METHODS: Anonymised data consisting of 44 independent predictor variables from 355 adults diagnosed with COVID-19, at a UK hospital, was manually extracted from electronic patient records for retrospective, case-control analysis. Primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, required ventilatory support, and duration of inpatient treatment. Pulmonary embolism sequala was the only secondary outcome. After balancing data, key variables were feature selected for each outcome using random forests. Predictive models were then learned and constructed using Bayesian networks.
RESULTS: The proposed probabilistic models were able to predict, using feature selected risk factors, the probability of the mentioned outcomes. Overall, our findings demonstrate reliable, multivariable, quantitative predictive models for four outcomes, which utilise readily available clinical information for COVID-19 adult inpatients. Further research is required to externally validate our models and demonstrate their utility as risk stratification and clinical decision-making tools.
Methods: Colchicine-loaded transethosomes (TEs) were prepared by the cold method and statistically optimized using three sets of 24 factorial design experiments. The optimized formulations were incorporated into Carbopol 940® gel base. The prepared colchicine-loaded transethosomal gels were further characterized for vesicular size, dispersity, zeta potential, drug content, pH, viscosity, yield, rheological behavior, and ex vivo skin permeation through Sprague Dawley rats' back skin.
Results: The results showed that the colchicine-loaded TEs had aspherical irregular shape, nanometric size range, and high entrapment efficiency. All the formulated gels exhibited non-Newtonian plastic flow without thixotropy. Colchicine-loaded transethosomal gels were able to significantly enhance the skin permeation parameters of the drug in comparison to the non-ethosomal gel.
Conclusion: These findings suggested that the transethosomal gels are promising carriers for the transdermal delivery of colchicine, providing an alternative route for drug administration.
METHODS: A ratio of 25:37:38 of POEs: external phase: surfactants (Tween 80:Span 20, in a ratio 80:20), respectively was selected as the basic composition for the production of a nanocream with ideal properties. Various nanocreams were prepared using phosphate-buffered saline as the external phase at three different pH values. The abilities of these formulae to deliver piroxicam were assessed in vitro using a Franz diffusion cell fitted with a cellulose acetate membrane and full thickness rat skin. These formulae were also evaluated in vivo by comparing their anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities with those of the currently marketed gel.
RESULTS: After eight hours, nearly 100% of drug was transferred through the artificial membrane from the prepared formula F3 (phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.4 as the external phase) and the marketed gel. The steady-state flux through rat skin of all formulae tested was higher than that of the marketed gel. Pharmacodynamically, nanocream formula F3 exhibited the highest anti- inflammatory and analgesic effects as compared with the other formulae.
CONCLUSION: The nanocream containing the newly synthesized POEs was successful for trans-dermal delivery of piroxicam.
METHODS: In this work, we present a general overview of INPST activities and showcase the specific use of Twitter as a powerful networking tool that was used to host a one-week "2021 INPST Twitter Networking Event" (spanning from 31st May 2021 to 6th June 2021) based on the application of the Twitter hashtag #INPST.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The use of this hashtag during the networking event period was analyzed with Symplur Signals (https://www.symplur.com/), revealing a total of 6,036 tweets, shared by 686 users, which generated a total of 65,004,773 impressions (views of the respective tweets). This networking event's achieved high visibility and participation rate showcases a convincing example of how this social media platform can be used as a highly effective tool to host virtual Twitter-based international biomedical research events.