Hemp Growing

In the PYS dataset,we combined parent and child information on child predictor variables to obtain a best estimate of the child behavior.For example,a behavior was counted when either the parent or child reported the behavior.Item scores were recoded as “Yes” or “No” where necessary to make them uniform across studies.For example,the Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL] has response options of 0,1 or 2 then item scores were recoded as Yes or No.We undertook separate analyses for each gender.We first determined which items were predictive of the outcome.We next summed significant items into an index,examined AUC,and computed sensitivity,specificity,and positive predictive power for the summary screening score.If the variance accounted for by these indicators proved too low,we repeated the procedure for “new items”.In the final analyses,three of the studies used CBCL items,and one study used data based on self-reported antisocial behavior,MFQ,and the Child Symptom Inventory.The items from the CBCL,the MFQ,and the CSI were highly comparable.The intercorrelation results of the predictor items showed that some items were significantly negatively correlated with the outcome variable,and other items correlated with the outcome non-significantly across all three datasets.This reduced the number of viable items in the Pittsburgh datasets to 14.The Michigan group derived their own scale of 9 items.In brief,a procedure very similar to that described here for the three Pittsburgh datasets was used.We intercorrelated available predictor variables that overlapped with those originally identified across externalizing,hyperactivity/impulsivity,internalizing,and temperament items with the outcome variable.This method was used to reduce the item pool,based on predictive accuracy.An intermediate,reduced set of items considered in the subsequent analyses are presented in Table 2.In prediction analyses with early-onset marijuana use as the outcome,the most predictive items were three externalizing characteristics: destroys things belonging to his/her family or others,steals outside the home,growers equipment and lying or cheating.We used these items to construct a preliminary 3-item scale.

We the determined whether we could improve upon this 3-item scale by adding each of the intermediate sets of individual items.The greatest improvement was seen with the addition of “disobedient at school”.The addition of parent smoking also improved the prediction results in all data sets.Table 3 compares the performance of this “5-item Screener” across both the construction and validation datasets.Considerable replication of results was shown across the nine analyses.Eight of the nine AUCs showed statistically significant findings.The AUCs were moderately strong,ranging from 0.59 to 0.74.In most instances,the AUC reduction from construction to validation analyses was low in magnitude.However,in the case of the PYS boys,the validation sample result was a non-significant finding.Table 3 shows that across all analyses,almost all the results held equally well for boys and girls.The proposed cut-off score of the 5-item Screener was selected based on balancing sensitivity and specificity.The resulting categorization of youth at high risk for early-onset marijuana use was based on the best possible sensitivity and specificity according to the performed AUC analyses.Table 3 reports the sensitivity and specificity across the nine analyses,which varied somewhat across the data sets.The results show that the optimal cut-off score in 4 out of the 9 analyses is 1.5 or 1.6,and.5 in another set of 4 analyses.Thus,a score of 1 or 2 on the screener optimally identified children at high risk for early-onset marijuana use.Table 4 shows the more detailed results of the analyses with information about sensitivity,specificity,PPV,NPV,and overall accuracy for 5-item Screener scores.We interpret these results as indicating that a threshold or “cut off” score of 2 or more would provide acceptable results.To further address whether internalizing items would enhance the accuracy of the 5-item Screener for predicting early-onset marijuana use,results with a scale including the 5-item Screener and two added internalizing items are presented.A comparison between Tables 3 and 5 shows that the addition of internalizing behaviors did not systematically improve the AUC analysis results.The additional items resulted in marginally lower AUCs in six out of the nine analyses.Thus,the addition of internalizing items failed to improve the 5-item Screener.Using the 5-item Screener,subsequent analyses were conducted to investigate the prediction of other substance use outcomes.Specifically,we investigated the extent to which the screener predicted alcohol use and illicit drug use at age 15 and older.Because of measurement limitations,the analyses only focused on the CEDAR and the MLS data sets.

The 5-item Screener applied to the CEDAR data set significantly predicted monthly alcohol use by the 15th birthday,illicit drug use by the 15th birthday,and the onset of a DSM-IV defined substance use disorder involving an illicit drug by the 18th birthday.We also examined two longer-term outcomes at an average age of 16.6 in the MLS data set.The 5-item Screener significantly predicted frequency of cigarette use in the past month,and frequency of problems associated with drinking in the past year.Thus,these results held for both and girls.Lastly,we examined in the CEDAR data set whether the inclusion of two internalizing items improved the prediction when added to the 5-item Screener on the longer-term outcomes.The results show that the inclusion of internalizing items did not improve predictions when added to the 5-item Screener and,instead,slightly reduced the AUC.s the legalization of cannabis continues to be liberalized for medicinal and recreational purposes,its consumption is expected to continue to rise.As of 2020,cannabis has been legalized in 33 states for medicinal purposes and in 11 states for recreational use.Yet,its distribution and use remain largely unregulated.According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the United States,approximately 22.2 million Americans aged 12 and older reported current marijuana use within the past month,with a predominant prevalence of use in males between the ages of 18 and 25 years old.Research on cannabis both as medical therapy and on its adverse health effects is still nascent.Findings on the effects of cannabis use on male sexual health appear paradoxical.While enhanced sexual arousal and experience have been reported in some cannabis users,habitual cannabis use has been linked to erectile dysfunction.In one study,chronic cannabis smokers demonstrated penile vasculopathy on veno-occlusive plethysmography.With studies suggesting potential adverse effects on erectile function,the impact of cannabis on ED requires further investigation.An explanation for the paradox between the reported enhancement in sexual experience and impairment in erectile function with cannabis use may be attributed to the ubiquity of endocannabinoid receptors,cannabinoid receptor type 1 and type 2,throughout the body.

Cannabinoids,such as cannabidiol and THC,modulate the activity of dopaminergic and oxytocinergic neurons via brain CB1 receptors involved in the regulation of pleasure responses and sexual arousal.Findings of vasculogenic ED associated with cannabis use may be due to the activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors in the peripheral vasculature,which has been found to promote atherogenesis and endothelial dysfunction.The dried flower and leaves of Cannabis sativa,one of the most commonly consumed cannabis strains,contains over 100 pharmacologically active cannabinoids with different potential therapeutic properties and side effects.However,as the cannabinoid compositions in the different strains of cannabis are not standardized,the elicited physiological effects may be unpredictable as well.While purified THC has been studied for clinical use,investigations on marijuana,or Cannabis sativa,plant extracts for medicinal use may be more challenging due to the varying cannabinoid constituents.The Western dietary pattern,which is high in saturated fats and simple carbohydrates,has been associated with chronic systemic inflammation and the development of risk factors such as hypertension,obesity,and dyslipidemia found in vascular disease.Furthermore,in rodent models,a high-fat diet has been found to induce changes within the corpora cavernosa suggestive of vasculogenic ED.These adverse effects may likely be due to the generation of increased reactive oxygen species from the lipid-laden contents in an HFD.In a saturated endogenous anti-oxidant system,a redox imbalance can occur,leading to an increase in oxidative stress that results in the deleterious endothelial changes observed in vascular dysfunction.Although the relationship between cannabis consumption and metabolic conditions such as diabetes and dyslipidemia has not been established,cannabis use has been linked to high caloric intake and cardiovascular dysfunction.Thus,findings that suggest cannabis use and Western diet can negatively impact cardiovascular health may also imply possible harmful effects on erectile function as well.Thus,it is vital to determine whether the combination of diet and cannabis use may have an additive or synergistic effect on erectile tissue health.This study seeks to investigate the effects of HFD and the addition of either MJ or purified THC extract on the erectile tissue of mice.

Given that MJ extract contains a mixture of different cannabinoids of uncertain biochemical consequence compared to purified THC,we hypothesize that MJ extract may enhance the inflammatory process brought on by an HFD and lead to observable deleterious changes within the corpora cavernosa.Our results demonstrate that the development of fibrosis appeared most pronounced in the corpora cavernosa of mice given an HFD combined with oral MJ as evidenced by a decrease in SMC to collagen ratio,an increase in myofibroblast proliferation in the tunica albuginea,plant benches and a reduction in anti-oxidative stress expression.These findings suggest that in the setting of chronic HFD,the addition of MJ consumption may synergistically enhance inflammation and hasten penile fibrosis.In contrast to the effect of MJ extract,the addition of purified THC extract did not appear to exacerbate fibrotic changes.THC may mitigate the inflammatory response,which correlates with the benign impact that is found in the mouse corpora cavernosa of this study.The histological changes seen within the corpora cavernosa of mice fed HFD þ MJ are similar to alterations seen in both vascular atherosclerotic changes and cavernosal venoocclusive dysfunction.Whether brought on by chronic insults from smoking,diabetes,or obesity in vascular atherosclerosis or the aging process in corporal veno-occlusive dysfunction,a persistent inflammatory state triggers the apoptosis of SMCs and accumulation of collagen.In the penis,these findings are consistent with the progression of fibrosis associated with ED.Previous investigations alluding that the dysregulation of CB1 and CB2 receptors can result in atherosclerotic plaque formation in the peripheral vasculature provide insight into the corpora cavernosa histopathology of mice treated with HFD þ MJ.Activation of CB1 receptors can lead to the production of lipid-laden macrophages and reactive oxygen species.While antagonism of CB2 receptors found in immunomodulatory cells can dampen the recruitment of proinflammatory cytokines and myofibroblasts,agonism of CB2 receptors in the corpora cavernosa may reduce reactive oxygen species.The cascade of events brought on by CB1 and CB2 receptor modulation results in the plaque formation seen in vascular endothelium injury,remodeling,and eventual fibrosis.These mechanisms may also be at play in the fibrosis observed in the corpora cavernosa of mice fed HFD þ MJ in this study.The increase in fibroblast to myofibroblast transition in the connective tissue of the tunica albuginea and the accompanying decrease in cavernosal SMC to collagen ratio was significant in the HFD þ MJ group.MJ,the extract of Cannabis sativa used in this experiment,contains a multitude of natural cannabinoid constituents.This may have led to the non-specific binding of the unidentified constituents to the endocannabinoid receptors,resulting in the activation of the inflammatory cascade and leading to the increased myofibroblast expression.This increase also suggests that MJ may exacerbate the fibrotic progression already underway within the corpora cavernosa oxidative stress already brought on by HFD.Previous studies using animal models suggest that THC may have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties,presumably via CB2 receptor interaction.

THC has been shown to slow the disease progression in rodents induced with rheumatoid arthritis,atherosclerotic plaques,and hepatic fibrosis.In line with these studies,in this experiment,the corpora cavernosa of mice given a diet and THC extract did not demonstrate as a significant reduction in HO-1 expression as in those given a diet and MJ extract.This finding may explain the lack of architectural changes found in the corpora cavernosa of mice administered either NCD þ THC or HFD þ THC.The reduction in oxidative stress and minimal adverse tissue changes suggest the therapeutic potential of THC as an antioxidant,although more studies are needed.Furthermore,while it appears that purified THC can exert anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects applicable for clinical use,caution may be needed with the use of whole cannabis plant extract in which the cannabinoid constituents are unidentified and unquantified,such as with MJ in this experiment.As the legalization of cannabis continues to expand for medicinal treatment and recreational use,further delineation of the beneficial and detrimental properties of cannabinoids and their CB1 or CB2 receptor proclivities is warranted.Additionally,with respect to male sexual health,identifying the presence and localization of endocannabinoid receptors within the corpora cavernosa may further elucidate the effects of cannabis and its components.

The comorbid use of alcohol and marijuana among teens continues to subtly rise asperception of harm declines.Fifty-eight percent of alcohol drinking adolescents report using alcohol and marijuana simultaneously,45% of youth endorse a lifetime prevalence of marijuana use by the 12th grade,and 22% of these youth endorse use in the past 30 days.The adolescent brain undergoes considerable maturation,including changes in cortical volume and refinement of cortical connections.These neural transformations leave the adolescent brain more susceptible to potential neurotoxic effects of substances.Although overall brain volume remains largely unchanged after puberty,ongoing synaptic refinement and myelination results in reduced gray matter and increased white matter volume by late adolescence.Cortical gray matter follows an inverted U-shaped developmental course,with cortical volume peaking around ages 12–14.The mechanisms underlying the decline in cortical volume and thickness are suggested to involve pruning and elimination of weaker synaptic connections,decreases in neuropil,increases in intra-cortical myelination,or changes in the cellular organization of the cerebral cortex.In contrast,white matter development generally is characterized by linear volume increases driven by progressive axonal myelination.These processes refifine motor functioning,higher-order cognition,and cognitive control.Studies show alterations in white matter integrity in adolescent marijuana users compared to non-users,particularly in fronto-parietal circuitry and pathways connecting the frontal and temporal lobes.Altered cortical morphometry has also been observed in adolescent marijuana users,with marijuana-using adolescents having larger cerebellar volumes than non-users,thinner cortices in prefrontal and insular regions,and thicker cortices in posterior regions when compared to controls.Structural neuroimaging studies have also examined whether structural brain alterations were present before onset of marijuana use.Notably,cannabis square pot orbitofrontal cortex volumes at age 12 predicted initiation of marijuana use at age 16 when controlling for other substance use.

This study builds on previous work by our laboratory examining the acute and longer-term impact of adolescent marijuana use on cortical thickness pre- and post 28-days of monitored abstinence from marijuana.We found increased temporal lobe thickness estimates in adolescent heavy marijuana users,and negative associations with cortical thickness and lifetime marijuana use both acutely and following prolonged abstinence from marijuana.It is unclear if such structural alterations of the cerebral cortex persist into young adulthood.The aim of this prospective study was to identify differences in cortical thickness between adolescent heavy marijuana users and control adolescents with minimal substance use histories assessed at three independent time points.We hypothesized that those individuals who initiated heavy marijuana use during adolescence would show thicker cortices over time compared to our control teens by young adulthood in frontal and temporal brain regions.Adolescents were recruited from local San Diego schools and followed for three years,which included a baseline assessment and subsequent 1.5,and 3-year in-person follow-up visit.Participants underwent neuro imaging and substance use assessment at all three time points.Study design invited individuals back every 18-months in order to capture relationships between substance use and neuro imaging estimates spanning adolescence to young adulthood.Inclusion in the present study required valid neuro imaging data at all three time points to avoid asymmetrical processing in the longitudinal cortical thickness processing approach.All participants underwent written informed consent in accordance with the University of California,San Diego Human Research Protections Program.Marijuana and control groups were selected based on lifetime marijuana use episodes at baseline,and alcohol use was limited to <150 lifetime drinking episodes for both groups at enrollment.Average days of marijuana use per month ranged from 13 to 15 days over the course of three years for the substance users.The vast majority of substance users,MJ +ALC,met criteria for marijuana abuse/dependence over the course of the three-year study and approximately 87% met criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence.Approximately 55% of controls met criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence over the course of the study; six participants in the control group met abuse criteria for marijuana use at 3-year follow-up.

See Fig.1 for frequency and cumulative alcohol and marijuana use reported over the course of three years for the sample.Exclusionary criteria at study entry included: history of a lifetime DSM-IV Axis I disorder,history of learning disability; history of neurological disorder or traumatic brain injury with loss of consciousness >2 min; history of a serious physical health problem; complicated or premature birth including prenatal substance use; uncorrectable sensory impairments; left handedness; and use of psychoactive medications.Participants underwent weekly toxicology screening for four weeks prior to their neuro imaging session to confirm abstinence from marijuana at each time point.Decreasing 11-nor-9-carboxytetrahydrocannabinol metabolite ratios confirmed completion of the marijuana abstinence protocol at each visit and helped ensure the longer-term adverse alterations in cortical thickness were being captured,as compared to acute effects of recent use.Compliance at each visit was determined for each positive test result by dividing each THCCOOH normalized collection by the previous collected specimen,per Huestis and Cone recommendations for determining new cannabis use as a function of time.Notably,positive THCCOOH/creatinine ratios ranged from 0.0 to 10.6 ng/mg on the day of the scan session across all three time points,which falls below the commonly used confirmation cutoff <15 ng/mL.The Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Predictive Scales was administered to youth and parent at the screening interview to identify and exclude those individuals with Axis-I disorders other than alcohol or cannabis use disorder.The Beck Depression Inventory and Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory assessed depression and state anxiety.The Family History Assessment Module assessed family history of psychiatric and substance use disorders.Parental income and grade point average were collected during a clinical interview prior to the baseline imaging session.The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Vocabulary subtest was included as an estimate of premorbid intellectual functioning.All scans were acquired on the same 3.0 T CXK4 short bore Excite-2 magnetic resonance system with an eight-channel phase array head coil at the University of California San Diego Center for Functional MRI.Subjects were asked to remain still in the scanner while a high-resolution T1-weighted anatomical spoiled gradient recall scan was acquired.Cortical thickness estimates were extracted using previously published methods by our laboratory.The neuroimaging software FreeSurfer,which is well documented and freely available,was used for cortical surface reconstruction and thickness estimates.

The initial cross-sectional process involves motion correction and averaging of T1 weighted images,removal of non-brain tissue and transformation to standardized space,segmentation of sub-cortical white and deep gray matter structures,intensity normalization,and tessellation of the gray/white matter boundary.Local MRI intensity gradients then guide a surface deformation algorithm to place smooth borders where the greatest shift in intensity defines transition to other tissue classes ; this procedure allows for quantification of sub-millimeter group differences.Cortical thickness was calculated as the closest distance from the gray/white matter boundary to the gray matter/cerebral spinal fluid boundary at each vertex on the cortical surface.Validity of the cortical thickness measurement procedures has been verified using manual measurements and histological analysis.Test–retest reliability across scanners and field strenghts has been shown using these standardized procedures.Following cross-sectional processing of all three time points,data was next fed through the longitudinal processing stream in Free Surfer.This approach extracts reliable volume and thickness estimates by creating an unbiased within-subject template space and image from the three cross sectionally processed time points using a consistent robust inverse registration method.Processing steps such as Talairach transforms,atlas registration,and spherical surface maps and parcellations are initialized with common information from the within-subject template,increasing reliability and statistical power.To identify errors made during cortical reconstruction processing,one rater,blind to participant characteristics,followed the reconstruction and longitudinal edit procedures to correct any errors made during the cortical reconstruction process.This involved verification of the automated skull stripping,and a coronal plane slice-by-slice inspection of the gray/white and gray/cerebral spinal fluid surfaces.Modifications to the surfaces were made as necessary to correct for tissue misclassifications.All longitudinal runs were checked for quality,and no editing was necessary following the longitudinal processing.Following inspection,an automated parcellation procedure divided each hemisphere into 34 independent cortical regions based on gyral and sulcal features.Cortical thickness estimates averaged over each parcellation region were extracted for statistical analyses in SPSS.Repeated measures analysis of covariance examined main effects of group,time,and Group by Time interactions on cortical thickness values for 34 independent standard neuroanatomical cortical regions in each hemisphere.significant between-group and interaction effects were followed-up post hoc to determine what time point was driving the statistically significant between-group differences.Intracranial volume and lifetime alcohol use was included as a covariate given the high rate of alcohol use reported by the marijuana users in this sample.This study looked at cortical thickness estimates at three independent time points in adolescent marijuana and alcohol users compared to controls with limited substance use histories.

We found significant between group differences in cortical thickness estimates after controlling for lifetime alcohol use.MJ +ALC demonstrated increased cortical thickness estimates in all four lobes of the brain,bilaterally.Notably,18 of 23 regions in which differences were observed were in the frontal and parietal cortex.Positive dose-dependent associations were identified in temporal brain regions,trim tray as cumulative marijuana use from ages 16 to 22 was associated with thicker cortices in inferior temporal and entorhinal cortex.Several negative associations were observed with lifetime alcohol use,as more alcohol use reported was associated with thinner cortical estimates in all four lobes.It is important to detail how these findings compare to our previous work with a similar sample,as we found both similarities and differences from our cortical thickness study in which adolescent marijuana users were observed pre- and post 28-days of monitored abstinence.In Jacobus et al.,increased thickness estimates in our marijuana users was found in the entorhinal cortex compared to matched controls.Similarly,the present study found increased thickness estimates in our user group compared to our controls,and findings were more widespread and noted in all four lobes of the brain.The present study also found more lifetime marijuana use was associated with increased thickness in the entorhinal cortex,a region rich in cannabinoid 1 receptors and important for learning and memory.However,dose-dependent bivariate correlations were different in that previously we saw increased marijuana use associated with thinner cortices and increased alcohol use associated with thicker cortical estimates at age 17,pre- and post monitored abstinence.Our dose-dependent associations in the present study suggest otherwise.We found increased lifetime marijuana use reported associated with thicker cortical estimates and increased lifetime alcohol use reported associated with thinner cortices.This may reflect several points recently discussed by Filbey and colleagues in the literature,including methodological issues,the present study assessed substance independently over the course of three years compared to 28-days at age 17; age and maturational bias,correlations in the present study reflect associations following many years of substance use and potential for interference with complex neuro developmental processes; changes in marijuana and alcohol use patterns,as individuals in the present study remain relatively chronic in their marijuana use over time but subtly increase in their alcohol use; and possible interactions with pre-existing vulnerabilities that are present at age 17,but likely changes as the individual continues to chronically use substances and increase in age Lopez-Larson and colleagues cross-sectionally investigated cortical thickness in adolescents ages 16–19 years,with heavy marijuana use histories.They found decreased thickness in frontal regions and the insula,along with increased thickness in lingual,temporal,and parietal regions.The present study found increases in thickness in parietal,temporal,and occipital cortices,consistent with work by this team.The mechanism by which marijuana may alter the neural architecture and plasticity of the brain is undetermined.The endocannabinoid system plays a role in neuromaturational processes and modulates neurotransmission for several neurotransmitter systems.Interference with this system due to marijuana,or tetrahydrocannabinol administration,likely causes a cascade of neuronal events that changes brain structure and function,and thereby neurocognitive processing,emotional regulation and reward processing,and propensity for psychiatric comorbidities and addiction.It is unclear how associations with marijuana use and cortical thickness remodeling may be unique compared to alterations in macrostructural volume.Studies suggest that volume changes are driven by changes in surface area whereas others suggest thickness as one ages,however relationships between these metrics are likely dynamic across the lifespan and represent different neuromaturational mechanisms at different stages of life and disease.Changes in regional brain volume associated with marijuana use have varied,as some have observed decreased volume and others have identified macrostructural volume increases in CB1-dense brain regions such as neocortex,amygdala,striatum,hippocampus,and cerebellum.In reward-network regions specifically,such as the orbitofrontal cortex,a recent examination by Filbey and colleauges,found decreased orbitofrontal cortex volume in heavy marijuana users compared to controls,and increased structural and functional connectivity within the OFC network.Lorenzetti and collages,did not find OFC differences in their sample of heavy marijuana users,but did see smaller hippocampus and amygdala volumes.Cheetham et al.found that smaller OFC volume pre-initiation of marijuana use predicted progression into use four years later.

A detailed parametric study of hygrothermal behaviour of a wall made of hemp concrete submitted to hygrothermal shock has been carried out and showed that temperature and relative humidity variations in a wall are very sensitive to thermal properties,moisture transport coefficient and sorption isotherm.Up to now,most hygrothermal tools have used the isothermal sorption curves that express the equilibrium between the moisture content and relative humidity in the representative elementary volume at a constant temperature.However,few works studied the effect of temperature on hygrothermal behaviour of building envelope.This article aims to study the effect of the temperature-dependent sorption on the prediction of hygrothermal behavior of a hemp building envelope submitted to a variation of temperature and relative humidity.First,the details for the mathematical model are shown.The models were elaborated and implemented in the Simulation Problem Analysis and Research Kernel,which is adapted to the complex problems.Then,the simulation tools are validated with experimental results obtained from the test wall realised in our laboratory.After being validated,the effect of non-isothermal conditions on the temperature and relative humidity profiles will be discussed.In the next part,the mathematical model for the coupled heat and moisture transfer in building materials will be presented.Most of the models have nearly the same origin; the main difference among them is related to particular assumptions used.In this article,the model that takes into account liquid and vapor moisture transport is used.Forms of moisture transport depend on the pore structure as well as on the environmental conditions.The liquid phase is transported by capillarity whereas the vapor phase is due to the gradients of partial vapour pressure.The comparison between the variation of temperature and relative humidity at point C obtained from the simulation using the Isoth model and the one from the experimental measurement is presented in Fig.2 and Fig.3.One can observe that the variation of temperature is very similar for the three studied cases.The model gives a quite satisfactory prediction of temperature within the wall,despite the underestimation of the maximum temperature and the overestimation of the minimum temperature.

Concerning the variation of relative humidity,cannabis grow racks the computed results did not fit to the experimental ones.This should be explained by the fact that the studied model neglected the effect of temperature on the moisture sorption capacity of the material,in which increasing temperature results in increase of the relative humidity at given water content.Therefore,the dependency of sorption characteristic on temperature has been taken into account in the physical model and the result will be presented in the following subsection.As mentioned in the subsection 2.2,both Milly’s model and Poyet’s model have been used to study the impact of non-isothermal conditions on the hygrothermal behavior of hemp concrete.Because the results obtained from the Milly’s model is very close to those from Isoth model,they are not depicted here.This subsection focuses only on the results obtained by using Poyet’s model and the comparison between its results and experimental data are shown in Fig.4 and Fig.5.As can be seen from Fig.4,the numerical results are in accordance to the experimental results.In addition,they are very close to those obtained by using the Isoth model.Fig.5 showed that compared to the final one,the Non-Isoth model results in significantly better prediction of the relative humidity variation in the tested wall.Concerning three cases studied,the results are dependent on which the sorption curve is used for the simulations.The results calculated with the adsorption allow a better prediction of the relative humidity variation than those for the model that uses an average sorption curve between adsorption and desorption or desorption curve.The maximum difference between the computed results for the model that uses adsorption curve and the experimental ones is 3% RH.This value is small compared to the accuracy of sensor inserted in the tested wall,which is ±1.5% of RH.The environmental impact of construction sector is increasing thus to satisfy the sustainable development criteria,new constructions need to recycling existing building construction materials or to use bio based materials which have low environmental impact.In this context the hygrothermal behavior of a real sized hemp concrete wall is studied in this paper.

Hemp based structural materials are more and more often used all over the world,especially in France,Great Britain or China,countries which have a long tradition of hemp cultivation.Since the eighties different research have been done on the hemp concrete.Now experimental and numerical studies are available from material scale studies to building scale analysis.Usually wall sized structure use a lime-hemp mixture.Here a blending of Prompt Natural Cement and the non-fibrous part of hemp,called shiv,was used and studied walls were exposed to weather conditions on the outside and controlled conditions on the inside.The PASSYS test cells were presented previously in.They were originally designed to test passive solar components under real weather conditions .Two of them,both located at CEA INES experiment platform in Le Bourget du Lac,south-eastern France,were used in the present experiment.They are 8.44m long,3.61m wide and 3.8m high.The cells are made of a metallic frame insulated by 48 cm of polystyrene and mineral wool to have 5 highly insulated,water and vapor proof walls.The 6th face is reserved for 3.6*3.3 m² sized testing façade here facing the South.Each cell is placed on a raised support which allows free air circulation around all sides and has a system to control indoor temperature and an independent system to control relative humidity.Indoor moisture generation is not limited in mass,generated quantities are recorded by a data logger connected to a balance on which an ultra-son moisture generator is placed.The studied wall was built in precast hemp concrete blocks system,made with Prompt Natural Cement,see Fig.1 with a concrete column.Heat bridge breaking insulation was applied around the whole structure while the outside coating covers all elements of the structure.The sensors position in the wall structure is presented in Fig.2.A vertical and two horizontal gradients,in depth and in width of the wall,are measured.Two kind of recorded data are reported here,temperature and relative humidity,heat flux measurements are not involved in this paper.

To measure RH,a capacitive sensor was used,which was protected by a manually added device in order to avoid the chemical attack of concrete on sensible element of the sensor head and the direct contact with liquid water.This method implies that we adopted the hypothesis that the sensor and its environment are in moisture equilibrium,thus recorded data is measured in air but considered in material.No weight measurement of moisture content is involved in this paper.3D behavior of the studied wall was analyzed.Measured data is presented in two section of the façade: concrete post zone and hempcrete blocks zone for a one year long period.In Fig.3.temperature profiles in both vertical sections are presented in both test cells on the outside and P4= PASSYS 4 covered with traditional lime-based coating on the outside.The data recording time step was one minute.On each part of the figure three heights are represented,bottom,middle and top of the wall as it was seen in Fig.2.Upper part shows the evolution of the temperature in the room air and under interior coating.These graphics puts in evidence that between indoor air and under inside coating only a small difference is perceived.Concerning vertical gradient,the discrepancies between the 3 heights are not significant,gap does not exceed 1°C.And it is valid for both test cells.Recorded data in the concrete post has,as expected,less variation.The curve is less perturbed by the rapid fluctuation of outdoor conditions.Nevertheless a slow seasonal variation is observable,as during winter period the concrete column temperature is lower than during the summer period,independently from indoor conditions.Outdoor temperature variation affects the measured data under outside coating independently from the presence or not of the concrete post behind as recorded data has the same variation in both presented sections.Initial conditions are the same at the three different heights.This similarity was kept during the one year measurement period.It suggests that the homogeneity boundary condition,that we supposed to be valid in the whole wall,is satisfied for temperature considerations.The same kind of presentation is following for relative humidity measurements.For a better understanding,one average data per day is printed in the figure.Fig.4.presents the two above mentioned vertical sections with always the three different horizontal cuts.The impact of initial boundary conditions is clearly seen in this figure.The intrinsic moisture content of hemp concrete influences the measured data during a period which lasts several months.The highest values were measured at the bottom of the wall while the lowest values were measured at the middle.The top section values are between the bottom and middle values.

One probable reason is the involuntary rain water leakage of the wall from outside during rainy periods.It could come from the experimental installation as the lower part of the wall was not protected against this kind of water infiltration.This effect was not measured separately and remains a suggestion.Another reason could be due to different initial moisture content,but after several month this effect was faded,cannabis grow system and moisture content varied in function of boundary conditions rather than in function of initial conditions.The different sensors converge to the same value in time which confirm the homogenous wall hypothesis which may be applied after an initial period only.This question was also studied numerically in the PASSYS 3 test cell and presented later on.A huge difference,up to 30% of RH,between the two test cells was observed.It is partly due to different initial moisture content and partly due to different outside coating even if both walls were oriented to South and they had received the same weather conditions.A parallel analysis showed that the traditional lime-based coating was more water permeable than the industrial coating,thus outside moisture is more absorbed by the coating of P4 than the coating of P3.The detailed analysis of the coatings is not the object of this paper.The 3D analysis shows that after the initializing period the differences between the 3 studied heights stay under 10%.This is corroborated by the center graphs of Fig.4.Once the initial conditions are no more important,the spatial moisture distribution in each studied wall can be considered as homogenous,except around the concrete post which has a slower drying kinetic as it is shown on the right side center graph of Fig.4.In general the presence of a slow drying process in the core of both walls is observed without reference to concrete block or column.In Fig.4.during the Decemberand January period,under the outside coating,RH values stayed around 100% in P4 while in P3 RH values progressed more in correlation to the rest of the wall than to the outside conditions.This important difference is induced by the outside coatings as it was mentioned above.The research team recently developed an innovative system with low environmental impact for the production of semi-rigid panels for thermal and acoustic insulation,obtained from recycled sheep’s wool,from Piemonte region.Starting from the previous work,a new semi-rigid panel was produced,where recycled sheep’s wool is combined with hemp technical fiber.Hemp cultivation presents huge benefits for soils in crops rotation environmental field: this culture easily adapts to different types of climate and high yields can be produced with relatively low resources; moreover it exerts a restorative action on soils,leaving a considerable amount of organic waste,which benefits the cultures that follows in the rotation crops,as stated by Assocanapa.Moreover the high annual biomass production,and its strong ability to absorb CO2 from atmosphere,hemp can be considered an interesting alternative source of energy valorization and biomass.Interest in building for hemp materials especially relies in its recyclability,hygroscopic,water vapor permeability and durability properties,its resistance to mold and fungus attacks and the porous characteristics of fibers and shives; as well as its low environmental impact and low cost.Hemp cultivation has deep roots in Italy,since medieval times,during Maritime Republics age when even in Piemonte region,particularly Carmagnola gradually became a renowned center in the production and diffusion of hemp in the region and abroad.Up to 1960 Italy was among the first countries in the world for planted area and quality of products.After a period following World War II in which hemp cultivation on our territory began gradually to disappear,it was re-introduced at the end of 1990s on a 350 ha area approximately; nowadays it is recovering importance thanks to the efforts of producers as Assocanapa and the recovered cooperation with industrial sectors on local short chain mechanism.Products obtained from hemp stalks processing are shives,fibers and dust.

A similarly designed study found a significant relative risk reduction of 49% for not only systemic complications but that of wounds as well. These call into question the role of marijuana on perioperative complications, especially when taking into consideration that the pulmonary complications in the chronic cannabis smoker are equivalents to that of a chronic tobacco smoker, probably due to the cannabis smoke products. One such pulmonary complication is airway obstruction, extensively linked to marijuana use , in which Warner et al. found that untreated, such as a lack of smoking cessation in the case of marijuana, leaves patients at a high risk for perioperative complications. When it comes to the case of cardiovascular maintenance in the perioperative period, marijuana presents complications. As mentioned previously, cannabis use can createa series of ECG changes that must be considered and monitored such as PVCs, atrial fibrillation, AV block, or Brugada-like changes. As a worst case scenario, cannabis use has been linked to plaque rupture and resultant myocardial infarction. These are all causes for concern considering that Gregg et al. reported, in conducting a series of 55 clinical trials in patients medicated with THC, that peak heart rate increased by 24.1% in surgical patients compared to the non-surgical. The authors concluded that THC may have a synergistic cardiovascular relationship with surgical stress. This tachycardia gave credence to Bryson’s recommendation that ketamine, pancuronium, atropine and epinephrine, all drugs known to affect heart rate, should be avoided in patients with history of acute marijuana use, while the bradycardia and hypotension that results from high doses of marijuana called into question the amount of atropine and vasopressors needed. Despite the impetus behind these recommendations, 1 trial showed epinephrine to have no synergistic effect with marijuana when it comes to cardiovascular effects, showing more research is needed on the potential interactions of marijuana and perioperative medications. Field visualization plays a key role in any operation.

Marijuana, however, may affect this. In a literature review published in Poland, Zakrzeska et al. explored how cannabinoids and their metabolites and their effects on the receptors CB1, CB2, CBPT and CBED as well as other systems may impact hemostasis. The authors concluded that despite the studies that have shown contradictory effects,grow tray stand based on the physiology, it is reasonable to conclude that marijuana could have an anti-hemostatic effect. Multiple studies have backed up that conclusion. In 1979, Schaeffer et al. reported that cannabis users had a diminished ability for platelet aggregation. This led to further investigations and in 1989, Formukong et al. looked at cannabinoids’ effect on platelet aggregation. The authors found that in both rabbit and human platelet aggregation that was induced by adenosine diphosphate or epinephrine was inhibited by cannabinoids in a dose-dependent manner and with cannabidiol more potent than THC in this effect. Then in 2007, an in vitro coagulation study showed that marijuana and two of the major cannabinoids, including THC, had an anticoagulant property and even more so, an antithrombotic effect. In the in vivo model testing clotting times of lean and obese rats, those treated with cannabis had clotting times 1.5 to 2 times greater than the controls, thus supporting the results of the in vitro study. In a follow-up study in 2014, the whole blood of donors who had consumed cannabis had diminished platelet aggregation. The conclusion was drawn that endocannabinoid receptor agonists reduce platelet activation as well as aggregation, and as such might have potential in antithrombotic therapies. This anticoagulatory effect could counteract the surgeon’s attempts to create hemostasis within the operative field and thus limit visualization. Yet Zakrzeska also concluded that marijuana use may put certain individuals at risk for thromboembolism, a second issue of surgical concern. Even though anintravenous injection of cannabis has been shown to cause a significant drop in the platelet count which seems in line with the belief of anticoagulation, it is the marijuana components that cause a release of ADP from erythrocyte, leading to platelet aggregation. This aggregation is the reason behind the reduction in platelet count.

The theory of marijuana use leading to platelet aggregation leads toward substantiating the conclusion Desbois et al. made in regards to an increased predilection for myocardial infarctions and arterial disease. Reports of cases similar lead to Deusch et al.’s in vitro study. The cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 were found on the cell membrane of the human platelet via western blot. Delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the ingredient within cannabis responsible for the psychological effects, demonstrated the ability to significantly increase the expression of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa as well as P-selectin thus increasing the activation of the human platelet. This findings lead to the conclusion that THC, through its effects on the cannabinoid receptors on platelets, may create a prothrombotic setting favoring the development of cardiovascular events. As surgical technique and field advance, more complicated and potentially painful procedures are becoming more common practice. Surveying patients indicated that over 80% experience postoperative pain that was rated as either moderate or severe. This pain can set off a series of physiologic changes that may harm various systems ranging from cardiovascular to the central nervous system, and has been shown to lengthen hospital stays and time to first ambulation, impede postoperative nursing and physiotherapy, increase healthcare costs, and reduce the patient’s satisfaction with the outcome. However, multiple reviews of the available literature have concluded that appropriate and adequate postoperative analgesia improves recovery, including improving cardiac function and decreasing mortality and morbidity related to pulmonary function, decreases thrombosis risk, diminishes the possibility of chronic pain syndrome, and improves overall outcome. Marijuana plays a role now in medicine as an analgesic. Prescribed for a number of diagnoses, medical marijuana has been shown in over 18 randomized trials to be both effective and safe in the treatment of chronic pain, with the best evidence being for neuropathic pain. Investigating the role marijuana plays as an analgesic, Russo found that due to cannabis’s role in multiple pathways, safety, and potential side effects and benefits shown in the clinical trials, marijuana may play a more important role in pain management when combined with opioids. However, the appropriate management of marijuana users with opioids postoperatively is more complicated than these trials suggest. In chronic marijuana users, the perioperative narcotic requirements to gain appropriate analgesia were significantly increased. Yet despite this increase, patients were more likely to subjectively experience less pain than those of their non-marijuana using counterparts.

Clinically, this increase materialized in the form of a narcotic requirement twice that of the average patient of the same height and weight each day over the course of two postoperative days, demonstrating a potential interaction between marijuana and opioids which must be taken into account when considering the potential postoperative complications that may arise from the increased doses of opioids. In a literature review published in the Journal of Obesity Surgery, Rummel et al. posed the question of whether or not marijuana use should be a contraindication to bariatric surgery. In their investigation, the authors determined that there was a lack of a generalized screening protocol for marijuana use amongst providers and thus there is no account of a known effect on procedures due to confounders. Yet, due to the many effects marijuana has on the cardiovascular, pulmonary, immunologic, and central nervous system, the conclusion was drawn that it is fair to hypothesize that cannabis use has the potential to worsen adverse outcomes in the postoperative period. These potential risks and lack of screening resulted in the recommendation that practitioners of bariatric surgery should be devoted to assessing controlled and problematic levels of preoperative substance use and take the time to discuss the potential postoperative risks with patients. However, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Obesity Society, and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery took the recommendations one step further by stating that current drug use, including marijuana, should be treated as exclusionary criterion in the case of bariatric surgery. These recommendations for an elective procedure should potentially be considered in the case of all elective surgical procedures.

Hemp-lime is a bio-composite material comprised of hemp shiv, the woody core of hemp plant, and a lime based binder. The composite can be cast into any rigid form and can be used as a floor, wall or roofing material.Hemp shiv comes from renewable sources and lime is a flexible,garden racks for sale reusable and breathable material with significantly lower embodied energy than conventional masonry materials. Because of its low compressive strength, hemplime is typically used as an insulating infill material between structural framework. Hemp-lime possesses excellent hygric and moderate thermal properties. The dry thermal conductivity of hemp-lime varies between 0.06 and 0.12 W/m K. It is observed that the thermal performance of hemp-lime is better than what its U-value or thermal conductivity value suggests. This is may be because of the low thermal diffusivity of hemp-lime resulting from its high specific heat capacity, varying between 1300 and 1700 J/Kg.K, combined with its high density, ranging between 220 and 950 kg/m3. Since the external boundary conditions are dynamic, the high thermal mass of hemp-lime means that variations in changes in temperature can be dampened and the peak energy load can be reduced. In terms of hygric properties, hemp-lime, like other cellulose materials, works as an effective hygric mass because of its ‘Excellent’ moisture buffer capacity in its exposed condition. Moisture buffer capacity of a hygroscopic material enables the material to moderate the fluctuations in relative humidity of an enclosed space by utilising the adsorption and desorption properties of the material. Moisture buffering properties of the material also helps to reduce condensation in the building envelope and maintain indoor air quality. In addition to the moisture buffer capacity, moisture buffer performance of a material depends also on the exposure area, vapour permeability, surface treatment of the material, moisture load, ventilation rate, volume rate and initial humidity condition. The moisture buffer value can be classified within the ‘practical moisture buffer value classes’, consisting of the following ranges: negligible, limited, moderate, good and excellent. The moisture buffer value of exposed hemp-lime samples are reported as either ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ by a number of authors. Moisture buffering can directly and indirectly reduce the energy consumption of buildings. In terms of energy use, hygroscopic materials in general can reduce heating energy requirements by 2e3% and cooling energy requirements by 5e30% if integrated with a well-controlled HVAC system. High thermal and hygric inertia of hemp-lime can potentially help to moderate the effect of temperature and relative humidity fluctuations in an interior space. However, in practical applications, hemp-lime is used as a part of the building envelope system incorporating a combination of surface lining and surface treatment. The application of plaster or surface treated inner lining and the presence of a service void or air layer between the hemplime and the inner lining can potentially influence the moisture buffering ability of hemp-lime since the material is no longer in direct contact with the interior boundary conditions. Furthermore, use of coating or inner layers may delay and reduce vapour diffusion. The aim of the present study is to compare the moisture buffer values of vapour-open wall assemblies containing hemplime and inner linings and surface treatments with that of the exposed hemp-lime. The Nordtest protocol is followed to determine the moisture buffer values of the assembly. The experiments described in this article are part of the experiments being carried out in the EPSRC-funded HIVE building situated in the Building Research Park at Wroughton, UK.The samples were sealed on 5 out of 6 sides with aluminium foil tape. The upper surfaces of the assemblies were kept exposed for adsorption and desorption of moisture. The assemblies were then conditioned to 23 C temperature and 50% relative humidity to reach equilibrium moisture content in a climate chamber. The test assemblies were exposed to 75% relative humidity for 8 h and 33% relative humidity for 16 h in the climate chamber in accordance with the Nordtest Protocol. In each cycle, mass of the assemblies were measured at the end of each exposure using an analytical weighing scale with a resolution of 0.1 g. Change in moisture mass, Dm, was determined as the average of the weight gain during the moisture uptake phase of the cycle, and the weight loss during moisture release.

However, to date, only few studies have examined personality factors that distinguish marijuana from nicotine users and even fewer differentiate isolated use from combined use. In terms of isolated use, high openness but lower agreeableness and conscientiousness in marijuana users relative to non-users has been noted , suggesting that marijuana users differ from non-users on dimensions of normal personality traits as measured by the Big Five model of personality. Conversely, greater extraversion is widely reported in nicotine-only users , as well as high neuroticism and impulsivity. Studies that have performed direct contrasts between isolated marijuana and nicotine users have also shown differences between the two groups. For example, using the wide spectrum Five-Factor Model of personality, Terracciano et al. showed that nicotine users had lower conscientiousness and higher neuroticism whereas marijuana users had high openness, average neuroticism, and low agreeableness and conscientiousness. However, these studies did not examine personality factors in co-morbid nicotine and marijuana users. These traits together suggest that co-morbid users would have a personality profile endorsing high openness and neuroticism, but comparatively less of these traits than isolated users. Personality factors are markers that can be used as endopheno types for substance use disorders particularly because brain circuits involved in personality traits are also implicated in SUD. For example, emergent literature has classified the Big Five personality model via machine learning techniques from resting state fMRI data. These studies indicate that neuroticism negatively correlated with activity in the middle frontal gyrus and precuneus; extraversion correlated positively with regional activity in the striatum, precuneus, and superior frontal gyrus; openness correlated positively with activity in the thalamus and amygdala, indoor plant table and negatively with the superior frontal gyrus; conscientiousness correlated positively with regional activity of the middle frontal gyrus and correlated negatively with the cerebellum. While these findings have not been consistent across studies, they suggest underlying neurobiological mechanisms/pathways that confer personality factors particularly in similar neural substrates implicated in SUD. 

Altogether, better understanding of the links between personality and SUD can provide understanding of the brain circuits implicated in SUD that could improve prevention and intervention. Given the paucity in the literature on personality factors that discriminate co-morbid from isolated marijuana and nicotine use, this study examined differential NEO personality profiles in marijuana only, nicotine only, co-morbid marijuana and nicotine use and non-using controls. Because the existing literature has shown that marijuana users and nicotine users differ on openness and neuroticism, we predict that comorbid users would have a personality profile high on these two personality traits, but intermediate to that of the isolated users.Participants were recruited from the general community through flyers and newspaper advertisements to participate in a study to determine behavioral and neural associations of substances at the Mind Research Network in Albuquerque, New Mexico. All participants were between the ages of 18 55, without current Axis I disorders, not currently taking any psychotropic medications, and, have no history of brain injury. Because these data were collected as part of a larger fMRI study, participants were further required to be free of MRI contraindications and be right-handed. Of the 224 individuals who met study criteria, 80 participants were excluded for having a lifetime substance use disorder other than marijuana and nicotine. Two participants were also excluded due to missing data. Thus, analyses for this study were conducted on a sample size of 142. We then categorized the participants into four groups based on their primary and regularly-used substance: marijuana-only , nicotine-only , co-morbid marijuana and nicotine and non-using control groups. For the marijuana only group, regular marijuana use was defined as at least four times a week for the previous six months. For the nicotine-only group, regular nicotine use was defined as smoking at least ten cigarettes per day. The combined marijuana and nicotine group consisted of those who use both marijuana and nicotine regularly, as defined by 60 days out of the past 90 of concurrent use. The non-using control group consisted of participants that were neither regular users of marijuana or nicotine. Table 1 summarizes the substance use characteristics for all of the groups.All assessments took place in the laboratory and were not time constrained. The typical length of time that participants took to complete questionnaires was 1.5 h. 

The study outcome variables consisted of groups of marijuana only users, nicotine-only users, and, co-morbid users of marijuana and nicotine. Co-variates included sex, race , age, and years of education. Marijuana, nicotine and alcohol use was evaluated using the participant’s self-reported use on the Timeline Follow back as well as the Marijuana History Questionnaire. Substance use disorders were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders. Personality traits were measured by NEO PI-R. The NEO PI-R scale is based on the theory of “The Big Five Factors” and assesses personality from a dimensional point of view. Because we were interested in patterns of personality traits that distinguish co-morbid users of both marijuana and nicotine from the marijuana-only or nicotine-only users, we first used a factor analysis with VARIMAX orthogonal rotation method to identify unique relationships between each NEO personality dimension variable and unobserved latent factors. This method allowed us to combine these five factors into linear models that we could then test in linear regression given our sample size. The logistic regression model was used to estimate how much the two significant personality factors derived from factor analysis discriminate marijuana-only, nicotine-only, co-morbid marijuana and nicotine users, and, controls controlling for co-variates of sex, age, race, and education. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval estimates were presented as results. Further, in order to test accuracy in personality factors’ discriminability of groups who use marijuana only from nicotine only and neither marijuana nor nicotine use, 70% of area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curves was set as a minimum value for an accuracy of classification. In addition to personality factor patterns as predictors, we also examined the group variance in each NEO personality dimension using Analysis of Variance. ANOVA was run for all five dimensions separately controlling for co-variates of sex, race, age, and education. Post-hoc pairwise comparisons between two diagnosis groups were conducted if an overall group effect was statistically significant and Tukey-Kramer adjusted p values were then reported. SAS 9.4 version was used for all statistical analyses and p value less than 0.05 was set as a statistical significance level.

To investigate the discriminatory effectiveness of personality factors of marijuana use among four groups , we used three paired comparisons: marijuana-only vs. all other groups, marijuana-only vs. nicotine-only, and marijuana only vs. controls. A logistic regression model consisted of two personality factors and co-variates of sex, race, age, and education. Logistic regression results showed that as personality factor 2 score increased by 1, the odds of using marijuana increased by 180% compared to non-marijuana using groups, respectively. However, personality factor 1 did not significantly discriminate marijuana group from the other groups. Regarding demographic variables, these comparisons also demonstrated that older participants were less likely to use marijuana, and that females had significantly lower odds than males of using marijuana only compared to neither marijuana nor nicotine use. Additionally, as years of education increased by 1 year, the odds of marijuana use decreased by 74%. The study model was able to discriminate marijuana users from the rest with 83% accuracy, while each personality factor alone discriminated marijuana users from the rest of the sample with less than 60% accuracy. When comparing marijuana-only and nicotine-only groups, neither factor 1 nor factor 2 alone discriminated marijuana-only users from nicotine-only users with greater than 70% accuracy. However, a model with both personality factors and demographic covariates discriminated marijuana only use from nicotine users with 80% accuracy. When comparing the marijuana-only group with the control group, neither factor 1 nor factor 2 alone discriminated marijuana only users from the control group, while a model with both personality factors and demographic covariates discriminated marijuana only use from the control group with 85% accuracy. While no significant overall group effect was found in any of NEO agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion, or conscientiousness t scores, ANOVA analysis specifically differentiated the marijuana-use group from the NIC and CON groups in the NEO openness dimension. Post-hoc pairwise group comparison showed that there was a difference between MJ and NIC groups, Tukey adjusted p¼0.0048, and a trend between MJ and Control groups, Tukey adjusted p¼0.0544.Together,plant growing stand these observations indicate clear personality differences between individuals who use marijuana, nicotine, or both, and implicate differences in treatment between these populations.

The aim of this study was to determine personality profiles that distinguish marijuana users, nicotine users, and, co-morbid marijuana-nicotine users. Factor analysis showed that a model with both personality and demographic factors discriminated marijuana users from non-users better than personality factors alone. Logistic regression found strong effects of age, sex and years of education in discriminating marijuana users from non-users whereby the odds of using marijuana increased by being male, younger and less educated. A model with both personality and demographic factors also discriminated marijuana users from nicotine users with high predictability. ANOVA results showed that the openness dimension discriminated the marijuana users from all other groups and the marijuana-nicotine group from the nicotine users. These findings suggest that the discriminability of the co-morbid group from the nicotine-only and non-using group is primarily due to the contributions of marijuana use. The larger contribution of marijuana in concomitant users in terms of risk is in line with studies that found that the association between comorbid use and negative emotion is largely driven by marijuana users. Our findings are concordant with the literature that showed openness discriminates marijuana users from other groups. Openness identifies the seeking of experiences for their own sake. Relative to marijuana, nicotine use does not have the burden of legal consequences and therefore may not require the same degree of openness as marijuana use. Our findings are also concordant with those suggesting that agreeableness and conscientiousness are lower in drug users. Our findings further add to this literature by showing that agreeableness and conscientiousness in marijuana users are intermediate to that of nonusing controls and nicotine users. Interestingly, studies have also reported that extraversion is traditionally lower in drug users compared to non-drug users suggesting that extraversion may confer resilience to the development of addiction disorders in general. However, in marijuana users, the inverse effect has been observed. For instance, in a study by Terracciano et al. , marijuana users exhibited greater “excitement-seeking” and “activity” compared to non-users.

Reports of marijuana use may also be more highly associated with extraversion due to the more communicative personality traits implicated in admission of illegal activity. However, in line with the studies mentioned above, the more robust effect is likely the similarly of the extraversion “excitement-seeking” facet, and sensation-seeking, which is a well established risk factor for drug use.Together with our findings of greater openness in marijuana users, we speculate potential specificity of personality traits in different substance using population. This underlines the need to characterize substance-using populations relative to each other. Additionally, given the widely accepted association between novelty-seeking and sensation seeking in marijuana users , it may be through extraversion that these risk factors lead to substance use disorders. Thus, greater sensation seeking in drug abusers would suggest that extraversion could be a risk factor as others may suggest in other SUDs. In addition to openness, other factors that discriminated marijuana users from nicotine users in our study have been linked to neurological systems responsible for appetitive-approach behaviors. Recent imaging work has shown specific brain mechanisms associated with similar traits including motivation, optimism, and enthusiasm. For example, DeYoung et al. showed that extraversion scores covaried with medial orbitofrontal cortex volume, which has also been shown to be altered in long-term marijuana users. Agreeableness was positively associated with retrosplenial PCC , which is implicated in altered sensory awareness in addiction. Similarly, genetic mechanisms have also been associated with personality traits. For instance, COMT Val158Met allele has been posited to modulate extraversion. Together, these results suggest potential mechanisms for the association between these personality traits and marijuana use.

The TSC used in this study was generated from cigarettes containing Virginia flue-cured tobacco, the type of tobacco typically contained in Canadian cigarettes. This is distinct from the mixed tobacco blends typically found in American cigarettes. Our earlier toxicogenomic examination of TSC from three Canadian cigarette brands containing either Virginia flue-cured or mixed tobacco blends failed to show any appreciable brand-driven differences in gene expression profiles elicited by in vitro exposures. Therefore, we contend that the similarities and difference between MSC and TSC noted in this study can be cautiously extended to other types of tobacco. Nevertheless, it should also be noted that some toxicogenomic studies have shown that cigarette brand can have a significant effect on gene expression signatures elicited by in vitro CSC exposures , and moreover, many aspects of cigarette design and smoking method have been shown to influence the composition and toxicological activity of TSC.Cannabis sativa is popularly known as marijuana and smoking is the commonly used form of this drug. Based on unofficial estimates of drug consumption conducted by the United Nations, it is the most abused drug in the world, with 140 million consumers. Users are young, and exposures occur during their reproductive age. Moreover, among pregnant women, it appears more frequently in self-reported questionnaires of drug use during gestation. Most of the studies on the toxicity of marijuana use during pregnancy have evaluated the neuro-behavioral effects. Epidemiological evidence has shown that marijuana impairs the growth trajectory of the fetus, resulting in low birth weight,greenhouse growing racks intrauterine growth retardation and congenital malformation. Maternal health is also negatively affected; marijuana-using mothers present higher prevalence of dysfunctional and precipitous labor, as well as meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Other potential adverse effects of smoking marijuana during pregnancy are lesser known.

The majority of the toxicological knowledge about the effects of Cannabis sativa on the reproductive tract and fetal development comes from animal studies. In these studies, exposures are done primarily by gavage of marijuana extract orD9 -THC i.p. Regardless of the route of administration , findings of these studies demonstrate increased resorption rate and reduced fetal weight in both mice and rats. None of the studies have reported fetal malformations. Abel et al. reported that pregnant rats exposed to different doses of Cannabis extract throughout gestation presented reductions in weight gain and food consumption. Birth weight was reduced only in those groups exposed during the third week or during the whole gestation. Charlebois and Fried evaluated the effects of pre-gestational and gestational exposure to Cannabis smoke on rats fed low, normal, or high protein diet. They observed that Cannabis exposure lengthened the gestation period and increased the occurrence of stillbirths and litter destruction. When exposure was coupled with a high protein diet, these effects were attenuated. Furthermore, evaluation of the outcomes of the groups exposed both before and during gestation suggested a degree of tolerance to the drug effects. THC and its metabolites are able to cross the placental barrier and reach the fetus. The endocannabinoid system has an important role in reproduction, from the earliest stages of ontogenic development to parturition, including fertilization, embryo implantation, and placentation. The endocannabinoid system is present in different organs where it plays multiple physiological roles. It is composed of the cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2, which are G protein-coupled receptors that are differentially distributed in the organs , and endogenous molecules derived from arachidonic acid: anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Marijuana’s D9 -THC can also bind to CB receptors and activate multiple intracellular signal transduction pathways. Studies in humans have many confounding factors that make it difficult for interpretation and establishment of a causal relationship between smoking marijuana and poor gestational outcomes. Furthermore, toxicological studies conducted in animals use intraperitoneal injections or oral gavage of D9 -THC to perform the exposures, which exclude the interaction of compounds present in the smoke that could also contribute to pregnancy disorders, and the doses used are far beyond the dose commonly experienced by humans. 

Most of the published reviews have acknowledged that there are several uncertainties on the effects of maternal marijuana use on gestational and fetal outcomes. There is lack of information on biological mechanisms, whether fetal developmental disruptions occur indirectly , directly, or as a combination of both, and alterations in placental function, changes in hormonal balance, on sex-specific effects, effects on organogenesis of the kidney, lungs, spleen, and thymus. These aspects and the spreading legalization of recreational use of Cannabis sativa point out that there is an urgent need of further toxicological studies to better recognize the effects and elucidate the mechanism involved in this association. In the present study, we developed an experimental murine model to study the effects of recreational use of marijuana during pregnancy to mimic human “real world” exposures in terms of dose and use to evaluate the effects on gestational and fetal outcomes.Fetal development was evaluated during pregnancy using ultrasound biomicroscopy. On GD 10.5 and 16.5, morphological evaluation of all pregnant mice was performed, with two fetuses per dam, where the crown-rump length , biparietal diameter, abdominal anteroposterior diameter, abdominal transverse diameter, placental diameter, and placental thickness were assessed. The analyses were performed with the aid of a high-frequency ultrasound imaging system with a 40-MHz transducer by MMV who was blind to the group. The limited time for the animal’s isoflurane sedation and examination duration was set at 30 min. Furthermore, a random sample of the fixed fetuses from each group was selected and the organs were dissected and weighed to verify the fetal development. Fetal-to-placenta weight ratio was calculated as an indicator of fetal–placental dysfunctions. This measure is expected to increase as pregnancy progresses; if abnormally low or high, it could be indicative of poor fetal outcomes.In this study, marijuana smoke inhalation negatively affected the gestational and fetal outcomes in the Balb/C mice model of heavier, although fetal weight was reduced, compared to control group.

This implies that more grams of placental/gram fetal tissue were needed to support development. This effect was marked in males, but with a borderline significance in females; the mechanisms involved need to be investigated, although hypoxia and maternal metabolic changes might be involved. Many mechanisms could underline the compromised fetal development observed in our study. Reduced weight at birth and restricted intrauterine growth are effects commonly associated with exposure to Cannabis sativa during pregnancy ; however, no previous study has reported increased susceptibility of male fetuses to this effect. Two studies found similar results of increased number of male pups per litter of exposed dams. In our study, estimation of the ponderal index for the Cannabis group indicated that fetal growth is restricted at the end of pregnancy. There were some limitations in this study. Our evaluation of the presence of THC–COOH in murine urine is an indicator of exposure and not dose. The small volume of urine that we could sample after the exposures, and the low-dose exposure that we adopted in this study, imposed many difficulties to determinate its quantities in this biological matrix. In the study of Lichtman et al. , mice were exposed, via inhalation, to smoke produced by burning 50, 100, and 200 mg of marijuana, containing 3.4% of D9 -THC, during 5 min. The estimated D9-THC doses were 2.0, 3.5, and 5.6 mg/kg, respectively. Our exposure was conducted in a very similar manner, we burnt 200 mg of marijuana, during 5 min, however our sample contained 10 times lessD9 -THC , which allows us to suggest a dose of exposure equivalent to 0.5 mg/kg. In summary, our results indicate that smoking marijuana during pregnancy even at low doses can be embryotoxic and fetotoxic, increasing implantation failures and compromising fetal development. The intrauterine environment is a determinant for fetal development, and any perturbation that occurs during this critical period of life can predispose individuals to later life diseases. Therefore, more studies are needed to recognize and better understand the impacts of smoking marijuana during pregnancy and its impacts on future health. These aspects and the spreading legalization of recreational use of this drug deserve critical evaluation.Hemp is one of the most productive and useful plants known for a long time,vertical hydroponic garden it’s used exclusively for the production of medicines, in the textile field, and also used for the preparation of the drug. However, the transformation of hemp generates a high proportion of waste.

Consequently, the development of recycling processes for such wastes present a great interest to the researchers, this waste has integrated the field of composite materials as reinforcing element where he has already been used in composite materials with polypropylene, unsaturated polyester and other composites. Reinforced composites with natural fibers have attracted recently more attention in order to take advantage of their low cost, low density, biodegradability and availability, ease of implementation, their high specific modulus, and ability to be recycled, etc. These benefits are of interest for applications in various fields such as daily life , automotive …, which require lightweight materials with high performance, opportunities for retraining, the minimum impact on the environment, and reduce the cost of the material. The most serious concerned problem with natural fibers is its hydrophilic nature because they are composed of lignocellulose, which contains hydroxyl groups. These fibers are therefore incompatible with hydrophobic thermoplastics, such as polyolefin and have low moisture resistance. These characteristics are weak points for the uses of vegetable fibers as polymer reinforcements. It is then necessary to improve them so as to avoid penalizing mechanical properties. Another important factor is the dispersion of the fibers for obtaining high mechanical properties. These problems are the main limitations to the use of such fibers as reinforcement in polymers. Thus the matrix fiber interface makes it possible to predict the physicochemical properties of the composite materials; a force applied directly to the matrix on the surface of a composite, is transferred to the nearest fiber and propagates through the fiber at the interface. Incompatible interface, leads to in homogeneous distribution of the forces which disrupts the mechanical properties of the composites. By cons, a good interface can allow the composite has the ability to withstand stress, even after several fibers are cut because the force can be transferred to non-broken fibers. Several studies have studied the changes cellulose fiber surface properties to enhance their adhesion with a polymer matrix and reduce moisture absorption. It has been shown that an appropriate treatment applied to the fibers may result in compatibility with the polymer matrix, which improves the quality of the composites.

Various methods such as plasma treatment, alkali, heat, graft copolymerization, treatment with silane or with other chemicals have improved the compatibility of the fibers with the matrix. It is therefore essential to know the chemical surface interactions between the different constituents of the composites before performing a mechanical characterization of the whole. The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of hemp fibers treatment on their individual properties and their interfacial properties when are mixed with the polyurethane matrix. the improvement of interfacial properties of hemp fibers with the polyurethane matrix, contribute to increasing the composite material properties, the choice of the hemp fibers and the matrix is due to their thermal characteristics tested in this study, this incorporation allows the manufacture of a biodegradable composite insulation.Fig. 2 shows images obtained on untreated and treated fibers. It can be seen that the untreated fibers have more compounds at the surface. The surface of untreated fibers is covered with fats, waxes or polysaccharides such as the lignin, hemicelluloses or pectins and therefore much rougher. This indicated that hemp fiber structure consists of cellulose microfibrils covered with hemicellulose and lignin. From these micrographs it can be seen that the cellulosic fiber surface was covered by non-cellulosic constitute. The treated fibers have a smaller diameter than the untreated fibers and their surface roughness is reduced due to the partial dissolution of the amorphous portions of the fibers. More the percentage treatment increases the fiber surface becomes depleted of non-cellulosic material. The shows a change in the appearance of the fiber surface which may be due to the formation of silane-coupling agent on the surface of hemp fibers, the fiber surface was completely covered which confirmed the time required to achieve the equilibrium adsorption respected.