Lubricant sensitivity in function of paddle movement in the forced feeder of a high-speed tablet press

Context: The negative impact of magnesium stearate (MgSt) on the hardness of tablets is a well-known phenomenon, but the influence of paddle movement in the forced feeder on the lubricant effect during tablet compression is often neglected. Objective: The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of paddle speed in the forced feeder on tablet tensile strength (TS).Materials and methods: Mixtures of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and MgSt (0.5%) were blended using different methods (low & high shear). After blending, the formulations were compressed into tablets. All parameters of the tableting cycle were kept constant except the speed of the paddles in the forced feeder. Results and discussion: The blending technique affected the sensitivity of the formulation to the paddle speed. The TS of pure MCC tablets did not change in function of paddle speed, while tablets prepared by low shear mixing became softer at higher paddle speed. The TS of tablets manufactured using the high-shear mixed blend was low and did not vary in function of paddle speed, suggesting that overlubrication already occurred during the initial blending step. Furthermore, analysis of the machine parameters allowed evaluation of the influence of the paddles on the flowability, initial packing, and compactability of the powder mixtures. Conclusion: The results elucidated that during manufacturing of tablets using MgSt-containing blends care should not only be taken during the blending step prior to tableting, but also during the tableting process itself, as paddle speed can affect tablet TS, a critical quality attribute

Reduction of tablet weight variability by optimizing paddle speed in the forced feeder of a high-speed rotary tablet press

Context: Tableting is a complex process due to the large number of process parameters that can be varied. Knowledge and understanding of the influence of these parameters on the final product quality is of great importance for the industry, allowing economic efficiency and parametric release. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of paddle speeds and fill depth at different tableting speeds on the weight and weight variability of tablets. Materials and methods: Two excipients possessing different flow behavior, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate (DCP), were selected as model powders. Tablets were manufactured via a high-speed rotary tablet press using design of experiments (DoE). During each experiment also the volume of powder in the forced feeder was measured. Results and discussion: Analysis of the DoE revealed that paddle speeds are of minor importance for tablet weight but significantly affect volume of powder inside the feeder in case of powders with excellent flowability (DCP). The opposite effect of paddle speed was observed for fairly flowing powders (MCC). Tableting speed played a role in weight and weight variability, whereas changing fill depth exclusively influenced tablet weight. Conclusion: The DoE approach allowed predicting the optimum combination of process parameters leading to minimum tablet weight variability. Monte Carlo simulations allowed assessing the probability to exceed the acceptable response limits if factor settings were varied around their optimum. This multi-dimensional combination and interaction of input variables leading to response criteria with acceptable probability reflected the design space

Adapting the Dutch 'mobility explorer' program to investigate possible car taxation futures in the UK

This paper reports work being conducted as part of the only transport project in the current ESRC programme on the Environment and Human Behaviour. The concept of generalised road user changes eventually replacing existing Fuel Duties and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is in the ascendant, with several studies concentrating upon the eventual adoption of a GPS-based congestion charging system. The Dutch and Swiss have also been exploring such schemes. In particular the Dutch have looked at a more quickly and easily implemented option of distance charging rather than congestion charging that is favoured in the UK. This project seeks to explore a wider range of new taxation options, particularly seeking more pragmatic paths towards early implementation rather than the 10 – 20 year timescale currently envisaged. Indeed, the Dutch studies have suggested that distance charging might yield most of the traffic management and emission reduction benefits of congestion charging, with a modelled reduction in car kilometres travelled of between 18 and 35 per cent compared with a ‘business as usual’ base case. In this project, the Dutch Mobility Explorer program that was used to estimate the effects of a national distance charge, is being adapted using UK data to investigate a series of possible car taxation futures. These range from a low-key introduction of a distance charge to replace VED, through to a distance charging system replacing fuel tax and VED and a GPS congestion charging system. This will permit a comparison of the traffic, congestion and emission reductions between such options and also a cross-country comparison on a comparable basis with the existing Dutch work. The adaptation of the Dutch model to the UK has not been straightforward, and possibly the greatest lessons have been in helping to understand the differences in context in which a seemingly similar transport policy measure is being proposed. The paper concludes with a reflection upon the rapid rise in favour by the UK government for of generalised road user changes to replace Fuel Duties and VED. It is suggested that this is not a way to avoid hard decisions in transport policy that it may at first seem

Medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics in Belgium: results from a qualitative study

Abstract title: Medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics in Belgium: results from a qualitative study. Aim: Prevalence of diabetes in Belgium is 2 to 3 times higher among people from Turkish descent. Medication adherence, an essential element of the diabetic regimen, appears to be lower among nonwhite ethnic groups. This study identifies factors influencing medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics living in Belgium. Methods: Since this topic hasn’t been studied before we conducted an explorative, qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews with the aid of an interpreter. The topicslist was based on insights from the literature and conversations with Turkish diabetics and health care workers and was slightly adjusted after the first interviews. 21 Turkish type-2 diabetics living in Belgium were selected using theoretical sampling. Respondent’s most recent HbA1c-values were also collected. Interviews lasted between 2 and 5 hours, were audio-taped, fully transcribed and translated. Thematic analysis was conducted by the first two authors with different educational backgrounds (sociologist/pharmacist). The first phase was a detailed, thematic analysis of the individual cases, in the second phase an analysis across cases, distinguishing adherers from non-adherers, identified factors influencing medication adherence. NVivo 8 was used for managing, coding and analysing the qualitative data. Results: Factors influencing medication adherence among type-2 diabetics from Turkish descent include knowledge of and attitudes towards diabetes and antidiabetics, health and medication beliefs, social support from health care providers and family members, the nature of the patient-provider relationship, perceptions of health care worker’s expertise and social roles in daily life. A typology was constructed identifying different constellations of factors that distinguish adherers from non-adherers. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. Conclusion: This qualitative study identifies factors influencing medication adherence among type-2 Turkish diabetics living in Belgium and provides a typology, distinguishing adherers from non-adherers, that may guide clinical practice. Results from this qualitative study will be tested in a future, quantitative study

Medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics in Belgium: results from a qualitative study

Abstract title: Medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics in Belgium: results from a qualitative study. Aim: Prevalence of diabetes in Belgium is 2 to 3 times higher among people from Turkish descent. Medication adherence, an essential element of the diabetic regimen, appears to be lower among nonwhite ethnic groups. This study identifies factors influencing medication adherence among Turkish type-2 diabetics living in Belgium. Methods: Since this topic hasn’t been studied before we conducted an explorative, qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews with the aid of an interpreter. The topicslist was based on insights from the literature and conversations with Turkish diabetics and health care workers and was slightly adjusted after the first interviews. 21 Turkish type-2 diabetics living in Belgium were selected using theoretical sampling. Respondent’s most recent HbA1c-values were also collected. Interviews lasted between 2 and 5 hours, were audio-taped, fully transcribed and translated. Thematic analysis was conducted by the first two authors with different educational backgrounds (sociologist/pharmacist). The first phase was a detailed, thematic analysis of the individual cases, in the second phase an analysis across cases, distinguishing adherers from non-adherers, identified factors influencing medication adherence. NVivo 8 was used for managing, coding and analysing the qualitative data. Results: Factors influencing medication adherence among type-2 diabetics from Turkish descent include knowledge of and attitudes towards diabetes and antidiabetics, health and medication beliefs, social support from health care providers and family members, the nature of the patient-provider relationship, perceptions of health care worker’s expertise and social roles in daily life. A typology was constructed identifying different constellations of factors that distinguish adherers from non-adherers. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. Conclusion: This qualitative study identifies factors influencing medication adherence among type-2 Turkish diabetics living in Belgium and provides a typology, distinguishing adherers from non-adherers, that may guide clinical practice. Results from this qualitative study will be tested in a future, quantitative study

Changing guards: time to move beyond Body Mass Index for population monitoring of excess adiposity

With the obesity epidemic, and the effects of aging populations, human phenotypes have changed over two generations, possibly more dramatically than in other species previously. As obesity is an important and growing hazard for population health, we recommend a systematic evaluation of the optimal measure(s) for population-level excess body fat. Ideal measure(s) for monitoring body composition and obesity should be simple, as accurate and sensitive as possible, and provide good categorisation of related health risks. Combinations of anthropometric markers or predictive equations may facilitate better use of anthropometric data than single measures to estimate body composition for populations. Here we provide new evidence that increasing proportions of aging populations are at high health-risk according to waist circumference, but not body mass index (BMI), so continued use of BMI as the principal population-level measure substantially underestimates the health-burden from excess adiposity

Taxation Futures for Sustainable Mobility: final report to the ESRC

The existing transport tax and charging regime has stimulated limited behavioural change and has been politically problematic (as demonstrated by the September 2000 fuel duty protests). This project synthesised a range of research that has explored ways in which road user charging could replace the present regime based on taxing fuels and car ownership. In 2002, when this project was proposed, this was a fringe transport policy issue. Throughout 2003 the subject achieved a sudden prominence, with a government working party being established to explore the possibility of long-term area-wide road user charging. A tax regime change towards a car road user charge for cars has occurred, or is being considered, in societies as contrasting as Oregon State in the USA, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the UK, reflecting a range of policy considerations. For the UK, these include: the ongoing failure of transport policy measures to achieve adequate cuts in congestion and emissions; the success of the London Congestion Charge; the rise in the cost of transport policy interventions; the reduction in Treasury income of eco-reforms to the current tax regime; and the difficulties of, and equity issues relating to, taxing fuel in a future multi-fuel transport sector. The project developed tax change scenarios in conjunction with the project's user group (including policymakers, NGOs and researchers). Five scenarios were modelled using an adaptation of the Dutch Mobility Explorer program. An 'opt-in' transitional policy mechanism involved replacing VED with a small flat-rate kilometre charge for cars of 0.77 p/km. The model suggested it would have little policy impact, but could be used to familiarise car drivers with the concept of a distance charge. A fiscally neutral scenario involved the replacement of VED and Fuel Duty with a banded kilometre charge for cars of between 2.3 and 8.5 p/km (varied by the environmental performance of the vehicle type). This induced little behaviour change, reducing car driver mobility by only 4%. A further scenario, restored the tax revenues lost from post-2000 tax changes, generating an additional £3 billion or £6b per annum. These reduced car driver mobility by 9% - 14%, and total CO2 emissions were predicted to drop by 6% - 9% by 2015, compared to the base scenario. The type of change involved in the revenue-raising scenarios is significant. There would be only a small increase in the use of public transport, with the predominant response being the better utilisation of cars with higher occupancy and more linking of trips to cut distances driven. The project results suggest that road user charging may deliver more revenue stability than fuel taxation. However, clarity is needed over the policy goals – congestion reduction, emission reduction, revenue stability – for a national road user charge, because the goals are not necessarily complementary. It should also be emphasised that a change of tax regime would not remove the need the hard political decisions in this area

Effects and feasibility of a kilometre charge in road transport an investigation for the Netherlands

This study discusses the potential effects of a kilometre charge in the Netherlands on pollution and travel demand. It also provides insight into the organisational and technical structure which is required to introduce a well-functioning system of charging passenger cars for each kilometre driven. It appears that the introduction of an advanced kilometre charge can lead to a reduction of environmental pollution caused by car traffic (depending on the kind) with 20%25 till 70%. When the introduction of a kilometre charge is combined with a reduction of taxes on car ownership, the average costs of car use will not rise. From a technological viewpoint an electronic kilometre charge is feasible