Hemp Growing

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.