The new AT-Series pumps have standard features such as Noryl impellers, and fiberglass filled polypropylene components to avoid corrosion, and increase durability.
These new pumps come standard with US Electric / NIDEC motors in sizes 3/4HP – 3HP, and have easy to access electrical compartments.
Large 2" pipe connections maximize pump efficiency, and the 'pull out' design allows for easy maintenance without disturbing the plumbing.
Large capacity strainer baskets with clear, poly-carbonate cover.
New PPC Pump AT15D (Up Rated) 1.5HP, 115/230 VAC 1-Phase, 18.6/9.3 Amps.
Large capacity strainer baskets with clear, poly carbonate cover.
New PPC Pump AT75DF (Full Rated) 3/4HP, 115/230 VAC 15.0/7.5 Amps.
(Full Rated) 3/4HP, 115/230 VAC 15.0/7.5 Amps.
New PPC Pump AT10DF (Full Rated) 1HP, 115/230 VAC 18.6/9.3 Amps.
New PPC Pump AT20DF (Full Rated) 2HP, 230 VAC 11.2 Amps.
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New PPC Pump AT15DF (Full Rated) 1.5HP, 115/230 VAC 19.4/9.7 Amps.
New PPC Pump AT20D (Up Rated) 2HP, 115/230 VAC 19.4/9.7 Amps.
(Up Rated) 2HP, 115/230 VAC 19.4/9.7 Amps.
Large capacity strainer baskets with clear, polycarbonate cover.
New PPC Pump AT75F-2 (Two Speed) 3/4HP, 115 VAC 11.2 Amps.
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New PPC Pump AT10HF-2 (Two Speed) 1HP, 230 VAC 6.3 Amps.


Canine leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by the Leishmania infantum and Leishmania chagasi. Canine leishmaniasis is transmitted through the infected Phlebotominae flies. The severity of the canine leishmaniasis leads to the death of animals and high risk of disease transmission in humans and other dogs. The primary symptoms associated with the canine leishmaniasis include asthenia, anaemia, cachexia, weight loss, skin lesions, and muscular atrophy. In the later stage the symptoms like abnormal growth of nails, conjunctivitis, and renal failure may occur in the canines. The canine leishmaniasis can be prevented by administering the vaccines initially 3 doses with 3-week interval between them and an annual dose which increase the immunity in the canines.
The canine leishmaniasis management market is growing at a significant CAGR due to increase in adoption of canines. A rise in the prevalence of canine Leishmania, increase in the research and development for new vaccines for canine leishmaniasis management, rise in the expenditure for animal welfare and wellness, and patent filings for the various canine leishmaniasis management formulations might fuel the canine leishmaniasis management market over the forecast years. However, stringent regulatory policies for the approval of new vaccines for the canine leishmaniasis management, storage of vaccines, lack of awareness regarding canine leishmaniasis management, increase in the canine culling process, and dearth of canine leishmaniasis management products in the market might hamper the canine leishmaniasis management market growth in the forecast years.
Global canine leishmaniasis management market is in the developing stage with several international players are actively involved in the development of formulations for the treatment and prevention of canine leishmaniasis. Increase in the research and development for canine leishmaniasis vaccines, product approval from various regulatory bodies such as EMEA and FDA, and launching of new products into the market might fuel the canine leishmaniasis management market over the forecast period. For instance, in March 2011, EMEA approved the marketing authorization in the Europe region for CaniLeish vaccine manufactured by Virbac S.A. Similarly, US Food and Drug Administration scientists are working with India and Brazil scientists for the development of a non-virulent vaccine to treat visceral leishmaniasis in canines.
Geographically, canine leishmaniasis management market is segmented into the following regions Viz. Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Europe holds significant share in the global canine leishmaniasis management market owing to the presence of tropical and subtropical areas which are favourable for the growth of sand flies. Spain, France, Greece, Italy and some other European countries have the highest prevalence of canine leishmaniasis. Increase in the research and development for Leishmania vaccines, rise in the expenditure of animal welfare and growing awareness about the canine leishmaniasis treatment might bolster the market. Asia Pacific canine leishmania management market growth over the forecast years attributed to poor hygienic conditions in the rural area, increase in the canine adoption rate, and the environmental conditions that favour the growth of sand flies. Increase in the canine leishmaniasis prevalence rate majorly in India, China, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and UAE might fuel the canine leishmaniasis management market. North America holds a reasonable share due to increase in the adoption rate of canines (according to American Pet Products Association, approximately 78 Mn canines were owned in the U.S.).
Some of the players in canine leishmaniasis management market are Zoetis, Inc. (Pfizer) (U.S), Hertape Calier Saude Animal S.A. (Brazil), Virbac AH Inc. (France), Laboratories Leti (Spain), Bioiberica S.A. (Spain), and Sanofi S.A. (France) to name a few.


WASHINGTON -- Bowing to pressure from anxious allies, President Donald Trump abruptly reversed himself Wednesday and signed an executive order halting his administration's policy of separating children from their parents when they are detained illegally crossing the U.S. border.
"We're going to have strong, very strong borders, but we're going to keep the families together," said Trump who added that he didn't like the "sight" or "feeling" of children separated from their parents.
The order does not end the "zero-tolerance" policy that criminally prosecutes all adults caught crossing the border illegally. It would keep families together while they are in custody, expedite their cases and ask the Department of Defense to help house them.
But under a previous class-action settlement that set policies for the treatment and release of minors caught at the border, families can only be detained for 20 days. A senior Justice Department official said that hasn't changed.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said his department will start reuniting detained immigrant children with their parents -- but he's making no specific commitment on how quickly that can be accomplished.
Assessments for possible detention facilities at military bases have already been done in Texas and another is expected in Arkansas on Thursday.
And daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted, "Thank you (at)POTUS for taking critical action ending family separation at our border."
Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday, and those on the fence over pending immigration legislation headed to the White House to meet with Trump.
One of them said Nielsen, who had become the face of the administration's policy, had little faith that Congress would fix the separation issue and felt compelled to act. She was heckled at a restaurant Tuesday and has faced protesters at her home.
Trump had tweeted early Wednesday, before issuing his order, "It's the Democrats fault, they won't give us the votes needed to pass good immigration legislation. They want open borders, which breeds horrible crime. Republicans want security. But I am working on something - it never ends!"


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HP S430c 43.4-inch Curved Ultrawide monitor: This eye-popping 4K display controls two PCs at once
This gorgeous, curved display makes your two-monitor setup look obsolete.
By Ben Patterson
Senior Writer, PCWorld |
Ben Patterson/IDG
The 43.4-inch HP S430c Curved Ultrawide monitor puts dual-monitor setups to shame, and its ability to control two devices with a single mouse and keyboard will make you the envy of the office.
Priced at $999 and set to go on sale November 4, the HP S430c makes a big impression when you first lay your eyes on it—and indeed, unveiling a curved 4K monitor this big is one of the easiest ways to elicit gasps at a launch event.
Boasting an anti-glare, LED-backlit VA display with a maximum brightness of 350 nits and a rated 99% sRGB color accuracy, the 32:10 HP S430c does a nice job of displaying two desktops at once on a single PC, allowing your mouse to flow from one desktop to another without the cursor disappearing between monitors.
But the S430c's coolest trick is its ability to control two PCs at once with a single keyboard and mouse, all without a KVM switch.
The HP S430c Curved Ultrawide monitor lets you control two PCs at once with a single mouse and keyboard.
Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android devices are supported, as long as you can connect them to the monitor via one of its two USB-C ports. (Additional ports include DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0, along with four USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports and an audio jack.)
Even better, HP's DeviceBridge technology lets you copy and paste documents from one connected device to another, with the caveat that when it comes to Android, the S430c can only transfer files from Android devices, not to them.
You can also control how your device desktops are displayed using hotkeys on the display's bottom bezel, meaning you can quickly switch between seeing two desktops at once or just one desktop stretched across the entire screen.
Hotkey beneath the HP S430c's bezel let you switch between dual- and single-PC views.
For now, however, the display is split 50-50 between devices—you can't fine-tune how much of the display a given desktop can use. HP reps left open the possibility that such functionality could arrive later via a software update.
The display also features a pop-up, IR-enabled webcam that works for Windows Hello authentication. When you want some privacy, you can slide the camera back into the top bezel, effectively blocking its lenses.
You can slide the HP S430c's webcam and IR camera module down into its bezel for privacy.
Also announced by HP was the more conventional E344c, a 34-inch curved monitor with WQHD resolution, and a 21:9 aspect ratio.
Slated to arrive on October 7 for $599, the 400-nit E344c comes equipped with a DisplayPort, an HDMI port, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C ports, and three USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports.
This story, "HP S430c 43.4-inch Curved Ultrawide monitor: This eye-popping 4K display controls two PCs at once" was originally published by PCWorld.
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he covers smart home and home entertainment products.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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51 Building to be Named After SCSU's First African-American Graduate
Richard Leguil Published: October 14, 2018
SCSU Professor Christopher Lehman, photo by WJON.com's Jim Maurice
ST. CLOUD -- A little over a year ago, St. Cloud State University professor Christopher Lehman started a campaign to change the name of the 51 Building, after a woman who broke barriers while being St. Cloud through and through.
Ruby Cora Webster, photo courtesy of SCSU Archives
Monday, Lehman sees his work pay off. 51 Building will be dedicated as "Ruby Cora Webster Hall" during a ceremony at 3:00 p.m. The official name change happened back in May, however, Lehman wanted the ceremony to time with SCSU's 150th anniversary.
The 51 Building was originally the Herberger Business School -- when that moved -- it switched to its nondescript name.
Lehman says the name change makes sense because Webster wasn't only a pioneer, she was also St. Cloud to the bone.
"She had come to St. Cloud when she was a year old in 1891, went to public school here, graduated from what was then St. Cloud High School in 1908, then a year later received an elementary education degree from St. Cloud State Normal School."
Webster moved on to teach in Kansas City for a time after her graduation from SCSU. Finally winding up in Canada, where she lived until her death in 1974. Lehman says, through Webster's granddaughter, he found that she never once stopped thinking of St. Cloud as her home.
"Ruby never stopped considering St. Cloud her home. This was home for her. No matter how long she lived in Kansas or Canada, she always remembered St. Cloud fondly."
Lehman says Webster's father, John Wesley Webster was a former slave. He worked in the Granite City as a barber, eventually running a cloth-dyeing shop downtown for over 15 years.
The event Monday is open to the public and about 15 of Webster's descendants are expected to be in attendance.
Ruby Cora Webster Hall houses three departments: English, Ethnic and Women's Studies, and Political Science.
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Filed Under: 51 building, ruby cora webster, SCSU, St. Cloud, St. Cloud State
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Kids Ski and Learn About Norwegian Roots at Barnelopet [GALLERY]
Annual Winter Chill Brings Family Fun to St. Cloud Park [GALLERY]
Apartments in 5th Avenue Development Open Up to All Residents
Nautical Bowls Opening in Downtown St. Cloud on Saturday


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HomeCHICAGOEntertainmentLyric Opera's "Luisa Miller" Review – Beautiful, Romantic and Poignant
Lyric Opera's "Luisa Miller" Review – Beautiful, Romantic and Poignant
October 22, 2019 Barbara Keer Entertainment 0
Lyric Opera of Chicago Enrique Mazzola Conductor Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
Who is "Luisa Miller"? – The protagonist of Giuseppe Verdi's fifteenth opera of the same name. Verdi buffs are familiar with this opera because it marks the switch from Verdi's early works to his middle works and is the precursor of La Traviata as well as containing the seeds of Verdi's later works. Lyric Opera of Chicago is performing Luisa Miller for the first time in more than three decades and only through October 31st.
Krassimira-Stoyanova, Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller© Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
Sunday afternoon, October 20, 2019, began with the pre-opera talk which I always enjoy. Presented by Jesse Rosenberg of Northwestern University, it highlighted the story of the opera and the arias that were especially beautiful. In addition, Enrique Mazzola, Lyric's music director designate, who is new to this role, greeted and welcomed the attendees. He shared that Luisa Miller marks the first installment of Lyric's Early Verdi Series, to be presented over the coming years and which he will be conducting. Enrique Mazzola, is a lauded expert in conducting early Verdi, as well as bel canto and French opera.
Lyric Opera of Chicago Enrique Mazzola,Conductor Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
The outstanding international cast of acclaimed Verdian artists are featured in Luisa Miller. Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova is sweet, vulnerable Luisa, who loves and is loved by Rodolfo (Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja), the son of ruthless, unethical nobleman Count Walter (American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn/Ryan Opera Center alumnus) whom Luisa's own father Miller (American baritone Quinn Kelsey/Ryan Opera Center alumnus) loathes. To keep the lovers apart, Walter employs the help of his retainer Wurm (American bass Soloman Howard/Lyric debut), who wants to marry Luisa himself. An arranged marriage between Rodolfo and Duchess Federica (Russian mezzo-soprano Alisa Kolosova) further complicates Luisa and Rodolfo's desperate situation.
Christian Van Horn, Count Walter in Luisa Miller, Lyric Opera of Chicago
The production of Luisa Miller is directed by Francesca Zambello, with open, evocative set designs by Michael Yeargan, traditional-period costume designs by Dunya Ramicova, and dramatic lighting design by Mark McCullough. Lyric's chorus master is Michael Black, and August Tye is the choreographer for this presentation.
The story of Luisa Miller has many twists and turns. The first act moves slowly, setting the scene for the more exciting two acts to follow. The sets, costumes and staging work together seamlessly to create beauty and drama. Class differences are marked by the clothing of the villagers and the red velvet of the royals. The unusual use of lighting to create shadows that foreshadow doom (?) was powerful and creative.
Lyric Opera of Chicago, Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
Luisa Miller is about class differences. It is set in the mid-19th century in Tyrol. In act one, we meet Luisa as she is being awakened and invited to celebrate her birthday with the people of the village. She has recently met and fallen in love with Carlo, a young man she met in the village. He is part of her celebration and she introduces him to her father (Miller). Her father fears this match is not a good one and of course, he is right. Carlo is in actuality, Rodolfo, the son of the local lord, Count Walter. Count Walter's retainer, Wurm, is also enamored with Louisa and uses underhanded tactics in an attempt to win her.
Wurm tells Luisa's father about Rodolfo and he tells the Count about Luisa. The count wants Rodolfo to marry Duchess Ferderica to whom he was betrothed. But, Rodolfo is not in agreement. As Rodolfo is assuring Luisa that she is the one he cares about, his father arrives at the Miller's home and is about to arrest both Luisa and her father when Rodolfo threatens to reveal the secret that brought Count Walter to his position.
Quinn Kelsey and Krassimira Stoyanova, LUISA MILLER,Lyric Opera of Chicago, Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
In Act two and three, Miller is arrested for defending his daughter when she is accused of entrapping Rodolfo, and Wurm gives Luisa the chance to free her father if she writes a letter saying she never loved Carlo and only wanted his money. Of course, when Rodolfo receives the letter, he is beyond devastated. Ultimately, Miller is released and Luisa agrees to leave the village and travel with him. This is not to be and the ending, as you can imagine, is not a happy one.
Quinn Kelsey, LUISA MILLER, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
As to the music, it becomes more intense, romantic, and emotional as the story progresses. The arias toward the end become more and more beautiful, solos, duets, trios along with the beautiful orchestral music – until it ends. The huge chorus is very important throughout. The voices were beautiful and lent depth and power to the story.
The performance that I saw was a unique experience for me. American soprano Toni Marie Palmertree sang the title role for the entire performance, replacing Bulgarian soprano Krassimira Stoyanova, who was ill. I thoroughly enjoyed her voice and her acting, finding her very convincing.
American tenor Jonathan Burton portrayed Rodolfo for the second part of the performance, after intermission, replacing Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja, who had sung the first act with an announcement that he was suffering from a cold. He was unable to continue for the second portion of the performance.
The audience welcomed Burton who moved into the part easily with a wonderful voice and convincing character. This being his Lyric debut, the audience was very appreciative.
Luisa's happiness was very short lived. As tragedy increased the arias included a duet by two baritones, and exquisite father – daughter duet and an ending scene that was poignant and beautiful.
10/8/19 2:28:06 PM — Chicago, IL USA Lyric Opera of Chicago Enrique Mazzola Conductor Giuseppe Verdi: Luisa Miller © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2019
Ms. Stoyanova and Mr. Calleja are expected to return for the remaining performances of Luisa Miller.
Remaining performance dates for Luisa Miller are October 25, 28, and 31. Performance times vary.
For tickets and information call (312) 827-5600 or go to the Lyric Opera website Tickets start at $39.
Estimated running time is 2 hours 50 minutes, including one 30-minute intermission.
Luisa Miller is performed in Italian with projected English translations.
Directors Guild of America Hosts COLCOA – French Film Festival
'EAT LIKE YOU GIVE A FORK: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive' Cookbook Review – Food is Magical
Jesus Christ Superstar Review – Lyric Opera of Chicago Does it Proud
May 1, 2018 Barbara Keer Music & Arts 0
I had the opportunity to see Lyric Opera of Chicago's Jesus Christ Superstar on April 28, and it is a must see. With performances through May 20, Lyric is the only place to offer the […]
'Celebrating 100 Years of Bernstein' Review – Dreaming in Depth at the Lyric
March 12, 2018 Leanne Star Entertainment 0
Would that we truly could celebrate 100 years of the inventive music of the late, great Leonard Bernstein, but that's mathematically impossible. Bernstein was born in 1918, in Lawrence, Mass., the son of Ukrainian Jewish […]
Lyric Opera of Chicago's Così Fan Tutte Review – Thus Do All Women
February 20, 2018 Jennifer Lunz Music & Arts 0
Così fan tutte, Mozart's bittersweet romantic comedy, had a spectacular opening performance at 7:30pm on Saturday, February 17th, 2018, at Lyric Opera of Chicago. The title the most sophisticated and intimate of the three Mozart/da […]


Background: Epilepsy is the second most common chronic neurological disorder after migraine affecting 2% of population with a high incidence of failure to achieve seizure freedom with the usual antiepileptic drugs. Levetiracetam (LEV) is a new novel antiepileptic drug with less drug interactions, minimal side effects, a favorable pharmacokinetic profile and a wide spectrum of anticonvulsant effects in animal models for different types of epileptic seizures. Objectives: To define the efficacy and safety of LEV in the treatment of epilepsy as add on or monotherapy. Patients and Methods: A random sample of 52 patients with epilepsy, evaluated in a descriptive cross-sectional study for the efficacy and safety of LEV in epilepsy, they were collected among epileptic patients attending the Neurology consultation Clinic in Sulaimani city from May 2012 to May 2013.All the patients were interviewed by using questionnaire forms with comprehensive history, clinical examination, radiological, EEG and laboratory studies done to all patients. Results: The sample involved female patients 2 folds more than males. Mean patients age was 24.54 years. Mean duration of treatment; 2.7 years. Mean LEV dosage: 1475.9 mg / day. Seventeen patients received monotherapy and 35 patients received add on therapy. Mean Seizure frequency was 44 attacks / month before treatment and 4 after treatment. Mean percent of seizure reduction was 95.1% in mono therapy and 91.46% in add on therapy. Conclusion: Levetiracetam (LEV) is a safe, effective, broad spectrum antiepileptic drug that could be used as monotherapy or add on therapy in the treatment of generalized and focal epilepsy.
Keywords: Levetiracetam Epilepsy Add on therapy Mono therapy.


What is your K-Pop Career?
K-Pop is currently a big thing now. As a long fan (I think I started to like K-Pop since 5 years ago), it is no surprise that I've explored a lot about things that revolves around it; starting from the Korean culture itself, but the majority part is about things that happens around the idols like the drama, the comebacks, the variety shows, so on and so forth.
Because of that, I would say I had quite a lot of things that I know about K-Pop and I found this game on "What is your K-Pop career?". I explained it in details on the video that I made on my youtube channel. Watch it below!


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Influence of the relative composition of trace elements and vitamins in physicochemical stability of total parenteral nutrition formulations for neonatal use
Bianca W Lobo1,
Venício F da Veiga2,
Lúcio M Cabral1,
Ricardo C Michel3,
Nádia M Volpato†4 and
Valéria P de Sousa†1Email author
†Contributed equally
© Lobo et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2012
Received: 17 October 2011
The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of the relative composition of trace elements and vitamins in physicochemical stability of neonatal parenteral nutrition.
Three formulations for neonatal administration were selected; the main variable was the presence of trace elements and vitamins. The analyses where carried out immediately after preparation and at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days after preparation. Three methods were selected to determine globule size: light obscuration, dynamic light scattering and optical microscopy. Complementary evaluation including visual inspection, determination of pH and osmolarity, peroxide levels and measurements of zeta potential were also performed.
There was an observable alteration in color and phase separation in the PN stored at 25°C and 40°C. Neither globule size pattern, nor any other physicochemical characteristic evaluated appeared to be considerably altered in any of the analyzed formulations even after 7 days of storage at 5°C. Globule size in all the PN studied was consistent with the established limit, below 500 nm by DLS measurement, and PFAT5 was below 0.05% under all storage temperatures.
Concomitant presence of trace elements and vitamins in the same neonatal formulation did not alter the evaluated aspects of stability.
Total nutrient admixtures
Lipid globules
Dynamic light scattering
Light obscuration
Neonates are a special target in parenteral nutrition (PN) practice. Their survival is usually related to its use, particularly if we consider preterm neonates, born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. These patients need differing amounts of nutrients when compared to older children or adults. The concentration of nutrients and factors such as pH directly impacts the physicochemical properties of PN preparations. Pediatric amino acid solutions usually include cysteine hydrochloride, which causes these formulations to be more acidic than adult ones. These neonatal PN formulations present a high proportion of carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids, as neonates have higher energy requirements than older children or adults [1–3]. It is important to consider that the final preparation has a reduced volume when compared to formulations for older children or adults [2], therefore interactions will be increased between substances in PN formulations.
All nutrients necessary to ensure neonatal survival must be contained in a neonatal total PN preparation (TPN). However, incompatibilities may occur when mixing vitamin and trace elements in the same preparation. For these reasons these nutrients are usually administered on alternate days or using two separate bags of TPN. However, administration of indispensable nutrients on alternate days may not have as favorable an outcome as normal nutrition that is provided in a balanced and stable formula. It has been widely recommended that vitamins and trace elements should be administered on the same day, however using two separate bags and infusing each for twelve hours, so as to avoid interactions between these nutrients [4, 5]. The same procedure is applied to calcium and phosphorus (Ca/P) neonate supplementation, which must be administrated at a ratio higher than 1.7 Ca:1.0 P, as previously shown by our group [3]. The infusion of two bags daily will increase the number of manipulations necessary when administering a set of TPN thus increasing contamination risks [4, 6, 7]. Moreover, most services do not compound trace elements and vitamins in the same bag since trace elements could promote oxidation of vitamins. Ascorbic acid is the least stable vitamin and subsequently is oxidized in the presence of oxygen in a reaction catalyzed by copper ions [8]. This reaction leads to two acidic products: threonic acid and oxalic acid, the latter is considerably stronger and could acidify the preparation thus compromising the stability of the emulsion [3, 9].
The pH is an important parameter to be controlled when considering lipid stability of a TPN since the presence of positive charges may disturb the efficiency of the emulsifier agent, egg lecithin. A pH value below 5.0 can destabilize the emulsion [9]. Furthermore, trace elements are frequently positively charged and, thus, may alter the distribution pattern of lipid globules when added to a TPN [4, 5, 9, 10].
There are many fundamental aspects to consider regarding the safety of total parenteral nutrition admixtures (TPN) for neonatal use, two of them, sterility and homogeneity of the emulsion, have received special attention in recent years [7, 11–14]. Lack of sterility can lead to lethal occurrences. The recommendations for manufacturing sterile products are described in the last edition of the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) [14]. Homogeneity is also a fundamental aspect which is necessary to avoid harmful characteristics in the emulsion. In a stable injectable emulsion, individual lipid particles must be between 0.25 to 0.5 μm in size to maintain a homogenous dispersion in the water solution and be consistent with the chylomicrons size in order to be assimilated by the body [15]. An increase in lipid particle size favors coalescence and creaming which makes the dispersion unstable and potentially dangerous for the patient [11, 16]. The USP suggests two methods to measure injectable lipid emulsion (ILE) stability, which include the globule size distribution and the percentage of fat globules (PFAT). To be considered stable and safe, an ILE must meet the USP requirements where mean droplet size cannot exceed 500 nm and PFAT must be less than 0.05 % for PFAT of 5 μm (PFAT5) [14]. Many studies have demonstrated that TPN is stable when these parameters are met [12, 16–18]. Some authors have also described optical microscopy as an alternative method for characterizing or evaluating physical stability of the PN. These methods use direct observation to determine the size distribution of the internal phase – lipid globules [3, 19]. Peroxide levels, zeta potential and visual aspects are additional parameters that can be evaluated when characterizing the physicochemical properties of TPN [16, 20]. Nevertheless, until now no official compendium or harmonized methodology has been established to evaluate TPN stability.
In the present study, the effect of added trace elements and vitamins on the physicochemical stability of neonatal TPN formulas was studied. Formulas that contained both of these nutrients were compared to TPN that contained only one of these two components. The impact of these nutrients on the physicochemical stability of neonatal TPN was evaluated by measurement of peroxide levels, pH, zeta potential, osmolarity, sterility and visual aspects at different storage temperatures. Additionally, size distribution of lipid globules was determined by optical microscopy (OM) and the dynamic light scattering method (DLS) [1, 21] and the percentage of different sized lipid globules, expressed as PFATx, was determined by light obscuration [12].
Composition of the admixtures
Nutrients used in the preparation of the TPN formulations were obtained from laboratories registered in Brazil's National Health Department. The raw materials had certificates of analysis provided by the suppliers.
The following materials were used for preparation and preservation of the formulations: 10% pediatric amino acid solution with taurine (Primene®) (lots 0400105 and 0401009), 50% glucose solution (lots PR41LO and PR42W9) and water for injection (WFI) (lots PB00X3, PB00X4 and PB01A) from Baxter Laboratories, Brazil; 20% MCT/LCT lipid emulsion (Lipofundin®) (lot 4222A182) and zinc acetate (lot 2513001–2) from BBraun Laboratories, Brazil; 20% sodium chloride (lots 0418957, 0419152, and 0419853), magnesium sulphate (lots 0418736, 0418735 and 0520199 ) and trace-elements (Ped-element®) (lots 0418267 and 0419440) from Darrow Laboratories, Brazil; calcium gluconate (lots 733/02, 736/01, 727/01 and 730/01) from Halex-Istar Laboratories, Brazil; organic phosphate (Phocytan®) (lot 449360-B), from Aguettant, France, vitamin complex (MVI 12 opoplex®) (lot 002/04) from ICN Pharmaceutical, Brazil.
Three formulations denominated NP1, NP2 and NP3, containing vitamins and trace elements were prepared (Table 1). The composition of these formulations was designed based on the worldwide recommendations for nutrients administered by PN in pediatric clinical practice [2, 11]. The NP3 formulation, containing both nutrients, is not routinely prepared in the pharmaceutical practice of compounding TPN. This formulation was designed as a model for the present study, to test the influence of the concomitant presence of these nutrients on the final stability of the admixture.
Composition of the studied TPN
Concentration (volume of stock solution)
Pediatric aminoacids solution 10% (v/v)with taurine
30 mg/mL(30 mL)
Dextrose solution 50% (v/v)
80 mg/mL(17.3 mL)
LCT/MCT lipid emulsion 20% (v/v)
30 mg/mL (15 mL)
Sodium chloride injection USP
235 mg/mL(1.2 mL)
Calcium gluconate injection USP
3 mg/mL(3 mL)
1.2 mg/mL(0.5 mL)
Magnesium sulphate injection, USP
0.15 mg/mL(0.25 mL)
Trace elements (Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn – Ped Element)
0.2 μg/mL
0.002 μg/mL
0.02 μg/mL
(0.2 mL)
Zinc acetate
3 μg/mL(1.5 mL)
Vitamins(MVI 12 opoplex)
1.3 μg/mL
5 μg/mL
10 μg/mL
400 μg/mL
Final volume q.s.
100 mL
The lipid emulsion used in the formulations, containing 20% MCT/LCT, is the most prescribed to neonates in clinical practice of TPN in Brazil and has good stability [1].
It is also interesting to note that the three formulations contained Ca and P, in standard doses, within the same bag.
Preparation of TPN
Formulations were prepared aseptically, following international recommendations, under a laminar airflow hood in a clean room [7, 11, 14, 22, 23] and disposed into ethyl vinyl acetate bags (EVA bags, Baxter Hospitalar Ltda, São Paulo, Brazil). Transfers were performed by the lateral injector using sterile syringes. To attenuate possible incompatibilities, solutions were added to the admixtures according to the recommendations of ASPEN and Food and Drugs Administration - FDA [7, 11, 22]. Samples were withdrawn aseptically from each mixture at appropriate intervals.
A total volume of 100 mL of each formulation was prepared. For each bag, the theoretical weight was calculated, taking into account the densities of each solution used. After preparation, each bag was weighed and a ± 5% variation was regarded as acceptable [22].
Sterility assessment
Sterility was assessed by determining the growth of microorganisms in the admixtures. Thus, 5 mL of each TPN were inoculated in flasks containing 4 mL of sterile Trypticase Soy and sterile Trypticase Soy Agar, solidified in the bent position (TSA/TSB). Samples were incubated at 37°C ± 3°C for 14 days, as described by Ribeiro and colleagues [3].
Physicochemical stability evaluation
All analyses were performed at 0, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days after the preparation of the admixtures. The first analysis, time 0, was undertaken at approximately 45 minutes (t0 ~ 45 min) after the preparation was made, taking into account the time of sample transportation to the laboratory of analysis. Each TPN admixture was incubated at three different temperatures: 5°C ± 3°C in a refrigerator, to simulate storage conditions, 25°C ± 3°C, room temperature and 40°C ± 3°C, to simulate body temperature. The study was performed with three different lots of each TPN admixture tested (n = 3).
Visual inspection of the emulsion status was performed using the criteria of phase separation and color alteration at 0, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 7 days after the preparation of the admixtures, following ASPEN recommendations and a method previously described [3, 11]. Digital photographs of the TPN bags were taken at the appropriate time periods and any alterations were documented. The height of the cream layer formed was measured with a 15 cm paquimeter. Before the sampling procedure to the physicochemical analyses, the TPN bags were submitted to a gently agitation in order to guarantee the homogenization.
Theoretical osmolarities of the three admixtures (mOsm/L H2Ot) were calculated based on the concentrations of the nutrients added and on the osmolarities described for the solutions used to prepare the TPN. The osmolalities were experimentally confirmed using an Osmette Freezing Point Osmometer (2430 Multi-Osmette, Natick, MA, USA) by the freezing point determination. The osmolality (mOsm/Kg H2Oexp) was converted to osmolarity (mOsm/L H2O), using the density of the TPN admixtures measured using a picnometer. The average density obtained was 1.04 at 25°C. The experimental osmolarity of the TPN admixtures was estimated by multiplying the osmolality value obtained by the density of TPNs, subtracted from the concentration of the nutrients in each TPN (0.2 g/L) as described by Martin in 1993 [24].
The pH of the three formulations studied was determined in triplicate for all time points (0, 24, 48, 72 h and 7 days) and at all temperatures studied (5°C, 25°C and 40°C), using a pH meter/conductimeter (Mettler-Toledo, MPC 227, Schwerzenbach, Zurich, Switzerland), calibrated with buffer solutions pH 4.0 and 7.0 (Merck KgaA, Darmstadt, Germany). Samples of 10 mL were collected from each bag for each measurement taken. The pH determination was made by direct immersion of the electrode in the emulsion, at room temperature (25°C).
Zeta potential was determined by microelectrophoresis using a Zetasizer 3000 Hs (Malvern Instruments, Worcestershire, United Kingdom). Samples were injected with 5 mL syringes into the microelectrophoretic cell which was subsequently washed five times with water for injection (WFI; USP) between each measurement. Analyses were made in triplicate, using TPN prepared on different days. A similar sample preparation method as described in DLS analysis below was used for determination of zeta potential.
To determine peroxide levels, 5 mL samples of TPN preparations were transferred into 125 mL Erlenmeyer flasks. Then, 30 mL of acetic acid:chloroform (3:2) was added while stirring to dissolve the sample. Thereafter, 0.5 mL of saturated solutions (1.4 g/ml) of potassium iodide was added and the solutions were stored in a dark place for one minute. Next, a 1% starch solution was added as a colorimetric indicator that confirmed oxidation of iodide to iodine. The iodine that was formed was titrated with 0.01 N thiosulphate volumetric solution.
Globule size determination
Lipid physical stability was assessed by optical microscopy (OM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), as described below. The percentage of fat globules (PFATx) was estimated by light obscuration (LO). The determinations followed the same protocol (time and storage temperatures) used in the physicochemical assessments.
Optical microscopy (OM)
To determine the size and microscopic characteristics of the lipid globules, the TPN emulsions studied, were evaluated with an optical microscope Axoplan 2 (Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany) and then switched to a photo camera Color View XS (Soft Imaging System, Münster, Germany), a computer and a TV monitor. An amplification of 100x was used for imaging (Pan Neofluar, Carl Zeiss) with a numeric opening of 1.30 and ∝ / 0.17. The diluent used was the same admixture of TPN without the addition of lipids. Many dilutions were tested in order to obtain optimal microscopy photographs that allowed counting of the lipid globules. After the sample was diluted 5X, an aliquot of 5 μL was dispersed over the lamina. Use of a small volume reduced the amount of Brownian motion within the emulsions and assisted in obtaining clear photographs for posterior analysis.
The OM images were treated using the software AnalySIS (Soft Imaging System, Münster, Germany), that transformed the images obtained into a binary system, so that the particles could be counted and their diameters measured. Approximately, 1000 particles for each field were used for the counts
Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
The samples, 1 mL, were collected from the TPN bags, under laminar flow hood, in a clean room, with sterile syringes and needles and appropriately diluted with filtered WFI (0.2 μM) 1:500 to obtain the Kcps (a measure of the sample concentration, obtained by the equipment) from 250 to 350. Each analysis was performed in triplicate, using TPN prepared on different days. DLS measurements were carried out using a Zetasizer 3000Hs (Malvern Instruments, Worcestershire, United Kingdom), which uses a helium-neon laser light and an integrated analysis software. The temperature was adjusted to 25°C and the scattering angle was set to 90°, in the DLS equipment, before measurements were taken. The chosen data analysis method was the monomodal or cumulant analysis [25]. The data were expressed as z-average and polydispersity.
Light obscuration (LO)
We followed the methodology previously described [17, 26, 27]. Analysis were performed using the previously calibrated PAMAS Particle Counter equipment (model SVSS, PAMAS GmbH, Sttutgart, Germany), utilizing a sensor HCB-LD-50/50, in extinction mode and software according to CFR 21 part 11. On each day of analysis, 1 mL samples were collected from the TPN bags with sterile syringes and needles and appropriately diluted with WFI 1:200. Next, the diluted samples were transferred to flasks containing magnetic stir bars for analysis. The diameters selected for the analysis were 2.0, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 μm; the flow rate was 10 mL/min and the volume accuracy was ± 0.4 %. The calculation of PFATx was based on previous descriptions [27, 28]. Particle sizes were grouped with their respective counts. Data were transferred from PAMAS SVSS software to Microsoft Excel for calculation of PFATx (X = 2, 5 and 10 μm) and each specified diameter was converted on a volume basis [27].
Continuous variables were expressed as mean ± SD. Data obtained by physical and physicochemical assessments were analyzed by paired t tests of dependent groups for all TPN and by one way ANOVA. Statistical tools of GraphPad® Prism were used in data analysis. Graphical representations were plotted in Microsoft Excel® and in GraphPad Prism®.
Sterility maintenance and osmolarity evaluation of TPN
Microbial contamination was not detected in any of the formulations under investigation even after storage for seven days at 40 ± 3°C. This test confirmed that sterility of the formulations was maintained and that compounding was adequate, thus ensuring that the results were not altered due to microbial contamination.
Theoretical osmolarity was calculated for the formulations and found to be 875 mOsm/L H2O. This value was experimentally confirmed by measuring osmolality for each admixture (mOsm/Kg of H2O): 1029 ± 29 for NP1; 1009 ± 14 for NP2; and 1020 ± 32 for NP3. Osmolality was then converted into osmolarity, giving the following values: 864 mOsm/L, for NP1; 845 mOsm/L, for NP2; and 857 mOsm/L, for NP3. It is crucially important to determine osmolarity, as it will define the access of the infusion – central or peripheral – and also whether it is possible to prepare the formulation according to the prescribed concentrations. The osmolarities determined for NP1, NP2 and NP3 comply with the recommendations of ASPEN, which correspond to values below 1200 mOsm/L for central infusion in pediatric patients [7, 11].
Visual inspection and peroxide formation in TPN
Visual inspection of a parenteral admixture, which can be a transparent solution or an opaque emulsion, is mainly limited by human visual accuracy. Despite its limitations, visual observation is essential, since it is one of the methods routinely applied for quality assurance of parenteral admixtures and can be used to detect physical signs of instability [9, 16, 22, 23].
Visual alterations that were observed in NP1, NP2 and NP3 admixtures during the sample period were analyzed and presented in Table 2. Each TPN bag that was stored at a different temperature was individually analyzed. During inspection of phase separation, special care was taken to prevent agitation of the bags to avoid homogenization before observations were recorded, which would lead to an erroneous conclusion. Color alteration was characterized when the final color differed from the initial color.
Visual inspection of NP1, NP2 and NP3 admixtures
T(°C)
Phaseseparation
0 h
24 h
0.1 cm C
7 days
a N/A = not altered; A = altered; C = creaming.
The initial stage in emulsion breakdown is creaming, which occurs almost immediately upon mixing of the fat emulsion with other chemical constituents, such as electrolytes or vitamins. The presence of a cream layer is visible as an opaque white layer separated from the remaining TPN admixture at the surface of the emulsion. Although the lipid particles in the cream layer are destabilized, the individual droplet identities are generally preserved. An emulsion with a cream layer is an expected consequence of this pharmaceutical formulation and is generally safe for patient administration since it is reversible [26, 27].
Visual inspection indicated that slight creaming, readily reversible with gentle agitation, was evident after 48 h of TPN storage at 25°C and 40°C. Considering that the size of the lipid particles remained unaltered during the study, the formation of a cream layer did not affect the micro-structure of the TPN admixtures. It is important to note that at the indicated storage temperature (2°C to 8°C) none of the admixtures presented a cream layer during the stability study. These results are in accordance with those of Driscoll and colleagues [12] and Lee and colleagues [20], although neither of them evaluated pediatric admixtures, which contain higher relative nutrient concentrations and smaller final volumes than adult admixtures.
Regarding the alteration of color, darkening of the emulsion was observed in the first 24 h of the admixtures stored at 25°C and 40°C. Darkening was observed up to 72 h and did not progress further after this time point. Differences in the visual aspects between the three studied formulations were not detected. The color alteration may be due to Maillard reaction or to vitamin degradation, however this was not an aim of this study [29]. Color alterations did not affect droplet size measured either by OM or DLS, neither PFAT5.
Peroxide formation was not detected in any of the studied TPN, using iodimetric titration after 72 h, neither for those formulations maintained at 40°C or those which presented darkening or cream layer formation.
pH evaluation
The pH of all the TPN studied (NP1, NP2 and NP3) was at the recommended range, around 5.5 at time zero [13]. After 72 hours, pH variation was less than 0.1 for all conditions. Even the NP3 admixture, which could be prone to incompatibility due to a possible interaction between vitamins and trace elements, did not have any variation in pH value.
It has already been demonstrated that macronutrient concentrations can alter the stability of TPN admixtures [9, 10, 30, 31]. Very low amino acid concentrations can result in a less stable emulsion, due to a decreased buffering effect, which would directly affect the final pH of TPN admixtures. Final pH values lower than 5.0 have been shown to be destabilizing [12, 20, 26, 31]. The commercial intravenous lipid emulsions for use in TPN admixtures have a standard pH range between 6.0 and 9.0, which keep the negative net charge of the lipid globules [13].
Zeta potential determination
The means for the NP3 zeta potential for each storage condition are shown in Figure 1. Although slight oscillations were observed at 5°C, 25°C and 40°C during the seven days of study, the results are statistically similar as shown by Student's t test (p > 0.05), for each storage time with respect to time zero. The same pattern was observed for NP1 and NP2. As expected, the zeta potential values, which depend directly on pH, were unaltered, since they were maintained at the recommended range for emulsion stability, between −30 and −50 mV [16, 32].
Zeta potential mean variation in NP3, during 7 days of study, at 4°C (black bars), 25°C (light gray bars) and 37°C (dark gray bars) (n = 3; mean ± SD; P > 0.05, between 0 and 7 days).
The net surface electrical charge, translated by zeta potential, has been extensively studied previously [16, 33, 34], nevertheless it has been receiving less attention in recent years. Assessing the zeta potential is critical for quality assurance of TPN formulations, since it translates the efficacy of the emulsifier [35].
Globule size determination by DLS, OM and LO
Table 3 summarizes the medium diameters of globules obtained by OM (Figure 2), the Z-average and the polidispersity obtained by DLS and the PFAT5 (%) determined by LO for NP1, NP2 and NP3, stored at three different temperatures, and time points of 0, 48 h and 7 days.
Lipid particles diameter sizes calculated OM, DLS and LO (PFAT 5 ), in NP1, NP2 and NP3
T (°C)
OMa (nm)
PFAT5(%)
z-average (nm)
810 ± 270
0.05 ± 2 · 10-3
number of determinations = 3; results are presented as average ± SD. a medium droplet size.
Representative photomicrography of NP3 after 72 h of storage.
Analysis of DLS values in triplicate gave statistically similar results after application of t test (p > 0.05), taking time 0 as reference, and the polidispersity index was less than 0.3 for all samples, as presented in Table 3, showing homogeneity of the dispersions.
The instrument used for particle size distribution analysis capable of detecting a wide range of lipid globule diameters from 1 nm to 3 μm [36]. The results obtained by DLS in this study showed that there was no alteration in the lipid globules diameter at any time or storage temperature employed in this study [37].
The DLS results are in agreement with USP 31 <729 > which points out that the mean droplet diameter size obtained by light scattering methods must be less than 500 nm for lipid injectable emulsions [14, 37]. Additionally, the values obtained in this study are similar to those reported by Driscoll and colleagues who used DLS to analyze 34 different parenteral nutrition formulations after compounding, at time 0 and 30 h, the particle diameter varied ± 10 nm [38].
DLS is an efficient, qualitative method that demonstrates the homogeneity of an emulsion, but it fails to quantify different globule diameters that are distant from the mean. In view of this, the USP recommends a second method, LO, to determine the extent of large-diameter droplet tail (> 5 μm) [13, 14, 18]. This method, also called Light Extinction (LE) employs a technique named single-particle optical sizing (SPOS) and is based on the effect produced by a particle as it crosses a beam of laser light. When the particle (in this case, a globule) crosses a beam of light in the sensing zone, it produces a type of shadow. This causes a voltage pulse in the photodetector, which is converted to particle size. The photodetector is calibrated with polystyrene latex microspheres (PSL) of known size and the voltage pulse that is generated is converted into spherical diameter optical equivalent [39]. LO has been widely studied by some authors in recent years, especially by Driscoll [1, 12, 13, 16, 37, 38, 40] who has been researching intravenous lipid emulsions and parenteral nutrition admixtures for a extended time. Furthermore, LO is recommended by the USP to quantify the volume-weighted percent of fat globules, expressed as the percentage of fat residing in globules larger than 5 μm - PFAT5[14, 27, 41]. USP Chapter <729 > recommends that, to be considered stable, an intravenous lipid emulsions must present PFAT5 less than 0.05% [14]. Globules higher than 5 μm can obstruct the lungs, causing emboli, other complications and even death [14, 42]. As shown in Table 3, after statistical analysis by one way ANOVA and by t test and Wilcoxon test, results show that, for all storage times and at all temperatures studied, none of the formulations presented a PFAT5 > 0.05%. Although there were significant differences between NP1 versus NP2 and NP2 versus NP3, none of the formulations exceeded the limit of 0.05% for PFAT5, established by USP. There were no significant changes observed between NP1 and NP3. The preparation that had the lowest % of PFAT5 was NP2, this result may be related to the absence of vitamins in this formulation. The PFAT5 results presented in this work are similar to those obtained by Driscoll and colleagues in 2003, when studying the stability of different lipid emulsions for PN admixtures. In that study it was found out that MCT/LCT emulsions added to PN formulations led to more stable admixtures [1, 40, 43, 44]. In addition, PFAT5 results corroborate the other results of DLS and OM that will be presented below.
In order to make a comparison, beyond PFAT5, the percentage of fat globules were calculated to be 2 μm and 10 μm. Figure 3 presents these percentages for NP3 and confirms that PFAT5, did not show significant changes, however PFAT2 and PFAT10 also remained unchanged as well, These results confirmed that the globule size pattern was maintained at all temperatures studied during the 7 days of storage. In addition, PFAT2 and PFAT10 were calculated for the formulations NP1 and NP2 and followed the same pattern as shown in Figure 3.
Relation among PFAT 2 , PFAT 5 e PFAT 10 for NP3, maintained at 5°C ± 3°C (2°C - 8°C), during seven days of study.
Furthermore, OM was particularly useful for imaging the PN formulations. This technique is a valuable method for the detection of larger droplets and to detect early flocculation in PN formulations [45, 46]. However, the size distributions or a medium droplet size in colloidal formulations are not so reliable. For this purpose other methods, like DLS, are more indicated. OM presents poor statistics for PN analysis, as previously demonstrated [13], due the lack of repeatability and accuracy that can be evidenced by the Table 3. As can be observed in Table 3 the medium droplet size obtained by the DLS and OM methods are divergent. However, both methods are complementary and demonstrate the stability of the formulations, as there were not found globules larger than 4 μm in all temperatures tested (Table 4).
Maximum diameter obtained by OM for NP1, NP2 and NP3 when storage at 25°C (μm)
Time of storage
Although, the use of this technique is nowadays easier due to the availability of modern image analyzing software it possesses a major limitation, even presenting a detection limit of approximately 0.2 μm, it is usual to see a diffraction halo around the particle which can lead to gross overestimation of its size [39]. Another significant limitation of this technique is that it is restricted to observation of samples as a whole and is influenced by the sample field observed (Figure 2). The USP indicates OM, in addition to light obscuration, to determine particulate matter in injections [1, 13, 14, 19, 22]. Microscope examination is a useful method for measurement of particles from 3 μm to 1 mm and is the only method available to observe and measure individual particles, moreover it is a useful low-cost stability control method and can be easily used is a pharmacy-based compounding unit [39, 46]. This can be very interesting in countries such as Brazil, where frequently compounding units cannot invest a large amount of money in equipments.
Table 3 shows the medium diameter values of lipid globules, found in photomicrographs, obtained after analysis of three representative fields for each of the formulations NP1, NP2 and NP3 at times 0, 48 h and 7 days, at all of the studied temperatures. The results obtained for 24 h and 72 h are not shown, but presented the same pattern. Subsequently, results are statistically similar after application of the parametric t test (p > 0.05), using time 0 as reference. Even when the overestimation generally associated with this approach is considered, OM analysis confirmed what had already been observed by DLS analysis. The TPN formulations were stable with regard to droplet sizes and homogeneity of dispersion, for every time point and temperature studied. Furthermore, the globules mean diameters were within similar ranges. This pattern was similar to the other formulations, as Driscoll and colleagues previously demonstrated using electron microscopy. They showed that three formulations for pediatric parenteral nutrition, which had a lipid phase MCT/LCT of 20%, maintained the microstructure of lipid globules and were unaltered during 48 h of study [1].
The OM software allowed other parameters, apart from the diameters, to be obtained, such as globule shape, tendency toward sphericity and Ferret diameter. These parameters were not altered for all the formulations, under the different storage conditions, tested in this study.
The results obtained in this study indicate that all the formulations were stable under the studied conditions, with regard to lipid globule size and homogeneity of the dispersions and the concomitant presence or absence of trace elements and vitamins within the formulations.
Notwithstanding, although differences were found in lipid globule diameters, by DLS and by OM, the values were confirmed to be lower than 1 μm by either method tested. Globules measured by OM displayed a medium diameter around 600 nm, while mean diameter sizes obtained by DLS appeared to be around 300 nm. Analysis of images obtained by OM using the software AnalySIS leads to overestimation, as seen above, of globule diameter sizes during conversion to a binary system when a shadow appears around the globules. Because of this OM is only useful when accompanied by and compared to measurements obtained by other methods.
Optical microscopy allowed characterization of globules of higher diameter, which appeared in photomicrographs. Globules were detected in the range of 2 μm, 3 μm, 5 μm and even 10 μm. However, no more than 0.05% of the globules were found with diameter sizes over 5 μm, suggesting that the formulations were stable [1, 15, 19, 20, 37, 40]. Lewis, in 1993, justified the use of a 1.2 μm line filter for total nutrient admixture infusion showing that catheter's occlusion by TPN 3 in 1 emulsion is higher than by 2 in 1 emulsions. Additionally other groups, including ASPEN and FDA, demonstrated that catheter's occlusion was significantly higher in patients that received 3 in 1 TPN therapy, in contrast to those who separately received the lipid emulsion [1, 5–7, 14, 47–49].
No significant differences were found between the formulations in this study. The presence of trace elements and vitamins in the same neonatal formulation, which has a reduced final volume, did not affect the stability parameters evaluated in this study. Color alterations and cream layer formation (reversible) were only noted for the formulations that were stored at 25°C and 37°C. Thus, storage conditions with a temperature between 2°C and 8°C recommended by Brazilian and international guidelines, preserve all the initial characteristics of the admixtures for storage up to 7 days [2, 24].
Both DLS and OM are useful methods for the analysis of lipid droplet size in 3 in 1 emulsions of TNP. However, they are complementary procedures to analyze particles of different size ranges. DLS is apparently able to characterize homogeneity of the dispersion and OM, on the other hand, allows visualization of the emulsion with enhanced droplet sizes [50].
According to ASPEN (1998) it is recommended that decisions related to stability and compatibility should be made according to the most reliable information available from the literature or manufacturer of intravenous nutrients. ASPEN recommends that PN formulations should be inspected for signs of gross particulate, contamination and/or phase separation. However, there is no mandatory legislation that obligates pharmacists responsible for compounding TPN to perform physicochemical analysis [11].
Although USP 31 [14] indicates only LO and Light Scattering Methods, as DLS, to determine lipid intravenous emulsion stability it also indicates optical microscopy (OM) for determination of particulate matter in injections [51]. Additionally, British Pharmacopoeia and European Pharmacopoeia indicates both LO and OM, for sub-visible particulate matter determination [13, 16, 52, 53]. DLS and OM appear to be more accessible, considering that most publications recommend that these methods should be applied for quality assurance of TPN formulations and/or lipid injectable emulsions. Visual inspection, pH determination and zeta potential constitute complementary methods, although they do not always yield conclusive information [19, 20, 44, 48, 54].
In spite of changes in physical appearance, concomitant presence of trace elements and vitamins in the same neonatal formulation (NP3) did not alter any aspects of stability that were evaluated: pH, peroxide levels, zeta potential, globule size distribution and PFAT5, which remained unaltered and in accordance to the limits indicated by the literature. Although changes in physical appearance (color alteration and cream layer formation) were observed, these alterations were not found when the formulations were stored at 2°C and 8°C. Under these conditions, all of the initial characteristics were preserved, even after 7 days. Nevertheless, to ensure the chemical stability of the formulations, a more detailed study is necessary to assess the darkening of preparations and vitamin concentrations, along a time course and over a wide range of temperatures [3, 4, 8, 10, 31, 48, 55].
In view of the results obtained in the present study, the use of 1.2 μm in-line filters is reinforced (to prevent administration of particulate matter to patients. In-line filtration of TPN admixtures has been internationally indicated since the "1994, FDA Safety Alert". Despite this, the use of these filters may be limited in some countries due the high cost, though its use should be mandatory [23].
Nádia M Volpato and Valéria P de Sousa contributed equally to this work.
The authors would like to thank Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) for the financial support, PAMAS for the use of Particle Counter equipment, Nutriente Company for provide the admixtures, Professor Elisabeth Lucas for the DLS use (IMA-UFRJ) and Michelle Parvatiyar for English review.
12937_2011_494_MOESM2_ESM.bmp Authors' original file for figure 2
BWL developed the study design under the supervision of VPS and NMV. VFV performed the microscopic measurements. The LMC and RCM participated on the interpretation of the data. VPS and BWL had primary responsibility for writing the manuscript, but all the others authors read, provided comments on the draft, and approved the final manuscript.
Departamento de Medicamentos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
Instituto de Macromoléculas Professora Eloisa Mano, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21945-970, Brazil
Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 90610-000, Brazil
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text:
Home All News Movie News Michael Ealy's THE PERFECT GUY Sexy Scary Trailer
Michael Ealy's THE PERFECT GUY Sexy Scary Trailer
MTTG Staff
The trailer for "The Perfect Guy" has debuted with screams of excitement coming from ladies everywhere! The sexy thriller starring Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy and Morris Chestnut seems like it would be the perfect steamy movie for the summer, but sadly we have to wait until its release date of September 11.
The always sexy Ealy has been moving away from his lover boy roles recently by playing a psychotic killer on the Fox series show The Following. We're about to be even more disturbed by Ealy as he plays dream man turned nightmare in the upcoming film The Perfect Guy. Sanaa Lathan plays successful lobbyist Leah Vaughn. Vaughn throws herself in to a passionate relationship with Carter Duncan (played by Ealy) who seems like the perfect guy.
After Carter shows his real self to Vaughn by brutally beating a stranger, she needs to rethink if she left her ex too soon and got too hot to quick with Carter. When Vaughn realizes that she belongs in the arms of her ex-boyfriend, Carter dangerously stalks her and threatens her life.
Sanaa Lathan had this to say about her usually charming co-star "You'll see what a fine actor Michael Ealy is because you're going to wind up hating his guts." I'm certainly up for the challenge because after all, how could you hate Mr. Ealy?
The movie touches on the important topic of domestic violence and stalking. In the movie, Carter threatens and harasses Vaughn just enough to not do anything illegal and have the cops intervene. This is something thousands of women experience every year and it's great this movie is bringing attention to it.
Actress Sanaa Lathan actually experienced her own real life stalking incident in 2014 and said she could completely relate to the actions that Leah takes. "There is something about finally taking the leap and finding all the strength to do it, no matter how scary," says Lathan.
What part of the movie was the most disturbing to Ealy? It's the scene at the very end of the trailer where Ealy is hiding directly under the bed beneath Lathan. "I was creeped out by that moment," says Ealy. "That was awful for me." Normally, women would love to have Mr. Ealy in their bed, but under it? Yeah, that shit is creepy.
Although the film is clearly not an erotic thriller, the trailer clearly gives up the goods that there will be a steamy love scene between Ealy and Lathan. There might even be some romantic "aww" moments between Lathan and Chestnut.
The most surprising part of the film takes place when Ealy's character Carter beats up an innocent man who simply asked to take a picture of his car. It's unexpected and intense. I'm sure someone will complain there's no trigger warning for this film, but hell, this entire trailer is a trigger warning. I have a feeling though that Lathan's character Vaughn does not play the victim for long and there's some exceptional ass kicking scenes coming our way.
The Perfect Guy hits theaters September 11, 2015.
The Perfect Guy Movie Trailer 2015
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text:
Dietary Supplements in Fruits and Vegetables May Help Fight Covid-19
There's no denying that Covid-19 and other serious respiratory illnesses have significantly impacted global health. However, there may be benefits in consuming more fruits and vegetables to effectively fight Covid-19 and other similar conditions.
Recent studies from Tel Aviv's Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research suggest that some of the naturally occurring ingredients found in fruits and vegetables may be instrumental in fighting off COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. While the studies suggest that vaccination is the most effective method for fighting known respiratory illnesses, these results may help individuals add another protective layer to their tools.
The Advantages of Alternative Treatments
While researchers understand the critical role of vaccines and antiviral medicines, they were interested in the frequently mutating versions of respiratory illnesses. They sought to identify other naturally occurring substances that may help fight off infections from another standpoint.
Zinc has long been understood to play a critical role in fighting respiratory infections, so the researchers started with this basic principle. They knew that a zinc deficiency could lead to severe respiratory infections. Additionally, zinc has been found to impact the ability of viruses (including the Coronavirus) to replicate by inhibiting the RNA polymerase. This can help to slow or stop the ability of the virus to replicate and spread.
The next step in their research was to introduce flavonoids, which have been identified as a component of our body's ability to fight infection. These compounds are naturally antibacterial, antimicrobial, and even antiviral.
Surprisingly, the researchers found that the natural combinations of these compounds had a 50-95% reduction in replicating a variety of different types of viruses, including the Coronavirus. Ultimately, this outcome proved the efficacy of the naturally occurring and readily available nutrients to help fight respiratory illnesses. However, the outcomes have not been tested in a clinical trial to date.
The Value of Preventative Medicine
We've long understood that preventative medicine is critical to maintaining health and wellness. Studies such as this prove that supplemental treatments such as this can work alongside vaccines to create an even more effective approach to treating respiratory illness. Only time will tell how well it works to curb some of the more serious side effects of these conditions.


Ohara Optical Co., a major optical glass maker in Japan, had its new investment project in central Taiwan approved by the National Science Council on Monday.
The Japanese firm, which possesses a market share of over 50 percent at home, is expected to invest NT$400 million (US$13.2 million) in a 3.29 hectare new subsidiary in the Huwei branch in Yunlin County of the Central Taiwan Science Park, said the park administration and Hitoshi Sekido, the company's senior managing director.
One third of its glass melting production will be moved to the new factory after scheduled operations begin in 2013, said Sekido. In the future, the products will be sold to both Taiwan and overseas markets since 40 percent of the world's digital cameras are made by Taiwan-based manufacturers, he added.
Investment in Taiwan has become an option with lower risks, especially after the damage caused by the March 11 earthquake in Japan and the flooding in Thailand that caused great losses to Japanese manufacturers, Sekido said, adding that the yen is stronger now too.
In addition, Taiwan's easier access to required rare earth elements from the world's largest exporter China was also a reason for the company's decision to build a second subsidiary after the one in Taichung, the official said.
The Ohara subsidiary is expected to bring great benefit to local industries related to precision optical machinery and help lower their production costs, said Yang Wen-ke, director-general of the Central Taiwan Science Park.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Data;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Imaging;
using System.Windows.Navigation;
using System.Windows.Shapes;
using System.ServiceModel;
using System.Windows.Threading;
using System.ComponentModel.Composition;

using WindowsPhone.Recipes.Push.Server.Services;

namespace WindowsPhone.Recipes.Push.Server
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Interaction logic for MainWindow.xaml
    /// </summary>
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        protected override void OnMouseLeftButtonDown(MouseButtonEventArgs e)
        {
            // Drag window from anywhere.
            DragMove();

            base.OnMouseLeftButtonDown(e);
        }

        private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            Application.Current.Shutdown();
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The reason I wouldn't sell a gallon for anything is not because I love them...'cause I don't. They're good in jam, delicious in fact, but far too much work in picking them in my humble opinion! It's horrible the conditions the best and ripest ones are picked under. That's why I wouldn't sell them...If I picked a gallon (which I won't I'm pretty sure) I would bloody well keep them! I have a theory that it's fly poop that makes them ripen. That would then explain what all the flies are doing on the bog...crapping on the bakeapples!! And biting the pink-skinned bipeds.
I went berry picking for bake apples, with my Dad only once when I was about 12 and it was tortuous.The flies and the bog and one berry to a plant. I couldn't take it, blueberries were much more sensible!
I agree completely Marj! torturous is the right term.


text:
Q: Random sampling of rows based on a catergorical column for n iterations in R then using mclust for clustering these dataframes I have a dataframe where the samples are rows and columns are proteins, I have an additional categorical column which are the group names that the samples belong to :

Sample
Group
protein1
protein2

s1
group1
2.5
0.1

s2
group2
0.2
3.0

the number of samples in each group is different, so I would like to randomly sample based on the minimum number of samples in say group1 and then make 1 dataframe out of it, then use mclust to cluster the data. I would like to repeat this process till all samples have been used and for a fixed number of iterations say 10. And finally have a table where in I have the samples that were selected for clustering using mclust and the optimal K that was found using those samples. At every random sampling process, I want to have samples from each group.

mclust optimal k
iteration
number of samples from group1
number of samples from group1

2
1
5
5

2
2
5
6

n
..10
5
7

i would be happy to recieve any help :) Thanks a lot

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I've finally uploaded the slides for my I broke the WIP limit TWICE, still on the team talk. I gave this talk at Lean Kanban France and at Make Better Decisions with Modern Management Methods (a.k.a. Lean Kanban the Netherlands 2013), and will give it at the same branded conference in London in a week (a.k.a. Lean Kanban UK 2013).
Hi, my name is Zsolt, I broke the WIP limit several times, I'm still on the team and I'm happy about it. Most probably you've had a similar experience (except maybe you weren't happy at all) when you first started to work in a team that got hit by the Kanban method introduced by one of your fellow teammates. At first, it is hard to follow and understand all the principles and practices, especially when they "hit" us, and therefore we make mistakes. This is good and natural because this is how we live our lives: we fail, we recover and start over.
Starting over requires us to do at least two things: re-learn the principles and practices, and look for examples on how others recovered. I believe that understanding the pull system, the WIP limits, and the difference between manufacturing and software development will give us enough to recover faster from failures and accelerate the learning process. Moreover, I assume that I did more wrong than right during my journey in Kanban land, and it cost me a lot. I believe that if I share these stories with you, it will save you a great deal of trouble for yourself, and if not, at least you'll have some ideas on how to recover.
Clearly, this talk is not for advanced practicioners, but I think they are as rare as unicorns anyway. So, if you have doubts, or want to know why we do things in the Kanban method as we do now, and you are also interested in some practical ideas, this talk is the right place for you.


text:
New legislation to come
Baruyr Kuyumciyan 02.03.2016 FOUNDATIONS
The state hasn't issued a new regulation in substitution for the one that organizes the election of board members of the minority foundations, which was annulled 3 years ago. Because of this, there is an ongoing uncertainty for months, since elections cannot be hold without a regulation. However, Vice Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan's statements moved the process to another level.
On January 28, at the session of Parliament's Planning and Budget Commission, where the budget of General Directorate of Foundations was discussed, Akdoğan responded to HDP MP Garo Paylan's question and pointed to a new legislation: "We are meeting with the representatives of the foundations. It is not only about elections and regulations; there are other demands. We are working in order to see whether there can be a legal regulation which can cover all problems. In the next weeks, I will hold a meeting with the representatives of the minority foundations. After taking their opinions, we will take action."
"Legislation is the rightest way"
Speaking to Agos about the process, AKP MP Markar Esayan stated that the law draft will be concluded as soon as possible. Esayan said: "We worked with Yalçın Akdoğan on the election regulations. We got advises from the General Director of Foundations Adnan Ertem about the technical issues. I also informed the prime minister. We agreed that a legal regulation is the rightest way. After Akdoğan returns from his South America trip, we will meet in order to conclude this issue." Esayan also responded to the question how long this process will last: "In order to provide a permanent solution to "commercial enterprise" problem of the schools, I have been holding meetings with the ministry of education. Because of the busy agenda, the process doesn't proceed very quickly, but there is an important progress."
"A lot of time is wasted"
VADİP (Solidarity and Communication Platform for Foundations) Chair Bedros Şirinoğlu stated that they will meet with Yalçın Akdoğan soon. "If we were able to defend the regulation draft that was prepared by the lawyers of the Patriarchate and approved by VADİP, we wouldn't have wasted such time. Members of VADİP didn't respect that draft and prepared new ones. Greek society has similar problems, but Jewish society presented a single draft. Legislation instead of a regulation is a pleasing development. We will learn its details during our meeting with Akdoğan."
"We need an immediate solution"
VADİP Secretary General Harutyun Şanlı stated that there would be irreversible consequences, if the process isn't concluded soon. "As the Armenian society, we have at least 9 foundations that pose some problems. We believe that these foundations should be revived and put into the service of the society. If this uncertainty, which has been going on for 3 years now, continues, there will be irreversible consequences. This process might last for another year, but we need an immediate solution."
Toros Alcan: The legislation should be governing and determine the framework
Foundations General Assembly Minority Foundations Representative Toros Alcan assessed this development: "All communities have needs peculiar to their social structure. The legislation should provide a framework that can cover these needs. It should enable the return of the rights which were restricted during the republic era. For instance, Cismani Meclis (Carnal Assembly), which was abolished in 1960, should be revived. It is possible to determine our own election regulation and foundation works only with such an assembly. A legislation that cannot provide such a framework would lead to chaos again and the state would be dealing with new lawsuits. In this sense, I find the idea of legislation very important. We can have a structure from which every member of our community can benefit. The legislation should be governing and determine the framework. In the civil foundations, the founder determines the election regulation of the foundation; minority foundations should also have this right. Societies can determine how to administrate their foundations in accordance with this governing legislation and hold elections in accordance with the constitution. This would be a revolutionary development for minorities."
minority foundations legistation Election regulation for minority foundations
Baruyr Kuyumciyan
Emailbaruyr@agos.com.tr
Aram Ateşyan resigns as the chair of Hovagim 1461 Foundation
How was February 16 protocol issued?
Nor Zartonk: game of thrones continues


In this page you can find and listen to some sounds produced by analog POTS modems at different modulations, and bitrates.
My WB8WGA Simple Inexpensive TNC circuit with new firmware to use with a 18B20 temperature sensor, and GPS+Status beaconing while in GPS mode..
This project is about building a frequency counter, using a 2x16 LCD and a small PIC 18F1320 micro-controller for a AM/FM 47-860MHz wide band receiver.
A TNC is a Z80-based single-board computer which is connected to the serial port of a computer. It has a small on-board modem and a Z80 core with memory and SIO. The Z80 runs a program that implements the AX.25 protocol used in amateur packet radio.
The aim of this project was to develop a TNC capable of connect to multiple RF modems and running a wide range of existing software. It was developed in 1991 by CT1DMK and CT1DIA.


How do I code a simple jump in a 2D-game?
Does the sprite have velocity variables such as VX and VY, or similar? If so, you then need to define a gravity constant.
You can play around with values to see which works best, but anywaY... WHAT YOU do, is when the player jumps, make the VY (y-velocity) suddenly jump to a negative velocity (im assuming the upper-left is the origin, like in Windows MM_TEXT mode), this will cause the sprite to suddenly start moving upward at a fast speed (assuming you adding the velocity to the x and y values every frame). then, every frame add the gravity constant to the Y-VELOCITY, so each frame the sprite moves up less and less, until slows down and changes direction, like in real life. Assumoing GRAVITY is high enough, it''ll look real. Then just detect when he hits the ground again. Again, play around with that "sudden y-velocity" value and GRAVITY to get what you want.
Cool, this sounds great zipster but could you please show me some code so I can understand it easier?
There is another thing you must keep in mind.
Remember? In mario when you tapped the button you did a short jump, and when you were holding it longer, you jumped higher.
So the thing to do is this: declare a variable like velocity. It stays zero until the player hits the jump button. Then the velocity becomes a negative value (do playery+=velocity each frame). Every frame the velocity decreases until it becomes positive (the player falls down again). The you can do some HitTheGround checking. When you are jumping up (velocity<0) and the jumpbutton is still hold, then the velocity decreases less.
I think with the help of you and zipster I can handle this stupid jumping problem!
You need to learn more about physics and gravity.


Linazasoro G, Obeso JA, Gómez JC, Martínez M, Antonini A, Leenders KL.
It is well known that chronic administration of pergolide and other dopamine agonists may induce a downregulation of dopamine D2 receptors in the rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD).
To our knowledge, this effect has not been demonstrated in vivo in patients with PD. At present, the status of striatal dopamine D2 receptors can be studied with use of positron emission tomographic (PET) technology. Five patients with PD chronically treated with levodopa were studied with use of PET and [11C]-raclopride before and after 6 months of pergolide treatment (dose range = 4.5-7.5 mg/d). We found a slight reduction in the specific striatal [11C]-raclopride uptake index (mean reduction 14% in putamen and 9% in caudate) after pergolide treatment.
This reduction appears to be related to downregulation of the receptor, although competitive binding of pergolide at the D2 receptor cannot be excluded.