Novel narcotics

BACKGROUND: New psychoactive substances (NPS) have become a global phenomenon, with over 134 countries and territories from all world regions reporting them. Since December 2021, governments, laboratories, and partner agencies have confirmed to the UNODC Early Warning Advisory (EWA) on NPS over 1124 substances. It is agreed that NPS control is one of the most challenging tasks for developing countries. Identifying the present and future threads of NPS is the most challenging task for law enforcement officials...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In recent years, spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has emerged as a promising management option for chronic pain of multiple etiologies. While its effectiveness has been strongly suggested in many patients, the exact mechanism of action of SCS is incompletely understood. This article reviews the leading mechanisms underlying the analgesic and cardiovascular effects of SCS and reports its novel benefits in a case of recurrent pericarditis. LITERATURE REVIEW: Throughout history, the analgesic properties of SCS were thought to arise via stimulation of the spinothalamic tract...

BACKGROUND: The proliferation of Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS) presents a challenge for global drug policy. The ease of online drug purchase and the emergence of the dark web have created new avenues for the growth of NPS. Despite the global nature of this issue, limited research has examined motivations of use. These include perceived safety or convenience, an interest in novel pharmacology and self-exploration. Recent evidence has suggested individuals may be self-medicating with NPS, however this phenomenon has yet to be thoroughly explored...

BACKGROUND: Ion mobility spectrometry is used for the rapid detection of drugs at points of security but are unable to differentiate some drugs leading to the instrument alarming for a drug not present in the sample. This can be particularly problematic for samples that alarm for fentanyl. In this study, fentanyl immunoassay strips were evaluated for use as a secondary test for fentanyl, including for the testing of alternative matrices, such as powders, e-liquids, and infused papers and textiles...

BACKGROUND: As the proportion of drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl continues to increase in the US, monitoring exposure to and possible changes in intention to use fentanyl among people who use drugs (PWUD) is of great public health importance. This mixed methods study examines intentionality of fentanyl use among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in New York City during a period of unprecedently high rates of drug overdose mortality. METHODS: Between October 2021 and December 2022, N = 313 PWID were enrolled in a cross-sectional study that included a survey and urine toxicology screening...

BACKGROUND: Multiport robotic surgery in the retroperitoneum is limited by the bulky robotic frame and clashing of instruments. Moreover, patients are placed in the lateral decubitus position, which has been linked to complications. OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility and safety of a supine anterior retroperitoneal access (SARA) technique with the da Vinci Single-Port (SP) robotic platform. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Between October 2022 and January 2023, 18 patients underwent surgery using the SARA technique for renal cancer, urothelial cancer, or ureteral stenosis...

The extraordinary features of cerium oxide (CeO2 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have encouraged substantial attention to those nanocomposites as probable electroactive complexes for sensing and biosensing purposes. In this study, an advanced novel factionalized CeO2 /ZnO nanocomposite-aluminum wire membrane sensor was designed to assess pethidine hydrochloride (PTD) in commercial injection samples. Pethidine-reineckate (PTD-RK) was formed by mixing pethidine hydrochloride and ammonium reineckate (ARK) in the presence of polymeric matrix (polyvinyl chloride) and o -nitrophenyl octyl ether as a fluidizing agent...

Public transport disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic had wide-ranging impacts on the ability of individuals to access health care. Individuals with opioid use disorder represent an especially vulnerable population due to the necessity of frequent, supervised doses of opioid agonists. Focused on Toronto, a major Canadian city suffering from the opioid epidemic, this analysis uses novel realistic routing methodologies to quantify how travel times to individuals\220 nearest clinics changed due to public transport disruptions from 2019 to 2020...

INTRODUCTION: A university's understanding of student, faculty, and staff members' intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 has been vital in returning safely to in-person education, research, and engagement with communities and professions. We employed a novel survey to describe intentions across subpopulations of one campus and consider key issues in their rationales for intentions and hesitancies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1,077 surveys based on Theory of Planned Behavior were completed from randomly selected pools of undergraduate students, graduate students, part-time faculty, full-time faculty, and staff...

COVID-19, a novel coronavirus, is an ongoing global pandemic that has outbroken recently and spread to almost every part of the world. Several factors of this pandemic are still unknown to the world, which causes uncertainty to prepare a strategic plan to cope with this disease effectively and securing the future. A large number of research is in progress or expected to start shortly on the basis of the publicly available datasets of this deadly pandemic. The data are available in multiple formats that include geospatial data, medical data, demographic data, and time-series data...

INTRODUCTION: The da Vinci SP® single-port system, differently from prior platforms, utilizes a single 2.5 cm incision to accommodate 1 flexible camera and 3 articulated robotic arms. Potential advantages include shorter hospitalization, improved cosmesis, and reduced postoperative pain. This project investigates the impact of the novel single-port system on cosmetic and psychometric patient assessment. METHODS: The Patient Scar Assessment Questionnaire (a validated patient-reported outcomes measure for surgical scar) has been administered retrospectively to patients who underwent either an SP or Xi® urological procedure at a single center...

BACKGROUND: Australia is yet to see widespread fentanyl-contaminated heroin, despite the established presence of fentanyl in other countries. International mortality trends alongside a local cluster of fentanyl-related deaths prompted interest in developing methods to monitor for fentanyl and other potentially harmful novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in Australia. METHODS: We tested novel methods to monitor for fentanyl and other NPS. From 2017-2021, clients from supervised injecting facilities (SIFs) in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, contributed urine screens (UDS) with BTNX Rapid Response™ fentanyl test strips (FTS) paired with surveys, and injecting equipment associated with opioid overdoses for laboratory analysis...

BACKGROUND: Interscalene nerve blocks and local anesthetic infiltration are two methods commonly used in multimodal analgesia regimens for shoulder arthroplasty. Liposomal bupivacaine is a novel anesthetic that can be detected more than 24 hours following local administration. Studies comparing liposomal bupivacaine with conventional analgesic methods have found mixed results regarding pain and narcotic consumption, and there is little information available regarding patient satisfaction and the role of psychosocial variables...

BACKGROUND: As Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) are implemented in the United States, it is important to consider the needs and perceptions of impacted stakeholders. Emergency service providers (ESP) have a central role in responding to the overdose epidemic. This study intended to assess the how ESP perceive the potential implementation of an SCS in their community, as well as solicit program design and implementation-related concerns and suggestions. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted by videoconference with 22 ESP, including firefighters, paramedics, police, and social workers in King County, Washington, USA...

BACKGROUND: Drug use is prevalent among people who attend electronic dance music (EDM) parties at nightclubs or festivals. This population can serve as a sentinel population to monitor trends in use of party drugs and new psychoactive substances (NPS) that may diffuse through larger segments of the population. METHODS: We surveyed adults entering randomly selected EDM parties at nightclubs and dance festivals in New York City about their drug use in 2017 (n=954), 2018 (n=1,029), 2019 (n=606), 2021 (n=229), and 2022 (n=419)...

PURPOSE: Post-ureteroscopy stent placement carries significant morbidity which can interfere with daily life. This discomfort unfortunately leads to high utilization of opioid pain medications, which have a known risk of addiction. Cannabidiol oil represents an alternative analgesic that has proven anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects. The purpose was to evaluate the effect of a Food and Drug Administration-approved cannabidiol oil (Epidiolex) on pain control and opioid usage in the post-ureteroscopy setting...

INTRODUCTION: Despite half a century of research on vitamin D (Vit. D), its link to substance abuse and dependence has only been discussed in recent decades. Evidence also shows the involvement of Vit. D in the evolution of dopaminergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens, an increase in the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase, and the regulation of dopaminergic processes. The novel idea for this work is taken from a hypothesis given about the effectiveness of Vit. D on dopamine signaling pathway...

This review provides a comprehensive presentation of the evidence available in facial reconstruction post-Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Given the large diversity in post-Mohs reconstruction, there are limited guidelines in the management of defects. The aim of the present work is to provide a review of the best evidence as it pertains to several considerations in facial reconstruction. Data suggests that Mohs Micrographic Surgery and many reconstructive procedures can be performed as outpatient procedures under local anesthesia, with narcotic pain medication only given in certain patient populations following a minority of reconstructive procedures...

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with opioid use disorder do not receive medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), especially in rural areas. The patient-centered access to healthcare framework posits access as a multidimensional phenomenon impacted by five healthcare system and five patient ability dimensions. Interventions to improve local MOUD treatment outcomes require an understanding of how these dimensions differ across urban and rural communities. This scoping review sought to systematically appraise the literature on MOUD access across urban and rural communities (i...

BACKGROUND: Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) use and attributable harms have been increasing in Australia, however changes over time, including the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions on harms requiring an ambulance attendance, are unknown. This study utilised a novel population-based surveillance system to identify the types of GHB-related harms between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of all GHB-related ambulance attendances between January 2018 and 31 December 2021 in Victoria, Australia was undertaken...