Search

The article presents the author's views on the presence of spirituality among Kurds living in Iraq. Various topics discussed include pluriculturality in Iraq, history of Iraqi citizens, cultural diversity of the region, political participation of Kurds, ethnic and religious culture in Kurdistan, and their social rights.

L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer l’effet de la réhabilitation respiratoire (RR) sur la distension dynamique (DD), en fonction de l’index BODE.

The article presents a speech entitled "Le pape au Liban (14-16 septembre 2012): Dialogue interreligieux" by Middle East specialist Christian Lochon on October 5, 2012 to members of the Académie des sciences d'outre-mer (ASOM; French Academy of Overseas Sciences). Topics of the speech include Pope Benedict XVI's journey to Lebanon from September 14-16, 2012 and relations between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon.

The article discusses women's literature and women's rights in France and Algeria. Topics discussed include the relationship between language, culture, and identity, the cultural and linguistic influences of French colonization on Algerian culture, and inequalities between Algerian men and women. The article references numerous contemporary Algerian women authors and their works including "Jacinthe noire" by Taos Marguerite Amrouche, "L'Amour, la fantasia" by Assia Djebar, and "La double présence" by Betoule Fekkar-Lambiotte.

Background: This study was a multi-centre, dose-escalation trial in patients with advanced cancers. Primary objective was to determine maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of vorinostat, a competitive inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDAC), in combination with vinorelbine. Secondary aims were to determine (1) corresponding pharmacokinetics, (2) safety of this regimen, and (3) impact of UGT1A1 and 2B17 polymorphisms on vorinostat pharmacokinetics. Methods: Starting dose of once daily oral vorinostat was 200 mg for 7 days every 21 days in combination with a 20-min intraveinous weekly infusion of vinorelbine 25 mg/m2, starting 4 hours after the first vorinostat dose. During cycle 1, blood samples were collected at day 1 for vorinostat and at days 1 and 8 for vinorelbine for pharmacokinetic evaluation. Results: Seven patients were included. Most of adverse events observed were mild (grades 0-2) and reversible after treatment discontinuation (hemotological toxicity, asthenia, diarrhea, dyspnea, fever, hyperglycemia and nausea). Two patients had a dose limiting toxicity at the first dose level that consisted of grade 3 hyperglycemia and vinorelbine administration was delayed. The first dose-level was considered as the MDT and therefore dose escalation was stopped. Mean vorinostat plasma AUC was higher than reported previously at a similar dose when used as single agent or in combination with other cytotoxics. There was no obvious vinorelbine-vorinostat interaction nor any correlation with UGT1A1 or 2B17 polymorphisms. Conclusion: MDT of the combination was 200 mg oral vorinostat for 7 days in combination with 25 mg/m2 weekly vinorelbine. Severity of hyperglycemia was most likely related to unexpected high vorinostat exposures.

AbstractA protected plant species list for French Guiana was elaborated in the following three steps: 1) putting up a data base gathering a maximum informations over the 5,210 species of the local flora; 2) selecting from the data base of 700 species of natural heritage value (species protected by international conventions, rare, threatened or endemic plants, wild species of cultivated plants and trees of special interest); 3) selecting among these 700 of 83 species (1,5% of French Guianese species) with precise criterias of threat or rarity deserving an official protection status. The resulting list of plants to be protected concerns mainly herbaceous or woody species from the coastline region, hilltops around Cayenne and from savannas and coastal marshes, which are the bestly known species from most threatened habitats.

Fluorescence spectroscopy based on pyrene and DMAC (i.e., 1,1-dicyano-4-(4'-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl)-1,3-butadiene) probes was used to investigate the aggregation of amphiphilic polymers in aqueous solution. The fluorescence data related to the cohesion of the microdomains formed were correlated to the polymer microstructure, either by taking into account the sequence distribution for poly(NVP-co-C16VIB) (i.e., poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone)-co-(3-hexadecyl-1-vinylimidazolium bromide)) or the cryo-TEM images for poly(C1VPB-co-C16VPB) (i.e., poly(1-methyl-3-vinylpyridinium bromide)-co-(1-hexadecyl-3-vinylpyridinium bromide)).

The influence of nitroxide concentration, solvent, and temperature on the nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of 3-vinylpyridine (3VP) was examined. Long-chain poly(3-vinylpyridine)s with low polydispersities were synthesized. The initial 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl concentration had no influence on the kinetics of the polymerization but was responsible for the obtained molar weights. Compared with the polymerization of styrene, the polymerization of 3VP proved quite fast. The influence of temperature on the reaction rate was also demonstrated, and the polymerization could be controlled even at 110 °C. Some polymerizations were also performed in solution to test the influence of a solvent such as ethylene–glycol, whose effect on the polymerization of 3VP was dependent on temperature. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3067–3073, 2000

Six polyamideimides (PAI) were synthesized from six dianhydride monomers containing amide functions. The dianhydride monomers were obtained from the reaction of trimellitic anhydride chloride with six aromatic diamines—1,4-phenylenediamine, 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl) propane, 4,4'-oxydianiline, 4,4'-methylenedianiline, 1,1-bis(4-aminophenyl)cyclohexane, and bis(4-aminophenyl)sulfone—by a low-temperature condensation with yields ranging from 35 to 98% depending on the monomer solubility in organic media. The monomers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹H NMR. In accordance with a synthesis scheme implying the reaction of a macrodiisocyanate with dianhydride monomers containing amide functions, six PAIs with a highly flexible soft block (polytetramethylene glycol PTMG 650) were synthesized with inherent viscosities ranging from 0.38 to 1.3 dL/g. Their characterization by FTIR and ¹H NMR fully confirmed their chemical structure. The strong physical crosslinking provided by polar hard blocks containing up to eight aromatic rings enabled the casting of PAI films that were very tough in the dry state and could withstand exposure to rather strong solvating media (e.g., ethers, alcohols, and chlorinated solvents). First experiments showed these materials could be good candidates for membrane-separation applications. They revealed interesting features for the separation of organic aprotic–protic mixtures as shown by the first results obtained for the purification of a fuel octane enhancer (ethyl-tert-butyl ether) used in the European Community. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 614–630, 2000

Random copolymers of 3‐hexadecyl‐1‐vinylimidazolium bromide and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone were synthesized by free radical copolymerization at various feed compositions. These copolymers, whose structure was determined by 13C NMR spectrometry, self‐aggregate in aqueous media. The formation of the resulting hydrophobic microdomains was analyzed by spectrofluorimetry, using pyrene and a molecular rotor as fluorescent tracers. The results are discussed in relation to the molecular structure of the copolymers, particularly for the case of the micro cohesion sensed by the molecular rotor.

Five new polyamideimides (PAI) were synthesized from five diacid chlorides with preformed imide rings and a telechelic α,ω-diamino-polyoxyethylene (Jeffamine JFA ED600). The diacid chloride monomers could be obtained in high yields (77–92%) from chlorinating the corresponding diacids which were obtained from the reaction of trimellitic anhydride with aromatic diamines (1,4-phenylene diamine; 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)methane; 2,2-bis(4-aminophenyl)propane; 4,4'-oxydianiline and 1,1-bis(4-aminophenyl)cyclohexane). The telechelic monomers were characterized by FTIR and ¹H-NMR. After a few preliminary experiments aimed at optimizing the polymerization conditions for particularly poorly soluble diacid chlorides, five new PAI were synthesized with inherent viscosities in the range of 0.35–0.65 dL/g. Their characterization by transmission FTIR and by advanced NMR techniques, including heteronuclear 2D NMR, fully confirmed their chemical structure as shown by the complete assignments of their ¹H and ¹³C-NMR spectra. Compared with other PAI described in the literature, these polymers proved to be much more sensitive towards polar organic solvents even showing significant solubilities in chloroform and tetrahydrofuran. These materials enabled the casting of transparent films which were very tough in the dry state. However, and as further evidenced by a DSC investigation, their phase separation is usually not sufficient to provide a very strong physical crosslinking by the aggregation of the polymer hard blocks. Consequently, their physical crosslinking would have to be significantly improved for preventing the material failure in highly solvating media and open the way for new performances in membrane separation systems. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2873–2889, 1999

The behaviour in aqueous medium of cationic amphiphilic copolymers derived from 3‐vinylpyridine has been studied. The ability of these polymers to form hydrophobic microdomains was shown by fluorescence spectroscopy using a molecular rotor as a fluorescent probe, and the resulting structure was visualized by cryo‐transmission electron microscopy (cryo‐TEM). The parameters (shape and size) obtained from cryo‐TEM are discussed in relation to the copolymer composition and the local viscosity defined by the rotor fluorescence quantum yield.© 1999 Society of Chemical Industry

Results of the copolymerization of 4-chloro-3-nitrostyrene (4-CNS) with acrylic and vinylic monomers in bulk or in solution are reported together with some related physico-chemical characterizations, i.r. and n.m.r. data, d.s.c., and solubility properties. These experiments allowed us to characterize the high reactivity of 4-CNS and its main effects (inhibition or retardation) on the copolymerizations studied. In all cases, and more particularly with methacrylic derivatives, copolymerization proceeded slowly, and at limited conversion rates; the copolymer compositions reveal preferential incorporation of 4-CNS. For methyl methacrylate copolymerization no significant induction time was detected, indicating a retarding effect on the kinetics due to 4-CNS.

The sorption characteristics of water, methanol and ethanol vapours in cellulose acetate (CA) films were measured by microgravimetry. The sorption isotherms for water vapours in the CA film at different temperatures in the range 20–40°C do not obey the Flory equation over the whole water activity range. At high water activities, the sorption extent increases much faster with the water activity than it should according to the Flory approach. The isotherms over the whole water activity range can be fitted well by the ENSIC model, a new mechanistic model developed to account for the possibility of solvent cluster formation in the polymer material. Similar behaviour was observed for ethanol, which shows a lower tendency to form clusters, but higher affinity to CA. The sigmoidal shape found for the methanol sorption isotherm suggests a strong sorption on CA sites at low methanol activities. The Guggenheim–Anderson–De Boer equa‐tion fitted well this isotherm. The diffusion coefficient, which was calculated from Fickian sorption kinetics at different solvent activities by curve fitting, was constant for water but increased with ethanol content in the membrane according to an exponential relationship characterized by a limit diffusion coefficient and a plasticization coefficient. The limit diffusion coefficient for water was two orders of magnitude larger than that for ethanol, but the activation energy for ethanol was twice as large. Methanol diffusion was only Fickian at a low solvent activity; the diffusion coefficient was one order of magnitude lower than that for water. © of SCI.

The study deals with the analysis of diffusion and mass transfer modelling during pervaporation in a true ternary system involving a polar liquid mixture (ETBE/EtOH) and a polar block copolymer (polyurethaneimide or PUI). A survey of methods of pervaporative transfer modelling in ternary systems is first developed. From differential permeation experiments carried out with both pure liquids, it appears that both permeants obey a Fickian law. Moreover, the diffusional behaviour is consistent with Long's model, which has thus been assumed for the related ternary system. An extension of the Brun's model is then derived, which takes into account the diffusion coupling as well the significant deviation from sorption ideality. From a practical point of view, the calculated values of fluxes show generally good agreement with the experimental results, although a small deviation occurs for mixtures of low ethanol content. Diffusion coefficients of both pure solvents corresponding to transient or steady state are compared. A very good agreement is found for the aprotic permeant (ETBE). whereas the diffusion coefficient of ethanol in transient state is only the quarter of the value corresponding to steady state. The results are discussed in comparison with related investigations in the literature, involving specific liquid-polymer interactions.

The design of high-performance pervaporation membranes for the selective removal of ethanol from ethyl t-butyl ether (ETBE) was performed by using semi-interpenetrating polymer network (s-IPN) materials. The chosen linear polymer in the s-IPN was a cellulose ester, and the network was formed by photopolymerization of a dimethacrylate, or a dimethacrylate and one or two co-monomers. Membranes with good mechanical properties and moderate to good selectivity were obtained. Large permeability increases without loss in selectivity were observed with s-IPN films formed by cellulose propionate or cellulose butyrate interpenetrated by a network of poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate). The use of dimethacrylate with longer spacers of the poly(ethoxy) type in these materials further increased the permeability. The permeation flux of cellulose acetate-based membranes is improved only when a methacrylate with poly(ethoxy) side chains is incorporated in the network by copolymerization with the poly(ethoxy)-type dimethacrylate. When the poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) in cellulose butyrate-based s-IPN films increases, the selectivity remains constant, while the film permeability goes through a maximum. The results are interpreted on the basis of a “plasticization” effect exerted on the linear polymer by interpenetrated networks composed of methacrylates with poly(ethoxy) chains. The resulting improved segment mobility favors the permeability at low network contents. The stability of s-IPN membranes in hot liquid mixtures was explained by extended entanglements of the linear polymer with the branches of the network meshes. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The purpose of the present investigation deals with a comparative study between the magnitudes of the local viscosity and/or the polarity of the hydrophobic microdomains generated by poly (3‐hexadecyl‐1‐vinylimidazolium bromide) in an aqueous medium using a cinnamylidene molecular rotor and pyrene as fluorescent probes. Moreover, the results are compared with the data obtained with micelles of conventional surfactants such as the homopolymer repetitive unit model and CTAB.

Random copolymers of 4-vinylpyridine and N-dodecylacrylamide were synthesized by low conversion bulk free radical copolymerization using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. Copolymer compositions were obtained from NMR spectrometry and elemental analysis. The reactivity ratios rVPandrC12AMas determined from the Fineman-Ross, Kelen-Tüdos and Mayo-Lewis methods were found to be 4.13 and 0.27, respectively. The examination of the C-4 resonance peak in 13C NMR data reveals a triad effect. A good agreement was observed for the experimental triads fractions determination and their calculation from rVPand rC12. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been previously shown to inhibit the proliferation of some human ovarian carcinoma cell lines, and this inhibition was accompanied by cellular changes that were indicative of differentiation (Caliaro et al, 1994). In this work, a pretreatment of these adenocarcinoma cells with ATRA, for their respective doubling time, enhanced cisplatin (CDDP) cytotoxicity in the cell ines that were sensitive to its antiproliferative effect, but not in the ATRA-resistant ones. Results were assessed using median effect analysis in two ATRA-sensitive cell lines (OVCCR1 and NIHOVCAR3 cells) and in one ATRA-insensitive cell line (IGROV1 cells). Synergy between these two agents was observed only in cells sensitive to ATRA, regardless of their relative sensitivity to CDDP. Potential mechanisms for this synergy were investigated. ATRA did not increase the cellular platinum content, did not decrease the cellular glutathione and had no influence on the metallothionein IIA mRNA levels in NIHOVCAR3 cells. Moreover, the protein kinase C (PKC) activity was modulated by this differentiating agent in all cell lines tested, indicating that this activity was not directly involved in this potentiation. However, an ATRA inhibition of glutathione-S-transferase activity associated with an increase in the total DNA adducts formation could explain the potentiation of the CDDP cytotoxicity observed in NIHOVCAR3 cells. Finally, the ATRA modulation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor mRNA level could also be implicated in this synergy.

The kinetic study of the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylacetate in the presence of primary thiols indicates the thiolate anion as the sole catalytic species. Comparison of the true second order rate constants (kRS−) reveals that purely aliphatic primary thiols behave differently from aromatic α-substituted primary thiols. In the latter group a correlation can be established between the true second order rate constants and the pKSHvalues by means of the Brönsted equation log kRS− = βpKSH + C, with β equal to 0.40 and Cequal to −0.85.

It has been found that sulfur dioxide solubility in organic solvents can be well-correlated by Lewis basicity numbers. Mixtures of sulfur dioxide and solvent (N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), N,N‘-(dimethylpropylene)urea (DMPU) and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA)) have been prepared in a 1:1 mole ratio at low temperatures. The melting points of the mixtures are measured, and the mixtures have been analyzed by infrared, ultraviolet−visible, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The solubility of sulfur dioxide has been measured in NMP and DMPU at 25 °C. At sulfur dioxide concentrations of 0.2−0.6 kPa, the solubility is determined using a continuous stirred tank reactor. The absorption of sulfur dioxide proved to be completely reversible. A model where physical and chemical interactions are incorporated showed good correlation with the experimental results.

The benzothiazole ring is used to express the C-H hyperconjugation effect in the fundamental state. 13C NMR spectra at infinite dilution in CDCl3 have been recorded for a set of 2-substituted benzothiazoles with groups having a different number (0 to 3) of hydrogen atoms bound to the Cα carbon. The carbon-2 chemical shift variation reflects the superposition of a rather weak inductive effect and a high Cα-H hyperconjugation effect. In the particular case of α-β unsaturated groups, π - π resonance shows a similar influence. A semi-empirical relationship allowing precise quantitative evaluation of carbon-2 chemical shift has been established.