Therapeutic Interventions in Schools: After-School Group Prevention Programs

Despite reduction in the rates of teen pregnancy nationwide, teen pregnancy in the United States remains higher than other industrialized countries. Minority youth are at higher risk for teen pregnancy than their White counterparts. With this in mind, the purpose of this chapter is to examine risk and protective factors for teen pregnancy among racial and ethnic minorities. Risk and protective factors exist on multiple levels and pregnancy prevention programs often target such factors to reduce teen pregnancy. In addition, intervention strategies aimed at reducing teen pregnancy among these populations will also be discussed. Researchers have identified components of successful teen pregnancy prevention programs. New strategies also include focusing on after school programs and technology among others to reduce teen pregnancy among minority youth. Collective efforts of families, schools, and communities are warranted.

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Why Is an After-School Group-Centered Reading Program One of the Best Ways to Stop Reading Failure? Does Intrinsic Motivation Contribute to Mental Wellness in the Classroom?

After-School Programming and Intrinsic Motivation ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-22845-3_1 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Elaine Clanton Harpine

Keyword(s):

Intrinsic Motivation ◽

Reading Program ◽

Reading Failure ◽

After School ◽

School Group ◽

Mental Wellness

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Designing TIMP (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases) variants that are selective metalloproteinase inhibitors

Biochemical Society Symposium ◽

10.1042/bss0700201 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 70 ◽

pp. 201-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Hideaki Nagase ◽

Keith Brew

Keyword(s):

Three Dimensional ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Tissue Inhibitors Of Metalloproteinases ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Structural Elements ◽

Ridge Structure ◽

Extracellular Matrix Components ◽

Metalloproteinase Inhibitors ◽

The Matrix ◽

A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase

The tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are endogenous inhibitors of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes that play central roles in the degradation of extracellular matrix components. The balance between MMPs and TIMPs is important in the maintenance of tissues, and its disruption affects tissue homoeostasis. Four related TIMPs (TIMP-1 to TIMP-4) can each form a complex with MMPs in a 1:1 stoichiometry with high affinity, but their inhibitory activities towards different MMPs are not particularly selective. The three-dimensional structures of TIMP-MMP complexes reveal that TIMPs have an extended ridge structure that slots into the active site of MMPs. Mutation of three separate residues in the ridge, at positions 2, 4 and 68 in the amino acid sequence of the N-terminal inhibitory domain of TIMP-1 (N-TIMP-1), separately and in combination has produced N-TIMP-1 variants with higher binding affinity and specificity for individual MMPs. TIMP-3 is unique in that it inhibits not only MMPs, but also several ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) and ADAMTS (ADAM with thrombospondin motifs) metalloproteinases. Inhibition of the latter groups of metalloproteinases, as exemplified with ADAMTS-4 (aggrecanase 1), requires additional structural elements in TIMP-3 that have not yet been identified. Knowledge of the structural basis of the inhibitory action of TIMPs will facilitate the design of selective TIMP variants for investigating the biological roles of specific MMPs and for developing therapeutic interventions for MMP-associated diseases.

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Inflammageing in the cardiovascular system: mechanisms, emerging targets, and novel therapeutic strategies

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs20191213 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 134 (17) ◽

pp. 2243-2262

Author(s):

Danlin Liu ◽

Gavin Richardson ◽

Fehmi M. Benli ◽

Catherine Park ◽

João V. de Souza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiovascular Diseases ◽

Cardiovascular System ◽

Nlrp3 Inflammasome ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Molecular Targets ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Low Grade ◽

Cardiovascular Research ◽

Inflammatory Processes ◽

Ach Receptors

Abstract In the elderly population, pathological inflammation has been associated with ageing-associated diseases. The term ‘inflammageing’, which was used for the first time by Franceschi and co-workers in 2000, is associated with the chronic, low-grade, subclinical inflammatory processes coupled to biological ageing. The source of these inflammatory processes is debated. The senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) has been proposed as the main origin of inflammageing. The SASP is characterised by the release of inflammatory cytokines, elevated activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, altered regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) nicotinic receptors, and abnormal NAD+ metabolism. Therefore, SASP may be ‘druggable’ by small molecule therapeutics targeting those emerging molecular targets. It has been shown that inflammageing is a hallmark of various cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension, and adverse cardiac remodelling. Therefore, the pathomechanism involving SASP activation via the NLRP3 inflammasome; modulation of NLRP3 via α7 nicotinic ACh receptors; and modulation by senolytics targeting other proteins have gained a lot of interest within cardiovascular research and drug development communities. In this review, which offers a unique view from both clinical and preclinical target-based drug discovery perspectives, we have focused on cardiovascular inflammageing and its molecular mechanisms. We have outlined the mechanistic links between inflammageing, SASP, interleukin (IL)-1β, NLRP3 inflammasome, nicotinic ACh receptors, and molecular targets of senolytic drugs in the context of cardiovascular diseases. We have addressed the ‘druggability’ of NLRP3 and nicotinic α7 receptors by small molecules, as these proteins represent novel and exciting targets for therapeutic interventions targeting inflammageing in the cardiovascular system and beyond.

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