Overview of odour measurement methods: The odour observatory as an informative tool for citizen science based approaches to odour management

Odour pollution is a well-known problem related to a number of different industrial activities. It is also one of the main causes of citizens’ complaints to local authorities. Specific programs are needed to manage persistent odour pollution problems within communities in order to avoid possible socio-environmental conflicts. The H2020 project D-NOSES (Distributed Network for Odour Sensing, Empowerment and Sustainability) aims to help citizens co-create local solutions in collaboration with industries, regional & local authorities, and odour experts. The project will develop an innovative bottom-up approach to odour pollution governance by combining citizen science and stakeholder management methods using a quadruple helix model. The first aim of this article is to introduce the D-NOSES project and its methodology. Aside from that, the article presents an overview of the existing odour impact assessment methods currently available to quantify odour pollution. Finally, the different odour measurement methods are compared in terms of their applicability and limitations. This overview will be made available online as a first step towards the development of the International Odour Observatory, a platform to be created within the D-NOSES project to help promote odour pollution management and resolve regulation issues. The platform will become a global resource on odour issues and also include information about odour abatement systems, chemical substances in odour emissions, and odour regulations around the world

A low steady HBsAg seroprevalence is associated with a low incidence of HBV-related liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma in Mexico: a systematic review

To address the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemicity and HBV-related liver diseases in Mexico. Research literature reporting on HBsAg and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) prevalence in Mexican study groups were searched in NLM Gateway, PubMed, IMBIOMED, and others. Weighted mean prevalence (WMP) was calculated from the results of each study group. A total of 50 studies were analyzed. Three nationwide surveys revealed an HBsAg seroprevalence of less than 0.3%. Horizontal transmission of HBV infection occurred mainly by sexual activity and exposure to both contaminated surgical equipment and body fluids. High-risk groups exposed to these factors included healthcare workers, pregnant women, female sex workers, hemodialysis patients, and emergency department attendees with an HBsAg WMP ranging from 1.05% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–1.43) to 14.3% (95% CI, 9.5–19.1). A higher prevalence of anti-HBc in adults than those younger than 20 years was associated with the main risk factors. Anti-HBc WMP ranged from 3.13% (95% CI, 3.01–3.24) in blood donors to 27.7% (95% CI, 21.6–33.9) in hemodialysis patients. A heterogeneous distribution of HBV infection was detected, mainly in native Mexican groups with a high anti-HBc WMP of 42.0% (95% CI, 39.5–44.3) but with a low HBsAg WMP of 2.9% (95% CI 2.08–3.75). Estimations of the Mexican population growth rate and main risk factors suggest that HBsAg seroprevalence has remained steady since 1974. A low HBsAg prevalence is related to the low incidence of HBV-related liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) previously reported in Mexico