Biomolecular analyses enable new insights into ancient Egyptian embalming.

The ability of the ancient Egyptians to preserve the human body through embalming has not only fascinated people since antiquity, but also has always raised the question of how this outstanding chemical and ritual process was practically achieved. Here we integrate archaeological, philological and organic residue analyses, shedding new light on the practice and economy of embalming in ancient Egypt. We analysed the organic contents of 31 ceramic vessels recovered from a 26th Dynasty embalming workshop at Saqqara1,2. These vessels were labelled according to their content and/or use, enabling us to correlate organic substances with their Egyptian names and specific embalming practices. We identified specific mixtures of fragrant or antiseptic oils, tars and resins that were used to embalm the head and treat the wrappings using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Our study of the Saqqara workshop extends interpretations from a micro-level analysis highlighting the socio-economic status of a tomb owner3-7 to macro-level interpretations of the society. The identification of non-local organic substances enables the reconstruction of trade networks that provided ancient Egyptian embalmers with the substances required for mummification. This extensive demand for foreign products promoted trade both within the Mediterranean8-10 (for example, Pistacia and conifer by-products) and with tropical forest regions (for example, dammar and elemi). Additionally, we show that at Saqqara, antiu and sefet-well known from ancient texts and usually translated as 'myrrh' or 'incense'11-13 and 'a sacred oil'13,14-refer to a coniferous oils-or-tars-based mixture and an unguent with plant additives, respectively.

The educational gap in tar and nicotine content in purchases of cigarettes: An observational study using large-scale representative survey data from Japan.

The intensity of tobacco use is commonly measured by the number of cigarettes, which is inaccurate because it masks the heterogeneity and substances contained in tobacco. Unlike existing studies, this study adopted the tar and nicotine content of purchased cigarettes as proxies for smoking intensity and elicited socioeconomic disparities from the participants regarding tobacco use. Using a nationally representative consumer panel survey of Japan from 2010 to 2014, we found that socioeconomic disparities in smoking are more pronounced when tar and nicotine content in cigarettes is considered. University graduates purchased 26% fewer cigarettes, and 40% less tar or nicotine than their secondary school-educated counterparts. Low education groups purchased more tar-rich cigarettes, which cost less than low-tar cigarettes. The public health recommendations for reducing socioeconomic health inequalities might be understated because they are drawn from evidence based on the number of cigarettes smoked.

A baseline assessment of beach debris and tar contamination in Bonaire, Southeastern Caribbean.

Data on beach debris and tar contamination is provided for 21 natural beach sites in Bonaire, Southeastern Caribbean. Transects amounting to a combined length of 991 m were sampled March-May 2011 and a total of 8960 debris items were collected. Highest debris and tar contamination were found on the beaches of the windward east-coast of the island where geometric mean debris concentrations (± approx. 70% confidence limits) were 115±58 items m(-1) and 3408±1704 g m(-1) of beach front. These levels are high compared to data collected almost 20 years earlier on the nearby island of Curaçao. Tar contamination levels averaged 223 g m(-1) on windward beaches. Contamination levels for leeward west-coast beaches were generally two orders of magnitude less than windward beaches.

Illicit tobacco trade between the United States and Mexico.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a brief history of the illicit tobacco trade between Mexico and the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Research included a previously published study: "Cigarette taxes and smuggling: A statistical analysis and historical review", published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy; US Customs and Border Protection data; various US court documents; General Accountability Office reporting; media reports; other historical material, and a personal interview. RESULTS: The research revealed that there is no credible evidence of organized criminal activity related to the illicit trade in tobacco products from Mexico into the United States. However, there is clear and convincing evidence of organized criminal activity in smuggling tobacco products from the United States into Mexico for at least 167 years. CONCLUSION: Historical records from 1845 into the 21st century clearly demonstrate that the United States was usually the source country for tobacco products moving illegally between the two countries.

Illicit tobacco trade between the United States and Mexico / El comercio ilícito de tabaco entre los Estados Unidos y México

OBJECTIVE: To provide a brief history of the illicit tobacco trade between Mexico and the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Research included a previously published study: "Cigarette taxes and smuggling: A statistical analysis and historical review", published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy; US Customs and Border Protection data; various US court documents; General Accountability Office reporting; media reports; other historical material, and a personal interview. RESULTS: The research revealed that there is no credible evidence of organized criminal activity related to the illicit trade in tobacco products from Mexico into the United States. However, there is clear and convincing evidence of organized criminal activity in smuggling tobacco products from the United States into Mexico for at least 167 years. CONCLUSION: Historical records from 1845 into the 21st century clearly demonstrate that the United States was usually the source country for tobacco products moving illegally between the two countries.

OBJETIVO: Describir brevemente la historia del comercio ilícito de tabaco entre Estados Unidos y México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: La investigación incluye publicaciones previas, como "Impuestos sobre los cigarrillos y el contrabando: Un análisis histórico y estadístico"; datos de la Agencia de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza; varios documentos de la Corte; los informes de la Oficina General de Rendición de Cuentas de EU; notas de prensa; materiales históricos, y una entrevista personal. RESULTADOS: La investigación reveló que no hay pruebas creíbles de actividad delictiva organizada relacionada con el comercio ilícito de productos de tabaco de México a EU. Sin embargo, hay pruebas claras y convincentes de que esta actividad se ha realizado de EU a México por lo menos durante 167 años. CONCLUSIÓN: Los registros históricos desde el año 1845 claramente demuestran que EU solía ser el país de origen del tabaco ilegal entre los dos países.

Assessment uncertainty associated to the analysis of tar from gasification of sewage sludge.

The uncertainty evaluation associated with the quantification of tar from gasification of sewage sludge is present. Each of the sources of uncertainty associated with the wet type sampling method and GC-MS analysis was identified to determine the critical stages of the analytical methodology in order to reduce them. The study shows that major contributions to the overall uncertainty are related to extraction steps. High expanded uncertainties were found for all compounds, due to the segregation of the tar in different samples because of the sampling method. However, the analytical method used was successfully applied for the evaluation of the tar cleaning filter in a real gasification plant.

Smoking intensity before and after introduction of the public place smoking ban in Scotland.

A study was performed to determine whether cigarettes were smoked more intensely outside of public venues in Scotland, compared to indoors, after introduction of the public place smoking (PPS) ban. It was conducted in three waves: before the ban, immediately after and 6 months after introduction. The study included 322 regular smokers of four cigarette brand variants. Filter analysis measurements were used to estimate the human-smoked yields of tar and nicotine from cigarettes smoked predominantly inside (before the ban) or outside (after the ban) public venues. Self-reported cigarette consumption data were also collected. Numbers of cigarettes smoked indoors in public places fell dramatically after the ban. There was a corresponding rise in smoking incidence in outdoor public locations. The ban did not significantly affect the total number of cigarettes smoked by the subjects over the weekends investigated. Human-smoked yields of tar and nicotine decreased slightly after the introduction of the ban and some reductions were significant. Therefore, smoking outdoors at public venues, following the PPS ban, did not increase smoking intensity. Any changes in smoking behaviour that may have occurred had little effect on mainstream smoke exposure or cigarette consumption for those that continued to smoke.

Machine-smoking studies of cigarette filter color to estimate tar yield by visual assessment and through the use of a colorimeter.

This paper explores using the intensity of the stain on the end of the filter ("filter color") as a vehicle for estimating cigarette tar yield, both by instrument reading of the filter color and by visual comparison to a template. The correlation of machine-measured tar yield to filter color measured with a colorimeter was reasonably strong and was relatively unaffected by different puff volumes or different tobacco moistures. However, the correlation of filter color to machine-measured nicotine yield was affected by the moisture content of the cigarette. Filter color, as measured by a colorimeter, was generally comparable to filter extraction of either nicotine or solanesol in its correlation to machine-smoked tar yields. It was found that the color of the tar stain changes over time. Panelists could generally correctly order the filters from machine-smoked cigarettes by tar yield using the intensity of the tar stain. However, there was considerable variation in the panelist-to-panelist tar yield estimates. The wide person-to-person variation in tar yield estimates, and other factors discussed in the text could severely limit the usefulness and practicality of this approach for visually estimating the tar yield of machine-smoked cigarettes.

Do increases in cigarette prices lead to increases in sales of cigarettes with high tar and nicotine yields?

We used scanner data on cigarette prices and sales collected from supermarkets across the United States from 1994 to 2004 to test the hypothesis that cigarette prices are positively correlated with sales of cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine content. During this period the average inflation-adjusted price for menthol cigarettes increased 55.8%. Price elasticities from multivariate regression models suggest that this price increase led to an increase of 1.73% in sales-weighted average tar yields and a 1.28% increase in sales-weighted average nicotine yields for menthol cigarettes. The 50.5% price increase of nonmenthol varieties over the same period yielded an estimated increase of 1% in tar per cigarette but no statistically significant increase in nicotine yields. An ordered probit model of the impact of cigarette prices on cigarette strength (ultra-light, light, full flavor, unfiltered) offers an explanation: As cigarette prices increase, the probability that stronger cigarette types will be sold increases. This effect is larger for menthol than for nonmenthol cigarettes. Our results are consistent with earlier population-based cross-sectional and longitudinal studies showing that higher cigarette prices and taxes are associated with increasing consumption of higher-yield cigarettes by smokers.

Cessation among smokers of "light" cigarettes: results from the 2000 national health interview survey.

OBJECTIVES: A large proportion of smokers erroneously believe that low-nicotine/low-tar cigarettes, also called "light cigarettes" or "lights," reduce health risks and are a rational alternative to smoking cessation. However, the availability of light cigarettes may deter smoking cessation. METHODS: We analyzed the 32374 responses to the US 2000 National Health Interview Survey. Current and former smokers ("ever-smokers") were asked if they had ever used a lower tar and nicotine cigarette to reduce health risks. Multivariable logistic regression identified determinants of lights use and smoking cessation. Results were weighted to reflect the national population. RESULTS: Of 12285 ever-smokers, 37% (N=4414) reported having used light cigarettes to reduce health risks. Current abstinence was less often reported by ever-smokers who had previously used light cigarettes than by ever-smokers who had never used lights (37% vs 53%, P<.01). Adjusted odds of cessation among ever-smokers who had used light cigarettes relative to those who had never used lights were reduced by 54% (adjusted odds ratio=0.46, 95% confidence interval=0.41, 0.51). CONCLUSIONS: Use of light cigarettes was common and was associated with lower odds of current smoking cessation, validating the concern that smokers may use lights as an alternative to cessation.

[The assessment of toxic components from tobacco/ smoke in working students]. / Oszacowanie pobrania substancji toksycznych z dymu tytoniowego u studentów pracujacych.

The aim of presented study was to assess the basic toxic components intake by working students. The questionnaire study was curried out on 82 students (52 women and 30 men) aged 26 +/- 6 years. However, the percentage of non-smokers in the studying group was 71 (61% of women and 87% of men), the approximately 90% of both analyzing sub-populations: non-smokers and smokers, rank themselves among passive smokers with accompanying of other smokers by mean 2,3 +/- 2,0 hours per day. The estimating daily toxic components intake in active and passive smoker groups, were following respectively: nicotine--4.9 +/- 3.4 vs. 2.0 +/- 1.5; tar--60.3 +/- 42.0 vs. 24.4 +/- 18.0; carbon monoxide--62.4 +/- 43.5 vs. 25.2 +/- 18.7 mg/day. In conclusions, the non-smokers are exposed on toxic components of tobacco smoke in the half parts of these what smokers intake.

Comparative assessment of toxicities of mainstream smoke from commercial cigarettes.

Three cigarette types were compared using an experimental approach for quantifying selected toxicological effects of diluted fresh whole cigarette mainstream smoke in vitro. The test procedure involved automatic smoking of cigarettes according to the FTC/ISO standard, online monitoring of generated smoke aerosols with respect to particulate and gas-phase components, and direct exposure of a human type II-like lung cell line (A549) using exposure conditions relevant to human smoking. Test specimens were the K1R4F standard research cigarettes (9.2 mg tar/cigarette) and two commercial European light filter cigarettes (brand 1, brand 2) having the same tar content (7.0 mg/cigarette). As a representative of the toxicological effect of smoke, intracellular reduced glutathione was analyzed directly after exposure of cells. Results revealed statistically significant different quantitative effects with regard to glutathione depletion when comparing whole smoke and filtered smoke from all three cigarettes. ED50 values revealed a depletion of reduced glutathione by brand 1 cigarettes that was more than twice the depletion caused by brand 2 cigarettes on a per cigarette basis. Also, quantitatively different effects were found on a per particle and on a per CO concentration basis using whole or filtered smoke from the cigarettes. We conclude that the methods we employed provide sensitive and reproducible ways of detecting differences in the toxicological action of smoke from various types of cigarettes.

Assessment of tobacco-specific nitrosamines in the tobacco and mainstream smoke of Bidi cigarettes.

Bidi cigarettes, or bidis, are a tobacco product that originated in India and have been gaining popularity in the USA during the past few years, particularly with adolescents. As with conventional cigarettes, tobacco and smoke from bidis contain chemical constituents including carcinogenic chemicals such as the tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). To help better assess the potential public health risk associated with bidi cigarettes, we developed modern high throughput methods to accurately quantify TSNA levels in tobacco and mainstream cigarette smoke particulate. We determined the TSNA levels in the tobacco filler and mainstream smoke from 14 bidi cigarette brands. In the bidi tobacco filler, the 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) levels ranged from 0.09 to 0.85 microg/g, while N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) levels ranged from 0.15 to 1.44 microg/g. These amounts are comparable with those in typical American blended cigarettes. The levels of NNK in mainstream smoke from bidis ranged from 2.13 to 25.9 ng/cigarette, and NNN levels ranged from 8.56 to 62.3 ng/cigarette. The wide variation in the TSNA levels most probably reflects the hand-rolled nature of the bidi cigarettes, resulting in a product with less homogenous tobacco amount and a wider variation in overall cigarette construction quality. TSNA levels of bidis were comparable with those of conventional cigarettes, and bidis should not be considered a lower-risk alternative tobacco product. Our analytical findings concur with the previous biologic and biochemical evidence supporting epidemiologic studies linking bidi use with various cancers, especially oral cavity and lung cancers.

The dark side of marketing seemingly "Light" cigarettes: successful images and failed fact.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the development, intent, and consequences of US tobacco industry advertising for low machine yield cigarettes. METHODS: Analysis of trade sources and internal US tobacco company documents now available on various web sites created by corporations, litigation, or public health bodies. RESULTS: When introducing low yield products, cigarette manufacturers were concerned about maintaining products with acceptable taste/flavour and feared consumers might become weaned from smoking. Several tactics were employed by cigarette manufacturers, leading consumers to perceive filtered and low machine yield brands as safer relative to other brands. Tactics include using cosmetic (that is, ineffective) filters, loosening filters over time, using medicinal menthol, using high tech imagery, using virtuous brand names and descriptors, adding a virtuous variant to a brand's product line, and generating misleading data on tar and nicotine yields. CONCLUSIONS: Advertisements of filtered and low tar cigarettes were intended to reassure smokers concerned about the health risks of smoking, and to present the respective products as an alternative to quitting. Promotional efforts were successful in getting smokers to adopt filtered and low yield cigarette brands. Corporate documents demonstrate that cigarette manufacturers recognised the inherent deceptiveness of cigarette brands described as "Light"or "Ultra-Light" because of low machine measured yields.

Health impact of "reduced yield" cigarettes: a critical assessment of the epidemiological evidence.

Cigarettes with lower machine measured "tar" and nicotine yields have been marketed as "safer" than high tar products over the last four decades, but there is conflicting evidence about the impact of these products on the disease burden caused by smoking. This paper critically examines the epidemiological evidence relevant to the health consequences of "reduced yield" cigarettes. Some epidemiological studies have found attenuated risk of lung cancer but not other diseases, among people who smoke "reduced yield" cigarettes compared to smokers of unfiltered, high yield products. These studies probably overestimate the magnitude of any association with lung cancer by over adjusting for the number of cigarettes smoked per day (one aspect of compensatory smoking), and by not fully considering other differences between smokers of "high yield" and "low yield" cigarettes. Selected cohort studies in the USA and UK show that lung cancer risk continued to increase among older smokers from the 1950s to the 1980s, despite the widespread adoption of lower yield cigarettes. The change to filter tip products did not prevent a progressive increase in lung cancer risk among male smokers who began smoking during and after the second world war compared to the first world war era smokers. National trends in vital statistics data show declining lung cancer death rates in young adults, especially males, in many countries, but the extent to which this is attributable to "reduced yield" cigarettes remains unclear. No studies have adequately assessed whether health claims used to market "reduced yield" cigarettes delay cessation among smokers who might otherwise quit, or increase initiation among non-smokers. There is no convincing evidence that past changes in cigarette design have resulted in an important health benefit to either smokers or the whole population. Tobacco control policies should not allow changes in cigarette design to subvert or distract from interventions proven to reduce the prevalence, intensity, and duration of smoking.

A comparative study by electron paramagnetic resonance of free radical species in the mainstream and sidestream smoke of cigarettes with conventional acetate filters and 'bio-filters'.

Tobacco smoking is the most important extrinsic cause, after the diet, for increasing morbidity and mortality in humans. Unless current tobacco smoking patterns in industrialised and non-industrialised countries change, cigarettes will kill prematurely 10 million people a year by 2025. Greece is at the top of the list of European countries in cigarette consumption. In 1997, a Greek tobacco company introduced a new 'bio-filter' (BF) claiming that it reduces substantially the risks of smoking. In a recent publication [Deliconstantinos G, Villiotou V, Stavrides J. Scavenging effects of hemoglobin and related heme containing compounds on nitric oxide, reactive oxidants and carcinogenic volatile nitrosocompounds of cigarette smoke. A new method for protection against the dangerous cigarette constituents. Anticancer Res 1994; 14: 2717-2726] it was claimed that the new 'bio-filter' (activated carbon impregnated with dry hemoglobin) reduces certain toxic substances and oxidants (like NO, CO, NOx, H2O2, aldehydes, trace elements and nitroso-compounds) in the gas-phase of the mainstream smoke. We have investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) the mainstream and sidestream smoke of the BF cigarette, in comparison with three other cigarettes with similar tar and nicotine contents, that have conventional acetate filters. We found that BF cigarette smoke has similar tar radical species with the same intensity EPR signals to those of the other cigarettes. The ability of the aqueous cigarette tar extracts to produce hydroxyl radicals (HO*), which were spin trapped by DMPO, was very similar to, or even higher than, the other 3 brands. The gas-phase of the mainstream smoke of the BF cigarette showed a 30-35% reduction in the production of oxygen-centered radicals (spin trapped with PBN). In the case of the sidestream smoke, BF cigarettes produced substantially higher concentrations of gas-phase radicals, compared to the other brands. These results suggest that BF is partially effective at removing some of the gas-phase oxidants but not effective in the reduction of tar and its radical species in the mainstream and sidestream smoke. It is well known from epidemiological studies that tar content is strongly associated with increasing risk to smokers of lung cancer. In our experiments, BF cigarettes produce a higher amount of tar and stable free radical species than the other 3 brands in the sidestream smoke (between puffs), thus potentially increasing risk to the smoker and passive smoker.

Assessment of major carcinogenic tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines in Thai cigarettes.

This report presents new findings on the content of cancer-causing tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNA) in mainstream smoke of nine brands of commercially produced Thai cigarettes, representing about 85% of market share in Thailand. Also tested were two major and popular brands of U.S. cigarettes sold in Thailand, representing about 10% of market share. The cigarettes included filter and nonfilter cigarettes with high, moderate, and low tar and nicotine yields. The observed range for N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) was from 28 to 730 ng/cigarette and for 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK) from 16 to 369 ng/cigarette. The relatively highest TSNA values were obtained in filter and nonfilter cigarettes with high tar (22.3-28.1 mg/cigarette) and high nicotine (1.78-2.42 mg/cigarette) deliveries. The results demonstrated that there is a correlation between TSNA and tar and nicotine deliveries in mainstream smoke. The TSNA deliveries, along with the tar and nicotine levels in mainstream smoke depended on the tobacco composition. According to these results, the tar levels alone, while significant, are not a sufficient measure for the biological activity and the carcinogenic potential of cigarettes in Thailand. Consumption of tobacco products nearly quadrupled over the last three decades (1966-1995) in Thailand. Lung cancer is the leading malignancy for men and a common malignancy for women in Thailand. This report provides information that may prove helpful in evaluating the TSNA-carcinogens burden on smokers. Our goal is to offer the scientific basis for voluntary and/or government-regulated reduction of the smoke yields of TSNA in tobacco products in Thailand and in other countries.

Handmade cigarettes: it's the tube that counts.

Thirty-one Canadian brands of fine-cut tobaccos for roll-your-own cigarettes (RYOs) were evaluated under standard conditions using mandated tube and filter combinations. Results indicate no evidence of a significant difference in the amounts of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide produced by the 31 brands. In addition, the data emphasize that it is primarily the tube and filter combination that determines delivery of toxic constituents.

Evidence for limits on the acceptability of lowest-tar cigarettes.

The sales of the lowest yield cigarettes (1-3 mg tar) seem to have been particularly resistant to the effects of promotion and advertising, while the sales of other low-yield cigarettes (4-9 mg tar) seem to have been increased by promotional efforts. This finding is consistent with the existence of a boundary of tar and nicotine acceptability below which consumers in general are not prepared to go. Use of lower tar cigarettes may be helpful for those who cannot stop smoking, but, since 1979, the percentage of cigarettes under 16 mg tar has changed little.