Percorrer por autor "Gaspar, Helena"
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- Collaborative harm reduction efforts lead to the first detection of 5-cyano isotodesnitazene in illicit street drugsPublication . Barra, Bárbara F. C.; Pereira, Joana R. P.; Ferreira, Daniela R.; Oeri, Hans; Martins, Daniel; Almeida, Rui M.; Oatley, Giles; Neng, Nuno R.; Gaspar, Helena; Quintas, AlexandreIn the ongoing opioid crisis, regulatory restrictions on fentanyl and its derivatives have led to the emergence of nitazenes, a class of highly potent synthetic opioids synthesised during the 1950s but never approved for medical use. Structurally distinct from traditional opioids, nitazenes have gained increasing presence in illicit drug markets since 2019, contributing to a growing number of drug-related deaths across Europe, North America, and Australia. The rapid proliferation of novel nitazene analogues presents a significant challenge to law enforcement and public health systems. Drug-checking services (DCS) are currently one of the most effective tool for early detection and response, enabling real-time surveillance and consequently reducing the impact of overdoses due to Novel Synthetic Opioids. As a complement, universities can provide the scientific expertise and infrastructure necessary to confirm molecules detected by DCS. This study is the first report identifying and confirming 5-cyano isotodesnitazene in a street-sold drug, through an international collaboration involving two DCSs and three academic institutions. The structural elucidation was achieved through complementary analytical techniques comprising gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The present work highlights the essential role that cross-sector cooperation and analytical innovation play in tackling the rapidly evolving threat of novel synthetic opioids.
- Deteção de esforço reduzido com os subtestes de Memória de Dígitos e vocabulário (WAIS-III) numa amostra com traumatismo cranio-encefálico examinada em contexto médico-legalPublication . Pedrosa, Sílvia; Simões, Mário R.; Barreto, Margarida B.; Fonseca, Mónica; Mestre, António; Sousa, Liliana B.; Cruz, Isabel; Gaspar, Helena; Costa, Graça; Corte Real, F.A utilidade dos indicadores de esforço reduzido provenientes de testes psicológicos comummente utilizados, como é por exemplo o caso dos instrumentos de exame da inteligência, tem sido reconhecida no âmbito da avaliação neuropsicológica forense. Neste contexto, e com o objectivo de analisar a relevância dos subtestes Memória de Dígitos e Vocabulário da WAIS¬III, foi realizado um estudo comparativo dos desempenhos de um grupo de 40 litigantes com Traumatismo Crânio Encefálico examinados em contexto médico-legal (grupo experimental) e um grupo de 30 sujeitos da população geral (grupo controlo), equiparados quanto às variáveis sócio-demográficas. Os resultados obtidos sugerem a necessidade de alguma prudência na utilização agregada dos indicadores de esforço reduzido derivados dos subtestes da WAIS-III, estando a sua validade e utilidade dependentes do recurso adicional a provas específicas de enviesamento de resposta negativa (Test of Memory Malingering, Rey 15-Item Test e escalas LI, AM e NI do Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology). Em sujeitos com TCE, é indicada a potencial utilidade de um ponto de corte inferior a 7 na "Pontuação total bruta da Memória de Dígitos" como referência associada à presença de eventuais comportamentos de "esforço reduzido".
- Domestic violence: aggressor's profile and crime characteristicsPublication . Figueiredo, Diana; Nunes, Juliana; Colón, Máximo Fernandez; Gaspar, Helena; Costa, PissarraBackground: The actual number of domestic violence crimes is difficult to achieve. It is known that most of the cases of domestic violence remain unreported. There were several myths associated with this type of crime that have been rooted and have remained as truths over time. One of the myths was the association of the practice of domestic violence with the presence of psychopathology in the aggressor. Aims: To outline the socio-demographic and psychological/psychiatric profile of domestic violence perpetrators and to characterize this crime. Methods: Retrospective study of the forensic and social files in which the nature of the process was domestic violence crime that were examined at the Center Delegation of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (DC-INMLCF), dating from January 1st 2013 to December 31st 2015. Results and Conclusions: A total of 266 cases were analyzed. The perpetrator of the crime of domestic violence was a male, aged between 41 and 50 years old, married, spouse of the victim, employed, with no alcohol or drug use habits, no criminal record and no psychopathology. Domestic violence crime was of the physical and psychological type, lasting from 1 month to 5 years, which occurred mainly in the common residence or residence of the victim and in the absence of minors.
- Drug-checking and monitoring new psychoactive substances : identification of the U-48800 synthetic opioid using mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and bioinformatic toolsPublication . Pereira, Maria Beatriz; Família, Carlos; Martins, Daniel; Cunha, Mar; Dias, Mário; Neng, Nuno R.; Gaspar, Helena; Quintas, AlexandreThe misuse of opioids and opiates has remained a persistent issue since the 19th century. The recent resurgence of non-fentanyl synthetic opioids, such as U-type opioids and nitazenes, has further exacerbated the ongoing crisis. Identifying these synthetic opioids presents many challenges, including the emergence of new substances, the lack of standards, and the presence of structural isomers. This highlights the need for a robust structural characterisation strategy in forensic laboratories. To address these challenges, we developed a methodology to identify a U-type opioid sample received by Kosmicare from the European Union-funded SCANNER project, which was suspected to be either U-48800 or U-51754. Our innovative approach combined gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and molecular dynamics to characterise the questioned sample unequivocally. While the GC-MS analysis suggested a potential match with the mass spectrum of U-51754 and its structural isomer U-48800, NMR analysis confirmed the presence of U-48800 in the sample, which was further validated through molecular dynamics experiments. These experiments provided additional insights, confirming the structural features underlying the obtained NMR profile. The presented methodology offers a valuable solution for cases involving the identification of isomers, which are currently one of the most significant challenges in identifying new psychoactive substances.
- SENTINEL : tackling dangerous nitazene opioidsPublication . Maria, Marisa H.; Pereira, Joana R. P.; Ferreira, Daniela R.; Barra, Bárbara F. C.; Antunes, Alexandra M. M.; Família, Carlos; Oliveira-Torres, Edite; Justino, Gonçalo C.; Gaspar, Helena; Couceiro, Joana; Caldeira, Maria; Serra, Patrícia A.; Almeida, Rui M.; Fonseca, Suzana; Silva, Zoé E. Vaz da; Quintas, Alexandre; Neng, Nuno R.Poster apresentado nas VI Jornadas Científicas Universitárias e Politécnicas Egas Moniz. Monte de Caparica, 24 a 28 de novembro 2025
- Simple analytical strategy for screening three synthetic cathinones (α-PVT, α-PVP, and MDPV) in oral fluidsPublication . Segurado, André M.; Ahmad, Samir M.; Neng, Nuno R.; Maniés-Sequeira, Margarida M.; Gaspar, Helena; Nogueira, José Manuel F.Synthetic cathinones are analogue compounds of the plant based stimulant cathinone. Its use, abuse, and related consumption complications have steadily increased in the last years. For this reason, there is a need for innovative analytical approaches that enable its rapid screening in biological matrices (e.g., oral fluids). The present work proposes a new analytical methodology by combining bar adsorptive microextraction followed by microliquid desorption and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (BAµE-µLD/GC-MS) for screening three synthetic cathinones (α-PVP, α-PVT, and MDPV) in oral fluids. The optimization of the BAµE-µLD/GC-MS methodology was successfully applied for the analysis of the target compounds in oral fluids. The results show average recoveries between 43.1 and 52.3% for the three synthetic cathinones. Good selectivity was also noticed. The developed methodology presents itself as an alternative tool to screen these compounds in oral fluids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that combines a microextraction sorption-based technique followed by GC-MS analysis for the screening of synthetic cathinones in oral fluids.