Nonfatal opioid-related overdoses treated by emergency medical services in Florida, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Previous studies have found increases in nonfatal opioid overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic, which created difficult conditions for people with substance use disorders. We assessed changes in nonfatal opioid-related overdoses in Florida during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency medical service data was obtained from the Florida Department of Health. Naloxone administration with documented improvement was used as a proxy for nonfatal opioid-related overdoses. Age-adjusted rates were estimated per 100,000 population for April-September 2020 (n = 9,377) and compared to the same time period during 2019 (n = 6,765) using rate ratios. Age-adjusted rates were estimated by sex, race/ethnicity, and metro/nonmetro county classification, as well as county-level measures of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) availability, rates of COVID-19 deaths, and unemployment during 2020. The age-adjusted rate of nonfatal opioid-related overdoses increased from 32.41 (95 % CL: 31.64-33.19) during 2019 to 45.35 (95 % CL: 44.42-46.27) during 2020 (RR = 1.40; 95 % CL: 1.36-1.44). The rate for males increased most in metro counties (RR = 1.47, 95 % CL: 1.41-1.53); the rate for females increased most in nonmetro counties (RR = 1.51, 95 % CL: 1.10-2.06). The largest increases were observed among Hispanics (males: RR = 1.56, 95 % CL: 1.37-1.78; females: RR = 1.44, 95 % CL: 1.14-1.81), counties with no MOUD treatment options (RR = 1.66, 95 % CL: 1.14-2.44) and counties with the lowest rates of buprenorphine prescribers (RR = 1.70, 95 % CL: 1.29-2.22). Nonfatal opioid-related overdoses increased in Florida during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Expanding access to services that support treatment and recovery is critical to addressing the ongoing opioid crisis in Florida.

CHARACTERISATION OF TLDS-200 AND OSLDS AT LOW X-RAY ENERGIES AND DETERMINATION OF EYE LENS DOSE, THYROID DOSE AND MEAN GLANDULAR DOSE DURING STANDARD MAMMOGRAPHY AND TOMOSYNTHESIS

The objective of this study was to characterise thermoluminescent (TLDs) and optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) at low X-ray energies and estimate the eye lens (DL), thyroid (DT) and mean glandular (DG) doses received during Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT). The dosimeters were characterised in mammography energies. DL, DT and DG were estimated in FFDM and DBT mode taping dosimeters on the skin of the thyroid gland and on the left eye lens of an Alderson phantom. Dosimeters were also placed on the top of a NORMI PAS phantom simulating a compressed breast. The accuracy, precision and lower limit of detection (LLD) for TLDs and OSLDs were 5 and 8%, 6 and 3%, and 38 and 11 μSv, respectively. The linearity of the kerma response had an R2 > 0.99 and energy dependence was lower than 40%. DT ranged from 0.40 to 2.87 μGy for FFDM and 1.27 to 5.99 μGy for DBT. DG was between 0.50 and 1.27 mGy for FFDM and 1.07 and 1.60 mGy for DBT. DL was below the LLD. Dosimeters showed good performance. DG values were lower than those found in the literature, whereas DT value agreed with references. Differences between DG and DT determined with OSLDs and TLDs were lower than 10% and 200%.

Post pupariation cold storage of three species of flies: increasing chilling tolerance by acclimation and recurrent recovery periods

Three species of flies were examined for chilling tolerance from the end of the pupariation to the onset of adult eclosion for the purpose of determining applicability for cold storage. For the housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera, Muscidae), survival to eclosion was affected by developmental stage/age, length of storage, and storage temperature. Houseflies that were closest to having experienced pupariation or the onset of eclosion were the least cold tolerant. For flies stored at 7 or 10 degrees C, age groups placed directly into storage at 36-72 and 36-48 h postpupariation, respectively, had significantly higher poststorage eclosion than younger or older age groups. Death was observed after only 2 or 3 days with the chilling intolerant groups while mid-aged groups survived 10-12 days under cold storage conditions. Damage could be reduced by giving the mid-aged groups chilled at 7 or 10 degrees C recurrent 2- or 3-h recovery periods every 4 days at 28 degrees C. Examination of O2 consumption throughout the housefly pupal and pharate adult stages showed that the most chilling tolerant groups also had the lowest metabolic activity. Combining a prestorage 17-h slow cooling acclimation interval with the recurrent recovery periods increased eclosion of adults 20% for the 12- to 24-h group after 21 days storage at 7 degrees C. Two blowfly species, Lucilia cuprina and Lucilia sericata (Diptera, Calliphoridae), survived 10 degrees C storage best when given a weekly 4-h recovery period. Survival at 90 days poststorage was nearly 50% for L. cuprina and 80% for L. sericata. Increasing survival under subambient temperatures for all three species appears to relate to whether there is a stage of development which allows cold-induced lowering of metabolism that results in a dormant status best characterized as hibernal quiescence. This study indicates that periodic warming during cold storage increases survival by allowing a chilling intolerant stage to develop to a more tolerant stage and/or by eliminating accumulated toxic metabolites.