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Research on LGBTQ+ students and their sense of belonging in public schools is necessary; minoritized students deserve to feel safe, validated, and valued in a space where they belong. Using the 2017-2018 School Survey on Crime and Safety public-access data, we align variables to Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework. This study explored the relationship between having an affirming sexual orientation or gender identity student club and the frequency of student harassment in high school and the predictive ability of student, teacher, and school policy factors on harassment. We found that schools with LGBTQ+ accepting school clubs had higher incidence of sexual orientation and gender identity harassment. Additionally, student involvement in restorative circles, teacher trainings, and some school contexts predicted harassment. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.

Higher degree research candidates experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than the general population. This study explored the wellbeing and experiences of two independent groups of HDR candidates. One participating prior to the pandemic, and the second group during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed methods study comprising of a survey and focus group were conducted with 17 participants. The results of this preliminary study suggest there may have been differences in HDR candidates' wellbeing between pre-pandemic and those participating in the study during COVID-19. However, the study sample was small, and the results cannot be generalised to the HDR cohort. Two main themes were identified from the focus groups: 'wellbeing challenges, culture and connectivity' and 'university response: culture and connectivity'. Some participants identified multiple stressors that impacted their wellbeing including challenges of establishing a research community to support their voice, and identity. Additional challenges that related to connectivity were evident for international students during COVID-19, due to international border closures in Australia. Further studies are needed to inform evidence-based policies.

Abstract In this study, optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning algorithms were used to evaluate 46 tissue cores of surgically resected cervical lymph nodes, some of which harboured oral squamous cell carcinoma nodal metastasis. The ratios obtained between O-PTIR chemical images at 1252 cm−1 and 1285 cm−1 were able to reveal morphological details from tissue samples that are comparable to the information achieved by a pathologist’s interpretation of optical microscopy of haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained samples. Additionally, when used as input data for a hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN) and random forest (RF) analyses, these yielded sensitivities, specificities and precision of 98.6 ± 0.3%, 92 ± 4% and 94 ± 5%, respectively, and an area under receiver operator characteristic (AUC) of 94 ± 2%. Our findings show the potential of O-PTIR technology as a tool to study cancer on tissue samples.

Abstract Objective Our primary objective was to understand breastfeeding individuals’ decisions to use cannabis. Specifically, we investigated reasons for cannabis use, experiences with healthcare providers regarding use, and potential concerns about cannabis use. Methods We collected survey data from twenty breastfeeding participants from Washington and Oregon who used cannabis at least once weekly. We documented individuals’ cannabis use and analyzed factors associated with their decisions to use cannabis during lactation. Qualitative description was used to assess responses to an open-ended question about potential concerns. Results Fifty-five percent of participants (n = 11) reported using cannabis to treat or manage health conditions, mostly related to mental health. Eighty percent of participants (n = 16) reported very few or no concerns about using cannabis while breastfeeding, although participants who used cannabis for medical purposes had significantly more concerns. Most participants (n = 18, 90%) reported receiving either no or unhelpful advice from healthcare providers. Four themes arose through qualitative analysis, indicating that breastfeeding individuals are: 1) identifying research gaps and collecting evidence; 2) monitoring their child’s health and development; 3) monitoring and titrating their cannabis use; and 4) comparing risks between cannabis and other controlled substances. Conclusions Breastfeeding individuals reported cannabis for medical and non-medical reasons and few had concerns about cannabis use during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding individuals reported using a variety of strategies and resources in their assessment of risk or lack thereof when deciding to use cannabis. Most participants reported receiving no helpful guidance from healthcare providers.

BackgroundThere is a paucity of data on the presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in feces of lactating women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their breastfed infants as well as associations between fecal shedding and symptomatology.ObjectiveWe examined whether and to what extent SARS-CoV-2 is detectable in the feces of lactating women and their breastfed infants following maternal COVID-19 diagnosis.MethodsThis was a longitudinal study carried out from April 2020 to December 2021 involving 57 breastfeeding maternal-infant dyads: 33 dyads were enrolled within 7 d of maternal COVID-19 diagnosis, and 24 healthy dyads served as controls. Maternal/infant fecal samples were collected by participants, and surveys were administered via telephone over an 8-wk period. Feces were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.ResultsSigns/symptoms related to ears, eyes, nose, and throat (EENT); general fatigue/malaise; and cardiopulmonary signs/symptoms were commonly reported among mothers with COVID-19. In infants of mothers with COVID-19, EENT, immunologic, and cardiopulmonary signs/symptoms were most common, but prevalence did not differ from that of infants of control mothers. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in feces of 7 (25%) women with COVID-19 and 10 (30%) of their infants. Duration of fecal shedding ranged from 1-4 wk for both mothers and infants. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was sparsely detected in feces of healthy dyads, with only one mother’s and two infants’ fecal samples testing positive. There was no relationship between frequencies of maternal and infant SARS-CoV-2 fecal shedding (P=0.36), although presence of maternal or infant fever was related to increased likelihood (7-9 times greater, P≤0.04) of fecal shedding in infants of mothers with COVID-19.

Abstract Background Estimation of prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is inaccurate prior to surgery, only being effected following subsequent pathological analysis of the primary tumour and excised lymph nodes. Consequently, a proportion of patients are overtreated, with an increase in morbidity, or undertreated, with inadequate margins and risk of recurrence. We hypothesise that it is possible to accurately characterise clinical outcomes from infrared spectra arising from diagnostic biopsies. In this first step, we correlate survival with IR spectra derived from the primary tumour. Methods Infrared spectra were collected from tumour tissue from 29 patients with OSCC and subject to classification modelling. Results The model had a median AUROC of 0.89 with regard to prognosis, a median specificity of 0.83, and a hazard ratio of 6.29 in univariate Cox proportional hazard modelling. Conclusion The data suggest that FTIR spectra may be a useful early biomarker of prognosis in OSCC.