IN VITRO DEGRADATION AND PHASE COMPOSITION OF COSMETIC EMULSIONS

Microscopic properties like network dynamics and phase compositions were studied for a series of commercially available cosmetics emulsions like hair shampoo, anti-UV shielding creams and hand and body creams. Proton longitudinal and transverse nuclear magnetic relaxations were measured by recording the 1D CPMG and 2D saturation recovery–CPMG echoes decays. The one and bi-dimensional inverse Laplace transformations reveals subtitle features which characterize the microscopic dynamic behaviour associated with the in vitro natural degradation of cosmetics. The IR and UV–VIS spectra were recorded and correlated with the NMR measurement

WATER ABSORPTION AND DEGRADATION OF PACKAGES BASED ON NATIVE CORN STARCH WITH PLASTICIZERS

The starch in native forms or chemically modified is found as the main component of biodegradable packaging materials. Regarding this the water can produce a fast degradation, of the order of days, of such materials. Four types of packaging materials, one witness and three with different starch, glycerol and water ratios were subjected to natural degradation after absorption of distilled water. The degradation process was monitored by various NMR relaxometry methods based on the measurement of CPMG (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill) decays with a T1 filter to exclude the signal from free water. The analysis of NMR signal decays was performed using a Laplace inversion algorithm and the dynamic components were identified from the T2 transverse relaxation times distributions. We found that the best package with 68/17/15 ratios between starch/glycerol/water is extremely degraded after just one day forming a colloid substance. After that in time we observe a quasi-solid precipitation at the bottom of NMR tube. The reduction of dynamics is observed also in the T2–distributions measured for 5 days. The most resistant package (78/19.5/2.5) was that with a large content of starch but which was also reaching the swallow limit in five days and start to be decomposed

ONE-DIMENSIONAL LAPLACE SPECTROSCOPY USED FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION ON THE OVARIECTOMIZED RATS FEMUR

The 1H 1D NMR T2 distribution method was implemented for the measurement of the proximal part of the femoris of a series of ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized Wistar albino rats. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after ovariectomy and the proximal part of femoris was harvested. The CPMG echoes train decays measured for the dried bone were analysed by Laplace inversion and an average of T2 distributions was considered for all rats’ groups. The 1D normalized T2 distributions present four peaks which were associated with protons in four major environments. The first one corresponds to the protons from bound water to collagenous matrix. The second one was correlated with fluids in osteocyte lacunae and canaliculi channels, while the third one was correlated with fluids in secondary pores like Haversian and transverse Volkmann canals. Finally, the last one corresponds to soft matter like bone marrow and to the fluids in primary pores like trabecular bone cavities. The femoral bone of ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized rats was treated as a quasi-porous media and from the T2 distributions the pores-size distributions were estimated function of observation time or evolution after ovariectomy. The results show that mainly the large cavities of proximal part of femoris, with the diameter in the range from 0.05 mm to 2 mm, are affected by osteoporosis for the ovariectomized rats

WATER ABSORPTION AND DEGRADATION OF PACKAGES BASED ON NATIVE CORN STARCH WITH PLASTICIZERS

The starch in native forms or chemically modified is found as the main component of biodegradable packaging materials. Regarding this the water can produce a fast degradation, of the order of days, of such materials. Four types of packaging materials, one witness and three with different starch, glycerol and water ratios were subjected to natural degradation after absorption of distilled water. The degradation process was monitored by various NMR relaxometry methods based on the measurement of CPMG (Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill) decays with a T1 filter to exclude the signal from free water. The analysis of NMR signal decays was performed using a Laplace inversion algorithm and the dynamic components were identified from the T2 transverse relaxation times distributions. We found that the best package with 68/17/15 ratios between starch/glycerol/water is extremely degraded after just one day forming a colloid substance. After that in time we observe a quasi-solid precipitation at the bottom of NMR tube. The reduction of dynamics is observed also in the T2–distributions measured for 5 days. The most resistant package (78/19.5/2.5) was that with a large content of starch but which was also reaching the swallow limit in five days and start to be decomposed

ONE-DIMENSIONAL LAPLACE SPECTROSCOPY USED FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF PORE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION ON THE OVARIECTOMIZED RATS FEMUR

The 1H 1D NMR T2 distribution method was implemented for the measurement of the proximal part of the femoris of a series of ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized Wistar albino rats. The rats were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after ovariectomy and the proximal part of femoris was harvested. The CPMG echoes train decays measured for the dried bone were analysed by Laplace inversion and an average of T2 distributions was considered for all rats’ groups. The 1D normalized T2 distributions present four peaks which were associated with protons in four major environments. The first one corresponds to the protons from bound water to collagenous matrix. The second one was correlated with fluids in osteocyte lacunae and canaliculi channels, while the third one was correlated with fluids in secondary pores like Haversian and transverse Volkmann canals. Finally, the last one corresponds to soft matter like bone marrow and to the fluids in primary pores like trabecular bone cavities. The femoral bone of ovariectomized and non-ovariectomized rats was treated as a quasi-porous media and from the T2 distributions the pores-size distributions were estimated function of observation time or evolution after ovariectomy. The results show that mainly the large cavities of proximal part of femoris, with the diameter in the range from 0.05 mm to 2 mm, are affected by osteoporosis for the ovariectomized rats

Structural and Kinetic Characterization of Unexpired and Expired Drugs by Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (¹H NMR) Relaxometry and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy

The pollution with expired drugs of aquatic environments, in particular rivers and lakes, has lately become a major worldwide problem. Thus, the interest in the exact quantity of pharmaceutical waste as well as the management after the expiration date is very high. For the present study, expired drugs in the form of tablets, capsules, and powders collected from the Romanian population and unexpired medicines as the same tablets, capsules, and powders purchased from the local pharmacy were analyzed. Advanced 1H-NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance) combined with Laplace data analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used for the characterization of the unexpired and expired drugs. In order to assess the dynamics of dissolution of drugs in aqueous environment, various kinetic measurements of NMR relaxometry, electrical conductivity (EC) and visible near-infrared spectroscopy were performed and their performance in the differentiation of unexpired and expired drugs was evaluated.</p

Fourier and Laplace-like low-field NMR spectroscopy: The perspectives of multivariate and artificial neural networks analyses

Low field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (LF-NMR) is a rich source of information for a wide range of samples types. These can be hard or soft solids, such as plastics or elastomers; bulk liquids or liquids absorbed in porous materials, and can come from biomaterials, biological tissues, archaeological artifacts, cultural heritage objects. LF-NMR instruments present a significant advance especially for in situ, ex situ and in vivo measurement of relaxation and diffusion. Moreover, high resolution 1D and 2D spectroscopy, as well as magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are available in these fields. In this work we discuss the advanced analysis of the data measured in LF-NMR from the perspectives of tertiary level that implies the analysis on principal components (PCA), and on the quaternary analysis that uses an artificial neural network (ANN). The principles of PCA and ANN are largely discussed. For the PCA analysis, a series of 52 spectra were analyzed, having been recorded in vivo by LF-NMR. Of these spectra, 38 were generated from normal uterus, 7 by uterus tissue with endometrial cancer, and another 7 were obtained from tissues of women with uterine cervical cancer. The PC1 vs PC2 plot was further analyzed using an artificial neural network, and the results are presented as 2D maps of probability. Furthermore, the perspectives of applying an ANN to solve the problem of Laplace-like inversion are discussed. An example of such ANN was presented and the performance was discussed. Finally, a model of complex ANN, capable to sequentially solve this kind of problems specific to LF-NMR is proposed and discussed

Lung Ultrasound Efficacy in Monitoring Post-SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Pediatric Patients

Background and Objectives: Recognizing the crucial gaps in our understanding of pediatric pneumonia post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, this study aimed to assess the relationship between Pediatric Pneumonia Ultrasound Scores (PedPne) and inflammatory biomarkers. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the predictive value of PedPne in comparison with inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6 and dNLR) for the development of pneumonia in pediatric patients following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Materials and Methods: This longitudinal observational study collected data from pediatric patients diagnosed with pneumonia after an acute SARS-CoV2 infection. The study focused on analyzing changes in PedPne scores and inflammatory markers such as IL-6 and dNLR from initial admission to follow-up at 7 days. Statistical analysis involved calculating the sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) for each biomarker, alongside regression analysis to determine their hazard ratios for predicting pneumonia development. Results: The analysis identified significant cutoff values for dNLR at 1.88 (sensitivity 77.0%, specificity 85.7%, AUC 0.802, p &lt; 0.001), IL-6 at 6.1 pg/mL (sensitivity 70.3%, specificity 92.9%, AUC 0.869, p &lt; 0.001), and PedPne score at 3.3 (sensitivity 75.7%, specificity 78.6%, AUC 0.794, p &lt; 0.001). Conversely, NLR showed lower diagnostic performance (AUC 0.485, p = 0.327). Regression analysis further highlighted the strong predictive power of these markers, with IL-6 showing a fourfold increase in pneumonia risk (HR = 4.25, CI: 2.07&ndash;9.53, p &lt; 0.001), dNLR indicating more than a twofold increase (HR = 2.53, CI: 1.19&ndash;6.97, p = 0.006), and PedPne score associated with more than a doubling of the risk (HR = 2.60, CI: 1.33&ndash;5.18, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The study conclusively demonstrated that both PedPne ultrasound scores and specific inflammatory biomarkers such as dNLR and IL-6 are significant predictors of pneumonia development in pediatric patients post-COVID-19 infection. These findings advocate for the integration of these biomarkers in routine clinical assessments to enhance the diagnostic accuracy and management of pneumonia in children following SARS-CoV-2 infection