4,258 research outputs found
A systematic review of adverse events arising from the use of synthetic cannabinoids and their associated treatment
Context: Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) such as âSpiceâ, âK2â, etc. are widely available via the internet despite increasing legal restrictions. Currently, the prevalence of use is typically low in the general community (<1%) although it is higher among students and some niche groups subject to drug testing. Early evidence suggests that adverse outcomes associated with the use of SCs may be more prevalent and severe than those arising from cannabis consumption. Objectives: To identify systematically the scientific reports of adverse events associated with the consumption of SCs in the medical literature and poison centre data. Method: We searched online databases (Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, Google Scholar and Pubmed) and manually searched reference lists up to December 2014. To be eligible for inclusion, data had to be from hospital, emergency department, drug rehabilitation services or poison centre records of adverse events involving SCs and included both self-reported and/or analytically confirmed consumption. Results: From 256 reports, we identified 106 eligible studies including 37 conference abstracts on about 4000 cases involving at least 26 deaths. Major complications include cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and emboli), acute kidney injury (AKI), generalized tonic-clonic seizures, psychiatric presentations (including first episode psychosis, paranoia, self-harm/suicide ideation) and hyperemesis. However, most presentations were not serious, typically involved young males with tachycardia (â37â77%), agitation (â16â41%) and nausea (â13â94%) requiring only symptomatic care with a length of stay of less than 8 hours. Conclusions: SCs most frequently result in tachycardia, agitation and nausea. These symptoms typically resolve with symptomatic care, including intravenous fluids, benzodiazepines and anti-emetics, and may not require inpatient care. Severe adverse events (stroke, seizure, myocardial infarction, rhabdomyolysis, AKI, psychosis and hyperemesis) and associated deaths manifest less commonly. Precise estimates of their incidence are difficult to calculate due to the lack of widely available, rapid laboratory confirmation, the variety of SC compounds and the unknown number of exposed individuals. Long-term consequences of SCs use are currently unknown
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Evaluation of Non-photorealistic 3D Urban Models for Mobile Device Navigation.
JHK Magnitudes for L and T Dwarfs and Infrared Photometric Systems
L and T dwarfs emit most of their radiation in the near infrared and their
spectral energy distributions are dominated by strong molecular absorption
bands. These highly structured energy distributions lead to JHK magnitudes that
are extremely sensitive to the exact filter bandpass used. In the case of the T
dwarfs, the differences between commonly used photometric systems can be as
large as 0.4 mag at J and 0.5 mag at J-K. To address this problem, we have
synthesized J,H and K magnitudes for some of the common photometric systems and
present transformation equations. If the spectral type of the dwarf is known,
our transformations allow data to be converted between systems to 0.01 mag,
which is better than the typical measurement uncertainty. Transforming on the
basis of color alone is more difficult because of the degeneracy and intrinsic
scatter in near-infrared colors of L and T dwarfs; in this case J magnitudes
can only be transformed to < 0.05 mag and H and K to < 0.02 mag.Comment: 26 pages including 9 figures, uses aastex, to be published in PASP
Jan 200
Evidence of two viscous relaxation processes in the collective dynamics of liquid lithium
New inelastic X-ray scattering experiments have been performed on liquid
lithium in a wide wavevector range. With respect to the previous measurements,
the instrumental resolution, improved up to 1.5 meV, allows to accurately
investigate the dynamical processes determining the observed shape of the the
dynamic structure factor, . A detailed analysis of the lineshapes
shows the co-existence of relaxation processes with both a slow and a fast
characteristic timescales, and therefore that pictures of the relaxation
mechanisms based on a simple viscoelastic model must be abandoned.Comment: 5 pages, 4 .PS figure
High-Temperature series for the lattice spin model (generalized Maier-Saupe model of nematic liquid crystals) in two space dimensions and with general spin dimensionality n
High temperature series expansions of the spin-spin correlation functions of
the RP^{n-1} spin model on the square lattice are computed through order
beta^{8} for general spin dimensionality n. Tables are reported for the
expansion coefficients of the energy per site, the susceptibility and the
second correlation moment.Comment: 6 pages, revtex, IFUM 419/FT, 2 figures not include
Hydrophobic and ionic-interactions in bulk and confined water with implications for collapse and folding of proteins
Water and water-mediated interactions determine thermodynamic and kinetics of
protein folding, protein aggregation and self-assembly in confined spaces. To
obtain insights into the role of water in the context of folding problems, we
describe computer simulations of a few related model systems. The dynamics of
collapse of eicosane shows that upon expulsion of water the linear hydrocarbon
chain adopts an ordered helical hairpin structure with 1.5 turns. The structure
of dimer of eicosane molecules has two well ordered helical hairpins that are
stacked perpendicular to each other. As a prelude to studying folding in
confined spaces we used simulations to understand changes in hydrophobic and
ionic interactions in nano droplets. Solvation of hydrophobic and charged
species change drastically in nano water droplets. Hydrophobic species are
localized at the boundary. The tendency of ions to be at the boundary where
water density is low increases as the charge density decreases. Interaction
between hydrophobic, polar, and charged residue are also profoundly altered in
confined spaces. Using the results of computer simulations and accounting for
loss of chain entropy upon confinement we argue and then demonstrate, using
simulations in explicit water, that ordered states of generic amphiphilic
peptide sequences should be stabilized in cylindrical nanopores
The Magnetic Distortion Calibration System of the LHCb RICH1 Detector
The LHCb RICH1 detector uses hybrid photon detectors (HPDs) as its optical
sensors. A calibration system has been constructed to provide corrections for
distortions that are primarily due to external magnetic fields. We describe
here the system design, construction, operation and performance.Comment: 9 pages, 14 figure
Studies of the decays D^0 \rightarrow K_S^0K^-\pi^+ and D^0 \rightarrow K_S^0K^+\pi^-
The first measurements of the coherence factor R_{K_S^0K\pi} and the average
strong--phase difference \delta^{K_S^0K\pi} in D^0 \to K_S^0 K^\mp\pi^\pm
decays are reported. These parameters can be used to improve the determination
of the unitary triangle angle \gamma\ in B^- \rightarrow
decays, where is either a D^0 or a D^0-bar meson decaying to
the same final state, and also in studies of charm mixing. The measurements of
the coherence factor and strong-phase difference are made using
quantum-correlated, fully-reconstructed D^0D^0-bar pairs produced in e^+e^-
collisions at the \psi(3770) resonance. The measured values are R_{K_S^0K\pi} =
0.70 \pm 0.08 and \delta^{K_S^0K\pi} = (0.1 \pm 15.7) for an
unrestricted kinematic region and R_{K*K} = 0.94 \pm 0.12 and \delta^{K*K} =
(-16.6 \pm 18.4) for a region where the combined K_S^0 \pi^\pm
invariant mass is within 100 MeV/c^2 of the K^{*}(892)^\pm mass. These results
indicate a significant level of coherence in the decay. In addition, isobar
models are presented for the two decays, which show the dominance of the
K^*(892)^\pm resonance. The branching ratio {B}(D^0 \rightarrow
K_S^0K^+\pi^-)/{B}(D^0 \rightarrow K_S^0K^-\pi^+) is determined to be 0.592 \pm
0.044 (stat.) \pm 0.018 (syst.), which is more precise than previous
measurements.Comment: 38 pages. Version 3 updated to include the erratum information.
Errors corrected in Eqs (25), (26), 28). Fit results updated accordingly, and
external inputs updated to latest best known values. Typo corrected in Eq(3)-
no other consequence
Quaternion-Octonion Unitary Symmetries and Analogous Casimir Operators
An attempt has been made to investigate the global SU(2) and SU(3) unitary
flavor symmetries systematically in terms of quaternion and octonion
respectively. It is shown that these symmetries are suitably handled with
quaternions and octonions in order to obtain their generators, commutation
rules and symmetry properties. Accordingly, Casimir operators for SU(2)and
SU(3) flavor symmetries are also constructed for the proper testing of these
symmetries in terms of quaternions and octonions
Clinoform architecture and along-strike variability through an exhumed erosional to accretionary basin margin transition
Exhumed basin marginâscale clinothems provide important archives for understanding process interactions and reconstructing the physiography of sedimentary basins. However, studies of coeval shelf through slope to basinâfloor deposits are rarely documented, mainly due to outcrop or subsurface dataset limitations. Unit G from the Laingsburg depocentre (Karoo Basin, South Africa) is a rare example of a complete basin margin scale clinothem (>60 km long, 200 mâhigh), with >10 km of depositional strike control, which allows a quasiâ3D study of a preserved shelfâslopeâbasin floor transition over a ca. 1200 km2 area. Sandâprone, waveâinfluenced topset deposits close to the shelfâedge rollover zone can be physically mapped down dip for ca. 10 km as they thicken and transition into heterolithic foreset/slope deposits. These deposits progressively fine and thin over 10s of km farther down dip into sandâstarved bottomset/basin floor deposits. Only a few km along strike, the coeval foreset/slope deposits are bypassâdominated with incisional features interpreted as minor slope conduits/gullies. The margin here is steeper, more channelized, and records a stepped profile with evidence of sandâfilled intraslope topography, a preserved baseâofâslope transition zone and sandârich bottomset/basinâfloor deposits. Unit G is interpreted as part of a composite depositional sequence that records a change in basin margin style from an underlying incised slope with large sandârich basinâfloor fans to an overlying accretionâdominated shelf with limited sand supply to slope and basinâfloor. The change in margin style is accompanied with decreased clinoform height/slope and increased shelf width. This is interpreted to reflect a transition in subsidence style from regional sag, driven by dynamic topography/inherited basement configuration, to early foreland basin flexural loading. Results of this study caution against reconstructing basin margin successions from partial datasets without accounting for temporal and spatial physiographic changes, with potential implications on predictive basin evolution models
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