Universally Espoused Fraternal Values on College and University Campuses: Commonplace or Coincidence?

The purpose of the present study was to examine the espoused values of 75 predominately White national fraternities. This article reports values types espoused by college fraternities, as well as their classification along a well-defined and recognized continuum of universal values. Universal classification types included self-enhancement, openness to change, selftranscendence, and conservation

An Analysis of Black, Latinx, Multicultural and Asian/Pacific Islander Fraternity/Sorority Organizational Values

The purpose of this study was to examine the espoused values of historically Black, Latinx, Multicultural and Asian/Pacific Islander fraternity/sorority organizations. This study reports the types of values discovered, as well as their alignment with universally accepted values that included: self-enhancement, openness to change, self-transcendence and conservation. Further examination included comparisons between the espoused universally accepted values of the above-identified organizations with those of historically White fraternity/sorority organizations

Leadership Characteristics of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO): An Analysis of Gender, Professional Preparation, and Experiences

This quantitative study sought to closely examine the leadership behaviors of Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAO) at four-year colleges and universities, which previous research had been limited. The researchers examined three forms of leadership (transformational, transactional, and laisse-fare) measured by the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire while comparing SSAO demographic factors including gender, institutional type, educational level, experience and what (if any) relationships could be concluded. Surveys were sent to 3,361 individuals identified as Senior Student Affairs Officers, which yielded 494 responses. Some significant differences were found for study variables and other notable differences were consistent with what has been found previous literature. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are also provided

Quantification of fibroblast growth factor 23 and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide to identify patients with atrial fibrillation using a high-throughput platform: A validation study.

BACKGROUND Large-scale screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) requires reliable methods to identify at-risk populations. Using an experimental semi-quantitative biomarker assay, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) were recently identified as the most suitable biomarkers for detecting AF in combination with simple morphometric parameters (age, sex, and body mass index [BMI]). In this study, we validated the AF model using standardised, high-throughput, high-sensitivity biomarker assays. METHODS AND FINDINGS For this study, 1,625 consecutive patients with either (1) diagnosed AF or (2) sinus rhythm with CHA2DS2-VASc score of 2 or more were recruited from a large teaching hospital in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK, between September 2014 and February 2018. Seven-day ambulatory ECG monitoring excluded silent AF. Patients with tachyarrhythmias apart from AF and incomplete cases were excluded. AF was diagnosed according to current clinical guidelines and confirmed by ECG. We developed a high-throughput, high-sensitivity assay for FGF23, quantified plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and FGF23, and compared results to the previously used multibiomarker research assay. Data were fitted to the previously derived model, adjusting for differences in measurement platforms and known confounders (heart failure and chronic kidney disease). In 1,084 patients (46% with AF; median [Q1, Q3] age 70 [60, 78] years, median [Q1, Q3] BMI 28.8 [25.1, 32.8] kg/m2, 59% males), patients with AF had higher concentrations of NT-proBNP (median [Q1, Q3] per 100 pg/ml: with AF 12.00 [4.19, 30.15], without AF 4.25 [1.17, 15.70]; p < 0.001) and FGF23 (median [Q1, Q3] per 100 pg/ml: with AF 1.93 [1.30, 4.16], without AF 1.55 [1.04, 2.62]; p < 0.001). Univariate associations remained after adjusting for heart failure and estimated glomerular filtration rate, known confounders of NT-proBNP and FGF23. The fitted model yielded a C-statistic of 0.688 (95% CI 0.656, 0.719), almost identical to that of the derived model (C-statistic 0.691; 95% CI 0.638, 0.744). The key limitation is that this validation was performed in a cohort that is very similar demographically to the one used in model development, calling for further external validation. CONCLUSIONS Age, sex, and BMI combined with elevated NT-proBNP and elevated FGF23, quantified on a high-throughput platform, reliably identify patients with AF. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registry IRAS ID 97753 Health Research Authority (HRA), United Kingdom