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To facilitate movement toward a more equitable society, this paper explores the construct of secular privilege. In keeping with a critical perspective, power differentials are examined and illustrated in the nation's most influential medium for constructing public discourse--broadcast programming. Given the pervasiveness and invisibility of secular privilege, representative privileges are delineated. A subsample of these are deconstructed to provide insight into the benefits secular people typically enjoy and strategies are offered to help decenter the dominant narrative. Resistance will likely be encountered from those who are granted power by the current social structure, but productive change is possible since many secular people are committed to creating a more democratically representative society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of spirituality content into curricula has accelerated dramatically during the past decade. Despite this trend, little discussion has appeared in the literature about the instructional methods best suited to teach spirituality. Adopting a new approach referred to as pedagogical pluralism, the authors suggest that some aspects of spirituality content are best taught using pedagogical strategies drawn from modernism, whereas other aspects are most congruent with postmodern strategies. Indeed, the authors propose that the epistemological assumptions that inform postmodernism and common understandings of spirituality are highly congruent. Consequently, significant components of spirituality content may be best taught using nontraditional postmodern pedagogical strategies that may strike some readers as controversial, or even radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In keeping with the profession's long history of addressing discrimination, this study explores perceptions of religious discrimination and ethical compliance among a national sample of professionally affiliated graduate students (N = 111). Relevant theory and research is reviewed, which provides a context for the study's exploration of (1) the degree to which respondents personally experience discrimination in their social work programs due to their religious beliefs (2) the extent to which respondents perceive religious discrimination is a problem in their educational programs and (3) respondents' perceptions of the profession's level of compliance with the six ethical standards that explicitly or implicitly address religion. The findings are presented and the implications are discussed as they intersect the social work profession and education in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity, of literature in social work on the intersection between social justice and religion, even though the profession's code of ethics articulates the need to advocate for social justice and eliminate religious discrimination. Therefore, this article helps equip social workers to challenge social injustice on behalf of people of faith around the world. Toward this end, the author developed a human rights-based social justice ethic based on the United Nations' (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The growing problem of religious persecution is discussed, along with strategies to promote religious freedom. It is suggested that social work has a particular duty to advocate for religious freedom because many of the victims of religious persecution are members of marginalized populations with few advocates on the international stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do social workers' personal spiritual characteristics affect their conceptualizations of spirituality and religion? In light of growing professional interest in spirituality and religion, we attempt to answer this question using amixed methods approach in conjunction with a nationally representative sample of NASW-affiliated graduate students (N = 303). The results suggest that respondents' faith tradition, orthodoxy, and degree of spiritual motivation have a relatively minor effect upon how they defined (1) spirituality, (2) religion, and (3) their understanding of the relationship between spirituality and religion. We conclude by discussing the implications of the findings and suggesting avenues for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing consensus exists regarding the importance of spiritual assessment. For instance, the largest health care accrediting body in the United States, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), now requires the administration of a spiritual assessment. Although most practitioners endorse the concept of spiritual assessment, studies suggest that social workers have received little training in spiritual assessment. To address this gap, the current article reviews the JCAHO requirements for conducting a spiritual assessment and provides practitioners with guidelines for its proper implementation. In addition to helping equip practitioners in JCAHO-accredited settings who may be required to perform such an assessment, the spiritual assessment template profiled in this article may also be of use to practitioners in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant progress has been made toward incorporating spiritual and religious diversity into professional discourse. The extent to which the profession is complying with its ethical standards that address religion, however, remains largely unexamined. Consequently, this study explores the relationship between conceptualizations of (1) spirituality, (2) religion, and (3) the nature of the relationship between spirituality and religion, and perceptions of the profession's level of ethical compliance. The results of this exploratory study indicate that perceptions of ethical compliance are generally unrelated to how respondents conceptualized either spirituality or the nature of the relationship between spirituality and religion. A more nuanced picture emerged with religion, with respondents who defined religion in personally constructed terms, without reference to the transcendent, reporting higher levels of ethical compliance, while those who defined religion in terms of community, reported lower levels of ethical compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using quantitative and qualitative methods, this study explored perceptions of compliance with the ethical standards related to religion (N = 222). As posited, perceptions of ethical compliance were lower among social workers who affirmed a conservative or orthodox theological orientation compared to those who affirmed a liberal or progressive theology. Standards of particular concern were those related to (a) social work education about religious diversity and the oppression religious people encounter and (b) efforts to prevent and eliminate religious discrimination. In concert with these findings, qualitative analysis indicated two areas of major concern: institutional settings, such as academia, and colleagues. Respondents reported being demeaned, denigrated, ridiculed, and scorned by social work colleagues due to their religious beliefs, particularly in educational settings. Interestingly, 44% of both orthodox and progressive respondents knew of clients who had experienced discrimination due to their religious beliefs at the hands of social work colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the media attention focused on the Islamic community after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, Muslims remain one of the most misunderstood populations in the United States. Few articles have appeared in the social work literature orienting practitioners to the Islamic community, and much of the mainstream media coverage misrepresents the population.This article reviews the basic beliefs, practices, and values that commonly characterize, or inform, the House of Islam in the United States. The organizations that embody and sustain the Muslim communities that constitute the House of Islam are profiled, and areas of possible value conflicts are examined.The article concludes by offering suggestions for integrating the article's themes into practice settings. Particular attention is given to enhancing cultural competence and to suggestions for spiritual assessment and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by a cellular influx and destruction of the joint architecture. Chemokines characteristically regulate leukocyte recruitment and activation. Chemokine (CC motif) receptor-like 2 (CCRL2) is an orphan receptor with homology to other CC chemokine receptors. We undertook this study to examine CCRL2 expression in RA, cytokine regulation of expression, and the source of a putative ligand in an attempt to determine the role of this receptor during inflammation. METHODS: Expression of CCRL2 on joint-infiltrating leukocytes was examined by immunocytochemistry. In vitro studies evaluated CCRL2 expression in primary neutrophils using Northern and Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. HEK 293 cells expressing two splice variants of CCRL2 (HEK/CCRL2A or HEK/CCRL2B) were generated with a retroviral expression system, and their migration in response to fractions of synovial fluid (SF) from RA patients was examined using a 48-well chamber. RESULTS: CCRL2 expression was observed on all infiltrating neutrophils and on some macrophages obtained from the SF of 5 RA patients. In vitro studies of primary neutrophils revealed that CCRL2 messenger RNA (mRNA) was rapidly up-regulated following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (1 microg/ml) or tumor necrosis factor (5 ng/ml). The mRNA for both CCRL2A and CCRL2B were expressed in cytokine-stimulated neutrophils. Cells expressing either of these splice variants migrated in response to a fraction of RA SF. CONCLUSION: CCRL2 expression is up-regulated on synovial neutrophils of RA patients. Inflammatory products present in the SF activate this receptor, indicating that CCRL2 is a functional receptor that may be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a semi-structured telephone interview format, this qualitative study explored the narrative of conservative Christians (N = 12) in social work. Faith was found to be very important to the respondents and was perceived by them to influence their social work. The respondents were found to endorse all of the values of the profession as delineated in the NASWCode of Ethics, which they viewed as compatible with their own values. However, respondents overwhelmingly felt oppressed in the profession which, they held, abdicated the ethical mandates for religious diversity. The results, they believed, included not being understood, discrimination, unwarranted negative criticism, and failure ofNASWto work to eliminate domination and oppression on their behalf. Finally, they were hesitant to promote the general welfare of society for fear of reprisals by other social workers. The dissonance between the profession's ethical mandates and its actual practice appears to engender a significant degree of psychological stress among members of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the relationship between substance use and spirituality and religious participation with a multicultural sample of rural youths in the American Southwest. Logistic regression was used to determine the efficacy of spirituality and religious participation as predictors of never using alcohol, marijuana, and hard drugs. Although increased participation in religious activities predicted greater probability of never using alcohol, increased spirituality predicted greater probability of never using marijuana and hard drugs. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for prevention programs, social work education, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an obituary for Australia-based physician Patrick Burnham Fox. Family and career background; Major achievements.

Addressing the spiritual needs of older adults is a central component of holistic service provision. Using a qualitative description design, this study identified: (1) common spiritual needs among Chinese nursing home residents, including the needs of residents with dementia, (2) the process staff use to identify these needs when residents are unable to verbalize them, and (3) the strategies staff implement to meet the identified needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 nursing home administrators. Analysis produced five themes, including the need for older adults to express their faith, receive love and care, have contact with their children, interact with others, and participate in activities. For residents with dementia who are unable to verbalize their concerns, staff used two primary strategies to identify spiritual needs: careful observation and communication with family members. To address the identified spiritual needs, multiple strategies were offered including arranging clergy visits and personalizing care., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: This mixed methods study examined depictions of spirituality among people with psychosis in influential television programming. Spirituality is a central strength for many people with psychosis. Yet, despite the important role media plays in shaping perceptions, little research has examined the intersection between spirituality and psychosis in the popular media., Methods: To address this gap, we conducted a content analysis of the 50 most viewed primetime fictional television shows over a 10-year period as determined by the Nielsen rating organization. Characters with psychosis were identified via keyword searches of online sources (Wikis, IMDb, etc.) and subsequently independently coded by two individuals. Characters were rated on 18 items in three domains related to demographics, life status, and character framing. Inter-rater reliability ranged from good to excellent across variables., Results: Of 120 identified characters with psychosis, just 16% (n = 19) had a spiritual identity. Analysis revealed few differences between spiritual and secular characters on demographic and life status variables. Conversely, an examination of framing variables revealed spiritual characters were comparatively less attractive, exhibited a greater negative impact on society, and were more likely to be referred to pejoratively (as a psychopath) and engage in criminal activity. Trend analysis indicated portrayals of spiritual characters decreased over time., Conclusions: The results suggest media depictions of spirituality contribute to the stigmatization of spirituality among people with psychosis, potentially preventing access to important coping resources and discouraging professional help-seeking. Primary care physicians should consider incorporating a spiritual assessment into care to determine spiritual coping assets and then support these., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

The two aims of this study were to: 1) identify the 100 most impactful contributors to English-language gerontological journals, and 2) map their respective disciplinary affiliations to help illuminate the perspectives shaping gerontological discourse. Toward that end, we conducted a secondary data analysis of a publicly available database of the world's leading scientists. After extracting all scientists in the gerontological category, we rank ordered them according to a composite measure of scholarly impact that controls for self-citations and author order while also calculating other bibliometric statistics. Disciplinary affiliations were assigned based upon the Classification of Instructional Programs codes developed by the National Center for Education Statistics at the United States Department of Education. The results reveal the mean contributor to the gerontological literature published 241.15 ( SD  = 203.95) papers and - after correcting for self-citations - had an h-index of 50.05 ( SD  = 25.00), and an hm-index 23.67 ( SD  = 7.50). A diverse array of professional affiliations characterized the contributors with a plurality being located in the health professions category, followed by the biological and biomedical science, and social sciences categories. The results reveal that gerontology is home to some of the world's leading scientists. Leveraging their expertise can help advance the field's collective knowledge development.

Despite the growing size of the American Muslim community, little research exists on the provision of culturally relevant services to members of this population. The purpose of this study was to identify American Muslims' perceptions regarding what practitioners should know about Muslims and Islamic culture to provide successful mental health services to members of this community. To conduct this study, a purposive snowball sampling method was employed to obtain a national sample of community-dwelling American Muslims (N = 213). Qualitative analysis identified eight interlaced themes, which can be summarized as follows: (1) know basic Islamic beliefs, (2) recognize intragroup ethnic/cultural differences, (3) develop self-awareness of personal biases, (4) respect Islamic gender roles, (5) avoid making assumptions, (6) use Islamic beliefs/practices as strengths, (7) understand bias in the larger secular culture, and (8) consult with Muslim therapists/Imams. The findings equip practitioners with the information they need to provide effective, culturally relevant services to members of the unique American Muslim community from a posture of respect and cultural humility., (© 2023 National Association of Social Workers.)

This study identified the 100 most impactful global contributors to religion journals and mapped their respective disciplinary affiliations. To conduct this investigation, we performed a secondary data analysis of a Scopus-derived database featuring the world's leading scientists. The mean contributor published 51.93 papers, had an h-index of 13.57, and an hm-index 11.50. Most contributors were located in the USA with the most common disciplinary affiliations being religion, non-specialized (n = 22), sociology, non-specialized (n = 21), sociology of religion (n = 20), and theology (n = 11). The results reveal that religion discourse is populated by some of the leading scholars in the world. Leveraging their expertise can help advance the field's knowledge development., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The continued emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance among pathogenic bacteria are ever-growing threats to health and economy. Here, we report the draft genomes for 45 Enterobacterales clinical isolates, including historical and contemporary drug-resistant organisms, obtained in Pakistan between 1998 and 2016: 5 Serratia , 3 Salmonella , 3 Enterobacter , and 34 Klebsiella ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objectives: The study aim was to investigate multidrug-resistant (MDR) plasmids from a collection of 10 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates identified within the same healthcare institution in Pakistan. Full characterization of the MDR plasmids including structure, typing characteristics, and AMR content as well as determination of their plasmid-based antimicrobial susceptibility profiles were carried out., Methods: Plasmids were isolated from 10 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae , and from a corresponding set of Escherichia coli transconjugants, then sequenced using Nanopore/Illumina technology to generate plasmid hybrid assemblies. Full characterization of MDR plasmids, including determination of next generation sequencing (NGS)-based AMR profiles, plasmid incompatibility groups, and types, was carried out. The structure of MDR plasmids was analyzed using the Galileo AMR platform. For E. coli transconjugants, the NGS-based AMR profiles were compared to NGS-predicted AMR phenotypes and conventional broth microdilution (BMD) antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results., Results: All carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae isolates (carrying either bla NDM-1 , or/and bla OXA-48 ) carried multiple AMR plasmids encoding 34 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) conferring resistance to antimicrobials from 6 different classes. The plasmid incompatibility groups and types identified were: IncC (types 1 and 3), IncFIA (type 26) IncFIB, IncFII (types K1, K2, K7, and K9), IncHI1B, and IncL. None of the bla NDM-1 and bla ESBL -plasmids identified in this study were previously described. Most bla NDM-1- plasmids shared identical AMR regions suggesting potential genetic material/plasmid exchange between K. pneumoniae isolates of this collection. The majority of NGS-based AMR profiles from the E. coli transconjugants correlated well with both NGS-based predicted and conventional AST results., Conclusion: This study highlights the complexity and diversity of the plasmid-based genetic background of carbapenemase-producing clinical isolates from Pakistan. This study emphasizes the need for characterization of MDR plasmids to determine their complete molecular background and monitor AMR through plasmid transmission between multi-resistant bacterial pathogens., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lascols, Cherney, Conley, Rishishwar, Crawford, Morse, Fisher, Anderson, Hodge, Pillai, Hughes, Khan and Sue.)

Abstract: This study examined the relationship between eight measures of religious involvement and five anxiety disorders among a nationally representative sample of African-Americans ( N = 3403). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition , World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess 12-month and lifetime prevalence for each disorder. Logistic regression indicated weekly service attendance was inversely associated with 12-month and lifetime panic disorder, lifetime agoraphobia, and 12-month and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prayer was inversely associated with 12-month agoraphobia, 12-month social phobia, and lifetime PTSD. Listening to religious radio and looking to God for strength were also inversely related to, respectively, 12-month and lifetime panic disorder. Conversely, reading religious materials was positively associated with 12-month panic disorder, 12-month agoraphobia, lifetime PTSD, and lifetime generalized anxiety disorder. The results are discussed in light of conceptual models that specify multiple and sometimes divergent pathways through which religion impacts health, and suggestions for clinicians addressing anxiety disorders are delineated., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To address the need and fill a knowledge gap in understanding challenges and coping strategies from the perspectives of nursing home leadership., Background: The rapid increase of older adults with dementia in China highlights the need for research on dementia care in long-term care facilities., Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted among 20 facility directors employed by faith-based nursing homes across 12 provinces in China via phone or in-person in their native language. Two researchers fluent in Mandarin Chinese- and English-coded interview transcripts; thematic analysis was conducted to identify patterns., Results: Four primary challenges were identified, including recruiting and retaining nursing staff, funding, lacking governmental support and discord with family members. The coping strategies included using external resources, incorporating religious beliefs, teamwork, rewarding performance and improving staff skills and empathy., Conclusions: This study contributes to nursing home practice knowledge by disseminating insights of administrators regarding culturally relevant dementia management strategies in China., Implications for Nursing Management: Implications for nursing management are as follows: teamwork and staff encouragement; advocate for a sustainable governmental financial support; staff training and staff-resident ratio regulations and policy; seeking external resources; integrate faith-based means for problem management and service quality improvement., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Despite numerous high-profile deaths of African Americans at the hands of law enforcement, little attention has been paid to the issue of police reform in the social work literature. To address this gap, this article focuses on a topic that has been singled out as the most important area of potential reform: restructuring the disciplinary provisions embedded in the contracts negotiated between police unions and municipalities. These provisions frequently shield problematic officers from public accountability by hindering their identification, sanctioning, and dismissal. Given that collective bargaining agreements are typically negotiated behind closed doors, social workers can play an essential role by advocating for public negotiations between municipal and union leaders, so provisions that obstruct public accountability for unfit officers can be identified and eliminated. The article concludes by delineating three alternative models to the status quo-increased neighborhood policing, disbanding or defunding police departments, and police abolition zones-and notes that no model can be successful if those who abuse their power cannot be removed from their positions of public trust. The authors suggest that social workers collaborate with African American residents in a given community to ensure that their preferences regarding community justice are enacted in a manner that reflects their aspirations., (© 2022 National Association of Social Workers.)

We conducted a comprehensive, multiphase laboratory evaluation of InBios Active Melioidosis Detect (AMD) rapid test, a lateral flow immunoassay designed to detect capsular polysaccharides produced by Burkholderia mallei or Burkholderia pseudomallei , used in conjunction with the Omni Array Reader (OAR) for the rapid detection of B mallei or B pseudomallei in environmental (nonclinical) samples at 2 sites. The limit of detection, using reference strains B mallei strain ATCC 23344 and B pseudomallei strain ATCC 11668, was determined to be 10 3 to 10 4 CFU/mL. In different phases of the evaluation, inclusivity strains that included geographically diverse strains of B mallei (N = 13) and B pseudomallei (N = 22), geographically diverse phylogenetic near neighbor strains (N = 66), environmental background strains (N = 64), white powder samples (N = 26), and environmental filter extracts (N = 1 pooled sample from 10 filter extracts) were also tested. A total of 1,753 tests were performed, which included positive and negative controls. Visual and OAR results showed that the AMD test detected 92.3% of B mallei and 95.5% of B pseudomalle i strains. Of the 66 near-neighbor strains tested, cross-reactivity was observed with only B stabilis 2008724195 and B thailandensis 2003015869. Overall, the specificity and sensitivity were 98.8% and 98.7%, respectively. The results of this evaluation support the use of the AMD test as a rapid, qualitative assay for the presumptive detection of B mallei and B pseudomallei in suspicious environmental samples such as white powders and aerosol samples by first responders and laboratory personnel.

We conducted a comprehensive, multiphase laboratory evaluation of the InBios Active Melioidosis Detect (AMD) rapid test, a lateral flow immunoassay designed to detect capsular polysaccharides produced by Burkholderia mallei or Burkholderia pseudomallei , used in conjunction with the Omni Array Reader for the rapid identification of culture isolates of B mallei or B pseudomallei to support clinical diagnosis for response and triage during a mass casualty event, such as a biological attack. The study was conducted at 2 sites to assess the performance of the AMD test. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the assay was determined using 5 replicates of 35 inclusivity strains and 64 clinical background strains. A total of 520 tests were performed, which included both positive and negative controls. Results obtained visually and with the Omni Array Reader showed a sensitivity of 92.3% for B mallei and 95.6% for B pseudomallei ; no cross-reactivity was observed with any of the 64 clinical background organisms. The results from this study indicate that the AMD test for the presumptive identification of B mallei and B pseudomallei isolates to support clinical diagnosis is highly robust, specific, and sensitive. This evaluation supports the use of this test as a rapid, qualitative assay for the presumptive identification of B mallei and B pseudomallei in a clinical setting.

Purpose: This study sought to identify variation by gender in the associations between religious service attendance from adolescence to young adulthood and seven measures of lifetime and short-term substance use., Methods: To conduct this nationally representative study, data from the Add Health Surveys was abstracted from Waves I and IV (N = 3,223) to construct four types of service attendance (non-attenders, attenders only as adolescents, attenders only in young adulthood, and consistent attenders). A series of logistic regressions were conducted to identify the independent effects of each pattern of service attendance on each substance among all black young adults, as well as male and female sub-samples., Results: Analysis revealed consistent attenders were generally less likely to use substances, with the effects being strongest among females. Among young adult only attenders, males recorded lower odds across all three short-term measures whereas females reported lower odds only for monthly cigarette use., Conclusion: The protective effects of religious service attendance are more robust for African Americans who consistently attend in adolescence and young adulthood, especially among females., (© 2021. Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

In this article, we detail a comprehensive laboratory evaluation of an immunoassay for the rapid detection of abrin using the Meso Scale Diagnostics Sector PR2 Model 1800. For the assay evaluation, we used inclusivity and exclusivity panels comprised of extracts of 11 Abrus precatorius cultivars and 35 near-neighbor plants, 65 lectins, 26 white powders, 11 closely related toxins and proteins, and a pool of 30 BioWatch filter extracts. The results show that the Meso Scale Diagnostics abrin detection assay exhibits good sensitivity and specificity with a limit of detection of 4 ng/mL. However, the dynamic range of the assay for the quantitation of abrin was limited. We observed a hook effect at higher abrin concentrations, which can lead to potential false negative results. A modification of the assay protocol that incorporates extra wash steps can decrease the hook effect and the potential for false negative results.

Hate crimes against members of the Jewish community have increased dramatically over the past few years. According to federal data, the number of hate crimes directed at Jews now appears to exceed those directed at many, if not most, minority groups. Yet, despite the number of hate crimes aimed at Jews, little recent scholarship has considered the issue of anti-Semitism. To address this gap in the profession's literature, this article examines the issue of anti-Semitism in the United States. Toward that end, the Jewish population is described and data on anti-Semitism are reviewed along with factors that contribute to this prejudice. The article concludes by discussing strategies that social work educators, practitioners, and researchers might pursue to help create a more socially just society for the Jewish community in the United States and elsewhere. For instance, social workers might seek to address spiritual microaggressions aimed at members of the Jewish community. As part of this process, social workers might help create a culture that respects religious freedom, a fundamental human right, and advocate for equitable portrayals of Jewish people and perspectives in diverse media. Particular attention should be paid to Orthodox Jews, who are often targets of anti-Semitism., (© 2021 National Association of Social Workers.)

The study is to investigate psychological self-sufficiency-the force within someone that activates cognitive and non-cognitive process of shifting perceived barriers into hope actions-as it relates to economic self-sufficiency among jobseekers with mental health barriers. Among a sample of 2455 low-income jobseekers in job readiness programs at six community-based agencies in Chicago, a subsample of 424 who self-identified as having mental illness barriers are selected to analyze the relationships between employment hope, employment barriers, and economic self-sufficiency using structural equation modeling. Results indicate that employment hope mediates the path between perceived employment barriers and economic self-sufficiency. The study further highlights the positive effects of employment barriers on employment hope among jobseekers with perceived mental illnesses. The findings support growing evidence that psychological self-sufficiency is positively associated with gaining economic self-sufficiency in workforce development programs.

Infections in immunocompromised patients that are caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains have been increasingly reported worldwide. In particular, carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii strains are a prominent cause of health care-associated infections. Here, we report draft genome assemblies for two clinical XDR A. baumannii isolates obtained from hospitalized patients in Pakistan.

We conducted a comprehensive, multi-phase laboratory evaluation of the Tularemia BioThreat Alert ® (BTA) test, a lateral flow assay (LFA) for the rapid detection of Francisella tularensis . The study, conducted at 2 sites, evaluated the limit of detection (LOD) of this assay using the virulent SchuS4 strain and the avirulent LVS strain of F. tularensis . In 6-phase evaluation (linear dynamic range and reproducibility, inclusivity, near-neighbor, environmental background, white powder, and environmental filter extract), 13 diverse strains of F. tularensis , 8 Francisella near neighbors, 61 environmental background organisms, 26 white powders, and a pooled aerosol extract were tested. In the 937 tests performed, the Tularemia BTA demonstrated an LOD of 10 7 to 10 8 cfu/mL, with a sensitivity of 100.00%, specificity of 98.08%, and accuracy of 98.84%. These performance data are important for accurate interpretation of qualitative results arising from screening suspicious white powders in the field.

We conducted a comprehensive, multiphase laboratory evaluation of the Plague BioThreat Alert ® (BTA) test, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA), for the rapid detection of Yersinia pestis . The study was conducted in 7 phases at 2 sites to assess the performance of the LFA. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined using both a virulent and avirulent strain of Y. pestis , CO99-3015 (10 5 CFU/ml) and A1122 (10 4 CFU/ml), respectively. In the other phases, 18 Y. pestis strains, 20 phylogenetic near-neighbor strains, 61 environmental background microorganisms, 26 white powders, and a pooled aerosol sample were also tested. A total of 1,110 LFA test results were obtained, and their analysis indicates that this LFA had a sensitivity of 97.65% and specificity of 96.57%. These performance data are important for accurate interpretation of qualitative results arising from testing suspicious white powders and aerosol samples in the field. Any positive specimen in this assay is considered presumptive positive and should be referred to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Laboratory Response Network for additional testing, confirmation, and characterization for an appropriate public health response.

Shigella spp. are the most common cause of dysentery in developing countries and the second leading cause of diarrheal deaths worldwide. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Shigella spp. are a serious threat to global health. Herein, we report draft genome sequences for three MDR Shigella isolates from Pakistan, two Shigella flexneri isolates and one Shigella sonnei isolate.

A comprehensive laboratory evaluation of the Tetracore RedLine Alert test, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFA) for the rapid presumptive identification of Bacillus anthracis, was conducted at 2 different test sites. The study evaluated the sensitivity of this assay using 16 diverse strains of B. anthracis grown on sheep blood agar (SBA) plates. In addition, 83 clinically relevant microorganisms were tested to assess the specificity of the RedLine Alert test. The results indicated that the RedLine Alert test for the presumptive identification of B. anthracis is highly robust, specific, and sensitive. RedLine Alert is a rapid test that has applicability for use in a clinical setting for ruling-in or ruling-out nonhemolytic colonies of Bacillus spp. grown on SBA medium as presumptive isolates of B. anthracis .

This study examined the relationship between eight dimensions of spirituality (and religion) and people with four different types of disability status: hearing, vision, physical mobility, and emotional or mental disabilities. The overarching aim was to identify specific spiritual-religious profiles within each disability population relative to the general population. To conduct this cross-sectional examination, the authors used nationally representative data from the General Social Survey in the United States. The results reveal unique spiritual and religious profiles across the four types of disability status examined, although people with emotional or mental disabilities may have the most distinct profile. Compared with their counterparts among the general public, people with hearing, physical, and emotional disabilities were more likely to report praying several times a day; people with all four types of disability were more likely to report having a turning point when they became less committed to religion. Understanding which spiritual and religious dimensions are disproportionately more likely to exist among a given population with a particular disability helps practitioners provide more effective services to members of that group., (© 2018 National Association of Social Workers.)

Objectives: This study examined the effect of acculturation and Chinese traditionalism on elder mistreatment (EM) among Chinese American older adults., Method: We used a mixed method design in this 2-phase cross-sectional exploratory study conducted in the Phoenix metropolitan area. In Phase I, we conducted four focus groups to develop a culturally relevant EM assessment tool. In Phase II, we administered a survey incorporating this tool to 266 community-dwelling Chinese American older adults aged 60 and older. Acculturation was measured using the Marin acculturation scale. Traditionalism was measured with questions drawn from the Traditionality-Modernity subscale of the Chinese Personality Assessment Inventory (CPAI-2)., Results: The prevalence rates of elder abuse and elder neglect are 8.3% and 5.3%, respectively. Higher levels of acculturation and depression are positively associated with the occurrence of elder abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06). Traditionalism is not significantly related to elder abuse or elder neglect., Discussion: The results suggest that promoting traditional Chinese beliefs may not necessarily prevent EM among members of this population. Rather, EM prevention efforts might focus on building "bi-cultural" identities among both older adults and their adult children. Future research could explore the effect of intergenerational acculturation discrepancies on EM among members of this population., (© The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

DNA-based monitoring of pathogens in aerosol samples requires extraction methods that provide high recovery of DNA. To identify a suitable method, we evaluated six DNA extraction methods for recovery of target-specific DNA from samples with four bacterial agents at low abundance (<10,000 genome copies per detection assay). These methods differed in rigor of cell disruption, approach for DNA capture, and extent of DNA purification. The six methods varied 1000-fold in the recovery of DNA from spores or cells of surrogates of Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, Burkholderia pseudomallei, and Francisella tularensis, each at about 10 5  CFU per sample. A custom method using paramagnetic Dynabeads for DNA capture greatly outperformed the other five methods. The cDynabead method provided about 80% recovery of target-specific DNA. The cDynabead method and a filtration method were further evaluated for DNA recovery from bacterial agents spiked on filters (c.a. 10 5  CFU of each agent per filter quadrant) that were subsequently used to collect background outdoor air particulates for 24-h. The filtration method generally failed to recover detectable quantities of target DNA from the spiked filters, suggesting at least a 100-fold loss of target DNA during extraction, whereas the custom cDynabead method consistently yielded DNA sufficient for target detection., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objectives: This study identified the prevalence of depression and tested the influence of acculturation and family dynamics on depressive symptoms, among a community sample of older Chinese Americans., Method: Data came from a survey of 385 Chinese Americans aged 55 and older (Mage = 72.4 years, SD = 8.7) living in a large metropolitan area in the American Southwest. The survey was administered in 2013 through face-to-face interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 12-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale., Results: Approximately 19.5% of the sample reported mild depressive symptoms and an additional 8.5% reported moderate depressive symptoms. Three-step hierarchical regression analyses indicated that smaller family support network size and more family conflict were risk factors for depressive symptoms. The effect of acculturation was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms after controlling for family dynamics., Discussion: Family support and conflict play a prominent role in explaining depressive symptoms among Chinese American older adults. The effect of acculturation is minimal when older adults have supportive families and good health. Interventions or services aimed at promoting family harmony for members of this population should be considered.