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Although many summer undergraduate research programs made the decision to delay, cancel, or suspend their summer experiences in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Morehouse College McNair Scholars Program instead offered a completely virtual summer research experience to 14 Scholars with faculty-led remote research. The program included online curriculum; GRE preparation; and the development of social capital and community between peer and stakeholders in a series of activities with professionals, McNair alumni, and graduate school virtual workshops. It concluded with a virtual research symposium. Evaluations from surveys showed positive results from Scholars and mentors. Student participants indicated gains in confidence on core research skills, knowledge of and interest in graduate school, and research careers. As we navigate through and beyond this pandemic, it is important to recognize and address opportunities and strategies for, and challenges of, conducting research programs remotely, especially for programs geared toward students from groups that are underrepresented in STEM.

Most research on dual language learners (DLLs) in preschool has focused on language and literacy development. Less work has been done on their play and social interactions, in spite of the importance of these for development and learning. Although DLLs possess many social strengths, they also face challenges, particularly in an English-dominant classroom. In the present investigation we examined the influence of three factors on DLLs play interactions with peers in preschool: teacher support, peer interactions, and play materials. We recorded the free play of 12 DLLs who were of low English proficiency in English-dominant classrooms and coded aspects of these three factors. Using multiple regression analysis we identified four variables that predicted the frequency of DLLs' interactions with their peers. Teacher interactions in play that included a child's home language--though not overall teacher contact, alone--verbal and positive play behaviors by peers, and the availability of blocks and replica play toys. Implications of our findings for classroom practice are offered.

This article is excerpted (with slight adaptations) from the reports "Using the PIAAC Literacy Framework to Guide Instruction: An Introduction for Adult Educators" (Trawick, 2017) and "Bringing Reading Instruction to Life: Supplement to the Introductory Guide" (Trawick, 2018). The Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) conducted an international literacy assessment for adults in 2012 and 2014, and this article describes how adult educators can use its literacy framework to frame instruction as well. Key aspects that can guide teaching and learning include a "literacy-in-use" orientation to reading, the definition for "literacy" adopted by the literacy expert group, and how PIAAC operationalized Context, Content, and Cognitive Strategies. A model of contextualized reading instruction is proposed as a way to organize reading instruction.

Physical activity--including outdoor motor play--has been associated with learning and brain-related functions and abilities in elementary school children and adolescence. Few studies have been conducted on the relationships between active play and these cognitive processes in preschool aged children. Several investigations have revealed that adult-directed physical activity can enhance preschoolers' performance on measures of executive functions, such as inhibitory control or attention. In the present investigation we sought to determine if naturalistic playground play would have a similar effect to adult-guided exercise on a classroom indicator of young children's cognitive control--on-task behavior during a whole group learning experience. The on-task behavior of 21 three-, four-, and five-year-olds was compared under two conditions--one in which children played outdoors immediately prior to the experience and one in which they did not. Too, the relationship between the level of physical activity on the playground of children and their on-task behavior directly following it was examined. Findings indicate that outdoor play prior to learning resulted in greater on-task behavior for boys and children of low socioeconomic status. Level of activity in play prior to a learning time was positively related to on-task behavior. Implications for scheduling of outdoor play and the role of teachers' in facilitating more active motor play are discussed. Future research on a larger, more diverse sample of children is recommended.

Teachers' positive relationships with families contribute to the social, emotional, and intellectual development of children in early childhood education programs. Effectively involving, communicating, and partnering with families requires a unique set of professional abilities. Teachers must hold a deep understanding of the cultural and socioeconomic needs and characteristics of families and possess social skills and dispositions that allow them to effectively engage the adults in children's lives in sensitive and supportive ways. Are preservice teachers of young children well prepared to carry out this important role in their teacher education programs? Although 60% of teacher education programs require a course on families, few include authentic experiences in which candidates interact with families face-to-face. In the present article, the four authors -- a teacher educator, a supervising teachers, and two early childhood teacher education candidates -- reflect on a project which included seven elaborate experiences with families in lieu of a traditional, required course. We share our diverse perspectives on the impact of each experience, presenting excerpts from candidates' reflective journal entries and from the field notes of the teacher educator and supervising teacher. Implications of our experiences for teacher education are presented.

The Assay Guidance Manual (AGM) is an eBook of best practices for the design, development, and implementation of robust assays for early drug discovery. Initiated by pharmaceutical company scientists, the manual provides guidance for designing a "testing funnel" of assays to identify genuine hits using high-throughput screening (HTS) and advancing them through preclinical development. Combined with a workshop/tutorial component, the overall goal of the AGM is to provide a valuable resource for training translational scientists.

Purpose: Throughout COVID-19, our clinic remained operational for patients requiring urgent fertility preservation (FP). This study aimed to characterize changes to clinical protocols during the first wave of COVID-19 and compare outcomes to historical controls. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study at a university fertility center examining all patients who underwent medically indicated FP cycles during the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) COVID-19 Task Force-recommended suspension of fertility treatment (March 17?May 11, 2020) and patients from the same time period in 2019. FP care was modified for safety during the first wave of COVID-19 with fewer monitoring visits and infection control measures. FP cycle characteristics and outcomes were compared across years. Results: The volume of cycles was nearly 30% higher in 2020 versus 2019 (27 vs. 19). Diagnoses, age, and anti-Mullerian hormone were similar between cohorts. More patients elected to pursue embryo cryopreservation over oocyte cryopreservation in 2020 versus 2019 (45.8% vs. 5.2%, p??0.05), but 2020 cycles utilized more gonadotropin (4770???1480 vs. 3846???1438, p?=?0.04). There was no difference in total oocytes retrieved (19???14 vs. 22???12, p?>?0.05) or mature oocytes vitrified (15???12 vs. 17???9, p?>?0.05) per cycle. Conclusions: FP continued during COVID-19, and more cycles were completed in 2020 versus 2019. Despite minimized monitoring, outcomes were optimal and equivalent to historical controls, suggesting FP care can be adapted without compromising outcomes.

This study explores the pathways to K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics instruction among Black/African American males in the Discovery Research Education for African American Men in STEM to Teach (DREAMS to Teach) program at Morehouse College, a Historically Black College and University located in Southwest Atlanta, Georgia. Many studies articulate the importance of cultural alignment between students and their instructors' influence on STEM participation and persistence. This study investigates the pathways of Black males who successfully overcome barriers and subsequently choose to persist (or not) in STEM and STEM K-12 instruction in particular. Findings suggest that although DRK-12 Dreams to Teach participants arrive at Morehouse less prepared to pursue STEM degrees than other Morehouse STEM students, they catch up and are retained in STEM and are on track to graduate at the same rate. This study improves our understanding of STEM persistence and K-12 instruction in the context of a federally funded, STEM-focused intervention targeting African American males.

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to identify if serum interleukin (IL)-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentrations and their ratio (IL-10/TNF-α) are altered in subjects predisposed to developing knee osteoarthritis following ligamentous injury and in those with severe knee osteoarthritis. Serum IL-10 and TNF-α concentrations were measured in four groups of subjects (n = 218): (1) reportedly-healthy and non-injured control subjects (CON; n = 92), (2) subjects scheduled to undergo anterior cruciate ligament surgery (ACL; n = 42), (3) non-surgical subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA; n = 60), and (4) subjects with knee osteoarthritis scheduled to undergo total knee arthroplasty (TKA; n = 24). X-ray images were used to grade the severity of knee osteoarthritis. Serum IL-10 and the serum IL-10/TNF-α ratio were significantly lower while serum TNF-α was not significantly perturbed with severe compared to moderate knee osteoarthritis (i.e., Kellgren-Lawrence grade 4 vs. 3, respectively). Serum IL-10 was significantly lower in the absence of serum TNF-α alterations in the ACL group. We conclude that serum IL-10 concentrations are compromised in subjects predisposed to developing knee osteoarthritis following ligamentous trauma and in subjects with radiographic evidence of severe knee osteoarthritis.

Little research has been conducted on the play of children of very low English proficiency within English-speaking preschool classrooms. In the present investigation, we recorded and described the naturalistic free play of four dual language learners (DLLs) and compared their interactions to those of four English-speaking children. Units of interaction were identified, transcribed, named, and categorized. Illustrative transcriptions of individual interactions were selected and probed more deeply. The trustworthiness of the investigation was established by triangulating these qualitative findings with a quantitative measure of children's social participation in play. Findings indicate that DLLs play and talk with peers less frequently, interact in less sustained and positive ways, and are more reliant on teachers to support their play than their English speaking peers. Implications for scaffolding DLLs' play in classrooms and for future research are presented.

Objective: To assess the presence and content of policies toward posthumous assisted reproduction (PAR) using oocytes and embryos among Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) member clinics in the United States. Design: Cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Setting: Not applicable. Patient(s): A total of 62 SART member clinics. Intervention(s): Questionnaire including multiple choice and open-ended questions. Main Outcome Measure(s): Descriptive statistics regarding presence and content of policies regarding PAR using oocytes and embryos, consent document content regarding oocyte and embryo disposition, and eligibility of minors and those with terminal illness for fertility preservation. Result(s): Of the 332 clinics contacted, 62 responded (response rate 18.7%). Respondents were distributed across the United States, and average volume of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles per year ranged from 1,500, but 71.2% (n = 42) reported a volume of 5 cases. Participation in cases of posthumous reproduction was not significantly associated with practice type or IVF cycle volume among those surveyed. Only 59.6% (n = 34) of clinics surveyed had written policies regarding PAR using oocytes or embryos, whereas 36.8% (n = 21) reported they did not have a policy. Practice type, IVF cycle volume, fertility preservation volume, and prior participation in cases of PAR were not significantly associated with the presence of a policy among respondent clinics. Of those with a policy, 55.9% (n = 19) reported they had used that policy, 59.1% (n = 13) without a policy reported they had considered adopting one, and 63.6% (n = 14) reported they had received a request for PAR services. Only 47.2% (n = 25) of clinics surveyed specified that patients not expected to survive to use oocytes due to terminal illness are eligible for oocyte cryopreservation, whereas 45.3% (n = 24) did not specify. Conclusion(s): Respondent clinics reported receiving an increasing number of requests for PAR services, but many also lacked PAR policies. Those with policies did not always follow ASRM recommendations. Given the low response rate, these data cannot be interpreted as representative of SART clinics overall. As PAR cases become more common, however, this study highlights poor reporting of PAR and institutional policies toward PAR, suggesting that SART clinics may not be equipped to systematically manage the complexities of PAR.

Vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) have been proposed as an effective broad spectrum approach to cancer therapy, by inducing ischemia leading to hypoxia and cell death. A novel VDA (OXi8007) was recently reported to show rapid acute selective shutdown of tumor vasculature based on color-Doppler ultrasound. We have now expanded investigations to noninvasively assess perfusion and hypoxiation of orthotopic human MDA-MB-231/luc breast tumor xenografts following the administration of OXi8007 based on dynamic bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BLI showed significantly lower signal four hours after the administration of OXi8007, which was very similar to the response to combretastatin A-4P (CA4P), but the effect lasted considerably longer, with the BLI signal remaining depressed at 72 hrs. Meanwhile, control tumors exhibited minimal change. Oximetry used (19)F MRI of the reporter molecule hexafluorobenzene and FREDOM (Fluorocarbon Relaxometry using Echo Planar Imaging for Dynamic Oxygen Mapping) to assess pO2 distributions during air and oxygen breathing. pO2 decreased significantly upon the administration of OXi8007 during oxygen breathing (from 122 ± 64 to 34 ± 20 Torr), with further decrease upon switching the gas to air (pO2 = 17 ± 9 Torr). pO2 maps indicated intra-tumor heterogeneity in response to OXi8007, though ultimately all tumor regions became hypoxic. Both BLI and FREDOM showed the efficacy of OXi8007. The pO2 changes measured by FREDOM may be crucial for future study of combined therapy.

Block play has been included in early childhood classrooms for over a century, yet few studies have examined its effects on learning. Several previous investigations indicate that the complexity of block building is associated with math ability, but these studies were often conducted in adult-guided, laboratory settings. In the present investigation, the relationship of block play variables to both the complexity of block structures and math learning was studied in naturalistic free play settings. A total of 41 preschool children were videorecorded playing with blocks. Time in blocks, number of structures built, levels of social participation, frequency of teacher interactions, percentage of buildings without replica play toys, and structure complexity were coded. Findings indicated that level of social participation and percentage of structures built without toys predicted the complexity of children's buildings. This building complexity was, in turn, associated with growth in math learning, as measured by Tools for Early Assessment in Mathematics. Based on these findings, a path model was constructed to hypothesize causal relationships between block play features, structure complexity, and math learning.

The vascular disrupting activity of a promising tubulin-binding agent (OXi6196) was demonstrated in mice in MDA-MB-231 human breast tumor xenografts growing orthotopically in mammary fat pad and syngeneic RENCA kidney tumors growing orthotopically in the kidney. To enhance water solubility, OXi6196, was derivatized as its corresponding phosphate prodrug salt OXi6197, facilitating effective delivery. OXi6197 is stable in water, but rapidly releases OXi6196 in the presence of alkaline phosphatase. At low nanomolar concentrations OXi6196 caused G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and monolayers of rapidly growing HUVECs underwent concentration-dependent changes in their morphology. Loss of the microtubule structure and increased bundling of filamentous actin into stress fibers followed by cell collapse, rounding and blebbing was observed. OXi6196 (100 nM) disrupted capillary-like endothelial networks pre-established with HUVECs on Matrigel®. When prodrug OXi6197 was administered to mice bearing orthotopic MDA-MB-231-luc tumors, dynamic bioluminescence imaging (BLI) revealed dose-dependent vascular shutdown with >80% signal loss within 2 h at doses ≥30 mg/kg and >90% shutdown after 6 h for doses ≥35 mg/kg, which remained depressed by at least 70% after 24 h. Twice weekly treatment with prodrug OXi6197 (20 mg/kg) caused a significant tumor growth delay, but no overall survival benefit. Similar efficacy was observed for the first time in orthotopic RENCA-luc tumors, which showed massive hemorrhage and necrosis after 24 h. Twice weekly dosing with prodrug OXi6197 (35 mg/kg) caused tumor growth delay in most orthotopic RENCA tumors. Immunohistochemistry revealed extensive necrosis, though with surviving peripheral tissues. These results demonstrate effective vascular disruption at doses comparable to the most effective vascular-disrupting agents (VDAs) suggesting opportunities for further development.

The purpose of this investigation was to identify if raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) through vitamin D supplementation modulates circulating cytokine concentrations in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study consisted of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study design. Twenty-nine subjects with knee OA were randomly assigned to one of two oral-supplement groups: 1) placebo (PL; n = 15) or 2) vitamin D (VD; n = 14; 4000 IU/d, cholecalciferol). Supplements were taken daily for 84-d. Serum 25(OH)D and cytokine concentrations were measured in fasting blood samples obtained prior to (i.e., at Baseline (Bsl)), during, and following supplementation. At Bsl, circulating interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-12 concentrations were significantly (all p

Inflammation is a component of Parkinson’s disease. Here the authors show that activation of Toll-like receptor 9 controlled by microglial glucocorticoid receptor signaling, contributes to dopamine neuron loss in a model of Parkinson’s disease.

The selective disruption of tumor-associated vasculature represents an attractive therapeutic approach. We have undertaken the first in vivo evaluation of KGP265, a water-soluble prodrug of a benzosuberene-based tubulin-binding agent, and found promising vascular-disrupting activity in three distinct tumor types. Dose escalation in orthotopic MDA-MB-231-luc breast tumor xenografts in mice indicated that higher doses produced more effective vascular shutdown, as revealed by dynamic bioluminescence imaging (BLI). In syngeneic orthotopic 4T1-luc breast and RENCA-luc kidney tumors, dynamic BLI and oxygen enhanced multispectral optoacoustic tomography (OE-MSOT) were used to compare vascular shutdown following the administration of KGP265 (7.5 mg/kg). The BLI signal and vascular oxygenation response (ΔsO2) to a gas breathing challenge were both significantly reduced within 2 h, indicating vascular disruption, which continued over 24 h. A correlative histology confirmed increased necrosis and hemorrhage. Twice-weekly doses of KGP265 caused significant growth delay in both MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 breast tumors, with no obvious systemic toxicity. A combination with carboplatin produced significantly greater tumor growth delay than carboplatin alone, though significant carboplatin-associated toxicity was observed (whole-body weight loss). KGP265 was found to be effective at low concentrations, generating long-term vascular shutdown and tumor growth delay, thus providing strong rationale for further development, particularly in combination therapies.

Teacher-child interactions in preschool children's play may enhance mathematics learning in several ways. As teachers interact with children, they may promote more complex, independent, and symbolic play. Resulting increases in play abilities, in turn, can enhance intellectual growth, including mathematical thinking. Teachers may also facilitate math learning directly by engaging children in mathematical thinking as they play. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on math learning of interactions that enhance play, itself, and those that directly engage children in mathematical thinking. The classroom play interactions of 47 preschoolers and their teachers were video recorded and analysed. The relationship between specific teacher-child interactions--both enhancing play strategies and promoting math approaches--was examined. Pre-test and post-test scores on the Test of Early Mathematics Ability, Third Edition (TEMA-3) showed that three play interactions predicted growth in math learning: "good-fit" interactions to support play, itself, and number and math communication interactions. Findings confirm that teacher interactions in children's play can have an impact on academic performance. Interactions that are a good fit with what children are currently playing and those that prompt children's thinking about number or engage them in communicating about math enhance early math performance.

Classroom conversations about mathematics--math talk--between early care and education providers and young children have been associated with growth in mathematical thinking. However, professional development opportunities to learn about math teaching and learning are limited in many community-based child development centers. New approaches that are less costly and time consuming are needed to support providers in planning and implementing rich math experiences for young children. Professional development activities that are offered within the work site and during work hours may be most feasible for a large percentage of community-based programs. The purpose of this study was to design and test the impact of brief, data-based staff meetings during naptime in child care classrooms on providers' math interactions with their students. Findings indicate that such meetings increase participants' math talk in specific domains and predict growth in children's math abilities 6 months later. The potential of naptime data meetings to enhance math interactions and other areas of professional practice are discussed. Future directions for additional research are recommended.

Tumor vasculature proliferates rapidly, generally lacks pericyte coverage, and is uniquely fragile making it an attractive therapeutic target. A subset of small-molecule tubulin binding agents cause disaggregation of the endothelial cytoskeleton leading to enhanced vascular permeability generating increased interstitial pressure. The resulting vascular collapse and ischemia cause downstream hypoxia, ultimately leading to cell death and necrosis. Thus, local damage generates massive amplification and tumor destruction. The tumor vasculature is readily accessed and potentially a common target irrespective of disease site in the body. Development of a therapeutic approach and particularly next generation agents benefits from effective non-invasive assays. Imaging technologies offer varying degrees of sophistication and ease of implementation. This review considers technological strengths and weaknesses with examples from our own laboratory. Methods reveal vascular extent and patency, as well as insights into tissue viability, proliferation and necrosis. Spatiotemporal resolution ranges from cellular microscopy to single slice tomography and full three-dimensional views of whole tumors and measurements can be sufficiently rapid to reveal acute changes or long-term outcomes. Since imaging is non-invasive, each tumor may serve as its own control making investigations particularly efficient and rigorous. The concept of tumor vascular disruption was proposed over 30 years ago and it remains an active area of research.

This study examined the effects of nine toys on the play of 60 3- and 4-year-old children in culturally diverse preschool classrooms. The toys, which varied in their features and intended uses, were selected from a list of those that were nominated by teachers and parents as being developmentally beneficial. Each toy was video recorded for 240 h during free play time in four different classrooms. Researchers coded 828 two-minute segments of children's play with these toys using a play quality with toys (PQT) rating instrument developed in a previous investigation. Toys were found to vary significantly in their impact on play quality. PQT scores were also found to vary for each toy depending on the gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity of the child playing with it, and the length of time it was available in the classroom. Implications for selecting toys for classrooms and observing children's play with them are presented.

Many organizations from legislative bodies to advocacy groups to research centers have recently "discovered" developmental education in much the same way as Columbus discovered America. In the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, private philanthropic organizations, initially led by the Lumina Foundation (n.d.), promoted a number of initiatives designed to enhance postsecondary educational opportunity for underserved students. initiatives not only brought a great deal of money into some community colleges, they also brought a great deal of media attention to the issue of college level remediation. This combination of media attention and money resulted in the establishment of new organizations wanting their slice of the media and financial pie. Fortunately, it also resulted in increased support for existing organizations committed to the study and improvement of postsecondary education. The same combination also raised the profile of remediation among legislators and other policymakers. Initially, legitimate researchers began studying the impact of remedial courses, and early reports were modestly positive to highly negative. This keynote address discusses the good news and the bad news when it comes to implementing and studying developmental education.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition and a leading cause of physical disability in the United States. Quadriceps weakness and inflammatory cytokines contribute to the pathogenesis of knee OA, and both of which, increase with vitamin D deficiency. Other micronutrients, such as vitamins C and E and β-carotene, modulate inflammatory cytokines and decrease during inflammation. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency associates with quadriceps weakness, an increase in serum cytokines, and a decrease in circulating micronutrients in subjects with knee OA. Subjects (age, 48±1 y; serum 25(OH)D, 25.8±1.1 ng/mL) with knee OA were categorized as vitamin D deficient (n=17; serum 25(OH)D≤20 ng/mL), insufficient (n=21; serum 25(OH)D 20–29 ng/mL), or sufficient (n=18; serum 25(OH)D≥30 ng/mL). Single-leg strength (concentric knee extension–flexion contraction cycles at 60 °/s) and blood cytokine, carotene (α and β), ascorbic acid, and tocopherol (α and γ) concentrations were measured. Quadriceps peak torque, average power, total work, and deceleration were significantly (all p

The purpose of this study was to test a model of adult-child play interactions in preschool classrooms, based on the work of Vygotsky and neo-Vygotskian scholars. The model predicts that adults will tailor the play support they provide to the immediate needs of individual children, and that this will lead to subsequent independent play. Classroom interactions between eight preschool teachers and 32 students were videotaped, transcribed, and analyzed over a six-month period. Interviews were conducted with the eight adult participants to confirm and elucidate findings from observed classroom behaviors. Distinct types of play support needed by children and given by teachers were identified. These were operationally defined; definitions were used to create a coding system that was found to have high inter-rater reliability. Sequential analyses were conducted to determine goodness-of-fit between teacher responses and children's needs. Behavioral outcomes of a good fit were also examined. Findings support the model tested here. Teachers often responded to children's play with behaviors matching the level of support needed. Good-fit interactions more frequently led to autonomous subsequent play than poor-fit interactions. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)

Although previous research has explored the effects of various environmental influences on young children's play, the influence of toys has rarely been examined. This paucity of toy studies is due to a lack of a scientifically constructed observation system to evaluate the impact of play materials across developmental domains. The purpose of this study was to develop and test the reliability and validity of such an instrument. An eight-item, five-point rating system was constructed, based on previous toy research. To establish inter-rater reliability, two researchers independently used the instrument to rate the effects of 23 toys on the spontaneous play of 16 preschool children. There was a high level of agreement between observers (r = 0.81-0.88, across items). A factor analysis was conducted to identify clusters of items that measure like dimensions of play effects; three distinct factors were identified: thinking/learning, creativity/imagination and social interaction. To establish validity, the instrument was used to rate five common toys that could be predicted, based on earlier work, to have distinct influences on play. The instrument was found to discriminate among these toys in ways that are consistent with previous research and that make theoretical sense. The uses of this instrument in both future research and classroom practice are discussed. (Contains 4 tables.)

Research Findings: Previous research on young children's play has focused narrowly on behaviors that are highly valued in Western societies. The purpose of this study was to draw back the lens on play--to examine a broader range of early childhood pastimes that are more common and meaningful to children of color. Using G. Bateson's (1972) work on play frames, the play behaviors of 49 4- and 5-year-old children were observed, described, categorized, and analyzed over a 6-month period in two classrooms in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Children were found to play in very large groups. Rarely studied play behaviors were identified: music play, humor/teasing, replica play, and art play. Commonly studied play forms, such as pretend and construction, were also common but were often observed in unexpected locations and embedded in other primary play activities, making them difficult to identify and evaluate. Practice: Findings suggest that professionals should observe and assess children's play through a more inclusive lens, evaluating and facilitating all types of play in all areas of the classroom, at all times of day, and in naturalistic peer groups with no group size limits. Play centers and materials should match the unique play interests of children across cultures. (Contains 2 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to determine if levels of teacher education and experience would influence how teachers respond to children's play needs in a preschool classroom. The interactions of eight teachers--three of whom were categorized as high education/high experience, three as low education/high experience, and two as low education/low experience--were videotaped and analyzed over a 6-month period. Specific levels of child play need and teacher guidance were first coded. The degree to which there was a good fit between the amount of child need and teacher support was examined. Differences in these good- (and poor-)fit interactions across the three groups of teachers were studied. Four interviews with adult participants were conducted to elucidate quantitative findings. Findings show that teachers with high levels of education and experience were more likely to perform good-fit play interactions. In interviews, teachers from this group identified specific elements of teacher education that enhanced their classroom experiences and, consequently, their ability to match their interactions to children's play needs. In contrast, low/high teachers were more likely to provide poor-fit responses to play, often giving direct support when none was needed. Teachers of the low/low group were unpredictable in their responses to children's play, often failing to interact at all when opportunities arose for meaningful play intervention. Interviews with these two groups revealed reasons for these poor-fit interactions, including a lack of knowledge about play and an inability to reflect on child outcomes. Implications of these findings for teacher education are considered. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)

It is generally accepted in the fields of both education and psychology that play can help young children cope with troubling circumstances in their lives. It would be logical to assume that play activities may be ideal for assisting children whose families have immigrated to the United States in adjusting to the puzzling, and even frightening, experiences of a new classroom within an unfamiliar culture. However, the types of play encouraged in U.S. classrooms may not always match the needs of children from other cultures. This article proposes a way of observing and assessing children's play that can guide teachers in providing activities that have cultural meaning for all students. The results of a study conducted in Puerto Rico are used to illustrate the importance of adopting a more inclusive view of play in the classroom. (Contains 1 table.)

Despite the existence of a considerable and current educational literature concerned with the effect of class size on student achievement, the results of attempts to empirically identify the relationship between the variables class size and student achievement are mixed at best. These attempts have typically been hindered, however, by the existence, at least, of one of four factors: (1) the use of a student/teacher ratio as the measure of class size resulting in measurement error; (2) the estimation of a mis-specified model resulting from the failure to control for family effects (i.e., student innate ability); (3) the general failure to take into account the endogeneity of class size with respect to student achievement; and (4) the employment of an incorrect functional form when specifying the relationship between class size and student achievement. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of class size on student achievement, unhindered by the existence of the four factors typically associated with prior attempts. The results of this reinvestigation suggest that the relationship between class size and student achievement is not only non-linear, but non-monotonic.

Objective: In response to 2013 guidelines for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), our study examined changes in antenatal management and postpartum readmission (PPR) over time.Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study of individuals diagnosed antenatally with HDP who delivered at a tertiary care center from 2012 to 2017.Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was postpartum readmission for HDP in 2012-2013 vs 2014-2017. Secondary outcomes included intravenous magnesium administration and prescription for oral (PO) antihypertensive medication during delivery admission. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed differences in outcomes over time, adjusted for age, race, and payer status, for HDP with and without severe features, defined by ACOG criteria.Results: Of 5,300 eligible individuals, 73.5 % had HDP without severe features and 26.5 % had severe features. The PPR frequency in this cohort was 1.1 % (N = 59). There was no difference in PPR for individuals with HDP without severe features (aOR 0.73; 95 % CI 0.28-1.88) or with severe features (aOR 1.30; 95 % CI 0.50-3.39) by epoch. Magnesium administration for HDP with severe features remained below 80 % over time. Magnesium administration for HDP without severe features and discharge prescriptions for PO medications for HDP with severe features were lower after 2013. Neither magnesium administration nor discharge prescriptions were associated with decreased odds of PPR.Conclusion: Although there was no difference in PPR for HDP after 2013, there were changes in antenatal management of HDP, including decreased magnesium administration for individuals with HDP without severe features and PO medication for individuals with severe features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]