Effect of the moisture content in aerosol on the spray performance of Stmerin ® D hydrofluoroalkane preparations (2)

The spray performance of the new Stmerin? D pressurized metered dose inhalers (MDIs), prescribed for asthma treatment, was previously reported to be sensitive to moisture content in the canister. In this formulation, active ingredients were suspended in hydrofluoroalkanes (HFA-134a and HFA-227). Here, we report on the critical moisture content of a new MDI formulation using HFA-227. We prepared MDIs with different moisture contents (107-331 ppm) and investigated the effect of moisture content on the fine particle dose (FPD). When the moisture content exceeded 280 ppm, FPD was reduced by 20%. The moisture content can be kept below this level by controlling moisture ingress with selected sealing gasket materials and by controlling the manufacturing conditions. The long-term stability and moisture penetration rate at 25°C and 60% relative humidity (RH) of the new HFA-227 formulation were tested over 36 months. Moisture content increased to approximately 210 ppm after 24 months and 230 ppm after 36 months storage; the drug content did not change over 24 months; FPD was slightly reduced by 24 months but still complied with the product specification. These results demonstrate that the critical moisture content of the Stmerin? D HFA-227 MDI formulation to meet required spray performance is between 280 and 330 ppm, and this formulation (at <210 ppm moisture level) is stable over 24 months.     

A 5% glucose infusion fluid provokes significant precipitation of phenytoin sodium injection via interruption of the cosolvent effect of propylene glycol

The precipitation of phenytoin sodium injection provoked by mixing with infusion fluids renders its use in clinical practice difficult, as rapid intravenous (i.v.) push and i.v. infusion are supposed to be avoided. As some of its aspects remain unclear, this study tried to elucidate this precipitation mechanism. In particular, this study focused on the significant precipitation induced by glucose infusion fluid. The precipitation provoked by 5% glucose infusion fluid was obviously different from the precipitation that accompanied simple pH reduction, in terms of the growth mode and morphology of crystals. In addition, the effect of glucose was partially unrelated to pH reduction. NMR measurements including a two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (2D-NOESY) spectrum indicated the specific interaction between glucose and propylene glycol, which is incorporated into phenytoin sodium injection as a solubilizing agent. These results led to the conclusion that this interaction was crucial for the precipitation of phenytoin, as it diminished the solubilizing effect of propylene glycol, resulting in the enhancement of the crystallization of phenytoin. The determination of phenytoin solubility in aqueous solutions at different pH values revealed that phenytoin incorporated in the admixture could be dissolved completely, as long as the injection was diluted with saline or water. These findings offer a profound insight into the formulation design of phenytoin sodium injection and its use in clinical practice.     

Structural and Magnetic Characterisation of Ce@C82

Abstract

We report the structural and magnetic properties of the endohedral metallofullerene Ce@C₈₂. A hexagonal close packing phase [P6₃/mmc [a=11.1544Å, c=18.2256Å] is formed exclusively after vacuum annealing of the solvent precipitated compound. In contrast, sublimed Ce@C₈₂ was found to be dominantly face-centred cubic close packed [Fm-3m; a=15.766Å]. X-ray powder profile calculations revealed that the endohedral cerium atom lies close to 1.8Å from the C₈₂ cage centre in both phases. Hexagonal Ce@C₈₂ has been investigated by magnetic susceptibility measurements. Paramagnetic behaviour is maintained down to 2K attributable to Ce³⁺ ions. Towards lower temperatures, the observed paramagnetic moment falls from the free ion Ce³⁺(μ_eff =2.54μB) value, monotonically approaching 1μB at 2K.     

Structural Phase Transition of an Intercalation Compound Mn1/4NbS2

Abstract

A structural phase transition of an intercalation compound Mn_1/4NbS₂ has been investigated by X-ray diffraction at high temperatures. The lattice parameter c exhibited a discontinuous change at 640K. The superlattice reflections observed below 640K disappeared suddenly above 640K. The phase transition at 640K took an aspect of the first-order phase transition. The precise structure analyses were performed at various temperatures above and below the phase-transition temperature. It was revealed that Mn atoms were arranged in disorder in the high-temperature phase, while the Mn atoms were ordered forming the 2a ₀ × 2a ₀ × c ₀ superlattice in the low-temperature phase. The Nb and S atoms around the ordered Mn atoms slightly shifted from the high-symmetry position in the low-temperature phase. The order parameters were the degree of order of the Mn atoms and the degree of displacement of the Nb and S atoms.     

Approximate identities and Young type inequalities in Musielak-Orlicz spaces

We discuss the convergence of approximate identities in Musielak-Orlicz spaces extending the results given by Cruz-Uribe and Fiorenza (2007) and the authors F.-Y. Maeda, Y. Mizuta and T. Ohno (2010). As in these papers, we treat the case where the approximate identity is of potential type and the case where the approximate identity is defined by a function of compact support. We also give a Young type inequality for convolution with respect to the norm in Musielak-Orlicz spaces.     

Platonic hexahedron composed of six organic faces with an inscribed Au cluster

The structures of nanomaterials determine their individual properties and the suprastructures they can form. Introducing anisotropic shapes and/or interaction sites to isotropic nanoparticles has been proposed to extend the functionality and possible suprastructure motifs. Because of symmetric anisotropy, Platonic solids with regular polygon faces are one of the most promising nanoscale structures. Introduction of Platonic solid anisotropy to isotropic nanomaterials would expand the functionality and range of possible suprastructure motifs. Here, we demonstrate a novel strategy to obtain nano-Platonic solids through the face coordination of square porphyrins on an inscribed Au sphere with adequate size. The face coordination of the multidentate porphyrin derivatives, with four acetylthio groups facing the same direction, on the Au cluster encased the Au cluster in a Platonic hexahedron with six porphyrin faces. Transmission electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and scanning tunnelling microscopy were used to confirm the formation of the nano-Platonic hexahedron.     

Growth of single-crystal Ca10(Pt4As8)(Fe(1.8)Pt(0.2)As2)5 nanowhiskers with superconductivity up to 33 K

Single-crystal Ca(10)(Pt(4)As(8))(Fe(1.8)Pt(0.2)As(2))(5) superconducting (SC) nanowhiskers with widths down to hundreds of nanometers were successfully grown in a Ta capsule in an evacuated quartz tube by a flux method. Magnetic and electrical properties measurements demonstrate that the whiskers have excellent crystallinity with critical temperature of up to 33 K, upper critical field of 52.8 T, and critical current density of J(c) of 6.0 × 10(5) A/cm(2) (at 26 K). Since cuprate high-T(c) SC whiskers are fragile ceramics, the present intermetallic SC whiskers with high T(c) have better opportunities for device applications. Moreover, although the growth mechanism is not understood well, the technique can be potentially useful for growth of other whiskers containing toxic elements.     

Electrochemical synthesis of mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys with tunable compositions for enhancement of electrochemical performance

Mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys were electrochemically synthesized from lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) containing corresponding metal species. Two-dimensional exagonally ordered LLC templates were prepared on conductive substrates from diluted surfactant solutions including water, a nonionic surfactant, ethanol, and metal species by drop-coating. Electrochemical synthesis using such LLC templates enabled the preparation of ordered mesoporous Pt-Au binary alloys without phase segregation. The framework composition in the mesoporous Pt-Au alloy was controlled simply by changing the compositional ratios in the precursor solution. Mesoporous Pt-Au alloys with low Au content exhibited well-ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructures, reflecting those of the original templates. With increasing Au content, however, the mesostructural order gradually decreased, thereby reducing the electrochemically active surface area. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction profiles, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and elemental mapping showed that both Pt and Au were atomically distributed in the frameworks. The electrochemical stability of mesoporous Pt-Au alloys toward methanol oxidation was highly improved relative to that of nonporous Pt and mesoporous Pt films, suggesting that mesoporous Pt-Au alloy films are potentially applicable as electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. Also, mesoporous Pt-Au alloy electrodes showed a highly sensitive amperometric response for glucose molecules, which will be useful in next-generation enzyme-free glucose sensors.     

Quadratic relations for a q-analogue of multiple zeta values

We obtain a class of quadratic relations for a q-analogue of multiple zeta values (qMZV’s). In the limit q→1, it turns into Kawashima’s relation for multiple zeta values. As a corollary we find that qMZV’s satisfy the linear relation contained in Kawashima’s relation. In the proof we make use of a q-analogue of Newton series and Bradley’s duality formula for finite multiple harmonic q-series.