Acute DOB and PMA Administration Impairs Motor and Sensorimotor Responses in Mice and Causes Hallucinogenic Effects in Adult Zebrafish

The drastic increase in hallucinogenic compounds in illicit drug markets of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is a worldwide threat. Among these, 2, 5-dimetoxy-4-bromo-amphetamine (DOB) and paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA; marketed as "ecstasy") are frequently purchased on the dark web and consumed for recreational purposes during rave/dance parties. In fact, these two substances seem to induce the same effects as MDMA, which could be due to their structural similarities. According to users, DOB and PMA share the same euphoric effects: increasing of the mental state, increasing sociability and empathy. Users also experienced loss of memory, temporal distortion, and paranoia following the repetition of the same thought. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the acute systemic administration of DOB and PMA (0.01-30 mg/kg; i.p.) on motor, sensorimotor (visual, acoustic, and tactile), and startle/PPI responses in CD-1 male mice. Moreover, the pro-psychedelic effect of DOB (0.075-2 mg/kg) and PMA (0.0005-0.5 mg/kg) was investigated by using zebrafish as a model. DOB and PMA administration affected spontaneous locomotion and impaired behaviors and startle/PPI responses in mice. In addition, the two compounds promoted hallucinatory states in zebrafish by reducing the hallucinatory score and swimming activity in hallucinogen-like states

COVID-19 in Infants Less than 3 Months: Severe or Not Severe Disease?

Compared to adults, severe or fatal COVID-19 disease is much less common in children. However, a higher risk for progression has been reported in infants. Different pediatric COVID-19 severity scores are reported in the literature

INERTIZATION OF CHROMIUM LIQUID WASTE IN INORGANIC POLYMERS VIA ALKALI ACTIVATION OF METAKAOLIN

In the present work, a hazardous waste deriving from the colouring process of ceramic tiles surfaces was immobilized in geopolymeric inorganic matrix. This waste is in liquid homogeneous form composed prevalently of aqueous solutions of metals compounds which develop colours during the firing cycle. The colorant solution contains Fe, Mo, Mn, Co, Cr, depending on the final colour, together with mineralisers and complexes. One of the innovative aspects of this research is the exploitation of water content of the waste and the absence of the drying step, the latter being a common step in the management of liquid hazardous wastes

Alkali activation processes for incinerator residues management

Incinerator bottom ash (BA) is produced in large amount worldwide and in Italy, where 5.1 millions tons of municipal solid residues have been incinerated in 2010, corresponding to 1.2–1.5 millions tons of produced bottom ash. This residue has been used in the present study for producing dense geopolymers containing high percentage (50–70 wt%) of ash. The amount of potentially reactive aluminosilicate fraction in the ash has been determined by means of test in NaOH. The final properties of geopolymers prepared with or without taking into account this reactive fraction have been compared. The results showed that due to the presence of both amorphous and crystalline fractions with a different degree of reactivity, the incinerator BA geopolymers exhibit significant differences in terms of Si/Al ratio and microstructure when reactive fraction is considered

The Non-Peptide Arginine-Vasopressin v1a Selective Receptor Antagonist, SR49059, Blocks the Rewarding, Prosocial, and Anxiolytic Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine and Its Derivatives in Zebra Fish

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its derivatives, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-amphetamine hydrobromide (DOB) and para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA), are recreational drugs whose pharmacological effects have recently been attributed to serotonin 5HT2A/C receptors. However, there is growing evidence that the oxytocin (OT)/vasopressin system can modulate some the effects of MDMA. In this study, MDMA (2.5–10 mg/kg), DOB (0.5 mg/kg), or PMA (0.005, 0.1, or 0.25 mg/kg) were administered intramuscularly to adult zebra fish, alone or in combination with the V1a vasopressin antagonist, SR49059 (0.01–1 ng/kg), before carrying out conditioned place preference (CPP), social preference, novel tank diving, and light–dark tests in order to evaluate subsequent rewarding, social, and emotional-like behavior. The combination of SR49059 and each drug progressively blocked: (1) rewarding behavior as measured by CPP in terms of time spent in drug-paired compartment; (2) prosocial effects measured on the basis of the time spent in the proximity of a nacre fish picture; and (3) anxiolytic effects in terms of the time spent in the upper half of the novel tank and in the white compartment of the tank used for the light–dark test. Antagonism was obtained at SR49059 doses which, when given alone, did not change motor function. In comparison with a control group, receiving vehicle alone, there was a three to five times increase in the brain release of isotocin (the analog of OT in fish) after treatment with the most active doses of MDMA (10 mg/kg), DOB (0.5 mg/kg), and PMA (0.1 mg/kg) as evaluated by means of bioanalytical reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Taken together, these findings show that the OT/vasopressin system is involved in the rewarding, prosocial, and anxiolytic effects of MDMA, DOB, and PMA in zebra fish and underline the association between this system and the behavioral alterations associated with disorders related to substance abuse

Procedimento per l'inertizzazione di rifiuti liquidi

Un procedimento per l’inertizzazione di rifiuti liquidi che comprende le fasi di: - selezionare un rifiuto liquido contenente ioni di metalli pesanti in soluzione, sali solubili e sostanza organica; - aggiungere a detto rifiuto liquido una polvere alluminosilicatica atta a geopolimerizzare; - mescolare fino all’ottenimento di un impasto omogeneo; e - essiccare l’impasto ottenuto

Alkali activation for geopolymers preparation

Ladle slag (LS) and urban incineration bottom ash (BA) are two wastes which are necessarily disposed of with few attention for re-use or recycling. Their chemical composition contains silica and alumina accompanied by lime and iron oxides. Mineralogically speaking a number of silicate and silicoaluminate phases are present combined with 20-30 vol% of amorphous matrix. The presence of an important amount of vitreous phase makes LS and BA particularly reactive in alkali media. The geopolymerisation process of 70 wt% of LS or of BA in a metakaolin matrix has been characterized in terms of morphology and crystalline phases evolution

Incinerator Bottom Ash and Ladle Slag for Geopolymers Preparation

Ladle slag (LS) and urban incineration bottom ash (BA) are two types of non hazardous inorganic wastes which do not contain significant amounts of pollutants such as heavy metals and organics. Nowadays they are necessarily disposed of with little attention placed for re-use or recycling. Considering their chemical composition, rich in silica and alumina with substantial levels of lime and iron oxides, these residues can be suitable for generating new alkali activated materials. A safe reuse of these residues in high percentages (60\u201370 wt%) is presented in this study for mortar production. The final room-temperature consolidated materials, also known as geopolymers, have been characterized in terms of thermogravimetric analysis, morphology, porosity, and crystalline phases evolution. When incinerator BA is used, the morphology of the resulting geopolymer is very close to that of pure metakaolinic pastes, whereas for LS based geopolymers calcium presence promotes the formation of calcium\u2013aluminate\u2013 silicate\u2013hydrate phase. This investigation also demonstrated that the content of reactive fraction of BA is of primary importance to assess its possible use in alkaline activation process