Long-range acoustic localization of artillery shots using distributed synchronous acoustic sensors.

Acoustic recordings of artillery shots feature the signatures of the shot's muzzle, projectile, and impact waves modulated by the environment. This study aims at improving the sensing of such shots using a set of synchronous acoustic sensors distributed over a 1 km area. It uses the time matching approach, which is based on finding the best match between the observed and pre-calculated times of arrivals of the various waves at each sensor.

Drug Delivery From Polymer-Based Nanopharmaceuticals-An Experimental Study Complemented by Simulations of Selected Diffusion Processes.

The success of medical therapy depends on the correct amount and the appropriate delivery of the required drugs for treatment. By using biodegradable polymers a drug delivery over a time span of weeks or even months is made possible. This opens up a variety of strategies for better medication.

An experimental study of the atmospheric-driven variability of impulse sounds.

Propagating impulse sounds are sensitive to the varying near-surface atmosphere. This study reports on an experimental assessment of this sensitivity under well-controlled outdoor conditions. The experiment, conducted over a flat terrain, features 14 synchronous acoustic sensors at ranges up to 450 m from reproducible, transient sources.

An improved high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection method for the analysis of major phenolic compounds in cigarette smoke and smokeless tobacco products.

An improved HPLC method has been developed for the determination of major phenolic compounds in cigarette smoke. A novel reversed phase column with a pentafluorophenylpropyl (PFP) ligand in the stationary phase was chosen to separate the positional isomers (p-, m-, and o-cresols). Methanol instead of acetonitrile was used as the organic mobile phase component to improve the separation of the isomers and cope with the crisis of global acetonitrile shortage in 2009.

Mutagenic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic properties of tobacco smoke produced by cigarillos available on the Canadian market.

Cigarillos (aka little cigars) have been increasing in popularity unlike cigarettes; but relatively little is known about the toxicology of the mainstream smoke (MSS) from such products. Therefore, the objective of this work was to compare the toxicological properties of the MSS (Health Canada Intensive smoking conditions) from a range of cigarillo products with the toxicological properties of MSS of cigarettes. Three in vitro assays were used to evaluate the toxicities of the MSS total particulate matter (TPM): (1) mutagenicity using Ames assay with Salmonella strains TA98 and TA100 with S9 metabolic activation (+S9); (2) cytotoxicity using the Neutral Red Uptake (NRU) assay with CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells; and (3) genotoxicity using the micronucleus assay with CHO cells and short-term exposures (3-h ± S9).

Free-base nicotine in tobacco products. Part II. Determination of free-base nicotine in the aqueous extracts of smokeless tobacco products and the relevance of these findings to product design parameters.

Reports in the peer-reviewed literature and popular press have alleged that smokeless tobacco product (STP) manufacturers increase the addictiveness of their products by adjusting formulae to increase the relative percentage of nicotine in STP that is not protonated. Such nicotine is more popularly, but incorrectly, known as free-base nicotine ("FBN") as it is a calculated amount as opposed to a real chemical species in the STP. Some regulators have mandated reporting of FBN as estimated by Henderson-Hasselbalch equation ("HHE") using the pH-value of an aqueous suspension (or extract) of STP.

Free-base nicotine in tobacco products. Part I. Determination of free-base nicotine in the particulate phase of mainstream cigarette smoke and the relevance of these findings to product design parameters.

The free-base nicotine (FBN) content of mainstream cigarette smoke (MSS) has been discussed in the peer-reviewed literature and popular press. It has been alleged that manufacturers adjust product design features to increase the percentage of total nicotine (TN) in the MSS gas-vapor phase that is unprotonated [P(g)(,nic)(%)] and/or the fraction of nicotine in the MSS total particulate matter (TPM) that is unprotonated (FBN/TN). Our research showed the Health Canada Intensive smoking conditions negated the effects of blend and cigarette design features reported to raise the pH of TPM collected under ISO or US FTC conditions.

An improved headspace solid-phase microextraction method for the analysis of free-base nicotine in particulate phase of mainstream cigarette smoke.

The content of free-base nicotine in cigarette smoke is a controversial subject, partly due to methodological issues. In this investigation, an improved method to measure free-base nicotine in cigarette smoke using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with GC/MS analysis, was developed and validated for this purpose. Cigarette smoke particulate phase (PP) was collected onto a 44mm glass fiber filter pad.

The genotoxicity of mainstream and sidestream marijuana and tobacco smoke condensates.

While the prevalence of tobacco use has decreased in Canada over the past decade, that of marijuana use has increased, particularly among youth. However, the risks of adverse health effects from marijuana smoke exposure, specifically as compared to tobacco, are currently not well understood. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the relative ability of matched marijuana and tobacco condensates to induce (geno)toxic responses in three in vitro test systems.

Chemical and toxicological characterization of commercial smokeless tobacco products available on the Canadian market.

Some health experts are recommending that smokers who refuse to quit or refuse to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as nicotine-containing chewing gum switch to certain types of smokeless tobacco products (STP) such as Swedish snus. Other health experts disagree citing the uncertainty in the composition of commercially available STP, the lack of governmental regulations to ensure that STP advertised to meet certain standards (i.e.

Reductions in the tobacco specific nitrosamine (TSNA) content of tobaccos taken from commercial Canadian cigarettes and corresponding reductions in TSNA deliveries in mainstream smoke from such cigarettes.

Tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) are suspected to cause smoking-related neoplastic diseases. The change from direct-fired to indirect-fired barns (aka kilns) for curing bright (aka Virginia, flue-cured) tobaccos was made to reduce the TSNA concentrations. The effectiveness of such processes in reducing the deliveries of TSNAs to the users of the products should be monitored.

Quantitative method for the analysis of tobacco-specific nitrosamines in cigarette tobacco and mainstream cigarette smoke by use of isotope dilution liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

An improved liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the determination of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA). It utilizes four stable isotope-labeled internal standards instead of two as reported by others. A separate internal standard for each analyte is required to minimize sample matrix effects on each analyte, which can lead to poor analyte recoveries and decreases in method accuracy and precision if only one or two of the internal standards are used, especially for complex sample matrixes and when no sample cleanup steps are performed as in this study.

A comparison of mainstream and sidestream marijuana and tobacco cigarette smoke produced under two machine smoking conditions.

The chemical composition of tobacco smoke has been extensively examined, and the presence of known and suspected carcinogens in such smoke has contributed to the link between tobacco smoking and adverse health effects. The consumption of marijuana through smoking remains a reality and, among youth, seems to be increasing. There have been only limited examinations of marijuana smoke, including for cannabinoid content and for tar generation.

A comparative study of the mutagenicity of various types of tobacco products.

Toxicological data are an important aspect of tobacco product characterization. In this study, TPM (Total Particulate Matter) (three replicates) was collected from cigarettes [five brands, ISO conditions: puff volume, 35 mL; duration, 2s; interval, 60s (35/2/60)], cigars (two brands, 45/2/30), cigarillos (two brands, 35/2/60), bidis (two brands, 45/2/30), and pipe tobacco (two brands, 50/2/12). TPM was extracted from the Cambridge filter pad using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).

Effect of smoking conditions and methods of collection on the mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of cigarette mainstream smoke.

There is a history for the use of in vitro bioassays to assess the toxicological properties of mainstream cigarette smoke (MSS). The results described in the literature were, for the most part, obtained with MSS collected under Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or International Organization for Standardization (ISO) conditions. However, numerous studies have shown that smokers smoke their cigarettes more intensely (e.

Carcinogens in tobacco smoke: benzo[a]pyrene from Canadian cigarettes and cigarette tobacco.

We evaluated the benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) content in the smoke from 35 brands of Canadian cigarettes and 5 brands of Canadian tobaccos for roll-your-own cigarettes. For the cigarettes, mean values of BaP ranged from 3.36 ng to 28.

Handmade cigarettes: it's the tube that counts.

Thirty-one Canadian brands of fine-cut tobaccos for roll-your-own cigarettes (RYOs) were evaluated under standard conditions using mandated tube and filter combinations. Results indicate no evidence of a significant difference in the amounts of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide produced by the 31 brands. In addition, the data emphasize that it is primarily the tube and filter combination that determines delivery of toxic constituents.

Measuring the heaviness of smoking: using self-reported time to the first cigarette of the day and number of cigarettes smoked per day.

Two simple self-report measures have been used to assess the heaviness of smoking, 'number of cigarettes per day' (CPD) and 'time to the first cigarette of the day' (TTF). Little attention, however, has been given to the precise method of scoring this information. Using biochemical indicators of heaviness of smoking (alveolar carbon monoxide and cotinine), we explore the optimum data transformations for regression analysis and categorical analysis.

[Comparative description of the clientele of an educational psychotherapeutic home for children with behavior disorders].

Two groups of children who were taken in care during two different periods (each of five years) by a psychotherapeutic institution are compared in respect to the multi-axial classification system and demographic variables. Each group consists of 80 children. Comparisons were made to check propagated preconceived ideas about aggravation of clientele.

Estimates of maximum or average cigarette tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide yields can be obtained from yields under standard conditions.

Average yields of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide per liter of smoke and per cigarette were determined for 10 brands of cigarettes smoked under 27 different conditions (one standard and 26 nonstandard). Per cigarette yields were highly variable across smoking conditions due to differences in the total volume of smoke taken for analysis. The results of a simple linear regression analysis indicated that up to 95% of the variation in tar yield per cigarette could be explained by variations in the total volume of smoke produced per cigarette.

Characterization of tobacco products: a comparative study of the tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide yields of cigars, manufactured cigarettes, and cigarettes made from fine-cut tobacco.

Yields of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide were compared in selected Canadian brands of manufactured and hand-rolled cigarettes, and small and large cigars. To control for varying volumes of smoke delivery per cigarette or cigar, standardized comparisons in milligrams of toxic substance per liter of smoke were made. The mean deliveries per liter of smoke and tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide were highest for small cigars, followed by hand-rolled and manufactured cigarettes; large cigars had the lowest deliveries.

Maintain levels of nicotine but reduce other smoke constituents: a formula for "less-hazardous" cigarettes?

Twenty-two volunteers who smoked more than 20 cigarettes with "high" nicotine yields (0.8 to 1.2 mg) per day participated in an 8-week study designed to test the hypothesis that smoking cigarettes with a constant level of nicotine but reduced deliveries of tar, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide leads to a decrease in smoke absorption.