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.
A robust and sensitive analytical method is presented for the extraction and determination of six pharmaceuticals in freshwater sediments.
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In this work, prepared new ligand namely 5-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-(3H)-thion, was obtained from the 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl chloride with hydrazine, after that reaxtion with CS2/KOH in methanol.
In this work lactone (1) was prepared from the reaction of p-nitro phenyl hydrazine with ethylacetoacetate, which upon treatment with benzoyl chloride afforded the lactame (2). The reaction of (2) with 2-amino phenol produced a new Schiff base (L) in good yield. Complexes of V(IV), Zr(IV), Rh(III), Pd(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) with the new Schiff base (L) have been prepared. The compounds (1, 2) were characterized by FT-IR and UV spectroscopy, as well as characterizing ligand (L) by the same techniques with elemental analysis (C.H.N) and (1H-NMR). The prepared complexes were identified and their structural geometries were suggested by using elemental analysis (C.H.N), flame atomic absorption technique, FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, in additio
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Organophosphorus insecticide and growth regulator namely Ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) are widely used as a ripening process accelerator and a cultivation duration inhibitor. Pomegranate extract (PPE) has recently been taken into consideration due to its pharmacological effects especially those associated with renal diseases. Thus, this study aims to investigate the possible protective effect of PPE against ethephon-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. In this study four groups of adult male rats were divided into control group, PPE 400 mg/kg group, Ethephon 250 mg/kg group, and finally, PPE + Ethephon group (treated with the same dose of PPE group and Ethephon group). In the current study, kidney function parameters (KIM-1, creatin
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Teachers play a critical role in planning, organizing, coordinating, monitoring, and instructing, hence the topic of leadership styles receives a lot of attention. As a result, the physical education school is regarded as the most significant component of the educational process because it has the ability to weave together the teaching and educational skills, attitudes, and capacities that its students develop. Fits into their identities through her relationship with them. Teachers play a critical role in planning, organizing, coordinating, monitoring, and instructing, hence the topic of leadership styles receives a lot of attention. As a result, the physical education school is regarded the most significant aspect in the educational proces
... Show MoreThe aim of this scientific study is to diagnose the nature of the relationship between academic education in the field of media, communication and media practice. The university offers theoretical and practical lessons to students on the concepts of communication sciences, theories, models, legislations, ethics, and techniques over three years or more. And the diploma in the field of communication and Media Sciences gives students the opportunity to work in the field of journalism and media in the future, this is what many academics and media thinkers in Algeria believe, while another trend sees the exact opposite: The study of information and communication sciences within the university in the form of theoretical lessons cannot contribu
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Background: Adenoiditis is a common cause of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children & perhaps OME is one of the most common diseases leads to hearing impairment in children with subsequent impairment of speech development & learning difficulties , however, treatment remains controversial. Objectives: To evaluate if there is a significant advantage of tympanostomy tube insertion in association with adenoidectomy over adenoidectomy in association with myringotomy alone in treatment of children with OMEType of the study: This is a prospective study. Patients & methods: The study consisted from 63 children diagnosed as cases of bilateral OME & variable degrees of adenoid hypertrophy. The patients were divided randomly i
... Show MoreThe present work reports an approach of hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods, which simplifies the production of low cost films with controlled morphology for H2S gas sensor application. The prepared ZnO nanorods exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite phase analyzed by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The FTIR spectra provide information that the band located between 465-570 cm-1 corresponds to the stretching bond of Zn-O, which confirms the creation of ZnO. PL spectroscopic studies showed that the doping of Ag NPs and f-MWCNT in the ZnO matrix leads to the tuning of the bandgap. The SEM analysis showed the morphology of ZnO was the nanorods. The nanocomposites Ag/ZnO and F-MWCNT/ZnO which prepared, sep
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Abstract. In this research, the uranium concentration in (16) water samples collected from some agricultural areas surrounded with AlTuwitha nuclear site in Baghdad-Iraq was measured by using a CR-39 detector. The concentration of uranium in this study was from (0.6 ± 0.33mg/l) to (2.51 ± 0.49 mg/l), and the weighted average for the concentrations (1.262 ± 0.402 mg/l). The results showed it is a concentration of uranium level in water samples studied is higher than the allowed limit recommended by WHO and ICRP.
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