Home Manufacture of Drugs: An Online Investigation and a Toxicological Reality Check of Online Discussions on Drug Chemistry

Emerging trends in market dynamics and the use of new psychoactive substances are both a public health concern and a complex regulatory issue. One novel area of investigation is the availability of homemade opioids, amphetamines and dissociatives, and the potential fueling of interest in clandestine home manufacture of drugs via the Internet. We illustrate here how online communal folk pharmacology of homemade drugs on drug website forums may actually inform home manufacture practices or contribute to the reduction of harms associated with this practice. Discrepancies between online information around purification and making homemade drugs safer, and the synthesis of the same substances in a proper laboratory environment, exist. Moderation and shutdown of synthesis queries and discussions online are grounded in drug websites adhering to harm-reduction principles by facilitating discussions around purification of homemade drugs only. Drug discussion forums should consider reevaluating their policies on chemistry discussions in aiming to reach people who cannot or will not refrain from cooking their own drugs with credible information that may contribute to reductions in the harms associated with this practice. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LL

Mass measurements near the rr-process path using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer

The masses of 40 neutron-rich nuclides from Z = 51 to 64 were measured at an average precision of $\delta m/m= 10^{-7}$ using the Canadian Penning Trap mass spectrometer at Argonne National Laboratory. The measurements, of fission fragments from a $^{252}$Cf spontaneous fission source in a helium gas catcher, approach the predicted path of the astrophysical $r$ process. Where overlap exists, this data set is largely consistent with previous measurements from Penning traps, storage rings, and reaction energetics, but large systematic deviations are apparent in $\beta$-endpoint measurements. Differences in mass excess from the 2003 Atomic Mass Evaluation of up to 400 keV are seen, as well as systematic disagreement with various mass models.Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures. v2 updated, published in Physical Review

Limit on Tensor Currents from Li 8 β Decay

In the standard model, the weak interaction is formulated with a purely vector-axial-vector (V-A) structure. Without restriction on the chirality of the neutrino, the most general limits on tensor currents from nuclear β decay are dominated by a single measurement of the β-ν¯ correlation in He6 β decay dating back over a half century. In the present work, the β-ν¯-α correlation in the β decay of Li8 and subsequent α-particle breakup of the Be8∗ daughter was measured. The results are consistent with a purely V-A interaction and in the case of couplings to right-handed neutrinos (CT=-CT′) limits the tensor fraction to |CT/CA|2\u3c0.011 (95.5% C.L.). The measurement confirms the He6 result using a different nuclear system and employing modern ion-trapping techniques subject to different systematic uncertainties

Tensor interaction limit derived from the α-β-ν̄ correlation in trapped Li8 ions

A measurement of the α-β-ν̄ angular correlation in the Gamow-Teller decay Li8→Be*8+ν̄+β, Be*8→ α+α has been performed using ions confined in a linear Paul trap surrounded by silicon detectors. The energy difference spectrum of the α particles emitted along and opposite the direction of the β particle is consistent with the standard model prediction and places a limit of 3.1% (95.5% confidence level) on any tensor contribution to the decay. From this result, the amplitude of any tensor component CT relative to that of the dominant axial-vector component CA of the electroweak interaction is limited to |CT/CA|\u3c0.18 (95.5% confidence level). This experimental approach is facilitated by several favorable features of the Li8 β decay and has different systematic effects than the previous β-ν̄ correlation results for a pure Gamow-Teller transition obtained from studying He6 β decay. © 2013 American Physical Society

β-delayed neutron spectroscopy using trapped radioactive ions

A novel technique for β-delayed neutron spectroscopy has been demonstrated using trapped ions. The neutron-energy spectrum is reconstructed by measuring the time of flight of the nuclear recoil following neutron emission, thereby avoiding all the challenges associated with neutron detection, such as backgrounds from scattered neutrons and γ rays and complicated detector-response functions. I+137 ions delivered from a Cf252 source were confined in a linear Paul trap surrounded by radiation detectors, and the β-delayed neutron-energy spectrum and branching ratio were determined by detecting the β- and recoil ions in coincidence. Systematic effects were explored by determining the branching ratio three ways. Improvements to achieve higher detection efficiency, better energy resolution, and a lower neutron-energy threshold are proposed. © 2013 American Physical Society

Phenotypic and Functional Properties of Helios+ Regulatory T Cells

Helios, an Ikaros family transcription factor, is preferentially expressed at the mRNA and protein level in regulatory T cells. Helios expression previously appeared to be restricted to thymic-derived Treg. Consistent with recent data, we show here that Helios expression is inducible in vitro under certain conditions. To understand phenotypic and functional differences between Helios+ and Helios− Treg, we profiled cell-surface markers of FoxP3+ Treg using unmanipulated splenocytes. We found that CD103 and GITR are expressed at high levels on a subset of Helios+ Treg and that a Helios+ Treg population could be significantly enriched by FACS sorting using these two markers. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis revealed increased TGF-β message in Helios+ Treg, consistent with the possibility that this population possesses enhanced regulatory potential. In tumor-bearing mice, we found that Helios+ Treg were relatively over-represented in the tumor-mass, and BrdU studies showed that, in vivo, Helios+ Treg proliferated more than Helios− Treg. We hypothesized that Helios-enriched Treg might exert increased suppressive effects. Using in vitro suppression assays, we show that Treg function correlates with the absolute number of Helios+ cells in culture. Taken together, these data show that Helios+ Treg represent a functional subset with associated CD103 and GITR expression

Model projections on the impact of HCV treatment in the prevention of HCV transmission among people who inject drugs in Europe"

Prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID) is critical for eliminating HCV in Europe. We estimated the impact of current and scaled-up HCV treatment with and without scaling up opioid substitution therapy (OST) and needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) across Europe over the next 10 years. We collected data on PWID HCV treatment rates, PWID prevalence, HCV prevalence, OST, and NSP coverage from 11 European settings. We parameterised an HCV transmission model to setting-specific data that project chronic HCV prevalence and incidence among PWID. At baseline, chronic HCV prevalence varied from <25% (Slovenia/Czech Republic) to >55% (Finland/Sweden), and <2% (Amsterdam/Hamburg/Norway/Denmark/Sweden) to 5% (Slovenia/Czech Republic) of chronically infected PWID were treated annually. The current treatment rates using new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) may achieve observable reductions in chronic prevalence (38-63%) in 10 years in Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Amsterdam. Doubling the HCV treatment rates will reduce prevalence in other sites (12-24%; Belgium/Denmark/Hamburg/Norway/Scotland), but is unlikely to reduce prevalence in Sweden and Finland. Scaling-up OST and NSP to 80% coverage with current treatment rates using DAAs could achieve observable reductions in HCV prevalence (18-79%) in all sites. Using DAAs, Slovenia and Amsterdam are projected to reduce incidence to 2 per 100 person years or less in 10 years. Moderate to substantial increases in the current treatment rates are required to achieve the same impact elsewhere, from 1.4 to 3 times (Czech Republic and France), 5-17 times (France, Scotland, Hamburg, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden), to 200 times (Finland). Scaling-up OST and NSP coverage to 80% in all sites reduces treatment scale-up needed by 20-80%. The scale-up of HCV treatment and other interventions is needed in most settings to minimise HCV transmission among PWID in Europe. Measuring the amount of HCV in the population of PWID is uncertain. To reduce HCV infection to minimal levels in Europe will require scale-up of both HCV treatment and other interventions that reduce injecting risk (especially OST and provision of sterile injecting equipment

Detecting ‘poachers’ with drones: Factors influencing the probability of detection with TIR and RGB imaging in miombo woodlands, Tanzania

Conservation biologists increasingly employ drones to reduce poaching of animals. However, there are no published studies on the probability of detecting poachers and the factors influencing detection. In an experimental setting with voluntary subjects, we evaluated the influence of various factors on poacher detection probability: camera (visual spectrum: RGB and thermal infrared: TIR), density of canopy cover, subject distance from the image centreline, subject contrast against the background, altitude of the drone and image analyst. We manually analysed the footage and marked all recorded subject detections. A multilevel model was used to analyse the TIR image data and a general linear model approach was used for the RGB image data. We found that the TIR camera had a higher detection probability than the RGB camera. Detection probability in TIR images was significantly influenced by canopy density, subject distance from the centreline and the analyst. Detection probability in RGB images was significantly influenced by canopy density, subject contrast against the background, altitude and the analyst. Overall, our findings indicate that TIR cameras improve human detection, particularly at cooler times of the day, but this is significantly hampered by thick vegetation cover. The effects of diminished detection with increased distance from the image centreline can be improved by increasing the overlap between images although this requires more flights over a specific area. Analyst experience also contributed to increased detection probability, but this might cease being a problem following the development of automated detection using machine learning

Perzentile für den Body-mass-Index für das Kindes- und Jugendalter unter Heranziehung verschiedener deutscher Stichproben

Fragestellung: Sowohl die Childhood Group der International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) als auch die European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) empfehlen den Body-mass-Index als Beurteilungskriterium für Übergewicht und Adipositas bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Im Erwachsenenalter erfolgt die Definition von Übergewicht und Adipositas anhand fester Grenzwerte, bei der Beurteilung von Kindern und Jugendlichen müssen die alters- und geschlechtsspezifischen Veränderungen des BMI berücksichtigt werden. Methode: Unter Heranziehung von 17 bereits durchgeführten Untersuchungen aus verschiedenen Regionen Deutschlands wurden BMI-Perzentile für Kinder und Jugendliche erstellt. Die Berechnung der Perzentile basiert auf den Körperhöhen- und Körpergewichtsdaten von 17.147 Jungen und 17.275 Mädchen im Alter von 0–18 Jahren. Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerung: Die vorgestellten Perzentile sollten als Referenz für deutsche Kinder und Jugendliche angewendet werden. Die Arbeitsgemeinschaft „Adipositas im Kindes- und Jugendalter“ (AGA) hat in ihren Leitlinien die Anwendung der hier vorgestellten 90. und 97. Perzentile zur Definition von Übergewicht und Adipositas empfohlen.Objectives: Both the Childhood Group of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) recommend to use the body mass index (BMI = weight in kilograms/height in meter2) to evaluate overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Whereas it is customary with adults to use fixed cut off points to define overweight and obesity, in children and adolescents age and sex specific developmental changes in BMI need to be addressed, which are due to physiological alterations of fat mass. Method: Because a national reference population for children and adolescents does not exist in Germany, a BMI reference data set was compiled. Therefore measurements of height and weight from 17 different regional studies including 17147 boys and 17275 girls aged 0 to 18 years were used. Results and conclusions: We recommend the use of the presented percentiles as reference to asses under- and overweight (obesity) in German children and adolescents. In the guidelines of the “Arbeitsgruppe Adipositas im Kindes- und Jugendalter”(AGA) the 90th and 97th BMI percentiles as calculated in this reference population are proposed as cut-off points for the definition of overweight and obesity in German children and adolescents

Magnetic Resonance Thermometry at 7T for Real-Time Monitoring and Correction of Ultrasound Induced Mild Hyperthermia

While Magnetic Resonance Thermometry (MRT) has been extensively utilized for non-invasive temperature measurement, there is limited data on the use of high field (≥7T) scanners for this purpose. MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a promising non-invasive method for localized hyperthermia and drug delivery. MRT based on the temperature sensitivity of the proton resonance frequency (PRF) has been implemented in both a tissue phantom and in vivo in a mouse Met-1 tumor model, using partial parallel imaging (PPI) to speed acquisition. An MRgFUS system capable of delivering a controlled 3D acoustic dose during real time MRT with proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) feedback control was developed and validated. Real-time MRT was validated in a tofu phantom with fluoroptic temperature measurements, and acoustic heating simulations were in good agreement with MR temperature maps. In an in vivo Met-1 mouse tumor, the real-time PID feedback control is capable of maintaining the desired temperature with high accuracy. We found that real time MR control of hyperthermia is feasible at high field, and k-space based PPI techniques may be implemented for increasing temporal resolution while maintaining temperature accuracy on the order of 1°C