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Ferdoush S, Kzam SB, Martins PHC, Dewanckele J, Gonzalez M. Fast time-resolved micro-CT imaging of pharmaceutical tablets: Insights into water uptake and disintegration. Int J Pharm 2023; 648:123565. [PMID: 37918497 PMCID: PMC10786181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
We use dynamic micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) with a high temporal resolution to visualize water penetration through the porous network of immediate-release pharmaceutical solid tablets and characterize dynamic swelling and disintegration mechanisms. We process the micro-CT images using two theoretical scenarios that reflect different paths of pore structure evolution: a scenario where tablet porosity remains constant during the swelling process and a scenario where the tablet porosity progressively diminishes and eventually closes during the swelling process. We calculate the time evolution of the volume of water absorbed by the tablet and, specifically, absorbed by the excipients and the pore structure, as well as the formation and evolution of cracks. In turn, the three-dimensional disintegration pattern of the tablets is reconstructed. Restricting attention to the limiting scenario where tablet porosity is assumed fixed during the swelling process, we couple liquid penetration due to capillary pressure described by the Lucas-Washburn theory with the first-order swelling kinetics of the excipients to provide a physical interpretation of the experimental observations. We estimate model parameters that are in agreement with values reported in the literature, and we demonstrate that water penetration is dominated by intra-particle porosity rather than inter-particle porosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumaiya Ferdoush
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sarah Bu Kzam
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Pedro H C Martins
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Marcial Gonzalez
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
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Kamezawa C, Hyodo K, Tokunaga C, Tsukada T, Matushita S. Large-view x-ray imaging for medical applications using the world's only vertically polarized synchrotron radiation beam and a single asymmetric Si crystal. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:195010. [PMID: 37735969 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/acf640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Objective.X-ray microangiography provides detailed information on the internal structure and function of a biological subject. Its ability to evaluate the microvasculature of small animals is useful for acquiring basic and clinical medical knowledge. The following three conditions are necessary to attain detailed knowledge of biological functions: (1) high temporal resolution with sufficient x-ray intensity, (2) high spatial resolution, and (3) a wide field of view. Because synchrotron radiation microangiography systems provide high sapatial resolution and high temporal resolution as a result of their high x-ray intensity, such systems have been developed at various synchrotron radiation facilities, starting with the photon factory, leading to numerous medical discoveries. However, the three aforementioned functions are incompatible with the use of synchrotron radiation because the x-ray intensity decreases when a wide field of view is obtained. To overcome these problems, we developed a new x-ray optical system for microangiography in rats using synchrotron radiation x-rays.Approach.Instead of using monochromatic synchrotron radiation x-rays with a conventional double-crystal monochromator, we used white synchrotron radiation x-rays and an asymmetric Si crystal to simultaneously monochromatize the beam and widen the field of view.Main results.The intensity profile and spatial resolution of the x-ray images were then evaluated. The proposed x-ray optics increased the x-ray intensity and beam width by factors of 1.3 and 2.7, respectively, compared with those of conventional monochromatic x-rays. In addition,in vivostudies on microangiography in rats were performed to confirm that the images had sufficient intensity, spatial resolution, and field of view. One of a series of images taken at 50 ms frame-1was shown as an example.Significance.This x-ray optics provides sufficient x-ray intensity, high spatial resolution, and a wide field of view. This technique is expected providing new insights into the evaluation of the vascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chika Kamezawa
- Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK, Tsukuba, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Hyodo
- Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, KEK, Tsukuba, Japan
- The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Chiho Tokunaga
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Toru Tsukada
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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Lee D, Weinhardt F, Hommel J, Piotrowski J, Class H, Steeb H. Machine learning assists in increasing the time resolution of X-ray computed tomography applied to mineral precipitation in porous media. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10529. [PMID: 37386125 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37523-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many subsurface engineering technologies or natural processes cause porous medium properties, such as porosity or permeability, to evolve in time. Studying and understanding such processes on the pore scale is strongly aided by visualizing the details of geometric and morphological changes in the pores. For realistic 3D porous media, X-Ray Computed Tomography (XRCT) is the method of choice for visualization. However, the necessary high spatial resolution requires either access to limited high-energy synchrotron facilities or data acquisition times which are considerably longer (e.g. hours) than the time scales of the processes causing the pore geometry change (e.g. minutes). Thus, so far, conventional benchtop XRCT technologies are often too slow to allow for studying dynamic processes. Interrupting experiments for performing XRCT scans is also in many instances no viable approach. We propose a novel workflow for investigating dynamic precipitation processes in porous media systems in 3D using a conventional XRCT technology. Our workflow is based on limiting the data acquisition time by reducing the number of projections and enhancing the lower-quality reconstructed images using machine-learning algorithms trained on images reconstructed from high-quality initial- and final-stage scans. We apply the proposed workflow to induced carbonate precipitation within a porous-media sample of sintered glass-beads. So we were able to increase the temporal resolution sufficiently to study the temporal evolution of the precipitate accumulation using an available benchtop XRCT device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwon Lee
- Institute of Applied Mechanics (CE), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Felix Weinhardt
- Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 61, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Johannes Hommel
- Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 61, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Joseph Piotrowski
- Agrosphere (IBG-3), Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425, Jülich, Germany
| | - Holger Class
- Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 61, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Holger Steeb
- Institute of Applied Mechanics (CE), University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 7, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- SC SimTech, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 5, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
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Ding XF, Zeinali Danalou S, Zhang L, Zhu N. In situ wet pharmaceutical granulation captured using synchrotron radiation based dynamic micro-CT. JOURNAL OF SYNCHROTRON RADIATION 2023; 30:430-439. [PMID: 36891856 PMCID: PMC10000808 DOI: 10.1107/s1600577523000826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Synchrotron radiation based dynamic micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is a powerful technique available at synchrotron light sources for investigating evolving microstructures. Wet granulation is the most widely used method of producing pharmaceutical granules, precursors to products like capsules and tablets. Granule microstructures are known to influence product performance, so this is an area for potential application of dynamic CT. Here, lactose monohydrate (LMH) was used as a representative powder to demonstrate dynamic CT capabilities. Wet granulation of LMH has been observed to occur on the order of several seconds, which is too fast for lab-based CT scanners to capture the changing internal structures. The superior X-ray photon flux from synchrotron light sources makes sub-second data acquisition possible and well suited for analysis of the wet-granulation process. Moreover, synchrotron radiation based imaging is non-destructive, does not require altering the sample in any way, and can enhance image contrast with phase-retrieval algorithms. Dynamic CT can bring insights to wet granulation, an area of research previously only studied via 2D and/or ex situ techniques. Through efficient data-processing strategies, dynamic CT can provide quantitative analysis of how the internal microstructure of an LMH granule evolves during the earliest moments of wet granulation. Here, the results revealed granule consolidation, the evolving porosity, and the influence of aggregates on granule porosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Fan Ding
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada
| | - Sima Zeinali Danalou
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada
| | - Lifeng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada
| | - Ning Zhu
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada
- Canadian Light Source Inc., 44 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 2V3, Canada
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Analysis of Stress Relaxation in Bulk and Porous Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE). Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14245374. [PMID: 36559742 PMCID: PMC9781170 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reported study was devoted to the investigation of viscoelastic behavior for solid and porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) under compression. The obtained experimental stress curves were interpreted using a two-term Prony series to represent the superposition of two coexisting activation processes corresponding to long molecular (~160 s) and short structural (~20 s) time scales, respectively, leading to good statistical correlation with the observations. In the case of porous polymer, the internal strain redistribution during relaxation was quantified using digital image correlation (DIC) analysis. The strongly inhomogeneous deformation of the porous polymer was found not to affect the relaxation times. To illustrate the possibility of generalizing the results to three dimensions, X-ray tomography was used to examine the porous structure relaxation at the macro- and micro-scale levels. DIC analysis revealed positive correlation between the applied force and relative density. The apparent stiffness variation for UHMWPE foams with mixed open and closed cells was described using a newly proposed three-term expression. Furthermore, in situ tensile loading and X-ray scattering study was applied for isotropic solid UHMWPE specimens to investigate the evolution of internal structure and orientation during drawing and stress relaxation in another loading mode.
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Dall'Ara E, Bodey AJ, Isaksson H, Tozzi G. A practical guide for in situ mechanical testing of musculoskeletal tissues using synchrotron tomography. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater 2022; 133:105297. [PMID: 35691205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Musculoskeletal tissues are complex hierarchical materials where mechanical response is linked to structural and material properties at different dimensional levels. Therefore, high-resolution three-dimensional tomography is very useful for assessing tissue properties at different scales. In particular, Synchrotron Radiation micro-Computed Tomography (SR-microCT) has been used in several applications to analyze the structure of bone and biomaterials. In the past decade the development of digital volume correlation (DVC) algorithms applied to SR-microCT images and its combination with in situ mechanical testing (four-dimensional imaging) have allowed researchers to visualise, for the first time, the deformation of musculoskeletal tissues and their interaction with biomaterials under different loading scenarios. However, there are several experimental challenges that make these measurements difficult and at high risk of failure. Challenges relate to sample preparation, imaging parameters, loading setup, accumulated tissue damage for multiple tomographic acquisitions, reconstruction methods and data processing. Considering that access to SR-microCT facilities is usually associated with bidding processes and long waiting times, the failure of these experiments could notably slow down the advancement of this research area and reduce its impact. Many of the experimental failures can be avoided with increased experience in performing the tests and better guidelines for preparation and execution of these complex experiments; publication of negative results could help interested researchers to avoid recurring mistakes. Therefore, the goal of this article is to highlight the potential and pitfalls in the design and execution of in situ SR-microCT experiments, involving multiple scans, of musculoskeletal tissues for the assessment of their structural and/or mechanical properties. The advice and guidelines that follow should improve the success rate of this type of experiment, allowing the community to reach higher impact more efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Dall'Ara
- Department of Oncology and Metabolism, Mellanby Centre for Bone Research, University of Sheffield, UK; INSIGNEO Institute for in Silico Medicine, University of Sheffield, UK.
| | | | - H Isaksson
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - G Tozzi
- School of Engineering, London South Bank University, London, UK
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Tozzi G, Ahmed F. Preface to ToScA 2018 Special Issue. J Microsc 2021; 277:133-134. [PMID: 32251536 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G Tozzi
- Zeiss Global Centre, School of Mechanical and Design Engineering, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, U.K
| | - F Ahmed
- Exponent International Ltd, London, U.K
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Goethals W, Vanbillemont B, Lammens J, De Beer T, Vervaet C, Boone MN. In-Situ X-ray Imaging Of Sublimating Spin-Frozen Solutions. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13132953. [PMID: 32630310 PMCID: PMC7378758 DOI: 10.3390/ma13132953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Spin-freeze-drying is a promising technique to enable long-term storage of pharmaceutical unit doses of aqueous drug solutions. To investigate the sublimation of the ice during the primary phase of freeze-drying, X-ray imaging can yield crucial temporally resolved information on the local dynamics. In this paper, we describe a methodology to investigate the sublimation front during single unit-dose freeze-drying using 4D in-situ X-ray imaging. Three spin-frozen samples of different solutions were imaged using this methodology and the process characteristics were analysed and reduced to two-dimensional feature maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wannes Goethals
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Radiation Physics, Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86/N12, B-9000 Gent, Belgium;
- Centre for X-ray Tomography (UGCT), Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Correspondence:
| | - Brecht Vanbillemont
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology (LPPAT), Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; (B.V.); (T.D.B.)
| | - Joris Lammens
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; (J.L.); (C.V.)
| | - Thomas De Beer
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Process Analytical Technology (LPPAT), Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; (B.V.); (T.D.B.)
| | - Chris Vervaet
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium; (J.L.); (C.V.)
| | - Matthieu N. Boone
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Radiation Physics, Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86/N12, B-9000 Gent, Belgium;
- Centre for X-ray Tomography (UGCT), Ghent University, Proeftuinstraat 86, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
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Krause F, Renner B, Coppens F, Dewanckele J, Schwotzer M. Reactivity of Gypsum-Based Materials Subjected to Thermal Load: Investigation of Reaction Mechanisms. MATERIALS 2020; 13:ma13061427. [PMID: 32245074 PMCID: PMC7142976 DOI: 10.3390/ma13061427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The thermal stability of gypsum-based materials, and in this context, especially their long-term behavior, is the background of our current research activities. A comprehensive investigation program was compiled in which detailed examinations of various model materials exposed to thermal loads were carried out. The understanding of the partly not entirely consistent state of knowledge shall be sharpened especially by in situ observations of the thermally induced conversion reaction of gypsum into hemihydrate. The temporal course of the reaction was investigated non-destructively by in situ investigations in a high-resolution X-ray computed tomography setup, and the experiment was accompanied by detailed characterizations of the microstructure and composition. In this contribution, selected results of experiments with a high-purity natural gypsum rock as the model substance are presented. Studying the influence of temperature on the reaction showed that, even under supposedly dry conditions, the reaction could take place at much lower temperatures than usually reported in the literature. It was demonstrated that the transformation of gypsum into hemihydrate could take place at a temperature of already 50 °C. The results indicated that even under “classical” heating conditions in a conventional oven, the dissolution and crystallization processes in water films on the mineral surfaces could be suggested to be a driving force for the reaction. A corresponding reaction model, which took these aspects into account, was proposed in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Krause
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany;
| | | | | | | | - Matthias Schwotzer
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG), 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-721-608-24627
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