When it comes to dry powder inhalation (DPI), adhesive mixtures are the most widely used formulation type. Various techniques have been developed to generate inhaled drug particles and improve the delivery efficiency of DPI formulations. For dry powder inhaler formulations (DPIs), micronized drug powders are usually mixed with lactose carriers to improve powder handling during manufacturing and powder aerosol delivery during patient use. The performance of DPI systems is strongly dependent on several formulation factors, the construction of the delivery device and the inhalation technique. There is a growing interest in DPI in new medical areas such as vaccines and antibiotics which requires further development and challenges to ensure physical and aerosolization stability of DPI.  This project aims to discuss the development of inhalation therapy, the challenges during formulation processes, the mixing process and the use of excipients in pulmonary drug delivery in DPIs. Further, the project is covered by experiments based on the literature overview and performed at the Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences at Uppsala University. Bulk density was measured on three series of adhesive mixtures with increasing amounts of fine particles. In two series, small amounts of Magnesium Stearate, 0,1% and 0,01% were added.

Please read the abstract in the 00front part of this document Copyright 2004, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Bayu, W 2004, Growth, development and yield responses of sorghum to water deficit stress, nitrogen fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and planting density, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-09202006-093510 / > / Thesis (PhD (Agronomy))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

The Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age (RLB) occurred in the late Pleistocene, incorporating at least the Wisconsin Glaciation and possibly the preceding interglacial ('Sangamon'). The RLB is defined based on the occurrence of Bison. The first occurrence (arrival time) of Bison is not well established and is still debated. A conservative approach toward the RLB includes: (1) restricting the RLB to faunas south of 55°. N latitude in North America, (2) defining the RLB by the earliest arrival of Bison south of this latitude, (3) placing the best-corroborated arrival time of Bison (therefore the beginning of the RLB) between approximately 210 and 160. ka, and (4) the end of the RLB is marked by the extinction of mainly large mammals as an event or process culminating at approximately 11 radiocarbon ka BP. RLB faunas contain a wealth of information including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, but clearly the most is known about the latter. Glacial climate regimes forced species into communities that do not occur today (nonanalog or disharmonious scenarios). The debate about the terminal RLB extinctions continues with the cause either being (1) overkill due to the arrival of the First Americans, or (2) the climatic and environmental defragmentation of biotic communities.

The Rancholabrean Land Mammal Age (RLB) occurred in the late Pleistocene, incorporating at least the Wisconsin Glaciation and possibly the preceding interglacial ('Sangamon'). The RLB is defined based on the occurrence of Bison. The first occurrence (arrival time) of Bison is not well established and is still debated. A conservative approach toward the RLB includes: (1) restricting the RLB to faunas south of 55°. N latitude in North America, (2) defining the RLB by the earliest arrival of Bison south of this latitude, (3) placing the best-corroborated arrival time of Bison (therefore the beginning of the RLB) between approximately 210 and 160. ka, and (4) the end of the RLB is marked by the extinction of mainly large mammals as an event or process culminating at approximately 11 radiocarbon ka BP. RLB faunas contain a wealth of information including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, but clearly the most is known about the latter. Glacial climate regimes forced species into communities that do not occur today (nonanalog or disharmonious scenarios). The debate about the terminal RLB extinctions continues with the cause either being (1) overkill due to the arrival of the First Americans, or (2) the climatic and environmental defragmentation of biotic communities.

Objective. Dry electrodes have an advantage over gel-based 'wet' electrodes by providing quicker set-up time for electroencephalography recording; however, the potentially poorer contact can result in noisier recordings. We examine the impact that this may have on brain-computer interface communication and potential approaches for mitigation. Approach. We present a performance comparison of wet and dry electrodes for use with the P300 speller system in both healthy participants and participants with communication disabilities (ALS and PLS), and investigate the potential for a data-driven dynamic data collection algorithm to compensate for the lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in dry systems. Main results. Performance results from sixteen healthy participants obtained in the standard static data collection environment demonstrate a substantial loss in accuracy with the dry system. Using a dynamic stopping algorithm, performance may have been improved by collecting more data in the dry system for ten healthy participants and eight participants with communication disabilities; however, the algorithm did not fully compensate for the lower SNR of the dry system. An analysis of the wet and dry system recordings revealed that delta and theta frequency band power (0.1-4 Hz and 4-8 Hz, respectively) are consistently higher in dry system recordings across participants, indicating that transient and drift artifacts may be an issue for dry systems. Significance. Using dry electrodes is desirable for reduced set-up time; however, this study demonstrates that online performance is significantly poorer than for wet electrodes for users with and without disabilities. We test a new application of dynamic stopping algorithms to compensate for poorer SNR. Dynamic stopping improved dry system performance; however, further signal processing efforts are likely necessary for full mitigation.

A brain-computer interface is a device that uses signals recorded from the brain to directly control a computer. In the last few years, P300-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have proven an effective and reliable means of communication for people with severe motor disabilities such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite this fact, relatively few individuals have benefited from currently available BCI technology. Independent BCI use requires easily acquired, good-quality electroencephalographic (EEG) signals maintained over long periods in less-than-ideal electrical environments. Conventional, wet-sensor, electrodes require careful application. Faulty or inadequate preparation, noisy environments, or gel evaporation can result in poor signal quality. Poor signal quality produces poor user performance, system downtime, and user and caregiver frustration. This study demonstrates that a hybrid dry electrode sensor array (HESA) performs as well as traditional wet electrodes and may help propel BCI technology to a widely accepted alternative mode of communication.

Intensive agricultural systems have had several ecological effects on the surrounding ecosystem, including contributing to widespread pollinator declines. In order to help supplement bee communities and potentially improve crop production, we set out to study annual forb plantings adjacent to dry bean crops to determine the pollinator response to both plantings and any potential effects on dry bean yield. We found that annual forb plantings provided continual floral resources throughout the sampling period, which can support bees and their pollination services in agroecosystems. We also found cross-pollination had no effect on dry bean yield in Carrington and a negative effect in Hettinger, which could be due to methodological issues. While we did not observe a yield increase in dry bean production, the addition of annual forb plantings in agroecosystems could help support the local bee community, and potentially encourage pollination services in other crops that do benefit from insect pollination.

Piñon and juniper tree species have species-specific climatic requirements, resulting in unique distributions and differential responses to climate change. Piñons and junipers co-dominate the arid woodlands of North America as groups with widespread hybridization. Two piñons, Pinus edulis; P. monophylla, and four junipers, Juniperus deppeana var. deppeana; J. monosperma; J. occidentalis; J. osteosperma, are endemic to the midlatitude interior west and form three groups of hybridizing sister species, P. edulis-P. monophylla; J. deppeana var. deppeana-J. monosperma; J. occidentalis-J. osteosperma. Recent droughts have caused widespread mortality among piñons, but have had less impact on junipers and indicate shifts in co-occurrence have already begun in response to global climate change. Within these groups hybridization likely plays an important role in such distribution changes. The central objective of this thesis is to forecast the distributions of piñons and junipers endemic to the US under modeled climate change for the 21st century. Species distribution models are built with an emphasis placed on aligning the life cycle dynamics of the species within the temporal and spatial resolution of predictor variables, and within the modeling technique. Two concerns surrounding species distribution modeling are addressed. First, concerns regarding the extent to which species are at equilibrium with the current climate are addressed by incorporating dispersal into the model building process. Second, concerns regarding the potential role of hybridization between closely related species are addressed by building distribution models for each of the three sister species groups as well as the six component species. Species distribution models exhibited individualistic responses to modeled climate change. Modeled areal loss was greater than gain for all species, which is reflected in changes of co-occurrence. Piñon-juniper richness is forecast to increase in the northern Colorado Plateau, eastern Great Basin, and Rocky Mountains. The sister-species models forecast greater areal gain, and less areal loss, along hybridization zones for P. edulis-P. monophylla and for J. occidentalis-J. osteosperma, but forecast greater areal loss along the periphery of the component species distributions. The sister-species model for J. deppeana var. deppeana-J. monosperma forecasts overall greater areal loss than the component species. In general, forecast changes in latitude and elevation are about one third of the changes inferred, from the fossil record, to have occurred following the transition to the current interglacial ~10,000 years ago.

Nonfat dry milk (NOM) was evaluated to determine the effect of long term storage on its sensory quality, its solubility index and on the development of oxidative derivatives of sterols. Storage variables included the form of the milk, the atmosphere in the storage container, the type of package and the storage temperature. A trained taste panel evaluated the milk for the development of cooked, metallic, and oxidized/stale flavors, mouthfeel and overall acceptability. Gas chromatography was used to determine cholesterol content and the quantity of oxidative derivatives of cholesterol present in the samples. Although long term storage of NOM did not affect the solubility index of the milk, the sensory quality of the milk was affected. Over time storage temperature and type of package had the greatest effect on sensory quality. Milk stored for 30 months at 32 C developed an unacceptable oxidized/stale flavor and at 42 months of storage, milk stored in polybags at 21 C had also developed an oxidized/stale flavor. These results substantiate the importance of controlling storage conditions during long term storage of NOM. NOM stored for four years did not develop harmful quantities of oxidative derivatives of cholesterol. However, certain expected results did occur. NOM stored in polybags developed more oxidative derivatives than samples stored in cans. Samples stored at 32 C developed more oxidative derivatives of cholesterol than any other sample analyzed and 7S-hydroxycholesterol, the only known cytotoxic derivative of cholesterol identified, was present in the samples stored at 32 C. Fresh and control samples of NOM contained similar quantities of oxidative derivatives of cholesterol.

Background: Biomechanical stiffness has been linked to risk of injury and found to be a measureable characteristic in musculoskeletal disorders. Specific identification of stiffness may clarify who is most likely to benefit from the trigger point dry needling (TDN). The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability and concurrent validity of the MyotonPRO® to the criterion of shear wave ultrasound elastography for the measurement of biomechanical stiffness in the infraspinatus, erector spinae, and gastrocnemius of healthy subjects over increasing muscle contraction. Second purpose is to investigate the biomechanical effects of TDN to latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the infraspinatus, erector spinae, or gastrocnemius. Research Design and Method: The first phase of the study investigated 30 subjects who completed three levels of muscle contraction in standardized test positions for the infraspinatus, erector spinae and gastrocnemius. Biomechanical stiffness measures were collected using shear wave elastography and MyotonPRO®. The second phase of the study investigated 60 new subjects who were categorized into infraspinatus, erector spinae, or gastrocnemius group based on an identified latent MTrP. These subjects underwent TDN while monitoring biomechanical stiffness at baseline, immediately post TDN, and 24 hours later. Analysis: Discriminate ability, reliability, and correlations were calculated for measured stiffness variable across the three conditions of contraction in the first phase of the study. Differences between stiffness at baseline and after TDN were calculated in the second phase of the study. Results: Correlation of the two measurement methods in the three muscle regions was significant and strongest in the gastrocnemius. MyotonPRO reliability was excellent, and demonstrated ability to discriminate between the three levels of muscle contraction. In the second phase, immediate decreased stiffness was observed in the MTrP following TDN treatment. Significant decreased stiffness was found in in the erector spinae and gastrocnemius group who also demonstrated a localized twitch response during TDN. Stiffness returned to near baseline values after 24 hours. Discussion: The MyotonPRO® stiffness measurement was found to be reliable and discriminate across predefined muscle contraction intensities. TDN may cause an immediate change in stiffness but this change was not observed at 24 hours. It is not known whether these effects are present in a symptomatic population or related to improvements in other clinical outcomes. Future studies are necessary to determine if a decrease in biomechanical stiffness is an indication of patient improvement in pain and function.