation (QUO) exhibited a significant reduction in cell viability with HepG2 and Caco-2 cells including a significant decrease in TEER value change (-39.0 %; p<0.01); its higher Caco-2 cell permeability (Papp 2.85×10-4±4.22×10-5; p<0.05) likely resulted from reduced membrane integrity. The other formulations significantly increased the TEER value within the first 4 h (≥22.7 %; p<0.05). The particle size distribution of each of the individual formulations reflected their solubilities in water and gastrointestinal fluids. Despite QUO having the highest permeability, its negative change in TEER value over time revealed its evident cytotoxic effects. QUV performed poorly in terms of solubility, and permeability. LMQ and QUX were the most consistent across each study with LMQ performing better than QUX overall. Findings of this study present one formulation (LMQ) with superior intestinal absorption while maintaining high cell viability, thus making it one of the safer and more effective quercetin formulations.

Ketoconazole-Fumaric Acid Pharmaceutical Cocrystal: From Formulation Design for Bioavailability Improvement to Biocompatibility Testing and Antifungal Efficacy Evaluation.

Development of cocrystals through crystal engineering is a viable strategy to formulate poorly water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients as stable crystalline solid forms with enhanced bioavailability. This study presents a controlled cocrystallization process by cooling for the 1:1 cocrystal of Ketoconazole, an antifungal class II drug with the Fumaric acid coformer. This was successfully set up following the meta-stable zone width determination in acetone-water 4:6 (V/V) and pure ethanol. Considering the optimal crystallization data, laboratory scale-up processes were carried out at 1 g batch size, efficiently delivering the cocrystal in high yields up to 90% pure and single phase as revealed by powder X-ray diffraction. Biological assays in vitro showed improved viability and oxidative damage of the cocrystal over Ketoconazole on human dermal fibroblasts and hepatocarcinoma cells; in vivo, on Wistar rats, the cocrystal increased oral Ketoconazole bioavailability with transient minor biochemical transaminases increases and without histological liver alterations. Locally on Balb C mice, it induced no epicutaneuous sensitization. A molecular docking study conducted on sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) enzyme from the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans revealed that the cocrystal interacts more efficiently with the enzyme compared to Ketoconazole, indicating that the coformer enhances the binding affinity of the active ingredient.

Design and Development of Novel Herbal Suppository Formulation for Prostatitis Treatment

Background. Prostatitis is a common inflammatory condition of the prostate gland, often treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, which may have limited efficacy and side effects. Herbal therapies offer a promising alternative due to their natural anti-inflammatory properties. Objective. This study aims to design, develop, and evaluate physicochemical, biopharmaceutical and microbiological properties of novel herbal suppository formulations for the treatment of prostatitis, optimizing their biopharmaceutical profiles. Methods. Excipients were selected to form suppositories with herbal ingredients known for their anti-inflammatory effects, specifically lovage, saw palmetto, and calendula CO2 extracts. The formulations were assessed based on key quality parameters, including organoleptic characteristics, average mass, melting point, deformation time, disintegration time, microbiological purity, and pH, ensuring compliance with European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) standards. Biopharmaceutical studies compared the release profiles of active compounds from different suppository bases. Results. Suppositories based on Witepsol® H15 exhibited satisfactory organoleptic properties, appropriate melting points, and acceptable deformation and disintegration times. The pH levels were within the required range, and microbiological tests confirmed purity. Biopharmaceutical evaluations showed that Witepsol® H15 suppositories had the most appropriate release rates of active compounds compared to those made with other bases. Conclusions. The novel herbal suppositories developed in this study show promise for managing prostatitis based on preliminary evaluations of their physicochemical, microbiological, and biopharmaceutical properties. Further clinical studies are required to confirm their efficacy and safety.

Boosting Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on Co9S8 in Neutral Media Leveraging Oxophilic CrOx Mosaic Dopant

AbstractThe electrochemical production of sustainable hydrogen under neutral conditions is advantageous, as it allows for the use of wastewater or seawater without the need for pH adjustments. However, the low ion concentration in neutral electrolytes typically results in limited adsorption of reactants on the catalyst surfaces, leading to sluggish reaction kinetics. Therefore, enhancing absorption capacity is a key challenge in the development of neutral hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts. Hetero‐structured catalysts may improve surface adsorption through extensive interfacing between phases, enabling active transportation of reaction intermediates. Integrating metal sulfides and oxides, in particular, holds the potential for generating efficient electrocatalysts with improved HER activity and surface adsorption capacity. Herein, the synthesis of CrOx‐doped Co9S8/CuCrS2 mosaic hetero‐nanostructures is reported as a proficient HER catalyst. Facile Cr‐cation migration at the Co9S8/CuCrS2 interface enables the preparation of Cr‐oxide sub‐nano domains within the sulfide matrix, boosting the HER catalysis in neutral media. The exceptional electrochemical performance is demonstrated in a pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution, including low overpotential, small Tafel slope, and stability over 60 h. The formulation of catalyst design and synthetic approaches has the potential to pave the way for diverse catalytic applications utilizing metal oxide‐doped hetero‐nanostructures.

Social norms and maternal health information-seeking behavior among adolescent girls: A qualitative study in a slum of Bangladesh.

Adolescent girls of reproductive age who actively seek information on maternal health often tend to have better health-seeking behaviors and maternal health outcomes. Due to scant research on reproductive aged adolescent girls' maternal health information seeking behavior in slum, in connection with social norms, we aimed for this particular study. Adopting an explorative qualitative research approach, we collected data from purposively selected married and unmarried adolescent girls aged 15-19 of different occupation by implying 12 in-depth interviews (IDIs), 2 focus group discussions (FGDs) with the same categories employed for IDIs, and 2 key informant interviews (KIIs) with a traditional birth attendant and a drug seller. Furthermore, the data were subjected to thematic analysis. Care's Social Norms Analysis Plot (SNAP) framework was undertaken as an interpretative tool for data that was emerging rather than serving as the foundation for the study's conduct and design. Thematic analysis was followed to analyze primary data. Findings show that most girls rely on maternal health-related information from unverified sources, including family members, traditional birth attendants, and drug sellers, which increases health risks. The majority reported that adolescent girls need professional healthcare providers in their area who would work according to their work schedule as most of the girls are engaged in income-generating work for about 9-11 hours, and the scope of work (daily wagers) hardly supports 'leave with pay'. Therefore, there is a critical need for professional healthcare services tailored to the girls' work schedules. Social norms and stigma further restrict access to reliable health information, especially for unmarried girls. Socioeconomic disparities also shape health-seeking behaviors, with wealthier adolescents having greater access to formal healthcare services. Addressing these barriers is crucial for improving maternal health outcomes. The results might be useful for informed policy formulation and program design to ensure better health outcomes for marginalized adolescents.

A Novel Self-Assembled Paclitaxel Nanodispersion Facilitates Rapid In-Vitro/In-Vivo Dissociation and Protein Binding.

The study aims to prepare and characterize a novel paclitaxel (PtX) preconcentrate formulation using polymer and lipid excipients that forms nanodispersion upon dilution. The goal was to understand the mechanism of nanodispersion formation and its properties. The water-insoluble PtX was dissolved in organic solvents containing ethanol, polyethylene glycol (PEG400), povidone (PVP), caprylic acid (CA), and sodium cholesterol sulfate (CS). This formulation was diluted in 5% w/v dextrose medium to form PtX nanodispersion, which was assessed for particle size, stability, in-vitro/in-vivo dissociation and protein binding. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS), and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations were used to analyse the structure of the nanoparticles. The formulation was a clear, slightly yellow solution. The PtX nanodispersion displays particle size of ~ 100nm with a zeta potential of -25, and the pH of 4.0. It displayed nearly spherical coacervate nanoparticles with a sponge-like structure, lacking internal structure order as revealed by TEM and SANS. MD simulations confirmed self-assembly of PtX and excipients forming nanoparticles. In vitro dissociation studies in simulated plasma demonstrated rapid dissociation of nanodispersion, releasing free PtX that immediately binds to plasma proteins. In vivo studies in rabbits corroborated these findings, showing rapid dissolution. The results present a novel formulation design that forms sponge-like coacervate nanoparticle due to complimentary interactions of the excipients that otherwise are unable to self-assemble under similar conditions of dilution. This alternative formulation solves the limitations of currently marketed PtX products and can provide its effective delivery in clinical settings.

New generation natural face cream formulation: development and in vitro evaluation

Abstract Aim; In developing societies, acne, blemish, wrinkle formation in the face area and the deteriorating structure of the skin require constant care. Acne and scars are observed due to increased sebum formation and microorganisms. In addition, dark spots on the skin develop due to excess melanin. We aimed to develop a face cream formula containing Rosa damascena Mill. and Avena Sativa L (oat). Method; Cream formulations were prepared using three components (surfactant, oil phase, water phase) by emulsification method. HLB values of the formulations were calculated based on oil phase concentration. Reliability of the components used in the formulation was calculated using MoS values PODsys / (SED*cons.%). It was calculated based on the resistance to shear with a rotational viscometer. Physicochemical properties were tested under different climate conditions for 3 months. Total bacteria and fungi analyses were reported as CFU/g for Staphylococcus aureus, aerobic mesophilic (bacteria, yeast mold), Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Candida albicans using pour plate method. Results; The result of organoleptic control of cream formulations showed that nine formulations formed homogeneous and single phase stable creams. The tenth formulation showed phase separation observed in creams due to wrong emulsifier selection. According to the spreadability and fluidity properties, viscosity values in FC-F-7 formulation varied between 1944.5 ± 342.3 cP and 40953.0 ± 1787.0 cP. These results showed that cetyl alcohol increased viscosity compared to beeswax and paraffin wax. As a result of the search for a cream formulation with suitable physicochemical properties for face area, FC-F-7 formulation was developed. Conclusion; It has been found that fatty esters have an effect on physical properties such as rheology and spreadability when developing cream formulations. In cream formulations to be developed for the face area, the design and development of formulations with natural ingredients that have proven their reliability and stability have been carried out.

Optimal Design of Prestressed Steel and Concrete Composite Beams

The application of prestressing techniques is typically associated with concrete structures and has been relatively underexplored in the context of concrete-steel composite beams. The objective of this study is to propose a formulation for the optimal design of prestressed steel and concrete composite beams. The objective function will analyze the costs and final CO2 emissions of the beam. As constraints, the guidelines outlined in NBR 8800:2008 for steel structures and NBR 6118:2021 for prestressing in concrete structures will be adhered to. To solve the optimization problem, the Ant Colony Algorithm (ACO) will be employed. Additionally, a parametric analysis will be conducted and compared with examples proposed in the literature, aiming to identify the key factors that impact the final solution.

Optimal Design of Composite Floor Systems composed of Cellular Beams via Ant Colony Algorithm

The use of composite floor systems has been increasing in recent years, primarily with full-web beams, while other beam topologies, such as cellular beams, remain underutilized. The objective of this study is to propose a formulation for the optimal design of composite floor systems composed of cellular beams. The objective function will analyze the costs and final CO2 emissions of the floor. Technical prescriptions proposed in the literature will serve as constraints, as Brazilian standards lack clear guidelines for the design of cellular beams. To solve the optimization problem, the Ant Colony Algorithm (ACO) will be employed. A comparative analysis with solutions proposed in the literature for floors with solid beams will be conducted to assess the efficiency of the proposed solution for composite floors with cellular beams.