43 research outputs found
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
Rapid screening of different chelating agents in the lead extraction from cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass
The cathode ray tube (CRT) glass is one of the most important problem that afflicts the electronic waste
disposal whose solution lies in the identification of efficient
and ecofriendly processes to detoxify and reutilize leadcontained funnel glass. This study is focused on a rapid
screening of different chemical and mechanochemical processes to reduce lead content in waste CRT glass downgrading the risk correlated to it. In particular, as a possibility to clean waste CRT glass, treatments of lead-containing glass with different chelating agents (EDTA, NTA, ATMP, EDTMP and HEDP) were performed to evaluate their extractive capabilities. Furthermore, the influence of the grinding, the chelating agent functional groups (polyamino-carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid, and polyamino phosphonic acid), and the time and the temperature on lead content reduction were analyzed. ESEM and EDS analysis were performed on all the samples to evaluate the lead amount before and after the treatments
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
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
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