Jennifer Philp, Ariel Vovakes, H. Lancaster, Jennifer R. Frey, N. Scherer
This study investigated speech errors and the role that they play in the participants’ speech development. Speech encompasses articulation (i.e., physical production of sound) and phonology (i.e., rules that control the use of sounds in words). Errors can occur at either level. Young children typically display a developmental progression in their learning of the rules of speech sound production that results in adult-like word pronunciation (StoelGammon & Cooper, 1984). Once children start using their first words at about 12 months of age, they enter a period of highly variable sound production during which they are experimenting with how to produce sounds in words (Stoel-Gammon, 2011). During this process, their speech is characterized by many speech errors such as sound deletions and substitutions (Sosa & Stoel-Gammon, 2012). Progress from one stage to the next indicates a maturing sound system. One of the early signs of progress towards acquiring a mature sound system is reduction in use of consonant deletions. That is, “mo” becomes “mom” and “ajamas” becomes “pajamas”. Simplification of word forms would indicate a less mature phonological system. A second sign of progress is the reduction of consonant substitutions in which one sound replaces another in systematic ways such as “wabbit” becomes “rabbit” or “tat” becomes “cat”. Substitutions reflect the child’s active generation of speech production rules and these rules progressively approach adult pronunciation patterns. INTRODUCTION Cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP+/-L) is a craniofacial abnormality affecting approximately 1 in 750 live births in the United States each year which negatively impacts speech development (ACPA, 2009). The current understanding of early speech and language development of children with CP+/-L indicates that surgical palate repair (typically by 12 months of age) alone is not sufficient to normalize speech development (Jones, Chapman & Hardin-Jones, 2003). Understanding the factors that impact early speech development is critical to creating effective early speech intervention for these children. One such factor is how speech errors change over time in response to intervention. Changes in Articulation and Phonological Patterns During Early Intervention in Children with Cleft Palate With or Without Cleft Lip
{"title":"Changes in Articulation and Phonological Patterns During Early Intervention in Children with Cleft Palate With or Without Cleft Lip","authors":"Jennifer Philp, Ariel Vovakes, H. Lancaster, Jennifer R. Frey, N. Scherer","doi":"10.22186/JYI.35.1.20-28","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.35.1.20-28","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated speech errors and the role that they play in the participants’ speech development. Speech encompasses articulation (i.e., physical production of sound) and phonology (i.e., rules that control the use of sounds in words). Errors can occur at either level. Young children typically display a developmental progression in their learning of the rules of speech sound production that results in adult-like word pronunciation (StoelGammon & Cooper, 1984). Once children start using their first words at about 12 months of age, they enter a period of highly variable sound production during which they are experimenting with how to produce sounds in words (Stoel-Gammon, 2011). During this process, their speech is characterized by many speech errors such as sound deletions and substitutions (Sosa & Stoel-Gammon, 2012). Progress from one stage to the next indicates a maturing sound system. One of the early signs of progress towards acquiring a mature sound system is reduction in use of consonant deletions. That is, “mo” becomes “mom” and “ajamas” becomes “pajamas”. Simplification of word forms would indicate a less mature phonological system. A second sign of progress is the reduction of consonant substitutions in which one sound replaces another in systematic ways such as “wabbit” becomes “rabbit” or “tat” becomes “cat”. Substitutions reflect the child’s active generation of speech production rules and these rules progressively approach adult pronunciation patterns. INTRODUCTION Cleft palate with or without cleft lip (CP+/-L) is a craniofacial abnormality affecting approximately 1 in 750 live births in the United States each year which negatively impacts speech development (ACPA, 2009). The current understanding of early speech and language development of children with CP+/-L indicates that surgical palate repair (typically by 12 months of age) alone is not sufficient to normalize speech development (Jones, Chapman & Hardin-Jones, 2003). Understanding the factors that impact early speech development is critical to creating effective early speech intervention for these children. One such factor is how speech errors change over time in response to intervention. Changes in Articulation and Phonological Patterns During Early Intervention in Children with Cleft Palate With or Without Cleft Lip","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49600614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
cytoskeletal proteins such as spectrin in red blood cell membranes further stabilize biological membranes (Cramer, Engelman, Von Heijne, & Rees, 1992). Stabilizing a primitive membrane is an essential first step for the self-assembly of protocells in a hydrothermal environment on the early Earth. It has been suggested that one of the first stabilizing factors in a primitive membrane would be interactions between a peptide polymer and a simplified lipid bilayer (Damer & Deamer, 2015). Each protocell is presumed to have a membranous boundary that provides an environment in which polymerization and combinatorial chemistry can occur. Without a stabilizing factor, fragile membranes can be disrupted by environmental stresses and release their contents, preventing continued synthesis and survival of nucleic acid polymers. This research is the first of its kind to tackle stabilization factors of membranes in the hydrothermal prebiotic environment. Glycine is the most abundant amino acid present in carbonaceous meteorites and was also one of the first products identified by Miller (1953) in his experiments using gas mixtures exposed to electrical discharge. Glycine is achiral with only two hydrogens on the alpha carbon and can exist in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic environments. Glycine monomers are typically incorporated in the amino acid sequences of proteins at points requiring high conformational flexibility (Oliver & Deamer, 1994). Glycine has also been demonstrated to form polymers in hydrothermal conditions (Fujioka et al., 2009). In searching for the equivalent of a prebiotic cytoskeletal polymer, we hypothesize that the conformational flexibility and INTRODUCTION Membranous enclosures are important to the development of life because they maintain systems of interacting molecules within a semi-permeable compartment. The permeable barriers of biological membranes today are composed of phospholipid bilayers with two fatty acid chains esterified to a glycerol phosphate. Because phospholipids are the product of complex metabolic processes catalyzed by enzymes, it is unlikely that they were available on prebiotic Earth, so there must have been an abiotic source of lipid-like amphiphiles (Shimoyama, Naraoka, Komiya, & Harada, 1989). Carbonaceous meteorites serve as a guide to the kinds of organic compounds likely to be present. This suite of organics includes monomers such as amino acids, nucleobases, and monocarboxylic acid meteorites. Some of the monocarboxylic acids have been shown to form membranous vesicles (Apel, Deamer, & Mautner, 2002; Namani & Deamer, 2008), which become more stable if present as a mixture with a monoglyceride or alcohol. Specialized Cell Compartment Stabilization in the Prebiotic Environment
{"title":"Cell Compartment Stabilization in the Prebiotic Environment","authors":"C. Karagiannis, D. Deamer","doi":"10.22186/JYI.35.1.29-37","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.35.1.29-37","url":null,"abstract":"cytoskeletal proteins such as spectrin in red blood cell membranes further stabilize biological membranes (Cramer, Engelman, Von Heijne, & Rees, 1992). Stabilizing a primitive membrane is an essential first step for the self-assembly of protocells in a hydrothermal environment on the early Earth. It has been suggested that one of the first stabilizing factors in a primitive membrane would be interactions between a peptide polymer and a simplified lipid bilayer (Damer & Deamer, 2015). Each protocell is presumed to have a membranous boundary that provides an environment in which polymerization and combinatorial chemistry can occur. Without a stabilizing factor, fragile membranes can be disrupted by environmental stresses and release their contents, preventing continued synthesis and survival of nucleic acid polymers. This research is the first of its kind to tackle stabilization factors of membranes in the hydrothermal prebiotic environment. Glycine is the most abundant amino acid present in carbonaceous meteorites and was also one of the first products identified by Miller (1953) in his experiments using gas mixtures exposed to electrical discharge. Glycine is achiral with only two hydrogens on the alpha carbon and can exist in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic environments. Glycine monomers are typically incorporated in the amino acid sequences of proteins at points requiring high conformational flexibility (Oliver & Deamer, 1994). Glycine has also been demonstrated to form polymers in hydrothermal conditions (Fujioka et al., 2009). In searching for the equivalent of a prebiotic cytoskeletal polymer, we hypothesize that the conformational flexibility and INTRODUCTION Membranous enclosures are important to the development of life because they maintain systems of interacting molecules within a semi-permeable compartment. The permeable barriers of biological membranes today are composed of phospholipid bilayers with two fatty acid chains esterified to a glycerol phosphate. Because phospholipids are the product of complex metabolic processes catalyzed by enzymes, it is unlikely that they were available on prebiotic Earth, so there must have been an abiotic source of lipid-like amphiphiles (Shimoyama, Naraoka, Komiya, & Harada, 1989). Carbonaceous meteorites serve as a guide to the kinds of organic compounds likely to be present. This suite of organics includes monomers such as amino acids, nucleobases, and monocarboxylic acid meteorites. Some of the monocarboxylic acids have been shown to form membranous vesicles (Apel, Deamer, & Mautner, 2002; Namani & Deamer, 2008), which become more stable if present as a mixture with a monoglyceride or alcohol. Specialized Cell Compartment Stabilization in the Prebiotic Environment","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49383587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Haris Moazam Sheikh, Zeeshan Shabbir, Muhammad Hissaan Ali Chatha, Chaudhary Ahmed Sharif, M. Waseem, U. Asif
Koopmans, 2010). Problems in indirect measurements are associated with unknown elasticity of the momentum exchange between the exhaust plume particles and the target (Jean-Yves, 2006). Thrust measuring techniques can use force transducers or measure the deflection of the pendulum through different approaches. Load cells are widely used in modern day test benches (Lamprou, Lappas, Shimizu, Gibbon, & Perren, 2011; Pancotti, Lilly, Ketsdever, Aguero, & Schwoebel, 2005). They work well for high thrust devices, but in the case of micro-thrusters which have low thrust to mass ratios, the load cell measurement is affected by the thruster weight (Polk et al., 2013). The availability of load cells with sufficient sensitivity permitted their introduction to low thrust measurement applications. Advantages conferred through the use of load cells are high accuracy over a wide measurement range due to their high degree of linearity, the limiting of thrust stand motion to very small values, and prompt readings. There is no need for time-consuming force-displacement calibrations during which thermal drift may introduce uncertainty into the measurement (Pancotti et al., 2005). Steady state thrust measurement is increasingly becoming popular, particularly with more accurate and sensitive controls being developed. The method is to determine an unknown force in a laboratory environment and track slowly developing variations in that force. A steady state null balance accomplishes this by applying a control force to cancel thrust stand deflection caused by the unknown force (Janssens, 2009). When deflection has been nullified, the control force is assumed to be equal to the unknown force. However, the use of the system is limited because of inaccuracy that may be introduced by the controls themselves. Thrust and impulse benches that are currently used are classified based INTRODUCTION The requirement for precise positioning and movement of satellites is increasing with the advancement in space technology and the last decade has seen a steady increase in interest in microtechnology. This, in turn, has increased the need for precise thrust and impulse measurement techniques for micro-scale thrusters and considerable effort is being invested to achieve precision (Mueller, Hofer, & Ziemer, 2010; Spence et al., 2013). The sensitivity and accuracy of a thrust bench depends on its mode of measurement and the sensor itself. Direct and indirect measurements are both used today, but direct measurements are given preference because of better precision in the case of microsatellites. If the thruster itself is mounted on the bench, it gives direct measurement of the force, but if the exhaust of the thruster is used to produce deflection, it is an indirect method (Bijster, 2014; Janssens, 2009; Zandbergen, Janssens, Valente, Perez-Grande, & Design of Test Bench for Measurement of Thrust and Impulse Bits of MEMS-based Micro-thrusters
{"title":"Design of Test Bench for Measurement of Thrust and Impulse Bits of MEMS-based Micro-thrusters","authors":"Haris Moazam Sheikh, Zeeshan Shabbir, Muhammad Hissaan Ali Chatha, Chaudhary Ahmed Sharif, M. Waseem, U. Asif","doi":"10.22186/JYI.35.1.12-19","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.35.1.12-19","url":null,"abstract":"Koopmans, 2010). Problems in indirect measurements are associated with unknown elasticity of the momentum exchange between the exhaust plume particles and the target (Jean-Yves, 2006). Thrust measuring techniques can use force transducers or measure the deflection of the pendulum through different approaches. Load cells are widely used in modern day test benches (Lamprou, Lappas, Shimizu, Gibbon, & Perren, 2011; Pancotti, Lilly, Ketsdever, Aguero, & Schwoebel, 2005). They work well for high thrust devices, but in the case of micro-thrusters which have low thrust to mass ratios, the load cell measurement is affected by the thruster weight (Polk et al., 2013). The availability of load cells with sufficient sensitivity permitted their introduction to low thrust measurement applications. Advantages conferred through the use of load cells are high accuracy over a wide measurement range due to their high degree of linearity, the limiting of thrust stand motion to very small values, and prompt readings. There is no need for time-consuming force-displacement calibrations during which thermal drift may introduce uncertainty into the measurement (Pancotti et al., 2005). Steady state thrust measurement is increasingly becoming popular, particularly with more accurate and sensitive controls being developed. The method is to determine an unknown force in a laboratory environment and track slowly developing variations in that force. A steady state null balance accomplishes this by applying a control force to cancel thrust stand deflection caused by the unknown force (Janssens, 2009). When deflection has been nullified, the control force is assumed to be equal to the unknown force. However, the use of the system is limited because of inaccuracy that may be introduced by the controls themselves. Thrust and impulse benches that are currently used are classified based INTRODUCTION The requirement for precise positioning and movement of satellites is increasing with the advancement in space technology and the last decade has seen a steady increase in interest in microtechnology. This, in turn, has increased the need for precise thrust and impulse measurement techniques for micro-scale thrusters and considerable effort is being invested to achieve precision (Mueller, Hofer, & Ziemer, 2010; Spence et al., 2013). The sensitivity and accuracy of a thrust bench depends on its mode of measurement and the sensor itself. Direct and indirect measurements are both used today, but direct measurements are given preference because of better precision in the case of microsatellites. If the thruster itself is mounted on the bench, it gives direct measurement of the force, but if the exhaust of the thruster is used to produce deflection, it is an indirect method (Bijster, 2014; Janssens, 2009; Zandbergen, Janssens, Valente, Perez-Grande, & Design of Test Bench for Measurement of Thrust and Impulse Bits of MEMS-based Micro-thrusters","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41432187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
state is in reality the cheerful and the hearty state to all the different orders of the society. The stationary is dull; the declining, melancholy.” It is only the progressive states that acquire its maximum potential. Thus, a country needs hope to create positive change, but it also needs change to create hope in the first place. Can hope be a cause or effect of positive change? After all, hope is always there within individuals, but it needs to be harnessed. In order to harness hope, it is necessary to understand and measure it. A clear distinction must be brought out between hope and happiness as the two are often correlated with one another. According to Mayers (2007), “Happiness is life experience marked by a preponderance of positive emotion. Feelings of happiness and thoughts of satisfaction with life are two prime components of subjective well-being.” From this we can understand that for happiness to occur at present, it is largely based on experiences and incidents that have taken place in the past. On the contrary, hope is the expectation of a positive future. Such positive future is a function of a country’s progress in technology, innovation, and literacy among other factors. Definitions of Hope Hope is defined by scholars in different ways but broadly, it can be described as something positive that we wish would happen in the future. Normally, hope is considered in a personal context. This paper treats hope in a social context and questions if appropriate policies can deliver hope as a social product. Schumacher (2003) has pointed out six different characteristics of hope. Hope is accompanied by a minimum certitude and assurance with respect to the possible possession of the thing hoped for. Schumacher (2003) also characterises hope as something that is difficult to obtain; it is something that is not necessarily realised, but most importantly something that “consists in the attitude of expectant waiting.” The phrase “expectant waiting” by itself implies that hope is something that can be attained in the future primarily on the basis of current circumstances. However, it is Charles Snyder’s contribution to this concept INTRODUCTION The main objective of the World Hope Index is to invoke the idea of hope as a social product at a time when the mainstream media is filled with the news of despair expressed in a growing incidence of terrorism, migration, and natural disasters. The discourse on hope over the past decades has primarily been at the individual and psychological level, as opposed to the state or societal level. This index would help this discourse to be shifted to the level of states and societies at large. The level of hope changes as a result of different behavioural changes within the society and thus turns out to be a product of a society at large. Hope being a social product has implications for a large number of people in a given community or even across different communities. Durkheim (1997) brought out the fact that h
{"title":"The World Hope Index","authors":"Rahul S. Waslekar","doi":"10.22186/jyi.34.6.56-62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/jyi.34.6.56-62","url":null,"abstract":"state is in reality the cheerful and the hearty state to all the different orders of the society. The stationary is dull; the declining, melancholy.” It is only the progressive states that acquire its maximum potential. Thus, a country needs hope to create positive change, but it also needs change to create hope in the first place. Can hope be a cause or effect of positive change? After all, hope is always there within individuals, but it needs to be harnessed. In order to harness hope, it is necessary to understand and measure it. A clear distinction must be brought out between hope and happiness as the two are often correlated with one another. According to Mayers (2007), “Happiness is life experience marked by a preponderance of positive emotion. Feelings of happiness and thoughts of satisfaction with life are two prime components of subjective well-being.” From this we can understand that for happiness to occur at present, it is largely based on experiences and incidents that have taken place in the past. On the contrary, hope is the expectation of a positive future. Such positive future is a function of a country’s progress in technology, innovation, and literacy among other factors. Definitions of Hope Hope is defined by scholars in different ways but broadly, it can be described as something positive that we wish would happen in the future. Normally, hope is considered in a personal context. This paper treats hope in a social context and questions if appropriate policies can deliver hope as a social product. Schumacher (2003) has pointed out six different characteristics of hope. Hope is accompanied by a minimum certitude and assurance with respect to the possible possession of the thing hoped for. Schumacher (2003) also characterises hope as something that is difficult to obtain; it is something that is not necessarily realised, but most importantly something that “consists in the attitude of expectant waiting.” The phrase “expectant waiting” by itself implies that hope is something that can be attained in the future primarily on the basis of current circumstances. However, it is Charles Snyder’s contribution to this concept INTRODUCTION The main objective of the World Hope Index is to invoke the idea of hope as a social product at a time when the mainstream media is filled with the news of despair expressed in a growing incidence of terrorism, migration, and natural disasters. The discourse on hope over the past decades has primarily been at the individual and psychological level, as opposed to the state or societal level. This index would help this discourse to be shifted to the level of states and societies at large. The level of hope changes as a result of different behavioural changes within the society and thus turns out to be a product of a society at large. Hope being a social product has implications for a large number of people in a given community or even across different communities. Durkheim (1997) brought out the fact that h","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42361883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Endocannabinoid System Structure and Function With all the complex cell signals, genetic mutations, and outside influences, how do we manage to stay at homeostasis? The answer is the endocannabinoid system. It is present nearly everywhere in the human body and functions by maintaining the homeostasis of the human body (Alger, 2013). This is achieved through a negative feedback loop which works by the activation of a postsynaptic neuron synthesizing and releasing the endocannabinoids as they target various cannabinoid (CB) receptors. These CB receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (Gambi et al., 2005), which allow them to directly influence the incoming signals. This functions as an “override” signal, which differs from most other cells. As other cells have signal modifiers that can do anything from amplifying to diverging signals, the neuron is “over-riding” those cells. For example, a fracture in the toe would result in cell death. The resulting lymphatic response would increase blood flow and the migration of white blood cells to the surrounding areas. The ECS would then recognize the excess lymphatic signals, and after deciding that there is no longer a need for the increase of inflammation, the CB receptors in the surrounding immune cells and tissues will begin to bind with cannabinoids and start to slowly reduce these inflammatory responses. A similar process occurs with pain signals in the brain. The binding and stimulation of CB1 receptors will upregulate the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitters, thereby reducing pain signals throughout the brain. There are two main receptors in the ECS: the CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are located primarily within brain cells (including but not limited to the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus), and are not as densely expressed in the CNS, PNS, and the immune system. On the other hand, the CB2 receptors are located primarily in the CNS, PNS, immune system, and within white blood cells. Additionally, the existence of CB3 receptors is also hypothesized (Iqbal, 2007). These INTRODUCTION Despite various medical advances, there are still many more functions of the human body to uncover. Some of the less effective treatments lie within the field of mental health, due to the lack of accuracy and availability of tests for neurotransmitter function as well as apoptotic activity. The existing neurotransmitter tests utilize metabolites in urine (Hinz, Stein, Trachte, & Ucini 2010); however, their applicability is currently very limited. We have not been able to show that the neurotransmitter levels measured in urine are as accurate as the actual levels in the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS). Apoptotic diseases such as cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), ALS, and autism, are all without an effective cure at the moment, and they seem to have similar pathology which involves neurotransmitter, mitochondrial, and apoptotic dysfunction (Favalo
{"title":"The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator","authors":"Chad A. Sallaberry, Laurie Astern","doi":"10.22186/JYI.34.5.48-55","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.34.5.48-55","url":null,"abstract":"The Endocannabinoid System Structure and Function With all the complex cell signals, genetic mutations, and outside influences, how do we manage to stay at homeostasis? The answer is the endocannabinoid system. It is present nearly everywhere in the human body and functions by maintaining the homeostasis of the human body (Alger, 2013). This is achieved through a negative feedback loop which works by the activation of a postsynaptic neuron synthesizing and releasing the endocannabinoids as they target various cannabinoid (CB) receptors. These CB receptors are G-protein-coupled receptors (Gambi et al., 2005), which allow them to directly influence the incoming signals. This functions as an “override” signal, which differs from most other cells. As other cells have signal modifiers that can do anything from amplifying to diverging signals, the neuron is “over-riding” those cells. For example, a fracture in the toe would result in cell death. The resulting lymphatic response would increase blood flow and the migration of white blood cells to the surrounding areas. The ECS would then recognize the excess lymphatic signals, and after deciding that there is no longer a need for the increase of inflammation, the CB receptors in the surrounding immune cells and tissues will begin to bind with cannabinoids and start to slowly reduce these inflammatory responses. A similar process occurs with pain signals in the brain. The binding and stimulation of CB1 receptors will upregulate the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmitters, thereby reducing pain signals throughout the brain. There are two main receptors in the ECS: the CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are located primarily within brain cells (including but not limited to the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus), and are not as densely expressed in the CNS, PNS, and the immune system. On the other hand, the CB2 receptors are located primarily in the CNS, PNS, immune system, and within white blood cells. Additionally, the existence of CB3 receptors is also hypothesized (Iqbal, 2007). These INTRODUCTION Despite various medical advances, there are still many more functions of the human body to uncover. Some of the less effective treatments lie within the field of mental health, due to the lack of accuracy and availability of tests for neurotransmitter function as well as apoptotic activity. The existing neurotransmitter tests utilize metabolites in urine (Hinz, Stein, Trachte, & Ucini 2010); however, their applicability is currently very limited. We have not been able to show that the neurotransmitter levels measured in urine are as accurate as the actual levels in the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS). Apoptotic diseases such as cancer, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), ALS, and autism, are all without an effective cure at the moment, and they seem to have similar pathology which involves neurotransmitter, mitochondrial, and apoptotic dysfunction (Favalo","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47432292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chathuri N. Wickramaratne, E. Sappington, H. Rifai
ments); more specifically, testing for compliance with discharge regulations by measuring the oil in post-treatment produced water. The microscope can potentially be used to view, count, and analyze the oil droplets in treated produced water to estimate the concentration of oil in a particular sample. Such calculations can be done by image processing techniques to interpret the stacks. Calibration of the CLFM method involves comparison of estimated oil content with the CLFM to a prepared sample with known oil content. This normalized comparison refers to the percent recovery (CLFM estimated content/known content) and the standard deviation of the percent recovery to assess accuracy and precision, respectively. Several settings on the CLFM affect the intensity of the fluorescence in the images produced, and thus, affect the concentration of oil that is calculated. One study utilized the CLFM for geochemical analysis of cave deposits and addressed this issue of fluorescence intensity by maintaining all settings constant in an effort to normalize the fluorescence intensity measurements (Orland et al., 2014). None of the previous studies with CLFM, however, have delineated a clear relationship between a sample oil concentration, the number of optical sections per stack, the quantity and location of stacks, the percent recovery, and the standard deviation. This is largely due to the lack of a systematic method in retrieving confocal image data. The objective of this research is to establish a strategy for representative sampling and identify patterns between the sample concentration, number of optical sections per stack, quantity and location of stacks, threshold value for grayscale to binary image processing, percent recovery, and standard deviation. This reINTRODUCTION The confocal laser fluorescence microscope (CLFM) enables viewing fluorescing objects in samples and creating 3D images by optical sectioning. The study by Wilson (2011) showed that the function of the CLFM is similar to that of a conventional widefield optical microscope, but the confocal uses spatial filtering techniques to reduce information from the background, rendering higher quality images. The study demonstrated that the CLFM has the capability to eliminate secondary fluorescence from areas outside of its set focal plane by allowing light to pass only through a pinhole. The 3D images are produced in stacks that are a compilation of optical sections which are lateral images of the cross-sectional area of the specimen at each particular point on the z-axis. The predominant application of the CLFM since its introduction has been in life sciences. However, recent novel studies are investigating the feasibility of CLFM for subsea applications (subsea engineering refers to oil and gas extraction from oceanic environConfocal Laser Fluorescence Microscopy to Measure Oil Concentration in Produced Water: Analyzing Accuracy as a Function of Optical Settings
{"title":"Confocal Laser Fluorescence Microscopy to Measure Oil Concentration in Produced Water: Analyzing Accuracy as a Function of Optical Settings","authors":"Chathuri N. Wickramaratne, E. Sappington, H. Rifai","doi":"10.22186/JYI.34.6.39-47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.34.6.39-47","url":null,"abstract":"ments); more specifically, testing for compliance with discharge regulations by measuring the oil in post-treatment produced water. The microscope can potentially be used to view, count, and analyze the oil droplets in treated produced water to estimate the concentration of oil in a particular sample. Such calculations can be done by image processing techniques to interpret the stacks. Calibration of the CLFM method involves comparison of estimated oil content with the CLFM to a prepared sample with known oil content. This normalized comparison refers to the percent recovery (CLFM estimated content/known content) and the standard deviation of the percent recovery to assess accuracy and precision, respectively. Several settings on the CLFM affect the intensity of the fluorescence in the images produced, and thus, affect the concentration of oil that is calculated. One study utilized the CLFM for geochemical analysis of cave deposits and addressed this issue of fluorescence intensity by maintaining all settings constant in an effort to normalize the fluorescence intensity measurements (Orland et al., 2014). None of the previous studies with CLFM, however, have delineated a clear relationship between a sample oil concentration, the number of optical sections per stack, the quantity and location of stacks, the percent recovery, and the standard deviation. This is largely due to the lack of a systematic method in retrieving confocal image data. The objective of this research is to establish a strategy for representative sampling and identify patterns between the sample concentration, number of optical sections per stack, quantity and location of stacks, threshold value for grayscale to binary image processing, percent recovery, and standard deviation. This reINTRODUCTION The confocal laser fluorescence microscope (CLFM) enables viewing fluorescing objects in samples and creating 3D images by optical sectioning. The study by Wilson (2011) showed that the function of the CLFM is similar to that of a conventional widefield optical microscope, but the confocal uses spatial filtering techniques to reduce information from the background, rendering higher quality images. The study demonstrated that the CLFM has the capability to eliminate secondary fluorescence from areas outside of its set focal plane by allowing light to pass only through a pinhole. The 3D images are produced in stacks that are a compilation of optical sections which are lateral images of the cross-sectional area of the specimen at each particular point on the z-axis. The predominant application of the CLFM since its introduction has been in life sciences. However, recent novel studies are investigating the feasibility of CLFM for subsea applications (subsea engineering refers to oil and gas extraction from oceanic environConfocal Laser Fluorescence Microscopy to Measure Oil Concentration in Produced Water: Analyzing Accuracy as a Function of Optical Settings","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49237398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
bμ, cμv, ... for each particle species. These may be thought of as vectors and tensors that are nonzero even in a vacuum. An experiment that is, in some sense, aligned with one of these may give different results from an experiment that is not aligned, and therefore the existence of these vectors and tensors violates Lorentz symmetry. We focus in this work on the cμv tensor for electrons, which perturbs the electron’s energy-momentum dispersion relation away from its conventional expression. The perturbed dispersion relation implies, in turn, that an electron’s kinetic energy will depend on its direction of travel and speed; for example, in a suitable limit, the kinetic energy of a free electron with velocity is given by , where c represents the matrix of cjk. This orientation dependence constitutes a violation of Lorentz symmetry. Detailed formulas for these perturbations are cumbersome and beyond the scope of this paper, but may be found in the literature (Colladay & Kostelecky, 2001). Some experimental signals involve only a single SME coefficient; however, most involve linear combinations of multiple coefficients. When there are enough linearly independent combinations of coefficients that have been bounded, we may extract bounds on the individual coefficients that appear. In this work, we derive a method for extracting such bounds and apply it to the cμv coefficients that are associated with electrons.
{"title":"Untangling Coefficients for Lorentz Violation","authors":"Kenneth Amandolia, C. Lane","doi":"10.22186/jyi.34.5.26-30","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/jyi.34.5.26-30","url":null,"abstract":"bμ, cμv, ... for each particle species. These may be thought of as vectors and tensors that are nonzero even in a vacuum. An experiment that is, in some sense, aligned with one of these may give different results from an experiment that is not aligned, and therefore the existence of these vectors and tensors violates Lorentz symmetry. We focus in this work on the cμv tensor for electrons, which perturbs the electron’s energy-momentum dispersion relation away from its conventional expression. The perturbed dispersion relation implies, in turn, that an electron’s kinetic energy will depend on its direction of travel and speed; for example, in a suitable limit, the kinetic energy of a free electron with velocity is given by , where c represents the matrix of cjk. This orientation dependence constitutes a violation of Lorentz symmetry. Detailed formulas for these perturbations are cumbersome and beyond the scope of this paper, but may be found in the literature (Colladay & Kostelecky, 2001). Some experimental signals involve only a single SME coefficient; however, most involve linear combinations of multiple coefficients. When there are enough linearly independent combinations of coefficients that have been bounded, we may extract bounds on the individual coefficients that appear. In this work, we derive a method for extracting such bounds and apply it to the cμv coefficients that are associated with electrons.","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43381107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adversely, some effects of MDMA usage include paranoia, an increase in body temperature, and profuse sweating, with the latter two associated with common causes of death (Meyer, 2013). With no known beneficial medical uses, the production, possession, and distribution of MDMA is widely criminalized worldwide (Meyer, 2013). The drug itself is produced and distributed illegally at the street level in tablet or capsule form, derived from a compound found in sassafras oil and ocotea cymbarum oil called safrole which is then further isomerized and oxidized (de la Torre et al., 2004; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2014). Unfortunately, with the rising popularity of MDMA use at music festivals, the production of the drug has become increasingly dangerous due to higher demand, forcing manufacturers to lace their drugs with other substances, such as cocaine or opioids. The lacing of other substances makes consumption more harmful for the users and increases the risk of overdose and death caused by these extra substances (Palamar et al., 2016). Although overdosing linked to MDMA consumption has received widespread media attention across the world, there is a steady increase in number of individuals who consume the drug each year in hopes of experiencing a “good time” while attending a music festival (Friedman et al., 2016). Musical auditory stimuli and psychoactive stimulants like MDMA are known to promote happiness in the perceiver (Bedi, Phan, Angstadt, & de Wit, 2009; Menon & Levitin, 2005). Understanding the mechanisms of how MDMA and musical stimuli work and to where they may interact could lead to a better understanding of the motivating factors of combining the two and could potentially lead to solutions in preventing fatal overdosing caused by the consumption of MDMA at music festivals. This review paper will integrate what is known about the effects of music and MDMA on an individual’s happiness, respectively, and as a whole. INTRODUCTION Music festivals of today attract hundreds of thousands of people every year with their visual lights, pyrotechnic shows, heart-pumping sounds, and positive friendliness with other attendees. However, increased popularity of these festivals also increases popularity of common festival behaviour like the consumption of alcohol and drugs. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly referred to as MDMA, ecstasy, M, or Molly, has slowly become the popular drug of choice amongst festival-goers (Palamar, Acosta, Sherman, Ompad, & Cleland, 2016). MDMA is a recreational drug that affects the brain to induce changes in mood and perception by stimulating a larger release and slower reuptake of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), and dopamine (DA). MDMA heavily activates systems of reward and emotion within the brain, thus allowing users to feel more connected with those around them and heightening their senses to the external world (Meyer, 2013). Combining the psychoactive effects of MDMA with the sensory-stim
不利的是，使用MDMA的一些影响包括偏执、体温升高和大量出汗，后两者与常见的死亡原因有关(Meyer, 2013)。由于没有已知的有益医疗用途，MDMA的生产，拥有和分销在世界范围内被广泛定为犯罪(Meyer, 2013)。该药物本身以片剂或胶囊形式在街头非法生产和销售，其来源是在黄樟油和香樟油中发现的一种称为黄樟油的化合物，然后进一步异构化和氧化(de la Torre等人，2004;联合国毒品和犯罪问题办公室，2014年)。不幸的是，随着MDMA在音乐节上的使用越来越受欢迎，由于需求的增加，这种药物的生产变得越来越危险，迫使制造商将他们的药物与可卡因或阿片类药物等其他物质混在一起。其他物质的添加使消费对使用者的危害更大，并增加了这些额外物质造成的过量和死亡的风险(Palamar et al.， 2016)。尽管与MDMA消费相关的过量用药在全球范围内受到了媒体的广泛关注，但每年消费该药物的个人数量稳步增加，希望在参加音乐节时体验“美好时光”(Friedman et al.， 2016)。众所周知，音乐听觉刺激和MDMA等精神活性兴奋剂可以促进感知者的幸福感(Bedi, Phan, Angstadt， & de Wit, 2009;Menon & Levitin, 2005)。了解MDMA和音乐刺激如何起作用的机制，以及它们在哪里相互作用，可以更好地理解将两者结合起来的激励因素，并可能找到防止在音乐节上服用MDMA导致致命过量的解决方案。这篇综述论文将整合音乐和MDMA对个人幸福的影响，分别，作为一个整体。如今的音乐节每年都吸引着成千上万的人，他们的视觉灯光，烟火表演，心跳的声音，以及与其他参与者的积极友好。然而，这些节日越来越受欢迎，也增加了一些常见的节日行为的受欢迎程度，比如饮酒和吸毒。3,4-亚甲基二氧基甲基苯丙胺，通常被称为MDMA，摇头丸，M或莫莉，已经慢慢成为节日观众的流行药物选择(Palamar, Acosta, Sherman, Ompad， & Cleland, 2016)。MDMA是一种娱乐性药物，通过刺激5-羟色胺(5-HT)、去甲肾上腺素(NE)和多巴胺(DA)的大量释放和缓慢再吸收，影响大脑，诱导情绪和感知的变化。MDMA严重激活大脑内的奖励和情感系统，从而使使用者感觉与周围的人有更多的联系，并提高他们对外部世界的感觉(Meyer, 2013)。将MDMA的精神活性作用与音乐节的感官刺激气氛相结合，使用这种药物的个体在体验这些活动中呈现给他们的视觉、听觉和触觉刺激时，报告了高度的幸福和欣快感(Van Havere et al.， 2011)。寻求幸福:理解音乐和毒品混合的机制
{"title":"Seeking Happiness: Understanding the Mechanisms of Mixing Music and Drugs","authors":"Kris C. Y. Lam, N. Jadavji","doi":"10.22186/JYI.34.5.31-38","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.34.5.31-38","url":null,"abstract":"Adversely, some effects of MDMA usage include paranoia, an increase in body temperature, and profuse sweating, with the latter two associated with common causes of death (Meyer, 2013). With no known beneficial medical uses, the production, possession, and distribution of MDMA is widely criminalized worldwide (Meyer, 2013). The drug itself is produced and distributed illegally at the street level in tablet or capsule form, derived from a compound found in sassafras oil and ocotea cymbarum oil called safrole which is then further isomerized and oxidized (de la Torre et al., 2004; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2014). Unfortunately, with the rising popularity of MDMA use at music festivals, the production of the drug has become increasingly dangerous due to higher demand, forcing manufacturers to lace their drugs with other substances, such as cocaine or opioids. The lacing of other substances makes consumption more harmful for the users and increases the risk of overdose and death caused by these extra substances (Palamar et al., 2016). Although overdosing linked to MDMA consumption has received widespread media attention across the world, there is a steady increase in number of individuals who consume the drug each year in hopes of experiencing a “good time” while attending a music festival (Friedman et al., 2016). Musical auditory stimuli and psychoactive stimulants like MDMA are known to promote happiness in the perceiver (Bedi, Phan, Angstadt, & de Wit, 2009; Menon & Levitin, 2005). Understanding the mechanisms of how MDMA and musical stimuli work and to where they may interact could lead to a better understanding of the motivating factors of combining the two and could potentially lead to solutions in preventing fatal overdosing caused by the consumption of MDMA at music festivals. This review paper will integrate what is known about the effects of music and MDMA on an individual’s happiness, respectively, and as a whole. INTRODUCTION Music festivals of today attract hundreds of thousands of people every year with their visual lights, pyrotechnic shows, heart-pumping sounds, and positive friendliness with other attendees. However, increased popularity of these festivals also increases popularity of common festival behaviour like the consumption of alcohol and drugs. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly referred to as MDMA, ecstasy, M, or Molly, has slowly become the popular drug of choice amongst festival-goers (Palamar, Acosta, Sherman, Ompad, & Cleland, 2016). MDMA is a recreational drug that affects the brain to induce changes in mood and perception by stimulating a larger release and slower reuptake of serotonin (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), and dopamine (DA). MDMA heavily activates systems of reward and emotion within the brain, thus allowing users to feel more connected with those around them and heightening their senses to the external world (Meyer, 2013). Combining the psychoactive effects of MDMA with the sensory-stim","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44500205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
symptoms when compared to Caucasians and other ethnic groups, and that suicide due to depression is the second leading cause of death for Asians residing in North America (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2011). Despite this, Asian individuals residing in North America have been shown to underutilize almost every form of mental health services, and are significantly less like to seek help for mental health-related problems, compared to Caucasians (Atkinson & Gim, 1989; Brown, 1998; Taylor et al., 2004). For example, a study by Le Meyer, Zane, Cho, and Takeuchi (2009) found that only 28% of Asian Americans use specialized mental health services compared to 54% of the general population. Furthermore, Asian Americans are significantly less likely to report psychological issues compared to somatic issues when seeking treatment (Yeung & Kam, 2005). Finally, in cases where treatment is sought for mental health related issues, the dropout rate for Asian individuals is much greater than Caucasian individuals (Leong & Lau, 2001). For instance, Sue (1977) found that 52% of Asian Americans who sought help for mental health services dropped out after only one session, compared to 30% for Caucasian Americans. These results show that Asian individuals underutilize mental health services despite the prevalence and the debilitating outcomes of depression in this population (Yang & Wongpat-Borja, 2007). This disparity in rates of mental health service utilization for depression between Asians and Caucasians in North America has been proposed to be attributable to multiple causes, including cultural variations in symptom expression and attribution, practical barriers, and most importantly, social factors affecting the experience and disclosure of depression, such as stigma (Sue, Cheng, Saad, & Chu, 2012). INTRODUCTION Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) of Mental Disorders as having symptoms of depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, significant changes in weight, sleep and motor activities, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, recurrent thoughts of death, and diminished cognitive abilities (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). MDD is highly prevalent in North America, and is associated with high rates of recurrence and non-recovery. A recent epidemiological study conducted in Canada suggests that the lifetime prevalence of a major depressive episode was 12.2% (Patten et al., 2006).
{"title":"An Examination of Depression Self-Stigma in Asian and Caucasian Canadians","authors":"Alainna Wen, Andrew C. H. Szeto","doi":"10.22186/JYI.34.5.17-25","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/JYI.34.5.17-25","url":null,"abstract":"symptoms when compared to Caucasians and other ethnic groups, and that suicide due to depression is the second leading cause of death for Asians residing in North America (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2011). Despite this, Asian individuals residing in North America have been shown to underutilize almost every form of mental health services, and are significantly less like to seek help for mental health-related problems, compared to Caucasians (Atkinson & Gim, 1989; Brown, 1998; Taylor et al., 2004). For example, a study by Le Meyer, Zane, Cho, and Takeuchi (2009) found that only 28% of Asian Americans use specialized mental health services compared to 54% of the general population. Furthermore, Asian Americans are significantly less likely to report psychological issues compared to somatic issues when seeking treatment (Yeung & Kam, 2005). Finally, in cases where treatment is sought for mental health related issues, the dropout rate for Asian individuals is much greater than Caucasian individuals (Leong & Lau, 2001). For instance, Sue (1977) found that 52% of Asian Americans who sought help for mental health services dropped out after only one session, compared to 30% for Caucasian Americans. These results show that Asian individuals underutilize mental health services despite the prevalence and the debilitating outcomes of depression in this population (Yang & Wongpat-Borja, 2007). This disparity in rates of mental health service utilization for depression between Asians and Caucasians in North America has been proposed to be attributable to multiple causes, including cultural variations in symptom expression and attribution, practical barriers, and most importantly, social factors affecting the experience and disclosure of depression, such as stigma (Sue, Cheng, Saad, & Chu, 2012). INTRODUCTION Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) of Mental Disorders as having symptoms of depressed mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, significant changes in weight, sleep and motor activities, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, recurrent thoughts of death, and diminished cognitive abilities (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). MDD is highly prevalent in North America, and is associated with high rates of recurrence and non-recovery. A recent epidemiological study conducted in Canada suggests that the lifetime prevalence of a major depressive episode was 12.2% (Patten et al., 2006).","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42468089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dakota W Emery, Christopher R Iceman, Sarah M Hayes
Designer drugs, like Spice, are synthetic psychoactive analogs of illegal substances with understudied health effects since they have traditionally been sold in packages labeled "not for human consumption" and the molecular structures can be specifically altered to circumvent legislation. Recent legislation has focused on regulating packaging and has reduced, but not eliminated, the distribution of Spice in Alaska. Legally obtained Spice samples from three geographic regions in Alaska were analyzed using liquid injection gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Most (70%) of the samples contained illegal cannabinoids that have been regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and 47% contained multiple active ingredients. We hypothesized that the heterogeneity of the active ingredients between brands and across regions could be used to indicate small- or larger-scale manufacturing, and the results indicate multiple manufacturing scales. Evidence for small-scale manufacturing included inconsistent packaging, several of which contained similar active ingredient profiles in different brands purchased from a single store. Evidence for large-scale production was also found with some brands having consistent active ingredient profiles across regions. This study provides preliminary data for the geographic variability of active ingredients in Spice as an indicator of mechanisms of manufacture and distribution to inform legislators and law enforcement and help prioritizing resource allocation in an effort to quell Spice use in Alaska.
{"title":"Geographic Variability of Active Ingredients in Spice as an Indicator of Mechanisms of Distribution and Manufacture Within Alaska.","authors":"Dakota W Emery, Christopher R Iceman, Sarah M Hayes","doi":"10.22186/jyi.34.4.7-16","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.22186/jyi.34.4.7-16","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Designer drugs, like Spice, are synthetic psychoactive analogs of illegal substances with understudied health effects since they have traditionally been sold in packages labeled \"not for human consumption\" and the molecular structures can be specifically altered to circumvent legislation. Recent legislation has focused on regulating packaging and has reduced, but not eliminated, the distribution of Spice in Alaska. Legally obtained Spice samples from three geographic regions in Alaska were analyzed using liquid injection gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Most (70%) of the samples contained illegal cannabinoids that have been regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and 47% contained multiple active ingredients. We hypothesized that the heterogeneity of the active ingredients between brands and across regions could be used to indicate small- or larger-scale manufacturing, and the results indicate multiple manufacturing scales. Evidence for small-scale manufacturing included inconsistent packaging, several of which contained similar active ingredient profiles in different brands purchased from a single store. Evidence for large-scale production was also found with some brands having consistent active ingredient profiles across regions. This study provides preliminary data for the geographic variability of active ingredients in Spice as an indicator of mechanisms of manufacture and distribution to inform legislators and law enforcement and help prioritizing resource allocation in an effort to quell Spice use in Alaska.</p>","PeriodicalId":74021,"journal":{"name":"Journal of young investigators","volume":"34 4","pages":"7-16"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6217825/pdf/nihms965852.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"36655086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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