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Purpose: This research seeks to explore the potential of Lesson Study as a vehicle to support professional development (PD) in a rural, Irish primary school. Lesson Study was utilised to design and implement integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) lessons with young children (ages 4-7 years). Design/methodology/approach: Three teachers were introduced to and participated in four cycles of Lesson Study over the course of one school year. Qualitative data were generated from interviews, collaborative weekly meetings and observation sheets. Findings: Analysis suggests that Lesson Study supported the development of a culture of collaboration and provided an opportunity for teachers to share their knowledge. Findings also reveal that Lesson Study motivated teachers to reflect on their role within the classroom and enabled them to move away from teacher-led approaches. Although teachers perceived Lesson Study to be a beneficial form of PD, factors constrained their engagement, including practical, cultural and sustainability challenges. Practical implications: The study explores the adaptability of Lesson Study in first level education in the context of STEM education. It reveals teachers' first experience of Lesson Study, given its stark contrast to more "traditional" PD experiences they are accustomed to. This article will, therefore, be of interest to teachers, school leaders and policy makers. Originality/value: This paper contributes initial findings to a currently under-researched area, Lesson Study in a rural context. This study also combines Lesson Study with STEM education, which has not been widely explored.

Changes in society demand constantly evolving education systems. Teachers' practice is crucial to the successful implementation of educational reforms. A major obstacle for practicing teachers in implementing reform mathematics is that they have not experienced it themselves as learners. Consequently, teachers require extended, practice-based professional development to support them in the implementation phase of reform endeavours. Japanese Lesson Study has increased in popularity internationally as a professional development model due to its potential to facilitate teachers to learn in and from the practice of teaching. This self-study examines two mathematics teacher educators' first experience of facilitating Lesson Study with Irish primary in-service teachers. Reflection on the Lesson Study carried out with in-service teachers in 8 urban schools revealed three critical incidents that promoted deeper understanding of the context. The findings provide insights into the realities of managing and leading Lesson Study with in-service teachers, in particular the various barriers affecting teacher engagement. Alternative approaches to practice to address these challenges are also identified.

We investigated the impact of the number of induction/consolidation cycles on outcomes of 3113 adult AML patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) between 2008 and 2019. Patients received allo-HCT using myeloablative (MAC) or reduced-intensity (RIC) conditioning in first complete remission (CR) or with primary induction failure (PIF). Patients who received MAC allo-HCT in CR after 1 induction cycle had 1.3-fold better overall survival (OS) than 2 cycles to CR and 1.47-fold better than ≥3 cycles. OS after CR in 2 or ≥3 cycles was similar. Relapse risk was 1.65-fold greater in patients receiving ≥3 cycles to achieve CR. After RIC allo-HCT, the number of induction cycles to CR did not affect OS. Compared to CR in 1 cycle, relapse risk was 1.24-1.41-fold greater in patients receiving 2 or ≥3 cycles. For patients receiving only 1 cycle to CR, consolidation therapy prior to MAC allo-HCT was associated with improved OS vs. no consolidation therapy. Detectable MRD at the time of MAC allo-HCT did not impact outcomes while detectable MRD preceding RIC allo-HCT was associated with an increased risk of relapse. For allo-HCT in PIF, OS was significantly worse than allo-HCT in CR after 1-3 cycles.

Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has gained momentum due to increasing calls for a more STEM-literate society. As teaching integrated STEM poses curricular and pedagogical challenges for most generalist primary teachers, professional development (PD) is essential to support them to develop appropriate knowledge and efficacy to teach STEM. This paper presents a qualitative study of 17 primary teachers, 2 school principals and the PD facilitator. It explores the perceived impact of a customised three-phase STEM PD program on teacher efficacy in STEM education using Bandura's (1977) sources of efficacy as an analytic lens. The findings illustrate how particular features of the PD model were identified as contributing to the development of participating teachers' performance accomplishment, emotional arousal, vicarious experiences and verbal persuasion. In particular, there was consensus that the developmental structure of the STEM PD program, in terms of teachers' assuming increasing ownership for their STEM learning, incrementally enhanced teacher efficacy in STEM education. Implications of this study for STEM education and in particular STEM PD are discussed fully.

Abstract Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) are major opportunistic pathogens and the causative agents of serious diseases, such as urinary tract infections and endocarditis. VRE strains mainly include species of Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis which can colonise the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of patients and, following growth and persistence in the gut, can transfer to blood resulting in systemic dissemination in the body. Advancements in genomics have revealed that hospital-associated VRE strains are characterised by increased numbers of mobile genetic elements, higher numbers of antibiotic resistance genes and often lack active CRISPR-Cas systems. Additionally, comparative genomics have increased our understanding of dissemination routes among patients and healthcare workers. Since the efficiency of currently available antibiotics is rapidly declining, new measures to control infection and dissemination of these persistent pathogens are urgently needed. These approaches include combinatory administration of antibiotics, strengthening colonisation resistance of the gut microbiota to reduce VRE proliferation through commensals or probiotic bacteria, or switching to non-antibiotic bacterial killers, such as bacteriophages or bacteriocins. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of the genomics of VRE isolates and state-of-the-art therapeutic advances against VRE infections.

Exposing C-section infants to the maternal vaginal microbiome, coined “vaginal seeding”, partially restores microbial colonization. However, whether vaginal seeding decreases metabolic disease risk is unknown. Therefore, we assessed the effect of vaginal seeding of human infants on adiposity in a murine model. Germ-free mice were colonized with transitional stool from human infants who received vaginal seeding or control (placebo) seeding in a double-blind randomized trial. There was a reduction in intraabdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) volume in male mice that received stool from vaginally seeded infants compared to control infants. Higher levels of isoleucine and lower levels of nucleic acid metabolites were observed in controls and correlated with increased IAAT. This suggests that early changes in the gut microbiome and metabolome caused by vaginal seeding have a positive impact on metabolic health.

Management of deep-sea fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species' co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.

Prospective teachers' mathematics efficacy beliefs affect school placement experiences and influence later teacher behaviour and subsequent student outcomes. These efficacy beliefs are open to change during initial teacher education and become more resistant to change once the teacher enters the workforce. Therefore, it is important to measure mathematics teacher efficacy early in initial teacher education and identify low efficacy beliefs. This study measured the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of 402 prospective primary teachers. Arising from Rasch analysis of the efficacy scores of these teachers, 22 participants who displayed a range of mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs were interviewed to gain insights into factors affecting these beliefs. Participants communicated greater confidence in tasks requiring procedural (tell-items) than conceptual knowledge (explain-items). Both low and high efficacy participants reported traditional experiences of mathematics teaching and learning as students. However, high efficacy participants reported mastery of mathematics within these traditional contexts, whereas their low efficacy peers did not report mastery. Furthermore, all participants reported how memories of their school mathematics experiences informed their level of efficacy when thinking about teaching mathematics, thus revealing the powerful influence of mastery experiences.

IntroductionAntimicrobial-resistant pathogens present an ongoing threat to human and animal health, with deaths linked to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) predicted to increase annually. While the misuse and overuse of antibiotics in humans undoubtedly contribute to this escalation, antibiotic use in the veterinary field, including companion animals, also plays a contributing role. Pet owners’ desire to improve the quality of life of their pets is likely to support antibiotic use in this field. Consequently, there is a need for antibiotic alternatives to treat bacterial infections. This study set out to screen for antimicrobial peptides known as bacteriocins from bacterial isolates of aerobic/microaerophilic environments of canine sources and determine their potential as antibiotic alternatives against clinically relevant pathogens.MethodsFollowing a laboratory-based protocol, 22 bacterial isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and a total of 14 putative novel bacteriocins were identified from both class I and II bacteriocin classes. One particular bacteriocin, herein named caledonicin, was identified via in silico analysis from a Staphylococcus caledonicus strain and partially purified for further in vitro evaluation.ResultsCaledonicin is a 64-amino acid (IAANLGVSSGTAYS MANALNNISNVATA LTIIGTFTGVGTIGSGIA ATILAILKKKGVAAAAAF) novel circular bacteriocin most closely related to enterocin_NKR-5-3B based on core peptide alignment (39.1%), with a molecular weight of 6077.1 Da. Caledonicin exhibits a broad-spectrum of activity against a range of pathogenic bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), and Listeria monocytogenes; and the gut-related bacterium associated with Crohn’s disease, Mediterraneibacter gnavus ATCC 29149 (previously Ruminococcus gnavus ATCC 29149).DiscussionThis represents the first bacteriocin screening study involving bacteria from canine sources and confirms this is a rich environment for bacteriocin-producing strains. This study also identifies and characterises the first novel bacteriocin from the staphylococcal species, Staphylococcus caledonicus.

Concern that stereotypical perceptions of scientists may influence attitudes towards science and willingness to pursue STEM-related careers has motivated interest in children's perceptions of scientists. This study investigated primary children's drawings of scientists at work based on Chambers' 'Draw-A-Scientist Test' (DAST) and explored the influence of living during the COVID-19 pandemic on perceptions of scientists. One hundred and ninety-four children participated in the study; school closures interrupted the study resulting in fifty-one participating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stereotypic views of scientists that increased with age were revealed; differences between age groups were statistically significant. Drawings frequently depicted smiling lab-coated males working indoors using chemistry equipment. Boys incorporated significantly more stereotypic views in their drawings than girls. Same-sex preference for drawings of scientists was evident with female scientists drawn only by girls; however, this same sex preference weakened for girls, and they drew more male scientists as they got older. The absence of many traditional stereotypical indicators and presence of positive dispositions towards scientists and their work were welcome findings. There was greater awareness of the work of scientists amongst younger participants and a shift to broader conceptions of this work, both associated with living during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, in 2016 about 1 in 5 children in the United Stated lives in poverty (19%) Students in our music classrooms and ensembles do not begin life from the same starting line. They come from homes and communities that are vastly different. The intersections of poverty, disability, racial inequity, disability, and trauma are inextricably linked in their daily lives. This article will examine these issues and offer suggestions for future policy and practice decisions in the arts.

An essential task for mathematics teachers is posing problems. Selecting mathematics problems that develop mathematical proficiency and engage students in desirable mathematical practices is a critical decision-making process. We present the Framework for Posing Elementary Mathematics Problems (F-PosE) developed to focus prospective teacher noticing on desirable features of mathematics problems and inform decision-making processes around the selection of problems for use in elementary classrooms. Development of the framework was informed by a three-phase design research process consisting of an extensive review of the literature, document content analysis and successive testing of mathematics problems in elementary classrooms in partnership with teachers and children. Consequently, it draws from emergent practice informed by the collective endeavour of a community of educators. The framework consists of eight indicators: use of a motivating and engaging context, clarity in language and cultural context, curriculum coherence, attention to cognitive demand, an appropriate number of solution steps to support reasoning, a variety of solution strategies, facilitating multiple solutions and opportunity for success. This F-PosE provides a critical focusing lens for prospective teachers when creating and selecting mathematics problems specifically for use in elementary classrooms.

The role of haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) using posttransplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy) for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is being defined. We performed a retrospective, multivariable analysis comparing outcomes of HCT approaches by donor for adults with ALL in remission. The primary objective was to compare overall survival (OS) among haploidentical HCTs using PTCy and HLA-matched sibling donor (MSD), 8/8 HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD), 7 /8 HLA-MUD, or umbilical cord blood (UCB) HCT. Comparing haploidentical HCT to MSD HCT, we found that OS, leukemia-free survival (LFS), nonrelapse mortality (NRM), relapse, and acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) were not different but chronic GVHD (cGVHD) was higher in MSD HCT. Compared with MUD HCT, OS, LFS, and relapse were not different, but MUD HCT had increased NRM (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; P = .02), grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 1.59; P = .005), and cGVHD. Compared with 7/8 UD HCT, LFS and relapse were not different, but 7/8 UD HCT had worse OS (HR, 1.38; P = .01) and increased NRM (HR, 2.13; P ≤ .001), grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 1.86; P = .003), and cGVHD (HR, 1.72; P ≤ .001). Compared with UCB HCT, late OS, late LFS, relapse, and cGVHD were not different but UCB HCT had worse early OS (≤18 months; HR, 1.93; P < .001), worse early LFS (HR, 1.40; P = .007) and increased incidences of NRM (HR, 2.08; P < .001) and grade 3 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 1.97; P < .001). Haploidentical HCT using PTCy showed no difference in survival but less GVHD compared with traditional MSD and MUD HCT and is the preferred alternative donor HCT option for adults with ALL in complete remission.

Little is known about whether risk classification at diagnosis predicts post-hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We evaluated 8709 patients with AML from the CIBMTR database, and after selection and manual curation of the cytogenetics data, 3779 patients in first complete remission were included in the final analysis: 2384 with intermediate-risk, 969 with adverse-risk, and 426 with KMT2A-rearranged disease. An adjusted multivariable analysis detected an increased risk of relapse for patients with KMT2A-rearranged or adverse-risk AML as compared to those with intermediate-risk disease (hazards ratio [HR], 1.27; P = .01; HR, 1.71; P < .001, respectively). Leukemia-free survival was similar for patients with KMT2A rearrangement or adverse risk (HR, 1.26; P = .002, and HR, 1.47; P < .001), as was overall survival (HR, 1.32; P < .001, and HR, 1.45; P < .001). No differences in outcome were detected when patients were stratified by KMT2A fusion partner. This study is the largest conducted to date on post-HCT outcomes in AML, with manually curated cytogenetics used for risk stratification. Our work demonstrates that risk classification at diagnosis remains predictive of post-HCT outcomes in AML. It also highlights the critical need to develop novel treatment strategies for patients with KMT2A-rearranged and adverse-risk disease.

Cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities are known to influence post-transplant outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but data assessing the prognostic value of combined genetic models in the HCT setting are limited. We developed an adapted European LeukemiaNet (aELN) risk classification based on available genetic data reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, to predict post-transplant outcomes in 2289 adult AML patients transplanted in first remission, between 2013 and 2017. Patients were stratified according to aELN into three groups: favorable (Fav, N = 181), intermediate (IM, N = 1185), and adverse (Adv, N = 923). Univariate analysis demonstrated significant differences in 2-year overall survival (OS) (Fav: 67.7%, IM: 64.9% and Adv: 53.9%; p

Responding to mathematical problems is a core activity in classrooms. The problems that teachers select determine the mathematical content, processes and nature of mathematical inquiry occurring in classrooms and thereby contribute to the development of mathematical skills and dispositions. Selecting, designing or reformulating mathematical problems is a critical skill, then, for prospective and practising teachers. This study explores the influence of a mathematical letter writing initiative in developing the problem posing skills of 28 prospective primary teachers. We examine the characteristics of mathematical problems designed by prospective teachers, and their understandings of what constitutes a good mathematical problem, prior to and following completion of a 12-week letter writing initiative with 10-11-year-old children. Analysis of the data reveals the benefits of engaging in the initiative as evidenced in improvements in several problem characteristics. There was an increase in the number of multiple approach and multiple solution problems and in the level of cognitive demand of problems posed. The challenge of posing non-traditional problems, alongside the competing demands of building in opportunities for success, may have diminished participants' ability to evaluate and attend to the cognitive demand of problems.

ABSTRACTThere has been an increase in the prevalence of Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) causing significant economic impact on the health care system. Although toxigenic C. diff carriage is recognized in infancy, there is limited data regarding its longitudinal trends, associated epidemiolocal risk factors and intestinal microbiome characteristics. The objectives of our longitudinal cohort study were to investigate temporal changes in the prevalence of toxigenic C.diff colonization in children up to 2 years, associated epidemiological and intestinal microbiome characteristics. Pregnant mothers were enrolled prenatally, and serial stool samples were collected from their children for 2 years. 2608 serial stool samples were collected from 817 children. 411/817 (50%) were males, and 738/817 (90%) were born full term. Toxigenic C.diff was detected in 7/569 (1%) of meconium samples, 116/624 (19%) of 2 m (month), 221/606 (37%) of 6 m, 227/574 (40%) of 12 m and 18/235 (8%) of 24 m samples. Infants receiving any breast milk at 6 m were less likely to be carriers at 2 m, 6 m and 12 m than those not receiving it. (p = 0.002 at 2 m, p

Compared with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC), myeloablative conditioning (MAC) is generally associated with lower relapse risk after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, disease-specific risk factors in AML/MDS can further inform when MAC and RIC may yield differential outcomes. We analyzed HCT outcomes stratified by the Disease Risk Index (DRI) in 4387 adults (age 40 to 65 years) to identify the impact of conditioning intensity. In the low/intermediate-risk DRI cohort, RIC was associated with lower nonrelapse mortality (NRM) (hazard ratio [HR], .74; 95% confidence interval [CI], .62 to .88; P < .001) but significantly greater relapse risk (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.35 to 1.76; P < .001) and thus inferior disease-free survival (DFS) (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.33; P = .001). In the high/very high-risk DRI cohort, RIC was associated with marginally lower NRM (HR, .83; 95% CI, .68 to 1.00; P = .051) and significantly higher relapse risk (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.08 to 1.41; P = .002), leading to similar DFS using either RIC or MAC. These data support MAC over RIC as the preferred conditioning intensity for patients with AML/MDS with low/intermediate-risk DRI, but with a similar benefit as RIC in high/very high-risk DRI. Novel MAC regimens with less toxicity could benefit all patients, but more potent antineoplastic approaches are needed for the high/very-high risk DRI group.

Understanding modifiable factors related to breastfeeding initiation and duration is critical to increase breastfeeding rates. Maternal parenting confidence is a modifiable factor whose association with breastfeeding duration has not previously been investigated. In a retrospective cohort of 1023 mother-infant dyads, the association between maternal confidence and breastmilk feeding at 6 and 12 months of age were analyzed. The association of breastmilk frequency categories and maternal confidence score at 6 and 12 months was examined using multinomial logistic regression stratified by race, ethnicity, and adjusted for gestational age. We found that breastmilk feeding frequency at 6 months was negatively associated with the maternal confidence score. After stratification by ethnicity, the association was no longer significant. There was no association between human milk feeding frequency at 12 months and maternal confidence score at 12 months. Our results demonstrate the need for additional research to identify modifiable factors to increase breastfeeding rates.

This paper explores Year 3 Irish students' problem-solving strategies when responding to a skyscraper growing pattern problem. Students' strategies reveal their understandings of multiplicative thinking, pattern, and algebraic reasoning. The version of the growing pattern lesson was that a 'teaching through problem solving' approach was taken, where no explicit strategies were modelled by the teacher at the start of the problem-solving process (Hourigan & Leavy 2022). Instead, once the teacher introduced the problem, these Year 3 students solved a range of mini-challenges using their own invented strategies. During the planning phase, the teachers had predicted various ways students may see and understand the characteristics of the growing pattern (Friel & Markworth 2009; Markworth 2012). This paper explores the modifications made to the problem context to promote engagement, the range of approaches adopted by two different classes of Year 3 students in response to the problem challenges, as well as the role of the teacher in guiding students to understand the problem and in orchestrating the sharing of student strategies.

The focus on integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education that prepares students for an ever-changing society is gaining momentum. Recent STEM education research has concentrated on developing guiding principles for integrating STEM amid the lack of a unified definition and varied implementations of STEM integration. Aware of the challenges posed by the inconsistent language and lack of consensus on a common definition, we recognise the importance of educators developing a shared conceptual framework and co-constructing a vision for STEM education. This research reports on the STEM education perspectives held by key stakeholders in Irish primary STEM education. Using qualitative surveys and interviews, we investigate primary teachers' and teacher educators' conceptions of STEM education alongside their perceptions of approaches to and the efficacy of integrated STEM education. Insights are provided into how engagement in STEM education professional development programmes supports the development of understandings and practices. The research contributes valuable insights into the unique perspectives of primary education practitioners regarding balancing the affordances of integrated STEM alongside the perceived threat to content knowledge development within the discrete STEM disciplines.

This article aims to explore the challenges associated with providing digital resources to stakeholders and identifying the obstacles and barriers to the successful design and exploitation of digital resources in the classroom and a wider learning environment. As a direct consequence of COVID-19 and the physical closure of schools we can now identify three specific content-producing cultures emerging within the educational community (Marcus-Quinn, A., T. Hourigan, and S. McCoy. 2019a. "'The Digital Learning Movement: How Should Schools Respond?'." "Economic and Social Review" 50 (4): 767-783). On the top tier we can see the independently developed resources by private educational companies that have been designed with accessibility hardwired into the resources. Such accessibility caters to the widest range of user needs. The second tier provides digital materials that have been produced by teachers in schools that have a 'tech-driven' agenda; such schools do not make it mandatory for teachers or students to use privately produced books. The third tier comprises teachers, outside of a formal community of practice, who use privately produced resources but modify them to suit their student needs better. There has been a rapid migration to digital learning as a direct response to the challenges posed by COVID-19 in schools (Mohan, G., S. McCoy, E. Carroll, G. Mihut, S. Lyons, and C. Mac Domhnaill. 2020. "Learning for all? Second-level education in Ireland during COVID-19." ESRI Survey and Statistical Report Series 92 June 2020.). As schools have scrambled to adapt to this ever-changing environment, digital inclusion has never been more critical as school communities now navigate these new learning experiences (Hall, Byrne et al. 2021; Marcus-Quinn, A., and T. Hourigan. 2021. "Handbook for Online Learning Contexts: Digital, Mobile and Open: Policy and Practice." Cham: Springer.; Murphy, C., A. Marcus-Quinn, and T. Hourigan. 2021a. "Exploring the Ripple Effect of 'Always On'Digital Work Culture in Secondary Education Settings." In "Handbook for Online Learning Contexts: Digital, Mobile and Open," edited by A. Marcus-Quinn and T. Hourigan, 339-353. Cham: Springer, Murphy, C., A. Marcus-Quinn, and T. Hourigan. 2021b. "Technostress in Secondary Education Settings." "Coping with COVID: Advancing Education. The Naace Journal" 89: 17-23). To comply with European legislation passed in 2019, public sector organisations and private companies and organisations need to check the accessibility of their websites, mobile apps, and media content (Oncins, E., and P. Orero. 2021. "Let's put Standardisation in Practice: Accessibility Services and Interaction." "Hikma" 20 (1): 71-90. https://www.pdsttechnologyineducation.ie/en/Planning/Digital-Learning-Framework-and-Planning-Resources-Post-Primary/Digital-Learning-Framework-for-Post-Primary-Schools.pdf). The educational publishing sector should also adhere to these common accessibility standards ensuring that digital content conforms to digital equity, diversity, and inclusion principles (Mihut, G., S. McCoy, and B. Maître. 2021. "A Capability Approach to Understanding Academic and Socio-emotional Outcomes of Students with Special Educational Needs in Ireland." "Oxford Review of Education."). During the COVID-19 pandemic it became clear that there is an appetite for high-quality open-access digital teaching and learning materials (Eivers, E., J. Worth, and A. Ghosh. 2020. Home Learning During COVID-19: "Findings from the Understanding Society Longitudinal Study." Slough: National Foundation for Educational Research.). To improve the consistency and reusability of such resources the education community would benefit from easy access to shared quality templates that are professionally designed and usability tested. Such an initiative is unlikely to happen without buy-in from publishers in conjunction with the Department of Education. Such collaboration was behind the successful establishment of Scoilnet: Ireland's national repository for shared digital teaching and learning materials. During the pandemic Scoilnet compiled a list to highlight the Open-access resources available to stakeholders and requested that teachers make recommendations and upload such resources to the Scoilnet portal. It is clear that such resources need to be designed and developed, and this requires professional time and resources. We cannot expect this to happen without cost.

We present a detailed helium atom scattering study of the charge-density wave (CDW) system and transition metal dichalcogenide 1T-TaS2. In terms of energy dissipation, we determine the electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling, a quantity that is at the heart of conventional superconductivity and may even “drive” phase transitions such as CDWs. The e-ph coupling of TaS2 in the commensurate CDW phase (λ = 0.59 ± 0.12) is compared with measurements of the topo-logical insulator TlBiTe2 (λ = 0.09 ± 0.01). Furthermore, by means of elastic He diffraction and resonance/interference effects in He scattering, the thermal expansion of the surface lattice, the surface step height, and the three-dimensional atom-surface interaction potential are determined including the electronic corrugation of 1T-TaS2. The linear thermal expansion coefficient is similar to that of other transition-metal dichalcogenides. The He−TaS2 interaction is best described by a corrugated Morse potential with a relatively large well depth and supports a large number of bound states, comparable to the surface of Bi2Se3, and the surface electronic corrugation of 1T-TaS2 is similar to the ones found for semimetal surfaces.

Management of deep-sea fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species’ co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.

The presence of measurable residual disease (MRD) is strongly associated with treatment outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Despite the correlation with clinical outcomes, MRD assessment has yet to be standardized or routinely incorporated into clinical trials and discrepancies have been observed between different techniques for MRD assessment. In 62 patients with AML, aged 18-60 years, in first complete remission after intensive induction therapy on the randomized phase III SWOG-S0106 clinical trial (clinicaltrials gov. Identifier: NCT00085709), MRD detection by centralized, high-quality multiparametric flow cytometry was compared with a 29-gene panel utilizing duplex sequencing (DS), an ultrasensitive next-generation sequencing method that generates double-stranded consensus sequences to reduce false positive errors. MRD as defined by DS was observed in 22 (35%) patients and was strongly associated with higher rates of relapse (68% vs. 13%; hazard ratio [HR] =8.8; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.2-24.5; P

ABSTRACT Children delivered by elective, prelabor Cesarean section (C-section) are not exposed to the birth canal microbiota and, in relation to vaginally delivered children, show altered microbiota development. Perturbed microbial colonization during critical early-life windows of development alters metabolic and immune programming and is associated with an increased risk of immune and metabolic diseases. In nonrandomized studies, vaginal seeding of C-section-born neonates partially restores their microbiota colonization to that of their vaginally delivered counterparts, but without randomization, confounding factors cannot be excluded. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we determined the effect of vaginal seeding versus placebo seeding (control arm) on the skin and stool microbiota of elective, prelabor C-section-born neonates (n = 20) at 1 day and 1 month after birth. We also examined whether there were between-arm differences in engraftment of maternal microbes in the neonatal microbiota. In relation to the control arm, vaginal seeding increased mother-to-neonate microbiota transmission and caused compositional changes and a reduction in alpha diversity (Shannon Index) of the skin and stool microbiota. The neonatal skin and stool microbiota alpha diversity when maternal vaginal microbiota is provided is intriguing and highlights the need of larger randomized studies to determine the ecological mechanisms and effects of vaginal seeding on clinical outcomes. IMPORTANCE Children delivered by elective C-section are not exposed to the birth canal and show altered microbiota development. Impairing microbial colonization during early life alters metabolic and immune programming and is associated with an increased risk of immune and metabolic diseases. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we determined the effect of vaginal seeding on the skin and stool microbiota of elective C-section born neonates and found that vaginal seeding increased mother-to-neonate microbiota transmission and caused compositional changes and a reduction in the skin and stool microbiota diversity. The reduction of neonatal skin and stool microbiota diversity when maternal vaginal microbiota is provided is intriguing and highlights the need of larger randomized studies to determine the ecological mechanisms and effects of vaginal seeding on clinical outcomes.

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) locus plays a central role in adaptive immune function and has significant clinical implications for tissue transplant compatibility and allelic disease associations. Studies using bulk-cell RNA sequencing have demonstrated that HLA transcription may be regulated in an allele-specific manner and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has the potential to better characterize these expression patterns. However, quantification of allele-specific expression (ASE) for HLA loci requires sample-specific reference genotyping due to extensive polymorphism. While genotype prediction from bulk RNA sequencing is well described, the feasibility of predicting HLA genotypes directly from single-cell data is unknown. Here we evaluate and expand upon several computational HLA genotyping tools by comparing predictions from human single-cell data to gold-standard, molecular genotyping. The highest 2-field accuracy averaged across all loci was 76% by arcasHLA and increased to 86% using a composite model of multiple genotyping tools. We also developed a highly accurate model (AUC 0.93) for predicting HLA-DRB345 copy number in order to improve genotyping accuracy of the HLA-DRB locus. Genotyping accuracy improved with read depth and was reproducible at repeat sampling. Using a metanalytic approach, we also show that HLA genotypes from PHLAT and OptiType can generate ASE ratios that are highly correlated (R2 = 0.8 and 0.94, respectively) with those derived from gold-standard genotyping.

This paper reports on a project that sought to enhance problem-solving practices within a cluster of primary schools. In-service teachers' description of their approach to problem-solving suggested it was treated as an isolated practice that occurred after concepts had been taught; often focusing on teaching particular problem-solving strategies (Dooley et al., 2014). There was consensus that problem-solving proved challenging for all concerned. In response, the authors presented an alternative perspective on problem-solving, that is, a teaching through problem solving approach. In this paper, the authors demonstrate how seasonal themed problems were exploited to promote engagement and conceptual understanding across two class levels. While the season was Christmas, the context used could be easily modified to a more generic 'party theme'.

The authors use finding the area of irregular shapes as the context for developing flexible strategies for measuring area. This article builds on their paper, "Setting a Design Challenge: Promoting the Discovery of the Relationship between Area and Perimeter" (EJ1272407). As part of Lesson Study research within an initial teacher education programme, a group of five preservice elementary teachers worked alongside two mathematics teacher educators to develop a sequence of instruction that would introduce two classes of Year 5 students (age 10-12) to realistic problems to support them in developing their area understandings. Previously, students explored the relationship between area and perimeter. This paper presents the classroom practices within the second implementation of the sequence of instruction, having refined various aspects of the lesson in light of observations and reflections after the first implementation e.g., groups size, modelling.

The integrated STEM activity described in this article incorporated two investigations that sought to develop children's understanding of fair-testing: (1) the first parachutes: how does the angle of a parachute frame affect the speed of descent?; and (2) modern parachutes: how does the size of the parachute canopy affect the speed of descent? This STEM activity was implemented in a third-grade class and a revised version was taught two weeks later to a different third-grade class in the same school. Both classes had a different teacher who lead each of the lessons. Two preservice teachers worked with small groups of four to five children; one facilitated the group activity while the other recorded observations using an "observational protocol" devised for this investigation. The authors share insights into the approaches and pedagogies that supported children's learning and report on how opportunities were built in to develop and assess STEM understanding.

This study explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary school children's perceptions of scientists. Perceptions of scientists were examined using Chambers, D. (1983. "Stereotypic Images of the Scientist: The Draw-a-Scientist Test." "Science Education" 67 (2): 255-265) 'Draw-A-Scientist Test' (DAST) and involved children (n = 104), from senior infants and fourth class, making drawings of scientists. Half the drawings were created in March 2020 one week before school closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the remainder in November 2020 when schools reopened. Compared to pre-pandemic drawings, images created during the pandemic revealed more informed understandings of scientists and their work and fewer drawings were classed as 'uncategorised'. However, drawings made during the pandemic revealed more stereotypical perceptions of scientists and their work as indicated by the larger number of stereotypical indicators incorporated into drawings. These increases were statistically significant for younger children. A welcome finding was broader conceptions of the nature of a scientists' work, a shift that appeared to be motivated by the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research has shown immersion to be effective, yet our understanding about the integration of language and content in Irish-medium immersion (IMI) pedagogy remains incomplete. This article reports on how the teaching of mathematics in the IMI elementary setting, supported pre-service teachers in bridging the language and content gap. The study utilised Japanese Lesson Study (LS) to design and implement mathematics lessons and qualitative data were collected from a variety of sources. Findings provide unique insights into the knowledge demands related to designing and implementing content lessons and reveal the challenges for pre-service teachers in providing balanced language and content instruction.