Introduction: In Benin, Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers play an essential role in the logistics chain, facilitating the transportation of goods within the country or between other countries in the sub-region. HGV dr...Introduction: In Benin, Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers play an essential role in the logistics chain, facilitating the transportation of goods within the country or between other countries in the sub-region. HGV drivers are professionals who experience adverse working conditions, exposing them to risky behaviours, including Psychoactive Substance (PAS) misuse, leading to particularly severe road accidents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PAS misuse among HGV drivers and identify associated factors in Cotonou, Benin. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving HGV drivers at parking areas in Cotonou from 26 March to 10 April 2023. The dependent variable was the PAS misuse by HGV drivers, and the independent variables were related to their socio-demographic characteristics, health status and lifestyle habits, and professional characteristics. Data analysis involved determining the prevalence of PAS misuse with a 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). Subsequently, we identified factors associated with PAS misuse among the participants using multivariate logistic regression. We presented the final regression results as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% CI. Results: The study included 425 HGV drivers. Among them, 53 (12.47%, 95% CI = 9.64 - 15.98) were misusing PAS. Compared to drivers aged 35 and older, those aged under 25 (aOR = 10.67, 95% CI = 3.56 - 32.03) and those aged 25 to 34 (aOR = 3.47, 95% CI = 1.37 - 8.82) had higher odds of PAS misuse. Drivers with a primary education were less likely (aOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19 - 0.97) to misuse PAS than those with no formal education. Drivers suffering from cardiovascular diseases were also three times more likely (aOR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.08 - 8.81) to misuse PAS than others. The odds of PAS misuse were also higher among drivers who reported taking breaks than those claiming not to (aOR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.57 - 6.18). Conclusion: Driving under the influence of PAS is a risk factor for road accidents, associated with other factors highlighted in this study. Addressing these factors in prevention strategies through integrated approaches could lead to more effective results.展开更多
Many new psychoactive substances(NPSs)with different chemical structures have emerged in the illicit drug market in the last decade.The present work was aimed at the development of a simple method in gas chromatograph...Many new psychoactive substances(NPSs)with different chemical structures have emerged in the illicit drug market in the last decade.The present work was aimed at the development of a simple method in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(MS)for the determination of NPS of different classes,the use of cannabinoids,and,at the same time,the evaluation of methadone therapy in hair matrix,within our routine analysis control for methadone treatment or from autopsy cases.The determination of synthetic cannabinoids and methadone therapy used an extraction method based on incubation in concentrated sodium hydroxide(NaOH)solution,providing a dissolution of the keratin matrix.The described method was applied on 15 authentic specimens from our cases:five showed the presence of methadone and 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine(EDDP).The described method can be useful not only in the forensic investigation of NPS-related addiction histories but also in epidemiological and retrospective studies on the spread of NPS among specific safety-sensitive social workers.The GC instrument was an Agilent 7820A(Agilent Technologies,Santa Clara,CA,USA),and the detection system was an Agilent 5977B single quadrupole MS operating in selective ion monitoring mode.Wlidation parameters such as limit of detections(LODs),limit of quantifications(LOQs),repeatability,accuracy,and linearity were satisfactory for its application on real specimens.LODs,LOQs,2?2,%CY standard deviation,and the mean concentration for the analyzed compounds are reported in Table lb.Accuracy and repeatability were acceptable for all the analytes at their respective LOQs.Recovery experiments varied from 58.3%to 103.0%,thus allowing the application on authentic specimens.The described method can be useful not only in the forensic investigation ofNPS-related addiction histories but also in epidemiological and retrospective studies on the spread of NPS among specific safety-sensitive social workers,such as drivers.展开更多
The relationship between man and substances that have abuse potentials,and whose use has been associated with the development or progression of substance use disorders has continued to evolve in terms of geography,eco...The relationship between man and substances that have abuse potentials,and whose use has been associated with the development or progression of substance use disorders has continued to evolve in terms of geography,economic implications,and time.History shows that local plants with psychoactive constituents can get exported worldwide through global travel,commerce,or even conquest.Time and globalization also change people’s relationship with substances of abuse;hence,an area that was initially alien to certain substances might evolve to becoming a trafficking hub,and then a destination.A case in point is Africa where a rapidly increasing prevalence of substance use/abuse and substance use disorder among adolescents and young adults is putting enormous strain on the economy,healthcare system,and society at large.However,there appears to be a paucity of scientific literature and data on the epidemiology,risk assessment,and contributing factors to substance use and the development of substance use disorders across Africa.In this narrative review,we examine extant literature(PubMed,Google scholar,Medline)for information on the prevalence,trends,and influencers of substance use and the development of substance use disorders.This is with a view of understanding the determinants of substance use and factors that influence the development of substance use disorders in the region,and how this information can be channeled towards developing a comprehensive intervention and treatment program.展开更多
The use of ＂bath salts＂ or other new psychoactive substances,otherwise known as ＂legal highs＂,is increasing.Illicit drug use during pregnancy is not uncommon.Nevertheless,literature reporting bath salts and their ...The use of ＂bath salts＂ or other new psychoactive substances,otherwise known as ＂legal highs＂,is increasing.Illicit drug use during pregnancy is not uncommon.Nevertheless,literature reporting bath salts and their effect on pregnancy is scant.Besides,there seems to be no literature about bath salts and conduct of general anesthesia.This case report describes a general anesthetic for the surgical delivery of an infant to a woman under the acute influence of bath salts and methamphetamines.展开更多
OBJECTIVE Prepulse inhibition(PPI)of the acoustic startle response provides a measure of sensorimotor gating system mecha⁃nisms,which is known to be impaired in schizo⁃phrenia patients.We assessed the effects of the 5...OBJECTIVE Prepulse inhibition(PPI)of the acoustic startle response provides a measure of sensorimotor gating system mecha⁃nisms,which is known to be impaired in schizo⁃phrenia patients.We assessed the effects of the 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist(±)2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine(DOM),the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine,the dopamine receptor ago⁃nist methamphetamine(Meth)on PPI and the startle magnitude in SD rats.METHODS AND RESULTS Systemic administration of the three compounds all dose-dependently reduced PPI.However,as far as startle magnitude,only DOM at the doses of 3 mg·kg-1 reduced that,while both ketamine and Meth did not change the startle magnitudes.Furthermore,to determine whether 5-HT2A receptor mediate this effect,the non-spe⁃cific 5-HT2 receptor antagonist cyproheptadine,specific 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin and specific 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB242084 were tested.Cyproheptadine,ketan⁃serin and SB242084 did not alter startle ampli⁃tude by themselves in SD rats and only ketanserin slightly increased PPI at higher dose(3 mg·kg-1).PPI impairment induced by DOM was restored by pretreatment of cyproheptadine(1 mg·kg-1)and ketanserin(1 mg·kg-1),while not by pretreat⁃ment of SB242084(1 mg·kg-1).Damage of PPI induced by ketamine and Meth was not reversed by cyproheptadine(1 and 5 mg·kg-1).CONCLU⁃SION The receptor mechanisms underlying the disruption of PPI caused by DOM,ketamine and Meth were different from each other,at least 5-HT2A receptor was not the junction receptor for which the three chemicals acted.展开更多
We were intrigued by Hanum et al,who published a study on the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)in homosexual,bisexual,and other men who have sex with men at sexual health clinics in England and the relat...We were intrigued by Hanum et al,who published a study on the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)in homosexual,bisexual,and other men who have sex with men at sexual health clinics in England and the relationship between baseline variables and future HIV occurrence.Chemically-enhanced sexual experience(chemsex)is becoming a global phenomenon.There are increasing medical and academic concerns about chemsex,where substances are used to boost sexual satisfaction,which is prevalent in groups,especially among homosexuals.Lesbians,gays,bisexuals,transgenders,and queers have become increasingly visible,valued,and committed community.However,chemsex requires urgent attention.展开更多
Methcathinone(MCAT)belongs to the designer drugs called synthetic cathinones,which are abused worldwide for recreational purposes.It has strong stimulant effects,including enhanced euphoria,sensation,alertness,and emp...Methcathinone(MCAT)belongs to the designer drugs called synthetic cathinones,which are abused worldwide for recreational purposes.It has strong stimulant effects,including enhanced euphoria,sensation,alertness,and empathy.However,little is known about how MCAT modulates neuronal activity in vivo.Here,we evaluated the effect of MCAT on neuronal activity with a series of functional approaches.C-Fos immunostaining showed that MCAT increased the number of activated neurons by 6-fold,especially in sensory and motor cortices,striatum,and midbrain motor nuclei.In vivo single-unit recording and two-photon Ca^(2+) imaging revealed that a large proportion of neurons increased spiking activity upon MCAT administration.Notably,MCAT induced a strong de-correlation of population activity and increased trial-to-trial reliability,specifically during a natural movie stimulus.It improved the information-processing efficiency by enhancing the single-neuron coding capacity,suggesting a cortical network mechanism of the enhanced perception produced by psychoactive stimulants.展开更多
文摘Introduction: In Benin, Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers play an essential role in the logistics chain, facilitating the transportation of goods within the country or between other countries in the sub-region. HGV drivers are professionals who experience adverse working conditions, exposing them to risky behaviours, including Psychoactive Substance (PAS) misuse, leading to particularly severe road accidents. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of PAS misuse among HGV drivers and identify associated factors in Cotonou, Benin. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey involving HGV drivers at parking areas in Cotonou from 26 March to 10 April 2023. The dependent variable was the PAS misuse by HGV drivers, and the independent variables were related to their socio-demographic characteristics, health status and lifestyle habits, and professional characteristics. Data analysis involved determining the prevalence of PAS misuse with a 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). Subsequently, we identified factors associated with PAS misuse among the participants using multivariate logistic regression. We presented the final regression results as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% CI. Results: The study included 425 HGV drivers. Among them, 53 (12.47%, 95% CI = 9.64 - 15.98) were misusing PAS. Compared to drivers aged 35 and older, those aged under 25 (aOR = 10.67, 95% CI = 3.56 - 32.03) and those aged 25 to 34 (aOR = 3.47, 95% CI = 1.37 - 8.82) had higher odds of PAS misuse. Drivers with a primary education were less likely (aOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.19 - 0.97) to misuse PAS than those with no formal education. Drivers suffering from cardiovascular diseases were also three times more likely (aOR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.08 - 8.81) to misuse PAS than others. The odds of PAS misuse were also higher among drivers who reported taking breaks than those claiming not to (aOR = 3.11, 95% CI = 1.57 - 6.18). Conclusion: Driving under the influence of PAS is a risk factor for road accidents, associated with other factors highlighted in this study. Addressing these factors in prevention strategies through integrated approaches could lead to more effective results.
文摘Many new psychoactive substances(NPSs)with different chemical structures have emerged in the illicit drug market in the last decade.The present work was aimed at the development of a simple method in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(MS)for the determination of NPS of different classes,the use of cannabinoids,and,at the same time,the evaluation of methadone therapy in hair matrix,within our routine analysis control for methadone treatment or from autopsy cases.The determination of synthetic cannabinoids and methadone therapy used an extraction method based on incubation in concentrated sodium hydroxide(NaOH)solution,providing a dissolution of the keratin matrix.The described method was applied on 15 authentic specimens from our cases:five showed the presence of methadone and 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine(EDDP).The described method can be useful not only in the forensic investigation of NPS-related addiction histories but also in epidemiological and retrospective studies on the spread of NPS among specific safety-sensitive social workers.The GC instrument was an Agilent 7820A(Agilent Technologies,Santa Clara,CA,USA),and the detection system was an Agilent 5977B single quadrupole MS operating in selective ion monitoring mode.Wlidation parameters such as limit of detections(LODs),limit of quantifications(LOQs),repeatability,accuracy,and linearity were satisfactory for its application on real specimens.LODs,LOQs,2?2,%CY standard deviation,and the mean concentration for the analyzed compounds are reported in Table lb.Accuracy and repeatability were acceptable for all the analytes at their respective LOQs.Recovery experiments varied from 58.3%to 103.0%,thus allowing the application on authentic specimens.The described method can be useful not only in the forensic investigation ofNPS-related addiction histories but also in epidemiological and retrospective studies on the spread of NPS among specific safety-sensitive social workers,such as drivers.
文摘The relationship between man and substances that have abuse potentials,and whose use has been associated with the development or progression of substance use disorders has continued to evolve in terms of geography,economic implications,and time.History shows that local plants with psychoactive constituents can get exported worldwide through global travel,commerce,or even conquest.Time and globalization also change people’s relationship with substances of abuse;hence,an area that was initially alien to certain substances might evolve to becoming a trafficking hub,and then a destination.A case in point is Africa where a rapidly increasing prevalence of substance use/abuse and substance use disorder among adolescents and young adults is putting enormous strain on the economy,healthcare system,and society at large.However,there appears to be a paucity of scientific literature and data on the epidemiology,risk assessment,and contributing factors to substance use and the development of substance use disorders across Africa.In this narrative review,we examine extant literature(PubMed,Google scholar,Medline)for information on the prevalence,trends,and influencers of substance use and the development of substance use disorders.This is with a view of understanding the determinants of substance use and factors that influence the development of substance use disorders in the region,and how this information can be channeled towards developing a comprehensive intervention and treatment program.
文摘The use of ＂bath salts＂ or other new psychoactive substances,otherwise known as ＂legal highs＂,is increasing.Illicit drug use during pregnancy is not uncommon.Nevertheless,literature reporting bath salts and their effect on pregnancy is scant.Besides,there seems to be no literature about bath salts and conduct of general anesthesia.This case report describes a general anesthetic for the surgical delivery of an infant to a woman under the acute influence of bath salts and methamphetamines.
文摘OBJECTIVE Prepulse inhibition(PPI)of the acoustic startle response provides a measure of sensorimotor gating system mecha⁃nisms,which is known to be impaired in schizo⁃phrenia patients.We assessed the effects of the 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist(±)2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine(DOM),the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine,the dopamine receptor ago⁃nist methamphetamine(Meth)on PPI and the startle magnitude in SD rats.METHODS AND RESULTS Systemic administration of the three compounds all dose-dependently reduced PPI.However,as far as startle magnitude,only DOM at the doses of 3 mg·kg-1 reduced that,while both ketamine and Meth did not change the startle magnitudes.Furthermore,to determine whether 5-HT2A receptor mediate this effect,the non-spe⁃cific 5-HT2 receptor antagonist cyproheptadine,specific 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin and specific 5-HT2C receptor antagonist SB242084 were tested.Cyproheptadine,ketan⁃serin and SB242084 did not alter startle ampli⁃tude by themselves in SD rats and only ketanserin slightly increased PPI at higher dose(3 mg·kg-1).PPI impairment induced by DOM was restored by pretreatment of cyproheptadine(1 mg·kg-1)and ketanserin(1 mg·kg-1),while not by pretreat⁃ment of SB242084(1 mg·kg-1).Damage of PPI induced by ketamine and Meth was not reversed by cyproheptadine(1 and 5 mg·kg-1).CONCLU⁃SION The receptor mechanisms underlying the disruption of PPI caused by DOM,ketamine and Meth were different from each other,at least 5-HT2A receptor was not the junction receptor for which the three chemicals acted.
基金supported by funding’s from the Department ofApplied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
文摘We were intrigued by Hanum et al,who published a study on the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)in homosexual,bisexual,and other men who have sex with men at sexual health clinics in England and the relationship between baseline variables and future HIV occurrence.Chemically-enhanced sexual experience(chemsex)is becoming a global phenomenon.There are increasing medical and academic concerns about chemsex,where substances are used to boost sexual satisfaction,which is prevalent in groups,especially among homosexuals.Lesbians,gays,bisexuals,transgenders,and queers have become increasingly visible,valued,and committed community.However,chemsex requires urgent attention.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31871089 and 31871028)Junior Thousand Talents Program of China,Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(HUST:2172019kfyXKJC077 and HUST:2172019kfyRCPY064)Key Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology,Ministry of Public Security of China(Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau:2020FTDWFX02 and 2019FTDWFX06).
文摘Methcathinone(MCAT)belongs to the designer drugs called synthetic cathinones,which are abused worldwide for recreational purposes.It has strong stimulant effects,including enhanced euphoria,sensation,alertness,and empathy.However,little is known about how MCAT modulates neuronal activity in vivo.Here,we evaluated the effect of MCAT on neuronal activity with a series of functional approaches.C-Fos immunostaining showed that MCAT increased the number of activated neurons by 6-fold,especially in sensory and motor cortices,striatum,and midbrain motor nuclei.In vivo single-unit recording and two-photon Ca^(2+) imaging revealed that a large proportion of neurons increased spiking activity upon MCAT administration.Notably,MCAT induced a strong de-correlation of population activity and increased trial-to-trial reliability,specifically during a natural movie stimulus.It improved the information-processing efficiency by enhancing the single-neuron coding capacity,suggesting a cortical network mechanism of the enhanced perception produced by psychoactive stimulants.
