Evaluating the Smart Steps For Stepfamilies: Embrace the Journey Program, a Hierarchical Examination

Over the past decade, relationship education has grown as a means of enhancing couple relations. This study examines the experiences of 2,828 ethnically diverse and low-income adults who participated in the Smart Steps for Stepfamilies: Embrace the Journey program, a 12-hour stepfamily education program. Self-report measures of relationship quality, couple commitment, and relationship instability were gathered prior to and immediately after the Smart Steps intervention as well as six weeks, six months, and one year post-program. Results suggest that stepfamily participants experienced increases in relationship quality; however, these increases reduced to near pre-program levels one year after the programs completion. Results further showed no changes in couple commitment or relationship instability measures nor among differing participant groups including Latinos, European Americans, low-income, moderate- income, married, unmarried, those in a first marriage, second remarriage, and higher order remarriage. Finally a cost-analysis of the program was conducted. Application of these findings and policy implications are discussed

RELAX to Relajarse: A Framework for Culturally Adapting Educational Programming in Extension

Family life and Extension family and consumer science educators are encouraged to adapt existing curricula to effectively use with ethnically diverse audiences. Scholars have described different methods for culturally adapting programming; however, few have documented the process by which Extension educators may tackle this endeavor. The purpose of this article is to provide a framework and step-by-step example for how one Extension program was translated and culturally adapted for U.S. Latino participants. Lessons learned and recommendations are provided

RELAX Alternatives to Anger: Examining the Experiences of Latino Adults in an Anger Management Program

Anger Management Education (AME) is a growing genre of Family Life Education and Extension that shows promise in helping individuals manage the frequency and intensity of their anger. The majority of research using AME, however, has primarily examined outcomes from high-risk populations such as incarcerated populations, delinquent youth, and couples in relationship duress. This study examines the perceived benefits and experiences of 36 Latino adult participants in the RELAX: Alternatives to Anger family life education program. Five themes emerged using data from five focus group interviews depicting positive evaluative findings among participants, including (1) anger management strategies, (2) understanding anger, (3) improved relationships, (4) social support, and (5) cultural influence of anger. Implications for developing and implementing AME programming for Latino audiences are described

Indian Hedgehog release from TNF activated renal epithelia drives local and remote organ fibrosis

Progressive fibrosis is a feature of aging and chronic tissue injury in multiple organs, including the kidney and heart. Glioma-associated oncogene 1 expressing (Gli1+) cells are a major source of activated fibroblasts in multiple organs, but the links between injury, inflammation, and Gli1+ cell expansion and tissue fibrosis remain incompletely understood. We demonstrated that leukocyte-derived tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promoted Gli1+ cell proliferation and cardiorenal fibrosis through induction and release of Indian Hedgehog (IHH) from renal epithelial cells. Using single-cell–resolution transcriptomic analysis, we identified an “inflammatory” proximal tubular epithelial (iPT) population contributing to TNF- and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)–induced IHH production in vivo. TNF-induced Ubiquitin D (Ubd) expression was observed in human proximal tubular cells in vitro and during murine and human renal disease and aging. Studies using pharmacological and conditional genetic ablation of TNF-induced IHH signaling revealed that IHH activated canonical Hedgehog signaling in Gli1+ cells, which led to their activation, proliferation, and fibrosis within the injured and aging kidney and heart. These changes were inhibited in mice by Ihh deletion in Pax8-expressing cells or by pharmacological blockade of TNF, NF-κB, or Gli1 signaling. Increased amounts of circulating IHH were associated with loss of renal function and higher rates of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. Thus, IHH connects leukocyte activation to Gli1+ cell expansion and represents a potential target for therapies to inhibit inflammation-induced fibrosis

Topoisomerase Inhibitors Addressing Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Since their discovery over 5 decades ago, quinolone antibiotics have found enormous success as broad spectrum agents that exert their activity through dual inhibition of bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. Increasing rates of resistance, driven largely by target-based mutations in the GyrA/ParC quinolone resistance determining region, have eroded the utility and threaten the future use of this vital class of antibiotics. Herein we describe the discovery and optimization of a series of 4-(aminomethyl)quinolin-2(1H)-ones, exemplified by 34, that inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV and display potent activity against ciprofloxacin-resistant Gram-negative pathogens. X-ray crystallography reveals that 34 occupies the classical quinolone binding site in the topoisomerase IV-DNA cleavage complex but does not form significant contacts with residues in the quinolone resistance determining region

Cardiac Site Bridgeport Hospital

This poster is presenting the work that the staff at the cardiac site does at Bridgeport Hospital. This will include all the details on their patients, screening information, the staff that work there and what make their site unique

National trends in prescription drug expenditures and projections for 2017

Purpose. Historical trends and factors likely to influence future pharmaceutical expenditures are discussed, and projections are made for drug spending in 2017 in nonfederal hospitals, clinics, and overall (all sectors). Methods. Drug expenditure data through calendar year 2016 were obtained from the QuintilesIMS National Sales Perspectives database and analyzed. Other factors that may influence drug spending in hospitals and clinics in 2017, including new drug approvals and patent expirations, were also reviewed. Expenditure projections for 2017 for nonfederal hospitals, clinics, and overall (all sectors) were made based on a combination of quantitative analyses and expert opinion. Results. Total U.S. prescription sales in the 2016 calendar year were $448.2 billion, a 5.8$13.6 billion); in clinics and nonfederal hospitals, infliximab was the top drug. Prescription expenditures in clinics and nonfederal hospitals totaled $63.7 billion (an 11.9$34.5 billion (a 3.3% increase from 2015), respectively. In nonfederal hospitals and clinics, growth in spending was driven primarily by price increases of existing drugs and increased volume, respectively. Conclusion. We project a 6.0-8.0% increase in total drug expenditures across all settings, an 11.0-13.0% increase in clinics, and a 3.0-5.0% increase in hospital drug spending in 2017. Health-system pharmacy leaders should carefully examine their own local drug utilization patterns to determine their own organization's anticipated spending in 2017