Association of Maternal Obesity and Childhood Obesity: Implications for Healthcare Providers

The purpose of this critical appraisal was to assess the available literature on the association of maternal obesity as a risk factor for childhood obesity and to explore the implications for incorporating this evidence into practice. The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, with its documented adverse health effects, is a critical public health threat in the United States and worldwide. Research studies have documented increased rates of childhood obesity associated with maternal obesity. Healthcare providers are challenged to expand their competencies to recognize the association of maternal obesity and childhood obesity and to address both primary and secondary prevention of childhood obesity. Stopping the cycle of obesity before it becomes the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States is a priority for community health nurses.     

Nurses discuss bedside handover and using written handover sheets

Background The analysis of nursing errors in clinical management highlighted that clinical handover plays a pivotal role in patient safety. Changes to handover including conducting handover at the bedside and the use of written handover summary sheets were subsequently implemented. Aim The aim of the study was to explore nurses’ perspectives on the introduction of bedside handover and the use of written handover sheets. Method Using a qualitative approach, data were obtained from six focus groups containing 30 registered and enrolled (licensed practical) nurses. Thematic analysis revealed several major themes. Findings Themes identified included: bedside handover and the strengths and weaknesses; patient involvement in handover, and good communication is about good communicators. Finally, three sources of patient information and other issues were also identified as key aspects. Conclusions How bedside handover is delivered should be considered in relation to specific patient caseloads (patients with cognitive impairments), the shift (day, evening or night shift) and the model of service delivery (team versus patient allocation). Implications for nursing management Flexible handover methods are implicit within clinical setting issues especially in consideration to nursing teamwork. Good communication processes continue to be fundamental for successful handover processes.     

Evaluation of 5-(Trifluoromethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-Based Class IIa HDAC Inhibitors for Huntington’s Disease

Using an iterative structure–activity relationship driven approach, we identified a CNS-penetrant 5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (TFMO, 12) with a pharmacokinetic profile suitable for probing class IIa histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition in vivo. Given the lack of understanding of endogenous class IIa HDAC substrates, we developed a surrogate readout to measure compound effects in vivo, by exploiting the >100-fold selectivity compound 12 exhibits over class I/IIb HDACs. We achieved adequate brain exposure with compound 12 in mice to estimate a class I/IIb deacetylation EC₅₀, using class I substrate H4K12 acetylation and global acetylation levels as a pharmacodynamic readout. We observed excellent correlation between the compound 12 in vivo pharmacodynamic response and in vitro class I/IIb cellular activity. Applying the same relationship to class IIa HDAC inhibition, we estimated the compound 12 dose required to inhibit class IIa HDAC activity, for use in preclinical models of Huntington’s disease.