Ideal Size Research Articles

Reproducibility in Small-N Treatment Research: A Tutorial Using Examples From Aphasiology.

Small-N studies are the dominant study design supporting evidence-based interventions in communication science and disorders, including treatments for aphasia and related disorders. However, there is little guidance for conducting reproducible analyses or selecting appropriate effect sizes in small-N studies, which has implications for scientific review, rigor, and replication. This tutorial aims to (a) demonstrate how to conduct reproducible analyses using effect sizes common to research in aphasia and related disorders and (b) provide a conceptual discussion to improve the reader's understanding of these effect sizes. We provide a tutorial on reproducible analyses of small-N designs in the statistical programming language R using published data from Wambaugh et al. (2017). In addition, we discuss the strengths, weaknesses, reporting requirements, and impact of experimental design decisions on effect sizes common to this body of research. Reproducible code demonstrates implementation and comparison of within-case standardized mean difference, proportion of maximal gain, tau-U, and frequentist and Bayesian mixed-effects models. Data, code, and an interactive web application are available as a resource for researchers, clinicians, and students. Pursuing reproducible research is key to promoting transparency in small-N treatment research. Researchers and clinicians must understand the properties of common effect size measures to make informed decisions in order to select ideal effect size measures and act as informed consumers of small-N studies. Together, a commitment to reproducibility and a keen understanding of effect sizes can improve the scientific rigor and synthesis of the evidence supporting clinical services in aphasiology and in communication sciences and disorders more broadly. Supplemental Material and Open Science Form: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.21699476.

Formulation and Evaluation of Niosomal Gel of Antifungal Luliconazole

Niosomes have potential applications in topical drug delivery system. Niosomes play an increasingly important role in drug delivery as they can reduce toxicity and modify pharmacokinetic and bio-availability. Topically applied niosomes can increase the residence time of drugs in the stratum corneum and epidermis, while reducing the systemic absorption of the drug. It can act as drug containing reservoirs and the modification of the vesicular compositions or surface properties can adjust the drug release rate and the affinity for the target site. Luliconazole is a potential prescription candidate drug for the treatment of topical fungal infections. However, it has water solubility and skin permeability limitations. To overcome these limitations, a niosomal gel of luliconazole was formulated using Span 60, cholesterol and chloroform to improve its bioavailability and to reduce its toxicity. Niosomes were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for morphological and spectral studies respectively. The formulations had ideal nanometric vesicle sizes, encapsulation efficiency (88.891% ± 0.0364%), Zeta potential (-40.1 mV), and storage instability was not observed. The sustained-release profile of niosomal gel was observed for up to 24 h. The highest R2 value was 0.913; the Higuchi model was considered the best fit model for the niosomal formulations. Based on the results, it can be concluded that niosomal luliconazole may enhance the activity of luliconazole against Candida albicans.
 Keywords: Luliconazole, Niosomes, Transdermal drug delivery, Antifungal drugs, Candida albicans

Türkiye'deki Denizcilik Firmaları İçin Bir Kuru Yük Kosteri Tonajı Belirleme Modeli

There should usually be a physical distance between the production, use and consumption points of the products, and one of the most important logistics activities in the supply chain is transportation. The method that enables transportation to reach the widest areas in the world is sea transportation. With maritime transport, continents and countries connect with each other and realize the supply chain. The two main criteria of maritime transport are ships and ports. It is very important to determine the ideal ship size that the ships used in maritime transportation are of different types according to the load, distance and location. There are more than one decision making model and decision criteria in determining the ideal dimensions of the ships. For this reason, shipping companies have difficulties in choosing the right ship size in their investment and operation decisions. There are two main criteria in ship types. They are ships engaged in long-distance sea transport and short-distance sea transport. Maritime companies have the chance to find all kinds of cargo with their ships regarding long-distance maritime transport. In short-distance maritime transport, the choice of ship is more limited. Coasters, which are the most used ship type in short-distance sea transportation, play an important role in the Turkish Maritime Industry. Therefore, Electre method, which is one of the multi-criteria decision-making methods, was used in this study to reveal the ideal dead weight tonnage (DWT) of a dry cargo coaster for shipping companies in Turkey. The coasters were divided into five categories according to their tonnage capacities, and then dry cargo coaster experts were asked for their opinions on five tonnage categories. The obtained data were evaluated with the Electre method and the optimal coaster tonnage was revealed

Aspectos macro e micromorfológicos e histológicos do intestino do pirarucu Arapaima gigas (SCHINZ, 1822) (Osteoglossiformes: Arapaimidae)

Currently, the fish farming with Arapaima gigas has suffered from technological obstacles in the fields of reproduction, health and nutrition, making it necessary to know the morphology of its structures, so that it can advance in more technified research in scope of production in Rondônia state, as well as in aquaculture nutrition and health. Therefore, the aimed is to characterize the macro and microscopic morphology of posterior digestive system of A. gigas. The intestine of six specimens A. gigas in ideal slaughter size was analyzed. The analyzes were performed using light-sheet microscopy (LM) and scanning electron (SEM) techniques. The intestine basically showes similar histological characteristics in three analyzed portions (proximal, middle and distal). Same type of simple columnar epithelium with goblet cells was evidenced, with subtle variations in pattern of villi in each segment, and in number of goblet cells. In the rectum, the amount of goblet cells and evident longitudinal villi was expressive. Macroscopic anatomy and histology of the intestine A. gigas analyzed showes characteristics of adaptation to cultivation, according to their diet and habitat. The intestinal mucosa can divided into three distinct portions: proximal, middle and final intestine, in addition to the rectum and anus. In the pyloric cecum, the folds are slightly higher and poorly branched. The rectum, compared to the midgut, showed a higher occurrence of goblet cells in the mucosa. This increase in goblet cells observed in the posterior portion may related to the assimilation of ions and fluids that occur at this location.

Investigation on CEED-RES Problem Using Modified Lagrange Method

The notion of a micro grid system is used to prevent transmission losses and to ensure a dependable power supply to a limited geographical area. It has been a mandatory protocol to apply accessible Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in order to reduce hazardous pollutants released into the atmosphere as a result of fossil fuel burning. Economic load dispatch (ELD) is concerned with the most cost-effective sizing of distributed energy resources (DERs). By limiting the hazardous content of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere, emission dispatch determines the ideal size of DERs.
 A multi-objective Combined Economic-Emission Dispatch (CEED) is created, which determines the appropriate DER sizing while minimizing both fuel costs and pollution emissions. Using Python programming in IDLE, this work conducts all ELD, Emission Dispatch, and CEED on a renewable-integrated micro grid and grid connected mode independently. The results are then compared with conventional method effectiveness of the proposed technique. In this paper, the algorithm proposed in python language to check the accuracy, multidisciplinary integration and ease of understanding. This article is developed based on conventional CEED solution and validated with the help of Python programming for a typical IEEE test system.

Green synthesis and characterization of copper nanoparticles using Phragmanthera austroarabica extract and their biological/environmental applications

In the current scenario, the use of phytochemicals from the extracts of plants has become a unique approach for the biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles because of their dual nature of capping and as reducing agents for the metallic nanoparticles. The current work describes a green method for the biosynthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) using extract of Phragmanthera austroarabica (P. austroarabica). The conditions of green synthesis were optimized to produce ideal size range for CuNPs. CuNPs were observed to have spherical and crystalline nature with particle size of 44.6 ± 2.7 nm, as confirmed by XRD, SEM, and TEM results. The fluorescence technique demonstrated that CuNPs are highly efficient probes for the detection of hexavalent chromium ions (Cr (VI)), with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.20 nM, which is one of the lowest LODs reported for sensing substances. The CuNPs also exhibited excellent degradation efficiency for the industrial organic dyes, i.e., congo red (95.75% removal in 7 min) and methylene blue (96.67% removal in 11 min) with rate constants of 0.4829 and 0.3276 min−1, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that the CuNPs have high antioxidant activity. The cytotoxicity assay on human breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) also showed that CuNPs inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 66.74 μg/mL, suggesting that the biosynthesized CuNPs may be a good potential therapeutic agent for human breast cancer treatment. CuNPs showed highly efficient antibacterial and antifungal effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Penicillium chrysogenum and Fusarium oxysporum. This is the first work reported on P. austroarabica plant mediated biosynthesis of CuNPs, and we believe that these results may pave the way for a new direction in the field of nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Hence, CuNPs may be potent agents in various environmental and biomedical applications that are yet to be explored in near future.

Prevalence and determinants of intention to use modern contraceptives among grand-multiparous women in sub-Saharan Africa

BackgroundSub-Saharan Africa, characterised by high fertility and low contraceptive use prevalence, remains one of the settings with the poorest maternal and child health indices globally. Studies have established that grand-multiparous women are at increased risk of these adverse maternal health outcomes, and contraceptive use is important to averting these adverse outcomes. Thus, this study examines the prevalence and determinants of intention to use modern contraceptives among grand-multiparous women in 10 sub-Saharan African countries with high fertility rates.Materials and methodsThe study utilized data from the last installments of the Demographic and Health Survey from the 10 leading countries with the highest total fertility rates in sub-Saharan Africa. These countries include: Angola, Benin, Burundi, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, the Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Data analysis of 23,500 grand-multiparous women was done at three univariate levels involving a frequency table and bar chart. We employed bivariate logit and multivariate logit regression at the bivariate and multivariate levels to achieve the study objectives. A significant level was determined at p < 0.05.ResultsOur study found that less than 40% of grand-multiparous women in these high fertility countries in sub-Saharan Africa, have the intention to use modern contraceptives (39%), but country variations exist with as low as 32.8% in Angola to as high as 71.2% in the Republic of the Congo. The study found that modern contraceptives use intention among grand-multiparous women in these high fertility countries was predicted by a history of contraceptive use and pregnancy termination, exposure to family planning messages on social media, and knowledge of family planning methods. Others were women’s fertility planning status, ideal family size, number of marriages (remarriage), couple’s fertility desire, current age, and level of education.ConclusionIn the high fertility context of sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by low contraceptive use, improving contraceptive use intention among grand-multiparous women is vital for preventing adverse maternal and child health outcomes, including mortality, resulting from a high-risk pregnancy. Hence, interventions should be more innovative in targeting this group of women to increase the contraceptive prevalence rate in line with Family Planning 2030 goals, and ultimately reduce high fertility rates in the region.

Convergence in determining enzyme functional descriptors across Kemp eliminase variants

Molecular simulations have been extensively employed to accelerate biocatalytic discoveries. Enzyme functional descriptors derived from molecular simulations have been leveraged to guide the search for beneficial enzyme mutants. However, the ideal active-site region size for computing the descriptors over multiple enzyme variants remains untested. Here, we conducted convergence tests for dynamics-derived and electrostatic descriptors on 18 Kemp eliminase variants across six active-site regions with various boundary distances to the substrate. The tested descriptors include the root-mean-square deviation of the active-site region, the solvent accessible surface area ratio between the substrate and active site, and the projection of the electric field (EF) on the breaking C–H bond. All descriptors were evaluated using molecular mechanics methods. To understand the effects of electronic structure, the EF was also evaluated using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods. The descriptor values were computed for 18 Kemp eliminase variants. Spearman correlation matrices were used to determine the region size condition under which further expansion of the region boundary does not substantially change the ranking of descriptor values. We observed that protein dynamics-derived descriptors, including RMSDactive_site and SASAratio, converge at a distance cutoff of 5 Å from the substrate. The electrostatic descriptor, EFC–H, converges at 6 Å using molecular mechanics methods with truncated enzyme models and 4 Å using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics methods with whole enzyme model. This study serves as a future reference to determine descriptors for predictive modeling of enzyme engineering.

Reward Systems and Ultra-processed Foods.

Indeed, the prehistoric period was associated with chronic malnutrition, which was a fundamental rule of human history. Because of this, natural selection favored genetic patterns that could survive in these harsh conditions by storing fat. This is because the main function of body fat is to store food reserves for the body [1]. Feeding behavior could be an interaction of a physiologic need for food with the reward system that powerfully encourages excessive eating in some people. Neuroadaptations in the reward system happens when people eat too many tasty foods. This disconnects eating behavior from caloric needs and leads to uncontrollable overeating [2]. Over time, body fat became a major issue. However, the negative effects of being overweight were not recognized in medical literature until as late as the 18th century. Then, technological advancement and economic prosperity resulted in the comfortable availability and simple cost of high-calorie foods, which are palatable to a large segment of the population [3]. Many factors that were formed as a result of this technological development have become major contributors to the increase in the obesity epidemic, including the increased use of sugar substitutes, the addition of preservatives to foods, sugar-sweetened beverages, changing eating patterns, as well as the promotion of sedentary lifestyles [4]. Excess calories taken in comparison to calories burned from any source result in the accumulation of these calories as body fat. Obesity may be characterized in many ways: For starters, it is a condition in which excess body fat interferes with normal activity and health. Second, the weight is more than 20% greater than the ideal height and body size. Third, a body mass index (BMI) is over 30. [5].

Promoting Protein Intake in an Ageing Population: Product Design Implications for Protein Fortification

Protein is a macronutrient of interest for an ageing population and intake requirements increase with age. Accordingly, protein is often fortified into products for older adults to help alleviate malnutrition and impede sarcopenia. However, more emphasis needs to be placed upon designing protein-fortified products to ensure suitability for older adults. This study involved a two-stage approach: (1) an initial review of products commonly fortified with protein and (2) two questionnaires for younger and older adults (n = 73; 18-30; 65+) to investigate optimal portion sizes (drinks and cakes) as well as attitudes, consumption habits and preferences towards protein fortification. The initial literature and market review demonstrated protein-fortified products are typically in liquid or snack format; however, there is considerable variability in terms of product types, serving size and protein sources. There were no age-related differences found for ideal cakes portion size whereas there were for liquids. Older adults are typically not consuming protein-fortified products; therefore, more importance should be placed on the consumption moment (breakfast or as snacks between meals) and on cereals, pasta, porridge, cakes, and biscuits. Older adults need increased awareness of, and more education on, the benefits of protein consumption, coupled with products tailored and designed to encourage intake.

The relationship of body image and weight: A cross-sectional observational study of a Dutch female sample.

Body image concerns may play a role in weight changing behaviour. The objective of this study was to assess body image in different weight groups. Participants reported satisfaction with (AE) and investment in (AO) appearance, and the discrepancy between current and ideal body size (BS). These scores were compared between weight groups based on body-mass index (BMI) using analysis of variance. One-sample t-tests and Cohen's d effect sizes examined the magnitude of differences within each weight group relative to neutral midpoints of the scales; cluster analysis identified body image profiles. A total of 27 896 women were included in this study. AE scores were highest for people with underweight and normal weight, AO scores were highest for the underweight group and lowest in class III obesity, and BS scores were largest in the obese groups (all p < .001) Cluster analysis identified eight body image profiles. In people with obesity, the most prevalent profiles included a preference for a smaller body and low satisfaction with appearance, but differed in investment in appearance (low vs. high). Most people with underweight were allocated to profiles showing high investment in their appearance, preference of a larger body, but differences in satisfaction with appearance (neutral vs. high). While people with a higher BMI have on average more body image concerns, different body image profiles exist in all weight groups. Future research should examine whether and which individuals in terms of body image profile may benefit more from weight interventions.

Optimal DG Placement in Power Systems Using a Modified Flower Pollination Algorithm

There is a huge requirement for power systems to reduce power losses. Adding distributed generators (DGs) is the most common approach to achieving lower power losses. However, several challenges arise, such as determining the ideal size as well as location of the utilized distributed generators. Most of the existing methods do not consider the variety of load types, the variety and size of the utilized DGs besides reducing the convergence time and enhancing the optimization results. The paper performed an optimization algorithm that integrated a golden search-based flower pollination algorithm and fitness-distance balance (FDB) to find out the optimal size as well as the location of the distributed generators. It was then compared with different optimization methods to determine the best optimization technique, and it was determined to be the best technique. In addition, different types of DGs are considered, including solar energy, wind energy, and biogas, along with optimizing the size of the utilized DGs to reduce the system cost. Testing with different types of bus systems, and different types of DGs in a radial distribution system was done to reveal that the modified flower pollination with golden section search was superior in comparison to others with regards to convergence and power loss reduction.

Design Analysis of Heat Sink Using the Field Synergy Principle and Multitarget Response Surface Methodology

This study describes a novel heat sink design approach employs the field synergy concept and multitarget response surface methodology (RSM). The multiobjective response surface methodology can be used to determine the simulation equations that will maximize the heat transfer of fins at various fin heights, fin angles, and fin circumferences, when considering the impact of jet flow heat exchange. The goal of the response value was to maintain the minimum possible average field coangle and fin temperature. The results show that the ideal heat sink size would be the following: fins with a height of 50 mm, an angle of 60 degrees, and the number of fins equal to five. We examined the impact of wall speed on the heat transfer caused by the field synergy angle. Our findings suggest that with the synchromesh of the display field, heat-dissipation efficiency rises.

Depictions of penises in historical paintings reflect changing perceptions of the ideal penis size.

To investigate alterations in depicted penis size by evaluating nude male paintings from the 15th to 21st centuries. Nude-male paintings were identified from various art history websites and analysed to determine changes in penis size over time. Two observers organised the paintings according to the century in which they were created and made the calculations. Penile length to ear length (PtEL) or penile length to nose length (PtNL) were calculated to standardise the measurements using professional image analysis software. PtEL was first attempted for all paintings; if PtEL could not be ascertained, then nose length was used instead of the ear, as the nose length is defined as equal to ear length according to the golden ratio. Thus, PtNL was ensured and both ratios were then referred to using a common term: penis depiction ratio (PDR). Further analysis was performed by dividing the paintings into three groups according to the historical development of art: Renaissance Period (1400-1599; 15th-16th centuries), Baroque-Rococo and Impressionism Period (1600-1899; 17th-19th centuries) and Contemporary Art Period (1900-2020; 20th and 21st centuries). Of 232 identified paintings, 72 (31.1%) were excluded because they depicted images of adolescents or an erect penis. The PDR was found to differ significantly between paintings created in different centuries (P< 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that paintings from the 21st century demonstrated significantly higher PDRs than paintings from previous centuries (P= 0.001). In paintings depicting nude males, the size of the penis has gradually increased throughout the past seven centuries, and especially after the 20th century. This observation illustrates the changing sociocultural inputs into male body image and emphasises the need for improved understanding of the sociocultural factors associated with the perception of penis size in men.

Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise (Zumba) and Giving Cinnamon Bark Tea (Cinnamomum Cassia) On Body Fat Composition in Obesity Women

Obesity is a condition that shows an imbalance between height and weight due to the accumulation of fat tissue in the body resulting in excess body weight that exceeds the ideal size. Obesity in Indonesia has become a national problem that must be addressed immediately. This study was to determine the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (Zumba) and cinnamon bark tea on body fat composition in obese women. This study was conducted on 75 respondents consisting of 36 aerobics (Zumba) and 39 people for 24 days with purposive accidental sampling. This type of research is a Quasy Experiment with a pre-posttest design with the control group. Statistical test using paired sample t-test and independent sample t-test with an alpha value of 0.05 (a = 0.05) was conducted. The results showed that the average body fat before aerobic exercise (Zumba) was 36.14%, and the average after aerobic exercise was 35.59%, so the difference between the two was 0.55%; paired t-test p-value = 0.001. The average body fat composition before drinking cinnamon bark tea was 38.46%, and the average body fat composition after drinking cinnamon bark was 37.82%. So the mean difference between the two is 0.64%. Paired t-test p-value = 0.002. Unpaired t-test to compare the two groups, and the mean difference between the two was 2.23%, with a p = 0.001. The study concluded that aerobic exercise (Zumba) and drinking cinnamon bark tea can reduce body fat, but what is more effective is drinking cinnamon bark tea. The study recommended that reducing body fat in obesity will be even better when the aerobic exercise routine is accompanied by regular consumption of cinnamon bark 2 times a day for 60 minutes.

Using intelligent multi-objective optimization and artificial neural networking to achieve maximum solar radiation with minimum volume in the archetype urban block

Nowadays, with the rapid development of cities, the demand for efficient and renewable energy, particularly solar radiation, is growing. Thus, urban planners and designers should employ solar energy analysis as a requirement to propose efficient solutions. This research aims to determine the maximum annual solar radiation with the least volume in various patterns of urban blocks and convert solar radiation modeling and analysis from simulation to emulation for types of urban blocks. As a result, simulation approaches such as Multi-Objective Optimization and Artificial Neural Networking were presented to characterize the influence of different urban scales on solar access and reach the optimal dimensions of the block. In Kermanshah, different patterns of urban blocks were investigated for the study on the urban block scale. The height, direction, number of plots, and scales impact access solar radiation energy and optimize the block’s dimensions. A study of 34 different urban blocks found that the ideal size is roughly 100∗100 m, while the best height is between 10 and 15 meters. Furthermore, the findings of predicting the data training models revealed that three outputs, the rate of solar radiation absorption, volume, and area of the urban block, can be predicted with an R2 score of 98% using the research input variables. Thus, radiation absorption estimations utilizing AI algorithms can ultimately replace traditional approaches and time-consuming large-scale energy estimates. The ANN methodology outperforms other machine learning techniques in predicting the objective function, which contains the amount of solar radiation absorption, volume, and surface area, according to the results of this research. Also, this research demonstrates how a simulation technique based on NSGA-II and ANN algorithms may drastically decrease computation time and costs while predicting optimum states prior to getting a real sample.

ODP358 The effect of multi-cultural inter-facility endocrine video case conferencing – A novel model of education during the COVID pandemic

Abstract Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought not only physical and mental health problems but also negative impacts on social, economic and educational activities. Trainees, including medical students, residents, and clinical fellows had fewer opportunities to see and discuss patients with supervisors in person. In contrast, recent advances in technology have made it possible to review cases with overseas experts through online conferences. We launched a biannual inter-facility endocrine case review meeting in a video conference format during the pandemic of COVID-19. Here we present the format of our inter-facility online case conference and its impact on trainees. Methods The conference was organized by clinical faculty members from Japan, USA and Canada. For each conference, each facility prepared one to two cases in English. Four to five cases were presented and discussed with participants and guest commentators. After completion of the 4th conference, an anonymous multiple-choice online survey was administered to all attendees, and data was collected and analyzed by the committee members. Differences in responses before and after attendance were analyzed by paired t-test. Results Four conferences were held between July/31/2020, and Dec/10/2021 (CST). The facilities participating was as follows: University of Minnesota, Hokkaido Univ., University of Alberta, and Kobe Univ. Participants included medical students, residents, endocrine fellows, and faculty. Presenters were medical students (n=1), endocrine fellows (n=15), and neurosurgery faculty (n=1). Presented topics included the following: 11 cases with pituitary disorders, 3 cases with neuroendocrine tumors, 2 cases with adrenal disorders and 1 case of thyroid disorder. Sixty-two percent of the attendees stated that 3-4 facilities are an ideal size of the collaborations in inter-facility case conference, and 82% of the attendees felt twice a year is an appropriate frequency of the conference. Ninety-seven percent of the participants indicated their willingness to continue to attend. The survey results also revealed that the conference has a positive impact on trainees’ clinical practice and career development. Furthermore, the confidence in presenting skills in English significantly increased after the conference (p&amp;lt;0. 01). Conclusion Under the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched a new format of inter-institutional case review meeting using a video conferencing system that transcends national boundaries. This represents a new educational method for trainees. A small-scale (3-4 facilities) international collaboration in a video format may provide opportunities for learning rare endocrine cases, cultural diversity of endocrine care, enhanced active learning for trainees, and the opportunity for international presentation. This may lead to the development of a novel educational system in the future. Presentation: No date and time listed

Fragmentation analysis using digital image processing and empirical model (KuzRam): a comparative study

The rock fragmentation reflects the degree of control of blasting. Despite the accuracy of screening analysis to determine the size distribution of blasted rocks, this technique remains complex and long because of the large volume of blasted rocks. The digital image processing method can overcome these constraints of accuracy and speed. Our method uses the empirical model of KuzRam and numerical method (Digital image processing) through two image processing software’s (WipFrag and Split-Desktop) to analyze the particle size distribution of rocks fragmented by explosives in Jebel Medjounes limestone quarry. The digital image processing is based on the photography of the pile of blasted rock analyzed using image processing techniques. The objective of this work is to evaluate and compare the results obtained for each blast from the two methods and to discuss the similarities and differences among them. Three different blasts with the same design were analyzed through the two methods. The result of the KuzRam model gave idealistic results due to the heterogeneity of the structure of the rocks; although, this model can be used for an initial evaluation of blast design. For better efficiency of the explosion, we proposed a new fragmentation indicator factor in order to compare the fragment produced to the estimated ideal size obtained from the KuzRam model by incorporating the blast design parameters and the rock factor. Both image processing gives close results with more accuracy for the Split-Desktop software. Our method can improve the efficiency and reduce crushing costs of the studied career.

Dutasteride nanoemulsion preparation to inhibit 5-alpha-hair follicle reductase enzymes in the hair follicle; an ex vivo study.

Alopecia is a treatable disorder that usually occurs due to high levels of 5-alpha dihydrotestosterone in hair follicles. To enhance the storage capacity of hair follicles and alleviate the inherent characteristics of dutasteride, 5-alphareductaseinhibitor, a prolonged-release nanocarrier was synthesised, and its influence on rat abdomen's skin was investigated. Results showed the lower ratio of S/Co (higher ethanol concentration) increased the hydrodynamic nanocarriers' particle size due to thermodynamic disturbance and Ostwald ripening. In contrast, an increase in surfactant through a decrease in interfacial tension resulted in smaller nanocarriers of 32.4nm. Moreover, an increase in viscosity had an inverse correlation with the nanoemulsions' particle size. Nanocarriers containing ethanol showed less entrapment efficacy, perhaps due to the rapid dissolution of dutasteride into ethanol during nanoemulsification, while, based on Stokes' equation, the addition of ethanol resulted in smaller particle size and stability of the system. Skin permeation analysis using Franz diffusion cells showed nanocarriers could pass through the skin and release dutasteride for 6days. In conclusion, the optimum concentration of ingredients is decisive in guaranteeing the ideal particle size, stability, and skin permeation of nanocarriers. The Present dutasteride nanocarrier would promise a prolonged and sustained-release drug delivery system for Alopecia therapy.

Synthesis & Evaluation of Novel Mannosylated Neoglycolipids for Liposomal Delivery System Applications.

Glycosylated NPs, including liposomes, are known to target various receptors involved in cellular carbohydrate transport, of which the mannoside binding receptors are attracting particular attention for their expression on various immune cells, cancers, and cells involved in maintaining central nervous system (CNS) integrity. As part of our interest in NP drug delivery, mannosylated glycoliposomal delivery systems formed from the self-assembly of amphiphilic neoglycolipids were developed, with a C12-alkyl mannopyranoside (ML-C12) being identified as a lead compoundcapable of entrapping, protecting, and improving the delivery of structurally diverse payloads. However, ML-C12 was not without limitations in both the synthesis of the glycolipids, and the physicochemical properties of the resulting glycoliposomes. Herein, the chemical syntheses of a novel series of mannosylated neoglycolipids are reported with the goal of further improving on the previous ML-C12 glyconanoparticles. The current work aimed to use a self-contingent strategy which overcomes previous synthetic limitations to produce neoglycolipids that have one exposed mannose residue, an aromatic scaffold, and two lipid tails with varied alkyl chains. The azido-ending carbohydrates and the carboxylic acid-ending lipid tails were ligated using a new one-pot modified Staudinger chemistry that differed advantageously to previous syntheses. The formation of stable neoglycoliposomes of controllable and ideal sizes (≈100-400 nm) was confirmed via dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Beyond chemical advantages, the present study further aimed to establish potential improvements in the biological activity of the neoglycoliposomes. Concanavalin A (Con A) agglutination studies demonstrated efficient and stable cross-linking abilities dependent on the length of the linkers and lipid tails. The efficacy of the glycoliposomes in improving cytosolic uptake was investigated using Nile Red as probe in immune and cancer cell lines. Preliminary ex vivo safety assessments showed that the mannosylated glycoliposomes are hemocompatible, and non-immunogenic. Finally, using a model peptide therapeutic, the relative entrapment capacity and plasma stability of the optimal glycoliposome delivery system was evaluated and compared to the previous neoglycoliposomes. Overall, the new lead glycoliposome showed improved biological activity over ML-C12, in addition to having several chemical benefits including the lack of stereocenters, a longer linker allowing better sugar availability, and ease of synthesis using novel one-pot modified Staudinger chemistry.