Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emese Reka Balint, Gabriella Fur, Balazs Kui, Zsolt Balla, Eszter Sara Kormanyos, Erik Mark Orjan, Brigitta Toth, Gyoengyi Horvath, Edina Szucs, Sandor Benyhe, Eszter Ducza, Petra Pallagi, Jozsef Maleth, Viktoria Venglovecz, Peter Hegyi, Lorand Kiss, Zoltan Rakonczay Jr
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of clinically relevant opioids on the severity of acute pancreatitis. The researchers found that the type, dosage, administration route, and timing of opioid treatment can influence their effects on the severity of pancreatitis. Specifically, post-treatment with fentanyl was beneficial for necrotizing pancreatitis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Jonathan P. Caulkins
Summary: The legalization of cannabis and the emergence of nonmedical fentanyl are drastically reducing wholesale prices of drugs in North America, which may lead to shifts in consumption patterns and societal roles. These trends are expected to continue and possibly spread to other continents in the future.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
M. Eugenia Socias, Evan Wood, Bernard Le Foll, Ron Lim, Jin Cheol Choi, Wing Yin Mok, Julie Bruneau, Juergen Rehm, T. Cameron Wild, Nikki Bozinoff, Ahmed Hassan, Didier Jutras-Aswad
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of baseline fentanyl exposure on medication treatment engagement and discontinuation among individuals with prescription-type opioid use disorder. The results showed that both buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone may be appropriate treatment options regardless of fentanyl exposure. Other characteristics of fentanyl-exposed individuals appear to be driving the association with poorer treatment outcomes.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Li-Lin Tay, Shawn Poirier, Ali Ghaemi, John Hulse, Shiliang Wang
Summary: In this study, iodide functionalization of inkjet-printed paper-based SERS sensors significantly improved detection performance for narcotics like fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. The short treatment time of 90 seconds with iodide led to a remarkable enhancement in SERS signals and detection limits. The integration of iodide functionalization into field detection kits provides a promising solution for improved field detection of narcotic drugs.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Corey S. Davis, Amy Judd Lieberman, Madelyn O'Kelley-Bangsberg
Summary: Fentanyl and its analogs are increasingly prevalent in the illicit drug supply in the US, and drug checking equipment can potentially reduce overdose-related harm. However, the legality of possessing and distributing drug checking equipment varies greatly among states. Clarifying or modifying related laws may improve access to these devices and help reduce overdose deaths.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ping Xu, Yang Zhao, Lingyun Xue, Yian Liu, Ming Yan, Lei Zhu, Weng Lin, Shundi Hu, Luhong Wen
Summary: This paper proposes a novel deep classification model based on Siamese network and mass spectral library searching to accurately classify fentanyl analogs. The model achieves the highest classification accuracy compared to other methods, with percentages of 96.13%, 95.83%, and 94.17% for three different experiments.
EXPERT SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Shannon Menard, Archana Jhawar
Summary: This case series reviews the use of transdermal buprenorphine to transition patients from methadone and illicit opioids to sublingual buprenorphine in an outpatient setting. 71.4% of the patients successfully completed the transition with no or mild withdrawal symptoms.
Article
Medicine, Legal
Alexandra Evans, Michael Krause, Samantha Leach, Morgan Levitas, Lucy Nguyen, Luke C. Short
Summary: This study conducted an analysis of drug residue from used needle-exchange syringes in Washington, D.C. to understand the illicit drug supply and consumption trends. Fentanyl was the most detected controlled dangerous substance, with heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine following. The study also identified novel substances like methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones, and synthetic cannabinoids for the first time in used syringes in D.C.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Ju Nyeong Park, Kristin E. Schneider, David Fowler, Susan G. Sherman, Ramin Mojtabai, Paul S. Nestadt
Summary: This study aimed to identify the main types of substances involved in overdose deaths in Maryland and their associations with demographic factors and geographic location. The majority of overdose deaths involved fentanyl and multiple substances, such as heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and prescription drugs. The analysis revealed three latent classes: fentanyl/heroin/cocaine, fentanyl/alcohol, and prescription drugs. These classes showed differences in age, sex, race, and geographic location.
JOURNAL OF ADDICTION MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Martin Hale, Mark Garofoli, Robert B. Raffa
Summary: Health care providers in the United States are encountering challenges in selecting appropriate medication for patients with acute and chronic pain amidst the current opioid crisis and COVID-19 pandemic. Comparative studies suggest that buprenorphine may be a better-tolerated treatment option for many patients, offering similar or superior analgesia. The benefit-risk assessment indicates that buprenorphine may be a suitable alternative for pain management over other opioids.
JOURNAL OF PAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sylwia Magdalena Berus, Monika Adamczyk-Poplawska, Katarzyna Gozdzik, Grazyna Przedpelska, Tomasz R. Szymborski, Yuriy Stepanenko, Agnieszka Kaminska
Summary: Accurate identification of vaginal microorganisms is crucial for understanding the transition from beneficial symbiotic to pathogenic bacteria and the pathogenesis of vaginal bacterial vaginosis and infections. This study utilized surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to compile spectral signatures of important vaginal microorganisms and pathogens, contributing to the development of a spectral SERS database. The results showed unique spectral fingerprints for each microorganism, allowing for discrimination between different species. Furthermore, Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) revealed discriminating variables for specific compounds in the outer structure of microorganisms, which could be used as marker bands in clinical analysis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Babita Sharma, Abhishek Ghosh, Renjith R. Pillai, Debasish Basu
Summary: A randomized controlled trial demonstrated the efficacy of single-session, clinician-delivered screening and brief intervention (SBI) in reducing cannabis risk, frequency of use, and transitioning risk from moderate to low. SBI also showed a positive effect on cannabis abstinence days.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Duilio Balsamo, Paolo Bajardi, Alberto Salomone, Rossano Schifanella
Summary: This study utilized Reddit as a data source to investigate the opioid crisis, focusing on nonmedical opioid consumption. By identifying subreddits discussing nonmedical opioid usage and developing methodologies to analyze language models and preferences of adoption, the study provided insights into the evolution of interest in opioid consumption and patterns of substance abuse. Results also highlighted trends such as the rise of synthetic opioids and unconventional routes of administration. The study concluded that the findings could contribute to a better understanding of nonmedical opioid abuse and inform efforts in prevention, treatment, and control of public health effects.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Zeynab Hemmati, Aldo Alberto Conti, Alex Baldacchino
Summary: Opioid use disorder is a global issue, and its effects on women of childbearing age and pregnant women are of increasing concern. This systematic review and meta-analysis found no causal relationship between in utero opioid exposure and future eye abnormalities, but highlighted the need for further research in this area.
NEUROSCIENCE AND BIOBEHAVIORAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Yizhou Zhang, Qichen Chen, Xiao Chen, Mingzhu Zhang, Peng Li, Zhen Huang, Hong Zhao, Hongliang Wu
Summary: This study found that intraoperative opioid consumption was not correlated with outcomes of patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) who underwent simultaneous resection.