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Pedagogical partnership is increasingly recognized as a practice with the potential to contribute to more just and equitable post-secondary education institutions. Previous studies have reported on the ways specific institutional programs attend to issues of equity, particularly considering if and how they involve students from marginalized groups. Similarly, others have argued for the scaling-up of partnership initiatives as a way to ensure greater inclusion and diversity amongst the staff and students who participate. Whilst the literature on this dimension of pedagogical partnerships grows, further attention to the ways in which faculty social locations influence and intersect with perceptions and experiences of partnerships is merited. Our study contributes to the literature exploring this issue. Our findings show a complex range of ways in which participants understand their social locations and the ways these influence their experiences of partnership, demonstrating the need for sophisticated conceptualizations of power and risk that attend to individuals' positions within and outside of partnership spaces.

This article explores the perceptions of participants following the first International Summer Institute (SI) on students as partners in higher education, a four-day professional development experience designed to foster student-staff partnerships. Approximately 9 months after the Institute, 10 participants were interviewed to understand their perceptions of student-staff partnership, and what role the SI played in supporting partnership working. We discuss the key themes that emerged from our interviews, and analyse these participant responses in comparison to responses collected during the 2016 SI. In evaluating our data, we consider the general efficacy of the SI and offer ideas for academic developers interested in supporting partnership work more generally.

Objective: "Functional foods" (FF)--foods containing nutritional supplements in addition to natural nutrients--have an increasing presence in the marketplace. Expanding on previous research, the authors investigated college students' acceptance of FF. Participants: In September-March 2004, 811 undergraduates in Canada, the United States, and France participated in the study. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire measured students' general food attitudes and beliefs as well as FF-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and purchase intention. Results: Overall, participants slightly favored FF over traditional foods. However, although most respondents associated FF with positive health benefits, many remained dubious of currently available FF information. In terms of culture and sex, the authors found small but significant divergences in FF knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Conclusions: Stronger labeling and education efforts may increase cross-cultural acceptance of FF by college students. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)

People of Color entering into the field of Student Affairs continue to face discrimination, racism, systematic oppression and microaggressions. The authors in this article aim to 1. highlight personal experiences, 2. relay some approaches that have paved way for folks within their positions to educate others who hold the power to make conscious decisions and changes for student affairs professionals, specifically People of Color. The article also references scenes from the movie, Get Out (Blum & Peele, 2017) which portrays Chris, a Black man, who is the protagonist and relate to the exploitation and isolation of many People of Color in the field today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents three novel concepts for energy harvesting and scavenging, demonstrating the outcome effectiveness of a program for energy harvesting at New Mexico State University. The design concepts cover a wide range of harvested power outputs from microwatts to kilowatts and illustrate a sampling of the breadth of potential energy harvesting and scavenging capabilities needed to create sustainable environments. The concepts have wide-ranging applications and demonstrate how off-the-shelf components can be integrated into reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally benign implementations for meeting essential energy needs of human society. The outcome clearly demonstrates the value of an experiment-based approach to train graduate and undergraduate students in conceiving, designing, building, testing, validating, and evaluating environmentally benign systems for harvesting and scavenging energy from ambient energy sources that can lead to sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Having a history of diverse populations of minority peoples, America has been known as the melting pot of the world. Immigration, inter-racial and inter-faith marriages, and continually changing social demographics has redefined and expanded the number of minority groups. METHODS: Studies have shown great disparity in the health care of minorities, including mental health services. RESULTS: Changes in demographics; limited research;prejudice, bias and lack of ethno-cultural education in therapeutic relationships present challenges for advanced practice nurse group therapists. CONCLUSIONS: With sufficient minority specific research, effective treatment guidelines for minority populations may be established and the goal of providing effective mental health care to multiple and widely diverse minority groups may be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BIP) are debilitating neuropsychiatric disorders, collectively affecting 2% of the world's population. Recognizing the major impact of these psychiatric disorders on the psychosocial function of more than 200 000 US Veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently completed genotyping of more than 8000 veterans with SCZ and BIP in the Cooperative Studies Program (CSP) #572., Methods: We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in CSP #572 and benchmarked the predictive value of polygenic risk scores (PRS) constructed from published findings. We combined our results with available summary statistics from several recent GWAS, realizing the largest and most diverse studies of these disorders to date., Results: Our primary GWAS uncovered new associations between CHD7 variants and SCZ, and novel BIP associations with variants in Sortilin Related VPS10 Domain Containing Receptor 3 (SORCS3) and downstream of PCDH11X. Combining our results with published summary statistics for SCZ yielded 39 novel susceptibility loci including CRHR1, and we identified 10 additional findings for BIP (28 326 cases and 90 570 controls). PRS trained on published GWAS were significantly associated with case-control status among European American (P < 10-30) and African American (P < .0005) participants in CSP #572., Conclusions: We have demonstrated that published findings for SCZ and BIP are robustly generalizable to a diverse cohort of US veterans. Leveraging available summary statistics from GWAS of global populations, we report 52 new susceptibility loci and improved fine-mapping resolution for dozens of previously reported associations., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center 2020.)

Objective: Chronic constipation is characterized by difficult, infrequent, or seemingly incomplete bowel movements. The Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) questionnaire was developed to address the need for a standardized, patient-reported outcomes measure to evaluate constipation over time., Material and Methods: Items for the PAC-QOL were generated from the literature, clinical experts, and patients. Following principal components and multi-trait analyses, 28 items were retained forming four subscales (worries and concerns, physical discomfort, psychosocial discomfort, and satisfaction) and an overall scale. Validation studies were conducted in the United States, Europe, Canada, and Australia, to evaluate the internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha), reproducibility (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs)), validity (analysis of variance models), and responsiveness (effect size) of the PAC-QOL scales., Results: The PAC-QOL scales were internally consistent (Cronbach's alpha >0.80) and reproducible (ICCs >0.70, except for the satisfaction subscale ICC=0.66). PAC-QOL scale scores were significantly associated with abdominal pain (p<0.001) and constipation severity (p<0.05). Effect sizes in patients reporting improvements in constipation over a 6-week period were moderate to large, with subscale effect sizes ranging from 0.76 to 3.41 and the overall scale effect size=1.77. Similar findings were observed in validation studies conducted in Europe, Canada, and Australia., Conclusions: The PAC-QOL is a brief but comprehensive assessment of the burden of constipation on patients' everyday functioning and well-being. Multinational studies demonstrate that the PAC-QOL is internally consistent, reproducible, valid, and responsive to improvements over time.

Objective: Summarize the Patient Assessment of Upper GastroIntestinal Disorders-Quality of Life (PAGI-QOL) development and provide results on its reliability and validity from the international psychometric validation in dyspepsia, GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and gastroparesis., Methods: Subjects completed the pilot PAGI-QOL at baseline and 8 weeks; and a subsample also at 2 weeks. Other assessments were: Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Disorders-Symptom Severity Index, SF-36, number of disability days., Results: 1736 patients completed the PAGI-QOL at baseline. The questionnaire was reduced, producing a 30-item final version covering five domains: Daily Activities, Clothing, Diet and Food Habits, Relationship (REL), and Psychological Well-Being and Distress. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha range: 0.83-0.96). Test-retest reproducibility was good: intraclass correlations coefficients were over 0.70 except for the REL scale (0.61). Concurrent validity between the PAGI-QOL total score and all SF-36 subscale scores was good with moderate (0.52) to strong (0.72) correlations. PAGI-QOL scores showed excellent discriminant properties: patients who had spent some days in bed, had missed some days at work, and were kept from usual activities had much lower PAGI-QOL scores than those who did not (p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: The PAGI-QOL is a valid and reliable instrument assessing quality of life in patients with dyspepsia, GERD, or gastroparesis.

Background: The extent to which patient-based outcomes can be used to evaluate and communicate the effect of new drugs and devices is a subject of much debate. Criteria for evaluating the scientific quality of data to support health-related quality of life (HRQL) and other patient-based labeling and promotional claims in the United States and Europe have been proposed by various scientists and organizations. Since March 2000, a working group composed of members of the International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL), the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer's Association Health Outcomes Committee (PhRMA-HOC), and the European Regulatory Issues on Quality of Life Assessment (ERIQA) met to discuss and coordinate the various recommendations by their respective groups and address the need to harmonize outcomes review criteria within and across United States and European regulatory agencies. Over time, the discussion expanded from HRQL outcomes to include any outcome based on data provided by the patient or patient proxy, that is, patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The working group therefore became known as the PRO Harmonization Group., Methods: Working with a member of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), four key issues requiring clarification were identified: how PROs are defined and put into operation for research purposes; the added value of PROs in the drug review and evaluation process; selected questions related to the PRO measurement and research methodology; and the interest and demand for PRO information by decision makers. On February 15, 2001, all members of the PRO Harmonization Group attended a meeting in Rockville, Maryland, to discuss these four issues further, and on February 16, 2001, a formal presentation was made to representatives from various departments and reviewing divisions of the FDA. These presentations are summarized in this report., Results: All participants agreed that PROs are important for understanding the impact of treatment on patient functioning and well-being. They also stressed the need to communicate PRO information to key decision makers, including regulatory agencies, clinicians, patients and their families, and payers. Finally, the meeting resulted in plans for continuing the dialogue on PRO measurement and interpretation., Summary: The February 16, 2001, meeting represented an important step in harmonizing efforts across various organizations and in opening a dialogue with the FDA around major issues related to methodologic standards for measuring and interpreting PROs in the drug evaluation process.

This is the sixth article in a series intended to summarize the state of the science for assessing the clinical significance of quality-of-life (QOL) assessments. The previous 5 articles dealt with specific methodological issues, whereas this article addresses practical considerations in implementing the methods and presenting the results to various audiences with differing perspectives. Proposals for how to interpret the "clinical significance" or "clinical meaningfulness" of changes in QOL scores were addressed in previous articles within this series. Within this article, 4 audiences-patients and physicians, clinical researchers, health policymakers, and private- and public-sector employees who work in health-related fields-are examined because each is a unique stakeholder with a distinct vantage point and each can interpret QOL outcomes differently. A clinician may attempt to explain to a patient potential treatment alternatives for his or her QOL; a health policymaker may try to describe to elected officials the financial impact on a patient population with reduced QOL; a researcher may try to obtain the vital messages from a clinical trial that included QOL end points; and a regulatory agency and/or pharmaceutical company may try to ascertain the appropriate level of evidence required for a successful research study. For each of the 4 audiences, concrete examples and practical guidelines are offered by which changes in QOL outcomes can be interpreted meaningfully. Ultimately, both determining and disseminating the meaning of clinical significance are functions of the outlook of the audience because the perspective of the audience determines its ability to comprehend, evaluate, and convey the context within which such outcomes appear meaningful. Among the audiences described within this article, a commonality of interests exist that mandates a careful exposition of the scientific rigor involved in describing the clinical significance of QOL assessments. Collectively, this series attempts to provide methods and means for making such determinations.

Objective: The aim of this work was to study cross-cultural variations in the impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on health-related quality of life by an international comparison of disease-related concerns., Methods: Item and factor scores on the Rating Form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient Concerns and overall mean concern levels were compared by analysis of variance among 2002 IBD patients in eight countries., Results: The overall level of concern varied from 51 out of 100 in Portugal to 19 in Sweden, with intermediate scores for Italy (43), Canada (40), United States (39), France (39), Austria (33), and Israel (25). Having surgery, an ostomy, the uncertain nature of the disease, and medication side effects were each rated among the first five in importance in six countries. Other items varied considerably. For example, concern regarding pain and suffering was high in Israel and low in Portugal, whereas concern over developing cancer was low in Italy. Concern over financial issues and access to high-quality health care were inversely associated with measures of national economic prosperity., Conclusions: 1) Cross-cultural comparisons of patient concerns related to IBD are feasible using translated scales. 2) Reporting tendencies vary greatly; within Europe, patients from southern countries report greater overall concern. 3) The complications and the variable evolution of disease elicit general concern, but the importance of specific issues varies among countries. 4) The reasons for national differences may have social, cultural, and/or economic determinants with relevance to the patient-physician relationship, patient education, and therapeutic decision making.

Objectives: To translate and validate a urinary incontinence-specific measure of quality of life (I-QOL) in French, Spanish, Swedish, and German and provide translations only into seven other languages and variants of these languages., Methods: Quality of life and linguistic experts prepared two forward translations from American English to their native languages and helped to harmonize these translations at a meeting. In the four European countries, the adapted versions of the I-QOL were administered to 259 women with stress, urge, and mixed incontinence. Principal component analyses were used to confirm the proposed measurement model suggested by patient interviews. Psychometric testing was conducted using standardized procedures., Results: Translation procedures resulted in a change in the original instrument's Likert response scale from 4 to 5 points. Principal component analyses confirmed three patient-derived subscales and higher-order factor analysis confirmed a total summary score. In all countries, the internal consistency (alpha) and reproducibility (ICC) were high (alpha ranged between 0.87 and 0.93); (ICC ranged between 0.92 and 0.95). In all countries, I-QOL scores were significantly worse (p < 0.001) as perceived severity of incontinence, use of services, and number of incontinent episodes increased., Conclusions: The I-QOL has been adapted successfully into eleven languages and six variants of these languages. The cross-sectional psychometric properties of the US version were confirmed in four European countries. The I-QOL fills the need for a valid, international quality-of-life instrument for incorporation in clinical trials covering patients with varying types and severity of urinary incontinence.

Background: Our purpose was to evaluate the impact of upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms on quality of life (QoL), which was assessed using the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) and the three-item Interference with Daily Life Index (IDLI)., Methods: The Domestic/International Gastroenterology Surveillance Study (DIGEST) was conducted among 5581 respondents (mean age 44 years) from 10 countries (seven European countries plus Canada, USA and Japan)., Results: Approximately 25% of the respondents reported conditions such as hypertension, asthma or diabetes, and a mean of 46.4% reported at least one GI symptom. The most frequent symptoms were heartburn, diarrhoea and postprandial fullness. Approximately 10-20% of the respondents reporting individual symptoms experienced these several times a week. Symptoms were considered as severe or interfering 'quite a lot' with daily activities by at least 7.3% and 4.8% of respondents, respectively. PGWBI scores varied from 71.82 (Italy) to 79.43 (Switzerland) and daily activity scores from 88.62 (USA) to 97.78 (Switzerland). Female gender, medical conditions and presence of GI symptoms were associated with significantly impaired wellbeing and daily life. PGWBI and IDLI scores were lower among respondents with relevant upper GI symptoms than non-upper GI symptoms. Among upper GI symptom groups, subjects with ulcer-like symptoms had lower scores than patients with GERD-like or dysmotility-like symptoms. PGWBI and IDLI scores were found to discriminate between respondents reporting different symptom frequencies and severities., Conclusions: Results from the DIGEST demonstrate on a large scale the importance of GI symptoms in daily life and their influence on QoL.

Cross-sectional studies suggest that the intellectual development of American children is affected by experiences in the first three years of life. Furthermore, Piaget and White have observed and documented direct effects of the environment on the development of infants during the first year of life. Principles derived from animal research and the disappointing results of preschool intervention programs highlight the irreversible nature of early infant-environment interaction. Future programs designed to prevent educational incapacitation among children must concentrate on optimizing the developmental milieu of the child before he is 4 years old. Accomplishing this task is the practical challenge in the field of child development today.