Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmaceutical Technology Student: Šárka Hávová Supervisor: PharmDr. Jitka Mužíková, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: A study of compaction process and properties of tablets with hypromellose and α-lactose monohydrate Thesis studied the co-processed dry binder RetaLac® from the aspect of his compressibility and dissolution of the active ingredient from tablets. RetaLac® contains α-lactose monohydrate and hypromellose in the identical proportion. The same parameters were tested in the corresponding physical mixtures of FlowLac® 100 with various types of hypromellose (Metolose® 100 SR, Metolose® 4000 SR, Metolose® 100 000 SR) and compared with the substance RetaLac® . Compressibility was evaluated by means of the energy profile of compression and tensile strength of tablets. Salicylic acid was used as the model active ingredient. Dissolution testing was performed using the method of the rotating basket.

Le phénomène de délocalisation des services est de plus en plus prégnant avec le développement des technologies d'information et de communication. Mais aussi avec l'avènement de la modularisation au sein du processus de production. Ce phénomène consiste à transférer la réalisation d'un ou de plusieurs modules d'une activité de service du pays d'origine vers un autre pays hôte. Le choix de délocaliser vers un pays d'accueil signifie que ce dernier présente de meilleurs caractéristiques pays pour le service à produire. En outre, les destinations retenues dépendent du type de service à délocaliser. Deux aspects à savoir l'intensité en connaissance et le degré de désintégration définissent le type de service. Les pays en voie de développement renforcent les caractéristiques pays afin d'améliorer leur capacité d'accueil. Ce sont les caractéristiques pays essentiels à l'accueil de services et les caractéristiques pays indispensables pour certains types de service. Les caractéristiques pays essentiels à l'accueil de services sont ceux que les pays en voie de développement doivent présenter pour être plus avantageuses que les pays de départ. Quant aux caractéristiques pays indispensables pour certains types de service, il s'agit des caractéristiques pays qui assurent la primauté sur certains services selon leurs spécificités. D'où notre interrogation sur le potentiel de délocalisation de chaque activité de service en fonction des spécificités. Nous essayons également de déterminer la destination appropriée pour chaque type de service tout en se concentrant sur la concordance entre ces spécificités de services et les caractéristiques des pays d'accueil. / The service offshoring phenomenon is significant, supported by the development of information and communication technologies. But also with the advent of modularization in the production process. This phenomenon consists in the transfer of the realization of one or more modules of a service activity from the country of origin to the host country. Choosing a host country means that this country shows the best country characteristics for the production of the service. Two aspects which are the knowledge intensity and the disintegration degree define the service type. So, the destinations retained depend on the type of the service to offshore. The developing countries strengthen their country characteristics in order to improve their host capacity. These are the crucial country characteristics to receive services and the essential country characteristics for certain type of services. The crucial country characteristics are those that the developing countries should have to be more profitable than the countries of origin. Concerning the essential country characteristics for different type of services, it suggests that some country characteristics advantage certain services depending on their features. That is why our argument is on the offshoring potential of each service activity based on their features. We also try to determine the suited destination for each service type by taking into account the link between the service features and the host country characteristics.

In 1998/99 the European Union (EU) acknowledged a need for an autonomous military action force. In 2007 the European Battlegroups (EUBG) were ready for ‘rapid reaction’. Today, in the year of 2016, they have still never been deployed. – How come the EUBG still exist, even though they have never been used? By an approach of explaining outcome process tracing, this study address – How can we understand the persistence of EUBG within the European Union in terms of integration and disintegration of regional organisations? By the developed theoretical framework of Security Communities (SC), it is argued that the EU, as a ‘tight, pluralistic, mature security community’ possibly cannot revise the renowned EUBG; disintegrate the Union, due to external and internal pressures and integrated features. This is shown by a method of a triangulated approach of surveys, interviews and textual analysis. The research concludes that deep-rooted integration and strong loyalty prevent members, of a regional organisation, to express contingent dissatisfaction and/or leave cooperation.

O estudo teve por finalidade a redução do lodo gerado nos sistema aeróbios mediante recirculação do lodo em excesso, após passar por uma desintegração com ultra-som, ao tanque de aeração de cada reator. Foram utilizados dois reatores seqüenciais aeróbios (A e B) operando em sistema de batelada e com idades do lodo diferentes: 12 e 8 dias respectivamente, e com ciclos de doze horas. Os reatores foram operados em duas etapas. Na etapa inicial, chamada controle, os reatores foram operados por 130 dias sem reciclo do lodo, para se poder avaliar o comportamento e fazer futuras comparações com a etapa posterior, denominada teste. Na etapa controle foram analisados o comportamento da DQO, dos sólidos e dos nutrientes além de serem realizados testes com o ultra-som para a escolha do tempo de exposição e volume de amostra.. O reator A apresentou uma boa remoção de DQO (90,9%), entretanto não apresentou nitrificação completa, chegando apenas na transformação de nitrogênio orgânico a amoniacal. Já a remoção de fósforo foi da ordem de 60%. O reator B também apresentou uma boa remoção de DQO (87,7%) e houve formação de nitrato, embora não completa, e a remoção de fósforo se situou em 57%. Na etapa teste, que durou aproximadamente 90 dias, os reatores foram operados com retorno total do lodo após desintegração com ultra-som. Houve um aumento na DQO afluente devido ao retorno do lodo desintegrado, bem como um aumento nos teores de nitrogênio e fósforo. Houve também um aumento na concentração de sólidos dos reatores, sendo o reator A que apresentou um maior acréscimo. Ambos reatores apresentaram uma mesma eficiência na remoção de DQO (92,0% para o reator A, e 91% para o reator B) se comparado com a etapa controle. Com relação aos nutrientes os reatores apresentaram sensível melhora na nitrificação. O reator A apresentou uma quase completa redução no nitrogênio orgânico, embora não tenha chegado a nitrificação completa. O reator B apresentou uma remoção completa do nitrogênio orgânico. Com relação ao fósforo, a etapa teste apresentou um decréscimo na sua remoção (42% para o reator A e 44% para o reator B). As análises indicaram que a desintegração do lodo e seu retorno ao tanque de aeração não causaram problemas no funcionamento dos reatores, houve uma melhora na nitrificação e não houve uma sensível redução na remoção de fósforo. Comparando com o problema de transporte, tratamento e disposição final de lodo, o estudo de redução de lodos é uma grande alternativa e que merece mais estudos. / The study aims to reduce the sludge generation in aerobic systems by recirculation of the excess sludge after disintegration with a ultrasound set. Two aerobic sequential batch reactors (A and B) were utilized operating with two different sludge ages: 12 and 8 days respectively. The reactors were operated in two stages. In the first stage, called control, the reactors were operated for 130 days, without total sludge recirculation, to promote an assessment and compare with the next stage, called test. In the control stage the behavior of COD, solids and nutrients were analyzed, and tests with ultrasound were performed. The reactor A presented a good COD removal, but not a good nitrification, and a phosphorus removal of 60%. The reactor B presented a good COD removal and a good nitrification, but not complete, and a phosphorus removal of 57%. The test stage the reactors were operated for 90 days, with sludge recirculation after disintegration by ultrasound. There was an increase in influent COD, nitrogen and phosphorus because of sludge recirculation. There was an increase in MLVSS, but reactor A presented a greater increase. Both reactors presented good results in COD removal comparing with control stage. The reactors present a good improvement in nitrification, but not good phosphorus removal regarding to control stage. The analysis showed that sludge disintegration and recirculation to aeration tank not caused any problem in the behavior of the reactors. Comparing to transport, treatment and final disposal problems, the study of sludge reduction is a great alternative that deserves attention.

This thesis aims to develop an understanding about swelling and disintegration of multi-component polymeric structures such as pharmaceutical tablets. The thesis presents a model for the diffusion-driven water uptake, swelling deformation and subsequent disintegration of polymer matrix drug-delivery devices. Hygroscopic swelling occurs when a dry tablet enters a humid environment and absorbs water molecules. The modification of tablet structures changes the release profile of the drug in the desired manner. The previous research mostly focused on transport problems related to drug release. This study contributes an understanding of the mechanical behaviour of hydrophilic polymer release matrix materials which are treated as continuum. Modelling of the swelling problem involves concurrent large deformation of the polymer network and diffusion of the solvent through the network. A coupled diffusion-deformation model was created to study the relation between both physics. The coupled diffusion-deformation model was utilised to consider disintegration of polymer matrix through the inclusion of swelling agents. Two cases were presented to illustrate the application of the model: swelling-controlled and immediate-release drug delivery systems. This study used COMSOL Multiphysics®, a finite element commercial software to perform the analysis. Various physical modules: structural mechanics, chemical transport and mathematics were combined for solving coupled diffusion-deformation-damage boundary value problems. The numerical results were validated using existing experimental data from the literature. The model parameters were varied to investigate their sensitivity to the solution. Higher solvent concentration gradient in the matrix produced higher swelling strain, thus increased local stress. Disintegrability was measured by the time taken for the maximum principal stress to reach a given failure. Higher coefficient of water diffusion allows higher amount of water ingression into the matrix. Higher coefficient of hygroscopic swelling generates higher local swelling strain. This study facilitates in understanding the complex phenomena in the application of drug release formulation.

The study focuses on the issue of hot mix asphalt pothole repairs, the performance of which is greatly reduced by repair edge disintegration. This is caused by low interface temperatures which result in low density interfaces and poor repair bonding. The study examined heat flow in shallow and deep pothole excavations under controlled pre-heating done in heating-cooling cycles, referred as "dynamic heating", and the effect of asphalt thermal properties on this. Dynamic heating was applied with an experimental infrared heater operating between 6.6 kW and 7.7 kW heat power and with the heater being stationary or moving above simulated potholes at offsets of 130 mm and 230 mm. The study also examined heat flow in traditional non-heated shallow repairs, referred as "static repairs", and dynamic shallow repairs and the effect of pothole pre-heating in repair adhesion. Finite Element modelling was also used to enhance understanding of heat flow in the executed repairs. Then, the bonding properties and rutting resistance of the repairs were assessed using shear bond tests (SBT's) and wheel track tests (WTT's) respectively. The results showed that irrespective of excavation depth, heating power and heater offset, temperature distribution in the pothole excavation and inside the slabs under dynamic heat was non-uniform. Dynamically heating pothole excavations for approximately 10 minutes yields better heat distribution than 20 minutes heating time while minimising the possibility of asphalt overheating. The temperature profile at the interface of the dynamically heated repair is improved when compared to static repair suggesting better interface adhesion. A significant role in this profile is played by thermal contact conductance which determines the resistance to pavement-repair thermal conduction per unit area at the repair interface. This was reflected in the assessment and simulation of the repairs with the latter generating reasonable transient temperature profiles within the dynamically heated pothole excavation, at the interface of the repairs, and inside the host pavement. Further, the shear strength at the bottom and side interfaces of dynamically heated repairs was 78.2% and 68.4% higher respectively than that of static repairs. On average, static and dynamic repairs showed repair interface rutting depths of 14.82 mm and 10.36 mm respectively. It was concluded that dynamically heating a pothole excavation increases repair interface adhesion and repair durability.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:26:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese marcelo geog.pdf: 4562077 bytes, checksum: a10b7400ec41d3f93b671819ff026f80 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-03 / This work considered the fragmentation process of the Brazilian Federal District and its surrounding areas. It highlights Brasília city role in the joining process of national territory integration, along with the production of its antithetical match as a disintegrated city: Aguas Lindas de Goiás. The integration is, therefore, associated with the disintegration not glimpsed by its process responsible agents. Aiming to understand its integration procedures the theorical and methodological patterns origin were investigated. Patterns sustained by an instrumentalized reason looking forward to overcoming natural barriers are no longer idolized, however they are now perceived as depositories of resources to be appropriated afterwards. The view point that rooted these actions originated from a rational being influenced by the bourgeois revolutions. The one who raised from darkness to light in such a dynamic way emerging two elements: science and Modern States; including the city perceived as a privileged environment to leave servitude and a god-centric worldview behind and lead a life ruled by himself. This process was established upon a rational universalized model that required the implementation of an integrated colonization. Nevertheless the European domain towards the world does not only concern integration processes. Disintegration happened among colonized people. This process was externalized by speeches, objects, concepts, people, etc. The movement becomes one of the main peculiarities of the bodies produced leading to inborn discussions. Based on this perspective, we emphasize that the buildings raised in order to host power structures in Brasilia were inspired on bodies: female bodies praised by its curves smoothness. However, these bodies were not the only remarkable pieces of the brand new capital city. Also, the migrant bodies convening to build it multiplied vertiginously in such a way to alter the city plan project. Due to it the dialogue among these bodies with different meanings were investigated based on their motion, mainly the migrants who faced long distances heading to the countryside. This movement was reduced afterwards and centered on the border of the Brazilian Federal District and the State of Goiás. The bodies movement promotes an unstoppable process of the final objects redefinition. The new meanings of these objects redefine, then, the movement own logic. Therefore, the discussion among these bodies gathered our efforts to comprehend the fragmentation-integration process focusing on a symbolic city that is simultaneously a venue of encounter and disencounter producing its antithesis: Águas Lindas de Goiás / Este trabalho contemplou o processo de fragmentação do território do Distrito Federal e seu entorno. Destacamos o papel de Brasília no processo de integração do território nacional, bem como a produção de seu par antitético, sob a forma de uma cidade-desintegrada: Águas Lindas de Goiás. Associamos a integração à desintegração não vislumbrada pelos agentes responsáveis pelo processo integrador. Para compreender os procedimentos integracionistas investigamos a origem das matrizes teórico-metodológicas utilizadas para este fim. Matrizes sustentadas por uma razão instrumentalizada com vistas à superação dos limites impostos pela natureza, que deixou de ser divinizada e passou a ser vista como depositária de recursos a serem apropriados pelo homem. A visão de mundo que fundamentou essas ações foi concebida por um homem racional, produzido pelas revoluções burguesas. Homem que deixou as trevas e ascendeu às luzes, numa dinâmica que ressaltou dois elementos: a ciência e o Estado modernos; além da cidade, vista como o ambiente privilegiado para a consolidação de um homem que abandonou a condição de servo de uma ordem teocêntrica e ocupou o lugar de senhor de seu destino. Esse processo foi pautado em um modelo racional universalizador, que exigiu a implementação de uma colonização-integradora. Contudo, o avanço europeu pelo mundo não foi marcado somente pela integração. Ocorreu a desintegração dos povos colonizados. Este processo foi corporificado por meio da produção de discursos, objetos, conceitos, homens etc. Um dos principais atributos dos corpos produzidos é o movimento, instaurador de diálogos, a eles inerente. Nessa perspectiva, salientamos que, em Brasília, as obras erguidas para abrigar as estruturas do poder, constitucionalmente constituído, foram inspiradas em corpos: corpos femininos exaltados pela suavidade de suas curvas. Mas esses não foram os únicos corpos a chamar atenção na nova capital. Os corpos dos migrantes convocados para erguê-la foram se multiplicando vertiginosamente e os movimentos realizados por eles alteraram o projeto da cidade planejada. Por isso, o diálogo travado entre corpos povoados por diferentes significados foi investigado, a partir do movimento, a princípio, realizado por migrantes que percorreram longas distâncias rumo à cidade-capital interiorana. Movimento que, posteriormente, teve sua escala reduzida e foi deslocado para a fronteira do Distrito Federal com o Estado de Goiás. As considerações realizadas partiram do seguinte princípio: o deslocamento de corpos promove um processo ininterrupto de ressignificação de objetos produzidos. Os novos significados atribuídos aos objetos redefinem a lógica do próprio movimento. Portanto, foi no diálogo travado entre esses corpos que concentramos nossos esforços para compreender um processo de integração-fragmentação centrado em uma cidade-símbolo que se tornou, simultaneamente, o lugar do encontro e do desencontro promotor de sua antítese: Águas Lindas de Goiás

Neste trabalho, foram projetados protótipos de uma extrusora e de um equipamento para produção de filmes por laminação e posterior evaporação do solvente. Após os cálculos necessários para montagem dos equipamentos, os desenhos foram feitos em CAD (Software SolidWorks versão 2009). Definidas as combinações ideais entre polímero e plastificante, foram selecionadas as melhores condições de produção para os filmes. O tamanho básico do equipamento de extrusão foi em proporção direta à medida da lâmina e à produção total desejada. Projetou-se a matriz em razão do formato do filme, e a rosca tendo alma cônica, passo constante e diâmetro constante. Para a produção dos filmes por evaporação, após os cálculos de transferência de massa por convecção em escoamento externo, montou-se uma estrutura em acrílico como sistema de secagem e laminadores em diferentes espessuras. Os filmes por extrusão foram preparados a partir de maltodextrina, glicerina e celulose microcristalina, enquanto para a produção de filmes por evaporação de solvente, o pululano foi o polímero de escolha. Verificou-se que pelo método de extrusão, conseguiu-se uma maior produtividade, mas, em contrapartida, pelo método de evaporação de solvente, obteve-se uma qualidade muito maior, isso por ter sido possível desenvolver filmes de características organolépticas melhores, menor espessura, o que consequentemente gerou produtos com um tempo de desintegração menor. Com relação ao método de evaporação, concluiu-se ainda que tanto a técnica de secagem quanto a espessura de laminação são etapas críticas para produção dos filmes, já que, se realizadas inadequadamente, podem afetá-los tanto no aspecto visual, como nas propriedades mecânicas, peso médio, e tempo de desintegração. / The aim of this work was the development of prototypes of an extruder and an equipment for production of films by lamination and solvent casting. After the calculations required for assembly the equipments, the drawings were done in CAD (SolidWorks Software version 2009). Once defined the optimal combinations of polymer and plasticizer, the best conditions for film production were done. The basic size of the extrusion equipment was in direct proportion to the extent of the blade and the desired total output of product. The result was a matrix with a definied format, and a screw with constant pitch and constant diameter. For the production of films by solvent evaporation, after the calculations of mass transfer by convection at external flow, a structure was set up in acrylic serving as a system for drying and rolling using mills with different thicknesses. The films for extrusion were prepared from maltodextrin, microcrystalline cellulose and glycerin, while for the production of films by solvent evaporation, the polymer choise was pullulan. It was found that the extrusion method allowed good productivity, but in return, by the method of solvent evaporation, we obtained a higher quality, and the possibility of making films with better organoleptic characteristics. The films were thinner, which in turn leds to shorter disintegration time. Concerning the method of solvent evaporation, it was concluded that drying and lamination are critical steps for the production, since if not properly performed, both can affect visual appearance, mechanical properties, weight and disintegration time.

O estudo teve por finalidade a redução do lodo gerado nos sistema aeróbios mediante recirculação do lodo em excesso, após passar por uma desintegração com ultra-som, ao tanque de aeração de cada reator. Foram utilizados dois reatores seqüenciais aeróbios (A e B) operando em sistema de batelada e com idades do lodo diferentes: 12 e 8 dias respectivamente, e com ciclos de doze horas. Os reatores foram operados em duas etapas. Na etapa inicial, chamada controle, os reatores foram operados por 130 dias sem reciclo do lodo, para se poder avaliar o comportamento e fazer futuras comparações com a etapa posterior, denominada teste. Na etapa controle foram analisados o comportamento da DQO, dos sólidos e dos nutrientes além de serem realizados testes com o ultra-som para a escolha do tempo de exposição e volume de amostra.. O reator A apresentou uma boa remoção de DQO (90,9%), entretanto não apresentou nitrificação completa, chegando apenas na transformação de nitrogênio orgânico a amoniacal. Já a remoção de fósforo foi da ordem de 60%. O reator B também apresentou uma boa remoção de DQO (87,7%) e houve formação de nitrato, embora não completa, e a remoção de fósforo se situou em 57%. Na etapa teste, que durou aproximadamente 90 dias, os reatores foram operados com retorno total do lodo após desintegração com ultra-som. Houve um aumento na DQO afluente devido ao retorno do lodo desintegrado, bem como um aumento nos teores de nitrogênio e fósforo. Houve também um aumento na concentração de sólidos dos reatores, sendo o reator A que apresentou um maior acréscimo. Ambos reatores apresentaram uma mesma eficiência na remoção de DQO (92,0% para o reator A, e 91% para o reator B) se comparado com a etapa controle. Com relação aos nutrientes os reatores apresentaram sensível melhora na nitrificação. O reator A apresentou uma quase completa redução no nitrogênio orgânico, embora não tenha chegado a nitrificação completa. O reator B apresentou uma remoção completa do nitrogênio orgânico. Com relação ao fósforo, a etapa teste apresentou um decréscimo na sua remoção (42% para o reator A e 44% para o reator B). As análises indicaram que a desintegração do lodo e seu retorno ao tanque de aeração não causaram problemas no funcionamento dos reatores, houve uma melhora na nitrificação e não houve uma sensível redução na remoção de fósforo. Comparando com o problema de transporte, tratamento e disposição final de lodo, o estudo de redução de lodos é uma grande alternativa e que merece mais estudos. / The study aims to reduce the sludge generation in aerobic systems by recirculation of the excess sludge after disintegration with a ultrasound set. Two aerobic sequential batch reactors (A and B) were utilized operating with two different sludge ages: 12 and 8 days respectively. The reactors were operated in two stages. In the first stage, called control, the reactors were operated for 130 days, without total sludge recirculation, to promote an assessment and compare with the next stage, called test. In the control stage the behavior of COD, solids and nutrients were analyzed, and tests with ultrasound were performed. The reactor A presented a good COD removal, but not a good nitrification, and a phosphorus removal of 60%. The reactor B presented a good COD removal and a good nitrification, but not complete, and a phosphorus removal of 57%. The test stage the reactors were operated for 90 days, with sludge recirculation after disintegration by ultrasound. There was an increase in influent COD, nitrogen and phosphorus because of sludge recirculation. There was an increase in MLVSS, but reactor A presented a greater increase. Both reactors presented good results in COD removal comparing with control stage. The reactors present a good improvement in nitrification, but not good phosphorus removal regarding to control stage. The analysis showed that sludge disintegration and recirculation to aeration tank not caused any problem in the behavior of the reactors. Comparing to transport, treatment and final disposal problems, the study of sludge reduction is a great alternative that deserves attention.

My work is a tribute to the disintegration of built environments, and the chaos and disturbance that it brings into the idea of what a city should look like. An ode to the ruins that are witnesses to destructive social and economic systems and that tell the stories of the life that once inhabited them. A comment and critique on humanities way of ruining everything: world that we live in and our self; a destructive behaviour that we refuse to admit we have, and desperately try to hide. We polish the façades and fake our appearance in order to keep the illusion. I am discussing the concept of ruin romanticism, comparing the garden ruins of the eighteenth century to the urban exploration of abandoned places of modern society, the fascination for what once was, but are no more and the different feelings these places might arouse. I describe how I through experiments with dying, deconstructed screen printing and distressing, manipulate fabrics to create an illusion of brick walls. And how I through experiments with display, sound and light explore solutions for creating the dystopic atmosphere of abandoned places in a textile installation. My biggest inspiration is the inevitable downfallof the urban landscape and I am romanticising the imperfections and the flaws. I take what is understood as ugly by the rules of aesthetics, make it beautiful, and put it on a pedestal.