Simple Formulation Research Articles

Evaluation of combined efficacy of Lodhradi lep with Khadirashtak kwath in Mukhdushika.

Background - Mukhdushika (Acne vulgaris) is burning issue among young generation. It gives inferiority complex in social life. There are lots of medicines for acne vulgaris but the results are not upto the mark. Our aim is to combat with Mukhdushika with simple herbal formulation. Randomised controlled trial is preferred for the study.
 Methods – Aim: To evaluate efficacy of combination of Lodhradilep and Khadirashtak kwath in management of Mukhdushika.
 Objectives:
 
 To study the Nidanpanchak of Mukhdushika as described in Ayurveda samhita
 To study the effect of combination of Lodhradi lep and Khadirashtak kwath. 
 
 Randomized control trial was conducted in two arms, Group A (Lodhradi lep) and Group B (Lodhradi lep with Khadirashtak kwath). 30 patients were selected randomly and Lodhradi lep was given for group A. 30 patients were selected randomly and Lodhradi lep with Khadirashtak kwath was given for group B.
 Result – The group B shown significant result in all the signs and symptoms.
 Discussion – The Z value was significant in all the objective criteria which shows Group B was more effective than group A in treating Mukhdushika.
 Keywords – Acne vulgaris, Kshudrarog, Khadirashtak kwath, Lep, Lodhradi lep, Mukhdushika

A Simplified Kinematics and Kinetics Formulation for Prismatic Tensegrity Robots: Simulation and Experiments

Tensegrity robots offer several advantageous features, such as being hyper-redundant, lightweight, shock-resistant, and incorporating wire-driven structures. Despite these benefits, tensegrity structures are also recognized for their complexity, which presents a challenge when addressing the kinematics and dynamics of tensegrity robots. Therefore, this research paper proposes a new kinematic/kinetic formulation for tensegrity structures that differs from the classical matrix differential equation framework. The main contribution of this research paper is a new formulation, based on vector differential equations, which can be advantageous when it is convenient to use a smaller number of state variables. The limitation of the proposed kinematics and kinetic formulation is that it is only applicable for tensegrity robots with prismatic structures. Moreover, this research paper presents experimentally validated results of the proposed mathematical formulation for a six-bar tensegrity robot. Furthermore, this paper offers an empirical explanation of the calibration features required for successful experiments with tensegrity robots.

Hybrid Microstrip Device for Hydrogen Detection at Microwave Frequencies

This article describes the analysis, design, and construction of a microstrip device capable of detecting hydrogen at microwave frequencies. The proposed structure is a hybrid microstrip line, 10-cm-long, having part of the copper (Cu) line replaced by a strip of palladium (Pd) film 10-nm-thick. A simple formulation has been developed to estimate the device’s insertion loss, as well as the spectral dependence of the <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${S}_{{21}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> parameter. For a device having a 2-cm-long Pd section, exposed to 1.6% hydrogen at a 0.4-bar pressure in nitrogen gas, detection was accomplished by measuring the changes produced on one of the resonances of the scattering parameter <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${S}_{{21}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> in the frequency region around 3.2 GHz. The experimental results, corroborated by the theoretical modeling of the device’s response, indicated that, if on one hand, a Pd thickness much smaller than the skin depth, yields a negligible change in attenuation due to hydrogen absorption, on the other, it favors the phase of the <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${S}_{{21}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> parameter to become a highly sensitive function of Pd conductivity, in turn facilitating hydrogen detection. This finding opens the possibility of constructing simple hydrogen sensors by incorporating ultrathin Pd films into planar microwave circuits.

Cinacalcet HCl-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles Using the Porous Carrier

Background: Cinacalcet HCl is a calcimimetic, BCS class IV drug with low oral bioavailability. Polymeric nanoparticles are widely used as biomaterials owing to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, varied structures, low toxicity, and simple and easy formulation process. Objective: The aim of the study was to enhance the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drug, i.e., cinacalcet HCl, by using a suitable particulate nanocarrier system, i.e., polymeric nanoparticles. Methods: Biodegradable Cinacalcet HCl (CH)-loaded poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation method using Poloxamer-188 as a stabilizer. The experimental parameters, like polymer concentration, stabilizer concentration, temperature, and RPM speed, were optimized. An optimized polymeric nanoparticle formulation PNP (F8) was solidified by adsorption on the porous carrier sylysia 350. Results: PNP (F8) exhibited a particle size of 155 nm with low PDI (0.231) and high zeta potential (- 21.3 mV). In vitro diffusion study revealed sustained release of CH for 24 h for both PNP (F8) and solidified PNP (F8). Pharmacokinetics after oral administration of PNP (F8) and solidified PNP (F8) exhibited a 5-fold increase in bioavailability. Thus, both PNP (F8) and solidified PNP (F8) showed significant improvement in oral bioavailability. Conclusion: Adsorption of polymeric nanoparticles onto porous carriers like sylysia 350 can be considered as a promising approach for long-term stability.

Keterampilan Menulis Dan Bercerita Untuk Membangkitkan Kecintaan Sejarah Bagi Generasi Muda

This research aimed to develop a Community Service Program that focuses on improving the reading and writing skills of elementary and junior high school youth regarding local history in the East Bandung area. The program addressed issues such as the need for more understanding of local history, low interest in historical topics, and limited writing and storytelling skills among adolescents in the area. The program began with delivering material on writing and storytelling skills and local historical concepts to the participants. Although initially hesitant and embarrassed, the participants gradually became enthusiastic about sharing their stories. The program then continued with the practice of historical storytelling through objects in East Bandung, starting with the Bandros bus tour. The young educators within Bandros supported the program by hosting visits to Teras Sunda and Tugu Perjuangan. The program laid the foundation for habitual action to write and tell stories about local history among teenagers. The participants demonstrated their ability to tell stories with simple narrative formulations, such as what, where, when, who, why, and how. However, the program faced challenges in terms of timeliness, and the young participants were still hesitant to write down ideas related to historical places in their surroundings. Overall, the Community Service Program can potentially improve historical awareness and writing skills among the millennial generation in the East Bandung area.Keywords: Historical awareness, writing skills, millennial generation.

Porous Cellulose Thin Films as Sustainable and Effective Antimicrobial Surface Coatings.

In the present work, we developed an effective antimicrobial surface film based on sustainable microfibrillated cellulose. The resulting porous cellulose thin film is barely noticeable to human eyes due to its submicrometer thickness, of which the surface coverage, porosity, and microstructure can be modulated by the formulations and the coating process. Using goniometers and a quartz crystal microbalance, we observed a threefold reduction in water contact angles and accelerated water evaporation kinetics on the cellulose film (more than 50% faster than that on a flat glass surface). The porous cellulose film exhibits a rapid inactivation effect against SARS-CoV-2 in 5 min, following deposition of virus-loaded droplets, and an exceptional ability to reduce contact transfer of liquid, e.g., respiratory droplets, to surfaces such as an artificial skin by 90% less than that from a planar glass substrate. It also shows excellent antimicrobial performance in inhibiting the growth of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis) due to the intrinsic porosity and hydrophilicity. Additionally, the cellulose film shows nearly 100% resistance to scraping in dry conditions due to its strong affinity to the supporting substrate but with good removability once wetted with water, suggesting its practical suitability for daily use. Importantly, the coating can be formed on solid substrates readily by spraying, which requires solely a simple formulation of a plant-based cellulose material with no chemical additives, rendering it a scalable, affordable, and green solution as antimicrobial surface coating. Implementing such cellulose films could thus play a significant role in controlling future pan- and epidemics, particularly during the initial phase when suitable medical intervention needs to be developed and deployed.

Limit analysis and design-oriented approach for out-of-plane loaded masonry walls strengthened by grouted anchors

Masonry structures without box-like behaviour are often prone to the complete or partial out-of-plane failure of their walls under horizontal actions, i.e. mainly the seismic ones. Steel grouted anchors or tie-rods have been widely used in the past to improve connections between orthogonal walls and avoid out-of-plane mechanisms. However, reliable analytical approaches to design such strengthening systems are lacking, whereas the evaluation of their effectiveness is still a matter of ongoing research. The paper presents a force-based design approach to assess the performance of three-wall masonry systems strengthened by grouted anchors, using a frictional macro-block model and a non-standard limit analysis, previously developed for unreinforced masonry structures. The extension of this model to strengthened masonry systems, with specific reference to the use of grouted anchors, allows assessing their horizontal capacity in terms of minimum load multiplier and expected failure. The novel aspects introduced in the updated model are: (1) a simplified closed-form formulation for the calculation of the stabilising moments provided by the grouted anchors at the onset of the failure mechanism, (2) the possibility of placing the grouted anchors with variable inclinations, which may improve their stabilising contribution and optimise the intervention. The effectiveness of the simplified formulation is firstly proved by the comparison with literature results; then, several parametric analyses are carried out to highlight the influence of some variables on the capacity of both the unreinforced and the strengthened three-wall system. Finally, a literature example related to a traditional intervention with steel tie-rods is used to apply the proposed procedure and investigate the performance of different design solutions with innovative grouted anchors.

Allosteric Modulation of Membrane Proteins by Small Low-Affinity Ligands.

Membrane proteins may respond to a variety of ligands under an applied external stimulus. These ligands include small low-affinity molecules that account for functional effects in the mM range. Understanding the modulation of protein function by low-affinity ligands requires characterizing their atomic-level interactions under dilution, challenging the current resolution of theoretical and experimental routines. Part of the problem derives from the fact that small low-affinity ligands may interact with multiple sites of a membrane protein in a highly degenerate manner to a degree that it is better conceived as a partition phenomenon, hard to track at the molecular interface of the protein. Looking for new developments in the field, we rely on the classic two-state Boltzmann model to devise a novel theoretical description of the allosteric modulation mechanism of membrane proteins in the presence of small low-affinity ligands and external stimuli. Free energy stability of the partition process and its energetic influence on the protein coupling with the external stimulus are quantified. The outcome is a simple formulation that allows the description of the equilibrium shifts of the protein in terms of the grand-canonical partition function of the ligand at dilute concentrations. The model's predictions of the spatial distribution and response probability shift across a variety of ligand concentrations, and thermodynamic conjugates can be directly compared to macroscopic measurements, making it especially useful to interpret experimental data at the atomic level. Illustration and discussion of the theory is shown in the context of general anesthetics and voltage-gated channels for which structural data are available.

A simple frequency formulation for fractal–fractional non-linear oscillators: A promising tool and its future challenge

This paper proposes a simple frequency formula developed from He’s frequency formulation for fractal systems. In this approach, the initial guess can be judiciously chosen. Even the simplest initial guess leads to a highly accurate approximate solution. A detailed theoretical development is elucidated, and the solving process is given step by step. The simple calculation and reliable results have been merged into an effective tool for deeply studying fractal vibration systems, and the present approach offers a completely new angle for the fast insight into the physical properties of a non-linear vibration system in a fractal space.

Fractional-order model for temperature-dependent rheological behaviors of polymeric materials

Rheological behaviors of polymeric materials have been observed to be temperature-dependent, which demands considering temperature effects in constitutive models. In this article, a fractional rheological model is developed to describe creep and relaxation behaviors, of which linear criterion between model parameter and temperature is established. Temperature-dependent fractional orders of the model are naturally interpreted by the well-known master curve. Numerous experimental data in a limited range of temperatures are employed to certificate the applicability of the proposed models. Simulation results demonstrate that the models are equipped with a simpler formulation and high fitting accuracy compared with existing models.

Formulating Vehicle Aggressiveness Towards Social Cognitive Autonomous Driving

Accurately identifying the driving threat could greatly improve the driving safety for autonomous vehicles in the mixed traffic, where the human-driven and driverless, as well as different types of vehicles coexist. The existing safety evaluation methods merely focus on the possibility of collision, which is deficient to evaluate the hazard level due to the symmetry for both the interactive vehicles. Thus, the vehicle aggressiveness model is proposed in this paper based on the asymmetric interactions between different types of vehicles from the perspective of the social cognitions in the human driving. Firstly, a new conceptual framework of the vehicle aggressiveness is constructed, and the factors are analyzed. Secondly, the general mathematic formulation of the aggressiveness is deduced elaborately based on the analogy with the mechanical wave. Thirdly, the simplified formulation is derived by introducing resonant assumption, and an illustration of aggressiveness distribution is presented and discussed. The mathematical analysis and simulation results indicate that the proposed model could explicitly describe the asymmetric characteristics as regards the vehicle mass, motion states and position. Finally, the potential applications in safety assessment, decision-making and motion planning of the social cognitive autonomous driving are discussed. The aggressiveness model provides a new perspective in asymmetric driving safety evaluation and heterogeneous driving behavior model under complex and mixed traffic environments.

Biopesticide efficacy of four plant essential oils against papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Worldwide, P. marginatus causes 75% of estimated economic loss in papaya farming, with an increase in production costs. The extract of plant essential oils (PEO) has the potential to control P. marginatus by degrading its wax coatings to death; however, it is less studied in the East African agroecosystem. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of four PEO from (neem, citrus, garlic, and castor) against P. marginatus at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) with and without 0.2% adjuvants separately as a biopesticide. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications per treatment concentration. The papaya seeds (Carina variety) were used in the experiment. After 3 weeks from transplanting, 50 P. marginatus specimens were inoculated in each plant. Before treatment application, insect abundance, leaf curling, yellowing, and soot mold were assessed. Then, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after biopesticide application, insect mortality was assessed. The results showed a significant difference (p = 0.001) for all assessment intervals in PEOs. However, for the PEOs in combination with the adjuvants, the results were significantly different (p = 0.001) only at 24 h. It was found that among the biopesticides, neem oil (1.5%) + isopropyl alcohol was highly effective (95.5%) after 72 h followed by (Imidacloprid (91%), citrus oil 1.5% (90.7%) and neem oil (1.5%) + paraffin oil (81.0%). But also, there were significant differences among treatments on leaf curling, yellowing, and soot mold reduction in papaya plants 21 days after spray. We conclude that neem oil (1.5%) + 0.2% isopropyl alcohol, neem oil (1.5%) + paraffin oil, and citrus oil (1.5%) significantly controlled P. marginatus. Thus, we recommend adopting these formulations for papaya farmers to control P. marginatus in their farms; however, simple formulations which can be easily accessed by smallholder farmers are essential.

Proximal Decoding for LDPC Codes

This paper presents a novel optimization-based decoding algorithm for LDPC codes. The proposed decoding algorithm is based on a proximal gradient method for solving an approximate maximum a posteriori (MAP) decoding problem. The key idea of the proposed algorithm is the use of a code-constraint polynomial to penalize a vector far from a codeword as a regularizer in the approximate MAP objective function. A code proximal operator is naturally derived from a code-constraint polynomial. The proposed algorithm, called proximal decoding, can be described by a simple recursive formula consisting of the gradient descent step for a negative log-likelihood function corresponding to the channel conditional probability density function and the code proximal operation regarding the code-constraint polynomial. Proximal decoding is experimentally shown to be applicable to several non-trivial channel models such as LDPC-coded massive MIMO channels, correlated Gaussian noise channels, and nonlinear vector channels. In particular, in MIMO channels, proximal decoding outperforms known massive MIMO detection algorithms, such as an MMSE detector with belief propagation decoding. The simple optimization-based formulation of proximal decoding allows a way for developing novel signal processing algorithms involving LDPC codes.

Predicting and validating the load-settlement behavior of large-scale geosynthetic-reinforced soil abutments using hybrid intelligent modeling

Settlement prediction of geosynthetic-reinforced soil (GRS) abutments under service loading conditions is an arduous and challenging task for practicing geotechnical/civil engineers. Hence, in this paper, a novel hybrid artificial intelligence (AI)-based model was developed by the combination of artificial neural network (ANN) and Harris hawks’ optimisation (HHO), that is, ANN-HHO, to predict the settlement of the GRS abutments. Five other robust intelligent models such as support vector regression (SVR), Gaussian process regression (GPR), relevance vector machine (RVM), sequential minimal optimisation regression (SMOR), and least-median square regression (LMSR) were constructed and compared to the ANN-HHO model. The predictive strength, relalibility and robustness of the model were evaluated based on rigorous statistical testing, ranking criteria, multi-criteria approach, uncertainity analysis and sensitivity analysis (SA). Moreover, the predictive veracity of the model was also substantiated against several large-scale independent experimental studies on GRS abutments reported in the scientific literature. The acquired findings demonstrated that the ANN-HHO model predicted the settlement of GRS abutments with reasonable accuracy and yielded superior performance in comparison to counterpart models. Therefore, it becomes one of predictive tools employed by geotechnical/civil engineers in preliminary decision-making when investigating the in-service performance of GRS abutments. Finally, the model has been converted into a simple mathematical formulation for easy hand calculations, and it is proved cost-effective and less time-consuming in comparison to experimental tests and numerical simulations.

Stable, compounded bedaquiline suspensions to support practical implementation of pediatric dosing in the field.

BACKGROUND: Bedaquiline (BDQ) tablets are indicated as part of a combination regimen for the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB in adults, adolescents and children. A dispersible tablet formulation is now approved but is not currently available in all settings. The aim of this study was to develop stable extemporaneous liquid formulations of BDQ that can be stored at room temperature or 30°C for several weeks, to support pragmatic pediatric dosing in the field and reduce wastage.METHODS: BDQ tablets were suspended in simple syrup and a sugar-free vehicle. Each 20 mg/mL formulation was stored at room temperature or 30°C for 30 days in amber dispensing bottles. Appearance, BDQ potency, pH and microbial counts were determined on Days 0, 15 and 30.RESULTS: The BDQ potency in both formulations remained at 98-101% of the theoretical concentration for 30 days. The appearance, pH and microbial count of sugar-free formulation did not change during the 30-day storage. The simple syrup formulation was stable for 15 days as microbial growth was observed on Day 30.CONCLUSIONS: BDQ may be prepared in syrup or sugar-free suspensions: syrup suspensions can be stored for 15 days at room temperature and 30C, whereas sugar-free suspensions can be stored for 30 days at room temperature and 30C. This information will support practical BDQ dosing for children in the field.

Expedited surrogate-based quantification of engineering tolerances using a modified polynomial regression

Statistical analysis is frequently used to determine how manufacturing tolerances or operating condition uncertainties affect system performance. Surrogate is one of the accelerating ways in engineering tolerance quantification to analyze uncertainty with an acceptable computational burden rather than costly traditional methods such as Monte Carlo simulation. Compared with more complicated surrogates such as the Gaussian process, or Radial Basis Function (RBF), the Polynomial Regression (PR) provides simpler formulations yet acceptable outcomes. However, PR with the common least-squares method needs to be more accurate and flexible for approximating nonlinear and nonconvex models. In this study, a new approach is proposed to enhance the accuracy and approximation power of PR in dealing with uncertainty quantification in engineering tolerances. For this purpose, first, by computing the differences between training sample points and a reference point (e.g., nominal design), we employ certain linear and exponential basis functions to transform an original variable design into new transformed variables. A second adjustment is made to calculate the bias between the true simulation model and the surrogate’s approximated response. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed PR approach, we provide comparison results between conventional and proposed surrogates employing four practical problems with geometric fabrication tolerances such as three-bar truss design, welded beam design, and trajectory planning of two-link and three-link (two and three degrees of freedom) robot manipulator. The obtained results prove the preference of the proposed approach over conventional PR by improving the approximation accuracy of the model with significantly lower prediction errors.

Cost‐sharing procurement contracts with embedded reciprocal behavior

AbstractThis paper develops a simple linear formulation of cost‐sharing procurement contracts into which reciprocal behavior is embedded. The comparative static analysis shows that the reciprocal behavior is negatively associated with the incentive. Both the cost uncertainty and the supplier's risk aversion have a positive influence on the reciprocal behavior and cooperation between buyers and suppliers. Compared to the second‐best solution in the existing principalagent literature under asymmetric information, this paper finds that the presented model is a Pareto improvement under modest restriction even if cost‐reducing effort is unverifiable. The reciprocal model has the properties of first‐best optimal social surplus.

Dynamic analysis of graphene-reinforced sandwich plates with piezoelectric macro fiber composite face sheets

Graphene is considered as an ideal candidate for composite materials owing to the outstanding physical characteristics. However, existing higher-order shear deformation theories in the literature may meet severe challenges for the accurate prediction of natural frequencies of graphene-reinforced sandwich plates with piezoelectric macro fiber composite (MFC) face sheets. If transverse shear deformations cannot be described accurately, the dynamic behaviors of piezoelectric sandwich plates with graphene reinforcements will be significantly impacted by the large differences of material properties at interfaces of adjacent layers and electro-mechanical coupling characteristic. Thereby, a novel electro-mechanical coupling theory is to be proposed for the free vibration of graphene-reinforced sandwich plates with MFC face sheets. Based on the Reissner mixed variational theorem (RMVT), the precision of the interlaminar shear stresses including the electro-mechanical coupling effect can be improved. The modified interlaminar shear stress field is absorbed in the strain energy, which can enhance the accuracy of the free vibration response of piezoelectric sandwich plates. Additionally, the second-order derivatives of in-plane displacements have been eliminated from the interlaminar shear stress components, which can substantially simplify the finite element implementation. Thus, a simple C0-type finite element formulation is developed for the free vibration of piezoelectric sandwich plates with graphene reinforcements. The 3D elasticity solutions and the results obtained from other theories are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed theory. In comparison with the existing higher-order theories, the proposed theory can produce more accurate results. In addition, a comprehensive parametric study is conducted to explore the impacts of significant parameters on the free vibration behaviors of piezoelectric graphene-reinforced sandwich plates.

Product Validation and Stability Testing of Pharmacy Compounded Cholic Acid Capsules for Dutch Patients with Rare Bile Acid Synthesis Defects

Bile acid synthesis defects (BASDs) comprise a group of rare diseases that can be severely disabling. Bile acid supplementation with 5 to 15 mg/kg cholic acid (CA) has been hypothesized to decrease endogenous bile acid production, stimulate bile secretion, and improve bile flow and micellar solubilization, thereby improving the biochemical profile and potentially slowing down disease progression. Currently, CA treatment is unavailable in the Netherlands, and CA capsules were compounded by the Amsterdam UMC Pharmacy from CA raw material. This study aims to determine the pharmaceutical quality and stability of the pharmacy compounded CA capsules. Pharmaceutical quality tests were performed on 25 mg and 250 mg CA capsules according to general monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia 10th ed. For the stability study, the capsules were stored under long-term conditions (25 °C ± 2 °C/60% ± 5% RH) and accelerated conditions (40 °C ± 2 °C/75% ± 5% RH). Samples were analyzed at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The findings demonstrate that the pharmacy compounded CA capsules within a range of 25-250 mg that complied with the European regulations in regard to product quality and safety. The pharmacy compounded CA capsules are suitable for use in patients with BASD, as clinically indicated. With its simple formulation, pharmacies are provided a guidance on product validation and stability testing when commercial CA capsules are unavailable.

A simplified completely positive reformulation for binary quadratic programs

In this paper, we propose a simplified completely positive programming reformulation for binary quadratic programs. The linear equality constraints associated with the binary constraints in the original problem can be aggregated into a single linear equality constraint without changing the feasible set of the classic completely positive reformulation proposed in the literature. We also show that the dual of the proposed simplified formulation is strictly feasible under a mild assumption.