Comparative assessment of HPHC yields in the Tobacco Heating System THS2.2 and commercial cigarettes

There has been a sustained effort in recent years to develop products with the potential to present less risk compared with continued smoking as an alternative for adult smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke cigarettes. During the non-clinical assessment phase of such products, the chemical composition and toxicity of their aerosols are frequently compared to the chemical composition and toxicity of the smoke from a standard research cigarette - the 3R4F reference cigarette. In the present study, it is demonstrated that results of these analytical comparisons are similar when considering commercially available cigarette products worldwide. A market mean reduction of about 90% is observed on average across a broad range of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHC) measured in the aerosol of a candidate modified risk tobacco product, the Tobacco Heating System 2.2 (THS2.2), compared against the levels of HPHC of cigarettes representative of selected markets; this mean reduction is well in line with the reduction observed against 3R4F smoke constituents in previous studies.

[Urinary and serum hydroxyproline in the diagnosis of bone metastases of prostatic cancer]

Of 31 patients with prostatic cancer, 21 have skeletal metastases proven by bone scintigraphy and/or radiology. The sensitivity and specificity of the following measurements are compared: total urinary hydroxyproline, urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio, free serum hydroxyproline, alkaline and prostatic phosphatases and serum calcium. The hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio is the most sensitive measurement for the diagnosis of bone metastasis, while total urinary hydroxyproline excretion per 24 hours is the most specific. Free serum hydroxyproline has no particular significance for this diagnosis. The alkaline and acid phosphatases are elevated but are not specific. Serum calcium decreases when skeletal metastases are present.