Menthol's potential effects on nicotine dependence: a tobacco industry perspective.

ObjectiveTo examine what the tobacco industry knows about the potential effects menthol may have on nicotine dependence.MethodsA snowball strategy was used to systematically search the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/) between 22 February and 29 April, 2010. Of the approximately 11 million documents available in the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, the iterative searches returned tens of thousands of results. We qualitatively analysed a final collection of 309 documents relevant the effects of menthol on nicotine dependence.ResultsThe tobacco industry knows that menthol overrides the harsh taste of tobacco and alleviates nicotine's irritating effects, synergistically interacts with nicotine, stimulates the trigeminal nerve to elicit a 'liking' response for a tobacco product, and makes low tar, low nicotine tobacco products more acceptable to smokers than non-mentholated low delivery products.ConclusionMenthol is not only used in cigarettes as a flavour additive; tobacco companies know that menthol also has sensory effects and interacts with nicotine to produce tobacco products that are easier to smoke, thereby making it easier to expose smokers, especially those who are new and uninitiated, to the addictive power of nicotine

Menthol sensory qualities and smoking topography: a review of tobacco industry documents.

ObjectiveTo determine what the tobacco industry knew about the potential effects of menthol on smoking topography-how a person smokes a cigarette.MethodsA snowball strategy was used to systematically search the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library (http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu) between 1 June 2010 and 9 August 2010. We qualitatively analysed a final collection of 252 documents related to menthol and smoking topography.ResultsThe tobacco industry knew that menthol has cooling, anaesthetic and analgesic properties that moderate the harshness and irritation of tobacco. Owing to its physiological effects, menthol contributes to the sensory qualities of the smoke and affects smoking topography and cigarette preference.ConclusionOur review of industry studies suggests that the amount of menthol in a cigarette is associated with how the cigarette is smoked and how satisfying it is to the smoker. If menthol in cigarettes was banned, as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently considering, new/experimental smokers might choose not to smoke rather than experience the harshness of tobacco smoke and the irritating qualities of nicotine. Similarly, established menthol smokers might choose to quit if faced with an unpleasant smoking alternative

A novel method of combining blood oxygenation and blood flow sensitive magnetic resonance imaging techniques to measure the cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism responses to an unknown neural stimulus.

Simultaneous implementation of magnetic resonance imaging methods for Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) and Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) imaging makes it possible to quantitatively measure the changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral oxygen metabolism (CMRO(2)) that occur in response to neural stimuli. To date, however, the range of neural stimuli amenable to quantitative analysis is limited to those that may be presented in a simple block or event related design such that measurements may be repeated and averaged to improve precision. Here we examined the feasibility of using the relationship between cerebral blood flow and the BOLD signal to improve dynamic estimates of blood flow fluctuations as well as to estimate metabolic-hemodynamic coupling under conditions where a stimulus pattern is unknown. We found that by combining the information contained in simultaneously acquired BOLD and ASL signals through a method we term BOLD Constrained Perfusion (BCP) estimation, we could significantly improve the precision of our estimates of the hemodynamic response to a visual stimulus and, under the conditions of a calibrated BOLD experiment, accurately determine the ratio of the oxygen metabolic response to the hemodynamic response. Importantly we were able to accomplish this without utilizing a priori knowledge of the temporal nature of the neural stimulus, suggesting that BOLD Constrained Perfusion estimation may make it feasible to quantitatively study the cerebral metabolic and hemodynamic responses to more natural stimuli that cannot be easily repeated or averaged

Pitch ability as an aptitude for tone learning

Tone languages such as Mandarin use voice pitch to signal lexical contrasts, presenting a challenge for second/foreign language (L2) learners whose native languages do not use pitch in this manner. The present study examined components of an aptitude for mastering L2 lexical tone. Native English speakers with no previous tone language experience completed a Mandarin word learning task, as well as tests of pitch ability, musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability. Pitch ability measures improved predictions of learning performance beyond musicality, L2 aptitude, and general cognitive ability and also predicted transfer of learning to new talkers. In sum, although certain nontonal measures help predict successful tone learning, the central components of tonal aptitude are pitch-specific perceptual measures

Potent Attractant for Root-Knot Nematodes in Exudates from Seedling Root Tips of Two Host Species.

Root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) can parasitize over 2,000 plant species and are generally considered to be the most agriculturally damaging group of plant-parasitic nematodes worldwide. Infective juveniles (J2) are non-feeding and must locate and invade a host before their reserves are depleted. However, what attracts J2 to appropriate root entry sites is not known. An aim of this research is to identify semiochemicals that attract RKN to roots. J2 of the three RKN species tested are highly attracted to root tips of both tomato and Medicago truncatula. For both hosts, mutants defective in ethylene signaling were found to be more attractive than those of wild type. We determined that cell-free exudates collected from tomato and M. truncatula seedling root tips were highly attractive to M. javanica J2. Using a pluronic gel-based microassay to monitor chemical fractionation, we determined that for both plant species the active component fractionated similarly and had a mass of ~400 based on size-exclusion chromatography. This characterization is a first step toward identification of a potent and specific attractant from host roots that attracts RKN. Such a compound is potentially a valuable tool for developing novel and safe control strategies

Attitudes of fourth and fifth grade students toward gender and careers

This study was designed to determine if students in a suburban, southern New Jersey elementary school would have gender-biased attitudes concerning appropriate roles and career aspirations for males and females. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 100 students from a total population of 74 fourth grade students and 58 fifth grade students from one school in a southern New Jersey suburban school district. Items on the questionnaire included a list of occupations as well as questions regarding gender and careers. The hypothesis was not supported because it was found that most of the students did not possess a gender-biased attitude. Of the 100 students who participated in the study, 65 achieved a score of 46 or below, indicating non-biased attitudes of careers and gender. Thirty-five students achieved a score of 48 or above, which indicated a biased attitude. Additionally, the second hypothesis was supported in part and unsupported in part. The ratios of biased girls to non-biased girls and of biased boys to non-biased boys were about equal at 2:3 for each. However, it was found that the girls and boys were equally unbiased, rather than biased as the hypothesis predicted

The Pearl in the Oyster: The Public Trust Doctrine in North Carolina

The first part of this article will trace the history of the public trust doctrine from Roman times, through its application in England, and thence to its development in the United States to the present. The more important issues associated with the doctrine, such as the constitutional takings clause argument, will be discussed. The second part of the article will trace the public trust doctrine in North Carolina and explore the underpinnings and rationale of the State v. Credle decision. It will also discuss the issues raised in part one with regard to their application in North Carolina. Finally, the article will consider the practical effects of the opinion upon the environment and the people of this state

Using the Fair Sentencing Act to Protect the Criminal Defendant

This Survey provides a guide to defense attorneys who must deal with the statutory aggravating and mitigating factors set out in the Fair Sentencing Act. The Survey reviews the major cases handed down by the North Carolina Supreme Court since the Act was passed. It then concentrates on all cases from the appellate courts from August 1981 through August 1986, with a view to analyzing each aggravating and mitigating factor. The Survey seeks to show what factors are most likely to result in a remand for resentencing on appeal, and what elements each factor should contain for a successful appeal

Constitutional Law - Moment of Silence Statutes May Threaten the Wall of Separation between Church and State - Wallace v. Jaffree

This Note will trace the Supreme Court\u27s treatment of prayer in the public schools. It will then explore the parameters laid out in Jaffree and demonstrate that the Supreme Court has relaxed its rigid attitude towards prayer in the public schools. Finally, the Note will apply the Jaffree parameters to North Carolina\u27s new Moment of Silence statute