Influence of electronic cigarette liquid flavors and nicotine concentration on subjective measures of abuse liability in young adult cigarette smokers.

BACKGROUND: A rapidly evolving tobacco marketplace highlights the timeliness of the FDA's authority to regulate tobacco, specifically the role that flavorings in nicotine-containing electronic cigarette (ECIG) liquids have on public health. This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which ECIG liquid flavor and nicotine concentration influenced subjective measures of abuse liability among young adult cigarette (cig) smokers. METHODS: Young adult (18-21 y.o.) smokers (M = 10.1 cig/day, no regular ECIG use history) completed 7 Latin-square ordered conditions each preceded by 12 h. nicotine/tobacco abstinence. Conditions were own brand cig (OB) and eGo-style ECIG paired with three liquid flavors (cream, tropical fruit, tobacco/menthol) varying in nicotine concentration (0 or 36 mg/ml). Products were administered in two 10-puff bouts in each condition. Heart rate/blood pressure (HR/BP) and tobacco/nicotine abstinence symptoms, nicotine/general drug effects, and acceptability measures were assessed repeatedly throughout sessions. Mixed linear models were followed-up with Tukey's HSD t-tests. RESULTS: HR/BP indicated nicotine exposure during nicotine-containing conditions. OB and tobacco/menthol 36 mg/ml conditions produced significant decreases in ratings of cig smoking urges. Nicotine/drug effects were elevated significantly for OB and 36 mg/ml ECIG conditions with one exception noted for the tobacco/menthol 0 mg/ml condition. OB had the highest acceptability ratings, and ECIG condition results varied by acceptability item. CONCLUSIONS: Among young adult smokers, ECIG conditions containing nicotine were positively associated with several subjective measures of abuse liability but not all. Flavors did not consistently mask/enhance effects observed. Results reinforce continued examination of ECIG-delivered nicotine and liquid flavors in relationship to abuse liability.

Anxiety's Effect on Muscle Activation and Fatigue in Trumpet Players: A Pilot Study.

Due to the high percentage of musicians who suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, there is a need for more research in the field of music and medicine. The purpose of this study was to analyze the possible relationship between anxiety, muscle activation, and muscle fatigue in undergraduate trumpet players. Assessment tools included surface electromyography (sEMG) data, State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) of perceived anxiety. Data were collected from 27 undergraduate music students across five universities (22 males, 5 females) aged 18 to 24 years. The three muscles targeted by the sEMG were the upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, and masseter muscles. Participants were randomly divided into two single-blinded groups: (1) anxiety-induction and (2) control. The anxiety-induction group was instructed to play as accurately as possible and informed that mistakes were being counted and evaluated, while the control group was instructed to play without any concern for possible mistakes. The anxiety-induction group was shown to have more masseter muscle activation than the control; the anxiety-induction group also displayed a higher fatigue rate in all three muscles versus the controls. Subjects with high perceived-anxiety (as measured by VAS) displayed higher masseter activation and higher fatigue rates in the upper trapezius and sternocleidomastoid than non-anxious participants. Despite these notable trends, there was no statistical significance for any of the muscle groups for muscle activation or fatigue.