Introduction: Methadone hydrochloride (MDN) is an effective pharmacological substitution treatment for opioids dependence, adopted in different countries as methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programmes. However, MDN can exacerbate the addiction problem if it is abused and injected intravenously, and the frequent visits to the MMT centres can reduce patient compliance. The overall aim of this study is to develop a novel extended-release capsule of MDN using the sol-gel silica (SGS) technique that has the potential to counteract medication-tampering techniques and associated health risks and reduce the frequent visits to MMT centres. Methods: For MDN recrystallisation, a closed container method (CCM) and hot-stage method (HSM) were conducted, and MDN crystals were characterised using the polarised light microscope (PLM). MDN crystal thickness was determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy (CM) to establish a relationship between MDN crystals thickness and their birefringence colours using the Michel-Levy Birefringence Colour Chart. The experimental series was continued to produce novel silica-based MDN formulations A and B capsules by adding MDN powder at the end and beginning of the SGS process, respectively. The silica-based MDN formulations were characterised by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), SEM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), PLM and mean grey value (MGV) analyses. The in vitro release studies (n=3) for the silica-based MDN formulations and pure MDN capsules were conducted in a phosphate buffer solution (pH= 7.2) for 7 days. Stability studies were conducted for 1 month by keeping the silica-based MDN capsules under 25°C and 57% RH. Results: The optimal method to produce large numbers of MDN crystals was the CCM, and MDN crystals were characterised as diamond shaped with an intrinsic angle of 62o. The SEM surpassed the CM in measuring MDN crystal thickness, and Mann-Whitney U Test showed statistically significant differences between SEM and confocal thickness measurements (U= 1283, p < 0.05) as the SEM exhibited thinner diamond crystals (6.62 ± 2.9 µm) than the CM measurements (9.6 ± 4.6µm). According to the Michel-Levey birefringence colour chart (using the SEM mean thickness of MDN crystals and their retardation value of 428 nm), most of MDN crystals demonstrated a yellow colour. The FT-IR, SEM, DSC, MGV and PLM analyses of both silica-based MDN formulations revealed that MDN was successfully incorporated inside the silica network producing amorphous material (with no appearance of the melting peak of pure MDN at 233.4°C) with evidence of no physical or chemical interaction between sol-gel silica and MDN. However, the TGA analysis revealed a significantly greater amount of MDN was loaded inside the silica-based MDN formulation B compared to A (t = 2.80, p = 0.009, n=6), as 28.3 ± 0.6 mg of MDN was loaded in the former while 25.6 ± 0.7 mg in the latter. In addition, the silica-based MDN formulation B released 10% more MDN after 7 days than formulation A, and both formulations were stable when stored for 1 month under 57% RH and 25°C. Conclusion: The novel combined use of SEM and PLM techniques shows a potential for the identification of MDN in forensic science as it established a range of birefringence colours of MDN crystals. Moreover, the new silica-based MDN formulation B can help to deter MDN abuse and increase patient adherence to MMT due to its potential to sustain MDN release and reduce the frequent visits to MDN treatment centres.
This work describes the enhancement of phenol red decolorization through immobilizing of laccase in chitosan and enzyme recycling. Commercial laccase from white rot fungus, Trametesversicolor (Tvlac), was immobilizedin to freshly prepared chitosan beads by using glutaraldehyde as a cross linker. Characterization of prepared chitosan was confirmed by FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Tvlac (46.2 U/mL) immobilized into chitosan beads at 0.8 % glutaraldehyde (v/v) within 24 hrs. Synthetic (HBT) and natural (vanillin) mediators were used to enhance dye decolorizoation. It was found that 89 % of phenol red was decolorized by chitosan beads within 180 min. in the absence of enzyme and mediator, while decolorization percenta
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Eimeriosis is a major problem affecting ruminants worldwide. The disease is primarily caused by Eimeria species, which are specialized for each host and grow in the small and large intestine of animals. The losses due to subclinical infections (especially weight loss) and clinical disease (diarrhea) make the species of this genus a very significant economic concern. Therefore, this study was conducted in some areas of Wasit Province. A total of 180 fecal samples from goats, of both sexes and covering different age groups and months, were collected. All fecal samples were examined microscopically, and 75 positive fecal samples were taken for molecular examination and further analyzed using conventional PCR, sequencing and phylogeneti
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As population growth increases the demand for crops increases and their quality improves, and it becomes necessary to find innovative and modern solutions to enhance production. In this context, artificial intelligence plays a pivotal role in developing new technologies to improve crop sorting and increase agricultural yields. The present review discusses the main differences between manual and mechanical potato harvesting, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Manual harvesting is highlighted as a traditional method that allows for greater precision in handling the crop, but it requires more time and effort. In contrast, mechanical harvesting provides greater efficiency and speed in the process, but it may damage some
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Aim: To determine the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-2) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and the difference in its expression level between positive and negative HPV-16 (human papilloma virus- 16) OSCC patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 33 biopsies obtained from patients with OSCC and 10 normal oral mucosa as controls. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used to investigate the presence of HPV-16, while immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to estimate the expression level of TIMP-2. Results: The TIMP-2 was expressed in 27 (81.8%) of OSCC sections with no significant difference between its expression level in HPV-16 positive and HPV-16 negative OSCC cases (p=0.058). TIMP-2 was found to be hig
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This study was aime to investigate the effect of addition different concentration of celery leaves to white soft cheese ,Treated cheese between 2018-2019, ,The finely Celery (Apium graveolens) leaves were adding to crude white cheese after texturizing in three leveles included (A,B,C) in addition of control antimicrobial activity of celery treated cheese against total account bacteria and coliform bacteria was estimated during (0, 5, 10, 15, 20) days. The results were shown that the higher concentration of celery in treated cheese, had a lower concentration of protein, lipid and ash content ( 16.81,15.13 and 4.30% respectively, but it had a higher moisture content 59.50%.also the total bacteria counts were decreasing significantly (0.05 P)w
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The aim of the currnet study to examine the effect of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in diabetic patients on coagulation parameters. This retrospective case–control study involves 130 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), divided into 65 T2DM with newly diagnosed SCH and 65 euthyroid (EUT) T2DM patients without SCH. Fibrinogen (FIB) was significantly higher in SCH (508.2 ± 63.0 mg/dL) than EUT (428.1 ± 44.8 mg/dL). In the SCH patients, FIB correlated with several parameters, such as age (β = 0.396), body mass index (β = 0.578), glycated hemoglobin (β = 0.281), and activated partial thromboplastin time (β = 0.276). In conclusion SCH in DM patients appears to increase the magnitude of coagulopathy.
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Translating the Qur’anic real meaning into other languages is considered to be a unique challenge as it is deeply rooted in Arabic culture and language. Thus, this operation often loses the rhetoric and poetic beauty of the Qur’anic text, hindering a deep understanding of its spiritual and moral significance. This study constitutes a part of a comparison study of certain kinship terms in Qur’anic Arabic' abawayn / wâlidayn, zawj / ba'al, and imra’a / zawj / ṣaẖiba and their equivalents in French and English versions. It is actually about providing some details on these Arabic terms and their equivalents by examining how they have been used in the Qur’anic context to indicate specific meaning. It is divided into two main parts
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Objective :To evaluate elderly's environmental practices concerning fall prevention at governmental elderly care homes in Baghdad city. Methodology: A quazi- Experimental study was carried out in governmental elderly care homes at Baghdad city, during the period 1st, June 2014 to 30th November, 2014 , selected a purposive " Non – probability " sample of (40) elderly men and women aged (60) years old and over who were resident in governmental elderly care homes " Al Ceelakh and Al Sader elderly care homes", the data was collected through the use of constructed questionnaire that consist of (23) items,
This study was conducted to detect C.sakazakii PIF and raw milk. Two hundred samples of PIF were taken from the infected hospital infants who used this type of milk and from the local markets in addition to 16 sample of raw milk were collected. The study is the first to report the isolation of C. sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. from raw milk in Iraq. The distribution of C.sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. among the presumptive isolates using Vitek-GN2 system gave 1/16(6.25%) isolates of C.sakazakii and 4/16 (25%) isolates of Enterobacter spp. Enterobacter spp. isolates include (E.cloacae ssp. cloacae and E.cloacae ssp. dissolvens, E.hormaechei, and E.ludwigii) that isolate from raw milk Differences in between percentages of each isolate perse
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Objective: To identify the role and importance of the clinical pharmacist in the Emergency Department on prevent
or reduced the medication error.
Methodology: We collected the medical file of 3400 patients, 1400 patient's file in (A) hospital, and 1000 patient's
file in each of (B and C) hospital, who admitted to the ED, at primary weekdays between 8 am to 2 pm, and
recorded all the intervention made by clinical pharmacist through an active search in clinical charts, with analysis
of the daily medical prescription. The potential severity of harm of the medication error judged by two reviewers,
a permanent emergency physician, and clinical pharmacist based on the National Coordinating Council (NCC) of
Medication Error