In agriculture experiments, the response on a given plot may be affected by the treatments on neighboring plots as well as by the treatments applied to that plot. In this paper we consider such type of situations and construct circular neighbor-balanced designs (CNBDs) by the method of cyclic shifts or sets of shifts. An important feature of this method is that the properties of a design can be easily obtained from the sets of shifts instead of constructing the actual blocks of the design. That is, the off-diagonal elements of the concurrence matrix can be easily obtained from the sets of shifts. Since the suggested designs are circular, balanced and binary, so they are universally optimal.

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Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a major metabolite of artemisinin and its derivatives, including arteether, artemether, and artesunate. To improve the solubility and stability of poorly soluble DHA, we prepared inclusion complexes with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPbetaCD) and recrystalized DHA to study its thermal stability. The complexes were characterized by differential scanning calorimetery (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), thermal stability, phase, and equilibrium solubility studies. Pure DHA was crystalline and remained crystalline after recrystallization, but its unit cell dimensions changed as exhibited by XRD. DHA-HPbetaCD complexes showed a phase transitions towards amorphous in DSC thermograms, FTIR spectra, and XRD patterns. The phase solubility profiles of complexes prepared in water, acetate buffer, and phosphate buffers were classified as A(L)-type, indicating the formation of a 1:1 stoichiometric inclusion complex. The equilibrium solubility of DHA was enhanced as a function of HPbetaCD concentration. DHA-HPbetaCD complexes showed an 89-fold increase in solubility compared to DHA. Solubilities of complexes containing 275.1 mM HPbetaCD in water, acetate buffer (pH 3.0), and phosphate buffer (pH 3.0 and 7.4) were 10.04, 7.96, 6.30, and 11.61 mg/ml, respectively. Hydrogen bonding was found between DHA and HPbetaCD, and it was stronger in complexes prepared in water than in buffers. However, the AH values were higher in buffer than water. DHA-HPbetaCD complexes prepared using commercial (untreated) or recrystallized DHA (no detectable impurity) showed a 40% increase in thermal stability (50 degrees C) and a 29-fold decrease in hydrolysis rates compared with DHA. The rank order of stability constants (K(s)) was: water, acetate buffer (pH 3.0), phosphate buffer (pH 3.0), and phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Thus, HPbetaCD complexation with recrystalized DHA increases DHA solubility and stability.

Magda (1980) and Hedayat (1981) first considered the construction of circular strongly balanced repeated measurements designs. Sen and Mukerjee (1987) and Roy (1988) considered the optimality and existence of circular strongly balanced repeated measurements designs based on the method of differences and Hamiltonian decomposition of lexicographic product of two graphs. In this article, we consider the construction of circular strongly balanced repeated measurements designs using the newly proposed method called cyclic shifts, and propose some new designs for p < v.

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a poorly water-soluble drug that displays low bioavailability after oral administration. Attempts have been made to improve the solubility of DHA. Yet, no information is available concerning improved bioavailability. This study aimed to improve the water solubility of DHA by two systems: solid dispersions with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVPK30, PVPK25, PVPK15) and inclusion complexes with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD), as well as improving the bioavailability of both systems. The phase transition of DHA with hydrophilic polymers was evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetery (DSC). DHA became amorphous in DHA-HPβCD complexes and showed more amorphous behavior in XRD analyses with rise in molecular weight of PVP. Melting onset temperature of DHA decreased, while DSC thermograms revealed the peak area and enhanced enthalpy change (DH) in solid dispersions as well as inclusion complexes. DHA solubility was enhanced 84-fold in DHA-HPβCD complexes and 50-times in DHA-PVPK30. The improved solubility using the four polymers was in the following order: HPβCD > PVPK30 > PVPK25 > PVPK15. Values of area under curve (AUC) and half life (t(1/2)) of DHA-PVPK30 were highest followed by DHA-HPβCD, DHA-PVPK15 and DHA-PVPK25. V(d)/f of DHA-PVPK30 was 7-fold. DHA-HPβCD, DHA-PVPK15 and DHA-PVPK25 showed significantly different pharmacokinetic parameters compared with DHA solutions. The 95% confidence interval was meaningful in AUC and t(1/2). Pharmacokinetic parameters revealed that all four-test preparations were significantly more bioavailable than DHA alone.