Search

Purpose: To improve teacher education and education quality, this study explores the experiences and learning of student teachers during their practice instruction in public high schools in the Philippines. Methodology: Semi-structured, in-depth focus group discussions with student teachers were conducted employing a phenomenological research design using Colaizzi's approach. Eight groups of student teachers participated in the focus group discussions (FGDs). Each group comprised five students, with 40 participants in total. Findings: According to the findings, student teachers often struggle with the practical realities of teaching in public school and real-world scenarios instead of controlled training environments. Additionally, teaching-related learning experiences are crucial for adapting to diverse student characteristics and developing teaching styles. A mentoring program is found to be essential, despite issues of communication and confidence. Moreover, having supportive mentors play a significant role in helping student teachers to become effective educators. The study also emphasized the need to enhance the teaching and learning setting through digital tools. Significance: This study provides important insights into the obstacles and potential for improving teacher education quality in the Philippines and expanding the teaching practice program.

Previous research has underscored the negative effects on students of the abrupt shift to online delivery of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive education applies the principles of positive psychology to education, which highlights the importance of students' well-being and fosters holistic development. This study investigated whether students' well-being at the start of the semester can predict their academic engagement mid-way through the semester. We collected data on students' well-being and academic engagement in two waves; first, at the beginning of the semester (Time 1) and then 3 months in the semester (Time 2). We tested the students' general well-being and the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment (PERMA) elements at Time 1 with their academic engagement in terms of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive facets at Time 2. Our results show that general well-being at Time positively predicts their total academic engagement and all engagement facets. However, among the PERMA elements, the Meaning element is not correlated with students' engagement or any of its facets. We also tested whether there was a significant change in student well-being and engagement from the start of the semester and midway through. We found that there is a significant small increase in well-being and engagement. Our findings suggest the importance of well-being as a potentially positive resource for students where students with better well-being tend to be more academically engaged. Educational institutions may consider fostering student well-being in their goals to improve the academic success of students.

BACKGROUND: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been linked to adverse birth outcomes that have been reported to be induced by oxidative stress, but few epidemiological studies to date have evaluated associations between urinary PAH metabolites and oxidative stress biomarkers in pregnancy and identified critical periods for these outcomes and PAH exposures in pregnancy. METHODS: A cohort of pregnant women was recruited early in pregnancy from antenatal clinics at the University of California Los Angeles during 2016-2019. We collected urine samples up to three times during pregnancy in a total of 159 women enrolled in the cohort. A total of 7 PAH metabolites and 2 oxidative stress biomarkers [malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)] were measured in all available urine samples. Using multiple linear regression models, we estimated the percentage change (%) and 95% confidence interval (CI) in 8-OHdG and MDA measured at each sample collection time per doubling of PAH metabolite concentrations. Furthermore, we used linear mixed models with a random intercept for participant to estimate the associations between PAH metabolite and oxidative stress biomarker concentrations across multiple time points in pregnancy. RESULTS: Most PAH metabolites were positively associated with both urinary oxidative stress biomarkers, MDA and 8-OHdG, with stronger associations in early and late pregnancy. A doubling of each urinary PAH metabolite concentration increased MDA concentrations by 5.8-41.1% and 8-OHdG concentrations by 13.8-49.7%. Linear mixed model results were consistent with those from linear regression models for each gestational sampling period. CONCLUSION: Urinary PAH metabolites are associated with increases in oxidative stress biomarkers during pregnancy, especially in early and late pregnancy.

Long wait times for scheduled surgical procedures have long been a concern in Canadian health systems. (1) Access to health services is determined by the demand for services, the supply [...], Background: Little is known about the existing structure and function of referral networks in the prevalent referral system for specialized surgical care in Canada, which is based on direct physician referral to specialists in a largely unmanaged referral marketplace. Our objective was to describe and analyze the referral networks of referring physicians and surgeons for common surgical procedures in Ontario, to better understand potential barriers to single-entry models. Methods: We analyzed referral networks for patients between referring physicians and surgeons for 9 common scheduled surgical procedures from 2016 to 2019 using administrative data sources in Ontario. We described the connectedness of referring physician-surgeon pairs using descriptive measures and graphical social network analysis. Results: The median number of surgeons connected to a referring physician for patients having a particular surgical procedure ranged from 1 (interquartile range [IQR] 1-3) for spine surgery to 3 (IQR 1-4) for knee arthroplasty and 3 (IQR 2-5) for noncancer uterine procedures. Referral network structure varied according to the procedure studied. Spine surgery was highly clustered with a small number of larger groups; gallbladder, inguinal hernia, and noncancer uterine surgery were highly distributed with many small groups within the referral network. Breast cancer surgery occurred in a largely distributed network, but with a skewed distribution reflecting a few small groups with large numbers of patients. Conclusion: Improving surgical wait times by coordinating surgical referrals will require approaches that address the structure of existing referral networks. Most physicians refer their patients to a very small number of surgeons, suggesting that referring physicians largely do not individualize referrals to multiple different surgeons based on specific patient characteristics. Contexte : On en conna t peu sur la structure et le fonctionnement actuels des r seaux d'aiguillage du pr sent syst me de r partition des demandes de consultations en soins chirurgicaux sp cialis s au Canada car ce syst me repose sur les demandes adress es directement aux sp cialistes par les m decins traitants dans un contexte non g r . Notre objectif tait de d crire et d'analyser les r seaux d'aiguillage entre m decins traitants et sp cialistes en chirurgie pour les interventions courantes en Ontario, afin de mieux comprendre les obstacles potentiels aux mod les acc s unique. M thodes : Nous avons analys les r seaux d'aiguillage des patients et patientes entre les m decins traitants et les sp cialistes en chirurgie pour des interventions courantes planifi es de 2016 2019 partir de banques de donn es administratives ontariennes. Nous avons d crit l'appariement m decin traitant-sp cialiste en chirurgie l'aide de mesures descriptives et d'une repr sentation graphique des r seaux d'aiguillage. R sultats : Le nombre m dian de chirurgiennes et chirurgiens appari s un m decin traitant pour un type de chirurgie en particulier allait de 1 ( ventail interquartile [ I] 1-3) pour la chirurgie de la colonne vert brale 3 ( I 1-4) pour l'arthroplastie du genou et 3 ( I 2-5) pour les probl mes ut rins non canc reux. La structure des r seaux d'aiguillage variait selon l'intervention tudi e. La chirurgie de la colonne vert brale pr sentait plus de grappes, comportant un petit nombre de groupes plus denses; les chirurgies de la v sicule biliaire, de la hernie inguinale et des probl mes ut rins non canc reux taient largement distribu es, comportant plusieurs groupes restreints travers tout le r seau d'aiguillage. La chirurgie pour cancer du sein tait largement r partie, mais sa distribution tait asym trique, t moignant d'un nombre restreint de petits groupes plus nombreux de patientes. Conclusion : Pour am liorer les temps d'attente en coordonnant les demandes de consultation en chirurgie, il faudra des approches ax es sur les r seaux d'aiguillage existants. La plupart des m decins traitants orientent leur patient le vers un tr s petit nombre de chirurgiennes et chirurgiens, ce qui laisse entendre que pour une bonne part, ils n'individualisent pas leurs demandes de consultation aupr s de multiples chirurgiennes ou chirurgiens en fonction des caract ristiques sp cifiques des malades.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common comorbidity among Parkinsons disease (PD) patients. Yet, little is known about dysregulated pathways that are unique in PD patients with T2DM. We applied high-resolution metabolomic profiling in serum samples of 636 PD and 253 non-PD participants recruited from Central California. We conducted an initial discovery metabolome-wide association and pathway enrichment analysis. After adjusting for multiple testing, in positive (or negative) ion mode, 30 (25) metabolic features were associated with T2DM in both PD and non-PD participants, 162 (108) only in PD participants, and 32 (7) only in non-PD participants. Pathway enrichment analysis identified 17 enriched pathways associated with T2DM in both the PD and non-PD participants, 26 pathways only in PD participants, and 5 pathways only in non-PD participants. Several amino acid, nucleic acids, and fatty acid metabolisms were associated with T2DM only in the PD patient group suggesting a possible link between PD and T2DM.

OBJECTIVE:  The aim of Placental Assessment in Response to Environmental Pollution Study (PARENTs) was to determine whether imaging of the placenta by novel multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in early pregnancy could help predict adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) due to ischemic placental disease (IPD). Additionally, we sought to determine maternal characteristics and environmental risk factors that contribute to IPD and secondary APOs. STUDY DESIGN:  Potential patients in their first trimester of pregnancy, who agreed to MRI of the placenta and measures of assessment of environmental pollution, were recruited into PARENTs, a prospective population-based cohort study. Participants were seen at three study visits during pregnancy and again at their delivery from 2015 to 2019. We collected data from interviews, chart abstractions, and imaging. Maternal biospecimens (serum, plasma, and urine) at antepartum study visits and delivery specimens (placenta, cord, and maternal blood) were collected, processed, and stored. The primary outcome was a composite of IPD, which included any of the following: placental abruption, hypertensive disease of pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, or a newborn of small for gestational age. RESULTS:  In this pilot cohort, of the 190 patients who completed pregnancy to viable delivery, 50 (26%) developed IPD. Among demographic characteristics, having a history of prior IPD in multiparous women was associated with the development of IPD. In the multiple novel perfusion measurements taken of the in vivo placenta using MRI, decreased high placental blood flow (mL/100 g/min) in early pregnancy (between 14 and 16 weeks) was found to be significantly associated with the later development of IPD. CONCLUSION:  Successful recruitment of the PARENTs prospective cohort demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the use of MRI in human pregnancy to study the placenta in vivo and at the same time collect environmental exposure data. Analysis is ongoing and we hope these methods will assist researchers in the design of prospective imaging studies of pregnancy. KEY POINTS: · MRI was acceptable and feasible for the study of the human placenta in vivo.. · Functional imaging of the placenta by MRI showed a significant decrease in high placental blood flow.. · Measures of environmental exposures are further being analyzed to predict IPD..

Abstract Plant genebanks contain large numbers of germplasm accessions that likely harbor useful alleles or genes absent in commercial plant breeding programs. Broadening the genetic base of commercial alfalfa germplasm with these valuable genetic variations can be achieved by screening the extensive genetic diversity in germplasm collections and enabling maximal recombination among selected genotypes. In this study, we assessed the genetic diversity and differentiation of germplasm pools selected in northern U.S. latitudes (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7 or below) originating from Eurasian germplasm. The germplasm evaluated included four BASE populations (C0) from different geographical origins (Central Asia, Northeastern Europe, Balkans-Turkey-Black Sea, and Siberia/Mongolia), 20 cycle-one populations (C1) derived from each of the four BASE populations selected across five locations in the U.S. and Canada, and four commercial cultivars. Using a panel of 3,000 Diversity Array Technologies (DArTag) marker loci, we retrieved 2,994 target SNPs and approximately 12,000 microhaplotypes. Microhaplotypes exhibited higher genetic diversity values than target SNPs. Principal component analysis and discriminant analysis of principal components revealed significant population structure among the alfalfa populations based on geographical origin, while the check cultivars formed a central cluster. Inbreeding coefficients (FIS) ranged from − 0.1 to 0.006, with 27 out of 28 populations showing negative FIS values, indicating an excess of heterozygotes. Interpopulation genetic distances were calculated using Rho pairwise distances (FST adapted for autotetraploid species) and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) parameters. All BASE populations showed lower Rho values compared to C1 populations and check cultivars. AMOVA revealed that most of the genetic diversity was among individuals within populations, especially in BASE populations (92.7%). This study demonstrates that individual plants in BASE populations possess high genetic diversity, low interpopulation distances, and minimal inbreeding, characteristics that are essential for base-broadening selection. The populations developed in this project serve as valuable sources of novel alleles for North American alfalfa breeding programs, offering breeders access to diverse, regionally adapted pools for improving various alfalfa traits.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused many adaptations to preservice teacher preparation, especially supporting completion of field-based internship experiences. This mixed methods research project utilized surveys to analyze the impact of virtual settings on (1) intern (n=14) and mentor teacher (n=5) experiences and relationships; and (2) the use of instructional technology, specifically Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). Key findings indicated (1) reversals of traditional mentor/intern relationships; and (2) the role of technology as the foundation of instructional decision-making, resulting in challenges when adapting pedagogies of classroom management, assessment, and differentiation to virtual settings.

This qualitative study explored the use of the terms high-, low-, and no-tech among preservice teachers during a sudden shift to virtual instruction. Focus areas included how preservice teachers and mentor teachers described the role and purpose of these varied levels of technology for their teaching in a virtual setting. The findings show that choices related to levels of technology use are nuanced and complicated and include a need for consideration of the context. We include a simplified framework to guide future instructional decisions for the integration of technology at various levels.

Humans have increasing opportunities to offload internal cognitive demand, such as by setting reminders to aid future memory performance. Here, we examine how children begin to balance mind and world: weighing up when to offload cognition and when to rely on their unaided capacities. Australian children aged 6 to 9 years (N = 120) were tasked with remembering the locations of 1, 3, 5, and 7 targets hidden under 25 cups. In the critical test phase, children were provided with a limited number of ‘tokens' to distribute across trials, which they could use to mark target locations and assist future performance. Following the final search period, children were invited to evaluate and adjust their initial allocation. Results showed that 8- to 9-year-olds prospectively allocated proportionately more tokens to difficult trials, whereas 6- to 7-year-olds did so only in retrospect. Throughout childhood, humans become increasingly adept at balancing internal and external cognition.

It has been suggested that gut microbiota influence Parkinson's disease (PD) via the gut-brain axis. Here, we examine associations between diet and gut microbiome composition and its predicted functional pathways in patients with PD. We assessed gut microbiota in fecal samples from 85 PD patients in central California using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Diet quality was assessed by calculating the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) based on the Diet History Questionnaire II. We examined associations of diet quality, fiber, and added sugar intake with microbial diversity, composition, taxon abundance, and predicted metagenomic profiles, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and sequencing platform. Higher HEI scores and fiber intake were associated with an increase in putative anti-inflammatory butyrate-producing bacteria, such as the genera Butyricicoccus and Coprococcus 1. Conversely, higher added sugar intake was associated with an increase in putative pro-inflammatory bacteria, such as the genera Klebsiella. Predictive metagenomics suggested that bacterial genes involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide decreased with higher HEI scores, whereas a simultaneous decrease in genes involved in taurine degradation indicates less neuroinflammation. We found that a healthy diet, fiber, and added sugar intake affect the gut microbiome composition and its predicted metagenomic function in PD patients. This suggests that a healthy diet may support gut microbiome that has a positive influence on PD risk and progression.

BackgroundOrganophosphorus pesticides (OP) have been associated with various human health conditions. Animal experiments and in-vitro models suggested that OP may also affect the gut microbiota. We examined associations between ambient chronic exposure to OP and gut microbial changes in humans.MethodsWe recruited 190 participants from a community-based epidemiologic study of Parkinson's disease living in a region known for heavy agricultural pesticide use in California. Of these, 61% of participants had Parkinson's disease and their mean age was 72 years. Microbiome and predicted metagenome data were generated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of fecal samples. Ambient long-term OP exposures were assessed using pesticide application records combined with residential addresses in a geographic information system. We examined gut microbiome differences due to OP exposures, specifically differences in microbial diversity based on the Shannon index and Bray-Curtis dissimilarities, and differential taxa abundance and predicted Metacyc pathway expression relying on regression models and adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsOP exposure was not associated with alpha or beta diversity of the gut microbiome. However, the predicted metagenome was sparser and less evenly expressed among those highly exposed to OP (p = 0.04). Additionally, we found that the abundance of two bacterial families, 22 genera, and the predicted expression of 34 Metacyc pathways were associated with long-term OP exposure. These pathways included perturbed processes related to cellular respiration, increased biosynthesis and degradation of compounds related to bacterial wall structure, increased biosynthesis of RNA/DNA precursors, and decreased synthesis of Vitamin B1 and B6.ConclusionIn support of previous animal studies and in-vitro findings, our results suggest that ambient chronic OP pesticide exposure alters gut microbiome composition and its predicted metabolism in humans.

Abstract Alopecurus aequalis is a winter annual or short-lived perennial bunchgrass which has in recent years emerged as the dominant agricultural weed of barley and wheat in certain regions of China and Japan, causing significant yield losses. Its robust tillering capacity and high fecundity, combined with the development of both target and non-target-site resistance to herbicides means it is a formidable challenge to food security. Here we report on a chromosome-scale assembly of A. aequalis with a genome size of 2.83 Gb. The genome contained 33,758 high-confidence protein-coding genes with functional annotation. Comparative genomics revealed that the genome structure of A. aequalis is more similar to Hordeum vulgare rather than the more closely related Alopecurus myosuroides.

Abstract Adoptive T-cell immunotherapy holds great promise for the treatment of viral complications in immunocompromised patients resistant to standard anti-viral strategies. We present a retrospective analysis of 78 patients from 19 hospitals across Australia and New Zealand, treated over the last 15 years with “off-the-shelf” allogeneic T cells directed to a combination of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), BK polyomavirus (BKV), John Cunningham virus (JCV) and/or adenovirus (AdV) under the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration’s Special Access Scheme. Most patients had severe post-transplant viral complications, including drug-resistant end-organ CMV disease, BKV-associated haemorrhagic cystitis and EBV-driven post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Adoptive immunotherapy is well tolerated with few adverse effects. Importantly, 46/71 (65%) patients show definitive clinical improvement including reduction in viral load, clinical symptoms and complete resolution of end-organ disease. In addition, seven high-risk patients remain disease free. Based on this long-term encouraging clinical experience, we propose that a dedicated nationally funded centre for anti-viral cellular therapies should be considered to provide T cell therapies for critically ill patients for compassionate use.

Abstract Introduction Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant burden on health systems globally, with limited up-to-date information on health system costs, particularly for non-dialysis patients. This study estimates the direct healthcare costs of CKD within Australia. Methods The study utilised the CKD.WA dataset, a linked repository for the state of Western Australia, containing public and private pathology, hospital, emergency and mortality data for over 2 million people, along with a secondary dataset of general practice records. Costs were calculated for individuals with CKD in 2019 and compared to controls without CKD to identify costs attributable to CKD. Cost items included hospital, emergency, medication, general practice, pathology, dialysis and outpatient services. Costs were expressed in 2023 AUD. Results There were 114,899 individuals with CKD in 2019. Average yearly costs attributable to CKD were $3,367 for Stage 1, $4,114 for Stage 2, $3,607 for Stage 3a, $6,572 for Stage 3b, $11,456 for Stage 4 and $62,558 for Stage 5. Non-dialysis hospital costs were the biggest contributor, followed by dialysis costs. The estimated total cost of CKD to Australia was $8.3 billion for 2019. Conclusion These findings highlight the significant cost burden of CKD. While CKD costs per individual are highest in later stages, the greater number of early-stage CKD cases means the majority of the cost burden is located among early-stage cases. Primary and secondary prevention strategies are likely key to reducing costs.

Upward Bound (UB), created in 1965 to provide educational enrichment for low-income youths, had to be racially integrated. In 1966, I was among three White northern teens sent to integrate UB at Xavier University in New Orleans. My family had lived in North Carolina in the early 1960s, participating in civil rights actions, so I had had some exposure to White responses to integration. I excerpt my letters home that summer of 1966 to assess the essentially White curriculum of UB. Two years prior to my stint in New Orleans, Freedom Schools had emerged in 1964 in Mississippi. Freedom Schools were in stark contrast to White Citizens Council schools that flourished in response to the "Brown" decision. Freedom Schools and, to an extent, UB, offered powerful alternatives to segregated educational settings. As an older White woman shaped by the civil rights movement, I now work in a coalition for educational reparations.

Purpose: This paper aims to help higher education institutions (HEIs) develop a better understanding of student support and services needs, thereby enabling them to allocate limited resources for initiatives that effectively improve student experience. Design/methodology/approach: An assessment framework following the Kano analysis is developed to categorize student service features based on customer satisfaction and need fulfillment. The framework is used at a local university, using 23 service features listed as minimum requirements by the national regulatory body for education. Analysis of the satisfaction survey results and prioritization are based on quality indices derived from a factor of importance and the satisfaction gap. A survey was conducted for two academic years to generate a comparison of results. Findings: Of the list mandated as minimum requirements for HEIs, the study revealed that no features were regarded as "must-be," eight as performing, 14 as attractive and one as indifferent by the students. As these results were disaggregated per year level, the natural decay of delight as in the Kano theory was exhibited as there were less attractive features for students who have been in the university longest. After a full-year academic cycle, results compared to the baseline figures seemed to reveal of impact of the achievement of performance targets by the units rendering specific activities on client satisfaction. Research limitations/implications: Further rounds of the study are needed to build up more data sets on the relationship between objective performance and satisfaction level for performing features, mindful that this categorization is also bound to change along the way. Practical implications: As HEIs in the Philippines journey towards the establishment of their own respective internal quality assurance systems, this study provides a practical approach for institutions to transform a mere list of student services for compliance into a strategic tool to enhance the student experience. Originality/value: In the context of continuous quality improvement, the study presents how the qualitative Kano model, along with simple quantitative tools in the methodology, can be utilized not only in the planning stage of service design but also in closing the planning, doing, checking and acting (PDCA) cycle and opening the quality improvement spiral.