The analysis and detection of new psychoactive substances in biological matrices

New psychoactive substances (NPSs) have appeared on the recreational drug market at an unprecedented rate in recent years. Many are not new drugs but failed products of the pharmaceutical industry. The speed and variety of drugs entering the market poses a new complex challenge for the forensic toxicology community. The detection of these substances in biological matrices can be difficult as the exact compounds of interest may not be known. Many NPS are sold under the same brand name and therefore users themselves may not know what substances they have ingested. The majority of analytical methods for the detection of NPSs tend to focus on a specific class of compounds rather than a wide variety. In response to this, a robust and sensitive method was developed for the analysis of various NPS by solid phase extraction (SPE) with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS). Sample preparation and derivatisation were optimised testing a range of SPE cartridges and derivatising agents, as well as derivatisation incubation time and temperature. The final gas chromatography mass spectrometry method was validated in accordance with SWGTOX 2013 guidelines over a wide concentration range for both blood and urine for 23 and 25 analytes respectively. This included the validation of 8 NBOMe compounds in blood and 10 NBOMe compounds in urine. This GC-MS method was then applied to 8 authentic samples with concentrations compared to those originally identified by NMS laboratories. The rapid influx of NPSs has resulted in the re-analysis of samples and thus, the stability of these substances is crucial information. The stability of mephedrone was investigated, examining the effect that storage temperatures and preservatives had on analyte stability daily for 1 week and then weekly for 10 weeks. Several laboratories identified NPSs use through the cross-reactivity of these substances with existing screening protocols such as ELISA. The application of Immunalysis ketamine, methamphetamine and amphetamine ELISA kits for the detection of NPS was evaluated. The aim of this work was to determine if any cross-reactivity from NPS substances was observed, and to determine whether these existing kits would identify NPS use within biological samples. The cross- reactivity of methoxetamine, 3-MeO-PCE and 3-MeO-PCP for different commercially point of care test (POCT) was also assessed for urine. One of the newest groups of compounds to appear on the NPS market is the NBOMe series. These drugs pose a serious threat to public health due to their high potency, with fatalities already reported in the literature. These compounds are falsely marketed as LSD which increases the chance of adverse effects due to the potency differences between these 2 substances. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was validated in accordance with SWGTOX 2013 guidelines for the detection for 25B, 25C and 25I-NBOMe in urine and hair. Long-Evans rats were administered 25B-, 25C- and 25I-NBOMe at doses ranging from 30-300 µg/kg over a period of 10 days. Tail flick tests were then carried out on the rats in order to determine whether any analgesic effects were observed as a result of dosing. Rats were also shaved prior to their first dose and reshaved after the 10-day period. Hair was separated by colour (black and white) and analysed using the validated LC-MS/MS method, assessing the impact hair colour has on the incorporation of these drugs. Urine was collected from the rats, analysed using the validated LC-MS/MS method and screened for potential metabolites using both LC-MS/MS and quadrupole time of flight (QToF) instrumentation.

Dispositivos de segurança em infraestruturas rodoviárias: critérios de aplicação

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil na Área de Especialização de Vias de Comunicação e Transportes

Climate Change Adaptation Case Study: Benefit-Cost Analysis of Coastal Flooding Hazard Mitigation

The damage Hurricane Sandy caused had far-reaching repercussions up and down the East Coast of the United States. Vast coastal flooding accompanied the storm, inundating homes, businesses, and utility and emergency facilities. Since the storm, projects to mitigate similar future floods have been scrutinized. Such projects not only need to keep out floodwaters but also be designed to withstand the effect that climate change might have on rising sea levels and increased flood risk. In this study, we develop an economic model to assess the costs and benefits of a berm (sea wall) to mitigate the effects of flooding from a large storm. We account for the lifecycle costs of the project, which include those for the upfront construction of the berm, ongoing maintenance, land acquisition, and wetland and recreation zone construction. Benefits of the project include avoided fatalities, avoided residential and commercial damages, avoided utility and municipal damages, recreational and health benefits, avoided debris removal expenses, and avoided loss of function of key transportation and commercial infrastructure located in the area. Our estimate of the beneficial effects of the berm includes ecosystem services from wetlands and health benefits to the surrounding community from a park and nature system constructed along the berm. To account for the effects of climate change and verify that the project will maintain its effectiveness over the long term, we allow the risk of flooding to increase over time. Over our 50-year time horizon, we double the risk of 100- and 500-year flood events to account for the effects of sea level rise on coastal flooding. Based on the economic analysis, the project is highly cost beneficial over its 50-year timeframe. This analysis demonstrates that climate change adaptation investments can be cost beneficial even though they mitigate the impacts of low-probability, high-consequence events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2010

This statistical sheet shows 2006-2010 traffic fatality comparisons through August, 2010 fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2011

This statistical sheet shows 2007-2011 traffic fatality comparisons through January, 2011, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2011

This statistical sheet shows 2007-2011 traffic fatality comparisons through August, 2011, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2012

This statistical sheet shows 2008-2012 traffic fatality comparisons through September, 2012, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2012

This statistical sheet shows 2008-2012 traffic fatality comparisons through November, 2012, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2013

This statistical sheet shows 2009-2013 traffic fatality comparisons through January, 2013, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2013

This statistical sheet shows 2009-2013 traffic fatality comparisons through May, 2013, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2013

This statistical sheet shows 2009-2013 traffic fatality comparisons through July, 2013, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2013

This statistical sheet shows 2009-2013 traffic fatality comparisons through September, 2013, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2014

This statistical sheet shows 2010-2014 traffic fatality comparisons through January, 2014, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2016

This statistical sheet shows traffic fatality comparisons through May, 2016, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.

South Carolina traffic fatality report for 2016

This statistical sheet shows traffic fatality comparisons through August, 2016, fatalities by route category, top fatality counties, fatalities by restraint usage and top crash events.