Search

BackgroundUnderstanding genetic underpinnings of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases is crucial to improve treatments. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) identifies cell states expanded in disease, but often overlooks genetic causality due to cost and small genotyping cohorts. Conversely, large genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are commonly accessible.MethodsWe present a 3-step robust benchmarking analysis of integrating GWAS and scRNA-seq to identify genetically relevant cell states and genes in inflammatory diseases. First, we applied and compared the results of three recent algorithms, based on pathways (scGWAS), single-cell disease scores (scDRS), or both (scPagwas), according to accuracy/sensitivity and interpretability. While previous studies focused on coarse cell types, we used disease-specific, fine-grained single-cell atlases (183,742 and 228,211 cells) and GWAS data (Ns of 97,173 and 45,975) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Second, given the lack of scRNA-seq for many diseases with GWAS, we further tested the tools’ resolution limits by differentiating between similar diseases with only one fine-grained scRNA-seq atlas. Lastly, we provide a novel evaluation of noncoding SNP incorporation methods by testing which enabled the highest sensitivity/accuracy of known cell-state calls.ResultsWe first found that single-cell based tools scDRS and scPagwas called superior numbers of supported cell states that were overlooked by scGWAS. While scGWAS and scPagwas were advantageous for gene exploration, scDRS effectively accounted for batch effect and captured cellular heterogeneity of disease-relevance without single-cell genotyping. For noncoding SNP integration, we found a key trade-off between statistical power and confidence with positional (e.g. MAGMA) and non-positional approaches (e.g. chromatin-interaction, eQTL). Even when directly incorporating noncoding SNPs through 5’ scRNA-seq measures of regulatory elements, non disease-specific atlases gave misleading results by not containing disease-tissue specific transcriptomic patterns. Despite this criticality of tissue-specific scRNA-seq, we showed that scDRS enabled deconvolution of two similar diseases with a single fine-grained scRNA-seq atlas and separate GWAS. Indeed, we identified supported and novel genetic-phenotype linkages separating RA and ankylosing spondylitis, and UC and crohn’s disease. Overall, while noting evolving single-cell technologies, our study provides key findings for integrating expanding fine-grained scRNA-seq, GWAS, and noncoding SNP resources to unravel the complexities of inflammatory diseases.

Abstract Background Use of participatory research methods is increasing in research trials. Once partnerships are established with end-users, there is less guidance about processes research teams can use to successfully incorporate end-user feedback. The current study describes the use of a brief reflections process to systematically examine and evaluate the impact of end-user feedback on study conduct. Methods The Comparative Effectiveness of Trauma-Focused and Non-Trauma- Focused Treatment Strategies for PTSD among those with Co-Occurring SUD (COMPASS) study was a randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of trauma-focused psychotherapy versus non-trauma-focused psychotherapy for Veterans with co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorder who were entering substance use treatment within the Department of Veterans Affairs. We developed and paired a process of “brief reflections” with our end-user engagement methods as part of a supplemental evaluation of the COMPASS study engagement plan. Brief reflections were 30-minute semi-structured discussions with the COMPASS Team following meetings with three study engagement panels about feedback received regarding study issues. To evaluate the impact of panel feedback, 16 reflections were audio-recorded, transcribed, rapidly analyzed, and integrated with other study data sources. Results Brief reflections revealed that the engagement panels made recommended changes in eight areas: enhancing recruitment; study assessment completion; creating uniformity across Study Coordinators; building Study Coordinator connection to Veteran participants; mismatch between study procedures and clinical practice; therapist skill with patients with active substance use; therapist burnout; and dissemination of study findings. Some recommendations positively impact study conduct while others had mixed impact. Reflections were iterative and led to emergent processes that included revisiting previously discussed topics, cross-pollination of ideas across panels, and sparking solutions amongst the Team when the panels did not make any recommendations or recommendations were not feasible. Conclusions When paired with end-user engagement methods, brief reflections can facilitate systematic examination of end-user input, particularly when the engagement strategy is robust. Reflections offer a forum of accountability for researchers to give careful thought to end-user recommendations and make timely improvements to the study conduct. Reflections can also facilitate evaluation of these recommendations and reveal end-user-driven strategies that can effectively improve study conduct. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04581434) on October 9, 2020; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT04581434?term=NCT04581434&draw=2&rank=1 .

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is highly prevalent in the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) and associated with worse clinical course. Trials in adult ICU demonstrate rapid restoration of vitamin D status using an enteral loading dose is safe and may improve outcomes. There have been no published trials of rapid normalization of VDD in the pediatric ICU. Methods We conducted a multicenter placebo-controlled phase II pilot feasibility randomized clinical trial from 2016 to 2017. We randomized 67 critically ill children with VDD from ICUs in Canada, Chile and Austria using a 2:1 randomization ratio to receive a loading dose of enteral cholecalciferol (10,000 IU/kg, maximum of 400,000 IU) or placebo. Participants, care givers, and outcomes assessors were blinded. The primary objective was to determine whether the loading dose normalized vitamin D status (25(OH)D > 75 nmol/L). Secondary objectives were to evaluate for adverse events and assess the feasibility of a phase III trial. Results Of 67 randomized participants, one was withdrawn and seven received more than one dose of cholecalciferol before the protocol was amended to a single loading dose, leaving 59 participants in the primary analyses (40 treatment, 19 placebo). Thirty-one/38 (81.6%) participants in the treatment arm achieved a plasma 25(OH)D concentration > 75 nmol/L versus 1/18 (5.6%) the placebo arm. The mean 25(OH)D concentration in the treatment arm was 125.9 nmol/L (SD 63.4). There was no evidence of vitamin D toxicity and no major drug or safety protocol violations. The accrual rate was 3.4 patients/month, supporting feasibility of a larger trial. A day 7 blood sample was collected for 84% of patients. A survey administered to 40 participating families showed that health-related quality of life (HRQL) was the most important outcome for families for the main trial (30, 75%). Conclusions A single 10,000 IU/kg dose can rapidly and safely normalize plasma 25(OH)D concentrations in critically ill children with VDD, but with significant variability in 25(OH)D concentrations. We established that a phase III multicentre trial is feasible. Using an outcome collected after hospital discharge (HRQL) will require strategies to minimize loss-to-follow-up. Trial Registration. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02452762 Registered 25/05/2015.

Objectives: Neoadjuvant therapy has been theorized to increase complexity of non–small cell lung cancer resections; however, specific factors that contribute to intraoperative challenges after induction therapy have not been well described. We aimed to characterize the effect of nodal involvement and nodal treatment response on surgical complexity after neoadjuvant therapy. Methods: We identified patients treated with neoadjuvant therapy followed by anatomic lung resection for cN + non–small cell lung cancer between 2010 and 2020. Patients were categorized according to clinical N1 versus N2 disease. To evaluate the effect of nodal response to therapy, thoracic radiologists measured clinically suspected and pathologically involved lymph nodes before and after induction therapy. Operative reports were reviewed to identify technical challenges specifically related to nodal disease. Categorical outcomes were compared using Fisher exact test. Results: One hundred twenty-four patients met inclusion criteria, among whom 107 (86.3%) were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, whereas chemoradiation (n = 8) and targeted therapy (n = 9) were less common. In cases with N1 disease, 8/38 (21.0%) required proximal pulmonary arterial control, whereas this was necessary in only 2/88 (2.3%) of N2 cases (P = .001). Likewise, sleeve resection and arterioplasty were needed more frequently during resection of N1 disease (7/38, 18.4%) versus N2 disease (0/88, P

BackgroundMalignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is associated with poor prognosis despite advances in multimodal therapeutic strategies. While patients with resectable disease may benefit from added survival with oncologic resection, patient selection for mesothelioma operations often relies on both objective and subjective evaluation metrics. We sought to evaluate factors associated with improved overall survival (OS) in patients with mesothelioma who underwent macroscopic complete resection (MCR).MethodsPatients with MPM who received neoadjuvant therapy and underwent MCR were identified in a prospectively maintained departmental database. Clinicopathologic, blood-based, and radiographic variables were collected and included in a Cox regression analysis (CRA). Response to neoadjuvant therapy was characterized by a change in tumor thickness from pretherapy to preoperative scans using the modified RECIST criteria.ResultsIn this study, 99 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age of the included patients was 64.7 years, who were predominantly men, had smoking and asbestos exposure, and who received neoadjuvant therapy. The median change in tumor thickness following neoadjuvant therapy was –16.5% (interquartile range of -49.7% to +14.2%). CRA demonstrated reduced OS associated with non-epithelioid histology [hazard ratio (HR): 3.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.62–5.78, p < 0.001] and a response to neoadjuvant therapy inferior to the median (HR: 2.70, CI: 1.55–4.72, p < 0.001). Patients who responded poorly (below median) to neoadjuvant therapy had lower median survival (15.8 months compared to 38.2 months, p < 0.001).ConclusionPoor response to neoadjuvant therapy in patients with MPM is associated with poor outcomes even following maximum surgical cytoreduction and should warrant a patient-centered discussion regarding goals of care and may therefore help guide further therapeutic decisions.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The Anthocleista species are used to treat pain, inflammation, and stomach disorders, but the mechanism by which Anthocleista vogelii Planch stem bark ethanol extract (AVSBE) elicits its anti-pain activity is not fully understood. Aim: This study elucidates the phytochemical signatures of AVSBE along with its anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities in animal models of pain and inflammation. Methods: The Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Lorke's methods were used for the phytochemical characterization and LD50 determination of AVSBE. Male and female Wistar rats and Swiss mice were given oral pre-treatment of AVSBE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg), indomethacin (10 mg/kg), morphine (10 mg/kg), and vehicle (10 mL/kg). Subsequently, various models were employed to evaluate AVSBE's anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Specifically, the acetic acid-induced mice writhing, formalin-induced paw licking, and hot plate models were used to assess AVSBE's anti-nociceptive activity, while the carrageenan-induced paw edema and air pouch models were used to evaluate AVSBE's anti-inflammatory activity. Results: AVSBE (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg) reduced writhes, paw licking, and pain reaction time. It also decreased rat paw size and inflammatory exudate volume. AVSBE (200 and 400 mg/kg) lowered oxido-nitrosative stress, inflammatory mediators, and leukocyte counts in the exudate fluid. Animals administered with AVSBE showed no stomach ulceration. The LD50 of AVSBE is over 5000 mg/kg, p.o. GC-MS analysis revealed 19 phytochemical compounds in AVSBE, including eicosanoic, octadecatrienoic, linoleic, palmitoleic, and 9,12-octadecanoic acids, phytol, among others. Conclusion: These findings suggest that AVSBE demonstrated activities that can reduce inflammation and alleviate pain by inhibiting oxido-nitrosative stress and inflammatory mediators, contributing validity to the ethnomedicinal benefit of AVSBE in managing inflammatory and pain-related crisis.

Noncontiguous school attendance zone boundaries (AZBs) have a unique, relatively uncommon shape that assign two or more non-adjacent residential areas to the same school. Given their ability to shape school enrollments by taking advantage of residential sorting, noncontiguous AZBs have historically been linked to explicit efforts to both segregate and desegregate schools. In this paper, we use a novel, longitudinal dataset of AZBs and descriptive quantitative and geospatial methods to understand how the relationship between noncontiguous zones, school diversity, and neighborhood demographics changed from 1990-2020 in two southwestern school districts--Tucson Unified School District, Arizona and Fort Bend Independent School District, Texas. Each district has a unique legal history and demographic context that informs their use of noncontiguous AZBs. We find noncontiguous AZBs are more strongly associated with racially diverse schools and are more likely to bring together neighborhoods with different compositions in Tucson compared to Fort Bend. However, the association between Tucson's noncontiguous AZBs and racially diverse schools has waned since 1990, as the district has negotiated the end of its court-ordered desegregation plan. Our findings provide insight into when and how noncontiguous AZBs can effectively contribute to ethnoracially diverse schools.

This study examined how the socioeconomic rank of parents correlates with students’ academic and cognitive outcomes of science students in senior secondary school. Its objective was to examine the bedrock of physical and psychosocial mediators that influence students’ learning and cognitive attitude. The sample comprised 548 science students drawn from 11 secondary schools in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State, Nigeria. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample from a population of 938 students. A cross-sectional observational type of survey design was used in this study. A self-reporting questionnaire labeled Socioeconomic Rank and Students Outcome Questionnaire (SERSOQ) was used for the study after validation and reliability. The results for reliability coefficients for SERSOQ range from 0.66 to 0.89 for Cronbach’s alpha and 0.72–0.81 for Kuder Richardson’s formula-20. Section “A” of SERSOQ was administered to the students in their schools by the research assistants, and students took section “B” home to their parents. Analysis of data collected was done using regression analysis, percentage, and mean. Results showed a great correlation between family income and academic achievement, cognitive attitude, and study habits. The study did not find a significant relationship between assignments with the variables under investigation. Importantly, the findings of this study found that parental control exhibited the greatest mediating function in providing family income impact on students’ cognitive attitude. Other mediators like students’ and peers’ educational ambitions and mother-child verbal relationships were discovered as potent mediators. Findings also showed a slight impact of family income on parent-child and mother-father relationships. Parental control consists of an influential setting that is outside the school environment yet mounting a very powerful effect on determining school outcomes in teenagers. In conclusion, a positive social environment is necessary for enhancing science students’ cognitive ability, academic achievement, and study habits as money is not everything. Some of the recommendations made were that there should be an educative environment at home. Educators should encourage parents to provide the necessary means of academic success, such as a source of light, stationery, books, separate study rooms, and homework facilities in their respective homes.

Self-regulation is a critical emergent developmental competency that lays the foundation for children's later psychosocial health and academic achievement. Recent work indicates that physical activity and energetic play opportunities support children's self-regulation in the early childhood classroom. Many early childhood programs offer opportunities for children to engage in play, but teachers are rarely seen modeling physically active behaviors and face barriers to integrating opportunities for energetic play with early academic skills. Early childhood educational settings hoping to support children's self-regulation development can provide multiple opportunities for children to observe teachers modeling physical activity, provide teacher support and scaffolding for physically active learning centers, and engage children in meaningful energetic play while promoting a range of academic skills. This article provides 10 research-based guidelines for supporting children's self-regulation development through physical activity in early childhood classrooms.

Despite the changes in human behaviour and interactions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions are yet to adapt to the new normal fully. While some educational institutions switched entirely to e-learning to promote teaching and learning, others could not offer education due to physical and social restrictions. Previous studies in Africa have identified reasons for the poor ICT adoption for educational purposes. However, the degree to which these factors affect ICT utilisation is barely analysed. Using a quantitative approach, this study assessed ICT deployment for teaching in the COVID-19 era by focusing on their availability and challenges. A sample of 344 respondents from a population of 2,867 academic staff at two Nigerian public universities participated in the study. After receiving face validity from experts, a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Cronbach alpha reliability indices of the questionnaire ranged from 0.72 to 0.94. Descriptive statistics (simple percentages, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one-way ANOVA) were used for data analysis. Findings generally revealed a moderate extent in the availability of ICT resources in public universities. The cost of data, computer literacy, and electricity supply are challenges that significantly affected ICT deployment in the COVID-19 era. Based on this finding, it was concluded that personal and institutional challenges affect how ICT resources are deployed in public universities. It was recommended, among other things, that the management of each tertiary institution should apportion proceeds from internally generated revenue to procure ICT resources specific to the need of the school. The study provides the ground for further research into students’ use of ICT for educational purposes.

BackgroundDespite recent advances in the biology of IDH-wildtype glioblastoma, it remains a devastating disease with median survival of less than 2 years. However, the molecular underpinnings of the heterogeneous response to the current standard-of-care treatment regimen consisting of maximal safe resection, adjuvant radiation, and chemotherapy with temozolomide remain unknown.MethodsComprehensive histopathologic, genomic, and epigenomic evaluation of paired initial and recurrent glioblastoma specimens from 106 patients was performed to investigate the molecular evolution and cellular phenotypes underlying differential treatment responses.ResultsWhile TERT promoter mutation and CDKN2A homozygous deletion were early events during gliomagenesis shared by initial and recurrent tumors, most other recurrent genetic alterations (eg, EGFR, PTEN, and NF1) were commonly private to initial or recurrent tumors indicating acquisition later during clonal evolution. Furthermore, glioblastomas exhibited heterogeneous epigenomic evolution with subsets becoming more globally hypermethylated, hypomethylated, or remaining stable. Glioblastoma that underwent sarcomatous transformation had shorter interval to recurrence and were significantly enriched in NF1, TP53, and RB1 alterations and the mesenchymal epigenetic class. Patients who developed somatic hypermutation following temozolomide treatment had significantly longer interval to disease recurrence and prolonged overall survival, and increased methylation at 4 specific CpG sites in the promoter region of MGMT was significantly associated with this development of hypermutation. Finally, an epigenomic evolution signature incorporating change in DNA methylation levels across 347 critical CpG sites was developed that significantly correlated with clinical outcomes.ConclusionsGlioblastoma undergoes heterogeneous genetic, epigenetic, and cellular evolution that underlies prognostically different treatment responses.

Current US clinical practice guidelines for advanced prostate cancer management contain recommendations based on high-level evidence from randomized controlled trials; however, these guidelines do not address the nuanced clinical questions that are unanswered by prospective trials but nonetheless encountered in day-to-day practice. To address these practical questions, the 2024 US Prostate Cancer Conference (USPCC 2024) was created to generate US-focused expert clinical decision-making guidance for circumstances in which level 1 evidence is lacking. At the second annual USPCC meeting (USPCC 2024), a multidisciplinary panel of experts convened to discuss ongoing clinical challenges related to 5 topic areas: biochemical recurrence; metastatic, castration-sensitive prostate cancer; poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase inhibitors; prostate-specific membrane antigen radioligand therapy; and metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. Through a modified Delphi process, 34 consensus recommendations were developed and are intended to provide clinicians who manage prostate cancer with guidance related to the implementation of novel treatments and technologies. In this report, the authors review the areas of consensus identified by the USPCC 2024 experts and evaluate ongoing unmet needs regarding translational application of the current clinical evidence.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) play a major role in the chemistry of combustion, pyrolysis, and the interstellar medium. Production (or activation) of radical PAHs and propagation of their resulting reactions require efficient dehydrogenation, but the preferred method of hydrogen loss is not well understood. Unimolecular hydrogen ejection (i.e., direct C─H bond fission) and bimolecular radical abstraction are two main candidate pathways. We performed a computational study to characterize the role of H ejection, particularly as a driver for radical-centric hydrocarbon-growth mechanisms and particle formation. Electronic structure calculations establish that C─H bond strengths span a broad range of energies, which can be weaker than 30 kcal/mol in some C9 and C13 PAH radicals. At T > 1200 K, calculated thermal rates for hydrogen ejection from weak C─H bonds at zigzag sites on PAH radicals are significantly larger than typical H-abstraction rates. These results are highly relevant in the context of chain reactions of radical species and soot inception under fuel-rich combustion conditions. Furthermore, calculated microcanonical rates that include the additional internal energy released by bond formation (e.g., ring closure to yield C9H9) yield significantly higher rates than those associated with full thermalization. These microcanonical considerations are relevant to the astrochemical processes associated with hydrocarbon growth and processing in the low-density interstellar environment.

Phyllosticta citricarpa is an important citrus-pathogen and a quarantine organism in the European Union. Its recently described relative, P. paracitricarpa, is very closely related and not listed as a quarantine organism. P. paracitricarpa is very difficult to distinguish from P. citricarpa, since its morphological features overlap and the barcoding gene sequences that were originally used to delimit them as distinct species have a low number of species-specific polymorphisms that have subsequently been shown to overlap between the two clades. Therefore, we performed extensive genomic analyses to determine whether the genetic variation between P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa strains should be considered to represent infraspecific variation within P. citricarpa, or whether it is indicative of distinct species. Using a phylogenomic analysis with 3,000 single copy ortholog genes and whole-genome comparisons, we determined that the variation between P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa can be considered as infraspecies variation within P. citricarpa. We also determined the level of variation in mitochondrial assemblies of several Phyllosticta species and concluded there are only minimal differences between the assemblies of P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa. Thus, using several orthogonal approaches, we here demonstrate that variation within the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of other Phyllosticta species is larger than variation between genomes obtained from P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa strains. Thus, P. citricarpa and P. paracitricarpa should be considered as conspecific.

Introduction: Pulmonary resection has been established as an important component of local consolidative therapy (LCT) for oligometastatic NSCLC. However, technical aspects of such surgical procedures have not been well characterized. We sought to review the complexity of operations performed within a large cohort of patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. Methods: We identified patients treated at a single institution between 2000 and 2017 with stage IV NSCLC, with three or fewer synchronous metastases, and who underwent surgical resection of the primary tumor. Medical records were reviewed, and aspects of surgical complexity were recorded. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results: Among 194 patients with oligometastatic NSCLC, 173 (89%) received LCT and 30 (15%) underwent resection of the primary tumor. Thoracotomy was performed in 25 patients (83%), and procedures included 25 (83%) lobectomies, three (10%) pneumonectomies, and two (7%) sublobar resections. Mean blood loss was 200 (50–600) mL, and operative time was 200 (72–492) minutes. Proximal pulmonary artery control was needed in four (15%). Sleeve resection was needed in four (15%). Unplanned procedural change was required in two patients (7%). Chest wall resection occurred in three patients (11%). Lymph nodes were characterized as hard or densely adherent in nine (33%), and operations were described as more difficult than usual in 16 cases (59%). Conclusions: Surgery has emerged as a key strategy for LCT among patients with oligometastatic NSCLC. These operations can be performed safely, yet frequently require advanced techniques and complex resection strategies. As such, health care teams must be prepared for the technical challenges of these cases.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a catalase-positive Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes severe infections among compromised patients. Among its noteworthy regulatory mechanisms, this microorganism regulates its lifestyle through the blue light using flavin (BLUF) protein BlsA. This protein regulates a diverse set of cellular processes that include, but are not limited to, motility, biofilm formation, phenylacetic acid metabolism, iron uptake, and catalase activity. We set out to determine how A. baumannii regulates catalase activity and other related oxidative stress phenotypes in response to light. Notably, because A. baumannii ATCC 17978 encodes four catalase homologs – which we refer to as KatA, KatE, KatE2, and KatG – we also aimed to show which of these enzymes exhibit light- and BlsA-dependent activity. Our work not only provides insight into the general function of all four catalase homologs and the impact of light on these functions, but also directly identifies KatE as a BlsA-regulated enzyme. We further demonstrate that the regulation of KatE by BlsA is dependent on a lysine residue that we previously demonstrated to be necessary for the regulation of surface motility. Furthermore, we show that BlsA’s five most-C-terminal residues – previously considered dispensable for BlsA’s overall function – are necessary for the light-independent and light-dependent regulation of catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, respectively. We hypothesize that these identified critical residues are necessary for BlsA’s interaction with protein partners including the transcriptional regulators Fur and BfmR. Together these data expand the understanding regarding how A. baumannii uses light as a signal to control oxidative stress resistance mechanisms that are critical for its pathophysiology.

Online courses have become increasingly popular in education and professional development because of their user-friendliness, accessibility, and ability to provide specialized training beyond formal education for workforce preparation. We demonstrate the efficacy of using a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to teach specialized engineering concepts through the case study of a multi-body gravitational dynamics course; this topic is not typically taught in undergraduate courses but essential for specialized roles in aerospace engineering. Our use of MOOCs to bridge the knowledge gap between engineering education and practice represents a critical advance in tools for workforce preparation. Our MOOC, Designing the Moonshot, was released to the public in June 2021 and again in June 2022 as part of an international virtual event entitled OrbitCamp (originally called AstroCamp) where we collected data from a sample of 840 participants to study learning gains through pre-post testing and retention. Participant drop-off rates were steep (66% of participants did not complete the first module) but lower among men and those with higher degrees. Statistical analysis demonstrated that participants gained significant knowledge on the 12 (of 14 total) learning outcomes for which sample sizes were sufficient. Some of this knowledge was retained three months after OrbitCamp. These results support the use of MOOCs as a tool for furthering the expertise of the engineering workforce in highly specific domains.

As part of a larger study, through this research I examined the ideological foundations of public school teachers' interpretations of Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. I discovered that White teachers in this study talked about oppression in ways that implied it was a natural part of life, and even in some cases necessary for learning. Here I ask: What does teachers' acceptance and naturalization of oppression mean for student learning and educational outcomes more broadly? Using a Critical Discourse Studies (CDS) framework I use ideological critique to present and critically examine metaphors of violence and control as voiced by two participants in the study, Janet and Pam. Further, I show how the one participant of color in the study challenged his colleagues' assumptions about human nature and individuality, which Janet and Pam used to rationalize oppression. These findings have implications for teacher education and teacher professional development insofar as I urge teacher educators to examine how teachers think and talk about oppression and their role in sustaining or challenging the status quo through their teaching.

Educational and community leaders can use a community aware policy perspective in the quest for educational opportunity, equity, and community vitality. This school-community conceptual framework presents four elements of the school-community relationship that highlight the intersection between the educational and community levels of analysis, as well as the economic and social role that schools play. Rural schools and communities are the focus of this framework; however, it can be applicable in the practice and study of school-community relationships in other settings. It can be used by educational leaders and researchers to surface long-standing tensions, agreements or disagreements about the role of the school, and voices that may often be silenced in local educational decision-making.

School management committees' (SMCs) roles are crucial in the smooth, unfettered administration, development and provision of quality basic education. However, the preponderance of research evidence available indicates that in sub-Saharan Africa SMCs are not adequately involved in preparing and implementing school performance improvement plans (SPIPs). This study surveyed 298 SMC chairpersons and members in the South Tongu District (STD) of Ghana to investigate their knowledge and participation in SPIPs. The results showed that SMC members' limited knowledge of and low involvement in SPIP preparation and implementation were lower than the Ghana Education Service required, which hindered success and contribution to high quality teaching and learning in the schools. These results have implications for improving the quality of education for all by increasing their access to data, technical assistance, and financial resources at the basic school level. We recommend against this backdrop that the STD Education Directorate, in collaboration with the STD Assembly, conduct periodic training workshops, reward success, and provide clear guidelines and expectations to increase SMC members' knowledge and participation in successful SPIP preparation and implementation. Further research needs to focus on SMC members' capacity for sustained school improvement through education policy initiatives at the district and school levels.

Online professional learning approaches are positioned as a key way to support the knowledge and practice of the early childhood workforce. Within the research literature, however, limited attention has been given to early childhood teachers' perceptions of, and experiences with, online learning programs, particularly those using asynchronous content, such as video exemplars and distance-based coaching. To address these issues, two research studies are presented. In Study 1, 10 preschool teachers reflected on a series of exemplar videos designed to highlight quality early writing practices that were to be part of the online learning modules. Findings from Study 1 reveal teachers' appreciation for (a) short but focused videos that included diverse teachers, (b) subtitles and voiceovers that pointed to the learning principle to be understood, and (c) recommendations for improving videos. In Study 2, 18 Head Start teachers engaged with online learning modules that contained exemplar videos, practice-based learning experiences, and virtual, asynchronous coaching for one month to address questions of usability and engagement. Findings from Study 2 reveal that teachers strongly agreed that the online module system was useful and easy to navigate and contained sufficient content to support teachers' understanding of approaches to support children's early writing development.