Genetic Dissection of Nitrogen Induced Changes in the Shoot and Root Biomass of Spinach

Efficient partitioning of above and below-ground biomass in response to nitrogen (N) is critical to the productivity of plants under sub-optimal conditions. It is particularly essential in vegetable crops like spinach with shallow root systems, a short growth cycle, and poor nitrogen use efficiency. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to explore N-induced changes using spinach accessions with diverse genetic backgrounds. We evaluated phenotypic variations as percent changes in the shoot and root biomass in response to N using 201 spinach accessions grown in randomized complete blocks design in a soilless media under a controlled environment. A GWAS was performed for the percent changes in the shoot and root biomass in response to N in the 201 spinach accessions using 60,940 whole-genome resequencing generated SNPs. Three SNP markers, chr4_28292655, chr6_1531056, and chr6_37966006 on chromosomes 4 and 6, were significantly associated with %change in root weight, and two SNP markers, chr2_18480277 and chr4_47598760 on chromosomes 2 and 4, were significantly associated with % change shoot weight. The outcome of this study established a foundation for genetic studies needed to improve the partitioning of total biomass and provided a resource to identify molecular markers to enhance N uptake via marker-assisted selection or genomic selection in spinach breeding programs

Training pharmacists in the stage-of-change model of smoking cessation and motivational interviewing: A randomized controlled trial

This study evaluated the effect of training pharmacists in the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing on smoking cessation outcomes. A training based on the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing was introduced to pharmacists. Pharmacists were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The control group attended a 3-hour training session, whereas the intervention group also attended a further 6-hour training session. At week 24, 12.2 percent of the smokers quit smoking in the intervention group, whereas 1.6 percent of the smokers quit smoking in the control group. The findings of this study showed that training pharmacists, in the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing, improves smoking reduction and cessation rates

Training pharmacists in the stage-of-change model of smoking cessation and motivational interviewing: A randomized controlled trial

This study evaluated the effect of training pharmacists in the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing on smoking cessation outcomes. A training based on the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing was introduced to pharmacists. Pharmacists were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The control group attended a 3-hour training session, whereas the intervention group also attended a further 6-hour training session. At week 24, 12.2 percent of the smokers quit smoking in the intervention group, whereas 1.6 percent of the smokers quit smoking in the control group. The findings of this study showed that training pharmacists, in the stage-of-change model for smoking cessation and motivational interviewing, improves smoking reduction and cessation rates

A Single-Arm, Open-Label, Pilot, and Feasibility Study of a High Nicotine Strength E-Cigarette Intervention for Smoking Cessation or Reduction for People With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Who Smoke Cigarettes

Introduction An estimated 60%–90% of people with schizophrenia smoke, compared with 15%–24% of the general population, exacerbating the already high morbidity and mortality rates observed in this population. Aims and Methods This study aimed to assess the feasibility of using a new-generation high strength nicotine e-cigarette to modify smoking behavior in individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who smoke cigarettes. A single-arm pilot study was conducted with 40 adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders who smoked and did not intend to reduce or quit smoking. Participants were given a 12-week supply of a JUUL e-cigarette loaded with a 5% nicotine pod. The primary outcome was smoking cessation at week 12. Additional outcomes included: smoking reduction, continuous abstinence at week 24, adoption rate, adherence to the e-cigarette, feasibility, acceptability, and subjective effects. Results Sixteen (40%) participants quit by the end of 12 weeks. For the whole sample, we observed an overall, sustained 50% reduction in smoking or smoking abstinence in 37/40 (92.5%) of participants and an overall 75% reduction in median cigarettes per day from 25 to six was observed by the end of the 12 weeks (p < .001). Conclusions A high strength nicotine e-cigarette has the potential to help people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders to quit or reduce smoking. Further research with a larger sample and a comparator group is needed. The results provide useful information and direction to augment the existing body of knowledge on smoking cessation for people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Implications Considering that most people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders continue smoking, alternative and efficient interventions to reduce or prevent morbidity and mortality are urgently needed. This study showed that adults who smoke and were not motivated to quit, when provided a new-generation e-cigarette with high nicotine content, demonstrated substantially decreased cigarette consumption without causing significant side effects. Although not specifically measured in this study, nicotine absorption in new-generation devices has been shown to be consistently superior compared with the first generation of e-cigarette devices, and this may help explain the lower quit rates in studies using earlier generation devices

Sensory experiences and cues among E-cigarette users

Background and aims We characterized the extent and quality of respiratory sensations and sensory-related smoking cues associated with e-cigarette use among those who failed to quit combustible tobacco cigarette (CTC) use with traditional FDA approved medications but succeeded in doing so with e-cigarettes. Further, we sought to understand former smokers’ perceptions about the influence of sensory experience with e-cigarette use on CTC cessation outcomes. Methods A nonrandom purposive sample of 156 participants recruited in the USA through the Consumer Advocates for Smoke Free Alternatives Association Facebook page completed an online cross-sectional survey to assess sensory experiences and smoking cues associated with e-cigarette use. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and the ANOVA/Kruskal–Wallis test with post hoc testing and the two-sample t test/Wilcoxon rank-sum test, as appropriate based on distribution, were used to assess the association between sample characteristics and sensory experiences and cues using investigator constructed questions, the Modified Cigarette Evaluation Questionnaire (mCEQ) and the Smoking Cue Appeal Survey (SCAS). Results With e-cigarette use, participants reported feeling the vapor in their throats, windpipes, noses, lungs, and on their tongues; reductions in nicotine craving; and enjoyment of their e-cigarette, including tasting, smelling, and seeing the vapor and touching the device. Women had greater craving reduction than men (p = 0.023). Those who began smoking at 13 years of age or younger had more satisfaction and had greater sensory enjoyment than those who began smoking at 16–17 years of age (p = 0.015 and p = 0.026, respectively), as well as greater sensory enjoyment than those who began smoking at 14–15 years of age (p = 0.047). There was a significant overall association between the number of years a respondent smoked and e-cigarette sensory enjoyment (p = 0.038). Participants 18–34 years old rated e-cigarettes as being more pleasant compared to 45 + years olds, (p = 0.012). Eighty-four percent of participants reported the sensation of the vapor as important in quitting CTCs, and 91% believed the sensations accompanying e-cigarette use contributed to their smoking cessation success. Conclusions For those who failed to quit previously using approved cessation medications to stop smoking cigarettes, sensory experiences associated with e-cigarette use may help smokers quit smoking

Smoking Addiction in Patients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and Its Perception and Intervention in Healthcare Personnel Assigned to Psycho-Rehabilitation Programs: A Qualitative Research

Patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders have a higher prevalence and frequency of smoking rates when compared to the rest of the population; to this, it must be added that they develop a greater dependence and have some worse health consequences than the general population. This is qualitative research on the perception of smoking in healthcare professionals assigned to psycho-rehabilitation programs for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The point of view of health personnel (Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Pedagogists, and Nurses) about cigarette smoking in these patients was analyzed, focusing on their implications in disturbance and comparing them with e-cigarettes too. The methodology used to collect the data was a semi-structured interview with five questions. The research path was carried out in two assisted therapeutic communities that are clinics for the rehabilitation of serious mental illness in the period between November and July 2022. The results showed that the opinion of health professionals on smoking is very negative. Research has also shown that nearly all patients are smokers; however, their high grade of addiction is caused by periods of high stress due to various factors that lead patients to consume a greater number of cigarettes. Almost all respondents have a positive opinion of the e-cigarette, which was defined as an excellent substitute for traditional cigarettes