Small Volume Of Water Research Articles

Wet or dry? The difficulty of identifying the presence of water during crustal melting

AbstractPartial melting of continental crust and evolution of granitic magmas are inseparably linked to the availability of H2O. In the absence of a free aqueous fluid, melting takes place at relatively high temperatures by dehydration of hydrous minerals, whereas in its presence, melting temperatures are lowered, and melting need not involve hydrous minerals. With the exception of anatexis in water‐saturated environments where anhydrous peritectic minerals are absent, there is no reliable indicator that clearly identifies the presence of a free aqueous fluid during anatexis. Production of Ab‐rich magmas or changes in LILE ratios, such as an increase in Sr and decrease in Rb indicating increased involvement of plagioclase, are rough guidelines to the presence of aqueous fluids. Nevertheless, all indicators have caveats and cannot be unequivocally applied, allowing for the persistence of a bias in the literature towards dehydration melting. Investigation of mineral equilibria modelling of three metasedimentary protoliths of the Kangaroo Island migmatites in South Australia, shows that the main indicator for the presence of small volumes of excess water under upper amphibolite to lower granulite facies conditions (660–750°C) is the melt volume produced. Melt composition, modal content or chemical composition of peritectic minerals such as cordierite, sillimanite or garnet are relatively insensitive to the presence of free water. However, the mobility of melt during open system behaviour makes it difficult to determine the melt volume produced. We therefore argue that the presence of small volumes of excess water might be much more common than so far inferred, with large impact on the buffering of crustal temperatures and fertility, and therefore rheology of the continental crust.

Magnetic Resonance Conditional Microinjector.

Glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness, has been linked to increases in intraocular pressure. In order to observe and study this effect, proposed is a specialized microinjector and driver that can be used to inject small amounts of liquid into a target volume. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided remotely activated devices require specialized equipment that is compatible with the MR environment. This paper presents an MR Conditional microinjector system with a pressure sensor for investigating the effects of intraocular pressure (IOP) in near-real-time. The system uses pressurized air and a linear actuation device to push a syringe in a controlled, stepwise manner. The feasibility and utility of the proposed investigative medical research tool were tested and validated by measuring the pressure inside an intact animal donor eyeball while precise, small volumes of water were injected into the specimen. Observable increases in the volume of the specimen at measured, specific target pressure increases show that the system is technically feasible for studying IOP effects, while the changes in shape were depicted in MRI scan images themselves. In addition, it was verified that the presence and operation of the system did not interfere with the MRI machine, confirming its conditional compatibility with the 3T MRI.

A Polar Liquid Zwitterion Does Not Critically Destroy Cytochrome c at High Concentration: An Initial Comparative Study with a Polar Ionic Liquid

A polar carboxylate-type zwitterion with a small volume of water can dissolve cytochrome c without significant disruption, compared with the case of a popular polar carboxylate-type ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate. A change in the Soret, Q, and 615nm bands was not observed in the 80 wt-% polar zwitterion solution, whereas a shift in the Soret band, diminishing Q band, and appearance of the 615nm band was found in the 80 wt-% polar ionic liquid solution. It suggests that concentrated polar ionic liquid solutions critically disrupt the structure of cytochrome c, and the polar zwitterion solution used in this study was better than a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate solution in a high concentration range.

Response of a peat bog vegetation community to long‐term experimental addition of nitrogen

Abstract We report results from a long‐term experiment in which additional nitrogen has been deposited on a peat bog in central Scotland for over 14 years, in three different forms: as ammonia (NH3) gas, as ammonium () solution, or as nitrate () solution. The automated experiment was designed to apply nitrogen in such a way that mimics real‐world nitrogen deposition. Background nitrogen deposition at the site was 0.8 g N m−2 year−1). Observations of cover for 46 species were made. We analysed the change in six common species in relation to nitrogen dose and form. The responses differed among species and nitrogen forms, but five out of the six species declined, and NH3 produced the biggest change in cover per unit of nitrogen addition. The exception was the graminoid sedge Eriophorum vaginatum, which increased dramatically in the NH3 treatment. Multivariate analyses identified responses to nitrogen dose across treatments which were consistent with the univariate results. We surmised that the larger experimental response to nitrogen observed in the NH3 treatment (cf. the and treatments) was because of the higher nitrogen concentrations at the vegetation surface produced by dry deposition. and were sprayed in solution, but much of this will enter the peat porewater, and be further diluted. Because NH3 deposits directly to the leaf, it stays contained within the small volume of water on and in the leaf, producing a high internal concentration of nitrogen ions. Synthesis. Consistent trends with nitrogen were discernible across species. All species showed a decline with NH3 treatment, except for Eriophorum vaginatum which increased. In the absence of phosphorous and potassium (PK), all species declined with and , except for Calluna vulgaris and Hypnum jutlandicum. The effect of PK was not consistent across species. Per unit of nitrogen deposited, NH3 generally had a larger impact on vegetation composition than or . However, the actual deposition rate of NH3 on UK peat bogs is lower than the other forms. In the case of the most common species of the peat‐forming genus Sphagnum, we estimate that deposition has the largest impact, followed by and NH3.

14 Determination of small MLC-fields output correction factors for four commercial detectors used in clinical dosimetry using GATE/Geant4 Monte Carlo simulations

Introduction The aim of this work is to calculate detector-specific output correction factors using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation for small nominal multi-leaf collimator (MLC) photon beams, according to the recent TRS-483 protocol [1] , [2] . is determined for four commercially available PTW active detectors (T31016 and T31022 PinPoint 3D ion chambers, T60019 microDiamond and T60017 Ediode) used for small photon fields measurements. This study considers the 6WFF, 6FFF and 10FFF nominal beams of a Varian Truebeam STx linear accelerator. Methods The precise geometries and material compositions of the detectors are modeled in detail in the Geant4 applications for emission tomography (GATE) code using blueprints and data provided by PTW-Freiburg. The accelerator head was formerly modeled in GATE for nominal small MLC photon fields ranging from 0.5 x 0.5 cm2 to 3 x 3 cm2, providing phase-space files as input to this study. Absorbed dose scored over the active volumes of the detectors in water are compared to absorbed dose scored in a small reference water volume in the simulations. obtained by MC simulations are compared to those obtained by EBT3 Gafchromic films and the T60003 PTW diamond detector measurements, considered as benchmarks. Combination of simulated and experimental output ratios are also used to report for. Obtained MC values are then compared to data provided in the TRS-483. Results For the 6WFF, the absorbed dose scored in the detectors (T31016, T31022 and T60017) are in good agreement ( 2%) with the absorbed dose calculated in a small volume of water for the 1 x 1 cm2and 2 x 2 cm2 MLC openings. The resulting uncertainties for the simulations are estimated to be within 0.5% at all field sizes. A good agreement was also found with the EBT3 and diamond measurements, with a relative difference of 1% for field sizes greater than 0.5 x 0.5 cm2. In the worst case, for the 6WFF beam and 0.5 x 0.5 cm2 field size, the Ediode response differs from that of EBT3 by around 4%. The output ratio for field sizes smaller than 2 x 2 cm2 are overestimated by the T60017 diode and underestimated by the T31016 and T31022 ion chambers. This work shows an overall good agreement, within 1.5% relative difference with stated values in the TRS-483. Conclusions Simulations in GATE for the determination of demonstrate comparable results with values obtained with EBT3 film and T60003 diamond detector measurements. Results for the 6FFF and 10FFF and for the T60019 are ongoing.

Solvothermal synthesis of hydrophobic carbon dots in reversed micelles

Synthesis of hydrophobic luminescent carbon nanostructures in non-aqueous solution has been performed. The system consisted of hexane as nonpolar “oil” phase, nonionic polyoxyethylene (4) lauryl ether (Brij L4) as a surfactant, and either water or dextran sulfate aqueous solution as a polar phase. Carbon nanodots (CND) with a particle size of 5.0 ± 0.7 nm were formed by solvothermal treatment at 180 °C of two- (hexane–Brij L4) and three-component (hexane–Brij L4–aqua solutions) systems. It was found that CND with blue-green-yellow photoluminescence (PL) with linear dependence of emission peak position on excitation wavelength and stability of PL over at least 3 weeks were formed from Brij L4. We found that using small volume of water as the third component helps to reorganize Brij L4 molecules which results in CND PL intensity increase by a factor of 1.5 and quantum yield increase from 2.0 to 2.6% compared to CND from the two-component micellar system. Replacing water with dextran sulfate solution resulted in a lower quantum yield to 2.2%. Thus, addition of small amount of water clearly shows an effect of molecular level organization on properties of CND and results in enhanced quantum yield.

A Simulated Stomach Duodenum Model Predicting the Effect of Fluid Volume and Prandial Gastric Flow Patterns on Nifedipine Pharmacokinetics From Cosolvent-Based Capsules

Nifedipine is a Biopharmaceutics Classification System class II drug displaying large variability in absorption even when administered as immediate-release soft gelatin capsules of a cosolvent formulation. This in vitro study sought to understand the reasons behind variability in nifedipine absorption, how it can be minimized, and if it can be predicted using in vitro models. A dynamic in vitro simulated stomach duodenum model was used to explore drug concentration–time profiles of nifedipine soft gelatin capsules under conditions simulating how patients take their medicines. Specifically, the effect of prandial gastric emptying patterns and fluid volume administration (250 mL vs. 50 mL water) were investigated. Significant supersaturation of nifedipine was observed. While administration of large and small water volumes gave rise to a similar Cmax and area under the curve (AUC∞), the coefficient of variation in AUC was 4.8% and 49%, respectively, which can be attributed to differences in precipitation kinetics. Fasting and fed gastric emptying patterns also gave rise to a similar AUC; however, Cmax was significantly lower in the fed state. These trends are consistent with previously published in vivo results in healthy volunteers. The simulated stomach duodenum provides a good discriminative screening tool for predicting trends in drug concentration profiles of Biopharmaceutics Classification System class II drugs.

The possibility of application of agglomerate elastomers (EPP) as media for biological bed in aquaculture

The aim of the study was to determine the possibility of experimental media (agglomerate elastomers EPP) application as biological media bed, which serves the purpose of water purification in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). RAS enables mass-production of fish in small volume of water in a limited area. This involves the possibility of multiple usage of water during culture. However, for that purpose of maintaining proper physico-chemical parameters, water purification from products of metabolism, especially toxic nitrogen compounds, is required. One of the simplest and most effective ways to achieve it is combining application of two types of water filtration: mechanical and biological. It is needed to study new media for biological bed with proper filling is able to purify water from toxic nitrogen compounds.

Ultralow Sample Volume Cupric Sulfate Oxidation Method for the Analysis of Dissolved Lignin.

A novel cupric sulfate (CuSO4) oxidation method was developed to enable the analysis of dissolved lignin phenols in small volumes of open ocean seawater (<200 mL for deep ocean) or river water (<17 mL) samples. Dissolved lignin phenols were isolated by automated reversed-phase (octadecyl) extraction from seawater before oxidation, whereas for freshwater samples, oxidation was performed without prior extraction. Optimized reaction conditions using alkaline CuSO4 at 150 °C effectively limited losses of lignin phenols and suppressed side reactions at 5-100 μg of sample organic carbon. The method yielded up to ∼33% higher lignin phenol concentrations and 24-36% lower acid/aldehyde ratios of lignin phenols than existing CuO oxidation methods. The microscale design (200 μL reaction volume) resulted in extremely low blanks allowing accurate and precise quantification of lignin phenols. A comparison of silica-based octadecyl-bonded sorbents (C18) with copolymer-type sorbents (PPL) indicated that sorbent type affected concentrations and diagnostic ratios of dissolved lignin phenols. For robust intercomparability of measured lignin phenol concentrations and in consideration of method detection limits for quantification, a constant sample organic carbon content of ∼30 μg C and the addition of 150 μg ascorbic acid-C are recommended. Small sample volumes avoid time-consuming extraction steps in the field, and the simplified oxidation and sample processing procedures make the new method ideal for high-throughput analysis of dissolved lignin phenols in marine and freshwater environments.

Measurement of Magnetic Nanoparticles by Small HTS SQUID Array

We propose a method to investigate the brain activity of a small animal by measuring blood flow with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using a high-Tc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) array. For the preliminary study, we fabricated a three channel high-Tc SQUID array and demonstrated the detection of a small volume of water diluted MNPs in motion. Two detection methods were applied; one was dc field measurement and the other was dc with ac field measurement. In the latter case, a second harmonic response of the nonlinear M-H characteristics of MNPs was detected. In the dc magnetic field measurement, it was demonstrated that the signal from each SQUID magnetometer was dependent on its position and the movement of the MNP sample. The detectable minimum iron content was compared between the dc and dc with ac field measurement. As a result, it was found that the minimal detectable iron content by ac with dc measurement was 12.2 ng with an SNR of 2.3 and was 1/2 times smaller than that detected by the DC field measurement.

Laboratory testing of Beerkan infiltration experiments for assessing the role of soil sealing on water infiltration

Soil surface sealing is a major cause of decreased infiltration rates and increased surface runoff and erosion during a rainstorm. The objective of this paper is to quantify the effect of surface sealing on infiltration for 3 layered soils with different textures for the upper layer and investigate the capability of BEST procedure to catch the formation of the seal and related consequences on water infiltration. Rainfall experiments were carried out to induce the formation of the seal. Meanwhile, Beerkan infiltration runs were carried out pouring water at different distances from the soil surface (BEST-H versus BEST-L runs, with a High and Low water pouring heights, respectively) for the same type of layered soils. Then, we determined saturated soil hydraulic conductivity, Ks, values from rainfall simulation and Beerkan infiltration experiments. Rainfall simulations carried out on soil layers having different depths allowed to demonstrate that infiltration processes were mainly driven by the seal and that Ks estimates were representative of the seal. Mean Ks values, estimated for the late-phase, ranged from 13.9 to 26.2 mm h−1. Soil sealing induced an increase in soil bulk density by 38.7 to 42.1%, depending on the type of soil. Rainfall-deduced Ks data were used as target values and compared with those estimated by the Beerkan runs. BEST-H runs proved more appropriate than BEST-L runs, those last triggering no seal formation. The predictive potential of the three BEST algorithms (BEST-slope, BEST-intercept and BEST-steady) to yield a proper Ks estimate for the seal was also investigated. BEST-slope yielded negative Ks values in 87% of the cases for BEST-H runs. Positive values were obtained in 100% of the cases with BEST-steady and BEST-intercept. However, poorer fits were obtained with the latter algorithm. The comparison of Ks estimates with rainfall-deduced estimates allowed to identify BEST-steady algorithm with BEST-H run as the best combination. The method proposed in this study could be used to easily measure the seal's saturated hydraulic conductivity of an initially undisturbed bare soil directly impacted by water with minimal experimental efforts, using small volumes of water and easily transportable equipment.

A NEW MULTI-SPECTRAL THRESHOLD NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE WATER INDEX (MST-NDWI) WATER EXTRACTION METHOD – A CASE STUDY IN YANHE WATERSHED

Abstract. Accurate remote sensing water extraction is one of the primary tasks of watershed ecological environment study. Since the Yanhe water system has typical characteristics of a small water volume and narrow river channel, which leads to the difficulty for conventional water extraction methods such as Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). A new Multi-Spectral Threshold segmentation of the NDWI (MST-NDWI) water extraction method is proposed to achieve the accurate water extraction in Yanhe watershed. In the MST-NDWI method, the spectral characteristics of water bodies and typical backgrounds on the Landsat/TM images have been evaluated in Yanhe watershed. The multi-spectral thresholds (TM1, TM4, TM5) based on maximum-likelihood have been utilized before NDWI water extraction to realize segmentation for a division of built-up lands and small linear rivers. With the proposed method, a water map is extracted from the Landsat/TM images in 2010 in China. An accuracy assessment is conducted to compare the proposed method with the conventional water indexes such as NDWI, Modified NDWI (MNDWI), Enhanced Water Index (EWI), and Automated Water Extraction Index (AWEI). The result shows that the MST-NDWI method generates better water extraction accuracy in Yanhe watershed and can effectively diminish the confusing background objects compared to the conventional water indexes. The MST-NDWI method integrates NDWI and Multi-Spectral Threshold segmentation algorithms, with richer valuable information and remarkable results in accurate water extraction in Yanhe watershed.

Present-day monitoring underestimates the risk of exposure to pathogenic bacteria from cold water storage tanks.

Water-borne bacteria, found in cold water storage tanks, are causative agents for various human infections and diseases including Legionnaires’ disease. Consequently, regular microbiological monitoring of tank water is undertaken as part of the regulatory framework used to control pathogenic bacteria. A key assumption is that a small volume of water taken from under the ball valve (where there is easy access to the stored water) will be representative of the entire tank. To test the reliability of this measure, domestic water samples taken from different locations of selected tanks in London properties between November 2015 and July 2016 were analysed for TVCs, Pseudomonas and Legionella at an accredited laboratory, according to regulatory requirements. Out of ~6000 tanks surveyed, only 15 were selected based on the ability to take a water sample from the normal sampling hatch (located above the ball valve) and from the far end of the tank (usually requiring disassembly of the tank lid with risk of structural damage), and permission being granted by the site manager to undertake the additional investigation and sampling. Despite seasonal differences in water temperature, we found 100% compliance at the ball valve end. In contrast, 40% of the tanks exceeded the regulatory threshold for temperature at the far end of the tank in the summer months. Consequently, 20% of the tanks surveyed failed to trigger appropriate regulatory action based on microbiological analyses of the water sample taken under the ball valve compared to the far end sample using present-day standards. These data show that typical water samples collected for routine monitoring may often underestimate the microbiological status of the water entering the building, thereby increasing the risk of exposure to water bourne pathogens with potential public health implications. We propose that water storage tanks should be redesigned to allow access to the far end of tanks for routine monitoring purposes, and that water samples used to ascertain the regulatory compliance of stored water in tanks should be taken at the point at which water is abstracted for use in the building.

PM 7/21 (2) Ralstonia solanacearum, R. pseudosolanacearum and R. syzygii (Ralstonia solanacearum species complex)

Specific scopeThis Standard describes a diagnostic protocol for Ralstonia solanacearum, Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum and Ralstonia syzygii, i.e. phylotype/sequevar strain in the Ralstonia solanacearum Species Complex (RSSC).It should be used in conjunction with PM 7/76 Use of EPPO diagnostic protocols.Specific approval and amendmentApproved in 2003‐09. First revised in 2018‐02.

Determination of kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factors for ion chambers used in the calibration of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion model using EGSnrc and PENELOPE Monte Carlo codes.

To calculate the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factors for nine common ionization chamber types following the small fields dosimetry formalism for the calibration of the Leksell Gamma Knife® (LGK) PerfexionTM using Monte Carlo simulation. This study also provides the first independent comparison of EGSnrc and PENELOPE for the calculation of kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref correction factors and proposes a practical method to predict these factors based on chamber type, chamber orientation and phantom electron density. The ionization chambers are modeled using the EGSnrc and PENELOPE Monte Carlo codes based on the blueprints provided by the manufacturers. The chambers are placed in a half-sphere water phantom and five spherical phantoms made of liquid water, solid water, ABS, polystyrene, and PMMA, respectively. Dose averaged over the air cavity of the chambers and a small water volume are calculated using EGSnrc and PENELOPE Monte Carlo codes for both conventional and machine specific reference (msr) setups. Using the calculated dose ratio, the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factor is determined for all phantom materials and two possible orientations of chamber. The calculated kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factors are compared to a previous Monte Carlo study. A relationship between the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factor and the electron density of the phantom material is derived to predict the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factor for any phantom material type. Applying the calculated kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref factors to the measured dose rate of a recent round robin study improves consistency of reference dosimetry of the Leksell Gamma Knife® (LGK) PerfexionTM . Agreement within uncertainty is observed between kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values determined in this study and the previous PEGASOS/PENELOPE study in a liquid water phantom. The difference between kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values in parallel and perpendicular detector orientations is most significant for the PTW 31010 (1.8%) chamber. The percentage root-mean-square (%RMS) deviation between EGSnrc and PENELOPE calculated kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values for Exradin-A1SL, A14 and A14SL chambers studies in this work was found to be 0.4%. The kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values increase linearly with electron density of the phantom material for all chamber types mainly due to the linear dependency of photon energy fluence ratios on electron density. The average percentage difference between the calculated and predicted kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values using two methods is found to be 0.15% and 0.16%. Previously measured dose rates corrected with the kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values determined in this work leads to absorbed dose values consistent to within 0.8%. The calculated kQmsr,Q0fmsr,fref values in this work will enable users to apply the appropriate correction for their own specific phantom material only knowing the electron density of the phantom material.

Rolling performance of liquid marbles enhanced by optimizing particles as digital microfluidics actuators

This study investigated the use of liquid marbles to transport small volumes of water as digital microfluidics actuators by rolling the marbles down an inclined substrate. Hydrophobic magnetic particles were chosen as the encapsulating material because they are readily separated from the inner liquid using a magnet. The rolling angles at which the marbles on an inclined surface began to move, as well as the marble rolling characteristics, were assessed for various particle sizes and materials. Magnetic liquid marbles from 0.6 (0.1 μl) to 4.5 mm in diameter started rolling at small incline angles from 1.5 to 15° on Si and glass surfaces. It was revealed that the rolling angles and the rolling accelerations were highly influenced by the size of particles and the fine magnetic particles, approximately 10 μm in diameter, exhibited excellent rolling performances. Friction on rolling angle, rolling resistance, and rolling condition with slip of liquid marbles were also investigated in terms of particles and a design guideline on optimizing a particle size and an inclination angle (using fine particles and a small inclination angle) was presented. The excellent performance of the fine magnetic particles was related to high mobility of the particles which lowered the rolling resistance. The high mobility was probably derived from high cohesiveness of the particles based on observations of the structure of particles.

Icing temperature measurements of water on pyroelectric single crystals: Impact of experimental methods on the degree of supercooling

In our experiments, the icing temperature of small water volumes placed on different pyroelectric single crystals (SrxBa1−xNb2O6, LiNbO3, and LiTaO3) was determined using two measurement setups: (1) the sessile droplet and (2) ring system method. In the first method, a free-standing water droplet was exposed to several external factors in the air environment. This was found to lead to higher icing temperatures compared to the second method where the water was more isolated from external factors such as evaporation. In the second method, the material of the ring system was found to be an important factor determining the freezing temperature of the enclosed water. A recommendation for the application of both methods is given, their advantages and disadvantages depending on the purpose of measurement, and their reproducibility for practical applications. In addition to this, the correlation between pyroelectricity and icing temperature, with regard to several types of internal and external factors affecting water freezing, is also discussed in the paper.

Sensitive analysis of steroid estrogens and bisphenol a in small volumes of water using isotope-dilution ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

An isotope-dilution ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method combined with dansylation was established to sensitively quantify four steroid estrogens (estrone, 17α-estradiol, 17β-estradiol and 17α-ethynylestradiol) and bisphenol A in sewage influent and effluent. A simple hexane extraction was performed from a small volume (10 mL), followed by dansyl chloride derivatization and purification with a silica cartridge. The method effectively reduced the matrix effects in sample extract and permitted the selective and sensitive determination of target compounds from complicated matrices. The detection limits of the method for steroid estrogens were 0.20-0.90 ng L-1 in influent and 0.10-0.20 ng L-1 in effluent samples. For bisphenol A, the limits detection of the method were 20 and 0.80 for influent and effluent samples, respectively. Recoveries of 85%-96% were observed in all matrices. The method was applied to analyze residual estrogens and bisphenol A in sewage influent and effluent samples from Beijing, China. The concentrations of bisphenol A (636-1200 ng L-1) were up to 250 times higher than those of steroid estrogens. Estrone was the dominant estrogen in influent and effluent samples, while similar concentrations of 17α-estradiol and 17β-estradiol were detected in all samples.

Fabricating 3D printed orally disintegrating printlets using selective laser sintering

Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology employed to manufacture plastic, metallic or ceramic objects. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of using SLS to fabricate novel solid dosage forms with accelerated drug release properties, and with a view to create orally disintegrating formulations. Two polymers (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC E5) and vinylpyrrolidone-vinyl acetate copolymer (Kollidon® VA 64)) were separately mixed with 5% paracetamol (used as a model drug) and 3% Candurin® Gold Sheen colorant; the powder mixes were subjected to SLS printing, resulting in the manufacture of printlets (3DP tablets). Modulating the SLS printing parameters altered the release characteristics of the printlets, with faster laser scanning speeds accelerating drug release from the HPMC formulations. The same trend was observed for the Kollidon® based printlets. At a laser scanning speed of 300 mm/s, the Kollidon® printlets exhibited orally disintegrating characteristics by completely dispersing in <4 s in a small volume of water. X-ray micro-CT analysis of these printlets indicated a reduction in their density and an increase in open porosity, therefore, confirming the unique disintegration behaviour of these formulations. The work reported here is the first to demonstrate the feasibility of SLS 3DP to fabricate printlets with accelerated drug release and orally disintegrating properties. This investigation has confirmed that SLS is amenable to the pharmaceutical research of modern medicine manufacture.

Precise Measurement of the Hydrogen Isotope Composition of Phyllosilicates by Continuous Flow Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy.

New methodology is presented for analyzing hydrogen isotope ratios (D/H) in phyllosilicate minerals by laser absorption spectroscopy. D/H measurements were carried out using an off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) instrument operated in a continuous flow configuration. Water was extracted from minerals in a high temperature quartz column and advanced to the analyzer in a dry air carrier gas stream. We report the first D/H measurements by a laser system for serpentine, muscovite, sericite, talc, and biotite. We also measure kaolinite, gypsum, and small volumes of water. Materials, excluding biotite, were calibrated to within 1.5‰ of IRMS-measured δDVSMOW values, with an average precision of 1.1‰. Biotite δD measurements were up to 10‰ more positive than established IRMS values, due to partial reduction of evolved waters by Fe in the high temperature column. We provide recommendations for overcoming redox interference for measurements of biotite, and other ferrous materials, by OA-ICOS. Rapid, precise, and accurate analyses were carried out on water volumes as low as 0.25 μL extracted from minerals. With the exception of talc, the time required for thermal dewatering and measurement is 140 s, which translates into a throughput of up to 6 mineral samples per hour, including replicates. By demonstrating high precision, rapid throughput, low cost, and ease of operation, we provide a tool that should enable researchers at institutions with limited funding to routinely measure D/H in hydrous minerals. The protocols presented herein should also be useful to commercial users seeking to produce high density isotope data sets relevant to exploration of hydrothermal ore deposits and geothermal fields.