Commentary: Participatory Consultation for International Research and Development

ABSTRACT

In a series of three articles, O’Neal and colleagues describe the application of Participatory Culture-Specific Consultation (PCSC) with mixed methods research to explore the needs of a hidden population of teachers serving Burmese refugee students in unauthorized schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and develop and evaluate a culturally relevant and sustainable professional development program to prepare teachers in classroom management and self-care. Their work exemplifies the benefits of partnership, cultural humility, and reflective integration of research and practice in systems consultation. The scope and depth of their work presented across three articles provides a rich source for consultants who want to engage in similar work both at home and abroad.     

Antidyslipidemic and antioxidant activities of different fractions of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Terminalia arjuna</Emphasis> stem bark

Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) stem bark was successively extracted with petroleum ether (A), solvent ether (B), ethanol (C) and water (D). The lipid lowering activity of these four fractions A, B, C, and D was evaluatedin vivo in two models viz., triton WR-1339 induced hyperlipemia in rats as well as fructose rich high fat diet (HFD) fed diabetic- dyslipidemic hamsters. Hyperlipidemia induced by triton caused marked increase in the plasma levels of total cholesterol (Tc), triglyceride (Tg) and phospholipids (PL) in rats. After treament withT. arjuna fractions A, B, C, and D at the doses of 250 mg/kg per oral (p.o.),only the ethanolic fraction (C) exerted significant lipid lowering effect as assessed by reversal of plasma levels of Tc, Tg and PL in hyperlipidemic rats. In another experiment, feeding with HFD produced marked dyslipidemia as observed by increased levels of plasma Tc, Tg, glucose (Glu), glycerol (Gly) and free fatty acids (FFA) in hamsters. After treatment withT. arjuna fractions at the doses of 250 mg/kg p.o. only two fraction (B and C) could exert significant lowering in the plasma levels of lipids and Glu. in dyslipidemic hamsters.In vitro experimentT. arjuna fractions at tested concentrations (50–500 μg/ml) inhibited the oxidative degradation of lipids in human low density lipoprotein and rat liver microsomes induced by metal ions. These fractions when tested against generation of oxygen free radicals at the concentrations (50–500 μg/ml), counteracted the formation of superoxide anions (O⁻²) and hydrodyl radicals (OH) in non enzymic test systems. The efficacy ofT. arjuna fractions as antidyslipidemic and antioxidant agents was found, fraction C> fraction B> fraction A.     

Erythrocytic adenosine deaminase in post myocardial infarction angina patients

A comparative study on the levels of erythrocyte adenosine deaminase and lipid peroxidation has been undertaken in post myocardial infarction angina patients along with age and sex matched healthy individuals serving as control. Present findings show that levels of adenosine deaminase is highly elevated in post myocardial infarction angina patients compared to healthy persons. Malondialdehyde levels are also significantly increased in post myocardial infarction angina patients. The study shows that adenosine deaminase has an important implication in ischemic myocardial syndrome.     

Predicting Faculty Integration of Faith and Learning

Concern regarding the secularization of Christian higher education has prompted researchers to investigate the extent that faith and learning is integrated at a faculty level and what factors might predict faculty integration (Lyon, Beaty, Parker, &; Mencken, 2005 Lyon, L., Beaty, M., Parker, J., &; Mencken, C. (2005). Faculty attitudes on integrating faith and learning at religious colleges and universities: A research note. Sociology of Religion, 66, 61–69.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). This research attempted to replicate Lyon et al.’s (2005 Lyon, L., Beaty, M., Parker, J., &; Mencken, C. (2005). Faculty attitudes on integrating faith and learning at religious colleges and universities: A research note. Sociology of Religion, 66, 61–69.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) logistic regression model predicting faculty integration of faith using survey responses gathered as part of Phase II of the Council for Christian Colleges &; Universities (CCCU) Denominational Study (Rine, Glanzer, &; Davignon, 2013 Davignon, P., Glanzer, P., &; Rine, P. J. (2013). Assessing the denominational identity of American evangelical colleges and universities: Part III. The student experience. Christian Higher Education, 12, 315–330. doi:10.1080/15363759.2013.825127[Taylor &; Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). Respondents included 2,074 faculty from 55 institutions. The first model used in this study suggested that the most powerful predictors of faculty integration are full-time employment status, earning a degree from an institution that shares the same denominational affiliation, and a match between the faculty member's religious denominational affiliation and the institutional affiliation. A second logistic regression model added faculty academic specialization as a predictor of integration to investigate if that model was a better fit. Results suggested that religion and philosophy instructors are the most likely to integrate faith into their teaching, and professors specializing in computer science, math, and engineering were the least likely. As faculty are considered the primary influence on the integration of faith and learning, existing faculty and institutional administrators concerned with maintaining faith in the classroom may want to consider the contributing factors discussed.