The molecular basis of age-related kidney disease

Renal disease affects 11% of people in the United States over the age of 65, not including those with diabetes or hypertension. Although glomerular disease is the most common underlying etiology of age-related renal dysfunction, the cause of glomerular disease and whether it is the only contributor to renal failure are not known. Our studies in female mice show that renal disease in the postmenopausal period is associated with progressive glomerular enlargement and scarring, as well as abnormal renal function. To study the underlying causes of aging-related glomerular disease, we isolated and characterized glomerular smooth muscle (mesangial) cells from female mice of various ages. We found that the cells from older mice exhibit a variety of phenotypic changes, including increased concentrations of p27, a protein that serves to inhibit progression from the G1 to the S phase of the cell cycle. Because the bone marrow (BM) contains mesangial cell progenitors that can transfer the donor glomerular phenotype (normal or diseased) to recipients, we exchanged BM between postmenopausal and premenopausal mice and found that aging-related glomerular enlargement and scarring are transferred to young recipient glomeruli. In addition, BM from normal, young donors led to the regression of aging-related glomerular disease in postmenopausal recipients; namely, both glomerular enlargement and scarring were reduced. Thus, aging-related glomerular disease is an entity distinct from all other causes of renal disease, is characterized by phenotypic changes in mesangial cell progenitors, and is reversible when the phenotype of the progenitors is returned to normal.     

Undergraduate Teaching Environments: Normative Orientations to Teaching Among Faculty in the Higher Educational System*

This paper illustrates that higher education is a system integrated by shared values and is also differentiated according to institutional teaching orientations. This illustration is accomplished through a “visual display” of shared and differentiated teaching goals as faculty reported these in a national survey conducted in 1973. Using these teaching goals, six normative teaching orientations are derived. The six orientations associated with higher educational institutional variation reduce to four types of teaching environments. Relating these environments to each other refiects a system according to the Parsonian AGIL framework.     

International Funding of NGOs in India: Bringing the State Back In

This article seeks to understand how the Indian state exercises control over transnational ties between foreign and domestic actors by examining the national legislative practices that determine receipt of foreign funds and the data on foreign funding flows to NGOs (a database of more than 18,000 associations). The article shows how legislative practices of democratic states serve to reduce foreign influence. Issue characteristics are also shown to determine state response to externalization, blocking transnational ties in “high politics” areas such as minority claims. Finally, within state imposed restrictions, religious rather than secular organizations remain dominant transnational actors in India. The study contributes evidence to suggest that contrary to the arguments of world polity theory and many transnational social movement scholars, states continue to remain powerful actors limiting transnationalization.

A narrative review of interventions addressing the parental–fetal relationship

Background

Expectant parents develop varying degrees of emotional affiliation with the unborn child. Interventions supporting this relationship may be beneficial given its link to maternal health behaviour during pregnancy, as well as the parental–infant bond after birth.

Youth Substance Use in a Context of Family Homelessness

Objective

This study examines the relationship between family processes and youth substance use debuts among a sample of youth residing in urban family homeless shelters.

Method

Data regarding shelter experiences, youth and family characteristics, and the use of three substances (i.e., cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) were gathered from a sample of youth (11-14 years) and their respective parents residing in an urban family homeless shelter system. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influences on youth substance use.

Results

Of the 198 youth included in the statistical analysis, 72% (n = 143) reported no substance use debuts, while 18% (n = 35) indicated one and 10% (n = 20) indicated two to three substance use debuts. Within the final model, greater substance use debut was associated with being older (13-14 vs. 11-12; OR = 7.5; 95% CI = 1.8-30.9) and stressors exposure (OR = 4.8; 95% CI = 1.5-14.7). Furthermore, youth of adult caretakers that reported low levels of the three family processes considered were almost four and a half more likely (OR = 4.4; 95% CI = 1.2-16.5) to have made two to three substance use debuts.

Conclusions

Family processes may be a particularly important intervention target toward reducing the rate of substance use among youth residing in urban family homeless shelters.     

Perceptual,Attitudinal, and Behavioral Outcomes of Organization–Public Engagement on Corporate Social Networking Sites

This study proposes and tests a conceptual model that not only measures public engagement with corporate pages on social networking sites, but also evaluates the influence of such engagement on important perceptual, relational, and behavioral outcomes. Study results provide empirical evidence of the positive effects of public engagement on perceived corporate authenticity, organizational transparency, organization–public relationships, and public advocacy. Findings underscore the importance of public engagement via social media on enhancing perceived corporate transparency and authenticity, and thereby cultivating strong relationships. Additionally, organization–public relationships emerged as a deciding factor driving the effects of public engagement on advocacy behaviors.     

Crawling Experience Predicts Avoidance of Real Cliffs and Water Cliffs: Insights from a New Paradigm

This study examined the influence of age, crawling‐onset age, and crawling experience on infants’ adaptive behavior in situations that can lead to dangerous falls. Thirty‐one infants with variable amounts of crawling experience were tested in a new paradigm that used a real cliff and a water cliff, with a harness system to guarantee safety. Consistent with previous findings obtained in studies with real and visual cliffs, infants with more crawling experience were more likely to avoid the real cliff. More importantly, greater crawling experience was associated with a greater likelihood of avoiding the water cliff. The new paradigm offers exciting opportunities to study the development of adaptive behavior in risky environments.