The Texture of Psychoactive Illicit Drugs in Iran: Adulteration with Lead and other Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

ABSTRACT

Psychoactive illicit drugs are widely used all over the world. Due to the high demand for illicit drugs, adulteration of substances with poisonous and active pharmaceutical ingredients is a common phenomenon in some countries. Lead and other active pharmaceutical ingredients are among adulterants added to illicit drugs intentionally. In the present study, we analyzed four major abused street drugs in Iran’s drug black market (opium, Iranian crack, ecstasy tablets, and crystal methamphetamine) to assess active pharmaceutical ingredients and determine a quantitative assay of lead. A total of 40 psychoactive drugs were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that psychoactive drugs were adulterated with different drug categories, such as tramadol, ketamine, methadone, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Lead was found in all analyzed samples, ranging from 9–90 ppm. The smallest lead level was detected in methamphetamine samples. Iranian crack samples contained the highest amount of lead. Psychoactive illicit drugs were adulterated with different drug classes and also lead. Lead-adulterated psychoactive drugs are among the new sources of exposure to lead, while illicit drugs’ contamination with different drugs may present a health hazard for drug-abusing patients.     

Association between glycodelin and aryl hydrocarbon receptor in Iranian breast cancer patients: impact of environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals

Breast cancer affects Iranian women one decade younger than their counterparts in other countries and the underlying risk factors have remained controversial. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates the effects of many environmental endocrine disruptors and contributes to the many other genes and Gd is an endocrine-regulated glycoprotein which may induce by AhR ligands in endometrium. This study has aimed to compare the interactions between Gd and AhR and other fundamental genes (p53, K-Ras, ER, PgR, AR) between pre and post menopausal Iranian breast cancer patients. To conduct immunohistochemical studies with appropriate monoclonal antibodies, 25 premenopausal invasive ductal carcinomas and 29 postmenopausal invasive ductal carcinomas were selected retrospectively in 2008-2010 from the pathology department of Imam Khomeini hospital complex of Tehran. Higher levels of AhR in epithelial cells of premenopausal patients and breast fibroadenoma emphasized the susceptibility of these cells to environmental induced tumors. Current study demonstrated a significant association between tumoral levels of Gd and AhR (p=0.002) in breast cancers which confirms the preliminary hypothesis about the role of TCDD exposure on Gd biosynthesis and secretion in TCDD-treated endometrial epithelial cells. In summary this study showed the dual prognostic role of Gd especially in premenopausal breast cancer which could be induced by AhR overexpression. Further studies are necessary to find the direct role of breast carcinogens as well as endocrine disrupting chemicals on the differential levels of Gd in breast tumors.     

Determination of gradient magnetic field-induced acoustic noise associated with the use of echo planar and three-dimensional,fast spin echo techniques

The purpose of this study was to assess gradient magnetic-field-induced acoustic noise levels associated with the use of echo planar imaging (EPI) and three-dimensional fast spin echo (3D-FSE) pulse sequences. Acoustic noise measurements were obtained from two different high field-strength MR systems (1.5 T, Siemens and General Electric Co.) under ambient noise conditions and the use of EPI and 3D-FSE pulse sequences. Parameters were selected to produce “worst case” acoustic noise levels. Acoustic noise recordings were made at the entrance, the center, and at the exit of the magnet bores with a specially designed microphone that was unperturbed by electromagnetic fields. The highest ambient noise levels (A-weighted scale) were 67 dB (Siemens: the same values were recorded at the center and at the exit) and 78 dB (General Electric Co.; recorded at the exit). The highest acoustic noise levels recorded during activation of the gradient magnetic fields were 114 dB (Siemens) and 115 dB (General Electric Co.) and those occurred at the centers of the MR systems with the use of the EPI technique. Gradient magnetic fields associated with the use of EPI and 3D-FSE techniques produced acoustic noise levels that were within permissible levels recommended by federal guidelines.     

Clinical outcomes of magnetic activated sperm sorting in infertile men candidate for ICSI

Magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) with annexin V microbeads deselected apoptotic sperm with externalized phosphatidylserine (PS) residues on their surface and decrease chance of such sperm to be inseminated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate efficiency of MACS procedure in a prospective randomized trial. Sixty-two semen samples were allocated into two groups and processed according to: (i) a combination of MACS with density gradient centrifugation (MACS–DGC) as study group (N?=?29); and (ii) DGC alone as a control group (N?=?33). Fertilization, embryo quality, pregnancy and implantation rates were compared between the two groups. Although, no significant difference was observed in fertilization rates between the two groups, the percentage of high-quality embryos, pregnancy and implantation rates was significantly higher in the MACS–DGC group compared to DGC alone. Therefore, MACS may help to select the most fertile sperm and improve clinical outcomes of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).     

Applications of SBA-15 supported Pd metal catalysts as nanoreactors in C–C coupling reactions

Nanoreactors are material structures with engineered internal cavities which create exclusive confined nanoscale surroundings for chemical reactions. The cavities of mesoporous silica SBA-15 can be used as nanoreactors for incorporating catalytic species such as metal nanoparticles, complexes etc. Since SBA-15 silica has a neutral framework, organic functional groups and heteroatoms have been embedded by direct or post-synthesis approaches in order to modify their functionality. Palladium is the most used transition metal for C–C bond formations. Because of the great importance of C–C coupling reactions, this review article aims at providing a deep insight into the state of art in the field of the synthesis and the application of mesoporous SBA-15 silica-supported Pd catalysts in C–C coupling transformations. In most cases, synthesis and modification of the catalyst, time and yield of reactions, recyclability and leaching of the Pd species from the SBA-15 support are discussed to reveal the role of SBA-15 in C–C coupling reactions.

Mesoporous silica SBA-15 can act as a nanoreactor for incorporating Pd nanoparticles and be used as a superior catalytic system in C–C coupling reactions with high stability and reusability.     

Prevalence and predictors of long-term remission in rheumatoid arthritis in real-world practice: a longitudinal study

Clinical Rheumatology - The aim of the present study was to provide real-world evidence for factors predicting long-term remission in a longitudinal study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients....