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.
Concentrated research topic in the study of key variables in the work of the inspectors general offices , which are in the application of quality management standards audit work and reduce the incidence of corruption. It highlights the importance of current research in being a serious attempt aimed at highlighting the role of the importance of standards of quality management audit work , because they represent a router and leader of the accountant or ( Sergeant ) in the performance of his work and the extent of compliance with these standards , as well as highlight the role of quality audit in reducing the incidence of corruption , of during the professional performance of Higher auditors and determine the responsibilities entrus
... Show MoreAbstract:- Cyberspace is a new arena for conflict between international powers, especially since the cost of cyber-conflict is less than its traditional warfare counterparts regardless of the nature of the weapons used, whether traditional or non-traditional. Cyber conflict is necessarily based on strategies to deter, attack, and defend. The aim of the cybercrime conflict is to ensure the defensive sufficiency of the state, ensuring its national security and safeguarding its supreme interests. Despite Japan-China relations characterized by convergence and cooperation in post-Cold War economic spheres, Japan continues to retain the growing Chinese influence in East Asia. These variables prompted Japan to announce a hedging strategy due to un
... Show MoreThe software-defined network (SDN) is a new technology that separates the control plane from data plane for the network devices. One of the most significant issues in the video surveillance system is the link failure. When the path failure occurs, the monitoring center cannot receive the video from the cameras. In this paper, two methods are proposed to solve this problem. The first method uses the Dijkstra algorithm to re-find the path at the source node switch. The second method uses the Dijkstra algorithm to re-find the path at the ingress node switch (or failed link).
... Show MoreA general velocity profile for a laminar flow over a flat plate with zero incidence is obtained by employing a new boundary condition to the other available boundary conditions. The general velocity profile is mathematically simple and nearest to the exact solution. Also other related values, boundary layer thickness, displacement thickness, momentum thickness and coefficient of friction are nearest to the exact solution compared with other corresponding values for other researchers.
A general velocity profile for a laminar flow over a flat plate with zero incidence is obtained by employing a new boundary condition to the other available boundary conditions. The general velocity profile is mathematically simple and nearest to the exact solution. Also other related values, boundary layer thickness, displacement thickness, momentum thickness and coefficient of friction are nearest to the exact solution compared with other corresponding values for other researchers.
In this paper, we will study non parametric model when the response variable have missing data (non response) in observations it under missing mechanisms MCAR, then we suggest Kernel-Based Non-Parametric Single-Imputation instead of missing value and compare it with Nearest Neighbor Imputation by using the simulation about some difference models and with difference cases as the sample size, variance and rate of missing data.
A recently reported Nile red (NR) dye conjugated with benzothiadiazole species paves the way for the development of novel organic-based sensitizers used in solar cells whose structures are susceptible to modifications. Thus, six novel NR structures were derived from two previously developed structures in laboratories. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) were used to determine the optoelectronic properties of the NR-derived moieties such as absorption spectra. Various linkers were investigated in an attempt to understand the impact of π-linkers on the optoelectronic properties. According to the findings, the presence of furan species led to the planarity of the molecule and a reduction
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