Polymorphs, cocrystals, solvates, and hydrates have been reported for efavirenz (EFV), which is part of high activity antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and it is considered to be the best choice in the treatment of adults and children. However, studies about thermodynamic stability and improvement of dissolution properties have been rarely reported for the anhydrous polymorphic forms. Therefore, the aim of this work was to characterize the solid state of anhydrous polymorph I and polymorph II (herein obtained), to study the thermodynamic stability and strategies to improve the dissolution properties. In addition, techniques such as, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), hot stage microscopy (HSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), raman spectroscopy (RS), theoretical calculations, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ss-NMR) were used to complete this work. Thermodynamic studies showed that polymorphs I and II are enantiotropically related with the isoenergetic point between 35 and 40 °C. The EFV polymorph II showed itself to be more stable and 10-fold more soluble than polymorph I, due to modifications of morphology. Therefore, polymorph II could be an excellent candidate with significant advantages for pharmaceutical formulations.

ObjectivePreoperative estimation of the length and diameter of the semitendinosus (ST) and gracilis (G) tendons can assist surgeons and allow them to have the opportunity to choose alternative grafts. The aim of this study was to investigate whether anthropometric measurements such as height, weight and body mass index (BMI) or the patient's age and sex have any correlation with the thickness and the length of ST and G tendons.MethodsData were gathered from 64 patients who underwent the surgical procedure of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the tendons of the ST and G muscles as grafts, between June 2012 and August 2013. Variables such as age, sex, weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and length and diameter of the tendons of the ST and G muscles were analyzed.ResultsThere was a positive correlation between the height and total diameter of the quadruple graft (r = 0.254; p = 0.043), total length of the ST tendon (r = 0.450; p < 0.01), diameter of the double ST (r = 0.270; p = 0.031), triple ST (r = 0.347; p = 0.005), length of G tendon (r = 0.249; p = 0.047) and diameter of the double-G (r = 0.258; p = 0.039). However, age (r = -0.015; p = 0.908), weight (r = 0.165; p = 0.193) and body mass index (r = 0.012; p = 0.926) showed no correlation.ConclusionOur results show that age, weight and BMI did not correlate with the diameter and length of the graft, while the height had a positive correlation with the total length of the flexor tendons and the diameter of the graft from the flexors (ST and G).

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Polymeric microparticles containing the calcium channel blocker nimodipine were successfully obtained through simple emulsion/ organic solvent evaporating method. The extended release formulations, composed by the polymers poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3- hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and polycaprolactone (PCL), were submitted to characterization through X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier transform infrared analysis (FT-IR) and determination of the mean particle diameter. All formulations obtained revealed an amorphous characteristic, proven through XRPD and DSC results. Besides, no chemical interaction was observed between drug and polymer in polymeric microparticles. PHBV-NMP formulation showed a higher drug entrapment, a larger particle size, a thermal degradation behavior similar to that observed for nimodipine and a longer drug release time, being selected for in vivo evaluation. The PHBV-NMP polymeric microparticles were able to keep the pharmacological antihypertensive effect for a longer period of time, becoming a good alternative to control nimodipine release in hypertension treatment.

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