A systematic review comparing the health effects of dual use of electronic and conventional cigarettes with health effects of exclusive smoking of conventional cigarettes

Background: A high prevalence of dual use (DU) of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes has been reported across the world. In some countries most users of e-cigarettes are dual users (DUs). We wanted to investigate the health effects of DU and compare with the health effects of exclusive smoking of conventional cigarettes (ESCC). Methods: A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane library. The last search was conducted on April 26, 2021. We included original articles on any topic relevant to health, in all languages. Reviewers independently assessed the main risks of bias without the use of automated tools. We followed the PRISMA guidelines. Both reviewers independently screened and read all publications. Results: Fifty-five publications (52 studies) were included, 12 of the studies were prospective. There was great heterogeneity across studies both in methodology and outcome. Several studies, especially experimental studies with short-term outcome, found higher levels of harmful substances in ESCC than in DUs, however, the two largest population-based studies, with low risk of selection-bias, found higher levels of harmful substances in DUs than in ESCC. Most studies investigating symptoms or risk of disease were large population-based surveys. One study found that DUs reported a significantly better health than ESCC, while fifteen found a higher risk of e.g., pulmonary, cardiovascular or metabolic risk factors/symptoms, self-reported general health or cancer in DUs than in ESCC. The study with the longest follow-up, six years, found that DUs had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.48 (95% confidence interval 0.81–2.70) of a possibly smoking-related disease (confirmed by hospital discharge abstracts) compared with ESCC. Many methodological weaknesses were identified, such as risk of reverse causality. We found a correlation between high tobacco consumption in DUs and findings of negative health outcomes.Conclusion: Due to many methodological weaknesses, it is difficult to draw any strong conclusions, but the results indicate that DU might be as or even more harmful than ESCC. Well-designed longitudinal studies are needed. Before recommending EC for smoking cessation health authorities should consider the high risk of DU and its potential consequences.

Single, Dual, and Triple Use of Cigarettes, e-Cigarettes, and Snus among Adolescents in the Nordic Countries

New tobacco and nicotine products have emerged on the market in recent years. Most research has concerned only one product at a time, usually e-cigarettes, while little is known about the multiple use of tobacco and nicotine products among adolescents. We examined single, dual, and triple use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and snus among Nordic adolescents, using data of 15–16-year-olds (n = 16,125) from the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) collected in 2015 and 2019 from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands. Country-specific lifetime use of any of these products ranged between 40% and 50%, and current use between 17% and 31%. Cigarettes were the most common product in all countries except for Iceland, where e-cigarettes were remarkably more common. The proportion of dual and triple users was unexpectedly high among both experimental (24%–49%) and current users (31–42%). Triple use was less common than dual use. The users’ patterns varied somewhat between the countries, and Iceland differed substantially from the other countries, with a high proportion of single e-cigarette users. More knowledge on the patterns of multiple use of tobacco and nicotine products and on the potential risk and protective factors is needed for targeted intervention and prevention efforts.

Physicochemical features, functional characteristics, and health benefits of cottonseed oil: a review

Vegetable oils have their specific physicochemical properties due to which they are playing vital role in human nutritional diet for health benefits. Cottonseed oil is obtained from various species of cotton seeds that are famous to be grown mainly for their fiber quality. The most prominently used specie is Gossypium hirsutum. It is obvious that the seeds of different variety of cotton vary as grown in diverse agroclimatic conditions with respect to oil, fats and protein contents. Cottonseed oil is routinely used for cooking and food manufacturing products. Cottonseed oil obtained after proper extraction/processing steps from crude state to refined oil in a variety of ways. Cotton crop is considered for their dual-use purpose, for fiber quality and oil production to promote health benefits in the world. Keeping in view the above facts, this review clearly demonstrated an overview about physicochemical and functional properties of cottonseed oil to promote health benefits associated with the use of this oil. The overall characteristics and all concerned health benefits of CSO will further improve their usefulness is a compact way. We have summarized a brief multi-dimensional features of CSO in all aspects up to the best of our knowledge for the end researchers who can further research in the respective aspect.

Evaluation of hybrid threats to DU technologies transfer

An object of this research is to evaluate the premises of transfer of dual use technologies appeared in Ukraine and other CIS countries. It aims to highlight a hybrid impact of political, historical and other potential barriers faced between technology offeror/recipient nowadays. The investigated problem. Apart from the highlighted affect of political, historical and other potential barriers faced between technology supplier /recipient these days, the paper also discusses how the covid pandemic and democracy crisis on the global joined to and affect an efficiency, proper functioning and transparency of technology transfer process. The experience and practice show that the process of technology transfer is rather complicated, multi-leveled and involves more than two players. It is impacted with and follows few factors and conditions that constrain its success or failure at the end. It was shown that the development of dual use technologies continues in a quagmire of conflicting interests, in light of discussed factors therein, national security and export control rationales. For the time being, debates on dual use (DU) technologies and their misuse lack creativity and rather dim; political and diplomatic initiatives came finally to nowhere trying to find turnkey solutions, thus the discussed set of factors affecting the efficient transfer and strategic export control, is quite a challenge nowadays. The main scientific results. The discussed therein factors imply the hybrid threat to transfer of technologies, closely interrelated and possess a profound significance, tho. From today and forward each step towards optimization of transfer should be carried out considering all groups and specifics of high level of science intensity of advanced technologies. Ukraine being a country with still transitional (from socialist to capitalist) type of economy, a mechanism for IP protection with regard to their scientific and technical results providing this necessary level of science intensity of technology, in the analyzed period of time has not yet been properly worked out and not enshrined in bylaws. The result of this eresearch makes a solid background for further debates as to technology transfer in terms of political science and export control

Balancing Act: Precision Medicine and National Security

ABSTRACT Developments in genetics, pharmacology, biomarker identification, imaging, and interventional biotechnology are enabling medicine to become increasingly more precise in “personalized” approaches to assessing and treating individual patients. Here we describe current scientific and technological developments in precision medicine and elucidate the dual-use risks of employing these tools and capabilities to exert disruptive influence upon human health, economics, social structure, military capabilities, and global dimensions of power. We advocate continued enterprise toward more completely addressing nuances in the ethical systems and approaches that can—and should—be implemented (and communicated) to more effectively inform policy to guide and govern the biosecurity and use of current and emerging bioscience and technology on the rapidly shifting global stage.

Transitions to smokeless tobacco use among adult cigarette smokers in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, Waves 3–5 (2015–2019)

ObjectiveExamine patterns of dual use of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco and complete switching over time among adult current cigarette smokers using data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study Wave 3 (2015–2016), Wave 4 (2016–2018) and Wave 5 (2018–2019).MethodsWe examined four tobacco use states among 6834 exclusive smokers and 372 dual users at Wave 3 with two waves of follow-up data: exclusive cigarette use, exclusive smokeless tobacco use, dual use and use of neither product.ResultsAmong exclusive smokers at Wave 3, only 1.6% (95% CI: 1.3% to 2.1%) transitioned to dual use at Wave 4, and 0.1% (95% CI: 0.07% to 0.2%) switched to exclusive smokeless tobacco use. Among exclusive smokers who switched to dual use, 53.1% (95% CI: 40.9% to 64.9%) returned to exclusive cigarette smoking, 34.3% (95% CI: 23.8% to 46.6%) maintained dual use and 12.6% (95% CI: 7.0% to 21.7%) did not smoke cigarettes after an additional wave of follow-up. Dual users at Wave 3 were likely to maintain their dual use status at Wave 4, 51.2% (95% CI: 46.1% to 56.3%) and Wave 5, 47.9% (95% CI: 40.1% to 55.8%).ConclusionsVery few cigarette smokers transition to smokeless tobacco use, and among those who do, dual use is more common than exclusive smokeless tobacco use. Further, the majority of exclusive cigarette smokers who transition to dual use at Wave 4 continue smoking cigarettes at Wave 5, either as dual users or as exclusive smokers.

On some aspects of R&D monitoring of R&D and technological works of military and dual-use character: between security and science

The article analyzes the role and importance of monitoring research, development and technological works of military and dual-use character performed by organizations subordinate to the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia. The problems related to the process of collecting and processing information are considered. The ways of increasing the effectiveness of monitoring, aimed primarily at ensuring the security of the state and the development of its scientific, engineering and technological potential, are proposed.