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.
Several toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi
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Background: despite the rise in the incidence of renal cell carcinoma attributed to availability of medical imaging, a considerable decline in mortality is an association. Morbidity-wise, the shift from radical nephrectomy to partial nephrectomy is the trend for now. Multiple scoring systems have been introduced over the past decades to help surgeons choose between radical and partial nephrectomy. One commonly used system is the RENAL nephrometry score that was first introduced by Kutikov and Uzzo in 2009.
Objective: to evaluate the role of RENAL nephrometry scoring system in predicting the surgical technique to use to resect renal masses and associated perioperative outcomes.
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אורי-צבי גרינברג, אחד המשוררים היהודים הבולטים במאה ה-20, ולפי מבקרים רבים, היה גרינברג מהמשוררים החלוצים בתקופה שמלאה בחדשנות ובתנודת האירועים הפוליטיים והביטחוניים, באירופה ובמזרח התיכון. גרינברג יליד גליציה ב-1894, גדל במשפחה חסידית, הוא הגר פלסטינה ב-1923, ומשנה ההיא גרינברג נצל את עצמו לעבודה הספרותית והפוליטית ביחד. הוא תרם להקמתם של כתבי-עת והעתונים וכתב יצירות ספרותיות רבות, רובן היו שירים בעלי
... Show MoreSupervised By : Prof. dr. Shaker Jaseem Mohammed This research aims to identify the (effectiveness of Bayer's strategy in the development of deductive thinking among students in the fifth grade literary material European history) and to achieve the goal set researcher null hypothesis of the following: • There is no statistically significant difference between the average scores of the experimental group which studied the use of Bayer's strategy and the control group, which studied the use of the usual way in the development of deductive reasoning. The study sample consisted of (84 students) of the students in the fifth grade literary breeding Baghdad / Karkh second Directorate for the academic year 2015-2016 were distributed Aanhaldras
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to test the effectiveness of Agaricus bisporus inoculums (spawn) in the ratio of (0.25, 0.5 and 1%) v/v to control Pythium aphanidermatum fungus the causal agent of damping- off disease of cucumber plant. results showed the ability of A. bisporus fungus to protect the seedlings from incidence by P. aphanidermatum . all treatments of edible fungus inoculums were significantly different from pathogen treatment after 15 day of planting and there was no significant difference found from control treatment (without pathogen) . the successful of A. bisporus was continued to protect the seedlings after 30 and 45 day after planting. The numbers of seedlings were (8, 7.25 & 7.25) respectively compared to 5.5 seedlings in con
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Abstract
This paper concerned with study the effect of a graphite micro powder mixed in the kerosene dielectric fluid during powder mixing electric discharge machining (PMEDM) of high carbon high chromium AISI D2 steel. The type of electrode (copper and graphite), the pulse current and the pulse-on time and mixing powder in kerosene dielectric fluid are taken as the process main input parameters. The material removal rate MRR, the tool wear ratio TWR and the work piece surface roughness (SR) are taken as output parameters to measure the process performance. The experiments are planned using response surface methodology (RSM) design procedure. Empirical models are developed for MRR, TWR and SR, using the analysis
... Show MoreBackground: Fetal macrosomia is usually distressing to obstetricians and neonatologists. In the current study, involved mothers had poor social and medical circumstances, as they were migrated forcefully within the country borders due to war, from their original homeland to safer camps which had miserable situations. Objectives: To study rate, risk factors, and complications of macrosomia in people with low socio-economic living conditions and missed medical follow up. Methods: All internally displaced pregnant women who gave birth to neonates weighed ≥4000 g were involved in the study. All required history, examination, care, and investigations were practiced by the attending obstetrician and neonatologist. Cases of normal birth weight n
... Show MoreEmployee Stealing or internal theft is considered from the passive practices that can’t be denied or be hidden, In spite of the hospital privacy as a serving organization that works 24\7 and deleing with human lives, they weren’t infallible from that kind of practice. To prevent or reduce this practice, it was important to search for the organizational and behavioral factors influencing internal thefts. The study problem briefly is to reach the most organizational and behavioral factors influencing internal theft, in governmental hospitals in Baghdad Rusafa Health district, this was done by analyzing (20) administrative cases of thefts occurred in the District, also a sample of (60) specialist Doctor’s opinion work, in (3) hospital
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