Respiratory and immune response to maximal physical exertion following exposure to secondhand smoke in healthy adults

© 2012 The Authors. Published by PLOS. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031880We assessed the cardiorespiratory and immune response to physical exertion following secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure through a randomized crossover experiment. Data were obtained from 16 (8 women) non-smoking adults during and following a maximal oxygen uptake cycling protocol administered at baseline and at 0-, 1-, and 3- hours following 1-hour of SHS set at bar/restaurant carbon monoxide levels. We found that SHS was associated with a 12% decrease in maximum power output, an 8.2% reduction in maximal oxygen consumption, a 6% increase in perceived exertion, and a 6.7% decrease in time to exhaustion (P<0.05). Moreover, at 0-hours almost all respiratory and immune variables measured were adversely affected (P<0.05). For instance, FEV 1 values at 0-hours dropped by 17.4%, while TNF-α increased by 90.1% (P<0.05). At 3-hours mean values of cotinine, perceived exertion and recovery systolic blood pressure in both sexes, IL4, TNF-α and IFN-γ in men, as well as FEV 1/FVC, percent predicted FEV 1, respiratory rate, and tidal volume in women remained different compared to baseline (P<0.05). It is concluded that a 1-hour of SHS at bar/restaurant levels adversely affects the cardiorespiratory and immune response to maximal physical exertion in healthy nonsmokers for at least three hours following SHS. © 2012 Flouris et al.Published versio

Instruments to assess secondhand smoke exposure in large cohorts of never smokers: The smoke scales

© 2014 The Authors. Published by PLOS. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0085809The objectives of this study were to: (i) to develop questionnaires that can identify never-smoking children and adults experiencing increased exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS+), (ii) to determine their validity against hair nicotine, and (iii) assess their reliability. A sample of 191 children (85 males; 106 females; 7-18 years) and 95 adult (23 males; 72 females; 18- 62 years) never-smokers consented to hair nicotine analysis and answered a large number of questions assessing all sources of SHS. A randomly-selected 30% answered the questions again after 20-30 days. Prevalence of SHS+ in children and adults was 0.52±0.07 and 0.67±0.10, respectively (p16.5 and >16, respectively. Significant Kappa agreement (p0.05). Area under the curve and McNemar's Chi-square showed no pair-wise differences in sensitivity and specificity at the cutoff point between the two different days for SS-C and SS-A (p>0.05). We conclude that the SS-C and the SS-A represent valid, reliable, practical, and inexpensive instruments to identify children and adult never-smokers exposed to increased SHS. Future research should aim to further increase the validity of the two questionnaires. © 2014 Misailidi et al.Published versio

Improving the evidence on health inequities in migrant construction workers preparing for big sporting events

publishedVersio

Electronic cigarettes: a survey of users

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about users of electronic cigarettes, or their opinions, satisfaction or how and why they use such products.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An internet survey of 81 ever-users of ecigarettes in 2009. Participants answered open-ended questions on use of, and opinions about, ecigarettes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Respondents (73 current and 8 former users) lived in France, Canada, Belgium or Switzerland. Most respondents (77%) were men; 63% were former smokers and 37% were current smokers. They had used e-cigarettes for 100 days (median) and drew 175 puffs per day (median). Participants used the ecigarette either to quit smoking (53 comments), to reduce their cigarette consumption (14 comments), in order not to disturb other people with smoke (20 comments), or in smoke-free places (21 comments). Positive effects reported with ecigarettes included their usefulness to quit smoking, and the benefits of abstinence from smoking (less coughing, improved breathing, better physical fitness). Respondents also enjoyed the flavour of ecigarettes and the sensation of inhalation. Side effects included dryness of the mouth and throat. Respondents complained about the frequent technical failures of ecigarettes and had some concerns about the possible toxicity of the devices and about their future legal status.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ecigarettes were used mainly to quit smoking, and may be helpful for this purpose, but several respondents were concerned about potential toxicity. There are very few published studies on ecigarettes and research is urgently required, particularly on the efficacy and toxicity of these devices.</p

Study of hadronic event-shape variables in multijet final states in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

Peer reviewe

Health Outcomes of Construction Workers Building Infrastructure for Mega-Sporting Events: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Migrant construction workers involved in building infrastructure for mega-sporting events face elevated risks of illness and death. However, specific health outcomes for these workers have not been systematically reviewed, limiting opportunities to identify and address their challenges. METHODS: This study systematically reviewed health outcomes among migrant construction workers involved in mega-sporting events. RESULTS: 89 eligible studies involving 23,307 workers were identified. Of these, only 11 directly addressed specific health outcomes, including heat stress, occupational fatalities, and sexually transmitted infections. Notably, increased heat exposure during peak construction phases and the proximity of deadlines for mega-sporting events were correlated with elevated rates of occupational fatalities. Other key adverse factors impacting migrant construction workers' health included an observed correlation between the timing of mega-sporting events and increased occupational fatalities, the involvement of labor recruiters, and shifting health and safety responsibilities among stakeholders (e.g., host states, event organizers, contractors, and recruitment agencies). Positive outcomes were observed when workers voluntarily engaged in non-mandatory safety activities, such as safety training programs and awareness meetings. CONCLUSIONS: There is a critical need for longitudinal and comparative studies to comprehensively examine the health of migrant workers throughout all stages of their journey, from pre-migration to return. This review underscores the urgency of prioritizing evidence-based policies that address unique health risks in this population, including mitigation of heat stress and enforcement of occupational safety standards, particularly amid construction spikes preceding mega-sporting events. RECOMMENDATIONS: Future research should prioritize understanding the unique health challenges faced by migrant workers to inform policy making, develop effective interventions, and implement best practices to improve their health and well-being