Comparison between Gradual Reduced Nicotine Content and Usual Nicotine Content Groups on Subjective Cigarette Ratings in a Randomized Double-Blind Trial

In 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to reduce nicotine in tobacco products to produce a minimally addictive or nonaddictive effect, but there was a research gap in the subjective responses of reduced-nicotine-content cigarettes. We compared the responses of the modified cigarette evaluation questionnaire (mCEQ) and cigarette-liking scale (CLS) between the gradually reduced nicotine content (RNC) group and the usual nicotine content (UNC) group. Linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures were used to analyze and compare the change over time for the mCEQ and CLS across the two treatment groups (RNC and UNC). We found that the change over time for the mCEQ and CLS was significant between the RNC and the UNC treatment groups at the beginning of visit 6 with 1.4 mg nicotine/cigarette. At visits 8 and 9, the RNC group reported significantly lower satisfaction scores compared to UNC. Subscale analysis showed that smoking satisfaction decreased in RNC while other measures, such as cigarette enjoyment, did not change. Understanding the impact of nicotine reduction on cigarette subjective responses through evaluation and liking scales would provide valuable information to the FDA on nicotine reduction policies for cigarettes.

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Smoking Topography Characteristics During a 6-Week Trial of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes in Smokers With Serious Mental Illness

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntz198 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 22 (8) ◽

pp. 1414-1418 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rachel L Denlinger-Apte ◽

Eric C Donny ◽

Bruce R Lindgren ◽

Nathan Rubin ◽

Christine Goodwin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Serious Mental Illness ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Smoking Behavior ◽

Unintended Consequences ◽

Double Blind ◽

Smoking Topography ◽

Nicotine Content ◽

The Impact ◽

Nicotine Reduction

Abstract Introduction A nicotine-reduction policy could have major benefits for smokers with serious mental illness (SMI). However, potential unintended consequences, such as compensatory smoking, should be considered to ensure that such a policy does not negatively affect this population. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the impact of smoking very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes for 6 weeks on smoking topography characteristics, indicators of compensatory smoking, among smokers with SMI. Aims and Methods After a baseline usual brand smoking phase, smokers with SMI (N = 58) were randomly assigned under double-blind conditions to receive either VLNC (0.4 mg nicotine per g tobacco) or normal nicotine content (NNC; 15.8 mg nicotine per g tobacco) research cigarettes for 6 weeks. During two study visits scheduled 6 weeks apart, participants smoked either their usual brand (baseline) or assigned study cigarettes (postrandomization) through a handheld smoking topography device. Univariate analysis of variance compared smoking topography indices with cigarette condition (VLNC vs. NNC) as the between-subjects factor with corresponding baseline topography results included as covariates. Results At week 6, participants in the VLNC condition smoked fewer puffs per cigarette and had shorter interpuff intervals compared to participants in the NNC condition (ps < .05). There were no differences between research cigarette conditions at week 6 for cigarette volume, puff volume, puff duration, peak flow rate, or carbon monoxide boost. Conclusions Findings are consistent with acute VLNC cigarette topography studies and indicate that a nicotine-reduction policy is unlikely to lead to compensation among smokers with SMI. Implications Given the high smoking rates among people with SMI, understanding how a nicotine-reduction policy may affect this population is critically important. When considering the smoking topography results as a whole, smokers with SMI did not engage in compensatory smoking behavior when using VLNC cigarettes during a 6-week trial. Study findings suggest that compensatory smoking is not likely to occur among smokers with SMI if nicotine content is lowered to minimally addictive levels.

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U.S. Leadership in a Shrinking World: The Breakdown of Consensuses and the Emergence of Conflicting Belief Systems

World Politics ◽

10.2307/2010158 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 368-392 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

James N. Rosenau ◽

Ole R. Holsti

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Foreign Policy ◽

Belief Systems ◽

The United States ◽

Domestic Policy ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Soviet Invasion ◽

American Society ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

The adaptation of the United States to its declining role as a superpower is examined through an inquiry into the belief systems of the society's leaders. Three sets of mutually exclusive domestic policy belief systems are identified, along with three sets of mutually exclusive foreign policy belief systems. The degree to which they are linked to each other is explored, and the connections are found to be tenuous—suggesting that the cleavages at work in American society are more enduring and less subject to change than may be readily apparent. The last section of the paper uses more recent data from a sample of American leaders to examine the degree to which foreign policy belief systems are susceptible to change over time, allowing for an analysis of the extent to which the hostage crisis in Iran and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan affected pre-existing belief systems. The overall finding is that the impact was negligible, and that foreign policy belief systems are largely resistant to change.

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An Analysis of the Impact of Sexual Orientation on Longitudinal Depression

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.3314 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 900-900

Author(s):

Anna Thompson ◽

Britney Wardecker

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Sexual Orientation ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Repeated Measures Anova ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Over Time

Abstract Research suggests that mental health and well-being improve as we age, and this trend is dubbed “the paradox of aging” (Charles & Carstensen, 2010). However, little is known about whether this trend happens for individuals who may experience lifelong disadvantage, such as those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. We used data from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS) to examine lesbian/gay, bisexual, and heterosexual adults’ changes in depression from 1995 to 2014. Participants identified as lesbian/gay (n = 46), bisexual (n = 37), and heterosexual (n = 3030) and 45.1% identified as female. Participants’ ages ranged from 20-74 years (M = 45.61, SD = 11.41) in 1995 and 39-93 years (M = 63.64, SD = 11.35) in 2014. We analyzed our data using a repeated measures ANOVA and our results indicate that depression decreased on average from 1995 to 2014 for heterosexual [Wilk’s Lamda = .996, F (1, 3029) = 12.23, p < .001] and lesbian/gay adults [Wilk’s Lamda = .848, F (1, 45) = 8.08, p = .007]. However, bisexual adults did not experience this decrease in depression [Wilk’s Lamda = .990, F (1, 36) = 0.36, p = .550] and their depression remained relatively stable. Our results are consistent with previous studies that indicate bisexuals experience poorer mental health when compared to lesbian/gay and heterosexual adults (Bostwick, Hughes, & Everett, 2015). The current research highlights depression as a condition that may not decrease universally over time. We discuss implications for bisexuals’ health and well-being.

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Effects of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes on Smoking Behavior and Biomarkers of Exposure in Menthol and Non-menthol Smokers

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntz160 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S63-S72 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rachel L Denlinger-Apte ◽

Michael Kotlyar ◽

Joseph S Koopmeiners ◽

Jennifer W Tidey ◽

Xianghua Luo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smoking Behavior ◽

The United States ◽

Recent Trial ◽

Toxicant Exposure ◽

Nicotine Content ◽

Biomarkers Of Exposure ◽

Menthol Cigarettes ◽

Multivariable Regression ◽

The Impact ◽

Nicotine Reduction

Abstract Introduction Because 30% of cigarettes sold in the United States are characterized as menthol cigarettes, it is important to understand how menthol preference may affect the impact of a nicotine reduction policy. Methods In a recent trial, non-treatment-seeking smokers were randomly assigned to receive very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNC; 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco) or normal nicotine cigarettes (NNC; 15.5 mg/g) for 20 weeks. On the basis of preference, participants received menthol or non-menthol cigarettes. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to examine whether menthol preference moderated the effects of nicotine content on cigarettes per day (CPD), breath carbon monoxide (CO), urinary total nicotine equivalents (TNE), urinary 2-cyanoethylmercapturic acid (CEMA), and abstinence. Results At baseline, menthol smokers (n = 346) reported smoking fewer CPD (14.9 vs. 19.2) and had lower TNE (52.8 vs. 71.6 nmol/mg) and CO (17.7 vs. 20.5 ppm) levels than non-menthol smokers (n = 406; ps < .05). At week 20, significant interactions indicated that menthol smokers had smaller treatment effects than non-menthol smokers for CPD (–6.4 vs. –9.3), TNE (ratio of geometric means, 0.22 vs. 0.10) and CEMA (ratio, 0.56 vs. 0.37; ps < .05), and trended toward a smaller treatment effect for CO (–4.5 vs. –7.3 ppm; p = .06). Odds ratios for abstinence at week 20 were 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8 to 4.4) for menthol and 9.11 (95% CI = 3.3 to 25.2) for non-menthol VLNC smokers (p = .02) relative to the NNC condition. Conclusions Although menthol smokers experienced reductions in smoking, toxicant exposure, and increases in quitting when using VLNC cigarettes, the magnitude of change was smaller than that observed for non-menthol smokers. Implications Results of this analysis suggest that smokers of menthol cigarettes may respond to a nicotine reduction policy with smaller reductions in smoking rates and toxicant exposure than would smokers of non-menthol cigarettes.

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Forecasting Interconnections in International Housing Markets: Evidence from the Dynamic Model Averaging Approach

Journal of Real Estate Research ◽

10.22300/0896-5803.42.1.37 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 37-103

Author(s):

Hardik A. Marfatia

Keyword(s):

Dynamic Model ◽

Model Averaging ◽

Housing Markets ◽

The United States ◽

Forecasting Model ◽

Change Over Time ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Novel Approach ◽

Dynamic Model Averaging ◽

Over Time

In this paper, I undertake a novel approach to uncover the forecasting interconnections in the international housing markets. Using a dynamic model averaging framework that allows both the coefficients and the entire forecasting model to dynamically change over time, I uncover the intertwined forecasting relationships in 23 leading international housing markets. The evidence suggests significant forecasting interconnections in these markets. However, no country holds a constant forecasting advantage, including the United States and the United Kingdom, although the U.S. housing market's predictive power has increased over time. Evidence also suggests that allowing the forecasting model to change is more important than allowing the coefficients to change over time.

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Gender, mobility and contact

Asia-Pacific Language Variation ◽

10.1075/aplv.20007.tra ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 142-167

Author(s):

Catherine E. Travis ◽

Inas Ghina

Keyword(s):

Older Women ◽

High Mobility ◽

Spontaneous Speech ◽

Social Changes ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Aceh Province ◽

Rural Variety ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Abstract We examine variation in a rural variety of Acehnese spoken in Aceh Province, to better understand the impact of long-term contact with Indonesian and increasing urbanization. The Great Aceh variety is characterized by variable realization of word-final (t) as a dental vs. glottal stop. Analyses of over 2,000 tokens of this variable from a corpus of spontaneous speech from 35 speakers indicate that the variability is relatively stable among men, and among women of high mobility, measured in terms of education, occupation, and time spent outside Great Aceh. Women with low mobility produce the lowest rates of [t̪], and in this group we observe a higher rate of [t̪] by younger than older women, suggesting change over time. We thus find both stability – among those who have long enjoyed high levels of mobility – and change – among those most affected by recent social changes, namely low-mobility women.

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Occupy in Ireland: Impacts on activists and subsequent protest

Irish Journal of Sociology ◽

10.1177/0791603517725990 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 250-273

Author(s):

Anna Szolucha

Keyword(s):

Empirical Analysis ◽

Empirical Processes ◽

Change Over Time ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

I explore the impact that Occupy in Ireland had on subsequent campaigns and the lives of some of its core activists and analyse the interpretative processes through which they evaluated and modified the lessons and tactics of the protest. The picture that emerges from this empirical analysis is inherently complex and transient. It shows how the symbolic associations and framing of the encampments evolved and stalled the diffusion of their most recognisable practices and tactics such as assemblies. This observation highlights the importance of studying the empirical processes that explain how the interpretations of movements change over time, influencing the potential for the diffusion of tactics from one movement to another. Additionally, movement–movement influence may be constructed subjectively and hence, the individual engagement trajectories of activists can inform the analysis of how past protest influences future campaigns. Even though the practices and tactics that were most characteristic of the movement did not diffuse to subsequent protests, the analysis of the impacts of Occupy in Ireland suggests that the encampments functioned as a space for political training and experimentation which may have durable effects for future protest as well as its participants long after they left Occupy.

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Male and Female Partner-Caregivers’ Burden: Does It Get Worse Over Time?

The Gerontologist ◽

10.1093/geront/gny132 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 1103-1111 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Joukje C Swinkels ◽

Marjolein I Broese van Groenou ◽

Alice de Boer ◽

Theo G van Tilburg

Keyword(s):

Caregiver Burden ◽

Process Model ◽

Female Partner ◽

General View ◽

Data Set ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Men And Women ◽

Wear And Tear ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background and Objectives The general view is that partner-caregiver burden increases over time but findings are inconsistent. Moreover, the pathways underlying caregiver burden may differ between men and women. This study examines to what degree and why partner-caregiver burden changes over time. It adopts Pearlin’s Caregiver Stress Process Model, as it is expected that higher primary and secondary stressors will increase burden and larger amounts of resources will lower burden. Yet, the impact of stressors and resources may change over time. The wear-and-tear model predicts an increase of burden due to a stronger impact of stressors and lower impact of resources over time. Alternatively, the adaptation model predicts a decrease of burden due to a lower impact of stressors and higher impact of resources over time. Research Design and Methods We used 2 observations with a 1-year interval of 279 male and 443 female partner-caregivers, derived from the Netherlands Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey Minimum Data Set. We applied multilevel regression analysis, stratified by gender. Results Adjusted for all predictors, caregiver burden increased over time for both men and women. For female caregivers, the impact of poor spousal health on burden increased and the impact of fulfillment decreased over time. Among male caregivers, the impact of predictors did not change over time. Discussion and Implications The increase of burden over time supports the wear-and-tear model, in particular for women. This study highlights the need for gender-specific interventions that are focused on enabling older partners to be better prepared for long-term partner-care.

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History and Current Trends in the Electronic Cigarette Retail Marketplace in the United States: 2010–2016

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/nty214 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 843-847 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jennifer Cantrell ◽

Jidong Huang ◽

Marisa Greenberg ◽

Jeffrey Willett ◽

Elizabeth Hair ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tobacco Industry ◽

The United States ◽

Retail Market ◽

Current Trends ◽

Published Evidence ◽

The Us ◽

Industry Response ◽

Market Trends ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Abstract Introduction The US market for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) has grown rapidly in the last decade. There is limited published evidence examining changes in the ENDS marketplace prior to the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) deeming rule in 2016. This study describes US ENDS retail market trends from 2010 to 2016. Methods National data were obtained from Nielsen retail scanners for five product types: (1) disposables, (2) rechargeables, (3) cartridge replacements, (4) e-liquid bottle refills, and (5) specialty vapor products. We examined dollar sales, volume, price, brand, and flavor. Results Adjusted national sales increased from $11.6 million in 2010 to $751.2 million in 2016. The annual rate of sales growth rapidly increased before slowing through 2015. The rate of growth spiked in 2016. Market share for menthol products and other assorted flavors increased from 20% in 2010 to 52.1% by 2016. NJOY’s early market dominance shifted as tobacco industry brands entered the market and eventually captured 87.8% of share by 2016. Rechargeables and accompanying products comprised an increased proportion of total volume sold over time while disposable volume declined. Specialty vapor products appeared at retail in 2015. Conclusions Findings show strong early growth in the ENDS retail market followed by considerable slowing over time, despite a slight uptick in 2016. Trends reflect shifts to flavored products, newer generation “open-system” devices, lower prices, and tobacco industry brands. This study provides a baseline against which to compare the impact of FDA’s 2016 deeming rule and future actions on the ENDS marketplace. Implications This study uses market scanner data from US retail outlets to describe trends in the ENDS retail market from 2010 to 2016, providing a baseline against which to compare the impact of FDA’s 2016 deeming rule and future actions on the ENDS marketplace. Understanding historical market trends is valuable in assessing how future regulatory efforts and advances in ENDS technology may impact industry response and consumer uptake and use.

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Spatial and temporal trends in social vulnerability and COVID-19 incidence and death rates in the United States

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0248702 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0248702

Author(s):

Brian Neelon ◽

Fedelis Mutiso ◽

Noel T. Mueller ◽

John L. Pearce ◽

Sara E. Benjamin-Neelon

Keyword(s):

Social Vulnerability ◽

Primary Care Physicians ◽

Negative Binomial ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

The United States ◽

Social Vulnerability Index ◽

Crossover Effect ◽

Death Rates ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time

Background Socially vulnerable communities may be at higher risk for COVID-19 outbreaks in the US. However, no prior studies examined temporal trends and differential effects of social vulnerability on COVID-19 incidence and death rates. Therefore, we examined temporal trends among counties with high and low social vulnerability to quantify disparities in trends over time. Methods We conducted a longitudinal analysis examining COVID-19 incidence and death rates from March 15 to December 31, 2020, for each US county using data from USAFacts. We classified counties using the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a percentile-based measure from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with higher values indicating more vulnerability. Using a Bayesian hierarchical negative binomial model, we estimated daily risk ratios (RRs) comparing counties in the first (lower) and fourth (upper) SVI quartiles, adjusting for rurality, percentage in poor or fair health, percentage female, percentage of smokers, county average daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5), percentage of primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, daily temperature and precipitation, and proportion tested for COVID-19. Results At the outset of the pandemic, the most vulnerable counties had, on average, fewer cases per 100,000 than least vulnerable SVI quartile. However, on March 28, we observed a crossover effect in which the most vulnerable counties experienced higher COVID-19 incidence rates compared to the least vulnerable counties (RR = 1.05, 95% PI: 0.98, 1.12). Vulnerable counties had higher death rates starting on May 21 (RR = 1.08, 95% PI: 1.00,1.16). However, by October, this trend reversed and the most vulnerable counties had lower death rates compared to least vulnerable counties. Conclusions The impact of COVID-19 is not static but can migrate from less vulnerable counties to more vulnerable counties and back again over time.

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