Breath Alcohol Concentration Research Articles

Combining implementation intentions and monetary incentives to reduce alcohol use: a failed generalization to a public bar context

ABSTRACT Background Implementation intentions have been demonstrated to reduce alcohol use in retrospective self-report measures. It remains unclear, however, whether they can moderate drinking in a challenging naturalistic context. We examined this by studying the effects of implementation intentions on alcohol use in a bar. Methods One hundred and twenty-one participants visiting a local bar were randomized over three conditions: control, motivational trigger, and motivational trigger plus implementation intentions. Those in the motivational trigger group were motivated to reduce drinking, and the combined intervention group made additional alcohol-related implementation intentions. We assessed participants’ pre- and post-intervention breath alcohol concentrations, their post-intervention drinking behavior over one hour, and measures of trait impulsivity and reward sensitivity. To predict post-intervention drinking, multiple hierarchical regression was used. Results Neither the motivational trigger nor the added implementation intentions reduced drinking. Across treatment groups, trait impulsivity predicted alcohol consumption. Conclusions The present study showed that motivational trigger and implementation intentions failed to reduce alcohol use in a naturalistic setting. Potential reasons, implications, and limitations are discussed. This first attempt demonstrates that implementation intentions aimed at moderation are not as easily implemented in a public high-risk context.

Detection of Breath Alcohol After Oral Anti-Inflammatory Spray Use

Background: We aimed to investigate the effect of ethanol-containing oral antiseptic sprays on breath alcohol levels and its relationship with time and body mass index. Materials and Methods: This study includes the results of 99 patients. Body mass index of each individual was recorded. Individuals were asked to blow into the alcoholmeter immediately after taking 8 puffs of oral antiseptic sprays and in this way, the breath alcohol concentration. 0th minute value was obtained. The measurements were repeated three times, at the 3rd, 5th, and 10th minutes. Breath alcohol concentration values were recorded. Results: The median age of the patients was 34 (IQR 25-75: 28-42) and 55 (55.6%) of the patients were male. While the mean alcohol level measured at the 0th minute was 0.075 ± 0.013 promil, the mean alcohol level measured at the 10th minute was 0.001 ± 0.004 promil. A statistically significant difference was found between the alcohol levels measured at the 0th, 3rd, 5th, and 10th minutes (χ²:288,762, p<0.001). A statistically significant difference was found between all groups in the pairwise comparison of alcohol levels measured at the 0th, 3rd, 5th, and 10th minutes (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study shows that ethanol-containing sprays may exceed the legal criteria in breath alcohol measurements.

Cannabis use and subjective response to alcohol in the human laboratory

BackgroundCannabis is often used in combination with alcohol; yet, whether cannabis use impacts risk factors for alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains unknown. Subjective response (SR) to alcohol represents a biobehavioral risk factor for subsequent heavy drinking and for developing AUD. Given the high prevalence of alcohol and cannabis co-use, it is plausible to hypothesize that cannabis users differ in SR to alcohol compared to non-cannabis users. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of past-month cannabis use on subjective response to alcohol in the human laboratory. MethodsThis study culled data from multiple alcohol administration trials to test whether cannabis users, compared to non-cannabis users, differed in subjective response to alcohol, comprised of four domains: stimulation, sedation, negative affect, and craving. Non-treatment-seeking heavy drinkers (N = 168) completed a battery of self-report scales of mood and alcohol/cigarette/cannabis use and problems. All participants completed an intravenous alcohol administration session wherein SR domains were measured at the following breath alcohol concentrations (BrAC): baseline (i.e., 0), 20, 40, and 60 mg%. ResultsMultilevel statistical analyses revealed that cannabis users had a greater reduction in negative affect during alcohol administration, compared to non-cannabis users. No significant differences were found for the other SR domains. ConclusionsUsing a large sample and advanced data analytic methods, this study extends the literature by suggesting that cannabis users are more sensitive to alcohol-induced reductions in negative affect compared to non-cannabis users. This work extends research on how cannabis use may influence risk factors for AUD, such as subjective response to alcohol.

The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans.

The Progressive Ratio (PR) self-administration paradigm is a common pre-clinical method used to examine the motivation for a drug attributed to a craving, reward, or the relief of negative affect. The Computer-assisted Alcohol Infusion System (CAIS) enables intravenous alcohol self-administration behavior in humans. This system provides the investigator with control over the trajectory of each incremental breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) reward and the maximum BrAC allowed in a session. This paradigm allows participants to earn these alcohol rewards using a sequence of button presses specified by the investigator. The system employs a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model-based algorithm to achieve the same incremental BrAC exposure in every participant. Participants (n = 11) took part in two identical sessions to examine test-retest reliability, and an additional group (n = 73) completed a single session. Sessions began with a 25 min priming phase: participants were instructed to press a button an increasing number of times per reward, accumulating four standardized incremental BrAC trajectories. The second phase comprised an ad-lib, PR paradigm lasting 125 min. Each reward required an increasing number of button presses. Measures of self-administration included: average and peak BrAC, total rewards earned, total grams of ethanol consumed per unit of total body water, the total number of button presses, and the average rate of button pressing. Self-administration measures were highly correlated both between and within sessions, demonstrating test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Recent drinking history was strongly associated with self-administration measures; heavier drinkers chose greater alcohol self-administration. These results indicate the reliability and sensitivity of this progressive-ratio intravenous alcohol self-administration method for assessing the motivational properties of alcohol, with the potential for improved testing of the efficacy of new medications thought to reduce consumption of alcohol. This method can be used to understand the genetic and environmental determinants of alcohol self-administration in humans.

The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans

The Progressive Ratio (PR) self-administration paradigm is a common pre-clinical method used to examine the motivation for a drug attributed to a craving, reward, or the relief of negative affect. The Computer-assisted Alcohol Infusion System (CAIS) enables intravenous alcohol self-administration behavior in humans. This system provides the investigator with control over the trajectory of each incremental breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) reward and the maximum BrAC allowed in a session. This paradigm allows participants to earn these alcohol rewards using a sequence of button presses specified by the investigator. The system employs a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model-based algorithm to achieve the same incremental BrAC exposure in every participant. Participants (n = 11) took part in two identical sessions to examine test-retest reliability, and an additional group (n = 73) completed a single session. Sessions began with a 25 min priming phase: participants were instructed to press a button an increasing number of times per reward, accumulating four standardized incremental BrAC trajectories. The second phase comprised an ad-lib, PR paradigm lasting 125 min. Each reward required an increasing number of button presses. Measures of self-administration included: average and peak BrAC, total rewards earned, total grams of ethanol consumed per unit of total body water, the total number of button presses, and the average rate of button pressing. Self-administration measures were highly correlated both between and within sessions, demonstrating test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Recent drinking history was strongly associated with self-administration measures; heavier drinkers chose greater alcohol self-administration. These results indicate the reliability and sensitivity of this progressive-ratio intravenous alcohol self-administration method for assessing the motivational properties of alcohol, with the potential for improved testing of the efficacy of new medications thought to reduce consumption of alcohol. This method can be used to understand the genetic and environmental determinants of alcohol self-administration in humans.

Accuracy of Wearable Transdermal Alcohol Sensors: Systematic Review.

BackgroundThere are a range of wearable transdermal alcohol sensors that are available and are being developed. These devices have the potential to monitor alcohol consumption continuously over extended periods in an objective manner, overcoming some of the limitations of other alcohol measurement methods (blood, breath, and urine).ObjectiveThe objective of our systematic review was to assess wearable transdermal alcohol sensor accuracy.MethodsA systematic search of the CINAHL, Embase, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus bibliographic databases was conducted in February 2021. In total, 2 team members (EB and SH) independently screened studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. The methodological quality of each study was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The primary outcome was transdermal alcohol sensor accuracy. The data were presented as a narrative synthesis.ResultsWe identified and analyzed 32 studies. Study designs included laboratory, ambulatory, and mixed designs, as well as randomized controlled trials; the length of time for which the device was worn ranged from days to weeks; and the analyzed sample sizes ranged from 1 to 250. The results for transdermal alcohol concentration data from various transdermal alcohol sensors were generally found to positively correlate with breath alcohol concentration, blood alcohol concentration, and self-report (moderate to large correlations). However, there were some discrepancies between study reports; for example, WrisTAS sensitivity ranged from 24% to 85.6%, and specificity ranged from 67.5% to 92.94%. Higher malfunctions were reported with the BACtrack prototype (16%-38%) and WrisTAS (8%) than with SCRAM (2%); however, the former devices also reported a reduced time lag for peak transdermal alcohol concentration values when compared with SCRAM. It was also found that many companies were developing new models of wearable transdermal alcohol sensors.ConclusionsAs shown, there is a lack of consistency in the studies on wearable transdermal alcohol sensor accuracy regarding study procedures and analyses of findings, thus making it difficult to draw direct comparisons between them. This needs to be considered in future research, and there needs to be an increase in studies directly comparing different transdermal alcohol sensors. There is also a lack of research investigating the accuracy of transdermal alcohol sensors as a tool for monitoring alcohol consumption in clinical populations and use over extended periods. Although there is some preliminary evidence suggesting the accuracy of these devices, this needs to be further investigated in clinical populations.Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42021231027; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=231027

Assessing driving-relevant attentional impairment after a multiday drinking session: A two-phase pilot study.

BackgroundThe possibility of residual impairment of cognitive performance after multiday drinking sessions is particularly important given the potential for the deleterious effects of fatigue and hangover. This pilot study aimed to devise a methodology to compare sober performance on driving‐relevant attentional tasks at the end of a 4‐day music festival with performance at varying levels of the breath–alcohol curve.MethodsFifty‐two participants completed selective and sustained attention tasks at a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of 0.00%, 0.05%, and 0.08% following acute dosing in a controlled laboratory setting. A subset of participants (n = 13) were then tested at the conclusion of a 4‐day music festival at 0.00% BrAC, with task performance compared with laboratory results.ResultsDuring the laboratory phase, sustained attention was poorer at the 0.05% ascending timepoint only (compared to 0.00% BrAC). During the festival phase, participants made a greater number of errors on the selective attention task predeparture than at 0.00% and 0.05% BrAC in the laboratory. Sustained attention performance was poorer while intoxicated in the laboratory.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the absence of blood alcohol acutely may not be indicative of unimpaired cognitive performance and that other factors related to multiday drinking may produce driving‐related attentional deficits. The findings reinforce the need to measure attentional performance in real‐world drinking contexts despite the methodological complexities of doing so. A larger study is warranted to replicate the findings and should include attentional measures that either are more sensitive to the effects of acute alcohol intoxication than those in our study or are based on a driving simulator.

Blood and breath alcohol concentration from transdermal alcohol biosensor data: estimation and uncertainty quantification via forward and inverse filtering for a covariate-dependent, physics-informed, hidden Markov model* *This research supported in part by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Grant No. R01AA026368. Shao was supported in part by a Grant from USC’s Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE)

Transdermal alcohol biosensors that do not require active participation of the subject and yield near continuous measurements have the potential to significantly enhance the data collection abilities of alcohol researchers and clinicians who currently rely exclusively on breathalyzers and drinking diaries. Making these devices accessible and practical requires that transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) be accurately and consistently transformable into the well-accepted measures of intoxication, blood alcohol concentration/breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). A novel approach to estimating BrAC from TAC based on covariate-dependent physics-informed hidden Markov models (HMMs) with two emissions is developed. The hidden Markov chain serves as a forward full-body alcohol model with BrAC and TAC, the two emissions, assumed to be described by a bivariate normal which depends on the hidden Markovian states and person-level and session-level covariates via built-in regression models. An innovative extension of hidden Markov modeling is developed wherein the HMM framework is regularized by a first-principles PDE model to yield a hybrid that combines prior knowledge of the physics of transdermal ethanol transport with data-based learning. Training, or inverse filtering, is effected via the Baum–Welch algorithm and 256 sets of BrAC and TAC signals and covariate measurements collected in the laboratory. Forward filtering of TAC to obtain estimated BrAC is achieved via a new physics-informed regularized Viterbi algorithm which determines the most likely path through the hidden Markov chain using TAC alone. The Markovian states are decoded and used to yield estimates of BrAC and to quantify the uncertainty in the estimates. Numerical studies are presented and discussed. Overall good agreement between BrAC data and estimates was observed with a median relative peak error of 22% and a median relative area under the curve error of 25% on the test set. We also demonstrate that the physics-informed Viterbi algorithm eliminates non-physical artifacts in the BrAC estimates.

Does Alcohol Consumption Influence People's Perceptions of Their Own and a Drinking Partner's Ability to Consent to Sexual Behavior in a Non-sexualized Drinking Context?

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent that alcohol consumption affected participants' perceptions of their own and their friend's ability to consent to sex in a non-bar drinking environment. We interviewed 176 people at tailgates in dyads about their own and their friends' alcohol consumption, intoxication symptoms, and ability to consent. Participants reported consuming a mean of 4.6 drinks and had a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of .075 on average, but few thought they or their friend had diminished cognitive function. Accordingly, 92.6% indicated they could consent to sex and 81.8% indicated their friend could consent to sex. Number of drinks people reported consuming, self-reported intoxication levels and symptoms, and BrACs were not significantly related to participants' perceptions of their own or their friends' ability to consent to sex. However, gender pairing of the dyad was significant; those in man-man pairs were more likely than those in woman-woman pairs to indicate their friend could consent and they would allow their friend to have sex if approached by an interested party. Participants also indicated that they did not perceive themselves or their friends to be "too intoxicated" as common reasons why they believed they and their friend could consent. Because alcohol-facilitated sexual assault is common among college students, we recommend sexual assault prevention educators focus on raising awareness regarding alcohol's negative cognitive effects, particularly related to consent communication.

Alcohol demand as a predictor of drinking behavior in the natural environment.

Alcohol demand, a measure of alcohol's reinforcing value, is associated with greater alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. Although alcohol demand has primarily been evaluated as a 'trait-like', individual difference measure, recent evidence indicates that demand exhibits meaningful short-term fluctuations. We aimed to determine whether moment-to-moment fluctuations in alcohol demand in individuals' natural drinking environments predicted drinking occurrence, drinking continuation, and drinking quantity. Observational study. Individuals' natural drinking environments in Columbia, Missouri, USA. Eighty-nine young adults (56% female; mean age = 24.8) participated from November 2018 to October 2020. Participants reported 14.5 drinking days [standard deviation (SD = 8.1)] and 4.1 drinks per occasion (SD = 2.5) during ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Participants completed the alcohol purchase task at baseline. Following this, participants reported on their alcohol demand (breakpoint, Omax , intensity) and drinking behavior during EMA at daily, timed prompts from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. They provided breathalyzer samples using a BACtrack Mobile® Pro. Models tested concurrent and prospective (lagged) associations between alcohol demand and drinking occurrence and drinking continuation after drinking initiation. Additional models tested concurrent associations between demand and breath alcohol concentrations (BrACs). Higher alcohol demand was associated with higher odds of drinking and continued drinking for all demand indices at the momentary [odds ratio (OR) = 1.27-1.56, ps ≤ 0.03] and day-level (OR = 2.14-3.39, ps < 0.001). Additionally, lagged demand predicted higher odds of drinking occurrence and continuation at the following prompt (OR = 1.32-1.53, ps ≤ 0.004). Higher alcohol demand was associated with higher BrACs at the momentary (bs = 0.0011-0.0026, ps ≤ 0.03) and day-level (bs = 0.0053-0.0062, ps < 0.001). At the person-level, findings varied depending on the demand measure. Alcohol demand appears to be associated with both when and how much individuals drink in their natural drinking environments. Elevations in alcohol demand appear to be associated with increased likelihood of drinking and continuing to drink, and greater total alcohol consumption, both within and across drinking days.

Assessing alcohol use in situ: Correlates of self-report vs. objective alcohol consumption

Associations between self-report and objective measurement of young adult alcohol use are weakened by excessive consumption levels; therefore, associations between correlates of alcohol use and consumption likely also differ by alcohol measurement. This study examined the extent to which correlates of heavy drinking measured via self-report are also indicators of heavy drinking measured objectively. Data were collected from 164 bar patrons (54% male; 73% White, 12% Black, 15% Other; 15% Hispanic) as they exited the bar. Participants completed an intercept survey including self-reported measures of drinking, demographics, and social-environmental factors. A breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) reading was also obtained using a handheld breathalyzer device. Correlations between two self-reported outcomes, number of drinks consumed prior to and at the bar, and BrAC were significant among those in the lowest quartile of BrAC readings, but largely non-significant at moderate and high BrAC levels. Intention to get drunk that night was a robust predictor of alcohol consumption across self-reported outcomes and BrAC. Social factors (presence of drinking peers, witnessing drunk others) were predictive of self-reported alcohol use but not BrAC. AUDIT-C score was the only additional alcohol behavior predictive of objectively measured alcohol use. Self-reported outcomes and BrAC, as well as their association with key correlates, diverge at high levels of intoxication, when preventive intervention is most needed. Implications for further research and alcohol prevention practice are discussed.

Police Decision-Making in the Absence of Evidence-Based Guidelines: Assessment of Alcohol-Intoxicated Eyewitnesses.

Regarding police procedures with alcohol-intoxicated witnesses, Swedish police officers have previously reported inconsistent and subjective decisions when interviewing these potentially vulnerable witnesses. Most officers have also highlighted the need for national policy guidelines aiding in conducting investigative interviews with intoxicated witnesses. The aims of the two studies presented here were to investigate whether (1) police officers’ inconsistent interview decisions are attributable to a lack of research-based knowledge; (2) their decision to interview, as well as their perceptions of the witnesses’ credibility could be influenced by scientific research; and (3) police officers decision-making and perceptions of witness credibility are biased by pre-existing social norms. In two separate randomized online experiments, police professionals and recruits (Study 1, N = 43; Study 2, N = 214) watched a recorded fictive witness interview to which they were asked to rate the probability of interviewing the witness, the witness’ credibility, and to estimate the witness’ level of intoxication. Results showed that interview probability and perceived witness credibility were affected by witness intoxication level. While it cannot be stated definitely from the present research, these findings provided indications that police officers and recruits lacked research-based knowledge. Results also showed that interview probability, but not perceptions of credibility, was influenced by a research-based message. In line with research, interview probability for the most intoxicated witness increased after reading the message. Unexpectedly, neither interview probability nor witness credibility was affected by social norms. The current findings added to the legal psychology literature by showing that a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) as low as .04% was enough for police officers and recruits to consider intoxicated witnesses less credible than sober witnesses. Findings also indicated that, despite the lower credibility assessment, police may have some understanding that these witnesses can be interviewed at low intoxication levels (i.e., around .04%). However, this willingness to interview intoxicated witnesses ceased at a BrAC lower than the levels where research has found intoxicated witnesses as reliable as sober witnesses (i.e., BrAC < .10%). Future directions for research and policy development as well as theoretical and practical implications of the present findings are discussed.

The geography of sobriety checkpoints and alcohol-impaired driving.

Sobriety checkpoints are an effective strategy to reduce alcohol-impaired driving, motor vehicle crashes, injuries and fatalities. The aim of this study was to identify the geographic extent over which individual sobriety checkpoints affect alcohol-impaired driving. Spatial ecological panel analysis using geolocated breath test data from the Queensland Police Service, Australia, for January 2012 to June 2018. Data were aggregated over 338 weeks within 528 Statistical Area level 2 (SA2) units (n = 178 464 SA2-weeks) and 84 Statistical Area level 3 (SA3) units (n = 28 392 SA3-weeks). SA2 units in Queensland contain a mean population of 8883.5 (SD = 55 018.3) and encompass 468.9 roadway kilometers (SD = 1490.0); SA3 units contain a mean population of 57 201.6 (SD = 29521.6) and encompass 2936.0 roadway kilometers (SD = 7025.0). Independent measures were the density of sobriety checkpoints conducted per 500 roadway kilometers within local and spatially adjacent space-time units. The dependent measure was the rate of tests that detected breath alcohol concentration (a proxy for blood alcohol concentration [BAC]) greater than the legal maximum value of 0.05% for fully licensed drivers in Queensland. Bayesian hierarchical spatial negative binomial models-related sobriety checkpoints to the rate of breath tests with BAC ≥ 0.05% within and between space-time units. One additional sobriety checkpoint conducted per 500 roadway kilometers was associated with 2.5% reduction in the rate of breath tests with BAC ≥ 0.05% within local SA2 units (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.975; 95% credibility interval (CrI): 0.973-0.978), and with 5.5% reduction in the rate of breath tests with BAC ≥ 0.05% within local SA3 units (IRR = 0.945; 95%CrI: 0.937-0.953). Associations were attenuated towards null in spatially adjacent units and in temporally lagged units (e.g. SA3-weeks; adjacent lagged 1week: IRR = 0.969; 95%CrI: 0.937-1.003). Individual sobriety checkpoints appear to be associated with reductions in nearby alcohol-impaired driving. Relationships decay after approximately 1week and beyond local areas containing approximately 60 000 residents and 3000 kilometers of roadway.

Supplemental Material for Comparing Associations Between Mood and Breath Alcohol Concentration in the Laboratory and Natural Environment

Supplemental Material for Comparing Associations Between Mood and Breath Alcohol Concentration in the Laboratory and Natural Environment

Side-loading prevalence and intoxication in the night-time economy

Although pre-drinking has attracted considerable research interest, side-loading (any drinking occurring outside of licensed premises during a night out, and excluding drinking at home) is comparatively under-studied. In this paper, we investigate the prevalence of side-loading behaviour and intoxication in the night-time economy of Hamilton, New Zealand’s fourth-largest city. Using a street-intercept survey conducted over six nights (n = 469) in March and April 2019, we found that 17.5% of research participants (82/469), and 19.9% of drinkers (82/413), had engaged in side-loading. Of those engaging in side-loading, the majority did so in a car (61.0%), with smaller proportions engaging in side-loading in the street (17.1%), a carpark (12.2%), or somewhere else (13.4%). Men were significantly more likely than women to engage in side-loading behaviour (p = 0.001). In linear models controlling for time of the night, day of the week, and demographic variables, side-loading was not statistically significantly associated with breath alcohol content. This contrasts with pre-drinking, which was associated with statistically significantly higher breath alcohol content. Our results suggest that side-loading might not be used as a method for drinkers to enhance intoxication, but instead as a means of sustaining a target level of intoxication during an evening.

Poor correlation between alcohol concentration in oral fluid and breath in subjects consuming beverages immediately before testing.

IntroductionIn previous research projects and clinical settings, alcohol analysis in oral fluid (saliva) has been used as an alternative to breath or blood alcohol testing. In this study we examined whether it is possible to obtain clinically relevant data regarding alcohol consumption in individuals who recently consumed alcohol by analysing oral fluid samples when the recommended rinsing of the mouth is impossible before sample collection.Materials and methodsWe conducted a study of 89 nightclub patrons in Norway. Before collecting oral fluid samples and performing breath alcohol testing, participants were required to drink a glass of water to remove residual alcohol from the mouth. Oral fluid samples were collected with the Quantisal oral fluid collection device and analysed using an enzymatic method for alcohol. The alcohol concentration in the neat (undiluted) oral fluid was then calculated. Breath alcohol testing was performed using Lion Alcolmeter 500 instruments.ResultsNo false-negative or false-positive results for alcohol were detected in the oral fluid when compared with those in the breath. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient of 0.40 indicated a poor correlation between alcohol concentrations in the two sample types.ConclusionsThe procedure for collecting oral fluid was suitable for the qualitative determination of alcohol intake but not for quantitative assessment. We recommend that oral fluid samples should not be used for estimating blood or breath alcohol concentrations in people who have recently consumed alcohol or non-alcoholic beverages, as recommended in the instructions for use.

Mn-doped tin oxide based sensor for selective ethanol detection

Solid-state gas sensors are being highly sought out in recent years for forensic and medical applications. Throughout the years, the transduction used for these sensors has utilized both chemical composition and morphological properties. Taking Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) through ethanol sensing is considered a fast and reliable way of identifying drunken drivers. Solid-state sensors allow the development of compact, cheap, and much faster apparatuses for the job. Although Tin-oxide has a sensitive response to ethanol, acetone also has almost the same sensitivity. This cross-sensitivity may cause difficulties in human breath analysis because acetone is a common component in human breath, and diabetic patients are prone to have much higher acetone concentrations than the norm. Diabetes being a common health issue today, this research solved the difficulty mentioned above, preventing false interpretations and false alarms. In this study, the effect of Manganese doping of Tin-oxide is discussed with regard to its sensitivity and cross-sensitivity as an ethanol sensor. Furthermore, design aspects of such a thin solid-state sensor with the best operating temperature, optimum Mn concentration, and choice of substrate materials to prevent undesirable thermal stresses are discussed.

The Relationship between Alcohol Hangover Severity, Sleep and Cognitive Performance; a Naturalistic Study.

Alcohol hangover (AH) has been associated with poor sleep due to the negative effects of alcohol intoxication on sleep quantity and sleep quality. The aim of the current study was to further explore the relationship between AH severity and sleep using a naturalistic study design. A further aim was to determine whether quantitative aspects of sleep were a mediating influence on the relationship between AH severity and cognitive performance. As part of the naturalistic study design, 99 drinkers were recruited following a night of drinking in an Australian state capital, with breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) measured as participants were leaving the entertainment district. The following morning at home, participants answered online questions regarding their drinking behaviour on the previous evening, current AH symptoms and sleep quality. Participants also completed an online version of the Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B) to assess cognitive performance. The findings reveal the duration of nightly awakenings to be negatively related to six individual AH symptoms as well as overall AH severity. The number of nightly awakenings, sleep quality and total sleep time correlated with four AH symptoms including overall AH severity. Total AH severity accounted for a moderate amount of variance (11%) in the time to complete the TMT-B. These findings confirm that alcohol consumption negatively affects sleep, which is related to higher next-day hangover severity ratings and poorer cognitive performance.

Sex-dependent effects of alcohol administration on the urge to use cannabis.

Alcohol and cannabis couse is highly prevalent and associated with various negative consequences. The likelihood of same day couse is high, especially among men, however, underlying mechanisms to their couse and its sex-dependent nature remain poorly understood. This study aims to elucidate the effects of controlled alcohol administration on the urge to use cannabis and considers sex-dependent effects. A community sample of non-treatment-seeking heavy drinkers (N = 37, 46% female) reporting cannabis use in the past 6 months completed an alcohol administration paradigm. Participants rated their urge to use cannabis and drink alcohol at baseline and at rising levels of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). Mixed model analyses examined the effects of BrAC, sex, and their interaction on craving for cannabis. The relationships across urge for cannabis, urge for alcohol, and subjective responses to alcohol were also tested. There was a significant BrAC × Sex interaction on the urge to use cannabis, such that males reported increases in the urge to use cannabis at rising BrACs but females did not. Urge for alcohol significantly predicted urge for cannabis across rising levels of BrAC and this relationship was stronger in males than in females. Lastly, stimulation, but not sedation, during alcohol administration was positively associated with the urge for cannabis. Overall, these results suggest that the pharmacological effects of alcohol on the urge to use cannabis are sex-dependent and that the stimulant effects of alcohol are associated with a higher urge for cannabis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Driving under the influence of alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic

AimThe main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pattern of alcohol use in drivers. Materialsand methods. At the National Institute of Legal Medicine from Bucharest, we performed a retrospective study on toxicology reports between January 1st, 2019 and December 31st, 2020. Breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) was tested using Dräger breathalyzers by police units at the scene, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was evaluated using headspace gas chromatography. Most drivers gave two blood samples, separated by a one-hour interval, case in which they could request a retrograde extrapolation of the BAC at the time when they were stopped in traffic. ResultsThe distribution of the number of cases depending on the month showed a sharp decline in the first six months of the lockdown, with a slow upward trend afterward. Mean overall values for BrAC were 0.49 +/− 0.40 mg/L, for 1st sample BAC – 1.15 +/− 0.99 g/L and for 2nd sample BAC – 1.29 +/− 0.81 g/L. Mean values obtained for BrAC were 0.48 +/− 0.39 mg/L before the pandemic and 0.52 +/− 0.43 mg/L during the pandemic. The increase was similar in absolute numbers in both male and female drivers (0.03 versus 0.04 mg/L respectively for BrAC and 0.02 g/L for both genders for 1st sample BAC). However, the percentage increase was significantly higher in women. There were 253 cases in which BrAC had values between 0.01 and 0.05, of which 138 occurred before the pandemic and 115 during the pandemic, the increase being highly statistically significant. The percentage of drivers with BAC levels below and above 0.8 g/L (the threshold value for which DUI is a felony in Romania) were similar before and during the pandemic. ConclusionsDuring the lockdown, the number of alcohol tests in traffic has decreased significantly. This reduction was not associated with statistically significant changes in BrAC or BAC. We have seen a substantial increase in the number of minimally elevated BrAC and negative BAC cases, changes that could be caused by an increased use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers.