Strox (Novel Synthetic Cannabinoids) in Egypt: Medical and Legal Challenges

Sobh, Zahraa Khalifa; Sobh, Hasnaa K.

doi:10.26735/fwwk7311

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Existing studies show that in the last decade, the use of Strox has increased among Egyptian populations. Similarly, voodoo abuse has also increased rapidly in Egypt, and the drug is currently listed as prohibited substance by the Egyptian government (Sobh and Sobh 2020 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and associated risk factors of cannabinoid abuse among Egyptian university students: a cross-sectional study

Naguib

Sherif

Elbalshy

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Global surveys have highlighted rise in consumption of cannabinoids among residents of both developed and developing countries. Cannabinoids cause severe damage to the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, and renal systems, and have been linked with several deaths. Despite these adverse health effects, the use of cannabinoids has rapidly increased. This work seeks to estimate the prevalence of cannabinoid abuse among Egyptian university students and explore the associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was carried out over 3 months (1st of July-1st of October 2020) and included 2380 students. Participants were subjected to a pre-designed self-administered questionnaire that included demographic data, Addiction Severity Index, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Among the participating students, 4.9% of them reported cannabinoid abuse and 41% reported smoking cigarettes. The most used substances were hashish (96.5%), Strox (41.3%), Bhang (34.4%), voodoo (34.4%), and Tramadol (31.1%). Gender and social status were also significantly related to rates of substances abuse; most illicit drug users were males (93.1%), and the majority was of low (41.3%) or moderate (50.8%) socioeconomic status. The most significant risk factors associated with substance use were positive history of family conflict (OR=6.48; CI95%: 5.08-8.64, p<0.001), encouragement by peers (OR=2.95; CI95%: 1.73-5.05, p<0.001), male gender (OR=5.46; CI95%: 2.40-12.44, p=0.001), positive history of child abuse (OR=2.85; CI95%: 1.96-3.04, p=0.001), having a stay-at-home mother (OR= 1.56, CI95%: 1.19-2.04, p=0.001), living in an urban area (OR=2.22; CI95%: 1.53-5.0, p=0.002), and positive family history of substance use (OR=1.98; CI95%: 1.48-2.08, p=0.045). This study emphasizes the possible significant rise in substance use among university students. Awareness campaigns should target both students and student families.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and associated risk factors of cannabinoid abuse among Egyptian university students: a cross-sectional study

Naguib

Sherif

Elbalshy

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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“…In addition, surface plasmon resonance extinction spectra corresponding to a single GNBP in 5CB were modeled using the NanoHub online platform (https://nanoHUB.org). The geometry of GNBP (35 nm by 70 nm, consistent with the TEM image) was generated by use of the nanoDDSCAT+ tool, [ 39 ] which takes a shape input in the form of a triangulated mesh and converts it into a cubic array of points describing positions of the dipoles, providing the input for DDSCAT. An interdipole spacing of 0.7 nm was used.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nematic Order, Plasmonic Switching and Self‐Patterning of Colloidal Gold Bipyramids

et al. 2021

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Dispersing inorganic colloidal nanoparticles within nematic liquid crystals provides a versatile platform both for forming new soft matter phases and for predefining physical behavior through mesoscale molecular-colloidal self-organization. However, owing to formation of particle-induced singular defects and complex elasticity-mediated interactions, this approach has been implemented mainly just for colloidal nanorods and nanoplatelets, limiting its potential technological utility. Here, orientationally ordered nematic colloidal dispersions are reported of pentagonal gold bipyramids that exhibit narrow but controlled polarization-dependent surface plasmon resonance spectra and facile electric switching. Bipyramids tend to orient with their C 5 rotation symmetry axes along the nematic director, exhibiting spatially homogeneous density within aligned samples. Topological solitons, like heliknotons, allow for spatial reorganization of these nanoparticles according to elastic free energy density within their micrometer-scale structures. With the nanoparticle orientations slaved to the nematic director and being switched by low voltages ≈1 V within a fraction of a second, these plasmonic composite materials are of interest for technological uses like color filters and plasmonic polarizers, as well as may lead to the development of unusual nematic phases, like pentatic liquid crystals.

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“…DDA Simulations. The extinction spectra and the distribution of the electric field around Au−Ag nanostructures were simulated using the nanoDDSCAT+ tool, 47 which is hosted on nanoHUB. The geometric models of the nanostructures were constructed using Blender.…”

Section: ■ Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kinetic Reconstruction of DNA-Programed Plasmonic Metal Nanostructures with Predictable Shapes and Optical Properties

et al. 2022

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It is desirable to rationally engineer plasmonic metal nanostructures with sets of structural parameters that lead to specific functions. However, it is still challenging to predict the nanostructured outcome of a synthesis reaction by design because not only the exact kinetic path for the structural evolution is very complicated but also the relationships among various functional and structural parameters are often tangled. It is necessary to deconvolute the structure–function relationships and understand the co-evolution of structural and functional parameters as the nanostructures grow. DNA is a programable biomolecular capping ligand that was shown to be capable of precisely controlling the evolution of metal nanostructures. In this study, we systematically analyzed the evolution of two structural parameters and several functional parameters in the growth of Au–Ag nanostructures controlled by two DNA sequences. We deconvoluted the contributions from the two structural parameters in affecting the plasmonic properties in different kinetic and geometric domains. We further designed new nanostructures by exchanging DNA sequences in the growth environment, which also changed their evolution pathways. The resulting structural and functional parameters could be predictively tuned by the timing of the exchange. This study demonstrates the powerful toolbox provided by programable biomolecules in producing novel nanostructures in a predictable manner. It also shows that by understanding the kinetic evolution of the structural parameters and their relationships with the function parameters, it is possible to design the precise combinations of structural and functional parameters in the nanostructured products.

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Strox (Novel Synthetic Cannabinoids) in Egypt: Medical and Legal Challenges

Cited by 11 publications

References 0 publications

Prevalence and associated risk factors of cannabinoid abuse among Egyptian university students: a cross-sectional study

Prevalence and associated risk factors of cannabinoid abuse among Egyptian university students: a cross-sectional study

Nematic Order, Plasmonic Switching and Self‐Patterning of Colloidal Gold Bipyramids

Kinetic Reconstruction of DNA-Programed Plasmonic Metal Nanostructures with Predictable Shapes and Optical Properties

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