Religious socialization among Malaysian Muslim adolescents: a family structure comparison

Despite the plethora of research on correlates of adolescent religiosity, few studies have examined the contribution of socialization factors to adolescent religiosity in the context of non-Western Muslim samples from different family contexts. To address this gap, the current study explored the contribution of parenting (direct socialization) and community engagement (indirect socialization) factors on religiosity among 895 Malaysian Muslim high school students from single-/non-parent and two-parent families. T-test results showed that religiosity was higher for students from two-parent families than single-/non-parent parent homes. After controlling for (a) social desirability, (b) gender and (c) school type, the hypothesized factors of: parental attachment, parental religious socialization, parental supervision, youth organization involvement, school attachment, and mosque involvement significantly predicted religiosity for the full sample of students from both types of families. Hierarchical regression results further revealed that while both indirect and direct parental socialization factors were stronger predictors of religiosity for two-parent families than single-/non-parent families, direct parental socialization effects were more robust. Implications of the findings are discussed

Host-Based Th2 Cell Therapy for Prolongation of Cardiac Allograft Viability

Donor T cell transfusion, which is a long-standing approach to prevent allograft rejection, operates indirectly by alteration of host T cell immunity. We therefore hypothesized that adoptive transfer of immune regulatory host Th2 cells would represent a novel intervention to enhance cardiac allograft survival. Using a well-described rat cardiac transplant model, we first developed a method for ex vivo manufacture of rat host-type Th2 cells in rapamycin, with subsequent injection of such Th2.R cells prior to class I and class II disparate cardiac allografting. Second, we determined whether Th2.R cell transfer polarized host immunity towards a Th2 phenotype. And third, we evaluated whether Th2.R cell therapy prolonged allograft viability when used alone or in combination with a short-course of cyclosporine (CSA) therapy. We found that host-type Th2.R cell therapy prior to cardiac allografting: (1) reduced the frequency of activated T cells in secondary lymphoid organs; (2) shifted post-transplant cytokines towards a Th2 phenotype; and (3) prolonged allograft viability when used in combination with short-course CSA therapy. These results provide further support for the rationale to use “direct” host T cell therapy for prolongation of allograft viability as an alternative to “indirect” therapy mediated by donor T cell infusion

The Role of Vitamin D in Hematologic Disease and Stem Cell Transplantation

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone with a broad range of biological effects ranging from the classical role as a mediator of calcium and phosphate balance to cellular differentiation and immune modulation. These effects impact normal and dysfunctional hematopoietic and immune function, which may allow an avenue for improved treatment and support of patients suffering from hematologic disorders. In this review, we will summarize the role of vitamin D in normal hematopoiesis, discuss ways in which vitamin D may improve outcomes, and discuss a potential role of vitamin D for treating hematologic disorders and modulating the immune system to improve the outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplant

sj-docx-1-tde-10.1177_26350106231221463 – Supplemental material for Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Managed Diabetes Transitions of Care Medication Management Clinic

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-tde-10.1177_26350106231221463 for Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Managed Diabetes Transitions of Care Medication Management Clinic by Hayley M. Hall, Kadin C. Ashley, Aric D. Schadler and Kristina W. Naseman in The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care</p

Sleep and Antibody Response to Hepatitis B Vaccination

Study objectivesExperimental evidence links poor sleep with susceptibility to infectious illness; however, it remains to be determined if naturally occurring sleep is associated with immune responses known to play a role in protection against infection. The aim of this study was to determine whether sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality, assessed in the natural environment, predict magnitude of antibody responses to a novel antigen among community volunteers in midlife.DesignObservational.Measurements and resultsHealthy midlife adults (n = 125; 70 female; age 40-60 yr) received the standard 3-dose hepatitis B vaccination series. Actigraphy and electronic sleep diaries were used to assess sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality. Viral-specific antibody titers were obtained prior to the 2nd and 3rd vaccination to assess primary and secondary antibody responses. Clinical protection status (anti-hepatitis B surface antigen immunoglobulin G ≥ 10 mIU/ml) was assessed 6 mo after the final immunization. Regression analyses revealed that shorter actigraphy-based sleep duration was associated with a lower secondary antibody response independent of age, sex, body mass index, and response to the initial immunization. Shorter sleep duration, measured by actigraphy and sleep diary, also predicted a decreased likelihood of being clinically protected from hepatitis B at the conclusion of the vaccination series. Neither sleep efficiency nor subjective sleep quality were significant predictors of antibody response.ConclusionsShort sleep duration in the natural environment may negatively affect in vivo antibody responses to novel antigens, providing a possible explanation for observed associations of poor sleep with increased susceptibility to infectious disease