Results of an international drug testing service for cryptomarket users

Introduction: User surveys indicate that expectations of higher drug purity are a key reason for cryptomarket use. In 2014-2015, Spain's NGO Energy Control conducted a 1-year pilot project to provide a testing service to cryptomarket drug users using the Transnational European Drug Information (TEDI) guidelines. In this paper, we present content and purity data from the trial. Methods: 219 samples were analyzed by gas chromatography associated with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Users were asked to report what substance they allegedly purchased. Results: 40 different advertised substances were reported, although 77.6% were common recreational drugs (cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines, LSD, ketamine, cannabis). In 200 samples (91.3%), the main result of analysis matched the advertised substance. Where the advertised compound was detected, purity levels (m. ±. SD) were: cocaine 71.6. ±. 19.4%; MDMA (crystal) 88.3. ±. 1.4%; MDMA (pills) 133.3. ±. 38.4. mg; Amphetamine (speed) 51.3. ±. 33.9%; LSD 123.6. ±. 40.5. µg; Cannabis resin THC: 16.5. ±. 7.5% CBD: 3.4. ±. 1.5%; Ketamine 71.3. ±. 38.4%. 39.8% of cocaine samples contained the adulterant levamisole (11.6. ±. 8%). No adulterants were found in MDMA and LSD samples. Discussion: The largest collection of test results from drug samples delivered from cryptomarkets are reported in this study. Most substances contained the advertised ingredient and most samples were of high purity. The representativeness of these results is unknown

Therapeutic Exercise and Pain Neurophysiology Education in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Feasibility Study

Background: We compared the effects of therapeutic exercise (TE) combined with pain neurophysiology education (PNE) to those of TE in isolation on pain intensity, general fibromyalgia impact, mechanical pain sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, psychological distress and quality of life in women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Methods: A feasibility study with a 3 month follow-up was designed. Thirty-two patients with FMS were randomly assigned to PNE + TE group (n = 16) or to TE group (n = 16). Both groups received 30 sessions of TE (3 per week), and the PNE + TE group received eight face-to-face educational sessions. The measuring instruments used were the visual analogue scale, a standard pressure algometer, the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Results: The PNE + TE group showed a statistically significant decrease on pain intensity compared to TE group at short term (p = 0.015). No between-groups differences were found for mechanical pain sensitivity, general fibromyalgia impact, pain catastrophizing, psychological distress or quality of life (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The combination of PNE and TE was more effective than TE for reducing pain intensity in the short-term. No differences were found for psychological distress, pain catastrophizing and quality of life after the intervention or at 3 months of follow-up

Dissect: detection and characterization of novel structural alterations in transcribed sequences

Motivation: Computational identification of genomic structural variants via high-throughput sequencing is an important problem for which a number of highly sophisticated solutions have been recently developed. With the advent of high-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), the problem of identifying structural alterations in the transcriptome is now attracting significant attention

Inversion charge study in TMO hole-selective contact-based solar cells

© 2023 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes,creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.In this article, we study the effect of the inversion charge ( Q inv ) in a solar cell based on the hole-selective characteristic of substoichiometric molybdenum oxide (MoO x ) and vanadium oxide (VO x ) deposited directly on n-type silicon. We measure the capacitance–voltage ( C – V ) curves of the solar cells at different frequencies and explain the results taking into account the variation of the space charge and the existence of Q inv in the c-Si inverted region. The high-frequency capacitance measurements follow the Schottky metal–semiconductor theory, pointing to a low inversion charge influence in these measurements. However, for frequencies lower than 20 kHz, an increase in the capacitance is observed, which we relate to the contribution of the inversion charge. In addition, applying the metal–semiconductor theory to the high-frequency measurements, we have obtained the built-in voltage potential and show new evidence about the nature of the conduction process in this structure. This article provides a better understanding of the transition metal oxide/n-type crystalline silicon heterocontact.The authors would like to acknowledge the CAI de Técnicas Físicas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. The authors would also like to thank the Mexican grants program CONACyT for its financial collaboration.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

High-quality single-crystalline epitaxial regrowth on pulsed laser melting of Ti implanted GaAs

8 pags., 8 figs.We present a detailed investigation on the formation of supersaturated GaAs using Ti+ implantation followed by nanosecond Pulsed Laser Melting (PLM). We have synthesized high-crystal quality supersaturated GaAs layers with concentrations of Ti above the insulator to metal transition (Mott limit). The Ti-implanted concentration depth profiles after PLM obtained by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) show a redistribution of Ti impurities within the first hundred nanometers and superficial concentration up to 1 × 1021 cm−3. Raman spectroscopy of these Ti supersaturated, and regrown GaAs samples shows a sharp crystalline peak and tensile strain due to the Ti lattice incorporation. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and high-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images show a good GaAs crystallinity after the PLM process. Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) reveals an enhanced Ti signal inside bubble-like structures and an appearance of interface oxide layer with all processed samples.Authors would like to acknowledge C.A.I. de Tecnicas Físicas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid for ion implantation, and the technical. This work was partially supported by the Project MADRIDPV2 (Grant No. P20138/EMT-4308) funded by the Comunidad Autonoma de Madrid with the support of FEDER funds, by the Spanish MINECO (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad) under grants PID2020-116508RB-I00, PID2020-117498RB-I00 and RTI2018-096498-B-I00. One of the authors (S. Algaidy) would also like to acknowledge financial support from Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. D.Caudevilla would also like to acknowledge a grant (PRE2018-083798), financed by MICINN and European Social Fund. F. Perez-Zenteno would like to acknowledge financial support Mexico grant program CONACyT under grant 786327. The authors would like to also acknowledge the services of CAI de Espectroscopia of UCM, (INA-LMA) de Universidad de Zaragoza and C.A.C.T.I de Universidad de Vigo for Raman, FIB-SEM and SIMS, respectivelyPeer reviewe

Health and social problems associated with recent Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) use amongst marginalised, nightlife and online users in six European countries.

Continued diversification and use of new psychoactive substances (NPS) across Europe remains a public health challenge. The study describes health and social consequences of recent NPS use as reported in a survey of marginalised, nightlife and online NPS users in the Netherlands, Hungary, Portugal, Ireland, Germany and Poland (n = 3023). Some respondents were unable to categorise NPS they had used. Use of ‘herbal blends’ and ‘synthetic cannabinoids obtained pure’ was most reported in Germany, Poland and Hungary, and use of ‘branded stimulants’ and ‘stimulants/empathogens/nootropics obtained pure’ was most reported in the Netherlands. Increased heart rate and palpitation, dizziness, anxiety, horror trips and headaches were most commonly reported acute side effects. Marginalised users reported substantially more acute side effects, more mid- and long-term mental and physical problems, and more social problems. Development of country-specific NPS awareness raising initiatives, health and social service needs assessments, and targeted responses are warranted

High-quality single-crystalline epitaxial regrowth on pulsed laser melting of Ti implanted GaAs

We present a detailed investigation on the formation of supersaturated GaAs using Ti+ implantation followed by nanosecond Pulsed Laser Melting (PLM). We have synthesized high-crystal quality supersaturated GaAs layers with concentrations of Ti above the insulator to metal transition (Mott limit). The Ti-implanted concentration depth profiles after PLM obtained by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) show a redistribution of Ti impurities within the first hundred nanometers and superficial concentration up to 1 × 1021 redistr cm-3. Raman spectroscopy of these Ti supersaturated, and regrown GaAs samples shows a sharp crystalline peak and tensile strain due to the Ti lattice incorporation. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) and high-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images show a good GaAs crystallinity after the PLM process. Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) reveals an enhanced Ti signal inside bubble-like structures and an appearance of interface oxide layer with all processed samples

The Dynamic Landscape of Novel Psychoactive Substance (NPS) Use in Ireland: Results from an Expert Consultation

In Ireland, legislators encountered a new phenomenon in 2005 onwards with the advent of ‘legal highs’ sold in headshops. Use of ‘legal highs’ containing herbal and synthetic new psychoactive substances (NPS) was not confined to problematic drug users, and included social recreational users. Legislative controls were enacted in 2010, 2011 and 2015. The study aimed to investigate expert perspectives on the NPS situation with regard to changing and emergent trends in use, health and social consequences and service implications. This brief report presents descriptive findings from a national consultation using a structured guide with experts in 2016. Four themes emerged and centred on; ‘Definitions of NPS used within Professional Roles’; ‘Professional Experiences of NPS‘; ‘Types of NPS Users, Sourcing and Consequences of Use’; and ‘Service Response.’ Findings underscored the mental health and addiction related consequences of NPS use, with prevention, clinical and treatment services ill- equipped to deal with the particular characteristics of this form of drug abuse. Enhanced strategies, services and clinical responses are warranted to address the challenges encountered. © 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New Yor

Controlled Chaos of Polymorphic Mucins in a Metazoan Parasite (Schistosoma mansoni) Interacting with Its Invertebrate Host (Biomphalaria glabrata)

Invertebrates were long thought to possess only a simple, effective and hence non-adaptive defence system against microbial and parasitic attacks. However, recent studies have shown that invertebrate immunity also relies on immune receptors that diversify (e.g. in echinoderms, insects and mollusks (Biomphalaria glabrata)). Apparently, individual or population-based polymorphism-generating mechanisms exists that permit the survival of invertebrate species exposed to parasites. Consequently, the generally accepted arms race hypothesis predicts that molecular diversity and polymorphism also exist in parasites of invertebrates. We investigated the diversity and polymorphism of parasite molecules (Schistosoma mansoni Polymorphic Mucins, SmPoMucs) that are key factors for the compatibility of schistosomes interacting with their host, the mollusc Biomphalaria glabrata. We have elucidated the complex cascade of mechanisms acting both at the genomic level and during expression that confer polymorphism to SmPoMuc. We show that SmPoMuc is coded by a multi-gene family whose members frequently recombine. We show that these genes are transcribed in an individual-specific manner, and that for each gene, multiple splice variants exist. Finally, we reveal the impact of this polymorphism on the SmPoMuc glycosylation status. Our data support the view that S. mansoni has evolved a complex hierarchical system that efficiently generates a high degree of polymorphism—a “controlled chaos”—based on a relatively low number of genes. This contrasts with protozoan parasites that generate antigenic variation from large sets of genes such as Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei and Plasmodium falciparum. Our data support the view that the interaction between parasites and their invertebrate hosts are far more complex than previously thought. While most studies in this matter have focused on invertebrate host diversification, we clearly show that diversifying mechanisms also exist on the parasite side of the interaction. Our findings shed new light on how and why invertebrate immunity develops

Interplay between Exonic Splicing Enhancers, mRNA Processing, and mRNA Surveillance in the Dystrophic Mdx Mouse

BACKGROUND: Pre-mRNA splicing, the removal of introns from RNA, takes place within the spliceosome, a macromolecular complex composed of five small nuclear RNAs and a large number of associated proteins. Spliceosome assembly is modulated by the 5′ and 3′ splice site consensus sequences situated at the ends of each intron, as well as by exonic and intronic splicing enhancers/silencers recognized by SR and hnRNP proteins. Nonsense mutations introducing a premature termination codon (PTC) often result in the activation of cellular quality control systems that reduce mRNA levels or alter the mRNA splicing pattern. The mdx mouse, a commonly used genetic model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), lacks dystrophin by virtue of a premature termination codon (PTC) in exon 23 that also severely reduces the level of dystrophin mRNA. However, the effect of the mutation on dystrophin RNA processing has not yet been described. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: Using combinations of different biochemical and cellular assays, we found that the mdx mutation partially disrupts a multisite exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) that is recognized by a 40 kDa SR protein. In spite of the presence of an inefficient intron 22 3′ splice site containing the rare GAG triplet, the mdx mutation does not activate nonsense-associated altered splicing (NAS), but induces exclusively nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). Functional binding sites for SR proteins were also identified in exon 22 and 24, and in vitro experiments show that SR proteins can mediate direct association between exon 22, 23, and 24. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings highlight the complex crosstalk between trans-acting factors, cis-elements and the RNA surveillance machinery occurring during dystrophin mRNA processing. Moreover, they suggest that dystrophin exon–exon interactions could play an important role in preventing mdx exon 23 skipping, as well as in facilitating the pairing of committed splice sites