@article{WinklerLiPaulietal.2023, author = {Winkler, Markus H. and Li, Yonghui and Pauli, Paul and M{\"u}hlberger, Andreas}, title = {Modulation of smoking cue reactivity by social context—Implications for exposure therapy in virtual reality}, series = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality}, volume = {4}, journal = {Frontiers in Virtual Reality}, doi = {10.3389/frvir.2023.926679}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-306199}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Rationale: Social factors are considered important for the initiation and maintenance of drug abuse. Virtual reality (VR) research on cue reactivity and exposure frequently incorporates social stimuli as part of complex drug-intake scenarios. Attempts are rarely made to dissect the impact of the different components and their interactive effects. The present study critically extends this line of research by investigating the modulatory effects of social context on the reactivity evoked by proximal smoking cues. Methods: Thirty-two smokers and 33 never-smokers were presented in VR with proximal cues and neutral stimuli, embedded in a social context or a neutral context. A virtual hand model was used to translate real hand movements into VR. Each trial started with the presentation of the different stimulus-context combinations. Discrete stimuli were presented on the table in front of the participants, and contextual stimuli were presented at the end of the table. Afterward, participants were instructed to grasp the target stimulus (a cigarette vs. a pencil) in front of them. After successful contact, the stimulus appeared in the virtual hand. Modulation of cue reactivity by social context was assessed by self-report, physiological measures, and overt approach behavior. Results: The results revealed modulatory effects of social context on the responses to proximal smoking cues in smokers. In contrast to never-smokers, smoking cues evoked craving in smokers, which was attenuated in a social context. Furthermore, social context increased the latency to approach and contact the cigarette in the group of smokers but did not affect behavioral approach responses in never-smokers. Other data provided indications for interactive, but also main effects of cues and contexts. Interestingly, cue-evoked craving was increased after contact with the virtual cigarette. Conclusion: The present study critically extends previous research by providing evidence for the modulation of cue reactivity by social context. The results are particularly important given the well-established role of drug-associated environmental contexts in the stimulus control of addictive behaviors. Our results emphasize the need to address social context effects on cue reactivity in basic research and treatment and further suggest that changes in the perceived availability of smoking might enhance or inhibit cue-evoked reactivity.}, language = {en} } @article{HaringReinerLiuetal.2021, author = {Haring, Bernhard and Reiner, Alexander P. and Liu, Jungmin and Tobias, Deirdre K. and Whitsel, Eric and Berger, Jeffrey S. and Desai, Pinkal and Wassertheil-Smoller, Sylvia and LaMonte, Michael J. and Hayden, Kathleen and Bick, Alexander G. and Natarajan, Pradeep and Weinstock, Joshua S. and Nguyen, Patricia K. and Stefanick, Marcia and Simon, Michael S. and Eaton, Charles and Kooperberg, Charles and Manson, JoAnn E.}, title = {Healthy Lifestyle and Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential. Results from the Women's Health Initiative}, series = {Journal of the American Heart Association}, volume = {10}, journal = {Journal of the American Heart Association}, number = {5}, doi = {10.1161/JAHA.120.018789}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236146}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Background Presence of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is associated with a higher risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality. The relationship between a healthy lifestyle and CHIP is unknown. Methods and Results This analysis included 8709 postmenopausal women (mean age, 66.5 years) enrolled in the WHI (Women's Health Initiative), free of cancer or cardiovascular disease, with deep-coverage whole genome sequencing data available. Information on lifestyle factors (body mass index, smoking, physical activity, and diet quality) was obtained, and a healthy lifestyle score was created on the basis of healthy criteria met (0 point [least healthy] to 4 points [most healthy]). CHIP was derived on the basis of a prespecified list of leukemogenic driver mutations. The prevalence of CHIP was 8.6\%. A higher healthy lifestyle score was not associated with CHIP (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio [OR] [95\% CI], 0.99 [0.80-1.23] and 1.13 [0.93-1.37]) for the upper (3 or 4 points) and middle category (2 points), respectively, versus referent (0 or 1 point). Across score components, a normal and overweight body mass index compared with obese was significantly associated with a lower odds for CHIP (OR, 0.71 [95\% CI, 0.57-0.88] and 0.83 [95\% CI, 0.68-1.01], respectively; P-trend 0.0015). Having never smoked compared with being a current smoker tended to be associated with lower odds for CHIP. Conclusions A healthy lifestyle, based on a composite score, was not related to CHIP among postmenopausal women. However, across individual lifestyle factors, having a normal body mass index was strongly associated with a lower prevalence of CHIP. These findings support the idea that certain healthy lifestyle factors are associated with a lower frequency of CHIP.}, language = {en} } @article{WengKoestlerBleyetal.2021, author = {Weng, Andreas M. and K{\"o}stler, Herbert and Bley, Thorsten A. and Ritter, Christian O.}, title = {Effect of short-term smoking \& L-arginine on coronary endothelial function assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance cold pressor testing: a pilot study}, series = {BMC Cardiovascular Disorders}, volume = {21}, journal = {BMC Cardiovascular Disorders}, doi = {10.1186/s12872-021-02050-1}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-260559}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Background The effect of smoking on coronary vasomotion has been investigated in the past with various imaging techniques in both short- and long-term smokers. Additionally, coronary vasomotion has been shown to be normalized in long-term smokers by L-Arginine acting as a substrate for NO synthase, revealing the coronary endothelium as the major site of abnormal vasomotor response. Aim of the prospective cohort study was to investigate coronary vasomotion of young healthy short-term smokers via magnetic resonance cold pressor test with and without the administration of L-Arginine and compare obtained results with the ones from nonsmokers. Methods Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was quantified with first-pass perfusion MRI on a 1.5 T scanner in healthy short-term smokers (N = 10, age: 25.0 ± 2.8 years, 5.0 ± 2.9 pack years) and nonsmokers (N = 10, age: 34.3 ± 13.6) both at rest and during cold pressor test (CPT). Smokers underwent an additional examination after administration of L-Arginine within a median of 7 days of the na{\"i}ve examination. Results MBF at rest turned out to be 0.77 ± 0.30 (smokers with no L-Arginine; mean ± standard deviation), 0.66 ± 0.21 (smokers L-Arginine) and 0.84 ± 0.08 (nonsmokers). Values under CPT were 1.21 ± 0.42 (smokers no L-Arginine), 1.09 ± 0.35 (smokers L-Arginine) and 1.63 ± 0.33 (nonsmokers). In all groups, MBF was significantly increased under CPT compared to the corresponding rest examination (p < 0.05 in all cases). Additionally, MBF under CPT was significantly different between the smokers and the nonsmokers (p = 0.002). MBF at rest was significantly different between the smokers when L-Arginine was given and the nonsmokers (p = 0.035). Conclusion Short-term smokers showed a reduced response to cold both with and without the administration of L-Arginine. However, absolute MBF values under CPT were lower compared to nonsmokers independently of L-Arginine administration.}, language = {en} } @article{WuWinklerWieseretal.2015, author = {Wu, Lingdan and Winkler, Markus H. and Wieser, Matthias J. and Andreatta, Marta and Li, Yonghui and Pauli, Paul}, title = {Emotion regulation in heavy smokers: experiential, expressive and physiological consequences of cognitive reappraisal}, series = {Frontiers in Psychology}, volume = {6}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology}, number = {1555}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01555}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-145225}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Emotion regulation dysfunctions are assumed to contribute to the development of tobacco addiction and relapses among smokers attempting to quit. To further examine this hypothesis, the present study compared heavy smokers with non-smokers (NS) in a reappraisal task. Specifically, we investigated whether non-deprived smokers (NDS) and deprived smokers (DS) differ from non-smokers in cognitive emotion regulation and whether there is an association between the outcome of emotion regulation and the cigarette craving. Sixty-five participants (23 non-smokers, 22 NDS, and 20 DS) were instructed to down-regulate emotions by reappraising negative or positive pictorial scenarios. Self-ratings of valence, arousal, and cigarette craving as well as facial electromyography and electroencephalograph activities were measured. Ratings, facial electromyography, and electroencephalograph data indicated that both NDS and DS performed comparably to nonsmokers in regulating emotional responses via reappraisal, irrespective of the valence of pictorial stimuli. Interestingly, changes in cigarette craving were positively associated with regulation of emotional arousal irrespective of emotional valence. These results suggest that heavy smokers are capable to regulate emotion via deliberate reappraisal and smokers' cigarette craving is associated with emotional arousal rather than emotional valence. This study provides preliminary support for the therapeutic use of reappraisal to replace maladaptive emotion-regulation strategies in nicotine addicts.}, language = {en} } @article{BenoitGoebeler2015, author = {Benoit, Sandrine and Goebeler, Matthias}, title = {Mepacrine in recalcitrant cutaneous lupus erythematosus: old-fashioned or still useful?}, series = {Acta Dermato-Venereologica}, volume = {95}, journal = {Acta Dermato-Venereologica}, doi = {10.2340/00015555-2031}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-149181}, pages = {596-599}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Treatment of recalcitrant cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is challenging. In situations where conventional treatment approaches fail mepacrine - an antimalarial/antiinfiammatory drug that has fallen into oblivion in the last decades might still be a promising option. We retrospectively analysed medical records of 10 patients with refractory CLE that were treated with mepacrine (100-200 mg/day) as mono- or combination therapy for various time intervals between 2001 and 2013 at the University Hospital Wurzburg. Mepacrine was generally well tolerated. Side effects were mild and usually resolved after reduction or cessation. Over 50\% of the patients experienced amelioration of their symptoms despite a previously recalcitrant clinical course. Altogether, our data demonstrate that mepacrine still remains a useful and effective therapeutic option for otherwise treatment-resistant CLE.}, language = {en} } @article{GreiserGreiserAhrensetal.2012, author = {Greiser, Eberhard M. and Greiser, Karin Halina and Ahrens, Wolfgang and Hagen, Rudolf and Lazszig, Roland and Maier, Heinz and Schick, Bernhard and Zenner, Hans Peter}, title = {Risk factors for nasal malignancies in German men: the South-German Nasal cancer study}, series = {BMC Cancer}, volume = {12}, journal = {BMC Cancer}, number = {506}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2407-12-506}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133365}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Background: There are few studies of the effects of nasal snuff and environmental factors on the risk of nasal cancer. This study aimed to investigate the impact of using nasal snuff and of other risk factors on the risk of nasal cancer in German men. Methods: A population-based case-control study was conducted in the German Federal States of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg. Tumor registries and ear, nose and throat departments provided access to patients born in 1926 or later. Results: Telephone interviews were conducted with 427 cases (mean age 62.1 years) and 2.401 population-based controls (mean age 60.8 years). Ever-use of nasal snuff was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for nasal cancer of 1.45 (95\% confidence interval [CI] 0.88-2.38) in the total study population, whereas OR in smokers was 2.01 (95\% CI 1.00-4.02) and in never smokers was 1.10 (95\% CI 0.43-2.80). The OR in ever-smokers vs. never-smokers was 1.60 (95\% CI 1.24-2.07), with an OR of 1.06 (95\% CI 1.05-1.07) per pack-year smoked, and the risk was significantly decreased after quitting smoking. Exposure to hardwood dust for at least 1 year resulted in an OR of 2.33 (95\% CI 1.40-3.91) in the total population, which was further increased in never-smokers (OR 4.89, 95\% CI 1.92-12.49) in analyses stratified by smoking status. The OR for nasal cancer after exposure to organic solvents for at least 1 year was 1.53 (1.17-2.01). Ever-use of nasal sprays/nasal lavage for at least 1 month rendered an OR of 1.59 (1.04-2.44). The OR after use of insecticides in homes was 1.48 (95\% CI 1.04-2.11). Conclusions: Smoking and exposure to hardwood dust were confirmed as risk factors for nasal carcinoma. There is evidence that exposure to organic solvents, and in-house use of insecticides could represent novel risk factors. Exposure to asbestos and use of nasal snuff were risk factors in smokers only.}, language = {en} }