M.A. (Psychology) / The study of behavioural toxicology was started in 1972 with the Port Pirie Cohort study and therefor a relative young field. Little information is available about the effect of cigarette smoke, containing the toxic substance carbon monoxide, on the neurocognitive functioning of children. The purpose of this study was to determine whether carbon monoxide has an effect on the neurocognitive functioning of children, more specifically as it relates to school performance. A group of school children was selected in the Vaal Triangle area who were sUbjected to a large quantity of cigarette smoke during the day and a group of children was selected who had no contact with any cigarette smoke during the day. The results of these groups were compared. From the results obtained it appears that cigarette smoke, would have a negative neurocognitive functioning of the children.

O tabagismo é um problema mundial de saúde pública e é considerado a principal causa de morte evitável no mundo associado com câncer de pulmão, doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e infarto agudo do miocárdio. O tabagismo induz alterações morfológicas e funcionais no sistema respiratório. O transporte mucociliar (TMC) é um dos principais mecanismos de defesa do sistema respiratório que pode ser alterado com a fumaça e outros produtos do cigarro. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do tabagismo e da cessação do tabagismo no TMC nasal, nas propriedades do muco e sobre marcadores inflamatórios. Trinta e três indivíduos tabagistas foram incluídos no estudo após concordância com o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. O recrutamento de voluntários foi realizado na Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) e no Ambulatório de Cessação do Tabagismo da Disciplina de Pneumologia do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP. As variáveis desfecho foram o TMC nasal analisado por meio do teste de trânsito da sacarina, as propriedades do muco por meio do ângulo de contato e da transportabilidade da tosse por alto fluxo e a quantificação de células inflamatórias e concentração de interleucinas (IL)-6 e IL-8 em lavado nasal. Vinte cessadores (idade média: 51 anos, 9 do sexo masculino) foram avaliados no tempo basal do estudo, 1o mês, 3o mês e 12o mês de cessação do tabagismo e 13 tabagistas (média de idade: 52 anos, 6 do sexo masculino) foram avaliados no tempo basal e 12 meses após o basal. As características demográficas, hábito tabágico inicial e morbidades de tabagistas e de cessadores foram similares. No tempo basal do estudo, os tabagistas e cessadores apresentaram disfunção do TMC nasal (17,9 ± 10,1 min e 17,4 ± 7,7 min, respectivamente, p=0,880). A cessação do tabagismo induziu melhora significativa do TMC nasal no 1o mês, 3º mês e 12o mês em 63%, 76% e 85% dos indivíduos, respectivamente. Somente aos 12 meses, foi possível observar melhora na transportabilidade do muco por alto fluxo (~ 23%), porém com aumento do número de macrófagos (2x) em lavado nasal. Não observamos alterações no ângulo de contato do muco e nas concentrações de citocinas em lavado nasal. Concluímos que a cessação do tabagismo induz melhora rápida no TMC nasal, porém melhora nas propriedades do muco foi observada somente após 12 meses de cessação do tabagismo / Smoking is a health problem in the world. It is considered a main cause of preventable death and is associated with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and myocardium infarction. Smoking induces morphological and functional changes in the respiratory system. Mucociliary clearance (MCC) is one of the main defense mechanisms of the respiratory system that can be affected by smoke and other cigarette products. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of smoking and smoking cessation on nasal MCC, mucus properties and inflammatory biomarkers. Thirty three smokers were included in this study after agreement with the written informed consent. Subject´s recruitment was performed at Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) and Ambulatório de Cessação do Tabagismo da Disciplina de Pneumologia do Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSP. The outcome variables were nasal MCC evaluated by saccharin transit test, mucus properties using contact angle and mucus transportability by high airflow and quantification of inflammatory cells number and interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in the nasal lavage fluid. Twenty volunteers in the smoking cessation program (mean age: 51 years, 9 male) were assessed at baseline, month 1, month 3 and month 12 after of the smoking cessation and 13 smokers (mean age: 52 years, 6 male) were assessed at baseline and 12 months after baseline. Demographic characteristics, smoking history and morbidities were similar between the two groups. At baseline, smokers showed impaired nasal MCC (17.9 ± 10.1 min and 17.4 ± 7.7 min, respectively, p=0.880). Smoking cessation significantly improved nasal MCC at 1 month, 3 months and 12 months in 63%, 76% and 85% of the subjects, respectively. Only after 12 months of smoking cessation, improvement in mucus transportability by high airflow (~ 23%) was observed, however, with increased number of macrophages (2-fold) in nasal lavage fluid. No changes were observed in mucus contact angle and cytokines concentrations in nasal lavage fluid. We concluded that smoking cessation induces rapid improvement in nasal MCC, however, improvement in mucus properties were observed only after 12 months of smoking cessation

There are two major, well-known operas based on plays of Tennessee Williams. He refused many times throughout his life to give permission for his play, A Streetcar Named Desire, to be set as an opera. It was not until the 1960s that he granted permission for Lee Hoiby to choose any of his plays as a basis for a new opera. Hoiby chose Summer and Smoke, a play which was written at approximately the same time as Streetcar. Lanford Wilson created the libretto for the opera which was given its premier in 1971 by the St. Paul Opera Association. In 1994 representatives of the Williams estate granted permission to the San Francisco Opera to commission an opera based on A Streetcar Named Desire. With a libretto by Philip Littell, the opera was composed by André Previn and given its premier in 1998. These two plays share common themes, character types, character relationships, and literary symbols due in part to the autobiographical nature of Williams's writings. The plays exhibit a cinematic nature and possess common dramatic elements such as the symbolic use of sets, props, and musical leitmotifs as a result of his attempts to create a new "plastic" style of theatre. The purpose of this thesis is to examine how each composer has captured the essence of Williams's dramatic style in these well known plays while dealing with stylistic elements that by nature could interfere in operatic composition. A brief biography of Williams is included to show the familial basis of his character types. Illustrations of his style serve as the basis for a comparison of the librettos to the plays. The musical analysis focuses on the composers' choices in dealing with Williams's poetic southern language, use of music, cinematic techniques, and complex characterizations.

Det här projektet har utforskat frågeställningen - Hur kan en brand- varnare utformas för att bli mer estetiskt tilltalande för användaren? Den svenska Myndigheten för Samhällsskydd och Beredskap [MSB] har länge drivit en nollvision för Sverige med målsättningen att ingen människa ska omkomma i en brand (MSB, 2021a). En avgörande faktor för att målsättningen ska lyckas är att varje hem har fungerande brandvarnare. Med fungerande brandvarnare i alla hem skulle så många som 40% av dödsfallen kunna förhindras (Runefors, Johansson & van Hees, 2016). Studien genomfördes utifrån ett användar-centrerat arbetssätt där kvalitativa intervjuer med fem informanter samt krav från den europeiska standarden för utformning av brandvarnare har legat till grund för för arbetets utveckling. Intervjuerna visade att informanterna till stor del var negativt inställda till utformningen av existerande brandvarnare då de uppfattades som billiga puckar i vit plast. Det framkom att lågt pris, liten storlek och enkel montering utan borrning var de viktigaste egenskaperna för användarna. De uppgav även att de ogillade att byta batterier samt efterfrågade möjlighet till ökat visuellt samspel med övrig inredning. Naturmaterial och mjuka former var de mest efterfrågade egenskaperna för utformningen. Det kunskapsmässiga bidraget ligger i upptäckten av svårigheterna att samtala om Estetik med informanterna. Detta var en förtydligande insikt över skillnaderna mellan det akademiska och det allmänna språkbruket för att beskriva estetiska intryck. Resultatet av projektet blev en liten brandvarnare med en kropp i massivt trä, en stor knapp för testning och tystande av larm samt en batteritid på minst 10 år. / This project have explored the question - How can a smoke alarm be designed to be more aesthetically pleasing for the user? The Swedish Agency for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning [MSB] has long pursued a zero vision for Sweden with the goal that no one should die in a fire (MSB, 2021a). A crucial factor for the goal to succeed is that every home has a functioning smoke alarm. With effective smoke alarms in all homes, as many as 40% of deaths could be prevented (Runefors, Johansson & van Hees, 2016). The study was carried out on the basis of a user-centered approach where qualitative interviews with five informants and requirements from the European standard for the design of smoke alarms have formed the basis for the development of the project. Based on the interviews, it emerged that the informants were largely negative about the design of existing smoke alarms. These were perceived as cheap pucks in white plastic. It turned out that a low price, small size and an easy installation without the need for drilling were the most important features for the users. They also stated that they did not like to change batteries and requested the opportunity for increased visual unity with other furnishings. Natural materials and soft shapes were the most sought after properties for the design. The knowledge contribution lies in the discovery of the difficulties in discussing Aesthetics with the informants. This was a clarifying insight into the differences between academic and general language for describing aesthetic impressions. The result of the project was a small smoke alarm with a body in solid wood, a large button for testing and silencing of the alarm together with a battery life of atleast 10 years.

Cigarette smoke contributes to many diseases. The actions of second and third hand smoke, which have implications for non-smokers and the very young, are just beginning to be appreciated. The overarching hypothesis of this project is that cigarette smoke has different injurious actions on alveolar cells based on chronological age. The purpose here was to learn more about the susceptibility of alveolar cells to cigarette smoke extract (CSE)- induced injury by performing studies on pulmonary alveolar and endothelial cells derived from neonatal, young, and old rats. The aims involved: 1. Developing cell culture models to study age-related effects of cigarette smoke on alveolar type I cells and microvascular endothelial cells from the lung, and 2. Using these models to examine the effects of CSE on markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and aging in alveolar cells harvested from neonatal, young and old rats. Descriptive and experimental studies involved using a variety of cell culture, biochemical and molecular techniques, including gene expression arrays. The most significant findings were that: 1. primary proliferating alveolar type I cells were used to develop novel cell culture model systems, including single culture, co-culture and three-dimensional cultures that were used to study the effects of CSE; 2. Hydrogen peroxide production by endothelial cells was markedly reduced by co-culturing with AT I cells; 3. Gene expression profiling of oxidative stress-specific pathways suggest that genes responsible for both stopping production of H2O2 or mopping-up H2O2 are involved; and 4. Cigarette smoke shortens telomeres of cells from neonates, but unexpectedly preserves telomere length of cells from young and old rats. Data from telomeric pathway-specific gene expression arrays suggest that there are age-related differences in response to gene expression to CSE. The significant conclusions are: 1. Contrary to prior observations, alveolar type I cells demonstrate prolonged proliferative capacity; 2. Alveolar type I cells likely play an important role in ameliorating CSE-induced oxidative stress; and 3. Neonatal alveolar cells may be more susceptible to the deleterious effects of CSE including telomere shortening. These novel model systems and observations provide new ways to study cigarette smoke-associated lung dysfunction.

Background A significant proportion of children are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) throughout the world. This is mainly because of exposure to parental smoking. It is unknown to what extent the negative effects of ETS on respiratory symptoms track from childhood into adulthood. Methods TESAOD (Tucson Epidemiologic Study of Airway Obstructive Disease) is a large population-based prospective study that was initiated in 1972. Participants were followed prospectively with questionnaires and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) completed about every two years in 12 follow-up surveys up to 1996. Skin prick tests and blood samples for IgE measurements were collected at surveys 1, 6, and 11. We identified subjects who entered the study as children (<15 years old) and were followed to adulthood (>18 years) during the study follow-up. Based on questionnaire data, active asthma, wheeze, cough, and chronic cough (cough for three consecutive months) were coded as never (never reported in childhood or adulthood), incident (never reported in childhood, but ≥ one positive report in adulthood), remittent (≥ one positive report in childhood, but not in adulthood), and persistent (≥ one positive report both in childhood and adulthood). PFTs measurements included forced expiratory volume in 1 second, forced vital capacity, and forced expiratory flow at 25-75%. Parent information on smoking status was collected simultaneously at child visits. ETS exposure status was assessed as “ever” or “never” between birth and 15 years. Results Information on parental ETS exposure in childhood and outcomes in adulthood was available for 444 non-Hispanic white participants (51.4% male) with mean age at initial survey of 7.7 years. Total mean follow-up time was 19.0 years (8.8 years in adulthood). Between birth and 15 years, 53.4% of children were exposed to ETS. After adjusting for sex, age at enrollment, years of follow-up, and personal smoking status (assessed at age 15 and above), combined parental ETS exposure in childhood was significantly associated with persistent wheeze (RR(adj) 1.9, p=0.026), persistent cough (RR(adj) 5.9, p<0.001), and persistent (RR(adj) 3.7, p=0.030) and incident chronic cough (RR(adj) 2.3, p=0.040). Paternal ETS exposure in childhood was associated with persistent wheeze (RR(adj) 2.3, p=0.002), persistent cough (RR(adj) 3.9, p<0.001), persistent (RR(adj) 4.8, p=0.004) and incident chronic cough (RR(adj) 2.2, p=0.031), and persistent asthma (RR(adj) 2.3, p=0.016). Maternal ETS exposure was associated with persistent (RR(adj) 1.9, p=0.029) and incident cough (RR(adj) 2.5, p=0.006). Maternal ETS exposure was associated with an increased percent predicted FVC in adulthood (coefficient, 3.75; p=0.019). No other effects on lung function were seen. There were no effects of ETS exposure on total serum IgE or allergic sensitization. ETS exposure was associated with respiratory symptoms in adulthood among both never and current smokers. Conclusions ETS exposure in childhood has long term health effects on lung function and respiratory symptoms. These effects do not appear to be IgE-mediated. ETS exposure, especially paternal ETS exposure, seems to influence the persistence of respiratory symptoms from childhood to adulthood and to affect women more than men. These effects are independent of personal smoking and also seen in never smokers. Both smoking mothers and fathers should be targeted when attempting to reduce ETS exposure among children.

No description available.

Introduction: Asthma is a common debilitating disease of the airways that afflicts an estimated 300 million worldwide, causing reduction in physical activity, lost school/work days, and even death. There are many known and suspected risk factors of asthma; however, there is much controversy over prior and current cigarette smoking. Approximately 25% of the United States population currently smokes, with a quarter of these being asthma patients. Another 22 to 43 percent of asthmatics are ex-smokers. Objectives: (1) To estimate the prevalence for lifetime asthma in the adult US population; (2) to determine prevalence odds ratios (POR) of lifetime asthma based on questionnaire (smoking status, tobacco consumption) after adjustment of potential confounding variables; (3) to determine POR of lifetime asthma based on laboratory values (serum cotinine); and (4) to assess the validity of self-reported measures (smoking status and tobacco consumption) using serum cotinine as the gold standard.Methods: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 is a proportional cross-sectional sample that uses weights to be representative. Crude odds ratios were obtained through univariate analysis; multiple logistic regression analysis was used to obtain adjusted odds ratios of asthma. Interactions for age, gender, and race/ethnicity were explored. Validity measures included sensitivity and specificity tests for self-reported smoking and non-parametric correlation of tobacco consumption with serum cotinine levels.Results: The overall prevalence of lifetime asthma among n=10,252 adults was 11.56% (95%CI 10.45-12.66). Analyses were stratified by race/ethnicity due to significant interaction. After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, and family history of asthma, ex-smoking non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and other races had odds ratios of 1.57 (95%CI 1.26-1.97), 1.52 (95%CI 1.01-2.27), and 1.97 (95%CI 1.01-3.83), respectively, relative to never smokers within their respective race/ethnic groups. Sample persons with a family history of asthma and increasing body mass index were significant predictors for lifetime asthma among all race/ethnic groups. Based on laboratory values, non-Hispanic White respondents with serum cotinine levels of 0.011 to Discussion: Self-reported smoking and tobacco consumption are valid measures of tobacco use. The present study found no significant relationship between current smoking and lifetime asthma. Despite the limited findings, asthmatic smokers make up a distinct, difficult-to-treat subgroup for which future treatment research should address.

Clinical research is needed to understand how cigarette toxicant yield affects smoker toxicant exposure. While there is much clinical research on yield and exposure in developed countries, there is little in developing countries. Forty smokers completed one, 4-hour session to compare yield and exposure of different cigarettes. Participants smoked three cigarettes under controlled topography conditions: one U.S. 111 flavor, one U.S. ultra light, and one Syrian cigarette, with 90 minutes between cigarettes. Sessions differed by Syrian brand; 21 participants smoked Alhamraa while 19 smoked A1 Sham cigarettes. Blood nicotine and breath CO samples were obtained, HR was monitored and subjective withdrawal and cigarette effect questions were asked. Results suggest that Syrian Alhamraa and U.S. full flavor were similar in exposure while Syrian A1 Sham and U.S. ultra light were similar. Though U.S. full flavor and ultra light cigarettes differed in toxicant yield and exposure, subjective ratings of withdrawal were similar.

The main subject of this thesis is to design a method that is able to compare the outputs of a manually set up particle system with a video template of a simulated particle phenomenon. For the sake of simplicity, this work is focused exclusively to smoke effects and its comparisons. Specifically, descriptors depicting the color scheme of the examined input videos are proposed as well as the shape descriptors and time variability descriptors, which are based on the image segmentation method called Alpha Matting. This method is able to distinguish foreground objects from the background, while the foreground objects are described together with their transparency. Video template recordings captured specially for the purpose of this work are included. At the end, the resulting method is supported by an example of the gradually improving smoke effect simulation. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)