High school health education: The impact of medical student led instruction in northern Nevada high schools.

Health education is an important topic in high school given its lasting effect on learners. Medical students are in a unique position to deliver this curriculum as they can provide information from a relatable standpoint. Ten medical students created a health education program, The Healthier Nevada Project (HNVP), designed for high school students using four modules focused on adolescent public health concerns: substance use and addiction, exercise, personal relationships, and stress and mental health. The curriculum was administered to over 700 health class students at three schools in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A., from August 2019-March 2020. This cross-sectional study measured whether the modules increased students' comfort level, familiarity, and likelihood of discussing each topic with a healthcare provider. The method of evaluation was pre- and post-Likert scale surveys with 7-10 questions regarding students' understanding of each topic, knowledge of related resources, and likelihood of future discussions with healthcare providers. Linear regression analysis showed significant increases in mean scores (in all cases p < 0.0001) for all four modules after the training. The modules were adjusted for the cluster effect of School and showed no significant two-way interaction between pre- and post-survey, although overall differences between schools were present. These findings indicate that HNVP significantly increased students' knowledge, comfort, and likelihood of discussing each topic with a healthcare professional following module administration. Future efforts will aim to evaluate the long-term impact of HNVP on student behavior and evaluate if presenter type influences program success among adolescents.

The Effect of Phenoloxidase Activity on Survival Is Host Plant Dependent in Virus-Infected Caterpillars.

An important goal of disease ecology is to understand trophic interactions influencing the host-pathogen relationship. This study focused on the effects of diet and immunity on the outcome of viral infection for the polyphagous butterfly, Vanessa cardui Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) (painted lady). Specifically, we aimed to understand the role that larval host plants play when fighting a viral pathogen. Larvae were orally inoculated with the entomopathogenic virus, Junonia coenia densovirus (JcDV) (Parvovirididae: Densovirinae, Lepidopteran Potoambidensovirus 1) and reared on two different host plants (Lupinus albifrons Bentham (Fabales: Fabaceae) or Plantago lanceolata Linnaeus (Lamiales: Plantaginaceae)). Following viral infection, the immune response (i.e., phenoloxidase [PO] activity), survival to adulthood, and viral load were measured for individuals on each host plant. We found that the interaction between the immune response and survival of the viral infection was host plant dependent. The likelihood of survival was lowest for infected larvae exhibiting suppressed PO activity and feeding on P. lanceolata, providing some evidence that PO activity may be an important defense against viral infection. However, for individuals reared on L. albifrons, the viral infection had a negligible effect on the immune response, and these individuals also had higher survival and lower viral load when infected with the pathogen compared to the controls. Therefore, we suggest that host plant modifies the effects of JcDV infection and influences caterpillars' response when infected with the virus. Overall, we conclude that the outcome of viral infection is highly dependent upon diet, and that certain host plants can provide protection from pathogens regardless of immunity.