Sample records for accutane isotretinoin capsules

  1. Affective psychosis following Accutane (isotretinoin) treatment.

    PubMed

    Barak, Yoram; Wohl, Yonit; Greenberg, Yifa; Bar Dayan, Yosefa; Friedman, Tali; Shoval, Gideon; Knobler, Haim Y

    2005-01-01

    Isotretinoin (Accutane) ranks in the top 10 of the US Food and Drug Administration's database of drugs associated with reports of depression and suicide attempts. However, this association is still controversial because up to 5.6% of patients with moderate acne may have pre-existing suicidal ideations, improvement of acne often reduces associated depression, and isotretinoin users are reportedly no more likely than those taking antibiotics for acne to have depression or commit suicide. We describe a series of cases of manic psychosis that developed in a 1-year period (2003) in association with isotretinoin treatment and resulted in suicidality and progression to long-standing psychosis. Cases were drawn from 500 soldiers who had been evaluated in a military specialists dermatology clinic for severe acne. Data were summarized from medical records of five severe acne patients treated by isotretinion during their compulsory military service. Data from their draft board examinations and service records, as well as repeated clinical assessments by certified psychiatrists at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Mental Health Department clinic, were evaluated. Five young adults developed manic psychosis within a mean of 7.6 months of exposure to isotretinoin. In three cases, this was accompanied by a suicide attempt, and in three cases, psychosis lasted for longer than 6 months. Either a personal history of obsessive-compulsive disorder, neurological insult or family history of a major psychiatric illness were present in all cases. The present case-series is suggestive of an increase in the likelihood of an association between exposure to isotretinion and manic psychosis. Associated risk factors were both family and personal history of psychiatric morbidity. Further studies are needed to establish our findings.

  2. Isotretinoin (Accutane) and Pregnancy

    MedlinePlus

    ... about all your breastfeeding questions. What about topical tretinoin? Topical tretinoin (Retin-A® and other brand names) is used ... skin to treat acne and other skin problems. Tretinoin is related to Vitamin A and isotretinoin. For ...

  3. Recalcitrant Nodulocystic Acne in Black Americans: Treatment With Isotretinoin

    PubMed Central

    Kelly, A. Paul; Sampson, Darlene D.

    1987-01-01

    The beneficial effects of isotretinoin (Accutane) on severe nodulocystic acne and significant clinical improvement with prolonged remission are well documented in the literature; however, the subjects in these clinical studies are invariably white. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the response of black patients with recalcitrant nodulocystic acne to isotretinoin treatment. Ten black patients, ranging in age from 17 to 34 years, were treated for nodulocystic acne with 1 mg/kg/d of isotretinoin for 20 weeks and followed for an additional six months. Of the ten patients, eight adhered to the treatment regimen and were still in remission six months after completion of isotretinoin therapy. The differences and similarities seen between black patients and white patients with nodulocystic acne are discussed. ImagesFigure 1Figure 2Figure 3 PMID:2963137

  4. A practical approach for the use of oral isotretinoin for infantile acne.

    PubMed

    Barnes, Cheryl J; Eichenfield, Lawrence F; Lee, Jungho; Cunningham, Bari B

    2005-01-01

    Infantile acne is a rare occurrence. It is more common in boys and predominately occurs on the cheeks in infants between the ages of 1 and 16 months. Clinically, the lesions range from comedones to inflammatory papulopustules to cysts. Successful therapies include topical tretinoin, benzoyl peroxide and topical and oral erythromycin. For more serious cases, oral isotretinoin (Accutane) has been reported to successfully treat recalcitrant infantile cystic acne. We describe two additional patients with infantile cystic acne treated successfully with oral isotretinoin. The dose of isotretinoin used ranged from 0.2 mg/kg/day to 1.5 mg/kg/day. The treatment duration varied from 5 to 14 months. Careful monthly monitoring is recommended because of the many side effects reported with isotretinoin. Practical tips for the administration of oral isotretinoin in infants are reviewed.

  5. Use of isotretinoin (Accutane) in the United States: rapid increase from 1992 through 2000.

    PubMed

    Wysowski, Diane K; Swann, Joslyn; Vega, Amarilys

    2002-04-01

    Isotretinoin, a drug approved to treat severe recalcitrant nodular acne, has been marketed in the United States since 1982. The drug is an effective treatment for acne that is refractory to other therapies, but it is a teratogen and can cause serious side effects. Our purpose was to describe trends in the use of isotretinoin in the United States from marketing through year 2000 and summarize characteristics of patients and prescribers. Data from 2 pharmaceutical marketing research databases, the National Prescription Audit Plus and the National Disease and Therapeutic Index, and from 2 health plan networks were obtained and analyzed. Retail pharmacies dispensed 19.8 million outpatient prescriptions for isotretinoin from marketing in 1982 through 2000. From 1983 through 1993, the median annual number of prescriptions was just over 800,000; between 1992 and 2000, the number of prescriptions increased 2.5-fold (250%) to nearly 2 million in year 2000. The increases registered in the health plans were somewhat larger: about 275% increases from 1995 through 1999. There is no ICD-9 code for nodulocystic acne; consequently, the type of acne treated with isotretinoin is not determinable from these data. However, between 1993 and 2000, the proportion of isotretinoin treatment for severe acne declined from 63% to 46%, whereas the proportion of treatment for mild and moderate acne increased from 31% to 49%. Data also indicated that the sex distribution of patients was nearly even, and that 63% of male patients prescribed isotretinoin were 15 to 19 years old, whereas 51% of female patients were 15 to 24 years old. In the last 8 years, there has been a 2.5-fold (250%) increase in the number of dispensed prescriptions for isotretinoin in the United States. Data also reveal an increasing proportion of isotretinoin use for mild and moderate acne.

  6. Isotretinoin Oil-Based Capsule Formulation Optimization

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Pi-Ju; Huang, Chi-Te; Lee, Chen-Chou; Li, Chi-Lin; Huang, Yaw-Bin; Tsai, Yi-Hung; Wu, Pao-Chu

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop and optimize an isotretinoin oil-based capsule with specific dissolution pattern. A three-factor-constrained mixture design was used to prepare the systemic model formulations. The independent factors were the components of oil-based capsule including beeswax (X 1), hydrogenated coconut oil (X 2), and soybean oil (X 3). The drug release percentages at 10, 30, 60, and 90 min were selected as responses. The effect of formulation factors including that on responses was inspected by using response surface methodology (RSM). Multiple-response optimization was performed to search for the appropriate formulation with specific release pattern. It was found that the interaction effect of these formulation factors (X 1 X 2, X 1 X 3, and X 2 X 3) showed more potential influence than that of the main factors (X 1, X 2, and X 3). An optimal predicted formulation with Y 10 min, Y 30 min, Y 60 min, and Y 90 min release values of 12.3%, 36.7%, 73.6%, and 92.7% at X 1, X 2, and X 3 of 5.75, 15.37, and 78.88, respectively, was developed. The new formulation was prepared and performed by the dissolution test. The similarity factor f 2 was 54.8, indicating that the dissolution pattern of the new optimized formulation showed equivalence to the predicted profile. PMID:24068886

  7. A randomized trial of the efficacy of a new micronized formulation versus a standard formulation of isotretinoin in patients with severe recalcitrant nodular acne.

    PubMed

    Strauss, J S; Leyden, J J; Lucky, A W; Lookingbill, D P; Drake, L A; Hanifin, J M; Lowe, N J; Jones, T M; Stewart, D M; Jarratt, M T; Katz, I; Pariser, D M; Pariser, R J; Tschen, E; Chalker, D K; Rafal, E S; Savin, R P; Roth, H L; Chang, L K; Baginski, D J; Kempers, S; McLane, J; Eberhardt, D; Leach, E E; Bryce, G; Hong, J

    2001-08-01

    Isotretinoin is very frequently the drug of choice for the management of severe recalcitrant nodular acne. Recently, a new micronized and more bioavailable formulation of isotretinoin has been developed that permits once-daily administration in lower doses than usually used with standard isotretinoin (Accutane), regardless of whether it is taken with or without food. Our purpose was to determine whether micronized isotretinoin and standard isotretinoin are clinically equivalent. In this multicenter, double-blind, double-dummy study, 600 patients with severe recalcitrant nodular acne were treated with either 0.4 mg/kg of micronized isotretinoin once daily without food (n = 300) or 1.0 mg/kg per day of standard isotretinoin in two divided doses with food (n = 300). Lesion counts were monitored over 20 weeks. Both treatment groups in this well-controlled clinical trial experienced an equivalent reduction in the number of total nodules (facial plus truncal). In addition, an equivalent proportion of patients achieved 90% clearance of the total number of nodules. Both formulations had similar results for other efficacy variables. Once-daily use of the micronized and more bioavailable formulation of isotretinoin under fasted conditions is clinically equivalent to the standard twice-daily formulation under fed conditions in the treatment of severe recalcitrant nodular acne.

  8. Isotretinoin: the ups are just as troubling as the downs.

    PubMed

    Truitt, Jay M; Reichenberg, Jason S; Sharghi, Kevin G; Sampson, Shirlene M; Roenigk, Randall K; Magid, Michelle

    2018-08-01

    Isotretinoin, previously marketed as Accutane®, is an oral retinoid medication that is used to treat acne and other cutaneous disorders. Although the data is conflicting, previous reports suggest a causal relationship between isotretinoin and depression. When reviewing these previous reports, many patients who were diagnosed as "depressed" did not undergo a thorough psychiatric evaluation and/or were not diagnosed according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). These patients reported agitation, irritability, sleep disturbances, and aggression. We hypothesize that some patients previously reported as "depressed" may have been "misdiagnosed" and were actually experiencing symptoms of mania, mixed mood (depression and mania at the same time), or psychosis. An Ovid Medline and PubMed literature search of English language articles was performed using the keywords "isotretinoin", "retinoids", "mood", "psychiatric", "depression", "elevation", "bipolar", and "psychosis". Eleven case reports, three case series, three retrospective chart reviews, five drug registries, and two prospective studies were reviewed. We found that many of the patients labeled as "depressed", had signs of activation, agitation, elevated mood, and psychosis. We believe that many of these patients were most likely having manic or mixed mood episodes. These symptoms appeared to be more prevalent in patients with a personal or family history of mental illness. Isotretinoin may cause mood instability in both directions - depression and mania - especially in a predisposed population. With this in mind, we urge clinicians prescribing isotretinoin to focus on all psychiatric symptoms (not just depression) including mania, mixed mood, and psychosis, paying particular attention to individuals who have a personal or family history of psychiatric disease.

  9. Food increases the bioavailability of isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Colburn, W A; Gibson, D M; Wiens, R E; Hanigan, J J

    1983-01-01

    Twenty healthy male subjects received 80 mg (2 X 40 mg SEG capsules) oral isotretinoin separated by two-week washout periods in an open randomized crossover design. Isotretinoin was administered during a complete fast, 1 hour after a standard breakfast, with a standard breakfast, or 1 hour before a standard breakfast. Blood samples were obtained at specific times over a 72-hour period. Isotretinoin blood concentrations were determined by a specific HPLC method. The relative bioavailability (AUC) of isotretinoin was found to be approximately 1.5 to 2 times greater when the dose was administered 1 hour before, concomitantly with, or 1 hour after a meal than when it was given during a complete fast. In addition, because the Cmax value is lower when the dose is administered with food rather than 1 hour after a meal, coadministration of isotretinoin with food may be the best method of administration.

  10. Pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin during repetitive dosing to patients.

    PubMed

    Brazzell, R K; Vane, F M; Ehmann, C W; Colburn, W A

    1983-01-01

    The multiple dose pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and its major blood metabolite, 4-oxo-isotretinoin, were studied in 10 patients with cystic acne and 11 patients with various keratinization disorders. Blood samples were obtained at predetermined times following the first dose, interim doses and the final dose. Blood concentrations of isotretinoin and 4-oxo-isotretinoin were measured by a specific and sensitive HPLC method. A lag time was usually observed prior to the onset of absorption following oral administration of the drug in a soft elastic gelatin capsule. Absorption then proceeded rapidly and maximum blood concentrations usually occurred within 4 h of drug administration. The harmonic mean half-life for the elimination of isotretinoin by the cystic acne patients was approximately 10 h after the initial dose and did not change significantly following 25 days of 40 mg b.i.d. dosing. Steady-state blood concentrations remained relatively constant after the fifth day of dosing. The harmonic mean elimination half-life in the patients with various disorders of keratinization was about 16 h. The results of the 2 studies suggest that no significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin occur during multiple dosing and that the multiple dose pharmacokinetic profile is predictable and can be described using a linear pharmacokinetic model. This suggests that the steady-state concentrations of isotretinoin can be predicted from single dose data.

  11. Development of a gas chromatography method for the determination of isotretinoin and its degradation products in pharmaceuticals.

    PubMed

    Lima, Eliana Martins; Diniz, Danielle G Almeida; Antoniosi-Filho, Nelson R

    2005-07-15

    This paper describes the development of a gas chromatography (GC) method used for the assay of isotretinoin in its isolated form and in pharmaceutical formulations. Isotretinoin soft and hard gelatin capsules were prepared with various excipients. The performance of the proposed gas chromatography method was compared to that of traditional high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems for this substance, and the GC parameters were established based on several preliminary tests, including thermal analysis of isotretinoin. Results showed that gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) exhibited a separation efficiency superior to that of HPLC, particularly for separating isotretinoin degradation products. This method was proven to be effectively applicable to stability evaluation assays of isotretinoin and isotretinoin based pharmaceuticals.

  12. Isotretinoin kinetics after 80 to 320 mg oral doses.

    PubMed

    Colburn, W A; Gibson, D M

    1985-04-01

    Twelve healthy male subjects received 80, 160, 240, and 320 mg doses of oral isotretinoin as multiples of 40 mg capsules separated by 2-week washout periods in a randomized, crossover design. Blood samples were drawn at specific times over a 72-hour period after dosing. Blood concentrations of isotretinoin as well as its major metabolite, 4-oxo-isotretinoin, were determined by a specific HPLC method. In addition to the normal laboratory battery of tests, serum triglyceride levels were determined before the first dose and again 72 hours after each of the four doses. Mean (+/- SD) maximum concentrations after 80 to 320 mg doses were 366 +/- 159, 820 +/- 474, 1056 +/- 547, and 981 +/- 381 ng/ml, whereas the respective AUC0-infinity values were 3690 +/- 1280, 7030 +/- 4140, 9780 +/- 6080, and 9040 +/- 2900 ng X hr/ml. The observed apparent elimination t1/2 remained approximately the same (14.7 hours) for each dose. The maximum concentration and AUC values for isotretinoin appear to be dose proportional from 80 to 240 mg but plateau at the 320 mg dose level. Therefore, because isotretinoin blood concentrations may not increase with higher doses in the fasting state, single, oral doses in excess of 240 mg should be used with caution. The data also suggest that elevated triglyceride levels are not a simple function of isotretinoin blood concentrations across the entire study population and dose range studied, but that in subjects with triglyceride levels in excess of the normal range triglyceride levels were positively related to isotretinoin blood concentrations.

  13. Metabolism of isotretinoin. Biliary excretion of isotretinoin glucuronide in the rat.

    PubMed

    Meloche, S; Besner, J G

    1986-01-01

    The biliary metabolites of isotretinoin were examined after iv administration of 4-20-mg/kg doses to vitamin A-normal bile duct-cannulated rats. Analysis of bile by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography showed that injection of isotretinoin is followed by a rapid excretion of metabolites in bile. Isotretinoin glucuronide was identified as the major metabolite in bile. A specific high performance liquid chromatography method based on the assay of generated isotretinoin in beta-glucuronidase-treated bile was developed for the determination of isotretinoin glucuronide in bile samples. The excretion rate of isotretinoin glucuronide increased rapidly to reach a maximum 55 min after dosing and then declined exponentially. After 330 min of collection, biliary excretion of isotretinoin glucuronide was almost complete, and the metabolite accounted for 34.8-37.9% of the dose. These results indicate that conjugation with glucuronic acid represents a major pathway for the metabolism of pharmacological doses of isotretinoin. The maximum excretion rate of isotretinoin glucuronide in bile increased in a linear manner with the dose of isotretinoin, and no delay was observed after the larger doses. These data suggest that glucuronidation and biliary excretion are not saturated at high pharmacological doses of isotretinoin.

  14. Acitretin

    MedlinePlus

    ... such as adapalene (Differen, in Epiduo), alitretinoin (Panretin), isotretinoin (Absorica, Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, Myorisan, Sotret, Zenatane), tazarotene (Avage, Fabior, Tazorac), tretinoin (Atralin, Avita, Renova, Retin-A), or any of ...

  15. Objective assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis: Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale.

    PubMed

    Ornelas, Jennifer; Rosamilia, Lorraine; Larsen, Larissa; Foolad, Negar; Wang, Quinlu; Li, Chin-Shang; Sivamani, Raja K

    2016-01-01

    Isotretinoin remains an effective treatment for severe acne. Despite its effectiveness, it includes many side effects, of which cheilitis is the most common. To develop an objective grading scale for assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis. Cross-sectional clinical grading study. UC Davis Dermatology clinic. Subjects were older than 18 years old and actively treated with oral isotretinoin. Oral Isotretinoin. We developed an Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale (ICGS) incorporating the following four characteristics: erythema, scale/crust, fissures and inflammation of the commissures. Three board-certified dermatologists independently graded photographs of the subjects. The Kendall's coefficient of concordance (KCC) for the ICGS was 0.88 (p < 0.0001). The Kendall's coefficient was ≥0.72 (p < 0.0001) for each of the four characteristics included in the grading scale. An image-based measurement for lip roughness statistically significantly correlated with the lip scale/crusting assessment (r = 0.52, p < 0.05). The ICGS is reproducible and relatively simple to use. It can be incorporated as an objective tool to aid in the assessment of isotretinoin associated cheilitis.

  16. Comparing the Efficacy of Low Dose and Conventional Dose of Oral Isotretinoin in Treatment of Moderate and Severe Acne Vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Faghihi, Gita; Mokhtari, Fatemeh; Fard, Nasrin Motamedi; Motamedi, Narges; Hosseini, Sayed Mohsen

    2017-01-01

    This study was conducted to compare the effect of low-dose isotretinoin with its conventional dose in patients with moderate and severe acne. This was a clinical trial conducted on 60 male and female patients with moderate and severe acne vulgaris. The patients were divided into two treatment groups: 0.5 mg/kg/day isotretinoin capsule and low-dose isotretinoin capsule (0.25 mg/kg/day). Patients in both groups received 6-month treatment. At the end of the 6 th month and 12 th month (6 months after the end of the treatment), they were examined again, and their improvement was determined and compared. The average severity of acne in the two treatment groups did not differ significantly within any of the study periods. The most common side effects were nose dryness in the low-dose group (17%) and hair thinning and loss in the conventional-dose group (33.2%), although all the patients had dry lips. According to the same severity of the acne in two groups in different study periods, as well as fewer side effects and more patients' satisfaction, the low-dose isotretinoin can be considered in the treatment of acne.

  17. Objective Assessment of Isotretinoin-Associated Cheilitis: Isotretinoin Cheilitis Grading Scale

    PubMed Central

    Ornelas, Jennifer; Rosamilia, Lorraine; Larsen, Larissa; Foolad, Negar; Wang, Quinlu; Li, Chin-Shang; Sivamani, Raja K.

    2016-01-01

    Importance Isotretinoin remains an effective treatment for severe acne. Despite its effectiveness, it includes many side effects, of which cheilitis is the most common. Objective To develop an objective grading scale for assessment of isotretinoin-associated cheilitis, Design Cross-sectional clinical grading study. Setting UC Davis Dermatology clinic. Participants Subjects were older than 18 years old and actively treated with oral isotretinoin. Exposures Oral Isotretinoin. Main outcomes and Measures We developed an isotretinoin cheilitis grading scale (ICGS) incorporating the following four characteristics: erythema, scale/crust, fissures, and inflammation of the commissures. Three board-certified dermatologists independently graded photographs of the subjects. Results The Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (KCC) for the ICGS was 0.88 (p<0.0001). The Kendall’s coefficient was ≥ 0.72 (p<0.0001) for each of the four characteristics included in the grading scale. An image-based measurement for lip roughness statistically significantly correlated with the lip scale/crusting assessment (r = 0.52, p <0.05). Conclusion and Relevance The ICGS is reproducible and relatively simple to use. It can be incorporated as an objective tool to aid in the assessment of isotretinoin associated cheilitis. PMID:26395167

  18. Comparing the Efficacy of Low Dose and Conventional Dose of Oral Isotretinoin in Treatment of Moderate and Severe Acne Vulgaris

    PubMed Central

    Faghihi, Gita; Mokhtari, Fatemeh; Fard, Nasrin Motamedi; Motamedi, Narges; Hosseini, Sayed Mohsen

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study was conducted to compare the effect of low-dose isotretinoin with its conventional dose in patients with moderate and severe acne. Methods: This was a clinical trial conducted on 60 male and female patients with moderate and severe acne vulgaris. The patients were divided into two treatment groups: 0.5 mg/kg/day isotretinoin capsule and low-dose isotretinoin capsule (0.25 mg/kg/day). Patients in both groups received 6-month treatment. At the end of the 6th month and 12th month (6 months after the end of the treatment), they were examined again, and their improvement was determined and compared. Findings: The average severity of acne in the two treatment groups did not differ significantly within any of the study periods. The most common side effects were nose dryness in the low-dose group (17%) and hair thinning and loss in the conventional-dose group (33.2%), although all the patients had dry lips. Conclusion: According to the same severity of the acne in two groups in different study periods, as well as fewer side effects and more patients' satisfaction, the low-dose isotretinoin can be considered in the treatment of acne. PMID:29417084

  19. Monitoring of isotretinoin therapy by measuring the plasma levels of isotretinoin and 4-oxo-isotretinoin. A useful tool for management of severe acne.

    PubMed

    Almond-Roesler, B; Blume-Peytavi, U; Bisson, S; Krahn, M; Rohloff, E; Orfanos, C E

    1998-01-01

    Isotretinoin for oral therapy in severe acne conglobata and acne nodulocystica represents a significant achievement; however, the drug exerts several mucocutaneous and systemic adverse effects, besides its teratogenic potency. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasma levels of isotretinoin and of 4-oxo-isotretinoin over long-term treatment of severe acne and to assess any correlation with the given dose, the clinical improvement and the occurrence of side effects. Forty-one patients with severe acne and acne-related disorders were studied under long-term oral intake of isotretinoin. Therapeutic effects and side effects were evaluated prior, during and at the end of therapy. The plasma levels of isotretinoin and of its major metabolite 4-oxo-isotretinoin were measured by reversed-phase HPLC and were correlated with the administered oral dose and the number and frequency of side effects. Dose-dependent plasma levels of isotretinoin and its metabolite were observed. At a mean dosage of 0.75-1.0 mg/kg/day, 404 +/- 142 ng/ml were measured, whereas the plasma levels of 4-oxo-isotretinoin were 1-2x higher. The plasma levels correlated well with the orally administered dose of isotretinoin and the observed mucocutaneous side effects. The study demonstrates that measuring of the plasma levels may be a helpful tool to monitor the individual therapeutic dose regimen in patients with severe acne in order to minimize undesired side effects and to control oral intake.

  20. 75 FR 39024 - Determination That ACCUTANE (Isotretinoin) Capsules, 10 Milligrams, 20 Milligrams, and 40...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-07

    ... Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION... safety or effectiveness. This determination means that FDA will not begin procedures to withdraw approval... or effectiveness, or if FDA determines that the listed drug was withdrawn from sale for reasons of...

  1. Isotretinoin in lacrimal gland fluid and tears.

    PubMed

    Rismondo, V; Ubels, J L

    1987-03-01

    Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) is used in the treatment of severe cystic acne. Adverse ocular reactions, including blepharoconjunctivitis and dry eye symptoms, are frequent side effects of this drug. Our previous observation that retinol is present in tears and lacrimal gland fluid suggests that isotretinoin may also be secreted by the lacrimal gland. Rabbits were treated with isotretinoin, and lacrimal gland fluid was collected from the cannulated lacrimal gland duct. Tears were collected from patients who were being treated with isotretinoin. Lacrimal gland fluid and tears were analyzed by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography and a peak eluted from each sample, which was identified as isotretinoin. We conclude that the lacrimal gland is able to secrete isotretinoin in addition to retinol and that, in animals and patients treated systemically with isotretinoin, the ocular surface is exposed to the drug via the tear film.

  2. Schools of pharmacology: retinoid update.

    PubMed

    Scheinfeld, Noah

    2006-10-01

    The most widely used retinoids include topical tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), topical tazarotene (Tazorac), isotretinoin (Accutane), and acitretin (Soriatane). This article will review new uses and developments in tazarotene (its failure to secure FDA approval in oral form for psoriasis), adapalene (its new 0.3% gel form and use in rosacea), alitretinoin (its use in photoaging), bexarotene (its use for psoriasis and chronic hand dermatitis), isotretinoin (the IPledge program, its use for neuroblastoma and branded formulation pharmacological superiority to generics), and retinoic acid metabolism-blocking agents (RAMBAs) (liarazole use for ichthyosis and psoriasis).

  3. Improving the Isotretinoin Photostability by Incorporating in Microemulsion Matrix

    PubMed Central

    Patel, Mrunali R.; Patel, Rashmin B.; Parikh, Jolly R.; Patel, Bharat G.

    2011-01-01

    The present paper demonstrates the increased photostability of isotretinoin when loaded in microemulsion. The photodegradation of isotretinoin, in methanol and microemulsion formulation was studied under direct sun light. The photodegradation process was monitored by UV spectrophotometry. In methanol solution, isotretinoin undergoes complete photodegradation just within a few minutes of light exposure. Isotretinoin incorporated in microemulsion formulation showed an increased stability in comparison to the methanol solutions. In particular for isotretinoin, a residual concentration of 75% was still present after a light irradiance versus a residual value of just 16% measured at the same time in methanol solution. Further, degradation kinetic parameters of isotretinoin-loaded microemulsion formulation were demonstrated increase isotretinoin half-life about five-times in comparison with a methanol solution under a direct sun light. PMID:22389863

  4. Isotretinoin and FoxO1

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Oral isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid) is the most effective drug in the treatment of acne and restores all major pathogenetic factors of acne vulgaris. isotretinoin is regarded as a prodrug which after isomerizisation to all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) induces apoptosis in cells cultured from human sebaceous glands, meibomian glands, neuroblastoma cells, hypothalamic cells, hippocampus cells, Dalton's lymphoma ascites cells, B16F-10 melanoma cells, and neuronal crest cells and others. By means of translational research this paper provides substantial indirect evidence for isotretinoin's mode of action by upregulation of forkhead box class O (FoxO) transcription factors. FoxOs play a pivotal role in the regulation of androgen receptor transactivation, insulin/insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-signaling, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPArγ)- and liver X receptor-α (LXrα)-mediated lipogenesis, β-catenin signaling, cell proliferation, apoptosis, reactive oxygene homeostasis, innate and acquired immunity, stem cell homeostasis, as well as anti-cancer effects. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that the therapeutic, adverse, teratogenic and chemopreventive effecs of isotretinoin are all mediated by upregulation of FoxO-mediated gene transcription. These FoxO-driven transcriptional changes of the second response of retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-mediated signaling counterbalance gene expression of acne due to increased growth factor signaling with downregulated nuclear FoxO proteins. The proposed isotretinoin→ATRA→RAR→FoxO interaction offers intriguing new insights into the mode of isotretinoin action and explains most therapeutic, adverse and teratogenic effects of isotretinoin in the treatment of acne by a common mode of FoxO-mediated transcriptional regulation. PMID:22110774

  5. Occurrence of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes during isotretinoin therapy.

    PubMed

    Henry, David; Dormuth, Colin; Winquist, Brandace; Carney, Greg; Bugden, Shawn; Teare, Gary; Lévesque, Linda E; Bérard, Anick; Paterson, J Michael; Platt, Robert W

    2016-07-12

    Isotretinoin, a teratogen, is widely used to treat cystic acne. Although the risks of pregnancy during isotretinoin therapy are well recognized, there are doubts about the level of adherence with the pregnancy prevention program in Canada. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Canadian pregnancy prevention program in 4 provinces: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Using administrative data, we identified 4 historical cohorts of female users of isotretinoin (aged 12-48 yr) for the period 1996 to 2011. We defined pregnancy using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and billing codes. One definition included only cases with documented pregnancy outcomes (high-specificity definition); the other definition also included individuals recorded as receiving prenatal care (high-sensitivity definition). We studied new courses of isotretinoin and detected pregnancies in 2 time windows: during isotretinoin treatment only and up to 42 weeks after treatment. Live births were followed for 1 year to identify congenital malformations. A total of 59 271 female patients received 102 308 courses of isotretinoin. Between 24.3% and 32.9% of participants received prescriptions for oral contraceptives while they were taking isotretinoin, compared with 28.3% to 35.9% in the 12 months before isotretinoin was started. According to the high-specificity definition of pregnancy, there were 186 pregnancies during isotretinoin treatment (3.1/1000 isotretinoin users), compared with 367 (6.2/1000 users) according to the high-sensitivity definition. By 42 weeks after treatment, there were 1473 pregnancies (24.9/1000 users), according to the high-specificity definition. Of these, 1331 (90.4%) terminated spontaneously or were terminated by medical intervention. Among the 118 live births were 11 (9.3%) cases of congenital malformation. Pregnancy rates during isotretinoin treatment remained constant between 1996 and 2011. Adherence to the isotretinoin

  6. Occurrence of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes during isotretinoin therapy

    PubMed Central

    Henry, David; Dormuth, Colin; Winquist, Brandace; Carney, Greg; Bugden, Shawn; Teare, Gary; Lévesque, Linda E.; Bérard, Anick; Paterson, J. Michael; Platt, Robert W.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Isotretinoin, a teratogen, is widely used to treat cystic acne. Although the risks of pregnancy during isotretinoin therapy are well recognized, there are doubts about the level of adherence with the pregnancy prevention program in Canada. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Canadian pregnancy prevention program in 4 provinces: British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Methods: Using administrative data, we identified 4 historical cohorts of female users of isotretinoin (aged 12–48 yr) for the period 1996 to 2011. We defined pregnancy using International Statistical Classification of Diseases and billing codes. One definition included only cases with documented pregnancy outcomes (high-specificity definition); the other definition also included individuals recorded as receiving prenatal care (high-sensitivity definition). We studied new courses of isotretinoin and detected pregnancies in 2 time windows: during isotretinoin treatment only and up to 42 weeks after treatment. Live births were followed for 1 year to identify congenital malformations. Results: A total of 59 271 female patients received 102 308 courses of isotretinoin. Between 24.3% and 32.9% of participants received prescriptions for oral contraceptives while they were taking isotretinoin, compared with 28.3% to 35.9% in the 12 months before isotretinoin was started. According to the high-specificity definition of pregnancy, there were 186 pregnancies during isotretinoin treatment (3.1/1000 isotretinoin users), compared with 367 (6.2/1000 users) according to the high-sensitivity definition. By 42 weeks after treatment, there were 1473 pregnancies (24.9/1000 users), according to the high-specificity definition. Of these, 1331 (90.4%) terminated spontaneously or were terminated by medical intervention. Among the 118 live births were 11 (9.3%) cases of congenital malformation. Pregnancy rates during isotretinoin treatment remained constant between 1996 and 2011

  7. Pharmaceutical quality of generic isotretinoin products, compared with Roaccutane.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Peter W; Keenan, Michael H J

    2006-03-01

    Isotretinoin is the drug of choice for the management of severe recalcitrant nodular acne. Several generic products are available. However, their pharmaceutical quality, in particular particle size distribution, which may affect safety and efficacy is unknown. Hence, prescribing of some generic products may be problematic. To assess the pharmaceutical quality of 14 generic isotretinoin products compared with Roaccutane (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd). Tests were performed according to Roche standard procedures, European and US pharmacopoeia specifications. Tests included isotretinoin content, identity and amount of impurities and degradation products, effect of accelerated shelf-life studies on stability, particle size distribution and composition of non-active ingredients. The 14 isotretinoin products differed by 30-fold in median particle size and showed variation in their non-active ingredients. The average isotretinoin content of Acnotin and Acne-Tretin fell outside the 95-105% Roche specifications. Following accelerated shelf-life tests, only four products retained isotretinoin content within Roche specifications, whilst Acne-Tretin (the only powder formulation) lost 72.5% isotretinoin content. Two generic products exceeded the +/- 2% specification (Ph. Eur.) and a further three exceeded the +/- 1% (USP) for tretinoin content, eight exceeded the 2.54% specification for total impurities and six contained >or= 5 unknown impurities. Isotretinoin-5.6-epoxide content exceeded the 1.04% specification in five generic products. Thirteen generic products failed to match Roaccutane in one or more tests and 11 failed in three or more tests. It cannot be assumed that all generic isotretinoin products are as therapeutically effective or safe as Roaccutane.

  8. Successful treatment of palmoplantar pustulosis with isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Wilken, Reason; Sharma, Ajay; Patel, Forum; Maverakis, Emanual

    2015-08-15

    Variably considered as a localized subtype of pustular psoriasis, palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is commonly treated with topical steroids, acitretin, and local phototherapy with oral or topical psoralen (PUVA). The utility of acitretin for PPP is limited by adverse effects such as myalgias and an extended risk of teratogenicity in female patients. Isotretinoin is a more tolerable retinoid with a shorter teratogenic window, but to date its effectiveness in PPP has not been reported. Herein we present two patients with PPP who responded well to isotretinoin treatment. Two patients with PPP refractory to topical therapies were started on acitretin. Both patients developed adverse effects (including headache, myalgias, and mood alterations) leading to acitretin discontinuation. Isotretinoin monotherapy was started in one patient resulting in significant clearing of palmar plaques and scale, and the addition of isotretinoin to UVA therapy resulted in near-complete clearing of recalcitrant plantar plaques in the second patient. Acitretin represents an important treatment for PPP, but is limited by adverse effects and extended teratogenicity. Our experience supports the utility of isotretinoin as a potential therapeutic alternative, which may be particularly beneficial in patients who are poor candidates for or unable to tolerate acitretin therapy.

  9. Isotretinoin revisited: pluripotent effects on human sebaceous gland cells.

    PubMed

    Zouboulis, Christos C

    2006-10-01

    Nelson et al. confirmed the previously described antiproliferative effect of isotretinoin on human sebocytes. They attributed a portion of this decrease to cell cycle arrest and detected sebocyte apoptosis, which was not recapitulated by alitretinoin or tretinoin. These events were specific to sebocytes, as isotretinoin failed to induce apoptosis in keratinocytes. Isotretinoin-induced apoptosis was shown to be an RAR-independent mechanism.

  10. Retinoid agonist isotretinoin ameliorates obstructive renal injury.

    PubMed

    Schaier, Matthias; Jocks, Thomas; Grone, Hermann-Josef; Ritz, Eberhard; Wagner, Juergen

    2003-10-01

    Interstitial fibrosis is a major cause of end stage renal failure. Retinoids, which are involved in tissue repair and fibrosis, inhibit inflammatory and proliferative pathways. Therefore, we studied the dose dependent effects of the retinoid receptor agonist isotretinoin 13-cis retinoic acid in the unilateral ureteral obstruction model (UUO). Sham operated control rats were compared with UUO rats treated with vehicle (UUO-Veh), or low (5 mg/kg body weight (UUO-LD) or high (25 mg/kg) (UUO-HD) dose isotretinoin. Kidneys were evaluated using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistology 7 days after UUO. Renal injury and fibrosis were quantified by immunostaining and expression measurements of the genes involved in renal fibrosis. In UUO-Veh kidneys the interstitial area was expanded 5-fold but only 3-fold in UUO-HD and 3.5-fold in UUO-LD rats. Interstitial cell counts were 3-fold higher in UUO-Veh rats but significantly less in UUO-HD or UUO-LD animals. Tubular and interstitial cell proliferation was significantly higher in UUO-Veh rats compared with sham operated control plus vehicle animals but less so in UUO-LD and UUO-HD rats. In UUO-Veh rats interstitial infiltration by monocytes/macrophages was higher compared with unobstructed controls. It was significantly less after isotretinoin treatment. In UUO-Veh rats mRNA for procollagen I, and transforming growth factor-beta1 and II receptor was significantly increased. It was significantly less after treatment with isotretinoin. Fibronectin and collagen I immunostaining was also decreased by isotretinoin. Since isotretinoin limits proliferation, inflammation and fibrosis after UUO, retinoids should be further investigated as potentially promising therapeutic agents for renal disease.

  11. Epidermal effects of tretinoin and isotretinoin: influence of isomerism.

    PubMed

    Tadini, K A; Gaspar, L R; Maia Campos, P M B G

    2006-05-01

    The efficacy of tretinoin is well established in the treatment of acne and photoaged skin, however as a typical side effect of tretinoin treatment most patients develop a low-grade irritant dermatitis. Since isotretinoin topical treatment usually shows much lower incidence and intensity of adverse effects than tretinoin topical treatment, histological studies are needed to scientifically evaluate the effects of isotretinoin application on epidermis and also to assess if it can be used in anti-aging products as an alternative to tretinoin. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of topical use of tretinoin or isotretinoin on hairless mice epidermis, using appropriate histopathological and histometric techniques, in order to evaluate the influence of isomerism on skin effects. For this, gel cream formulations containing or not 0.05% tretinoin or 0.05% isotretinoin were applied in the dorsum of hairless mice, once a day for seven days. Histopathological evaluation, viable epidermal and horny layer thicknesses as well as the number of epidermal cell layers were determined. Our results showed that tretinoin and isotretinoin were effective in the enhancement of viable epidermis thickness and number of epidermal cell layers, suggesting that they could be used for stimulation of cellular renewal. However isomerism influenced skin effects since isotretinoin had more pronounced effects than tretinoin in viable epidermis. In addition only isotretinoin treatment enhanced horny layer thickness when compared to the gel cream treatment.

  12. Polar hysteria: an expression of hypervitaminosis A.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, James

    2004-01-01

    Isotretinoin (Accutane) is a drug closely related to the chemical structure of Vitamin A. The pharmacology and toxicology of these two retinoids is similar enough to warrant comparison. Accutane is a powerful drug which its manufacturer, Roche, indicates is limited for severe recalcitrant nodular acne. This potency is also reflected in Accutane's well-known ability to produce severe birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Less well-known is the risk of this lipid soluble chemical to affect the Central Nervous System. Reports of intracranial hypertension, depression, and suicidal indeation with Accutane use have prompted an examination of this serious and life threatening potential. Though Roche has added a warning to its product label for signs of depression and suicidal ideation, this product is being overprescribed for all forms of acne, including mild cases and moderate acne that have not been treated with alternative medications, which have a lesser risk of depression and suicide. There is no contesting that this drug is effective at clearing up the most severe forms of acne, but the public must be informed of its proper, limited indication for use; depression and suicide can follow in patients with no prior history of psychiatric symptoms or suicide attempts.

  13. [Isotretinoin embryopathy: An entity that can be avoided].

    PubMed

    Cammarata-Scalisi, Francisco; Nieves, Dairelis; Avendaño, Andrea; Lacruz-Rengel, María A; Alviárez, Karelys; Dávila, Francys; Yavuz, Izzet; Callea, Michele

    2018-04-01

    Isotretinoin is the most effective drug in the treatment of severe recalcitrant nodulocystic acne. However, treatment with this drug is associated with adverse effects, the most severe being teratogenesis. It has been estimated that 40% of pregnancies exposed to isotretinoin present spontaneous abortion and 35% develop embryopathy. We present the case of a newborn with a history of prenatal exposure to isotretinoin, a clinical entity that can be avoided, with severe congenital defects in the central nervous system and important facial dysmorphisms, with unfavorable clinical course. Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.

  14. Pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and its major blood metabolite following a single oral dose to man.

    PubMed

    Colburn, W A; Vane, F M; Shorter, H J

    1983-01-01

    A pharmacokinetic profile of isotretinoin and its major dermatologically active blood metabolite, 4-oxo-isotretinoin, was developed following a single 80 mg oral suspension dose of isotretinoin to 15 normal male subjects. Blood samples were assayed for isotretinoin and 4-oxo-isotretinoin using a newly developed reverse-phase HPLC method. Following rapid absorption from the suspension formulation, isotretinoin is distributed and eliminated with harmonic mean half-lives of 1.3 and 17.4 h, respectively. Maximum concentrations of isotretinoin in blood were observed at 1 to 4 h after dosing. Maximum concentrations of the major blood metabolite of isotretinoin, 4-oxo-isotretinoin, are approximately one-half those of isotretinoin and occur at 6 to 16 h after isotretinoin dosing. The ratio of areas under the curve for metabolite and parent drug following the single dose suggests that average steady-state ratios of metabolite to parent drug during a dosing interval will be approximately 2.5. Both isotretinoin and its metabolite can be adequately described using a single linear pharmacokinetic model.

  15. Isotretinoin and mental health in adolescents: Australian consensus.

    PubMed

    Rowe, Casey; Spelman, Lynda; Oziemski, Margaret; Ryan, Alexander; Manoharan, Shobhan; Wilson, Perry; Daubney, Michael; Scott, James

    2014-05-01

    Acne is a common condition among adolescents and has the potential to negatively impact on the psychological well-being of those who suffer from it. In particular, depression and suicidal ideation are more common in adolescents with acne. Successful treatment of acne can improve the quality of life and reduce levels of anxiety and depression in these individuals. The current treatment of choice for severe or refractive acne is isotretinoin, a retinoid. While the possible causal association between isotretinoin and mental illness remains a controversial topic, a recent systematic review has presented evidence to support this relationship. In light of this evidence, a group of dermatologists and psychiatrists have collaborated to develop these recommendations to aid the safe prescribing of isotretinoin in adolescents. These clinical suggestions are aimed at practitioners in both disciplines to increase awareness of the current evidence in support of the association between isotretinoin and adolescent depression. © 2013 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

  16. Isotretinoin therapy for acne: a population-based study.

    PubMed Central

    Hogan, D J; Strand, L M; Lane, P R

    1988-01-01

    The use of isotretinoin over a 2-year period was retrospectively studied in Saskatchewan. The database of the Saskatchewan Prescription Drug Plan was used to obtain the names of physicians who prescribed isotretinoin as well as the names of patients for whom it was prescribed. Of the 861 such patients 161 had been instructed to use the drug for at least 4 months by 42 physicians. Questionnaires were returned by 86 of the 161 patients and 22 of the 42 physicians. The responses confirmed that isotretinoin therapy is highly effective for acne. However, at least half of the patients for whom the agent was prescribed apparently did not complete a full 4- to 5-month course of treatment, and of the 34 women (average age 28 years) who responded to the questionnaire 12 (35%) did not use a method of contraception, which is a matter of concern in view of isotretinoin's teratogenic effects. PMID:2961430

  17. Effects of isotretinoin on the olfactory function in patients with acne.

    PubMed

    Kartal, Demet; Yaşar, Mehmet; Kartal, Levent; Özcan, Ibrahim; Borlu, Murat

    2017-01-01

    Isotretinoin is a synthetic analog of vitamin A. Recent studies support a role for retinoic acid in the recovery of olfactory function following injury in mice. This study aimed at determining the effect of isotretinoin on olfactory function in patients who have acne and are otherwise healthy. Forty-five patients (aged 25-40 years) with acne were included in the study. All patients underwent a rhinological examination. Olfactory function was assessed by the Sniffin' Sticks Test. The test was assessed at baseline and in the third month of isotretinoin treatment. Isotretinoin improved the performance of patients in the olfactory test. The SST score increased from 8.7±1.09 to 9.5±1.19 (p<0.001), prevalence of hyposmia decreased from 40% to 24% and normosmia increased from 60% to 75% (p=0.059). The percentage of patients whose olfactory function was categorized as "good" increased from 6% to 21.3%. This increase was statistically significant (p<0.05). Absence of a control group is one of the limitations of this study. Also, we did not evaluate patients with smell test after stopping isotretinoin treatment. We examined the effect of systemic isotretinoin on olfactory function. It can be concluded from the present investigation that isotretinoin therapy improves the sense of smell.

  18. [Clinical and monitoring experience of isotretinoin in Italy].

    PubMed

    Cavicchini, S; Bottoni, A; Caputo, R

    1989-01-01

    We report the results of a multicentric evaluation on effectiveness and safety of isotretinoin in severe acne, recalcitrant to traditional treatments. 208 patients, suffering especially from cystic acne, have been enrolled in a post-marketing clinical trial in 11 Dermatological Italian Departments. The clinical effectiveness of isotretinoin has been very good in 77% of patients, good in 16% and sufficient in 4%. The tolerability of the drug was considered good in 90% of patients. Finally, isotretinoin might be considered as one of the most effective drugs in the therapy of severe forms of acne, resistant to usual treatment, and often affecting patients on the physical and psychological side.

  19. Effects of isotretinoin on the olfactory function in patients with acne*

    PubMed Central

    Kartal, Demet; Yaşar, Mehmet; Kartal, Levent; Özcan, Ibrahim; Borlu, Murat

    2017-01-01

    Background Isotretinoin is a synthetic analog of vitamin A. Recent studies support a role for retinoic acid in the recovery of olfactory function following injury in mice. Objective This study aimed at determining the effect of isotretinoin on olfactory function in patients who have acne and are otherwise healthy. Methods Forty-five patients (aged 25-40 years) with acne were included in the study. All patients underwent a rhinological examination. Olfactory function was assessed by the Sniffin' Sticks Test. The test was assessed at baseline and in the third month of isotretinoin treatment. Results Isotretinoin improved the performance of patients in the olfactory test. The SST score increased from 8.7±1.09 to 9.5±1.19 (p<0.001), prevalence of hyposmia decreased from 40% to 24% and normosmia increased from 60% to 75% (p=0.059). The percentage of patients whose olfactory function was categorized as "good" increased from 6% to 21.3%. This increase was statistically significant (p<0.05). Study limitations Absence of a control group is one of the limitations of this study. Also, we did not evaluate patients with smell test after stopping isotretinoin treatment. Conclusion We examined the effect of systemic isotretinoin on olfactory function. It can be concluded from the present investigation that isotretinoin therapy improves the sense of smell. PMID:28538877

  20. A comparative review of the isotretinoin pregnancy risk management programs across four continents.

    PubMed

    Kovitwanichkanont, Tom; Driscoll, Tim

    2018-03-06

    Isotretinoin has revolutionized the treatment of severe acne vulgaris, a condition which if left untreated may result in significant socio-psychological implications for those affected. Timely access to isotretinoin therapy is important to avoid the risks of potential physical and emotional scarring. However, due to its high risks of teratogenicity, isotretinoin must be used with care in females of childbearing potential. Since isotretinoin's introduction, numerous risk management programs have been implemented across the world in an attempt to prevent isotretinoin use in pregnancy. This paper aims to provide an evidence-based review of the risk management programs for isotretinoin in Australia, Europe, Singapore, New Zealand, and the United States of America. The effectiveness of these programs and the factors leading to isotretinoin exposure in pregnancy are critically analyzed in an effort to inform the future direction with respect to designing the ideal regulatory program. Stringent risk management programs, such as the iPLEDGE in the US and Pregnancy Prevention Program (PPP) in Europe, may not be effective in reducing the risks of fetal exposure to isotretinoin when used alone. There is evidence that such strenuous regulation results in increased fear of teratogenic risks but does not translate into a reduced rate of pregnancies exposed to isotretinoin. A successful program must prioritize education about effective contraception, while minimizing any extraneous requirements, to ensure that women are not inadvertently undertreated for acne. © 2018 The International Society of Dermatology.

  1. Isotretinoin, depression and suicide: a review of the evidence

    PubMed Central

    Magin, Parker; Pond, Dimity; Smith, Wayne

    2005-01-01

    There is currently considerable controversy regarding a proposed causal relationship between the use of isotretinoin and depression and suicide. A search was made of the MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsychINFO databases using the search terms ‘isotretinoin’, ‘depression’ and ‘suicide’. Despite numerous case reports linking isotretinoin to depression, suicidal ideation and suicide, there is, as yet, no clear proof of an association. While isotretinoin, used to treat acne vulgaris, has not been demonstrated to be associated with depression or suicide, the possibility of a relatively rare idiosyncratic adverse effect remains. GPs have a role in the clinical application of these findings. PMID:15720936

  2. Isotretinoin therapy changes the expression of antimicrobial peptides in acne vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Borovaya, Alena; Dombrowski, Yvonne; Zwicker, Stephanie; Olisova, Olga; Ruzicka, Thomas; Wolf, Ronald; Schauber, Jürgen; Sárdy, Miklós

    2014-10-01

    In acne vulgaris, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) could play a dual role; i.e., protective by acting against Propionibacterium acnes, pro-inflammatory by acting as signalling molecules. The cutaneous expression of 15 different AMPs was investigated in acne patients; furthermore, the impact of isotretinoin therapy on AMP expression was analysed in skin biopsies from 13 patients with acne vulgaris taken before, during and after a 6-month treatment cycle with isotretinoin using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cutaneous expression of the AMPs cathelicidin, human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2), lactoferrin, lysozyme, psoriasin (S100A7), koebnerisin (S100A15), and RNase 7 was upregulated in untreated acne vulgaris, whereas α-defensin-1 (HNP-1) was downregulated compared to controls. While relative expression levels of cathelicidin, HBD-2, lactoferrin, psoriasin (S100A7), and koebnerisin (S100A15) decreased during isotretinoin treatment, only those of cathelicidin and koebnerisin returned to normal after 6 months of isotretinoin therapy. The increased expression of lysozyme and RNase 7 remained unaffected by isotretinoin treatment. The levels of granulysin, RANTES (CCL5), perforin, CXCL9, substance P, chromogranin B, and dermcidin were not regulated in untreated acne patients and isotretinoin had no effect on these AMPs. In conclusion, the expression of various AMPs is altered in acne vulgaris. Isotretinoin therapy normalizes the cutaneous production of distinct AMPs while the expression of others is still increased in healing acne. Considering the antimicrobial and pro-inflammatory role of AMPs, these molecules could serve as specific targets for acne therapy and maintenance of clinical remission.

  3. Steady-state pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and its 4-oxo metabolite: implications for fetal safety.

    PubMed

    Nulman, I; Berkovitch, M; Klein, J; Pastuszak, A; Lester, R S; Shear, N; Koren, G

    1998-10-01

    Isotretinoin is the most potent human teratogen on the market. Women for whom contraception fails may conceive during or soon after discontinuing isotretinoin therapy, making its elimination kinetics a crucial determinant of fetal safety. The steady-state pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and its major 4-oxo metabolite were studied in 16 adult patients treated for acne who were receiving doses that ranged from 0.47 to 1.7 mg/kg daily. This is the first study of the pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin in women of childbearing age (n = 11). The clinical efficacy and tolerability of isotretinoin was investigated, and the correlation between these data and steady-state serum concentrations of isotretinoin was tested. The concentration-time data best fitted a two-compartment open model with linear elimination. There was no correlation between efficacy and tolerability of isotretinoin and steady-state serum concentrations. There was no correlation between dose of isotretinoin and steady-state concentration, due to the large variability in apparent clearance. Values for elimination half-life (t1/2) of isotretinoin and its metabolite were 29+/-40 hours and 22+/-10 hours, respectively. These data suggest a longer elimination t1/2 of the parent drug than previously reported. This is probably due to the longer sampling time used in this study (as long as 28 days). This study suggests that a greater variability exists in the safe time after discontinuation of the drug for onset of conception.

  4. Updated Physician’s Guide to the Off-label Uses of Oral Isotretinoin

    PubMed Central

    Peterson, Nathan; Peterson, Michael

    2014-01-01

    While oral isotretinoin is renowned for its ability to treat acne vulgaris, many of its off-label uses continue to go underappreciated. Since the last review on the unapproved indications of isotretinoin, relevant publications have surfaced with new recommendations. This article attempts to provide physicians with the latest information regarding successful and unsuccessful use of isotretinoin as an effective treatment for dermatological conditions, such as rosacea, psoriasis, pityriasis rubra pilaris, condyloma acuminatum, granuloma annulare, Darier’s disease, systemic cutaneous lupus erythematosus, nonmelanoma skin cancer, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Variations in dosage regimens and isotretinoin viability as an alternative to other standard treatments are also discussed in relation to these conditions. PMID:24765227

  5. Chronic oral treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) or all-trans-retinoic acid does not alter depression-like behaviors in rats.

    PubMed

    Ferguson, Sherry A; Cisneros, F Javier; Gough, B; Hanig, Joseph P; Berry, Kimberly J

    2005-10-01

    Oral treatment with the anti-acne drug Accutane (isotretinoin, 13-cis-retinoic acid) has been associated with suicide ideation and depression. Here, depression-like behaviors (i.e., behavioral despair and anhedonia) were quantified in adult Sprague-Dawley rats gavaged daily beginning at postnatal day (PND) 82 with 13-cis-RA (7.5 or 22.5 mg/kg) or all-trans-retinoic acid (10 or 15 mg/kg ). Tested at PND 130-131 in the Forced Swim Test, 7.5 mg/kg 13-cis-RA marginally decreased immobility and slightly increased climb/struggle durations whereas neither all-trans-retinoic acid group differed from controls. Voluntary saccharin solution (0.03%) intake at PND 102-104 and PND 151-153 was not different from controls in any treated group, although all RA-treated groups had lower intakes. Swim speed in a water maze at PND 180 was similar across groups, indicating no RA-induced differences in physical ability. Open field activity was mildly decreased at PND 91 in 7.5 mg/kg-treated males only, but it was within the control range at PND 119, 147, and 175. Thus, at serum levels similar to those in humans receiving the drug, chronic 13-cis-RA treatment did not severely affect depression-like behaviors in rats. These data do not substantiate the hypothesis of 13-cis-RA-induced depression.

  6. The prevalence of sacroiliitis in patients with acne vulgaris using isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Baykal Selçuk, Leyla; Aksu Arıca, Deniz; Baykal Şahin, Hanife; Yaylı, Savas; Bahadır, Sevgi

    2017-06-01

    Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the pilosebaceous unit in the skin. Isotretinoin is a synthetic vitamin A derivative regarded as the most effective agent in the treatment of acne. There have recently been increasing reports of adverse effects of isotretinoin on the skeletal system. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the rheumatic side-effects triggered by this drug, and particularly the prevalence of sacroiliitis. A total of 73 patients receiving isotretinoin due to moderate or severe acne vulgaris were included. All patients were questioned about inflammatory low back pain and musculoskeletal pains during the treatment process. Inflammatory low back pain was evaluated using Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria. Patients meeting ASAS criteria were evaluated with radiography and when necessary with sacroiliac magnetic resonance. The dose range for isotretinoin was between 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg/day (mean 0.53 mg/kg/day). Treatment lasted for 6-8 months (mean 6.8 months). Lethargy was determined in 37 (50.7%) patients, myalgia in 31 (42.5%) and low back pain in 36 (49.3%). Mechanical low back pain symptoms were present in 20 of the patients describing low back pain and inflammatory low back pain in 16. Acute sacroiliitis was determined in six patients (8.2%) following a sacroiliac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Five (83.3%) of the patients with sacroiliitis were female and one (16.7%) was male. No statistically significant difference was determined between male and female patients in terms of prevalence of sacroiliitis (p = 0.392). The incidence of sacroiliitis in patients using isotretinoin is quite high. Patients using isotretinoin must be questioned about sacroiliitis findings and must be subjected to advanced assessment when necessary. Further studies regarding the development of sacroiliitis under isotretinoin therapy are now needed.

  7. Concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives before and after iPledge in the United States.

    PubMed

    Pinheiro, Simone P; Kang, Elizabeth M; Kim, Clara Y; Governale, Laura A; Zhou, Esther H; Hammad, Tarek A

    2013-12-01

    The major concern associated with isotretinoin treatment is its high teratogenic potential. Therefore, ensuring use of contraception while on therapy is an important strategy for at-risk patients and has been emphasized in all risk management programs. iPledge, the latest and most rigorous isotretinoin program, requires, among other stipulations, monthly assessments of contraceptive use for patients undergoing isotretinoin treatment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate isotretinoin usage patterns and assess concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives before and after iPledge. Female patients aged 13-45 years with a new prescription for isotretinoin products during 2004-2008 were identified in the IMS Health longitudinal prescription claims database. Monthly concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives was estimated. Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series data was used to assess changes in monthly proportion of concomitant use in the 24 months preceding versus following iPledge implementation. The number of isotretinoin prescriptions decreased after iPledge implementation. A small but significant increase in monthly proportion of patients concomitantly using isotretinoin and contraceptive therapies was observed immediately after iPledge implementation (1.3%, p-value = 0.02), particularly among younger patients (2.5%, p-value < 0.01). No changes in the proportion of concomitancy over time (i.e. slope) between the periods before and after iPledge implementation were observed. The findings of this pharmacy prescription claims-based study suggest a small increase in concomitant use of isotretinoin and contraceptives coincident with the time of implementation of iPledge, particularly among younger women. Published 2013. This article is a U. S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Published 2013. This article is a U. S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  8. Presumed Isotretinoin-Induced, Concomitant Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and Ocular Myasthenia Gravis: A Case Report

    PubMed Central

    Gursoy, Huseyin; Cakmak, Idil; Yildirim, Nilgun; Basmak, Hikmet

    2012-01-01

    Introduction There are many adverse effects that have been described for isotretinoin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a possible association of oral isotretinoin intake with autoimmune thyroiditis and ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG). Case Presentation A 19-year-old Caucasian male, who had used oral isotretinoin for severe acne disease for the previous six months, was referred to our clinic. He had a three-week history of diplopia and variable bilateral ptosis. Physical examination showed moderate periorbital edema and limitations of up- and down-gaze in the left eye. Laboratory findings and thyroid ultrasound were consistent with autoimmune thyroiditis. Antithyroid therapy did not relieve the clinical symptoms. Concomitant OMG was suspected. Variable ptosis and a positive response to oral prednisolone of 40 mg/day and pyridostigmine of 360 mg/day supported the diagnosis of concomitant autoimmune thyroiditis and OMG. Conclusion Autoimmune disorders may be triggered by oral isotretinoin treatment. Clinicians prescribing isotretinoin should be aware of the possible association between isotretinoin intake and concomitant autoimmune thyroiditis and OMG. PMID:23275770

  9. Low dose isotretinoin combined with tretinoin is effective to correct abnormalities of acne.

    PubMed

    Plewig, Gerd; Dressel, Heidrun; Pfleger, Maike; Michelsen, Silke; Kligman, Albert M

    2004-01-01

    Isotretinoin is well known in the therapy of acne papulopustulosa and acne conglobata. No study has investigated the pathophysiological changes of the skin of acne patients, especially when low dose oral isotretinoin is given in combination with topical tretinoin. 28 patients were treated for 6 months with oral isotretinoin. In the acne conglobata group (A-C) patients were treated with 10 mg (Group A) or 20 mg isotretinoin (Groups B, C) in combination with topical 0.05% tretinoin cream. Group C was treated the first 2 weeks with 0.05% betamethasone valerate cream instead of tretinoin cream. In the acne papulopustulosa group, the patients received 0.5 mg isotretinoin/kg bodyweight and 0.05% tretinoin cream, either alone (Group E), or with oral methylprednisolone during induction (Group D). Acne conglobata--A reduction of inflammatory lesion by 87-94% and of non-inflammatory lesions by 81-88% was achieved (Groups A-C). A reduction of sebaceous gland size by 35-58%, sebum production by 90-95%, follicular keratinization by 55-70% and Propionibacteria by 33-73% was seen (Groups B and C better than Group A). In Group A the amount of lipids was only reduced by 6%, in Group B by 35% and in Group C by 40%. Acne papulopustulosa--Sebum excretion rate and follicular keratinization were reduced in Group D by 89% and 50% respectively, with isotretinoin alone by 94% and 53%. The amount of lipids was reduced in Group D by 40% and in Group E by 21%. Because of the efficacy and cost-benefit relationship of isotretinoin in the treatment of acne compared to other therapeutic approaches, further use low dose isotretinoin in the described settings seems to justified.

  10. Isotretinoin has no negative effect on attention, executive function and mood.

    PubMed

    Ergun, T; Seckin, D; Ozaydin, N; Bakar, Ö; Comert, A; Atsu, N; Demircay, Z; Yoney, H; Zaimoglu, S

    2012-04-01

    According to some animal data, impairments in learning and memory are seen with isotretinoin. Isotretinoin has been shown to affect human brain metabolism, but the data on human neural functions is lacking. To evaluate whether isotretinoin treatment affects cognitive functions, causes depression and anxiety or alters anger level and anger expression. Neuropsychological tests of attention and executive functions, behavioural tests measuring anger and depression and measures assessing acne severity were applied to 63 severe and/or resistant acne patients from four medical centres including one primary care institute and three university hospitals at the beginning, at the end of first month, third month and at end of treatment with isotretinoin. From a total of 63 patients, 15 missed the final visit and 48 were evaluated. Overall, 11 (six women, five men) and five (all women) patients reported anger and depression, respectively, during treatment. Eleven of these 16 patients improved spontaneously. No detrimental effects of isotretinoin treatment on either executive functions or mood were found. Several executive functions and control of anger trait were found to be improved. Clearing of acne was obtained in 94.6% of patients. Improvement of several measures may be related to learning effect of repeated testing. Investigating brain functions is a complex process and various methods can be used. The test battery used in this study, which is commonly used to evaluate mental status both in adults and children, did not show any negative effect of isotretinoin on executive functional parameters in acne patients. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2011 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

  11. The metabolism and pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin in patients with acne and rosacea are not influenced by ethanol.

    PubMed

    Grønhøj Larsen, F; Jakobsen, P; Grønhøj Larsen, C; Heidenheim, M; Held, E; Nielsen-Kudsk, F

    2009-09-01

    Isotretinoin is effective in the treatment of severe acne and rosacea. Both parent drug and its main metabolite 4-oxo-isotretinoin are potentially teratogenic compounds and contain a carboxylic acid moiety. In the presence of ethanol, naturally occurring as well as synthetic retinoids also containing a carboxylic acid moiety are capable of undergoing an ethyl esterification with the metabolic formation of more lipophilic compounds with a much longer terminal half-life. To determine if isotretinoin (13-cis-RA), its main metabolite 4-oxo-isotretinoin (4-oxo-13-cis-RA), and other possible metabolites in the presence or absence of ethanol are converted to their corresponding ethyl derivatives in patients with severe acne or rosacea after multiple isotretinoin dosing. In addition, pharmacokinetic parameters of the parent drug and its 4-oxo metabolite were determined. Eleven patients with severe acne or rosacea were treated with isotretinoin daily for 3 months and investigated pharmacokinetically during 24 h after 1 month of treatment and for up to 28 days after discontinuation of therapy. A possible influence of ethanol was evaluated using a simple self-administered questionnaire and by measuring serum ethanol levels during treatment. The concentrations of isotretinoin, 4-oxo-isotretinoin and possible ethylated and nonethylated metabolites were measured by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Although seven of 11 patients had a considerable weekly alcohol intake, no endogenous synthesis of ethyl derivatives of isotretinoin, the main 4-oxo metabolite or the all-trans compounds was chromatographically detectable in any of the patients' plasma samples during the treatment period. Multiple dose pharmacokinetic data for the parent drug and its main metabolite were comparable to previous studies. The metabolism and pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and its main metabolites are not influenced by ethanol during long-term isotretinoin treatment. After ceasing

  12. Prescriptive contraceptive use among isotretinoin users in the Netherlands in comparison with non-users: a drug utilisation study.

    PubMed

    Crijns, Hubertina J M J; van Rein, Nienke; Gispen-de Wied, Christine C; Straus, Sabine M; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje T W

    2012-10-01

    To assess the compliance with the isotretinoin Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP) by evaluating the use of prescribed contraceptives among isotretinoin users. The PPP contains a requirement for the use of contraceptive methods for women of childbearing potential. A drug utilisation study was performed using data from a drug prescription database (containing Dutch community pharmacy data) covering a population of 500 000 patients. Contraceptive use in female isotretinoin users and in a reference group of female non-isotretinoin users (aged 15-49 years) was compared using data from 1999 until 2006 in 2-year periods. Descriptive statistics were used. Of the female isotretinoin users (n = 651), 52%-54% filled prescriptions on contraceptives in strict accordance to the PPP, used before, during, and after discontinuation of isotretinoin, compared with 39%-46% in the reference group. A more liberal approach of a minimum of one prescription for a contraceptive method showed 61%-64% use of contraceptives among isotretinoin users. Similar patterns were seen when data were broken down in age groups. Furthermore, a higher proportion of female patients using isotretinoin prescribed by general practitioners used prescribed contraceptives compared with those receiving isotretinoin by specialists. Compliance with the contraceptive use according to a PPP for a teratogenic drug such as isotretinoin is 52%-64%, which is lower than anticipated. Reasons for the low compliance will need to be clarified before further measures can be taken. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Pharmacokinetics of 14C-isotretinoin in healthy volunteers and volunteers with biliary T-tube drainage.

    PubMed

    Colburn, W A; Vane, F M; Bugge, C J; Carter, D E; Bressler, R; Ehmann, C W

    1985-01-01

    The pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin and 4-oxoisotretinoin in blood, as well as the blood concentrations and urinary, biliary, and fecal excretion of carbon-14 were studied using liquid scintillation counting techniques and reverse phase HPLC methods following a single 80-mg oral suspension dose of 14C-isotretinoin to four healthy male subjects and two patients with biliary T-tube drainage. Approximately 80% of the dose was recovered as 14C in excreta during the course of the study of which about equal fractions were in the urine and feces. Secondary peaks in blood concentrations of 14C were observed in the healthy subjects whereas they were not seen in the patients with T-tubes. The harmonic mean apparent half-life for isotretinoin in the blood of the healthy subjects was 13.6 hr, whereas the corresponding value for the 14C was 90 hr. Although a rigorous comparison of pharmacokinetic parameters between healthy subjects and T-tube patients was not feasible due to the limited number of subjects studied, comparisons of certain trends in the pharmacokinetic profiles gave some possible insights into the role of biliary excretion and enterohepatic cycling on the disposition of isotretinoin. The data for isotretinoin and 4-oxoisotretinoin coupled with the total carbon-14 data suggest that the oral dose of 14C-isotretinoin is absorbed to a similar extent by the healthy subjects and T-tube patients, whereas T-tube patients clear the drug more rapidly. The biliary excretion and possible enterohepatic circulation of isotretinoin and its metabolites may have significant impact on the pharmacokinetic profile of isotretinoin in man.

  14. Topical isotretinoin for melasma in Thai patients: a vehicle-controlled clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Leenutaphong, V; Nettakul, A; Rattanasuwon, P

    1999-09-01

    Melasma is an acquired hyperpigmentary disorder commonly seen in Orientals. Recently it has been demonstrated that tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) can produce significant clinical improvement of melasma. However, moderate cutaneous side effects (retinoid dermatitis) occurred in a number of patients. To investigate the efficacy of topical 0.05 per cent isotretinoin gel (Isotrex) in the treatment of melasma in Thai patients. Thirty patients with moderate to severe melasma entered a 40-week, randomized, vehicle-controlled clinical trial in which they applied either 0.05 per cent isotretinoin gel, or its vehicle base together with a broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF 28) daily to the entire face. They were evaluated clinically (using Melasma Area and Severity Index), and colorimetrically (using our Melasma Area and Melanin Index). After 40 weeks, the average MASI and MAMI scores of the isotretinoin-treated group decreased by 68.2 per cent and 47 per cent respectively, while the corresponding control scores declined 60 per cent and 34 per cent. There was no statistically significant difference between the isotretinoin and vehicle groups. When the MASI and MAMI scores of each visit were compared to their baseline data, a statistically significant reduction of the score was first noted at weeks 4 and 12 respectively. Lightening of melasma, as determined clinically (MASI score), correlated well with pigmentation measurements (MAMI score). Side effects were limited to a mild transient "retinoid dermatitis" occurring in 27 per cent of isotretinoin-treated patients. Daily use of broad spectrum sunscreen has a significant lightening effect on melasma in Thai patients. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the isotretinoin and vehicle-treated group.

  15. Improvement of cystic fibrosis during treatment with isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Buckley, Jennifer L; Chastain, Mark A; Rietschel, Robert L

    2006-01-01

    A 15-year-old boy with a history significant for multiple respiratory infections since birth presented for evaluation of acne vulgaris. He was initially prescribed doxycycline, topical tretinoin, and topical clindamycin solution, with the later addition of a benzoyl peroxide preparation to his regimen. The patient returned 6 months later after having been diagnosed with CF (cystic fibrosis) by sweat testing and genetic testing. His skin condition had not responded adequately to prior therapy, so all acne medications were discontinued. The 84-kg patient was started on 80 mg (0.95 mg/kg/d) of isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) daily. The patient's dose was decreased to 40 mg/d 2 weeks later following an episode of blood in his stool and epistaxis. At the 1- and 2-month follow-up visits, the patient reported improvement in his acne and mentioned that his lung secretions seemed reduced. His acne cleared after 4 months of therapy, so the isotretinoin was discontinued. The patient and his mother noted that no respiratory infections had occurred during the course of therapy. The patient's acne relapsed nearly 2 years later, so isotretinoin was restarted at 60 mg/d. During the next 7 months while on the drug, he experienced no further episodes of epistaxis or bloody stools and his acne had resolved by the end of therapy. The patient and his mother again reported fewer bronchopulmonary secretions and no infections requiring antibiotics during treatment with isotretinoin. This was unusual because he had experienced numerous respiratory infections requiring antibiotics during the prior 2 years. Since discontinuing the drug, the patient has had intermittent pulmonary infections and exacerbations in the symptomatology of his CF.

  16. Assessing the availability of the teratogenic drug isotretinoin outside the pregnancy prevention programme: a survey of e-pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Lagan, Briege M; Dolk, Helen; White, Bronagh; Uges, Donald R A; Sinclair, M

    2014-04-01

    The increase in online purchasing of medications raises safety concerns regarding teratogenic drugs. The use of the teratogenic drug 'isotretinoin' for women of childbearing age requires strict adherence to the Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP), a risk minimisation measure imposed on prescribers and users. We sought to determine how readily consumers can purchase isotretinoin online and the associated safety procedures and information. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted of 50 e-pharmacies identified from commonly used search engines. E-pharmacy characteristics and isotretinoin PPP specific criteria were evaluated. Purchases of isotretinoin from seven e-pharmacies not bearing authentication logos and not requiring a prescription were assessed for PPP policy adherence, purchasing procedures and compound quality. Forty-three (86%) of the e-pharmacies did not have an authentication seal/logo. Isotretinoin could be purchased from 42 sites without a valid prescription. Information on isotretinoin causing birth defects was lacking in 25 of the 50 sites, on not taking isotretinoin in pregnancy in 24 sites and not taking isotretinoin if planning or at risk of a pregnancy in 33 sites. Of the eight attempted purchases, seven arrived, all without any patient information leaflet. All were verified as isotretinoin. The Internet provides a loophole for purchasing of medications known to cause congenital abnormalities, which needs to be addressed by medicines regulatory agencies worldwide. The current PPP for isotretinoin may be failing to protect mothers and babies from preventable harm-clinicians need to be aware of this, and the public needs to be educated about the potential risks. © 2014 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. The frequency of hematuria in acne vulgaris patients during isotretinoin treatment.

    PubMed

    Yesilkaya, Burcu; Alli, Nuran; Artuz, R Ferda; Ulu, Ezgi; Kartal, Demet; Cinar, S Levent

    2017-03-01

    Systemic isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) is effective in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The most common side effects are mucocutaneous ones. Hematuria seen secondary to isotretinoin treatment is thought to be due to mucosal dryness in the urinary system. This study aims to determine the frequency of hematuria in acne vulgaris patients during isotretinoin treatment. Eighty-eight subjects aged 16-32 years were included in the study group and 52 subjects were in the control group. The subjects were treated for 6 months and were monitored monthly by complete urine analyzes. They were also examined each month in terms of cheilitis, xerosis, epistaxis, rectal bleeding, fatigue, myalgia, weight loss, dry eye, conjunctivitis, headache, dysuria and pollakiuria. In the study group, 15 subjects (17%) had hematuria at least once during the study, and in the control group, four subjects (7.7%) had hematuria. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.118). Among the subjects who had hematuria, 11 of them (73.3%) were female and four of them (33.3%) were male in the study group while all the subjects with hematuria in the control group were female. Hematuria and gender did not show a statistically significant correlation. Hematuria was observed in 17% of the study group; this frequency rate was not different from that of the normal population. In subjects having isotretinoin treatment, if all the other reasons or disorders are excluded, one must keep in mind that hematuria may be due to isotretinoin use.

  18. Retinoic Acid and Affective Disorders: The Evidence for an Association

    PubMed Central

    Bremner, J Douglas; Shearer, Kirsty; McCaffery, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Objective Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid, or 13-cis-RA) (Accutane), approved by the FDA for the treatment of acne, carries a black box warning related to the risk of depression, suicide, and psychosis. Retinoic acid (RA), the active form of vitamin A, regulates gene expression in the brain, and isotretinoin is its 13-cis isomer. Retinoids represent a group of compounds derived from vitamin A that perform a large variety of functions in many systems, in particular the CNS, and abnormal retinoid levels can have neurological effects. Although infrequent, proper recognition and treatment of psychiatric side effects in acne patients is critical given the risk of death and disability. This paper reviews the evidence for a relationship between isotretinoin, depression and suicidality. Data Sources Evidence examined includes: 1) case reports; 2) temporal association between onset of depression and exposure to the drug; 3) challenge-rechallenge cases; 4) class effect (other compounds in the same class, like vitamin A, having similar neuropsychiatric effects); 5) dose response; and 6) biologically plausible mechanisms. Study Selection All papers in the literature related to isotretinoin, depression and suicide were reviewed, as well as papers related to class effect, dose response, and biological plausibility. Data Extraction Information from individual articles in the literature was extracted. Data Synthesis The literature reviewed is consistent with an association between isotretinoin administration, depression and suicide in some individuals. Conclusions The relationship between isotretinoin and depression may have implications for a greater understanding of the neurobiology of affective disorders. PMID:21903028

  19. The Role of Isotretinoin Therapy for Cushing's Disease: Results of a Prospective Study

    PubMed Central

    Vilar, Lucio; Albuquerque, José Luciano; Lyra, Ruy; Trovão Diniz, Erik; Rangel Filho, Frederico; Gadelha, Patrícia; Thé, Ana Carolina; Ibiapina, George Robson; Gomes, Barbara Sales; Santos, Vera; Melo da Fonseca, Maíra; Frasão Viana, Karoline; Lopes, Isis Gabriella; Araújo, Douglas; Naves, Luciana

    2016-01-01

    Objective. This prospective open trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) in patients with Cushing's disease (CD). Methods. Sixteen patients with CD and persistent or recurrent hypercortisolism after transsphenoidal surgery were given isotretinoin orally for 6–12 months. The drug was started on 20 mg daily and the dosage was increased up to 80 mg daily if needed and tolerated. Clinical, biochemical, and hormonal parameters were evaluated at baseline and monthly for 6–12 months. Results. Of the 16 subjects, 4% (25%) persisted with normal urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels at the end of the study. UFC reductions of up to 52.1% were found in the rest. Only patients with UFC levels below 2.5-fold of the upper limit of normal achieved sustained UFC normalization. Improvements of clinical and biochemical parameters were also noted mostly in responsive patients. Typical isotretinoin side-effects were experienced by 7 patients (43.7%), though they were mild and mostly transient. We also observed that the combination of isotretinoin with cabergoline, in relatively low doses, may occasionally be more effective than either drug alone. Conclusions. Isotretinoin may be an effective and safe therapy for some CD patients, particularly those with mild hypercortisolism. PMID:27034666

  20. Assessing the availability of the teratogenic drug isotretinoin outside the pregnancy prevention programme: a survey of e-pharmacies†

    PubMed Central

    Lagan, Briege M; Dolk, Helen; White, Bronagh; Uges, Donald R A; Sinclair, M

    2014-01-01

    Purpose The increase in online purchasing of medications raises safety concerns regarding teratogenic drugs. The use of the teratogenic drug ‘isotretinoin’ for women of childbearing age requires strict adherence to the Pregnancy Prevention Programme (PPP), a risk minimisation measure imposed on prescribers and users. We sought to determine how readily consumers can purchase isotretinoin online and the associated safety procedures and information. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted of 50 e-pharmacies identified from commonly used search engines. E-pharmacy characteristics and isotretinoin PPP specific criteria were evaluated. Purchases of isotretinoin from seven e-pharmacies not bearing authentication logos and not requiring a prescription were assessed for PPP policy adherence, purchasing procedures and compound quality. Results Forty-three (86%) of the e-pharmacies did not have an authentication seal/logo. Isotretinoin could be purchased from 42 sites without a valid prescription. Information on isotretinoin causing birth defects was lacking in 25 of the 50 sites, on not taking isotretinoin in pregnancy in 24 sites and not taking isotretinoin if planning or at risk of a pregnancy in 33 sites. Of the eight attempted purchases, seven arrived, all without any patient information leaflet. All were verified as isotretinoin. Conclusion The Internet provides a loophole for purchasing of medications known to cause congenital abnormalities, which needs to be addressed by medicines regulatory agencies worldwide. The current PPP for isotretinoin may be failing to protect mothers and babies from preventable harm—clinicians need to be aware of this, and the public needs to be educated about the potential risks. PMID:24493556

  1. Systemic isotretinoin therapy normalizes exaggerated TLR-2-mediated innate immune responses in acne patients

    PubMed Central

    Dispenza, Melanie C.; Wolpert, Ellen B.; Gilliland, Kathryn L.; Dai, Pingqi; Cong, Zhaoyuan; Nelson, Amanda M.; Thiboutot, Diane M.

    2012-01-01

    Retinoids are used in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases and malignancies, but studies characterizing the in vivo actions of these drugs in humans are lacking. Isotretinoin is a pro-drug for all-trans retinoic acid that can induce long-term remissions of acne; however, its complete mechanism of action is unknown. We hypothesized that isotretinoin induces remission of acne by normalizing the innate immune response to the commensal bacterium P. acnes. Compared to normal subjects, peripheral blood monocytes from acne patients expressed significantly higher levels of TLR-2 and exhibited significantly greater induction of TLR-2 expression following P. acnes stimulation. Treatment of patients with isotretinoin significantly decreased monocyte TLR-2 expression and subsequent inflammatory cytokine response to P. acnes by one week of therapy. This effect was sustained six months following cessation of therapy, indicating that TLR-2 modulation may be involved in the durable therapeutic response to isotretinoin. This study demonstrates that isotretinoin exerts immunomodulatory effects in patients and sheds light on a potential mechanism for its long-term effects in acne. The modulation of TLR-2 expression on monocytes has important implications in other inflammatory disorders characterized by TLR-2 dysregulation. PMID:22513780

  2. Treatment of gram-negative folliculitis with isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Neubert, U; Plewig, G; Ruhfus, A

    1986-01-01

    The clinical and bacteriological findings are reported in 13 patients with gram-negative folliculitis before, during, and after treatment with isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid). Patients were treated for 14-36 weeks with a daily dose of 0.5-1.5 mg isotretinoin/kg body weight. Inflammatory lesions were counted before and during weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, and 30 of therapy and again up to 172 weeks after cessation of treatment. In all patients there was an impressive improvement in clinical symptoms, especially a decrease in seborrhea and inflammatory lesions. Simultaneously, the gram-negative bacteria disappeared from the facial skin. Full clinical bacteriological remission was achieved in 9 patients within a period of up to 43 months, with minor recurrences of the disease in the remaining 4 patients.

  3. Psychological impact of isotretinoin treatment in patients with moderate and severe acne.

    PubMed

    Simić, Dubravka; Situm, Mirna; Letica, Edita; Penavić, Jasna Zeljko; Zivković, Maja Vurnek; Tomić, Teo

    2009-12-01

    Acne patients are subject to different degree of psychosocial distress. The emotional impact of acne vulgaris due to disfigurement caused by the disease is undisputed. Most common reactions to the acne are depression and anxiety. The use of isotretinoin, one of the most effective options in acne treatment, increases depression symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological status of the patients with moderate to severe acne and to compare patients treated with isotretinoin with patients treated with vitamin C. A total of 85 patients suffering from acne vulgaris were included in the study. The results of this study do not find a significant correlation between the use of isotretinoin and the psychological effects of the drug.

  4. The negligible systemic availability of retinoids with multiple and excessive topical application of isotretinoin 0.05% gel (Isotrex) in patients with acne vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Jensen, B K; McGann, L A; Kachevsky, V; Franz, T J

    1991-03-01

    The potential systemic availability of retinoids from topically applied isotretinoin was assessed in 12 men with acne vulgaris. Isotretinoin 0.05% gel was applied to patients at a daily dose of 20 gm (equivalent to 10 mg of isotretinoin) over a 1900 cm2 surface area of skin on the face, back, and chest for 30 days. Blood samples were collected throughout the study and up to 48 hours after the last topical application; they were assayed for isotretinoin, tretinoin, and 4-oxo-isotretinoin by specific high-performance liquid chromatography. Plasma concentrations of isotretinoin, tretinoin, and 4-oxo-isotretinoin were not measurable (less than 20 ng/ml) at any time. Most adverse experiences were cutaneous; a few systemic adverse experiences were judged to be remotely related to topical drug administration. The lack of measurable plasma concentrations of isotretinoin, tretinoin, or 4-oxo-isotretinoin and systemic adverse experiences indicates negligible systemic availability of retinoids even after multiple application of isotretinoin 0.05% gel at doses approximately 12 times greater than normal daily use.

  5. Effect of isotretinoin on tooth germ and palate development in mouse embryos.

    PubMed

    Balducci-Roslindo, E; Silvério, K G; Jorge, M A; Gonzaga, H F

    2001-01-01

    Vitamin A and its derivatives, retinoic acid, tretinoin and isotretinoin, are currently used in dermatological treatments. The administration of high doses of this vitamin provokes congenital malformations in mice: cleft palate, maxillary and mandibular hypoplasia and total or partial fusion of the maxillary incisors. This study compares the tooth germs of the first maxillary and mandibular molars of fetal mice submitted to isotretinoin during organogenesis. Twelve 60-day-old female Mus musculus were divided into two groups on the 7th day of pregnancy: treated group--1 mg isotretinoin per kg body weight, dissolved in vegetable oil, was administered from the 7th to the 13th day of pregnancy; control group--vegetable oil in equivalent volume was administered orally for the same period. On the 16th day of pregnancy, the females were sacrificed, the fetuses were removed and their heads amputated. After standard laboratory procedures, 6-micron thick serial slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for optical microscopy examination. The results showed that both groups had closed palates with no reminiscence of epithelial cells; however, the first molar germs of the isotretinoin-treated animals showed delayed development compared to the control animals.

  6. A comparison of the efficacy of topical tretinoin and low-dose oral isotretinoin in rosacea.

    PubMed

    Ertl, G A; Levine, N; Kligman, A M

    1994-03-01

    Twenty-two patients with severe or recalcitrant rosacea were divided into three treatment groups in a randomized, double-blind trial that compared low-dose oral isotretinoin (10 mg/d), topically applied tretinoin (0.025% cream), and the combined use of both isotretinoin and tretinoin. For the first 16 weeks of the trial, subjects received one of these three trial regimens. For the final 16 weeks, isotretinoin was withheld while tretinoin cream or a placebo cream was continued. Twenty subjects completed the trial. Each treatment produced therapeutic benefits with regard to the number of papules and pustules and erythema. Treatment with oral isotretinoin appeared to give a more rapid onset of improvement, but there were no differences between the groups after 16 weeks. This level of improvement continued during the succeeding 16 weeks of observation whether the subjects used the tretinoin or the placebo cream. Adverse events were minimal and well tolerated in all groups. Low-dose oral isotretinoin and topical tretinoin cream therapy appear to be beneficial in the treatment of severe or recalcitrant rosacea. No additive benefit is noted with the combined use of these two modalities.

  7. Evaluation of thyroid function tests of acne vulgaris patients treated with systemic isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Yıldırım, Neslihan; Doğan, Sibel; Atakan, Nilgün

    2017-03-01

    Isotretinoin is a systemic retinoid used to treat acne and it binds receptors which are the member of steroid-thyroid hormone superfamily. Certain types of retinoids may cause abnormalities in serum thyroid function tests (sTFTs) by suppressing thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). However, it is uncertain whether systemic isotretinoin has any effect on sTFTs. The aim of the study was to find out if there is any alteration in sTFTs of patients with acne vulgaris treated with systemic isotretinoin. A total of 51 patients (male/female: 22/29) with severe acne vulgaris treated with a total dose of 120 mg/kg isotretinoin were included into the study prospectively. Serum free T3 (fT3), free T4 (fT4) and TSH levels were measured at baseline, 3rd and 6th months of treatment. Mean serum TSH levels at baseline, 3rd and 6th months of treatment were 1.57 ± 0.67, 2.07 ± 0.88 and 2.25 ± 0.86 uIU/mL, respectively. Mean serum TSH levels increased significantly following isotretinoin therapy (p < 0.01, p = 0.007 and p < 0.01, respectively). Mean serum fT3 levels at baseline, 3rd and 6th months of treatment were 3.59 ± 0.57, 3.19 ± 0.45 and 3.09 ± 0.61 pmol/L, respectively. Mean serum fT4 levels at baseline, 3rd and 6th months of treatment were 1.21 ± 0.19, 1.09 ± 0.16 and 1.11 ± 0.19 pmol/L, respectively. Mean serum fT3 and fT4 levels decreased significantly at 3rd and 6th months compared to baseline levels (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, p < 0.01 and p = 0.001, respectively). Systemic isotretinoin therapy causes significant alterations in sTFTs. Dose dependent or long-term effects of systemic isotretinoin on sTFTs needs further evaluation.

  8. Isotretinoin and vitiligo: can chronic cheilitis cause koebnerization?

    PubMed

    Garner, Michael L; McShane, Diana B; Burkhart, Craig N; Morrell, Dean S

    2015-01-01

    Vitiligo after trauma through koebnerization is a widely reported phenomenon. Herein we present a case of vitiligo in an area of chronic cheilitis after isotretinoin treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Novel isotretinoin microemulsion-based gel for targeted topical therapy of acne: formulation consideration, skin retention and skin irritation studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patel, Mrunali R.; Patel, Rashmin B.; Parikh, Jolly R.; Patel, Bharat G.

    2016-04-01

    Isotretinoin was formulated in novel microemulsion-based gel formulation with the aim of improving its solubility, skin tolerability, therapeutic efficacy, skin-targeting efficiency and patient compliance. Microemulsion was formulated by the spontaneous microemulsification method using 8 % isopropyl myristate, 24 % Labrasol, 8 % plurol oleique and 60 % water as an external phase. All plain and isotretinoin-loaded microemulsions were clear and showed physicochemical parameters for the desired topical delivery and stability. The permeation profiles of isotretinoin through rat skin from selected microemulsion formulation followed zero-order kinetics. Microemulsion-based gel was prepared by incorporating Carbopol®971 in optimized microemulsion formulation having suitable skin permeation rate and skin uptake. Microemulsion-based gel showed desired physicochemical parameters and demonstrated advantage over marketed formulation in improving the skin tolerability of isotretinoin, indicating its potential in improving topical delivery of isotretinoin. The developed microemulsion-based gel may be a potential drug delivery vehicle for targeted topical delivery of isotretinoin in the treatment of acne.

  10. The use of isotretinoin in acne

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Systemic isotretinoin remains the most efficacious treatment for severe acne as well as many cases of more moderate disease that are unresponsive to other treatment modalities. The current chapter outlines the mechanisms behind the excellent efficacy, describes how to optimize treatment, reviews the recommended guidelines for monitoring and summarizes adverse effects. PMID:20436884

  11. Outcomes of laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy in patients taking isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Ortega-Usobiaga, Julio; Llovet-Osuna, Fernando; Djodeyre, Mohammad Reza; Bilbao-Calabuig, Rafael; González-López, Félix; Llovet-Rausell, Andrea; Druchkiv, Vasyl

    2018-05-14

    To determine the functional outcomes of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in patients taking isotretinoin, which is contraindicated for these procedures. Multicentre, retrospective, interventional case series METHODS: All patients taking isotretinoin who underwent LASIK or PRK from January 2003 to September 2017 were included (group 1). Patients were compared with those undergoing LASIK or PRK who had taken isotretinoin previously but not in the previous 6 months (group 2). Patients were included consecutively. A total of 113 patients (219 eyes) were included. No significant intraoperative or postoperative complications were found. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of visual acuity, postoperative spherical equivalent, efficacy index, predictability, or safety index. When only PRK patients were taken into account, the efficacy index (p: 0.017), postoperative sphere (p: 0.041), and postoperative astigmatism (p<0.001) were better in group 2, although the difference was not clinically relevant. In our experience, LASIK and PRK can be performed effectively and safely in selected patients taking isotretinoin. The absolute exclusion of certain systemic medications should be reconsidered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Evidence for percutaneous absorption of isotretinoin from the photo-isomerization of topical tretinoin.

    PubMed

    Lehman, P A; Malany, A M

    1989-11-01

    Tretinoin (0.1% Retin-A cream) was topically applied to human cadaver skin in vitro using Franz diffusion chambers. The photo-isomerization of tretinoin and retinoic acid percutaneous absorption in the absence of metabolic activity were assessed with and without ambient light exposure to the skin. Using HPLC, UV, and GC/MSD, a retinoid exhibiting identical chromatographic and spectral characteristics of isotretinoin was observed in the samples from the skin exposed to light, but was virtually absent in the skin samples maintained in the dark. From a single topical application of tretinoin, isotretinoin was as abundant as tretinoin in the chamber receiver solution, dermis, epidermis, and on the skin surface at 24 h after topical application. The data suggest the possibility that isotretinoin may have an important role in the pharmacology of topically applied tretinoin.

  13. Effect of route of administration and biliary excretion on the pharmacokinetics of isotretinoin in the dog.

    PubMed

    Cotler, S; Chen, S; Macasieb, T; Colburn, W A

    1984-01-01

    Oral, intraportal, iv doses of isotretinoin were administered to dogs before and after bile duct cannulation to determine the effect of route of administration and biliary excretion on the pharmacokinetics of this compound. Blood and bile samples were collected and analyzed for isotretinoin using a gradient elution high performance liquid chromatographic method. Blood concentrations were decreased after bile duct cannulation. Decreases in the area under the blood concentration-time curves were greatest following oral dosing, intermediate following intraportal dosing, and least following iv dosing. These results indicate that biliary excretion impacts on the blood profile of isotretinoin as a function of route of administration and that the differences are the result of differences in first pass clearance. In addition, the apparent bioavailability of isotretinoin was 14% in bile cannulated dogs and 54% in the intact (uncannulated) animals, suggesting that enterohepatic recycling of isotretinoin may contribute to its oral bioavailability. Isotretinoin was excreted in the bile; predominantly as a conjugate. The largest percentage (approximately 27%) of the dose was excreted in the bile following intraportal infusion, an intermediate percentage (approximately 8.5%) after iv dosing, and the smallest percentage (approximately 3.3%) after oral dosing. When the amount of drug excreted in bile as intact drug and conjugate is divided by the area under the systemic blood concentration--time curve, the resulting apparent biliary clearances following oral and intraportal administration were almost identical whereas the apparent biliary clearance after iv dosing was substantially less.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  14. Can we ensure the safe use of known human teratogens? Introduction of generic isotretinoin in the US as an example.

    PubMed

    Honein, Margaret A; Moore, Cynthia A; Erickson, J David

    2004-01-01

    The prescription of known teratogenic medications requires a careful balance between allowing women access to medications that they might need and avoiding unnecessary exposure to these medications during pregnancy because of their devastating fetal effects. Isotretinoin, a potent human teratogen, is of particular concern because of its widespread use among reproductive-aged women and the dramatic increase in use from 1992 through 2000. A revised risk management system was implemented in 2002 because of concerns about the continued occurrence of isotretinoin-exposed pregnancies. However, the recent approval of three generic versions of isotretinoin in the US has further complicated risk management and raises concerns that use might increase further if the lower cost of generics serves to increase accessibility. There are now four separate isotretinoin risk management systems in the US, each with its own distinct packaging, though the requirements for and substance of each are identical. Some additional concrete steps could be taken to minimise any unnecessary use of isotretinoin and help allow an adequate assessment of the current risk management systems. In addition to being familiar with and following all aspects of the current risk management system, physicians could choose to limit the use of isotretinoin to those who meet the labelled indications in order to reduce the number of exposed pregnancies. All four companies currently marketing isotretinoin in the US could jointly and voluntarily establish a consolidated, mandatory registration and follow-up of all women of reproductive potential who receive an isotretinoin prescription. Mandatory registration has many challenges, but it could allow a clear accounting of the total number of women for whom follow-up information is and is not available. Although the companies cannot be legally compelled to use a consolidated approach, the use of a single registry for the originator's product and all generic brands

  15. Standard Guidelines of Care: Performing Procedures in Patients on or Recently Administered with Isotretinoin

    PubMed Central

    Mysore, Venkataram; Mahadevappa, Omprakash H.; Barua, Shyamanta; Majid, Imran; Viswanath, Vishalakshi; Bhat, Ramesh M.; Talwar, Suresh; Thurakkal, Salim; Aurangabadkar, Sanjeev J.; Chatterjee, Manas; Ganjoo, Anil

    2017-01-01

    Background: Currently, the standard protocol regarding the performance of procedures on patients receiving or having recently received isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) states that the procedures should not be performed. The recommendations in standard books and drug insert require discontinuation of isotretinoin for 6 months before performing cosmetic procedures, including waxing, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser procedures, or incisional and excisional cold-steel surgery. These recommendations have been followed for over two decades despite little evidence for the stated increased risk of scarring. Objective: The Association of Cutaneous Surgeons (I) constituted a task force to review the evidence and to recommend consensus guidelines regarding the safety of skin procedures, including resurfacing, energy-device treatments, and dermatosurgical procedures in patients with concurrent or recent isotretinoin administration. Materials and Methods: Data were extracted from the literature through a PubMed search using the keywords “isotretinoin,” “safety,” “scarring,” “keloids,” “hypertrophic scarring,” and “pigmentation.” The evidence was then labeled and circulated to all members of task force for review. Results: The task force is of the opinion that there is insufficient evidence to support the current protocol of avoiding and delaying treatments in the patient group under consideration and recommends that the current practice should be discontinued. The task force concludes that performing procedures such as laser hair removal, fractional lasers for aging and acne scarring, lasers for pigmented skin lesions, fractional radio-frequency microneedling, superficial and medium-depth peels, microdermabrasion, dermaroller, biopsies, radio-frequency ablation, and superficial excisions is safe in patients with concurrent or recent isotretinoin administration. PMID:29491653

  16. Effects of isotretinoin treatment on cartilage and tendon thicknesses: an ultrasonographic study.

    PubMed

    Yıldızgören, Mustafa Turgut; Karataş Toğral, Arzu; Baki, Ali Erdem; Ekiz, Timur

    2015-07-01

    Effects of retinoic acid on collagen synthesis and cartilage have previously been shown. However, its effects on cartilage and tendons in humans have not been studied yet. Therefore, in order to provide a morphologic insight, the aim of this study was to measure femoral cartilage, Achilles and supraspinatus tendon thicknesses in patients under systemic isotretinoin treatment by using ultrasound. Fifteen patients (nine F, six M) who used isotretinoin for their acnes were included. All patients were treated with isotretinoin 0.5 mg/kg/day for the first month, and the dosage was escalated up to 1 mg/kg/day thereafter. Distal femoral cartilage, supraspinatus, and Achilles tendons thicknesses have been evaluated both before the treatment and at the end of the third month. Femoral cartilage thicknesses were assessed from three midpoints bilaterally; medial condyle, lateral condyle, and intercondylar area. Short/long-axis diameters and cross-sectional area of the Achilles tendons and axial tendon thicknesses of supraspinatus tendon were evaluated from the nondominant side. The mean age of the patients was 20.1 ± 4.9 years, and body mass index was 21.7 ± 2.5 kg/m(2). Although posttreatment cartilage measurements of 30 knees were lower for the three midpoints, it reached significance only for lateral condyle (p = 0.05). In addition, posttreatment tendon measurements were not statistically significant compared with pretreatment values (all p > 0.05). Systemic isotretinoin treatment seems to make cartilage thinner. Further studies considering histological and molecular evaluations with more sample sizes are awaited.

  17. Obsessive-compulsive disorder with bipolar diathesis following isotretinoin therapy remitting upon treatment with olanzapine and fluvoxamine

    PubMed Central

    Fornaro, Michele

    2010-01-01

    Isotretinoin, a drug used for moderate to severe acne, has been repeatedly associated with various psychiatric complications, although a definitive causal relationship has not been established to date. This case report describes a 25-year-old male who developed obsessive-compulsive disorder at the age of 23 years following isotretinoin treatment for acne (10–20 mg/day) since the age of 16 years. Although standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder caused mood swings, the combination of fluvoxamine 300 mg/day and olanzapine 15 mg/day significantly improves the clinical picture. Although rare, severe adulthood psychiatric complications may occur following isotretinoin treatment, requiring management which is individually tailored to the patient. PMID:21127690

  18. Accelerated photostability study of tretinoin and isotretinoin in liposome formulations.

    PubMed

    Ioele, G; Cione, E; Risoli, A; Genchi, G; Ragno, G

    2005-04-11

    The photodegradation of retinoic acids, tretinoin and isotretinoin, in ethanol and liposomes was studied. The light irradiation was performed according to the conditions suggested by the ICH Guideline for photostability testing by using a Xenon lamp within a wavelength range of 300-800 nm. The photodegradation process was monitored by UV spectrophotometry. In ethanol solution, tretinoin and isotretinoin undergo complete isomerization just within a few seconds of light exposure to give 13-cis and 9-cis isomers, respectively. The 13-cis isomer from tretinoin undergoes in turn a slow isomerization to the same 9-cis isomer. Both retinoic acids incorporated in liposome complexes showed an increased stability in comparison to the ethanol solutions. In particular for tretinoin, a residual concentration of 60% was still present after a light irradiance of 3470 kJ/m(2), by means of a 250 W/m(2) light power for 240 min, versus a residual value of just 8% measured at the same time in ethanol solution. Moreover, the isomerization rate in liposomes resulted reduced for isotretinoin and practically irrelevant for tretinoin. The degradation rate was found to be dependent on the drug concentration. The better stability of the tretinoin in liposome complex was supposed to be related to its higher incorporation value due to the linear structure of the molecule.

  19. The efficacy of 5% dapsone gel plus oral isotretinoin versus oral isotretinoin alone in acne vulgaris: A randomized double-blind study

    PubMed Central

    Faghihi, Gita; Rakhshanpour, Mehrdad; Abtahi-Naeini, Bahareh; Nilforoushzadeh, Mohammad Ali

    2014-01-01

    Background: Acne vulgaris, a common human skin condition, is an inflammatory disease characterized by comedones, papules, nodules and possibly scarring. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of 5% dapsone gel plus oral isotretinoin in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Materials and Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled, study was carried out on patients with moderate to severe acne. The patients were randomly divided in two groups: (dapsone gel and vehicle gel). All Patients were administered oral isotretinoin 20 mg daily and topical gel twice a day for 8 weeks. The Global Acne Assessment Score (GAAS), the number lesions and side-effects were documented at base line and weeks 4, 8 and 12. Results: A total of 58 patients (age range: 18-25 years) were included in our study. The number of lesions was significantly lower in the dapsone-treated group at all follow-up visits (P < 0.001). The mean GAAS score in the dapsone-treated group and in the Placebo-treated group decreased, but there was no statistical difference in two groups (P < 0.001). The side-effects on the dapsone-treated group were a mild burning sensation in 7 patients (24.13%), mild erythema of the skin and mild dryness in 4 (13.79%) and 3 (10.34%) cases respectively (P < 0.001). In our study, adverse effects were common but they were minor and tolerable. No clinically significant changes in laboratory parameters were observed (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Dapsone gel was an effective medication for patients who received isotretinoin for acne vulgaris treatment resulting in a significant reduction of the number of lesions. PMID:25250291

  20. Oral isotretinoin in photoaging: objective histological evidence of efficacy and durability*

    PubMed Central

    Bravo, Bruna Souza Felix; Azulay, David Rubem; Luiz, Ronir Raggio; Mandarim-De-Lacerda, Carlos Alberto; Cuzzi, Tullia; Azulay, Mônica Manela

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND The off-label use of oral isotretinoin in photoaging is a therapeutic tool that has been used by dermatologists. There are few studies to corroborate its effectiveness and durability. OBJECTIVES To assess, both clinically and histologically, the changes caused by the use of oral isotretinoin in skin photoaging as well as the duration of the effects. METHODS 20 female patients, aged 45-50 years, with phototypes II-VI, none of whom had experienced menopause, were treated with 20mg oral isotretinoin, 3 days a week, for 12 weeks. They underwent clinical analysis and skin biopsies in the pre-auricular region, while histologic cuts enabled assessment of the solar elastosis level and morphologic analysis. RESULTS Clinically, patients, as well as the researching and the assessor physicians, noticed improvement in skin quality. One patient presented severe solar elastosis, 11 manifested the moderate form, while 8 presented the discreet type. According to histological analysis, 65% of the patients revealed alteration in the distribution and thickness of the elastic fibers, which can be interpreted as a histological improvement, while 60% showed an increase in collagen density. We observed an increase in collagen density, from 51.2% to 57.4%, (p=0.004). At the end of the 12-week follow-up period, this density decreased to 54.7% (p=0.050). There was an increase in the density of elastic fibers, from 26.5% to 31.3%, (p=0.02), which had dropped to 27.5% at the end of the 12-week follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS The study confirmed the role of oral isotretinoin in remodeling the extracellular matrix against photoaging, as well as its durability after 12 weeks, especially when we consider collagen fibers. PMID:26375216

  1. Topical adapalene gel 0.1% vs. isotretinoin gel 0.05% in the treatment of acne vulgaris: a randomized open-label clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Ioannides, D; Rigopoulos, D; Katsambas, A

    2002-09-01

    Topical application of isotretinoin and adapalene has proved effective in treating acne vulgaris. Both drugs demonstrate therapeutic advantages and less irritancy over tretinoin, the most widely used treatment for acne. They both act as retinoid agonists, but differ in their affinity profile for nuclear and cytosolic retinoic acid receptors. To compare the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene gel 0.1% and isotretinoin gel 0.05% in the treatment of acne vulgaris of the face, in a randomized open-label clinical trial. Eighty patients were enrolled and were instructed to apply adapalene gel 0.1% or isotretinoin gel 0.05% once daily over a 12-week treatment period. Efficacy determination included noninflammatory and inflammatory lesion counts by the investigator and global evaluation of improvement. Cutaneous tolerance was assessed by determining erythema, scaling and burning with pruritus. Adapalene and isotretinoin gels were highly effective in treating facial acne. Adapalene gel produced greater reductions in noninflammatory and inflammatory lesion counts than did isotretinoin gel, but differences between treatments were not statistically significant. Adapalene gel was significantly better tolerated than isotretinoin gel during the whole treatment period. The two gels studied demonstrated comparable efficacy. When adapalene and isotretinoin were compared, significantly lower skin irritation was noted with adapalene, indicating that adapalene may begin a new era of treatment with low-irritant retinoids.

  2. Oral isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) therapy in severe acne: drug and vitamin A concentrations in serum and skin.

    PubMed

    Rollman, O; Vahlquist, A

    1986-04-01

    The disposition of oral isotretinoin to the skin and the effects of the drug on the vitamin A levels in serum and skin were studied in 17 patients with nodulocystic acne. All patients received 0.5 mg/kg/day for 3 months and 8 patients continued treatment with 0.75 mg/kg/day for another 3 months. The parent drug, the major metabolite (4-oxo-isotretinoin), and 2 natural retinoids (retinol and dehydroretinol) were monitored in serum and biopsies of uninvolved skin, using adsorption high-pressure liquid chromatography. During the initial 3 months of treatment the mean isotretinoin level in the serum was 145 ng/ml and in the epidermis 73 ng/g. The corresponding values for 4-oxo-isotretinoin were 615 and 113 ng/g, respectively. Even at the highest dosage there was no progressive accumulation of isotretinoin in serum, epidermis, or subcutis. After discontinuation of therapy the drug disappeared from both serum and skin within 2-4 weeks. The serum transport of vitamin A, monitored by the concentrations of retinol, retinol-binding protein, and prealbumin (transthyretin), was not affected by the treatment. By contrast, the retinol level in the epidermis increased by an average of 53% (p less than 0.01) and the dehydroretinol level decreased by 79% (p less than 0.001) as a result of 3 months of treatment. Both changes were reversible. The results suggest that isotretinoin therapy interferes with the endogenous vitamin A metabolism in the skin.

  3. Increased use of mental health services related to isotretinoin treatment: a 5-year analysis.

    PubMed

    Friedman, Tal; Wohl, Yonit; Knobler, Haim Y; Lubin, Gadi; Brenner, Sarah; Levi, Yehezkel; Barak, Yoram

    2006-08-01

    The association between exposure to Isotretinoin, the development of depression and suicide attempts is controversial. To retrospectively assess pattern of utilization of mental health services in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) during a 5-year period for all subjects exposed to Isotretinoin in comparison to a control group consisting of army conscripts suffering from psoriasis. All subjects were young adults (18 to 21 years old) in compulsory military service. Exposure to Isotretinoin mandates reporting and marking as a coded medical profile in the IDFs' computerized medical record of each conscript and soldier. Medical data, tracked by military medical profiles, were summarized from medical records of all subjects treated by Isotretinion during the years 1999-2003 and for the control group for the same period. Use of mental health services was the a-priori defined primary outcome measure. During the study period 1419 subjects were exposed to Isotretinoin and 1102 suffered from psoriasis. Utilization of mental health services was highest for the index group wherein 17.2% (245/1419) of subjects were evaluated or treated compared to 12.5% in the control group (psoriasis). The inter-group differences were statistically significant; Chi-square=15.9 (df=2), p=0.0003. We suggest that psychiatric evaluation be regularly undertaken prior to initiation of Isotretinion treatment in young adults at risk, as well as providing follow-up visits during and at completion of treatment.

  4. Comparison of the stability of topical isotretinoin and topical tretinoin and their efficacy in acne.

    PubMed

    Elbaum, D J

    1988-09-01

    After 4 hours of exposure to incandescent light, 80% of 0.05% topical isotretinoin and 60% of 0.05% topical tretinoin preparations remained in their original form. In contrast, after 2 hours of exposure to fluorescent light only 25% of topical tretinoin and possibly 60% of topical isotretinoin remained in their original forms. Longer exposure to fluorescent light did not result in further breakdown, and the final breakdown of both preparations was similar. A 12-week, double-blind clinical trial comparing isotretinoin (0.05%) with tretinoin (0.05%) applied topically to patients with moderate acne was carried out. Both preparations caused significant reductions in papules and pustules. However, neither treatment was significantly superior to the other in the reduction of acne lesions. This may be because both preparations are rapidly broken down to similar products when exposed to fluorescent light.

  5. Vitamin A supplementation increases levels of retinoic acid compounds in human plasma: possible implications for teratogenesis.

    PubMed

    Eckhoff, C; Nau, H

    1990-01-01

    The concentrations of retinoic acid compounds were monitored by a newly developed highly sensitive HPLC procedure in plasma of six volunteers who received 833 IU vitamin A per kg body weight per day during a 20-day period. There was a significant increase of all-trans-retinoic acid (two-fold), 13-cis-retinoic acid (7-fold) and 13-cis-4-oxoretinoic acid (5-fold) over endogenous plasma levels of these retinoids. The same compounds had previously been found after treatment with the teratogenic drug isotretinoin (Roaccutan, Accutane). Our results raise the possibility that high vitamin A intake may carry a teratogenic risk attributable to increased levels of retinoic acid compounds generated from retinol by metabolic processes.

  6. Effects of isotretinoin on the platelet counts and the mean platelet volume in patients with acne vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Ataseven, Arzu; Ugur Bilgin, Aynur

    2014-01-01

    Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the platelet counts and the mean platelet volume in patients who received isotretinoin for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Method. A total of 110 patients were included in this retrospective study. Complete blood count parameters were recorded prior to and three-months following the treatment. Results. Both platelet counts and the mean platelet volume were significantly decreased following the treatment. No significant differences were noted on the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, and white blood cell count. Conclusion. Platelet counts and mean platelet volume significantly decreased following isotretinoin treatment. Since the decrease of platelet counts and the mean platelet volume was seen concomitantly, it is concluded that the effect of isotretinoin was through the suppression of bone marrow.

  7. Vitamin D levels in acne vulgaris patients treated with oral isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    El-Hamd, Mohammed Abu; El Taieb, Moustafa A; Ibrahim, Hassan M; Aly, Sanaa S

    2018-02-20

    Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory skin disease. Vitamin D deficiency plays a role in many inflammatory skin diseases. It may play a role in pathogenesis of acne vulgaris. This study aimed to assess serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D in patients with acne vulgaris before and after treatment with isotretinoin and its relation with acne vulgaris severity. Ninety patients with acne vulgaris and 60 age-sex matched healthy subject as controls have been recruited in this study. Patients were treated with 0.75 mg/kg/d isotretinoin for 3 months. Serum level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D has been measured at baseline and after treatment. Serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D were significantly higher in patients with acne vulgaris than healthy controls (P = .001). There was a significant inverse relation between level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D and severity of acne vulgaris before treatment (P = .001). Serum levels of 25 hydroxy vitamin D were significantly increased after isotretinoin treatment in patients with acne vulgaris (P = .001). This study concluded that vitamin D may play a potential role in pathogenesis of acne vulgaris or acne vulgaris may have a negative effect on vitamin D synthesis. Further studies are needed to confirm these potential relations. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Surgical Outcome in Patients Taking Concomitant or Recent Intake of Oral Isotretinoin: A Multicentric Study-ISO-AIMS Study.

    PubMed

    Mahadevappa, Omprakash Heggadahalli; Mysore, Venkataram; Viswanath, Vishalakshi; Thurakkal, Salim; Majid, Imran; Talwar, Suresh; Aurangabadkar, Sanjeev J; Chatterjee, Manas; Bhat, M Ramesh; Barua, Shyamanta; Ganjoo, Anil

    2016-01-01

    The current standard recommendation is to avoid surgical interventions in patients taking oral isotretinoin. However, this recommendation has been questioned in several recent publications. To document the safety of cosmetic and surgical interventions, among patients receiving or recently received oral isotretinoin. Association of Cutaneous Surgeons, India, in May 2012, initiated this study, at 11 centers in different parts of India. The data of 183 cases were collected monthly, from June 2012 to May 2013. Of these 61 patients had stopped oral isotretinoin before surgery and 122 were concomitantly taking oral isotretinoin during the study period. In these 183 patients, a total of 504 interventions were performed. These included[1] 246 sessions of chemical peels such as glycolic acid, salicylic acid, trichloroacetic acid, and combination peels;[2] 158 sessions of lasers such as ablative fractional laser resurfacing with erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet and CO2, conventional full face CO2 laser resurfacing, laser-assisted hair reduction with long-pulsed neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet, diode laser, and LASIK surgery;[3] 27 sessions of cold steel surgeries such as microneedling, skin biopsy, subcision, punch elevation of scars, excision of skin lesion, and wisdom tooth extraction;[4] 1 session of electrosurgery. No significant side effects were noted in most patients. 2 cases of keloid were documented which amounted to 0.4% of side effects in 504 interventions, with a significant P value of 0.000. Reversible transient side effects were erythema in 10 interventions and hyperpigmentation in 15. The study showed that performing dermatosurgical and laser procedures in patients receiving or recently received isotretinoin is safe, and the current guidelines of avoiding dermatosurgical and laser interventions in such patients taking isotretinoin need to be revised.

  9. Isotretinoin-induced urethritis versus non-gonococcal urethritis in a man who has sex with men: an open debate.

    PubMed

    Ballout, Rami A; Maatouk, Ismael

    2018-01-01

    This is the case of a young man presenting with urethritis despite a negative infectious work-up. Careful history taking elucidated a strong correlation between symptom onset and a recent dose escalation of isotretinoin for treatment of his refractory cystic acne. The urethral symptoms quickly resolved with dose reduction, suggesting urethritis as a rare adverse reaction of isotretinoin.

  10. Isotretinoin conundrum: a randomized, openlabel, crossover study in Mexico to evaluate the bioavailability and bioequivalence of three pharmaceutical preparations of isotretinoin in healthy participants.

    PubMed

    Piñeyro-Garza, Everardo; Gómez-Silva, Magdalena; Gamino Peña, María Elena; Palmer, Jonathan; Berber, Arturo

    2015-10-01

    The oral retinoid agent isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) is approved for the treatment of severe recalcitrant cystic acne. For registrational renewal of Oratane® in Mexico (isotretinoin; Laboratorios Dermatologicos Darier S.A. de C.V., Mexico), it was necessary to establish bioequivalence to the reference product Roaccutan® (Isotretinoin; Roche, Mannheim, Germany). Three prior studies failed to establish the bioequivalence of Oratane to Mexican-sourced Roaccutan. However, 13 studies demonstrated the bioequivalence of Oratane to Roaccutane® from multiple sources. This study compared the bioavailability of Oratane with that of Mexicansourced Roaccutan and Australian-sourced Roaccutane. Study participants received each of the three agents in a randomized, open-label, 6-sequence, 3-way crossover study with a 2-week washout period between treatments. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 (dosing) to infinite time (AUC0-∞) were lower for Roaccutan than for Roaccutane and Oratane (Cmax: 1,023.35, 1,223.08, and 1,224.25 ng/mL, respectively; AUC0-∞: 13,653.65, 15,681.35 and 15,733.55 ng/mL x h, respectively). The 90% CIs (test/reference) for the ratios of the geometric means indicated that Oratane was bioequivalent to Roaccutane but not to Roaccutan. In addition, Roaccutane (R2) was not bioequivalent to Roaccutan (R1; R1/R2 90% CIs: Cmax, 76.12 - 91.04; AUC0-t, 82.19 - 91.13; AUC0-∞, 82.94 - 91.57). Oratane and Australian-sourced Roaccutane could be considered bioequivalent, but neither formulation was found to be bioequivalent to Mexican-sourced Roaccutan.

  11. Fixed-Dose Combination Gel of Adapalene and Benzoyl Peroxide plus Doxycycline 100 mg versus Oral Isotretinoin for the Treatment of Severe Acne: Efficacy and Cost Analysis.

    PubMed

    Penna, Pete; Meckfessel, Matthew H; Preston, Norman

    2014-01-01

    Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disease with a high prevalence. Left untreated or inadequately treated, acne vulgaris can lead to psychological and physical scarring, as well as to unnecessary medical expenses. Oral isotretinoin is an effective treatment for severe resistant nodular and conglobate acne vulgaris. A regimen consisting of a fixed-dose combination of adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel, 0.1%/2.5% (A-BPO) with oral doxycycline 100 mg (A-BPO/D) has been demonstrated to be efficacious and well tolerated in patients with severe acne and may be an alternative to oral isotretinoin for some patients with severe acne. The objective of this analysis was to compare the relative efficacy and associated costs of A-BPO/D versus oral isotretinoin. In this analysis, comparisons of relative efficacy were made using previously published studies involving similar patient populations with severe acne that warrant the use of oral isotretinoin. The pricing for oral doxycycline and oral isotretinoin was estimated based on the maximum allowable cost from 9 states, and the pricing for A-BPO was calculated as the range between the average wholesale price and the wholesale acquisition cost. For this analysis, 2 treatment models were generated to compare costs: (1) a basic treatment model that examined the costs of an initial regimen of either A-BPO/D or oral isotretinoin without considering probable outcomes, and (2) a long-term model that factored in likely treatment outcomes and subsequent treatments into associated costs. The basic treatment model assumed that patients would be prescribed a single regimen of A-BPO/D for 12 weeks or oral isotretinoin for 20 weeks. The long-term model considered the probability of each treatment successfully managing patients' acne, as well as likely additional regimens of A-BPO monotherapy or an additional regimen of oral isotretinoin. As a result of different treatment durations, the costs for each treatment were normalized to weekly cost of

  12. A rapid HPLC method for simultaneous determination of tretinoin and isotretinoin in dermatological formulations.

    PubMed

    Tashtoush, Bassam M; Jacobson, Elaine L; Jacobson, Myron K

    2007-02-19

    A rapid method using an isocratic high-pressure liquid chromatography and UV detection for determination of both all-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin) and 13-cis retinoic acid (isotretinoin) in dermatological preparations is presented. Tretinoin and isotretinoin samples were extracted with acetonitrile by a procedure that can be completed in less than 10 min. Subsequent separation and quantification of amounts as low as 10 pmol was accomplished in less than 15 min using reversed-phase HPLC with isocratic elution with 0.01% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/acetonitrile (15:85, v/v). Validation experiments confirmed the precision and accuracy of the method. When applied to commercial tretinoin samples, recoveries of 104.9% for cream formulations and 107.7% for gel formulations were obtained. Application of the method for analysis of a tretinoin cream exposed to solar simulated light (SSL) demonstrated detection of the major photoisomerization product isotretinoin as well as 9-cis retinoic acid, demonstrating the utility of the method for studies of tretinoin photostability. The method should also facilitate studies of the formulation compatibility and photocompatibility of tretinoin with agents that may improve its clinical tolerability.

  13. Fixed-Dose Combination Gel of Adapalene and Benzoyl Peroxide plus Doxycycline 100 mg versus Oral Isotretinoin for the Treatment of Severe Acne: Efficacy and Cost Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Penna, Pete; Meckfessel, Matthew H.; Preston, Norman

    2014-01-01

    Background Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin disease with a high prevalence. Left untreated or inadequately treated, acne vulgaris can lead to psychological and physical scarring, as well as to unnecessary medical expenses. Oral isotretinoin is an effective treatment for severe resistant nodular and conglobate acne vulgaris. A regimen consisting of a fixed-dose combination of adapalene and benzoyl peroxide gel, 0.1%/2.5% (A-BPO) with oral doxycycline 100 mg (A-BPO/D) has been demonstrated to be efficacious and well tolerated in patients with severe acne and may be an alternative to oral isotretinoin for some patients with severe acne. Objective The objective of this analysis was to compare the relative efficacy and associated costs of A-BPO/D versus oral isotretinoin. Methods In this analysis, comparisons of relative efficacy were made using previously published studies involving similar patient populations with severe acne that warrant the use of oral isotretinoin. The pricing for oral doxycycline and oral isotretinoin was estimated based on the maximum allowable cost from 9 states, and the pricing for A-BPO was calculated as the range between the average wholesale price and the wholesale acquisition cost. For this analysis, 2 treatment models were generated to compare costs: (1) a basic treatment model that examined the costs of an initial regimen of either A-BPO/D or oral isotretinoin without considering probable outcomes, and (2) a long-term model that factored in likely treatment outcomes and subsequent treatments into associated costs. The basic treatment model assumed that patients would be prescribed a single regimen of A-BPO/D for 12 weeks or oral isotretinoin for 20 weeks. The long-term model considered the probability of each treatment successfully managing patients' acne, as well as likely additional regimens of A-BPO monotherapy or an additional regimen of oral isotretinoin. As a result of different treatment durations, the costs for each treatment were

  14. A randomized comparative trial of two low-dose oral isotretinoin regimens in moderate to severe acne vulgaris

    PubMed Central

    Dhaked, Daulat Ram; Meena, Ram Singh; Maheshwari, Anshul; Agarwal, Uma Shankar; Purohit, Saroj

    2016-01-01

    Background: Oral isotretinoin is highly effective in all forms and grades of acne, even in lower dosages (<0.5 mg/kg/day). There is a paucity of comparative data on the various low-dose regimens of oral isotretinoin in the Indian literature. Objectives: To assess and compare the efficacy and tolerability of two low-dose oral isotretinoin treatment regimens (20 mg daily and 20 mg alternate days) in moderate to severe acne vulgaris. Materials and Methods: A total of 240 patients with moderate to severe acne vulgaris were selected and randomized into two groups and treated with a fixed dose of 20 mg of isotretinoin (Group A - daily and Group B - alternate days) for 24 weeks and followed up for 12 weeks post therapy. Results: A total of 234 patients completed the study. At the end of therapy, decrease in the total acne loads up to 98.99% (Group A) and 97.69% (Group B) was achieved from the baseline (P < 0.01), excellent response was observed in 98.3% (Group A) and 93.96% (Group B) patients (P = 0.166). In the severe acne, Group A performed significantly better than Group B until the end of 36 weeks. While in the moderate acne, significant difference in the response between both groups was observed only up to 12 weeks. No serious side effect was observed. Conclusion: Both isotretinoin regimens were well tolerated and found to be an effective treatment for moderate to severe acne vulgaris. However, in moderate acne 20 mg alternate day regimen may be preferred. A 20 mg daily regimen is a better choice for severe acne in terms of response. Limitation: Small sample size and short follow-up period. PMID:27730033

  15. Association of suicide attempts with acne and treatment with isotretinoin: retrospective Swedish cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Alfredsson, Lars; Sjölin-Forsberg, Gunilla; Gerdén, Barbro; Bergman, Ulf; Jokinen, Jussi

    2010-01-01

    Objective To assess the risk of attempted suicide before, during, and after treatment with isotretinoin for severe acne. Design Retrospective cohort study linking a named patient register of isotretinoin users (1980-9) to hospital discharge and cause of death registers (1980-2001). Setting Sweden, 1980-2001. Population 5756 patients aged 15 to 49 years prescribed isotretinoin for severe acne observed for 17 197 person years before, 2905 person years during, and 87 120 person years after treatment. Main outcome measures Standardised incidence ratio (observed number divided by expected number of suicide attempts standardised by sex, age, and calendar year), calculated up to three years before, during, and up to 15 years after end of treatment. Results 128 patients were admitted to hospital for attempted suicide. During the year before treatment, the standardised incidence ratio for attempted suicide was raised: 1.57 (95% confidence interval 0.86 to 2.63) for all (including repeat) attempts and 1.36 (0.65 to 2.50) counting only first attempts. The standardised incidence ratio during and up to six months after treatment was 1.78 (1.04 to 2.85) for all attempts and 1.93 (1.08 to 3.18) for first attempts. Three years after treatment stopped, the observed number of attempts was close to the expected number and remained so during the 15 years of follow-up: standardised incidence ratio 1.04 (0.74 to 1.43) for all attempts and 0.97 (0.64 to 1.40) for first attempts. Twelve (38%) of 32 patients who made their first suicide attempt before treatment made a new attempt or committed suicide thereafter. In contrast, 10 (71%) of the 14 who made their first suicide attempt within six months after treatment stopped made a new attempt or committed suicide during follow-up (two sample test of proportions, P=0.034). The number needed to harm was 2300 new six month treatments per year for one additional first suicide attempt to occur and 5000 per year for one additional repeat

  16. Safety and efficacy of fixed-dose 10 mg daily isotretinoin treatment for acne vulgaris in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Yap, Felix Boon-Bin

    2017-09-01

    Low-dose isotretinoin is used to reduce side effects albeit higher relapse. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of fixed-dose 10 mg daily isotretinoin for the treatment of acne. This prospective study was performed between 2011 and 2015. All 150 patients were given 10 mg daily isotretinoin until a cumulative dose of 90-110 mg/kg. The mean age was 26.6 years with 64.7% moderate acne, 29.3% severe, and 6% very severe. The mean cumulative dose was 98.8 ± 6.05 mg/kg. All 150 patients had total clearance with a mean time to clearance of 24.0 weeks. Patients with severe/very severe acne had higher cumulative dosage (102.1 vs. 97.0, P < 0.001) and longer duration to clearance (32.9 weeks vs. 19.1 weeks, P < 0.001). Mild relapse was seen in 4%. The mean time to relapse was 32.3 weeks. Lip dryness was the commonest side effects (100%). Mild transient elevation of liver enzymes was detected in 3.3% and a slight increase of serum lipid in 2.7% with no treatment discontinuation. Fixed-dose 10 mg daily treatment with isotretinoin until a cumulative dose of 90-110 mg/kg is safe with low relapse rate. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. A double-blind investigation of the potential systemic absorption of isotretinoin, when combined with chemical sunscreens, following topical application to patients with widespread acne of the face and trunk.

    PubMed

    Cunliffe, W J; Glass, D; Goode, K; Stables, G I; Boorman, G C

    2001-01-01

    This study assessed the systemic absorption of isotretinoin and its metabolites, during a 4-week application of a cream containing 0.1% isotretinoin and chemical sunscreens, compared with a 4% benzoyl peroxide cream, in patients with acne on the face and trunk. Blood was drawn at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 and at 96 h post-treatment. Plasma levels of isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) and tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid) were quantified by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry and the presence of their combined 4-oxo metabolites were monitored from the peak area ratios observed. The isotretinoin group showed no statistically or clinically significant increases in plasma retinoid levels and mean levels did not exceed +/-2 SD of the mean pre-treatment values, indicating that endogenous levels were not being exceeded. No significant differences were detected between the isotretinoin group and the 4% benzoyl peroxide group. These findings indicated that retinoid absorption from a cream containing 0.1% isotretinoin and chemical sunscreens was clinically insignificant, when applied to patients with widespread acne.

  18. Presenile diffuse familial sebaceous hyperplasia successfully treated with low-dose isotretinoin: A report of two cases and review of the published work.

    PubMed

    Liu, You-Chen Serena; Cheng, Yu-Pin; Liu, Chuan-I; Yang, Chin-Yi; Yang, Chia-Yi

    2016-10-01

    Presenile diffuse familial sebaceous hyperplasia (PDFSH) presents as extensive yellowish papules with central umbilication on the face without involvement of periorificial regions and occurs in adolescents or young adults with a positive family history. Thirteen cases of PDFSH have been reported in the English-language published work, 10 of which responded to oral isotretinoin from 0.5 to 1 mg/kg per day but recurrences were often observed. Herein, we report two cases of PDFSH, which were successfully managed without recurrence with prolonged low-dose isotretinoin (0.2 mg/kg per day, a cumulative dose of 41 and 64 mg/kg, respectively). Treatment protocols among different published works were reviewed to verify the efficacy of isotretinoin. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

  19. The cytostatic effect of 9-cis-retinoic acid, tretinoin, and isotretinoin on three different human bladder cancer cell lines in vitro.

    PubMed

    Laaksovirta, S; Rajala, P; Nurmi, M; Tammela, T L; Laato, M

    1999-01-01

    Retinoids have been shown to have activity in both preclinical and clinical bladder cancer studies but their exact role in its treatment and prevention remains obscure. In this study cytostatic activity of a novel 9-cis-retinoic acid (9-cis-RA) was compared with two other retinoids: tretinoin and isotretinoin, in three different bladder cancer cell lines: RT4 (well differentiated), 5637 (moderately differentiated) and T24 (poorly differentiated). The three retinoids were incubated at concentrations of 0.3, 3 and 30 microg/ml with bladder cancer cells in microtitre plates for 3 and 6 days. The cytostatic effect was estimated by using luminometric measuring of ATP activity of viable cells in suspension. Compared with the older retinoids, tretinoin and isotretinoin, the highest concentration of 9-cis-RA had a cytostatic efficacy in all three bladder cancer cell lines tested. A clear dose response relationship was observed in isotretinoin-treated cultures after 6 days and in all 9-cis-RA-treated cultures. Tretinoin was either ineffective or had a stimulating effect on poorly differentiated tumour cells. To conclude, isotretinoin and 9-cis-RA had a cytostatic effect on human bladder cancer cells in vitro. However, the possibility of stimulating cancer growth at small doses, at least with tretinoin, and toxicity at high doses must be considered when planning clinical trials.

  20. ASDS Guidelines Task Force: Consensus Recommendations Regarding the Safety of Lasers, Dermabrasion, Chemical Peels, Energy Devices, and Skin Surgery During and After Isotretinoin Use.

    PubMed

    Waldman, Abigail; Bolotin, Diana; Arndt, Kenneth A; Dover, Jeffrey S; Geronemus, Roy G; Chapas, Anne; Iyengar, Sanjana; Kilmer, Suzanne L; Krakowski, Andrew C; Lawrence, Naomi; Prather, Heidi B; Rohrer, Thomas E; Schlosser, Bethanee J; Kim, John Y S; Shumaker, Peter R; Spring, Leah K; Alam, Murad

    2017-10-01

    Currently, the isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) package insert contains language advising the discontinuation of isotretinoin for 6 months before performing cosmetic procedures, including waxing, dermabrasion, chemical peels, laser procedures, or incisional and excisional cold-steel surgery. It is common practice to follow this standard because of concerns regarding reports of sporadic adverse events and increased risk of scarring. To develop expert consensus regarding the safety of skin procedures, including resurfacing, energy device treatments, and incisional and excisional procedures, in the setting of concurrent or recent isotretinoin use. The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery authorized a task force of content experts to review the evidence and provide guidance. First, data were extracted from the literature. This was followed by a clinical question review, a consensus Delphi process, and validation of the results by peer review. The task force concluded that there is insufficient evidence to justify delaying treatment with superficial chemical peels and nonablative lasers, including hair removal lasers and lights, vascular lasers, and nonablative fractional devices for patients currently or recently exposed to isotretinoin. Superficial and focal dermabrasion may also be safe when performed by a well-trained clinician.

  1. Assessment of the efficacy and safety of a combination of 2 topical retinoids (RetinSphere) in maintaining post-treatment response of acne to oral isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Truchuelo, M T; Jiménez, N; Mavura, D; Jaén, P

    2015-03-01

    The high rate of relapse of acne lesions following oral isotretinoin treatment is a common problem which remains unsolved. To avoid or minimize relapses, topical retinoids have been used for many years as maintenance treatment. However, adverse effects frequently occur. To determine the efficacy and safety of a new retinoid combination (Retinsphere technology) in maintaining post-treatment response to oral isotretinoin. Prospective, randomized, double-blind and vehicle-controlled study of 30 patients with acne previously treated with isotretinoin. Treatment with the retinoid combination was applied to one side of the face and vehicle was applied to the other, once daily, for 3 months. Standardized photographs were taken using RBX technology at baseline, 1.5 months and 3 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was the appearance of relapse on the treated side compared to the vehicle-treated side. Other endpoints included lesion count, investigator-reported improvement, patient-reported improvement, impact on quality-of-life, and side effects. Although the majority of patients did not reach the total target dose of oral isotretinoin, the relapse rate was significantly lower on the retinoid-treated side compared to the vehicle-treated side. Likewise, improved lesion count and excellent tolerance were observed. This new retinoid combination (Retinsphere technology) were effective and safe as maintenance therapy after post-treatment response to oral isotretinoin in patients with acne. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

  2. Oral isotretinoin as the most effective treatment in folliculitis decalvans: a retrospective comparison of different treatment regimens in 28 patients.

    PubMed

    Tietze, J K; Heppt, M V; von Preußen, A; Wolf, U; Ruzicka, T; Wolff, H; Sattler, E C

    2015-09-01

    Folliculitis decalvans leads to scarring alopecia through inflammatory destruction of the hair follicle. Currently, antibiotics are most commonly used to treat this disease. However, treatment regimens with antibiotics feature a high relapse rate and encourage the development of resistant bacteria. To evaluate the outcome of different treatment options for folliculitis decalvans. Retrospective study to compare the efficacy of different treatment regimens in 28 patients with folliculitis decalvans. The success of treatment with clindamycin and rifampicin, clarithromycin, dapsone and isotretinoin was analysed. The evaluation of the combination of clindamycin and rifampicin showed the lowest success rate in achieving long-term remission, since 80% of the patients relapsed shortly after end of treatment. Clarithromycin and dapsone were more successful with long-term and stable remission rates of 33% and 43% respectively. Treatment with isotretinoin was the most successful oral treatment in our analysis with 90% of the patients experiencing stable remission during and up to two years after cessation of the treatment. The common use of antibiotics as first-line therapy in folliculitis decalvans needs to be re-evaluated critically and oral isotretinoin should be considered as valid treatment alternative. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

  3. Affective disorders as potential complication of anti-acne treatment with isotretinoin: A case series.

    PubMed

    Hanna, Karakula-Juchnowicz; Agnieszka, Kowal-Popczak; Michal, Dzikowski; Dariusz, Juchnowicz; Izabela, Dzikowska; Agata, Makarewicz; Halina, Dubas-Slemp

    2016-11-01

    To analyse cases of 9 patients (18-27 yo) who were consequently admitted to our department and treated with affective disorders (AD) while undergoing isotretinoin (INN) therapy. A semi-structured questionnaire designed by the authors was used to analyse many variables related to demographic characteristics, dermatologic and psychiatrics symptoms, AD course and treatment, family history of mental disorders, building on medical histories of patients and their families, and available medical records. Patients were diagnosed (DSM-IV-TR) with: a major depressive episode (4 patients), a recurrent major depressive episode (3), a bipolar mixed episode (1), and rapid cycling bipolar I disorder (1). The mean time from the first use of INN to: I. the onset of mental disorders was approximately 2 months (1-6 months), II. a visit with a psychiatrist was about 12 months (1-38 months). The predictors of occurrence of AD included a family history of AD and a prior episode of mental disorders. The onset of AD was in most cases preceded by prodromal symptoms such as headaches, sleep disorders, fatigue, drowsiness, or general weakness. Five patients reported suicidal ideation, four patients showed suicidal tendencies, and two persons attempted to commit suicide during the treatment. Psychiatrists should pay special attention to isotretinoin as a drug that may trigger episodes of AD, particularly in patients with a family history of AD or prior episodes of mental disorders. Isotretinoin therapy of patients with acne and a family history of AD or prior episodes of mental disorders requires special care and, if symptoms of depression develop or worsen during the INN treatment, collaboration between a dermatologist and a psychiatrist is needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Changing the calculus of pediatric product development: narrowing the too-big gap between need and solution in a small market.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    First, Deliece Hofen drops the pill into hot water to soften the outside coating. Then, she slices through the center of the pill with an X-ACTO knife and squeezes the isotretinoin inside into a syringe. With the drug in liquid form, she can now administer it to her ten-year-old son Brandon. ?The problem is...some of [the isotretinoin] is still left inside of the capsule and I?m not getting an exact dosage,? admits Hofen.

  5. Complete remission of recalcitrant genital warts with a combination approach of surgical debulking and oral isotretinoin in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

    PubMed

    Yew, Yik Weng; Pan, Jiun Yit

    2014-01-01

    Genital warts in immunocompromised patients can be extensive and recalcitrant to treatment. We report a case of recalcitrant genital warts in a female patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who achieved complete remission with a combination approach of surgical debulking and oral isotretinoin at an initial dose of 20 mg/day with a gradual taper of dose over 8 months. She had previously been treated with a combination of topical imiquimod cream and regular fortnightly liquid nitrogen. Although there was partial response, there was no complete clearance. Her condition worsened after topical imiquimod cream was stopped because of her pregnancy. She underwent a combination approach of surgical debulking and oral isotretinoin after her delivery and achieved full clearance for more than 2 years duration. Oral isotretinoin, especially in the treatment of recalcitrant genital warts, is a valuable and feasible option when other more conventional treatment methods have failed or are not possible. It can be used alone or in combination with other local or physical treatment methods. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Teratogenicity of isotretinoin revisited: species variation and the role of all-trans-retinoic acid.

    PubMed

    Nau, H

    2001-11-01

    This paper reviews the teratogenicity of isotretinoin in regard to aspects of species variation, toxicokinetics, and metabolism. Particular emphasis is given to the hypothesis that most effects of isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) are mediated by isomerization to the all-trans-retinoic acid. This mechanism of action would provide a basis for the understanding of species differences and the extrapolation of experimental results to the human situation and thus improve drug development. The insensitive species (rat, mouse) eliminate the drug rapidly through detoxification to the beta-glucuronide; also, placental transfer is limited in these species. On the other hand, in sensitive species (primates), the drug is predominantly metabolized to the active 13-cis-4-oxo-retinoic acid; placental transfer is more extensive here. The beta-glucuronides showed limited placental transfer in all species examined; these metabolites exhibited very low, if any, measurable concentrations in the human. The 13-cis-retinoic acid is not appreciably bound to cellular retinoid-binding proteins or nuclear receptors and exhibits low tissue distribution and placental transfer. Its access to the nucleus may be extensive. Because of the long half life of 13-cis-retinoic acid, continuous isomerization results in significant area under the concentration-time curve levels of all-trans-retinoic acid in the mouse, monkey and the human; the all-trans-retinoic acid formed is extensively distributed across the placenta and may be an important factor that contributes to the teratogenic potency of 13-cis-retinoic acid. Isomerization cannot explain the teratogenic effects of 13-cis-retinoic acid in the rat and rabbit. It is concluded that the high teratogenic activity of isotretinoin in sensitive species (human, monkey) is related to slow elimination of the 13-cis-isomer, to metabolism to the 4-oxo-derivative, to increased placental transfer, to continuous isomerization and significant exposure of the

  7. Capsule endoscopy

    MedlinePlus

    Capsule enteroscopy; Wireless capsule endoscopy; Video capsule endoscopy (VCE); Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) ... a computer and software turns them into a video. Your provider watches the video to look for ...

  8. Influence of capsule shell composition on the performance indicators of hypromellose capsule in comparison to hard gelatin capsules.

    PubMed

    Al-Tabakha, Moawia M; Arida, Adi Issam; Fahelelbom, Khairi M S; Sadek, Bassem; Saeed, Dima Ahmed; Abu Jarad, Rami A; Jawadi, Jeevani

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro performances of "vegetable" capsules in comparison to hard gelatin capsules in terms of shell weight variation, reaction to different humidity conditions, resistance to stress in the absence of moisture, powder leakage, disintegration and dissolution. Two types of capsules made of HPMC produced with (Capsule 2) or without (Capsule 3) a gelling agent and hard gelatin capsules (Capsule 1) were assessed. Shell weight variability was relatively low for all tested capsules shells. Although Capsule 1 had the highest moisture content under different humidity conditions, all capsule types were unable to protect the encapsulated hygroscopic polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) powder from surrounding humidity. The initial disintegration for all Capsule 1 occurred within 3 min, but for other types of capsules within 6 min (n = 18). Dissolution of acetaminophen was better when the deionized water (DIW) temperature increased from 32 to 42 °C in case of Capsule 1, but the effect of temperature was not significant for the other types of capsules. Acetaminphen dissolution from Capsule 1 was the fastest (i.e. >90% in 10 min) and independent of the media pH or contents unlike Capsule 2 which was influenced by the pH and dissolution medium contents. It is feasible to use hypromellose capsules shells with or without gelling agent for new lines of pharmaceutical products, however, there is a window for capsule shells manufacturing companies to improve the dissolution of their hypromellose capsules to match the conventional gelatin capsule shells and eventually replace them.

  9. Enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin: 300 cases.

    PubMed

    Healy, David; Le Noury, Joanna; Mangin, Derelie

    2018-05-01

    To investigate clinical reports of post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and enduring sexual dysfunction following isotretinoin. Data from RxISK.org, a global adverse event reporting website, have been used to establish the clinical features, demographic details and clinical trajectories of syndromes of persistent sexual difficulties following three superficially different treatment modalities.RESULTSWe report on 300 cases of enduring sexual dysfunction from 37 countries following 14 different drugs comprised of serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin. While reports of certain issues were unique to the antidepressants, such as the onset of premature ejaculation and persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), there was also a significant overlap in symptom profile between the drug groups, with common features including genital anaesthesia, pleasureless or weak orgasm, loss of libido and impotence. Secondary consequences included relationship breakdown and impaired quality of life.CONCLUSIONSThese data point to a legacy syndrome or syndromes comprising a range of disturbances to sexual function. More detailed studies will require developments in coding systems that recognise the condition(s). Further exploration of these tardive sexual syndromes may yield greater understanding of tardive syndromes in general.

  10. Enduring sexual dysfunction after treatment with antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin: 300 cases

    PubMed Central

    Healy, David; Le Noury, Joanna; Mangin, Derelie

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical reports of post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and enduring sexual dysfunction following isotretinoin. METHODS: Data from RxISK.org, a global adverse event reporting website, have been used to establish the clinical features, demographic details and clinical trajectories of syndromes of persistent sexual difficulties following three superficially different treatment modalities. RESULTS We report on 300 cases of enduring sexual dysfunction from 37 countries following 14 different drugs comprised of serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants, 5α-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin. While reports of certain issues were unique to the antidepressants, such as the onset of premature ejaculation and persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD), there was also a significant overlap in symptom profile between the drug groups, with common features including genital anaesthesia, pleasureless or weak orgasm, loss of libido and impotence. Secondary consequences included relationship breakdown and impaired quality of life. CONCLUSIONS These data point to a legacy syndrome or syndromes comprising a range of disturbances to sexual function. More detailed studies will require developments in coding systems that recognise the condition(s). Further exploration of these tardive sexual syndromes may yield greater understanding of tardive syndromes in general. PMID:29733030

  11. Topical isotretinoin vs. topical retinoic acid in the treatment of acne vulgaris.

    PubMed

    Domínguez, J; Hojyo, M T; Celayo, J L; Domínguez-Soto, L; Teixeira, F

    1998-01-01

    This is a clinical, prospective, and longitudinal study comparing the efficacy and incidence of averse effects of topical isotretinoin against those of topical retinoic acid in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The 30 participants were recruited from the patients attending the outpatient clinic of the Department of Dermatology of "Dr Manuel Gea González" General Hospital in Mexico City. They belonged to either sex and any race, their ages ranged between 13 and 30 years, and they presented with 15 to 100 facial inflammatory lesions (papulo-pustules) and/or 15 to 100 noninflammatory lesions (comedones) and no more than three nodulo-cystic lesions. The criteria of exclusion were as follows: pregnancy or lactation, systemic treatment with steroids, antibiotics, antiandrogens, or oral retinoids in the preceding 24 months, treatment with ultraviolet radiation, hypersensitivity to retinoids, or a severe systemic illness. From 44 interviewed patients, 14 were excluded. A detailed clinical history was obtained from the remaining individuals, the degree of seborrhea was recorded, and acne lesions were counted. Each patient received either isotretinoin gel 0.05% or retinoic acid cream 0.05%. The patients were instructed to wash their faces in the mornings and evenings with a neutral soap, and to apply the product after the evening cleansing. The patients were examined again after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment and, at each appointment, the number of lesions was recorded and the severity of acne was graded according to the classification of Plewig and Kligman. The seriousness of the adverse effects, such as stinging, pruritus, erythema, xerosis, and desquamation, was evaluated blindly by an investigator who did not know what group the patient belonged to, and graded as 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, and 3 = severe. The efficacy of each drug was determined by the reduction in the number of lesions between weeks 0 and 12 of treatment. An excellent response corresponded to a 76

  12. Analysis of clinical efficacy, side effects, and laboratory changes among patients with acne vulgaris receiving single versus twice daily dose of oral isotretinoin.

    PubMed

    Ahmad, Hesham M

    2015-01-01

    Acne vulgaris is a debilitating disorder and requires proper treatment. This work evaluates the clinical efficacy, side effects, and laboratory changes of serum lipids and liver function during oral isotretinoin therapy for acne vulgaris, comparing single versus twice daily dose. Fifty-eight patients with acne vulgaris were included and randomized into group I (26 patients), who received once daily dose, and group II (32 patients), who received twice daily dose of oral isotretinoin. Global acne scoring system was used to evaluate acne severity and post-treatment improvement. Both regimens resulted in highly significant clinical improvement of acne with no significant difference. However, side effects were significantly more common among patients of group I. Both regimens caused mild rise of serum cholesterol, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) with more prominent rise of triglycerides especially with twice daily dose. Oral isotretinoin is a very effective treatment for acne vulgaris with no statistically significant difference in clinical efficacy between once and twice daily doses. However, dividing dose to twice per day might cause fewer incidence of side effects without reducing clinical efficacy. The drug causes mild clinically insignificant rise of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, AST, and ALT. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Double-blinded, vehicle-controlled proof of concept study to investigate the recurrence of inflammatory and noninflammatory acne lesions using tretinoin gel (microsphere) 0.04% in male patients after oral isotretinoin use.

    PubMed

    Vender, Reid; Vender, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    Background. Although isotretinoin orally is commonly used for moderate to severe or scarring acne, it is not a cure. Unfortunately recurrence is unpredictable and varies within the acne population. Objectives. Using a proof of concept study, determine the recurrence of acne after isotretinoin use in male patients. Methods. Twenty males aged 18-45 years old were enrolled. Subjects successfully completed a treatment of acne vulgaris with oral isotretinoin (120-150 mg/kg/course). Subjects were randomized 1 to 1. The study duration was 24 weeks. The primary endpoint measured was the absolute change in lesion counts from baseline to weeks 16 and 24. Local tolerability assessments were measured. Results. There were favorable changes in all outcomes measured. Overall, there was a 38.7% lower lesion count with tretinoin 0.04% microsphere gel use versus vehicle. The active product was well tolerated with great patient satisfaction. There were no significant safety issues. The limitations included the low number of patients enrolled, average age, and percentage of patients lost to follow-up. Conclusion. In summary, the results favored tretinoin 0.04% microsphere gel in the prevention of recurrent acne after isotretinoin use in male patients over 18 years old over a six-month period.

  14. Capsule Endoscope Aspiration after Repeated Attempts for Ingesting a Patency Capsule

    PubMed Central

    Mannami, Tomohiko; Ikeda, Genyo; Seno, Satoru; Sonobe, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Nobukiyo; Komoda, Minori; Edahiro, Satoru; Ohtawa, Yasuyuki; Fujimoto, Yoshimi; Sato, Naohiro; Kambara, Takeshi; Waku, Toshihiko

    2015-01-01

    Capsule endoscope aspiration into the respiratory tract is a rare complication of capsule endoscopy. Despite the potential seriousness of this complication, no accepted methods exist to accurately predict and therefore prevent it. We describe the case of an 85-year-old male who presented for evaluation of iron deficiency anemia. He complained of dysphagia while ingesting a patency capsule, with several attempts over a period of 5 min before he was successful. Five days later, he underwent capsule endoscopy, where he experienced similar symptoms in swallowing the capsule. The rest of the examination proceeded uneventfully. On reviewing the captured images, the capsule endoscope was revealed to be aspirated, remaining in the respiratory tract for approximately 220 s before images of the esophagus and stomach appeared. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a patient who experienced capsule endoscope aspiration after ingestion of a patency capsule. This case suggests that repeated attempts required for ingesting the patency capsule can predict capsule endoscope aspiration. We presume that paying sufficient attention to the symptoms of a patient who ingests a patency capsule could help us prevent serious complications such as aspiration of the capsule endoscope. In addition, this experience implies the potential risk for ingesting the patency capsule. We must be aware that the patency capsule could also be aspirated and there may be more unrecognized aspiration cases. PMID:26600772

  15. Capsule Endoscope Aspiration after Repeated Attempts for Ingesting a Patency Capsule.

    PubMed

    Mannami, Tomohiko; Ikeda, Genyo; Seno, Satoru; Sonobe, Hiroshi; Fujiwara, Nobukiyo; Komoda, Minori; Edahiro, Satoru; Ohtawa, Yasuyuki; Fujimoto, Yoshimi; Sato, Naohiro; Kambara, Takeshi; Waku, Toshihiko

    2015-01-01

    Capsule endoscope aspiration into the respiratory tract is a rare complication of capsule endoscopy. Despite the potential seriousness of this complication, no accepted methods exist to accurately predict and therefore prevent it. We describe the case of an 85-year-old male who presented for evaluation of iron deficiency anemia. He complained of dysphagia while ingesting a patency capsule, with several attempts over a period of 5 min before he was successful. Five days later, he underwent capsule endoscopy, where he experienced similar symptoms in swallowing the capsule. The rest of the examination proceeded uneventfully. On reviewing the captured images, the capsule endoscope was revealed to be aspirated, remaining in the respiratory tract for approximately 220 s before images of the esophagus and stomach appeared. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of a patient who experienced capsule endoscope aspiration after ingestion of a patency capsule. This case suggests that repeated attempts required for ingesting the patency capsule can predict capsule endoscope aspiration. We presume that paying sufficient attention to the symptoms of a patient who ingests a patency capsule could help us prevent serious complications such as aspiration of the capsule endoscope. In addition, this experience implies the potential risk for ingesting the patency capsule. We must be aware that the patency capsule could also be aspirated and there may be more unrecognized aspiration cases.

  16. [Severe pruriginous acne in dialysed renal failure. Diagnostic difficulties and efficacy of isotretinoin].

    PubMed

    Grange, F; Mitschler, A; Genestier, S; Guillaume, J C

    2001-11-01

    The occurrence of acne in dialysed renal failure patients has rarely been reported and the clinical characteristics and therapeutic issues rarely studied in these patients. Two men and two women, 33 to 56 years-old, with chronic renal failure and no past history of acne, developed severe acne under dialysis. The acne was excoriated in all cases and associated with prurigo-like lesions and intense pruritus, which made diagnosis difficult. Acne was profuse on the face and the trunk, but also on the neck (1 case) and the upper limbs (2 cases). No patient was taking acne-inducing substances. Various to therapies attempting to control pruritus were ineffective. However, anti-acne treatments (cyclines associated with local tretinoin in 1 case and oral isotreninoin in 3 cases) led to complete regression of the acne, pruritus and the prurigo-like lesions without relapse after a follow-up time of 4 months to 2 years. Pruritus is frequent during renal failure. However, the occurrence of unexplained acne has only rarely been reported. Our patients' clinical picture was original, characterized by the late development, under dialysis, of severe and pruriginous acne, the pathogenesis of which is unknown. Because of the clinical and therapeutic implications (impaired quality of life, pigmentation or scarring and remarkable efficacy of oral isotretinoin) this clinical picture merits more attention, and the modalities for the prescription of isotretinoin in this context should be defined.

  17. Capsule injection system for a hydraulic capsule pipelining system

    DOEpatents

    Liu, Henry

    1982-01-01

    An injection system for injecting capsules into a hydraulic capsule pipelining system, the pipelining system comprising a pipeline adapted for flow of a carrier liquid therethrough, and capsules adapted to be transported through the pipeline by the carrier liquid flowing through the pipeline. The injection system comprises a reservoir of carrier liquid, the pipeline extending within the reservoir and extending downstream out of the reservoir, and a magazine in the reservoir for holding capsules in a series, one above another, for injection into the pipeline in the reservoir. The magazine has a lower end in communication with the pipeline in the reservoir for delivery of capsules from the magazine into the pipeline.

  18. Interpretation of Biochemical Tests Using the Reference Change Value in Monitoring Adverse Effects of Oral Isotretinoin in 102 Ethnic Turkish Patients.

    PubMed

    Bugdayci, Guler; Polat, Mualla; Oguzman, Hamdi; Cinpolat, Havva Yasemin

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to model the use of reference change values (RCVs) for the follow-up of 4 parameters of patients using oral isotretinoin which is gaining widespread popularity for monitoring the side effects of the treatment. 102 patients received 30 mg/day oral isotretinoin for 24 weeks for the diagnosis of acne vulgaris. Repetitive measurements of the patients were interpreted with RCVs, after comparing the first and second doses based on RCVs: TC, TG, AST and ALT results increased in 12%, 20%, 14% and 12% of the patients respectively. When the first dose was compared with the last dose, the increases were 20%, 29%, 22% and 18% respectively interpreted as significant changes based on laboratory medicine. A more sensitive follow-up is possible in the monitorization of adverse effects by using RCVs method. © American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  19. Retained Capsule Endoscope.

    PubMed

    Aihole, Jayalaxmi S; Vishnumurthy, G S; Babu, M Narendra

    2016-11-15

    Capsule endoscopy was invented to visualize the entire small intestine in a non- invasive manner in adults. 1 y, 9 mo-old boy presented with generalized edema for last 3 months. His routine investigations, including the upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, and contrast enhanced computed tomography scan (CECT) were normal. In view of clinical suspicion of protein losing enteropathy, we planned capsule endoscopy. The capsule was not passed even after 3 weeks. Laparoscopy revealed impacted capsule in a dilated intestinal loop proximal to an ileal stricuture. Capsule endoscopy should be used judiciously in children.

  20. Modular "plug-and-play" capsules for multi-capsule environment in the gastrointestinal tract.

    PubMed

    Phee, S J; Ting, E K; Lin, L; Huynh, V A; Kencana, A P; Wong, K J; Tan, S L

    2009-01-01

    The invention of wireless capsule endoscopy has opened new ways of diagnosing and treating diseases in the gastrointestinal tract. Current wireless capsules can perform simple operations such as imaging and data collection (like temperature, pressure, and pH) in the gastrointestinal tract. Researchers are now focusing on adding more sophisticated functions such as drug delivery, surgical clips/tags deployment, and tissue samples collection. The finite on-board power on these capsules is one of the factors that limits the functionalities of these wireless capsules. Thus multiple application-specific capsules would be needed to complete an endoscopic operation. This would give rise to a multi-capsule environment. Having a modular "plug-and-play" capsule design would facilitate doctors in configuring multiple application-specific capsules, e.g. tagging capsule, for use in the gastrointestinal tract. This multi-capsule environment also has the advantage of reducing power consumption through asymmetric multi-hop communication.

  1. Comparison of Autologous Serum Versus Preservative Free Artificial Tear in Patients with Dry Eyes Due to Systemic Isotretinoin Therapy.

    PubMed

    Yılmaz, Uğur; Küçük, Erkut; Koç, Çağdaş; Gökler, Enes

    2017-06-01

    To investigate dry eye development in the patients receiving systemic retinoic acid therapy and to compare effectiveness of Autologous Serum (AS) and preservative free artificial tear (PFAT) in the patients with dry eye disease. This prospective, crossover, double blind study was conducted on patients who have dry eyes due to systemic isotretinoin treatment for different indications. Patients detected as having dry eye during systemic isotretinoin treatment were included to our study. At baseline, 1 and 2 month of study, detailed ocular examination, best corrected visual acuity measurement, intraocular pressure measurement, and Tear Break-up Time (TBUT) and Schirmer Test (ST) without topical anesthesia were performed. We compared the efficacy of AS and PFAT. To accomplish crossover after the first month, treatment given to each patient was switched to the other treatment. Statistical analysis was measured using SPSS version 20.0. p values of < 0.05 were considered as statistically significant. At the end of the first month, there was a significant improvement for the TBUT test in both AS and PFAT groups compared to baseline (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). TBUT was found to be significantly higher in the AS group compared to the PFAT group at the end of the first month (p < 0.001). At the end of the second month, TBUT was found to be significantly higher in the AS group compared to the PFAT group at the posttreatment time (p < 0.001). There was a significant OSDI score decreasing in both groups compared to that reported previously at the end of the first and second months (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). OSDI score decreasing was more significant in the AS group compared to the PFAT group at both time points (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). AS may be an effective alternative to PFAT in the treatment of dry eye developed during isotretinoin use.

  2. Posterior capsule opacification.

    PubMed

    Wormstone, I Michael; Wang, Lixin; Liu, Christopher S C

    2009-02-01

    Posterior Capsule Opacification (PCO) is the most common complication of cataract surgery. At present the only means of treating cataract is by surgical intervention, and this initially restores high visual quality. Unfortunately, PCO develops in a significant proportion of patients to such an extent that a secondary loss of vision occurs. A modern cataract operation generates a capsular bag, which comprises a proportion of the anterior and the entire posterior capsule. The bag remains in situ, partitions the aqueous and vitreous humours, and in the majority of cases, houses an intraocular lens. The production of a capsular bag following surgery permits a free passage of light along the visual axis through the transparent intraocular lens and thin acellular posterior capsule. However, on the remaining anterior capsule, lens epithelial cells stubbornly reside despite enduring the rigours of surgical trauma. This resilient group of cells then begin to re-colonise the denuded regions of the anterior capsule, encroach onto the intraocular lens surface, occupy regions of the outer anterior capsule and most importantly of all begin to colonise the previously cell-free posterior capsule. Cells continue to divide, begin to cover the posterior capsule and can ultimately encroach on the visual axis resulting in changes to the matrix and cell organization that can give rise to light scatter. This review will describe the biological mechanisms driving PCO progression and discuss the influence of IOL design, surgical techniques and putative drug therapies in regulating the rate and severity of PCO.

  3. Retention of the capsule endoscope: a single-center experience of 1000 capsule endoscopy procedures.

    PubMed

    Li, Feng; Gurudu, Suryakanth R; De Petris, Giovanni; Sharma, Virender K; Shiff, Arthur D; Heigh, Russell I; Fleischer, David E; Post, Janice; Erickson, Paula; Leighton, Jonathan A

    2008-07-01

    Retention of the video capsule is the most significant complication associated with capsule endoscopy (CE). There are limited data on incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of capsule retention. We aimed to determine the incidence of capsule retention and to investigate the causes and clinical outcomes of capsule retention. Single tertiary referral medical center. All patients who underwent CE for suspected small bowel disease from June 2002 to March 2006. Retrospective case series. Capsule retention occurred in 1.4% of our patients (14/1000). Eleven patients failed to pass the capsule because of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) enteropathy (diaphragm disease). One patient had capsule retention from an obstructing carcinoid tumor. Metastatic ovarian cancer with invasion of the ileum was the cause of retention in another patient. One patient who did not have surgical removal of the capsule because of loss of follow-up had retention caused by a small-bowel tumor suspicious for carcinoid tumor on CT enterography. All patients remained "asymptomatic" from the retained capsules. Thirteen patients underwent elective partial small-bowel resection and capsule removal. No deaths were associated with these surgeries. Eleven patients recovered promptly, whereas 2 patients had mild postoperative ileus. Retrospective study. Retention of the capsule endoscope appears to be infrequent. The most common cause is diaphragm disease resulting from NSAIDs in this study population. In most cases, capsule retention is asymptomatic, and it usually leads to surgical removal, which appears safe and also identifies and treats the underlying small-bowel condition.

  4. Pediatric capsule endoscopy: review of the small bowel and patency capsules.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Stanley A; Ephrath, Hagit; Lewis, Jeffery D; Klevens, Alan; Bergwerk, Ari; Liu, Steven; Patel, Dinesh; Reed-Knight, Bonney; Stallworth, Angela; Wakhisi, Tamara; Gold, Benjamin D

    2012-03-01

    Because capsule endoscopy (CE) avoids ionizing radiation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia, CE may be valuable in pediatrics. We report a single pediatric center's experience with the use and safety of CE. In a retrospective review of consecutive CE studies, 284 CE studies were performed in 277 patients with a mean age of 15 (±3.7) years during a 5-year period. The youngest to swallow the capsule was 4.6 years old. Twenty capsules were placed. Overall, 245 (86%) patients underwent CE for suspected (184, 65%) or confirmed (61, 21%) Crohn disease (CD); 27 (9.5%) anemia or gastrointestinal bleeding; 6 (2%) polyposis; and 4 (1.4%) celiac disease. Positive findings were observed in 205 (72%) of the studies, with 152 (54%) having small bowel findings. Of these, 72 (47%) were diagnostic. Gastric (95, 33%) and colonic (31, 11%) abnormalities were also identified. Five CE studies (1.8%) resulted in retention of the capsule in nonsurgical patients. A patency capsule before CE in 23 patients allowed 19 CE to proceed with only 1 retained capsule. In 65 (21%) patients, the video capsule did not enter the colon before the video's end. Of these, 36 (65%) had significant findings, including 27 (49%) documenting small bowel (SB) CD. CE is useful to diagnose SB disease in children. Even in a study population with a high prevalence of confirmed and suspected CD, the risk of retention remains small. The patency capsule may lessen that risk. CE may identify gastric or colonic disease even when SB lesions are not present.

  5. Biocompatible Capsules and Methods of Making

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Loftus, David J. (Inventor)

    2017-01-01

    Embodiments of the invention include capsules for containing medical implants and delivery systems for release of active biological substances into a host body. Delivery systems comprise a capsule comprising an interior enclosed by walls, and a source of active biological substances enclosed within the capsule interior, wherein the active biological substances are free to diffuse across the capsule walls. The capsule walls comprise a continuous mesh of biocompatible fibers and a seal region where two capsule walls overlap. The interior of the capsule is substantially isolated from the medium surrounding the capsule, except for diffusion of at least one species of molecule between the capsule interior and the ambient medium, and prevents cell migration into or out of the capsule. Methods for preparing and using the capsules and delivery systems are provided.

  6. Effects of food on a gastrically degraded drug: azithromycin fast-dissolving gelatin capsules and HPMC capsules.

    PubMed

    Curatolo, William; Liu, Ping; Johnson, Barbara A; Hausberger, Angela; Quan, Ernest; Vendola, Thomas; Vatsaraj, Neha; Foulds, George; Vincent, John; Chandra, Richa

    2011-07-01

    Commercial azithromycin gelatin capsules (Zithromax®) are known to be bioequivalent to commercial azithromycin tablets (Zithromax®) when dosed in the fasted state. These capsules exhibit a reduced bioavailability when dosed in the fed state, while tablets do not. This gelatin capsule negative food effect was previously proposed to be due to slow and/or delayed capsule disintegration in the fed stomach, resulting in extended exposure of the drug to gastric acid, leading to degradation to des-cladinose-azithromycin (DCA). Azithromycin gelatin capsules were formulated with "superdisintegrants" to provide fast-dissolving capsules, and HPMC capsule shells were substituted for gelatin capsule shells, in an effort to eliminate the food effect. Healthy volunteers were dosed with these dosage forms under fasted and fed conditions; pharmacokinetics were evaluated. DCA pharmacokinetics were also evaluated for the HPMC capsule subjects. In vitro disintegration of azithromycin HPMC capsules in media containing food was evaluated and compared with commercial tablets and commercial gelatin capsules. When the two fast-dissolving capsule formulations were dosed to fed subjects, the azithromycin AUC was 38.9% and 52.1% lower than after fasted-state dosing. When HPMC capsules were dosed to fed subjects, the azithromycin AUC was 65.5% lower than after fasted-state dosing. For HPMC capsules, the absolute fasting-state to fed-state decrease in azithromycin AUC (on a molar basis) was similar to the increase in DCA AUC. In vitro capsule disintegration studies revealed extended disintegration times for commercial azithromycin gelatin capsules and HPMC capsules in media containing the liquid foods milk and Ensure®. Interaction of azithromycin gelatin and HPMC capsules with food results in slowed disintegration in vitro and decreased bioavailability in vivo. Concurrent measurement of serum azithromycin and the acid-degradation product DCA demonstrates that the loss of azithromycin

  7. Changes in biomechanical properties of glenohumeral joint capsules with adhesive capsulitis by repeated capsule-preserving hydraulic distensions with saline solution and corticosteroid.

    PubMed

    Koh, Eun S; Chung, Sun G; Kim, Tae Uk; Kim, Hee Chan

    2012-12-01

    To investigate whether capsule-preserving hydraulic distension with saline solution and corticosteroid for adhesive capsulitis induces biomechanical alterations in glenohumeral joint capsules along with clinical improvements. A case series. University outpatient clinic of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Eighteen patients with unilateral adhesive capsulitis. INTERVENTION AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Three hydraulic distensions with saline solution and corticosteroid were performed with 1-month intervals. To avoid rupturing capsules, all distensions were monitored by using real-time pressure-volume curves. Stiffness, maximal volume capacity, and pressure at the maximal volume capacity of the capsule were measured at each intervention. Clinical parameters, such as pain and range of motion, were recorded before, 3 days after, and 1 month after each distension. Stiffness decreased (47.6 ± 27.1 mm Hg/mL to 31.7 ± 18.4 mm Hg/mL to 24.2 ± 14.0 mm Hg/mL, mean SD) and maximal volume capacity increased (18.8 ± 7.3 mL to 20.5 ± 7.5 mL to 24.2 ± 7.0 mL, mean SD) significantly (P = .001 for both) at each repeated hydraulic distension. Pressure at the maximal volume capacity tended to decrease, but the decrements were not statistically significant (P = .662). The clinical parameters were significantly improved throughout and 1 month after the 3 repeat procedures (P < .05 for all). Capsule-preserving hydraulic distension changed the biomechanical properties of the glenohumeral joint capsule, lessening the stiffness and enlarging the volume capacity. These alterations were accompanied by improved range of motion and relief of pain. Repeated capsule-preserving hydraulic distension with saline solution and corticosteroid would be useful to treat adhesive capsulitis and to evaluate the treatment results. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Mercury Capsule Separation Tests

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1960-04-01

    Mercury capsule separation from Redstone booster in the Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT): NASA Lewis conducted full-scale separation tests of the posigrade rockets that were fired after the Redstone rockets burned out. The researchers studied the effect of the posigrade rockets firing on the Redstone booster and retrograde package. This film shows the Mercury capsule being mounted to the Redstone missile model in the Altitude Wind Tunnel. The capsule's engines are fired and it horizontally separates from the Atlas. After firing the capsule swings from an overhead crane.

  9. Retinoic Acid 4-Hydroxylase Inducibility and Clinical Response to Isotretinoin in Acne Patients

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Frank; Kwak, Heh Shin R.; Elbuluk, Nada; Kaczmarek, Anya L.; Hamilton, Ted; Voorhees, John J.; Fisher, Gary J.; Kang, Sewon

    2011-01-01

    Background The cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP26 (retinoic acid 4-hydroxylase) initiates the catabolism of all-trans retinoic acid (tRA) and limits the effects of tRA. The CYP26 enzyme acts on tRA, but not 13-cis RA (isotretinoin), a retinoid used to treat severe acne. However, 13-cis RA can isomerize to tRA, which can then be metabolized by CYP26. Objective In healthy subjects, we assessed the variability of CYP26 enzymatic activity. We then investigated whether response to oral 13-cis RA among acne patients correlates with variability in CYP26 expression. Methods In healthy subjects, we isolated microsomal fractions from the epidermis of keratome biopsies and measured CYP26 enzymatic activity in untreated skin and skin treated with tRA. Enzymatic activity was determined based on rate of formation of 4-hydroxy RA (pg/min) per mg microsomal protein. Using real-time PCR we quantified CYP26 mRNA induction after tRA application in acne patients who responded or did not respond to one course of 13-cis RA. Results In normal skin (N=118), CYP26 enzymatic activity was widely variable (1–180 pg/min per mg microsomal fraction; mean 42.7 ± 3.5). Furthermore, CYP26 enzymatic activity was inducible in a dose-dependent manner in normal skin following tRA application, but not correlated with age or sex (N=29). In acne patients, CYP26 mRNA induction following 0.1% tRA application did not differ (P>0.05) between subjects who responded (N=8, 587±325 fold) or did not respond (N=8, 657±227 fold) to one course of 13-cis RA. Limitations The small number of acne patients treated with 13-cis RA was a major limitation. Conclusion Factors other than CYP26 activity may determine response to isotretinoin in acne. PMID:19525031

  10. Sweat collection capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Delaplaine, R. W.; Greenleaf, J. E.

    1979-01-01

    Capsule, with filter paper insert, is used to collect sweat for rate monitoring, chromatographic analysis, or active sweat gland location within specified area. Construction of capsule allows change of inserts while device remains strapped in place.

  11. Engineering fluorescent poly(dopamine) capsules.

    PubMed

    Chen, Xi; Yan, Yan; Müllner, Markus; van Koeverden, Martin P; Noi, Ka Fung; Zhu, Wei; Caruso, Frank

    2014-03-18

    The recent development of poly(dopamine) (PDA) capsules provides new opportunities for their application in biology and medicine. To advance the biomedical application of PDA capsules, strategies that enable the preparation of fluorescently labeled PDA (F-PDA) capsules are required, as this will allow evaluation of their cellular interactions using a range of fluorescence-based techniques. Herein, we report a facile approach for the fabrication of F-PDA capsules via the polymerization of dopamine (DA) on sacrificial templates in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). F-PDA capsules with well-defined sizes are prepared by templating different organic and inorganic particles. The resulting F-PDA capsules show negligible cytotoxicity in HeLa cells after incubation for 48 h. We also demonstrate visualization of the F-PDA capsules following internalization by HeLa cells using conventional fluorescence microscopy, en route toward detailed investigations on their biological interactions.

  12. The Lens Capsule

    PubMed Central

    Danysh, Brian P.; Duncan, Melinda K.

    2009-01-01

    The lens capsule is a modified basement membrane that completely surrounds the ocular lens. It is known that this extracellular matrix is important for both the structure and biomechanics of the lens in addition to providing informational cues to maintain lens cell phenotype. This review covers the development and structure of the lens capsule, lens diseases associated with mutations in extracellular matrix genes and the role of the capsule in lens function including those proposed for visual accommodation, selective permeability to infectious agents, and cell signaling. PMID:18773892

  13. Magneto-responsive alginate capsules.

    PubMed

    Degen, Patrick; Zwar, Elena; Schulz, Imke; Rehage, Heinz

    2015-05-20

    Upon incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles (mNPs) into gels, composite materials called ferrogels are obtained. These magneto-responsive systems have a wide range of potential applications including switches and sensors as well as drug delivery systems. In this article, we focus on the properties of calcium alginate capsules, which are widely used as carrier systems in medicine and technology. We studied the incorporation of different kinds of mNPs in matrix capsules and in the core and the shell of hollow particles. We found out that not all particle-alginate or particle-CaCl2 solution combinations were suitable for a successful capsule preparation on grounds of a destabilization of the nanoparticles or the polymer. For those systems allowing the preparation of switchable beads or capsules, we systematically studied the size and microscopic structure of the capsules, their magnetic behavior and mechanical resistance.

  14. Oxygen Fugacity in Large Metal Capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faul, U.; Cline, C. J., II; Jackson, I.; Berry, A.

    2016-12-01

    During experiments with iron bearing silicates, equilibration between metal capsules and sample interior depends on diffusion of Fe if the capsule composition is not initially in equilibrium with the sample composition. For example, placing Pt or Ni capsules in contact with Fe-bearing olivine leads to Fe-loss from the olivine. In a fully equilibrated system the Fe contents of coexisting metal capsule and olivine reflect the oxygen fugacity (fO2) of the system. Experiments were conducted with olivine encapsulated or wrapped in four different metals (Fe, Ni70Fe30, Ni and Pt) to determine the fO2 in the cm-sized samples used for deformation and seismic property experiments. Small Pt particles mixed with olivine powder were used as fO2 sensors in the interior of the capsules. The results show an ordering of the fO2 in the interior that is consistent with the enclosing metals, i.e. the fO2 is lowest in a Fe capsule and highest in a Pt capsule. However, fO2 values in the more oxidizing metal capsules are substantially below their respective metal-oxide buffers. For example, solgel olivine encapsulated in Ni has an oxygen fugacity that is more than three orders of magnitude below Ni-NiO at 1200C and 0.3 GPa. The fO2 in a capsule interior is therefore to some extent self-buffering and only moderately influenced by the composition of the capsule. While the Pt particles in the interior are equilibrated, Fe gradients from the interior up to the Pt and Ni sample-capsule interfaces show that Fe loss into the capsules is diffusion limited. The fO2 at the interface also has implications for the water retention in unbuffered capsules. We infer that relatively high fO2 and hence fH2O observed adjacent to Pt capsules enables retention of water in these capsules, but the fO2 adjacent to Ni capsules is too low and water is lost.

  15. Embryonic subcellular distribution of 13-cis- and all-trans-retinoic acid indicates differential cytosolic/nuclear localization.

    PubMed

    Rühl, R; Plum, C; Elmazar, M M; Nau, H

    2001-09-01

    Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid [13CRA], Accutane) is used for the treatment of dermatological diseases. Isotretinoin is, however, teratogenic in animals and humans. The mechanism of action of its teratogenicity is still not clearly identified. It has little or no binding properties to cytosolic retinoid-binding proteins or nuclear retinoid receptors (RAR, RXR). One hypothesis is that the teratogenicity of 2 approximately equipotent teratogenic doses of 13CRA and all-trans-retinoic acids (ATRA) could mainly be correlated to ATRA in the nuclei, where the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are located. To test this hypothesis, female mice at gestational day 11 were treated with approximately equipotent teratogenic doses of 13-cis-retinoic acid (100 mg/kg orally) or all-trans-retinoic acid (10 mg/kg orally) and sacrificed 1 h and 4 h after administration. Embryos were homogenized and centrifuged into 4 fractions, and the purity of the fractions was tested by quantification of marker constituents for various cell compartments. We analyzed, by RP-HPLC, nuclear, mitochondrial, microsomal, and cytosolic fractions, as well as embryo homogenate and maternal plasma. After treatment with 13-cis-retinoic acid, this substance was mainly located in the nuclear fraction of the embryo (approximately 82%), whereas all-trans-retinoic acid, after ATRA treatment, was mainly located in the cytosolic supernatant (approximately 64%). The binding to cellular retinoid-binding protein (CRABP) may limit the access of ATRA to the nucleus, in contrast to 13CRA, which does not bind to CRABP. The concentration of ATRA in the nuclear fraction was similar after administration of either 13CRA or ATRA. The teratogenic activity of 13-cis-retinoic acid could therefore be explained by its access to the nucleus and its possible conversion to all-trans-retinoic acids, which will interact with the nuclear retinoid receptors.

  16. Polydopamine-coated capsules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    White, Scott R.; Sottos, Nancy R.; Kang, Sen

    One aspect of the invention is a polymer material comprising a capsule coated with PDA. In certain embodiments, the capsule encapsulates a functional agent. The encapsulated functional agent may be an indicating agent, healing agent, protecting agent, pharmaceutical drug, food additive, or a combination thereof.

  17. Ethical aspects of capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Niv, Yaron

    2008-01-01

    Capsule endoscopy is the most recent innovation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. The capsule contains a video camera that photographs the bowel for 8 h after the capsule has been orally ingested and transmits the images for interpretation to a computerized workstation. Ethical considerations of the use of capsule endoscopy should cover the following main issues: justification of the procedure, its potential benefits and harm, and patient autonomy. Capsule endoscopy has several advantages over traditional endoscopy. The procedure is painless, does not require sedation, is easy to perform and for the first time enables exploration of the entire small bowel at high magnification. However, the clinician cannot control its passive advance along the bowel. In addition, the examination may be incomplete, as the capsule reaches the cecum in only 80% of cases. This paper discusses the problems related to the new endoscopic procedure, the diagnostic yield in comparison with other procedures, proper indications for the procedure, outcome and complications. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  18. Polyelectrolyte capsules preloaded with interconnected alginate matrix: An effective capsule system for encapsulation and release of macromolecules.

    PubMed

    Sundaramurthy, Anandhakumar; Sundramoorthy, Ashok K

    2018-02-01

    In recent years, the design of stimuli-responsive hollow polymeric capsules is of tremendous interest for the scientific community because of the broad application of these capsules in the biomedical field. The use of weak polyelectrolytes as layer components for capsule fabrication is especially interesting as it results in hollow capsules that show unique release characteristics under physiological conditions. In this work, a methodology to prepare sub-micron sized alginate doped calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) particles through controlled precipitation in the presence of alginate is reported. Hollow capsules obtained by Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) are showing an interconnected alginate matrix in the interior of the capsules. Investigations showed that the presence of alginate matrix enhances the encapsulation of cationic molecules (e.g. doxorubicin hydrochloride) manifold by charge controlled attraction mechanism. Capsule permeability investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that the transformation from an open state to closed state is accompanied by an intermediate state where capsules are neither open nor closed. Furthermore, time dependent study indicated that the encapsulation process is linear as a function of time. The cell viability experiments demonstrated excellent biocompatibility of hollow capsules with mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Anticancer investigations showed that DOX loaded capsules have significant anti-proliferative characteristics against HeLa cells. Such capsules have high potential for use as drug carrier for cationic drugs in cancer therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparison of the cumulative irritation potential of adapalene gel and cream with that of erythromycin/tretinoin solution and gel and erythromycin/isotretinoin gel.

    PubMed

    Queille-Roussel, C; Poncet, M; Mesaros, S; Clucas, A; Baker, M; Soloff, A M

    2001-02-01

    Adapalene is a naphthoic acid derivative with retinoid activity that is effective in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. This study assessed the cumulative irritation potential of adapalene gel (0.1%) and adapalene cream (0.1%) compared with that of erythromycin (4%)/tretinoin (0.025%) solution, erythromycin (4%)/tretinoin (0.025%) gel, erythromycin (2%)/isotretinoin (0.05%) gel, and white petrolatum (negative control). This was a single-center, randomized, controlled, investigator-blinded, intraindividual comparison study in healthy subjects with normal skin. The cumulative irritation assay (patch test) was used to assess the potential for irritation (including erythema) of the treatments. Each subject received all study treatments, randomly applied under occlusion (patch), to sites on either side of the midline on the mid-thoracic area of the back. All patches were applied to the same sites throughout the study, unless the degree of reaction to the treatment or adhesive necessitated removal. For 3 weeks, each test material was applied daily, Monday through Friday, for approximately 24 hours; the Friday patches were left in place over the weekend for approximately 72 hours. All 36 subjects (26 men, 10 women; age, 18-49 years [mean, 30 years]) completed the study. In the course of the study, all subjects had > or =1 application discontinued prematurely on > or =1 site due to intolerance. There were no discontinuations with white petrolatum. All erythromycin/tretinoin gel patches were discontinued at day 10; 35 of 36 erythromycin/isotretinoin gel patches were discontinued at day 9; and 35 of 36 erythromycin/tretinoin solution patches were discontinued at day 11 or day 17. The adapalene products, although slightly more irritating (mean cumulative irritation index, 0.25-1) than white petrolatum, were significantly less irritating than the erythromycin/tretinoin and erythromycin/isotretinoin products (P < 0.01). Adapalene gel and cream were well tolerated

  20. Patency© and agile© capsules

    PubMed Central

    Caunedo-Álvarez, Ángel; Romero-Vazquez, Javier; Herrerias-Gutierrez, Juan M

    2008-01-01

    Small bowel strictures can be missed by current diagnostic methods. The Patency capsule is a new non-endoscopic dissolvable capsule which has as an objective of checking the patency of digestive tract, in a non-invasive manner. The available clinical trials have demonstrated that the Patency© capsule is a good tool for assessment of the functional patency of the small bowel, and it allows identification of those patients who can safely undergo a capsule endoscopy, despite clinical and radiographic evidence of small-bowel obstruction. Some cases of intestinal occlusion have been reported with the Patency© capsule, four of them needed surgery. So, a new capsule with two timer plugs (Agile© capsule) has been recently developed in order to minimize the risk of occlusion. This new device stars its dissolution process earlier (30 h after ingestion) and its two timer plugs have been designed to begin the disintegration even when the device is blocked in a tight stricture. PMID:18785278

  1. Magnetically guided capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Shamsudhin, Naveen; Zverev, Vladimir I; Keller, Henrik; Pane, Salvador; Egolf, Peter W; Nelson, Bradley J; Tishin, Alexander M

    2017-08-01

    Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a powerful tool for medical screening and diagnosis, where a small capsule is swallowed and moved by means of natural peristalsis and gravity through the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The camera-integrated capsule allows for visualization of the small intestine, a region which was previously inaccessible to classical flexible endoscopy. As a diagnostic tool, it allows to localize the sources of bleedings in the middle part of the gastrointestinal tract and to identify diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease), polyposis syndrome, and tumors. The screening and diagnostic efficacy of the WCE, especially in the stomach region, is hampered by a variety of technical challenges like the lack of active capsular position and orientation control. Therapeutic functionality is absent in most commercial capsules, due to constraints in capsular volume and energy storage. The possibility of using body-exogenous magnetic fields to guide, orient, power, and operate the capsule and its mechanisms has led to increasing research in Magnetically Guided Capsule Endoscopy (MGCE). This work shortly reviews the history and state-of-art in WCE technology. It highlights the magnetic technologies for advancing diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities of WCE. Not restricting itself to the GI tract, the review further investigates the technological developments in magnetically guided microrobots that can navigate through the various air- and fluid-filled lumina and cavities in the body for minimally invasive medicine. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

  2. Stennis time capsule

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-10-15

    Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) and Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Chief of Staff James Pettigrew drop the first shovelfuls of dirt on a time capsule to be opened on the rocket engine test facility's 100th anniversary in 2061. The time capsule was placed in front of the Roy S. Estess Building on Oct. 25 as Stennis concluded celebrations of its 50th anniversary.

  3. Agile patency system eliminates risk of capsule retention in patients with known intestinal strictures who undergo capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Herrerias, Juan M; Leighton, Jonathan A; Costamagna, Guido; Infantolino, Anthony; Eliakim, Rami; Fischer, Doron; Rubin, David T; Manten, Howard D; Scapa, Eitan; Morgan, Douglas R; Bergwerk, Ari J; Koslowsky, Binyamin; Adler, Samuel N

    2008-05-01

    Capsule endoscopy (CE) of the small bowel has become a standard diagnostic tool, but there have been concerns regarding the risk of capsule retention in certain high-risk groups. The Agile patency system, an ingestible and dissolvable capsule with an external scanner, was developed to allow physicians to perform CE with greater confidence that the capsule will be safely excreted in patients at risk for capsule retention. Our purpose was to assess the ability of the device to help physicians identify which patients with known strictures may safely undergo CE. Patients with known strictures ingested the new patency capsule and underwent periodic scanning until it was excreted. The intestinal tract was considered to be sufficiently patent if the capsule was excreted intact or if the capsule was not detected by the scanner at 30 hours after ingestion. If patency was established, then standard CE was performed. International multicenter study. A total of 106 patients with known strictures. Agile patency system. Performance and safety of Agile patency system. A total of 106 patients ingested the patency capsule. Fifty-nine (56%) excreted it intact and subsequently underwent CE. There were no cases of capsule retention. Significant findings on CE were found in 24 (41%). There were 3 severe adverse events. These results suggest that the Agile patency system is a useful tool for physicians to use before CE in patients with strictures to avoid retention. This group of patients may have a high yield of clinically significant findings at CE. This capsule may determine whether patients who have a contraindication to CE may safely undergo CE and obtain useful diagnostic information.

  4. An Effective Algorithm for Management of Noses with Thick Skin.

    PubMed

    Guyuron, Bahman; Lee, Michelle

    2017-04-01

    Thicker nasal skin blunts the definition of the underlying osseocartilaginous frame and the delicate topography of the nose posing additional challenges in producing desirable tip definition. Despite the recognized challenge in this patient population, there is a paucity of literature on how to overcome this problem. The goal of this article is to provide a systematic algorithm to manage patients with thick nasal skin. Approach to the thick nasal skin patient begins with an evaluation of the etiology of their skin thickness. Skin thickness secondary to sebaceous overactivity is diminished with the use of retinoic acid derivatives, lasers or isotretinoin (Accutane), commonly under the advice of the dermatologist. Rhinoplasty maneuvers include open technique, raising a healthy and reasonably thick skin flap overlying the tip, removing the remaining fat overlying and between the domes, creating a firm cartilaginous frame and eliminating dead space using the supratip suture reported by the senior author, and trimming redundant nasal skin envelope when indicated. This systematic approach has been greatly effective in achieving often predictable and aesthetically pleasing rhinoplasty results. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

  5. Endoscopic placement of the small-bowel video capsule by using a capsule endoscope delivery device.

    PubMed

    Holden, Jeremy P; Dureja, Parul; Pfau, Patrick R; Schwartz, Darren C; Reichelderfer, Mark; Judd, Robert H; Danko, Istvan; Iyer, Lalitha V; Gopal, Deepak V

    2007-05-01

    Capsule endoscopy performed via the traditional peroral route is technically challenging in patients with dysphagia, gastroparesis, and/or abnormal upper-GI (UGI) anatomy. To describe the indications and outcomes of cases in which the AdvanCE capsule endoscope delivery device, which has recently been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, was used. Retrospective, descriptive, case series. Tertiary care, university hospital. We report a case series of 16 consecutive patients in whom the AdvanCE delivery device was used. The study period was May 2005 through July 2006. Endoscopic delivery of the video capsule to the proximal small bowel by using the AdvanCE delivery device. Indications, technique, and completeness of small bowel imaging in patients who underwent endoscopic video capsule delivery. The AdvanCE delivery device was used in 16 patients ranging in age from 3 to 74 years. The primary indications for endoscopic delivery included inability to swallow the capsule (10), altered UGI anatomy (4), and gastroparesis (2). Of the 4 patients with altered UGI anatomy, 3 had dual intestinal loop anatomy (ie, Bilroth-II procedure, Whipple surgery, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) and 1 had a failed Nissen fundoplication. In all cases, the capsule was easily deployed without complication, and complete small intestinal imaging was achieved. Small patient size. Endoscopic placement of the Given PillCam by use of the AdvanCE delivery device was safe and easily performed in patients for whom capsule endoscopy would otherwise have been contraindicated or technically challenging.

  6. Capsule Escape Tests - Wallops Island

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1959-05-14

    Caption: Off the pad abort shot at Wallops using Langley PARD designed full scale capsule with Recruit rocket and extended skirt main parachute. Shows sequential images of launch and capsule splashdown.

  7. Contraception with subdermal ST-1435 capsules: side-effects, endocrine profiles and liver function related to different lengths of capsules.

    PubMed

    Kurunmäki, H; Toivonen, J; Lähteenmäki, P; Luukkainen, T

    1985-03-01

    One Silastic capsule of 15 mm, 20 mm or 30 mm length was inserted subcutaneously into the ventral aspect of the left forearm or upper arm of 28 healthy women during menstrual bleeding or not later than on the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. A new capsule of the same length was inserted after six months and both capsules were removed twelve months after the first insertion. Side-effects, including changes in body weight, blood pressure, menstrual bleeding and liver function test results, were registered. Blood samples were taken from selected subjects twice a week during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 12th month of use. Plasma concentrations of ST-1435 were measured by radioimmunoassay and the effects of treatment on pituitary and ovarian function were determined by assaying plasma concentrations of LH, FSH, estradiol and progesterone. There were no differences in hormonal side-effects between subjects who had a 30 mm capsule or subjects who had 20 mm or 15 mm capsules, but subjects who had 20 or 15 mm capsules had significantly longer bleeding or spotting periods in comparison with subjects who had a 30 mm capsule. There were no changes in blood pressure, body weight or liver function test results in comparison with pre-insertion values. The plasma level of ST-1435 was not significantly higher during the use of 30 mm capsules than during the use of 20 or 15 mm capsules. During the use of the shorter ST-1435 capsules, plasma estradiol elevation and slightly suppressed FSH were seen, while the use of longer capsules resulted in a slight suppression of LH. Progesterone concentrations during monitored cycles indicated anovulation. No pregnancies occurred during the study period of one year. The continuation rate at one year was 71% in the 30 mm capsule group and 57% in the 20 and 15 mm capsule groups taken together.

  8. First order capsules comparative arrangements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1963-01-01

    Pen and ink views of comparative arragements of several capsules including the existing 'Big Joe' design, the compromise 'Big Joe' design, and the 'Little Joe'. All capsule designs are labeled and include dimensions.

  9. Nanocomposite capsules with directional, pulsed nanoparticle release.

    PubMed

    Udoh, Christiana E; Cabral, João T; Garbin, Valeria

    2017-12-01

    The precise spatiotemporal delivery of nanoparticles from polymeric capsules is required for applications ranging from medicine to materials science. These capsules derive key performance aspects from their overall shape and dimensions, porosity, and internal microstructure. To this effect, microfluidics provide an exceptional platform for emulsification and subsequent capsule formation. However, facile and robust approaches for nanocomposite capsule fabrication, exhibiting triggered nanoparticle release, remain elusive because of the complex coupling of polymer-nanoparticle phase behavior, diffusion, phase inversion, and directional solidification. We investigate a model system of polyelectrolyte sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) and 22-nm colloidal silica and demonstrate a robust capsule morphology diagram, achieving a range of internal morphologies, including nucleated and bicontinuous microstructures, as well as isotropic and non-isotropic external shapes. Upon dissolution in water, we find that capsules formed with either neat polymers or neat nanoparticles dissolve rapidly and isotropically, whereas bicontinuous, hierarchical, composite capsules dissolve via directional pulses of nanoparticle clusters without disrupting the scaffold, with time scales tunable from seconds to hours. The versatility, facile assembly, and response of these nanocomposite capsules thus show great promise in precision delivery.

  10. Gelatin capsule in stomach (image)

    MedlinePlus

    ... detect the presence of intestinal parasites. A weighted gelatin capsule attached to a string is swallowed and left in place. After about 4 hours, the gelatin capsule is pulled out of the stomach by ...

  11. Thermoregulation of Capsule Production by Streptococcus pyogenes

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Song Ok; Wright, Jordan O.; Tesorero, Rafael A.; Lee, Hyunwoo; Beall, Bernard; Cho, Kyu Hong

    2012-01-01

    The capsule of Streptococcus pyogenes serves as an adhesin as well as an anti-phagocytic factor by binding to CD44 on keratinocytes of the pharyngeal mucosa and the skin, the main entry sites of the pathogen. We discovered that S. pyogenes HSC5 and MGAS315 strains are further thermoregulated for capsule production at a post-transcriptional level in addition to the transcriptional regulation by the CovRS two-component regulatory system. When the transcription of the hasABC capsular biosynthetic locus was de-repressed through mutation of the covRS system, the two strains, which have been used for pathogenesis studies in the laboratory, exhibited markedly increased capsule production at sub-body temperature. Employing transposon mutagenesis, we found that CvfA, a previously identified membrane-associated endoribonuclease, is required for the thermoregulation of capsule synthesis. The mutation of the cvfA gene conferred increased capsule production regardless of temperature. However, the amount of the capsule transcript was not changed by the mutation, indicating that a post-transcriptional regulator mediates between CvfA and thermoregulated capsule production. When we tested naturally occurring invasive mucoid strains, a high percentage (11/53, 21%) of the strains exhibited thermoregulated capsule production. As expected, the mucoid phenotype of these strains at sub-body temperature was due to mutations within the chromosomal covRS genes. Capsule thermoregulation that exhibits high capsule production at lower temperatures that occur on the skin or mucosal surface potentially confers better capability of adhesion and invasion when S. pyogenes penetrates the epithelial surface. PMID:22615992

  12. Big Joe Capsule Assembly Activities

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1959-08-01

    Big Joe Capsule Assembly Activities in 1959 at NASA Glenn Research Center (formerly NASA Lewis). Big Joe was an Atlas missile that successfully launched a boilerplate model of the Mercury capsule on September 9, 1959.

  13. The effects of hematoma on implant capsules.

    PubMed

    Caffee, H H

    1986-02-01

    Hematoma surrounding an implant is one of the many factors that have been suggested as possible causes for scar capsule contracture. In this study, experiments were designed to determine the influence of hematoma on the incidence and severity of capsule contracture in rabbits. Two implants were placed in each animal, 1 with a surrounding hematoma and 1 control. Capsules were evaluated subjectively and compared objectively with measurements of deformability, surface area, and capsule thickness. No differences were found with any of the objective criteria, which suggests that hematoma may not be a noteworthy cause of implant capsule contracture.

  14. FOLLICULITIS ET PERIFOLLICULITIS CAPITIS ABSCEDENS ET SUFFODIENS CONTROLLED WITH A COMBINATION THERAPY: SYSTEMIC ANTIBIOSIS (METRONIDAZOLE PLUS CLINDAMYCIN), DERMATOSURGICAL APPROACH, AND HIGH-DOSE ISOTRETINOIN

    PubMed Central

    Tchernev, Georgi

    2011-01-01

    Folliculitis et perifolliculitis capitis abscedens et suffodiens is a rare disease of unknown etiology. It is a suppurative process that involves the scalp, eventually resulting in extensive scarring and irreversible alopecia. The condition is also known as ‘acne necrotica miliaris’ or ‘Proprionibacterium’ folliculitis. Most often the disease affects men of African-American or African-Caribbean descent between 20 and 40 years of age. The clinical picture is determined by fluctuating painful fistule-forming conglomerates of abscesses in the region of the occipital scalp. The cause of scalp folliculitis is not well understood. It is generally considered to be an inflammatory reaction to components of the hair follicle, particularly the micro-organisms. These include: bacteria (especially Propionibacterium acnes, but in severe cases, also Staphylococcus aureus), Yeasts (Malassezia species) and mites (Demodex folliculorum). The initial histopathologic finding is an exclusively neutrophilic infiltration followed by a granulomatous infiltrate. The treatment of the disease is usually difficult and often disappointing. Successful treatment with isotretinoin 1 mg/kg body mass could be achieved only after regular systematic administration in the course of 3–4 months. Here we describe a patient with eruptive purulent form of the disease, which has been controlled with combination therapy: systemic antibiosis with metronidazole and clindamycin, dermatosurgical removal of single nodular formations, and isotretinoin 1 mg/kg body mass for 3–5 months. PMID:21772598

  15. Stennis time capsule

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-10-15

    Stennis Space Center Director Patrick Scheuermann (right) and Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command Chief of Staff James Pettigrew drop the first shovelfuls of dirt on a time capsule to be opened on the rocket engine test facility's 100th anniversary in 2061. The time capsule was placed in front of the Roy S. Estess Building on Oct. 25 as Stennis concluded celebrations of its 50th anniversary. NASA publicly announced plans to build the rocket engine test site Oct. 25, 1961.

  16. Small intestinal model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this research is to propose a small intestine model for electrically propelled capsule endoscopy. The electrical stimulus can cause contraction of the small intestine and propel the capsule along the lumen. The proposed model considered the drag and friction from the small intestine using a thin walled model and Stokes' drag equation. Further, contraction force from the small intestine was modeled by using regression analysis. From the proposed model, the acceleration and velocity of various exterior shapes of capsule were calculated, and two exterior shapes of capsules were proposed based on the internal volume of the capsules. The proposed capsules were fabricated and animal experiments were conducted. One of the proposed capsules showed an average (SD) velocity in forward direction of 2.91 ± 0.99 mm/s and 2.23 ± 0.78 mm/s in the backward direction, which was 5.2 times faster than that obtained in previous research. The proposed model can predict locomotion of the capsule based on various exterior shapes of the capsule. PMID:22177218

  17. Contraindications for video capsule endoscopy

    PubMed Central

    Bandorski, Dirk; Kurniawan, Niehls; Baltes, Peter; Hoeltgen, Reinhard; Hecker, Matthias; Stunder, Dominik; Keuchel, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has been applied in the last 15 years in an increasing field of applications. Although many contraindications have been put into perspective, some precautions still have to be considered. Known stenosis of the gastrointestinal tract is a clear contraindication for VCE unless surgery is already scheduled or at least has been considered as an optional treatment modality. In patients with a higher incidence of stenosis, as in an established diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, clinical signs of obstruction, prior radiation or surgical small bowel resection, a preceding test with the self-dissolving patency capsule can override this contraindication. Endoscopic placement of the capsule should be considered in patients with swallowing disorders to avoid aspiration. Esophageal or gastric motility disorders may require endoscopic capsule transport or application of prokinetics if the real-time viewer proofs delayed transit. In pregnant women, VCE should be restricted to urgent cases where diagnosis cannot be postponed after delivery, as data on safety are missing. There is theoretical and clinical evidence that patients with implanted cardiac devices such as a pacemaker, cardioverters or left heart assist devices, can safely undergo VCE in spite of still existing contraindication by manufacturers. Children from the age of 2 years have safely undergone VCE. Although video capsules are not proven safe with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), first single cases of patients incidentally undergoing MRI with an incorporated capsule have been reported, showing susceptibility artifacts but no signs of clinical harm. PMID:28018097

  18. 21 CFR 520.1660b - Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules. 520.1660b... Oxytetracycline hydrochloride capsules. (a) Specifications. The drug is in capsule form with each capsule containing 125 or 250 milligrams of oxytetracycline hydrochloride. Oxytetracycline is the antibiotic...

  19. Basic ammonothermal GaN growth in molybdenum capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pimputkar, S.; Speck, J. S.; Nakamura, S.

    2016-12-01

    Single crystal, bulk gallium nitride (GaN) crystals were grown using the basic ammonothermal method in a high purity growth environment created using a non-hermetically sealed molybdenum (Mo) capsule and compared to growths performed in a similarly designed silver (Ag) capsule and capsule-free René 41 autoclave. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis revealed transition metal free (<1×1017 cm-3) GaN crystals. Anomalously low oxygen concentrations ((2-6)×1018 cm-3) were measured in a {0001} seeded crystal boule grown using a Mo capsule, despite higher source material oxygen concentrations ((1-5)×1019 cm-3) suggesting that molybdenum (or molybdenum nitrides) may act to getter oxygen under certain conditions. Total system pressure profiles from growth runs in a Mo capsule system were comparable to those without a capsule, with pressures peaking within 2 days and slowly decaying due to hydrogen diffusional losses. Measured Mo capsule GaN growth rates were comparable to un-optimized growth rates in capsule-free systems and appreciably slower than in Ag-capsule systems. Crystal quality replicated that of the GaN seed crystals for all capsule conditions, with high quality growth occurring on the (0001) Ga-face. Optical absorption and impurity concentration characterization suggests reduced concentrations of hydrogenated gallium vacancies (VGa-Hx).

  20. Initial experimental evaluation of wireless capsule endoscopes in the bladder: implications for capsule cystoscopy.

    PubMed

    Gettman, Matthew T; Swain, Paul

    2009-05-01

    Cystoscopy remains one of the most important diagnostic procedures for the lower urinary tract. Wireless capsule endoscopy was introduced in the 1990s but use to date is limited to gastroenterology. We evaluated the feasibility in the pig model of using wireless capsule endoscopes (WCEs) for cystoscopy. Experimental evaluation of capsule cystoscopy was performed in a 50-kg farm pig. The capsule was deployed into the bladder through a custom access sheath. Images were continuously transmitted at a rate of four frames per second to a laptop computer and processed using proprietary software. Manipulation of the WCE within the bladder was performed using a set protocol. The animal was then euthanized and gross inspection was performed. We measured the ability to deploy and manipulate the capsule within the bladder. Feasibility of capturing and retrieving images in real time was also assessed. The WCE was efficiently deployed and manipulated within the bladder passively and with the use of external magnets. The entire bladder mucosa was visualized. Real-time image transmission and capture were successful. No complications were seen during capsule cystoscopy. Minor urethral bleeding was observed after the experiment, likely related to placement of the access sheath required for deployment of the WCE. Limitations are that the evaluation of WCE was performed in the pig model, in only one female animal, using a nonsurvival approach. Furthermore, the study was not designed to differentiate normal from abnormal mucosal findings and focused solely on inspection of the bladder. This report suggests that cystoscopy with a WCE is feasible. With this device, all aspects of the bladder mucosa could be visualized, and ongoing technologic and procedural developments are warranted for this new approach.

  1. Anterior capsule relaxing incisions with neodymium:YAG laser for patients at high-risk for anterior capsule contraction.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Ken; Yoshida, Motoaki; Hirata, Akira; Hayashi, Hideyuki

    2011-01-01

    To examine the effect of anterior capsule relaxing incisions created with a neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser on prevention of anterior capsule contraction after cataract surgery in high-risk patients. Hayashi Eye Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. Randomized masked clinical trials. Patients at high risk for anterior capsule contraction had anterior capsule relaxing incisions in either eye 3 days postoperatively. The anterior capsule opening was measured using a Scheimpflug videophotography system (EAS-1000) immediately and 1, 3, and 6 months after capsulotomy, and the percentage reduction in area was calculated. The degree of intraocular lens (IOL) decentration and tilt, posterior capsule opacification (PCO), and other complications were also assessed. Of the 84 patients included, 30 had primary angle closure, 28 had pseudoexfoliation, and 26 had diabetic retinopathy. There was no significant difference in the mean opening area between fellow eyes at baseline. In patients with primary angle closure, the area was significantly greater and the percentage reduction in area was significantly less in the capsulotomy group than in the no-capsulotomy group (P≤.0428). In patients with pseudoexfoliation or diabetic retinopathy, the percentage reduction was significantly less in the capsulotomy group than in the no-capsulotomy group (P≤.0493), although there was no significant difference in area. No significant difference was found in IOL decentration or tilt, PCO, or incidence of other complications. Neodymium:YAG laser anterior capsule relaxing incisions in the early period after cataract surgery were effective in preventing anterior capsule contraction in high-risk patients and had no adverse effects. No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2010 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Reinforcing effects of caffeine in coffee and capsules.

    PubMed

    Griffiths, R R; Bigelow, G E; Liebson, I A

    1989-09-01

    In a residential research ward the reinforcing and subjective effects of caffeine were studied under double-blind conditions in volunteer subjects with histories of heavy coffee drinking. In Experiment 1, 6 subjects had 13 opportunities each day to self-administer either a caffeine (100 mg) or a placebo capsule for periods of 14 to 61 days. All subjects developed a clear preference for caffeine, with intake of caffeine becoming relatively stable after preference had been attained. Preference for caffeine was demonstrated whether or not preference testing was preceded by a period of 10 to 37 days of caffeine abstinence, suggesting that a recent history of heavy caffeine intake (tolerance/dependence) was not a necessary condition for caffeine to function as a reinforcer. In Experiment 2, 6 subjects had 10 opportunities each day to self-administer a cup of coffee or (on different days) a capsule, dependent upon completing a work requirement that progressively increased and then decreased over days. Each day, one of four conditions was studied: caffeinated coffee (100 mg/cup), decaffeinated coffee, caffeine capsules (100 mg/capsule), or placebo capsules. Caffeinated coffee maintained the most self-administration, significantly higher than decaffeinated coffee and placebo capsules but not different from caffeine capsules. Both decaffeinated coffee and caffeine capsules were significantly higher than placebo capsules but not different from each other. In both experiments, subject ratings of "linking" of coffee or capsules covaried with the self-administration measures. These experiments provide the clearest demonstrations to date of the reinforcing effects of caffeine in capsules and in coffee.

  3. Reinforcing effects of caffeine in coffee and capsules.

    PubMed Central

    Griffiths, R R; Bigelow, G E; Liebson, I A

    1989-01-01

    In a residential research ward the reinforcing and subjective effects of caffeine were studied under double-blind conditions in volunteer subjects with histories of heavy coffee drinking. In Experiment 1, 6 subjects had 13 opportunities each day to self-administer either a caffeine (100 mg) or a placebo capsule for periods of 14 to 61 days. All subjects developed a clear preference for caffeine, with intake of caffeine becoming relatively stable after preference had been attained. Preference for caffeine was demonstrated whether or not preference testing was preceded by a period of 10 to 37 days of caffeine abstinence, suggesting that a recent history of heavy caffeine intake (tolerance/dependence) was not a necessary condition for caffeine to function as a reinforcer. In Experiment 2, 6 subjects had 10 opportunities each day to self-administer a cup of coffee or (on different days) a capsule, dependent upon completing a work requirement that progressively increased and then decreased over days. Each day, one of four conditions was studied: caffeinated coffee (100 mg/cup), decaffeinated coffee, caffeine capsules (100 mg/capsule), or placebo capsules. Caffeinated coffee maintained the most self-administration, significantly higher than decaffeinated coffee and placebo capsules but not different from caffeine capsules. Both decaffeinated coffee and caffeine capsules were significantly higher than placebo capsules but not different from each other. In both experiments, subject ratings of "linking" of coffee or capsules covaried with the self-administration measures. These experiments provide the clearest demonstrations to date of the reinforcing effects of caffeine in capsules and in coffee. PMID:2794839

  4. Sensor capsule for diagnosis of gastric disorders

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Holen, J. T.

    1972-01-01

    Motility and pH sensor capsule is developed to monitor gastric acidity, pressure, and temperature. Capsule does not interfere with digestion. Sensor is capsule which includes pH electrode, Pitran pressure transducer, and thermistor temperature sensor all potted in epoxy and enclosed in high density polyethylene sheath.

  5. Capsule endoscopy: no longer limited to the small bowel.

    PubMed

    Niv, Yaron

    2010-03-01

    Capsule endoscopy is the latest evolution in gastrointestinal endoscopy and the first to enable complete investigation of the small bowel. Recent new developments in the field of capsule endoscopy include the esophageal capsule (Pilcam ESO) and the colonic capsule (PillCam Colon). esophageal and colonic capsules have two heads with two lenses and cameras. The new capsules have the capability of taking more frames from both sides. The indications for the esophageal capsule examination are diagnosis and follow-up of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal varices. The colonic capsule can be used for colorectal cancer screening and for incomplete colonoscopy. Regarding other new technologies, continuous quality control is needed for the performance, appropriateness of the indications, diagnostic yield, procedure-specific outcome assessment, and cost-effectiveness.

  6. Structure and Composition of the Bacillus anthracis Capsule

    PubMed Central

    Avakyan, A. A.; Katz, L. N.; Levina, K. N.; Pavlova, I. B.

    1965-01-01

    Avakyan, A. A. (Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, USSR), L. N. Katz, K. N. Levina, and I. B. Pavlova. Structure and composition of the Bacillus anthracis capsule. J. Bacteriol. 90:1082–1095. 1965.—Observations by various methods of light microscopy (phase contrast, dark-field, and fluorescence) revealed the complex structure of the Bacillus anthracis capsule, which changes regularly during the growth cycle of the culture. Special cytological methods of staining the capsule made it possible to study its fine structure, which is not revealed by negative staining with India ink. For example, the capsule shows a membranelike outline, fine transverse lines, and interruptions and transverse septa traversing the entire capsule. By using cytochemical methods, it was found that the capsule has a stratified structure and that the various layers of the capsule differ as to the value of the isoelectric point, metachromatic ability, sensitivity to various enzymes, and, consequently, chemical composition. It was thus shown that the membranelike outline of the capsule consists of peptides and neutral mucopolysaccharides. The middle part of the capsule consists of a complex of substances of both polysaccharide and protein nature, and the inner part consists of acid mucopolysaccharides. Observation of the capsular forms of B. anthracis by means of an electron microscope revealed differences in the osmiophilia and submicroscopic structure of the membranelike outline and the middle and inner parts of the capsule. Immunochemical studies conducted by the fluorescent-antibody method revealed localization of antigens in different parts of the capsule, and made it possible to differentiate the capsular antigens according to their serum-staining ability and according of their relations to enzymes, i.e., their chemical composition. This paper concerns the possibility of studying the fine structure of bacterial capsules in fixed preparations, and the differences and similarities of

  7. A New Family of Capsule Polymerases Generates Teichoic Acid-Like Capsule Polymers in Gram-Negative Pathogens.

    PubMed

    Litschko, Christa; Oldrini, Davide; Budde, Insa; Berger, Monika; Meens, Jochen; Gerardy-Schahn, Rita; Berti, Francesco; Schubert, Mario; Fiebig, Timm

    2018-05-29

    Group 2 capsule polymers represent crucial virulence factors of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. They are synthesized by enzymes called capsule polymerases. In this report, we describe a new family of polymerases that combine glycosyltransferase and hexose- and polyol-phosphate transferase activity to generate complex poly(oligosaccharide phosphate) and poly(glycosylpolyol phosphate) polymers, the latter of which display similarity to wall teichoic acid (WTA), a cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria. Using modeling and multiple-sequence alignment, we showed homology between the predicted polymerase domains and WTA type I biosynthesis enzymes, creating a link between Gram-negative and Gram-positive cell wall biosynthesis processes. The polymerases of the new family are highly abundant and found in a variety of capsule-expressing pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis , Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , Bibersteinia trehalosi , and Escherichia coli with both human and animal hosts. Five representative candidates were purified, their activities were confirmed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and their predicted folds were validated by site-directed mutagenesis. IMPORTANCE Bacterial capsules play an important role in the interaction between a pathogen and the immune system of its host. During the last decade, capsule polymerases have become attractive tools for the production of capsule polymers applied as antigens in glycoconjugate vaccine formulations. Conventional production of glycoconjugate vaccines requires the cultivation of the pathogen and thus the highest biosafety standards, leading to tremendous costs. With regard to animal husbandry, where vaccines could avoid the extensive use of antibiotics, conventional production is not sufficiently cost-effective. In contrast, enzymatic synthesis of capsule polymers is pathogen-free and fast, offers high stereo- and regioselectivity, and works with high efficacy

  8. Oxygen fugacity and piston cylinder capsule assemblies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jakobsson, S.

    2011-12-01

    A double capsule assembly designed to control oxygen fugacity in piston cylinder experiments has been tested at 1200 °C and 10 kbar. The assembly consists of an outer Pt-capsule containing a solid buffer (Ni-NiO or Co-CoO plus H2O) and an inner AuPd-capsule containing the sample, H2O and a Pt-wire. To prevent direct contact with the buffer phases the AuPd-capsule is embedded in finely ground Al2O3 along with some coarser, fractured Al2O3 facilitating fluid inclusion formation. No water loss is observed in the sample even after 48 hrs but a slight increase in water content is observed in longer duration runs due to oxygen and hydrogen diffusion into the AuPd-capsule. Carbon from the furnace also diffuses through the outer Pt-capsule but reacts with H2O in the outer capsule to form CO2 and never reaches the inner capsule. Oxygen fugacity of runs in equilibrium with the Ni-NiO and Co-CoO buffers was measured by analyzing the Fe content of the Pt-wire in the sample1 and by analyzing Fe dissolved in the AuPd capsule2. The second method gives values that are in good agreement with established buffer whereas results from the first method are one half to one log units higher than the established values. References 1. E. Medard, C. A. McCammon, J. A. Barr, T. L. Grove, Am. Mineral. 93, 1838 (2008). 2. J. Barr, T. Grove, Contrib. Mineral. Petrol. 160, 631 (2010)

  9. Vortex rings from Sphagnum moss capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Whitaker, Dwight; Strassman, Sam; Cha, Jung; Chang, Emily; Guo, Xinyi; Edwards, Joan

    2010-11-01

    The capsules of Sphagnum moss use vortex rings to disperse spores to suitable habitats many kilometers away. Vortex rings are created by the sudden release of pressurized air when the capsule ruptures, and are an efficient way to carry the small spores with low terminal velocities to heights where they can be carried by turbulent wind currents. We will present our computational model of these explosions, which are carried out using a 2-D large eddy simulation (LES) on FLUENT. Our simulations can reproduce the observed motion of the spore clouds observed from moss capsules with high-speed videos, and we will discuss the roles of bursting pressure, cap mass, and capsule morphology on the formation and quality of vortex rings created by this plant.

  10. Polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules as vehicles with tunable permeability.

    PubMed

    Antipov, Alexei A; Sukhorukov, Gleb B

    2004-11-29

    This review is devoted to a novel type of polymer micro- and nanocapsules. The shell of the capsule is fabricated by alternate adsorption of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes (PEs) onto the surface of colloidal particles. Cores of different nature (organic or inorganic) with size varied from 0.1 to 10 mum can be used for templating such PE capsules. The shell thickness can be tuned in nanometer range by assembling of defined number of PE layers. The permeability of capsules depends on the pH, ionic strength, solvent, polymer composition, and shell thickness; it can be controlled and varied over wide range of substances regarding their molecular weight and charge. Including functional polymers into capsule wall, such as weak PEs or thermosensitive polymers, makes the capsule permeability sensitive to correspondent external stimuli. Permeability of the capsules is of essential interest in diverse areas related to exploitation of systems with controlled and sustained release properties. The envisaged applications of such capsules/vesicles cover biotechnology, medicine, catalysis, food industry, etc.

  11. Cell cycle constraints on capsulation and bacteriophage susceptibility.

    PubMed

    Ardissone, Silvia; Fumeaux, Coralie; Bergé, Matthieu; Beaussart, Audrey; Théraulaz, Laurence; Radhakrishnan, Sunish Kumar; Dufrêne, Yves F; Viollier, Patrick H

    2014-11-25

    Despite the crucial role of bacterial capsules in pathogenesis, it is still unknown if systemic cues such as the cell cycle can control capsule biogenesis. In this study, we show that the capsule of the synchronizable model bacterium Caulobacter crescentus is cell cycle regulated and we unearth a bacterial transglutaminase homolog, HvyA, as restriction factor that prevents capsulation in G1-phase cells. This capsule protects cells from infection by a generalized transducing Caulobacter phage (φCr30), and the loss of HvyA confers insensitivity towards φCr30. Control of capsulation during the cell cycle could serve as a simple means to prevent steric hindrance of flagellar motility or to ensure that phage-mediated genetic exchange happens before the onset of DNA replication. Moreover, the multi-layered regulatory circuitry directing HvyA expression to G1-phase is conserved during evolution, and HvyA orthologues from related Sinorhizobia can prevent capsulation in Caulobacter, indicating that alpha-proteobacteria have retained HvyA activity.

  12. 21 CFR 872.3110 - Dental amalgam capsule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dental amalgam capsule. 872.3110 Section 872.3110...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3110 Dental amalgam capsule. (a) Identification. A dental amalgam capsule is a container device in which silver alloy is intended to be mixed with mercury...

  13. 21 CFR 872.3110 - Dental amalgam capsule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dental amalgam capsule. 872.3110 Section 872.3110...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3110 Dental amalgam capsule. (a) Identification. A dental amalgam capsule is a container device in which silver alloy is intended to be mixed with mercury...

  14. 21 CFR 872.3110 - Dental amalgam capsule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dental amalgam capsule. 872.3110 Section 872.3110...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3110 Dental amalgam capsule. (a) Identification. A dental amalgam capsule is a container device in which silver alloy is intended to be mixed with mercury...

  15. 21 CFR 872.3110 - Dental amalgam capsule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dental amalgam capsule. 872.3110 Section 872.3110...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3110 Dental amalgam capsule. (a) Identification. A dental amalgam capsule is a container device in which silver alloy is intended to be mixed with mercury...

  16. 21 CFR 872.3110 - Dental amalgam capsule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dental amalgam capsule. 872.3110 Section 872.3110...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3110 Dental amalgam capsule. (a) Identification. A dental amalgam capsule is a container device in which silver alloy is intended to be mixed with mercury...

  17. Biomimetic/Bioinspired Design of Enzyme@capsule Nano/Microsystems.

    PubMed

    Shi, J; Jiang, Y; Zhang, S; Yang, D; Jiang, Z

    2016-01-01

    Enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems, which refer to the enzyme-immobilized capsules, have received tremendous interest owing to the combination of the high catalytic activities of encapsulated enzymes and the hierarchical structure of the capsule. The preparation of capsules and simultaneous encapsulation of enzymes is recognized as the core process for the rational design and construction of enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems. The strategy used has three major steps: (a) generation of the templates, (b) surface coating on the templates, and (c) removal of the templates, and it has been proven to be effective and versatile for the construction of enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems. Several conventional methods, including layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes, liquid crystalline templating method, etc., were used to design and construct enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems, but these have two major drawbacks. One is the low mechanical stability of the systems and the second is the harsh conditions used in the construction process. Learning from nature, several biomimetic/bioinspired methods such as biomineralization, biomimetic/bioinspired adhesion, and their combination have been exploited for the construction of enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems. In this chapter, we will present a general protocol for the construction of enzyme@capsule nano/microsystems using the latter approach. Some suggestions for improved design, construction, and characterization will also be presented with detailed procedures for specific examples. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Minor malformations characteristic of the retinoic acid embryopathy and other birth outcomes in children of women exposed to topical tretinoin during early pregnancy.

    PubMed

    Loureiro, Kirsten D; Kao, Kelly K; Jones, Kenneth Lyons; Alvarado, Sonia; Chavez, Carmen; Dick, Lyn; Felix, Robert; Johnson, Diana; Chambers, Christina D

    2005-07-15

    Topical tretinoin (Retin-A) is used to treat acne and photodamaged skin. Its teratogenic potential is of concern due to its similarity to isotretinoin (Accutane), a recognized human teratogen. Through the California Teratogen Information Service and Clinical Research Program, between 1983 and 2003, 106 pregnant women with first-trimester exposure to topical tretinoin were prospectively ascertained and followed. Birth outcomes, including pregnancy loss, major structural defects, and pre- and postnatal growth were compared to 389 similarly and prospectively ascertained women with no topical tretinoin exposure during pregnancy. Because a distinct pattern of malformation had already been described for isotretinoin, we also compared exposed (n = 62) and unexposed (n = 191) infants on the prevalence of a specific subset of minor malformations selected to represent the spectrum of defects comprising the retinoic acid embyopathy. There were no significant differences between groups in the proportion of pregnancies ending in spontaneous abortion (6.6% in exposed vs. 8.5% in unexposed; P = 0.53), or infants with major structural defects (2.2% in exposed vs. 1.2% in unexposed; P = 0.62). In addition, the groups were similar in birth weight, length and head circumference, and there were no significant differences between groups in length of gestation. Furthermore, the prevalence of one or more retinoic acid-specific minor malformations did not differ significantly between groups (12.9% in exposed vs. 9.9% in unexposed; P = 0.51). First-trimester topical tretinoin exposure in this study was not associated with an increased risk of any adverse pregnancy outcome evaluated. Specifically, there was no indication that topical tretinoin is associated with an increased risk for minor malformations that are consistent with the retinoic acid embryopathy. Although it is impossible to exclude the possibility that some women/infants may be uniquely susceptible to topical tretinoin exposure

  19. 3D Printed Programmable Release Capsules.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Maneesh K; Meng, Fanben; Johnson, Blake N; Kong, Yong Lin; Tian, Limei; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Masters, Nina; Singamaneni, Srikanth; McAlpine, Michael C

    2015-08-12

    The development of methods for achieving precise spatiotemporal control over chemical and biomolecular gradients could enable significant advances in areas such as synthetic tissue engineering, biotic-abiotic interfaces, and bionanotechnology. Living organisms guide tissue development through highly orchestrated gradients of biomolecules that direct cell growth, migration, and differentiation. While numerous methods have been developed to manipulate and implement biomolecular gradients, integrating gradients into multiplexed, three-dimensional (3D) matrices remains a critical challenge. Here we present a method to 3D print stimuli-responsive core/shell capsules for programmable release of multiplexed gradients within hydrogel matrices. These capsules are composed of an aqueous core, which can be formulated to maintain the activity of payload biomolecules, and a poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA, an FDA approved polymer) shell. Importantly, the shell can be loaded with plasmonic gold nanorods (AuNRs), which permits selective rupturing of the capsule when irradiated with a laser wavelength specifically determined by the lengths of the nanorods. This precise control over space, time, and selectivity allows for the ability to pattern 2D and 3D multiplexed arrays of enzyme-loaded capsules along with tunable laser-triggered rupture and release of active enzymes into a hydrogel ambient. The advantages of this 3D printing-based method include (1) highly monodisperse capsules, (2) efficient encapsulation of biomolecular payloads, (3) precise spatial patterning of capsule arrays, (4) "on the fly" programmable reconfiguration of gradients, and (5) versatility for incorporation in hierarchical architectures. Indeed, 3D printing of programmable release capsules may represent a powerful new tool to enable spatiotemporal control over biomolecular gradients.

  20. Characteristics of patients with a retained wireless capsule endoscope (WCE) necessitating laparotomy for removal of the capsule.

    PubMed

    Purdy, Martin; Heikkinen, Markku; Juvonen, Petri; Voutilainen, Markku; Eskelinen, Matti

    2011-01-01

    A capsule endoscope is a wireless miniature camera used to take images of the small bowel mucosa. Retention of the wireless capsule endoscope (WCE), defined as at least two weeks' retention or an obstruction demanding removal by laparotomy, is the main and practically only complication of the procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of patients with a retained WCE necessitating laparotomy for removal of the capsule or capsule fragments. The medical records of 555 patients who had undergone the WCE procedure over a 7-year period (2002-2008) were reviewed. The indications for the WCE procedure were, obscure gastrointestinal bleeding, Crohn's disease, abdominal pain and suspicion of malignancy. A retained WCE requiring operative treatment was found in 10 cases (in nine patients, twice in one patient). The WCE retention frequency of 1.8% (10/555) equalled that in the literature. The retention rate of WCE capsules is low and routine examination of the small bowel with MRI or CT is not necessary before WCE. These examinations were enable to predict WCE retention according to our results.

  1. Capsules made from prefabricated thin films

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amstad, Esther

    2018-02-01

    Capsules are composed of a core, typically a liquid containing active substances, and a surrounding shell. They are used to delay the degradation of active ingredients, protect them from reacting or interacting with substances contained in the surrounding shell, or to prevent premature consumption of encapsulants (1, 2). The performance of capsules is often determined by their permeability toward encapsulants and stability against rupture; these parameters can be adjusted with the composition, structure, and thickness of the shell (3, 4). Mechanically robust capsules with a minimal permeability even toward low molecular weight substances often have rather thick shells (5). On page 775 of this issue, Kumar et al. (6) report an elegant process to fabricate capsules with very thin, rigid shells that display a low permeability even toward small encapsulants.

  2. [Evaluation of nopal capsules in diabetes mellitus].

    PubMed

    Frati Munari, A C; Vera Lastra, O; Ariza Andraca, C R

    1992-01-01

    To find out if commercial capsules with dried nopal (prickle-pear cactus, Opuntia ficus indica may have a role in the management of diabetes mellitus, three experiments were performed: 30 capsules where given in fasting condition to 10 diabetic subjects and serum glucose was measured through out 3 hours; a control test was performed with 30 placebo capsules. OGTT with previous intake of 30 nopal or placebo capsules was performed in ten healthy individuals. In a crossover and single blinded study 14 diabetic patients withdrew the oral hypoglycemic treatment and received 10 nopal or placebo capsules t.i.d. during one week; serum glucose, cholesterol and tryglycerides levels were measured before and after each one-week period. Five healthy subjects were also studied in the same fashion. Opuntia capsules did not show acute hypoglycemic effect and did not influence OGTT. In diabetic patients serum glucose, cholesterol and tryglycerides levels did not change with Opuntia, but they increased with placebo (P < 0.01 glucose and cholesterol, P = NS triglycerides). In healthy individuals glycemia did not change with nopal, while cholesterol and triglycerides decreased (P < 0.01 vs. placebo). The intake of 30 Opuntia capsules daily in patients with diabetes mellitus had a discrete beneficial effect on glucose and cholesterol. However this dose is unpractical and at present it is not recommended in the management of diabetes mellitus.

  3. Emerging Issues and Future Developments in Capsule Endoscopy

    PubMed Central

    Slawinski, Piotr R.; Obstein, Keith L.; Valdastri, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    Capsule endoscopy (CE) has transformed from a research venture into a widely used clinical tool and the primary means for diagnosing small bowel pathology. These orally administered capsules traverse passively through the gastrointestinal tract via peristalsis and are used in the esophagus, stomach, small bowel, and colon. The primary focus of CE research in recent years has been enabling active CE manipulation and extension of the technology to therapeutic functionality; thus, widening the scope of the procedure. This review outlines clinical standards of the technology as well as recent advances in CE research. Clinical capsule applications are discussed with respect to each portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Promising research efforts are presented with an emphasis on enabling active capsule locomotion. The presented studies suggest, in particular, that the most viable solution for active capsule manipulation is actuation of a capsule via exterior permanent magnet held by a robot. Developing capsule procedures adhering to current healthcare standards, such as enabling a tool channel or irrigation in a therapeutic device, is a vital phase in the adaptation of CE in the clinical setting. PMID:26028956

  4. Cell cycle constraints on capsulation and bacteriophage susceptibility

    PubMed Central

    Ardissone, Silvia; Fumeaux, Coralie; Bergé, Matthieu; Beaussart, Audrey; Théraulaz, Laurence; Radhakrishnan, Sunish Kumar; Dufrêne, Yves F; Viollier, Patrick H

    2014-01-01

    Despite the crucial role of bacterial capsules in pathogenesis, it is still unknown if systemic cues such as the cell cycle can control capsule biogenesis. In this study, we show that the capsule of the synchronizable model bacterium Caulobacter crescentus is cell cycle regulated and we unearth a bacterial transglutaminase homolog, HvyA, as restriction factor that prevents capsulation in G1-phase cells. This capsule protects cells from infection by a generalized transducing Caulobacter phage (φCr30), and the loss of HvyA confers insensitivity towards φCr30. Control of capsulation during the cell cycle could serve as a simple means to prevent steric hindrance of flagellar motility or to ensure that phage-mediated genetic exchange happens before the onset of DNA replication. Moreover, the multi-layered regulatory circuitry directing HvyA expression to G1-phase is conserved during evolution, and HvyA orthologues from related Sinorhizobia can prevent capsulation in Caulobacter, indicating that alpha-proteobacteria have retained HvyA activity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03587.001 PMID:25421297

  5. Capsule endoscopy—A mechatronics perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lin, Lin; Rasouli, Mahdi; Kencana, Andy Prima; Tan, Su Lim; Wong, Kai Juan; Ho, Khek Yu; Phee, Soo Jay

    2011-03-01

    The recent advances in integrated circuit technology, wireless communication, and sensor technology have opened the door for development of miniature medical devices that can be used for enhanced monitoring and treatment of medical conditions. Wireless capsule endoscopy is one of such medical devices that has gained significant attention during the past few years. It is envisaged that future wireless capsule endoscopies replace traditional endoscopy procedures by providing advanced functionalities such as active locomotion, body fluid/tissue sampling, and drug delivery. Development of energy-efficient miniaturized actuation mechanisms is a key step toward achieving this goal. Here, we review some of the actuators that could be integrated into future wireless capsules and discuss the existing challenges.

  6. Experimental measurement on movement of spiral-type capsule endoscope

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Wanan; Dai, Houde; He, Yong; Qin, Fengqing

    2016-01-01

    Wireless capsule endoscope achieved great success, however, the maneuvering of wireless capsule endoscope is challenging at present. A magnetic driving instrument, including two bar magnets, a stepper motor, a motor driver, a motor controller, and a power supplier, was developed to generate rotational magnetic fields. Permanent magnet ring, magnetized as S and N poles radially and mounted spiral structure on the surface, acted as a capsule. The maximum torque passing to the capsule, rotational synchronization of capsule and motor, and the translational speed of capsule, were measured in ex vivo porcine large intestine. The experimental results illustrate that the rotational movement of the spiral-type capsule in the intestine is feasible and the cost of the magnetic driving equipment is low. As a result, the solution is promising in the future controllability. PMID:26848279

  7. Experimental measurement on movement of spiral-type capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Yang, Wanan; Dai, Houde; He, Yong; Qin, Fengqing

    2016-01-01

    Wireless capsule endoscope achieved great success, however, the maneuvering of wireless capsule endoscope is challenging at present. A magnetic driving instrument, including two bar magnets, a stepper motor, a motor driver, a motor controller, and a power supplier, was developed to generate rotational magnetic fields. Permanent magnet ring, magnetized as S and N poles radially and mounted spiral structure on the surface, acted as a capsule. The maximum torque passing to the capsule, rotational synchronization of capsule and motor, and the translational speed of capsule, were measured in ex vivo porcine large intestine. The experimental results illustrate that the rotational movement of the spiral-type capsule in the intestine is feasible and the cost of the magnetic driving equipment is low. As a result, the solution is promising in the future controllability.

  8. Fabrication of capsule assemblies, phase 3

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Keeton, A. R.; Stemann, L. G.

    1973-01-01

    Thirteen capsule assemblies were fabricated for evaluation of fuel pin design concepts for a fast spectrum lithium cooled compact space power reactor. These instrumented assemblies were designed for real time test of prototype fuel pins. Uranium mononitride fuel pins were encased in AISI 304L stainless steel capsules. Fabrication procedures were fully qualified by process development and assembly qualification tests. Instrumentation reliability was achieved utilizing specially processed and closely controlled thermocouple hot zone fabrication and by thermal screening tests. Overall capsule reliability was achieved with an all electron beam welded assembly.

  9. Stopping mechanism for capsule endoscope using electrical stimulus.

    PubMed

    Woo, Sang Hyo; Kim, Tae Wan; Cho, Jin Ho

    2010-01-01

    An ingestible capsule, which has the ability to stop at certain locations in the small intestine, was designed and implemented to monitor intestinal diseases. The proposed capsule can contract the small intestine by using electrical stimuli; this contraction causes the capsule to stop when the maximum static frictional force (MSFF) is larger than the force of natural peristalsis. In vitro experiments were carried out to verify the feasibility of the capsule, and the results showed that the capsule was successfully stopped in the small intestine. Various electrodes and electrical stimulus parameters were determined on the basis of the MSFF. A moderate increment of the MSFF (12.7 +/- 4.6 gf at 5 V, 10 Hz, and 5 ms) and the maximum increment of the MSFF (56.5 +/- 9.77 gf at 20 V, 10 Hz, and 5 ms) were obtained, and it is sufficient force to stop the capsule.

  10. Identification of a functional capsule locus in Streptococcus mitis.

    PubMed

    Rukke, H V; Hegna, I K; Petersen, F C

    2012-04-01

    The polysaccharide capsule of Streptococcus pneumoniae is a hallmark for virulence in humans. In its close relative Streptococcus mitis, a common human commensal, analysis of the sequenced genomes of six strains revealed the presence of a putative capsule locus in four of them. We constructed an isogenic S. mitis mutant from the type strain that lacked the 19 open reading frames in the capsule locus (Δcps mutant), using a deletion strategy similar to previous capsule functional studies in S. pneumoniae. Transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy revealed a capsule-like structure in the S. mitis type strain that was absent or reduced in the Δcps mutant. Since S. mitis are predominant oral colonizers of tooth surfaces, we addressed the relevance of the capsule locus for the S. mitis overall surface properties, autoaggregation and biofilm formation. The capsule deletion resulted in a mutant with approximately two-fold increase in hydrophobicity. Binding to the Stains-all cationic dye was reduced by 40%, suggesting a reduction in the overall negative surface charge of the mutant. The mutant exhibited also increased autoaggregation in coaggregation buffer, and up to six-fold increase in biofilm levels. The results suggested that the capsule locus is associated with production of a capsule-like structure in S. mitis and indicated that the S. mitis capsule-like structure may confer surface attributes similar to those associated with the capsule in S. pneumoniae. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  11. 21 CFR 520.608 - Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. 520.608 Section 520.608 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. (a) Specifications. Each capsule contains dicloxacillin sodium...

  12. 21 CFR 520.608 - Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. 520.608 Section 520.608 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. (a) Specifications. Each capsule contains dicloxacillin sodium...

  13. 21 CFR 520.608 - Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. 520.608 Section 520.608 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Dicloxacillin sodium monohydrate capsules. (a) Specifications. Each capsule contains dicloxacillin sodium...

  14. Production, deformation and mechanical investigation of magnetic alginate capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zwar, Elena; Kemna, Andre; Richter, Lena; Degen, Patrick; Rehage, Heinz

    2018-02-01

    In this article we investigated the deformation of alginate capsules in magnetic fields. The sensitivity to magnetic forces was realised by encapsulating an oil in water emulsion, where the oil droplets contained dispersed magnetic nanoparticles. We solved calcium ions in the aqueous emulsion phase, which act as crosslinking compounds for forming thin layers of alginate membranes. This encapsulating technique allows the production of flexible capsules with an emulsion as the capsule core. It is important to mention that the magnetic nanoparticles were stable and dispersed throughout the complete process, which is an important difference to most magnetic alginate-based materials. In a series of experiments, we used spinning drop techniques, capsule squeezing experiments and interfacial shear rheology in order to determine the surface Young moduli, the surface Poisson ratios and the surface shear moduli of the magnetically sensitive alginate capsules. In additional experiments, we analysed the capsule deformation in magnetic fields. In spinning drop and capsule squeezing experiments, water droplets were pressed out of the capsules at elevated values of the mechanical load. This phenomenon might be used for the mechanically triggered release of water-soluble ingredients. After drying the emulsion-filled capsules, we produced capsules, which only contained a homogeneous oil phase with stable suspended magnetic nanoparticles (organic ferrofluid). In the dried state, the thin alginate membranes of these particles were rather rigid. These dehydrated capsules could be stored at ambient conditions for several months without changing their properties. After exposure to water, the alginate membranes rehydrated and became flexible and deformable again. During this swelling process, water diffused back in the capsule. This long-term stability and rehydration offers a great spectrum of different applications as sensors, soft actuators, artificial muscles or drug delivery systems.

  15. Design and synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid capsules for biotechnological applications.

    PubMed

    Shi, Jiafu; Jiang, Yanjun; Wang, Xiaoli; Wu, Hong; Yang, Dong; Pan, Fusheng; Su, Yanlei; Jiang, Zhongyi

    2014-08-07

    Organic-inorganic hybrid capsules, which typically possess a hollow lumen and a hybrid wall, have emerged as a novel and promising class of hybrid materials and have attracted enormous attention. In comparison to polymeric capsules or inorganic capsules, the hybrid capsules combine the intrinsic physical/chemical properties of the organic and inorganic moieties, acquire more degrees of freedom to manipulate multiple interactions, create hierarchical structures and integrate multiple functionalities. Thus, the hybrid capsules exhibit superior mechanical strength (vs. polymeric capsules) and diverse functionalities (vs. inorganic capsules), which may give new opportunities to produce high-performance materials. Much effort has been devoted to exploring innovative and effective methods for the synthesis of hybrid capsules that exhibit desirable performance in target applications. This tutorial review firstly presents a brief description of the capsular structure and hybrid materials in nature, then classifies the hybrid capsules into molecule-hybrid capsules and nano-hybrid capsules based upon the size of the organic and inorganic moieties in the capsule wall, followed by a detailed discussion of the design and synthesis of the hybrid capsules. For each kind of hybrid capsule, the state-of-the-art synthesis methods are described in detail and a critical comment is embedded. The applications of these hybrid capsules in biotechnological areas (biocatalysis, drug delivery, etc.) have also been summarized. Hopefully, this review will offer a perspective and guidelines for the future research and development of hybrid capsules.

  16. Gettering capsule for removing oxygen from liquid lithium systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tower, L. K.; Breitwieser, R.

    1973-01-01

    Capsule consisting of tantalum shell lined with tantalum screen and partially filled with lithium and pieces of yttrium is immersed in hot lithium stream. Oxygen is removed from stream by being absorbed by gettering capsule. Oxygen passes through capsule wall and into lithium inside capsule where it reacts with yttrium to form Y2O3.

  17. Motion of an elastic capsule in a square microfluidic channel.

    PubMed

    Kuriakose, S; Dimitrakopoulos, P

    2011-07-01

    In the present study we investigate computationally the steady-state motion of an elastic capsule along the centerline of a square microfluidic channel and compare it with that in a cylindrical tube. In particular, we consider a slightly over-inflated elastic capsule made of a strain-hardening membrane with comparable shearing and area-dilatation resistance. Under the conditions studied in this paper (i.e., small, moderate, and large capsules at low and moderate flow rates), the capsule motion in a square channel is similar to and thus governed by the same scaling laws with the capsule motion in a cylindrical tube, even though in the channel the cross section in the upstream portion of large capsules is nonaxisymmetric (i.e., square-like with rounded corners). When the hydrodynamic forces on the membrane increase, the capsule develops a pointed downstream edge and a flattened rear (possibly with a negative curvature) so that the restoring tension forces are increased as also happens with droplets. Membrane tensions increase significantly with the capsule size while the area near the downstream tip is the most probable to rupture when a capsule flows in a microchannel. Because the membrane tensions increase with the interfacial deformation, a suitable Landau-Levich-Derjaguin-Bretherton analysis reveals that the lubrication film thickness h for large capsules depends on both the capillary number Ca and the capsule size a; our computations determine the latter dependence to be (in dimensionless form) h ~ a(-2) for the large capsules studied in this work. For small and moderate capsule sizes a, the capsule velocity Ux and additional pressure drop ΔP+ are governed by the same scaling laws as for high-viscosity droplets. The velocity and additional pressure drop of large thick capsules also follow the dynamics of high-viscosity droplets, and are affected by the lubrication film thickness. The motion of our large thick capsules is characterized by a Ux-U ~ h ~ a(-2

  18. Motion of an elastic capsule in a square microfluidic channel

    PubMed Central

    Kuriakose, S.; Dimitrakopoulos, P.

    2013-01-01

    In the present study we investigate computationally the steady-state motion of an elastic capsule along the centerline of a square microfluidic channel and compare it with that in a cylindrical tube. In particular, we consider a slightly over-inflated elastic capsule made of a strain-hardening membrane with comparable shearing and area-dilatation resistance. Under the conditions studied in this paper (i.e. small, moderate and large capsules at low and moderate flow rates), the capsule motion in a square channel is similar to, and thus governed by the same scaling laws with the capsule motion in a cylindrical tube, even though in the channel the cross-section in the upstream portion of large capsules is non-axisymmetric (i.e. square-like with rounded corners). When the hydrodynamic forces on the membrane increase, the capsule develops a pointed downstream edge and a flattened rear (possibly with a negative curvature) so that the restoring tension forces are increased as also happens with droplets. Membrane tensions increase significantly with the capsule size while the area near the downstream tip is the most probable to rupture when a capsule flows in a microchannel. Because the membrane tensions increase with the interfacial deformation, a suitable Landau-Levich-Derjaguin-Bretherton analysis reveals that the lubrication film thickness h for large capsules depends on both the capillary number Ca and the capsule size a; our computations determine the latter dependence to be (in dimensionless form) h ~ a−2 for the large capsules studied in this work. For small and moderate capsule sizes a, the capsule velocity Ux and additional pressure drop ΔP+ are governed by the same scaling laws as for high-viscosity droplets. The velocity and additional pressure drop of large thick capsules also follow the dynamics of high-viscosity droplets, and are affected by the lubrication film thickness. The motion of our large thick capsules is characterized by a Ux−u~h~a−2

  19. Light weight escape capsule for fighter aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robert, James A.

    1988-01-01

    Emergency crew escape capabilities have been less than adequate for fighter aircraft since before WW II. From the over-the-side bailout of those days through the current ejection seat with a rocket catapult, escaping from a disabled aircraft has been risky at best. Current efforts are underway toward developing a high-tech, smart ejection seat that will give fighter pilots more room to live in the sky, but an escape capsule is needed to meet current and future fighter envelopes. Escape capsules have a bad reputation due to past examples of high weight, poor performance and great complexity. However, the advantages available demand that a capsule be developed. This capsule concept will minimize the inherent disavantages and incorporate the benefits while integrating all aspects of crew station design. The resulting design is appropriate for a crew station of the year 2010 and includes improved combat acceleration protection, chemical or biological combat capability, improved aircraft to escape system interaction, and the highest level of escape performance achievable. The capsule is compact, which can allow a reduced aircraft size and weighs only 1200 lb. The escape system weight penalty is only 120 lb higher than that for the next ejection seat and the capsule has a corresponding increase in performance.

  20. Development of remote welding techniques for in-pile IASCC capsules and evaluation of material integrity on capsules for long irradiation period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shibata, A.; Nakano, J.; Ohmi, M.; Kawamata, K.; Nakagawa, T.; Tsukada, T.

    2012-03-01

    To simulate irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) behavior by in-pile experiments, it is necessary to irradiate specimens up to a neutron fluence that is higher than the IASCC threshold fluence. Pre-irradiated specimens must be relocated from pre-irradiation capsules to in-pile capsules. Hence, a remote welding machine has been developed. And the integrity of capsule housing for a long term irradiation was evaluated by tensile tests in air and slow strain rate tests in water. Two type specimens were prepared. Specimens were obtained from the outer tubes of capsule irradiated to 1.0-3.9 × 1026 n/m2 (E > 1 MeV). And specimens were irradiated in a leaky capsule to 0.03-1.0 × 1026 n/m2. Elongation more than 15% in tensile test at 423 K was confirmed and no IGSCC fraction was shown in SSRT at 423 K which was estimated as temperature at the outer tubes of the capsule under irradiation.

  1. Polar tent for reduced perturbation of NIF ignition capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hammel, B. A.; Pickworth, L.; Stadermann, M.; Field, J.; Robey, H.; Scott, H. A.; Smalyuk, V.

    2016-10-01

    In simulations, a tent that contacts the capsule near the poles and departs tangential to the capsule surface greatly reduces the capsule perturbation, and the resulting mass injected into the hot-spot, compared to current capsule support methods. Target fabrication appears feasible with a layered tent (43-nm polyimide + 8-nm C) for increased stiffness. We are planning quantitative measurements of the resulting shell- ρR perturbation near peak implosion velocity (PV) using enhanced self-emission backlighting, achieved by adding 1% Ar to the capsule fill in Symcaps (4He + H). Layered DT implosions are also planned for an integrated test of capsule performance. We will describe the design and simulation predictions. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  2. General route for the assembly of functional inorganic capsules.

    PubMed

    Akartuna, Ilke; Tervoort, Elena; Studart, André R; Gauckler, Ludwig J

    2009-11-03

    Semipermeable, hollow capsules are attractive materials for the encapsulation and delivery of active agents in food processing, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries, and biomedicine. These capsules can be produced by forming a solid shell of close packed colloidal particles, typically polymeric particles, at the surface of emulsion droplets. However, current methods to prepare such capsules may involve multistep chemical procedures to tailor the surface chemistry of particles or are limited to particles that exhibit inherently the right hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance to adsorb around emulsion droplets. In this work, we describe a general and simple method to fabricate semipermeable, inorganic capsules from emulsion droplets stabilized by a wide variety of colloidal metal oxide particles. The assembly of particles at the oil-water interface is induced by the in situ hydrophobization of the particle surface through the adsorption of short amphiphilic molecules. The adsorption of particles at the interface leads to stable capsules comprising a single layer of particles in the outer shell. Such capsules can be used in the wet state or can be further processed into dry capsules. The permeability of the capsules can be modified by filling the interstices between the shell particles with polymeric or inorganic species. Functional capsules with biocompatible, bioresorbable, heat-resistant, chemical-resistant, and magnetic properties were prepared using alumina, silica, iron oxide, or tricalcium phosphate as particles in the shell.

  3. 21 CFR 520.260 - n-Butyl chloride capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false n-Butyl chloride capsules. 520.260 Section 520.260... DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS ORAL DOSAGE FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.260 n-Butyl chloride capsules. (a)(1) Specifications. n-Butyl chloride capsules, veterinary contain 272 milligrams or 816 milligrams...

  4. IRRADIATION-CAPSULE STUDY OF URANIUM MONOCARBIDE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Price, R.B.; Stahl, D.; Stang, J.H.

    1960-03-01

    Small cylindrical specimens of enriched UC were irradiated to evaluate usefulness as a high-temperature fuel for stationary power reactors. Detailed thermal and nuclear analyses were made to arrive at an appropriate capsule design on the basis of target specimen center-line temperature ( approximately 1500 deg F), specimen surface temperature (1100 deg F), specimen composition (U--5 wt.% C), and acapsule o.d. of 1.125 in. Temperature data from thermocouples inside the capsule indicated that five of the six capsules irradiated operated at close to the design conditions. Irradiation periods for individual capsules were varied to give burnups ranging from 1,000 to 20,000more » Mwd/t of U. Preliminary evidence indicates that this range of burnups was achieved. By using temperature and heat-flux data from the actual irradiations to estimate effective in-pile specimen thermal conductivities, it was found that the conductivity did not appear to vary during the exposures. (auth)« less

  5. [Improvement of Digital Capsule Endoscopy System and Image Interpolation].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Shaopeng; Yan, Guozheng; Liu, Gang; Kuang, Shuai

    2016-01-01

    Traditional capsule image collects and transmits analog image, with weak anti-interference ability, low frame rate, low resolution. This paper presents a new digital image capsule, which collects and transmits digital image, with frame rate up to 30 frames/sec and pixels resolution of 400 x 400. The image is compressed in the capsule, and is transmitted to the outside of the capsule for decompression and interpolation. A new type of interpolation algorithm is proposed, which is based on the relationship between the image planes, to obtain higher quality colour images. capsule endoscopy, digital image, SCCB protocol, image interpolation

  6. Video capsule endoscopy: Perspectives of a revolutionary technique

    PubMed Central

    Bouchard, Simon; Ibrahim, Mostafa; Van Gossum, Andre

    2014-01-01

    Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) was launched in 2000 and has revolutionized direct endoscopic imaging of the gut. VCE is now a first-line procedure for exploring the small bowel in cases of obscure digestive bleeding and is also indicated in some patients with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and polyposis syndrome. A video capsule has also been designed for visualizing the esophagus in order to detect Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal varices. Different capsules are now available and differ with regard to dimensions, image acquisition rate, battery life, field of view, and possible optical enhancements. More recently, the use of VCE has been extended to exploring the colon. Within the last 5 years, tremendous developments have been made toward increasing the capabilities of the colon capsule. Although colon capsule cannot be proposed as a first-line colorectal cancer screening procedure, colon capsule may be used in patients with incomplete colonoscopy or in patients who are unwilling to undergo colonoscopy. In the near future, new technological developments will improve the diagnostic yield of VCE and broaden its therapeutic capabilities. PMID:25516644

  7. A multicenter, prospective, randomized comparison of a novel signal transmission capsule endoscope to an existing capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Choi, Eric H; Mergener, Klaus; Semrad, Carol; Fisher, Laurel; Cave, David R; Dodig, Milan; Burke, Carol; Leighton, Jonathan A; Kastenberg, David; Simpson, Peter; Sul, James; Bhattacharya, Kanishka; Charles, Roger; Gerson, Lauren; Weber, Luke; Eisen, Glenn; Reidel, Warren; Vargo, John J; Wakim-Fleming, Jamile; Lo, Simon K

    2013-08-01

    MiroCam, a capsule endoscope, uses a novel transmission technology, electric-field propagation, which uses the human body as a conduction medium for data transmission. To compare the ability of the MiroCam (MC) and PillCam (PC) to identify sources of obscure GI bleeding (OGIB). Prospective, multicenter, comparative study. Six academic hospitals. A total of 105 patients with OGIB. Patients ingested both the MC and PC capsules sequentially in a randomized fashion. Concordance of rates in identifying a source of OGIB, operational times, and rates of complete small-bowel examination. Data analysis resulted in 43 (48%) "abnormal" cases identifying a source of OGIB by either capsule. Twenty-four cases (55.8%) were positive by both capsules. There was negative agreement in 46 of 58 cases (79.3%). The κ index was 0.547 (χ(2) = 1.32; P = .36). In 12 cases, MC positively identified a source that was not seen on PC, whereas in 7 cases, PC positively identified a source that was not seen on MC. MC had a 5.6% higher rate of detecting small-bowel lesions (P = .54). MC captured images at 3 frames per second for 11.1 hours, and PC captured images at 2 frames per second for 7.8 hours (P < .0001). Complete small-bowel examination was achieved in 93.3% for MC and 84.3% for PC (P = .10). Readers were not blinded to the particular capsule they were reading. A positive diagnostic finding for OGIB was identified by either capsule in 48% of cases. The concordance rate between the 2 capsules was comparable to that of prior studies in identifying sources of small-bowel bleeding. The longer operational time of the MC may result in higher rates of complete small-bowel examination, which may, in turn, translate into a higher rate of detecting small-bowel lesions. ( NCT00878982.). Copyright © 2013 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Analysis of Fission Products on the AGR-1 Capsule Components

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Paul A. Demkowicz; Jason M. Harp; Philip L. Winston

    2013-03-01

    The components of the AGR-1 irradiation capsules were analyzed to determine the retained inventory of fission products in order to determine the extent of in-pile fission product release from the fuel compacts. This includes analysis of (i) the metal capsule components, (ii) the graphite fuel holders, (iii) the graphite spacers, and (iv) the gas exit lines. The fission products most prevalent in the components were Ag-110m, Cs 134, Cs 137, Eu-154, and Sr 90, and the most common location was the metal capsule components and the graphite fuel holders. Gamma scanning of the graphite fuel holders was also performed tomore » determine spatial distribution of Ag-110m and radiocesium. Silver was released from the fuel components in significant fractions. The total Ag-110m inventory found in the capsules ranged from 1.2×10 2 (Capsule 3) to 3.8×10 1 (Capsule 6). Ag-110m was not distributed evenly in the graphite fuel holders, but tended to concentrate at the axial ends of the graphite holders in Capsules 1 and 6 (located at the top and bottom of the test train) and near the axial center in Capsules 2, 3, and 5 (in the center of the test train). The Ag-110m further tended to be concentrated around fuel stacks 1 and 3, the two stacks facing the ATR reactor core and location of higher burnup, neutron fluence, and temperatures compared with Stack 2. Detailed correlation of silver release with fuel type and irradiation temperatures is problematic at the capsule level due to the large range of temperatures experienced by individual fuel compacts in each capsule. A comprehensive Ag 110m mass balance for the capsules was performed using measured inventories of individual compacts and the inventory on the capsule components. For most capsules, the mass balance was within 11% of the predicted inventory. The Ag-110m release from individual compacts often exhibited a very large range within a particular capsule.« less

  9. Capsule endoscope localization based on computer vision technique.

    PubMed

    Liu, Li; Hu, Chao; Cai, Wentao; Meng, Max Q H

    2009-01-01

    To build a new type of wireless capsule endoscope with interactive gastrointestinal tract examination, a localization and orientation system is needed for tracking 3D location and 3D orientation of the capsule movement. The magnetic localization and orientation method produces only 5 DOF, but misses the information of rotation angle along capsule's main axis. In this paper, we presented a complementary orientation approach for the capsule endoscope, and the 3D rotation can be determined by applying computer vision technique on the captured endoscopic images. The experimental results show that the complementary orientation method has good accuracy and high feasibility.

  10. Performance evaluation of wireless communications through capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Takizawa, Kenichi; Aoyagi, Takahiro; Hamaguchi, Kiyoshi; Kohno, Ryuji

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents a performance evaluation of wireless communications applicable into a capsule endoscope. A numerical model to describe the received signal strength (RSS) radiated from a capsule-sized signal generator is derived through measurements in which a liquid phantom that has equivalent electrical constants is used. By introducing this model and taking into account the characteristics of its direction pattern of the capsule and propagation distance between the implanted capsule and on-body antenna, a cumulative distribution function (CDF) of the received SNR is evaluated. Then, simulation results related to the error ratio in the wireless channel are obtained. These results show that the frequencies of 611 MHz or lesser would be useful for the capsule endoscope applications from the view point of error rate performance. Further, we show that the use of antenna diversity brings additional gain to this application.

  11. Multiple internalization pathways of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules into mammalian cells.

    PubMed

    Kastl, Lena; Sasse, Daniel; Wulf, Verena; Hartmann, Raimo; Mircheski, Josif; Ranke, Christiane; Carregal-Romero, Susana; Martínez-López, José Antonio; Fernández-Chacón, Rafael; Parak, Wolfgang J; Elsasser, Hans-Peter; Rivera Gil, Pilar

    2013-08-27

    Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) capsules are carrier vehicles with great potential for biomedical applications. With the future aim of designing biocompatible, effective therapeutic delivery systems (e.g., for cancer), the pathway of internalization (uptake and fate) of PEM capsules was investigated. In particular the following experiments were performed: (i) the study of capsule co-localization with established endocytic markers, (ii) switching-off endocytotic pathways with pharmaceutical/chemical inhibitors, and (iii) characterization and quantification of capsule uptake with confocal and electron microscopy. As result, capsules co-localized with lipid rafts and with phagolysosomes, but not with other endocytic vesicles. Chemical interference of endocytosis with chemical blockers indicated that PEM capsules enter the investigated cell lines through a mechanism slightly sensitive to electrostatic interactions, independent of clathrin and caveolae, and strongly dependent on cholesterol-rich domains and organelle acidification. Microscopic characterization of cells during capsule uptake showed the formation of phagocytic cups (vesicles) to engulf the capsules, an increased number of mitochondria, and a final localization in the perinuclear cytoplasma. Combining all these indicators we conclude that PEM capsule internalization in general occurs as a combination of different sequential mechanisms. Initially, an adsorptive mechanism due to strong electrostatic interactions governs the stabilization of the capsules at the cell surface. Membrane ruffling and filopodia extensions are responsible for capsule engulfing through the formation of a phagocytic cup. Co-localization with lipid raft domains activates the cell to initiate a lipid-raft-mediated macropinocytosis. Internalization vesicles are very acidic and co-localize only with phagolysosome markers, excluding caveolin-mediated pathways and indicating that upon phagocytosis the capsules are sorted to

  12. A wireless narrowband imaging chip for capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Lan-Rong Dung; Yin-Yi Wu

    2010-12-01

    This paper presents a dual-mode capsule gastrointestinal endoscope device. An endoscope combined with a narrowband image (NBI), has been shown to be a superior diagnostic tool for early stage tissue neoplasms detection. Nevertheless, a wireless capsule endoscope with the narrowband imaging technology has not been presented in the market up to now. The narrowband image acquisition and power dissipation reduction are the main challenges of NBI capsule endoscope. In this paper, we present the first narrowband imaging capsule endoscope that can assist clinical doctors to effectively diagnose early gastrointestinal cancers, profited from our dedicated dual-mode complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. The dedicated dual-mode CMOS sensor can offer white-light and narrowband images. Implementation results show that the proposed 512 × 512 CMOS sensor consumes only 2 mA at a 3-V power supply. The average current of the NBI capsule with an 8-Mb/s RF transmitter is nearly 7 ~ 8 mA that can continuously work for 6 ~ 8 h with two 1.5-V 80-mAh button batteries while the frame rate is 2 fps. Experimental results on backside mucosa of a human tongue and pig's small intestine showed that the wireless NBI capsule endoscope can significantly improve the image quality, compared with a commercial-of-the-shelf capsule endoscope for gastrointestinal tract diagnosis.

  13. Positron radiography of ignition-relevant ICF capsules

    DOE PAGES

    Williams, G. J.; Chen, Hui; Field, J. E.; ...

    2017-12-11

    Laser-generated positrons are evaluated as a probe source to radiograph in-flight ignition-relevant inertial confinement fusion capsules. Current ultraintense laser facilities are capable of producing 2 ×10 12 relativistic positrons in a narrow energy bandwidth and short time duration. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the unique characteristics of such positrons allow for the reconstruction of both capsule shell radius and areal density between 0.002 and 2g/cm 2. The energy-downshifted positron spectrum and angular scattering of the source particles are sufficient to constrain the conditions of the capsule between preshot and stagnation. Here, we evaluate the effects of magnetic fields near themore » capsule surface using analytic estimates where it is shown that this diagnostic can tolerate line integrated field strengths of 100 T mm.« less

  14. Positron radiography of ignition-relevant ICF capsules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Williams, G. J.; Chen, Hui; Field, J. E.

    Laser-generated positrons are evaluated as a probe source to radiograph in-flight ignition-relevant inertial confinement fusion capsules. Current ultraintense laser facilities are capable of producing 2 ×10 12 relativistic positrons in a narrow energy bandwidth and short time duration. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the unique characteristics of such positrons allow for the reconstruction of both capsule shell radius and areal density between 0.002 and 2g/cm 2. The energy-downshifted positron spectrum and angular scattering of the source particles are sufficient to constrain the conditions of the capsule between preshot and stagnation. Here, we evaluate the effects of magnetic fields near themore » capsule surface using analytic estimates where it is shown that this diagnostic can tolerate line integrated field strengths of 100 T mm.« less

  15. Positron radiography of ignition-relevant ICF capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, G. J.; Chen, Hui; Field, J. E.; Landen, O. L.; Strozzi, D. J.

    2017-12-01

    Laser-generated positrons are evaluated as a probe source to radiograph in-flight ignition-relevant inertial confinement fusion capsules. Current ultraintense laser facilities are capable of producing 2 × 1012 relativistic positrons in a narrow energy bandwidth and short time duration. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that the unique characteristics of such positrons allow for the reconstruction of both capsule shell radius and areal density between 0.002 and 2 g/cm2. The energy-downshifted positron spectrum and angular scattering of the source particles are sufficient to constrain the conditions of the capsule between preshot and stagnation. We evaluate the effects of magnetic fields near the capsule surface using analytic estimates where it is shown that this diagnostic can tolerate line integrated field strengths of 100 T mm.

  16. Capsule-odometer: a concept to improve accurate lesion localisation.

    PubMed

    Karargyris, Alexandros; Koulaouzidis, Anastasios

    2013-09-21

    In order to improve lesion localisation in small-bowel capsule endoscopy, a modified capsule design has been proposed incorporating localisation and - in theory - stabilization capabilities. The proposed design consists of a capsule fitted with protruding wheels attached to a spring-mechanism. This would act as a miniature odometer, leading to more accurate lesion localization information in relation to the onset of the investigation (spring expansion e.g., pyloric opening). Furthermore, this capsule could allow stabilization of the recorded video as any erratic, non-forward movement through the gut is minimised. Three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology was used to build a capsule prototype. Thereafter, miniature wheels were also 3-D printed and mounted on a spring which was attached to conventional capsule endoscopes for the purpose of this proof-of-concept experiment. In vitro and ex vivo experiments with porcine small-bowel are presented herein. Further experiments have been scheduled.

  17. Wireless communication link for capsule endoscope at 600 MHz.

    PubMed

    Khaleghi, A; Balasingham, I

    2015-01-01

    Simulation of a wireless communication link for a capsule endoscopy is presented for monitoring of small intestine in humans. The realized communication link includes the transmitting capsule antenna, the outside body receiving antenna and the model of the human body. The capsule antenna is designed for operating at the frequency band of 600 MHz with an impedance bandwidth of 10 MHz and omnidirectional radiation pattern. The quality of the communication link is improved by using directive antenna outside body inside matching layer for electromagnetic wave tuning to the body. The outside body antenna has circular polarization that guaranteeing the communication link for different orientations of the capsule inside intestine. It is shown that the path loss for the capsule in 60 mm from the abdomen surface varies between 37-47 dB in relation to the antenna orientation. This link can establish high data rate wireless communications for capsule endoscopy.

  18. Primate lens capsule elasticity assessed using Atomic Force Microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Ziebarth, Noël M.; Arrieta, Esdras; Feuer, William J.; Moy, Vincent T.; Manns, Fabrice; Parel, Jean-Marie

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this project is to measure the elasticity of the human and non-human primate lens capsule at the microscopic scale using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Elasticity measurements were performed using AFM on the excised anterior lens capsule from 9 cynomolgus monkey (5.9–8.0 years), 8 hamadryas baboon (2.8–10.1 years), and 18 human lenses (33–79 years). Anterior capsule specimens were obtained by performing a 5mm continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis and collecting the resulting disk of capsular tissue. To remove the lens epithelial cells the specimen was soaked in 0.1% trypsin and 0.02% EDTA for five minutes, washed, and placed on a Petri dish and immersed in DMEM. Elasticity measurements of the capsule were performed with a laboratory-built AFM system custom designed for force measurements of ophthalmic tissues. The capsular specimens were probed with an AFM cantilever tip to produce force-indentation curves for each specimen. Young’s modulus was calculated from the force-indentation curves using the model of Sneddon for a conical indenter. Young’s modulus of elasticity was 20.1–131kPa for the human lens capsule, 9.19–117kPa for the cynomolgus lens capsule, and 13.1–62.4kPa for the baboon lens capsule. Young’s modulus increased significantly with age in humans (p=0.03). The age range of the monkey and baboon samples was not sufficient to justify an analysis of age dependence. The capsule elasticity of young humans (<45 years) was not statistically different from that of the monkey and baboon. In humans, there is an increase in lens capsule stiffness at the microscale that could be responsible for an increase in lens capsule bulk stiffness. PMID:21420953

  19. Closeup View - Sigma "7" Capsule - Recovery Ship

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1962-10-03

    S62-06175 (3 Oct. 1962) --- Closeup view of the Mercury-Atlas 8 (MA-8) Sigma 7 capsule being lowered to recovery ship's deck. Navy personnel remove the floatation device before opening the capsule. Photo credit: NASA

  20. Capsule endoscopy: Current practice and future directions

    PubMed Central

    Hale, Melissa F; Sidhu, Reena; McAlindon, Mark E

    2014-01-01

    Capsule endoscopy (CE) has transformed investigation of the small bowel providing a non-invasive, well tolerated means of accurately visualising the distal duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Since the introduction of small bowel CE thirteen years ago a high volume of literature on indications, diagnostic yields and safety profile has been presented. Inclusion in national and international guidelines has placed small bowel capsule endoscopy at the forefront of investigation into suspected diseases of the small bowel. Most commonly, small bowel CE is used in patients with suspected bleeding or to identify evidence of active Crohn’s disease (CD) (in patients with or without a prior history of CD). Typically, CE is undertaken after upper and lower gastrointestinal flexible endoscopy has failed to identify a diagnosis. Small bowel radiology or a patency capsule test should be considered prior to CE in those at high risk of strictures (such as patients known to have CD or presenting with obstructive symptoms) to reduce the risk of capsule retention. CE also has a role in patients with coeliac disease, suspected small bowel tumours and other small bowel disorders. Since the advent of small bowel CE, dedicated oesophageal and colon capsule endoscopes have expanded the fields of application to include the investigation of upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders. Oesophageal CE may be used to diagnose oesophagitis, Barrett’s oesophagus and varices but reliability in identifying gastroduodenal pathology is unknown and it does not have biopsy capability. Colon CE provides an alternative to conventional colonoscopy for symptomatic patients, while a possible role in colorectal cancer screening is a fascinating prospect. Current research is already addressing the possibility of controlling capsule movement and developing capsules which allow tissue sampling and the administration of therapy. PMID:24976712

  1. Inadvertent trypan blue posterior capsule staining during cataract surgery.

    PubMed

    Burkholder, Bryn M; Srikumaran, Divya; Nanji, Afshan; Lee, Bryan; Weinberg, Robert S

    2013-04-01

    To report 5 cases of inadvertent posterior capsule staining with trypan blue during phacoemulsification. Retrospective, observational case series. Five cases of posterior capsule staining with trypan blue were identified from cataract surgeries performed at an academic institution. All 5 eyes underwent phacoemulsification with use of iris retractors. The surgical videos from each case were reviewed to better understand the mechanisms and risk factors for posterior capsule staining with trypan blue and techniques to avoid this complication. No eyes had clinical evidence of zonular pathology during their preoperative examination. Only 1 patient reported a possible childhood history of trauma to both eyes. One eye had uveitis, requiring posterior synechialysis. All 5 cases involved the use of iris retractors. No other intraoperative complications occurred, and the intraocular lens was successfully placed in the capsular bag in all cases. All eyes had resolution of posterior capsule staining by postoperative day 8. Inadvertent posterior capsule staining with trypan blue can occur in eyes that appear structurally normal. The use of iris retractors may facilitate posterior capsule staining by allowing the posterior flow of trypan blue under the iris and through the zonules to the posterior capsule. Surgeons should consider techniques to minimize the risk of posterior capsule staining, particularly in cases involving the use of iris retractors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Aspiration of capsule endoscope and successful bronchoscopic extraction.

    PubMed

    Girdhar, Ankur; Usman, Faisal; Bajwa, Abubakr

    2012-10-01

    Capsule endoscopy is a novel tool for the diagnosis of small intestinal disorders. Recently, a new complication of the procedure in the form of the capsule's aspiration into the lungs has been reported. The aspiration of capsule endoscope can lead to a variety of complications including respiratory failure. A low threshold to suspect this complication and urgent bronchoscopic extraction in appropriate patients can prevent serious sequelae.

  3. Bronchial Aspiration of Capsule Endoscope.

    PubMed

    Buscot, Matthieu; Leroy, Sylvie; Pradelli, Johanna; Chaabane, Nouha; Hebuterne, Xavier; Marquette, Charles-Hugo; Filippi, Jerôme

    2017-01-01

    Capsule endoscope aspiration is an increasingly reported complication, potentially responsible for respiratory distress and asphyxia. This adverse event is primarily managed by rigid bronchoscopy when spontaneous expulsion does not occur. This complication is all the more detrimental to patients as it can delay or jeopardize further digestive exploration. We report direct repositioning of the capsule in the stomach at the same time as bronchoscopy, thus making second-line gastrointestinal endoscopy needless. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Therapeutic Application of Phage Capsule Depolymerases against K1, K5, and K30 Capsulated E. coli in Mice.

    PubMed

    Lin, Han; Paff, Matthew L; Molineux, Ian J; Bull, James J

    2017-01-01

    Capsule depolymerase enzymes offer a promising class of new antibiotics. In vivo studies are encouraging but it is unclear how well this type of phage product will generalize in therapeutics, or whether different depolymerases against the same capsule function similarly. Here, in vivo efficacy was tested using cloned bacteriophage depolymerases against Escherichia coli strains with three different capsule types: K1, K5, and K30. When treating infections with the cognate capsule type in a mouse thigh model, the previously studied K1E depolymerase rescued poorly, whereas K1F, K1H, K5, and K30 depolymerases rescued well. K30 gp41 was identified as the catalytically active protein. In contrast to the in vivo studies, K1E enzyme actively degraded K1 capsule polysaccharide in vitro and sensitized K1 bacteria to serum killing. The only in vitro correlate of poor K1E performance in vivo was that the purified enzyme did not form the expected trimer. K1E appeared as an 18-mer which might limit its in vivo distribution. Overall, depolymerases were easily identified, cloned from phage genomes, and as purified proteins they proved generally effective.

  5. Spheroidal and conical shapes of ferrofluid-filled capsules in magnetic fields

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wischnewski, Christian; Kierfeld, Jan

    2018-04-01

    We investigate the deformation of soft spherical elastic capsules filled with a ferrofluid in external uniform magnetic fields at fixed volume by a combination of numerical and analytical approaches. We develop a numerical iterative solution strategy based on nonlinear elastic shape equations to calculate the stretched capsule shape numerically and a coupled finite element and boundary element method to solve the corresponding magnetostatic problem and employ analytical linear response theory, approximative energy minimization, and slender-body theory. The observed deformation behavior is qualitatively similar to the deformation of ferrofluid droplets in uniform magnetic fields. Homogeneous magnetic fields elongate the capsule and a discontinuous shape transition from a spheroidal shape to a conical shape takes place at a critical field strength. We investigate how capsule elasticity modifies this hysteretic shape transition. We show that conical capsule shapes are possible but involve diverging stretch factors at the tips, which gives rise to rupture for real capsule materials. In a slender-body approximation we find that the critical susceptibility above which conical shapes occur for ferrofluid capsules is the same as for droplets. At small fields capsules remain spheroidal and we characterize the deformation of spheroidal capsules both analytically and numerically. Finally, we determine whether wrinkling of a spheroidal capsule occurs during elongation in a magnetic field and how it modifies the stretching behavior. We find the nontrivial dependence between the extent of the wrinkled region and capsule elongation. Our results can be helpful in quantitatively determining capsule or ferrofluid material properties from magnetic deformation experiments. All results also apply to elastic capsules filled with a dielectric liquid in an external uniform electric field.

  6. Development of three-layered rumen escapable capsules for cattle

    PubMed Central

    SEYAMA, Tomohiro; HIRAYASU, Hirofumi; YAMAWAKI, Kenji; ADACHI, Takuhiko; SUGIMOTO, Takayuki; KASAI, Koji

    2016-01-01

    A new rumen escapable tool is presented for cattle in prospect of developing medical treatment or supplementing trace elements for disease prevention. This tool consists of a three-layered capsule that dissolves in the lower digestive tract, but not in the rumen. The capsule was manufactured by capsule-forming techniques through the use of liquid surface tension. This method does not involve high-temperature treatment, so the capsule can contain not only lipophilic substances but also hydrophilic or heat-sensitive substances. Furthermore, the capsule has a specific gravity of 1.3 and diameter of 6.0 mm, which were previously shown to be appropriate to avoid rumination. The objective of this study was to confirm the effectiveness of the capsule pertinent to rumen escaping. In order to validate rumen escape, capsules containing 30 g of water-soluble vitamin (thiamine hydrochloride) per head were administered to four lactating cows assigned in a crossover trial. In the group administered encapsulated thiamine hydrochloride, blood thiamine levels increased from 12.4 ± 1.03 ng/ml before administration to 54.8 ± 2.21 ng/ml at 6 hr following administration, whereas the level remained at 13.3 ± 2.05 ng/ml in the control group administered via aqueous solution. This indicates that the three-layered capsules passed through the rumen and dissolved in the lower digestive tract, thus functioning as a rumen escapable tool. PMID:27546371

  7. Unusual Internal Astigmatism Due to Severe Capsule Contraction Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Zéboulon, Pierre; Gatinel, Damien

    2018-01-01

    To describe a case of severe capsule contraction syndrome causing significant astigmatism due to intraocular lens (IOL) folding. Case report. Capsule fibrosis and contraction resulted in bending of the hydrophilic IOL along its long axis. Anterior Nd:YAG capsulotomy resolved the situation and restored the patient's visual acuity. Hydrophilic IOLs are more susceptible to capsule contraction due to the increased flexibility of highly hydrated materials. They should be avoided in patients at risk of capsule contraction to prevent ocular complications. [J Refract Surg. 2018;34(1):65-67.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  8. Albumin/asparaginase capsules prepared by ultrasound to retain ammonia.

    PubMed

    Tinoco, Ana; Ribeiro, Artur; Oliveira, César; Parpot, Pier; Gomes, Andreia; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur

    2016-11-01

    Asparaginase reduces the levels of asparagine in blood, which is an essential amino acid for the proliferation of lymphoblastic malign cells. Asparaginase converts asparagine into aspartic acid and ammonia. The accumulation of ammonia in the bloodstream leads to hyperammonemia, described as one of the most significant side effects of asparaginase therapy. Therefore, there is a need for asparaginase formulations with the potential to reduce hyperammonemia. We incorporated 2 % of therapeutic enzyme in albumin-based capsules. The presence of asparaginase in the interface of bovine serum albumin (BSA) capsules showed the ability to hydrolyze the asparagine and retain the forming ammonia at the surface of the capsules. The incorporation of Poloxamer 407 in the capsule formulation further increased the ratio aspartic acid/ammonia from 1.92 to 2.46 (and 1.10 from the free enzyme), decreasing the levels of free ammonia. This capacity to retain ammonia can be due to electrostatic interactions and retention of ammonia at the surface of the capsules. The developed BSA/asparaginase capsules did not cause significant cytotoxic effect on mouse leukemic macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. The new BSA/asparaginase capsules could potentially be used in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia preventing hyperammonemia associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment with asparaginase.

  9. Closed Loop Control of a Tethered Magnetic Capsule Endoscope

    PubMed Central

    Taddese, Addisu Z.; Slawinski, Piotr R.; Obstein, Keith L.; Valdastri, Pietro

    2017-01-01

    Magnetic field gradients have repeatedly been shown to be the most feasible mechanism for gastrointestinal capsule endoscope actuation. An inverse quartic magnetic force variation with distance results in large force gradients induced by small movements of a driving magnet; this necessitates robotic actuation of magnets to implement stable control of the device. A typical system consists of a serial robot with a permanent magnet at its end effector that actuates a capsule with an embedded permanent magnet. We present a tethered capsule system where a capsule with an embedded magnet is closed loop controlled in 2 degree-of-freedom in position and 2 degree-of-freedom in orientation. Capitalizing on the magnetic field of the external driving permanent magnet, the capsule is localized in 6-D allowing for both position and orientation feedback to be used in a control scheme. We developed a relationship between the serial robot's joint parameters and the magnetic force and torque that is exerted onto the capsule. Our methodology was validated both in a dynamic simulation environment where a custom plug-in for magnetic interaction was written, as well as on an experimental platform. The tethered capsule was demonstrated to follow desired trajectories in both position and orientation with accuracy that is acceptable for colonoscopy. PMID:28286886

  10. Closed Loop Control of a Tethered Magnetic Capsule Endoscope.

    PubMed

    Taddese, Addisu Z; Slawinski, Piotr R; Obstein, Keith L; Valdastri, Pietro

    2016-06-01

    Magnetic field gradients have repeatedly been shown to be the most feasible mechanism for gastrointestinal capsule endoscope actuation. An inverse quartic magnetic force variation with distance results in large force gradients induced by small movements of a driving magnet; this necessitates robotic actuation of magnets to implement stable control of the device. A typical system consists of a serial robot with a permanent magnet at its end effector that actuates a capsule with an embedded permanent magnet. We present a tethered capsule system where a capsule with an embedded magnet is closed loop controlled in 2 degree-of-freedom in position and 2 degree-of-freedom in orientation. Capitalizing on the magnetic field of the external driving permanent magnet, the capsule is localized in 6-D allowing for both position and orientation feedback to be used in a control scheme. We developed a relationship between the serial robot's joint parameters and the magnetic force and torque that is exerted onto the capsule. Our methodology was validated both in a dynamic simulation environment where a custom plug-in for magnetic interaction was written, as well as on an experimental platform. The tethered capsule was demonstrated to follow desired trajectories in both position and orientation with accuracy that is acceptable for colonoscopy.

  11. Analysing intracellular deformation of polymer capsules using structured illumination microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Xi; Cui, Jiwei; Sun, Huanli; Müllner, Markus; Yan, Yan; Noi, Ka Fung; Ping, Yuan; Caruso, Frank

    2016-06-01

    Understanding the behaviour of therapeutic carriers is important in elucidating their mechanism of action and how they are processed inside cells. Herein we examine the intracellular deformation of layer-by-layer assembled polymer capsules using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SIM). Spherical- and cylindrical-shaped capsules were studied in three different cell lines, namely HeLa (human epithelial cell line), RAW264.7 (mouse macrophage cell line) and differentiated THP-1 (human monocyte-derived macrophage cell line). We observed that the deformation of capsules was dependent on cell line, but independent of capsule shape. This suggests that the mechanical forces, which induce capsule deformation during cell uptake, vary between cell lines, indicating that the capsules are exposed to higher mechanical forces in HeLa cells, followed by RAW264.7 and then differentiated THP-1 cells. Our study demonstrates the use of super-resolution SIM in analysing intracellular capsule deformation, offering important insights into the cellular processing of drug carriers in cells and providing fundamental knowledge of intracellular mechanobiology. Furthermore, this study may aid in the design of novel drug carriers that are sensitive to deformation for enhanced drug release properties.Understanding the behaviour of therapeutic carriers is important in elucidating their mechanism of action and how they are processed inside cells. Herein we examine the intracellular deformation of layer-by-layer assembled polymer capsules using super-resolution structured illumination microscopy (SIM). Spherical- and cylindrical-shaped capsules were studied in three different cell lines, namely HeLa (human epithelial cell line), RAW264.7 (mouse macrophage cell line) and differentiated THP-1 (human monocyte-derived macrophage cell line). We observed that the deformation of capsules was dependent on cell line, but independent of capsule shape. This suggests that the mechanical forces

  12. The capsule of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

    PubMed Central

    Zaragoza, Oscar; Rodrigues, Marcio L.; De Jesus, Magdia; Frases, Susana; Dadachova, Ekaterina; Casadevall, Arturo

    2009-01-01

    The capsule of the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has been studied extensively in recent decades, and a large body of information is now available to the scientific community. Well-known aspects of the capsule include its structure, antigenic properties and its function as a virulence factor. The capsule is composed primarily of two polysaccharides, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) and galactoxylomannan (GalXM), in addition to a smaller proportion of mannoproteins (MP). Most of the studies on the composition of the capsule have focused on GXM, which comprises more than 90% of the capsule's polysaccharide mass. It is GalXM, however, that is of particular scientific interest because of its immunological properties. The molecular structure of these polysaccharides is very complex and has not yet been fully elucidated. Both GXM and GalXM are high molecular mass polymers with the mass of GXM equaling roughly 10 times that of GalXM. Recent findings suggest, however, that the actual Mw might be different to what it has traditionally been thought to be. In addition to their structural roles in the polysaccharide capsule, these molecules have been associated with many deleterious effects on the immune response. Capsular components are therefore considered key virulence determinants in Cryptococcus neoformans, which has motivated their use in vaccines and made them targets for monoclonal antibody treatments. In this review we will provide an update on the current knowledge of the C. neoformans capsule, covering aspects related to its structure, synthesis, and particularly, its role as a virulence factor. PMID:19426855

  13. Tag gas capsule with magnetic piercing device

    DOEpatents

    Nelson, Ira V.

    1976-06-22

    An apparatus for introducing a tag (i.e., identifying) gas into a tubular nuclear fuel element. A sealed capsule containing the tag gas is placed in the plenum in the fuel tube between the fuel and the end cap. A ferromagnetic punch having a penetrating point is slidably mounted in the plenum. By external electro-magnets, the punch may be caused to penetrate a thin rupturable end wall of the capsule and release the tag gas into the fuel element. Preferably the punch is slidably mounted within the capsule, which is in turn loaded as a sealed unit into the fuel element.

  14. Alternative method for enteric coating of HPMC capsules resulting in ready-to-use enteric-coated capsules.

    PubMed

    Huyghebaert, Nathalie; Vermeire, An; Remon, Jean Paul

    2004-04-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an alternative method for enteric coating of HPMC capsules that avoids the sealing step before coating, resulting in ready-to-use enteric-coated capsules for the use in retail or hospital pharmacy or R&D sections of pharmaceutical industry and for the production of enteric-coated heat and moisture sensitive biomaterials. HPMC caps and bodies 00 (Vcaps, Capsugel) were coated separately in a fluid bed apparatus prior to filling (GPCG-1, Glatt) with Eudragit L30D-55 or Eudragit FS 30 D (Röhm), Aqoat AS-HF (Shin-Etsu) and Sureteric (Colorcon), using an optimised coating process. The coated bodies were filled and closed with the coated caps without encountering problems of coating damage. The release in 0.1N HCl after 2h from capsules coated with Eudragit L30D-55, Eudragit FS 30 D, Aqoat AS-HF and Sureteric was 0.6+/-.03, 0.6+/-0.3, 1.2+/-0.2 and 7.3+/-1.9%, respectively. The alternative method was reproducible and offered a way to overcome the time-consuming and expensive sealing step required using the conventional coating procedure. The obtained enteric-coated HPMC capsules can be stored (un)-filled for at least 6 months without loosing enteric properties.

  15. Capsule Shimming Developments for National Ignition Facility (NIF) Hohlraum Asymmetry Experiments

    DOE PAGES

    Rice, Neal G.; Vu, M.; Kong, C.; ...

    2017-12-20

    Capsule drive in National Ignition Facility (NIF) indirect drive implosions is generated by x-ray illumination from cylindrical hohlraums. The cylindrical hohlraum geometry is axially symmetric but not spherically symmetric causing capsule-fuel drive asymmetries. We hypothesize that fabricating capsules asymmetric in wall thickness (shimmed) may compensate for drive asymmetries and improve implosion symmetry. Simulations suggest that for high compression implosions Legendre mode P 4 hohlraum flux asymmetries are the most detrimental to implosion performance. General Atomics has developed a diamond turning method to form a GDP capsule outer surface to a Legendre mode P 4 profile. The P 4 shape requiresmore » full capsule surface coverage. Thus, in order to avoid tool-lathe interference flipping the capsule part way through the machining process is required. This flipping process risks misalignment of the capsule causing a vertical step feature on the capsule surface. Recent trials have proven this step feature height can be minimized to ~0.25 µm.« less

  16. Scaling effects in spiral capsule robots.

    PubMed

    Liang, Liang; Hu, Rong; Chen, Bai; Tang, Yong; Xu, Yan

    2017-04-01

    Spiral capsule robots can be applied to human gastrointestinal tracts and blood vessels. Because of significant variations in the sizes of the inner diameters of the intestines as well as blood vessels, this research has been unable to meet the requirements for medical applications. By applying the fluid dynamic equations, using the computational fluid dynamics method, to a robot axial length ranging from 10 -5 to 10 -2  m, the operational performance indicators (axial driving force, load torque, and maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall) of the spiral capsule robot and the fluid turbulent intensity around the robot spiral surfaces was numerically calculated in a straight rigid pipe filled with fluid. The reasonableness and validity of the calculation method adopted in this study were verified by the consistency of the calculated values by the computational fluid dynamics method and the experimental values from a relevant literature. The results show that the greater the fluid turbulent intensity, the greater the impact of the fluid turbulence on the driving performance of the spiral capsule robot and the higher the energy consumption of the robot. For the same level of size of the robot, the axial driving force, the load torque, and the maximum fluid pressure on the pipe wall of the outer spiral robot were larger than those of the inner spiral robot. For different requirements of the operating environment, we can choose a certain kind of spiral capsule robot. This study provides a theoretical foundation for spiral capsule robots.

  17. Mechanical characterization of capsule properties using abrupt-step channels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salsac, Anne-Virginie; Le Goff, Anne; Kaoui, Badr; Barthè-Biesel, Dominique; Biomechanics; Bioengineering Lab Team

    2017-11-01

    Capsules consisting of a liquid droplet enclosed by a thin polymerized membrane are commonly encountered in nature (cells) or in industrial process (pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food products). The mechanical properties of the capsule wall are essential to guarantee the particle integrity and release of the internal contents when and where necessary. The difficulty is to assess the mechanical properties of the thin membrane. We will show how abrupt-step channels can be used to identify the membrane viscoelastic properties and point of rupture. This can be achieved by using a channel presenting a step change in cross-section and inverting the direction of the flow of the capsule suspension within the tube. To deduce information on the viscoelasticity, we will exploit the relaxation of the capsules as they flow through the expansion. To study membrane rupture, we will instead invert the channel, block the capsules at the neck of the constriction and determine the pressure difference needed for breakup. All the experiments will be conducted on initially spherical capsules with a thin cross-linked protein membrane for a proof of concept.

  18. Anterior capsule tear after laser iridotomy complicating phacoemulsification

    PubMed Central

    Vivien Cherng Hui, Yip; Sanjay, Srinivasan; Benjamin Chong-Ming, Chang

    2011-01-01

    A 70-year-old Indian lady had a history of bilateral laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) for primary angle closure. Subsequently she developed cataract in both the eyes. Right eye cataract surgery was complicated by an anterior capsule rupture, which was discovered intra-operatively at the site of the LPI. Trypan blue was used to stain the anterior capsule to delineate the anterior capsule defect. An attempt at continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis was unsuccessful, and the anterior capsulotomy was completed with scissors. To the best of our knowledge the surgical management of cataract in the presence of anterior capsule rupture as a result of LPI has not been reported. Awareness of this potential complication of LPI will aid in planning for successful phacoemulsification cataract surgery. PMID:23960943

  19. Antioxidant functionalized polymer capsules to prevent oxidative stress.

    PubMed

    Larrañaga, Aitor; Isa, Isma Liza Mohd; Patil, Vaibhav; Thamboo, Sagana; Lomora, Mihai; Fernández-Yague, Marc A; Sarasua, Jose-Ramon; Palivan, Cornelia G; Pandit, Abhay

    2018-02-01

    Polymeric capsules exhibit significant potential for therapeutic applications as microreactors, where the bio-chemical reactions of interest are efficiently performed in a spatial and time defined manner due to the encapsulation of an active biomolecule (e.g., enzyme) and control over the transfer of reagents and products through the capsular membrane. In this work, catalase loaded polymer capsules functionalized with an external layer of tannic acid (TA) are fabricated via a layer-by-layer approach using calcium carbonate as a sacrificial template. The capsules functionalised with TA exhibit a higher scavenging capacity for hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals, suggesting that the external layer of TA shows intrinsic antioxidant properties, and represents a valid strategy to increase the overall antioxidant potential of the developed capsules. Additionally, the hydrogen peroxide scavenging capacity of the capsules is enhanced in the presence of the encapsulated catalase. The capsules prevent oxidative stress in an in vitro inflammation model of degenerative disc disease. Moreover, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif-5 (ADAMTS-5), which represents the major proteolytic enzymes in intervertebral disc, are attenuated in the presence of the polymer capsules. This platform technology exhibits potential to reduce oxidative stress, a key modulator in the pathology of a broad range of inflammatory diseases. Oxidative stress damages important cell structures leading to cellular apoptosis and senescence, for numerous disease pathologies including cancer, neurodegeneration or osteoarthritis. Thus, the development of biomaterials-based systems to control oxidative stress has gained an increasing interest. Herein, polymer capsules loaded with catalase and functionalized with an external layer of tannic acid are fabricated, which can efficiently scavenge important reactive oxygen species (i

  20. Flake-shell capsules: adjustable inorganic structures.

    PubMed

    Ji, Qingmin; Guo, Chunyan; Yu, Xiaoyan; Ochs, Christopher J; Hill, Jonathan P; Caruso, Frank; Nakazawa, Hiromoto; Ariga, Katsuhiko

    2012-08-06

    Structure-adjustable capsules are fabricated from inorganic components by using a self-template dissolution-regrowth mechanism to give flake-shell silica microcapsules. The capsules shrink under thermal stimulus and their structures can be adjusted by treatment at different pH values. Tuning of shell pore diameters leads to tailored drug release over prolonged periods. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Moisture diffusion and permeability characteristics of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and hard gelatin capsules.

    PubMed

    Barham, Ahmad S; Tewes, Frederic; Healy, Anne Marie

    2015-01-30

    The primary objective of this paper is to compare the sorption characteristics of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) and hard gelatin (HG) capsules and their ability to protect capsule contents. Moisture sorption and desorption isotherms for empty HPMC and HG capsules have been investigated using dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) at 25°C. All sorption studies were analysed using the Young-Nelson model equations which distinguishes three moisture sorption types: monolayer adsorption moisture, condensation and absorption. Water vapour diffusion coefficients (D), solubility (S) and permeability (P) parameters of the capsule shells were calculated. ANOVA was performed with the Tukey comparison test to analyse the effect of %RH and capsule type on S, P, and D parameters. The moisture uptake of HG capsules were higher than HPMC capsules at all %RH conditions studied. It was found that values of D and P across HPMC capsules were greater than for HG capsules at 0-40 %RH; whereas over the same %RH range S values were higher for HG than for HPMC capsules. S values decreased gradually as the %RH was increased up to 60% RH. To probe the effect of moisture ingress, spray dried lactose was loaded into capsules. Phase evolution was characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The capsules under investigation are not capable of protecting spray dried lactose from induced solid state changes as a result of moisture uptake. For somewhat less moisture sensitive formulations, HPMC would appear to be a better choice than HG in terms of protection of moisture induced deterioration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Improvement in Capsule Abort Performance Using Supersonic Aerodynamic Interaction by Fences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koyama, Hiroto; Wang, Yunpeng; Ozawa, Hiroshi; Doi, Katsunori; Nakamura, Yoshiaki

    The space transportation system will need advanced abort systems to secure crew against serious accidents. Here this study deals with the capsule-type space transportation systems with a Launch Abort System (LAS). This system is composed of a conic capsule as a Launch Abort Vehicle (LAV) and a cylindrical rocket as a Service Module (SM), and the capsule is moved away from the rocket by supersonic aerodynamic interactions in an emergency. We propose a method to improve the performance of the LAV by installing fences at the edges of surfaces on the rocket and capsule sides. Their effects were investigated by experimental measurements and numerical simulations. Experimental results show that the fences on the rocket and capsule surfaces increase the aerodynamic thrust force on the capsule by 70% in a certain clearance between the capsule and rocket. Computational results show the detailed flow fields where the centripetal flow near the surface on the rocket side is induced by the fence on the rocket side and the centrifugal flow near the surface on the capsule side is blocked by the fence on the capsule side. These results can confirm favorable effects of the fences on the performance of the LAS.

  3. Engineering multifunctional capsules through the assembly of metal-phenolic networks.

    PubMed

    Guo, Junling; Ping, Yuan; Ejima, Hirotaka; Alt, Karen; Meissner, Mirko; Richardson, Joseph J; Yan, Yan; Peter, Karlheinz; von Elverfeldt, Dominik; Hagemeyer, Christoph E; Caruso, Frank

    2014-05-26

    Metal-organic coordination materials are of widespread interest because of the coupled benefits of inorganic and organic building blocks. These materials can be assembled into hollow capsules with a range of properties, which include selective permeability, enhanced mechanical/thermal stability, and stimuli-responsiveness. Previous studies have primarily focused on the assembly aspects of metal-coordination capsules; however, the engineering of metal-specific functionality for capsule design has not been explored. A library of functional metal-phenolic network (MPN) capsules prepared from a phenolic ligand (tannic acid) and a range of metals is reported. The properties of the MPN capsules are determined by the coordinated metals, allowing for control over film thickness, disassembly characteristics, and fluorescence behavior. Furthermore, the functional properties of the MPN capsules were tailored for drug delivery, positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and catalysis. The ability to incorporate multiple metals into MPN capsules demonstrates that a diverse range of functional materials can be generated. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Bioequivalence of a methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release preparation: comparison of an intact capsule and an opened capsule sprinkled on applesauce.

    PubMed

    Fischer, R; Schütz, H; Grossmann, M; Leis, H J; Ammer, R

    2006-03-01

    To assess bioequivalence between an intact capsule and the content of a capsule sprinkled on applesauce. Medikinet retard 20 mg capsules were obtained from Medice (Iserlohn, Germany). This was a single-center, completely randomized, open, 2-period, 2-sequence, balanced crossover study with a washout period of 1 week between administrations, in 12 healthy male and female subjects, aged 18-45 years. Blood samples were collected over 24 hours and methylphenidate plasma concentration-time data were used to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters for both administrations. The main parameters were (confirmatory) AUC0-tz (extent of BA), Cmax, tmax (rate of BA) and (descriptively) AUC0-infinity and t1/2. Equivalence was concluded if the 90% confidence interval (CI) for the ratio between test and reference was 0.80-1.25 (AUC0-tz). All 12 dosed subjects finished both treatment periods and were included in pharmacokinetic and safety analyses. 90% geometric confidence intervals for AUC0-tz and Cmax data were well within accepted bioequivalence limits. The study has shown that both treatment modes lead to similar pattern of absorption and elimination following single-dose administration in the fed state. The test treatment (content of capsule sprinkled over 15 ml applesauce) is bioequivalent to the reference treatment (intact capsule) in terms of extent and rate of absorption. Data collected from this study demonstrate that Medikinet retard capsules can be opened and the content sprinkled on a tablespoon of applesauce without influencing the rate and extent of bioavailability.

  5. Spectral measurements of asymmetrically irradiated capsule backlighters

    DOE PAGES

    Keiter, P. A.; Drake, R. P.

    2016-09-09

    Capsule backlighters provide a quasi-continuum x-ray spectrum over a wide range of photon energies. Ideally one irradiates the capsule backlighter symmetrically, however, in complex experimental geometries, this is not always possible. In recent experiments we irradiated capsule backlighters asymmetrically and measured the x-ray spectrum from multiple directions. We will present time-integrated spectra over the photon energy range of ~2-13 keV and time-resolved spectra over the photon energy range of ~2-3 keV. Lastly, we will compare the spectra from different lines of sight to determine if the laser asymmetry results in an angular dependence in the x-ray emission.

  6. State diagram for adhesion dynamics of deformable capsules under shear flow.

    PubMed

    Luo, Zheng Yuan; Bai, Bo Feng

    2016-08-17

    Due to the significance of understanding the underlying mechanisms of cell adhesion in biological processes and cell capture in biomedical applications, we numerically investigate the adhesion dynamics of deformable capsules under shear flow by using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic model. This model is based on the coupling of the front tracking-finite element method for elastic mechanics of the capsule membrane and the adhesion kinetics simulation for adhesive interactions between capsules and functionalized surfaces. Using this model, three distinct adhesion dynamic states are predicted, such as detachment, rolling and firm-adhesion. Specifically, the effects of capsule deformability quantified by the capillary number on the transitions of these three dynamic states are investigated by developing an adhesion dynamic state diagram for the first time. At low capillary numbers (e.g. Ca < 0.0075), whole-capsule deformation confers the capsule a flattened bottom in contact with the functionalized surface, which hence promotes the rolling-to-firm-adhesion transition. It is consistent with the observations from previous studies that cell deformation promotes the adhesion of cells lying in the rolling regime. However, it is surprising to find that, at relatively high capillary numbers (e.g. 0.0075 < Ca < 0.0175), the effect of capsule deformability on its adhesion dynamics is far more complex than just promoting adhesion. High deformability of capsules makes their bottom take a concave shape with no adhesion bond formation in the middle. The appearance of this specific capsule shape inhibits the transitions of both rolling-to-firm-adhesion and detachment-to-rolling, and it means that capsule deformation no longer promotes the capsule adhesion. Besides, it is interesting to note that, when the capillary number exceeds a critical value (e.g. Ca = 0.0175), the rolling state no longer appears, since capsules exhibit large deviation from the spherical shape.

  7. Magnetized HDC ignition capsules for yield enhancement and implosion magnetohydrodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimmerman, G.; Ho, D.; Perkins, J.; Logan, G.; Hawkins, S.; Rhodes, M.

    2014-10-01

    Imposing a magnetic field on capsules can turn capsules that fail, because of low 1-D margin, into igniting capsules that give yield in the MegaJoule range. The imposed magnetic field can be amplified by up to O(103) as it is being compressed by the imploding shell, e.g. if the initial field is 50 T, then the field in the hot spot of the assembled configuration can reach >104 T. (We are currently designing hardware that can provide a field in the 50 T range inside NIF hohlraums.) With this highly compressed field strength, the gyro radius of alpha particles becomes smaller than the hot spot size. Consequently, the heating of the hot spot becomes more efficient. The imposed field can also prevent hot electrons in the holhraum from reaching the capsule. We choose capsules with high-density carbon (HDC) ablators for this study. HDC capsules have good 1-D performance and also have short pulses (10 ns or less), allowing the use of low gas-filled or near-vacuum hohlraums which provide high coupling efficiency. We describe a 2-D simulation of a 3-shock HDC capsule. We will show detailed magnetohydrodynamic evolution of the implosion. HDC capsules with 2-shock pulses have low margin because of their high adiabat, and it is difficult to achieve ignition in realistic 2-D simulations. The improvement in performance for 2-shock magnetized capsules will be presented. This work was supported by LLNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development LDRD 14-ER-028 under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  8. Identification of the duodenal papilla by colon capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Karagiannis, S; Dücker, C; Dautel, P; Strubenhoff, J; Faiss, S

    2010-07-01

    The sensitivity of small-bowel capsule endoscopy in visualizing a single finding present in everyone, the duodenal papilla, is limited. In this retrospective case series study we evaluated whether the duodenal papilla can be better visualized by a capsule endoscope equipped with cameras on both ends. The recordings of 45 colonic capsule endoscopies (PillCam Colon) performed in a single tertiary center were re-evaluated seeking for the duodenal papilla. The two-hour sleeping period of the colon capsule endoscopy system led to the imaging of duodenum in 10 / 45 patients. The duodenal papilla was identified in 6 / 10 (60 %) patients while the number of frames where the papilla was clearly visualized ranged from 2 - 9. Consequently, a small-bowel capsule endoscope containing two cameras could better identify the duodenal papilla and theoretically other obscure areas of the small bowel, expanding its diagnostic accuracy.

  9. Laundry detergent capsules and pediatric poisoning.

    PubMed

    Bonney, Asha G; Mazor, Suzan; Goldman, Ran D

    2013-12-01

    A 4-year-old girl was brought into the emergency department vomiting after having had ingested a laundry detergent capsule (LDC) from under the sink at her house. What is the risk of LDC poisoning? What can be done to treat these children? Laundry detergent capsules are relatively new to supermarket shelves in North America, and there has been an emergence of case reports in the literature describing LDC poisoning, which is worse than poisoning from other laundry detergents. Very little is known about the mechanisms causing these severe reactions, which include airway compromise and esophageal perforation, but the attractive appearance of these capsules and easy access at home has governments and health officials concerned about an increase in poisoning. No residual problems have been associated with these cases to date; however, further research is needed to assess long-term effects.

  10. Lens capsule structure assessed with atomic force microscopy

    PubMed Central

    Sueiras, Vivian M.; Moy, Vincent T.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose To image the ultrastructure of the anterior lens capsule at the nanoscale level using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Methods Experiments were performed on anterior lens capsules maintained in their in situ location surrounding the lens from six human cadavers (donor age range: 44–88 years), four cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis age range: 4.83–8.92 years), and seven pigs (<6 months). Hydration of all samples was maintained using Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM). Whole lenses were removed from the eye and placed anterior side up in agarose gel before gel hardening where only the posterior half of the lens was contained within the gel. After the gel hardened, the Petri dish was filled with DMEM until the point where the intact lens was fully submerged. AFM was used to image the anterior lens surface in contact mode. An integrated analysis program was used to calculate the interfibrillar spacing, fiber diameter, and surface roughness of the samples. Results The AFM images depict a highly ordered fibrous structure at the surface of the lens capsule in all three species. The interfibrillar spacing for the porcine, cynomolgus monkey, and human lens capsules was 0.68±0.25, 1.80±0.39, and 1.08±0.25 μm, respectively. In the primate, interfibrillar spacing significantly decreased linearly as a function of age. The fiber diameters ranged from 50 to 950 nm. Comparison of the root mean square (RMS) and average deviation demonstrate that the surface of the porcine lens capsule is the smoothest, and that the human and cynomolgus monkey capsules are significantly rougher. Conclusions AFM was successful in providing high-resolution images of the nanostructure of the lens capsule samples. Species-dependent differences were observed in the overall structure and surface roughness. PMID:25814829

  11. Capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.

    PubMed

    Niv, Yaron

    2013-01-01

    Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting any part of the gastrointestinal tract, but frequently involves the small and large bowel. Typical presenting symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Patients with this disorder may also have extraintestinal manifestations, including arthritis, uveitis, and skin lesions. The PillCam™SB capsule is an ingestible disposable video camera that transmits high quality images of the small intestinal mucosa. This enables the small intestine to be readily accessible to physicians investigating for the presence of small bowel disorders, such as Crohn's disease. Four meta-analyses have demonstrated that capsule endoscopy identifies Crohn's disease when other methods are not helpful. It should be noted that it is the best noninvasive procedure for assessing mucosal status, but is not superior to ileocolonoscopy, which remains the gold standard for assessment of ileocolonic disease. Mucosal healing along the small bowel can only be demonstrated by an endoscopic procedure such as capsule endoscopy. Achievement of long-term mucosal healing has been associated with a trend towards a decreased need for hospitalization and a decreased requirement for corticosteroid treatment in patients with Crohn's disease. Recently, we have developed and validated the Capsule Endoscopy Crohn's Disease Activity Index (also known as the Niv score) for Crohn's disease of the small bowel. The next step is to expand our score to the colon, and to determine the role and benefit of a capsule endoscopy activity score in patients suffering from Crohn's ileocolitis and/or colitis. This scoring system will also serve to improve our understanding of the impact of capsule endoscopy, and therefore treatment, on the immediate outcome of this disorder. As the best procedure available for assessing mucosal status, capsule endoscopy will provide important information about the course and outcome of Crohn's disease.

  12. Role of capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

    PubMed

    Kopylov, Uri; Seidman, Ernest G

    2014-02-07

    Videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) has revolutionized our ability to visualize the small bowel mucosa. This modality is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of obscure small bowel Crohn's disease (CD), and can also be used for monitoring of disease activity in patients with established small-bowel CD, detection of complications such as obscure bleeding and neoplasms, evaluation of response to anti-inflammatory treatment and postoperative recurrence following small bowel resection. VCE could also be an important tool in the management of patients with unclassified inflammatory bowel disease, potentially resulting in reclassification of these patients as having CD. Reports on postoperative monitoring and evaluation of patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis who have developed pouchitis have recenty been published. Monitoring of colonic inflammatory activity in patients with ulcerative colitis using the recently developed colonic capsule has also been reported. Capsule endoscopy is associated with an excellent safety profile. Although retention risk is increased in patients with small bowel CD, this risk can be significanty decreased by a routine utilization of a dissolvable patency capsule preceding the ingestion of the diagnostic capsule. This paper contains an overview of the current and future clinical applications of capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease.

  13. Ultrasound capsule endoscopy: sounding out the future

    PubMed Central

    Stewart, Fraser; Lay, Holly; Cummins, Gerard; Newton, Ian P.; Desmulliez, Marc P. Y.; Steele, Robert J. C.; Näthke, Inke; Cochran, Sandy

    2017-01-01

    Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has been of immense benefit in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders since its introduction in 2001. However, it suffers from a number of well recognized deficiencies. Amongst these is the limited capability of white light imaging, which is restricted to analysis of the mucosal surface. Current capsule endoscopes are dependent on visual manifestation of disease and limited in regards to transmural imaging and detection of deeper pathology. Ultrasound capsule endoscopy (USCE) has the potential to overcome surface only imaging and provide transmural scans of the GI tract. The integration of high frequency microultrasound (µUS) into capsule endoscopy would allow high resolution transmural images and provide a means of both qualitative and quantitative assessment of the bowel wall. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) can provide data in an objective and measurable manner, potentially reducing lengthy interpretation times by incorporation into an automated diagnostic process. The research described here is focused on the development of USCE and other complementary diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Presently investigations have entered a preclinical phase with laboratory investigations running concurrently. PMID:28567381

  14. Unsteady Pressures on a Generic Capsule Shape

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burnside, Nathan; Ross, James C.

    2015-01-01

    While developing the aerodynamic database for the Orion spacecraft, the low-speed flight regime (transonic and below) proved to be the most difficult to predict and measure accurately. The flow over the capsule heat shield in descent flight was particularly troublesome for both computational and experimental efforts due to its unsteady nature and uncertainty about the boundary layer state. The data described here were acquired as part of a study to improve the understanding of the overall flow around a generic capsule. The unsteady pressure measurements acquired on a generic capsule shape are presented along with a discussion about the effects of various flight conditions and heat-shield surface roughness on the resulting pressure fluctuations.

  15. A locomotion mechanism with external magnetic guidance for active capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Wang, Xiaona; Meng, Max Q H; Chen, Xijun

    2010-01-01

    Gastrointestinal (GI) disorder is one of the most common diseases in human body. The swallowable wireless capsule endoscopy has been proved to be a convenient, painless and effective way to examine the whole GI tract. However, lack of motion control makes the movement of the capsule substantially random, resulting in missing diagnosis. In this paper, a locomotion mechanism is developed for the next-generation active capsule endoscope. An internal actuator integrated on-board the capsule is designed to provide driving force and improve the dexterity. A small permanent magnet enclosed inside the capsule interacts with an external magnetic field to control the capsule's orientation and offer extra driving force. This mechanism avoids sophisticated and bulky control system and reduces power consumption inside the capsule. Ex-vivo experimental results showed that it can make a controllable movement inside the porcine large intestine. The mechanism also has the potential to be a platform for further development, such as devices of operations, spraying medicine, biopsy etc.

  16. Capsule-Fixated Intraocular Lens Implantation in Small Pupil Cases.

    PubMed

    Schojai, Merita; Schultz, Tim; Burkhard Dick, H

    2017-08-01

    To describe a new technique for implantation of capsule-fixated intraocular lenses (IOLs) (FEMTIS; Oculentis, Berlin, Germany) in patients with small pupils. In 4 eyes with small pupils, an anterior capsule-fixated IOL was implanted into the capsular bag after femtosecond laser treatment. The two large and two small flaps of the IOL were elevated to the front of the iris and the anterior capsule. Finally, the iris was flipped over the flaps to ensure a fixation of the capsule inside of the capsulotomy. In all cases, the implantation of anterior capsule-fixated IOLs was possible. No complications occurred during surgery or within the first months after surgery. With the described technique, capsulefixated IOLs can be implanted in eyes with small pupil easily and safely. This type of IOL has great potential to improve the refractive outcome by better prediction of the postoperative IOL position and eliminating IOL rotation after cataract surgery. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(8):568-570.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

  17. Investigation of albumin-derived perfluorocarbon-based capsules by holographic optical trapping

    PubMed Central

    Köhler, Jannis; Ruschke, Jegor; Ferenz, Katja Bettina; Esen, Cemal; Kirsch, Michael; Ostendorf, Andreas

    2018-01-01

    Albumin-derived perfluorocarbon-based capsules are promising as artificial oxygen carriers with high solubility. However, these capsules have to be studied further to allow initial human clinical tests. The aim of this paper is to provide and characterize a holographic optical tweezer to enable contactless trapping and moving of individual capsules in an environment that mimics physiological (in vivo) conditions most effectively in order to learn more about the artificial oxygen carrier behavior in blood plasma without recourse to animal experiments. Therefore, the motion behavior of capsules in a ring shaped or vortex beam is analyzed and optimized on account of determination of the optical forces in radial and axial direction. In addition, due to the customization and generation of dynamic phase holograms, the optical tweezer is used for first investigations on the aggregation behavior of the capsules and a statistical evaluation of the bonding in dependency of different capsule sizes is performed. The results show that the optical tweezer is sufficient for studying individual perfluorocarbon-based capsules and provide information about the interaction of these capsules for future use as artificial oxygen carriers. PMID:29552409

  18. Double-balloon endoscopy as the primary method for small-bowel video capsule endoscope retrieval.

    PubMed

    Van Weyenberg, Stijn J B; Van Turenhout, Sietze T; Bouma, Gerd; Van Waesberghe, Jan Hein T M; Van der Peet, Donald L; Mulder, Chris J J; Jacobs, Maarten A J M

    2010-03-01

    Capsule retention in the small bowel is a known complication of small-bowel video capsule endoscopy. Surgery is the most frequently used method of capsule retrieval. To determine the incidence and causes of capsule retention and to describe double-balloon endoscopy (DBE) as the primary technique used for capsule retrieval. Retrospective analysis of all video capsule studies was performed at our center, and evaluation of the outcome of DBE was the first method used to retrieve entrapped video capsules. Tertiary referral center. A total of 904 patients who underwent small-bowel video capsule endoscopy. Capsule retrieval by DBE. The number of patients in whom capsule retention occurred and the number of patients in whom an entrapped capsule could be retrieved by using DBE. Capsule retention occurred in 8 patients (incidence 0.88%; 95% CI, 0.41%-1.80%) and caused acute small-bowel obstruction in 6 patients. All retained capsules were successfully removed during DBE. Five patients underwent elective surgery to treat the underlying cause of capsule retention. One patient required emergency surgery because of multiple small-bowel perforations. Retrospective design. In our series, the incidence of capsule retention was low. DBE is a reliable method for removing retained capsules and might prevent unnecessary surgery. If surgery is required, preoperative capsule retrieval allows preoperative diagnosis, adequate staging in case of malignancy, and optimal surgical planning. 2010 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Design of illumination system in ring field capsule endoscope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jeng, Wei-De; Mang, Ou-Yang; Chen, Yu-Ta; Wu, Ying-Yi

    2011-03-01

    This paper is researching about the illumination system in ring field capsule endoscope. It is difficult to obtain the uniform illumination on the observed object because the light intensity of LED will be changed along its angular displacement and same as luminous intensity distribution curve. So we use the optical design software which is Advanced Systems Analysis Program (ASAP) to build a photometric model for the optimal design of LED illumination system in ring field capsule endoscope. In this paper, the optimal design of illumination uniformity in the ring field capsule endoscope is from origin 0.128 up to optimum 0.603 and it would advance the image quality of ring field capsule endoscope greatly.

  20. Laundry detergent capsules and pediatric poisoning

    PubMed Central

    Bonney, Asha G.; Mazor, Suzan; Goldman, Ran D.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Question A 4-year-old girl was brought into the emergency department vomiting after having had ingested a laundry detergent capsule (LDC) from under the sink at her house. What is the risk of LDC poisoning? What can be done to treat these children? Answer Laundry detergent capsules are relatively new to supermarket shelves in North America, and there has been an emergence of case reports in the literature describing LDC poisoning, which is worse than poisoning from other laundry detergents. Very little is known about the mechanisms causing these severe reactions, which include airway compromise and esophageal perforation, but the attractive appearance of these capsules and easy access at home has governments and health officials concerned about an increase in poisoning. No residual problems have been associated with these cases to date; however, further research is needed to assess long-term effects. PMID:24336541

  1. A review of drug delivery systems for capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Munoz, Fredy; Alici, Gursel; Li, Weihua

    2014-05-01

    The development of a highly controllable drug delivery system (DDS) for capsule endoscopy has become an important field of research due to its promising applications in therapeutic treatment of diseases in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and drug absorption studies. Several factors need to be considered to establish the minimum requirements for a functional DDS. Environmental factors of the GI tract and also pharmaceutical factors can help determine the requirements to be met by a DDS in an endoscopic capsule. In order to minimize the influence of such factors on the performance of an effective DDS, at least two mechanisms should be incorporated into a capsule endoscope: an anchoring mechanism to control the capsule position and a drug release mechanism to control variables such as the drug release rate, number of doses and amount of drug released. The implementation of such remotely actuated mechanisms is challenging due to several constraints, including the limited space available in a swallowable capsule endoscope and the delicate and complex environment within the GI tract. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of existing DDS. A comparison of such DDS for capsule endoscopy based on the minimum DDS requirements is presented and future work is also discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Magnetically Actuated Soft Capsule With the Multimodal Drug Release Function

    PubMed Central

    Yim, Sehyuk; Goyal, Kartik; Sitti, Metin

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, we present a magnetically actuated multimodal drug release mechanism using a tetherless soft capsule endoscope for the treatment of gastric disease. Because the designed capsule has a drug chamber between both magnetic heads, if it is compressed by the external magnetic field, the capsule could release a drug in a specific position locally. The capsule is designed to release a drug in two modes according to the situation. In the first mode, a small amount of drug is continuously released by a series of pulse type magnetic field (0.01–0.03 T). The experimental results show that the drug release can be controlled by the frequency of the external magnetic pulse. In the second mode, about 800 mm3 of drug is released by the external magnetic field of 0.07 T, which induces a stronger magnetic attraction than the critical force for capsule’s collapsing. As a result, a polymeric coating is formed around the capsule. The coated area is dependent on the drug viscosity. This paper presents simulations and various experiments to evaluate the magnetically actuated multimodal drug release capability. The proposed soft capsules could be used as minimally invasive tetherless medical devices with therapeutic capability for the next generation capsule endoscopy. PMID:25378896

  3. Asymptomatic bronchial aspiration and prolonged retention of a capsule endoscope: a case report.

    PubMed

    Pezzoli, Alessandro; Fusetti, Nadia; Carella, Alessandra; Gullini, Sergio

    2011-08-02

    Capsule endoscopy has, over the last few years, become a first-line test to visualize the mucosa of the small intestine. This technique is generally considered safe and does not cause discomfort for patients. However, although patients may have difficulty in swallowing the capsule, bronchial aspiration of a capsule endoscope is a very rare complication. We report the case of an 82-year-old man who experienced prolonged bronchial aspiration of a capsule endoscope without relevant symptoms, followed by a spontaneous return of the capsule to the gastrointestinal tract. An 82-year-old Caucasian man was referred to our unit from another local hospital to undergo capsule endoscopy. He swallowed the capsule without any apparent difficulties and did not show any overt symptoms. The following day, when we reviewed the capsule endoscopy images, we realized that the capsule was in the bronchial system and remained there for the duration of the study. An urgent X-ray of the chest confirmed the presence of the capsule in the left side of the bronchopulmonary tree. Two days later a repeat chest X-ray showed the capsule in the right bronchus. After two days the capsule was retrieved in the feces. Our patient remained asymptomatic during the entire admission period. Aspiration of a capsule endoscope is a rare complication; to the best of our knowledge this is the first reported case in which a capsule endoscope remained for six days in the bronchial system of a patient without causing airway compromise or pneumonitis and spontaneously returned to the gastrointestinal tract.

  4. Description and Nomenclature of Neisseria meningitidis Capsule Locus

    PubMed Central

    Claus, Heike; Jiang, Ying; Bennett, Julia S.; Bratcher, Holly B.; Jolley, Keith A.; Corton, Craig; Care, Rory; Poolman, Jan T.; Zollinger, Wendell D.; Frasch, Carl E.; Stephens, David S.; Feavers, Ian; Frosch, Matthias; Parkhill, Julian; Vogel, Ulrich; Quail, Michael A.; Bentley, Stephen D.; Maiden, Martin C.J.

    2013-01-01

    Pathogenic Neisseria meningitidis isolates contain a polysaccharide capsule that is the main virulence determinant for this bacterium. Thirteen capsular polysaccharides have been described, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has enabled determination of the structure of capsular polysaccharides responsible for serogroup specificity. Molecular mechanisms involved in N. meningitidis capsule biosynthesis have also been identified, and genes involved in this process and in cell surface translocation are clustered at a single chromosomal locus termed cps. The use of multiple names for some of the genes involved in capsule synthesis, combined with the need for rapid diagnosis of serogroups commonly associated with invasive meningococcal disease, prompted a requirement for a consistent approach to the nomenclature of capsule genes. In this report, a comprehensive description of all N. meningitidis serogroups is provided, along with a proposed nomenclature, which was presented at the 2012 XVIIIth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference. PMID:23628376

  5. Selenium ameliorates isotretinoin-induced liver injury and dyslipidemia via antioxidant effect in rats.

    PubMed

    Saied, Nashwa Mostafa; Hamza, Alaaeldin Ahmed

    2014-09-01

    Isotretinoin (Iso) is a widely used retinoid for the treatment of dermatologic conditions. Although it has broad side effects, there is no well-designed study about preventive effects against its hepatic toxicity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of selenium (Se) against Iso-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Animals were divided into four groups. The first group served as control. The second, third and fourth groups received Se, Iso and Se & Iso, respectively, for 28 days. Se was administered daily orally at a dose of 50 µg / 100 g body weight. Iso was given daily orally at a dose of 0.75 mg/ 100 g /day in olive oil. Iso caused significant increases in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipids content. Animals also showed significant rise in thiobarbituric acid reacting substance and nitric oxide content with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione content and the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver tissue after Iso exposure. Se administration produced a significant protection against the hepatotoxic effects of Iso and markedly alleviated alterations in these parameters. The results obtained herein clearly indicate that Iso causes induction of oxidative stress and the co-administration of Iso and Se provides protection against Iso-induced liver injury.

  6. Residual mercury content and leaching of mercury and silver from used amalgam capsules.

    PubMed

    Stone, M E; Pederson, E D; Cohen, M E; Ragain, J C; Karaway, R S; Auxer, R A; Saluta, A R

    2002-06-01

    The objective of this investigation was to carry out residual mercury (Hg) determinations and toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analysis of used amalgam capsules. For residual Hg analysis, 25 capsules (20 capsules for one brand) from each of 10 different brands of amalgam were analyzed. Total residual Hg levels per capsule were determined using United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 7471. For TCLP analysis, 25 amalgam capsules for each of 10 brands were extracted using a modification of USEPA Method 1311. Hg analysis of the TCLP extracts was done with USEPA Method 7470A. Analysis of silver (Ag) concentrations in the TCLP extract was done with USEPA Method 6010B. Analysis of the residual Hg data resulted in the segregation of brands into three groups: Dispersalloy capsules, Group A, retained the most Hg (1.225 mg/capsule). These capsules were the only ones to include a pestle. Group B capsules, Valliant PhD, Optaloy II, Megalloy and Valliant Snap Set, retained the next highest amount of Hg (0.534-0.770 mg/capsule), and were characterized by a groove in the inside of the capsule. Group C, Tytin regular set double-spill, Tytin FC, Contour, Sybraloy regular set, and Tytin regular set single-spill retained the least amount of Hg (0.125-0.266 mg/capsule). TCLP analysis of the triturated capsules showed Sybraloy and Contour leached Hg at greater than the 0.2 mg/l Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) limit. This study demonstrated that residual mercury may be related to capsule design features and that TCLP extracts from these capsules could, in some brands, exceed RCRA Hg limits, making their disposal problematic. At current RCRA limits, the leaching of Ag is not a problem.

  7. A comparative study on liquid core formulation on the diameter on the alginate capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ong, Hui-Yen; Lee, Boon-Beng; Radzi, AkmalHadi Ma'; Zakaria, Zarina; Chan, Eng-Seng

    2015-08-01

    Liquid core capsule has vast application in biotechnology related industries such as pharmaceutical, medical, agriculture and food. Formulation of different types of capsule was important to determine the performance of the capsule. Generally, the liquid core capsule with different formulations generated different size of capsule.Therefore, the aim of this project is to investigate the effect of different liquid core solution formulations on the diameter of capsule. The capsule produced by extruding liquid core solutions into sodium alginate solution. Three types of liquid core solutions (chitosan, xanthan gum, polyethylene glycol (PEG)) were investigated. The results showed that there is significant change in capsule diameter despite in different types of liquid core solution were used and a series of capsule range in diameter of 3.1 mm to 4.5 mm were produced. Alginate capsule with chitosan formulation appeared to be the largest capsule among all.

  8. [Exploring the clinical characters of Shugan Jieyu capsule through text mining].

    PubMed

    Pu, Zheng-Ping; Xia, Jiang-Ming; Xie, Wei; He, Jin-Cai

    2017-09-01

    The study was main to explore the clinical characters of Shugan Jieyu capsule through text mining. The data sets of Shugan Jieyu capsule were downloaded from CMCC database by the method of literature retrieved from May 2009 to Jan 2016. Rules of Chinese medical patterns, diseases, symptoms and combination treatment were mined out by data slicing algorithm, and they were demonstrated in frequency tables and two dimension based network. Then totally 190 literature were recruited. The outcomess suggested that SC was most frequently correlated with liver Qi stagnation. Primary depression, depression due to brain disease, concomitant depression followed by physical diseases, concomitant depression followed by schizophrenia and functional dyspepsia were main diseases treated by Shugan Jieyu capsule. Symptoms like low mood, psychic anxiety, somatic anxiety and dysfunction of automatic nerve were mainy relieved bv Shugan Jieyu capsule.For combination treatment. Shugan Jieyu capsule was most commonly used with paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine. The research suggested that syndrome types and mining results of Shugan Jieyu capsule were almost the same as its instructions. Syndrome of malnutrition of heart spirit was the potential Chinese medical pattern of Shugan Jieyu capsule. Primary comorbid anxiety and depression, concomitant comorbid anxiety and depression followed by physical diseases, and postpartum depression were potential diseases treated by Shugan Jieyu capsule.For combination treatment, Shugan Jieyu capsule was most commonly used with paroxetine, sertraline and fluoxetine. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  9. The double capsules in macro-textured breast implants.

    PubMed

    Giot, Jean-Philippe; Paek, Laurence S; Nizard, Nathanael; El-Diwany, Mostafa; Gaboury, Louis A; Nelea, Monica; Bou-Merhi, Joseph S; Harris, Patrick G; Danino, Michel A

    2015-10-01

    Breast implants are amongst the most widely used types of permanent implants in modern medicine and have both aesthetic and reconstructive applications with excellent biocompatibility. The double capsule is a complication associated with textured prostheses that leads to implant displacement; however, its etiology has yet to be elucidated. In this study, 10 double capsules were sampled from breast expander implants for in-depth analysis; histologically, the inner capsular layer demonstrated highly organized collagen in sheets with delamination of fibers. At the prosthesis interface (PI) where the implant shell contacts the inner capsular layer, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a thin layer which mirrored the three-dimensional characteristics of the implant texture; the external surface of the inner capsular layer facing the intercapsular space (ICS) was flat. SEM examination of the inner capsule layer revealed both a large bacterial presence as well as biofilm deposition at the PI; a significantly lower quantity of bacteria and biofilm were found at the ICS interface. These findings suggest that the double capsule phenomenon's etiopathogenesis is of mechanical origin. Delamination of the periprosthetic capsule leads to the creation of the ICS; the maintained separation of the 2 layers subsequently alters the biostability of the macro-textured breast implant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Versatile Loading of Diverse Cargo into Functional Polymer Capsules.

    PubMed

    Richardson, Joseph J; Maina, James W; Ejima, Hirotaka; Hu, Ming; Guo, Junling; Choy, Mei Y; Gunawan, Sylvia T; Lybaert, Lien; Hagemeyer, Christoph E; De Geest, Bruno G; Caruso, Frank

    2015-02-01

    Polymer microcapsules are of particular interest for applications including self-healing coatings, catalysis, bioreactions, sensing, and drug delivery. The primary way that polymer capsules can exhibit functionality relevant to these diverse fields is through the incorporation of functional cargo in the capsule cavity or wall. Diverse functional and therapeutic cargo can be loaded into polymer capsules with ease using polymer-stabilized calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) particles. A variety of examples are demonstrated, including 15 types of cargo, yielding a toolbox with effectively 500+ variations. This process uses no harsh reagents and can take less than 30 min to prepare, load, coat, and form the hollow capsules. For these reasons, it is expected that the technique will play a crucial role across scientific studies in numerous fields.

  11. Deformation of an elastic capsule in a uniform electric field

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karyappa, Rahul B.; Deshmukh, Shivraj. D.; Thaokar, Rochish. M.

    2014-12-01

    The deformation of a thin elastic capsule subjected to a uniform electric field is investigated in the Stokes flow regime. The electrohydrodynamic flow is analyzed using a perfect conductor and a perfect dielectric model for the capsule and the fluid phase, respectively. A theoretical analysis is carried out using an asymptotic expansion in the electric capillary number (Ca) (a ratio of the electric stress to the elastic tension) in the small deformation limit using the finite deformation Hooke's law. The analysis is used to determine the elasticity of polysiloxane capsules suspended in oil, the deformation of which is obtained using videography. The boundary element method is implemented to seek numerical solutions to the hydrodynamic, elastic, and electrostatics equations. The finite deformation Hooke's law, the Mooney-Rivlin, and Skalak's model for elasticity are employed. The effect of electric capillary number, unstressed geometry, and the type of membrane material on the deformation of a capsule is presented in the high Ca number limit using numerical simulation. Capsules synthesized with higher monomer concentration displayed electric stress induced wrinkling process at high electric field strengths. Burst of a capsule is characterized by poration of the polymer membrane, which could be symmetric or asymmetric at the two poles, depending upon the value of the capillary number. The results should be useful in understanding the response of elastic capsules such as red blood cells and polymerized membranes, to an electric field, in applications such as electrodeformation and electroporation. It also provides a theoretical framework for a possible way of determining the elastic parameters of a capsule.

  12. Wireless capsule endoscopy: perspectives beyond gastrointestinal bleeding.

    PubMed

    Redondo-Cerezo, Eduardo; Sánchez-Capilla, Antonio Damián; De La Torre-Rubio, Paloma; De Teresa, Javier

    2014-11-14

    Wireless capsule endoscopy (CE) is a technology developed for the endoscopic exploration of the small bowel. The first capsule model was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2001, and its first and essential indication was occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Over subsequent years, this technology has been refined to provide superior resolution, increased battery life, and capabilities to view different parts of the GI tract. Indeed, cases for which CE proved useful have increased significantly over the last few years, with new indications for the small bowel and technical improvements that have expanded its use to other parts of the GI tract, including the esophagus and colon. The main challenges in the development of CE are new devices with the ability to provide therapy, air inflation for a better vision of the small bowel, biopsy sampling systems attached to the capsule and the possibility to guide and move the capsule with an external motion control. In this article we review the current and new indications of CE, and the evolving technological changes shaping this technology, which has a promising potential in the coming future of gastroenterology.

  13. Method of forming capsules containing a precise amount of material

    DOEpatents

    Grossman, Mark W.; George, William A.; Maya, Jakob

    1986-01-01

    A method of forming a sealed capsule containing a submilligram quantity of mercury or the like, the capsule being constructed from a hollow glass tube, by placing a globule or droplet of the mercury in the tube. The tube is then evacuated and sealed and is subsequently heated so as to vaporize the mercury and fill the tube therewith. The tube is then separated into separate sealed capsules by heating spaced locations along the tube with a coiled heating wire means to cause collapse spaced locations therealong and thus enable separation of the tube into said capsules.

  14. Method of forming capsules containing a precise amount of material

    DOEpatents

    Grossman, M.W.; George, W.A.; Maya, J.

    1986-06-24

    A method of forming a sealed capsule containing a submilligram quantity of mercury or the like, the capsule being constructed from a hollow glass tube, by placing a globule or droplet of the mercury in the tube. The tube is then evacuated and sealed and is subsequently heated so as to vaporize the mercury and fill the tube therewith. The tube is then separated into separate sealed capsules by heating spaced locations along the tube with a coiled heating wire means to cause collapse spaced locations there along and thus enable separation of the tube into said capsules. 7 figs.

  15. Supercooling Water in Cylindrical Capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guzman, J. J. Milón; Braga, S. L.

    2005-11-01

    An experimental apparatus was developed to investigate the supercooling phenomenon of water inside cylindrical capsules used for a cold storage process. The coolant is a water-alcohol mixture controlled by a constant temperature bath (CTB). Temperatures varying with time are measured inside and outside the capsule. Cylinders with an internal diameter and thickness of 45 and 1.5 mm, respectively, were made from four different materials: acrylic, PVC, brass, and aluminum. The supercooling period of the water and the nucleation temperature were investigated for different coolant temperatures. The supercooling and nucleation probabilities are shown as a function of the coolant temperature for the four different materials.

  16. Active multilayered capsules for in vivo bone formation

    PubMed Central

    Facca, S.; Cortez, C.; Mendoza-Palomares, C.; Messadeq, N.; Dierich, A.; Johnston, A. P. R.; Mainard, D.; Voegel, J.-C.; Caruso, F.; Benkirane-Jessel, N.

    2010-01-01

    Interest in the development of new sources of transplantable materials for the treatment of injury or disease has led to the convergence of tissue engineering with stem cell technology. Bone and joint disorders are expected to benefit from this new technology because of the low self-regenerating capacity of bone matrix secreting cells. Herein, the differentiation of stem cells to bone cells using active multilayered capsules is presented. The capsules are composed of poly-L-glutamic acid and poly-L-lysine with active growth factors embedded into the multilayered film. The bone induction from these active capsules incubated with embryonic stem cells was demonstrated in vitro. Herein, we report the unique demonstration of a multilayered capsule-based delivery system for inducing bone formation in vivo. This strategy is an alternative approach for in vivo bone formation. Strategies using simple chemistry to control complex biological processes would be particularly powerful, as they make production of therapeutic materials simpler and more easily controlled. PMID:20160118

  17. Video-based measurements for wireless capsule endoscope tracking

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Spyrou, Evaggelos; Iakovidis, Dimitris K.

    2014-01-01

    The wireless capsule endoscope is a swallowable medical device equipped with a miniature camera enabling the visual examination of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It wirelessly transmits thousands of images to an external video recording system, while its location and orientation are being tracked approximately by external sensor arrays. In this paper we investigate a video-based approach to tracking the capsule endoscope without requiring any external equipment. The proposed method involves extraction of speeded up robust features from video frames, registration of consecutive frames based on the random sample consensus algorithm, and estimation of the displacement and rotation of interest points within these frames. The results obtained by the application of this method on wireless capsule endoscopy videos indicate its effectiveness and improved performance over the state of the art. The findings of this research pave the way for a cost-effective localization and travel distance measurement of capsule endoscopes in the GI tract, which could contribute in the planning of more accurate surgical interventions.

  18. Medical capsule robots: A renaissance for diagnostics, drug delivery and surgical treatment.

    PubMed

    Mapara, Sanyat S; Patravale, Vandana B

    2017-09-10

    The advancements in electronics and the progress in nanotechnology have resulted in path breaking development that will transform the way diagnosis and treatment are carried out currently. This development is Medical Capsule Robots, which has emerged from the science fiction idea of robots travelling inside the body to diagnose and cure disorders. The first marketed capsule robot was a capsule endoscope developed to capture images of the gastrointestinal tract. Today, varieties of capsule endoscopes are available in the market. They are slightly larger than regular oral capsules, made up of a biocompatible case and have electronic circuitry and mechanisms to capture and transmit images. In addition, robots with diagnostic features such as in vivo body temperature detection and pH monitoring have also been launched in the market. However, a multi-functional unit that will diagnose and cure diseases inside the body has not yet been realized. A remote controlled capsule that will undertake drug delivery and surgical treatment has not been successfully launched in the market. High cost, inadequate power supply, lack of control over drug release, limited space for drug storage on the capsule, inadequate safety and no mechanisms for active locomotion and anchoring have prevented their entry in the market. The capsule robots can revolutionize the current way of diagnosis and treatment. This paper discusses in detail the applications of medical capsule robots in diagnostics, drug delivery and surgical treatment. In diagnostics, detailed analysis has been presented on wireless capsule endoscopes, issues associated with the marketed versions and their corresponding solutions in literature. Moreover, an assessment has been made of the existing state of remote controlled capsules for targeted drug delivery and surgical treatment and their future impact is predicted. Besides the need for multi-functional capsule robots and the areas for further research have also been

  19. Phenotypic Heterogeneity in Expression of the K1 Polysaccharide Capsule of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli and Downregulation of the Capsule Genes during Growth in Urine.

    PubMed

    King, Jane E; Aal Owaif, Hasan A; Jia, Jia; Roberts, Ian S

    2015-07-01

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the major causative agent of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The K1 capsule on the surface of UPEC strains is a key virulence factor, and its expression may be important in the onset and progression of UTI. In order to understand capsule expression in more detail, we analyzed its expression in the UPEC strain UTI89 during growth in rich medium (LB medium) and urine and during infection of a bladder epithelial cell line. Comparison of capsule gene transcription using a chromosomal gfp reporter fusion showed a significant reduction in transcription during growth in urine compared to that during growth in LB medium. When examined at the single-cell level, following growth in both media, capsule gene expression appears to be heterogeneous, with two distinct green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing populations. Using anti-K1 antibody, we showed that this heterogeneity in gene expression results in two populations of encapsulated and unencapsulated cells. We demonstrated that the capsule hinders attachment to and invasion of epithelial cells and that the unencapsulated cells within the population preferentially adhere to and invade bladder epithelial cells. We found that once internalized, UTI89 starts to produce capsule to aid in its intracellular survival and spread. We propose that this observed phenotypic diversity in capsule expression is a fitness strategy used by the bacterium to deal with the constantly changing environment of the urinary tract. Copyright © 2015 King et al.

  20. Antiobesity effects of Undaria lipid capsules prepared with scallop phospholipids.

    PubMed

    Okada, Tomoko; Mizuno, Yasuyuki; Sibayama, Shinichi; Hosokawa, Masashi; Miyashita, Kazuo

    2011-01-01

    Based on previous research findings, a capsule was developed containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid rich scallop phospholipids (PLs) with an incorporation of brown seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida) lipids (ULs) containing fucoxanthin. The antiobesity effects of the capsules were evaluated with an animal model using 3-wk-old male KK-A(y) mice. Each group received different combinations of lipid (UL, PL, UL + PL, or UL + PL capsule) either incorporated into the diet or into drinking water. Animals were sacrificed after a 4-wk experimental feeding period, and adipose tissues and organs were dissected and weighed. Blood samples were obtained to determine plasma lipid profiles. Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) mRNA expression levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, and UCP1 expression was determined by western blotting analysis. Treatment with either UL alone or UL + PL (capsule) through drinking water resulted in a significant reduction in body weight, compared to the control group. The total white adipose tissue weight of mice fed the UL + PL capsule in drinking water was significantly reduced. Both UCP1 and UCP1 mRNA expression in epididymal fat from mice fed the capsule were significantly higher than in the control group. These results suggest that incorporation of UL into scallop-derived PL by means of capsulation may lead to an additive increase in the antiobesity properties of these bioactive lipids.

  1. Water Landing Characteristics of a Reentry Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1958-01-01

    Experimental and theoretical investigations have been made to determine the water-landing characteristics of a conical-shaped reentry capsule having a segment of a sphere as the bottom. For the experimental portion of the investigation, a 1/12-scale model capsule and a full-scale capsule were tested for nominal flight paths of 65 deg and 90 deg (vertical), a range of contact attitudes from -30 deg to 30 deg, and a full-scale vertical velocity of 30 feet per second at contact. Accelerations were measured by accelerometers installed at the centers of gravity of the model and full-scale capsules. For the model test the accelerations were measured along the X-axis (roll) and Z-axis (yaw) and for the full-scale test they were measured along the X-axis (roll), Y-axis (pitch), and Z-axis (yaw). Motions and displacements of the capsules that occurred after contact were determined from high-speed motion pictures. The theoretical investigation was conducted to determine the accelerations that might occur along the X-axis when the capsule contacted the water from a 90 deg flight path at a 0 deg attitude. Assuming a rigid body, computations were made from equations obtained by utilizing the principle of the conservation of momentum. The agreement among data obtained from the model test, the full-scale test, and the theory was very good. The accelerations along the X-axis, for a vertical flight path and 0 deg attitude, were in the order of 40g. For a 65 deg flight path and 0 deg attitude, the accelerations along the X-axis were in the order of 50g. Changes in contact attitude, in either the positive or negative direction from 0 deg attitude, considerably reduced the magnitude of the accelerations measured along the X-axis. Accelerations measured along the Y- and Z-axes were relatively small at all test conditions.

  2. Water-Landing Characteristics of a Reentry Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    McGehee, John R.; Hathaway, Melvin E.; Vaughan, Victor L., Jr.

    1959-01-01

    Experimental and theoretical investigations have been made to determine the water-landing characteristics of a conical-shaped reentry capsule having a segment of a sphere as the bottom. For the experimental portion of the investigation, a 1/12-scale model capsule and a full-scale capsule were tested for nominal flight paths of 65 deg and 90 deg (vertical), a range of contact attitudes from -30 deg to 30 deg, and a full-scale vertical velocity of 30 feet per second at contact. Accelerations were measured by accelerometers installed at the centers of gravity of the model and full-scale capsules. For the model test the accelerations were measured along the X-axis (roll) and Z-axis (yaw) and for the full-scale test they were measured along the X-axis (roll), Y-axis (pitch), and Z-axis (yaw). Motions and displacements of the capsules that occurred after contact were determined from high-speed motion pictures. The theoretical investigation was conducted to determine the accelerations that might occur along the X-axis when the capsule contacted the water from a 90 deg flight path at a 0 deg attitude. Assuming a rigid body, computations were made from equations obtained by utilizing the principle of the conservation of momentum. The agreement among data obtained from the model test, the full-scale test, and the theory was very good. The accelerations along the X-axis, for a vertical flight path and 0 deg attitude, were in the order of 40g. For a 65 deg flight path and 0 deg attitude, the accelerations along the X-axis were in the order of 50g. Changes in contact attitude, in either the positive or negative direction from 0 deg attitude, considerably reduced the magnitude of the accelerations measured along the X-axis. Accelerations measured along the Y- and Z-axes were relatively small at all test conditions.

  3. The effect of glicerol and sorbitol plasticizers toward disintegration time of phyto-capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pudjiastuti, Pratiwi; Hendradi, Esti; Wafiroh, Siti; Harsini, Muji; Darmokoesoemo, Handoko

    2016-03-01

    The aim of research is determining the effect of glycerol and sorbitol toward the disintegration time of phyto-capsules, originated capsules from plant polysaccharides. Phyto-capsules were made from polysaccharides and 0.5% (v/v) of glycerol and sorbitol of each. The seven capsules of each were determined the disintegration time using Erweka disintegrator. The mean of disintegration time of phyto-capsules without plasticizers, with glycerol and sorbitol were 25'30"; 45'15" and 35'30" respectively. The color and colorless gelatin capsules showed the mean of disintegration time 7'30" and 2'35" respectively.

  4. Capsule Endoscopy in the Assessment of Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding: An Economic Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Palimaka, S; Blackhouse, Gord; Goeree, Ron

    2015-01-01

    Background Small-bowel capsule endoscopy is a tool used to visualize the small bowel to identify the location of bleeds in obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). Capsule endoscopy is currently funded in Ontario in cases where there has been a failure to identify a source of bleeding via conventional diagnostic procedures. In Ontario, capsule endoscopy is a diagnostic option for patients whose findings on esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, and push enteroscopy have been negative (i.e., the source of bleeding was not found). Objectives This economic analysis aims to estimate the budget impact of different rates of capsule endoscopy use as a complement to push enteroscopy procedures in patients aged 18 years and older. Data Sources Population-based administrative databases for Ontario were used to identify patients receiving push enteroscopy and small-bowel capsule endoscopy in the fiscal years 2008 to 2012. Review Methods A systematic literature search was performed to identify economic evaluations of capsule endoscopy for the investigation of OGIB. Studies were assessed for their methodological quality and their applicability to the Ontarian setting. An original budget impact analysis was performed using data from Ontarian administrative sources and published literature. The budget impact was estimated for different levels of use of capsule endoscopy as a complement to push enteroscopy due to the uncertain clinical utility of the capsule based on current clinical evidence. The analysis was conducted from the provincial public payer perspective. Results With varying rates of capsule endoscopy use, the budgetary impact spans from savings of $510,000,1 when no (0%) push enteroscopy procedures are complemented with capsule endoscopy, to $2,036,000, when all (100%) push enteroscopy procedures are complemented with capsule endoscopy. A scenario where 50% of push enteroscopy procedures are complemented with capsule endoscopy (expected use based on expert opinion

  5. Alginate/sodium caseinate aqueous-core capsules: a pH-responsive matrix.

    PubMed

    Ben Messaoud, Ghazi; Sánchez-González, Laura; Jacquot, Adrien; Probst, Laurent; Desobry, Stéphane

    2015-02-15

    Alginate capsules have several applications. Their functionality depends considerably on their permeability, chemical and mechanical stability. Consequently, the creation of composite system by addition of further components is expected to control mechanical and release properties of alginate capsules. Alginate and alginate-sodium caseinate composite liquid-core capsules were prepared by a simple extrusion. The influence of the preparation pH and sodium caseinate concentration on capsules physico-chemical properties was investigated. Results showed that sodium caseinate influenced significantly capsules properties. As regards to the membrane mechanical stability, composite capsules prepared at pH below the isoelectric point of sodium caseinate exhibited the highest surface Young's modulus, increasing with protein content, explained by potential electrostatic interactions between sodium caseinate amino-groups and alginate carboxylic group. The kinetic of cochineal red A release changed significantly for composite capsules and showed a pH-responsive release. Sodium caseinate-dye mixture studied by absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed complex formation at pH 2 by electrostatic interactions between sodium caseinate tryptophan residues and cochineal red sulfonate-groups. Consequently, the release mechanism was explained by membrane adsorption process. This global approach is useful to control release mechanism from macro and micro-capsules by incorporating guest molecules which can interact with the entrapped molecule under specific conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Magnesium Ion Acts as a Signal for Capsule Induction in Cryptococcus neoformans.

    PubMed

    Rathore, Sudarshan S; Raman, Thiagarajan; Ramakrishnan, Jayapradha

    2016-01-01

    Cryptococcal meningitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, is a common opportunistic neural infection in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptococcus meningitis is associated with fungal burden with larger capsule size in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To understand the role of CSF constituents in capsule enlargement, we have evaluated the effect of artificial CSF on capsule induction in comparison with various other capsule inducing media. Two different strains of C. neoformans, an environmental and a clinical isolates were used in the present study. While comparing the various capsule inducing media for the two different strains of C. neoformans, it was observed that the capsule growth was significantly increased when grown in artificial CSF at pH 5.5, temperature 34°C for ATCC C. neoformans and 37°C for Clinical C. neoformans and with an incubation period of 72 h. In addition, artificial CSF supports biofilm formation in C. neoformans. While investigating the individual components of artificial CSF, we found that Mg(2+) ions influence the capsule growth in both environmental and clinical strains of C. neoformans. To confirm our results we studied the expression of four major CAP genes namely, CAP10, CAP59, CAP60, and CAP64 in various capsule inducing media and in different concentrations of Mg(2+) and Ca(2+). Our results on gene expression suggest that, Mg(2+) does have an effect on CAP gene expression, which are important for capsule biosynthesis and virulence. Our findings on the role of Mg(2+) ion as a signal for capsule induction will promote a way to elucidate the control mechanisms for capsule biosynthesis in C. neoformans.

  7. Magnesium Ion Acts as a Signal for Capsule Induction in Cryptococcus neoformans

    PubMed Central

    Rathore, Sudarshan S.; Raman, Thiagarajan; Ramakrishnan, Jayapradha

    2016-01-01

    Cryptococcal meningitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, is a common opportunistic neural infection in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptococcus meningitis is associated with fungal burden with larger capsule size in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To understand the role of CSF constituents in capsule enlargement, we have evaluated the effect of artificial CSF on capsule induction in comparison with various other capsule inducing media. Two different strains of C. neoformans, an environmental and a clinical isolates were used in the present study. While comparing the various capsule inducing media for the two different strains of C. neoformans, it was observed that the capsule growth was significantly increased when grown in artificial CSF at pH 5.5, temperature 34°C for ATCC C. neoformans and 37°C for Clinical C. neoformans and with an incubation period of 72 h. In addition, artificial CSF supports biofilm formation in C. neoformans. While investigating the individual components of artificial CSF, we found that Mg2+ ions influence the capsule growth in both environmental and clinical strains of C. neoformans. To confirm our results we studied the expression of four major CAP genes namely, CAP10, CAP59, CAP60, and CAP64 in various capsule inducing media and in different concentrations of Mg2+ and Ca2+. Our results on gene expression suggest that, Mg2+ does have an effect on CAP gene expression, which are important for capsule biosynthesis and virulence. Our findings on the role of Mg2+ ion as a signal for capsule induction will promote a way to elucidate the control mechanisms for capsule biosynthesis in C. neoformans. PMID:27014245

  8. Analysis of lomustine drug content in FDA-approved and compounded lomustine capsules.

    PubMed

    KuKanich, Butch; Warner, Matt; Hahn, Kevin

    2017-02-01

    OBJECTIVE To determine the lomustine content (potency) in compounded and FDA-approved lomustine capsules. DESIGN Evaluation study. SAMPLE 2 formulations of lomustine capsules (low dose [7 to 11 mg] and high dose [40 to 48 mg]; 5 capsules/dose/source) from 3 compounders and from 1 manufacturer of FDA-approved capsules. PROCEDURES Lomustine content was measured by use of a validated high-pressure liquid chromatography method. An a priori acceptable range of 90% to 110% of the stated lomustine content was selected on the basis of US Pharmacopeia guidelines. RESULTS The measured amount of lomustine in all compounded capsules was less than the stated content (range, 59% to 95%) and was frequently outside the acceptable range (failure rate, 2/5 to 5/5). Coefficients of variation for lomustine content ranged from 4.1% to 16.7% for compounded low-dose capsules and from 1.1% to 10.8% for compounded high-dose capsules. The measured amount of lomustine in all FDA-approved capsules was slightly above the stated content (range, 104% to 110%) and consistently within the acceptable range. Coefficients of variation for lomustine content were 0.5% for low-dose and 2.3% for high-dose FDA-approved capsules. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Compounded lomustine frequently did not contain the stated content of active drug and had a wider range of lomustine content variability than did the FDA-approved product. The sample size was small, and larger studies are needed to confirm these findings; however, we recommend that compounded veterinary formulations of lomustine not be used when appropriate doses can be achieved with FDA-approved capsules or combinations of FDA-approved capsules.

  9. Capsule endoscopy: in search of the ideal image.

    PubMed

    Enns, Robert

    2008-01-01

    Capsule studies can be reviewed by varying rates and speeds; however, the presence of significant debris is frustrating to the reviewer much like the excessive stool that tends to hinder the progress of a colonoscopist. Numerous studies have been published in regards to the advantages of an ideal preparation in the setting of capsule endoscopy. This most recent study by Wei et al. is another study that has demonstrated that a colonic preparation, in this situation, combined with simethicone given just prior to the capsule study results in improved visibility of the mucosa. In theory, this will lead to an improved diagnostic ability to limit excessive reading duration.

  10. The Antiphagocytic Activity of SeM of Streptococcus equi Requires Capsule.

    PubMed

    Timoney, John F; Suther, Pranav; Velineni, Sridhar; Artiushin, Sergey C

    2014-01-01

    Resistance to phagocytosis is a crucial virulence property of Streptococcus equi (Streptococcus equi subsp. equi; Se), the cause of equine strangles. The contribution and interdependence of capsule and SeM to killing in equine blood and neutrophils were investigated in naturally occurring strains of Se. Strains CF32, SF463 were capsule and SeM positive, strains Lex90, Lex93 were capsule negative and SeM positive and strains Se19, Se1-8 were capsule positive and SeM deficient. Phagocytosis and killing of Se19, Se1-8, Lex90 and Lex93 in equine blood and by neutrophils suspended in serum were significantly (P ≤ 0.02) greater compared to CF32 and SF463. The results indicate capsule and SeM are both required for resistance to phagocytosis and killing and that the anti-phagocytic property of SeM is greatly reduced in the absence of capsule.

  11. Ultrasonic technique for inspection of GPHS capsule girth weld integrity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Placr, Arnost

    1993-05-01

    An innovative nondestructive examination (NDE) technique for the inspection of integrity of General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) capsule girth welds was developed employing a Lamb wave as the mode of the sound propagation. Reliability of the Lamb wave technique was tested on GPHS capsules using plutonium pallet simulators. All ten capsules, which were previously rejected, passed ultrasonic (UT) inspection using the Lamb wave technique.

  12. The history of time for capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Adler, Samuel N

    2017-05-01

    Capsule endoscopy was conceived by inventive minds of good people. In the beginning there was a will to do something for medicine. The idea fomented after a discourse between the talented engineer with his physician friend. It took years to develop the concept. Then excellent engineers created de novo the necessary components to turn the capsule into a viable reality. The story is a tribute to human ingenuity.

  13. Solid State Stability of Extemporaneously Prepared Levothyroxine Aliquots and Capsules.

    PubMed

    Fortner, Jeff; Salton, Jason; Carlson, Christie; Wheeler, Rich; Cote, Brianna; Rao, Deepa

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to collect, analyze, and compare stability data for levothyroxine (T4) powder in the anhydrous and pentahydrate form when prepared as an aliquot and in capsules. Two different compounding pharmacies, Central Iowa Compounding and Gateway Medical Pharmacy, used different forms of T4 and aliquot formulations, which were studied to determine the beyond-use date at ±5% or ±10% of labeled strength. T4 was extracted from aliquot and capsule formulations and assessed using reverse-phase high- performance liquid chromatography validated to differentiate between the degraded and original forms of T4. The results indicate that T4 1:100 aliquot formulation prepared with silica gel or Avicel as filler are stable for 120 days at ±10% labeled potency, but at ±5% labeled potency, the silica gel and Avicel aliquot formulations are stable for 45 and 30 days, respectively. The silica gel capsules prepared from fresh aliquot were stable for 120 days at ±10% labeled potency and 90 days at ±5% labeled potency, while the Avicel capsules prepared from fresh aliquot were stable for 180 days at both ±10% and ±5% labeled potency. Avicel capsules prepared from old aliquot (120 days) and fresh aliquot (1 day) were also compared for stability. The old aliquot Avicel capsules were stable for 14 days at ±5% labeled potency and 150 days at ±10% labeled potency, while new aliquot Avicel capsules were stable for 180 days at both ±10% and ±5% labeled potency. Based on our data, there can be significant variation in the beyond-use dates assigned to T4 capsules based on the diluents used for aliquots, the final capsule formulations, and the potency standards applied. These results also indicate that pharmacists must exercise caution when using older aliquots and may have to assign shorter beyond-use dates.

  14. Safety of capsule endoscopy using human body communication in patients with cardiac devices.

    PubMed

    Chung, Joo Won; Hwang, Hye Jin; Chung, Moon Jae; Park, Jeong Youp; Pak, Hui-Nam; Song, Si Young

    2012-06-01

    The MiroCam (IntroMedic, Ltd., Seoul, Korea) is a small-bowel capsule endoscope that uses human body communication to transmit data. The potential interactions between cardiac devices and the capsule endoscope are causes for concern, but no data are available for this matter. This clinical study was designed to evaluate the potential influence of the MiroCam capsules on cardiac devices. Patients with cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators referred for evaluation of small bowel disease were prospectively enrolled in this study. Before capsule endoscopy, a cardiologist checked baseline electrocardiograms and functions of the cardiac devices. Cardiac rhythms were continuously monitored by 24-h telemetry during capsule endoscopy in the hospital. After completion of procedures, functions of the cardiac devices were checked again for interference. Images from the capsule endoscopy were reviewed and analyzed for technical problems. Six patients, three with pacemakers and three with implantable cardiac defibrillators, were included in the study. We identified no disturbances in the cardiac devices and no arrhythmias detected on telemetry monitoring during capsule endoscopy. No significant changes in the programmed parameters of the cardiac devices were noted after capsule endoscopy. There were no imaging disturbances from the cardiac devices on capsule endoscopy. Capsule endoscopy using human body communication to transmit data was safely performed in patients with cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardiac defibrillators. Images from the capsule endoscopy were not affected by cardiac devices. A further large-scale study is required to confirm the safety of capsule endoscopy with various types of cardiac devices.

  15. Nitrogen Source-Dependent Capsule Induction in Human-Pathogenic Cryptococcus Species

    PubMed Central

    Frazzitta, Aubrey E.; Vora, Haily; Price, Michael S.; Tenor, Jennifer L.; Betancourt-Quiroz, Marisol; Toffaletti, Dena L.; Cheng, Nan

    2013-01-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii cause meningoencephalitis and are an increasing human health threat. These pathogenic Cryptococcus species are neurotropic and persist in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the mammalian host during infection. In order to survive in the host, pathogenic fungi must procure nutrients, such as carbon and nitrogen, from the CSF. To enhance our understanding of nutrient acquisition during central nervous system infection by Cryptococcus species, we examined the utilization of nitrogen sources available in CSF. We screened for the growth and capsule production of 817 global environmental and clinical isolates on various sources of nitrogen. Both environmental and clinical strains grew robustly on uric acid, Casamino Acids, creatinine, and asparagine as sole nitrogen sources. Urea induced the greatest magnitude of capsule induction. This induction was greater in Cryptococcus gattii than in C. neoformans. We confirmed the ability of nonpreferred nitrogen sources to increase capsule production in pathogenic species of Cryptococcus. Since urea is metabolized to ammonia and CO2 (a known signal for capsule induction), we examined urea metabolism mutants for their transcriptional response to urea regarding capsule production. The transcriptional profile of C. neoformans under urea-supplemented conditions revealed both similar and unique responses to other capsule-inducing conditions, including both intra- and extracellular urea utilization. As one of the most abundant nitrogen sources in the CSF, the ability of Cryptococcus to import urea and induce capsule production may substantially aid this yeast's survival and propagation in the host. PMID:23975889

  16. Nitrogen source-dependent capsule induction in human-pathogenic cryptococcus species.

    PubMed

    Frazzitta, Aubrey E; Vora, Haily; Price, Michael S; Tenor, Jennifer L; Betancourt-Quiroz, Marisol; Toffaletti, Dena L; Cheng, Nan; Perfect, John R

    2013-11-01

    Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii cause meningoencephalitis and are an increasing human health threat. These pathogenic Cryptococcus species are neurotropic and persist in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the mammalian host during infection. In order to survive in the host, pathogenic fungi must procure nutrients, such as carbon and nitrogen, from the CSF. To enhance our understanding of nutrient acquisition during central nervous system infection by Cryptococcus species, we examined the utilization of nitrogen sources available in CSF. We screened for the growth and capsule production of 817 global environmental and clinical isolates on various sources of nitrogen. Both environmental and clinical strains grew robustly on uric acid, Casamino Acids, creatinine, and asparagine as sole nitrogen sources. Urea induced the greatest magnitude of capsule induction. This induction was greater in Cryptococcus gattii than in C. neoformans. We confirmed the ability of nonpreferred nitrogen sources to increase capsule production in pathogenic species of Cryptococcus. Since urea is metabolized to ammonia and CO(2) (a known signal for capsule induction), we examined urea metabolism mutants for their transcriptional response to urea regarding capsule production. The transcriptional profile of C. neoformans under urea-supplemented conditions revealed both similar and unique responses to other capsule-inducing conditions, including both intra- and extracellular urea utilization. As one of the most abundant nitrogen sources in the CSF, the ability of Cryptococcus to import urea and induce capsule production may substantially aid this yeast's survival and propagation in the host.

  17. A biodegradable, immunoprotective, dual nanoporous capsule for cell-based therapies.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xulang; He, Hongyan; Yen, Chi; Ho, Wiston; Lee, L James

    2008-11-01

    To demonstrate the transplantation of drug-secreting cells with immunoprotection, a biodegradable delivery device combining two nanoporous capsules is developed using secretory alkaline phosphatase gene (SEAP) transfected mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells as a model system. The outer capsule is a poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG)-coated poly (epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) chamber covered with a PEG grafted PCL nanoporous membrane made by phase inversion technique. SEAP gene transfected mES cells encapsulated in alginate-poly-L-lysine (AP) microcapsules are placed in the PCL capsule. Both nanoporous capsules showed good immunoprotection in the IgG solution. In microcapsules, mES cells could form a spheroid embryonic body (EB) and grow close to the microcapsule size. The secreted SEAP from encapsulated mES cells increased gradually to a maximum value before reaching a steady level, following the cell growth pattern in the microcapsule. Without microcapsules, mES cells only formed a monolayer in the large PCL capsule. The secreted SEAP release was very low. The integrated device showed a similar cell growth pattern to that in microcapsules alone, while the SEAP release rate could be regulated by the pore size of the large capsule. This integrated device can achieve multi-functionalities for cell-based therapy, i.e. a 3-D microenvironment provided by microcapsules for cell growth, superior immunoprotection and controllable release performance provided by the two nanoporous membranes, and good fibrosis prevention by PEG surface modification of the large capsule.

  18. Capsule- and disk-filter procedure

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Skrobialowski, Stanley C.

    2016-01-01

    Capsule and disk filters are disposable, self-contained units composed of a pleated or woven filter medium encased in a polypropylene or other plastic housing that can be connected inline to a sample-delivery system (such as a submersible or peristaltic pump) that generates sufficient pressure (positive or negative) to force water through the filter. Filter media are available in several pore sizes, but 0.45 µm is the pore size used routinely for most studies at this time. Capsule or disk filters (table 5.2.1.A.1) are required routinely for most studies when filtering samples for trace-element analyses and are recommended when filtering samples for major-ion or other inorganic-constituent analyses.

  19. Capsule endoscopy in the diagnosis of Crohn’s disease

    PubMed Central

    Niv, Yaron

    2013-01-01

    Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting any part of the gastrointestinal tract, but frequently involves the small and large bowel. Typical presenting symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhea. Patients with this disorder may also have extraintestinal manifestations, including arthritis, uveitis, and skin lesions. The PillCam™SB capsule is an ingestible disposable video camera that transmits high quality images of the small intestinal mucosa. This enables the small intestine to be readily accessible to physicians investigating for the presence of small bowel disorders, such as Crohn’s disease. Four meta-analyses have demonstrated that capsule endoscopy identifies Crohn’s disease when other methods are not helpful. It should be noted that it is the best noninvasive procedure for assessing mucosal status, but is not superior to ileocolonoscopy, which remains the gold standard for assessment of ileocolonic disease. Mucosal healing along the small bowel can only be demonstrated by an endoscopic procedure such as capsule endoscopy. Achievement of long-term mucosal healing has been associated with a trend towards a decreased need for hospitalization and a decreased requirement for corticosteroid treatment in patients with Crohn’s disease. Recently, we have developed and validated the Capsule Endoscopy Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (also known as the Niv score) for Crohn’s disease of the small bowel. The next step is to expand our score to the colon, and to determine the role and benefit of a capsule endoscopy activity score in patients suffering from Crohn’s ileocolitis and/or colitis. This scoring system will also serve to improve our understanding of the impact of capsule endoscopy, and therefore treatment, on the immediate outcome of this disorder. As the best procedure available for assessing mucosal status, capsule endoscopy will provide important information about the course and outcome of Crohn’s disease. PMID:23818810

  20. Mercury Capsule Retrorocket Test in the Altitude Wind Tunnel

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1960-09-21

    A mechanic at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center prepares the inverted base of a Mercury capsule for a test of its posigrade retrorockets inside the Altitude Wind Tunnel. In October 1959 NASA’s Space Task Group allocated several Project Mercury assignments to Lewis. The Altitude Wind Tunnel was modified to test the Atlas separation system, study the escape tower rocket plume, train astronauts to bring a spinning capsule under control, and calibrate the capsule’s retrorockets. The turning vanes, makeup air pipes, and cooling coils were removed from the wide western end of the tunnel to create a 51-foot diameter test chamber. The Mercury capsule had a six-rocket retro-package affixed to the bottom of the capsule. Three of these were posigrade rockets used to separate the capsule from the booster and three were retrograde rockets used to slow the capsule for reentry into the earth’s atmosphere. Performance of the retrorockets was vital since there was no backup system. Qualification tests of the retrorockets began in April 1960 on a retrograde thrust stand inside the southwest corner of the Altitude Wind Tunnel. These studies showed that a previous issue concerning the delayed ignition of the propellant had been resolved. Follow-up test runs verified reliability of the igniter’s attachment to the propellant. In addition, the capsule’s retrorockets were calibrated so they would not alter the capsule’s attitude when fired.

  1. Mercury Capsule Construction at the NASA Lewis Research Center

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1959-08-21

    A NASA mechanic secures the afterbody to a Mercury capsule in the hangar at the Lewis Research Center. The capsule was one of two built at Lewis for the “Big Joe” launches scheduled for September 1959. The initial phase of Project Mercury consisted of a series of unmanned launches using the Air Force’s Redstone and Atlas boosters and the Langley-designed Little Joe boosters. The first Atlas launch, referred to as “Big Joe”, was a single attempt early in Project Mercury to use a full-scale Atlas booster to simulate the reentry of a mock-up Mercury capsule without actually placing it in orbit. The overall design of Big Joe had been completed by December 1958, and soon thereafter project manager Aleck Bond assigned NASA Lewis the task of designing the electronic instrumentation and automatic stabilization system. Lewis also constructed the capsule’s lower section, which contained a pressurized area with the electronics and two nitrogen tanks for the retrorockets. Lewis technicians were responsible for assembling the entire capsule: the General Electric heatshield, NASA Langley afterbody and recovery canister, and Lewis electronics and control systems. On June 9, 1959, the capsule was loaded on an air force transport aircraft and flown to Cape Canaveral. A team of 45 test operations personnel from Lewis followed the capsule to Florida and spent the ensuing months preparing it for launch. The launch took place in the early morning hours of September 9, 1959.

  2. Nifedipine capsules may provide a viable alternative to oral powders for paediatric patients.

    PubMed

    Helin-Tanninen, M; Naaranlahti, T; Kontra, K; Savolainen, K

    2007-02-01

    To compare content uniformities between different sizes of extemporaneously compounded nifedipine oral powders and capsules, in order to find out if capsules could be used instead of oral powders as paediatric medications. Actual content and content uniformity of extemporaneously compounded 1-mg nifedipine oral powders and capsules were evaluated by a high performance liquid chromatographic assay. Capsules and powders were prepared by triturating 10-mg nifedipine tablets with different amounts of lactose or microcrystalline cellulose with a mortar and pestle using a standard geometric dilution technique. Oral powders were weighed individually and capsules were filled by a hand-operated capsule-filling machine. Four different sizes of powders (500, 300, 100 and 50 mg) and three different sizes of capsules (numbers 1, 3 and 4) were prepared. Ten oral powders and 10 capsules from each batch were randomly selected and individually assayed for nifedipine amount. The extemporaneously prepared nifedipine oral powders and capsules were within acceptable limits for content uniformity, as defined by the European Pharmacopoeia, but the results indicate that the loss of nifedipine during the preparation process may be considerable for both preparations. The concentration on nifedipine decreased while the total mass of the oral powder decreased. These results demonstrate that nifedipine oral powders can be replaced by capsules, whose contents are emptied for use, in paediatric medications. Compounding small capsules, such as size number 3 or 4, is acceptable when considering the average drug content. The total weight of the oral powder should be at least 300 mg. The preparation of nifedipine in all studied capsule sizes was safe with either lactose monohydrate or microcrystalline cellulose as excipients. Thus, emptied capsules seem to be a good choice for delivering a paediatric medication. The loss of nifedipine was considerable in oral powders with low total weight.

  3. Kinetic simulation of hydrodynamic equivalent capsule implosions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kwan, Thomas; Le, Ari; Schmitt, Mark; Herrmann, Hans

    2016-10-01

    We have carried out simulations of direct-drive hydrodynamic equivalent capsule implosion experiments conducted on Omega laser facility at the Laboratory of Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester. The capsules had a glass shell (SiO2) 4.87 μm with an inner diameter of 1086 μm. One was filled with deuterium (D) and tritium (T) at 6.635 and 2.475 atmospheric pressure respectively. The other capsule with D, T, and He-3 at 2.475, 2.475, and 5.55 atmospheric pressure respectively. The capsules were imploded with 60 laser beams with a square pulse length of 0.6ns of total energy of 15.6 kJ. One-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic calculations with HYDRA and kinetic particle/hybrid simulations with LSP are carried out for the post-shot analysis. HYDRA outputs at 0.6ns are linked to LSP, in which the electrons are treated as a fluid while all the ion dynamics is simulated by the standard particle-in-cell technique. Additionally, simulations with the new photon package in LSP are initiated at the beginning of the implosion to include the implosion phase of the capsule. The simulation results of density, temperature, and velocity profiles of the electrons, D, T, He-3, and SiO2species are compared with HYDRA. Detail comparisons among the kinetic simulations, rad-hydro simulations, and experimental results of neutron yield, yield ratio, fusion burn histories, and shell convergence will be presented to assess plasma kinetic effects. Work performed under the auspices of the US DOE by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W7405-ENG-36.

  4. Protective Role of the Capsule and Impact of Serotype 4 Switching on Streptococcus mitis

    PubMed Central

    Rukke, Håkon V.; Kalluru, Raja Sab; Repnik, Urska; Gerlini, Alice; José, Ricardo J.; Periselneris, Jimstan; Marshall, Helina; Griffiths, Gareth; Oggioni, Marco Rinaldo; Brown, Jeremy S.

    2014-01-01

    The polysaccharide capsule surrounding Streptococcus pneumoniae is essential for virulence. Recently, Streptococcus mitis, a human commensal and a close relative of S. pneumoniae, was also shown to have a capsule. In this study, the S. mitis type strain switched capsule by acquisition of the serotype 4 capsule locus of S. pneumoniae TIGR4, following induction of competence for natural transformation. Comparison of the wild type with the capsule-switching mutant and with a capsule deletion mutant showed that the capsule protected S. mitis against phagocytosis by RAW 264.7 macrophages. This effect was enhanced in the S. mitis strain expressing the S. pneumoniae capsule, which showed, in addition, increased resistance against early clearance in a mouse model of lung infection. Expression of both capsules also favored survival in human blood, and the effect was again more pronounced for the capsule-switching mutant. S. mitis survival in horse blood or in a mouse model of bacteremia was not significantly different between the wild type and the mutant strains. In all models, S. pneumoniae TIGR4 showed higher rates of survival than the S. mitis type strain or the capsule-switching mutant, except in the lung model, in which significant differences between S. pneumoniae TIGR4 and the capsule-switching mutant were not observed. Thus, we identified conditions that showed a protective function for the capsule in S. mitis. Under such conditions, S. mitis resistance to clearance could be enhanced by capsule switching to serotype 4, but it was enhanced to levels lower than those for the virulent strain S. pneumoniae TIGR4. PMID:24958712

  5. Experimental investigation of a bioartificial capsule flowing in a narrow tube

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Risso, Frédéric; Collé-Paillot, Fabienne; Zagzoule, Mokhtar

    This work is an experimental study of the motion and deformation of a bioartificial capsule flowing in a tube of 4 mm diameter. The capsules, initially designed for medical applications, are droplets of salt water surrounded by a thin polymeric membrane. They are immersed in a very viscous Newtonian silicone oil that flows through a tube in the Stokes regime. The properties of the capsules were carefully determined. Two previous experimental papers were devoted to their characterization by osmotic swelling and compression between two plates. The present work also provides a series of tests that allows an accurate definition of the experimental model under investigation. The capsules are buoyant and initially quasi-spherical. Nevertheless, buoyancy and small departures from sphericity are shown to have no significant effects, provided the flowing velocity is large enough for the viscous stress to become predominant. The capsules are also initially slightly over-inflated, but there is no mass transfer through the membrane during the present experiments. Their volume therefore remains constant. The membrane can be described as an elastic two-dimensional material, the elastic moduli of which are independent of the deformation. Far from the tube ends, the capsule reaches a steady state that depends on two parameters: the capillary number, Ca; and the ratio of the radius of the capsule to that of the tube, a/R. The capillary number, which compares the hydrodynamic stresses to the elastic tensions in the membrane, was varied between 0 and 0.125. The radius ratio, which measures the magnitude of the confinement, was varied from 0.75 to 0.95. In the range investigated, the membrane material always remains in the elastic domain. At fixed a/R, the capsule is stretched in the axial direction when Ca is increased. The process of deformation involves two main stages. At small to moderate Ca, the lateral dimension of the capsule decreases whereas its axial length increases. The

  6. Capsule Performance Optimization for the National Ignition Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Landen, Otto

    2009-11-01

    The overall goal of the capsule performance optimization campaign is to maximize the probability of ignition by experimentally correcting for likely residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. This will be accomplished using a variety of targets that will set key laser, hohlraum and capsule parameters to maximize ignition capsule implosion velocity, while minimizing fuel adiabat, core shape asymmetry and ablator-fuel mix. The targets include high Z re-emission spheres setting foot symmetry through foot cone power balance [1], liquid Deuterium-filled ``keyhole'' targets setting shock speed and timing through the laser power profile [2], symmetry capsules setting peak cone power balance and hohlraum length [3], and streaked x-ray backlit imploding capsules setting ablator thickness [4]. We will show how results from successful tuning technique demonstration shots performed at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. We will also present estimates of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors, and show that these get reduced after a number of shots and iterations to meet an acceptable level of residual uncertainty. Finally, we will present results from upcoming tuning technique validation shots performed at NIF at near full-scale. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. [4pt] [1] E. Dewald, et. al. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79 (2008) 10E903. [0pt] [2] T.R. Boehly, et. al., Phys. Plasmas 16 (2009) 056302. [0pt] [3] G. Kyrala, et. al., BAPS 53 (2008) 247. [0pt] [4] D. Hicks, et. al., BAPS 53 (2008) 2.

  7. 21 CFR 520.260 - n-Butyl chloride capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false n-Butyl chloride capsules. 520.260 Section 520.260 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL DRUGS, FEEDS, AND RELATED PRODUCTS ORAL DOSAGE FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.260 n-Butyl chloride capsules...

  8. Stability of dronabinol capsules when stored frozen, refrigerated, or at room temperature.

    PubMed

    Wempe, Michael F; Oldland, Alan; Stolpman, Nancy; Kiser, Tyree H

    2016-07-15

    Results of a study to determine the 90-day stability of dronabinol capsules stored under various temperature conditions are reported. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection was used to assess the stability of dronabinol capsules (synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol [Δ9-THC] mixed with high-grade sesame oil and other inactive ingredients and encapsulated as soft gelatin capsules) that were frozen, refrigerated, or kept at room temperature for three months. The dronabinol capsules remained in the original foil-sealed blister packs until preparation for HPLC-UV assessment. The primary endpoint was the percentage of the initial Δ9-THC concentration remaining at multiple designated time points. The secondary aim was to perform forced-degradation studies under acidic conditions to demonstrate that the HPLC-UV method used was stability indicating. The appearance of the dronabinol capsules remained unaltered during frozen, cold, or room-temperature storage. Regardless of storage condition, the percentage of the initial Δ9-THC content remaining was greater than 97% for all evaluated samples at all time points over the three-month study. These experimental data indicate that the product packaging and the sesame oil used to formulate dronabinol capsules efficiently protect Δ9-THC from oxidative degradation to cannabinol; this suggests that pharmacies can store dronabinol capsules in nonrefrigerated automated dispensing systems, with a capsule expiration date of 90 days after removal from the refrigerator. Dronabinol capsules may be stored at room temperature in their original packaging for up to three months without compromising capsule appearance and with minimal reduction in Δ9-THC concentration. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Therapeutic applications of radioactive (131)iodine: Procedures and incidents with capsules.

    PubMed

    Al Aamri, Marwa; Ravichandran, Ramamoorthy; Binukumar, John Pichy; Al Balushi, Naima

    2016-01-01

    Treatments for thyrotoxicosis and carcinoma thyroid are carried out by oral administration of radioactive iodine ((131)I) in the form of liquid or capsules. The liquid form of (131)I has higher risk factors such as vapourization, spillage and need for management of higher activity wastes. Use of (131)I in capsule form simplify procedures of handling compared to liquid form of (131)I. The guidelines of safe handling and quality assurance aspects for therapeutic use (131)I are well outlined by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports. A few unusual incidents with I-131 capsules encountered in the past need to be highlighted from health physics point of view. In Royal Hospital, Oman, I-131 is imported in capsules, and the total activity handled/year steadily increased over 10 years. Discrete activities range from 185 MBq (5 mCi) up to 7.4 GBq (200 mCi). In four incidents deviations in standard operational procedures were recorded. Nature of incidents is described as follows: (1) After assay of activity, the capsule was directly put in the lead container with missing of inner cap. (2) Patient poured water in the Perspex tube, when the capsule was handed over to her, making an emergency situation. (3) In 3 high activity capsules (2 nos 2.96 GBq, 1 no. 4.26 GBq), observed sticky behavior in capsule holder on the 2(nd) day post receipt, which were in order on the 1(st) day. (4) A capsule could not be swallowed by a patient, which was taken back from the mouth. Monitoring of patient later did not show residual ingested activity. The report documents some of the unusual incidents for information to other centers engaged in such radioactive administrations.

  10. Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Implantable Electromedical Devices is Safe

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Lucinda A.; Hansel, Stephanie L.; Rajan, Elizabeth; Srivathsan, Komandoor; Rea, Robert; Crowell, Michael D.; Fleischer, David E.; Pasha, Shabana F.; Gurudu, Suryakanth R.; Heigh, Russell I.; Shiff, Arthur D.; Post, Janice K.; Leighton, Jonathan A.

    2013-01-01

    Background and Study Aims. The presence of an implantable electromechanical cardiac device (IED) has long been considered a relative contraindication to the performance of video capsule endoscopy (CE). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the safety of CE in patients with IEDs. A secondary purpose was to determine whether IEDs have any impact on images captured by CE. Patients and Methods. A retrospective chart review of all patients who had a capsule endoscopy at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ, USA, or Rochester, MN, USA, (January 2002 to June 2010) was performed to identify CE studies done on patients with IEDs. One hundred and eighteen capsule studies performed in 108 patients with IEDs were identified and reviewed for demographic data, method of preparation, and study data. Results. The most common indications for CE were obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (77%), anemia (14%), abdominal pain (5%), celiac disease (2%), diarrhea (1%), and Crohn's disease (1%). Postprocedure assessments did not reveal any detectable alteration on the function of the IED. One patient with an ICD had a 25-minute loss of capsule imaging due to recorder defect. Two patients with LVADs had interference with capsule image acquisition. Conclusions. CE did not interfere with IED function, including PM, ICD, and/or LVAD and thus appears safe. Additionally, PM and ICD do not appear to interfere with image acquisition but LVAD may interfere with capsule images and require that capsule leads be positioned as far away as possible from the IED to assure reliable image acquisition. PMID:23710168

  11. Clinical usefulness of novel tag-less Agile patency capsule prior to capsule endoscopy for patients with suspected small bowel stenosis.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Masanao; Hirooka, Yoshiki; Yamamura, Takeshi; Miyahara, Ryoji; Watanabe, Osamu; Ando, Takafumi; Ohmiya, Naoki; Goto, Hidemi

    2015-01-01

    The Agile patency capsule (PC; Given Imaging Ltd, Yoqneam, Israel) is used as a dummy prior to capsule endoscopy (CE) to avoid retention of the CE capsule. However, impaction of the PC's inner radio frequency identification (RFID) tag in a stricture could cause small-bowel ileus. Recently, the RFID tag-less PC was introduced into clinical practice. Herein, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the usefulness of the tag-less PC. Of 154 patients who were scheduled to undergo CE, 100 consecutive patients (65%) who underwent PC evaluation were enrolled in the present study. Primary study end point was the retention rate of the CE capsule after successful passage of the PC. Secondary end point was analysis of the significant factors affecting the passage of the PC. In total, 87 patients (87%) had bowel patency confirmed by PC evaluation. There was no capsule retention in any of these 87 patients during CE. Abnormal findings were obtained from 60 CE, and 41 patients received new or modified treatment. Multivariate analysis of factors related to the confirmation of patency demonstrated that stenosis on imaging was the most influential factor (P = 0.002, odds ratio 16.387). The results confirmed that passage of the PC depends on stenosis on imaging. Use of the tag-less PC confirmed gastrointestinal tract patency for most of the patients who did not have stenosis on imaging and allowed estimation of the patency for patients who did have stenosis on imaging. © 2014 The Authors. Digestive Endoscopy © 2014 Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society.

  12. Short article: Aspiration of capsule endoscopes: a comprehensive review of the existing literature.

    PubMed

    Yung, Diana E; Plevris, John N; Koulaouzidis, Anastasios

    2017-04-01

    Capsule endoscopy (CE) has an excellent safety profile. Although retention is the most cited complication, capsule aspiration is less frequent and is often reported only as isolated cases. This study represents a systematic effort to compile and scrutinize the available data on capsule aspiration to provide comprehensive and conclusive information on this CE complication. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. The search terms used were 'capsule endoscopy' AND 'aspiration' (both terms searched as keyword and MeSH). We included case reports and/or series on capsule aspiration, as well as observational cohort studies that reported capsule aspiration among their complications/outcomes. Thirty-four case reports with 37 cases of capsule aspiration were identified. A further four observational studies reported aspiration as part of a cohort of patients undergoing CE. 94.6% of aspirations occurred in elderly men. 87.1% had significant comorbidities. 59.5% had symptoms on aspiration, with cough reported most frequently. The most common location of aspiration was the right main bronchus. Half of the patients required intervention for capsule retrieval; bronchoscopy was the most common management, with good effect. There was a single fatality following capsule aspiration, not directly related to the procedure, and one case of aspiration pneumonia. Outcomes were good for all other patients. The estimated overall aspiration rate is 0.1%. Although very rare and generally safely managed, capsule aspiration should be anticipated in certain patient groups and capsule administration should be approached with necessary precautions.

  13. Associations Between Egg Capsule Morphology and Predation Among Populations of the Marine Gastropod, Nucella emarginata.

    PubMed

    Rawlings, T A

    1990-12-01

    Intraspecific variation in the morphology of egg capsules is ideal for assessing the costs and benefits of encapsulation, yet little is known about the extent of such variation among populations of a single species. In the present study, I compared capsule morphology among three populations of the intertidal gastropod, Nucella emarginata. Significant differences were found both in capsule wall thickness and capsule strength. Mean capsule wall thickness varied as much as 25% among populations, with the dry weight of capsular cases differing accordingly. Capsule strength, measured as resistance to puncturing and squeezing forces, also varied among populations, but did not directly reflect differences in capsule wall thickness. Despite extensive variation in capsule morphology within this species, the number and size of eggs contained within capsules of equal volume did not differ significantly among populations. I also compared the type of capsule-eating predators that were present at each site. Shore crabs, Hemigrapsus spp., were abundant at all three sites; however, the predatory isopods Idotea wosnesenskii were only present at sites containing relatively thick-walled capsules. Although Hemigrapsus and Idotea were able to chew through both thick- and thin-walled capsules, laboratory experiments revealed that Idotea preferentially opened thin-walled capsules. These results suggest that variation in capsule morphology among populations of N. emarginata may, at least in part, reflect selection for the protection of embryos against predation.

  14. First beryllium capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kline, J. L.; Yi, S. A.; Simakov, A. N.

    2016-05-15

    The first indirect drive implosion experiments using Beryllium (Be) capsules at the National Ignition Facility confirm the superior ablation properties and elucidate possible Be-ablator issues such as hohlraum filling by ablator material. Since the 1990s, Be has been the preferred Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) ablator because of its higher mass ablation rate compared to that of carbon-based ablators. This enables ICF target designs with higher implosion velocities at lower radiation temperatures and improved hydrodynamic stability through greater ablative stabilization. Recent experiments to demonstrate the viability of Be ablator target designs measured the backscattered laser energy, capsule implosion velocity, core implosionmore » shape from self-emission, and in-flight capsule shape from backlit imaging. The laser backscatter is similar to that from comparable plastic (CH) targets under the same hohlraum conditions. Implosion velocity measurements from backlit streaked radiography show that laser energy coupling to the hohlraum wall is comparable to plastic ablators. The measured implosion shape indicates no significant reduction of laser energy from the inner laser cone beams reaching the hohlraum wall as compared with plastic and high-density carbon ablators. These results indicate that the high mass ablation rate for beryllium capsules does not significantly alter hohlraum energetics. In addition, these data, together with data for low fill-density hohlraum performance, indicate that laser power multipliers, required to reconcile simulations with experimental observations, are likely due to our limited understanding of the hohlraum rather than the capsule physics since similar multipliers are needed for both Be and CH capsules as seen in experiments.« less

  15. First beryllium capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility

    DOE PAGES

    Kline, J. L.; Yi, S. A.; Simakov, A. N.; ...

    2016-05-01

    The first indirect drive implosion experiments using Beryllium (Be) capsules at the National Ignition Facility confirm the superior ablation properties and elucidate possible Be-ablator issues such as hohlraum filling by ablator material. Since the 1990s, Be has been the preferred Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) ablator because of its higher mass ablation rate compared to that of carbon-based ablators. This enables ICF target designs with higher implosion velocities at lower radiation temperatures and improved hydrodynamic stability through greater ablative stabilization. Recent experiments to demonstrate the viability of Be ablator target designs measured the backscattered laser energy, capsule implosion velocity, core implosionmore » shape from self-emission, and in-flight capsule shape from backlit imaging. The laser backscatter is similar to that from comparable plastic (CH) targets under the same hohlraum conditions. Implosion velocity measurements from backlit streaked radiography show that laser energy coupling to the hohlraum wall is comparable to plastic ablators. The measured implosion shape indicates no significant reduction of laser energy from the inner laser cone beams reaching the hohlraum wall as compared with plastic and high-density carbon ablators. These results indicate that the high mass ablation rate for beryllium capsules does not significantly alter hohlraum energetics. In addition, these data, together with data for low fill-density hohlraum performance, indicate that laser power multipliers, required to reconcile simulations with experimental observations, are likely due to our limited understanding of the hohlraum rather than the capsule physics since similar multipliers are needed for both Be and CH capsules as seen in experiments.« less

  16. Capsule endoscopy of the future: What’s on the horizon?

    PubMed Central

    Slawinski, Piotr R; Obstein, Keith L; Valdastri, Pietro

    2015-01-01

    Capsule endoscopes have evolved from passively moving diagnostic devices to actively moving systems with potential therapeutic capability. In this review, we will discuss the state of the art, define the current shortcomings of capsule endoscopy, and address research areas that aim to overcome said shortcomings. Developments in capsule mobility schemes are emphasized in this text, with magnetic actuation being the most promising endeavor. Research groups are working to integrate sensor data and fuse it with robotic control to outperform today’s standard invasive procedures, but in a less intrusive manner. With recent advances in areas such as mobility, drug delivery, and therapeutics, we foresee a translation of interventional capsule technology from the bench-top to the clinical setting within the next 10 years. PMID:26457013

  17. The proposal of the locomotive system for capsule endoscopes.

    PubMed

    Watada, Masaya; Ozawa, Ken-ichi

    2008-01-01

    The capsule endoscope authorized in some countries in late years has the advantage of preparing the observation in difficult small intestines in a past endoscope. However, because the promotion mechanism of a capsule endoscope depends only on the peristaltic motion of a digestive organ, the oversight of change to a morbid state is feared. Authors aim at the achievement of a free movement and remote diagnoses in small intestines, and are developing a locomotive system for capsule endoscopes. This paper describes the proposal of the locomotive system with an electromagnetic actuator, and examination of a simulation model for this locomotive system.

  18. Biocatalytic response of multi-layer assembled collagen/hyaluronic acid nanoengineered capsules.

    PubMed

    Sousa, Fernanda; Kreft, Oliver; Sukhorukov, Gleb B; Möhwald, Helmuth; Kokol, Vanja

    2014-01-01

    Biodegradable hollow capsules filled with fluorescently labelled bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model drug were prepared via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of type-I collagen (COL) and hyaluronic acid (HA) using calcium carbonate micro-particles and co-precipitation method. Capsules loaded with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-BSA, tetramethylrhodamin isothiocyanate (TRITC)-BSA or Alex-Fluor-488-BSA, respectively, were characterised before and after core removal using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), whilst the morphologies of individual hollow capsules were assessed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The sustained release of the encapsulated FITC-BSA protein was attained using enzymatic degradation of the capsule shells by collagenase. The released profile of the fluorescently-labelled BSA indicated that it could be successfully controlled by modulating the number of layers and/or by collagen crosslinking either before or after the capsule's assembly.

  19. Comparative study of antibiotic-containing polymethylmetacrylate capsules and beads.

    PubMed

    Borzsei, László; Mintál, Tibor; Horváth, Aranka; Koós, Zoltán; Kocsis, Béla; Nyárády, József

    2006-01-01

    This study aimed at making local antibiotic therapy wider in cases of chronic suppurations by administering antibiotics which previously could not be given in this way through the conventional polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA) carrier techniques. Capsules from this material were produced with a pressing machine designed and laid out by us. The characteristics of antibiotic penetration from this novel carrier were compared to those of PMMA beads. The time-dependent outflow of amikacin, clindamycin, pefloxacin, piperacillin + tazobactam, amoxicillin + clavulanic acid and cefotaxime was examined from the capsules and the beads with standard microbiological techniques using the Micrococcus luteus ATCC9341 test strain. The diameter of the inhibitory zones was measured after 24 h incubation at 37 degrees C and converted to mug/ml antibiotic concentrations. Our results revealed that all antibiotics showed longer-lasting and higher concentration outflow from the PMMA capsules than from the beads. Therefore, these capsules can provide a more promising new opportunity for specific local antimicrobial treatment in cases of chronic suppurative bone and soft tissue injuries. In these cases the polymerization has already been completed and the heat does not influence the structure of the antibiotics; therefore, it can be inserted into the capsules in powder or solution form. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Effect of Counterflow Jet on a Supersonic Reentry Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chang, Chau-Lyan; Venkatachari, Balaji Shankar; Cheng, Gary C.

    2006-01-01

    Recent NASA initiatives for space exploration have reinvigorated research on Apollo-like capsule vehicles. Aerothermodynamic characteristics of these capsule configurations during reentry play a crucial role in the performance and safety of the planetary entry probes and the crew exploration vehicles. At issue are the forebody thermal shield protection and afterbody aeroheating predictions. Due to the lack of flight or wind tunnel measurements at hypersonic speed, design decisions on such vehicles would rely heavily on computational results. Validation of current computational tools against experimental measurement thus becomes one of the most important tasks for general hypersonic research. This paper is focused on time-accurate numerical computations of hypersonic flows over a set of capsule configurations, which employ a counterflow jet to offset the detached bow shock. The accompanying increased shock stand-off distance and modified heat transfer characteristics associated with the counterflow jet may provide guidance for future design of hypersonic reentry capsules. The newly emerged space-time conservation element solution element (CESE) method is used to perform time-accurate, unstructured mesh Navier-Stokes computations for all cases investigated. The results show good agreement between experimental and numerical Schlieren pictures. Surface heat flux and aerodynamic force predictions of the capsule configurations are discussed in detail.

  1. Comparative Bioavailability of Sulindac in Capsule and Tablet Formulations

    PubMed Central

    Reid, Joel M.; Mandrekar, Sumithra J.; Carlson, Elsa C.; Harmsen, W. Scott; Green, Erin M.; McGovern, Renee M.; Szabo, Eva; Ames, Matthew M.; Boring, Daniel; Limburg, Paul J.

    2008-01-01

    The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme appears to be an important target for cancer chemoprevention. Given the recent emergence of potentially serious cardiovascular toxicity associated with selective COX-2 inhibitors, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2, have received renewed attention as candidate chemoprevention agents. Sulindac has demonstrated consistent chemopreventive potential in preclinical studies, as well as in a limited number of clinical trials reported to date. For the current pharmacokinetic study, sulindac capsules were prepared to facilitate ample agent supplies for future intervention studies. Encapsulation of the parent compound (sulindac sulfoxide) can be readily accomplished, but the effects of alternate formulations on bioavailability have not been rigorously examined. In the present single-dose, two-period crossover trial, we conducted pharmacokinetic analyses of sulindac in capsule (test) versus tablet (reference) formulations. Overall, bioavailability appeared to be higher for the capsule compared to the tablet formulation, based on test-to-reference pharmacokinetic parameter ratios for the parent compound. However, additional analyses based on the sulfide and sulfone metabolites of sulindac with the same pharmacokinetic parameters indicated similar chemopreventive exposures between the capsule and tablet formulations. These data support the use of sulindac capsules, which can be readily prepared with matching placebos, in future blinded chemoprevention trials. PMID:18349286

  2. Spacecraft Escape Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Robertson, Edward A.; Charles, Dingell W.; Bufkin, Ann L.; Rodriggs, Liana M.; Peterson, Wayne; Cuthbert, Peter; Lee, David E.; Westhelle, Carlos

    2006-01-01

    A report discusses the Gumdrop capsule a conceptual spacecraft that would enable the crew to escape safely in the event of a major equipment failure at any time from launch through atmospheric re-entry. The scaleable Gumdrop capsule would comprise a command module (CM), a service module (SM), and a crew escape system (CES). The CM would contain a pressurized crew environment that would include avionic, life-support, thermal control, propulsive attitude control, and recovery systems. The SM would provide the primary propulsion and would also supply electrical power, life-support resources, and active thermal control to the CM. The CES would include a solid rocket motor, embedded within the SM, for pushing the CM away from the SM in the event of a critical thermal-protection-system failure or loss of control. The CM and SM would normally remain integrated with each other from launch through recovery, but could be separated using the CES, if necessary, to enable the safe recovery of the crew in the CM. The crew escape motor could be used, alternatively, as a redundant means of de-orbit propulsion for the CM in the event of a major system failure in the SM.

  3. Shape memory alloy-based biopsy device for active locomotive intestinal capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Le, Viet Ha; Hernando, Leon-Rodriguez; Lee, Cheong; Choi, Hyunchul; Jin, Zhen; Nguyen, Kim Tien; Go, Gwangjun; Ko, Seong-Young; Park, Jong-Oh; Park, Sukho

    2015-03-01

    Recently, capsule endoscopes have been used for diagnosis in digestive organs. However, because a capsule endoscope does not have a locomotive function, its use has been limited to small tubular digestive organs, such as small intestine and esophagus. To address this problem, researchers have begun studying an active locomotive intestine capsule endoscope as a medical instrument for the whole gastrointestinal tract. We have developed a capsule endoscope with a small permanent magnet that is actuated by an electromagnetic actuation system, allowing active and flexible movement in the patient's gut environment. In addition, researchers have noted the need for a biopsy function in capsule endoscope for the definitive diagnosis of digestive diseases. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel robotic biopsy device for active locomotive intestine capsule endoscope. The proposed biopsy device has a sharp blade connected with a shape memory alloy actuator. The biopsy device measuring 12 mm in diameter and 3 mm in length was integrated into our capsule endoscope prototype, where the device's sharp blade was activated and exposed by the shape memory alloy actuator. Then the electromagnetic actuation system generated a specific motion of the capsule endoscope to extract the tissue sample from the intestines. The final biopsy sample tissue had a volume of about 6 mm(3), which is a sufficient amount for a histological analysis. Consequently, we proposed the working principle of the biopsy device and conducted an in-vitro biopsy test to verify the feasibility of the biopsy device integrated into the capsule endoscope prototype using the electro-magnetic actuation system. © IMechE 2015.

  4. 21 CFR 520.1920 - Prochlorperazine, isopropamide sustained release capsules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Prochlorperazine, isopropamide sustained release capsules. 520.1920 Section 520.1920 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND... dogs in which gastrointestinal disturbances are associated with emotional stress. (2)(i) Capsules...

  5. Simulating Space Capsule Water Landing with Explicit Finite Element Method

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, John T.; Lyle, Karen H.

    2007-01-01

    A study of using an explicit nonlinear dynamic finite element code for simulating the water landing of a space capsule was performed. The finite element model contains Lagrangian shell elements for the space capsule and Eulerian solid elements for the water and air. An Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) solver and a penalty coupling method were used for predicting the fluid and structure interaction forces. The space capsule was first assumed to be rigid, so the numerical results could be correlated with closed form solutions. The water and air meshes were continuously refined until the solution was converged. The converged maximum deceleration predicted is bounded by the classical von Karman and Wagner solutions and is considered to be an adequate solution. The refined water and air meshes were then used in the models for simulating the water landing of a capsule model that has a flexible bottom. For small pitch angle cases, the maximum deceleration from the flexible capsule model was found to be significantly greater than the maximum deceleration obtained from the corresponding rigid model. For large pitch angle cases, the difference between the maximum deceleration of the flexible model and that of its corresponding rigid model is smaller. Test data of Apollo space capsules with a flexible heat shield qualitatively support the findings presented in this paper.

  6. Loss of iron to gold capsules in rock-melting experiments

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ratajeski, K.; Sisson, T.W.

    1999-01-01

    Gold is used widely for capsules in high-temperature rock-melting studies because it is generally thought to absorb negligible Fe from silicate samples. However, we observed significant losses of Fe from fluid-absent melting experiments on hornblende gabbros at 800-975 ??C and 8 kbar, using standard piston-cylinder techniques. The extent of Fe loss from the sample is dependent on the relative masses of the sample and the capsule. Low sample to capsule mass ratios (~0.04) lead to the highest Fe losses (32-49% relative). Concentrations of Fe in silicate melt and used gold capsules define an apparent equilibrium constant (K') that follows a linear 1n K' vs. 1/T relation (at an estimated log f(O)(2) of QFM-1). The apparent equilibrium constant is used to make limiting upper estimates on the amount of Fe that could be lost during rock-melting experiments for a range of f(O)(2) and sample to capsule mass ratios. At high f(O)(2) (NNO + 2), loss of Fe to gold is negligible (<2% relative) for a wide range of sample to capsule mass ratios. At an f(O)(2) of NNO, Fe loss can be kept to <10% relative by using a sample to capsule mass ratio of 0.2 or greater. At low f(O)(2) (QFM-1), presaturating the Au with Fe would be necessary to ensure that Fe losses remained <10% relative. Fe loss can compromise experimental results for small samples run at low f(O)(2) conditions, be they buffered, imposed by the pressure media, or produced by intrinsically reduced (graphitic) starting materials.

  7. Noncontact optical measurement of lens capsule thickness ex vivo

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ziebarth, Noel M.; Manns, Fabrice; Uhlhorn, Stephen; Parel, Jean-Marie

    2004-07-01

    Purpose: To design a non-contact optical system to measure lens capsule thickness in cadaver eyes. Methods: The optical system uses a 670nm laser beam delivered to a single-mode fiber coupler. The output of the fiber coupler is focused onto the tissue using an aspheric lens (NA=0.68) mounted on a motorized translation stage. Light reflected from the sample is collected by the fiber coupler and sent to a silicon photodiode connected to a power meter. Peaks in the power signal are detected when the focal point of the aspheric lens coincides with the capsule boundaries. The capsule thickness is proportional to the distance between successive peaks. Anterior and posterior lens capsule thickness measurements were performed on 13 human, 10 monkey, and 34 New Zealand white rabbit lenses. The cadaver eyes were prepared for optical measurements by bonding a PMMA ring on the sclera. The posterior pole was sectioned, excess vitreous was removed, and the eye was placed on a Teflon slide. The cornea and iris were then sectioned. After the experiments, the lenses were excised, placed in 10% buffered formalin, and prepared for histology. Results: Central anterior lens capsule thickness was 9.4+/-2.9μm (human), 11.2+/-6.6μm (monkey), and 10.3+/-3.6μm (rabbit) optically and 14.9+/-1.6μm (human), 17.7+/-4.9μm (monkey), and 12.6+/-2.3μm (rabbit) histologically. The values for the central posterior capsule were 9.4+/-2.9μm (human), 6.6+/-2.5μm (monkey), and 7.9+/-2.3μm (rabbit) optically and 4.6+/-1.4μm (human), 4.5+/-1.2μm (monkey), and 5.7+/-1.7μm (rabbit) histologically. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a non-contact optical system can successfully measure lens capsule thickness in cadaver eyes.

  8. Measurement of motion detection of wireless capsule endoscope inside large intestine.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Mingda; Bao, Guanqun; Pahlavan, Kaveh

    2014-01-01

    Wireless Capsule Endoscope (WCE) provides a noninvasive way to inspect the entire Gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including large intestine, where intestinal diseases most likely occur. As a critical component of capsule endoscopic examination, physicians need to know the precise position of the endoscopic capsule in order to identify the position of detected intestinal diseases. Knowing how the capsule moves inside the large intestine would greatly complement the existing wireless localization systems by providing the motion information. Since the most recently released WCE can take up to 6 frames per second, it's possible to estimate the movement of the capsule by processing the successive image sequence. In this paper, a computer vision based approach without utilizing any external device is proposed to estimate the motion of WCE inside the large intestine. The proposed approach estimate the displacement and rotation of the capsule by calculating entropy and mutual information between frames using Fibonacci method. The obtained results of this approach show its stability and better performance over other existing approaches of motion measurements. Meanwhile, findings of this paper lay a foundation for motion pattern of WCEs inside the large intestine, which will benefit other medical applications.

  9. Anterior Lens Capsule and Iris Thicknesses in Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Batur, Muhammed; Seven, Erbil; Tekin, Serek; Yasar, Tekin

    2017-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate anatomic properties of the lens capsule and iris by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX). This prospective study included 62 eyes of 62 patients with PEX syndrome and 43 eyes of 43 age- and gender-matched controls. All subjects underwent full ophthalmologic examinations including AS-OCT. Pupillary diameter, midperipheral stromal iris thickness, central and temporal lens capsule thicknesses, and peripheral pseudoexfoliation material thickness on the anterior lens capsule surface were measured and recorded. Mean age was 66.8 ± 9.3 years in the PEX group and 65.5 ± 8.9 years in the control group (p = 0.44). The PEX group consisted of 62 patients: 38 men (61.3%) and 24 women (38.7%); the control group included 43 subjects: 25 men (58.1%) and 18 women (41.9%). Pupillary diameter after pharmacologic mydriasis was 21% smaller in the PEX group than controls. Mean midperipheral iris thickness was 36 ± 7.2 μm (7.8%) thinner in the PEX group than that of control group (p = 0.047). The central anterior capsule was a mean of 3.40 ± 0.51 μm (18%) thicker in the PEX group compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). The temporal anterior lens capsule was a mean of 0.17 ± 0.15 μm thicker in the PEX group compared to the control group (p = 0.81). With high-resolution OCT imaging, it has become possible to evaluate the anterior lens capsule without histologic examination and demonstrate that it is thicker than normal in PEX patients.

  10. Beneficial effect of a moisturizing cream as adjunctive treatment to oral isotretinoin or topical tretinoin in the management of acne.

    PubMed

    Laquieze, Sabine; Czernielewski, Janusz; Rueda, Marie-José

    2006-01-01

    Despite their beneficial effects on the treatment of acne vulgaris, topical and oral retinoids may cause severe local irritation (retinoid dermatitis) due to their mechanism of action, thereby jeopardizing patient adherence, and thus compromising treatment efficacy. Alleviating dryness and improving skin comfort by using a moisturizer concomitantly to retinoids could enhance efficacy. In the present study, 30 subjects receiving either oral isotretinoin for at least 2 months or topical tretinoin for at least one month applied a moisturizing cream (Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream) twice daily for 15 days on one half of the face while the other side remained untreated. Clinical assessments, confirmed by biophysical measurements, showed that the moisturizer provided a significant improvement in skin dryness, roughness, and desquamation. Skin properties and skin discomfort were also greatly improved and subjects were very satisfied with the product. Retinoid-induced skin irritation can be relieved by the regular use of a gentle moisturizing cream as an adjunctive treatment.

  11. Internalization of Red Blood Cell-Mimicking Hydrogel Capsules with pH-Triggered Shape Responses

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    We report on naturally inspired hydrogel capsules with pH-induced transitions from discoids to oblate ellipsoids and their interactions with cells. We integrate characteristics of erythrocytes such as discoidal shape, hollow structure, and elasticity with reversible pH-responsiveness of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) to design a new type of drug delivery carrier to be potentially triggered by chemical stimuli in the tumor lesion. The capsules are fabricated from cross-linked PMAA multilayers using sacrificial discoid silicon templates. The degree of capsule shape transition is controlled by the pH-tuned volume change, which in turn is regulated by the capsule wall composition. The (PMAA)15 capsules undergo a dramatic 24-fold volume change, while a moderate 2.3-fold volume variation is observed for more rigid PMAA–(poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PMAA–PVPON)5 capsules when solution pH is varied between 7.4 and 4. Despite that both types of capsules exhibit discoid-to-oblate ellipsoid transitions, a 3-fold greater swelling in radial dimensions is found for one-component systems due to a greater degree of the circular face bulging. We also show that (PMAA–PVPON)5 discoidal capsules interact differently with J774A.1 macrophages, HMVEC endothelial cells, and 4T1 breast cancer cells. The discoidal capsules show 60% lower internalization as compared to spherical capsules. Finally, hydrogel capsules demonstrate a 2-fold decrease in size upon internalization. These capsules represent a unique example of elastic hydrogel discoids capable of pH-induced drastic and reversible variations in aspect ratios. Considering the RBC-mimicking shape, their dimensions, and their capability to undergo pH-triggered intracellular responses, the hydrogel capsules demonstrate considerable potential as novel carriers in shape-regulated transport and cellular uptake. PMID:24848786

  12. Capsulitis of the Second Toe

    MedlinePlus

    ... second toe is a result of abnormal foot mechanics, where the ball of the foot beneath the ... options for early treatment of capsulitis: Rest and ice. Staying off the foot and applying ice packs ...

  13. Reactor for making uniform capsules

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Taylor G. (Inventor); Anikumar, Amrutur V. (Inventor); Lacik, Igor (Inventor)

    1999-01-01

    The present invention provides a novel reactor for making capsules with uniform membrane. The reactor includes a source for providing a continuous flow of a first liquid through the reactor; a source for delivering a steady stream of drops of a second liquid to the entrance of the reactor; a main tube portion having at least one loop, and an exit opening, where the exit opening is at a height substantially equal to the entrance. In addition, a method for using the novel reactor is provided. This method involves providing a continuous stream of a first liquid; introducing uniformly-sized drops of the second liquid into the stream of the first liquid; allowing the drops to react in the stream for a pre-determined period of time; and collecting the capsules.

  14. Capsule Performance Optimization in the National Ignition Campaign

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Landen, O L; MacGowan, B J; Haan, S W

    2009-10-13

    A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility to substantially increase the probability of ignition. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting themore » key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.« less

  15. Capsule performance optimization in the national ignition campaign

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Landen, O. L.; MacGowan, B. J.; Haan, S. W.; Edwards, J.

    2010-08-01

    A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [1] to substantially increase the probability of ignition. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the Omega facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

  16. The Anterolateral Capsule of the Knee Behaves Like a Sheet of Fibrous Tissue.

    PubMed

    Guenther, Daniel; Rahnemai-Azar, Amir A; Bell, Kevin M; Irarrázaval, Sebastián; Fu, Freddie H; Musahl, Volker; Debski, Richard E

    2017-03-01

    The function of the anterolateral capsule of the knee has not been clearly defined. However, the contribution of this region of the capsule to knee stability in comparison with other anterolateral structures can be determined by the relative force that each structure carries during loading of the knee. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to determine the forces in the anterolateral structures of the intact and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knee in response to an anterior tibial load and internal tibial torque. It was hypothesized that the anterolateral capsule would not function like a traditional ligament (ie, transmitting forces only along its longitudinal axis). Controlled laboratory study. Loads (134-N anterior tibial load and 7-N·m internal tibial torque) were applied continuously during flexion to 7 fresh-frozen cadaveric knees in the intact and ACL-deficient state using a robotic testing system. The lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and the anterolateral capsule were separated from the surrounding tissue and from each other. This was done by performing 3 vertical incisions: lateral to the LCL, medial to the LCL, and lateral to the Gerdy tubercle. Attachments of the LCL and anterolateral capsule were detached from the underlying tissue (ie, meniscus), leaving the insertions and origins intact. The force distribution in the anterolateral capsule, ACL, and LCL was then determined at 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion using the principle of superposition. In the intact knee, the force in the ACL in response to an anterior tibial load was greater than that in the other structures ( P < .001). However, in response to an internal tibial torque, no significant differences were found between the ACL, LCL, and forces transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule after capsule separation. The anterolateral capsule experienced smaller forces (~50% less) compared with the other structures ( P = .048). For the ACL

  17. Capsule endoscopy: impact on clinical decision making in patients with suspected small bowel bleeding.

    PubMed

    Gubler, C; Fox, M; Hengstler, P; Abraham, D; Eigenmann, F; Bauerfeind, P

    2007-12-01

    Capsule endoscopy is widely used for diagnosis of small-bowel disease; however, the impact of capsule endoscopy on clinical management remains uncertain. We conducted a prospective study of the impact capsule endoscopy on clinical management decisions in 128 patients with suspected small-bowel pathology. Prior to performing each procedure the gastroenterologist predicted the findings of capsule endoscopy and further management based on the clinical history and previous investigations. This prediction was compared with the actual results of capsule endoscopy and the following investigative and therapeutic management. The actual findings of capsule endoscopy and the further management were consistent with clinical prediction in 93/128 patients (73 %) and, irrespective of capsule endoscopy findings, no further procedures were required in 80 % of these patients. In 13 patients (10 %), gastric or colonic pathology was discovered that had not been detected on prior gastroscopy or colonoscopy. Thus, capsule endoscopy findings in the small bowel changed clinical management in 22 patients (17 %). In 4 patients, positive findings on capsule endoscopy that had not been predicted by the examiner prompted referral for abdominal surgery. Conversely, planned surgery was canceled in four other patients. In this series of patients referred for capsule endoscopy, small-bowel findings and appropriate clinical management were predicted on clinical grounds alone in approximately three-quarters of patients. Repetition of standard upper and lower endoscopy may be useful in many patients prior to small-bowel imaging. Referral for capsule endoscopy should take into account whether the findings will impact on clinical management; however, capsule endoscopy is mandatory in patients in whom surgery for small-bowel bleeding is intended.

  18. Les Habitats: Culture Capsules in English for Use in Beginning French Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hofts, Jan; And Others

    Eight culture capsules describing various aspects of French housing are presented. Each capsule includes a French-American contrast and gives ideas for classroom presentation and student activities. The capsules deal with: le logement, les immeubles, les exterieurs, la minuterie, les portes, la salle de bain, le refrigerateur, and culture grains…

  19. Development of glia and blood vessels in the internal capsule of rats.

    PubMed

    Earle, K L; Mitrofanis, J

    1998-02-01

    We have explored two aspects of internal capsule development that have not been described previously, namely, the development of glia and of blood vessels. To these ends, we used antibodies to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and to vimentin (to identify astrocytes and to radial glia) and Griffonia simplicifolia (lectin; to identify microglia and blood vessels). Further, we made intracardiac injections of Evans Blue to examine the permeability of this dye in the vessels of the internal capsule during neonatal development. Our results show that large numbers of radial glia, astrocytes and microglia are not labelled with these markers in the white matter of the internal capsule until about birth; very few are labelled earlier, during the critical stages of corticofugal and corticopetal axonal ingrowth (E15-E20). The large glial labelling in the internal capsule at birth is accompanied by a dense vascular innervation of the capsule; as with the glia, very few labelled patent vessels are seen earlier. After intracardiac injections of Evans Blue, we find that the blood vessels of the internal capsule are not particularly permeable to Evans Blue. At each age examined (P0, P5, P15), blood vessels are outlined very clearly and there is no diffuse haze of fluorescence within the extracellular space, which is indicative of a leaky vessel. There are three striking differences between the glial environment of the internal capsule and that of the adjacent thalamus. First, the internal capsule is never rich with radial glial fibres (vimentin- and GFAP-immunoreactive) during development (except at P0), whereas the thalamus has many radial fibres from very early development (E15-E17). Second, astrocytes (vimentin- and GFAP-immunoreactive) first become apparent in the internal capsule (E20-P0) well before they do in the thalamus (P15). Third, the internal capsule houses a large transient population of amoeboid microglia (P0-P22), whereas the thalamus does not; only ramified

  20. Isotretinoin was not associated with depression or anxiety: A twelve-week study

    PubMed Central

    Suarez, Bella; Serrano, Ana; Cova, Yves; Baptista, Trino

    2016-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the frequency and severity of depression and/or anxiety in isotretinoin (ITT)-treated subjects and in a non-ITT control group. METHODS: Sixty consecutively-admitted non-psychiatric outpatients with acne were assigned to either ITT at a fixed dose of 30 mg/d (n = 36) or “other treatment” group (OT; n = 24). The Zung depression or anxiety scales (with cut-off points), two locally developed scales for depression (GeDepr) and anxiety (Ansilet) (without cut-off points) and clinical global impression scales of acne severity were administered at baseline and at weeks 6 and 12 of treatment. Data was analyzed with the chi-squared test and covariance analysis. RESULTS: Gender distribution, age, marital status and education level did not differ between both treatment groups. The frequency of depression, as defined by the Zung scale cut-off points was similar in the ITT and in the non-ITT groups: Weeks 6 and 12: 8.3% in both groups, P = 0.9. The frequency of anxiety was similar in the groups as well: Week 6: ITT = 8.3%; OT = 0.0%, P > 0.05; week 12: ITT = 11.1%, OT = 4.2%, P > 0.05. The scores in both scales’ sets did not differ between the treatment groups at any evaluation time point (P > 0.05). Five ITT-treated subjects (13.8%) and two from the OT-treated group (8.3%) developed clinically significant anxiety and/or depression during treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the safety of ITT regarding psychological side effects in regular dermatological patients. Susceptible subjects may exist but their identification requires additional strategies. PMID:27014604

  1. Interaction model between capsule robot and intestine based on nonlinear viscoelasticity.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Cheng; Liu, Hao; Tan, Renjia; Li, Hongyi

    2014-03-01

    Active capsule endoscope could also be called capsule robot, has been developed from laboratory research to clinical application. However, the system still has defects, such as poor controllability and failing to realize automatic checks. The imperfection of the interaction model between capsule robot and intestine is one of the dominating reasons causing the above problems. A model is hoped to be established for the control method of the capsule robot in this article. It is established based on nonlinear viscoelasticity. The interaction force of the model consists of environmental resistance, viscous resistance and Coulomb friction. The parameters of the model are identified by experimental investigation. Different methods are used in the experiment to obtain different values of the same parameter at different velocities. The model is proved to be valid by experimental verification. The achievement in this article is the attempted perfection of an interaction model. It is hoped that the model can optimize the control method of the capsule robot in the future.

  2. Design Options for the High-Foot Ignition Capsule Series on NIF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dittrich, T. R.; Hurricane, O. A.; Berzak Hopkins, L. F.; Callahan, D. A.; Clark, D.; Doeppner, T.; Haan, S. W.; Hammel, B. A.; Harte, J. A.; Hinkel, D. E.; Ma, T.; Pak, A. E.; Park, H.-S.; Salmonson, J. D.; Weber, C. R.; Zimmerman, G. B.; Olson, R. E.; Kline, J. L.; Leeper, R. J.

    2015-11-01

    Several options exist for improving implosion performance in the High-Foot series of ignition capsules on NIF. One option is to modify the fill tube used to supply DT to the capsule. Simulations indicate that a gold-coated glass tube may reduce implosion hydro effects and allow fielding a larger diameter tube capable of supporting the capsule, eliminating the need for the nominal tent support. A second option adds a fourth shock to the implosion history. According to simulation, this extra shock improves fuel confinement and capsule performance. A third option studies the feasibility of holding the DT fuel in liquid form in a foam layer inside the shell. This ``wetted foam'' concept, advanced by Olson, has existed for several years and may allow some control over the convergence of the capsule during implosion. This work was performed under the auspices of the Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

  3. Osmotic-pressure-controlled concentration of colloidal particles in thin-shelled capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Shin-Hyun; Park, Jin-Gyu; Choi, Tae Min; Manoharan, Vinothan N.; Weitz, David A.

    2014-01-01

    Colloidal crystals are promising structures for photonic applications requiring dynamic control over optical properties. However, for ease of processing and reconfigurability, the crystals should be encapsulated to form ‘ink’ capsules rather than confined in a thin film. Here we demonstrate a class of encapsulated colloidal photonic structures whose optical properties can be controlled through osmotic pressure. The ordering and separation of the particles within the microfluidically created capsules can be tuned by changing the colloidal concentration through osmotic pressure-induced control of the size of the individual capsules, modulating photonic stop band. The rubber capsules exhibit a reversible change in the diffracted colour, depending on osmotic pressure, a property we call osmochromaticity. The high encapsulation efficiency and capsule uniformity of this microfluidic approach, combined with the highly reconfigurable shapes and the broad control over photonic properties, make this class of structures particularly suitable for photonic applications such as electronic inks and reflective displays.

  4. Assessment of the quality of simvastatin capsules from compounding pharmacies.

    PubMed

    Markman, Blanca Elena Ortega; Rosa, Paulo César Pires; Koschtschak, Maria Regina Walter

    2010-12-01

    To validate a method for determining the simvastatin content of compounded capsules, using high performance liquid chromatography. Eighteen samples of simvastatin 40 mg capsules from compounding pharmacies in the cities of São Paulo, Guarulhos, São Bernardo do Campo and Campinas, Southeastern Brazil, prescribed for fictitious patients were assessed. The analyses were based on the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia and on the high performance liquid chromatography method, optimized and validated in accordance with national and international standards for identification and quantification tests on compounded capsules. The mean weight of the capsules ranged from 70 mg to 316 mg; four samples presented weight variation outside of the specification. The simvastatin content in the capsules was within the specification in 11 samples. In six, the content ranged from 4% to 87% of the declared quantity, thereby not complying with the content requirements for the active agent. For one sample, no content or uniformity determinations were performed. In the content uniformity test, 15 samples presented indices of less than 85%, with relative standard deviations greater than 6%. Three pharmacies had met the specification in this test. In the dissolution test, eight samples presented unsatisfactory results in the first stage of the test, while the remainder presented inconclusive results. The method used was shown to be suitable for application to quality control, and it revealed the poor quality of the simvastatin capsules produced by some compounding pharmacies.

  5. Sweat collection capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Greenleaf, J. E.; Delaplaine, R. W. (Inventor)

    1980-01-01

    A sweat collection capsule permitting quantitative collection of sweat is described. The device consists of a frame held immobile on the skin, a closure secured to the frame and absorbent material located next to the skin in a cavity formed by the frame and the closure. The absorbent material may be removed from the device by removing the closure from the frame while the frame is held immobile on the skin.

  6. Airborne Observation of the Hayabusa Sample Return Capsule Re-Entry

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grinstead, Jay H.; Jenniskens, Peter; Cassell, Alan M.; Albers, James; Winter, Michael W.

    2011-01-01

    NASA Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute collaborated on an effort to observe the Earth re-entry of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa sample return capsule. Hayabusa was an asteroid exploration mission that retrieved a sample from the near-Earth asteroid Itokawa. Its sample return capsule re-entered over the Woomera Prohibited Area in southern Australia on June 13, 2010. Being only the third sample return mission following NASA's Genesis and Stardust missions, Hayabusa's return was a rare opportunity to collect aerothermal data from an atmospheric entry capsule returning at superorbital speeds. NASA deployed its DC-8 airborne laboratory and a team of international researchers to Australia for the re-entry. For approximately 70 seconds, spectroscopic and radiometric imaging instruments acquired images and spectra of the capsule, its wake, and destructive re-entry of the spacecraft bus. Once calibrated, spectra of the capsule will be interpreted to yield data for comparison with and validation of high fidelity and engineering simulation tools used for design and development of future atmospheric entry system technologies. A brief summary of the Hayabusa mission, the preflight preparations and observation mission planning, mission execution, and preliminary spectral data are documented.

  7. Treatment of Experimental Anthrax with Recombinant Capsule Depolymerase

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-12-01

    infected with Cryptococcus neoformans (15), and the recent work of Mushtaq et al. demonstrated that a capsule-degrading endosialidase could be used to...treatment to remove microbial capsules has been suc- cessfully used to treat existing infections with pneumococci, Cryptococcus , and E. coli (2, 15, 31) in...macrophage sensitivity and resistance to anthrax lethal toxin. Infect. Immun. 61:245–252. 15. Gadebusch, H. H. 1960. Specific degradation of Cryptococcus

  8. Patency Capsule Tolerability in School-Aged Children.

    PubMed

    Tokuhara, Daisuke; Watanabe, Kenji; Cho, Yuki; Shintaku, Haruo

    2017-01-01

    A patency capsule (PC) can help predict capsule endoscope (CE) retention; however, PC tolerability is unknown in children. We retrospectively evaluated PC tolerability in school-aged children. Sixty-one patients (median age, 12.9 years; range 7.4-17.3 years) who underwent PC examination were analyzed for occurrence and determinants of ingestion difficulty and relationships between ingestion of the 2 capsules. We defined ingestion difficulty as taking 30 min or more, or failure, to ingest the PC. Thirty-nine patients (64%) successfully ingested the PC without ingestion difficulty. The other 22 had ingestion difficulty and were significantly younger (11.7 ± 2.2 vs. 13.0 ± 1.8 years; p = 0.04) and shorter (143.3 ± 14.0 vs. 154.6 ± 12.5 cm; p = 0.003) than those without ingestion difficulty. Multivariate analysis showed that the most significant factor for predicting PC ingestion difficulty was height (cutoff value, 152 cm). Time to ingest the CE was significantly shorter than that for PC ingestion (8 ± 32 vs. 20 ± 58 min; p = 0.01). All patients indicated that ingestion of the CE was easier because of its smooth surface compared with the PC. PC ingestion is not guaranteed in school-aged children. PC ingestion ability should be evaluated by considering the child's height and lack of experience ingesting capsules prior to PC examination. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Effect of preparation conditions on properties and permeability of chitosan-sodium hexametaphosphate capsules.

    PubMed

    Angelova, N; Hunkeler, D

    2001-01-01

    Capsules were obtained by interpolymer complexation between chitosan (polycation) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SMP, oligoanion). The effect of the preparation conditions on the capsule characteristics was evaluated. Specifically, the influence of variables such as pH, ionic strength, reagent concentration, and additives on the capsule permeability properties was investigated using dextran as a model permeant. The capsule membrane permeability was found to increase by decreasing the chitosan/SMP ratio as well as adding mannitol to the oligoanion recipient bath. Increasing the ionic strength or the pH of the initial chitosan solution was also found to enhance the membrane permeability, moving the membrane exclusion limit to higher values. Generally, the capsules prepared tinder all tested conditions had a relatively low permeability which rarely exceeded a molecular cut-off of 40 kD based on dextran standards. Furthermore, the diffusion rate showed a strong temporal dependence, indicating that the capsules prepared under various conditions exhibit different apparent pore size densities on the surface. The results indicated that, in order to obtain the desired capsule mass-transfer properties, the preparation conditions should be carefully considered and adjusted. Adding a polyol as well as low salt amount (less than 0.15%) is preferable as a means of modulating the diffusion characteristics, without disturbing the capsule mechanical stability.

  10. Hydrocolloid liquid-core capsules for the removal of heavy-metal cations from water.

    PubMed

    Nussinovitch, A; Dagan, O

    2015-12-15

    Liquid-core capsules with a non-crosslinked alginate fluidic core surrounded by a gellan membrane were produced in a single step to investigate their ability to adsorb heavy metal cations. The liquid-core gellan-alginate capsules, produced by dropping alginate solution with magnesium cations into gellan solution, were extremely efficient at adsorbing lead cations (267 mg Pb(2+)/g dry alginate) at 25 °C and pH 5.5. However, these capsules were very weak and brittle, and an external strengthening capsule was added by using magnesium cations. The membrane was then thinned with the surfactant lecithin, producing capsules with better adsorption attributes (316 mg Pb(+2)/g dry alginate vs. 267 mg Pb(+2)/g dry alginate without lecithin), most likely due to the thinner membrane and enhanced mass transfer. The capsules' ability to adsorb other heavy-metal cations - copper (Cu(2+)), cadmium (Cd(2+)) and nickel (Ni(2+)) - was tested. Adsorption efficiencies were 219, 197 and 65 mg/g, respectively, and were correlated with the cation's affinity to alginate. Capsules with the sorbed heavy metals were regenerated by placing in a 1M nitric acid suspension for 24h. Capsules could undergo three regeneration cycles before becoming damaged. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Multi-methodological investigation of the variability of the microstructure of HPMC hard capsules.

    PubMed

    Faulhammer, E; Kovalcik, A; Wahl, V; Markl, D; Stelzer, F; Lawrence, S; Khinast, J G; Paudel, A

    2016-09-25

    The objective of this study was to analyze differences in the subtle microstructure of three different grades of HMPC hard capsule shells using mechanical, spectroscopic, microscopic and tomographic approaches. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrational spectroscopic, X-Ray scattering techniques as well as environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were used. Two HPMC capsules manufactured via chemical gelling, one capsule shell manufactured via thermal gelling and one thermally gelled transparent capsule were included. Characteristic micro-structural alterations (associated manufacturing processes) such as mechanical and physical properties relevant to capsule performance and processability were thoroughly elucidated with the integration of data obtained from multi-methodological investigations. The physico-chemical and physico-mechanical data obtained from a gamut of techniques implied that thermally gelled HPMC hard capsule shells could offer an advantage in terms of machinability during capsule filling, owing to their superior micro- and macroscopic structure as well as specifically the mechanical stability under dry or humid conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of anterior capsule contraction on visual function after cataract surgery.

    PubMed

    Hayashi, Ken; Hayashi, Hideyuki

    2007-11-01

    To examine the effect of contraction of the anterior capsule opening after cataract surgery on visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Hayashi Eye Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. Thirty-two eyes of 32 consecutive patients who showed marked contraction of the anterior capsule opening after implantation of an intraocular lens were recruited. The area of the anterior capsule opening was measured by Scheimpflug videophotography before and after neodymium:YAG (Nd:YAG) laser anterior capsulotomy and was correlated with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. After Nd:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy, the mean area of the anterior capsule opening increased significantly from 8.2 mm(2) to 18.0 mm(2) (P<.0001). Contrast sensitivity at most visual angles also improved significantly after Nd:YAG anterior capsulotomy, although visual acuity did not. The area of the anterior capsule opening before anterior capsulotomy was correlated significantly with contrast sensitivity but not with visual acuity, whereas there was no correlation between the opening area after anterior capsulotomy and visual acuity or contrast sensitivity. Contraction of the anterior capsule opening after cataract surgery significantly diminished contrast sensitivity in proportion to the opening area but did not markedly worsen visual acuity. Neodymium:YAG laser anterior capsulotomy improved contrast sensitivity.

  13. Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging of nanoengineered polymeric capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Erokhina, S.; Pastorino, L.; Di Lisa, D.; Kiiamov, A. G.; Faizullina, A. R.; Tayurskii, D. A.; Iannotta, S.; Erokhin, V.

    2017-10-01

    For the first time, nanoengineered polymeric capsules and their architecture have been studied with coherent X-ray diffraction imaging technique. The use of coherent X-ray diffraction imaging technique allowed us to analyze the samples immersed in a liquid. We report about the significant difference between polymeric capsule architectures under dry and liquid conditions.

  14. Gravimetric Analysis of Particulate Matter using Air Samplers Housing Internal Filtration Capsules

    PubMed Central

    O'Connor, Sean; O'Connor, Paula Fey; Feng, H. Amy

    2015-01-01

    Summary An evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal capsules, housed within air sampling devices, for gravimetric analysis of airborne particles collected in workplaces. Experiments were carried out using blank PVC capsules and PVC capsules spiked with 0,1 – 4 mg of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material® (NIST SRM) 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) and Arizona Road Dust (Air Cleaner Test Dust). The capsules were housed within plastic closed-face cassette samplers (CFCs). A method detection limit (MDL) of 0,075 mg per sample was estimated. Precision Sr at 0,5 - 4 mg per sample was 0,031 and the estimated bias was 0,058. Weight stability over 28 days was verified for both blanks and spiked capsules. Independent laboratory testing on blanks and field samples verified long-term weight stability as well as sampling and analysis precision and bias estimates. An overall precision estimate Ŝrt of 0,059 was obtained. An accuracy measure of ±15,5% was found for the gravimetric method using PVC internal capsules. PMID:26435581

  15. Gravimetric Analysis of Particulate Matter using Air Samplers Housing Internal Filtration Capsules.

    PubMed

    O'Connor, Sean; O'Connor, Paula Fey; Feng, H Amy; Ashley, Kevin

    2014-10-01

    An evaluation was carried out to investigate the suitability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal capsules, housed within air sampling devices, for gravimetric analysis of airborne particles collected in workplaces. Experiments were carried out using blank PVC capsules and PVC capsules spiked with 0,1 - 4 mg of National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material ® (NIST SRM) 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) and Arizona Road Dust (Air Cleaner Test Dust). The capsules were housed within plastic closed-face cassette samplers (CFCs). A method detection limit (MDL) of 0,075 mg per sample was estimated. Precision S r at 0,5 - 4 mg per sample was 0,031 and the estimated bias was 0,058. Weight stability over 28 days was verified for both blanks and spiked capsules. Independent laboratory testing on blanks and field samples verified long-term weight stability as well as sampling and analysis precision and bias estimates. An overall precision estimate Ŝ rt of 0,059 was obtained. An accuracy measure of ±15,5% was found for the gravimetric method using PVC internal capsules.

  16. The Cryptococcus neoformans Capsule: a Sword and a Shield

    PubMed Central

    O'Meara, Teresa R.

    2012-01-01

    Summary: The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is characterized by its ability to induce a distinct polysaccharide capsule in response to a number of host-specific environmental stimuli. The induction of capsule is a complex biological process encompassing regulation at multiple steps, including the biosynthesis, transport, and maintenance of the polysaccharide at the cell surface. By precisely regulating the composition of its cell surface and secreted polysaccharides, C. neoformans has developed intricate ways to establish chronic infection and dormancy in the human host. The plasticity of the capsule structure in response to various host conditions also underscores the complex relationship between host and parasite. Much of this precise regulation of capsule is achieved through the transcriptional responses of multiple conserved signaling pathways that have been coopted to regulate this C. neoformans-specific virulence-associated phenotype. This review focuses on specific host stimuli that trigger the activation of the signal transduction cascades and on the downstream transcriptional responses that are required for robust encapsulation around the cell. PMID:22763631

  17. Capsule endoscopy: The road ahead

    PubMed Central

    Singeap, Ana-Maria; Stanciu, Carol; Trifan, Anca

    2016-01-01

    Since its introduction into clinical practice 15 years ago, capsule endoscopy (CE) has become the first-line investigation procedure in some small bowel pathologies, and more recently, dedicated esophageal and colon CE have expanded the fields of application to include the upper and lower gastrointestinal disorders. During this time, CE has become increasingly popular among gastroenterologists, with more than 2 million capsule examinations performed worldwide, and nearly 3000 PubMed-listed studies on its different aspects published. This huge interest in CE may be explained by its non-invasive nature, patient comfort, safety, and access to anatomical regions unattainable via conventional endoscopy. However, CE has several limitations which impede its wider clinical applications, including the lack of therapeutic capabilities, inability to obtain biopsies and control its locomotion. Several research groups are currently working to overcome these limitations, while novel devices able to control capsule movement, obtain high quality images, insufflate the gut lumen, perform chromoendoscopy, biopsy of suspect lesions, or even deliver targeted drugs directly to specific sites are under development. Overlooking current limitations, especially as some of them have already been successfully surmounted, and based on the tremendous progress in technology, it is expected that, by the end of next 15 years, CE able to perform both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures will remain the major form of digestive endoscopy. This review summarizes the literature that prognosticates about the future developments of CE. PMID:26755883

  18. Analytical model for effects of capsule shape on the healing efficiency in self-healing materials

    PubMed Central

    Li, Songpeng; Chen, Huisu

    2017-01-01

    The fundamental requirement for the autonomous capsule-based self-healing process to work is that cracks need to reach the capsules and break them such that the healing agent can be released. Ignoring all other aspects, the amount of healing agents released into the crack is essential to obtain a good healing. Meanwhile, from the perspective of the capsule shapes, spherical or elongated capsules (hollow tubes/fibres) are the main morphologies used in capsule-based self-healing materials. The focus of this contribution is the description of the effects of capsule shape on the efficiency of healing agent released in capsule-based self-healing material within the framework of the theory of geometrical probability and integral geometry. Analytical models are developed to characterize the amount of healing agent released per crack area from capsules for an arbitrary crack intersecting with capsules of various shapes in a virtual capsule-based self-healing material. The average crack opening distance is chosen to be a key parameter in defining the healing potential of individual cracks in the models. Furthermore, the accuracy of the developed models was verified by comparison to the data from a published numerical simulation study. PMID:29095862

  19. Healthcare professional surveys to investigate the implementation of the isotretinoin Pregnancy Prevention Programme: a descriptive study.

    PubMed

    Crijns, Ineke; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje; Bloemberg, Rudi; Pinas, Eldridge; Straus, Sabine; de Jong-van den Berg, Lolkje

    2013-01-01

    Three online surveys explored compliance with the PPP by pharmacists and dermatologists, in the Netherlands. In 2007 and 2011, two pharmacist surveys were conducted to assess improvement over time. In 2007, survey was sent to members of the Utrecht Pharmacy Panel for Education & Research (UPPER) network (n = 1000) and in 2011, to the research group of the Dutch Association of Pharmacists (KNMP) (n = 556). In 2010, a survey was sent to 564 dermatologists of the Dutch Association of Dermatology and Venereology (NVDV). Both pharmacists' questionnaires had response rates of 20% and the dermatologist questionnaire of 28%. Pharmacists' checks on 30-day dispensing remained 82%, but a check whether the prescription is out-of-date decreased (61 to 53%). Pharmacists asked the patient for a negative pregnancy test in 15%, but use of contraception was checked by 44 - 49%. One hundred and five dermatologists (64%) always prescribe contraception; 35 (22%) occasionally. Ninety-three percent of the dermatologists were of the opinion that they performed the PPP. Analysis of different elements of the PPP showed that 41 (25%) were compliant. The observed non-adherence to the isotretinoin PPP calls for careful evaluation of risk minimisation plans and participation of all stakeholders in the development of these plans.

  20. [Review of the active locomotion system for capsule endoscope].

    PubMed

    Zhao, Dechun; Guo, Yijun; Peng, Chenglin

    2010-02-01

    This review summarized the progress of researches on the active locomotion system for capsule endoscope, analyzed the moving and controlling principles in different locomotion systems, and compared their merits and shortcomings. Owing to the complexity of human intestines and the limits to the size and consumption of locomotion system from the capsule endoscope, there is not yet one kind of active locomotion system currently used in clinical practice. The locomotive system driven by an outer rotational magnetic field could improve the commercial endoscope capsule, while its magnetic field controlling moving is complex. Active locomotion system driven by shape memory alloys will be the orientated development and the point of research in the future.

  1. Safety and utility of capsule endoscopy for infants and young children

    PubMed Central

    Oikawa-Kawamoto, Manari; Sogo, Tsuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Takeshi; Tsunoda, Tomoyuki; Kondo, Takeo; Komatsu, Haruki; Inui, Ayano; Fujisawa, Tomoo

    2013-01-01

    AIM: To assess the safety and utility of capsule endoscopy (CE) for children who are unable to swallow the capsule endoscope. METHODS: The medical records of all of the children who underwent CE between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A included patients who were unable to swallow the capsule endoscope, and group B included patients who were able to swallow it. For the patients who were unable to swallow the capsule endoscope, it was placed in the duodenum endoscopically. The small bowel transit time, endoscopic diagnosis and complications of the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: During the study period, 28 CE procedures were performed in 26 patients. Group A included 11 patients with a median age of 2 years (range 10 mo-9 years), and group B included 15 patients with a median age of 12 years (range 8 years-16 years). The lightest child in the study weighed 7.9 kg. The detection rates did not differ between the 2 groups. The median small bowel transit time was 401 min (range 264-734 min) in group A and 227 min (range 56-512 min) in group B (P = 0.0078). No serious complications, including capsule retention, occurred. No significant mucosal trauma occurred in the pharynx, esophagus, stomach or duodenum when the capsule was introduced using an endoscope. CONCLUSION: CE is a safe and useful procedure for infants and young children who are unable to swallow the capsule endoscope. PMID:24363526

  2. Safety and utility of capsule endoscopy for infants and young children.

    PubMed

    Oikawa-Kawamoto, Manari; Sogo, Tsuyoshi; Yamaguchi, Takeshi; Tsunoda, Tomoyuki; Kondo, Takeo; Komatsu, Haruki; Inui, Ayano; Fujisawa, Tomoo

    2013-12-07

    To assess the safety and utility of capsule endoscopy (CE) for children who are unable to swallow the capsule endoscope. The medical records of all of the children who underwent CE between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group A included patients who were unable to swallow the capsule endoscope, and group B included patients who were able to swallow it. For the patients who were unable to swallow the capsule endoscope, it was placed in the duodenum endoscopically. The small bowel transit time, endoscopic diagnosis and complications of the 2 groups were compared. During the study period, 28 CE procedures were performed in 26 patients. Group A included 11 patients with a median age of 2 years (range 10 mo-9 years), and group B included 15 patients with a median age of 12 years (range 8 years-16 years). The lightest child in the study weighed 7.9 kg. The detection rates did not differ between the 2 groups. The median small bowel transit time was 401 min (range 264-734 min) in group A and 227 min (range 56-512 min) in group B (P = 0.0078). No serious complications, including capsule retention, occurred. No significant mucosal trauma occurred in the pharynx, esophagus, stomach or duodenum when the capsule was introduced using an endoscope. CE is a safe and useful procedure for infants and young children who are unable to swallow the capsule endoscope. © 2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.

  3. [Pharmacodynamic evaluation and molecular mechanism research of Huanshao capsule on irregular menstruation].

    PubMed

    Sun, Jian-Hui; Huo, Hai-Ru; Li, Xiao-Qin; Li, Hong-Mei; Qin, De-Huai; Wu, Chun

    2018-04-01

    Huanshao capsule is widely used in irregular menstruation and has achieved a good effect. Huanshao capsule can promote gonad development in mice, significantly improve the ovarian index in mice, increase estrogen level and reduce FSH level in rats, inhibit the pain response induced by oxytocin and estrogen, inhibit writhing reaction induced by acetic acid pain in mice. Due to the complexity of traditional Chinese medical formula, the pharmacological mechanism of the treatment on the irregular menstruation of the Huanshao capsule is unclear. In this study, the internet-based computation platform (www.tcmip.cn)was used to explore the molecular mechanism of Huanshao capsule on the menstrual. The aim of this study was to find the molecular mechanism of Huanshao capsule in treating menstrual. In the study of the molecular mechanism of Huanshao capsule in the treatment of menstrual by using the internet-based computation platform, Huanshao capsule maybe treat the menstrual by the pathway of endocrine system, GnRH signal transduction pathway, estrogen signal transduction pathway, oxytocin signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, FCεRI signaling pathway and purine metabolism and nucleotide metabolism. The early pharmacological study confirmed Huanshao capsule could increase the serum estradiol level and decrease follicle stimulating hormone level and the traditional Chinese medicine pharmacology coincide with the prediction result of internet-based computation platform which roles as the pathway of GnRH signaling pathway and estrogen signal transduction pathway. Other pathway needs further experimental verification. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  4. The presence and influence of posterior capsule tightness on different shoulder problems.

    PubMed

    Duzgun, Irem; Turgut, Elif; Çinar-Medeni, Özge; Kafa, Nihan; Tuna, Zeynep; Elbasan, Bulent; Oskay, Deran

    2017-01-01

    In the literature it has been shown that posterior capsule flexibility is a precursor to shoulder problems. However, no study thus far has shown the influence of the flexibility of posterior capsule in different shoulder pathologies. This study set about to compare the role of posterior capsule tightness in different shoulder problems. One-hundred-twenty-five patients diagnosed with shoulder subacromial impingement syndrome (n= 52), partial rotator cuff tear (n= 31) or frozen shoulder (n= 42) and 30 asymptomatic peers participated in the study. Horizontal adduction was assessed in side-lying position for posterior capsule tightness. Pain was measured via the visual analogue scale and shoulder range of motion and active total elevation was assessed with goniometer. Hand behind the back (HBB) test was assessed the active internal rotation by measuring the distance between T5 and the thumb. It was found that the affected side of the posterior capsules of the patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (p< 0.001), partial rotator cuff tear (p< 0.001) and frozen shoulder (p< 0.001) was stiffer than their healthy side. There were significant differences among groups in the level of tightness in the posterior capsule between the affected and the healthy sides (p< 0.001). All range of motion of the shoulder including HBB test and the posterior capsule tightness of the affected side are found to be correlated (p< 0.05). This study emphasized that the posterior capsule's susceptibility to tightness is most evident in frozen shoulder among different shoulder problems.

  5. Development and Testing of a Magnetically Actuated Capsule Endoscopy for Obesity Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Do, Thanh Nho; Seah, Tian En Timothy; Yu, Ho Khek; Phee, Soo Jay

    2016-01-01

    Intra-gastric balloons (IGB) have become an efficient and less invasive method for obesity treatment. The use of traditional IGBs require complex insertion tools and flexible endoscopes to place and remove the balloon inside the patient’s stomach, which may cause discomfort and complications to the patient. This paper introduces a new ingestible weight-loss capsule with a magnetically remote-controlled inflatable and deflatable balloon. To inflate the balloon, biocompatible effervescent chemicals are used. As the source of the actuation is provided via external magnetic fields, the magnetic capsule size can be significantly reduced compared to current weight-loss capsules in the literature. In addition, there are no limitations on the power supply. To lose weight, the obese subject needs only to swallow the magnetic capsule with a glass of water. Once the magnetic capsule has reached the patient’s stomach, the balloon will be wirelessly inflated to occupy gastric space and give the feeling of satiety. The balloon can be wirelessly deflated at any time to allow the magnetic capsule to travel down the intestine and exit the body via normal peristalsis. The optimal ratio between the acid and base to provide the desired gas volume is experimentally evaluated and presented. A prototype capsule (9.6mm x 27mm) is developed and experimentally validated in ex-vivo experiments. The unique ease of delivery and expulsion of the proposed magnetic capsule is slated to make this development a good treatment option for people seeking to lose excess weight. PMID:26815309

  6. Genome-Wide Discovery of Genes Required for Capsule Production by Uropathogenic Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Goh, Kelvin G K; Phan, Minh-Duy; Forde, Brian M; Chong, Teik Min; Yin, Wai-Fong; Chan, Kok-Gan; Ulett, Glen C; Sweet, Matthew J; Beatson, Scott A; Schembri, Mark A

    2017-10-24

    Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a major cause of urinary tract and bloodstream infections and possesses an array of virulence factors for colonization, survival, and persistence. One such factor is the polysaccharide K capsule. Among the different K capsule types, the K1 serotype is strongly associated with UPEC infection. In this study, we completely sequenced the K1 UPEC urosepsis strain PA45B and employed a novel combination of a lytic K1 capsule-specific phage, saturated Tn 5 transposon mutagenesis, and high-throughput transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) to identify the complement of genes required for capsule production. Our analysis identified known genes involved in capsule biosynthesis, as well as two additional regulatory genes ( mprA and lrhA ) that we characterized at the molecular level. Mutation of mprA resulted in protection against K1 phage-mediated killing, a phenotype restored by complementation. We also identified a significantly increased unidirectional Tn 5 insertion frequency upstream of the lrhA gene and showed that strong expression of LrhA induced by a constitutive Pcl promoter led to loss of capsule production. Further analysis revealed loss of MprA or overexpression of LrhA affected the transcription of capsule biosynthesis genes in PA45B and increased sensitivity to killing in whole blood. Similar phenotypes were also observed in UPEC strains UTI89 (K1) and CFT073 (K2), demonstrating that the effects were neither strain nor capsule type specific. Overall, this study defined the genome of a UPEC urosepsis isolate and identified and characterized two new regulatory factors that affect UPEC capsule production. IMPORTANCE Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections in humans and are primarily caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). Many UPEC strains express a polysaccharide K capsule that provides protection against host innate immune factors and contributes to survival

  7. Liberty Bell 7 Space Capsule Exhibit previews at Visitor Complex

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2000-01-01

    Children on a tour at the KSC Visitor Complex get an early look at the Discovery Channel's Liberty Bell 7 Space Capsule Exhibit, which opens to the public on Saturday, June 17. They are on a re- creation of the deck of Ocean Project, the ship that located and recovered the space capsule from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Liberty Bell 7 launched U.S. Air Force Captain Virgil '''Gus''' Grissom July 21, 1961, on a mission that lasted 15 minutes and 37 seconds before sinking. It lay undetected for nearly four decades before a Discovery Channel expedition located it and recovered it. The space capsule, now restored and preserved, is part of an interactive exhibit touring science centers and museums in 12 cities throughout the United States until 2003. The exhibit also includes hands-on elements such as a capsule simulator, a centrifuge, and ROV pilot.

  8. FEM analysis of escape capsule suffered to gas explosion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Chang-lu; Mei, Rui-bin; Li, Chang-sheng; Cai, Ban; Liu, Xiang-hua

    2013-05-01

    Escape capsules are new devices for underground coal mines that provide air, water, food and supplies in the event of an emergency in where miners are unable to escape. It is difficult to carry out the experiments of explosion and safety because the danger and nonrepeatability of explosion. The structure deformation and distribution of equivalent stress has been investigated under different impact pressure conditions including unimodal and bimodal loads based on the FEM and software LS-DYNA. The results show that the distribution of deformation and equivalent stress has the same trend on the same surface with the increment of explosion pressure. The deformation and stress are larger with side impact pressure compared with that of the same front impact pressure. Furthermore, the maximum equivalent stress is 246MPa and 260MPa on the front and sides of capsule with five times for national standard impact pressure 1.5MPa. Under these conditions, the deformation is less than about 9.97mm and 10.47mm, respectively. When the front impact pressure is 2.0MPa, the deformation of capsule still belongs to elasticity but the less plastic deformation occurs on the Ushape stiffening channels with the same side impact pressure. However, it is safe for capsule structure because the equivalent stress 283MPa is much less than the tensile strength. It is noted that bimodal load accelerates the capsule deformation so that it is more dangerous compared with unimodal load.

  9. Entry Trajectory Issues for the Stardust Sample Return Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Desai, Prasun N.; Mitcheltree, Robert A.; Cheatwood, F. McNeil

    1999-01-01

    The Stardust mission was successfully launched on February 7, 1999. It will be the first mission to return samples from a comet. The sample return capsule, which is passively controlled during the fastest Earth entry ever, will land by parachute in Utah. The present study describes the analysis of the entry, descent, and landing of the returning sample capsule utilizing the final, launch configuration capsule mass properties. The effects of two aerodynamic instabilities are revealed (one in the high altitude free molecular regime and the other in the transonic/subsonic flow regime). These instabilities could lead to unacceptably large excursions in the angle-of-attack near peak heating and main parachute deployment, respectively. To reduce the excursions resulting from the high altitude instability, the entry spin rate of the capsule is increased. To stabilize the excursions from the transonic/subsonic instability, a drogue chute with deployment triggered by a gravity-switch and timer is added prior to main parachute deployment. A Monte Carlo dispersion analysis of the modified entry (from which the impact of off-nominal conditions during the entry is ascertained) predicts that the capsule attitude excursions near peak heating and drogue chute deployment are within Stardust mission limits. Additionally, the size of the resulting 3-sigma landing ellipse is 60.8 km in downrange by 19.9 km in crossrange, which is within the Utah Test and Training Range boundaries.

  10. NMR relaxation dispersion of Miglyol molecules confined inside polymeric micro-capsules.

    PubMed

    Nechifor, Ruben; Ardelean, Ioan; Mattea, Carlos; Stapf, Siegfried; Bogdan, Mircea

    2011-11-01

    Frequency dependent NMR relaxation studies have been carried out on Miglyol molecules confined inside core shell polymeric capsules to obtain a correlation between capsule dimension and the measurable parameters. The polymeric capsules were prepared using an interfacial polymerization technique for three different concentrations of Miglyol. It was shown that the variation of Miglyol concentration influences the capsule dimension. Their average size was estimated using the pulsed field gradient diffusometry technique. The relaxation dispersion curves were obtained at room temperature by a combined use of a fast field cycling instrument and a high-field instrument. The frequency dependence of relaxation rate shows a transition from a diffusion-limited to a surface-limited relaxation regime. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Remote magnetic manipulation of a wireless capsule endoscope in the esophagus and stomach of humans (with videos).

    PubMed

    Swain, Paul; Toor, Arifa; Volke, Frank; Keller, Jutta; Gerber, Jeremy; Rabinovitz, Elisha; Rothstein, Richard I

    2010-06-01

    Remote manipulation of wireless capsule endoscopes might improve diagnostic accuracy and facilitate therapy. To test a new capsule-manipulation system. University hospital. A first-in-human study tested a new magnetic maneuverable wireless capsule in a volunteer. A wireless capsule endoscope was modified to include neodymium-iron-boron magnets. The capsule's magnetic switch was replaced with a thermal one and turned on by placing it in hot water. One imager was removed from the PillCam colon-based capsule, and the available space was used to house the magnets. A handheld external magnet was used to manipulate this capsule in the esophagus and stomach. The capsule was initiated by placing it in a microg of hot water. The capsule was swallowed and observed in the esophagus and stomach by using a gastroscope. Capsule images were viewed on a real-time viewer. The capsule was manipulated in the esophagus for 10 minutes. It was easy to make the capsule turn somersaults and to angulate at the cardioesophageal junction. In the stomach, it was easy to move the capsule back from the pylorus to the cardioesophageal junction and hold/spin the capsule at any position in the stomach. The capsule in the esophagus and stomach did not cause discomfort. Magnetic force varies with the fourth power of distance. This study suggests that remote manipulation of a capsule in the esophagus and stomach of a human is feasible and might enhance diagnostic endoscopy as well as enable therapeutic wireless capsule endoscopy. Copyright 2010 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Subsonic Dynamics of Stardust Sample Return Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mitcheltree, Robert A.; Fremaux, Charles M.

    1997-01-01

    Subsonic dynamic stability tests performed in the NASA Langley 20-Foot Vertical Spin-Tunnel on a 0.238 scale model of the Stardust Sample Return Capsule are discussed. The tests reveal that the blunted 60 degree half-angle cone capsule is dynamically unstable at low subsonic conditions due to the aft location of the center-of-gravity (0.351 body diameters back from the nose). The divergent behavior of the capsule continued when the center-of-gravity was moved to 0.337 and 0.313 body diameters back from the nose. When the center-of-gravity was moved further forward to 0.290 body diameters back from the nose, the vehicle established itself in a limit cycle with amplitude around 10 degrees. Two afterbody modifications were examined which proved unsuccessful in alleviating the instability of the original design. Finally, the addition of different sized parachutes was examined as a means to stabilize the vehicle. The parachute tests indicate that a parachute with equivalent full scale drag area of at least 2.24 ft. is necessary to assure large perturbations are damped.

  13. MEMS-based liquid lens for capsule endoscope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seo, S. W.; Han, S.; Seo, J. H.; Kim, Y. M.; Kang, M. S.; Min, N. G.; Choi, W. B.; Sung, M. Y.

    2008-03-01

    The capsule endoscope, a new application area of digital imaging, is growing rapidly but needs the versatile imaging capabilities such as auto-focusing and zoom-in to be an active diagnostic tool. The liquid lens based on MEMS technology can be a strong candidate because it is able to be small enough. In this paper, a cylinder-type liquid lens was designed based on Young-Lippmann model and then fabricated with MEMS technology combining the silicon thin-film process and the wafer bonding process. The focal length of the lens module including the fabricated liquid lens was changed reproducibly as a function of the applied voltage. With the change of 30V in the applied bias, the focal length of the constructed lens module could be tuned in the range of about 42cm. The fabricated liquid lens was also proven to be small enough to be adopted in the capsule endoscope, which means the liquid lens can be utilized for the imaging capability improvement of the capsule endoscope.

  14. Interplay Between Capsule Expression and Uracil Metabolism in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39

    PubMed Central

    Carvalho, Sandra M.; Kloosterman, Tomas G.; Manzoor, Irfan; Caldas, José; Vinga, Susana; Martinussen, Jan; Saraiva, Lígia M.; Kuipers, Oscar P.; Neves, Ana R.

    2018-01-01

    Pyrimidine nucleotides play an important role in the biosynthesis of activated nucleotide sugars (NDP-sugars). NDP-sugars are the precursors of structural polysaccharides in bacteria, including capsule, which is a major virulence factor of the human pathogen S. pneumoniae. In this work, we identified a spontaneous non-reversible mutant of strain D39 that displayed a non-producing capsule phenotype. Whole-genome sequencing analysis of this mutant revealed several non-synonymous single base modifications, including in genes of the de novo synthesis of pyrimidines and in the −10 box of capsule operon promoter (Pcps). By directed mutagenesis we showed that the point mutation in Pcps was solely responsible for the drastic decrease in capsule expression. We also demonstrated that D39 subjected to uracil deprivation shows increased biomass and decreased Pcps activity and capsule amounts. Importantly, Pcps expression is further decreased by mutating the first gene of the de novo synthesis of pyrimidines, carA. In contrast, the absence of uracil from the culture medium showed no effect on the spontaneous mutant strain. Co-cultivation of the wild-type and the mutant strain indicated a competitive advantage of the spontaneous mutant (non-producing capsule) in medium devoid of uracil. We propose a model in that uracil may act as a signal for the production of different capsule amounts in S. pneumoniae. PMID:29599757

  15. Interplay Between Capsule Expression and Uracil Metabolism in Streptococcus pneumoniae D39.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Sandra M; Kloosterman, Tomas G; Manzoor, Irfan; Caldas, José; Vinga, Susana; Martinussen, Jan; Saraiva, Lígia M; Kuipers, Oscar P; Neves, Ana R

    2018-01-01

    Pyrimidine nucleotides play an important role in the biosynthesis of activated nucleotide sugars (NDP-sugars). NDP-sugars are the precursors of structural polysaccharides in bacteria, including capsule, which is a major virulence factor of the human pathogen S. pneumoniae . In this work, we identified a spontaneous non-reversible mutant of strain D39 that displayed a non-producing capsule phenotype. Whole-genome sequencing analysis of this mutant revealed several non-synonymous single base modifications, including in genes of the de novo synthesis of pyrimidines and in the -10 box of capsule operon promoter (P cps ). By directed mutagenesis we showed that the point mutation in P cps was solely responsible for the drastic decrease in capsule expression. We also demonstrated that D39 subjected to uracil deprivation shows increased biomass and decreased P cps activity and capsule amounts. Importantly, P cps expression is further decreased by mutating the first gene of the de novo synthesis of pyrimidines, carA . In contrast, the absence of uracil from the culture medium showed no effect on the spontaneous mutant strain. Co-cultivation of the wild-type and the mutant strain indicated a competitive advantage of the spontaneous mutant (non-producing capsule) in medium devoid of uracil. We propose a model in that uracil may act as a signal for the production of different capsule amounts in S. pneumoniae .

  16. Retained Wireless Capsule Endoscope in a Girl with suspected Crohn's Disease.

    PubMed

    Herle, Koushik; Jehangir, Susan

    2016-01-01

    Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is one of the great milestones in the field of gastroenterology. It is versatile in image acquisition, painless and can reach parts of the small bowel not amenable to conventional endoscopy. The commonest complication with WCE is retention of the capsule. We report a case of retained capsule in a child who was being investigated for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB). Operative intervention was required for its retrieval after two weeks of expectant management.

  17. Chiropractic management of capsulitis and synovitis of the temporomandibular joint.

    PubMed

    Curl, D D; Stanwood, G

    1993-01-01

    Localized inflammatory conditions (eg, synovitis and capsulitis) of the temporomandibular joint are commonly seen in clinical practice. Regardless of their frequency of occurrence, these conditions must be differentially diagnosed from conditions that also may cause pain in the temporomandibular joint region. Capsulitis or synovitis should be considered if such pain is present and historical, physical, and laboratory findings do not indicate a referred pain phenomena or systemic, tumorous, or infectious involvement. This article reviews the clinical characteristics, etiology, physical examination methods, treatment, and prognosis for capsulitis and synovitis, and three cases that illustrate these conditions are reported.

  18. Wireless fluorescence capsule for endoscopy using single photon-based detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Al-Rawhani, Mohammed A.; Beeley, James; Cumming, David R. S.

    2015-12-01

    Fluorescence Imaging (FI) is a powerful technique in biological science and clinical medicine. Current FI devices that are used either for in-vivo or in-vitro studies are expensive, bulky and consume substantial power, confining the technique to laboratories and hospital examination rooms. Here we present a miniaturised wireless fluorescence endoscope capsule with low power consumption that will pave the way for future FI systems and applications. With enhanced sensitivity compared to existing technology we have demonstrated that the capsule can be successfully used to image tissue autofluorescence and targeted fluorescence via fluorophore labelling of tissues. The capsule incorporates a state-of-the-art complementary metal oxide semiconductor single photon avalanche detector imaging array, miniaturised optical isolation, wireless technology and low power design. When in use the capsule consumes only 30.9 mW, and deploys very low-level 468 nm illumination. The device has the potential to replace highly power-hungry intrusive optical fibre based endoscopes and to extend the range of clinical examination below the duodenum. To demonstrate the performance of our capsule, we imaged fluorescence phantoms incorporating principal tissue fluorophores (flavins) and absorbers (haemoglobin). We also demonstrated the utility of marker identification by imaging a 20 μM fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labelling solution on mammalian tissue.

  19. Implantable telemetry capsule for monitoring arterial oxygen saturation and heartbeat.

    PubMed

    Kuwana, K; Dohi, T; Hashimoto, Y; Matsumoto, K; Shimoyama, I

    2008-01-01

    In this study, we have developed an implantable telemetry capsule for monitoring heartbeat. The capsule has three main functions, monitoring vital signs, transmitting the vital signs, and receiving energy for driving the capsule without wires. We used two wavelengths of LEDs and a photodiode sensitive to the two wavelengths for heartbeat sensor. The arterial oxygen saturation is calculated from the amplitude of the heartbeat signal. We fabricated an FM transmitter whose carrier frequency was 80 MHz. Though the GHz range frequency is generally used in transmission, the attenuation in the human body is large. The size of a common linear antenna is about a quarter of its operating wavelength. We employed a coil-based antenna which can reduce size below the quarter of the wavelength. We fabricated a miniaturized transmitter with the coil-based antenna at lower frequency. Our capsule was driven intermittently. We used a rechargeable battery. When the battery ran down, the battery was charged by wireless using the induced electromotive force. This means that the capsule is capable of monitoring vital signs over the long term. We measured the heartbeat from the middle finger of hand in a water tank as a model of a human body.

  20. Temperature Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1992-01-01

    An ingestible mini-thermometer capable of measuring and relaying internal body temperatures is marketed by Human Technologies, Inc. The CorTemp system, developed by Goddard Space Flight Center and Applied Physics Lab, incorporates space technologies, among them telemetry and microminiaturized circuit, sensor and battery technologies. The capsule is ingested and continually monitors temperature with a vibrating quartz crystal sensor, which telemeters signals to a recorder, where data is displayed and stored. The system is very accurate, and because it does not require wires, allows patients to be monitored in everyday situations. The industrial variant (CSC-100) has wide utility in commercial applications.

  1. Reentry Motion and Aerodynamics of the MUSES-C Sample Return Capsule

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ishii, Nobuaki; Yamada, Tetsuya; Hiraki, Koju; Inatani, Yoshifumi

    The Hayabusa spacecraft (MUSES-C) carries a small capsule for bringing asteroid samples back to the earth. The initial spin rate of the reentry capsule together with the flight path angle of the reentry trajectory is a key parameter for the aerodynamic motion during the reentry flight. The initial spin rate is given by the spin-release mechanism attached between the capsule and the mother spacecraft, and the flight path angle can be modified by adjusting the earth approach orbit. To determine the desired values of both parameters, the attitude motion during atmospheric flight must be clarified, and angles of attack at the maximum dynamic pressure and the parachute deployment must be assessed. In previous studies, to characterize the aerodynamic effects of the reentry capsule, several wind-tunnel tests were conducted using the ISAS high-speed flow test facilities. In addition to the ground test data, the aerodynamic properties in hypersonic flows were analyzed numerically. Moreover, these data were made more accurate using the results of balloon drop tests. This paper summarized the aerodynamic properties of the reentry capsule and simulates the attitude motion of the full-configuration capsule during atmospheric flight in three dimensions with six degrees of freedom. The results show the best conditions for the initial spin rates and flight path angles of the reentry trajectory.

  2. Imaging of High-Z doped, Imploded Capsule Cores

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prisbrey, Shon T.; Edwards, M. John; Suter, Larry J.

    2006-10-01

    The ability to correctly ascertain the shape of imploded fusion capsules is critical to be able to achieve the spherical symmetry needed to maximize the energy yield of proposed fusion experiments for the National Ignition Facility. Implosion of the capsule creates a hot, dense core. The introduction of a high-Z dopant into the gas-filled core of the capsule increases the amount of bremsstrahlung radiation produced in the core and should make the imaging of the imploded core easier. Images of the imploded core can then be analyzed to ascertain the symmetry of the implosion. We calculate that the addition of Ne gas into a deuterium gas core will increase the amount of radiation emission while preserving the surrogacy of the radiation and hydrodynamics in the indirect drive NIF hohlraum in the proposed cryogenic hohlraums. The increased emission will more easily enable measurement of asymmetries and tuning of the implosion.

  3. Urea photosynthesis inside polyelectrolyte capsules: effect of confined media.

    PubMed

    Shchukin, Dmitry G; Möhwald, Helmuth

    2005-06-07

    The influence of the restricted volume of poly(styrene sulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) capsules of different size (2.2, 4.2, and 8.1 microm) on the TiO2-assisted photosynthesis of urea from inorganic precursors (CO2 and NO(3-)) in aqueous solution was demonstrated. Poly(vinyl alcohol) was employed as electron donor to facilitate the photosynthetic process. Decreasing the size of the confined microvolume of polyelectrolyte capsules accelerates the NO(3-) photoreduction, which is a limiting stage of the urea photosynthesis and, correspondingly, increases the efficiency of urea production. The highest yield of urea photosynthesis (37%) was achieved for Cu-modified TiO2 nanoparticles encapsulated inside 2.2 microm poly(styrene sulfonate)/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) capsules.

  4. Alternative hot spot formation techniques using liquid deuterium-tritium layer inertial confinement fusion capsules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Olson, R. E.; Leeper, R. J.

    2013-09-27

    The baseline DT ice layer inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition capsule design requires a hot spot convergence ratio of ~34 with a hot spot that is formed from DT mass originally residing in a very thin layer at the inner DT ice surface. In the present paper, we propose alternative ICF capsule designs in which the hot spot is formed mostly or entirely from mass originating within a spherical volume of DT vapor. Simulations of the implosion and hot spot formation in two DT liquid layer ICF capsule concepts—the DT wetted hydrocarbon (CH) foam concept and the “fast formed liquid”more » (FFL) concept—are described and compared to simulations of standard DT ice layer capsules. 1D simulations are used to compare the drive requirements, the optimal shock timing, the radial dependence of hot spot specific energy gain, and the hot spot convergence ratio in low vapor pressure (DT ice) and high vapor pressure (DT liquid) capsules. 2D simulations are used to compare the relative sensitivities to low-mode x-ray flux asymmetries in the DT ice and DT liquid capsules. It is found that the overall thermonuclear yields predicted for DT liquid layer capsules are less than yields predicted for DT ice layer capsules in simulations using comparable capsule size and absorbed energy. However, the wetted foam and FFL designs allow for flexibility in hot spot convergence ratio through the adjustment of the initial cryogenic capsule temperature and, hence, DT vapor density, with a potentially improved robustness to low-mode x-ray flux asymmetry.« less

  5. Mitigate the tent-induced perturbation in ignition capsules by supersonic radiation propagation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dai, Zhensheng; Gu, Jianfa; Zheng, Wudi

    2017-10-01

    In the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) scheme, to trap the alpha particle products of the D-T reaction, the capsules needs to be imploded and compressed with high symmetry In the laser indirect drive scheme, the capsules are held at the center of high-Z hohlraums by thin membranes (tents). However, the tents are recognized as one of the most important contributors to hot spot asymmetries, areal density perturbations and reduced performance. To improve the capsule implosion performance, various alternatives such as the micro-scale rods, a larger fill-tube and a low-density foam layer around the capsule have been presented. Our simulations show that the radiation propagates supersonically in the low-density foam layer and starts to ablate the capsule before the perturbations induced by the tents reach the ablating fronts. The tent induced perturbations are remarkably weakened when they are propagating in the blow-off plasma.

  6. High-capacity and security molecular capsule transporters.

    PubMed

    Visessamit, Jakkapol; Kulsirirat, Kathawut; Yupapin, Preecha P

    2015-01-01

    Multiwavelength optical capsules can be generated and controlled by using soliton/Gaussian pulses within a nonlinear device system known as a "PANDA" ring circuit and system. The security of molecule/drug transportation can be formed by the strong coupling of soliton-like pulse, where the high-capacity optical capsules can be formed using the multiwavelength solitons, which can be a good advantage and combination of drug delivery to the required targets. Moreover, the multiple access of drug delivery can be formed using the optical networks, which allows the use of various drug molecules with variety of diagnosis and therapeutic applications.

  7. Ballistic Range Testing of the Mars Exploration Rover Entry Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenenberger, Mark; Hathaway, Wayne; Yates, Leslie; Desai, Prasun

    2005-01-01

    Results from a 25 shot ballistic range test of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) aeroshell are presented. The supersonic pitch damping properties of the MER capsule were characterized between Mach = 1.5 and Mach = 3.5 and total angles-of-attack from 0 degrees to greater than 25 degrees. Three capsule center-of-gravity positions were tested across this range of conditions, 0.27, 0.30 and 0.33 body diameters aft of the nose. Parameter identification results show that the capsule is dynamically unstable at low angles-of-attack across the Mach numbers tested, with instability increasing with lower speeds. This dynamic instability was seen to increase with aft center-of-gravity movement. The MER outer mold line was very similar to the successful Mars Pathfinder capsule with only minor modifications. Pathfinder relied on Viking forced oscillation data for preflight predictions. The pitch damping data calculated from this test program are shown to more accurately reproduce the measured Path finder flight data.

  8. Fabrication of novel silicone capsules with tunable mechanical properties by microfluidic techniques.

    PubMed

    Vilanova, Neus; Rodríguez-Abreu, Carlos; Fernández-Nieves, Alberto; Solans, Conxita

    2013-06-12

    A novel approach for the synthesis of silicone capsules using double W/O/W emulsions as templates is introduced. The low viscosity of the silicone precursors enables the use of microfluidic techniques to accurately control the size and morphology of the double emulsion droplets, which after cross-linking result in the desired monodisperse silicone capsules. Their shell thickness can be finely tuned, which in turn allows control over their permeability and mechanical properties; the latter are particularly important in a variety of practical applications where the capsules are subjected to large external forces. The potential of these capsules for controlled release is also demonstrated using a model hydrophilic substance.

  9. A hydrogel capsule as gate dielectric in flexible organic field-effect transistors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dumitru, L. M.; Manoli, K.; Magliulo, M.

    2015-01-01

    A jellified alginate based capsule serves as biocompatible and biodegradable electrolyte system to gate an organic field-effect transistor fabricated on a flexible substrate. Such a system allows operating thiophene based polymer transistors below 0.5 V through an electrical double layer formed across an ion-permeable polymeric electrolyte. Moreover, biological macro-molecules such as glucose-oxidase and streptavidin can enter into the gating capsules that serve also as delivery system. An enzymatic bio-reaction is shown to take place in the capsule and preliminary results on the measurement of the electronic responses promise for low-cost, low-power, flexible electronic bio-sensing applications using capsule-gated organic field-effect transistors.

  10. Relative bioavailability of tizanidine hydrochloride capsule formulation compared with capsule contents administered in applesauce: a single-dose, open-label, randomized, two-way, crossover study in fasted healthy adult subjects.

    PubMed

    Henney, Herbert R; Fitzpatrick, Anthony; Stewart, Johnston; Runyan, Jacob D

    2008-12-01

    The alpha2-adrenergic agonist tizanidine has been reported to have a narrow therapeutic index. A multiparticulate capsule formulation of tizanidine has been developed in an attempt to improve patient tolerability. This study assessed bioequivalence between a single, intact, 6-mg capsule of tizanidine and the capsule contents sprinkled in applesauce in fasted healthy subjects. Healthy male and female subjects aged 18 to 45 years completed 2 treatment periods: one with a tizanidine 6-mg capsule administered intact and the other with capsule contents sprinkled in applesauce. The 2 treatment periods had a 6-day washout period between administrations. Plasma tizanidine concentrations were determined for blood samples collected over 24 hours after administration. All treatment-emergent adverse events were recorded and graded by intensity and relationship to the study drug (not, improbable, possible, probable, definite) by the attending physician based on his or her clinical impression. A total of 19 men and 9 women (mean age, 26 years) completed the trial. Geometric mean natural logarithm-transformed AUC values (AUC(0-infinity) [AUC to infinity] and AUC(0-t) [AUC to the last measurable time point]) and C(max) ratios were significantly (P capsule reporting 18 events and 11 subjects (39%) with the sprinkled contents reporting 13 events. No serious adverse events or deaths were reported, and no subjects were discontinued due to adverse events. The contents of the tizanidine capsule sprinkled in applesauce were not bioequivalent to the intact 6-mg capsule in these fasted healthy

  11. Capsule endoscopy in pediatrics: a 10-years journey.

    PubMed

    Oliva, Salvatore; Cohen, Stanley A; Di Nardo, Giovanni; Gualdi, Gianfranco; Cucchiara, Salvatore; Casciani, Emanuele

    2014-11-28

    Video capsule endoscopy (CE) for evaluation the esophagus (ECE), small bowel (SBCE) and the colon (CCE) is particularly useful in pediatrics, because this imaging modality does not require ionizing radiation, deep sedation or general anesthesia. The risk of capsule retention appears to be dependent on indication rather than age and parallels the adult experience by indication, making SBCE a relatively safe procedure with a significant diagnostic yield. The newest indication, assessment of mucosal change, greatly enhances and expands its potential benefit. The diagnostic role of CE extends beyond the SB. The use of ECE also may enhance our knowledge of esophageal disease and assist patient care. Colon CCE is a novel minimally invasive and painless endoscopic technique allowing exploration of the colon without need for sedation, rectal intubation and gas insufflation. The limited data on ECE and CCE in pediatrics does not yet allow the same conclusions regarding efficacy; however, both appear to provide safe methods to assess and monitor mucosal change in their respective areas with little discomfort. Moreover, although experience has been limited, the patency capsule may help lessen the potential of capsule retention; and newly researched protocols for bowel cleaning may further enhance CE's diagnostic yield. However, further research is needed to optimize the use of the various CE procedures in pediatric populations.

  12. Thin film drainage between pre-inflated capsules or vesicles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Keh, Martin; Walter, Johann; Leal, Gary

    2013-11-01

    Capsules and vesicles are often used as vehicles to carry active ingredients or fragrance in drug delivery and consumer products and oftentimes in these applications the particles may be pre-inflated due to the existence of a small osmotic pressure difference between the interior and exterior fluid. We study the dynamics of thin film drainage between capsules and vesicles in flow as it is crucial to fusion and deposition of the particles and, therefore, the stability and effectiveness of the products. Simulations are conducted using a numerical model coupling the boundary integral method for the motion of the fluids and a finite element method for the membrane mechanics. For low capillary numbers, the drainage behavior of vesicles and capsules are approximately the same, and also similar to that of drops as the flow-independent and uniform tension due to pre-inflation dominates. The tension due to deformation caused by flow will become more important as the strength of the external flow (i.e. the capillary number) increases. In this case, the shapes of the thin film region are fundamentally different for capsules and vesicles, and the drainage behavior in both cases differs from a drop. Funded by P&G.

  13. Pneumococcal Capsules and Their Types: Past, Present, and Future

    PubMed Central

    Geno, K. Aaron; Gilbert, Gwendolyn L.; Song, Joon Young; Skovsted, Ian C.; Klugman, Keith P.; Jones, Christopher; Konradsen, Helle B.

    2015-01-01

    SUMMARY Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen. Its virulence is largely due to its polysaccharide capsule, which shields it from the host immune system, and because of this, the capsule has been extensively studied. Studies of the capsule led to the identification of DNA as the genetic material, identification of many different capsular serotypes, and identification of the serotype-specific nature of protection by adaptive immunity. Recent studies have led to the determination of capsular polysaccharide structures for many serotypes using advanced analytical technologies, complete elucidation of genetic basis for the capsular types, and the development of highly effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Conjugate vaccine use has altered the serotype distribution by either serotype replacement or switching, and this has increased the need to serotype pneumococci. Due to great advances in molecular technologies and our understanding of the pneumococcal genome, molecular approaches have become powerful tools to predict pneumococcal serotypes. In addition, more-precise and -efficient serotyping methods that directly detect polysaccharide structures are emerging. These improvements in our capabilities will greatly enhance future investigations of pneumococcal epidemiology and diseases and the biology of colonization and innate immunity to pneumococcal capsules. PMID:26085553

  14. A probabilistic method for determining the volume fraction of pre-embedded capsules in self-healing materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lv, Zhong; Chen, Huisu

    2014-10-01

    Autonomous healing of cracks using pre-embedded capsules containing healing agent is becoming a promising approach to restore the strength of damaged structures. In addition to the material properties, the size and volume fraction of capsules influence crack healing in the matrix. Understanding the crack and capsule interaction is critical in the development and design of structures made of self-healing materials. Assuming that the pre-embedded capsules are randomly dispersed we theoretically model flat ellipsoidal crack interaction with capsules and determine the probability of a crack intersecting the pre-embedded capsules i.e. the self-healing probability. We also develop a probabilistic model of a crack simultaneously meeting with capsules and catalyst carriers in two-component self-healing system matrix. Using a risk-based healing approach, we determine the volume fraction and size of the pre-embedded capsules that are required to achieve a certain self-healing probability. To understand the effect of the shape of the capsules on self-healing we theoretically modeled crack interaction with spherical and cylindrical capsules. We compared the results of our theoretical model with Monte-Carlo simulations of crack interaction with capsules. The formulae presented in this paper will provide guidelines for engineers working with self-healing structures in material selection and sustenance.

  15. Colon Capsule Endoscopy for the Detection of Colorectal Polyps: An Economic Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Palimaka, Stefan; Blackhouse, Gord; Goeree, Ron

    2015-01-01

    Background Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Ontario. Most cases of colorectal cancer are preventable through early diagnosis and the removal of precancerous polyps. Colon capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive test for detecting colorectal polyps. Objectives The objectives of this analysis were to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and the impact on the Ontario health budget of implementing colon capsule endoscopy for detecting advanced colorectal polyps among adult patients who have been referred for computed tomographic (CT) colonography. Methods We performed an original cost-effectiveness analysis to assess the additional cost of CT colonography and colon capsule endoscopy resulting from misdiagnoses. We generated diagnostic accuracy data from a clinical evidence-based analysis (reported separately), and we developed a deterministic Markov model to estimate the additional long-term costs and life-years lost due to false-negative results. We then also performed a budget impact analysis using data from Ontario administrative sources. One-year costs were estimated for CT colonography and colon capsule endoscopy (replacing all CT colonography procedures, and replacing only those CT colonography procedures in patients with an incomplete colonoscopy within the previous year). We conducted this analysis from the payer perspective. Results Using the point estimates of diagnostic accuracy from the head-to-head study between colon capsule endoscopy and CT colonography, we found the additional cost of false-positive results for colon capsule endoscopy to be $0.41 per patient, while additional false-negatives for the CT colonography arm generated an added cost of $116 per patient, with 0.0096 life-years lost per patient due to cancer. This results in an additional cost of $26,750 per life-year gained for colon capsule endoscopy compared with CT colonography. The total 1-year cost to replace all CT colonography procedures with colon capsule

  16. Alternative hot spot formation techniques using liquid deuterium-tritium layer inertial confinement fusion capsules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Olson, R. E.; Leeper, R. J.

    2013-09-15

    The baseline DT ice layer inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition capsule design requires a hot spot convergence ratio of ∼34 with a hot spot that is formed from DT mass originally residing in a very thin layer at the inner DT ice surface. In the present paper, we propose alternative ICF capsule designs in which the hot spot is formed mostly or entirely from mass originating within a spherical volume of DT vapor. Simulations of the implosion and hot spot formation in two DT liquid layer ICF capsule concepts—the DT wetted hydrocarbon (CH) foam concept and the “fast formed liquid”more » (FFL) concept—are described and compared to simulations of standard DT ice layer capsules. 1D simulations are used to compare the drive requirements, the optimal shock timing, the radial dependence of hot spot specific energy gain, and the hot spot convergence ratio in low vapor pressure (DT ice) and high vapor pressure (DT liquid) capsules. 2D simulations are used to compare the relative sensitivities to low-mode x-ray flux asymmetries in the DT ice and DT liquid capsules. It is found that the overall thermonuclear yields predicted for DT liquid layer capsules are less than yields predicted for DT ice layer capsules in simulations using comparable capsule size and absorbed energy. However, the wetted foam and FFL designs allow for flexibility in hot spot convergence ratio through the adjustment of the initial cryogenic capsule temperature and, hence, DT vapor density, with a potentially improved robustness to low-mode x-ray flux asymmetry.« less

  17. Application of Bio-digestion for Capsule Gelatin-- From the Pharmaceutical Wastes to the Manure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, C.; Huang, S.; Chang, Y.; Wen, J.

    2013-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to bio-digest the capsule gelatin from the waste of pharmaceutical processes such as cutting and stamping for capsule shells producing. We screened soil bacterial flora for capsule gelatin biolysis, and found the most competent one named Yuntech-7. A 15% (w/w) of capsule gelatin could fully digested by Yuntech-7 for 3 days growth with an N-limited medium in a 37°C incubator. In order to recycle and reuse the gelatin waste, the different percentages of capsule gelatin were co-composted with the vegetable residues to produce manure in an anaerobic fermentation by an extra Yuntech-7 inoculation. After 14 days incubation, we collected the filtrate to examine the contents of N, P, and K. The data shows that the P and K keep the same value by roughly between the blank and the control sets, but the total N values were approximately a 5-fold increase in 20% and a 10-fold increase in 40% of capsule gelatin integrated. We suggested that the capsule gelatin was majorly decomposed by Yuntech-7, because the total N value was no observable change in the capsule gelatin and vegetable residues co-compost with a Yuntech-7-free condition. We also performed some field tests using the capsule gelatin generated liquid manure, and the preliminary test shows the plants got great benefits on culture size and in environmental resistance. In conclusion, the process in bio-digestion of waste capsule gelatin by soil bacteria, Yuntech-7, was produced a valuable manure not only aliment the plants but also complement the soil bacterial populations.

  18. Generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly via hybrid polymer capsules for bioimaging applications.

    PubMed

    Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

    2012-01-01

    Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the 'as prepared' nanoparticles without 'further surface modification' in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb(3+) was observed after internalization of LaF(3):Tb(3+)(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification.

  19. Generic Delivery of Payload of Nanoparticles Intracellularly via Hybrid Polymer Capsules for Bioimaging Applications

    PubMed Central

    Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K.; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

    2012-01-01

    Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the ‘as prepared’ nanoparticles without ‘further surface modification’ in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb3+ was observed after internalization of LaF3:Tb3+(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification. PMID:22649489

  20. Prevalence and risk factors of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder after breast cancer treatment.

    PubMed

    Yang, Seoyon; Park, Dae Hwan; Ahn, Sei Hyun; Kim, Jisun; Lee, Jong Won; Han, Jun Young; Kim, Dong Kyu; Jeon, Jae Yong; Choi, Kyoung Hyo; Kim, Won

    2017-04-01

    The present study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder in breast cancer patients between 13 and 18 months after surgery. This study included 271 women who underwent surgery for breast cancer with a postoperative period of 13-18 months. Current adhesive capsulitis was defined as restriction of external rotation and one or more additional directional restrictions with history of shoulder pain. Cumulative adhesive capsulitis was defined as current adhesive capsulitis or a previous history of adhesive capsulitis after breast cancer surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine associations between current or cumulative adhesive capsulitis and potential risk factors. Among the 271 study patients, 28 (10.3%) and 21 (7.7%) had cumulative or current adhesive capsulitis, respectively. The incidences of cumulative and current adhesive capsulitis were higher in those aged 50-59 years (odds ratio [OR], 9.912; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.790-54.880; and OR, 12.395; 95% CI, 1.187-129.444, respectively) and those who underwent mastectomy (OR, 6.805; 95% CI, 1.800-25.733; and OR, 9.645; 95% CI, 2.075-44.829, respectively) or mastectomy with reconstruction (OR, 13.122; 95% CI, 2.488-69.218; and OR, 20.075; 95% CI, 2.873-140.261, respectively). Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder is a common problem after breast cancer treatment. An age of 50-59 years and mastectomy are major risk factors for adhesive capsulitis, and breast reconstruction additionally increases the risk. Patients with these risk factors require greater attention for early diagnosis and proper treatment.

  1. Design and testing of tubular polymeric capsules for self-healing of concrete

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Araújo, M.; Van Tittelboom, K.; Feiteira, J.; Gruyaert, E.; Chatrabhuti, S.; Raquez, J.-M.; Šavija, B.; Alderete, N.; Schlangen, E.; De Belie, N.

    2017-10-01

    Polymeric healing agents have proven their efficiency to heal cracks in concrete in an autonomous way. However, the bottleneck for valorisation of self-healing concrete with polymeric healing agents is their encapsulation. In the present work, the suitability of polymeric materials such as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as carriers for healing agents in self-healing concrete has been evaluated. The durability of the polymeric capsules in different environments (demineralized water, salt water and simulated concrete pore solution) and their compatibility with various healing agents have been assessed. Next, a numerical model was used to simulate capsule rupture when intersected by a crack in concrete and validated experimentally. Finally, two real-scale self-healing concrete beams were made, containing the selected polymeric capsules (with the best properties regarding resistance to concrete mixing and breakage upon crack formation) or glass capsules and a reference beam without capsules. The self-healing efficiency was determined after crack creation by 3-point-bending tests.

  2. Floating capsules containing alginate-based beads of salbutamol sulfate: In vitro-in vivo evaluations.

    PubMed

    Malakar, Jadupati; Datta, Prabir Kumar; Purakayastha, Saikat Das; Dey, Sanjay; Nayak, Amit Kumar

    2014-03-01

    The present study deals with the development and evaluations of stomach-specific floating capsules containing salbutamol sulfate-loaded oil-entrapped alginate-based beads. Salbutamol sulfate-loaded oil-entrapped beads were prepared and capsulated within hard gelatin capsules (size 1). The effects of HPMC K4M and potato starch weight masses on drug encapsulation efficiency (DEE) of beads and cumulative drug release at 10h (R10 h) from capsules was analyzed by 3(2) factorial design. The optimization results indicate increasing of DEE in the oil-entrapped beads and decreasing R10 h from capsules with increment of HPMC K4M and potato starch weight masses. The optimized formulation showed DEE of 70.02 ± 3.16% and R10 h of 56.96 ± 2.92%. These capsules showed floatation over 6h and sustained drug release over 10h in gastric pH (1.2). In vivo X-ray imaging study of optimized floating capsules in rabbits showed stomach-specific gastroretention over a prolonged period. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Bioavailability study of dronabinol oral solution versus dronabinol capsules in healthy volunteers

    PubMed Central

    Parikh, Neha; Kramer, William G; Khurana, Varun; Cognata Smith, Christina; Vetticaden, Santosh

    2016-01-01

    Background Dronabinol, a pharmaceutical Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, was originally developed as an oral capsule. This study evaluated the bioavailability of a new formulation, dronabinol oral solution, versus a dronabinol capsule formulation. Methods In an open-label, four-period, single-dose, crossover study, healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two treatment sequences (T-R-T-R and R-T-R-T; T = dronabinol 4.25 mg oral solution and R = dronabinol 5 mg capsule) under fasted conditions, with a minimum 7-day washout period between doses. Analyses were performed on venous blood samples drawn 15 minutes to 48 hours postdose, and dronabinol concentrations were assayed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Results Fifty-one of 52 individuals had pharmacokinetic data for analysis. The 90% confidence interval of the geometric mean ratio (oral solution/capsule) for dronabinol was within the 80%–125% bioequivalence range for area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) from time zero to last measurable concentration (AUC0–t) and AUC from time zero to infinity (AUC0–∞). Maximum plasma concentration was also bioequivalent for the two dronabinol formulations. Intraindividual variability in AUC0–∞ was >60% lower for dronabinol oral solution 4.25 mg versus dronabinol capsule 5 mg. Plasma dronabinol concentrations were detected within 15 minutes postdose in 100% of patients when receiving oral solution and in <25% of patients when receiving capsules. Conclusion Single-dose dronabinol oral solution 4.25 mg was bioequivalent to dronabinol capsule 5 mg under fasted conditions. Dronabinol oral solution formulation may provide an easy-to-swallow administration option with lower intraindividual variability as well as more rapid absorption versus dronabinol capsules. PMID:27785111

  4. Capsule performance optimization in the National Ignition Campaigna)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Landen, O. L.; Boehly, T. R.; Bradley, D. K.; Braun, D. G.; Callahan, D. A.; Celliers, P. M.; Collins, G. W.; Dewald, E. L.; Divol, L.; Glenzer, S. H.; Hamza, A.; Hicks, D. G.; Hoffman, N.; Izumi, N.; Jones, O. S.; Kirkwood, R. K.; Kyrala, G. A.; Michel, P.; Milovich, J.; Munro, D. H.; Nikroo, A.; Olson, R. E.; Robey, H. F.; Spears, B. K.; Thomas, C. A.; Weber, S. V.; Wilson, D. C.; Marinak, M. M.; Suter, L. J.; Hammel, B. A.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Atherton, J.; Edwards, J.; Haan, S. W.; Lindl, J. D.; MacGowan, B. J.; Moses, E. I.

    2010-05-01

    A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [G. H. Miller et al., Nucl. Fusion 44, 228 (2004)] to substantially increase the probability of ignition by laser-driven hohlraums [J. D. Lindl et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 339 (2004)]. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the OMEGA facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition design and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.

  5. Capsule performance optimization in the National Ignition Campaign

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Landen, O. L.; Bradley, D. K.; Braun, D. G.

    2010-05-15

    A capsule performance optimization campaign will be conducted at the National Ignition Facility [G. H. Miller et al., Nucl. Fusion 44, 228 (2004)] to substantially increase the probability of ignition by laser-driven hohlraums [J. D. Lindl et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 339 (2004)]. The campaign will experimentally correct for residual uncertainties in the implosion and hohlraum physics used in our radiation-hydrodynamic computational models before proceeding to cryogenic-layered implosions and ignition attempts. The required tuning techniques using a variety of ignition capsule surrogates have been demonstrated at the OMEGA facility under scaled hohlraum and capsule conditions relevant to the ignition designmore » and shown to meet the required sensitivity and accuracy. In addition, a roll-up of all expected random and systematic uncertainties in setting the key ignition laser and target parameters due to residual measurement, calibration, cross-coupling, surrogacy, and scale-up errors has been derived that meets the required budget.« less

  6. A video-based speed estimation technique for localizing the wireless capsule endoscope inside gastrointestinal tract.

    PubMed

    Bao, Guanqun; Mi, Liang; Geng, Yishuang; Zhou, Mingda; Pahlavan, Kaveh

    2014-01-01

    Wireless Capsule Endoscopy (WCE) is progressively emerging as one of the most popular non-invasive imaging tools for gastrointestinal (GI) tract inspection. As a critical component of capsule endoscopic examination, physicians need to know the precise position of the endoscopic capsule in order to identify the position of intestinal disease. For the WCE, the position of the capsule is defined as the linear distance it is away from certain fixed anatomical landmarks. In order to measure the distance the capsule has traveled, a precise knowledge of how fast the capsule moves is urgently needed. In this paper, we present a novel computer vision based speed estimation technique that is able to extract the speed of the endoscopic capsule by analyzing the displacements between consecutive frames. The proposed approach is validated using a virtual testbed as well as the real endoscopic images. Results show that the proposed method is able to precisely estimate the speed of the endoscopic capsule with 93% accuracy on average, which enhances the localization accuracy of the WCE to less than 2.49 cm.

  7. Constraints on oxygen fugacity within metal capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faul, Ulrich H.; Cline, Christopher J., II; Berry, Andrew; Jackson, Ian; Garapić, Gordana

    2018-06-01

    Experiments were conducted with olivine encapsulated or wrapped in five different metals (Pt, Ni, Ni_{70}Fe_{30}, Fe, and Re) to determine the oxygen fugacity in the interior of large capsules used for deformation and seismic property experiments. Temperature (1200°C), pressure (300 MPa), and duration (24 h) were chosen to represent the most common conditions in these experiments. The oxygen fugacity was determined by analysing the Fe content of initially pure Pt particles that were mixed with the olivine powder prior to the experiments. Oxygen fugacities in the more oxidizing metal containers are substantially below their respective metal-oxide buffers, with the fO_2 of sol-gel olivine in Ni about 2.5 orders of magnitude below Ni-NiO. Analysis of olivine and metal blebs reveals three different length-, and hence diffusive time scales: (1) Fe loss to the capsule over ˜ 100 μ m, (2) fO_2 gradients at the sample-capsule interface up to 2 mm into the sample, and (3) constant interior fO_2 values with an ordering corresponding to the capsule material. The inferred diffusive processes are: Fe diffusion in olivine with a diffusivity ˜ 10^{-14} m^2/s, diffusion possibly of oxygen along grain boundaries with a diffusivity ˜ 10^{-12} m^2/s, and diffusion possibly involving pre-existing defects with a diffusivity ˜ 10^{-10} m^2/s. The latter, fast adjustment to changing fO_2 may consist of a rearrangement of pre-existing defects, representing a metastable equilibrium, analogous to decoration of pre-existing defects by hydrogen. Full adjustment to the external fO_2 requires atomic diffusion.

  8. An optimized methodology to analyze biopolymer capsules by environmental scanning electron microscopy.

    PubMed

    Conforto, Egle; Joguet, Nicolas; Buisson, Pierre; Vendeville, Jean-Eudes; Chaigneau, Carine; Maugard, Thierry

    2015-02-01

    The aim of this paper is to describe an optimized methodology to study the surface characteristics and internal structure of biopolymer capsules using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in environmental mode. The main advantage of this methodology is that no preparation is required and, significantly, no metallic coverage is deposited on the surface of the specimen, thus preserving the original capsule shape and its surface morphology. This avoids introducing preparation artefacts which could modify the capsule surface and mask information concerning important feature like porosities or roughness. Using this method gelatin and mainly fatty coatings, difficult to be analyzed by standard SEM technique, unambiguously show fine details of their surface morphology without damage. Furthermore, chemical contrast is preserved in backscattered electron images of unprepared samples, allowing visualizing the internal organization of the capsule, the quality of the envelope, etc... This study provides pointers on how to obtain optimal conditions for the analysis of biological or sensitive material, as this is not always studied using appropriate techniques. A reliable evaluation of the parameters used in capsule elaboration for research and industrial applications, as well as that of capsule functionality is provided by this methodology, which is essential for the technological progress in this domain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Gemini Capsule and Rendezvous Docking Simulator

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1962-12-19

    Practicing with a full-scale model of the Gemini Capsule in Langley's Rendezvous Docking Simulator. -- Caption and photograph published in Winds of Change, 75th Anniversary NASA publication, (page 89), by James Schultz.

  10. Aerodynamics for the Mars Phoenix Entry Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edquist, Karl T.; Desai, Prasun N.; Schoenenberger, Mark

    2008-01-01

    Pre-flight aerodynamics data for the Mars Phoenix entry capsule are presented. The aerodynamic coefficients were generated as a function of total angle-of-attack and either Knudsen number, velocity, or Mach number, depending on the flight regime. The database was constructed using continuum flowfield computations and data from the Mars Exploration Rover and Viking programs. Hypersonic and supersonic static coefficients were derived from Navier-Stokes solutions on a pre-flight design trajectory. High-altitude data (free-molecular and transitional regimes) and dynamic pitch damping characteristics were taken from Mars Exploration Rover analysis and testing. Transonic static coefficients from Viking wind tunnel tests were used for capsule aerodynamics under the parachute. Static instabilities were predicted at two points along the reference trajectory and were verified by reconstructed flight data. During the hypersonic instability, the capsule was predicted to trim at angles as high as 2.5 deg with an on-axis center-of-gravity. Trim angles were predicted for off-nominal pitching moment (4.2 deg peak) and a 5 mm off-axis center-ofgravity (4.8 deg peak). Finally, hypersonic static coefficient sensitivities to atmospheric density were predicted to be within uncertainty bounds.

  11. Posterior Capsule Opacification After Phacoemulsification: Annual Review.

    PubMed

    Vasavada, Abhay R; Praveen, Mamidipudi R

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to provide a clinical update on posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after phacoemulsification by reviewing the literature from the last 12 months. This article is a literature review. The authors conducted a 1-year literature search in the English language on PCO using PubMed. The period used to conduct the literature search was from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2014. The following search terms were used during the PubMed search: phacoemulsification, microcoaxial incision, posterior capsule opacification, long-term evaluation of intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, IOL edge design and material, surgical technique, anterior capsule overlap on the IOL optic, diabetes mellitus, myopia, pseudoexfoliation, retinitis pigmentosa, uveitis, and neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser capsulotomy. This review incorporates original articles that provided fresh insights and updates on PCO. Particular attention was paid to observational, randomized, controlled clinical trials, as well as analyses of larger cohorts with a prospective and retrospective study design. Letters to the editor, unpublished works, experimental trials and abstracts were not considered. This annual review provides a brief update on PCO that might be of interest to the practicing clinical ophthalmologist.

  12. Using HT and DT gamma rays to diagnose mix in Omega capsule implosions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Schmitt, M. J.; Herrmann, H. W.; Kim, Y. H.

    Experimental evidence [1] indicates that shell material can be driven into the core of Omega capsule implosions on the same time scale as the initial convergent shock. It has been hypothesized that shock-generated temperatures at the fuel/shell interface in thin exploding pusher capsules diffusively drives shell material into the gas core between the time of shock passage and bang time. Here, we propose a method to temporally resolve and observe the evolution of shell material into the capsule core as a function of fuel/shell interface temperature (which can be varied by varying the capsule shell thickness). Our proposed method usesmore » a CD plastic capsule filled with 50/50 HT gas and diagnosed using gas Cherenkov detection (GCD) to temporally resolve both the HT "clean" and DT "mix" gamma ray burn histories. Simulations using Hydra [2] for an Omega CD-lined capsule with a sub-micron layer of the inside surface of the shell pre-mixed into a fraction of the gas region produce gamma reaction history profiles that are sensitive to the depth to which this material is mixed. Furthermore, we observe these differences as a function of capsule shell thickness is proposed to determine if interface mixing is consistent with thermal diffusion λ ii~T 2/Z 2ρ at the gas/shell interface. Finally, since hydrodynamic mixing from shell perturbations, such as the mounting stalk and glue, could complicate these types of capsule-averaged temporal measurements, simulations including their effects also have been performed showing minimal perturbation of the hot spot geometry.« less

  13. Using HT and DT gamma rays to diagnose mix in Omega capsule implosions

    DOE PAGES

    Schmitt, M. J.; Herrmann, H. W.; Kim, Y. H.; ...

    2016-05-26

    Experimental evidence [1] indicates that shell material can be driven into the core of Omega capsule implosions on the same time scale as the initial convergent shock. It has been hypothesized that shock-generated temperatures at the fuel/shell interface in thin exploding pusher capsules diffusively drives shell material into the gas core between the time of shock passage and bang time. Here, we propose a method to temporally resolve and observe the evolution of shell material into the capsule core as a function of fuel/shell interface temperature (which can be varied by varying the capsule shell thickness). Our proposed method usesmore » a CD plastic capsule filled with 50/50 HT gas and diagnosed using gas Cherenkov detection (GCD) to temporally resolve both the HT "clean" and DT "mix" gamma ray burn histories. Simulations using Hydra [2] for an Omega CD-lined capsule with a sub-micron layer of the inside surface of the shell pre-mixed into a fraction of the gas region produce gamma reaction history profiles that are sensitive to the depth to which this material is mixed. Furthermore, we observe these differences as a function of capsule shell thickness is proposed to determine if interface mixing is consistent with thermal diffusion λ ii~T 2/Z 2ρ at the gas/shell interface. Finally, since hydrodynamic mixing from shell perturbations, such as the mounting stalk and glue, could complicate these types of capsule-averaged temporal measurements, simulations including their effects also have been performed showing minimal perturbation of the hot spot geometry.« less

  14. Using HT and DT gamma rays to diagnose mix in Omega capsule implosions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitt, M. J.; Herrmann, H. W.; Kim, Y. H.; McEvoy, A. M.; Zylstra, A.; Hammel, B. A.; Sepke, S. M.; Leatherland, A.; Gales, S.

    2016-05-01

    Experimental evidence [1] indicates that shell material can be driven into the core of Omega capsule implosions on the same time scale as the initial convergent shock. It has been hypothesized that shock-generated temperatures at the fuel/shell interface in thin exploding pusher capsules diffusively drives shell material into the gas core between the time of shock passage and bang time. We propose a method to temporally resolve and observe the evolution of shell material into the capsule core as a function of fuel/shell interface temperature (which can be varied by varying the capsule shell thickness). Our proposed method uses a CD plastic capsule filled with 50/50 HT gas and diagnosed using gas Cherenkov detection (GCD) to temporally resolve both the HT “clean” and DT “mix” gamma ray burn histories. Simulations using Hydra [2] for an Omega CD-lined capsule with a sub-micron layer of the inside surface of the shell pre-mixed into a fraction of the gas region produce gamma reaction history profiles that are sensitive to the depth to which this material is mixed. An experiment to observe these differences as a function of capsule shell thickness is proposed to determine if interface mixing is consistent with thermal diffusion λii∼T2/Z2ρ at the gas/shell interface. Since hydrodynamic mixing from shell perturbations, such as the mounting stalk and glue, could complicate these types of capsule-averaged temporal measurements, simulations including their effects also have been performed showing minimal perturbation of the hot spot geometry.

  15. The testicular capsule and peritubular tissue of birds: morphometry, histology, ultrastructure and immunohistochemistry.

    PubMed

    Aire, T A; Ozegbe, P C

    2007-06-01

    The testicular capsule was studied histologically, morphometrically, ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically in the Japanese quail, domestic fowl, turkey and duck (all members of the Galloanserae). The testicular capsule was, relative to mammals, thin, being 81.5 +/- 13.7 microm in the quail, 91.7 +/- 6.2 microm in the domestic fowl, 104.5 +/- 29.8 microm in the turkey and 91.8 +/- 18.9 microm in the duck. The orchido-epididymal border (hilus) of the capsule was much thicker than elsewhere in all birds (from 233.7 +/- 50.7 microm in the duck to 550.0 +/- 147.3 microm thick in the turkey). The testicular capsule, other than the tunica serosa and tunica vasculosa, comprised, in the main, smooth muscle-like or myoid cells running mainly in one direction, and disposed in one main mass. Peritubular tissue was similarly composed of smooth muscle-like cells disposed in several layers. Actin and desmin intermediate filaments were immunolocalized in the inner cellular layers of the capsule in the quail, domestic fowl and duck, but uniformly in the turkey. Vimentin intermediate filament immunoreaction in the capsule was moderately and uniformly positive in the testicular capsule of only the quail. Actin and desmin, but not vimentin (except very faintly in the turkey) or cytokeratin, were immunolocalized in the peritubular tissue of all birds. The results therefore establish, or complement, some previous observations that these birds have contractile cells in their testicular capsule and peritubular tissue, whose function probably includes the transport of testicular fluid into the excurrent duct system.

  16. Crossed-swords, capsule-pinch technique for capsulotomy in pediatric and/or loose lens cataract extraction.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Michael E; Lindsell, Luke B

    2010-02-01

    Puncturing the anterior capsule in a patient with a very soft lens, an elastic capsule, and/or deficient zonular countertraction can be challenging even with a sharp needle or blade. The crossed-swords, capsule-pinch technique capitalizes on opposing forces from 2 needles directed toward each other with a "pinch" of the capsule between their tips. This affords a controlled and facile puncture of the capsule without creating stress on the zonules or anteroposterior displacement of the lens. Copyright 2010 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. A pilot trial of ambulatory monitoring of gastric motility using a modified magnetic capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hee Man; Choi, Ja Sung; Cho, Jae Hee

    2014-04-30

    The magnetic capsule endoscope has been modified to be fixed inside the stomach and to monitor the gastric motility. This pilot trial was designed to investigate the feasibility of the magnetic capsule endoscope for monitoring gastric motility. The magnetic capsule endoscope was swallowed by the healthy volunteer and maneuvered by the external magnet on his abdomen surface inside the stomach. The magnetic capsule endoscope transmitted image of gastric peristalsis. This simple trial suggested that the real-time ambulatory monitoring of gastric motility should be feasible by using the magnetic capsule endoscope.

  18. Semisolid matrix filled capsules: an approach to improve dissolution stability of phenytoin sodium formulation.

    PubMed

    El Massik, M A; Abdallah, O Y; Galal, S; Daabis, N A

    2003-05-01

    Seven semisolid fill bases were selected for the formulation of 24 capsule formulations, each containing 100 mg of phenytoin sodium. The fill materials were selected based on the water absorption capacity of their mixtures with phenytoin sodium. The fill matrices included lipophilic bases (castor oil, soya oil, and Gelucire (G) 33/01), amphiphilic bases (G 44/14 and Suppocire BP), and water-soluble bases (PEG 4000 and PEG 6000). The drug:base ratio was 1:2. Excipients such as lecithin, docusate sodium, and poloxamer 188 were added to some formulations. The dissolution rate study indicated that formulations containing lipophilic and amphiphilic bases showed the best release profiles. These are F4 (castor oil-1% docusate sodium); F10 (castor oil-3% poloxamer 188); F14 (G33/01-10% lecithin); F17 (G33/01-1% docusate sodium), and F20 (Suppocire BP). Further, the dissolution stability of the five formulations above was assessed by an accelerated stability study at 30 degrees C and 75% RH using standard Epanutin capsules for comparison. The study included the test and standard capsules either packed in the container of marketed Epanutin capsules (packed) or removed from their outer pack (unpacked). Release data indicated superior release rates of castor oil based formulations (F4 and F10) relative to standard capsules in both the unpacked and packed forms. For instance, the extent of drug release at 30 min after 1 month was 91% for F4 and F10 and 20% for standard capsules. Drug release from packed capsules after 6 months storage was 88% for both formulations F4 and F10 and 35% for standard capsules. In conclusion, the pharmaceutical quality of phenytoin sodium capsules can be improved by using a semisolid lipophilic matrix filled in hard gelatin capsules.

  19. Effect of small bowel preparation with simethicone on capsule endoscopy.

    PubMed

    Fang, You-hong; Chen, Chun-xiao; Zhang, Bing-ling

    2009-01-01

    Capsule endoscopy is a novel non-invasive method for visualization of the entire small bowel. The diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy depends on the quality of visualization of the small bowel mucosa and its complete passage through the small bowel. To date, there is no standardized protocol for bowel preparation before capsule endoscopy. The addition of simethicone in the bowel preparation for the purpose of reducing air bubbles in the intestinal lumen had only been studied by a few investigators. Sixty-four participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive a bowel preparation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution (Group 1) and both PEG solution and simethicone (Group 2). The PEG solution and simethicone were taken the night before and 20 min prior to capsule endoscopy, respectively. Frames taken in the small intestine were examined and scored for luminal bubbles by two professional capsule endoscopists. Gastric emptying time and small bowel transit time were also recorded. Simethicone significantly reduced luminal bubbles both in the proximal and distal small intestines. The mean time proportions with slight bubbles in the proximal and distal intestines in Group 2 were 97.1% and 99.0%, respectively, compared with 67.2% (P<0.001) and 68.8% (P<0.001) in Group 1. Simethicone had no effect on mean gastric emptying time, 32.08 min in Group 2 compared with 30.88 min in Group 1 (P=0.868), but it did increase mean small intestinal transit time from 227.28 to 281.84 min (P=0.003). Bowel preparation with both PEG and simethicone significantly reduced bubbles in the intestinal lumen and improved the visualization of the small bowel by capsule endoscopy without any side effects observed.

  20. Effect of small bowel preparation with simethicone on capsule endoscopy*

    PubMed Central

    Fang, You-hong; Chen, Chun-xiao; Zhang, Bing-ling

    2009-01-01

    Background: Capsule endoscopy is a novel non-invasive method for visualization of the entire small bowel. The diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy depends on the quality of visualization of the small bowel mucosa and its complete passage through the small bowel. To date, there is no standardized protocol for bowel preparation before capsule endoscopy. The addition of simethicone in the bowel preparation for the purpose of reducing air bubbles in the intestinal lumen had only been studied by a few investigators. Methods: Sixty-four participants were randomly divided into two groups to receive a bowel preparation of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution (Group 1) and both PEG solution and simethicone (Group 2). The PEG solution and simethicone were taken the night before and 20 min prior to capsule endoscopy, respectively. Frames taken in the small intestine were examined and scored for luminal bubbles by two professional capsule endoscopists. Gastric emptying time and small bowel transit time were also recorded. Results: Simethicone significantly reduced luminal bubbles both in the proximal and distal small intestines. The mean time proportions with slight bubbles in the proximal and distal intestines in Group 2 were 97.1% and 99.0%, respectively, compared with 67.2% (P<0.001) and 68.8% (P<0.001) in Group 1. Simethicone had no effect on mean gastric emptying time, 32.08 min in Group 2 compared with 30.88 min in Group 1 (P=0.868), but it did increase mean small intestinal transit time from 227.28 to 281.84 min (P=0.003). Conclusion: Bowel preparation with both PEG and simethicone significantly reduced bubbles in the intestinal lumen and improved the visualization of the small bowel by capsule endoscopy without any side effects observed. PMID:19198022

  1. Meandered conformal antenna for ISM-band ingestible capsule communication systems.

    PubMed

    Arefin, Md Shamsul; Redoute, Jean-Michel; Yuce, Mehmet Rasit

    2016-08-01

    The wireless capsule has been used to measure physiological parameters in the gastrointestinal tract where communication from in-body to external receiver is necessary using a miniaturized antenna with high gain and onmidirectional radiation pattern. This paper presents a meandered conformal antenna with center frequency of 433 MHz for a wireless link between an in-body capsule system and an ex-body receiver system. The antenna is wrapped around the wireless capsule, which provides extra space for other circuits and sensors inside the capsule as well as allows it having larger dimensions compared to inner antennas. This paper analyses return loss, radiation pattern, antenna gain, and propagation loss using pork as the gastrointestinal tissue simulating medium. From the radiation pattern and return loss results, the antenna shows an omni-directional radiation pattern and an ultrawide bandwidth of 124.4 MHz (371.6 to 496 MHz) for VSWR <; 2. Experimental results shows that the path loss is 17.24 dB for an in-body propagation distance of 140 mm.

  2. Permeation fill-tube design for inertial confinement fusion target capsules

    DOE PAGES

    Rice, B. S.; Ulreich, J.; Fella, C.; ...

    2017-03-22

    A unique approach for permeation filling of nonpermeable inertial confinement fusion target capsules with deuterium–tritium (DT) is presented. This process uses a permeable capsule coupled into the final target capsule with a 0.03-mm-diameter fill tube. Leak free permeation filling of glow-discharge polymerization (GDP) targets using this method have been successfully demonstrated, as well as ice layering of the target, yielding an inner ice surface roughness of 1-more » $$\\unicode[STIX]{x03BC}$$m rms (root mean square). Finally, the measured DT ice-thickness profile for this experiment was used to validate a thermal model’s prediction of the same thickness profile.« less

  3. Non-contrast MRI diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder.

    PubMed

    Chi, Andrew S; Kim, John; Long, Suzanne S; Morrison, William B; Zoga, Adam C

    To investigate non-contrast MRI findings of clinical adhesive capsulitis. 31 non-contrast, non-arthrographic, shoulder MRIs were evaluated for coracohumeral ligament thickness, rotator interval infiltration, and axillary recess thickening/edema. In detection of adhesive capsulitis, sensitivity is 76.7% and specificity is 53.3% for coracohumeral ligament thickening, sensitivity is 66.7% and specificity is 55.2% for coracohumeral ligament thickening and rotator interval infiltration, and sensitivity is 23.3% and specificity is 86.7% for coracohumeral ligament thickening, rotator interval infiltration, and axillary recess thickening/edema. Adhesive capsulitis can be accurately diagnosed on non-contrast MRI shoulder examinations with appropriate clinical criteria without direct MR arthrography. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. An ultra-low-power image compressor for capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Lin, Meng-Chun; Dung, Lan-Rong; Weng, Ping-Kuo

    2006-02-25

    Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy has been popularly applied for the diagnosis of diseases of the alimentary canal including Crohn's Disease, Celiac disease and other malabsorption disorders, benign and malignant tumors of the small intestine, vascular disorders and medication related small bowel injury. The wireless capsule endoscope has been successfully utilized to diagnose diseases of the small intestine and alleviate the discomfort and pain of patients. However, the resolution of demosaicked image is still low, and some interesting spots may be unintentionally omitted. Especially, the images will be severely distorted when physicians zoom images in for detailed diagnosis. Increasing resolution may cause significant power consumption in RF transmitter; hence, image compression is necessary for saving the power dissipation of RF transmitter. To overcome this drawback, we have been developing a new capsule endoscope, called GICam. We developed an ultra-low-power image compression processor for capsule endoscope or swallowable imaging capsules. In applications of capsule endoscopy, it is imperative to consider battery life/performance trade-offs. Applying state-of-the-art video compression techniques may significantly reduce the image bit rate by their high compression ratio, but they all require intensive computation and consume much battery power. There are many fast compression algorithms for reducing computation load; however, they may result in distortion of the original image, which is not good for use in the medical care. Thus, this paper will first simplify traditional video compression algorithms and propose a scalable compression architecture. As the result, the developed video compressor only costs 31 K gates at 2 frames per second, consumes 14.92 mW, and reduces the video size by 75% at least.

  5. [Design of Adjustable Magnetic Field Generating Device in the Capsule Endoscope Tracking System].

    PubMed

    Ruan, Chao; Guo, Xudong; Yang, Fei

    2015-08-01

    The capsule endoscope swallowed from the mouth into the digestive system can capture the images of important gastrointestinal tract regions. It can compensate for the blind spot of traditional endoscopic techniques. It enables inspection of the digestive system without discomfort or need for sedation. However, currently available clinical capsule endoscope has some limitations such as the diagnostic information being not able to correspond to the orientation in the body, since the doctor is unable to control the capsule motion and orientation. To solve the problem, it is significant to track the position and orientation of the capsule in the human body. This study presents an AC excitation wireless tracking method in the capsule endoscope, and the sensor embedded in the capsule can measure the magnetic field generated by excitation coil. And then the position and orientation of the capsule can be obtained by solving a magnetic field inverse problem. Since the magnetic field decays with distance dramatically, the dynamic range of the received signal spans three orders of magnitude, we designed an adjustable alternating magnetic field generating device. The device can adjust the strength of the alternating magnetic field automatically through the feedback signal from the sensor. The prototype experiment showed that the adjustable magnetic field generating device was feasible. It could realize the automatic adjustment of the magnetic field strength successfully, and improve the tracking accuracy.

  6. A study of properties of "micelle-enhanced" polyelectrolyte capsules: Structure, encapsulation and in vitro release.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaodong; Lu, Tian; Zhang, Jianxiang; Xu, Jiajie; Hu, Qiaoling; Zhao, Shifang; Shen, Jiacong

    2009-07-01

    "Micelle-enhanced" polyelectrolyte capsules were fabricated via a layer-by-layer technique, templated on hybrid calcium carbonate particles with built-in polymeric micelles based on polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid). Due to the presence of a large number of negatively charged micelles inside the polyelectrolyte capsule, which were liberated from templates, the capsule wall was reconstructed and had properties different to those of conventional polyelectrolyte capsules. This type of capsule could selectively entrap positively charged water-soluble substances. The encapsulation efficiency of positively charged substances was dependent on their molecular weight or size. For some positively charged compounds, such as rhodamine B and lysozyme, the concentration in the capsules was orders of magnitude higher than that in the incubation solution. In addition, in vitro release study suggested that the encapsulated compounds could be released through a sustained manner to a certain degree. All these results point to the fact that these capsules might be used as novel delivery systems for some water-soluble compounds.

  7. Pneumococcal Capsules and Their Types: Past, Present, and Future.

    PubMed

    Geno, K Aaron; Gilbert, Gwendolyn L; Song, Joon Young; Skovsted, Ian C; Klugman, Keith P; Jones, Christopher; Konradsen, Helle B; Nahm, Moon H

    2015-07-01

    Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen. Its virulence is largely due to its polysaccharide capsule, which shields it from the host immune system, and because of this, the capsule has been extensively studied. Studies of the capsule led to the identification of DNA as the genetic material, identification of many different capsular serotypes, and identification of the serotype-specific nature of protection by adaptive immunity. Recent studies have led to the determination of capsular polysaccharide structures for many serotypes using advanced analytical technologies, complete elucidation of genetic basis for the capsular types, and the development of highly effective pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Conjugate vaccine use has altered the serotype distribution by either serotype replacement or switching, and this has increased the need to serotype pneumococci. Due to great advances in molecular technologies and our understanding of the pneumococcal genome, molecular approaches have become powerful tools to predict pneumococcal serotypes. In addition, more-precise and -efficient serotyping methods that directly detect polysaccharide structures are emerging. These improvements in our capabilities will greatly enhance future investigations of pneumococcal epidemiology and diseases and the biology of colonization and innate immunity to pneumococcal capsules. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  8. Small-bowel capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected Crohn's disease-diagnostic value and complications.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Pedro; Almeida, Nuno; Lopes, Sandra; Duque, Gabriela; Freire, Paulo; Lérias, Clotilde; Gouveia, Hermano; Sofia, Carlos

    2010-01-01

    The aim of this work was to assess the value of capsule enteroscopy in the diagnosis of patients with suspected Crohn's Disease (CD). Methods. This was a retrospective study in a single tertiary care centre involving patients undergoing capsule enteroscopy for suspected CD. Patients taking nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs during the thirty preceding days or with a follow-up period of less than six months were excluded. Results. Seventy eight patients were included. The endoscopic findings included mucosal breaks in 50%, ulcerated stenosis in 5%, and villous atrophy in 4%. The diagnosis of CD was established in 31 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the endoscopic findings were 93%, 80%, 77%, and 94%, respectively. Capsule retention occurred in four patients (5%). The presence of ulcerated stenosis was significantly more frequent in patients with positive inflammatory markers. The diagnostic yield of capsule enteroscopy in patients with negative ileoscopy was 56%, with a diagnostic acuity of 93%. Small bowel capsule endoscopy is a safe and valid technique for assessing patients with suspected CD. Capsule retention is more frequent in patients with positive inflammatory markers. Patients with negative ileoscopy and suspected CD should be submitted to capsule enteroscopy.

  9. Preshot Predictions for Defect Induced Mix (DIME) Capsules

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bradley, Paul A.; Krasheninnikova, Natalia S.; Tregillis, Ian L.

    2012-07-31

    In this memo, we evaluate the most probable yield and other results for the Defect Induced Mix (DIME-12A) Polar Direct Drive (PDD) capsule-only shots. We evaluate the expected yield, bang time, burn averaged ion temperature, and the average electron temperature of the Ge line-emitting region. We also include synthetic images of the capsule backlit by Cu K-{alpha} emission (8.39 keV) and core self-emission synthetic images. This memo is a companion to the maximum credible yield memo (LA-UR-12-00287) published earlier.

  10. Symptomatic retention of the Agile® patency capsule.

    PubMed

    Egea Valenzuela, Juan; Estrella Díez, Esther; Alberca de Las Parras, Fernando

    2017-06-01

    The Agile® capsule has shown to be useful when evaluating the patency of the small bowel in patients prior to capsule endoscopy studies. It is a safe tool and a low rate of complications have been reported, highlighting symptomatic retention, although references in literature are scarce and it is only observed in 1.2% of the procedures. We present the case of a symptomatic retention of this device in a patient with previously known colonic Crohn's disease in who a small bowel study was indicated and was sent for prior patency test.

  11. Optimization of Capsule Symmetry in Z-Pinch Driven Hohlraums

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vesey, R. A.; Cuneo, M.; Hanson, D.; Porter, J.; Mehlhorn, T.; Ruggles, L.; Simpson, W.; Vargas, M.; Hammer, J.; Landen, O.

    1999-11-01

    The uniformity of the radiation flux incident on the capsule is a critical issue for indirect drive fusion using the z-pinch driven hohlraum high-yield concept(J.H. Hammer et al., Phys. Plas. 6), 2129 (1999).. Experiments on the Z accelerator at Sandia have demonstrated the ability to diagnose the uniformity of the flux striking a foam ball (surrogate capsule)(P.A. Amendt et al., Phys. Plas. 4), 1862 (1997); S.G. Glendinning et al. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 70, 536 (1999).. These single-sided drive experiments have been modeled using radiosity and radiation-hydrodynamics codes, yielding agreement with the measured ablation rate vs. angle on the foam ball. Flux uniformity at the 1-2% level needed for high-convergence capsule implosions requires a 2-sided drive (top and bottom z-pinch) configuration. Constrained optimization methods have identified hohlraum geometries with improved symmetry.

  12. Validity, Reliability, and Inertia of Four Different Temperature Capsule Systems.

    PubMed

    Bongers, Coen C W G; Daanen, Hein A M; Bogerd, Cornelis P; Hopman, Maria T E; Eijsvogels, Thijs M H

    2018-01-01

    Telemetric temperature capsule systems are wireless, relatively noninvasive, and easily applicable in field conditions and have therefore great advantages for monitoring core body temperature. However, the accuracy and responsiveness of available capsule systems have not been compared previously. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the validity, reliability, and inertia characteristics of four ingestible temperature capsule systems (i.e., CorTemp, e-Celsius, myTemp, and VitalSense). Ten temperature capsules were examined for each system in a temperature-controlled water bath during three trials. The water bath temperature gradually increased from 33°C to 44°C in trials 1 and 2 to assess the validity and reliability, and from 36°C to 42°C in trial 3 to assess the inertia characteristics of the temperature capsules. A systematic difference between capsule and water bath temperature was found for CorTemp (0.077°C ± 0.040°C), e-Celsius (-0.081°C ± 0.055°C), myTemp (-0.003°C ± 0.006°C), and VitalSense (-0.017°C ± 0.023°C; P < 0.010), with the lowest bias for the myTemp system (P < 0.001). A systematic difference was found between trial 1 and trial 2 for CorTemp (0.017°C ± 0.083°C; P = 0.030) and e-Celsius (-0.007°C ± 0.033°C; P = 0.019), whereas temperature values of myTemp (0.001°C ± 0.008°C) and VitalSense (0.002°C ± 0.014°C) did not differ (P > 0.05). Comparable inertia characteristics were found for CorTemp (25 ± 4 s), e-Celsius (21 ± 13 s), and myTemp (19 ± 2 s), whereas the VitalSense system responded more slowly (39 ± 6 s) to changes in water bath temperature (P < 0.001). Although differences in temperature and inertia were observed between capsule systems, an excellent validity, test-retest reliability, and inertia was found for each system between 36°C and 44°C after removal of outliers.

  13. Simethicone for small bowel preparation for capsule endoscopy: a systematic, single-blinded, controlled study.

    PubMed

    Albert, Jörg; Göbel, Christa-Maria; Lesske, Joachim; Lotterer, Erich; Nietsch, Hubert; Fleig, Wolfgang E

    2004-04-01

    Capsule endoscopy is a new imaging method for visualization of the entire small bowel. However, no standardized protocol for bowel preparation for capsule endoscopy has been evaluated. Capsule endoscopy was performed in 36 consecutive patients, all of whom fasted for 12 hours before ingestion of the capsule. Before capsule endoscopy, 18 patients received 80 mg simethicone and 18 had no supplemental medication for bowel preparation. Two observers, both experienced endoscopists, independently reviewed the examinations in a single-blinded and randomly assigned fashion. Mucosal visibility and intraluminal gas bubbles were assessed and graded by both observers. Bowel preparation with simethicone resulted in significantly better visibility because of fewer intraluminal bubbles (p<0.01). Interobserver agreement was excellent (r>/=0.8; k 0.78: 95% CI[0.57, 0.98] ). No adverse effect of simethicone was observed. Simethicone may be added to the routine preparation for capsule endoscopy to improve the visibility of small bowel mucosa.

  14. Reversible polyelectrolyte capsules as carriers for protein delivery.

    PubMed

    Anandhakumar, S; Nagaraja, V; Raichur, Ashok M

    2010-07-01

    A reversible drug delivery system based on spontaneous deposition of a model protein into preformed microcapsules has been demonstrated for protein delivery applications. Layer-by-Layer assembly of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) onto polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) doped CaCO3 particles, followed by core removal yielded intact hollow microcapsules having a unique property to induce spontaneous deposition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) at pH below its isoelectric point of 4.8, where it was positively charged. These capsules showed reversible pH dependent open and closed states to fluorescence labeled dextran (FITC-Dextran) and BSA (FITC-BSA). The loading capacity of BSA increased from 9.1 x 10(7) to 2.03 x 10(8) molecules per capsule with decrease in pH from 4.5 to 3. The loading of BSA-FITC was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), which showed homogeneous distribution of protein inside the capsule. Efficient loading of BSA was further confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The interior capsule concentration was as high as 209 times the feeding concentration when the feeding concentration was increased from 1 to 10 mg/ml. The deposition was initially controlled by spontaneous loading mechanism at lower BSA concentration followed by diffusion controlled loading at higher concentration; which decreased the loading efficiency from 35% to 7%. Circular dichroism (CD) measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed that there was no significant change in conformation of released BSA in comparison with native BSA. The release was initially burst in the first 0.5 h and sustained up to 5 h. The hollow capsules were found to be biocompatible with mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells during in vitro cell culture studies. Thus these pH sensitive polyelectrolyte microcapsules may offer a promising delivery system for water soluble proteins and peptides

  15. A modular and programmable development platform for capsule endoscopy system.

    PubMed

    Khan, Tareq Hasan; Shrestha, Ravi; Wahid, Khan A

    2014-06-01

    The state-of-the-art capsule endoscopy (CE) technology offers painless examination for the patients and the ability to examine the interior of the gastrointestinal tract by a noninvasive procedure for the gastroenterologists. In this work, a modular and flexible CE development system platform consisting of a miniature field programmable gate array (FPGA) based electronic capsule, a microcontroller based portable data recorder unit and computer software is designed and developed. Due to the flexible and reprogrammable nature of the system, various image processing and compression algorithms can be tested in the design without requiring any hardware change. The designed capsule prototype supports various imaging modes including white light imaging (WLI) and narrow band imaging (NBI), and communicates with the data recorder in full duplex fashion, which enables configuring the image size and imaging mode in real time during examination. A low complexity image compressor based on a novel color-space is implemented inside the capsule to reduce the amount of RF transmission data. The data recorder contains graphical LCD for real time image viewing and SD cards for storing image data. Data can be uploaded to a computer or Smartphone by SD card, USB interface or by wireless Bluetooth link. Computer software is developed that decompresses and reconstructs images. The fabricated capsule PCBs have a diameter of 16 mm. An ex-vivo animal testing has also been conducted to validate the results.

  16. Effects of lipophilic components on the compatibility of lipid-based formulations with hard gelatin capsules.

    PubMed

    Chen, Feng-Jing; Etzler, Frank M; Ubben, Johanna; Birch, Amy; Zhong, Li; Schwabe, Robert; Dudhedia, Mayur S

    2010-01-01

    The present study investigated the effect of lipophilic components on the compatibility of propylene glycol (PG)-containing lipid-based drug delivery system (LBDDS) formulations with hard gelatin capsules. The presence of a lipophilic active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) (log P approximately 6.1) and an additional lipophilic excipient (Capmul MCM) significantly affected the activity of PG in the fills and the equilibrium of PG between capsule shells and fills. These changes in activity and equilibrium of PG were furthermore correlated to the mechanical and thermal properties of the liquid-filled capsules and subsequently linked to the shelf-life of the capsules on stability with respect to capsule deformation. The present study also investigated the mechanism by which lipophilic component(s) might affect the activity of PG in the fill formulations and the equilibrium of PG between capsule shells and fills. The activities of PG in two series of "binary" mixtures with Capmul MCM and with Cremophor EL were measured, respectively. The mixtures of PG containing Capmul MCM were found to be more nearly ideal than those containing Cremophor EL. The observed negative deviation from Rauolt's law indicates that the excess free energies of mixing are less then zero indicating favorable interaction between PG and the other component. It is speculated that enhanced hydrogen bonding opportunities with Cremophor EL are responsible for the decreased excess free energy of mixing. Replacement of Cremophor EL with lipophilic API also reduces the hydrogen bonding opportunities for PG in the mixtures. This hypothesis may further explain the increased activity of PG in the fills and the shifted equilibrium of PG toward the capsule shells. Activity determination utilizing headspace gas chromatography (GC) using short 30 min incubation time seems to be a time-efficient approach for assessing capsule-fill compatibility. Direct measurements of PG migration and other physical properties of

  17. Carbide fuel pin and capsule design for irradiations at thermionic temperatures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Siegel, B. L.; Slaby, J. G.; Mattson, W. F.; Dilanni, D. C.

    1973-01-01

    The design of a capsule assembly to evaluate tungsten-emitter - carbide-fuel combinations for thermionic fuel elements is presented. An inpile fuel pin evaluation program concerned with clad temperture, neutron spectrum, carbide fuel composition, fuel geometry,fuel density, and clad thickness is discussed. The capsule design was a compromise involving considerations between heat transfer, instrumentation, materials compatibility, and test location. Heat-transfer calculations were instrumental in determining the method of support of the fuel pin to minimize axial temperature variations. The capsule design was easily fabricable and utilized existing state-of-the-art experience from previous programs.

  18. Simulation-Aided Design of Tubular Polymeric Capsules for Self-Healing Concrete.

    PubMed

    Šavija, Branko; Feiteira, João; Araújo, Maria; Chatrabhuti, Sutima; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Van Tittelboom, Kim; Gruyaert, Elke; De Belie, Nele; Schlangen, Erik

    2016-12-24

    Polymeric capsules can have an advantage over glass capsules used up to now as proof-of-concept carriers in self-healing concrete. They allow easier processing and afford the possibility to fine tune their mechanical properties. Out of the multiple requirements for capsules used in this context, the capability of rupturing when crossed by a crack in concrete of a typical size is one of the most relevant, as without it no healing agent is released into the crack. This study assessed the fitness of five types of polymeric capsules to fulfill this requirement by using a numerical model to screen the best performing ones and verifying their fitness with experimental methods. Capsules made of a specific type of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were considered fit for the intended application, rupturing at average crack sizes of 69 and 128 μm, respectively for a wall thickness of ~0.3 and ~0.7 mm. Thicker walls were considered unfit, as they ruptured for crack sizes much higher than 100 μm. Other types of PMMA used and polylactic acid were equally unfit for the same reason. There was overall good fitting between model output and experimental results and an elongation at break of 1.5% is recommended regarding polymers for this application.

  19. Simulation-Aided Design of Tubular Polymeric Capsules for Self-Healing Concrete

    PubMed Central

    Šavija, Branko; Feiteira, João; Araújo, Maria; Chatrabhuti, Sutima; Raquez, Jean-Marie; Van Tittelboom, Kim; Gruyaert, Elke; De Belie, Nele; Schlangen, Erik

    2016-01-01

    Polymeric capsules can have an advantage over glass capsules used up to now as proof-of-concept carriers in self-healing concrete. They allow easier processing and afford the possibility to fine tune their mechanical properties. Out of the multiple requirements for capsules used in this context, the capability of rupturing when crossed by a crack in concrete of a typical size is one of the most relevant, as without it no healing agent is released into the crack. This study assessed the fitness of five types of polymeric capsules to fulfill this requirement by using a numerical model to screen the best performing ones and verifying their fitness with experimental methods. Capsules made of a specific type of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were considered fit for the intended application, rupturing at average crack sizes of 69 and 128 μm, respectively for a wall thickness of ~0.3 and ~0.7 mm. Thicker walls were considered unfit, as they ruptured for crack sizes much higher than 100 μm. Other types of PMMA used and polylactic acid were equally unfit for the same reason. There was overall good fitting between model output and experimental results and an elongation at break of 1.5% is recommended regarding polymers for this application. PMID:28772370

  20. Influence of internal composition on physicochemical properties of alginate aqueous-core capsules.

    PubMed

    Ben Messaoud, Ghazi; Sánchez-González, Laura; Probst, Laurent; Desobry, Stéphane

    2016-05-01

    To enhance physicochemical properties of alginate aqueous-core capsules, conventional strategies were focused in literature on designing composite and coated capsules. In the present study, own effect of liquid-core composition on mechanical and release properties was investigated. Capsules were prepared by dripping a CaCl2 solution into an alginate gelling solution. Viscosity of CaCl2 solution was adjusted by adding cationic, anionic and non-ionic naturally derived polymers, respectively chitosan, xanthan gum and guar gum. In parallel, uniform alginate hydrogels were prepared by different methods (pouring, in situ forming and mixing). Mechanical stability of capsules and plane hydrogels were respectively evaluated by compression experiments and small amplitude oscillatory shear rheology and then correlated. Capsules permeability was evaluated by monitoring diffusion of encapsulated cochineal dye, riboflavin and BSA. The core-shell interactions were investigated by ATR-FTIR. Results showed that inner polymer had an impact on membrane stability and could act as an internal coating or provide mechanical reinforcement. Mechanical properties of alginate capsules were in a good agreement with rheological behavior of plane hydrogels. Release behavior of the entrapped molecules changed considerably. This study demonstrated the importance of aqueous-core composition, and gave new insights for possible adjusting of microcapsules physicochemical properties by modulating core-shell interactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Morpho-functional evaluation of small bowel using wireless motility capsule and video capsule endoscopy in patients with known or suspected Crohn's disease: pilot study.

    PubMed

    Yung, Diana; Douglas, Sarah; Hobson, Anthony R; Giannakou, Andry; Plevris, John N; Koulaouzidis, Anastasios

    2016-04-01

    SmartPill(®) (Given Imaging Corp.,Yoqneam,Israel) is an ingestible, non-imaging capsule that records physiological data including contractions and pH throughout the gastrointestinal tract. There are scarce data looking at SmartPill(®) assessment of patients with known/suspected small-bowel Crohn's Disease (CD). This pilot study aims to investigate feasibility and safety of SmartPill(®) to assess gut motility in this group.  Over 1 year, patients with known/suspected CD, referred for small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE), were invited to participate and 12 were recruited (7 female, 5 male, mean age 44.2 ± 16.6 years). They underwent hydrogen breath test to exclude small-bowel bacterial overgrowth, patency capsule (Agile(®)), and provided stool samples for fecal calprotectin (FC). Patients ingested PillCam(®)SB2 and SmartPill(®) 4 hours apart. Using unpublished data, 33 healthy controls also were identified for the study. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Of the 12 patients enrolled, 10 underwent complete Smartpill(®) examination (1 stomach retention, 1 dropout). Pillcam(®) was complete in 10 (1 dropout, 1 stomach retention). Mean fecal calprotectin was 340 ± 307.71 mcg/g. The study group had longer transit times and lower gut motility index than did the controls. The difference in motility appears to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Longer transit times for SmartPill(®) (not statistically significant) may have been due to different specifications between the capsules. Limitations included transient Smartpill(®) signal loss (5/10 studies). This is the first pilot to attempt combining SBCE and SmartPill(®) to assess small-bowel CD. Data on motility in CD are scarce. Multimodal information can provide a clearer clinical picture. Despite concerns about capsule retention in CD patients, SmartPill(®) seems safe for use if a patency capsule is employed beforehand.

  2. Controllable light capsules employing modified Bessel-Gauss beams

    PubMed Central

    Gong, Lei; Liu, Weiwei; Zhao, Qian; Ren, Yuxuan; Qiu, Xingze; Zhong, Mincheng; Li, Yinmei

    2016-01-01

    We report, in theory and experiment, on a novel class of controlled light capsules with nearly perfect darkness, directly employing intrinsic properties of modified Bessel-Gauss beams. These beams are able to naturally create three-dimensional bottle-shaped region during propagation as long as the parameters are properly chosen. Remarkably, the optical bottle can be controlled to demonstrate various geometries through tuning the beam parameters, thereby leading to an adjustable light capsule. We provide a detailed insight into the theoretical origin and characteristics of the light capsule derived from modified Bessel-Gauss beams. Moreover, a binary digital micromirror device (DMD) based scheme is first employed to shape the bottle beams by precise amplitude and phase manipulation. Further, we demonstrate their ability for optical trapping of core-shell magnetic microparticles, which play a particular role in biomedical research, with holographic optical tweezers. Therefore, our observations provide a new route for generating and controlling bottle beams and will widen the potentials for micromanipulation of absorbing particles, aerosols or even individual atoms. PMID:27388558

  3. Engineered Metal-Phenolic Capsules Show Tunable Targeted Delivery to Cancer Cells.

    PubMed

    Ju, Yi; Cui, Jiwei; Sun, Huanli; Müllner, Markus; Dai, Yunlu; Guo, Junling; Bertleff-Zieschang, Nadja; Suma, Tomoya; Richardson, Joseph J; Caruso, Frank

    2016-06-13

    We engineered metal-phenolic capsules with both high targeting and low nonspecific cell binding properties. The capsules were prepared by coating phenolic-functionalized hyaluronic acid (HA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on calcium carbonate templates, followed by cross-linking the phenolic groups with metal ions and removing the templates. The incorporation of HA significantly enhanced binding and association with a CD44 overexpressing (CD44+) cancer cell line, while the incorporation of PEG reduced nonspecific interactions with a CD44 minimal-expressing (CD44-) cell line. Moreover, high specific targeting to CD44+ cells can be balanced with low nonspecific binding to CD44- cells simply by using an optimized feed-ratio of HA and PEG to vary the content of HA and PEG incorporated into the capsules. Loading an anticancer drug (i.e., doxorubicin) into the obtained capsules resulted in significantly higher cytotoxicity to CD44+ cells but lower cytotoxicity to CD44- cells.

  4. A 3D photographic capsule endoscope system with full field of view

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ou-Yang, Mang; Jeng, Wei-De; Lai, Chien-Cheng; Kung, Yi-Chinn; Tao, Kuan-Heng

    2013-09-01

    Current capsule endoscope uses one camera to capture the surface image in the intestine. It can only observe the abnormal point, but cannot know the exact information of this abnormal point. Using two cameras can generate 3D images, but the visual plane changes while capsule endoscope rotates. It causes that two cameras can't capture the images information completely. To solve this question, this research provides a new kind of capsule endoscope to capture 3D images, which is 'A 3D photographic capsule endoscope system'. The system uses three cameras to capture images in real time. The advantage is increasing the viewing range up to 2.99 times respect to the two camera system. The system can accompany 3D monitor provides the exact information of symptom points, helping doctors diagnose the disease.

  5. Validating Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) predictive capability using perturbed capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmitt, Mark; Magelssen, Glenn; Tregillis, Ian; Hsu, Scott; Bradley, Paul; Dodd, Evan; Cobble, James; Flippo, Kirk; Offerman, Dustin; Obrey, Kimberly; Wang, Yi-Ming; Watt, Robert; Wilke, Mark; Wysocki, Frederick; Batha, Steven

    2009-11-01

    Achieving ignition on NIF is a monumental step on the path toward utilizing fusion as a controlled energy source. Obtaining robust ignition requires accurate ICF models to predict the degradation of ignition caused by heterogeneities in capsule construction and irradiation. LANL has embarked on a project to induce controlled defects in capsules to validate our ability to predict their effects on fusion burn. These efforts include the validation of feature-driven hydrodynamics and mix in a convergent geometry. This capability is needed to determine the performance of capsules imploded under less-than-optimum conditions on future IFE facilities. LANL's recently initiated Defect Implosion Experiments (DIME) conducted at Rochester's Omega facility are providing input for these efforts. Recent simulation and experimental results will be shown.

  6. High-density carbon capsule experiments on the national ignition facility

    DOE PAGES

    Ross, J. S.; Ho, D.; Milovich, J.; ...

    2015-02-25

    Indirect-drive implosions with a high-density carbon (HDC) capsule were conducted on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to test HDC properties as an ablator material for inertial confinement fusion. In this study, a series of five experiments were completed with 76-μm-thick HDC capsules using a four-shock laser pulse optimized for HDC. The pulse delivered a total energy of 1.3 MJ with a peak power of 360 TW. The experiment demonstrated good laser to target coupling (~90 %) and excellent nuclear performance. Lastly, a deuterium and tritium gas-filled HDC capsule implosion produced a neutron yield of 1.6×10 15 ± 3×10 13, amore » yield over simulated in one dimension of 70%.« less

  7. UVA is the major contributor to the photodegradation of tretinoin and isotretinoin: implications for development of improved pharmaceutical formulations

    PubMed Central

    Tashtoush, Bassam M.; Jacobson, Elaine L.; Jacobson, Myron K.

    2008-01-01

    The chemical stability of tretinoin (RA) and isotretinoin (13RA) in ethanol and dermatological cream preparations exposed to solar simulated light (SSL), UVA, and visible light has been studied. Photostability was monitored by an HPLC method that allowed simultaneous analysis of RA and 13RA, thus allowing photodegradation due to isomerization to other retinoids and photolysis to non-retinoid products to be monitored. Both retinoids undergo both isomerization and photolysis following SSL, UVA and visible light exposure but RA is more sensitive to photodegradation than 13RA. Degradation of both retinoids by photolysis is considerably greater in cream formulations than in ethanol and the photodegradation follows second order kinetics. Rate constants and half-lives for degradation of RA and 13RA in ethanol solution and cream preparations subjected to different light sources are reported. The UVA component of SSL is the major contributor to photodegradation. Since UVA penetrates deeply into skin, our results suggest that photodegradation of RA may contribute to the photosensitivity associated with RA therapy. Our studies suggest that development of improved formulations and the use of effective UVA sunscreens may reduce the side effects of RA therapy. PMID:18093761

  8. UVA is the major contributor to the photodegradation of tretinoin and isotretinoin: Implications for development of improved pharmaceutical formulations.

    PubMed

    Tashtoush, Bassam M; Jacobson, Elaine L; Jacobson, Myron K

    2008-03-20

    The chemical stability of tretinoin (RA) and isotretinoin (13RA) in ethanol and dermatological cream preparations exposed to solar simulated light (SSL), UVA, and visible light has been studied. Photostability was monitored by an HPLC method that allowed simultaneous analysis of RA and 13RA, thus allowing photodegradation due to isomerization to other retinoids and photolysis to non-retinoid products to be monitored. Both retinoids undergo both isomerization and photolysis following SSL, UVA and visible light exposure but RA is more sensitive to photodegradation than 13RA. Degradation of both retinoids by photolysis is considerably greater in cream formulations than in ethanol and the photodegradation follows second order kinetics. Rate constants and half-lives for degradation of RA and 13RA in ethanol solution and cream preparations subjected to different light sources are reported. The UVA component of SSL is the major contributor to photodegradation. Since UVA penetrates deeply into skin, our results suggest that photodegradation of RA may contribute to the photosensitivity associated with RA therapy. Our studies suggest that development of improved formulations and the use of effective UVA sunscreens may reduce the side effects of RA therapy.

  9. Metal Alloy ICF Capsules Created by Electrodeposition

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Horwood, Corie; Stadermann, Michael; Bunn, Thomas L.

    Electrochemical deposition is an attractive alternative to physical vapor deposition and micromachining to produce metal capsules for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Electrochemical deposition (also referred to as electrodeposition or plating) is expected to produce full-density metal capsules without seams or inclusions of unwanted atomic constituents, the current shortcomings of micromachine and physical vapor deposition, respectively. In this paper, we discuss new cathode designs that allow for the rapid electrodeposition of gold and copper alloys on spherical mandrels by making transient contact with the constantly moving spheres. Electrodeposition of pure gold, copper, platinum, and alloys of gold-copper and gold-silver are demonstrated,more » with nonporous coatings of >40 µm achieved in only a few hours of plating. The surface roughness of the spheres after electrodeposition is comparable to the starting mandrel, and the coatings appear to be fully dense with no inclusions. A detailed understanding of the electrodeposition conditions that result in different alloy compositions and plating rates will allow for the electrodeposition of graded alloys on spheres in the near future. Finally, this report on the electrodeposition of metals on spherical mandrels is an important first step toward the fabrication of graded-density metal capsules for ICF experiments at the National Ignition Facility.« less

  10. Metal Alloy ICF Capsules Created by Electrodeposition

    DOE PAGES

    Horwood, Corie; Stadermann, Michael; Bunn, Thomas L.

    2017-12-04

    Electrochemical deposition is an attractive alternative to physical vapor deposition and micromachining to produce metal capsules for inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Electrochemical deposition (also referred to as electrodeposition or plating) is expected to produce full-density metal capsules without seams or inclusions of unwanted atomic constituents, the current shortcomings of micromachine and physical vapor deposition, respectively. In this paper, we discuss new cathode designs that allow for the rapid electrodeposition of gold and copper alloys on spherical mandrels by making transient contact with the constantly moving spheres. Electrodeposition of pure gold, copper, platinum, and alloys of gold-copper and gold-silver are demonstrated,more » with nonporous coatings of >40 µm achieved in only a few hours of plating. The surface roughness of the spheres after electrodeposition is comparable to the starting mandrel, and the coatings appear to be fully dense with no inclusions. A detailed understanding of the electrodeposition conditions that result in different alloy compositions and plating rates will allow for the electrodeposition of graded alloys on spheres in the near future. Finally, this report on the electrodeposition of metals on spherical mandrels is an important first step toward the fabrication of graded-density metal capsules for ICF experiments at the National Ignition Facility.« less

  11. Small-Bowel Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Suspected Crohn's Disease—Diagnostic Value and Complications

    PubMed Central

    Figueiredo, Pedro; Almeida, Nuno; Lopes, Sandra; Duque, Gabriela; Freire, Paulo; Lérias, Clotilde; Gouveia, Hermano; Sofia, Carlos

    2010-01-01

    Background. The aim of this work was to assess the value of capsule enteroscopy in the diagnosis of patients with suspected Crohn's Disease (CD). Methods. This was a retrospective study in a single tertiary care centre involving patients undergoing capsule enteroscopy for suspected CD. Patients taking nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs during the thirty preceding days or with a follow-up period of less than six months were excluded. Results. Seventy eight patients were included. The endoscopic findings included mucosal breaks in 50%, ulcerated stenosis in 5%, and villous atrophy in 4%. The diagnosis of CD was established in 31 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of the endoscopic findings were 93%, 80%, 77%, and 94%, respectively. Capsule retention occurred in four patients (5%). The presence of ulcerated stenosis was significantly more frequent in patients with positive inflammatory markers. The diagnostic yield of capsule enteroscopy in patients with negative ileoscopy was 56%, with a diagnostic acuity of 93%. Conclusions. Small bowel capsule endoscopy is a safe and valid technique for assessing patients with suspected CD. Capsule retention is more frequent in patients with positive inflammatory markers. Patients with negative ileoscopy and suspected CD should be submitted to capsule enteroscopy. PMID:20811612

  12. The capsule plays an important role in Escherichia coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba.

    PubMed

    Jung, Suk-Yul; Matin, Abdul; Kim, Kwang Sik; Khan, Naveed Ahmed

    2007-03-01

    Escherichia coli K1 is shown to bind to, associate with, invade and survive inside Acanthamoeba, but the precise mechanisms associated with these events are unclear. We have previously shown that outer membrane protein A and lipopolysaccharide are critical bacterial determinants involved in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba. Using an isogenic K1 capsule-deletion mutant (lacking the neuDB genes cluster that is necessary for the production of cytoplasmic precursors to the exopolysaccharide capsule), we observed that the capsule modulates and enhances E. coli K1 association and survival inside Acanthamoeba. The capsule-deletion mutant exhibited significantly reduced association compared with the wild type strain, E44. Similarly, the K1 capsule-deletion mutant exhibited limited ability for invasion/uptake by and survival inside Acanthamoeba. Next, we determined whether E. coli K1 survive inside Acanthamoeba during the encystment process and that viable bacteria can be isolated from the mature cysts. Using encystment assays, our findings revealed that E. coli K1, but not its capsule-deletion mutant, exhibit survival inside Acanthamoeba cysts. We believe this is the first demonstration that the K1 capsule plays an important role in E. coli K1 interactions with Acanthamoeba.

  13. A discrete-time localization method for capsule endoscopy based on on-board magnetic sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salerno, Marco; Ciuti, Gastone; Lucarini, Gioia; Rizzo, Rocco; Valdastri, Pietro; Menciassi, Arianna; Landi, Alberto; Dario, Paolo

    2012-01-01

    Recent achievements in active capsule endoscopy have allowed controlled inspection of the bowel by magnetic guidance. Capsule localization represents an important enabling technology for such kinds of platforms. In this paper, the authors present a localization method, applied as first step in time-discrete capsule position detection, that is useful for establishing a magnetic link at the beginning of an endoscopic procedure or for re-linking the capsule in the case of loss due to locomotion. The novelty of this approach consists in using magnetic sensors on board the capsule whose output is combined with pre-calculated magnetic field analytical model solutions. A magnetic field triangulation algorithm is used for obtaining the position of the capsule inside the gastrointestinal tract. Experimental validation has demonstrated that the proposed procedure is stable, accurate and has a wide localization range in a volume of about 18 × 103 cm3. Position errors of 14 mm along the X direction, 11 mm along the Y direction and 19 mm along the Z direction were obtained in less than 27 s of elaboration time. The proposed approach, being compatible with magnetic fields used for locomotion, can be easily extended to other platforms for active capsule endoscopy.

  14. Surface Modification of ICF Target Capsules by Pulsed Laser Ablation

    DOE PAGES

    Carlson, Lane C.; Johnson, Michael A.; Bunn, Thomas L.

    2016-06-30

    Topographical modifications of spherical surfaces are imprinted on National Ignition Facility (NIF) target capsules by extending the capabilities of a recently developed full surface (4π) laser ablation and mapping apparatus. The laser ablation method combines the precision, energy density and long reach of a focused laser beam to pre-impose sinusoidal modulations on the outside surface of High Density Carbon (HDC) capsules and the inside surface of Glow Discharge Polymer (GDP) capsules. Sinusoidal modulations described in this paper have sub-micron to 10’s of microns vertical scale and wavelengths as small as 30 μm and as large as 200 μm. The modulatedmore » patterns are created by rastering a focused laser fired at discrete capsule surface locations for a specified number of pulses. The computer program developed to create these raster patterns uses inputs such as laser beam intensity profile, the material removal function, the starting surface figure and the desired surface figure. The patterns are optimized to minimize surface roughness. Lastly, in this paper, simulated surfaces are compared with actual ablated surfaces measured using confocal microscopy.« less

  15. Head or tail: the orientation of the small bowel capsule endoscope movement in the small bowel.

    PubMed

    Kopylov, Uri; Papageorgiou, Neofytos P; Nadler, Moshe; Eliakim, Rami; Ben-Horin, Shomron

    2012-03-01

    The diagnostic accuracy of capsule endoscopy has been suggested to be influenced by the direction of the passage in the intestine. It is currently unknown if a head-first or a tail-first orientation are equally common during the descent through the small bowel. The aim of the study was to identify the orientation of the capsule along the migration through the small bowel. Thirty capsule endoscopies were reviewed by an experienced observer. The direction of the passage through the pylorus and the ileoceccal valve was recorded for all the examinations. In addition, detailed review of the passage of the capsule in different segments of the small bowel was undertaken for all the capsules. The capsule was significantly more likely to pass the pylorus head-first compared to tail-first (25 and 5 out of 30, respectively, OR 5, 95% CI 65-94%, P < 0.001). In 28/30 studies, the capsule exited the ileoceccal valve head-first (OR-14, 95% CI 77-99%, P < 0.001). In an immersion experiment, uneven distribution of weight of the capsule body was demonstrated with the head part (camera tip) being lighter than the tail part. The capsule endoscope usually passes through the pylorus and subsequent segments of the small bowel head-first. This observation suggests that the intestinal peristaltic physiology drives symmetrical bodies with their light part first. The principle of intestinal orientation by weight distribution may bear implications for capsules' design in the future.

  16. Ultrahigh speed en face OCT capsule for endoscopic imaging

    PubMed Central

    Liang, Kaicheng; Traverso, Giovanni; Lee, Hsiang-Chieh; Ahsen, Osman Oguz; Wang, Zhao; Potsaid, Benjamin; Giacomelli, Michael; Jayaraman, Vijaysekhar; Barman, Ross; Cable, Alex; Mashimo, Hiroshi; Langer, Robert; Fujimoto, James G.

    2015-01-01

    Depth resolved and en face OCT visualization in vivo may have important clinical applications in endoscopy. We demonstrate a high speed, two-dimensional (2D) distal scanning capsule with a micromotor for fast rotary scanning and a pneumatic actuator for precision longitudinal scanning. Longitudinal position measurement and image registration were performed by optical tracking of the pneumatic scanner. The 2D scanning device enables high resolution imaging over a small field of view and is suitable for OCT as well as other scanning microscopies. Large field of view imaging for screening or surveillance applications can also be achieved by proximally pulling back or advancing the capsule while scanning the distal high-speed micromotor. Circumferential en face OCT was demonstrated in living swine at 250 Hz frame rate and 1 MHz A-scan rate using a MEMS tunable VCSEL light source at 1300 nm. Cross-sectional and en face OCT views of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract were generated with precision distal pneumatic longitudinal actuation as well as proximal manual longitudinal actuation. These devices could enable clinical studies either as an adjunct to endoscopy, attached to an endoscope, or as a swallowed tethered capsule for non-endoscopic imaging without sedation. The combination of ultrahigh speed imaging and distal scanning capsule technology could enable both screening and surveillance applications. PMID:25909001

  17. Ultrahigh speed en face OCT capsule for endoscopic imaging.

    PubMed

    Liang, Kaicheng; Traverso, Giovanni; Lee, Hsiang-Chieh; Ahsen, Osman Oguz; Wang, Zhao; Potsaid, Benjamin; Giacomelli, Michael; Jayaraman, Vijaysekhar; Barman, Ross; Cable, Alex; Mashimo, Hiroshi; Langer, Robert; Fujimoto, James G

    2015-04-01

    Depth resolved and en face OCT visualization in vivo may have important clinical applications in endoscopy. We demonstrate a high speed, two-dimensional (2D) distal scanning capsule with a micromotor for fast rotary scanning and a pneumatic actuator for precision longitudinal scanning. Longitudinal position measurement and image registration were performed by optical tracking of the pneumatic scanner. The 2D scanning device enables high resolution imaging over a small field of view and is suitable for OCT as well as other scanning microscopies. Large field of view imaging for screening or surveillance applications can also be achieved by proximally pulling back or advancing the capsule while scanning the distal high-speed micromotor. Circumferential en face OCT was demonstrated in living swine at 250 Hz frame rate and 1 MHz A-scan rate using a MEMS tunable VCSEL light source at 1300 nm. Cross-sectional and en face OCT views of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract were generated with precision distal pneumatic longitudinal actuation as well as proximal manual longitudinal actuation. These devices could enable clinical studies either as an adjunct to endoscopy, attached to an endoscope, or as a swallowed tethered capsule for non-endoscopic imaging without sedation. The combination of ultrahigh speed imaging and distal scanning capsule technology could enable both screening and surveillance applications.

  18. SECM half-inch tethered endoscopic capsule (HITEC) for esophageal imaging (Conference Presentation)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kang, DongKyun; Kim, Minkyu; Carruth, Robert W.; Lu, Weina; Wu, Tao; Alali, Sanaz; Do, Dukho; Soomro, Amna R.; Grant, Catriona N.; Tiernan, Aubrey R.; Rosenberg, Mireille; Nishioka, Norman S.; Tearney, Guillermo J.

    2016-03-01

    Spectrally encoded confocal microscopy (SECM) is a high-speed confocal endomicroscopy technology that can image extremely large regions of human tissue at cellular resolution within a short imaging time. Previously, we have developed a 7-mm-diameter SECM endoscopic capsule and successfully demonstrated imaging of human esophagus in vivo. Even though we were able to successfully capture images with the previous capsule, it suffered from two limitations: (1) the capsule had a small diameter, which provided a limited contact between SECM capsule and esophagus; and (2) speckle noise in SECM images made it challenging to appreciate cellular features. In this paper, we present a new SECM capsule, termed SECM half-inch tethered endoscopic capsule (HITEC), which addresses the two aforementioned technical challenges. With the SECM HITEC, a dual-clad fiber was used to reduce the speckle noise. Miniature GRIN optics was used to increase the NA of the fiber from 0.09 to 0.25, which made it possible to build a SECM capsule with large diameter (12.7 mm) while maintaining a short rigid length (22 mm). A water-immersion objective lens was custom designed and manufactured to provide high NA of 0.7. We have manufactured the SECM HITEC catheter and tested its optical and mechanical performance. Lateral and axial resolution was measured as 1.2 µm and 13 µm, respectively. We have imaged swine esophageal tissues ex vivo, and SECM images clearly visualized cell nuclei. Non-uniform rotational distortion (NURD) was small, less than 5%. Preliminary results suggest that SECM HITEC provides sufficient optical and mechanical performance for tissue imaging. In a future clinical study, we will test the feasibility of utilizing SECM HITEC for improved cellular imaging human of the human esophagus in vivo.

  19. Size-tunable drug-delivery capsules composed of a magnetic nanoshell.

    PubMed

    Fuchigami, Teruaki; Kitamoto, Yoshitaka; Namiki, Yoshihisa

    2012-01-01

    Nano-sized FePt capsules with two types of ultrathin shell were fabricated using a template method for use in a nano-scale drug delivery system. One capsule was composed of an inorganic-organic hybrid shell of a water-soluble polymer and FePt nanoparticles, and the other capsule was composed of a network of fused FePt nanoparticles. We demonstrated that FePt nanoparticles selectively accumulated on the polymer molecules adsorbed on the template silica particles, and investigated the morphologies of the particle accumulation by changing the concentration of the polymer solution with which the template particles were treated. Capsular size was reduced from 340 to less than 90 nm by changing the size of the silica template particles, and the shell thickness was controlled by changing the amount of FePt nanoparticles adsorbed on the template particles. The hybrid shell was maintained by the connection of FePt nanoparticles and polymer molecules, and the shell thickness was 10 nm at the maximum. The FePt network shell was fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of the FePt/polymer-modified silica composite particles. The FePt network shell was produced from only the FePt alloy, and the shell thickness was 3 nm. Water-soluble anti-cancer drugs could be loaded into the hollow space of FePt network capsules, and lipid-coated FePt network capsules loaded with anti-cancer drugs showed cellular toxicity. The nano-sized capsular structure and the ultrathin shell suggest applicability as a drug carrier in magnetically guided drug delivery systems.

  20. Size-tunable drug-delivery capsules composed of a magnetic nanoshell

    PubMed Central

    Fuchigami, Teruaki; Kitamoto, Yoshitaka; Namiki, Yoshihisa

    2012-01-01

    Nano-sized FePt capsules with two types of ultrathin shell were fabricated using a template method for use in a nano-scale drug delivery system. One capsule was composed of an inorganic-organic hybrid shell of a water-soluble polymer and FePt nanoparticles, and the other capsule was composed of a network of fused FePt nanoparticles. We demonstrated that FePt nanoparticles selectively accumulated on the polymer molecules adsorbed on the template silica particles, and investigated the morphologies of the particle accumulation by changing the concentration of the polymer solution with which the template particles were treated. Capsular size was reduced from 340 to less than 90 nm by changing the size of the silica template particles, and the shell thickness was controlled by changing the amount of FePt nanoparticles adsorbed on the template particles. The hybrid shell was maintained by the connection of FePt nanoparticles and polymer molecules, and the shell thickness was 10 nm at the maximum. The FePt network shell was fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of the FePt/polymer-modified silica composite particles. The FePt network shell was produced from only the FePt alloy, and the shell thickness was 3 nm. Water-soluble anti-cancer drugs could be loaded into the hollow space of FePt network capsules, and lipid-coated FePt network capsules loaded with anti-cancer drugs showed cellular toxicity. The nano-sized capsular structure and the ultrathin shell suggest applicability as a drug carrier in magnetically guided drug delivery systems. PMID:23507895

  1. A School-Wide Effort for Learning History via a Time Capsule

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowell, C. Glennon; Hickey, M. Gail; Gecsei, Kendall; Klein, Stacy

    2007-01-01

    In this article, the authors describe how a time capsule project helped students at Ridgedale Elementary School in Knoxville, Tennessee understand the nature of events and the relationships of events in a segment of history. The time capsule preparation motivated students to hypothesize about important events and significant artifacts of their…

  2. 78 FR 63227 - Determination That INTAL (cromolyn sodium) Inhalation Capsule, 20 Milligrams, Was Not Withdrawn...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-23

    ...] Determination That INTAL (cromolyn sodium) Inhalation Capsule, 20 Milligrams, Was Not Withdrawn From Sale for... Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that INTAL (cromolyn sodium) Inhalation Capsule, 20... allow FDA to approve abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) for cromolyn sodium inhalation capsule...

  3. Efficacy of a capsule conjugate vaccine against inhalational anthrax in rabbits and monkeys.

    PubMed

    Chabot, Donald J; Joyce, Joseph; Caulfield, Michael; Cook, James; Hepler, Robert; Wang, Su; Vietri, Nicholas J; Ruthel, Gordon; Shoop, Wesley; Pitt, Louise; Leffel, Elizabeth; Ribot, Wilson; Friedlander, Arthur M

    2012-01-20

    Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is recognized as one of the most serious bioterrorism threats. The current human vaccines are based on the protective antigen component of the anthrax toxins. Concern about possible vaccine resistant strains and reliance on a single antigen has prompted the search for additional immunogens. Bacterial capsules, as surface-expressed virulence factors, are well-established components of several licensed vaccines. In a previous study we showed that an anthrax vaccine consisting of the B. anthracis poly-γ-D-glutamic acid capsule covalently conjugated to the outer membrane protein complex of Neisseria meningitidis serotype B protected mice against parenteral B. anthracis challenge. Here we tested this vaccine in rabbits and monkeys against an aerosol spore challenge. The vaccine induced anti-capsule antibody responses in both species, measured by ELISA and a macrophage opsono-adherence assay. While rabbits were not protected against a high aerosol challenge dose, significant protection was observed in monkeys receiving the capsule conjugate vaccine. The results confirm that the capsule is a protective immunogen against anthrax, being the first non-toxin antigen shown to be efficacious in monkeys and suggest that addition of capsule may broaden and enhance the protection afforded by protective antigen-based vaccines. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. A novel system for water soluble protein encapsulation with high efficiency: "micelles enhanced" polyelectrolyte capsules.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiaodong; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianxiang; Zhao, Shifang; Shen, Jiacong

    2008-06-01

    Novel "micelles enhanced" polyelectrolyte (PE) capsules based on functional templates of hybrid calcium carbonate were fabricated. Evidences suggested that the structure of capsule wall was different from that of conventional PE capsules, and the wall permeability of these PE capsules changed significantly. Lysozyme, a positively charged protein in neutral solution, was studied as a model protein to be encapsulated into the "micelles enhanced" PE capsules. Confocal laser scanning microscope was used to observe the entrapping process in real time, while UV-Vis spectroscope and scanning force microscope measurements suggested the high efficiency of encapsulation. In addition, the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique was employed to determine the existence form of deposited molecules. Further studies showed even negatively charged water-soluble peptides or proteins can be encapsulated into these hybrid capsules by modulating the pH value in bulk solution under its isoelectronic point as well. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Metabolic characteristics of 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) and anti-tumour activity of the 13-cis-retinoic acid metabolite 4-oxo-13-cis-retinoic acid in neuroblastoma

    PubMed Central

    Sonawane, Poonam; Cho, Hwang Eui; Tagde, Ashujit; Verlekar, Dattesh; Yu, Alice L; Reynolds, C Patrick; Kang, Min H

    2014-01-01

    Background and Purpose Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid; 13-cRA) is a differentiation inducer used to treat minimal residual disease after myeloablative therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. However, more than 40% of children develop recurrent disease during or after 13-cRA treatment. The plasma concentrations of 13-cRA in earlier studies were considered subtherapeutic while 4-oxo-13-cis-RA (4-oxo-13-cRA), a metabolite of 13-cRA considered by some investigators as inactive, were greater than threefold higher than 13-cRA. We sought to define the metabolic pathways of 13-cRA and investigated the anti-tumour activity of its major metabolite, 4-oxo-13-cRA. Experimental Approach Effects of 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA on human neuroblastoma cell lines were assessed by DIMSCAN and flow cytometry for cell proliferation, MYCN down-regulation by reverse transcription PCR and immunoblotting, and neurite outgrowth by confocal microscopy. 13-cRA metabolism was determined using tandem MS in human liver microsomes and in patient samples. Key Results Six major metabolites of 13-cRA were identified in patient samples. Of these, 4-oxo-13-cRA was the most abundant, and 4-oxo-13-cRA glucuronide was also detected at a higher level in patients. CYP3A4 was shown to play a major role in catalysing 13-cRA to 4-oxo-13-cRA. In human neuroblastoma cell lines, 4-oxo-13-cRA and 13-cRA were equi-effective at inducing neurite outgrowth, inhibiting proliferation, decreasing MYCN mRNA and protein, and increasing the expression of retinoic acid receptor-β mRNA and protein levels. Conclusions and Implications We showed that 4-oxo-13-cRA is as active as 13-cRA against neuroblastoma cell lines. Plasma levels of both 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA should be evaluated in pharmacokinetic studies of isotretinoin in neuroblastoma. PMID:25039756

  6. Metabolic characteristics of 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin) and anti-tumour activity of the 13-cis-retinoic acid metabolite 4-oxo-13-cis-retinoic acid in neuroblastoma.

    PubMed

    Sonawane, Poonam; Cho, Hwang Eui; Tagde, Ashujit; Verlekar, Dattesh; Yu, Alice L; Reynolds, C Patrick; Kang, Min H

    2014-12-01

    Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid; 13-cRA) is a differentiation inducer used to treat minimal residual disease after myeloablative therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma. However, more than 40% of children develop recurrent disease during or after 13-cRA treatment. The plasma concentrations of 13-cRA in earlier studies were considered subtherapeutic while 4-oxo-13-cis-RA (4-oxo-13-cRA), a metabolite of 13-cRA considered by some investigators as inactive, were greater than threefold higher than 13-cRA. We sought to define the metabolic pathways of 13-cRA and investigated the anti-tumour activity of its major metabolite, 4-oxo-13-cRA. Effects of 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA on human neuroblastoma cell lines were assessed by DIMSCAN and flow cytometry for cell proliferation, MYCN down-regulation by reverse transcription PCR and immunoblotting, and neurite outgrowth by confocal microscopy. 13-cRA metabolism was determined using tandem MS in human liver microsomes and in patient samples. Six major metabolites of 13-cRA were identified in patient samples. Of these, 4-oxo-13-cRA was the most abundant, and 4-oxo-13-cRA glucuronide was also detected at a higher level in patients. CYP3A4 was shown to play a major role in catalysing 13-cRA to 4-oxo-13-cRA. In human neuroblastoma cell lines, 4-oxo-13-cRA and 13-cRA were equi-effective at inducing neurite outgrowth, inhibiting proliferation, decreasing MYCN mRNA and protein, and increasing the expression of retinoic acid receptor-β mRNA and protein levels. We showed that 4-oxo-13-cRA is as active as 13-cRA against neuroblastoma cell lines. Plasma levels of both 13-cRA and 4-oxo-13-cRA should be evaluated in pharmacokinetic studies of isotretinoin in neuroblastoma. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

  7. Production of a unique pneumococcal capsule serotype belonging to serogroup 6

    PubMed Central

    Bratcher, Preston E.; Park, In H.; Hollingshead, Susan K.; Nahm, Moon H.

    2013-01-01

    Serogroup 6 of Streptococcus pneumoniae contains three serotypes named 6A, 6B and 6C with highly homologous capsule gene loci. The 6A and 6B capsule gene loci consistently differ from each other by only one nucleotide in the wciP gene. The 6A capsule gene locus has a galactosyl transferase, which has been replaced with a glucosyl transferase in the 6C capsule gene locus. We considered that a new serotype named “6X1” would be possible if the galactosyl transferase of the 6B capsule gene locus is replaced with the glucosyl transferase of 6C. We demonstrate that this gene transfer yields a viable pneumococcal strain and the capsular polysaccharide from this strain has the predicted chemical structure and serologic similarity to the capsular polysaccharide of the 6B serotype. The new strain (i.e., serotype 6X1) is typed as 6B by the quellung reaction but it can be distinguished from 6B strains with monoclonal antibodies to 6B polysaccharide. Reexamination of 264 pneumococcal isolates that were previously typed as 6B with classical typing methods revealed no isolates expressing serotype 6X1. Nevertheless, this study shows this capsular polysaccharide is biochemically possible and could exist/emerge in nature. PMID:19202106

  8. Matrix polyelectrolyte capsules based on polysaccharide/MnCO₃ hybrid microparticle templates.

    PubMed

    Wei, Qingrong; Ai, Hua; Gu, Zhongwei

    2011-06-15

    An efficient strategy for biomacromolecule encapsulation based on spontaneous deposition into polysaccharide matrix-containing capsules is introduced in this study. First, hybrid microparticles composed of manganese carbonate and ionic polysaccharides including sodium hyaluronate (HA), sodium alginate (SA) and dextran sulfate sodium (DS) with narrow size distribution were synthesized to provide monodisperse templates. Incorporation of polysaccharide into the hybrid templates was successful as verified by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Matrix polyelectrolyte microcapsules were fabricated through layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes (PEs) onto the hybrid particles, followed by removal of the inorganic part of the cores, leaving polysaccharide matrix inside the capsules. The loading and release properties of the matrix microcapsules were investigated using myoglobin as a model biomacromolecule. Compared to matrix-free capsules, the matrix capsules had a much higher loading capacity up to four times; the driving force is mostly due to electrostatic interactions between myoglobin and the polysaccharide matrix. From our observations, for the same kind of polysaccharide, a higher amount of polysaccharide inside the capsules usually led to better loading capacity. The release behavior of the loaded myoglobin could be readily controlled by altering the environmental pH. These matrix microcapsules may be used as efficient delivery systems for various charged water-soluble macromolecules with applications in biomedical fields. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Feasibility of a colon capsule overnight procedure followed by colonoscopy.

    PubMed

    Brechmann, T; Schmiegel, W; Klute, L; Rösch, T; Pox, C

    2016-02-01

    Due to limited acceptance of colonoscopy as diagnostic and screening test alternatives are warranted. Colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) has been shown to be a possible filter test, but because of logistical issues a second bowel preparation is usually required, if consecutive colonoscopy is needed. We therefore evaluated the feasibility of a single bowel preparation for both overnight CCE and (therapeutical) colonoscopy thereafter. Patients from two university hospitals referred to undergo colonoscopy were prospectively included in a dual centre feasibility study. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) based bowel preparation-schedule with ingestion of a colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) at 10pm and subsequent colonoscopy at about 12am on the next day was investigated. The first generation PillCam colon capsule was used with 4 different preparation protocols containing several prokinetics in different compositions (i. e. metoclopramide, erythromycin, sennosoides). The main endpoint was the proportion of patients who completed both CCE and colonoscopy; secondary endpoints were capsule transit times, amount of colon seen on CCE, bowel cleanliness, sensitivity and specifity of CCE and patients' acceptance. 50 patients between 18 and 75 years were included. The sequence of overnight colon capsule endoscopy and colonoscopy was successfully completed in all but one (one refused colonoscopy). The capsule was excreted during recording time in 86 % of examinations, visualization of the complete colon was possible in 60 %, but adequate colon preparation was achieved in only 45 % irrespective of the regimen used. The preparation regimen consisting of a PEG-solution, erythromycin as prokinetic drug followed by PEG-solution as boost showed the largest proportion of adequate preparations. Overall sensitivity and specificity of CCE for polyps of any size were 65 % and 76 %, respectively. 26 of 30 patients (86.7 %) returned the subjective assessment questionnaire. 23 patients (88

  10. Method and apparatus for dispensing small quantities of mercury from evacuated and sealed glass capsules

    DOEpatents

    Grossman, Mark W.; George, William A.; Pai, Robert Y.

    1985-01-01

    A technique for opening an evacuated and sealed glass capsule containing a material that is to be dispensed which has a relatively high vapor pressure such as mercury. The capsule is typically disposed in a discharge tube envelope. The technique involves the use of a first light source imaged along the capsule and a second light source imaged across the capsule substantially transversely to the imaging of the first light source. Means are provided for constraining a segment of the capsule along its length with the constraining means being positioned to correspond with the imaging of the second light source. These light sources are preferably incandescent projection lamps. The constraining means is preferably a multiple looped wire support.

  11. Capsule Typing of Haemophilus influenzae by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Månsson, Viktor; Gilsdorf, Janet R; Kahlmeter, Gunnar; Kilian, Mogens; Kroll, J Simon; Riesbeck, Kristian; Resman, Fredrik

    2018-03-01

    Encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae strains belong to type-specific genetic lineages. Reliable capsule typing requires PCR, but a more efficient method would be useful. We evaluated capsule typing by using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. Isolates of all capsule types (a-f and nontypeable; n = 258) and isogenic capsule transformants (types a-d) were investigated. Principal component and biomarker analyses of mass spectra showed clustering, and mass peaks correlated with capsule type-specific genetic lineages. We used 31 selected isolates to construct a capsule typing database. Validation with the remaining isolates (n = 227) showed 100% sensitivity and 92.2% specificity for encapsulated strains (a-f; n = 61). Blinded validation of a supplemented database (n = 50) using clinical isolates (n = 126) showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity for encapsulated strains (b, e, and f; n = 28). MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is an accurate method for capsule typing of H. influenzae.

  12. Comparison of the diagnostic yield and outcomes between standard 8 h capsule endoscopy and the new 12 h capsule endoscopy for investigating small bowel pathology.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Merajur; Akerman, Stuart; DeVito, Bethany; Miller, Larry; Akerman, Meredith; Sultan, Keith

    2015-05-14

    To evaluate the completion rate and diagnostic yield of the PillCam SB2-ex in comparison to the PillCam SB2. Two hundred cases using the 8-h PillCam SB2 were retrospectively compared to 200 cases using the 12 h PillCam SB2-ex at a tertiary academic center. Endoscopically placed capsules were excluded from the study. Demographic information, indications for capsule endoscopy, capsule type, study length, completion of exam, clinically significant findings, timestamp of most distant finding, and significant findings beyond 8 h were recorded. The 8 and 12 h capsule groups were well matched respectively for both age (70.90 ± 14.19 vs 71.93 ± 13.80, P = 0.46) and gender (45.5% vs 48% male, P = 0.69). The most common indications for the procedure in both groups were anemia and obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. PillCam SB2-ex had a significantly higher completion rate than PillCam SB2 (88% vs 79.5%, P = 0.03). Overall, the diagnostic yield was greater for the 8 h capsule (48.5% for SB2 vs 35% for SB2-ex, P = 0.01). In 4/70 (5.7%) of abnormal SB2-ex exams the clinically significant finding was noted in the small bowel beyond the 8 h mark. In our study, we found the PillCam SB2-ex to have a significantly increased completion rate, though without any improvement in diagnostic yield compared to the PillCam SB2.

  13. Convection-driven aggregation of micron sized capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shklyaev, Oleg; Shum, Henry; Balazs, Anna

    Collective dynamics of microcapsules often serve as a model for understanding behavior observed in colonies of biological cells. Using computer simulations, we explore the capability of chemically generated convection to assemble microcapsules into a colony with neighbors close enough to facilitate chemical communication. The microcapsules are assumed to carry a supply of chemical fuel. When this fuel, leaking out of the capsules, reacts at enzyme-covered sites of the chamber, the reaction generates fluid density variations driving flows. These flows carry the microcapsules, which tend to aggregate into colonies on and near the enzyme-covered sites. This aggregation continues until the reagent has been depleted and convection stops. We show that capsule colonies of predesigned shapes can be assembled by patterning the enzyme-covered surface.

  14. 77 FR 40367 - Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Withdrawal of Approval of a New Drug Application for DURACT Capsules

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-09

    ... withdrawing approval of a new drug application (NDA) for DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules, held by Wyeth... voluntarily withdrew DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules from the market. DURACT (bromfenac sodium) Capsules, a... sodium) Capsules, under Sec. 314.150(d) (21 CFR 314.150(d)). In that letter, Wyeth also waived its...

  15. Quantification of liver fibrosis via second harmonic imaging of the Glisson's capsule from liver surface.

    PubMed

    Xu, Shuoyu; Kang, Chiang Huen; Gou, Xiaoli; Peng, Qiwen; Yan, Jie; Zhuo, Shuangmu; Cheng, Chee Leong; He, Yuting; Kang, Yuzhan; Xia, Wuzheng; So, Peter T C; Welsch, Roy; Rajapakse, Jagath C; Yu, Hanry

    2016-04-01

    Liver surface is covered by a collagenous layer called the Glisson's capsule. The structure of the Glisson's capsule is barely seen in the biopsy samples for histology assessment, thus the changes of the collagen network from the Glisson's capsule during the liver disease progression are not well studied. In this report, we investigated whether non-linear optical imaging of the Glisson's capsule at liver surface would yield sufficient information to allow quantitative staging of liver fibrosis. In contrast to conventional tissue sections whereby tissues are cut perpendicular to the liver surface and interior information from the liver biopsy samples were used, we have established a capsule index based on significant parameters extracted from the second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy images of capsule collagen from anterior surface of rat livers. Thioacetamide (TAA) induced liver fibrosis animal models was used in this study. The capsule index is capable of differentiating different fibrosis stages, with area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) up to 0.91, making it possible to quantitatively stage liver fibrosis via liver surface imaging potentially with endomicroscopy. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. AIR insulin capsules of different dose strengths may be combined to yield equivalent pharmacokinetics and glucodynamics.

    PubMed

    de la Peña, Amparo; Seger, Mary; Rave, Klaus; Heinemann, Lutz; Silverman, Bernard; Muchmore, Douglas B

    2009-09-01

    In order to assess pharmacokinetic (PK) and glucodynamic (GD) attributes relevant to the end user of an inhaled insulin, this study examined the exposure and GD effect of doses of AIR inhaled insulin (Eli Lilly and Co., Indianapolis, IN) (AIR is a registered trademark of Alkermes, Inc., Cambridge, MA) by combining capsules of different strengths in healthy subjects. Fifty-nine healthy, nonsmoking, male or female subjects with normal pulmonary function were enrolled in an open-label, randomized, crossover study. Subjects underwent up to five euglycemic glucose clamp procedures, separated by 5-18 days. The five AIR insulin treatments tested included one 6 unit-equivalent (U-eq) capsule containing 2.6 mg of insulin, three 2 U-eq (0.9 mg) capsules (2.7 mg total), one 10 U-eq (3.9 mg) capsule, one 6 U-eq capsule plus two 2 U-eq capsules (4.4 mg total), and two 10 U-eq capsules (7.8 mg total). Samples for PK and GD assessments were taken up to 10 h post-dose. Based on both PK (area under the curve from time 0 to time of return to baseline and maximum concentration) and GD (total amount of glucose infused and maximum glucose infusion rate) responses, administration of a 6 U-eq capsule was equivalent to three 2 U-eq capsules; 90% confidence intervals for the ratios were contained within the interval (0.8, 1.25). Similarly, both overall exposure and glucodynamic response after administration of a 10 U-eq capsule were comparable to the 6 U-eq plus two 2 U-eq capsule combination. AIR insulin exhibited PK dose proportionality and dose-dependent increases in GD responses over the 2.6-7.8 mg dose range. AIR insulin exhibited dose strength interchangeability and dose proportionality after single-dose administration in healthy subjects.

  17. Effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of dronabinol oral solution versus dronabinol capsules in healthy volunteers

    PubMed Central

    Oh, D Alexander; Parikh, Neha; Khurana, Varun; Cognata Smith, Christina; Vetticaden, Santosh

    2017-01-01

    Dronabinol is a pharmaceutical tetrahydrocannabinol originally developed as an oral capsule. A dronabinol oral solution was recently approved, and the effects of food on absorption and bioavailability of the oral solution versus capsules were compared in an open-label, single-dose, 3-period crossover study. Healthy volunteers were randomized to either dronabinol oral solution 4.25 mg (fed) or dronabinol capsule 5 mg (fed or fasted). Dosing was separated by a 7-day washout period. Plasma pharmacokinetics were evaluated for dronabinol and its major metabolite, 11-hydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-Δ9-THC). Pharmacokinetic data were available for analysis in 54 volunteers. In the fed state, initial dronabinol absorption was faster with oral solution versus capsule (mean time to the first measurable concentration, 0.15 vs 2.02 hours, respectively), with 100% and 15% of volunteers, respectively, having detectable plasma dronabinol levels 30 minutes postdose. There was less interindividual variability in plasma dronabinol concentration during early absorption with oral solution versus capsule. Compared with the fasted state, mean area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration (AUC0−t) increased by 2.1- and 2.4-fold for dronabinol oral solution and capsule, respectively, when taken with food. Mean time to maximum plasma concentration was similarly delayed for dronabinol oral solution with food (7.7 hours) and capsule with food (5.6 hours) versus capsule with fasting (1.7 hours). Under fed conditions, AUC0−t and area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time zero to infinity were similar for the oral solution versus capsule based on 11-OH-Δ9-THC levels. An appreciable food effect was observed for dronabinol oral solution and capsules. Dronabinol oral solution may offer therapeutic benefit to patients, given its rapid and lower interindividual absorption variability versus dronabinol capsule

  18. Simulation and evaluation of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yan; Fang, Jie; Shen, Lian; Shan, Weiguang

    2017-03-15

    The objective of this study was to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of rupturable coated capsules by finite element method (FEM). Film and coated capsules were prepared by dip-coating method and their dimensions were determined by stereomicroscope. Mechanical properties of the film were measured by tensile test and used as material properties of FEM models. Swelling pressure was determined by restrained expansion method and applied to the internal surface of FEM models. Water uptake of coated capsules was determined to study the formation of internal pressure. Burst test and in vitro dissolution was used to verify the FEM models, which were used to study and predict the coating burst behavior. Simulated results of coating burst behavior were well agreed with the experiment results. Swelling pressure, material properties and dimensions of coating had influence on the maximum stress. Burst pressure and critical L-HPC content were calculated for burst prediction and formulation optimization. FEM simulation was a feasible way to simulate and evaluate the burst behavior of coated capsules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Low-dose oral isotretinoin versus topical retinoic acid for photoaging: a randomized, comparative study.

    PubMed

    Bagatin, Edileia; Guadanhim, Lilia R S; Enokihara, Milvia M S S; Sanudo, Adriana; Talarico, Sérgio; Miot, Helio A; Gibson, Lawrence

    2014-01-01

    Oral isotretinoin (ISO) is the only drug which promotes prolonged remission or cure of severe acne. It also has other properties, supporting its use for non-acne indications. Retinoic acid (RA) is gold standard treatment for photoaging. ISO for photoaging treatment was reported in non-controlled trials as alternative to RA, which causes skin irritation. To compare clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical effects of low-dose ISO and 0.05% topical RA to treat photoaging. Randomized, comparative, evaluator-blinded, single-center study. Twenty-four healthy, Caucasian, 50 to 75-year-old men and women (menopausal or sterilized) with advanced photoaging were included. Twelve subjects received ISO, 20 mg/day, and 12 subjects were treated with RA cream, for six months; both treatments were administered every other day, and moisturizer and sunscreen were also used. Outcome measures included patient assessments, blinded photographic evaluations, Life Quality Index, histological (HE, Verhoeff) and immunohistochemical (p53, collagen type I) evaluations, adverse events, liver function, lipid profile, and blood count. Statistical analysis with generalized estimating equations and repeated measures ANOVA tests was used. Eleven subjects in each group completed the study. Patient and photographic assessments showed overall improvement in skin appearance. Quality-of-life scores were reduced for all subjects. Histological analysis revealed corneal layer diminution, epidermal thickness increase, and elastosis reduction. Immunohistochemical findings revealed significant epidermal p53 reduction and dermal collagen 1 increase. No differences were found between groups; laboratory tests showed no significant alterations. Despite being safe and effective, low-dose ISO was not superior to 0.05% RA for advanced photoaging treatment. © 2013 The International Society of Dermatology.

  20. Trypan blue staining of the anterior capsule under an air bubble with a modified cannula.

    PubMed

    Toprak, Ahmet Baris; Erkin, Esin Fatma; Guler, Cenap

    2003-01-01

    To attain good visibility of the anterior capsule in the advanced or white cataract, trypan blue 0.1% is used to stain the anterior capsule. The dye is usually injected under an air bubble. However, it is difficult to inject the dye properly due to capillary forces. An ordinary anterior chamber cannula was modified and its coverage area increased to facilitate the staining of the anterior capsule under an air bubble. The anterior capsule was stained properly by using the modified cannula in all of the cases.

  1. Method and apparatus for dispensing small quantities of mercury from evacuated and sealed glass capsules

    DOEpatents

    Grossman, M.W.; George, W.A.; Pai, R.Y.

    1985-08-13

    A technique is disclosed for opening an evacuated and sealed glass capsule containing a material that is to be dispensed which has a relatively high vapor pressure such as mercury. The capsule is typically disposed in a discharge tube envelope. The technique involves the use of a first light source imaged along the capsule and a second light source imaged across the capsule substantially transversely to the imaging of the first light source. Means are provided for constraining a segment of the capsule along its length with the constraining means being positioned to correspond with the imaging of the second light source. These light sources are preferably incandescent projection lamps. The constraining means is preferably a multiple looped wire support. 6 figs.

  2. An Automated Self-Learning Quantification System to Identify Visible Areas in Capsule Endoscopy Images.

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Shinichi; Ogihara, Hiroyuki; Suenaga, Masato; Fujita, Yusuke; Terai, Shuji; Hamamoto, Yoshihiko; Sakaida, Isao

    2017-08-01

    Visibility in capsule endoscopic images is presently evaluated through intermittent analysis of frames selected by a physician. It is thus subjective and not quantitative. A method to automatically quantify the visibility on capsule endoscopic images has not been reported. Generally, when designing automated image recognition programs, physicians must provide a training image; this process is called supervised learning. We aimed to develop a novel automated self-learning quantification system to identify visible areas on capsule endoscopic images. The technique was developed using 200 capsule endoscopic images retrospectively selected from each of three patients. The rate of detection of visible areas on capsule endoscopic images between a supervised learning program, using training images labeled by a physician, and our novel automated self-learning program, using unlabeled training images without intervention by a physician, was compared. The rate of detection of visible areas was equivalent for the supervised learning program and for our automatic self-learning program. The visible areas automatically identified by self-learning program correlated to the areas identified by an experienced physician. We developed a novel self-learning automated program to identify visible areas in capsule endoscopic images.

  3. Semipermeable Capsules Wrapping a Multifunctional and Self-regulated Co-culture Microenvironment for Osteogenic Differentiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Correia, Clara R.; Pirraco, Rogério P.; Cerqueira, Mariana T.; Marques, Alexandra P.; Reis, Rui L.; Mano, João F.

    2016-02-01

    A new concept of semipermeable reservoirs containing co-cultures of cells and supporting microparticles is presented, inspired by the multi-phenotypic cellular environment of bone. Based on the deconstruction of the “stem cell niche”, the developed capsules are designed to drive a self-regulated osteogenesis. PLLA microparticles functionalized with collagen I, and a co-culture of adipose stem (ASCs) and endothelial (ECs) cells are immobilized in spherical liquified capsules. The capsules are coated with multilayers of poly(L-lysine), alginate, and chitosan nano-assembled through layer-by-layer. Capsules encapsulating ASCs alone or in a co-culture with ECs are cultured in endothelial medium with or without osteogenic differentiation factors. Results show that osteogenesis is enhanced by the co-encapsulation, which occurs even in the absence of differentiation factors. These findings are supported by an increased ALP activity and matrix mineralization, osteopontin detection, and the up regulation of BMP-2, RUNX2 and BSP. The liquified co-capsules also act as a VEGF and BMP-2 cytokines release system. The proposed liquified capsules might be a valuable injectable self-regulated system for bone regeneration employing highly translational cell sources.

  4. Visualization of Capsule Reentry Vehicle Heat Shield Ablation Using Naphthalene PLIF

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Combs, Christopher S.; Clemens, Noel T.; Danehy, Paul M.

    2014-01-01

    The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) will use an ablative heat shield and improved understanding of the ablation process would be beneficial for design purposes. Given that ablation is a multi-physics process involving heat and mass transfer, codes aiming to predict heat shield ablation are in need of experimental data pertaining to the turbulent transport of ablation products for validation. At The University of Texas at Austin, a technique is being developed that uses planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) of a low-temperature sublimating ablator (naphthalene) to visualize the transport of ablation products in a supersonic flow. Since ablation at reentry temperatures can be difficult to recreate in a laboratory setting it is desirable to create a limited physics problem and simulate the ablation process at relatively low temperature conditions using naphthalene. A scaled Orion MPCV model with a solid naphthalene heat shield has been tested in a Mach 5 wind tunnel at various angles of attack in the current work. PLIF imaging reveals the distribution of the ablation products as they are transported into the heat-shield boundary layer and over the capsule shoulders into the separated shear layer and backshell recirculation region. Visualizations of the capsule shear layer using both naphthalene PLIF and Schlieren imaging compared favorably. High concentrations of naphthalene in the capsule separated flow region, intermittent turbulent structures on the heat shield surface, and interesting details of the capsule shear layer structure were observed using the naphthalene PLIF technique. The capsule shear layer was also shown to generally appear to be more turbulent at lower angles of attack. Furthermore, the PLIF signal increased steadily over the course of a run indicating that during a wind tunnel run the model heated up and the rate of naphthalene ablation increased. The shear layer showed increasing signs of turbulence over the course of a wind tunnel run

  5. Entry Dispersion Analysis for the Stardust Comet Sample Return Capsule

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Desai, Prasun N.; Mitcheltree, Robert A.; Cheatwood, F. McNeil

    1997-01-01

    Stardust will be the first mission to return samples from beyond the Earth-Moon system. The sample return capsule, which is passively controlled during the fastest Earth entry ever, will land by parachute in Utah. The present study analyzes the entry, descent, and landing of the returning sample capsule. The effects of two aerodynamic instabilities are revealed (one in the high altitude free molecular regime and the other in the transonic/subsonic flow regime). These instabilities could lead to unacceptably large excursions in the angle-of-attack near peak heating and main parachute deployment, respectively. To reduce the excursions resulting from the high altitude instability, the entry spin rate of the capsule is increased. To stabilize the excursions from the transonic/subsonic instability, a drogue chute with deployment triggered by an accelerometer and timer is added prior to main parachute deployment. A Monte Carlo dispersion analysis of the modified entry (from which the impact of off-nominal conditions during the entry is ascertained) shows that the capsule attitude excursions near peak heating and drogue chute deployment are within Stardust program limits. Additionally, the size of the resulting 3-sigma landing ellipse is 83.5 km in downrange by 29.2 km in crossrange, which is within the Utah Test and Training Range boundaries.

  6. Design and analysis of radial imaging capsule endoscope (RICE) system.

    PubMed

    Ou-Yang, Mang; Jeng, Wei-De

    2011-02-28

    In this study, a radial imaging capsule endoscope (RICE) system is designed, which differs from a conventional front imaging capsule endoscope (FICE) system. To observe the wrinkled intima of the intestine, which spreads without folding around the circumference of the capsule when a capsule endoscope with a diameter that slightly exceeds that of the intestine passes through it, the RICE uses a cone mirror, a radial window shell, and a focus optical module that comprise the radial imaging system. This concept was demonstrated in a packaged optical simulator. The RICE optical model also has been established and verified by many simulations and experiments. In minimizing the sagittal and tangential aberrations, the optical module of the RICE has achieved an F-number of 4.2, a viewing angle of 65.08°, and an RMS radius of the 4th to 6th fields of less than 17 um. A comparison of these characteristics with those of the focus optical module that is used in FICE lenses reveals that the spot size is 50% larger for each field, and the modulation transfer function (MTF) is remarkably improved from 7% to 36% at 100 lp/mm on the 5th field of the sagittal plane.

  7. A connection between mix and adiabat in ICF capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Baolian; Kwan, Thomas; Wang, Yi-Ming; Yi, Sunghuan (Austin); Batha, Steven

    2016-10-01

    We study the relationship between instability induced mix, preheat and the adiabat of the deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel in fusion capsule experiments. Our studies show that hydrodynamic instability not only directly affects the implosion, hot spot shape and mix, but also affects the thermodynamics of the capsule, such as, the adiabat of the DT fuel, and, in turn, affects the energy partition between the pusher shell (cold DT) and the hot spot. It was found that the adiabat of the DT fuel is sensitive to the amount of mix caused by Richtmyer-Meshkov (RM) and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instabilities at the material interfaces due to its exponential dependence on the fuel entropy. An upper limit of mix allowed maintaining a low adiabat of DT fuel is derived. Additionally we demonstrated that the use of a high adiabat for the DT fuel in theoretical analysis and with the aid of 1D code simulations could explain some aspects of the 3D effects and mix in the capsule experiments. Furthermore, from the observed neutron images and our physics model, we could infer the adiabat of the DT fuel in the capsule and determine the possible amount of mix in the hot spot (LA-UR-16-24880). This work was conducted under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

  8. 10 CFR 32.21 - Radioactive drug: Manufacture, preparation, or transfer for commercial distribution of capsules...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... for commercial distribution of capsules containing carbon-14 urea each for âin vivoâ diagnostic use..., preparation, or transfer for commercial distribution of capsules containing carbon-14 urea each for “in vivo... commercial distribution capsules containing 37 kBq (1 µCi) carbon-14 urea (allowing for nominal variation...

  9. Pain & resistance in patients with adhesive capsulitis during contrast material injection phase of MR arthrography.

    PubMed

    Yilmaz, Mehmet Halit; Kantarci, Fatih; Adaletli, Ibrahim; Ulus, Sila; Gulsen, Fatih; Ozer, Harun; Aktas, Ilknur; Akgun, Kenan; Kanberoglu, Kaya

    2007-04-01

    Adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder is a condition of unknown aetiology that results in the development of restricted active and passive glenohumeral motion. It has been reported that magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is useful in diagnosing adhesive capsulitis. We carried out this study to assess how pain and/or resistance during contrast material injection affects the diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis on magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography. The study included MR arthrography examinations of 21 patients with a diagnosis of adhesive capsulitis. The control group consisted of 20 patients who presented clinically with rotator cuff tear. The pain (visual analog scale, VAS), resistance to injection and the amount of contrast material that could be injected during injection phase of MR arthrography was assessed and compared between groups. The patients in adhesive capsulitis group (mean VAS score 66.5+/-25.5) experienced more pain when compared with the control group (mean VAS score 34.9+/-27.7, P<0.001). A statistically significant difference (P<0.001) in terms of the amount of the injected fluid (4.3+/-2.6 ml for adhesive capsulitis group, and 10.9+/-4.1 ml for control group) was seen into the joint cavity. Resistance to injection was significantly more (P<0.001) in patients with adhesive capsulitis when compared to control group. Experience of pain during injection, a decreased amount of contrast material injected and resistance to injection in patients during injection phase of MR arthrography may suggest adhesive capsulitis.

  10. The effects of convergence ratio on the implosion behavior of DT layered inertial confinement fusion capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haines, Brian M.; Yi, S. A.; Olson, R. E.; Khan, S. F.; Kyrala, G. A.; Zylstra, A. B.; Bradley, P. A.; Peterson, R. R.; Kline, J. L.; Leeper, R. J.; Shah, R. C.

    2017-07-01

    The wetted foam capsule design for inertial confinement fusion capsules, which includes a foam layer wetted with deuterium-tritium liquid, enables layered capsule implosions with a wide range of hot-spot convergence ratios (CR) on the National Ignition Facility. We present a full-scale wetted foam capsule design that demonstrates high gain in one-dimensional simulations. In these simulations, increasing the convergence ratio leads to an improved capsule yield due to higher hot-spot temperatures and increased fuel areal density. High-resolution two-dimensional simulations of this design are presented with detailed and well resolved models for the capsule fill tube, support tent, surface roughness, and predicted asymmetries in the x-ray drive. Our modeling of these asymmetries is validated by comparisons with available experimental data. In 2D simulations of the full-scale wetted foam capsule design, jetting caused by the fill tube is prevented by the expansion of the tungsten-doped shell layer due to preheat. While the impacts of surface roughness and predicted asymmetries in the x-ray drive are enhanced by convergence effects, likely underpredicted in 2D at high CR, simulations predict that the capsule is robust to these features. Nevertheless, the design is highly susceptible to the effects of the capsule support tent, which negates all of the one-dimensional benefits of increasing the convergence ratio. Indeed, when the support tent is included in simulations, the yield decreases as the convergence ratio is increased for CR > 20. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the full-scale wetted foam design has the potential to outperform ice layer capsules given currently achievable levels of asymmetries when fielded at low convergence ratios (CR < 20).

  11. Impacts of Implosion Asymmetry And Hot Spot Shape On Ignition Capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cheng, Baolian; Kwan, Thomas J. T.; Wang, Yi-Ming; Yi, S. Austin; Batha, Steve

    2017-10-01

    Implosion symmetry plays a critical role in achieving high areal density and internal energy at stagnation during hot spot formation in ICF capsules. Asymmetry causes hot spot irregularity and stagnation de-synchronization that results in lower temperatures and areal densities of the hot fuel. These degradations significantly affect the alpha heating process in the DT fuel as well as on the thermonuclear performance of the capsules. In this work, we explore the physical factors determining the shape of the hot spot late in the implosion and the effects of shape on Î+/-particle transport. We extend our ignition theory [1-4] to include the hot spot shape and quantify the effects of the implosion asymmetry on both the ignition criterion and capsule performance. We validate our theory with the NIF existing experimental data Our theory shows that the ignition criterion becomes more restrictive with the deformation of the hot spot. Through comparison with the NIF data, we demonstrate that the shape effects on the capsules' performance become more explicit as the self-heating and yield of the capsules increases. The degradation of the thermonuclear burn by the hot spot shape for high yield shots to date can be as high as 20%. Our theory is in good agreement with the NIF data. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Los Alamos National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-36.

  12. Silica-protected micron and sub-micron capsules and particles for self-healing at the microscale.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Aaron C; Bartelt, Jonathan A; Marczewski, Kamil; Sottos, Nancy R; Braun, Paul V

    2011-01-03

    A generalized silica coating scheme is used to functionalize and protect sub-micron and micron size dicyclopentadiene monomer-filled capsules and polymer-protected Grubbs' catalyst particles. These capsules and particles are used for self-healing of microscale damage in an epoxy-based polymer. The silica layer both protects the capsules and particles, and limits their aggregation when added to an epoxy matrix, enabling the capsules and particles to be dispersed at high concentrations with little loss of reactivity. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Analysis of the K1 capsule biosynthesis genes of Escherichia coli: definition of three functional regions for capsule production.

    PubMed

    Boulnois, G J; Roberts, I S; Hodge, R; Hardy, K R; Jann, K B; Timmis, K N

    1987-06-01

    Transposon and deletion analysis of the cloned K1 capsule biosynthesis genes of Escherichia coli revealed that approximately 17 kb of DNA, split into three functional regions, is required for capsule production. One block (region 1) is required for translocation of polysaccharide to the cell surface and mutations in this region result in the intracellular appearance of polymer indistinguishable on immunoelectrophoresis to that found on the surface of K1 encapsulated bacteria. This material was released from the cell by osmotic shock indicating that the polysaccharide was probably present in the periplasmic space. Insertions in a second block (region 2) completely abolished polymer production and this second region is believed to encode the enzymes for the biosynthesis and polymerisation of the K1 antigen. Addition of exogenous N-acetylneuraminic acid to one insertion mutant in this region restored its ability to express surface polymer as judged by K1 phage sensitivity. This insertion probably defines genes involved in biosynthesis of N-acetylneuraminic acid. Insertions in a third block (region 3) result in the intracellular appearance of polysaccharide with a very low electrophoretic mobility. The presence of the cloned K1 capsule biosynthesis genes on a multicopy plasmid in an E. coli K-12 strain did not increase the yields of capsular polysaccharide produced compared to the K1+ isolate from which the genes were cloned.

  14. Implemented a wireless communication system for VGA capsule endoscope.

    PubMed

    Moon, Yeon-Kwan; Lee, Jyung Hyun; Park, Hee-Joon; Cho, Jin-Ho; Choi, Hyun-Chul

    2014-01-01

    Recently, several medical devices that use wireless communication are under development. In this paper, the small size frequency shift keying (FSK) transmitter and a monofilar antenna for the capsule endoscope, enabling the medical device to transmit VGA-size images of the intestine. To verify the functionality of the proposed wireless communication system, computer simulations and animal experiments were performed with the implemented capsule endoscope that includes the proposed wireless communication system. Several fundamental experiments are carried out using the implemented transmitter and antenna, and animal in-vivo experiments were performed to verify VGA image transmission.

  15. Selective inclusion of PO4(3-) within persistent dimeric capsules of a tris(thiourea) receptor and evidence of cation/solvent sealed unimolecular capsules.

    PubMed

    Dey, Sandeep Kumar; Das, Gopal

    2012-08-07

    A tren-based tris(thiourea) receptor, L with electron-withdrawing p-nitrophenyl terminals has been established as a competent hydrogen-bonding scaffold that can selectively encapsulate PO(4)(3-) within persistent and rigid dimeric capsules, assembled by aromatic π-stacking interactions between the receptor side-arms. A quaternary ammonium salt of PO(4)(3-) capsules (complexes 1 and 1b, 2:1 host-guest) can reproducibly be obtained in quantitative yields by a solution-state deprotonation of [HL](+) moieties and a bound HPO(4)(2-) anion of complex 1a (HPO(4)(2-) complex of protonated L, 2:1 host-guest), induced by the presence of a large excess of anions such as HCO(3)(-), CH(3)CO(2)(-), and F(-). Qualitative as well as quantitative (1)H and (31)P NMR experiments (DMSO-d(6)) have been carried out in detail to demonstrate the selective and preferential inclusion of PO(4)(3-) by L in solution-states. Competitive crystallization experiments performed in the presence of an excess of anions such as HCO(3)(-), HSO(4)(-), CH(3)CO(2)(-), NO(3)(-) and halides (F(-) and Cl(-)) further establish the phenomenon of selective PO(4)(3-) encapsulation as confirmed by (1)H NMR, (31)P NMR, FT-IR and powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the isolated crystals. X-ray structural analyses and (31)P NMR studies of the isolated crystals of phosphate complexes (1, 1a and 1b) provide evidence of the binding discrepancy of inorganic phosphates with protonated and neutral form of L. Furthermore, extensive studies have been carried out with other anions of different sizes and dimensions in solid- and solution-states (complexes 2a, 3, 4 and 5). Crystal structure elucidation revealed the formation of a solvent (DMSO) sealed unimolecular capsule in the F(-) encapsulated complex, 2a (1:1 host-guest), a CO(3)(2-) encapsulated centrosymmetric molecular capsule in 3 (2:1 host-guest) and a cation (tetrabutylammonium) sealed SO(4)(2-) encapsulated unimolecular capsule in 4 (1:1 host-guest). 2D-NOESY NMR

  16. Biomechanical Effects of Acromioplasty on Superior Capsule Reconstruction for Irreparable Supraspinatus Tendon Tears.

    PubMed

    Mihata, Teruhisa; McGarry, Michelle H; Kahn, Timothy; Goldberg, Iliya; Neo, Masashi; Lee, Thay Q

    2016-01-01

    Acromioplasty is increasingly being performed for both reparable and irreparable rotator cuff tears. However, acromioplasty may destroy the coracoacromial arch, including the coracoacromial ligament, consequently causing a deterioration in superior stability even after superior capsule reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of acromioplasty on shoulder biomechanics after superior capsule reconstruction for irreparable supraspinatus tendon tears. The hypothesis was that acromioplasty with superior capsule reconstruction would decrease the area of subacromial impingement without increasing superior translation and subacromial contact pressure. Controlled laboratory study. Seven fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulders were evaluated using a custom shoulder testing system. Glenohumeral superior translation, the location of the humeral head relative to the glenoid, and subacromial contact pressure and area were compared among 4 conditions: (1) intact shoulder, (2) irreparable supraspinatus tendon tear, (3) superior capsule reconstruction without acromioplasty, and (4) superior capsule reconstruction with acromioplasty. Superior capsule reconstruction was performed using the fascia lata. Compared with the intact shoulder, the creation of an irreparable supraspinatus tear significantly shifted the humeral head superiorly in the balanced muscle loading condition (without superior force applied) (0° of abduction: 2.8-mm superior shift [P = .0005]; 30° of abduction: 1.9-mm superior shift [P = .003]) and increased both superior translation (0° of abduction: 239% of intact [P = .04]; 30° of abduction: 199% of intact [P = .02]) and subacromial peak contact pressure (0° of abduction: 308% of intact [P = .0002]; 30° of abduction: 252% of intact [P = .001]) by applying superior force. Superior capsule reconstruction without acromioplasty significantly decreased superior translation (0° of abduction: 86% of intact [P = .02]; 30° of abduction: 75

  17. Electroformation of Janus and patchy capsules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rozynek, Zbigniew; Mikkelsen, Alexander; Dommersnes, Paul; Fossum, Jon Otto

    2014-05-01

    Janus and patchy particles have designed heterogeneous surfaces that consist of two or several patches with different materials properties. These particles are emerging as building blocks for a new class of soft matter and functional materials. Here we introduce a route for forming heterogeneous capsules by producing highly ordered jammed colloidal shells of various shapes with domains of controlled size and composition. These structures combine the functionalities offered by Janus or patchy particles, and those given by permeable shells such as colloidosomes. The simple assembly route involves the synergetic action of electro-hydrodynamic flow and electro-coalescence. We demonstrate that the method is robust and straightforwardly extendable to production of multi-patchy capsules. This forms a starting point for producing patchy colloidosomes with domains of anisotropic chemical surface properties, permeability or mixed liquid-solid phase domains, which could be exploited to produce functional emulsions, light and hollow supra-colloidosome structures, or scaffolds.

  18. Analytical model development for the prediction of the frictional resistance of a capsule endoscope inside an intestine.

    PubMed

    Kim, J S; Sung, I H; Kim, Y T; Kim, D E; Jang, Y H

    2007-11-01

    For the purpose of optimizing the design of the locomotion mechanism as well as the body shape of a self-propelled capsule endoscope, an analytical model for the prediction of frictional resistance of the capsule moving inside the small intestine was first developed. The model was developed by considering the contact geometry and viscoelasticity of the intestine, based on the experimental investigations on the material properties of the intestine and the friction of the capsule inside the small intestine. In order to verify the model and to investigate the distributions of various stress components applied to the capsule, finite element (FE) analyses were carried out. The comparison of the frictional resistance between the predicted and the experimental values suggested that the proposed model could predict the frictional force of the capsule with reasonable accuracy. Also, the FE analysis results of various stress components revealed the stress relaxation of the intestine and explained that such stress relaxation characteristics of the intestine resulted in lower frictional force as the speed of the capsule decreased. These results suggested that the frontal shape of the capsule was critical to the design of the capsule with desired frictional performance. It was shown that the proposed model can provide quantitative estimation of the frictional resistance of the capsule under various moving conditions inside the intestine. The model is expected to be useful in the design optimization of the capsule locomotion inside the intestine.

  19. Dynamic Symmetry of Indirectly Driven ICF Capsules on NIF

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Town, R. P. J.

    2013-10-01

    In order to achieve ignition it is important to control the growth of low-mode asymmetries as the capsule is compressed. Understanding the time-dependent evolution of the shape of the imploding capsule, hot spot and surrounding fuel layer is crucial to optimizing implosion performance. A design and experimental campaign to examine the sources of asymmetry and to measure the symmetry throughout the implosion has been developed and executed on the NIF. For the first time on NIF, two-dimensional radiographs of the capsule during its implosion phase have been measured to infer the symmetry of the radiation drive. Time dependent equatorial symmetry has been measured of gas-filled capsules and capsules with cryogenic DT layers. These measurements have been used to modify the hohlraum geometry and the wavelength tuning to improve the inflight implosion symmetry. The technique is being extended to study azimuthal symmetry by imaging along the hohlraum axis. We have also expanded our shock timing measurements by the addition of extra mirrors inside the re-entrant cone to allow the simultaneous measurement of shock symmetry in three locations on a single shot, providing a measurement of asymmetries up to mode 4 in both the equatorial and azimuthal planes. The shape of the hot spot during final stagnation is measured using time-resolved imaging of the self-emission, and information on the shape of the fuel at stagnation can be obtained from Compton radiography using a wire-backlighter. In addition to x-ray diagnostics, a series of neutron and proton measurements of the low-mode areal density of the fuel at peak compression and at shock-flash time have been made. This talk will discuss the new imaging techniques, the results, and the analysis of the experiments done to date and their implication for ignition on NIF. The sensitivity of the in-flight and final implosion symmetry to imposed changes will be presented and compared to model predictions. This work performed under the

  20. Kingella kingae expresses four structurally distinct polysaccharide capsules that differ in their correlation with invasive disease

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Starr, Kimberly F.; Porsch, Eric A.; Seed, Patrick C.

    Kingella kingae is an encapsulated gram-negative organism that is a common cause of osteoarticular infections in young children. In earlier work, we identified a glycosyltransferase gene called csaA that is necessary for synthesis of the [3)-β-GalpNAc-(1→5)-β-Kdop-(2→] polysaccharide capsule (type a) in K. kingae strain 269–492. In the current study, we analyzed a large collection of invasive and carrier isolates from Israel and found that csaA was present in only 47% of the isolates. Further examination of this collection using primers based on the sequence that flanks csaA revealed three additional gene clusters (designated the csb, csc, and csd loci), allmore » encoding predicted glycosyltransferases. The csb locus contains the csbA, csbB, and csbC genes and is associated with a capsule that is a polymer of [6)-α-GlcpNAc-(1→5)-β-(8-OAc)Kdop-(2→] (type b). The csc locus contains the cscA, cscB, and cscC genes and is associated with a capsule that is a polymer of [3)-β-Ribf-(1→2)-β-Ribf-(1→2)-β-Ribf-(1→4)-β-Kdop-(2→] (type c). The csd locus contains the csdA, csdB, and csdC genes and is associated with a capsule that is a polymer of [P-(O→3)[β-Galp-(1→4)]-β-GlcpNAc-(1→3)-α-GlcpNAc-1-] (type d). Introduction of the csa, csb, csc, and csd loci into strain KK01Δcsa, a strain 269–492 derivative that lacks the native csaA gene, was sufficient to produce the type a capsule, type b capsule, type c capsule, and type d capsule, respectively, indicating that these loci are solely responsible for determining capsule type in K. kingae. Further analysis demonstrated that 96% of the invasive isolates express either the type a or type b capsule and that a disproportionate percentage of carrier isolates express the type c or type d capsule. Lastly, these results establish that there are at least four structurally distinct K. kingae capsule types and suggest that capsule type plays an important role in promoting K. kingae invasive disease« less