Strategies to Enhance Out of State Enrollment at VCU Focusing on Name Recognition, Successful Alumni and Out of State Students

The project team has conceptualized several possible university marketing initiatives. These initiatives revolve around a central concept: increasing out-ofstate student enrollment at VCU. In concert with the Office of the Vice President of University Outreach, Team 3 will study and test the effectiveness of outdoor and other strategically located VCU advertising along major northeast corridor transportation routes and hubs to attract out-of state undergraduates

Therapist Adherence in the Strong Without Anorexia Nervosa (SWAN) Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Three Treatments for Adults with Anorexia Nervosa

The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 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.Objective: To develop a psychotherapy rating scale to measure therapist adherence in the Strong Without Anorexia Nervosa (SWAN) study, a multi-center randomized controlled trial comparing three different psychological treatments for adults with anorexia nervosa. The three treatments under investigation were Enhanced Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT-E), the Maudsley Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA), and Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM). Method: The SWAN Psychotherapy Rating Scale (SWAN-PRS) was developed, after consultation with the developers of the treatments, and refined. Using the SWANPRS, two independent raters initially rated 48 audiotapes of treatment sessions to yield inter-rater reliability data. One rater proceeded to rate a total of 98 audiotapes from 64 trial participants. Results: The SWAN-PRS demonstrated sound psychometric properties, and was considered a reliable measure of therapist adherence. The three treatments were highly distinguishable by independent raters, with therapists demonstrating significantly more behaviors consistent with the actual allocated treatment compared to the other two treatment modalities. There were no significant site differences in therapist adherence observed. Discussion: The findings provide support for the internal validity of the SWAN study. The SWAN-PRS was deemed suitable for use in other trials involving CBT-E, MANTRA, or SSCM. VC 2015 The Authors. International Journal of Eating Disorders Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Idiopathic membranous nephropathy in pediatric patients: presentation, response to therapy, and long-term outcome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is one of the most common causes of primary nephrotic syndrome in adults. However, it is a relatively rare entity in the pediatric population and there is a paucity of data about the incidence, prognosis, and optimal treatment of IMN in children and adolescents. We conducted this study to evaluate pediatric patients with IMN in order to clarify the presentation, response to therapy, and clinical outcome.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective chart review was performed on patients identified with biopsy-proven IMN between 1988–2005. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus or hepatitis-related lesions were excluded. The following data were tabulated: age, gender, ethnicity, presenting clinical and laboratory findings, proteinuria in a first morning urine specimen, estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR_e), histopathology, type and duration of treatment, and clinical status at final evaluation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>13 cases of IMN were identified out of 460 renal biopsies performed for evaluation of primary kidney disease during the study interval. Mean age was 9.6 ± 4.6, gender 6 M:7 F, ethnicity 8 W:2 B:3 H. At the initial visit hematuria was present in 9 patients, edema in 5, nephrotic-range proteinuria in 5, and hypertension in 3. Mean urinary protein:creatinine ratio 3.3 ± 2.5 and all patients had a normal GFR_e. Classic glomerular findings of IMN were seen in all renal specimens, with concomitant interstitial changes in 2 cases. Treatment included an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker in 11 cases. Most patients were also given immunosuppressive medications – prednisone in 10, a calcineurin inhibitor in 5, and mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine in 3 patients. At the last follow-up, 42 ± 35 months after the diagnostic biopsy, 7 children were hypertensive and the urine protein:creatinine ratio was 2.3 ± 3.1. The mean GFR_ewas 127 ± 57 mL/min/m². Three patients had Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 3, all of whom were also hypertensive.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>IMN is a rare but serious glomerulopathy in pediatrics. We estimate that it accounts for approximately 3% of renal biopsies. Long-term prognosis is guarded because approximately 50% of patients may have evidence of progressive kidney disease.</p

The contribution of X-linked coding variation to severe developmental disorders

Abstract: Over 130 X-linked genes have been robustly associated with developmental disorders, and X-linked causes have been hypothesised to underlie the higher developmental disorder rates in males. Here, we evaluate the burden of X-linked coding variation in 11,044 developmental disorder patients, and find a similar rate of X-linked causes in males and females (6.0% and 6.9%, respectively), indicating that such variants do not account for the 1.4-fold male bias. We develop an improved strategy to detect X-linked developmental disorders and identify 23 significant genes, all of which were previously known, consistent with our inference that the vast majority of the X-linked burden is in known developmental disorder-associated genes. Importantly, we estimate that, in male probands, only 13% of inherited rare missense variants in known developmental disorder-associated genes are likely to be pathogenic. Our results demonstrate that statistical analysis of large datasets can refine our understanding of modes of inheritance for individual X-linked disorders

Rediscovery and Reproductive Biology of Pleuropogon oregonus (Poaceae)

Volume: 32Start Page: 189End Page: 19

Decision-making over condom use during menses to avert sexually transmitted infections

Objective: To test the hypothesis that receptive partners in penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) who exercise independent decision making over condom use during menses do so to avert STI transmission/acquisition.Methods: Data were collected through a partnership with Clue, the industry-leading female healthapp. A brief web-based questionnaire was developed, translated into 10 languages, and made accessible via a url link sent to Clue users and posted on social media. Inclusion criteria were: age 14 years or older, not being currently pregnant, and engaging in penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) and condom use during menses in the past 3 months. The analytic sub-sample comprised 12,889 respondents residing in 146 countries.Results: Twenty percent indicated independent decision-making about condom use during menses. Independent decision-making was associated with lower odds of reporting that condoms were used for contraception (AOR=.65; 99% CI=.57-.73) and higher odds that they were used for the prevention of STIs (AOR=1.44; 99% CI=1.28-1.61). A third significant finding pertained to always using condoms during menses; this was less likely among those indicating independent (female only) decision-making (AOR=.69; 99% CI=.62-.78). Non-significant associations with two other outcomes occurred: protecting the partner against menstrual blood, and protecting themselves against semen.Conclusion: Findings from persons in 146 countries strongly support the hypothesis that those exercising independent decision-making over condom use during menses do so to avert STI transmission/acquisition. That only one-fifth of this global sample reported this type of independent decision-making suggests that empowerment-oriented (structural-level) interventions may be advantageous for individuals who are the receptive partner in PVI that occurs during menses

Decision making over condom use during menses to avert sexually transmissible infections

Objective: To test the hypothesis that receptive partners in penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) who exercise independent decision making over condom use during menses do so to avert STI transmission/acquisition. Methods: Data were collected through a partnership with Clue, the industry-leading female healthapp. A brief web-based questionnaire was developed, translated into 10 languages, and made accessible via a url link sent to Clue users and posted on social media. Inclusion criteria were: age 14 years or older, not being currently pregnant, and engaging in penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI) and condom use during menses in the past 3 months. The analytic sub-sample comprised 12,889 respondents residing in 146 countries. Results: Twenty percent indicated independent decision-making about condom use during menses. Independent decision-making was associated with lower odds of reporting that condoms were used for contraception (AOR=.65; 99% CI=.57-.73) and higher odds that they were used for the prevention of STIs (AOR=1.44; 99% CI=1.28-1.61). A third significant finding pertained to always using condoms during menses; this was less likely among those indicating independent (female only) decision-making (AOR=.69; 99% CI=.62-.78). Non-significant associations with two other outcomes occurred: protecting the partner against menstrual blood, and protecting themselves against semen. Conclusion: Findings from persons in 146 countries strongly support the hypothesis that those exercising independent decision-making over condom use during menses do so to avert STI transmission/acquisition. That only one-fifth of this global sample reported this type of independent decision-making suggests that empowerment-oriented (structural-level) interventions may be advantageous for individuals who are the receptive partner in PVI that occurs during menses