To investigate the influence of machine operating variables on formulations derived from lactose types in capsule filling: part 2.

This study is the second in a series that examines the characterizing and selection of suitable grades of lactose for capsule formulation development. Based upon the previous study, four grades were selected for further study. The effects of drug load and operational variables on formulations derived from these four lactose types were evaluated for physicochemical and mechanical attributes of plugs and their capsules on an instrumented dosing-disc capsule filling machine (H&H KFM/3) using acetaminophen as a model, highly soluble and poorly compressible drug.

Characterization and selection of suitable grades of lactose as functional fillers for capsule filling: part 1.

The purpose of this work is to characterize thermal, physical and mechanical properties of different grades of lactose and better understand the relationships between these properties and capsule filling performance. Eight grades of commercially available lactose were evaluated: Pharmatose 110 M, 125 M, 150 M, 200 M, 350 M (α-lactose monohydrate), AL (anhydrous lactose containing ∼80% β-AL), DCL11 (spray dried α-lactose monohydrate containing ∼15% amorphous lactose) and DCL15 (granulated α-lactose monohydrate containing ∼12% β-AL). In this study, different lactose grades were characterized by thermal, solid state, physical and mechanical properties and later evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) to assess the inter-relationships among some of these properties.

Flow diversion treatment: intra-aneurismal blood flow velocity and WSS reduction are parameters to predict aneurysm thrombosis.

Background: To evaluate the haemodynamic changes induced by flow diversion treatment in cerebral aneurysms, resulting in thrombosis or persisting aneurysm patency over time.

Method: Eight patients with aneurysms at the para-ophthalmic segment of the internal carotid artery were treated by flow diversion only. The clinical follow-up ranged between 6 days and 12 months.

Application of a novel automatic disintegration apparatus for the development and evaluation of a direct compression rapidly disintegrating tablet.

An automatic disintegration tester was developed and used to explore disintegration mechanism and times of rapidly disintegrating tablets. DT50, the time required for a tablet to decrease in its thickness by half, allowed an unbiased determination of disintegration time. Calcium silicate concentration, Explotab® concentration, DiPac®/Xylitab® ratio as fillers, and compression pressure were evaluated using a central composite model design analysis for their DT50, tensile strength, and friability.

Intracranial stents being modeled as a porous medium: flow simulation in stented cerebral aneurysms.

Intracranial aneurysms may be treated by flow diverters, alternatively to stents and coils combination. Numerical simulation allows the assessment of the complex nature of aneurismal flow. Endovascular devices present a rather dense and fine strut network, increasing the complexity of the meshing.