New drugs on the Internet : the case of Camfetamine

Copyright © 2014 Eduardo Cinosi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly citedThe number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) advertised for sale online is constantly increasing and it has become a phenomenon of global concern. Among NPS, Camfetamine has been rediscovered as recreational drug in 2011. Very little information is still available in the scientific literature on its nature and potential health risks. Methods. Data in scientific literature were integrated with a multilingual qualitative assessment of a range of online resources over the period of 32 months (May 2011–January 2014). Results. N-Methyl-3-phenyl-norbornan-2-amine (Camfetamine) may act as an indirect dopaminergic agonist in the central nervous system and may have mild-moderate opioid activity too. There are no current epidemiological data about recreational use of Camfetamine; our research shows that it is indeed used especially by individuals with a history of recreational polydrug misuse. It facilitates mental alertness, induces relaxation, and, unlike many other stimulants, seems not to be associated with severe physical effects. Valid causes for concern issued in our research may be Camfetamine intravenous or intramuscular administration as well as its use in conjunction with other psychoactive substances. Conclusions. It is here highlighted that more large-scale studies need to be carried out to confirm and better describe both the extent of Camfetamine misuse and possible psychotropic/adverse effectsPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Substance use in the club scene of Rome : a pilot study

Date of Acceptance: 28/08/2014 Copyright © 2014 Alessandro Emiliano Vento et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly citedOver the last few years, a wide number of unregulated substances have been marketed on the Web and in smart and head shops; they are usually advertised as legal alternatives to commonly known drugs and are defined as “smart drugs,” “legal highs,” and “novel psychoactive substances” (NPS). Aim of our work is to describe use habits and distribution of NPS in a population of young adults in Rome club scene. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was proposed to subjects over 18 years of age at the entrance of 5 nightclubs in Rome. Socioeconomic characteristics and substance use were investigated. Results. Preliminary results give evidence that 78% of respondents have a lifetime history of NPS use. In addition, 56% of the sample has consumed illicit drugs in the past and 39% has used psychoactive substances in the 12 hours preceding the questionnaire administration. Conclusions. A significant proportion of subjects report use of novel psychoactive substances; traditional illicit drugs consumption, particularly cocaine, appears to be very high as well in the club scene. These data highlight a serious public health challenge, since pharmacological, toxicological, and psychopathological effects linked to interactions among all these substances may be unpredictable and sometimes fatal in vulnerable individualsPeer reviewedFinal Published versio

Microbial identification for an effective biocleaning: the case study of the Santa Lucia alle Malve rupestrian church

Identifying the microbial community that lives on the lithic cultural heritage through phenotypic and genotypic approaches is fundamental for understanding the contribution of colonisers in biodeterioration and selecting the best cleaning solutions with environmentally-friendly products. This was done with the cultivable microbiota present on the internal walls of the Santa Lucia alle Malve (SLM) rock church, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The SLM church is in the Sasso Caveoso area (Matera, South Italy). It is fully excavated in the limestone rock. Numerous frescoes cover the internal surfaces, but the bacterial and fungal colonisation spoils its beauty. The results of this study clearly showed the predominance of bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes and precisely of the genus Bacillus, whose prevalence may be due to the specific environmental conditions, very similar in all sampling sites of the church, and to their ability to produce endospores. These dormant forms allow bacteria to survive in unfavourable conditions. The genotypic approach showed that the various Bacillus species isolated on the surfaces of the experimented church are closely related and similar but show a different phenotypic profile. This diversity of physiological and morphological traits reflects the potential complexity of the metabolomes present in the bacterial communities of the internal walls of the SLM and confirms the need to identify the colonisers correctly and proceed with a non-temporary bio-cleaning. The results of bio-cleaning using Solanum nigrum extracts were effective, but the durability of the treatment has yet to be verified

Microbial identification for an effective biocleaning: the case study of the Santa Lucia alle Malve rupestrian church

Identifying the microbial community that lives on the lithic cultural heritage through phenotypic and genotypic approaches is fundamental for understanding the contribution of colonisers in biodeterioration and selecting the best cleaning solutions with environmentally-friendly products. This was done with the cultivable microbiota present on the internal walls of the Santa Lucia alle Malve (SLM) rock church, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The SLM church is in the Sasso Caveoso area (Matera, South Italy). It is fully excavated in the limestone rock. Numerous frescoes cover the internal surfaces, but the bacterial and fungal colonisation spoils its beauty. The results of this study clearly showed the predominance of bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes and precisely of the genus Bacillus, whose prevalence may be due to the specific environmental conditions, very similar in all sampling sites of the church, and to their ability to produce endospores. These dormant forms allow bacteria to survive in unfavourable conditions. The genotypic approach showed that the various Bacillus species isolated on the surfaces of the experimented church are closely related and similar but show a different phenotypic profile. This diversity of physiological and morphological traits reflects the potential complexity of the metabolomes present in the bacterial communities of the internal walls of the SLM and confirms the need to identify the colonisers correctly and proceed with a non-temporary bio-cleaning. The results of bio-cleaning using Solanum nigrum extracts were effective, but the durability of the treatment has yet to be verified

Visible-Light Promoted Polycyclizations of Dienynes

A variety of linear dienynes can deliver complex tetracyclic frameworks in the presence of an Ir(III) complex and visible light. Products feature the assembly of four new C-C bonds and six contiguous stereocenters, which decorate two [3.1.0] bicyclic units tethered through their bridging quaternary carbons. The internal alkyne acts as a formal dicarbenoid to assemble two cyclopropanes in these radical cationic cascades. This behavior has not been previously observed among organic reactive intermediates and can be extended to intermolecular reactions and diendiynes

Might Gut Microbiota Be a Target for a Personalized Therapeutic Approach in Patients Affected by Atherosclerosis Disease?

In recent years, the increasing number of studies on the relationship between the gut microbiota and atherosclerosis have led to significant interest in this subject. The gut microbiota, its metabolites (metabolome), such as TMAO, and gut dysbiosis play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Furthermore, inflammation, originating from the intestinal tract, adds yet another mechanism by which the human ecosystem is disrupted, resulting in the manifestation of metabolic diseases and, by extension, cardiovascular diseases. The scientific community must understand and elucidate these mechanisms in depth, to gain a better understanding of the relationship between atherosclerosis and the gut microbiome and to promote the development of new therapeutic targets in the coming years. This review aims to present the knowledge acquired so far, to trigger others to further investigate this intriguing topic

EVALUATION OF PROCALCITONIN, VITAMIN D AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS IN SEPTIC PATIENTS WITH POSITIVE EMOCOLTURES. OUR PRELIMINARY EXPERIENCE

Sepsis, the systemic inflammatory response to infection, is the most common cause of death in people hospitalized in intensive care units (ICU). Early diagnosis of infection is crucial to the appropriate management of sepsis, with early antibiotic administration consistently resulting in improved outcomes. The purpose of this study, although preliminary, was to determine whether vitamin D levels correlate with procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in 59 septic patients, with positive emocoltures. This study is also aimed to point out new possible diagnostic protocols identifying potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of sepsis, defined according to literature data

Pharmacological Treatments in Gambling Disorder: A Qualitative Review

Gambling disorder (GD) is a psychiatric condition associated with both social and family costs; DSM-5 currently includes GD among addictive disorders. Despite the high burden of this condition, to date there are no treatment guidelines approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Purpose of this paper is to offer a qualitative overview about the different pharmacologic agents used for the treatment of GD. Our analysis, conducted on a final selection of 75 scientific papers, demonstrates that a variety of pharmaceutical classes have been utilised, with different results. Published data, although limited by brief duration of the studies and small number of enrolled subjects, shows mixed evidence for serotonergic antidepressants, opioid antagonists, and mood stabilizers. Other compounds, such as glutamatergic agents and psychostimulants, deserve further studies