There is an association between smoking and depression, yet the herbal antidepressant St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.; SJW) herb extract has not previously been investigated as an aid in smoking cessation. In this open, uncontrolled, pilot study, 28 smokers of 10 or more cigarettes per day for at least one year were randomised to receive SJW herb extract (LI-160) 300 mg once or twice daily taken for one week before and continued for 3 months after a target quit date. In addition, all participants received motivational/behavioural support from a trained pharmacist. At 3 months, the point prevalence and continuous abstinence rates were both 18%, and at 12 months were 0%. Fifteen participants (54%) reported 23 adverse events up to the end of the 3-month follow-up period. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of adverse events for participants taking SJW once or twice daily (p > 0.05). Most adverse events were mild, transient and non-serious. This preliminary study has not provided convincing evidence that a SJW herb extract plus individual motivational/behavioural support is likely to be effective as an aid in smoking cessation. However, it may be premature to rule out a possible effect on the basis of a single, uncontrolled pilot study, and other approaches involving SJW extract may warrant investigation.

To realize the promise of the Next Generation Science Standards, educators require new three-dimensional, phenomenon-based curriculum materials. We describe and report on pilot test results from such a resource-Evolution: DNA and the Unity of Life. Designed for the Next Generation Science Standards, this freely available unit was developed for introductory high school biology students. It builds coherent understanding of evolution over the course of seven to 8 weeks. Based around multiple phenomena, it includes core ideas about evolution, as well as pertinent core ideas from heredity. The unit integrates relevant crosscutting concepts as well as practice in analyzing and interpreting skill-level-appropriate data from published research, and constructing evidence-based arguments. We report results from a national pilot test involving 944 grade nine or ten students in 16 teachers' classrooms. Results show statistically significant gains with large effect sizes from pretest to posttest in students' conceptual understanding of evolution and genetics. Students also gained skill in identifying claims, evidence, and reasoning in scientific arguments.

Disease outbreaks can be a powerful topic for teaching about science and health. This Feature reviews resources for bringing up up-to to-date information on this hot topic into the classroom.

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