Getting Proactive with Pharma Packaging

According to market research, the pharmaceutical packaging sector is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 7.4% between 2022 and 2031, reaching an estimated USS178.8 billion (€171.8 billion) by the end of the forecast period (1). "Pharmaceutical waste continues to be a huge problem, so to eliminate non-biodegradable and single-use plastics from the supply chain, more research is taking place around bio-based PET [polyethylene terephthalate]. "By designing a product's primary and secondary packaging well from the outset (including investing ample resources into the process), manufacturers can reduce the amount of materials used and wasted, test new eco materials, ensure safety compliance and efficacy, and benefit from cheaper transportation costs," Quelch surmises. [...]pharma companies can benefit from a packaging supplier with a true global footprint," he says.

Connecting the Dots for Pharma

A major driver for innovation within the bio/pharma sector has been the COVID-19 pandemic, which propelled advances such as the approval of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines at record-breaking speeds and led to many companies pivoting to deal with the urgent requirements for capacity and supply chain flexibility needed to overcome pandemic challenges. "Before deciding on a location, we conducted extensive market research, and it quickly became clear, just by the sheer proximity of so many biopharmaceutical companies, associations, and research centres, that the event had to be in Geneva. Organized as four half-days, they will each address a theme related to the four main areas of the supply chain present in the exhibition area: pharmaceutical packaging (primary and secondary), medical devices, pharmaceutical sub-contracting, and pharmaceutical equipment. The dream scenario, the real measure of success, is when a product comes to market that happened as a result of a meeting or discussion that took place at our event.

Different Platforms, Immune Response Modulators and Challenges in SARS-CoV- 2 Vaccination

Vaccination is one of the most powerful measures to control infectious diseases. Nowadays, technical advances allowed the recognition of key aspects of pathogen -host interaction and the spread of such information, which was applied in vaccine development. The urge to control the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in vaccines development in record time, approximately 1 year after the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. The use of classic and innovative vaccine platforms and adjuvants was employed at several locations, by different groups. Here, we discuss how the pandemic scenario influences vaccine development, the implications of the route of immunization and adjuvant choice for vaccines, and the need to consider all these aspects in relation to the current scenario, also preparing ourselves to future pandemics. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Cracking the Code of Complex Drug Modalities via Multidimensional Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry

Reducing the molecule complexity is achieved by reducing the molecule size after enzymatic digestion to produce smaller fragments more amenable to LC separation and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) sequencing. Non-denaturing CEX chromatography, size-exclusion chromatogra- phy (SEC), hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), and protein A modes can be easily coupled to reversed-phase LC (RPLC) because of the high aqueous conditions, enabling the versatile 4D-LC-MS systems with the use of alternative modes to 1D CEX, such as SEC or Protein A (6,7). [...]the nanopar-ticle size and free drug concentration are determined at the particle Level, whereas the encapsulated drug and lipids forming the layer are commonly characterized at the molecuar level after denaturing the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) via a surfactant. [...]MDLC-MS setups present a formidable opportunity to unify the characterization of drug delivery systems at the molecular and particle evels, which would enable their high throughput analysis.

Compelling Impacts of Natural Polymer-Centered Drug Delivery Systems as Prophylactic and Therapeutic Approaches in Various Pulmonary Disorders/Lung Diseases

Pulmonary disorders are common illness that affects people of all ages world­wide. Common pulmonary disorders include pulmonary hypertension, CF (cystic fibrosis), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and COVID-19. Treatments of these disorders vary but can be broadly categorized into pharmacological (medicinal), non-pharmacological, rehabilitation, and surgical techniques. Often, a combina­tion of these approaches is used, both for symptomatic relief and treatment. Regarding these prophylactic and therapeutic approaches, advances are rapidly being made, and scientists are currently investigating modern and unique theranostic methods. However, there is a lacuna in drug delivery, pharmacokinetic aspects, and drug-induced adverse effects. One particular area for improvement that needs to be immediately addressed is the drug delivery system to significantly improve healthcare associated with pulmonary disorders. Natural polymer-based drug delivery systems are widely adopted for their ease of production, lack of biotoxicity, and strong bioaffinity. Of the natural polymer­based drug delivery systems, chitosan, sodium alginates, albumin, hydroxyapa­tite, and hyaluronic acid are the most common natural polymers. Each of these natural polymers has its preferred use, either due to tissue-specific delivery or medical property packaging. The current scientific article discusses the common pulmonary disorders, their pathophysiology, and the current therapeutic approaches. Additionally, we discuss the major natural polymer drug delivery systems, including their properties and common uses. © The Author (s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.

How pediatricians can help mitigate the mental health crisis

Just as traumatic or stressful events and experiences can increase the risk, strong and supportive relationships and institutions can offset or mitigate that risk. [...]if mental health conditions do develop, early and ongoing recognition and treatment can decrease associated morbidity.2 4 The 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health showed that 23% of children aged 3 to 17 years have a reported mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral (MEDB) problem, with prevalence unevenly distributed by geographic area and social determinants of health: Beginning in April 2020, the proportion of mental health-related visits in pediatric emergency departments increased significantly for both children and adolescents.8 A 2021 report from the Child Mind Institute, "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children's Mental Health: What We Know So Far," highlights the disproportionate negative impact on vulnerable children: those with preexisting mental health problems, especially those with limited access to treatment, racial minorities experiencing racism in the health care system and beyond, LGBTQ+ children, and families living with economic uncertainty or food insecurity.4 Skill-building resources To mitigate the level of need that has created the current crisis, it is particularly important that emerging mental health symptoms be recognized and addressed early within the pediatric medical home before they escalate to the level of crisis. [...]the AAP has developed a mental health toolkit for pediatricians that includes materials, real- world cases, tools for screening, video examples of skills, and an algorithm serving as a cognitive map for how to approach mental health concerns in an outpatient office setting.9 Another resource, The REACH Institute, offers live and online evidence-based training courses for pediatricians on identification and treatment of mental health issues, including screening, medication management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and a host of other topics, all patient-centered and designed to be feasible in an outpatient office setting.10 (For more on The REACH Institute and pediatrician training, see "Guiding principles in managing pediatric mental health issues," page 18.) Address the economic and social barriers that contribute to poor mental health foryoung people,families, and caregivers. 6 Increase timely data collection and research to identify and respond to youth mental health needs more rapidly.

Development of therapeutic antibodies for the treatment of infection diseases and future aspect

Since the late 1990s, therapeutic antibodies have been developed for various oncology and immunoinflammatory diseases. To date, more than 100 therapeutic antibodies have been approved in Japan, the U.S., and Europe for these indications. In contrast, the development of antibody drugs in the field of infectious diseases has been limited so far. The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has highlighted the importance of therapeutic antibodies for infectious diseases as well as the development of drug delivery systems（DDS）. This review summarizes the past development of antibody drugs for infectious diseases and provides a future perspective of how therapeutic antibodies can be developed by utilizing antibody engineering and DDS technologies.Alternate :抄録1990年代後半に、がん領域や免疫炎症性疾患領域において、抗体医薬品が画期的な治療効果を示して以降、さまざまな疾患領域において抗体医薬品の研究開発がなされ、現在までに日米欧で100品目を超える抗体医薬品が承認されている。感染症領域における抗体医薬品の開発は限られていたが、抗体工学の発展、SARS-CoV-2の感染の拡大により、感染症領域における抗体医薬品の重要性が注目されている。本稿では、これまでの感染症領域における抗体医薬品の開発と、抗体工学やDDS技術の進展に伴う今後の抗体医薬品の展望を概説する。

A dispersion-corrected DFT calculation on encapsulation of favipiravir drug used as antiviral against COVID-19 into carbon-, boron-, and aluminum-nitride nanotubes for optimal drug delivery systems combined with molecular docking simulations.

Favipiravir (FAV) (6-fluoro-3-oxo-3,4-dihydropyrazine-2-carboxamide) is one of the most effective antiviral drugs which is cited for action against RNA-viral infections of COVID-19. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate three nanotubes (NTs) with FAV drug as delivery systems. The encapsulated systems (ESs) consist of FAV drug inside carbon-carbon, aluminum nitride, and boron nitride. At B3LYP-D/6-31G(d,p) and CPCM/B3LYP-D/6-31G(d,p), the optimization of NTs, FAV, and its tautomeric forms and six ESs was investigated in gas and water environments. Five tautomeric forms of FAV were investigated, two keto forms (K1 and K2) and three enol forms (E1, E2, and E3). The results revealed that E3 and K2 isomeric forms represented the most stable structures in both media; thus, these two forms were encapsulated into the NTs. The stability and the synthesis feasibility of NTs have been proven by calculating their interaction energies. Non-covalent interactions (NCIs) were investigated in the ESs to show the type of NCI with the molecular voids. The binding energies, thermochemical parameters, and recovery times were investigated to understand the mechanism of FAV encapsulation and release. The encapsulated AlNNT systems are more favorable than those of BNNTs and CNTs in gas and aqueous environments with much higher binding energies. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and recovery time analysis revealed the easier releasing of E3 from AlNNT over K2 form. Based on molecular docking simulations, we found that E3 and K2 FAV forms showed a high level of resistance to SARS-CoV-6M3M/6LU7/6W9C proteases. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11224-023-02182-4.

Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries and Inadequate Access to Primary Care Providers

Known as "dual-eligible beneficiaries," they account for 20% of Medicare beneficiaries and 15% of those receiving Medicaid, but account for one-third of total expenditures for each program.1 Most qualify for Medicare on the basis of age or a disability, and all dual-eligible beneficiaries have incomes below or near the federal poverty level. AHRF data were also used to identify PAs in each county. Because the HPSA designation only considers PCPs, to identify primary care NPs (PCNPs) we used methods previously developed, based on National Provider Identifier numbers from CMS.4 We calculated the county-level number of PCNPs and PAs per 1000 population and categorized them into the highest (ie, ≥ 75th percentile) and lowest (ie, < 25th percentile) supply density quartiles. [...]in the face of the competing challenge of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we observed the prevalence of infection rates in counties with a high density of dual-eligible beneficiaries to understand the challenge of coordinating care for these beneficiaries. The quality of care provided to vulnerable populations, such as dual-eligible beneficiaries, by PCNPs and PAs has been proved to be comparable with that delivered by PCPs.11-13 However, at the state level, scope-of-practice regulations often restrain the flexibility of having care furnished by nonphysician providers.

Biodegradable Polymer Nanoparticles: Therapeutic Applications and Challenges

The greatest medication encapsulation and distribution options have received substantial research on biodegradable natural polymers. For their potential to act as an effective vehicle for site-specific medication delivery in the body, biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) are attracting more interest. They provide enhanced biocompatibility, and practical release patterns for a variety of medicines to be used in a number of applications. This article has explored the various applications of these particles, including cancer therapy, implantable device, and antioxidant delivery. However, there is still potential to investigate more biodegradable polymers for cutting-edge biological applications.

Recent Advances in Strategies to Combat Bacterial Drug Resistance: Antimicrobial Materials and Drug Delivery Systems.

Bacterial infection is a common clinical disease. Antibiotics have saved countless lives since their discovery and are a powerful weapon in the fight against bacteria. However, with the widespread use of antibiotics, the problem of drug resistance now poses a great threat to human health. In recent years, studies have investigated approaches to combat bacterial resistance. Several antimicrobial materials and drug delivery systems have emerged as promising strategies. Nano-drug delivery systems for antibiotics can reduce the resistance to antibiotics and extend the lifespan of novel antibiotics, and they allow targeting drug delivery compared to conventional antibiotics. This review highlights the mechanistic insights of using different strategies to combat drug-resistant bacteria and summarizes the recent advancements in antimicrobial materials and drug delivery systems for different carriers. Furthermore, the fundamental properties of combating antimicrobial resistance are discussed, and the current challenges and future perspectives in this field are proposed.

Lipid Nanoparticles as Promising Carriers for mRNA Vaccines for Viral Lung Infections.

In recent years, there has been an increase in deaths due to infectious diseases, most notably in the context of viral respiratory pathogens. Consequently, the focus has shifted in the search for new therapies, with attention being drawn to the use of nanoparticles in mRNA vaccines for targeted delivery to improve the efficacy of these vaccines. Notably, mRNA vaccine technologies denote as a new era in vaccination due to their rapid, potentially inexpensive, and scalable development. Although they do not pose a risk of integration into the genome and are not produced from infectious elements, they do pose challenges, including exposing naked mRNAs to extracellular endonucleases. Therefore, with the development of nanotechnology, we can further improve their efficacy. Nanoparticles, with their nanometer dimensions, move more freely in the body and, due to their small size, have unique physical and chemical properties. The best candidates for vaccine mRNA transfer are lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which are stable and biocompatible and contain four components: cationic lipids, ionizable lipids, polyethylene glycols (PEGs), and cholesterol, which are used to facilitate cytoplasmic mRNA delivery. In this article, the components and delivery system of mRNA-LNP vaccines against viral lung infections such as influenza, coronavirus, and respiratory syncytial virus are reviewed. Moreover, we provide a succinct overview of current challenges and potential future directions in the field.

Lipid-Based Delivery Systems in Development of Genetic and Subunit Vaccines.

Lipidic carriers are composed of natural, synthetic, or physiological lipid/phospholipid materials. The flexibility of lipid-based delivery systems for transferring a variety of molecules such as immunomodulators, antigens, and drugs play a key role in design of effective vaccination and therapeutic strategies against infectious and non-infectious diseases. Genetic and subunit vaccines are two major groups of promising vaccines that have the potential for improving the protective potency against different diseases. These vaccine strategies rely greatly on delivery systems with various functions, including cargo protection, targeted delivery, high bioavailability, controlled release of antigens, selective induction of antigen-specific humoral or cellular immune responses, and low side effects. Lipidic carriers play a key role in local tissue distribution, retention, trafficking, uptake and processing by antigen-presenting cells. Moreover, lipid nanoparticles have successfully achieved to the clinic for the delivery of mRNA. Their broad potential was shown by the recent approval of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. However, size, charge, architecture, and composition need to be characterized to develop a standard lipidic carrier. Regarding the major roles of lipid-based delivery systems in increasing the efficiency and safety of vaccine strategies against different diseases, this review concentrates on their recent advancements in preclinical and clinical trials.

The impact of online food delivery on the nutritional status of work-from-home workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Social restriction policies increase the risk of obesity in society because it is influenced by increasingly narrow space for movement so that physical activity is reduced and consumption increases due to feeling bored at home. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have caused people's lifestyles to change from those previously operating offline to online, including how to get food. Large-scale social restriction policies make food service providers cooperate with the Online Food Delivery (OFD) platform to make it easier to reach consumers. This study aimed to analyze the effect of using an online food delivery application on improving the nutritional status of office workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional design. The study involved 408 workers in Jakarta who experienced the impact of COVID-19. The data analysis technique used SPSS 20, which adjusted test results to the variable data scale. It is known that there was an increase in body weight and nutritional status (p< 0.05) during the large-scale social restriction policy implementation. There is a correlation between physical activity and nutritional status (p< 0.05). There is no significant correlation between the frequency of ordering food online with nutritional status. There is an increase in body weight and an increased risk of obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consumer risk perception of online food delivery during the COVID-19 movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia. (Special Issue: The impact of the covid-19 pandemic and the foodservice industries.)

Malaysia's online food delivery (OFD) has developed into a vibrant scene. Urban dwellers are slowly getting used to the idea of OFD services as the new normal for eating out at the times of COVID-19. During the movement control order (MCO), government initiatives and movement restrictions propelled OFD services into the limelight, allowing locals the opportunity to support their favorite local businesses. Using model goal-directed behavior (MGB), this study investigated the effect of consumers' perceived risk (e.g., performance risk, privacy risk, financial risk, physical risk, and COVID-19 risk) on their use of OFD services. The results of the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis of 339 responses indicates that perceived risk negatively affects consumers' desire to use OFD services, while perceived physical risk and COVID-19 risk negatively affect their intention to use OFD services. Further, the study uncovers the moderating role of perceived risk in the relationship between desire and intention. This study offers insights to OFD service providers in formulating new business strategies and propositions for business growth and consumer retention in the post-pandemic world.

Plant-derived nanovesicles: further exploration of biomedical function and application potential

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are phospholipid bilayer vesicles actively secreted by cells, that contain a variety of functional nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and are important mediums of intercellular communication. Based on their natural properties, EVs can not only retain the pharmacological effects of their source cells but also serve as natural delivery carriers. Among them, plant-derived nanovesicles (PNVs) are characterized as natural disease therapeutics with many advantages such as simplicity, safety, eco-friendliness, low cost, and low toxicity due to their abundant resources, large yield, and low risk of immunogenicity in vivo. This review systematically introduces the biogenesis, isolation methods, physical characterization, and components of PNVs, and describes their administration and cellular uptake as therapeutic agents. We highlight the therapeutic potential of PNVs as therapeutic agents and drug delivery carriers, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, wound healing, regeneration, and antiaging properties as well as their potential use in the treatment of liver disease and COVID-19. Finally, the toxicity and immunogenicity, the current clinical application, and the possible challenges in the future development of PNVs were analyzed. We expect the functions of PNVs to be further explored to promote clinical translation, thereby facilitating the development of a new framework for the treatment of human diseases.Copyright © 2023 Chinese Pharmaceutical Association and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Multi-method simulation approach: multiple restaurants to multiple customers on-demand food delivery services in Dubai. (Special Issue: The impact of the covid-19 pandemic and the foodservice industries.)

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted various supply chains including the on-demand food delivery sector. As a result, this service industry has witnessed a tremendous spike in demand that is affecting its delivery operations at the downstream level. Previous research studies have explored one-to-one and many-to-one solutions to the virtual food court delivery problem (VFCDP) to optimize on-demand food delivery services in different cities. However, research efforts have been limited to multiple restaurant orders from only one customer which does not apply to traditional systems where multiple customers request on-demand food delivery from multiple restaurants. This study rigorously analyses multiple restaurants to multiple customers (Many-to-many) food delivery simulation models in ideal weather conditions that are constrained with multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) such as delivery fleet utilization (the number of couriers utilized over the fleet size), average order delivery time, and fuel costs. This research also benchmarks the on-demand food delivery queueing methodologies using system dynamics and agent-based simulation modeling where three on-demand food delivery routing methodologies are simulated including First-in-First-Out (FIFO), Nearest, and Simulated Annealing using AnyLogic. The results suggest that the Many-to-many (Nearest) method outperforms other delivery routing methods which would have positive implications on optimizing existing food delivery systems and managerial decisions.

From eating out to online food ordering amid COVID-19: a case of food delivery apps

In Bangladesh, app-based online food delivery services are gaining popularity. The increased use of mobile phones and the affordability of the internet aided businesses in meeting new customer demands such as food delivery to the customers' homes. Thus, the primary goal of this research is to identify the factors influencing customer intention to use food delivery apps (FDAs) during COVID-19. Data are collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed quantitatively using partial least square structured equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Results show that price value and convenience are the most influential factors affecting the intention to use FDAs during COVID-19. There is, however, insufficient evidence to demonstrate the influence of the other three factors (e.g., service quality, delivery experience, ease of use) on FDA use intention. A better understanding of emerging student consumers will assist management in leveraging the factors that must be considered when providing services to this market.

A framework for determining energy use in rural food delivery services: capturing system interdependencies through an agent-based discrete-event approach

Food e-commerce has seen significant growth over the past decade that accelerated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last-mile transportation and logistics are widely considered the most expensive and least efficient portion of the supply chain and have multiple important energy trade-offs such as cargo capacity and consumer density. Last-mile transportation energy use in rural areas is underrepresented in the literature. This study proposes a hybrid agent-based and discrete event model framework for evaluating the last-mile transportation energy use of van- and car-based food delivery services in a rural community, based on meal-kit and grocery delivery operations, respectively. This framework quantifies last-mile energy use in rural areas, and is demonstrated here using a neighborhood outside of Austin, TX as an analytical testbed. The study focuses on the effects of consumer density, cargo limitations, and vehicle speed. For the conditions examined with this framework, diesel delivery vans use more total energy than passenger cars for the same trip, though a van delivering four orders uses less energy per-order than a car delivering one order. However, there are trade-offs between vehicle type and mileage, cargo capacity, route density, and speed that are particularly important for delivery services operating in rural areas. This framework can be used by service providers to assess route-specific trade-offs for each vehicle and gauge which is preferable for given operating conditions or to evaluate the energy, and thus also cost, impact of expanding their services to rural areas.

An integrated model to decipher online food delivery app adoption behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic. (Special Issue: The impact of the covid-19 pandemic and the foodservice industries.)

The demand for online food delivery has increased considerably throughout the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers' habits in searching for information on and making decisions about ready-to-eat food have changed remarkably during this time. The purpose of this research is to explore consumers' use of online food delivery services (OFDS) during the pandemic via applications (apps) and the moderating role played by the consumers' perceived trust in the information. Data were collected from 246 users through e-mail and structural equation modeling using PLS-3 was used to analyze the data. We have shown 12 recent insights into OFDAs behavioral intention. We found that information and food service attributes influence the perceived usefulness of OFDS and ultimately shape the respondents' intention to use it. Behavioral intention toward OFDS and perceived trust have a considerable influence on the use of OFDA. This research offers insights into the effects of the pandemic on the food delivery market and shows the dynamics of the interrelationships among various information- and restaurant-related attributes that lead to actual use.