bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amiloride as an Alternate Adjuvant Antiproteinuric Agent in Fabry Disease: The Potential Roles of Plasmin and uPAR
Authors: Trimarchi H. , Forrester M. , Lombi F. , Pomeranz V. , Raña M. S. , Karl A. , Andrews J.
Published: May 2014

Patients with Fabry disease present a higher risk of cardiovascular and kidney morbidity. We present a patient with a past history of biopsy-proven Fabry disease and stage 3 chronic kidney disease. Proteinuria partially dropped from 6.8 g/day to 2.1 g/day despite an aggressive regime which consisted of low-salt diet, agalsidase beta infusions, dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system, and low-dose maintenance of steroids. As proteinuria is considered a risk marker of cardiovascular disease and of progression of kidney disease, we added amiloride 5 mg/day, a drug with proven effects in podocyte stabilization and proteinuria actions at the distal convoluted tubule. Proteinuria finally decreased to 0.8 g/day. This report highlights the relevance of intervening on proteinuria in a multitarget approach in order to reduce it as much as possible. Due to this pharmacological response, we suggest that although agalsidase beta specific treatment protects the endothelium, the podocyte, and the tubule in Fabry disease and secondary haemodynamic and immunologic pathways are treated with inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system and steroids, amiloride may act as a complementary tool in podocyte stabilization and in proteinuria effects at the distal tubule.
The Effect of Rilonacept versus Placebo on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Poorly Controlled Familial Mediterranean Fever
Authors: Hashkes Philip J. , Spalding Steven J. , Hajj-Ali Rula , Giannini Edward H. , Johnson Anne , Barron Karyl S. , Weisman Michael H. , Pashinian Noune , Reiff Andreas O. , Samuels Jonathan , Wright Dowain , Lovell Daniel J. , Huang Bin
Published: May 2014

Objective. To examine the effect of rilonacept on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with poorly controlled familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).Methods. As part of a randomized, double-blinded trial comparing rilonacept and placebo for the treatment of FMF, patients/parents completed the modified Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) at baseline, and at the start and end of each of 4 treatment courses, 2 each with rilonacept and placebo.Results. Fourteen subjects were randomized; mean age was 24.4 ± 11.8 years. At baseline the physical HRQoL score was significantly less (24.2 ± 49.5) but the psychosocial score was similar to the population norm (49.5 ± 10.0). There were significant improvements in most HRQoL concepts after rilonacept but not placebo. Significant differences between rilonacept and placebo were found in the physical (33.7 ± 16.4 versus 23.7 ± 14.5,P=0.021) but not psychosocial scores (51.4 ± 10.3 versus 49.8 ± 12.4,P=0.42). The physical HRQoL was significantly impacted by the treatment effect and patient global assessment.Conclusion. Treatment with rilonacept had a beneficial effect on the physical HRQoL in patients with poorly controlled FMF and was also significantly related to the patient global assessment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00582907.
The Clinical Benefits of Adding a Third Dimension to Assess the Left Ventricle with Echocardiography
Authors: Badano Luigi P.
Published: May 2014

Three-dimensional echocardiography is a novel imaging technique based on acquisition and display of volumetric data sets in the beating heart. This permits a comprehensive evaluation of left ventricular (LV) anatomy and function from a single acquisition and expands the diagnostic possibilities of noninvasive cardiology. It provides the possibility of quantitating geometry and function of LV without preestablished assumptions regarding cardiac chamber shape and allows an echocardiographic assessment of the LV that is less operator-dependent and therefore more reproducible. Further developments and improvements for widespread routine applications include higher spatial and temporal resolution to improve image quality, faster acquisition, processing and reconstruction, and fully automated quantitative analysis. At present, three-dimensional echocardiography complements routine 2DE in clinical practice, overcoming some of its limitations and offering additional valuable information that has led to recommending its use for routine assessment of the LV of patients in whom information about LV size and function is critical for their clinical management.
Heart Failure in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Integrative Review
Authors: Segall Liviu , Nistor Ionut , Covic Adrian
Published: May 2014

Introduction. Heart failure (HF) is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and is strongly associated with mortality in these patients. However, the treatment of HF in this population is largely unclear.Study Design. We conducted a systematic integrative review of the literature to assess the current evidence of HF treatment in CKD patients, searching electronic databases in April 2014. Synthesis used narrative methods.Setting and Population. We focused on adults with a primary diagnosis of CKD and HF.Selection Criteria for Studies. We included studies of any design, quantitative or qualitative.Interventions. HF treatment was defined as any formal means taken to improve the symptoms of HF and/or the heart structure and function abnormalities.Outcomes. Measures of all kinds were considered of interest.Results.Of 1,439 results returned by database searches, 79 articles met inclusion criteria. A further 23 relevant articles were identified by hand searching.Conclusions.Control of fluid overload, the use of beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, and optimization of dialysis appear to be the most important methods to treat HF in CKD and ESRD patients. Aldosterone antagonists and digitalis glycosides may additionally be considered; however, their use is associated with significant risks. The role of anemia correction, control of CKD-mineral and bone disorder, and cardiac resynchronization therapy are also discussed.
Growth Parameters Impairment in Patients with Food Allergies
Authors: Costa Larissa Carvalho , Rezende Erica Rodrigues , Segundo Gesmar Rodrigues Silva
Published: May 2014

Background and Aims. Food allergy (FA) is a common disease that is rapidly increasing in prevalence for reasons that remain unknown. Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics and anthropometric data of patients with food allergies followed in a tertiary centre of allergy and immunology. Methods. A retrospective study was performed that assessed the data records of patients with food allergy diagnosis, covering a period from February 2009 to February 2012. Results. 354 patients were evaluated in the period; 228 (69.1%) patients had a confirmed FA diagnosis. The z-scores for weight-for-age, height-for-age, and body mass indices-for-age showed lower significant values in the FA group compared with the non-FA group by Mann-Whitney test, with significance values of P=0.0005, P=0.0030, and P=0.0066, respectively. There were no statistical differences in sex, gestational age, birth type, breastfeeding period, and age of introduction of complementary formulas based on cow milk protein between groups. Conclusion. FA patients had a lower growth rate in comparison with patients without FA. The early recognition of food allergies with the establishment of protein-implicated diet exclusion, in association with an adequate nutrient replenishment, is important to reduce the nutritional impact of food allergies.
Numerical Calculations on Flow and Heat Transfer in Smooth and Ribbed Two‐Pass Square Channels under Rotational Effects
Authors: Shen Zhongyang , Xie Yonghui , Zhang Di , Xie Gongnan
Published: May 2014

U‐shaped channel, which is also called two‐pass channel, commonly exists in gas turbine internal coolant passages. Ribbed walls are frequently adopted in internal passage to enhance the heat transfer. Considering the rotational condition of gas turbine blade on operation, the effect of rotation is also investigated for the coolant channel which is close to real operation condition. Thus, the objective of this study is to discuss the effect of rotation on fluid flow and heat transfer performance of U‐shaped channel with ribbed walls under high rotational numbers. Investigated Reynolds number is Re = 12500 and the rotation numbers are Rob = 0.4 and 0.6. In the results, the spatially heat transfer coefficient distributions are exhibited to discuss the effect of rotation and roughened walls. It is found that ribbed walls enhance the heat transfer rate significantly. Under the rotational condition, the Nu in the first pass with outward flow is increased while that in the second pass is decreased. Finally, average Nu ratio, friction ratio, and thermal performance are all presented to discuss the thermal characteristics.
Using Pharmacogene Polymorphism Panels to Detect Germline Pharmacodynamic Markers in Oncology
Authors: Hertz Daniel L. , McLeod Howard L.
Published: May 2014

The patient (germline) genome can influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cancer therapy. The field of pharmacogenetics (PGx) has primarily focused on genetic predictors of pharmacokinetics, largely ignoring pharmacodynamics, using a candidate approach to assess single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with known relevance to drug pharmacokinetics such as enzymes and transporters. A more comprehensive approach, the genome-wide association study, circumvents candidate selection but suffers because of the necessity for substantial statistical correction. Pharmacogene panels, which interrogate hundreds to thousands of SNPs in genes with known relevance to drug pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics, represent an attractive compromise between these approaches. Panels with defined or customizable SNP lists have been used to discover SNPs that predict pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of cancer drugs, most of which await successful replication. PGx discovery, particularly for SNPs that influence drug pharmacodynamics, is limited by weaknesses in both genetic and phenotypic data. Selection of candidate SNPs for inclusion on pharmacogene panels is difficult because of limited understanding of biology and pharmacology. Phenotypes used in analyses have primarily been complex toxicities that are known to be multifactorial. A more measured approach, in which sensitive phenotypes are used in place of complex clinical outcomes, will improve the success rate of pharmacodynamics SNP discovery and ultimately enable identification of pharmacodynamics SNPs with meaningful effects on treatment outcomes.

See all articles in this CCR Focus section, “Progress in Pharmacodynamic Endpoints.”

Clin Cancer Res; 20(10); 2530–40. ©2014 AACR.
Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease: An 80-Year-Old Mystery
Authors: Dai Zhehao , Matsui Yoshiyuki
Published: May 2014

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is a rare form of pulmonary hypertension which occurs in 0.1-0.2 people per million. Its etiology is still poorly understood but is related to several risk factors. The histopathology of PVOD is characterized by intimal fibrosis narrowing or the occlusion of small pulmonary veins or venules. A definitive diagnosis requires a surgical biopsy, which is a risky procedure. Thus, the diagnosis must be based on high clinical suspicion and the results of various diagnostic tests, mainly high-resolution computed tomography, pulmonary function tests, bronchoalveolar lavage, and right heart catheterization. The definitive treatment is limited to lung transplantation. Several pulmonary arterial hypertension-specific agents may cause pulmonary edema in PVOD. However, the cautious use of such medications in selected patients, and surgical or mechanical supports, may successfully bridge patients to transplantation. Given the scant knowledge regarding this entity, future studies with a focus on elucidating the etiology and establishing the optimal treatment are required, as is further development in diagnosis.
Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Social Development in Mice
Authors: Kabir Zeeba D. , Kennedy Bruce , Katzman Aaron , Lahvis Garet P. , Kosofsky Barry E.
Published: May 2014

Prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) in humans and animals has been shown to impair social development. Molecules that mediate synaptic plasticity and learning in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), specifically brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its downstream signaling molecule, early growth response protein 1 (egr1), have been shown to affect the regulation of social interactions (SI). In this study we determined the effects of PCE on SI and the corresponding ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in developing mice. Furthermore, we studied the PCE-induced changes in the constitutive expression of BDNF, egr1 and their transcriptional regulators in the mPFC as a possible molecular mechanism mediating the altered SI. In prenatal cocaine-exposed (PCOC) mice we identified increased SI and USV production at postnatal day (PD) 25, and increased SI but not USVs at PD35. By PD45 the expression of both social behaviors normalized in PCOC mice. At the molecular level, we found increased BDNF exon IV and egr1 mRNA in the mPFC of PCOC mice at PD30 that normalized by PD45. This was concurrent with increased EGR1 protein in the mPFC of PCOC mice at PD30, suggesting a role of egr1 in the enhanced SI observed in juvenile PCOC mice. Additionally, by measuring the association of acetylation of histone 3 at lysine residues 9 and 14 (acH3K9,14) and MeCP2 at the promoters of BDNF exons I and IV and egr1, our results provide evidence of promoter-specific alterations in the mPFC of PCOC juvenile mice, with increased association of acH3K9,14 only at the BDNF exon IV promoter. These results identify a potential PCE-induced molecular alteration as the underlying neurobiological mechanism mediating the altered social development in juvenile mice.
Recombinant Human L-Ficolin Directly Neutralizes Hepatitis C Virus Entry
Authors: Hamed Mohamed R. , Brown Richard J.P. , Zothner Carsten , Urbanowicz Richard A. , Mason Christopher P. , Krarup Anders , McClure C. Patrick , Irving William L. , Ball Jonathan K. , Harris Mark , Hickling Timothy P. , Tarr Alexander W.
Published: May 2014

L-ficolin is a soluble pattern recognition molecule expressed by the liver that contributes to innate immune defense against microorganisms. It is well described that binding of L-ficolin to specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns activates the lectin complement pathway, resulting in opsonization and lysis of pathogens. In this study, we demonstrated that in addition to this indirect effect, L-ficolin has a direct neutralizing effect against hepatitis C virus (HCV) entry. Specific, dose-dependent binding of recombinant L-ficolin to HCV glycoproteins E1 and E2 was observed. This interaction was inhibited by soluble L-ficolin ligands. Interaction of L-ficolin with E1 and E2 potently inhibited entry of retroviral pseudoparticles bearing these glycoproteins. L-ficolin also inhibited entry of cell-cultured HCV in a calcium-dependent manner. Neutralizing concentrations of L-ficolin were found to be circulating in the serum of HCV-infected individuals. This is the first description of direct neutralization of HCV entry by a ficolin and highlights a novel role for L-ficolin as a virus entry inhibitor.
Pulmonary Veins to Left Atrium Cycle Length Gradient Predicts Procedural and Clinical Outcomes of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
Authors: Pascale Patrizio , Shah Ashok J. , Roten Laurent , Scherr Daniel , Komatsu Yuki , Ramoul Khaled , Daly Matthew , Denis Arnaud , Derval Nicolas , Sacher Frédéric , Hocini Mélèze , Jaïs Pierre , Haïssaguerre Michel
Published: May 2014

Background—

Rapid pulmonary vein (PV) activity has been shown to maintain paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). We evaluated in persistent AF the cycle length (CL) gradient between PVs and the left atrium (LA) in an attempt to identify the subset of patients where PVs play an important role.

Methods and Results—

Ninety-seven consecutive patients undergoing first ablation for persistent AF were studied. For each PV, the CL of the fastest activation was assessed over 1 minute (PV
fast
) using Lasso recordings. The PV to LA CL gradient was quantified by the ratio of PV
fast
to LA appendage (LAA) AF CL. Stepwise ablation terminated AF in 73 patients (75%). In the AF termination group, the PV
fast
CL was much shorter than the LAA CL resulting in lower PV
fast
/LAA ratios compared with the nontermination group (71±10% versus 92±7%;
P
<0.001). Within the termination group, PV
fast
/LAA ratios were notably lower if AF terminated after PV isolation or limited adjunctive substrate ablation compared with patients who required moderate or extensive ablation (63±6% versus 75±8%;
P
<0.001). PV
fast
/LAA ratio <69% predicted AF termination after PV isolation or limited substrate ablation with 74% positive predictive value and 95% negative predictive value. After a mean follow-up of 29±17 months, freedom from arrhythmia recurrence off-antiarrhythmic drugs was achieved in most patients with PV
fast
/LAA ratios <69% as opposed to the remaining population (80% versus 43%;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

The PV to LA CL gradient may identify the subset of patients in whom persistent AF is likely to terminate after PV isolation or limited substrate ablation and better long-term outcomes are achieved.
A new genus, Neoschidium (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae), with a redescription of the type genus, Neoschidium phasma (Distant) [Ghilianella phasma Distant and Schidium phasma (Distant)], recorded for the first time from India
Authors: MUKHERJEE PARAMITA , AMBROSE DUNSTON P. , SAHA G. K. , BAL A.
Published: May 2014

A new genus, Neoschidium was erected with the type genus, Neoschidium phasma (Distant). It was earlier described under Ghilianella Spinola 1850 as G. phasma Distant and later under Schidium Bergroth 1916 as Schidium phasma (Distant) by Bergroth (1916). Because it exhibits characters not only of Ghilianella and Schidium but also intermediate specific characters that are not found in both the genera, the type genus Neoschidium phasma (Distant) is redescribed with additional taxonomic details, morphometrics, and illustrations. It is also recorded for the first time from India.
Equation for the Microwave Backscatter Cross Section of Aggregate Snowflakes Using the Self-Similar Rayleigh–Gans Approximation
Authors: Hogan Robin J. , Westbrook Christopher D.
Published: May 2014

In this paper an equation is derived for the mean backscatter cross section of an ensemble of snowflakes at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths. It uses the Rayleigh–Gans approximation, which has previously been found to be applicable at these wavelengths due to the low density of snow aggregates. Although the internal structure of an individual snowflake is random and unpredictable, the authors find from simulations of the aggregation process that their structure is “self-similar” and can be described by a power law. This enables an analytic expression to be derived for the backscatter cross section of an ensemble of particles as a function of their maximum dimension in the direction of propagation of the radiation, the volume of ice they contain, a variable describing their mean shape, and two variables describing the shape of the power spectrum. The exponent of the power law is found to be −. In the case of 1-cm snowflakes observed by a 3.2-mm-wavelength radar, the backscatter is 40–100 times larger than that of a homogeneous ice–air spheroid with the same mass, size, and aspect ratio.
Are child and adolescent mental health problems increasing in the 21st century? A systematic review
Authors: Bor William , Dean Angela J , Najman Jacob , Hayatbakhsh Reza
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Up to one in five children experience mental health problems. Social and cultural factors may influence emergence of mental health problems. The 21st century has led to changes in many of these factors, but it is unclear whether rates of internalizing and externalizing problems have also changed in recent cohorts of young people.

Methods:

A comprehensive literature search was undertaken to locate cohort or population studies that examined changes in mental health of children over time, where participants were aged 18 years and under, and the time frame for change was at least 10 years, with data for at least one time point in the 21st century being statistically compared to at least one time point in the 20th century. Studies were reviewed for quality and outcome.

Results:

Nineteen studies met criteria for review. These included studies of toddlers, children, and adolescents. Seventeen studies examined internalizing problems, and 11 studies examined externalizing problems. For both children and toddlers, recent cohorts did not exhibit worsening of mental health symptoms. In adolescents, the burden of externalizing problems appear to be stable. However, the majority of studies report an increase in internalizing problems in adolescent girls. The findings for internalizing problems in boys were mixed.

Conclusions:

These findings suggest that recent cohorts of adolescent girls are experiencing increases in internalizing symptoms compared to previous cohorts. Approaches for prevention and early intervention should be explored.
Persistent disability is a risk factor for late-onset mental disorder after serious injury
Authors: Holmes Alex CN , O’Donnell Meaghan L , Williamson Owen , Hogg Malcolm , Arnold Carolyn
Published: May 2014

Background:

Most of what we know about the psychiatric consequences of injury is limited to the first year. Determining the prevalence of and risk factors for psychiatric morbidity beyond one year will aid service development and facilitate timely diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this prognostic study was to determine the prevalence of mental disorders in the three years following serious injury and to identify risk factors for the onset of new disorders after 1 year.

Methods:

Of 272 patients assessed in hospital following serious injury, 196 (72.1%) were reassessed at 3 years. Assessment involved gold standard semi-structured interviews for psychiatric diagnoses, risk factors for mental disorder, injury measures and pain scores.

Results:

More than a quarter of all patients were diagnosed with at least one mood or anxiety disorder at some stage during the three years following their injury. The most common diagnoses were major depression (20.0%), generalised anxiety disorder (6.7%) and panic disorder (6.7%). For a third of these patients, the disorder appeared after 12 months, for which persistent physical disability was an independent risk factor.

Conclusion:

Although there is a necessary focus on the early detection and treatment of mental disorders after injury, attention to later onset disorders is also required for those with persistent pain and physical disability.
Where did all the dialects go? Aspects of the influence of Italian on dialects
Authors: Repetti Lori
Published: May 2014

The influence of standard Italian on the minor Romance languages spoken in Italy (i.e. the Italian dialects) permeates all aspects of their grammar. In this article, I provide an example of the way in which Italian prosody can affect dialects, a poorly studied type of influence. I show that a speaker may have a range of options available when speaking ‘dialect,’ including forms that are influenced by Italian to a greater or lesser degree.
‘If it’s Your Money, I Will Pay and Go’: Shifting and Contested Significance of Brideprice Payment among the Dagaaba of Northwest Ghana
Authors: Abdul-Korah Gariba B
Published: May 2014

Like many ethnic groups in sub-Saharan Africa, the Dagaaba of northwest (now Upper West region) Ghana have regarded, and for the most part, continue to regard the payment of the brideprice as the cornerstone upon which marriage is built – without it a marriage contract is not considered legal. Since the 1980s, however, the significance or essence of the payment has been contested and challenged by many Dagaaba. While some (young men) argue for a reform of the payment, others (young women) argue that the practice should be abolished altogether. Yet a third group (mostly elders) believes that brideprice payment is a “tradition” passed down over generations that should be maintained. This article examines the origins and historical significance of brideprice payments, and how views about these payments have changed over time among the Dagaaba – from those born near the close of the last century, to those of marriageable age now. The goal of this examination is to contribute to the ongoing discussion among African scholars and governments on the importance of maintaining certain aspects of their cultural heritage.
Being “Them” and “Us” at the Same Time? Subgroups of Cultural Identification Change Among Adolescent Diaspora Immigrants
Authors: Stoessel Katharina , Titzmann Peter F. , Silbereisen Rainer K.
Published: May 2014

Recent research suggests that cultural groups comprise subgroups differing in the combination of their self-identifications with their heritage and host cultures and following distinct trajectories of acculturation. This study aimed at identifying such subgroups, predicting group membership by pre-migration factors, and testing for acculturation-related experiences with the host culture over time. The sample comprised 366 adolescent diaspora migrants (59% female, 16 years old) from the former Soviet Union to Germany. A person-oriented and longitudinal approach using growth mixture modeling revealed three subtypes of cultural identification change. The first subgroup (Idealists) comprised adolescents with high and stable identification with their host culture and low but increasing identification with their heritage culture. The second group (Skeptics) showed low and stable identification with their host culture and high but decreasing identification with their heritage culture. The third group (Realists) reported medium-level and stable identification with both host and heritage cultures. Group comparisons showed pre-migration differences: Idealists and Realists most likely spoke the host-culture language (i.e., German) as a native language and Idealists reported the highest level of maternal education. Membership in subgroups also related to adolescents’ perception of their current situation in the host culture: Idealists reported less acculturation-related hassles with respect to language and socio-cultural adaptation. Skeptics perceived lower expectations by natives to get in contact with natives and higher expectations to spend time with members of their immigrant group than the average immigrant. Results highlight the heterogeneity in immigrant populations and their specific needs before and after the actual migration.
Democracy Does Not Promote Well-Being Except in Rich Countries With Demanding Climates
Authors: Van de Vliert Evert , Postmes Tom
Published: May 2014

Is democracy really a good thing because it improves well-being? Everywhere? Here we use multiple regression analysis to examine continuous associations between democracy and well-being across 137 countries. The results are clarified by breaking them down for 20 poor countries with demanding winters or summers ( threatening habitats), 48 poor countries with undemanding temperate climates ( unthreatening habitats), 23 rich countries with undemanding temperate climates ( unchallenging habitats), and 46 rich countries with demanding winters or summers ( challenging habitats). We show that democratic governance is negatively related to satisfaction with freedom of choice and overall happiness in threatening habitats and unrelated in unthreatening and unchallenging habitats. Only in challenging habitats of rich countries with demanding climates is democracy positively related to satisfaction with freedom of choice and overall happiness. This pattern of findings, which persists when controlling for a variety of societal risks, might suggest that the link between democracy and well-being can be particularly strengthened by empowering poorer populations in more demanding climates to generate more income.
Does Receiving Unsolicited Support Help or Hurt? Receipt of Unsolicited Job Leads and Depression
Authors: Song Lijun , Chen Wenhong
Published: May 2014

Does receiving unsolicited support protect or hurt health? This study focuses on the receipt of unsolicited job leads and examines opposite hypotheses on its main and interaction effects with economic strain (lack of full-time employment and the duration of lack of full-time employment) and financial dissatisfaction on depression using nationally representative data of working-age adults in the United States. The distress-reducing perspective expects its main effect to be negative, but the distress-inducing perspective predicts the opposite. Furthermore, the need contingency argument anticipates the two competing perspectives—distress reducing and distress inducing—to have stronger explanatory power for adults with more economic strain and financial dissatisfaction and those with less economic strain and financial dissatisfaction, respectively. Results are consistent with the distress-inducing perspective and the need contingency argument. The findings indicate that the receipt of unsolicited job leads often plays a deleterious role for mental health but that the role varies according to the need for job leads.
A reflection on the nature and theological basis for poverty and debt laws in the Pentateuch
Authors: Wong Fook-Kong
Published: May 2014

Biblical laws were written to protect the poor from exploitation and to help them escape the cycle of poverty. These laws were not implemented via government agency, but through kinship networks. The underlying theology/ideology emphasized the moral obligation of the helper rather than the moral integrity of those helped. In other words, no blame was placed on the poor because many were reduced to poverty through no fault of their own. Even when someone fell into poverty because of their own actions, the overriding concern was their restoration. This theological worldview was based on Israel’s systematic understanding of God’s attributes as well as Israel’s covenant with God, and, consequently with one another. Although the means for assisting the poor as found in the Pentateuch may not be relevant to contemporary times and cultures, the theological underpinnings on which the poverty and debt laws of the Pentateuch are based can be understood as prescriptive for all people in every time.
Poverty in the US: Its portrait, our response
Authors: Flesher LeAnn Snow
Published: May 2014

The US congressional shift toward conservative fiscal policies in the last 35 years has widened the gap between the rich and the rest of us. This article takes a close look at the dynamics of bi-partisan politics as well as the relationship between politics and religion, race, class, and education as they apply to the ever widening gap between the US elite and the poor. The article concludes with a call for progressive Christians to organize and collaborate with progressive politicians and reclaim the Bible as authentic social gospel.
Abusing the Bible: The case of Deuteronomy 15
Authors: Gottwald Norman K.
Published: May 2014

Deuteronomy 15:11 proclaims, “There will always be poor people in the land ….” This declaration has been used, and abused, over and over again, in order to validate our dismissive attitudes toward alleviating poverty. However, when read in the context of verses 1−11, this reference to the persistence of poverty is “balanced” by the insistence that poverty be banished (Deut 15:4−5).
A Mixed-Methods Case Study of Parent Involvement in an Urban High School Serving Minority Students
Authors: Reynolds Andrew D. , Crea Thomas M. , Medina Jose , Degnan Elizabeth , McRoy Ruth
Published: May 2014

Parental involvement in education has been associated with a number of positive outcomes for students. Using a mixed-methods approach, the authors examine how role construction and self-efficacy (psychological motivators), invitations (contextual motivators), and life contexts influence a parent’s decision to become involved within the context of an urban high school serving primarily Latino, African American, and immigrant children. Data collection strategies included parent focus groups, teacher interviews, and parent and teacher surveys ( N = 73). Findings highlight the importance of school invitations and considering family culture when engaging parents. The authors also compare involvement strategies and barriers as identified by parents and teachers.
Escaping Liberty
Authors: Hesse Barnor
Published: May 2014

This essay places Isaiah Berlin’s famous “Two Concepts of Liberty” in conversation with perspectives defined as black fugitive thought. The latter is used to refer principally to Aimé Césaire, W. E. B. Du Bois and David Walker. It argues that the trope of liberty in Western liberal political theory, exemplified in a lineage that connects Berlin, John Stuart Mill and Benjamin Constant, has maintained its universal meaning and coherence by excluding and silencing any representations of its modernity gestations, affiliations and entanglements with Atlantic slavery and European empires. This particular incarnation of theory is characterized as the Western discursive and hegemonic effects of colonial-racial foreclosure. Foreclosure describes the discursive contexts in which particular terms or references become impossible to formulate because the means by which they could be formulated have been excluded from the discursive context. Through an examination of the action of foreclosure, based largely on unraveling the liberal-colonial convergences of Two Concepts the essay reflects on the political and theoretical problems posed for black political thought by the hegemony of Western formulations of liberty that deny their indebtedness to Western colonialism. Drawing upon juxtapositions between white liberal/republican thinkers and black fugitivity thinkers, it argues a particular lineage of black political thought is compelled to conceive of itself as an escape from the colonial and racial hegemony of Western liberty.
Anarchist Printers and Presses
Authors: Ferguson Kathy E.
Published: May 2014

Printers and presses were central to the physical and social reproduction of the classical anarchist movement from the Paris Commune to the Second World War. Anarchists produced an environment rich in printed words by creating and circulating hundreds of journals, books, and pamphlets in dozens of languages. While some scholars and activists have examined the content of these publications, little attention has been paid to the printing process, the physical infrastructure and bodily practices producing and circulating this remarkable outpouring of radical public speech. This paper brings the resources of the new materialism into conversation with the networks of anarchist printers and presses. Printers and presses operated as nodal points, horizontal linkages among the objects, persons, desires, and ideas constituting anarchist assemblages. In their publishing practices, anarchists may have implicitly identified a constitutive condition of possibility for the flourishing of radical political communities in our time as well as theirs.
Perfectionism, Reasonableness, and Respect
Authors: Wall Steven
Published: May 2014

In recent work, Martha Nussbaum has exposed an important ambiguity in the standard conception of political liberalism. The ambiguity centers on the notion of “reasonableness” as it applies to comprehensive doctrines and to persons. As Nussbaum observes, the notion of reasonableness in political liberalism can be construed in a purely ethical sense or in a sense that combines ethical and epistemic elements. The ambiguity bears crucially on the respect for persons norm—a key norm that helps to distinguish political from perfectionist versions of liberalism. Nussbaum contends that when political liberals affirm a construal of reasonableness that includes epistemic elements they run into trouble in formulating an account of their view that sharply distinguishes it from perfectionist liberalism. She contends further that perfectionist versions of liberalism should be rejected since they fail to offer an account of respect for persons. This paper responds to Nussbaum’s challenge. It argues that an adequate account of respect for persons must make reference to epistemic elements. This being the case not only explains why political liberals were correct to incorporate epistemic elements into their accounts of reasonableness but also why it is a mistake to think that perfectionist liberals themselves cannot present an appealing account of respect for persons. Nussbaum’s challenge merits careful study since it both sheds light on the nature of political liberalism and highlights an important faultline in its structure.
Why Respect for Freedom Cannot Explain the Content and Grounds of Human Rights
Authors: Thunder David
Published: May 2014

In a recent article in Political Theory (40, 5: 573–601), entitled “Human Rights, Freedom, and Political Authority,” Laura Valentini proposes a “freedom-centered” account of human rights. On this account, “human rights are derived from the universal right to freedom, namely each person’s innate right to a sphere of agency within which to pursue her ends and goals without being subject to the will of others” (574). In spite of its prima facie appeal, I argue that Valentini’s theory does not do a good job at explaining some of our settled convictions about the content of human rights and that she offers an implausibly restrictive view of our reasons for respecting human rights. I conclude by very briefly presenting the main elements of a broader perfectionist and dignitarian account of human rights, which seems more consistent with our settled convictions on these matters.
Updating Cuban Socialism
Authors: Salazar Luis Suárez
Published: May 2014

A critical look at what is officially called the “updating of the Cuban economic model” and the “perfecting” of the Cuban political system from the viewpoint of the utopias of the Cuban Revolution calls attention to the importance of deepening participatory and socially representative democracy, strengthening popular and grassroots control over state management, addressing some of the causes of the deterioration of moral and civic values, and increasing the participation of the mass media in counteracting negative effects. This should help prepare citizens, especially the generations that will lead the country from 2018 on, to deal critically and in a utopian fashion with the challenges posed by the Cuban socialist transition.

Una mirada crítica a lo que se llama oficialmente la “actualización del modelo económico cubano” y el “perfeccionamiento” del sistema político cubano desde el punto de vista de las utopías de la Revolución Cubana llama la atención sobre la importancia de profundizar la democracia participativa y socialmente representativa, fortalecer al control popular y de base sobre la gestión del estado, abordar algunas de las causas del deterioro de los valores morales y cívicos, y aumentar a la participación de los medios de comunicación para contrarrestar los efectos negativos. Esto debería ayudar a preparar a los ciudadanos, especialmente las generaciones quienes liderarán al país desde 2018 en adelante, para hacer frente críticamente y de una manera utópica con los desafíos planteados por la transición socialista cubana.
Living conditions in Iraq: 10 years after the US-led invasion
Authors: Rawaf S , Hassounah S , Dubois E , Abdalrahman B , Raheem M , Jamil H , Majeed A
Published: May 2014

In the early 1980s, Iraq was a middle-income and rapidly developing country with a well-developed health system. A few decades later – after wars, sanctions and a violent sectarian upsurge – child and maternal health indicators have deteriorated, its poverty headcount index is at 22.9% and diseases such as cholera have remerged. Today Iraq is beset by chronic political deadlock and a complexity of economic challenges; accordingly, all aspects of life are suffering, including health. Irrespective of the monumental investment to improve components of the health system, via national and international efforts, the health status of the population can only advance through resounding and synergistic effort in other aspects of life affecting health: the social determinants of health.
In-school psychosocial support services for safeguarding children’s rights: Results and implications of a Botswana study
Authors: Ntinda Kayi , Maree Jacobus Gideon , Mpofu Elias , Seeco Elizabeth
Published: May 2014

In-school psychosocial support services are intended to create safe learning environments for children, enabling the children to attain age-appropriate developmental tasks. This study investigated protections to children’s right to safe learning environments through the provision of in-school psychosocial support services. Participants were 230 learners from a cross-section of Botswana schools (females = 124, males 106; age range 10.7–17.7 years; school grades 5 to 12; median age = 14.5 years, SD = 3.65 years). Data on learner access, utilization, and preferences of in-school psychosocial support services were collected using focus group discussions, individual interviews, and a semi-structured survey. The data were analysed thematically and with supplemental quantitative analysis. A social risk management analysis approach was adopted for the interpretation of findings. Learners perceived their schooling rights to be protected when they had direct input into the type, scope, and delivery of the psychosocial support services. Botswana learners are sensitive to social risks to their rights to safe learning environments. Children’s rights to safe learning environments are likely to be realized with learner-oriented in-school psychosocial support services.
Advancement of children’s rights in Africa: A social justice framework for school psychologists
Authors: Pillay Jace
Published: May 2014

The United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights and the subsequent African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child together with the Bill of Children’s Rights and numerous other policies and regulations in many African countries have set the precedent for children’s rights to be respected and implemented across the African Continent. However, little is known about the actual advancement of children’s rights within Sub-Saharan Africa; hence, the purpose of this study was to explore the advancement of children’s rights within an African context. This qualitative study included a sample of eight respected leaders on different aspects of children’s rights, including academics; policy analysts; directors of children’s centres; legal experts; and members of national, regional, and international committees on children’s rights issues. Data were collected through individual interviews, a questionnaire and the analysis of instruments on children’s rights. The findings indicate there have been considerable improvements in terms of the development of policies and instruments concerning children’s rights. However, challenges around implementation were vividly conspicuous. It is argued here that school psychologists should adopt a social justice framework embedded within a rights based approach to promote children’s rights within the African context.
A National Study of the Certified Diabetes Educator
Authors: Zrebiec John
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The purposes of this national practice analysis conducted by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators are to (1) maintain the Certified Diabetes Educator® (CDE®) examination as a valid measure of knowledge, (2) ensure that the content of certification examinations is related to practice, and (3) define content areas that should be assessed in future certification examinations.

Methods

The study involved developing a diabetes educator job task list and survey, distributing 5,053 surveys, and analyzing survey responses from a multidisciplinary and geographically representative sample of certified diabetes educators.

Results

Nine hundred sixty-one surveys were suitable for analysis, with relevant demographic subgroups adequately represented. On the basis of survey data, an examination matrix and a detailed content outline were constructed that will be used by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators to develop future examinations.

Conclusions

Certification examination specifications were developed on the basis of the important job activities certified diabetes educators perform. These test specifications will guide future test development and ensure that the examination has strong content validity and reflects current practice. Future forms of the examination will contain 175 items at specified cognitive levels, with a representative sampling of tasks within 3 core areas from a detailed content outline.
Effectiveness of Culturally Tailored Diabetes Interventions for Asian Immigrants to the United States
Authors: Joo Jee Young
Published: May 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of tailoring community-based diabetes intervention to Asian immigrant cultures.

Methods

The Cochrane processes and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations guided this systematic review. PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid, and PsycINFO were searched for analyses and syntheses of primary research published since 2000 that described interventions tailored for the cultures of Asian immigrants with diabetes. This search yielded a total of 9 articles published from 2005 to 2013. The Amsterdam-Maastricht Consensus List for Quality Assessment was used to assess the quality of the studies.

Results

Retrieved studies’ populations were foreign-born adults >50 years of age with type 2 diabetes. The review revealed that culturally tailored diabetes programs are effective at improving patients’ objectively measured clinical outcomes, in particular A1C levels, and psychobehavioral outcomes. Patients were also highly satisfied with bilingual health care providers and bilingual educational programs.

Conclusions

There is strong evidence of the effectiveness of tailoring diabetes interventions to Asian immigrant populations’ cultures. Further studies, including longitudinal studies and studies with rigorous research designs that subclassify Asian immigrants, are needed to encourage the implementation of culturally tailored diabetes intervention for this ethnic minority.
Mitral valve repair in acquired dextrocardia
Authors: Elmistekawy Elsayed , Chan Vincent , Hynes Mark , Mesana Thierry
Published: May 2014

Surgical correction of valvular heart disease in patients with dextrocardia is extremely rare. We report a surgical case of mitral valve repair in a patient with acquired dextrocardia. Successful mitral valve repair was performed through a right lateral thoracotomy. We describe our surgical strategy and summarize the literature.