Increasing Compliance and Patient Outcomes In Hypertensive Patients Using the Hill- Bone High Blood Pressure Compliance Scale

Hypertension has been globally rated the most common non-communicable disease as well as the most common cause of premature death (Johnson, et al., 2019). The identified problem of focus for this project was to increase medication compliance within hypertensive patients as well as increase provider knowledge of compliance issues with the utilization of the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure Compliance Scale. We administered a case study via Qualtrics to Illinois nurse practitioners via the ISAPN email list-serve. We provided an anonymous pre-and post-survey to each participant regarding their current area of practice, patient history taking behaviors, and views on the ease of use of the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure Compliance Scale. Each individual was walked through a case study using the scale as if it were being used on a real patient. We had a total number of 87 nurse practitioners participate in our implementation process with 27 completing partial survey and 60 participants completing the survey in its entirety. Our implementation process provided us with the knowledge that 89.66% of the surveyors had never used the Hill-Bone Scale within their practice. The majority of providers agreed that they would consider using the tool within their practice and that barriers such as poor health literacy and poor communication were a major issue with medication compliance. After reviewing our case study, the APRNs reported that they were more likely to discuss medication compliance, dietary intake, and salt intake with their patients. The APRNs also agreed that the implementation of the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure Compliance Scale could help increase blood pressure medication compliance among their patients. Evidence is clear that improving medication compliance for patients with hypertension is important. We recommend that the Hill-Bone High Blood Pressure Compliance Scale be implemented into practice to demonstrate the positive impact on the compliance of hypertensive patients

The Science of Nature Based Learning: Evaluating the Nexus of Leadership, Agency, and Positive Emotions from Student Experiences Through Participative Decision Making on Curriculum Intervention

This study evaluated student leadership behavior in an STEM education career pathways program called Nature Kids Jovenes de Naturaleza, an 8-week experiential education immersion camp based out of Boulder, Colorado. The goal of the program is to stimulate interest in environmental education and STEM careers for under-represented high-school students by positioning them in hands-on leadership roles. Student evaluations on leadership behavior and follow-up interviews were done on student cohorts over two different cohort years. Pre and post assessment data was collected and analyzed for significant change in participant knowledge and identity post-programming. Additionally, based on evaluation data that showed a positive correlation between curriculums that facilitated student agency and consequential positive emotions, a curriculum intervention of implementing agency into a section of the program where there was previously none was developed, executed, and analyzed. Results from the implementation showed an increase in positive emotions in students favoring the experience more when student agency was added into the curriculum. It is suggested that designing opportunities for student agency be added into program curriculum development. Future longitudinal studies are recommended to better understand the lasting effects of agency on student interest in STEM careers

Maintenance of Synaptic Stability Requires Calcium-Independent Phospholipase A2 Activity

Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) represent one of the largest groups of lipid-modifying enzymes. Over the years, significant advances have been made in understanding their potential physiological and pathological functions. Depending on their calcium requirement for activation, PLA2s are classified into calcium dependent and independent. This paper mainly focuses on brain calcium-independent PLA2 (iPLA2) and on the mechanisms by which they influence neuronal function and regulate synaptic plasticity. Particular attention will be given to the iPLA2γ isoform and its role in the regulation of synaptic glutamate receptors. In particular, the paper discusses the possibility that brain iPLA2γ deficiencies could destabilise normal synaptic operation and might contribute to the aetiology of some brain disorders. In this line, the paper presents new data indicating that iPLA2γ deficiencies accentuate AMPA receptor destabilization and tau phosphorylation, which suggests that this iPLA2 isoform should be considered as a potential target for the treatment of Tau-related disorders

Blockade of NR2A-Containing NMDA Receptors Induces Tau Phosphorylation in Rat Hippocampal Slices

Physiological activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptors has been proposed to play a key role in both neuronal cell function and dysfunction. In the present study, we used selective NMDA receptor antagonists to investigate the involvement of NR2A and NR2B subunits in the modulatory effect of basal NMDA receptor activity on the phosphorylation of Tau proteins. We observed, in acute hippocampal slice preparations, that blockade of NR2A-containing NMDA receptors by the NR2A antagonist NVP-AAM077 provoked the hyperphosphorylation of a residue located in the proline-rich domain of Tau (i.e., Ser199). This effect seemed to be Ser199 specific as there was no increase in phosphorylation at Ser262 and Ser409 residues located in the microtubule-binding and C-terminal domains of Tau proteins, respectively. From a mechanistic perspective, our study revealed that blockade of NR2A-containing receptors influences Tau phosphorylation probably by increasing calcium influx into neurons, which seems to rely on accumulation of new NR1/NR2B receptors in neuronal membranes and could involve the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 pathway

The Contribution of consumer health organisations to chronic disease self management in the context of primary care.

This project aims to answer the question, what are the current and potential contributions of chronic illness-focused self-help organisations in the integrated delivery of primary health care?The research reported in this paper is a project of the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute which is supported by a grant from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development Strategy

Experiences with grandparents and attitudes toward custodial grandparenting

The goals of the current study were to examine attitudes about custodial grandparents and to examine whether personal experiences with grandparents influenced those attitudes. Data were provided by 730 younger adults (mean age about 20 years) who completed surveys regarding their experiences with their own grandparents, attitudes toward custodial grandparenting, and openness to becoming a custodial grandparent in the future. Mean differences in attitudes as a function of experience did emerge. In addition, a mixed structural model showed that young adults who felt their grandparents helped to raise them perceived custodial grandparenting as less distressing, and it was these perceptions of distress that related to being more open to accepting the role of custodial grandparent themselves. Results are discussed in terms of changing norms and their relevance to policies affecting families

Increasing access to consumer health organisations among patients with chronic disease - a randomised trial of a print-based intervention

To assess whether a print-based intervention led to increased contact with consumer health organisations (CHOs) by general practice patients with chronic disease. CHOs can enhance people's capacity to manage chronic illness by providing information, education and psychosocial support. However, these organisations appear to be grossly under-utilised by patients and clinicians. A total of 276 patients completed a computer-assisted telephone interview before randomisation to an intervention (n = 141) or control (n = 135) group. The intervention consisted of mailed printed materials designed to encourage contact with a CHO relevant to the patient's main diagnosed chronic condition. Follow-up interviews were conducted 4 and 12 months later. Patients with conditions other than diabetes who received the intervention were twice as likely as those in the control group to contact a consumer health organisation during the 12-month study period: 41% versus 21% (P < 0.001). No such effect was found for diabetes patients, probably because of pre-existing high levels of contact with diabetes organisations. The intervention package received strong patient endorsement. Low-intensity interventions may be effective in improving access to CHOs for patients with chronic disease