Measuring absorbed energy in the human auditory system using finite element models: A comparison with experimental results.

Background: There are different ways to analyze energy absorbance (EA) in the human auditory system. In previous research, we developed a complete finite element model (FEM) of the human auditory system.

Objective: In this current work, the external auditory canal (EAC), middle ear, and inner ear (spiral cochlea, vestibule, and semi-circular canals) were modelled based on human temporal bone histological sections.

Microhardness and Microstructure Analysis of the LPBF Additively Manufactured 18Ni300.

This research focuses on analysing the 18Ni300 maraging steel produced through laser powder bed fusion. Specifically, it aims to examine the phase components using X-ray diffraction, the microstructure through scanning electron microscopy, and the hardness of the different structures present in the manufactured material. The primary goal is to meticulously analyse the material and its microstructures.

Tomography of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Maraging Steel.

The presence of defects in additive manufactured maraging steel is a widespread problem as its dependence on processing parameters significantly influences it. Using X-ray computed tomography, along with optical microscope data limited to 2D images, quantifies the internal porosity present on a compact tension sample typically employed in fatigue testing. The primary goal of this research is to analyse the pores obtained after the fabrication of a compact tension sample and their main definition parameters, such as sphericity, aspect ratio, surface, and volume, and obtain validation of which method is valid for each of the parameters analysed.

Influence of Porosity on Fatigue Behaviour of 18Ni300 Steel SLM CT Specimens at Various Angles.

In order to improve understanding of the fatigue behaviour in additive manufactured samples, this research delves into the challenging interplay between building parameters, particularly fabrication angles, and the presence of pores. The primary objective is to explore the characterisation of these pores and unravel their relationship with the fatigue properties of the material under investigation. Through a systematic analysis of porosity distribution in various fabrication orientations, supplemented by a detailed examination of the elemental dispersion around specific porous structures using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, a consistent behavioural pattern emerges across the samples.

A Literature Review of Incorporating Crack Tip Plasticity into Fatigue Crack Growth Models.

This paper presents an extensive literature review focusing on the utilisation of crack tip plasticity as a crucial parameter in determining and enhancing crack growth models. The review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of various methodologies, predominantly emphasising numerical simulations of crack growth models while also considering analytical approaches. Although experimental investigations are not the focus of this review, their relevance and interplay with numerical and analytical methods are acknowledged.

Scratching the structure of moral agency: insights from philosophy applied to neuroscience.

This paper explores the intersection between neuroscience and philosophy, particularly in the areas of moral philosophy and philosophy of mind. While traditional philosophical questions, such as those relating to free will and moral motivation, have been subject to much debate, the rise of neuroscience has led to a reinterpretation of these questions considering empirical evidence. This has led to tensions between those who believe neuroscience can provide definitive answers to very complex philosophical questions and those who are skeptical about the scope of these studies.

Antioxidant Efficacy and "In Vivo" Safety of a Bentonite/Vitamin C Hybrid.

L-ascorbic acid (LAA), commonly known as vitamin C, is an excellent and recognized antioxidant molecule used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. Several strategies have been developed in order to preserve its chemical stability, connected with its antioxidant power, but there is little research regarding the employment of natural clays as LAA host. A safe bentonite (Bent)-which was verified by in vivo ophthalmic irritability and acute dermal toxicity assays-was used as carrier of LAA.

Analysis of midwives' situation and the need to measure their workloads.

Objective: to analyze midwives' employment situation of midwives and detect their workload measurement needs.

Methods: a mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative), observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. Two phases were carried out.

Hybrid Lipid/Clay Carrier Systems Containing Annatto Oil for Topical Formulations.

Nanocomposites formed by clay and lipid carriers (NLCs) show a high potential for providing controlled release and specific delivery of bioactive molecules and have recently gained attention in the pharmaceutical sector due to their ability to transport hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. Recent studies have recognized the biological activity of the oil of Bixa orellana L. (AO) with regards to its healing, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-leishmanial properties.

Correlation between Elemental Composition/Mobility and Skin Cell Proliferation of Fibrous Nanoclay/Spring Water Hydrogels.

Inorganic hydrogels formulated with spring waters and clay minerals are used to treat musculoskeletal disorders and skin affections. Their underlying mechanism of action for skin disorders is not clear, although it is usually ascribed to the chemical composition of the formulation. The aim of this study was to assess the composition and in vitro release of elements with potential wound healing effects from hydrogels prepared with two nanoclays and natural spring water.

Safety of Nanoclay/Spring Water Hydrogels: Assessment and Mobility of Hazardous Elements.

The presence of impurities in medicinal products have to be controlled within safety limits from a pharmaceutical quality perspective. This matter is of special significance for those countries and regions where the directives, guidelines, or legislations, which prescribe the rules for the application of some products is quite selective or incomplete. Clay-based hydrogels are quite an example of this matter since they are topically administered, but, in some regions, they are not subjected to well-defined legal regulations.

Wound Healing Activity of Nanoclay/Spring Water Hydrogels.

Background: hydrogels prepared with natural inorganic excipients and spring waters are commonly used in medical hydrology. Design of these clay-based formulations continues to be a field scarcely addressed. Safety and wound healing properties of different fibrous nanoclay/spring water hydrogels were addressed.

Ground Calcium Carbonate as a Low Cost and Biosafety Excipient for Solubility and Dissolution Improvement of Praziquantel.

Calcium carbonate is an abundant mineral with several advantages to be a successful carrier to improve oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, such as praziquantel. Praziquantel is an antiparasitic drug classified in group II of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System hence characterized by high-permeability and low-solubility. Therefore, the dissolution rate is the limiting factor for the gastrointestinal absorption that contributes to the low bioavailability.

Montmorillonite-norfloxacin nanocomposite intended for healing of infected wounds.

Chronic cutaneous wounds represent a major issue in medical care and are often prone to infections. The aim of this study was the design of a clay mineral-drug nanocomposite based on montmorillonite and norfloxacin (NF, antimicrobial drug) as a powder for cutaneous application, to enhance wound healing in infected skin lesions. The nanocomposite has been prepared by means of an intercalation solution procedure.

Halloysite nanotubes as tools to improve the actual challenge of fixed doses combinations in tuberculosis treatment.

Halloysite nanotubes (HLNTs) were used as nanocarriers of the tuberculostatic agent isoniazid (INH), a BCS (Biopharmaceutics Classification System) class III drug. Self-assembling nanohybrids (INH-loaded HLNTs) with an average outer diameter of 90 nm and polydispersity index of 0.7 approximately, were obtained by spontaneous adsorption of INH molecules to HLNTs powder in aqueous medium.

Conformational polymorphic changes in the crystal structure of the chiral antiparasitic drug praziquantel and interactions with calcium carbonate.

Praziquantel is an antiparasitic drug used for decades. Currently, the praziquantel commercial preparation is a racemic mixture, in which only the levo-enantiomer possesses anthelmintic activity. The knowledge of its properties in the solid state and other chemical-physical properties is necessary for improving its efficacy and applications.

Advanced Inorganic Nanosystems for Skin Drug Delivery.

On/into/through the skin drug delivery represents an attractive alternative for the oral route, providing local and/or systemic drug delivery. Due to its complex and well-organised structure, most of the drugs show difficulties to penetrate the human skin. Therefore, enormous efforts have been invested to develop intelligent drug delivery systems overcoming the skin barrier with particular emphasis on increasing therapeutic activity and minimizing undesirable side-effects.

Assessment of halloysite nanotubes as vehicles of isoniazid.

Equilibrium and thermodynamic aspects of the adsorption of isoniazid (INH) onto halloysite nanotubes (HLNTs) and characteristics of the resultant drug/nanocarrier systems are investigated. Equilibrium studies were performed in aqueous medium at different times, temperatures and drug concentrations. The overall adsorption process was explained as the result of two simple processes: adsorption on the activated sites of HLNTs and precipitation of INH on HLNTs surface.

Concepts and measures of patient empowerment: a comprehensive review.

Objective: Analyze the definitions and dimensions of empowerment. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of empowerment measures based on the conceptual model.

Method: This was a comprehensive literature review of publications on the MEDLINE and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases.

Folk pharmaceutical formulations in western Mediterranean: identification and safety of clays used in pelotherapy.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Clays are naturally occurring ingredients of many natural health products, being included in most of ancient Mediterranean/European medical texts and currently used to prepare therapeutic hot-muds (peloids) in several thermal stations of the Mediterranean region. Clays are included in the formulation of peloids as vehicles of the mineral-medicinal water, to obtain inorganic gels with rheological and thermal properties suitable to be topically applied. Knowledge about formulations and preparation procedures of these traditional medicines has been orally transmitted since ancient times.

Montmorillonite-chitosan-silver sulfadiazine nanocomposites for topical treatment of chronic skin lesions: in vitro biocompatibility, antibacterial efficacy and gap closure cell motility properties.

Silver compounds and especially silver sulfadiazine (AgSD) are reported as effective antimicrobial agents against almost all known bacteria, fungi and some viruses. However, AgSD has been shown to be cytotoxic toward fibroblasts and keratinocytes in vitro and consequently to retard wound healing in vivo. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the in vitro biocompatibility (cytotoxicity and proliferation), antimicrobial efficacy and cell motility gap closure (assay of wound closure) of MT/CS nanocomposites loaded with silver sulfadiazine (AgSD).

Intestinal permeability of oxytetracycline from chitosan-montmorillonite nanocomposites.

A nanocomposite based on chitosan and montmorillonite was developed as carrier to improve oral bioavailability of oxytetracycline. The nanocomposite was prepared by simple solid-liquid interaction and loaded with the drug. The loaded nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis, FTIR spectroscopy and zeta potential.

Solid state characterisation of silver sulfadiazine loaded on montmorillonite/chitosan nanocomposite for wound healing.

Biopolymer chitosan/montmorillonite nanocomposites loaded with silver sulfadiazine for wound healing purposes were prepared via intercalation solution technique. Structure and morphology of loaded nanocomposites were studied and compared with pure components and unloaded nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersion X-ray analysis, thermal and elemental analysis were employed for the characterisation.

Networking and rheology of concentrated clay suspensions "matured" in mineral medicinal water.

This work studied the influence of "maturation" conditions (time and agitation) on aggregation states, gel structure and rheological behaviour of a special kind of pharmaceutical semisolid products made of concentrated clay suspensions in mineral medicinal water. Maturation of the samples was carried out in distilled and sulphated mineral medicinal water, both in static conditions (without agitation) and with manual stirring once a week, during a maximum period of three months. At the measured pH interval (7.