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.
This research aims to knowledge of the scope of applying the international specification of which is regarded to occupational health and safety management system (OHSAS 18001) second edition for year 2007 by The AL-Mammon Factory / The General Company For Vegetable Oils Industry in order to diagnosis the gap between specification requirements and reality by using the checklist made based upon the items of the specification, after translating the English copy into Arabic. The results of the research and analysis that occupational health and safety management system in comparison to the specification requirements in all of its main items, which was (%22.26) applied and documented partly, this refer to the existence of great gap (%7
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Objective(s): To assess mothers’ knowledge about their children with sickle cell anemia and non-Pharmacological approaches to pain management and found some relationship between mothers knowledge and their demographic data of age, level of education, and occupation.
Methodology: A descriptive design used in the present study established was for a period from September 19th, 2020 to March 30th, 2021. The study was conducted on a non-probability (purposive) sample of (30) mother their children with sickle cell anemia was chosen. The data were analyzed through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical approaches which are applied by using SPSS version 22.0.
Results: The findings of the study indicated that moderate
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
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Flow-production systems whose pieces are connected in a row may not have maintenance scheduling procedures fixed because problems occur at different times (electricity plants, cement plants, water desalination plants). Contemporary software and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are used to fulfill the research objectives by developing a predictive maintenance program. The data of the fifth thermal unit of the power station for the electricity of Al Dora/Baghdad are used in this study. Three stages of research were conducted. First, missing data without temporal sequences were processed. The data were filled using time series hour after hour and the times were filled as system working hours, making the volume of the data relativel
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The coefficient of performance of a window type Air-Conditioner system can be improved if a reduction in the work of compressor can be achieved by a suitable technique. The present study investigates the effect of dispersing a low concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles in the mineral oil based lubricant, as well as on the overall performance of a window type Air-Conditioner system using R22 as the working fluid. An enhancement in the COP of the refrigeration system has been observed and the existence of an optimum volume fraction noticed, with low concentrations of nanoparticles suspended in the mineral oil. Results showed that the average compressor work reduced by 13.3%, which ultimately resulted in an increase of 11.99% in the COP due to
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This paper deals with a Twin Rotor Aerodynamic System (TRAS). It is a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) system with high crosscoupling between its two channels. It proposes a hybrid design procedure that combines frequency response and root locus approaches. The proposed controller is designated as PID-Lead Compensator (PIDLC); the PID controller was designed in previous work using frequency response design specifications, while the lead compensator is proposed in this paper and is designed using the root locus method. A general explicit formula for angle computations in any of the four quadrants is also given. The lead compensator is designed by shifting the dominant closed-loop poles slightly to the left in the
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Dust and bird residue are problems impeding the operation of solar street lighting systems, especially in semi-desert areas, such as Iraq. The system in this paper was designed and developed locally using simple and inexpensive materials. The system runs automatically. It Connects to solar panels used in solar street lighting, and gets the required electricity from the same solar system. Solar panels are washed with dripping water in less than half a minute by this system. The cleaning period can also be controlled. It can also control, sensing the amount of dust the system operates. The impact of different types of falling dust on panels has also been studied. This was collected from different winds and studied their impact o
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This paper deals with a Twin Rotor Aerodynamic System (TRAS). It is a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) system with high crosscoupling between its two channels. It proposes a hybrid design procedure that combines frequency response and root locus approaches. The proposed controller is designated as PID-Lead Compensator (PIDLC); the PID controller was designed in previous work using frequency response design specifications, while the lead compensator is proposed in this paper and is designed using the root locus method. A general explicit formula for angle computations in any of the four quadrants is also given. The lead compensator is designed by shifting the dominant closed-loop poles slightly to the left in the s-plane. This has the effect
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