Important Items Research Articles

Microplastic accumulation, morpho-polymer characterization, and dietary exposure in urban tap water of a developing nation

The recent detection of microplastics (MPs) in a large number of commercially important food items and beverages, including tap water, has drawn significant attention because of direct exposure and negative health effects on humans. Nevertheless, there is insufficient information on microplastic contamination in the tap water of developing countries. In the present study, we primarily analyzed supplied tap water samples from four major cities in Bangladesh to determine and characterize MPs using a stereomicroscope and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Several indices were employed to calculate human health exposures to microplastics. MPs were found in all of the water samples tested, with an overall mean of 35.33 ± 19.55 particles/L. The results of this study diverge from those of comparable research conducted globally, revealing that tap water in Bangladesh exhibited higher levels of contamination compared to other nations. MPs were found in three different shapes (fibers, fragments, and films), with fibers dominating the samples (96.2%), and 98.1% of the microplastics were less than 0.5 mm in size. Six different colors of MPs were observed, and transparent particles were dominant (63.9% of all observed MPs). FTIR infrared spectrum analysis revealed two major types of polymers: low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The projected daily consumption of microplastics was determined to be 2.65 particles per person per day, raising potential concerns for human health. The findings show that the treatment process of the water supply system is inadequate. Additionally, the sources of microplastics in tap water may come from where the water was collected for treatment and may be linked to a variety of anthropogenic activities, such as urbanization, sewage discharge, industrial waste disposal, and runoff from catchment areas.

Intention enhanced mixed attentive model for session-based recommendation

AbstractSession-based recommendation aims to generate recommendations for the next item of users’ interest based on a given session. In this manuscript, we develop intention enhanced mixed attentive model () to generate session-based recommendations using two important factors: temporal patterns and estimates of users’ intentions. Unlike existing methods which primarily leverage complicated gated recurrent units to model the temporal patterns, models the temporal patterns using a light-weight while effective position-sensitive attention mechanism. In , we also leverage the estimate of users’ prospective preferences to signify important items, and generate better recommendations. Our experimental results demonstrate that models significantly outperform the state-of-the-art methods in six benchmark datasets, with an improvement as much as 19.2%. In addition, our run-time performance comparison demonstrates that during testing, models are much more efficient than the best baseline method, with a significant average speedup of 47.7 folds.

Empowerment Among Adolescent Girls in Nepal: A Concept Mapping Exploratory Study.

The concept of empowerment is challenging to operationalize and measure; it is multidimensional, the outcomes are not always directly observable, and meanings of empowerment are highly contextual and socially and culturally situated. This study aimed to explore perspectives of empowerment among adolescent girls in Nepal to identify statements for inclusion in a context-specific empowerment measure. We used a participatory and mixed method research method called concept mapping in 3 districts in Nepal. Three sequential concept mapping sessions were used to solicit, organize, and process how participants responded to the prompt: "The life of an adolescent girl improves when she has/can…" The Concept Systems Global software was used to manage and analyze the concept mapping brainstorming, sorting, and rating data using established tools, such as multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. Concept mapping was conducted with 113 participants, including national experts, program staff, adolescents, and their mothers. They identified 105 items that fall into a 4-cluster solution: education and knowledge, decision-making, supports and skills, and physical infrastructure. Rating data uncovered there was some overlap between the top 10 most important items between the national-level experts and other stakeholder groups; however, several components associated with empowerment differed by stakeholder group in terms of importance. This research represents a critical step in exploring definitions of empowerment among adolescent girls in the Nepal context and with expert input. These results led to the development of a contextually specific definition of empowerment. Researchers and practitioners interested in developing context-specific understandings of complex topics that incorporate community voices and perspectives could use a similar concept mapping approach in other countries to explore various topics with diverse populations.

Ecología trófica de Brycon henni (Pisces: Bryconidae) en afluentes de los Ríos Nare y Guatapé, cuenca del río Magdalena, Colombia

Understanding the trophic ecology of fish and how they use resources in space and time is important to support conservation and management actions. The trophic ecology of Brycon henni in the Nare and Guatapé rivers, Magdalena river basin, Colombia was determined. Five field samplings were carried out between October 2007 and January 2010, in rainy, dry, and dry-to-rainy transition periods. Stomachs of 262 specimens were collected. A Kruskall-Wallis analysis and a Mann-Whitney pairwise comparison test was performed to detect differences in the alimentary importance index of each food category between sex, size class, hydrological period and basins (Nare vs Guatapé). The Levin’s Measure of Niche Breadth and the Morisita’s Diet Overlapping Index were calculated to establish differences between size class in the different hydrological periods. Vegetable material was the most important food item, followed by Insecta, and fish. Individuals from Guatapé basin consumed more plant material and fish and fewer insects. We observed increased consumption of plant material and fish in ontogeny. Levin's niche breadth was lower and diet overlapping between individuals of length classes was higher during rainy period because the diet was mainly based on plant material. The diet of B. henni was composed mainly of plant material and Insects, and to a lesser extent from other groups such as fish, crustaceans and arachnids.

Spare parts for fisheries surveillance vessels inventory management in Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries

This study aims to identify problems and formulate a model for managing spare parts inventory of fisheries supervisory vessels in the Directorate of Fleet Monitoring and Operations, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries to be optimal. The research method is carried out using a qualitative approach. Data collection is done by interviews, field observations and analysis of data and documents. Water inventory management theory (2003) is a theory used to determine the cycle or process of managing spare parts inventory and the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) method of Horngren (2016) to determine the optimum order quantity and Analysis of ABC Chin (2017) in Putra (2020 to classify inventory into 3 (three) classes, namely A (very important items), B (items that are quite important), and C (relatively unimportant). This study concluded that the management of spare parts in the POA Directorate has not been optimal due to several factors, namely: 1). Human Resources: operators do not have inventory background, and inventory recording with the SAKTI application requires operator involvement, 2). Method: procurement of spare parts is carried out periodically only once a year, so it cannot anticipate changes in needs, and 3), Machinery (Tools): Parts inventory is still done manually with Ms. Excel. Researchers develop a business process model that includes procurement, inventory, storage, delivery, and use of spare parts to improve the efficiency of parts inventory management.

드론을 활용한 스마트감리시스템의 발전방향에 관한 연구

Currently, Korea's smart construction industry is becoming more advanced, and technology that can promote safety by incorporating ICT (Information & Communication Technology) convergence technology is being applied and developed. This study aims to provide information on the construction site to supervisors and builders by providing analysis data to the construction site using drones, etc., and to suggest development directions through smart supervision system improvement. In this study, after deriving major items through prior research, a focus interview was conducted with 7 supervisors to select important items for each research problem, and a total of 150 people, including construction project managers, manager supervisors, safety managers, and workers, were surveyed. As a result of the analysis of the survey on the satisfaction of smart supervision systems using drones at construction sites, the operation of drones will be highly useful in the construction field in the future (8.7, 25.92%), the smart supervision system using drones reflects what builders and supervisors want (8.3, 24.86%), and the drone is consistent with the goal of using smart supervision (8.3, 24.73%) and the drone system level is excellent (8.2, 24.49%). Through this study, it was found that the smart surveillance system using drones would be very useful in the construction field, and it was found that the efficiency of safety, accuracy, and economy could be improved by using drones instead of visually measuring and checking the field. It is hoped that the research results of this paper will provide the information necessary to improve the quality of the surveillance system in the construction sector at home and abroad and to prevent safety accidents at construction sites.

Wire-tracking of bent electric cable using X-ray CT and deep active learning.

We have demonstrated a quantification of all component wires in a bent electric cable, which is necessary for discussion of cable products in actual use cases. Quantification became possible for the first time because of our new technologies for image analysis of bent cables. In this paper, various image analysis techniques to detect all wire tracks in a bent cable are demonstrated. Unique cross-sectional image construction and deep active learning schemes are the most important items in this study. These methods allow us to know the actual state of cables under external loads, which makes it possible to elucidate the mechanisms of various phenomena related to cables in the field and further improve the quality of cable products.

Nonparametric CD-CAT for multiple-choice items: Item selection method and Q-optimality.

Computerized adaptive testing for cognitive diagnosis (CD-CAT) achieves remarkable estimation efficiency and accuracy by adaptively selecting and then administering items tailored to each examinee. The process of item selection stands as a pivotal component of a CD-CAT algorithm, with various methods having been developed for binary responses. However, multiple-choice (MC) items, an important item type that allows for the extraction of richer diagnostic information from incorrect answers, have been underemphasized. Currently, the Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD) index introduced by Yigit etal. (Applied Psychological Measurement, 2019, 43, 388) is the only item selection method exclusively designed for MC items. However, the JSD index requires a large sample to calibrate item parameters, which may be infeasible when there is only a small or no calibration sample. To bridge this gap, the study first proposes a nonparametric item selection method for MC items (MC-NPS) by implementing novel discrimination power that measures an item's ability to effectively distinguish among different attribute profiles. A Q-optimal procedure for MC items is also developed to improve the classification during the initial phase of a CD-CAT algorithm. The effectiveness and efficiency of the two proposed algorithms were confirmed by simulation studies.

Short-term quality of life assessment after sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is the treatment of choice for those not responding to medical treatments. To date, the short-term effects of FESS on HRQoL are still unclear. Evaluation of the short-term effects of FESS on HRQoL in CRS patients using the SNOT-22 questionnaire. The results of the validated German version of the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 (SNOT-22) questionnaire were analysed from 89 patients with CRS before surgery and 10-14 days (n = 77), four (n = 77), six weeks (n = 76) and 6 months (n = 71) after FESS, and compared with those of 1,000 healthy controls selected using a non-probability quota sample in accordance to the distribution of the German Microcensus. Compared to the preoperative mean SNOT-22 score (47.35), CRS patients significantly improved in HRQoL 10-14 days (31.75, p < 0.01), 4 weeks (25.84, p < 0.01), 6 weeks (24.16, p < 0.01) and 6 months after FESS (27.16, p < 0.01). Pre- and 6 months postoperatively, the five most important SNOT-22 items were nasal obstruction, smell and taste reduction, thick, mucous nasal secretions, need to blow the nose and postnasal drip. At the 2, 4 and 6-week follow-up, the reduction in smell and taste was most frequently perceived as limiting the HRQoL. This follow-up study shows for the first time that the reduction in smell and taste should be treated and controlled concervatively in the short term after FESS.

Moose in wolf diets across northeastern Minnesota

AbstractThe moose (Alces alces; mooz in Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe language) population has recently declined in Minnesota, USA, and gray wolf (Canis lupus; ma'iingan) predation is likely a contributing factor. We analyzed diet composition of gray wolves in northeastern Minnesota during 2011–2013 to evaluate the importance of moose as prey and seasonal and regional variations in wolf diet. We identified frequency of occurrence of prey items and biomass consumed in 1,000 wolf scats collected on and adjacent to the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and Voyageurs National Park and within the 1854 Ceded Territory (greater northeastern Minnesota). White‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; waawaashkeshiwag [plural]), moose, and beaver (Castor canadensis; amikwag [plural]) composed the majority of wolf diet, with moose as the primary prey in Grand Portage (35–54% of diet by biomass across seasons) and deer the primary prey in the 1854 Ceded Territory (46–62%) and Voyageurs (63–79%). Relative importance of prey species differed by study area and season. Moose calves were an important prey item in spring in the 1854 Ceded Territory (12% of diet by biomass) but not in Grand Portage or Voyageurs. Although calves were not a majority of wolf diet by biomass, many calves were preyed upon by wolves (30% of calves born each year in Grand Portage), thus affecting recruitment in a declining moose population. Deer fawns composed 12% of wolf diet in spring and 10% in summer in Grand Portage and 19% in summer in Voyageurs. Beaver composed 16% of wolf diet by biomass in spring and 14% in summer in Grand Portage and composed 22% of wolf diet in spring and 30% in summer in Voyageurs. At most prey densities, moose were preferred and deer avoided in Grand Portage and the 1854 Ceded Territory and beaver were preferred in Voyageurs. Our results can be used in conjunction with predation and prey studies to evaluate the effect of wolves on prey populations.

Anxiety and depression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients and network analysis to identify central symptoms: A cross-sectional study from a high-incidence area

PurposeTo determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to identify central symptoms and bridge symptoms among psychiatric disorders. MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited patients with NPC in Guangzhou, China from May 2022, to October 2022. The General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were used for screening anxiety and depression, respectively. Network analysis was conducted to evaluate the centrality and connectivity of the symptoms of anxiety, depression, quality of life (QoL) and insomnia. ResultsA total of 2806 respondents with complete GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores out of 3828 were enrolled. The incidence of anxiety in the whole population was 26.5% (depression, 28.5%; either anxiety or depression, 34.8%). Anxiety was highest at caner diagnosis (34.2%), while depression reached a peak at late-stage radiotherapy (48.5%). Both moderate and severe anxiety and depression were exacerbated during radiotherapy. Coexisting anxiety and depression occurred in 58.3% of those with either anxiety or depression. The generated network showed that anxiety and depression symptoms were closely connected; insomnia was strongly connected with QoL. “Sad mood”, “Lack of energy”, and “Trouble relaxing” were the most important items in the network. Insomnia was the most significant bridge item that connected symptom groups. ConclusionPatients with NPC are facing alarming disturbances of psychiatric disorders; tailored strategies should be implemented for high-risk patients. Besides, central symptoms (sad mood, lack of energy, and trouble relaxing) and bridge symptoms (insomnia) may be potential interventional targets in future clinical practice.

The Reporting of a Disproportionality Analysis for Drug Safety Signal Detection Using Individual Case Safety Reports in PharmacoVigilance (READUS-PV): Development and Statement.

Disproportionality analyses using reports of suspected adverse drug reactions are the most commonly used quantitative methods for detecting safety signals in pharmacovigilance. However, their methods and results are generally poorly reported in published articles and existing guidelines do not capture the specific features of disproportionality analyses. We here describe the development of a guideline (REporting of A Disproportionality analysis for drUg Safety signal detection using individual case safety reports in PharmacoVigilance [READUS-PV]) for reporting the results of disproportionality analyses in articles and abstracts. We established a group of 34 international experts from universities, the pharmaceutical industry, and regulatory agencies, with expertise in pharmacovigilance, disproportionality analyses, and assessment of safety signals. We followed a three-step process to develop the checklist: (1) an open-text survey to generate a first list of items; (2) an online Delphi method to select and rephrase the most important items; (3) a final online consensus meeting. Among the panel members, 33 experts responded to round 1 and 30 to round 2 of the Delphi and 25 participated to the consensus meeting. Overall, 60 recommendations for the main body of the manuscript and 13 recommendations for the abstracts were retained by participants after the Delphi method. After merging of some items together and the online consensus meeting, the READUS-PV guidelines comprise a checklist of 32 recommendations, in 14 items, for the reporting of disproportionality analyses in the main body text and four items, comprising 12 recommendations, for abstracts. The READUS-PV guidelines will support authors, editors, peer-reviewers, and users of disproportionality analyses using individual case safety report databases. Adopting these guidelines will lead to more transparent, comprehensive, and accurate reporting and interpretation of disproportionality analyses, facilitating the integration with other sources of evidence.

Challenges and benefits of using the HeartDiet food frequency questionnaire in cardiac rehabilitation practice

Background and aimsA heart-healthy diet is an important component of secondary prevention in ischemic heart disease. The Danish Health Authority recommends using the validated 19-item food frequency questionnaire HeartDiet in cardiac rehabilitation practice to assess patients' need for dietary interventions, and HeartDiet has been included in national electronic patient-reported outcome instruments for cardiac rehabilitation. This study aims to evaluate challenges and benefits of its use. The objectives are to: 1) describe HeartDiet responses of patients with ischemic heart disease and discuss HeartDiet's suitability as a screening tool, 2) discuss whether an abridged version should replace HeartDiet. Methods and resultsA cross-sectional study using data from a national feasibility test. HeartDiet was sent electronically to 223 patients with ischemic heart disease prior to cardiac rehabilitation. Data were summarised with descriptive statistics, and Spearman's rank correlations, explorative factor analysis, and Cohen's kappa coefficient were used to derive and evaluate abridged versions.The response rate was 68 % (n = 151). Evaluated with HeartDiet, no respondents had a heart-healthy diet. There was substantial agreement between HeartDiet and an abridged 9-item version (kappa = 0.6926 for Fat Score, 0.6625 for FishFruitVegetable Score), but the abridged version omits information on milk products, wholegrain, nuts, and sugary snacks. ConclusionWith the predefined cut-offs, HeartDiet's suitability as a screening tool to assess needs for dietary interventions was limited, since no respondents were categorised as having a heart-healthy diet. An abridged version can replace HeartDiet, but the tool's educational potential will be compromised, since important items will be omitted.

Detecting the invisible through DNA metabarcoding: The role of gelatinous taxa in the diet of two demersal Antarctic key stone fish species (Notothenioidei)

AbstractGelatinous zooplankton (GZP), i.e., ctenophores, cnidarian medusae, chaetognaths, appendicularians and salps, are considered climate change winners. This becomes particularly obvious in the Southern Ocean, which has undergone a significant shift from a krill‐based to a salp‐based ecosystem over the last decades. A better knowledge on the role of gelatinous invertebrates as prey is needed to predict the impact of such a gelatinous shift. Until recently, GZP was considered as a “trophic dead end”. However, their true importance in diets has remained unresolved due to the rapid digestion of their watery and soft tissues in predators' stomachs. In this study, we want to validate the paradigm shift from GZP being considered as “survival food” to be considered a “regular” prey item for two demersal fish species (Notothenia rossii and N. coriiceps) of Potter Cove, South Shetland Islands, using a multimarker (COI and 18S) metabarcoding approach. We found that GZP taxa commonly occurred in the diets of both species, represented by pelagic tunicates (appendicularians, salps), cnidarians, chaetognaths and ctenophores. Salps were the most abundant prey group, preyed upon by each individual of both species, reaching 98.7% relative read abundance for 18S. We recovered a wide range of different taxa in their diets, from primary producers to highly abundant invertebrates, thus the two nototheniid species can be regarded as “natural samplers” of the ecosystem in study. Finally, we want to point out the importance of multimarker metabarcoding approaches for broad ecological assessments, given the differential amplification and sequencing success of different markers for specific groups and the unequal taxonomic coverage of the reference databases. The output of each marker was highly complementary, since an important prey item such as salps, was only detected with 18S, while other taxa (e.g., Arthropoda) were represented with a higher taxonomic resolution with COI.

Identifying priority areas to support primary care engagement in breast cancer survivorship care: A Delphi study.

Existing approaches in cancer survivorship care delivery have proven to be insufficient to engage primary care. This study aimed to identify stakeholder-informed priorities to improve primary care engagement in breast cancer survivorship care. Experts in U.S. cancer survivorship care delivery were invited to participate in a 4-round online Delphi panel to identify and evaluate priorities for defining and fostering primary care's engagement in breast cancer survivorship. Panelists were asked to identify and then assess (ratings of 1-9) the importance and feasibility of priority items to support primary care engagement in survivorship. Panelists were asked to review the group results and reevaluate the importance and feasibility of each item, aiming to reach consensus. Respondent panelists (n = 23, response rate 57.5%) identified 31 priority items to support survivorship care. Panelists consistently rated three items most important (scored 9) but with uncertain feasibility (scored 5-6). These items emphasized the need to foster connections and improve communication between primary care and oncology. Panelists reached consensus on four items evaluated as important and feasible: (1) educating patients on survivorship, (2) enabling screening reminders and monitoring alerts in the electronic medical record, (3) identifying patient resources for clinicians to recommend, and (4) distributing accessible reference guides of common breast cancer drugs. Role clarity and communication between oncology and primary care were rated as most important; however, uncertainty about feasibility remains. These findings indicate that cross-disciplinary capacity building to address feasibility issues may be needed to make the most important priority items actionable in primary care.

Trophic ecology of the greater amberjack in relation to marine environmental characteristics in Taiwanese waters illustrated by stable isotope and stomach content approach

The greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) holds significant commercially and ecologically important large pelagic marine species in Taiwanese waters. The aim of this study was investigates its stomach contents and stable isotope signatures (δ13C and δ15N) were used to explore the trophic ecology and to detect the dietary variations by length, sex, and season and their associations with marine environmental characteristics. Utilizing a generalized additive model, we elucidate how marine environmental variables influence greater amberjack feeding habitats. Our findings revealed that the mixed layer depth and sea surface temperature explained the highest influence in the greater amberjack feeding ground. To reveal the trophic ecology of the greater amberjack and their ecosystem trophic dynamics, we used an innovative approach combining stomach content analysis (SCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA) of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) coupled with Bayesian mixing model analysis. By contrast, some of the results in SIA were different from the most important food items identified in SCA; in general, they prefer to consume pelagic prey species. The Bayesian mixing models indicated that the target predator species diet structure was dominated by Trichiuridae and Leiognathidae prey species, as indicated by the highest δ15N values. The relationships of the greater amberjack weight and length were not significant with δ13C values (p > 0.05) but were significant (p < 0.001) with δ15N values. The relationships between trophic positions (TPs) in terms of length, sex, and season suggested an ontogenetic shift, with varied TP values between 4.01 and 5.18, indicating that the greater amberjack is the top-level predator species in the pelagic marine ecosystem. These findings can guide ecosystem-based adaptive fishery management and conservation because the local prey species depletion and variations in marine environmental conditions may affect greater amberjack fisheries in Taiwanese waters.

Role of supranational bodies in regulating water cooperation: Central Asian experience

AbstractGrowing environmental problems in recent decades have made the water issue one of the most important agenda items in relations between the countries of the Central Asian (CA) region. Because water is a strategic resource and, at the same time, the foundation of social and economic development in CA, it is possible to assume that the settlement of water allocation problems will become a driving force for the development of regional interaction. The study aims to analyze the importance of supranational bodies in regulating water cooperation between the states of the CA region. The methodological basis of the study was built based on a combination of such theoretical methods of cognition as historical, structural‐functional, forecasting, and political and legal analysis, as well as an institutional approach. The main study results consist of assessing the efficiency of water resources use in the CA region, formulating areas of cooperation between the states in this sector after independence and up to the present, analyzing the role of functioning and under‐construction hydropower facilities in stimulating the resolution of water and energy challenges, and formulating initiatives of the countries of the region in solving existing water problems. In addition, it identified points of convergence in transboundary water use, analyzed steps to further deepen cooperation in water allocation among CA countries, and assessed the activities of supranational bodies in regulating water cooperation. The work can be applied in research and applied areas: It can be useful for scientists whose interests include water management issues in the CA region, as well as for government officials in the CA countries who implement policies in this area.

Exploring the Design of Solar and Foamed Based Temperature Maintenance System for Cooler

Refrigerators are an important household item that comes under the category of cooling appliances. The primary structure of the refrigerator consists of a thermally insulated compartment which provides a mechanism that lowers the temperature inside it and transfers the heat from the inside to the external environment. As it keeps the temperature low as per user requirement, it is used to preserve the food items that can be spoiled at ambient temperature. Refrigerators in available in many sizes on the market but they have some limitations for indoor usage only as they require electricity and are in large amounts. However, when people are more moving towards outdoor activities, they need to have a refrigerator to keep the necessary items which will prevent spoilage and wastage. So, this paperwork has designed a mini refrigerator that is powered by batteries and is portable which can be easily used outdoors as well. This paper deals with the working of small-size refrigerators. Thermoelectric Cooler Design is to be used as an aid in the design of thermoelectric cooler devices. This work is used to quickly model and compare alternative designs. An optimum coefficient of performance and heat pumping can be quickly determined. Other major features include the ability to change the material properties and dimensions of couples.

Real-Time Quantitative Evaluation of a Drug during Liposome Preparation Using a Probe-Type Raman Spectrometer.

During the manufacturing process of liposome formulations, it is considered difficult to evaluate their physicochemical properties and biological profiles due to the complexity of their structure and manufacturing process. Conventional quality evaluation is labor-intensive and time-consuming; therefore, there was a need to introduce a method that could perform in-line, real-time evaluation during the manufacturing process. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was used to monitor in real time the encapsulation of drugs into liposomes and the drug release, which are particularly important quality evaluation items. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy combined with partial least-squares (PLS) analysis was used for quantitative drug evaluation to assess consistency with results from UV-visible spectrophotometry (UV), a common quantification method. The prepared various ciprofloxacin (CPFX) liposomes were placed in cellulose tubes, and a probe-type Raman spectrophotometer was used to monitor drug encapsulation, the removal of unencapsulated drug, and drug release characteristics in real time using a dialysis method. In the Raman spectra of the liposomes prepared by remote loading, the intensities of the CPFX-derived peaks increased upon drug encapsulation and showed a slight decrease upon removal of the unencapsulated drug. Furthermore, the peak intensity decreased more gradually during the drug release. In all Raman monitoring experiments, the discrepancy between quantified values of CPFX concentration in liposomes, as measured by Raman spectroscopy combined with partial least-squares (PLS) analysis, and those obtained through ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry was within 6.7%. The results revealed that the quantitative evaluation of drugs using a combination of Raman spectroscopy and PLS analysis was as accurate as the evaluation using UV spectrophotometry, which was used for comparison. These results indicate the promising potential of Raman spectroscopy as an innovative method for the quality evaluation of liposomal formulations.

Attempt for excellent piezoelectric performance in Sb-free (K,Na)NbO3-based ceramics

Piezoelectric temperature stability is often a very important item for piezoelectric materials when putting them into practical applications like filters and ultrasonic transducers. Phase transitions of (K,Na)NbO3-based compositions that contain neither toxic Pb nor Sb elements were tailored to simultaneously acquire enhanced piezoelectric properties and good piezoelectric temperature stability in this study. Specifically, dense 0.94(K0.48Na0.52)NbO3-0.03BaZrO3-0.01BaSnO3-0.02(Bi0.5Na0.5)ZrO3 ceramic and its further compositionally modified one by 1 wt% MnO2 were prepared. Both of these two ceramics display quite weak piezoelectric temperature dependence in the usage temperature range between −30 °C–100 °C, but the one modified by MnO2 has the significantly improved piezoelectric properties with a high piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 310 pC/N and large electromechanical coupling factors kp and k33 of 0.57 and 0.73 at room temperature. The obtained excellent piezoelectric performance is considered to be associated closely with the stable piezoelectric characteristic of the orthorhombic phase and the diffused rhombohedral-orthorhombic and orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transitions.