Characterization of in vitro and in vivo drug release profiles constitutes an important step in developing and optimizing an effective, long acting delivery system for naltrexone. Accelerated in vitro methods are also important for quality assurance of manufactured dosage forms. For drug release testing of sustained release parenteral dosage forms, the modified USP Apparatus 4 (flow-through cell) has been recommended by the The Fédération Internationale Pharmaceutique/American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (FIP/AAPS) Guidelines. Details on such studies however, are generally not found in the literature. To incorporate 'biorelevance' to implant drug release studies, this research investigated an approach to apparatus design and media selection that is significantly different from conventional dissolution studies involving oral dosage forms.Biodegradable implants of naltrexone were obtained from Durect Corporation, USA. A modified Hanks' Balanced Salts Solution was characterized as a 'biorelevant' medium for in vitro drug release studies. Naltrexone was found to be sufficiently stable in the medium, as determined by a stability-indicating High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) assay. A miniature, cell-culture, capillary system was modified and tested as a 'biorelevant' alternative to the modified flow-through apparatus, to mimic significant barriers to drug release that would be expected in vivo. The in vitro release profiles generated up to 3 months using both devices indicated considerable (2-fold) variation in rates, as expected from the difference in media flow characteristics. An implantation study in a dog was conducted to determine which of the two devices could provide a better simulation of the in vivo conditions. Analysis of in vivo samples was carried out by a Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method that also employed a molecular model approach to demonstrate the absence of Internal Standard Deuterium Isotope Effects. A good In vitro-In vivo Correlation (IVIVC) resulted from both devices; however, the capillary device provided a superior simulation for the lag-time in absorption. The accelerated study at 45°C and 55°C established a predictable increase in release rates (2-fold and 4-fold increases, respectively). The approach described in this work could provide the basis for future method modification of in vitro drug release tests of subcutaneous implants.

CHARLES UNIVERSITY IN PRAGUE Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmaceutical technology Name of the student: Hana Jakubíková Title of diploma thesis: Aciclovir release from mucoadhesive polyester matrices Consultant: PharmDr. Eva Šnejdrová, Ph.D. The aim of this diploma thesis was to investigate aciclovir release from polyesters of lactic acid and glycolic acid branched with mannitol, pentaerythritol, dipentaerythritol and tripentaerythritol, and plasticized using ethyl pyruvate or methyl salicylate. Theoretical part sums up the application possibilities of mucoadhesive preparations. Experimental part of thesis deals with aciclovir release from polyester matrices applied on mucous substrate. Short term dissolution experiments of aciclovir were carried out in phosphate citrate buffer of pH 7, 4 at 37 řC. Mucus from porcine stomach was used as model substrate. The amount of aciclovir released was determined spectrophotometrically at 256 nm contrary to a blank sample, and also using HPLC method. Dissolution of aciclovir was affected by molar mass of polyester, and by the type and concentration of plasticizer. Polyester branched with 3 % of tripentaerythritol, and plasticizes by 40 % of methyl salicylate was found to be most suitable carrier of aciclovir for topical application on...

This thesis is concerned with the issues of unconditional imprisonment with the focus on early release of prisoners. A comparison of legal framework in the Czech Republic and the Great Britain is provided. The first chapter deals with the meaning and objectives of punishment. It shows a history of legal theories in the world and the Czech Republic as well. The following chapter provides an explanation of these legal theories in the Czech legislature as basic sentencing principles. Moving further into the detail it provides a legal framework of unconditional imprisonment in the Czech Republic. The third chapter gives a brief look at the history of legal framework of imprisonment on the international, European and national level. The thesis gives a thorough examination of the early release in the Czech law in its first main part. It evaluates its advantages, disadvantages and implications. The same process is made in the second main part of the thesis concerning the early release in Common law using the doctrine of judicial precedent. Following that evaluation a comparison of particular legal institutes of the early release is provided. Recommendations for improvement of the Czech legal framework are mentioned in the last part of the thesis. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est d’étudier la relation entre la méthode de préparation des nanoparticules, les propriétés colloïdales et l’encapsulation d’un principe actif à usage pédiatrique. Dans ce but, le diclofenac a été utilisé comme molécule modèle et les nanoparticules ont été préparées via la nanoprécipitation et l’émulsification-diffusion. Des études fondamentales et systématiques ont permis de mettre en évidence l'existence de différences notables entre les propriétés électrocinétiques et l'efficacité d’encapsulation en fonction du procédé utilisé pour la préparation des particules. Ces propriétés colloïdales et physico-chimiques sont primordiales pour la bonne stabilité des dispersions de nanosphères et des nanocapsules et pour le comportement de ces vecteurs lors d’utilisation in vivo. Cette étude a permis de proposer et de discuter le mécanisme de formation des nanoparticules en se basant sur le comportement des variables critiques du procédé et de la formulation, les propriétés de surface et l'efficacité d’encapsulation de l’actif modèle / The objective of this PhD thesis is to point out the relationship between the preparation method of the nanoparticles, the colloidal properties and the encapsulation efficiency of a given active molecule for paediatric purpose. In this direction, diclofenac was used as model molecule and the nanoparticles were prepared via the nanoprecipitation and the emulsification-diffusion processes. The conducted fundamental and systematic studies rend evident notable differences between the two processes, particularly in the electrokinetic properties of the particles and the effectiveness of the drug encapsulation. These colloidal and physicochemical properties are paramount for the good stability of the nanoparticles and their in vivo use. This research work made it possible to propose and to discuss the mechanism of nanoparticle formation from the behavior of key variables of the process and the recipe used, the surface properties of the particles and the effectiveness of encapsulation of the model drug

Les cellules épidermiques des téguments des graines d’Arabidopsis thaliana, espèce myxospermique, libèrent un halo de mucilage polysaccharidique lors de leur imbibition. Les polysaccharides du mucilage sont produits et accumulés au cours du développement de la graine, selon un processus de différenciation déjà largement décrit (Western et al. 2006). Au laboratoire, une mutation naturelle a été mise en évidence chez l’accession Djarly, dont les graines ne libèrent pas de mucilage au cours de leur imbibition. Le clonage positionnel a démontré que le locus affecté chez Djarly code pour un inhibiteur de pectine méthylestérase (PMEI6). Les PMEIs exercent un contrôle négatif sur l’activité des pectines méthylestérases (PME), enzymes qui déméthylestérifient les homogalacturonanes, par la formation d’un complexe PME-PMEI (Di Matteo et al., 2005 ; Hothorn et al., 2004). Des études génétiques, cytologiques et biochimiques ont prouvé que PMEI6 régule la méthylestérification des homogalacturonanes du mucilage et des parois cellulaires distales des cellules épidermiques de la graine retardant la libération du mucilage séminal. L’expression de PMEI6 dépend des régulateurs de transcription GLABRA2 et MUM1. L’activité PME dans les cellules épidermiques des graines est aussi modulée par la subtilisine serine protéase AtSBT1.7, et le phénotype additif du mutant pmei6 atsbt1.7 indique que PMEI6 régule d’autres PMEs. Djarly fait partie d’un groupe de vingt accessions, dont les graines flottent à cause de modifications des propriétés du mucilage séminal. Ces accessions portent au moins dix mutations indépendantes, qui affectent au moins 4 locus différents. Cette étude nous a permis de proposer que la modification des propriétés du mucilage est impliquée dans l’adaptation à l’environnement local, permettant la dispersion à longue distance des graines par l’eau. / Upon imbibition, the myxospermous seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana, form a mucilage from hydrated polysaccharides released from the epidermal cells of the seed coat. These polysaccharides are produced and accumulated during seed development in a differentiation process that has been described in detail (Western et al. 2006). A screen of Arabidopsis accessions identified Djarly as a natural mucilage mutant affected in mucilage release on imbibition. The locus defective in Djarly was identified by map-based cloning as encoding a pectin methylesterase inhibitor (PMEI6). Theseproteinaceous inhibitors negatively control the activity of pectin methylesterases (PME), enzymes that demethylesterify HG, through the formation of a PME-PMEI complex (Di Matteo et al., 2005; Hothorn et al, 2004). Genetic, cytological and biochemical studies demonstrated that PMEI6 regulates methylesterification of homogalacturonans present in mucilage and the outer cell wall of seed coat epidermal cells. Delayed seed mucilage release in pmei6 mutants results, therefore, from the reduced level of homogalacturonan methylesterification. Expression of PMEI6 required the transcription regulators GLABRA2 and MUM1. PME activity in seed coat epidermal cells is also modulated by the subtilisin serine protease AtSBT1.7, and the additive phenotype of pmei6 atsbt1.7 mutants indicates that PMEI6 regulates different PMEs. Djarly is one of twenty accessions where seeds float due to modifications of mucilage properties. At least ten independent mutations are responsible for the mucilage modifications in these accessions, affecting at least 4 different loci. This study has led us to propose that these mucilage modifications are local adaptations that allow longdistance seed disperal on water.

Doctor of Philosophy / Civil Engineering / Robert J. Peterman / A study was conducted to determine the effect of different concrete properties and prestressing steel indentation types on development length and flexural capacity of pretensioned members. Wires and strands commonly used in the manufacturing of prestressed concrete railroad ties worldwide were selected for the study. Thirteen different 5.32-mm-diameter prestressing wire types and six different strands (four, seven-wire strands and two, three-wire strands) were used to cast prisms with a square cross section. The ratio of concrete to prestressed steel in the test prism’s cross section was representable of typical concrete railroad ties. Thus, geometrical and mechanical properties of test prisms were representative of actual ties in the railroad industry. To understand the effect of concrete-release strengths and slumps on development length, all parameters were kept constant in the prisms except concrete-release strength and slump. To manufacture prisms with different release strengths, all four wires/strands were pulled and detensioned gradually when the concrete compressive strength reached 3500 (24.13 MPa), 4500 (31.03 MPa), and 6000 (41.37 MPa) psi. To determine the effect of different slumps on development length, prisms with different slumps of 3 in. (7.6 cm), 6 in. (15.2 cm), and 9 in. (22.9 cm) were manufactured and all other parameters were kept constant in prisms. All prisms were tested in three-point bending at different spans to obtain estimations of development length based on type of reinforcement, concrete-release strength, and concrete slump. Lastly, a design equation was developed based on experimental data for prediction of development length. In the last phase of load tests, cyclic-loading tests were conducted on the prisms manufactured with wires to evaluate the bond performance of wires with different indentation types under cyclic loading. A total of 210 load tests, including 14 cyclic tests, were conducted. The monotonic-load tests revealed a large difference in the development length of pretensioned concrete members manufactured with different wire/strand types and different concrete-release strengths. Also, the cyclic-load tests revealed a significant difference in bond performance of different wire types under cyclic loading compared to monotonic loading.

Possessing elements of both dark comedy and dramatic suspense, The Release is the story of Sean Coleman, a young, idealistic documentary filmmaker, who, in fighting for his film's release, discovers that his beliefs may not be as strong as his desire to get what he wants. This paper will examine the total production process that went into the development, creation and finalization of this film.

Nos últimos anos têm crescido cada vez mais o número de pesquisas envolvendo nanotecnologia para obtenção de medicamentos com liberação controlada, pois esses sistemas podem: proteger o fármaco de incompatibilidades tanto biológicas quanto físico-químicas assim como controlar a biodisponibilidade do fármaco. Embora com todas essas vantagens não existem métodos in vitro realmente capazes de prever com precisão a liberação dos fármacos por esses sistemas, por esse motivo, é muito importante o desenvolvimento de métodos de liberação in vitro para determinar a cinética de liberação desses sistemas.O presente trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver e validar os métodos de eletroforese capilar (CE) e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC) para determinar a eficiência de encapsulação do fármaco imatinibe em nanopartículaspreviamente elaboradas e caracterizadas, assim como estudar sua liberação in vitro por CE. As nanopartículas foramdesenvolvidas pelo método de nanoprecipitaçãoe caracterizadas quanto ao tamanho, potencial zeta, morfologia e eficiência de encapsulação. A eletroforese capilar é uma técnica alternativa muito promissora em relação ao HPLC devido ao seu baixo custo, menor tempo de corrida e menos poluente ao meio ambiente. Os métodos de quantificação por CE e HPLCforam desenvolvidose validadossegundo as diretrizes do ICH, Farmacopeia Americana e ANVISA, permitindo desenvolver um estudo de liberação.As nanoesferas desenvolvidas apresentaram diâmetro médio próximo a 150nm, com índice de polidispersão menor que 0,1 e aproximadamente 90% de eficiência de encapsulação. Ambos métodos se mostraram lineares com coeficientes de determinação superiores a 0,99, os métodos se mostraram precisos (%DPR< 2), exatos(101,0±4,2% e 98,0±2,5% para HPLC e CE, respectivamente)e seletivos.O método de CE permitiu desenvolver um método de estudo de liberação independente das membranas de diálise. / In recent years, there has been a growing number of researches involving nanotechnology to obtain controlled release drugs, these systems can: protect the drug against biological and physico-chemical incompatibilities; controlling the bioavailability of the drug. Although with all these advantages there are no in vitro methods really capable of accurately predicting drugs release by such systems, therefore, the development of in vitro release methods to determine the release kinetics of such systems is very important. The objective of the present work was to develop and validate capillary electrophoresis (CE) and HPLC methods to determine the encapsulation efficiency of the imatinib drug in previously elaborated and characterized nanoparticles, as well as to study its release in vitro by CE method. The nanoparticles were synthesized using the nanoprecipitation method and characterized by size, zeta potential, morphology and encapsulation efficiency. Capillary electrophoresis is a very promising alternative to HPLC because of its low cost, less runtime and less polluting environment. The CE and HPLC methodswere developed and validated according ICH, American Pharmacopoeia and ANVISA guidelines.Developed nanospheres had an average diameter close to 150nm, with polydispersity index less than 0.1 and approximately 90% encapsulation efficiency. Both methods were linear with determination coefficients higher than 0.99, the methods were precise (%RSD < 2), accurate (101.0±4,2% and 98.0±2,5% for HPLC and CE, respectively) and selective. Capillary electrophoresis method allowed to develop a drug release study independent of dialysis membranes.

M.Sc. (Pharmaceutical Affairs), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 2009

Les nucléotides naturels et les analogues nucléotidiques présentent des activités pharmacologiques importantes : par exemple, le nucléotide adénosine triphosphate (ATP) présente un intérêt pour le traitement de l'ischémie ou de plaques d'athérosclérose. L'utilisation clinique de ces molécules est cependant limitée en raison de la présence d'un groupe triphosphate, qui est sujet à l'hydrolyse in vivo, et responsable de la forte hydrophilie des molécules, ce qui limite fortement leur capture par les cellules cibles et l'accès à leurs cibles pharmacologiques intracellulaires. Pour surmonter ces limitations et permettre l'administration de nucléotides et d’analogues nucléotidiques, l'utilisation de systèmes de drug delivery comme les nanoparticules pourrait assurer la protection et l'administration ciblée des molécules actives. Cependant, les nanoparticules conçues pour l’administration intraveineuse ne sont pas toujours adaptées au traitement de certaines maladies chroniques. C’est pour cela qu’un implant sous-cutané avec des caractéristiques de libération prolongée peut représenter une alternative valable, tout en étant peu invasif et capable d’atteindre les tissus lymphatiques, cible importante de plusieurs thérapies.Le premier chapitre de cette thèse porte sur la formulation de nanoparticules pour encapsuler l’ATP ou la zidovudine triphosphate (AZT-TP), grâce à la présence du chitosane (CS). Ces nanoparticules sont formées par interactions ioniques entre les charges positives du chitosane et les charges négatives des groupes triphosphates de l’ATP ou de l’AZT-TP. Dans ce travail, les nanoparticules sont caractérisées et leur délivrance cellulaire de l’ATP et de l’AZT-TP est démontrée sur une lignée cellulaire de macrophages. Dans un deuxième temps, la stabilité de ces systèmes a été améliorée afin d'obtenir un meilleur comportement en conditions physiologiques. Cette amélioration de la stabilité a été obtenue par la complexation du fer(III) au chitosane (CS-Fe). Cette stratégie a été appliquée aux nanoparticules de tripolyphosphate (TPP) et d’ATP. Les nanoparticules ont été ensuite testées sur deux lignées de cellules macrophagiques, montrant une internalisation améliorée de l’ATP par rapport aux nanoparticules précédentes. Enfin, les nanoparticules à base de CS-Fe et ATP ont été dispersées dans une solution de PLGA, dans le but de mettre au point un implant à formation in situ. Une fois en contact avec les fluides physiologiques, la suspension prend la forme d’un dépôt solide. Des études de libération in vitro montrent la capacité des systèmes de retenir les nanoparticules à l’intérieur de la matrice et de les libérer de façon progressive pendant 5 jours. Après administration sous-cutanée chez la souris, les implants de PLGA contenant les nanoparticules ont retenu l’ATP au lieu de l’injection jusqu’à 50 heures, comparé à quelques heures pour l’ATP libre et les nanoparticules libres, montrant ainsi leur pertinence comme systèmes pour la libération prolongée de nucléotides. / Natural nucleotides and nucleotide analogs display important pharmacological activities: for example the nucleotide adenosine triphosphate (ATP) could be an interesting molecule for the treatment of ischemia or atherosclerotic plaques. The clinical use of these molecules is however limited due to the presence of a triphosphate group, which is prone to hydrolysis in vivo, and responsible for the high hydrophilicity of the molecules, thereby strongly limiting their uptake by targeted cells and access to their intracellular pharmacological targets. To overcome these limitations and enable the administration of nucleotides and nucleotide analogs, the use of drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles may enable the protection and the targeted delivery of these drugs. Nanoparticles designed for intravenous injections are however not always convenient, e.g. in the case of chronic diseases. Therefore, a subcutaneous implant with sustained release features might represent a valid alternative, which is less invasive and can reach lymphatic tissues (important targets of many therapies). The first chapter of this thesis presents the formulation of nanoparticles to encapsulate ATP as well as zidovudine triphosphate (AZT-TP), thanks to the presence of chitosan (CS). These nanoparticles are formed through ionic interactions between the positive charges of chitosan and the negative charges of the triphosphate groups of ATP or AZT-TP. In this work, nanoparticles are characterized and their cellular delivery of ATP and AZT-TP inside a macrophage cell line is demonstrated. In a second time, the stability of these systems has been improved in order to obtain a better behavior in physiological conditions. This improved stability has been achieved through the complexation of chitosan to iron(III) (CS-Fe). This strategy has been applied to TPP and ATP nanoparticles. These nanoparticles have been tested on two macrophages cell lines showing an improved internalization compared to the previous ones. Finally, CS-Fe/ATP nanoparticles have been dispersed in a PLGA solution in order to develop an in situ forming implant. Once in contact with physiological fluids, the suspension turns into a solid depot. In vitro release studies show the ability of the systems to retain nanoparticles inside the matrix and to gradually release them over 5 days. After subcutaneous administration to mice, PLGA implants containing nanoparticles were able to retain ATP at the injection site for up to 50 hours, as compared to few hours of free ATP or free nanoparticles, showing therefore their relevance as sustained release systems of nucleotides.