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The shortage of secondary STEM teachers has led to periodic calls over the past four decades for federal intervention. For more than 15 years, the National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program has constituted the most important response at the national level to these calls. The main activity is direct support to undergraduate students and degree holders to become K-12 STEM teachers. Here we examine the Noyce program by looking beyond the qualities of particular university programs and measuring long-term outcomes on a statewide level. We accomplished this through a collaboration of eight Texas universities that pooled data on Noyce scholars supported as far back as 2003. Making use of a state longitudinal dataset, we examined whether recipients of Noyce Scholarships are more likely than other math and science teachers to remain in teaching, determined where Noyce scholars taught, and estimated student learning in classes taught by Noyce Scholars. Noyce Scholars are more likely than other STEM teachers from the same universities to teach marginalized students, and students of Noyce Scholars obtained higher value-added scores in mathematics than students of other teachers at the same schools. These are some of the most important intended outcomes. However, Noyce Scholars did not stay in teaching as long as other STEM teachers from their universities, and they were more likely to switch away from schools with low-income students. The Noyce program currently operates far below the scale needed to start reducing national STEM teacher shortages. We conclude with prospects for expansion and modification of the Noyce program.

Author(s): Sarah Ellen Stephens [sup.1] , Kristie Long Foley [sup.2] , David Miller [sup.3] , Christina R. Bellinger [sup.4] Author Affiliations: (1) Memorial Health Lung and Sleep Care, Memorial Health, [...], Lung cancer screening (LCS) is currently advocated in a subset of current or former smokers with a thirty pack-year smoking history or higher. Studies report that few patients meeting the criteria for screening are undergoing LCS. We conducted a survey to assess if barriers to LCS (race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status) affect the perceptions about LCS that could influence screening uptake. We did not detect different perceptions based on race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status; however, our survey found that fewer barriers and more benefits to LCS may be perceived in patients who undergo other types of health screening and more benefits for those with internet capable devices.

BACKGROUND Machine learning (ML) may cost-effectively direct health care by identifying patients most likely to benefit from preventative interventions to avoid negative and expensive outcomes. System for High-Intensity Evaluation During Radiation Therapy (SHIELD-RT; NCT04277650) was a single-institution, randomized controlled study in which electronic health record-based ML accurately identified patients at high risk for acute care (emergency visit or hospitalization) during radiotherapy (RT) and targeted them for supplemental clinical evaluations. This ML-directed intervention resulted in decreased acute care utilization. Given the limited prospective data showing the ability of ML to direct interventions cost-efficiently, an economic analysis was performed. METHODS A post hoc economic analysis was conducted of SHIELD-RT that included RT courses from January 7, 2019, to June 30, 2019. ML-identified high-risk courses (-10% risk of acute care during RT) were randomized to receive standard of care weekly clinical evaluations with ad hoc supplemental evaluations per clinician discretion versus mandatory twice-weekly evaluations. The primary outcome was difference in mean total medical costs during and 15 days after RT. Acute care costs were obtained via institutional cost accounting. Physician and intervention costs were estimated via Medicare and Medicaid data. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate cost outcomes after adjustment for patient and disease factors. RESULTS A total of 311 high-risk RT courses among 305 patients were randomized to the standard (n=157) or the intervention (n=154) group. Unadjusted mean intervention group supplemental visit costs were $155 per course (95% confidence interval, $142 to $168). The intervention group had fewer acute care visits per course (standard, 0.47; intervention, 0.31; P=0.04). Total mean adjusted costs were $3110 per course for the standard group and $1494 for the intervention group (difference in means, $1616 [95% confidence interval, $1450 to $1783]; P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS In this economic analysis of a randomized controlled, health care ML study, mandatory supplemental evaluations for ML-identified high-risk patients were associated with both reduced total medical costs and improved clinical outcomes. Further study is needed to determine whether economic results are generalizable. (Funded in part by The Duke Endowment, The Conquer Cancer Foundation, the Duke Department of Radiation Oncology, and the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health [R01CA277782]; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04277650). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To design, manufacture, and validate a female pelvic phantom for multi‐modality imaging (CT, MRI, US) to benchmark a commercial needle tracking system with application in HDR gynecological (GYN) interstitial procedures. Materials and Methods: A GYN needle‐tracking phantom was designed using CAD software to model an average uterus from a previous patient study, a vaginal canal from speculum dimensions, and a rectum to accommodate a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe. A target volume (CTVHR) was designed as an extension from the cervix‐uterus complex. Negative space molds were created from modeled anatomy and 3D printed. Silicone was used to cast the anatomy molds. A 3D printed box was constructed to house the manufactured anatomy for structural integrity and to accommodate the insertion of a speculum, tandem, needles, and TRUS probe. The phantom was CT‐imaged to identify potential imperfections that might impact US visualization. Free‐hand TRUS was used to guide interstitial needles into the phantom. The commercial tracking system was used to generate a 3D US volume. After insertion, the phantom was imaged with CT and MR and the uterus and CTVHR dimensions were verified against the CAD model. Results/Conclusions: The manufactured phantom allows for accurate visualization with multiple imaging modalities and is conducive to applicator and needle insertion. The phantom dimensions from the CAD model were verified with those from each imaging modality. The phantom is low cost and can be reproducibly manufactured with the 3D printing and molding processes. Our initial experiments demonstrate the ability to integrate the phantom with a commercial tracking system for future needle tracking validation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practical application of embryo transfer in pigs could benefit from using embryo donors for multiple cycles. Thus, raising the need to investigate feeding strategies for donors which will not be required to recover body condition lost during previous lactation. The objective was to evaluate the effects of temporary feed restriction, from d 6 to 14 of the estrous cycle, on growth, blood variables and reproductive performance in replacement gilts. Replacement gilts (n = 20; TN70, Topigs Norsvin, Oak Bluff, Canada) were assigned equally across 2 feeding regimens following a randomized complete block design where the block was backfat thickness. The feeding regimens were based on the first day of the estrous cycle: CON, recommended feeding levels from d 0 to 14 and a flush feeding (25% above recommended levels) from d 15 until d 21; or RES, CON but with restricted feeding (25% below recommended levels) from d 6 to 14. The CON treatment was based on the recommendations of the Feed Manual TN70 (Topigs Norsvin, 2015). On d 0, 5, 14 and 20 of the cycle, body weight and backfat thickness were measured. On d 21 (detected estrus), gilts were inseminated and on d 27 they were euthanized to collect embryos, ovaries and uterus. The uterus and ovaries were weighed whereas corpora lutea were counted and weighed. Blood serum was collected on d 14, and 20 for chemical analyses. Data were analyzed using the mixed procedure of SAS where each gilt was the experimental unit. Feeding regimens were considered as the fixed effect and backfat block as the random effect. Means were obtained with the LSMEANS statement. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed on growth performance among feeding regimens. However, when comparing the average daily gain (ADG) within feeding regimens between feeding periods, no differences (P > 0.05) were observed among gilts fed CON whereas gilts fed RES showed a decreased (P < 0.05) ADG during d 6 to 14 compared with d 0 to 5 and d 15 to 21. Regarding blood serum variables, gilts fed RES had greater (P < 0.05) total protein and potassium but less (P < 0.05) sodium-to-potassium ratio than gilts fed CON on d 14. On d 20, Gilts fed RES had greater (P < 0.05) cholesterol values than gilts fed CON. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed on the number of corpora lutea, number of embryos collected or on collection efficiency. Similarly, no differences (P > 0.05) were observed on the weight of reproductive organs or on measurements of ovaries among feeding regimens. In conclusion, restricting feed intake of replacement gilts by 25% of the recommendation from d 6 to 14 of the estrous cycle reduced ADG without compromising their reproductive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose California Senate Bill (SB) 1254 (effective January 1, 2019) requires pharmacy staff at acute hospitals with more than 100 beds to obtain a medication profile for high-risk patients upon hospital admission. This multicenter study sought to evaluate the statewide impact of California SB 1254 by capturing the errors intercepted and harm prevented as a result of the passage of the bill. Methods This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study conducted at 11 hospitals in California for 6 consecutive weeks between January 2020 and March 2020. Participating sites captured medication history errors identified among high-risk patients using organization-specific criteria. Errors were categorized by type and ranked for severity of potential or actual harm based on the modified National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) categories. Results Study sites had an average daily census of 180 to 800 patients. Approximately 94% (n = 2,554) of medication histories conducted disclosed at least 1 error. Approximately 54% (n = 1,474) of histories disclosed at least 1 serious or potentially life-threatening error. Approximately 6 errors were identified and prevented per patient (95% CI, 5.62-6.01 errors per patient), and 1 in 4 errors (25%) was categorized as potentially serious or life-threatening. Conclusion Among high-risk patients, pharmacy-led medication histories significantly reduced medication errors. If not intercepted, these errors would have likely resulted in substantial morbidity and mortality. Future research should evaluate opportunities to standardize high-risk criteria to support patient prioritization and allocation of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sites 31CD967 and 31CD968 are situated in the North Carolina Sandhills on an upland setting overlooking an unnamed tributary of Rockfish Creek. Archaeological investigations produced multiple datasets including lithic and ceramic artifacts, organic absorbed residues, and thin-section ceramic samples. Analysis of these datasets revealed the sites were the product of short-term visits during the Middle Archaic and Early to Late Woodland periods. In addition, the ceramic analysis indicated a contention of assigning Hanover Fabric Impressed vessels into varieties I or II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]