Resources for Workplace Diversity: An Annotated Practitioner Guide to Information

[Excerpt] We are pleased to offer this updated edition of Resources for Workplace Diversity: An Annotated Practitioner Guide to Information, a unique offering of The Workplace Diversity Network. Our goal is to assemble a selected, annotated list of compelling and useful resources available to help diversity practitioners create organizations that are diverse and productive. As a working group, we agreed that useful resources would include newly published books as well as historic, seminal works that provide insight and illumination irrelevant of their age. In the updated edition, we’ve expanded existing sections, added new ones and referenced online access where possible. Designed with practitioner needs in mind, Resources for Workplace Diversity is meant to be an evolving document, one that will grow according to the needs and recommendations of its users. To capture the advantage of networking, we invite you to suggest additional resources that you have found to be valuable

Molecular phylogenetics of deep-sea amphipods (Eurythenes) reveal a new undescribed species at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain, North East Atlantic Ocean

The genus Eurythenes S. I. Smith in Scudder, 1882, has been the focus of integrated molecular and morphological taxonomy studies in recent years, resulting in the number of species in the genus increasing from three to eight. Samples of Eurythenes spp. collected using free-fall baited traps from the Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP), North East Atlantic Ocean, at 4850 m were examined in this study to investigate the identity of the species found using molecular barcoding methods. Mitochondrial COI analysis confirms the presence of E. maldoror at PAP and data from the nuclear 28S rDNA gene provides independent confirmation of this observation. A new, undescribed species that is clearly divergent from all other known species and molecular lineages was identified, which can be distinguished morphologically from known species. A specimen within the E. magellanicus lineage was also found at the site. We discuss the presence of these three Eurythenes species at the Porcupine Abyssal Plain

Timing of CGM initiation in pediatric diabetes: The CGM TIME Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether timing of CGM initiation offering low glucose suspend (LGS) affects CGM adherence in children and youth starting insulin pump therapy. METHODS: A 5-site RCT of pump-naïve subjects (aged 5-18 years) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for at least 1 year compared simultaneous pump and CGM initiation offering LGS vs standard pump therapy with CGM initiation delayed for 6 months. Primary outcome was CGM adherence (hours per 28 days) (MiniMed™ Paradigm™ Veo™ system; CareLink Pro™ software) over 6 months after CGM initiation. Secondary outcome HbA1c was measured centrally. Linear mixed-models and ordinary least squares models were fitted to estimate effect of intervention, and covariates baseline age, T1D duration, HbA1c, gender, ethnicity, hypoglycemia history, clinical site, and association between CGM adherence and HbA1c. RESULTS: The trial randomized 144/152 (95%) eligible subjects. Baseline mean age was 11.5 ± 3.3(SD) years, T1D duration 3.4 ± 3.1 years, and HbA1c 7.9 ± 0.9%. Six months after CGM initiation, adjusted mean difference in CGM adherence was 62.4 hours per 28 days greater in the Simultaneous Group compared to Delayed Group (P = .007). There was no difference in mean HbA1c at 6 months. However, for each 100 hours of CGM use per 28-day period, HbA1c was 0.39% (95% CI 0.10%-0.69%) lower. Higher CGM adherence was associated with reduced time with glucose \u3e10 mmol/L (P \u3c .001). CONCLUSION: CGM adherence was higher after 6 months when initiated at same time as pump therapy compared to starting CGM 6 months after pump therapy. Greater CGM adherence was associated with improved HbA1c

Development of a patient decision aid for children and adolescents following anterior cruciate ligament rupture: an international mixed-methods study

AIM: To develop and user test an evidence-based patient decision aid for children and adolescents who are considering anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.DESIGN: Mixed-methods study describing the development of a patient decision aid.SETTING: A draft decision aid was developed by a multidisciplinary steering group (including various types of health professionals and researchers, and consumers) informed by the best available evidence and existing patient decision aids.PARTICIPANTS: People who ruptured their ACL when they were under 18 years old (ie, adolescents), their parents, and health professionals who manage these patients. Participants were recruited through social media and the network outreach of the steering group.PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Semistructured interviews and questionnaires were used to gather feedback on the decision aid. The feedback was used to refine the decision aid and assess acceptability. An iterative cycle of interviews, refining the aid according to feedback and further interviews, was used. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.RESULTS: We conducted 32 interviews; 16 health professionals (12 physiotherapists, 4 orthopaedic surgeons) and 16 people who ruptured their ACL when they were under 18 years old (7 were adolescents and 9 were adults at the time of the interview). Parents participated in 8 interviews. Most health professionals, patients and parents rated the aid's acceptability as good-to-excellent. Health professionals and patients agreed on most aspects of the decision aid, but some health professionals had differing views on non-surgical management, risk of harms, treatment protocols and evidence on benefits and harms.CONCLUSION: Our patient decision aid is an acceptable tool to help children and adolescents choose an appropriate management option following ACL rupture with their parents and health professionals. A clinical trial evaluating the potential benefit of this tool for children and adolescents considering ACL reconstruction is warranted.</p

A Metabolomics Approach for Early Prediction of Vincristine-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Vincristine is a core chemotherapeutic drug administered to pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients. Despite its efficacy in treating leukemia, it can lead to severe peripheral neuropathy in a subgroup of the patients. Peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating and painful side-effect that can severely impact an individual’s quality of life. Currently, there are no established predictors of peripheral neuropathy incidence during the early stage of chemotherapeutic treatment. As a result, patients who are not susceptible to peripheral neuropathy may receive sub-therapeutic treatment due to an empirical upper cap on the dose, while others may experience severe neuropathy at the same dose. Contrary to previous genomics based approaches, we employed a metabolomics approach to identify small sets of metabolites that can be used to predict a patient’s susceptibility to peripheral neuropathy at different time points during the treatment. Using those identified metabolites, we developed a novel strategy to predict peripheral neuropathy and subsequently adjust the vincristine dose accordingly. In accordance with this novel strategy, we created a free user-friendly tool, VIPNp, for physicians to easily implement our prediction strategy. Our results showed that focusing on metabolites, which encompasses both genotypic and phenotypic variations, can enable early prediction of peripheral neuropathy in pediatric leukemia patients

sFDvent: A global trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna

Motivation: Traits are increasingly being used to quantify global biodiversity patterns, with trait databases growing in size and number, across diverse taxa. Despite grow‐ ing interest in a trait‐based approach to the biodiversity of the deep sea, where the impacts of human activities (including seabed mining) accelerate, there is no single re‐ pository for species traits for deep‐sea chemosynthesis‐based ecosystems, including hydrothermal vents. Using an international, collaborative approach, we have compiled the first global‐scale trait database for deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna – sFD‐ vent (sDiv‐funded trait database for the Functional Diversity of vents). We formed a funded working group to select traits appropriate to: (a) capture the performance of vent species and their influence on ecosystem processes, and (b) compare trait‐based diversity in different ecosystems. Forty contributors, representing expertise across most known hydrothermal‐vent systems and taxa, scored species traits using online collaborative tools and shared workspaces. Here, we characterise the sFDvent da‐ tabase, describe our approach, and evaluate its scope. Finally, we compare the sFD‐ vent database to similar databases from shallow‐marine and terrestrial ecosystems to highlight how the sFDvent database can inform cross‐ecosystem comparisons. We also make the sFDvent database publicly available online by assigning a persistent, unique DOI. Main types of variable contained: Six hundred and forty‐six vent species names, associated location information (33 regions), and scores for 13 traits (in categories: community structure, generalist/specialist, geographic distribution, habitat use, life history, mobility, species associations, symbiont, and trophic structure). Contributor IDs, certainty scores, and references are also provided. Spatial location and grain: Global coverage (grain size: ocean basin), spanning eight ocean basins, including vents on 12 mid‐ocean ridges and 6 back‐arc spreading centres. Time period and grain: sFDvent includes information on deep‐sea vent species, and associated taxonomic updates, since they were first discovered in 1977. Time is not recorded. The database will be updated every 5 years. Major taxa and level of measurement: Deep‐sea hydrothermal‐vent fauna with spe‐ cies‐level identification present or in progress. Software format: .csv and MS Excel (.xlsx).This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Maternal substance use and integrated treatment programs for women with substance abuse issues and their children: a meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The rate of women with substance abuse issues is increasing. Women present with a unique constellation of risk factors and presenting needs, which may include specific needs in their role as mothers. Numerous integrated programs (those with substance use treatment and pregnancy, parenting, or child services) have been developed to specifically meet the needs of pregnant and parenting women with substance abuse issues. This synthesis and meta-analysis reviews research in this important and growing area of treatment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We searched PsycINFO, MedLine, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Proquest Dissertations, Sociological Abstracts, and CINAHL and compiled a database of 21 studies (2 randomized trials, 9 quasi-experimental studies, 10 cohort studies) of integrated programs published between 1990 and 2007 with outcome data on maternal substance use. Data were summarized and where possible, meta-analyses were performed, using standardized mean differences (<it>d</it>) effect size estimates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the two studies comparing integrated programs to no treatment, effect sizes for urine toxicology and percent using substances significantly favored integrated programs and ranged from 0.18 to 1.41. Studies examining changes in maternal substance use from beginning to end of treatment were statistically significant and medium sized. More specifically, in the five studies measuring severity of drug and alcohol use, the average effect sizes were 0.64 and 0.40, respectively. In the four cohort studies of days of use, the average effect size was 0.52. Of studies comparing integrated to non-integrated programs, four studies assessed urine toxicology and two assessed self-reported abstinence. Overall effect sizes for each measure were not statistically significant (<it>d </it>= -0.09 and 0.22, respectively).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Findings suggest that integrated programs are effective in reducing maternal substance use. However, integrated programs were not significantly more effective than non-integrated programs. Policy implications are discussed with specific attention to the need for funding of high quality randomized control trials and improved reporting practices.</p

Sonic Hedgehog and Notch Signaling Can Cooperate to Regulate Neurogenic Divisions of Neocortical Progenitors

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) and innate-like lymphocytes have important roles in immune responses in the context of infection, cancer, and autoimmunity. The factors involved in driving the differentiation and function of these cell types remain to be clearly defined. There are several cellular signaling pathways involved in embryogenesis, which continue to function in adult tissue. In particular, the WNT, NOTCH, and Hedgehog signaling pathways are emerging as regulators of hematopoietic cell development and differentiation. This review discusses the currently known roles of WNT, NOTCH, and Hedgehog signaling in the differentiation and function of ILCs and innate-like lymphocytes