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Personal academic agency--the thoughts, actions, and emotions that impact individual functioning at school--is central for academic success. On average, students from low socio-economic status (low-SES) backgrounds report lower levels of personal academic agency than their more advantaged peers, but there are also many who achieve academic success. Identifying different personal academic agency profiles among students from low-SES backgrounds may assist in targeting efforts to boost these factors within that population--and to identify students who are faring well, as well as those who might require additional support. This study examined five factors of personal academic agency (perceived competence, school belonging, perseverance, academic buoyancy, and conduct problems) among 20,125 secondary school students from low-SES backgrounds at 421 Australian schools. We identified profiles of students that vary in patterns of personal academic agency, and examined teaching support predictors and achievement differences associated with profile membership. Latent profile analysis revealed five student profiles: Vulnerable (9% of sample), Resigned (27%), Precarious (28%), Average (32%), and Flourishing (14%) profiles. Students' perceptions of teaching support predicted membership in more adaptive profiles (i.e., Average and Flourishing profiles)--with the most consistent teaching support predictors being emotional support, classroom management, and instructional relevance. In addition, the Flourishing profile displayed the highest achievement.

Personal best (PB) goal setting refers to the pursuit of individual improvement through striving to outperform a previous best level of performance or effort. Although promising evidence has been building, numerous empirical questions remain to be answered, including how PB goal setting may operate alongside various contextual predictors of academic functioning. Applying the Academic Demands-Resources (AD-R) framework, the present study examined how academic resources and demands (conceptualized by way of teachers' interpersonal styles: autonomy-supportive and psychologically-controlling/thwarting teaching) and personal resources (PB goal setting) are associated with parent reports of students' behavioral engagement (homework behavior). The study comprised 414 Australian secondary school students. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that PB goal setting significantly predicted positive homework behavior and also moderated the association between psychologically-controlling teaching practices and homework behavior, such that PB goal setting was associated with positive homework behavior under conditions of high demands. The present work highlights the potentially unique contribution of PB goal setting in facilitating students' adaptive engagement and demonstrates the utility of the AD-R framework for better understanding students' engagement in the academic context.

Many countries around the world are facing issues related to low levels of teacher wellbeing. In Australia, for example, there is a severe teacher shortage, resulting in many understaffed schools. Although this shortage is due to a confluence of factors, part of the cause stems from the fact that the support provided to teachers in recent years has not kept pace with the increasing professional demands. Supporting teacher well-being is a worthy and critical aim in itself, but it also has a larger benefit because teacher well-being has ramifications for instruction and student well-being. Teacher and student functioning are inherently intertwined, so efforts to promote well-being among each party are likely to have carryover effects to the other. The author and their colleagues have conducted several recent studies looking at teacher and student well-being in Australia, with a particular focus on factors that predict greater well-being. Together, these studies suggest that working conditions and aspects of school environments affect teachers' well-being, as well as their likelihood of leaving their schools or the teaching workforce altogether. Importantly, teachers' working conditions and well-being also have implications for student achievement.

Abstract There has been limited research on the health impacts of extreme bushfire exposure among emergency responders (ER) involved in suppressing extreme bushfires. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between extreme bushfires and ER’s compensated injury and illness in Victoria, Australia. State-wide ER compensation claims from January 2005 to April 2023 were analysed. Logistic regression modelling was used to identify factors associated with compensation claims during the extreme bushfire periods in 2009 and 2019/20, compared to all other claims, adjusting for seasonality (summer). Of the 44,164 included claims, 1105 (2.5%) had recorded injury/disease onset dates within extreme bushfire periods, and 11,642 (26.4%) occurred in summer months. Over half of claims were made by police (52.4%), followed by ambulance officers/paramedics (27.2%) and firefighters (20.5%). Extreme bushfire period claims were associated with older workers (odds ratio/OR = 1.58,95%CI = 1.30–1.92, ages ≥ 55 vs. 35–44 years). Mental disorders (OR = 1.61,95%CI = 1.25–2.07), intracranial injuries (OR = 3.04,95%CI = 1.69–5.48) and infections/parasites (OR = 3.11,95%CI = 1.61–5.98) vs. wounds were associated with extreme bushfire period claims. Given the expected increase in extreme bushfire events and the ageing workforce, study findings underscore the importance of primary and secondary prevention in ER. This can include periodic health surveillance for older workers, access to early treatment, and ongoing support for mental health conditions.

This investigation examined the role of students' social-emotional need satisfaction in relation to academic engagement and social-emotional skills. Among a sample of 501 secondary school students (and their parents/carers), several need satisfaction variables were examined: perceived social-emotional autonomy, perceived social competence, perceived emotional competence, perceived relatedness with students, and perceived relatedness with teachers. The hypothesised outcomes were student-reported behavioural disaffection, and parent reports of students' homework practices, expressive skill, and perspective-taking skill. Results demonstrated that perceived social competence was associated with lower behavioural disaffection. Perceived emotional competence was associated with more positive homework practices, greater expressive skill, and greater perspective-taking skill. Perceived relatedness with teachers was associated with lower behavioural disaffection and more positive homework practices. Findings have implications for supporting students' positive adjustment in school and beyond.

This study involved examining the psychometric properties of the Tripartite Occupational Well-Being Scale (TOWBS) among a sample of 502 Australian teachers. The TOWBS (12 items) comprises three factors of subjective vitality, behavioral engagement, and professional growth. The TOWBS -- Short (3 items) assesses a broad factor of occupational well-being. Results confirmed the reliability, factor structure, and longitudinal measurement invariance of the scale scores for both scales. In addition, the two forms of the scale functioned similarly across different teacher characteristics, and the well-being factors were demonstrated to be associated with four external correlates in plausible ways (workplace buoyancy, psychological detachment, somatic burden, emotional exhaustion). Combined, findings offer support for the scale as an assessment of teacher well-being. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

We investigated academic buoyancy - and its predictors and outcomes - among female students attending all-girls and coeducational schools. We examined data from 1,254 female students. Structural equation modeling revealed that students' perceptions of three instructional climate factors (teacher-student relationships, useful content, engaging content) were positively associated with their learning strategies (elaboration, memorization, control) and achievement and, in turn, academic buoyancy (assessed one year later) in similar ways across the two school types. In turn, learning strategies, achievement, and academic buoyancy were associated with academic, well-being, and occupational outcomes assessed up to age 22 in different ways. Together, the findings provide understanding about academic buoyancy among girls, provide guidance for how teachers can support buoyancy and other personal attributes among girls, and yield knowledge about the longer-term outcomes of academic buoyancy.

Background: Identifying factors implicated in teachers' well-being and turnover intentions is important for driving research, policy, and practice to better support teachers in their work. Aims: This study examined the role of three job resources (autonomy-supportive leadership, relatedness with colleagues and students) and three job demands (autonomy-thwarting leadership, time pressure, disruptive student behaviour) in relation to teacher well-being (subjective vitality, behavioural engagement, professional growth) and turnover intentions. Sample: Participants were 426 Australian school teachers. Methods: Structural equation modelling was used to examine main associations and interactions among factors. Teachers' characteristics (gender, teaching experience and educational qualification) and personality factors served as controls in all analyses. Results: The job resources were generally positively associated with the well-being factors, whereas time pressure was negatively associated with vitality, but positively associated with behavioural engagement. In addition, relatedness with colleagues and subjective vitality were negatively associated with turnover intentions, whereas the reverse was true for autonomy-thwarting leadership and time pressure. There were no interaction terms retained in the final model. Conclusion: Taken together, findings yield understanding about the salient resources and demands in relation to teachers' well-being and turnover intentions (beyond the role of background characteristics and personality factors).

Neurological complications, including encephalopathy and stroke, occur in a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases but viral protein is seldom detected in the brain parenchyma. To model this situation, we developed a novel low-inoculum K18-hACE2 mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection during which active viral replication was consistently seen in mouse lungs but not in the brain. We found that several mediators previously associated with encephalopathy in clinical samples were upregulated in the lung, including CCL2, and IL-6. In addition, several inflammatory mediations, including CCL4, IFNγ, IL-17A, were upregulated in the brain, associated with microglial reactivity. Parallel in vitro experiments demonstrated that the filtered supernatant from SARS-CoV-2 virion exposed brain endothelial cells induced activation of uninfected microglia. This model successfully recreates SARS-CoV-2 virus-associated para-infectious brain inflammation which can be used to study the pathophysiology of the neurological complications and the identification of potential immune targets for treatment.

Reproducible and standardised neurological assessment scales are important in quantifying research outcomes. These scales are often performed by non-neurologists and/or non-clinicians and must be robust, quantifiable, reproducible and comparable to a neurologist's assessment. COVID-CNS is a multi-centre study which utilised the Neurological Impairment Scale (NIS) as a core assessment tool in studying neurological outcomes following COVID-19 infection. We investigated the strengths and weaknesses of the NIS when used by non-neurology clinicians and non-clinicians, and compared performance to a structured neurological examination performed by a neurology clinician. Through our findings, we provide practical advice on how non-clinicians can be readily trained in conducting reproducible and standardised neurological assessments in a multi-centre study, as well as illustrating potential pitfalls of these tools.

Abstract Background Non-toxic approaches to enhance radiotherapy outcomes are beneficial, particularly in ageing populations. Based on preclinical findings showing that high-fibre diets sensitised bladder tumours to irradiation by modifying the gut microbiota, along with clinical evidence of prebiotics enhancing anti-cancer immunity, we hypothesised that dietary fibre and its gut microbiota modification can radiosensitise tumours via secretion of metabolites and/or immunomodulation. We investigated the efficacy of high-fibre diets combined with irradiation in immunoproficient C57BL/6 mice bearing bladder cancer flank allografts. Result Psyllium plus inulin significantly decreased tumour size and delayed tumour growth following irradiation compared to 0.2% cellulose and raised intratumoural CD8+ cells. Post-irradiation, tumour control positively correlated with Lachnospiraceae family abundance. Psyllium plus resistant starch radiosensitised the tumours, positively correlating with Bacteroides genus abundance and increased caecal isoferulic acid levels, associated with a favourable response in terms of tumour control. Psyllium plus inulin mitigated the acute radiation injury caused by 14 Gy. Psyllium plus inulin increased caecal acetate, butyrate and propionate levels, and psyllium alone and psyllium plus resistant starch increased acetate levels. Human gut microbiota profiles at the phylum level were generally more like mouse 0.2% cellulose profiles than high fibre profiles. Conclusion These supplements may be useful in combination with radiotherapy in patients with pelvic malignancy. Video Abstract

Abstract: Aim: Theory predicts fish community biomass to decline with increasing temperature due to higher metabolic losses resulting in less efficient energy transfer in warm‐water food webs. However, whether these metabolic predictions explain observed macroecological patterns in fish community biomass is virtually unknown. Here, we test these predictions by examining the variation in demersal fish biomass across productive shelf regions. Location: Twenty one continental shelf regions in the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific. Time Period: 1980–2015. Major Taxa Studied: Marine teleost fish and elasmobranchs. Methods: We compiled high‐resolution bottom trawl survey data of fish biomass containing 166,000 unique tows and corrected biomass for differences in sampling area and trawl gear catchability. We examined whether relationships between net primary production and demersal fish community biomass are mediated by temperature, food‐web structure and the level of fishing exploitation, as well as the choice of spatial scale of the analysis. Subsequently, we examined if temperature explains regional changes in fish biomass over time under recent warming. Results: We find that biomass per km2 varies 40‐fold across regions and is highest in cold waters and areas with low fishing exploitation. We find no evidence that temperature change has impacted biomass within marine regions over the time period considered. The biomass variation is best explained by an elementary trophodynamic model that accounts for temperature‐dependent trophic efficiency. Main Conclusions: Our study supports the hypothesis that temperature is a main driver of large‐scale cross‐regional variation in fish community biomass. The cross‐regional pattern suggests that long‐term impacts of warming will be negative on biomass. These results provide an empirical basis for predicting future changes in fish community biomass and its associated services for human wellbeing that is food provisioning, under global climate change.

BACKGROUND Bone marrow stem cells have been shown to be a promising therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell (ABMSC) transplantation without immunoablation used to suppress the autoimmune reaction in 6 children with newly diagnosed autoimmune diabetes mellitus. We monitored the levels of islet cell antibodies (ICA), antibodies against islet antigen-related tyrosine phosphatase 2 (IA2), glutamic acid-decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies, and anti-insulin antibodies (AIA). MATERIAL AND METHODS Between 2018 and 2022, 6 children (age 6-10 years, average 8 years) recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus with the presence of ICA, IA2, GAD, AIA and ketoacidosis, were treated with an ABMSC stimulated with Filgrastim, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), 10 ug/kg/day for 4 days. Bone marrow was harvested on day 5, collected by puncture and identified as mononuclear cells >180×10⁶/kg, CD34+ >0.22%, and transplanted by intravenous (i.v.) infusion. Patients were monitored with ICA, IA2, GAD, AIA, C-peptide, blood glucose, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) 6 months after the procedure. RESULTS At 6-month follow-up, we observed a negative value of the ICA, which was previously positive (P

We used latent profile analysis to identify major behavioral self-regulation profiles among children who were assessed as developmentally vulnerable in terms of hyperactivity and inattention. We examined three domains of behavioral regulation: (a) cognitive--behavioral regulation by way of learning behaviors; (b) social-behavioral regulation by way of socially responsible behaviors; and (c) emotional-behavioral regulation by way of aggressive-disruptive behaviors. We employed data from the population of New South Wales (NSW) children who were in their first year of school (viz., kindergarten) and who had been assessed as developmentally vulnerable in terms of hyperactivity and inattention in the Australian Early Development Census in 2009 (Cohort 1; N = 10,223) and 2012 (Cohort 2; N = 9,360). In both cohorts, we identified six similar profiles: the "well-regulated" (12%), "moderately-regulated" (25%), "aggressive-regulated" (7%), "mixed-unregulated" (32%), "nonaggressive-unregulated" (10%), and "aggressive-unregulated profiles" (14%). Sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with profile membership. For Cohort 1, we also found that the profiles differed in the extent to which children went on to receive a formal Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Together, the findings have implications for early intervention for various behavioral self-regulation profiles among developmentally vulnerable children.

The present study examined the associations between school-average teacher well-being (emotional exhaustion and behavioral engagement) and school-average student achievement (literacy and numeracy) among a sample of 486 teachers in 39 elementary schools. Multilevel structural equation modelling was used to assess a two-level model, with teachers at level 1 (L1) and schools at level 2 (L2). Results revealed a significant negative association between school-level emotional exhaustion and school-level academic achievement, such that schools with higher levels of emotional exhaustion among teachers were also lower in school-average student achievement. School-level behavioral engagement among teachers was not significantly associated with school-level student achievement; however, the effect size was large highlighting the need for additional research with greater power at L2 (school-level) to examine this further. These findings hold important implications for the way in which emotional exhaustion is addressed among staff at a whole-school level and extends prior knowledge of the role teachers play in school-level academic achievement.

Constructing artificial ion channels is a challenging task. Herein, the de novo design of transmembrane ion channels made up of amphiphilic peptide–oligourea chimeric helices is described. They consist of an oligourea segment (7‐mer) attached to the C‐terminus of a short peptide (8‐mer). Mass spectrometry (MS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses show that in an aqueous solution, two of these chimeras (HPU‐E and HPU‐N) independently form defined oligomeric structures. TEM also shows that they form fiber bundles. The third related chimera HPU‐F does not oligomerize (MS) but forms spherical nanostructures (TEM). HPU‐E and HPU‐N exhibit anion transport activity across lipid bilayers via antiport mechanism (HPU‐N > HPU‐E). The anion selectivity of HPU‐N is Cl−>NO3− > Br−>SCN− > I− > AcO−>F−, which can be due to anion binding within the channels rather than size exclusion. Patch‐clamp data support HPU‐N's Cl− selectivity (PCl−/PI− = 3.26). X‐ray crystal structure (1.77 Å) of HPU‐N reveals well‐packed α‐helices, and cryo‐electron microscopy data shows the formation of nanotubes (13.7 Å diameter pores) and transmembrane channels. The study shows that α‐peptide–oligourea‐based de novo design can yield unique bioactive molecules with defined structures and functions.

Background. In the absence of more recent national data on underlying causes of death in South Africa (SA), we examined mortality trends from 2010 to 2022 among members of a large private medical scheme. This analysis sheds light on the health profile of this specific demographic. Objective. To investigate trends in Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) members’ death rates and underlying cause of death patterns between 2010 and 2022. Methods. All-cause deaths were compared across years accounting for demographic changes, by analysing age- and sex-standardised rates using 2019 age and sex population weightings. We used underlying cause-of-death data from death notifications. Results. The 2019 age- and sex-standardised death rate was lower than the 2010 rate by 10%, with a steady decline experienced between 2010 and 2019. We have seen reduced age- and sex-standardised death rates from HIV/AIDS during this period, and despite the high prevalence, reduced age- and sex-standardised death rates from non-communicable diseases. Malignant neoplasms and cardiovascular disease have been and remained the two leading causes of death for Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) clients between 2012 and 2022. Age- and sex- standardised death rates, however, reached historic high levels during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic in SA. In 2020, overall age- and sex-standardised death rates for DHMS members increased to 542 deaths per 100 000 life years, which was higher than pre-pandemic levels. Age- and sex-standardised death rates went on to reach their highest level in the history of the scheme in 2021, at 767 deaths per 100 000 life years. Age- and sex-standardised death rates, however, had returned to near 2019 (pre-pandemic) levels by 2022, at 477 deaths per 100 000 life years. Males experienced a higher increase in age-standardised death rates during 2020 and remained at an increased risk of death in 2022 compared with pre-pandemic levels. When COVID-19 -related deaths are excluded, the age-standardised rates for both females and males in 2022 was lower than observed in the pre-pandemic years. While the low mortality experience could be related to competing causes and mortality displacement, further analysis over a longer period is needed to confirm this. Conclusion. DHMS experienced the highest level of age- and sex-standardised death rates during 2020 and 2021, the initial 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of this increase was explained by COVID-19 deaths.

The role of stressors, insect bites, and infections on disease relapse of ANCA vasculitis has yet to be entirely explored, with limited retrospective studies focused on disease onset from small participant cohorts. Our study analyzes longitudinal survey data from 2011–2022 to evaluate this perspective from a large ANCA vasculitis cohort. We collected surveys every three to six months to obtain information on self-reported psychological stressors and significant life events, insect bites, and infections throughout clinical disease. We defined cohorts as those who relapsed (Relapse Cohort) and controls as those who did not relapse (Remission Cohort) during the study period. Survey responses were retrospectively reviewed during a 15-month timeframe prior to relapse or during 15 months of remission and categorized by type of stress event, insect bite, and infections at every available 3-month interval. There were no significant differences in stress and insect bites between the relapse and remission cohorts. Patients who relapsed reported more frequent upper respiratory infections and other infections, such as those affecting the skin and eyes, but there were no significant differences in the incidence of pulmonary or urinary infections compared to the remission cohort. There was a significant difference in reported upper respiratory infections 9 to 15 months prior to the relapse date, indicating a remote history of infections as a potentially significant physical stressor that may contribute to disease relapse. More frequent patient-reported infections, specifically upper respiratory infections, may contribute to patient vulnerability to relapse. Counseling and close monitoring of patients after infectious symptoms could aid in earlier detection of disease flares. Future studies are essential to further understand the importance of distal risk factors and how they impact relapse.

Embedding research users into the research process can better support its translation into health systems and services. Still, the role of health decision-makers (HDMs) as research partners is poorly understood. HDMs, such as policymakers, administrators, directors or other managers, understand the broader contexts of a health service and have a mandate to facilitate change where appropriate, so they could play an important partnership role in research activities.

Since their release in late 2022, generative AI (genAI) tools have led to widespread use, including among teachers. The aim of our study is to examine several factors that may be implicated in teachers' motivation and engagement to harness genAI in teaching and learning. We examined contextual (i.e., autonomy-supportive leadership, autonomy-thwarting leadership), occupational experience (i.e., professional growth striving, change-related stress), and background factors (i.e., gender, age, teaching experience, contract length, class size, school level) as predictors of motivation (i.e., genAI valuing) and, in turn, engagement (i.e., integration in teaching-related work and student learning activities). Among 339 Australian teachers, our findings revealed that perceived autonomy-supportive leadership, professional growth striving, and change-related stress were linked with greater genAI valuing. In turn, genAI valuing was associated with greater genAI integration in both teaching-related work and student learning activities. Perceived autonomy-thwarting leadership was directly linked with greater genAI integration in student learning activities, and professional growth striving was directly associated with greater genAI integration in teaching-related work. Teachers’ gender and school level were also linked with the motivation and engagement factors, and there were several indirect associations as well. Our results pinpoint areas of focus for future research, policy, and practice to support genAI and its application in schools.

Police officers experience higher levels of mental illness compared to the general population. These traumas are known as operational stress injuries and are the result of operational and organizational stressors. These stressors often result in elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness is widely becoming a mainstream method to help individuals cope with these disorders; however, while rapidly growing, the literature on the efficacy of mindfulness programs for police officers is in its infancy. Given the atypical work schedules officers keep, and the COVID-driven demand for remote service delivery, this pilot study examined the efficacy of a modified version of the online mindfulness program called MindFit Cop. Officers in our study completed a series of surveys before and after the 9-week intervention. We found significant results across timepoints for total mindfulness and self-compassion scores, and a significant interaction for time × group for non-reactivity. No significant results were found for group. This pilot study lends further support for the benefits of mindfulness for police officers in improving overall mindfulness and self-compassion.

The role of two leadership factors (autonomy-supportive and autonomy-thwarting leadership) and one personal resource (workplace buoyancy) were examined as predictors of three teacher outcomes: somatic burden, stress related to change, and emotional exhaustion. Data were collected from 325 Australian teachers in May, 2020 during the first wave of COVID-19. During this time, many Australian children were being taught remotely from home, while other students were attending schools in-person. Findings showed that autonomy-supportive leadership was associated with greater buoyancy and, in turn, lower somatic burden, stress related to change, and emotional exhaustion (while controlling for covariates, including COVID-19 work situation). Autonomy-thwarting leadership was positively associated with emotional exhaustion. In addition, autonomy-supportive leadership was indirectly associated with the outcomes. The findings provide understanding of factors that may be harnessed to support teachers during subsequent waves of COVID-19 and other future disruptions to schooling that may occur.

Abstract Introduction Pandemic public health measures have affected mental health for many people. We sought to determine how people were managing their mental health concerns during the pandemic, and to identify worker characteristics where actions were more common. Methods A prospective cohort of 1646 Australians, who were in paid employment prior to the pandemic, completed a survey during 27 April– 26 July 2020 on changes in work, health, and actions taken to manage their mental health concerns. Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine actions taken to manage mental health concerns during the prior month, such as lifestyle changes, exercise, use of online resources, and talking to others. Regression models identify worker characteristics where actions were more common. Results Lifestyle changes were the most frequently reported action to manage mental health concerns (78%), and were more common for women (OR = 2.33, 95%CI=[1.82, 3.03]), and people experiencing recent work loss (OR = 1.54, 95%CI=[1.04, 2.28]). Overall, mental health self-care was more common for people experiencing psychological distress, or with pre-existing mental conditions. Talking to friends about mental health, and making changes to diet and exercise, was more common for women and those aged 18–24 years. Psychological distress was a significant indicator for consulting with health professionals. Conclusion Actions to manage mental health concerns during the pandemic were common, as were conversations with friends or family members. During economic crises, support and services should focus on reducing barriers to formal mental health care, particularly for people who less commonly seek help, and those experiencing moderate to high levels of psychological distress.