A quantitative study examining infographic assessment guidelines for undergraduate nursing students with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs).

This research investigates the perceived clarity and usefulness of infographic versus traditional text-based assessment guidelines among undergraduate nursing students with and without specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). Through quantitative analysis, the study reveals that undergraduate nursing students with SpLDs significantly prefer infographics over text-based guidelines, both in terms of clarity and usefulness (p < .001). Interestingly, there were no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of students without SpLDs. These findings suggest that the use of infographics as a tool for presenting assessment guidelines could contribute to more inclusive educational practices. The research further highlights the potential of infographics to not only make complex information more accessible but also to cater to diverse learning needs. As higher education institutions strive to be more inclusive, adapting assessment guidelines to suit the varied learning styles and cognitive needs of all students, particularly those with SpLDs, becomes increasingly important. This paper provides initial evidence to support the adoption of infographic-based assessment guidelines as a step towards achieving this goal.

Designer Benzodiazepines Gidazepam and Desalkygidazepam (Bromonordiazepam): What Do We Know?

Designer benzodiazepines are one of the primary new psychoactive substance (NPS) threats around the world, being found in large numbers in postmortem, driving under the influence of drugs and drug-facilitated sexual assault cases. Even though when compared to many other NPS types, such as opioids and cathinones, there are relatively few designer benzodiazepines being monitored. Recently, a new NPS benzodiazepine has been reported in Europe, the USA and Canada, desalkygidazepam, also known as bromonordiazepam. This substance is a metabolite of the prodrug gidazepam, a drug licensed for use in Ukraine and Russia under the name Gidazepam IC®. In the paper, we review what is currently known about the use, pharmacology and analytical detection of gidazepam, its metabolite desalkygidazepam and their other possible metabolites.

The blood-to-plasma ratio and predicted GABAA-binding affinity of designer benzodiazepines.

PURPOSE: The number of benzodiazepines appearing as new psychoactive substances (NPS) is continually increasing. Information about the pharmacological parameters of these compounds is required to fully understand their potential effects and harms. One parameter that has yet to be described is the blood-to-plasma ratio. Knowledge of the pharmacodynamics of designer benzodiazepines is also important, and the use of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) modelling provides a fast and inexpensive method of predicting binding affinity to the GABAA receptor. METHODS: In this work, the blood-to-plasma ratios for six designer benzodiazepines (deschloroetizolam, diclazepam, etizolam, meclonazepam, phenazepam, and pyrazolam) were determined. A previously developed QSAR model was used to predict the binding affinity of nine designer benzodiazepines that have recently appeared. RESULTS: Blood-to-plasma values ranged from 0.57 for phenazepam to 1.18 to pyrazolam. Four designer benzodiazepines appearing since 2017 (fluclotizolam, difludiazepam, flualprazolam, and clobromazolam) had predicted binding affinities to the GABAA receptor that were greater than previously predicted binding affinities for other designer benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS: This work highlights the diverse nature of the designer benzodiazepines and adds to our understanding of their pharmacology. The greater predicted binding affinities are a potential indication of the increasing potency of designer benzodiazepines appearing on the illicit drugs market.

The use of a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model to predict GABA-A receptor binding of newly emerging benzodiazepines.

The illicit market for new psychoactive substances is forever expanding. Benzodiazepines and their derivatives are one of a number of groups of these substances and thus far their number has grown year upon year. For both forensic and clinical purposes it is important to be able to rapidly understand these emerging substances. However as a consequence of the illicit nature of these compounds, there is a deficiency in the pharmacological data available for these 'new' benzodiazepines. In order to further understand the pharmacology of 'new' benzodiazepines we utilised a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approach. A set of 69 benzodiazepine-based compounds was analysed to develop a QSAR training set with respect to published binding values to GABAA receptors. The QSAR model returned an R2 value of 0.90. The most influential factors were found to be the positioning of two H-bond acceptors, two aromatic rings and a hydrophobic group. A test set of nine random compounds was then selected for internal validation to determine the predictive ability of the model and gave an R2 value of 0.86 when comparing the binding values with their experimental data. The QSAR model was then used to predict the binding for 22 benzodiazepines that are classed as new psychoactive substances. This model will allow rapid prediction of the binding activity of emerging benzodiazepines in a rapid and economic way, compared with lengthy and expensive in vitro/in vivo analysis. This will enable forensic chemists and toxicologists to better understand both recently developed compounds and prediction of substances likely to emerge in the future.

Experimental versus theoretical log D7.4 , pKa and plasma protein binding values for benzodiazepines appearing as new psychoactive substances.

The misuse of benzodiazepines as new psychoactive substances is an increasing problem around the world. Basic physicochemical and pharmacokinetic data is required on these substances to interpret and predict their effects upon humans. Experimental log D7.4 , pKa and plasma protein binding values were determined for 11 benzodiazepines that have recently appeared as new psychoactive substances (3-hydroxyphenazepam, 4'-chlorodiazepam, desalkylflurazepam, deschloroetizolam, diclazepam, etizolam, flubromazepam, flubromazolam, meclonazepam, phenazepam, and pyrazolam) and compared with values generated by various software packages (ACD/I-lab, MarvinSketch, ADMET Predictor and PreADMET). ACD/I-LAB returned the most accurate values for log D7.4 and plasma protein binding while ADMET Predictor returned the most accurate values for pKa . Large variations in predictive errors were observed between compounds. Experimental values are currently preferable and desirable as they may aid with the future 'training' of predictive models for these new psychoactive substances.

The emergence of new psychoactive substance (NPS) benzodiazepines: A review.

The market for new psychoactive substances has increased markedly in recent years and there is now a steady stream of compounds appearing every year. Benzodiazepines consist of only a fraction of the total number of these compounds but their use and misuse has rapidly increased. Some of these benzodiazepines have only been patented, some of them have not been previously synthesised, and the majority have never undergone clinical trials or tests. Despite their structural and chemical similarity, large differences exist between the benzodiazepines in their pharmacokinetic parameters and metabolic pathways and so they are not easily comparable. As benzodiazepines have been clinically used since the 1960s, many analytical methods exist to quantify them in a variety of biological matrices and it is expected that these methods would also be suitable for the detection of benzodiazepines that are novel psychoactive substances. Illicitly obtained benzodiazepines have been found to contain a wide range of compounds such as opiates which presents a problem since the use of them in conjunction with each other can lead to respiratory depression and death. This review collates the available information on these benzodiazepines and provides a starting point for the further investigation of their pharmacokinetics which is clearly required.