Feasibility study of a new behavioural activation programme for young people with depressed mood.

Background: Behavioural activation (BA) is effective in adults with depression but the evidence for young people (YP) is less clear. We therefore developed and tested a new coproduced BA programme.

Method: In phase one (2014 to 2015 inclusive), we codeveloped with young people attending specialist child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) an 8-session BA workbook.

Novel probiotics and prebiotics: road to the market.

Novel probiotics and prebiotics designed to manipulate the gut microbiota for improving health outcomes are in demand as the importance of the gut microbiota in human health is revealed. The regulations governing introduction of novel probiotics and prebiotics vary by geographical region. Novel foods and foods with health claims fall under specific regulations in several countries.

Neuronal deletion of caspase 8 protects against brain injury in mouse models of controlled cortical impact and kainic acid-induced excitotoxicity.

Background: Acute brain injury is an important health problem. Given the critical position of caspase 8 at the crossroads of cell death pathways, we generated a new viable mouse line (Ncasp8(-/-)), in which the gene encoding caspase 8 was selectively deleted in neurons by cre-lox system.

Methodology/principal Findings: Caspase 8 deletion reduced rates of neuronal cell death in primary neuronal cultures and in whole brain organotypic coronal slice cultures prepared from 4 and 8 month old mice and cultivated up to 14 days in vitro.

Health claims substantiation for probiotic and prebiotic products.

The topic of "Health Claims Substantiation for Probiotic and Prebiotic Products" was discussed at the 8 (th) annual International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) meeting. The topic is especially timely considering that the regulatory review process for health benefit claims on probiotic and prebiotic products in Europe has not resulted in a single claim being approved (120 negative opinions on probiotic claims and 19 negative opinions on prebiotic claims through February 2011). This situation in Europe and elsewhere has driven companies to seek clarity on a research path that would stand up to scientific scrutiny as well as satisfy regulatory demands for health claim substantiation.

Development of diabesity in mice with neuronal deletion of Shp2 tyrosine phosphatase.

Obesity and diabetes, termed "diabesity," are serious health problems that are increasing in frequency. However, the molecular mechanisms and neuronal regulation of these metabolic disorders are not fully understood. We show here that Shp2, a widely expressed Src homology 2-containing Tyr phosphatase, plays a critical role in the adult brain to control food intake, energy balance, and metabolism.