A Vaccine against Nicotine for Smoking Cessation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: Tobacco dependence is the leading cause of preventable death and disabilities worldwide and nicotine is the main substance responsible for the addiction to tobacco. A vaccine against nicotine was tested in a 6-month randomized, double blind phase II smoking cessation study in 341 smokers with a subsequent 6-month follow-up period. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 229 subjects were randomized to receive five intramuscular injections of the nicotine vaccine and 112 to receive placebo at monthly intervals. All subjects received individual behavioral smoking cessation counseling. The vaccine was safe, generally well tolerated and highly immunogenic, inducing a 100% antibody responder rate after the first injection. Point prevalence of abstinence at month 2 showed a statistically significant difference between subjects treated with Nicotine-Qbeta (47.2%) and placebo (35.1%) (P = 0.036), but continuous abstinence between months 2 and 6 was not significantly different. However, in subgroup analysis of the per-protocol population, the third of subjects with highest antibody levels showed higher continuous abstinence from month 2 until month 6 (56.6%) than placebo treated participants (31.3%) (OR 2.9; P = 0.004) while medium and low antibody levels did not increase abstinence rates. After 12 month, the difference in continuous abstinence rate between subjects on placebo and those with high antibody response was maintained (difference 20.2%, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Whereas Nicotine-Qbeta did not significantly increase continuous abstinence rates in the intention-to-treat population, subgroup analyses of the per-protocol population suggest that such a vaccination against nicotine can significantly increase continuous abstinence rates in smokers when sufficiently high antibody levels are achieved. Immunotherapy might open a new avenue to the treatment of nicotine addiction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Swiss Medical Registry 2003DR2327; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00369616

Kinder und Medien - Eine alltägliche Beziehung. Mediennutzung von Kindern in der Bundesrepublik Anfang der 90er Jahre

Die Studie »Kinder und Medien 1990« ermöglichte durch den Zeitpunkt der Datenerhebung nicht nur eine Gegenüberstellung der kindlichen Mediennutzung von 1979, sondern auch einen umfassenden Vergleich der Daten der alten mit den neuen Bundesländern. Der Stellenwert der Medien lag 1990 in den neuen Ländern weitaus höher als in den alten Bundesländern. Dies betrifft alle Medien, wird jedoch hinsichtlich des Fernsehens besonders deutlich. Das große Interesse der Kinder in den neuen Bundesländern am Fernsehen ist wohl vor allem auf den Erhebungszeitraum zurückzuführen, da der Umgang mit dem plötzlich sehr reichhaltigen Fernsehangebot für sie völlig neu und somit weitaus interessanter als für fernsehgewohnte Kinder in den alten Bundesländern war. Ganz offensichtlich spielte jedoch auch der Mangel an Alternativen zum Fernsehen, bedingt durch die schlechteren Freizeitmöglichkeiten der Kinder in den neuen Bundesländern, eine nicht unwesentliche Rolle. (DIPF/Orig.

Berichte - Dokumentation - Chronik

BerichteSWF-Sonderberichterstattung zum 87. Deutschen KatholikentagDas Katholische Pressewesen in UngarnKirchenfunk in einem vielsprachigen SenderEin neues WDR-Gesetz?DokumentationChroni

JIM 2001 - Jugend, Information, (Multi-)Media Basisuntersuchung zum Medienumgang 12- bis 19Jaehriger in Deutschland

Seit der letzten JIM-Studie (Jugend, Information, Multi-Media) im Sommer 2000 ist im Bereich der neuen Medien eine gewisse Ernuechterung eingekehrt. Sinkende Nachfragen und mancher Flop haben die Euphorie am Neuen Markt gestoppt. Dennoch bleiben die Medien allgegenwaertige Begleiter auch der jungen Menschen im Alltag. In der vorliegenden Studie untersucht der Medienpaedagogische Forschungsverbund Suedwest (mpfs), in welcher Form sich das Medienverhalten Jugendlicher von der neuen Entwicklung hat beeinflussen lassen. Befragt wurde im Fruehsommer 2001 eine repraesentative Stichprobe von 2.018 Jugendlichen im Alter von 12 bis 19 Jahren nach ihren Beduerfnissen, ihrer Lebenssituation, ihrem Informationsverhalten und Themeninteresse, ihren Zugangswegen zu Information und ihrem Mediennutzungsverhalten. Die Darstellung der Ergebnisse in diesem Forschungsbericht konzentriert sich auf die Bereiche Computer und Internet, da hier die groessten technischen und inhaltlichen Veraenderungen stattgefunden haben. (DJI/Sd)Available from UB Dortmund(290)-JOH2093 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

[Impact of tobacco use on the periodontium--an update (I)--Part 1: Epidemiologic und pathogenetic aspects of tobacco-related periodontal diseases]

This literature review represents the second in a series of articles from the Swiss task force "Smoking--Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". In this article, the epidemiological background as well as some pathogenetic processes are described and discussed critically for tobacco-related periodontal diseases. Earlier publications confirmed tobacco consumption as a risk factor for periodontal diseases. Over the last few years, oral health research has significantly contributed to the understanding of the mechanisms leading to the deterioration of the hard and soft tissues supporting the teeth. With the recording of the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the amount of years tobacco was used, a dose response relationship was established. Various, potentially significant pathogenic effects of tobacco-related substances may exist on the periodontal tissues, the immune response system or the composition of the oral flora. Moreover, there is reference that tobacco consumption may change the genetically determined susceptibility for periodontal diseases

Tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice

This is the fourth part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking--intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". It presents the implementation of tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice. Next to the optimal performance of plaque control, tobacco use cessation has become the most important measure for the treatment of periodontal diseases. In contrast to general medicine practice, the dental practice team is seeing its patients regularly and is therefore capable of helping their patients quit tobacco use. Tobacco dependence consists of both a physical and a psychological dependence. Therefore, the combination of pharmacotherapy with behavior change counseling is recommended. The use of brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) for tobacco use short interventions in the dental practice appears to be suitable. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is the treatment of choice for the dental practice team because both Varenicline and Bupropion SR have to be prescribed by physicians.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

[Tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice]

This is the fourth part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force named "Smoking--intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine". It presents the implementation of tobacco use prevention and cessation in the dental practice. Next to the optimal performance of plaque control, tobacco use cessation has become the most important measure for the treatment of periodontal diseases. In contrast to general medicine practice, the dental practice team is seeing its patients regularly and is therefore capable of helping their patients quit tobacco use. Tobacco dependence consists of both a physical and a psychological dependence. Therefore, the combination of pharmacotherapy with behavior change counseling is recommended. The use of brief Motivational Interviewing (BMI) for tobacco use short interventions in the dental practice appears to be suitable. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is the treatment of choice for the dental practice team because both Varenicline and Bupropion SR have to be prescribed by physicians

[Tobacco-associated lesions of the oral mucosa]

Consumption of tobacco can result not only in a multitude of different general health problems like carcinoma of the lung, ischaemic cardiac diseases, peripheral vascular diseases, stroke, chronic-obstructive pulmonary diseases or peptic ulcers, but also in pathologic lesions of the oral mucosa. Benign oral lesions from smoking or consumption of smokeless tobacco are the so-called smoker's palate and smoker's melanosis. On the other hand, tobacco-associated lesions like oral leukoplakia or oral squamous cell carcinoma are already potentially life-threatening diseases that in general require active treatment. The following review article will present and discuss the typical lesions of the oral mucosa that result from chronic tobacco consumption. The aim of this article is to demonstrate dental health care providers the needs and benefits of tobacco use cessation in a dental setting, especially regarding stomatologic sequelae and consequences. The present article is the first in a series of articles from the Swiss task force "Smoking - Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine"

[Impact of tobacco use on the periodontium--an update. Part 2: Clinical and radiographic changes in the periodontium and effects on periodontal and implant therapy]

This third part of a series of publications from the Swiss task force "Smoking--Intervention in the private dental office" on the topic "tobacco use and dental medicine" describes the clinical and radiographic changes of the periodontium within smokers as well as the consequences of tobacco use on periodontal and implant therapy. With increased use of tobacco, patients show higher periodontal probing depths, increased clinical attachment loss, more alveolar bone resorption, a higher prevalence of gingival recessions, and a higher risk for tooth loss. In contrast to this, with smokers, the clinical characteristics of gingival inflammation or bleeding on periodontal probing are less established. Smokers show less positive results after conventional, surgical and regenerative periodontal therapy. The benefits of mucogingval surgery are reduced and less successful in smokers. Moreover, smoking impairs the osseointegration of oral implants and is at least partly responsible for a majority of biological complications in implant dentistry, such as periimplantitis. Based on the present understanding of periodontal diseases, the clinical findings, and the specific therapeutic outcomes with smokers, it appears to be reasonable, next to the current classification of periodontal diseases, to use the term "smokers periodontitis"