Teachers' Perceptions of Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Programs in Florida: Relations with Perceived Barriers and Other Contextual Factors

ABSTRACT

Data were collected via brief telephone surveys from two statewide random samples of middle school teachers (n = 296) and high school teachers (n = 282) responsible for tobacco use prevention education (TUPE) in Florida. Cluster analysis was used to classify teachers based on their levels of support of, commitment to, and perceived effectiveness of TUPE programs. Between-cluster differences in teachers' perceptions of TUPE were significantly associated with perceived barriers and features of school contexts, although these relationships were more consistent among middle school teachers than among high school teachers. The implications of these findings for the effective delivery of TUPE programming to adolescents at different developmental levels are discussed.     

Longitudinal Study of Relations Between School Achievement and Smoking Behavior Among Secondary School Students in Finland: Results of the ESFA Study

The aim of this study was to explore a longitudinal bi-directional relationship between school achievement and smoking behavior. The sample consists of 2,188 Finnish students in grades 7–9. Data were collected at three separate occasions between the years 1998 and 2000. Three hypothesized conceptual models were developed and tested using path analyses by structural equation modeling (SEM). Students that performed poorly at school smoked weekly six times more than those who achieved the highest school grade point averages at the age of 15. Using SEM, the findings suggest that not only does deterioration of school achievement contribute to progression in smoking uptake continuum but also vice versa progression in smoking uptake continuum to deterioration of school achievement over time (CFI = .997). There were no moderating effects of gender or treatment condition in the proposed models. Both deterioration of school achievement and progression in smoking uptake continuum predicted changes in other behavior during the first two years in secondary school in Finland.     

An examination of differences in variables maintaining smoking behavior in adult smokers with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) smoke cigarettes at higher rates and have greater difficulty quitting than their non-diagnosed peers. This study examined differences between smokers with and without ADHD on a range of smoking-related variables. Twenty-two subjects with ADHD and 22 controls completed self-report measures of withdrawal symptoms, smoking motivation, sensory experience of smoking, and positive and negative affect. Compared to control smokers, smokers with ADHD reported greater craving and negative affect; perceived smoking as providing greater enhancement of concentration and alertness, as more calming, and as providing a greater decrease in irritability; found cigarette puffs to be more enjoyable and satisfying; and rated smoking as providing greater positive and negative reinforcement and greater cognitive enhancement. Women with ADHD reported the greatest effects of smoking on improving concentration and reducing irritability. Findings support the hypothesis that smokers with ADHD may experience smoking differently than smokers without the disorder, and that they may identify different motivations for smoking.     

Cytogenetic damage of oral mucosa by consumption of alcohol,tobacco and illicit drugs

J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39 : 441–446 Background: The aim of the present study was to quantitatively evaluate micronuclei (MN) in the mucosa of users of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs in a Brazilian population. Methods: Patients were divided: (i) experimental group – 24 patients users of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs from the Center of Psychosocial Care for Alcohol and other Drugs ( CAPSad) , São José dos Campos city, and (ii) control group: 24 patients attending the clinics of the São José dos Campos Dental School FOSJC‐UNESP. Criterion for inclusion in the two groups was no visible clinical alteration in the oral mucosa. Exfoliative cytology specimens were obtained from the left side of the border of the tongue. Feulgen staining was used and 600 cells per subject were evaluated by light microscopy. Results: The frequency of MN and micronucleated cells was analysed statistically using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The incidence of MN was 3.08 ± 3.20 in the CAPSad group and 2.08 ± 1.93 in the control group. The frequency of micronucleated cells was 2.38 ± 2.57 in the CAPSad group and 1.42 ± 1.25 in the control group. Conclusion: The results showed a higher frequency of MN and micronucleated cells in the CAPSad group, but the difference compared with the control group was not significant.     

BALB/c和C57BL/6小鼠在基因功能检测中行为学的比较研究

1 Introduction 1.1 THE CONCEPT OF ANIMAL CARE.Ethics and the developing demand for relevant legislation During the late 19th Century there was an increasing concern in the UK with respect to a aspects of illtreatment of animals. This was reflected in the thinking of the research community and in 1871 The British Association For the Advancement of Science issued a set of basic principles of animal experimentation.This was a response to the growing awareness by the BA of the need for an ethical approach to biomedical research and for the considerate treatment of laboratory animals.     

Passive smoking alters circulating naïve/memory lymphocyte T‐cell subpopulations in children

Vardavas CI, Plada M, Tzatzarakis M, Marcos A, Warnberg J, Gomez‐Martinez S, Breidenassel C, Gonzalez‐Gross M, Tsatsakis AM, Saris WH., Moreno LA, Kafatos AG. Passive smoking alters circulating naïve/memory lymphocyte T‐cell subpopulations in children.
Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: 1171–1178.
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S While it has been indicated that exposure to second‐hand smoke (SHS) can cause a local in vivo response, limited evidence exists on its possible systemic effects from population‐based levels of exposure. We investigated into a possible systemic response in the immune parameters and lymphocyte subsets, i.e. B cell (CD19+), T cell (CD4+CD45RO+, CD4+CD45RA+, CD3+CD45RO+, CD3+CD45RA+) and natural killer (CD3+CD16CD56+) lymphocyte subsets relative to exposure to SHS. Blood was drawn from healthy, verified non‐smoker, adolescent subjects (n = 68, mean age 14.2) and analysed for cotinine, antioxidants and lymphocyte immunophenotyping. SHS exposure was assessed using serum cotinine. Biomarker quantified exposure to SHS was correlated with a linear dose–response reduction in the percentages of memory CD4+CD45RO+ (p = 0.005) and CD3+CD45RO+ T‐cell subsets (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003, respectively) and a linear increase in the percentage of naïve CD4+CD45RA+ and CD3+CD45RA+ T‐cell subsets (p = 0.006 and p = 0.003, respectively). Additionally, higher exposure to SHS was associated with a higher CD4+CD45RA+ count (532 vs. 409 cells/ml, p = 0.017). Moreover, after controlling for age, gender, body mass index and plasma antioxidants, SHS exposure was found to be associated with the percentage of circulating naïve and memory CD4+ and CD3+ T‐cell subpopulations, as revealed through a linear regression analysis. These findings indicate a systemic immunological response in healthy adolescents exposed to population‐based levels of SHS exposure and imply an additional biological pathway for the interaction between exposure to SHS and its adverse effects on human health.     

Prevalence of halitosis in the population of the city of Bern, Switzerland:

Epidemiological data on halitosis are rare. In this study we evaluated the prevalence of halitosis in the population of the city of Bern, Switzerland, using a standardized questionnaire and clinical examination. First of all, a standardized questionnaire was filled out by all 419 participants. In the clinical examination, 'objective' values for halitosis were gathered through two different organoleptic assessments and by the measurement of volatile sulfur compounds (VSC). Additionally, tongue coating and the modified periodontal screening index (PSI) were evaluated for each participant. The questionnaire revealed that 32% of all subjects sometimes or often experienced halitosis. The organoleptic evaluation (grade 0–5) identified 48 persons with grade 3 and higher. Measurement of VSC identified 117 subjects (28%) with readings of ≥ 75 parts per billion (ppb). Tongue coating, modified PSI, and smoking were significantly associated with higher organoleptic scores, and tongue coating and smoking were associated with higher VSC values. For about one-third of the Bernese city population, halitosis seems to pose an oral health problem. Only a weak correlation between self-reported halitosis and either organoleptic or VSC measurements could be detected.     

宜昌市居民被动吸烟状况的横断面调查

目的 :通过对城市居民被动吸烟状况及被动吸烟影响因素的系统研究 ,为政府组织和控烟机构实施有效的宣传和健康教育提供科学依据。方法 :对 6 5 0 0名 18周岁以上的宜昌市城区居民采用多阶段分层随机抽样问卷调查方法。结果 :被动吸烟率为 2 8.6 8% ,男、女性被动吸烟率分别为 2 3.4 7%和 31.39% ;影响被动吸烟率的因素有年龄、性别、职业、经济收入、及对相关知识的知晓程度。被动吸烟的场所以工作场所、公共场所和家中为主 ,其构成比分别为 34.15 %、 32 .74 %、32 .32 % ;被动吸烟者自报和确诊粗患病率均显著高于无被动吸烟的人 (χ2 =2 2 .36、 10 .84 ,P<0 .0 1)。结论 :我国城市居民被动吸烟状况不容乐观 ,应该增强居民的自我保护意识 ,改善社会环境 ,以减少被动吸烟在人群中所造成的危害。