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The illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is a serious issue that threatens many species worldwide. Zoos and aquariums are in a prime position to educate visitors about this issue and work to reduce the impact of IWT. This article describes the work of four zoos across the United States that tested different ways to engage with visitors and broader communities regarding the topic of IWT. While each zoo used unique techniques to engage with the public, the authors identified common lessons learned that are relevant to all informal learning institutions interested in messaging complex topics to their audiences. The authors describe three commonalities that should be considered in the development of educational tools and messages: semantics and word choices, message framing, and the need for cultural sensitivity and respect when discussing challenging topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To systematically review the evidence for effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in people who are visually impaired, living in low- and middle-income countries. Fifteen databases and the grey literature were searched up until February 2020; papers were identified according to eligibility criteria, and assessed for risk of bias. Eligible studies were controlled trials (randomised or non-randomised) of rehabilitation interventions for blind or visually impaired adults or children from low- and middle-income countries. Possible outcomes included visual acuity, activities of daily living, safety, quality of life and psychological status. Fifteen eligible studies were identified from India, Turkey, Nigeria, Croatia and Iran. Six studies were randomised, seven were non-randomised trials, and in two the method of allocation was not clear. Participants were adults, children and both adults and children. Seven studies were small (n ≤ 65) and examined the effect of training programmes. Remaining studies compared the effect of low vision aids, economic rehabilitation, goalball, rehabilitation compliance and service delivery methods, including one large four-arm randomised trial (n = 436). Studies measured a variety of outcomes, and mostly showed a positive effect of interventions for pre- and post-intervention assessment, although between intervention group comparisons were often inconclusive. Overall, only four studies had a low risk of bias. A lack of high-quality evidence for rehabilitation interventions is a barrier to provision of low vision services in low- and middle-income countries. Future research should focus on establishing effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of devices and models of vision rehabilitation appropriate for low-resource settings. The systematic review found a lack of high-quality evidence for rehabilitation interventions is a barrier to provision of low vision services in low- and middle-income countries. Consider how visual rehabilitation interventions which have been shown to be effective can be delivered by non-specialists. Ensure that service providers for people who are visually impaired are trained in recognising depression and anxiety and have pathways for referral to mental health services, as appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causal agent of Buruli ulcer, a chronic infectious disease and the third most common mycobacterial disease worldwide. Without early treatment, M. ulcerans provokes massive skin ulcers, caused by the mycolactone toxin, its main virulence factor. However, spontaneous healing may occur in Buruli ulcer patients several months or years after the disease onset. We have shown, in an original mouse model, that bacterial load remains high and viable in spontaneously healed tissues, with a switch of M. ulcerans to low levels of mycolactone production, adapting its strategy to survive in such a hostile environment. This original model offers the possibility to investigate the regulation of mycolactone production, by using an RNA-seq strategy to study bacterial adaptation during mouse infection. Pathway analysis and characterization of the tissue environment showed that the bacillus adapted to its new environment by modifying its metabolic activity and switching nutrient sources. Thus, M. ulcerans ensures its survival in healing tissues by reducing its secondary metabolism, leading to an inhibition of mycolactone synthesis. These findings shed new light on mycolactone regulation and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pica is simply defined as the consumption of none food products such as laundry starch, clay dirt, ice, soap, and chalk. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) classifies Pica as the habitual consumption of nonfood and non-nutritive substances for at least one year. Pica disorder is usually unnoticed, under-reported, causes serious harm to clients especially African American women, and seldom discussed in social work scholarship. It is, therefore, important to begin to sensitize social workers to the harmful effects of Pica, especially because it is often unrecognized and misdiagnoses can cause harm. This article provides a panoramic overview of Pica, the signs and symptoms of the disorder specifically among African American women and also address some of the adverse effects, and highlights some of the evidence-based effective treatment strategies. Finally, an urgent clarion call to social workers to conduct more research on Pica disorders among African American women is articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter identifies and describes nine key issues that will impact the future of portal development and its potential to become the preferred tool to discover quality information resources. The chapter notes the lack of consistency in how libraries currently define a portal. Key issues include metasearching, content and service description, electronic resource management, librarian/user expectations and current product functionality, single product or separate components, uniform view versus links to proprietary interfaces, open source versus proprietary software, workflow integration, and personalization and contextualization. The chapter references the Scholars Portal Project as one example of portal implementations in research libraries and how the seven libraries in the project are addressing the issues described in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the scope and progress of the initiatives of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in the U.S. It is noted that ARL has always been on the cutting edge of new developments in librarianship. Some of ARL's recent initiatives support the implementation of portals in research libraries. These include the Scholars Portal Project, a collaborative effort between several ARL member libraries and Fretwell-Downing Inc. The author concludes that the Scholars Project and similar portal initiatives in other ARL member institutions will be characterized as successful if users can discover a wide range of content; capture that content using harvesting and/or delivery tools; manipulate text using text-processing and citation management tools; distribute content by the use of contribution and publication tools; and consult by means of access to virtual reference services and electronic scholarly communities.

Describes the initiative of the Association of Research Libraries in accessibility of information resources for users of research libraries. Enhancement of supporting services; Capability of integrating electronic thesauri; Development of specifications.

Discusses the role of interlibrary loan and document delivery services in support of research collections and digital information. Impact of licensing on interlibrary loan; Role of consortia; Technical infrastructure to support and maintain libraries; Electronic access to monographic titles using NetLibrary; Strategies for interlibrary loan and distance education services.

Focuses on the role of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in resource sharing. ARl as an organization representing the interests of 119 libraries that serve the major North American institutions; Working groups; Promotion of effective interlibrary loan and document delivery service models.

Cancer incidence and mortality is a significant area of health disparity between African Americans and Caucasians. In the current article the authors used a systematic review design to examine the characteristics of different cancer media education intervention (CMEI) to increase access to cancer screenings for African Americans within a 30 year period (1980–2010). Ten computerized databases were searched using inclusion–exclusion criteria. Consequently, 179 potential studies were identified, and later reduced to 41 eligible studies through the inclusion–exclusion criteria. The eligible studies had a combined sample size ofN = 12,764 respondents. The findings revealed that multi-media intervention strategies were the most common media intervention that led to increased cancer screenings among African Americans. The authors conclude with a call for social workers to be more involved in developing and following up with culturally appropriate media strategies that can increase the likelihood of early detection and successful treatment, thus reducing this important area of health disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Eccentric fixation is a commonly used adaptive strategy in patients with central vision loss. A common complaint in patients with central vision loss is reading difficulty. The mechanisms as to how and why eccentric fixation develops comprise an exciting area of research. As we better understand this phenomenon, we may apply these findings to the clinical setting and in particular to reading rehabilitation. Biofeedback is a new technique that can be applied to eccentric fixation and may have a role in reading rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work programs are experiencing unprecedented organizational changes due to budget cuts, dwindling resources, global, and technological challenges. However, there is limited information in the literature about the merger experiences of faculty in social work programs. On one hand undergoing merger and reorganization provides the opportunity to reorganize, reprioritize, re-assess, develop strategies, and explore previously untapped opportunities for social work programs. Conversely, merger experiences have caused frustration, intention to quit, confusion, and loss of professional identity for social work faculty. In this article the authors utilize a journaling method and sense-making approach of the merger experiences of some of the faculty members of a social work program in the United States. The authors suggest a framework to understand how the faculty confronted the challenges, overcame the pitfalls, and maximized the opportunities offered during the merger and organizational change process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the second most common cause of death due to a single infectious agent. The cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb), the causative agent of the disease in humans, is a source of unique glycoconjugates and the most distinctive feature of the biology of this organism. It is the basis of much of Mtb pathogenesis and one of the major causes of its intrinsic resistance to chemotherapeutic agents. At the same time, the unique structures of Mtb cell envelope glycoconjugates, their antigenicity and essentiality for mycobacterial growth provide opportunities for drug, vaccine, diagnostic and biomarker development, as clearly illustrated by recent advances in all of these translational aspects. This review focuses on our current understanding of the structure and biogenesis of Mtb glycoconjugates with particular emphasis on one of the most intriguing and least understood aspect of the physiology of mycobacteria: the translocation of these complex macromolecules across the different layers of the cell envelope. It further reviews the rather impressive progress made in the last 10 years in the discovery and development of novel inhibitors targeting their biogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion can serve the purpose of providing comfort during times of physical and/or emotional stress and can fill a void in the life of an individual experiencing substance use disorders. Neuroscience sheds some light and raises questions as to how the inner workings of the brain can affect the level of one's spirituality and the likelihood to engage in substance abuse. This article provides insight into factors that influence religiosity and considers the role that religion plays in the substance abuse recovery process. A reflective synopsis of a 6-week religious abstinence experience is discussed, and initial steps to abstain from using alcohol and other drugs are explained demonstrating the interconnectedness of religion and drug abuse. Implications for practice are also delineated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We articulate the manner in which some faith-based organizations assist families to maintain or resume appropriate social functioning while their family members are undergoing substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. The application of systematic intervention methods by faith-based organizations to assist families is discussed. In addition, the roles that religion and spirituality play in overcoming the duo of substance use disorder and family dysfunction are delineated. Other interventional strategies that faith-based organizations deploy in ensuring family cohesion during SUD treatment for a family member are discussed. Implications for social work practice and identified knowledge gaps for further research are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited information in the literature with a focus on research and practice collaborative efforts focused on prevention interventions for pregnant substance-abusing women. This article provides a cursory discussion of the need for continued collaborations between researchers and substance services prevention specialists. Both universal and selective methods are discussed as effective prevention strategies. A committed collaborative focus on the pregnant substance-abusing population is needed not only to increase and improve prevention and intervention strategies over time, but possibly to deter harm to unborn babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue that are concerned with the importance of social work practice and research, populations that are underserved by social workers and social work prevention and intervention methods.

Objectives. To evaluate the effects of an automated interactive voice response system (IVR) and Specialist Nurse Support to reduce health care utilization and improve health-related quality of life in children with asthma. Study Design. A randomized controlled trial in 121 children with doctor-diagnosed asthma and an acute presentation with asthma in the previous 12 months aged between 3 and 16 years. Children were randomized to one of three groups for a 6-month intervention receiving asthma education and management support from a Specialist Nurse by telephone or e-mail ( N = 41), from IVR ( N = 39), or receiving usual care (control group; N = 41). Outcomes included health care utilization and use of oral steroid rescue. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) data using the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory were collected at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: There was no statistically significant benefit identified for either the IVR or the Nurse Support interventions for health care utilization, use of oral steroid rescue, or HRQOL compared with controls. Relative to controls, the incremental costs were −A$225.73 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −A$840, A$391) per child for the Nurse Support intervention and −A$451.45 (−A$1075, A$173) per child for IVR. The results were most sensitive to the frequency of admissions to hospital. Conclusion. This study suggested that both IVR and Nurse Support interventions may be cost-saving from a health system perspective, with IVR providing the greatest benefit and this pilot study provides a strong basis for developing larger trials with longer follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One popular teaching approach is a hybrid format balancing traditional face-to-face classroom instruction with online components. The authors used strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats methodology to examine if hybrid formats meet student expectations and the M. T. Miller and D. E. Husmann (1996) classification system to identify elements affecting the perception of quality. Results indicated that hybrid classes continued to exhibit the same weaknesses of the online format, and the addition of face-to-face interaction did not minimize weaknesses. The authors present a rationale for the variability of student responses, the same element as a strength and weakness. The authors discuss (a) opportunities for and threats to academic institutions and (b) areas for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a qualitative analysis of the role of the self-help group Overeaters Anonymous (OA) in the treatment experiences of women with bulimia nervosa. It specifies how various elements of OA facilitate or maintain recovery. Using focus groups and individual interviews, data were collected from 26 women who met the criteria for bulimia nervosa. Data analysis revealed that those participants used five OA skills or strategies. These included: (1) OA meeting attendance and participation, (2) interaction with a sponsor, (3) processing (i.e., writing and journaling), (4) spirituality (i.e., prayer and meditation), and (5) adherence to a food plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No abstract available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Jan Carter Black on teaching cultural competence through the universal characteristic of story telling and another by Dexter Voisin on the effects of family and community violence exposure.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the efforts for increasing the rate of successful treatment outcomes, the use of effective interventions to provide positive outcomes and substance abuse.