Culturally Authentic Scaling Approach: A Multi-Step Method for Culturally Adapting Measures for Use with Ethnic Minority and Immigrant Youths

Given the increasing ethnic and racial diversity of youths in the U.S., researchers must be conscious of how youth are being recruited, retained, and assessed in research programs. In this article, we describe an efficient and replicable methodology, the Culturally Authentic Scaling Approach (CASA), which can be implemented to culturally adapt measures for use with ethnic minority and immigrant youths. Specifically, the steps involved in the CASA method are described, including developing community partnership, evaluating the theoretical equivalence, adjusting the selection and administration of measures. Engaging in an on-going dialogue with the community to increase cultural validity and build community relationships is also discussed. Addressing the cultural validity of measures used with ethnic and immigrant youths enhances the probability that the information obtained will be reflective of the cultural background of the participants and an accurate assessment of their experience

Landscape change and the use of forest resources in family agriculture: A case study in the Atlantic forest region

S\ue3o Bonif\ue1cio est\ue1 localizado na regi\ue3o das serras do leste catarinense, no bioma Mata Atl\ue2ntica. A agricultura e a pecu\ue1ria leiteira, praticadas na pequena propriedade, comp\uf5em o setor respons\ue1vel por garantir ocupa\ue7\ue3o da maior parte da popula\ue7\ue3o. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a rela\ue7\ue3o entre agricultores familiares e os recursos florestais da paisagem. O est\uedmulo a pr\ue1ticas produtivas que n\ue3o valorizam a floresta associado \ue0 aus\ueancia de pol\uedticas de incentivo para o manejo florestal de esp\ue9cies nativas, foram determinantes para a redu\ue7\ue3o das \ue1reas florestadas em S\ue3o Bonif\ue1cio nas \ufaltimas cinco d\ue9cadas.The municipality of S\ue3o Bonif\ue1cio is located in the eastern mountain region of Santa Catarina, in the Atlantic Forest biome. Agriculture and dairy farming, carried out on small properties constitute the main economic activity, which is responsible for ensuring work for the majority of the population. This study aims to evaluate the relation between small agriculturists and landscape forest resources. The incentive toward productive activities that do not highly value the native forest, associated with the absence of public policies for forest management of native species, were determinants for the reduction of forested areas in S\ue3o Bonif\ue1cio over the last 5 (five) decades

Cidofovir for BK Virus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis: A Retrospective Study

Background.BK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a severe complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but antiviral treatment for this condition has not been evaluated. Methods.We conducted a retrospective survey on the safety and outcome of cidofovir treatment for patients with BKV-HC in centers affiliated with the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Results.From 1 April 2004 to 31 December 2007, 62 patients received a diagnosis of BKV-HC after a median interval of 35 days after HSCT (range, 3-577 days). Fifty-seven patients (92%) received intravenous cidofovir, whereas 5 patients received cidofovir intravesically. Complete response (CR) was recorded in 38 (67%) of 57 patients with HC treated with intravenous cidofovir, whereas partial response (PR) was documented in 7 patients (12%). CR was documented in 3 patients and PR in 1 patient with HC treated with intravesical cidofovir. A reduction of 1-3 logs in BKV load was documented in 8 of the 10 patients achieving CR. Mild-to-moderate toxic effects were recorded in 18 of 57 patients who received intravenous cidofovir administration. In a multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with response to cidofovir were the stem cell source (P=.01) and the use of total body irradiation (P=.03). After a median follow-up of 287 days, overall survival and total treatment-related mortality rates were 63% and 40% for patients achieving CR, compared with 14% and 72% for patients with PR or no response to cidofovir, respectively (P<.001 and P=.001, respectively). Conclusions.Cidofovir may be a potentially effective therapy for BKV-HC, but evidence supporting its use requires randomized controlled trial

Characterization of coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates from blood with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides and therapeutic options

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are a major cause of nosocomial blood stream infection, especially in critically ill and haematology patients. CoNS are usually multidrug-resistant and glycopeptide antibiotics have been to date considered the drugs of choice for treatment. The aim of this study was to characterize CoNS with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides causing blood stream infection (BSI) in critically ill and haematology patients at the University Hospital Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, in 2007.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Hospital microbiology records for transplant haematology and ICU were reviewed to identify CoNS with elevated MICs for glycopeptides, and isolates were matched to clinical records to determine whether the isolates caused a BSI. The isolates were tested for susceptibility to new drugs daptomicin and tigecycline and the genetic relationship was assessed using f-AFLP.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of a total of 17,418 blood cultures, 1,609 were positive for CoNS and of these, 87 (5.4%) displayed reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides. Clinical review revealed that in 13 cases (7 in haematology and 6 in ICU), CoNS with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides were responsible for a BSI. <it>Staphylococcus epidermidis </it>was the causative organism in 11 instances and <it>Staphylococcus haemolyticus </it>in 2. The incidence of oxacillin resistance was high (77%), although all isolates remained susceptible to linezolid, daptomycin and tigecycline. Fingerprinting of CoNS identified one clonal relationship between two isolates.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Multi-resistant CoNS with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides, although still relatively infrequent in our hospital, are emerging pathogens of clinical concern. Surveillance by antibiotyping with attention to multi-resistant profile, and warning to clinicians, is necessary.</p

Persistent Arthralgia Induced by Chikungunya Virus Infection is Associated with Interleukin-6 and Granulocyte Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor

Background. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection induces arthralgia. The involvement of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines has been suggested, but very little is known about their secretion profile in CHIKV-infected patients