scholarly journals Application of Microextraction-Based Techniques for Screening-Controlled Drugs in Forensic Context—A Review

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2168
Author(s):  
Samir M. Ahmad ◽  
Oriana C. Gonçalves ◽  
Mariana N. Oliveira ◽  
Nuno R. Neng ◽  
José M. F. Nogueira
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Controlled Drugs ◽  
Related Compounds ◽  
Innovative Techniques ◽  
Great Simplicity

The analysis of controlled drugs in forensic matrices, i.e., urine, blood, plasma, saliva, and hair, is one of the current hot topics in the clinical and toxicological context. The use of microextraction-based approaches has gained considerable notoriety, mainly due to the great simplicity, cost-benefit, and environmental sustainability. For this reason, the application of these innovative techniques has become more relevant than ever in programs for monitoring priority substances such as the main illicit drugs, e.g., opioids, stimulants, cannabinoids, hallucinogens, dissociative drugs, and related compounds. The present contribution aims to make a comprehensive review on the state-of-the art advantages and future trends on the application of microextraction-based techniques for screening-controlled drugs in the forensic context.

scholarly journals Sustainable Cross-Laminated Timber Structures in a Seismic Area: Overview and Future Trends

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2078
Author(s):  
Antonio Sandoli ◽  
Claudio D’Ambra ◽  
Carla Ceraldi ◽  
Bruno Calderoni ◽  
Andrea Prota
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Performance ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Seismic Resistance ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Timber Structures ◽  
Cross Laminated Timber ◽  
Seismic Area

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) buildings are recognized as a robust alternative to heavyweight constructions, because beneficial for seismic resistance and environmental sustainability, more than other construction materials. The lightness of material and the satisfactory dissipative response of the mechanical connections provide an excellent seismic response to multi-story CLT buildings, in spite of permanent damage to timber panels in the connection zones. Basically, CLT constructions are highly sustainable structures from extraction of raw material, to manufacturing process, up to usage, disposal and recycling. With respect to other constructions, the potential of CLT buildings is that their environmental sustainability in the phases of disposal and/or recycling can be further enhanced if the seismic damage in structural timber components is reduced or nullified. This paper reports a state-of-the art overview on seismic performance and sustainability aspects of CLT buildings in seismic prone regions. Technological issues and modelling approaches for traditional CLT buildings currently proposed in literature are discussed, focusing the attention on some research advancements and future trends devoted to enhance seismic performance and environmental sustainability of CLT buildings in seismic prone regions.

scholarly journals Information Rate in Humans during Visuomotor Tracking

Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
Sze-Ying Lam ◽  
Alexandre Zénon
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Information Rate ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Visuomotor Tracking ◽  
Processing Rate ◽  
Choice Tasks

Previous investigations concluded that the human brain’s information processing rate remains fundamentally constant, irrespective of task demands. However, their conclusion rested in analyses of simple discrete-choice tasks. The present contribution recasts the question of human information rate within the context of visuomotor tasks, which provides a more ecologically relevant arena, albeit a more complex one. We argue that, while predictable aspects of inputs can be encoded virtually free of charge, real-time information transfer should be identified with the processing of surprises. We formalise this intuition by deriving from first principles a decomposition of the total information shared by inputs and outputs into a feedforward, predictive component and a feedback, error-correcting component. We find that the information measured by the feedback component, a proxy for the brain’s information processing rate, scales with the difficulty of the task at hand, in agreement with cost-benefit models of cognitive effort.

Predicting Psycho-educational Problems in Childhood

1978 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard S. Adelman
Keyword(s):  
State Of The Art ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Ethical Concerns ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Assessment Procedures ◽  
Mass Identification ◽  
Ethical Perspectives

Presented are (1) a brief synthesis of several key conceptual and methodological concerns and some ethical perspectives related to identification of psycho-educational problems and (2) conclusions regarding the current state of the art. The conceptual discussion focuses on differentiating prediction from identification and screening from diagnosis; three models used in developing assessment procedures also are presented. Methodologically, the minimal requirements for satisfactory research are described and current problems are highlighted. Three ethical perspectives are discussed; cost-benefit for the individual, models-motives-goals underlying practices, and cost-benefit for the culture. The current state of the art is seen as not supporting the efficacy of the widespread use of currently available procedures for mass screening. Given this point and the methodological and ethical concerns discussed, it is suggested that policy makers reallocate limited resources away from mass identification and toward health maintenance and other approaches to prevention and early-age intervention.

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