Differentiated Food Taxes as a Tool in Health and Nutrition Policy

The purpose of the present study is to analyse the effects of using economic policy tools in nutrition policy, e.g. introduction of specific taxes on unhealthy food components or differentiated VAT on foods. The effects of such regulation instruments are demonstrated using Denmark as an illustrative case. A model concept combining econometric models of food consumption behaviour for different socio-demographic groups with a model for conversion between food consumption and nutrient intake is developed. The socio-demographic effects of four different tax or subsidy regulation schemes are investigated.obesity, food taxes, econometric model, socio-demographic differences, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Differentiated Food Taxes as a Tool in Health and Nutrition Policy

The purpose of the present study is to analyse the effects of using economic policy tools in nutrition policy, e.g. introduction of specific taxes on unhealthy food components or differentiated VAT on foods. The effects of such regulation instruments are demonstrated using Denmark as an illustrative case. A model concept combining econometric models of food consumption behaviour for different socio-demographic groups with a model for conversion between food consumption and nutrient intake is developed. The socio-demographic effects of four different tax or subsidy regulation schemes are investigated.obesity, food taxes, econometric model, socio-demographic differences, Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

The Acrylamide (S)-2 As a Positive and Negative Modulator of Kv7 Channels Expressed in Xenopus laevis Oocytes

BACKGROUND: Activation of voltage-gated potassium channels of the Kv7 (KCNQ) family reduces cellular excitability. These channels are therefore attractive targets for treatment of diseases characterized by hyperexcitability, such as epilepsy, migraine and neuropathic pain. Retigabine, which opens Kv7.2-5, is now in clinical trial phase III for the treatment of partial onset seizures. One of the main obstacles in developing Kv7 channel active drugs has been to identify compounds that can discriminate between the neuronal subtypes, a feature that could help diminish side effects and increase the potential of drugs for particular indications. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study we have made a thorough investigation of the Bristol-Myers Squibb compound (S)-N-[1-(4-Cyclopropylmethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[1], [4]oxazin-6-yl)-ethyl]-3-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-acrylamide [(S)-2] on human Kv7.1-5 channels expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. We found that the compound was a weak inhibitor of Kv7.1. In contrast, (S)-2 efficiently opened Kv7.2-5 by producing hyperpolarizing shifts in the voltage-dependence of activation and enhancing the maximal current amplitude. Further, it reduced inactivation, accelerated activation kinetics and slowed deactivation kinetics. The mechanisms of action varied between the subtypes. The enhancing effects of (S)-2 were critically dependent on a tryptophan residue in S5 also known to be crucial for the effects of retigabine, (S)-1 and BMS-204352. However, while (S)-2 did not at all affect a mutant Kv7.4 with a leucine in this position (Kv7.4-W242L), a Kv7.2 with the same mutation (Kv7.2-W236L) was inhibited by the compound, showing that (S)-2 displays a subtype-selective interaction with in the Kv7 family. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results offer further insight into pharmacological activation of Kv7 channels, add to the understanding of small molecule interactions with the channels and may contribute to the design of subtype selective modulators

Goal management training for adults with ADHD – clients’ experiences with a group-based intervention

Background: There is growing evidence for the efficacy of group-based interventions for adults with ADHD. However, there is still a lack of research investigating how clients experience participating in such interventions. The aim of the current study was to explore how adults with ADHD experience participating in a group-based intervention (Goal Management Training) for ADHD. Method: We conducted individual, semi-structured, interviews with ten adults with ADHD who had participated in Goal Management Training administered as a group intervention. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis within a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Results: Our analysis identified three main themes. The participants’ starting point captured the participants’ motivation and expectations prior to treatment. The ambiguity of the group – the various meanings of the group consisted of three sub-themes (The group created a sense of belonging - “I am not alone”; The personal cost of participating in the group - “At times it was a hot mess”; and The group supported the learning experience - “We worked with it together”). The group promoted positive change – How the group affected the participants’ everyday lives consisted of two sub-themes (Managing ADHD in daily life - “It’s much easier to handle everyday life”, and Personal growth - “Gaining new perspectives”). Conclusion: The group format was experienced as a valuable aspect of treatment. The structure provided by Goal Management Training allowed participants to expand their perspectives and experience improved management of ADHD, as well as personal growth. The opportunity to exchange experiences with others in similar situations was seen as particularly beneficial and brought feelings of recognition and belonging. However, some also experienced the group as a burden at times, for instance by stealing one’s focus. This study expands existing knowledge by exploring clients’ experiences of participating in group-based interventions for ADHD and shows how the group format provided participants with more than they had hoped for. While expecting a more instrumental outcome of treatment, such as tools to manage ADHD, participants also gained a welcomed, but unexpected outcome of personal growth.publishedVersio

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, Erectile Dysfunction, and Quality of Life in Poststroke Men:A Controlled Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of the current study was to compare lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), erectile dysfunction (ED), and quality of life (QoL) in poststroke and healthy men. Thirty poststroke men with stroke-related LUTS, and as controls, 96 healthy men participated in this controlled, cross-sectional study. Participants filled in the Danish Prostate Symptom Score (DAN-PSS-1) Questionnaire, the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), the 36-Item Short Form (SF-36), the Nocturia Quality-of-Life (N-QoL) Questionnaire. In the age group ≤55 years, comparing poststroke men with healthy controls both with LUTS, the results indicated DAN-PSS-1, total score median 13 (4-17) versus 3 (2-6), p =.05; IIEF-5 25 (14-25) versus 24 (23-25), p =.06; SF-12, total score 499 (360-679) versus 695 (644-734), p =.02; and N-QoL 98 (70-100) versus 96 (90-100), p =.65. In the age group >55 years, comparing poststroke men with healthy controls both with LUTS, the results indicated DAN-PSS-1, total score 13 (8-24) versus 5 (2-7), p <.01; IIEF-5 13 (5-20) versus 25 (24-25), p <.01; SF-36, total score 585 (456-718) versus 742 (687-772), p <.01; and N-QoL, total score 81 (66-95) versus 98 (80-100), p <.01. The results demonstrated that in age group above, but not below 55 years, poststroke men with LUTS had significantly higher frequency of severe and bothersome LUTS and ED than the healthy controls with LUTS, while QoL and N-QoL were significantly lower in comparison. It is recommended to identify and assess older poststroke men for LUTS, ED, and QoL

Patients' Expectations of Physiotherapeutic Treatment for Long-Term Side Effects After Cancer:A Qualitative Study

Objective This study aims to explore the expectations of physiotherapeutic treatment of long-term side effects (LTSEs) after cancer among patients treated in physiotherapy clinics. Methods This a qualitative interview study based on a phenomenological approach. Adult patients with LTSEs after cancer were recruited through The Danish Cancer Society and a private physiotherapy clinic in Denmark. Individual semi-structured interviews were carried out using Microsoft Teams based on an interview guide piloted before the interviews. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Sampling was conducted with a focus on variation in LTSE. The data were analyzed using Malterud’s principles of systematic text condensation and coded in NVivo 12. Results 2 males and 8 females with an average age of 55.8 years were interviewed for between 40 and 60 minutes from October to November 2020. Four main themes emerged from the interviews 1 : The importance of the physiotherapist’s approach, 2 the benefits of meeting patients with similar symptoms, 3 the importance of receiving knowledge, and 4 patients seeking to maintain their current state more often than aiming to improve their condition. Conclusions Patients consulting a physiotherapy clinic with LTSE after cancer prefer the physiotherapist to have knowledge about cancer and to be emphatic. Furthermore, patients prefer to meet like-minded people and expect support to maintain their current condition rather than improve their condition