Humans ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Prevalence ; Mental Disorders/epidemiology* ; Smoking/epidemiology* ; Perception

INTRODUCTION

Tobacco smoking is one of the most significant preventable lifestyle risk factors, causing a wide range of diseases and causing harm to millions of people worldwide. Nicotine replacement treatment (NRT) and behavioral counseling have long been used to help people quit smoking. However, because pharmacologic and behavioral therapy only have a 22% to 45% success rate in smoking cessation, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate ear acupuncture’s usefulness as an adjunct to nicotine replacement therapy and behavioral counseling for smoking cessation.

This systematic review only included randomized controlled trials which involved current smokers aged 19 years or older, and who were in the contemplation stage according to the Transtheoretical Model of Intentional Behavior of Change. The RevMan 5 software was used in the analysis of data. The primary outcome that was measured is the rate of continuous abstinence based on participant/patient report at the end of treatment and secondary outcome of the study was reporting of nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Of the 1,661 identified records, only 2 studies were included (both RCTs) in the meta- analysis. The studies were rated with low to unclear selection bias and high risk of performance bias. The pooled estimates of effect were statistically significant in favor of ear acupuncture plus counseling (standard therapy), RR= 2.28, 95% CI 1.27, 4.08, p= 0.006, I2= 0%. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms were noted to be less pronounced in those who received the intervention of ear acupuncture even after 3 months post-treatment. The evidence was graded as low quality, indicating that more research is needed and would extremely likely have a significant impact on confidence in the estimate of effect.

The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that ear acupuncture produces an additive benefit on counseling (standard of care) as a means of smoking cessation. Future research should be conducted using RCTs of a high quality in order to address the substantial risk of bias that was present in the studies that were included and to improve the quality of the evidence.

Nicotine addiction is a concern worldwide. Most mechanistic investigations are on nicotine substance dependence properties based on its pharmacological effects. However, no effective therapeutic treatment has been established. Nicotine addiction is reinforced by environments or habits. We demonstrate the neurobiological basis of the behavioural aspect of nicotine addiction. We utilized the conditioned place preference to establish nicotine-associated behavioural preferences (NABP) in rats. Brain-wide neuroimaging analysis revealed that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was activated and contributed to NABP. Chemogenetic manipulation of µ-opioid receptor positive (MOR⁺) neurons in the mPFC or the excitatory outflow to the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcShell) modulated the NABP. Electrophysiological recording confirmed that the MOR⁺ neurons directly regulate the mPFC-NAcShell circuit via GABA_A receptors. Thus, the MOR⁺ neurons in the mPFC modulate the formation of behavioural aspects of nicotine addiction via direct excitatory innervation to the NAcShell, which may provide new insight for the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
Animals ; Nucleus Accumbens/drug effects* ; Prefrontal Cortex/drug effects* ; Nicotine/pharmacology* ; Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism* ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tobacco Use Disorder/metabolism* ; Neurons/drug effects* ; Neural Pathways/drug effects*

Humans ; Nicotine ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease ; Bacteroides

OBJECTIVES: To establish the GC-MS qualitative and quantitative analysis methods for the synthetic cannabinoids, its main matrix and additives in suspicious electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) oil samples. METHODS: The e-cigarette oil samples were analyzed by GC-MS after diluted with methanol. Synthetic cannabinoids, its main matrix and additives in e-cigarette oil samples were qualitatively analyzed by the characteristic fragment ions and retention time. The synthetic cannabinoids were quantitatively analyzed by using the selective ion monitoring mode. RESULTS: The linear range of each compound in GC-MS quantitative method was 0.025-1 mg/mL, the matrix recovery rate was 94%-103%, the intra-day precision relative standard deviations (RSD) was less than 2.5%, and inter-day precision RSD was less than 4.0%. Five indoles or indazole amide synthetic cannabinoids were detected in 25 e-cigarette samples. The main matrixes of e-cigarette samples were propylene glycol and glycerol. Additives such as N,2,3-trimethyl-2-isopropyl butanamide (WS-23), glycerol triacetate and nicotine were detected in some samples. The content range of synthetic cannabinoids in 25 e-cigarette samples was 0.05%-2.74%. CONCLUSIONS The GC-MS method for synthesizing cannabinoid, matrix and additive in e-cigarette oil samples has good selectivity, high resolution, low detection limit, and can be used for simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of multiple components; The explored fragment ion fragmentation mechanism of the electron bombardment ion source of indole or indoxamide compounds helps to identify such substances or other compounds with similar structures in cases.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Illicit Drugs/analysis* ; Indazoles/chemistry* ; Glycerol/analysis* ; Cannabinoids ; Indoles/chemistry* ; Ions

Objective: To explore the influencing factors of electronic cigarette use among adolescent students in China. Methods: We searched CNKI, Database of Chinese sci-tech periodicals (VIP), Wan-fang database, PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect for potentially relevant articles published from the inception to March 20th, 2023. The Metagen package in R was used for Meta-analysis. Results: A total of 19 publications with a sample size of 5 336 017 were identified. The results showed that electronic cigarette use among Chinese adolescent students was associated with gender (OR=2.41, 95%CI: 2.03-2.86), close friends smoking (OR=3.02, 95%CI: 2.08-4.39), current smoking (OR=11.26, 95%CI: 4.35-29.18), friends using electronic cigarettes (OR=5.19, 95%CI: 2.01-13.38), thinking smoking makes young people look more attractive (OR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.35-2.97), type of school (OR=2.10, 95%CI: 1.59-2.78), thinking smoking makes people feel more comfortable in social situations (OR=3.58, 95%CI: 2.99-4.28), other tobacco use (OR=5.53, 95%CI: 3.33-9.20), and ever experimented with cigarette use (OR=9.32, 95%CI: 4.38-19.80). Conclusion: The influencing factors for electronic cigarette use among adolescent students in China include gender, close friends smoking, current smoking, friends using electronic cigarettes, thinking smoking makes young people look more attractive, type of school, thinking smoking makes people feel more comfortable in social situations, other tobacco use, and ever experimented with cigarette use.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; East Asian People ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Students ; Vaping

To evaluate e-cigarette vaping-induced respiratory toxicity and the interventional effects of air cleaners. A randomized controlled trial study of toxic vaping by the respiratory tract were conducted at the Key Laboratory of Environmental Medical Engineering, Ministry of Education, the School of Public Health, Southeast University from January to December 2022. 8-week-old male C57BL/6JGpt mice selected with a random number table method were used to establish a vaping-exposure model at different periods (0 d, 3 d, 7 d or 14 d), or exposed to clean air as a control group. Mice were exposed to regular heated vaping (200 ℃) and high-temperature heated vaping (280 ℃). Total lung RNA was extracted from control and e-cigarette exposed mice for transcriptome sequencing analysis. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by flow cytometry. Total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and superoxide (O^2-) were evaluated using a microplate reader. Real-Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect gene expression. Air filter and ionizer were used to intervene the toxicity of vaping. Data were expressed as (x¯±s), differences between multiple groups were compared using one-way or two-way ANOVA. The results showed that, RNA sequencing assays suggested that the differential genes between the control and vaping exposure groups were significantly enriched in the oxidative stress (Fold Enrichment=3.18) and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) (Fold Enrichment=5.74) pathways. Both types of heated vaping exposure caused significantly increased the score of alveolitis (F=10.8, P<0.001), increased endogenous ROS generation (F=16.8, P<0.001), decreased MMP (F=13.6, P<0.01), and gene expression of mitochondrial complex I dysfunction. The toxic effects of high-temperature heated vaping were stronger compared to regular heated vaping (F=2.9, P<0.05). The filter demonstrated better protective effects against vaping than the ionizer by reducing pulmonary alveolitis (F=7.4, P<0.01). Air cleaners could partially alleviate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In conclusion, this study demonstrate that vaping brings potential health risks. Air cleaners could partially reverse mitochondrial dysfunction, but cannot completely prevent the toxic effects, effective interventions remain to be investigated.
Humans ; Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Vaping ; Mitochondrial Diseases

Objective: To explore the influencing factors of electronic cigarette use among adolescent students in China. Methods: We searched CNKI, Database of Chinese sci-tech periodicals (VIP), Wan-fang database, PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect for potentially relevant articles published from the inception to March 20th, 2023. The Metagen package in R was used for Meta-analysis. Results: A total of 19 publications with a sample size of 5 336 017 were identified. The results showed that electronic cigarette use among Chinese adolescent students was associated with gender (OR=2.41, 95%CI: 2.03-2.86), close friends smoking (OR=3.02, 95%CI: 2.08-4.39), current smoking (OR=11.26, 95%CI: 4.35-29.18), friends using electronic cigarettes (OR=5.19, 95%CI: 2.01-13.38), thinking smoking makes young people look more attractive (OR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.35-2.97), type of school (OR=2.10, 95%CI: 1.59-2.78), thinking smoking makes people feel more comfortable in social situations (OR=3.58, 95%CI: 2.99-4.28), other tobacco use (OR=5.53, 95%CI: 3.33-9.20), and ever experimented with cigarette use (OR=9.32, 95%CI: 4.38-19.80). Conclusion: The influencing factors for electronic cigarette use among adolescent students in China include gender, close friends smoking, current smoking, friends using electronic cigarettes, thinking smoking makes young people look more attractive, type of school, thinking smoking makes people feel more comfortable in social situations, other tobacco use, and ever experimented with cigarette use.
Adolescent ; Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; East Asian People ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Students ; Vaping

To evaluate e-cigarette vaping-induced respiratory toxicity and the interventional effects of air cleaners. A randomized controlled trial study of toxic vaping by the respiratory tract were conducted at the Key Laboratory of Environmental Medical Engineering, Ministry of Education, the School of Public Health, Southeast University from January to December 2022. 8-week-old male C57BL/6JGpt mice selected with a random number table method were used to establish a vaping-exposure model at different periods (0 d, 3 d, 7 d or 14 d), or exposed to clean air as a control group. Mice were exposed to regular heated vaping (200 ℃) and high-temperature heated vaping (280 ℃). Total lung RNA was extracted from control and e-cigarette exposed mice for transcriptome sequencing analysis. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were detected by flow cytometry. Total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and superoxide (O^2-) were evaluated using a microplate reader. Real-Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect gene expression. Air filter and ionizer were used to intervene the toxicity of vaping. Data were expressed as (x¯±s), differences between multiple groups were compared using one-way or two-way ANOVA. The results showed that, RNA sequencing assays suggested that the differential genes between the control and vaping exposure groups were significantly enriched in the oxidative stress (Fold Enrichment=3.18) and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) (Fold Enrichment=5.74) pathways. Both types of heated vaping exposure caused significantly increased the score of alveolitis (F=10.8, P<0.001), increased endogenous ROS generation (F=16.8, P<0.001), decreased MMP (F=13.6, P<0.01), and gene expression of mitochondrial complex I dysfunction. The toxic effects of high-temperature heated vaping were stronger compared to regular heated vaping (F=2.9, P<0.05). The filter demonstrated better protective effects against vaping than the ionizer by reducing pulmonary alveolitis (F=7.4, P<0.01). Air cleaners could partially alleviate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In conclusion, this study demonstrate that vaping brings potential health risks. Air cleaners could partially reverse mitochondrial dysfunction, but cannot completely prevent the toxic effects, effective interventions remain to be investigated.
Humans ; Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Vaping ; Mitochondrial Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of tobacco withdrawal syndrome. METHODS: The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding acupuncture for treatment of tobacco withdrawal syndrome were searched in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane, Medline and EMbase databases. The search period was from January 1st of 2011 to December 31st of 2021. After data extraction and bias risk assessment of the included literature, the Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4.1 software. RESULTS: Totally 23 RCTs were included, including 2 120 patients. The Meta-analysis results showed that compared with medication, acupuncture showed no significant difference at improving Fagerström test for nicotine dependence (FTND) score (MD=0.16, 95%CI: -0.08, 0.41), heaviness of smoking index (HSI) score (MD=0.11, 95%CI: -0.13, 0.36), Minnesota nicotine withdrawal scale (MNWS) score (MD=0.12, 95%CI: -0.11, 1.35), questionnaire of smoking urges (QSU) score (MD=-0.30, 95%CI: -2.78, 2.18), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score (MD=0.76, 95%CI: -1.54, 3.06), abstinence rate (RR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.10) and effective rate (RR=1.01, 95%CI: 0.95, 1.07). Acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture in reducing MNWS score (MD=-4.88, 95%CI: -5.21, -4.55, P<0.000 01). Acupuncture was superior to cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing FTND score (MD=-1.41, 95%CI: -1.74, -1.08), MNWS score (MD=-4.28, 95%CI: -5.31, -3.25) and increasing abstinence rate (RR=2.19, 95%CI: 1.39, 3.45, P<0.000 01, P<0.001). CONCLUSION Acupuncture could effectively improve tobacco withdrawal syndrome, increase abstinence rate and effective rate. Limited by the quantity and quality of the included studies, this conclusion needs to be verified by more studies.
Humans ; Tobacco ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Syndrome ; Nicotine ; Smoking