Search

With this article I explore the relationship between core academic language skills (CALS) -- a construct representing a set of high-utility language skills needed to manage the linguistic features prevalent in academic texts across content areas -- and schooling outcomes. There has long been an understanding that there is a distinction between academic language and colloquial language, originally described by Jim Cummins (1976) as cognitive academic language proficiency (CALP) and basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS). The construct has only recently been operationalised (Uccelli, Phillips Galloway, Barr, Meneses & Dobbs, 2015) as the individual skills and competencies that underlie CALP. The CALS construct describes an empirically testable set of competencies that address this need. This has been used in the development of an assessment instrument aimed at South African learners -- the CALS-I-ZA (MacFarlane, Barr & Uccelli, 2022) -- and I investigate whether a measurable link exists between this assessment and schooling outcomes for a sample of Grade 6 learners in 2 public schools in the Gauteng province of South Africa. Schooling outcomes have been measured using the Gauteng Provincial Common Assessments -- a provincial examination intended to measure schooling outcomes on a comparable assessment instrument. The study reported on here shows a moderately strong correlation between the CALS-I-ZA and the provincial common examinations (r = 0.64 and r = 0.65). This predictive relationship between CALS and schooling outcomes leads to an argument for direct instruction in CALS as an embedded feature of pedagogy in South Africa.

Higher education seems to be in a perpetual state of 'crisis'. The many hundreds of books and papers containing this specific, or other relevantly similar expressions, convey a sense of fear and angst. Yet, what are these various crises about, and which values and beliefs are seen as threatened or 'under attack'? This paper will provide an analysis of the 'crisis' literature and identify four major crisis themes -- "massification," "marketisation," "restitution" and "geopolitics," linked to their ideological basis and influences -- including "meritocracy," "liberalism," "restorative justice," and "justice globalism." The second part of the paper analyses the massification crisis in Britain between the 1940s and the 1970s as a case example identifying how the principles of a meritocratic society played an influential role in the debate. It will be argued that the notion of 'universities in crisis' needs to be understood critically in terms of ideology and historically via the shifting and reshaping of such beliefs over time.

There is a fragmented and complex literature about higher education leadership representing a diversity of ideological perspectives about its nature and purposes. Internationally, the literature has been strongly shaped by the importation of concepts and theories from management studies and a tradition of scholarship led by university leader-researchers. Drawing on an extensive literature review--drawing on over 250 books, book chapters, reports and journal articles--this paper identifies three key perspectives. The "Traditionalist" perspective is concerned with the cultural context, arguing that the import of neoliberal business practices into university leadership and management has undermined academic self-governance. The "Reformist" perspective focuses on values from a social justice perspective arguing for a more democratic and inclusive style of leadership including participation from historically under-represented groups. Finally, the "Pragmatist" perspective is more functionally focused in identifying the capabilities, skills and competences needed for effective leadership in universities at all levels. These three perspectives provide important insights into the culture, values and competences of university leadership reflecting the distinctive culture of higher education (traditionalist), its values as a reflection of wider society (reformist) and how best to practically manage and achieve positive change in such an environment (pragmatist). An appreciation of these perspectives and the skills, values and knowledge embedded in the literature will facilitate the evolution of leadership development and practice in alignment with contemporary organisational needs and societal expectations.

UK university undergraduate programs are compared by independent subject-specific rankings (Complete, Guardian, and Times), based on data from the National Student Survey, Higher Education Statistics Agency, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, Research Excellence Framework, and the universities. The sports and exercise science program at the University of Glasgow has steadily risen to currently rank as the top UK program. This investigation aimed to identify the underlying factors that explain this. Therefore, we obtained underlying scores for entry standard, student satisfaction, research foundation, graduate prospects, staff-to-student ratio, expenditure/student, continuation, program support to students, and teaching quality from the ranking providers for years 2010-2024, and statistically modeled which factors significantly affected the rankings. We found that entry standards and graduate prospects strongly correlated significantly with ranking results. Principal component analysis indicated that a model of graduate prospects and entry standards explained 66.2% of the variance in ranking results. Multiple linear regression with all underlying factors included in the model indicated they explained 78% (R[superscript 2] = 0.78) of the total variance, while stepwise elimination of insignificant factors identified graduate prospects as the sole factor that significantly affected outcome by explaining 71% (R[superscript 2] = 0.71) of the variance. Therefore, the primary predictor of ranking success in UK university league tables for sports science is graduates' professional success (graduate prospects).

Embedding the use of technology for authentic social interactions with L2 teaching and learning needs to be supported by effective pedagogical practices. This article explores how technology can support the learning of te reo Maori in New Zealand. Thirteen kaiako (teachers) from a variety of teaching and learning backgrounds and experiences, and five akonga (students) representing a range of ages were individually interviewed. The akonga reported that synchronous online classes were very helpful for their language development and enjoyed the whanaungatanga created by being a part of the online community. They felt less, isolated and felt that they got to know some members of the class better. The kaiako reported, that connecting with the heart enhanced engagement in te reo Maori, which increased the confidence of akonga, which advanced the level of proficiency in te reo Maori.

Abstract Dysregulated mitochondrial fusion and fission has been implicated in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases. We have identified a novel function of the p53 family protein TAp73 in regulating mitochondrial dynamics. TAp73 regulates the expression of Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1), a protein responsible for controlling mitochondrial fusion, cristae biogenesis and electron transport chain function. Disruption of this axis results in a fragmented mitochondrial network and an impaired capacity for energy production via oxidative phosphorylation. Owing to the role of OPA1 in modulating cytochrome c release, TAp73−/− cells display an increased sensitivity to apoptotic cell death, e.g., via BH3-mimetics. We additionally show that the TAp73/OPA1 axis has functional relevance in the upper airway, where TAp73 expression is essential for multiciliated cell differentiation and function. Consistently, ciliated epithelial cells of Trp73 −/− (global p73 knock-out) mice display decreased expression of OPA1 and perturbations of the mitochondrial network, which may drive multiciliated cell loss. In support of this, Trp73 and OPA1 gene expression is decreased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, a disease characterised by alterations in mitochondrial dynamics. We therefore highlight a potential mechanism involving the loss of p73 in COPD pathogenesis. Our findings also add to the growing body of evidence for growth-promoting roles of TAp73 isoforms.

Abstract Male-male competition is a component of Darwin’s theory of precopulatory intrasexual selection, where males compete for access to resources important for reproduction and successful males pass on traits that endow greater competitive ability to their offspring, thereby exaggerating the trait(s) over evolutionary time. Metals, such as lead (Pb) often occur in urban mangrove forests, where shore crabs reside, and being neurotoxic may cause sub-lethal effects on behaviour. In this study, we asked whether exposure to Pb influences the outcomes of male-male competition in the Semaphore crab, Heloecius cordiformis, thereby altering outcomes of intrasexual selection. Crabs were exposed to an environmentally relevant, and a behaviourally relevant, concentration of lead (i.e. Pb, 10 µg/L and 100 µg/L respectively) under laboratory conditions for 96 h and subsequently allowed to compete for burrow ownership in experimental arenas. Exposed crabs (100 µg/L) were less successful than control crabs in chela size-matched paired competitive interactions, spent less time in burrows and predominantly lost burrow ownership. Further, exposure to Pb contamination (both 10 µg/L and 100 µg/L) negated the chela size advantage in size-asymmetric competitive interactions. This contaminant-induced loss of size-related competitive advantage may result in relaxation in selection pressure on body size and smaller male carapace widths and especially male chela lengths in contaminated locations. Assessment of a range of locations in the wild found a consistent pattern of metal-associated size declines in more contaminated locations for males, but not for females.

The constraints of transportation networks are fundamental to disaster planning. Having the capability of evaluating the emergent dynamics of such networks in the context of large traffic incidents can inform the design of traffic management strategies. On February 7, 2019, the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area, connecting multiple cities and carrying over 100 000 vehicles daily, had to be suddenly closed for over 9 hours due to a structural failure of its upper deck. This incident caused major disruptions in the region as the typical traffic was interrupted and detoured as travelers found alternate routes. In this study, we demonstrate the capability of large-scale traffic impact assessments of major network disruptions using the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge closure as a case study. Using a high-performance, parallel-discrete event traffic simulation, we assess the traffic impacts resulting from the bridge closure at both the regional system and city levels. Our model estimates that the region incurred an additional 14 000 vehicle hours of delay and 600 000 vehicle miles in distance due to the bridge closure. The incident affected over 55 000 trips; certain trips experienced an increase of 46 min in delay and 26 miles in travel distance. The median traffic volume on neighborhood streets in San Francisco, Vallejo, and San Rafael increased by 30%, 22%, and 13%, respectively. The results suggest that the cities’ local roads provided the additional adaptive capacity to disperse the traffic. With large-scale modeling of a critical network disruption using dynamic rerouting capability, complete road network, and full demand, we provide valuable insights into the response dynamics of this specific event. In doing so, the value of such regional analyses to incident and disaster planning is demonstrated.

Abstract Background A third of children born in England have at least one parent born outside the United Kingdom (UK), yet family migration history is infrequently studied as a social determinant of child health. We describe rates of hospital admissions in children aged up to 5 years by parental migration and socioeconomic group. Methods Birth registrations linked to Hospital Episode Statistics were used to derive a cohort of 4,174,596 children born in state-funded hospitals in England between 2008 and 2014, with follow-up until age 5 years. We looked at eight maternal regions of birth, maternal country of birth for the 6 most populous groups and parental migration status for the mother and second parent (UK-born/non-UK-born). We used Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintiles to indicate socioeconomic deprivation. We fitted negative binomial/Poisson regression models to model associations between parental migration groups and the risk of hospital admissions, including interactions with IMD group. Results Overall, children whose parents were both born abroad had lower emergency admission rates than children with parents both born in the UK. Children of UK-born (73.6% of the cohort) mothers had the highest rates of emergency admissions (171.6 per 1000 child-years, 95% confidence interval (CI) 171.4–171.9), followed by South Asia-born mothers (155.9 per 1000, 95% CI 155.1–156.7). The high rates estimated in the South Asia group were driven by children of women born in Pakistan (186.8 per 1000, 95% CI 185.4–188.2). A socioeconomic gradient in emergency admissions was present across all maternal regions of birth groups, but most pronounced among children of UK-born mothers (incidence rate ratio 1.43, 95% CI 1.42–1.44, high vs. low IMD group). Patterns of planned admissions followed a similar socioeconomic gradient and were highest among children with mothers born in Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia. Conclusions Overall, we found the highest emergency admission rates among children of UK-born parents from the most deprived backgrounds. However, patterns differed when decomposing maternal place of birth and admission reason, highlighting the importance of a nuanced approach to research on migration and health.

Abstract We report direct measurements of the magnetic field screening at the limits of the Meissner phase for two superconducting niobium (Nb) samples. The samples are processed with two different surface treatments that have been developed for superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavity applications—a “baseline” treatment and an oxygen-doping (“O-doping”) treatment. The measurements show: (1) that the screening length is significantly longer in the “O-doping” sample compared to the “baseline” sample; (2) that the screening length near the limits of the Meissner phase increases with applied field; (3) the evolution of the screening profile as the material transitions from the Meissner phase to the mixed phase; and (4) a demonstration of the absence of any screening profile for the highest applied field, indicative of the full flux entering the sample. Measurements are performed utilizing the $$\beta$$ β -detected nuclear magnetic resonance ( $$\beta$$ β -NMR) technique that allows depth resolved studies of the local magnetic field within the first 100 nm of the surface. The study takes advantage of the $$\beta$$ β -SRF beamline, a new facility at TRIUMF, Canada, where field levels up to 200 mT are available parallel to the sample surface to replicate radio frequency fields near the Meissner breakdown limits of Nb.

Abstract In pandemic mitigation, strategies such as social distancing and mask-wearing are vital to prevent disease resurgence. Yet, monitoring adherence is challenging, as individuals might be reluctant to share behavioral data with public health authorities. To address this challenge and demonstrate a framework for conducting observational research with sensitive data in a privacy-conscious manner, we employ a privacy-centric epidemiological study design: the federated cohort. This approach leverages recent computational advances to allow for distributed participants to contribute to a prospective, observational research study while maintaining full control of their data. We apply this strategy here to explore pandemic intervention adherence patterns. Participants (n = 3808) were enrolled in our federated cohort via the “Google Health Studies” mobile application. Participants completed weekly surveys and contributed empirically measured mobility data from their Android devices between November 2020 to August 2021. Using federated analytics, differential privacy, and secure aggregation, we analyzed data in five 6-week periods, encompassing the pre- and post-vaccination phases. Our results showed that participants largely utilized non-pharmaceutical intervention strategies until they were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except for individuals without plans to become vaccinated. Furthermore, this project offers a blueprint for conducting a federated cohort study and engaging in privacy-preserving research during a public health emergency.

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer diagnosed in men worldwide and was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in US males in 2022. Prostate cancer also represents the second highest cancer mortality disparity between non-Hispanic blacks and whites. However, there is a relatively small number of prostate normal and cancer cell lines compared to other cancers. To identify the molecular basis of PCa progression, it is important to have prostate epithelial cell (PrEC) lines as karyotypically normal as possible. Our lab recently developed a novel methodology for the rapid and efficient immortalization of normal human PrEC that combines simultaneous CRISPR-directed inactivation of CDKN2A exon 2 (which directs expression of p16INK4A and p14ARF) and ectopic expression of an hTERT transgene. To optimize this methodology to generate immortalized lines with minimal genetic alterations, we sought to target exon 1α of the CDKN2A locus so that p16INK4A expression is ablated while the exons encoding p14ARF remains unaltered. Here we describe the establishment of two cell lines: one with the above-mentioned p16INK4A only loss, and a second line targeting both products in the CDKN2A locus. We characterize the potential lineage origin of these new cell lines along with our previously obtained clones, revealing distinct gene expression signatures. Based on the analyses of protein markers and RNA expression signatures, these cell lines are most closely related to a subpopulation of basal prostatic cells. Given the simplicity of this one-step methodology and the fact that it uses only the minimal genetic alterations necessary for immortalization, it should also be suitable for the establishment of cell lines from primary prostate tumor samples, an urgent need given the limited number of available prostate cancer cell lines.

Abstract HPV-positive and HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) are recognized as distinct entities. There remains uncertainty surrounding the causal effects of smoking and alcohol on the development of these two cancer types. Here we perform multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate the causal effects of smoking and alcohol on the risk of HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC in 3431 cases and 3469 controls. Lifetime smoking exposure, as measured by the Comprehensive Smoking Index (CSI), is associated with increased risk of both HPV-negative HNSCC (OR = 3.03, 95%CI:1.75-5.24, P = 7.00E-05) and HPV-positive HNSCC (OR = 2.73, 95%CI:1.39-5.36, P = 0.003). Drinks Per Week is also linked with increased risk of both HPV-negative HNSCC (OR = 7.72, 95%CI:3.63-16.4, P = 1.00E-07) and HPV-positive HNSCC (OR = 2.66, 95%CI:1.06-6.68, P = 0.038). Smoking and alcohol independently increase the risk of both HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC. These findings have important implications for understanding the modifying risk factors between HNSCC subtypes.

Reflection on the meaning of the word 'tradition', and related terms such as 'traditional', is conceptually complex but has been subject to limited critical scrutiny within academic discourse. The evidence of this study, drawing on the theory of tradition and a database of all 6947 papers published in "Studies in Higher Education" between 1976 and 2021, is that higher education researchers make extensive use of these words in a routinised and often un-scholarly way. The language of tradition is frequently invoked as an emotive means to both resist and argue for change in higher education often framed as a dualism where the words tradition or traditional are deployed as positives or pejoratives. Despite the intensification of empirical work since the 1970s and 1980s, and the increasingly international authorship of "Studies of Higher Education," use of tradition as a rhetorical device continues to play a significant role in the literature. As the paper illustrates, this has contributed to the creation and perpetuation of myths about students, universities and academic work.

The prevalent "core phonological deficit" model of dyslexia proposes that the reading and spelling difficulties characterizing affected children stem from prior developmental difficulties in processing speech sound structure, for example, perceiving and identifying syllable stress patterns, syllables, rhymes and phonemes. Yet spoken word production appears normal. This suggests an unexpected disconnect between speech input and speech output processes. Here we investigated the output side of this disconnect from a speech rhythm perspective by measuring the speech amplitude envelope (AE) of multisyllabic spoken phrases. The speech AE contains crucial information regarding stress patterns, speech rate, tonal contrasts and intonational information. We created a novel computerized speech copying task in which participants copied aloud familiar spoken targets like "Aladdin." Seventy-five children with and without dyslexia were tested, some of whom were also receiving an oral intervention designed to enhance multi-syllabic processing. Similarity of the child's productions to the target AE was computed using correlation and mutual information metrics. Similarity of pitch contour, another acoustic cue to speech rhythm, was used for control analyses. Children with dyslexia were significantly worse at producing the multi-syllabic targets as indexed by both similarity metrics for computing the AE. However, children with dyslexia were not different from control children in producing pitch contours. Accordingly, the spoken production of multisyllabic phrases by children with dyslexia is atypical regarding the AE. Children with dyslexia may not appear to listeners to exhibit speech production difficulties because their pitch contours are intact.

The paper sets out a conceptual argument that the choice of teaching method is part of the freedom to teach in higher education. It enters into a dialogue with the views of Stephen Finn in a paper published in "Teaching in Higher Education" in which he argues that academic freedom should be limited in respect to teaching methods. The concept of pedagogic self-governance is linked to the importance of choice of teaching method and illustrated by reference to the history of the seminar and signature pedagogies. While Finn argues that not developing pedagogical skills is a breach of professional ethics it is contended that a failure to engage in research and enable students to critically evaluate the latest propositional and professional knowledge in a subject represents a much more serious issue.

This article provides a conceptual reformulation of Merton's scientific ethos widely known by the acronym CUDOS (i.e. communism, universalism, disinterestedness and organised scepticism). While Merton perceived the threat to the autonomy of science as coming from "outside" the walls of academe, mainly in the form of nationalism and racism, the subsequent rise of neoliberalism and global market forces means that the scientific ethos is being undermined largely from "within" the university itself, leading to the DECAY (i.e. differentialism, egoism, capitalism and advocacy) of CUDOS. The STEM-ification of the humanities and social sciences academic community has led to the rise of a post-academic ethos. This manifests itself in professional pragmatism with academics facing both ways at the same time by remaining largely committed to Mertonian norms in theory but needing to adapt to the performative demands of DECAY as a new set of institutional norms that prevails in practice.

Purpose: Academics are at the forefront of criticisms about so-called "fake news" considered to undermine evidence-based approaches to the understanding of complex social, political, and economic issues. However, universities contribute to the production of fake news through the legitimization of measures that promote student performativity rewarding their academic non-achievements. This conceptual article will seek to illustrate how this can occur via the writing of methodology chapters by postgraduate students. Design/Approach/Methods: This article provides a critical analysis of the writing of methodology chapters in dissertations and theses in postgraduate education in the social sciences. In so doing, it applies the concept of performativity to student learning. Findings: It is argued that the pressures on students to comply with the requirements of emotional performativity in respect to ideology and method in close-up, qualitative research can lead to fake learning. This phenomenon may be exemplified by reference to a number of practices, namely, phony positionality, methodolatry, ethical cleansing, participatory posturing, and symbolic citation. Originality/Value: This article provides an illustration of the concept of student performativity. It demonstrates that emotional performativity plays a significant role in the way in which students are required to comply with expectations that give rise to inauthenticity in learning.

Abstract Background Gestational exposure to toxic environmental chemicals and maternal social hardships are individually associated with impaired fetal growth, but it is unclear whether the effects of environmental chemical exposure on infant birth weight are modified by maternal hardships. Methods We used data from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study, a pan-Canadian cohort of 1982 pregnant females enrolled between 2008 and 2011. We quantified eleven environmental chemical concentrations from two chemical classes – six organochlorine compounds (OCs) and five metals – that were detected in ≥ 70% of blood samples collected during the first trimester. We examined fetal growth using birth weight adjusted for gestational age and assessed nine maternal hardships by questionnaire. Each maternal hardship variable was dichotomized to indicate whether the females experienced the hardship. In our analysis, we used elastic net to select the environmental chemicals, maternal hardships, and 2-way interactions between maternal hardships and environmental chemicals that were most predictive of birth weight. Next, we obtained effect estimates using multiple linear regression, and plotted the relationships by hardship status for visual interpretation. Results Elastic net selected trans-nonachlor, lead, low educational status, racially minoritized background, and low supplemental folic acid intake. All were inversely associated with birth weight. Elastic net also selected interaction terms. Among those with increasing environmental chemical exposures and reported hardships, we observed stronger negative associations and a few positive associations. For example, every two-fold increase in lead concentrations was more strongly associated with reduced infant birth weight among participants with low educational status (β = -100 g (g); 95% confidence interval (CI): -215, 16), than those with higher educational status (β = -34 g; 95% CI: -63, -3). In contrast, every two-fold increase in mercury concentrations was associated with slightly higher birth weight among participants with low educational status (β = 23 g; 95% CI: -25, 71) compared to those with higher educational status (β = -9 g; 95% CI: -24, 6). Conclusions Our findings suggest that maternal hardships can modify the associations of gestational exposure to some OCs and metals with infant birth weight.

Abstract Background The impact of social frailty on older adults is profound including mortality risk, functional decline, falls, and disability. However, effective strategies that respond to the needs of socially frail older adults are lacking and few studies have unpacked how social determinants operate or how interventions can be adapted during periods requiring social distancing and isolation such as the COVID-19 pandemic. To address these gaps, we conducted a scoping review using JBI methodology to identify interventions that have the best potential to help socially frail older adults (age ≥65 years). Methods We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL (EPSCO), EMBASE and COVID-19 databases and the grey literature. Eligibility criteria were developed using the PICOS framework. Our results were summarized descriptively according to study, patient, intervention and outcome characteristics. Data synthesis involved charting and categorizing identified interventions using a social frailty framework. Results Of 263 included studies, we identified 495 interventions involving ~124,498 older adults who were mostly female. The largest proportion of older adults (40.5%) had a mean age range of 70-79 years. The 495 interventions were spread across four social frailty domains: social resource (40%), self-management (32%), social behavioural activity (28%), and general resource (0.4%). Of these, 189 interventions were effective for improving loneliness, social and health and wellbeing outcomes across psychological self-management, self-management education, leisure activity, physical activity, Information Communication Technology and socially assistive robot interventions. Sixty-three interventions were identified as feasible to be adapted during infectious disease outbreaks (e.g., COVID-19, flu) to help socially frail older adults. Conclusions Our scoping review identified promising interventions with the best potential to help older adults living with social frailty.

Abstract Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. Despite significant improvements in overall survival, many tumours are refractory to therapy and so novel approaches are required to improve patient outcomes. We have evaluated patient-derived explants (PDEs) as a novel preclinical platform for breast cancer (BC) and implemented cutting-edge digital pathology and multi-immunofluorescent approaches for investigating biomarker changes in both tumour and stromal areas at endpoint. Short-term culture of intact fragments of BCs as PDEs retained an intact immune microenvironment, and tumour architecture was augmented by the inclusion of autologous serum in the culture media. Cell death/proliferation responses to FET chemotherapy in BC-PDEs correlated significantly with BC patient progression-free survival (p = 0.012 and p = 0.0041, respectively) and cell death responses to the HER2 antibody therapy trastuzumab correlated significantly with HER2 status (p = 0.018). These studies show that the PDE platform combined with digital pathology is a robust preclinical approach for informing clinical responses to chemotherapy and antibody-directed therapies in breast cancer. Furthermore, since BC-PDEs retain an intact tumour architecture over the short-term, they facilitate the preclinical testing of anti-cancer agents targeting the tumour microenvironment.

Objectives Ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) relies on acquiring and interpreting an appropriate view of sonoanatomy. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to aid this by applying a color overlay to key sonoanatomical structures.The primary aim was to determine whether an AI-generated color overlay was associated with a difference in participants’ ability to identify an appropriate block view over a 2-month period after a standardized teaching session (as judged by a blinded assessor). Secondary outcomes included the ability to identify an appropriate block view (unblinded assessor), global rating score and participant confidence scores.Design Randomized, partially blinded, prospective cross-over study.Setting Simulation scans on healthy volunteers. Initial assessments on 29 November 2022 and 30 November 2022, with follow-up on 25 January 2023 – 27 January 2023.Participants 57 junior anesthetists undertook initial assessments and 51 (89.47%) returned at 2 months.Intervention Participants performed ultrasound scans for six peripheral nerve blocks, with AI assistance randomized to half of the blocks. Cross-over assignment was employed for 2 months.Main outcome measures Blinded experts assessed whether the block view acquired was acceptable (yes/no). Unblinded experts also assessed this parameter and provided a global performance rating (0–100). Participants reported scan confidence (0–100).Results AI assistance was associated with a higher rate of appropriate block view acquisition in both blinded and unblinded assessments (p=0.02 and

While complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) measures are known to correlate with L2 writers’ scores, less is known about the effectiveness of providing automated feedback based on these measures for improving writing performance. Furthermore, it remains unclear if improvements in specific CAF measures correspond to improvements in human-rater scores. Finally, the trade-off hypothesis predicts that all three components of CAF cannot be improved at once, so providing multiple CAF measures to students at the same time might cause cognitive overload and overwhelm students, reducing their ability to uptake the feedback. To examine these issues, a simple paragraph feedback tool was developed to provide input on number of words, vocabulary variety, supporting detail markers, and sentence length. The tool was implemented repeatedly in L2 academic paragraph writing lessons with 124 students. Improvement was assessed through complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) measures and human-rater scores, while also gathering student opinions. Results showed significant improvements in number of words, sentence length, and supporting detail marker usage from pre- to post-treatment with improvements in number of words and vocabulary variety found to be the strongest predictors of improvements in human-rater scores. Students reported finding vocabulary variety feedback most helpful, while supporting detail marker feedback was perceived as most confusing. Notably, students reported very low cognitive load overall. This article also discusses pedagogical implications of these findings for L2 writing instruction and automated feedback implementation.

Objective and Approach The environment in and around children’s homes and schools can influence their health and educational outcomes. Better understanding of how these potentially modifiable environmental risk factors can affect children is crucial in enabling the creation of healthier and more equitable places. We aim to establish the Kids’ Environment and Health Cohort, a research-ready, de-identified, national longitudinal birth cohort of approximately 11 million children born in England from 2006 to 2023, updated annually. The cohort will link vital statistics, census, health, education, and environmental data, via unique property identifiers from longitudinal health service address records for children and their mothers during pregnancy. Data on environmental exposures around schools will be linked to the cohort via education records. The cohort will be held and accessed in a secure research environment at the Office for National Statistics (ONS). All geographical identifiers will be encrypted and stored separately from the main cohort by the ONS to ensure privacy and security. Results We have received ethics approval and have agreed the legal bases for establishing the cohort. We are now setting up data sharing agreements with each data provider. Delivery of the cohort is scheduled for late 2025. Conclusion The Kid’s Environment and Health Cohort will support policy-relevant research in exploring associations between environmental factors and children's health and educational outcomes, and assessing the effectiveness of policy interventions. It will also support interdisciplinary collaboration, guiding evidence-based decision-making for environmental, planning, and public health policies aimed at promoting children’s health and well-being.

UV light is known to cause damage to biomolecules in living tissue. Tissues of the eye that play highly specialised roles in forming our sense of sight are uniquely exposed to light of all wavelengths. While these tissues have evolved protective mechanisms to resist damage from UV wavelengths, prolonged exposure is thought to lead to pathological changes. In the lens, UV light exposure is a risk factor for the development of cataract, which is a condition that is characterised by opacity that impairs its function as a focusing element in the eye. Cataract can affect spatially distinct regions of the lens. Age-related nuclear cataract is the most prevalent form of cataract and is strongly associated with oxidative stress and a decrease in the antioxidant capacity of the central lens region. Since UV light can generate reactive oxygen species to induce oxidative stress, its effects on lens structure, transparency, and biochemistry have been extensively investigated in animal models in order to better understand human cataract aetiology. A review of the different light exposure models and the advances in mechanistic understanding gained from these models is presented.

Pragmatic language difficulties, including unusual filler usage, are common among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study investigated "um" and "uh" usage in children with ASD and typically developing (TD) controls. We analyzed transcribed Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) sessions for 182 children (117 ASD, 65 TD), aged 4 to 15. Although the groups did not differ in "uh" usage, the ASD group used fewer "ums" than the TD group. This held true after controlling for age, sex, and IQ. Within ASD, social affect and pragmatic language scores did not predict filler usage; however, structural language scores predicted "um" usage. Lower "um" rates among children with ASD may reflect problems with planning or production rather than pragmatic language.