1,721,008 research outputs found
Is the issue of Chemsex changing?
No full textIn this letter, which is meant as a response to the letter titled “Sex enhancers: challenges, threats and the need for targeted measures”, the Authors discuss the evolution of Chemsex phenomenon towards at least two directions: firstly, the use of psychoactive and non-psychoactive substances usually implicated in Chemsex, such as GHB/GBL, ketamine, mephedrone and other synthetic cathinones and erectile dysfunction medications, is currently accompanied by the use of illicit opioids, which have recently been indicated as a new serious health threat for consumers. In addition, as reported by the last European Drug report, the simultaneous use of illicit benzodiazepines with non-medical opioids misuse has also been observed. Secondly, strictly linked to the rising use of non-medical opioids is the risk of transition towards heroine followed by the adoption of risky injection practices frequently accompanied by high-risk sexual behaviors. In this sense, the current definition of the phenomenon as “the voluntary intake of certain psychoactive and non- psychoactive drugs in the context of sex parties and sexual intercourses with the intention of facilitating and/or enhancing the sexual encounter mostly among men who have sex with other men (MSM)” has been expanded to “heterosexual chemsex”
Opioid epidemic spread from northern and eastern europe to mediterranean area
No full textThe addiction to illicit opioid and the misuse of prescription synthetic opioids pain relievers and fentanyl analogs generated an opioid epidemic in North America over the last two decades that affected public health with a constantly rising number of overdoses deaths. This health treat moved to Europe with a significant increase starting from 2015 involving mainly norther and eastern countries and finally also the Mediterranean area. The "lock down" isolation and economic recession caused by COVID-19 pandemic showed a resurgence in opioid use and harms
Commentary- Increasing abuse of anabolic steroids and chemsex drugs as performance and image-enhancing agents
Full text linkAnabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) are a
family of synthetic “Appearance and Performance
Enhancing Drugs” (APED) derived from natural
sex hormones, such as testosterone and its derivatives or precursors (e.g., dihydrotestosterone)1
.
Whereas testosterone is the androgen responsible
for the development of male secondary sex characteristics and elicits both anabolic and androgenic effects, AAS mostly simulate the anabolic effect of endogenous testosterone, and induce only
partial androgenic effects2
. In the 1930s, anabolic
steroids were shown to facilitate muscular growthhand consequently became rapidly popular among
bodybuilders and other athletes, and were already
widespread in the 1960s. AAS have been and still
are among the doping agents most frequently misused by athletes, regardless of the type of sport,
both in preparations containing natural anabolic
drugs [e.g., testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)] and in those with synthetic substances (e.g., dianazole, nandrolone, stanozolol
and tetrahydrogestrinone
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Cognitive enhancing drugs: a future challenge for the workplace?
Full text linkIn medical practice, cognitive enhancers (also called nootropics) are defined as therapeutic
drugs treating specific cognition impairments in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke schizophrenia or aging.
However, the non-medical use of cognitive enhancers with the aim of increasing mental
alertness and concentration, improving memory, fighting wakefulness and boosting energy
has been spreading worldwide2. In this concern, scarce investigations have been carried out on
the possible risks of chronic non-medical use of nootropics, and these risks seem to be largely overlooked, especially among students3. Considering the ever more competitive nature of
modern societies, which also reverberates into workplaces, cognitive enhancers are reasonably
expected to become even more common over time4. Nonetheless, long-term consequences are
as yet unknown.
Cognitive enhancers, used by healthy individuals, are widely known as nootropics: they
consist of drugs, supplements and other substances that are allegedly known to improve
cognitive function, particularly executive functions, and to strengthen memory, creativity or
even motivation. Pharmaceutical substances and compounds known as ‘cognitive-enhancers’
allegedly boost mental performance and the ability to focus and keep concentration. In broader terms, such drugs are often claimed to heighten and foster the acquisition of motor capabilities and affective skills (i.e., one’s ability to deal with anxiety stemming from performing
certain work tasks or eliciting feelings of trust and affiliation).
It is worth noting, however, that no drugs are licensed by medical authorities to be recommended and prescribed as ‘cognitive enhancers’. Thus, the definition of ‘performance-enhancing drug’ is usually linked to the off-label use of drugs prescribed for specific medical conditions. These substances are usually stimulants that preferentially target the catecholamines of
the prefrontal cortex of the brain to induce their effects5.
Historically, amphetamines have been the first drugs used off-label for the purpose of
fostering memory consolidation and increasing concentration6. Since these substances are
legally controlled as drugs of abuse, they can only be obtained on illegal markets. This purchase channel is also used to obtain methylphenidate, which is undoubtedly the most misused
drug as cognitive enhancer5,7. Mostly prescribed for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactive
disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, methylphenidate has been scheduled as an illegal drug in
many countries for its abuse liability and side effects, resulting in a rapid expansion of methylphenidate legal analogs onto the drug market. Alternative prescription drugs for the treatment of narcolepsy and ADHD, such as modafinil and armodafinil, are also used as cognitive
enhancers8. Finally, two last drugs should be mentioned among nootropics: atomoxetine, a
selective nor-adrenaline reuptake inhibitor licensed for the treatment of children with methylphenidate-resistant ADHD or undergoing methylphenidate side effects9, and donepezil, a
second-generation acetylcholinesterase inhibitor licensed for the treatment of mild to moderately severe symptoms of Alzheimer-related dementia10. At the same time, there has been
renewed interest in older prescription drugs (e.g., beta blockers, to decrease performance anxiety) and illicit psychostimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines), sometimes in different
forms or doses.
Whereas there is still little consensus on the actual effectiveness and nature of the cognitive benefits of the above-mentioned drugs in healthy subjects13, their use to enhance the level
of performance in specific workplaces has been reported for decades14.
In fact, cognitive enhancement has been a mainstay of military research in the US since the
Second World War with the use of amphetamines, modafinil and other cognitive enhancers in
the most recent military operations (e.g., Vietnam war, Korean war, operations Desert Shield
and Desert Storm in Iraq, later sustained military operations in the Middle East)15,16. Whereas
the military use of cognitive enhancers has been known for many years, not only in the US but
internationally. More recent studies reported that other occupations present a high prevalence
of use: medical doctors and health professionals (e.g., surgeons, surgical technicians’ anesthetists), transportation workers (e.g., truck drivers, car drivers, taxi drivers), financial traders,
clinical investigators, research managers and lawyers. Finally, the increase of precarious and
part-time home works has been recently associated to psychological discomfort and an increase in prescriptions of psychotropic drugs, and a rise in the misuse of cognitive enhancers
can be hypothesized17-19.
Another important factor to be taken into account is the role of the internet as a source of
information through web forums and as a way of obtaining those substances. Such dynamics
also constitute a cultural shift in the way drugs are obtained and consumed: they are anonymously received and safer than street drugs trafficking, although the actual composition and
nature of the substances cannot be precisely ascertained. This latter fact creates a gap of information on the diagnosis of misuse in cases of possible intoxications and fatalities, since neither
analytical screening nor confirmation methodologies are currently available for documenting
exposure to those profuse and chemically diverse substances. In addition, apart from intoxications and fatalities, it has to be reminded that several of these substances present a potential
for abuse liability and abstinence symptoms, which, instead of improving work pressure and
overload, can worsen the environmental situation.
In conclusion, we wish to draw the attention of the whole scientific community and policy
makers to the increasing importance of the misuse of cognitive enhancers, and to improve
public awareness of the phenomenon and contextual political strategies to stop this incoming
threat for the health of current and future worker
The targeted analysis of New Psychoactive Substances in oral fluid through chromatographic-spectrometric methods: review of recent findings
No full textObjective: The oral fluid was demonstrated as an effective matrix to assess drug consumption in forensic settings. Recently, the increasing number of intoxications related to New Psychoactive Substances raised the attention of the scientific community. To this concern, different analytical methods to detect and quantify NPS in oral fluids were developed and validated, most of them based on hyphenated techniques. Materials and methods: A broad-ranging search was conducted on multidisciplinary research databases using "New Psychoactive Substances", "oral fluid", "toxicological analysis", "analytical method", "targeted method", "HPLC-MS/MS", "GC-MS", "GC-MS/MS" alone or in combination as search strings. All research articles published between 2017 and 2021 were considered. Results: Different chromatographic-spectrometric methods to detect and quantify the NPS in oral fluid were reported in the literature. The classes of NPS explored were synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, new designer benzodiazepines, synthetic opioids, fentanyl analogues, tryptamines, and phenethylamines. The most used technique was HPLC-MS/MS due to the sensitivity and high throughput. The GC-MS technique was preferred for synthetic cannabinoids, anyway different HPLC-MS/MS methods were developed. Moreover, the LC-HRMS technique was applied for the development of an analytical assay to detect new synthetic opioids and fentanyl analogues. Conclusions: The analytical interest on oral fluid as an effective matrix to assess drug exposure is increasing. The hyphenated techniques were demonstrated effective in the detection of NPS in oral fluids. The most suitable techniques are HPLC-MS/MS due to the sensitivity and the possibility to include different classes of substances in a single analytical run
Has GBL replaced GHB in recreational settings?
Full text linkHas GBL replaced GHB in recreational setting
The targeted analysis of new psychoactive substances in oral fluid through chromatographic-spectrometric methods: review of recent findings
Full text linkOBJECTIVE: The oral fluid was demonstrated as an effective matrix to assess drug consumption in forensic settings. Recently, the increasing number of intoxications related to New Psychoactive Substances raised the attention of the scientific community. To this concern, different analytical methods to detect and quantify NPS in oral fluids were developed and validated, most of them based on hyphenated techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A broad-ranging search was conducted on multidisciplinary research databases using "New Psychoactive Substances", "oral fluid", "toxicological analysis", "analytical method", "targeted method", "HPLC-MS/MS", "GC-MS", "GC-MS/MS" alone or in combination as search strings. All research articles published between 2017 and 2021 were considered. RESULTS: Different chromatographic-spectrometric methods to detect and quantify the NPS in oral fluid were reported in the literature. The classes of NPS explored were synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, new designer benzodiazepines, synthetic opioids, fentanyl analogues, tryptamines, and phenethylamines. The most used technique was HPLC-MS/MS due to the sensitivity and high throughput. The GC-MS technique was preferred for synthetic cannabinoids, anyway different HPLC-MS/MS methods were developed. Moreover, the LC-HRMS technique was applied for the development of an analytical assay to detect new synthetic opioids and fentanyl analogues. CONCLUSIONS: The analytical interest on oral fluid as an effective matrix to assess drug exposure is increasing. The hyphenated techniques were demonstrated effective in the detection of NPS in oral fluids. The most suitable techniques are HPLC-MS/MS due to the sensitivity and the possibility to include different classes of substances in a single analytical run
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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