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.
Competitive advantage is a substantial strategic objective for organizations. It requires high levels in the quality of products and services provided to customers, continuous improvement of costing , care for creativity and innovative employees, and speed unique to the marketing and financial engineering, and business re-engineering processes. The situation in this area, requires actors to attract and develop human resources, including help in proper implementation of the strategic tasks that targeted by those institutions. According to the opinions and viewpoints of management scholars, the competitive advantage resource is the most important issue for organizations in the third millennium, which can be a
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Background: The use of minerals in treatment of different diseases is as old as man himself. zinc is the most famous trace mineral related to male sexual function. Oligoasthenozoospermic subfertile patients were treated with zinc sulphate for three months.
Objectives: Aim of the research is to investigate the role of Zinc and if it affects the abnormalities of some semen parameters and to study the possible role of pharmaceutical preperations of zinc in amelioration of male subfertility as well as to assess the ability of Zinc to induce changes in the serum and semen zinc levels in addition to the levels of reproductive hormones (FSH and Testosterone).
Type of the study:
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In our research, we seek to shed a light on one of the most important and sensitive issues, namely, the Sufi influence in the Iraqi novel through the lame maqam of the novelist Jumaa Al-Lami, the Sufi discourse contains many semantic paradoxes between the text's apparent pronunciation and its interpretation of the format and the context that produced these patterns, and incited them, which concludes different results from the prevailing provisions and fixed ideas from the narrative text.The Arabic and Iraqi novel in particular became inspired by the power of Sufi discourse by talking about several Sufi figures by referring to it openly, or implicitly inspired by unauthorized concealment, in employing some of the ideas, or summoning
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Obesity is an escalating health problem in developing countries. One to ten children worldwide are overweight in a report showed by the International Obesity Task Force. Ghrelin, orexigenic peptide, has 28 amino acids, it is considered the greatest remarkable promotion in the last two decades for understanding the physiological changes of action regulating food intake and hunger. Obestatin is a 23-amino acid peptide nearly connected to ghrelin that secures from substitutio
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Abstract
The net profit reported in the annual financial statements of the companies listed in the financial markets, is considered one of the Sources of information relied upon by users of accounting information in making their investment decisions. At the same time be relied upon in calculating the bonus (Incentives) granted to management, therefore the management of companies to manipulate those numbers in order to increase those bonuses associated to earnings, This practices are called earnings management practices. the manipulation in the figures of earnings by management will mislead the users of financial statements who depend on reported earnings in their deci
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Objective : Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common neurological disease deeply linked with the immune-inflammatory disorders whereas the term (multiple) mostly refers to the multi-focal zones of Inflammation caused by lymphocytes and macrophages infiltration besides oligodendrocytes death. Accordingly , the dysfunctional immune system able to damage myelin ( a pivotal component of the central nervous system ) which responsible for communication among neurons. The aim of the present study is to innovate a biochemical relationship between MS and thyroid hormones (THs) by highlighting immunological responses and also to examine the action of Interferon beta (IFNβ) drug on thyroid hormone (THs) and thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH). Materials and
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To track scientific developments and achievements, for example, that (achieved) after the Second World War until this moment, make each of us in absolute amazement. He invented the computer, discovered the genetic factor (DNA), and discovered the drawing of the human genetic map, going up to the moon, penetrating outer space by satellites, getting close to distant planets, producing jet planes, microprocessors, and lasers, in addition to enabling a person to create a layer of The material is extremely thin and extremely imaginative. It has also become possible for a person to "dig lines that do not exceed 20 billion meters of thickness." The human being was also able to collect things an atom and build an efficient and high-precision con
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The effect of micro-and nano silica particles (silica SiO2 (100 μm), Fused silica (12nm)) on some mechanical properties of epoxy resin was investigated (Young's modulus, Flexural strength). The micro-and nano composites were prepared by using three steps process with different volume fraction of micro-and nano particles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20 vol. %). Flexural strength and Young's modulus of nano composites were increased at low volume fraction (max. enhancement at 4 vol.% ). However at higher volume fraction both Young's modulus and flexural strength decrease. Moreover, above, the mechanical properties are enhanced more than that of neat epoxy resin. The flexural strength decreases with increasing the volume fraction of micr
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