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.
Nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate is important for high yield and good quality of potato tubers. In this dissertation, I seek to study the response of different potato cultivars under different N fertilizer rates and how that can impact tuber quality, examine the performance of active optical sensors in improving a potato yield prediction algorithm, and evaluate the ability of active optical sensors (GreenSeeker (GS) and Crop Circle (CC)) to optimize a N recommendation algorithm that can be used by potato growers in Maine. This research was conducted at 11 sites over a period of two years (2018–2019) in Aroostook County, Maine; all sites depended on a rainfed system. Three potato cultivars, Russet Burbank, Superior, and Shepody, were planted u
... Show MorePersonal intelligence is thinking about an other person , understanding him, have sympathy and differentiation between people, and to appreciate their own point of view, with the sensitivity to their motives, behavior, and goals, so this intelligence involves dealing with a person or group of persons effectively and in normal or logical manner.
Emotions management is to achieve emotional balance by controlling the emotions continuously, self disciplining, keeping away from excitement sources, and dealing with bad situations in constructive way to achieve the psychological stability .
- the study aims
Background: Displaced intracapsular fracture of the femoral neck remain a challenging issue despite the advancement in the ways of treatment .The purpose of this study is to assess the results of different methods of treatment in different age groups. Methods: This study was conducted over a period from (1998-2004) on 26 patients, with ages of 5 – 85 years with intracapsular fracture of the femoral neck due to different insults in Tikrit teaching hospital. Open reduction and internal fixation was done to those patients of<60 years of age, while uncemented Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasty was conducted in patients of >60 years old. Patients were followed for 6-12 months for any complication. Results: The main age group among the pati
... Show MoreMoney matters exert a considerable influence on man’s life-style, social
rank and his relationship with other people. This paper aims at exploring the impact
of money matters on the characters’ inner feelings, social status, and personal
relationships in Muriel Spark’s modern novel The Ballad Of Peckham Rye. This
paper aspires to show that Spark’s subtle portrayal of characters reveals the
dominance of money matters over human and social relationships.
Muriel Spark ( 1918-2006) is a modern Scottish novelist whose wit and
detached sense of humour has brought her prolific body of both popular and critical
acclaim. Spark is interested not in building suspense but in exploring the moral
significance of the
After we completed this book search we must extraction most important the findings.
Event of war a majar impact on same as all human being but signed and its impact in the
psyche of iraqi woman unparalleled result of the suffering that were produced by these wars
that contributed to the destabilization of Her life at all levels a woman has lost her father,
husband and son an brother as well as extreme poverty caused by the economic blockade
brought in to existence wars that exacerbated the suffering was the woman to work and
economic in order to provide a living for her and her family and pre – empt the dreams and
ambitions so he excelled writer Iraqi in portraying the succession of wars that ate every thing
and
This study includes synthesis of some nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds linked to amino acid esters or heterocyclic amines that may have a potential activity as antimicrobial and/or cytotoxic. Quinolines are an important group of organic compounds that possess useful biological activity as antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor .8-Hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) and numerous of its derivatives exhibit potent activities against fungi and bacteria which make them good candidates for the treatment of many parasitic and microbial infection diseases.
These pharmacological properties of quinolones aroused our interest in synthesizing several new compounds featuring heterocyclic rings of the quinoline derivatives linke
... Show More
(1)
(79)
(81)
Mechanical and thermal properties of composites, consisted of unsaturated polyester resin, reinforced by different kinds of natural materials (Orange peels and Date seeds) and industrial materials (carbon and silica) with particle size 98 µm were studied. Various weight ratios, 5, 10, and 15 wt. % of natural and industrial materials have been infused into polyester. Tensile, three-point bending and thermal conductivity tests were conducted for the unfilled polyester, natural and industrial composite to identify the weight ratio effect on the properties of materials. The results indicated that when the weight ratio for polyester with date seeds increased from 10% to 15%, the maximum Young’s modulus decreased by 54%. When the weight rat
... Show More
(1)
In this work chemical vapor deposition method (CVD) for the production of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been improved by the addition of S. Steel mesh container (SSMC) inside which the catalyst (Fe/Al2O3) was placed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation method used to study nanotubes produced, showed that high yield of two types of (CNTs) obtained, single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNTs) with diameter and length of less than 50nm and several micrometers respectively and nanocoil tubes with a diameter and length of less than 100nm and several micrometers respectively. The chemical analysis of (CNTs) reveals that the main component is carbon (94%) and a little amount of Al (0.32%), Fe (2.22%) the reminder is oxygen. It was also fou
... Show More