Advocacy for Equitable Access to Nature and Outdoor Recreation.

Background: Recent research highlights disparities in access to nature and green space, a determinant of mental and physical health. The aim of this report is to describe the process of park auditing as an innovation in nursing education.

Method: Teams of baccalaureate nursing students used a practice guideline and park auditing tool to examine the amenities of recreational parks and green space in an urban metroplex in the southern United States.

Leptin Increases: Physiological Roles in the Control of Sympathetic Nerve Activity, Energy Balance, and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis.

It is well established that decreases in plasma leptin levels, as with fasting, signal starvation and elicit appropriate physiological responses, such as increasing the drive to eat and decreasing energy expenditure. These responses are mediated largely by suppression of the actions of leptin in the hypothalamus, most notably on arcuate nucleus (ArcN) orexigenic neuropeptide Y neurons and anorexic pro-opiomelanocortin neurons. However, the question addressed in this review is whether the effects of increased leptin levels are also significant on the long-term control of energy balance, despite conventional wisdom to the contrary.

The arcuate nucleus: A site of synergism between Angiotensin II and leptin to increase sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in rats.

The action of leptin in brain to increase sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and blood pressure depends upon functional Angiotensin II (AngII) type 1a receptors (AT1aR); however, the sites and mechanism of interaction are unknown. Here we identify one site, the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ArcN), since prior local blockade of AT1aR in the ArcN with losartan or candesartan in anesthetized male rats essentially eliminated the sympathoexcitatory and pressor responses to ArcN leptin nanoinjections. Unlike mice, in male and female rats, AT1aR and LepR rarely co-localized, suggesting that this interdependence occurs indirectly, via a local interneuron or network of neurons.

Nature-based therapeutics: A collaborative research agenda promoting equitable access and environmental stewardship.

Background: Given the duration and intensity of the COVID-19 pandemic, with strict emphasis on social distancing, many individuals and families are experiencing social isolation. The need to explore effective strategies for health promotion and wellness is clear.

Aim: The purpose of this report is to highlight evidence supporting the health benefits of nature-based therapeutics and to describe the exploratory and translational research agenda for a nurse-led program entitled RxPLORE: Prescribing Life Outdoors and Real Exploration.