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Abstract: Objective: To examine the scientific literature on mask-use as source control to protect others from respiratory infections before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: Systematic review. Methods: We examined primary research on mask usage as a means of source control to protect others by reducing the spread of respiratory diseases and contrasted the literature published before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with that published afterward. Articles were obtained through a search of PubMed and a review of article references. March 1, 2020 was selected as the cutoff date to distinguish between the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods. Results: 195 articles met our inclusion criteria. The sample included 55 articles on source control published before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and 140 articles published after the pandemic began, representing a 154.5% increase. The percentage of randomized control trials (RCT) and cluster RCTs declined by 94.9% (p

Abstract: Objective: To assess the evidence underlying the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indoor safety guidance for lightning storms. Design: Systematic Review of peer-reviewed literature. Setting: Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science (through 2023). Participants: Reports of indoor death or injury from lightning strike. Main outcome measures: The number of deaths and injuries from lightning-related activities. Results: A majority of the 15 articles identified were retrospective reviews of data from death certificates, medical records, and newspaper reports; 5 articles were based on single case reports. Reports of injuries from lightning while indoors are exceedingly rare; death from lightning while indoors is essentially non-existent in modern times. No evidence exists that supports the given advice. Conclusions: Current U.S. lightning avoidance tips may inadvertently portray indoor spaces as unsafe, despite their protective advantage. Guidelines should place less emphasis on indoor situations and highlight controllable risks, such as behavior in outdoor and recreation situations.

Abstract: Importance: Consistent, evidence-based communication is critical to building trust and maintaining credibility of public health agencies. Objective: To identify any significant changes in the mainstream media’s presentation of public health advice for flu prevention before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: A systematic search in Factiva of top ten U.S. newspapers by circulation, using two search periods, 2018-2019 and 2021-2022. Articles with flu prevention advice were identified, abstracted for media outlet, reporter, date. Articles were coded for the specific advice provided. Main Measure(s): Number of recommendations for flu prevention, frequency of each recommendation; percent of recommendations aligned with CDC guidelines for each period. Changes in frequency of each recommendation. Differences determined using 2-proportion Z-tests, p-value 0.05 significance. Results: 128 articles with 244 recommendations for pre-COVID period; 122 articles with 296 recommendations post-COVID. 96.3% of recommendations in alignment with CDC guidelines pre-COVID. 63.9% of recommendations in alignment with CDC during post-COVID timeframe. Percentage of articles with advice to mask for flu increased by 1,494.8% (p=

This study assessed stakeholder perceptions across 12 gifted programs in respect to the extent to which the programs were perceived to be effective in carrying out the formal operations required of the program in the areas of identification, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. These areas were aligned to the National Association for Gifted Children's standards. Specific questions addressed included: To what extent was the program perceived to be effective by stakeholders affected by it? To what extent did the program align with best practice standards in the field? While stakeholders were positive about the overall program, they reported that the programs needed to be improved in the following areas: identifying underrepresented populations, improving differentiated curriculum and accelerative options, providing professional learning for teachers, and using assessments appropriate for gifted learners to show growth.

Divisive rhetoric and heated political discourse surround the identification and education of gifted students and lead to opposing philosophical issues of egalitarianism versus elitism. Researchers have long chronicled the ambivalence in the United States over the concepts of giftedness and intellectual talent (Benbow & Stanley, 1996; see also Gallagher & Weiss, 1979). Gallagher (2005) suggested that the two predominant social values reflected in American education are equity and excellence: "The dual and desirable educational goals of student 'equity' and student 'excellence' have often been in a serious struggle for scarce resources. Student equity ensures all students a fair short a good education. Student excellence promises every student the right to achieve as far and as high as he or she is capable. Because the problems of equity have greater immediacy than does the long-term enhancement of excellence, this struggle has often been won by equity." (Gallagher, 2005, p. 32). The ebbs and flows of public perceptions of equity and excellence and political and historical events have significantly impacted the evolution of the field of gifted education in the United States and abroad. In order to understand these influences on the respective "outlier" student, it's important to consider the context of the country, significant events, overall educational reform efforts and the implications on the education of gifted students. This article provides a backdrop of the United States' ambivalence towards gifted education as well as provides an overview of a sample of countries as frames of reference. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

ObjectivesPast research has established that the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) exhibits measurement invariance across diverse ethnic groups. However, relatively little research has evaluated whether this measure is invariant across generational status. Thus, the present study evaluates the invariance of the MEIM across foreign-born, second-generation, and later-generation respondents.MethodA large, ethnically diverse sample of college students completed the MEIM as part of an online survey (N = 9,107; 72.8% women; mean age = 20.31 years; SD = 3.38).ResultsThere is evidence of configural and metric invariance, but there is little evidence of scalar invariance across generational status groups.ConclusionsThis study suggests that the MEIM has an equivalent factor structure across generation groups, indicating it is appropriate to compare the magnitude of associations between the MEIM and other variables across foreign-born, second-generation, and later-generation individuals. However, the lack of scalar invariance suggests that mean-level differences across generational status should be interpreted with caution. (PsycINFO Database Record

BackgroundInvestigations of folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) genes and gene-nutrient interactions with respect to colorectal cancer (CRC) risk are limited to candidate polymorphisms and dietary folate. This study comprehensively investigated associations between genetic variants in FOCM and CRC risk and whether the FOCM nutrient status modified these associations.MethodsTwo hundred eighty-eight candidate and tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 30 FOCM genes were genotyped for 821 incident CRC case-control matched pairs in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study cohort. FOCM biomarkers (red blood cell [RBC] folate, plasma folate, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate [PLP], vitamin B12, and homocysteine) and self-reported alcohol consumption were measured at the baseline. Conditional logistic regression was implemented; effect modification was examined on the basis of known enzyme-nutrient relations.ResultsStatistically significant associations were observed between CRC risk and functionally defined candidate SNPs of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1; K134R), 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR; P450R), and PR domain containing 2 with ZNF domain (PRDM2; S450N) and a literature candidate SNP of thymidylate synthase (TYMS; g.676789A>T; nominal P

The relationship between folate and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is unclear. We investigated the association of two biomarkers of folate status, plasma folate and red blood cell (RBC) folate, with CRC risk using a nested case-control design in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Postmenopausal women (n = 93,676) aged 50-79 years were enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study (1993-1998). A fasting blood draw and extensive health, dietary and lifestyle data were collected upon enrollment. Through 2008, 988 incident CRC cases were reported and confirmed with medical records adjudication. Cases and controls were matched on age (± 3 years), enrollment date (± 1 year), race/ethnicity, blood draw date (± 6 months) and hysterectomy status. Plasma and RBC folate were determined by radio assay. Folate biomarker values were divided into quartiles, and conditional logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations of folate with total CRC, by tumor site and by stage at diagnosis. Additional analyses examined whether risks varied across time periods corresponding to the United States folic acid fortification policy: prefortification (1994-1995), perifortification (1996-1997) and postfortification (1998). ORs for overall CRC risk comparing Q4 vs. Q1 were 0.91 (95% CI 0.67-1.24) and 0.91 (95% CI 0.67-1.23) for RBC and plasma folate, respectively. There were no changes in risk attributable to food supply fortification. These results do not support an overall association of folate with CRC risk and suggest that folic acid fortification of the US food supply did not alter the associations in these postmenopausal women.

As a field, gifted education does not endorse any one approach to serving students because of the range of student abilities and resulting concomitant diverse needs. Therefore, service delivery in gifted education is still heavily teacher dependent. Yet, many of the components of Response to Intervention (RtI) are employed in gifted education, albeit inconsistently, such as preassessment. Although some of the current gifted curricular and instructional models embed key components of RtI within them, they are not implemented in a coherent or strategic fashion and educational policies undergirding both RtI and effective practices in gifted education are scant. Unless RtI has leadership support and district and/or state policies, it will not be implemented with fidelity and will lose its potential as a framework for overall student achievement. Leadership and policies become the infrastructure for RtI to not only become operational but systemic. Therefore, a need exists to create state and local policies that allow for the congruence of RtI and gifted education. In the absence of federal laws or mandates governing gifted education, state and local policy are the cornerstone driving gifted education programming in school systems across the United States. The need for coherent policies in gifted education that address the components of RtI is an opportunity to bring a comprehensive perspective--one from special education, gifted education, and general education--to the table to create policies that address differentiation, tiered services, and teacher education from a common framework. As the use of state standards and accountability measures intensify, the gifted field will find it necessary to use policies as the base for creating an infrastructure to support student growth. The way people approach the practice of education is experiencing tidal waves. There are competing demands for limited resources. People can ill afford to operate on separate agendas if they want to address the need for developing optimal opportunities for their best learners. The essential question is how to embrace the betterment of all learners, including the gifted. As a result, considering a model such as RtI affords the field an opportunity to partner with regular education and special education in developing policies undergirded by research that are more dynamic and comprehensive in nature by merging and integrating the best of each field. Gifted learners and indeed all learners' educational futures depend upon it. (Contains 1 table.)

This study investigated the ability of teachers to accurately rate the cognitive and academic functioning of 1,375 students in kindergarten through the third grade on the Clinical Assessment of Behavior (CAB), as compared to two objective cognitive ability tests. CAB teacher ratings were compared for high-ability students who were currently functioning with ability test scores greater than or equal to 120; comparisons also were made across the students' full ability range and according to their race/ethnicity. The Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test were contrasted with the CAB in terms of the proportions of culturally diverse students identified as high ability. A discernible CAB scale and cluster profile was evident for high-ability students, showing significantly better adjustment among the high-ability students as compared to the typical student from the general population. High-ability students evidenced adaptive strengths on the CAB Social Skills and Competence scales and on the Executive Function and Gifted and Talented clusters. (Contains 6 tables and 3 figures.)

Few studies have examined associations between plasma choline metabolites and risk of colorectal cancer. Therefore, we investigated associations between plasma biomarkers of choline metabolism [choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)] and colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women in a case-control study nested within the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. We selected 835 matched case-control pairs, and cases were further stratified by tumor site (proximal, distal, or rectal) and stage (local/regional or metastatic). Colorectal cancer was assessed by self-report and confirmed by medical records over the mean of 5.2 years of follow-up. Baseline plasma choline metabolites were measured by LC/MS-MS. In multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models, plasma choline tended to be positively associated with rectal cancer risk [OR (95% confidence interval, CI)(highest vs. lowest quartile) = 2.44 (0.93-6.40); P trend = 0.08], whereas plasma betaine was inversely associated with colorectal cancer overall [0.68 (0.47-0.99); P trend = 0.01] and with local/regional tumors [0.64 (0.42-0.99); P trend = 0.009]. Notably, the plasma betaine:choline ratio was inversely associated with colorectal cancer overall [0.56 (0.39-0.82); P trend = 0.004] as well as with proximal [0.66 (0.41-1.06); P trend = 0.049], rectal [0.27 (0.10-0.78); P trend = 0.02], and local/regional [0.50 (0.33-0.76); P trend = 0.001] tumors. Finally, plasma TMAO, an oxidative derivative of choline produced by intestinal bacteria, was positively associated with rectal cancer [3.38 (1.25-9.16); P trend = 0.02] and with overall colorectal cancer risk among women with lower (vs. higher) plasma vitamin B12 levels (P interaction = 0.003). Collectively, these data suggest that alterations in choline metabolism, which may arise early in disease development, may be associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer. The positive association between plasma TMAO and colorectal cancer risk is consistent with an involvement of the gut microbiome in colorectal cancer pathogenesis.

Folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism is essential for DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation. Perturbations in one-carbon metabolism have been implicated in increased risk of some cancers and may also affect inflammatory processes. We investigated these interrelated pathways to understand their relation. The objective was to explore associations between inflammation and biomarkers of nutritional status and one-carbon metabolism. In a cross-sectional study in 1976 women selected from the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, plasma vitamin B-6 [pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)], plasma vitamin B-12, plasma folate, and RBC folate were measured as nutritional biomarkers; serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) were measured as biomarkers of inflammation; and homocysteine and cysteine were measured as integrated biomarkers of one-carbon metabolism. Student's t, chi-square, and Spearman rank correlations, along with multiple linear regressions, were used to explore relations between biomarkers; additionally, we tested stratification by folic acid fortification period and multivitamin use. With the use of univariate analysis, plasma PLP was the only nutritional biomarker that was modestly significantly correlated with serum CRP and SAA (ρ = -0.22 and -0.12, respectively; P < 0.0001). Homocysteine (μmol/L) showed significant inverse correlations with all nutritional biomarkers (ranging from ρ = -0.30 to ρ = -0.46; all P < 0.0001). With the use of multiple linear regression, plasma PLP, RBC folate, homocysteine, and cysteine were identified as independent predictors of CRP; and PLP, vitamin B-12, RBC folate, and homocysteine were identified as predictors of SAA. When stratified by folic acid fortification period, nutrition-homocysteine correlations were generally weaker in the postfortification period, whereas associations between plasma PLP and serum CRP increased. Biomarkers of inflammation are associated with PLP, RBC folate, and homocysteine in women. The connection between the pathways needs to be further investigated and causality established. The trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00000611.

Given the complexities of being an educational leader and, specifically, an educational leader of a gifted program or school, should there be a moral guide or framework that can inform the daily practices of leaders within an ever-changing educational context of competing demands? Should leaders of gifted programs employ the same ethos as any leader or by virtue of leading a program of a special interest group, be guided by a different, moral approach? This article posits that leaders of gifted programs and schools should operationalize an integrated approach drawing upon a variety of historical and more current theories of moral reasoning and intuition coupled with theories that draw on distributive, transformational, and situational leadership in order to make their advocacy and leadership more effective.

PurposeActive surveillance is used to manage low-risk prostate cancer. Both PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG are promising biomarkers that may be associated with aggressive disease. This study examines the correlation of these biomarkers with higher cancer volume and grade determined at the time of biopsy in an active surveillance cohort.Experimental designUrine was collected after digital rectal examination prospectively as part of the multi-institutional Canary Prostate Active Surveillance Study (PASS). PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG levels were analyzed in urine collected at study entry. Biomarker scores were correlated to clinical and pathologic variables.ResultsIn 387 men, both PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG scores were significantly associated with higher volume disease. For a negative repeat biopsy, and 1% to 10%, 11% to 33%, 34% or more positive cores, median PCA3, and TMPRSS2:ERG scores increased incrementally (P < 0.005). Both PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG scores were also significantly associated with the presence of high-grade disease. For a negative repeat biopsy, Gleason 6 and Gleason ≥7 cancers, the median PCA3, and TMPRSS2:ERG scores also increased incrementally (P = 0.02 and P = 0.001, respectively). Using the marker scores as continuous variables, the ORs for a biopsy in which cancer was detected versus a negative repeat biopsy (ref) on modeling was 1.41 (95% CI: 1.07-1.85), P = 0.01 for PCA3 and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.10-1.49), P = 0.001 for TMPRSS2:ERG.ConclusionsFor men on active surveillance, both PCA3 and TMPRSS2:ERG seem to stratify the risk of having aggressive cancer as defined by tumor volume or Gleason score.

In this article, Brown and Garland, reflect on issues raised by James J. Gallagher, such as educational policies helping to create and support an infrastructure within which the needs of students can be addressed. Gallagher felt that a strong federal policy, such as IDEA, was critical to building and maintaining a solid infrastructure. Gallagher (2006) also noted that policy was one of the only ways to create stable, consistent support systems for gifted students. Going forward, Gallagher noted that the field of gifted must leverage these policy opportunities to ensure and scale effective and coherent systems for identifying, serving, and assessing gifted learners. Examples at state and local levels may include policies on virtual courses; emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives; opportunities for credit by demonstrated mastery; and dual enrollment opportunities.