THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTENSITY AND BREADTH OF AFTER‐SCHOOL PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT: EVIDENCE FROM A SHORT‐TERM LONGITUDINAL STUDY

We explored the extent to which intensity and breadth of participation in an after‐school program (ASP) predicted academic achievement, as measured by changes in grades and attendance. The sample comprised 719 2nd‐grade through 8th‐grade Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas members during the 2009–2010 academic year. With respect to intensity, extent of club participation was positively related to increases in GPA from the first‐week to the last 6‐week grading period. This relationship was stronger for elementary students. In addition, intensity was negatively related to changes in school absences from the first week to the last 6 weeks for both grade levels. With respect to breadth, participation in greater numbers of programs was related to greater improvement in GPA, but only among elementary students, and only when program participation was substantial. Overall, the results suggest that participation in structured ASPs like Boys and Girls Clubs positively affects academic achievement.     

Cachexia in chronic heart failure: Prognostic implications and novel therapeutic approaches

Cachexia in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) has been recognized for a long time; however, it has not received much attention until recently. Cardiac cachexia, a common and serious complication of CHF, is associated with very poor prognosis. Several studies have demonstrated that increased neurohormonal and immune abnormalities may play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of cardiac cachexia. Hormonal and catabolic/anabolic imbalances of the body are likely to be responsible for the development of cachexia in CHF. Recently, ghrelin, a novel growth hormone-releasing peptide, has been widely noticed to have potential in the treatment of severe CHF and cardiac cachexia. However, further research will be necessary to identify the exact pathways involved and to find the best therapeutic strategies of using ghrelin to fight the wasting process.