Detection of low dose of piroxicam polymorph in pharmaceutical tablets by surface-enhanced Raman chemical imaging (SER-CI) and multivariate analysis.

This study demonstrates, for the first time, the ability of surface-enhanced Raman chemical imaging (SER-CI) combined with multivariate analysis to detect low levels (0.1% (w/w)) of a polymorphic form in a pharmaceutical mixture. In the studied formulation, piroxicam was used as a model molecule to develop this approach.

Criteria for inclusion in programs of functional restoration for chronic low back pain: Pragmatic Study.

Background: Individuals with chronic low back pain (cLBP) may benefit from multimodal functional restoration programs (FRPs).

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze characteristics of individuals with cLBP who were referred or not to an FRP. Because cLBP is a bio-psycho-social disorder, medical and social parameters were analysed.

Bubble Solution Description by Non-Extensive Thermodynamics: Pressure Effect.

We showed in this study that nanobubble solutions should not be considered as the simple juxtaposition of autonomous phases (a solution and bubbles) but as particular entities, that is, "supersaturated solutions" where gas is simultaneously in two forms in permanent exchange. Gibbs' extensive thermodynamics cannot claim to describe legitimately their behavior. In this work, we showed how the use of the non-extensive thermodynamics allows describing the physicochemical properties of such media, some of which are counter-intuitive.

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the temporal bone: Comparison of in situ, CT, and CBCT measurements.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of three-dimensional (3D) Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and Computed Tomography (CT) reconstructions of human temporal bones compared with in situ measurements.

Material And Methods: Experimental anatomical study of 10 human temporal bones. Wilcoxon's test was used to compare 8 distances on each temporal bone measured in situ and then on 3D CT and CBCT reconstructions.

Solubility of gas in confined systems. Nonextensive thermodynamics approach.

The use of the concepts of the nonextensive thermodynamics allows reconsidering the equilibrium of bubble solubilization and more commonly of gaseous aggregates in supersaturated solutions of gas. The introduced relations are general and include as particular cases the equations usually used to describe these phenomena. These equations are discussed.

Thoughts on the ideal behavior of mixed micelles and the appropriate application of regular solution theory (RST).

Solutions of mixed surfactants are often considered as solvent mixtures. Usually, mixed micellar aggregates are considered as a homogeneous mixture of solvents dispersed in a solution. But the transposition of the usual thermodynamic models of solvent mixtures to mixed micelles is not always so obvious.

[Periostitis in systemic necrotizing vasculitides: Study of the 4 cases identified among the 1762 patients of the FVSG database and review of the literature].

Background: Periostitis (periosteal new bone formation) is a rare manifestation of systemic necrotizing vasculitis.

Patients And Methods: We searched the French Vasculitis Study Group (FVSG) database, established in 1980 and containing the data on 1762 patients with a systemic necrotizing vasculitis, i.e.

Treatment of polyarteritis nodosa and microscopic polyangiitis without poor-prognosis factors: A prospective randomized study of one hundred twenty-four patients.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids alone as first-line treatment of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) without poor-prognosis factors as defined by the Five-Factors Score (FFS), and to compare the efficacy and safety of azathioprine versus pulse cyclophosphamide as adjunctive immunosuppressive therapy for patients experiencing treatment failure or relapse.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, therapeutic trial included 124 patients with newly diagnosed PAN or MPA (FFS of 0) treated with corticosteroids alone. At the time of treatment failure or disease relapse, patients were randomized to receive 6 months of therapy with oral azathioprine or 6 pulses of cyclophosphamide.

Familial aggregation in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: a comprehensive literature review including 4 new families.

Objective: To review personal and published observations of giant cell (temporal) arteritis (GCA) or polymyal-gia rheumatica (PMR) with familial or conjugal aggregation and emphasise on epidemiological, clinical and genetic features of such cases.

Methods: We pooled data obtained from all cases of GCA or PMR with familial aggregation recruited in the department since 1976 and those from reports of familial or conjugal GCA or PMR published in the French-English literature since 1970.

Results: During the study period, we diagnosed 460 patients (128 with isolated PMR, 227 with isolated GCA, 105 with PMR/CGA).

Mixing behaviour of charged and non-charged surfactants described by BET isotherms.

We analysed various sets of published results concerning the mixing behaviour of charged and non-charged surfactants, beyond their aggregation threshold, by means of the BET model modified by Stokes and Robinson. This approach, which is mainly used to account for properties of concentrated aqueous salt solutions, provides a good description of the properties of mixed micelles across the complete scale of compositions between the two pure surfactants. We use analyses of the behaviour of several systems reported in the literature for illustration.

Behaviour of a binary solvent mixture constituted by an amphiphilic ionic liquid, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide and water Potentiometric and conductimetric studies.

We investigated the properties of 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide (DMImBr), a molten salt at room temperature, and its mixtures with water in the whole proportions. At low concentrations, this salt behaved like a classical cationic amphiphile. Its critical micellar concentration (cmc) was determined by conductimetry and by measuring electromotive forces (EMF) with bromide or cationic surfactant-selective electrodes.

Membrane electrodes sensitive to doubly charged surfactants. Application to a cationic gemini surfactant.

The response of a membrane electrode is not always identical to that of a redox electrode. Indeed, in the case of membrane electrode the response is not due to a redox equilibrium but to a cross-membrane potential. So, the membrane electrode's response depends mainly on the carrier system and the nature of the membrane.

Synthesis and micellar properties of 1-decyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bromide surfactant in water and water-ethanolamine mixtures at 298.15 K.

1-Decyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium bromide (ddmimBr) has been synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-dimethylimidazole and 1-bromodecane. Micellization of ddmimBr surfactant in water (W) and water-ethanolamine (W-EA) with the weight percent of EA changing within the range 0-39.79%, has been investigated at 298.

Application of the Bahe's pseudolattice theory to water-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF4) mixtures at 298.15K: Part II. Acidity scales.

Molten salts at room temperature and their mixtures with water or molecular solvents are excellent candidates for future replacement of most of organic solvents used in many industrial processes. To make this possible and to allow efficient application, it is necessary to determine physico-chemical parameters (such as the acidity scales) for these reaction media. This work follows a study of the autoprotolysis constants (K(s)) of water-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)) mixtures at 298.

Thermodynamics of mixed micelles: Determination of the aggregate composition.

In most studies concerning surfactant mixtures, the determination of the composition of mixed micelles is often tricky. This composition can be obtained by different ways. One of them, undoubtedly the most used, supposes, a priori, that the surfactant in the micelle follows the regular solution model.

Micellar aggregation for ionic surfactant in pure solvent and electrolyte solution: nonextensive thermodynamics approach.

We show in this study that the concepts of nonextensive thermodynamics introduced and applied in a series of previous studies can be used to describe the behaviour of ionic surfactant solutions at concentrations higher than the critical micelle concentration (cmc) in pure solvents and in the presence of electrolytes. We supposed that the aggregated amphiphiles and their counter ions form two interpenetrated nonextensive phases of the same thermodynamic dimension, m, characterised by two parameters A(am) and A(CI) related to the aggregated amphiphile and the counter ion, respectively. Our experimental results and those published in the literature indicate that logarithms of the activities of the amphiphile and of its counterion vary with the quantity of aggregated monomer according to a power law.

Treatment of Churg-Strauss syndrome without poor-prognosis factors: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label study of seventy-two patients.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids (CS) alone as first-line treatment in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) without poor-prognosis factors, as defined by the Five-Factors Score (FFS), and to compare the efficacy and safety of oral azathioprine (AZA) versus intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide (CYC) as adjuvant immunosuppressive therapy for treatment failure or relapse.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label therapeutic trial included 72 patients with newly diagnosed CSS (FFS of 0) treated with CS alone. At treatment failure or relapse, patients were randomized to receive 6 months of oral AZA or 6 pulses of CYC.

Drop size effect on contact angle explained by nonextensive thermodynamics. Young's equation revisited.

We applied the concepts of nonextensive thermodynamics [Turmine et al., J. Phys.

Application of the Bahe's pseudolattice-theory to water-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)) mixtures at 298.15K Part I. Autoprotolysis constants.

The autoprotolysis constants (K(s)) of water - 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)) mixtures were determined at 298K over the composition range of 0 to 77.43vol.% bmimBF(4) using potentiometric method with a glass electrode.

[Salivary nitrates. New perspectives concerning the physiological function of saliva].

For many years, nitrate ions have been thought to be "toxic agents", but scientific reality seems very different. The source of nitrate ions is double: exogenous and endogenous, and the metabolism of nitrates is partly salivary. The strong concentration of nitrate ions in saliva has many beneficial physiological effects.

Modification of the wettability of a polymeric substrate by pH effect. Determination of the surface acid dissociation constant by contact angle measurements.

The wetting properties of a substrate can be changed by chemical reaction. Here, we studied simple materials with acid-base properties, by preparing poly(vinyl chloride) films containing lauric acid. These substrates constitute simple polymeric surfaces the wettability of which can be easily controlled by the acid-base equilibrium.

Evidence of a phase transition in water-1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and water-1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate mixtures at 298 K: determination of the surface thermal coefficient, bT,P.

We studied the aggregation behavior of two short-chain room-temperature ionic liquids. Previous surface tension studies have shown that 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmimBF(4)) aggregates in water. We observed the same behavior for another ionic liquid, 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bdmimBF(4)).