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This study assessed the impact of current home practices including reheating, standing, and stirring on mitigation of furan and its derivatives in vegetable-based infant meals. Three vegetable-based infant meals (vegetables alone, with fish, with meat) underwent different home practices including reheating, post-reheating standing (60, 120 and 240 s) and post-reheating stirring (30, 60, 120 and 240 s). Targeted quantification of furan, 2-methylfuran (2-MF) and 3-methylfuran (3-MF) and exploration of additional furan derivatives were undertaken in treated and untreated vegetable-based infant meals using SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap-MS. For the three compounds, the quality of the measurements was first validated with suitable linearity, limits of quantification, precision and recoveries. A second step highlighted high concentrations of furan (78.5-103.9 µg/kg), 2-MF (4.8-10.1 µg/kg) and 3-MF (3.4-5.8 µg/kg) in the three vegetable-based infant meals before preparation and the assessment of the cumulative risk related to these three furan compounds confirmed the relevance of studying home mitigation strategies. The third step showed that post-reheating stirring was the most effective home practice for mitigation, with maximum observed reductions of 66.3, 59.9 and 57.7 % for furan, 2-MF and 3-MF, respectively. In a fourth step, a suspect screening approach carried out on SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS data revealed the presence of 2-ethyl-, 2-ethyl-5-methyl-, 2-butyl- and 2-vinyl-furan in vegetable-based meals and showed a similar mitigation trend of home practices on the relative concentrations of these four additional furan derivatives. Finally, despite a significant mitigation reaching 69 % of the furan concentration, the combined effect of home practices on furan compounds was not sufficient to rule out the risk associated with the consumption of vegetable-based infant foods and additional options are discussed.

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The harmful substances in tobacco are widely recognized to exert a significant detrimental impact on human health, constituting one of the most substantial global public health threats to date. Tobacco usage also ranks among the principal contributors to cardiovascular ailments, with tobacco being attributed to up to 30% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths in various countries. Cardiovascular disease is influenced by many kinds of pathogenic factors, among them, tobacco usage has led to an increased year by year incidence of cardiovascular disease. Exploring the influencing factors of harmful substances in tobacco and achieving early prevention are important means to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and maintain health. This article provides a comprehensive review of the effects of smoking on health and cardiovascular diseases.

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High-resolution spectroscopy employing spatial heterodyne spectrographs (SHS) holds significant promise for forthcoming space missions, building upon its established track record in science applications. Notably, it offers exceptional performance and cost- effectiveness in the ultraviolet-visual (UV-Vis) region compared to contemporary instruments. SHS instruments provide high-resolution capabilities and substantially larger etendues than similar resolving power instruments. This study introduces a comprehensive Python-based SHS model integrated with a user-friendly web scraping interface for target star selection, parameter generation, and 2D interferogram creation. Our SHS model demonstrates double the resolving power of a grating spectrometer and a throughput comparable to a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) but without moving parts, enhancing robustness for deployment in space. The interferogram processing algorithm includes flat-fielding, bias removal, apodization, and an inverse Fourier transform (IFT) for accurate spectrum retrieval. Despite bandwidth limitations due to resolving power constraints, SHS models excel in applications requiring high spectral resolution over narrow wavelength ranges, such as studying isotopic emission lines. The model provides optimization results and trade-offs for system parameters, ensuring precise spectral recovery with realistic signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. SHS is versatile and effective for various scientific applications, including investigating atomic and molecular emissions from comets, planetary atmospheres, the Earth's atmosphere, the Sun, and the interstellar medium (ISM). This research significantly contributes to expediting the development and deployment of SHS instruments, demonstrating their potential across numerous scientific domains.

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The aim of the present study was to assess the performance and complementarity of methods capable of both quantifying furan, 2-Methylfuran (2-MF) and 3-Methylfuran (3-MF) in infant foods, but also to comprehensively explore other furan derivatives. It is more particularly a question of validating and comparing the couplings of the two headspace extraction methods most used for the analysis of furan compounds - Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) and Static HeadSpace (SHS) - with gas chromatography hyphenated to a high-resolution mass detector (Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS) which allows both targeted quantification and suspect screening. Firstly, the accuracy profile approach was implemented to assess, validate and compare HS-SPME- and SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS for the quantification of furan in two model infant foods, apple puree and first infant formula. SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS, showed better accuracy (uncertainty < 17.2 % vs 22.5 % for HS-SPME GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS) and better sensitivity (LOQ < 2.8 vs LOQ < 4.0 µg/kg) over a broader validation range (2-100 µg/kg vs 5-100 µg/kg in apple puree). Secondly, SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS was assessed and validated by accuracy profile for the quantification of 2-MF and 3-MF, with performance close to those for furan except for 3-MF in apple puree. Thirdly, SHS-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS was used to quantify the levels of these compounds in 20 commercial samples (n = 3) belonging to the four main categories of infant food (infant formulae, fruit purees, infant cereals, vegetable/fish baby meals). Furan was quantified in 75 % of the samples, with maximum levels in the vegetable/fish-based infant foods (up to 127 µg/kg) while 2-MF and 3-MF were quantified in 45 % and 15 % of products respectively, with maximum levels of 14.1 µg/kg in follow-on formula 3rd age and 9.2 µg/kg in apple puree. Finally, SHS- and HS-SPME-GC-Q Exactive-Orbitrap MS data of the 20 infant products were processed in suspect screening mode using Compound DiscovererTM software. Coupling with HS-SPME, it made it possible to identify 13 additional furan derivatives, i.e. 5 more than with SHS. The relevance and safety status of the compounds identified are discussed.

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An SHS-CFSHS X-joint is fabricated by welding two square hollow section (SHS) braces to a concrete-filled square hollow section (CFSHS) chord. In this paper, the stress concentration factors (SCFs) of SHS-CFSHS X-joints are investigated through experimental tests and finite element analysis (FEA), with the hot spot stress method serving as the analytical approach. Eight specimens are designed and manufactured, with FE models built in software ANSYS. These FE models are validated against the test results. The specimens are tested under brace axial tension to determine the SCFs of the X-joints. It shows that the concrete filled in the chord effectively reduces the SCFs of the X-joints. To further explore various load conditions and the influence of the parameters, FEA is carried out and a total of 64 FE models are built. Based on the FEA results, multiple regression analysis is used to obtain the SCF formulae of SHS-CFSHS X-joints under axial tension load and in-plane bending load in the brace, respectively. Comparison and analysis of the SCF results obtained from experimental tests, the proposed formulae, and FE simulations reveal that the formulae presented in this study are both conservative and suitable for predicting SCFs.

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We report on the fabrication of mesoporous silicon dioxide coated Haliclona sp. spicules (mSHS) to enhance the delivery of the insoluble photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) into deep skin layers and mediate photodynamic therapy for metastatic melanoma in mice. The mSHS are dispersed sharp edged and rod-like micro-particles with a length of approximate 143.6 ± 6.4 µm and a specific surface area of 14.9 ± 3.4 m2/g. The mSHS can be topically applied to the skin, adapting to any desired skin area and lesion site. The insoluble PpIX were incorporated into the mesoporous silica coating layers of mSHS (mSHS@PpIX) with the maximum PpIX loading capacity of 120.3 ± 3.8 µg/mg. The mSHS@PpIX significantly enhanced the deposition of PpIX in the viable epidermis (5.1 ± 0.4 µg/cm2) and in the dermis (0.5 ± 0.2 µg/cm2), which was 154 ± 11-fold and 22 ± tenfold higher than those achieved by SHS, respectively. Topical delivery of PpIX using mSHS (mSHS@PpIX) completely eradicated the primary melanoma in mice in 10 days without recurrence or metastasis over 60 days. These results demonstrate that mSHS can be a promising topical drug delivery platform for the treatment of diverse cutaneous diseases, such as metastatic melanoma.

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The interest in the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique has continuously increased over the last few years. This article shows the possibility of the development of an SPS device used for material processing and synthesis in both scientific and industrial applications and aims to present manufacturing methods and the versatility of an SPS device, presenting examples of processing Arc-Melted- (half-Heusler, cobalt triantimonide) and Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS)-synthesized semiconductor (bismuth telluride) materials. The SPS system functionality development is presented, the purpose of which was to broaden the knowledge of the nature of SPS processes. This approach enabled the precise design of material sintering processes and also contributed to increasing the repeatability and accuracy of sintering conditions.

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BiCuSeO is a promising oxygen-containing thermoelectric material due to its intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity and excellent service stability. However, the low electrical conductivity limits its thermoelectric performance. Aliovalent element doping can significantly improve their carrier concentration, but it may also impact carrier mobility and thermal transport properties. Considering the influence of graphene on carrier-phonon decoupling, Bi0.88 Pb0.06 Ca0.06 CuSeO (BPCCSO)-graphene composites are designed. For further practical application, a rapid preparation method is employed, taking less than 1 h, which combines self-propagating high-temperature synthesis with spark plasma sintering. The incorporation of graphene simultaneously optimizes the electrical properties and thermal conductivity, yielding a high ratio of weighted mobility to lattice thermal conductivity (144 at 300 K and 95 at 923 K). Ultimately, BPCCSO-graphene composites achieve exceptional thermoelectric performance with a ZT value of 1.6 at 923 K, bringing a ≈40% improvement over BPCCSO without graphene. This work further promotes the practical application of BiCuSeO-based materials and this facile and effective strategy can also be extended to other thermoelectric systems.

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Background: The effects of psychological factors on suboptimal health status (SHS) have been widely described; however, mechanisms behind the complex relationships among the Big Five personality traits and SHS are unclear. Identifying people with specific traits who are susceptible to SHS will help improve life quality and reduce the chronic disease burden under the framework of predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM / 3PM). This study investigated the relationships among personality traits and SHS. It also explored whether perceived stress plays a mediating role in SHS development. Method: A nationwide cross-sectional survey based on multistage random sampling was conducted in 148 cities in China between June 20 and August 31, 2022. Personality traits, perceived stress, and SHS were evaluated using the Big Five Inventory-10 (BFI-10), the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-4), and the Short-Form Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire (SHSQ-SF), respectively. Pearson's correlation analysis was employed to examine the associations between personality traits, perceived stress, and SHS. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to discern the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationships among personality traits and SHS. Result: A total of 22,897 participants were enrolled in this study, among whom the prevalence of SHS was 52.9%. SHS was negatively correlated with three trait dimensions (i.e., extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) but positively correlated with neuroticism. Meanwhile, stress was negatively correlated with extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, whereas it was positively correlated with neuroticism. The SEM results showed that, when adjusting for covariates (i.e., gender, age, BMI, educational level, current residence, marital status, and occupational status), higher agreeableness (ß = - 0.049, P < 0.001) and conscientiousness (ß = - 0.103, P < 0.001) led to lower SHS prevalence, higher neuroticism (ß = 0.130, P < 0.001), and openness (ß = 0.026, P < 0.001) caused SHS to be more prevalent. Perceived stress played a partial mediating role in the relationships among personality traits and SHS, respectively, contributing 41.3%, 35.9%, and 32.5% to the total effects of agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism on SHS. Additionally, the mediating impact of stress was significant even though extraversion had no direct effect on SHS. Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of SHS in Chinese residents. Personality traits significantly influenced SHS rates, which perceived stress tended to mediate. From a PPPM perspective, early screening and targeted intervention for people with neuroticism (as well as stress alleviation) might contribute to health enhancement and chronic disease prevention. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-023-00349-x.

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This work focused on the production of the MoAlB MAB phase through self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis in the thermal explosion mode. The influence of the method of a Mo-Al-B-powder reaction mixture preparation on the combustion temperature, mechanism, and stages of the MAB phase formation in the combustion process was investigated. The combustion temperatures of the mixtures obtained in the rotary ball mill and high-speed planetary ball mill were 1234 and 992 °C, respectively. The formation of intermediate compounds Mo3Al8 and α-MoB in the combustion front, along with MoAlB, was established using the time-resolved X-ray diffraction method. In the case of the mixture prepared in a ball mill, the primary interaction in the combustion front occurred through the Al melt, and in the case of using a planetary mill, solid-phase reactions played an important role. The mechanical activation of the mixture in a planetary mill also accelerated the processes of phase formation. The method of a reaction mixture preparation has virtually no effect on the MoAlB MAB phase content in combustion products (92-94%), but it does affect their structure. The synthesis products have a lamellar structure composed of MAB grains with a thickness of ~0.4 µm and a length of ~2-10 µm.

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In the Smart Homes and IoT devices era, abundant available data offers immense potential for enhancing system intelligence. However, the need for effective anomaly detection models to identify and rectify unusual data and behaviors within Smart Home Systems (SHS) remains a critical challenge. This research delves into the relatively unexplored domain of novelty anomaly detection, particularly in the context of unlabeled datasets. Introducing the novel DeepMaly method, this approach provides a practical tool for SHS developers. Functioning seamlessly in an unsupervised manner, DeepMaly distinguishes between seasonal and actual anomalies through a unique process of training on unlabeled pristine features extracted from time series data. Leveraging a combination of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN), the model is primed to detect anomalies in real-time. The research culminates in a comprehensive data prediction and classification process into normal and abnormal data based on specified anomaly thresholds and fraction percentages. Notably, this function operates seamlessly unsupervised, eliminating the need for labeled datasets. The study concludes with a complete data forecasting and sorting method that divides data into normal and abnormal categories based on defined anomaly thresholds and fraction percentages. Working in an unsupervised mode reduces the requirement for labeled datasets. The results highlight the model's prowess in new detection, which has been successfully applied to benchmark datasets. However, there is a restriction since deep learning algorithms can recognize noise as abnormalities. Finally, the investigation enhances SHS anomaly detection, providing a crucial tool for real-time anomaly identification in the ever-changing IoT and Smart Homes scene.

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BACKGROUND: Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure was harmful for brain development. However, the association between SHS exposure and NDDs diagnosis were unclear. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate associations between SHS exposure and NDDs diagnosis, identify critical time windows, and summarize the strength of evidence. METHODS: To investigate the associations of SHS exposure and the development of NDDs, we searched Ovid, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PubMed for all the relevant studies up to 31 March 2023. The risk estimates and standardized mean differences (SMD) for the individuals with any NDDs who were exposed to SHS exposure compared with those unexposed or low-exposed. RESULTS: The results showed that a total of 31,098 citations were identified, of which 54 studies were included. We identified significant associations between SHS exposure and the risks of NDDs including specific types of NDDs like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities (LD) despite the observed heterogeneity for NDDs and ADHD. We also observed a significant association between cotinine exposure and ADHD. However, inconsistent ratings between the two quality-of-evidence methods for all the meta-analyses indicated the current evidence of the associations and the potential exposure window remained inconclusive. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggested that SHS exposure was associated with a higher risk of developing ADHD and LD, with inconclusive quality-of-evidence. In addition, period-specific associations remained unclear based on current evidence.

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Background: Suboptimal health status (SHS) is a reversible, borderline state between optimal health and disease. Although this condition's definition is widely understood, related questionnaires must be developed to identify individuals with SHS in various populations relative to predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (PPPM/3PM). This study presents a short-form suboptimal health status questionnaire (SHSQ-SF) that appears to possess sufficient reliability and validity to assess SHS in large-scale populations. Methods: A total of 6183 participants enrolled from Southern China constituted a training set, while 4113 participants from Northern China constituted an external validation set. The SHSQ-SF includes nine key items from the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25), an instrument that has been applied to Africans, Asians, and Caucasians. Item analysis and reliability and validity tests were carried out to validate the SHSQ-SF. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify an optimal cutoff value for SHS diagnosis, by which the area under the curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined. Results: Cronbach's α coefficient for the training dataset was 0.902; the split-half reliability was 0.863. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.880, and Bartlett's test of sphericity was significant (χ2 = 32,929.680, p < 0.05). Both Kaiser's criteria (eigenvalues > 1) and the scree plot revealed one factor explaining 57.008% of the total variance. Standardized factor loadings for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) indices ranged between 0.58 and 0.74, with χ2/dƒ = 4.972, GFI = 0.996, CFI = 0.996, RFI = 0.989, and RMSEA = 0.031. The AUC was equal to 0.985 (95% CI: 0.983-0.988) for the training dataset. A cutoff value (≥ 11) was then identified for SHS diagnosis. The SHSQ-SF showed good discriminatory power for the external validation dataset (AUC = 0.975, 95% CI: 0.971-0.979) with a sensitivity of 96.2% and a specificity of 87.4%. Conclusions: We developed a short form of the SHS questionnaire that demonstrated sound reliability and validity when assessing SHS in Chinese residents. From a PPPM/3PM perspective, the SHSQ-SF is recommended for the rapid screening of individuals with SHS in large-scale populations. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13167-023-00339-z.

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A functionally graded composite NiAl-AlMg6 was prepared using the pressure of gaseous reaction products (impurity gases) produced during the synthesis of reactive powders in a sealed reactor. It has been shown that this method can be used to prepare a NiAl/AlMg6 composite with both chaotically oriented pores in the NiAl layer and unidirectionally oriented pores (lotus-type pores). The pore shape in NiAl was found to be dependent on the pressure of the impurity gases and hydrogen present in the starting titanium powder. A mechanism for pore formation in NiAl and AlMg6 composite during SHS is proposed. Thus, functionally graded high-temperature composites can be produced by SHS in a sealed reactor using the chemical reaction energy and the pressure of impurity gases and hydrogen. Additionally, minimizing the influence of impurity gases on the contact zone increases the interface area between NiAl and AlMg6.

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The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a key contributor to immune and inflammatory responses in myriad diseases. RAGE is a transmembrane pattern recognition receptor with a special interest in pulmonary anomalies due to its naturally abundant pulmonary expression. Our previous studies demonstrated an inflammatory role for RAGE following acute 30-day exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS), wherein immune cell diapedesis and cytokine/chemokine secretion were accentuated in part via RAGE signaling. However, the chronic inflammatory mechanisms associated with RAGE have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we address the impact of long-term SHS exposure on RAGE signaling. RAGE knockout (RKO) and wild-type (WT) mice were exposed to SHS using a nose-only delivery system (Scireq Scientific, Montreal, Canada) for six months. SHS-exposed animals were compared to mice exposed to room air (RA) only. Immunoblotting was used to assess the phospho-AKT and phospho-ERK activation data, and colorimetric high-throughput assays were used to measure NF-kB. Ras activation was measured via ELISAs. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cellularity was quantified, and a mouse cytokine antibody array was used to screen the secreted cytokines. The phospho-AKT level was decreased, while those of phospho-ERK, NF-kB, and Ras were elevated in both groups of SHS-exposed mice, with the RKO + SHS-exposed mice demonstrating significantly decreased levels of each intermediate compared to those of the WT + SHS-exposed mice. The BALF contained increased levels of diverse pro-inflammatory cytokines in the SHS-exposed WT mice, and diminished secretion was detected in the SHS-exposed RKO mice. These results validate the role for RAGE in the mediation of chronic pulmonary inflammatory responses and suggest ERK signaling as a likely pathway that perpetuates RAGE-dependent inflammation. Additional characterization of RAGE-mediated pulmonary responses to prolonged exposure will provide a valuable insight into the cellular mechanisms of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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Introduction: Studies have linked secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure to adverse health effects. The high prevalence of heart disease necessitates the need for studies in this field. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the exposure to SHS in cardiac patients. Method: This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 430 patients who were referred to Imam Ali Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2020 were included in the study based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The researchers collected and recorded demographic information, disease history, and exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) through a digital questionnaire. Bivariate analysis was conducted using a chi-square test and an independent T-test, depending on the variable scale. Results: The results of the study showed that 237 patients were male (55.12 %) and 193 were female (44.8 %). The prevalence of exposure to secondhand smoke was 72.09 %. Notably, the highest rate of exposure to secondhand smoke was associated with 'exposure to tobacco smoke in public places' with a rate of 69.30 %. Additionally, it was observed that approximately 39.07 % of patients reported exposure to secondhand smoke in public places at least once a week. Conclusion: The present study has found that cardiac patients frequently experience secondhand smoking exposure, with public settings being the primary location of exposure. Implementing intervention strategies and enacting laws that prohibit smoking can effectively mitigate the negative impact of SHS exposure.

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STEM education interrelates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, ensuring that all interrelated contents are taught in coherence instead of in isolation. This promotes collaboration, critical thinking, and active engagement among students. The study ascertained the factors that compromise the implementation of STEM practices in the Bono East Region of Ghana to gain a moderately broad and deep understanding, allowing for a critical analysis of outcomes. It adopted a descriptive survey design to explore information concerning STEM education as it existed from May to October 2022. The study was carried out in Public Senior High and Vocational-Technical Schools in the Bono East Region of Ghana. The schools were split into STEM-related schools and non-STEM-related schools using a stratified sampling technique. Ten STEM-related schools were chosen using a purposive sampling method. 271 instructors from the departments of Science, Mathematics, and Information Communication Technology made up the study's population. A survey using a well-structured closed-ended questionnaire was administered online and the response obtained was transformed into frequencies and percentages in tabular forms using Microsoft Excel version 2016 (Microsoft, USA). Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 (IBM, USA) was used to perform a chi-square test to determine differences between responses obtained at the test significance of 5%. The study revealed that the general implementation of STEM practices throughout the studied Senior High Schools was below the mark. Inadequate STEM teaching-learning materials, limited certified STEM teachers, lack of STEM-dedicated infrastructure, inadequate professional development opportunities, absence of STEM documented standards and curriculum, limited access to technology, and limited time for teaching STEM-related subjects were some of the major factors contributing to the unsuccessful implementation of STEM practices in studied Public Senior High and Vocational-Technical Schools. Be that as it may, the study, therefore, recommended some measures including comprehensive STEM policies, adoptions of systematic STEM framework, and rigorous curriculum overhaul to be considered by the various stakeholders of education to realize the aspirations of inclusive STEM education.

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BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoke incursion (TSI) into private residences is a widespread problem in many countries. We sought to assess the prevalence of self-reported TSI and public attitudes about TSI in Israel, a country with a relatively high smoking prevalence and high population density. METHODS: We conducted a random digit dial survey among residents in Israel (N = 285) in 2017, which examined the frequency, source, correlates of, and attitudes towards TSI and potential regulatory options. The cooperation rate was 63.9%. RESULTS: Among respondents, 44.7% reported ever experiencing home TSI, with higher exposure among residents of multi-unit housing (MUH) (MUH versus private homes: aOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 3.60, CI (Confidence Interval): [1.96, 6.58], p < .001). Most respondents (69.8%), including nearly half of smokers, prioritized the right of individuals to breath smoke-free air in their apartments over the right of smokers to smoke in their apartments. Women and non-smokers were more likely to support the right to breathe smoke-free air (Women versus men: aOR: 2.77 CI: [1.48, 5.16], p = .001; Nonsmokers versus smokers: aOR: 3.21 CI [1.59, 6.48], p = .001). However, only about a quarter (24.8%) of respondents who ever experienced TSI raised the issue with the neighbor who smoked, the neighbor's landlord, or the building committee. The vast majority (85.2%) of all respondents, including three-quarters of smokers, supported smoke-free legislation for multi-unit housing (MUH), with those ever-exposed to TSI and non-smokers more likely to support legislation (ever-exposed versus never-exposed aOR = 2.99, CI [1.28, 6.97], p = 0.011; nonsmokers versus smokers aOR = 3.00, CI [1.28, 7.01], p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Among study participants, tobacco smoke incursion was a common, yet unwelcome experience. Most respondents believed that the right to breathe smoke-free air in one's apartment superseded that of neighbors to smoke anywhere in their home, and most supported legislation to prevent TSI. Though further study is needed to understand better TSI and effective methods for its prevention, our findings suggest that policy interventions, including legal action at the level of the Supreme Court and/or the Knesset, are needed. Regulation, policy initiatives and campaigns to denormalize smoking in proximity to other people and private residences globally could reduce the scope of this widespread problem, protect individuals from home TSI, and improve population health.

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Synthetic cannabinoids are still a growing trend among drug users and consist of a group of hundreds of highly potent compounds. To investigate the use of such substances, sample preparation of biological matrices is a crucial step prior to instrumental analysis. Although different efficient extraction techniques have been proposed for that aim, they usually do not fit eco-friendly guidelines that have been gaining popularity in recent years, such as Green Analytical Toxicology. This work uses describes for the first time the use of switchable hydrophilicity solvent-based homogenous liquid-liquid microextraction (SHS-HLLME) for synthetic cannabinoids. This is a green technique that replaces highly toxic organic reagents for switchable hydrophilicity solvents (SHS), substances that can be either water-miscible or immiscible depending on their protonation. Thus, by simply adjusting the pH of the system, these SHS can be used as extraction solvents. A full optimization study including type of SHS, volume of protonated SHS, volume of NaOH, salting-out effect, and extraction time was performed. The optimized procedure consisted of precipitating the proteins of 300 µL of plasma with 300 µL of acetonitrile followed by centrifugation; evaporation of the organic solvent under N2 stream; addition of 500 µL of the protonated DPA, DPA-HCl (6 M) (1:1, v/v); addition of 500 µL of NaOH (10 M); and finally centrifugation and evaporation. Validation results showed determination coefficients ≥ 0.99 for the 0.1-10 ng/mL linear range; 0.01-0.08 ng/mL as limit of detection; 0.1 ng/mL as limit of quantitation; accuracy and imprecision were within acceptable ranges; matrix effect, recovery, and process efficiency ranged from -55.6 to 185.9%, 36-56.7%, and 18.5-148.4%, respectively. The SHS-HLLME herein described was fully optimized providing satisfactory recoveries of 31 synthetic cannabinoids at low concentrations requiring only 300 µL of plasma. In addition, the validation results showed that the technique is a reliable eco-friendly alternative for clinical and toxicological analysis.

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PURPOSE: The main objective of this study was to assess the impact on quality of life after rubber band ligation (RBL) in patients with symptomatic grade II-III haemorrhoids who did not improve after 6 months of conservative treatment, using quality of life scores. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort observational study where patients with haemorrhoidal disease and indication for RBL were included between December 2019 and December 2020. RBL was offered as first-line treatment in this group. Patient´s quality of life was assessed by scores: HDSS (Hemorrhoidal Disease Symptom Score) and SHS (Short Health Scale).Secondary objectives were: to evaluate the rate of patients requiring one or more RBL procedures, to establish the overall success rate of RBL and to analyse complications. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients were finally included. Regarding the impact on quality of life after RBL, a significant reduction was found in the HDSS and SHS scores (p < 0.001). The main improvement was found in the first month and it was maintained until the sixth month. A high degree of satisfaction with the procedure was reported by 76% of patients. The overall success rate of banding was 89%. A 12% complication rate was detected, the most frequent complication was severe anal pain (58.3%) and self-limiting bleeding (41.7%). CONCLUSION: Rubber band ligation, as a treatment for symptomatic grade II-III haemorrhoids that do not respond to medical treatment, leads to a significant improvement in patients' symptoms and quality of life. It also has a high degree of satisfaction between patients.

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