An Overview of Tobacco Policies in Kansas Unified School Districts

Introduction. In 2019, 25.8% of Kansas high school youth reported using any form of tobacco product. Schools can prevent and reduce youth tobacco use by adopting comprehensive tobacco policies, which include all tobacco products, on school grounds and at school-sponsored, off-campus events, for all individuals at all times, and integrate cessation services for students who violate the tobacco policy. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of comprehensive tobacco policies in unified school districts (USD) across Kansas to determine how many schools have adopted such policies. Methods. All 286 USDs in Kansas were eligible to participate in this study; this includes elementary, middle, and high schools. Participating schools were asked to upload their policies to a website developed by Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Frequencies and percentages were computed to identify the type of tobacco products prohibited, the locations where tobacco use is prohibited, who is prohibited from using tobacco, when tobacco is prohibited, and consequences of students’ violation of tobacco policy. Results. Several USD policies meet some of these recommendations; however, 97.9% (n = 280) do not. In other words, 2.1% of USD policies (n = 6) are comprehensive in Kansas. Conclusions. Nearly all USDs in Kansas have an opportunity to strengthen their tobacco policies. Relatively simple edits can be made to prohibit all tobacco products, prohibit use on school grounds and at school-sponsored, off-campus events, ensure these policies apply to everyone, at all times, and integrate cessation resources for students who violate the tobacco policy

Altered Trek-1 Function in Sortilin Deficient Mice Results in Decreased Depressive-Like Behavior

The background potassium channel TREK-1 has been shown to be a potent target for depression treatment. Indeed, deletion of this channel in mice resulted in a depression resistant phenotype. The association of TREK-1 with the sorting protein sortilin prompted us to investigate the behavior of mice deleted from the gene encoding sortilin (Sort1−/−). To characterize the consequences of sortilin deletion on TREK-1 activity, we combined behavioral, electrophysiological and biochemical approaches performed in vivo and in vitro. Analyses of Sort1−/− mice revealed that they display: (1) a corticosterone-independent anxiety-like behavior, (2) a resistance to depression as demonstrated by several behavioral tests, and (3) an increased activity of dorsal raphe nucleus neurons. All these properties were associated with TREK-1 action deficiency consequently to a decrease of its cell surface expression and to the modification of its electrophysiological activity. An increase of BDNF expression through activation of the furin-dependent constitutive pathway as well as an increase of the activated BDNF receptor TrkB were in agreement with the decrease of depressive-like behavior of Sort1−/− mice. Our results demonstrate that the TREK-1 expression and function are altered in the absence of sortilin confirming the importance of this channel in the regulation on the mood as a crucial target to treat depression

A Human TREK-1/HEK Cell Line: A Highly Efficient Screening Tool for Drug Development in Neurological Diseases

TREK-1 potassium channels are involved in a number of physiopathological processes such as neuroprotection, pain and depression. Molecules able to open or to block these channels can be clinically important. Having a cell model for screening such molecules is of particular interest. Here, we describe the development of the first available cell line that constituvely expresses the TREK-1 channel. The TREK-1 channel expressed by the h-TREK-1/HEK cell line has conserved all its modulation properties. It is opened by stretch, pH, polyunsaturated fatty acids and by the neuroprotective molecule, riluzole and it is blocked by spadin or fluoxetine. We also demonstrate that the h-TREK-1/HEK cell line is protected against ischemia by using the oxygen-glucose deprivation model

EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA); Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for energy

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived dietary reference values for energy, which are provided as average requirements (ARs) of specified age and sex groups. For children and adults, total energy expenditure (TEE) was determined factorially from estimates of resting energy expenditure (REE) plus the energy needed for various levels of physical activity (PAL) associated with sustainable lifestyles in healthy individuals. To account for uncertainties inherent in the prediction of energy expenditure, ranges of the AR for energy were calculated with several equations for predicting REE in children (1-17 years) and adults. For practical reasons, only the REE estimated by the equations of Henry (2005) was used in the setting of the AR and multiplied with PAL values of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0, which approximately reflect low active (sedentary), moderately active, active and very active lifestyles. For estimating REE in adults, body heights measured in representative national surveys in 13 EU Member States and body masses calculated from heights assuming a body mass index of 22 kg/m2 were used. For children, median body masses and heights from the WHO Growth Standards or from harmonised growth curves of children in the EU were used. Energy expenditure for growth was accounted for by a 1 % increase of PAL values for each age group. For infants (7-11 months), the AR was derived from TEE estimated by regression equation based on doubly labelled water (DLW) data, plus the energy needs for growth. For pregnant and lactating women, the additional energy for the deposition of newly formed tissue, and for milk output, was derived from data obtained by the DLW method and from factorial estimates, respectively. The proposed ARs for energy may need to be adapted depending on specific objectives and target populations

Signalling by G-protein coupled receptors is required in early xenopus development

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