Tobacco – Smoke separator or treater – Plural diverse elements
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-28
2003-09-09
Griffin, Steven P. (Department: 1731)
Tobacco
Smoke separator or treater
Plural diverse elements
C131S344000, C131S345000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615843
ABSTRACT:
This application claims the benefit of and priority to European Patent Application No. EP 01125053.7, filed Oct. 22, 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the technical sector of smoking articles and in particular of tobacco smoke filter and relative compositions to insert in cigarettes, cigars and pipes.
BACKGROUND ART
Accumulated evidence by competent medical authorities indicates that the death rate from disease of the coronary arteries and the death from cancer are much higher among persons with a history of regular cigarette smoking than among persons who did not smoke. Smoke free radicals and contaminants are believed to be the primary agents in cigarette smoke hastening death to coronary artery disease. Attempts have been made to reduce the amount of smoke contaminants and other ingredients in tobacco smoke absorbed by the smoker by causing the smoke to pass through filters, which are either embodied in a filter type cigarette or in a holder for the cigarette, cigars or pipe tobacco. Such filters remove a certain proportion of smoke contaminants and tars from the smoke, but the amount remaining and passing into the smoker's system is still far greater than a safe value and is capable of causing objective damage to the lung and heart lining and other parts of the body.
Cigarette smoking is one of the greatest public health problems in the world. Its adverse effect range from mild physical complaints (bad breath, stained fingers and teeth) to a documented decrease in life span. Smoking is known to be a contributing and perhaps the major factor in various forms of health and blood vessel disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Nearly 4000 constituents of tobacco smoke have been identified: many are irritants, toxic gases or carcinogens. These particles are inhaled into the lungs, where they irritate the respiratory passages and increase the production of bronchial mucus, possibly initiating cancer.
It is estimated that in the world ⅓ of all cancer deaths in men are related to smoking. Smoking and smokeless tobacco combine to kill more adults worldwide than any other preventable cause of death, including war, famine and terrorist attacks according to the World Watch Institute. Lung cancer cause more deaths each year than any other type of cancer. The first reports linking lung cancer to cigarette smoking were published over 40 years ago, so there is no way to claim ignorance.
Lung cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to be treated. It is difficult to detect in its early stage, so that it often has a death grip treatment is begun. Only 13 percent of lung-cancer patients live five years or more after diagnosis. Some 85 percent of lung cancer in men is due to smoking; 75 percent of lung cancer in women is due to smoking.
Smoking increases the risk not only of lung cancer but also of cancers of the lip, mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas and kidney. It may be associated with cancer of the stomach and cervix, although not indirect contact with tobacco smoke are affected by the substance that the body adsorbs or metabolizes from tobacco components. The pollutants flow through the blood stream to pancreas, bladder and kidney. Unfortunately most smokers do not usually stop smoking until the onset of ill health.
Free radicals are mentioned often in their role causing cancer, heart disease and aging. Let have a detailed look at free radicals to better understand how they cause such extensive and seemingly unrelated damage.
As we know a free radical is an incomplete molecule. It is a fragment of a molecule that is highly reactive, because its electron arrangement is out of balance. Atoms, molecules and ions are more stable entities because they have more balanced electron arrangements.
The highly reactive free radicals do more damage than that of one molecule to one molecule reaction. Each free radical is capable of destroying an enzyme or protein molecule or destroying an entire cell. However, the damage is much more extensive than that because each free radical usually generates a chain of free radical reactions resulting in thousands of free radicals being released to destroy body components.
This biological magnification occurs for two reasons. The first and most important is the enormous sensitivity of the cell to modification in its heredity apparatus such as its DNA. The chromosomes, which control the reproduction of the cell, are extremely radiation sensitive; the cytoplasm is much less so. Largely, because of the sensitivity of DNA, radiations that destroy only one molecule in one million or ten million in the cell can be lethal.
The second cause of biological magnification is that any polymeric system is sensitive to small chemical changes and many important biomolecules are polymers.
Free radical reactions leading to cell membrane damage can cause cancer, heart disease or accelerated aging. There are five basic types of damage caused by free radicals that accelerate aging.
1. Lipid peroxidation, in which free radicals initiate damage to fat compounds in the body, causing them to turn rancid and release more free radicals.
2. Cross-linking, in which free-radical reactions cause protein and/or DNA to fuse together.
3. Membrane damage, in which free radical reactions destroy the integrity of the cell membrane, which in turn interferes with the cell's ability to bring in nutrients and expel wastes.
4. Lyposome damage, in which free-radical reactions rupture lyosome membranes, these then still into the cell and digest critical cell compounds.
5. Accumulation of the age pigment (lipofuscin), which may interfere with cell chemistry.
The most damaging agents of free radical reactions including the peroxide radical (0
2
), hydroxyl radical (OH), lipid peroxide radical (L00) and hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
).
The body defends itself against these agents with superoxide dismutase (an enzyme that destroys the superoxide radical), catalase (an enzyme that produces vitamin E (a general antiradical and glutathione peroxidase an enzyme that stops lipid peroxidation and converts hydrogen peroxide to water). Each molecule of glutathione peroxidase contains four atoms of selenium.
Thus selenium is a key component of the body's defense against accelerated aging.
Many studies have confirmed that glutathione peroxidase protects cells from mutagenic peroxides formed from DNA and nucleotides. It also breaks down lipid (fat) peroxides that can contribute to arteriosclerosis. It is also involved in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism and in the maintenance of the integrity of red blood cells. It protects the membranes of liver-cell mitochondria (the cell's energy factors) from damage by peroxides. Glutathione peroxidase is also involved in the prostaglandin metabolism and in the killing of bacteria by white cells.
There is evidence that free radical production increases with age. Superoxide radicals are produced by the mitochondria (energy factories) of cells. The path of superoxide radicals produced by heart mitochondria was studied and the quantity of radicals produced was measured at different ages. Eighty percent of the radicals diffused into the matrix space where they were trapped by superoxide dismutase.
The remaining 20 percent of the superoxide radicals migrate across the mitochondria membrane into the cytosol (cell interior) where they react with various components of the mitochondrial membrane, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Researchers have found that the age-related increase in the formation of superoxide radicals is accompanied by an increase in the peroxide content of the mitochondria. Therefore, it is concluded that the free radical chain reactions appear to exceed the homeostatic protection of the mitochondria in aging animals.
The free radicals, vapor and particles phase of smoke components of medical importance may be separated as follows:
1. Carcinogens and co-carcinogens are present in the tar. Carcinogens (principally polycyclic aromatic alcohols) initiate cancer formation. C
Griffin Steven P.
Lopez Carlos
Malin Haley & DiMaggio, P.A.
LandOfFree
Tobacco smoke filter and relative composition made of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Tobacco smoke filter and relative composition made of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Tobacco smoke filter and relative composition made of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3070092