Browsing by Subject "Cigarettes"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Adolescent Substance Use Following A Deadly U.S. Tornado Outbreak: A Population-Based Study of 2,000 Families
    (Taylor & Francis, 2017) Danielson, Carla Kmett; Sumner, Jennifer A.; Adams, Zachary W.; McCauley, Jenna L.; Carpenter, Matthew; Amstadter, Ananda B.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; Psychiatry, School of Medicine
    Objective: Despite conceptual links between disaster exposure and substance use, few studies have examined prevalence and risk factors for adolescent substance use and abuse in large, population-based samples affected by a recent natural disaster. We addressed this gap using a novel address-based sampling methodology to interview adolescents and parents who were affected by the fourth deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. Method: Post-disaster interviews were conducted with 2,000 adolescent-parent dyads living within a 5-mile radius of the Spring 2011 U.S. tornadoes. In addition to descriptive analyses to estimate prevalence, hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine a range of protective and risk factors for substance use and abuse. Results: Approximately 3% reported substance abuse since the tornado. Greater number of prior traumatic events and older age emerged as consistent risk factors across tobacco and alcohol use and substance abuse since the tornado. Tornado incident characteristics, namely greater loss of services and resources after the tornado and PTSD since the tornado, were associated with greater alcohol consumption. Service loss increased risk for binge drinking, whereas, for substance abuse, PTSD increased risk and parent presence during the tornado decreased risk. Greater family tornado exposure was associated with a greater number of cigarettes smoked in female but not male teen participants. Conclusions: Both trauma and non-trauma-related factors are relevant to post-disaster substance abuse among adolescents. Future research should examine the role of broader ecological systems in heightening or curtailing substance use risk for adolescents following disaster exposure.
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    Nicotine Kill Time of Streptococcus Mutans
    (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, 2015-04-17) Cavazos, Ana; Gregory, Richard L.
    Cigarettes have thousands of components aside from tobacco and nicotine that are harmful to the smoker’s body. Smoking is considered a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and periodontal disease. Yet smoking also plays a significant role in the buildup of plaque in the mouths of smokers. This is in part due to the formation of biofilm by Streptococcus mutans. S. mutans is an oral bacterium found in most humans that is considered to be the causative agent for dental caries. Particularly, S. mutans UA159 was used in this experiment. Biofilm formation regarding S. mutans and nicotine concentrations has previously been studied. It was found that at high concentrations of nicotine, biofilm formation of S. mutans decreased significantly. One of the aims of this study is to determine the time required to kill S. mutans.
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    Structural and functional characterization of endothelial microparticles released by cigarette smoke
    (SpringerNature, 2016-08-17) Serban, Karina A.; Rezania, Samin; Petrusca, Daniela N.; Poirier, Christophe; Cao, Danting; Justice, Matthew J.; Patel, Milan; Tsvetkova, Irina; Kamocki, Krzysztof; Mikosz, Andrew; Schweitzer, Kelly S.; Jacobson, Sean; Cardoso, Angelo; Carlesso, Nadia; Hubbard, Walter C.; Kechris, Katerina; Dragnea, Bogdan; Berdyshev, Evgeny V.; McClintock, Jeanette; Petrache, Irina; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, IU School of Medicine
    Circulating endothelial microparticles (EMPs) are emerging as biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in individuals exposed to cigarette smoke (CS), but their mechanism of release and function remain unknown. We assessed biochemical and functional characteristics of EMPs and circulating microparticles (cMPs) released by CS. CS exposure was sufficient to increase microparticle levels in plasma of humans and mice, and in supernatants of primary human lung microvascular endothelial cells. CS-released EMPs contained predominantly exosomes that were significantly enriched in let-7d, miR-191; miR-126; and miR125a, microRNAs that reciprocally decreased intracellular in CS-exposed endothelium. CS-released EMPs and cMPs were ceramide-rich and required the ceramide-synthesis enzyme acid sphingomyelinase (aSMase) for their release, an enzyme which was found to exhibit significantly higher activity in plasma of COPD patients or of CS-exposed mice. The ex vivo or in vivo engulfment of EMPs or cMPs by peripheral blood monocytes-derived macrophages was associated with significant inhibition of efferocytosis. Our results indicate that CS, via aSMase, releases circulating EMPs with distinct microRNA cargo and that EMPs affect the clearance of apoptotic cells by specialized macrophages. These targetable effects may be important in the pathogenesis of diseases linked to endothelial injury and inflammation in smokers.
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    Transitioning from cigarettes to electronic cigarettes increases alcohol consumption
    (Taylor & Francis, 2016-12-05) Hershberger, Alexandra R.; VanderVeen, J. Davis; Karyadi, Kenny A.; Cyders, Melissa A.; Psychology, School of Science
    Objective Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are a nicotine delivery device that have recently been linked to alcohol use. Many individuals that smoke cigarettes transition to e-cigs as an alternative to cigarette use, despite potential negative health effects of e-cigs. No research to date has examined how former smokers that have transitioned to e-cigs differ from former smokers that do not use e-cigs, particularly in relation to alcohol use. Further, no research has examined how former smokers that use e-cigs regularly or socially may differ in alcohol consumption. Method Using an online community dwelling sample (Former smokers N=198, mean age=34.70, SD=11.45, 56.1% female, 78.3% Caucasian, 37.9% e-cig users), the present study assessed smoking status and alcohol use, with the latter assessed using a Timeline Followback calendar and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). Results In all former smokers, total drinks (b=4.01, p=0.02) and average drinks per drinking day (b=0.61, p=.01) were both related to e-cig use status, with e-cig users reporting higher alcohol consumption. Among e-cig using former smokers, social users, but not regular users, showed positive relationships with AUDIT scores, b=1.90, p=.02, total drinks, b=9.12, p<.001, average drinks, b=0.98, p=.006, and hazardous drinking status, OR=3.21, p=.01. Conclusions Findings suggest that: (1) former smokers who use e-cigs may have a potential for higher alcohol use; and (2) those who use e-cigs socially may be at heightened risk for hazardous patterns of alcohol consumption. This should be taken into consideration by healthcare providers.