Innovative method for rapid detection of falsified COVID-19 vaccines through unopened vials using handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS).

Preventing, detecting, and responding to substandard and falsified vaccines is of critical importance for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and public trust in vaccines. This is of heightened importance in context of public health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, in which extreme world-wide shortages of vaccines provided a fertile ground for exploitation by falsifiers. Here, a proof-of-concept study explored the feasibility of using a handheld Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) device to authenticate COVID-19 vaccines through rapid analysis of unopened vaccine vials. The results show that SORS can verify the chemical identity of dominant excipients non-invasively through vaccine vial walls. The ability of SORS to identify potentially falsified COVID-19 vaccines was demonstrated by measurement of surrogates for falsified vaccines contained in vaccine vials. In all cases studied, the SORS technique was able to differentiate between surrogate samples from the genuine COVISHIELD™ vaccine. The genuine vaccines tested included samples from six batches across two manufacturing sites to account for any potential variations between batches or manufacturing sites. Batch and manufacturing site variations were insignificant. In conjunction with existing security features, for example on labels and packaging, SORS provided an intrinsic molecular fingerprint of the dominant excipients of the vaccines. The technique could be extended to other COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 vaccines, as well as other liquid medicines. As handheld and portable SORS devices are commercially available and widely used for other purposes, such as airport security, they are rapidly deployable non-invasive screening tools for vaccine authentication.

A novel high throughput plate-based method for 2-PE quantification in novel multidose vaccines (R21 malaria, Covishield and Covovax) and combination vaccines (Hexavalent).

Multidose presentation of vaccines is the most preferred choice, for mass immunization particularly during pandemics. WHO also recommends multidose containers of fill finished vaccines for programmatic suitability and global immunizations programmes. However, multidose vaccine presentations requires inclusion of preservatives to prevent contaminations. 2-Phenoxy ethanol (2-PE) is one such preservative which is being used in numerous cosmetics and many vaccines recently. Estimation of 2-PE content in multidose vials is a crucial quality control parameter to ensure in use stability of the vaccines. Presently available conventional methods, have their own limitation in terms of being time consuming, requiring sample extraction, large sample volume requirement etc. Therefore, a robust, simple, high-throughput method with a low turnaround time was required, which can quantitate 2-PE content in the conventional combination vaccines as well as new generation complex VLP based vaccines. In order to address this issue, a novel absorbance-based method has been developed. This novel method specifically detects 2-PE content in Matrix M1 adjuvanted R21 malaria vaccine, nano particle and viral vector based covid vaccines and combination vaccines like Hexavalent vaccine. The method has been validated for parameters such as linearity, accuracy and precision. Importantly, this method works even in presence of high amounts of proteins and residual DNA. Considering the advantages associated with method under study, this method can be used as an important in process or release quality parameter to estimate the 2-PE content in various vaccines containing 2-PE in multidose presentations.

Magnetically separable Zn1-x Co0.5x Mg0.5x Fe2O4 ferrites: stable and efficient sunlight-driven photocatalyst for environmental remediation.

Nanomaterials have recently gained significant interest as they are believed to offer an outstanding prospect for use in environmental remediation. Among many possible candidates, due to their useful properties including magnetic nature, wide surface area, and high absorptivity, ferrite materials hold tremendous appeal, allowing them to be used for multifaceted applications. In the present study, using a sol-gel auto combustion process, a magnetically separable Zn1-x Co0.5x Mg0.5x Fe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0) ferrite with superior photocatalytic activity for dye degradation was manufactured. Rietveld refinement and FTIR studies confirm that a single-phase cubic spinel system was built for all samples with crystallite sizes of 34-57 nm. VSM has determined the magnetic properties of the samples at room temperature. With the introduction of Mg2+ and Co2+ in the Zn ferrites, a transformation from the soft superparamagnetic activity to the hard ferromagnetic character was reported. Considering the band structure in the visible region, the photocatalytic activities of the Zn1-x Co0.5x Mg0.5x Fe2O4 ferrites for the degradation of the MB dye under natural sunlight were investigated. Zn0.25Co0.375Mg0.375Fe2O4 showed an efficiency of degradation of 99.23% for MB dye with a quick 40 min irradiation period with high reusability of up to four cycles.

Left Ventricular Mid-Cavity Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Leading to Multiple Cerebral Emboli.

Here we present a case of 55 year old male who presented with lower respiratory tract infection and clinical findings of systolic murmur at apex and hepatosplenomegaly and later on multiple cerebral emboli which on further evaluation turned out to be myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with cardiac mass with left ventricular mid-cavity obstruction.

Rare case report - congenital diaphragmatic hernia presentation in adult.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) which mainly occurs in the newborn or in childhood with severe respiratory distress and high mortality, is rarely found in adults (Yamaguchi et al. Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 8:106-108, 2002; Dalencourt and Katlic Ann Thorac Surg 82:721-722, 2006; Fraser et al. Endosc Percutan Tech 19: e5-e7, 2009; Kanazawa et al. Surg Today 32:812-815, 2002). These patients are been accustomed to adjust their lifestyle to manage symptoms associated with frank herniation of the large bowel and liver inside the diaphragmatic hernial sac. Bowel above the liver surface especially the transverse colon is suggestive of a Chilaiditi's syndrome in these group of patients. Diagnostic laparoscopy plays an important role for diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia in some cases over other investigations like CT scan and ultrasonography. Chilaiditi's syndrome has no surgical line of treatment but a symptomatic diaphragmatic hernia requires surgical correction. Liver as the main hernial content has been reported only in three cases throughout the world (Goh et al. Am J Surg 194: 390-391, 2007; Luo et al. Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int 6: 219-221, 2007; Bosenberg and Brown RA Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 21: 323-331, 2008). A case of a 27 year old female patient presenting with a symptomatic congenital diaphragmatic hernia is reported.

Rare case report: mesocolonic dermoid cyst.

Mesenteric cysts are one of the most rare intra-abdominal tumours [1], classified as chylolymphatic, mesothelial (simple), enterogenous, urogenital remnant, dermoid cyst (teratomatous), gas, mycotic, parasitic, tubercular cysts and cysts following malignant degeneration [2]. Dermoid cysts are uncommon mesenteric cysts [3]. Cysts of the mesocolon are rare and usually differentiated from a mesenteric cyst only at the operation [4]. We here report a rare case of a dermoid cyst that was present in the mesentery of the transverse colon.

Intraluminal migration of surgical sponge: gossypiboma.

Surgical mop retained in the abdominal cavity following surgery is a serious but avoidable complication. The condition may manifest either as an exudative inflammatory reaction with formation of abscess, or aseptically with a fibrotic reaction developing into a mass. Intraluminal migration is relatively rare. We report the case of a 23 year old woman who presented after a previous caesarean section with intestinal obstruction. Plain abdominal radiograph and computed tomography confirmed the presence of gossypiboma. The patient underwent laparatomy and sponge removal. This report discusses the approach to, and manifestations of, migratory surgical gossypiboma.

Hepatic trauma management and outcome; Our experience.

BACKGROUND: Injuries to the liver have been reported in 35-45% of patients with significant blunt abdominal trauma. Since the introduction of ultrasonography and computerized tomography in the evaluation of these patients, there has been an increase in number of hepatic injuries diagnosed that previously would not have been apparent. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the epidemiology and pattern of isolated liver injury, significant factors related to management and outcome. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study of 50 cases of isolated Hepatic trauma admitted and managed over span of last three years (June 2006-June 2009) at MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai. OBSERVATION: Out of 50 Patients of isolated liver injury, 36 (72%) were managed conservatively. 14(28%) Patients with refractory hypotension and hemoperitoneum were operated in emergency. The mortality of 3 (6%) cases was related to massive bleeding from liver parenchyma. CONCLUSION: The line of management of isolated liver trauma is primarily guided by the haemodynamic status of the patient at the time of presentation in emergency department and findings on ultrasonography [FAST] and computerized tomography. There is significant association of line of management with volume of hemoperitoneum and number of blood transfusion.

Formulation of intranasal mucoadhesive temperature-mediated in situ gel containing ropinirole and evaluation of brain targeting efficiency in rats.

Mucoadhesive temperature-mediated in situ gel formulations using chitosan and hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose were used to enhance intranasal (i.n.) delivery of the dopamine D2 agonist ropinirole to the brain. Formulations were tested for gelation time, thermosensitivity, mucoadhesion, in vitro release and permeation, in vitro cytotoxicity, nasal clearance, in vivo bioavailability and brain uptake. In vivo bioavailability and brain uptake of ropinirole were assessed in albino rats following intranasal administration of 99mTc-ropinirole in situ gel, intranasal ropinirole solution and intravenous (i.v.) ropinirole solution. Radiolabeled ropinirole uptake was calculated as a fraction of administered dose. The absolute bioavailabilty of ropinirole from the temperature-mediated in situ gelling nasal formulation was 82%. The AUC (0-480 min) in brain after nasal administration of ropinirole in situ gel was 8.5 times (869 +/- 250% x min/g versus 102 +/- 20% x min/g) that obtained following i.v. administration, this value was also considerably higher (869 +/- 250% x min/g versus 281 +/- 52% x min/g) than that achieved with intranasal ropinirole solution. High brain direct drug transport percentage (DTP; 90.36%) and drug targeting index (DTI) > 1 confirms direct nose to brain transport of the intranasal in situ gel formulation of ropinirole.

Brain targeting studies on buspirone hydrochloride after intranasal administration of mucoadhesive formulation in rats.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to find out whether nasal application of buspirone could increase its bioavailability and directly transport the drug from nose to brain. METHODS: A nasal formulation (Bus-chitosan) was prepared by dissolving 15.5 mg buspirone hydrochloride, 1% w/v chitosan hydrochloride and 5% w/v hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) in 5 ml of 0.5% sodium chloride solution. The formulation was nasally administered to rats and the plasma and brain concentration compared with that for buspirone hydrochloride solution after intravenous and intranasal (Bus-plain) administration. The brain drug uptake was also confirmed by gamma scintigraphic study. KEY FINDINGS: The nasal Bus-chitosan formulation improved the absolute bioavailability to 61% and the plasma concentration peaked at 30 min whereas the peak for nasal Bus-plain formulation was 60 min. The AUC0-480 in brain after nasal administration of Bus-chitosan formulation was 2.5 times that obtained by intravenous administration (711+/-252 ng/g vs 282+/-110 ng/g); this was also considerably higher than that obtained with the intranasal Bus-plain formulation (354+/-80 ng/g). The high percentage of direct drug transport to the brain (75.77%) and high drug targeting index (>1) confirmed the direct nose to brain transport of buspirone following nasal administration of Bus-chitosan formulation. CONCLUSIONS: These results conclusively demonstrate increased access of buspirone to the blood and brain from intranasal solution formulated with chitosan and HP-beta-CD.