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This article considers the value of honors education beyond its marked contributions to enrollment management goals. Suggesting that quantitative assessments toward understanding the value of honors fail to capture its breadth, interdisciplinary focus, and engagement, authors posit a new way of measuring impacts from "contagion model" (spillover to campus and beyond) to "permeability model" (interface across campus). Pointing to the benefits of permeability for both honors and the broader campus communities, authors encourage practitioners to foster exchange in curricular offerings, spatial inputs, scholarly outputs, extramural funding, and institutional support. The meaning and history of organizational permeability is explored, and examples are provided.

When designing a curriculum, researching lessons, or providing quality information in a health class, where does one even start? Many people recommend starting by looking at professional organizations. There are several professional organizations or groups in the United States that focus on school health. For this article, the authors have chosen the three most well-known organizations and special professional associations (SPA) that contribute to producing some of the best resources, tools, and best practices in school health education: SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators of America, the Society of Public Health Educators (SOPHE), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically Healthy Schools and the Division of Adolescent School Health (DASH). This article briefly describes each of these three health organizations, along with their guiding frameworks, current research and survey database collections systems, resources and tools, professional development and conference opportunities, grant and fundraising opportunities, and membership benefits, leadership, and awards.

Part 1 of this article described THE FUSED Technique (Ford & Knutson, 2024) as a new pedagogical approach to teaching K-12 health education, blending or fusing the best aspects from the standards-based and skill-based health education teaching models. THE stands for teaching health education and FUSED stands for functional (data driven) information, using health-behavior outcomes (HBOs), skill-based cues, engaging teaching strategies, and daily application in developing health-literate K-12 students. The FUSED Hourglass (Figure 1) was designed to provide health educators with a progressive itinerary to design a transformative health learning experience for students. There are two main parts to the FUSED Hourglass -- planning and implementation -- and each is divided into phases. Part 1 of the article described how to follow Phases 1 through 7 to build a FUSED unit and lesson. This article, Part 2, describes how to implement a FUSED lesson by applying Phases 9 through 14.

THE FUSED health education series was developed as a one-stop guide for developing a quality curriculum for teaching health education. This first, two-part article introduces a new approach to teaching health education called THE FUSED Technique. THE stands for Teaching Health Education and FUSED stands for Functional (data driven) information, Using health-behavior outcomes (HBOs), Skill-based cues, Engaging teaching strategies, and Daily application in developing health-literate K-12 students. THE FUSED Technique was developed to teach health skills and content to today's K-12 learners. It focuses on lifelong health literacy and helps bridge standards-based and skill-based health education. At its core, FUSED is a skill-based health education teaching technique that engages K-12 students by using a variety of participatory methods to ensure that students have ample opportunities to practice and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to lead healthy lives. Part 1 of this article describes how to build a FUSED unit and lesson, and Part 2 will describe how to implement a FUSED lesson.

Category: Hindfoot; Basic Sciences/Biologics Introduction/Purpose: The posterior tibialis muscle (PTm) could be a contributing factor in progressive collapsing foot deformity (PCFD), but the extent to which the function of PTm is related to PCFD progression is debated. The morphology of the PTm is most often evaluated through oversimplified cross-sectional measurements of CT, MRI, or ultrasound images. Recently, statistical shape models (SSM), built from three-dimensional segmentations of volumetric images, have been shown to provide more accurate and comprehensive morphological evaluations of musculoskeletal tissue. To enhance understanding of the PTm in patients with PCFD, herein, we used a 3D SSM to test the hypothesis that both the shape of the PTm and alignment of the PTm relative to the hindfoot bones is different in patients with PCFD when compared to asymptomatic controls. Methods: In this retrospective comparative study, 12 female patients presenting with PCFD with an intact PTm, and 19 female asymptomatic individuals underwent simulated weight-bearing CT (SW-CT) from above the knee to the sole. For each participant, SW-CT images were segmented to create 3D models of distal tibia, talus, calcaneus, navicular, and PTm. We developed two SSMs to compare morphological differences. One compared only the shape of the PTm and the other compared the relative position and alignment of the PTm with the hindfoot bones. The PTm 3D model was also used to measure volume, tendon normalized length, and percentage fat of the PTm. Each measurement and SSM were compared between PCFD and asymptomatic controls. For all statistical measures and comparisons an alpha value of 0.05 was used (p < 0.05). Results: The SSM did not identify significant differences in the isolated shape of the PTm between groups. However, the SSM showed significant differences in the alignment of PTm with respect to the hindfoot bones. Within PCFD, the PTm course shifted the lateral side of the tibia, increasing the distance to the navicular bone. Also, within the PCFD group, the tibia was more internally rotated, but the PTm was not. Tendon normalized length was significantly lower in PCFD than in asymptomatic controls, and there was no difference in muscle length, whereas tendon normalized length was shorter in the PCFD group. Percent fat content was significantly higher in PCFD compared to asymptomatic controls. No significant differences were found for PTm volume and tibia torsion angle between both groups. Conclusion: In PCFD with an intact PTm, alignment differences of PTm and hindfoot bones suggest that PCFD progression may be a cause of PTm rupture. Tibia internal rotation and PTm altered course in PCFD could mechanically alter PTm function and should be further investigated. Additionally, low PTm tendon normalized length may be a factor contributing to PCFD, but our evidence suggests that primary PTm morphology differences are likely caused by PCFD. It may suggest that PTm does not handle the progression of PCFD. In the future, we need to evaluate morphologies of PCFD with and without PTM rupture. This figure showed results of each measurement for PTm, and the alignment variation (mean and ± standard deviation) and P-values for each model represent a group-wise comparison. Arrows indicated focal locations of morphological differences/changes.

IntroductionBRAFV600E mutation (BRAFmut) is common in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and most patients have an excellent outcome. However, a TERT-promoter mutation (pTERTmut) in the presence of BRAFmut (BRAFmutpTERTmut) has been demonstrated to confer a more aggressive behavior to PTC. Lymphocytic infiltration is often present in PTC. In this study, we sought to decipher the relationship between the BRAF and pTERT mutations and immune gene dysregulation in tumor samples from a cohort of 147 samples of PTC.MethodsThe abundance of 770 immune gene transcripts was determined by multiprex capture/detection and digital counting of mRNA transcripts using the NanoString nCounter® PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel.ResultsWe identified 40 immune transcripts differentially expressed in BRAFmutpTERTmutvs BRAFmutpTERT wildtype (pTERTwt) (P

Despite the importance of sleep to overall health and well-being, there is a high prevalence of undiagnosed sleep disorders and adverse sleep health, particularly among vulnerable populations. Such vulnerable populations include people experiencing homelessness (PEH), refugees, and incarcerated individuals. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of the literature on sleep health and disorders among key and vulnerable populations (e.g., PEH, refugees, and incarcerated individuals). The limited research among these populations indicated a high prevalence of sleep disorders, mainly insomnia, short sleep duration, and fatigue. Substance abuse and PTSD were commonly found among PEH and refugee populations, respectively, which were was related to poor sleep. Similar across the included vulnerable populations, the individuals reside in environments/facilities with inopportune light exposure, noise disruption, inadequate bedding, and forced sleep schedules. Studies also found a high prevalence of psychosocial stress and reports of threats to safety, which were associated with poor sleep health outcomes. Additionally, several studies reported environmental barriers to adherence to sleep disorder treatment. This paper highlighted the conditions in which these vulnerable populations reside, which may inform interventions within these various facilities (homeless shelters, refugee camps, prisons/jails). The improvement of these facilities with a sleep equity focus may in turn improve quality of life and daily functioning.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a virtual workshop in September 2022 to discuss “Optimal Instruments for Measurement of Diet, Physical Activity, and Sleep.” This report summarizes the proceedings, identifying current research gaps and future directions for measuring different lifestyle behaviors in adult population‐based studies. Key discussions centered on integrating report‐based methods, like questionnaires, with device‐based assessments, including wearables and physiological measures such as biomarkers and omics to enhance self‐reported metrics and better understand the underlying biologic mechanisms of chronic diseases. Emphasis was placed on the need for data harmonization, including the adoption of standard terminology, reproducible metrics, and accessible raw data, to enhance the analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. The workshop highlighted the importance of standardizing procedures for integrated behavioral phenotypes using time‐series data. These efforts aim to refine data accuracy and comparability across studies and populations, thereby advancing our understanding of lifestyle behaviors and their impact on chronic disease outcomes over the life course.

Heavy use of digital media is known to reduce psychological well-being. A recent campus Common Read program, which included reading "Irresistible" (Alter, 2017) and attending a series of events, attempted to promote more conscientious relationships with technology, thus supporting psychological well-being. Changes in mobile phone dependence and self-reported technology use behaviors were evaluated with questions grounded in the theory of planned behavior, measuring students' attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control, and intentions to decrease their use of non-educational technology. Noteworthy interactions included Common Read participants (n = 148) reporting less discomfort during times of mobile-phone abstinence and engaging in fewer social media platforms compared to control (n = 88). Common Read participants also consistently measured more favorably regarding behavioral control and screen time. Although participants' intentions to reduce their non-educational technology use were not changed, other indicators support the conclusion that participants became more conscientious about their behavior due to Common Read programming participation.

The William Penn Foundation launched Philadelphia's Informal Learning Initiative (ILI) to support the development of literacy-rich programming for families with children aged 3 to 9. The initiative was designed as a network of partnerships in which a cultural organization--usually a museum--paired with one or more, community-based organizations (CBOs) to design literacy-rich informal learning experiences for caregivers and children. The initiative involved 11 cultural partners and 15 CBOs. Programs exposed three- to nine-year-old children and their families to literacy practices in the context of original artwork, live animals, science experiments, natural settings, new foods, and cultural or historical sites. Programming was delivered at no cost to families, often in community settings such as recreation centers or school auditoriums. Convenient times and locations, as well as snack or meal options, supported family participation, as did book giveaways, take-home activity packs, and special museum visits. As the evaluation team for ILI, the authors structured their work to support the development of a networked community of practice, collecting data for improvement and exploring the best ways to measure impact across projects. They used a structured observation protocol and CBO staff- and educator-conducted interviews with children and caregivers in their programs to determine ILI programming's impactfulness. The study aimed to examine how museums can connect to collective impact efforts in literacy and how informal learning programs can be reoriented to better respond to community needs. Findings from the study and recommendations for museum-CBO partnerships are discussed.

Early adolescent drinking onset is linked to myriad negative consequences. Using the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) baseline to year 8 data, this study (1) leveraged best subsets selection and Cox Proportional Hazards regressions to identify the most robust predictors of adolescent first and regular drinking onset, and (2) examined the clinical utility of drinking onset in forecasting later binge drinking and withdrawal effects. Baseline predictors included youth psychodevelopmental characteristics, cognition, brain structure, family, peer, and neighborhood domains. Participants (N=538) were alcohol-naïve at baseline. The strongest predictors of first and regular drinking onset were positive alcohol expectancies (Hazard Ratios [HRs]=1.67–1.87), easy home alcohol access (HRs=1.62–1.67), more parental solicitation (e.g., inquiring about activities; HRs=1.72–1.76), and less parental control and knowledge (HRs=.72–.73). Robust linear regressions showed earlier first and regular drinking onset predicted earlier transition into binge and regular binge drinking (βs=0.57–0.95). Zero-inflated Poisson regressions revealed that delayed first and regular drinking increased the likelihood (Incidence Rate Ratios [IRR]=1.62 and IRR=1.29, respectively) of never experiencing withdrawal. Findings identified behavioral and environmental factors predicting temporal paths to youthful drinking, dissociated first from regular drinking initiation, and revealed adverse sequelae of younger drinking initiation, supporting efforts to delay drinking onset.

Abstract Desmoplasia in breast cancer leads to heterogeneity in physical properties of the tissue, resulting in disparities in drug delivery and treatment efficacy among patients, thus contributing to high disease mortality. Personalized in vitro breast cancer models hold great promise for high‐throughput testing of therapeutic strategies to normalize the aberrant microenvironment in a patient‐specific manner. Here, tumoroids assembled from breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, SKBR3, and MDA‐MB‐468) and patient‐derived breast tumor cells (TCs) cultured in microphysiological systems including perfusable microvasculature reproduce key aspects of stromal and vascular dysfunction causing impaired drug delivery. Models containing SKBR3 and MDA‐MB‐468 tumoroids show higher stromal hyaluronic acid (HA) deposition, vascular permeability, interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), and degradation of vascular HA relative to models containing MCF7 tumoroids or models without tumoroids. Interleukin 8 (IL8) secretion is found responsible for vascular dysfunction and loss of vascular HA. Interventions targeting IL8 or stromal HA normalize vascular permeability, perfusion, and IFP, and ultimately enhance drug delivery and TC death in response to perfusion with trastuzumab and cetuximab. Similar responses are observed in patient‐derived models. These microphysiological systems can thus be personalized by using patient‐derived cells and can be applied to discover new molecular therapies for the normalization of the tumor microenvironment.

Abstract The Karner blue butterfly, Plebejus (Lycaeides) samuelis, is an endangered North American climate change‐vulnerable species that has undergone substantial historical habitat loss and population decline. To better understand the species' genetic status and support Karner blue conservation, we sampled 116 individuals from 22 localities across the species' geographical range in Wisconsin (WI), Michigan (MI), Indiana (IN), and New York (NY). Using genomic analysis, we found that these samples were divided into three major geographic groups, NY, WI, and MI‐IN, with populations in WI and MI‐IN each further divided into three subgroups. A high level of inbreeding was revealed by inbreeding coefficients above 10% in almost all populations in our study. However, strong correlation between FST and geographical distance suggested that genetic divergence between populations increases with distance, such that introducing individuals from more distant populations may be a useful strategy for increasing population‐level diversity and preserving the species. We also found that Karner blue populations had lower genetic diversity than closely related species and had more alleles that were present only at low frequencies (

Students often seek opportunities to enrich their classroom learning. Providing students the chance to engage in research studies or global health projects allows for experiential enrichment. However, the impact on partners and partner sites, financial implications, and equity of student opportunity, as well as the logistical burden potentially placed on multiple parties, all need to be considered. If challenges are minimized, students can make meaningful contributions to projects, be a catalyst for partner engagement, and allow for formative learning.

Weekly, self-evaluative briefs are used to assess students' general wellbeing during the coronavirus crisis. Authors discuss the efficacy of personalized check-ins and remote, interpersonal rapport, suggesting a positive impact on student learning outcomes.

IntroductionGalectin-3 is a pro-fibrotic β-galactoside binding lectin highly expressed in fibrotic liver and implicated in hepatic fibrosis. Selvigaltin (previously known as GB1211) is a novel orally active galectin-3 small molecule inhibitor that has high affinity for galectin-3 (human KD = 25 nM; rabbit KD = 12 nM) and high oral bioavailability in rabbits and man. In this study the efficacy of selvigaltin was investigated in a high fat diet (HFD) rabbit model of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH).MethodsMale New Zealand White rabbits were individually caged under standard conditions in a temperature and humidity-controlled room on a 12 h light/darkness cycle. After 1 week of regular diet (RD), rabbits were randomly assigned for 8 or 12 weeks to different groups: RD/vehicle, RD/selvigaltin, HFD (8 weeks), HFD/vehicle and HFD/selvigaltin (0.3, 1.0, 5.0 or 30 mg/kg selvigaltin with vehicle/selvigaltin p.o. dosed therapeutically q.d. 5 days per week from week 9 or 12). Liver inflammation, steatosis, ballooning, and fibrosis was measured via blood metabolic markers, histomorphological evaluation [Oil Red O, Giemsa, Masson’s trichome, picrosirius red (PSR) and second harmonic generation (SHG)], and mRNA and protein expression.ResultsSteatosis, inflammation, ballooning, and fibrosis were all increased from RD to HFD/vehicle groups. Selvigaltin demonstrated target engagement by significantly decreasing galectin-3 levels in the liver as measured via immunohistochemistry and mRNA analysis. Selvigaltin dose-dependently reduced biomarkers of liver function (AST, ALT, bilirubin), inflammation (cells foci), and fibrosis (PSR, SHG), as well as decreasing the mRNA and protein expression of several key inflammation and fibrosis biomarkers (e.g., IL6, TGFβ3, SNAI2, collagen). Doses of 1.0 or 5.0 mg/kg demonstrated consistent efficacy across most biological endpoints supporting the current clinical doses of selvigaltin being investigated in liver disease.DiscussionSelvigaltin significantly reduced hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in an HFD rabbit model of MASH following therapeutic dosing for 4 weeks in a dose-dependent manner. These data support the human selvigaltin dose of 100 mg b.i.d. that has been shown to reduce key liver biomarkers during a clinical study in liver cirrhosis.

Abstract Precipitation changes in full response to CO2 increase are widely studied but confidence in future projections remains low. Mechanistic understanding of the direct radiative effect of CO2 on precipitation changes, independent from CO2‐induced SST changes, is therefore necessary. Utilizing global atmospheric models, we identify robust summer precipitation decreases across North America in response to direct CO2 forcing. We find that spatial distribution of CO2 forcing at land surface is likely shaped by climatological distribution of water vapor and clouds. This, coupled with local feedback processes, changes in convection, and moisture supply resulting from CO2‐induced circulation changes, could determine North American hydroclimate changes. In central North America, increasing CO2 may decrease summertime precipitation by warming the surface and inducing dry advection into the region to reduce moisture supply. Meanwhile, for the southwest and the east, CO2‐induced shift of subtropical highs generates wet advection, which might mitigate the drying effect from warming.

Abstract Objectives Age‐related vocal atrophy (ARVA) has a significant impact on voice, communication, and quality of life. Vocal folds are bowed with incomplete glottic closure during phonation. Efficient quantification of vocal fold atrophy and collection of voice recordings in clinic remains challenging. The primary focus of this study is to describe a novel method for quantifying vocal atrophy and obtaining voice recordings in clinic among patients with ARVA. Methods Patients with ARVA were included. Voice recordings were collected during the clinic visit, and acoustic analysis was subsequently performed. A novel mobile application was used to quantify the bowing index (BI). Results The study included 10 patients with ARVA, with a mean age of 72.7 ± 6.8 years and body mass index (BMI) of 24.9 ± 2.4 kg/m2. Calculation of BI was feasible with a mean of 9.9 ± 1.8 units. On average, the audio recording took 2.6 ± 0.4 min, and subsequent analysis required 7.1 ± 1.8 min. Mean continuous speech f0 was 212.1 ± 10.1 and 134.2 ± 31.5 Hz for male and female patients, respectively. Smoothed cepstral peak prominence was 8.9 ± 1.5 dB (male) and 8.5 ± 0.3 dB (female), and maximum phonation time between male and female patients was 16.7 ± 9.8 and 13.8 ± 1.9 s, respectively. Conclusion We present a feasible and streamlined method for quantification of vocal fold atrophy in the clinic among patients with ARVA. The accuracy and reliability of this new method are areas of ongoing investigation. Quantification of vocal atrophy may help with clinical decisions, including diagnosing vocal atrophy and tracking treatment progress. Moreover, this method may improve research data acquisition without burdening patients and clinicians with additional time‐consuming tasks. Level of evidence: 4.

Abstract We describe the baseline model configuration and simulation characteristics of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL)'s Land Model version 4.1 (LM4.1), which builds on component and coupled model developments over 2013–2019 for the coupled carbon‐chemistry‐climate Earth System Model Version 4.1 (ESM4.1) simulation as part of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Analysis of ESM4.1/LM4.1 is focused on biophysical and biogeochemical processes and interactions with climate. Key features include advanced vegetation dynamics and multi‐layer canopy energy and moisture exchanges, daily fire, land use representation, and dynamic atmospheric dust coupling. We compare LM4.1 performance in the GFDL Earth System Model (ESM) configuration ESM4.1 to the previous generation component LM3.0 in the ESM2G configuration. ESM4.1/LM4.1 provides significant improvement in the treatment of ecological processes from GFDL's previous generation models. However, ESM4.1/LM4.1 likely overestimates the influence of land use and land cover change on vegetation characteristics, particularly on pasturelands, as it overestimates the competitiveness of grasses versus trees in the tropics, and as a result, underestimates present‐day biomass and carbon uptake in comparison to observations.

Background Cancer neoantigens arise from protein-altering somatic mutations in tumor and rank among the most promising next-generation immuno-oncology agents when used in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. We previously developed a computational framework, REAL-neo, for identification, quality control, and prioritization of both class-I and class-II human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-presented neoantigens resulting from somatic single-nucleotide mutations, small insertions and deletions, and gene fusions. In this study, we developed a new module, SPLICE-neo, to identify neoantigens from aberrant RNA transcripts from two distinct sources: (1) DNA mutations within splice sites and (2) de novo RNA aberrant splicings.Methods First, SPLICE-neo was used to profile all DNA splice-site mutations in 11,892 tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified 11 profiles of splicing donor or acceptor site gains or losses. Transcript isoforms resulting from the top seven most frequent profiles were computed using novel logic models. Second, SPLICE-neo identified de novo RNA splicing events using RNA sequencing reads mapped to novel exon junctions from either single, double, or multiple exon-skipping events. The aberrant transcripts from both sources were then ranked based on isoform expression levels and z-scores assuming that individual aberrant splicing events are rare. Finally, top-ranked novel isoforms were translated into protein, and the resulting neoepitopes were evaluated for neoantigen potential using REAL-neo. The top splicing neoantigen candidates binding to HLA-A*02:01 were validated using in vitro T2 binding assays.Results We identified abundant splicing neoantigens in four representative TCGA cancers: BRCA, LUAD, LUSC, and LIHC. In addition to their substantial contribution to neoantigen load, several splicing neoantigens were potent tumor antigens with stronger bindings to HLA compared with the positive control of antigens from influenza virus.Conclusions SPLICE-neo is the first tool to comprehensively identify and prioritize splicing neoantigens from both DNA splice-site mutations and de novo RNA aberrant splicings. There are two major advances of SPLICE-neo. First, we developed novel logic models that assemble and prioritize full-length aberrant transcripts from DNA splice-site mutations. Second, SPLICE-neo can identify exon-skipping events involving more than two exons, which account for a quarter to one-third of all skipping events.

Objective: Stress is a barrier to academic success for college students and the unique resilience effects of ambiguity and uncertainty tolerance have yet to be explored. We hypothesized that tolerance of ambiguity and tolerance of uncertainty relate to academic stress differently. Participants: We recruited 158 undergraduate participants from a medium-size public university in the Midwestern United States. Method: Participants completed measures of ambiguity tolerance, uncertainty tolerance, and academic stress coping strategies. Three separate regression analyses were conducted to predict approach coping, avoidance coping, and social support coping. Results: Results indicated that intolerance of ambiguity is a stronger predictor of approach and avoidance academic stress coping strategies compared to intolerance of uncertainty. Conclusion: These findings will allow for a better understanding of the dynamics underlying coping with academic stress that will be helpful to consider in vocational as well as mental health counseling for college students.

Abstract In November 2022 the first Dark Genome Symposium was held in Boston, USA. The meeting was hosted by Rome Therapeutics and Enara Bio, two biotechnology companies working on translating our growing understanding of this vast genetic landscape into therapies for human disease. The spirit and ambition of the meeting was one of shared knowledge, looking to strengthen the network of researchers engaged in the field. The meeting opened with a welcome from Rosana Kapeller and Kevin Pojasek followed by a first session of field defining talks from key academics in the space. A series of panels, bringing together academia and industry views, were then convened covering a wide range of pertinent topics. Finally, Richard Young and David Ting gave their views on the future direction and promise for patient impact inherent in the growing understanding of the Dark Genome.