Mass, NMR and IR spectroscopic characterization of pentedrone and pentylone and identification of their isocathinone by-products

This study presents and discusses the mass spectrometric, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic and infrared spectroscopic data of the designer drugs pentedrone (2-methylamino-1-phenylpentan-1-one) and its methylenedioxy analog pentylone (2-methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)pentan-1-one). The structure elucidation of the aliphatic parts was carried out by product ion spectroscopy of the immonium ion with m/z=86 formed after electron ionization, and by one- and two-dimensional (1)H- and (13)C-NMR spectroscopy on the hydrochloride salts to verify the structure of the alkyl side chain and to determine the methylenedioxy position in the aromatic ring of pentylone. Furthermore, two typical cathinone synthesis by-products were detected besides the main compounds. Their mass spectra are discussed and for one of them (1-methylamino-1-phenylpentan-2-one (isopentedrone)) a NMR assignment was possible in the existing mixture.     

Criminal Behavior in Opioid‐Dependent Patients Before and During Maintenance Therapy: 6‐year Follow‐Up of a Nationally Representative Cohort Sample

Lifetime prevalence of opioid dependence is about 0.4% in western countries. Opioid‐dependent patients have high morbidity and mortality and a high risk of criminal behavior. Few studies have addressed the long‐term impact of opioid maintenance therapy on convictions and criminal behavior. The PREMOS study is a prospective, longitudinal, naturalistic clinical study of a nationally representative sample of 2694 opioid‐dependent patients to investigate convictions and criminal behavior at baseline and after 6 years of maintenance treatment. At follow‐up, 2284 patients still were eligible (84.7%). A comprehensive assessment including a patient and doctor questionnaire, and the EuropASI was completed at baseline and follow‐up. Data on criminality at follow‐up had been received for 1147 (70.6%) patients. A large number (84.5%) of them had been charged or convicted at any time before baseline assessment, most frequently with drug‐related offenses (66.8%), acquisitive crime (49.1%), or acts of violence (22.0%). Reported charges and convictions had declined to 17.9% for the last 12 months before follow‐up, which was also reflected by a significant decrease in the EuropASI subscore “legal problems” from 1.52 at baseline to 0.98 after 6 years. These data indicate a significant and clinically relevant reduction in criminal behavior in opioid‐dependent patients in long‐term maintenance treatment. Maintenance therapy is effective in the reduction in both narcotics‐related and acquisition crime.     

Public interest versus interest groups: a political economy analysis of allowance allocation under the EU emissions trading scheme

In a theoretical analysis, we use a common agency model to show that lobbying by energy-intensive sectors covered under an emissions trading scheme (ETS) shifts the regulatory burden of an economy-wide emission constraint to sectors outside the ETS. The emission tax on the latter becomes inefficiently high such that lobbying does not only induce burden shifting but also efficiency losses. A complementary empirical analysis for a cross section of German firms under the EU emissions trading scheme supports our theoretical result on the role of lobbying on allowance allocation.     

Beteiligungsrechte der anerkannten Umweltverbände im Rahmen der Abweichungsentscheidung nach § 34 Abs. 3 BNatschG Besprechung der Entscheidung des OVG Sachsen-Anhalt vom 8.1.2007 (2 M 358/06)

Die Frage, ob den anerkannten Naturschutzverb?nden bei der Beeintr?chtigung von europ?ischen Schutzgebieten (FFH-Gebiet und SPA) ein Mitwirkungs- bzw. Klagerecht zusteht, wird in Literatur und Rechtsprechung unterschiedlich beantwortet. § 60 Abs. 2 Nr. 5 BNatSchG gew?hrt den anerkannten Naturschutzverb?nden ein Mitwirkungsrecht vor Befreiungen von Ge- und Verboten zum Schutz von „Schutzgebieten im Rahmen des § 33 Abs. 2 BNatSchG“. § 33 Abs. 2 BNatSchG verpflichtet die Landesgesetzgeber, Gebiete von gemeinschaftlicher Bedeutung (gelistete FFH-Gebiete) und Europ?ische Vogelschutzgebiete in nationalen Schutzgebietskatogerien auszuweisen. Das vorgenannte Regelungssystem wirft zwei kl?rungsbedürftige Fragen auf. Zum einen stellt sich die Frage, welche Gebiete als „Schutzgebiete im Rahmen des § 33 Abs. 2 BNatSchG“ anzusehen sind. Eine enge Auffassung z?hlt zu den „Schutzgebieten im Rahmen des § 33 Abs. 2 BNatSchG“ nur bereits in nationalen Schutzgebietskategorien (z.B. NSG oder Biosph?renreservat) ausgewiesene Gebiete. Die Gegenauffassung unterstellt FFH-Gebiete und Europ?ische Vogelschutzgebiete unabh?ngig von einer nationalen Schutzgebietsausweisung der Mitwirkungsregelung. Ferner ist umstritten, ob die Abweichungsentscheidung in § 34 Abs. 3 BNat- SchG, die einen Dispens von den in § 34 Abs. 2 BNatSchG konkretisierten Verboten des Art. 6 Abs. 2 FFH-RL zul?sst, als „Ausnahme“ oder „Befreiung“ anzusehen ist. Das OVG Sachsen- Anhalt hat in einem Beschluss vom 8.1.2007 die vorgenannten Fragen zugunsten der Verbandsbeteiligung beantwortet.     

The Impact of Fiscal Policy and Deregulation on Shadow Economies in Transition Countries: The Case of Ukraine

A model of Ukrainian shadow economy moneydemand is estimated that includes newregulatory burden, tax complexity, andsoft-budget constraint variables. Thismodel is analyzed to determine the causesand dynamics of the Ukrainian shadoweconomy and to assess the effectiveness ofstate measures undertaken to reduce itssize. The direct tax burden, thebroadly defined regulatory burden, thecomplexity of the tax system, andsoft-budget constraints for enterprises are found tobe important causes of unofficial activity.The main explanatory factors forthe estimated decline of the shadow economyin recent years are explained and it is argued that theevidence has implications beyond the caseof Ukraine.