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Background: Dental behavior support (DBS) describes all techniques used by dental professionals to ensure that dental care is safe, effective, and acceptable. There is a need to standardize outcome measures across DBS techniques to reduce heterogeneity, limit selective reporting, promote consistency, and optimize outcomes across DBS research. A comprehensive review of existing measures is a prerequisite to understanding potential outcomes related to the area of interest. Aim: This review had three aims: first, to identify the outcome measures (OMs) reported in trials of dental behavior support; second, to categorize the component DBS techniques reported within interventions according to emerging agreed terminology; and, third, to map outcome measures to intervention type. Methods: A scoping review of trials evaluating DBS techniques was undertaken from 2012 to 2022. The review was prospectively registered. Studies were identified through Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. Study abstracts were screened by two reviewers. Data were extracted by single selector. Outcome measures were sorted according to measurement domains (physiological, behavioral, psychological, and treatment). Responses were assimilated and summed to produce a refined list of distinguishable outcome measures. Intervention types were categorized according to accepted descriptors. Frequencies were presented; associations between outcome domain and DBS type were also reported (Chi‐square test of independence). Results: A total of 344 trials were included in the review from an initial 14,793 titles / title and abstracts screened. Most involved children (n = 215), most were from India (n = 104), involving basic dental care (n = 117). The median number of outcome measures per trial was four (range = 1–12); 1,317 individual outcomes were reported, categorized as: psychological (n = 501, 38.0%); physiological (n = 491, 37.3%), behavioral (n = 123, 9.3%) or, treatment‐related (n = 202, 15.3%). DBS interventions were split between 239 (45.7%) pharmacological and 283 (54.1%) non‐pharmacological; 96.6% of interventions mapped to accepted descriptors. A significant relationship was noted between the type of intervention and the outcome domain reported. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate massive variation in outcome measures of DBS interventions that likely lead to unnecessary heterogeneity, selective reporting, and questionable relevance in the literature. A large range of DBS interventions were mapped according to BeSiDe list. There is a need for consensus on a core outcome set across the spectrum of DBS techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the biotechnology industry, ensuring the health and viability of mammalian cells, especially Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, plays a significant role in the successful production of therapeutic agents. These cells are typically cultivated in aerated bioreactors, where they encounter fluid stressors from rapidly deforming bubbles. These stressors can disrupt essential biological processes and potentially lead to cell death. However, the impact of these transient, elevated stressors on cell viability remains elusive. In this study, we first employ /cgqamicrofluidics to expose CHO cells near to bubbles undergoing pinch‐off, subsequently collecting and assaying the cells to quantify the reduction in viability. Observing a significant impact, we set out to understand this phenomenon. We leverage computational fluid dynamics and numerical particle tracking to map the stressor field history surrounding a rapidly deforming bubble. Separately, we expose CHO cells to a known stressor level in a flow constriction device, collecting and assaying the cells to quantify the reduction in viability. By integrating the numerical data and results from the flow constriction device experiments, we develop a predictive model for cell viability reduction. We validate this model by comparing its predictions to the earlier microfluidic results, observing good agreement. Our findings provide critical insights into the relationship between bubble‐induced fluid stressors and mammalian cell viability, with implications for bioreactor design and cell culture protocol optimization in the biotechnology sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patterns of classes, grades, and test scores were studied in 3 successive graduating classes of a mid-western suburban high school. Descriptive statistics indicate that the prestigious college group had the highest mean scores on 23 variables. Descriptive discriminant analysis revealed the most influential variables were cumulative grade point average and the total number of advanced courses taken. These data can be collected on a local template and used for future decisions among parents, students, and counselors. The roles of the school counselor, building principal, and superintendent all need to be aligned so that the appropriate authority and responsibility can be used to service parents and students in making educational decisions. In order for this role alignment to occur, leadership initiative must flow from the superintendent through the building principal to the guidance counselor. Administrators must be catalysts in ideation while working with the counselors to serve families in their community.

After serving 31 years as a school administrator, the last 16 as a superintendent, the author entered a career transformation by pursuing a tenure-track position in a research university. Following a calling to share acquired field experiences with the next cadre of school administrators, the writer outlines the process used to successfully compete for a university position. How-to preparation strategies, interview skills, and career decision-making processes are detailed. The article concludes with descriptions of differences encountered between being a prestigious superintendent and being a neophyte assistant professor. Demographics indicate that the number of retiring school executives may exceed the number of interested entering administrators. The latter need the experiential knowledge base of the former and the university seems ideally suited for such teacher/learner exchanges.

Attracting and retaining highly qualified school leaders is becoming increasingly important in our nation. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that motivate or inhibit practicing teachers from seeking administrative positions. Using exploratory factor analysis, survey responses of 329 students enrolled in Master of School Administration programs were analyzed. The findings indicated that factors such as "Challenge, Altruism, Personal/Professional Benefit/Gain", and "Leadership Influence" motivate teachers to transition into administration, whereas factors such as "Insufficient Gain/Personal Benefit, Personal Needs/Issues", and "Increased Risk" inhibit teachers from becoming administrators. Conclusions and implications of these findings were examined. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

Objective To examine the impact of nursing team size and composition on inpatient hospital mortality. Design A retrospective longitudinal study using linked nursing staff rostering and patient data. Multilevel conditional logistic regression models with adjustment for patient characteristics, day and time-invariant ward differences estimated the association between inpatient mortality and staffing at the ward-day level. Two staffing measures were constructed: the fraction of target hours worked (fill-rate) and the absolute difference from target hours. Setting Three hospitals within a single National Health Service Trust in England. Participants 19 287 ward-day observations with information on 4498 nurses and 66 923 hospital admissions in 53 inpatient hospital wards for acutely ill adult patients for calendar year 2017. Main outcome measure In-hospital deaths. Results A statistically significant association between the fill-rate for registered nurses (RNs) and inpatient mortality (OR 0.9883, 95% CI 0.9773 to 0.9996, p=0.0416) was found only for RNs hospital employees. There was no association for healthcare support workers (HCSWs) or agency workers. On average, an extra 12- hour shift by an RN was associated with a reduction in the odds of a patient death of 9.6% (OR 0.9044, 95% CI 0.8219 to 0.9966, p=0.0416). An additional senior RN (in NHS pay band 7 or 8) had 2.2 times the impact of an additional band 5 RN (fill-rate for bands 7 and 8: OR 0.9760, 95% CI 0.9551 to 0.9973, p=0.0275; band 5: OR 0.9893, 95% CI 0.9771 to 1.0017, p=0.0907). Conclusions RN staffing and seniority levels were associated with patient mortality. The lack of association for HCSWs and agency nurses indicates they are not effective substitutes for RNs who regularly work on the ward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study of school improvement planning in the southeastern USA was to establish the current view of the process through the eyes of the district superintendents. The answers to the questions were consistently mixed. Generally, the presence of school improvement planning is prevalent in the large majority of districts. However, the data indicate a lack of fidelity to the process between superintendents' beliefs regarding the process and how they perceive those tasked with development and implementation of the process. Given that school improvement planning is an internationally accepted process, the findings have implications not just for the USA but for international audiences as well. The authors make two recommendations: (1) significant further research into the effects of the process on student learning, and (2) continued research into the reasons for the lack of congruency indicated here between district expectations and school development and implementation.

Superintendents from eight southeastern United States school districts self-described their leadership styles across the choices of autocratic, laissez-faire, democratic, situational, servant, or transformational. When faced with this array of choices, the superintendents chose with arguable equitableness, indicating that successful leaders can display any of these styles. Their choices, however, seem unrelated to any discernible personal, professional, or district demographic variable. The authors propose that, regardless of leadership style, authenticity within the style may be needed for effectiveness. They discuss the implications for this in terms of professional preparation programs, administrative careers, and selection, professional development, and assessment processes for governing boards. (Contains 1 table, 2 figures, and 1 note.)

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between superintendent leadership and the operational processes of school improvement. School district superintendents (N = 226) from six southeastern states were surveyed concerning their leadership authenticity and school improvement practices. Descriptive statistics, analyzes of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and structure equation modeling were used to analyze the data. A significant and positive relationship was found between superintendent levels of leadership authenticity and their districts' use of best practices in the school improvement process. Implications for practice in academic professional preparation programs, for practicing administrators, and for governing boards are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)