Smell Of Smoke Research Articles

Prevalence of smoking habits, attitudes and knowledge on counteractive strategies among a sample of healthcare employees: results of the smoking-free health environments project in the province of Palermo, Italy.

Tobacco use is responsible for over 7 million deaths annually, making smoking the leading cause of preventable mortality globally. Over the last two decades in Italy, the prevalence of smoking among physicians has consistently decreased, while it remains higher and is gradually decreasing among non-physician healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the Prevalence of smoking habits, attitudes, and knowledge on counteractive strategies among employees in the Primary Healthcare Facilities in the Province of Palermo, Italy. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June 2020 and December 2020 through a previously validated anonymous questionnaire structured in four sections including 34 items. Data were analyzed using Stata/MP 12.1 statistical software. Overall, 2,645 participants answered the questionnaire. The prevalence of either current or former smokers was 18.6%. Based on the multivariable analysis conducted, a significantly higher frequency of current smokers was observed among male participants (AdjOR: 1.29; CI95%: 1.02-1.64) and those belonging to the Surgical Unit (AdjOR: 1.92; CI95%: 1.27-2.90). Conversely, the prevalence of current smokers was significantly lower among those with at least one child (AdjOR: 0.67; CI95%: 0.49-0.91), with an educational qualification equal to or greater than a graduation degree (AdjOR: 0.56; CI95%: 0.43-0.73), those who considered second-hand smoke harmful (AdjOR: 0.06; CI95%: 0.008-0.60), those who had observed smoking or detected the smell of smoke in their workplace (AdjOR: 0.64; CI95%: 0.45-0.91). Furthermore, the prevalence of current smokers was significantly lower among participants who believed that healthcare professionals could play a crucial role in influencing their patients' lifestyles (AdjOR: 0.67; CI95%: 0.50-0.90) and among those who recommend their patients to quit smoking (AdjOR: 0.35; CI95%: 0.24-0.51). The results of the current research demonstrate that, despite the decline in smoking prevalence among physicians, the rate of smokers among healthcare facility employees remains unacceptably high. This underscores the need to re-evaluate current anti-tobacco strategies in the workplace.

Culture and awareness of occupational health risks amongst UK firefighters

Firefighters are exposed to toxic chemicals not only from the fire incidents they attend, but also from their contaminated station and/or personal protective equipment (PPE). Little is currently known about firefighters’ awareness, attitudes, and behaviours towards contaminants which was assessed in the UK firefighter contamination survey. Results revealed that lack of training on fire effluents and their health outcomes are strongly associated with increased fire smoke/contaminant exposure. Notably, untrained firefighters were at least twice as likely to: never clean personal protective equipment (PPE) (Crude Odds Ratio, OR 2.0, 1.5–2.7), infrequently send their PPE for professional cleaning (OR 2.0, 1.6–2.4), remain in the workwear (t-shirt etc.) worn while attending a fire incident (OR up to 3.6, 2.3–5.6), and indicate that cleaning at fire stations is not taken seriously (OR 2.4, 2.2–2.6). Firefighters personally viewing contamination as a “badge of honour” (BoH) were at least twice as likely to: remain in contaminated PPE after fire incidents (OR 2.3, 1.4–3.9), eat with sooty hands (OR 2.2, 1.9–2.5), notice soot in the nose/throat (OR 3.7, 2.7–5.2), and smell fire smoke on the body for more than a day after incidents (OR 2.0, 1.6–2.4). They were also more likely to indicate that cleaning at fire stations is not taken seriously (OR 2.5, 2.2–2.9) and that fire stations smell of smoke always/most of the time (OR 2.3, 2.0–2.6). Strong links were also found between belief in the BoH and never cleaning PPE (OR 1.9, 1.4–2.7), and eating while wearing contaminated PPE (OR 1.8, 1.5–2.2).

A TGF-α and TGF-β1 Poloxamer-based micelle/hydrogel composite: A promising novel candidate for the treatment of anosmia.

Anosmia is the inability to smell or loss of the sense of smell. It can reduce your ability to detect the smell of smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled food, as well as hinder the quality of life related to social interactions and feelings of well-being. In the current study, a drug delivery composite was designed to cure anosmia and its efficiency in delivering transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) to the nasal cavity was evaluated. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as a model protein for encapsulation into Poloxamers 407 micelles. For the optimization of the BSA-micelle formulation, a two-parameter five-level central composite design (CCD) was applied. The BSA-micelle was optimized with a particle size of 41 nm, drug loading of 8%, and encapsulation efficiency of 74%. Further, the BSA-micelle was characterized by FESEM, TEM, and FTIR. The analysis of release profile suggested high-paced free BSA release compared to the gradual and prolonged release of BSA-micelle/hydrogel and BSA-micelles. The cytotoxicity assay demonstrated the safety of TGF-α and TGF-β1-micelles/hydrogel. Moreover, it was observed that TGF-α and TGF-β1 within the hydrogels promote cellular viability and human olfactory ectomesenchymal stem cell OE-MSCs proliferation. In conclusion, According to the results of our study, the TGF-α and TGF-β1-micelle/hydrogel-based delivery system provides a suitable alternative for anosmia treatment.

What Counts for the Old and Oldest Old?-An Analysis of Patient Criteria for Choosing a Dentist-Part II: Personal Characteristics and Soft Skills.

Soft skills include communication skills and personality traits that are important when choosing a dentist, but other factors within the dental office also seem to be important for patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate factors that are important to people in a dentist as well as characteristics of the ideal dentist and to evaluate possible age-, gender-, and residence of living specific differences. A telephone survey with participants aged 35 years or older (ag—age group: ag 1: 35–50 years, ag 2: 70–84 years, ag 3: >85 years) in three German cities was conducted. Data were analyzed with respect to gender and age. Most of the participants (n = 298, 64.2%), regardless of their own gender, age, or place of residence did not care about the gender of the dentist. In general, the price of the treatment does not play a role in choosing the ideal dentist. Women differ significantly from men in their choice of dentist (ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference of non-smoker), ANOVA p < 0.001 (preference, that the dentist does not smell of smoke, importance of appearance (ANOVA p < 0.001) and psycho-social skills, etc.). As age increases, professional experience and psycho-social competencies are rated as important. With the increase in age, the mean value of the desired years of professional experience increases without significant differences between age groups. The importance of advanced training (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant difference between ag 1 and ag 2 p < 0.001, and ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001) decreases with age. Especially for participants aged 70 to 84 years, a relationship of trust is important. Between the places of residence, statistical differences for almost all surveyed items were found (e.g., importance that the dentist speaks the patients’ native language ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig, Berlin and Mainz, and Leipzig and Mainz (each p < 0.001), dentist has a specialization ANOVA p < 0.001, Bonferoni correction: significant difference between Berlin and Leipzig and Berlin and Mainz (each p < 0.001), etc.). Dentists should be trained to develop psycho-social skills to meet the special demands of the increasing older population.

Evaluation of Thirdhand Smoke Exposure after Short Visits to Public Facilities (Noraebang and Internet Cafés): A Prospective Cohort Study.

We aimed to evaluate the degree of thirdhand smoke (THS) caused by short-term exposure to smoking-related substances. To this end, we evaluated the change in concentration of a smoking-related urine biomarker in volunteers before and after visiting public spaces where there is likely THS exposure. We hypothesized that a visit to such public spaces would result in an increase in such biomarkers. Participants visited one of the predetermined facilities (noraebang, PC café) and revisited the same facility after 24 h, spending around 2 h per visit. We selected creatinine-corrected urine cotinine (CUC) as a biomarker to evaluate THS. In addition, we collected nicotine-derived nitrosamine ketone (NNK) from surface dust at each site with cotton swabs (diameter of 2.5 cm). We examined whether CUC concentration significantly changed across three time points (baseline, first visit, and second visit) via repeated-measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA). Moreover, we analyzed the interaction to determine whether cigarette smell affects the CUC concentration. Finally, CUC and dust NNK were analyzed with Pearson’s correlation. The CUC concentration did not increase from baseline to the first visit, but increased from the baseline to the second visit (Diff = Ln [0.565] ng/mg, P < 0.01). Further, the CUC concentration increased from the first to the second visit (Diff = Ln [0.393] ng/mg, p < 0.01). In the case of the interaction effect, there were statistically significant differences in CUC concentration depending on the smell of smoke in the facility (Diff = Ln [0.325], F value = 4.438, p value = 0.041). The change in CUC concentration from baseline to the second visit (r = 0.562, p < 0.001) and from the first to the second visit (r = 0.544, p < 0.001) were correlated with NNK concentration. We evaluated whether a short stay in a facility with smoke-related substances that adhere to the surrounding environment would expose individuals to THS even if they do not smell or are directly exposed to cigarette smoke. We confirmed that even two relatively short stays (approximately 2 h each) in a facility in which people had previously smoked can lead to THS exposure.

Inside Fire Season

Inside Fire Season Joy Lanzendorfer (bio) saturday, october 26, 2019 acres on fire: 26,000 buildings destroyed: 77 I'm starting to get used to the idea of evacuating my home. This is the third time. The first was in 2017, when the Tubbs Fire tore through nearby Santa Rosa. The second time was voluntary, when we fled the smoke caused by the deadly Camp Fire. Now I find myself at risk again as the Kincade Fire burns near Geyserville, forty minutes away. Despite this, I'm not sure what to save should my house be engulfed in flames. My possessions become both worthless and precious at the same time and value splinters into different meanings: monetary, practical, historical, sentimental. I can live without all of it, but I have it around for a reason. Finally my husband and I agree on a rule: We won't take anything we can replace. In my office, I flip through a volume of high school poetry, cringing at every melodramatic word. It wouldn't be terrible if this burned, I think. Still, I throw it in the box alongside early short stories and elementary school diaries. The future version of myself, the one who has lost her house in a fire, feels oppressive. I don't want to disappoint her. This box of personal scribblings is small compared to my library, which fills an entire wall of my office. But most of those books can be replaced, so okay. My teenage poetry to be saved, Jane Austen to burn. In the bedroom, my husband has rigged up an air cleaner by taping a filter to a fan. Last year, the entire state was cloaked in smoke as the town of Paradise burned down, killing eighty-five people. I got sick—a sore throat and hacking cough that didn't go away until we drove to Oregon and camped in the woods. This time, we're being more careful, but I can still smell smoke, even inside. I contemplate my clothes. Will I want to save the nicer clothes that I've [End Page 98] collected over time but wear only for fancy occasions, or will I want comfortable clothes to wear in a shelter? I'll definitely want socks and underwear, although, to be fair, those can be replaced. I try Marie Kondo. What brings me joy? Having a bed and a house. Not evacuating. There are clothes I love because of the deals I got on them—the three-dollar leather boots from a thrift store, the three-hundred-dollar Kate Spade jeans I found on sale for fifty. I shove everything in bags. It can all be replaced, but finding clothes I like is hard. I don't even go into the kitchen. At this point, the Kincade Fire is on the other end of Sonoma County, but it's spreading so fast that authorities are evacuating most of the population, around two hundred thousand people. Everyone I know is affected. The closest evacuation is Valley Ford, an isolated hamlet connected to me by a long, dry country road. My home, Petaluma, is the first stop for evacuees. The fairground has been turned into an emergency shelter, but from what I hear, it's already full. Outside, I fill the chicken feeder in case we have to leave them behind. We can't bring chickens to a hotel room, so they'll have to take their chances. As I watch my three hens gobble the food, I suddenly sense someone behind me. When I whirl around, no one is there. A second later, the wind moves the leaves by the garage toward me, which is the wrong way. Usually the wind would move leaves away from me, toward the gate, not in the opposite direction, toward the chickens. I go into the backyard and stare up at the Japanese privet. The wind sloshes the branches in a way that seems backward. It looks strange in the smoky air, like the tree is drunk. For the second time, hurricane-force winds are causing fires in Sonoma County. It's not just that the winds are strong—although they are, ripping the...

Telepathy, and: Riddle, and: American Portrait

Telepathy, and: Riddle, and: American Portrait Derrick Austin (bio) Telepathy You finally say,I want to knowwhat a mind is, what it looks likebehind the eyes.It’s not a room every time. Voices,projectionsof colored lights: a showerof diamonds, a butterfly,a red feather— those are memories.But there’s a crying figurein your thoughts. Seeing her is like stumblingupon a statueof an allegory whose name is lost.I only knowwhat you know. [End Page 29] Riddle My robesmells of ash. I scour windowswith sand. Saturnine,I roam odd corridors. I can makea diabolic sound. I’ll never touchthe bottom of the sea. Ride?I ride. Am ridden, too. Who am Iwith my clean white teeth? [End Page 30] American Portrait Yesterday, in a midwestern city,police fired tear gas at Black picketers.I click a photo of a molten sunsetin Boston: the sky, hazy because of fires to the north,south, and east of Oakland. I keep scrollingpast ads and mapswaiting for the train at 12th Streetuntil the bad signal relieves my attention.Teens in punk-lite plaids film each otherdancing under an alcove.The rest of us stare down the tunnel a pigeon panics in.At the de Young Museum, I spend a long timewith Mary Cassatt’s portrait of her mother.In her white shawl and black gown, she is severe as a judge(the modeling of her face and hands, in particular,add to the weightiness). Is that a mirroror window? A framed map?The bureau mingles with the porous vase.I’m taken by the flowers behind her headblurring as if seen through tears,a frenzy of brushstrokes.Red. Cream. Violet. Green.They still grip me when I step outsideand smell smoke again. [End Page 31] Derrick Austin derrick austin is the author of Tenderness (boa Editions, 2021) and Trouble the Water (boa Editions, 2016). His first chapbook, Black Sand, is recently out from Foundlings Press. He is a 2022–2023 Amy Lowell Poetry Traveling Scholar. Copyright © 2022 Derrick Austin

Two Hours After Curfew on May 31, 2020, Philadelphia, Six Days after the Murder of George Floyd, and: Beauty will be convulsive

Two Hours After Curfew on May 31, 2020, Philadelphia, Six Days after the Murder of George Floyd, and: Beauty will be convulsive Julia Alekseyeva (bio) Two Hours after Curfew on May 31, 2020, Philadelphia, Six Days after the Murder of George Floyd In the corner of my window I see red flamesappear, and disappear.I remember the concrete yesterdayas if it were tipped over ninety degrees,the faint smell of smoke,a can of white spray paint,hovering over the ground at preciselythe right moment to make the words appearas if they were there already, had always been there.It was so beautiful. The girl in black overalls and a topknotwrote Philly cops can get it.All cops are bastards, I thought.In my mind's eye it plays in slow motion:a distinctly cinematic lens flare,a wide-angle lens. The Valencia filter.It seemed within minutes the city was covered.The city. I was born in a great city. A lush, historic metropolisof three million, too big to fail, they said.I was born like I am now, standing unknownbelow a cloud of mysterious smoke.I heard the fall of my country on the radio,a small, poor thing, atop a tablecloth. [End Page 61] Gingham, seafoam green.A low angle. Pan up. My mother.When they announce the fall of America,will we hear it on the radio?Will the apps shut down?Will they play Swan Lake? In my city, like in others,there are statues of evil men.There are violent façades in a strange,particularly hateful mix ofrococo and neoclassical.Brick lanes and floral,overflowing window boxes.The city bursts at the seamslike an engorged whale; zinnias,begonias, heather cascadingon all sides like a decadentwastebasket.A ticking bomb, exploding. Catharsis.It becamean overturned car; a busin flames; the smoky air.Violence has always lived here.Words, words, words of all shapesweave around the glass panes ofanother useless retail storelike a forest vine wraps around anabandoned vehicle.I think, despite myself,of the meme:Nature is healing.We are the virus.It is like a breath,like an exhale,like relief. [End Page 62] I wish the words to alwaysstay, for the smoke and flamesto change us until we are better,for revolution to coax forthlike a bright magic toward history. Beauty will be convulsive I used to brush my hand againstthe stucco of your buildinglike women in Antonioni films.On Sundays the line dividing fleshfrom architecture disappears.I walk into a library and am drawn suddenlyto a floor I've never visited.Brooklyn has its own psychogeography. Golden hieroglyphs jeer on the doors of Eastern Parkwayand I walk six kilometers to hear an anxious manread poems about clouds and sled dogs—two things we both love.At times New York has an oddability to translate a sigh into limestone,its own secret language.The walls were flanked by two lionswith the marble noses of aristocrats. In 1968 the walls of Tokyowere covered in Malraux andMayakovsky, a collage of quotationsin which you are just a sprinkling of anidea of an idea within a woman's mind.Some years later my favorite filmmakerwould slash a Shinjuku underpass with white [End Page 63] chalk and emerge into the belly of a city:The city is an open book—write on its infinite margins! On a map of this city I draw red starsin corners where I heard your voice sayCome back, we miss youquietly in my thoughtsand repeated it gently to myself,a heavy mantra.At night I search the walls for an alleywayto be alone with my thoughts and find none. All along Bedford the walls are a museum.An artist in residency holds his spray can aloftwith the nimble lightness of a Renoir danceror a Vermeer—boy with black hoodie,girl with wheatpaste, still life with brick.I have an urge to melt into the walls and scramblethem entirely, emerge yellingart must...

Identification of new behavioral parameters to assess odorant hedonic value in humans: A naturalistic approach

BackgroundWhen you smell an odorant, your first reaction will certainly be either I like it or I dislike it. This primary reaction is a reflection of what is called the “hedonic value” of the odor. Very often, this hedonic value dominates the olfactory percept, more than olfactory identification or intensity. This component of olfactory perception is of primary importance for guiding behavior: avoiding danger (the smell of smoke, gas, etc.), consuming food, or seduction. Olfactory hedonics can be assessed using a large number of methods in humans, including psychophysical measures, autonomic responses, measurement of facial expressions or peripheral nervous activity. All of these techniques have their limitations: subjectivity, invasiveness, need for expertise, etc. A new methodThe olfactory system is closely linked to the reward system, the role of which is to mediate motivated behavior. In this context, we propose that the capacity odorants have of recruiting the reward system and thus inducing motivated behavior can be used to identify new behavioral parameters to assess odor hedonic value in humans. ResultsWe recorded freely moving human participants exploring odors emanating from flasks, and showed that five parameters linked to motivated behavior were closely linked to odor hedonics: speed of approach to the nose and withdrawal of the flask containing the odorant, distance between flask and nose, number of samplings, and withdrawal distance (maximal distance between nose and flask after odor sampling). ConclusionsWe highlighted new non-verbal and non-invasive parameters to evaluate olfactory hedonics in humans based on the assessment of odor-motivated behavior.

A New Wildfire Watchdog: Alerts About Forest Fires Shouldn't Depend on Pets Smelling Smoke. We Need Smart Infrastructure, and that Needs Zero-Power Sensors

Why is the dog barking, you wonder, as you wake up? You notice the smell of smoke, and when you try to turn on your bedside light you discover that the power is out. Then you see it out your window: a wall of orange flame, crawling up a nearby hillside.You roust your family and run to the car. Your lives have just been saved by a Stone Age warning system: your dog • This has been the experience of hundreds of Californians. In the case of the 2017 Tubbs Fire, the 2018 Camp Fire, and the 2020 August Complex Fires, high winds blasted flames through populated areas in the early morning hours while residents were sleeping. Too many did not make it out of their beds, let alone their homes. In our always-on, sensor-laden, Internet-connected world, shouldn't technology have done better?

Claims of Reduced Odor on Tobacco Packs in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

IntroductionCigarettes designed to have less smoke smell were developed by the tobacco industry to supposedly reduce negative qualities. Cigarettes with marketing claims communicating these designs have been sold in high-income countries and marketing of “less smoke smell” terms on cigarette packaging can promote cigarette use. It is unclear to what extent they have been marketed in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Aims and MethodsThe Tobacco Pack Surveillance System (TPackSS) systemically collected tobacco packs available in 14 LMICs with high tobacco use between 2013 and 2017. We coded 4354 packs for marketing appeals, including claims related to smoke smell. We describe “less smoke smell” and similar claims found on these packs and compare across country and tobacco manufacturers.ResultsPhrases communicating less smoke smell were present on packs purchased in nine of 14 LMICs, including Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. The most commonly (74.1%) used terminology was “less smoke smell,” “LSS,” or a combination of the two. Packs from Russia had the most prevalent use (11.8%) of such claims. Companies using these terms across 21 brands included Japan Tobacco International (JTI), British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris International (PMI), and other smaller companies. JTI accounted for 70.9% of packs with such terms.ConclusionsSome of the world’s largest tobacco companies are communicating less smoke smell on packs in LMICs. Less smoke smell and similar phrases on packaging should be prohibited because they can enhance the appeal of cigarettes.ImplicationsTobacco companies are using “less smoke smell” and similar phrases on cigarette packs in LMICs. These claims have the potential to increase the appeal of smoking and promote cigarette use. Countries should consider policies to restrict attractive labeling claims, in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 13 guidelines, which recommends restrictions on attractive design elements on tobacco packaging.

Wildfires pose a burning problem for wines and winemakers

On a pleasant evening in October 2017, winemaker Alisa Jacobson and her friends picked the last of the Cabernet grapes at her friends’ winery in southern Napa. They were taking advantage of the cool evening temperatures, which help reduce damage to the fruit. Later that night, the pleasant evening air turned acrid—Jacobson was surprised to smell smoke wafting through her bedroom window despite only seeing wildfires on her radar to the far north, in Santa Rosa, CA. Smoke from wildfires can make the skies an eerie yellow, as seen here over a Napa Valley, CA, vineyard in September 2020. The smoke’s effects on winery grapes continue to perplex growers, winemakers, and researchers. Image credit: Science Source/Peter Menzel. A new fire had flared up—the largest in California’s history. Dubbed the Tubbs fire, it spread from Napa County to Santa Rosa, jumped across US Highway 101 in the middle of the night, and burned nearly 37,000 acres before it could be contained, killing 22 people and destroying more than 5,000 buildings, half of them homes. Winemakers like Jacobson, who is vice president for winemaking at Joel Gott Wines, felt the fire’s impact not only in the looming threat to their homes but to their livelihoods as well. Months after evacuation orders were lifted, the region inched back to normalcy. Then winemakers began to detect smoke in their wine. Grapes exposed to smoke absorb chemicals that can alter—and sometimes ruin—the taste and smell of resultant wines. This so-called “smoke taint” has become a growing concern for the industry. Chemicals in smoke obscure wine’s flavor and fragrance, Jacobson says. “You can smell the taint on the aroma, like a campfire, and when you taste it it’s like an ashtray,” she says. “It lingers for minutes after you spit or swallow.” But not all wines …

Smoke, Dust, and Blood

Smoke, Dust, and Blood

Secondhand smoke exposure assessment in outdoor hospitality venues across 11 European countries

ObjectiveDue to partial or poorly enforced restrictions secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is still present in outdoor hospitality venues in many European countries. This study aimed to assess SHS concentrations in outdoor hospitality venues across Europe and identify contextual exposure determinants. MethodsCross-sectional study. We measured airborne nicotine and evidence of tobacco use in terraces of bars, cafeterias, and pubs from 11 European countries in 2017–2018. Sites were selected considering area-level socioeconomic indicators and half were visited during nighttime. We noted the smell of smoke, presence of smokers, cigarette butts, ashtrays, and number of physical covers. Contextual determinants included national smoke-free policies for the hospitality sector, the Tobacco Control Scale score (2016), and the national smoking prevalence (2017–2018). We computed medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) of nicotine concentrations and used multivariate analyses to characterize the exposure determinants. ResultsNicotine was present in 93.6% of the 220 sites explored. Overall concentrations were 0.85 (IQR:0.30–3.74) μg/m3 and increased during nighttime (1.45 IQR:0.65–4.79 μg/m3), in enclosed venues (2.97 IQR:0.80–5.80 μg/m3), in venues with more than two smokers (2.79 IQR:1.03–6.30 μg/m3), in venues in countries with total indoor smoking bans (1.20 IQR:0.47–4.85 μg/m3), and in venues in countries with higher smoking prevalence (1.32 IQR:0.49–5.34 μg/m3). In multivariate analyses, nicotine concentrations were also positively associated with the observed number of cigarette butts. In venues with more than two smokers, SHS levels did not significantly vary with the venues’ degree of enclosure. ConclusionsOur results suggest that current restrictions in outdoor hospitality venues across Europe have a limited protective effect and justify the adoption of total smoking bans in outdoor areas of hospitality venues.

Quality of life and safety impact of COVID-19 associated smell and taste disturbances

ObjectiveThe association between COVID-19 and chemosensory loss has garnered substantial attention, however to date little is known about the real-life consequences of impairment in this unique patient population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) and personal safety deficits experienced by patients with COVID-19 infection. Study designProspective, longitudinal questionnaires. SettingNational survey. MethodsA longitudinal web-based nationwide survey of adults with COVID-19 and/or a sudden change in smell and taste was launched April 10, 2020. Previously published questions on chemosensory-related QOL and safety events were asked at the 6-month follow-up survey. ResultsAs of February 10, 2021, 480 eligible respondents took the 6-month questionnaire, of whom 322 were COVID-19 positive. Impact on QOL was substantial with 96% of subjects reporting at least one of the defined deficits, and over 75% reporting at least 3 of these. “Reduced enjoyment of food” was the most common complaint (87%), while 43% of subjects self-reported depression. The prevalence of safety-related issues was common in this population, with over 57% reporting at least one, and 36% reporting 2 or more events. Of the events asked, the inability to smell smoke that others could perceive was the most common at 45%. ConclusionsCOVID-19 associated chemosensory losses have a real and substantial impact on both quality of life and safety, beyond mere inconvenience. The high prevalence of these issues despite a relatively short period of olfactory deficit should alert clinicians to the serious risks to an already vulnerable patient population.

The Design and Building of Medium Capacity Drying House for Bokar

Bokar, processed rubber material, is latex obtained from rubber trees of community plantations. The quality of latex can be identified from its features which are white, relatively soft, and odorless. The purpose of this research was to design a simple rubber sheet drying house and examine the quality of dry rubber under Indonesian National Standard. Bokars are processed using a liquid smoke coagulant with a concentration of 10-15% and it obtained a clean white rubber although it has a slight smoke smell. Before drying, Bokar had ground to gain the thickness of the unsmoked sheet/ USS around 3-5 mm. The components of the drying house include the drying room, heating room, heater, thermometer, blower, plenum chamber, ventilation, drying room door, and electric motor. The capacity of the drying house is 200 kg of rubber sheet, with a drying temperature of 35 – 46oC and 6 hours drying time. The rubber produced has good quality with average dry rubber content (DRC) was 73.75%.

Secondhand smoke exposure and other signs of tobacco consumption at outdoor entrances of primary schools in 11 European countries

IntroductionAlthough smoking restrictions at child-related settings are progressively being adopted, school outdoor entrances are neglected in most smoke-free policies across Europe. ObjectivesTo describe secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and tobacco-related signs in outdoor entrances of primary schools in Europe according to area-level socioeconomic status (SES), smoke-free policy, national smoking prevalence, and geographical region. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study we monitored vapor-phase nicotine concentrations at 220 school outdoor entrances in 11 European countries (March 2017–October 2018). To account for nicotine presence, we used the laboratory's limit of quantification of 0.06 μg/m3 as point threshold. We also recorded the presence of smell of smoke, people smoking, cigarette butts, and ashtrays. Half of the schools were in deprived areas. We grouped countries according to their Tobacco Control Scale (TCS) score, smoking prevalence (2017–2018), and United Nations M49 geographical region. ResultsThere were detectable levels of nicotine in 45.9% of the outdoor entrances, in 29.1% smell of smoke, in 43.2% people smoking, in 75.0% discarded butts, and in 14.6% ashtrays. Median nicotine concentration was below the laboratory's limit of quantification <0.06 μg/m3 (Interquartile range:<0.06–0.119). We found higher SHS levels in countries with lower TCS scores, higher national smoking prevalence, and in the Southern and Eastern European regions. People smoking were more common in schools from lower area-level SES and in countries with lower TCS scores (p<0.05). ConclusionsSmoking at school outdoor entrances is a source of SHS exposure in Europe. These findings support the extension of smoking bans with a clear perimeter to the outdoor entrances of schools.

РОЗРОБКА ЗЕРНОСУШАРКИ BRICE-BACKER З РЕКУПЕРАЦІЄЮ НА КОМБІНОВАНИХ ВИДАХ ПАЛИВА

У статті наведено результати виробничих випробувань експериментальної зерносушарки BRICE-BAKER SCN-18/48 виробництва “KMZ industries” із повторним використанням робочих газів у поєднанні із дослідним теплогенератором на альтернативних видах палива виробництва ТОВ “ОН-СТЕЙТ”. Також у статті представлені способи використання альтернативних видів палива для сушіння зерна. Найпоширенішими видами альтернативних видів палива є органічні відходи від вирощування та переробки сільськогосподарських культур (солома, відходи очищення зерна, лушпиння соняшнику), а також деревина (колоди, стружка деревини, тріска, гранули). Розроблені техніко-економічні основи, технологічна схема та робочі проєкти зерносушарки BRICE-BAKER SCN-18/48 та теплогенератора ТПГ-1/100 для спалювання паливних трісок і гранул. Нагнітання у відкриті із обох сторін газорозподільні короби зони “відлежування” рекупераційних газів вирішує дві проблеми: мінімальні зміни конструкції зерносушарки та видалення конденсату. У кожній секції розташовані два ряди підвідних та два ряди відвідних коробів. Дві секції з наскрізними коробами забезпечують рекуперацію чотирьох секцій зони сушіння без підвищення швидкості робочих газів та “виносу” легких домішок зернової маси. Ефективна робота теплогенератора ТПГ-1/100 з інерційним фільтром забезпечує необхідний об’єм робочих газів без іскор та зерно без запаху диму. У зоні “відлежування” жодних ознак конденсації вологи не виявлено. Система рекуперації з номінальною продуктивністю вентиляторів забезпечує змішування робочих газів таким чином, що різниця температур не перевищує 6,5ºС.

Quality improvement of liquid smoke from oil palm frond pyrolysis through the adsorption-distillation process using activated carbon as adsorbent

This study aims to produce and analyze the quality of purified liquid smoke through the adsorption process with activated carbon and distillation. In this study, liquid smoke was produced from the pyrolysis of oil palm fronds with operating conditions of temperatures of 400°C, 500°C, and 600°C for 40 minutes, 90 minutes, and 120 minutes. Liquid smoke was adsorbed using activated carbon and distilled at 150°C for 45 minutes. The characteristics of liquid smoke were analyzed using GC-MS instrument. The parameters observed were phenolic, acids, and carbonyl compounds. The results showed that acid compounds were the most dominant component in liquid smoke obtained. After purification, the color of liquid smoke turned bright yellow and the pungent smell of smoke from liquid smoke decreased.

Antimicrobial Properties and Sensory Evaluation of Bread Enriched with Green Coffee Beans (GCB)

Recently, the trend of enhancing daily consumed foods with functional ingredients has been increasing. Bread, being a food product, which is consumed regularly, contains most nutrients but lacks antioxidant rich polyphenolic compounds due to the usage of refined wheat flour. Green coffee beans (GCB) are known for their green colour, which is the colour of coffee beans prior to roasting. The aroma is described as mild, green, and bean-like, which deters many from trying to consume the product. This experiment is conducted to determine antimicrobial properties and the sensory response to study the physiological effect of caffeine in bread incorporated with GCB. The bread was baked with three (3) variable parameters which were: the concentration of GCB powder, baking time, and baking temperature. The effect of concentration of GCB powder, baking time, and baking temperature on bacteria growth were also observed. It is concluded that to control the bacteria growth, the optimum condition of incorporated bread was determined at baking temperature of 180.3°C, baking time of 39.9 minutes, and GCB powder concentration of 4.85 wt%. Sensory evaluation analysis for the optimised bread (enriched with GCB) and control bread (without GCB) were conducted by a series of sensory judges. The sensory evaluation determined the differences in all aspects of appearance, aroma, taste, and texture between the enriched and normal bread. The most significant differences are that the bread incorporated with green coffee bean was darker in colour, has more distinctive wood, caramel, and smoke smell, more pungent and less salty. In addition, it is also more bitter, and harder with a stronger aftertaste when compared to normal bread. In conclusion, bread enriched with GCB exhibits strong antimicrobial properties and acceptable differences in appearance, aroma, taste, and texture compared to normal bread.