Room to Grow: A Comparative Analysis of Cannabis Regulation Models in Europe

Debilitated by years of economic instability, the Spanish economy has not fully rebounded to its once strong place in the European market. And now, in the aftermath of a devastating pandemic, the nation will be searching for new sources of wealth. The lucrative market potential of controlled cannabis in medicinal and recreational settings is an attractive industry gaining popularity across Europe. This paper explores the various policy models and legal systems in Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands. Combining a variety of sources, I seek to ascertain the best plan for Spain. Ultimately, analysis shows that a multi-pronged approach is the most shrewd way to introduce more progressive policy to Spain. This policy would include a fully integrated domestic cannabis industry, a cultural, non-partisan shift away from stigma, and market diversification. The best way forward is to continuously learn from mistakes

(Photo)Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at the Defective Anatase TiO2 (101) Surface

Excessive carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by combustion of fossil fuels are linked to global warming and rapid climate change. One promising route to lowering the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is to reduce it to useful small molecules via photoelectrocatalytic hydrogenation, which would enable solar energy storage with a zero-carbon emission cycle and perform a more efficient separation of the photogenerated electron and hole pair than pure photocatalysis. Indeed, photoelectrocatalytic CO2 reduction has been an intense focus of research. Using the density functional theory (DFT), we studied the CO2 reduction reaction on the defective anatase TiO2 (101) surface, at both the solvent/catalyst and the electrolyte/catalyst interfaces. The analysis of the electronic structure of the surface shows a contrast between the solvent/catalyst and the electrolyte/catalyst interfaces, which results in the two corresponding catalytic cycles being distinct. Our study explains at the electronic and mechanistic levels why methanol is the main product in the presence of the electrolyte and why the overpotential is not only controlled by the reaction process but also by the diffusion process

3D-printed devices for continuous-flow organic chemistry

We present a study in which the versatility of 3D-printing is combined with the processing advantages of flow chemistry for the synthesis of organic compounds. Robust and inexpensive 3D-printed reactionware devices are easily connected using standard fittings resulting in complex, custom-made flow systems, including multiple reactors in a series with in-line, real-time analysis using an ATR-IR flow cell. As a proof of concept, we utilized two types of organic reactions, imine syntheses and imine reductions, to show how different reactor configurations and substrates give different products

Antimatter, Lorentz Symmetry, and Gravity

A brief introduction to the Standard-Model Extension (SME) approach to testing CPT and Lorentz symmetry is provided. Recent proposals for tests with antimatter are summarized, including gravitational and spectroscopic tests.Comment: Presented at the 12th International Conference on Low Energy Antiproton Physics, Kanazawa Japan, March 6-11, 2016, Accepted for publication in JPS Conference Proceeding

Author response: Effects of orthostatic hypotension on cognition in Parkinson disease

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between orthostatic hypotension (OH) and posture-mediated cognitive impairment in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) without dementia. METHODS: There were 55 participants: 37 non-demented individuals with idiopathic PD, including 18 with OH (PDOH), and 19 without (PDWOH), and18 control participants (C). All participants completed neuropsychological tests in the supine and in the upright tilted position. Blood pressure was assessed in each posture using a standardized oscillometric cuff at the right brachial artery. RESULTS: The two PD groups performed similarly while supine, with a profile notable for executive dysfunction consisting of deficits in sustained attention, response inhibition, and semantic verbal fluency, as well as reduced verbal memory encoding and retention. When upright, these deficits were exacerbated and broadened to include additional cognitive functions in the PDOH group: deficits in phonemic verbal fluency, psychomotor speed, and both basic and complex aspects of auditory working memory. When group-specific supine scores were used as baseline anchors, both PD groups showed cognitive changes following tilt, though the PDOH group had a wider range of deficits in the executive functioning and memory domains and was the only group to show significant changes in visuospatial skills. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive deficits in idiopathic PD have been widely reported, though assessments are typically performed in the supine position. While both PD groups had supine deficits that aligned with prior studies and clinical findings, we demonstrated that those with PD and orthostatic hypotension had transient, posture-mediated changes in excess of those found in PD without autonomic failure. These observed changes suggest an acute, reversible effect, and as orthostatic hypotension is a significant comorbid factor in PD, an independent target for clinical intervention. Further understanding of the effects of autonomic failure on cognition in other disorders is desirable, particularly in the context of neuroimaging studies and clinical assessments where data are collected only in the supine or seated positions. Identification of a distinct neuropsychological profile in PD with autonomic failure also has implications for functional activities of daily living and overall quality of life.Accepted manuscrip

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor symptoms, but nonmotor symptoms also significantly impair daily functioning and reduce quality of life. Anxiety is prevalent and debilitating in PD, but remains understudied and undertreated. Much affective research in PD focuses on depression rather than anxiety, and as such, there are no evidence-based treatments for anxiety in this population. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown promise for treating depression in PD and may be efficacious for anxiety. This exploratory study implemented a multiple-baseline single-case experimental design to evaluate the utility and feasibility of CBT for individuals with PD who also met criteria for a DSM-5 anxiety disorder ( n = 9). Participants were randomized to a 2-, 4-, or 6-week baseline phase, followed by 12 CBT sessions, and two post treatment assessments (immediately post treatment and 6-week follow-up). Multiple outcome measures of anxiety and depression were administered weekly during baseline and intervention. Weekly CBT sessions were conducted in-person ( n = 5) or via secure videoconferencing ( n = 4). At post treatment, seven of the nine participants showed significant reductions in anxiety and/or depression, with changes functionally related to treatment and most improvements maintained at 6-week follow-up. Effects of CBT on secondary outcomes varied across participants, with preliminary evidence for reduction in fear of falling. Adherence and retention were high, as were treatment satisfaction and acceptability. The findings of this pilot study provide preliminary evidence for the utility of CBT as a feasible treatment for anxiety and comorbid depressive symptoms in PD and highlight the potential of telehealth interventions for mood in this population.Accepted manuscrip

Effects of orthostatic hypotension on cognition in Parkinson's disease

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relation between orthostatic hypotension (OH) and posture-mediated cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease (PD) using a cross-sectional and within-group design. METHODS: Individuals without dementia with idiopathic PD included 18 with OH (PDOH) and 19 without OH; 18 control participants were also included. Neuropsychological tests were conducted in supine and upright-tilted positions. Blood pressure was assessed in each posture. RESULTS: The PD groups performed similarly while supine, demonstrating executive dysfunction in sustained attention and response inhibition, and reduced semantic fluency and verbal memory (encoding and retention). Upright posture exacerbated and broadened these deficits in the PDOH group to include phonemic fluency, psychomotor speed, and auditory working memory. When group-specific supine scores were used as baseline anchors, both PD groups showed cognitive changes following tilt, with the PDOH group exhibiting a wider range of deficits in executive function and memory as well as significant changes in visuospatial function. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive deficits in PD have been widely reported with assessments performed in the supine position, as seen in both our PD groups. Here we demonstrated that those with PDOH had transient, posture-mediated changes in excess of those found in PD without OH. These observed changes suggest an acute, reversible effect. Understanding the effects of OH due to autonomic failure on cognition is desirable, particularly as neuroimaging and clinical assessments collect data only in the supine or seated positions. Identification of a distinct neuropsychological profile in PD with OH has quality of life implications, and OH presents itself as a possible target for intervention in cognitive disturbance.Accepted manuscriptAccepted manuscrip

Electron interferometry with nano-gratings

We present an electron interferometer based on near-field diffraction from two nanostructure gratings. Lau fringes are observed with an imaging detector, and revivals in the fringe visibility occur as the separation between gratings is increased from 0 to 3 mm. This verifies that electron beams diffracted by nanostructures remain coherent after propagating farther than the Talbot length $z_T = 2d^2/\lambda$ = 1.2 mm, and hence is a proof of principle for the function of a Talbot-Lau interferometer for electrons. Distorted fringes due to a phase object demonstrates an application for this new type of electron interferometer.Comment: 4 pgs, 6 figure

Matter-Wave Decoherence due to a Gas Environment in an Atom Interferometer

Decoherence due to scattering from background gas particles is observed for the first time in a Mach-Zehnder atom interferometer, and compared with decoherence due to scattering photons. A single theory is shown to describe decoherence due to scattering either atoms or photons. Predictions from this theory are tested by experiments with different species of background gas, and also by experiments with different collimation restrictions on an atom beam interferometer.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted to PR