High-throughput wide dynamic range procedure for the simultaneous quantification of nicotine and cotinine in multiple biological matrices using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A straightforward, high-throughput method was developed and fully validated for the simultaneous determination of the specific tobacco biomarkers nicotine and its main metabolite cotinine in a wide dynamic range and supporting the most common human biological matrices (urine, oral fluid and hair). Sample preparation was performed inside the very HPLC injection vials by pipetting 0.5 mL of the liquid samples, deuterated internal standards in alkaline solution and dichloromethane as extraction solvent. Solid samples (i.e. around 10 mg hair) were first submitted to alkaline digestion in the HPLC vials and processed accordingly. The organic phase (reached through the upper aqueous layer) was directly injected without further treatment. Instrumental analysis was performed using hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Total chromatographic time was 2 min. The method covers a wide dynamic range making it fit-for-purpose for the analysis of samples covering entire populations, irrespective of the level of exposure or tobacco use. Calibration curves (r 2 > 0.995) covered the range 1-2000 ng/mL (or 0.05-100 ng/mg hair) for nicotine and 0.1-2000 ng/mL (or 0.005-100 ng/mg hair) for cotinine. Within-run and between-run precision and accuracy were typically below 10 %, and always below 20 % at the lower limit of quantification. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of samples from different projects involving multiple matrices

Passive exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol in pregnancy: A case study of a family

Background Passive exposure to the aerosols of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has been little studied. We assessed this exposure in late pregnancy in a woman and her 3-year-old child, exposed through e-cigarette use by another household member

Variation in Nicotine Metabolization According to Biological Factors and Type of Nicotine Consumer

This study aims to describe the nicotine metabolite ratio among tobacco smokers and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users and nonusers. We analyzed pooled data from a longitudinal and a cross-sectional study of the adult population from the city of Barcelona. The final sample included information on 166 smokers, 164 e-cigarettes users with nicotine, 41 e-cigarette users without nicotine, 95 dual users (users of both products), and 508 nonusers. We used log-linear models to control for the potential confounding effect of the daily number of cigarettes smoked. Salivary nicotine metabolic rate assessment included the rate of nicotine metabolism (cotinine/nicotine) and the nicotine metabolite ratio (trans-3′-hydroxycotinine/cotinine). Exclusive users of e-cigarette without nicotine have the lowest rate of nicotine metabolism (Geometric mean: 0.08, p-values < 0.001) while cigarette smokers have the highest (Geometric mean: 2.08, p-values < 0.001). Nonusers have lower nicotine metabolic rate than cigarette smokers (Geometric means: 0.23 vs. 0.18, p-value < 0.05). Younger individuals (18–44 years) have a higher rate of nicotine metabolism than older individuals (45–64 years and 65–89) (Geometric means: 0.53 vs. 0.42 and 0.31, respectively, p-values < 0.01) and individuals with lower body mass index (21–25 kg/m2) have a higher rate of nicotine metabolism than the rest (26–30 kg/m2 and 31–60 kg/m2) (Geometric means: 0.52 vs. 0.35 and 0.36, respectively-values < 0.01). Nicotine metabolic rates are useful biomarkers when reporting smoking status and biological differences between individuals

Impact of the Spanish smoke-free legislation on adult, non-smoker exposure to secondhand smoke: cross-sectional surveys before (2004) and after (2012) legislation

Background: in 2006, Spain implemented a national smoke-free legislation that prohibited smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces (except in hospitality venues). In 2011, it was extended to all hospitality venues and selected outdoor areas (hospital campuses, educational centers, and playgrounds). The objective of the study is to evaluate changes in exposure to secondhand smoke among the adult non-smoking population before the first law (2004-05) and after the second law (2011-12). Methods: repeated cross-sectional survey (2004-2005 and 2011-2012) of a representative sample of the adult (≥16 years) non-smoking population in Barcelona, Spain. We assess self-reported exposure to secondhand smoke (at home, the workplace, during leisure time, and in public/private transportation vehicles) and salivary cotinine concentration. Results: overall, the self-reported exposure to secondhand smoke fell from 75.7% (95%CI: 72.6 to 78.8) in 2004-05 to 56.7% (95%CI: 53.4 to 60.0) in 2011-12. Self-reported exposure decreased from 32.5% to 27.6% (−15.1%, p<0.05) in the home, from 42.9% to 37.5% (−12.6%, p = 0.11) at work/education venues, from 61.3% to 38.9% (−36.5%, p<0.001) during leisure time, and from 12.3% to 3.7% (−69.9%, p<0.001) in public transportation vehicles. Overall, the geometric mean of the salivary cotinine concentration in adult non-smokers fell by 87.2%, from 0.93 ng/mL at baseline to 0.12 ng/mL after legislation (p<0.001). Conclusions: secondhand smoke exposure among non-smokers, assessed both by self-reported exposure and salivary cotinine concentration, decreased after the implementation of a stepwise, comprehensive smoke-free legislation. There was a high reduction in secondhand smoke exposure during leisure time and no displacement of secondhand smoke exposure at home

Docencia semipresencial en el Máster en Ingeniería Informática

En este artículo se describe el trabajo realizado por la red de investigación en docencia universitaria denominada “Docencia semipresencial en el Máster en Ingeniería Informática” y que ha pretendido trabajar en las diferentes asignaturas del Máster en Ingeniería Informática de la Universidad de Alicante con el fin de dotarlas de un carácter semipresencial de una forma coordinada e integrada. Se ha creado un grupo de trabajo dentro de la comisión académica del máster y se ha impulsado una colaboración estrecha entre los responsables de todas las asignaturas del Máster en Ingeniería Informática a la hora de usar todos los mecanismos necesarios para dotar a las respectivas asignaturas del carácter semipresencial. Ha sido muy importante el apoyo que se ha tenido del ICE en este sentido, por ejemplo mediante la solicitud y realización de un curso específico sobre bLearning

Llibre Blanc de la mediació a Catalunya

Projectes científics associats: IDT SGR2009-688; ONTOMEDIA CSO-2008-05536-SOCI, TSI-20501-2008-131; GCC SGR2009-221; GREL SGR2009-357; SGR2009-1328; AT CSD2007-0022; AT COST IC0801Altres ajuts: TSI-20501-2008-131Altres ajuts: COST-IC0801L'estudi que es presenta ara és fruit de gairebé dos anys de treball. Una cartografia completa de les experiències en mediació en tots els àmbits socials, de les escoles als hospitals, de les empreses als nuclis familiars, de la mediació comunitària als conflictes de consum o laborals, de la mediació penal a la mediambiental. També s'hi ha incorporat una anàlisi dels costos de la mediació i de la seva configuració jurídica. La conjunció de les fotografies en relleu i dels estudis més teòrics han fet possible la reflexió ulterior, les interpretacions crítiques i, en darrer terme, les conclusions i les recomanacions, que ens ajudaran a progressar. La mediació permet detenir l'escalada dels conflictes i sostreure'ls de la resolució judicial, per implicar les parts i fer-les protagonistes actives de les solucions a què arribin. Des del Departament de Justícia, ens interessa superar l'excessiva judicialització dels conflictes -insatisfactòria per a tothom- i promoure instruments que facilitin, de manera àgil però amb totes les garanties, la intel·ligència dels problemes i, a partir d'aquí, la fixació de les millors solucions per a les parts implicades, que elles mateixes hauran construït

La Cuestión de la constitución de la unión estable de pareja: reflexiones sobre la reforma de la Ley 10/1998, de 15 de julio

Las perspectivas que se abren con las nuevas legislaturas, tanto la estatal como la autonómica, ofrecen una oportunidad excepcional para completar un esquema legal que únicamente fue apuntado con la ley de 1998. La experiencia práctica y los notables avances en el derecho comparado, así como el interés que ha despertado en el derecho internacional privado europeo permiten reflexionar sobre esta materia, en la que los juristas debemos aportar nuevas ideas y soluciones adecuadas a la demanda social. La siguiente exposición no es más que una aproximación parcial a algunos aspectos del debate, referidos a uno de sus elementos esenciales, que es el de los presupuestos de constitución de la pareja establePodeu consultar els materials complets de les Jornades a: http://cataleg.udg.edu/record=b134364