Two combination dry powder inhalation formulations were engineered via spray drying and co-spray drying salbutamol base (SB) and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP). The aerosol performances of the individual drugs, a physical mix and the co-spray-dried particle systems were investigated after blending with conventional lactose carrier, under realistic dose regimes. Furthermore, each system was evaluated in terms of the physicochemical properties and via high-throughput Raman microscopy (to study co-association and deposition patterns after in vitro aerosolisation studies). In general, analysis of the aerosol performance (measured using a next-generation impactor) of the single drug and physical mix formulations suggested that SB and BDP have significantly different stage-deposition profiles. Such observations were further substantiated by scanning electron microscopy, where SB-BDP agglomeration could be observed in the physical mix. Stage deposition from the SB-BDP co-spray-dried powders were different than that for the physical mix, wherein the amount of SB and BDP on each stage was equivalent; suggesting that the two drugs could be targeted and deposited at the same location on the lung epithelia. Raman microscopy of the physical mix and co-spray-dried formulations also confirmed the differences in stage deposition between formulations and co-localised deposition for the co-spray-dried formulation.
Department of Public and Occupational Health, Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, The Netherlands.
Background: To facilitate the maintenance or resumption of participation in work for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), there is a need for high-quality work-focused healthcare. According to the concept of value-based healthcare, quality of care can be enhanced by understanding the outcomes that matter most to patients. However, a major challenge in assessing quality of work-focused healthcare in practice is the lack of consensus on which work-related outcomes should be measured.
We study a simple model of swarmalators subject to periodic forcing and confined to moving around a one-dimensional ring. This is a toy model for physical systems with a mix of sync, swarming, and forcing, such as colloidal micromotors. We find rich behavior: pinned states where the swarmalators are locked to the driving, sync states where their phases are either identical or have fixed differences, and unsteady states, such as swarmalator chimera where the population splits into two sync dots enclosed by a "train" of swarmalators that run around a peanut-shaped loop.
Road infrastructure sustainability and pavement performance may be increased by using waste materials like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene waste (PE waste) in polymer-modified asphalt mixtures. As seen by a more pronounced rise in the softening point, which exceeds 110 °C with 8% PE waste, PET was found to improve the tensile strength, resistance to cracking, and thermal stability of asphalt mixes. PE waste also increases ductility up to 4% PE waste, beyond which the combination becomes more brittle, and dramatically decreases penetration, strengthening the asphalt's resistance to deformation.
Background: There are currently 2.5 million people economically inactive in the UK due to sickness. The government is considering a range of new initiatives to bring them back into the workforce; however, a lack of occupational health (OH) professionals, who play an important part in the recovery of physical and mental conditions that would otherwise inhibit employees from working, is hindering these efforts.
Purpose: This study examined the augmented reality (AR) application in design evaluations through an immersive experience of medical task simulations in combination with a full-scale physical mock-up of a trauma room.
Background: Augmented reality technology is emerging in various fields including architectural design. Traditionally, building physical mock-ups has been the most effective tool to involve end-users in design evaluations.
