UC3M coordinates a European scientific project to advance 6G multi-antenna technologies

UNIVERSIDAD CARLOS III DE MADRID

The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) is coordinating MiFuture, a research network funded by the European Union (EU) involving some of the leading companies in the telecommunications field (such as Ericsson, Nokia and Vodafone), along with several leading universities in mobile communications research, with the aim of making progress in the field of multi-antenna technologies that will be used in 6G communications. The scientific challenge is to achieve networks with lower latency and higher data transmission speeds, which will enable innovative applications such as telesurgery, holographic virtual meetings or the use of digital twins, for example. To do so, fifteen contracts and an ambitious training programme will be funded for the candidates to complete the doctoral studies and to generate highly qualified researchers in this field with innovative skills.

The MiFuture project is investigating how to evolve MIMO (multiple input multiple output - multiple transmit and receive antenna systems) technology, a technique that has provided unprecedented spectral efficiency in today's 5G communications. Now, the challenge is to develop ultra-massive MIMO (UmMIMO) that will become a key ingredient for the launch of the next generation of mobile communications (6G), over a time horizon spanning the next ten years. “MiFuture will pave the way towards the implementation of heterogeneous cell-free networks with an ultra-massive number of antennas to meet the performance, energy efficiency, positioning accuracy and complexity requirements demanded by the evolution of mobile communications towards 6G”, explains project coordinator Ana García Armada, a professor in UC3M's Signal Theory and Communications Department.

Progress within the framework of this project involves the development of huge antenna surfaces that will greatly improve the current resources in this field. “We want to address what we consider to be the most important challenges in mobile communications for our society in the next ten years. Specifically, communications with very low latency (the delay that occurs due to the lag between the transmission and reception of information packets, due to propagation and processing, among other things), with very high data rates and with reduced energy costs”, says Ana García Armada. “To address these challenges, it is necessary to work on a series of innovative architecture and technologies, such as Open RAN (a non-proprietary version of the Radio Access Network (RAN), which allows interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers) or to have native AI throughout the network design”, she adds. 

Possible applications

The project's research team is going to work on several practical scenarios to test what could be achieved with these advances, such as the possibility of having digital twins and full interaction between the real and virtual world, making augmented and virtual reality video calls or holographic images of those present, or even being able to carry out remote tele-surgeries. “We could have an expert in Madrid operating on a person who is in a remote village in the province of Ávila, more than a hundred kilometres away”, says Ana García Armada. 

The project has already started the recruitment process for 15 new PhD students to develop their doctoral thesis, which will be open until this June through this website. “The first part of the thesis will be developed in one of the universities that are part of the consortium, where the most academic and educational aspects will be discussed. And the other half of the thesis will be carried out in one of the participating companies in the telecommunications sector, in order to have a practical vision and bring what has been learned to the market”, explains the MiFuture project manager, Eduardo Alonso Frech, from UC3M's Signal Theory and Communications Department. Ultimately, it is about bringing together universities and industry to achieve a research approach, but also a focus on innovation and knowledge transfer.

MiFuture (ultra-massive MIMO for future cell-free heterogeneous networks) is a project that has received funding from the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme, Horizon Europe, under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks call (GA 101119643). UC3M is coordinating this consortium, which involves research staff from seven countries from the following research centres and companies: the Instituto de Telecommunicaçoes (Portugal), the University of Tampere (Finland), the University of Lund (Sweden), the University Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain), Ericsson Research (in Finland and Sweden), Vodafone (Spain), Nokia (Poland), Nokia Bell Labs (Finland), Altys Technology (France) and Keysight Technologies Belgium. In addition, associate partners include Keysight Technologies UK, the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), the NOVA University of Lisbon (Portugal), the University of Aveiro (Portugal) and the University of Coimbra (Portugal). 

More information: 

MiFuture project website
https://mifuture.tsc.uc3m.es/index.html 

Video:
https://youtu.be/pbU5UiYVsIE

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METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

 

New research disputes alleged benefits of a vegan diet for dogs

Associations between feeding dogs a vegan diet and owner perceptions of their health are likely to be minimal, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool.

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL

Associations between feeding dogs a vegan diet and owner perceptions of their health are likely to be minimal, according to a new study by the University of Liverpool.

Scientists at the University reinvestigated data that had been used to claim that a nutritionally-sound vegan diet is “the heathiest and least hazardous dietary choice for dogs”[1]. The findings from this new analysis do not support those earlier claims, with associations between owner perceptions of dog health and feeding a vegan diet instead being minimal.

The previous research, published in April 2022, utilised an online survey of dog owners to gather information about them, their dogs and the type of food they fed to them[2]. Owners were also asked to recall details of their dogs’ veterinary care (e.g. number of veterinary visits, use of medication etc) and to give an overall opinion about their dogs’ health. The results of this original study implied that dogs fed either a raw meat or vegan diet appeared to fare better than those fed a conventional diet.

However, new analysis by researchers at the University of Liverpool offers further insights. Alex German, Professor of Small Animal Medicine, said: “On first reading this paper in 2022, it was evident that the study exclusively relied upon owner survey data and had an observational design, meaning that the associations between diet type and dog health could only suggest a possible correlation and not causality. In other words, it was not accurate to conclude that ‘Nutritionally-sound vegan diets are the healthiest and least hazardous choices for owners to feed their pet dogs’1. Further, the statistical analyses used did not explore the effect of possible confounding from other variables, such as the age and breed of the dogs and owner variables including age, gender, education and diet.”

University of Liverpool researchers conducted further statistical analyses on the original study dataset, utilising different modelling techniques to investigate one outcome variable from the original study, owner opinions of dog health. They tested the effects of owner and dog diet, as well as other owner and dog variables, while some models also included veterinary care variables. Owner opinions of dog health were most strongly associated with the age of the dog, with other variables (such as owner age, owner education, and breed size) also featuring. Model fit was improved when veterinary care variables were included. However, in all best-fit models (with or without the veterinary care variables), the association between owner opinions of health and feeding vegan dog food was minimal.

Commenting on these findings, Richard Barrett-Jolley, Professor of Neuropharmacology, said: “We know how seriously owners take their pet’s health. By revisiting and further interrogating these data, we have been able to draw more nuanced insights.

“Crucially, we cannot draw a firm conclusion as to what diet type is actually best for dogs; this was never possible given the nature of the original dataset and study design. However, we can conclude that variables other than dog diet are more strongly associated with owner opinions about the health of their dog.”

The new study, published in PLOS ONE, underwent a rigorous peer review process and, as per journal policy, the senior author of the original paper acted as a reviewer. Details of the review process as well as statistical analyses and the statistical code used are published alongside the paper.

The paper, ‘Variables associated with owner perceptions of the health of their dog: further analysis of data from a large international survey’ is published in PLOS ONE (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280173)

[1] University of Winchester, VEGAN DIETS MAY BE THE HEALTHIEST TO FEED PET DOGS, SAY RESEARCHERS [online], 13 April 2022 https://www.winchester.ac.uk/news-and-events/press-centre/media-articles/vegan-diets-may-be-the-healthiest-to-feed-pet-dogs-say-researchers.php

[2] PLOS ONE, Vegan versus meat-based dog food: Guardian-reported indicators of health [online], 13 April 2022 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0265662

 

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JOURNAL

PLoS ONE

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Variables associated with owner perceptions of the health of their dog: Further analysis of data from a large international survey

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

15-May-2024

 

Alternative materials to plastics for packaging are not always more sustainable

POLITECNICO DI MILANO

 

IMAGE: 

IMAHE

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CREDIT: POLIMI

Milan, 16 May 2024 –. The increasing sense of environmental responsibility of both consumers and companies has triggered a transition towards alternative materials which are perceived as more sustainable than plastics. A new study conducted by the AWARE (Assessment on WAste and REsources) research group of Politecnico di Milano, recently published in the renowned journal’Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy', examines the real sustainability of these materials. The research analysed 53 peer-reviewed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies published in 2019-2023. The aim was to gain in-depth understanding of the environmental impacts of packaging, focusing on the comparison between plastics and alternative materials.

In the contemporary business landscape, plastic packaging continues to play a crucial role in several sectors, especially in the food industry, where it accounts for more than half of total sales.

Contrary to common perceptions, the study revealed that conventional plastics are not always the least environmentally friendly choice. Bioplastics, in particular, emerge as a viable alternative in terms of climate change and depletion of fossil resources. However, other environmental impact categories show some disadvantages, indicating that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Furthermore, the use of glass, although it may seem more sustainable, entails challenges related to its weight, which affects glass performance not only in the production but also in the transport phase. Although the reuse of glass is an environmental improvement, it must be done under specific conditions to make reused glass more advantageous than conventional plastics.

For metals, such as aluminium, the comparison with plastics is more balanced, especially in the beverage sector. However, even here there are opportunities for improvement, such as focusing on reuse and limiting the transport distances and environmental loads associated with the reprocessing and washing of packaging.

The analysis of the LCA studies also identified areas for improvement for all materials examined. Glass and metals may benefit from increased reuse, while bioplastics require optimisation in production processes and end-of-life management.

It is important to emphasise that a comprehensive assessment of the sustainability of packaging also requires an analysis of social and economic impacts. Only by considering the entire life cycle can we fully understand the implications of each packaging choice.

"Two fundamental aspects emerge from the more than 50 studies analysed. - Giovanni Dolci, AWARE group researcher, explains - First of all, the choice between plastics and alternative materials is highly dependent on the specific application as well as the intrinsic characteristics of the material. At the same time, many studies show methodological criticalities that may influence the results of the comparison, such as analysing only climate change effects without assessing other potential impacts or analysing unrealistic end-of-life packaging management scenarios".

"Plastics proves to be a material with excellent environmental performance, provided it is used correctly; this is due to its light weight, which allows for minimal use of material per package unit and optimising of production processes compared to younger materials such as bioplastics. However, we should not forget the two main criticalities, that is, production from fossil resources and, above all, the high propensity to dispersion of plastics in the environment, where it takes a very long time to degrade; the latter aspect is generally not included in assessments such as those analysed in the research”,  Mario Grosso, professor of Waste Management,  points out.

In conclusion, while scientific research offers valuable information on which materials may be more sustainable, it is crucial to carefully consider all aspects involved in the choice of packaging, from production to reuse and recycling, for a more sustainable future for us all.

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JOURNAL

Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy

DOI

10.1177/0734242X241241606 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

How does plastic compare with alternative materials in the packaging sector? A systematic review of LCA studies

Why the bad rep? A spunky group of raptors deserves a public relations makeover

RAPTOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION

 

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AN ADULT RED-THROATED CARACARA (IBYCTER AMERICANUS) VOCALIZING AND PERCHING ON A BRANCH OF A TREE IN THE UPALA'S (ALAJUELA PROVINCE) RAIN FOREST OF COSTA RICA. 

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CREDIT: PABLO CAMACHO

Caracaras are an inquisitive, gregarious, highly intelligent group of predatory birds in the falcon family, whose quirks go largely unnoticed by the public. Caracara researchers, however, say it’s time for that to change. In a caracara-focused issue of the Journal of Raptor Research, long-time caracara researcher Joan Morrison and co-author Miguel D. Saggese, from Western University of Health Sciences, present salient reasons for expanding research efforts on the nine species of living caracaras. In their paper “Assessing Knowledge of the Caracaras: Compiling Information, Identifying Knowledge Gaps, and Recommendations for Future Research,” they present findings from a literature review that revealed alarmingly large knowledge gaps in the field of caracara research. Several species have hardly been studied at all. While caracaras are generally listed as species of Least Concern, this may be inaccurate given the lack of completed research on their population trends and basic life histories. Caracara researchers are calling all colleagues to rectify these gaps at a time when new technology is increasing research possibilities, and several caracara species are expanding their ranges into more urban centers.   

 

Caracaras live exclusively in the Americas. Of the nine living species, only the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) reaches the United States. The rest range throughout parts of Central and South America, where they fill the niche usually held by crows and ravens in North America. Caracaras are scrappy, plotting, and adaptable. They are scavengers, and therefore suffer from an arguably undeserved negative reputation, which results in human persecution and likely limits them from appearing in conservation discourse.

 

To establish an understanding of caracara research to date, Morrison and Saggese conducted a thorough literature review on all the research published on caracaras between 1900 and 2022. They categorized their findings by research topic and species, offering a revised picture of what we know (and don’t know), about these birds. The species most studied were those with broad ranges and significant overlap with humans, such as the Crested and Chimango (Milvago chimango) Caracaras. In fact, 82% of the sources identified focused on the Crested Caracara. The least studied species were the forest-dwelling Black Caracara (Daptrius ater) and Red-throated Caracara (Ibycter americanus). Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the U.S. have conducted most of the studies on caracaras thus far. Overall, foundational gaps still exist on basic life history information for many species, even though the tools exist to conduct such projects. It is the interest and funding that are lacking.

 

These findings are important because caracaras face a disproportionately high number of threats compared with other birds due to their life history, ecology, and reputation. Dangers include entanglement, poisoning, leg-hold traps, and unfortunately, direct human persecution. As top predators and scavengers, caracaras are agents of prey regulation and biomass removal, which are important ecosystem services. Recent population crashes of Old World vultures made it undeniably clear that without vultures, rotting flesh and disease remain on the landscape for longer periods of time, which impacts both human and ecosystem health. Little was known about vultures at the time of these crashes. Few were interested in them. Sound familiar?  

 

The Old World vulture crashes demonstrate the importance of scavengers, and the unpredictable danger of knowledge gaps. Morrison and Saggese encourage collaboration between vulture and caracara biologists to bolster collective knowledge and prevent similar consequences from occurring in the Americas. Morrison says, “if we have a similar message, that these birds are interesting, we can work towards eliminating the persecution and negative reputation,” and she says now is the time for increased research efforts. “There are new advances in technology making research on rare and remote species more possible. There has simply not been enough attention given to this group and we argue there should be.”

 

Saggese points out that ignorance has already led to the disappearance of one caracara species, and as such, “we need to start looking at them as a group.” The Guadalupe Caracara (Caracara lutosa), endemic to Guadalupe Island, was intentionally eradicated by goat herders in the 1890s. Limited understanding and misperceptions often result in such undeserved hostility towards scavengers, something that more research can help prevent. Human-caracara conflicts (both real and perceived) are likely to increase given their expansion into areas inhabited by humans, so understanding the causal effects of these interactions is a timely priority.

 

Moving forward, Morrison and Saggese recommend additional research on basic natural history, foraging ecology, and evolutionary biology — specifically on the evolution of cognition in caracaras given their puzzle-solving abilities and use of play to investigate novel objects. Caracaras are ideal research subjects: brazen, social, easily intrigued, and big enough to fit with GPS transmitters. For up-and-coming conservation biologists, caracaras offer an untapped realm of research innovation, and an opportunity to aid in conserving a fascinating group of birds. As Saggese reminds us, “we cannot conserve what we don’t know.”  

 

For more information on how to get involved with the Caracara Working Group, contact either author.

A juvenile Chimango Caracara (Milvago chimango) perching on a roof top in Mar del Plata city, Buenos Aires province, Argentina.

CREDIT

Franco Bogel

An adult Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) eating road kill (A European Hare hit by a car) along a highway near Calafate, Santa Cruz province, Argentina. 

  

 Nestling Crested Caracaras (Caracara plancus) in southern Patagonia, Santa Cruz province, Argentina. There this species nest in native shrubs, exotic trees and human-made structures. 

CREDIT

Miguel D. Saggese

Paper

Joan L. Morrison and Miguel D. Saggese "Assessing Knowledge of the Caracaras: Compiling Information, Identifying Knowledge Gaps, and Recommendations for Future Research," Journal of Raptor Research 58(2), 141-152, (6 May 2024). https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-23-39 

 

Notes to Editor:

1. The Journal of Raptor Research (JRR) is an international scientific journal dedicated entirely

to the dissemination of information about birds of prey. Established in 1967, JRR has

published peer-reviewed research on raptor ecology, behavior, life history, conservation,

and techniques. JRR is available quarterly to members in electronic and paper format.

 

2. The Raptor Research Foundation (RRF) is the world’s largest professional society for raptor

researchers and conservationists. Founded in 1966 as a non-profit organization, our primary

goal is the accumulation and dissemination of scientific information about raptors. The

Foundation organizes annual scientific conferences and provides competitive grants & awards

for student researchers & conservationists. The Foundation also provides support &

networking opportunities for students & early career raptor researchers.

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DOI

10.3356/JRR-23-39 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for VULTURE 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for VULTURES 

Link between e-cigarette use and early age of asthma onset in US adults found through UTHealth Houston research

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON

 

IMAGE: 

ADRIANA PÉREZ, PHD, MS, PROFESSOR OF BIOSTATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE AT UTHEALTH HOUSTON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, FOUND A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE USE OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES AND EARLIER AGE OF ASTHMA ONSET.

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CREDIT: UTHEALTH HOUSTON

A significant link between the use of electronic cigarettes and earlier age of asthma onset in U.S. adults was reported by UTHealth Houston researchers May 17, 2024 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open.

Led by first author Adriana Pérez, PhD, MS, professor of biostatistics and data science at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, the research found that adults who were asthma-free at the beginning of the study and reported e-cigarette use in the past 30 days increased their risk of developing earlier age of asthma onset by 252%.

“While previous studies have reported that e-cigarette use increases the risk of asthma, our study was the first to examine the age of asthma onset,” said Pérez, who is also with the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at the School of Public Health. “Measuring the potential risk of earlier age of asthma onset as it relates to past 30-day e-cigarette use may help people from starting use or motivate them to stop.” 

The study team analyzed secondary data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, a national longitudinal study of tobacco use and how it affects the health of adults and youths in the U.S.

“The findings of the study underscore the need for further research, particularly regarding the impact of e-cigarette use on youth and its association with early age of asthma onset and other respiratory conditions,” Pérez said. “It also highlights the importance of modifying screening guidelines to incorporate recent use of e-cigarettes, which could lead to earlier detection and treatment of asthma, reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with the disease.”

Pérez said the study highlights the need to address the health burden of asthma, which results in $300 billion in annual losses due to missed school or workdays, mortality, and medical costs according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco regulations, prevention, intervention campaigns, and cessation programs are needed to prevent early age of asthma onset due to e-cigarette use, the authors wrote.

Melissa B. Harrell, PhD, MPH, professor of epidemiology at the school, was senior author. Co-authors from UTHealth Houston included Pushan P. Jani, MD, MSc, associate professor of pulmonology in the Department of Internal Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, and Sarah Valencia, MS, statistician at the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living.

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JOURNAL

JAMA Network Open

DOI

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10740 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Age of Asthma Onset Among US Adults and Youths

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-May-2024

COI STATEMENT

Dr Harrell reported receiving personal fees from the state of Minnesota for serving as an expert witness in litigation that the state of Minnesota brought against JUUL and Altria outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

 

First US trial of varenicline for e-cigarette cessation shows positive results

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

 

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DRS. BENJAMIN TOLL, LISA FUCITO AND COLLEAGUES DEVELOPED A STUDY TO MIMIC REAL-WORLD CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE TRYING TO STOP USING E-CIGARETTES BY USING VARENICLINE. 

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CREDIT: LISA FUCITO

The first U.S. trial of varenicline for e-cigarette cessation shows promising results and warrants larger-scale trials, the researchers say.  

Researchers from Yale Cancer Center and MUSC Hollings Cancer Center published the results of their clinical trial of varenicline to help adults to stop using e-cigarettes in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine on May 16.  

The results showed a significant disparity between the placebo group and the group receiving the medication. “We had a 15% difference in quit rates, with those in the medication group having a quit rate of 45%,” said Lisa Fucito, Ph.D., lead author and director of the Tobacco Treatment Service at the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. 

Benjamin Toll, Ph.D., director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at MUSC Health and senior author on the study, said that the researchers designed the trial to mimic real-world conditions as much as possible – from the people who enrolled in the trial to the type of support they would likely receive from primary care providers.  

The publication of their results closely follows publication of a trial of cytisinicline for e-cigarette cessation. The two drugs work similarly. However, varenicline is already on the market in the U.S. in generic versions while cytisinicline has not yet received FDA approval and is not currently available for use by patients.  

Varenicline, perhaps better known by the brand name Chantix, is FDA-approved to help adults to stop smoking traditional cigarettes. But, despite the growing numbers of people who use e-cigarettes, there are no approved medication options to help them to stop using e-cigarettes.  

“People can get to very high levels of nicotine exposure with these e-cigarette products, and they can use them near constantly throughout the day. So, the question we all have is, ‘Can any pharmacotherapy stand up to this challenge?’” Fucito said.  

It’s a question of logistics. People who smoke cigarettes have to get a cigarette from the pack and light it. It’s easy to track use. There are also natural stopping points – when the cigarette is finished, it must be snuffed out, and when the pack is used up, it must be thrown away and a new one purchased and opened before the person can smoke again. E-cigarettes, however, can last for 5,000 or more puffs, making them harder to track intake but easier to use. Toll said he has patients who describe keeping their e-cigarettes under their pillows so they can vape right before going to sleep and then again immediately upon waking in the morning.  

Previous studies have shown that a majority of people using e-cigarettes want to quit. But it’s been unclear whether products used to stop smoking traditional combustible cigarettes would also work for e-cigarettes.  

“We need more pharmacotherapy treatments to help address the really strong physical dependence that can develop from e-cigarette use. People undergo significant withdrawal when they try to stop, and that withdrawal is so unpleasant and hard to manage with just behavioral support alone,” Fucito said.  

A recent Italian study married pharmacotherapy with intense weekly behavioral counseling sessions, and the trial of cytisinicline also included weekly 10-minute sessions with trained counselors 

In this study, however, the researchers wanted to see how well the pharmacotherapy could work given typical health care conditions – meaning, the patient would likely get a brief discussion with a primary care provider along with a prescription and information about resources for quitting but no follow-up counseling sessions.  

To recreate this, they developed a self-guided cessation booklet for patients, with practical tools and tips for quitting. A licensed health care provider also met with each patient to inform them of how to use the medication, offer brief advice and instruct them to set a quit date for one to two weeks after starting the medication.  

“We took a much lighter touch to reflect the behavioral support that you’d likely experience if you went to your doctor and asked for help with quitting e-cigarettes,” Fucito said.  

The study also included some patients with histories of depression. This was significant because Chantix, at one point, had a “black box warning” after reports linking the drug to psychiatric side effects. That warning was dropped in 2016 after a very large study showed the drug to be safe, but Toll and Fucito said the stigma of the warning remains in the minds of both health care providers and the general public.  

“There’s still some hesitancy to prescribe this very safe – now generic – drug, and it really shouldn't be that way,” Toll said.  

None of the participants in this study experienced serious side effects, although a larger study would be needed to verify this finding. Most of the side effects were along the lines of nausea, insomnia or vivid dreams.  

Another piece of good news – those who stopped vaping didn’t boomerang back to cigarettes.   

“If you have a former smoking history, one of the worries in the field is that you’re going to go back to smoking when you quit vaping,” Toll said. “And we did not find that.” 

On the other hand, one potential challenge that the researchers uncovered in the results indicated that people without a cigarette smoking history – in other words, those who have only ever used e-cigarettes – might have a harder time quitting. That could be because that group is more likely to use e-cigarettes continuously throughout the day, therefore getting more nicotine into their systems.  

Larger trials are needed to delve into these questions. But this trial, at least, should give health care providers some confidence in prescribing varenicline for patients trying to stop using e-cigarettes.  

“We want people to come back to this medication,” Fucito explained. “There are people who need help now and are likely to struggle to quit e-cigarettes on their own because the technology facilitates nicotine use on a level that we’ve never seen before.” 

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. 

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About the Yale Department of Psychiatry 

The Yale Department of Psychiatry is a world leader in patient care, research, and education. The department prides itself on its diverse and talented faculty, including a cadre of compassionate clinicians, interdisciplinary teams of talented investigators, and numerous committed and dedicated teachers, as well as a network of able alumni that remain vital to its missions. The department not only provides the highest quality of patient care, but also leads the nation in discoveries that are transforming our understanding and treatment of mental illness and addiction. 

About  MUSC Hollings Cancer Center 

MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is South Carolina’s only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center with the largest academic-based cancer research program in the state. The cancer center comprises more than 140 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $50 million and sponsors more than 200 clinical trials across the state. Dedicated to preventing and reducing the cancer burden statewide, the Hollings Office of Community Outreach and Engagement works with community organizations to bring cancer education and prevention information to affected populations. Hollings offers state-of-the-art cancer screening, diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within its multidisciplinary clinics. Hollings specialists include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other clinical providers equipped to provide the full range of cancer care. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu. 

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Preventive Medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.amepre.2024.04.007 

ARTICLE TITLE

Varenicline for E-Cigarette Cessation in Adults: A Preliminary Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

16-May-2024

COI STATEMENT

Unrelated to this study, authors report the following financial disclosures. Dr. Fucito has received funding from Imbrium Therapeutics, LLC for serving on an advisory board. Dr. Toll has testified on behalf of plaintiffs who have filed litigation against the tobacco industry. Dr. Gray has provided consultation to Indivior and Jazz Pharmaceuticals and has received research support from Aelis Farma. Dr. O'Malley has been a member of the Alcohol Clinical Trials Initiative (ACTIVE) Workgroup, which has been supported by Alkermes, Dicerna, Beam Diagnostics, Ethypharm, Lundbeck, Mitsubishi, and Otsuka. She has been a consultant to Dicerna, received medication supplies from Novartis/Stalicla, and is an inventor on a patent application with Yale and Novartis. Dr. Krishnan-Sarin has received free medication supplies from Novartis/Stalicla for investigations on alcohol drinking behaviors. SRB, NLB, AMP, and MJC have no financial disclosures to report.