Electronic cigarettes: A position statement from the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand*

The TSANZ develops position statements where insufficient data exist to write formal clinical guidelines. In 2018, the TSANZ addressed the question of potential benefits and health impacts of electronic cigarettes (EC). The working party included groups focused on health impacts, smoking cessation, youth issues and priority populations. The 2018 report on the Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes from the United States NASEM was accepted as reflective of evidence to mid-2017. A search for papers subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals was conducted in August 2018. A small number of robust and important papers published until March 2019 were also identified and included. Groups identified studies that extended, modified or contradicted the NASEM report. A total of 3793 papers were identified and reviewed, with summaries and draft position statements developed and presented to TSANZ membership in April 2019. After feedback from members and external reviewers, a collection of position statements was finalized in December 2019. EC have adverse lung effects and harmful effects of long-term use are unknown. EC are unsuitable consumer products for recreational use, part-substitution for smoking or long-term exclusive use by former smokers. Smokers who require support to quit smoking should be directed towards approved medication in conjunction with behavioural support as having the strongest evidence for efficacy and safety. No specific EC product can be recommended as effective and safe for smoking cessation. Smoking cessation claims in relation to EC should be assessed by established regulators

Paleogeographic evolution of the Southern Pannonian Basin: 40Ar/39Ar age constraints on the Miocene continental series of notthern Croatia

The Pannonian Basin, originating during the Early Miocene, is a large extensional basin incorporated between Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaride fold-thrust belts. Back-arc extensional tectonics triggered deposition of up to 500-m-thick continental fluvio-lacustrine deposits distributed in numerous sub-basins of the Southern Pannonian Basin. Extensive andesitic and dacitic volcanism accompanied the syn-rift deposition and caused a number of pyroclastic intercalations. Here, we analyze two volcanic ash layers located at the base and top of the continental series. The lowermost ash from Mt. Kalnik yielded an 40Ar/39Ar age of 18.07 ± 0.07 Ma. This indicates that the marine-continental transition in the Slovenia-Zagorje Basin, coinciding with the onset of rifting tectonics in the Southern Pannonian Basin, occurs roughly at the Eggenburgian/ Ottnangian boundary of the regional Paratethys time scale. This age proves the synchronicity of initial rifting in the Southern Pannonian Basin with the beginning of sedimentation in the Dinaride Lake System. Beside geodynamic evolution, the two regions also share a biotic evolutionary history: both belong to the same ecoregion, which we designate here as the Illyrian Bioprovince. The youngest volcanic ash level is sampled at the Glina and Karlovac sub-depressions, and both sites yield the same 40Ar/39Ar age of 15.91 ± 0.06 and 16.03 ± 0.06 Ma, respectively. This indicates that lacustrine sedimentation in the Southern Pannonian Basin continued at least until the earliest Badenian. The present results provide not only important bench marks on duration of initial synrift in the Pannonian Basin System, but also deliver substantial backbone data for paleogeographic reconstructions in Central and Southeastern Europe around the Early–Middle Miocene transition

THE SYNTHESIS, ELECTROCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF [FE(ETA-5-C5H4S)2MO(NO)(HB(3,5-ME2C3N2H)3)]

The new bimetallic complex [Fe(η5-C5H4S)2Mo(NO){HB(3,5-Me2C3N2H)3)}] has been obtained from the reaction between [Fe(η5-C5H4SH)2] and [Mo(NO){HB(3,5-Me2C3N2H)3}I2]. Electrochemical studies reveal an anomalously cathodic oxidation potential for the metallocene redox centre. An X-ray diffraction study has revealed an FMo distance of 4.147(2) Å, with the ferrocenyl moiety oriented towards the nitrosyl ligand on the molybdenum atoms (Fe---O 3.976(6) Å), but provides no evidence for an interaction between the iron atom and the molybdenum-bound nitrosyl which might account for the electrochemical findings. © 1989

Science in action : a sketch of the value of scientific research in American industries /

Mode of access: Internet

Synthesis and chemistry of 1,3-dihydrotellurolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline and derivatives: crystal and molecular structure of 1,3-dihydro-2,2-di-iodo-2λ<SUP>4</SUP>-tellurolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline-2,3-bis(iodomethyl)quinoxaline (1:1)

The reaction of 2,3-bis(bromomethyl)quinoxaline with tellurium and sodium iodide (2 h) gave the violet compound 1,3-dihydro-2,2-di-iodo-2&#955;4-tellurolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline, which may be reduced to 1,3-dihydrotellurolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline (m.p. 158-160&#176;C). The latter compound readily forms a black 1:1 complex with 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane. The u.v., n.m.r., i.r., and mass spectra of the new organotellurium heterocycles are presented and discussed. 2,3-Bis(bromomethyl)quinoxaline also reacts with tellurium and potassium iodide (1 h) to give a yellow material for which elemental analysis, n.m.r., and mass spectroscopy suggest a 1:1 adduct of the above di-iodo-complex and 2,3-bis(iodomethyl)quinoxaline. Sodium hydrogentelluride reduces 2,3-bis(bromomethyl)quinoxaline to 2,3-dimethylquinoxaline. The crystal and molecular structure of the 1:1 adduct of 1,3-dihydrotelluro[3,4-b]quinoxaline, C10H8I2N2Te, with 2,3-bis(iodomethyl)quinoxaline, C10H8I2N2, has been determined. Crystals of the compound are triclinic, space group P1&#x0305;, with a=7.667(2), b=11.826(4), c=13.739(4)&#197;, &#945;=93.26(3), &#946;=98.37(2), &#947;=83.29(2)&#176;, and Z=2. Final R=0.059 for 2 998 observed reflections. The structure consists of discrete molecules of C10H8I2N2Te and C10H8I2N2, a pair of each being linked into centrosymmetric dimers by weak Te&#183;&#183;&#183;I linkages. The co-ordination about tellurium is a distorted octahedron with two Te-C bonds [2.14(1)&#197;], two axial Te-I bonds [2.886(2), 2.911 (2)&#197;] and two longer equatorial Te-I bonds trans to Te-C [3.761 (2), 3.788(2)&#197;], the longer contact being to an iodine of the organic di-iodide. Large deviations of bond angle from the ideal octahedral angles occur. A further very weak interaction links the dimers into chains along x. No abnormal features are observed in the organic moieties

ISOLATION FROM ALEXA-LEIOPETALA AND X-RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF ALEXINE, (1R,2R,3R,7S,8S)-3-HYDROXYMETHYL-1,2,7-TRIHYDROXYPYRROLIZIDINE [(2R,3R,4R,5S,6S)-2-HYDROXYMETHYL-1-AZABICYCLO[3.3.0]OCTAN-3,4,6-TRIOL], A UNIQUE PYRROLIZIDINE ALKALOID

The isolation from Alexa leiopetala and identification by X-ray crystal structure analysis of (1R,2R,3R,7S,8S)-3-hydroxymethyl-1,2,7-trihydroxypyrrolizidine [(2R,3R,4R,5S,6S)-2-hydroxymethyl-1-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octan-3,4,6-triol], a unique pyrrolizidine alkaloid, is described. A preliminary study of the inhibition of glycosidases by alexine is reported. © 1988